< Episode 648 > Nine-Tenths.
It wasn't a particularly great memory.
It was around the time his younger sister fled to the Central Plains, and he personally appeared in that distant land to catch her.
Doubts followed.
Why did the Palace Lord, who should have stayed in the palace according to their oath, have to go all the way to the Central Plains?
The relatively young Yucheon could not understand it at the time.
In the distant future.
It was only when he realized that it was a father's love for his daughter that he came to understand the former Palace Lord.
Even so, Yucheon would not have been able to make the same choice.
For he was closer to being a Palace Lord than a father.
The Central Plains back then was hot.
Was it summer?
The incredibly hot weather made Yucheon feel various things.
Weather where he didn't have to wear thick fur coats, and the cold energy pent up inside his body felt a bit better. It was truly a mystical scene.
Should I say he felt a lost romance for a brief moment?
The contemporary Palace Lord's expression remained dark, but the Young Palace Lord, who had come of age, could not help but feel excited.
A new land.
Hot air.
People who looked somewhat relaxed.
All of that came to Yucheon as a mystical experience.
At least.
Until he met him.
Boom--!!
Thump-!!
An immense shockwave sweeps in from far away near Mount Tai.
The current master of the Central Plains was said to be an old man called the Sword Venerable.
The Emperor of the North Sea was currently facing him with force.
He hadn't officially visited the Central Plains, and a conflict arose, leading to a battle.
At that time.
The Young Palace Lord was facing another man.
[I greet the Young Palace Lord of the North Sea.]
A man with black hair and red eyes.
He looked about the same age as himself.
Fluttering a cyan mantle that proved his affiliation, the man stood with his hands behind his back, looking at Yucheon.
Yucheon was also meeting the man's gaze.
Before long, the man introduced himself to Yucheon.
[I am the Divine Dragon Commander of the Murim Alliance, Gu Cheol-un.]
Wariness surged involuntarily.
The cold energy within his body somehow formed hostility.
Since he couldn't feel anything from the opponent, his instinct arbitrarily raised his qi.
Boom---!!!
A roar spreads from Mount Tai in the north.
Hearing this, Yucheon frowned and spoke.
[Step aside.]
Right now, the Alliance Leader and his father, the Palace Lord, were in a deadly struggle.
Within that, he had a role to fulfill.
To execute the bloodline of the Murong family who took his sister, and bring her back.
That was the command given to Yucheon.
At Yucheon's reaction, Gu Cheol-un spoke.
[I cannot do that.]
An indifferent expression was evident.
[Your sister has already become a person of the Murong family. This Commander must protect the Murong family's personnel by the Alliance Leader's command. Therefore, I cannot step aside.]
[You dare to block my path. Is that what you're saying?]
Yucheon let out a laugh at Gu Cheol-un's attitude.
[I don't care about the orders of some Alliance. We simply handle things according to the laws of the North Sea.]
[I do not know of the North Sea's laws.]
[So? Are you telling me to follow your words?]
[No. Since you are people from beyond the secular world, there is no need for you to follow the laws of the Central Plains.]
Cruuuunch---!!!
The wind pressure gradually grows fiercer.
Yucheon was feeling impatience both inside and out through his furrowed brow.
[It simply means we each have our roles to play.]
Gu Cheol-un looked at Yucheon with half-open eyes.
[This Commander cannot yield. And you have something you must go and retrieve, so if you wish, try and take it.]
[Huh?]
If you want, try and take it.
It was full of the air that he absolutely could not be pierced through. Arrogant yet heavy words.
That tone kept grating on Yucheon's nerves.
[Do you perhaps think that old man called the Sword Venerable can defeat the Palace Lord?]
[Hmm?]
Gu Cheol-un tilted his head at Yucheon's words. It was an expression of incomprehension.
Seeing that expression, Yucheon was certain.
These bastards really knew nothing.
[No matter how outstanding the bastards of the Central Plains are, at best, you are only human. You cannot defeat us.]
Thinking about it now, it was an embarrassing tone.
He said it because he thought the whole world was his back then.
Because of that, he regrets it.
If he had known a little more about the world, he wouldn't have left such a memory.
[Soon, the Palace Lord will execute that old man and come here. When that happens, you will finally meet your death. Wouldn't it be better to step aside before that?]
[Hmm.]
Even at Yucheon's words, Gu Cheol-un continued to tilt his head. It seemed like he couldn't understand no matter how many times he heard it.
After pondering the question a few times like that, Gu Cheol-un spoke to Yucheon as if he simply couldn't figure it out.
[May I ask. Are you that weak?]
[What?]
[Why do you think you won't be able to break through me until the Palace Lord arrives?]
[…!]
Yucheon swallowed a groan at Gu Cheol-un's words. It was an unexpected point.
Right.
Why? Why was he thinking of waiting until the Palace Lord came?
While Yucheon's body stiffened, Gu Cheol-un paid it no mind and continued speaking.
[Also, there is something you are mistaken about. I must correct that as well.]
Thump-!!
Thump-!!
The terrain continues to shatter from the fight of the absolute beings. Gu Cheol-un kept his gaze there and spoke.
[Even if the Alliance Leader is defeated, you will not be able to achieve what you desire.]
[…What did you say…?]
[As long as this Commander stands with both eyes open, this place will be the end of your steps.]
[...]
At the casually spoken words, Yucheon had to fall silent for a moment.
Because he couldn't understand what he had just heard.
[…What?]
[It seems your ears are quite dull.]
At Yucheon's reaction, Gu Cheol-un's brow furrowed slightly.
[I don't really like saying things twice…]
Sliick.
Gu Cheol-un released his hands from behind his back.
Bare hands with nothing on them came into view. At that moment.
[You cannot pass through here. If you don't want to die, leave right now….]
[…!]
[Would it be easier to understand if I put it this way?]
[You bastard…!]
Just as Yucheon was about to distort his expression at Gu Cheol-un's words and boil up his cold qi.
Whoooosh---!!!
Flames erupted from Gu Cheol-un's body.
The surrounding heat grew extremely hot.
The flames were profoundly red.
Rather than light, it looked like blood burning.
At that reaction, Yucheon unknowingly raised his head.
[The sky…!]
The blue sky gradually dyed red.
While momentarily flustered by the bizarre phenomenon.
[What are you doing?]
Gu Cheol-un's voice was heard.
[Are you not coming?]
When Yucheon lowered his head again at the voice.
[Then I will come to you.]
Gu Cheol-un's large hand was already approaching Yucheon's face.
Just as he was about to take a stance while looking at that hand.
Slap-!!
With an unidentifiable sound, Yucheon's consciousness gradually began to awaken.
Smack-! Slap-!!
-…Hey, isn't that hitting too hard?
-There's nothing better than this for waking someone up.
Voices are heard. Whose voices could these be.
-What if a tooth breaks?
-How would I know?
-Hmm?
-It probably wasn't me. Who knows if they had cavities to begin with.
-Disciple.
-Yes?
-You truly are a crazy bastard.
-It's all thanks to having a good master... It's a joke. Please remove your hand.
At the somehow brutal conversation, Yucheon's eyes slowly opened.
It wasn't because of the sound. It was because pain was strangely felt in his face.
"Ugh..."
Yucheon opened his eyes and let out a pain-filled groan.
"Ah, he's awake. You see, sir? This is the most direct method. Why don't you believe people?"
"...No, why does this work?"
At the voice that sounded surprised from the front, Yucheon looked there.
Someone was looking at him with a hand slightly raised.
Beyond his blurry vision, facial features came into view.
Black hair, slightly visible blue eyes, and sharp eyes that seemed to have just seen everything.
Seeing that, Yucheon spoke.
"...Gu Cheol-un?"
"Eh?"
The face of the one called by the name of the man in his memories crumpled.
"It seems you haven't come to your senses yet. Should I hit... no, massage you a bit more?"
"Changing your words doesn't make the meaning any softer."
The one who blocked the young man from the side was also a young man of a similar age.
Should I say he had a somewhat vicious-looking impression?
Barely gathering his fading mind, Yucheon raised his upper body.
"Keuk...!"
However, his body condition was far from good.
It wasn't in a good state originally, but it shouldn't have been this painful.
Severe pain was felt all over his body.
"It would be best to move slowly. You probably have a lot of broken bones."
"...Huu..."
Yucheon looked at the owner of the voice.
He thought it was Gu Cheol-un. It wasn't.
"...Young Master Gu...."
Not the man himself, but his son.
"Are you alright?"
Gu Cheol-un's son, Gu Yang-cheon.
Yucheon didn not answer his question.
He made a mistake.
Not only did they have similar facial features, but something had changed.
Because of that, he momentarily mistook him for Gu Cheol-un.
"May I ask what happened?"
"What...?"
"I heard the Palace Lord was eaten by the Ice Spirit."
Eaten by the Ice Spirit?
At those words, Yucheon suddenly recalled the situation just before.
He was definitely with the Ice Spirit.
It seemed he was watching the Ice Spirit for a moment right after Gu Yang-cheon left.
Why did he do that? He didn't know the reason.
But Yucheon had to stay right there.
As some time passed like that... the Ice Spirit emitted light, and then...
Eventually.
"Keuk..."
Throb-!
At the sudden headache, Yucheon covered his forehead.
"Huu... Huu."
Yucheon, no, the Ice Palace Lord endured the headache and breathed slowly.
Air seeped into the tip of his nose and mouth.
Feeling that, the Palace Lord's eyes widened slightly.
"...What is this?"
The air was strange.
The sense of foreignness that usually filled him was not felt.
No, should I say he felt a sense of foreignness because he couldn't feel it?
"Ahem."
As the Ice Palace Lord reacted as if he felt something, Gu Yang-cheon in front of him let out a fake cough.
"Aheem... Hem..."
His gaze was seen wandering around as if feeling guilty.
"Well, what... There's no need to deliberately recall it. Anyway, your body doesn't look so good, so let's go get treatment first."
Gu Yang-cheon supported the Palace Lord as if trying to forcibly change the subject.
Seeing that, Pae-jon next to him looked at him with an absurd expression.
As if Pae-jon might say something, Gu Yang-cheon hurriedly looked at him and spoke.
"What are you doing? If you have two hands to spare, carry that lump... I mean, carry the Black Lion Great General on your back."
"You beat him unconscious, and you're telling me to carry him?"
"Beat him? It was just a slight accident."
"If there's a second accident, he'll be a goner."
"Isn't it normal to be a goner if there's a second accident?"
"..."
It was strangely a valid point.
At this, Pae-jon sighed and turned around.
Then he turned his head slightly and said to Gu Yang-cheon.
"By the end of today. Explain everything."
"..."
At the somewhat resolute tone, Gu Yang-cheon nodded.
Confirming his reaction, Pae-jon was about to walk towards the Black Lion when.
"Hmm?"
Someone was already carrying the Black Lion on their back.
It was Seong-yul.
"Shall we depart now?"
Seeing Seong-yul speaking with an expressionless face, Pae-jon nodded his head.
He hadn't even been told, but he was perceptive and quick.
From observing his attitude, he also seemed like the type to silently do his work without complaining.
'There are guys like that. I don't know why my disciple is like that.'
The guy he barely managed to save in his later years never listens, has a garbage temper, and has no respect for his master.
It seemed he had terrible luck with disciples.
'...If only the talent he possessed was a bit more lacking, I would have kicked his ass out immediately.'
Of all things, what that guy had was immense.
When he first saw him, he thought perhaps he was a bit slow to understand compared to the realm he possessed.
A guy not even in his twenties had reached the mature Peak, and a little later, he reached the Flower Realm.
The Alliance somehow seemed to hide this fact, and he himself didn't seem to care much either.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he reached it at the youngest age in history.
He would be a prodigy of a generation for that, but Gu Yang-cheon somehow lacked confidence and faith.
Likewise, his talent in martial arts didn't seem that high, so Pae-jon also harbored doubts.
However, what was important anyway was how much pain he could endure in training the *Tuapa Cheonmu* and the potential of his body to accept it.
Pae-jon stopped caring about this. So what if he's a bit lacking. If it doesn't work, he just has to make it work.
With that thought, a few years passed.
And now, Pae-jon's thoughts had also changed.
'That guy is definitely a prodigy.'
A conviction.
Although he might be somewhat lacking in martial arts, he possessed a bizarre level of control in handling internal qi.
He himself didn't seem to know it yet, but that level was astonishing even to Pae-jon.
Just looking at him, it seemed he didn't know how difficult it was to ignite and shrink a massive flame in the first place.
Emission-style martial arts like Fire Arts could not even be attempted without talent from the start.
That meant it was a high-difficulty martial art in the use of internal qi.
Simply having a large amount of internal qi didn't mean one could spew out qi pressure, and if one detonated it in a single instant like that, the dantian couldn't possibly remain intact.
Yet Gu Yang-cheon concentrated fire power or controlled it as if it were nothing. At the same time, he led it smoothly so that it didn't strain his body.
Moreover, for Gu Yang-cheon, whose internal qi volume was suspiciously large, this should be even more difficult.
'That guy looked perfectly fine.'
Whether the amount increased or not. Or if there was none.
Gu Yang-cheon seemed to have no difficulty with it whatsoever.
Pae-jon felt a tremor rising inside as he watched the appearance Gu Yang-cheon had shown just before.
The qi pouring in from all directions.
A massive amount that a single human could possibly withstand.
Even the violence of internal qi that wasn't his own, that...
'That guy controlled it effortlessly.'
That sight was wondrous, even if he didn't want to admit it.
If he had slipped even slightly, the qi would have detonated, and that explosion would have been impossible to stop even for Pae-jon.
On such a blade's edge, Gu Yang-cheon danced for all to see.
He played with the internal qi as if the sense of crisis was a joke. In the end, he even gathered it in one place and shoved it into his mouth.
'Crazy bastard.'
Pae-jon laughed as he recalled that.
A little over eighty.
A life that was long to others and short by his own standards.
Living such a life, he was confident that there was no one better than him in martial arts. That's still the case now.
Pae-jon knew what level of talent he possessed.
A few decades ago from now, he might have considered himself the best.
However.
Now it was a little different.
Seeing the martial prowess that Gu Cheol-un, the Head of the Gu Family, briefly showed, or the scene his disciple showed, various thoughts crossed his mind.
'I can't understand that guy's family.'
Of all things, they share the same surname and are father and son.
Did the gods of heaven and earth bestow some blessing on that family?
While it was absurd, expectations also rose.
'What if that disciple realizes his talent and time passes.'
He was truly curious about that, but he wouldn't tell him.
'...If I tell him and he gets full of himself, it'll be an ugly sight.'
It's an ugly sight to see him crawling with low self-esteem. But seeing his shoulders swell and him acting arrogant was an even uglier sight.
'He'll figure it out on his own soon enough anyway. It's right to leave it be for now.'
Even his father, Huhyeop, must have clearly known, but didn't tell him.
Even though he's his master, there's no need to intervene.
'But looking at it that way, why didn't Head Gu say anything?'
Given that level and the fact that he's his father, he would have known his son's talent better than anyone. It was a question.
'Don't tell me...'
Thinking about it, Pae-jon suddenly ponders.
'He didn't think it wasn't a talent because he thought it was a given, did he?'
Considering Gu Cheol-un's martial prowess, he had a fleeting suspicion, but Pae-jon shook his head and erased the thought.
'There's no way such a ridiculous thing could be true.'
Even he thought it was too absurd.
Pae-jon patted Seong-yul's shoulder a couple of times and moved his feet.
Since there was no one else to carry it anyway, he was going to move straight to where the others were, but.
Saaaaah-!
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the ground.
A shadow large enough to cover the people around. At the strange phenomenon, Pae-jon moved his gaze.
It wasn't just Pae-jon. Seong-yul, and even Gu Yang-cheon, were already looking at the cause of the shade.
If there was a difference, it was that Gu Yang-cheon was deeply frowning.
"That damn bastard."
Gu Yang-cheon spat out a curse as he looked at the sky.
"He wouldn't come out even when I called him, but now that it's all over, he finally crawls out."
Grrrrr-.
At Gu Yang-cheon's words, the existence that covered the sky let out a cry.
It was as rough as a beast's cry. But it was much too loud to be just that.
A massive existence large enough to cover the entire sky moved its body.
A long and thick body writhed.
As the creature approached from the air, Gu Yang-cheon's eyes narrowed.
"What?"
Something was strange.
Grrrrrr--!!
The ground shook at the loud cry. Seeing this, Gu Yang-cheon spoke.
"...Why did it get so big?"
Name: Ddol-ddol-i.
Age: Three years old.
The creature's already large body had grown twice as big as before.