-That is forbidden.
Gyeolgeuk Cheonbong, one of the Hundred Great Masters and the Abbot of Shaolin’s escort, spoke.
-Yuyeon. Do you know what you are saying?
-I do.
Despite that firm attitude, Yuyeon did not yield.
-I want to fight him.
-And so you want me to change the tournament bracket? Do you truly think that makes sense?
Yuyeon wanted to face So Yeomra in the fourth match of the main tournament. That was why he had come to ask Gyeolgeuk Cheonbong for a favor.
Upon hearing his words, the old man’s expression turned furious.
-The Alliance chooses the brackets fairly—
-That it isn’t fair… Everyone already knows that.
Gyeolgeuk Cheonbong frowned at Yuyeon’s words.
-What? You, right now—!
-But I also believe that this, too, is the Buddha’s will. I am a man of Shaolin, after all.
There must be a purpose behind it as well.
Even if it was something he could not accept. If the Abbot, Cheonan, had accepted it and attempted it, then it must be akin to the Buddha’s will.
That was how Yuyeon wanted to understand it.
But—
-…For this alone, I earnestly beg you to heed my wishes.
-Yuyeon!
-I must meet him somehow before it is too late.
Throb—!
Pain surged through his chest whenever he moved.
Enduring it, Yuyeon thought.
Before it was too late.
Before he was wounded any further.
While he could still properly display his strength.
He had to meet that man somehow.
-Yuyeon. Do you not know what this martial contest means to Shaolin?
-I do. That is why I stepped forward.
-And you still say this…!
-But this is something I must do.
Yuyeon repeatedly drew breath before speaking to Gyeolgeuk Cheonbong.
-Because I am the one who must become the roof over Shaolin.
-…!
-The one who must someday stand at the summit in Shaolin’s name.
He knew all too well what Shaolin expected of him.
How could he not? Because he knew it so very well, his life had become all the more sorrowful.
-That is why I must fight him.
He restrained his trembling voice.
-If I do not, the regret left within me will become a wall blocking my path until the moment I die.
-…Hah…!
-I will endlessly regret this moment, and that regret will prevent me from moving forward.
-You insolent—
Gyeolgeuk Cheonbong spoke with a frown.
-Do you dare threaten me by placing your own life on the line?
-Namo Amitabha.
Yuyeon did not deny his words.
If his request was not granted now, he would fall prey to a heart demon and be unable to do anything.
And if that happened, would Shaolin’s wishes ever be fulfilled?
That was what Yuyeon’s words implied.
-You little wretch… How dare you…!
Gyeolgeuk Cheonbong understood his meaning and was about to roar—
-Enough.
-…!
At the voice from behind him, the old man had no choice but to halt.
-That will do.
It was Shaolin’s Abbot, Cheonan.
-…But—
-Heed the child’s wishes. I shall convey his words to Sword Immortal myself.
-Abbot…!
Gyeolgeuk Cheonbong spoke in surprise, but Cheonan merely looked down at the kneeling Yuyeon with his characteristic gaze.
-Yuyeon.
-…Yes.
-Is this truly what you wish?
-…I am sorry.
-No, do not apologize. What you seek to do may also be the Buddha’s will. Even if it is an unreasonable demand, it is hardly difficult to grant.
Cheonan dragged his aged body toward him.
-What we seek to do is also an unreasonable act that goes against His will, after all.
-….
Yuyeon could add nothing to the words Cheonan had spoken himself.
There was too much sorrow in the Abbot’s voice.
-We who go against our convictions must look truly sullied in your eyes.
-That is not so…
-I know. We are merely following what we believe must be done. But that alone is insufficient to free us from our guilt.
Cheonan gently stroked Yuyeon’s hair.
-Do as you wish. However…
His hand moved slowly a few more times before coming to a stop.
-I hope you do not forget where you must go when it is over.
-….
The place he had to go.
The summit where he had to stand, bearing the name of Shaolin.
-Yes… I will… remember.
In that stifling, heavy voice, Yuyeon bit his lip and replied.
That was the unreasonable demand he had obtained.
The opportunity he had won through it.
Crack—!
“…!”
As he watched the world collapse, Yuyeon’s eyes trembled.
‘…What?’
What had happened?
He wondered, but the question did not last.
Yuyeon’s staggering body was already moving swiftly.
Crack—!
A blow swept in from the left.
Yuyeon immediately twisted his body, but—
“Tsk.”
Along with a short click of the tongue, Yuyeon’s body rebounded.
Crack—!
“Guh!”
Crunch—!
Golden afterimages scattered through the air.
They were traces formed from his own energy, fragments of the Hwang’a Gangram as well.
They shattered, were crushed, and faded away.
Shaolin’s ultimate technique, which he had believed could never be broken—
It was being crushed by bare hands.
‘That’s impossible…!’
Yuyeon gritted his teeth and moved.
He tried to widen the distance, but he could not.
Before he knew it, he had been seized by the collar, preventing him from escaping.
The Hwang’a Gangram did not allow an opponent to approach.
It should have been impossible.
And yet his opponent casually crushed the armor with his hand and forced his way inside.
Then—
Whoosh—!
Crack—!!
The armor burst apart as the fist struck.
“Cough!”
The recoil immediately struck Yuyeon.
The armor wrapped around his body was destroyed.
Pain reached his dantian, forcing him to his knees.
Thud.
“Huff… cough…?”
As he vomited out his pain, he thought.
This was an unbelievable situation.
What had happened?
‘Certainly… Certainly…’
From the very start of the match, he had rushed in with the Hwang’a Gangram activated, intent on seizing the advantage.
And then—
And then…?
‘It broke…’
It had broken.
The Hwang’a Gangram had been thoroughly crushed beneath his opponent’s hand.
Pat—
As his energy fell to the ground, Yuyeon raised his head.
His opponent had already approached and was looking down at him.
Less than thirty seconds had passed since the match began.
And Yuyeon was already on his knees.
“I told you.”
Flinch.
Yuyeon’s body trembled at his opponent’s voice.
“You’ll die if you make a mistake, didn’t I?”
“…”
Blue eyes.
Even beneath that gaze, which he wanted to flee from immediately, Yuyeon did not dare turn his head away.
“Tsk. What are you planning to fight with a body like that? Look at yourself now. You can’t even maintain it properly.”
His casual tone left Yuyeon speechless.
He was right.
Because of the wound in his chest, Yuyeon could not properly control his energy.
As a result, he was far weaker than usual and could not display the movements he desired.
‘Even so.’
He should not have been defeated so miserably.
Then how had this happened?
Yuyeon already knew the reason.
‘…He’s strong.’
It was because his opponent was strong.
Because the young man before him—the ideal and goal Yuyeon dreamed of—was overwhelmingly strong.
That was all.
Clench.
Yuyeon curled his hand into a fist.
Then he rose to his feet.
Extreme pain shot through his chest.
Was it the aftershock of the recoil?
Yuyeon thought so as he prepared to resume the fight, but—
Boom—!
“Guh!”
A kick struck him, sending his body flying into the air.
He rolled across the ground with a heavy impact.
After rolling two or three times, Yuyeon barely regained his stance and anticipated the next attack.
However—
“…Huff… Hoo…”
Guyang Cheon stood before him without moving.
What was he preparing to do next?
As Yuyeon endured the pain and watched him, Guyang Cheon slowly raised his hand.
Vwoom.
A sharp, vivid blade aura formed at his fingertips.
Was he going to attack with that? Why would someone who fought with fists and kicks create such a blade aura?
How was he supposed to counter it…?
Slash—!!
“…!!”
Yuyeon’s eyes widened at the sight before him.
“What are you doing—?!”
He shouted at the top of his lungs.
He had no choice.
Guyang Cheon had suddenly cut into his own chest with the blade aura.
Trickle.
Deep blood flowed from the wound, soaking his martial robes.
He was wearing black, so the blood was difficult to see, but it was obvious from the wound itself that it was deep.
“Benefactor—!”
“Shut up.”
“…!”
“Don’t shout so loudly. I’m the one who’s in pain, not you. Anyone would think you were the one bleeding.”
Though the pain must have been tremendous, Guyang Cheon did not even blink.
“You said it yourself. You wanted me to fight you properly.”
“What does that—!”
“Then isn’t this only fair?”
Guyang Cheon smiled as blood flowed from his wound.
“This way, you’ll have no excuses.”
“…What?”
Yuyeon frowned, unable to understand.
“You can’t say you lost because you were in pain and your body wouldn’t move. You can’t say you could have won if only you’d been healthy.”
“…!”
Yuyeon had to swallow a hollow breath at the explanation that followed.
Had he really wounded himself over something so trivial? And with such a deep wound?
It was an absurd thing to do.
“Even without that…! Whatever happened, I would have accepted the outcome…!”
“You’re really strange. What are you to me, anyway? Why do you keep doing this?”
As he spoke, Guyang Cheon raised his hand into the air.
“At first, I thought you hated me… But it doesn’t seem to be just that. No, well. Even if it isn’t that…”
Then—
“I’m doing this because I want to. So shut up and watch.”
Whooosh—!!
An enormous flame surged into the air from his fingertips.
Blue flames climbed endlessly toward the sky.
Yuyeon felt his body slowly begin to tremble as he watched.
All of those flames were internal energy.
It was enough energy to empty his dantian after only a few seconds of release.
And Guyang Cheon continued to pour it out for ten seconds. Twenty seconds. For dozens of seconds.
After breathing out flames for a long while without explanation, he finally said—
“That should be enough.”
Guyang Cheon stopped the flames and spoke to Yuyeon.
“I’ve emptied exactly half. Half of my energy.”
Only then did Yuyeon realize.
Guyang Cheon had not only wounded his own body—he had also expended his energy.
The reason was—
“Now I should be in a similar condition to you.”
He had done it to create a situation similar to Yuyeon’s.
A wound and a loss incurred for no other reason.
He had done all that without hesitation for the sake of it.
“How is it? Does it look a little more manageable now?”
“…Benefactor…”
“I was planning to do this before we started fighting.”
Guyang Cheon slowly ran a hand over his chest.
At the slightest movement, blood welled thickly across his palm.
“But I didn’t expect you to charge at me like an idiot the moment we started. Are you stupid? If you’re hurt, why are you recklessly using your energy? You’re completely insane.”
“…That’s…”
“You said you were going to beat me. Then you can’t fight like that. Unless you’re assuming you’ll lose, it makes no sense. Ah, were you planning to lose?”
“No…”
Yuyeon gritted his teeth and rose.
The surroundings were eerily quiet.
The voices that had cheered for him had fallen silent long ago.
After what had just happened—
The people around them had been overwhelmed by the flames Guyang Cheon released.
Every gaze was directed at Guyang Cheon, not Yuyeon.
It felt as if everything had been stolen from him in an instant, but he did not care.
Perhaps this was what he had wanted all along.
His body hurt, but his mind had never felt clearer.
“I… will defeat you.”
“Good.”
His words did not waver.
Guyang Cheon gave a faint smile upon hearing them.
“I felt it earlier, too. You’re refreshing.”
“…”
“No one has ever said that to me in this life. They all ignored me until they got beaten, and only then did they realize it.”
Drip, drip—!
The blood flowing from his wound grew heavier.
Guyang Cheon did not even use his energy to staunch it.
“But you’re different… Why is that, I wonder?”
“…”
Upon hearing the question, Yuyeon said nothing.
He had not yet defined what this feeling was, either.
If it was admiration, then it was admiration.
If it was respect, then perhaps it was that as well.
It seemed close to a desire to compete, but at its core, perhaps it was the two things above.
That was what Yuyeon thought.
“Did I do something to you? No… I haven’t done anything like that yet.”
If he did not remember, that was fine.
If Yuyeon alone remembered, that was enough.
Yuyeon remained silent and raised his fists.
“…Thank you for your consideration, Benefactor. I have come to my senses.”
Rather than merely bowing, he took up his stance and offered his thanks.
“I will fight you in earnest.”
“…Hmm.”
Guyang Cheon scratched the back of his neck, looking troubled.
“Ah… Seriously.”
Then he spoke with a short sigh mixed into his voice.
“The more I see you, the more I like you. I really shouldn’t be feeling this way.”
What did he mean by that?
Just as Yuyeon was about to ask, Guyang Cheon took a step.
Tap.
And in that instant—
Whoooooosh—!!
An enormous force began to pour from Guyang Cheon’s body.
“Guh…!”
Tremble, tremble—
Yuyeon’s body began to shake violently, incomparably more than it had at the start.
The moment he faced that energy, it felt as though every muscle in his body had hardened solid.
What was this? Killing intent?
In the previous martial contest—
The battle between Jin Imseok and Biseongdo.
Yuyeon had witnessed an immense killing intent there.
He had been unable to help but be shocked. How could a human emit such vicious killing intent? It had been enough to make him think that very question.
‘Th-This…’
This could not even be compared to that.
He was afraid to call the energy before him killing intent at all.
It felt as if his mind would break.
“I believe you said something.”
Guyang Cheon slowly approached Yuyeon.
“Did you ask me to fight you properly?”
He spoke as though turning Yuyeon’s words over in his mind.
“Fine. I’ll respect that.”
Even as he said this, his smile did not fade. It only deepened.
His energy and savage smile intertwined.
For Guyang Cheon, this was an unfamiliar experience.
His realm had risen, and his understanding had reached a central turning point.
This was the first time he had ever displayed his full strength in such a situation.
So, if there was one thing he wished for—
“Try to endure it.”
He only hoped, by the smallest measure, that Yuyeon would not break from this fight.