Chapter 16: Necessity (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 16: Necessity (1)
Three days had passed since our return from Nine Dragons Day.
It had also been three days since I discovered I could access the Demonic Arts bestowed by the Heavenly Demon.
I had circulated Fire Qi through my body countless times, searching for any trace of Demonic Qi, but so far, nothing had surfaced.
While this was undoubtedly a good sign, I wasn't about to let my guard down so easily.
"Even in death, those bastards still find ways to cause trouble," I muttered.
The temperature in the training grounds rose sharply as sweltering heat radiated from my body. The air grew stifling, though it shouldn't be truly dangerous—I was only at the Second Star of the Gu Flame Wheel Art, after all.
"...Still far from reaching the Third Star," I sighed.
My comprehension of the art was more than sufficient, but my physical conditioning and the depth of my Qi reserves fell short of what was needed to advance. So I had done nothing but train relentlessly, pushing my body to its absolute limit.
Now, every muscle screamed in protest. I needed to escape this sauna-like training area before I cooked myself alive.
As I pushed the door open, a cool breeze swept through the gap, sending refreshing tingles across my sweat-soaked skin.
"Hey! There's still dust over here!"
"Hahaha…"
"...Hm?"
What’s going on?
As I drew nearer, the figures became clearer. A tall, imposing presence stood beside the Sword Venerable, watching as the old man diligently swept the grounds. The figure was familiar—broad-shouldered, over eight feet tall, with a wild mane of white hair that stood in stark contrast to his comically oversized muscles.
It was the Second Elder.
"Oi! Put some care into it! Over here—there's dust everywhere!"
…What is this crazy old man up to?
Up close, the Second Elder’s imposing aura gave way to something far more manic. He was pointing frantically, ordering the Sword Venerable around as if he were a novice servant.
I never thought I’d see the day when the great Sword Venerable would be scolded over something as mundane as poor sweeping technique.
"Look at this! It’s like you’ve never held a broom in your life!"
The specks of dust he indicated were so faint they were barely visible, even with Qi-enhanced vision.
…Well, this is a scene I wish I hadn’t stumbled upon.
Both the Second Elder and the Sword Venerable had been active around the same era. They certainly knew each other.
So what farce is this?
"What are you doing here, Second Elder?" I called out.
"Oh! Yangcheon, you’re here."
"...Did you come all this way just to bully an elderly man?"
The Sword Venerable had asked me to call him by his name, but knowing his true identity, I couldn’t bring myself to be so familiar.
"I mean, this old man can’t even sweep properly. Tsk tsk. If he always works like this, he shouldn’t be paid at all."
But…I don’t see any dust.
"Doesn’t it look clean enough…?"
"Absolutely not! If this is your standard, it’s no wonder this place is always so dirty!"
What was he going on about? To any normal person, the area would seem spotless. The servants—and even Wi Seol-Ah—worked hard to maintain it.
So why this strange behavior? Was he deliberately trying to provoke the Sword Venerable?
No… Surely a respected elder of a reputable clan wouldn’t stoop to such pettiness. Right?
…Is the Sword Venerable really okay with this?
The Sword Venerable wore his usual mild smile, paying the Second Elder no mind as he continued sweeping.
"Hahaha…"
Of course, a man who’d earned the title “Sword Venerable” wouldn’t be angered by something so—
"Hahaha!"
Never mind. He’s fuming.
A closer look revealed veins bulging on his temple.
As I tried to quietly back away from the ticking time bomb, the Second Elder caught me.
"Finished your training?"
"As you can see."
"Hmm…"
"Was there something you needed, sir?"
"Nothing. By the way, your escort was waiting for you over there."
The Second Elder gestured toward the entrance of my residence.
"Muyeon?"
Had he been waiting outside for me? I’d told him to come inside if he needed to speak with me.
"Thank you. I’ll take my leave, then."
"You’re leaving…?"
"Yes?"
I turned toward Muyeon, but the Second Elder stopped me.
"Are you hungry, Yangcheon? This old man brought something truly delicious—"
"The Young Master has already eaten," the Sword Venerable cut in bluntly.
"Hah! You dare interrupt a conversation between two members of the prestigious Gu Clan?!"
"Why are you acting like this, Second Elder—"
I broke off mid-sentence as the temperature seemed to drop several degrees.
A sudden, bad premonition…
My honed instincts screamed at me to get out immediately. The unsettling aura radiated from the Sword Venerable, who hadn’t stopped sweeping.
…Hm.
It seemed he was subtly signaling for me to leave. If that was the case, I’d gladly take the hint.
"Second Elder, there’s something urgent I need to attend to."
"Then this old man will also—"
"Take care, Senior."
I didn’t wait for his reply. If I lingered any longer, I’d definitely be caught in the crossfire.
I quickly made my escape, ignoring the Second Elder’s attempts to call me back.
* * *
After Gu Yangcheon departed, an awkward silence settled between the Second Elder and the Sword Venerable outside the training grounds.
The Second Elder’s eyes darted nervously around the perimeter.
Too many trees in front of the wall… Would I have to go over the roof?
He was searching for an escape route.
Watching the legendary Sword Venerable performing such menial labor had ignited a mischievous spark in him. Seeing a man of such power quietly sweeping the floor was absurd, after all.
He could admit he might have taken the teasing too far. But that was just his nature—act first, think later.
For the first time in years, the Second Elder felt a foreboding sense of danger.
…I went too far.
Though Sword Venerable Wi Hyogun appeared to be a frail old man, the bloodlust now emanating from him was unmistakable.
A sword fanatic who slaughters his enemies on sight.
To the Unorthodox Faction, the Sword Venerable was a psychopathic hunter who showed no mercy.
And he never hesitated to eradicate evil.
"Gu Ryoon."
The Second Elder’s hair stood on end as the atmosphere turned icy—a sensation he hadn’t felt in a long time.
"Ahem… Could it be you’re angry, Senior? I was only being playful. With how I treated you, there’s no way Gu Yangcheon would suspect who you really are—"
"That child is truly magnificent."
"...Hmm?"
"He was different two days ago, different yesterday, and different again today."
The Second Elder, still preoccupied with finding an exit, was caught off guard by the Sword Venerable’s remark.
Every day, he changes.
When the Sword Venerable first met Gu Yangcheon, he saw only the son of the Gu Clan.
He’d been taught not to judge by rumor alone, but that was as far as it went.
Compared to other members of the Gu Clan, the boy’s Fire Qi was unremarkable, and his natural talent seemed even less impressive.
He was just the son of the Gu Clan—nothing more.
That was the Gu Yangcheon the Sword Venerable once knew.
But now?
He recalled the young man who had just left.
His Fire Qi hadn’t grown stronger or hotter, but it had become remarkably stable.
The Gu Clan’s Fire Qi was known as the most ferocious among the Orthodox Factions, rivaled only by the Peng Clan’s. Taming such wild, fluctuating energy was no small feat—it required both innate talent and years of rigorous training.
Yet Gu Yangcheon was still young. He couldn’t have trained for that long.
So it had to be talent.
"Though it didn’t feel extraordinary, Fire Qi of that nature is nearly impossible to achieve at his age."
"I was also surprised when I saw him at the ceremony. It hadn’t been that long since I last saw him, but I never expected such a transformation."
"...Are you saying he wasn’t like this before?"
"Just three months ago, he ran off complaining that he couldn’t bear to train anymore."
The boy who had once been so immature had grown up almost overnight.
Now, the time he spent training wasn’t even comparable to the meager effort he’d put in before. According to his servants and escorts, if he wasn’t eating or sleeping, he was training.
And his training was no joke.
The Sword Venerable, who kept a constant watchful eye, knew Gu Yangcheon never slacked off.
"What could have awakened him so suddenly?"
People changed over time, yes—but there was always a reason, a catalyst. That was the natural order of things.
What had driven Gu Yangcheon to change? The Sword Venerable was endlessly curious.
"You’re overthinking it."
The Second Elder clicked his tongue. In his view, old age had left the Sword Venerable with too much time to ponder.
"Something good is still good. Why complicate things?"
For the Second Elder, he was simply relieved that all his previous concerns about Gu Yangcheon had been resolved.
What would the First Elder think of this?
He recalled their recent conversation.
He had worried about proposing Gu Yangcheon as a candidate for the next clan leader, fearing the First Elder would oppose it. Without a strong work ethic or compensating talent, the idea had seemed unfeasible.
Now, his biggest worries had proved unfounded.
"Senior, sometimes it’s best to keep things simple. It is what it is."
But there was little chance his words would reach the Sword Venerable—especially where family matters were concerned.
"Thank you for the advice."
The Sword Venerable expressed gratitude nonetheless.
"Ahem… Well, now that we’re done here, I’ll take my leave—"
"Where do you think you’re going?"
"I’ve met with both you and Gu Yangcheon, so I have other matters to attend to—"
"Gu Ryoon, don’t we still have something important to discuss?"
"I don’t know what you’re talking about—"
The Second Elder froze as the mood shifted once more.
The Sword Venerable, wearing a languid smile, spoke calmly.
"Why don’t you continue coaching me on my sweeping? I’m very eager to learn."
The Second Elder was abruptly reminded of his earlier behavior. It seemed he hadn’t been forgiven so easily after all.
This man holds a grudge…
The moment the Sword Venerable took a step toward him, the Second Elder leaped onto the roof.
He’d been planning his escape the whole time.
* * *
Thud! Thud!
"What’s that noise outside? Why is it so loud?"
"I heard a new building is being constructed in the clan."
"Really? It must be a major project for us to hear it from here."
Something felt off about the noise, but I shook off the feeling. I couldn’t afford to dwell on something as trivial as construction right now.
As I approached the entrance, Muyeon looked restless, as though he had something important to report.
Curious, I quickened my pace.
In his hands was a letter—the very message I had been waiting for.
We accept your request.
A broad smile spread across my face as I read the words.
I didn’t need to ask where the letter was from.
The Hao Clan had finally contacted me.