Chapter 165: The Thing I Wish To Show (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 165: The Thing I Wish To Show (5)
“How is this possible?”
“…He’s completely out of his league.”
Atop the building overlooking the dueling stage, the atmosphere among the Murim Alliance’s upper echelons was a complex mix of emotions.
Initial excitement had given way to shock, which had now settled into sheer astonishment.
The final battle unfolding below was nothing short of breathtaking. It had rendered even these seasoned martial artists, who had witnessed countless spectacles, utterly speechless.
Whoosh—!
The clamor of hushed conversations died instantly.
A dense, oppressive energy began to saturate the tall building. The powerful Qi pressuring the very space around them emanated from none other than the current Alliance Leader, Jang Cheon.
Clench.
His fist tightened.
Jang Cheon’s wide eyes remained fixed on the arena stage.
…This is…
Less than an hour had passed, yet the stage was already in ruins.
Jang Cheon swallowed hard, his thoughts racing.
He truly is a monster.
The arena was constructed from the notoriously tough and durable stone of Bigu Mountain. Merely scratching its surface was a feat for a first-rate martial artist, even with a weapon in hand.
But he’s smashing it apart as if it were tofu.
The boy, who hadn’t even lived a quarter of a normal lifespan, possessed a level of destructive power that defied all reason. And alongside that immense strength, he demonstrated absolute control over it.
For someone his age, possessing either great power or precise control would already mark them as a genius. But this boy had mastered both to a terrifying degree.
“…Hm.”
This quiet sound of discontent came not from Jang Cheon, but from another. It perfectly encapsulated the feeling shared by everyone present—a gnawing sense of their own inadequacy, mixed with sheer jealousy.
Each person in the room was forced to acknowledge their envy toward that child, sinking deep into troubled thoughts. The fact that the most significant figures in the martial world felt jealous of him was a testament to his unbelievable talent.
My son…
Jang Cheon wished he could close his eyes.
The downfall of his son, whom he had believed was chosen by heaven, was a wound that cut deeper than any blade. Throughout his life, Jang Seonyeon had never once disappointed his father. With prodigious talent and a virtuous nature, he was destined to become the future lord of the Taeryung Clan.
Jang Cheon had believed his son would etch his name into the annals of history if he continued on that path. Now, he realized the path ahead was far more challenging than he could have ever imagined.
A colossal wall named Gu Yangcheon stood in his way—a barrier his son might never overcome. Jang Cheon could only pray that his son would not be broken against it. That was all he could hope for.
* * *
Jang Seonyeon’s thoughts were in complete disarray, mirroring the chaos around him.
Scattered rocks and clouds of dust filled the air. Pained groans and the concussive blasts of Qi echoed endlessly. Amidst it all, Jang Seonyeon continued to swing his sword.
Swish!
His blade arced toward his opponent. With each swing, the compressed Qi around it left faint marks in the air. His movements were steady and unwavering; he had practiced these motions countless times in his life. There was no chance his form would fail him now.
Ring…!
The sword’s clear, resonant hum was a sign of his highly advanced swordsmanship. He possessed the Qi of a first-rate expert, and the energy swirling around his blade was genuinely threatening. His technique was nearly flawless, marking him as far more than just a young prodigy.
But all of that was meaningless if his attacks never landed.
“Ugh…!”
In the midst of his flurry of strikes, a hand shot out and seized Jang Seonyeon by the neck. It was a move of utter recklessness, one that would be fatal if the blade even grazed it. Yet, his opponent showed no hesitation. Or perhaps, he was so confident he wouldn’t be hit that hesitation was unnecessary.
Slam!
Without a shred of consideration, Gu Yangcheon began to pummel Jang Seonyeon repeatedly. Seonyeon’s body was sent tumbling across the already devastated stage.
“Cough… Huff…”
How many times had this happened? At least five by now. He had long since lost count.
“Ha… Huff.”
He gasped for air, his body aching everywhere. But there was no time to rest.
Pow!
“Ughh…!”
A kick sent Jang Seonyeon’s head snapping back, lifting him into the air.
“Spacing out in the middle of a fight?” a voice chided.
The words snapped Jang Seonyeon back to reality. He hadn’t been spacing out. He simply couldn’t see the attacks coming. He couldn’t see Gu Yangcheon closing in, couldn’t perceive his movements at all.
Dammit…! Is this even possible?
The Young Lady of the Namgung Family I fought yesterday was unbelievably strong, but it was nothing like this.
Can this even be called talent? This is…
A monster…
The thought flashed through his mind, and he flinched, biting his lip hard. He remembered what Peng Woojin had said to him.
-Do you really think you can win against him? Against that monster?
Back then, Jang Seonyeon had believed he could. He even thought it wouldn’t be that difficult.
Doesn’t that make sense? I was the chosen one, and he wasn’t. It should have been easy.
So why…! Why can’t I even see that bastard’s movements?
He tried to hide his trembling lips.
They were in different leagues. The common saying had never felt so true, a fact he had grasped within just a few exchanges. Gu Yangcheon felt like a being from an entirely different realm. He didn’t even seem human. If he were, such talent shouldn’t exist in this world. It was utterly unfair to everyone else forced to share it with him.
Tingle-
Sensing a presence, Jang Seonyeon swiftly raised his sword to defend.
Slam!
The moment his guard went up, an immense impact sent him soaring into the sky. He had reinforced his body with Qi, but his opponent tore through his defenses as if they were paper. Just as he thought he would crash back to the ground…
“Hey.”
A short call accompanied a hand that caught him—Gu Yangcheon’s hand.
“What the hell are you doing?” Gu Yangcheon’s voice was fierce, like the roar of a beast.
“What did I tell you earlier? I said to use everything you had from the start.”
“…Huff… Huff…”
“You used it just fine yesterday. What’s the problem now? Ashamed to use it against me?”
“…What… are you…”
“Right, asking was stupid. I knew I’d get a dumb answer.” Gu Yangcheon made an annoyed face and released his grip.
The moment he was free, Jang Seonyeon scrambled back to his feet.
What… What should I do?
His mind was in complete disarray from the incomprehensible situation. He knew the only reason he could still stand was because Gu Yangcheon was holding back. It was obvious. Despite being thrown around so many times, he hadn’t shed a single drop of blood. His body wasn’t seriously injured. His internal Qi flow was disrupted from the impacts, but the damage was superficial.
Which meant…
…He’s been holding back?
Gu Yangcheon had been carefully controlling his power with every attack. In the middle of a duel, no less. The terrifying implication of this control was something Jang Seonyeon couldn’t fully grasp.
“Okay, listen up. I’m going to give you some advice that’ll serve you for life.”
Gu Yangcheon’s voice pulled Jang Seonyeon from his thoughts. It sounded distant. Gu Yangcheon, who had been right in front of him a moment ago, was now standing at the far end of the stage.
What is he doing over there…?
“…!”
A chill ran up Jang Seonyeon’s spine, making his eyes widen.
A wind blew.
A cold breeze in winter was normal, but what Jang Seonyeon felt wasn’t cold.
It was heat.
A scorching heat wave radiated outward, centered on Gu Yangcheon, sweeping fiercely across the entire arena.
…What unbelievable nonsense is this?
Jang Seonyeon’s disbelief wasn’t just because of the heat, but because this stifling energy was composed entirely of Gu Yangcheon’s Qi.
How much Qi does he have to possess to…!
The arena stage was massive, so large people often wondered why it was built to such a scale. Yet, Gu Yangcheon’s Qi was dense enough to saturate the entire space with this oppressive heat.
But it didn’t stop there.
Blaaaaze-!
A terrifying sound seemed to come from everywhere at once. Intermingling with the heated air, actual flames began to appear. They swirled and grew, advancing as if ready to devour Jang Seonyeon whole.
“I thought about why you won’t use your power. It’s understandable. I didn’t think you were an idiot, but you’re being weirdly stubborn when it’s obvious you can’t win.”
Jang Seonyeon gulped. The weight of Gu Yangcheon’s speculation felt heavy on his shoulders.
“You.” Despite the inferno beginning to engulf the stage, Gu Yangcheon’s expression was one of pure annoyance. “You’re scared, aren’t you?”
His tone was light, almost casual, but the words cut deep, burrowing into Jang Seonyeon’s nerves.
“You’re worried that you’ll still lose to me even if you use that power. You’re trying to give yourself an excuse for when you’re finally beaten into the ground. That’s why you’re holding back.”
Jang Seonyeon bit his lip.
How does he know…?
It wasn’t the excuse part that shocked him. It was the fact that Gu Yangcheon knew about the hidden power within him.
Did he figure it out from yesterday’s duel?
It was said that those without Divine Qi could not detect it. This was supposed to hold true for everyone, even the Three Venerables or other prominent figures. The ‘Dancer’ herself had confirmed it. Even his own father shouldn’t be able to sense it.
Yet, this bastard was certain.
He knows I have something inside me. Did… he also receive the baptism?
The thought was fleeting. He sensed no trace of Divine Qi from Gu Yangcheon’s body.
“You’re thinking about something else again, for fuck’s sake.”
“…!”
“At this rate, you’re gonna piss yourself. In a fight, you should only be paying attention to fists.”
Why is he talking about pissing? The irrelevant thought vanished as quickly as it came. Gu Yangcheon made sure of it.
“Ugh…” A groan escaped Jang Seonyeon’s lips.
An overwhelming killing intent crashed down upon him. It was so potent it felt physical, like a hand tightening around his throat.
To release such vile killing intent in a duel of the Orthodox Faction… Is he insane?
Jang Seonyeon shot a quick glance at the judge.
“What…!?”
The judge was watching the proceedings with the same calm expression as before.
He… didn’t notice?
Goosebumps erupted all over Jang Seonyeon’s body. This disgusting, sticky killing intent was aimed solely at him, crafted so that no one else could perceive it.
“Since you keep getting distracted and refuse to use your power, I’ve decided to get serious.”
The flames swirling in the air began to spin violently before being sucked back toward Gu Yangcheon. More precisely, they condensed into his arm.
That was dangerous. It wasn’t instinct; just by looking, Jang Seonyeon knew.
“You’ll die if you don’t use it now.”
The words were spoken almost casually, but Jang Seonyeon knew there was no lie in them. The fact that he felt on the verge of fainting from the killing intent was proof enough.
As if to provide further evidence, Gu Yangcheon threw a punch with the arm now swirling with condensed flame. It was a casual, almost poorly-formed strike, yet the result was catastrophic.
Roooaaar-!
A dragon-shaped torrent of flame roared forth, seeming ready to devour the entire arena as it charged toward Jang Seonyeon. He knew with absolute certainty that not even his bones would remain if it hit.
In that final moment, Jang Seonyeon released the lock within himself and unleashed his hidden power.
He felt his body enhance, his muscles swelling with strength.
Swoosh!
With the power activated, he broke free from the suffocating killing intent. Just before the flames could strike him, he swung his sword without hesitation.
Swoooosh!
The empowered blade sliced through the dragon of flame in a single, clean arc. The fire dissipated, and the Qi forming it exploded, creating a shockwave in the air.
He had blocked it.
Jang Seonyeon staggered briefly from the exertion but quickly regained his footing. A wave of relief washed over him. Using this power two days in a row was exhausting, but it didn’t matter. The Divine Qi within him assured him that no attack from his opponent could prevail. He could block them all.
I did it—
Crack-
“…Huh?”
A dumbfounded sound escaped him as he looked down at his right arm. He had heard the sound of something breaking from there.
And then he saw it.
His right arm was brutally broken.
“Good job.”
Gu Yangcheon’s voice came from right beside him. Jang Seonyeon’s vision dropped.
Thud!
One of his knees hit the ground, his head bowing forward. The pain was so sudden and intense he couldn’t even scream.
“I told you earlier I’d start with the arm.” Gu Yangcheon’s voice now held a distinct note of laughter. “Now I can start beating you up in a much more painful way. That’s nice, isn’t it?”
Hearing Gu Yangcheon speak with such excited kindness, Jang Seonyeon’s eyes began to quiver uncontrollably.
It was at that moment he truly recognized the emotion that had been gnawing at his chest, slowly and steadily building into a towering stack.
It was fear.
Pure, undiluted fear.
…N-…No…
Gu Yangcheon’s fist appeared directly in front of Jang Seonyeon’s eyes.