Chapter 166: The Thing I Wish To Show (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 166: The Thing I Wish To Show (6)
Crack!
With the first sound, the entire structure of his shoulder shattered into fragments.
Crack!
With the second, he wondered which part of his body had given way this time. He couldn’t really tell in his current state. His nerves were faltering, and his vision was dimming. He could only swing his sword by pure instinct.
Yet, the blade’s sharpness remained as threatening as ever.
The Divine Qi surging through Jang Seonyeon’s body amplified his physical strength and martial prowess, elevating him to a level where he could effortlessly overpower a martial artist of equal caliber without a single scratch.
Craaack.
Yet, to his opponent, it was nothing more than a cute display.
“Ugghh…!”
Jang Seonyeon staggered back several steps before dropping to his knees, clutching his chest.
“Why…” he whispered aloud, seemingly unaware he had spoken.
“Why do you think?” Gu Yangcheon replied, having heard even that faint utterance.
Gu Yangcheon extended a hand toward Jang Seonyeon, who flinched at the sight.
Dammit…
Jang Seonyeon struggled to keep his shoulders from shaking, cursing silently. A crushing humiliation and shame washed over him at his own fear.
The outstretched hand brushed his cheek a few times before withdrawing—a moment of profound degradation for the young swordsman.
Why?
Just why?
“You don’t get it, do you? Well, you never will.”
Perhaps he would never know. That was something I wished for.
The reason was simple.
Nowadays, the term ‘powerful person’ had become a cliché, overused to the point of meaninglessness. Yet, the world still held tournaments where two individuals clashed to determine who was stronger.
In the end, it all boiled down to a simple fact: he was weak, and I was strong.
However, he was stronger than I had expected.
With so many eyes watching, and with me unable to end his life publicly, I had intended to use just enough force. But the bastard proved more resilient than anticipated, forcing me to resort to enhancing my body with Fire Qi—a measure I never thought I’d need against a young prodigy.
He is hovering at the start of the Peak Realm.
His martial level was near the peak of the first-rate realm, a nearly impossible feat for someone his age. The Namgung Clan’s so-called prodigies were nothing in comparison. He could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with legends like the Sword Phoenix, the Sword Dragon, and the Sleeping Dragon.
Yet, this bastard was augmenting his power with some unknown energy.
Despite that, he didn’t break through the middle dantian.
I detected no energy unique to the Peak Realm emanating from him. It seemed to be a temporary power-up, one he couldn’t maintain for long.
Which was likely why he didn’t use it from the start.
It wasn’t about preserving pride or making excuses. It was either a limited duration, a finite number of uses, or both.
And if this energy is similar to what I took from Namgung Cheonjun, does that mean I could use it too?
I tried, but the energy remained unresponsive. Moreover, its purification process was even faster than Demonic Qi, making further testing impossible.
It’s different from Demonic Qi.
Demonic Qi could enhance the body, but it didn’t increase the potency of martial skills. Its primary purpose was to enable Demonic Arts, symbolizing one’s transformation into a demonic being.
“But this is different.”
I recalled the moment Jang Seonyeon sliced through my flames with a single swing. I had expected him to evade, but he cleaved straight through them.
Swish!
Amid my thoughts, Jang Seonyeon’s sword sliced through the air toward me, closing in on my neck at breakneck speed.
Crack!
I tilted my head to the side, evading the blade, and swiftly twisted the wrist holding the sword. I had no qualms about breaking it.
“Aghhhh!”
Jang Seonyeon’s scream echoed loudly. It seemed he had been suppressing his pain until now but had finally reached his limit.
I was slightly surprised he was still attacking.
Didn’t I intimidate him enough?
I had believed my actions would instill such fear that he would be too broken to ever consider crossing me again. Since killing him now wasn’t an option, I wanted to crush him thoroughly, making it easier to deal with him next time.
Yet, his spirit remained unbroken.
A thought crossed my mind.
How much more can I break him, I wonder?
It would be faster to kill him, but I had to be careful if I wanted to break only his bones. I couldn’t inflict incurable injuries and ruin my relationship with the Murim Alliance.
Stuff like this always annoys me.
It was exasperating not being able to kill these wretches whenever I wanted. I understood I couldn’t control the world, but the frustration was unbearable.
Why did I even regress at this point? I feel so powerless.
I kicked his joint, sending him tumbling to the ground again.
“You’re going to get into serious trouble if you keep moving like tha—”
Pop!
I raised my hand to block as the sound of exploding Qi pierced the air. The bastard had unleashed Sword Qi at me.
But how? I had broken his right hand and twisted his left wrist. How was he still swinging his sword?
This bastard?
Jang Seonyeon swung his sword despite his shattered wrist. I didn’t know how he would ever heal if he kept this up, but I had to acknowledge his tenacity.
So, he truly was a martial artist after all.
I kicked Jang Seonyeon’s chest, sending him flying, and glanced at the judge. The arena was in shambles, and Jang Seonyeon’s body was mostly ruined. Continuing the fight was impossible.
The judge seemed aware, his eyes uncertain. But he couldn’t intervene.
Because he hasn’t forfeited.
Unless one side lost consciousness, the judge wasn’t allowed to interfere.
And you plan to continue, despite knowing that?
Even facing certain defeat, he persisted, even after using his unknown power?
The bastard I knew wouldn’t have kept going.
It made me curious. In my previous life, he would have conceded and plotted from the shadows.
Does that mean he’s different from the bastard I knew?
I hoped that wasn’t the case. It was the last thing I wanted.
And even if it is true…
It didn’t matter.
I had no intention of changing my plans. Even if he wasn’t evil yet, even if he was just a child drunk with power…
It doesn’t erase the things you did in the past.
This wasn’t about seeking forgiveness or any noble sentiment. I was simply enraged, and he became an outlet.
The reason I focused on his chest was because he had wounded Namgung Bi-ah there. The reason I wanted to engrave fear into him wasn’t for some grand purpose—it was to release my frustration.
Let’s not pretend I’m an adult. That would do more harm than good.
I had lived as a nasty, rude person, and that past made me who I am. Denying it would only poison me.
I had to reach greater heights—far beyond where I am now.
So I don’t have much time to spare on this bastard.
It was time to end this. I hadn’t relieved all my stress, but dragging it out wasn’t good either.
But let me give one last parting gift.
Ending it with a chin shot was lame. I could break his arm again or… do something amusing to his genitals. It felt like a waste not to.
But suddenly…
Craaack—
Jang Seonyeon stood up.
Each movement was accompanied by the disconcerting sound of cracking bones. His body was so wrecked he could barely stand. The pain must have been excruciating.
I guess he just has that much willpow—
An eerie sensation cut my thoughts short, sending chills down my spine. I recognized it instantly—I’d felt it often in my past life. But I never expected to encounter it so soon in this one.
“That dumbass of a bastard.”
Jang Seonyeon’s eyes turned white as he forced himself upright, sword in hand. He had already lost consciousness.
Some might wonder how he could still move.
He was eaten by the power.
When a demonic human overused Demonic Qi or pushed beyond their limits, their consciousness could be consumed, turning them into a monster. I called it being consumed by one’s power.
And this bastard was in that exact state. Though the energy felt different from Demonic Qi, the side effects seemed similar.
Is this because I beat him up too much?
That was the most likely case. I had beaten him to the brink of death, forcing him to rely on that power.
I stared at the faltering Jang Seonyeon. He wouldn’t die if I left him, but his mind would rupture.
Should I just leave him be?
It wasn’t a bad idea. If he became a cripple, it would look like he destroyed himself protecting his pride as a martial artist. Then the Murim Alliance Leader wouldn’t blame me—though, as his father, he might still resent me.
But if he’s going to blame someone, he should blame the Second Elder.
Not that I expected that old bear to be of any help.
Killing Jang Seonyeon with my own hands would relieve my stress the most, but I wouldn’t ruin my plans for revenge. I had more pressing matters.
I took a stance, but the bastard only stared at me. His eyes were hollow. I flowed my Qi slightly, preparing for a charge.
But contrary to my expectations, he didn’t attack.
Instead…
“It’s you.”
He spoke suddenly. His pronunciation was unnaturally clear despite his swollen lips. Had he not lost consciousness?
“What?” I asked, baffled.
He continued at his own pace. “I felt something break, but it was you.”
His unsettling giggle grated on me. I charged without hesitation, gripping his throat. A peculiar sensation crept over me—every hair stood on end, and cold sweat threatened to erupt. I didn’t know what to call this horrendous feeling.
“What are you?” I demanded, tightening my grip.
Jang Seonyeon smiled. His lips didn’t move, yet he radiated a silent joy.
“That’s what I want to ask. Child, what are you?”
“I asked what you are.”
Clennnch.
I gradually increased the pressure on his throat, warning him I would crush it if he spouted nonsense.
But the bastard persisted. “What are you, to possess so much within yourself?”
He shouldn’t even be able to breathe, yet he spoke unfazed.
“No, you’re not Jang Seonyeon.”
This was definitely something else. Had an entity taken residence within him? It didn’t shock me; I’d hosted plenty in this life. A person housing a ghost wasn’t surprising.
The problem lay elsewhere.
[Heeee…]
A voice echoed clearly in my mind. I thought it might be Elder Shin.
Elder Shin…? I called mentally, thinking he had returned.
[Heee… Heeeeee… Hungry…]
But it wasn’t him.
“What the hell is this now?”
[Hungry…. Eat… eat thaaaat…]
An unknown voice resonated in my head. Simultaneously, my dantian quivered, and the energy within me grew turbulent, as if I were losing control of my body. Of course, this had to happen when the fight was almost over.
[Eat… it! That… eat… must eat it.]
The voice was dissonant, as if multiple voices had merged into one. Just a few sentences sent a throbbing headache through my skull.
…This voice…
As I scowled in pain, I remembered where I’d heard it before—after absorbing Namgung Cheonjun’s energy, at the end of our battle. And again, in Shaanxi, after my fight with Ya Hyeoljeok. The voice I heard before passing out was the same.
Ring.
“…!” I clenched my teeth as my energy moved on its own while I fought the headache.
My Demonic Absorption Art had activated autonomously once more.
Fuck, not now.
Absorbing others’ energy would raise too many questions. I couldn’t afford to be exposed, at least not yet. I tried to pull my hand back.
Grab!
But Jang Seonyeon’s hand clasped my wrist.
“This is it. This sensation.” He spoke as if he had come to a realization, his tone that of a smiling man. “You harbor darkness within your small body. Is it your massive bowl that keeps you from shattering, despite housing such a colossal entity? It doesn’t appear that way.”
I wanted to ask what nonsense he was spouting, but my mouth refused to obey.
Why is everything happening at once?
I could handle one issue at a time, but it felt like everything was crashing down simultaneously.
He should be feeling his energy being absorbed, yet he held on tighter, with no intention of letting go.
What strength…!
If it were Jang Seonyeon’s strength, I could easily break free. Yet, for some reason, it wasn’t easy.
“I don’t know why the master of the abyss is inside a child like you, but I am glad to have discovered it.”
The energy entering my body resembled Namgung Cheonjun’s, but its density was different. My body was devouring it ravenously.
“You are really savoring the feast.”
His words confirmed it: he was aware I was absorbing his energy… and he was allowing it.
Tap!
After what felt like an eternity, Jang Seonyeon released my hand. His body began to collapse, as if he had been waiting for that moment.
“Child.”
I couldn’t respond. My body wouldn’t listen, as if it were no longer mine to control.
“With the joy of having met you, I’ve left you a gift. The beast within you will appreciate it.”
“I wished to offer it all, but unfortunately, this child’s body and spirit serve a purpose, so I can’t gift it as I desire.”
“If you appreciate this gift, come find me in the future.”
As Jang Seonyeon finished speaking, I faltered, dropping to one knee. The voice still echoed in my head, and I had much to say, but my tongue remained unresponsive, like stone, even as I regained control of my body.
“It was a pleasure seeing you. If you meet the Dancer in the future, relay this message to her.”
Jang Seonyeon slowly closed his eyes as he collapsed. Just before they shut completely, he uttered faintly:
“I, Dok Gojun, seek you, child.”
With those final words, Jang Seonyeon lost consciousness. I heaved a deep sigh, lowering my knees to the ground. The energy I had absorbed was one thing, but I also needed to make sense of the abrupt series of events that had just unfolded.
The judge, witnessing Jang Seonyeon’s collapse, hurried to assess the situation.
After a brief examination, he nodded, confirming Jang Seonyeon was still alive.
Then…
“The victory goes to the Gu Clan’s Gu Yangcheon.”
The judge declared me the winner.
— Woahhh!
The spectators erupted in deafening cheers and applause, but the crease on my forehead remained.