Chapter 20: Things One Shouldn't Dare to Touch (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 20: Things One Shouldn't Dare to Touch (2)
“You piece of shit.”
Gu Jeolyub initially thought he’d misheard, but the insult had indeed been directed at him.
“What did you say, Young Master?”
“…Haa, why is it that whenever I just want to live a quiet life, someone has to bother me? All I want is peace. Why can’t you all just leave me alone?”
Swoosh!
The wave of heat that brushed past Gu Jeolyub intensified sharply. It was a clear sign that Gu Yangcheon’s Fire Qi was growing stronger.
“Second Elder,” Gu Yangcheon called out.
“What?”
“May I begin the duel?”
The Second Elder wondered if he was mistaken. To his ears, it sounded less like a request to start a sparring match and more like Gu Yangcheon was asking for permission to kill Gu Jeolyub.
Has he grown stronger again? In such a short time? That’s impossible.
It couldn’t be. Only a few days had passed. No matter one’s talent, such rapid growth was unthinkable.
Then, is this the strength he always possessed?
The efficiency of one’s Qi usage depended entirely on training and martial experience. Yet, the aura Gu Yangcheon was projecting was something typically seen in veterans who had trained for decades.
This is… strange. How is this possible?
By all accounts, Gu Yangcheon’s Qi and raw power were far inferior to Gu Jeolyub’s. That was what the Second Elder perceived. And yet, Gu Yangcheon wasn’t being pushed back at all. If anything, they seemed evenly matched.
…How?
The person most shocked by this was Gu Jeolyub himself. As their Qi heated up the training grounds, he could feel the pressure was not one-sided.
The disgrace of the Gu Clan, the arrogant son who had collapsed vomiting before him just a year ago, was now standing his ground as an equal.
His thoughts were cut short by a voice.
“The duel begins now.”
With the Second Elder’s signal, the match started.
Gu Jeolyub raised his wooden sword, deciding to observe Gu Yangcheon first. His weapon, the Red Dragon Sword style, complemented his Swift Flame Art perfectly—a martial skill focused on sharp, fast Qi, often called the Sword Draw Art.
Gu Jeolyub looked at Gu Yangcheon, who stood staring at him with a blank expression.
What am I even worrying about?
He looks clumsy from head to toe. He’s probably using all his power just to resist my Qi. After a few exchanges, I’ll be in range to strike him down.
It’s impossible for Gu Yangcheon to beat me. He only just started learning how to fight with his fists. I was just distracted by that servant, Wi Seol-Ah. I can’t forget my main goal.
No matter what, I just need to target his vitals. He won’t even be able to block. I’ll make him lose in the most pathetic way possible. I’ll achieve my goal and take his beautiful servant away.
To Gu Jeolyub, it was a win-win situation.
However, his confidence began to waver shortly after the duel started.
Why the hell can’t I get close to him?
He couldn’t understand it. The plan was simple: attack quickly. He had the advantage in Qi, speed, and strength. Yet, he couldn’t even close the distance.
-Drip
Sweat trickled from Gu Jeolyub’s cheek onto the ground.
It’s all this damn heat.
He blamed the oppressive heat. The idea that he was being pushed back by Gu Yangcheon was simply unthinkable.
“Hey.”
Gu Jeolyub flinched at Gu Yangcheon’s voice.
“What are you doing?”
“…What do you mean?”
“What the hell are you doing just standing there? Aren’t you going to attack?”
“…It’s common sense that the stronger combatant allows the weaker one to attack first.”
“Weak? Who? Me? Is that why you’re scared?”
Gu Jeolyub bit his lip at Gu Yangcheon’s words. He couldn’t even comprehend his own hesitation.
Then Gu Yangcheon spoke again.
“You told me I was bedridden for a month after our last duel, right?”
Gu Yangcheon cracked his neck. With every movement, a series of unsettling pops echoed, sending a chill down Gu Jeolyub’s spine.
“What… makes you bring that up now?”
“I thought that would be enough.”
“…?”
Suddenly, the overwhelming heat radiating from Gu Yangcheon vanished.
Why did he withdraw his Qi?
Realization dawned on Gu Jeolyub, and a smirk spread across his face.
He’s run out of Qi. He can’t sustain it anymore. What an idiot.
Without Qi, Gu Yangcheon would struggle to even move a muscle, especially while suppressed by his Swift Flame Art.
My master said the Qi of Swift Flame Arts can make even a first-rate martial artist struggle to move. He told me that in time, I would become the Gu Clan’s greatest genius, surpassing even the Sword Phoenix.
There’s no way Gu Yangcheon can withstand my Qi.
That must be it.
It was all a bluff. Which means I can—
“You said I could go first, right?”
“…Huh?”
Gu Jeolyub’s eyes widened. Gu Yangcheon was looking at him, completely unperturbed. There were no signs of the struggle he expected.
“Let me ask again. I can really go first, right?”
“The stronger person—”
“Right. Here I go, then.”
Gu Yangcheon didn’t let him finish.
In an instant, Gu Yangcheon vanished from Gu Jeolyub’s sight.
…!
A martial artist’s vision was far superior to an ordinary person’s. For Gu Yangcheon to disappear from the view of someone on the cusp of becoming a first-rate martial artist could mean only a few things: He had burrowed into the ground, shot into the sky… or he was simply faster.
Impossible.
The direct lineage’s Gu Flame Wheel Art focused on explosive power. In contrast, the Swift Flame Art prioritized speed over raw destructive force.
There’s no way he’s faster than me—
Pooow-!
“Ughhh!!”
Gu Jeolyub’s vision blurred from the sudden impact on his face. The blow shattered his concentration, and his Qi control dissipated instantly.
Staggering, he collapsed to one knee.
He felt a warm liquid stream down his face and drip to the ground. Glancing down, he saw it was red. He wiped his face roughly—his nose was bleeding.
“What in the world…?”
My vision is still blurry. What just happened?
“You want to duel, but you have the nerve to let your mind wander? How dare you.”
Gu Yangcheon stood before him. Instead of pressing the attack, he simply stared down at Gu Jeolyub.
“I purposely didn’t aim for your chin. Why are you acting so weak? Get the fuck up.”
Snapping back to his senses, Gu Jeolyub swung his wooden sword wildly. But a sword without power or Qi posed no threat.
Clasp!
Gu Yangcheon caught his arm mid-swing.
Without hesitation, he drove his fist into Gu Jeolyub’s face again.
“Gughhh…!”
Gu Jeolyub’s head snapped back from the powerful uppercut. Gu Yangcheon flung him away, sending him tumbling across the ground before he finally skidded to a halt.
Gu Jeolyub’s body shuddered, unable to withstand the assault. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself up, his face smeared with blood from his nose.
“I’ll ask one last time. Are you sure I can attack first?”
Gu Jeolyub’s eyes began to shake.
The Second Elder, watching from the sidelines, thought to himself, …You’re already attacking him, you little brat. But he kept the remark to himself.
* * *
Martial arts were taught to save people. At least, that’s how it was in the Gu Clan. Since I was a child, I was told that we learned martial arts to protect the people of Gu. That was the justification for training us so young.
But even as I grew older, my opinion of that sanctimonious nonsense never changed.
To me, martial arts exist to kill. To rip and shatter your enemies completely. Whether it’s used for good or evil depends on the wielder.
I’ve experienced the true purpose of martial arts more times than I can count. In its rawest form, it’s about tearing your enemies apart. I’ve seen so much of it that I never want to see it again.
That piece of shit, Gu Jeolyub. The look on his face tells me he thinks I’ve run out of Qi.
But the heat hadn’t disappeared. I had drawn it all back into my body.
Forcing Qi inward strengthens the user and enhances physical prowess. It was a technique only achievable upon reaching the Fifth Star of the Gu Flame Wheel Art.
This didn’t mean I was stronger than Gu Jeolyub in raw power. I simply had a deeper understanding of Qi.
This generation focuses on killing demons. Practical experience in fighting other humans is scarce, which is another reason I could handle Gu Jeolyub—and Gu Yeonseo—with ease.
Using this skill felt like my insides were being churned and shredded, but I didn’t let it show.
…This technique is a bit much for someone who just reached the Second Star.
With every breath, I exhaled a plume of steam. It wasn’t cold; it was a side effect of the skill.
I have seven minutes, at most. That’s my limit. Any longer, and I’ll sustain serious internal injuries.
But that should be enough.
I watched Gu Jeolyub stagger to his feet, breathing heavily, his focus broken.
“Get up while I’m giving you the chance. Don’t give me any bullshit excuses about a ‘surprise attack’ after this is over.”
The bastard staggered upright upon hearing me. He endured the pain and fell into a battle stance once more, concentrating his Qi.
The heat he emitted was more controlled now, tempered. His Qi was indeed well-trained.
“I apologize for underestimating you, Young Master. I let my guard down,” Gu Jeolyub said, finally regaining his composure.
“I don’t need your excuses. Should I attack again?”
“…This time, I will attack.”
“Go ahead.”
Gu Jeolyub wiped the blood from his face and assumed his stance. The Red Dragon style utilized the Sword Draw Art, requiring flawless, natural movements. It demanded a deep understanding of the Swift Flame Arts to even begin wielding the sword effectively.
He swung his sword, and heat radiated from the blade.
With my eyes locked on his weapon, I shifted my torso slightly, evading the strike.
A subtle shift in the heat warned me the second attack was the real one. Gu Jeolyub swathed his sword in Qi, spun halfway to build momentum, and closed in. He was empowering his blade, sacrificing destructive power for immense speed.
He has a solid grasp of the basics.
His flawless movements showed dedicated training. But basics were still just basics. Flawless techniques had one major weakness: once broken, their advantage vanished completely.
Without hesitation, I charged straight at him. His eyes widened in shock—he had expected me to dodge, not meet him head-on.
But Gu Jeolyub didn’t halt his strike. His sword was aimed at my head.
I channeled my Fire Qi to its maximum output and released all the heat I had stored inside my body in one explosive burst.
The wave of heat instantly engulfed the entire training area. It would dissipate quickly, but at such close range, there was no way Gu Jeolyub could emerge unscathed.
It may not have caused severe damage, but it made him blink—a momentary lapse. For a martial artist, that was more than enough time to end a duel.
I drove my Qi-enhanced fist deep into Gu Jeolyub’s stomach.
“Cughh Gugh…!”
I didn’t hold back this time. Even with his Qi protecting him, my fist sank deep into his abdomen.
Gu Jeolyub crumpled to his knees and began to vomit.
“Cough… Cough… Blegh…”
“Do you know what pisses me off the most?”
I looked down at him, lost in thought.
Should I kill him?
The question had lingered throughout the entire duel.
I knew I shouldn’t, but restraining my fury was a struggle. Fixing my toxic nature was hard enough, but this guy kept provoking me.
“Whatever insults you throw at me, however you behave, or your desire to take the Lord’s position from me—I don’t care about any of that.”
Gu Jeolyub, still retching on the ground, stopped and looked up at me, his eyes wide with fear.
“But you reached out your dirty hands and tried to take something you never should have dared to touch. That’s what fucking pisses me off.”
I simply couldn’t stand that he had the audacity to covet what was mine.
I couldn’t kill him. As much as I wanted to, my reputation mattered more.
Instead, I decided to cripple him for a month. To leave him bedridden, just as he had done to me. Nothing more, nothing less.
Which part should I break? A leg? No, an arm would be better. He uses a sword, so breaking his arm is the most fitting.
As I reached for his arm, a hand stopped me.
“It ends here.”
It was the Second Elder.
I looked at him, dumbfounded. “Why are you stopping me? The duel isn’t over.”
“Jeolyub… is in no state to continue. You know that better than anyone.”
He was bleeding from his nose, vomit covering his mouth. I had struck him directly near the liver; he was probably struggling to breathe.
But even so, ending it here was far from satisfying.
[There are many eyes watching.]
The Second Elder’s voice echoed directly in my mind, a telepathic message.
“Sigh…”
I let out a heavy breath and stepped back.
The First Elder hadn’t sent him alone. I had to be smart. I couldn’t afford to make emotional, reckless decisions.
“Tell the First Elder that if he pulls something like this again, I might just decide I want to become the Lord after all.”
With that warning, I turned and walked toward Wi Seol-Ah.
She didn’t even glance at the half-dead Gu Jeolyub. Her eyes were fixed solely on me.
“Young Master… you won?” she asked nervously.
Was she worried she’d be sent away if I lost?
“Yes, I did.”
“Yayyy!”
I watched as Wi Seol-Ah’s face lit up with a bright smile. Smiling to myself, I patted her head.
Just this…
Just this was enough for me.