Chapter 328: The Abyss (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 328: The Abyss (3)
I was just past twenty when I first crossed paths with that bastard from the Taeryung Clan.
To be precise, it was around the time I was thrust into the role of Young Lord of the Gu Clan and began to make my presence known in the Central Plains, finally free from my father’s shadow.
Regrettably, I found myself attending a Dragons and Phoenixes tournament still bearing the title of Young Prodigy, despite already being my clan’s Young Lord.
Unlike the future Dao Emperor, Peng Woojin, who shed the title of Young Prodigy upon becoming his clan’s Young Lord, I was afforded no such courtesy.
In fact, people seemed more shocked that the infamous Young Lord of the Gu Clan—notorious for his incompetence and foul temperament—had finally deigned to show his face.
By then, Gu Huibi, the Tiger Warrior, was already being hailed as a master, and Gu Yeonseo’s remarkable talents were beginning to blossom.
Naturally, comparisons were drawn. I was the prime example of a lion giving birth to a dog. Despite inheriting the Tiger Warrior’s features, people said I hadn’t inherited an ounce of his talent.
That day, guilt and shame weighed heavily on me as I stood amidst the brilliant Meteor Generation of Young Prodigies. I tried to hide my incompetence while enduring their scornful gazes.
It’s nice to meet you.
That’s when he approached me.
He wore a soft smile, was undeniably handsome, and possessed a warm voice that crafted a perfect first impression. In every way, he was my complete opposite.
When he introduced himself as a scion of the Taeryung Clan, I pressed him.
What are you?
He responded with his title, feigning humility.
It’s nothing special, but I am called the Meteor Sword. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.
The Meteor Sword.
Even living as carelessly as I did, it was a title I’d heard countless times. While other martial artists were absorbed in their own affairs, he was the hero who braved the demon-infested wilds to save lives. The son of the Murim Alliance Leader, a famous Young Prodigy. Rumor had it he was on the verge of becoming the youngest Vice Captain in his army’s history. He was the Central Plains’ greatest hope.
The Meteor Sword, Jang Seonyeon of the Taeryung Clan.
That was our first meeting.
Ironically, I learned years later that all his heroic deeds had been carefully staged.
After the calamity that wiped out many Young Prodigies, and after my transformation into a Demonic Human following the Heavenly Demon’s rise, that bastard found me as I wandered the Central Plains, setting everything ablaze.
It has been a while. Oh, perhaps I should call you by your title now?
I had no intention of speaking with him. My mind raced with the thought of grabbing his neck and incinerating him on the spot.
Have you heard about the Celestial Sword, and her condition?
I paused.
My hand halted as the thought of that damned girl flooded my mind. The flames in my palm blazed, ready to tear him apart, but in the end, I couldn’t follow through.
Jang Seonyeon smiled, noticing my hesitation. That smile felt like a knife twisting in my gut.
And that’s when it happened. Another hell opened up in my world.
* * *
Craaack-!
Craaack, Slam-!
A fracture split the air, yawning open like a gaping maw. Inside the tear, swirling, mysterious colors raged violently. A howling wind erupted from the crack, scattering dust across the ground.
Moments later, something was violently ejected from the fissure.
Slam! Thud-!
The figures that emerged slammed into the earth, the impact kicking up clouds of dust.
Not long after, a rough, labored breathing broke the silence.
“Cough… Huff…!”
A figure emerged from the swirling dust.
“No… No…!”
His eyes bulged with fury, saliva dripping unnoticed from his mouth.
“I-Impossible…”
His voice shook as he shouted, pupils trembling with pure rage.
“Fuck…!”
His furious cry echoed through the desolate air.
“Fuck…! I, I did all of that…! And everything is ruined because of that bastard…!”
As the young man cursed and kicked at the ground in a tantrum, another figure calmly rose from the dust. Unlike the furious, drooling youth, this man simply rubbed his chest, a slight frown crossing his face.
“I already feel nauseous, so shut your mouth.”
At the sound of Gu Yangcheon’s voice, Jang Seonyeon whipped his head around.
“You bastard…”
“Woah, it’s been a while since I’ve heard you curse. How refreshing.”
Jang Seonyeon sprang to his feet and charged. His hand flew to the sword at his waist, but Gu Yangcheon closed the distance in an instant, gripping his wrist before the blade could clear its scabbard.
“Ugh…!”
Gu Yangcheon’s hold was like iron, utterly preventing Jang Seonyeon from drawing his weapon. In desperation, Jang Seonyeon swung his left fist, charged with Qi.
Slap!
But Gu Yangcheon’s hand was faster, striking Jang Seonyeon’s cheek with a sharp crack.
Swish! Slam!
Jang Seonyeon’s body was sent flying through the air before crashing back to the ground with a heavy thud.
“Urgh…!”
Struggling to stay conscious, Jang Seonyeon pushed himself up, blood trickling from his mouth.
“You dumbass. Did you really think I’d just stand there and let you hit me?”
“Huff… Huff.”
Gu Yangcheon slowly approached the bleeding man, a smirk playing on his lips. His free hand still rested on his chest.
I don’t feel too good; it’s been a while.
This was my first time entering the Abyss since regressing, and my body wasn’t fully accustomed to it, leaving me feeling sick. The first time it had taken me minutes to recover, but now, mentally prepared, I could endure it.
As Jang Seonyeon tried to rise again, I kicked his leg, sending him crashing back down.
“Agh!”
“Stay still. You look better that way anyway.”
“You bastard…!”
Jang Seonyeon glared at me with pure resentment. His once-emotionless mask had shattered, his face now twisted with bulging veins.
“Just how…! How were you able to move?”
“What do you mean, ‘how’? I just could.”
I answered with a smirk. Jang Seonyeon was asking how I’d been able to move on top of the Gate of Demons. The question itself was strange—it implied he knew most people couldn’t move once they were on it. I’d experienced it myself and seen it firsthand; back then, the Sleeping Dragon and the others had been frozen solid. Yet, I was the only one who could move. I’d never really wondered why; I just knew it was possible.
I hadn’t expected things to be different in this life, and my suspicion was confirmed the moment I felt the gate beneath me earlier. This time was no different.
“Judging by your reaction, you thought I wouldn’t be able to move. Why were you so sure of that?”
“That’s because you…!”
“No, you’re the type of bastard who’d doubt Cheol Jiseon himself if he claimed martial artists can’t move on the gate.”
“…!”
Jang Seonyeon’s eyes widened in shock at the mention of Cheol Jiseon.
“How do you…! You bastard, so you knew all along…!”
It seemed he had finally realized I knew—knew that Cheol Jiseon was capable of creating the Gate to the Abyss, and that Jang Seonyeon had tried to use it to kill me.
“That’s not the important part. I want you to answer my question.”
“How…”
“That’s what I’m asking. How were you so certain?”
Jang Seonyeon had asked a different question, but I steered it back. He wasn’t the type to be certain of anything unless he’d experienced it himself, yet he knew about Cheol Jiseon’s power and the unique properties of the gate. It meant he had another source of information. A source that told him about Cheol Jiseon and this power.
Crack-!
I could hear the grinding of Jang Seonyeon’s teeth.
“You bastard! You intend to haunt me to the very end!”
“Haunt you? What are you talking about?”
“If you wanted to die, you should’ve come alone! Why drag me here with you!”
His sheer shamelessness left me momentarily speechless. I always knew Jang Seonyeon was irredeemable, but I hadn’t realized he could be this delusional. Was this a sign he was backed into a corner with no way out? If so, that suited me just fine.
Jang Seonyeon wasn’t sane right now. Understandable, given we were in that Abyss.
I glanced around. The sky was a deep, bloody red—not night, not sunset, but a permanent, unnatural hue devoid of blue. The land beneath my feet was dry and lifeless, as if it had been dead for centuries. The only trees in sight were dead and rotting. This place, filled with strange, surreal sights, was one of the Abysses beyond the Gate of Demons.
I’m glad.
And,
Thankfully, I made it.
This was exactly where I wanted to be. This was the Abyss where many Young Prodigies had fallen during the calamity in my past life, the Abyss that wasn’t recorded in any of the Murim Alliance’s archives. Though called an Abyss, I saw it as a false world, a dark reflection of reality. The chances of escaping alive were nearly zero. Even the Sword Queen had barely made it out, and she’d left with a fatal affliction. For most, it was a death trap. The only reason those Young Prodigies had escaped last time was because of me—because I fought and clawed through the dirt to survive. Without that, they would have been trapped here forever.
To Jang Seonyeon, this must have seemed like a hellish Abyss. And technically, he wasn’t wrong.
“I… I! I, Jang Seonyeon…!”
He screamed, as if he had completely lost his mind. It was a refreshing sight. I had always hated how he pretended to be a good person, always smiling in my past life. Seeing him like this was something I had long desired. Yet, was it because it was too late? Or was it because this was the Jang Seonyeon of this timeline, not the one I despised from my past life? Whatever the reason, it didn’t bring me the satisfaction I expected.
“I! Need to become the pillar of the Central Pla-!”
“Ugh, shut up. I’m trying to think.”
Annoyed by his rambling, I stepped on his ankle, crushing it beneath my heel.
Crack!
“Aghhhh!”
Jang Seonyeon’s scream echoed through the dead air. This was a sound I much preferred.
“Why do you keep whining? Didn’t you come to see me? I’m fulfilling your wish right now.”
“You!”
“Oh, perhaps you don’t like the fact that we came here together?”
I gave him a mocking smile before crushing his foot again.
“Urgh!”
“You should be grateful. I came with you because I thought you might be lonely.”
Jang Seonyeon gritted his teeth, gathering his Qi to unleash it in a burst. He seemed to have regained some composure, his control over his Qi improving. His ankle was shattered, but his sword arm was still fast. Should I break his wrist next?
Just as I was about to reach for him…
“…!”
Jang Seonyeon suddenly froze, his body beginning to tremble violently.
“Hmm?”
I paused, watching him closely. What the hell was wrong with him now?
As if in answer to my silent question, Jang Seonyeon spoke, his voice trembling.
“…Why? Why is my Divine Qi…?”
His words stuttered, his pupils shaking with terror.
“Why…! Why won’t my Divine Qi come out…? H-Heavens!”
Jang Seonyeon had clearly lost his mind, screaming at the sky.
“D-Did you forsake me!?”
Hmm.
After observing him in confusion, a thought occurred to me. I attempted to circulate my Qi—specifically, the Blood Qi I had obtained from the Blood Demon.
I see.
I immediately understood Jang Seonyeon’s panic. My Blood Qi wasn’t moving. I decided to try circulating my other Qi, just in case. My Demonic Qi was also unresponsive. However, my Taoist Qi flowed smoothly, and my normal Qi was functional. It was only the Blood and Demonic Qi that were blocked.
Why, though?
I wondered why I couldn’t use these two specific types of Qi while the others worked perfectly, but no immediate answer came to mind. Besides, there was something more pressing to deal with.
“I’m not sure what you’re trying to do, but don’t we have unfinished business?”
Jang Seonyeon flinched at my words. It seemed he knew exactly what I was referring to.
“W-What are you going to do…”
“You really are still young, huh.”
“What…?”
“I’m fascinated by how easily afraid you are.”
In my past life, Jang Seonyeon would never have revealed his fear so plainly, even when at a disadvantage. This confirmed that the current Jang Seonyeon hadn’t yet fully matured; he was a far cry from the man I knew in my past life.
How lame.
It made the situation far less amusing for me.
Though, of course…
“I have a few rules when I kill someone. Want to hear them?”
I had no intention of letting him walk away alive.
Jang Seonyeon stared at me, confused by the question.
“Rule number one: I aim to kill in a single strike. It keeps things simple.”
I wasn’t a bloodthirsty maniac like the Sword Demon; I didn’t waste time on unnecessary theatrics.
“Second rule: if I use my flames, I always start by burning the hair.”
Whenever I was forced to use my flames, I always began with their hair—especially if they had irritated me.
As I spoke…
Blaze-!
Flames erupted in my hand.
Jang Seonyeon’s eyes shook with such intensity it was visible even from a distance.
“Do you know what the third rule is?”
The moment I asked, Jang Seonyeon channeled all his remaining Qi into his sword and swung with everything he had.
I’ll give him credit for that. He chose to fight back instead of run. I’d crushed his ankle specifically to prevent an escape, sparing myself the hassle. Did Jang Seonyeon realize that? Not that it mattered.
I casually dodged his wild swing and kept talking.
“I slowly start by burning their feet.”
Even with Qi, Jang Seonyeon’s attacks were no threat. His broken ankle made proper movement impossible.
“Slowly. Carefully. That way, they die a slow, painful death.”
I always saved their heart, head, and vital points for last. That way, they felt every ounce of pain. I used my Qi to ensure they didn’t pass out from the agony. And of course, I made sure they couldn’t kill themselves to escape it.
“Aghhhh!”
Jang Seonyeon screamed and swung his sword wildly in response to my words. I could see the raw terror in his frantic movements.
I watched his desperate swings for a moment, then sighed. His form was riddled with flaws, his eyes consumed by fear. I then reached my hand out. I didn’t even move quickly. I reached out slowly, guiding my hand exactly where I wanted it to go.
Smack.
Crack.
Through his sloppy defense, my fist slipped in and struck Jang Seonyeon’s Dantian. With a sharp, internal crack, I felt something vital break. His Dantian was shattered.
“U…gh…!”
Jang Seonyeon let out a strangled, guttural scream. As his Qi dissipated into nothingness, he tried to claw at his own eyes in sheer desperation. I grabbed his neck and forced a thread of Qi into him, jolting his system. I couldn’t let him lose consciousness just yet.
“You remember my rules, right? One through three?”
This was the usual order I followed.
“But this time, I’m starting with number three. Exciting, right?”
I had something different planned for Jang Seonyeon.
“I’ve got a lot of questions for you, so I suggest you answer quickly. Controlling my power is such a hassle.”
In the end, all three rules led to the same outcome for him: death. I wasn’t giving him the option to live. The moment Jang Seonyeon tried to kill me with the Abyss Gate, his fate was sealed. Not that I would have given him a chance regardless.
I reached out, staring at Jang Seonyeon, who was now too paralyzed with fear to even scream.