Chapter 527: Just Let Me Hold It Once (34)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 527: Just Let Me Hold It Once (34)
The sky was impossibly clear today.
That was the only thought in my head as I lay sprawled on my back, staring up into the vast, empty blue.
The sunset was just beginning to paint the horizon, its colors bleeding into a cloudless canvas. It was breathtakingly beautiful.
So damn beautiful it was irritating.
"Brother. How much longer do you plan to lie there?"
I tilted my head slightly at the voice. It was the Dishonored Venerable, perched on a rock with his legs crossed, looking down at me with an unreadable expression.
I studied him for a moment before speaking. "Isn't your way of speaking… a little strange?"
What kind of god-awful linguistic concoction was that?
"What's strange about it, Brother?"
"…"
Even when I pointed it out, the stubborn old man refused to change his tune. Did he really think he could get away with anything just by tacking 'Brother' onto the end of his sentences?
It was absurd, but I had no room to argue.
"Ughhh…"
That was because I had just been thoroughly pulverized. It was also the reason I was staring at the sky instead of getting up. My body simply refused to obey.
Gritting my teeth, I forced my upper body to rise. Every single joint screamed in protest. Using every ounce of my strength, I somehow managed to stagger to my feet, shooting a resentful glare at the Dishonored Venerable.
"I told you, I'm a patient…"
"From the way you were talking earlier, you seemed perfectly fine, Brother."
"…You're really going to keep that up, aren't you?"
"What do you mean, Brother?"
"…"
It seemed the old man held a much deeper grudge than I'd anticipated.
I took it too far.
I knew he'd been avoiding me for days because he didn't want a beating, so I'd decided to be a little mischievous. I'd forgotten that while he'd agreed to call me 'brother,' he'd never promised not to commit insubordination.
My ill-advised prodding had earned me a thorough thrashing, neatly disguised as a 'sparring match.'
"Ugh…"
It hurt even more than the last time. This was definitely personal.
Even so, the reason I couldn't bring myself to complain was…
"…Aren't you tired?"
"What do you mean, Broth—"
"Please, just stop with that."
It felt like he was forcing me to accept a bow I hadn't asked for. Only then did the Dishonored Venerable let out a slight smirk, rotating his wrists.
The reason I asked if he was tired was simple.
My body isn't that soft.
Getting beaten up had hurt, that much was undeniable. But the parts of my body that had felt somewhat blocked, as if my meridians were swollen, now felt refreshingly clear. That told me everything I needed to know.
The Dishonored Venerable hadn't just been beating me senselessly.
This was clearly…
'Meridian Manipulation.'
Just like last time, his strikes ultimately served to help my body. He had a ghostly knack for targeting uncomfortable spots and clearing up any blockages.
Which made it all the more astonishing.
'How is this possible?'
The Dishonored Venerable's current level was that of a mature Peak Realm master. He was a man who should have reached the Fusion Realm long ago, yet here he was, still at the Peak Realm.
And yet, with that level, he had not only completely overwhelmed me, a Fusion Realm master…
'He was performing Meridian Manipulation in the middle of a fight.'
And it wasn't as if I had just stood there and taken it.
'…I struggled like hell.'
I had gritted my teeth and charged at him, determined to land at least one blow, but I couldn't even manage to graze the damn hem of his clothes.
'What's the problem?'
I was overwhelmingly superior in terms of realm. I was faster. My strength was incomparable, and my Qi capacity was far greater. By all accounts, I should have been dominant in every aspect.
'And I couldn't even graze him?'
It was utterly dumbfounding.
As I was lost in endless pondering…
"It's because your eyes are underdeveloped."
The Dishonored Venerable offered an answer to a question I hadn't even asked, as if he'd been reading my mind.
"My eyes?"
"Yes. How can you see and dodge anything when your perception is so poor?"
My perception is poor?
"…Are you saying the reason I can't reach you, Elder, is also because of a difference in our 'eyes'?"
"It's no different. How can you reach what you cannot see?"
As Qi and the body assimilate, reaction speed increases. To match this, one's vision becomes wider and clearer. For someone who had reached the Fusion Realm, it didn't make sense to say my perception was poor.
However…
'That's not what the Dishonored Venerable means.'
I couldn't take his words at face value. Look at him now. After saying his piece, he was watching me with intrigued eyes. That man was testing me.
'What a pain. He could just tell me.'
He was deliberately speaking in riddles, challenging me to figure it out. That was probably his intention.
'Tsk.'
Is this also part of the training? I didn't like it, but I had no room to object. The value of the Dishonored Venerable's training was just that high. My ability to use my body had improved to an incomparable degree, so I had no intention of rebelling.
'My perception is poor, he says.'
The difference between him and me. What could it be?
'…He intercepts me before I can land a hit. No, he intercepts me before I can even begin.'
I didn't know about 'seeing' or 'not seeing.' Before I could even make a move, the Dishonored Venerable was already moving. It meant that no matter how fast I was, he would intercept my movements before they could even unfold.
If I thought about kicking, he was already kicking my thigh to block it. Countless feints were all useless. Every real attack I mixed in was completely neutralized.
To break through that, I'd need to be so fast that he couldn't even react.
'Conversely, the reason the Dishonored Venerable can do this is…'
He wasn't just predicting all my moves. Could it be that he was fighting with my follow-up combinations already mapped out in his head?
If so, leaving aside how that was even possible for a human brain…
"…Rather than my perception being poor, aren't you saying you fight with your head, not your eyes?"
"Haha."
The Dishonored Venerable burst out laughing at my answer. "What a simple answer."
"I tried my best to come up with that."
"Yes, simple but not bad… since you got the right answer. Then why can't you do it, now that you know the answer?"
I scowled at his words. If knowing the answer meant I could do it, I'd be the Dishonored Venerable, you old bastard. I barely managed to swallow the retort. The places he'd just hit still ached too much for me to blurt it out.
"Judging by your expression, I know exactly what you're thinking."
"I was just thinking about how much I respect you, Elder."
"What was that?"
"…"
Ugh. So that didn't work? As I turned my head away in disappointment, I heard the Dishonored Venerable click his tongue.
"I won't be disappointed in you for not being able to do this. In a way, it's only natural."
"…Are you going to say something like, you were able to do it through training, Elder?"
"No? I could do it from the very beginning."
"…Huh?"
"If I couldn't at least do this, I wouldn't be able to go around calling myself a Venerable. Heh heh."
The way he so casually acknowledged his own greatness was quite irritating.
"My point is, it's not a problem that you can't do it. Of course, even if you can't." A smile formed around his eyes. Every time he smiled like that, a chill went down my spine. "I will make you capable, so that too is not a problem."
Those were the scariest words in the world.
I will make you capable, one way or another.
It was the same desire I had for my own life, but when someone else tried to apply it to me, it was terrifying.
I hid my fear and asked, "…Are you saying you'll do something to make me use my brain better?"
"What a strange thing to say. How could I do something like that?"
"Huh?"
This was the same man who just said he'd make me capable even if I wasn't. What did he mean now?
"In the first place, if you don't understand this part, you shouldn't try to learn it with your head. It would be a waste of time."
"Then… what am I supposed to do…"
"It's a simple principle. If your head doesn't work."
Swoosh-!
"…!"
A fist suddenly shot out. I twisted my body to dodge, but…
Thud-!
My left foot, which was about to step back, was caught by the Dishonored Venerable's foot, and my posture crumbled. My lower body gave way, and I collapsed ungracefully to the ground.
After sitting down heavily, I stared blankly at him.
Looking at me, he said, "It's a simple matter of learning with your body."
The words I was about to ask—what was that for?—died in my throat.
'What was that?'
That last move… something was strange about it. The problem was, I didn't know what was strange. Was it strange that I was taken down so easily? Or was it that I was strange for not being able to grasp his movements? It was a peculiar feeling. A frustrating sense of something being just out of reach, almost understandable but not quite.
[…Oho…]
Amidst it all, I heard Elder Shin's impressed-sounding voice. Did that mean the Dishonored Venerable had indeed done something?
"As I keep saying, you have a misconception about yourself." The Dishonored Venerable's voice rang out again. "I don't like the way you look down on yourself when you have that body and such a vessel. Why do you see yourself as so pathetic?"
"Out of nowhere… what are you talking about?"
His words seemed random, but they were enough to stir my heart. It was inevitable.
The body I had obtained through regression in an extreme environment was certainly outstanding. To others, it was undoubtedly a coveted physique. After all, the Dishonored Venerable had taken me as his disciple after seeing it.
However.
'Even so. It doesn't mean I'm a genius.'
It wasn't strange for him to have that misconception, but I knew the truth. I was not someone who could be called a genius.
Even now, for instance. I hadn't properly understood what he had said in my head. Seeing that, his words were not easy to grasp.
"Judging by how ugly your face has become, you must be having some idiotic thoughts again."
Wasn't a personal attack a bit much? I let out a hollow laugh at his words.
"Kid." The Dishonored Venerable called to me. "However you judge yourself, it's of no interest to me. Whatever happens, in the end, there will be only one thing you will realize."
"And what is that?"
"That in the end, you will become me, the Dishonored Venerable Bijuu's, one and only successor, the masterpiece of my life."
"…"
How could a person utter such words so nonchalantly? His confidence was simply amazing.
"If you lack confidence, fill it and pile arrogance on top. Then, surround it with the ability to take responsibility for it. And if you can't, it doesn't matter."
Crack.
I could see him warming up as he spoke. A chilling sensation washed over me at the sight. I immediately shot to my feet and jumped back several steps.
"If you are lacking, I will fill it. If you do not know, I will teach you. If you cannot build strength, I will provide that as well. Now that I am your master, I can do at least that much. No, I must."
"…Why are you suddenly acting like this?"
He seemed much more passionate. Had something happened in the few days I hadn't seen him? The old man felt somewhat invigorated. And in a very bad way.
A cold sensation made me roll my eyes, looking for an escape route. My instincts were screaming at me.
If you're going to run, run now.
Whether he knew this or not, he continued. "I said that because it seems your body is ready. It's about time we moved on to the next stage."
"…!"
My feet stopped dead at his words. The next stage meant…
'The second form of The Fist that Destroys Heaven?'
Last time, right after I had barely learned the first form, he had mentioned it. He was going to start the training for the next stage, which he hadn't taught me for a while.
The problem was… "…Right now?"
He was going to do it now? As I spoke in bewilderment, he shook his head.
"Not right away. Your body seems ready… but the most important thing is not yet in place. We must satisfy that first."
"If it's something important…"
"Didn't I tell you earlier? You need to change your poor perception."
"Ah."
The reason I couldn't reach him that he mentioned earlier. And… the meaning behind the strange sensation I had just felt. Was that what he was talking about?
He had said it. If I didn't understand, he would just teach me until I did.
"If you learn this, you'll at least look more like a martial artist than you do now."
"…So, I'm not a martial artist right now?"
"Hmm, you're about the level of a snot-nosed kid who's decent at neighborhood brawls."
"A snot-nosed…"
[Heh heh, how well he puts into words what is in my own heart.]
Somehow, it felt like the two damned old men were ganging up on me. It was a shitty feeling in many ways.
"If you get to that point, you won't be getting beaten up so easily wherever you go. And when you do, I will grant you my permission."
"For what?"
"To call yourself the disciple of me, Bijuu. That is what I will permit."
At my question, the Dishonored Venerable smiled with satisfaction. His words meant that I would be truly acknowledged as his successor. The successor acknowledged by the Venerable, the Dishonored Venerable. This was tantamount to having the position of the Fist King reserved for me in the future, but…
"…I don't really need something like that."
"…?"
It wasn't something I was particularly interested in. Even if he told me to go around saying it, I had no intention of doing so. Would I really start now just because he gave me permission?
'It's not that I'm ashamed… but it feels like I'd be bragging, which is a little embarrassing.'
It felt something like that. I! Am the disciple of the great Dishonored Venerable! It would feel like I was going around shouting that. Just imagining it was embarrassing. The cringey thought gave me goosebumps.
Hiding it, I looked at him. I saw his eyebrow twitch slightly. Was he angry? I hurriedly made an excuse.
"Well… it's not that I don't need it… It's just that…"
"…Well. You may not need it. I wasn't telling you to go around announcing it either."
He wasn't angry? That was a relief.
"Ah, yes, thank you for your understand—"
CRACK.
"Huh?"
A rather violent sound came from his arm. I turned my head to see. He was warming up, moving his fists this way and that.
"Elder?"
"I don't think I finished explaining the training method earlier. Let me tell you a bit more."
"Wait a minute. Please don't come any closer. Let's talk from there, shall we?"
"If you can't understand with your head, you have to learn with your body. Do you know the fastest way to do that?"
"No. And I don't want to kn—!"
SWOOOOSH-!
As if he couldn't even hear me, his fist shot out. It was even faster than before. I barely dodg—
BAM-!
"Keuk…!"
I thought I had dodged it by tilting my head, but somehow his fist was buried in my solar plexus. Was it a feint? I hadn't seen it. My upper body automatically bent over.
His fist was filled with the art of The Fist that Destroys Heaven. My aura shattered and the force entered my body directly. No matter how careless I had been, I had kept my aura firm because I didn't know when I'd be hit, but…
'…He broke through where my aura was weakest.'
Somehow, he knew. He had dug into the weakest point and shattered it.
That wasn't the end. Through the opening created as my upper body collapsed… he kicked me far away.
POW-!
I flew through the air and slammed into a tree.
"Kuh… ugh…"
I couldn't even gasp for breath. The attack had twisted the Qi in my body. It felt like the acupoints that were just starting to heal were rioting again. What kind of shitty situation was this, fixing something only to break it again?
I glared at him with a resentful expression. He was looking at me with a smile in his eyes.
"You learn by taking the hits directly. That's the fastest way."
"…Damn it all…"
He was sulking. That man was definitely sulking. Why were all these old men so damn petty?
Sweat poured down my face in pain, but even then, he slowly walked towards me and spoke. "Your intuition is good. It's the part of you I rate most highly, after your physique."
I forced my body up with all my strength. I was desperate. His voice sounded much closer than the distance between us suggested. I moved my body according to my senses, trying to get away first, but…
Tap.
I was blocked. Damn it…! He had already cut off my escape route.
Squeeze-!
My shoulder moved. It wasn't my will. It was his strength. Even though I shouldn't have been overpowered, he pushed me aside as if it were nothing.
"However, I've never liked how much you rely on that intuition. I'll fix that this time."
I unleashed my Qi. I focused power in my heart, trying to bring forth the heat, but…
KWOONG-!
"Keok…!"
He forced his way through my flowing Qi and severed it. The unique destructive power of his Fist had scattered the flow. In the moment my body was caught in the backlash, he grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and threw me backward.
I managed to break my fall as I flew through the air. As I was barely steadying my dizzying vision…
"There is one condition to finish the training we're about to do, you damn disciple."
Once again, his voice was right in front of my nose. "Stop my attack, even once. If you succeed, this training session is over."
"…What the—!"
I tried to shout, what the hell does that mean, but his knee was already coming for my face. I raised my hands to block.
PAANG-!
But I couldn't block it completely. The impact rattled my head.
'That son of a bitch…!'
Attacks rained down on me from all sides. I was in a state where I could barely block or dodge, and as I was just managing to do that…
Unleashing all sorts of movements, he spoke to me, his voice unusually clear. "Not blocking or dodging, but 'stopping' it. Keep that in mind."
'Fucking hell, anyway.'
I gritted my teeth at his words. His training methods are all so sudden and shitty.
That was the thought that crossed my mind as I was getting my ass kicked.
* * *
"…"
While Gu Yangcheon was being relentlessly beaten by the Dishonored Venerable… Gu Cheolun was watching from a distance.
Watching his son get hit and roll around on the ground. Even as he watched, Gu Cheolun's eyes did not waver. He simply observed with calm eyes.
Just then.
"You're not intervening. Why?"
Someone approached Gu Cheolun's side and asked. He turned to look at the person. He wasn't surprised. He had known they were coming.
The one who had asked the question was a handsome man with white hair and expressionless eyes.
Gu Cheolun looked at him and spoke in a low voice. "Because there is no reason to intervene."
"Even though your only son is being treated like that?"
Gu Yangcheon was the one who would one day inherit the position of Lord and lead the Gu Clan. And yet, seeing his son in such a state, Gu Cheolun saw no reason to move? It was a strange thing to say.
"I don't think that's something you, who ran all the way from that far-off place out of worry for your child, should be saying."
"…"
The man's words made Gu Cheolun's brow furrow slightly, but it quickly returned to normal as if nothing had happened.
The reason he didn't intervene was simple. "I have already entrusted that matter to the Dishonored Venerable. Furthermore, I am not foolish enough to interfere with training."
"Hmm, is that so."
The man nodded at Gu Cheolun's answer. It wasn't because he understood. It was simply that since he had said so, there was nothing more to say.
A brief silence passed, and the man decided to ask something else. "So, what is the reason you called me?"
The reason the man was here now. It was because Gu Cheolun had personally summoned the Dark King.
At that question, Gu Cheolun stated the main reason. "There is something I wish to ask you, Elder."
The white-haired man… the Dark King, looked at Gu Cheolun.
Gu Cheolun's red eyes, staring back at the Dark King, began to glow with increasing clarity.
"Why did you do it?"
"What do you mean?"
The Dark King tilted his head slightly at the question. His tone suggested he didn't know what was being asked.
At this, Gu Cheolun stated firmly. "The letter the Tang Clan's Lord sent to the Gu Clan. That was your doing, wasn't it, Elder?"
"…"
The letter from the Poison King that had arrived at the Gu Clan a few days ago. The news that Gu Yangcheon had nearly been poisoned to death. Gu Cheolun was saying that the Dark King was connected to that incident.
Hearing this, the Dark King… "Hmm." …smiled, a very rare occurrence, and replied. "Still as sharp as ever."
At the same time as his answer, it felt as if the sky had grown a little darker.