Chapter 563: This Venerable One (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 563: This Venerable One (4)
It had been two years since I began my training.
A year had passed since I opened my Mind’s Eye.
During that time, I had been immersed in learning the Third Form of Heaven Destruction Art.
Furthermore...
Fwoooosh!
It had been half a year since I started training under my father.
Most of the Gu Clan’s training grounds were constructed from stone rather than wood. This was a necessary precaution; one wrong move could reduce the entire pavilion to ash. While a true master could control their flames to prevent collateral damage, there were always moments where control slipped—and this was a safeguard for those exact moments.
Right now was one of those times.
FWOOOOSH!
Flames surged, filling the training room to the brim. Sparks flew violently, scorching the stone walls.
[Ugh….]
A groan escaped my lips.
Trying to compress these wild, raging flames into a single point was no easy task. I had already experienced the difficulty of this while training with the Flaming Sphere, but this was on an entirely different level. This wasn't just about pure compression and rotation. Once I successfully manifested it, I had to make it sustain itself.
[Telling me to maintain this is insane.]
My Qi drained away endlessly. Even if my reserves weren't as vast as they were in my past life, the amount of Qi I had stored was nothing to scoff at. Yet, I was burning through more than half of it just to create this one thing.
I had repeated this process countless times over the months, but…
Krrrrrk!
[…!]
The result was the same. Cracks spiderwebbed across the sphere I had barely managed to form, and moments later, it became unstable.
KABOOOOOM!
Light exploded in every direction. The sheer volume of Qi I had gathered was so immense that the force of the blast was colossal. If left unchecked, the training room and everything in the immediate vicinity would have been blown to bits.
Fortunately, such a disaster did not occur. There was someone in the room capable of halting the destruction.
Ruuuumble!
The blast slammed into a sound barrier erected inside the room, unable to spread any further. It was a testament to his power—even that massive explosion couldn't penetrate his thin veil of Qi.
As the raging aftershocks gradually subsided…
[You've failed again.]
[…]
I turned my head toward the deep, resonant voice.
The master of the barrier. The Lord of the Gu Clan, Tiger Warrior Gu Cheolun—my father—stood there, impassive.
I recovered my breath and replied.
[…So it seems. It's not easy.]
How many times had it been? I had long since lost count of the attempts. In terms of days, it had been exactly half a year. Suffice it to say, I had practiced like a madman.
And yet, I had never once succeeded.
[That is to be expected,] my father said, his gaze fixed on me. [You have not reached the proper realm, so this is the natural outcome.]
[…Yes. You’re right.]
I had not reached the proper realm. No words could be more accurate.
As Elder Shin once mentioned, what I was trying to achieve belonged to the realm of the mind. It was a transcendent state that went beyond mere Qi—a power that had to be wielded solely through the strength of one's will. It was a place one might only reach after mastering a martial art to its absolute peak, transcending the technique until one became the art itself.
And yet, knowing all this, I persisted.
[Hoo.]
I wiped away the sweat. I had been compressing and rotating my Qi all day, and a cold sweat was pouring down my face.
[Do you intend to continue?] my father asked.
Would I continue?
[I have to try,] I answered.
Hearing this, my father’s eyebrows twitched slightly. [Why?]
[…Pardon?]
I was taken aback. I hadn't expected him to ask for a reason.
[Why do you persist in this? As I said, it is a feat beyond your current realm.]
[…Hmm….]
A pointless endeavor. My father didn't say the words, but the implication was clear. He was right. Trying to force this when I hadn't even reached the necessary realm was the height of inefficiency.
And yet.
[Then, why are you helping me, Father?] I asked in return. [Weren't you the one who readily stepped forward when I asked?]
[…]
Half a year ago, I had gone to my father with a request. I told him I wanted to learn that power he had displayed at the Tang Clan. My father had looked puzzled, but he did not refuse.
Since then, contrary to my expectations, he had been teaching me with surprising focus—even though I had made the request fully expecting to be rejected.
[Did you not ask?]
[You say it's impossible, yet your reason for helping is simply because I asked?]
He was helping because I asked. It was a simple, almost laughable reason.
Then you should have just helped me like this from the start, the thought crossed my mind, but I forced it away.
[And… I don’t think I’ve tried enough to be certain that it’s impossible yet.]
My damned master used to say: If you can't do it, just keep ramming your head against it until you can. He said that if it still didn't work, it was only because your effort was lacking. At the very least, a valid reason to give up only comes after you've tried hard enough to convince yourself there's no other way.
At first, I thought it was just some bullshit ode to hard work. But being forced to live that way changed my mind. If you truly committed to something, you could somehow make it happen.
This time was no different. I would keep going until I couldn't. That was my mindset.
[…]
My father’s expression remained impassive as he watched me. By now, even that stoicism was familiar. Just as I was about to resume my training, he spoke again.
[What is the reason you insist on achieving this?]
The reason I was trying to force this power into existence, even while getting beaten to a pulp by the Dishonored Venerable from time to time.
[Hmm….]
I thought for a moment, but the answer was far simpler than I'd imagined.
[Because I need it.]
Because I need this power for what I have to do. That was all.
[There are things I must do soon. And the power you showed me is exactly what I need.]
I still remembered it vividly—that brilliant presence I had seen at the Tang Clan. That Little Sun, which devoured all surrounding presences to project its own. I needed that. If such a power was part of the Gu Flame Wheel Art, I wanted it.
That was why I was trying to obtain it, even making a request I had never made to my father in my entire life. Even knowing I lacked the realm to support it.
As I began to draw up my Qi again, my father spoke words he had held back until now.
[In that case, your approach is wrong.]
[Pardon?]
[There is a flaw in your perception. We must correct it.]
[What do you mean by that?] I stared at him, confused by the sudden shift.
[If you wish to learn even a superficial version of it, you must change your perception,] he said. [You are not me.]
My eyes widened. It wasn't that I had some grand epiphany; I was just surprised because it was such an obvious statement. I am not my father. That was a simple truth.
Seeing my dumbfounded face, my father continued. [Only by properly recognizing that difference will you be able to even graze it with your fingertips.]
I didn't argue. Unlike that old geezer, the Dishonored Venerable, there had to be a reason for my father to say something so cryptic.
And indeed, a few months after I started training while focusing on those words, I was finally able to touch what I desired.
* * *
I looked up at the sky.
A small sphere floated in the center of the scorched, blackened space. All the light illuminating the surroundings radiated from that single orb.
The Fire Wheel Star.
The Little Sun I had seen at the Tang Clan. It was a power that, in addition to shining brilliantly, was meant to scatter the presence of those nearby to conceal the user's own. It was the power I had painstakingly cultivated over the past months.
Fwoosh!
A brilliant blue light flooded the area. The Fire Wheel Star emitted a blinding radiance, exuding a heavy presence.
The only problem was that while it looked similar to my father's Fire Wheel Star, its fundamental nature was the complete opposite.
If my father's Fire Wheel Star erased the user's presence by swallowing the presences of others, mine did the reverse—it was a tool to amplify my own. It was a power contrary to the technique's original purpose.
But this couldn't be helped.
…That's what you get for a superficial imitation.
The rotation used when casting the Fire Wheel Star is intended for absorption rather than amplification. It is meant to swallow the user's presence and trap it within that sun. That was the intended expression of the art, but…
If I, who haven't reached the realm of the mind, want to use it, this is the only way.
I had stopped the absorption rotation and used only the form. In doing so, instead of swallowing my presence, it amplified it. In short, it was a half-assed power.
However.
But this is better.
Funnily enough, it was actually more effective this way. Amplifying my presence to imprint it upon my opponent—it deviated from the original intent, but for my current needs, there was no better tool. It had become a "flawed" power because I was forcing something beyond my realm, but that flaw had become my advantage.
Perhaps my father had said what he did because he knew this would happen. He knew that the Fire Wheel Star I would manifest would be fundamentally different from his own, and that I needed to embrace that difference to succeed.
I lowered my gaze from the sky. Before me stood an old man with a deeply contorted expression. It was Woobaek.
That bewildered look on his face is priceless.
Ttolddoli was intimidating him with his massive frame. Tang Duk had laid the groundwork by appearing beforehand. And then there was me, appearing after them both. The dark space created by Black Heaven, and within it, the Fire Wheel Star that amplified my presence and brought light to the void.
Seeing all this, Woobaek had to be realizing it: he was facing no ordinary opponent. I had intended for him to feel that weight.
I looked at Woobaek and spoke.
“You seem to be much more tight-lipped than you look.”
Using the speech patterns of my past life felt like thorns were sprouting on my tongue, but I had to endure it.
“This Venerable One even introduced himself first. It seems that was not enough for you.”
I took a step forward. Because I was using the Fire Wheel Star despite lacking the proper cultivation level, I could feel a backlash rattling my Qi and my body. Still, I didn't let it show. The Heavenly Demon I envisioned would never show weakness. To maintain the facade, I had to grit my teeth and bear it.
I continued to walk. After a few more steps, the tension became palpable. One more step and I would be within Woobaek's striking range. Knowing this full well, I stepped forward without hesitation.
“…You bastard….”
Even though I had entered his range, Woobaek did not swing his sword. He was looking for an opening, but in this distorted space, he couldn't get a proper read on me.
“…Did you say Heavenly Demon?”
“Yes. This Venerable One is the Heavenly Demon.”
It should have been an unfamiliar title, yet Woobaek frowned at the name.
“…I have heard the rumors,” he muttered.
He knew. He had heard the stories slowly spreading through the Central Plains.
“That there is a being attacking the Murim Alliance branches in various regions. And that the culprit calls himself the Heavenly Demon.”
Hearing that, I laughed out loud.
“Haha.”
I made sure he could hear the mockery behind the mask.
“Are you saying that’s you?”
“You seem to be better informed than I thought. I commend you.”
“…What is your purpose? What gives you the audacity to not only attack the Murim Alliance but also set foot in Wudang without fear!”
Fwhooosh!
A roar erupted from him, his voice saturated with Taoist Qi. He likely intended to snap the surrounding martial artists out of the stupor caused by the Dragon’s Word, but…
“Ughhh.”
“E-Elder….”
That alone wasn't enough to break the technique. Watching this, I internally noted the data.
So it can't be easily broken even with that much Qi.
This was an unexpected gain.
“My purpose, you ask….”
Hiding my thoughts, I stroked my chin as if in contemplation. The texture of the mask was slightly irritating. After a brief silence, I spoke to Woobaek.
“Does one truly need a purpose?”
“…What did you say?”
“You seem to be misunderstanding something.”
We were close enough to touch. Within that lethal distance, I looked him in the eye.
“You are merely Wudang.”
“…!”
“I don't know what you're thinking, but are you suggesting This Venerable One should be afraid of visiting the likes of you?”
“You bastard…!!”
“Truly amusing, old man,” I continued, watching his face contort with rage. “Do you fear the ants crawling on the ground?”
As I spat out those words…
Shing!
Woobaek swung his sword. It was fast. Not only was I already within his range, but the sword of a Wudang elder was far faster than sound. Normally, I would have had trouble even reacting.
But.
Grab!
“…!?”
It's a different story when you've been anticipating the move from the start. Woobaek stared in shock at his wrist, which I had caught before his sword could even reach its full momentum.
“You asked what my purpose was.”
Woobaek’s eyes trembled.
“I will answer you, you incompetent mongrel.”
I drew up the Demonic Qi from deep within my core.
“This Venerable One merely wished to see.”
The rising Demonic Qi flooded my meridians and seeped into my skin. Soon, it traveled up my shoulders and began to rise like a dark heat haze.
“The Ten Sect Alliance that is said to form the backbone of the Central Plains.”
The haze bloomed and shot up into the sky, expanding in size.
“And the leader of the Murim Alliance, who is causing the current Central Plains to rot.”
My body screamed as I poured out my Qi. Honestly, just maintaining the Fire Wheel Star had already pushed me to the brink.
“The place he is responsible for—Wudang. It is for that purpose that This Venerable One has taken the trouble to come here. And yet.”
I released my grip on his hand. I wanted him to react.
And just as I expected, Thwack! Woobaek retrieved his hand and spun his body rapidly. Taoist Qi swirled around him—sharp, fierce, and refined. He was indeed one of the Hundred Masters of the Central Plains.
“Seeing you, I now understand. This place, too, is trash not even worth looking at.”
“How dare you! A thing like you dares to insult Wudang!”
I had seen Woo Hyuk’s sword several times. A more masterful and refined version of that same art now unfolded from the old man’s fingertips. The sword, imbued with Taoist Qi, followed a delicate, intricate path that stood in stark contrast to his rough roar.
The serene Taoist Qi soon became a single star as it unfolded. The stars that blossomed from the sword path gathered to form a galaxy.
How beautiful.
It was a stunning display of swordsmanship. I may not think highly of Wudang, but I could acknowledge their craft. Which only made it more of a pity.
To think such a beautiful sword art…
Shatter!
…could be broken with a single, light gesture.
“Hup!?”
Just before Woobaek’s sword could follow its path and gain momentum, my opened Mind’s Eye captured exactly how the old man intended to move. The flow was clear. Perhaps because of his high realm, his sword path was unwavering, showing its trajectory with crystalline clarity.
Which made it all the easier to intercept. All I had to do was reach out to the path it wanted to take and sever the flow.
The sword path twisted.
Thud!
His body, which was about to channel its full power, was thrown off balance by the recoil. An opening that hadn't existed a moment ago was suddenly laid bare. Woobaek moved quickly to recover, trying to cover the gap, but it didn't matter.
Even his recovery was perfectly clear to me.
My body was already in motion. My right hand had already seized Woobaek by the collar.
A brief thought crossed my mind.
Should I drag this out a bit more for show?
Should I prolong the fight to make a grander statement? Or should I just end it now?
I made my decision instantly. I couldn't drag this out. Things would get complicated if the Sword of Wudang arrived.
Fwhoooooosh!
Wind gathered in my left hand.
Kiiiiiiiiik!
Starting from my heart, Qi rotated violently through my blood vessels. I felt the agonizing pain of my body being torn apart by the blade-like Qi. I ignored it. It was a pain I was well-acquainted with.
Thud!
I took half a step forward. The sole of my foot slammed into the ground.
RUUUUMBLE!
A vibration rippled outward. My center was set. I twisted my waist slightly, simultaneously controlling the recoil. It looked like a simple movement, but there was no room for error. My Mind’s Eye observed not only my opponent but my own internal alignment.
I aligned my body along the lines of force I could see.
At that moment.
FWOOOOOOSH!
As if it had been waiting, a gale seeped through my body to the tip of my arm.
Now.
Heaven Destruction Art.
Second Form.
Fighting Judgment Heavenly Will Fist.
The gathered gale slammed into Woobaek's chest.
Instantly.
“Gack—?!”
With a short, choked groan, Woobaek’s body…
KABOOOOOOOM!
…was torn to shreds by the exploding pressure.