Short but Long Time
Jeong Gwang had never been a particularly kind person.
Honorifics? Not a chance.
Speech? Short and to the point, naturally.
Hell, the fact that he even bothered answering questions would shock anyone who knew his past self.
But he'd changed.
After reincarnating and spending over a decade as a Taoist, polite speech had become second nature, and he even answered questions properly.
He'd just done it again moments ago.
But...
This guy, why can't he get it through his thick skull?
I told him I can see it all, didn't I?
“Are you messing with me?”
“No. I can see it.”
“See what exactly?”
“Ah, seriously.”
Jeong Gwang pondered for a moment.
To make this dimwit understand, he'd have to lay out the whole wide world of martial arts theory.
Was there any reason to go through that hassle?
Not a one.
Still, he'd invited the questions—bailing now would make him look bad...
As Jeong Gwang scratched his head furiously, Paeng Gang-hwi spoke in a subdued tone.
“Forget it. I've paid enough for my mistakes. Don't talk to me anymore.”
Jeong Gwang's eyes lit up.
“That's exactly it.”
“...What?”
“Follow me. I'll show you.”
“Show me what?”
Paeng Gang-hwi followed, puzzled despite himself.
All the way, he stared at the back of Jeong Gwang's head as the boy led on.
An utterly unpredictable kid.
One moment he seemed like the genius of the ages his master Heo Cheong praised, the next a street thug, then radiating demonic killing intent like a great devil, only to spout profound Taoist wisdom like some immortal.
And that martial prowess of his...
Goosebumps prickled along both arms.
I thought being one of the Nine Dragons made me above the world, but I'm nothing.
To realize there was a world beyond the world, people above people, only after coming to this remote Kunlun.
If I'd known just a little sooner... things would be so different now.
Deep regret gnawed at him.
But regret always comes too late, no matter how swiftly it arrives. What was done was done.
“Hoo...”
“The ground's gonna cave in from all that sighing. We're here.”
“Hm?”
He snapped to attention. It was the small training ground where he'd been beaten senseless yesterday.
“Lucky you met me before it got worse. You're a fortunate one.”
His heart suddenly pounded.
“The splint looks good. No issues moving around, either.”
Not excitement—his cracked ribs throbbing from Jeong Gwang's presence, apparently.
“Didn't I say no more talking?”
Paeng Gang-hwi nodded silently, and Jeong Gwang nodded back.
“What I mean is, what's the point of talking between men? We should clash bodies... Eh, that sounded weird. Anyway.”
His eyes were dead serious.
“Circulate your inner power.”
“...Why all of a sudden?”
“Just do it.”
Paeng Gang-hwi eyed him suspiciously.
What’s he planning? No malice I can sense, though.
That earlier thrill returned.
Worst case, I break even.
He began circulating his inner power as instructed.
Jeong Gwang watched, muttering.
“First star, second star, third... Huh? What're you doing? Ramp it up to the seventh already.”
“H-how do you know exactly how much I'm circulating?”
“Talking scatters your qi—keep your mouth shut.”
“Mmph!”
Paeng Gang-hwi obeyed like he was entranced.
Once he reached the seventh star,
Smack!
“Ack!”
Jeong Gwang smacked the back of his head.
“What the hell?”
“Listen up. From now on, raise it slowly to the tenth star.”
“Why the head...?”
“Because it's necessary. Breathe ten times per star. Got it?”
“But why hit my head first...?”
“Can't control it finely yet? Just brute-forcing it up is all you know?”
Paeng Gang-hwi gritted his teeth and complied, determined to prove the Paeng Clan wasn't truly 'brutish'—if they were, they couldn't master supreme arts. He'd show this kid.
Concentrating intently, he reached the eighth star when—
Smack!
“Kuh!”
Smack!
“Ugh!”
Jeong Gwang kept smacking his head.
Paeng Gang-hwi's emotions shifted.
Is he toying with me?
Smack!
The more I take it, the bolder this punk gets.
Smack!
You bastard! I'll kill you!
As he hit the ninth star and rage boiled over,
“Krgh!”
Pain surged as his chest meridians clogged.
Jeong Gwang's fist struck the blockage.
Bam!
“Eek!”
Not as brutal as yesterday—no blackout.
But the chest pain vanished, qi flowing smoothly.
“Wh-what is this...?”
“Shut up! Slowly to the tenth!”
His mind cleared.
He circulated again.
Smack!
“Argh!”
The head-smacks resumed.
Now I get why he's hitting, but still infuriating!
Did it have to be this way?!
Fury blazed.
“Urk.”
As his power neared the tenth and chest meridians clogged again,
Jeong Gwang bellowed.
“Don't flinch from the pain—break through!”
He forced it upward.
Thud!
“Kuhuk!”
Blood welled in his throat.
He swallowed and pushed harder.
Thud!
“Krgh!”
Blood trickled from his mouth.
“Scaredy-cat, scaredy-cat. That's your tenth star?”
Enraged beyond reason, Paeng Gang-hwi roared.
“Who's scared, you say?!”
“You.”
“Damn it! I'm no coward!”
Vrrrrm—
Qi surged wildly from his dantian.
The massive power charged his flawed meridians like a stampede.
It collided.
Boom!
Inside: Paeng Gang-hwi's qi.
Bam!
Outside: Jeong Gwang's fist.
They shattered the long-blocked, damaged meridians completely.
This...!
A massive heat erupted in his chest.
Paeng Gang-hwi's mouth flew open in a resonant cry.
“Aaaaaaaah!”
Jeong Gwang shook his head.
“Just like that old founder fart. I know you broke the barrier—no need to yell.”
Fortunately, Paeng Gang-hwi was lost in the thrill of qi coursing flawlessly through his body and missed it.
He trembled.
Ah! This is it! True, complete qi circulation!
Jeong Gwang was tired.
Ah, what a pain. Time to crash.
Not just a thought.
He left Paeng Gang-hwi behind and sauntered back to his room.
Wonder if that guy's gonna complain when he snaps out of it.
A moment later, he sighed.
Whatever. Can't expect much from a barely scraping-by family. Especially a kid who just learned to stand straight.
To him, the Hebei Paeng Clan and Paeng Gang-hwi were just that.
* * *
Paeng Su-won marveled at Kunlun's true might while dealing with the stubborn Heo Jik.
So this is Kunlun's real power!
Naturally, his awe extended to the enigmatic young Taoist, Jeong Gwang.
Genius of the ages? Might be true. A boy changing Kunlun like this...
As a warrior, he itched for more sparring, but clan duties came first—no reason to drag it out.
“You've broadened my horizons. I concede.”
He hadn't been that outmatched, so the Kunlun Taoists shook their heads.
But his words were odd.
“My turn now?”
“Seniors, rest up. Let this junior spar with Elder Paeng.”
“Hey now. I drew my sword first. Line up.”
They'd fidgeted throughout the matches, itching to test Kunlun's elegant, powerful arts for themselves.
With Heo Clan Taoists clamoring for turns, chaos erupted.
“Enough! Time to hear what the Paeng Clan wants!”
The sect leader's shout silenced them.
Paeng Su-won took a short breath and spoke.
“Fifteen years ago, the vile Heavenly Demon Cult's leader, the True Heavenly Demon, perished.”
At the shudder-inducing name, the Taoists clasped hands in prayer.
“Amitabha. The Supreme Old Lord's grace.”
“Primordial Heavenly Venerable. A blessing not just for the murim, but the world.”
Jeong Gwang would've protested—“What'd I do so wrong?”—but that was their consensus.
Not even the cult leader, but the young lord, called not just Heavenly Demon but True Heavenly Demon—a title deemed insufficient for his might.
The world's strongest, period!
So overwhelming that even those savage cultists could barely breathe in his presence, legends said.
Compared to him, everyone seemed insignificant—no true second-in-command in the cult.
They still hadn't named a new leader, factions clashing amid his lingering shadow.
The hall chilled at his memory.
“With his death, the Murim Alliance—formed against an uncertain cult invasion—faded into irrelevance.”
The sect leader nodded at Paeng Su-won's words.
Kunlun had long recalled its dispatched members.
“Is that the issue?”
“Yes. The unorthodox sects' movements are suspicious lately.”
“Hah. Cult quiets down, now the Sapa?”
“Intelligence says the Four Black Alliance is rallying Central Plains fiends into something called the Sama-ryeon.”
“Amitabha. The powerless masses will suffer again. Rebuilding the Alliance, then?”
Paeng Su-won admired the sect leader's sharp insight.
A heavenly man, grasping the crisis from scant details.
“Precisely. That's why we've come to Kunlun.”
The sect leader pondered briefly.
“Rebuilding means electing a leader. Does Clan Leader Paeng seek that seat?”
“...!”
“Paeng Clan wants our endorsement? Hence this distant visit.”
“...Yes.”
“And whose support is already secured?”
To pierce so deeply...
Paeng Su-won was awed anew by the sect leader's perception.
“None finalized.”
“We're far from the Central Plains—can't offer much aid?”
“Kunlun's name alone is immense power.”
“Just lend the name?”
“If a few esteemed immortals and disciples could reside at the Alliance, it'd be ideal. Forgive me, but having witnessed Kunlun's arts, we're deeply impressed—even that much aid would suffice.”
In short: no need for masses of fighters—just a few peak experts for show.
“Not asking for free, of course.”
“Speak.”
“If successful, the Alliance will dispatch elites to Qinghai Province.”
“Meaning?”
“To block the Heavenly Demon Cult. Kunlun's bled alone too long—isn't that wrong?”
Many nodded.
The cult had quieted, but who knew when it'd rampage again? Kunlun alone couldn't hold forever.
Sick of hearing 'demon' anything.
Unfair we bleed alone.
Alliance help means less wasted blood, more saved lives.
Despite their cultivation, they were human—the offer was sweet.
Sect Leader Un Jeok and Virtue Saint Un Hu felt the same.
No interest in empty titles like Alliance Leader.
Reducing Kunlun's sacrifices and saving more innocents? Enough.
Their eyes met; nods exchanged.
“Kunlun welcomes it. When do you envision this?”
Paeng Su-won's face lit up at the approval.
“Presumptuous, but sects and clans will haggle over prestige, profit, and more.”
“Haha, human nature—speak freely. We're human too.”
“Thank you. Soonest around three years from now.”
“Three years...”
“Not short.”
“Time for much change and growth. Especially for the exceptional...”
Every mind in the hall pictured one face.
Jeong Gwang.