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Chapter 163: What I Want to Show

As the sparring between Gu Yangcheong and Moyong Hi-ah was about to begin, the current leader of the Martial Alliance, Jang Cheon, was facing his son.

The teacup, once filled with warm tea, had long been empty, and Jang Cheon was merely holding the vacant cup, feeling an emptiness within himself.

Silence stretched on, but it was Jang Cheon who eventually broke it.

“Why did you do that?”

His low question carried weight.

At this, Jang Seonyeon lifted his head, which had been bowed.

“Son.”

“…Yes.”

“Have you forgotten the pact with your father?”

“I haven’t forgotten.”

“Then, why did you make that choice?”

«…

»

Jang Seonyeon sealed his lips.

It wasn’t that he had no words to say; he simply didn’t want to speak them.

There were countless words he could say, yet he knew they would only dig deeper into his own heart.

“Didn’t I tell you that power is dangerous?”

Why do you think so?

Unable to voice this one thought, Jang Seonyeon remained in the same silence.

“You said that power could consume you and lead to your loss, didn’t you?”

At Jang Cheon’s words, a twitch stirred in Jang Seonyeon’s Lower Dantian.

It felt like his father’s words sparked a violent reaction within him, a rebellion against the truth.

It had been a long time since he summoned that power, and it seemed it hadn’t properly settled yet.

His father didn’t fully understand this power.

Even though he held the title of sect leader, he was ultimately an uninitiated individual.

He wouldn’t feel it.

He only seemed to discern it due to what he witnessed during the sparring.

“Surely you haven’t forgotten that you promised not to use it until you reached adulthood. Why did you act that way?”

As Jang Cheon spoke, Jang Seonyeon thought of Nangong Bi-ah.

The question of why echoed within him, laden with countless self-directed inquiries.

But there was only one answer that surfaced.

“I was scared.”

He was simply afraid.

Afraid of that woman, whose radiance was growing ever brighter, he had reached for it in a desperate bid to flee.

‘…What a dirty feeling.’

The woman’s bold movements, her gaze lingering beyond himself, even her confident strides—everything felt repugnant.

Even the look in Gu Yangcheong’s eyes as he held her close was a bitter sight.

Why must he feel this way?

He had merely embraced the power bestowed upon him.

Why should he feel embarrassed and a headache?

This power was gained in the hopes of becoming light.

It was a selection made for him, and thus he was meant to shine brighter than anyone.

Yet, how could that woman shine so brightly all on her own?

‘What a childish emotion.’

The feeling that arose was undoubtedly a sense of inferiority.

He didn’t want to admit it, but the unavoidable reality was that.

The talents regarded as mere late-stage abilities from the righteous faction proved to be far superior than he had anticipated.

They had told Yuseong:

“The star pointed by the celestial energy is you.”

– “With two bloodlines, the flow is yours.”

– “Even time may evade it, how can you not become a star?”

At that time, he had not understood their words.

Yet they had referred to him as a star.

It had to be true.

It had to be.

It must be.

“I’m sorry, Father.”

Jang Seonyeon smiled quietly, trying to sort his thoughts.

His father knew nothing.

Or perhaps knew but chose to ignore it.

It didn’t matter.

“I will not bring shame to your name. I will not make mistakes moving forward….”

In the end, he figured his father would understand him later.

“…”

Rarely did Jang Cheon offer a response to Jang Seonyeon’s words.

Perhaps it was because he believed in his capable son and felt no need to worry too much.

Jang Seonyeon’s subtly altered atmosphere caught Jang Cheon’s attention.

Had something changed?

Jang Cheon closed his eyes, contemplating.

He needed to meet with the Sect Leader again.

North Sea Ice Palace.

The ruler of the North Sea, filled with snow and ice due to the influence of the Demonic Gate in the north, reigned over the throne of the snowy plains.

This was where most of the powerful figures associated belonged.

They wielded martial arts related to ice, as well as the cold environment.

A notable figure from this place was the former Ice Palace Lord, Seol Eui Wangha, whose legend spoke of being able to summon winter with just a wave of his hand.

Moreover, Moyong Hi-ah had the blood of the Ice Palace running through her veins.

She was the daughter of the Moyong Clan’s main family, the fourth daughter of the Ice Palace Lord.

Her father loved her mother deeply.

Thus, he had devoted himself solely to her, not taking in concubines.

By declaring that he would not take concubines and would prioritize his union with the North Sea, he essentially distanced himself from the elders.

It meant that his love mattered more than the safety of the clan.

As the truth would have it, he bore all the burdens that followed.

Moyong Hi-ah could never understand her father until she grew up, becoming a young woman from a girl.

How could love be more important?

Was it something worth protecting despite losing so much?

It was simply incomprehensible emotionally and logically.

Look, their love caused the name Moyong to fall behind compared to other prominent clans.

It gradually eroded the name’s power.

What legacy did their love leave behind?

Broken glory, fractured by the Martial Alliance.

A father left alone after the death of his mother.

A self who must survive by draining the clan’s lifeblood.

Her father and mother likely never realized their daughter would suffer from Cold Pulse Syndrome.

They probably didn’t know that the blood from the Ice Palace would lead to such results.

And even more so during a time when there were cures for the previously unstoppable illness, the Cold Pulse.

To think a sickness couldn’t even be treated?

What ludicrous statement is that?

‘This is truly a ridiculous tale.’

It was pointless to discuss.

Thanks to it, she struggled to survive.

Yet, the world turned indifferently.

Just like others suffering from Cold Pulse Syndrome, Moyong Hi-ah possessed excellent talents in both martial arts and sensory abilities.

Yet, by exchange, they were merely trivial.

The geniuses surrounding her far surpassed her.

Look at the boy right in front of her.

‘That’s just too much….’

It seemed as if all the flames in the world were condensed into a single sphere, burning intensely.

It looked as if a small sun had been birthed.

Moyong Hi-ah managed a faint smile despite her fatigue at seeing Gu Yangcheong’s true abilities, and the troublesome curiosity within her eased a little.

Just looking at it made it clear that his level was entirely different, resulting in her fatigued expression.

‘Was that apology meant something like this?’

It felt absurdly amusing to think that was the meaning of the apology.

If that was the case, such a gesture was too sneaky.

Moyong Hi-ah unsheathed her sword, drawing in her energy.

Though the urge to give up continually rose within her, she couldn’t afford to do so.

While she might give herself a pass, Seolbong couldn’t afford to.

A chill lingered at the tip of her sword.

The representative martial art of the Moyong Clan was the righteous technique known as the Yi Ryong Bi Seon Gong.

And leading from that was the Yi Ryong Bi Seon Sword.

However, unlike the martial arts of other clans, where their inner energy grew stronger as their mastery deepened, the Moyong Clan had nothing to do with chill energy.

It leaned more towards the opposite.

Thus, chilly energy was a trait unique to Moyong Hi-ah.

Her differently colored eyes undoubtedly reflected this—as her mastery increased, the chill in her martial arts was likely influenced by her Ice Palace heritage.

As she raised her energy to utilize her martial arts, she immediately felt the cold.

To prevent it, she needed to wrap more energy around her body.

This cold wasn’t the chilly sensation one felt in winter.

It was a cold fed by her own body that it couldn’t endure.

Even with a thick layer of clothes right near the hot flames, the chill remained insurmountable.

The very scent of death loomed large, freezing everything around her.

This was the cold that Moyong Hi-ah despised the most.

‘It’s so annoyingly terrifying and chilly.’

Moyong Hi-ah gazed at the small sun before her.

Her throat felt dry in the stifling heat, and her expression naturally contorted in discomfort.

Despite her body wrapped in energy, the cold radiated around her.

Yet Gu Yangcheong’s heat nonchalantly devoured Moyong Hi-ah’s chill.

How could that be?

It was simply the natural order of things; Gu Yangcheong’s heat was just hotter than her chill.

‘How could he use it in such a way?’

Moyong Hi-ah had exceptional sensory skills.

These not only helped in reading people’s expressions and emotions but were crucial in discerning the martial arts utilized by her opponents.

Even if her sensory perception didn’t reach the divine level of Heavenly Martial Body recorded in history, it was enough to grasp a semblance.

In that regard, Gu Yangcheong’s martial arts were difficult to define.

Not in the sense of being complicated.

Rather, judging by the method, it was a surprisingly simple martial art.

However, it looked like there were quite strict prerequisites that needed to be fulfilled.

First, to use it, one would require an overwhelmingly vast amount of energy.

Additionally, it demanded a fortified body capable of controlling the rampaging flames.

Jang Seonyeon scrutinized Gu Yangcheong’s form.

‘…His physique doesn’t seem well-trained, though.’

From Moyong Hi-ah’s perspective, Gu Yangcheong’s body appeared frailer compared to other late-stage talents.

His build and smaller stature contributed to that impression.

Then where did that control come from?

It was ambiguous to simply call it talent.

And denying it left no explanation.

This was the product of a paradoxical world.

That was how it appeared to Moyong Hi-ah.

Knowing this reality beforehand, she merely smiled without regret.

“Even in front of such flames, I still feel cold.”

Perhaps it was because she stood before the sun.

That thought flickered through her mind.

She steadied her stance.

The sparring had begun.

As the chill-infused sword sought to penetrate the heat, Moyong Hi-ah suddenly froze.

“Eh…?”

While Gu Yangcheong’s flames continued to blaze fervently, Moyong Hi-ah stood still as if turned to stone.

“Why… What… is this?”

In a manner inconsistent with her usual dignified demeanor, an uncertain tone slipped out.

It was only natural for Moyong Hi-ah to react this way.

‘Why… is it suddenly not cold?’

The chill at the tip of Moyong Hi-ah’s sword was still present.

Even if she felt flustered, her energy remained intact.

The cold should still be felt, yet unexpectedly, the chilling sensation had vanished into thin air.

She trembled at her fingertips, overwhelmed by how strange it felt.

Such a thing had never happened in her life.

Even that Tang Clan couldn’t dispel her coldness.

Instead, they only left behind significant scars on her back.

So why was this happening?

“Just like before.”

A voice brushed against the ears of the flustered Moyong Hi-ah.

“You sure think too much. Why do your eyes get so big at the slightest mistake?”

“…What did you say?”

As Moyong Hi-ah questioned Gu Yangcheong, unsure of his words, he merely shrugged with a wry expression.

“Nothing. I wasn’t talking to you, Moyong Young Lady. Just someone popped into mind. You have sharp ears.”

Though the voice was unheard, the shape of Gu Yangcheong’s lips seemed to convey so.

Taking a quick glance around, Gu Yangcheong continued.

“I think this is enough to show you.”

“…Gu Gongja?”

“It seems we’ve waited long enough.”

At Gu Yangcheong’s words, the flames shifted.

The flames that had formed a sphere began to morph at his gesture.

Rather than morphing, they began to coil around Gu Yangcheong’s arm.

It appeared dangerously threatening.

Not just in appearance, but likely in reality too.

He had compacted the massive flames into one side of his arm, so it surely wouldn’t be weak.

As she set aside her shocking realization of feeling no cold, Moyong Hi-ah broke out in a cold sweat.

Something felt oddly off.

Gu Yangcheong asked, “You won’t forfeit, right?”

Unlike the heavy atmosphere she initially sensed, his question was lighthearted.

“No… It’s just…”

“Right, I suppose I was asking the wrong thing. I thought you wouldn’t.”

Feeling as if it was all nonsensical during the sparring, Moyong Hi-ah slightly regretted her thoughts.

She had just been contemplating whether to forfeit upon seeing the flames wrapped around his arm.

Moyong Hi-ah hastily fixed her stance, but before she could step forward, Gu Yangcheong made his move first.

His flame-covered arm moved with ease.

“It won’t hurt.”

Flame Burst.

The intense heat from the blow made space feel constricted.

This couldn’t hurt…?

If she wasn’t hit in the face?

“Perhaps.”

With a smile, Gu Yangcheong uttered those words.

A massive flame descended upon Moyong Hi-ah’s eyes.

That was the last image she saw before losing consciousness.

With just one burst of flame, the sparring ended.

She thought she could last a bit longer, yet for some reason, Moyong Hi-ah fell in a single strike.

‘I’ve always felt it, but I overthink too much. That’s my flaw.’

What had she been thinking so hard about?

The actions of clever people were parts she could never understand.

As the announcer declared victory, loud cheers rang out as expected, but there was still no significant reaction from her.

‘Perhaps I should have kept it lighter.’

Only a small regret lingered.

After utilizing martial arts meant to show off, an insatiable emptiness filled her.

In her previous life, it had been even more so.

There were times she had been enthusiastic about displaying flames for attention.

Having learned well the purpose of such fire, she was all too aware of its meaning.

She had wished to avoid that in this life.

“What am I thinking? Not a single thing has gone according to plan anyway.”

From her return to this life and up until now, nothing aligned with her desires.

At this moment, she had to be at peace with herself.

But—

She lifted her gaze to the heights above.

Who would be there?

Raising her senses to observe, she felt as if it would be fine to be caught this time.

A few figures quickly entered her view.

The alliance leader was absent.

The Shaolin leader was also not present.

Had they missed the sparring they wished to witness, or was it for some other reason?

No matter what, she would see tomorrow.

As it reached this point, a thought from before arriving in Hanam popped back into her mind.

– If you’re going to make a scene, do it properly.

It seemed far too foolish to come from an elder of a clan.

Even when she had heard it back then, she felt that way.

Now, in retrospect, perhaps it had been the elder’s insight after all.

“It seems I should.”

If she felt she had made a significant scene.

She could simply use the elder as an excuse later.

It was the elder who said “make a scene,” and she was merely complying as a good young lady.

Only once she confirmed that Moyong Hi-ah had safely left the sparring stage did she begin to walk.

Given the appearance, she likely hadn’t been harmed too severely.

Right now, she needed to head to the medical room.

 

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