---

Chapter 266: What is Listening?

“Grrr…!”

The hand gripping me was hot.

It felt as if my throat was going to burn from the intense heat, and not only was it hot, it felt heavy too.

In terms of physical condition, Nangong Cheonjun was far superior to Gu Yangcheong.

Though he was not as good as before, his head was still at least half a size larger than Cheonjun’s.

Yet, despite that.

“Gakk….”

Nangong Cheonjun couldn’t do anything, with his throat held tight.

It was as if someone had restrained him from all sides, leaving him unable to move even a little.

‘What the…’

As he realized the source of this pressure—

That it was solely the killing intent of Gu Yangcheong—Nangong Cheonjun had to stifle a gasp.

This was just a mere martial artist, yet his killing intent was so thick.

In the darkness, the crimson eyes glimmered, staring at Nangong Cheonjun.

Why had this guy suddenly attacked him?

“You beastly brat, gnashing your teeth.”

Gu Yangcheong’s words were a mystery to him.

“Anyone can see you’re starving, just watching for a chance to eat me alive with those fiery eyes.”

As he spoke, the corners of his mouth began to curl upwards slowly.

What could be described as a smile was filled with malice, but it was also an indescribable, grim expression.

That expression suited him so well that it instilled fear in Nangong Cheonjun.

“A brat who’s not even a mouthful, doesn’t know his place and keeps bothering me.”

Grrr…

The grip around his neck tightened.

He tried to summon his energy, but amusingly, it seemed even his energy was cowering in fear and wouldn’t respond to his commands.

‘…What is this…’

How can this be?

He was a chosen one, destined for greatness.

“Gah…”

After months of storing energy in his body.

Breaking through walls and reaching the peak.

That day, his father had praised him, and his great-grandfather had sent a letter congratulating him on his progress.

Every time they met, the great-grandfather looked at him with a gaze that implied he wished he could see more of him. That was the first compliment he had received after so long.

This power was right.

This was the power that would allow him to attain everything he desired, and at that moment, Nangong Cheonjun could be sure of it.

Yet.

‘Why still…!’

Why couldn’t he escape this brat’s grip?

“Do you see my gaze? Are you not afraid?”

“…!”

In an instant, Nangong Cheonjun’s vision tilted.

Gu Yangcheong swung the arm he was holding and threw him down to the ground.

Having failed to execute a proper roll, Nangong Cheonjun tumbled a couple of times on the floor, groaning as he hurriedly tried to rise.

But right before him, Gu Yangcheong’s foot approached.

Bam!

“Guh!”

His chin shot upwards, and his head jerked back sharply.

He hadn’t even been able to defend himself before taking a hit.

There wasn’t even enough time to draw up his energy and shield his body.

Back when he faced Gu Yangcheong at the Martial Arts Tournament.

That feeling of helplessness and despair from that day, those damned emotions, bubbled back up to his throat.

As blood spat from his mouth, Nangong Cheonjun thought.

‘I am… I am not someone who will fall to this brat.’

He was the heir to the great Nangong Clan.

One of the Oryong Sam Bong.

And the man who would lead the Nangong Clan in the future.

He couldn’t possibly be outmatched in talent or skill by such a pathetic creature.

Why…

“Think a hundred times.”

Nangong Cheonjun heard a voice in his ear.

With blood flowing from his nose, he couldn’t dare lift his head.

“What reason could I possibly have to kill you?”

“…Kugh.”

Unlike his words, which had a rhythm, his voice fell to a chilling depth, filled with a killing intent Nangong Cheonjun simply could not handle.

It was just like that day.

The day when he had been pinned down, flames bursting from him.

How could he exude such killing intent?

By killing someone?

Yet, Nangong Cheonjun was not without blood on his hands either.

Whether through the hands of others or on his own, as a villain or a hero, he had taken countless lives throughout his past.

But this level of killing intent? It was outrageous.

That was something that could only be achieved after claiming countless lives, well beyond count.

How could Gu Yangcheong, not even past his teenage years, possess such a thing?

Nangong Cheonjun knew well that, despite keeping tabs on that brat, there had never been a situation where Gu Yangcheong could kill someone to attain such a level.

“As I thought….”

Grrr.

Gu Yangcheong’s foot pressed down on Nangong Cheonjun’s ankle.

“…Grrr!”

“More than hundreds of reasons came to mind about why I have to kill you.”

In that moment.

Nangong Cheonjun felt a slight opening.

The pressure lessened, and the killing intent faded.

He could move again, and his energy flowed once more.

Nangong Cheonjun didn’t hesitate.

Swish.

He wrapped his body in strong energy and summoned the Thunder Qi.

Though he had no sword, he had become proficient in using sword energy at the peak alongside his energy.

Though the levels were different, he could wield a similar energy with his hands.

As he prepared to swing his arm and attack—

“Look at this! Already one more reason added!”

With the sound of Gu Yangcheong’s voice, Nangong Cheonjun’s vision flipped again.

Crunch—

The sound of something shattering. That was the sound of the strong energy enveloping Nangong Cheonjun crumbling.

Though he hadn’t completely wrapped himself in it, there was no way it should break this easily.

‘How…?’

Was he really able to break it so easily?

Rather than shattered, it felt as if it had been torn apart.

Gu Yangcheong tore through Nangong Cheonjun’s strong energy with his hand and kicked his lower dantian, scattering his energy.

“Urk!”

He couldn’t even scream as the agony rose in his dantian.

The gathered energy in his body dispersed in an instant.

The Thunder Qi, which had been about to descend, vanished like mist at Gu Yangcheong’s mere gesture.

This was hopeless.

Nangong Cheonjun felt an unbearable sense of despair.

The body strengthened by the power bestowed by the great one.

Even the energy that had scaled its limits beyond walls.

Was it just futile against this brat?

His vision drifted off into the void and quickly plummeted towards the ground.

Nangong Cheonjun didn’t even recognize how he ended up floating in midair.

What movements he performed, how they connected.

Not for a single moment did he even realize he was being attacked before he tumbled from the air.

Boom!

Nangong Cheonjun’s heavy body was thrown to the ground.

This time, he couldn’t even rise like before.

Gu Yangcheong had already approached and stomped down hard on his chest.

The force was so great it felt as though it would shatter his bones, causing Nangong Cheonjun to scream once more.

From the start.

Nangong Cheonjun had only been screaming.

“From the first glance, I thought this. This brat is so annoying, baring his teeth at me.”

The crimson glare looked down at Nangong Cheonjun.

Just like in the Martial Arts Tournament.

Nangong Cheonjun had not been able to sleep for some time, fearing those crimson eyes.

“Even though I have hundreds of reasons, do you know why I let you live peacefully?”

What reason was that?

It must be countless.

It was because his last name was Nangong.

It couldn’t just be that he lacked the courage to kill the heir of the great Nangong Clan.

After all, killing him would yield only trouble in properly disposing of the body later.

Furthermore, it wasn’t easy even for someone like him to kill the blood of the noble house without anyone noticing.

Wasn’t that enough reason?

He was a member of the Nangong—

“Thank your sister.”

“…What…?”

“If it wasn’t for her, I would have long since torn you limb from limb and burned you to ashes.”

In that instant, Nangong Cheonjun couldn’t properly comprehend Gu Yangcheong’s words.

Sister? His older sister?

Ignoring the pain, Nangong Cheonjun barely managed to respond.

“What do you mean by…”

“I’m kindly explaining how I’ve spared your life. You brat.”

Crack.

“Guh!”

In that moment, he felt something break in his ribs.

The sharp energy emanating from Gu Yangcheong grew thicker.

This was dangerous.

That was genuine.

“What are… What do you intend to do…!”

“Why, are you finally scared?”

“I am a member of the Nangong bloodline. This is Nangong land, and suddenly this…”

“Do you know? If I burn you down to the bone, there won’t even be a trace left behind.”

The way it was spoken so calmly implied he had done it many times before, which made it feel very much genuine.

“…Why?”

Nangong Cheonjun asked.

“Why do you want to kill me all of a sudden?”

It was strange.

Gu Yangcheong’s ambush had come too suddenly.

As he questioned, the corners of Gu Yangcheong’s mouth rose.

“Why? You’re trying to kill me, but I can’t kill you? What funny delusions you have.”

“…If I tried to kill you, then where’s the proof… Aaaah…!”

As Nangong Cheonjun spoke, he let out a huge scream.

In an instant, Gu Yangcheong twisted Nangong Cheonjun’s arm in an unnatural direction.

The body of an elite martial artist broke like a twig.

“I won’t waste my breath on pointless back-and-forthing. The proof isn’t the important point.”

“Hah… hah!”

He wanted to at least resist.

He wanted to unleash the Thunder Qi right away and burn this brat’s head off, but he could do nothing.

“See? You still have that killing intent in your eyes. Is proof really necessary?”

“You… do you know where this is…?”

Nangong Cheonjun tried to speak, but Gu Yangcheong grabbed his throat.

“Curious? You wanna know why I’m doing this right now?”

“Grr…”

“Your life is going to crumble.”

He felt like his throat would crush from that grip.

The way it was being held was so precise it felt like it wouldn’t quite break.

What ridiculous precision.

“What were you going to do to your sister earlier?”

“…!”

At Gu Yangcheong’s question, Nangong Cheonjun swallowed hard.

He looked like his secrets had been exposed.

To be exact, he hadn’t planned anything yet.

He had merely thought about doing something at some point.

Rather than handing his sister over to this brat, he wanted to keep her for himself.

Someone as beautiful as his sister should only be with him.

Did this brat even catch that feeling?

“I know the emotion of greed well.”

As Gu Yangcheong spoke, one of Nangong Cheonjun’s fingers was broken.

“So, I can’t not know what thoughts someone like you would be having.”

“Ugh…!”

“I’m quite good at inflicting pain in this regard. Ideally, I wouldn’t want to do it again now, but why do you keep poking at me, you little pest?”

As he spoke, he pulled off Nangong Cheonjun’s fingernails.

The method was so blunt and harsh.

He didn’t care for the pain of his opponent; this was pure torture through sheer force.

No, was it even torture?

…

Gu Yangcheong never had any intention to listen for an answer, so it couldn’t be called torture.

He gathered flames around his fingertips where the nails had been torn.

“Gyaaa!”

“I told you, I have countless reasons to kill you. Yet the only reason I chose to keep you alive was solely because of her.”

If it weren’t for his older sister, Gu Yangcheong would have disposed of him without a trace.

The reason he had endured was due to Nangong’s last name, but that alone, as a noble family, would only be held for a fleeting moment.

“The moment you keep touching that one reason, how will I respond?”

“You… you…!”

“Your eyes are still fiery, even when you should have died. If you plan to live, then live like the lowly creature you are.”

He looked as if he was enjoying this entire situation.

As Gu Yangcheon raised his hand, flames erupted forth that illuminated the night with their radiance.

The flames were so beautiful, yet the magnitude of the killing intent they carried made Nangong Cheonjun feel crushed by terror.

“Why, I thought about it too. I thought I’d beaten you down pretty well, so why does your pride refuse to die?”

Gu Yangcheong mused.

At first, he had shattered his arm.

Then, he had made him urinate his pants.

He had crushed his pride and slain his self-esteem.

Nangong Cheonjun should not have been able to show any signs of defiance.

Yet, still, he was defiant.

He had dared coveted feelings meant to never reach towards his sister.

He had dared to act on it.

How audacious!

This brat had dared to cross that line, so this was where Gu Yangcheong would respect him.

“So, I thought about it.”

Grrr.

“…!”

Nangong Cheonjun’s eyes widened.

“Because of this damn thing, I think that you’re constantly trying to crawl higher.”

“What… what…?”

He was bewildered.

And so he should be.

The energy bestowed upon him by the great one began merging with his body, that noble power.

For some reason, it was being sucked away from him, as if being drawn out somewhere.

“What’s happening…! Why is this…!”

At that moment, Nangong Cheonjun finally gained a revelation.

Right after the Martial Arts Tournament against Gu Yangcheong, when his divine energy had vanished.

Nangong Cheonjun thought it had vanished due to not having properly stabilized it.

“Could it be… even back then, you…!”

“I don’t choose what side dishes I eat, but as for energy, I’m a bit picky. I’ll have to eat this one, even if it doesn’t taste good.”

“Let… go! Do you know what kind of power this is, you brat…!”

“What power are you talking about, you rotten corpse piece that’s been dead for several days?”

“How… can you harness someone else’s energy…!”

He struggled desperately, but as the energy was drawn away, his body became stiff as rock.

Even his trembling fingers from the heat ceased their shaking and hardened.

“Please… Please, this is everything I have.”

Nangong Cheonjun put aside his pride and begged Gu Yangcheong, but it was a meaningless act.

The divine energy that had lingered in him was being extracted completely.

The energy that had been tightly bound in his lower dantian utterly vanished without a trace, like mist leaving his body through Gu Yangcheong’s hand.

“Ah… No.”

Despair seeped in.

The power that he believed would elevate him to the heavens dashed away in an instant.

Even worse, it was taken by the very brat he loathed.

He had lost his honor.

His most beloved sister was taken from him.

And now, the only hope he had, that power, was snatched away.

“Ah… Ah…”

With a face filled with despair, Nangong Cheonjun gazed up at the night sky.

The night was dark.

The moon, which once glimmered so brightly, had hidden away from him, not illuminating his path.

Gu Yangcheong, who looked down at Nangong Cheonjun, spoke.

“What a funny fellow, do you think just because you lost this, you’ll turn blind?”

Laughter echoed.

Gu Yangcheong still hung onto Nangong Cheonjun.

The energy that had originally filled Chengjun’s lower dantian remained, only the blood energy he had received from the Blood Demon was snatched away.

He found it laughable how broken Nangong Cheonjun looked, as if his whole world had crumbled.

In the midst of this, Nangong Cheonjun whispered.

“Kill… me.”

“What?”

“Now, just… kill me.”

Ha.

Gu Yangcheong carried a smile with that lament that sounded as if he had lost the world.

If he intended to give in so easily, then why had he been gnashing his teeth so hard?

How pathetic.

“Brother-in-law, I don’t kill people just because they plead for it.”

“… If you intend to play with me, you might as well bite your tongue and die…!”

Bam.

Gu Yangcheong covered Nangong Cheonjun’s mouth with his hand, so he wouldn’t be able to bite his tongue.

That would be troublesome indeed.

“Mmmph…!”

“Why the hell, are you trying to act all tough while planning your own end? You filthy creature, feel that discomfort. If you live, then continue to live till the end while being disgusting.”

In the dim light of night, shadows fell across his face.

The crimson eyes remained red.

Yet, his expression was devoid of any emotion.

Only his lips were smiling.

As Nangong Cheonjun gazed at Gu Yangcheong, he sensed something was off.

“You just said this land is the heart of the Nangong Clan.”

“Grrr….”

“No matter how angry I get, it wouldn’t really be proper to kill someone here.”

Gu Yangcheong’s smiling face filled Nangong Cheonjun with a towering sense of fear.

Something was different.

Something had completely changed from the Gu Yangcheong who had tormented him earlier.

At what point had it changed?

Though he couldn’t put his finger on it, there was no doubt this was true.

“Since it seems you know a little, I thought of torturing you, but that doesn’t seem necessary.”

Flame burst forth.

“I just happened to want to experiment with something. This works perfectly; since you want to die anyway, I’ll give it a try. Is that okay?”

The flames he had once summoned grew larger,

slowly enveloped in a different hue.

“Grr…!”

“Is that okay? I figured that’s how you’d respond.”

Nangong Cheonjun’s eyes widened in horror, for the color was undeniably a violet hue.

 

---