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‘Crazy.’

The first thought that burst forth upon seeing him was a curse.

It couldn’t be helped.

Guuuuu…

The presence emanating from Bi Yi-jin was strong enough to warrant such a reaction.

‘…What is this?’

As far as I knew, Bi Yi-jin was a peak-level martial artist.

No matter what kind of human was hiding within, his realm couldn’t be deceived.

‘How could this be?’

Shivers ran down my fingertips.

It was a tremble beyond my control. Not from fear.

I was not afraid.

This was simply proof that I was being consumed by the opponent’s presence.

It meant that my own presence was starting to be overshadowed by the overwhelming aura emanating from Bi Yi-jin.

This sensation was different from the feelings provoked by bets or killing intent.

As one accumulates martial prowess and attains enlightenment repeatedly, those years naturally seep into the soul.

Such was the existence of a martial artist.

Their accumulated and expanded vessel in its entirety.

One could not know this unless they chose to reveal it.

In other words, Bi Yi-jin was intentionally exposing his presence to me right now.

And that presence felt like an immovable wall.

‘This must be the Three Eminent Beings…’

Even if he possessed a frail body and had lost his realm, he was still one of the strongest among the three most powerful in the Central Plains.

The presence of a man who was deemed the pinnacle of the martial arts world was indeed towering and heavy.

“Aah, hey.”

The tone of Bi Yi-jin’s voice changed as he spoke to me.

His voice dropped a pitch, and the melody of his speech disappeared.

Even the smile he had maintained was gone.

Though his appearance remained the same, it felt like he had transformed into a completely different person.

“When did you start noticing?”

“It hasn’t been long.”

That was a lie.

I had recognized him the moment I saw him, already aware of his situation.

There was no need to vocalize that.

Bi Yi-jin’s transformation didn’t end there.

The way he approached me gradually changed.

It was a minuscule difference, yet from the perspective of a martial artist, it was a significant change.

‘Is that even possible?’

The movement of a martial artist ultimately relies on the martial techniques they use.

Since each person has their unique cultivated martial skills, even the smallest differences are imbued in their movements.

Just from their gait or seating posture, one can discern whether the opponent is a sword master or a martial artist.

While Bi Yi-jin’s movements as a martial artist didn’t change drastically, there was definitely a discernible difference to me.

Which meant that movement was not that of the Two Dragons, Bi Yi-jin.

But rather that of Pejon, Bi Ju.

The black eyes of Bi Ju focused on me.

Meeting his gaze felt like staring into an unfathomable abyss.

It was different from the chill I felt from the King of Demons.

“Is there anyone else who knows about this?”

Pejon did not deny my words.

He showed confidence even when he spoke.

I wasn’t able to predict that he would refuse to deny it at all.

“No one.”

“Good.”

Speaking thus, Pejon plopped down onto a rock. Even this action clearly showed a difference from when he was Bi Yi-jin.

Unlike the casual grace and elegance characteristic of a great house that he displayed before, this current demeanor lacked even that.

‘This means he was controlling that difference.’

Even his peculiar habits and quirks seemed to be adjusted.

It implied he was perfectly regulating and controlling all of his actions.

I wondered if such a level of control was even achievable by a mere human.

“If you had told another about this, it would have been a bit troublesome.”

“Yes….”

As he spoke, Pejon changed his position, crossing his legs and gazing at me with a peculiar look in his eyes.

In the meantime, his presence remained unmistakably palpable.

As I desperately concealed the sweat trickling down my forehead,

Pejon asked me,

“How did you figure it out?”

He meant how I recognized him as Pejon, not Bi Yi-jin.

I couldn’t exactly mention that I almost got killed by him in my previous life or that I retained memories from when he claimed to be Pejon even after my return.

So, I resorted to the explanation I had prepared.

“It’s intuition.”

“…What?”

Upon hearing my answer, Pejon looked at me in disbelief.

Naturally, it made sense for him to be appalled that I merely said it was intuition.

“Intuition? You mean to say it was just intuition?”

“Yes. Just an instinct…”

“Aah, hey.”

Pejon rose from the rock where he had been sitting.

Seeing that, I reflexively took a step back.

The pressure was different.

The weight he exuded was simply too much for a peak martial artist.

“As you might know, I have a favorable view of you.”

Yes, I knew that.

Pejon definitely viewed me positively.

And I understood that it was due in part to my visible talent.

‘What an infuriating reason.’

To put it another way, if I had no talent, he wouldn’t have even paid me any mind.

That was simply the nature of the world now.

In a time when one’s talent defined their worth, being from a “great house” was merely a way to label one’s potential.

In the eyes of others, what would they think of my position?

Having reached my peak at an age not yet considered an adult was already a remarkable achievement.

And now I was even nearing the Transformation Realm.

If it became known that I had reached such a state,

what would they call me?

A genius recorded in history? Probably something along those lines.

‘How annoying.’

The more I thought about it, the more I felt a chill.

Wanting to be labeled a genius was nothing but a childish fantasy of mine.

It was a dream every martial artist had pondered.

Everyone aspired to be the best talent in the world.

And in a world where one could actually achieve that, it could indeed be a romantic notion.

‘But the problem is, there is no time to be wrapped up in such romance.’

I merely had these things due to my return.

I must not forget my subject.

Had I not briefly lost sight of my place, wouldn’t the past remind me of the consequences?

“That I have not destroyed you immediately after realizing your identity is also because of this.”

‘…Such a chilling statement.’

“Destroy you” rather than “kill you.”

In many ways, that was perhaps the clearest expression of Pejon’s true nature.

While saying that, Pejon continued to just stare at me, taking no further action.

His gaze conveyed it all.

To speak next.

Otherwise, he would truly take action.

Observing that, I could only exhale a sigh of helplessness internally.

‘This man and that man, is there no normalcy at all?’

How could any sane individual end up this way?

After all, whether consumed by martial arts or a desire for slaughter,

there must be something to have driven them to such heights.

For a gentle soul like me, surviving in this world was exceedingly difficult.

“If it isn’t a comprehensible explanation…”

“When I took the entrance examination, you sparred with me, remember?”

I interrupted Pejon’s words.

Honestly, that was the most daunting aspect.

Pejon shot me a displeased glance, but he didn’t dwell on it.

It was a sign of leniency.

He tacitly urged me to elaborate.

“Back then, I realized. That it wasn’t Bi Prince who was Pejon but you yourself.”

In truth, calling it a spar was somewhat ambiguous.

Partly because my condition had been worn out.

But fundamentally, the disparity in our levels was immense. Pejon had likely played with me.

‘My pride does feel a little wounded.’

Even if my dignity suffered, I had to accept that.

After all, speaking from my perspective of having experienced the true capacity of Pejon in my previous life, the mere fact I had walked away intact made it essential to comprehend.

“Is that what you call intuition?”

His gaze turned frosty.

That clearly wouldn’t convince him.

When Pejon initially introduced himself as Bi Yi-jin,

he had claimed to be Pejon’s student.

This was clearly meant to provide a kind of excuse in case he ended up using Pejon’s exclusive martial art, Tua Pacheonmu.

Upon reflecting on my past life,

if the Pejon who had lived as Bi Yi-jin hadn’t revealed himself during the Blood Calamity,

perhaps no one would have ever known he had even existed.

From this, it seemed clear that Pejon was a rather cautious individual.

‘So it’s better to take a safer route than hassle with needless complications.’

Taking a deep breath, I began to speak again.

“It’s not just that.”

I would mention my previous setup here.

Though it wasn’t initially meant to be this way, I had no choice now.

I hesitated for a moment before forcing the words out.

“I have been interested in you for quite some time, sir.”

“…Hmm?”

Even as I spoke, I felt a bit of a tickle in my throat.

That was because I was blurting out something absurd.

“What did you say?”

“…You are called the greatest martial artist. I was deeply moved by the meaning of your alias.”

The former part was somewhat true.

Even if we don’t share the same martial art, the fact that we both used fists was enough.

Pejon was a figure revered as the pinnacle in that field.

“So I contacted the Beggar Clan and requested to find out about the Bi Family.”

That was also true.

In fact, I had indeed requested Chu Yong, who belonged to the Beggar Clan, to gain insight into the Two Dragons.

Of course, it was because of the rumors circulating about Pejon being his student.

I needed to monitor how he would respond to rumors back then.

“That sly raccoon you’re talking about, right?”

“Yes.”

Pejon was also aware of Chu Yong.

Oh, didn’t he say that he had caught Chu Yong?

In that case, I could only lend some justification there.

Pejon, who had drifted into thought, soon finished sorting out his ideas and spoke to me.

“I understand that you respected me and wanted to see me.”

“I didn’t say it that emphatically though?”

Why had a statement I hadn’t voiced ended up being spoken?

It was a term I had never used.

Pejon lightly dismissed my effort to deny it.

“I can see it doesn’t fit your claims.”

That would be the case.

Seeking out the Two Dragons and now discovering that Bi Yi-jin recognized Pejon was not a fitting explanation.

But even so, I brought up this topic deliberately to show that I had been interested in the figure of Pejon from the start.

At this point, I needed to delve deeper into the reasoning I had concocted.

“I became convinced during the spar. Or more accurately, I had suspected so even beforehand.”

“What you’re saying is… you knew about my identity from the start?”

“Not certainty, but I had my suspicions.”

“How?”

Pejon’s reaction intensified.

If I didn’t explain this correctly, his limbs would likely be broken, whether it was an arm or a leg.

Fortunately,

the reason I had for saying this was simple and straightforward.

It was an argument that held more than enough merit.

“…My Elder mentioned it lightly.”

I could say that Elder Lee had mentioned it to me.

It was evident that the two shared some connections, and considering that Elder Lee received a recommendation from Pejon in the past, it was clear they had met even after the Rejuvenation Technique.

So the best approach I had for this moment was to use Elder Lee as a cover.

Of course, I would have to deal with the repercussions later.

‘…I’m sorry, Elder, but I’m going to have to use you.’

It’s said that family is everything.

Every day he calls me grandson, but surely he’d give me a pass for using him just this once.

Now, the important part was Pejon’s reaction.

I feigned composure as I swallowed down my trepidation and looked at him.

Upon hearing my words, Pejon’s eyes widened.

Not long afterward, he reacted.

“That crazy guy….”

It was a somewhat intense reaction, but strangely it allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Gu Ryoon…. This wretched man really….”

Pejon clasped his forehead as if he was having a headache.

Seeing that, it seemed the two shared a deeper bond than I had anticipated.

Rather than anger, a sense of incredulity was predominant in his expression.

“…You mean it was Gu Ryoon who told you?”

“Not that he provided a thorough explanation. I merely inferred it from a casual remark.”

If I didn’t confess to having fully divulged everything, I would have to unexpected problems later on.

I wasn’t sure whether that would fly or not.

“…Tch.”

Pejon clicked his tongue in evident dissatisfaction.

I only just realized, but the presence I had felt from him earlier had completely dissipated.

‘When did he withdraw it?’

It was such a formidable energy, yet I hadn’t even noticed its absence.

“Aah, hey….”

“Yes.”

After calming himself, Pejon began speaking to me.

Had I explained it satisfactorily? I wasn’t certain.

“Everything is fine. I understand how you realized my identity. But there’s something more important now that we can move on from this.”

Hearing Pejon’s words, I reflected internally.

‘He doesn’t seem to fully believe it.’

It certainly looked that way.

One thing was clear: Something significant was on Pejon’s mind beyond my explanation’s accuracy.

“Now that you have come to me, knowing my identity, it indicates that you have other intentions, correct?”

“…”

Pejon’s words were indeed correct.

I could have easily ignored his identity and stayed silent.

Yet even in reaching this stage, the reason I had mentioned him was something beyond that.

“I remember the proposition I made to you last time. Do you still recall it?”

“I remember.”

“That means this is related to that matter?”

“Correct.”

What Pejon had suggested to me, to be specific, was an invitation to become his disciple.

He had firmly put forth the idea of enrolling me as his disciple.

This was meant to provide my answer regarding that invitation.

“This might actually work out well. It would make things much easier.”

A smile of satisfaction crept back onto Pejon’s face.

“My suggestion remains unchanged from that day: be my disciple.”

The Pejon who had maintained a heavy atmosphere until now had suddenly become somewhat exuberant.

Was that really a good thing?

I didn’t know.

‘What kind of answer does he expect from me?’

Did he really not think I would refuse? I pondered deeply just before responding.

Since the time he had first called me to be his disciple, the benefits of such an arrangement were clear.

But as of now, it was impractical for me to become his disciple and learn new martial arts.

While observing the power he had achieved and the martial arts he had exhibited in my previous life, it was indeed a force to be coveted.

I had felt the pressing weight of that wall against me.

However, there was a significant problem at hand.

To learn new martial arts, I had to abandon all that I had built up to this moment.

That was simply out of the question.

Thus, I found myself at an impasse.

The Technique of the Flame Wheel was sufficient to be classified as a divine art.

Thus, even if my thoughts had only crossed my mind to have Pejon as my mentor just a few days ago, the thought had changed after facing the Heavenly Demon.

At this rate, I assumed I would be enough.

That mindset was arrogant and presumptuous.

I had temporarily forgotten the nature of the Heavenly Demon, intoxicated by the praise I had received for being the so-called Jin Ryong.

‘There’s no way to win.’

How could I possibly defeat him?

Day after day, I racked my brain to find a solution.

Yet, looking at my current state, it was evident that I stood no chance.

Thus, I needed to search for other methods.

With the option of giving up not being viable, I was determined to discover alternative routes.

Seeking counsel from my father was one possibility, but I doubted that would yield results.

I was not convinced of that.

Based on my experiences in battles so far,

and what I had discerned through my years as a martial artist revealed another issue.

‘The sparring itself is lacking in proficiency.’

The fundamental issue was rooted in my boxing skills being unrefined and filled with inadequacies.

And the character before me was precisely the most fitting person to impart such lessons.

After all, he was the pinnacle of that very martial way.

“…Becoming your disciple is precisely what I wish for.”

To be honest, I didn’t believe that merely becoming Pejon’s disciple would command a solution.

It was but a desperate struggle, hoping it might somehow yield results.

Moreover, he also seemed to desire for me to become his disciple.

I had no idea what Pejon’s true motives were.

I simply assumed there was a valid reason for his eagerness in wanting me.

“Before that, there’s something I would like to ask of you.”

“A request?”

At my words, Pejon tilted his head in curiosity.

I felt a surge of nervousness that he might take offense, but thankfully he didn’t seem upset.

When I spoke of requests, it was not too dissimilar from the previous intent.

While I did indeed want to learn from Pejon,

as I had mentioned earlier, I also wished to retain everything I had accumulated thus far.

“Without abandoning what I have built so far, I wish to learn your martial art.”

It was a statement grasping to incorporate the Technique of the Flame Wheel into the teachings of Pejon as well.

Pejon’s expression grew strained upon hearing that.

What I had said was something utterly preposterous.

 

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