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Chapter 430: Apathy (2)

Death.

A familiar yet distant word furrowed Gu Yangcheong’s brow.

“What on earth…?”

It was such a sudden statement.

To die soon?

With widened eyes, I stared at Shin Yi as he calmly continued to explain.

“Every human has a vessel they carry. You know that too.”

“…Yes.”

A vessel that one possesses as a human.

It could be described as a mold for energy, or perhaps the source of one’s presence.

What was Shin Yi getting at regarding this vessel?

With slightly sunken eyes, Gu Yangcheong waited for him to continue.

“Your vessel has now reached its limits.”

A cold feeling washed over me at Shin Yi’s words.

“…You mean.”

“Being able to use multiple energies at once is one thing. The limits of the vessel holding this energy is another matter entirely.”

Even if the risk of collision between energies has been resolved, it doesn’t change the fact that if the vessel overflows or breaks, that’s a different story.

A question arose.

“I don’t recall hearing such things before.”

Despite receiving multiple examinations from Shin Yi, I had never heard this before.

Upon hearing Gu Yangcheong’s words, Shin Yi took an incredulous breath.

“I never thought you would dare to fill another energy into yourself. Do you really think it’s normal for an average person to push their vessel to the limits?”

“…”

“Your vessel is not small compared to others. Yet, it is filled to the brim, almost overflowing. Do you not understand what this means?”

If the water in a vessel overflows, the energy that cannot fit will explode from within the body.

Even if it doesn’t overflow, it indicates that the vessel could break at any moment, creating complete chaos.

“Is there no way?”

“As I said before, the quickest method is to shut off your Lower Dantian.”

The quickest and safest method was indeed to shut off the Lower Dantian.

“…I can’t do that.”

That was a choice akin to death.

There would be countless repercussions ahead.

For Gu Yangcheong, breaking his Lower Dantian and becoming an ordinary human was an unthinkable option.

“Is there no other way?”

At Gu Yangcheong’s words, Shin Yi furrowed his brow deeply.

He was reproaching the foolishness of having to protect martial arts at such a cost.

For Shin Yi, a martial artist was always like this.

‘Fools who prioritize power over their own lives.’

One must protect their life to see their precious ones.

To live is to ensure a future.

Yet, these fellows were no different from moths to a flame.

Shin Yi could only feel frustrated, not fully understanding Gu Yangcheong’s situation.

Was that more important than death?

Shin Yi frowned at the thought of all the martial artists who had perished.

“If you don’t want that, there are two options.”

Still, solutions were proposed.

At least he believed that was the duty of a physician.

There was not no way at all. Just as this thought hit Gu Yangcheong, Shin Yi continued.

“You can stop increasing the amount of energy. If you maintain your current state, with good luck, you might live out your life span.”

“…”

That means…

To stop training and no longer increase my bets.

Even aside from bets, it meant to abandon the thought of increasing any other energy.

To live by stopping growth and maintaining the status quo?

Perhaps that was the right thing to do.

If I could only fix this discomfort from feeling like an incomplete Transformation Realm martial artist, I might still be in decent shape.

Considering the fact that there are at best only a thousand Transformation Realm martial artists in the Central Plains, maybe maintaining my current condition could allow me to get by.

But….

‘That too, is futile.’

I knew better than anyone that I couldn’t do that.

Seeing the mixed emotions on Gu Yangcheong’s face, Shin Yi let out a deep sigh.

He realized this also wouldn’t work.

“You’re no different from the other fools. You can’t let go of martial arts at all.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Shin Yi wouldn’t understand.

Gu Yangcheong had thought of letting go of martial arts at any time.

If he wished, he could close off his Lower Dantian and live as an ordinary person anytime.

‘But who would save them?’

This was a task that must be done.

It wasn’t just some grand statement about saving the world.

The people he needed to save were right around him.

This was the martial arts he fought for.

Therefore, he could not give up on growth.

“Is there… no other method?”

There had to be one more option, hadn’t there?

That was the only hope.

While Gu Yangcheong swallowed his anxiety, Shin Yi began to speak again through a sigh.

“Although it’s not a cure, it is possible to extend this period.”

“What do you mean…?”

“I can lower the risk through medicine. A cure is impossible, as that’s beyond my abilities.”

“…”

Gu Yangcheong listened to Shin Yi’s words and fell into thought.

Shin Yi silently observed him.

Throughout their conversation, Shin Yi had felt a strange dissonance.

Gu Yangcheong seemed to have finished thinking, touching his lips as he asked Shin Yi.

“…Is that medicine something only you can create?”

“Yes. I’m the only one in the Central Plains who can do it.”

That made sense.

He had never heard of a medicine that could keep a breaking vessel intact.

It could be considered good news, but there was something far more important.

“Are you willing to give me that medicine?”

Whether Shin Yi would actually make it for Gu Yangcheong was in question.

“No. I have no intention of doing so.”

Shin Yi firmly expressed his refusal.

“It’s only going to prolong your life. I won’t do anything for someone who refuses to pursue other viable options.”

“…”

Under the weight of Shin Yi’s angry voice, Gu Yangcheong silently gazed at him.

Shin Yi found that gaze to be quite subtle.

“Shin Yi.”

In the thick atmosphere, Gu Yangcheong asked,

“How long could I maintain my life if I did that?”

Even at this point, Gu Yangcheong only bothered to ask that.

Shin Yi progressively felt anger welling inside him.

“No matter how well you respond to the medicine, it won’t allow you to live beyond forty. If your body poorly responds to the medicine, you might barely make it past ten years.”

As Gu Yangcheong heard those words, he seemed to be pondering something.

Seeing him, Shin Yi added,

“If you think you can extend your life through medicine while waiting for a cure, forget it. This medicine…”

“…Will last no more than ten years.”

Shin Yi had intended to explain the risks, but Gu Yangcheong responded nonchalantly as if that didn’t matter.

-That much is sufficient.

“…”

The dry voice and the lack of rhythm in the words resonated in my ears.

As the sun gradually set.

In the plaza, a banquet was taking place to celebrate the return of the Poison King.

Shin Yi was seated on the floor of his residence, pouring himself a drink.

“So…”

Shin Yi was recollecting his conversation with Gu Yangcheong, pondering why he always felt a dissonance with him.

After a while, he realized.

No, perhaps he had known it from the beginning.

‘That child hasn’t changed.’

The thorns haven’t died down, and the tension hasn’t lifted. It’s simply being concealed.

He recalled how Gu Yangcheong looked upon their first encounter.

The boy he met at that time had lifeless eyes, despite his fierce demeanor.

Those eyes were similar to those of martial artists who had taken their own lives due to the Demonic Gate incident.

Gu Yangcheong possessed those very eyes.

Shin Yi recalled that as he took a swig of alcohol.

‘You…’

Clearly had no attachment to life. That’s how Gu Yangcheong appeared to Shin Yi.

He should have recognized that sooner.

Even when discussing his death, he had a troubled expression.

Fear held no place there.

Only the complexity of organizing the schedule set before him.

That such an incomplete vessel could cause significant psychological impacts was certain.

He must have often felt extreme pain or headaches in his daily life.

Yet, to Shin Yi, Gu Yangcheong appeared calm despite undergoing such experiences.

‘He isn’t calm. He’s simply worn down.’

There was no mind shaken by pain.

No fear of death.

That child had none left.

The instant Shin Yi faced Gu Yangcheong, whom the Poison King had brought, he understood immediately.

A martial artist might not sense it, but Shin Yi’s eyes were different.

Gu Yangcheong was in a state where dying at any moment wouldn’t be surprising.

While intending to exchange mere greetings, the reason I asked to see his wrist was precisely that.

His insides were in chaos.

Gu Yangcheong’s energies somehow balanced each other, but that was more like a forced arrangement.

A forced harmony would eventually cause ripples within the body.

Even if he held it back forcibly, there couldn’t be much time left.

Could that child truly not realize this?

Shin Yi was left with that question.

“…”

Yet, even while feeling a bit cheerful at the notion of extending his life by ten years, it was a truly terrifying thing to Shin Yi.

That wasn’t a cheer for living.

‘What on earth…’

What had so utterly wrecked that child?

At merely the age approaching adulthood, his demeanor was far too chilling.

‘What on earth are you planning to do?’

Shin Yi recalled Gu Yangcheong as he was about to leave.

Having forgotten his own words of firmly refusing to give the medicine, Gu Yangcheong left behind a line saying he’d visit again.

As he watched that back, Shin Yi felt as if a heavy stone dropped into his heart.

Seeing someone with no attachment to life was like that for Shin Yi.

“Ugh, tsk.”

Even so, Shin Yi would not give him the medicine as he had said.

Creating the medicine wasn’t easy, nor was it easy to procure the materials.

Right now, the only quantity of medicine he had was reserved for Wi Seol-Ah.

Of course, even if he had the materials, he couldn’t give it to that child. Once he started using that drug, there was no turning back.

Even if he were to later attempt to close off the Lower Dantian, he wouldn’t be able to survive.

Once taken, the medicine would create issues with innate abilities if continued until the point of stopping.

How could a physician give such a drug?

It felt quite unsettling to have waited for that meeting with a certain level of anticipation only for it to end like this.

As Shin Yi continued pouring himself another drink, a sound echoed.

Creak.

He sensed someone entering by opening the door.

Noticing this, Shin Yi snorted.

“Hmph, you said you wouldn’t come for a while, yet here you are, crawling back in?”

Though the words were somewhat harsh, the person simply smiled briefly.

“It seems like finding you was harder than I thought. You hide better than anticipated.”

A deep, yet subtly soft voice revealed an old man, his weathered face filled with wrinkles, but his straightened back and shoulders proclaimed that he was a martial artist.

“If you dislike the child, you should consider letting it go. Is it alright to be so forceful?”

Hehe.

The old man chuckled at Shin Yi’s words.

“Though he’s called a child, he’s somewhat old for it.”

“What does age matter?”

“If your affection runs so deep, why do you not go to him? I can’t be the only family he has.”

“If I were to visit, I would be well aware of the sort of chaos you would create. I won’t risk seeing that child.”

In response to Shin Yi, the old man did not answer but moved toward the floor.

Swish.

The old man’s gesture brought a wine bottle floating through the open air, quickly finding its way into his hand.

It was a casual display of manipulation, but Shin Yi showed no sign of surprise.

“How pitiful, drinking alone. That’s not like you. Has something happened?”

“Don’t worry about it. I just felt like drinking today.”

“Hmmm… I see.”

Seemingly uninterested, the old man refrained from asking more.

Thud.

As the old man slowly walked towards Shin Yi, the martial robe fluttered behind him.

The robe clearly bore the characters “Nangong” inscribed on it.

“Oh, then you have seen that child.”

“…”

Shin Yi’s shoulders twitched at the old man’s words.

“You mean So Yeomra, didn’t you?”

“Feel free to visit him if you wish. It seems the young girl from that family is with him too.”

As Shin Yi spoke, the old man smiled broadly, moving closer to sit beside Shin Yi.

“It seems a bit disappointing to see him now… I can wait until later to see him. After all, we will meet eventually, so it’s fine to delay the enjoyment a little, right?”

“You’re still as peculiar as ever.”

“That must be quite bothersome to hear from you.”

The old man burst into laughter, shaking the wine bottle.

Although it was cheap alcohol he rarely drank, it wasn’t bad to enjoy with moonlight as a snack.

By now, darkness had fallen, and a full moon floated in the night sky.

The living history of the Nangong Clan, one of the absolute figures in the Righteous Martial World.

The Southern Overlord.

Heavenly Lord Nangong Jeolcheon gazed up at the moon and took another sip of wine.

 

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