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Chapter 640: Thunder Heaven One Sword

Flames sprouted from the ground, soaring into the sky.

The cold-filled black night continued.

The flames engulfed the heavens as if to cover the dark. Gradually, they ignited the world.

The night receded.

And thus the white night arrived.

I couldn’t pull my gaze away from the spectacle.

The white night itself was a wondrous thing, yet the realization that mere mortals had conjured such a scenario filled me with awe.

My breath caught.

I almost forgot how to breathe.

The sky awakened, bringing heat to the frigid world.

The snow that covered the ground began to melt away. Unfathomable warmth brushed against my nose.

As the chill was devoured, heat raged through the world.

Whoosh-!!

The flames shooting into the sky resembled a pillar.

I could hear a crackling sound, yet there was no disturbance in sight.

A force that seemed more fitting to be called a pillar of light rather than merely flames.

‘What is that…?’

What in the world is this thing that I cannot look away from?

[Do not take your eyes off it for even a moment.]

Even if Gu Cheolun hadn’t said so, upon seeing that, I would have never been able to look away.

Gu Yangcheong could only feel assured of that.

Wooo—!!

“…!”

With the feeling I sensed, Gu Yangcheong grasped his chest with his hand.

The ring of Gu Yeomhwa Ryu-gong embedded within him began to spin spontaneously at the sight of the pillar.

It was a resonance of energy.

In other words, that pillar also represented the power of Gu Yeomhwa Ryu-gong.

This was a strength Gu Yangcheong had never witnessed before.

At least, in the realm of his knowledge.

Thump-! Thump-!

Just by watching, my heart raced.

Whatever principle or force it held, I instinctively understood that something extraordinary was occurring.

Then.

Growl—…!

The demon beast that had taken flight revealed itself once more.

Was it planning to charge again? Just as I prepared to guard against it—

“…What?”

Gu Yangcheong showed a flustered reaction at the unexpected circumstance.

For some reason, the demon beast that reappeared did not charge in like before.

‘What’s wrong with that guy?’

I thought maybe it was assessing the situation.

But soon enough, I sensed something was off.

Growl….

It seemed to be hesitating somewhere.

The hostility and fighting spirit were still present, but it clearly showed signs of hesitation.

Seeing that, Gu Yangcheong thought.

‘No way.’

Is it scared?

‘That thing…?’

Even while questioning it, the behavior it displayed was exactly that.

Fear.

The creature that would recklessly charge in was now thoroughly intimidated by the pillar before it.

How could that be?

But then—

Growl—!!

As if it had only been a moment, it braced itself once more.

It prepared to charge at any moment.

One.

Whoosh!!

At the same time, the rising pillar of flames began to gradually wane.

Swoosh-!

The flames gradually retracted, landing on the ground.

The heat that had spread around changed direction and was being sucked in.

Flame—!!

The pressure was immense.

It was enough to force me to brace myself to stay anchored to the spot.

The focal point was naturally where the flames were igniting—where Gu Cheolun stood.

Creak—!

As I struggled to endure the pressure, my feet scraped along the ground, leaving marks behind.

While Gu Yangcheong was anchoring his form firmly, the demon beast, in contrast, seemed to welcome the flow, using it to amplify its speed.

With the added acceleration, the demon beast appeared even more intense.

Its muscles bulged, ready to unleash its full power, looking threatening just by its sheer presence.

Craaaw—!!

Gone was the earlier fearful demeanor, as it opened its mouth wide as if to devour the flames whole.

Just before it was about to pounce and swallow me—

Thud-!

The flames that had been blazing came to a halt.

Whoop-!

As the flames surrounding it disappeared, Gu Cheolun’s figure was revealed.

Upon witnessing Gu Cheolun, Gu Yangcheong’s eyes widened.

His originally crimson hair now shone brilliantly, reflecting light, while the red martial robe that symbolized the Gu Clan undulated as if ablaze.

Yet paradoxically, there were no visible flames.

It typically ignited in flames, consuming all with its rotation as part of the Gu Clan’s martial arts.

But for Gu Cheolun, such flames were nowhere in sight.

However.

‘I can feel it.’

Just because I can’t see it doesn’t mean I can’t feel it.

Gu Yangcheong stared unwaveringly at Gu Cheolun’s back.

Gu Cheolun did not ignite flames.

And for some reason, Gu Yangcheong thought he understood why.

That reason being.

‘…Father is the flame itself.’

There was no need to ignite flames.

Cold sweat trickled down my cheek.

Gu Yangcheong gazed forward with trembling eyes.

Instinctively, he knew.

He must not let a single moment slip away.

Without a doubt, it was there.

‘The place I need to go to.’

The spot I must reach, whatever it takes, lay right before my eyes.

Gu Cheolun began to move his hand slowly.

Whoosh-!!!

A sharp wind sound came from his fingertips.

No warmth was felt.

Though his hand was stained a brilliant red, not a hint of heat accompanied it.

Boom-!

The demon beast’s fangs aimed towards Gu Cheolun.

Even so, he merely prepared himself with a slightly slow motion.

Swish.

He clenched his fist and lowered his upper body.

A perfectly ordinary punch thrust stance.

It seemed nothing more than a simple position, feeling only the sharp angle and heavy anchor of his center.

However.

[The Secret (奧義).]

The force generated from that stance was anything but simple.

[Extreme Gu Flame Mountain (俱炎極太山悟形).]

Gu Cheolun’s fist extended slowly toward the demon beast.

Swish-!

[Extreme Gu Flame Fang (俱炎態牙狼).]

Boom-!

With the vibrations that resonated from the tip of his fist—

Flash-.

The world flickered out of existence.

Crack—!!

The sound of something collapsing echoed.

My eyes hurt.

I closed them to escape the light, yet the world remained engulfed in brightness.

Around me, suffocating heat made it hard to breathe.

It had been ten seconds since the light erupted.

During that time, I had remained silent, not even taking a breath.

Thump-! Thump-! Thump-!

I had to calm my wildly racing heart.

I had to suppress the urge that felt like it was about to explode.

As a few more seconds passed—

Pitter-patter….

A sense of calm finally washed over my closed eyes, and I started to feel the sounds fading away.

It was only then that I cautiously opened my eyes.

“…?”

The first thing I saw was the back of someone with their arms crossed.

Dressed in a black martial robe, the figure wasn’t particularly large.

Someone stood facing away from me.

I called out to him.

“…Elder?”

Before me stood the Pejon.

“Hahaha—!”

At my call, the Pejon broke into his characteristic laughter.

The noteworthy difference was the joy that inexplicably filled his once-dry voice.

Just as I wondered why he was acting like this—

“Do you know that?”

The Pejon directed his words towards me.

“I have never regretted a single choice in my life.”

Laughter mixed with joy was painfully clear in his tone.

The problem was, that laughter sent chills down my spine.

“There were times I tossed aside my clan’s martial arts for a path I had to take. Even when I let go of realms to regain my ravaged young body, I never felt a moment of regret.”

What is he suddenly going on about?

As I kept watching him with a bewildered expression, he unfurled his arms and continued speaking.

“Yet, for the first time, I feel regret.”

“…What are you talking about so suddenly?”

“I should have fought your father once before casting aside the realms. That, I truly regret in the depths of my being.”

Furrowing my brows at his words, I thought, Did you want to fight my father? What nonsense are you speaking in front of your son?

“I, the master of the martial world, Pejon Bi Ju, acknowledge this.”

The Pejon told me with a voice filled with amusement.

“Your father is a monster. A being so incomprehensible that it’s impossible to grasp.”

As he spat those words, the Pejon stepped aside, almost like revealing something.

It was only then that I could see.

“…!”

The world, once filled with pure white, had burned away into nothingness.

Everything that had been before was gone, leaving behind only a heap of black ash.

How should I measure the distance? It felt unfathomably far, perhaps several ri away.

I couldn’t tell.

A fiery blaze engulfed a distance that was burdensome to fathom.

Amidst that conflagration—

Fssshhhh….

A remnant of what was once a black entity crumples down.

The term “White Grade Demon Beast” felt hollow, for it had lost its distinct coloring, charred black.

Thud-!

As it collapsed to the ground, its body shattered, and my father stood before it.

In an unruffled posture, just as usual.

The once-blazing hair returned to its dark hue.

The fallen upper body of the demon beast tumbled past my father and landed on the ground.

Boom—!! Crack—!

The shock from the collision broke its body, yet my father turned away without a hint of regret.

Even if the front was entirely reduced to embers, the place where I stood still lay beneath a pile of half-melted snow.

That bizarre scene felt as if it connected both the realm of the living and that of the dead.

Step—

My father approached me.

He appeared to have not a hint of weariness.

As I watched my father walk calmly, I thought.

‘…How should I put it?’

He looked larger than usual.

Even his already tall stature appeared to tower higher.

Whoosh—!

The wind that had been still began to blow.

Once again, my father came closer, now standing beside the Pejon, gazing at me.

I merely stared at him in a daze.

I couldn’t show any reaction.

‘It still hasn’t faded away.’

The ineffable martial prowess my father had displayed.

The warmth and resonance I felt then.

It filled my mind completely.

As I recalled that moment, with trembling eyes—

“Third.”

My father called out to me.

“Didn’t I say?”

Even in a heavy voice, I sat there stunned.

“Do not become absorbed. I warned you of that clearly.”

“…!”

His cold words snapped me back to reality.

Do not become absorbed. It was the warning my father had given beforehand.

I tried recalling it and shook my head.

But that couldn’t erase it.

It had been that intense.

As I was trying to steady my ragged breathing—

“Third.”

“…Yes.”

My father asked me once more.

“What did you see?”

“…”

I didn’t ask what he meant.

I wasn’t foolish enough to ask that.

However, I couldn’t easily respond. I understood the meaning, but I didn’t know the answer.

What had I witnessed, and what did I glean from it?

I had attempted to capture everything with my two eyes, yet in the end, all that remained was my father’s form, now entirely engulfed in flames.

“…I don’t know.”

So I answered honestly.

I had seen much, yet I knew nothing.

I was disappointed in myself for that.

“Hmm.”

Upon hearing my response, my father let out a short sound. Then, just as always, he nodded slightly.

“Is that so.”

Neither satisfied nor disappointed.

Such was my father, after all.

At that moment.

Thud.

“…!”

A rough hand landed on my head.

It was my father’s hand.

Gently.

With an unrefined touch that lacked any delicacy.

The sensation felt like that of someone who hadn’t done this much at all.

Despite feeling that, I didn’t utter a single word.

“…”

“…”

There was an oddly awkward atmosphere flowing between us.

My father gently stroked my head for a few seconds.

“Good job.”

“…”

He gave me a compliment laden with awkwardness.

What was happening, I wondered, yet I couldn’t show any reaction.

All I could do was nod my head.

“…Thank you….”

“Sure.”

“…”

“…”

The suffocating atmosphere continued, making me want to escape.

By now, he might as well have pulled his hand back, yet my father kept his hand rested atop my head, leaving me flummoxed as to what to do.

I thought about taking a step back but decided to remain still and asked my father.

“Um, Father….”

“Speaking of which.”

Just as I was about to ask how he came to be here—

“I have something to say about your mother.”

“…!”

I widened my eyes at the sudden mention from my father.

“Are you talking about Mother?”

They had said that I would learn where my mother was only once I reached the right stage in Gu Yeomhwa Ryu-gong.

But I had yet to reach that point.

So was this something different?

Despite the suddenness, all my attention turned toward my father.

Seeing my reaction, he replied.

“Right, regarding your mother….”

As he began to elaborate, I looked at him with anticipation.

“Hmm.”

Suddenly, my father closed his mouth and made a peculiar expression.

He seemed to notice something wrong.

“What’s wrong?”

“I see.”

He seemed to have realized something, nodding his head.

And then he told me.

“Time is up.”

“Excuse me?”

“I must take my leave. Make sure to return without delay.”

“What do you mean—”

Whoosh.

“…Huh?”

In front of me, he was engulfed in flames and vanished.

“…?”

Whoosh.

Left alone, I faced the cold wind, thinking.

What in the world is this ridiculous situation…?

 

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