The Mount Shan Clan is a clan of Fire Technique practitioners.

This has been the case since the time the Gu Clan first appeared in the Central Plains up until now.

The leader of the Gu Clan and his direct descendants all utilized the Fire Technique.

Through bets, they conjured flames, known as the Three Harmonies Transformation.

At first glance, this appears similar to the martial arts of the Gu Clan, but fundamentally, they are different.

For generations, the Fire Technique practitioners were the clans that existed in the Central Plains.

That was the Mount Shan Clan.

However.

“Not every Gu family member uses the Fire Technique.”

It may be the foundation of the clan, but not every bloodline could wield it.

Only those from the direct lineage, those born of the clan leader, could place the Technique of the Flame Wheel in their lower Dantian.

Those from the collateral branches practiced other heart techniques instead.

While those heart techniques diverged into various branches, they shared the commonality of handling heat.

They might increase physical abilities by containing heat within their bodies or utilize it in swordsmanship.

Even if they couldn’t employ the Fire Technique, they adapted other heart techniques.

There were those who, through extreme training, could exhibit power equivalent to the direct heart techniques of the main family.

Notably, Gu Changjun, the former Elder Lee, was one such person.

And now, the elder, furiously enraged.

“Huwoop!”

Current Elder.

Flame Art Gu Ryoon.

He, too, was the same.

Kuuuaaaaah—!!!

With the elder’s strike, the ground shatters.

The sound and impact made it clear the power of his single blow was immense.

Not to mention.

Boom-! Bang Bang-! Kwaang-!!

The power of destruction was astonishing, and his speed was also remarkable.

“Wow.”

I admired inwardly while narrowly dodging his fist.

“That old man still has it.”

I knew Elder Lee had reached the Transformation Realm.

Who could say otherwise?

He was probably a Transformation Realm warrior even before my birth.

Furthermore, the position of an elder within the Gu Clan could only be succeeded by direct descendants.

The only exception was that the head of the Gu Exemplar Sect could attain the elder position without being a direct bloodline.

That old man was the only being who broke that rule and reached the position of elder.

This meant.

He possessed considerable influence within the Gu Clan.

Which also indicated he was powerful enough to create such influence.

Chiiiiiiik-!!

Steam began to visibly emit from Elder Lee’s body.

As the steam rapidly escaped, his skin turned a bright red, and at the same time, the weight of his energy altered in the surrounding area.

I frowned at the thickening sensation.

Whoosh-!!

In that moment, his fist appeared right in front of me.

I turned my head to evade the attack.

Then I twisted my waist.

My body spun quickly as I leveraged that momentum to channel strength into my leg.

Thwack-!

My leg struck Elder Lee’s abdomen directly.

He staggered slightly from the impact, but in that instant.

Crack-!

“Huh?”

Elder Lee suddenly grabbed a nearby tree and yanked it up.

‘Insane.’

How could he pull a tree out of the ground so easily, as if it were mere weeds?

Moreover.

Whoosh-!

Elder Lee swung the uprooted tree toward me with immense force.

The tree was massive, but the power behind it accelerated with stunning speed.

It was evident it bore energy.

Dodging seemed challenging, so I decided.

‘I should break it.’

Instantly, I channeled energy into my hand and swung.

Crack-!!

‘What?’

As anticipated, my punch shattered the tree. The problem was.

‘There’s no energy wrapped around it?’

I realized the tree had no energy surrounding it.

‘Oh no.’

It was all part of Elder Lee’s ploy.

The tree, which seemed to break so easily, instead threw my stance off-balance.

Wood splinters scattered through the air.

In the midst of that chaos.

Chiiiiiiik-!

The familiar sound of steam revealed Elder Lee’s muscular figure lunging in.

He had puffed up his muscles impressively.

He swung his enormous fist toward me.

At this point, my position was compromised. There was no way to dodge.

With no choice, I raised my arm in defense.

Crunch-! Kboom!!

“…!”

The impact was stronger than expected, sending me reeling backward.

Creak-!

I struggled to brace myself against the ground to control the recoil.

When I finally halted my body.

“…huh.”

A wry smile crept across my face as I felt the pain in my hand.

“Isn’t that a bit excessive?”

I asked incredulously, and the elder before me nodded.

“What do you mean?”

“Wasn’t expecting you to seriously hit me?”

My arm was aching to the point of numbness.

This was a level of impact that couldn’t possibly be delivered without real intent.

‘My protective energy was shattered.’

I had just barely covered myself, and with one punch from Elder Lee, it crumbled.

What the hell….

“They said this was etiquette training, but with two rounds, I might just die.”

“Hmph.”

Thump-! Thump-!

Even when Elder Lee lightly shook off his feet, the vibrations resonated through me.

Clearly, I had been taking the brunt of the impact, yet that old man looked incredibly displeased.

What could be the issue?

As I observed Elder Lee seriously, I thought something was off.

“You think you’re making a fool of this old man, Yangcheon?”

Elder Lee furrowed his brows as he addressed me.

“What do you mean by that?”

“What do I mean? This old man is putting in tremendous effort here, yet you can’t even do appropriately?”

“…”

I felt bashful hearing Elder Lee’s words.

‘…He’s not fooled, is he?’

I was trying to avoid aggressive moves, but it seemed Elder Lee had already grasped my intentions.

It must be the reason he wore that displeased expression.

But.

“Well, I can’t help it.”

It truly was a situation beyond my control.

‘If I hit him wrong, who knows what might happen to Elder Lee.’

I was still struggling to properly gauge my power.

If I were to strike back now, I couldn’t even predict what would happen to me.

Thus, I didn’t counterattack and merely let his attacks glance off me.

“Tsk tsk tsk.”

Elder Lee seemed continually dissatisfied with my behavior, clicking his tongue repeatedly.

“You seem to have matured little. You look like a dried squid since the last time I saw you.”

“Dried… what?”

“Why are you so worried and hesitant?”

“…”

“Are you really worried this old man couldn’t withstand a little teasing from you?”

I couldn’t respond.

“If so, that is unnecessary worry.”

Chiiiiiiik—!!!

The steam radiating from Elder Lee grew denser.

“I am the Flame Art Gu Ryoon.”

The heat emanating from him blanketed the surroundings.

“It seems there’s much talk about your being crowned as a king and being hailed as a hero. You seem to have lost your bearing in all that praise.”

Thud–!!!

With that, Elder Lee’s body, containing steam among others, started to radiate a stronger presence.

“I am not feeble enough that I can’t scold or nurture my grandson.”

“No, it’s just that…. ugh.”

I found myself trapped with no means to escape.

Somehow, it appeared Elder Lee had no intention of backing down.

‘If communication fails at this level, should I just take off?’

Now that I had come this far, I couldn’t think of anything else.

I had always evaded his fights before, so surely I could do so again now.

But.

‘This feels different.’

In the past, I was unable to win and simply avoided the fights.

Now, my situation was entirely the opposite.

It wasn’t that I was unwilling to fight; I just didn’t want to be caught in an uncontrolled bout.

I didn’t want to inflict wounds either.

So while I was pondering an escape route.

“By your expression, it seems you were thinking about running away, again.”

“…”

I had been caught red-handed.

“…That’s not it.”

“Yangcheon.”

“Yes….”

“Since when did you mature enough to fear fighting this old man?”

“Isn’t it normally wrong to fight like that?”

“Ha ha.”

Elder Lee burst into laughter at my words.

“On my way yesterday, I saw a scrawny dog.”

“Out of nowhere, a dog?”

“That pup would bark at you whenever it sees you.”

“…How would I know?”

“The local dogs would be saying the same if they heard you.”

“Hey, what….”

“Well, it’s a shame if my grandson, despite being a bit lacking, doesn’t get some help from an old man like me.”

As Elder Lee spoke, he accentuated his point by nodding his chin.

With each movement, a sound echoed from my neck.

“Let me give you a reason to fight.”

“…Are you talking about a reason?”

“Correct. If you can defeat me… Well, I might grant you a gift?”

A gift? I narrowed my eyes at the unexpected proposition.

“What kind of gift are you suddenly talking about?”

“A certain crafty old man was looking for you earlier.”

He seemed to refer to the First Sect Leader.

“You inquired about what he does, yes?”

“…”

“I’m going to enlighten you.”

“…!”

I widened my eyes at Elder Lee’s words.

“And I’ll also reveal a secret about that old man.”

“…Wait, are you implying he’s the First Sect Leader of the Baekhwa Sect?”

“What kind of ridiculous notion is that? Do you think I’m such a petty man?”

“…”

“Answer.”

“…Of course, I don’t.”

I assumed he would respond that way, so I felt relieved.

Anyway.

“Now, Yangcheon.”

When I heard him call again, I looked back at Elder Lee.

“Having given you this reason, are you planning to disregard this old man?”

After hearing this question, I took a deep breath.

“It feels as if you have a misunderstanding.”

Whoooooo-!

I gradually felt energy flowing into my heart.

Instantly, my body was surging with vitality.

As the heat boiled, my physical form began to come alive.

Feeling this, I continued speaking to Elder Lee.

“I have never disregarded you, Elder Lee.”

Indeed, not once.

Throughout my life, I have never once disregarded Elder Lee.

I had occasionally cursed the situation internally, but… I never took Elder Lee lightly.

That remained unchanged now.

“This isn’t me disregarding you…more like…”

Worry.

It sounded embarrassing, like a phrase that would surely make me die of humiliation. Yet it was the truth.

All of this stemmed from my genuine concern for Elder Lee.

“Why does an elder like you keep taking on hardships?”

“Huh? What are you saying?”

Elder Lee’s eyes widened suddenly.

Thousand-!

His restrained body exploded with energy.

Once the force that had been held back was unleashed, the energy surged forth unchecked.

It swept down his shoulders and spread broadly.

It was just as I suspected.

‘He’s going overboard.’

Far exceeding what I had anticipated.

Thanks to that, the speed at which the energy permeated my body also increased, but the trade-off wasn’t worth it.

“…Haha…”

Despite seeing all this, Elder Lee chuckled.

I was astonished, and Elder Lee’s expression mirrored disbelief.

I asked while observing.

“Elder, is there still a chance you might stop?”

“What?”

At my last question, Elder Lee only laughed harder.

“Enough with the foolish talk and come at me. As I mentioned earlier.”

Elder Lee’s massive fist was pointed at me.

“I am the Flame Art Gu Ryoon.”

“…Yes, I recall that.”

His stubbornness was remarkable.

Glancing at Elder Lee, I sighed and added.

“Elder, I must reiterate, I’m genuinely struggling to manage my strength-.”

Just as I was to finish that thought, I caught sight of something before me.

It was similar to before—Elder Lee’s fist.

However.

‘This is quite a change.’

Unlike the previous moment, Elder Lee’s fist appeared to be much slower this time.

My perception seemed to shift, resulting in my body reacting differently as well.

Whoosh-!

Woosh–!!

As Elder Lee’s punch whooshed by, creating waves in the air, I dashed towards him.

“…Gah!”

Elder Lee hastily adjusted his stance.

Though his fist was already extended, it was too late to retract, and he attempted to use his lower body to stabilize.

But by then, my fist had already connected with Elder Lee.

Bang.

A brief moment of contact.

It felt unremarkable.

But.

Whoooooo—!!

“Ugh…!?”

The shock reverberated through Elder Lee’s body.

The gust of wind knocked him back, propelling him quite a distance away.

I took precisely one step forward.

Tap.

My foot still left the ground, and I was soon behind Elder Lee.

“Ho!!”

Seeing that, Elder Lee let out a startled gasp.

Simultaneously, he twisted his upper body to counterattack.

Just like before.

His punches were potent, and despite his expanded muscles, his speed was impressive.

Yet.

I was just a tad faster.

Tap-! Twap-!

I lashed out my hands like whips and deflected his strikes.

My Heart Eye revealed all Elder Lee’s attacks.

With my enhanced speed, it was indeed not difficult to evade his blows.

“Hahaha—!”

Elder Lee’s boisterous laughter echoed in my ears.

What was so amusing during this chaotic back-and-forth?

Chiiiiiiik-!!!

Steam burst forth, obscuring my view.

It was a deliberate action; since the steam was energy-based, my Heart Eye was briefly blocked.

Schwooo-!

At that precise moment, through the haze of steam, Elder Lee hurled a punch toward me.

Just as I was caught off guard by his sneak attack, with his fist nearly connecting with my face.

Boom-!

“…!!”

Regrettably, Elder Lee’s fist failed to reach me.

My hand had seized his wrist, halting it in its tracks.

I could feel through my hand how heated Elder Lee’s body was, along with his earnest intent to duel me.

“…”

As I sensed that, I clenched my fist.

Thud-!

The fire woven around my heart surged wildly.

In accordance with this formidable force, great energy coalesced into my fist.

Tap.

Flames flickered at my fingertips.

There was no need for elaborate thought.

With the energy gathered, I simply needed to unleash it.

Whummm—.

Following the vibration, my fist reached outward.

It was as smooth as if I had been waiting for this moment, almost instinctual, carried forth by someone guiding me.

What’s happening?

A strange sensation coursed through my mind.

This sensation felt subtly different from usual.

I felt like I was floating, and the energy within me was qualitatively different.

It was as though I’d been enchanted by this energy.

Is this… enlightenment?

Could it be that I found enlightenment while striking Elder Lee?

I didn’t know precisely what this enlightenment was about, but I certainly felt its difference.

My instincts repeatedly urged me to remember this moment.

It felt like my body was floating yet grounded, instilling a profound sense of pride that I could accomplish anything.

I needed to memorize this feeling.

To do that, I had to ensure I completed this motion precisely.

I knew I had to wrap my hand around it and secure the correct movement.

Surpassing anyone, I was especially conscious of that.

“…”

I adjusted the angle of my outstretched hand,

My fist veered past Elder Lee’s chest and dove into the empty side of his ribs.

Kuuuaaaaah—!!!

Flames erupted forth.

The Flame Wheel Technique unleashed the Blue Flame, engulfing the space around it.

Today’s flames were significantly larger, yet remarkably, they did not wreak havoc on the surroundings.

They simply blazed.

While watching the vibrant Blue Flame flicker, I took a breath.

“…”

My breathing wasn’t particularly labored.

While my energy had rapidly diminished, it wasn’t overwhelmingly burdensome.

Yet my breath was ragged for a different reason.

‘I missed something.’

I felt I had overlooked something significant. That breath, that sensation.

To have let slip the moment that had come so fleetingly flashed in my mind, leaving a hollow ache.

‘…Should I have held on?’

Such a moment might not come again. Missing it felt like a massive loss.

With that thought ringing in my head.

‘But it can’t be helped.’

There was nothing I could have done.

It wasn’t as if I could genuinely land a direct hit on Elder Lee.

“Ah….”

As I pondered that, I suddenly became aware of my situation.

“This isn’t the time to be thinking of that!”

Forcing the words out, I checked on Elder Lee urgently, who was staring back at me with a dazed expression.

‘Uh-oh.’

He looked genuinely stunned.

Could this be a bit too much? I had intended to exhibit my strength, but perhaps I crossed the line?

I felt tense as I gauged Elder Lee’s reaction.

“Hah-.”

“Hah?”

“Ha ha ha ha ha–!!”

“…?”

Suddenly, Elder Lee erupted into boisterous laughter.

“This kid! This kid!”

He began to mess up my hair, just like always, in a frenzy.

“You’re amazing-! Absolutely amazing–!!”

“…Wait, hold on a moment….”

“Ha ha ha-!!”

Rather than being upset, he seemed overjoyed.

What on earth was going on?

Did I accidentally strike him too hard? No, I distinctly hit off-target…?

For now, I had to put a stop to his hair-ruffling spree.

“…Please, can you stop now?”

“You did well.”

“…”

“Well done, my boy. You’ve endured quite a bit.”

The words caused me to stiffen.

“This child. How hard must you have worked to get this far?”

The words I had meant to say got swallowed down, while what I meant to push away was met with sentiment.

Crackle.

Crackle.

Amid the sounds of the flickering Blue Flame still crackling, I was abruptly reminded.

No matter how much skills grow and realms elevate, there was a reason I could never treat Elder Lee carelessly.

“You really did well. My grandson. I’m proud of you.”

“…”

Elder Lee was the only one in my life who praised me.

It was solely Elder Lee who offered me those words of pride.

And that realization surged through me in an instant.

After a massive ruffle in my hair, it didn’t take long for things to return to normal.

“Haha, this rascal–!!”

Of course, even after that, Elder Lee continued to chuckle heartily.

Could it be that he didn’t mind that I had bested him?

No, it felt more like he enjoyed it.

What was so admirable about my actions that he was patting my back nonstop? Now I was reaching my limit.

“…If this continues, my back will burst.”

“Ah, right. It seems I got carried away due to my good mood.”

“What exactly has you in such high spirits?”

“Hmm?”

Having pushed the envelope regarding power management and ended up victorious, I thought this could be enough to irritate him.

“Why wouldn’t I be in a good mood?”

Elder Lee had a viewpoint completely divergent from mine.

“You’ve grown so much since the last time I saw you. How could I not feel good?”

Technically, he wasn’t my familial elder.

I almost spoke up to correct him, but decided against it. I was well aware this was not the time for that conversation.

“Yangcheon, how about you?”

“What do you mean…?”

“Now that you’ve moved your body, doesn’t your head feel clearer?”

“…”

Clearer?

‘Not really.’

I couldn’t say for sure.

Even though my thoughts were still muddled, moving my body wouldn’t entirely resolve it.

“It does help a bit.”

At the very least, it felt better than before.

As I nodded in understanding, suddenly a thought crossed my mind.

“…Elder.”

“Hmm?”

“Just asking out of curiosity. Were you doing this on purpose?”

Looking into Elder Lee’s eyes, I asked.

With his educational words serving as a pretext to our spar, he celebrated my growth while trying to put me through such vigorous training.

It occurred to me he was only interested in my well-being.

So could it be that he was, from the start, simply trying to lift my spirits?

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“…”

Elder Lee grinned yet again, and with that, I gained a certain clarity.

No wonder he had instigated the fight so quickly.

‘Could it be this old man?’

What a ridiculous thought!

For a person his age, why would he employ such a foolish method?

While I tried to voice the doubts forming in my mind, I found myself caught up again.

“Elder Lee….”

“Oh, speaking of which, we made a wager, didn’t we?”

Elder Lee interrupted seamlessly, as if he acted on cue.

“I have lost. As per our agreement, I shall reveal something.”

“…”

The wager I had accepted amidst our spar, if I so happened to win…

‘He had promised to share the identity of the First Sect Leader.’

This tantalized me immensely.

What secrets lay within that old man, who conversed as if he had some hidden knowledge about the Gu Clan?

What secrets did he hold?

I grew curious about it; however.

‘…Given Elder Lee’s personality, I doubt the information will be particularly uplifting.’

There were still so many threads we were trying to weave together here.

“We’re not at a point where we might explore that just yet—”

“The old man was originally a member of the Gu Clan. A direct descendant like you.”

“What? He’s older than you, yet you keep calling him a kid?”

My train of thought fractured as his utterance hit me like a lightning bolt.

“…What?”

This was a mind-blowing claim I had never encountered before.