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The memories of my father aren’t that many.

My life was bound to be like that, and I didn’t particularly try to learn more about him either.

The main reason was that I wasn’t particularly curious about the life he led.

What kind of life did he live?

As the head of the Gu Clan and the father of Gu Yangcheong, what kind of human was he?

What kind of person was he before that time?

I didn’t ask. I thought there was no need to be curious.

Thus, even when I heard about my father from others later on,

I didn’t hold much interest in it.

However, a slight doubt lingered.

“Why did my father end up as just a hundred great masters?”

I know it isn’t true.

My father is a strong person.

Even now, having reached the transcendent level and reached the realm of the Three Eminent Beings, I still wonder if I could ever win against him.

I heard he was called Shin Ryong when he was younger.

I knew that too.

They say during the War of the Great Powers, he was known as the Flame Ghost and achieved countless feats.

“So then, why?”

Why did my father remain as just a hundred great masters, not showing his strength?

Moreover,

“Despite his achievements, how come no one knows about them?”

The few who do know about his accomplishments and power are few.

Everything is just a question mark.

All the heads of the Gu Clan were the same, but to me, my father was a person I could call into question with a different name.

It certainly felt that way.

“……”

I have to think of a million things while looking at the young man before me.

He looks slightly older than me.

But still, he couldn’t be more than thirty.

He’s tall, of course. My father was much taller than me to begin with.

Broad shoulders and masculine features.

He was simply handsome.

If Shin Noya saw this, he’d probably say,

“Whoa, the mysteries of genetics! How can someone look so different?”

He has the unique fierce look typical of the Gu Clan,

but his handsome features wrap it up roughly.

Moreover, his unusual height for the bloodline of the Gu Clan plays a part too.

“Damn it.”

I held back the urge to let out a sigh of exasperation.

Even these thoughts felt overwhelming at the moment.

Thump—! Thump—!

It was hard to hide the stirring motion of the Technique of the Flame Wheel.

“Oh, this is getting out of hand.”

The presence in front of me was provoking intense reactions.

No matter how hard I tried to hide it, the rebound was too strong.

I pressed my racing heart and looked back at my father.

He was young. That was something I could tell at a glance.

“Wow….”

He was strong.

Stronger than I could have imagined. He mustn’t have even reached thirty…

“…His realm is vague.”

I couldn’t get a clear read on my father’s realm. Of course, he was concealing his own strength.

“The Technique of the Flame Wheel seems to have reached the Eighth Stage, though?”

The state of his martial arts was astonishing, nearly touching greatness.

“I could see it if I wanted to, but…”

If I forced myself to analyze his realm, he would notice. My father’s level was that much.

This meant,

“He must be at least in the Transformation Realm.”

At that age, he had already reached the Transformation Realm.

“That’s just impossible.”

Is everyone my age in the Transformation Realm?

Nangong Bi-ah, Wi Seol-Ah, and Tang Soyeol and others,

There were those who reached the Transformation Realm at a young age, but…

“That one…”

He had already surpassed their levels.

It was truly astonishing.

While I was aghast at my father’s level,

“Mi Hyo-ran.”

A deep voice sounded.

At my father’s words, Lady Mi flinched.

“What are you doing?”

“……”

His red eyes turned to Lady Mi. His expression was inscrutable, making it hard to guess his thoughts.

At his words, Lady Mi averted her gaze and spoke.

“Can’t you see? I was working.”

It was indeed work.

But,

“I told you not to act recklessly inside the main sect without permission.”

“……”

Under my father’s weighty words, Lady Mi let out a cough.

“…I was just a bit free….”

That was surprising too.

It was remarkable to see Lady Mi making excuses in response to my father’s words.

At that moment,

“See, if you just behaved, you wouldn’t get scolded.”

Beside her, Moyong Biyeon added in a rather annoying tone. It looked like Lady Mi was aware of that, glaring at Moyong Biyeon with a chilling gaze.

“Oops….”

Moyong Biyeon blushed and hid behind my father.

“…Hah.”

Subsequently, Lady Mi let out a soft sigh and looked my way.

“Anyway. I’m sorry. There was a certain situation on this side.”

The word “anyway” was irritating, but I didn’t feel the need to mention it.

I was also confused and dazed due to my father.

As Lady Mi spoke to me, my father’s gaze returned to me.

His red eyes met mine.

They were intense.

As we silently stared at each other,

“Oh, do you recognize this person?”

Suddenly, Moyong Biyeon spoke to me informally.

“That’s the famous Shin Ryong. Isn’t he cool? You can’t see many like him around. You’re really lucky. Oh, and he’s my master too.”

“It’s Gu Cheolun.”

Before Moyong Biyeon rambled on, my father spoke to me.

Then he reached out his hand.

A large hand came into view.

I quietly stared at it before grasping my father’s hand.

“Baek… Yangcheon.”

Our hands touched. There was no distinct sensation.

Having concealed my Technique of the Flame Wheel with all my might, he probably wouldn’t notice.

“……”

“……”

A moment of silence passed before my father spoke again.

“You’ve come to take the exam.”

“Yes.”

At my words, my father nodded.

“I see. I hope for good results.”

“Thank you. It was an honor to meet you.”

“I also.”

“I have… another exam ahead, so I must take my leave.”

I released his hand and turned away.

I swiftly moved to leave. I needed to get away quickly.

Fearing that the pounding of my heart would reach my father.

And I hurriedly escaped.

*

After Baek Yangcheon vanished,

Gu Cheolun looked with an indifferent expression at the spot where the young man had disappeared.

Was that swift pace to take the exam?

As he observed intently, Moyong Biyeon beside him remarked,

“Interesting, huh?”

Hearing her words, Gu Cheolun looked at her.

“What’s with you showing interest in someone else? Especially a man? Oh, do you like men? Ah! So that’s why you weren’t interested in me….”

“That’s not true.”

He shut down her nonsense quickly. He didn’t want to hear that.

Ignoring her, he was about to turn away when this time, Mi Hyo-ran spoke.

“Did you sense something?”

“Sense something?”

“Yes. That person, the one Pejon declared he would take as his disciple.”

“……”

“Eh? Pejon!?”

Mi Hyo-ran’s words startled Moyong Biyeon.

“The Pejon!?”

“Yes, that Pejon.”

“…Uh? Why? He didn’t seem that impressive.”

At first glance, he just looked like a martial artist.

He had a frightening appearance and his eyes were strikingly blue, but

he didn’t seem extraordinarily strong, did he? Did the Pejon really just propose to take that young man as his disciple?

Moyong Biyeon’s expression of confusion showed she couldn’t understand.

“……”

Gu Cheolun, with a strange look in his eyes, turned his gaze back to where Baek Yangcheon had disappeared.

Meanwhile, Mi Hyo-ran, who was staring at Gu Cheolun curiously, tilted her head and asked,

“It seems like you felt something unusual? I can tell you’re acting differently from usual.”

“……”

“Did you not introduce yourself? Did you not ask for a handshake? Why did someone who doesn’t usually act this way do so…?”

“I’m not sure.”

Why did that happen? Gu Cheolun checked his hand where they had shaken.

There was no distinctive feel. He just seemed like an ordinary being.

Thump…

“Strange.”

His heart, which had reacted oddly upon seeing him, was bothersome.

His lower Dantian, which had been subtly heating up, felt the same.

Should I have sensed something?

He barely managed to rein in the energies he nearly let slip when we shook hands.

“Baek Yangcheon,”

the name was unfamiliar.

The name of the young man with blue eyes. While Gu Cheolun kept it in his mind,

“And you too.”

“Huh?”

Mi Hyo-ran glared at Moyong Biyeon, filled with anger.

Suddenly being regarded like that, Moyong Biyeon flinched.

“Me…? Why?”

“How can you speak so informally all of a sudden? It’s rude.”

Moyong Biyeon, who had randomly addressed someone formally, was pointed out by Mi Hyo-ran to which she clapped her hands.

“Oh, right. I did that, didn’t I? Why did I do that?”

She spoke informally right after seeing him. No matter how free-spirited she was, that was over the line.

“…Why would you even do that?”

Moyong Biyeon couldn’t comprehend why she acted that way.

What could it be?

“I just felt like it needed to be that way.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“No, but you know, doesn’t he kind of look like someone?”

“Who? The Prince Baek?”

Who did she think he resembled?

With curiosity, Moyong Biyeon pointed at Gu Cheolun.

“This guy. He looks a bit like that young man we just saw.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. How can you compare anyone with anyone?”

“…Why are you getting so worked up? It’s either yes or no.”

Didn’t he look like someone who wouldn’t get angry?

Their faces were completely different, so what were they blabbing about?

It was absurd.

“If anything, if there’s a similarity, it’s only in the eyes; the rest is completely different.”

The eyes and gaze seemed somewhat similar, but that was it.

It was just the vibe.

“Hm… If Tang Seon were to see them, she would definitely have a crush on him.”

“…….”

I couldn’t deny that point.

That seemed like something she might indeed like.

…Baek Yangcheon.

“He’s getting under my skin.”

While Mi Hyo-ran’s mind was fixated on his name,

“Let’s go.”

Gu Cheolun said and moved ahead.

As he began to walk, the two women ceased their conversation and quickly followed after him.

 

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