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Chapter 493: Do You Need It?

A little hill exists outside the Tang Clan.

In terms of usage, it was a place where particularly fierce wolves raised by Tang Soyeol roamed.

Bang-! Bang bang-!

At this moment, thanks to one individual, the wolves were nowhere to be seen.

A black-haired man, stripped to the waist, was fully engrossed in training while lifting a boulder the size of a house with one hand.

Sweat trickled down his body, soaking his drenched skin and muscles.

His well-defined muscles looked so impressive that anyone would be in awe.

“Hoo….”

After repeating his rock training to the fullest, the young man finally took a breath and lowered the massive stone.

Boom-! The ground caved in the moment the rock touched down, showing just how heavy it was.

Twisting his body to check his condition, the young man finally grabbed a cloth nearby to wipe himself down.

As he rubbed his body, a man watching from a tree came down to join him.

The young man seemed unfazed as he was already aware of this.

Seeing the young man wipe himself down, the man couldn’t help but comment.

“What a sight to behold.”

Hearing those words, Pejon chuckled softly.

“That sounds like crap the moment I lay eyes on it.”

“Are you really worried about your disciple? Did you come here just to beat him up?”

“Haha!”

Hearing the King of Demons’ words, Pejon responded with amusement.

Indeed, Pejon’s left cheek was swollen and red.

It was the aftermath of a fierce battle he’d had the night before with his disciple.

“I called him toxic, but it turns out he’s incredibly tough.”

He’d thought his disciple would know when to give up, but remembering how stubborn he’d been made Pejon shiver.

Initially, he had gone to visit after hearing that his disciple had consumed poison in the Tang Clan, wanting to see what had led him to that decision.

However, the Gu Yangcheong he encountered after just a few days of absence had changed drastically.

Not only had his level increased; his physical transformation was astonishing.

‘What on earth did he eat to become like that?’

He understood that his disciple had gained an opportunity.

Whether it was some elixir or an insight, he couldn’t tell, but—

‘The body has transformed entirely.’

Regardless of what kind of opportunity it was, the results were unmistakable.

His skeleton had grown, and his skin had hardened.

It was similar to a classic case of Transformation of the Body…

‘But to change the Dantian itself is nothing short of bizarre.’

For all the energy to concentrate in the Middle Dantian while the Lower Dantian vanished, what kind of situation would that create? Even Pejon couldn’t predict.

What had happened in such a short time that could lead to such a transformation?

Curiosity gnawed at him, but Pejon refrained from asking Gu Yangcheong.

After all, he pretty much knew his disciple wouldn’t give him an answer, and for Pejon, it wasn’t an urgent matter.

As long as Gu Yangcheong could inherit the Breaking Heaven Technique, nothing else mattered.

Furthermore.

‘He doesn’t strike me as the kind to misuse it.’

Whether he inherited the Breaking Heaven Technique or Pejon’s name, he didn’t worry much. Knowing that Gu Yangcheong wasn’t the type to make foolish choices, Pejon didn’t dwell on his transformed disciple.

However.

‘I envy that physical body.’

Regardless of anything else, Gu Yangcheong’s physique was simply enviable to Pejon.

Though he claimed he’d let go of any lingering feelings, in the end, Pejon still felt constrained because he couldn’t break through due to his own physical limitations.

‘Hmm….’

He repeatedly clenched and opened his hand.

Even if he cultivated external energies and filled his inner strength, his fundamental vessel remained unfulfilled.

He couldn’t hope to reach a higher realm in this state.

‘What a frustrating situation.’

Had he hit a wall?

After the Rejuvenation Technique, exactly when he turned sixteen under Bi Yi-jin’s name.

Pejon had taken an elixir he brought from his biwaegun and reached the peak but still couldn’t touch the Transformation Realm.

‘Tsk.’

It might be possible to forcibly achieve the Transformation of the Body through betting.

But he lacked the strength for such a gamble.

His inefficient body wouldn’t build enough inner strength no matter how many elixirs he consumed.

It was a net loss instead.

“So, do you regret it?”

Pejon turned his head at the King of Demons’ question.

The latter had reverted back to his original appearance, now an old man with white hair.

“No, I do not regret it. If I had remained as I was, I wouldn’t have reached my desired destination.”

He had thought it over at times.

If he hadn’t undergone the Rejuvenation Technique, would he have fared better? That kind of thought crossed his mind.

Yet that was as far as it went.

Even if the situation had changed, it was still his choice.

The path he wanted to take hadn’t changed, so he would keep walking that path in silence.

“You really let your young disciple slap you, didn’t you?”

Pejon’s lips twitched at the King of Demons’ words.

“… Are you perhaps trying to mock me right now?”

“I’ve been doing that from the start. Slow on the uptake, aren’t you, Bi Ju?”

“Hah.”

Hearing that mischievous teasing with such a cold expression made Pejon feel utterly baffled.

“Tsk….”

Still, he had nothing to say in reply. That too was a result.

sigh.

What a mess he’d gotten himself into in his later years.

‘… That damned brat.’

The thought of his disciple brought a curse to his lips. What a frustrating little punk he was.

Feeling the gap between his body and the newfound restraint after reaching a higher realm, he wanted to let it out.

Plus, since it seemed the betting was tangled up, he decided to excuse himself with a little push-and-pull to help clear his channels.

With his muscles strengthening and movements becoming quicker, it was incredibly hard to initiate.

‘But that brat is….’

Thinking of the wildly rampaging Gu Yangcheong, Pejon ground his teeth.

Gu Yangcheong was no fool when it came to martial arts, so he surely understood that Pejon was attempting to assist him in clearing his channels.

‘Did he take that as an opportunity to attack?’

As soon as Pejon realized this, he recalled how the attacks became more intense.

It was ridiculous. How could a disciple act like that?

‘… I’ve taken in a madman as my disciple.’

Finally, Pejon came to that realization, but it was far too late.

After all, if that brat didn’t have any talent, he would have been kicked out long ago.

In Pejon’s eyes, Gu Yangcheong was indeed an exceptionally gifted individual.

Despite having a deep-seated inferiority complex, Pejon couldn’t understand it.

It didn’t matter that he was the disciple Pejon had chosen.

Unquestionably, Gu Yangcheong had already reached a level and skill at an age when most could not.

Those seated among the Three Eminent Beings, including him, had only reached that level after turning thirty.

Thinking about it, they were hailed as geniuses back then, while now Gu Yangcheong’s news of touching the Transformation Realm was treated as mere rumors.

The moment it became truth…

‘The world will turn upside down.’

It would be a story where every clan and sect would be in disarray.

For a barely twenty-year-old to have touched the Transformation Realm meant he was destined to become the best under heaven in the future.

Even if he betrothed someone from Nangong Clan, any clan with a pretty daughter would likely come to propose with unwavering confidence.

Pejon couldn’t fathom why someone as capable as Gu Yangcheong lacked self-confidence.

He might figure it out on his own, but if it became a problem in his martial arts training, Pejon might need to intervene.

As he pondered that, Pejon suddenly remembered something he wanted to ask the King of Demons.

“By the way, have you taken care of everything you needed to do?”

The King of Demons had left these past two days, saying he had some matters to confirm in Sichuan.

At Pejon’s words, the King of Demons gave a slight nod.

“Yes.”

“Good to hear?”

“No.”

“So it went poorly?”

“No.”

“Do you want to die…?”

“No.”

“…”

Pejon grabbed his forehead in frustration at the King of Demons’ responses.

Talking to this guy made him feel like he was going to die from anger.

As Pejon sighed repeatedly, the King of Demons finally started to speak slowly.

“I just gained some certainty.”

“What certainty?”

“…”

Over the last two days.

The King of Demons had visited the site where the Geumcheon Clan’s biwaegun was said to be located.

There were traces.

Traces of some formation or special power having been placed there.

However, beyond that, nothing else remained.

Seeing that, the King of Demons became entirely certain.

“My ancestor didn’t consider his descendants at all.”

“…”

Pejon could offer no response to the King of Demons’ words.

The only one who could curse those who made the Central Plains what they are today was the very man standing before him.

“Nothing was left behind. The one who knew his progeny would suffer terribly said nothing.”

His expression remained blank, but those words were laced with cold fury.

“Moreover, to learn only now that the biwaegun existed through others is enough to make one want to die.”

“Yea….”

As he heard the King of Demons’ words, Pejon nearly blurted out his real name but barely held it back.

The King of Demons loathed his name with a passion.

“Feeling like one wants to die, but unable to. Isn’t it amusing, Bi Ju?”

“…”

The King of Demons’ dry voice made Pejon bite his lip.

There was little that could be said to his close friend, and even if there was, it wasn’t his place to say it.

“… When do you plan to return?”

Trying hard to come up with a new topic, Pejon asked.

The King of Demons had to return one day. A leader of a faction couldn’t be absent for this long.

“Hmm.”

The King of Demons turned his head and focused on a distant spot.

A strong energy was felt from that position.

Not the air pressure exuded by a martial artist.

This was a sensation picked up by the King of Demons’ primal instincts.

“Just a bit longer.”

Maybe it was the last hope.

But wasn’t that the case. All that remained for the King of Demons was time.

“A little longer. There are still things left to do.”

“Right.”

In response to the King of Demons’ statement, Pejon merely nodded without a word.

“Oh, and don’t come looking for me for a week or so.”

“Hmm?”

Pejon’s words made the King of Demons raise an eyebrow.

Why particularly seven days?

Confused, he frowned as he glared at Pejon.

“… Anyway, that’s what’s going on.”

Pejon had no intention of further explaining.

‘Ow, that stings.’

I thought, inspecting my swollen cheeks, reflecting how incredibly painful it felt.

‘Damn it….’

It wasn’t just my face; my entire body was in this state.

My battered body throbbed painfully, making it difficult to even walk.

‘Looks like you really let your frustrations out.’

I clenched my teeth thinking of Pejon, who had beaten me senseless.

That old man must have had a lot he needed to release; he was relentless.

‘Ha….’

No matter how you looked at it.

Pejon was at the peak of his mastery while I had only just reached the Transformation Realm.

It was ridiculous that there was still that much of a difference.

‘I can’t touch him.’

Even if I had used every ounce of my strength.

Of course, I didn’t use any secret techniques to avoid causing problems around me, which Pejon would’ve done too, so I’d let that slide.

‘I should be significantly faster.’

Speed was my overwhelming advantage.

Utilizing my superior inner strength and elevated realm, I tried to outmaneuver him. However, all my techniques seemed to be predicted and countered each time.

I just couldn’t reach him.

No matter how fast I was.

[The level of insight you’ve gained is on a different scale.]

‘…’

[While the man’s eyes are sharp to begin with, his realm is unparalleled, allowing him to fully understand his own body.]

That was something I already knew, yet—

‘Getting through all that feels impossible…’

Moreover, even knowing he was attempting to assist me in clearing my channels made it even harder to accept the gap.

Despite my undoubtedly higher realm, Pejon blocked my path like an immovable wall.

If I kept mastering the Breaking Heaven Technique, could I surpass Pejon as he hoped, eventually defeating him?

I didn’t know. Imagining the Pejon from my previous life felt monstrous.

If he was stronger before than the Pejon I faced now, it would truly mean—

‘The peak Pejon was probably the strongest in the world.’

Though I couldn’t be sure without witnessing the true might of the Three Eminent Beings, the thought wasn’t entirely unfounded.

‘But anyway, I did land one hit, so that means I won.’

Even though my entire body was aching.

I won because I scored that last hit.

[Look, the one who claims to be unconscious yet rises to strike his opponent is the one who speaks.]

‘That’s just called improvisation.’

[Pretend all you like, but you can’t wipe away the stains on your conscience.]

‘As if I had a conscience to begin with; that doesn’t concern me at all.’

[What a freak.]

As Shin Noya began to ponder how to deal with my ineptitude, I held my throbbing cheek and stared straight ahead.

There was an elderly man looking at me as if I was some sort of curiosity.

“I trust you’ve been well.”

“With that state, your pronunciation is surprisingly good….”

“Well, er… I’m used to it. Haha….”

Having experienced various beatings in the past, I thought I had become accustomed to this level of pain.

After my bout with Pejon.

I had come straight to find Shin Yi.

Initially, I hadn’t planned to come this early in the morning, but I wanted to resolve my concerns quickly.

“So, what brings you here?”

Shin Yi seemed to be fighting the urge to ask about my battered face.

Since it would be better not to irritate him with too many questions, I decided to avoid that topic.

“I went to visit the Baekhwa Sect yesterday and had a conversation there.”

“Huh…?”

At my words, a frown immediately spread across Shin Yi’s face.

It seemed he understood what kinda story I was hinting at. Well, after encountering them at the sect and afterward entering myself, it wouldn’t be hard to guess.

“That fool seems to have forgotten his merchant’s duty. He’ll need a good scolding.”

“I kind of threatened him to get some info, so don’t get too angry.”

Having already sent a letter to Lady Mi, it wouldn’t be wise for that guy to suffer too severely.

Maybe that was why Shin Yi’s anger began to turn towards me after hearing my words.

“Then I’ll have to direct my wrath at you. How dare you…!”

Just as Shin Yi was about to angrily unleash his fury upon me—

Swoosh.

Seizing the opportunity, I pulled out the object I had gotten from the room and presented it to Shin Yi.

“…!”

When he saw the item still shimmering with brilliant white light, Shin Yi turned stiff as a statue.

“I heard you needed this.”

Upon hearing my words, the shock on Shin Yi’s face shifted from surprise about my beaten appearance to sheer astonishment as he looked up at me.

Seeing this made me realize that the Branch Leader’s words were likely true.

Also.

“Do you need it?”

Seeing Shin Yi’s expression, it was clear he wanted the White Horse Stone even more than I anticipated.

Confirming my assessment, I couldn’t help but smile slightly.

Thank goodness.

A strong desire means—

It’s more convenient for me to use it for my advantage.

 

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