---

What Did You Say…?

Yu Tan-Geom, his face rigid as stone, turned to look at the woman.

His lightly shimmering, pale-green eyes met hers, and he felt a twitching sensation deep within himself.

“What did you just say?”

A chilling momentum spread across the ground.

“Wh-what!?”

“What do you mean…!”

The martial artists around him flinched, their bodies trembling.

The power from the Transformation Realm Martial Artist began to radiate into the surroundings.

Spectators huddled as if they were suffering from a sudden chill.

The martial artists had to hold onto their own weapons to brace themselves for the stakes rising.

A Transformation Realm Martial Artist was an absolute master.

Someone with talent had ascended to this lofty state through endless effort.

As the martial artist exhibited his power, the summer air began to drop in temperature.

“Is that audacious remark directed at me?”

The expression on Yu Tan-Geom’s face hardened further, his aura becoming razor-sharp.

The cocky Yu Tan-Geom faded away, replaced by an absolute master standing in his spot.

“Incredibly, I recognize your beauty and value, so I suppose it gives you the audacity to crawl up endlessly, insect? You dare call me an insect?”

Young and beautiful.

Even if she had fallen from grace, being the daughter of a great house still meant something, and he had deigned to approach her.

‘An insect?’

Could this insignificant girl really be saying something so brazen to him?

Yu Tan-Geom simply couldn’t comprehend it.

‘Is the descendant of a ruined family still clinging on to their pride?’

The Tang Clan had lost its past glory, now hiding and merely facing ridicule.

But it seemed this girl was oblivious to that.

Indeed.

‘It’s hard to accept that a high and mighty family can crumble in an instant.’

She belonged to the Tang Clan.

No one dared to covet the source of their unique Poison Technique, nor the vast majority of the ironwork spread throughout the Central Plains.

Staying still would have been enough to maintain their position.

Yet the Tang Clan had crossed a line they should not have, desperate to preserve their glory, and once that fact came to light, they had to descend like a crumbling tower.

They had lost their power.

They had to relinquish most of what they possessed to the air.

So where did this Tang Clan now stand?

The answer could be seen in the disdainful glances cast at the woman nearby.

Cold and unyielding.

There were no looks of admiration or envy toward the late-stage talents of the once-great family.

As soon as it was revealed she belonged to the Tang Clan, there came a gaze tinged with almost palpable contempt.

That was the current standing of the Tang Clan.

‘What does this girl think she’s accomplished to hold her head so high?’

Amid disgust and scorn, the woman’s eyes remained pure.

Her piercing gaze met Yu Tan-Geom’s completely, unwavering despite the dense pressure around them.

‘How enticing.’

Unconsciously, Yu Tan-Geom thought this.

He felt anger towards the audacity hidden behind her beauty yet found himself drawn in.

He genuinely wanted to embrace that spirit.

Such thoughts pumped strength into his Lower Dantian.

“Do you not know your place? Or have you simply forgotten? Your words are truly harsh.”

What did she say again?

Had she thought she could never possess him?

“…Hahaha! If you’re still speaking as if you were from the old Tang Clan, then you are sorely mistaken. Or do you not know who I am?”

“How could I not know? I am well aware, senior.”

The blade-like tone she had just used vanished, giving way to something more dignified, yet Yu Tan-Geom was barely able to hear it.

“Doing something like that to me? It seems that the young lady has made a great mistake.”

Yu Tan-Geom’s eyes flashed as he exerted even more force.

“Ugh!”

“Oh dear…!”

The martial artists around them gasped in near horror.

“It’s not that I am unworthy of the young lady; it’s rather that the young lady is unworthy of me.”

Being proud is admirable, but one should at least know their place. How dare she raise her nose at him?

Unexpectedly, a laugh erupted in front of him.

Yu Tan-Geom’s brows furrowed in irritation.

“You’re laughing?”

“I apologize, it was unintentional.”

Despite speaking those words, Tang Soyeol seemed unable to restrain her laughter.

“What exactly is so funny? Were my words amusing?”

“Yes. I wasn’t trying to laugh, but it really was quite funny.”

Tang Soyeol, covering her mouth, threw Yu Tan-Geom a mocking glance before continuing.

“Should I thank you for regarding my body so greedily, or should I say it’s repulsive? Hard to choose, really.”

Yu Tan-Geom frowned at her words.

It was not just her rhetoric that bothered him; something else was awry.

‘When did she slip her hand away?’

She had been holding his wrist, yet somehow she had already pulled her hand back.

He never let go.

“First, I must firmly brainwash myself to say thank you. Unfortunately, my body already has an owner.”

“An engagement?”

“It’s merely a crush I harbor in secret. Simply put, I have no intention of letting anyone else but that person have a taste.”

“Hah.”

Was she claiming to have an unrequited love for someone who isn’t even her fiancé?

Just as Yu Tan-Geom was about to burst into a mocking laugh at that.

“But if there’s someone greater than that person, perhaps I could consider parting my body and heart. Just saying.”

As Tang Soyeol adjusted her hair, she looked directly at Yu Tan-Geom.

“An insect like you, or anyone else, cannot possibly be better than that person. So don’t be disappointed.”

“…This is something else.”

No sooner had Tang Soyeol finished her words than a smile broke across Yu Tan-Geom’s face.

At the same time, he forced power into his Lower Dantian, exuding even more intense energy.

Whoosh-!!

A pressure filled the surroundings, accompanied by a menacing killing intent in Yu Tan-Geom’s gaze.

“Are you saying someone who covets your body could be a great talent?”

To say that not only he but also no one else could be impressive was the utmost arrogance.

“In front of me, those words are intolerable.”

Because she was precious and beautiful.

Because she was even young and alluring.

He had been patient yet clearly, she was crossing the line.

It seems he must show her.

“I’ll show you the world.”

Here, he would reveal the harsh reality of life.

As Yu Tan-Geom resolved to draw his sword…

“Old man, you’re truly disgusting.”

A voice came from behind him.

Yu Tan-Geom turned his head to the right.

‘What?’

But there was nothing behind him.

Startled, he widened his eyes.

Swoosh-!

“…!”

A hand took hold of Yu Tan-Geom’s shoulder.

Then, a voice drifted in from his left.

“It’s really not easy to act like this in front of so many people, right?”

With a voice laced with laughter, Yu Tan-Geom tensed up.

His instinct was to draw his sword to shake off the sudden approach, but—

“Hah…!”

He couldn’t break free.

Squeezed tight—!!

He tried to use strength to pull away, but it felt like his very physical body was bound.

Feeling awkward, Yu Tan-Geom concentrated his energy into his Lower Dantian.

Boom-!!

Despite unleashing his power, Yu Tan-Geom gasped in shock.

He was producing energy, yet it was utterly restrained from breaking free into the outside world.

The person grasping Yu Tan-Geom was nullifying all of his energy.

This meant that he was easily absorbing the full burst of energy Yu Tan-Geom was putting out.

While maintaining such close proximity?

It was preposterous.

It meant that this individual was fully absorbing his pressure.

‘What nonsense—!’

In disbelief, Yu Tan-Geom clenched his teeth and released more strength.

“A-jerk.”

A dry voice reached his ears.

“Get your hand off the sword. Don’t do anything useless.”

Grrr-!!

“Ugh!?”

An overwhelming wave of pressure hit him.

The energy he had unleashed was crushed, replaced by an even larger weight bearing down on him.

His legs trembled uncontrollably.

He felt he would drop to his knees any moment, but he could not do that either.

The one holding his shoulder was not allowing him even that.

Who is this person?

Who are they to exude this kind of pressure?

Beads of cold sweat formed on Yu Tan-Geom’s forehead.

In this bizarre situation, an odd atmosphere gathered around them.

“Hah… The pressure… it’s gone.”

“I feel like I can breathe again…”

The martial artists sighed in relief, escaping from the wave of pressure Yu Tan-Geom had unleashed.

“Did Yu Tan-Geom regain his energy?”

“What does this even mean?”

Yu Tan-Geom swallowed hard as he observed the reactions of those around him.

‘…The pressure has dissipated?’

The surrounding pressure he had been unleashing was lifted.

But still, he was being bombarded by this heavy pressure.

In other words.

‘It’s focusing solely on me.’

Amidst the crowd, nobody else felt it.

It was being meticulously controlled so that only Yu Tan-Geom felt the tremendous strain.

‘…This is utterly impossible.’

How could this be happening?

While Yu Tan-Geom was certainly capable, controlling such a level of pressure was nearly inconceivable.

It felt cold and spine-chilling.

Not only had this stranger closed in so closely, but they were also effectively blocking his actions.

‘No, I have to escape somehow.’

Firstly, he needed to break free.

Resolving this, Yu Tan-Geom prepared to apply strength to perform the specific stance of his martial arts.

Clank-!

Just as Yu Tan-Geom’s sword slid out just a tad, he heard—

[Put it away.]

Thud-!

“What!?”

He unknowingly shoved his sword back into its sheath.

What on earth is happening?

Yu Tan-Geom’s eyes jittered in disbelief.

As his mind began to unravel slowly, he finally understood.

“You should do the same.”

The voice projected forward.

It was directed towards Tang Soyeol and another woman.

Only then was he able to see.

The daughter of the Tang Clan was clutching a dagger, and the woman behind her—the Sword Sovereign’s disciple—had half-drawn her own sword as well.

“There are many eyes watching us.”

As the young man spoke again, the two women gradually complied.

Clang.

With the disappearance of their weapons, the pressure directed at Yu Tan-Geom started to lessen.

Sensing this, Yu Tan-Geom barely managed to speak.

“…Who exactly are you…?”

What sort of identity allows one to exhibit such overwhelming pressure?

With that thought in mind, he questioned.

“Why should I care?”

With a tone teetering between humor and disdain, the young man dismissed the inquiry.

Then more words followed.

“I attempted to just spectate, but why is this old man leering at some fresh-faced child? Did you shed your conscience in your never-ending pursuit of power?”

His voice dripped with irritation.

Moreover, there was an oddly youthful undertone to it.

“Act your age. It seems you’re still holding on to that reckless playtime. Don’t you think so? Damn!”

The words were coarse and biting, yet their underlying emotion made Yu Tan-Geom swallow hard.

The raw Qi was acutely evident.

“Why are you causing a ruckus before me? Do you want me to cut you down? Shall I make it so you could never use your body again? Would that be better?”

What is he talking about cutting down?

Curiosity flickered in Yu Tan-Geom’s mind, but he couldn’t bring himself to ask any further.

He didn’t need to hear an answer to know what it meant.

“No. On second thought, it may be best to cut you off. You really ought to live your life free of this kind of thing. That seems best.”

“…!”

At those chilling words, Yu Tan-Geom felt a shiver run down his spine.

Forget pressure—he really needed to escape.

Otherwise…!

“W-wait! Stop!”

“Ugh!”

“Tch.”

Just as Yu Tan-Geom was standing on the brink of crisis, a ray of hope glimmered before him.

A martial artist who appeared to belong to the arena pushed through the crowd.

“Please cease the fighting! Combat not agreed upon before the Martial Arts Tournament is prohibited!”

As soon as the martial artist’s voice rang out, the pressure disappeared in an instant.

Simultaneously, the hand holding his shoulder released him.

Finally breaking free, Yu Tan-Geom gasped for breath.

“Hah… Hah…”

He turned to look at his captor.

To ascertain who had been gripping him all this time.

“…!!”

Upon confirming the culprit, Yu Tan-Geom’s eyes widened in shock.

They were so young.

The opponent looked far too youthful.

Barely in their twenties.

With a surprisingly fierce appearance, perhaps even younger than it appeared.

However, beneath that youthful facade lay a horrendous truth—had this person truly subdued him?

“Look at those eyes. Don’t you dare glare at me!”

The young man furrowed his brow, causing Yu Tan-Geom to instinctively avert his gaze.

‘Dammit—!’

Realizing this disconcerting reality, Yu Tan-Geom frowned.

As his pride tore at him, he clutched his sword once again.

“Stop!…!! If this conflict continues any further, I will have no choice but to disqualify you both!”

At the words of the martial artist, he managed to hold himself back just in time.

He had come to make a name for himself in this tournament. There was no way he could blow it before it even started.

It seemed the other side shared the same sentiment.

Likely, they were as unwilling to lose out either.

Perhaps that was why Yu Tan-Geom’s voice trembled slightly less now.

“You’re lucky… this time.”

“What?”

“You dared to lay hands on me. You could’ve had your hand severed for that. It is the arena’s rule that spared you.”

Yu Tan-Geom was confident they would end it here, but—

He didn’t know Yu Tan-Geom well enough.

“Next time your luck won’t carry you through.”

“Is that so?”

Gu Yangcheong didn’t seem bothered by that.

Whoosh-!

“Eh?”

His foot moved.

Gu Yangcheong lunged forward, and as Yu Tan-Geom instinctively coated himself in protective energy,—

Krack-!

“!!!”

With a kick, Gu Yangcheong’s strike shattered Yu Tan-Geom’s protective barrier as if it were made of glass.

It was absurd.

He needed to dodge.

Yu Tan-Geom’s instincts kicked in, but Gu Yangcheong’s leg was faster.

Boom-!

“!”

The impact struck Yu Tan-Geom directly in the groin, resounding like a bell in his ears.

“Guh!”

“Oh wow…”

“Ugh…”

The men who witnessed the attack instinctively clutched their own groins.

It was a sensation far beyond what one could endure.

Thud.

Before long, Yu Tan-Geom, having taken the full brunt, crumpled down.

And soon after—

“Gwooooooohhhh!!”

A new universe opened for Yu Tan-Geom.

 

---