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-You are the hope of Shaolin.

Yu Yeon had lived with those words in Shaolin all his life.

From the day he first showcased his talents to the present day.

By the time he realized it, he was already known as the hope of Shaolin.

-A mere ten-year-old child has displayed the Hundred Steps Divine Power.

-The realm is one thing… but the speed of growth is on another level entirely.

-That child is a being bestowed by heaven. Surely, he will rise to be the greatest under heaven in the future.

It was only later that Yu Yeon discovered the elder leaders of Shaolin had been having meetings about him.

He didn’t know what words had been exchanged at the higher levels, but Yu Yeon had received the Daehwan Dan three times.

A rare potion that one might receive once in a lifetime, yet he had received it three times.

Once when he was twelve after displaying the Hundred Steps Divine Power.

Once more when he turned fifteen, reaching the peak, and received the second.

And finally, at eighteen, he received the last one and ascended to the Transformation Realm.

The Martial Alliance quickly grasped Yu Yeon’s condition and spread the news throughout the Central Plains.

A Youngest Transformation Realm Martial Artist has been born.

A comet destined to lead Shaolin has appeared.

Thus, Yu Yeon’s name spread across the Central Plains.

Shin Ryong.

Before long, Yu Yeon was being called Shin Ryong.

The peak of the Six Dragons and the representative of the Late-Stage Talents era.

Upon hearing this news, Yu Yeon promptly asked the Sect Leader.

Why was he called Shin Ryong?

As he posed the question, the Sect Leader, Cheonan, told Yu Yeon.

He dreamed of an unseen future.

It was a choice for the future that had to change.

Those words were incomprehensible.

Yet, Yu Yeon did not rebut. If it was the Sect Leader’s intention, he had to follow.

He simply felt regret.

It was the stage of the Dragon Meeting he once saw.

What meaning was there in holding onto the name Shin Ryong when he couldn’t even get on that stage?

Yu Yeon felt that regret.

Moreover, what meaning could there be in a reputation created from falsehoods?

Yu Yeon knew that there were lies intertwined with his name.

How could he not understand?

He had witnessed everything with his own eyes.

-The Mount Shan Clan’s Gu Yangcheong.

The one who dominated the stage with overwhelming strength at the Dragon Meeting long ago.

And the being who stood noble, having seized the momentum.

-Waaah!

Yu Yeon’s eyes, watching from a distance, were filled with emotion.

The cheers ringing in his ears invaded his mind.

That was the memory of the Dragon Meeting that Yu Yeon recalled.

All of that scenery was etched into his mind.

Younger Yu Yeon had felt his heart race at that sight.

The boy on stage wearing a blunt expression, or perhaps dissatisfied about something.

That image had left a profound shock upon Yu Yeon.

What could he say?

The cheers of the audience, the victory achieved in such a manner was all of no concern to him.

Such actions and expressions were strongly impressed upon Yu Yeon’s mind.

Why was it so?

He could not tell.

It had just come to be.

Had he not rebelliously stepped out of Shaolin that day, and had he not secretly watched the Dragon Meeting, he probably would have never known.

But he saw it.

And with that sight, he realized.

No, he must have already known since the moment he was given the name Shin Ryong.

Even as his elders hailed him a genius or a beacon of hope, Yu Yeon understood.

He was not Shin Ryong.

He was not a true genius.

The real one was already outside the world.

Someone who, unlike him, did not shrink in a cage but had already spread their wings.

Then, where were his wings?

“Shin Ryong? What kind of Shin Ryong?”

Laughing self-deprecatingly, Yu Yeon curled in further.

If he had wings, he would have likely pulled them out himself.

What value did wings given by others have?

Yu Yeon thought there was nothing at all.

Frustrating and suffocating.

Yu Yeon began a shallow escape, as if to vomit out that feeling.

-You are hope.

-You are the hope of Shaolin.

-I am grateful you exist.

Such words, heard countless times in a day, pierced his heart like daggers.

Unable to endure it, he averted his eyes and stepped outside.

Though ‘outside’ merely meant within Hanam, even that felt like an escape to him.

That day was winter.

Before Yu Yeon was ever called Shin Ryong.

Snow had fallen and it was cold outside. His hands felt numb.

Dressed in thin clothing, he felt the cold more severely than usual.

Yet, even while shivering, he was okay.

He could have sought warmth through bets, but he did not.

He wanted to feel this cold a bit longer.

At least this feeling was better than the suffocating one.

-Hah…

He breathed warm air into his cold palms.

The warmth he made himself seeped through.

The warmth created by himself.

Yu Yeon caressed his hands, feeling the strange resonance.

In the cold of winter, like a frozen blade. More than climbing a realm, this was a better feeling for his age.

That was how Yu Yeon had felt at that time.

Perhaps that was why.

-What are you doing here?

During that particularly lonely period.

It was just then that the encounter became a turning point.

He hurriedly raised his head, covering his face with a cloth at a dry voice.

-…!!

Upon seeing the owner of the voice, Yu Yeon unintentionally widened his eyes.

It was that person.

The one he had seen atop the Dragon Meeting.

Now called Jin Ryong, that boy.

He heard he was the same age as him.

Of all places to meet.

He was looking at Yu Yeon with a peculiar gaze.

-What are you doing here in this weather?

-…Ah…ah…

As the boy approached, Yu Yeon could not even reply.

He wore clothing far thinner than Yu Yeon’s.

His clothes appeared damp with sweat, and he bore an expression of fatigue.

Was it an illusion?

Upon meeting him, the cold seemed to fade away.

As if the temperature around was rising.

-Hmm.

Seeing Yu Yeon unable to respond, he tilted his head slightly.

-Have you eaten?

-…

Again, Yu Yeon remained silent. However, in his hand, something had already appeared.

-If you haven’t eaten, take this. It’s delicious. I came all the way here for this.

He said with a smile, and Yu Yeon had to lower his gaze to the warm food resting in his palm.

It was a dumpling.

-…

Upon the hand of someone prohibiting meat, meat was placed.

Seeing that, Yu Yeon panicked and stammered something, but he was already walking away.

Should he call out?

For a moment, Yu Yeon contemplated it, but—

-Prince, did you buy that again?

-Yeah.

-I said I would buy it.

-It’s fine. I happened to have something to do. Oh, but there’s a strange rumor going around at the inn…

A woman approached and began a conversation with the young man.

Seeing that, Yu Yeon could not bring himself to call out.

He just silently stared at the dumpling in his hand.

-…

If there was a problem, it would surely have been at that moment.

When he could not suppress the urge to escape.

That moment was likely the problem.

“…”

Yu Yeon looked at the half of his belt that had fallen to the ground.

When had it been severed?

He hadn’t seen how the sword approached, nor that an attack had landed.

-Pay attention.

The woman’s words echoed in his ears.

Yu Yeon lifted his gaze to look ahead.

A woman with golden hair and golden eyes.

Just by looking, she was a beauty that made his heart race.

The World’s Greatest Sword.

The Sword Sovereign Wi Hyogun’s successor.

The legacy of the clan leader, regarded as the best throughout history. One of the challenges he must overcome.

No, more than that.

‘The challenge of Shaolin and the Martial Alliance.’

Yu Yeon already grasped the intent of the clan.

Thinking of that made the suffocating weight rise again.

He wanted to escape from here, to dash off to the inn.

He wanted to eat dumplings.

This had become Yu Yeon’s habit since that day.

Whenever he felt frustrated and suffocated.

To escape outside Shaolin and eat dumplings.

That had been the comforting lie he gave himself since that day.

But now, he could not do so.

So, Yu Yeon calmly chose his breath.

As he gazed at the woman for about three counts, a chant involuntarily flowed through his mind.

A bewitching beauty.

For Yu Yeon, who had no resistance towards women, this was exceedingly challenging.

Swish.

Instead of speaking, Yu Yeon took a stance.

He slightly extended his left hand forward and prepared his lower body.

“Thank you.”

He offered gratitude rather than an apology.

“Thanks to you, I’ve regained my senses.”

Barely.

Very barely, he managed to hold onto his sanity.

Reiterating.

Thinking of why he was here. He focused on that continuously.

Swish.

Seeing Yu Yeon’s stance, the woman, Wi Seol-Ah, also readied herself.

In that moment.

Swoooooosh—!!!

An overwhelming energy poured towards Yu Yeon.

It felt as if dozens of sword tips were aimed at him.

It was terrifying.

Cold sweat dripped down his back.

While sensing such a threat.

“Phew…”

Yu Yeon exhaled softly.

At the same time.

Swish.

He slowly threw a punch.

To Wi Seol-Ah, it appeared slow.

Watching the deliberate movement, Wi Seol-Ah suddenly frowned.

It wasn’t because it was a trivial movement.

Rather the opposite.

Swoosh—!

Wi Seol-Ah moved rapidly.

This was purely a movement to evade, and it was the right choice.

Bang…

Yu Yeon’s fist connected with empty air.

In that instant, Mount Tai came crashing down where Wi Seol-Ah had been standing.

KWA-AAAHH—!!

“…!!!”

The eyes of the referee outside the sparring stage widened.

A overwhelming gust swept through.

“That’s the Hundred Steps Divine Power!”

Someone in the audience shouted.

“It’s the Hundred Steps Divine Power of Shaolin…!”

An overwhelming destructive force borne from a single strike.

A fist that returns everything to its formlessness—Shaolin’s ultimate technique.

Yu Yeon had executed the rare martial art known only to a few among Shaolin’s fierce practitioners.

Just once.

Through that singular strike, Yu Yeon proved his presence.

“Waaahhh–!!”

The crowd erupted in cheers.

The Youngest Transformation Realm Martial Artist.

With that innocent name, Yu Yeon began to show his worth.

“…”

The cheers now resembled those of the past.

Even hearing them, Yu Yeon’s expression remained calm.

He could not hear their voices.

His gaze darted quickly.

Thud.

He sensed a presence.

Immediately, Yu Yeon turned his head.

Swish-!! The sword’s blade brushed past his cheek.

Turning his head, he spun his body.

Using that rotational force, he gathered strength in his lower body.

Whirling—! His toes cut through the void.

Boom-!

Yu Yeon’s toes clashed with Wi Seol-Ah’s sword, unleashing another impact.

KWA-BOOM-!

It was an immense sound.

The shockwave surged even into the audience stands.

The chilling pressure sent shivers down the spines of the spectators.

Against a single clash.

Having experienced it, Wi Seol-Ah chose to deflect rather than block it.

‘So strong.’

The opponent was far too powerful.

Whip-! Changing her grip on the sword handle, she attempted to deflect Yu Yeon’s attack.

She intended to close the gap and counter.

Whoosh-!

“…!”

Judging that, Yu Yeon’s punch was already closing in on Wi Seol-Ah’s face.

She raised her head to evade.

KWA-BOOM-!!

The Hundred Steps Divine Power exploded, passing above Wi Seol-Ah.

The air slicing across felt as if it would tear her skin.

Wi Seol-Ah furrowed her brow, releasing a pressure of energy.

Golden Qi.

The clear energy of the Moonlight Sky Sword began wrapping around Wi Seol-Ah’s body.

Acceleration of movement commenced.

The sword bore Sword Intent.

And Wi Seol-Ah’s hair began to shine slowly.

K-kik—! She executed her footwork, slightly widening the distance.

The Hundred Steps Divine Power was an art with a long range.

Being aware of that, she turned her gaze.

“Fwoof!”

Yu Yeon also surrounded himself with energy.

Fwoosh—!

The energy moved so fiercely that steam began to rise from the friction.

The yellow aura resembling the golden Qi of the Moonlight Sky Sword.

Yu Yeon and Wi Seol-Ah, wrapped in their respective energies, faced each other.

“…”

“…”

Neither exchanged any words.

There was no need. They had already communicated everything necessary through the prior clash.

The energy of martial artists intertwined.

As a result, vibrations took over the sparring stage, and dust rose into the air.

Wi Seol-Ah, who had appeared gentle, now had sharpened eyes. Cold sweat beaded upon her skin.

Momentarily locking gazes.

Drip.

Slowly, the sweat from Wi Seol-Ah rolled down her cheek toward her chin.

The droplet eventually fell to the ground.

Tap.

Just as that droplet touched the ground.

Swoosh-!

KUUUUUUNG-!!

The two martial artists clashed.

*

KWA-AHHH—!!!

An enormous surge of energy.

The form resembled a whirlwind within a typhoon.

The golden and yellow winds mixed and surged.

Crash-! KWA-BOOM-!

As if an earthquake had occurred, the tremors exploded all around.

It was fierce. And yet, heavy.

Each had a vast amount of energy, and the power of their actions was on a different level altogether.

“Ugh… ugh…”

“Isn’t… isn’t that an absurd battle…?”

“No way…! Are they really Late-Stage Talents?”

Beyond amazement, they found themselves in disbelief.

It was as if they were facing an illusion, everyone trembled in their places.

So intense was the battle that even the martial artists engaged in combat next to them stopped and watched the clash.

Flash-!!

A flash of light erupted.

Wi Seol-Ah’s sword light sparkled multiple times within a second.

That sight was almost akin to how stars twinkle.

In contrast, Yu Yeon’s strikes were far fewer.

Boom-! Bang-bang-!

Amid the flashes, a single sound reverberated.

Yet, in terms of power, it could not be compared to the quantity.

Each of his hits shook the area.

A strike filled with the enlightenment of martial arts—the Hundred Steps Divine Power.

Just one strike resembled the sunrise of the Tua Pacheonmu.

The conditions and movements seemed identical, so likely…

‘The amount of energy used must be similar as well.’

The difference would be that the Hundred Steps Divine Power focused on breaking, while the Tua Pacheonmu emphasized tearing.

That disparity may be significant, yet in the end, the feeling is akin.

High impact and great vibrations meant that it contained a vast amount of energy.

That power was being unleashed successively by Shin Ryong.

‘How large is that energy vessel?’

I could easily do something like that.

That was thanks to the opportunities I’d gained in the past, but what on earth is he?

He casually uses something deemed a finishing move, something others can hardly pull off, as if it were an elementary maneuver.

It felt absurd. Is he insane?

‘Could this be how others feel when they see me?’

Such thoughts suddenly crossed my mind.

KWA-AHHH—!!!

Every time the Hundred Steps Divine Power burst forth, it tore through the air.

The enlightenment contained within, as well as the concentrated energy, were enough to draw out awe.

Yes, that meant I was impressed.

‘What the hell did Shaolin create?’

The more I observed the battle between Shin Ryong and Wi Seol-Ah, the more it brought forth bitter chuckles.

The reason for that was simple.

‘This is different from my previous life.’

During my previous life as a Demon, Gui Seung.

I hadn’t encountered him all that frequently.

Only briefly saw him when he died.

Back then, Gui Seung was undeniably strong.

That cannot be denied.

He was a martial artist strong enough that the Heavenly Lord personally executed him.

But.

Did the Shin Ryong of the Late-Stage Talents era possess such strength?

No, he must have had strength.

So he was likely called Shin Ryong beyond Shaolin’s bounds.

However, even so—

“What the hell is that guy?”

There’s no way he would have reached such a level.

Of course.

‘How does he use the Heart’s Authority…?’

Shin Ryong is incomplete, yet he clearly touched upon the Realm of the Heart.

 

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