Chapter 1115: Scorched World.

The place Namgung Jeohui and I moved to was a more secluded space within the clan.

A passage located behind the residence. It wasn’t particularly decorated, just a space lined with corridors.

Unlike the overgrown surroundings, it felt strangely arranged.

An artificial sense. It meant someone was managing it.

Thump.

Namgung Jeohui moved his steps towards it, saying to us.

“…Follow carefully.”

His expression clearly showed worry. Hearing that, I moved accordingly.

As I followed him and stepped into the passage.

Zzzzt-

“……”

A tingling sensation brushed past my body. I didn’t let it show.

‘Well, well.’

It seemed like he tried to let it pass without me noticing. It was so subtle and shallow that, because I was already suppressing my Ki sense, I might not have felt it if I hadn’t been careful.

The moment I entered the passage, I felt an energy that made me narrow my eyes slightly.

‘He’s watching.’

Whether he was seeing or feeling.

If I had to guess, it was probably feeling. I thought of the owner of the energy and moved, trying hard to pretend I didn’t notice.

The path was uphill, seeming to climb the mountain, but it wasn’t particularly rough.

It was a well-maintained passage.

As I slowly took steps along the dirt path.

Zzzzzzt.

“……”

The trace of corrupted Ki I felt grew stronger. It wasn’t enough to make my skin tingle yet, but the intention was clear.

Is the corrupted Ki getting stronger the further I go? Should I just keep ignoring it?

‘This is starting to get annoying.’

No matter how much I suppressed my Ki sense and hid my energy, the annoyance couldn’t be helped. Irritation was slowly building up.

At this level, it was practically being sprinkled out just so I’d notice.

‘Hmph.’

However, I tried to keep up the pretense of ignorance. Since I didn’t want to show anything, just as I was trying my best to endure and move forward.

Fwoooooosh-!!!

“……!”

“What!?”

Suddenly, intense heat erupted from the side. Namgung Jeohui, who was leading ahead, looked back at the surge of powerful energy. I also looked towards the source of the heat.

It was Father.

Father was shaking himself off, emitting flames from his body.

“W-what are you doing?”

Namgung Jeohui asked, flustered by the sudden action. To his words, Father replied with an expressionless face.

“There was something continuously bothersome, so I burned it.”

“……”

They were the most nonchalant words imaginable. Seeing that, I involuntarily exclaimed inwardly.

‘Wow…’

Father was feeling the corrupted Ki too. It seemed he had just burned it away with his flames. The problem was…

‘He surely must know whose energy that was.’

The owner of the corrupted Ki must be somewhere in this mountain range. Even though he must know what it means to brush aside his energy like that, Father was busy shaking himself off as if nothing happened.

Father, who had been emitting heat like that for a moment.

Fureureu…

Soon after, the flames subsided. It meant he had burned away all the corrupted Ki.

“Huh…”

Namgung Jeohui gasped, seeing that. It seemed he had only just realized what Father had done.

“Unit Leader. Right now…”

Just as he was about to say something.

Kuurrrrrrrg–!!!

‘Whoa.’

From the hilltop far away, thunder echoed in the clear sky.

It was a sky without a single cloud, yet thunder echoed so nonchalantly.

‘Is he angry?’

I suspected the owner of the thunder might be a little angry.

And, as if confirming my prediction.

“How amusing.”

Zzzzzzzzzzt–!!!

A heavy voice struck down, sending a chill spreading up my spine.

‘Ah, crap.’

It really seemed like he was angry.

Whooosh-!!

I felt pressure. Energy emanated as if to crush everything around us.

Swaaaaaa-!!!

The surrounding bushes seemed to be crushed by the pressure from the emanating energy.

“Kkuh…!”

Namgung Jeohui groaned. His legs were visibly trembling, as if unable to withstand the pressure.

Unlike him, Father and I stood perfectly fine. Seeing this, I realized I’d slipped up.

‘If I was going to react, I should have trembled when Namgung Jeohui did. I ended up standing there far too nonchalantly.’

It was already too late to imitate him. So, I just stood there, feeling the pressure.

“Kekeke-.”

A chuckling sound was heard.

Kuurrrrrrrg–!!!

From afar, light flashed in the air, accompanied by the thunder that had just burst.

Pajijijijik-!!!!

Kuaaaaaa–!!!

A massive flash struck the ground. The light burst, and the sound followed belatedly.

Hooook-!!

The shockwave surged, sweeping the surroundings. As I squinted, enduring the wind, dust and dirt generated by the impact instantly billowed up.

Everything blocking my vision cleared, and the figure before me came into view.

‘……Cheon-jon.’

The figure who appeared was, as expected, Cheon-jon.

One of the Three Venerables, and the former head of the Namgung clan in the current era.

Furthermore, he was the figure who, despite stepping down from the clan head position, served as the de facto master.

‘He looks young.’

Certainly, like Geom-jeon, he looked much younger than the Cheon-jon I knew. It seemed to be because this era was in the past.

“This is interesting.”

Pasuseuk.

Every time Cheon-jon walked, smoke wafted from the ground. The heat, intensified by his corrupted Ki, was melting the surface.

“Where did the Clan Head find children like these?”

“Father…”

“I definitely told you?”

Cheon-jon’s gaze turned towards Namgung Jeohui. His look was so chilling that I involuntarily swallowed nervously.

“I definitely told you not to let anyone inside for a while. Also.”

As Cheon-jon spoke, his figure vanished.

When he reappeared, he was right in front of Namgung Jeohui.

“That included you too, Clan Head. Didn’t I tell you that?”

“……!”

Namgung Jeohui broke out in a cold sweat.

His eyes darted nervously, and his body trembled slightly.

Furthermore, the pressure felt all around had lessened.

This meant…

‘He’s concentrating the emitted pressure onto Namgung Jeohui.’

It meant he was focusing artillery fire onto one person, instead of scattering it everywhere.

Since he hadn’t reached the Hwa-gyeong realm, enduring that must be incredibly difficult.

“Kkuh… Gguk…”

Despite it all, Namgung Jeohui endured with sheer willpower, as if refusing to show any weakness.

Not long after.

“Tsk.”

The moment Cheon-jon clicked his tongue, Namgung Jeohui’s breathing returned.

“Gasp… Hah… Hah…”

Seeing that, something flashed through my mind.

‘Cheon-jon’s position is too absolute.’

It was a realization. I had wondered why Namgung Jeohui, despite holding the title of Clan Head, couldn’t order them to muster their full strength or evacuate.

‘It’s because there had to be someone above him to grant permission.’

Cheon-jon’s position was just too absolute. Ultimately, nothing could be done without his permission.

“I apologize… It was a very… urgent matter…”

“Yes, it must have been urgent. Therefore, I’ll let it pass this time.”

Cheon-jon’s blue eyes flashed. He withdrew his gaze from Namgung Jeohui and looked this way.

Zzzzzzzzzzt-!!!

‘Huh.’

I felt immense corrupted Ki. The energy, mixed with the pressure, invaded my body. The aura emanating from Cheon-jon’s body aggressively burrowed in.

Fwoooooosh-!!!

The moment the corrupted Ki was emitted, Father erupted in flames.

His body repelled the energy, as if refusing to yield.

The heat was enough to change the very air.

‘As expected.’

Amazing. To possess that level of compression and rotational force at his state.

It was a level I couldn’t manifest when I was at Hwa-gyeong. Or rather, perhaps I could have, but it would have required twice the amount of internal energy.

Around the time I was admiring Father’s flames.

“Hahaha.”

Cheon-jon chuckled, looking at Father.

“I heard a promising youngster was coming around lately, so I had some interest. But this is quite unexpected. So, are you the Divine Dragon of this generation?”

To Cheon-jon’s question, Father nodded.

“Gu Cheol-un, Commander of the Azure Dragon Unit. I greet you, Cheon-jon.”

“Kekekekeke-.”

Pajijijijik-! Unlike his laughter, the corrupted Ki grew incomparably denser. It felt as if he were testing how much I could block.

“Truly fascinating. Where could such a child have appeared from?”

Cheon-jon seemed unable to comprehend Father’s flames. Then again, even I, who practiced the same martial arts, couldn’t understand it, so would he?

Even to me, Father seemed bizarre.

He’s probably not a returner like me. What on earth could that level and stat value be?

As I watched him with wonder.

“I like the audacity with which you casually burn away this old man’s energy. I praise you for it.”

“Thank you.”

“Something wondrous appeared, so I tried it as a test. I didn’t expect you could burn it away so easily. Truly, you are worthy of being called the greatest of all time.”

“……”

It was nothing but praise. Yet, Father’s expression didn’t change at all. Watching this, I was pondering what to do next when…

“That’s why it’s even more puzzling.”

Cheon-jon tilted his head, and then…

“The child called the Divine Dragon is emitting flames like that, pushing back the corrupted Ki, but…”

His gaze shifted away from Father and turned towards me.

Just then.

Pajik-!

“–!”

Before I could even hear the sound, I turned my head.

Kiiiiiing-!!!

Along with a roar, a flash of light grazed past my cheek.

Kuaaaaaaaa–!!!

The corrupted Ki that grazed my side spread out behind me, causing an explosion.

‘Crazy.’

I didn’t look back. Keeping my eyes fixed forward.

“Who the hell are you?”

Cheon-jon glared at me, his eyes narrowed with intensity.

“Who the hell are you, to endure this old man’s corrupted Ki without possessing any energy yourself?”

“……”

Hearing that, I ran a hand through my hair.

Damn.

“…Ah, damn it.”

I slipped up.