Chapter 1162: Scorched World.

If you were to ask what status is, it was an aura truly difficult to describe.

Was it simply presence, or the value of the vessel contained within?

Or perhaps, the enlightenment they had built up.

If I were to explain it as a warrior, I could perhaps evaluate it as things layered like a tower, built up by such elements.

‘……This is different.’

The status and aura of the beings called Masters were different, significantly so.

They couldn’t even be seen as mere humans. Something transcendent yet great.

An aura that, just by looking at it, simultaneously bestowed countless awe and overwhelming despair.

Absolutely impossible to overcome.

As if another sky existed above the sky.

Beings that made one feel powerless, impossible to exist and difficult to even dare gaze upon.

That was the aura of the Masters as I perceived it.

Right.

‘Like Mother, or that bastard Taicheon.’

The godlike beings called Masters, who managed a world and were connected to life.

The aura felt when looking at them was precisely that.

‘How could it be.’

Could I be feeling it from Grandfather?

Hwaruru-ryuk.

Gradually burning flames. Skin that had turned even whiter than before.

It resembled a human form, yet it was an utterly alien appearance, and furthermore.

‘……Unfathomable.’

While feeling an incredibly high status, conversely, it was to a level where nothing could be felt at all.

Seu-uk.

“……!”

Grandfather’s gaze suddenly turned towards me. The moment our eyes met, my heart lurched.

Giiiiiiing-!!

‘Damn it. Stay still, please.’

My body moved on its own, perhaps sensing something instinctively. The Gu-yeom-hwa-ryun-gong sealed within me seemed ready to rampage, and the Tu-a-pa-cheon-mu I had restrained sharpened its senses.

‘Calm down, you damn things.’

It was my aura, yet it was difficult to grasp.

It was even more so because I had suppressed my cultivation level.

“Hoo-oo-…….”

Just as I was trying to grasp the situation while letting out a deep sigh.

“Hahahahahahahaha–!!\”

Kwagagagagag-!!

Releasing immense pressure, the laughter of the Pajeon echoed across the ground.

“Good. Very good.”

The Pajeon, wearing a crazed smile, faced Grandfather.

“Yes, you must bring that out. Only then can we show our true selves, don’t you think?”

Kwadeudeudeuk-!! Kureureung-!!

The Pa-cheon-ho-un moved once more. The aura surrounding his body grew even more solid.

The Pajeon then grasped the clouds around him.

“Let’s do this properly.”

He began emitting a pressure level different from just before.

Kugeugeung–!!

The ground trembled. The vibration felt twice as intense as before.

Kung-! Kureureung-!!

‘……Crazy.’

Grandfather’s condition, but also…

The Pajeon’s condition is strange.

‘Didn’t they say he hadn’t achieved Great Accomplishment?’

As far as I know, the Pajeon was in a state where he hadn’t completed the Tu-a-pa-cheon-mu. That means, that martial art ultimately failed to achieve Great Accomplishment.

‘……And yet, he’s at this level?’

The Masters’ status.

The Pajeon’s Tu-a-pa-cheon-mu was resisting Grandfather’s aura, which couldn’t be seen as human.

As if refusing to yield. Not just that, but as if intending to tear it apart.

“Going.”

Kung-!

The Pajeon soared straight into the air.

The Pa-cheon-ho-un created a path following the Pajeon.

The clouds the Pajeon grasped and swung grew to immense size, and the enlarged clouds covered the sky.

“Shatter.”

Ho-un-yeong-swae (Vast Cloud Eternal Sweep).

Kuuuuuuuuuuung–!!

The Pa-cheon-gong, covering the heavens, became clouds and plummeted.

“……”

Grandfather saw that and extended his hand towards the sky.

Then.

Tung-!

Kwaaaaaaa-!!

Cracks formed not at his fingertips but in the heavens, and pillars of fire poured down.

The flames pierced a hole through the descending Pa-cheon-gong.

Kwarureureuk-!!

“Damn it all-!”

The sheer amount of fire caused flames erupting from the pillars to spray in all directions. I hastily leaped and flew up.

The ground sizzled and burned as if a sea of flames had been created.

‘Ah, crap-.’

If I had been even a moment later, my clothes and everything would have burned up.

‘Why go this far?’

This had already surpassed the level of a spar. Those crazy humans seemed intent on erasing the entire surrounding area.

Of course.

Kuaaaa-!!

It’s a battle where flames erupt, swinging across the sky at once and making the ground disappear.

This is practically…

‘……The level of when the Three Lords and the Heavenly Demon fought.’

The scene back then when the Heavenly Demon alone faced all Three Lords.

I couldn’t see it properly, but from what I heard, it seemed no different from back then.

This means…

‘This fight is at that level?’

Even if not quite that level, perhaps similar? If so.

‘……Could Father also be that strong?’

If I could feel the Masters’ status from Grandfather’s appearance.

Doesn’t that mean the Father I know could actually do something like this? Such a thought suddenly crossed my mind as I looked at Father now.

Hwarureuk.

Father, enveloped in flames, was watching the fight from mid-air.

With his eyes widened considerably.

‘He looks surprised.’

How could he not be surprised?

Should I even call that martial arts?

‘……For starters, it’s not Grandfather’s side.’

One thing was certain: it wasn’t on one side.

Gu-yeom-hwa-ryun-gong. That too is martial arts, but…

‘The feeling is completely different.’

This isn’t simply from the Gu-yeom-hwa-ryun-gong. That alien state.

It was the power pouring forth, originating from that.

My eyes were drawn to the nonsensical firepower, but…

‘……If you think about it that way, the Pajeon is even stranger.’

An old man confronting such an aura with martial arts he created himself.

In my eyes, the Pajeon was stranger.

Is that guy really human? Grandfather doesn’t seem like one, but what about the Pajeon?

‘……This is absurd.’

Something far beyond the fights of warriors.

While such a fierce battle was ongoing.

Huuuuuu-!!

An anomaly occurred with the Pajeon. He began condensing the Pa-cheon-ho-un he wore around his body into one point.

‘……Huh?’

Seeing that, I widened my eyes.

Though the form was different, the movement of the aura I saw with my Mind’s Eye was familiar.

‘That….’

It’s Pa-cheon.

The Pajeon was performing Pa-cheon.

‘……That guy.’

The Pajeon of this era did not create Pa-cheon. That means he is directly copying what I showed him.

‘Ha.’

Copying it immediately after seeing it once? Even though it was originally his own martial art, it was still an amazing feat.

“……”

The aura gathering in the Pajeon’s hand. Seeing that, Grandfather lightly opened one hand.

Hwaruk.

There, I could see flames gradually condensing.

‘……Yeom-ok.’

If the Pajeon attempts Pa-cheon.

Grandfather, Gu Seong-yeol, was creating Yeom-ok.

Something containing a much deeper and far more tremendous aura.

‘……They really seem like crazy humans.’

Seeing that, I swallowed hard.

‘If they both detonate those, it seems like big trouble.’

Just looking at it, the amount of energy is unusual.

If those clash and cause ripples, it wouldn’t be strange if this entire area disappeared.

‘Should I run?’

Wouldn’t it be better to run now rather than get hurt in these old men’s pride match?

Just as I was genuinely considering it.

“Going.”

The Pajeon said, his eyes burning.

“……”

Just as Gu Seong-yeol, seemingly ready, was about to unleash the Yeom-ok.

“Hhup…!”

“Ah. Let’s stop.”

“……Huh?”

Hwaruk-!

Gu Seong-yeol suddenly recalled the Yeom-ok he held. Following that, his body’s condition instantly returned to normal.

“Eh? What? What are you doing now?”

As the fight stopped, the Pajeon shouted, his face contorting. It was a complaint asking why he suddenly stopped while fighting well.

“I didn’t get permission.”

“……What?”

“I didn’t get permission from my wife to go this far.”

“……What is this lunatic saying.”

“I’m going back.”

Gu Seong-yeol, suddenly bringing up Jin Yeon-ryeong, turned his back and enveloped himself in flames.

Paaak-!!

Flames erupted for a moment, and Gu Seong-yeol flew off, drawing a line.

“Huh…?”

Watching Gu Seong-yeol disappear arbitrarily, the Pajeon let out a gasp.

“……”

“……What is this?”

My Father and I were left standing there dumbfounded.

It was absurd, but…

The fight really ended just like that.

---

“That son of a bitch…! Always doing whatever he wants again!”

After Gu Seong-yeol disappeared, the Pajeon vanished, grumbling angrily as if quite furious.

He seemed genuinely angry.

The problem was that if he disappeared like that, only Father and I would be left.

“……”

“……”

We had to return to Gu Clan in a rather awkward atmosphere.

We couldn’t just stay there, so there was no choice.

“I’ll… uh. Be going now?”

The return journey without a single word. I really hated that uncomfortable, heavy atmosphere.

I wondered about the fight between Grandfather and the Pajeon. I thought about bringing it up while reviewing it, but…

‘……Scary.’

Father just kept moving ahead, giving off a ‘don’t talk to me’ vibe.

He disappeared even before greeting me after we arrived at Gu Clan.

“Hmm……”

Now, what should I do?

I was left alone, scratching my head.

However.

‘It wasn’t without gains.’

From the Pajeon’s martial arts, and from Gu Seong-yeol’s appearance.

I was able to gain various things.

‘It feels like something is coming, yet isn’t.’

A shallow enlightenment.

It was an opportunity born from gaining something unknown.

‘……If I can just grasp it properly.’

If I could just grab the collar of this, I felt I could gain something more.

So, just as I was trying to rack my brain, even for a moment.

“How was it?”

“Waaah! Fuck!”

I was startled by the voice that came from behind.

“Huk… Heuk……”

“……”

The figure who appeared behind me was Gu Seong-yeol.

“……What? When, when did you arrive?”

Is this guy a ghost, or where did he suddenly come from? I had to force my pounding heart to calm down.

As I held my breath in surprise.

“I asked how it was.”

“……How was what?”

Gu Seong-yeol asked, sounding puzzled.

How was what?

“You saw it, didn’t you.”

“If you saw it… ah.”

Perhaps.

“……Are you talking about what the Family Head did?”

The form that enveloped his body with the Masters’ status. I wondered if that’s what he meant.

“Correct.”

Gu Seong-yeol affirmed.

“How was it… well? How should I put it? It was fascinating.”

“……”

It was a form I had never seen before. Should I say it felt different from the secret techniques used upon reaching Great Accomplishment?

However, perhaps my answer didn’t please him, Gu Seong-yeol’s brow furrowed slightly.

“Family Head? What else….”

“Show me.”

“Huh?”

“I mean, do it right here, right now.”

“……”

Hearing that, I had to make a face like I’d just eaten something foul.

“……I don’t know how, so how can I do it?”

I don’t know how to do it, so how can I possibly…?

I replied to his baffling words, but…

“You can do it.”

“……What.”

“You can already do it. Haven’t you realized? You already achieved the status. You already….”

Hearing that, my body stiffened. I had already achieved status?

“You are achieving the status of a Master.”

It was an unexpected statement.