Chapter 1206: Scorched World

Only after Pajeon-nim finished tidying things up could I finally get my body moving.

Just as I was trying to get up like that.

Whoosh-!

My legs must have given out, because I collapsed without even realizing it.

Thump-!

Father, who was beside me, caught me.

“……Ah, thank you.”

At my thanks, Father stared intently at me. He had a look like he had something to say.

Just as I was about to ask why he was looking at me like that, it dawned on me.

‘Father….’

Ah.

The fact that I called Father ‘Father’. Was it because of that?

‘Did he perhaps notice something?’

The thought that maybe he did made a little cold sweat trickle down my back. It was something he absolutely shouldn’t be able to notice, but you never know.

Father’s indifferent gaze made me even more anxious.

Gulp. Without anyone noticing, I swallowed and asked Father.

“……Budaeju-nim. Did you have something to say.”

“You remember what you said, right?”

“……”

Oh no. It seems my guess was correct. Calling him ‘Father’ must have been the problem.

“……No, Budaeju-nim. When I called you Father, it wasn’t because…”

“You haven’t forgotten about telling me your secret, have you?”

“Ah, that?”

My eyes snapped open. Ah, right. There was that too?

“…What’s with that reaction? Were you thinking of something else?”

“No……. No, I wasn’t.”

“Pajeon-nim has arrived, but a promise is a promise. Don’t forget it.”

“……Yes. Of course. I remember.”

I gave an awkward laugh.

“If you’ve got everything, let’s move.”

Pajeon-nim said from a distance.

“Yes.”

“Understood.”

I replied and moved towards him. In Pajeon-nim’s hand was Docheol, who had lost consciousness. He was hanging limply, enough to make one wonder if he was dead.

“Bringing in one bad disciple… what a hardship in my twilight years…”

As he clicked his tongue repeatedly, I scrunched up my face and said,

“Who asked you to-“

Whack-!

“Ack…!”

Before I could even finish my sentence, my head was hit.

“Look at your mouth? If I’d left him be, it was obvious you wouldn’t have gotten out unscathed. If I saved you, at least be grateful.”

“……Thank you.”

“Right. That’s the attitude.”

“But I didn’t actually ask you to save me, so showing off like that is a bit pathetic-“

“Want another hit?”

“But… thank you.”

“……You rascal.”

Pajeon-nim raised his fist, then stopped. And then he sighed.

“Enough. There’s no point dragging this out. Let’s just hurry up and move. Someone’s waiting, after all.”

“Someone waiting?”

Who were they waiting for?

“Yes, since I went through the trouble of begging and dragging the guy here for you, we need to go appease him quickly. He’s quite eccentric, so he might bolt if we leave him waiting.”

“……?”

Who on earth did he bring? And for my sake? I couldn’t recall anyone. I hoped he hadn’t brought some weirdo again. Anxiety welled up.

“Let’s go already.”

Leaving my curiosity behind, Pajeon-nim started moving. Father naturally followed him. As I watched the two of them, just as I was about to follow,

“……”

I stiffened my legs and looked down at the floor. It was the space that had crumbled and vanished. Where Cheonma had been, and where Cheonma had disappeared. I stared fixedly at that spot.

Then, I ran my hand over my chest. A lingering, unsettling feeling seemed to reach the top of my head. The face that had smiled at me flickered in my mind. What was that smile for? And what emotion did this signify?

You.

‘What on earth are you?’

What kind of existence are you to me? I harbored the question. I couldn’t sort out what was inside me to reach a conclusion. Even though I should be cursing you to death, this inexplicable feeling sprouting up is the biggest question for me.

I forced my legs, which still refused to move properly, to move. I didn’t want to stay here. Thinking about the vanished Cheonma.

‘I have to go.’

There was a lot to do. Tricking myself like that, I walked.

---

I came outside. The iron gate had melted away, and the stairs had collapsed, so I just returned to where Pajeon-nim had come from.

“……You really smashed your way through, didn’t you?”

The area right outside the Daoist temple. It looked like an ordinary forest, but a huge crater had been made here. These weren’t just signs of digging; they were traces of breaking through by punching. Even if the underground wasn’t particularly deep, punching through it like this was undeniably a display of brute force and sheer impressiveness.

As I watched it with fascination, Pajeon-nim stretched his shoulders, looking tired, and said,

“That’s enough about this… Let’s see.”

Pajeon-nim looked around and spoke.

“Come on out now.”

At his curt words, a sound came from not far behind.

Fssst.

It was the sound of someone approaching. Following the sound, I shifted my gaze, and a half-white-haired old man revealed himself, his face contorted. Seeing him, my eyes widened.

“Huh?”

It was a familiar face. He looked much younger than the version I knew, but it was definitely someone I knew. And no wonder, he was someone I owed a debt of gratitude. He was the very person who first taught me the concept of sorcery properly.

“Damn it. I’m dead tired, and you make me wait in a remote place like this? You’ve lost your mind.”

The old man appeared, thoroughly angered. He was none other than the number one in the Central Plains.

Shinui.

“Why are you getting so angry over a little wait? Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

“A little? A LITTLLLE? I was dragged here against my will, and you say ‘a little’? Do you even know how valuable my time is?”

As Shinui growled his words, Pajeon-nim shrugged.

“Well, it could happen.”

“Happen my ass…!”

“Ah, I said I’m sorry! I came as quickly as I could, so stop being so angry.”

“……This is exactly why I shouldn’t have followed you.”

“Geez. I didn’t come here for free, yet you chatter on endlessly…?”

“What did you say?”

I blankly watched the argument that had started between the two. To think I’d get to see Shinui in his youth.

‘Why is that guy here again?’

From what I heard, it sounded like Pajeon-nim brought Shinui here? Why would Pajeon-nim bring Shinui? As I was wondering about that,

“Enough. Arguing with warriors always puts me at a disadvantage… Enough of this pointless talk. Where is he? The one I’m supposed to examine,”

Shinui turned his head and looked this way. His gaze first landed on Father.

“……Greetings, Shinui-nim.”

“Hmm.”

Father showed proper respect. Shinui nodded upon seeing that. Then.

Swoosh.

He came forward and extended his hand towards Father.

“Give me your hand.”

“……”

Father looked puzzled at the request, but extended his hand nonetheless. Shinui immediately began taking his pulse.

“Hmm.”

After checking for a moment, he finally nodded. Then, looking at Pajeon-nim, he said,

“Is it this one?”

“Hmm?”

“You’ve found quite the monstrous fellow. Not only his potential but his build is so imposing… You kept singing praises about finding a disciple, so the rumors were true.”

Shinui evaluated Father. It seemed he mistook Father for Pajeon-nim’s disciple. Hearing this, Pajeon-nim chuckled and said,

“It’s not him.”

“What?”

Shinui’s eyes widened at Pajeon-nim’s words.

“Not him?”

“Yeah. He seemed like a good candidate originally… but I found someone better.”

“…Someone better?”

“The ugly one standing behind him.”

“Hmm?”

Hearing that, Shinui finally looked at me. And nodded.

“He certainly is ugly.”

“……What?”

What is this rudeness? Saying that right to my face? I scowled fiercely.

“Saying I’m ugly right to my-“

“He looks quite ill-tempered too. But he’s the one?”

“I told you so?”

“……Why pick someone like that when you could have someone normal.”

“Someone like that? Who are you calling…?”

“Enough. Just give me your hand already.”

“……”

Damn it all. Why don’t these old geezers listen to anyone? It’s absurd.

As I contorted my face, Pajeon-nim said to me,

“What are you doing? Hurry up and offer your hand.”

“……Ah, seriously.”

I was getting angry, but I couldn’t just lash out, so I obediently complied.

‘Damn it. I can’t even put up a fight.’

I wanted to yell at Pajeon-nim, but I couldn’t. Setting aside the fact that I was in a weakened state.

‘Making me look like a fool.’

It was because I knew Pajeon-nim had brought Shinui here for me.

‘No wonder he suddenly went outside.’

Pajeon-nim had left Sanseo, saying he was going to meet someone he knew. I had wondered who he could be meeting to warrant leaving.

‘It was Shinui?’

Shinui must have been somewhere nearby. But did Pajeon-nim just go to meet him? No way.

‘The timing is suspicious.’

The time when my energy converged and caused problems. Pajeon-nim was absent then. But he brought Shinui for me? I could tell he had specifically brought him here to examine my body.

‘……Tsk.’

Even if the purpose was for the completion of his own martial arts. It was like that, anyway. He did bring him for me. Knowing that, I offered my arm instead of venting my irritation.

Shinui promptly grabbed my arm and began taking my pulse.

“……Hmm?”

Then, Shinui’s face immediately contorted. His expression changed instantly the moment he started taking my pulse.

“……What the hell is this, kid.”

Shinui said, looking straight at me.

“You’re practically a walking corpse.”

“……”

It was a phrase that felt strangely familiar.