Chapter 1226: Scorched World

Disciple?

At Cheolhyeolbuseon’s words, my face contorts. What is this random nonsense?

“Did I just mishear you?”

It seemed I had misheard. I ask again, thinking so.

“No, you heard correctly. It’s exactly as I said. Do you have any intention of becoming my disciple?”

“……”

It seemed I had heard correctly. I scratched my cheek. What should I do about this crazy talk? A disciple?

“……Perhaps.”

Has he lost his mind? I almost asked that, but swallowed the words. No matter what, saying that would be the death of me.

“I’m not crazy.”

“……Oh.”

I exclaimed without realizing it. He’s quite perceptive, isn’t he?

“Huh? Look at this guy.”

Oops.

I felt awkward being caught expressing my admiration. However, Cheolhyeolbuseon just kept smiling as if something pleased him.

“As expected, you’re the perfect fit.”

“Fit for what?”

“My disciple.”

“……”

A sigh was about to escape. Why is everyone messing with me? Such thoughts filled my head endlessly.

“I apologize, Great Warrior-nim. As you know, my body is in a terrible state.”

“That doesn’t matter. I can fix things like that anytime.”

“Fix what? Even a god can’t fix this.”

If that were possible, would I be in this state? This is absurd, truly.

And besides, it’s not just a matter of my body being sound or not. The biggest problem here lay elsewhere.

“Fundamentally, I already have a master.”

The Fist Sovereign.

As long as he exists, this is meaningless. Even with those words, Cheolhyeolbuseon maintained his smile.

“Even that doesn’t matter. If it’s a matter of inner arts, I’ll resolve that too.”

“……With what? Like erasing it and learning anew?”

That was something the Fist Sovereign had tried to do. Erase the inner arts within my body and bestow his Two-Winged Sky-Shattering Dance upon me.

Recalling that insane act, I scrunched up my face.

“Ahaha. Surely not.”

Cheolhyeolbuseon gestures as if to say that’s not the case.

“What I will teach you is not mere inner arts. So you need not worry about it.”

“Not inner arts?”

If not inner arts, then what is he trying to teach? I stare, filled with questions.

“So, make your choice. Won’t you become the disciple of the greatest under Heaven? This is not an opportunity that comes easily.”

His persuasion method feels like haggling for vegetables in a marketplace. The disciple of the greatest under Heaven? Just the title sounded somewhat tempting.

“I must decline.”

I refused.

Of course, I had to refuse. It offered no benefit to me right now.

“Oh. Are you refusing?”

“Yes.”

I shrugged.

“I don’t have the capacity to take on more masters. And right now, I have neither the intention nor the leeway for it.”

“Hmmmm……”

Cheolhyeolbuseon strokes his beard. The look of regret was palpable.

“I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think I can accept it. I apologize.”

I bowed respectfully before moving. Just as I was about to leave Cheolhyeolbuseon behind.

“What a shame.”

He whispered quietly.

“If it were me, I could have healed your body.”

“……”

I froze.

At those words, I stopped walking. He could heal me? I turned my gaze, and Cheolhyeolbuseon was lifting the corners of his mouth.

“How about it? Doesn’t that pique your interest?”

“……How is that possible?”

“What’s impossible about it? I was just like you once.”

“What?”

“Didn’t you try to transcend humanity and fail?”

“……”

I narrowed my face. Fail? That was a strange statement.

However, Cheolhyeolbuseon reacted as if he knew everything.

“I know well about the karma one receives in such cases. I, this old man, can fix your body.”

“……Hmm.”

Failure. I don’t think I’m on the failure side.

I was puzzled.

‘Did Cheolhyeolbuseon also attempt transcendence?’

He attempted to become something other than human. And he failed, losing all his energy?

I furrowed my brow at his words. Could that be true? I couldn’t easily believe it.

“If you need time to think, I’ll give you more. As an old man, I find you quite fascinating.”

“……You mean you were in the same situation as me, Great Warrior-nim.”

“Yes. That’s why it’s fascinating. What exactly are you? I’m maddeningly curious.”

Cheolhyeolbuseon paused for a moment before continuing.

“So, come find me sometime. It won’t be bad for you.”

“……”

Not a bad thing…

“I’ll consider it.”

“Alright.”

Having heard my answer, Cheolhyeolbuseon vanished on the spot.

Watching the old man disappear without a trace, I fell into thought.

“……Hmm.”

I always think this.

‘This world is truly baffling.’

This world had an awful lot of secrets.

No matter how much you dig.

---

Immediately after talking with Cheolhyeolbuseon. The person I sought out was the Fist Sovereign.

“What?”

At my words, the Fist Sovereign’s face twists sharply.

“……Whose disciple are you becoming?”

“Cheolhyeolbuseon.”

“That crazy old geezer…!”

The air around the Fist Sovereign distorts. Having relayed the conversation with Cheolhyeolbuseon verbatim, the Fist Sovereign expressed his displeasure through his aura.

“I already marked my territory, and he dares to be greedy? And why were you just listening to him like a gullible fool?”

“No. When was I ever listening like a gullible fool… Besides, it wasn’t a situation where I could just choose not to listen.”

“You still shouldn’t have listened.”

“What kind of crazy talk is this-“

Thwack-

“Agh!”

I flinched after being hit on the back of the head.

“Ouch…! If I get hit wrong right now, I could die!”

“I can control it well enough.”

“Are you bragging about that? Take your hand down.”

I blocked him as he tried to hit me again. He was truly a foul-tempered person.

“So, you told him you’d talk later?”

“No, I’m curious.”

“Curious, my ass. Why? If he says he has a method, are you going to become his disciple?”

“I wasn’t exactly planning on it. But if it works…”

“You’re willing to get hit again?”

“What era is this, resorting to violence to solve things?”

This is absurd.

“I won’t, Master. It’s not good to have more masters.”

The Fist Sovereign alone was overwhelming enough. Naturally, I had no intention of becoming Cheolhyeolbuseon’s disciple. It was purely out of curiosity.

“How he plans to do it. That’s what I’m curious about.”

The solution Cheolhyeolbuseon mentioned. That’s what I was curious about.

“A solution…”

“That’s why I came to ask you, Elder-nim. To see if you know anything about what he mentioned.”

The words about failing to transcend humanity. Hearing them, the Fist Sovereign shook his head.

“Well, at least it doesn’t seem to be within my knowledge. That fellow was always full of secrets.”

“……Hmm.”

Even the Fist Sovereign doesn’t know?

It was quite an ambiguous situation.

“Anyway. You said you have no intention of becoming his disciple. Then that’s fine.”

“……That wasn’t what was important to me, though.”

Disciple or whatever, that wasn’t the point. I let out a deep sigh.

“Alright then, about that… Elder-nim.”

“Speak.”

“Do you know anything about the Divine Dragon Brigade?”

“The Divine Dragon Brigade?”

Asking about the Divine Dragon Brigade so suddenly makes the Fist Sovereign’s brow furrow.

“The Divine Dragon Brigade? Why? Are you perhaps interested in joining?”

“I’m not particularly interested in that either. I just need to look into it this time.”

“Why?”

“I heard they’re appearing on the martial arts stage.”

“The martial arts stage? Ah.”

The Fist Sovereign’s eyes widened as if he understood.

“You mean that brat-fight arena. Yes, they did mention they were participating for some reason.”

“You heard about it too, Elder-nim?”

“Sword Sovereign, that old man, told me. He said it seemed like a demonstration was needed. But why would you…”

Mid-sentence, the Fist Sovereign suddenly curls his lips upwards.

“Look at this guy? You’re participating too.”

“……Yes.”

“Ahaha. What are you going to do there, someone whose body isn’t even in good shape?”

“It’s not like I wanted to go. I had no choice because something was at stake.”

“The Azure Dragon Brigade Leader. That guy played a trick, didn’t he? He really is sharp, that one.”

“……That’s why I’m asking, because I need to look into the Divine Dragon Brigade.”

“Hmm, the Divine Dragon Brigade.”

The Fist Sovereign rolls his eyes back and forth. He seemed to be pondering how to explain.

“A place where they gather the relatively useful ones. That’s the best way to put it.”

“Relatively useful?”

“Originally, the Sword Brigade guys in the sect aren’t that useful.”

That was the Fist Sovereign’s assessment. Even though this Eight Sword Brigade is where the best of the best gather. The Fist Sovereign’s evaluation is incredibly harsh.

However.

“Sometimes, there are guys who show promise. The Divine Dragon Brigade is where those guys gather.”

“Promise…”

It seemed to be about potential.

“Guys who won’t die easily wherever they go. You could say it’s a place where such people gather.”

When the Fist Sovereign, who dismisses most as useless, speaks like this, you can tell they are quite outstanding.

“But to deliberately throw such guys into a place for kids to play… Sword Sovereign. Unless that senior has lost his marbles, I don’t understand the reason. He wouldn’t need to deliberately curry favor with that Cheolhyeolbuseon fellow.”

“Is the difference that great?”

Enough to call it a place for kids to play?

“Ah, you haven’t seen them?”

“Yes. I saw them once, in passing.”

I had seen the masked figure known as the Divine Dragon Brigade Leader before. But I hadn’t seen anyone else.

“I see. Perhaps it’s because they’ve been dispatched elsewhere right now?”

“Where have they gone?”

“Yes. The Sect Leader currently has so many questions, the kids are suffering unnecessarily.”

“……”

It meant they were out on a mission from the Sword Sovereign.

“Anyway. Don’t let your guard down. Especially not with your current body.”

“……I’ll try my best.”

Useful guys.

Focusing on those words, I narrowed my eyes.

Because it seemed I needed to investigate further.