Chapter 1134: Scorched World.

Ssssseeeeuuuu–!!!

The moon vanishes from the blackened sky. What little light it had was crumbling away, and shadows sank into the cold forest.

Darkness arrived.

Ominous and unpleasant. Something distant and deep.

Sensing this, Namgung Hyung unconsciously let out a groan.

-Descendant-nim.

The voice of his mind echoed within his head. His stiffened body relaxed slightly at the voice.

“Gack……”

His blocked breath burst out.

“Huuuk……huk……”

His body tightened uncontrollably. It felt like something was blocking his breath from flowing; cold sweat poured from his pores, busy soaking his body.

‘What is this?’

What is this?

With trembling eyes, Namgung Hyung looked ahead.

Fzzt…

It was a man in black martial attire, clutching a core energy.

He had long, flowing hair and stood nearly eight feet tall.

And he casually crushed the core energy he held in his hand.

‘……Hmph.’

What was that core energy? It was the core energy of Cheon-jon, the supreme being of the Namgung family and the ruler of Anhui.

His own grandfather, a being who could erase the Namgung family from the world single-handedly if he truly wished it.

And yet, this man tore apart that grandfather’s core energy without batting an eye.

With his bare hands, no less.

‘……Who is he?’

His eyes trembled, and his barely recovered breath still wouldn’t obey him properly.

What is this sensation?

‘……How is it that compared to when I saw grandfather…’

Compared to the moment I faced my grandfather, seeing this man’s back right now feels far more intense.

An alien feeling, as if sensing nothing at all.

Yet, paradoxically, his presence showed so much.

Night had become human and descended.

That was how Namgung Hyung felt about the man.

“Cheonma (Heavenly Demon)……”

Cheon-jon whispered, having heard the man’s words. Then, he let out a small, amused chuckle.

“I heard. They said a master appeared recently. Is that you?”

The man did not answer Cheon-jon’s question. However, hearing this, Namgung Hyung could recall who the man was.

Because he had heard about him too.

‘An incredible master appeared and wiped out all the Baekgeup monsters and demonic beasts.’

The moment the absurd disaster known as the Baekgeup Demonic Scripture Gate erupted.

A supreme being who appeared from somewhere annihilated the demonic beasts in an instant and vanished without a trace.

That overwhelming power… people whispered about it, and some even speculated if it might be a figure on the level of the Three Revered Ones.

‘So, a master like that…’

…is the man standing before me?

Just then.

-Descendant-nim.

The noe-a spoke to Namgung Hyung once more.

-Run away-.

His voice trembled, which was rare. Hearing that, Namgung Hyung’s eyes widened.

‘Run away?’

Did this noe-a just tell me to run?

-Flee far from that thing.

That thing. Namgung Hyung knew what the noe-a was referring to. It was the man called Cheonma.

The noe-a was asking him to run from him.

‘Why?’

Why? He wondered, yet he already knew the answer. Because his own instincts were no different right now.

Not just the energy stored in his dantian, but even his heart and all the organs in his body were screaming.

To run from that ominous thing.

That’s what they were saying, yet…

Squeeeze.

‘……Ack.’

Namgung Hyung couldn’t run. No, he didn’t.

Every instinct and reason told him to flee. But for some reason, just a handful.

Something less than a speck of dust tripped his feet.

Don’t go.

Don’t leave this place right now.

As that minuscule attachment held his ankles back.

Swish.

“……!”

The man in the white mask. Cheonma glanced briefly towards Namgung Hyung.

The moment their eyes met, his purple irises locking with his.

‘Ah-.’

Namgung Hyung’s body froze solid from an inexplicable sensation.

---

‘What’s wrong with that guy?’

Looking at Namgung Hyung, who seemed dazed for some reason, I hardened my expression behind the mask. Why is he suddenly making that face?

‘It’s quite unsettling.’

That vacant expression is utterly unpleasant. Seriously, why is he acting like that?

‘I went through all that trouble to come save him, and…’

Why isn’t he running? What is he doing? I’m even buying him time, so I don’t understand why he’s just standing there.

‘Damn it.’

My whole body aches. The internal energy I used back then hadn’t fully recovered yet. Considering my body and the rate of recovery, I’d get better in a few days, but…

‘That doesn’t help right now.’

This makes me miss Mangye a little. There, I could recover internal energy just by breathing, pababat.

‘Tsk.’

As I clicked my tongue and shifted my body slightly.

“You said you were Cheonma.”

The old geezer of the Namgung family. No, Cheon-jon asked.

“What is your identity?”

“My identity?”

I quickly nodded. I almost lost focus because of Namgung Hyung.

“You can’t tell even after hearing it?”

“Hm?”

I pointed one finger towards the sky at Cheon-jon.

“I am the heavens. Nothing more, nothing less exists.”

“……Ho ho.”

Cheon-jon chuckled lowly at my claim to be the heavens. Then.

Fzzt-fzzt-fzzt.

I could see the core energy emanating from him grow incredibly strong.

“The heavens? Is that why you’re Cheonma? A demon sent by the heavens? Such arrogant words.”

Grrrrrooooom–!!!

Beyond the sky, blackened using Heukcheon, light flashed for a moment. The core energy was writhing. As if showcasing its fury from the heavens.

“And in front of me, no less.”

Cheon-jon (Heavenly Venerate).

A martial artist who touched the heavens with something other than a sword. No one else could claim the heavens before him. Yet, he appeared, confidently bearing the name of Heaven. It seemed Cheon-jon wasn’t too pleased about that.

“Enough. It’s fine if you don’t tell me your identity.”

Fzzt-d-d-d-d-!!!

Grrrrooooommmmm—!!!

Breaking through Heukcheon, the core energy continued to shimmer.

‘Wow.’

I couldn’t help but be impressed. As expected, he deserves to be called the strongest among the Three Revered Ones in terms of firepower. Just the aura he emits is on that level.

‘……The Three Revered Ones.’

The Three Revered Ones (三尊).

Beyond the heavens, the pinnacle of martial artists. It felt like I was finally witnessing their true presence in full. Perhaps because I’ve reached the same transcendence? Things I couldn’t see before are now clearly visible.

‘No wonder they call him a monster.’

How is that even human? I swallowed a smirk.

“Your identity isn’t that important. Anyway,”

RUMBLE-!!!

The core energy poured down from the sky, plummeting towards Cheon-jon.

“It’s enough that I’ll find out eventually.”

“……”

I turned my head towards the overwhelming aura.

Fwing-!

Sound tore. No, it was light before that.

KWAAAAAAAaaaaaaahhhh—!!!

An impact erupted behind me, generating pressure. Cheon-jon had swung his core energy.

‘Ah, crap.’

This is going to be tougher than I thought? I bit my lip slightly as I checked the energy levels.

Can I win? I’m not sure. Honestly, I’m not exactly confident. Even if we’ve reached the same transcendence, there’s clearly a difference in how long we’ve been there. Whether I could block all this and win was uncertain.

‘So hurry up and run, so I can get away too.’

I hoped Namgung Hyung would run away sooner, but that guy inexplicably isn’t moving. Instead, he was looking at me with eyes that seemed to expect something.

Damn it.

‘Master and disciple alike.’

I wondered why that bastard Woohyeok turned out that way, but it’s definitely because of this guy. He acts exactly the same.

‘Hoo.’

I stopped reminiscing and quickly collected myself.

Grrrrumble-!!

Following that, lightning shot out like beams. Countless lines. Tuan received them, his robe fluttering.

Giiiying-! Giiiying-!!

It was a series of sounds you wouldn’t expect from a sword’s movement. It felt like even a slight graze would inflict a fatal wound.

‘First things first.’

I need to figure out what to do. Thinking that, I dodged the assault and closed the distance.

Swish-!

Thump.

After dodging one more attack, I kicked off the ground. Closing the distance rapidly.

Cheon-jon’s blue gaze followed me.

Giiiiiiik-!!

Lightning poured down on me as if it had a will of its own. A spectacle of tens, hundreds of branches.

Noebi-ui-cheon (Lightning Compared to Intentions of Heaven).

The Namgung family’s lightning arts erupted from Cheon-jon’s hands. The firepower was enough to cover the entire forest area.

‘Ha.’

Did he want me to come closer? Or did he mean that coming closer would be meaningless?

KWAAAAAAAaaaaahhh–!!!

Lightning rained down on me like a deluge.

‘It seems like…’

I knew it the moment I saw it.

‘I can’t handle this just by dodging.’

It seems like Touapa-cheonmu alone won’t be enough. I made my judgment immediately.

Kugung-!!

I focused power into my heart. The firepower burst forth through my body. A ring of black flames enveloped my entire body. I controlled the bursting embers to form a sphere.

Yeomok-hyesongtan (Flame Jade Star Bullet).

I fired the small, black jade directly at the core energy.

Pababababababang—!!!

Countless collisions erupted in the air, and the internal energy exploded like fireworks.

“……!”

Cheon-jon’s eyes widened in surprise. Did he really not expect me to block all the core energy? Seeing that, I narrowed my eyes.

‘As I thought.’

Something that felt off seems to be correct after all. Organizing my thoughts, I shot forward. Reaching the surprised Cheon-jon.

“……Huh.”

The moment Cheon-jon turned to react to me. My arm shot out first.

Touapa-cheonmu, Third Style.

Touagyeokseom.

A single punch, delivered with blinding speed, burrowed into Cheon-jon’s body and struck.

Kwoooong-!!!

Kwagagagag-!!

“Gack!”

Cheon-jon was pushed back by the impact, smashing through the forest trees as he flew. I could clearly see him destroying the terrain as he flew.

Kwarureureu–!!

Kwang-!

Then, a loud noise erupted in the distance, and dust billowed up from the shockwave.

‘That’s right.’

I was certain as I watched the struck Cheon-jon.

‘I can win this.’

I can defeat Cheon-jon. I felt that certainty now.