Chapter 1140: Scorched World.

Hair like rough spikes, half white.

A physique that seemed to easily surpass eight feet, a body packed tight with muscle.

He was a burly middle-aged man with the distinctive fierce impression and shaggy beard of the Gu family.

More precisely, he was a man who seemed to be somewhere between old age and middle age.

The man’s eyes were strikingly deep crimson, indicating his origin and affiliation.

An expression that looked quite flustered upon seeing me.

And I was no different.

‘…Why is this old geezer here?’

The man’s identity was none other than Gu Ryun.

He was the First Elder of the Gu family, and practically like a grandfather to me.

‘…Wow. He looks young.’

It was strange for this person to be here, no matter who looked at it. And he looked remarkably young.

Naturally, since it was a past form.

‘This young?’

It was Gu Ryun, looking significantly younger than the First Elder I knew.

The difference was enough to make me wonder if it was a mistake for a moment.

‘It’s definitely the First Elder.’

There was no way I wouldn’t recognize the First Elder. This guy was indeed the First Elder.

Not to mention the heat felt from his body, I couldn’t possibly mistake his unique bearing.

However.

‘…His cultivation level is different too?’

The cultivation level felt from Gu Ryun now was also markedly different from my current life.

The cultivation level of the First Elder I know is Hwajing.

Roughly early to mid-stage. An ordinary Hwajing-level martial artist somewhere in between.

Enough to be entrusted with the role of an elder in a family. By level, he was someone who wouldn’t have much trouble entering the ranks of the top hundred experts, but…

The Gu Ryun of now was different from that.

‘He’s strong.’

Much stronger.

Early or mid-stage Hwajing? Ridiculous. This is peak Hwajing. Placed at the very end of it.

Meaning, if he went just a little further, he might even reach Transcendence.

‘…How can this be?’

If the current Gu Ryun is like this, what happened to the First Elder I know?

‘No way.’

Could it be?

The First Elder used to constantly say he was much stronger than this back in his day.

I had just thought of it as simple grumbling.

‘He really did get weaker?’

Compared to his current state, it was night and day.

Compared to his prime abilities, it felt like maybe a quarter or less remained.

‘At this point, it’s natural for him to feel dejected.’

It was rather strange that the First Elder was still smiling and laughing.

Just then.

“Greetings, Great Hero Yeom Akwon…!”

Soyi, as well as Doyun and Namgung Jin, hurriedly paid their respects.

“Ahaha. Yes, yes, it’s good to see you.”

Gu Ryun smiled brightly and waved his hand in response to their greeting.

“Our Hwasan’s prim lady is getting prettier every day. Sect Leader. Is that wretched old man bothering you?”

As he spoke, pretending to know Soyi, she reacted with startled surprise.

“Ah, no… My master treats me better than anyone.”

Seeing as she called him ‘master’, it seemed likely he was the Plum Blossom Immortal. Hearing her defend her master, Gu Ryun clicked his tongue briefly.

“Tsk tsk. Of course, he has to treat you well. You’re the disciple he barely managed to get in his later years, aren’t you? Seeing that rabid dog of an old man finally mature, it’s largely thanks to you.”

Rabid dog of an old man. It was words completely unsuitable for the Plum Blossom Immortal I knew.

Soyi, perhaps realizing this, replied with an awkward expression.

“Hahaha… No… My master is always a benevolent person.”

“…Benevolent?”

At Soyi’s words, Gu Ryun’s expression crumpled completely.

“This is why they say people mature with age. If you knew what your master got up to back in his day, you’d probably faint. Ugh…”

As if he didn’t want to even imagine it, Gu Ryun shook his head repeatedly. Then, seeing Namgung Jin beside him, he grinned.

“Our Namgung family’s brat is here too, it’s been a while. Been doing well?”

“…Greetings, Great Hero.”

He paid his respects with a lukewarm response. Seeing Namgung Jin like that, Gu Ryun laughed chillingly.

“Still got no manners, huh. That’s fine.”

He didn’t seem to intend to criticize further, but…

His face clearly showed the expression, ‘All Namgung bastards are like that.’

And this time, he looked at Doyun and asked.

“Who might you be? I haven’t seen your face before?”

“…I am Doyun of the Sanseo Do family. Greetings, Great Hero-yo.”

“Hm?”

Sanseo Do family. Hearing that, Gu Ryun’s expression changed slightly.

His face looked like he sensed something.

“Oh? Is that so. Do your best.”

“Thank you-yo.”

Right after nodding at Doyun’s reply.

“Then.”

Squeeze.

A thick hand gripping my shoulder tightened.

“Who might you be?”

“…”

“It’s strange. For a moment, I thought you were that Cheol-un fellow. But you’re someone else.”

“…Great Hero.”

At Gu Ryun’s words, Soyi interjected slightly.

“…Even so, you look nothing like the Vice-Leader… Your words…”

What?

I felt like I’d heard something quite rude. It didn’t seem like he just meant ‘looks different’, did it?

“Well, yeah. You look completely different. If anything, only the eyes are a bit similar. Honestly, that Cheol-un fellow is a hundred times better looking.”

“Yes… I suppose…”

“…’I suppose’ my ass. What are you doing right in front of someone?”

I got annoyed at being teased.

Thump.

I pushed away the arm gripping my shoulder.

“Oho?”

Seeing me push away his strength, Gu Ryun wore a peculiar expression.

Looking at the First Elder in his youth, I spoke.

“I am Baek Yangcheon of the Baek family. Greetings, Great Hero Yeom Akwon.”

“Baek Yangcheon?”

Gu Ryun’s eyes widened upon hearing the name.

Then he burst into a wide grin.

“Ahaha! So that’s it. It’s you. The one who caught the eye of that crazy bastard.”

“…Yes?”

“It’s such a pity… How did you end up catching the eye of such a crazy bastard…”

“…What the…”

“I came to see what kind of guy it was, hearing he was suddenly looking for a disciple. Well, it makes sense now.”

“…”

Even hearing that much, I knew who the crazy bastard Gu Ryun was talking about.

What’s more, speak of the devil…

“Gu Ryun.”

An old man wearing a dark ink-colored robe appeared from behind. Though slightly shorter than Gu Ryun, he was a burly man who didn’t seem outmatched when standing together.

“P-Pae-jon, I greet you.”

“…Greetings, Pae-jon…!”

The sky of the Central Plains’ orthodox sects.

One of the Three Venerables (Sam-jon). It was Pae-jon Bi Ju.

“What are you doing here?”

Bi Ju scowled as he looked at Gu Ryun.

Seeing that, Gu Ryun looked at Bi Ju with intrigued eyes and said.

“What else? I came to see because I heard he found a disciple.”

“…”

At those words, Bi Ju’s gaze turned towards me.

“…A disciple.”

“…”

His gaze was quite subtle. As if thinking about something, or perhaps as if he had finished thinking and was now at leisure.

A moment of silence passed like that.

“He is indeed. A disciple.”

Bi Ju spoke, and the surroundings seemed to shimmer briefly at his words.

It was because Bi Ju had officially acknowledged me as his disciple.

“Isn’t that right?”

“…”

Faced with his question directed at me, I couldn’t say anything.

I could only curse that man inwardly.

‘Damn bastard.’

Look at those eyes. The intention to toy with me was already clear.

Anyway.

‘I thought things might calm down a bit after I fled to Anhui for a while.’

It seemed he had been waiting for this opportunity instead.

Bi Ju’s eyes were quite menacing.

“Yes, I heard you caused quite a big stir in Anhui.”

“…I didn’t exactly cause anything.”

“Really? From my perspective, that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

“…”

He seemed to know something.

No, rather than knowing, it would be more accurate to say he was anticipating something.

“Whatever. It’s fortunate timing. I was on my way to see you, after all.”

“Me?”

He was coming to see me? An ominous premonition shot straight to the top of my head.

“Ah, then I’ll see you later. I just finished an important mission and was… reporting to the Alliance Leader. Perhaps later, when I have time…”

“It’s fine. I already got permission from that guy.”

“…What?”

“He said it was okay to take just you.”

“No, what kind of bullshit is th-“

Grasp!

“Gak!?”

Bi Ju reached out and grabbed the back of my neck.

“Now. Shall we go have a nice chat? As fellow disciples.”

“No, wait… just a moment!”

There wasn’t even time to say anything.

By the time I realized it.

Whoosh–!!!

The scenery had already changed.

“Ah, damn it all… My life.”

Watching that, I whispered resignedly.

As always, nothing went my way.

---

And so, Bi Ju suddenly appeared and took Baek Yangcheon away.

“…”

“…”

After the sudden incident, silence lingered among the now quiet crowd.

“Hahahahahaha!!!”

Gu Ryun burst into laughter, as if releasing pent-up amusement.

“Ahaha… Ahahaha, that crazy bastard.”

It was a close friend I hadn’t seen in years.

He had apparently gained some enlightenment recently and had been holed up in the mountains, not coming out, but then suddenly appeared at the Murim Alliance.

And then he sent a message saying he had found a disciple.

The sudden turn of events piqued my curiosity, so I made the effort to come here.

“A strange guy has attached himself to a strange person.”

It seemed like he had grabbed someone just like himself.

However, if there was something strange about it…

‘He’s a peculiar fellow.’

He had disrespectful eyes.

His face, full of worldly dissatisfaction, somehow made me want to give him a knuckle-rap on the head.

The problem here is.

‘Only that much.’

Usually, I would have corrected him, even if it meant beating the manners into him.

But even seeing someone with eyes like that, I only thought of a knuckle-rap.

It meant, strangely, I didn’t dislike him.

What could this feeling be?

Moreover.

‘Why did I mistake him?’

How could I have mistaken him for Gu Cheol-un, even for a moment?

Gu Ryun couldn’t understand it.

They looked completely different.

Even exaggerating a hundredfold, just by looks, Gu Cheol-un was better looking.

Yet, for a moment, that little brat looked like Gu Cheol-un.

His aura seemed different, his presence too.

Something must have made Gu Ryun mistake him like that.

“Hmm…”

Even his eyes. The look in the eyes of the boy named Baek Yangcheon caught my attention.

That must be a look acquired through living, but…

Somehow…

‘Was there anywhere else besides our family that had such ill-mannered eyes?’

A place one is born with, unable to help it.

It was quite similar to the Gu family’s eye shape.

No, perhaps uniquely Gu-family-like even among the Gu family members?

As Gu Ryun tilted his head in disbelief at the nonsensical thought…

Creeeak-!!!

The door to the Alliance Leader’s chamber opened, and someone emerged.

It was the person Gu Ryun had been waiting for.

“…First Sword Master?”

As soon as Gu Cheol-un emerged, he widened his eyes upon seeing Gu Ryun.

Yes, that’s the face.

Gu Ryun nodded as if understanding.

Along with that, he asked Gu Cheol-un with a questioning look.

“How come you’re here…”

“Cheol-un-ah.”

“Yes.”

“Do you perhaps…”

He tried to ask as carefully as possible.

“Have any half-siblings?”

“…”?

Hearing the question, Gu Cheol-un’s eyes wavered.

Because it was quite a load of bullshit.