Chapter 1172: Scorched World.

A dizzying light shot out. It was hard to keep my eyes open.

Why is it glowing so intensely? Is it making a final desperate struggle?

‘Alright, enough already.’

If it’s going to get sucked dry anyway, it should just stop once it’s done. It’s a pointless act.

Since it didn’t seem to be causing any particular harm, I just kept frowning.

After a while of the light continuing to burst forth.

Ssssuuuuu–!!

‘Oho?’

The light began to change. It wasn’t getting weaker or stronger. The color of the light itself was changing.

From a red light to a blue light.

Along with it, I felt a familiar energy. This is…

‘My energy.’

My energy, which had been drawn towards me. It was light made from that.

How strange. To suddenly emit light using my energy.

Srrrk.

“Now it detaches.”

My hand, which had been stuck to the egg, came free. I twisted my wrist slightly. Then, I retracted the energy I had been emitting.

Grrrrrrr.

The Heavenly Demon Divine Art pressing down on the surroundings vanished. The distorted space returned to normal.

“Hmm.”

The light also gradually diminished.

Before long, the light completely vanished. What remained in its place was…

“It turned blue…?”

Only the egg, which had changed from red to blue.

It was natural and motionless, as if it had always been that color. Touching the egg again yielded the same result. This time, I could detach my hand without any trouble.

“Mmm.”

Why did this thing turn blue? Did it change because I fed it so much energy and then sucked it back? I tilted my head, looking at the egg with a puzzled expression.

“Hey.”

Then I nudged it a few times with my foot.

There was no reaction. What the heck?

“Do something.”

After trying to devour energy like that, now it’s suddenly playing dead.

What a ridiculous thing.

“What exactly are you?”

What on earth is it? Even though it made such a mess with energy, I learned nothing.

“Tsk.”

I tried to find out something, but if it’s this unresponsive, there’s no way.

“I came all this way, I can’t leave empty-handed.”

Why it’s connected to the Blood Demon’s Secret Records. What this egg is, to have devoured so much of my energy. I need to know that before leaving.

“This has become troublesome.”

I sense an uninvited guest.

I turned my gaze back.

“As expected, I’ve been discovered.”

It’s the aftermath of emitting the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. Those who noticed this.

The warriors of the Peng Family and the Alliance. And also…

The Sword Brigade of the Gu Family was heading this way.

---

“Solidify your formations. Don’t let your guard down.”

Elder Il. No, the current Sword Brigade Leader Gu Lun shouted with a grim face.

Dozens of people moved behind him, with him leading the way. They were all warriors clad in red martial attire.

The Gu Family of Shanxi. These warriors belonged there.

‘What is this?’

In front of these people, Gu Lun looked straight ahead. The place he was looking at was a forbidden area.

A forbidden area for the Gu Family’s blood relatives, one that couldn’t be entered without the Family Head’s permission.

An anomaly had occurred there.

‘What was that presence just now?’

An immense presence. It was so vast it made cold sweat break out the moment I felt it, and a violent aura poured out.

‘The level of killing intent is also unbelievable.’

Had they piled up mountains of corpses?

A large amount of energy was released along with that presence. The killing intent contained within it was on a different level, even for Gu Lun, who had spent his life in battle.

‘Who is it?’

Who on earth emitted such energy from that place?

‘The space was distorted.’

I could see the surrounding flow twisted. This was all the ripple effect of the energy.

To warp the surroundings like this just by emitting energy…

‘Who could it be?’

Judging by the quality of the energy, it’s on par with the Three Venerables. Especially warping the situation like this using only energy…

‘The Heavenly Venerable. That old geezer?’

The old geezer of Thunder who wields immense energy. It’s possible it’s the Heavenly Venerable, but…

‘That guy wouldn’t leave Anhui?’

The Heavenly Venerable wouldn’t have come to Shanxi. Considering the events of the ‘past’, the Heavenly Venerable wouldn’t have come to Shanxi.

‘Then who is it?’

I don’t understand. Is it the Hegemon Venerable? No, that guy Bi Zhu wouldn’t be it either. The reason is…

“Things are getting interesting. Wouldn’t you agree, Gu Lun?”

“…Tch.”

Because that Bi Zhu was right beside him.

Gu Lun frowned and spoke to the Hegemon Venerable.

“Why are you following me, anyway? Why did you come here in the first place?”

He should have just stayed quietly at the Gu Family. I don’t understand why he suddenly came to the front lines.

“The reason is simple.”

The Hegemon Venerable laughed at Gu Lun’s question.

“Because I’m bored.”

“…”

That was a truly Bi Zhu-like reason.

“If you’re bored, you should just do the training you love so much. Why come here?”

“How can one possibly train every single day? You need occasional deviations like this.”

“If it’s a deviation, shouldn’t teaching your disciple be enough?”

Mentioning the disciple, Gu Lun’s expression slightly contorted.

‘That stings.’

Baek Yangcheon.

The illegitimate son of Gu Seongyeol, the Family Head and a member of the Gu Family bloodline.

For some reason, I felt concerned and checked, only to discover a shocking identity.

‘Damn that guy.’

He acted like such a devoted husband, always protecting Madam Jin, but in reality, he committed a wicked deed.

He didn’t even take responsibility. That part made Gu Lun furious.

‘He really needs to get a scolding.’

He changed somehow after becoming Family Head. Perhaps unable to handle that change, my own brother even left the family.

If there was one thing that hadn’t changed…

‘It was his affection for Madam Jin.’

I thought at least his devotion to his wife remained unchanged.

‘Tsk.’

It was a vain hope.

It seems the Family Head really had changed.

Just as Gu Lun was trying to suppress his anger upon confirming that yet again…

“Disciple my ass. Thanks to whom is he watching his back over there?”

“…”

The Hegemon Venerable said, looking at Gu Lun.

This implied Gu Lun had made a bombshell statement in front of Jin Yeonryeong.

“Hey, didn’t I tell you to control that fiery temper of yours? If you’re going to do something, at least do it quietly.”

“…Does this look like something that should be done quietly? If you’re going to do it, you should do it decisively.”

“From my perspective, Family Head Gu looks rather pitiful.”

“Nonsense. Why would someone who carelessly played around with his junk be pitiful?”

“It’s just that it seemed like there were circumstances involved.”

“What circumstances?”

“Forget it. Telling you might cause unforeseen consequences, so it’s best I keep quiet.”

“…You bastard.”

“And.”

The Hegemon Venerable grinned widely as he leaped.

“It was right to be here, if only for the sake of that disciple.”

“What?”

“I’ll go on ahead.”

Bi Zhu didn’t answer and shot forward.

Fwaaang!

Dust exploded as Bi Zhu moved far away.

“Damn…”

I should have told him not to go into the forbidden area.

Gu Lun shouted.

“Increase speed.”

Along with his words, Gu Lun picked up the pace.

---

When I arrived at the destination after increasing speed.

What Gu Lun saw was a dense crowd.

‘What is this?’

Wondering why so many people were gathered, I checked their identities.

“Family Head Peng.”

“Yeom Agwon. It’s been a while.”

Surprisingly, it was the Peng Family Head.

“…So the rumors that you appeared directly on the front lines were true.”

“It’s the Alliance’s business, how could I spare myself?”

He was still someone who spoke sweet words well. Not only Peng Family warriors but also many Alliance members were visible.

Looking at them, Gu Lun spoke.

“Why are you all gathered here like this?”

“Didn’t you feel it too, Yeom Agwon? That immense energy just now. Since it was felt here, we wanted to confirm what was happening.”

At the Peng Family Head’s words, Gu Lun frowned slightly.

‘Did this guy eat something wrong?’

Normally, him appearing on the front lines was already strange. And now he shows up directly because there’s a problem?

The Peng Family Head Gu Lun knew wasn’t that kind of person.

“Thank you for your words, but from this point on, it’s Gu Family jurisdiction. The rest will be handled by the Sword Brigade.”

“The energy was unusual. Knowing it’s dangerous, is that a problem now? If necessary, we should join forces.”

“Join forces for what… Did you perhaps not see the person who just passed by?”

“A person? What-“

Just as the Peng Family Head was about to express his confusion.

Kuaaaaaaa–!!

“Gah!?”

“Nngh!”

Immense pressure burst forth, engulfing the warriors.

It was the same pressure felt earlier. What was happening all of a sudden?

‘Where’s Bi Zhu?’

Where did that Hegemon Venerable go? He left ahead, but the Peng Family Head didn’t see him, which means he disappeared somewhere along the way.

Fortunately, Gu Lun’s questions didn’t linger.

Kuaaa!

Amidst the pouring inner energy, a familiar feeling brushed past.

“This is…?”

It was Bi Zhu’s inner energy.

The moment Gu Lun turned his head in the direction he felt it.

Kuaaaang!!

An explosion erupted, and someone shot out.

“Ahahahahaha!!”

The Hegemon Venerable burst into mad laughter. He appeared, baring his teeth widely. His appearance, laughing even as he flew backward, was utterly bizarre.

What is that guy doing over there?

Gu Lun turned his gaze, flustered, but…

“Alright, let’s see you try.”

Kwadeudeuk!

Leaving the strange Bi Zhu behind, something else shot out from the explosion. It was a person.

Specifically, a person wearing a mask.

A warrior clad in dark martial attire and a white mask. He charged towards the Hegemon Venerable.

Boom-! Kwadeudeuk!!

The close-quarters combat between the two erupted, sending out shockwaves. It was enough to make the entire space resonate.

“Nngh!”

“My head…!”

The surrounding warriors were barely able to stand just from the pressure alone.

It was an incredible fight.

The problem here was that those two weren’t the only ones involved.

Kyaaaaaa–!!

Kwaaang!!

Amidst the cries, something fell around Gu Lun.

“A, a monster…!”

“Look at the size…!”

A monster. And not just any monster, but one so colossal it seemed to touch the sky. How could something be that big? From Gu Lun’s perspective, it was a size he’d never seen before.

What would its rank be at that size?

“Black…?”

As I tried to grasp its characteristics, it was a monster tinged with black.

What on earth had happened?

Amidst the chaotic situation, Gu Lun’s eyes trembled.