Chapter 1265: Scorched World

The sanctuary managed by the Venerable Master was attacked, and the whereabouts of those inside are currently unknown.

The first thing that came to mind upon hearing that.

‘……That’s ridiculous.’

It was unbelievable. The Venerable Master was attacked and disappeared?

‘How laughable.’

That monstrous old man. Especially since he hasn’t undergone rejuvenation now, and someone possessing far more power than in his past life would lose to a mere Apostle’s attack?

‘Apostles aren’t that strong.’

The absorption and defense of energy, which are fatal to martial artists. That part was bothersome, but it was at a level that could be overcome with a certain amount of power.

Especially if it wasn’t just the late-stage disciples who were transferred, but also monstrous beings capable of flight and great feats.

‘The Venerable Master, who is of such a high caliber among them, was defeated by mere Apostles?’

That’s preposterous.

“What are you talking about?”

As I asked, scrunching up my face, Tang Cheongi-ssi also furrowed his brow.

“It’s exactly as stated. He was attacked by Apostles…”

“The Venerable Master was defeated by Apostles? Pfft. That’s ridiculous. You expect me to believe that?”

I said with a laugh, but.

“So… explain it properly.”

It was a fleeting moment.

When I said that with a serious, hardened expression, Tang Cheongi-ssi’s eyes widened.

Poison Phoenix-ssi tried to move then.

“Stay still.”

Uttuk-!

At my words, her body froze.

Seu-eu-eu.

Fierce energy flickered around my shoulders. This was the extent of my effort to hold back.

“Explain it properly. I don’t have the luxury of holding back right now.”

“……”

Tang Cheongi-ssi paused briefly at my words. I could tolerate that much. Because it was Tang Cheongi-ssi, I could tolerate this much.

After that brief silence.

“……The Apostles launched a large-scale attack.”

Tang Cheongi-ssi began his explanation with a sigh.

“Large-scale?”

“That’s right. That sanctuary… no, it’s hard to call it a sanctuary. The Venerable Master had no intention of hiding. Humans had simply gathered around him.”

He simply existed without thought of hiding. Truly a statement befitting that old man. Yes, the Venerable Master would have stood proudly, practically daring anyone to attack rather than hiding.

“At first, even the Apostles couldn’t touch the Venerable Master. His strength wasn’t something that could be easily overcome just by becoming an Apostle. However.”

“However?”

“……There was a problem.”

A problem. I listened intently to those words.

“While ordinary Apostles couldn’t dare touch the Venerable Master… there was one among the Apostles who was on a different level.”

“On a different level?”

“Yes.”

“……Who was it……”

“Cheolhyeolbuseon.”

“……!”

At the name Tang Cheongi-ssi mentioned, my eyes widened like saucers.

“The current Number One Under the Heavens became an Apostle. The Venerable Master’s sanctuary was attacked by him.”

“Huh?”

It was surprising enough that the Sword Empress had become the root of an Apostle. But Cheolhyeolbuseon? The current Number One Under the Heavens became an Apostle?

And then.

“You’re saying the Venerable Master was defeated?”

Did the Venerable Master actually lose to Cheolhyeolbuseon? I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“I don’t know about that.”

“Hmm?”

Tang Cheongi-ssi uttered something rather strange. Didn’t know? As I wondered about this, Poison Phoenix-ssi continued the explanation instead.

“……We don’t know the outcome of that attack. Nor do we know what happened to the Venerable Master or Cheolhyeolbuseon afterward.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“It means exactly what it sounds like. We don’t know the whereabouts of the Venerable Master or Cheolhyeolbuseon afterward.”

It meant that after their fight, both had vanished without a trace.

“Whether the Venerable Master is alive, whether Cheolhyeolbuseon is alive. Or if both are dead. We don’t know that. We only know that an attack by Apostles occurred there.”

“……”

“Does that explanation suffice…? If you’re alright with it, could you perhaps quell that energy? It seems to be affecting the others quite badly…”

Poison Phoenix-ssi showed me her hand. The tips of her right fingers were trembling visibly. It was likely due to the backlash of energy rather than fear.

Seeing that, I contained the energy within my body. Since it was energy gained from consuming Apostles, I couldn’t just use it carelessly. There were other people around besides the two of them.

“……I apologize. It happened unintentionally.”

Offering my apologies, I recalled the energy and organized my thoughts.

‘……The possibility of the Venerable Master being defeated.’

If it were any other Apostle, perhaps. But if it was Cheolhyeolbuseon, the situation changed. I didn’t know how strong he was, but he was known as the Number One Under the Heavens.

‘I never even considered it.’

Just like the news that my father had become an Apostle, I had never once considered the possibility that the Venerable Master might have been attacked and defeated after arriving in this world.

Sseuk.

I ran my hand through my hair. It was a habit whenever I felt frustrated.

“……”

Poison Phoenix-ssi glanced at me upon seeing that. I felt her gaze. Wondering what it was, I looked back at her.

“……What is it?”

It didn’t seem like she was just staring. Her gaze was peculiar, so I asked, and she looked straight at me, saying:

“No. I had heard about it, but you really do seem alike.”

“Alike in what way…?”

“I heard that Young Master Baek is of the Gu family lineage. Perhaps because of that.”

An unidentifiable emotion subtly flashed through Poison Phoenix-ssi’s eyes.

“……The Azure Dragon Commander. You seem a bit like Young Master Gu.”

“……What?”

In what way?

I thought this sincerely to myself. Resemble my father? I had never heard such a thing in my entire life.

As his son and in his youth, it’s natural to resemble him, but no matter how I looked at it, my father and I didn’t look alike.

The only resemblance was perhaps our fierce eyes?

Even objectively speaking, that’s the case, so what could Mi Hyoran-ssi be seeing that makes her say we resemble each other?

“Do I resemble Young Master Gu? Facially?”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

Her expression clearly conveyed that she thought it was utter bullshit.

“Young Master Baek is much better looking.”

“……”

Hearing that, I felt inexplicably displeased. It was the same with Tang Soyeol, but when those women from the Tang family say someone is handsome, it doesn’t seem like a good thing, does it?

“……No, didn’t you just say we were alike….”

“I wasn’t talking about our faces.”

“Then what is it that we resemble?”

“The feeling.”

“Feeling?”

“Yes, I’m good at observing people’s habits… and there’s something similar.”

“……Is that so?”

Habits resembling my father’s. I had no idea what she was referring to.

“Ah, but… that’s not it, perhaps you were….”

Just as Poison Phoenix-ssi was about to say more to me.

“Miss Dang. Just a moment.”

I cut her off.

“Yes?”

Poison Phoenix-ssi looked at me as if asking why.

Immediately after.

Ttok-ttok.

Footsteps could be heard from outside.

“Are you there?”

The person who appeared after speaking said:

“The Young Master is looking for you.”

Hearing that Mi Hyoran-ssi was looking for me, I stood up. I had a feeling something like this would happen.

---

Having heard the summons, I headed to Mi Hyoran-ssi’s residence. I’d lost count of how many times I’d been here; the path had become quite familiar.

At the residence I revisited with a calm demeanor, Mi Hyoran-ssi greeted me with a serious expression.

“……You’ve arrived.”

“Yes. I heard you summoned me.”

“I have confirmed what you mentioned earlier.”

“Oh, really?”

That was faster than I expected? I heard the distance wasn’t short, so how did she manage it?

While I was curious about the method, Mi Hyoran-ssi’s words were more important.

“……It was true. They say there was nothing left in the space where the Apostles had stayed. Did you really do it?”

“I told you I did.”

“……”

Nothing left in the space? I had certainly dealt with it thoroughly.

I had devoured and cleaned up everything, leaving nothing behind.

“……How on earth…….”

“What method is there to killing? I simply dealt with it.”

“That’s absurd. You’re saying there’s no specific method to dealing with Apostles?”

“Yes. What more is needed? You just need to crush them to death with brute force.”

“……”

I said it in a tone implying, ‘Why couldn’t you guys do something so simple?’ Hearing my words, Mi Hyoran-ssi bit her lip.

“……Hoo.”

Although I spoke somewhat provocatively, there was no need to continue further.

The important thing was that the fact had been confirmed.

“In any case. Since the Apostle issue seems resolved… you must have something to say to me now, right?”

“Something to say?”

Mi Hyoran-ssi reacted as if she didn’t know, but it was a futile gesture to me.

“You must have. Now that you know I can deal with Apostles. Aren’t you aware that I can also solve the problem you were worrying about earlier?”

“……”

What we were talking about earlier regarding the Apostles.

And I knew that I could be the solution, which is why she urgently confirmed and summoned me back.

“You……”

Mi Hyoran-ssi looked at me with eyes that showed genuine incomprehension.

“Are you planning to listen while I speak?”

“I’ll have to hear it first to know, but if it’s something feasible, I’ll do it.”

“……”

Hearing my answer, Mi Hyoran-ssi suddenly sighed.

It was a reaction indicating she had realized something. Seeing that reaction, I smiled. As expected, she was easy to talk to.

“……What do you want?”

“As expected, you’re quite perceptive.”

I also had something I wanted from her. Mi Hyoran-ssi must have realized that.

“First, you speak, Miss Mi. If it’s a request I can grant, I’ll state mine as well.”

“……”

At my words, Mi Hyoran-ssi pondered for a moment. However, it wasn’t for long.

“Alright.”

Her answer was quick.

“If you are indeed the one who dealt with the Apostles in the west… I have one request.”

“What is it?”

“The western sanctuary. That is to say….”

Mi Hyoran-ssi paused briefly before speaking to me.

“Can you accompany me to the sanctuary where the Divine Dragon Commander is?”

“……Hmm?”

Hearing that, my eyes widened. The sanctuary where the Divine Dragon Commander was. I had heard about it from Poison Phoenix-ssi earlier.

However, that wasn’t what surprised me.

The reason I was surprised was this:

‘……What is this? Things just got easier.’

It was because what I was about to ask for was similar to what Mi Hyoran-ssi mentioned.