Chapter 1279: Scorched World

“…….”

I returned to the cave. It was the moment when both the black energy and the imposing aura of Cheolhyeolbuson had completely vanished.

“Hah.”

I exhaled the breath I had been holding in. And immediately clutched my forehead.

“……Young Master Baek-nim!?”

At my reaction, Poison Phoenix approached and supported me.

“Are you okay……!? Why all of a sudden……!”

“I’m fine……”

Pushing her away slightly, I narrowed my eyes. I looked at Amwang behind me.

He too, uncharacteristically, looked visibly tired.

“Suddenly, where did you appear from……”

“Ah, I’ll explain later……. I need to go out for a moment. I don’t feel well and need to check something.”

“Ah……! Yes……”

Reassuring Poison Phoenix, I gently patted her shoulder before moving away.

To a place that seemed somewhat deserted. I went there and unfurled the Gimak (Energy Barrier).

Woowoong-!

After blocking out the sound in the space, I asked Amwang.

“Were you unable to use your powers?”

“Yes.”

Amwang answered my question immediately. The wind of Cheolhyeolbuson. It seemed that it had blocked Amwang’s powers.

Moreover.

‘My Tam (Probing) didn’t activate.’

To be precise, it activated, but was it blocked and pushed back?

A power that blocks abilities. It seemed Cheolhyeolbuson possessed such a thing.

‘……Hmm.’

Tam is a power that swallows and neutralizes abilities, but it gets pushed back, huh.

‘Is it Cheolhyeolbuson’s power?’

I couldn’t know for sure, but it seemed that way right now.

The bigger problem was.

Swoosh.

I took out the Bigap (Armor/Shield) from my chest.

“It’s this thing.”

I had blocked it so that the energy wouldn’t be released again, but… Cheolhyeolbuson seemed to have appeared searching for the energy emanating from here.

This means…

‘The energy of this Bigap (Armor/Shield) is something Cheolhyeolbuson had set up.’

I don’t know why. Was it to target Paejon? If so, I could understand it to some extent, but…

‘I don’t think that’s it.’

It felt like there was another intention hidden, rather than targeting Paejon. Furthermore…

‘It wasn’t targeting me either.’

His reaction of not knowing I had appeared was truthful. So it wasn’t a move targeting me.

‘What is it?’

Then what could this Bigap mean?

As I bit my lip…

“Don’t get involved with him.”

Amwang told me.

“Yes……? With whom? You mean Cheolhyeolbuson.”

“Yes.”

“I don’t particularly want to get involved either…… Why is that?”

I have no intention of getting involved. An already strong person had even become a Saint. Moreover, seeing that he could push back Tam even for a moment meant he was a difficult opponent to fight.

‘My body has regenerated, but…’

The body damaged in battle had already been regenerated using energy. It seemed there were no issues with regeneration, but…

‘He’s a difficult person to fight.’

In the first place, the number one under heaven.

A martial artist called the supreme existence under heaven even in a world with the Three Exalted Ones. It was something I shouldn’t get involved with, but…

‘Seeing Amwang openly say this…’

It seemed there must be some reason.

“He…”

Amwang closed his mouth just as he was about to explain something. Seeing that, I realized.

‘It’s a prohibition.’

Seeing that he couldn’t speak meant there was a prohibition.

‘If even Amwang’s words are bound…’

I rolled the thoughts in my head. I recalled my conversation with Amwang in the original world. He came to me under a prohibition, delivered information, and damaged a part of his own body. I recalled that time. The being Amwang faced back then was probably…

“Taekcheon.”

“……!”

Amwang’s eyes widened at my words.

“Is Cheolhyeolbuson related to Taekcheon?”

“……How…”

His face showed surprise, as if asking how I knew. Fortunately, the prohibition didn’t manifest. The reason must be that I figured it out myself.

Woowoong.

I opened my Mind’s Eye. I examined Amwang’s body. Perhaps because I recalled the prohibition, something was shimmering on his body.

‘Is that it?’

The after-effects of the prohibition. Thin threads were tangled together, creating something grotesque.

‘Damn.’

I can’t undo that. I knew instinctively. I prided myself on being able to undo most curses or formations, but…

‘What is that?’

I felt like I couldn’t touch it carelessly. I sensed that if I touched it wrongly, everything would break. Perhaps because it was cast by the master of another realm, I didn’t even dare to touch it.

‘Tsk.’

I gave up on undoing the prohibition. After all, I had gotten what I needed.

“……So Cheolhyeolbuson is related to Taekcheon.”

This was the first time I knew this. Taekcheon. That damn existence had already made moves in the Central Plains. And that the previous number one under heaven was already involved with that ‘master’ existence. This was information I didn’t know.

“I understand.”

I nodded at Amwang’s words. I understood the reason why he told me not to get involved. The problem is…

‘…Can I avoid getting involved?’

Cheolhyeolbuson, who is involved with Taekcheon. If that’s the case, can I avoid getting involved with him? An ominous intuition dug into me.

‘I feel like I’ll get involved somehow.’

Usually, these kinds of feelings tend to be accurate. Damn it.

---

Hwaahwak-!!

A gust of wind swept through, and someone sank into the ground. A large old man clutching his abdomen. It was Cheolhyeolbuson.

“Kukukuku…”

The old monster, adorned with the giant horns of an ox, let out a laugh. With the low sound he uttered, the dust on the ground swirled.

“Ah, this… I can’t stop laughing.”

Even though his stomach felt like it would split, Cheolhyeolbuson laughed.

“How long has it been.”

How long has it been since I was wounded? Ah, just as I was about to get sentimental, I remembered something I had forgotten.

“It hasn’t been that long.”

A few months ago, the battle with Paejon Biju. I had forgotten that I was badly injured then too. It was a fight where my abdomen was ruined and my whole body twisted.

“Like master, like disciple, they say.”

It seemed that those born gifted were the ones who brought him joy. Moreover…

“He was laughing.”

Paejon was like that. And that bizarre brat was too. Laughing while fighting. It meant they were enjoying a life-or-death battle.

“Hahaha.”

Interesting ones. It’s a pity. If it weren’t for this body and the circumstances, I would have enjoyed it more. It was a world where challengers to him had disappeared. All the more precious they were when such times came. So, just as I was feeling nothing but regret…

Hwareureuk.

I felt heat emanating from somewhere. Looking towards that spot, Cheolhyeolbuson’s lips curled upwards.

“A valued guest has arrived. What brings you here?”

At Cheolhyeolbuson’s words, a young man appeared. It was Gu Cheolun, possessing gray eyes. He stared at Cheolhyeolbuson with a nonchalant expression.

‘As expected.’

At that gaze, Cheolhyeolbuson stroked his beard.

‘That guy too.’

The one called the Divine Dragon. The family holding the most secrets in the Central Plains. The young master of the Gu family, a youth with bizarrely immense talent. Even Paejon desired him, but they said the flame he held was too vast to dare take him as a disciple.

‘He said it didn’t suit his martial arts, but…’

In Cheolhyeolbuson’s view, it was different from that. It was likely that even Paejon backed down because nothing could contain that being.

“What is it?”

“Sword Empress seeks you.”

“Ho?”

At Gu Cheolun’s words, Cheolhyeolbuson’s eyes lit up.

“You came on the Sword Empress’s errand? That’s a curious thing to say.”

Even after becoming a Saint, the number of beings who escaped the Sword Empress’s grasp doesn’t exceed five. Both he himself and that Divine Dragon of the Gu family were among them, yet… Why would you come specifically to deliver the Sword Empress’s message?

“What are you intending?”

I asked, sensing something was amiss, but…

“There’s nothing like that.”

Gu Cheolun denied it.

“I just came to deliver the message-“

Hwaaahwaaah—!!

A huge gust of wind struck Gu Cheolun. His back was torn to shreds in an instant, but even then, Gu Cheolun didn’t bat an eye. Only.

Hwaaahwaaahwaaah—-!!

He simply wrapped gray flames around one hand. Seeing the blazing flames, Cheolhyeolbuson’s eyes curved.

“My, I just played a little prank. Your reaction is quite fiery.”

I like that guy too. The fighting spirit he showed, ready to fight me right now. Moreover…

‘The eyes that believe they will win.’

I liked that look, the one that saw no possibility of defeat in this fight.

‘Desirable.’

Was his name Baek Yangcheon? His eyes are different from that guy’s. That guy…

‘The look that said he’d kill me whether he won or lost.’

It was the gaze of a predator, intending to devour me no matter what happened to him, but…

‘This guy is different.’

Gu Cheolun was different from that.

‘It’s the certainty that there’s no such thing as defeat.’

That he wouldn’t lose even fighting me. It was arrogant eyes that believed he could win unconditionally.

“My apologies. I was just playing around a bit. Since the Sword Empress summoned me, I must be going.”

Brushing aside the wind, Cheolhyeolbuson started walking. As he was about to pass Gu Cheolun…

Hwareuk.

The flame in Gu Cheolun’s hand disappeared. He spoke to Cheolhyeolbuson as he passed by.

“Can you go in that body?”

“……”

Hearing that, Cheolhyeolbuson and Gu Cheolun’s gazes met.

“What do you mean?”

“You look uncomfortable. So, be careful.”

Jjijik.

The space trembled slightly.

“Because if you play around with a weakened body, your life could be in danger.”

“……”

Hearing that, Cheolhyeolbuson’s eyes hardened. He realized that Gu Cheolun had noticed his injury. And he had even warned him not to act recklessly, as he couldn’t win against him in that state.

‘Presumptuous.’

My fingers twitched involuntarily. I considered breaking that arrogant nose of his so he’d know his place, but…

Tuk-tuk.

Cheolhyeolbuson relaxed and patted Gu Cheolun’s shoulder.

“Thanks for the concern.”

Huook-!!

Simultaneously, the wind blew, and Cheolhyeolbuson’s figure vanished.

“……”

Gu Cheolun, left alone, stood still for a moment before relaxing the grip on his other hand.

Chiiik.

After erasing even the remaining heat… He brushed off the shoulder Cheolhyeolbuson had patted. Just then.

“……”

Gu Cheolun, who was touching his shoulder, froze. Because he felt a familiar energy from his shoulder.

‘This is…’

Gu Cheolun’s eyes flashed, and he pursued the vanished Cheolhyeolbuson. Back then. The flame felt from Baek Yangcheon. For some reason, it was clinging to Cheolhyeolbuson.