Chapter 244: Unintended Companion. (1)

Kwang!

Udangtang!

Hwangbo Cheok’s body rolled forcefully across the floor, smashing everything around him.

“Kkeueok…!”

His massive body, nearly eight feet tall, rolled helplessly across the floor.

The damage was considerable.

Meanwhile, Hwangbo Cheok, still rolling on the floor, clutched the arm he’d injured previously and let out a groan.

The arm he’d hurt in his fight with Gu Yangcheon hadn’t healed properly yet.

“Heueok… Heok…”

Leaving Hwangbo Cheok choking in pain, Gu Yangcheon grabbed a nearby discarded chair and sat down.

He casually crossed his legs, looking down at Hwangbo Cheok.

Hwangbo Cheok met Gu Yangcheon’s gaze with eyes full of trembling.

“…How could you…”

“Are you surprised I came?”

The way he tilted his head suited him surprisingly well.

His condescending gaze and the aura he exuded spoke of a different class entirely.

Hwangbo Cheok had to grit his teeth. He felt himself instinctively avoid that gaze for a moment.

How on earth did this guy find this place?

How?

Ttaenggeurang.

Next to Hwangbo Cheok, who was brimming with questions, something was dropped with a ‘tuk’ and rolled over.

“…!”

Upon recognizing the object, Hwangbo Cheok gasped.

‘How in the world… How did that get into his hands.’

The object was none other than the Hwangbo family’s seal.

It was slightly scorched, looking a bit different from its original state, but it was definitely the Hwangbo family seal.

“Familiar item, isn’t it?”

Gu Yangcheon casually remarked, causing Hwangbo Cheok’s back to tremble, but he had to try his best to maintain his composure.

“…I don’t know what you’re talking about. How do you have this?”

“You don’t know what it is?”

“It’s the seal of the Hwangbo Family. I know it well.”

“Yeah, it was inside the gift you sent me yesterday.”

Gu Yangcheon’s words made cold sweat gather damply on Hwangbo Cheok’s back.

Those words meant…

‘Did Sixth Elder… get taken down?’

For a moment, he wondered if Sixth Elder had been swayed, but he quickly corrected himself.

‘…Sixth Elder is a martial artist who reached the Hwajing realm, isn’t he?’

Although he only reached Hwajing late in his years, and was appointed Elder as a reward for his efforts, he had operated in the Central Plains under the Hwangbo name for decades.

He was a warrior who had survived living in the darkest underworld of the Central Plains.

A warrior who reached Hwajing while living the life of an assassin, a path notoriously difficult for advancing one’s cultivation.

How could this happen?

Hwangbo Cheok slowly met Gu Yangcheon’s gaze.

“…!”

But he had to immediately look away.

Meeting the crimson glow emanating from his shadowed face, an unknown fear rose up to his throat.

What is this guy?

How could such a feeling emanate from such a young kid?

His mind went blank.

As he tried to calm his trembling pupils, Gu Yangcheon spoke towards Hwangbo Cheok.

“I didn’t think we were close enough to exchange gifts, you know.”

His voice seemed to strike down.

In that voice, caught between boy and youth, lurked a thick, deadly intent, masked by a facade of calm indifference.

This wasn’t something he was emitting intentionally.

Hwangbo Cheok realized it was an inherent aura.

Trying his best to ignore that gaze, he moved his trembling Adam’s apple.

“…I don’t… know what you’re talking about…”

“Tsk.”

When Hwangbo Cheok tried to deny it, Gu Yangcheon clicked his tongue briefly.

Ppaak!

“Kkeueok!”

Hit by the subsequent kick, Hwangbo Cheok couldn’t even dodge and rolled on the floor once more.

He tried to quickly get up, but…

Kung!

“Keok!”

Gu Yangcheon stomped on his chest, pinning Hwangbo Cheok down.

‘…My internal energy… it won’t move?’

Instinctively, he tried to summon his internal energy to resist, but for some reason, his dantian felt as hard as a stone, refusing to move.

Did he manage to block all the internal energy flowing through my body with this brief action?

“Do these bastards always pretend ignorance? Why do they keep doing pointless things?”

“Kkeueueu…”

“Seriously, none of these prestigious families are normal. How do they all just get more rotten with time?”

He spoke as if he didn’t realize he himself belonged to a prestigious family.

Kku-uk.

“Kkeureuk…!”

The increasing pressure from the foot felt like his chest would shatter.

While feeling intense pain, Hwangbo Cheok glanced beyond the tent.

During the time Gu Yangcheon had infiltrated this far, even though considerable noise had been made, not a single person had approached the tent.

‘Is it a formation…?’

There was a high probability that a formation had been set up around them to prevent sound from escaping.

If not,

‘…he killed them all.’

He wondered if that was possible, but judging by his eyes and aura, it was hard to be certain it wasn’t.

To be able to emit such a dense killing intent.

“Why did you do it?”

Gu Yangcheon asked.

It wasn’t a question or a confirmation.

It was a question asked with absolute certainty.

‘Did Sixth Elder really die?’

Did this guy really kill a martial artist who reached the Hwajing level?

While Hwangbo Cheok remained speechless, Gu Yangcheon continued speaking, looking at Hwangbo Cheok.

“I’ve experienced things like this more than once or twice. It’s been a while, so it’s a bit bothersome.”

“…”

“Look at your face? What are you thinking so hard about?”

“…How… can I get you to spare me?”

Ttuk.

Gu Yangcheon’s eyes widened slightly at Hwangbo Cheok’s words.

And a smile formed on his lips.

“You’re not as stupid as I thought?”

He looked somewhat satisfied.

The malice in his smile was palpable, making Hwangbo Cheok feel suffocated.

What is this?

‘What exactly am I facing?’

The thoughts that had gone blank now gradually turned dark.

There was no need to state that the reason for this was fear.

Seuuk.

The foot pinning his chest was lifted, and only then could Hwangbo Cheok gasp for breath.

“Keoheok… Heok…”

As he managed to catch his breath and look around, Gu Yangcheon was already sitting back in the chair.

“You don’t seem as stupid as I thought, so why did you provoke me?”

“…You provoked the Hwangbo family first.”

“Hearing you say that, maybe you are stupid after all.”

“Do you… even know who you’re messing with right now?”

Gu Yangcheon let out a small, dry laugh at Hwangbo Cheok’s words.

“Kid. Then who the hell did you think I was when you provoked me?”

“…”

“This is why you shouldn’t talk to guys whose brains seem filled with muscle. It makes my own brain feel like it’s hardening.”

As Gu Yangcheon sighed, the inside of the tent began to feel crushed by a dense aura.

Gu Yangcheon remained seated, and Hwangbo Cheok tried to push himself up, but the oppressive aura forced him to his knees.

How dense was the aura?

It felt like the internal energy throughout his body was churning in fear, suppressed.

“Convince me.”

His voice pierced coldly.

Hwangbo Cheok took a deep breath.

“As I said, I intend to kill you.”

The killing intent in his voice made it clear he meant it.

How, though?

If he kills a member of the Hwangbo bloodline in a place like this, how does he plan to resolve it?

Does that guy not know what consequences will follow?

Or perhaps he has a way to take responsibility after causing trouble?

Whatever the case, it wasn’t a good situation for Hwangbo Cheok.

Regardless, his life was definitely in danger.

If he killed Sixth Elder, it meant he was a master of comparable skill, and if it were true, it meant he was a monster.

Hwangbo Cheok realized too late that he had provoked the wrong opponent, but it was already too late.

A drop of cold sweat trickled down his cheek.

Hwangbo Cheok swallowed dryly and looked at Gu Yangcheon.

For some reason, Gu Yangcheon glanced outside the tent for a moment, but quickly shifted his gaze back to Hwangbo Cheok.

Hwangbo Cheok harbored a sliver of hope that someone might have arrived outside, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.

If someone had come, Gu Yangcheon wouldn’t be reacting so calmly.

As the situation pushed him closer to the edge, Hwangbo Cheok thought.

‘…Me, the next head of the Hwangbo family? Dying in a dump like this?’

Of course, he hadn’t officially received the title of Young Master yet, but seeing as the current Hwangbo family head was in poor health, it was clear the day he’d inherit the position wasn’t far off.

He had been eagerly awaiting that day, so he couldn’t possibly die in a wretched place like this.

“So, try to convince me. Give me a reason not to kill you.”

“…What is it you want.”

“That’s something you’ll have to figure out now.”

His demeanor suggested he was willing to wait that long, forcing Hwangbo Cheok to grit his teeth.

He had to find another way somehow, but he wondered what he could possibly do in this situation.

Just as he was thinking maybe he could miraculously escape using all his internal energy and head towards the Martial Arts Alliance, perhaps it would be okay…

“Hey.”

“…!”

“Stop thinking up schemes. If you try anything foolish, I’ll rip your legs off first.”

‘Not break them, but rip them off.’

Hwangbo Cheok could be foul-mouthed too, but this guy was far worse.

More importantly, the fact that his words felt genuine terrified him.

“Can’t make a decision?”

Hwangbo Cheok couldn’t say anything in response to the smirk.

No, he tried to utter something, but his mouth was forcibly shut.

‘…What is this.’

As his breathing faltered in panic, “Then I thought I’d give you some options,” Gu Yangcheon said with a smile.

Hearing those words, he finally understood.

Although Gu Yangcheon had told him to try and convince him, the guy already had something specific in mind.

“First, I’ll ask you this.”

Hwangbo Cheok regretted it.

Regretted not knowing his place, and especially provoking Gu Yangcheon back then.

“Between the Hwangbo family and your life.”

He regretted his failure to properly recognize the demonic nature within.

“Which one is more precious?”

Hwangbo Cheok would probably regret this until the moment his life ended.

---

A day passed.

Night had fallen.

I was walking slowly through the night forest.

The encounter with Hwangbo Cheok required a considerable amount of internal energy, so I still felt weary all over, but it was at a level that could be replenished by recharging my internal energy.

However, that wasn’t important right now.

‘Maybe I should have just killed him.’

As I brushed off my hands and returned, I briefly recalled the events.

My original intention was to find Hwangbo Cheok and kill him, but I changed my mind midway.

The reason was simple.

‘…It’s problematic if I just go around killing everyone I get angry at.’

Lately, I’d felt the killing intent within my body becoming particularly dense, and sensing changes in my demonic energy, it was appropriate to moderate my actions fueled by madness.

‘I can’t live as a demon in this life too.’

It was a chance I’d regained somehow.

If things continued like this, I might unknowingly become a demon.

Lately, I’d been killing people without hesitation.

‘Though I didn’t really have much hesitation before either.’

This wasn’t about laws or morality.

If I were the type to consider such things, I wouldn’t have acted that way in my past life.

I wouldn’t be burning people alive now.

I should be weighing the pros and cons to decide who to kill and who not to, but the tendency to act recklessly, swayed by emotions, had intensified.

Considering what Hwangbo Cheok did to me, he was certainly an unpleasant person to leave alone, but it was also tricky to just kill him and be done with it.

‘What happens if Hwangbo Cheok dies?’

While leaving him alive was partly for Muk Gwon’s revenge, the Hwangbo family’s lifespan isn’t particularly long.

I knew the current Hwangbo family head’s health wasn’t good, and the family’s downfall was practically guaranteed the moment Hwangbo Cheok took over as head.

‘So, killing Hwangbo Cheok now might actually be better in a way…’

But then, I saw the eyes of someone watching this place from the crack in the tent’s door.

It was Hwangbo Cheolwi, watching his own brother kneel before me.

‘…Well, look at this.’

The reason I didn’t do anything about Hwangbo Cheolwi, despite sensing his presence, was because the way he looked at his brother was peculiar.

Hwangbo Cheolwi watched silently, then quietly left after our eyes met.

I wondered if he might tell someone else, but judging by the feeling, it didn’t seem likely.

Rather, he might come looking for me soon.

No, he probably definitely will.

I nodded, facing the rising moonlight.

It was because the space left by the demonic energy that left my body felt emptier than expected.

Before I left Hwangbo Cheok, I had implanted demonic energy along with a seal into his body.

The amount of demonic energy I put into Hwangbo Cheok was more than expected, and it would act as a seal, binding him.

This method wasn’t much different from how the Heavenly Demon used to deal with others.

‘This is really not good.’

Thinking that made my stomach churn uncomfortably.

The things the Heavenly Demon used to do.

It meant I could now do them too.

‘…Although it’s not quite the same level of power.’

It’s not at the level where saying the wrong thing makes your heart explode and kill you.

The Heavenly Demon could achieve such things with just a small gesture, but I needed to release a large amount of demonic energy and apply a seal.

‘The difficulty aside… the problem is that it’s controllable.’

Whether it’s letting the demonic energy gnaw away at a martial artist’s body, or linking it with a seal to restrict actions, like I did with Hwangbo Cheok.

Various methods of controlling demonic energy have become possible.

That was the biggest problem right now.

It’s unpleasant.

How did it end up like this?

‘Could it be? Does it evolve as my cultivation level increases?’

Maybe so.

As my power grows stronger, if this unknown power also grows stronger,

‘That would be really fucking awful.’

It meant I might not even be able to grow stronger easily, which was a truly shitty situation.

“…Ha.”

I let out a tired sigh.

As time goes on, nothing seems to go my way, and I’m getting damn tired.

“Yeah, all that aside,”

I said dismissively.

The things that happened to me, I could accept those.

But what about the current situation?

This was something I couldn’t understand at all.

The person next to me reacted to my muttered words.

Whatever they had put on, a fragrant scent tickled my nose, but at the same time, a faint chill brushed the back of my neck.

Feeling the ticklish sensation, I asked my companion,

“…Why are you here?”

“Huh?”

“You weren’t around for days, so why are you suddenly here?”

I’m already stressed out of my mind, and this black cat walking silently beside me with an oblivious expression was irritating me.

The woman spoke to me.

“Didn’t you hear?”

“Yes, I didn’t.”

“It seems Lieutenant General Yeol didn’t pass on the message. Why would he do that? He’s not the type.”

“…You.”

At the woman’s words, as if she truly didn’t understand, my expression crumpled.

Today was the last day I was supposed to handle things on the front lines, and the partner I was supposed to go with had already been decided.

I should have already reported to my superiors that I would be bringing Gu Jeolyeop and Mu Yeon.

“Ah, it seems there was some kind of problem…!”

“…”

“I don’t know Lieutenant General Yeol’s circumstances… but since it can’t be helped, wouldn’t it be okay if I took his place?”

How can this woman speak so shamelessly?

Meanwhile, where did that Mu Yeon bastard run off to?

Leaving behind a series of displeasing situations, I let out a deep sigh looking at the woman smiling brightly, as if she found it all amusing.

She must have heard my sigh, but the smile remained on her lips.

“Young Master Gu, if we delay further, the night might pass completely. If that’s what you wish for… I’m fine with it.”

“…I’m going crazy. Seriously.”

Had she lost her mind in the middle of the night?

The woman, no, Moyong Hi-ah, kept spouting nonsense, and I had to think about how the situation had gotten this messed up.