Chapter 513: Give it to me just once.

“Father?”

The words had burst out before I knew it.

After saying them, I was so surprised I almost covered my mouth.

Perhaps hearing my call, Father turned his head this way.

Our eyes met.

Then, Father’s eyes widened.

Was it surprise at seeing me suddenly appear?

Such a thought flashed through my mind, but…

‘Ah.’

I soon realized it wasn’t that.

Father’s reaction was probably…

‘Because of my current appearance.’

My body, having released the Body Transformation Technique and returned to its original form.

Although the appearance from before my molt clearly remained, it was true that I had changed considerably.

Just moments before, I had claimed to have achieved a complete transformation.

So it was natural for Father to be surprised when his son suddenly appeared looking like this.

Moreover.

‘What is this place, anyway?’

I looked around.

How deep must this place have been made?

Although coming down through the hole was fast, thinking about the time it took to descend told me it was made quite deep.

Furthermore, the faint poison and the scent of blood mixed in the air were also unpleasant.

The killing intent filling the space, and the heat mixed within it.

Just feeling it made my body’s hair stand on end uncontrollably.

It was that intense, and suffocatingly stuffy.

What is this? What on earth is this situation?

I frowned as I looked ahead.

Why was the Heavenly Venerate suddenly kneeling, bleeding?

Was Dangmun’s First Elder completely out of his mind?

‘I had planned to deal with that old geezer by tomorrow.’

I had already figured out his movements.

Knowing there was no point waiting any longer, I had already instructed Naxi to prepare a place to quietly torture him tomorrow.

‘This complicates things.’

What should I do if things turn out like this?

‘Did Father do this?’

The First Elder? Did he suddenly go out of the room and cause trouble?

‘Father…?’

I couldn’t easily understand it.

I was certain that Father wasn’t the type to cause trouble without any plan or thought.

Yet, for Father to act so impulsively…

Perhaps.

‘…Is it because of me?’

Because I was almost poisoned to death at Dangmun.

Did Father suddenly appear after just a few days to stir up all this trouble?

‘…’

I don’t know.

A normal father might step in like this if their child suffered such a thing.

But I thought my father was different from those kinds of people.

‘No way.’

The circumstances suggested it, but the doubt arose whether it could really be so.

Moreover, how did Father know that the First Elder caused trouble?

Father arrived in Sichuan at the latest yesterday, so does that mean he figured out the whole situation and acted?

‘That’s impossible.’

Even if he found out everything, acting with such certainty is another matter.

Where on earth did such certainty come from?

[Where else? It’s a simple question. At least for a martial artist.]

‘…Noya?’

Regarding the question that popped into my head, Noya casually provided the answer.

[Martial Power (武力). Did you think a martial artist needed anything more?]

If one learns about a situation, the core axis for acting to resolve it.

In the end, for a martial artist, it’s strength.

Strength so immense it can handle anything.

‘Although it seems a bit brutish. It’s the simplest principle.’

At least in the Central Plains, it was also the most important principle.

That means…

‘…He just went berserk. Is that it?’

I knew Father was strong.

Though I didn’t know exactly how strong.

At least.

‘Stronger than me.’

A person stronger than my past self. And perhaps not as strong as the Heavenly Demon.

That’s what I had judged.

But.

‘…If he made the Heavenly Venerate look like that.’

I observed the Heavenly Venerate, kneeling half-bent before Father.

His white beard was stained with blood, and one shoulder looked abnormal.

Likely damaged by a blow.

Based on the situation, Father seemed to be the one who did this to the Heavenly Venerate.

‘Even if it was a surprise attack. Is that even possible?’

Even when he attacked the main palace of Heukyakgung in the past, Father had killed a martial artist of the Hwagyeong realm with a surprise attack.

I wondered if this might be the same, but…

‘Compared to that… the Heavenly Venerate looks too intact.’

Feeling the amount of internal energy mixed in the air, I could guess that a battle had occurred.

Judging by the concentration, it seemed like the battle had just ended not long ago.

That’s why it’s even stranger.

‘Not much time has passed since Father left.’

It’s just that I moved in a hurry; strictly speaking, not even a short period had passed.

‘In that short time, he managed to turn the Heavenly Venerate into this state?’

Moreover, Father’s attire was no different from when he left.

Not a hint of exhaustion, just immaculate.

If there was a battle beforehand.

‘He crushed him… right?’

It wouldn’t be wrong to say he overwhelmingly crushed the Heavenly Venerate.

The Heavenly Outer Heaven, known as the Three Venerates.

Gulp.

As my thoughts reached that point, I involuntarily swallowed dryly.

No matter how I look at it.

‘I absolutely cannot mess with Father.’

I had guessed Father was living while hiding his strength, but I didn’t know it was to this extent.

…I should never act cocky around him again, I resolved myself.

‘First, setting that aside.’

I glanced at Father, leaving the exhausted Heavenly Venerate behind.

Father’s left hand, which had been approaching the Heavenly Venerate while his hands were clasped behind his back.

It was dyed red and seemed to glow.

I could see faint heat haze rising, but surprisingly, no heat was felt.

I could tell just by looking.

How much internal energy was concentrated in that palm.

Seeing that, I swallowed my surprise inwardly.

‘That….’

I’ve seen it before.

Just once, on the day I fought Father in my past life.

It was the power I saw then.

‘…The ultimate technique of the Nine Fiery Wheel Technique.’

The final secret technique possessed by the Nine Families’ martial arts.

It was the final martial art that could only be used after achieving mastery of the Nine Fiery Wheel Technique.

“Third son.”

‘…!’

At Father’s voice, I trembled involuntarily.

“I distinctly told you to wait, didn’t I?”

“Ah, well… I apologize…”

Father shifted his gaze from me and looked back at the Heavenly Venerate.

The feeling was ominous.

‘Is he perhaps trying to kill him?’

The Heavenly Venerate?

Ah, that won’t do.

‘What should I do?’

It would be problematic if the Heavenly Venerate died by Father’s hand here.

It wasn’t that I was trying to act virtuous now.

The reason was simple.

‘I haven’t found anything out.’

It’s because I don’t have the information yet.

The reason the Heavenly Venerate was in this strange space seemed connected to the First Elder, and also…

‘Shinui’s words are involved too.’

I remembered Shinui specifically warning me to be cautious of the Heavenly Venerate.

Just as I was desperately trying to think of a way, rolling my eyes around.

“How did you find me?”

Father asked.

“Yes…?”

“As long as the Fire Wheel Star (火輪星) is maintained, it should have been impossible.”

Fire Wheel Star?

At Father’s words, I recalled the small sun floating in the sky.

Is that what they call the Fire Wheel Star?

That means…

‘So the reason I couldn’t sense him was correct.’

My assumption was correct. The power of deep conviction Noya mentioned.

It was correct that it prevented my senses from detecting him.

“How did you find this place?”

“…I burned the ring to create resonance.”

Hearing my answer, Father’s eyes showed a spark of interest.

“Resonance… So that was the method.”

‘Huh?’

I flinched slightly, seeing Father’s expression as he spoke.

‘…Is he smiling?’

It was because Father’s lips seemed to be curling up slightly.

But the moment I saw that expression.

“Well done.”

‘…! ‘

Father suddenly offered me praise.

The moment I heard it, I felt myself starting to feel good.

Wham-!

“Gack…”

Father grabbed the Heavenly Venerate’s face.

Oops!

“Father…! Wait…!”

Fwoosh-!

An immense hellfire erupted, emitting light.

The Heavenly Venerate’s body was engulfed in flames.

Even for flames, the color was so red. Deep enough to make one wonder if such red flames could exist.

‘Shit.’

I bit my lip watching this.

The Heavenly Venerate had finally burned to death.

Engulfed in flames like that, it was obvious not even bones would remain.

As I was utterly flustered by the dizzying situation, Father looked back towards me.

Our eyes met, mine wide open.

Looking into my eyes, Father said.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t kill him.”

‘…What?’

At Father’s words, I had to make a strange expression.

He’s still engulfed in unbelievable flames and burning, but he’s not dead…?

He’ll die soon, but he’s still alive for now. Is that roughly what he meant?

As a trickle of cold sweat ran down my back due to his somewhat chilling tone.

“He was covered in something useless, so I burned it off.”

Father explained as if adding a clarification.

Something useless? I still didn’t understand what he meant.

“Normally, I would have burned him to death, but I’ll let it slide seeing as he’s your fiancée.”

‘…Ah.’

Hearing Father’s words, I belatedly remembered.

That the Heavenly Venerate was from the Namgung family.

I had forgotten for a moment, caught up in the situation.

‘Right… In that sense too, he shouldn’t have been killed.’

I thought so, but…

Even if I had remembered, would I have just let it be?

My mind, which had cooled down contrary to the situation, casually denied it.

Because I knew I wouldn’t have.

I was already a bastard, but after molting, I felt I had become even less human.

Pushing away the nauseating feeling, I asked Father.

‘…Father.’

“Speak.”

“What happened to the Heavenly Venerate, and that old man…?”

I pointed at the First Elder with my hand.

Watching the burning Heavenly Venerate, he couldn’t escape and was suppressing groans.

“…”

Father’s eyes turned towards the First Elder.

Meeting those eyes, the First Elder began to tremble violently.

“I heard this man poisoned you.”

At his nonchalantly spoken words, I had to clench my fist.

Father’s words meant that he had indeed come because I was poisoned.

Feeling an unfamiliar emotion from that, I turned my head slightly.

‘…How did you know it was him? You haven’t been here long.’

This was something I hadn’t even told the Poison King yet.

My intention was to tell him after capturing the First Elder and finding everything out.

But how could Father be so sure it was the First Elder?

To that question, Father…

“I didn’t know.”

“What?”

He gave an unexpected answer.

‘…What is that…?’

He just said that old man poisoned me, and now he says he didn’t know?

“That’s quite different from what you said just now…?”

To my questioning, Father elaborated further.

“What I could be sure of was that the culprit was among Dangmun’s elders. Therefore.”

‘…Therefore?’

“It was a matter of catching all the elders and checking.”

“…”

Hearing Father’s words, my mind went blank.

What did I just hear?

So…

‘…Since I don’t know exactly who it is, I just need to catch all the elders?’

It was a dizzying statement in many ways.

As I tried to regain my senses, which were becoming hazy, Father continued speaking while looking at the First Elder.

“It took half a day. That’s the time spent tracking the presence of Dangmun’s elders.”

Just half a day.

Only then did I understand where Father had suddenly gone and returned from.

The time spent memorizing the presence of the elders within this vast Dangmun.

You mean that was the time spent for that?

“I just came to find the one who seemed most suspicious among them, Third son. Judging by your reaction, it seems I was right.”

‘…Yes.’

As I replied, Father walked towards me.

“I’ve sent a telepathic message to the Poison King, so he should arrive soon.”

When did he send that?

“The Heavenly Venerate’s flames will extinguish before the Poison King arrives, so don’t worry about it.”

In other words, it was a warning not to interfere.

Though I wasn’t even thinking of interfering, already intimidated by the flames.

Father walked slowly until he finally reached me.

Father’s cold gaze swept over my body.

Feeling that gaze, I broke out in a cold sweat.

Even though I had just made excuses about achieving a complete transformation.

How was I supposed to explain my current state?

I regretted it involuntarily.

‘Damn it, I shouldn’t have come if it was going to be like this.’

I should have just obediently listened to Father and waited.

Now I’ve gone and done something useless and am likely to get scolded.

There was no way to make any excuses for this.

My eyes, which had started to show a light blue hue.

My hair with a bluish tint, the traces of scales on my skin, and my increased size.

While I might be able to pass off the increased size as the power of transformation.

The rest of my appearance was something I couldn’t do anything about.

As I thought of all sorts of excuses, trying to figure out what to say.

“This…”

At Father’s words, I squeezed my eyes shut.

No matter how I looked at it, there was no answer.

Just as I was preparing to be scolded.

‘…Is that so.’

I slightly opened my eyes at his changed voice.

It was because the emotion conveyed was so clear.

It was an emotion I had never felt from Father before.

Within Father’s voice, which sounded the same as usual, I could clearly feel it.

“You truly are…”

That emotion was definitely…

“Of your mother’s bloodline.”

It was longing.