Chapter 1703
I’ve just realized. (3)
“Gah!”
The face of Seop Ryang [섭량(葉糧)], an elder of the Sun Palace, twisted miserably.
‘What on earth are these bastards?’
His thin eyes wavered faintly. This cannot be. This is impossible.
Their martial arts are meant to burn people with the Hot Yang Qigong. As humans, everyone must feel a sense of aversion and fear toward the blazing flames.
Even those with unwavering conviction, ruthless killers, and any great master who faced the heat of the Hot Yang Qigong would inevitably shrink back. Due to the nature of the hot yang energy, even if one could block the force itself, they could not completely avoid the accompanying heat.
No matter how fiercely one fought, they would only end up with a thoroughly burned body. So they should retreat. That is not just the natural response – it is common sense.
But these lunatics completely disregard that common sense.
“Damn it! It’s hot!”
With a curse, the tip of a red-hot sword flew toward Seop Ryang’s face. Despite screaming in fury and his face contorting horribly, the incoming sword strikes remained calm and composed.
‘How can this be?’
He thought he only needed to block them.
If they dealt with the exhausted ones properly, the cliff would collapse on its own, and they could escape through the prepared route.
How did something so simple become like this?
“Aaaaah!”
They were even being pushed back. The chaos around them was vivid. Those with less experience were unable to perform at their best due to the urgency of the situation.
He used to sneer at such situations, but now it was the Sun Palace that was being driven into such a state.
‘Hwasan.’ The momentum of these people made even Seop Ryang’s body stiffeen.
“Get out of the way, you bastard!”
‘Danger…’
Seop Ryang unconsciously took a step back when he saw the curly-haired young man charging at him with gleaming eyes. He was already overwhelmed by the momentum before even testing his skills.
It was at that moment.
“You shameless fools!”
“Ugh!”
Seop Ryang’s eyes widened.
He turned slowly, momentarily frozen like a statue. At that moment, instead of the owner of the voice, he saw a massive sun blazing as if it would engulf the world.
‘No, no!’
Boom!
The blazing heat struck Seop Ryang. His body began to melt and char black in an instant.
“What, what is this!”
“Get out of the way!”
Suddenly overwhelmed by the formidable heat, Yoon Jong hastily pulled Jo Geol. Their bodies rolled together on the ground.
“Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!”
The agonizing scream, painful even just to hear, momentarily froze the fierce battlefield. In the midst of the blazing crimson flames, a blackened body writhed and flailed as if dancing in agony.
“That…”
It was a scene beyond the description of horror.
Moments later, as the flames subsided, Seop Ryang’s charred body, black as coal, finally collapsed.
Crackle.
Everyone watched in a daze as his body crumbled to ashes. Then their gaze shifted to the figure walking out from behind the ashes that had been Seop Ryang’s corpse.
“P-Palace Lord!”
“You pathetic fools. How much more do you plan to disgrace me?”
The Sun Palace Lord Jin Pyeong spat out his words through clenched teeth. His eyes flashed like flames.
“Hwasan? To mere lowlifes like this?”
From the entirety of Palace Lord’s body, the blazing heat of hot yang energy surged forth.
“Come. I will personally send you to hell!”
He roared like a guardian of the last gate leading to hell itself.
“P-Palace Lord?”
A bewildered voice slipped from Jo Geol’s mouth.
“It seems he is the Lord of the Southern Sea Sun Palace.”
“That person?”
Jo Geol, in disbelief, asked again, his face soon twisting in horror.
“Isn’t this too unfair? Our Sobaek is so small and cute, but that person…?”
“What nonsense are you talking about, you idiot!”
Yoon Jong scolded Jo Geol while keeping an eye on the Sun Palace Lord. It was good enough to reprimand Jo Geol moments ago, but secretly, he understood Jo Geol’s absurd remark.
‘Like a blazing sun.’
The heat radiating from the Sun Palace Lord seemed like it could scorch Yoon Jong’s clothes from afar. Was this the extent of power when Hot Yang Qigong reached its peak?
Yoon Jong felt his body stiffen with tension.
On the surface, he appeared just like a man of noble status in his middle years, someone who might enjoy a leisurely life in a grand palace.
In short, he wasn’t an overwhelming figure based on appearance alone, unlike the Black Dragon King.
However, the immense and terrifying energy emanating from his body made his ordinary appearance insignificant.
‘Of all times…’
There was no way to suppress the creeping feeling of despair that surged within him.
That path must be opened. It was essential to survive.
But the wall that stood before them was far too high and thick. They were pressured by time, having to overcome a barrier that was challenging even under normal circumstances.
‘I need to find another way…’
As Yoon Jong was lost in contemplation, someone suddenly leapt over his head.
“Sago!”
He shouted instinctively, shocked beyond belief.
While he was pondering, Yu Iseol was taking action. Her body shot towards the Sun Palace Lord like a fierce hawk.
“This is reckless, Sago! Right now…”
“A-mi-ta-bha!”
At that moment, a loud roar erupted next to Jo Geol.
Thwaaaaang!
Accompanied by a sound like a giant whip cracking, Hye Yeon’s Hundred Step Divine Fist flew towards the Sun Palace Lord with terrifying speed. It was a maneuver focused more on speed than power, a single punch full of intent to support Yu Iseol.
From the front, Shaolin’s ancient martial arts surged forward, and from above, the most lethal blade of Hwasan aimed for his neck.
It was a situation that would threaten anyone.
However, the Sun Palace Lord did not even flinch.
“Petty tricks!”
Fwoooosh!
Immense waves of hot yang energy burst from the Sun Palace Lord’s hands like an explosion.
‘What is that?’
Yoon Jong’s eyes widened in astonishment.
The force emitted from the Sun Palace Lord’s hands turned from orange to gold. Soon, it surged like a wave, completely covering his front.
Woooom!
The power of the Hundred Step Divine Fist was unable to penetrate the heat and dissipated. Yu Iseol, swinging her sword with all her might at the oncoming force, was unable to withstand the rebound and was thrown back.
“Sago!”
Thud.
Yu Iseol landed on one knee, blood trickling from her lips.
“Sago! Are you alright?”
“…I’m fine.”
After only a single exchange, the ends of her hair were charred, and blood welled up in her mouth.
In just one strike.
“That’s an unbelievable… level of inner strength.”
“Ugh…”
Yoon Jong’s eyes trembled faintly.
‘Is that even possible?’
Everyone they had faced so far had been formidable.
The power behind the Black Dragon King’s blade was unimaginably strong, and the speed of Cheon Myeon Susa was beyond what the eye could follow.
Jang Ilso instilled fear just with his presence, and even recalling the swordsmanship of Mangeum Daebu, whom they had only briefly encountered, sent shivers down their spines.
But this was a different kind of ‘strength’ altogether.
How immense must one’s internal strength be to occupy such a vast space with a single burst of energy? It was an absolute shield – one that burned and incinerated anyone who dared to approach.
Hye Yeon groaned as he spoke.
“The Lord of the Southern Sea Sun Palace… is said to be of royal lineage, and they monopolize countless elixirs as the rulers of Linyi.”
Jo Geol spun around to face Hye Yeon, as if that was the most nonsensical thing he’d ever heard.
“No way, can consuming elixirs like daily meals result in that? Chung Myung said that beyond a certain point, elixirs don’t make a big difference.”
“That’s likely true. Generally speaking.”
“What?”
“If there’s more water than the vessel can hold, it overflows. However… that person is of royal blood and was destined to become the Sun Palace Lord from birth. Naturally, they must have crafted the vessel first.”
“What a rotten world. I should have been born into a wealthy family.”
“You shouldn’t say things like that, you idiot.”
“What about you, Monk? Weren’t you also cherished in the wealthy Shaolin?”
“I-I was an orphan from the streets in the first place…”
“Yes, I’m sorry. It’s always me who ends up the bad guy, always.”
Just as Yoon Jong was about to smack the back of his head, unable to take it anymore.
“Get down!”
Yu Iseol’s brief shout prompted everyone to scatter in all directions. Almost simultaneously, a golden force crashed into where they had been.
Woooom!
There was no explosion. Instead of shattering its surroundings, the force melted everything it touched. The ground they had stood on moments before turned bright red and then quickly charred black.
“…Unbelievable.”
Jo Geol’s mouth fell open in astonishment.
In that brief moment, the ground had burned. What would happen to a person hit by such heat? Even if one wrapped their body in internal energy, could a human body, made of flesh and blood, truly withstand such force?
“You truly lack manners.”
The Sun Palace Lord frowned and glared at them.
“To dare exchange jokes in my presence.”
His gaze was extremely arrogant, as if he stood above the heavens.
Yet, absurdly, Jo Geol did not find this arrogance excessive. In fact, it seemed entirely natural.
“Oh, realizing I think like this confirms I’m a commoner. A slave mentality, through and through…”
“What kind of nonsense are you babbling, you idiot!”
“Ugh.”
Jo Geol let out a groan.
“My Lord! They are insignificant and lowly beings. Not worthy of your direct engagement.”
“We fear that your precious body might be harmed! Please refrain from acting!”
“We will handle this place.”
The Guardians, frightened, rushed forward and pleaded with the Sun Palace Lord, practically prostrating themselves before him. However, all they received in return were cold glances and scorn.
“What do you think you can accomplish?”
“M-My Lord.”
“You, pathetic fools. How much more will you disgrace me before you are satisfied?”
The Sun Palace Lord’s fury made the Guardians pale.
They knew better than anyone, having served so closely beside him, that Sun Palace Lord Jin Pyeong rarely became this enraged.
From his perspective, it was entirely justified.
If this were Linyi, he would never have been humiliated by someone as insignificant as Jang Ilso. Not only had he taken orders from a mere commoner, but he had even bowed his head, something unthinkable.
But if he failed to handle even this task properly?
The humiliation and shame he would suffer from Jang Ilso were unimaginable. Born to stand above others, the Sun Palace Lord could never accept such a situation.
Thus, he had to succeed in this mission himself… No, this proposal. For Linyi, for the Sun Palace, and ultimately for himself!
His golden robe began to flap violently as if caught in a storm.
“Stand back. Unless you wish to die as well!”
The Guardians, terrified by the overwhelming heat emanating from him, hurriedly retreated to the sides. Staying too close would turn them into charcoal.
The Sun Palace Lord, enveloped in the immense energy of Hot Yang Qigong, stepped towards Hwasan’s disciples with a murderous intent that suggested he intended to incinerate them all himself.
“Vulgar creatures. Rude and… utterly unaware of their place!”
Hwasan swordsmen instinctively stepped back.
The heat was so intense that merely facing it seemed to drain their spirits. Even though they knew they shouldn’t retreat, the primal fear and aversion gripped them by the back of their necks.
They understood that they had to advance and open a path to survive. But if that path was engulfed in hellish flames, could they really leap forward without hesitation?
Jo Geol gritted his teeth so hard that the muscles in his jaw stood out.
“What do we do, Sahyeong?”
“Even I don’t…”
“Thinking is your job, Sahyeong! How do we deal with someone like that?”
Instead of responding, Yoon Jong bit his lower lip tightly.
“Isn’t there a way?”
“There is a way.”
There’s always a way to fight any opponent. Chung Myung had taught them that much. But…
“What is it?”
“Internal energy isn’t infinite. It eventually gets depleted. No matter how great his internal energy is, he can’t keep releasing that much force indefinitely.”
“So?”
“So, normally, we’d have to drag him into a war of attrition.”
“…This is insane.”
Jo Geol’s face suddenly darkened.
There wasn’t a flaw in Yoon Jong’s reasoning. It was definitely the most reliable strategy.
However, Hwasan couldn’t afford to drag things out right now. Time was of the essence.
He had a weakness, but they couldn’t exploit it. Such an existence is often called being ‘invincible’.
Jo Geol clenched his hands tightly, blood draining from his fingers as he desperately thought.
‘No, no, I have to do something!’
He was now the vanguard leader of Hwasan. No matter how difficult and arduous it was, he had to open a path. That was his role and his reason.
But no solution came to mind.
The moment they faced him, they’d be turned into charcoal. Their entire bodies would be burned to ashes. What could they do against such an opponent?
‘Rather…’
Would it be better to jump off that cliff? It might be more feasible than confronting that man.
Of course, he knew. As long as the path they carved was, the path they’d have to carve out again if they turned back would be endlessly long.
But rather than banging against that hopeless wall…
Jo Geol hesitated, starting to glance back, when something caught his eye.
‘What?’
His gaze was caught by a particular scene.
Standing resolutely, directly facing the heat that seemed capable of drying and scorching anyone in its path, was a single person. The back of the person blocking the Sun Palace Lord was firm and unwavering.
Jo Geol, frozen in place, heard the low voice of that person.
“Whether it’s a thorny path or a pit of fire… I’ve long been prepared.”
“Sa…”
“What matters is whether you can carry it through…”
Hwasan’s Plum Blossom Sword was aimed at the Sun Palace Lord.
As the sword, heated by the intense heat, pointed at him, the Sun Palace Lord’s eyebrows twitched noticeably.
“…Who are you?”
“Baek Cheon.”
“Sa-Sasuk!”
Amidst the heat that felt like it could melt his flesh, Baek Cheon’s eyes remained endlessly calm and composed.
“The Vice Sect Leader of Hwasan.”
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