Chapter 364

I had a very long dream. A dream of walking through a hundred years of time.

The vagrant who had wandered the continent, begging for scraps, met a master, learned martial arts, and made his name known throughout the world. Then, one day, he saw his former self in a young beggar stuffing a dirt-covered dumpling into his mouth.

“What’s your name?”

“……I don’t know.”

“Jangcheon. From now on, your name is Jangcheon.”

They were dark, cold memories. On a day when heavy rain poured from the sky, the disciple who had been like his own flesh and blood left, while his master was left behind.

It was only after a truly long time that he returned to the world.

And then…

“You’re an interesting fellow. Who did you say you were?”

“Jin Taekyung. Jin Taekyung of the Jin Family of Taiyuan.”

He met someone.

A young brat whose crooked tone and rebellious gaze were impossible to hide, and whom he had disliked for them.

But why had that been?

Whenever he looked around, that fellow was always by his side, and he could never get him out of his mind.

Perhaps that was when his heart had begun to move.

“This old man is already afflicted with the infirmities of old age. Can you learn martial arts from someone like me?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll say it again…”

“I believe in you, Old Master. That’s enough.”

Light and warmth seeped into memories that had once been dark and cold.

He had never regretted the decision he made that day—not even when he performed the Dance of the Fire God and Demon, which would be his final act in this life.

“How was it? The Dance of the Fire God and Demon. Pretty incredible, right?”

“Yes. It was incredible.”

That single sentence had been enough. He wanted for nothing more. He had avenged his friend and saved his one and only Disciple.

But, unbelievably, the enemy rose again, and that was where his memories ended.

In the darkness where everything had vanished, he wondered.

Am I dead? Where is this place, where neither Yama nor the dead can be found?

“Could I be wandering through the underworld?”

The question soon disappeared.

At some point, he forgot the flow of time. He even forgot who he was and how he had lived.

No, it was just as he was beginning to forget.

“Old Master. Did you know?”

Someone’s voice echoed faintly in the distance. A voice he had heard somewhere before. Yet they were words he had never heard that person say.

“I always wanted to call you Master.”

He understood.

At the same time, he remembered the person he had briefly forgotten. The sturdy dam of his memories collapsed and swallowed him whole.

“I felt the same.”

Fwoosh.

Flames bloomed.

Both hands wrapped in Blazing Flame tore through the air. The darkness surrounding him in every direction cracked apart, and light seeped through.

The passage was narrow, as though telling him that he was not yet ready to awaken. But without hesitation, he stepped toward the light.

“He’s calling for me.”

Fwoosh!

Along with a blinding white light that filled his vision, the Fire King, Jeok Cheongang, opened his eyes.

“Don’t touch even a hair on him.”

His voice was hoarse from not speaking for so long. But when he turned to face him, the Western Heaven Demon Lord could feel it.

The heat contained within that small old man’s body.

The flames burning in his eyes.

“Take your hands off what belongs to this old man.”

“The Fire King…!”

The Western Heaven Demon Lord let out a low groan.

Of all times, the old monster from Mount Jiuhua had to awaken now.

Under normal circumstances, perhaps things would have been different. But one of his ankles had already been crushed, and he had expended a considerable amount of strength.

His opponent, meanwhile, was the Supreme Peak master known as the greatest among the Ten Kings.

This is bad. Very bad.

At this rate, he might have to brace himself for a fight that would leave them both gravely wounded.

The Western Heaven Demon Lord had no intention of dying here after failing the mission personally ordered by the Lord of Heaven.

I have no choice.

His pride as a martial artist stung, but he had to resolve this by the easiest method available.

The Western Heaven Demon Lord bit down on his lip and stretched out a hand. Jin Taekyung’s limp body, barely clinging to consciousness, flew into his grasp like a piece of iron drawn to a magnet.

He seized Jin Taekyung by the throat and shook him conspicuously at Jeok Cheongang.

“It would be best if you stopped there. If you want to save the life of your one and only Disciple.”

Thud.

Jeok Cheongang’s approaching footsteps stopped abruptly.

The old master stared at the Western Heaven Demon Lord, then slowly parted his lips.

“Have you ever seen such a motherless, fatherless, fucking son of a bitch…?”

“……!”

“Did you hear what this old man said through your asshole? I said it clearly. Don’t touch even a hair on him.”

The thick profanity left the Western Heaven Demon Lord momentarily stunned.

Then a sneer spread across his lips.

“Oh, did you?”

At the same time, a stifled groan escaped between Jin Taekyung’s lips.

The Western Heaven Demon Lord had tightened his grip.

Crack.

A faint sound of bones slipping out of place echoed through the prison.

Jeok Cheongang’s eyes sank deep.

“How dare you…”

“I have many eyes and ears. They all told me the same thing. That the Fire King of the world cherishes his Disciple as though he were his own flesh and blood.”

“……What do you want?”

The Western Heaven Demon Lord answered without hesitation.

“If you don’t want to lose your Disciple, kill yourself.”

“Kill myself?”

Jeok Cheongang let out a hollow laugh and opened his mouth.

“You’ve got quite a bark. Did you learn it from some marketplace mongrel?”

“They say a master and Disciple resemble each other. You’re saying exactly the same things as your Disciple.”

The Western Heaven Demon Lord clicked his tongue softly and tightened his grip.

Crack!

Along with a sharper, louder cracking sound, Jin Taekyung’s limp toes swung through the air.

Deep furrows appeared between Jeok Cheongang’s brows.

“You bastard!”

“This is my final offer. If you accept it, you can save your Disciple and preserve the lineage of your martial school. But if you refuse…”

The Western Heaven Demon Lord continued in a chilling voice.

“I will break this fellow’s neck right now and engage you in a life-and-death duel. And most likely, you will be the first to fall.”

This was not a mere bluff.

The Western Heaven Demon Lord knew that Jeok Cheongang was not in perfect condition, either.

That was only natural. Jeok Cheongang had spent more than a month hovering between life and death after fighting the Blood Lord, and had only just awakened.

“What will you do?”

Jeok Cheongang’s eyelids trembled.

The old master looked at his Disciple, held in the enemy’s grasp, with an indescribable gaze before opening his mouth.

“Promise me… that you will keep your word.”

“Of course.”

It was, of course, a lie.

The Western Heaven Demon Lord had no intention of letting a single person live.

The Sichuan Tang Clan, certainly. The Fire King, Jeok Cheongang. The Divine Physician, who had passed out behind them from the aftereffects of the battle. And…

The Sleeping Dragon of Shanxi, Jin Taekyung. This one especially must not be allowed to live.

The Sword Saint’s successor was dangerous enough, but Jin Taekyung was particularly dangerous.

If they had fought for another half a shichen—no, even another fifteen minutes—the brat might have gained enlightenment and broken through the wall of the Supreme Peak realm.

It was a blessing that he had defeated Jin Taekyung before that enlightenment could continue.

The Lord of Heaven is aiding me.

The Western Heaven Demon Lord barely suppressed the corners of his mouth, which were trying to curl upward.

Jeok Cheongang, who had been staring at him, abruptly opened his mouth.

“Is that enough now?”

The unexpected question made the Western Heaven Demon Lord frown.

“What are you talking about?”

“You sly bastard. You’ve become even more of a monster since I last saw you.”

“What kind of nonsense are you—”

But the Western Heaven Demon Lord could not finish speaking.

No, he was unable to.

Grab.

Crack-crack-crack!

A fiery pain began at his wrist.

The next moment, reflected in the Western Heaven Demon Lord’s widened eyes were his wrist, twisted as though a giant had wrung it, and a young man whose hand clamped around it like a hook.

“Jin Taekyuuung!”

How?

A furious roar filled with pain, disbelief, and shock rang through the underground prison.

But Jin Taekyung did not hear him—could not hear him.

His eyes were hazy, as though he were drunk, and he moved only according to instinct.

Crack!

An irresistible force tore the Western Heaven Demon Lord’s wrist out like a weed being pulled from the ground.

A fountain of blood erupted, along with searing pain.

For an instant, the Western Heaven Demon Lord’s vision went white.

Then a streak of flame bloomed before him.

“I told you.”

The old master, wrapped from head to toe in blazing hellfire, continued as though spitting the words out.

“Don’t touch my Disciple. Not even a hair.”

KABOOOOOM!

A massive pillar of fire surged upward.

I felt dazed.

As though I could fall asleep at any moment. Or as though I had just woken from sleep.

Everything felt blurred and distant.

This has to be a dream.

It definitely was.

The fact that I was alive even though I should have died long ago. The fact that Jeok Cheongang had awakened even though he should have needed several more days before he was ready to wake up.

But…

Is this a dream, too?

Ding.

System

• Jeok Cheongang has awakened from a long sleep!
• You have successfully completed all related chain Quests, and your noble devotion and sacrifice will be rewarded!
• Level Up!
• Level Up!
• Level Up!
• Stamina, Strength, Agility, and Internal Energy have been restored!
• Your physical injuries have been partially restored through a total of three Level Ups!

Ding. Ding. Ding.

The bright ringing of bells echoed around me.

At the same time, an energy like warm sunlight spread throughout my body.

Broken bones fused together, and torn flesh healed. My damaged and shredded organs and acupoints also began returning to their proper places.

Slowly.

But steadily.

Crack.

My toes stepped on empty air.

Before I knew it, the Western Heaven Demon Lord was holding me by the throat.

My burst eardrums should have healed by now, but the sound of the conversation between the two men still felt distant.

What is this feeling?

Hummm. Hummm.

A strange noise that words could not describe circled inside my head.

Then, in the next moment, Jeok Cheongang’s voice pierced clearly into my ears.

“How long do you intend to stay like that?”

I don’t really know, Old Master. I just… I just can’t summon any strength. I don’t even know if this is a dream or reality.

I wanted to answer the familiar face, but no voice came out.

The hand pressing against my throat suddenly felt uncomfortable.

Then… I should loosen it.

By the time the thought crossed my mind, my hand had already moved.

My hand shot out so quickly that even I was unaware of it and seized the Western Heaven Demon Lord’s wrist.

Crack-crack-crack!

Solid joints collapsed, and a scream burst forth.

Without hesitation, I twisted his wrist and pulled it straight out.

A fountain of blood erupted after the cracking sound.

Before even a drop could reach the floor, a streak of flame crossed the air.

“It’s been a while, you reckless little brat.”

The voice stretched out, carrying a hint of laughter.

Hellfire flickered from Jeok Cheongang’s palm as it passed by me.

The Flame Divine Palm, perfected to its highest level, slammed into the Western Heaven Demon Lord’s chest as he writhed in pain.

KABOOOOOM!

A massive pillar of fire surged upward, scorching the ceiling.

The flames that seemed destined to burn forever were extinguished by ink-colored Sword Force.

Ssssssssh!

“Die!”

The Western Heaven Demon Lord’s entire body was shrouded in black clouds.

His lips were soaked in blood, and every blood vessel in his eyes had burst, staining them red.

He looked like a madman, but the power carried by his sword seemed capable of cleaving the heavens.

Whoooooosh!

At the moment the darkness spewed from his blade and shot forward, slicing through the pillar of fire—

“Ugh.”

A small groan escaped between Jeok Cheongang’s lips as he tried to draw up his Scorching Yang Qi.

I could feel the qi lying coiled inside his still-unrecovered body waver.

I watched the entire scene with empty eyes.

The darkness rushing toward me through my hazy vision.

Jeok Cheongang’s swaying body.

And then—

“Ah.”

A single exclamation escaped my lips.

I was here, and at the same time, I was not.

I could feel and see everything.

Everything surrounding me felt vivid and clear.

So that’s what it was. That’s what this meant.

A blinding flash pierced through my entire body, from the crown of my head to the tips of my toes.

Everything that had blocked me until now cracked and collapsed.

The world that had looked hazy, as though I were drunk, cleared up. My dazed mind became as clear as a summer sky.

At the end of it all, there was a light called enlightenment.

Ding.

System

• Congratulations. You have finally crossed the wall and set foot into a great realm!
• You have reached the Supreme Peak realm!

Ding. Ding. Ding.

Listening to bells that rang louder and clearer than ever before, I took a step.

Space vanished, and the natural qi within it surged.

A fire dragon roared from the spearhead of White Flame as it was drawn through Seizing an Object Through Empty Space.

KRAAOOOOOO!