Gujieye thought for a moment that he had misheard. But the vulgar words that pierced his ears were real.
"What did you say, Yigongzi?"
"Ah, anyway, I just want to live quietly, but something keeps poking me. Just leave me alone, I promise to stay out of trouble."
Huff!
The heat passing by Gujieye intensified. It meant that Ouyang Qian's inner energy from the Nine Flame Wheel Technique had grown stronger.
"Elder Li."
Ouyang Qian called out to Elder Li.
"What is it?"
"Can we start the sparring match?"
Was it just a misunderstanding?
To Elder Li, it sounded like Ouyang Qian was asking, "Can I kill him?"
'Has he become stronger again?'
That couldn't be possible. It had only been a few days at most.
No matter how much of a genius he was, such explosive growth in such a short time was impossible.
'So, did he have it all along?'
How efficiently one could use their cultivation technique.
For a martial artist, it was as important as physical training. So, what should he make of Ouyang Qian's current state?
'Strange.'
It was as if he had been practicing his cultivation technique for decades.
How could that be possible?
Ouyang Qian's inner energy and martial arts level were far below Gujieye's. That was how Elder Li saw it.
But he wasn't being overpowered.
Their inner energies clashed, and the training ground began to heat up, but neither side was being overwhelmed.
This was the most shocking thing to Gujieye.
'Why...?'
The trash of the Gu family, who was vomiting at his feet just last year, the incompetent son of the family head.
But what was this situation?
A mere year, not even a full year, and he had come this far?
"The sparring match begins."
Elder Li said. As the match started, Gujieye watched Ouyang Qian. He held his wooden sword diagonally and slightly bowed his upper body.
Nine Dragon Red Seven Sword (俱龍的七劍).
This was the name of the representative sword technique used by the Gu family.
It was a sword technique that complemented Gujieye's cultivation technique, the Nine Flame Technique.
Gujieye's martial arts, which were based on swordsmanship, involved rapid and sharp attacks using highly compressed inner energy.
As he watched Ouyang Qian, who was still staring at him, Gujieye thought:
'Sure enough, it was a needless worry.'
He was full of vulnerabilities from head to toe.
He must be using all his mental strength just to block my inner energy.
A few steps closer, and it would be within the range of my sword.
For Ouyang Qian, who had switched to fist techniques, it was an impossible fight from the start.
He was momentarily distracted by the beautiful attendant, Wuxia, but he couldn't forget his original purpose.
No matter how Ouyang Qian approached, he would strike at the vital points, and Ouyang Qian wouldn't be able to block.
No matter how he struggled, he would be defeated in the ugliest way possible.
Achieving his goal and taking the beautiful attendant, it would be a win-win for Gujieye.
However, right after the match started, Gujieye had one question.
Why?
'Why can't I approach...?'
Gujieye couldn't understand himself. He should just rush forward and attack.
In terms of inner energy, speed, and strength, he was superior in every way.
But he couldn't approach.
Drip.
A cold sweat dropped from Gujieye's cheek.
'It's because of the heat.'
Gujieye thought it was due to the heat. He couldn't be overwhelmed, could he?
He was...
"Hey."
Gujieye flinched at Ouyang Qian's voice.
"What are you doing?"
"...What do you mean?"
"What are you staring at? Aren't you going to come in?"
"...According to the rules of sparring, the weaker one is supposed to make the first move."
"Weaker? Who? Me? So, are you that scared?"
Ouyang Qian's taunt made Gujieye bite his lip. He knew his current appearance was strange.
Then, Ouyang Qian said:
"Remember when I told you I was bedridden for a month after losing to you?"
Ouyang Qian turned his head from side to side to loosen his neck.
The cracking sound as he moved his head was somehow intimidating.
"Why are you suddenly curious about that?"
"Just, it seemed about right."
"...?"
Suddenly, the heat emanating from Ouyang Qian's body disappeared.
Why did he remove it?
Gujieye instantly thought of the answer and smiled inwardly.
'His inner energy must be depleted. He can't use it anymore.'
With his cultivation technique dispelled, Ouyang Qian would find it hard to take even a step under the pressure of the heat.
His master had said that his Nine Flame Technique was so powerful that even a first-rate martial artist would find it hard to move.
He had said that in time, the most outstanding genius in the Gu family's history would be him, not Jianfeng.
So, there was no way Ouyang Qian could withstand his inner energy.
It must be gone.
'So, it was just a show of bravado? In that case, it's just...'
"You said I could go first, right?"
"...What?"
Gujieye's eyes widened. Ouyang Qian, whom he thought would be gasping for breath and struggling, was calmly looking at him.
"Let me ask again, can I go first?"
"The strong... Yes, go ahead."
Ouyang Qian didn't wait for him to finish speaking.
Ouyang Qian, who was in Gujieye's field of vision, disappeared in an instant.
'...!'
A martial artist's field of vision is much wider and clearer than an ordinary person's.
For someone who might soon be called a first-rate martial artist, like Gujieye, to disappear from his field of vision in one go...
It was as if he had suddenly burrowed into the ground or flown into the sky.
'Faster than me...?'
That was impossible.
The Nine Flame Wheel Technique, a direct lineage cultivation technique, was based on destruction. Conversely, the Nine Flame Technique was based on speed rather than destructive power.
How could he be faster than me...?
Smack!
"Ugh!!"
The shock that hit his face made his vision waver. The violent shaking of his body caused his cultivation technique to completely unravel.
Gujieye staggered and knelt on one knee.
Blood dripped from his nose onto the ground.
It was a nosebleed.
"What is this...?"
His vision was still blurry. What had just happened?
"You're full of distracting thoughts, aren't you? You're going to lose."
Ouyang Qian stood in front of him. Instead of continuing his attack, he stood still, watching Gujieye.
"I deliberately aimed to miss your jaw, so why are you pretending to be weak? Get up faster."
Gujieye, who suddenly regained his senses, swung his wooden sword, but a sword without inner energy was no threat.
Thud!
Ouyang Qian caught the arm that was swinging the wooden sword.
There was no time to think. Ouyang Qian immediately slapped Gujieye's face again.
"Ugh...!"
Gujieye's head snapped back from the strong blow. Ouyang Qian then threw him far away.
Gujieye rolled a few times and stopped near a tree.
His body trembled from the shock. He finally managed to get up, but his face was covered in blood from his nose.
Seeing this, Ouyang Qian said:
"I'll ask you one last time, is it okay if I come in?"
Gujieye's eyes trembled at the question.
Elder Li, who was watching, thought:
'...You're already in, you fool.'
He didn't say it out loud.
******************
Martial arts.
I learned that they exist to protect someone.
At least, that's the policy of the Gu family.
We learn martial arts to protect those cherished by the Gu family.
We become stronger to embrace them.
I heard this repeatedly from a young age, and it left a deep impression.
But even when I grew up, I still thought it was a ridiculous idea.
In my opinion, the essence of martial arts is to tear and destroy.
Martial arts are systematically developed to kill someone.
How you polish and use them, whether for protection or something else, is up to you.
But I have experienced the essence of martial arts to the point of exhaustion.
Tearing and destroying.
I have experienced it so much that it makes me shudder.
I no longer want to experience it.
When I saw that bastard, Gujieye, I thought my inner energy had disappeared.
The heat that was emanating from him didn't disappear.
Instead, I embraced it within my body.
The inner energy in my body activates my physical strength by forcibly turning it inside out.
This is a technique that can only be realized when the Nine Flame Wheel Technique surpasses the limits of reason.
However, using this technique doesn't necessarily make me stronger than Gujieye.
It's just a matter of sensory difference.
This generation is specialized in dealing with monsters using swords.
They may be relatively less skilled at killing humans. That's why I can easily handle Gujieye and Gu Yanshu.
Inside, I feel like I'm being turned upside down, but I don't show it on the outside.
'...This is too much of a burden on my body at my current 2-star level.'
I can see my breath when I exhale. It's not because it's cold outside, but because of the cultivation technique.
No matter how long, it can only last for about a quarter of an hour (about 7 minutes).
That's the limit for now. If I use it any longer, I might really fall into a state of madness.
'That's enough.'
I see Gujieye staggering. His heavy breathing suggests he has suffered some internal injuries from the interrupted cultivation technique due to the impact.
"Get up when I give you time. Don't make excuses after it's over."
The bastard forced himself to stand up. He seemed to have some willpower, as he adjusted his stance and started to circulate his inner energy again.
The heat was much weaker than before, but it was clear that Gujieye had deep inner energy.
"I apologize for underestimating you, Yigongzi. I lacked cultivation."
Gujieye seemed to have regained some composure and apologized to me.
"Enough with the excuses. Shall I go in again?"
"…This time, I will make the first move."
"Alright."
Gujieye wiped the blood dripping from his face and took his stance. The Nine Dragon Red Seven Sword technique starts and ends with a sword draw.
It should flow naturally like water, without any gaps, which is why it is a technique that requires familiarity with the Nine Flame Technique.
Gujieye swung his sword. The heat-infused energy shot out from the tip of the sword.
I slightly twisted my upper body to dodge. My gaze remained fixed on Gujieye's sword.
The shallow energy suggested that the second attack was the real one. Gujieye gathered his inner energy and leaped. His footwork was quick, and he rotated his body halfway before reaching me.
Nine Dragon Red Seven Sword - Hidden String Wheel Sword (備弦輪劍).
The energy from the Nine Flame Technique, gathered through the rotation, was contained in the wooden sword. It was a fast sword, though not very powerful.
'He's connecting the techniques better than I expected.'
The seamless movements suggested he had practiced a lot. However, it was still a technique.
Being natural means that if the flow is interrupted, there's nowhere to go.
Without hesitation, I plunged into Gujieye's guard. He looked slightly surprised, thinking I would dodge.
But Gujieye didn't stop his sword. The heat-infused sword was about to strike my head.
I rotated the Nine Flame Wheel Technique in my dantian to the maximum extent possible.
At the same time, I released the heat I had stored in my body all at once.
The heat that erupted filled the entire training ground. Since it was only a release, it would dissipate quickly.
But Gujieye, who was right in front of me, couldn't remain unscathed.
Although the root of his cultivation technique was the same as mine, he didn't suffer a major blow.
However, it stopped the movement of the technique he was using.
And it made him close his eyes for a moment.
In a martial artist's sparring, a moment is enough to decide the outcome.
My fist, infused with inner energy, struck Gujieye's chest.
"Kuh...!"
This time, I didn't hold back. Although Gujieye's body was wrapped in inner energy, my fist penetrated deeper than expected.
Gujieye knelt and vomited.
"Ugh... Ugh... Ugh..."
"Do you know what I find the most disgusting?"
As I looked down at Gujieye, I thought:
Should I kill him?
I had been considering it since the start of the sparring.
I knew I shouldn't kill him, but the killing intent in my body was so intense that my blood vessels were about to burst.
Suppressing anger is harder than I thought.
But this bastard keeps provoking me.
"Whatever you say to me, whatever attitude you show, even if you covet the position of the young master. I don't care about any of it."
Gujieye's body, which was vomiting on the ground, flinched. It was because I had let out a hint of the hidden killing intent.
"But you dared to reach for something you shouldn't. That's what I find disgusting."
I don't like it when someone tries to grab something they can't reach.
I can't kill him. It's just that my current status is so good, it's like a dog's life.
So, I plan to make him suffer for a month, the month he made me suffer.
Where should I hurt him? Should I break his arm? Since he uses his left hand for the sword, I should break his right hand.
Just as I reached out, someone grabbed my hand and stopped me.
"That's enough."
The person who stopped me was Elder Li.
I looked at Elder Li with a bewildered expression.
"Why are you doing this? Elder Li, the sparring isn't over yet."
"Gujieye... is no longer in a state to spar. You know that better than anyone, don't you?"
Blood was flowing from his nose, and his mouth was full of vomit.
The punch to his chest had scattered his energy, making it hard for him to move.
But I didn't like ending it like this.
[There are many eyes watching.]
Elder Li's telepathic message made me stop.
"Huff..."
I sighed and stepped back from him.
Since this was a person sent by Elder Li, he wouldn't have come alone.
My mind, which had been clouded by emotion, slowly cooled down.
"Tell Elder Li that if he does this again, I might want to become the family head."
Stop poking me.
It was a warning.
I ignored the bastard and approached Wuxia.
Wuxia, who was looking only at me and not at the half-dead Gujieye, asked anxiously:
"Master... did you win?"
She seemed worried that she might have to go somewhere else if I lost.
"Yes, I won."
Wuxia beamed with joy at my words. I smiled slightly and patted her head.