Qi surged from my upper dantian, erupting from my body in waves, transforming into pure heat as it exited. Flames whirled around me.
I could feel my hair turning crimson as the heat intensified.

Whoosh—!

The flames circled around me like a ring, spinning wildly, forming a second ring beneath the first.
Inside, my Qi raged like a storm, creating immense pressure within my body.

One wrong move, and the backlash could tear me apart from the inside, but I wasn’t worried.
Upon reaching the Flowering Realm, my control over my Qi had grown stronger, and my body could now endure such intensity.

I was ready.

As soon as I realized this, I spoke the words.

“Red Sky.”

KABOOM—!

The rings of flames that had been spinning around me shot upward, the heat spiraling into the sky like a storm.
The flames and heat combined, creating a vortex that pierced the dark heavens.

Crack—!

I watched it happen.

Just like cracks forming on a frozen river, the dark sky began to fracture, shattering as the flames tore through it.

‘Not very durable.’

It seemed like some sort of formation, but something felt off.
It shouldn’t have broken so easily.

Was it because I’d broken through the wall?
No, that wasn’t it.

The cracks had already been forming; I had just hastened the collapse.
Breaking it from the inside hadn’t been difficult.

‘What happened?’

How long had it been since I returned from the Illusionary Realm?
I guessed it had only been a few days, though I hadn’t been counting the days while I was there.

But what could have caused all this chaos in such a short time?

I didn’t know.
Even though it had been years since I’d last stepped foot in this world, everything still felt familiar.

Perhaps it was the World Tree’s doing, knowing how disoriented I had been after my last reincarnation, or maybe it was the blessing of the mark I carried.
Either way, I was thankful.

I closed my eyes briefly.

‘Stop.’

Now was not the time for endless questions.

That was a lesson I had learned after countless hours of meditation.
It was something I had known all along but had never fully internalized.

Now that I had, I was able to maintain clarity even with the storm of Qi surging through my body.

The heat from the Qi flowing through my dantian was intense, but my mind remained calm.

Crack.

Fragments of energy rained down from the sky, but unfortunately, I hadn’t destroyed the entire formation.
I wasn’t strong enough for that yet.

Still, I had created a sizeable breach.
Through the gap, I could see the sky, now tinged with a deep crimson.

The Secret Art of the Gu family—Red Sky—had changed the color of the heavens.

It wasn’t like the blood-red sky I had seen in the Illusionary Realm.
Here, there was a faint pink hue mixed in, likely due to the lingering effects of the Qi techniques I had been practicing.

I nodded to myself.

‘I’ve done it.’

I had truly reached the Flowering Realm.

I had pierced through the wall that had trapped me in Peak Mastery, the graveyard of martial artists.
After endless struggles and countless trials, I had finally achieved it.

Everything felt sharper now, more vivid than when I had been at Peak Mastery.

My senses had expanded, and I could feel everything more clearly.

Especially the dark, malevolent energy that permeated the air around me.

‘An attack?’

What lunatic would dare to attack Sinryong Hall?
Then again, most of the Sapa were lunatics.

And the man standing before me was no different.

He was large, about the size of Elder Iljang, far beyond normal human proportions.
He wielded a massive saber, and something about him reminded me of the Sapa warrior I had killed back at Mount Hua.

‘Mokcheol, huh?’

The black blade of his saber was of high quality.
His martial arts level—he had reached the Flowering Realm.
I couldn’t gauge his exact level, which meant he was formidable.

Judging by the state of Cheonghae Ilgeom, bleeding out behind him, this old man was the one who had incapacitated him.

‘Who is he?’

Any Sapa warrior who had reached the Flowering Realm would be well-known.
Could he be one of the Five Evil Overlords?

I couldn’t recall any of them using a saber like that.

“Red Sky…”

The old man muttered to himself as he stared at me.

“I thought the energy felt familiar. You… You must be of the Gu family.”

“You know of me?”

“There is only one place that can turn the sky red with flames. Of course, I know of it.”

A smirk tugged at my lips.

So, he had seen Red Sky before.
Had he known my father? Or perhaps my grandfather?

It didn’t matter.

Even if he had seen this technique before, it wouldn’t change anything.

‘It’s hard to miss something that changes the sky itself.’

As the heat from Red Sky spread, it weighed down heavily on the surroundings.

The Gu family’s secret art had a specific purpose, one I had come to understand as a form of arrogance.

Red Sky created a domain, fueled by the Qi that filled my upper dantian and the flames it produced.
In that domain, under the crimson sky, the flames of the Gu family would never die out.

They would burn hotter and hotter until every last enemy was reduced to ashes.

In a way, it was similar to the Namgung family’s Imperial Sword Form.
That technique projected an overwhelming presence, slowing the movements of any opponent caught within its range.

Both were forms of Domain Arts.

The difference was that Red Sky could only be used after reaching the Flowering Realm and opening the upper dantian—a level of difficulty far beyond most martial artists.

‘How far have I come?’

I clenched and unclenched my fist, testing my strength.

Roughly speaking, the power I had gained after my reincarnation was about half—no, maybe slightly less than half—of what I had possessed in my previous life.

Was that fast? Or slow?

I didn’t know.
There was still a long road ahead of me.

“You…”

The old man spoke, his gaze locked on me.

“You’re… Ho-Hyeop, aren’t you?”

What?

I blinked, momentarily stunned by the mention of my father’s alias.

“Ho-Hyeop wouldn’t leave Shanxi, would he?”
“Do I look that old?”

My father was indeed no spring chicken, but being a martial artist had kept him looking young.
I definitely didn’t look old enough to be confused for him.

“If you’re not Ho-Hyeop, then… could you be Jinryong?”

The old man’s eyes widened in disbelief as he arrived at the correct conclusion.
I tilted my head in acknowledgment.

“That’s impossible…”

He looked as though he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“I heard you hadn’t even reached twenty…”
“So?”

“How could… How could you have broken through the wall?”

Ah, so that’s what this was about.

Reaching the Flowering Realm before the age of twenty was unheard of.
There wouldn’t be a single record of such a feat in all of the martial world’s history.

It was no wonder this old man was so shocked.

I, however, felt no particular excitement.

‘What meaning is there in something gained through reincarnation?’

To others, I might appear to be a once-in-a-lifetime genius, the kind of prodigy they could only dream of being.
Yet, despite how badly I had craved such recognition in my past life, it now held no significance for me.

Smirking, I spoke in a somewhat brusque tone.

“You’re focusing on the wrong thing.”

I accelerated the heat swirling through my body, feeling my muscles tense as my Qi mixed with the rising killing intent.

‘Ha…’

A fight, the moment I returned to this world.
Why couldn’t my life ever be peaceful?

Sensing the rising tension, the old man’s brow furrowed.

“You don’t even want to know who I am?”

“Why would I care?”

Like I said before—

“I don’t waste time talking to Sapa trash.”

Why would I bother conversing with vermin?
If there was anything I needed to know, I could always break their limbs and take what I wanted afterward. There was no need for pleasantries.

“The only thing that matters is that you’re my enemy.”

“Why assume that? We may not be enemies.”

I laughed at his words, a clear mockery.

If that were the case—

“Then wipe that murderous intent out of your eyes before you say something like that.”

At my words, the old man’s expression grew cold.
But that was enough. Words weren’t necessary anymore.

This conversation was over.

   
   ********************
   

The Black Dragon had heard more about Jinryong than expected.

Starting with the fact that Jinryong was the son of 'that' Ho-hyeop, a well-known name. The Black Dragon was also aware that this brat was responsible for the death of Gu Changjun, a useful connection, although it had somewhat complicated his relationship with the Lord. However, the Black Dragon didn’t care much about such things.

He’d heard people call Jinryong the youngest master to ever reach the pinnacle stage, a talent deserving to be written into history. But to the Black Dragon, this was nothing more than a promising youngster—someone far from becoming an obstacle in his path.

When the Black Dragon set off for Shinryongwan to reveal his return, he thought if Ho-hyeop’s child was there, he’d simply take care of him too. After all, even if Jinryong was impressive, he was still just a cub. But now...

Whoosh—Boom!

“Phew...”

Jinryong’s fist collided with the Black Dragon’s giant sword, unleashing a fierce burst of energy. The energy contained within that strike wasn’t ordinary. The Black Dragon’s bulky frame slightly lifted off the ground. To think a small fist could lift him.

Suppressing his surprise, the Black Dragon gathered his strength. It was heavy, but it wasn’t enough to pierce through his protective qi. If he counterattacked now—

Whoosh—!

“...!”

In an instant, a massive surge of energy made the Black Dragon’s eyes widen. As his body floated, an incomprehensible amount of qi gathered in Jinryong’s palm.

“Flame Orb.”

Jinryong formed a sphere of intense heat in his hand and hurled it at the spot where his fist had struck earlier.

The moment the orb touched the sword—

Rumble—Boom!

A tremendous explosion erupted, entirely composed of unimaginable heat. The previously flat plain, marked by a few blade scars, was now in complete disarray. Flames consumed the surrounding area, filling the sky with smoke as the Black Dragon emerged from the chaos.

“Urgh...!”

He swatted away the flames with his qi, but they refused to extinguish. Something seemed different about these flames.

This is absurd, he thought, surveying the battlefield. The place was a wreck—burn marks everywhere, the ground fractured as if a meteor had struck. And at the center, he saw Jinryong, flames wrapping around his body, his red eyes—matching the color of his hair—staring intently at the Black Dragon.

“This brat...”

The Black Dragon scowled. He could no longer consider Jinryong as a mere youngster. How could someone become this powerful so quickly?

Setting his questions aside, the Black Dragon gripped his sword. This was unexpected. He needed to kill Jinryong quickly. Though they were both in the “flame realm” ( 화경 ) now, Jinryong had only just broken through, still a fledgling. No matter how gifted he was, he couldn’t possibly stand on the same level as the Black Dragon. He had to be eliminated, and fast.

Then...

“You seem deep in thought.”

The voice came from behind the Black Dragon. He flinched, immediately spinning around, but the spot where Jinryong had been standing was already empty.

He whipped his body around, and a sinister black qi infused his blade. It was the power of the Black Iron Demon Technique ( 흑철귀문공 ). A tremendous energy that few could withstand—yet before the sword could touch Jinryong...

Thwack!

“Ugh!”

The sword never reached its target. Jinryong’s punch landed squarely on the Black Dragon’s face, breaking through his protective qi. Blood flowed freely as his head snapped back.

Thud!

Jinryong grabbed the Black Dragon’s hair, lifting him into the air.

Bam!

Another flaming punch landed on the Black Dragon’s face, this one louder than the last.

Crack!

One more.

Smash!

And another.

“Kugh...!”

The Black Dragon groaned in pain, his head reeling as his brain rattled from the impact. It wasn’t just the punches that hurt—it was the flames surrounding Jinryong’s fists that made it even worse. The Black Dragon’s protective qi shattered with each blow, and he was barely able to stay conscious by holding onto his internal energy.

This brat... is humiliating me!

The Black Dragon clenched his teeth. He, the Black Dragon, was being humiliated by a mere child—a child who hadn’t even passed his twenties. Not by the Sword Master, not by the other “Three Sovereigns,” not by the top martial artists of the world—no, this child, Jinryong, was beating him.

Fury welled up within him. This couldn’t continue.

He gathered all his qi into one point, planning to release it in a burst to force Jinryong away. Even if he suffered internal injuries, it was worth it to escape.

Black Iron Soundwave ( 흑철음공파 ). A dark energy designed to deal damage through soundwaves. It would harm him as well, but he had no choice.

Just as the Black Dragon prepared to unleash the technique, Jinryong suddenly stopped.

Did he sense it and retreat? No—it was already too late.

The Black Dragon activated his technique.

Black Iron So...

His body froze as a strange sensation overtook him. The energy refused to move as expected. His qi wasn’t flowing correctly.

“What...?”

He couldn’t believe it. How could someone who had just reached the flame realm render him, an experienced master, so powerless? How had this happened?

At that moment...

“What’s wrong?”

Jinryong’s voice interrupted the Black Dragon’s thoughts. He stopped his punches and simply observed.

“Is your body not moving the way you want?”

The Black Dragon looked up, blood pouring from his nose and face. It was hard to even open his eyes, but he could still see Jinryong’s cold, burning red eyes clearly. They gleamed as though they could sear everything in their path.

Blood dripped from Jinryong’s hands—it was the Black Dragon’s blood.

“You... brat...”
“Not bad.”
“Did you...?”

Only now did the Black Dragon realize what had happened. Jinryong had done something to him. Poison, maybe? But that made no sense. If it were poison, he would’ve noticed it immediately, and it wouldn’t have taken effect so naturally.

“What did you...?”

Bang!

“Kugh...!”

Before he could finish his question, a powerful blow to his chest sent him flying through the air, rolling across the ground. Even as he flew, he felt the heat surrounding him.

Struggling to his feet, he examined his body. His movements were sluggish, his qi barely responding. Something foreign was interfering with his internal energy.

“What did you do to me?”

The Black Dragon was shocked. How had Jinryong done this so quickly?

He looked around, seeing the Blue Sea Sword ( 청해일검 ), the other master, lying on the ground, bleeding heavily. They weren’t far from him, and it was clear that they had nearly died in the same explosion that had engulfed him moments ago.

This brat...

The Black Dragon now understood the difference. The Blue Sea Sword had been a flame realm master, and their fight had been evenly matched at first. But the Blue Sea Sword had been cut down so easily because they had too much to protect.

They were bound by their honor and justice—ideals that the Black Dragon loathed.

But Jinryong had no such weaknesses. He didn’t care about anything but killing the Black Dragon. His aura was overwhelming, his movements unconstrained by any moral code or regard for the environment. Could he truly be the son of the famous Ho-hyeop?

This child seemed more like a demon than a hero.

“Curse you...!”
“Why do you keep yelling? You’re giving me a headache.”
“What... are you...?”

The Black Dragon roared, and Jinryong smiled, spreading his hands.

At that moment—

Whoosh—!

“...!”

An overwhelming energy gathered in Jinryong’s palms. The flames surrounding him coalesced into a sphere of unimaginable power.

It was larger than anything the Black Dragon had seen before.

A sun. Jinryong was holding a miniature sun.

As the Black Dragon stood in shock, Jinryong whispered to himself.

“Finally, this size feels right. That small one earlier was annoying.”

The Black Dragon’s body trembled as he gripped his sword, drawing out every last bit of his remaining energy. He knew he couldn’t withstand the attack—it was beyond anything he had ever faced.

Jinryong’s fingers twitched as he moved the blazing orb.

“You asked who I am?”

The Black Dragon’s eyes widened, his body frozen in fear.

“To be honest, I’m not sure myself.”

The Black Dragon’s heart raced as Jinryong moved his hand, releasing the sun towards the earth.

“And that’s why I’m going to find out, starting now.”

With that, the miniature sun fell towards the ground.