Chapter 37

Chapter 37
## Chapter 37: How Strong Are You? (3)

“What’s the matter, old timer? Throwing in the towel already?”

Cheol Woo spoke with a look of visible letdown in his gaze.

“Quit fretting over nonsense and attack. I’m going to demonstrate just how easily that physique you’re so proud of can be shattered.”

Hahu Gok, holding his wooden switch at a low angle, beckoned Cheol Woo forward with a taunting wave of his finger.

Cheol Woo didn’t waste a second responding to the challenge.

Just as he began to circulate his Overlord Blood Victory Aura to initiate his strike, a sharp thread of mental communication pierced through to him.

⚙ **SYSTEM NOTIFICATION** ⚙

**Ink Gang Asura Qi.**

Cheol Woo jerked to a halt, his eyes snapping toward Sima Geon.

Sima Geon remained a silent observer, watching the confrontation between him and Hahu Gok with a stony, unreadable mask.

*Is it really that serious?*

Though a shadow of skepticism crossed his mind, he chose not to disregard Sima Geon’s warning.

Abandoning the Overlord Blood Victory Aura, he instead coated his form in the protective layers of the Ink Gang Asura Qi and lunged toward Hahu Gok. Despite his massive frame, his acceleration was unnervingly graceful.

Closing the distance like a sudden gale, Cheol Woo twisted his torso with the force of a whirlwind and threw a devastating punch.

A trail of luminous power trailed his fist, cutting through the air in a lethal, shimmering curve.

‘Fist… qi!’

Alarmed, Hahu Gok clenched his jaw and shoved his arm forward.

The simple branch in his hand had already morphed into a blade of flickering heat, darting out to intercept the oncoming fist energy.

But the assault was far from singular.

In a direct echo of how Cheol Woo had previously saturated the battlefield with fist shadows using the Overlord Sixteen Fists, a sea of flames now occupied every available inch of space. These fires moved with a terrifying combination of velocity and precision.

Sima Geon, monitoring the exchange, felt his gaze sharpen into a blade just before the two forces collided.

He had detected a peculiar fluctuation in Hahu Gok’s internal rhythm, which is why he’d commanded Cheol Woo to switch to the Ink Gang Asura Qi. He now confirmed that Hahu Gok’s strike carried the lethal intricacies of the Internal Weight Palm Technique.

For a warrior like Cheol Woo, who had achieved the state of Diamond Indestructibility through grueling external conditioning, the Internal Weight Palm Technique represented his most glaring vulnerability.

A standard execution might have been manageable, but Hahu Gok’s version was on an entirely different level.

Sima Geon’s memory flickered back to the Internal Weight Palm Technique utilized by the Poison Eagle Ghost Hound, a move that had nearly claimed Cheol Woo’s life in the past. To be sure, Cheol Woo was vastly more powerful now than he was back then, so Sima Geon wasn’t truly fearing for his life.

Still, with Cheol Woo’s mind currently lost in the red haze of combat, he would likely retaliate with enough force to obliterate Hahu Gok. Furthermore, the backlash from the peak-level Ink Gang Asura Qi would surely devastate Hahu Gok in return.

If Hahu Gok’s killing blow failed to land, he wouldn’t be able to survive Cheol Woo’s immediate counter-strike. He would be lucky to walk away with permanent injuries; at worst, he’d be dead.

If such a tragedy occurred right here in what was essentially the front yard of the Hahu Clan, there would be no way to smooth things over.

Sima Geon didn’t harbor any fear toward the Hahu Clan, but he had no desire to see their quiet lifestyle upended by a blood feud.

The fist energy of Cheol Woo and the sword qi of Hahu Gok met with a thunderous impact.

A blinding radiance flared out, sending shockwaves ripping through the surrounding ten-jang radius, as blooming fires painted the sky in a chaotic masterpiece of light.

As the dust and lingering energy finally settled, a shocking scene was revealed to the onlookers.

Cheol Woo’s knuckles and Hahu Gok’s wooden branch were frozen in mid-air, separated by less than half a chi.

Both combatants stared in wide-eyed shock.

Their eyes simultaneously drifted toward Sima Geon, who had utilized the Shifting Form Substitution Step to wedge himself between their lethal collision.

“Hoo!”

Sima Geon let out a heavy breath and forcibly pushed Cheol Woo’s fist aside. Cheol Woo, still dazed, stumbled backward without resistance.

Turning slightly, Sima Geon gave a light flick to the tree branch that was resting against his finger.

The wood, which had been barely clinging to its physical form, disintegrated into a plume of gray ash and drifted away.

Even as his makeshift weapon turned to dust, Hahu Gok remained frozen.

The reality of what had just transpired refused to register in his mind.

“Urk!”

Without warning, Sima Geon buckled, coughing up a thick splatter of crimson blood.

Alarmed, Cheol Woo bolted to his side and grabbed his shoulder.

“Are you alright?”

“Does this look ‘alright’ to you? Don’t sweat it, though—it takes more than this to put me down. Anyway, you’ve clearly been practicing. Even after I diverted the force with Transplanting Flowers and Grafting Branches, the impact was still brutal.”

“Heh heh heh! Seriously? The big guy told me I was getting soft, so I’ve been putting in the work.”

While Cheol Woo gave a sheepish laugh, Hahu Gok finally snapped out of his trance and fixed Sima Geon with a look of growing irritation.

“What is the meaning of this interference?”

To Hahu Gok, Sima Geon’s intrusion was an insult to a warrior’s sacred honor.

“The situation became too lethal. I had to step in.”

“Too lethal? Show me a duel worth fighting that isn’t dangerous!”

“When the goal is simply to measure one another’s prowess, why turn it into a funeral?”

“My match with this brat isn’t finished.”

“The outcome has already been decided.”

Hahu Gok looked as though he was about to shout, but he stopped and stared intently at Sima Geon.

“You must have felt it yourself, sir.”

“Ridiculous! No matter how tough a body is, my Internal Weight Palm Technique can bypass it.”

“Normally, yes. But this man’s durability exceeds your calculations. On top of that, he was utilizing a terrifying protective aura—far more potent than what he showed in your first exchange. Are you confident you could have broken through both?”

Hahu Gok remained silent for a long moment, processing Sima Geon’s words, before finally whispering.

“Are you telling me this old man would have lost?”

“In all likelihood. His physical resilience is simply too immense.”

Sima Geon offered a small smile, but his assessment was unwavering.

Hahu Gok let out a low, frustrated groan.

Deep down, he knew Sima Geon was telling the truth.

In the world of martial arts, interrupting a fight is significantly harder than starting one—particularly when both sides are operating at their absolute peak. To step between them and survive required a level of mastery that bordered on the divine.

How could he argue with the man who had just performed such a miracle?

“We’ve seen enough of what the other can do, and your curiosity should be satisfied by now. We’ve had our entertainment—is it really necessary to fixate on who won?”

“Fixate…? Ha ha ha!”

Hahu Gok let out a dry, self-deprecating laugh and turned his eyes toward the heavens.

The sky was vast and clear, with the sun bathing the world in a brilliant, golden light.

It reminded him of the day he had first departed from his clan with nothing but a sword and a dream.

Visions of his past triumphs in the martial world played through his mind like a revolving lantern.

It hadn’t all been victory. There were crushing losses and moments of deep despair. Yet, he had never felt quite as humbled as he did at this moment.

A wave of heat surged from the depths of his soul.

The clutter in his mind vanished, leaving behind a profound emptiness.

Slowly, Hahu Gok shut his eyes and drifted into a spontaneous state of meditation.

“What kind of crazy turn of events is this…?”

“Quiet!”

Sima Geon quickly reached out and muffled Cheol Woo’s voice.

For a master of Hahu Gok’s caliber, even a small spark could lead to a massive breakthrough. This was clearly one of those moments. No matter the circumstances, no true martial artist would ever interfere with a peer’s moment of enlightenment.

After a considerable amount of time, Hahu Gok’s eyelids fluttered open.

“I owe you a great debt of gratitude.”

Sensing that Hahu Gok had finally cleared a long-standing hurdle in his cultivation, Sima Geon offered his genuine praise.

“My congratulations to you.”

While Sima Geon’s well-wishes were entirely sincere, Cheol Woo stood nearby with a sour expression, his lip sticking out.

“Unbelievable! I do the heavy lifting, and the old guy gets the epiphany. Just make sure you remember who helped you out.”

“I could hardly forget.”

Hahu Gok let out a booming laugh and looked at Sima Geon with a knowing glint in his eye.

“I definitely won’t.”

When Sima Geon turned away with a cold shoulder, Hahu Gok clicked his tongue.

He was dying to challenge Sima Geon right then and there, but his sense of honor wouldn’t allow it after receiving such a favor. Cheol Woo watched the old man’s antics and shook his head in disbelief.

“Man, when you’ve got the itch to fight, you really lose all shame, don’t you?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Wake up. I don’t care what you learned in that trance; it’s not going to be enough to beat him.”

Hahu Gok didn’t take offense. Instead, his eyes lit up as he asked,

“Is he really that formidable?”

Seeing Hahu Gok acting like a persistent child, Cheol Woo just sighed.

Just then, Hahu Yeon, who had been out inspecting the slaughterhouse grounds, appeared with his hands tucked behind his back. He marched toward Hahu Gok with a look of irritation.

“Where have you been hiding?”

“Why the long face? Did you get scolded or something?”

At Hahu Gok’s jab, Hahu Yeon let out a long, weary sigh.

“The old man wants you to participate in the martial tournament.”

“The tournament? The one for the feast?”

“That’s the one.”

“Tell him no. Since when do you care what your father says?”

Seeing the stubborn lines on Hahu Gok’s face, Hahu Yeon gave a dry laugh.

“Usually, I wouldn’t care. But this directive came from higher up.”

Hahu Yeon pointed a finger toward the sky.

“Higher up? You mean…”

Hahu Gok tilted his head, his expression shifting to one of shock.

“The clan head?”

“Yes.”

“But why?”

“Who knows? I told them I wasn’t interested, but they’re being persistent.”

Hahu Yeon looked genuinely stressed.

“Well, if it’s a direct order from the clan head, that changes things. What was your final answer?”

“I still told them no.”

Hahu Gok, who had expected him to fold, stared in surprise.

“Wait! You’re actually ignoring a command from the clan head?”

“I used Great-Great-Grandpa as a shield. I told them if they wanted me in the ring, they’d have to get his personal approval first.”

“…”

Hahu Gok stared at Hahu Yeon, speechless at the boy’s audacity.

“So, am I expected to go?”

“And if you are?”

“What choice do I have? I’ll go. But I’ll make sure the only Hahu Clan member in the brackets either forfeits immediately or gets absolutely trashed in the first round.”

He was making it clear he had no intention of actually trying. It was blatant sabotage.

“You little brat!”

Hahu Gok glared at him, but Hahu Yeon just casually cleaned his nose, unfazed.

Nearby, Sima Geon and Cheol Woo acted as if they weren’t eavesdropping, though they shared a knowing smirk.

“Boss, the old man is a bit eccentric, but that kid has some spine too.”

“True. He seems like he’d be good company. And his foundation looks solid.”

“Right? I don’t think we were that polished when we were his age.”

“Speak for yourself.”

As Sima Geon delivered the dry retort, Hahu Yeon’s voice rose again.

“Anyway, since it’s a tournament for the clan head’s seventieth birthday, the rewards are supposedly incredible.”

“I’d imagine. They must be dipping into the tribute from the various sects.”

“Yeah. The top prize is apparently legendary.”

“Usually they give away a high-quality sword, right?”

“There is a sword. But there’s an additional prize this time.”

“An extra prize?”

“Yeah. While I was leaving my father’s place, I bumped into the Uncle Chief Steward. He was carrying this strange bundle of herbs wrapped in white silk, moving like he was carrying a baby. I asked him about it—it’s the bonus for the winner.”

“Probably some high-grade tonic they whipped up.”

“I don’t know if it’s a tonic, but the name was pretty unique.”

“What was it called?”

“Fire… something.”

Hahu Yeon thought for a second, then snapped his fingers as the name returned.

“Fire Spirit Herb. The Millennium Fire Spirit Herb.”

“What! The Fire Spirit Herb!”

At Hahu Gok’s shocked shout, Hahu Yeon’s face lit up.

“You’ve heard of it?”

“Of course! It’s a legendary herb. A Millennium Fire Spirit Herb is so rare it’s practically a myth…”

Hahu Gok’s explanation was cut short. Sima Geon had vanished from his spot and reappeared instantly, clutching Hahu Yeon by his collar.

“What did you just say?”

“Wait…”

Hahu Yeon stammered, his mind going blank.

The pressure radiating from Sima Geon was so intense it completely paralyzed his ability to react.

“You mentioned the Millennium Fire Spirit Herb, didn’t you?”

Before Hahu Yeon could even nod, Sima Geon pressed further.

“And you’re saying that is the prize for the tournament champion?”

Hahu Yeon nodded frantically.

“I see. My thanks.”

Releasing the boy’s collar, Sima Geon turned and walked away.

“What’s his problem?”

Hahu Yeon turned to Hahu Gok for an explanation, but the old man was just as confused. Neither of them realized that a massive storm was about to break over the Hahu Clan’s seventieth birthday tournament.