864 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 864: The White Flame As he observed the slowly burning flames, he furrowed his brows. Could this really be called a flame? The color was too unusual, almost surreal. "What is this?" It was white. So white that it was difficult to discern whether it was snow or flame. Furthermore, the way it rose was different from ordinary flames. Slowly. And swaying, as if it were alive. It was challenging to describe precisely, but it was distinctly unlike the usual fierce and wild flames. Could it be described as gentle and calm? He clenched his fist as an experiment. Whoosh-! The shimmering haze enveloping his body disappeared. He now understood. He could ignite it if he wished, yet also maintain his original body. 'Is this what it means to have mastered it?' This was the mastery of the Nine Wheels Flame Technique. The sensation his father spoke of—becoming one with the flame. 'What a strange feeling.' It was difficult to explain. Nonetheless, the concept of becoming the flame was somewhat understandable. Whoosh... Previously, when using the Nine Wheels Flame Technique, he thought of igniting the flame. However, now there was no need to strive to ignite anything. "Hmm." From beginning to end, it was an unfamiliar sensation. Yet it wasn't unpleasant. On the contrary, it felt good. The elation that came with the realization brought a smile that he had to suppress. The sensation he couldn't grasp before was now fully within him. An overwhelming sense of euphoria made him feel as though he could do anything. The problem was… 'Why is it white?' Why had the color changed unexpectedly? Attributing it to the mastery didn't make sense, since his father's flame was red. Why did his flame change again? 'And just how strong have I become?' Having reached mastery, there should have been a change in his level, but he couldn't properly assess this aspect. Moreover… "Are you okay?" This wasn't the time to figure it out. He bent down to attend to the two people who were crumpled on the ground. Especially Wi Seol ah, who was sobbing. "Why are you crying? What's going on?" Why was she crying like this? He tried to soothe her, but Wi Seol ah clung to him tightly. "Sob... sob...." "...Oh no." What should he do? After contemplating for a while, he decided on one action. He raised his hand to gently stroke the back of her head. First, he needed to calm her down. He spoke with that intention. "Let's calm down…." "I can't… hit…. Sob…. I can't…." "…" Upon hearing Wi Seol ah's words, his stroking hand stiffened. What couldn't she hit? The thought flashed past, and he immediately knew. 'Damn it...' Something must have happened while he was unconscious. He turned his gaze from Wi Seol ah to Namgung Bia. She wasn't crying like Wi Seol ah, but she seemed far more vacant than usual. Their eyes met. "…" "…" There were no words exchanged. In that exchange, he realized what Namgung Bia wanted. He waved his hand slightly in the air. As if she had been waiting, Namgung Bia moved into his remaining embrace. He felt the sensation of her grasping onto his clothing tightly. "…I'm sorry." He didn't know what had happened. He couldn't remember. Still, he knew he had done something wrong. Time passed as he managed to offer a clumsy apology. Perhaps they had calmed down a bit, as he felt the grip on him loosen. Only then did he observe his surroundings with a calm mind. '...It's a mess.' The place was a total wreck. In particular, he noticed someone struggling to breathe in a corner. 'The Heavenly Golden Sect Leader?' The transformed Heavenly Golden Sect Leader was slumped in the corner, struggling to catch his breath. It was a miracle that he was still alive. 'They couldn't have done this.' Considering their personalities, they wouldn't have wreaked such havoc. He must have done it himself. 'What did I do?' What could have been smashed to leave it so twisted? It was truly curious. The fortunate thing was. 'The kids aren't severely injured.' Compared to before he lost consciousness, there was hardly any difference in the condition of his companions. That was the most relieving aspect. Had something gone wrong when he regained consciousness. '...' He didn't want to imagine it. 'For now…' What did he need to do first? Instead of assessing his new mastery, he decided to focus on what needed immediate attention. He turned his head this way and that. While moving his gaze, he suddenly halted. 'What is that…?' There was a tree at the far end of the space. Had it always been there? 'How could I not have noticed something like that?' If it had been there, he should have noticed it long ago. The fact that he only saw it now made him wonder if he was the only one who could see it, so he promptly asked Namgung Bia. "Can you see that?" Namgung Bia looked in the direction he gestured. "…Yes…." The tree must not be an illusion, then. In that case… "…Was it always there?" "Yes…. From the beginning." "Hmm." If that's the case, it’s more likely that he had failed to perceive it. 'How could I not notice something so odd?' If it were ordinary, perhaps. How could he have failed to see it? He rose, causing the two who were clinging to him to express some disappointment, but he disregarded this and approached the tree. It was small, resembling a sapling. And yet. 'The leaves.' The leaves attached to the bare branches were strangely white. Similar to the flames he emitted. Or perhaps... 'Wi Seol ah’s appearance… or the state of the Heavenly Golden Sect Leader.' There was a peculiar sense of alienation that went beyond merely being white. The tree's appearance made no sense. However, he was not surprised. 'Because I’ve seen it before.' He had seen it once already. How could he forget? Coincidentally, it was in Sichuan. The time was perhaps... 'Around the time I was searching for the secret of Geumcheonyeon.' In the place that Wi Seol ah had discovered instead of me back then, there was a similar tree like this one. Of course, the size was worlds apart. The tree back then was enormous, almost ancient. 'What on earth is this?' What I saw then disappeared along with the space it was in. What could this tree possibly be? It was obviously not an ordinary tree. What on earth could it be to emit such a feeling? 'A feeling like this.' A tree shouldn't exude such an aura—sacredness? Perhaps a sense of wonderment. I was experiencing those sensations from the tree. 'And this is.' I turned my head to look at Wi Seol ah. 'It's similar to the faint sensation from Wi Seol ah.' Was it just my imagination? I didn't think so. I hadn't understood it back then, but now I did. How Wi Seol ah had pinpointed the location of the secret Geumcheonyeon. Additionally, why the tree and Wi Seol ah felt similar. 'There is a connection.' For reasons unknown, there was a link between Wi Seol ah and this, which implied that... 'It might mean there's a connection between Wi Seol ah and Yeon Ilcheon as well.' Otherwise, it was an inexplicable situation. 'How is that even possible?' If there is indeed a connection, how does it exist? Moreover. 'What exactly is this place?' What was the Heavenly Golden Sect Leader planning here, and what was that strange form of his? There was so much to uncover. First things first, I should inspect this tree. With that thought, I reached out my hand, intending to lightly touch a leaf. As I moved my fingers toward the leaf. Saaa---!!! "Huh?" "Oh…?" The previously still tree began to move. Its branches swayed as if dancing, and the leaves fluttered along. There was no wind. This space was underground and sealed off. There should have been no movement. "What the hell is this?" Had something gone wrong? Just as I was about to step back from the tree. Rustle. A leaf fell from a swaying branch. I widened my eyes as I watched it. Though a leaf could naturally fall, it wasn’t simply landing on the ground. Instead of descending to the earth, the leaf flew towards me, forming intricate circles around my body rather than solidifying onto the skin. "...What." What kind of absurdity is this? As I was about to express my disbelief, the leaves reacted before I could open my mouth. Thud—!! The spinning leaves abruptly stopped. Then, they crumbled, scattering like dust. The leaves floated, sparkling in midair, reminiscent of fireflies. What were they trying to do? As I kept watch with a guarded stance. Saaa---!!! "…!" The glowing fragments moved swiftly, penetrating into my body. They were so fast, I couldn't even react in time. By the time I realized, every leaf had already been absorbed into my body. "...This is insane…." I frantically brushed my body off. Why did this happen out of nowhere? Was it something I accidentally consumed... No, it was more like it was forcibly fed to me. Tensely assessing my body, not knowing what changes might occur. [No… No… No!!!] A voice, filled with desperation, echoed from behind. Turning around, I saw the nearly lifeless Heavenly Golden Sect Leader. Somehow revived, he cried out at me with bloodshot eyes. [You… You insolent fool—!!!! How dare someone like you take the miracle of the one…!!!] Why was this old man, who was peacefully laying down, suddenly causing a ruckus? In apparent rage, he forced his still-recovering body to rise. [Unforgivable…. Absolutely unforgivable…. Our plan, ruined—!!! Ugh!!!] Thunk-!! He stomped the ground and lunged toward me. Watching this, I narrowed my eyes. Wi Seol ah and Namgung Bia reacted as well, but I acted faster. I was planning to kill him anyway; this worked out well. I clenched my fist, and at that moment, my body transformed. Whoosh—!! My hand was engulfed in flames. Feeling the heat, I threw my punch. Thump-! My heart pounded heavily. This was a different feeling than usual. 'Huh?' What was that? It struck me as peculiar. Nevertheless, I let my actions speak. The punch propelled from my shoulder in a straight line. It was no different from usual. The sensation of using the Nine Wheels Flame technique was familiar. Whoosh—!!!! My heart raced wildly, while the white flames moved with calm rhythm. The Nine Flames Garuda. Boom—!!! White flames engulfed the Heavenly Golden Sect Leader. [Aaaah—!!!] He screamed in agony, overwhelmed by the fierce heat. The flames pierced through him toward the wall, melting it to demonstrate its intensity. The heat was indeed extraordinary. It seemed hot enough to melt even a skeleton entirely. However. Whoosh—!!! After the flames subsided, I had to narrow my eyes at the scene before me. "What the…?" The flames had demonstrated their power by melting the wall, creating a massive hole. Yet the Heavenly Golden Sect Leader remained unharmed. Not a scratch. How was this possible? Had he withstood it? 'That shouldn’t be possible.' The strength I displayed was astonishing even to me. The increased firepower from consuming the white fire stone was undeniable. So, he shouldn’t be perfectly intact…? Feeling something was off, I continued staring at the Heavenly Golden Sect Leader. [Um… Ugh... This… This can't be….] The Heavenly Golden Sect Leader staggered, suddenly kneeling. It wasn’t surprising. Given the state of his body, falling was to be expected. [No… No… Impossible….] Crunch. "Huh?" The downed Heavenly Golden Sect Leader began to undergo changes shortly. Crunch… crack ---!! [Groooan….] "What’s this." With a rough sound, his large form started to shrink. His white hair gradually turned black, scales on his skin disappeared, and even his eyes returned to their original state. From a monstrous form, he was reverting back to a human. Crunch…!! In barely ten counts, the original Heavenly Golden Sect Leader stood there with a despairing expression. "This… How…? No, this can't be!!" As if in disbelief, he touched his face with his trembling hands. Then, like a crawling insect, he came toward me. "Give it back... give it... please, give it back…." "…" His demeanor was mad. The Heavenly Golden Sect Leader cried out to me to return what he had lost, as if he had lost something irreplaceable. "…Haha." I let out a soft laugh as I watched him. Not because the sight of the Heavenly Golden Sect Leader was amusing. But because the recent event was fascinating. Figures like him had already faded from my attention. I lifted my hand to observe the flame. It was still burning, a brilliant white blaze. I was curious about what had changed, and it seemed this was the reason. 'This power is…' The flame's power I had just used. Upon using it, I understood what it was. This was... 'Is it similar to the Harmonic Flame?' Harmonic Flame (破魔). A power used by the Divine Sword in a past life and the reason she could oppose the Heavenly Demon and save the world. It seemed that such power now dwelled within me.