“Grrraaah---!!!”

Baek Doryeong let out a scream. He struggled desperately to free himself, but his face, crushed underfoot, remained pinned to the ground.

“You... you bastard---!!!”

“Ah, shut up already, you noisy brat.”

Crack--!!

“Arrgghhh!!!”

Gu Yangcheon pressed his foot down harder, applying more force.

Crunch! The sound of something breaking echoed from Baek Doryeong’s face.

“Don’t speak out of turn. It makes me want to tear you apart.”

“Huh... urrgh...”

“Do you understand me, you piece of shit? I asked if you understood.”

Gu Yangcheon’s expression remained emotionless as he spat out his curse-filled words.

His disciples, watching him, didn’t dare move a muscle.

Buzz!

A jolt surged through their bodies. The aura emanating from Gu Yangcheon spread, seeping into the surroundings and dominating everything in its path.

“This piece of trash dares to ruin my mood.”

Bang!

“Guhhh!”

He lifted his foot slightly, then kicked Baek Doryeong’s temple with full force.

Baek Doryeong’s body was sent flying, but before he could be thrown far, Gu Yangcheon moved swiftly, grabbing the collar of his clothes to stop him.

And then—

Smack!

“What was that? Telling me to know my place?”

Smack--!!

Gu Yangcheon struck Baek Doryeong’s cheek again with his palm.

Smack!

“Who are you to decide that, you bastard? Who the hell do you think you are?”

Smack!

“Kuh... ugh...”

Smack---!!!

Baek Doryeong’s head whipped to the side with each slap, a sharp sound accompanying every strike as waves of force rippled outward.

It was clear he wasn’t holding back. Baek Doryeong’s cheeks began to swell noticeably, proving the severity of the blows.

“Ugh... guh...”

Gu Yangcheon finally stopped after a long string of strikes.

Drip, drip.

Blood trickled down, flowing from Baek Doryeong’s mouth onto Gu Yangcheon’s hand, which still gripped his collar.

Plop. Plop.

The blood dripped onto the ground, and at the sight of it, a few figures belatedly sprang into action.

“What... what are you doing?! Rescue the young master immediately!”

The bodyguards, clearly assigned to protect Baek Doryeong, began rushing toward Gu Yangcheon.

“Hey.”

Gu Yangcheon turned to them, his eyes gleaming sharply.

“Come any closer, and he dies.”

Crack--!

“Ghhhrk...”

As if to prove he wasn’t bluffing, Gu Yangcheon tightened his grip on Baek Doryeong’s neck, eliciting a sound like breaking bones.

The bodyguards froze in their tracks upon hearing it.

“Y-you...! Do you even know who he is?!” one of them shouted in desperation.

Gu Yangcheon’s expression didn’t waver.

“And do you know who I am?”

“What...?”

“You’re dealing with someone from Mount Hua, aren’t you?”

“That’s right. Mount Hua. But do you know who I am?”

Gu Yangcheon’s cold expression cracked into a grin, his lips curling into a sinister smile.

At that moment—

“Hiik-!”

“...Ugh...!”

The bodyguards shivered as if they’d seen a ghost. His smile was that terrifying.

Seeing their hesitation, Gu Yangcheon spoke with a menacing air of confidence.

“...Who are you?” one of them finally managed to ask.

“You don’t know, do you?”

“...”

“Of course, you wouldn’t know. I don’t know you either. But...”

Raising his hand, he grabbed Baek Doryeong’s face, squeezing it tightly.

“Gahh... ugh...”

“When strangers meet, there’s a thing called basic courtesy. But you bastards seem to lack any of that.”

“Ggh... arrghh...!”

Baek Doryeong’s groans grew louder as the pain intensified.

“Stop immediately! If you harm the young master any further, you’ll regret it!”

“Regret it? And what happens then?”

As if daring them to answer, Gu Yangcheon’s voice dripped with mockery.

The bodyguard scowled and stammered, “The young master... is the heir of the Baek family. If anything happens to him, the head of the family will take action. It wouldn’t bode well for Mount Hua—”

“Gyaaaah!”

Before the words were even finished, Gu Yangcheon struck Baek Doryeong again.

The bodyguards’ eyes widened in shock.

“Oh, so what you’re saying is...”

“Grrhh...”

“...This punk is worthless without his family’s name. So, I can kill him, right?”

The veins on Gu Yangcheon’s hand bulged as he gripped tighter, his intent clear.

The bodyguards were about to intervene when someone beat them to it.

It was Gubong.

Gubong grabbed Gu Yangcheon’s wrist with a desperate expression.

“Please... stop this.”

Gu Yangcheon turned his icy gaze toward Gubong.

The chill in that gaze made Gubong’s entire body tremble violently.

It was as if Gu Yangcheon were looking at a pebble on the ground—or perhaps something even more insignificant.

Gu Yangcheon’s eyes left no doubt.

Though every instinct urged Gubong to retreat, he held his ground.

“Please, restrain yourself... Let Baek Doryeong go.”

“Why?”

Gu Yangcheon’s tone was filled with genuine confusion, as if the very idea was incomprehensible.

“Baek Doryeong is... a noble. If you continue to harm him here, the consequences will be... irreversible.”

“Irreversible?”

Gu Yangcheon let out a hollow laugh, the mockery in his tone razor-sharp.

Yet—

Thud.

It seemed the words had some effect. Gu Yangcheon released his grip, letting Baek Doryeong’s body collapse to the ground.

Thud! The young master crumpled, unmoving, as Gu Yangcheon kicked him, sending him tumbling further away.

The bodyguards hurriedly grabbed Baek Doryeong’s limp form.

“Take him and get lost.”

“You bastard...!”

“If you don’t leave now, you’re all dead.”

Swoosh---!!!

“...!!”

The murderous aura radiating from Gu Yangcheon froze them in place.

Turning slightly, Gu Yangcheon directed his gaze toward his second disciples.

“What are you doing?”

“Pardon...?”

Seeing their stunned faces, he clicked his tongue in irritation.

“Move that. Stop standing there gawking.”

“Ah...!”

Snapping out of their daze, the disciples scrambled into action, hauling carts to complete their task.

“Shit. Aren’t you going to get it done? What the hell are you dragging your feet for?”

“We... we’re on it now!”

At Gu Yangcheon’s harsh words, the second disciples scrambled into action.

The carts were soon cleared out, but Gu Yangcheon’s gaze turned back toward Baek Doryeong and his entourage, who still lingered.

“What now, huh? You want to keep going?”

“...”

The bodyguard supporting Baek Doryeong grimaced deeply.

“The Baek family... won’t overlook this matter with Mount Hua so easily—”

Smack!

“Ugh!”

Gu Yangcheon’s fist struck the man’s face, snapping his head to the side.

Blood trickled from his nose, and a couple of teeth clattered to the ground.

“Your tongue’s too long. Should I pull it out for you?”

“Gah... urrgh...”

“Shut up and get lost.”

His tone, filled with irritation, finally made them falter. They hesitated before retreating.

All around, the weight of prying eyes was palpable.

A crowd had gathered, drawn by the sudden commotion, but Gu Yangcheon didn’t spare them a glance.

The second disciples had left. Gu Yangcheon confirmed it before turning away.

Ahead of him stood Cheonma, watching expressionlessly, and Gubong, whose unreadable expression was fixed on Gu Yangcheon.

Ignoring them, Gu Yangcheon moved back toward his original spot.

“Wait—...!”

Gubong tried to grab Gu Yangcheon, or at least stop him.

Smack!

“Ugh...!”

Instead, Gu Yangcheon slapped Gubong across the face without hesitation.

Gubong’s head whipped to the side, and he barely managed to regain his balance, his eyes wide with shock.

“You idiot.”

Gu Yangcheon’s gaze was filled with contempt as he glared at Gubong.

The insult made Gubong’s face twist in frustration.

“Why are you acting like this all of a sudden...?”

He couldn’t understand it.

If anything, he should be the one angry right now.

“Do you even realize what you’ve done...?”

“And what exactly did I do?”

“You... you laid hands on a noble! We can’t afford to get entangled with them!”

Gubong was well aware of Baek Doryeong’s malice. He knew that the cause of it likely stemmed from himself.

But it was something he could have resolved personally, without implicating Mount Hua or the other disciples.

For that, he was more than willing to kneel if necessary.

“You ruined everything!”

Gubong’s voice carried a deep sense of resentment as he spoke to Gu Yangcheon.

“Do you even know how hard it was to secure that agreement? If this incident gives the Baek family a reason to oppose Mount Hua—!”

“And if that happens, what?”

“...It’ll bring disaster to Mount Hua. A disaster we can’t handle. That’s why I made this choice!”

You’ve ruined everything.

That was the unspoken accusation in Gubong’s eyes.

“What the hell are you babbling about, you idiot?”

Gu Yangcheon sneered at him.

“You...!”

“Shut your mouth, you piece of shit.”

“...!”

The venom in Gu Yangcheon’s words made Gubong instinctively fall silent.

“No excuses.”

Gu Yangcheon’s tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.

“I... I’m not making excuses...”

“Not excuses? Bullshit.”

Clench!

“Urgh!”

Gu Yangcheon’s hand shot out, grabbing Gubong by the throat.

“Laying hands on a noble caused a disaster? Oh no, how terrifying. What a disaster indeed. But you know what?”

“Guhh...!”

“That bastard started it first, you damn idiot.”

Gu Yangcheon’s grip tightened as he continued, his voice rising in anger.

“And yeah, I beat that piece of shit up. But it’s because he ran his mouth like a fool.”

The more he spoke, the angrier he became.

“So I hit him. But you know what? That’s not my job. That should’ve been yours.”

“...!”

Gubong’s eyes widened at Gu Yangcheon’s words. He couldn’t speak—Gu Yangcheon’s grip wouldn’t allow it.

“You’re afraid of provoking the Baek family? What a noble excuse to cover up your pathetic cowardice.”

“Guh... ugh...”

“But who the hell gave you the right to decide that? Are you the Sect Leader? Oh, wait, did that stubborn old man tell you to sit quietly and endure this shit?”

Gu Yangcheon let out a low, bitter laugh.

“No, he wouldn’t. That foul-tempered old man—if he’d been here, he wouldn’t have stood by. Do you know why?”

His eyes glinted with certainty.

“Because protecting one’s pride is what matters.”

The conviction in his voice was unshakable.

“And whatever comes after? We deal with it. Why? Because it’s better than letting Mount Hua’s beliefs and reputation rot ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) in the mud.”

“...”

“Enduring humiliation because it’s easier? No, let’s call it what it is. You didn’t want to deal with it, so you chose the easy way out.”

Thud.

“Gah!”

Gu Yangcheon released Gubong, letting him fall to the ground, choking and gasping for air.

“Hah... hah...”

As Gubong struggled to steady his breath, Gu Yangcheon looked down at him coldly.

“After all this, Mount Hua would face trouble? So what? Is that trouble more important than the pride of Mount Hua?”

“...!”

Gu Yangcheon’s words struck Gubong like a bolt of lightning.

“You almost dragged the legacy of Mount Hua into the dirt with your cowardice.”

That was it. That was what infuriated Gu Yangcheon.

He wasn’t mad at the foolish Baek Doryeong but at Gubong.

The fact that Mount Hua, a refuge built by a stubborn old master, was being disrespected.

And worse—

The fact that its disciples couldn’t stand tall or bear the burden of their legacy.

That was what enraged him.

“Kneeling while invoking Mount Hua’s name is the same as forcing your Sect Leader to kneel. Don’t you understand that?”

Gu Yangcheon’s voice, though restrained, carried an edge that made it all the more fierce.

“That’s the weight of representing Mount Hua.”

Bang!

“Guh!”

Gu Yangcheon’s kick sent Gubong sprawling again.

“You think it’s fine as long as you endure? What a load of crap.”

Crunch.

His steps ground into the earth, leaving deep imprints as he walked past Gubong.

“If you can’t carry the weight or uphold your pride, take off that robe.”

Gu Yangcheon’s gaze swept over Gubong’s crumpled figure.

“You don’t deserve to wear it.”

With that, he strode away. Cheonma followed silently behind him.

“...”

Left behind, Gubong sat in a daze, unable to move.

For a very long time.