Chapter 290

Words : 2863 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

Chapter 290 Mount Huangshan was a mountain barren of even a single blade of grass, let alone trees. However, in recent times, desolate lands like it were no longer rare—though Mount Huangshan, now known as the Sacred Fire Mountain, wasn’t exactly desolate. Fwoosh! Flames sprouted from every visible corner, replacing the vegetation that should have blanketed the slopes, barring entry with intense heat. But despite that, Se-Hoon was heading up, instinctively checking his clothes along the way. “Hmm... They shouldn’t burn like last time.” Before, he’d come without much thought and ended up singing his sleeves. Now, however, he was prepared properly. Drawing on his fire mana, he moved higher up the mountain. A while later, when he reached about halfway up, signs of a village started appearing. People were going about their daily lives, seemingly unbothered by the fire surrounding them on all sides. If one looked only at the scenery of the village, the surrounding flames could simply appear to be an illusion, but they were far from it. “The spell must be working well...” Li Kenxie, the master of the mountain, had granted the people currently living in the village a place to live by casting protective spells over them. Thanks to those, the villagers were able to live peacefully, shielded by the flames engulfing the mountain. But this peace won’t last long. With the war against the Demon Force intensifying and the power of the Harbingers of Destruction far surpassing that of the usual demonic beings, the village that appeared impervious to it all would one day succumb, because it was certain even the flames of Sacred Fire Mountain would be extinguished. Thinking of their not-too-distant future, Se-Hoon continued up the mountain path. Eventually, he arrived near the summit, where he spotted a new settlement. Clang! Clang! The constant clang of metalwork filled the air, likely due to the clusters of workshops huddled below the cliffs. Casting his gaze over the street where blacksmiths trained by the Sacred Craftsman resided, Se-Hoon wiped the sweat from his brow. “It feels hotter than usual here...” The temperature of the area was entirely different from the mountain’s base. It was to the extent that the heat reminded him of his first dive into lava, prompting him to circulate his fire mana through his body more rapidly. From now on, even a momentary lapse in concentration could result in more than just a burn; he could be completely engulfed in flames. So, before he continued upward, Se-Hoon made sure to prepare. “HAAA!” But all of a sudden he was surprised by a young voice, making him turn to face his side—where the voice came from—and found a young woman dressed in a crimson martial outfit with her hair tied neatly. But unlike some elderly folks who only looked like they were in their twenties, she was genuinely only twenty-something. “Do you really find that fun?” Seeing his disbelief, the woman, Li Fei, dropped her serious expression and gave him a playful smile. “It is! You don’t know how startled this can get people that have once been scolded by Grandpa.” “Of course, as expected of his granddaughter.... So, why are you here?” “Oh, Grandpa sent me to see you off.” “See me... wait, he told you to see me off?” Considering Se-Hoon had just arrived to see Li Kenxie, shouldn’t it be a greeting, not a farewell? His face darkened with suspicion. And soon, just as he suspected, Li Fei scratched her head awkwardly and confessed. “Grandpa actually said you should just turn around and go back.” “Did he really say that?” “To be precise, he told you to ‘get lost.’ But you know what he means...” “...” Turning back toward the workshops, he considered the old man’s dismissal delivered through Li Fei. Clang! Clang! The old man knew he’d come all the way here, yet instead of showing his face, he just kept hammering away in his workshop. Whatever he was forging or researching, it seemed likely that he’d never leave that place—possibly not until the world ended. “Tsk... tell him I wish him a long life.” “Huh? Oh, you mean that as an insult, right? I can sort of tell now, you know.” Li Fei beamed with satisfaction, proud of her insight. Se-Hoon paused, staring at her spirited expression, and then decided to talk about the request he meant to pass on. “Actually...” “It’s okay.” Li Fei seemed to know what he was going to say, responding with a smile. “Back then, I was too young to understand what was going on, but now I’m staying here by choice. So, tell Father not to worry about me.” “...Alright. Take care of yourself.” With that, there was nothing left to say, so Se-Hoon started the hike back down the mountain. “Uncle, take care of yourself too! And let them know I’ll be visiting on the anniversary!” Receiving Li Fei’s lively send-off, he made his way down the mountain. But at some point, he abruptly stopped and looked back. Fwoosh! Would the Sacred Fire Mountain really keep burning until the war with the Demon Force ended? The answer was pretty obvious, yet with nothing more he could do, all that was left was to resume his descent. *** Memories of the past flashed through his mind in an instant. And usually, Se-Hoon would have taken a moment to reminisce, but right now, he didn’t have that luxury. “...” Sitting on the couch facing him was an old man in a red martial outfit and a young girl who stared at him with curiosity. He hadn’t expected the Sacred Craftsman and his granddaughter to storm Babel so soon. What’s going on...? Did no one in China stop them from coming? While Se-Hoon was still trying to make sense of the situation, Ludwig, seated next to him, asked in his place. “How did you get here? Surely they didn’t just let you go...” “What a foolish question. Do you think they could stop me even if they tried?” To respond to Ludwig’s question, Li Kenxie, who had been sitting expressionlessly, finally opened his mouth. “Now that I think about it, that’s also true.” Though most heroes would step back if the government tried to stop them, to Perfect Ones, such things were meaningless. Realizing it belatedly, Ludwig nodded in understanding. But that just made Li Kenxie shoot him a sharp look. “Seems you’re quite invested in your academy, talking all soft like that.” “Well, people are adapting beings, after all. You’re the one playing the lone craftsman, holed up in your mountain.” At Ludwig’s smooth reply, Li Kenxie’s gaze sharpened, filling the room with tension. The pressure was intense, as if the world itself was splitting into two, despite neither of them rousing their powers. In that intense atmosphere, Se-Hoon glanced at Li Fei and saw that she was looking around in wonder, curious rather than afraid. So her potential was evident even back then. Connecting the dots, Se-Hoon was beginning to grasp why Li Kenxie had taken his granddaughter from her father when the tension in the room suddenly dissipated. “Tsk. Never mind. I didn’t come here to trade pointless words with you.” “I’m glad to hear that.” Done with Ludwig, Li Kenxie turned his gaze to Se-Hoon, his eyes sharp as a blade. “Were you the one who created the flame underground?” His question held more certainty than curiosity. Se-Hoon immediately glanced at Ludwig, who seemed entirely uninterested in joining the conversation, observing Li Fei instead. He’s leaving this up to me. Though he had found himself in an unexpected situation, he was still able to rationalize calmly that there was nothing to hide. Quickly organizing his thoughts, Se-Hoon gave Li Kenxie his response. “Yes, I am the one who created it.” “It’s pathetic.” “...” “If you thought that was worthy of being called my ‘power,’ you should just lay your head on an anvil and allow me to fix your ego myself.” Upon getting an answer, Li Kenxie immediately threatened to pound his skull if he kept spouting nonsense. The old man lacked so much restraint that Se-Hoon couldn’t stop his eyebrow from twitching. This guy has no sense of manners at all, does he...? A first-year student, of all people, using a Perfect One’s leftover flames to recreate that much was definitely no small feat. Yet, despite Li Kenxie’s blunt criticism, Se-Hoon still managed to force a grin. “Haha, of course not. I just made a few adjustments within my limits. It’s nowhere near your level, of course.” “At least you know.” “Thank you for understanding.” “But that still doesn’t change the fact that your skills are pathetic.” “...” Li Kenxie constantly jabbed at Se-Hoon with scornful remarks. Come to think of it, he was like this before the regression, too. Back then, when Se-Hoon had surpassed the established Rule of Iron, Li Kenxie had frequently sent Se-Hoon weapons newly forged by himself. To most, it seemed like a gesture of admiration for the young blacksmith who surpassed his former self, but Li Kenxie’s actual intention was different. He always tried to tell me, ‘Don’t get cocky yet, as I’m still better than you in other areas.’ Back then, Se-Hoon found it shameful that a Perfect One was so narrow-minded. But looking back now, it made sense. Perfect Ones were just heroes that had ascended a Tower of Heroes; strength and personality were separate matters. Looking at Li Kenxie with that in mind, he was in every way exactly as he appeared. A stubborn old coot hunched over his forge with a narrow worldview. Even as humanity teetered on the edge, the old man had stayed locked in his workshop. Because of that, Se-Hoon wasn’t surprised at all by his prickly reaction. “Why are you staring at me like that? You should get your pitiful skills fixed before even daring to look me in the eye.” “...” But even if Se-Hoon acknowledged Li Kenxie’s personality, it didn’t mean that the old geezer’s remarks didn’t make him angry. “Do you really think you could surpass me with that mediocre skill of yours? If so, that would be so laughable that I’ll be at a loss for words.” While Li Kenxie could see why Ludwig boasted about Se-Hoon, from his perspective, Se-Hoon didn’t look anything like someone who’d surpass his craft. “I don’t intend to claim I can surpass you. At least not now.” Li Kenxie’s eyes twitched. Not now? Did that mean he planned to surpass him someday? But just as Li Kenxie’s anger started to rise, Se-Hoon smiled and looked him straight in the eyes. “Though, as far as your past techniques go, I’ve already surpassed those a long time ago.” A heavy silence fell over the office. And soon, Li Kenxie’s lips curled into a faint smirk. “Heh... Is that so?” Letting out a chuckle of disbelief, he fixed his gaze on Se-Hoon. “You aren’t even worth being my firewood.” Kwoosh! A massive pillar of flames erupted where Se-Hoon sat, instantly consuming everything within its reach. Their sheer intensity would have killed any high-ranking hero if they’d been caught off guard. “Oh no. My office’s going to catch on fire.” Yet Ludwig remained unfazed, simply shielding the room with his magic. What in the world...? Li Kenxie was completely perplexed. Why was Ludwig completely unbothered even though his treasured student was on the verge of being incinerated? Maybe he’d used some kind of trick already? But Li Kenxie could sense nothing but his own fire within the pillar of flame. ...Hold on. Narrowing his eyes, Li Kenxie stared at the center of the flames and immediately withdrew his power, causing the towering inferno to vanish without a trace. Now, all that was left there was Se-Hoon, who had his own flames enveloping him. “...” Li Kenxie’s eyes widened in shock. He’d seen plenty of people who could turn their bodies into flames, but he’d still burned every last one of them to ashes. Even flames still had distinct levels of strength. How did he withstand that...? Although he hadn’t used his full power, his flames should have still been deadly. If the flames enveloping Se-Hoon’s body had any weakness, Se-Hoon should have been reduced to ashes. Yet there he remained seated, calm and unaffected. “Grandpa.” At that moment, Li Fei tugged at Li Kenxie’s sleeve, pulling him back to his senses. “What is it?” “Why are there two of you?” “...What?” With a confused expression, Li Fei pointed to Se-Hoon, who still blazed with fire. “Your flames are there too.” “...” Her question made Li Kenxie look at Se-Hoon again. Observing him closer, he discovered Se-Hoon had absorbed the Sacred Flames into his body, using them to separate him from the massive pillar of flames. And now that even his granddaughter had noticed, Li Kenxie had no choice but to acknowledge the reality before him. “Did you use my power?” At those words, Se-Hoon released his flame-covered form—the skill he had recently acquired, Guardian of the Sacred Flames. “I just used a skill that closely resembles yours,” he politely answered. Narrowing his eyes, Li Kenxie questioned, “You just blocked my power and called it a ‘resemblance’?” “Well, you did hold back in the end. If you’d been serious from the start, things would be different.” Although Guardian of the Sacred Flames was a skill derived from the Sacred Craftsman’s own power, it was technically a weaker version. On top of that, Se-Hoon hadn’t fully mastered the skill, so it had been entirely possible he could have been overwhelmed just now. But because Li Kenxie had restrained his power, he’d just managed to prevent himself from being turned to ashes. Still... it does sting a little. The difference between his skill and a Perfect One’s power was obvious. His body felt singed from the inside out, but Se-Hoon showed no sign of discomfort. Doing so now would ruin the impression he’d just made, and in the first place, it wasn’t too unbearable. “...” Li Kenxie stared intently at Se-Hoon before turning his gaze to Ludwig, who was smiling knowingly, having anticipated all of it. Clicking his tongue at the sight, Li Kenxie rose from his seat. “Show me to my quarters. I’ll have to unpack first.” He had planned to turn around and leave if Se-Hoon’s skills were unimpressive, but the current situation warranted further observation. Pleased, Se-Hoon and Ludwig exchanged smiles. “Of course. We’ll find you an empty workshop nearby.” “I’ll escort you there myself,” Se-Hoon offered. “No. I don’t want to see your face anymore.” “...” Judging from Li Kenxie’s scathing words, which had grown harsher, he didn’t seem too pleased about Se-Hoon mimicking his power. Annoyed, Se-Hoon felt a surge of anger but quickly calmed himself. Either way, I beat him this time. Li Kenxie had gone so far as to unleash his power to put Se-Hoon in his place, yet he failed without Se-Hoon even breaking a sweat. Even if Li Kenxie wouldn’t admit it, Se-Hoon knew the old man’s pride must have taken a hit. Pressing further now would likely just push him away, so Se-Hoon decided to let it be. I sometimes wonder if I’m dealing with a Perfect One or a cranky old man...? As Se-Hoon sighed internally, Li Fei, who was rising to follow her grandfather, tugged at his sleeves. “Grandpa.” “What is it?” Hearing Li Kenxie’s brusque reply, Li Fei hesitated before finally saying, “I want to look around the academy.” Initially, Li Kenxie was about to refuse, but her hopeful eyes made him pause. It was her first time outside in a while, so denying her seemed unfair. Sighing, Li Kenxie nodded. “Fine. I’ll take you to explore around... before we go to our quarters.” “No, I don’t want you to.” “...What?” Stunned, Li Kenxie watched as Li Fei pointed to Se-Hoon. “I want to look around with the fake Grandpa over there.” “...Huh?” Equally surprised, Se-Hoon mirrored Li Kenxie’s expression of shock. Was she intrigued by my imitation of his power? Since she called him “fake Grandpa,” she obviously knew they weren’t the same person, but that seemed to have just fuelled her curiosity. Unsure of what to say to her sparkling gaze, Se-Hoon suddenly felt an intense stare and quickly looked up. “...” Li Kenxie was glaring at him with a fury that could have set him ablaze. Sensing the tension as well, Ludwig quickly surrounded the area with spatial magic as a precaution as Se-Hoon tried to process the sinking feeling he just got. I’m doomed. He realized he had definitely just gotten on Li Kenxie’s bad side.

Chapter 290

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