The Shanxi Gu Clan is a family of flame arts.
It had been that way ever since the Gu Clan first emerged in Zhongyuan.
All the clan heads and direct descendants wielded flame techniques.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Their martial arts bore a superficial resemblance to the Sammaejinhwa technique, which used qi to ignite flames, but the two were fundamentally different.
The Gu Clan was a prestigious family rooted in flame arts.
That was the Shanxi Gu Clan.
Howeverâ
âNot all Gu descendants can use flame arts.â
While flame arts were the foundation of the clan, not everyone in the bloodline inherited them.
Only the direct line, born into the main family, could cultivate Guyeomhwaryungongâthe Nine Flames Firewheel Techniqueâin their dantian.
Branch families, on the other hand, had to train in different internal energy techniques.
These techniques varied across styles, but they all shared one common traitâheat manipulation.
Whether it was enhancing physical abilities by imbuing the body with heat or channeling it into sword techniques,
Even those who couldnât wield flame arts developed other heat-based techniques.
Some even trained to the point where their abilities rivaled the main familyâs flame arts.
Gu Changjun, the previous Elder Il, was one such example.
And the same went for the furious old man standing before me nowâ
âHuup!â
The current Elder Il.
Gu Ryun, the Flame Fang Fist.
He was no exception.
Kwaaaaangâ!!!
The ground split open under the force of the old manâs punch.
The sound and shockwave made the sheer power behind it clear.
And not just powerâ
Bang! Bang! Bang! KWAANGâ!!
His speed was just as overwhelming.
âWow.â
I dodged his fists while marveling inwardly.
âThe old manâs still got it.â
I knew Elder Il had reached the Hwagyeong realm.
How could I not know?
Heâd probably been in the Hwagyeong realm since before I was even born.
Only direct descendants of the Gu Clan could become elders.
The sole exception was the head of the Gu Sun Sect, who could be appointed elder despite being from a branch family.
Yet this old man had shattered that rule and earned his position.
That meantâ
He had enough influence within the clan to break tradition.
And he was strong enough to back up that influence.
Hissssâ!!
Steam began to rise from Elder Ilâs body.
His skin turned red as heat poured out,
And the weight of the surrounding qi shifted.
I frowned at the stifling sensation.
Whooshâ!!
Suddenly, a fist appeared right in front of me.
I tilted my head to dodge it and twisted my waist.
My body spun quickly, and I drove my leg forward.
Smack!
My kick landed directly on Elder Ilâs stomach, pushing him back slightly.
But thenâ
Crackâ!
âHuh?â
The old man grabbed a nearby tree and yanked it out of the ground.
âWhat the hell.â
He pulled it out as easily as plucking a weed.
And thenâ
Whooshâ!!
He swung the massive tree at me with full force.
Despite its size, it flew toward me at an alarming speed.