Reincarnation of the Cloud Dragon - Chapter 38

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This chapter is translated by Falnar Novels Team.
Support us by reading on our official site: https://falnarnovels.com
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Chapter 38.
“Something worth using….”
My gaze settled upon the worn iron shackle encircling my wrist.
The weight distribution was abysmal, and the craftsmanship crude.
It had sufficed for body conditioning, but now that I wielded inner force, it was merely a cumbersome fetter.
Gong Ya Pae approached with blazing eyes.
“Let me examine it closely.”
Before I could answer, he seized my wrist with the grip of a predator.
I could have evaded, but I did not.
I understood this eccentric blacksmith’s crude way of showing interest.
“The shackle’s center of gravity is a disaster. Execute ascending techniques while wearing such scrap metal in actual combat, and your wrist tendons will snap like twigs.”
As Gong Ya Pae manipulated the shackle, his eyes gleamed with the peculiar curiosity of a master craftsman.
“Yet the weight is… considerable. Did you commit this foolish act to build strength?”
“…Something like that.”
“Hmph, unworthy of your station. Observe.”
Without waiting for protest, Gong Ya Pae infused his inner force into the shackle.
Whoosh―!
The tyrannical heat of the Flame Demon Art flowed through the black metal like molten fury.
The iron had been frozen solid moments before, bearing the brunt of my Absolute Frozen Heart Technique.
In the instant extreme cold met sudden, searing heat.
Ting―!
A crisp fracture echoed as cracks spiderwebbed across the heavy shackle.
Crackle.
The fissures spread like a web, cleaving the shackle into two pieces.
“Oops, well then.”
Gong Ya Pae shrugged with shameless nonchalance.
“Cheap scrap metal—it couldn’t withstand your cold, naturally.”
I gazed silently at the fragments scattered across the floor.
White vapor rose lazily from the metal shards where they had fallen.
It seemed unable to endure the sudden temperature shift.
The fact that he could unleash such heat in so brief a span testified to the profound depth of his inner force.
“…It wasn’t my cold that failed to endure. It was your heat.”
I replied flatly, and Gong Ya Pae burst into hearty laughter.
“Hahaha! Well, either way, you’re not wrong.”
Gong Ya Pae’s laughter faded as he spread his stance wide.
Playfulness vanished, replaced by killing intent.
“Now that your shackles are gone, let’s fight with everything we have. Can your cold extinguish my flames?”
I lowered my stance in answer.
I too wished to test my yin-cold force in genuine combat.
Whooooom―.
A chill swept across Yun Cheon’s entire body, while heat shimmer rippled from Gong Ya Pae’s frame.
“Take this! Inferno Palm!”
Gong Ya Pae hurled the technique toward Yun Cheon.
A crude yet devastating strike—pure inner force unleashed without finesse.
It was a challenge: if you dare receive it, then receive it.
‘His inner reserves far exceed mine. Meeting this head-on will be difficult….’
Yun Cheon spread both arms wide, tracing a circle.
Whiiing―!
The heavy inferno bent strangely before Yun Cheon, warping in an impossible arc.
Wuji Icy Heart Scripture.
Inscribing the tai chi symbol, he seized the heart of the flames and released them into the void.
“Hm…?”
Gong Ya Pae’s eyes widened.
The technique for redirecting force was far from ordinary.
‘My master always said not to pursue strength mindlessly, but to cultivate flexibility… and this fellow embodies that principle perfectly.’
The skill to gently disperse such overwhelming heat was something he himself did not possess.
‘The soft subdues the hard and rigid!’
Saengsa Jjon, seeing beyond mere technique, perceived the effortless mastery woven into Yun Cheon’s movements and marveled inwardly.
‘At such an age, how has he already embodied the profound principle of softness overcoming rigidity so completely…?!’
Bang―! Boom―!
As Gong Ya Pae’s scorching force and Yun Cheon’s icy force collided repeatedly, the Ma Ui Jeon Front Courtyard was instantly shrouded in billowing steam.
Within the mist, they exchanged blows, their red and blue inner forces clashing violently.
Saengsa Jjon found himself imagining, unbidden, what a monster Yun Cheon would become if the Heavenly Ascension Technique succeeded in the future.
‘If not for the family’s restrictions, I would take him as a disciple rather than merely a ward.’
Wonder flickered repeatedly in Seol Young’s eyes as she watched the exchange.
She was already well acquainted with Gong Ya Pae’s profound inner reserves.
The object of her astonishment was none other than Yun Cheon.
‘He only just formed his dantian, yet he displays such offense and defense against Uncle Gong Ya…!’
Screeeech―.
As the collision intensified, the very air of the Ma Ui Jeon Front Courtyard shrieked.
The hottest flame and the coldest ice.
When two incompatible forces met head-on, a strange phenomenon unfolded.
The two energies seized each other’s tails and began rotating with ferocious intensity.
Whoooosh―.
Like two dragons coiling around each other, each attempting to devour the other.
In an instant, a massive sphere materialized in the void—red and blue perfectly divided.
Whooom―!
A perfect tai chi symbol.
‘…!’
Seol Young’s pupils trembled violently, as though shaken by an earthquake.
But that form lasted only an instant.
The yin-yang symbol crumbled, transforming into a violet sphere before detonating.
Crack! Boom―!
Uncontrolled heat and cold scattered in all directions, creating a thick veil of mist.
‘It vanished….’
Seol Young stared blankly into the haze.
Yet she had clearly witnessed it.
Not mutual destruction—the opposition that kills—but the possibility of mutual generation, the harmony that sustains.
But it had vanished like a mirage in the blink of an eye.
‘Was it coincidence? Or… did Yun Cheon intend it?’
Her heart began to race.
I had to confirm it.
Whether that phenomenon was a miracle born from random collision, or whether it lay within Yun Cheon’s control.
If the latter….
The secret technique of the Western Regions, the Dual Extremes Unified Wall, would cease to be a dream.
Seol Young called out urgently.
“You two, wait just a moment!”
The mist dispersed, revealing two men.
Having already exchanged several rounds, they recognized each other’s prowess and had created distance between them.
Yun Cheon and Gong Ya Pae withdrew their qi simultaneously.
‘It is yin-cold qi, yet different from Seol’s Glacial White Divine Art… especially the application of yin-cold qi infused with rotation is exceptional….’
Gong Ya Pae realized Yun Cheon’s inner energy cultivation was no ordinary matter.
Conversely, Yun Cheon could sense that Gong Ya Pae’s inner power ran deeper than imagination.
‘A possessor of quite profound yang-heat qi. If my opponent unleashed full strength, I would still struggle to withstand it.’
Gong Ya Pae’s martial arts lacked refinement and technique, yet the quantity and depth of his inner energy surpassed the average of his generation.
The two men regarded her with puzzled expressions.
“What is it, sister?”
“Watching your collision just now, I felt I might grasp something! You’ve surely exchanged enough blows, but would you mind continuing your duel with greater emphasis on inner energy cultivation?”
Enlightenment was an opportunity that came rarely to martial artists.
Seol Young’s eyes shone with longing.
“Well… that’s not difficult. But can he endure it? His technique is decent enough, but his inner energy doesn’t seem particularly abundant?”
Gong Ya Pae scratched his head as he answered.
“I am well aware of Gong Ya’s profound inner strength. What if you two conducted this duel using a different method?”
At the word “older brother,” Gong Ya Pae’s expression visibly softened.
Despite his rough exterior, he was weak to the requests of his frail younger sister Seol Young.
“Ahem. Well, if Seol asks, it’s nothing difficult. So what exactly should I do?”
As Gong Ya Pae readily agreed, Seol Young turned her gaze toward Yun Cheon and winked with one eye.
‘Surely Yun Cheon has grasped my intention?’
That was what her gesture seemed to convey.
‘An experiment with the Dual Extremes Unified Wall? Indeed, testing it externally rather than detonating from within would reduce the danger. Clever.’
Yun Cheon immediately grasped her intention and nodded.
Seol Young then pointed to the teacup sitting on the table.
“Why don’t the two of you test your inner strength using the water in this teacup?”
“Water?”
“Yes. The rules are simple—whoever boils or freezes the water inside wins.”
Gong Ya Pae let out a derisive snort.
“Ha! What kind of dull contest is that? If I so much as touch it, that pathetic water will evaporate in an instant….”
“However, the teacup itself must remain undamaged during the contest. If you pour your inner strength recklessly like when you shattered the iron rings, the cup will break.”
“Tch. That level of control isn’t difficult for me.”
Gong Ya Pae readily accepted.
He believed himself overwhelmingly superior in both the quantity and quality of his inner strength.
But Yun Cheon deduced why Seol Young had bothered to add such specific rules.
This was not merely a test of inner strength as it appeared on the surface.
‘Clever. By adding the condition that the vessel must not break, she’s imposed a limit on how much inner strength can be used.’
It was a cunning measure to prevent either side from injecting excessive inner strength.
What she truly intended was to observe what happened when the Yin-Cold technique and Yang-Heat technique clashed in roughly equal amounts.
If one side held a one-sided quantitative advantage, it would be far removed from the true Yin-Yang Harmony.
Unaware of Seol Young’s true purpose, Gong Ya Pae scratched his head and asked with apparent irritation.
“But is there really a need to go through all this trouble?”
Gong Ya Pae seemed to think these conditions favored Yun Cheon, who surpassed him in technique.
“You’ve been cultivating your inner strength for over a decade, Elder Gong Ya, but he’s only just begun learning the Yin-Cold technique. Surely as a senior, you can accommodate such a minor inconvenience?”
At that moment, Seol Young cleverly mixed in words designed to provoke Gong Ya Pae.
As expected, Gong Ya Pae’s eyes widened in shock as he turned back to Yun Cheon.
“What? You… you’re only just beginning to use the Yin-Cold technique?”
Gong Ya Pae questioned him in disbelief.
Even if Yun Cheon’s cultivation was lacking, that was only in comparison to himself.
He was several years older, and his Yang-Heat technique, honed through spending most of his days before the flames, far surpassed that of most peers his age.
But if Yun Cheon had only just entered the path of inner strength, the situation was entirely different.
‘…Impossible! The quantity is one thing, but that purity and control—it’s nothing like a beginner’s work. I thought Saengsa Jjon would never take just anyone under his wing….’
In an instant, Gong Ya Pae’s eyes blazed with competitive fervor.
“Even so, the inner strength you gained while treating the young lady’s ailment is surely no trivial matter.”
“…Ah? Then the improvement in my sister’s complexion as well…?”
From Yun Cheon’s answer, Gong Ya Pae grasped the general circumstances.
“Indeed… Saengsa Jjon’s patronage is well-deserved. Let’s clash again at once!”
The two sat facing each other across the table.
“Are you both ready?”
Between them sat a single teacup filled with clear water.
“Begin!”
At Seol Young’s signal, a crimson gleam flashed in Gong Ya Pae’s eyes.
A deep hum resonated.
Heat billowed from his palm, enveloping the teacup.
Yet the result was merely a faint tremor across the water’s surface.
“Hmm?”
Gong Ya Pae raised an eyebrow.
Water that should have boiled over in an instant remained eerily still.
Yun Cheon was channeling his frigid inner force into the cup, neutralizing the heat with precision.
Not a crude torrent like Gong Ya Pae’s, but a refined technique infused with rotation.
“Hoh, so brute strength fails you? Now you resort to technique?”
A mischievous smile spread across Gong Ya Pae’s lips.
Whoosh!
“But even that has its limits, I’m afraid.”
Gong Ya Pae’s palm blazed crimson.
This was no mere heat.
The weighty, destructive inner force of a master blacksmith—one who melts ore and hammers steel—seized the teacup.
Extreme heat and extreme cold.
The two energies clashed within the narrow battlefield of the cup, chasing each other’s tails in frenzied circles.
“Now the true contest begins!”
Ssshhhhiiiick―!
The once-placid water shrieked and convulsed.
White steam began rising steadily from the cup’s surface.
An overwhelming disparity in power that mere technique could not overcome.
‘As I thought… a direct confrontation won’t work.’
Cold sweat beaded on Yun Cheon’s brow.
His opponent’s inner cultivation was twice as profound as his own.
Yet Yun Cheon’s gaze remained calm and composed.
‘If I cannot win through force, I change the flow.’
Rather than pouring the Glacial White Divine Technique’s chill into the cup, Yun Cheon focused on wielding it with greater finesse.
Gong Ya Pae was not one to miss such a shift.
“Hoh? Dodging the confrontation? How cowardly for a man to resort to such tricks!”
Seizing the advantage, Gong Ya Pae unleashed the full force of his Scorching Yang Technique, careful not to shatter the cup.
Glug―. Glug-glug-glug―.
The outcome seemed decided.
Water began boiling up from the cup’s rim.
“How is it? Will you concede defeat now? Still, you’ve shown promise. You are worthy of becoming my sworn brother.”
Gong Ya Pae laughed heartily, certain of his victory.
Yet the corner of Yun Cheon’s mouth curved slightly upward.
“Gong Ya brother, the outcome has not yet been decided.”
“Indeed. I like the sound of that. But it will be soon enough!”
Gong Ya Pae seemed to interpret Yun Cheon’s form of address as a concession of defeat.
But Yun Cheon’s words were far from finished.
“Do you understand the principle that hot energy rises upward while cold energy sinks downward?”
Gong Ya Pae’s brow furrowed at Yun Cheon’s sudden question.
“What nonsense is this? It’s just water in a teacup, nothing more.”
“Yet even within it, energy continues to move. Look closely.”
At Yun Cheon’s words, both Seol Young and Gong Ya Pae’s gazes fixed upon the teacup.
And their eyes widened in astonishment.
“…!”
It was a sight beyond comprehension.
The upper portion of the teacup roiled and churned from Gong Ya Pae’s heat, transforming into billowing steam.
But the bottom was another matter entirely.
Crackle—crackle.
The water below swirled with frigid energy, freezing solid.
Above, boiling water; below, ice.
Within that humble teacup, the extremes of opposing seasons coexisted in perfect harmony.
Even the water that had transformed into steam condensed at the cup’s bottom, forming long, crystalline icicles.
“What?! This… what in the…?”
Gong Ya Pae, bewildered, was about to pour more of his inner force when—
“I believe it is time to conclude this match.”
With Yun Cheon’s cold declaration, the dantian rotating in his lower abdomen surged with violent intensity.

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This chapter is translated by Falnar Novels Team.
Support us by reading on our official site: https://falnarnovels.com
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