The Martial God with Psychic Powers

Yeon Cheon Baek arrived at Baekyak Temple and tilted his head as he observed the formation covering the entire mountain.
“A formation?”
The man wearing the Yaksha mask beside him answered.

“It is said to have been set up by the young master.”
“Woo Jin did this?”
“Yes. It seems he set it up to avoid attracting unwanted attention.”

A formation set up by Yeon Woo Jin — it felt strangely endearing and reassuring.
“Hahaha, is that so? So, it was a formation created by my Woo Jin.”
Yeon Cheon Baek’s previously stern expression relaxed into a hearty laugh, and the man in the Yaksha mask cast a slightly surprised glance at him.

No matter how many times he saw it, he couldn’t get used to Yeon Cheon Baek’s reaction.
Regardless of the man’s surprise, Yeon Cheon Baek’s entire focus was on the formation Yeon Woo Jin had constructed.
The more he observed, the more impressed he became by the meticulous and intricate layout.

“Ohh. If one cannot perceive the flow of energy, they would be completely trapped in here. Hahaha.”
Leisurely stepping into the formation, Yeon Cheon Baek reveled in the energy flow of the barrier as he moved through it.
When he finally made it through and ascended to the higher ground, an unexpected sight greeted him.

“What… is all this?”
“They appear to be the children the young master is training.”
“Woo Jin is training them?”

“Yes. If you look over there, you can see ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) the young master sitting down.”
Following the direction the masked man pointed, Yeon Cheon Baek turned his head.
There, Yeon Woo Jin was calmly sipping tea, watching the children train.
“Huh. The aura coming off those kids is no joke. Where did he gather such talented individuals?”

“Judging by their uniforms, they all seem to be students from the same martial academy as the young master.”
“I see. Same uniforms, same colors as Woo Jin. They must be lowerclassmen.”
Yeon Cheon Baek stroked his beard as he observed the scene for a moment.

“Not bad. The training is systematic, and the children’s talents aren’t half bad either. Hm.”
No matter how he looked at it, he was amazed.
When did Yeon Woo Jin manage to gather such a force?

“Has he developed an interest in Mushincheon?”
If so, it was more than welcome.
Yeon Cheon Baek’s eyes curved into crescent shapes.

“It seems like there are a lot of things I need to hear from Woo Jin.”
With that, Yeon Cheon Baek pushed off the ground and flew toward Yeon Woo Jin’s location.
Flap— Flap—

His robes fluttered as he descended slowly in front of Yeon Woo Jin.
“Grandfather?”
Yeon Woo Jin looked at him with a surprised expression.

“The Celestial Lord is here!”
The loud voices of the martial artists around Yeon Woo Jin echoed across the training grounds, and the children in training finally noticed Yeon Cheon Baek.
At first, they looked at him in disbelief, but then they all dropped to the ground and shouted in unison.

“We greet the Celestial Lord!”
Yeon Cheon Baek didn’t even glance at the ones greeting him. His eyes were solely fixed on Yeon Woo Jin.
With a warm expression, Yeon Cheon Baek softly asked,

“Haha, were you surprised, kid?”
“Yes. How did you know to come here?”
“I missed you, so I searched for you. They told me you were here.”

Yeon Woo Jin, who had been looking at him with a surprised expression, soon smiled and stood up, offering his seat.
“Please sit here, Grandfather.”
“Alright.”

Watching Yeon Woo Jin naturally call him ‘Grandfather’ and Yeon Cheon Baek accept it as if it were the most natural thing in the world, the children couldn’t help but shiver.
The ruthless Iron-Blooded Lord was speaking in such a gentle and affectionate voice.
Even a man with a heart as cold as ice was warm toward his own blood.

“What about those kids?”
“They’re my people.”
“Your people? You’re training them?”

“Well… you could say that.”
Yeon Cheon Baek asked Yeon Woo Jin with a curious look.
“Why?”

“Well… it just happened.”
“It just happened?”
“Yes. I started looking after one or two, and before I knew it, the numbers grew.”

“Hoo…”
Yeon Cheon Baek looked at the children.
In their determined eyes, he saw loyalty toward Yeon Woo Jin.

“Hahahaha.”
Yeon Cheon Baek couldn’t help but laugh.
When did his grandson grow up this much?

He was genuinely impressed.
“The training method — did you come up with it too?”
“Yes.”

“Would you show me a proper demonstration?”
“Of course.”
Yeon Woo Jin turned toward the training ground and spoke.

“All of you, stand up!”
As if they were a single entity, the children stood up in unison.
“Show the Celestial Lord what you’ve achieved!”

“Yes, sir!”
With a thunderous shout, the children began to move.
Their sheer presence was palpable.

Yeon Cheon Baek chuckled, clearly enjoying himself.
“Marvelous! Hahaha! This is structured and refined enough to be implemented in Mushincheon right now!”
“Hehe.”

Yeon Woo Jin smiled shyly, clearly pleased with the compliment.
Yeon Cheon Baek affectionately patted his grandson’s rear.
Slap, slap.

“That’s my grandson! Hahaha!”
Watching Yeon Cheon Baek genuinely pleased like that, Yeon Woo Jin felt a slight pang of guilt.
Despite making his grandfather so happy, he had been hiding his true strength all this time.

Yeon Woo Jin made up his mind and looked at Yeon Cheon Baek with a determined expression.
“Grandfather.”
When Yeon Woo Jin spoke with such a serious expression, Yeon Cheon Baek tilted his head.

What could he possibly want to say with such a solemn face?
“Hm? What does my Woo Jin want to say that he’s making such a serious face?”
“There is something I need to confess to you, Grandfather.”

“Confess?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”

“My power.”
“Power?”
“Yes.”

Power?
Yeon Cheon Baek blinked as he looked at Yeon Woo Jin, seemingly not understanding what he meant.
“Do you remember? That special power I once showed you.”

At Yeon Woo Jin’s words, Yeon Cheon Baek’s memories began to resurface.
“Oh! Right. I remember now. You had no internal energy but managed to float a sword in midair.”
“Yes. I’ve been developing that ability ever since.”

“Have you?”
“Yes. Thanks to that, I’ve become incredibly strong.”
Yeon Woo Jin spoke confidently, and Yeon Cheon Baek chuckled, finding his grandson’s expression adorable.

“Is that so? Just how strong has my little grandson become to be this confident?”
As he spoke, Yeon Cheon Baek examined Yeon Woo Jin.
“Hmmm. His internal energy doesn’t seem to have increased much. And he doesn’t look like he’s reached a higher realm. Tch. Those guys must have been filling his head with nonsense.”

Yeon Cheon Baek shot a sidelong glance at Ma Ryong, Chun Ho Seong, and Jeok Seong.
Still, since Yeon Woo Jin was speaking so confidently, he must have improved at least a little.
Yeon Cheon Baek patted Yeon Woo Jin’s head and said,

“Haha, really? Just how strong has my Woo Jin become?”
Yeon Woo Jin’s eyes gleamed as he confidently declared,
“I’m stronger than all three of them.”

When Yeon Woo Jin confidently declared that he was stronger than Ma Ryong, Chun Ho Seong, and Jeok Seong, Yeon Cheon Baek’s expression hardened as he glared at the three men.
-What the hell? What kind of nonsense did you fill Woo Jin’s head with to make him say something like that?
The sudden sound transmission startled the three, and they quickly responded.

-No! It’s not that!
-The young master is telling the truth!
-He is truly strong enough to defeat all three of us combined!

Stronger than the three of them combined?
“What did you say to them?”
“Huh? Oh, no, it’s nothing.”

“I knew you wouldn’t believe me.”
“How could I? There’s no trace of increased internal energy, and it doesn’t look like you’ve ascended to a higher realm. How can I believe it?”
“That’s understandable. I’ve been hiding it all along.”

“Hiding it? Is that even possible?”
“Yes. My ability is… special.”
Ridiculous.

If anyone else had said something like that, he would have slapped them with a palm strike right then and there.
But this was Yeon Woo Jin speaking.
Even though he thought it was impossible, a faint glimmer of hope arose in Yeon Cheon Baek’s heart.

His heart pounded wildly.
In a trembling voice, Yeon Cheon Baek asked,
“Can you… show this power to your grandfather?”

Yeon Woo Jin nodded.
“Yes. Shall we change locations?”
“Let’s do that.”

 
Yeon Woo Jin led Yeon Cheon Baek to the area near his old residence.
It was the training ground where Yeon Woo Jin had always practiced.

Arriving there, Yeon Cheon Baek was momentarily lost in nostalgia.
He recalled the sight of young Yeon Woo Jin training there.
Back then, he had no great expectations for martial arts.

All he wanted was for his grandson to grow up healthy.
Now, to hear that he had become stronger than even the Eight Deities of Martial God…
It was still hard to believe.

Did he feel a little hurt that Yeon Woo Jin had hidden it from him all this time?
Maybe. But right now, excitement and anticipation far outweighed any such feelings.
He desperately hoped that Yeon Woo Jin’s words were true.

Yeon Woo Jin stood in the middle of the training ground and called for Chun Ho Seong, Ma Ryong, and Jeok Seong.
The three surrounded Yeon Woo Jin and took up battle stances.
“Attack me with all your strength.”

“Yes, sir!”
For a moment, Yeon Cheon Baek thought he had misheard.
All their strength?

He was about to intervene, telling them not to do it.
Crack!
A massive wave of Qi collided, generating a powerful gust of wind.

Whoosh—
Flap, flap—
The wind swept past Yeon Cheon Baek, causing his robes to flap violently.

Yeon Cheon Baek’s eyes remained fixed on Yeon Woo Jin.
His face was filled with utter disbelief.
Yeon Woo Jin had truly blocked the full-power attacks of those three.

“A body-protecting Qi barrier?”
At his age, for him to possess such a barrier…
His shock soon turned to elation.

But it wasn’t over yet.
The three launched their ultimate techniques against Yeon Woo Jin in earnest.
Chun Ho Seong’s Lightning Execution Sword shone with a blinding sword light, while Ma Ryong’s Hell-Heaven Slash roared toward Yeon Woo Jin with terrifying momentum.

Jeok Seong’s Dark Soul Divine Art struck silently from below, like a shadow.
Seeing them unleash their true techniques, Yeon Cheon Baek tried to move to protect Yeon Woo Jin.
But in that instant—

A colossal surge of Qi erupted from Yeon Woo Jin’s body like a dragon ascending to the heavens, completely nullifying the three attacks.
Yeon Cheon Baek, who had been staring in shock, was even more stunned.
Yeon Woo Jin’s hair had turned gray.

Was it due to overusing Pre-Heaven True Qi? Had he aged prematurely?
Just as Yeon Cheon Baek worried over it, Yeon Woo Jin and the three men continued their clash.
Boom! Boom! Boom!

Storm-like attacks shook the ground, but not a single one managed to touch Yeon Woo Jin.
Yeon Woo Jin smirked as he spoke.
“You’ve all grown stronger than I expected.”

“Of course! We did our best to satisfy you, young master.”
“We worked so hard, but it’s still impossible to surpass your Five Gates.”
Listening to their conversation, Yeon Cheon Baek couldn’t understand a single word.

To satisfy Yeon Woo Jin?
Did that mean that even before, Yeon Woo Jin had already possessed power far beyond them?
And what was this ‘Five Gates’?

Unable to take it anymore, Yeon Cheon Baek stepped forward.
“That’s enough. Stop.”
At his command, the three lowered their gathered Qi, and Yeon Woo Jin’s hair returned to its original black.

“Haa… It seems I have a lot to hear from you today.”
“I’m sorry for hiding it. Are you very angry?”
When Yeon Woo Jin asked cautiously, Yeon Cheon Baek tried to maintain a stern expression, feeling a slight sting of betrayal.

But it was impossible to maintain that stern face.
He was so overjoyed that he couldn’t hold back his smile.
“Angry? Hahaha! How could I be angry? My Woo Jin is this strong! This old man is so thrilled that I can barely contain myself!”

Angry? Not at all.
If anything, he was ecstatic.
His Woo Jin was this strong.

“So, the reason you became so strong… is it related to that special power you once showed me?”
“Yes. That power wasn’t just about lifting swords. It’s an ability that allows me to achieve anything I imagine.”
“Anything you imagine?”

“Yes. Anything I think of… I can make it happen.”
A power that could make anything happen…
Was he perhaps a god descended from the heavens?

It suddenly made sense why he had been found alone in that desolate mountain.
“Grandfather? Are you okay?”
Noticing Yeon Cheon Baek’s dazed expression, Yeon Woo Jin ran over, worry written all over his face.

Yeon Cheon Baek nodded as he asked,
“You… You’re really my Woo Jin, right?”
At those words, Yeon Woo Jin flashed a brilliant smile and said,

“Of course. I’m your one and only grandson, Yeon Woo Jin.”
“That’s right! You are my grandson! My one and only grandson!”
“Yes, Grandfather!”

Whoosh—
Overcome with emotion, Yeon Cheon Baek pulled Yeon Woo Jin into a tight embrace.