Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Black and White Sword Ghost (4)
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Heavenly Mountain.
The Demonic Cult's stronghold and the border with the Western Regions—long ago, a divine beast known as the Heavenly Demon dwelled there.
It looked like a horse, but with a long horn protruding from its forehead, and it soared freely through the skies. The Heavenly Demon's power was so immense that it occasionally blanketed the entire heavens in dark clouds or unleashed massive bolts of lightning, terrifying the world.
Whenever that happened, the local people had to offer a beautiful, pure maiden to appease its wrath. That was the origin of the Saintess position in the current Demonic Cult.
In any case, every time the Heavenly Demon rampaged, the whole world trembled in fear at the deafening thunder.
The imperial court, unable to simply stand by, devised a plan to subjugate the Heavenly Demon in coordination with the Western Regions, who were also suffering from its antics.
This became known as the First Great War of Righteousness and Demonic Forces.
Word spread, and countless races flocked there.
Experts were as numerous as grains of millet.
The long-eared Wood Ear Clan, who commanded natural energies; the short, steel-hard Iron Clan; the Dreamwalker Clan, who freely traversed dreams and reality... and so on.
Nearly every race in the world gathered at Heavenly Mountain, weapons in hand, to slay the Heavenly Demon.
However, what they hadn't anticipated was that the Heavenly Demon's power was far greater than imagined.
The battle dragged on.
Years passed, yet the Heavenly Demon refused to fall.
In the meantime, the races with no way home naturally mingled into the Central Plains.
Some gave up returning altogether and began settling down. More and more began producing mixed-blood children with humans.
Now they had things to protect.
Thus, everyone tacitly abandoned the subjugation of the Heavenly Demon halfway.
The Lightbringer.
A figure cloaked entirely in radiant light suddenly appeared and severed the Heavenly Demon's neck.
Then vanished beyond Heavenly Mountain—into the Western Regions.
Academy history professors speculated that the "hero's bloodline" referred to descendants of the Lightbringer, and the current Demonic Cult were descendants of the heretics who had worshipped the Heavenly Demon in that region since ancient times.
Moreover, even in death, that mighty divine beast scattered its spirit across Heavenly Mountain, granting power and wicked hearts to those who believed in it.
Over long ages of faith, even if not the body, its spirit could possess human flesh.
That must be the Heavenly Demon's reincarnation the Demonic Cult so fervently proclaimed.
...What a long tale.
In any event, the point is that the martial world harbors far more demihuman races than one might think.
My guess is that Seo Yul-hye, judging by her otherworldly beauty and the intricate dream-realm, is likely a Dreamwalker Clan half-blood. A so-called succubus type. One of her distant ancestors, no doubt.
In any case, the Yuseon Daoist of the Huashan Sect we were on our way to meet was also a demihuman.
The Wood Ear Clan.
Known as elves in the Western Regions, they shunned other races to an eerie degree and were mostly purebloods. As far as I knew, Yuseon Daoist was around one hundred fifty years old, yet she looked like a middle-school girl, making her suspiciously popular with certain players.
Then the awakening event hit, she rapidly matured into an adult, and people unleashed a torrent of abuse. Should've just cut that part out entirely.
'Memories, huh.'
Maybe because it was such an addictive game, but even closing my eyes now, everything felt vividly real. The stuffy, unventilated room. The cola can on the desk. The discolored chair armrest. Me gripping the keyboard and mouse in a desperate boss fight. The ecstasy of victory.
The reason I tried to help as many people as possible was that all those experiences had taken root inside me as a kind of debt.
And also as gratitude to the unacknowledged memories of my youth, seen by no one else.
"What are you thinking about so deeply?"
"Oh, just... nothing much."
Seo Yul-hye's voice snapped me back, and looking ahead, the surroundings had grown noisy before I knew it. We'd wandered into the market while walking.
Seo Miryeo, thrilled by the long-lost scent of bustling life, was poking around everywhere. Of course, the stares weren't exactly friendly.
As I mentioned before, our outfits screamed "I'm a martial artist!" to anyone who saw us.
Naturally, they didn't look kindly on us.
To merchants running neighborhood stalls far from any sect, martial artists were just oddly dressed thugs wandering around with swords.
Showing our faces might have eased some suspicion, but with masks and veils concealing everything, this reaction was inevitable.
Still, Seo Miryeo flitted through the market like a sparrow, oblivious to the merchants' wary glances.
She seemed timid at times, yet bold in others. Impossible to pin down.
"So, we just take a carriage from here to Huashan?"
"Not quite. Something's bound to happen here first."
"Guess we just wait, then?"
"Pretty much."
As Seo Miryeo vanished into the distance, Seo Yul-hye slyly closed the gap and hooked her arm through mine. We'd grown somewhat accustomed on the way here, so I could play it cool. Eyes turned our way. I could guess the whispers without hearing them.
I chuckled inwardly. Never stolen a thing in my life, yet here I am, branded a thief everywhere I go.
Oddly, no matter how much they cursed, it just felt good.
Seo Yul-hye, however, seemed bothered by the murmurs, pressing herself boldly against me and clutching my arm tighter.
People gaped or clicked their tongues and looked away.
Observing their reactions, I thought.
Amazing.
How did they all spot the beauties despite the veils?
Well, walking the streets, you'd see at least one person a day where even their back view screamed "gorgeous." Like that one over there—ah, Seo Miryeo. Seo Yul-hye eased her grip on my arm slightly. Seo Miryeo approached and spoke to me.
"Friend!"
She looked thrilled.
"C-Could you just hold out your hand for a sec...?"
Hand? Suddenly?
Puzzled, but I held it out anyway. Seo Miryeo, who had been hiding something behind her back, swiftly dropped it onto my palm.
Candied sweets, like hard candies.
Sweet and nutty aroma wafted up.
"Ta-da!"
"What's this?"
"Candied treats coated in bean flour—super popular here. I lined up for them."
"You waited in line? Thanks. Having a friend like you is reassuring."
"Right? Super reliable, huh? I always repay favors. You gave me candy, so I'm giving you this. But I still don't know how to repay you for the clothes and mask... Just wait a bit. I'll figure something out and pay you back, no matter what."
"No rush. Honestly, I wouldn't mind if you didn't."
"No way!"
So resolute. Her usual clumsiness vanished, replaced by a burning determination to settle the debt.
Friend, huh. She'd pondered what to call me the whole way here, and this was the result. "Friend" because she liked it, plus "-nim" since I was older?
It suited her. I smiled.
"An Emei Sect girl who's practically Sichuan Tang Clan in this regard."
At that, Seo Miryeo clapped her hands.
"Oh yeah! While lining up, I saw some Sichuan Tang Clan folks. Quite a few. And one incredibly beautiful woman."
Sichuan Tang Clan. A beauty. One face came to mind.
"...Incredibly beautiful? Remember what she looked like?"
"Uh, well. F-Friend...? With your lady right here, asking so openly... Is that heroic or what...?"
"No, that's not—"
I glanced at Seo Yul-hye—no change in her expression. Instead, she leaned to my ear and whispered.
"I told you before, right? You're mine first."
What the hell.
Before I could stammer an explanation, footsteps approached from behind. A voice came, laced with a disbelieving chuckle.
"Fancy meeting you again?"
It was Dang Ha-eun after a long while. Not in Sichuan, so no veil—just her signature green hair dyed brown.
Her eyes, darkened like a swamp in the backlight, glanced around me.
I knew exactly how it looked, no need to see.
Seo Yul-hye's veiled face hinted at her allure through its outline alone.
Seo Miryeo screamed beauty from her exposed curves and aura.
And here I was, casually arm-in-arm with Seo Yul-hye while standing close enough to touch Seo Miryeo.
I greeted her awkwardly.
"Long time no see. Good to see you."
"Yeah. But, uh, honestly didn't expect this situation..."
Dang Ha-eun raised a hand to scratch her neck but stopped herself, lowering it firmly.
Her neck was already red from repeated scratching, wrapped in a black band to hide it.
Her red lips parted slightly.
"Later, when you have time, please visit Sichuan Castle. I'll properly repay you for what you mentioned last time."