Betrayal's Shadow
The next day.
I stood before the Sea Dragon Palace, seeing Seo Hyul off as he transformed into his true form and flew toward another realm.
[Then I shall be on my way. I trust you will look after the Sea Dragon Palace in my absence.]
Flash!
Immediately after, Seo Hyul rode upon a black cloud and swiftly vanished into the distance.
'It's done…'
Only then did I exhale and smile.
Seo Hyul had finally left.
Realizing that fact made it feel as though I could finally breathe again.
The past seven years had been days when even drawing breath had been difficult.
'At last, I have room to breathe.'
Of course, having room to breathe did not mean I intended to sit idly by.
'I may have prevented him from pulling any tricks on me, but who knows what schemes he has left behind in the Sea Dragon Palace.'
Not only the Sea Dragon Palace, but the Sea Dragon Clan and even the nearby aquatic demon tribes were all targets of suspicion.
I could not trust any being within Seo Hyul's sphere of influence.
"The Great Lord has departed and commanded that, as the Black Dragon's successor, Seo Eun-hyun is to receive his true blood and be granted an official title."
Once Seo Hyul was gone, the elders of the Sea Dragon Palace summoned me.
"Now that the successor has inherited the true blood of both the Great Lord and the predecessor, and has become a Nascent Soul elder, we shall, as per custom, bestow upon you the title of Great Steward. This is the Great Lord's command; refusal is not permitted."
"I accept the Great Lord's edict."
"We look forward to working with you, Great Steward."
Following Seo Hyul's orders, I received the official title of the Sea Dragon Palace.
And, as expected, the shackles Seo Hyul had left behind were not merely his blood.
"As the Great Steward is of noble status, ten Sea Dragon warriors of the Nascent Soul stage shall henceforth serve as your constant escorts."
Ten Nascent Soul Sea Dragon warriors were assigned to follow me day and night, keeping constant watch.
"Furthermore, since the Great Steward has accepted the title granted by the Great Lord, you must carry out the duties outlined in the edict he left behind."
"What duties?"
"Primarily managing the internal affairs of the Sea Dragon Palace, and assisting in various rituals when the time comes."
"How am I to do that?"
"First, we shall provide you with the techniques needed to assist in the rituals. Master them, and perform the rites according to their flow."
"…"
Now, instead of Seo Hyul, it was the Sea Dragon Palace elders who thrust cultivation manuals upon me.
"Ah, the Sea Dragon Palace's Sea Offering Ceremony is in one month. Please master the Sea Moon True Dragon Transformation we provided within that time."
"…Understood."
Seo Hyul had not stopped there. He had woven countless social constraints around me, ensuring that even in his absence, I could not take a single step outside the Sea Dragon Palace.
'How thorough.'
Yet it was laughable.
Kiiing—
I fiddled with the circuit Goe-gun had laid throughout the Sea Dragon Palace.
Goe-gun's circuit was not merely for creating the Seo General.
The circuit spread across the entire Wondrous Castle, interlinked with his Strange Star-Mind Scroll—that was Goe-gun's circuit.
In short, the circuit I controlled was the culmination of every puppetry technique once employed throughout the Wondrous Castle.
Now that Goe-gun's circuit had been laid…
This Sea Dragon Palace was no different from my own puppet.
'Of course, turning it into a true puppet would require far more modification, but for now, seizing control of the Sea Dragon Palace's restrictions, barriers, and scattered spells is enough.'
The greatest utility of Goe-gun's circuit was its ability to forcibly convert an opponent's 'magical artifacts or treasures' into 'Goe-gun's puppets.'
Thus, I freely manipulated the restrictions of the now puppet-like Sea Dragon Palace and, without the other elders noticing, sent a sound transmission to someone.
'The ritual is in one month?'
Seo Hyul had surely prepared more than one or two constraints for me.
But no matter what rituals he had arranged, they would all be for naught.
Because in just a few days—not even a month—the Sea Dragon Palace would descend into chaos.
* * *
Three days after I sent the sound transmission.
Using Wansuigungmurok, I slipped past the ten watchers assigned to me and arrived at a certain location within the Sea Dragon Palace.
"It has been a while since we last met."
"A while? It has only been a few days."
I welcomed Yu Hwa, who had passed through the Sea Dragon Palace's restrictions as though they were nothing, thanks to my assistance.
"By the way, this is the time when the courtesan house is busiest. Are you sure it's all right to come here?"
"Well… my colleagues were quite willing to let me go once I said I was meeting you."
"…? Why would they let you go just to meet me? Have they noticed something?"
"Hmm… I am not sure. They did not seem to have realized we are from the Shimzog. They even cheered me on, telling me to do my best. Perhaps it is because you generously donated spirit stones last time. Maybe they think you will give more funding?"
"Ah, so that is why."
"Well, that is not particularly important. After all, my true duty is not as a musician of the courtesan house, but as a Shimzog intelligence operative."
She smiled faintly as she spoke.
"Then, would you guide me to Baek Nyeong?"
"…Very well."
I nodded with a reluctant expression.
"As I said, I will help you control the Sea Dragon Palace's restrictions so you can leave. However, taking Baek Nyeong away is purely your responsibility."
"Yes, that is only natural."
I led her toward the coral village beside the Sea Dragon Palace where Baek Nyeong and his White Flame Clan resided, careful not to be noticed by the Sea Dragon elders.
Baek Nyeong and the White Flame Clan lived in a village of coral reefs next to the Sea Dragon Palace.
The coral reefs served as the axis of a barrier, enveloping the entire village in a massive air bubble, and most of the White Flame Clan lived there, adorning themselves with expensive coral.
Yu Hwa seemed startled by their extravagant and peaceful appearance.
"What is this…"
"…Currently, Baek Nyeong and his White Flame Clan are living quite comfortably, thanks to how Seo Hyul has won them over."
Yu Hwa looked around in confusion at the luxurious, wealthy White Flame Clan.
And at the other slave races being worked as slaves throughout the village.
"…Are you saying Baek Nyeong is here?"
"…Yes. That most extravagant manor over there belongs to Baek Nyeong."
I pointed toward the massive manor deep within the coral village.
She stood dazed for a moment before plucking the zither she had brought.
Wuung!
A crimson river surged around her.
Soon after, she completely assimilated with the sunset glow, becoming the sunset light itself.
It seemed she, like my Answer Heaven, could merge with her own melody.
Transforming into a flowing crimson river, she rippled toward Baek Nyeong's manor and swiftly infiltrated it.
I followed her into the manor as well.
And what greeted Yu Hwa and me was Baek Nyeong, standing in the manor clad in azure armor and holding a dragon-scale whip.
"Welcome, Lady Yu Hwa. And Lord Great Steward."
A flow of yin and yang emanated from the collar around his neck, naturally translating into demon tongue.
It seemed to be an artifact that translated his words into demon tongue.
Yu Hwa circled around him in her crimson river form, speaking with evident bewilderment.
[What in the world happened…? I came to save you…]
"Ah, Lady Yu Hwa. There is no need for that. I am quite satisfied with my current life, serving loyally under the Great Lord."
[…Satisfied serving under the Earth Clan? I saw your kin abusing other slave races outside. What happened?]
"What happened? According to the law of the jungle, we, now an upper race, are simply enjoying our rightful privileges."
[What nonsense is that… Have you forgotten the days you were whipped at the cotton farm?]
"That was because I was weak then. Ah, regardless, I am truly grateful to you, Lady Yu Hwa. If you had not approached me when I had just awakened my will and guided me, I would never have reached the Lower Realm."
[The Lower Realm… You call it by the name I gave you, yet you abuse innocent slave races against my will?]
"Innocent? They are guilty."
[What…?]
Yu Hwa shot a sharp intent at Baek Nyeong from within the river, as if she could not believe her ears.
"They are weak. What greater sin is there?"
[…What… did you say?]
"Lady Yu Hwa, you are no different from my master. Thanks to your guidance, I reached this realm. That is why you, of all people, should understand! How much blood and sweat I poured into reaching this stage! What efforts I made to grow stronger, what obsession and yearning carried me here!"
[…Yes. You worked hard. But…]
"Then! Are the weak not those who did not work hard!? The races working under us White Flame Clan are known only for their laziness. We White Flame Clan have taken up the whip with tears in our eyes to enlighten them!"
Yu Hwa seemed dumbfounded by Baek Nyeong's absurd logic.
[Then what about before you appeared? Were the White Flame Clan also abused because they were lazy?]
"Yes. It is unfortunate, but that is the truth. The truth of this world is the law of the jungle! Only that!"
[…I see.]
Srrr…
Yu Hwa returned from her river form to her original shape and stepped before Baek Nyeong.
Of course, her upper body remained rippling like a river and was not fully revealed.
Baek Nyeong narrowed his eyes at the sight.
Yu Hwa spoke to him.
[You have been brainwashed. Someone has placed a terrible brainwashing and suggestion upon you. Was it the master of the Sea Dragon Palace… Seo Hyul, who kidnapped you?]
At those words, Baek Nyeong's already furrowed face twisted further as he shouted.
"Brainwashed! Do not speak nonsense. I swore loyalty to the Great Lord of my own will!"
[What…?]
"Honestly, Lady Yu Hwa, even now, you have never once shown me your true face."
[That is… because the Heaven and Earth Clans can torture souls to read memories. If my face were revealed, it could be troublesome… I said we would reveal our faces and properly perform the master-disciple rites once we reached the Shimzog territory!]
Since Yu Hwa had contacted Baek Nyeong when he awakened his will and guided him to the Lower Realm…
Their relationship seemed akin to that of master and disciple.
"Hah, master-disciple rites? What did you do when I was captured by the Great Lord, Lady Yu Hwa? You kept saying you carried the strike of a Shimzog venerable in your mindscape, yet you never used it once. If you had used the venerable's strike when I was taken, perhaps I could have reached that Shimzog territory with you, as you said!"
At Baek Nyeong's outburst, Yu Hwa fell silent.
"Hah! Rather, I think it was fortunate I did not go with you. Unlike you, who never revealed your face, that person welcomed me from the beginning with a smile and did not hesitate to learn the techniques for controlling will from even a lowly race like me. Moreover, unlike you who only spoke of it, the Great Lord liberated the nearby White Flame Clan and granted us a ruling position near the Sea Dragon Palace!"
[…]
"Even so, will you still say I have been brainwashed!?"
A brief silence fell between them.
Then Yu Hwa opened her mouth.
[…I am sorry.]
"Hah, now of all times…"
[But!]
Twang!
She plucked the zither.
At the same time, crimson rivers began overflowing in all directions.
[You have indeed been brainwashed.]
"Since you have no excuses, you are making me out to be the brainwashed one."
[Not brainwashed? Then let me ask one thing. What did you see in Seo Hyul's mindscape?]
"The Great Lord's mindscape? What is the point of saying it? I saw a fragrant, clean breeze blowing, like a paradise of immortals!"
[…]
Crack…
I gaped in disbelief at Baek Nyeong's answer, and Yu Hwa also fell silent for a moment, stunned.
Surprisingly, neither my eyes nor Yu Hwa's, enhanced by Answer Heaven, detected any intent of lying.
He truly believed Seo Hyul's mindscape was a paradise.
[…You really have been brainwashed.]
"If anything, it seems you were the one brainwashed by that Shimzog venerable!"
"Well now…"
Unable to listen any longer, I cut in.
"I have also met a fragment of the Heavenly Venerable of the Sweeping Heavens once. He may be powerful, but he does not seem the type to go around brainwashing people."
"Ah, I see the Great Steward was here as well. Haha, now that I think of it, the Great Steward has also reached the middle moon of the Lower Realm, has he not? So it was the Great Steward who brought Lady Yu Hwa here?"
Baek Nyeong looked at me and continued.
"The Great Lord even told me to keep a close watch on the Great Steward while he was away, yet here you are, bringing the Shimzog spy Lady Yu Hwa right to the Sea Dragon Palace's doorstep. Are you trying to betray the Sea Dragon Clan?"
"You…"
Just then—
BOOM!
The crimson river surged and struck the chattering Baek Nyeong, sending him flying far across the manor.
"Kuh… ugh…!"
Baek Nyeong staggered, trying to rise.
But after being hit by Yu Hwa's sunset light, he seemed to be resisting sleep, only managing to barely open his eyes while swaying.
[…Are you not the betrayer, Baek Nyeong!]
"What…?"
Yu Hwa's furious voice echoed in all directions.
[Where is the Baek Nyeong who once swore… to save all abused slave races… and ensure no more of our kind would be born? You have betrayed your past self!]
"I… am a betrayer? Do not make me laugh! You are the betrayer, Yu Hwa! You boasted about carrying the strike of a Shimzog venerable to reassure me, yet in the critical moment, you did nothing and abandoned me!"
[Yes… There is no need for long words. If that is how you will be, then I, who guided you to the Lower Realm, must take responsibility.]
"Hah, now you want to play the master!?"
[…As an unworthy master, I will beat the brainwashing out of you, even if I must strike you down.]
Twang, twang!
She plucked the zither, and Yu Hwa's performance began.
Her melody was directed solely at Baek Nyeong.
Thus, it had no effect on me, and all its power was concentrated on Baek Nyeong alone.
Normally, Baek Nyeong should have instantly fallen into sleep and wandered the dream world.
But one of the ornaments Baek Nyeong wore shone.
Flash!
A faint spiritual energy flowed into Baek Nyeong's Baihui point, stirred his upper dantian, and burst forth from his forehead.
'Mental awakening…!'
Baek Nyeong, on the verge of falling asleep, used the artifact he possessed to steady his mind.
Yet as I watched the technique, I shouted.
"You…! That is a dangerous technique!"
It was no ordinary mental awakening art.
It resembled the technique I once used to burn my upper dantian, or the one the Jin Clan used to implant ghosts into the upper dantian and trigger it.
A technique that grants immense consciousness in an instant by igniting one's own mind!
Kiiing!
The domain of consciousness surrounding Baek Nyeong expanded enormously in an instant, merging with his energy and seeping into his whip.
Swish!
Lower Realm, Mountain-Repelling Whip!
Rumble!
The name of the ultimate technique he had created resounded through his consciousness and swept across the surroundings.
Yu Hwa continued playing her zither, but Baek Nyeong, in the midst of igniting his mind, withstood her melody and wildly swung his whip at her.
I tried to join their fight, but Yu Hwa stopped me.
[Do not interfere. This is our affair!]
Her will was so firm that I merely controlled the aftermath of their battle and stayed still.
Rumble, rumble!
To achieve his mental awakening, Baek Nyeong's lifespan was being directly shaved away.
Baek Nyeong was resisting Yu Hwa by burning his own lifespan.
'Did he receive a longevity pill from Seo Hyul?'
It seemed he was burning his life with the mindset that even if his lifespan was shortened, he could simply extend it again.
And whether because she was attacking her own disciple or because her power was ill-suited against an opponent who had overcome the sleep demon, Yu Hwa could not display her full strength against the life-burning Baek Nyeong.
If this became a prolonged battle, Yu Hwa would naturally hold the advantage.
But the problem was that this place was the Sea Dragon Clan's territory, right beside the Sea Dragon Palace, and with this level of commotion, the Sea Dragon elders would soon appear.
No matter how much I controlled the aftermath, it was impossible to completely evade the eyes of the Heavenly Person-stage Sea Dragons within their domain.
'Well, this works out.'
Since things had already become this chaotic…
I could blow up the Sea Dragon Palace entirely, draw their attention, buy time for the two of them, and use the incident as an excuse to escape the various restrictions of the Sea Dragon Palace.
But just then—
[Will you help us?]
Yu Hwa's spiritual transmission reached me.
[There is no need. As I said, this is between me and my disciple.]
"But the Sea Dragon Heavenly Person elders will arrive soon."
[This is between me and my disciple. We need no one's interference.]
"No, realistically…"
[Also, I am a Shimzog intelligence operative. My primary duty is to recruit Shimzog who awaken in the Heaven and Earth Clan territories and bring them to the Shimzog domain. You are also a target of my mission.]
She continued.
[However, since you are both Shimzog and Heaven and Earth Clan, you may have no interest in Shimzog studies. Therefore, while dealing with my disciple, I shall burn the filthy Earth Clan's territory and, at the same time, show you the possibilities the Shimzog can reach. Perhaps then you will take an interest in the Shimzog as well?]
Twang, twang!
With a resolute expression, she fully revealed her true form.
The face she had never shown Baek Nyeong until now was completely exposed.
[I recommend you flee outside the Sea Dragon Clan's lake. From now on, I shall show you the realm called the third stage of realization—the final moon of the Lower Realm.]
In other words, she was offering to show me what lay beyond Answer Heaven.
Since she was clearly offering to show the next stage after the void, under normal circumstances I would have done anything to witness that sight.
But for some reason, the moment I heard her words, a chill ran down my spine and I saw the heavenly secrets suddenly shift.
'The… heavens…'
They were revealing the heavenly secrets of calamity.
I had to flee immediately.
Otherwise, I would suffer a great loss.
My instincts told me so.
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth began to vibrate ominously, and the heavenly secrets warned me.
Flee beyond the range she spoke of, right now.
At the same time, Heavenly Person-stage Sea Dragons began appearing beyond the air bubble of the coral village.
[What is going on here!]
[Who are you! How dare you cause a disturbance in the Sea Dragon Clan's territory!]
They bared their teeth at Yu Hwa, growling, and began gathering heaven and earth spiritual energy to prepare their demonic arts.
Yet she calmly plucked her zither and warned me once more.
[I will say it again. From now on, I shall unfold the third stage of realization, so leave the Sea Dragon Clan's domain, Unsim Lake.]
Hearing her words, I looked up at the sky for a moment.
I should flee.
But—
"…No. I will watch from the side."
[How reckless. I am telling you this because you are both Shimzog and Heaven and Earth Clan. You will suffer considerable losses.]
No matter what losses I might incur, I wanted to see with my own eyes what the [next stage] was.
"By the way, I am curious. Were you originally a powerhouse of the third stage of realization?"
[I was at the peak of the middle moon of the Lower Realm, and I was already on the verge of the final moon.]
And then, she opened the two eyes she had kept closed all this time.
Her eyes glowed with the same sunset hue as the crimson river she wielded.
[In this state, using the strike the venerable planted as a beacon, if I burn my life, I can unfold the third stage of realization with my own hands, even if only for a brief moment.]
She looked at Baek Nyeong with her sunset-glowing eyes and spoke.
[It is a power sufficient to show only to my disciple and the filthy Earth Clan dragons. I will warn you once more. Stay far away. Since this is not a display of skill, even if you remain by my side, control will be impossible.]
"It does not matter."
I spoke, my eyes shining.
"If I can see the next realm, my life is not particularly precious."
[…If that is your wish.]
Rumble!
Beyond the barrier of the coral village, Heavenly Person-stage Sea Dragons entered and began using demonic arts to capture her.
In an instant, the surroundings filled with water.
And she began plucking the zither with her eyes open.
[Lower Realm, final moon.]
The power of the Shimzog, called the third stage of realization after Moonlight Answer Heaven, unfolded.
That day.
I came to understand why the Heaven and Earth Clans sought to utterly eradicate the Shimzog and feared them so terribly.
At the same time, I understood why a weak race with fewer than ten thousand experts could earn an independent title between the Heaven and Earth Clans, who contended for hegemony over the Gwanghan Realm.
All of heaven and earth began to fill with sunset light.