Seo Hyul's True Self (4)
Seo Hyul’s planned first option.
The initial plan had been to employ Wonrip.
For some reason, Seo Eun-hyun seemed to feel a deep sorrow whenever he looked at Wonrip, and that was why he still had not discarded the Blood Essence inside him.
He had simply embedded it inside his colorless glass sword.
Seo Hyul had seized upon that detail.
Since the moment he had transformed Oh Hye-seo into the body of a Choryong beast, he had gradually shaped her into the form Seo Hyul remembered from Wonrip—making her resonate with Wonrip’s Blood Essence lodged within Seo Eun-hyun’s colorless glass sword.
At that time, Seo Hye and Wonrip had been cultivating the compatible technique together, so through Seo Hye it would be possible to resonate with the qi waves emitted by Wonrip and activate his secret art from within the latter’s body.
The art was the Muddy Soul Holy Blood.
Borrowing the power of the Blood Demon Realm, it was a spell that transformed the area where the Blood Demon Qi of the Blood Demon Realm mixed with Seo Hyul’s Takhonmancheon into a single dimensional gate.
It had been modified into the name Hongpungseonghyeolbyeon and taught to Oh Hye-seo, with its difficulty and power slightly lowered so Wonrip could also learn it.
However, because Seo Eun-hyun had not yet mastered Hongpungseonghyeolbyeon upon Wonrip’s Blood Essence, there was a slight inconvenience.
It did not matter.
Since the technique itself originated from the Blood Demon Realm, the resonance with the Blood Demon Realm was essentially no different from mastering Hongpungseonghyeolbyeon.
And Seo Hyul’s original plan was to resonate the Blood Demon Qi of Seo Hye and Wonrip, triggering the Muddy Soul Holy Blood from within his own body.
If it succeeded, Seo Eun-hyun’s dream world would be breached.
A dimensional gate connected directly to the Blood Demon Realm would open inside the colorless glass sword, and Seo Eun-hyun would be snatched away by the Blood Demon and turned into a puppet.
No matter how high the power of his Triple Taiji or what realm he reached, resistance against a dimensional gate already connected to the True Immortals would be impossible.
However, Seo Hyul considered the success rate of this plan to be low.
The greatest reason was the changed attitude of the Blood Demon.
If it had been the usual Blood Demon, eyes rolled back in rage, he would have charged forward at once.
But he was simply observing in silence even though Seo Eun-hyun had revealed his karma and the Clear Scale Armor.
It was not normal at all.
That was why Seo Hyul had deliberately lowered the success rate of his first plan according to the Blood Demon’s altered demeanor.
On top of that, the plan had become even more difficult because Oh Hye-seo had been captured by Seo Eun-hyun, leaving the activation of the Muddy Soul Holy Blood through Wonrip’s Blood Essence unfeasible.
But…
A new opportunity had arrived.
It was the moment Seo Eun-hyun had shown a gap.
And combined with this plan, the success rate of the first option would rise sharply.
‘He has contacted Oh Hye-seo.’
Seo Hyul whispered into Oh Hye-seo’s mind, who was still wandering alone through the same space for thousands of years while locked inside Seo Eun-hyun’s dream world.
[You have done well not to mention my name rashly.]
“Ah… ah… aaaaah… uwaaaaa…”
Of course, Oh Hye-seo had not called Seo Hyul’s name because, after thousands of years in an empty place, she had momentarily forgotten human language.
But to Seo Hyul, such a detail was irrelevant.
[Seo Eun-hyun does not appear to have noticed. He probably regards it as one of your tantrum behaviors. For now… do exactly as I say. That way, we will finally gain our freedom and can hurl the ascending Seo Eun-hyun into the mud below.]
Oh Hye-seo nodded with teary eyes at Seo Hyul’s whisper.
Uuuuuuuung—
He quickly relayed several orders to Oh Hye-seo, then severed contact with her once more and returned to reality.
‘The Blood Essence of Wonrip I prepared for the Muddy Soul Holy Blood can only be used for communication right now. But that is fine.’
He had already left the Takhonmancheon inside Oh Hye-seo’s mind during their contact.
Now they could communicate at any time.
Although it was possible for the communication to be detected inside Seo Eun-hyun’s dream world, Seo Hyul did not care.
‘I have polluted myself.’
With that thought, he had performed the “prayer” upon Yeon-wi even after polluting his own soul, and Seo Ran had done the same.
Although Seo Hyul denied his own heart, he had accepted it and offered prayers to Yeon-wi with love anyway—breaking his own vow in the process.
That was why the Takhonmancheon from Seo Hyul could take root in Yeon-wi not as an “array,” but as a “heart.”
It did not matter how much shock and pain he had endured in the process.
What mattered was…
Seo Hyul’s “heart” had rooted in Yeon-wi,
and Seo Ran had “likewise” rooted his own “heart” in Yeon-wi.
The hearts of Seo Hyul and Seo Ran.
Had finally met.
Inside Yeon-wi!
And… Seo Hyul only needed to wait for the moment when those hearts would be maximized and then contact Yeon-wi once more.
If Yeon-wi, who held the hearts and origins of Seo Ran and Seo Hyul, were contacted, then Seo Hyul and Seo Ran would inevitably meet again!
So when would that “maximization of hearts” occur?
It was simple.
When living beings experienced death.
Seo Hyul did not know that the heart was akin to a great enlightenment like death.
He had simply learned empirically that the emotions of living beings would be maximized when death approached.
‘It is not necessary for my own death. Even the death of a close acquaintance would suffice to maximize the living being’s emotions. Therefore…’
Seo Hyul smiled faintly.
‘Yeon-wi’s descendant. Yeon-jin, was it not? That would be perfect.’
Bring Yeon-jin here and kill him in front of Yeon-wi.
Then surely Yeon-wi’s heart would be maximized.
That moment would be the opportunity for Seo Hyul to connect with Seo Ran.
* * *
Although all of Seo Eun-hyun’s companions were staying on Sam-mokdo, some of them remained elsewhere.
A typical example was Yeon-jin.
Yeon-jin was earnestly practicing the Turbid Soul Filling the Heavens technique inside the human domain of Sam-mokchong in Gwanghan Realm.
It was not his master’s intention, but his own.
He wanted to remain in Gwanghan Realm at all times to observe the situation, and prepare a place for Seo Eun-hyun’s group to return even if Seo Eun-hyun lost.
Pachizik!
Yeon-jin, who had already reached the Sachuk realm, had transformed his gender into Taiji Jinreusen and was generating lightning bolts while circling the massive redwood trees of Sam-mokchong.
‘The human domain and Sam-mokchong are this peaceful… yet outside Gwanghan Realm it is a battlefield.’
Frankly, it was difficult to believe.
No, even just a thousand years ago Seo Eun-hyun had been a Nascent Soul senior at a similar level to him.
But now, having awakened, Seo Eun-hyun had become a Saintess and was waging war against the entire universe.
In such circumstances, all Yeon-jin could do was continue his best efforts inside the human domain so that the public opinion toward Seo Eun-hyun would not worsen.
Of course, it was not because Yeon-jin was trying his hardest, but because Seo Hyul had ruthlessly hidden Yeon-jin’s existence from Baek-woon.
Otherwise, Yeon-jin would have been captured by Baek-woon and used as a hostage long ago.
Unaware of this, Yeon-jin neatly arranged his black-and-white hair and began preparing for another round of Taiji Jinreusen practice.
Then.
“Long time no see, Yeon-jin do-bu.”
Before Yeon-jin’s eyes, Seo Hyul appeared with a cheerful smile.
Yeon-jin bowed his waist and greeted him.
“Ah, the Lord of the Sea Dragon. It has been a while.”
As far as Yeon-jin knew, neither Seo Eun-hyun nor Yeon-wi liked Seo Hyul much.
But from Yeon-jin’s perspective, Seo Hyul was one of Seo Eun-hyun’s loyal retainers, so he held no ill will toward him.
Or rather, he deliberately did not hold ill will—though Seo Hyul had “adjusted” that fact.
Seo Hyul smiled faintly and extended his hand toward Yeon-jin.
“Speaking of which, Yeon-jin do-bu. Have you heard that Yeon-wi do-bu’s body is not well?”
“Ah, yes. Thanks to you transmitting the letter, my lord, I heard it. I had been thinking I should visit my ancestor anyway, but… since Gwanghan Realm and Sam-mokdo are currently at war, I cannot go. Sigh…”
At those words, Seo Hyul shook his head.
“Huhu, it is not that bad, Yeon do-bu. Although we are at war, if we pass through another realm that is not at war with Sam-mokdo, we can easily enter Sam-mokdo. For example, the Ghost Realm or the Blood Demon Realm.”
“Ah…! There is such a method? Of course, the Ghost Realm is also the headquarters of the Mugeuk Sect.”
Yeon-jin nodded and stood up.
“Then may I leave right now? If my ancestor’s remaining lifespan is short… it would be best to depart immediately.”
“Indeed, Yeon-jin do-bu. Your filial piety is very deep. Then let us depart together with me… passing through the Blood Demon Realm to enter Sam-mokdo directly.”
“Wonderful, my lord!”
Uuuuuung!
At Yeon-jin’s words, Seo Hyul and he entered the gloomy area of Sam-mokchong and began to perform a blood contract.
Chiiaaaaa—
A sinister Blood Demon Qi began to erupt around them, and the surrounding space began to warp.
Through his own authority, Seo Hyul was subtly opening the entrance to the Blood Demon Realm.
“Blood Sacrifice Art…”
Uuuuuung!
Gradually, red circles appeared before Seo Hyul and Yeon-jin’s eyes.
Seo Hyul sharpened his vertical pupils.
‘I will open the gate to the Blood Demon Realm through Oh Hye-seo and Wonrip’s Blood Essence and enter Seo Eun-hyun’s dream world. Then, while Seo Eun-hyun is in turmoil, I will go with Yeon-jin to find Yeon-wi… and kill her descendant in front of her. My plan will be completely fulfilled…’
And right then.
Yeon-jin’s chattering voice pierced Seo Hyul’s ear.
“Haha, by the way, with this we will have visited all realms except the Purple Gold Realm—Gongryeong-ji, Jinma-gye, and so on. I wonder how it will differ from the Jinma-gye.”
To win Yeon-jin’s favor, Seo Hyul smiled kindly and opened his mouth.
“Indeed, your knowledge is vast, Yeon-jin do-bu. Speaking of which, Yeon-jin do-bu once traveled together with Yeon-wi do-bu through the Ghost Realm, Goryeok Realm, and back to Gwanghan Realm on an adventure.”
“Yes. And before the Geumsin Cheonraemun sect was destroyed last time… we also went to the Jinma-gye with my ancestor Yeon-wi.”
“I know that story. While evading the pursuit of the Geumsin Cheonraemun sect in the Jinma-gye, together with Yeon-wi do-bu… we also set up a massive formation at one of the Gongryeong-ji there, did we not?”
“Haha, since my ancestor set up the formation, I do not know much about it. I simply played with the surrounding little ones.”
“Huhu, Yeon-jin do-bu is truly kind. Even with those children you would lend them your heart.”
Yeon-jin said, twisting his hair with his fingers as if embarrassed.
“I am not truly kind, but rather that Seo Eun-hyun Saintess is very deep-hearted. At that time when he was still Nascent Soul, he instructed me while installing the formation around the Gongryeong-ji to care for the surrounding demon beasts and build relations with them. He even entrusted me with gathering demon beast children and having me play with them. Although it was a bit tiring to play with the little demon beasts at the time, thinking back now, it also feels like a precious memory.”
“There is something that cleanses the heart of children. It does not matter whether they are celestial or earthly races.”
“That is true. However, among the little demon beasts, there were several that were already madly in love and drove me crazy. I had not even started dating yet! Ahaha, and now I cannot stop thinking about those kids.”
Seo Hyul, opening the gate to the Blood Demon Realm, asked.
“Right, why did you become so infatuated with those children?”
“Well, from a young age they would say they would marry each other and set up something like a wedding. Originally they were little Gikjok and Gaeju tribe children, but because those two races are known for taking over five thousand years to reach adulthood and reproduce, I taught them: ‘If you truly want to combine as one, it will take quite some time.’ Then the fish-beast and the scarlet one… those two fellows…”
“…”
Yeon-jin, who had been chattering happily beside Seo Hyul for a while, suddenly looked down at his own body that had changed into a female form.
He gulped and bit his lip.
‘Am I crazy, Yeon-jin! No matter how charming the Lord of the Sea Dragon is, transforming right in front of me into a woman—what is this supposed to mean!’
Yeon-jin stared at Seo Hyul with a serious look of concern over her gender identity.
Clearly, Seo Hyul was charming.
Simply standing without saying a word was enough to steal the heart.
Of course…
Yeon-jin did not know it was due to Seo Hyul’s Takhonmancheon.
Because he believed that if Seo Hyul were to be useful, he would need to feel affection for him to the point of revealing everything and relying on him completely, so he could not possibly know that he had unconsciously fallen in love with Seo Hyul.
But although Yeon-jin could not recognize the domain of such advanced arts, he could feel the change that had occurred toward Seo Hyul right now.
“By the way, my lord. Are you not feeling well?”
At Yeon-jin’s question, Seo Hyul erased the entrance to the Blood Demon Realm.
“Eh? Lord Seo Hyul? We were not going to pass through the Blood Demon Realm… uwaaa!”
Kwaaaak!!!
Yeon-jin let out a startled scream as he was suddenly gripped tightly by Seo Hyul’s shoulders.
And Seo Hyul, with his vertically slit pupils staring into Yeon-jin’s, was smiling brighter than ever.
“Indeed, I see how kind Yeon-jin do-bu is. You would play so kindly even with demon beast children you do not know. This humble Seo is at a loss for words in admiration of your kind character, Yeon do-bu.”
“I-I… by the way, since you are an earthly being, the grip is a bit painful… please let go…?”
“…I see. By the way… could you tell me once more where around the Gongryeong-ji the place was where you performed that service?”
“U, that, that is…”
Yeon-jin’s face flushed as Seo Hyul’s face suddenly came close.
Soon after, in a completely dazed state, Yeon-jin spilled everything to Seo Hyul.
And a while later.
“Huhu… my lord. It is embarrassing to have your face so close.”
“Huhu… is that so? I see.”
Seo Hyul released the Yeon-jin who was making the same “huhu” sound and looked up at the sky.
“…At last…”
Seo Hyul’s hand trembled.
Yeon-jin, smiling with “huhu,” looked at the sky together with him.
“Found it…”
All of the Seo Hyul’s scattered throughout the universe were smiling brightly and trembling as if in ecstasy.
“Even after searching the Gwanghan Realm upside down for thousands of years… we found it through the Blood Demon and pulled it out to the Jinma-gye first. Blood Demon…”
Seo Hyul laughed with bloodshot eyes.
“At last… found it…! The split soul of Gwangsuhan…!”
Seo Hyul clenched his fist and trembled while looking at the sky.
“Heaven is helping me… Now it is done.”
After pushing Yeon-jin aside, Seo Hyul melted into the darkness and disappeared from that spot.
‘There is no need for the cumbersome plan of opening the Blood Demon Realm gate. The power of Gwangsuhan has come into my hands. There is no need to conserve power anymore. It is simply a matter of moving forward.’
Having finished speaking, Seo Hyul moved through the darkness toward somewhere.
In principle, even though it was unnecessary, Seo Hyul should have taken Yeon-jin along for efficiency.
But he left Yeon-jin behind without a second thought, smiling vaguely as if he did not even know how strange he had become.
* * *
Yeon-wi woke up.
Deep night.
She felt someone enter her bedroom.
“…Who is it?”
“It is me, Yeon-wi do-bu.”
“Hmph… the Saintess told me that if you come to visit me alone you are planning some treacherous scheme, so do not speak to me. Get out.”
Yeon-wi answered without even looking at Seo Hyul.
However, Seo Hyul ignored her reaction and opened his mouth.
“I heard you already learned about my Takhonmancheon from the Saintess.”
“…”
“Then, do you know that I can reach out to Yeon-jin do-bu, your descendant, at any time?”
“Hah! You are quite bold, even if you do not know the Saintess’s true identity.”
Yeon-wi sat up on the bed and looked at Seo Hyul after hearing about Yeon-jin.
“Do you know what kind of being the Saintess is? Although she wears the Saintess’s appearance, she is an existence above the heavens. Or at least one who carries out the will of such existences. If such a being hates you, then do you know what that means?”
Yeon-wi said with a gloomy face, glaring at Seo Hyul.
“In the unit of fate, our lives can be toyed with as much as we like. Do you think I am threatening you right now? Wrong. Because she hates you, everything you do, everything you aim for in the future, is already within her grasp.”
“Huhu, that is scary. But… he is not the existence you think he is. At least I know that for certain.”
Seo Hyul approached Yeon-wi with his pupils vertically slit.
“I have seen a dream of a True Immortal. I know how those existences dream. And Seo Eun-hyun… is not dreaming the same kind of dream as a True Immortal. Therefore, although he is ‘connected’ to a True Immortal existence, he is absolutely not the True Immortal himself. After all…! There are only three True Immortals in this Ilwol Cheonyeok, which is not worthy of being a heavenly realm…”
Kwaak!
Seo Hyul’s hand suddenly grabbed Yeon-wi’s chin.
However, Yeon-wi did not panic and looked at Seo Hyul.
“This is just a doll prepared by the Saintess. Although it was made to be completely identical to the criminal, it is merely a spare body. My real soul is in the shrine in the Water Realm…”
“The location does not matter. After all, if there is only the will, everything you want will come into your hands.”
And only then did Yeon-wi feel something was off.
‘What? Seo Hyul is doing such suspicious things. Why is the Saintess not reacting at all?’
“You are thinking too plainly, Yeon-wi do-bu.”
‘I was read!?’
Yeon-wi flinched and shrank back.
Seo Hyul smiled kindly and stroked Yeon-wi’s head.
“The Saintess is probably quite confused right now. Suddenly Oh Hye-seo, who had been obedient until now, has gone mad. Even if the original power of Oh Hye-seo is not particularly excellent, if she can only apply it well, there is nothing she cannot fear.”
“U, uuuu!”
“You wanted to call Jeon Myeong-hoon, right? Huhu, it is useless. Unless it is someone like Seo Eun-hyun, none of his companions can fight me. No, even if he comes back, I can defeat him now.”
Seo Hyul, still gripping Yeon-wi’s chin, pulled something from his sleeve.
It was someone’s head.
The cleanly severed head was still alive even in its cut state.
The person, with their eyes plucked out, was a demon beast.
The head of a Gikjok woman was still howling mournfully in the Choryong language, desperately calling someone’s name.
And right then, Seo Hyul crushed the head without hesitation and sucked out the soul from inside it, absorbing it into Yeon-wi’s head.
Uuuuuung!
The absorbed soul in Yeon-wi’s back of the head rotated once around her dantian and then expelled all her own qi from her forehead.
Yeon-wi, feeling as if her head was becoming clearer, let out a joyful cry at the burning sensation in her dantian.
“I went to Bongmyeong Castle with Goe-gun before. There Goe-gun was planning the Wondrous Castle, but I was planning something a little different.”
Uuuuuung!
The light left Yeon-wi’s eyes, and in that state she began to look for someone pitifully, as if drunk.
“Heo, Heon-won. Where did he go. Heon-won…!”
Without erasing her kind smile, Seo Hyul supported her back, grabbed Yeon-wi’s hair, and dragged her out of the bed while waving his hand.
Kwaaaang!
And in front of Seo Hyul’s eyes, Yeon-wi’s face frozen in shock, followed by Jeon Myeong-hoon, Kang Min-hee, Kim Young-hoon, and Oh Hyun-seok, came rushing in.
Jeon Myeong-hoon glared at Seo Hyul with a furious face and said,
“I will count to three. Put Yeon-wi down immediately.”
“Huhu… do not get so worked up and talk with me for a moment…”
“One. Two. Three. I will kill you, Seo Hyul.”
Right after, Jeon Myeong-hoon charged at Seo Hyul.
Then.
Uuuuuung!
Kwurrrrruung!
A thunderbolt that could shatter a planet crashed down, but Jeon Myeong-hoon’s eyes widened the next moment.
‘Is this a distortion!?’
The space had been warped by will.
Jeon Myeong-hoon’s attack did not reach Seo Hyul and was twisted by the will, flying off in an absurd direction.
Seo Hyul, still gripping Yeon-wi’s hair with both arms spread wide, laughed.
“If you do not want to chat with me, then there is nothing I can do.”
“You, you bastard, how can you wield such a will…!”
Jeon Myeong-hoon’s eyes bulged as he watched Seo Hyul dragging Yeon-wi’s hair somewhere.
It was impossible.
‘His Takhonmancheon cannot control this much will. Unless he completely brainwashes Sam-mokdo and takes control…! How can someone who is not specialized in will arts do this…!’
[Seo Hyul! Get Seo Ran right now!!!]
Kurrrrruung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon had transformed into Sanduyukbi Jinreusen and shouted at Seo Hyul.
However, his voice did not reach Seo Hyul.
* * *
Pingyuan Continent.
Ima Mountain Range.
Inside the residence of the old official, one of Seo Hyul’s clones smiled faintly.
“Impressive, Heon-won. I never imagined you were secretly practicing forbidden arts while pretending your mission to the Saintess was forbidden. After all, the forbidden arts of Seo-jing are normally something Integration realm cultivators should practice, so were you performing them properly?”
However, there was no answer from Heon-won, who was hearing Seo Hyul’s words.
He had become bloodied while resisting Seo Hyul and was being held by the hair.
Heon-won’s tongue had already been pulled out and he could no longer speak.
“Huhu, if you do not want to answer, then so be it. It does not matter. I will help you.”
Uuuuuung!
Seeing Heon-won, Seo Hyul smiled kindly and pulled a head from his sleeve.
It was the head of a Gaeju tribe man.
The head was also calling someone’s name in the Choryong language with eyes plucked out.
Kwa-jik!
Uuuuuung!
Seo Hyul smashed the demon beast’s head as is, then pulled the soul out and absorbed it into Heon-won’s dantian.
And the next moment.
Heon-won’s eyes widened sharply.
Soon after, he was sobbing blood tears and shouting.
“Te, te, te… the Celestial Net…”
Kurrrrruung!
Loud noises rang from every part of Seo Hyul’s face, and his body began to shatter everywhere.
At the same time, black substances that looked like true essence were spurting out from the broken parts of his face.
A clear sign of shock.
However, Seo Hyul did not care and, still smiling, grabbed Heon-won’s hair and dragged him outside.
Drrrrrrrr!
The shout had not only shocked Seo Hyul.
‘The entire world is shaking. Is it because the owner of the Dharma-Destroying True Word? Huhu…’
Gik, gikigik, gikigigigik!
At the same time, powerful will began to erupt from around Heon-won.
That will seemed to be combining with the will from the distant [someone].
Seo Hyul, smiling faintly, looked up at the sky.
“…From the Star Shattering realm onward, that is, from the stage where one gradually approaches the principles of the True Immortals, the heart begins to gradually turn into will. However… that means, from the True Immortals onward, will is the heart. After all, since the principle of forbidden arts activated by will and by heart is the same, it is simple.”
Gikigigik!
Heon-won and the someone from the distant place.
The will between Yeon-wi and him grew even stronger.
“In short, being able to control will means one can move the hearts of True Immortals. The world is ultimately just a dream dreamed by True Immortals. We are their toys and only clowns on the stage. Therefore, our hearts have no meaning at all. The only thing with meaning is the heart of the one dreaming.”
Seo Hyul, for some reason with a bloodshot face, looked up at the sky.
That was right.
It had not been a soliloquy from the beginning.
It was talking to Seo Eun-hyun, as if the entire world were listening.
“Will is the heart. Therefore, if I obtain the strongest will, all the hearts of the world will enter my grasp!”
The next moment! Seo Hyul reached out his hand.
All of the Seo Hyul’s scattered throughout Sam-mokdo performed blood contracts simultaneously.
Gikigigigik!
The name of the karmic bond between Yeon-wi and Heon-won howled, wanting to merge with each other.
With that, an enormous will was born inside Sam-mokdo, and the moment that will reached its peak!
Paaaaaat!
Seo Hyul disappeared from Sam-mokdo.
And the place where Seo Hyul reappeared was right back inside the colorless glass sword.
Oh Hye-seo, who had received his order, was going mad in that place.
Kurrrrruung!
“Ah, ahahaha! He is here, he is here, Seo Hyul?”
As soon as Oh Hye-seo saw Seo Hyul, she ran into the arms of one of his clones.
Seo Hyul stroked Oh Hye-seo’s head, then looked at where she had run from.
There stood a massive altar.
Countless figures of priests were carved upon it, and their pupils were shining together.
And… among the two highest priests, the figures of the [Priest Hidden in Deep Darkness] and [Priest in Human Form], the figure of the [Priest in Human Form] was glowing according to Oh Hye-seo’s power.
“Is the sacrificial preparation complete, Hye-seo?”
“Yes, yes, Seo Hyul. I did everything you said. I cut my own lifespan and offered it to the Great Sage of the Upper Heavens, the Venerable of the Upper Heavens. He said he would lend me his name here as the covenant maker and proof. You… you have brought them?”
And Seo Hyul smiled faintly.
One of his clones had grabbed Yeon-wi’s hair,
another had grabbed Heon-won’s hair, and was dragging them.
And… another clone of Seo Hyul was standing in that spot, holding the tail of Seo Ran.
“At last… I succeeded. Hye-seo.”
While aiming for the moment when the karmic bond’s will was maximized, he had connected to Seo Ran through the “hearts of himself and Seo Ran” rooted in Yeon-wi, and through him, Seo Hyul had finally captured Seo Ran.
Oh Hye-seo was crying while snuggling into Seo Hyul’s arms with a face full of joy.
“Th-then we can leave, right, Seo Hyul? Now we can go out and… really, we can escape from inside this Seo Eun-hyun’s belly, right? Seo Hyul?”
“I cannot guarantee it, but I will make it so. Come now, then…”
Kwaak!
Seo Hyul grabbed Seo Ran’s head and laughed.
“Disappear. Fake.”
Chwararararak!
At the same time, all the Seo Hyul’s, except those who were holding Yeon-wi and Heon-won, were sucked into Seo Ran’s body.
However, even though all of Seo Hyul’s plans had succeeded, Oh Hye-seo could not rejoice.
‘Seo Hyul said it was almost done. Then why…’
Why.
‘Can that guy Seo Ran remain so calm with me right in front of him?’
Because Seo Ran was not at all frightened.
He was instead smiling warmly.
And.
Urrurrrung!
“Hee!”
The colorless glass sword shook, and Seo Eun-hyun’s figure appeared before Oh Hye-seo.
Seo Eun-hyun holding the colorless glass sword, and Seo Eun-hyun with wings behind him.
Seo Eun-hyun opened his mouth with a firm face.
“You will never succeed, Seo Hyul.”