Chapter 170: Would You Like To Go With Me? (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 170: Would You Like To Go With Me? (1)
Swish!
A wave of golden light, sharp and unmistakable, swept through the medicine-scented room. But before it could touch Jang Seonyeon, the light dissipated into nothingness like morning mist.
“Hehe…”
Jang Seonyeon’s smile didn't falter, even in the face of the surprise attack. It was as if he had anticipated it all along.
“Child,” he said, his voice devoid of any warmth or charm, a stark contrast to his words. “That’s quite an aggressive greeting.”
His expression remained chillingly blank.
“…You.”
Jang Seonyeon tilted his head, observing Wi Seol-Ah’s reaction. “You’re just like that kid from yesterday. No shock, no surprise. How dull.” A soft chuckle escaped his lips. It wasn't Jang Seonyeon speaking anymore. It was Dok Gojun.
Wi Seol-Ah’s gaze sharpened. “You knew I was coming?”
“Of course. How could I not sense such intense bloodlust directed at this child?”
That was impossible. Wi Seol-Ah was a master of concealing her killing intent. She had been more careful than ever, not wanting to trouble the body she was currently inhabiting.
So how…?
“Child,” Dok Gojun interrupted her thoughts. “It seems you know who I am.”
“…!”
His words were spoken with absolute certainty, confirming her suspicions—the being before her was not Jang Seonyeon, but an entity residing within him. Wi Seol-Ah barely suppressed a gasp.
“Am I right?” he pressed.
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
“If it were nonsense, you wouldn’t be so perturbed.”
Wi Seol-Ah steadied her breathing, masking her unease. She hid every tell she could think of, yet Dok Gojun spoke as if he could see right through her.
“I wonder who you are?” he mused. “Inside that strong child resides a colossal beast. Yet, you appear utterly devoid of such power.”
The moment he finished speaking, Wi Seol-Ah struck again, her attack fiercer than before.
Slash-!
Jang Seonyeon’s arm was severed clean off. But Wi Seol-Ah frowned. She had aimed for his neck, yet her blow had only found his arm. Worse, the severed limb showed no sign of bleeding.
Dok Gojun’s smile widened as he observed the detached arm. “I see. You are…” He began to whisper, as if realizing something.
Did he deflect the attack with his energy? That shouldn't be possible at Jang Seonyeon’s level. Which meant the power belonged to the unknown entity inside him. Just like her.
Despite losing an arm, Dok Gojun’s expression remained unflinching. “You are rather impatient. We haven’t even had a proper conversation yet.”
“I have nothing to say to you.” She had come to finish her business and leave, not to chat.
She began gathering her Qi again, despite having little energy left. Her previous attack had only been effective after she poured more power into it. To land a decisive blow, she would need to commit even more.
“Do you have nothing to say,” Dok Gojun interjected smoothly, “even if it’s about that child you care for?”
Wi Seol-Ah paused. The energy swirling around her hand wavered.
Dok Gojun smiled at her obvious reaction. “You are an honest child.”
Crack.
Enraged, Wi Seol-Ah prepared to strike again, but he continued. “I have planted my seed within that child.”
“What?”
“I gave him the highest quality seed. He should be pleased.”
Wi Seol-Ah’s hair stirred as if caught in an unseen wind. A formidable pressure and murderous intent flooded the room, so intense that Jang Seonyeon’s body began to creak under the strain. Yet, the smile persisted.
“Don’t worry, child. It’s not a power that will harm him.”
“How can you say such revolting things in your current state?” The mere fact that this entity had completely usurped Jang Seonyeon’s body destroyed any shred of trust. This was especially true because Wi Seol-Ah knew the entity was Dok Gojun.
“Whether you believe me is irrelevant. What matters is something else.”
Ddddddd-
The pressure intensified, causing the furniture in the room to vibrate.
“Is this a plea for your life?” she hissed.
“I am indifferent to your choices. I simply wished to converse with you. That is all.”
“What kind of conversation?” She wanted to sever his head immediately. Conversing with such a loathsome being was the last thing she desired. But she had to be cautious. If he was connected to Gu Yangcheon in any way…
Dok Gojun observed her closely. “What did you sacrifice?”
Wi Seol-Ah bit her lip.
“To become what you are… what did you have to sacrifice?”
“Why do you care?”
“Child, I’m merely curious how you accomplished something I could not.”
Was he asking about manipulating time to alter history? Or perhaps something else entirely?
“I am the same as you,” he stated.
Wi Seol-Ah couldn’t respond. She couldn’t deny his claim—he was right. Yet she couldn’t agree, because he wasn't entirely accurate.
“You may be brighter, more cunning, but in the end, our nature is the same. How could we be different when we started from the same point?”
“Get to the point.”
“I’m simply curious. How did someone like you end up like this? Was it your fault, or the child’s, that you became this way? I have always been… curious.”
Crack. Wi Seol-Ah clenched her teeth, unwilling to entertain this line of questioning further.
But Dok Gojun continued. “That boy… he isn’t my creation.”
His words were filled with the same certainty he had displayed from the start.
“Neither is that child. Which is why I’m so fascinated. Two children have caught my attention, and neither are my creations.”
“I don’t care about your intentions.”
Hearing her enraged voice, Dok Gojun responded calmly, “I will not interfere.”
“What?”
“I simply wait and observe, as I am now. I am merely a curious person.”
Wi Seol-Ah detested his composure. It was worse because she could sense the sinister, violent power coiled within him. To her, he seemed a fake, feigning normalcy.
“Are you worried I will harm the child?”
“If you are aware, then don’t you dare touch a single hair on his head.” She gathered her Qi, grinding her teeth. “Or I will infiltrate your nest and unleash havoc.”
As her dense bloodlust poured out, Dok Gojun seemed slightly shocked by her ominous warning. “You seem to know more than I expected.”
“Do you think I won’t act on that knowledge?”
If I continue using this body like this, I’ll push it beyond its limits. My soul will rot away before I can even give him the farewell I so desperately wish for.
But even so, Wi Seol-Ah couldn’t hesitate. She was willing to bear any suffering if it could lighten the burdens of others, even just a little.
What is my soul worth, anyway? Compared to everything others had done for her, her own sacrifices felt negligible. It made her feel her soul had no value.
Dok Gojun responded in an amused tone. “As I said, I have no intention of harming that child.”
Wi Seol-Ah couldn’t believe him. He had already confessed to planting his seed within Gu Yangcheon. She knew the terrible fate that awaited those who carried Dok Gojun’s seed. If his words were true, she had already sinned by failing to stop him.
“That child will appreciate it. It’s a gift from me, bestowed because I’ve grown fond of him.”
“Don’t be mistaken. He would find your meddling repulsive.” Gu Yangcheon wasn’t someone who sought such power. He was capable of standing on his own. Having escaped his shackles, he would surely soar in this life. That was precisely why Wi Seol-Ah was here.
She continued to glare, but Dok Gojun remained composed, even while threatened and in a dangerous situation.
Wi Seol-Ah knew where his heart was hidden—deep in a basement beneath this very land. She couldn’t afford to go for it, forcing her to hold back. Yet, she was fully prepared to rampage if Dok Gojun persisted.
“Do not worry,” Dok Gojun assured her with a small, calming gesture as her anger swelled. “My power cannot harm the child.”
His meaning was clear: it wasn’t that he wouldn’t harm him, but that he couldn’t.
As he finished speaking, Dok Gojun’s demeanor shifted. Wi Seol-Ah remained vigilant; this could all be an act. She gradually tightened her grip on her power.
“Judging by your reaction,” Dok Gojun said, “whatever entity resides inside that boy’s body… even you don’t know about it.”
The ravenous beast sleeping within Gu Yangcheon. Dok Gojun couldn’t help but smile at the thought of that terrifying being.
“I will continue to wait. I’ve waited many years for this. Why would I harm that child now?”
A strange smoke, not made of Qi, began to fill the room.
“I desire nothing more than to see that child’s potential grow. That is why I gifted him so generously. Now that we are connected, he will come to me in due time. You know this is the natural order.”
As he spoke, Dok Gojun grabbed his own neck. Wi Seol-Ah’s eyes widened.
“So I hope you will still stand by that child.”
“What are you—?”
“It’s a bit of a waste, but I’m not sad. This is a necessary sacrifice for my cause… and a gift to you.”
Wi Seol-Ah charged forward, trying to grasp Jang Seonyeon’s body, but the dense smoke obstructed her path.
“Our conversation today was quite engaging. I look forward to our next meeting.”
Thud!
Wi Seol-Ah used her energy to disperse the smoke and rushed toward Jang Seonyeon.
Craaack.
But he unflinchingly twisted his own neck and collapsed to the floor.
Though his posture was unsettling, as if death had taken him, Dok Gojun’s voice still emanated from Jang Seonyeon’s mouth. “It was nice seeing you, my daughter.”
With that final phrase…
The light faded from Jang Seonyeon’s eyes.
Wi Seol-Ah hid her emotions and her quivering shoulders. A violent urge to destroy everything around her surged up, but she forced it down. She wasn't in a position to afford such an indulgence.
Whether in this life or her last, she was perpetually shackled by the fear of helplessness.
What does the title of Celestial Sword even mean? Why am I the Zenith? I am so incompetent, so powerless. In the end, I couldn’t change anything this time, either.
Wi Seol-Ah clenched her lips and waved her hand.
Blaze.
A golden flame enveloped Jang Seonyeon’s body, erasing all traces of him in an instant.
Amid the lingering energy, Wi Seol-Ah stood with her head bowed, shivering.
…I’m sorry.
His face surfaced in her mind. How she wished she could have done more for him. But she still felt like a hindrance.
She contemplated storming the basement to unleash her rage, but she knew it would only create more burdens for him. She couldn’t do anything for him. Her actions felt limited; she felt helpless. Despite having reached the Zenith, Wi Seol-Ah was crushed by immense guilt.
-Foolish bitch.
She remembered his words from long ago. Now, she understood perfectly the emotions he must have felt when he said them.
And so, Wi Seol-Ah continued to stay silent.
* * *
A day later, the tournament held its final event.
Jang Cheon personally congratulated the winners of both the finals and the losers’ bracket.
In the middle of the arena, surrounded by numerous spectators, Gu Yangcheon stood before Jang Cheon, his face wearing its usual unamused expression.
Wi Seol-Ah, observing the scene, clenched her fist and controlled her rough breathing.
And next to Gu Yangcheon…
Stood Jang Seonyeon, perfectly fine, as if having his neck twisted the day before was nothing at all.