Chapter 210: The First Sin (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 210: The First Sin (2)
The sweltering heat of the Seventh Layer of the Gu Flame Wheel Art radiated through the room, pressing down on me.
Even with my constitution, the intensity of the flames was palpable.
My eyes swept across the scene, eventually landing on the headless corpse of the Fusion Realm martial artist sprawled on the floor.
His name was…
What was it again? I never caught it.
He had tried to introduce himself, but his words were lost to the chaos.
Shoving the fallen man—a victim of my father’s strike—aside, I focused on Father’s condition.
His cape billowed behind him, animated by his surging Qi, while his crimson robes flowed in harmony. The sheer pressure of his energy made it hard to breathe.
But what stood out most was…
He’s completely unharmed.
Father was in near-perfect condition, save for a few scratches and some bleeding on his hand—the result of recklessly tearing through the formation barrier. Beyond that, he was untouched.
“…My Lord.”
Gu Huibi, equally stunned by Father’s sudden appearance, stared at him with wide, shocked eyes.
It was understandable. For a man of his stoic nature to leave the clan solely to rescue her was utterly unexpected.
That reaction makes sense. She doesn’t know.
If I recalled my past life, when I had turned into a Demonic Human and the First Elder’s scheme had harmed Gu Yeonseo…
Father’s reaction back then made it clear he was not one to disregard his children’s safety.
Though, it was a side of him unknown to others.
Father stood silently, observing Gu Huibi, before shifting his gaze to Namgung Bi-ah, and finally settling on me.
His piercing eyes bore into mine.
“Third Child.”
His voice cut through the air, cold and commanding.
“…Yes.”
“Why are you here?”
I know, right?
Why am I here?
Unable to answer, I averted my eyes.
Noticing my evasion, he turned his attention back to Namgung Bi-ah.
“We will discuss this later, after we return.”
It seemed I was getting a temporary pass.
Well, we didn’t have the luxury of time for a detailed explanation.
With that, Father turned his back on me. But I couldn’t let the opportunity slip away.
“My Lord.”
I called out, causing him to glance back, his fierce red eyes fixed on me.
His intense gaze nearly made me flinch, but I pressed on, determined to get answers.
“…What happened to the Lord of the Black Palace?”
“The Black Palace Lord?”
“Yes. The Palace Lord was definitely heading toward you.”
The black fog had been moving toward the center of the crimson sky—undoubtedly where Father had been.
“The Palace Lord, you say…”
Father fell silent for a moment upon hearing my question…
“Yes, I saw him.”
He continued, as if recalling the encounter.
“Our eyes met from a distance, and then he vanished.”
He vanished?
I had expected a fight, but judging by Father’s words, it seemed the Palace Lord had chosen to flee.
“Did you not try to capture him?”
Father averted his gaze, his eyes fixed ahead.
“I prioritized what was important.”
He made it clear that finding Gu Huibi was more important than apprehending the Black Palace Lord.
Once he confirmed her safety, Father wasted no time, resuming his stride without a hint of regret.
“You heartless bastard!”
Elder Mook, who had been silently observing, finally erupted in frustration.
“Good heavens! An old man is in such a state, and you feel no remorse?!”
Father glanced in Elder Mook’s direction at the outburst.
“The children might not know better, but you should!”
Elder Mook shouted, his eyes boring into Father.
In response, Father stared back.
“It has been a while.”
I couldn’t help but widen my eyes at that greeting.
Father and the Lord of the Hao Clan knew each other…?
Elder Mook scoffed disdainfully at Father’s stiff response.
“Hah, look how quick you were to greet me. I’m sure you noticed me quite a while ago.”
“I had heard of your passing. You look quite alive.”
“My resilience far surpasses my appearance, as you well know.”
Elder Mook’s tone was irritating, as if he were trying to remind Father of their once-close relationship.
Understanding the old man’s intention, Father looked at me and issued an order.
“Third Child.”
“…Yes.”
“Carry the old man.”
With those words, Father resumed walking, simultaneously lifting Gu Huibi’s body with his Qi and bringing her to his side.
Witnessing this, I let out a deep sigh.
In the end, I have to carry this old man.
I had no choice but to comply.
Grabbing the shackle that bound the old man, I swiftly broke it, just as I had with Gu Huibi.
“Fortunately, it seems your father understands me.”
Ignoring Elder Mook’s remark, I hoisted him onto my shoulders.
“Ugh! Be a little gentler, will you?!”
“Quiet down before I get a sudden urge to drop you.”
“…The way you speak is strangely reminiscent of your father in his youth.”
That somehow sounded like an insult.
How does Father know the Lord of the Hao Clan?
The Lord of the Hao Clan, a figure shrouded from the world, was connected to Father—a connection I had been unaware of.
…I don’t know much about Father’s past to begin with.
But I had a vague idea that his youth was far from ordinary.
The sight of the Fusion Realm martial artist lying dead on the floor was proof enough.
A Fusion Realm martial artist, killed in a single strike…
That was no easy feat, even by ambush.
Furthermore, the fact that he hadn’t even used Fire Arts meant he hadn’t tapped into a fraction of his full power.
I can’t help but wonder if Father has reached the pinnacle.
The pinnacle of the Gu Flame Wheel Art—a level I couldn’t achieve in my past life. Yet, it was entirely plausible Father had already reached it.
After all, besides Wi Seol-Ah, the only one who managed to leave a scar on the Heavenly Demon—a feat not even the Three Venerables could accomplish…
Was Father.
* * *
When I stepped outside the jail, I was greeted by the sight of all the Black Palace martial artists already subdued, with the lord’s direct forces—the First Army—standing before us.
Father emerged from the prison, prompting the Captain of the First Army to approach.
“Victory is ours. We’ve overpowered them. Some remnants have fled, but their capture is assured.”
They’re already finished?
I couldn’t help but frown at the Captain’s words.
How had they dealt with the Black Palace’s elite troops so quickly?
Father seemed to find it peculiar as well, falling deep into thought.
…They certainly weren’t a small force.
Yet, for what was supposed to be the greatest force of the Unorthodox Faction, their numbers were disappointingly low.
The man who was supposedly the Vice-Lord of the palace was a powerful Fusion Realm martial artist.
But that’s still far too little.
It was clear to me they lacked the necessary strength.
…It was as if…
…They were planning to escape from the very beginning.
No matter how I thought about it, that seemed to be the answer.
The suspiciously small force and the weak formation barrier only reinforced my suspicion.
Had they intended to abandon the Main Palace all along?
I couldn’t come up with any other explanation.
It left me pondering the reason behind their decision.
Just why?
If the Lord of the Black Palace had truly chosen to leave the Main Palace behind, there had to be a compelling motive for such a drastic action.
…That ominous flower as well. It was undoubtedly the work of the Black Palace.
The flower I obtained on Mount Hua… I couldn’t help but wonder what the Black Palace was planning with such an abomination.
And thinking about it, was there really only one?
If there are more, what purpose do they serve?
I didn’t know much about the Black Palace from my past life.
My information on them was scarce, and with everything happening back-to-back, I’d had little time to gather more.
Still, after all that, the reason for Gu Huibi’s kidnapping remained…
Will I even be able to find out?
It was uncertain if those bastards had left any clues behind.
However, our utmost priority was ensuring Gu Huibi’s safety.
As I observed her injured body, I thought…
I can purify the Demonic Qi, but…
The Demonic Qi was preventing her from using her own Qi, so addressing it was crucial.
However, having endured the Demonic Qi in a severely weakened state for days, her recovery came before anything else.
If possible, I wanted to secretly absorb the Demonic Qi from her before we reached the clan.
After all, that would be far more convenient than being caught by the Immortal Healer or Father.
Then there’s the Lord of the Black Palace who disappeared. I have to find that bastard…
The Palace Lord was a formidable martial artist. Instead of confronting him, Father had come straight to the jail for Gu Huibi.
So, it was strange that he had hidden himself.
Furthermore…
If he was planning to hide, why did he bother confronting Father in the first place?
Father mentioned exchanging glances with the Palace Lord, so they had indeed crossed paths, however briefly.
As I organized my thoughts, Gu Huibi, who was receiving light treatment, began explaining everything that had happened in the Black Palace to the First Army.
She recounted her encounter with the Palace Lord, her entry into an unknown room, and her meeting with a child.
Her explanation only added to my confusion.
A child?
What did she mean by a child?
According to Gu Huibi, there was a child in the Black Palace.
She described the child as having a strange aura, appearing extremely malnourished, and severely lacking communication skills.
Initially, I might have dismissed it as part of some hidden, sinister plot.
But what I heard next was troubling.
“…What?”
“What’s wrong, Little Brother?”
“What did you just say?!”
I couldn’t help but ask, gripping Gu Huibi’s arm tightly.
Namgung Bi-ah approached, attempting to intervene, but I was too consumed by what I had just heard to care.
“…The child looked similar to who?”
This… this shouldn’t be possible.
* * *
After hearing Gu Huibi’s words, a surge of anger coursed through me…
Slam!
I couldn’t contain my emotions. I ran, breaking everything in my path.
Despite my weakened state, I disregarded all caution, recklessly channeling my Qi and ignoring the crippling pain.
Shit…
[Brat, calm down…!]
Elder Shin, taken aback by my boiling Qi, tried to calm me. But I couldn’t heed his words.
Shit, how is this even possible?!
I could have easily dismissed Gu Huibi’s revelation.
The Black Palace’s schemes, whatever they were, weren’t my immediate concern.
The primary objective was to save Gu Huibi.
Pursuing and trying to kill the Palace Lord was beyond my current capabilities. It would have been satisfying, but I knew my limits.
However, the hidden problem Gu Huibi had uncovered was far too important to ignore.
The Palace wasn’t subservient to the Demonic Cult.
The reason the Black Palace martial artists could wield Demonic Qi… the foggy landscape was gradually clearing.
Was the Black Palace the root of it all?
Their Demonic Qi was so inferior it was unusable for me.
That fact had made me complacent. I’d only tried to link them to the Demonic Cult, never considering they might be the source.
If this is just a mistake…
I hoped my conjecture was overthinking, but as always, fate was harsh…
Slaaam!
Fueled by frustration, I descended into the basement, smashing and tearing through the walls.
I went deeper and deeper, past even the jail where Gu Huibi had been held.
“Ah…! Young Master?”
As I went deeper, I encountered a soldier from the First Army setting up a formation barrier.
With so many people gathered, it seemed I couldn’t go further.
As expected, the Vice-Captain of the First Army was observing a massive door in the distance.
It matched Gu Huibi’s description.
“…Young Master?”
The Vice-Captain looked at me, perplexed, wondering why I was there.
Ignoring his gaze, I asked, “…The door. Can’t you open it?”
“Ah, I was studying it. It appears to be enchanted by a formation.”
The Vice-Captain seemed to believe a formation kept it shut.
Staring at the imposing door, I gasped inwardly.
Formation? It’s far from it.
The moment I saw it, I knew.
It was familiar—especially the violet-colored gem embedded in the door.
Without hesitation, I reached out toward it.
“Young Master…! It’s dangerous…!”
The Vice-Captain tried to stop me, surprised by my sudden action…
Slam!
The door reacted to my presence, causing the Vice-Captain to step back in shock.
Could they not feel it?
The malevolent Qi emanating from beyond the door.
It was all too clear to me. A familiar sensation, one that seemed to reach into the depths of my soul.
Slam… Slam!
The door moved, responding to the Demonic Qi. I pushed it open with all my strength.
Seeing it open, the swordsmen behind me were eager to enter…
…!
But they halted as soon as they felt the oppressive energy inside.
A natural reaction for Qi-wielding martial artists—their instincts warning them of the Demonic Qi’s danger.
Leaving them behind, I stepped into the room.
Darkness enveloped me, making it impossible to see…
Blaze.
In an instant, I conjured flames to illuminate the room.
“…This is.”
The room was far larger than I had anticipated.
The floor was littered with dried leaves and petals. A clear scorch mark, as if something had been burned—judging by the traces, a book.
Following the trail, my gaze landed on the wall…
“…Ha.”
And to my surprise…
“…How entertaining.”
There stood the Lord of the Black Palace, whom I had been searching for.
Beside him stood an old man, his face covered with age spots—a face I knew all too well.
The Great Oni…
The old man who oversaw the affairs of the Demonic Cult.
Though he looked older than in my past life, his identity was unmistakable.
Furthermore, behind them stood a wide-open Gate of Demons.
It wasn’t one of the four representative colors, but violet.
A Gate of Demons in a basement… a situation too absurd to comprehend.
Yet, I wasn’t surprised.
This was one of the abilities possessed by that ‘Bastard,’ after all.
“How were you able to open the door?”
Though the Palace Lord’s fascinated gaze was fixed on me, my attention was solely on the child in his arms.
A frail body, so thin the outlines of bones were visible, with jet-black hair cascading down.
And the child’s vibrant violet eyes.
These characteristics alone were enough for me to know with certainty. Yet, as if to confirm my suspicions, the evidence was etched on the child’s face.
“Ha, fucking hell…”
The child’s visage, as it looked at me, tilting its head…
Was so much like hers that it sent shivers down my spine.
Like Wi Seol-Ah.