Chapter 582: Nice to meet you.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 582: Nice to meet you.
“Oh, Young Master. You’re back…”
When I returned to my residence, I found Tang Soyeol waiting for me.
She started to greet me but suddenly trailed off, her eyes fixed on my face.
“Young Master…?”
“Hm? What is it?”
“Is something wrong?”
Worry clouded Tang Soyeol’s eyes. Seeing her concern, I managed to force a small smile.
“What could be wrong? Nothing happened.”
“But…”
“Have you eaten?”
“…Yes.”
As I deliberately steered the conversation away, Tang Soyeol answered reluctantly. She clearly realized I didn’t want to talk about it and chose to let it go, which made me feel a pang of guilt.
“Young Master… have you had your meal?”
“Ah. Yes, I’ve eaten.”
I answered with a smile, but of course, it was a lie. How could I possibly have an appetite right now?
It’s impossible.
I ran a hand through my hair, trying to cool my head. I had spent the entire walk back trying to calm down, but it wasn’t enough. Instead of cooling, my thoughts only seemed to grow more feverish.
The Heavenly Demon.
Was it all just a dream?
The thought crossed my mind, but I knew it was more of a desperate wish than a reality. I knew all too well that it hadn't been a dream.
Her jet-black hair.
The violet eyes that had pierced through me.
The dreadful, suffocating energy radiating from her. It was all too real.
Many things had changed due to the actions I had taken, both big and small. But this… this might be the biggest butterfly effect of them all.
Where did it all go wrong?
The Heavenly Demon had appeared in Henan. And she looked completely different from my memories.
What was she originally like?
…At the very least, it wasn’t supposed to be now.
If I remembered correctly, her appearance should have been at least a year or two away. She was supposed to emerge by tearing open a Gate of Demons during a grand festival hosted by the Murim Alliance.
The memory was still vivid.
The way she had rent the very air asunder to step into this world. The way she had looked down upon the Orthodox Faction martial artists covering the ground like ants.
[I am the Heavenly Demon.]
I still clearly remembered her overwhelming power as she uttered those words, forcing the masters of the Alliance to their knees.
Of course, the appearance of the Red Demons had been accelerated, and the Alliance Leader was now the Sword of Wudang, unlike in my past life. Countless things had already changed. I could understand that much; it was all my doing. I was prepared to bear the consequences, whatever they might be.
But not this.
I never imagined a problem of this magnitude would erupt so soon.
My head throbbed. She possessed a completely different aura from the Heavenly Demon I knew. I didn’t want to compare them, but her appearance and atmosphere were far too similar to Wi Seol-Ah’s.
[Why do you hate me?]
Her words echoed in my mind.
Why did I hate her? It wasn’t just hate.
I despise her.
I despise the Heavenly Demon.
I kept repeating that mantra to myself, but the image of her from moments ago continued to linger in my mind.
Don’t think about it. She is the Heavenly Demon.
I tried my best to scrub the image from my mind. I had to constantly remind myself of who she was, what I had endured until now, and what I was living for. I had to chew on those bitter thoughts to stay grounded.
At the same time, I had to plan.
What do I do now?
Regardless of what had happened to the Heavenly Demon or how strange my current situation was, I had faced her. Now, I had to find a way to break through.
“Young Master?”
I heard Tang Soyeol’s voice again.
“Are you really… really okay?”
Tang Soyeol stepped closer and took my hand, gripping it tightly. Her cold touch seemed to clear the fog in my head slightly. It was the height of summer; why were her hands so cold?
Her eyes were filled with deep concern. My expression must have been a mess again.
“I’m fine.”
“...”
Her face told me she didn’t believe a word of it. To be fair, even as I said I was fine, I couldn’t control the twitching of my own expression.
“…Young Master,” Tang Soyeol called out softly.
“Yes?”
I looked at her, and she spoke with a firm resolve in her eyes.
“I… I can be of help to you now, Young Master…”
Because of that look, I knew exactly what she was trying to say.
“So, won’t you tell me?”
Her question was incredibly cautious, her voice laced with an underlying anxiety. I could feel her palpable fear of being rejected.
“...”
Looking at her, I sighed inwardly. This was difficult.
This isn’t why I told you to get stronger.
I just wanted her to be able to stand on her own—to be able to protect herself when things turned dangerous. And more importantly…
So you wouldn’t sacrifice yourself.
So she wouldn’t try to protect something by burning her own life away, as she had in the past. That was my only goal. If Tang Soyeol were to throw herself into danger to help me now, it would defeat the entire purpose.
At the very least…
I hope these kids don’t get involved.
That was the hope that had driven me from the start.
Feeling her earnestness, I reached out and stroked Tang Soyeol’s hair. I could feel the texture of her hair, which she had grown out slightly and now kept neatly maintained.
“It’s okay for now.”
At my words, Tang Soyeol’s face fell. Even after reaching the Fusion Realm, she still made expressions like a disappointed child. I found it rather fascinating; she had gained considerable enlightenment, but perhaps a person’s fundamental nature never truly changes.
“It’s because I’m really okay for now.”
“Yes…”
“When I need help, I always tell you, don’t I?”
“No, you don’t.”
“...”
Her unhesitating denial left me speechless. I had no rebuttal.
“Well… uh. Right.”
I smiled awkwardly. My past track record was too poor to deny her claim. Perhaps that was why Tang Soyeol was being so stubborn.
Hmph.
I let out a short breath. Still, thanks to her, my chaotic mind seemed to settle a bit.
First… I need to do what needs to be done.
Complicated things were complicated, but in times like these, I needed to act. So, what was the immediate priority? Focusing on my recovery was one thing, but…
The Heavenly Demon is somewhere in Henan.
If she was here, there was only one thing to do immediately.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
I looked at Tang Soyeol and asked, “Where is the Dark King right now?”
Hearing my question, Tang Soyeol’s lips jutted out in a pout. She seemed disappointed that this was the favor I was asking for.
I’m sorry, but…
I couldn’t help it. This was an urgent matter.
“…Master is…”
Master, huh. It felt strange hearing her call the Dark King that.
“Can’t you get in touch with him either, Young Master?”
Her question made me tilt my head. Something about her tone felt off.
“Why? Did something happen?”
I could find the Dark King if I really needed to, but I had asked her just in case. Why was she reacting like this?
“Master… I don’t know where he is right now.”
“Hmm?”
“He just left a message saying the time had come for me to leave the mountain, and then he disappeared.”
Disappeared…?
I pondered her words. If the Dark King was out of contact even with Tang Soyeol, what could be the reason? One possibility came to mind.
Could it be… Taecheon?
The Heavenly Abyss of Birth. I wondered if he had business there. I seemed to recall him mentioning he would visit it at some point.
That’s why he can’t be contacted.
If he had crossed into another realm, conventional communication would be impossible. But it didn’t matter.
Because I can.
Just because Tang Soyeol couldn’t reach him didn’t mean it was impossible for me. I would have to send a message separately before the day was over. Normally, I would have avoided contacting him if possible, but…
I need someone of the Dark King’s caliber.
If this involved the Heavenly Demon, I had to change my approach.
“Alright. I’ll try to contact him.”
“You will?”
“Ah, is there anything you want me to tell him?”
“Ah, no…. Well….” A shadow fell over Tang Soyeol’s face. “…Please just tell him to come back… when it’s convenient. No, actually, as late as possible.”
“...”
I had to smile bitterly. It seemed she had suffered quite a bit during her training under the Dark King.
* * *
The next day arrived.
I was lying on the ground, staring blankly up at the sky. It was a very familiar sight.
“Ugh, my back.”
I pushed my exhausted body up. A sharp pain shot through my lower back as I tried to sit. It seemed I had overdone it.
As I clutched my aching back, someone crouched in front of me, meeting my gaze. It was the Dishonored Venerable.
“Tsk, tsk…. What a pathetic sight.”
I frowned at his words, which were dripping with pity.
“Hey, I asked you to go easy on me. How could you just throw me like that?”
The reason I was staring at the sky was, of course, my spar with the Dishonored Venerable. Or rather, could this even be called a spar? As always, it was closer to a one-sided beating.
I thought I was getting close to reaching him.
When the Dishonored Venerable was at the perfected Peak Realm, I could somehow hold my own. But now that he had ascended to the Fusion Realm, even that was impossible.
It’s no use even with the Mind’s Eye.
I don’t know how he did it, but I couldn’t even touch him with my Mind’s Eye active. His speed was one thing, but…
The paths he could take numbered in the dozens.
There were too many trajectories for the Dishonored Venerable’s internal energy to follow. It was impossible to counter every single one.
And the result?
What else? I got my ass kicked.
I couldn’t do anything but roll around in the dirt.
“There is no ‘going easy’ in training. You must be sincere in every moment.”
“I’m a patient, Elder.”
“Yes, and despite the Immortal Healer telling you to rest, you were the one who insisted on training, were you not?”
“...”
He was right. I was the one who, feeling slightly better, had asked the Dishonored Venerable to help me train.
…But I didn’t think he’d take that as an invitation to beat the crap out of me without holding back.
I definitely had a right to feel wronged. I thought he’d go easy on a patient, but I never expected this.
Just then, the Dishonored Venerable asked me, his expression showing his displeasure.
“Besides, with your mind so full of distractions, what kind of training did you expect to accomplish?”
“...”
I smiled bitterly. So he noticed. I had a feeling he might, and sure enough, the Dishonored Venerable had seen right through me.
“I apologize.”
At my immediate apology, the Dishonored Venerable’s eyes narrowed.
“Judging by the look on your face, something is wrong.”
“...”
“And knowing your wretched personality, you won’t bother to speak of it.”
Was my heart an open book? How did he know me so well?
“At the very least, if you intend to train, clear your mind of distractions. Otherwise, it is no different from wasting time.”
“…Yes.”
After saying his piece, the Dishonored Venerable stood up. Watching him, I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth.
Clear my mind of distractions, he says.
Easier said than done. How could I possibly clear my mind when my situation was such a mess? I had sought out the Dishonored Venerable out of frustration and impatience, wanting to do something. But I knew even that wasn’t the right answer.
The Heavenly Demon is somewhere here.
That fact alone was suffocating me. Perhaps because of my complicated thoughts, it must have shown on my face, because I heard the Dishonored Venerable sigh.
“My disciple.”
“Yes, Elder.”
“As always, for the realm you have achieved, you think far too much.”
“...”
The Fusion Realm was a state one could only reach after gaining significant enlightenment. He was pointing out that despite having reached it, my mind was still cluttered with mundane distractions.
“If you do not clear them away, you will never reach the place you desire.”
“...”
“Be it a higher realm, or the power you seek to attain.”
It would be difficult to reach the Transcendent Realm. And it would be difficult to construct the power I was currently trying to create. That’s what he meant.
“…I will be mindful.”
All I could do was nod. I understood it in my head, but putting it into practice was another matter entirely.
“Hmph.”
The Dishonored Venerable snorted as he looked at me. It was the kind of sound that said he wasn’t pleased but wouldn’t press the issue further.
I pushed myself up.
“…Thank you for your time this morning. For now, I’ll go see the Immortal Healer.”
Now that the morning training was over, I intended to visit the Immortal Healer to check on my recovery.
But then.
“The Immortal Healer is not here right now.”
“He’s not?”
My eyes widened. The Immortal Healer wasn’t here?
“This early in the morning?”
The sun had just begun to rise. Where would he have to go at this hour?
“I heard him say a long-awaited guest had arrived, and he was stepping out to meet them.”
The Dishonored Venerable’s explanation only deepened my confusion.
A guest?
The reason the Immortal Healer had come to Henan and was staying here was clearly…
To meet someone, he had said.
Then, did that mean the guest he was talking about was that very person?
Who on earth is he meeting?
Even the current leader of the Murim Alliance had to go to the Immortal Healer himself. A person important enough to make the Immortal Healer go to them… Who could it be?
I couldn't help but be curious.
* * *
The sun had just begun to rise, casting a soft glow over the city.
The number of people in the streets was gradually increasing. Amidst the bustling morning crowd, a single carriage appeared. Its appearance drew the gazes of everyone nearby. It wasn’t unusual for a carriage to pass through, but its design was the problem—it was a style rarely seen in the Central Plains.
Sensing the flood of stares, the woman inside the carriage, Moyong Hi-ah, let out a small sigh.
“It seems we’ll have to get out and walk from here.”
When a crowd this large gathered, a carriage became more of a nuisance than a convenience. Moreover, drawing any more attention was a problem, especially because of the person sitting in front of her.
At Moyong Hi-ah’s words, the woman sitting opposite her nodded. Then, she shifted her gaze to look out the window.
Outside, the streets were packed with people. The woman found it all quite fascinating. A land without snow. The surprising warmth of the season. All of it was a wondrous sight to her.
“…So this… is Henan.”
At the voice, tinged with a faint sense of unfamiliarity and excitement, Moyong Hi-ah nodded.
“Yes. This is Henan.”
She didn’t feel particularly pleased, but she couldn’t let it show. Her companion was not someone to whom she could show such an attitude.
“Young Lady.”
At the cautiously spoken title, the woman looked at Moyong Hi-ah. Through the slightly swaying face cover, the woman’s eyes were faintly visible.
They were unmistakably the same pale blue as Moyong Hi-ah’s.
