Chapter 89: Treatment (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 89: Treatment (2)
I hadn’t been waiting long when the Plum Blossom Sword Saint stirred and opened her eyes.
“I heard you were injured… but it seems you’ve recovered well.” Her voice was dry, brittle.
All I could do was nod in response to her concerned words. I had no idea what to say to her.
My thoughts had become tangled and heavy ever since I glimpsed the Demonic Qi churning within her. I was doing my best to keep my turmoil from showing.
“Had you been seriously wounded, I would have been heartbroken. Thank the heavens you are alright…”
“…Thank you for your concern.”
“No… I should be the one apologizing. For making you come all this way when you must be busy, and before you’ve fully recovered.”
“It’s not a problem. The Immortal Healer said I’m free to move about now.”
As I spoke, I made a conscious effort not to look directly at her.
The density of that Demonic Qi is staggering.
It was far denser, far deeper, than the Demonic Qi I had sensed in Ya Hyeoljeok. It felt… familiar. Too familiar.
It was nearly identical to the energy of the Heavenly Demon.
So similar, in fact, that calling it the same would not be an exaggeration.
I couldn’t be mistaken about this.
Is this what’s causing her health to fail?
But even if it is… why is the Sword Queen harboring such a thing inside her in the first place?
I was uncovering truths I had never encountered in my past life. Had the Sword Queen already crossed paths with the Heavenly Demon in this timeline?
Not everyone who is infused with Demonic Qi immediately becomes a demonic human. Ya Hyeoljeok and the members of the Black Palace were proof of that. And now, the Sword Queen before me was the latest example.
The crucial difference was this: Ya Hyeoljeok was gradually submitting to the Demonic Qi, allowing the transformation to take hold. The Sword Queen, however, was fiercely resisting the violent energy raging inside her.
To maintain such a composed exterior while that thing runs wild within…
As a scion of a orthodox taoist sect, her innate Qi would have been pure. Yet, that very Qi was being relentlessly consumed and devoured by the Demonic Qi. I could see it plainly.
Her weakness, the reason someone of my level could even perceive her condition, was a testament to her struggle. The Sword Queen had very little of her own Qi left. Even on the verge of depletion, she was still fighting, holding the line against the corruption. And through this agonizing process, she never once let a flicker of pain show on her face.
The Sword Queen, who had been quietly studying me as I observed her, spoke again, her tone laced with a profound disappointment.
“It truly is a pity I did not meet you earlier in my life. I am sorry that I cannot even offer you a proper meal…”
“…Please, do not trouble yourself over such things.”
She kept apologizing. I didn’t understand why she felt such indebtedness towards me. I knew she was a friend of my mother’s, but she and I were practically strangers. Yet, she had accepted responsibility for Gu Ryunghwa and taken her in. For that alone, I was deeply grateful. It meant I could bear my burdens alone.
…Though, in the end, I failed to endure it.
The Sword Queen looked at me, hesitated for a brief moment, and then spoke softly.
“…May I hold your hand?”
“My hand?”
The request was sudden, but it was a simple one. I reached my hand out towards her. As I did, I saw her own hand, wrinkled with age and strain.
“Forgive me for these old, unsightly hands.”
…She really doesn’t need to apologize for something like that. It feels as if she’s searching for any reason to express regret to me.
Thinking this, I carefully took her hand in mine.
She offered a bitter smile. “It would have been nice… if I were a little healthier.”
It felt like she was slowly releasing her regrets, one by one, as she neared the end of her life. I was at a loss for what to say.
Should I stay silent?
Or perhaps offer some hollow comfort, saying her appearance didn’t matter?
After a moment’s hesitation, I decided silence was the worse option and opened my mouth to speak.
And in that exact instant—
-Sssss-!
“…!”
“Ugh…!”
I instinctively, violently, wrenched my hand back from hers.
The Sword Queen stared in shock, her eyes darting between her own empty hand and mine.
Of course she was surprised. The same Demonic Qi that festered inside her had just flowed into my body.
…This is…
The realization hit me as I felt the foreign energy settle within. The Demonic Qi I had absorbed from Ya Hyeoljeok had been similar to his. But the energy now circulating inside me… it wasn't just similar to hers. It was hers.
…Did I truly absorb it?
Can I draw Demonic Qi directly from people, and not just from demonic stones?
Is this also a function of the Demonic Absorption ability?
It must be. This was something I had never experienced in my previous life; something had fundamentally changed.
The minuscule amount of Demonic Qi I had taken from her was already being swiftly purified by my destructive Gu Flame Wheel Art. It seemed the energy I had absorbed from Ya Hyeoljeok had been completely cleansed as well.
“This…” The Sword Queen was speechless, utterly bewildered by what had just occurred.
Then a thought crystallized in my mind. If I can absorb the Demonic Qi from the Sword Queen…
Then I might be able to…
Save her.
That was the thought burning in my mind when the door to the cottage suddenly burst open.
“What is the meaning of this commotion?!”
It was the Immortal Healer.
* * *
-Swish! Slash!
The wooden sword cut through the air with a sharp, clean sound. The once blunt and soft swooshes had gradually sharpened into something lethal.
Gu Ryunghwa could feel her own growth, yet she found it utterly meaningless.
Half-step forward, point the sword towards the upper body…
-Swoosh!
A wisp of Qi infused the blade of its own accord. Even without conscious effort, her movements were precise, her form flawless.
But seeing this technical perfection did nothing to improve her mood.
…What does it matter if I can do this?
She had trained relentlessly since that day, but her mind remained unsettled. The memory of herself trembling before that enemy was seared into her mind, an indelible mark of shame.
She knew, instinctively, that she could not have won. But that wasn’t the point. Her master had always taught her to never abandon her pride and responsibility as a martial artist, regardless of the odds. And she had thrown both away.
Namgung Bi-ah, meanwhile, had stood her ground. She, too, must have known she couldn’t win. She, too, must have felt the cold grip of death. Yet, she had not hesitated.
…But I, I…
As she thought of the woman who had raised her sword to protect her, Gu Ryunghwa clenched her eyes shut, guilt feeling like a physical weight around her neck.
I who only know how to run away… how dare I speak of making my sword blossom?
She felt unworthy of being a martial artist, let alone achieving such a lofty ideal.
Her thoughts then drifted to Gu Yangcheon. She had heard it was he who dealt with the monster that even Namgung Bi-ah could not defeat. How was that possible? The Gu Yangcheon she knew was weak, selfish.
The last time she had seen him was about a year ago. He had been the same as always—idle, and cruel to everyone around him. It was around that time she had resolved to completely sever her ties with him.
…So how could such a person…?
She didn’t know if what she felt was doubt or a bitter, ugly jealousy.
Gu Ryunghwa began to swing her sword again, putting more force into each motion than before. If she didn’t want to remain useless, she had to focus. She pushed herself to the brink of collapse, swinging her sword until her muscles screamed in protest and forced her to stop.
She only ceased when her arms trembled uncontrollably and sweat dripped from her chin. For days now, she had dedicated herself to strengthening her body, sacrificing sleep for training.
“I should… go see my master now.”
She remembered her master had returned to Mount Hua for safety. Her master had wept upon hearing of her narrow escape, calling herself a failure of a teacher. Even though Gu Ryunghwa had never once thought that. The failure was hers, and hers alone.
As she prepared to wash up and change clothes, she saw someone.
“Oh.”
“…”
It was Yung Pung. For many reasons, his presence always made her uncomfortable.
Yung Pung, however, bowed his head in greeting upon seeing her. She was, after all, a second-generation disciple.
“Senior, have you been training until now?”
Gu Ryunghwa didn’t answer him verbally. She merely gave a slight nod and moved to walk past him.
“Excessive training can sometimes be counter—”
“Mind your own business.” The words came out rudely, even though she had intended to just ignore him. She knew her mood was frayed.
“My apologies! It was not my place to speak!” Yung Pung immediately apologized.
Gu Ryunghwa continued walking without another word. She couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eye. She was a second-generation disciple who never received praise, while he was the celebrated youngest swordsman of Mount Hua.
…If I were in his place, would things have been different that day?
She thought that he, at the very least, would not have frozen in fear. Wounded pride and gnawing guilt made her quicken her pace.
After washing and changing in a secluded spot, she felt slightly better at the prospect of visiting her master. Her steps felt lighter despite her exhaustion.
She climbed the mountain path and arrived at the small hut where her master was staying. Gu Ryunghwa steadied her breathing so her master wouldn’t detect her fatigue, then approached the door.
-…What did you just say?
She froze. The Immortal Healer’s voice, loud and clear, came from inside. Her master was awake.
As she raised her hand to knock—
-I… may have a solution.
She stopped cold. It was Gu Yangcheon’s voice. A wave of embarrassment washed over her, remembering her harsh words to him that morning.
Of all the times for him to be here…
Her expression complicated, she hesitated before the door, unsure what to do.
I’ll just go in and pretend I didn’t know he was there.
Just as she decided this and reached for the door again—
-You should know that you shouldn’t even dare to joke about something like that!
The Immortal Healer was shouting. What was happening?
-I’m not joking.
-Not joking? Do you have any idea what you’re saying?
-Yes.
Even faced with the Healer’s outburst, Gu Yangcheon’s replies were calm, measured.
But then, she heard him speak again, his voice firm and without a trace of hesitation.
-I may be able to cure the Sword Queen.
Upon hearing those words, Gu Ryunghwa could no longer contain herself. She barged into the hut.