65. Heaven's Edge Sun-Moon Map
Somewhere in Jecheon Palace. A woman with sharply arched eyebrows gave her a fierce impression. She ran her hand over a torn painting.
A moon in the dark night sky. Beneath it, mountains and rivers led to a lakeside abruptly severed in half on the right. The painting depicted a lake reflecting the moonlight back onto the mountains. It exuded a dreamy atmosphere that seemed to pull the viewer right into it.
At the very bottom, the name of the painting was written in bold black ink.
“Heaven's Edge……”
The rest was torn away, unreadable.
A few weeks ago, she had disguised one of her disciples as a thief and sent him to Sangjo Pyoguk. He had succeeded in finding the painting but was caught on the way back, returning empty-handed with only wounds. The chaos had been too great for him to even see what the painting looked like. However, judging by the torn character in the middle forming an 'E' shape, it was clearly the character for sun ().
“Then the other half must surely depict the sun.”
There were two main reasons they had chosen this location to establish Jecheon Palace. One was that commerce was booming while the cultural sector lagged behind. The other was this very painting.
Rumors had spread that Sangjo Pyoguk possessed a mysteriously torn half-painting and was searching for its missing counterpart. The woman had gathered various pieces of information over the years since. And she had reached a conclusion.
'That half is the counterpart to this painting. No doubt about it.'
She couldn't tear her eyes away from it for a long while. Finally, unable to contain his curiosity, the man before her spoke up.
“Palace Lord. Why this obsession with a mere painting?”
“Goseong, you wouldn't understand as you're not a cultivator, but this is no ordinary painting.”
“Then... is it one of those law artifacts we've only heard about in tales?”
The man called Goseong had once heard the Palace Lord mention law artifacts. Mysterious objects crafted by advanced immortal path cultivators who wielded all sorts of spells and supernatural powers, soaring freely through the skies. Those were called law artifacts.
The Palace Lord possessed a few herself, though he'd never seen her use them. After all, the disciples of Jecheon Palace could be sent flying with a mere gesture from her, even without artifacts.
In any case, the Palace Lord of Jecheon Palace sensed something mystical, a profound spiritual energy, from this painting. She shook her head.
“At first, I thought so too, but it doesn't seem to be the case.”
“Then it's just an ordinary painting?”
“No.”
Goseong's face twisted in confusion at her firm denial. The Palace Lord smiled faintly and spoke.
“Even torn in half, it hasn't lost its spiritual energy. This is undoubtedly a treasure crafted by an immortal.”
“Then... immortals truly exist...?”
“Of course. Soon, we'll reclaim the other half, and then you too shall step onto the path of immortality.”
At that moment, a spark lit in Goseong's eyes.
“You've finally broken through the wall.”
“Yes. Thanks to that lord.”
The Palace Lord closed her eyes, recalling the memory.
Just half a day ago. One who called himself 'Overseer' had descended before her. His aura brimmed with divine energy; he had clearly reached the realm she aspired to long ago. Thanks to the immense grace he bestowed upon her, she had ascended to the Spirit Pill Stage.
“At last, the time has come to fully dominate Hu'an City. Prepare accordingly.”
Goseong bowed deeply at her command.
“As you decree.”
“Hmm……”
Sangjo Pyoguk's head, Jin Kang-o, asked me with a mix of worry and curiosity on his face.
“What do you think? Does it suit your taste? Is this enough? Do you sense anything?”
He fidgeted, clearly hoping I'd be pleased.
“Honestly, I'm not sure. I do feel some unusual energy, but……”
“But?”
“Well, I'd need the other half to know for sure.”
I could tell this was some kind of artifact. But with only half, it was useless.
At the bottom, what seemed to be the title was written: the first character torn away, followed by “Moon Diagram” (Moon Diagram). The missing one might've looked like a '3,' but that didn't make sense. With the sun in the upper right, it had to be “Sun” (\). So the left side likely had the moon. Sun-Moon Diagram.
Jin Kang-o spoke with a troubled expression.
“The other half……”
“I know. It's with Jecheon Palace, right?”
“……You heard everything from the start? Though I never said it was there.”
“Anyone with one half would seek the other. Obvious, isn't it?”
Jin Kang-o didn't argue, seeing the logic in my words.
“So, what will you do? If you won't marry Hwa-wol, this painting is all I can offer you, young hero.”
“You truly know nothing else about it?”
He shook his head.
“If that thief hadn't broken in that night, I might never have realized it was special. I just thought it was a rare painting.”
“Then where did you get it?”
At my question, Jin Kang-o closed his eyes briefly, as if recalling the past. He downed his cup and spoke.
“Once, during an escort mission, I saved someone. He looked like a Taoist, his white robes soaked red with blood from head to toe. He……”
Heading west from Fairy Village, there's a place called Taegang Valley. The dying Taoist had left the painting with instructions to deliver it there before breathing his last.
That was the story. I couldn't hide my disbelief.
“Wait, you took his dying wish but kept it hidden away here instead of delivering it?”
Jin Kang-o shook his head emphatically.
“Not at all. It was already torn in half when I received it. I tried to find the other half but gave up and set out to at least deliver this piece.”
He added that he'd met misfortune in Fairy Village during that escort.
“Why go to such lengths? Any special reason?”
“I was paid handsomely, of course. The Taoist carried a fortune.”
That made sense. Escort agencies must fulfill their contracts no matter what, especially one representing the region.
“You can just give me something like that?”
“As long as we both keep quiet, no one will know.”
Jin Kang-o echoed Jeong Mu-kyeong's exact words. Looked like Jeong had learned his scheming from this man.
I nodded.
“That I like.”
“Hahaha. The more I see you, the more I covet you. Marrying Hwa-wol would be……”
“I decline.”
“Aww, tsk tsk.”
Moments ago, he'd looked like he was on pins and needles. Now, his attitude flipped entirely as he poured me a drink.
I accepted without refusal and drank.
After tilting cups until Jin Kang-o passed out.
I returned to my quarters and circulated the Blood Cycle.
“Taegang Valley, huh.”
West from Fairy Village—likely en route to Fire Mountain. Asking to deliver it there suggested it was a group or faction name, or perhaps both.
Then Zhuque suddenly spoke up.
—Come to think of it, this doesn't seem to be under Fire Mountain's influence. The temperature here is normal.
“Different stage altogether.”
I dismissed it, but probably some boundary barrier in between.
—Planning to hunt down the other half of the painting?
“Obviously.”
—Hmm. If this is 18th Branch territory, won't we just be doing their work for them, Master?
“I'll pluck the core and bounce before that happens.”
Speaking of which, I pondered the 18th Branch. They hadn't reached this floor yet, it seemed. Whatever number they assigned it, it probably wasn't much different from Fairy Village for the 17th Branch. The name change suggested increased difficulty.
—Confident, Master?
“No problem.”
Not total certainty, but I'd prepared plenty—no fear. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come.
Circulating the Blood Cycle sobered me up quickly. I rose and headed outside.
Or rather, as I was about to.
A silhouette stood in the moonlight beyond the sliding door.
“Young master. Are you inside?”
Slide.
Sure enough, it was Jin Hwa-wol.
“What's the matter?”
“I thought you might be lonely, so……”
“Yeah, feeling a bit lonely. Thinking of getting some air.”
Her head wrapped in an outer garment suggested she'd snuck out.
“In that case, why not go with me? Where were you headed?”
“To a brothel.”
“Ah……”
Jin Hwa-wol's face darkened sharply as she sighed. It contrasted starkly with the bright moonlight.
Her voice trembled as she asked,
“Why go to a brothel? There's a girl right here……”
“Since I'm in Hu'an City, I want to enjoy the local pleasures.”
“Does the young master truly not like this girl? I want to hear your answer.”
“Absolutely not. As I said before, I just have business and places to be.”
Jin Hwa-wol clutched my sleeve, eyes glistening.
“If that's how it is, I'll wait forever. You must come back. Promise.”
I left her behind and walked on. I understood her affection, but I couldn't reciprocate.
I'm Kim Jeongha, section chief of Hunter Stock Company 17th Branch.
Jecheon Lou. The name of the brothel run by Jecheon Palace.
It was nearly midnight, so the place buzzed with preparations for guests.
As I scanned the building's exterior near the entrance,
“Sir, your legs must ache from standing. Why not come inside? You can just eat, or enjoy the pleasures before leaving.”
A tout approached me. We chatted briefly. The first floor was a restaurant, with the real action starting from the second. Surprisingly, some just ate or snacked on drinks and left. Though most headed upstairs.
I smiled faintly.
“I'll fill my belly and think it over.”
“Very well, sir. This way.”
The tout guided me politely to a suitable seat. His demeanor screamed high-class establishment.
I ordered food and drink, observing surroundings and recalling Jin Kang-o's words while biding my time.
'The Palace Lord doesn't appoint a separate manager for Jecheon Lou—she runs it personally.'
Palace Lord and brothel owner in one.
'She usually wears a deeply hooded hat hiding her eyes, with a mole beside her lips. Easy to spot.'
She visited around midnight periodically, inspecting for about two hours.
As I ate without really eating, waiting,
Thud. Thud.
A presence unlike any other. Thinking it might be the Palace Lord, I looked up.
And spotted someone completely unexpected.
I was stunned the moment I saw the message.
Yeah, it happens sometimes. Not like the hidden stages you seek out, such as Underground Floor 11's 'Lubrid's Altar' or Floor 15's 'Parachao Pavilion Rakshasa Fairy'.
Cases where you randomly encounter a wandering hidden boss.
Like hidden stages, they're not mandatory, but conquering them yields special rewards.
True to his moniker, the Black Armored Saber Ghost wore pitch-black armor on his upper body, a long saber at his waist. As a hidden boss, he was surely a match for Nam Bi in strength.
“Gong Daehyeop. Over here.”
Someone at a nearby table raised a hand, and the Black Armored Saber Ghost responded.
“Oh, you're already here.”
“Sit, Gong Daehyeop. Let's have a drink and head upstairs for some fun tonight. Haha!”
“Sounds good. Haha!”
From then on, my attention locked onto their table.
Casually dining near a hidden boss? What an absurd situation.
I perked up my ears as he drank and rambled. His name was Gong Sohun, and the others seemed friends he'd made at the brothel.
Gong Sohun's boasts were mostly heroic tales that weren't quite heroic: how many thugs' necks he'd severed in a bar brawl, how many warriors had fallen to his blade so far.
Boring to me, but one topic caught my interest.
“By the way, I've always wondered—what's with that armor?”
“Ah, this black armor? Well, it's……”
The moment I saw him, I'd realized: that black armor was no ordinary defensive artifact—what cultivators would call a guardian law artifact.
A law artifact for warriors. With curiosity and anticipation, I watched.
Crack!
“……?”
“H-Hey! The armor……!”
“Just watch quietly.”
The black armor suddenly fractured into multiple shards, orbiting Gong Sohun like a dozen fragments spinning around him.
The entire room, myself included, watched in fascination.
“Ooooh.”
“What a marvel. A true treasure.”
“An armor like this exists!”
Gong Sohun kept bragging about his skills and gear afterward. Then, one of his friends asked,
“So, Gong Daehyeop, what level of warrior can you handle?”
The whole table fell silent, leaning in. Warrior rankings were always a favorite among enthusiasts.
Gong Sohun smirked and pointed at me.
“That swordsman over there? I could kill him in one exchange.”