Chapter 50: This Lady
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 50: This Lady
The Flame Demon, Buk Gung-son.
Judging by his title alone, it seemed to imply a demon artist who wielded flames.
-I’ve heard of him.
At that moment, the Sword Venerable, facing Buk Gung-son, spoke up.
‘You know the Flame Demon?’
-Flame Demon is his title within the Demonic Cult. The title they called him by in the Western Region was...
The Fire Spirit Demon Emperor.
-Ah, I think I’ve heard that title before too.
If even the Demon Empress had heard of him, he was no ordinary figure.
“He’s from quite a long time ago, then.”
-At least a hundred and fifty years must have passed by now.
-You can think of him as the demon who once set the Western Region ablaze.
The demon artist who caused the Great Fire Demon calamity, scorching the vast deserts of the West.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom stared at Buk Gung-son, who was holding the Fire Spirit Jade.
-A man from the Demonic Cult, yet he’s dragging around two souls from the North Sea. How interesting.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom had encountered Changseong, who was attached to the Ice Crystal, once before.
If the Flame Demon was in a similar situation...
“Are you guarding the Fire Spirit Jade to prevent it from going berserk?”
-Kwahahaha!
The Flame Demon burst into a fit of mad laughter at the suggestion that he was guarding the jade.
Zing—
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom frowned as the mad laughter rang painfully in his ears.
Snap.
The laughter stopped abruptly.
-It is the opposite.
“The opposite...?”
-It seems you have extracted the Fire Spirit Energy from the Young Palace Lord’s body.
Woom— Woom—
The Fire Spirit Ring Hyeok Ryeon-yeom had created vibrated in response to the Flame Demon’s words.
-Though much time has passed, I shall give you a chance since we are from the same homeland. Turn back.
“I cannot leave until I know your intentions for trying to make the Fire Spirit Jade go berserk.”
If he had met the Flame Demon without encountering the Living Zombie first, he might have simply turned back.
But now.
Knowing that the Flame Demon intended to trigger a rampage of the Fire Spirit Jade, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom had to uncover the truth.
Why?
‘Because Hyeok Ryeon-geuk must have been here.’
He needed to know what that man was plotting within Potala Palace.
-Do you wish to die?
Fire Spirit Energy erupted from the Fire Spirit Jade and shot toward him.
Swoosh—
The moment the incoming Fire Spirit Energy touched Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, it was instantly absorbed.
-…….
“I’m sorry, but it seems I possess an energy of a higher caliber.”
-Hoh.
The Flame Demon’s gaze shifted instantly.
-There was a body far more suitable than the Young Palace Lord’s.
-Avoid him!
-Strike him down!
Tossing the Fire Spirit Jade aside, the Flame Demon lunged at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
To block him, the Sword Venerable and the Demon Empress stepped in front of Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
Kwang!
A massive explosion erupted.
-I wondered where I’d seen you before—you’re those old fossils from the North Sea!
-Kid, he’s after your body!
-He was infusing Fire Spirit Energy into the Young Palace Lord of Potala Palace just to use him as a vessel for resurrection!
Resurrection? A sacrifice?
“So, it’s a demonic art.”
Indeed.
Utilizing the Fire Spirit Energy within the Fire Spirit Jade would certainly make it possible to perform a grand ritual.
In other words.
‘To heal Cheon Deung-jin, I ultimately have to get rid of the Flame Demon.’
The priority was to separate the Flame Demon from the Fire Spirit Jade.
While the Sword Venerable and the Demon Empress held the Flame Demon at bay, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom quickly approached the Fire Spirit Jade.
-What are you doing—!
“Do you want my body?”
To the Flame Demon, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s Extreme Yang Body was likely the most coveted vessel imaginable.
-You, what are you trying to do...
-Are you insane?!
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom began to suck the Fire Spirit Energy out through the Fire Spirit Jade.
His body was already overflowing with Yang energy; forcing even more into it brought about an agonizing, excruciating pain.
-Kwahahaha! Foolish boy! My thanks! I shall make good use of your body!
The Flame Demon, Buk Gung-son, shook off the Sword Venerable and the Demon Empress and charged toward Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
And the moment the Flame Demon’s hand touched him...
Swoosh—
The Flame Demon, Buk Gung-son, was sucked directly into Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s body.
*
‘This body is mine now.’
So thought the Flame Demon, Buk Gung-son.
In life, he had intended to block the invasion of Potala Palace based on a pact with the Heavenly Demon.
However, the moment he entered Potala Palace with the Fire Spirit Jade, he became its prisoner, his soul bound to the artifact.
After his physical body perished and only his soul remained, Buk Gung-son struggled desperately to survive.
The successive Palace Lords of Potala Palace began to treat the Fire Spirit Jade he carried as a sacred artifact.
Thanks to that, Buk Gung-son was able to nurture his strength deep within the palace.
As time passed and he recovered some of his power, Buk Gung-son yearned to reclaim a physical form.
But unlike his vanished body, his soul had transformed into something nearly identical to the Fire Spirit Jade itself.
To possess a body in this state, he needed a vessel capable of containing his soul.
A Fire Spirit Body.
He needed someone who could fully accept the Fire Spirit Energy he harbored.
That was why he had infused Fire Spirit Energy into the body of the Young Palace Lord.
If the child survived, they would become the vessel.
If they died, he would simply wait for the next candidate.
But then...
‘A human with a body even more suitable than the Young Palace Lord has appeared.’
He couldn't help but salivate.
A supreme physical form possessing the Extreme Yang Body.
Since he had already entered the boy's body, all he had to do now was seize control.
However...
“What is this? Why can’t I see him?”
No matter how much he looked around, he could not find Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, the owner of this body.
Then...
-You truly are a trivial existence.
Buk Gung-son looked up at the sky.
The shadow of a colossal being was looking down at him.
“What in the...”
It was an unbelievable situation.
It was as if a giant version of Hyeok Ryeon-yeom had placed Buk Gung-son on his palm and was peering down at him.
“This makes no sense!”
Buk Gung-son cried out in shock.
Before him, black figures began to walk forward with steady thuds.
They were three blurry, black shadows.
The first figure was the afterimage of a mage draped in an otherworldly robe.
Following him was a sturdy young man swinging a bat over his shoulder.
Finally, a man wreathed in black flames.
The three merged into one to form a single figure.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
The owner of the very body he had coveted and entered.
“This is my Imagery World. This is not a place that a forgotten phantom who lived a mere single lifetime can overcome. Not unless they are ‘me.’”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom vanished again, and his voice echoed through the space.
“Flame Demon, you made the wrong choice.”
Appearing here and there in a flash, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom eventually walked out from the front.
Flutter—
Butterflies began to flap their wings.
“This is my domain.”
Within this realm, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom could manifest anything he could imagine.
Flutter—
A butterfly landed on Buk Gung-son’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry, but this is my victory.”
Fwoosh!
A massive pillar of fire engulfed Buk Gung-son.
“Aaaaaagh!”
Buk Gung-son, consumed by the fire demon, let out a blood-curdling scream.
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom looked at him and whispered.
“Now, if you want to live... answer my question. Hyeok Ryeon-geuk. Have you ever met the eldest son of the Demonic Cult’s Leader here?”
*
-It seems our worries were for nothing.
-How can your mental strength be stronger than the Flame Demon’s?
The Sword Venerable and the Demon Empress asked Hyeok Ryeon-yeom as they watched Buk Gung-son’s soul burn.
“It seems the years I’ve lived are just a little bit longer than the years the Flame Demon lived.”
From the beginning, he had no intention of letting Buk Gung-son live.
Furthermore, even Hyeok Ryeon-yeom didn't actually know how to extinguish the Soul-Extinguishing Flame—the fire that incinerates a soul once it latches on.
Thankfully, Buk Gung-son had answered his questions quite well.
Because of that, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was able to obtain the information he wanted.
‘To think Hyeok Ryeon-geuk and Buk Gung-son had joined forces.’
Buk Gung-son had believed the proposal that if he helped seize the Young Palace Lord’s body, they would cooperate with the Demonic Cult to invade the Central Plains.
Watching the burning soul of Buk Gung-son, who had been deceived by Hyeok Ryeon-geuk, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom recalled memories of his past lives that no one else knew.
It was the steadfast mental strength he had built up through multiple lifetimes that had saved him.
In particular, the Imagery World he had created through meditation while reflecting on his past lives was entirely Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s ‘world.’
Flicker—
The Flame Demon, Buk Gung-son, vanished into nothingness without ever obtaining a new body.
Thump— Thump—
Picking up the Fire Spirit Jade floating in the air, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom looked up at the ceiling.
“By the way, how do I get out of here?”
Since he had fallen underground, he worried if he had to climb back up. At that moment...
“Young Hero Hyeok Ryeon!”
Rumble.
A door-like opening appeared in the distance, and Cheon Deung-jin emerged.
“Young Palace Lord?”
“Thank goodness! You’re safe! I was so shocked when I heard my father had driven you into the Fire Spirit Land!”
He looked as though he had run there in a great hurry.
“Thank you. I was just wondering how to get out, and it turns out there was a door.”
“Let’s go! Ah, that is...”
Cheon Deung-jin gasped as he saw Hyeok Ryeon-yeom holding the Fire Spirit Jade.
“It’s alright. It’s safe.”
The Fire Spirit Jade no longer emitted the violent Fire Spirit Energy.
“The Fire Spirit Jade will no longer cause you pain, Young Palace Lord.”
Cheon Deung-jin nodded as he looked at the jade, which had lost its threatening aura.
“Truly... thank you.”
“If you’re grateful, would you mind helping me with something?”
“Pardon?”
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom smiled at Cheon Deung-jin.
Meeting the Flame Demon through the Fire Spirit Jade had actually been a gain for him, but...
‘I have to make them pay for using me as they pleased.’
*
Hyeok Ryeon-yeom conversed with Cheon Deung-jin as they moved toward the Palace Lord’s Hall to meet the Lord of Potala Palace, Cheon Jeok-pa.
“Young Master!”
“Captain!”
“Are you alright!”
As soon as they returned to the Palace Lord’s Hall, voices full of welcome greeted him.
“It feels like it’s been a while.”
He saw Weizhi Young, Baek Mu-yong, and Tae Un-seo surrounded by the monks of Potala Palace like prisoners.
Clack—
As the monks blocked their path with staves, preventing them from approaching Hyeok Ryeon-yeom, the members of the Little Snow Unit shot him a look.
The meaning behind that look was clear:
—Just give the order, and we’ll take these guys out and come to you, Captain!
However, as if he had expected this, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom simply shook his head with a relaxed expression.
“Deung-jin! What is the meaning of this!”
At that moment, the Palace Lord of Potala Palace, Cheon Jeok-pa, and the Guardian Monk, Arhat, frowned as they saw Cheon Deung-jin returning with Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“Palace Lord, I believe we have much to discuss.”
The Living Zombie guarding the Fire Spirit Land.
And even the Flame Demon attached to the Fire Spirit Jade.
Could Cheon Jeok-pa really have been ignorant of these things?
As Hyeok Ryeon-yeom spoke, he casually placed a hand on Cheon Deung-jin’s shoulder.
Twitch—
He felt Cheon Deung-jin tremble.
To an outsider, it might have looked as if he were holding Cheon Deung-jin hostage.
“You scoundrel! Remove your hand this instant!”
The reaction was more intense than expected.
It was similar to the feeling of the Ice Palace Lord, Seol Baek-ho, breathing fire from his eyes whenever he saw Hyeok Ryeon-yeom with the Young Lady, Seol Yerin.
‘It’s just two guys putting an arm around each other’s shoulders.’
Removing his hand from Cheon Deung-jin, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom spoke bluntly.
“You see, I went through quite a lot of trouble in the Fire Spirit Land. So, I have many questions for the Palace Lord, and also, to fully treat the Young Palace Lord, I believe I’ll have to take him back to the Ice Palace with me.”
As he spoke, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom gestured with his eyes toward the monks of Potala Palace.
The things they were about to discuss were not for their ears.
“Dismiss them.”
“But, Palace Lord.”
“At once!”
“Yes, understood.”
At the Guardian Monk’s command, the monks of Potala Palace began to leave the hall.
“Wait. Return my subordinates as well.”
“Very well.”
“……?”
Cheon Jeok-pa returned the Little Snow Unit members more readily than expected.
The members themselves looked puzzled, as if they hadn't expected to be released so easily.
Noticing Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s bewildered expression, Cheon Jeok-pa spoke.
“It was a necessary process to determine whether you had been possessed by the entity inside or not. I apologize for the discourtesy toward our benefactor.”
‘This... maybe we can actually talk after all,’ Hyeok Ryeon-yeom thought.
“Then...”
Just as Hyeok Ryeon-yeom was about to pour out his questions...
“Before we begin our talk.”
Cheon Jeok-pa interrupted him.
“Deung-jin.”
“Yes, Palace Lord.”
“Show your gratitude to our benefactor.”
“Yes.”
“……?”
At Cheon Jeok-pa’s instruction, Cheon Deung-jin, who was standing beside him, turned to face Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“As the Young Palace Lord of Potala Palace, I—this lady—offer my thanks once again for healing me.”
“……?”
This lady?
...A lady?!
At the revelation that Cheon Deung-jin was a woman, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom stared at her with a look of pure shock.
-Hm? You didn't know?
-Oh my, I thought you knew all along.
The Sword Venerable and the Demon Empress began to snicker at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom’s expression.
Their voices didn't even reach his ears.
In that moment, the only thing that flashed through his mind was the icy, terrifying face of Seol Yerin.