After clearing the Main Temple episode quest, I took a short break of about two days.
Having used Sacred Transformation twice in a row, I was in quite a rough state, and since I had cleared the Main Temple, there was really no reason to hesitate.
‘All that’s left now is the Godstone…’
Since Ertarn was practically cleared, I thought I’d take my time to obtain that part.
Myeosin might be waiting, but as she said, there’s really no need to rush.
Three days after clearing the Main Temple, I returned again.
■
Three days ago.
The journey of Lily Elbrite, a being with countless epithets like Fallen Being, Powerless Celestial Being, Reverse Heavenly Being, and one to regain rank, finally came to an end.
It was an event that occurred in the world she managed, but Gyeoryu could do nothing.
It wasn’t due to a lack of power.
Although it was Junseon, she could have intervened using the power given by ‘that person.’
But she simply did nothing.
‘An obviously clear fight.’
Slurp…
There was no way to stop her Cultivation, nor was it right to block it.
After eradicating Mokmujin, I thought everything was over as Lily disappeared…
─ I thought she had departed for the Upper Realm.
“Oh. I did go.”
She had returned.
Three days later, just when I was pondering what to do about Lord Jeokmu-hyang, who had lost his master, she reappeared.
She was casually sitting in a small house of a mysterious lineage, with no idea where she had sprung from.
Her serene demeanor was enough to give me chills.
“I went and came back. It turns out this is not really where I belong.”
─ In that case…
“Don’t worry. I’ll be leaving again.”
─ … Have you regained your rank?
“Um, for now? Not all of it, but I’ve resolved everything I could here. But why did your way of speaking suddenly change?”
Lily tilted her head.
To an ordinary person, she might just seem like a stage-one Ascetic, but to Gyeoryu, it was different.
‘… She has already reached the realm of True Immortal.’
Especially the pure ‘light’ filling her spirit and flesh.
It felt like an unfathomable rank compared to the lightning or Infinite Completion Lily had used before.
‘The appearances she had shown so far were merely a ‘part’ of her.’
Gyeoryu, seeing the light slowly flowing from Lily, lifted the teacup with trembling hands.
“Just treating you in accordance with your rank. It’s only natural for someone deserving to receive such treatment,” he said.
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
But…
Gyeoryu glanced away.
Where Lily currently was didn’t belong to Lord Jeokmu-hyang’s Palace.
Compared to the Archlord’s Palace, it was quite small, but it was a well-constructed small house.
As the owner of Jangmugye, he had seen numerous buildings of various structures, and while it was quite impressive, what caught his eye wasn’t the building itself.
What stood out the most was…
“I once met Lord Baekmuhyang and, you know, a building like this isn’t too bad. So I tried to make one myself.”
“…Is that so?”
“I thought I’d use it when you come to visit later. Isn’t it nice?”
“Quite.”
The Jeokmu-hyang’s Palace was incredibly spacious for Lily, who assumed a human form, allowing her to move freely in whatever direction.
But what fervently captured Gyeoryu’s attention was something else entirely.
“…You’ve made quite a few friends, haven’t you?”
“Oh.”
Clack. Clack.
“Kraaak!!! Just let go!”
“Just one leg.”
“Tsk. So noisy.”
Even excluding Gyeoryu and Lily, there were three more in the tiny small house.
Firstly, a red crustacean scuttled around the house, avoiding the young girl.
From its appearance, it seemed to be a spirit born with the Cosmic Spirit, and its power was substantial enough to rival that of a display case.
‘Display Case level 2… Not extremely strong, but definitely not in its normal state.’
It had merely shrunk to fit into the small house, but if it returned to its original form, it would surely become stronger.
It was hard to comprehend why such a being wasn’t present in the previous fight.
‘…What’s that?’
The more astonishing sight was yet to come.
A muscular male of an unknown race sat in a massive chair near the water.
With golden hair and eyes of the same color, he exuded a dry atmosphere, possessing a power and rank that had reached Junseon.
Of course, leveraging his position as the owner of Jangmugye could provide a way to win, but it would come at a steep cost.
If he fought Mokmujin in the current realm, it might have been a good match.
Gyeoryu observed the man with eyes full of tension.
Lily remained unperturbed; after all, she was a disaster that couldn’t be crossed.
Worshipping a disaster wouldn’t change the situation.
She merely prayed that the disaster would pass her by.
Just pray for the road.
“Do you have something to say to me?”
But that muscular man is different.
‘It’s not a disaster. But it’s certainly a threat.’
Of course, he must be Lasty’s subordinate, so he wouldn’t act out of line, but if she leaves him with me—
Whack!!
“Don’t act cool. You’re late.”
“This damn bloodsucker…”
“What?”
—…?!
Flinch.
I can’t breathe.
Gyeoryu stared wide-eyed at the pretty girl.
The girl looked as pale as a zombie, dressed oddly yet exuding the elegance of a noble.
She’s floating the claw in the air, leaving behind a screaming crustacean she must have just cut loose.
She dealt a blow to the back of the muscular man who seemed her equal, but he just got angry without responding.
Cough!
It looked like she was ‘behind’ him.
—……
The girl was casually dismantling the claw with blood.
The crustacean was protesting, but the girl was cooking without a care in the world.
…Did she just say bloodsucker?
How can a bloodsucker be that strong?
Giving up the axis of life and becoming a weak bloodsucker approaching ‘True Immortal’ is nearly impossible.
This can’t be real…
“You. You’re cocky, aren’t you?”
—…!
They locked eyes.
Those red eyes slowly bound Gyeoryu’s soul.
Gyeoryu had no blood in her body, but the bindings from her strength and magic couldn’t be resisted.
If there had been blood, she would have been subdued without even realizing it.
Feeling the crisis, Gyeoryu was about to pull out her main body and use her last resort.
“Lasty.”
“Yeah.”
—…! Phew!
At Lily’s word, the binding was released.
Gyeoryu clutched her neck with trembling hands and looked up.
Lily was extending her hand with a very kind smile.
…It gave me chills.
—…Who are you?
“I’m just a person.”
An utterly ordinary person.
■
I brought in Pharaoh and Karabus, along with Lasty, into the small house I was in.
Originally, I was planning to let them play outside, but I didn’t expect a mess to happen.
By the way, Gapwoo, who usually accompanies Karabus, didn’t come, saying he had something to do in Space.
“I’m sorry. Since they wanted to see, I called them for a bit, especially since I haven’t turned on the broadcast.”
—……
“But I didn’t expect you to suddenly attack, Lasty?”
“I didn’t intend to. That cloud tree just turned me around because it wanted to observe me.”
─C-cloud tree?
“Don’t you know?”
Hmph!
Lasty glared at Gyeoryu with fierce eyes.
Gyeoryu was sweating bullets (not really, but he had good reason to).
As the master of Jangmugye, Gyeoryu had the power to identify anything existing within Jangmugye if he simply acknowledged it.
As he watched Lasty with his naked eyes, he felt something odd and decided to use his ability to observe her.
If he were an ordinary person, he wouldn’t have even realized he was being scrutinized, but the opponent was Lasty.
Due to her sensitivity to powers, magic, and abilities, she detected Gyeoryu’s movements and reflected them back at him.
Upon hearing this, Gyeoryu averted his gaze from Lasty and muttered.
─…It doesn’t seem like you just tossed it back.
“It’s a punishment. A punishment. You didn’t even know your place and you’re staring with your eyes wide open.”
─……
“I’d love to crush your soul, but thanks to my sister, you’re still breathing.”
─Thank you.
Gyeoryu looked very worried about what was to come, but he didn’t need to.
“Don’t worry. We’re leaving now.”
─…Huh? You’re not leaving these folks behind?
“Why would I?”
─Well, there’s the matter of Lord Jeokmu-hyang’s successor. This Bloodsucker over here will follow in his footsteps…
“Lasty can’t become a lord.”
If Lasty were to take charge of Lord Jeokmu-hyang, that would mean turning the whole place into vampires.
As long as the ‘Blood Curse’ remained on Lasty, she would never ascend to the throne.
The Pharaoh was already seated on the throne, and Karabus didn’t even warrant discussion.
“The new Lord Jeokmu-hyang will be the Ascended Overseer Won-gyeom. I’ve already taken the necessary measures, so he’ll figure it out on his own.”
─…Understood.
“And.”
─?
I turned my head.
Lasty was ripping off Karabus’ legs to share them nicely.
Of course, 80% of what she cut off was for me.
Gyeoryu’s expression grew even more serious.
“Eat, sister. I even gave some to that cloud.”
“Though I say this, I’m actually a kind-hearted creature.”
─I see…
“I’m naturally kind.”
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