Inside a vast, dark room, hundreds of people were lined up, kneeling on the ground.
Amidst the sea of black uniforms, a man was slowly making his way forward.
Unknowingly, the demonic energy radiating from him made all the demonic beings kneeling quiver.
His gaze was fixed straight ahead.
The man was looking toward the end of the path he was walking.
「We are glad that you returned safely.」
At the calm voice that resonated from the end of the path, the man’s pace quickened slightly.
Hsssss.
「Ughh…」
「Aghhhh!」
The demonic energy surrounding the man’s feet was heavy with emotion, suppressing everything around him.
「Oh dear, it seems you are quite angry.」
Even so, the figure at the end leisurely took a gulp of his drink.
The man let out a growl upon witnessing that sight.
「Are you satisfied now!?」
The words came out with a hint of demonic energy.
It must have been attributed to the tempest of emotions he was feeling.
「What do you mean?」
At his words, the demonic energy that had filled the area surged toward the seated man, but just as it was about to reach him, it dispersed and vanished.
Crack.
He clenched his teeth at the sight in front of him.
The Heavenly Demon’s power still protected that man.
「Lord, I can’t comprehend why you’re this angry with my small mind.」
The guy brushed down his long hair with his hand.
A deep scar running from his cheek to his eye was visible.
「We successfully conquered Sichuan as planned, and in doing so, we managed to push back the Tang Clan.」
And it was during this process that the Poison Queen met her demise.
「Sure, there were unexpected deaths during the war, but we gained much more in the end, didn’t we?」
We had eliminated the majority of the major forces from the Orthodox Faction and succeeded in dethroning their leader by labeling them irresponsible.
However, the Demon Sword had fallen in the process.
「So what’s the problem?」
His voice, laced with a teasing tone, tickled my ears.
He casually covered his mouth with the fan.
I gritted my teeth against the pounding headache that burned in my skull.
「Lord.」
He called out to me.
Zhuge Hyuk.
The only one among countless demonic beings who was neither wholly demonic nor entirely human.
He had become a pivotal figure of the cult simply with his tongue while smiling at the man in front of him.
「Everything is as the Lord intends.」
「You can’t cover the sky with your palm, yet you try to hide the sun with your lips?」
「What exactly are you dissatisfied with, that woman’s death was trivial, wasn’t it?」
Fwoosh!
In that instant, flames erupted, engulfing the large room, yet chillingly, the flames did not reach him.
「Aghhhh!」
「My body…! I’m burning alive!!」
The flames spread, feasting on the unfortunate demonic beings around him, but the man’s eyes remained locked on Zhuge Hyuk.
Perhaps he found some amusement in the situation, as Zhuge Hyuk wore that same devilish grin.
「Look, your soldiers are burning alive! Shouldn’t you calm down?」
The raging flames showed no sign of dwindling.
With every surge of emotion he felt, the flames only flared higher.
After the conflict between the demons and the Tang Clan, Sichuan had turned into a land no longer fit for human habitation, with the Poison Queen meeting her final end amidst the suffocating poisonous fog.
Under the dim moonlight, the Demon Sword, who had swung her blade in the hope of finding the moon, ultimately closed her eyes against the night sky. Never to open them again.
The moon, which she had cherished dearly, was obscured by dark and despairing clouds.
So what remained in the end?
Nothing…
That was the essence of sacrifice, and I, better than anyone else, understood this truth.
So why am I so angry?
Is there still a trace of humanity within me, even after I cast my human title away?
It was quite the ironic thought.
Little by little, my hand, which had reached toward the insufferable guy’s throat, was lowering,
And the chaotic flames that had engulfed the entire room were starting to die down.
Zhuge Hyuk snickered lightly at the scene.
「I see you’re finally calming down, huh…」
「Shut it, I’m doing my best to keep myself from ripping that mouth of yours apart.」
「I hope you aren’t mistaken, though.」
As Zhuge Hyuk’s previously closed eyes slowly opened, he spoke.
「We all came here voluntarily; your current attitude does us no favors.」
「What are you trying to imply?」
「Remember well that there’s only one person above you, and that’s our Lord. That’s all I mean to say.」
Zhuge Hyuk flicked his fan, tapping it against my shoulder.
With fury brewing in my eyes, I stared daggers at Zhuge Hyuk, gritted my teeth, and turned away.
In the first place, I hadn’t come here for this sort of meaningless exchange with this fellow.
「The Lord of Heaven is dead.」
Though his voice echoed in my ears, I chose to ignore him and kept walking.
「The Dishonored Venerable will likely die tonight as well.」
My steps never wavered despite his words.
「The Sword Emperor has lost an arm; the Lord of Heavenly Demon wouldn’t have to put in any more effort either.」
As I reached for the doorknob at the end of my trek…
– Pause
I was compelled to stop at those final words from Zhuge Hyuk, who wore a bemused smile.
I didn’t turn around.
Uncertain about what expression was adorning my face.
「Think carefully; the Lord will undoubtedly leave this in your hands.」
– Shatter
The sound of metal crumbling echoed in the room.
The doorknob I had gripped twisted under my strength.
「I sincerely hope you make the right choice, sir.」
His voice, now laced with an unsettling chuckle, grated against my ears.
As I burst through the door, I unleashed my pent-up rage into the void.
Screaming until my voice cracked, I finally found a moment to breathe again.
Standing still for what felt like an eternity, I resumed my stride.
I managed to give a semblance of calm to the furious expression I had worn just moments ago.
The demonic energy still coursed through me, but I knew better than to show it.
With deliberate slowness, I moved forward.
My next destination awaited in Henan.
*
The Heavenly Demon had been regarded as a unique entity that potentially transcended humanity, stripping away the façades people wore.
But in the end, he was still one person.
No matter how strong he’d become, the demonic cult centered around him was nothing more than a collection of beings.
It was apparent that this group wasn’t normal, with many of its members driven mad, each one a frenzied demonic humanoid.
And yet, it was solely due to the will of one man that this chaotic group had managed to engulf entire territories.
The largest clan, renowned across the realms, had been annihilated under the machinations of the demonic cult.
The Murim Alliance, the lung of the Orthodox Factions, crumbled due to this same man.
Zhuge Hyuk, the brain behind the demonic cult, known as its mouth and ears, was the name of that man.
Ever since I had returned, he was a target I’d been hell-bent on finding.
So elusive was he that I had started to worry if I’d ever manage to locate him in time… yet here he stood before me.
“Why are you here?”
Not able to restrain my boiling emotions, a hint of anger slipped into my voice.
He looked slightly younger than me, his head showcasing a mix of black and white hair—half of it covered in a striking shade of white.
His bangs danced across half his face, prompting me to brush them aside.
“…??”
The scar that had once marred half his visage was nowhere to be found.
Hmm, perhaps it hasn’t manifested yet.
“You…”
I called out to him, my tone low.
He remained silent, merely locking eyes with me.
Even after a moment, there was still no reaction from him.
Is he ignoring me?
As that thought crossed my mind, my anger surged further.
The wrath rippling from the core of my being…
It had been building for some time, now cresting like a wave ready to crash.
‘Ah, perhaps killing him right now would suffice?’
That was my first instinct.
I had already considered the option of ending him, so hesitation was unnecessary—
「Hey-!」
“…!”
Elder Shin’s sudden outcry snapped me back into reality.
「What the hell are you doing!? Let him go!」
Let go? Let go of what?
Before I could process it, I glanced at my hand and to my shock realized I was actually gripping the boy’s neck.
…When?
What was I attempting to do just now?
A shiver of dread washed over me.
I understood my emotions were high and my youthful body prone to impulsivity, but to act in such a reckless manner?
Something was definitely off.
I was furious, yes, but to lose control like this…
‘…It feels like I’m being controlled by something…’
“What are you doing!?”
With a sudden shout from someone, I found myself physically pushed away from the boy, tumbling to the ground.
Rolling upon the grass for a moment, I finally struggled to my feet.
“…What brings you here uninvited and stirring up such trouble?”
A sharp voice cut through the air, filling my ears.
Looking toward the source, I spotted a figure donning the attire of the Mount Hua Sect.
Her short hair barely reached her shoulders, and her features were reminiscent of those from the Gu Clan.
Yet, her face lacked the sharpness that characterized my siblings; likely a resemblance from our other parent who wasn’t part of the Gu Clan.
It had been quite a while since I last saw my little sister.
Never had I expected our reunion to be under such bizarre circumstances.
Gu Ryunghwa glared at me, rage electrifying her tone.
“Just seeing your loathsome face is a burden; how dare you make it even harder for me!”
“What are you—”
“What were you trying to do to that kid who can’t even speak? Did you think harming him would somehow hurt me since he’s important to me?”
“What?”
“Even after coming all this way, you…”
What exactly did Gu Ryunghwa just say?
He can’t speak…?
My gaze darted back to Zhuge Hyuk, shock overtaking my features.
He remained as impassive as ever.
Even as I grasped his neck with a firm grip, he simply made a half-hearted attempt to resist, keeping his hollow expression intact.
He can’t speak?
My mind was a flurry, grappling with the notion that the boy I had believed to be Zhuge Hyuk was actually mute.
…Could he not be him?
There were no grotesque scars, and he couldn’t speak.
The only similarities shared were his age and his striking hair.
While one could argue it was merely a coincidence…
Deep down, a sense of certainty enveloped me.
That boy sitting there with that unsettling gaze was indeed Zhuge Hyuk.
「First, gather your thoughts.」
With Elder Shin’s words, I took a deep breath.
As soon as I stepped out of the sect leader’s residence, Elder Shin reappeared, bemoaning how frustrating it was to be unable to communicate.
I had no idea whether it was an issue related to the surroundings or the influence of Celestial Plum Blossom.
Regardless, time was not a luxury I could afford.
Once Celestial Plum Blossom emerged, he commanded some of his men to assist in finding a shelter for my companions and then took off at an impressive pace.
Since he had instructed me to follow, I had no choice but to hastily leap in pursuit.
‘…What is happening over there?’
Not too far from Mount Hua,
An old hut nestled within a beautifully grown forest awaited.
And at that very spot stood Zhuge Hyuk.
Moreover, Gu Ryunghwa, whom I hadn’t seen in quite some time, was also there, but my attention drew back to the boy whom I approached, as if entranced.
Elder Shin probed.
「Do you know this child?」
…
「It would be hard to deny that something wild lurched from within you the moment you laid eyes on that child.」
Not a flicker of Qi had I used but still, the upheaval inside me persisted.
Having finally calmed myself, I saw Celestial Plum Blossom stride toward me.
“It seems you two share a closer bond than I had anticipated.”
That declaration came out of left field.
“What do you mean…?”
“Were you angered because your little sister is playing with some other boy?”
“…Pardon?”
What utter nonsense is he spewing?
Celestial Plum Blossom must have flowers blooming in his head—he certainly deserved his title.
Gu Ryunghwa grimaced in distaste at his words.
She glanced between Zhuge Hyuk and me, shivers trailing down her spine.
It seemed she wanted to scream in disgust, but was clamping down her frustration due to the presence of the leader of the Mount Hua Sect.
Creeeak.
The door to the hut slowly swung open.
Out stepped an old man with a head of white hair.
Who is that…?
「Doesn’t appear to be a martial artist, does he?」
That thought crossed my mind too.
Based on his physique, he hardly seemed like a martial arts practitioner.
Yet I knew better than to judge someone based solely on their physique, as even the Sword Emperor bore a similar build to this elderly man.
The old man surveyed the surroundings before speaking.
“Why the ruckus in my yard, what gives?”
At those words, Celestial Plum Blossom grinned.
“Tae! I’m here!”
The old man’s expression darkened as he took in the presence of Celestial Plum Blossom.
“You little rascal… You managed to drag a busy man deep into the mountains for this?”
To call the Lord of Mount Hua that…
And yet, it seemed Celestial Plum Blossom took the harsh words in stride without a hitch.
He then pointed at me and announced,
“Take a look at this kid, Tae!”
The old man’s eyes flickered to mine.
His reluctance to engage was palpable, so I could only stand there, uncertain of my next move.
After scrutinizing me for some time, the old man pronounced to Celestial Plum Blossom.
“Nothing here to see, be gone!”
Bam!
The door to the hut shut forcefully.
In the silence that followed, I turned to Celestial Plum Blossom, curiosity scribed across my features.
“Who is that man…?”
As he stroked his beard in an awkward manner, Celestial Plum Blossom replied.
“Just a healer I know; he seems a bit more sensitive than usual today.”
“…Ah, I see.”
“Come on, let’s head inside first.”
“Wait? But he just told us to scram…?”
Celestial Plum Blossom chuckled at my words.
“He told us to leave, but he didn’t say we couldn’t come in—so we should be just fine.”
“Isn’t that basically the same thing?”
I couldn’t decipher if he didn’t hear me or just chose to ignore me altogether, as he simply swung open the door and strolled inside.
Tae!
Hey, you… piece of trash!
The ruckus echoing from within the hut left me utterly flabbergasted.
For some inexplicable reason, the Fourth Elder’s face appeared in my mind alongside that revered Taoist of the Mount Hua Sect.
Now I see why they’re friends…
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