Chapter 210: The First Sin (2)
The heat swirling around the room was so intense that even I, who had reached the ranks of the Destructive Flame Arts, felt the swelter.
On the floor lay a headless martial artist from the Fusion Realm…
His name was…
What was it? I never caught it.
I had the impression that he was trying to introduce himself, but I didn’t hear it properly.
Leaving behind the man who ended his life with my father’s strike, I turned my attention to my father’s appearance.
His cape fluttered behind him, thanks to the fierce Qi, and his crimson uniform danced in the wind.
The sheer gravity of his Qi made it feel like there was barely enough air to breathe.
However, what was truly important in this situation was…
The fact that he had no injuries at all.
He was in such good shape that the only visible wounds were a few scratches on his hand, likely from forcefully tearing through the formation. Other than that, he was remarkably unscathed.
“…Lord.”
Gu Huibi stared at my father with shocked eyes, clearly taken aback by his unexpected appearance.
After all, it was a wonder that such a cold and emotionally distant man would leave the clan to save her.
That reaction is understandable, given that she has no idea.
If I thought back to my past life, when I became a Demonic Human and Gu Yeonseo suffered due to the First Elder’s scheme, my father’s actions revealed that he was not the sort to disregard his children’s well-being.
Though, this might be a side of him that others don’t know.
As my father quietly observed Gu Huibi, he soon turned his gaze to Namgung Bi-ah, and then finally back to me.
His piercing stare was like a knife against my soul.
“Third child.”
His tone felt quite chilly.
“…Yes.”
“Why are you here?”
Well, that’s a question indeed.
Why am I here?
Unable to answer, I subtly averted my gaze.
Noticing my reaction, my father glanced back at Namgung Bi-ah, adding quietly, “We will discuss this later.”
It seemed he was willing to let it slide for now.
After all, we weren’t in a situation that allowed for lengthy explanations.
Having finished his sentence, my father turned his back to me, so I took the opportunity to speak.
“Lord.”
At my call, my father slightly turned his head to look at me.
I nearly flinched from the intensity of his red glare, but I had to ask what I needed to know.
“…What happened to the Lord of the Black Palace?”
“The Black Palace Lord?”
“Yes, he was definitely heading toward you.”
The black fog was moving toward the center of the crimson sky, surely where my father stood.
“The Palace Lord…”
After a moment of silence, my father finally responded.
“Yes, I saw him.”
He continued as if recalling a distant memory.
“We exchanged glances from afar, and then he disappeared.”
He disappeared?
I had expected to witness a confrontation, but according to my father, it seemed the Black Palace Lord had chosen to escape instead.
“Didn’t you try to capture him?”
My father shifted his gaze and spoke, focusing forward.
“I prioritized what was important.”
His meaning was clear: locating Gu Huibi took precedence over capturing the Black Palace Lord.
As soon as he confirmed her safety, he turned and walked away without a shred of hesitation.
“You heartless bastards!”
Elder Mook, who had remained silent until now, finally exploded in frustration.
“Look! An old man is in such a state, do you not feel any pity?!”
Perhaps it was the Elder’s raised voice that caught my father’s attention, as he momentarily looked toward him.
Children can be forgiven for such things, but you should know better!
Elder Mook shouted at my father, his glare intense.
In response, my father fixed his gaze back at Elder Mook.
“It’s been a while.”
I couldn’t help but widen my eyes at that greeting.
So, my father knew the Lord of the Hao Clan?
Elder Mook sniffed disdainfully at my father’s stiff acknowledgement.
“Wow, look at how fast you are to greet me. You probably recognized me quite a while ago.”
“I heard you had passed away, but it seems you are still alive.”
“My life span turned out to be longer than I’d appear. And you know it too.”
His tone was irritating, almost as if he was trying to remind my father of their past friendship.
My father, realizing the Elder’s intentions, looked at me and ordered, “Third child.”
“…Yes.”
“Carry the old man.”
With that directive, my father resumed walking, and simultaneously, Gu Huibi’s body soared through the air towards him.
Watching this unfold, I let out a long sigh.
In the end, I have to carry this old man.
With no choice in the matter, I quickly freed Elder Mook from his shackles.
So, your father seems to get it after all.
Ignoring Elder Mook’s comment, I dutifully lifted him onto my shoulders.
“Ugh! Could you be a bit gentler?!”
“Shut it before I decide to toss you aside.”
The way you speak is oddly reminiscent of your father’s younger days.
Why does that sound like an insult?
How on earth do Father and the Lord of the Hao Clan know each other?
The Lord of the Hao Clan, that elusive figure, was related to Father in a way I never knew.
I don’t really know much about my father’s past anyway.
Though I had a fleeting notion that his youth was far from ordinary.
After all, this could easily be concluded by looking at the headless Fusion Realm martial artist lying on the floor.
Dying from a single strike…
That was no easy feat, even with an ambush.
Moreover, the fact that he hadn’t even used his Fire Arts suggested he hadn’t unleashed even a fraction of his full power.
I wonder if my father has reached the pinnacle.
The pinnacle of the Destructive Flame Arts, a realm I couldn’t reach in my past life, but it seemed plausible that Father had already arrived at such heights.
Considering that other than Wi Seol-Ah, the only person to leave a mark on the Heavenly Demon, which the Three Venerables couldn’t achieve, was my father.
As I stepped out of the prison, I noticed that the martial artists from the Black Palace had already been dealt with, and standing before us was the First Army, the direct troops of our Lord.
With my father’s emergence from the dungeon, the Captain of the First Army approached him.
“We’ve neutralized them. A few have escaped, but you need not worry about them.”
It’s already all done?
I couldn’t help but frown at the Captain’s words.
How could they have dealt with the elite forces of the Black Palace so swiftly?
Father also seemed puzzled, wearing a contemplative expression.
They certainly weren’t a small force.
While it seemed like they were the strongest forces of the Unorthodox Faction, I was left disappointed by their numbers.
The man labeled as the Vice-Lord of the palace was said to wield incredible power but had been reduced to this insignificant display.
Nonetheless, that’s still far too few.
It became clear that they lacked the necessary strength.
It was almost as if…
They had been preparing to flee from the very beginning.
No matter how many times I pondered, that seemed to fit.
The lack of numbers and the carelessly arranged formation only fueled my suspicions.
Did they plan to abandon the Main Palace right from the start?
I couldn’t think of another explanation.
The question hung in my mind, prompting me to seek answers.
Just why?
If the Black Palace Lord had really chosen to abandon the Main Palace, there had to be a compelling reason behind such a drastic decision.
And that ominous flower too; it undoubtedly came from the Black Palace.
The flower I procured from Mount Hua made me wonder about the Black Palace’s intentions regarding such a ghastly creation.
Were there truly just one flower?
To consider that there might be more, what purpose did they serve?
I didn’t have extensive knowledge about the Black Palace from my past life.
The information I had was limited, and with events unfolding rapidly, I found myself pressed for time to gather any more.
Additionally, the reasoning behind Gu Huibi’s kidnapping likewise required clarity.
Will I even uncover the truth?
It was uncertain whether those scoundrels had left any traces.
However, for now, our priority lay with ensuring Gu Huibi’s safety.
As I inspected her injured form, I determined,
I can purify the Demonic Qi, but…
Dealing with the obstructive Demonic Qi that was preventing her from using her own was paramount.
Yet, given that she had endured the Demonic Qi too long in her frail state, recovering her strength came first.
If possible, I needed to secretly drain the Demonic Qi from her before we returned to the clan.
It would certainly be easier than being discovered by the Immortal Heals or Father.
And I need to locate that Black Palace Lord who vanished; I must find that bastard.
The Palace Lord was a prominent figure in his own right, and instead of facing him, my father had rushed to the prison to find Gu Huibi.
Thus, it was odd for him to simply hide away.
Moreover,
If he meant to conceal himself, what prompted him to confront Father in the first place?
Father had mentioned an exchange of glances with the Palace Lord, which indicated they had indeed crossed paths, even if fleetingly.
As I collected my thoughts, Gu Huibi, while receiving some care, began explaining to the First Army what had transpired in the Black Palace.
She described her encounter with the Palace Lord, entering an unfamiliar room, and meeting a child.
Hearing this only deepened my bewilderment.
A child?
What could she possibly mean by ‘a child’?
Gu Huibi claimed there was a child present at the Black Palace.
She described this child as having a strange aura, appearing terribly malnourished, and lacking in verbal skills.
At first, I may have taken this lightly, attributing it to their hidden schemes or something sinister they had planned behind closed doors.
Yet, what followed was problematic.
What?
“Why are you acting this way, little brother?”
“What did you just say?!”
I gripped Gu Huibi’s arm tightly, unable to contain my surprise.
Namgung Bi-ah approached, seemingly trying to intervene, but my mind was too preoccupied with what I had just heard.
Who did the child resemble?
This shouldn’t be possible.
Right after hearing Gu Huibi’s words, a blaze of rage surged through me.
Smash!
I couldn’t help but unleash my emotions, charging forward and shattering everything in my path.
Despite being in a weakened state, I refused to be cautious.
I ignored the pain and poured my Qi into every step.
Damn it…
[Calm down, brat!]
Elder Shin, startled by my raging Qi, attempted to soothe me, yet I couldn’t take his advice to heart.
What the hell is going on?!
Gu Huibi’s revelation was something I could have easily dismissed.
Even if the Black Palace were plotting something, it was not my immediate concern.
My primary objective was to ensure Gu Huibi’s safety.
Attempting to confront the Palace Lord or overpower him was beyond my current abilities.
It would have been gratifying to take action, but I couldn’t lose sight of my priorities.
Nonetheless, the issue that Gu Huibi had brought to light was far too significant to disregard.
The Palace wasn’t the one controlled by the Demonic Cult.
The mystery behind the martial artists of the Black Palace wielding Demonic Qi was becoming clearer.
Was the Black Palace actually the root of it all?
Their Demonic Qi was so diluted that it seemed unusable.
That fact had made me overlook the bigger picture; I had only ever sought their connection to the Demonic Cult, never considering that they might be the origin themselves.
If only this is a mistake…
I hoped my current assumption was merely overthinking, but as it often goes, my premonitions were rarely wrong.
Bang!
Fueled by frustration, I bulldozed my way further down, tearing through walls as I descended.
I went deeper and deeper, beyond even the jail where Gu Huibi had been confined.
“Hey! Young Master?!”
As I ventured lower, I encountered soldiers from the First Army stationed to set up formation barriers.
The number of people gathered told me I wouldn’t be going any further.
As expected…
The Vice-Captain of the First Army was studying a large door in the distance.
That door matched Gu Huibi’s description perfectly.
“…Young Master?”
As I drew closer, the Vice-Captain regarded me with an expression of confusion, as if to ask why I was there.
Ignoring his gaze, I simply inquired, “The door, can’t you open it?”
“Ah, I was examining it; it seems to be warded by a formation.”
The Vice-Captain presumed the door was sealed due to some kind of formation.
Gazing at the massive door, I took a deep breath.
Formation? This is far from it.
I recognized it immediately, especially the violet gemstone embedded in the door.
Without hesitation, I reached out to touch it.
“Young Master! It’s dangerous to—!”
The Vice-Captain rushed to halt my action, startled by my sudden advance.
Bang!
The door reacted instantly, causing the Vice-Captain to step back in shock.
Could they really not sense it?
The vile Qi coming from behind that door was palpable to me.
It was a sensation I could recognize, one that hit me deep within my soul.
Bang! Bang!
With a force mixed with Demonic Qi, I pushed the door open with all my strength.
Seeing the door swing open made the swordsmen behind me eager to rush inside.
Whoa!
But they halted in shock, as the oppressive energy inside crashed over them.
It was a natural response for martial artists skilled in Qi; their instincts warned them of the threat posed by Demonic Qi.
Leaving them behind, I stepped boldly into the room.
As soon as I entered, darkness enveloped me, making visibility a challenge.
Light!
In an instant, I conjured flames to illuminate my surroundings.
“This is…”
The room was far larger than I had anticipated.
The floor was covered in dried petals and leaves, with evident scorch marks, as if something—most likely a book—had been incinerated.
Following the trail, my gaze darted to the wall.
Huh?
To my astonishment—
“Well, this is entertaining.”
There stood the Lord of the Black Palace, the elusive figure I’d been hunting.
Beside him was an old man covered in age spots, a face I recognized well.
The Great Oni…
He was the aging figure overseeing the Demonic Cult’s affairs.
Despite appearing even older than my last life for some reason, I knew it was definitely him.
Furthermore, behind them stood a Gate of Demons wide open.
But it wasn’t a typical Gate of Demons of any of the four representative colors; rather, it was a violet one.
In the basement? This is absurd!
I wasn’t surprised, however.
This was undoubtedly yet another of that bastard’s abilities.
“How were you able to open the door?”
While the Palace Lord studied me with fascination, my attention was predominantly on the child in his grasp.
A fragile body, so thin that I could see the outline of its bones, complemented by the long, dark hair falling down.
Not to mention the striking violet eyes.
Just from these traits, I had certainty; but to further confirm my suspicions, the evidence was stark on the child’s face.
“Ah, what the hell…”
The child’s expression, as they cocked their head and looked at me, was so eerily similar to hers that it sent shivers down my spine.
Like Wi Seol-Ah.
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