Chapter: 351
Immediately after Cheonma opened the gate to the magic realm and disappeared.
The woman hurriedly ran to support Gu Yangcheon.
“Your Highness…!”
He staggered and fell. As soon as she touched him, Wi Seol-ah could feel the magic energy bubbling up from Gu Yangcheon’s body.
“No…”
She held back a gasp at the sight.
In the end, this was how it turned out.
She had hoped so much that Gu Yangcheon wouldn’t become a demon.
Alas, Gu Yangcheon had indeed become one.
She could see the look in Gu Yangcheon’s eyes as he gazed at her.
Unlike the usual black or red eyes he had.
Now, his eyes were a purplish hue. This was a symbol of a demon.
Seeing this made the woman start to choke up without realizing it.
“No… no…”
Tears welled in her eyes.
It felt like a touch would make them spill over.
At that moment, Gu Yangcheon stirred.
He raised his hand, stretching it towards her.
“Are you okay…? Your Highness…!”
Desperate, she called out to Gu Yangcheon, but he suddenly reached out and gently stroked her cheek.
“Ah…”
“Why are you crying?”
His rough fingers brushed away her tears.
“It’s fine, stop sniffling. If someone saw me, they’d think I was dead.”
“…”
As she bit her lip, Gu Yangcheon quietly observed her.
She had also gathered the white energy that had been spreading across her body.
As the situation calmed, she felt a surge of anxiety wash over her.
It was because Gu Yangcheon’s gaze held a subtle complexity.
Probably because he was tired.
Or he was shocked from facing Cheonma.
She thought this to herself.
But she had to realize that wasn’t it.
“Hey.”
“…!”
“We have a few things to discuss, don’t we?”
At Gu Yangcheon’s words, she swallowed hard.
How should she respond? What should she do?
[Sister…]
Inside, Wi Seol-ah called out to the woman, but now was not the time to respond to that voice.
At that moment.
Swish.
“Gu… Your Highness?”
Gradually, changes began to manifest in Gu Yangcheon’s body.
She tried to examine him urgently.
But her outstretched wrist was caught by Gu Yangcheon. It seemed to say, “Don’t touch.”
The flow of magic was visible in her eyes.
The magical energy flowing through Gu Yangcheon’s body started to shift little by little.
Just then, she wondered what change this could be.
Huff…
Gu Yangcheon let out a breath, seeming somewhat burdened.
Changes began to occur not just in his spirit, but in his body as well.
A faint red hue started to appear in his dark, black hair.
The color of his pupils began returning to their usual black.
“This….”
In other words, it meant the process of his demonification was unraveling.
To her eyes, it seemed impossible.
Once you became a demon, it was said that you would remain that way until you died.
How viciously did the magic spread from the deceased demon?
Only in death could one be freed from it.
Yet, Gu Yangcheon was in the midst of liberating himself from that state.
How could this be?
As she watched in shock.
Having gathered all his energy, Gu Yangcheon opened his eyes again.
Hah.
“How…?”
As she was about to ask the reason, she closed her mouth upon meeting his gaze again.
It wasn’t long, just a few seconds of eye contact, but it felt prolonged.
Should she make an excuse?
No. It wasn’t a misunderstanding.
It wasn’t what she thought.
She recalled that overwhelming day.
She had anticipated such a moment would arrive.
Before that, she had resolved to vanish before anything like this could happen.
Then in turn, for him too…
“What should I call you?”
“…!”
“How should I refer to you?”
At Gu Yangcheon’s monotonous question, the woman felt like she might burst into tears.
It was a tone filled with certainty.
He had clearly made up his mind.
“…Ah…uh…”
“Couldn’t have been that you lost your ability to speak. What happened?”
“That’s…”
“Enough about that. I have loads of questions. But first, I want to ask something important.”
Where does she even start? How much can she reveal?
What would he ask?
Would he ask what happened?
Why was she behaving like this?
Why didn’t she say anything?
Or perhaps—
Why did she kill him?
Was that act satisfying?
Did she even realize what she had done for him?
Would she vent her grievances on him?
Just the thought took her breath away.
Her hands began to tremble, but she fought to keep them steady.
He had every right to speak.
She was merely avoiding ear-splitting truths.
“Even now…”
The voice that came next made her squeeze her eyes shut.
“Do you hate me?”
Gu Yangcheon’s voice cut through the air.
What did he just say?
Did she mishear that?
Her eyes opened slowly.
The expression on her face reflected confusion, as if she had not properly understood.
She gazed into Gu Yangcheon’s eyes.
“What do you mean…?”
“No, I was just wondering how much you must’ve hated me to follow me. Can you forgive me? I tried my best.”
He scratched his head shyly, looking somewhat ridiculous.
The woman couldn’t muster a response.
But she retorted…
“What do you mean by that? You shouldn’t be asking me something like that.”
“Huh?”
She trembled as tears finally streamed down her cheeks.
“You should curse me…call me worthless. You should blame me. Why…why are you asking that?”
“What on earth are you saying? Why would I curse? Is that how I operate?”
“I am…”
“Oh, just stop whining and answer the question! It’s frustrating!”
Gu Yangcheon interrupted, unable to contain his own annoyance.
And he posed the same question again.
“Do you still hate me?”
“…”
Her wrist was still grasped firmly in his hand.
You’d think with a mountain of questions piled high, he’d at least start with something substantial.
Here she was, feeling she could unleash tears of resentment, yet all he wanted to know was this.
Even if she wanted to vent and skyrocket to the moon with her rage.
All he could ask was, “Did you still hate me?”
She thought he might’ve been sarcastically asking.
But Gu Yangcheon’s eyes appeared as usual.
The very ones she had longed to meet again.
As the woman looked into those eyes, she finally managed to voice her answer.
“No…”
With the words muttered, softened yet tremulous.
The way she spoke carried its own weight, anchored in truth.
But she knew deep down, she didn’t dislike him the first time they met either.
She honestly wasn’t sure at the very start.
Maybe at that moment, anger could have defined her feelings.
But that first encounter was hardly a scene destined for fondness!
But at the very least…
The feelings she held for Gu Yangcheon until her ending moment were undoubtedly different from hatred.
“I don’t hate you… I never did.”
The tremors in her voice echoed the reality she felt.
Hearing that made Gu Yangcheon loosen his grip on her wrist.
“That’s a relief.”
And he smiled, a sincere smile that lit up like a burst of sunlight.
This was the very first question he ever posed.
He chuckled after grasping that answer.
That one smile sent a jolt through her heart, sinking painfully in its wake.
“…”
Thoughts brewed within her mind.
She longed to embrace him.
His presence ushered a flood of memories. The very first and the last time she held him.
It was the day she clung to him, blood seeping away.
Not that time when she held his cold body, witnessing it bid farewell to warmth.
Now, she wished to embrace the Gu Yangcheon present in front of her.
Did she deserve to embrace him?
No, she knew she didn’t hold that right.
Still.
Despite that, she wanted one genuine embrace with him now.
How selfish that thought was.
The woman moved almost unconsciously.
At that moment, Gu Yangcheon wore an astonished expression at her sudden action.
“…Would you mind giving me a hand?”
Pause.
A voice chimed in from behind them.
“It’s fun to watch, but this is actually somewhat urgent.”
When Gu Yangcheon turned to confirm the source of the voice, there stood Bi Yi-jin, drenched in cold sweat.
“Um?”
“…Oh.”
They both completely forgot the fact they had been neglecting the situation at hand.
Knock knock.
Amidst the thick smoke upon which a crimson coffin rested.
An ominous-looking casket creaked open, and someone cautiously began to rise.
Knock knock.
Each small movement echoed with the sound of cracking bones.
From within the coffin, a figure seemed to struggle with unfamiliarity as they straightened themselves.
Knock knock knock.
The noises began to fade as the movements grew more fluid.
By the time the sound finally stopped,
A figure emerged from the coffin and took a few steps through the smoke.
The dancer noticed and hurriedly approached, sinking to her knees.
“…Are you okay? Is there any discomfort?”
The figure, surveying their body, answered the dancer calmly.
“This body may be humble, but it will suffice.”
“I apologize.”
“You needn’t feel sorry, ultimately, there’s only one body I could ever find satisfactory.”
Heh heh.
The figure chuckled lightly.
Only once the smoke cleared could the true identity of the voice be discerned.
As the individual brushed their hair aside, it surprisingly revealed itself to be Jang Seon-yeon.
No, wait—
He was not merely Jang Seon-yeon.
He simply wore a mask, a facade.
Gone were the gentle, calm eyes of Jang Seon-yeon.
Blood-red eyes now firmly occupied their place.
One cheek appeared scaly, rough as reptilian skin.
As if acknowledging it, he brushed his fingers over his cheek, and the remnants vanished.
His pupils began to blink in and out multiple times.
Instantly, he sported the same eyes that belonged to Jang Seon-yeon.
Afterwards, he posed a question to the dancer.
“Dancer.”
“Yes…”
“Did you relay the message I gave you?”
“Yes. I informed both the leader and the master beforehand.”
Swish.
Jang Seon-yeon, or rather, Blood Demon, slowly strode out and donned the attire the dancer had prepared in advance.
“It’s been a while since I’ve walked on my own two feet; it feels quite nostalgic.”
A joyous smile adorned his face, as if delighted.
How many years had passed?
Surely it must have been hundreds.
Or so it would seem.
No, rather, this realization evaded him due to his disinterest in the passage of time.
“…Master.”
Suddenly prompted by the dancer’s voice, the Blood Demon turned around.
“Right.”
“May I dare to inquire about something?”
What could she be wanting to know?
The Blood Demon gazed down at the dancer, intrigued.
This was given as encouragement.
“Please tell me why you are now taking action directly.”
“Ah, the reasons…”
The Blood Demon stroked his non-existent beard at the dancer’s inquiry.
Admittedly, his pose seemed somewhat ridiculous, yet the dancer refrained from laughing.
“If you’re asking ‘why’, it’s simply because the time has come to move.”
“Is it the time you’ve been anticipating?”
“Exactly.”
In the distant past,
The Blood Demon was sealed away.
It was said that he was killed in the world.
But that’s just not true.
He wasn’t killed—
It was merely a seal.
Those unable to slay him concluded they could seal him away so he could never return.
Do you have any idea how intricate and powerful the formation was to seal just one Blood Demon?
Not only were body and spirit forcibly separated and cast into oblivion.
They even shredded the five senses mingled within his soul, scattering them so they’d never reunite.
After hollowing out the frame of the soul, several formations piled atop one another fortified its closure.
Under normal circumstances, there wouldn’t be a chance of breaking free, even after centuries passed.
Yet, the Blood Demon emerged from his seal less than a hundred years post-Blood Demon War.
Ditto to expectations that he could hold on for multiple centuries—
He returned in under a century.
Funny enough, the Blood Demon had practically seen this coming.
Really, who could stop him with mere human-made formations?
A century? Even that was stretching it a little.
However, only his body and spirit were freed from that seal.
And his five senses did not return.
He held no need for concern.
In the end, all would circle back to him.
That’s simply how it flowed; it would adhere to the sequence set by the world.
All the Blood Demon needs to do is be patient.
Time slipped onwards.
The moment had arrived.
The dispersed fragments of the Blood Demon, they had merged into existence long ago.
“I didn’t foresee these fragments mixing with other souls, but it’s better than anticipated.”
The Blood Demon’s senses had intermingled within the cycle of reincarnation for quite a spell.
As if they had long-awaited it, they congregated into a single era.
Is this also a predetermined sequence?
As he mulled that over, the irony couldn’t be denied.
A figure flitted past within the Blood Demon’s mind—
A man of dark blonde hair.
“Didn’t I say that it was pointless to try?”
It may have appeared pointless, yet he remembered that obstinate figure persistently trudging ahead with unwavering belief.
Look, the current flow was indeed directing into a predetermined path.
“A few changes may arise, but they’ll merely be insignificant struggles that no one notices.”
Slap.
He traversed across a dampened floor, the dancer followed suit.
“Right, I asked why you’re taking action now.”
“Yes.”
“Because the world is urging me on.”
“…Are you speaking of the world?”
The entities possessing each of the Blood Demon’s five senses had emerged into this world.
From the very moment, he felt their presence.
Every single sense, without exception.
Could it truly be considered a coincidence?
No, that can’t possibly stand.
The fragments that should’ve been born coinciding with the Blood Demon’s revival never saw the light of day back then.
They had been temporarily held back.
The time simply wasn’t ripe.
Thus, that means they would all be unveiled at once after centuries of contemplation.
Huff.
The Blood Demon simply laughed.
Such an obvious turn of events rendered it all the more comical.
The Blood Demon stared at the ceiling.
Though the ceiling was entirely sealed within the underground, his gaze seemed to see beyond.
To that glistening sky and places even higher.
“Is it truly so terrifying?”
A chilly breeze swept through.
“What’s there to fear? It’s nothing but amusement.”
Bestowed with a mischievous grin towards the unresponsive presence, the Blood Demon turned his gaze back to the dancer.
The dancer bowed her head, avoiding eye contact with the Blood Demon.
Though the veil was drawn over her, the Blood Demon could clearly see her face.
It was then he stated,
“It seems your siblings have finally crossed paths.”
“…!”
The dancer’s shoulders quivered at the mention of her younger siblings.
She had to fight back the rising emotions within.
Jealousy.
She slightly bit her lip, struggling to suppress those feelings.
The Blood Demon observing her took a subtle nod.
“What on earth has got you all worked up?”
“Oh, no. How could I…?”
The Blood Demon pondered her tumultuous response.
What a poor creature.
Not to mention, unlike those who shared both body and energy.
She was a dancer who bore only fragments of her own scales.
Her jealousy reflected a truly narrow-minded sentiment, yet the Blood Demon didn’t lay the blame on her.
Examining her a moment longer, he then directed his attention towards the entrance.
“For now, I just yearn to embrace the wind.”
In an ideal world, he would have lingered a while longer.
However, a curious incident now had him on edge.
While the established flow remained untouched, he could sense the emergence of something which threatened to disturb that order.
“How fascinating.”
Such a deviation intertwined with a previously immutable narrative.
This was that which Yeonilcheon had fervently desired but ultimately failed to bring about.
The Blood Demon briefly recalled an imposing figure.
How peculiar that child had been.
Not only had he housed terrifying existence, but part of him wasn’t even human.
To possess so many marks from the other realm…
If one bore such heavy vestiges of the afterlife, their soul would have long since perished—but here he stood, unharmed.
What made it even more perplexing was that he himself seemed blissfully unaware of his own state.
If this isn’t a deviation, then what is?
The Blood Demon confirmed that all the changes he had yearned for were indeed manifesting.
Thrumming with excitement, the Blood Demon found himself drifting forward, unaware.
“This time, I’ll go investigate directly.”
Anticipation bubbled within him.
“I’m going to retrieve everything I’ve scattered.”
Including his five senses.
The Blood Demon was actively seeking out his own body and powers.
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