Chapter: 514
“Yes, it’s the blood of your mother.”
At the words spit out by my father, my heart plummeted.
“What did you say?”
Wondering if I had heard correctly, I asked again. It had to be that way. The story I just heard was too significant to simply brush off.
‘You’re saying it’s my mother’s blood?’
Of course, I was my mother’s child. No.
‘It doesn’t matter if I’m not.’
Honestly, it didn’t matter whether it was true or not. I had even entertained the thought that maybe it wasn’t true.
I had heard my mother was a disaster that had fallen upon the entire generation. That implied she wasn’t human. It meant she was something non-human, like a Blood Demon or a Heavenly Demon.
I was even considering the possibility that I might not be her flesh and blood.
Still, it didn’t matter.
‘Even if I’m not my mother’s blood.’
I was her child, after all.
I recalled the winter road where we held hands, me cradling my little sister and walking together. I had not forgotten those days when I could endure the cold thanks to the warmth of our hands.
So it didn’t matter.
It was an irrelevant matter.
‘What did you just say…?’
If I were to say here that I wasn’t my mother’s biological child, then we’d have to delve into whose son I actually was, complicated as that would be.
Although anyone could see I was my father’s son, even if I weren’t his biological child.
Whatever it was, it was all good. That’s why having confirmation that I was truly my mother’s child should have been a welcome revelation.
What mattered was why this was coming up now. And of all times, while staring at my changed appearance.
“Right now… what does that mean?”
“…”
Looking at my bizarre appearance, which was obvious to anyone, I thought of my mother. Even the way he spoke with longing felt utterly strange to me.
The implication of those words was clear.
‘You mean to say you saw this kind of thing in your mother too.’
It was somewhat of a troubling thought.
What did it mean that my mother had also displayed this kind of appearance?
Leaving aside my father’s longing, right now, this felt rather chilling to me.
I knew of someone who carried the same vibe as me now.
‘No, to be precise, there are two.’
Of the two, I wasn’t so sure about one, so I’d just leave that alone.
On the other hand, I was quite confident about the other.
‘Blood Demon.’
Reluctantly, I had to accept that it was true.
That damned feeling of being laughed at.
The arrogant and contemptuous stare and eyes I had felt were now mirrored in my own.
I considered this a matter of blood.
The blood energy that the Blood Demon had implanted in me was fully absorbed, and having shed it, I now radiated a similar aura.
That was what I had thought.
‘What if my mother had appeared this way too?’
That was a bit of a problem.
The reasoning was simple.
The Blood Demon had been a disaster. My mother had also been a disaster.
If I projected the same air as those two, what was that going to mean?
[Aesong-ah.]
As my thoughts deepened, Noya interjected urgently.
That was probably a warning that stickiness could lead to danger.
Yet, my thoughts remained unstopped.
Yeonilcheon’s words echoed in my mind.
– You are a disaster.
A statement I had foolishly dismissed as a joke.
No, I had tried to let it go, but that phrase had lodged stubbornly in my heart.
It became increasingly undeniable.
Am I truly a disaster?
Those frustrating thoughts began to crowd my mind.
In the meantime.
In the meantime.
Do you know what’s even more maddening about this?
Even if I were a disaster, I had the nagging feeling it wouldn’t even matter.
‘What the hell… am I crazy?’
It hadn’t even been a year since I resolved to at least not be a disaster.
And yet, what is this mess I’m in?
It was genuinely disturbing to think I didn’t care even if I were a disaster.
Is this also an effect of shedding?
This absolutely sucks.
There’s no way any of this is okay. What the hell is “okay” about it anyway?
I felt an urge to slap myself back to reality, but I managed to hold back because my father was right there with me.
Get a grip. I really can’t let this go south. Can I? Or has it already gone south?
“Third.”
“…!”
I barely snapped back to reality at my father’s voice.
This wasn’t the time for me to be lost in my thoughts.
What mattered was that my father had just mentioned my mother.
I needed to ask him more, but before I could.
“I’ll head up first.”
“…Huh?”
The expression of disbelief I put on was very genuine at what my father had just thrown out.
He’s saying he’s going up…?
“Just like that?”
At my incredulous question, my father looked up at the ceiling.
“It seems the head of the Tang Clan has arrived.”
He mentioned that the Poison King had arrived outside.
Hearing that, I tried to sense it too, yet all I felt was emptiness.
‘Is it because of whatever is out there?’
Was it called Wheel Star?
The power that alters the color of the sky and vanishes hints of presence.
As long as that’s floating, could it be that we couldn’t feel the opponent’s presence either?
What sort of principle allows for such a manifestation to occur?
Just then, a sudden curiosity flitted through my mind.
My father walked past me without a care.
Is he really planning to go up like this?
“Just a moment, Father. We still need to discuss…”
As I attempted to reach out to grab my father, he directed his gaze my way.
“You don’t have the qualifications yet.”
I had to wrinkle my brow at what my father said.
Qualifying?
“…What qualifications are necessary to hear about my mother?”
Does that mean I need to earn a position or something? If it’s something I need to do anyway, just tell me!
Frustration surged as I contemplated lashing out at him.
“Have you forgotten what we talked about last time?”
My father interrupted my protest.
“Remember, you were told to reach the composition.”
“…!”
“You haven’t reached it yet.”
If I wanted to know where my mother was, I needed to level up in Gu Flame Wheel Technique.
Does this include the qualifications to even hear about my mother?
‘This sucks.’
It’s ridiculously hard just to hear a story.
I’m barely at the level of the Seven Stars, but how long until this ‘composition’ of yours reaches its peak?
It’s so far away!
Even when I’m avoiding impatience, it’s just too distant.
‘…I barely reached it in my past life.’
Thanks to the rough characteristics of the Flame Art, mastering it and building my skill was exceptionally challenging.
If I pumped all my energy into it, I hit the limit, so how long would it take to get to the formal path?
‘I might go crazy.’
It’s difficult to define.
A few years? A few years might be a blessing. I’m where I am now, feeding off of experiences and connections from my previous life.
‘But I can’t just abandon everything and revert back like back then.’
The solid foundation I’ve built up until now is at stake.
If I abandon it and return to building from ground zero like in my previous life, everything will revert to nothingness.
I’ve learned from my past that merely raising the level holds no significance, so I can’t do that!
Hence, I’ve been pondering whether I should throw a tantrum and demand to know.
‘But that too… might not work.’
Looking into my father’s eyes, I could see.
It was a determined gaze, suggesting he wouldn’t disclose anything unless it touched upon this composition of his.
There was no way around it.
I couldn’t ignore it and demand answers, nor could I risk it.
Once I get the chance to move, I’ll move. I just discovered I’ve killed a Heavenly King, so how do I come back from this?
I held it all in.
As I was struggling not to pester him anymore, my father shifted his gaze again.
Sensing my cue, I decided to ask something else.
“…But can I just ask…”
I pointed behind me casually.
“That… No, why is that person just leaving…?”
My father glanced at where I pointed. At the very spot where…
Whoosh whoosh…
The Heavenly King was still engulfed in flames, burning.
“…”
My father’s expression changed as he perceived this.
I clearly saw the look in his eyes.
Did he forget…?
He’s the one who set it ablaze like that?
‘No way… he wouldn’t forget.’
That’s impossible. Surely he hasn’t forgotten!
After briefly observing the smoldering Heavenly King, my father pivoted, shaking off the brief hesitation as if dismissing it.
“…Just leave it alone. It won’t take long for the fire to go out.”
My father’s words compelled me to investigate.
‘Not extinguishing it means there’s a reason behind keeping it ablaze like that?’
Earlier, he had clearly mentioned it was to burn something.
‘What on earth were you trying to burn?’
Something other than flesh for sure.
I couldn’t wrap my head around the meaning. Does that imply my father’s secret weapon has multiple uses?
Thud thud.
While I was lost in thought, my father made his way toward the entrance.
Should I follow?
What should I do? These thoughts swirled in my head.
At that moment, I heard.
“Wait here. I’ll be back with the Poison King.”
“Yes…? Me?”
He wanted me to wait here while facing the burning Heavenly King and the First Elder?
My father’s words struck me as odd.
If the Poison King was coming, wouldn’t it be easier to simply wait?
I glanced back at the formation barring this entrance.
‘…I think my father tore it down.’
After smashing and pulverizing everything, it appeared I could find it in no time if I just knew the location.
So I pondered whether we could just wait together.
“Isn’t there something you should learn here?”
“…!”
I had to swallow hard at the sudden remark.
My father must have suspected my intentions all along.
That I indeed had business in this space.
‘…Oh dear.’
Alongside what Tan Jemun had mentioned,
This seemed to pertain to the Cheonmujiche birth plan.
No, it surely must be.
Otherwise, why would they bother creating something so profound and obscure?
Even…
‘Something feels off about the atmosphere.’
The poison that had been palpable since I arrived.
And the vague sight of a monster’s corpse peering through the backdrop.
Currently, the battles were protecting the space with a combination of betting and speculation, but there was something still lurking.
‘Dare I think…?’
My father had suggested confronting the Poison King outside.
I felt like I had grasped the hidden objective lurking behind his statement.
“I’ll buy you some time.”
‘Find out what you need to know?’
I could already feel sweat trickling down as I contemplated my father’s intentions.
To what extent had he perceived the truth? The chill in my heart prompted me to take the plunge first.
“…Thank you.”
“…”
Pop!
I heard a spark.
When I looked up, my father had already vanished.
As I sat there staring blankly at the emptiness left behind, Shin Noya chimed in.
[I figured it all out.]
“…That’s right.”
I should have simply waited in silence until he returned.
Needlessly moving stirred up trouble.
“…Tsk.”
I clicked my tongue and stepped forward.
What I had gotten caught for, I had gotten caught for. Since he had promised me some time right away, I had to discover what needed uncovering.
The path I headed to was still in front of the shivering Elder.
“Ugh… That… That…”
The Elder trembled as if losing his mind.
No matter how I looked at it, he was in distress.
“Ugh…ugh… huff…”
This already frail man looked even more weakened.
A subtle sigh escaped my lips at the sight.
“Such a pity.”
It truly was a pity.
With things reaching this point, there was no longer anything I could do or say.
Because I had wanted to see him like this, anyway.
“So sad, isn’t it?”
I lowered my gaze, but the Elder merely stared at me as if he were gazing at something terrifying.
“Monster… creature… monster…”
“Monster?”
Was he addressing me? Or speaking of my father?
Both interpretations were viable, but the meaning differed.
‘I wonder if he can grasp anything.’
Those words had already shattered the Elder’s psyche. I thought maybe it could be an act, but he truly seemed broken.
What on earth did I do that could bring about such chaos?
In this situation, even torture would yield no fruit.
‘Then, should I capture others complicit in this?’
It wouldn’t be surprising if others were involved in this.
Regardless of how influential he may be, he didn’t strike me as someone exceptionally powerful.
I guess things might get a tad messy.
“Huh?”
I noticed something strange about the trembling Elder.
He appeared to be clutching something tightly with both hands.
What was that?
It looked like he was holding onto something.
As I reached out to check,
“Ah… no…! This… this much…!”
It seemed as if the Elder was protesting against it being taken away.
How annoying.
“Shall I just rip it off with your arms?”
“…!”
At my flippant comment, the Elder halted all motion.
“Tear… Uh… tear? Ah… Andre…”
Was he reacting to my words about “ripping off his arm?”
Why?
It mattered not what he thought.
What was key was that it brought a reaction.
“That’s right. If you don’t give it to me, I will literally rip your arm off.”
Of course, this wasn’t just a threat.
If pushed, I genuinely had the intention to tear it off.
I didn’t have the time for lengthy verbal disputes.
The Elder likely grasped the truth behind my declaration.
Under a face twisted by fear, he outstretched his hand towards me.
What on earth was he holding that provoked such a reaction?
Meanwhile, his clenched fist remained unmoving.
Thus,
Crack!
“Akkaahh!”
I grabbed the Elder’s wrist and crushed it.
A scream erupted, piercing my ears.
Part of me wanted to shatter his mouth too.
As my grip slowly loosened to allow me to see what he had been holding, I decided to keep moving forward.
“What is this?”
I tilted my head, examining the fallen object.
It was a jewel, a rather small one at that.
What on earth was he doing with something like this?
I picked up the jewel from the floor and scrutinized it carefully.
“I don’t think there’s anything more.”
Just as I considered it to merely be a simple gem,
Thrum!
“…!”
The jewel in my hand suddenly began to vibrate.
Even the energy inside was roiling, spreading outwards.
The energy brushing against me caused my body to react involuntarily.
It was intense.
The poison contained within it was immense, and the agitation of the energy moving as if struggling was staggering.
“…Heh.”
With this observation, I felt assured.
This jewel contained something of significance.
In quick succession, I thrust the jewel towards the Elder.
“What’s this?”
I queried, but the Elder only stuttered, his mental state clearly deteriorating.
Despite that, his eyes remained fixated on the jewel.
“Hmm.”
Given the situation, it was difficult to obtain the proper intel.
Even if his body crumbled, the mind shattering was unavoidable.
Should I truly capture someone else?
As those thoughts coursed through my mind, another one popped up simultaneously.
There’s one approach I could take.
Though I wasn’t particularly fond of this method.
“…Still, I should check.”
I wonder if this can influence even those who have lost their minds.
It would be better than retreating without doing anything.
Now wasn’t the time to measure every option.
Crack!
“Urgh…!”
In an instant, I seized the Elder’s throat.
Thump!
My heart raced loudly.
The energy began to spread forth.
I felt the warmth rising to my pupils.
The energy bound to my heart traveled through my hand, invading the Elder.
“Guuuuugh!”
In response to the sudden surge of energy, the Elder’s body quivered violently.
I persisted in forcing more energy into him.
The Elder’s flesh gradually consumed my energy.
Sensing this, I sent my intention into the rush of energy.
[From this moment onward.]
It would forever be.
[This is your domain.]
This method bore resemblance to the practices of the Heavenly Demon.
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