Chapter 866
The pond was barely large enough to fit five adult men, but that was just the visible part; inside, it was much wider.
A pond that gleamed with golden light. My eyes widened as soon as I glimpsed inside.
The hidden size of the pond was astonishing, but more so because it was filled with something.
It was so vast that I couldn’t even get a proper look. At first, I wondered what it could possibly be.
‘…What is that…?’
Before long, I recalled what it was. It was a gigantic snake.
A very, very huge snake.
What’s more, I had seen it before.
‘…Isn’t that the snake we encountered in the secret vault of Geumcheon Yeon-ga?’
It was less than a year since I had returned to the past.
That beast was the one I met in the vault while searching with Wi Seol-ah.
At first, I panicked, thinking it was a monster, but when it started talking, I nearly fainted.
‘Could that be the same guy from back then?’
Could it really be that snake? If that were true, why on earth was it just lying there?
Judging by its condition, it seemed to have been dead for quite a while.
‘…And also…’
As I scanned the inside of the pond, I noticed something else peculiar aside from the snake.
There was something floating in the pond.
Its size was roughly that of a thumbnail, and it had a round shape.
I quickly used the space technique to pull one out.
It was a white orb.
‘Isn’t this the same thing I ate?’
It was the spirit particle I took after defeating some unknown giant. It was identical to that object.
If that’s the case, then this must be it.
Everything that the Gyecheonmun Lord had consumed and everything that the dead folks have eaten had to be this.
‘Why on earth is this thing floating around in this pond?’
Why was the snake’s corpse lodged in the pond while these orbs were just drifting about?
I couldn’t figure it out. In that case…
‘I’ll need to investigate.’
It seemed I needed to find out from now on. With that thought in mind, I waved my hand.
Whoosh!
The frozen Gyecheonmun Lord came flying in, rolling on the ground.
I immediately released the blood marking that was afflicting him.
“Ugh…!”
As soon as his blood flow resumed, he attempted to say something. Unable to utter a word, I grabbed his throat.
I even adjusted it a bit, fearing he might bite his tongue in desperation.
“I’ve got a lot of questions for you.”
Thump!
My heart was racing.
“But time is short… and conveniently, there’s something I need to test.”
Whew—!!
Crack!
Magic surged forth from my palm.
“Let’s keep this simple.”
I enveloped Gyecheonmun Lord entirely.
As a gentle breeze blew, the young man who had been sitting opened his eyes.
“Hmm.”
He let out a short sound while stretching.
“Hmm.”
A sense of inexplicable joy resonated in his voice. He repeatedly opened and closed his hands several times.
“Not bad. You’ve been through a lot.”
“Not at all.”
The young man, the woman kneeling before the Blood Demon, responded.
Upon hearing her reply, the Blood Demon slowly rose from his chair.
His appearance was surprisingly different from before.
His limbs, once withered, seemed robust, leaving one to wonder how he was even alive.
Now, he had returned to a perfectly healthy form.
“Looks like… maybe I can put this to some use.”
The Blood Demon smiled with satisfaction.
His body had previously been unable to withstand a third of the desired intensity.
Now, perhaps because he had overused the sacrifices a bit, he felt better than before.
If it were a vessel of this caliber…
Ten percent. It was hard to compare with the main body, but just likening it to the past, that much could be managed.
With that thought in mind, the Blood Demon took a step forward.
“So, what’s the situation?”
“…I’ve completed preparations, just as you instructed.”
“I like it.”
“However…”
At the dancer’s words, the Blood Demon turned to look at her.
“What do we do about the Holy King? He hasn’t specified anything and we are just waiting.”
“The Holy King? Ahh…”
The Blood Demon nodded as if coming to a realization. Yes, he had indeed received such a title.
“Leave that kid alone.”
“What?”
The dancer’s eyes widened.
“It means not to worry about whatever he does. In fact, I’d prefer if he kept acting that way.”
“Nonetheless…”
“Hmm?”
The Blood Demon inclined his head at her words.
At that gaze, the dancer immediately bowed her head deeply.
“…I apologize.”
Tsk, tsk.
The Blood Demon chuckled and turned his gaze straight ahead again.
I understood why the dancer felt that way.
Unforeseen events were still occurring.
The sudden appearance of an unexpected being was distorting plans, leading to circumstances completely different from the Blood Demon’s expectations.
Because of this, the dancer appeared to be worried.
‘How nice.’
The Blood Demon found himself rather pleased. A sequence of anomalies that even he wasn’t aware of, and that the world itself couldn’t fathom.
He had thought that such surprises couldn’t occur again.
It was hilariously entertaining.
Just look at what’s happening now.
‘Something has shifted.’
The Blood Demon sensed a transformation in the atmosphere in the brief moment he had closed his eyes.
What could it be? He didn’t ponder for long.
‘You again.’
That child.
The dagger of the world deliberately left behind to create an opportunity for rebellion.
‘What kind of amusing antics are you up to this time?’
What had he done to incite this?
‘Is the world displeased?’
The Blood Demon licked his lips, concealing a smile.
Simultaneously, he paused and looked at the ceiling above. Though it was blocked and couldn’t be seen, the Blood Demon knew.
“If you’re so displeased, then why not just interfere a bit?”
Tisk, tisk.
The Blood Demon spoke with a chuckle as he resumed his halted steps; he was well aware no response would come.
One, the change had already initiated, and there was no turning back.
The Blood Demon perceived this and smirked.
The time had come. Or perhaps it had already passed?
“Dancer.”
“Yes.”
“I must pay a visit to my precious daughters.”
“…!”
The dancer trembled considerably at the Blood Demon’s words, having grasped their significance.
“…Which way do you plan to go first?”
“Hmm… Let me think.”
After briefly contemplating, the Blood Demon said:
“For starters…”
As he spoke, the Blood Demon’s face revealed:
“I’m feeling famished; I must regain my strength first.”
He wore a bone-chilling, terrifying smile.
The atmosphere was unchanged from before. The location had not altered in the slightest.
And I was still standing in the same spot.
Yet nothing had shifted.
I was gazing at something with my eyes lowered.
This was the earlier pond.
A pond stained in gold. I glanced to the side.
“…Heh… heh….”
An older man, looking withered and frail. The Gyecheonmun Lord was kneeling, shaking his head.
He seemed slightly dazed.
It had been an eternity since I’d witnessed a look like that.
There was no trace of resentment or despair in his eyes directed towards me.
It appeared as though not just his body, but even his soul had vanished.
Seeing this, I moved my hand.
Crunch—!!
Thud.
His head exploded upon my punch, and he crumpled to the ground. Instant death.
“…”
I didn’t bother wiping the blood from my hand as I grimaced. I had already gathered all the information I needed.
How had this group called Ilcheongyo emerged? What were they doing here?
Also, what were their objectives?
What I sought to learn through the Gyecheonmun Lord’s mouth had finally been unveiled.
“…I’m losing my mind.”
Even after hearing all that, I found it hard to comprehend.
This wasn’t simply about the situation.
I understood all of that. Just one thing.
The last words spoken by the Gyecheonmun Lord lingered in my mind.
I turned back. It was where the Dark King had been.
Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah also bore astonished expressions. Perhaps it was a mistake to not let them leave early, allowing them to hear everything together? Or was it because they had witnessed me manipulate magic to alter the Gyecheonmun Lord’s state?
As for me, I had shown it to them intentionally. I couldn’t hide it forever, after all.
By now, my intention was clear; to gradually reveal what kind of person I was.
The issue was.
‘Something even bigger has occurred.’
I had just learned something far more shocking than what I had displayed.
That was the problem. It was one thing for them, but…
‘Dark King….’
That was the reason the Dark King wore such a vacant expression.
It was difficult to discern what thoughts were racing through his mind or what emotions he felt, as the Dark King’s face didn’t reveal anything. Yet at that moment, his emotions were glaringly apparent.
Confusion.
And shock.
It was an expression the Dark King had never shown before.
‘…Naturally.’
I could understand the Dark King’s predicament. How could I not?
The location of this place, the events that had unfolded, and even the last words of the Gyecheonmun Lord.
Had I been in the Dark King’s position, my reaction would have been worse.
‘How on earth?’
No matter how much I contemplated, it defied logic, causing me to endlessly mull it over.
Yet despite chewing it and chewing it again, I couldn’t piece it together.
I couldn’t do anything but accept that.
Anyone would have come to a similar conclusion.
“Tsk.”
I furrowed my brow, recalling the final conversation with the Gyecheonmun Lord.
-So, who on earth is behind this?
-… .
There’s no way he had orchestrated all of this alone.
Someone must have been pulling the strings from behind the scenes. I had asked him about this, and the Gyecheonmun Lord had been hesitating for a long time before finally confessing.
-…Yeonilcheon.
-…!
Upon hearing that, I frowned. What on earth was this madness?
-Why is that person’s name being mentioned out of the blue? He must have been dead for hundreds of years.
Gyecheonmun Lord was supposed to speak only the truth, but instead, he uttered something absurd. Stunned by this, I responded incredulously.
-What, is he still alive?
To my question, the Gyecheonmun Lord replied:
-That… is correct.
-…What?
-Yeon… Ilcheon… is… alive.
At the Gyecheonmun Lord’s response, everyone around him froze in shock.
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