Chapter 1069: The Divine Tree and the Master.

Silence passed between them.

Time flowed like that, their gazes locked.

For a long time, they simply gazed at each other, unable to utter a word.

No, it probably wasn’t for that long.

Although it didn’t seem like much time had passed, the heavy atmosphere made it feel like ages had gone by.

Saiaaaaaa.

The dust that appeared as Taechen vanished scattered in all directions, carried across the night sky and swallowed by the aurora.

Then, as the two moons slowly cast their light upon the two of them.

“Ah…”

The first to voice a sound was the woman, Ye Hwa.

What should I say? Where should I begin asking?

During that fleeting moment, the woman agonized and pondered deeply.

About how he had spoken her name.

About whether he might have remembered.

About whether the amnesia had truly lifted.

As she pondered, overwhelmed by the countless questions she longed to ask,

“Ye Hwa.”

“…!”

Gu Yangcheon spoke to her with a somewhat weary expression.

“Is that your name?”

“…”

Hearing his words, Ye Hwa slowly relaxed her widened eyes.

While she felt relieved by Gu Yangcheon’s words, Ye Hwa realized upon hearing him.

That her own name was still Nameless.

---

‘Remember just one thing.’

Around the time I finished making all my choices, the Ancestor told me.

‘When you return, utter just one word.’

What was I supposed to utter? As I stared at the Ancestor, unable to comprehend,

‘Ye Hwa.’

An inexplicably familiar melody flowed from his lips.

Ye Hwa?

‘Ye Hwa.’

It was a name I’d heard somewhere before.

Yes, this was a name. Someone’s name. Repeating it as if it were familiar, I looked at him and asked,

‘What is this? Whose name is it?’

Whose name is it, really? As I asked this, the Ancestor spoke, his eyes lowered.

‘It is the name of a pitiful one.’

‘A pitiful one…?’

‘Yes, the name of a pitiful one. Because it’s the name of someone no one will remember.’

‘What the…’

‘Don’t argue, just remember it. If you don’t do this, I won’t be able to respect your ‘choice’ either.’

‘…’

Faced with those words, I eventually had to nod.

It was actually nothing much.

Just uttering a single word, a name.

Because it was a simple, easy command, I nodded.

If that’s all it took, I’d do it gladly.

Thinking so, I accepted it. And when I opened my eyes, I uttered the name out of habit.

“Ye Hwa.”

Just two syllables. Eyes that wouldn’t even open properly. Words uttered with a body that felt somehow painful.

What followed was a fierce darkness.

Was it night? It seemed like it was night even before I lost consciousness.

Judging so, I tried to open my eyes.

‘It’s cold.’

An inexplicably cold sensation wrapped around my entire body. Where was this sensation coming from?

How could it be this cold and dark?

It felt strange, too strange to be just night.

So, with my bewildered mind, I looked around.

Chabak.

I felt a subtle sensation beneath my feet.

It was water. A damp, sloshing current filled the space below my legs. Unable to comprehend the situation, I felt a sense of displeasure and looked straight ahead.

Where could this water be flowing from? Following the current’s direction, I looked towards its source.

It was a massive gate. A black gate, seemingly made of iron, was open, and the current was bursting forth from within it.

‘What is this?’

What could this water be?

Just touching it evoked a sense of the abyssal. With a feeling like floating, I staggered and looked ahead again.

Only then did I notice something standing far in the distance.

Who is it? The one standing alone in the center of the current.

Appearing precarious, as if about to collapse. Yet, they didn’t move at all.

As I watched that pitiable sight.

Seuuk.

The woman who was standing looked towards me. Our eyes met. As soon as I saw her desolate gaze, I spoke.

“Ye Hwa.”

Kkirik.

Cheolgeok.

The moment I spoke, something locked with a sound, and my vision was obscured.

The dark space vanished, and stars shot upwards.

Beneath the brightly shining aurora, the original world reappeared.

“…”

The darkness that had disappeared like that.

No, it hadn’t disappeared. Though it seemed to have vanished, what I saw the moment it cleared was darkness instead.

The darkness that had risen was now draped over the woman’s body.

Seueueu-.

The darkness covered her body in a form resembling flames. Looking closely, it bore a striking resemblance to a ceremonial robe.

What could that be?

Setting aside its unusual form, my mind snapped to attention at her violet eyes looking at me.

‘Cheonma.’

It’s the Cheonma.

Though possessing an abyssal and alien form, she was the Cheonma.

“Is your name Ye Hwa?”

I asked, suppressing the discomfort I felt just looking at her.

“…”

No answer came.

At my words, the Cheonma’s eyes widened, and then her expression slowly returned to normal.

Disappointment.

Even if I were clueless, I couldn’t fail to understand what that expression meant.

Why would she wear such a disappointed expression?

‘Ye Hwa.’

What meaning did the name the Ancestor told me to call have?

“Who… are you?”

Someone no one could remember.

Thus called a pitiful being.

I wanted to ask.

Who exactly are you?

To my question, the Cheonma lifted the corners of her mouth.

“Nothing is as futile as expectation.”

She spoke beyond her dry smile, clearly enunciating.

“Even knowing that well, to expect again… no matter how much time has passed, it must mean I am still weak.”

Seueu.

The flames flickering from the robe draped over her shoulders gradually increased.

“How did you know? No, I suppose I didn’t need to ask.”

The Cheonma spoke to me as if she had realized something.

“He must have told you within you. If that was consideration, I’ll thank him, but please tell him not to do it next time.”

“…”

It was a strange sensation. The more I heard, the more…

The more I looked at that form.

I felt and realized.

“…You.”

The being before me right now.

“Are the Cheonma.”

Not the naive woman I got to know in this life.

But the Cheonma I knew in my past life.

As I said that, realizing it, a smile formed on the woman’s lips.

“Yes, that’s enough.”

“Enough for what? What are you? What happened?”

The Cheonma from my past life.

Facing her, I became certain. Yes, that was it.

A presence vastly different from her current appearance.

She exuded allure and arrogance. Furthermore, she radiated an unbelievable aura, possessing the might of an absolute being.

“There are times when not knowing is necessary.”

“…You’re talking nonsense. That’s not what I asked? What exactly are you?”

I said, contorting my face. The body uttering the words felt somewhat hollow.

A broken vessel. It seemed that was because it hadn’t been properly restored.

“Why did you make me regress? Or rather, did you even have the memories in the first place?”

Was it true that she had the memories in my past life? If so, why did she pretend not to know in that state?

Moreover, what was the reason for making me regress?

To my questioning, accusatory words, the Cheonma smiled bitterly, just like before.

“There was no other way. That’s all.”

“…There was no way?”

There was no way other than making me regress.

At the Cheonma’s words, I contorted my face.

It wasn’t even funny.

“That doesn’t count as a reason.”

She made me regress because it was the only method.

What kind of ridiculous excuse is that?

“What do you intend to do to me? What is your objective?”

I heard it from the Ancestor.

The Cheonma had the greatest influence when I twisted my predetermined fate.

That this was not coincidence, but destiny.

That the Cheonma, knowing everything, had urged me to make such choices.

I couldn’t understand.

“…Why, exactly?”

Why, exactly, did you…

…do such a thing to me? With what intention?

No matter how many times I asked, the Cheonma’s reaction was the same.

Just a dry laugh and a look of resignation.

Even seeing that, I didn’t stop talking.

“It’s all fine. Whether you changed my fate or whatever, let’s just accept it. But.”

I said, glaring at the Cheonma.

“How do I know you?”

She said Ye Hwa.

That seemed to be the Cheonma’s name. But.

‘I know this.’

I knew the Cheonma’s true name. I didn’t know it exactly, but it felt like I should have known.

But I don’t know. Yet, I must know.

The end of this contradictory feeling is discomfort.

‘Why don’t I know?’

Why don’t I know this?

Not knowing it makes me intensely uncomfortable.

It made me incredibly sensitive.

I said, scrunching up my face.

“Do I know you?”

“…”

In response to my question, the Cheonma closed her eyes.

A moment of silence passed.

“Well…”

The Cheonma says.

“Not everything you ask… can I answer.”

I shook my head. Each time, the heat haze seemed to fade.

“You must recall it yourself. Otherwise, there’s nothing I can answer.”

“…Then who is supposed to answer? Who’s supposed to tell me what I don’t even know?”

Hearing my words, the Cheonma laughed without answering.

And then.

“Hey.”

She uttered words completely unrelated to what I had asked.

“I don’t have much time, so…”

She looked calm, yet seemed to be choking back tears.

“Could you call me one more time?”

“What?”

What did she want me to call?

My deliberation wasn’t long.

However, it was absurd that she would say that in this situation. Or ask for time.

She’d say that in this situation?

I was bewildered and could only contort my face.

Strangely, my mouth uttered different words.

“Ye Hwa.”

Two syllables spoken calmly.

“Mm.”

At those words, the Cheonma said,

“Thank you. I missed you too. See you later.”

“Wh-…”

Just as I was about to speak at her sudden remark.

Paak!

The oppressive aura surrounding the Cheonma vanished, and she collapsed.

“…!”

Before she hit the ground. I rushed forward and caught the Cheonma.

At that moment.

Jjeojeojeok!!

A sound like something tearing was heard, and someone appeared, ripping through dimensions.

“…”

The silent, brown-haired woman.

It was Ya Rang.