Chapter 1015: The Divine Tree and the Master.

“You’re going to Maryeongsan?”

“Yes.”

Before leaving for the next Sacred Tree, I had a conversation with the Turtle at the entrance leading to the Sacred Tree.

Just like last time, the Turtle was communicating with me via a sent staff.

“……Did the Master say that? To go to Maryeongsan?”

“That’s correct.”

“Hmm…”

“Why is that? Don’t you have to visit all the Sacred Trees anyway?”

Since I had to find all the Sacred Trees eventually, I thought going to the location of the next one was the right move.

“It’s a matter of distance.”

“Distance?”

“Yes, distance-wise, rather than Maryeongsan… the Black Phoenix Palace (黑凰宮) should be closer. Why Maryeongsan…?”

‘Black Phoenix Palace?’

The castle of the black phoenix.

The name was quite unique.

“Is the distance significantly different?”

“It’ll likely be double the distance. If heading towards Yawal takes a full half-day’s journey, then the Black Phoenix Palace is two months away, and Maryeongsan is twice that.”

“Whoa…”

Hearing it like that, the distance difference was huge.

That was the distance at a normal speed.

‘Based on my speed…’

I figured it would take about seven days and nights.

‘Plus, outside, due to the rifts, my energy barely depletes. I might even be faster than that.’

This was the reduced distance based on speed, but as the Turtle said, looking purely at the distance, it was quite strange.

‘…Is there a reason to specifically choose Maryeongsan first?’

This seemed like my mother’s intention too, but I had no idea what it meant.

‘What if I hadn’t spoken with my mother’s apparition?’

Hearing the distance, I would have headed to the Black Phoenix Palace first.

‘If that had happened, would something have changed?’

Does the order cause changes? A question suddenly crossed my mind.

‘Well, whatever.’

Thinking about it now wouldn’t change anything. My immediate destination was Maryeongsan.

I considered even the time spent pondering this a waste.

“Anyway… whether it’s Maryeongsan or the Black Phoenix Palace, I need to set out. I was hoping to get some information.”

I needed information about Maryeong Palace. Besides, if the Black Phoenix Palace was on the way.

‘There’s no need to go there and come back; I can just pass through on the way.’

It would be a benefit if I could shorten the route.

“Information…”

The Turtle seemed lost in thought for a moment before continuing.

“First off, there’s almost no information about the Black Phoenix Palace.”

“Huh? There’s none?”

“Yes. All that’s known is that the Master of the Black Phoenix Palace isn’t a Moonlit Tribe member like Yusa, and they’ve only revealed their appearance once.”

“…”

A General, with territory under their control, yet their identity and information are unknown? They must be a strange one.

‘This is a bit disappointing.’

The difference between knowing information about an opponent beforehand and not knowing it is like night and day.

There was at least some information about Yarang, who became a General the latest, but the lack of info on the Black Phoenix Palace’s Master was strange.

This was a truly subtle point, but I put it aside for now and asked about something else.

“…Then, what about Maryeongsan?”

“That place is quite famous. Because a guy who used to run wild was in charge there.”

“A guy who ran wild?”

“Yes, I heard you’ve met him too?”

“What? Ah.”

At the Turtle’s words, the first day I arrived in Mangye flashed through my mind.

The guy I met back then. He was also called a General.

His name was definitely…

“Duryeong.”

“That’s right. Maryeongsan is Duryeong’s territory.”

That black ox bastard who snorted fire.

He was a being with a massive body and immense power.

He had come to kill me, ordered by the Master of Mangye at the time.

‘He got beaten up by Shin Noya.’

I remember him getting utterly demolished.

‘Maryeongsan is that guy’s territory…’

It seemed fitting, given it was in the mountains.

“Hmm…”

Recalling Duryeong, who had breathed fire and acted hostile towards me, I asked the Turtle.

“Is there anything I should be wary of?”

“If you end up fighting Duryeong, don’t fight at night.”

“Why?”

“He absolutely cannot die when the moon is out.”

“Absolutely?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

I frowned at his confident assertion. Absolutely cannot die, huh…

‘Indeed.’

It was like that back then too. Even when Noya slashed and slashed like a madman, Duryeong wouldn’t die.

Was it called immortality? They said Duryeong’s power was like that.

‘Ha.’

Hearing that, I chuckled.

“Then it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“What?”

The Turtle responded with a voice full of bewilderment at my reaction.

If he couldn’t die due to the effects of his divine power, then it truly didn’t matter.

‘To me.’

As long as I have Greed.

His divine power wouldn’t affect me.

---

I left the Hwasan Sect and stood before it.

There was no luggage to pack; I just lightly grabbed a few changes of clothes and some water to drink.

In reality, I didn’t need much water, but I packed it just in case.

I thought this was quite little compared to the schedule.

“……Is that all you have?”

“Yep.”

Cheonma, who had come out in the middle of the night, was even less prepared than me.

She hadn’t even packed clothes.

Meaning she had nothing in her hands.

“You’re just going like that?”

“Can’t I?”

“No, it’s not that you can’t…”

Still, maybe it didn’t matter? If Cheonma was okay with it, then it probably wouldn’t be a problem.

“……Fine.”

So, just as I was about to leave like that.

One subtle thing came to mind.

“Hey.”

“Yeah.”

“You… how fast are you?”

“Huh?”

Going was fine, but Cheonma’s speed was important. Come to think of it, I didn’t know how fast Cheonma could actually go.

Since it was best to go as fast as possible, I asked to know her speed.

“I don’t know.”

Cheonma replied as if she genuinely didn’t know.

“Hmm…”

So, after pondering, I pointed towards a distant tree.

“……See that tree over there?”

“Yep.”

“Go as fast as you can-“

Fwoosh—!

Before I could finish speaking, a gust of wind erupted. The ground where Cheonma stood caved in, and a sonic boom exploded.

Shards flew, damaging the ground.

Leaving the ruined ground behind, my gaze fixed on the tree.

Cheonma had already reached the tree and placed her hand on it.

“……Is that your maximum?”

I asked, frowning slightly.

“Yep.”

Cheonma answered calmly, just like before.

“Hmm…”

She was fast. Certainly not slow.

‘……Slower than me.’

Compared to me, she was considerably slower.

‘Besides.’

And why was she running like that? She didn’t even use lightness skill (Gyeonggong). It meant she just ran using her physical abilities alone.

‘Considering that, it’s still a crazy speed.’

Compared to me before I reached Transcendence, she was just slightly slower.

Compared to me now, she was significantly slower.

‘If it’s like this…’

Trying to bring her along would likely waste too much time, wouldn’t it?

‘What should I do?’

Should I just abandon her?

I pondered for a moment. Abandoning her here was better than wasting time going like this.

“Sip.”

After a moment of deep thought. I reached out my hand.

Fwoop-!

“Huh?”

Cheonma’s body floated up due to my energy. Without any sign of resistance, she was caught and flew towards me.

Thump-!

Still, I grabbed Cheonma by the scruff of her neck and turned her around.

Cheonma, naturally turned around, wrapped her arms around my neck.

It wasn’t like being carried, more like dangling.

“Don’t let go. If you fall, I won’t come looking for you.”

“Okay.”

As she answered, Cheonma tightened her grip around my neck.

Feeling that, I let out an uncomfortable sigh.

‘……This is annoying.’

It bothered me. Especially because the sensation felt familiar. Although the unique scent was different, the feel was very similar.

Was it because her face looked exactly like Wi Seol-ah? The feeling was strikingly similar.

What should I call this?

In my current life, I had carried Wi Seol-ah on my back several times. I remembered carrying the bleeding Wi Seol-ah in my past life.

Now, I was carrying the very being that chased me in the past on my back.

What should I even call this?

It was an indescribable feeling.

If I had to say it felt bad, it kind of did.

If I had to say it felt complicated, it was that too.

It was a feeling that couldn’t be explained in just a few words.

So I didn’t say anything else. I just shoved the thoughts swirling in my head back down and focused on putting strength into my toes.

Chiiiiiiiiiik…….

Heat gathered, and the smell of burning emanated from the ground.

My body slowly descended. The ground was melting.

When I felt enough heat had gathered, I pushed off the ground with my feet and leaped.

And then.

KWAOOOOOOOO—-!!!

An immense flame erupted, propelling my body across the sky.

After the blazing flames subsided, it was roughly seven days and nights later, as calculated, when I arrived at Taesan, which was mostly composed of rocks.

---

It was nighttime, with the moon out. The weather was calm, with little wind.

I was walking on the rocky ground.

After walking for a bit, I found a rock and sat down on it.

“Hoo…”

Only then did I let out a weary breath.

“That was damn exhausting…”

My breath was ragged, and my energy was considerably depleted. I thought I wouldn’t get tired because there was so much energy in the atmosphere, but contrary to expectations, my body was quite exhausted.

It seemed the lack of rest from flying continuously was the issue.

“Hooo…”

Catching my breath, I assessed my condition. My depleted energy and stamina should recover before sunrise.

After catching my breath for a while…

I remembered something I’d forgotten and moved my body. I grabbed what was wrapped around my neck and threw it.

“Oof!”

Cheonma’s body, which had been quiet, flew through the air. She spun around and landed on the ground.

“How long are you going to hang on? Get down now that we’ve arrived.”

“…”

Cheonma smacked her lips as if disappointed. Why was she smacking her lips?

I wanted to say something more, but I was too exhausted to even do that.

“Hoo.”

Catching my breath, I surveyed my surroundings.

It was rocks in every direction. There seemed to be occasional trees, but very few.

‘……Is this the place?’

Judging by the location alone, it matched where the Turtle told me it would be.

‘What’s wrong?’

Something felt very strange.

‘Why’

Not only was there no sign of people,

‘but I couldn’t feel the presence of any living creatures at all?’

There was absolutely no presence whatsoever in the vicinity.

It felt alien.