Chapter 1037: The Divine Tree and the Master.

Woowoong.

The crack that had opened behind the Heavenly Demon. The fissure, tinged with a purple hue, was obviously radiating an extraordinary aura.

Ominous black energy could be seen slowly rising from it. I also knew the reason why just looking at it made my brow furrow.

That thing.

‘That’s what I used in my previous life.’

The fissure the Heavenly Demon sometimes used to travel by opening dimensions.

At first glance, it looked like a Demonic Gate, but no monsters were popping out.

It seemed to be used solely for movement, or for other reasons, and even I didn’t know what was inside.

In appearance, I thought it might be similar to the power Cheoljiseon used, but…

‘Something is different.’

I could tell it was somewhat different from the power that guy used.

‘Why didn’t I know?’

No, why didn’t I remember? The Heavenly Demon could use fissures.

Wasn’t it like that even at the Divine Dragon Hall?

‘She came out after opening a fissure.’

Back then too, she had come out after opening a similar fissure. Why had I forgotten that?

“……Hey.”

“Yeah.”

“What is that thing? What’s it used for?”

“Hmm?”

The Heavenly Demon looked behind her at my words. There was the fissure she had emerged from.

Seeing it, the Heavenly Demon reached out a white hand and drew it slightly downwards.

Then.

Screeeeech–!!!

Making a disgusting sound, the door closed in an instant. Watching the fissure disappear without a trace, the Heavenly Demon said.

“Home.”

“……Home?”

“Yeah. Home.”

What did that mean? Hearing her words, a thought occurred to me, just in case.

“If it’s home. Does that mean you can go to the Central Plains too?”

The Heavenly Demon’s home was none other than the place where Guryeonghwa was; if the Heavenly Demon called it home, could it be that one could return through that fissure?

I spoke my thoughts, but.

“No.”

The Heavenly Demon tilted her head as if asking what I meant.

“That’s not home.”

“What……?”

If that place isn’t home, then where is it?

As I asked the question, dumbfounded, the Heavenly Demon looked at me and asked.

“Do you want to see? Home?”

“……”

“If you ask me to show you, I will?”

“If you want to see.”

At the Heavenly Demon’s words, my eyes widened. She’ll show me what’s inside?

‘It’s something she’d never show me, even if I died.’

In my previous life, she never showed it to me, no matter what. I hadn’t asked before, but whenever I subtly showed curiosity, the Heavenly Demon had said something to me.

‘Were you curious?’

The Heavenly Demon said, pursing her lips.

‘If so, do not be curious.’

Even if it meant the end of this world.

‘I will never show it to you, no matter what.’

“……”

Remembering the Heavenly Demon’s words like that, I narrowed my eyes.

The words ‘If you’re curious, I’ll show you.’ I tried it for a moment, but the answer came faster than I expected.

“I’m curious.”

I was curious. If I could see it, wasn’t it only right that I should?

As I spoke with that intention.

“Okay.”

The Heavenly Demon nodded calmly and moved her hand again.

Scrrreeeeech—!!!

Her fingernails tore through the void.

The fissure drawn like that opened, forming a purple Demonic Gate.

It was the same place I saw earlier.

The Heavenly Demon entered through the created gate. Halfway in, the Heavenly Demon looked towards me and said.

“Follow me.”

“……”

Leaving those words, the Heavenly Demon vanished.

I remained alone, quietly watching the gate. I had said I was curious, but… was it really okay to go in?

‘……Putting curiosity aside.’

Though I was unconsciously acting alongside the Heavenly Demon without much thought.

A thought flashed through my mind: was this okay?

Following her into that seemingly dangerous place?

‘What if this was all the Heavenly Demon’s intention?’

It might be. One must always prepare for danger. Before I knew it, I had let my guard down around the Heavenly Demon.

‘……Tsk.’

I pondered this. Was it really okay to go?

As I thought this, in that moment of hesitation.

Whirrrrr–!!

The gate began to close.

Seeing that, I took a step forward.

My body passed through the gate just like that.

---

The first sensation I felt was familiarity.

The passage of the fissure, perhaps made of the Heavenly Demon’s demonic energy, felt familiar yet alien.

Moreover, the passage wasn’t short. It felt like I had walked for ages, but the end didn’t appear.

Since it seemed to be a space made of the Heavenly Demon’s demonic energy, I couldn’t lower my guard.

It was a possibility I couldn’t ignore.

‘I don’t know when this demonic energy might bare its fangs at me.’

Constantly recognizing the dangerous situation, I walked and walked.

Could it be, I wondered, that this was an endless space? Just as that thought occurred.

Ironically, around that time, I saw a light far ahead. Was that the exit?

Thinking so, as I walked towards the light.

Whoooosh—!!!

My vision shifted. What was once a tangled, twisted sight cleared up, and the background changed.

“Hmm?”

Seeing it, I furrowed my brow.

What is this place? The difference from the space I had expected was stark.

I had thought dry plains, a dilapidated and desolate sky, and rotten earth would be waiting.

Roughly estimating, I thought it might be similar to the Forgotten Land where Mooa was.

‘This is…….’

Completely different.

It’s clear. The sky was clear. It didn’t seem like a blue sky; rather, a sky tinged with sunset glow was visible.

The sky was clear without a single cloud, and it was about time for the moon to appear.

Furthermore, instead of dry land, green meadows were winding around the surroundings, and the sound of gently flowing water reached my ears.

As I looked, stream water was flowing down from afar.

Even the surrounding forest was lush.

No matter how I looked at it, this wasn’t the Forgotten World or the place I had expected.

It was too clear.

Moreover.

“It’s familiar?”

It’s familiar somewhere. As if I’d been here once before.

“What is it?”

What could this familiarity be? What on earth about this place makes it feel familiar?

“Superficially, it does look like the Central Plains.”

I instinctively knew this place wasn’t the Central Plains.

This isn’t the Central Plains. Then, what dimension is this?

I rolled my eyes to look for the Heavenly Demon.

“Where is she?”

So where is this one?

I didn’t know where this place was, and I had to find where the Heavenly Demon was.

Swaaaaaa.

The wind blew. A wind carrying leaves brushed past me, and a fragrance wafted to my nose.

It was an unremarkable fragrance. An ordinary smell I had always known.

Jolt.

As soon as I smelled it, I felt a slight flutter inside.

I’ve been feeling this way continuously. Since arriving here, the feeling has been subtle.

It was a feeling I had always felt, or perhaps longed for.

‘No matter how I look at it.’

It seemed like I had been here before.

“……Hoo.”

Letting out a sigh, I gathered my energy. Whatever the case, I needed to find the Heavenly Demon first.

I raised my ki sense to its limit to find the Heavenly Demon.

The Heavenly Demon already had a low presence. Just like Wi Seol-ah.

So, though I tried my best to find her.

‘Hmm?’

There was no need. As soon as I raised my ki sense, I felt her presence. It was puzzling.

‘There.’

The distance wasn’t far either. Thinking that, I immediately took a step.

Moving quickly, I headed towards where the Heavenly Demon was.

Brushing past the forest, I reached the location in an instant. Arriving in the space, stepping on the grass, I frowned.

The center of the dense trees was wide open. It wasn’t a naturally formed appearance.

It was closer to a garden someone had cultivated, decorated, and made beautiful.

Whirr-clack!

The sound of a water wheel could be heard.

It seemed installed near the connected pond.

Carp could be seen swimming in the pond. Several of them, in various colors, were swimming around.

It’s peaceful.

That was the only thought that came to mind seeing the scene.

Just peaceful and beautiful.

The richness and warmth emanating from the well-kept garden spread through my body.

It was amazing. That such a space was decorated behind a purple dimension. Moreover.

‘Did she call this home?’

The fact that the Heavenly Demon herself had described this place as home.

Simply amazed by that, I briefly examined the dwelling. Why would she create something like this in a place like this?

Did the Heavenly Demon make it?

If that were the case.

‘This is too.’

Even the dwelling felt familiar. It wasn’t a large dwelling. Made of wood, it seemed somewhat worn out, but it clearly felt well-maintained with affection.

Its appearance was common, so it wouldn’t be strange to think I’d seen it somewhere before, but.

‘No. It’s not that kind of familiarity.’

It wasn’t just because it resembled the Central Plains, or because the dwelling’s shape looked like something I’d seen somewhere.

It wasn’t familiarity stemming from such things.

This was literally instinct.

I had definitely seen it before.

Not just similar. I had seen this place itself somewhere.

That was from within my mind.

Perhaps it was speaking from my heart.

Thump-!

It beats.

As I looked at the dwelling, smelled the air, and observed the scenery, my heart repeatedly pounded.

My pupils trembled.

Unable to speak, I just kept looking at the dwelling.

For a long time, and then another long time, I remained still, unable to utter a word.

“Here.”

A voice was heard. At the sound, the silence broke, and I turned my head.

Beyond the pond, on the porch built onto the dwelling. The Heavenly Demon was sitting there. Her black hair, the sound of the turning water wheel.

And the light pouring from the sunset made her squint.

The Heavenly Demon made shade with her hand and looked this way.

Her somewhat vacant-looking purple eyes looked at me, and then.

“This way.”

Tap tap.

She tapped the spot next to her on the porch.

As if telling me to come and sit there.

The moment I saw that.

-Come here and sit.

The voice was the Heavenly Demon’s, but she didn’t speak.

At that sound, without realizing it, I walked over and sat beside her.