Chapter 1267: Scorched World

Vine.

I fall deep in thought, looking at not just a small vine, but a massive one.

It was probably during my previous life. Specifically, when I was devoured by the Ma-gyeongmun transmission and came to this world.

If I had to guess the timing, it would be around my second year. Around the time I had separated from Moyong Hi-ah and her party, moving on my own.

“What is this vine…?”

After wandering and wandering through the forest for days.

Moyong Hi-ah and I, both in a sorry state, were searching for a way out.

“No matter how I look at it, this vine seems to be the problem.”

“……The vine?”

Having been unable to leave for days, Moyong Hi-ah was sensing something strange about the forest. She had determined that this vine was the cause of the strangeness.

I hadn’t understood it at the time.

“What’s wrong with this vine?”

“It’s the only thing that looks obviously strange in this forest. Days have passed, and we haven’t even found a way out, let alone escaped. Isn’t that strange?”

“So, in your eyes, this vine is the problem?”

“Don’t you think so too?”

“……Well?”

As far as I could see, it was just a vine. What was so strange about it? If there was anything strange…

“That it’s damn big?”

It was its excessive size, too large to be called just a vine. Other than that, nothing seemed particularly strange.

“Try shooting fire at it.”

“What?”

Moyong Hi-ah told me to shoot fire at the vine.

“Shoot it…?”

“Yes. Go ahead and shoot. Maybe the vine will burn.”

“No, last time you told me not to, saying I might burn everything down if I shot fire carelessly.”

“That was then. We have no other options now. We have to try something.”

“……”

She sure changes her mind quickly, after all that cursing and complaining earlier. Since arguing here would be pointless, I immediately shot fire.

Hwa-ah-ah-ah–!!!

Flames burst from my hand. My cultivation wasn’t high, so it wasn’t flashy, but it was enough to burn the vine.

However.

Chi-i-i-ik.

The vine showed no reaction whatsoever. Was it even being scorched by the fire? It didn’t seem like it. It seemed completely unharmed.

“It’s really just a candle flame.”

“……This?”

Look at the way she talks after I actually shot fire like she asked. I was dumbfounded. I was about to contort my face and curse her out, but then.

“I didn’t have high expectations for you in the first place… but seeing as it’s unharmed even after being hit by flames, there must be some reason.”

Moyong Hi-ah approached the vine. She seemed intent on examining it. However, no matter how hard she looked, nothing seemed to come of it, her eyes narrowing. Then, she reached out her white hand towards the vine.

“Uh. Hey.”

It had many thorns. I wondered if it was okay to touch it carelessly.

“Eut…”

Just as I expected, Moyong Hi-ah recoiled, clutching her hand.

“G-get some caution.”

Is she stupid? I couldn’t understand why she’d touch something that obviously looked dangerous.

“…I didn’t know it would react the moment I touched it.”

“What didn’t you know? It looked dangerous the moment I saw it. Is it bleeding?”

“Yes. It is.”

Blood welled up at her fingertip. Seeing it, I shook my head.

“Look.”

As soon as I saw it, I tore off my sleeve. Jji-i-ik went the fabric as it tore, and I wrapped it around Moyong Hi-ah’s hand.

“…You have spare clothes, I see?”

“Enough to clean up your foolish mistake.”

While engaging in a bit of bickering, I wrapped the cloth.

“Haa… How much longer do I have to put up with you?”

“How would I know…’

Just as I was about to start arguing again while wrapping her hand.

Ku-reu-reu-reung-!

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

The vine suddenly writhed. The vine, which had been still just moments ago, started moving.

Kwa-ah-ah-ah–!!!

“Hey, you crazy bastard!!!”

---

“……”

I shuddered, recalling the past. Those damned vines. Was this the same one that attacked me back then?

As I shuddered.

“Be careful.”

Mi Hyoran said, looking at the vine.

“These vines become aggressive when they sense human blood.”

“……”

Hearing Mi Hyoran’s words, I was certain. These seemed like the same ones from back then. I didn’t know if the location was the same, but the type of vine certainly was.

“We need to break through this to proceed and reach our destination.”

“The vines? How? Can we just cut them down?”

Poison Phoenix pulled out his dagger and spoke. Seeing this, Mi Hyoran shook her head.

“No. The vines cannot be dealt with by simply cutting them. …Rather, their numbers will only increase.”

“Then how…? Should we perhaps shoot energy at them?”

“No. Those won’t work either. Instead, if they receive energy, they only become stronger.”

“Then…”

“Still, they have a weakness.”

“A weakness??”

“Yes, those vines have a weakness; there’s a way to overcome them.”

The method to overcome those massive vines…

‘That would be…’

“Finding and eliminating the original vine within.”

“…The original?”

Hearing this, Poison Phoenix looked at the vine. Wondering what could possibly be within the large, dense mass of vines, but…

‘It’s there.’

I knew it. Inside. Amidst the green vines, there was one vine with a different color. The color I saw back then was probably…

‘Purple.’

A purple vine. If I found and eliminated it, this field of vines would disappear.

The problem was.

‘It’s just a bit difficult.’

Considering the size of the vines and how densely packed they were. I had to find and deal with the vine within such a seamless space.

What’s more.

‘If I were to expose it and draw blood.’

It was obvious they would attack, making it no easy task.

“Where on earth could such a thing be inside here…?”

“We’ll have to find that starting now.”

Just then.

‘When the vines attacked.’

Seeing the vine burrowing towards Moyong Hi-ah and realizing the danger. Someone appeared and saved us.

That was probably…

‘Wi Seol-ah.’

Wi Seol-ah, who was called the Sword Sage of the era. She appeared during the crisis and cut down the vines. Back then, when she cut the purple vine, the other vines disappeared instantly.

‘What was strange was.’

That Wi Seol-ah had cut down all the other vines as well.

‘Hmm.’

How did she do it then? I recalled the past.

‘The vines don’t react to normal flames.’

Not just flames, but other energies didn’t work either. It didn’t seem like this time would be any different. Yet, Wi Seol-ah cut them down.

What was it?

What was different about Wi Seol-ah back then? I pondered. She must have done it because there was something. I hadn’t thought much of it back then.

‘There must have been something.’

I pondered repeatedly. As I was agonizing over it.

“We need to find it quickly. Once we get past this, we can go straight ahead. Let’s all start.”

Mi Hyoran spoke, urging them to find the original vine. Just as everyone was about to move.

“Ah.”

I realized something.

“Could it be?”

I wondered if that was it. Based on my guess, I approached. As I neared the vine, Mi Hyoran looked at me strangely.

“Young Master Baek…? What are you doing…”

Hwa-reu-reu-reu–!!!

I wrapped my hand in flames. Seeing this, Mi Hyoran urgently spoke.

“…What! Didn’t I just say…! Using energy would be counterproductive…!”

Mi Hyoran tried to stop me, seeing I was about to shoot fire at the vine, but…

Seu-eu-eu-!!

Ignoring her, I focused my power into my core. Then, the color of the flames changed.

From a bluish light to white.

‘White Flame.’

The flame of Pa-ma. After creating that.

With my Mind’s Eye activated, I looked at the vine. I could see the dense mass of vines. I couldn’t find it with my eyes alone. In that case…

‘I’ll just burn it all away.’

Thinking that, I unleashed the White Flame.

Kwa-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-!!!

“Oh no…!!!”

The intense flames struck the vines directly. Mi Hyoran’s expression turned dismayed. She must have been worried the vines would grow stronger after being hit by energy, but…

“Huh?”

Mi Hyoran’s expression changed immediately after.

“Why is the vine…?”

Surprisingly, the vine was burning from the flames. It withered away instantly, as if disappearing entirely. All those numerous vines. Whether the original was inside or not, all the vines burned away completely.

“As expected.”

Seeing that, I instinctively knew my guess was correct.

‘Is it the power of Pa-ma?’

The reason Wi Seol-ah could cut the vines with her sword back then. The white aura surrounding her. It seemed the power of Pa-ma was the cause.

Hu-du-du-duk.

The remains of the vines, cooked by the flames, fell to the ground. The remains immediately turned to dust and vanished. Following that, only empty space remained before my eyes.

“Can we go now?”

“…Huh?”

I asked, looking at Mi Hyoran. She had a dumbfounded expression on her face.

“How is this…?”

“What do you mean, ‘how’? It’s a plant, so it burns, obviously.”

I said it as if it were nothing. Mi Hyoran scowled at my words, but I ignored her.

“Aren’t you going? If we wait any longer, more vines might appear, right?”

“Ah…”

She seemed to have many questions, but there was no time. Just as I said, vines regenerate quickly even if you eliminate them.

At my words, Mi Hyoran snapped back to reality.

“Let’s go first… W-we have to go.”

We all entered the place where the vines had been.

---

Another day passed. With the vines gone, the newly opened path was easy to traverse. After walking for a short while through the completely empty space.

“…We’ve arrived.”

Mi Hyoran said, looking at a large cave within the forest.

It was quite a large cave. It was located deeper than the cave where Poison Phoenix was, and much wider.

“This is the western hideout and…”

The place where Tae Ho-an, the Second-in-Command of the Divine Dragon Unit, was located. As she explained this, Mi Hyoran added.

“…It’s also the place where the Apostle, Sword Dragon, attacked.”

“…Hmm?”

That’s where an unexpected epithet caught my ear.