Chapter 582: I’m glad.

“Oh, Young Master-nim. You’ve arrived…”

When I returned to my quarters, I could see Tang Soyeol.

Tang Soyeol, about to greet me, suddenly paused and looked at me.

“Young Master-nim…”

“Hm? What is it?”

“Did something happen?”

Worry flickered in Tang Soyeol’s eyes.

Seeing that, I smiled slightly.

“Something happen? Nothing happened.”

“But…”

“Did you eat?”

“…Yes…”

As I tried to change the subject, Tang Soyeol reluctantly answered.

He noticed I didn’t want to talk about it and let it go.

I felt a little sorry about that.

“Young Master-nim… did you eat?”

“Ah. Yeah, I ate.”

I answered with a smile, but of course, I hadn’t eaten.

How could food even go down?

‘There’s no way it would.’

I ran my hand through my hair, trying desperately to cool my head.

I had already been trying to cool down for a while, but it wasn’t enough.

Instead of cooling, the sensation only grew hotter.

‘Cheonma.’

Could it be I dreamt it?

The thought crossed my mind. No, it was closer to wishing it were true.

But I knew all too well myself that it wasn’t a dream.

That hair as black as pitch.

Those violet eyes that had looked at me.

The overwhelming aura I felt from her. It was all real.

There had been quite a few changes due to the various things I had done,

but this current event… I suspected it might be the biggest butterfly effect of them all.

‘Where did it all go wrong?’

Cheonma appeared in Hanam.

And in a form quite different from my memory.

What was it supposed to be like originally?

‘…At least, not now.’

As I recall, it should have been at least a year or two later.

She should have appeared by opening the Demonic Gate during the festival hosted by the Murim Alliance.

It’s still vivid.

The way she strode forward, tearing through the air.

The way she looked down upon the righteous martial artists filling the ground.

“[I am Cheonma.]”

The strength with which she spoke, overwhelmingly forcing the Alliance’s experts to their knees.

I still remembered it vividly.

Of course.

The appearance of the Crimson Demon being brought forward, the Alliance Leader changing to the Wudang Sword Saint unlike in my past life, and so on.

There were already plenty of things that had changed.

I could understand up to that point. Because it was things I had caused.

If I intended to bear it, I would do so as much as needed.

‘This isn’t right.’

Who knew such a huge problem would erupt.

My head started to ache.

Her aura was completely different from the Cheonma I knew; I didn’t want to compare, but her appearance and vibe were too similar to Wi Seora.

“[Why do you hate me?]”

Her words echoed in my mind.

Why do I hate her? It’s more than hate.

‘I despise her.’

I hate Cheonma.

Even though I kept repeating that to myself.

The image from just before kept lingering in my memory.

‘Don’t think about it. The opponent is Cheonma.’

I tried hard to erase it from my mind.

I had to keep recognizing who the opponent was.

What I had endured until now for.

What I was living for, I had to keep reminding myself.

At the same time, I had to recall.

‘What should I do from now on.’

Regardless of what happened to Cheonma, or what my current situation was.

Since I had faced it, I had to find a way to break through.

“Young Master-nim?”

“Are you… really okay?”

Tang Soyeol, who approached, tightly grasped my hand.

The cold touch seemed to jolt me back to my senses a bit.

Summer had arrived, yet why were my hands so cold?

His face was filled with utmost concern.

It seemed my expression was a mess again.

“I’m fine.”

“…”

He looked unconvinced.

Then again, even as I said I was fine, I couldn’t manage my expression.

“…Young Master-nim.”

Tang Soyeol called me.

“Hm?”

As I looked at him as if asking why, Tang Soyeol spoke to me.

“I… I can be of help to you now…”

There was a firm resolve in his eyes.

Perhaps because of that, I felt I understood his intention perfectly.

“So, won’t you tell me?”

His question was incredibly cautious.

His voice was filled with anxiety.

I could sense his inner fear of being rejected.

“…”

Seeing that, I sighed inwardly.

This is difficult.

‘I didn’t tell him to get stronger to help with things like this.’

I just wanted him to endure on his own.

To be able to protect himself in dangerous situations.

Also.

‘I hoped he wouldn’t sacrifice himself.’

I hoped he wouldn’t try to protect something by burning himself up like in his past life.

That was what I had hoped for when I did those things.

If Tang Soyeol were to step up to help me now, it would defeat that purpose.

At least.

Please, at least.

‘I hope these children don’t get involved.’

That was the wish with which I started.

As I felt his earnestness, I stroked Tang Soyeol’s hair.

I felt the touch of his slightly grown hair, now much softer.

“It’s okay for now.”

At my words, Tang Soyeol’s expression turned sullen.

Even after reaching the Flower Realm (Hwajing), he still makes that face.

It was somewhat fascinating.

He must have gained considerable enlightenment, but does a person’s core nature never change?

“It’s because I’m really okay for now.”

“Yes…”

“If I need help, I always tell you, right?”

“You don’t.”

“…”

I was lost for words at his blunt denial.

And I didn’t have anything to say anyway.

“Well… uh. Yeah.”

I gave an awkward smile.

It was because I had too many past mistakes to deny it.

Perhaps because of that, Tang Soyeol was also quite firm.

Hmph.

I let out a short huff.

Still, thanks to him, my muddled mind felt a little clearer.

‘First… I need to do what needs to be done.’

Complicated matters are complicated.

The more so, the more I needed to act.

So, what needs to be done right now?

Focusing on recovering my body is one thing, but…

‘Cheonma is somewhere in Hanam.’

If Cheonma is somewhere around here, there’s only one thing I need to do immediately.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

I asked Tang Soyeol.

“Where is Amwang right now?”

Hearing my question, Tang Soyeol’s lips pouted.

It seemed he was disappointed that the favor I brought up was this.

‘I feel bad, but…’

This can’t be helped.

It’s because my situation is quite urgent too.

“…Master…”

Master…

Hearing Amwang’s title change like that felt rather strange.

“Are you unable to contact Master too?”

Hearing that, I tilted my head.

It was because there was something peculiar about his words.

“Why, did something happen?”

I could find Amwang if I tried, but I was just asking.

Why is he reacting like that?

“Master… I don’t know where he is right now.”

“Hm?”

“He just disappeared after telling me it was time to descend the mountain.”

Disappeared…?

I thought upon hearing Tang Soyeol’s words.

If Amwang can’t contact Tang Soyeol, what could be the reason?

Thinking about it, one thing came to mind.

‘Perhaps, Taekcheon?’

Taekcheon’s Demonic Realm (Magyeong). I wondered if he had business there.

I think he mentioned he’d visit it once anyway.

‘That must be why he can’t be reached.’

If he went to another realm, there would be absolutely no means of contact.

But it didn’t matter.

‘Because I can.’

Just because Tang Soyeol couldn’t, didn’t mean it was impossible.

I should send him a separate message within today.

Although I had intended not to contact him if possible.

‘I need someone like Amwang.’

If it involved Cheonma, I needed to handle things a bit differently.

“Alright. I’ll try contacting him.”

“Huh?”

“Ah, do you have anything you want me to pass on?”

“Ah, no… that…”

Mentioning Amwang cast a shadow over Tang Soyeol’s face.

“…Tell him… it’s possible… no, just tell him to come as late as possible.”

“…”

Hearing Tang Soyeol’s words, I had to smile bitterly.

It seemed he had quite the rough time with Amwang.

---

The next day arrived.

I was lying on the ground, staring at the sky.

Yes, it was a rather familiar sight.

“Ah, my back.”

I sat up my tired body.

As I tried to lift my upper body, I felt a pain in my back.

It seemed I had overexerted myself a bit.

As I clutched my aching back, someone sat down lightly in front of me, meeting my gaze.

It was Paejon.

“Tsk tsk… what a pathetic sight.”

I frowned at his words, which sounded utterly pathetic.

“Hey, I asked you to take it easy, but why did you just throw me around like that?”

The reason I was staring at the sky was, as expected, due to sparring with Paejon.

No, should I even call this sparring?

As always, it was closer to one-sided assault.

‘I thought I might finally be able to land a hit.’

When Paejon was at the perfected peak (Jeoljeong), I could at least put up a decent fight.

But after reaching the Flower Realm (Hwajing), even that became impossible.

‘Even activating my Mind’s Eye (Siman) is useless.’

No matter how I activated my Mind’s Eye, I couldn’t reach him.

It wasn’t just about speed.

‘The directions he intends to attack are dozens.’

There were simply too many paths his energy (Naegi) could take.

It was impossible to counter each and every one.

So what happens then?

‘I just get beaten up.’

I had no choice but to roll on the ground, unable to react.

“Is there such a thing as ‘taking it easy’ in training? Every moment must be genuine.”

“I’m just a novice, Elder.”

“Yes, and Shinui specifically told you to rest, yet you insisted on coming for training, didn’t you?”

“…”

He was right about that too.

It was I who asked Paejon for training help once my body felt somewhat recovered.

‘…I didn’t expect him to beat me up without holding back.’

There was definitely a part of me that felt wronged.

I thought he’d go easy on me since I’m a novice, but he didn’t hold back at all.

Just then.

Paejon asked me with a look of clear displeasure.

“Moreover, with so many distracting thoughts, what kind of training are you trying to do?”

“…”

At his words, I had to smile wryly.

He saw through me. I had hoped he wouldn’t, but as expected, Paejon seemed to have noticed.

“I apologize.”

At my immediate apology, Paejon’s eyes narrowed.

“Looking at your face, it seems something is troubling you.”

“…”

“Knowing your pathetic self, you won’t bother saying anything.”

Maybe my chest is open?

How does he know so well?

“At the very least, if you intend to train, clear your mind of distractions. Otherwise, it’s no different from wasting time.”

“…Yes.”

After saying that, Paejon stood up.

Watching him, I had to soothe my bitter mouth.

‘Clear my mind of distractions.’

Easy said than done.

How am I supposed to clear it?

When my situation is such a mess.

Frustrated and anxious, I sought out Paejon to do something, anything,

but I knew even that wasn’t the right answer.

Cheonma is somewhere around here.

That fact alone was suffocating me.

Perhaps because of my constant complex thoughts?

Maybe it showed on my face, as I heard Paejon sigh.

“Disciple.”

“Yes, Elder.”

“As always, you have too many thoughts for the realm you’ve achieved.”

“…”

The Flower Realm (Hwajing), which requires considerable enlightenment to reach.

He was pointing out that I still had so many distracting thoughts even after reaching it.

“Without clearing those thoughts, you will never reach the place you desire.”

“…”

“Whether that’s the realm you seek, or the power you wish to attain.”

Reaching transcendence would be difficult.

And building the power I aim to create now would also be difficult.

That’s what he meant.

“…I will be careful.”

All I could do was nod.

I knew it in my head, but putting it into practice was another matter.

“Hmm.”

Seeing me like that, Paejon snorted.

It felt like he was displeased but decided not to dwell on it.

So, I got up too.

“…Thank you for the morning session. First, I’ll go see Shinui for a moment.”

Since the morning training was roughly finished.

I intended to visit Shinui to check my condition further.

Then.

“Shinui isn’t here right now.”

“What?”

At Paejon’s words, my eyes widened.

Shinui isn’t here?

“This early in the morning?”

The sun was just beginning to rise.

Where would anyone go at this hour?

“From what I heard, he said he was going out because a guest he was expecting had arrived.”

Even with Paejon’s explanation, my doubts remained.

‘A guest?’

Shinui’s reason for arriving in Hanam and staying here was clearly…

‘He said it was to meet someone.’

So, does the guest he mentioned mean that person?

‘Who on earth could he be meeting?’

Even the current Leader of the Murim Alliance has to make the effort to see Shinui himself.

Someone important enough to make Shinui personally go out…

I wonder who it could be.

I was just a little curious.

---

It was just as the sun began to rise.

As the flow of people gradually increased.

Amidst the bustling street, a carriage appeared.

The sight drew the attention of those around.

A carriage arriving wasn’t unusual in itself, but its appearance was the issue.

It was because its appearance was somewhat rare in the Central Plains.

The woman inside the carriage, facing the gathering stares.

Moyong Hi-ah let out a small sigh.

“It seems you’ll have to get off and move from here.”

With this many people gathering, the carriage becomes more of a nuisance.

Moreover, drawing more attention here was also problematic.

Especially because of the person in front of me.

At Moyong Hi-ah’s words, the woman in front nodded.

Then, she shifted her gaze as if to briefly examine the outside.

Outside, people were gathered in abundance.

The woman found it quite wondrous.

Land where it didn’t snow.

The surprisingly palpable heat of the season.

All of it was truly novel to the woman.

“…So this… is Hanam.”

Moyong Hi-ah nodded at the voice, tinged with vague unfamiliarity and excitement.

“Yes. This is Hanam.”

Although my inner feelings weren’t exactly pleasant, I couldn’t show them.

The other party was someone I couldn’t afford to show such an attitude towards.

“Little Princess-nim.”

At the cautiously spoken title, the woman looked at Moyong Hi-ah.

Beneath her slightly swaying cloak, the woman’s faintly visible eyes…

Were unmistakably the same light blue as Moyong Hi-ah’s.