Chapter 641: Thunder Heaven Single Sword (Thunder Heaven Single Sword)

Swoosh…

The sudden situation ended, and only a chill swept across the ground.

Left alone, with a blank expression, I whispered quietly.

“Was it a dream?”

I wondered if maybe I’d dreamt it. That’s how much…

“…”

Looking at the situation that had unfolded, I knew for sure it wasn’t a dream.

The ground was destroyed and turned to ashes, by whatever had swept through.

Feeling the residual heat, I broke out in a cold sweat.

‘I didn’t see it properly.’

‘I should have seen what kind of power had raged.’

The light was so intense that I closed my eyes.

That was my deepest regret.

‘I should have seen it.’

‘I should have seen everything that happened and memorized it.’

How stupid of me to close my eyes.

Damn it.

Grinding my teeth, I scanned my surroundings.

Never mind the surrounding chaos. Figuring out what just happened should be the priority.

Especially, my father’s sudden appearance, and then his abrupt disappearance mid-conversation, was a mystery.

‘And also….’

‘He seemed like he was about to talk about Mother.’

To disappear at that exact moment.

“What the hell.”

‘Just making me curious, where on earth did he go?’

No, how did he even get here in the first place?

Just as I was pondering this, recalling my father who had appeared like the wind and vanished like the wind.

Crack-!

“Huh?”

Feeling a sensation on my chest, I pulled something out.

“Huh?”

My eyes widened at the object I pulled out.

It was a bead.

The red jade bead Mrs. Mi had given me, the one I’d checked earlier.

I’d seen it before, so it wasn’t strange, but…

There was a problem with the bead.

“It’s broken?”

For some reason, the bead was broken.

Not only that, it had lost its color and become transparent.

The first thought that crossed my mind upon seeing this was…

“…Shit.”

I was far more panicked than when I’d seen the Hundred-Ranked monster.

The problem wasn’t just that the bead was broken, but that it was Mrs. Mi who had given it to me.

“How should I explain this…?”

The bead I received from Mrs. Mi got damaged.

What excuse should I make when I go back?

While I was stupidly thinking about that.

“…Hmm?”

I belatedly noticed another anomaly with the bead.

Fiddling with the broken bead a few times, I felt it.

‘It’s hot.’

The bead was burning hot.

‘Is it because of my body?’

That wouldn’t be it.

Although my body temperature runs higher than average due to practicing Fire Arts, it wasn’t enough to make something burn hot just by holding it.

Even.

‘I can feel energy too.’

Besides the heat, energy permeated the bead.

Is it my energy? I thought for a moment, but that wasn’t it either.

This is definitely…

‘Father’s energy.’

It felt closer to Father’s heat than my own.

…Which means, could it be?

“Was it because of this thing?”

Could Father’s sudden appearance in the Northern Sea have been because of this bead?

It sounded ridiculous, but nothing else came to mind.

Besides, didn’t Mrs. Mi say something when she gave me this bead?

“…She told me to use it when it’s dangerous.”

‘Use it when you feel danger.’

Moreover, Mrs. Mi said Father himself had given her the bead.

Looking at the cracked bead, I nodded.

‘This thing.’

The reason Father could appear in the Northern Sea… it seemed like this thing was the key.

‘I knew it was a mystical artifact….’

‘As it was a bead given by Mrs. Mi.’

‘I naturally thought it was a mystical artifact.’

‘But I never imagined it had such power.’

‘The power to bring someone from far away.’

‘Who knew such a mystical artifact existed in the world.’

‘…No, well, there are crazy bastards who open demonic gates with their own hands, so it’s not that strange.’

Suddenly, thinking of Cheol Ji-seon struggling with the errand I’d entrusted him with put my mind at ease.

With my mind somewhat calmed, I examined the bead from various angles.

‘How was it used?’

Regardless of its effects or its nature as a mystical artifact, I had never tried to use it.

Mrs. Mi told me to use it when in danger, but she never mentioned how to use it.

How could it have been used? As I pondered this, one thing occurred to me.

‘Was it a bet?’

The fact that I used Void Summoning instead of picking the bead up myself.

I recalled the bead glowing faintly at that time.

Which means.

‘It activates if you directly infuse the bead with energy.’

Thinking about it this way, the activation method doesn’t seem too difficult. It seems that’s what caused this incident.

‘Also, it seems to have a duration….’

[Time’s up.]

These were the words Father said right before disappearing.

Seeing that, it wasn’t a complete transfer; it seemed to have a duration.

‘And also, the fact that the bead broke…’

‘Is it right to consider it a one-time use?’

‘Or perhaps…’

‘Is it right to consider it its limit?’

I couldn’t know that for sure. But the crucial point here is.

‘In the end, this mystical artifact can no longer be used.’

I knew that intuitively.

The artifact’s effect is over.

In reality, intuition aside, I could tell just by looking.

If it’s cracked like this and faded, of course, it would be.

‘Hmm.’

That was a bit disappointing.

‘It was quite a useful item.’

‘To be able to reach someone’s location just by infusing it with energy.’

‘Even if it wasn’t complete teleportation, there was no other device quite like it.’

‘If I had this…’

‘I could prevent situations like this.’

Just that alone would have put my mind at ease.

I already have so much to worry about.

This meant I could reduce one of my biggest worries.

The bead… no, what was the bead, I carefully gathered it and tucked it back into my chest.

A broken mystical artifact is finished. That’s that.

I thought, what’s the point of regretting it now?

‘Fortunately, though.’

I knew one person who could overturn that rule.

‘Not just fixing broken mystical artifacts.’

‘But also creating ‘artificial’ mystical artifacts.’

‘I was planning to visit them anyway.’

Now I had a definite reason to go.

The fortunate thing is, finding them probably won’t be too difficult.

‘And coincidentally.’

Cheonma (Heavenly Demon).

I confirmed she was in Hanam, and the person I’m looking for should be by her side.

Just as I recalled this and was about to adjust my plans.

“Palace Lord-nim!!”

I turned my gaze toward the voice that called out.

‘Ah. Right.’

‘There was that too.’

The situation was so sudden that I’d forgotten for a moment.

The natural disaster my father created.

Before it lies the monster’s corpse, turned to ashes.

Its incredible regenerative power was gone, and there were no further changes.

It seems definitely dead.

‘Well, if that thing wasn’t dead, it would be downright unfair.’

Its horribly burnt body.

If it could still get up in that state, it would have been downright unfair.

The Black Lion, the Palace Lord’s guard, had approached the corpse of the Hundred-Ranked monster.

“Palace Lord-nim…!!”

The Black Lion tried to touch the monster’s remains with trembling hands, but…

He seemed hesitant, unable to approach carelessly.

So I approached and said to him.

“When you were slashing away so enthusiastically. What are you hesitating for now?”

“…!”

Hearing my words, the Black Lion flinched.

No answer came.

I thought he might get angry, but that wasn’t the case.

As I watched him, wondering what was up, someone subtly appeared beside me.

It was Pajeon.

He looked at me and said.

“I knew you lacked consideration, but I didn’t realize you’d be this much of a mess.”

Tsk tsk.

Perhaps he didn’t like what I said. Pajeon clicked his tongue repeatedly.

“…I didn’t include character education in your training, but I’m starting to wonder if this is also a necessary part.”

“Hey, even so, character education for an elder? That’s a bit… Ack!”

I almost lost an eye from the smack on the back of my head.

I understood it meant to watch my words, but I still didn’t quite get why.

Perhaps my feelings showed on my face, as I heard Pajeon sigh slightly.

“Disciple.”

“Yes.”

“If you were born human, you need to develop some empathy.”

“I know that, but don’t you lack it too, Elder?”

“…”

I said it prepared to be hit, but I wasn’t hit this time.

Pajeon seemed taken aback and turned his gaze to me.

“…Anyway.”

Since he seemed intent on glossing over it, I decided to stay quiet too.

“Where did your father go?”

“…Well… I think maybe Shanxi.”

“…Huh? Shanxi?”

For him to be in Shanxi, when he was just in the Northern Sea.

Pajeon looked at me with questioning eyes, but I decided to gloss over it since explaining was too much trouble.

“Anyway, that’s how it is.”

“…Palace Lord-nim….”

The Black Lion was still gazing at the dead monster.

Seeing the Black Lion like that, Pajeon and Seong-yul, who had subtly approached, also had grim expressions.

The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder and a somber mood.

Geez.

“It’s not even completely dead yet…”

Stop.

“Hmm?”

I stopped and turned my head.

I felt something change from the words I’d blurted out unintentionally.

Everyone around was looking at me.

Did I do something wrong again?

I don’t think so.

“Why are you all looking at me like that?”

Even the Black Lion, who hadn’t turned his head until now, was looking at me.

He asked me.

“…What did you just say?”

“Say what?”

“You said it wasn’t dead. What did you mean by that?”

I nodded at the Black Lion’s urgent words.

It was because I realized it belatedly.

‘Aha, that was the problem.’

I wondered why they were reacting like this, and it seemed they simply didn’t know.

‘Well, if they knew, they wouldn’t be hesitating like this.’

I touched my chest with my hand.

Thump-! Thump-!

The sound of my beating heart.

Something else was permeating within it.

Feeling this, I looked at the monster turned to ashes.

Thump-! Thump-thump-! The heartbeat grew stronger.

My heart was telling me.

That something was still alive.

Swish.

I raised my hand and swung it slightly.

Whoosh-!!

My strike, infused with Ki, unleashed a burst of wind pressure.

The rough wind reached the monster.

Crackle—–!!!

Soon, the burnt body crumbled away on the wind.

“What are you doing–!!”

The Black Lion roared at me, but…

“Don’t get angry and watch properly.”

Ignoring the Black Lion, I pointed straight ahead with my finger.

Crackle….

Ashes scattering in the air.

They crumbled and broke apart at a considerable speed.

It must have been immense heat to do that.

I wondered just how hot it must have been for that grotesque body to end up like this, but…

Well, putting that aside.

“…!”

After easily scattering the ashes, the Black Lion finally seemed to notice.

After the monster’s body disappeared, what remained on the ground was clearly a human body.

“Palace Lord-nim-!!”

Bing Gungju. The body of the one who was said to have been devoured by Bingjeong and turned into a monster was there.

The Black Lion rushed over and examined the Palace Lord.

“Whoa…!”

Surprisingly, the Palace Lord’s condition was pristine, without a single scratch.

Her upper body had been blown off, her snout torn repeatedly, yet…

In such a situation, the monster’s body disappeared, and the Palace Lord’s body was unharmed.

‘Amazing.’

This was something I hadn’t expected either.

However.

‘There are no wounds, but other things are very problematic.’

First, the changes to her skin were severe.

The scales that were already protruding now covered her face entirely.

The resonance felt from the half-dragonkin remained, but her breathing was shallow, barely sustained.

‘Is this the aftermath of being devoured by Bingjeong?’

I’m curious about what happened.

She seems unconscious, and with her breathing and energy in that state, it’s doubtful she’ll wake up.

‘Hmm.’

Looking at the Palace Lord like that, I suddenly wondered if I could use my heat to heal her, like I did with Moyong Hi-ah?

The thought crossed my mind, but…

‘I’m not particularly drawn to it.’

Even if it were possible, the most crucial thing was needed.

And that was.

‘Why should I?’

The necessity to go out of my way for the Palace Lord.

I didn’t feel it.

There’s nothing more to gain from the Palace Lord.

It means there’s no point in bothering to try using my heat.

Thinking that, my insides grew cold.

My interest vanished.

Unlike me, the Black Lion supported the Palace Lord and looked around urgently.

“Quickly… we need to get her to a doctor…!”

I nodded at the Black Lion’s actions.

Such loyalty.

It was strange what drove him to act like that.

Especially since I’m the type who thinks such things are meaningless.

Moreover.

‘Even if they take her, I don’t think there’s any method that will work.’

The Black Lion’s intentions were admirable, but reality seemed otherwise.

Of course, I didn’t particularly find fault or disrupt things.

This wasn’t out of respect for the Black Lion, but rather…

‘It’s become bothersome.’

Because I lost interest, even that became bothersome.

That was the only reason. I thought, turning away my gaze.

‘Should I go back for now?’

I had to return to where my companions were anyway.

Because Namgung Bi-ah and Tang Soyeol, who were injured more than the Palace Lord, were much more important.

So I immediately looked at Seong-yul.

“Since you said you helped Dopi, you must know where the kids are…”

Just as I was about to move, asking the question.

Tap.

Sensing something strange, my head turned again.

Looking there, my eyes widened in surprise.

Someone was standing where only the Black Lion and Bing Gungju should have been.

“Whoa!”

The Black Lion seemed to notice this belatedly too. He tried to move urgently, but…

“Stop.”

At the figure’s voice, the Black Lion’s body stiffened.

He stopped upon hearing the words, but the Black Lion himself looked bewildered as to why he’d obeyed.

The figure continued speaking towards the Black Lion.

“If you don’t want your lord to die, you’d best stay still.”

A chilling, cold tone.

I couldn’t even tell when he had appeared.

Moreover.

He was someone I knew.

Not just me, but the Black Lion knew him too, his expression crumpling instantly.

His black hair had turned white, and his black eyes now shone blue, but…

His handsome features remained unchanged, and I couldn’t mistake him.

The Black Lion looked at the figure and said.

“Biwegun…!!”

Yes, the figure who appeared was surprisingly Woo Hyuk.

For a moment, I thought maybe he’d come here since I told Woo Hyuk to return on his own, but…

‘No.’

The moment I saw him, I could be sure.

Frowning deeply, I spoke to the figure.

“…You.”

At my words, the figure’s gaze turned towards me.

The moment our eyes met, his blue gaze sending a chill down my spine.

It felt like I could be cut just by his gaze.

Which made me even more certain.

“Who are you?”

That figure wasn’t Woo Hyuk.