Chapter 696: Divine Dragon Martial Arts Festival.

“How was it?”

Some time had passed since I returned to the lodging.

It was now the dead of night.

I was facing the two people who had returned after finishing their trials.

“Nothing unusual happened, right?”

“Yes.”

Wi Seol-ah nodded at my question.

She seemed to be smiling slightly, so it looked like she had fun.

I didn’t ask if they passed.

Because I naturally assumed they had passed. And that was indeed the case.

“What about you?”

I turned my head and looked beside me.

Next to Wi Seol-ah stood Seong Yul, looking somewhat tired.

“…Yes. It was the same for me….”

“No way. Your face looks like rotten garbage, so something must have happened.”

“…”

It seemed I hit the nail on the head.

“What happened?”

“…Nothing happened.”

Even though it was obvious on his face, Seong Yul seemed intent on pretending he didn’t know.

Seeing that, I nodded my head and said,

“Alright then.”

If you don’t want to talk about it, fine.

“…”

Just when I’d decided to stop caring, Seong Yul subtly scrunched up his face.

You little punk, you said you didn’t want to talk about it.

“What the hell? You said you didn’t want to talk about it.”

“It’s not that I didn’t want to talk about it… it’s just that nothing really happened.”

“Right. It’s fine if nothing happened, I’m telling you?”

“…”

What was he unhappy about? It was a mystery.

As I was stretching my stiff body right after finishing my training, Seong Yul asked me in a questioning tone.

“But… how did you get out?”

“Hmm?”

How did I get out?

“Obviously, I came out because I finished.”

“No… perhaps, did you run away?”

“What kind of crazy talk is that?”

Who the hell runs away?

As he kept spouting nonsense, I scowled deeply, and Seong Yul hastily added,

“But, when the trial ends, everyone is supposed to wait and return simultaneously… When exactly did you arrive?”

“Hmm?”

Hearing that, I wore a dumbfounded expression.

“What are you talking about?”

We have to gather everyone and then leave?

“…No?”

At Seong Yul’s words, I had to put on a flustered face.

Didn’t Bima-pa tell me otherwise when I asked her? When I asked if I could go home, she said I could.

I came back to my quarters just hearing her words, so what is this?

“You’re serious?”

As if unable to believe it, not only Seong Yul but also Wi Seol-ah next to him nodded.

‘What the…?’

If what they’re saying is true, why did Bima-pa just let me go?

I never heard any such cautionary notice.

‘I don’t know.’

I really don’t know.

I wondered if there might be some other intention, but…

‘It probably doesn’t matter much.’

After all, others must have seen Bima-pa permit it, so if anyone questioned it, I had an excuse.

Then it wouldn’t matter. In fact, it was better.

“That’s settled. Did you eat?”

“I’m about to eat now.”

“Then I’ve set aside some food for you, so go eat. And you, really nothing unusual happened, right?”

I asked one last time.

At my question, Seong Yul’s eyes flickered for a moment, but his answer was the same as before.

“…Yes. Nothing happened.”

“Alright.”

I really wouldn’t ask anymore now.

“They said we can rest for the next two days, so get plenty of rest.”

Since the preliminaries alone last three days, we should be able to rest for two days.

‘Then the remaining time…’

Because I had thought of something while going through the trial today, I felt I needed to talk to Cheol Ji-seon separately.

It seemed I needed to make some changes to the plan.

---

After sending Seong Yul and Wi Seol-ah away, I immediately went to find Cheol Ji-seon.

Cheol Ji-seon, whom I met again, was waiting in my room, examining piles of letters he had somehow acquired.

Seeing that, I asked,

“What’s that?”

“Reports.”

“…All of them?”

“Hmm… about thirty percent…?”

So, about thirty percent of that pile consists of reports?

Still, thinking the amount was large, I was about to let out a hollow laugh when…

“The remaining seventy percent are being handled by the strategists.”

“…”

At his follow-up remark, I had to cough dryly.

Because that meant Je gal-hyeok was handling an even larger volume than that.

“Why is there so much?”

“Tell me about it. Why is it so much?”

As he spoke, Cheol Ji-seon looked at me.

His eyes were filled with accumulated resentment.

“Isn’t it because you, sir, are always causing trouble, leading to this accumulation?”

“…Ahem.”

“…It’s doubled compared to just three months ago. What on earth have you been doing?”

I’ve had a lot on my plate since the beginning of the year.

It was because I increased the number of demons and had to lay the groundwork for so many changes starting with the Divine Dragon Martial Arts Festival.

“There were various things going on….”

“Hmph….”

Despite letting out a tired sigh, Cheol Ji-seon diligently continued looking through the letters.

Even though the volume was large and complex, Cheol Ji-seon didn’t seem to have any intention of quitting.

‘Of course.’

It must be because he, too, is desperately pursuing his own goals.

We both had things to achieve. A relationship where we could gain something through each other.

It couldn’t be a more fitting relationship.

Knowing that, Cheol Ji-seon must have joined this endeavor.

“So….”

The guy looking at the letters asked me,

“When are you planning to proceed with Miss Bong-soon’s matter?”

“I’ve thought about that title since before, but it really doesn’t suit her.”

Miss Bong-soon, the nuance of that sounds incredibly strange.

Hearing this, Cheol Ji-seon looked at me with an incredulous expression and said,

“You’re the one who gave her that name.”

“Maybe it’s not the name itself, but the ‘Miss’ part that’s the problem.”

“I don’t think that’s the issue.”

Trivial conversation ensued.

At this, Cheol Ji-seon let out a deep, suppressed sigh.

“Enough chit-chat… what’s the real plan?”

“What do you mean, ‘how’? We stick to the plan.”

Not much different from the beginning.

That’s what I intended to do.

However, my reaction elicited a somewhat skeptical response from Cheol Ji-seon.

“Will that really work?”

At his doubtful words, I let out a smirk.

“Why? You don’t think it will?”

“It’s already a done deal. No matter how wrong Meng might have been, would past actions really cause that much damage?”

That was a valid point.

Since it was a long-past event, he predicted skeptical reactions even if it were brought up.

It wasn’t just Cheol Ji-seon; Je gal-hyeok had said something similar.

He didn’t think it would cause much damage.

“A past event. Of course, that’s true….”

While Cheol Ji-seon’s words seemed correct,

Unfortunately, there was one thing they failed to realize.

“But, you know, there are so many people who get hung up on past events. Aren’t you one of them?”

“…”

At my words, Cheol Ji-seon shut his mouth tightly.

Cheol Ji-seon, who aimed to restore the Je gal family.

He held the goal of clearing the false accusations Meng had pinned on the Je gal family and restoring their status among the prestigious houses.

It was for that very reason he had joined hands with me.

He, too, was no different; unable to escape the past.

‘Same here.’

People can never escape their past.

Since the past shapes the present, how could one possibly escape it?

Meng would be no different.

As long as Meng is remembered, escaping this disgrace will be difficult.

‘They’ll never escape.’

Even if Meng forgot.

Those who know won’t forget.

And so, the foundation of trust will slowly crumble.

Especially since there was concrete evidence.

“So, don’t worry about this part and just do as you’ve been doing.”

“…Alright.”

“What’s the situation in Hubei?”

“I’ve handled it as you said. If you give the order, Miss Na will likely move immediately. However….”

Cheol Ji-seon spoke with a somewhat worried expression.

“It seems Meng’s side noticed faster than expected. I heard that the First Dragon Leader personally made a move.”

The First Dragon Leader, you say….

‘So, someone from the Dark Guest faction.’

He was the leader of the assassination squad run by Meng.

Although his reputation was somewhat overshadowed by the Dark King, he was an outstanding assassin.

“That doesn’t matter either.”

“It doesn’t matter?”

“Yeah.”

Right, even so, it didn’t matter.

“Because I anticipated this would happen.”

“…”

Seeing my reaction, Cheol Ji-seon widened his eyes and asked,

“…Is that why you intended to send Miss Na?”

At Cheol Ji-seon’s words, I burst out laughing.

“That’s a secret. Think whatever you want.”

At my laughing words, Cheol Ji-seon’s expression slightly changed.

“…That’s terrifying. Truly.”

Seeing his genuinely fearful expression, I clicked my tongue and added,

“Never mind that. The important thing is the issue with the Wine King. I plan to change the plan regarding this.”

“Why? Is it because the Wine King’s strength is greater than expected?”

“Are you crazy?”

Why would you compare him to that worm?

“But you were happy about him falling into our lap, weren’t you?”

“That’s right. The Wine King’s participation in the martial arts festival was a significant advantage.”

Since the head of one of the Four Great Families personally showed up, it opened up many ways to utilize him.

However.

“Nothing else is the issue. I just thought of a better method. If we have something to utilize, we should use it to its full potential.”

“What…?”

“These are three hypotheses for that. Listen carefully and remember.”

I made a request disguised as an order to Cheol Ji-seon.

The first is the response if the Wine King were to face me directly in the martial arts festival.

The second is the response if the Wine King does not face me directly in the martial arts festival.

And lastly,

“The case where the Wine King dies before appearing at the martial arts festival.”

“…!”

Hearing this, Cheol Ji-seon’s expression stiffened.

Seeing that, I immediately added an explanation.

“I don’t mean we’ll make that happen. It’s just for potential scenarios.”

The situation must be absolutely certain.

It was a time when we couldn’t afford any loopholes.

I had already conveyed the preparations to handle whichever of these three situations might occur.

And.

“Among those, also convey the second and third responses to the Hwangbo Family Head.”

“To the Hwangbo Family Head?”

“Yes. There’s something that old man needs to know in advance.”

That old man, in particular, had a lot to do.

“I need to start laying the groundwork now.”

It makes things easier later.

“As for the rest, I’ll write it down separately and send it to that brat Hyuk. You just handle this much.”

“Isn’t this quite a lot, even for ‘this much’…?”

“Then do you want to do all the rest?”

“I’ll just focus diligently on what I have now.”

He seemed aware that the amount of his work was significantly less compared to the other side.

‘Hyuk is a monster, but this guy isn’t lacking either.’

He could do it if he put his mind to it.

It was simply that Cheol Ji-seon lacked the same work ethic as Je gal-hyeok.

I had conveyed everything, so I slowly got up.

Then, looking at the letters scattered all over the floor, I said to Cheol Ji-seon,

“I’ll get you a room soon. You can’t stay here forever.”

At the mention of separating the rooms, Cheol Ji-seon asked in surprise,

“…Y-you want me to be alone?”

“If I leave you alone, someone might come and kill you, so I’ll assign you a guard.”

“Uh, yeah.”

At my chilling words, Cheol Ji-seon’s face turned pale.

But it was the truth.

This neighborhood is dangerously brutal.

We couldn’t afford any problems cropping up.

“For the guard… hmm.”

Who should I assign? After pondering for a moment, I said without much thought,

“Until the martial arts festival, you should be safe, so use someone from the Hwangbo family for now… and after that, I’ll assign Bong-soon….”

“Y-you mean Miss Bong-soon?”

At the mention of Bong-soon, Cheol Ji-seon flinched and replied.

His expression showed utter disbelief.

I get it. I don’t trust it either.

But what can I do?

“W-what about others?”

“Everyone’s busy.”

“Isn’t Seong Gong-ja next to you? He looks strong too…?”

“Bong-soon is stronger than him.”

For now, at least.

“That’s not the important part!”

“Isn’t the guard’s strength the most important thing? Anyway, that’s how it is. I’m leaving.”

“Wait-!”

Cheol Ji-seon tried to add something, but I had already closed the door and left.

Worried he might follow and cling to me, I quickly leaped away.

In that state, I flew straight towards my next destination.

---

Leaving my quarters like that, flying under the moon for a while.

Before I knew it, I had ventured slightly out of Hanam and entered a forest.

It was the destination I wanted.

Figuring this out, I slowly lowered my altitude and landed in the forest.

Thump-!

Upon landing, I found myself in the woods where even the moonlight couldn’t reach.

It was dark.

I’d been here before, but it felt strangely darker this time.

‘Hoo.’

Taking a breath, I looked around.

Perhaps because summer was ending, the breeze was somewhat cool.

As always, the chirping of insects could be heard, and I slowly stepped forward, using the sounds as my guide.

Chiririric.

The sound of insects and the scent of grass carried on the breeze soothed my insides, but…

Unlike that, my mind felt tangled and knotted with every step.

‘Tsk….’

The reason was simple.

I was on my way to meet Gu Huibi.

More accurately, it wasn’t so much Gu Huibi…

‘Cheonma.’

It was right that I was going to see the Cheonma she was with.

Even if Gu Huibi had her own agenda, ultimately, the Cheonma had a more important purpose.

So I should have gone sooner.

But I couldn’t.

And it’s the same now.

Even though I could walk faster, my feet wouldn’t move forward easily.

Enduring it, I somehow kept walking.

I don’t want to go.

I don’t want to see her.

But I have to go.

This filthy contradiction was battling within my heart.

At the same time, the moment I encountered her last time flashed through my mind.

The Cheonma, so different from the one I knew, her pitiful gaze and voice.

The memory made my stomach churn.

Honestly, I didn’t want to go.

Because my thoughts weren’t sorted out yet.

But.

‘I still have to go.’

There’s no other way.

If searching yields no solution, then the only option left is a frontal assault.

‘My energy…’

The energy I used, more than half of it, to break through the trial.

It has mostly recovered now.

I honed my physical condition for any potential battles.

What should I ask first when I see her?

I probably need to ask Gu Huibi about my grandfather first.

Also.

‘I need to ask about my father too.’

My father didn’t come even by the day the martial arts festival began.

Madam Mi assured me not to worry, but I couldn’t shake the unease.

Perhaps Gu Huibi knows the reason?

That’s what I planned to ask first.

Next,

‘I have something to ask the Cheonma.’

The Black Night Palace Lord who took her.

The Taejeol-gwi he possessed. I needed to know his whereabouts.

If she perhaps refuses to tell me, there will likely be trouble, but…

I decided to figure that out when the time comes.

And so.

Thump.

While walking a short distance that felt long, thinking about what to ask,

“…”

Halt-!

I had to stop walking for a moment due to a strange sensation.

‘What is it?’

Why is it…

‘I can’t hear any sound?’

It was a pitch-black night, only illuminated by the moonlight.

Silence wasn’t strange, but this was beyond mere quietness.

All the sounds that had been audible moments ago had vanished.

Even the chirping of insects heard just moments before. The sound of the wind rustling the grass.

Everything disappeared.

Complete silence.

I took half a step forward.

“…”

My foot touched the ground, yet I heard nothing.

The bizarre and chilling sensation made me instantly raise my energy.

Gyi-yi-ing-!

The rings of the Nine Flame Wheel Technique spun, igniting heat within my body.

Hwaruru-k-!!

Blue flames enveloped my entire body.

At the same time, I expanded my sensory energy in all directions.

It instantly covered the entire forest, yet I still felt nothing.

“Damn it.”

What kind of fucked up situation is this now?

Just as I tensed up in the face of the unknown situation,

“That’s a fine flame.”

“…!”

A voice was heard.

“The color differs from its intent, but it’s brilliant in itself. Well cultivated.”

A husky, dark voice.

I didn’t even need to move my gaze.

The voice was coming from directly in front of me.

“Such quality. I like it.”

Hwaruru-k.

The embers burned.

A flame was walking towards me.

Hureureuk.

At that moment when everything stopped and grew quiet.

A flame in human form was approaching me.

Gulp.

I swallowed.

Cold sweat trickled down.

Gyi-yi-ing-!!

My heart pounded as energy surged.

It’s resonance.

My flames were resonating with that.

Which means.

Does that mean those flames are the Nine Flame Wheel Technique?

“Which makes me even more curious.”

I wanted to say something, but my lips wouldn’t part.

“You are more than qualified. Overflowing, even, and already completed.”

The flame reached out its hand right before my face.

“Why haven’t you inherited the legacy yet?”

At the words, my heart sank.

“Also….”

The flame added, stroking my cheek.

“Why have you become a hideous non-human? My precious bloodline.”