Chapter 99
**
The jade energy tore through the surroundings. Blood blossomed like flowers.
Nine Heavens Jade Woman Geum Seoryeon clicked her tongue.
Her technique was lacking. Once again, she had sliced through nothing but air. The rampaging rogue monsters screamed.
“Th-that’s the Nine Heavens Jade Woman!”
“Wha-?! Nine Heavens Jade Woman?!”
“Get back! She’s insane!”
“Insane”, huh.
Not the most flattering title. With a casual wave of her hand, Geum Seoryeon ripped the mouth of the one who spoke those harsh words.
The situation was chaotic, but the spies from the Blood Sect were being picked off one by one.
Having prepared a list in advance, it was easy to weed out the infiltrators within.
From a distance, it may have seemed chaotic, but up close, the tangled threads were unraveling one by one.
And, as a bonus, there were a few “genuine” ones mixed among them.
—KAAAAAAANG!!
“You knew everything, didn’t you?!”
Look, another one has come out.
Not quite to her taste, but still adequate enough to toy with.
“State your affiliation.”
“Do you really think I’ll tell you?!”
“Whether you say it or not, you die. If that’s the case, wouldn’t you prefer that someone remembers your name before you die?”
“…Biikryeon!”
“Good. Biikryeon. With how you’re swinging your sword, you’re probably quite important in the Blood Sect. Even if it’s just a light swing, I’ve already deflected it once.”
She placed her hand on the sword’s hilt.
She smoothly drew out the jade sword’s power.
“Can you block this as well?”
“…Cough! You bastard! How dare you, you dog of the Demon Cult!”
Biikryeon slammed his sword into the ground. The momentum coming down was like a hawk.
But that was it. The light swing of jade energy lodged itself in five places.
Nothing grand enough to name, just a simple motion.
With that single move, Biikryeon’s body spewed out a lethal amount of blood.
“You… you insane monster…!”
“I don’t think you are the one in charge here. Tell me who’s higher up. Who’s above you?”
“I… I won’t tell you…!”
At that moment, Geum Seoryeon sensed something unusual. Without realizing it, she turned and positioned her sword at an angle.
Something was exploding. It was bursting up from below…
Something…
“…What is this?!”
Her emotionless face twisted in response. Instantly, a familiar scent of blood enveloped her.
The reaction followed soon after.
—KWAAAAAAANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Amidst the chillingly loud noise, a red flash pierced the clouds.
As if trying to reach for the sky.
“Wha- what?!”
“What in the world?!”
The warriors of the sect paused with their swords. For a moment, they were captivated, gazing up at the sky.
Geum Seoryeon’s expression hardened. This was…
The opening of heaven (開天).
She knew all too well what that meant.
The sky was opening up, dyeing everything a deep red as it sang a dreadful tune.
Everything was crumbling. The very notion of common sense. A person should ideally look up at the sky, yet that reasoning was collapsing.
The clouds shook. They turned red, even the white clouds lost their color.
Eungmin, the great city.
A massive red pillar pierced through its center.
“…No way.”
Cracks began to form in the shaking earth. Amidst the tumult, Geum Seoryeon regained her balance.
…Of an ordinary person…
They say the limit of an ordinary person is usually at the first tier. No matter how much they swing their sword, they cannot generate sword energy and ultimately fall short.
What about the dullard? Their limit is typically called the pinnacle. They may create sword energy but lack any further enlightenment.
The genius is different. They surpass the pinnacle that generates sword energy and know how to gather the swirling energy into one. Realizing the oneness and understanding the duality of things, they can handle what is commonly referred to as “Jangki” (strong energy).
And among those geniuses, there are a select few. That warrior, known as “Mugol,” is also exceptional, having everything they were born with be called talent, reaching only the edge of Hwa-gyeong (화경).
They have shed their shell and become something new. Individuals who can draw out human strength to its extremes, strong enough to be counted on one hand.
Those individuals are the warriors who have reached the realm of Hwa-gyeong.
However, if you look at it from a certain angle, you can still consider them human up to this point. A bundle of talents with an excellent master, and through efforts others won’t undertake, they can reach this realm, still seen as a level accessible to humans.
…But.
Hyun-gyeong (玄境) is different.
That place cannot be reached by human bodies. No matter what they do, those titled ‘humans’ can never reach that level.
It’s not human. The moment one reaches that level, they no longer fit into the category of ‘warriors.’
Can one see monsters and humans on the same level?
No, that would be impossible.
Communicating with all beings, the end of their power becomes infinite.
Surpassing the meaningful powerful energy, they begin to wield the Heart Sword (심검).
The unfurled mental imagery can devour the surrounding reality, turning the world upside down…
How could one dare to call it human?
“…Blood…”
Biikryeon, who was crawling on the ground while spitting blood, rose up. His eyes were filled only with wonder, despite being on the verge of death.
“BLOOD DEMON BLOOD HEAVEN BLOOD DEMON UNENDING LONG LIVE!”
The shouting filled with madness reverberated. As if fulfilling a lifelong wish, he flipped over.
The voice did not end with one. It spread out in a chain, seeping among the gathered followers of the Blood Sect.
“BLOOD DEMON BLOOD HEAVEN BLOOD DEMON UNENDING LONG LIVE!”
“BLOOD DEMON BLOOD HEAVEN BLOOD DEMON UNENDING LONG LIVE!”
“BLOOD DEMON BLOOD HEAVEN BLOOD DEMON UNENDING LONG LIVE!”
The smell of blood began to pour out. No longer scared of death, the drawn swords began to flow with blood.
Resistance grew fierce. Now, they stepped towards death with a solemn demeanor, as if they had achieved everything.
Fanatics.
Madmen intoxicated by blood.
Nine Heavens Jade Woman Geum Seoryeon slammed her feet to the ground.
“Suppress them!”
“Master!”
The light from that source was something she would subdue herself.
Otherwise, the flowing blood would only rise more violently. To break the symbol was to bend their wills.
…No.
That’s not what this is about right now.
Geum Seoryeon’s lips curled. By the time she regained her senses, her jade mist-like energy was scattering as she moved forward.
What is the end of a sword?
To challenge something stronger.
Yet she remained stagnant. Bound by her position as the leader of the Wima Sect, she had even forgotten to hone her sword skills.
So, what should she do now?
The flowing energy trampled over the building’s roof. As it brushed past numerous people, it began to rise.
There it was. It was visible.
The red energy. Inside it, the figure of a man with closed eyes.
“Blood…!”
The instinctively realized words escaped Geum Seoryeon’s lips.
“BLOOD DEMON!”
A once hideous group that had been crushed in the hands of the headquarters.
The figure who appeared to be the leader of the Blood Sect opened his eyes. He turned his head to face the incoming jade energy.
His hand lifted. And something was revealed.
The serpent coiled behind him began to move.
“Get lost…”
A choking sound. Yet there was no time to pay attention to the source of that choking sound; a colossal red shadow descended upon him.
The energy of a form she had never faced before.
The Heart Sword.
—KAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGAGA!!!!
The energy began to split. Everything that had scattered like fog was engulfed by the scent of blood and shattered.
Even swinging the sword felt the same. She could struggle, yet couldn’t move forward.
It’s crumbling?
The realm of nothingness they had built up until now…
Is it collapsing with merely a single gesture?
“…Ahaha!”
Nine Heavens Jade Woman laughed.
But the next moment, that laughter was overshadowed by the scent of blood.
Only the voice of the Wima member chasing after her remained, crying out desperately.
“M-Master!!!!!!!!!!”
…
Breath returned.
Next came awareness.
Amidst the panting, an unfamiliar pain surged. From the ruins, she tried to raise her body.
But there was nothing. Her arms. Nor her legs.
Cheongeop screamed. Inside it, she realized a hole had been pierced in her abdomen.
Regeneration… was slow.
What had she been struck by?
“Oh, look. You didn’t die, huh?”
Someone sat next to her. She turned to look.
The surging pain was obstructing her vision but was bearable. It was something she had been tolerating all along.
“Who are you…?”
“Wolhyang.”
“…….!”
She opened her eyes, then closed them again. Looking up at a person who, if anything, seemed worse off than her.
Red hair. The rags that hung below it were all full of holes. Not to mention, the blood oozing from the wounds had surely exceeded lethal levels a long time ago.
“I think I’m going to die. Well, now that thing showed up, it’s kind of like I’m dead anyway.”
“…Pardon?”
“Hey, kid. Where’s your sect? It smells familiar. It’s different, as if mixed with someone else’s. I want to check for myself, but my hands aren’t moving.”
Looking again, there was a faint golden chain hanging from the woman’s body. A few had broken, but two remained, impeding her movements.
“That’s… not important…”
“It is important. It means the blood of the Blood Sect is mixed with your scent? I’m contemplating killing another one before I die, so hurry up and tell me, alright? You seem to be holding something. Similar to what the Master has. What was it called…? Cheongeop?”
She spat out the blood pooled in her mouth. Fortunately, her lungs were functioning properly.
Slowly but surely, her wounds were healing. She felt her crushed body returning to its original state.
Should she be grateful that her head wasn’t injured?
“Hah…”
After catching her breath, she opened her mouth again.
“Ilma-nim sent me.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
“……”
—Clank.
The sound of chains moving.
Wolhyang scrutinized her face.
“Are you a recruit of the Blood Sea Organization?”
“No.”
“Then… of the Blood Demon Sect?”
“That was the case in the past.”
“Where are you now?”
“In the Pursuit Spirit Pavilion, as a member of this newly formed organization. The Master is Ilma-nim.”
“Pursuit Spirit Pavilion? Who’s in it?”
“Just me.”
“Only you… and Ilma-nim is above you? That’s strange… he wouldn’t be the type…”
With an exaggerated ending to her words, Wolhyang grinned.
“Well, I don’t care. You die, and I die, and we’ll all die. I’m sorry, kid. Honestly, you didn’t expect it to be this bad, did you? I thought it was all bluster… but one of them may not have been.”
“…….”
“I guess you can’t grasp the situation, so I’ll teach you. Here, look. There are many levels in the realm of warriors, kid. There’s this and that… anyway, plenty. There’s the third-rate… first-rate… pinnacle… and so on, right?”
“Y-yeah…?”
“But here’s the thing. Do you ever feel a sharp stopping point while swinging your sword? You’re struggling to break through that barrier, but can’t, right? Ugh. I can’t stand that. But you know… there comes a moment you can’t help but acknowledge? When you realize you have to surrender?”
Wolhyang smiled slyly.
“Even the greatest genius has a limit. That’s what Hwa-gyeong is. Laying meaning upon the strong energy, expressing the whispers of the heart to the outside. They break it down, explaining it as such, but all these fools go around claiming to stand at the end, you know? All they’re doing is saying ‘I’m strong,’ it’s just nonsense. But, you know, those who have truly seen the end know. And they realize in advance, ah—there’s a line here that isn’t meant to be crossed. What I saw was all just a puppy thinking it can become a tiger, barking nonsense…”
“What are you trying to say…?”
“I know what it means to stand at the very end, among those claiming it’s the end. The line of the limit, and what happens to those who cross it. It’s right in front of you, isn’t it? Someone trying to surpass that boundary.”
Wolhyang pointed. She coughed up blood.
“My insides are getting torn apart. Ahaha! But it feels refreshing to smash those smug fools! I’ll probably die soon… but I don’t feel bad at all. Anyway, look. What’s up there.”
I looked up. I wanted to ascertain who stood at the end of the massive hole piercing straight through.
The blood scent that settled at the tip of my nose. It wasn’t the smell of my own blood. An overwhelming presence was being spread throughout the entire city.
“There are only five in the headquarters. Even in the era of monsters, there are only five left who are trying to rise up again. Can you see it?”
“W-what is that…?”
“I’m not exactly sure about the Sect Master… but our cute and beautiful Master of Blood Sea Organization is also up there. And the leaders of the Manma and Najal Sects, as well as the Black Death Leader, need no introduction. The reason those leaders of the sects are in that position is precisely because they exist there. Strength. Humans who escape the bonds of destiny and inscribe their limits themselves.”
“…….”
“Can you see it? That’s Hyun-gyeong.”
Hyun-gyeong…?
The realm I had only heard of by name… was right there…?
My entire body shuddered. Just the presence threatened to shatter me.
Blood poured from my wounds. Cheongeop screamed once more. I could hear the distant, rumbling sound of Ear Sword Bai Ya.
Instinctively, I knew.
That was… something I could never surpass.
But something felt off. The settling energy was swaying, even to my eyes, in a strange flow.
What was it? Was this what Hyun-gyeong was? It felt different from what I had imagined…
“Well, it’s half-baked anyway.”
“…Pardon?”
“The real thing isn’t like this. This is fake. Why did it choose to take shape like that? Was there… something misunderstood? It feels unstable, as if it could fall apart with a single touch. The problem is whether anyone here can strike it, but one thing’s for sure: that thing will wipe out every warrior in Eungmin. Since it can’t control its own energy, it’s like it’s already sunk into a deep trap.”
Misunderstood…?
“That’s the sword I learned from my master. It was a sword I needed to learn to survive.”
“Are you saying they don’t see you as a mere disciple but as a sword they can wield? Well, that’s speculation at best.”
I felt the other party suffering amidst the scent of blood.
Could that true blood be… not merely a way to surpass the realm?
“…Cough.”
I forcefully raised my body, suppressing Cheongeop’s screams.
First, let me start with my feet. Then I blocked the hole in my body. Wolhyang marveled.
“Doesn’t it hurt? They say if the Master of Blood Sea Organization does that, it hurts like hell.”
“There’s something more important than pain.”
“What’s that? You’re going to die anyway. Look at me. I probably won’t last a single hour. I couldn’t even cut off this so-called endless golden chain. The moment I left two of them, I thought, ‘Ah, if I cut this off, I’ll die’—”
“If given an hour, I’ll finish it beforehand.”
“You can’t do that. Even if it’s half-baked, it’s already crossed the line. That’s a completely different species. Infinite power. Infinite swords. A force that changes the world according to one’s own will. Drawing the sword against something of a different kind? You think that could pose any threat? With a sword that hasn’t even reached Hwa-gyeong?”
“…I…”
My right arm regenerated.
I picked up Ear Sword Bai Ya, which had fallen, and calmed the sobbing thing, dusting it off.
“I came to save you.”
“What mission would lead you to do that?”
“It’s not a mission. I came of my own will.”
“Do you know me?”
“I don’t. But I know that your superior cared for you deeply.”
“Ilma-nim?”
“Yes.”
“I didn’t think it would be to such an extent. But what does that have to do with you?”
“Ilma-nim is… to me…”
I organized the words I had to say.
One of them slipped from my lips.
“Like a benefactor.”
“……”
“I have received much, but I have given back little. So I wish to repay that debt. I don’t want to see him sad.”
“Is it love?”
“I wanted to serve him as a master but was rejected, so it’s an emotion somewhat distant from love, I suppose. But…”
The remaining left arm returned.
I took off my torn clothes, tying them around my waist as they obstructed me.
I checked my body.
To do what I should naturally do.
“Even so, I have tried to protect him, so I intend to keep that promise.”
“…When you go up there, there won’t even be a trace left, you know? Even a half-baked Heart Sword is still a Heart Sword. It’s impossible to even evade lack of superior awareness. Heart means death. You think you can catch movements without any premonitions when you aren’t even at Hwa-gyeong?”
“I know that. However…”
There was something I held in my hand.
“Senior. I came here to save you. And during this time, I met many people.”
“There’s a comrade up there who followed me. If you don’t move now, not only will you be lost, but the connections you’ve made here will disappear as well. It would be a pity if someone who came to save you returned empty-handed.”
“……”
“So I plan to save as many as I can reach. That is the path I have chosen.”
“And what if it costs you your life? Think about it, kid. Relationships are ultimately things that vanish when you die. Is someone else’s life more precious? That’s hypocrisy. What meaning is there in a world without you?”
“If it’s death…”
It would be a lie to say I wasn’t afraid.
That which can only be achieved while alive is far heavier than death. But still, I had to wield the sword.
“I’m afraid.”
“Then why?”
“I grasped the sword to bring my will to fruition. I spent years moving forward. At the end of that, I resolved to defeat the Heavenly Demon.”
“…….”
“Even if life is heavy, can anything weigh more than the will I carry? I just want to protect what I hold dear. The road I want to take. Even if you say it’s hypocrisy, I won’t deny it. But since I’ve resolved to do so, I intend to turn it into truth. Had I yielded due to difficulties, I wouldn’t even have embarked on this path.”
I turned to Wolhyang.
“While death is frightening, what I’d have to give up by fearing it is far more frightful to me.”
I swung the sword and severed the remaining, cracked endless golden chain with all my might.
“To begin with, the one who aimed to defeat the Heavenly Demon…”
I felt the overwhelming presence weigh heavily on my body.
And yet, I looked up.
Just as I always had…
“If I can’t even defeat the Blood Demon, what would that mean?”
To crawl up to where the unseen lies.
“…Ahaha! Ahahahahahahaha!!!!”
Free, Wolhyang laughed, spilling blood.
“Wow! You’re really a completely crazy human, huh?! I like that!! I’m so into it!!!”
Wolhyang got up, spewing blood, and swung her arm over my shoulder.
“I might be dying, but I’ll help you out. I’m kind of a gifted one, you see? If you clear the way, anything can happen. If we’re lucky, we might gain something out of it. Risking my life… that’s my specialty! Ahahaha! Of course, my luck with gambling isn’t that great!”
“I refuse.”
“What? Why?”
“I said I came to save you. Hide and wait for the right moment to escape. I’ll take care of the Blood Demon.”
“Hmm? You’re cheeky, huh? How cute! Are you telling Wolhyang to run away?”
“I won’t say it again.”
“I don’t want to. I don’t want to…”
—Rustle.
I turned my head. Yeon Mi-ryeong, who had rolled into the fallen rubble, stood up.
As she stepped forward, she coughed violently. I hurried to support her.
“Lady Yeon. Are you alright?”
“I have… something to tell you…”
Within her crushed pronunciation, there was something more. She put her hand in her mouth.
Something erupted, and a small pouch wrapped in rag popped out of her mouth.
“Kill… me… the one over there… please…”
“…Hey. This isn’t…?”
As I opened the pouch, I discovered a black elixir.
Its scent was anything but ordinary. For a moment, the aroma of the medicine overwhelmed the surrounding scent of blood.
“The last elixir left in the base… I’ll give you the Turtle Messenger Black Wild Dan…”
Yeon Mi-ryeong grabbed my sleeve.
“Please kill the enemies of the Seven Star Gate… please…!”
“…….”
The entwined smell of blood.
I looked up. The red energy cloaked the sky.
A woman who had lost an entire sect, detained for over half a year, offered her last elixir.
The fact that she had hidden it in her mouth indicated how dangerous an act that was. But the fact that she hadn’t been discovered meant she had endured in silence all that time.
The burden of revenge. The burden of the elixir.
I clutched it all in my hands.
“…Please stay hidden, Lady Yeon. I’ll somehow…”
“Hand it over.”
—Tap.
Wolhyang snatched the Turtle Messenger Black Wild Dan from my hands.
She popped it into her mouth and chewed. The moment that overwhelming power struck her, it raised her collapsing body.
“Stealing someone else’s fortunes is the sweetest… Haah… don’t look at me like that. Eating this won’t help you much, you know. It is an elixir, but more so it’s close to a substance that’s medicinal. You know why crossing from the extreme to Hwa-gyeong is so difficult?”
“…….?”
I looked at Wolhyang as she devoured the Turtle Messenger Black Wild Dan. After confirming that her external wounds were gradually healing, I sighed.
It seemed she wouldn’t listen even if I tried to talk her down. So it couldn’t be helped.
“What do you mean?”
“Simple. You seem to be right on the brink… Putting meaning into powerful energy isn’t an easy thing. It’s incredibly difficult.”
“I know that.”
“You don’t seem like someone who’ll understand anything I say, so let me be straightforward.”
Wolhyang flashed a mischievous smile.
“Roughly sketch where the end of your journey lies.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Yeah, exactly that. Put all your effort into it. Then, the path will open. That’s Hwa-gyeong. The end of something you never wished for. The limit you can reach as a human. If you desire to dream, it will surely show you where you want to reach.”
“…….”
“If you don’t surpass even that, then there’s no chance. Even if a path opens, you won’t be able to break through it. Can you do it?”
I stepped forward with Ear Sword Bai Ya readied. I pondered over her question.
The undesired destination.
Wasn’t it all too clear?
I gazed at the swaying shadow of someone.
I had run for so long, yet her back was still so far away.
“…I will try.”
“Great… great…! I feel pumped!!! Then where should we give it a shot? A gamble that can only happen once!”
“Yes, Senior.”
I took a step forward once more.
“I will prove that I am not just someone who speaks.”
“Ahahaha! Sounds great! With two crazies like us, what can’t we accomplish?!”
The realm might be lacking.
The skill might fall far short.
It might not even be the right moment for me to intrude.
Even so, I grasped the sword.
Move forward. Swallowing even my fears.
Draw.
The person I aimed for. Just like always.
