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EP.3 Why Are You Coming Out from There? (1)

Why are you coming out from there?

Tearing through the void and spewing forth demons is what they call the Demonic Gate.

How frightening is it that countless monsters, fiercer than beasts and craving only slaughter, are unleashed?

When the first Demonic Gate was discovered, it was undoubtedly a calamity, making humanity feel as though the end was looming just within reach.

Fortunately, it wasn’t long before it was realized that demons were weak against the bets of martial artists.

Thanks to this, martial artists began to unite and started to hold back the calamity.

With the passage of time, the number of demons decreased, and people sought stability, but regrettably, they could not completely close the Demonic Gate.

Even now, Demonic Gates continued to open across various parts of the Central Plains.

After a few centuries, the many clans and martial sects that spread throughout the Central Plains primarily focused on managing these Demonic Gates.

The Gu Clan’s Sword Team was no different.

That’s why the Gu Clan is called the Guardian of Mount Shan.

Demonic Gates close after expelling a certain number of demons.

The problem is that the demons that emerge from the Gate are not the kind to be taken lightly.

Fierce demons not only turn their surroundings into chaos but devour all living beings in sight.

If a village happens to be nearby, one can hardly imagine the extent of the casualties.

By now, after the long years since the appearance of the Demonic Gates, there has been education and systems established to close them, reducing the level of danger relatively.

There is a time—usually once per season—when a much larger gate than usual opens.

This gate, expelling demons that are much grander and stronger than typical, is called the True Demonic Gate.

The reason the head of the Gu Clan personally moved was because of that.

The return ceremony of the clan leader, which began after ending the sealing of the gate at sunset, was fairly modest.

It seemed that the clan leader, who had gone out to do what was required of him, held to his principle of not being particularly celebratory.

Of course, since all the bloodline members of the Gu Clan had gathered, it was far from basic modesty… at that moment, I was wondering if the food would go through my nose or my mouth.

As the quiet atmosphere continued, the first to speak was Gu Cheolun.

“I’ve heard there’s been an achievement in martial arts.”

He casually dropped those words while we were eating. It wasn’t directed at anyone in particular.

Among the clan leader’s four children, the eldest, Gu Huibi, was already acknowledged for her high talent and was out working with the Sword Team. The youngest was currently absent from the clan.

I definitely wouldn’t be it.

That left one person.

“Yes, I gained a small enlightenment a few days ago and reached the third star.”

Gu Yeonseo replied with a proud smile. The expression from earlier when she looked at me had completely changed.

“That’s quite fast for your age; nicely done. Keep progressing even more.”

“Thank you, Father.”

As Gu Yeonseo turned her head back, our eyes met.

Her bright smile quickly twisted into a face that looked like she had seen something she shouldn’t have.

‘What a face as if she saw a bug.’

Gu Yeonseo, now fifteen, was remarkable, considering that the Gu Clan’s inner strength cultivation typically progresses slowly, reaching third star at her age was a considerable feat.

Her talent and effort truly stood out.

As remarkable as it was, the tense atmosphere made my stomach twist uncomfortably.

I had brought digestive medicine in my pocket from earlier.

I should probably take it after this.

If there was one thing to be thankful for, it was that I could finally eat the foods I hadn’t been able to during my previous life, where I rolled around like a madman.

Among the immense amount of food piled up to the point of breaking the table, I picked up a shining dumpling.

“The third child.”

…Although I couldn’t eat it.

“Yes.”

I gently placed the dumpling back down where I had gotten it.

Unlike when I praised Gu Yeonseo earlier, Gu Cheolun was now looking at me.

Was it just a coincidence?

“I heard from the marketplace.”

“Pardon?”

The marketplace? Was he referring to the first day I returned?

I gawked, not understanding what he meant, while Gu Cheolun merely stared at me, as if waiting for my response.

“Yes, I went out for a bit.”

I answered lightly, as if there wasn’t a problem.

If there was an issue, it might be that I met Wi Seol-Ah, but that was my own problem.

“Hmm.”

What was that?

Gu Cheolun didn’t say much afterwards, but it seemed he had something on his mind. I didn’t pry.

What was he thinking?

I didn’t remember him being the type to ponder this much.

In the end, Gu Cheolun didn’t bring it up.

Not long after, the bothersome mealtime came to an end.

I wanted to eat something, but the pressure of unseen gazes made my appetite drop.

Gu Cheolun left first, and Gu Yeonseo glared at me for quite a while before following.

I pondered whether to have some of the remaining dumplings but eventually set down my chopsticks.

The family meal, which hadn’t happened for years, ended just like that.

Fortunately, I quickly drank warm water mixed with digestive powder to prevent what little food I had consumed from sitting heavy within me.

Was I feeling a bit better?

So, I could just lie down today?

‘Ah… she asked me to come to her room later.’

I remembered the clan leader’s earlier request for me to visit the head house. What could that be about?

By now, what had I done? It wasn’t the first time I had messed up and been summoned to the head house, so it was hard to guess.

I just needed to brace myself. After all, it was probably my own mess to deal with.

Just as I prepared my mind for that moment.

“Young Master. The Clan Leader says, ‘You do not need to come to the head house.’”

The servant delivered the words.

In the end, I had no choice but to remain at the dining table, staring blankly at the remaining dumplings.

What the heck…?

In my past life, I longed for ‘freedom.’

I didn’t want a life devoid of my own will but desired to live a life where every action bore my intent.

While extending my life living as a damned demon was a choice I made, if I had known it would be a life riddled with such regrets, I would have unhesitatingly ended my life at that moment.

Yet, not being able to do that resulted in a life where I couldn’t even die by my own choice.

How much did I regret it?

And how many realizations did I come to?

The foolish days where I couldn’t even recognize my talent and foolishly wished to become a star without putting in any effort.

The days where I tried to express my incompetence through arrogance and rage towards others.

When I finally realized that such dirty feelings could not be hidden by mere disgusting acts, I had already come too far.

Thus, with that much stronger desire to seize the opportunity that I had long wished for, I couldn’t let it slip away.

I had to live a life distinctly different from my past.

No, I wanted to live differently.

Maybe that’s why, after regaining consciousness post-return, the first thought I had was:

Can I kill the Heavenly Demon?

Even I thought it was an absurd wish.

How could I kill a monster that dared to kill all three eminent beings above the sky and burned down two of the Gu Sect buildings by itself?

It was just a fleeting thought.

After all, the Heavenly Demon would die at Wi Seol-Ah’s hands in the future, and the Demonic Sect would soon vanish thereafter.

I merely wanted to live a smooth life, perhaps a little more prosperous, just this much.

However, in the not-so-distant future, I would eventually have to tangle with the Demonic Sect.

Even if I’m half-heartedly letting go of my children due to foolishness, the Gu bloodline is still the Gu bloodline.

It was just like how they had treated me in the past.

Could I dare avoid the grasp of the Demonic Sect, which couldn’t even tolerate the Four Great Clans?

Would it be okay to escape and run away from the clan? If I were to hide deep in the mountains where the demonic influence wouldn’t reach…?

“…Oh, you useless fool, still thinking of running away after coming this far.”

I shivered at the thoughts that rose unbidden.

I wanted to smack myself, but my posture was too straight to move.

I tried to ignore the fear creeping up and pushed those balloons of thought out of my head.

How long had it been since I resolved to live upright, in contrast to the past?

Why was I already contemplating tossing that resolve aside?

I chewed my lips in frustration, trying to gather my thoughts.

I couldn’t tell how much time had passed, but it must have long been after midnight.

Centering myself, I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with air before exhaling.

The breath I released carried even a hint of my inner strength.

‘Truly, my inner strength is as tiny as a mouse’s droppings….’

After searching my body like hunting mice, I barely found a small amount of inner strength at the corner of my lower dantian.

My younger sister, who is barely a year younger than me, has already reached the third star at such a young age, so there could be no comparison.

To put it accurately, it meant I had hardly put in any effort at all.

With that meager inner strength, there wasn’t much I could immediately do.

Although it was much smaller than I had expected, it wasn’t entirely useless.

While there wasn’t much I could do, it also wasn’t nothing.

The martial arts training passed down in the Gu bloodline—the Technique of the Flame Wheel—was based on fire techniques.

It was similar to the Divine Fire of Samadhi, which uses vast inner strength to conjure flames, but they are fundamentally different.

Slowly and firmly, the mental techniques I had built up would bloom in time.

The fiery and flickering inner strength of the Technique of the Flame Wheel, perfected through long training, resembled the form of a blazing fire.

For example, Gu Cheolun’s moniker, “Flame Hero,” was due to his fiery movements reminiscent of a tiger moving fiercely while engulfed in flickering flames, using that strength to punish evil.

And Gu Yeonseo, who would later be referred to as the Scarlet Flame Sword, was called so because the inner strength of the Technique of the Flame Wheel wrapped around her sword like flame.

I, too, contained some inner strength that was certainly the Technique of the Flame Wheel.

One needed to reach the fourth star to emit even a tiny red inner strength, and it would require reaching the seventh star to be able to envelop their entire body with it.

As I was, I was barely at the first star.

Compared to Gu Yeonseo, not to mention Gu Cheolun, who likely had already reached the seventh star, I was dreadfully lacking.

The reason I was engaging in such futile acts under the moonlight was partly due to my young body.

Because I had inadequately trained, the energy that had spread throughout my body needed to be gathered before it was too late, in order to reach rationality.

The greed for martial arts which I had left behind in my last life might have resurfaced.

But I needed to cultivate power to survive.

Though I hated the thought of living as a demon, paradoxically, the martial insight I gained back then was now aiding me.

The problem was.

“…If I keep trying, I might just die for real.”

I meticulously conserved and utilized my meager inner strength, combing through the blood qi inside me to draw forth the almost drained energies.

It wasn’t easy.

Not only did I need to focus on using it, but using such a small quantity of inner strength was exceedingly difficult.

Having exercised such precise control over my senses for a long time, my back was already drenched in cold sweat.

Having made it this far was impressive enough, but trying to do more with such little inner strength would undoubtedly lead to paralysis.

“…Hah.”

After finishing the grueling session, I exhaled.

A sigh left my lips, accompanied by a satisfied smile.

While it was regrettable that I couldn’t do more, it wasn’t without gains.

“Not bad.”

The slight increase in inner strength and the warmth I could directly feel in my body were signs of progress.

This meant I had ascended to rationality, thanks to the untrained energies scattered throughout my body being more plentiful than expected.

“Maybe it’s true that being incompetent has its advantages.”

Although several hours had passed since I began my initial training in martial arts, I felt refreshed because I had succeeded in reaching rationality.

“If I keep approaching it step by step, I should achieve something.”

As I couldn’t wash off the sweat-drenched body completely, I quickly finished a light wash and changed my clothes, then laid down on my bed.

I thought it was a good start.

‘Let’s keep this going….’

Step by step, but not too slowly.

If I bear through this, I will ultimately prevail.

A life different from my past, solely for that reason.

‘Let’s live quietly, without making reckless moves that might unnecessarily affect my future.’

Let’s just keep doing what I need to do until everything is resolved.

At least until the Heavenly Demon dies, I planned to keep my mouth shut.

In that moment, I was resolved.

But then….

“Ah, hi! I’m Wi, Wi Seol-Ah!”

Why are you coming out from there…?

 

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