---

Chapter 87: Purple

When I saw Nangong Bi-ah lying on the ground, I recalled the Demon Sword Queen of the past.

In the steady drumming of the rain, I held her gently in my arms as she quietly took her last breath.

‘How naive.’

I began to blame my own naivety.

Watching the world change with just a small flutter of wings.

I hated the thought of getting my feet wet in the currents; I was guilty of merely observing from afar.

If I had just stood still, none of this would have happened.

I didn’t want to do anything, yet I knew I couldn’t do nothing, which resulted in this contradiction of action.

It was fear and weariness.

Even after experiencing death, nothing had changed.

‘…What on earth am I doing?’

After regressing, what have I walked this path for?

Did I want to kill the Heavenly Demon?

If so, I should have given Wi Seol-Ah a sword instead of merely being a loyal servant to her.

That would have been the fastest and easiest method, after all.

Knowing that, what did I do instead?

I watched Wi Seol-Ah smile, believing the Sword Sovereign had intentions.

In reality, she just didn’t want to hold a sword.

What did I gain through this disgusting excuse?

I could see the smile of Wi Seol-Ah that I had never witnessed in my previous life.

The hand I couldn’t hold was right beside me, providing warmth as if to say I could grasp it at any moment.

The hand I had to eventually let go of was now next to me, outstretched as if inviting me to embrace her.

Then, do I really deserve to hold her?

That beautiful smile would ultimately be lost when the Heavenly Demon appeared.

Knowing that, do I really deserve such a thing?

Again, I questioned myself.

Even though I knew the answer, I still asked; it was out of fear.

‘I cannot fight the Heavenly Demon.’

I was afraid and didn’t want to fight.

‘It’s fine if it’s not me.’

It was merely an excuse to convey my desire to rest.

Despite all the killings and sins I committed in my past life, I clung to this life with the justification that there was a reason.

I tried to comfort myself, suggesting I could be happy with the opportunity that came through death.

But the truth was, knowing this only brought me pain.

So I continued to run away.

Even as I trained, sacrificing sleep, I had no goal within it.

When the tide threatened to twist or sweep me away, I thought about how I would escape.

I tried to convince myself.

Wasn’t this enough? Did I really need to go further?

[So, are you satisfied?]

A voice whose source I couldn’t discern asked.

[Is this enough for you now?]

‘No.’

Nothing at all.

I had nothing contained within me.

This place still felt like a dream to me, as hazy and surreal as it was on the first day.

It felt like I hadn’t woken up yet, a dreamy yet vivid dream.

While I thought this way, my actions still bore consequences.

To escape now, I had to ignore countless things.

I had to bear responsibility for the events that would unfold in the future.

If I didn’t want to give Wi Seol-Ah a sword, someone had to wield it.

And if I tried to ignore the feelings Nangong Bi-ah held for me, I had to let her go.

Engagements and other reasons to sever ties were numerous.

Yet I couldn’t let go.

It was due to the ugly selfishness hidden deep within me that I didn’t want to be rid of her.

All the burdens surrounding me were responsibilities I had to shoulder alone.

I couldn’t keep running and hiding forever.

If I couldn’t let go of anything or lose anything, then…

I had to wake up from this dream.

“…Ah.”

It was a strange ceiling.

A familiar ceiling that seemed like the first time I was seeing it.

“…You’re awake.”

The first face I saw filled my view, that of a white-haired elder.

It was Shin Noya.

The first face I saw upon waking being Shin Noya…

I instinctively tried to get up in surprise.

“…Ugh!”

A scream escaped my lips due to the intense pain radiating through my body.

It was to the degree that tears welled up in my eyes.

“What in the world? Have you no caution at all?”

“What… happened…?”

It felt like someone had bitten every joint in my body, an unimaginable pain.

As I groaned in agony, memories of what happened before I passed out surfaced belatedly.

“Don’t worry; it seems things worked out well.”

Did he read something from my expression? Shin Noya provided an answer.

What happened that caused me to lose consciousness, and what of Ya Hyeoljeok?…

And Nangong Bi-ah?

“…Is that woman nearby?”

“The lady who was with you is far better off than you, so don’t worry. Just lie down.”

“Yes… thank you.”

Fortunately, it seemed Nangong Bi-ah had no issues.

But I hadn’t yet asked about Ya Hyeoljeok.

As I was about to ask something more, Shin Noya spoke first.

“It seems like your body doesn’t have any major issues, so once the pain subsides, you’ll be able to get up soon.”

“Thank you…”

“Your energy was all twisted together, and if you’d used it recklessly, it could have cost you your life, yet you drained it all out.”

“Oh…”

“Seriously, nowadays, do they think their bodies are made of Evergreen Iron? They get injured, and it’s the same as dying; why do they go around recklessly?”

I couldn’t help but wear an awkward expression at Shin Noya’s words.

After all, it was true that I overexerted myself without regard.

‘…I wasn’t in my right mind.’

I must have just used everything without thinking about the aftermath.

Though I could have taken other measures, I couldn’t calm down at that moment for some reason.

Even when I was thinking about how Nangong Bi-ah had collapsed.

‘Why did I lose consciousness?’

I certainly still had my bets, and I wasn’t physically exhausted either.

Of course, toward the end, I may have overused it unnecessarily, but my body was still functional beyond what I had previously experienced.

And…

‘At the last, I think I heard a voice.’

It felt blurry.

I was certain I heard something, yet…

When I tried to remember it, a sharp pain shot through my head.

Thud.

With the sound of something being placed beside me, a bitter aroma wafted through the air.

Was it medicinal soup?

Then something approached my mouth.

I saw Shin Noya trying to feed me something with a spoon.

What to do… I hesitated, then took a bite.

The bitterness was so strong it surprised me.

“This is just a medicine to ease your pain, drink it. Otherwise, it’s going to be unbearable.”

Following Shin Noya’s words, I held my breath and downed it.

Knowing it was Shin Noya giving it, made it feel a bit special.

“Wait a bit, people will come. Everyone’s been waiting for you to wake up.”

“How long have I lost consciousness?”

“It’s been two days, and by tonight, it will be three.”

“…Two days?”

I had lost consciousness for two days?

I thought of Wi Seol-Ah, who had just said to me “be back soon.”

She was probably worried.

“Now that you’ve woken up, that child can finally breathe a sigh of relief.”

Following Shin Noya’s gaze, I turned my aching head.

“…Ah.”

At the edge of the room, I could see Wi Seol-Ah and Nangong Bi-ah, leaning against the wall and sleeping.

“She couldn’t sleep well while waiting for you; she could only fall asleep once it was time for you to wake up.”

“”

As I gazed at them, a ticklish feeling spread through my chest.

Watching them blankly, Shin Noya spoke to me.

“I have one question to ask you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Do you remember when I called you a walking corpse?”

“Of course, I remember.”

It was impossible to forget, considering it was why I sought the Demon Stone.

Shin Noya looked at me with a strange expression, as if something else was bothering him.

“I take pride in being a physician.”

That could come across as arrogant at first glance, but considering the speaker was none other than the divine physician, it was understandable.

Shin Noya continued speaking.

“Having carried that spirit through my entire life as a physician, this is the first time this has happened.”

“…Is there something wrong with my body again?”

Again?

Is my body some kind of war zone? Why does everything keep going wrong?

‘Is it because I’ve been causing accidents?’

The sudden realization of my self-objectification made me a bit dizzy.

Shin Noya, with a pondering expression, answered my question.

“…Your energy has settled down.”

“Pardon?”

“The energy that was so desperate to devour one another has calmed down to a mouse’s death.”

My energy has calmed down?

It hadn’t been long since it was described as ready to burst at any moment.

Surprised, I tried to check my energy, but perhaps due to fatigue, my Lower Dantian merely shivered without my energy flowing swiftly.

Instead, another energy brushed past my body.

A chilling sensation shocked me into stopping my own energy flow.

‘Demonic Energy…?’

Demonic Energy was swirling inside me.

Thick and unstable.

Just like the kind that Ya Hyeoljeok possessed.

“Young Master, you’re such a fool.”

True…

“A complete idiot.”

“Yeah…”

As morning arrived, Wi Seol-Ah started crying again upon waking up.

Upon opening my eyes, she instantly burst into tears as if to say she had waited anxiously.

Sadly, I couldn’t manage to console her.

Her eyes still glistened with unshed tears.

“Why do you always get hurt when I’m not around?”

I had no words to reply to Wi Seol-Ah’s question.

It indeed felt like that…

‘Though I tried to keep her away from dangerous situations…’

That reason weighed heavily.

In any case, that was how it was.

Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, Wi Seol-Ah looked at me.

Should I stroke her head? But my body still wasn’t well; it felt a bit burdensome to move.

“You really… are such a fool.”

“Shh…!”

Eventually, Wi Seol-Ah started to sob uncontrollably.

While she cried sorrowfully, Nangong Bi-ah, quietly seated beside her, handed over a handkerchief.

Nangong Bi-ah also had a bandage wrapped around one arm.

Shin Noya indicated that aside from that, she was in perfect shape, and as a martial artist, she would recover quickly in a few days.

As Wi Seol-Ah wiped her eyes with the handkerchief, she called out to Nangong Bi-ah in a muffled voice.

“…Sister.”

“Yeah?”

“Can I blow my nose?”

She asked cautiously.

With an unexpected question, Nangong Bi-ah seemed briefly taken aback but nodded in agreement.

Then came a soft sound, almost a popping noise.

For some reason, it felt like I shouldn’t look, so I turned my head away.

Thank you…

As I returned the handkerchief, Nangong Bi-ah wore a perplexed expression, wondering what to do with it.

I’d have to pay her back for the handkerchief later…

After a moment of this, Shin Noya entered with a frown.

“Now it’s time for an examination, so everyone out.”

“Can’t we stay a little longer?”

“Do you think I can check you properly if you’re beside me? Get out!”

Despite Wi Seol-Ah’s beauty, Shin Noya seemed unconcerned, scolding her.

Ultimately, both Wi Seol-Ah and Nangong Bi-ah left, looking somewhat dejected as their gazes lingered on me.

Once they were gone, Shin Noya naturally took my arm.

“How’s your body?”

“Much better than yesterday.”

“Still, I can’t let you go just yet, so lie still.”

“…Ugh.”

He seemed to have noticed I wanted to get up.

This place didn’t seem like the hut I had seen before. Was this within the Hwasan Sect?

As I lay quietly, Shin Noya suddenly spoke.

“I haven’t properly thanked you yet.”

Shin Noya, who had been quietly standing beside me, suddenly made this statement.

I responded, baffled.

“What do you mean…?”

“Didn’t you end up like this fighting off those who were targeting the hut?”

Targeting the hut?

Was Ya Hyeoljeok’s aim the hut?

Honestly, my anger had fueled my behavior; it wasn’t for any grand reason, as Shin Noya implied.

“Though the details can wait for Dohwa to arrive, the current situation is somewhat concerning.”

“What do you mean, concerning?”

“It’s not my place to say. Dohwa will explain it to you later.”

Shin Noya’s expression darkened significantly as he spoke.

Something bad seemed to have happened, but it was frustrating not knowing for sure.

After fiddling around with my arm for a while, he concluded his examination and stood up.

“You appear to be improving significantly, so you’ll be able to get up soon. However, just in case, stay still for today.”

“Understood. Thank you.”

Once Shin Noya left, I contemplated the situation.

Thoughts about my body filled my mind.

‘Shin Noya couldn’t sense the Demon Energy.’

He had just checked my energy, yet he hadn’t mentioned anything regarding the Demonic Energy.

Of course, it could be that he deliberately chose not to speak of it.

But I thought the likelihood of that was slim.

I had no idea how the Demonic Energy had started swirling inside me, but thankfully, it appeared to be getting purged gradually.

It was similar to how I absorbed the energy from the Demon Stone using the Demonic Absorption Technique, while the Technique of the Flame Wheel devoured and purged the Demonic Energy.

The Demonic Energy coursing through me now wasn’t pure, like that given by the Demon Stone or the Heavenly Demon.

It resembled the murky energy that belonged to the Black Night Palace, especially that of Ya Hyeoljeok.

As if I had stolen his energy.

Could it be that I had taken the energy from Ya Hyeoljeok?

‘Not the Demon Stone, but the energy of another person?’

I had never heard of such an ability before.

It wasn’t something I could claim to know much about, given my own history of using the Demonic Energy drawn from the Demon Stone.

Moreover, I thought this might relate to Shin Noya’s statement that my energy had calmed down.

‘…Regardless, this is still Demonic Energy, so Demonic Power must be responsible for soothing it.’

Ultimately, I would need to find a Demon Stone and continuously absorb its energy.

Feeling bitter that I seemed fated to be bound to the Heavenly Demon even in this life, I also realized I had to face this.

‘That aside…’

Something weighed heavily on my mind from the moment I woke up.

‘Noya.’

I silently called out to Shin Noya, but there was no reply.

‘Noya…’

I called again.

Still, no response came.

Ever since the night I had awakened and for a while after, I had been calling out for Shin Noya, but I hadn’t heard his voice.

Whether I called aloud or within my mind, I received no answer.

“…Where has that old man gone?”

Shin Noya had disappeared.

 

---