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Chapter 212: The First Sin (3)

The formation was on the verge of tearing apart.

The Gungju was heading towards the Red Sky (赤天) crafted by Gu Cheolun.

The power bestowed by the heavens was nearly perfect.

It filled the gaps within him.

And enhanced the inherent strength he possessed.

‘I will step into a new world.’

The Gungju was convinced of this.

He believed he was different from his past self—the one who crawled and was crushed beneath the hands of the righteous faction.

With the passage of time and the faith granted by the heavenly power, he felt secure.

“Crack…”

That deep faith shattered in an instant.

Under the blood-red sky, he spotted a man—like a calamity—who seemed to tear apart the barriers summoned by the Taeeolgui using unimaginable strength.

The Flame Ghost, Gu Cheolun.

The very man who had once pierced the belly of the Black Night Princess and drilled a hole through her.

A monstrous man who had forced many demons, including the Black Night Princess, to bow their heads to him.

‘They say the pillar of the alliance was the Sword Sovereign.’

When the Sword Sovereign, Wi Hyogun, was the leader of the Martial Alliance, he was indeed praised as such in the world.

Yet, the Gungju knew the truth.

The figure that the demons truly feared was not the Sword Sovereign but rather the Flame Ghost, born from flames.

In the distance stood a man, resembling a calamity.

Once, he had been someone he wished to kill by any means.

At another time, he had sparked an insane jealousy in him—the Red Martial Artist.

Crack-crack-!

Gu Cheolun tore apart another layer of the barrier, slightly raising his head.

His piercing, or rather, chilling red eyes locked onto the Gungju.

In that instant of eye contact, the Gungju realized so much.

He was certain.

Even after years had passed and the power was granted to him, he could never match the Flame Ghost.

Just looking at him was enough to know.

The flames that stood there were like a calamity, and contrary to the rumors, he had not dulled his fangs at all.

The Flame Ghost did not exude his characteristic Qi.

And without revealing his flames, he proved himself to be of the Gu bloodline.

Moreover, even though their gazes met, the creature was solely focused on breaking the barrier.

The direction of the power emitted was not aimed at him.

‘Yet, is it truly so?’

He had thought he would just be stuck hiding in the mountains, breathing lightly.

It seemed that the great beast had simply been in a deep slumber.

As if it could lord over everything at any moment, it was merely taking a short rest.

“How ridiculous…”

The Gungju whispered to himself.

Having received so much power,

Struggling to survive and gather strength, yet still finding himself incapable of progressing.

“…Not yet.”

In a fleeting moment of sharing eye contact with Gu Cheolun, the Black Night Princess immediately turned her back to head somewhere else.

Seeing that the barrier was almost broken with such foolish methods,

And realizing she could not yet face the Flame Ghost, she thought it unnecessary to remain here.

From the very beginning, the purpose of the main palace was to enhance value for the heavens, and once that was accomplished, it was to be discarded.

Now that problems arose for the heavens, there was no need to linger here any longer.

‘Though I regret leaving the flames behind.’

Opportunities like this do not come often, after all.

For now, it was paramount to take the heavens with her and leave.

‘I’m glad I tipped the Great Lord beforehand.’

From the moment she brought Gu Hee-bi to the main palace,

The Gungju had already warned the black dragon of Guangdong.

Now, it was time to turn away without regrets.

If there was a slight disappointment,

It was having to leave the Flame Ghost as he was.

‘I’ll make him wait a little longer.’

Her ego, which she had left behind in the Demonic Lands a few years ago,

Regrettably, she could not entirely cast aside her aspirations towards greater heights.

Having confirmed that the Flame Ghost had yet to extinguish,

Now, the Gungju was simply preparing to act.

To pour water onto those wicked flames,

And summon a torrential rain to drench the corrupted Central Plains.

Crack.

Blood flowed from her tightly clenched fist.

Her own shape of retreating after gaining power felt endlessly pathetic, a desperate attempt to ignore it.

#

In the heavily settled mist of demon energy.

Under the purple moon that altered the day into night.

Chururu—

The man poured liquor into a wine glass as he did on any other day.

His gaze slightly lowered, with skin as pale as could be.

Amidst that, the distinctly shining purple eyes offered an unexplainable sense of fear.

He understood.

That he was being crushed by the very aura that this being possessed.

Cautiously lifting his gaze,

He saw eyes akin to the risen moon watching him.

The moment the creature noticed his gaze, it spoke.

– Your gaze is peculiar.

– …I’m sorry.

– No need to apologize. It hardly matters to me.

The Heavenly Demon downed the liquor filled to the brim in his glass.

The massive amount poured disappeared in just a few gulps,

The Heavenly Demon then quietly kept an eye on me.

I couldn’t hold his gaze for long; it felt too burdensome.

– Sometimes it feels like you’re looking through me.

With the Heavenly Demon’s words, an inexplicable breeze brushed past.

– It seems you’re seeing someone through me.

His words chilled my heart.

Like salt sprinkled on a wound that was beginning to heal.

Even though they were just passing words, their meaning was unspeakably chilling.

– Are you thinking of that woman you have in your heart?

– No, I am not…

– Denying it makes for a ridiculous excuse.

Indeed.

It was just an excuse to escape.

– Heh heh.

The Heavenly Demon chuckled softly.

– If the Great Lord saw you in this state, you would surely have a lot of explaining to do.

– Have you still not forgotten? The Great Lord’s affection is quite resilient.

– That’s not true. I was originally…

– Lies do not work on me.

Thud.

A pressure bore down on my shoulder,

Demonic energy surged from my lower dantian.

As if urging me to acknowledge the master who stood before me.

The pain surged like a blade stabbing within as I struggled to contain my breath.

– …I’m sorry.

Was my response satisfactory this time?

The Heavenly Demon filled the wine glass once more.

After filling it up, he spoke to me with a smile.

– I wonder.

With a single word, the world trembled.

This place was the domain of the Heavenly Demon and his sanctuary.

– In the future, after that woman dies by my hand, will you still be intact, Great Lord?

The man offered no response,

And the Heavenly Demon continued to chuckle delightedly at his silence.

In that situation, the man merely watched the Heavenly Demon’s laughter.

His face closely resembled someone he had once known.

As he watched the blissful smile on that face, his twisted insides felt temporarily calm.

‘Was it because I witnessed that smile?’

That thought crossed his mind, bringing forth a self-deprecating smile.

To seek solace in the twisted life,

He had burned all the vessels that could hold that gentleness.

His insides were empty space.

What remained there was merely the lingering remnants he held tightly, not letting them extinguish.

In the endlessly heavy atmosphere,

I lowered my head and closed my eyes.

#

In the room filled with demonic energy.

I gazed at the child nestled in the arms of the Gungju, feeling puzzled.

‘…Why does the child look like that?’

Whether he was of a lean figure or had a dazed look different from his past life, it mattered not.

What was important was that this child was indeed the Heavenly Demon I knew.

‘…This can’t be real.’

Was this just a mistake? Could I be misjudging things?

Yet, knowing it was nothing of the sort, I bit my lip hard.

The child’s face bore an incredible resemblance to Wi Seol-Ah, including the ambiance.

Not to mention, the unique eye color.

While others might not recognize him, it was impossible for me not to.

Grrr—

‘…Dammit.’

Look here, the demonic energy within me was writhing like this.

How could this be a mere illusion?

The problem remained—why was the Heavenly Demon here in such a form?

At the very least, the Heavenly Demon I knew had a much more mature appearance.

‘He claimed to have come from the Demonic Lands.’

He had said he pierced through the Abyss and descended into the Central Plains.

That same Heavenly Demon was now in the Black Night Palace in this form?

‘…I have no clue what’s happening.’

This was utterly beyond my comprehension. A situation I had never foreseen.

“It seems you cannot hear me.”

“…!”

A sudden chilling sensation made me turn my body.

Crack—!

The aura emitted by the Black Night Princess surged like a tempest and attacked me.

“…Avoid it?”

The Gungju’s voice was mixed with a hint of admiration.

It appeared she hadn’t anticipated I could dodge at all.

I, too, disregarded the throbbing pain from my lower dantian due to the unexpected movement and spoke to the Black Night Princess.

“Your greeting is rather rough.”

“That face and aura… Ah, you must be the son of the Flame Ghost.”

The Flame Ghost…

It had been a long time since I had heard such an alias.

Father was referred to as such at times.

To actually witness the Flame Ghost in person…

“You are indeed Jin Ryong.”

“It is an honor to be recognized by the Black Night Princess.”

“Of course, how could I not know? We have our own connections.”

Connections? Does she mean the slight friction between the Black Night Palace and my family?

While observing me, the Black Night Princess continued speaking.

“You’ve taken after your father quite well.”

“I hear that so often, I’m almost numb to it.”

“Your sister too possesses remarkable talent; seeing you makes me wonder if mere words can encapsulate it.”

As she said that, an unidentifiable emotion flitted across the Gungju’s eyes.

Was it envy?

Or perhaps jealousy?

At the very least, it felt like an awkward sentiment for someone who had reached the transformation realm or perhaps beyond.

“Now, will you answer me? How did you open the door?”

“How to open the door? Naturally, you push it.”

I answered while glancing back.

Was it because of the abundance of demonic energy in the air? It seemed like the members of the Gu Family’s Sword Team were having a tough time entering.

‘What should I do?’

If the child in the Gungju’s arms was truly the Heavenly Demon, I couldn’t afford to let him slip away.

“How fascinating.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Your eyes seem as though you’re familiar with this individual.”

The Black Night Princess referred to the child nestled in her embrace as “this one.”

Using that sort of term meant their relationship wasn’t merely casual.

‘Then… did the Heavenly Demon turn her into a demon?’

Could it be that the other warriors of the Black Night Palace had also been touched by the Heavenly Demon’s influence?

Just like those demons from my past life?

‘To know this, I must—’

Regardless of the means, I needed to seize him.

Whether it became a match or not.

Flame Burst—!

I immediately attempted to draw the energy from within and unleash my flames.

Although my lower dantian throbbed from the pain, there was no time to hesitate.

Upon witnessing me ignite my Qi, the Gungju smiled slightly.

“I don’t think you’re that foolish as to overestimate yourself.”

With a swipe of her hand,

The energy carpeting the room surged toward me.

As I raised my flames and accelerated,

Bang!

I could only submit to the blow from the Gungju’s outstretched arm, landing heavily against the ground.

‘…I can’t use my energy properly; it’s hard to react.’

It was already overwhelming due to the disparity in our experiences.

With my lower dantian failing to function, it felt almost like being caught up in a crowd.

‘And miss out so close?’

How could that happen?

‘Even if I must use Blood Qi…’

No matter what it took, even at the risk of damaging myself,

I had to capture him.

“Considering the situation, it would be wise to thank me for not killing you…”

The Gungju clicked her tongue, opened her mouth to address me, but then hesitated.

It appeared that I wasn’t the only one trying to use Blood Qi.

The reason? The Heavenly Demon nestled in her arms had pointed at me with his finger.

Then, the Heavenly Demon spoke.

…That one.

“Oh heavens, how…?”

“My…?”

He tilted his head as if in confusion.

‘…Could it be?’

Had he reacted to the demonic energy within me?

If that child was indeed the Heavenly Demon, it was entirely plausible.

For the demonic absorption technique contained within was ultimately the Heavenly Demon’s power.

At that moment.

Grrroooowww—!

“…!”

The dormant demonic energy within me began to stir.

Like a wild beast, the overwhelming force rose up, and the lower dantian shrieked in response.

“Ugh…!”

…Mine…

It seemed that the child in the Gungju’s arms was doing something.

‘…This is madness…’

The demonic energy gradually began to move.

It felt as if it would break free from my body at any moment, burning with its own volition.

Since demonic energy was a type of aura, if it surged out like that, my body would undoubtedly be overwhelmed.

I struggled to contain the overwhelming energy and bear the pain.

“…What is this…?”

Amidst the turmoil, the Gungju must have noticed the energy swirling within me,

Gazing at me with narrowed eyes.

“How do you possess that energy?”

Her voice was laced with a fury.

I was curious why she displayed such an emotion, yet I had no time to ponder as I was grappling with pain.

While I was enduring the struggle,

[…Grrr.]

A sound resonated from deep within my lower dantian.

It carried an unmistakable feeling of discontent.

[Roar…!]

A beast’s cry echoed.

“…Hick…”

With that startled cry, the surging demonic energy quieted down in an instant.

“Heh… heh…”

Sweat poured down my face as I involuntarily let out a scream-laced breath.

It was evident that the pain was unbearable.

On the other hand, it raised a question within me.

How could the once-prevalent demonic energy calm down so suddenly?

I lifted my head to gaze at the Heavenly Demon.

‘Why does he seem frightened?’

The Heavenly Demon looked utterly terrified, trembling as he stared at me.

That expression resembled that of an ordinary child, igniting a wave of anger within me.

“…Oh heavens, what are you doing?”

The Gungju asked the Heavenly Demon, yet he offered no response.

He only trembled and stared at me.

A thought skirted through my mind as I watched that scene.

‘Could he have recognized it?’

Was it the beast mentioned by the Blood Demon, Dogo Jun, that lay within me?

Could the roar I just heard belong to that creature?

If that was the case, was the Heavenly Demon truly afraid of that beast?

If that wasn’t it, then what exactly was such a response signaling?

‘What exactly is this creature that it could instill fear?’

“This makes no sense.”

The situation was equally baffling for the Black Night Princess.

Her voice betrayed a hint of annoyance.

Yet, within that voice, a sense of lethal intent was mingled.

“Therefore, I must dispose of it beforehand.”

Energy coalesced into a spear-like shape.

It was all too clear that the target of her intent was me.

Yet,

Due to the recent pain, my body had grown unresponsive.

If this continued, I would be utterly pierced through by that energy.

Then, just as the Black Night Princess was about to unleash her energy,

She clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction.

“…It seems I have wasted too much time.”

With an unsatisfied tone, the Gungju stepped back.

Red flames surged into the room through the tunnel behind her.

The flames enveloped me protectively,

Forming a wall against the imminent threat.

I needed not to question whose power it was.

“It seems you are behaving recklessly, doing things without your honor.”

The voice carried no emotion, deadpan.

Bang.

With a heavy inner strength, the area around us rocked.

The oppressive demonic energy had no effect, serving only to provide clarity for the approaching danger.

The great Gu Cheolun, my father, entered the room.

“You were warned not to move recklessly. Yet, you are causing trouble.”

Undoubtedly, the air should feel heavy and suffocating due to the demonic energy,

But my father acted as if it were nothing.

How could this be possible?

A martial artist with inner strength—in its essence, the demonic energy should behave like poison!

“Gungju.”

At my father’s call, the Black Night Princess smiled slightly.

“It’s been a while. Flame Ghost.”

“You have broken our promise.”

“You must not have thought that such a pitiful promise would endure forever, did you?”

Despite her mocking tone, my father showed little reaction,

He appeared as if he could care less.

“Even that demon-like self of yours treasures your child. To come here and forget about your responsibilities.”

“Let’s not engage in useless conversation.”

To prove his point, my father began to envelop himself in flames.

Indeed, the power he possessed remained overwhelming.

But, the Gungju merely smiled as if unaffected by his presence.

“You do not need to pretend to be strong, Gu Tae; surely it has been difficult for you.”

“Silence.”

The immense flames, composed of boundless energy, lunged toward the Black Night Princess,

However,

Crash!

A wall formed by her power blocked the advance.

At that moment, the energy seemed poised to shatter,

But it did not penetrate.

‘…It seems my father is indeed unaffected by the demonic energy.’

Whether it was an illusion or not, I could sense that my father was hesitating, albeit slightly.

“Do not rush; we will inevitably meet again.”

With those words, the Gungju took a step back,

Her figure gradually receding into the demon gate.

“I also seem to have business with your son, so we shall see each other soon.”

As I watched her grow more distant, I gritted my teeth.

My body still refused to move.

‘Am I really going to let her slip away like this…?’

The Heavenly Demon nestled in her arms?

I trembled uncontrollably as the Gungju whispered softly to me.

“If that happens, the Gu Clan will need to fulfill its first sin.”

And with those final words, the Taeeolgui, Gungju, and the Heavenly Demon vanished into the demon gate.

The moment they disappeared beyond the door, I maintained my gaze on the Heavenly Demon.

Even as he stared back at me intently.

The demon gate, having swallowed the personnel, soon vanished as if that place had never existed, quietly fading into the void.

‘…Why?’

Even amid the departure, I found myself replaying the Gungju’s last words in my mind.

‘Why did she leave that statement?’

The first sin.

The first sin of the Gu Clan was,

To have opened the first demon gate on the land of the Central Plains long ago.

That was the Gu Clan’s first sin and offense.

 

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