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Chapter 508 – Just Let Me Do It Once

“Show me the process and results of you using the White Horse Stone on Jiegal Hyeok.”

That was what I demanded from Shin Yi.

To be honest, I was curious. The White Horse Stone was equivalent to a tremendous elixir for me.

But that was only true for someone like me, who possessed the ability of Magical Absorption.

To an ordinary person, it was just a white rock.

However…

‘Using this to do something?’

The idea that the stone had another use piqued my interest significantly.

But still…

‘I didn’t mean to find out like this.’

I hadn’t intended to gather information through such coercive means.

As I mentioned earlier, this was more in line with Shin Noya’s intentions than my own.

‘What was it that he said?’

Before I came to see Shin Yi, Noya had directly told me to make this request.

It was peculiar. Noya had always found my actions absurd, yet never directly commanded me like this.

He had deemed it uncomfortable for a dead person to meddle in the affairs of the living.

‘It must mean it’s an important matter.’

If Noya behaved this way, it must indicate the issue’s significance.

So, I decided to proceed without further argument.

As for the outcome…

‘Half-success, I suppose.’

I could accurately call it a partial success.

The reason I labeled it as such was that initially, Shin Yi had expressed his refusal.

The crux of the matter was that even if I managed to acquire the White Horse Stone, implementing it right away was going to be difficult.

Despite the words spoken, I could sense hesitation towards fully trusting me and a reluctance to demonstrate actions.

I contemplated whether to accept this and move on, but then remembered that Noya had stepped in, which encouraged me to be a bit more assertive.

When I subtly stumbled while negotiating with the White Horse Stone, Shin Yi let out a deep sigh and fell into contemplation.

It didn’t take a long time for him to think.

Just enough time for me to take a sip of tea.

As that moment passed, Shin Yi brought up his conditions.

The first condition was that he wanted the action to take place in a safe location, while the second stated that it would take time to gather the remaining materials after using the White Horse Stone.

The third was…

‘Golden Binding.’

A silence imposed by the Golden Binding. Shin Yi had stated he would implant it directly into my body.

A physician’s Golden Binding, huh?

Would it be any different? My curiosity was piqued.

The issue was that once it got to that level, Shin Noya tried to stop me.

[This is unnecessary. There’s no need to learn about it while walking towards the Golden Binding.]

Noya told me to stop, but having come this far, I had no intention of retreating.

“I will do it.”

Ignoring Shin Noya’s words, I responded to Shin Yi.

Then finally, Shin Yi seemed to give in, nodding with a tired expression.

And that was as far as the conversation went.

If it was to be in a safe place, I could just choose the Gu Clan. Our home didn’t look that safe, however.

But if I had to choose, that seemed to be the better option.

Right after the discussion wrapped up, I handed the White Horse Stone over to Shin Yi.

It might have been dangerous to give the White Horse Stone without fulfilling the conditions yet, but I believed Shin Yi wasn’t the kind of person to just run off with it.

Maybe it was because I had just acquired the White Horse Stone. Shin Yi looked relieved while glancing at the stone.

It was that important, to the extent that I had to go through such an ordeal to obtain it.

‘Could it really awaken Jiegal Hyeok’s voice?’

What would happen if it did? The thought of the former Tian Yu seemed to stir painful feelings within me.

Really…

‘Should I not have killed him?’

Jiegal Hyeok was a kind of crossroads for me.

He represented a signpost to move beyond the memories of my past life, recognizing and accepting that I existed in a different time now.

That not killing Jiegal Hyeok symbolized my desire to lead a different life and welcome those around me.

But…

‘Is it really okay?’

It just felt unsettling.

Whether it was truly acceptable, whether Jiegal Hyeok would become a danger in the future…

If there’s even a small possibility, wouldn’t it be better to eliminate him now?

As that thought cooled my insides more and more…

“… You.”

Shin Yi’s voice softly reached my ears.

“Though you lack potential and your temperament appears filthy and unpleasant…”

“… Why are you suddenly insulting me?”

I grimaced at the words that seemed to stab like a dagger.

Was he blaming me for being bossy with the White Horse Stone? Just as I was about to scrunch my nose in displeasure…

“I do not think poorly of you.”

“…”

My body stiffened slightly at his calm yet resolute words.

It was entirely different from the insults he had just hurled at me.

“You, who can barely hold your body upright, yet wishes to hoard every little thing around you.”

That wasn’t true. I was rolling and rolling to survive.

“It’s one thing to mistreat others while harboring foolish guilt and hesitation.”

I had never once done that.

I punished those I was meant to punish and let go of those I had to let go.

My temperament was rough, and I didn’t recall holding back, so why was he speaking to me like this?

I wanted to retort right then, but the words wouldn’t come out.

Why?

“Having understood such things, I reckon there must be a reason why you came out like this.”

That was his statement about my reckless behavior with the White Horse Stone.

Maybe that was why the thorns in my hand felt overwhelmingly sharp. I swallowed the seething pain and spoke to Shin Yi.

“… You’re being delusional. I’m just a bad person; that’s all there is to it.”

Regardless of my motives, I shouldn’t attach excuses to my actions.

No matter the reason, I held the responsibility for what I did.

I shouldn’t expect Shin Yi to understand that.

Everything was mine to bear.

That was the right way for me.

Yet, looking into Shin Yi’s eyes, I felt a hint of sympathy.

The thorns embedded in my heart seemed to grow.

I ignored it and swallowed the feeling.

A few seconds passed as I met Shin Yi’s gaze.

Once that brief moment passed, Shin Yi turned away and spoke to me.

“If that’s how you see it, then so be it. If our conversation is over, you may leave.”

That made me carefully rise to my feet. The immediate discussion was concluded, and whether or not to bring Shin Yi to the Gu Clan was a matter for another time.

The sun was setting, and evening was approaching, so I needed to return to my room quickly.

‘… My father must be waiting.’

Ah, I didn’t want to go. That thought flickered through my mind.

As I wore a distressed expression while leaving Shin Yi’s residence…

“This is a warning directed at the nasty you.”

Just before I stepped outside, Shin Yi threw those words at me.

“… Huh? A warning?”

“The Heavenly Lord is here. Be cautious.”

“…”

The Heavenly Lord is here?

Caught off guard by the unexpected news, I felt a moment of shock.

Then, I barely managed to suppress a laugh at Shin Yi’s words.

“Isn’t that more of a concern than a warning?”

“Go rot!”

“Understood.”

As I held back a grin at Shin Yi’s annoyed voice, I opened the door.

Before stepping outside, I slightly bowed my head to show my respect.

Creeeak! Bang.

The moment the door closed behind me, I headed back to my place.

The sun had set, and lights were flickering on along the path.

Could it be because of the last conversation we had?

I felt as though there was a stone balanced on my heart.

‘… Tsk.’

The emotions that used to sink could now be forcefully dragged up by Shin Yi.

The feelings I had while contemplating whether or not to kill Jiegal Hyeok lingered, leaving an uncomfortable and heavy feeling.

Smack-!

I swiftly slapped my cheek. Maybe I struck too hard; I could taste the blood and wiped it roughly with the back of my hand.

“Get a grip, you idiot.”

Ever since my body switched, I’d felt that something was mentally different.

Could this be the biggest influence?

The more it grew, the more I had to keep my wits about me.

I couldn’t let my mind be consumed.

‘Who am I?’

This isn’t some philosophical notion or a silly quest for meaning.

I was the Gu Clan’s troublemaker.

Keep that simple and clear nickname in mind. That was the only thing to remember.

[… You little fool.]

‘Please don’t call me that. I’m perfectly fine.’

I could feel the concern woven into Shin Noya’s voice.

I had to halt that.

I wouldn’t crumble under any of this.

It wasn’t because I was strong.

I simply wouldn’t allow myself to break.

I followed the path, forcing a composed expression as I stabilized my mind and body.

That should be enough.

By the time I thought so, I arrived at the residence where I was staying.

“…”

I paused.

As soon as I entered the residence, my feet froze.

I felt it.

‘It’s hot.’

For some reason, the temperature in the residence felt elevated.

Cautiously, I stepped inside, feeling that intense aura.

The attending servants outside looked at me with respect, but their expressions were filled with tension.

Where had the guards from the Tang Clan who were supposed to protect me gone? I had no idea.

But this wasn’t the time to worry about that.

Climbing up the creaking stairs, I grasped the doorknob and opened it.

Although the room was undoubtedly dark, it seemed inexplicably bright.

I spotted two teacups nestled on the table.

And someone sat there serenely, maintaining a composed posture.

With just the sight of his crimson eyes peeking through the shadow, I recognized that it was my father.

“…”

Feeling that, I slowly stepped forward.

Just then.

<Flame Burst-!>

The room brightened in an instant. Small flames ignited in the void.

Although they were small, their glow was considerably bright.

It was bright enough to cause me to squint slightly.

Bearing through the brightness while looking towards my father…

He didn’t shift his gaze to me but suddenly took something out from his robe.

“…!”

I had to gulp. What he took out was none other than Night Bright Wine.

Why was that coming from my father…? Startled, my eyes were trembling as if they were about to quake.

At that moment, my father turned his head and looked at me.

Meeting those scarlet eyes made my body instinctively freeze.

With dry throat and silenced lips, I swallowed hard.

My father spoke.

“Sit down.”

“…”

With the command, my stiff body moved on its own and smoothly slid into the chair in front of the table.

Without realizing, I knelt and gently clasped my hands.

Even my father, who took a sip from his teacup, was situated in a somewhat oppressive atmosphere centered around the Night Bright Wine that had been placed in the midst.

Tap.

As my father lightly set the teacup down, he said, “Explain.”

“…”

Hearing that, I thought to myself.

No matter how I looked at it, I should have bolted out of here by now.

“Explain.”

At my father’s request, I didn’t have much to say.

I spat out the words as slowly as I could.

While speaking, I mixed various thoughts in my head.

I had prepared excuses beforehand, but I had to be error-free when explaining.

‘Though it’s still just an excuse.’

Damn it.

I never thought he would actually bring over the Night Bright Wine I had left with the Baekhwa Sect.

When had he gone to get that?

Because of that, I had to reorganize my words during my explanation.

So, the explanation (excuse) I provided to my father was:

I had inexplicably fallen into a lake and discovered the Tang Clan’s Biwaegun there.

I ended up acquiring plenty of Night Bright Wine and Poison Heavenly Pill, and I had transformed my body after consuming the Poison Heavenly Pill.

Then, I brought the Night Bright Wine with me and even sold it to the Baekhwa Sect.

But then came the problem.

I had learned that the Tang Clan was up to something strange in Biwaegun.

And it seemed that my comrades were at risk of getting involved, so I communicated that with the Poison King to prevent any issues.

“…”

While I delivered my fragmented tale, I realized how awful the situation was.

The narrative was rife with contradictions and loopholes.

The idea that one could easily undergo a transformation from consuming the Poison Heavenly Pill, and why I had to fall into Poison Lake to start with.

Furthermore, how I stumbled upon Biwaegun right after falling into the lake.

How I had unearthed the situation regarding the Tang Clan’s actions at Biwaegun, which I had no idea when it materialized.

The more I spoke, the more I felt like I was digging my own grave.

If I kept talking, my father might think, “What nonsense is this brat spewing?” and smack me.

Moreover, admitting that I had sold the Night Bright Wine obtained from the Tang Clan at Biwaegun was almost akin to confessing to theft.

‘… Damn it.’

I hadn’t expected my father to show up, and if I had known this was going to happen, I would have taken my time and found a different way to handle things.

‘What to do?’

Barely finishing my explanation, I glanced at my father.

He had listened quietly, not interrupting me with a single word as I spoke.

Only when I wrapped up did he finally take a sip of tea.

Moistening his lips, he looked at me with narrowed eyes.

In that moment, my body tensed from head to toe.

I was bound to be scolded. Since my last spar with my father, I hadn’t been on the receiving end of a beating, and I wondered if I would get it again in this lifetime.

I was hoping it wouldn’t hurt too much as I glanced around for an escape route.

“How is your body?”

“… Huh?”

His question was unexpectedly surprising.

How was my body?

“I heard you underwent transformation. How is your condition?”

“… Uh.”

I was caught off guard by the sudden inquiry.

“Shin Yi… checked my pulse and said my condition is good….”

That wasn’t a lie. I had indeed just seen Shin Yi for an examination.

“I see.”

My father nodded, seemingly satisfied with my answer, then briefly opened his narrowed eyes.

The problem was that moment would be short-lived.

Clench.

I sensed pressure closing in around my heart. The air shifted.

As the unknown sensation blossomed, my eyes widened.

“It seems it’s true that someone fed you poison.”

My father declared.

“Third.”

“Uh… Yes.”

“It was a wise decision to handle matters in a way that granted the Poison King justification.

However.”

My shoulders felt heavy under the pressure.

The aura emanating from my father was weighing down on me.

‘… Damn it.’

I thought I had grown significantly stronger, yet I still couldn’t endure this pressure, forcing me to bite my lip.

“For attempting to swallow poison on your own, this warrants punishment.”

“… I’m sorry.”

Ah, looks like I’m still getting scolded after all.

Just as I contemplated that and gulped down hard.

Suddenly—

Swoosh.

My father abruptly stood up. I raised my head to see if he was going to hit me.

“One.”

My father’s gaze shifted away from me and focused on outside the door.

“It seems that there’s someone else who must be punished first.”

“… Clan Leader…?”

I called out my father, sensing something unusual, but he remained silent as he stepped out the door.

Woosh-! The door swung open as if it had a mind of its own.

Creeeak.

As soon as my father stepped outside, a flood of light poured in.

“… What?”

Light poured in.

I could clearly see the dark sky with the moon rising suddenly transformed into a bright blue sky.

The sun.

At this hour, logically, it should have been asleep.

Yet there it was, floating in the air.

I was speechless, taken aback by such an absurd sight.

“Wait right there.”

My father spoke to me, devoid of expression as usual.

Whoosh.

My father’s black hair began to gradually change color. Reddish, like his eye color.

A battle stance of my father that I’d never seen, not even in my former life.

“I’ll be back before your tea cools.”

 

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