Chapter 473
Chapter 474 – For You, Forgotten in Oblivion
Thud, thud, thud.
The Demonic Gate that Consumed Gu Yangcheon gradually disappeared, taking with it all traces of the crack.
The Heavenly Demon was quietly staring into the void.
Silence lingered, wrapping around the surroundings like an unwanted blanket.
“Ha… ha…”
Suddenly lost Gu Yangcheon, the searching gazes felt palpable all around.
The Heavenly Demon turned his eyes towards the Demon Sword Queen.
“Demon Sword Queen.”
At the call of the Heavenly Demon, the Demon Sword Queen, who had been kneeling, raised her head.
He could clearly sense it in her gaze.
The unmistakable disappointment resting in the Demon Sword Queen’s eyes.
So, he asked.
“Are you disappointed?”
“… No, I’m not….”
A lie. The Demon Sword Queen was undoubtedly feeling regret.
However, the Heavenly Demon didn’t blame her for such dishonesty.
In the countless lives she had endured, she had always acted this way.
Moreover, there was a hint of remorse for not having saved her life when she could have.
Even if it was necessary, it was something that was inherently irksome to feelings.
Thus, this time, the Heavenly Demon decided to show mercy.
“If you wish for it, just say so.”
As the Heavenly Demon spoke, he pointed into the void.
At that moment—
Zap—!
“…!”
From the tips of the Heavenly Demon’s outstretched fingers, the void began to tear open.
“If you want, I can send you there too.”
“…”
The crack enlarged as his hand moved.
Unlike the white crack that had consumed Gu Yangcheon, the one created by the Heavenly Demon was filled with purple light.
“…”
Even so, the Demon Sword Queen understood.
She could see Gu Yangcheon if she went there.
The Cult Leader was not one to speak lies.
Could it be that if she went there, she would see him again?
Such thoughts crossed the Demon Sword Queen’s mind.
There were still so many words she wanted to ask.
Furthermore, remembering the way Gu Yangcheon looked at her right before he vanished invoked a myriad of emotions within her.
She yearned to witness that gaze again.
She wanted to know why he looked at her that way.
Recalling the touch of a hand that had cared for her during that fleeting moment—it all remained etched in the Demon Sword Queen’s memory.
But—
“… I won’t go.”
The Demon Sword Queen had no intention of searching for him.
At her firm response, the Heavenly Demon tilted his head in curiosity.
“What’s your reason?”
“‘He is here…'” she began. “….”
“Mm.”
The Heavenly Demon turned his head, a smirk forming on his lips at her answer.
What a foolish reply.
The Demon Sword Queen’s eyes sparkled brightly. Observing this, he thought to himself,
‘My… huh?’
Her subtle words.
While the Gu Yangcheon who had vanished was still significant,
the Gu Yangcheon that would remain in this era was far more important.
That sentiment seemed apparent.
By referring to him as ‘my’, it was likely directed at the panting half of herself in front of her or—
Like a sentiment hurled to the Heavenly Demon to hear.
‘How irritating.’
With a sudden surge of killing intent.
For the first time in ages, the Heavenly Demon felt a fierce emotion boil within him, barely managing a smile.
He longed to rip out the heart of the Demon Sword Queen right then, but—
He resisted that urge.
The Demon Sword Queen still had matters to attend to in this life.
Since her answer was sufficiently satisfying to invoke such murderous feelings.
Withdrawing his hand that had created the crack,
the Heavenly Demon pulled back his fingers, causing the crack to close up behind him, disappearing without a trace.
“I’ll overlook it this time since you spoke words I liked.”
With that casual remark, the Demon Sword Queen lowered her head, and the Heavenly Demon couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Seeing that, it seemed he was indeed referring to himself.
Normally, he would have punished her, but he let it go since it matched his inner intentions.
Furthermore,
“Now that you know where to go….”
After countless repetitions, at least thousands of times, he finally found it.
No, perhaps it was something he already knew.
It was postponed due to a lingering sense of wanting to see a bit more.
He had wandered aimlessly, unable to let go of that yearning.
‘In the end…’
It seemed unavoidable.
Having tried every possible method, putting forth every effort—
And in the end—
‘I must let you go.’
He realized there was no other path.
It was only by witnessing it with his own eyes that he could attain certainty.
Was it relief?
No, all that remained was pure regret.
“Demon Sword Queen.”
“… Yes, Cult Leader.”
“Return as you saw and tell the Great Lord. I will visit in a few days, so prepare your face to show.”
“…!”
Upon hearing the Heavenly Demon’s words, the Demon Sword Queen lifted her head in surprise, but she couldn’t utter a single word in response.
The chilling emptiness radiating from the Heavenly Demon’s eyes made it impossible for her to speak.
Thump.
The Heavenly Demon moved.
He headed in the direction of the So Sword Sect.
Immediately after Gu Yangcheon disappeared, the So Sword Sect stared blankly into the void.
“If I had my way, I would end this now and start anew.”
Snap.
“Ugh….”
Approaching the So Sword Sect, the Heavenly Demon grabbed a handful of her hair.
Her gorgeous white hair had now turned golden.
“A reason not to do so has presented itself.”
“…”
“I despise you. I want to tear you to shreds right now.”
Was it because she looked exactly like him? Or was his heart directed toward this half of herself?
All these could serve as reasons.
Yet, the essence lay elsewhere.
It was simply because.
She reminded him of her.
A nameless woman who had chased after hope while having the same eyes as the So Sword Sect, longing that with just a little effort, they might walk together again with someone special.
Such thoughts must have aggravated him immensely.
“Just die….”
“Shut up. That’s something you shouldn’t dare to say.”
At least not in front of him.
As he seized the So Sword Sect’s hair, the Heavenly Demon shot a glance at the Demon Sword Queen.
“Return and convey this to the Great Lord. Inform him that I shall visit in a few days.”
“…”
He didn’t wait for the Demon Sword Queen’s answer.
“And you,”
the Heavenly Demon had silently continued his task.
“Take me to that damn father of ours. I have things to discuss.”
Upon hearing her words, the So Sword Sect’s eyes widened.
The Heavenly Demon contained her emotions, observing the reaction.
How many times would he have to repeat this work?
His mind was made up, and though he could proceed with this ‘business’ right now,
it wasn’t the right time.
The Heavenly Demon needed to endure a little longer.
Just a little more.
Even the slightest improvement in the path had to be set.
Having endured for countless lengths of time thus far,
the weight of a defined end felt heavy upon his soul.
All the woman desired was—
‘At the end of this time.’
When she had completed her own tasks,
he hoped he would embrace her just once, as he did in the cherished memories of the past.
Though grasping at such delusions proved bitter,
he understood far too well that it would never happen.
Everything felt hazy.
It was as if my body was floating somewhere.
Was it supposed to feel comfortable?
Strangely enough, it was not a bad feeling.
‘Where am I?’
Perhaps due to my lethargic body, I felt my mind was turning fuzzy too.
I struggled to grasp my head, attempting to focus.
Recalling the moments before losing consciousness.
‘…!’
At that moment, the fading thoughts suddenly tightened as if they were mocking me.
I remembered being killed by the Heavenly Lord,
the violent clashes involving Blood Qi, and—
everything, including breaking the vessel and turning into something not human.
‘… The Heavenly Demon.’
I even recalled my encounter with the Heavenly Demon.
As soon as that thought crossed my mind, my eyes opened wide.
“Hah…!”
The moment my eyes opened, I shot upright.
It was because I recalled the memories right before.
‘… The Demonic Gate….’
I remembered the moment that white Demonic Gate appeared and consumed me.
I immediately scanned my surroundings.
‘No way.’
Could it be that, as the Heavenly Demon said, I was truly back in the original world?
I hadn’t accomplished anything even remotely resembling an exam in that world yet.
It was impossible to return so ineptly.
‘… Hmm?’
As I contemplated this, my eyes darted around, and I noticed something peculiar.
The parched plains of Sichuan.
Or maybe it was the Biwaegun I had been in before dimension jumping?
But, it was neither of those.
“What on earth is this…?”
Contrary to what the Heavenly Demon said, the place I found myself in wasn’t the original world.
It was white.
An alien space drenched in pure white color.
I couldn’t even discern where the walls and ceilings were.
“Here.”
It felt like something was surfacing in my mind.
It seemed like a space I had visited before.
What could have happened?
Just as I was trying to rise and assess the situation—
“Huh?”
I immediately identified something unusual.
Something had suddenly appeared in front of me that wasn’t there when I was seated.
“…”
At first glance, I could recognize its identity.
Far ahead, someone was there.
Frowning, I focused on the figure.
Only then did it come into view.
A woman sitting demurely.
She had three teacups placed on a desk that felt out of place in this strange space.
With green hair hanging down to her waist,
the woman had her hands delicately folded, her eyes half-closed.
Seeing her, I cautiously called out,
“… Lady…. No, Senior.”
The woman, hearing my call, lifted her gaze to meet mine.
As I clearly recognized her face again, my certainty solidified.
Yes, the woman was Tang Je-mun, the one who sent me to this place.
“It’s been a while.”
Her voice was soft, but the moment I heard it, my brows furrowed in irritation.
Instantly, anger boiled within me at the sight of her.
At the same time, there were far too many questions I wanted to ask.
“What exactly do you want from me….”
“I was waiting, hoping to see you again someday…. It took much longer than I expected.”
“No. Right now….”
I wanted to question her assertively but found my mouth shut as I gazed into Tang Je-mun’s eyes.
I sensed that her gaze wasn’t on me.
Where was she looking?
I turned my head in the direction she was facing.
There, stood—
“… Huh?”
Just as before, there was a figure standing where there hadn’t been one before while I looked around.
A tall, skinny old man donned in white martial robe.
With his hands clasped behind his back, his snow-white brows were deeply furrowed.
Along with the petal pattern etched on his chest,
he looked exactly as I had seen him in the Realm of the Heart.
“… Noya…?”
The old man was indeed Shin Noya.
“…”
I gaped at Noya in astonishment, but he, too, was staring at Tang Je-mun, not me.
Perhaps due to the sudden reuniting of old acquaintances,
Noya wore a look of considerable surprise.
Then, upon hearing Noya’s words, I couldn’t help but be startled.
“… Who are you?”
“Excuse me?”
“What’s that you say…?”
