SYM 121

Silence reigned in all directions from a certain point.

Cheong-un scanned his surroundings as he moved forward.

It seemed Jeong-hyeon had erected a temporary barrier here. What he saw was the same as before, but after only a few steps, the energy had completely changed.

The clamor of the Hongbaek Sect disciples and the people of the Wang family clashing, the smoke and smells from the fire, none of it could be felt.

Instead, a sticky, suffocating air tightened around his neck.

It felt as if a sticky spiderweb was spread in the air, restricting his movements.

Cheong-un, feeling suffocated, raised his Qi.

Shiver.

It was an eerily windless space, but Cheong-un’s collar fluttered delicately with the Qi he raised.

Cheong-un walked inward, raising his Qi even more.

Crackle, crackle.

As Cheong-un’s Qi collided with the air, pale blue sparks flew in the air. It seemed Jeong-hyeon had released poison along with a Technique that amplified the Hongbaek Sect’s power. These ignited and created flames as they collided with Cheong-un’s Qi.

Cheong-un appeared as if he were wearing armor made of flames in the darkness. Blue flames continued to blaze each time Cheong-un took a step.

And at some point, Cheong-un stopped walking.

“Are you finally here?”

It was Jeong-hyeon.

Jeong-hyeon was sitting in a chair, waiting for Cheong-un, and only the area around him looked black, as if darkness was gathering there.

“You’re later than I expected, Heavenly Demon.”

Cheong-un frowned. He spread his senses, thinking Eun-hyeon might be around Jeong-hyeon, but for some reason, he couldn’t detect him properly.

“Where is Eun-hyeon?”

“You mean your Master?”

Jeong-hyeon grinned.

In that instant, killing intent surged from Cheong-un. It was a terrible killing intent that would make even a low-level person wet their pants just by being near it.

“As expected of someone born under the Star of heavenly slaughter. Your killing intent is thick. Just how much blood have you seen to have such a strong killing intent? Does your Master know about this side of you?”

Cheong-un didn’t answer and walked towards Jeong-hyeon.

Even at night, the moon was bright enough that faces could be seen.

But the area around Jeong-hyeon was pitch black, as if he was drawing in the darkness. It was as if Jeong-hyeon was being swallowed by the darkness. Or perhaps Jeong-hyeon was the darkness itself.

“I never thought I’d meet someone with a stronger smell of blood than me in my life. Ah, should I call you Uncle Master? You were Eldest Senior Brother of my Master, even if it was only for a while.”

At Cheong-un’s words, Jeong-hyeon rose from his seat.

His face couldn’t be seen, but Cheong-un was sure that Jeong-hyeon’s face was distorted by his words.

“Why? Are you not so pleased to be my Uncle Master?”

“Since when has your tongue been so long?”

“I don’t know. I think my tongue has always been like this. But you, when did you become so dark inside? You deceived my innocent Master so well with that dark heart of yours. What did you do to my Master? Why are you so obsessed with Master?”

Jeong-hyeon walked towards Cheong-un. Now, Jeong-hyeon and Cheong-un were within striking distance, but Jeong-hyeon’s face was still not visible.

It was as if Jeong-hyeon had been painted black with a brush heavily soaked in ink.

Cheong-un narrowed his eyes while also frowning.

Ordinary Witchcraft had no effect on Cheong-un. He was confident that he could cut off such Witchcraft just by emitting Pure Qi without even swinging his sword once.

But what was that? What did he do, and how did he get painted so black?

Cheong-un had never seen anything like this before. Cheong-un focused and examined Jeong-hyeon.

Since becoming the Heavenly Demon, he had never been very nervous, no matter who he faced.

But what about now?

Tension and fear were creeping through his entire body. He trembled like a Martial World novice on his first sparring match.

Is this what it means to have something to protect?

Cheong-un hid his bitter feelings and stared at Jeong-hyeon.

“Obsessed with Eun-hyeon, you say. Isn’t that what you’re doing? How amusing. Did you think I wouldn’t know your dirty intentions? The way you look at your Master. Disgusting.”

At Jeong-hyeon’s rebuke, Cheong-un raised the corner of his lips slightly and smiled.

“Yes. I adore my Master. No, I lust after him. I recognize him no matter what he looks like, and I pant for him. But to me, you seem suspicious too. The way you obsessively follow Master around.”

“How absurd. The Buddha sees only Buddhas, and the pig sees only pigs. You’re just like that. Who are you trying to impose your dirty deeds on?”

As Jeong-hyeon shouted in anger, the air vibrated.

“So, you’re saying it’s not true? You, who firmly believed that my Master was a righteous gentleman, why are you so obsessed with my Master? Do you covet him? Well, I understand. He’s a covetable person.”

“…That’s not it.”

Jeong-hyeon’s voice trembled slightly, as if suppressing his anger.

“I’m the one who lusts after my Master, but isn’t Jeong-hyeon just a pervert? Ah, perhaps you have a terrible fetish for corpses? I don’t understand such tastes, but there are occasionally such guys in our Demonic Sect. Well, I make sure to castrate them all if they catch my eye.”

“…That’s not it! Haa, you really have no manners. I don’t have such strange fetishes. The reason I seek Eun-hyeon is because of the specialness he possesses.”

“…Specialness?”

“Yes. What I want is for Eun-hyeon to live healthily. So, when you think about it, there’s no need for you and me to be enemies.”

Cheong-un closed his mouth and stared silently at Jeong-hyeon. Or rather, at the black thing that looked like Jeong-hyeon.

The pitch-black thing, whose face couldn’t be seen, looked as if a shadow had gained consciousness and was moving.

“Tell me more. Your goal is for Eun-hyeon to live healthily?”

“Yes. I don’t care what you do with Eun-hyeon. The reason I’m trying to turn Eun-hyeon into an Undead is because Eun-hyeon’s life is in danger if he’s left as he is.”

“…What does that mean?”

When Cheong-un showed interest in his words, Jeong-hyeon regained his composure.

He put his hands behind his back and walked around Cheong-un in a circle. Cheong-un slowly moved his feet to face Jeong-hyeon, but he didn’t let his guard down.

“In other words. Why do you think Seo Eun-hyeon died? Because he was attacked? Was that really the reason?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Seo Eun-hyeon was destined to die there. Even if it wasn’t that day, Seo Eun-hyeon would have died slowly and miserably. That was all the fate allowed to him.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

A sharp edge formed in Cheong-un’s voice.

Cheong-un was dealing with Jeong-hyeon while also opening his senses to find out where Eun-hyeon was.

He still couldn’t feel his senses as well as he could outside, but he couldn’t give up like this.

Eun-hyeon was definitely around here. The very fact that Jeong-hyeon couldn’t leave this place even after facing him was proof of that.

“Cheong-un, Heavenly Demon, leader of the Demonic Sect. You know better than anyone that I’m not talking nonsense. So, here’s the second question. How far does Namgung Eun-hyeon’s fate extend?”

“…”

Cheong-un’s body stopped moving as if it had broken down, and he stared at Jeong-hyeon.

“Yes, yes. That’s the expression I wanted to see! You have a brain, so think about it. How could Seo Eun-hyeon become Namgung Eun-hyeon and reappear?”

Jeong-hyeon laughed heartily as he looked at Cheong-un.

“How far does the heavens allow the fate of the weak Namgung Eun-hyeon to extend? Huh? Haven’t you been turning a blind eye all this time? But you won’t be able to pretend you don’t know anymore. Once Namgung Eun-hyeon’s allowed lifespan is over, what will you do then, Heavenly Demon? Will you just stand by and watch your Master die? Like Seo Eun-hyeon’s death?”

Cheong-un stared at the black figure, Jeong-hyeon, with heavy, sunken eyes.