"...Thank you for being with me. One day...I will properly marry you."
"This is already more than enough. It's me, hus..."
It was when the word 'husband' was about to escape her lips.
Kwaaang!
An intense heat melted all the nearby snow and burned all the trees.
Kugugugugu!
An overwhelming heat filled the surroundings.
"You bastard...!"
The Core Formation stage Elder of the Jo Clan.
The very one who brainwashed Jo Yeon and pushed forward the arranged marriage with Black Ghost Valley.Paat, pabababat!
Countless late-stage disciples of the Jo Clan also appeared around him.
"You filthy, brainless bastard...in the end, you couldn't hold back and came here to engage in bestiality with livestock in heat? Fine, if that's what you want, I'll make sure to tear you two apart completely. If that livestock dies, then you will..."
Jo Yeon didn't wait for the Elder to finish his words and prepared a spell, aiming it at his own head.
"If you kill or harm her, I will immediately kill myself."
"Wh-what!?"
"I will accept the arranged marriage you've proposed. I'll even marry the cultivator from Black Ghost Valley and give you descendants. But, you must promise to spare her life and not harm her in any way. If you don't, I will smash my own head and die right here. Even as an Elder, you won't be able to stop this."
Jo Yeon spoke while glaring sharply at the Elder.
"If more were born with the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent, you could just kill us both now. But as far as I know, there hasn't been any recent awakening of the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent."
Jo Yeon wasn't foolishly threatening his life without reason.
He had thoroughly investigated before escaping from the Jo Clan.
"You could kill me if you plan to break off the political marriage with the daughter of the Curse Lineage Elder. After all, what use is a mere Qi Building Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent like me. So please, kill me right here and break off the engagement!"
"You...!"
Jo Yeon knew.
Over the years, he had eavesdropped on the conversations outside his solitary room using his consciousness method and became certain.
The head of the Jo Clan planned to use these political marriages to elevate the clan into the royal family of the cultivator world.
To do that, they needed an unbreakable alliance, and Jo Yeon's death here would create a flaw in the Clan Head's grand plan.
If another Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent had emerged within the last few days, they could have simply killed Jo Yeon and replaced him in the arranged marriage.
But that was impossible.
The Elder glared at Jo Yeon with a face flushed red, while Jo Yeon held Wol Ha-eun's hand and brought the spell closer to his own head.
Finally, the Elder shouted at Jo Yeon.
"Fine! You son of a dog bastard. I swear on my Golden Core, my honor, and the honor of the Jo Clan, that I won't lay a finger on your pet! I won't kill her or torture her. But!"
With blazing eyes, he glared at Jo Yeon and spoke.
"To avoid any strange rumors from Black Ghost Valley, I will send your pet to the eastern end for a while. For the first twenty years of your marriage, the two of you will be absolutely forbidden from meeting each other. Understand!?"
'Twenty years...'
Jo Yeon let out a low groan.
It was a long time.
Too long.
But he read the Elder's intent.
'This is the limit.'
If he pushed for more conditions, the Elder might explode and kill Ha-eun right here.
"I understand. In return...after that period, you must promise to let us meet again."
"Fine! I'll promise that too. I swear it on my Golden Core, my honor, and the honor of the Jo Clan! Is that enough!?"
Jo Yeon also addressed the late-stage disciples behind the Elder.
"Please make sure that those who came with the Elder also promise."
At those words, they looked at each other, smirked, and nodded.
"Alright. We promise. We'll let you two meet again someday. We swear on our honor."
"Truly..."
"Enough!"
Kugugugu!
Jo Yeon tried to use his consciousness method to read the intent of the late-stage disciples, but the Elder's sharp shout blocked his technique.
"That's enough. Enough with the chatter! They've promised in front of me, so they'll keep their word. If you keep doubting, I'll take it as an insult to my honor."
"...Understood."
Though still dissatisfied, Jo Yeon decided to trust the Elder.
Twitch—
Hmm? Something...
He felt a strange ominous sensation from the Elder and the late-stage disciples, but he dismissed it as a result of the tense situation and bowed his head.
For some reason, it reminded him of the foreboding he had felt when he met that Nascent Soul stage demon beast long ago, but he forced himself to accept the situation.
'This is the best option.'
Jo Yeon looked at Ha-eun and embraced her.
"Twenty years is a long time, but...if we yearn for each other, it won't be such a long period."
"Yes, I understand. Even if two changing cycles of the mountains and rivers pass, my heart will not change."
The two embraced for a moment before parting.
Jo Yeon headed back to the Jo Clan with the Core Formation Elder.
Meanwhile, Ha-eun left with the late-stage disciples to the far east.
She would be separated from him in the east for the next twenty years.
Though it was far, Jo Yeon swore with determination as he arrived at the Jo Clan that he would go meet her again.
'One day...one day, I will see dear again.'
And three days later.
Jo Yeon heard an absurd piece of news.
"A-Annulment...is that what you're saying?"
The Core Formation Elder nodded with an extremely angry expression.
"...Yes. It seems Black Ghost Valley investigated your past and discovered that you engaged in bestiality."
Crack...
The Elder glared at Jo Yeon as he spoke.
"If that had caused a crack in the alliance, I would have personally torn both you and your pet to pieces...But you're unbelievably lucky. It turns out your partner also made a grave mistake."
The daughter of the Curse Lineage Elder from Black Ghost Valley...it was known she had a habit of frequenting men, but no one expected her to bring a man to play with the night before the wedding. The main family's Grand Elder discovered it, and as a result, the engagement was annulled. Originally, Black Ghost Valley was going to accept you as a favor to gain the upper hand in the alliance...but since we found such serious misconduct on their side as well, both sides were at fault, and we decided to annul the engagement without further words."
"Th-Then..."
Just as Jo Yeon's face was about to brighten.
The Elder shouted furiously.
"Don't get any foolish ideas! Your next political marriage will be arranged soon. However...because of the rumors of your bestiality, it will be harder to find a match."
Puhk!
The Elder struck Jo Yeon's face violently.
Puhk, puhk, puhk!
He continued to beat Jo Yeon with his own hands as he spoke.
"Consider yourself lucky, you piece of trash! If the other party hadn't been so promiscuous, I would have personally melted you and that beast down as materials for my dharma treasure! Damn it, it makes my blood boil. Now I have to run around finding another match for this garbage!"
After furiously beating Jo Yeon until he was near death, the Elder stormed out of the room, saying,
"Reflect on your actions. And you'd better raise your cultivation quickly! If you don't raise your worth, no one will be willing to marry someone who engaged in bestiality. If, because of your bestiality, you fail to secure an arranged marriage, I'll personally bring your pet and tear it to pieces in front of you!"
"...Understood."
Jo Yeon bowed to the Elder as he left the room.
And then he made up his mind.
'Let's raise my cultivation.'
This was also an opportunity.
The Elder had said that only by raising his cultivation could Jo Yeon have a chance of marriage, but raising his realm also meant having more choices.
'Core Formation...no, if I can reach Grand Perfection Qi Building, the clan won't be able to treat me like an insignificant bug anymore.'
When that time comes, he might not be able to avoid the political marriage, but no one would be able to stop him from living with Ha-eun.
Being with a mortal is considered bestiality?
So what?
Among those at the Grand Perfection Qi Building stage, some of the truly eccentric practitioners of devilish arts even engaged in 'real' bestiality.
The Elder probably thought that even if Jo Yeon raised his realm, he would only reach the mid Qi Building stage at most.
However, Jo Yeon already internalized insights on the level of Core Formation long ago in his youth.
The only reason he had maintained his early Qi Building stage cultivation was because extending his lifespan too much would mean that no matter how many spiritual elixirs he gave her, he wouldn't be able to die on the same day as Ha-eun.
But now was not the time to worry about such things.
'Even if I reach the Golden Core stage, extend my lifespan to beyond 600 years, and can no longer grow old together with Ha-eun... I must raise my realm now!'
Jo Yeon swore that he would raise his cultivation, and from that day, he nearly shut himself in his room.
Time passed.
Five years went by, and Jo Yeon's marriage partner still hadn't been decided.
The Core Formation Elder had threatened to find Ha-eun and kill her if no partner was arranged within ten years, but Jo Yeon wasn't afraid.
Wo-oong!
Though he hid it from the Elder, Jo Yeon's cultivation had already reached the late Qi Building stage.
'Core Formation is not far off.'
Even more, his Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent showed signs of evolving once again.
Perhaps because he had spent the last five years diligently practicing artifact crafting and awakening his talent, two of the six patterns were showing signs of merging again.
Because of this, the Jo Clan was being more cautious in selecting a marriage partner for him, which had delayed the process.
After the Elder left, Jo Yeon smiled faintly and resumed his cultivation.
'The day I can truly be with her is not far off.'
It was then,
"Hey, hunchback."
Late-stage disciples entered Jo Yeon's room.
"...?"
Jo Yeon looked at them with doubt.
They were the same late-stage disciples who had witnessed him and Ha-eun with the Elder that day.
They had all married high-ranking members of Black Ghost Valley by now and held considerable status within the clan.
One of them approached Jo Yeon, patted him on the shoulder, and handed him a wooden box.
"I heard your Pattern Law Talent is about to evolve again? Haha, I really do wonder if you're the same fool from before. If you become a Five-Pattern Law Talent, won't you finally be on our level!"
One of the late-stage disciples, born with the Five-Pattern Law Talent, put his arm around Jo Yeon's shoulder as if they were close.
He was the same late-stage disciple who had bullied Jo Yeon the most since childhood.
"I'm sorry for bothering you in the past. Once you become a Five-Pattern Law Talent, you'll finally be a person, so we shouldn't hold grudges like before."
With an unpleasant smile, he thrust the wooden box at Jo Yeon.
"Take it, it's a spiritual elixir."
Suddenly, Jo Yeon felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort and disgust rising within him.
"...What kind of elixir is this?"
"You know it. It's an Emotion Advancement Pill (情進丹)."
"...!"
The Emotion Advancement Pill.
A pill created by the Jo Clan, specifically for those with the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent!
It was an exceptional pill, its recipe known only to a select few among the clan's alchemists.
"My uncle is one of the top alchemists in the main family. I gave him some rare ingredients, and he personally crafted this special Emotion Advancement Pill. He was thrilled, saying he'd never worked with such special ingredients before."
The late-stage disciple said this with a subtle expression.
"Come, eat it. Although the Seven, Six-Pattern Law Talents are trash, the Five-Pattern Law Talent is still useful to the main family, so you too will become a useful asset to the clan. You might think I bothered you a little when we were young, but it was all done thinking for your sake, to toughen you up you know? So don't misunderstand."
Jo Yeon took the wooden box containing the Emotion Advancement Pill, hesitating for a moment.
For some reason, he felt a deep sense of discomfort and disgust.
And as he hesitated, the late-stage disciple's face twisted into an irritated expression.
"Hey, what's with that look? That pill took my uncle years to make. Are you disrespecting me and my uncle right now?"
"That's...not it. It's just, giving something so precious to someone like me..."
"You keep trying to refuse. Go ahead and eat one right here. If you keep disregarding our goodwill, we won't just sit still either. You know we have your pet's whereabouts, right?"
"...Mm..."
Jo Yeon's face darkened.
He sighed and opened the wooden box.
Inside, there were three pills subtly glowing with a pale pink hue.
Precious pills that amplifies the talent of an Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent!
Why would he give such a valuable thing to someone he bullied since childhood?
Jo Yeon looked at his intent.
His Intent was filled with a purple pleasure.
'Is this malice or goodwill?'
His consciousness method was incomplete.
Even for Jo Yeon, interpreting the enlightenment of Five Energies Converging to the Origin wasn't an easy task.
He could barely see the color tones, and he could only barely guess at the intentions behind those colors.
'I can't grasp the exact intention.'
In the end, Jo Yeon swallowed the pill in front of them.
It didn't seem like it was poisoned.
As soon as he ate it, a gentle energy began to circulate throughout his body.
It felt as if a warm hand was softly caressing his body.
"Puhahahahaha!"
Watching this, the late-stage disciples all burst out laughing at once.
They seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Jo Yeon couldn't understand their intentions.
"Good, good. Really good, you hunchbacked brat!"
After patting Jo Yeon's back, the late-stage disciples left his room, saying,
"We'll leave so you can absorb the medicinal effects. Then, eat well and become a brilliant talent for the main family, you brat!"
Jo Yeon stared at the door they had exited for a moment.
Then he looked at the remaining elixirs in the wooden box.
For some reason, he had a bad feeling.
But still...
'...I should eat them.'
Because he had to grow stronger to seize an opportunity.
If he became a Five-Pattern Law Talent, the clan wouldn't be able to completely ignore his opinions.
'And...if this Emotion Advancement Pill works, perhaps...'
Jo Yeon thought he could perhaps even aim for the Four-Pattern Law Talent.
'If I become a Four-Pattern Law Talent, maybe the family would allow me to live openly with Ha-eun.'
"I must..."
Jo Yeon made a vow while looking at the pills.
"I will definitely be with her next time."
Now was the time to raise his realm and talents by any means necessary.
All...to be with her.
With that thought, Jo Yeon picked up another pill and swallowed it.
The six marks that appeared on his face merged together to form five.
Jo Yeon muttered briefly.
"Wait for me, dear..."
The medicinal effects of the Emotion Advancement Pill were still swirling inside him.
He felt that once he absorbed all of its effects, the path to becoming a Four-Pattern Law Talent would open.
"I will definitely come for you. To grow old together, to be with each other for a hundred years..."
Jo Yeon's eyes lit up with determination as he touched his chest.
"Because that is what we promised..."
Bubbling, bubbling, bubbling...
Above a massive body of a dying Sea Dragon, oozing with purple foam,
There, a man wearing a bamboo hat with vacant eyes stroked the Sea Dragon's corpse with a grin.
"Hoho...though I guided it with my own hands, the Jo Clan is truly beyond imagination. I merely stimulated their nature, and yet to go that far...but more importantly..."
His pupils split vertically.
"In the end, if it turns out like that, it seems it wasn't what I'm looking for. Because that thing's [setting] (設定) is to 'die together on the same day and same moment'."
Clicking his tongue in disappointment, the man pulled something from the body of the Sea Dragon, whose eyes had rolled back in death.
Five years passed.
Kugugugugu!
Inside one of the training cave residences of the Jo Clan.
A loud rumble echoed as Heaven and Earth spiritual energy surged into the cave.
"What's going on?"
One of the Elders of the Jo Clan looked towards the direction of the cave residence.
"This celestial phenomenon...could it be...?"
As if realizing something, he flinched in shock and flew towards the training cave.
A short while later, a powerful pressure of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy rushed out from inside the cave.
Kugugu!
The doors to the training residence opened, and Jo Yeon emerged from inside.
"N-No, what is this...?"
The Elder's mouth dropped open.
The one who emerged from within the training cave residence was Jo Yeon, the very person the Elder had once threatened, saying he would kill his pet if Jo Yeon failed to find a match.
Seeing Jo Yeon, the Elder inhaled sharply.
"You...you've reached...Core Formation...but more than that!"
He was stunned as he looked at the marks that had appeared on Jo Yeon's skin.
"F-Four-Pattern Law Talent! A Four-Pattern Law Talent!? How is this possible? A Seven-Pattern Law Talent evolved into a Four-Pattern Law Talent? Even if you eat Emotion Advancement Pills like rice, evolving the Law Talent isn't easy. How many times have you evolved already?!"
But regardless of the Elder's astonishment, Jo Yeon simply smiled faintly.
"Have you been well, Elder?"
"..."
"I've broken through to the Core Formation stage and even attained the Four-Pattern Law Talent."
Jo Yeon gestured behind him.
Inside the training cave residence countless magic artifacts that Jo Yeon had crafted over the years to evolve his Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent were piled up.
"I'll dedicate all these magic artifacts and dharma treasures to the clan. With this much, Elder, don't you think I should be able to choose my own marriage partner?"
"..."
The Elder looked at Jo Yeon with an incredulous expression, then sighed.
"...Do as you wish. To think you were hiding such talent...it's surprising. Here, this is the magic artifact that records the location of that mortal you cherish. Whether you go to her or not is up to you As I promised, ever since that day, I've completely left her alone and haven't touched her!"
"Haha, thank you."
After thanking the Elder, Jo Yeon quickly went to the Grand Elder and the Clan Head to pay his respects.
The Clan Head and Grand Elder's praise left through one ear, his mind solely focused on the moment he could go to see Ha-eun.
Finally, when the Clan Head finished his words of advice and well-wishing toward Jo Yeon, Jo Yeon made his request.
"Clan Head, now that I've reached the Golden Core stage and attained the Four-Pattern Law Talent, I believe I have the right to choose my own marriage partner."
"Hmm, that is true. Do you have a prestigious clan or a disciple from a major sect in mind?"
"I...want to marry a martial artist."
"What?!"
The Nascent Soul stage Clan Head's face turned red with anger and shouted.
"When I heard those rumors about bestiality or whatever, I thought they were lies...but to think you still carry such perverse tastes!"
Kugugugugu!
The Clan Head raised his aura in rage, but barely managed to control his anger as he sat back down.
"...If you were only a Five-Pattern Law Talent, or merely at the Qi Building stage, I would have personally beaten you to death. But given your realm and talent, I won't kill you. Do as you wish. However! Even if you keep a pet, you will marry the woman chosen by the clan!"
"...Thank you."
Jo Yeon nodded, dissatisfied but at least having gained permission.
'I'm confident I'll rise to the Nascent Soul stage with my Four-Patten Law Talent.'
When that day comes, no one would be able to stop him from officially marrying Ha-eun.
Though the idea of spending only a hundred years with Ha-eun was a bit regrettable, if he gathered all the rare medicines on the continent and raised her to the Core Formation stage, they could possibly spend a thousand years together.
With such dreams in mind, Jo Yeon left the audience chamber and took out the magic artifact that recorded Ha-eun's location.
As expected of the Jo Clan, renowned for their genius in artifact crafting, creating a magic artifact that could track a single mortal's location was an all too easy feat.
'The Elder must've made this just in case, but hasn't activated it once in ten years.'
Jo Yeon analyzed the structure of the artifact.
'It seems to track her movements based on her blood information and leads me to her location. The craftsmanship is unnecessarily high. Anyway, this damned Jo Clan...if they have this level of skill, bestowing mortals a year of abundance..."
Though he harbored a slight grudge toward the Jo Clan, Jo Yeon felt as if he could fly.
It felt like nothing but happiness awaited him now.
Even the Jo Clan, which he had disliked to this day, seemed to now give him a faint sense of belonging.
"Well, that's enough. Let's go."
Wiiiiing!
The moment Jo Yeon activated the magic artifact, wings sprouted from the round artifact, and it floated into the air.
The magic artifact flapped its wings and headed in a certain direction.
Jo Yeon followed it using the Flying Escape Technique.
"Since it'll take a lot of spiritual power to travel east, I should replenish with elixirs or spirit stones before..."
Then, Jo Yeon noticed something strange.
The artifact wasn't heading east.
It was headed toward a corner of the Jo Clan's main family.
Jo Yeon's eyes widened.
'Wait, could it be...?'
He felt a sense of disbelief.
"She wasn't in the east, but hidden within the Jo Clan's main family? Hah..."
Then again, even for the Jo Clan, a Five Energies Converging to the Origin martial artist like Ha-eun had worth as a bodyguard for their Qi Refining disciples. That might be how they were using her.
"Hah...to think she was close by all along and I never knew. The main family must've controlled the information. No...was it because I was too focused on cultivation and didn't pay attention? Regardless..."
Wiiiiing!
The magic artifact passed through the sparring grounds, cultivation rooms, the magic artifact refining chamber, and headed toward a secluded corner of the main family.
It was going to the pill refining room.
"...What's this?"
Jo Yeon stared at the magic artifact that arrived at the front of the pill-refining room, puzzled.
'Is Ha-eun inside?'
He carefully opened the door and stepped inside.
Since even a Core Formation cultivator like him couldn't enter the pill refining room carelessly, Jo Yeon proceeded with caution.
As he opened the door, the magic artifact flew to a corner of the pill refining room.
"Dear...are you there?"
Jo Yeon, with a trembling heart, followed the magic artifact.
Then, the artifact stopped.
It halted in front of the flame vent that ignited Earth Fire (地火) for the alchemy furnace.
"..."
Jo Yeon briefly looked around.
Ha-eun was nowhere to be seen.
"...Is the magic artifact broken?"
He touched the artifact.
But from the perspective of someone who had reached the level of the Four-Pattern Law Talent, the magic artifact was not broken.
He could feel Ha-eun's blood registered within the artifact.
The Qi within the blood was undoubtedly Ha-eun's, as Jo Yeon remembered it.
"..."
Jo Yeon fiddled with the artifact again, muttering to himself.
"How strange. It seems broken, but...I can't figure it out with my skills."
It was then.
Jo Yeon heard someone approaching behind him, yawning.
"Huaaaaahm, combining medicinal ingredients isn't easy. Hey, wait! Who are you?!"
Jo Yeon turned around.
It was the same late-stage disciple who had given him the Emotion Advancement Pill in the past.
The late-stage disciple smiled with a cheerful face the moment he saw Jo Yeon.
"Well, look who it is! Isn't it the hunchback! Haha, did you just come out of seclusion? How'd it go? Made any progress? I'm already at the late Qi Building stage without even going into seclusion. Let's see how far you—huh?"
As he checked Jo Yeon's consciousness and spiritual pressure, the late-stage disciple's expression changed.
"W-what...?"
Then, Jo Yeon reached out toward the late-stage disciple.
Clench!
Grabbing the late-stage disciple by both shoulders, Jo Yeon asked,
"...Where is she?"
The late-stage disciple's face turned pale.
"H-How did someone like you reach Core Formation...?"
"Where..."
Crunch!
He spoke to the late-stage disciple who was babbling nonsense.
"Is she?"
"Kugh, you, you..."
It was at that moment.
Clench!
Someone appeared in the room and grabbed Jo Yeon's hand.
Jo Yeon looked at the person.
The late-stage disciple's uncle.
A Grand Perfection Core Formation stage Great Elder, just about to enter the Nascent Soul stage.
"Amazing. I didn't expect that hunchback my nephew mentioned would grow to this level."
"...Where is she?"
Jo Yeon asked him with a sharp glare.
Before the Great Elder could respond, the late-stage disciple hid behind him and sneered.
"Haha, you mean your pet? Didn't we keep our promise?! We said we'd 'let you meet her again!'"
"...What?"
"Over there! Your pet is 'over there!'"
The late-stage disciple pointed to Jo Yeon's stomach.
Jo Yeon briefly looked down at his own stomach, then glanced at the flame vent of the alchemy furnace, before turning his gaze back to the Great Elder.
Finally, his eyes settled on the late-stage disciple.
Saaaaaaaa—
"...You."
A cold aura began to spread around Jo Yeon.
"U-Uncle!"
"Hmph, you made a mistake. You didn't tell me he cared this much for a pet."
The Grand Elder blocked Jo Yeon's path and spoke.
"My nephew was a bit hasty, but you should understand. In the end, wasn't it just livestock? Besides, those three hundred Emotion Advancement Pills made from your pet were truly of excellent quality. The clan's late-stage disciples, the Clan Head, the Elders, and even the supreme Grand Elders all consumed them and achieved remarkable improvements in their aptitudes. It must have died happily knowing it was of immense help to the Jo Clan."
"..."
"If you have any complaints, speak up. It was a rather special kind of livestock, so we can compensate you. If you need another pet, we can bring a few more from the secular world."
"..."
"If you have no complaints, leave. The pill refining room is not a place for even Core Formation elders of the clan to enter recklessly."
"..."
Jo Yeon walked past the Grand Elder and left.
He returned to his room in a daze.
Then he looked down at his hand.
Crunch—
Jo Yeon bit down on his own hand.
Crunch, crunch, crunch...
Blood began to flow from his hand.
Crunchcrunchcrunchcrunchcrunch...
Jo Yeon didn't care about the flowing blood, biting until his bones were exposed.
Drip, drip...
Red liquid began to flow from Jo Yeon's eyes.
He understood what he had eaten.
"Ahh..."
Crackcrackcrackcrackcrack...
He resented his own hand.
He resented his mouth for thoughtlessly eating anything.
"Aaaaahhhhhhh!!!!"
Sssss—
The four patterns on Jo Yeon's face began to blur, gradually starting to resemble three patterns again.
That day, Jo Yeon went mad.
Everything else in his mind disappeared, leaving only a single goal.
The annihilation of the Jo Clan.
With that as his sole purpose, he threw himself into revenge and madness.