With staggering legs, he walked for what felt like ages.
His body felt as if it could collapse at any moment.
Each step took more out of him, a hollow breath escaping his lips. His dantian was drained, and his body, pushed to its limits, weighed heavily on him.
Even so, he couldn't afford to stop.
Crunch.
Stepping on a withered leaf, Mageomhu continued to press forward.
"Haa… haa."
His breath caught in his throat. If he relaxed even a little, he feared he would drop to his knees. But he held on, moving forward.
There wasn't much further to go.
Even if he were to collapse, it had to be there. Driven by this resolve, Mageomhu walked on until he finally reached his destination.
“…!”
The moment he arrived, Mageomhu involuntarily stumbled.
It was just an ordinary plain, empty and unremarkable, yet the thick energy here made it hard to breathe.
What is this?
What could have happened here to create such an overwhelming aura?
Mageomhu ran his hand over his dantian. The residual energy must have affected it because he could feel it trembling slightly.
He looked around to see if the Heavenly Lord was nearby.
‘…Where…?’
Moments before, he had felt the Heavenly Lord's presence, but no matter how hard he looked, he could find no trace of him. He thought about expanding his senses to check, but he didn’t have the energy to try.
Then, suddenly—
“…Ah.”
Seeing something in the distance, Mageomhu let out a sigh.
A figure sat atop a rock.
Its dark, shadow-covered form was unsettling, almost inhuman.
But Mageomhu knew. He recognized that dark figure.
He started running.
His legs, barely able to walk moments ago, now moved with ease.
As he approached, the figure turned its head to face him.
“Hmm.”
Mageomhu stopped just before reaching it.
Something was… different.
The change in appearance didn’t matter. It didn’t matter how much it looked different.
There was one thing…
“…Who… are you…?”
Mageomhu understood. This figure wasn’t the one he had been searching for.
The figure tilted its head slightly in response to Mageomhu's reaction.
“Oh.”
With a brief exclamation, the figure continued speaking.
“So, you’re that brat’s shell, huh.”
“…?”
Mageomhu’s eyes wavered at the unexpected word. Shell…?
“Hmm.”
The figure didn’t seem to care about Mageomhu’s reaction and nodded as it observed his body.
“…Oh-ho.”
And then it laughed in admiration.
“You’re much better.”
“…”
Mageomhu couldn’t understand the reaction. What exactly was better?
Clink.
He drew his sword.
“…Where did he go…?”
It was Thunder Fang, after all. Though he couldn’t draw the blade due to lack of energy.
Mageomhu was prepared to summon every last bit of his natural qi if necessary.
“…”
The figure—Shin Cheol—remained silent as he observed Thunder Fang before finally speaking.
“I have a question.”
He looked at Mageomhu.
“Is Myeong’s spirit still within?”
“…!”
Mageomhu’s eyes widened at the question. He was shocked to hear that name from this shadowy figure.
“How…?”
Without thinking, he gave away a reaction. He hadn’t expected to hear that name from anyone else.
“…I see. So it’s truly there.”
The voice that spoke, noticing Mageomhu’s reaction, carried a deep sense of weariness and longing.
“Young one, has he told you anything?”
“…”
Mageomhu tightened his grip on Thunder Fang.
Ordinarily, he would have heard something, but Thunder Fang was unusually silent. That silence felt disturbingly uncomfortable.
“…Who… are you?”
He lowered his hostility. For some reason, this person didn’t seem like an enemy.
And usually, Mageomhu’s intuition was rarely wrong.
“Who am I…?”
Shin Cheol leaned his chin on his hand, contemplating before responding lightly.
“A relic of the past. Nothing more.”
“…”
“Don’t worry. He’s safe.”
As Shin Cheol waved his hand casually, a slight ease washed over Mageomhu’s body. Oddly, he felt reassured by the words.
Watching Mageomhu’s reaction, Shin Cheol laughed quietly to himself.
‘He’s absurdly lucky with women.’
He was aware that this world was not the one Gu Yangcheon was from.
Moreover, this wasn’t even the era that Shin Cheol had lived in.
So much was different.
Yet the one this girl was looking at appeared to be the same.
Different world, different time, yet still the same.
How could that be?
‘Damn bastard.’
He didn’t like it.
The amusing thing was how this girl could recognize him so easily.
Shin Cheol gently placed a hand over his chest.
Thump… thump….
The vibrations from within continued. Though he didn’t know what was happening inside, he sensed that it was something significant.
‘Endure it.’
That was all Shin Cheol could say.
He, too, didn’t know what change might come after this vibration ceased. All he could do was hope that Gu Yangcheon would overcome it.
Moreover…
‘You can do it.’
He had faith that Gu Yangcheon could endure it.
Despite his troublesome nature and the madness others would see in him, Shin Cheol believed he wouldn’t die in a place like this.
“Young one.”
Shin Cheol called out to Mageomhu.
As soon as Mageomhu looked up in response—
Stagger—
Shin Cheol’s form wavered, and he began to collapse. Mageomhu rushed forward, catching him instinctively.
The reason didn’t matter.
What mattered was who this body belonged to, so he held on without hesitation.
Thankfully, there was no unpleasant smell. Instead, a faint floral scent wafted from him. Floral? It was strangely fitting.
Resting in Mageomhu’s arms, Shin Cheol closed his tired eyes and spoke softly.
“Just for a moment… I need your help.”
It was his limit.
He could no longer maintain his form, so he was leaving the rest to her.
If he could, he would have stayed awake until Gu Yangcheon woke up.
‘This is it.’
For now, he needed to close his eyes.
As he did, cradled in Mageomhu’s arms, Shin Cheol murmured.
“…Myeong.”
He whispered his old friend’s name.
[…]
Thunder Fang, which was still in Mageomhu’s grasp, quivered faintly.
“Are you there, Myeong?”
[…]
The vibration continued. Mageomhu felt an inexplicable sensation.
In a situation like this, where he would normally be speaking up, Thunder Fang was strangely silent.
“If you’re there, listen well.”
Whether it heard him or not didn’t matter.
With a grin, Shin Cheol spoke.
“Your descendant’s swordplay is laughable.”
[…!]
Thunder Fang instantly roared with anger.
Shin Cheol chuckled as he sensed its vibration.
“If I were you, I’d be so ashamed I’d bury my face in a chamber pot.”
[That damn bastard…]
“What a sight, isn’t it? Heh heh, it’s hilarious, you fool.”
After a few more taunting words, he closed his eyes fully.
Then, a loud cry erupted right in Mageomhu’s ear. At that deafening sound, she nearly threw Thunder Fang away in frustration.
[…Draw it.]
A voice brimming with rage spoke to Mageomhu.
[…Draw it now and cut that man down…!]
“…”
It was the angriest voice she had ever heard.
Mageomhu ignored it as best as she could. She was busy tending to the one who had collapsed.
“…”
The face, now scorched black, was no longer recognizable.
Why had he ended up like this?
What could have happened?
Mageomhu looked down at him with a hint of sorrow.
Crack.
“…!”
Suddenly, something broke off his body.
A black shell-like layer detached, fluttering to the ground before disappearing. Mageomhu quickly examined his body.
“…”
It wasn’t just one piece.
The dark energy enveloping him started peeling off bit by bit.
Thin cracks spread across his skin.
Fearing he might shatter at any moment, Mageomhu held him even closer.
She wrapped her arms tightly around his back.
Shudder, shudder.
His body began to shake violently.
And that wasn’t all.
Fwoosh—!!
Flames surged from the cracks, like a blaze flickering within.
Even though she should have backed away, Mageomhu held him tighter, ignoring the fire entirely.
The flames were grand and dazzling, yet not hot.
Praying that nothing would go wrong, Mageomhu tightened her embrace.
******************
Limp.
On the path out of Sichuan, an old man walked past dry, decaying trees.
His steps were painfully slow.
With a body that limped forward, the old man’s face was utterly devoid of life.
Though he had a tall, well-trained physique, no one would recognize him as the Heavenly Lord, one of the Three Sovereigns.
He had become that diminished.
Where was he heading?
The Heavenly Lord himself didn't know; he just kept walking. The only thought left in his mind was that he needed to return.
But… where did he need to return to?
'…Where was it?'
He couldn’t remember. His steps moved forward relentlessly, but he had no idea where he was going.
There were still remnants in his mind.
The image of the three swords hanging in mid-air.
The immense conviction he had felt from them.
It shattered everything he had once stood for.
What had he been living for all this time?
The desire to avenge his fallen family and to protect the order that the Cheonma sought to destroy.
He had believed in that once.
But where had he gone wrong?
Now, the Heavenly Lord understood nothing.
His world had turned to white.
The entire foundation of his existence was collapsing.
Stumble.
His steps faltered, and he nearly fell, but he caught himself, refusing to let his body drop.
His pride—whatever remained of it—wouldn't allow him to fall.
Feeling this, the Heavenly Lord let out a hollow laugh.
Even in this state, his clinging pride was almost laughable.
“…It was all meaningless.”
Everything he’d achieved.
The end he had once sought.
It was all meaningless.
That was the thought that came to him.
“It was all for nothing….”
“Is that so?”
Startled.
A voice sounded unexpectedly, and the Heavenly Lord's shoulders tensed.
As he turned to look back—
Clench.
“Urgh…!”
A cold hand wrapped around his neck.
Crunch—
The Heavenly Lord’s feet left the ground.
The man, nearly seven feet tall, was lifted effortlessly. The hand holding him was too thin and delicate to carry such power.
“Ggh… guh…!”
The astonishing thing was that the Heavenly Lord couldn’t even resist this act.
Struggling for air, he only managed to let out a strained groan.
“I ask you, ghost of the Namgung family.”
The figure holding him spoke.
Swish.
Long black hair swayed in the wind.
Her fair, smooth skin and violet eyes sparkled like precious gemstones.
The woman’s beauty was striking, but the Heavenly Lord felt nothing but fear.
Why…?
Why is this monster here?
No one could answer that question—not even the Heavenly Lord dared to ask.
From the moment she appeared, the entire area had fallen under her control.
The sensation of domains shifting, his senses scattering, and the air trembling.
Everything now revolved around her.
“I distinctly warned you not to set foot in Sichuan. So why are you here?”
The woman’s eyes curved into half-moons as she spoke, a beguiling expression.
But—
Rumble.
The energy emanating from her body was overwhelmingly tyrannical.
The Heavenly Lord couldn’t even breathe.
“Did you perhaps think my words were a joke? That would be a problem.”
Watching him gradually lose consciousness, the woman smiled.
“I don’t like bugs crawling around.”
As she said this, her gaze hardened.
At that moment—
Snap—
All the surrounding light vanished.
An exquisite darkness descended.