Editors: Ytho, LaidBackGuy
Baek Museon looked down joyfully at Lee Sungmin, who had fallen to the ground, covered in bloodstains. Yet, inside Baek Museon’s mind, Geniella’s orders continued to circulate. He cannot kill him. As long as he doesn’t kill him. Baek Museon mumbled such words and slowly approached Lee Sungmin.
“Kkyaaak!”
Rubia screamed. Not only did she scream loudly, but she also raised up her magical powers without any thoughts about the future. Her magical powers fluctuated, and blue lightning crackled on top of her palms. But before Rubia could attack, Crazy Heavenly Demon blocked her path.
“No.”
Rubia opened her eyes wide and glared at Crazy Heavenly Demon’s hardened face. She shouted with a fierce voice.
“Then, are you just going to stand back and watch?! He might really die! ”
“I will go.”
Crazy Heavenly Demon uttered, sounding pained. He said he would not get involved, and he wasn’t. But he could not now in good faith, simply stand by and watch. Lee Sungmin had already suffered a fatal injury, and if Crazy Heavenly Demon did not go out, Baek Museon would kill him. He can’t kill… Crazy Heavenly Demon had listened to the words that Baek Museon was muttering, but he couldn’t believe them. Besides, he didn’t have to kill him. Because it sounded as if he could do anything to him as long as his life was intact.
Actually, Baek Museon had planned to do just that. First off, he would rip off his left arm, then… Which part would it be after that? Would he rather pull out the legs that made such annoying steps? It would be okay as long as he didn’t kill him.
Crazy Heavenly Demon moved forward. He didn’t want to get involved, but he couldn’t simply watch Lee Sungmin die. He would not have stepped forward for anyone else. However, Crazy Heavenly Demon had passed the Blood Rings technique down to Lee Sungmin. Even if they did not have a very close relationship, he could not sit back and watch him die since he had passed down his martial arts to him. Not only that. Crazy Heavenly Demon did not want to see Lee Sungmin’s potential wasted here.
Kwaaang!
Crazy Heavenly Demon slammed onto the ground. He cut in between Lee Sungmin and Baek Museon. Baek Museon approached Lee Sungmin, staring at Crazy Heavenly Demon, his eyes shaking.
“Didn’t you say that you would not come out?”
“I couldn’t stand by and watch any longer.”
“Keuhuhu! You must have liked that kid a lot. He was using your Blood Ring techniques… Is he your disciple?”
“No.”
Crazy Heavenly Demon shook his head.
“He is my benefactor.”
“Hahaha!”
In response to Crazy Heavenly Demon, Baek Museon laughed. In the past, he would not have tried to confront Crazy Heavenly Demon. But not now. Baek Museon had not yet managed to fulfil Geniella’s orders, and if Crazy Heavenly Demon was blocking his path, he would have no choice but to kill Crazy Heavenly Demon.
“How can I kill Crazy Heavenly Demon with my own two hands!”
“You are rather proud of such easily earned power.”
Crazy Heavenly Demon murmured in a low voice at Baek Museon’s words. Although he said that, Crazy Heavenly Demon didn’t take Baek Museon lightly. The Heavenly Demon Blood Rings soared out of Crazy Heavenly Demon’s body. Lee Sungmin almost died because of his carelessness.
The reason why Crazy Heavenly Demon had been easily overpowered in the past was because Heoju’s powers were integral to Crazy Heavenly Demon’s inner force.
But Crazy Heavenly Demon still carried the pride that belonged to the one who had held the title of ‘Heavenly Demon’ for the longest time in Eria.
“I am Crazy Heavenly Demon Byuk Wonpae!”
He roared out. The Red Mist of Baek Museon and Crazy Heavenly Demon’s Blood Rings collided. In the midst of such a fierce clash, Rubia jumped out. She approached Lee Sungmin, who was lying on the ground and stretched out her hand towards him.
“A-are you okay?!”
She shook his body back and forth multiple times. Rubia was surprised when she saw his eyes, which looked like they had lost their light.
‘He lost consciousness… !’
Even so, Rubia could still feel Lee Sungmin’s pulse. Unlike his blank eyes, his pulse was clear. Heoju’s voice sounded out inside Rubia’s mind.
[Feed him the potion.]
“Wait, what did you say?”
[His blood has clotted, and his organs are damaged. If you leave it as it is, he will die.]
Heoju said quickly. Rubia grabbed Lee Sungmin’s interdimensional pocket without wasting any time. She took out the Elixir from among the potions. It could not be used to treat amputation injuries, but it had an immediate effect on internal wounds. Rubia opened Lee Sungmin’s mouth and poured in the entire Elixir.
[Why don’t you feed him with your mouth?]
“Why are you talking nonsense at a time like this!”
Rubia exclaimed. Even though he made fun of her, Heoju wasn’t just playing around. He infiltrated Lee Sungmin’s body and spread the Elixir’s medicinal effects all over his body. He fixed the twisted meridians and helped in healing his fragmented intestines.
[Huh?]
Heoju was surprised. The Elixir’s effects were quickly taking effect. The fragmented meridians were already healing. The clotted blood also unclotted little by little, and the damaged places were taken care of and regenerated.
[You are no longer human already… ]
Heoju murmured. Neither Lee Sungmin nor Rubia heard it. Still, thanks to Heoju’s help, the Elixir spread throughout his body, and it began to recover.
But he did not regain consciousness.
His lost consciousness floated in a dark void. Lee Sungmin was not aware of what was happening in reality. The memories of the past passed by him quickly like a lantern, and suddenly Lee Sungmin found that he was looking down at them all.
He could see two of his lives in front of him. He was 14 years old. He lived in Eria for 13 years and died in a dungeon. And then he came back to the past and lived up to this point.
Everything had changed since he met Wijihoyeon. His narrow world had widened. All the situations he lived through passed through his mind. The mountain of Mush, Shaolin, and his subconscious. The encounters that he had had, the deeply intertwined ties. From a certain moment, his consciousness became clearer. Standing at the centre of his consciousness, Lee Sungmin looked down at his body. The hand that wasn’t holding anything before was now holding a spear.
Then his consciousness expanded again. Lee Sungmin contemplated every move he had learned, remembered, and acquired in the space. It was a strange and mysterious experience. He could see all of the understanding and enlightenment that he had gained so far at a glance.
“Ah.”
Lee Sungmin made a sound. He could see himself lying down. His bloody body was not moving, but he seemed to be alive. But why was he here? Lee Sungmin tilted his head. He could see Rubia sitting by his side, rubbing his arms and feet to bring him back to consciousness. Heoju’s appearance… He could see it. Heoju, who should not have been visible, looked the same as he had inside his subconsciousness. Hearing a loud voice, Lee Sungmin turned his head. Soon, the image of Baek Museon fighting against Crazy Heavenly Demon appeared in front of him.
“What am I doing here?”
Lee Sungmin muttered with a blank expression. He shouldn’t be doing this here. Was he dead? He couldn’t be. He hadn’t met Wijihoyeon yet. He couldn’t keep his promise with her. He hadn’t even met Baek Sogo. No, other than that. He just didn’t want to die. He shouldn’t be dead. He could still go further. He could do more. The death of Ghost Blade came to his mind. I can do more… Ghost Blade had muttered such words. Those words that Ghost Blade spoke out like a final regret shook Lee Sungmin’s consciousness.
Tuk.
Someone pushed his back. Lee Sungmin looked back, surprised. He couldn’t see anyone. Someone had definitely pushed his back, but he didn’t see who it was.
“Heoah!”
Lee Sungmin opened his eyes and took gasping breaths. Rubia, who was staring at Lee Sungmin’s face with teary eyes, screamed and ran over to him. Lee Sungmin grabbed his neck as he took deep breaths.
“Keuheuk!”
“Kkyaaag!”
The dark blood that Lee Sungmin threw up spattered onto Rubia’s face. Rubia shrieked and covered her face with her hands. Lee Sungmin spit out blood a few more times and grabbed his chest. Now that he had vomited out the blood, he felt more comfortable. In the meantime, Rubia scraped off the snow off the ground to wash away all of the blood splattered on her face.
[Are you okay?]
Heoju hurriedly asked. Lee Sungmin stumbled and raised his body without answering. What just happened? Lee Sungmin was confused and grabbed his head. His memories were clear. Memories of the past that passed by in an instant. He had definitely witnessed it.
[Your performance is much better.]
Heoju muttered in amazement. Standing up staggeringly, Lee Sungmin felt something. His inner force flowed smoother, and his body was much lighter.
[What the hell happened? You just recovered from fatal injuries, so why are your heart, mind, and body so stable?]
It was incomprehensible to Heoju. Lee Sungmin looked blankly at his hand. There were no bloody wounds. There was no pain. The pain in his body that he felt before he lost consciousness had also disappeared.
“Why is Crazy Heavenly Demon Elder fighting with Baek Museon?”
“It’s because that crazy guy was trying to kill you!”
Rubia, who had washed her face with magic, yelled out. She wanted to pick a fight with Lee Sungmin for vomiting blood onto her face, but she held back.
“How is your body? Do you feel okay?”
“My body feels… refreshed.”
Lee Sungmin replied with his hand on his chest. He could feel his head beating. Was it thanks to the black heart? No, he would think of such things later. Lee Sungmin stepped forward, holding the spear with both hands. Rubia stepped forward with a frightened expression and blocked Lee Sungmin.
“Wh-what are you doing?! You nearly died just a moment ago!”
“I have to do it.”
“What is it that you have to do! If you sit down and rest here, that elder there will take care of it for you!”
“I can’t.”
Lee Sungmin replied in a steady voice. Rubia’s expression distorted, and she tried to convince him, but Lee Sungmin didn’t listen to her and passed by.
“Even if you die, I won’t care!”
“I’m not going to die.”
In response to Rubia’s fierce cry, Lee Sungmin replied in a low voice. Heoju laughed heartily.
[I don’t know what it is. Getting a boost in your performance in this situation… It feels more like fate than a coincidence.]
The person who is neither human nor monster that he would meet in the north. Heoju thought it was Crazy Heavenly Demon. But was it? As long as Heoju went with Lee Sungmin, he would have met Crazy Heavenly Demon eventually, even if he wasn’t in the north. Could such a meeting with Crazy Heavenly Demon be the one that the Divine Spirit had prophesied?
[Looks like your fated meeting was with that vampire.]
Heoju muttered after realizing that. The Bloody Heavenly Demon Baek Museon that he met in the north. He did not teach Lee Sungmin anything. However, Lee Sungmin suffered a fatal injury during the fight with him, and in the process, he gained a boost that fixed his distorted heart, mind, and body. In fact, the meeting with Baek Museon could not be regarded as the fated encounter. If Crazy Heavenly Demon hadn’t tried to stop Baek Museon, none of this would have happened. It would have been stopped at its root if Crazy Heavenly Demon had not arranged for Baek Museon and Lee Sungmin to meet.
[It is fate.]
Heoju murmured. Many causes had accumulated, leading to the present result as they came together. The prophecy of the Divine Spirit was always this way. Predicting destiny and acting in accordance with it, eventually creating fate.
Lee Sungmin slowly moved forward while listening to Heoju. His steps were light. His body felt light. Yet, he could feel the fullness of the power filling his body. The untangled body with a balanced heart, mind, and body gave Lee Sungmin a sense of stability that was unparalleled. But, there was still a long way to go. The level that he had reached in his subconscious world was still far from here. However, the direction of the path he had to follow was clearly presented in front of him.
“Eum!”
Crazy Heavenly Demon, who was defending Baek Museon’s attack, suddenly stopped, feeling Lee Sungmin coming from behind. The same thing happened with Baek Museon, who stopped attacking. He stared at Lee Sungmin walking that way with his eyes wide open.
“What would you do if I didn’t come out?”
Lee Sungmin said to Crazy Heavenly Demon. Looking back at Lee Sungmin, Crazy Heavenly Demon blinked, and then laughed out loud, finding it to be absurd.
“I saved you from the brink of death!”
“Thank you.”
Lee Sungmin sincerely expressed his gratitude towards him.
“Now we’re even.”
Lee Sungmin said as he passed by Crazy Heavenly Demon. The moment that he passed. Crazy Heavenly Demon trembled. The aura he could feel from Lee Sungmin was incomparable compared to the previous one.
“This crazy bastard… What kind of a lunatic can come back from the brink of death like he’s completely fine?”
Crazy Heavenly Demon was dumbfounded. Lee Sungmin muttered, laughing at his words.
“My words exactly.”
Lee Sungmin lifted the tip of the spear.
“I guess I can’t die easily.”
Baek Museon’s face, on the other end of the pointed spear, was distorted.
*****
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