༺ Misty Mountains (1) ༻

Five days.

That was the duration of Gu Huibi’s imprisonment in the Black Palace’s prison.

During this time, she languished, spending her time doing nothing.

Unable to utilize even a trace of her Qi due to the formation cast by the Palace Lord, Gu Huibi went back to her weak self and couldn’t do anything at all.

It left her feeling utterly deprived.

Thud-

Thud-

A strange sound kept echoing near the iron bars.

Over and over, the repetitive noise grated on Elder Mook’s nerves since last night, until he finally snapped.

“Damn it, stay still will you!”

Thud… Thud…

The sound stopped at Elder Mook’s shouts.

After all, the one responsible for it was none other than Gu Huibi.

It was the sound of her repeatedly banging her head against the iron bars.

“Do you think the iron bars will bend if you continue to do that? You are being loud, so stay still.”

At Elder Mook’s retort, Gu Huibi turned toward him with a gloomy expression on her face.

Even though it had only been five days, she looked like a recluse.

At such an appearance, Elder Mook chuckled.

“Look at you—it’s as if you were the one being tortured, not me.”

“Why are you picking a fight with me all of a sudden?”

“If you don’t want to hear such things, then sit still or lie down and sleep.”

But Gu Huibi barely ate the food that was provided, let alone slept.

Elder Mook, on the other hand, gladly ate up the leftovers.

“…Surely it will bend one day.”

“Do you think a rock would break if you smashed it with an egg? You speak nonsense even though you are the daughter of a noble clan.”

The first time he saw her, she appeared relatively fine.

But now, he wondered how she had ended up in such a state.

“What in the world has made you so desperate?”

“Hah, aren’t you the weird one for being so normal after having been imprisoned?”

“Sigh, you brat, it’s blatantly obvious that that isn’t the reason why you ended up like that, so don’t try to lie your way out of this.”

The old man was a professional, when it came to this.

Be it dealing with different situations…

Reading the atmosphere…

Or finding the emotions hidden within one’s voice.

His skill and confidence surpassed that of anyone else.

Lies held no sway over this old man, who could extract a plethora of information even from a passing dog.

Elder Mook watched Gu Huibi struggle, getting straight to the point.

“Are you really that sad about the marble not working?”

“…”

“Who were you watching before, for you to get so sullen at not being able to see them anymore?”

Gu Huibi remained silent.

It was true that the Marble of Celestial Captivation no longer responded to her commands.

After she lost access to her Qi, the marble that had to consume the owner’s blood and Qi to get activated had turned ordinary.

As a result, she could no longer monitor her brother’s situation like she used to do regularly.

‘…No, I can’t let this continue.’

The issue wasn’t that she couldn’t see him anymore.

Well, it was, but that wasn’t the important part.

The real problem was the possibility of Gu Yangcheon discovering the marble’s ability and how to activate it.

‘Well, it would be nice for my location and situation to be known, but…’

She hoped that Gu Yangcheon didn’t activate the marble. And even if he were to accidentally activate it, she hoped for him to consider her past treatment of him and not rush here immediately upon finding out.

That was what Gu Huibi prayed for endlessly.

She couldn’t let her little brother fall in danger because of herself.

“Stop looking at the marble and put it back. It’s a problem if they notice it.”

At Elder Mook’s advice, Gu Huibi promptly hid the marble once again, but a part of his words continued to perplex her.

‘Who is that old man?’

Elder Mook remained a mystery to Gu Huibi—one that she couldn’t figure out even after the past few days in confinement.

He was the only person in this jail before her arrival, and despite being blind, he acted as if he could see everything.

No matter how she looked at it, he was no ordinary old man.

On the second day of her imprisonment, Elder Mook spoke, his eyes drawn to the marble she held.

-Ohhh, so the missing Marble of Celestial Captivation ended up in the Gu Clan huh. Makes sense why no one knew.

Not only was he privy to top class secrets…

-Hmm, if the marble is there, then do you also have that flame steel?

But he also possessed information known only to the Clan Lord and a few others, and acted as if it was normal.

To his question, Gu Huibi feigned ignorance.

-Oh… I see. The pieces finally click! It had been nagging me for a while, thank you for clearing it up. Ah I feel relieved, thanks.

She definitely hadn’t responded with anything, but the old man acted as if her reaction had given him the answer.

‘This old man… is definitely crazy.’

There was no way that he was normal.

Yet, even if that were to be the case, she couldn’t underestimate him.

Her intuition was whispering to her that there was more to the old man than met the eye.

Forcing herself to think about something different, Gu Huibi let out a sigh while looking out the window.

She had Gu Yangcheon and that old man to worry about, but ultimately, her greatest concern was herself.

‘I must know.’

Gu Huibi’s curiosity gnawed at her.

She wondered why the Black Palace Lord had abducted her and forced her down here.

Yet, despite several days passing, she still lacked an answer.

Which was understandable, because as far as Gu Huibi remembered, the Palace Lord hadn’t appeared again since that battle, leaving Gu Huibi in this jail.

Leaving her wondering what her purpose here was.

As she continued to ponder the question, Elder Mook’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Do you think that thinking frantically, like a dog about to burst, will actually yield results?”

“Hmph. Elder Mook seems to be quite relaxed.”

“Well, it’s been a long time ever since I was brought here, haha.”

Letting out a sigh at his appearance, Gu Huibi closed her eyes, ready to delve into her thoughts.

Tsk.

“He’s here.”

But her reverie was broken by the click of a tongue.

Confused by Elder Mook’s words, Gu Huibi was about to ask for clarification, but an ominous aura emanating from beyond the giant door sent a shiver down her spine.

It was an instinctive feeling of fear.

Creak-

The door creaked open, revealing two figures.

One was a fierce-looking old man with spots of age covering his face and the other was a familiar face—Someone she could never forget.

He was the one who had brought her here after all.

The Black Palace Lord.

One of the Four Emperors and Five Kings, the master of the Black Palace, had appeared.

“You woke up.”

The Palace Lord’s gaze met Gu Huibi’s glare.

“How could I not when you shoved me here for so many days?”

Gu Huibi retorted, forcing down her fear.

At her tone, the Palace Lord furrowed his brows.

“Sword Phoenix. Your words are as crass as the rumors suggest, but to be fair, those with your surname have always been that way.”

As the Palace Lord approached her, Gu Huibi felt her body tremble slightly.

However, she clenched her teeth, determined not to show weakness.

“Why did you bring me here?!!”

Gu Huibi roared, but the Palace Lord’s attention was not on her, but on Elder Mook instead.

“Now, do you have any intention of speaking?”

His emotionless voice sent chills down her spine.

She had expected to sense an unknown aura from a martial artist of such a high realm, yet the Black Palace Lord seemed even more mysterious.

Elder Mook chuckled in response.

“Didn’t I tell you to kill me instead?”

“I can’t do that. You are my hope, after all.”

“You shouldn’t say such a disgusting thing when we’re both men.”

“It seems like you still bear hope.”

Elder Mook leaned against the wall, ignoring the Palace Lord’s words.

“That’s why you aren’t ending your own life.”

“Are you suggesting I kill myself by biting off my tongue? You little brat! You have no respect for the elderly!”

At Elder Mook’s mocking tone, the Palace Lord fell silent.

Instead, he exchanged a glance with the old man standing next to him.

The old man approached the iron bars, placed his hand on them, and surprisingly, with a clicking sound, the jail door swung open.

“Come out.”

His words weren’t directed at anyone in particular, but Gu Huibi knew they were meant for her.

Clench-

Clenching her teeth, she glared at the Palace Lord.

“I asked why you brought me here.”

The Palace Lord stood still, his dark pupils seemingly filled with darkness.

Gu Huibi felt cold sweat trickle down her back.

After what seemed to be an eternity, the Palace Lord finally spoke.

“Because I need you.”

“…For what purpose?”

“It is because the Great One needs you.”

The Great One?

Was there any such existence, for even the great master of the Black Palace, one of the Four Emperors and Five Kings, to give such a title to?

“Answering your pointless questions and keeping you alive despite your rude mouth—it’s all for that reason.”

So don’t test my patience any further.

Though she hadn’t heard the last part, Gu Huibi felt that the Palace Lord said those words.

“Follow me.”

Concluding his sentence, the Palace Lord turned away.

She wondered what would happen if she didn’t follow him.

As her body lacked Qi, the Palace Lord could easily drag her there if he wished.

Yet, he gave her a choice: follow him willingly or be dragged there by force.

Despite being able to easily achieve his goal, he urged her to follow him with her own two feet.

It seemed she had no real choice at all.

From behind Gu Huibi, who was glaring at the Palace Lord’s back, Elder Mook spoke with a polite tone.

“Is your body fine?”

Pause.

At Elder Mook’s words, the Palace Lord paused.

“You don’t look so well.”

‘Body?’

Curious at Elder Mook’s question, Gu Huibi observed the Palace Lord’s condition, but to her eyes, he appeared unharmed. She wondered what the old man had noticed to say such words.

“Were you beaten up or something? You should’ve rested if you’re exhausted. You look very hurt.”

Even after hearing Elder Mook’s mocking tone, the Palace Lord remained focused, looking ahead.

Soon, he resumed walking, ignoring Elder Mook.

Gu Huibi clenched her teeth and followed him.

The passage was long and the building blocked nearly all sources of light.

As she followed the Palace Lord, her posture rigid, Elder Mook’s words echoed in her mind.

-You don’t look so well.

-Were you beaten up or something?

Though the Palace Lord neither denied nor affirmed the accusation…

His silence spoke volumes.

‘Perhaps…’

Gu Huibi finally realized that the Palace Lord’s suboptimal condition stemmed from his recent battle with the Second Elder.

Although it appeared that the Palace Lord had effortlessly bested the Second Elder, since he had succumbed to a fatal injury due to the Palace Lord’s attack, the reality might be more complex.

‘Then, the reason why he didn’t come to me for a few days was because…’

Was it because he needed time to recuperate fully?

It was just a prediction based on Elder Mook’s words, but Gu Huibi clung to the hope that it was really the case.

Only then, would the Second Elder’s sacrifice hold some meaning…

As well as a hint at a slim chance of success.

‘Second Elder…’

Her thoughts turned to the moment when the Second Elder sustained a fatal injury.

Was he still alive?

She fervently prayed that he was.

As she continued walking, her lips pressed together, a door far in the distance became visible.

It resembled the one she had seen during her time in jail, but was far larger and darker.

Furthermore…

“…!”

It was utterly horrifying.

“…Hoh?”

Gu Huibi’s face turned as white as a ghost.

The Palace Lord, observing her reaction, seemed impressed.

“I had heard you are the greatest of the young prodigies. It must be true. to think you would be able to sense this.”

Gu Huibi remained speechless.

Whatever lay beyond that door evoked an indescribable sensation—one that far surpassed her initial encounter with the Palace Lord.

Collapse.

Just looking at the door was enough to paralyze her.

Her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor.

Her lips quivered, her eyes trembled, and even her breathing grew ragged.

Though she couldn’t pinpoint the source of her discomfort, she knew that it was fear that had gripped her.

Staring at the frozen Gu Huibi, the Palace Lord made a subtle hand gesture.

Instantly she was lifted in the air.

Despite her inability to use Qi, the Palace Lord effortlessly lifted her body with his own.

Gu Huibi tried to struggle, but her frozen body didn’t listen.

“You seem to have heightened perception, perhaps you can recognize the greatness beyond our realm, the Great One.”

“Greatness…?”

Cold sweat traced her cheek and chin, falling to the floor.

“Yes, the respect for an existence from a whole different realm. If it’s you, perhaps you might be able to feel it.”

Was it a mistake?

The Palace Lord’s face, usually devoid of emotion, now bore a faint smile.

Yet, to Gu Huibi, it appeared lunatic.

“If you can acknowledge that, you can also become a part of the Great One with a happy mind.”

The Palace Lord’s words echoed, his dark eyes brimming with overwhelming lunacy.

He pulled Gu Huibi toward the door, walking slowly.

A violet-colored gem adorned the door.

The Palace Lord extended his hand toward it.

Click.

Dddddrrr-

A mysterious sound emanated from within.

Soon after the sound could be heard, he without any hesitation applied force and swung the door open.

Inside, darkness enveloped everything.

As such, Gu Huibi couldn’t see anything.

Yet even so, she sensed an unknown presence lurking within.

Fear gripped her body and darkness itself seemed to emanate from whatever lay beyond.

“I pray that the flame within you will make the Great One shine even brighter.”

Swoosh!

A sudden gust of wind propelled Gu Huibi forward, and she was thrown into the abyss beyond the door.

“Ugh…!”

Her body rolled across the floor.

Even though she had been weakened, despite her rigorous training, it wasn’t just her Qi that felt restricted…

Her entire body struggled to respond.

Just as she was about to get up after barely managing to get control, she felt something coming closer to her.

Step.

The sound of a small footstep echoed.

The all-enveloping darkness had taken away her sight, but as a result, her other senses were heightened.

Step.

The approaching footsteps intensified her trembling.

Her instinct screamed at her.

A primal fear in the face of a mysterious existence.

Blaze!

The footsteps halted right in front of her.

And as if awaiting this moment, flames materialized in the room.

Though they were tiny, their violet hue illuminated the entire space.

Gu Huibi understood that the presence before her was responsible for this eerie fire.

She forced her head up to gaze at the figure.

“…!”

It was a child.

Long, thick black hair.

Naked, and emaciated.

The child looked starved, as if it had barely eaten, its skin sticking to the bone.

Gu Huibi’s shock was palpable.

Both the fact that the child, despite its small figure, was the one responsible for instilling primal fear within her…

And the Palace Lord’s mention of an existence from a different realm…

Neither of the two mattered to Gu Huibi.

What mattered was that the face of the child that raised its head, violet flames dancing upon its skin, was eerily similar to someone Gu Huibi knew.

Trembling, she watched as the child extended its hand toward her.

Startled, Gu Huibi flinched backward.

“Book.”

The child’s voice pierced the air.

“…What?”

“Book.”

The child continued to repeat the same word.

Then, Gu Huibi’s eyes widened as she noticed the old book clutched in the child’s hand.

******************

While Gu Huibi encountered a mysterious existence, in the Misty Mountains shrouded in fog, someone arrived.

“…I seriously can’t see shit.”

It was a fierce-looking boy, clad in a red uniform.

Gu Yangcheon frowned looking at all the fog.

There was way more fog than he had expected.

Surveying the mountain, Gu Yangcheon directed his frustration at his companion.

“Oh, for fucks sake! Why did you insist on going left? I told you it was right!”

“…”

“We would’ve taken twice as long if I had listened to you. You realize that, right?”

“…Sorry.”

Gu Yangcheon, who should’ve been alone, for some reason had another person with him.

It was a lady with bluish white hair, currently avoiding eye contact.

“But if we had gone left… We still would have been clo…. ser.”

“…I’m gonna go crazy.”

It was Namgung Bi-ah.

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