The day she first met that child—
It was a warm spring day, under a clear blue sky, with not a single cloud in sight.

 

A young woman, ignorant of the world, had stormed out of her sect after a fight with her master.
The only things she knew were how to make the plum blossoms bloom and her burning desire for justice and righteousness.

Having taken off the white robes of Mount Hwasan, she now wore the light blue uniform issued by the Wulin Alliance.
Of course, she didn’t have a title or nickname at the time.

She was just one of the sword unit members of the Wulin Alliance, without any particular distinction.

"…Why are we the ones going on this scouting mission?"

Her sharp voice echoed through the forest, a slight wrinkle forming on her brow.
It was clear that she was displeased with the situation.

"Be quiet."

The one who responded to her complaint was a young man with a fierce look.
Despite his stern appearance, he was a tall and strikingly handsome man, and he was her superior.

At the time, he was also a well-known martial artist, making waves across the martial world.
He was the strongest Divine Dragon (Shinryong) ever recorded by the Alliance and was even considered a potential future best in the world.

This man, Divine Dragon Gu Cheolwoon, was her superior.

Hearing his response, the woman’s frown deepened.

"Senior, isn’t this mission supposed to be the responsibility of the Azure Dragon Unit? Why are we doing their job?"

She was tasked with tracking a demonic beast that had escaped the Azure Dragon Unit’s grasp, a task she wasn’t thrilled about.

As soon as she joined the sword unit, she had been assigned to the Divine Dragon Unit.

The sword members of the Azure Dragon Unit had shown their discontent—
They gave her the cold shoulder, clearly unhappy about it.

Usually, one would rise through the ranks step by step before being assigned to the Divine Dragon Unit, but—
Both she and her superior had bypassed that process entirely, joining the Divine Dragon Unit directly.

It was a decision made based on their potential and power, but—
The resentment they received from all sides had been harsh.

"And now they want us to clean up their mess? Isn’t that a bit too much?"

She remembered his name was Namgung Jin, known as the Sword Dragon.
He was an arrogant bastard she simply couldn’t stand.

He gave her all the dirty looks in the world, and now when they needed something done, they called on her.

Is that what righteous martial artists are supposed to do?
She sighed in frustration.

Throughout all of this, her superior, Gu Cheolwoon, remained silent.
He had been like that since they first met.

In the half-year since they’d known each other,
He rarely spoke, except when giving instructions, and in battle, he displayed incomprehensible power.

In her eyes, Divine Dragon Gu Cheolwoon was such a man.

Suddenly, Gu Cheolwoon looked back at the complaining woman and spoke.

"It’s an order from the Alliance Lord. We just follow orders."

The Divine Dragon Unit, a direct force under the Alliance Lord—
It was the face of the Wulin Alliance.

Just being part of the unit meant being subjected to envy, jealousy, and harsh looks.

Yet, if anyone was enduring more than she was, it would be Gu Cheolwoon himself.
But he didn’t seem to care at all.
It was as if none of it mattered to him.

"Instead of wasting time worrying about those things, focus on your stance."

"What do you mean?"
"Your sword is hanging loosely at your waist. Fix it."

Hastily, she checked her waist, but contrary to his words, the sword was properly secured.

"Senior, my sword is fine!" she said in disbelief.

Gu Cheolwoon’s cold eyes bore into her as he replied,
"The fact that you checked after I said it means it’s already too late. It means you weren’t certain."

"What are you…!"

She wanted to retort, but the words wouldn’t come out easily.

"Instead of worrying about what others think, have confidence in yourself. That will benefit you more."

His words made her bite her lip.
She had so much she wanted to say, but—
She wasn’t good at arguments, and since it was her superior speaking, she couldn’t easily refute him.

Have confidence in yourself.
For her, those words felt too distant.

"Senior…"

Just as she was about to ask him something, Gu Cheolwoon raised a large hand to stop her.

"Senior?"
"Quiet."

Woooong.

With his heavy voice, a heatwave spread through the area.
It was the unique energy he possessed.

"There’s something ahead."

As soon as he spoke, the woman, So Yi, sharpened her gaze.

Sreung!

Drawing her sword, she gathered her energy.

Fwoosh.

In an instant, Gu Cheolwoon surrounded himself with flames, pushing forward with scorching heat.

No further instructions were necessary.
No matter how Gu Cheolwoon moved, So Yi could follow and support him from behind.

Within moments—

Flare!

Gu Cheolwoon’s flames surged as he increased his speed, pushing through the underbrush.

Following closely behind, So Yi, her sword enveloped in energy, rushed forward.

"Huh?"

But when she reached the place they had entered,
The scene before her was quite different from the fierce battle atmosphere she had expected.

"Has this place always been here…?"

So Yi had been to this area several times, but what she saw now was unfamiliar.

A small plain spread out before her, filled with blooming flowers.
Even though it was spring, the atmosphere felt strangely out of place.

Shaking her head, So Yi quickly regained her focus.
Now was not the time to be distracted by such things.

"Sen…!"

With her sword drawn, So Yi urgently looked for Gu Cheolwoon.
He was still engulfed in flames, but—

"…Senior?"

He was holding someone by the neck.

"…Urk…"
"A person?"

The one held in Gu Cheolwoon’s grasp was a woman she had never seen before.

What was strange about her—

Was her hair.

‘White.’

It was pure white.
So Yi had never seen anyone with hair that white before.

Was this the result of some deep internal injury?
But she couldn’t feel any energy coming from the woman.

"S-stop…"

The woman, struggling in his grip, managed to speak, but Gu Cheolwoon didn’t budge.

"Senior?"

"She’s an outsider. Who is she?"

"Urgh…"

Gu Cheolwoon tightened his grip, causing the woman to let out a pained groan.
Was he planning to snap her neck right there?

"If she won’t talk, I’ll burn her."

Ah, no, he wasn’t going to snap her neck—he was going to burn her alive.

Is he insane…?

"Senior! Wait!"

So Yi urgently grabbed Gu Cheolwoon’s arm, but he didn’t budge.
At least the flames on his body weren’t harming her, which meant Gu Cheolwoon was controlling them.

Looking at her, he asked coldly,
"What are you doing?"
"Senior, what are you doing? Can’t you see she’s not a demonic beast?"

Just to be sure, So Yi checked if the woman was the demonic beast they were hunting, but—
No matter how she looked at her, the woman was clearly human.

This was no way to treat her.

Raising her voice, So Yi continued,
"She’s clearly human!"

Gu Cheolwoon answered with a frosty look,
"Why do you think that?"

"Huh?"
"Why do you think she’s not a demonic beast?"

"Well…"

Because she obviously wasn’t.

So Yi didn’t say it out loud, but it seemed Gu Cheolwoon got the message, as she heard him click his tongue.

"You can’t know for sure unless you tear her apart and look inside."

His voice was firm and cold.

"Never judge by appearances alone. Didn’t they teach you that at Mount Hwasan?"

"…!"

"And how can you be so sure she’s not a demonic beast in disguise, or perhaps a martial artist from the unorthodox sects, just because she’s standing calmly in the Wulin Alliance’s territory?"

Of all the times to bring up her sect…
So Yi bit her lip.

This man was cruel and unyielding in the most unnecessary ways.

"Even if that’s true, she can’t answer you like this."

"What do you mean?"
"If you keep choking her like that, how do you expect her to answer?"

At her words, Gu Cheolwoon’s eyebrows twitched slightly.
A few seconds passed.

Thunk.

"Ah!"

The woman in Gu Cheolwoon’s grasp fell limply to the ground.
Her white hair fluttered down like the wings of a butterfly.

It swayed gently, as if petals had fallen from the sky to rest on her white hair.

"Agh…"

The woman groaned, seemingly in pain, but at the same time—

Sreung!

So Yi’s blade was already at the woman’s neck.

"Who are you?"

Her tone was sharp this time, unlike before.
Seeing this, Gu Cheolwoon extinguished the flames surrounding his body, as if deciding to wait and see.

"Uh?"

The woman stared wide-eyed at So Yi, her expression innocent.
And as So Yi looked into her eyes, she was taken aback.

Those eyes—

They were as beautiful as gemstones.

"…What’s your name?"

Her voice trembled, though she maintained her composure.

Hearing So Yi’s question, the woman tilted her head slightly before answering,

"Cheon Hee."

She smiled as she said her name, and to So Yi, that smile was like a blooming flower.
It filled her with a strange warmth.

"My name is Cheon Hee."

And that was how they first met.

 
   ******************
   

"What do you mean by 'not dead'?"
Cheon Hu’s voice was sharp, and the energy she was struggling to suppress rippled through the air, shaking the barrier she had set up.

Crack, crack.
Not only her voice, but the uncontrollable aura seeping out of her was causing tremors in the surroundings.

Stronger than expected.
That was the thought that crossed Cheon Haewol’s mind as he looked at Cheon Hu.

"It’s exactly as I said. That child is not dead."

Cheon Hee.

Cheon Hu’s dear friend,
The concubine of Ho-hyeop,
And the biological mother of Jinryong (Divine Dragon).
Cheon Haewol was claiming that she had not died.

Cheon Hu couldn’t understand this.

"I must ask. How is it that you, Lord of the Hall, are speaking of this child?"
"I only wished to tell you something you’ve been curious about."
"If that was your intent, you should have told me long ago."

Back when she had lost her mind and wandered the demonic realm.
Or even before that.
If Cheon Haewol had told her back then, he should have done so.

"What’s your purpose in bringing this cryptic story up now?"

Cheon Hu tried to suppress her aura as much as possible. She had to keep her composure.

"I’ve seen the child."
"The child, you say?"
"Yes, that child’s child."

He was talking about Jinryong.

"I wanted to see him at least once, though I never did."
"…My disciple is also here."
"Yes, your disciple is also that child’s offspring."

"And what does that have to do with why you’re telling me this now?"

Cheon Hu’s question was met with silence from Cheon Haewol.

Though his eyes were closed,
Cheon Hu knew that he was looking at her.

"I have only one thing I can tell you."
"…Lord of the Hall."
"You must decide whether you want to hear it or not."

There were only two possibilities—
To listen or not.

At his words, Cheon Hu bit her lip.
There was something she didn’t know, something important.

Whether it was the Plum Blossom Sword,
Gu Cheolwoon,
The Swordmaster,
Or even Cheon Haewol—

All those involved in that incident had lost something.
She didn’t know what it was, but it must have been something precious.

Then what about her?
What did I lose?

Was it her life?
She couldn’t say for sure, but it didn’t matter now because she had regained it.
And that was thanks to the child’s son.

If that was the case, what was it she needed to do now?
Cheon Hu didn’t hesitate.

Her hesitation had ended long ago.

"…Please, tell me."

At her answer, Cheon Haewol stroked his beard for a moment before falling into another brief silence.

"Lord of the Hall?"
"Apologies, I’m just gauging how much I can tell you."

Everyone who wanted to talk about that time had to be silenced.

"Is it true? That Cheon Hee is still alive?"
"Yes, she is alive."
"Then where is she now…?"
"You’re asking about something you already know."

Cheon Haewol cut her off, and Cheon Hu bit her lip harder.

"The reason you wandered the demonic realm so much—wasn’t it because you already knew?"
"…"
"Just as you suspected, she is in the demonic realm."

His words carried certainty.

"…In the demonic realm?"
"Yes."
"But why…?"
"I don’t understand why you’re questioning it."

Cheon Haewol opened his eyes slightly, revealing pure white pupils.

"Is it so strange that she returned to the place she was meant to be?"
"…Lord of the Hall, you know that’s not what I mean."
"I don’t wish to know more."

Cheon Haewol’s answer was firm.

"Lord of the Hall."
"There are some things better left forgotten."
"I don’t understand what you mean by that."

As always, it was as if they were speaking in riddles.
As if telling Cheon Hu, who had missed that time, that there were truths she could only find on her own.

Whether it was the truth of that time or the secrets they kept.

As Cheon Haewol met Cheon Hu’s gaze with his white eyes,
He spoke quietly.

"Do you understand the true nature of this world?"
"…The true nature of the world?"
"Yes, the true nature."

It was an odd question.
Why suddenly speak of the world’s true nature?

Cheon Haewol’s shoulders shook slightly as he spoke.

"That child, Cheon Hee, was the true nature of the world."

Cheon Hu was left to ponder his words, repeating them over and over in her mind.

"What…?"
"This land…"

…!

Blood began to flow from Cheon Haewol’s mouth.

Cheon Hu’s eyes widened in alarm, and she tried to approach him, but Cheon Haewol raised a hand to stop her.

Stay back, his gesture said.

"This land should have ended several centuries ago."

Cheon Hu flinched at his words.
A land that should have ended centuries ago—
The meaning of it was difficult to grasp.

And then—

"Lord of the Hall, wait…!"

Cheon Hu called out in shock as she watched Cheon Haewol.

Blood was flowing.
She understood now.
This was the backlash of the restriction. Cheon Haewol had claimed he wasn’t affected by it, but—

From what Cheon Hu could see, it was clear he was under its effects.

Though she hurried toward him, Cheon Haewol was faster.

Crack—!

…!

In an instant, Cheon Haewol broke his own left pinky finger.

Thud!

The finger fell to the ground, severed.

"This should be enough."

Enough for what?
What was strange was that Cheon Haewol, who had just cut off his own finger, looked more at ease than before.

There was no blood flowing from the wound—
He had already sealed it with his internal energy.

"This is part of the penance I bear, so don’t concern yourself with it."
"…Lord of the Hall."

How could he be so nonchalant?

"I will continue speaking."

Cheon Haewol prepared to speak again, but—

"…Lord of the Hall, it’s all right to stop now."

Cheon Hu understood.
The more he spoke, the more it harmed him.

Sensing her worry,
Cheon Haewol’s eyes softened slightly.

"You are always so kind."
"That’s not true."
"Don’t worry. I still have things I need to do. I’m not going to throw away my life."

Cheon Hu squeezed her eyes shut.
Whether the stories he told were true or not was secondary to the fact that—

She felt torn between listening to what he had to say and stopping him from continuing.

She didn’t understand why Cheon Haewol had chosen to tell her these things now,
And while it was far removed from her original purpose,

"…If what you say is true—that this world should have ended centuries ago…"

Still, Cheon Hu chose to listen.
Because she felt that this might be her only chance.

"What does Cheon Hee have to do with it, and why is this world still continuing? I don’t understand."

"That…"

Just as Cheon Haewol was about to answer—

Woooooong!

…!

Both Cheon Hu and Cheon Haewol felt something.
They both flinched at the overwhelming sensation.

It was energy.
A thick, powerful energy.

‘What is this…?’

Cheon Hu was the first to sense it.
And no wonder—this energy was none other than Sword Qi, and it was an energy she was all too familiar with.

It was the energy of Mount Hwasan.

‘The location…’

Cheon Hu’s eyes widened as she confirmed the location.
The energy was coming from near Cheon Haewol’s quarters—
Exactly where Gu Yangcheon was now.