Chapter 451: Yeon's Heart (4)

The very day Jo Yeon was taught martial arts from Wol Ha-eun and danced with her.

The two finally became a pair.

As the couple left the Seoak Village, they flew on a magic artifact, their bodies leaning a little closer to each other than before.

From that day on, they were always together.

Before, only their bodies were together, but now, even their hearts were completely intertwined.

For the next few years, they continued to exterminate demon beasts together, deepening their love.

At the same time, they both grew stronger.

Ha-eun's martial arts improved greatly alongside Jo Yeon, striving to reach the pinnacle of Five Energies Converging to the Origin.

The consciousness method that Jo Yeon was developing also took shape after truly becoming lovers with Ha-eun.

Tstststststs—

"It's beautiful..."

Ha-eun smiled as she watched Jo Yeon refining his consciousness method.

The thread-like form of his consciousness scattered in all 4 directions, much like a mortal's.

The threads of Jo Yeon's consciousness, influenced by his current emotional state, were tinged with a violet hue, resembling tentacles at a glance.

The threads were particularly connected to the seven patterns on Jo Yeon's face, making them seem even more intertwined with him.

Recently, two of the seven tattoos had begun merging into one, and because of this, Jo Yeon's face appeared even more connected to the tentacles.

The sight was somewhat grotesque. Yet, the appearance of those consciousness threads was strikingly beautiful, and Jo Yeon, at the center, looked like an immortal being burning with the flames of consciousness.

After calming his consciousness method, Jo Yeon took off his mask and met Ha-eun's gaze.

By now, Ha-eun no longer wore her mask.

Perhaps it was because they wanted to see each other's faces more clearly.

"Hmm, it's embarrassing. It's still incomplete...and the threads spilling from my whole body—doesn't it look a bit...strange?"

"Hmm..."

Ha-eun watched Jo Yeon return the consciousness threads to their spherical form and, after a moment of thought, spoke.

"Isn't it a matter of perception?"

"Perception?"

"Yes. If you see it as strange, it's strange...but if you look at it from another perspective, it's really quite beautiful. Just like when you said my face was pretty."

"That was genuinely..."

"Enough. It's embarrassing, so stop it. What I mean is...it's only strange (怪奇) because you perceive it that way...but in my eyes...yes."

Ha-eun paused as if searching for the right word, then said,

"It's wonderfully mysterious (奇妙), in a way that's quite fascinating and beautiful."

"Hmm..."

Jo Yeon blushed.

"Your choice of words...is weird. You need to study more."

"No! What do you mean by that!? Even after I complimented you..."

"Ack! Don't hit me! The difference in our physical strength makes it hurt!! I-Instead, how about we go get something to eat? I'll buy you something delicious to lift your mood..."

After bickering for a bit, the two headed to a nearby village.

As they entered the village, Ha-eun held Jo Yeon's hand.

"Huu..."

Though she was getting used to not wearing her mask, it still wasn't completely comfortable for her.

Her pockmarked scars were from a rare plague that even complete transformation couldn't erase, and the burn scar was something she had purposely left, to remind her of the anger she felt when she lost Wol Bi.

However, now that her vengeance was complete, the burn scar only brought her a deep sense of shame.

But eventually, she found peace by holding Jo Yeon's hand, ignoring the stares of the people as they headed to an inn together.

All eyes in the inn turned toward them.

A hunchbacked man and a hideously scarred woman.

It was a combination that naturally drew attention.

"Hmph!"

Jo Yeon, irritated by the stares, raised his killing intent.

His consciousness waves spread throughout the inn, causing the faces of the mortals there to turn pale.

They quickly finished their meals and left the inn, while even those strong enough to withstand his consciousness waves averted their eyes.

"Ah, you didn't need to go that far."

"Hmm...I had something to say anyway."

Jo Yeon led her to the top floor of the inn, seating them at the spot with the best scenic view.

He looked like he wanted to say something, but his face turned red, and he fumbled for words.

"Uh...so...um..."

Jo Yeon stammered for a while, breathing heavily.

Finally, as if making a decision, he grabbed Ha-eun's hand and spoke.

"Will you...marr—"

Thud—

Just as Jo Yeon was about to say something important, a hand suddenly slammed down on the table, separating the two of them.

Jo Yeon, ready to glare at the intruder with killing intent, suddenly flinched as a chilling realization dawned on him.

'What? Neither of us noticed until this person got so close?'

A man wearing a bamboo hat and ragged martial robes stood before them.

His eyes had a vacant look, and an unpleasant smile curled on his lips.

Jo Yeon felt a terror he had never felt before from the man standing before him.

As Jo Yeon and Ha-eun stood frozen in place, the man smiled faintly and spoke.

"Hoho...no need to be so tense, you two. I've only come to ask for your names."

With a trembling voice, Jo Yeon asked,

"...Who might you be, senior?"

"Hoho, I wonder if you'd know if I told you. You see, I'm...yes, the father of the ones you two killed during your heroic deeds."

Chills!

Jo Yeon felt a chill run through his entire body.

The only beings he and Ha-eun had killed since they began their journey were demon beasts.

Which meant this man before them was 'the father of one of the demon beasts they had slain.'

And as far as Jo Yeon knew, there was only one type of demon beast that could transform so perfectly into a human form.

'Transformation Stage...in other words, a demon beast at least at the Nascent Soul stage!'

Jo Yeon trembled before the man as if he were a quaking aspen.

'Is this how it ends...?'

It was when Jo Yeon's eyes were filled with despair.

Ha-eun took a deep breath and spoke to the man.

"Senior, we do not know who you are. However, I will say this. Most of the beings we have slain were demon beasts that excessively harmed humans and developed a taste for slaughter. For those demon beasts that only once preyed on humans, we merely injured them and chased them away, teaching them that humans are not their prey. We do not know which demon beast you claim as your child, but every one of those we killed had a reason to die!"

Jo Yeon stared at her in shock.

'No...to say that in front of a Nascent Soul stage demon beast...I see. Unlike me, she doesn't understand the level of a demon beast that can transform...'

But suddenly, he noticed the cold sweat forming on the back of her neck.

Yes.

Even though she might not know the exact level of the man in front of them, she understood that he was a terrifying being.

Despite that, she still spoke confidently.

Jo Yeon saw a reflection of Wol Bi in her appearance.

'Ah...my friend. You truly...live on within your disciple.'

It's when Jo Yeon felt crushed by the pressure of impending death and saw Wol Bi's image.

"Hoho...hohuhahaha!"

The man started to laugh.

He patted Jo Yeon and Ha-eun on their shoulders.

"It seems there's been a misunderstanding, my friends. I haven't come to hold you accountable. In fact, I came to thank you for cleaning up some waste product (廢品)."

'Waste product?'

Jo Yeon and Ha-eun's eyes twitched.

The man chuckled heartily and said,

"What you killed was just a waste product that escaped while I was perfecting a secret art to great completion. I was about to deal with it myself since it would have been troublesome if the remnant was seen by the Jo or Won Clans, but you two saved me the trouble. I should be thanking you instead. That's why I came to ask for your names to express my gratitude, so please relax. Hoho..."

"..."

"..."

The tension between Jo Yeon and Ha-eun eased slightly at the man's words.

But not completely.

The two exchanged glances before speaking.

"My name is Jo Yeon (早緣)."

"My name is Wol Ha-eun (月下恩)."

"..."

But upon hearing their names, the man fell silent for a moment.

Jo Yeon and Ha-eun anxiously glanced at each other and then at the man.

Suddenly, the man muttered to himself.

But his words were clear to the ears of both of them.

"Yeon (緣)...is that it, perhaps? Then what's that thing stuck to it? Hmm...could a lowly thing have attached itself due to a twisted fate (命)..."

The man's unfocused eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them.

Jo Yeon and Ha-eun both felt a chill run down their spines.

Those eyes looked at them as if they were lifeless objects, not people.

'What is he planning to do to us...?'

It's when Jo Yeon grew me anxious.

The man suddenly smiled faintly and asked,

"Are you two by any chance lovers?"

Their faces flushed at the question.

"Mm, that's correct."

"Yes we are, senior."

"Haha, I see. In that case...would you two consider breaking your connection and parting ways?"

"...!?"

Jo Yeon shot up from his seat.

"...I apologize, but that will be impossible."

"Hoo, why is that?"

"Because I cannot sever my feelings for my beloved. No matter how much you threaten us, that will never change."

"Hmm..."

The man seemed to ponder Jo Yeon's words for a moment, then suddenly grabbed Ha-eun's shoulder and whispered in her ear.

"If you spend one night with me immediately, I will make you my consort (妃) and ensure you live a life of abundance. You will be able to live for another thousand years and experience all the finest things the mortal world has to offer."

"What the...!?"

Jo Yeon's face turned bright red with anger.

The man's eyes split vertically.

"And most importantly, if you come with me now...I won't kill the two of you."

Kugugugugu!

An overwhelming pressure filled the entire inn.

Jo Yeon could hardly breathe under the man's oppressive force, and Ha-eun, too, was barely holding on, panting as she deflected the intense aura.

"Now...make your choice. Die here a dog's death, or come with me and secure a happy ending for the both of you..."

And the next moment,

Jo Yeon's eyes bulge wide.

Slap!

Ha-eun had slapped the man across the face.

Her entire body was ablaze with Protective Gang Qi as she resisted the man's pressure, and her hand shone brightly with Hang Gang.

Grinding her teeth, Ha-eun spit out her words.

"If senior continues to harass us, I choose to die right here. The one who has truly loved and accepted me is this man surnamed Jo, and once I accepted his heart, I never had any intention of accepting anyone else. Please stop insulting us, and quickly kill us if you must."

The man rubbed his slapped cheek, looking at the two with amused eyes.

Then, he smiled faintly again.

"How interesting. My secret art definitely worked, but your emotions are taking precedence...hoho. In that case, I'll make a proposal. Does the distinguished person have any plans of changing your name in the future?"

The man looked at Ha-eun and asked.

She seemed puzzled by the question and replied,

"...Who knows. I'm not sure...but I suppose no one can predict the future."

"Hmm...very well. Then, I'll leave it at that. I'll take my leave for now."

The man lifted his hands from their shoulders and turned around.

To the man turning around, Ha-eun called out to him.

"I don't know why you are doing this to us, but if you truly wish to take someone as your consort and receive their love, please treat people with sincerity. If senior continues with that attitude, senior will never receive genuine love."

Wuduk—

At Ha-eun's words, the man suddenly stopped and looked back at her.

Chills!

Ha-eun and Jo Yeon felt danger to their lives.

For a brief moment, a vision flashed in their minds of their bodies being torn apart.

It was the lingering echo of killing intent that had passed over them.

"Ah..."

The man chuckled as he clutched his head.

"My apologies. A momentary flaw appeared in the secret art I've learned which allowed some killing intent to leak out. Well then, I hope the two of you continue to live harmoniously and happily."

The man smiled faintly, glancing at Ha-eun.

"And, Miss...it would be wise for you to watch what you say in the future. Though I wish the best for both of you, who knows? A slip of the tongue could lead to a horrible end, one even I can't imagine. Hoho..."

With that, the man descended the stairs, still with a smiling face.

For a long while, the two of them stood frozen in place, unable to move.

It wasn't until a fishy smell reached their noses that they finally stirred.

Jo Yeon looked down at the inn below.

The majority of those who had remained in the inn became pancakes with their bodies exploded.

It seemed they had been unable to withstand the man's earlier pressure and had died.

With grim faces, Jo Yeon and Ha-eun left the inn without saying a word, leaving the village and flying off on their flight magic artifact to escape for a long time.

Fortunately, no one followed them.

Yet, Jo Yeon and Ha-eun could not shake the ominous and foreboding feeling they had when they encountered the man.

"...Did I say something wrong?"

Ha-eun spoke with a bitter expression as they hovered in the air.

"It's just that...he seemed like someone who wanted to be loved, so I thought I'd offer him some advice."

"Hmm...love, you say..."

Jo Yeon shuddered, recalling the man's dull eyes and lifeless intent.

Having only just begun to grasp the consciousness method, Jo Yeon could barely perceive the color of the man's intent. Thus, he was able to recall the man's intent.

The man's intent was incredibly cold and heavy, exuding a chilling sense of foreboding.

Jo Yeon had never before sensed the intent of a being that screamed so much in agony.

"To me, he seemed not like someone who wanted love, but like someone who had gone mad. He felt as if he had no heart at all."

The two talked as they piled stones in memory of the mortals who had died in the inn.

They were too terrified of that being to return to the inn and retrieve the corpses.

"Is that so...well, we can have different perspectives. By the way, there was something I wanted to say in the inn, but...we were a bit interrupted."

"Hmm? What is it?"

After they finished stacking the stones and offered a brief prayer, Ha-eun turned to Jo Yeon and spoke.

"Would you...spend the rest of your life with me, Older Brother Jo?

"...Ah."

Jo Yeon looked at her and let out a hollow laugh at his own pathetic self.

Thinking back, hadn't he intended to propose first?

In the end, she beat him to it.

With a bitter smile, Jo Yeon took Ha-eun's hands in his.

"I will. I will live together with you for a hundred years, no, a thousand years...I will grow old with you and will die together on the same day and same moment."

"Is that so...? Thank you."

Ha-eun smiled softly.

Jo Yeon, shaking off his bitter smile, broke into a full, radiant grin.

"For our official wedding...how about we hold it at that place?"

"Which place?"

"Where we first introduced ourselves."

Ha-eun's eyes sparkled at Jo Yeon's suggestion.

"Ah, that place!"

"Yes. When spring comes and the flowers are in full bloom...let's choose an auspicious day and hold our ceremony in front of the quince tree."

Ha-eun blushed and nodded at Jo Yeon's words.

"That sounds wonderful. It's autumn now, so..."

"In half a year, the quince flowers will be in full bloom. We'll wait until then, and though it may be modest, we'll choose an auspicious day and hold the ceremony together."

"Yes. On that day, at that moment, let's truly become one."

At Ha-eun's words, Jo Yeon smiled as if he had gained the world.

Tstststststs!

On his face, patterns of seven colors emerged.

Two patterns that had been halfway merged fully combined, leaving only six patterns on Jo Yeon's face.

As they decided on the date, the two began preparing for their wedding gifts.

Jo Yeon borrowed a mortal's forge to pour all his talent into crafting the most fitting gift for her, while Ha-eun honed her martial skills even further.

It was to undergo another complete transformation.

When she had undergone her first transformation, she had left the burn scar to remind herself of Wol Bi's vengeance.

But now, she had avenged Wol Bi within the limits she could.

Thus, she no longer needed the scar.

To become one with Jo Yeon in her most beautiful form, she dedicated herself entirely to undergoing a complete transformation once more.

And a month after the two had promised to marry...

Jo Yeon was taken away by the Jo Clan.

"...What?"

Jo Yeon stared at the clan's Core Formation Elder in bewilderment.

"Wh-What do you mean by that?"

"Can you not even understand speech, you foolish thing? Didn't I tell you that the Clan Head is formulating a grand plan? The Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, Black Ghost Valley, and the Grasslands Tribe Alliance! The East is too far, so it's difficult to make any moves there, but we're gathering all the nearby forces. I'm saying an empire that spans the entire continent will be created."

"Yes, yes. I understand that. But..."

"But what! Did I not say you are to soon enter into an arranged marriage with one of the late-stage disciples of Black Ghost Valley. So stop your wandering and prepare for your wedding."

"P-Please wait a moment. I...am not fit for marriage. As you know, Elder, I am a hunchback, and my appearance is unsightly..."

"But you are an Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent! That too, initially a Seven-Pattern Law Talent, but after recent confirmation, you've evolved into a Six-Pattern Law Talent. An Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent can only be born from the Jo Clan's pure bloodline. Moreover, for the talent to evolve to a higher stage means that your bloodline is even more pure and talented than most. As your bloodline is close to that of a direct descendant, your appearance is of no concern!"

"B-But..."

Jo Yeon swallowed hard.

A direct descendant of the clan?

Had the clan ever once treated him like a direct descendant?

If they had, he wouldn't have been doing something like wandering in the first place.

Jo Yeon decided to appeal not with logic or profit, but with emotion.

"I've already promised to marry someone else."

"Hmm, who is it? Perhaps someone from a major sect?"

"No, it's not that. Although she's just a martial artist, she has exceptional talent..."

Kwang!

"Keheok!"

Jo Yeon coughed up blood as he was crushed by an overwhelming pressure.

The Core Formation Elder glared at him with his face twisted in fury.

"You...filthy thing. Engaged to a beast? Not even a branch member, but an Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent, the face of the clan, engaged to a beast! You wretch, watch your mouth. If word gets out that you've been playing house with a beast, the Jo Clan will be the laughingstock of the world! Listen carefully, you fool. Mortals are not the same humans like us! They're beasts, livestock! To borrow the phrasing of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect...they are [non-human]! There's already some dissatisfaction from Black Ghost Valley due to your hideous appearance, but if it's revealed that you engaged in bestiality, your arranged marriage will fall apart!"

The Core Formation Elder continued to shout furiously.

The Qi Building cultivators who have gathered in front of the Elder for the arranged marriages with the late-stage disciples of Black Ghost Valley all sneered at Jo Yeon.

"Engaged to a beast?"

"Insane. His twisted lust matches his grotesque appearance."

"He is so disgusting that I have no words, keke..."

Jo Yeon grinded his teeth at the jeers of the crowd.

"As the Elder said...I'm a hunchback with a hideous appearance. But..."

He looked the Elder straight in the eyes and spoke.

"She...she is not a beast! She is undeniably a 'person'!"

The Elder was taken aback by Jo Yeon's words and replied.

"Crazy thing. You call a beast a person? Not only did you mate with a beast, but now you see them as a person? You lunatic, do you even understand how much benefit is tied to this political marriage? Although your partner also has many issues with relationships with men, she's still the daughter of one of the Curse Lineage Elders of Black Ghost Valley!"

"If this political marriage is so important, then please, have a younger and more handsome late-stage cultivator take my place instead of a hunchback like me. I am unworthy of marrying someone as distinguished as the daughter of the Curse Lineage Elder."

"You fool! Do you even realize how much they want the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent? Anyone with this talent must participate in this marriage! Are you really going to forsake the grace the clan has given you all these years over your twisted affection for some beast? Do not make the clan a laughingstock. Remember how much you've benefited from the clan as you've grown and walked the path of cultivation!"

At the Elder's fierce reprimand, Jo Yeon bit down hard.

The clan's grace?

What did he receive again?

He recalled his father, who had beaten him since childhood, the clan members who tormented him when he moved to the main family, and the adults who kicked him away in disgust whenever they saw him.

The spirit stones and elixirs he had been allotted were always stolen by his peers. Even the three pills meant to help him reach the Qi Building stage were taken by his relatives. In the end, he had to buy a leftover pill, a Building Emptiness Pill, from the market just to break through to the Qi Building stage.

And wasn't it the Jo Clan that killed his closest friend?

Jo Yeon had always harbored resentment towards the clan, but now, hearing them speak of 'grace' while insulting Ha-eun, it made him lose control.

"Do not insult her. Who are you calling a beast! She is a martial artist who knows righteousness and a person who embraces benevolence The real beasts are those within this clan who treat branch members like mere test subjects—"

"Enough!"

Kwang!

Jo Yeon coughed up more blood, silenced by the Elder's roar.

"He's completely lost his mind. Completely bewitched by that beast. This won't do! Hear me! Lock this madman in solitary confinement and watch him closely! Do not release him until the political marriage is settled!"

The Elder glared at Jo Yeon as he spoke.

"Whether you like it or not, you will sacrifice yourself for the clan! You carry the blood and surname of the Jo Clan, you were born with the great Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent, and the clan has supported you up to the Qi Building stage! If you've enjoyed the benefits, you must know how to repay the favor! The political marriage will take place this winter. Until then, stay in solitary confinement and sort out your emotions!"

"W-Wait!"

Jo Yeon tried to resist, but the clan's Qi Building stage cultivators rushed in, subduing him and dragging him away.

"Please wait, Elder! I cannot go through with this marriage. I've made a promise with her..."

However, his pleas fell on deaf ears and he was locked away in solitary confinement.

Jo Yeon stared out in a daze from within the cell.

The room was covered in an impenetrable barrier, making escape impossible.

Jo Yeon gritted his teeth.

'No...'

This couldn't happen.

He had to be with her.

"No!"

Kwang!

He pounded the wall with his reddened eyes.

Kwarurung!

But as he raged, the barrier activated, triggering a spell that shocked his consciousness.

"Kuuuugh!"

Jo Yeon opened his eyes in anger, his consciousness reeling from the impact.

'This, this is...'

When his consciousness collided with the barrier, he felt his mind become strange.

He instinctively understood.

This room's barrier was designed to brainwash him.

A brainwashing barrier created to make him dedicate his body and soul to the Jo Clan!

Budududuk...

Jo Yeon was certain.

If he remained trapped here until winter, he would go completely mad, forgetting her and becoming a mere puppet obeying the clan's commands.

'I must escape before the wedding date arrives!'

He began analyzing the barrier and pushing the consciousness method he had been developing to evolve even further.

So that he would never be brainwashed.

So that the person called Jo Yeon could remain true to himself.

And...so he could break this room's barrier.

Time passed quickly.

Finally, winter approached, and Jo Yeon was visited by the Elder who came to his solitary room.

"Have you regained your senses a little now?"

"...Yes, Elder. I think I temporarily lost my mind and did something disgraceful. Please forgive me. I will follow your orders properly from now on."

Jo Yeon's eyes appeared somewhat dazed and vacant.

The Elder looked at him with satisfaction and smiled.

"Very good. The disciplinary barrier provided by the Sea Dragon Clan was well-crafted. The wedding is only a few days away, so be prepared. It might be best to get you dressed ahead of time. Hear me!"

At the Elder's command, the Jo Clan's servants came in and changed Jo Yeon's clothes.

He was dressed in the Jo Clan's traditional wedding attire.

A clean, light pink silk robe.

The Elder nodded approvingly as he observed the sight.

"Even a hunchback looks somewhat presentable when dressed like this. Haha! Now, spend a few more days facing the wall and composing your emotions. Soon, we will become in-laws with the Black Ghost Valley's Cursed Lineage..."

The Elder spoke with satisfaction before leaving the solitary room.

However, once the Elder left, Jo Yeon's gaze changed.

With sharp eyes, he extended his consciousness.

Tstststststststs!

Threads of his consciousness filled the room.

Jo Yeon focused his mind on the consciousness threads, bringing his hand to the floor.

Wo-woong!

His threads of consciousness clung to the ceiling, walls, and floor of the solitary room, starting to draw a strange circuit.

'It's still incomplete, but I can at least break the barrier.'

Wo-woong!

Jo Yeon's circuit seized control of the barrier.

And at a certain moment,

Flash!

Jo Yeon fully took control of the barrier and discreetly dismantled part of it without leaving any trace.

"It's done!"

He smiled with exhilaration and finally stepped outside.

'It seems the vigilance has weakened since the Elder visited.'

After surveying his surroundings and confirming no one was around, he skillfully slipped out of the Jo Clan.

Though the clan's barrier formations repeatedly blocked his path, Jo Yeon used his unique consciousness method and circuits to break through them.

It was late at night.

Taking advantage of the darkness, he finally escaped the Jo Clan's territory completely.

"It's done, I did it!"

After escaping the Jo Clan's territory, Jo Yeon quickly boarded a flying magic artifact and sped off toward Shengzi.

'The arranged marriage date is approaching soon. Before then...I must marry her.'

Jo Yeon knew.

Eventually, both he and she would be captured again by the Jo Clan.

It was likely they couldn't avoid the arranged marriage.

However...

Jo Yeon, even if that were to happen, at the very least wanted to marry her first.

To marry some unknown female cultivator from Black Ghost Valley, only to later marry her in a second wedding?

'That can never happen.'

Even if he must see his friend Wol Bi who already went to the afterlife, Jo Yeon flew swiftly, determined to hold his first wedding with Wol Ha-eun no matter what.

Paaatt!

Soaring through the dark night sky, Jo Yeon finally arrived at a secluded corner of a forest.

"Ah...!"

As soon as he arrived, his eyes reddened.

Midwinter.

Beside a quince tree, stripped of all its leaves.

There, Ha-eun was living in a small cabin she had built.

It was to keep the promise they had made to hold their wedding in front of this quince tree.

Jo Yeon stepped into the cabin.

"Who...ah!"

Ha-eun's face turned to surprise when she saw him.

For a moment, the two silently looked at each other.

Though no words were spoken, the meaning was conveyed.

Jo Yeon and Wol Ha-eun ran to each other and embraced tightly.

"I missed you."

Jo Yeon said.

"I missed you too."

She replied.

For a long while after those words, the two remained silent.

And then, after some time, Jo Yeon spoke.

"The clan is trying to make me the subject of an arranged marriage."

He spoke, holding Ha-eun's shoulders.

"There's no way to avoid it. The Jo Clan is the Continent's Foremost Clan...even if we run, they'll eventually track us down."

"That's..."

"But...we can still become husband and wife."

Jo Yeon met Ha-eun's gaze with burning eyes.

"Let's hold the wedding today. Though I'll be captured again and forced into the arranged marriage, you will be my first wife. No matter how grand the arranged marriage may be, the person I marry will only be the second wife."

The two held hands tightly.

"Even if it's my fate to go through with the arranged marriage, within that fate, I will regard you as my first. So...though it's unprepared, and though the ceremony can only be inadequate..."

As he spoke, Jo Yeon's eyes turned red.

Things hadn't turned out the way he had hoped.

He had wanted to set an auspicious date for their wedding, watching the spring flowers in the warmth of spring, but now, they had to hold the ceremony urgently in the middle of winter. The situation itself felt unreasonable.

Still, he wanted to form this connection with her no matter what, even if it had to be like this.

"Will you marry me?"

Ha-eun, hearing Jo Yeon's sincere words, also teared up.

"Yes. I've always been ready to be with you, whenever and however."

She took Jo Yeon's hand and brushed it against her face.

Where the burn scar had once been.

In the past few months, she had managed to undergo another transformation, successfully erasing the burn mark.

Jo Yeon and Ha-eun stepped outside the cabin.

Outside.

In front of the quince tree that had saved their lives, where they had first introduced themselves,

The two placed a bowl of cold water before the quince tree.

Ha-eun looked at the quince tree with a bittersweet expression.

"I wanted us to be united when the spring flowers were in full bloom, but fate doesn't seem to allow it."

"..."

At Ha-eun's words, Jo Yeon gazed at the bare, leafless quince tree.

Then, right there, he took off the clothes he had been wearing.

The traditional wedding attire given to him by the Jo Clan, meant for the arranged marriage with the female cultivator from Black Ghost Valley.

He stared at the light pink silk robe for a moment before, without hesitation, started tearing it apart.

Rip, rip!

With quick movements, he shredded the silk robe.

After a short while, Jo Yeon's silk robe had turned into dozens of strips of light pink thread.

Jo Yeon swiftly climbed the quince tree and tied the pink threads to each branch, one by one.

Although no flowers had bloomed, the sight of the quince tree adorned with dozens of pink threads was quite beautiful.

Jo Yeon climbed down from the tree and smiled faintly.

"I'm sorry this is all I can do. But still...this is my version of spring."

He looked at the many pink threads fluttering in the winter wind and gave a bitter smile.

"...It's strange...it's too strange, I'm sorry."

But Ha-eun shook her head.

"...I told you, it's not strange...it's wonderfully mysterious...it's beautiful."

Ha-eun smiled brightly as she looked at the tree.

"It's wonderfully mysterious and beautiful. Just like you."

With the bowl of cold water and the many light pink threads adorning the quince tree, the two held their wedding ceremony.

"We offer our respects to the Divine Spirits of Heaven and Earth."

The night passed, and dawn began to break in the distance.

At the time when the moon set and the sun rose.

Jo Yeon and Ha-eun made their vows before the sun and moon.

"We swear before the Eight Lights, who have governed blessings since the very beginning of time. We swear before the Mountain God, Earth God, and all the Gods of the Heavens and the Underworld. From now on, under the eyes of the Divine Spirits of Heaven and Earth, we will be bound together as one. We will grow old together, living for a hundred years, a thousand years, side by side."

"When their hair turns white, so will mine. When they fall into madness and roll in the mud, I will roll in the mud with them. If they commit a sin and fall to the depths of hell, I will follow them to the bottom. Whether in paradise or in hell, we will always be together."

"We ask the Heavenly God, Mountain God, Snake God, and all the Gods of Heaven and Earth and the Heavens to bless us, so that we may become Paired Winged Birds flying together in the sky and intertwined branches planting roots together in the earth."

The two, having followed the simplified wedding rites, shared the bowl of cold water under the dawn light, each drinking half.

Then, they held each other's hands.

Whiiiii—

The wind blew around them, as if blessing the couple.

And so, Wol Ha-eun and Jo Yeon became husband and wife.