Episode 177. Fragment. (2)
Fragment. (2)
‘Just what is this about now?’
It was an incomprehensible situation.
To think the Blood Demon was dreaming of resurrection.
‘…Is the Blood Demon alive or not?’
I didn’t know what realm the Blood Demon had reached, but even if he had reached such a realm, it was absurd for a human to live hundreds of years. Even if he performed Rejuvenation several times over. There was a clear limit.
The fact that present-day experts who had reached the Three Lords, such as the Sword Lord and the Heavenly Lord, went out of their way to maintain their old bodies made it clear. They must think they lose more than they gain from youth. Moreover, considering that Rejuvenation does not unconditionally sustain life, it was all the more so.
‘And above all.’
I didn’t know about the Blood Demon. This was the part I thought was the most problematic. In my previous life, I had never heard anyone speak of the Blood Demon anywhere. The very fact that the word resurrection was used meant he wasn’t alive right now. Even if I had studied the Great Blood Demon War of that era semi-compulsorily. I had never heard any talk of the Blood Demon resurrecting in the future afterward.
‘Even if he is dreaming of resurrection, does that mean it’s something in the far distant future?’
Then did that mean I didn’t need to worry about it?
[…Resurrection, you say…]
Lord Shin’s voice trembled, perhaps from shock.
[How…? They said he had breathed his last. How dare you speak of resurrection?]
Every word was contradictory. Hwang’a Bulyeong had clearly said the Blood Demon had breathed his last in the final battle, and yet he had also said the Blood Demon dreams of resurrection.
[Sincheol.]
Hwanga Bulyeong—Cheolyung—speaks.
[The Blood Demon is not a being that can be killed.]
[What…?]
[You, who have lost your memory, would not know.]
[Cheolyung, do you intend to keep saying things I cannot understand?]
My dantian squirmed, and it felt as if something massive was moving. This was Lord Shin’s presence. From that presence, which moved according to emotion, I could tell how mighty a being Lord Shin was.
‘…So please, move gently.’
Thanks to that, I had felt like I was going to die trying to endure it. I was happy to see Lord Shin after so long, but this was a bit hard.
Setting aside Lord Shin’s indignation, Cheolyung’s words continued.
[What I can tell you is the same, Sincheol.]
[Cheolyung!]
[There is much I wish to tell you, but nothing I am able to.]
[…]
Creak.
The dragon coiled in my dantian exhaled. Was it saying it was on the verge of exploding? While I tried to surround and calm my qi with all my effort, I recalled anew that Lord Shin had always been calming my qi and energy.
‘…I might even be a little grateful.’
I had thought he was merely paying rent for freeloading in my body as he pleased. To this extent, it was something I could be grateful for.
[You say there is nothing you can say? You call that speaking?]
The splashing carp’s movements subsided. From its drooping whiskers and scales that seemed to have lost a bit of their color, I could no longer feel the nobility I had sensed when I first saw him.
[Sincheol.]
[…Speak.]
[This is something we decided.]
[We? Did you just say we?]
[Yes, we.]
Thinking on Cheolyung’s words, by “we,” he must mean those “five” figures. The five experts said to have blocked the Blood Demon and protected the present Central Plains.
[You agreed to it as well.]
Sincheol flinched at Cheolyung’s words.
[I agreed?]
[You did. In fact, this was something you wanted to do more than anyone.]
After a moment of silence, Lord Shin spat out in a hazy voice.
[…I don’t remember anything.]
[Yes, which is why you can do nothing.]
Cheolyung added with lament.
[Heaven has forsaken us, Sincheol. You as you are now are the proof.]
It was too indifferent and detached a tone to have come from Cheolyung, a Buddhist disciple.
‘Is that person truly Hwanga Bulyeong?’
It was enough to raise such doubts. He looked like a carp, and the only thing backing his claims was Lord Shin’s word alone. Lord Shin seemed to find it strange as well.
[It doesn’t seem like something a baldy would say.]
[Time obscures much.]
[Even you, who were called the greatest boulder of Shaolin, say that?]
[It has been hundreds of years.]
Cheolyung’s voice seemed quite weary.
[I remained alone in this place and endured the ages. Do you know why?]
The white carp swam leisurely in the lake. As if drawing small circles.
[It was because of hope.]
A certain desperation could be felt.
‘Hope.’
Hope for what? It was not something I could understand. But perhaps it was something Lord Shin would know. He waited silently for Cheolyung’s words. Even though emotions were surging so intensely from his body.
[A hope like embers that could go out at any moment, yet could blaze again if only there were fuel. You were such a hope to us.]
Lord Shin replied as if he found Cheolyung’s words absurd.
[Not Ilcheon?]
[You said the same at the final moment. That it had to be Ilcheon, not yourself.]
It seemed Lord Shin still didn’t know about that part either. Lost memories. What on earth was in them for Cheolyung and Lord Shin to remain in the present era?
The person called Ilcheon, of whom the two spoke, was someone even I knew despite having no interest in history.
Gwon, Cheol, Geumwang, Yeon, and Ilcheon.
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The number one under heaven of that era, and the master of the house in Sichuan where I obtained a fortuitous encounter. Even after a long time, a transcendent martial artist of Cheonoecheon whose name still remained on this land.
[But it did not turn out that way?]
[…]
Cheolyung did not answer. No, it felt like he couldn’t. Unable to endure the silence, Lord Shin brought up another subject.
[That I ended up like this, and you ended up like that—is it all our fault?]
[…]
[…Does this mean you cannot tell me the reason we ended up like this either…?]
[Sincheol.]
[Please tell me, Cheolyung… why I remained on this land.]
Though Lord Shin’s desperation could be felt, Cheolyung’s reaction remained the same. He merely swam leisurely in the lake. At that sight, Lord Shin let out a sigh.
‘Is he unable to speak because he is under a restriction?’
Even though Cheolyung was in the form of a carp, or perhaps possessed by a carp, the restriction placed on him was still being maintained. If Cheolyung wasn’t lying, that is. I wondered how that was possible, yet having experienced too many things beyond common sense, I thought that it might be possible.
Cheolyung asked Lord Shin, who seemed conflicted, while swimming calmly.
[Now it seems my turn to ask. Why are you with that child?]
I flinched at Cheolyung’s question.
[The energy in the child’s body clearly seems to be yours.]
[Indeed, it is my energy.]
I was the one surprised by those words. I had thought the qi raging through my body was definitely Mount Hua’s energy, but this was Lord Shin’s energy?
[He doesn’t seem to be a child of Mount Hua. How did you come to be attached to him?]
Lord Shin couldn’t say a word to Cheolyung’s question. Too many things had happened. How could he explain? Setting aside the fact that he had been sealed in Mount Hua’s treasured artifact, he would have to mention that a later generation Head Master had staked the artifact in a drinking game and lost it, getting it stolen. Lord Shin couldn’t answer. He didn’t seem to want to tell such a shameful story to an old friend.
[…There were just some circumstances.]
Cheolyung did not ask further at Lord Shin’s words. However, he asked something else. And this time, the question was directed at me.
[Child.]
“Y-yes?”
I was flustered at being suddenly called.
[My apologies. Seeing only a fragment, I mistook you for that brat.]
It seemed a somewhat late apology, but I nodded.
“…It’s fine. I believe it was a situation warranting it.”
I had spoken casually to Cheolyung earlier, but I had to mind my manners now.
[Thank you for saying so. But child, if I am not mistaken, this situation seems familiar to you.]
A situation where everything around had stopped, and a carp speaking. And that the carp was the former hero of Shaolin, Hwanga Bulyeong.
[Child, are you Sincheol’s disciple?]
I couldn’t easily answer Cheolyung’s question. Because it was awkward to say no. I had certainly gained much from Lord Shin. It was an enlightenment not easily obtained. However, it was somewhat insufficient to call us master and disciple.
[You speak nonsense, Cheolyung.]
At this, Lord Shin answered instead.
[I do not take disciples. Was that not the promise?]
[That stubbornness of yours remains even after death, it seems.]
[Damned… Just who do you think you are?]
[Countless people under the name of Shaolin are all my children.]
[Then do you think I’ve turned my back on the Mount Hua Sect?]
Why are these old geezers suddenly fighting like this? They were talking about heavy things just moments ago; I don’t know why they’re suddenly fighting like children.
[Anyway.]
[Anyway isn’t an answer, you bald bastard.]
[…The child seems to be one whose talent reaches the heavens. It doesn’t appear he has undergone Rejuvenation, yet to cross the wall at that age. This is just like…]
Cheolyung spoke carefully and trailed off. I was about to wonder what he meant.
[You were going to say he’s like Ilcheon.]
Lord Shin snorted and finished Cheolyung’s sentence. Cheolyung let out a hollow laugh.
[You insist on filling in the words I was trying to gloss over.]
[There’s no one else worthy of comparison, so it’s only natural.]
Had the likes of Gwoncheol and Geumwang possessed such outstanding talent? It’s not a story of gilding my own face; I’m just in a special situation, so… Without having gone through the absurd situation called regression, rising to this level at a young age was an impossible thing.
‘Unless it were someone like Turyong.’
He too was a special case, different from me.
While I was briefly lost in such thoughts.
—Nothing strange to see. It’s natural he’s mistaken.
Lord Shin’s voice rang out. But there was a subtly different feeling. Should I say the voice was a bit different?
—That baldy won’t be able to hear this right now.
I had been thinking it strange, and Lord Shin explained.
‘You can do such things as well…?’
—It is not so difficult.
It seems like it is difficult, though.
‘What do you mean, it’s natural to be mistaken?’
—The situation is identical. How could he not be mistaken?
‘Yes?’
My eyes widened at the words Lord Shin spat at me in my head.
“What did you just say?”
I asked back at Lord Shin’s words. Because it was too absurd a thing to say. It was an unbelievable story. But Lord Shin merely gave me the same answer.
—That Ilcheon bastard, like you, brat, turned back time.