The First Sin. (3)
Just before the formation was torn apart.
The Palace Lord was heading toward the Red Heaven created by Gu Cheorun.
The power bestowed by the heavens was close to perfect.
It filled in the deficiencies within him.
It had strengthened the power he had possessed from the beginning.
‘I will set foot in a new world.’
The Palace Lord was certain of it.
He was no longer the same as he had been in the past—the self who had been crushed beneath the hands of the righteous sects and forced to crawl along the ground no longer existed.
Along with the passage of time.
It was a belief born from the power bestowed by the heavens, but—
“Ghk….”
That deep faith shattered in an instant.
Beneath the blood-red sky stood a man who had been a disaster to the unorthodox faction.
A man who was tearing apart, layer by layer, the barrier Ta Jeol-gwi had created using demonic stones, with an absurd level of strength.
The Flame Fiend, Gu Cheorun.
One of the Five Emperors of the Demonic Path, the man who had seared a hole through the abdomen of the Black Night Palace Lord.
The monstrous man who had used his overwhelming strength to force the Black Night Palace Lord and countless other unorthodox martial artists to bow their heads beneath a treaty.
‘They called the Sword Venerable the pillar of the Alliance, did they not?’
When the Sword Venerable Wi Hyogun had been the leader of the Martial Alliance, that was certainly what the world had called him.
But the Palace Lord knew.
The one the unorthodox martial artists truly feared was not the Sword Venerable, the greatest swordsman under heaven.
It was that Flame Fiend, born from fire.
In the distance, he could see the man who resembled a disaster.
The red-clad warrior whom he had once wanted to kill by any means possible.
The red-clad warrior who, at another time, had inspired an insane jealousy within him.
Krrrck—!
Having ripped apart another layer of the barrier, Gu Cheorun slightly raised his head.
His vivid—or perhaps horrifying—red eyes turned toward the Palace Lord.
“…!”
The moment their eyes met.
Though it lasted no more than an instant, the Palace Lord was able to understand many things.
The Palace Lord was certain.
Even now, after gaining power and receiving the divine authority years later, he still could not defeat the Flame Fiend.
He could tell simply by looking into those eyes.
The flame standing over there was like a calamity, and contrary to the rumors, its fangs had not dulled in the slightest.
The Flame Fiend did not emit his characteristic battle aura.
Nor did he reveal any flames to prove that he was of the Gu clan’s bloodline.
Furthermore, even after their eyes met, the man remained focused solely on the barrier.
The direction of the power he was unleashing could not be aimed at him.
‘Even so, he is this powerful?’
He had thought the man was buried deep in the mountains, doing nothing but breathing.
But the great tiger had merely been sleeping.
Because he could reign whenever he pleased.
Had he only been resting for a short while?
“…How ridiculous.”
The Palace Lord whispered to himself.
Even after receiving so much divine authority.
Even after prolonging his life and gathering strength.
Was he still unable to take even a single step higher?
“…Not yet.”
The Black Night Palace Lord, who had exchanged gazes with Gu Cheorun for that brief instant, immediately turned away and headed elsewhere.
Judging from that crude method of his, it would not be long before the barrier broke.
And now that he had realized he still could not face the Flame Fiend, he saw no reason to remain here.
From the beginning, the purpose of this palace had been to add value to the heavens, after which it would be discarded as a sacrificial piece.
Now that something had gone wrong with the heavens, there was no reason to stay here any longer.
‘It is regrettable to leave the matter of the flames unresolved.’
This would not be his only opportunity.
For the moment, his priority was to leave with the heavens.
‘It was wise of me to notify the Grand Lord in advance.’
From the moment he had brought Gu Huibi to the main palace.
The Palace Lord had already sent word to the Black Dragon of Guangdong.
Now it was time to turn away without lingering regrets.
If anything was regrettable,
it was having to leave the Flame Fiend behind like this.
‘Wait a little longer.’
He had left his pathetic pride behind in the Demon Realm several years ago.
Unfortunately, however, he had been unable to abandon his yearning for a higher place.
Having confirmed that the Flame Fiend’s fire had not been extinguished,
the Palace Lord now had only to prepare.
Prepare to pour water over that filthy flame.
And the torrential rain that would soak the fallen Central Plains as well.
He would gather the clouds until the sky was full of them, then make them pour down without end.
Crack.
Blood ran down from his tightly clenched fist.
It was a desperate struggle to avert his eyes from the sight of himself fleeing with his back turned even after obtaining divine authority—
a sight so utterly wretched.
#
Amid the fog of demonic energy that had settled thickly.
Beneath a violet moon that had transformed the ordinary daylight into a night sky.
Glug, glug.
He poured liquor into his cup as he did every other day.
His lowered gaze.
His skin, pale to the point of seeming bloodless.
And his violet eyes, shining distinctly among those features, made me feel an inexplicable fear.
I knew.
I was being crushed entirely beneath the aura possessed by his very existence.
When I cautiously looked up,
eyes resembling the moon floating behind him were staring at me.
Noticing my gaze, he spoke to me.
—Your gaze is peculiar.
—…I apologize.
—There is no need to apologize. It does not particularly trouble me.
The Heavenly Demon lifted the cup filled to the brim and drank.
The liquor he had poured so generously disappeared in several swallows.
After wetting his throat, the Heavenly Demon quietly looked down at me.
That gaze was too burdensome for me to meet for long.
—At times, you seem to be.
Whoosh.
Along with the Heavenly Demon’s words, an unknown wind arose.
—Looking at someone through me.
The Heavenly Demon’s words chilled my heart.
As though salt had been rubbed into a wound that was gradually becoming a scar.
Though they were merely words spoken in passing, the meaning within them was unbearably cold.
—Are you thinking of the woman you hold in your heart?
—No….
—No, indeed. That is a ridiculous sophistry to call a denial.
He was right.
It was merely sophistry meant to help me escape.
—Kukuku.
The Heavenly Demon let out a quiet laugh.
—Great Commander, if the Demonic Sword Empress who died for you had seen you in this state, it would have pained her greatly.
—….
—Have you still not forgotten her? Your affections are persistent, Great Commander.
—That is not so. I, from the very beginning—
—Lies do not work on me.
Boom.
Pressure bore down on my shoulders.
The demonic energy packed tightly into my dantian writhed.
As though telling me to recognize the master standing before me.
Pain surged through me, as if blades were clashing inside my body.
But I swallowed it down along with a shallow breath.
—…I apologize.
Perhaps my answer had finally pleased him.
Glug.
The Heavenly Demon once again filled his cup.
After wetting his throat with the cup filled to the brim,
the Heavenly Demon spoke to me in a voice carrying a smile.
—I am curious.
The world trembled at a single word.
This was the Heavenly Demon’s domain and sanctuary.
—In the future, after that woman is killed by my hand, I wonder whether the Great Commander will remain intact.
—….
The man gave no answer.
The Heavenly Demon continued to laugh, as though he found the sight enjoyable.
In that situation, the man merely watched the Heavenly Demon laugh.
Looking at that face so very similar to someone else’s.
Looking at the smile he wore as though he were enjoying himself, it somehow felt as if my rotting insides had grown quiet, if only for a moment.
‘Was it because I saw that smile on that face?’
After the thought came to him, the man gave a self-deprecating laugh inwardly.
It was an utterly ugly thought, even by his own judgment.
In order to find a small comfort in his twisted life,
he had burned away every vessel within himself that could hold comfort.
His insides must be nothing but an empty space.
All that remained there was the lingering attachment he had barely managed to grasp, keeping it burning so that it would not go out.
Within the air, endlessly stifling and heavy,
I lowered my head and closed my eyes.
#
Inside a room filled with demonic energy,
I looked at the child held in the Palace Lord’s arms and felt a question rise within me.
‘…Why does he look like a child?’
Whether it was his slender build.
Or his vacant-looking eyes, so different from those in my previous life.
None of that mattered.
What mattered was that child was undoubtedly the Heavenly Demon I knew.
‘…This makes no sense.’
Could it be an illusion? Could I have been mistaken?
Even as I wondered those things, I knew this was not something I could mistake, and could only bite my lips tightly.
That face resembled Wi Seol-ah’s far too closely, from its atmosphere to its features.
Even those distinctive eyes.
Perhaps no one else would recognize him, but there was no way I could fail to recognize that man.
Gurgle.
‘…Fuck.’
Look at it. The demonic energy within my body was rampaging like this.
How could this be an illusion?
The problem was why the Heavenly Demon was here in such a form.
At the very least, the Heavenly Demon I knew had a far more mature appearance than this.
‘He said he had come from the Demon Realm himself.’
He had said that he had pierced through the Abyss, crossed beyond the Demon Realm, and descended into the Central Plains.
He himself had spoken about his origins.
And yet that Heavenly Demon had actually existed in the Central Plains from long ago.
Was he saying that he had been in the Black Night Palace in that form?
‘…I don’t understand any of this.’
What on earth had happened? It was something I never could have anticipated.
“It seems you cannot hear me.”
“…!”
At that instant, I twisted my body at the sudden, chilling sensation.
Krrrck!!
The energy released by the Black Night Palace Lord surged through the room and attacked me.
“…You dodged?”
A trace of admiration entered the Palace Lord’s voice.
It seemed he had not expected me to evade.
I, too, ignored the throbbing pain in my dantian caused by my sudden movement and spoke to the Black Night Palace Lord.
“Your greeting is rather violent.”
“That face and that aura…. Yes, you must be the Flame Fiend’s son.”
The Flame Fiend.
It was a sobriquet I had not heard in a long time.
Apparently, my father had been called that as well.
And now I was actually seeing the one known as the Flame Fiend.
“You were called the True Dragon, were you not?”
“It is an honor that the Black Night Palace Lord knows me so well.”
“I know you well. How could I not? We must have our own connection, after all.”
By connection, did he mean the Black Night Palace had clashed with us a few times?
The Black Night Palace Lord continued speaking as he watched me.
“You resemble your father greatly.”
“I have heard that so often it has become tiresome.”
“I thought your sister possessed extraordinary talent as well, but after seeing you, even those words would not be enough to contain it.”
An unknown emotion passed through the Palace Lord’s eyes as he spoke.
Was it envy?
Or perhaps jealousy?
For a martial artist who had reached at least the Profound Realm, perhaps even its limits, it was an exceedingly awkward emotion to reveal to me.
“Now, will you answer me? How did you open the door?”
“How did I open the door? You push it open. Isn’t that obvious?”
Even as I answered, I glanced behind me.
Perhaps because there was so much demonic energy spread throughout the surroundings, the Gu clan’s Sword Guard members seemed unable to enter easily.
‘What should I do?’
If the child in his arms was the Heavenly Demon,
then this was not something I could afford to let slip away.
“How fascinating.”
“…What is?”
“Your eyes seem to know this person.”
The Black Night Palace Lord referred to the Heavenly Demon in his arms as “this person.”
The fact that he used such a title meant that their relationship was not entirely comfortable.
‘Then… was the Heavenly Demon the one who turned the Palace Lord into a demonkin?’
And not only him, but the other martial artists of the Black Night Palace as well.
Had the Heavenly Demon’s hand already reached them?
Like the demonkin of my previous life.
‘To find out…’
Whatever happened, I had to seize him.
Whether I could match him or not.
Fwoosh!
I immediately drew up the energy in my body and ignited my flames.
My dantian was still throbbing painfully, but I could not hesitate because of that.
Seeing me kindle my battle aura, the Palace Lord lifted the corners of his mouth into a slight smile.
“I do not think a child like you would fail to understand his place. Unless you find my forbearance amusing?”
The Black Night Palace Lord drew a diagonal line through the air with his hand.
The energy filling the room instantly surged toward me.
I burned my flames and increased my speed.
Pop.
I brushed aside the incoming energy and moved before the Black Night Palace Lord, preparing to strike.
But—
Boom…!
“…Ghk…!”
I had no choice but to offer my side to the arm the Palace Lord thrust out.
With the sound of his energy exploding, I was sent flying and rolled across the floor.
‘…I can’t use my energy properly, so it’s difficult even to react.’
The situation was already overwhelming because of the difference in cultivation.
With my dantian failing to function properly, this was nearly impossible.
‘You expect me to let him slip away when he’s right in front of me?’
How could I do that?
‘Even if I have to use my blood force….’
I had to do everything I could.
Even if it meant ruining myself.
I had to seize him.
“Given the circumstances, you should be grateful that I have not killed you—”
The Black Night Palace Lord clicked his tongue and began to speak, but then stopped.
I, who had been about to use my blood force, stopped as well.
The reason was that the Heavenly Demon, who had been held in the Palace Lord’s arms, was pointing at me with a fingertip.
Then the Heavenly Demon opened his mouth.
“…That.”
“Heavens, how could you—?”
“Mine…?”
He tilted his head as though he did not understand.
‘…Surely not.’
Could it have reacted to the demonic art within my body?
If that child truly was the Heavenly Demon, then it was entirely possible.
After all, the Demonic Dao Heaven-Sucking Art contained within my body was ultimately the Heavenly Demon’s power.
Just then.
Kuuuuugh—!
“…!”
The demonic energy sleeping within my body began to seethe.
As the demonic energy thrashed about, the exhausted dantian naturally let out a scream.
“Gnnngh…!”
“…Mine….”
It seemed the Heavenly Demon, held in the Palace Lord’s arms, was doing something.
‘…This is insane….’
The demonic energy gradually began to move.
The demonic energy burned with its own will, as though it intended to burst out of my body at any moment.
Since demonic energy was also a form of power, allowing it to erupt all at once would obviously overload my body.
I had to forcibly prevent the energy from twisting free and endure the pain.
“…How can you…?”
In the midst of it all, the Palace Lord seemed to have noticed the power surging within my body.
His eyes narrowed as he reacted.
“How is it that you possess that power?”
There was emotion in his voice, as though he were enraged.
I wondered why he was showing such emotion, but I had no time to concern myself with it while enduring the pain.
After I had been groaning and holding out for quite some time—
[…Rrgh.]
A sound came from the deepest reaches of my dantian.
It carried a clear emotion, as though something was displeased.
[Grrrr….]
It was the growl of a beast.
“…Eek…!”
Along with a startled cry, the demonic energy that had been seething and thrashing about instantly grew quiet.
“Haaah…. Haaah….”
I repeatedly exhaled breaths mixed with cries of pain as cold sweat streamed down my body.
That was how excruciating the pain had been.
At the same time, I was filled with questions.
The demonic energy that had seemed ready to explode at any moment had suddenly fallen silent.
I raised my head and looked at the Heavenly Demon.
‘Why is it afraid?’
The Heavenly Demon was trembling violently, its face filled with terror.
The sight was so much like that of an ordinary child that anger rose within me before I knew it.
“…Why are you doing this, Heavens?”
At the Palace Lord’s question, the Heavenly Demon did not answer.
It merely trembled and glared at me.
Seeing that, a thought flashed through my mind.
‘Did it recognize it?’
The beast said to be inside my body, the one Blood Demon Dokgo Jun had mentioned.
Was the growl I had heard just now its voice?
If so, was the Heavenly Demon afraid of that thing?
If not, then what could explain its reaction?
‘What is this thing…? Just what is inside my body?’
This impossible existence was afraid of it.
“What an incomprehensible matter.”
The Black Night Palace Lord seemed just as unable to understand the situation.
His voice sounded somewhat bewildered.
However, killing intent was mixed into it as well.
“So I suppose I should remove it in advance.”
His energy gathered and took the shape of a spike.
From the surging killing intent, I could tell that I was his target.
But—
My body still would not obey me because of the agony I had just endured.
If things continued like this, I would be helplessly pierced by his energy and die.
Just then—
“Tsk….”
The Black Night Palace Lord, who had been about to shoot out his energy, clicked his tongue.
“…It seems I have delayed too long.”
No sooner had the Palace Lord spoken as though regretting something—
Fwoooosh—!
Red flames seeped into the room through the passage behind him.
The flames wrapped around me as though they intended to protect me,
then formed a wall that blocked the way.
There was no need to wonder whose power these blazing, crimson flames belonged to.
“You dare act so recklessly.”
Along with a flat voice devoid of emotion—
Boom.
A heavy internal force descended, as though it intended to crush everything around it.
The demonic energy filling the room did not seem to affect him in the slightest.
Heroic Warrior Gu Cheol-un—my father—stepped into the room.
“I told you not to move rashly. Yet here you are, causing trouble.”
The demonic energy should have made it difficult to breathe, as though the air itself were suffocating.
Yet Father acted as though nothing were wrong.
It should have been impossible.
For a martial artist who possessed internal force, demonic energy was no different from deadly poison.
“Palace Lord.”
At Father’s call, the Black Night Palace Lord gave a thin smile.
“It has been a long time, Flame Ghost.”
“You broke your promise.”
“You did not truly think such a paltry promise would be kept forever, did you?”
Despite the Palace Lord’s taunting words, Father did not react strongly.
He looked as though it did not matter to him.
“Even a fiend like you seems to cherish your own child. To come all the way here, forgetting your karmic debt.”
“I have no intention of engaging in pointless conversation.”
As if to prove his words, Father began to wrap himself in flames.
His internal force remained just as overwhelming as ever.
Yet even in the face of that, the Palace Lord merely smiled, showing no fear.
“There is no need to pretend to be strong. You must be having a difficult time.”
“Enough.”
The flames formed from his immense power flew toward the Black Night Palace Lord, as though they would burn him to ash.
Bang!
But a wall formed from the Palace Lord’s energy blocked them.
For an instant, the energy shook as though it might collapse.
Yet it soon appeared that the flames would not be able to break through.
‘…It seems Father isn’t completely unaffected by the demonic energy.’
Perhaps it was not merely my imagination. Even I could sense Father hesitate ever so slightly.
“Do not be hasty. We are destined to meet again sooner or later, are we not?”
The Palace Lord said this as he took a step backward.
Toward the Demonic Realm Gate, suffused with a vivid purple light.
“I also seem to have some business with your son, so I am sure we will meet again soon.”
As I watched the Palace Lord gradually move away, I clenched my teeth.
My body still would not move.
‘Am I really going to let him get away like this…?’
That calamity in the Palace Lord’s arms?
As I trembled helplessly, the Palace Lord whispered in a quiet voice.
“If that comes to pass, the Gu clan will have to fulfill its first sin.”
“…!”
With those final words, Taejeolgwi, the Palace Lord, and the Heavenly Demon disappeared into the Demonic Realm Gate.
Until the very moment the Heavenly Demon vanished beyond the gate, I kept staring at it.
The young Heavenly Demon was also staring intently at me.
After swallowing them, the Demonic Realm Gate soon disappeared from midair, closing like an eye as though it had finished what it came to do.
It did so in silence, as if nothing had ever existed there.
‘…Why?’
Even after losing the Heavenly Demon—
I had to turn over the Palace Lord’s final words in my mind.
‘Why did the Palace Lord say that before leaving?’
The first sin.
What was the Gu clan’s first sin?
Long ago, it had been opening the first Demonic Realm Gate in the Central Plains.
That was the Gu clan’s first sin—and its karmic debt.