The Heavenly Demon.
A fiend who descended from the heavens one day.
The master of the Demonic Cult who sought to devour the entire Central Plains and dye them in blood.
A monster who single-handedly killed all Three Venerables said to have transcended humanity.
At least, until he was slain by the Divine Sword Wi Seol-a.
Despite being the master of the Demonic Cult and a villain, he had been an existence known as the greatest under heaven.
It couldn't be helped.
Every time the Heavenly Demon took a step, the ground he trod upon rotted away.
Merely by breathing, he displayed a presence that crushed everything around him.
Though one felt a wall of difference so vast that even proper recognition was impossible, paradoxically, one always felt an immense presence simply because the Heavenly Demon existed.
Merely facing him made one's head bow involuntarily, a bearing worthy of an emperor.
The Heavenly Demon was his very existence itself.
The Lord of Ten Thousand Demons.
The master and the very root of the countless demonic beings spread beneath the heavens.
If one were to recall the reason the Demonic Cult could invade the Central Plains in an instant.
It was, in the end, because of the demonic qi that the demonic beings used.
Demonic qi is a fatal energy to martial artists.
The moment it seeps into a martial artist's body, it takes root in the dantian.
Those roots grow in size, instantly beginning to block the channels through which internal qi flows.
Internal qi that no longer flows smoothly becomes a massive problem in using martial arts.
Moreover, not content with merely blocking internal qi, it gradually causes the flesh imbued with internal qi to rot away.
It was said that demonic qi is akin to the most lethal poison to martial artists.
The Heavenly Demon was the source of the demonic qi used by such demonic beings.
An existence akin to a god who bestowed divine authority upon some among them—that was the Heavenly Demon.
Tearing through dimensions to appear above the Murim Alliance.
Declaring that he would now bring about a blood calamity.
The sight of him smiling, as if to say "try and stop me if you can," still remained in my memory.
Brushing aside his long hair.
His eyes, floating in the air wrapped in energy, looking down upon the masses.
Held a chill that seemed capable of turning broad daylight into night in an instant.
Those eyes from back then.
Were no different from the gaze I now faced.
"Why..."
The Heavenly Demon, who shouldn't have appeared until several years from now, was before me right now.
He looked younger than he had then, his expression gaunt, different from that time when he had been filled with confidence.
But that existence was unmistakably the Heavenly Demon.
Thump, thump, thump...
The small amount of demonic qi within my body was churning.
As if resonating.
This alone was enough to recognize that the being before me was the Heavenly Demon, but.
What made me even more certain were his pupils.
Black hair that barely reached his shoulders.
Skin that seemed deathly pale.
A body so emaciated it looked like it would break at a touch, yet what I was looking at was none other than.
I was looking only at the face of the one before me.
A face exactly like that of Wi Seol-a, who was currently nestled in my arms.
Along with the purple pupils contained within.
The Black Night Palace Lord's pupils had also been tinted with purple light, but.
They were different from what the Heavenly Demon possessed.
His purple pupils shone far more distinctly and were full of an ineffable energy.
To look at them was like looking at jewels.
Meaning they were that beautiful.
However, no matter how beautiful they were, the aura emanating from them was anything but beautiful.
'Heavenly Demon.'
Knowing that the being before me was the future calamity I had so cautiously feared.
I was nothing but terrified.
'Why.'
I tightened the hand wrapped around Wi Seol-a's shoulder. And pulled her a bit closer into my embrace.
Watching this, the Heavenly Demon was still tilting his head, looking at Wi Seol-a.
Eyes, nose, and lips were all identically shaped.
The Heavenly Demon was abnormally thin, and only the color of his hair and pupils differed.
All other external features were exactly the same.
It was truly a strange thing.
Strange enough to make one wonder how such a thing could be possible.
And.
It seemed I wasn't the only one surprised.
The figure sitting collapsed in a bloody mess in the back also had shocked eyes fixed on Wi Seol-a.
"Two... heavens...?"
Wondering who it was, I looked—and surprisingly, it was the Black Night Palace Lord.
I had no idea why he was sitting there with his entire body battered, but.
The energy I felt confirmed that he was indeed the Black Night Palace Lord I had met back then.
'And here I couldn't find them no matter how hard I looked...'
The first time I saw the Heavenly Demon in this life was in the Black Night Palace.
The Black Night Palace Lord had been holding the Heavenly Demon at the time, and I had lost sight of them as they disappeared through the Demonic Realm Gate that opened behind them.
After that, no matter how much information I spread trying to find the Heavenly Demon and the Palace Lord.
How could they have hidden so well that I couldn't find a single trace, only to show up here out of nowhere?
"How... can that be."
The Palace Lord could only stare at Wi Seol-a, nestled in my arms, with a dumbfounded expression.
Of course.
With them looking so alike, how could it not be astonishing?
The Heavenly Demon was also looking at Wi Seol-a with strange eyes, as if finding her curious.
Feeling that gaze, I pulled Wi Seol-a deeper into my embrace.
As if to hide her.
Then.
"Young Master..."
Wi Seol-a's fingertips wrapped around my hand. At that touch, I trembled without realizing it.
I lowered my head to look at Wi Seol-a.
Wi Seol-a's golden eyes were also turned toward me.
"I am fine."
"...What?"
At her sudden words telling me she was fine, I unknowingly asked back.
What did she mean by fine?
"I am fine. Please let me go."
"...!"
Perhaps it was a problem that I had been holding her tightly with stiffened arms. At Wi Seol-a's words, I loosened my strength a little, but.
I couldn't let go completely.
Sensing this, Wi Seol-a exerted a little force to free herself from me.
I wanted to keep holding her, but the eyes I had seen from Wi Seol-a moments ago bothered me, so I couldn't.
Wi Seol-a, having freed herself from me, slowly rose to her feet.
And faced the Heavenly Demon.
Shring.
She pointed the tip of the sword she held. The sight of identical faces standing facing each other in the same space was almost alien.
Wi Seol-a, facing him, opened her mouth toward the Heavenly Demon.
"Who are you?"
She didn't seem flustered even while looking at a face exactly like her own.
Of course, the Heavenly Demon was the same.
Step.
Hearing Wi Seol-a's words, the Heavenly Demon took one step forward.
Even that small action set my nerves on edge.
I spread my energy senses fully, directing them solely at the Heavenly Demon.
So that I could respond no matter what happened.
Of course, I wasn't sure if I could respond at all.
Wi Seol-a also raised her energy upon seeing that action.
A brilliant golden light.
So brilliant that it felt as if it contrasted with the Heavenly Demon.
Even while facing such energy, the Heavenly Demon's expression remained calm.
To be precise, he didn't seem to have any interest in Wi Seol-a's energy. His steps were not directed at Wi Seol-a.
But toward me.
The Heavenly Demon was approaching me.
Wi Seol-a's eyes flashed upon confirming this, and she swung her sword. As if declaring she would not allow him to approach.
Swish-!
The sword that split the air was fast.
Golden traces remained on the sword path imbued with pure energy.
A consistent sword path without a hint of hesitation.
But.
Swoosh-!
Black energy surged instantly from the Heavenly Demon's toes and repelled the sword.
Ting-!
A clear, metallic sound rang out. Throughout it all, the Heavenly Demon did not direct his gaze toward Wi Seol-a in the slightest.
The moment I saw it, I was certain.
It was demonic qi.
The energy the Heavenly Demon had just released was demonic qi more pure than anything else.
Wi Seol-a, momentarily swept up by the demonic qi, twisted her body to evade the energy.
The energy surged out in the form of thorns, similar to the martial art used by the Black Night Palace Lord, and attacked Wi Seol-a, but.
Wi Seol-a's flexible movements easily evaded them.
And.
'...Move.'
For some reason, as I watched this, my body refused to move.
Graaaggh.
"...Kgh..."
When I tried to muster my energy, my body wouldn't listen.
To be precise, it was because the demonic qi planted in a corner of my dantian had begun rampaging on its own.
It was different from earlier when my internal qi had frozen upon seeing the Black Dragon Sword's corruption.
This time, demonic qi was interfering.
As if overjoyed at meeting its true master, it was rampaging powerfully within my body.
It was just like back then.
The day I faced the Heavenly Demon in the Black Night Palace.
It felt the same as when the demonic qi in my body had thrashed about as if screaming at the Heavenly Demon's gesture.
Now that its true master had appeared.
Was it refusing to obey my words?
'Why isn't it helping me at a time like this?'
Perhaps back then, it was thanks to that beast howling and keeping the Heavenly Demon in check.
The demonic qi had quickly subsided, but.
That damned beast.
Earlier it had been growling and interfering with me just fine.
And now it wasn't howling at all.
'Is it really trying to hinder me?'
Suppressing the scream that threatened to burst out, I somehow tried to move my body.
I couldn't stop at a time like this.
Wasn't he right before my eyes?
The existence who would bring a blood calamity upon the world in the future, the one who would turn me into a demonic being and ruin the rest of my life.
I had fought tooth and nail to stop that monster.
Getting myself trapped in the Demonic Realm to find the key to the Transcendent Realm, crossing over to the present realm to raise my realm.
Desperately chasing after fortuitous encounters until now.
It had all been to stop the Heavenly Demon.
'Fuck.'
That I would kneel merely from facing the Heavenly Demon even after barely reaching the Transcendent Realm.
It was preposterous. I couldn't let that happen.
Not to mention.
Wi Seol-a had met the Heavenly Demon before my very eyes.
That was the one situation in this life I wished to avoid more than death.
Screech-!
Flashes spread in all directions.
The sword tip wrapped in golden light swung rapidly.
Following it, countless lines formed and vanished repeatedly in the air.
So much so that one could tell at a glance what efforts Wi Seol-a had made until now.
A decisive and pure sword path.
It was a brilliant growth that no one would have believed possible for the girl who hadn't even known the first thing about martial arts a few years ago.
Pak-!
Her footwork stomping on the ground was fierce.
Kung-!
She evaded the extending thorns and swung her sword.
A perfect response.
But.
Screech-!
"...!"
She still couldn't leave a single scratch on the Heavenly Demon's energy.
The demonic qi was as hard as steel.
Moreover, the Heavenly Demon still didn't even grant Wi Seol-a his gaze.
Grit.
I heard the sound of teeth grinding from Wi Seol-a's direction. Even so, she seemed intent on continuing to swing her sword.
Then, the Heavenly Demon turned his head to look at Wi Seol-a.
Simultaneously, a single gesture. At his fingertips that gently cut across the empty air.
Boom-!
"Kgh!"
Wi Seol-a was swept away by the energy extending from the Heavenly Demon and sent flying.
The moment I saw that, I rose.
"Wi Seol-a!"
A tearing pain shot through my body as I got up.
Perhaps because I had forced my body up while breaking through the demonic qi's constraint.
I didn't care. I had to catch the flying Wi Seol-a quickly.
I hurled my body.
No, I tried to hurl it.
Grab-!
Had the Heavenly Demon's slender hand not caught me.
The moment my arm, which was trying to move, was caught by the Heavenly Demon.
My body's strength drained away entirely.
Thud.
My knees buckled. My body tried desperately to move, yet my strength kept draining away; barely keeping to my knees was my limit.
The moment it happened, emptiness enveloped my body.
I was horrified.
I had thought I had worked hard in my own way. Yet I was incomparably powerless.
Was it because of the demonic qi in my body?
Or was it a fundamental fear?
Whatever the case, it was clear that my body, which had reached the Transcendent Realm, had become infinitely powerless.
I tried somehow to shake off his hand, but.
I couldn't shake off the Heavenly Demon's hand.
He wasn't even holding on strongly. He was probably only pretending to hold me.
Strangely, I couldn't resist the Heavenly Demon.
How could this be?
I had expended much internal qi, and I was a bit tired from battle, but this was beyond that level.
'...Howl, please just howl.'
I lamented inwardly.
To that beast that had been howling so well earlier, I tried calling out for it to use its strength again, but.
For some reason, there was no response.
Of all times, it had to be now.
"...What is this."
A voice reached my ears.
A low voice resembling Wi Seol-a's.
It was the Heavenly Demon's voice.
I turned my eyes to meet the Heavenly Demon's purple pupils.
They were a brilliant hue.
So beautiful that my gaze was momentarily stolen, but the emotion welling up to the base of my throat was nothing so pretty.
"You are..."
"...!"
Thud-!
As if in response, the demonic qi in my body began rampaging even more violently.
"Keok."
"What are you?"
Did it want to burst out?
The recoil of the demonic qi was too strong.
It had obeyed me so well until now. And now it was going to stab me in the back? Don't give me that bullshit.
"What are you?"
Even at my reaction, the Heavenly Demon only uttered words filled with question.
Each time I heard that voice, it felt like my body would burst.
"Heavenly Demon... What does that mean?"
Was he repeating the words I had spat out earlier?
The Heavenly Demon asked me in a voice that seemed intrigued.
I was in no situation to answer, as I was busy trying to suppress the demonic qi threatening to burst through my throat right now.
The helplessness of being crushed by an existence that hadn't even lifted a finger was tremendous.
So much so that all my struggles until now were rendered meaningless.
Just as thoughts of wanting to give up began to rise bit by bit.
Shwiiiick-! Kwaduduk-!
In an instant, a powerful energy flew toward the Heavenly Demon.
The energy swept through the surroundings, exploding in all directions.
Despite appearing completely unaffected, the Heavenly Demon also released his hand that had been holding me and distanced himself.
It was such a vast and powerful energy, yet.
I, who was nearby, took no damage whatsoever.
"Haaah... Hah."
Released from the pressure, I let out the breath I had been holding.
With heavily bloodshot eyes, I looked in the direction the energy had come from.
There.
Wi Seol-a was walking over, dusting off her somewhat tattered clothes.
With a face scrunched up as if angry, and.
An anomaly had occurred in her golden energy.
"Take your hands off him."
In Wi Seol-a's unique golden energy, a hint of white energy was mixed in.
'That is.'
An energy I had seen before.
How could I not know?
It was the energy Wi Seol-a had shown in her previous life.
"How dare you touch him with those filthy hands."
It was a sharp voice I had never heard from Wi Seol-a until now.