Chapter 336: Gae-yang (3)

Only three hours ago,

I discovered something:

One who has reached the high realm of the Way (道) can only grant the art of Chukji (縮地, space folding) to others—not to oneself.

Even though I moved at full speed, I barely missed him.

— Wooooong!

Geumsangje (the Golden Emperor) was completely sucked into space.

Was I really about to waste this chance to kill him in vain?

Just then, Elder Biseon grabbed my shoulder.

The fury from missing my chance welled up, but I held it back when I saw that Elder Biseon's eyes had returned to their usual clarity and spirit.

"Master?"

"Forgive me. I was bound by the oath of the Royal Seal. I didn't know it would hold you back as well."

"...It's already too late."

But Elder Biseon shook his head at my words.

Then, in a voice heavy with meaning, he spoke.

"It's not too late."

"What?"

"He overlooked one fact."

"What do you mean?"

"The act of folding space always leaves a trace."

With those words, Elder Biseon lightly swept his hand through the air.

The space shimmered, and through the rift, a faint silhouette appeared.

"Ah!"

Elder Biseon, in a voice filled with resolve, said to me:

"Make sure you capture him."

I nodded and immediately threw myself into the folded space Elder Biseon had opened.

The moment I passed through the wavering space, the once-faint figure became clear.

Geumsangje was leaning against the broken trunk of a withered tree, gasping for breath.

— Crackle! Pop!

His entire body was covered in wounds, and dark-red lightning sparked from those injuries, interfering with his recovery.

Sensing my presence, Geumsangje turned his head.

His brow slowly twisted.

He looked stunned that I had chased him all the way here.

"Hah... hah... You really..."

I gripped the Namcheon Iron Sword tightly and stepped toward him.

Was there any need for a final conversation with a man tied to me by such a bitter fate?

This time, I would kill him for sure.

Just then, Geumsangje held out his hand as if to stop me and spoke.

"...If only you didn't exist... I..."

"You think you could've gotten everything you wanted?"

At my words, Geumsangje bit his lip, his eyes filled with resentment.

Three hundred years of effort ruined by this one battle—it must've been devastating.

He stared at me again and asked,

"...Why do you keep blocking my path?"

"You really don't know?"

"What?"

"I warned you, didn't I? As emperor, you were given a heavenly mandate to rule your people well. But you ignored that warning."

Geumsangje had his chance.

If he had abandoned his ambition back then and become a wise ruler, none of this would've happened.

But he wasted most of his life on that ambition and on vengeance against me.

— Grit!

Of course, he wasn't the kind of man to admit his faults with mere words.

If he were, would he have plotted from the shadows for 300 years?

I raised my sword at him.

"This is one of the reasons you have to die."

"...?"

He seemed not to understand what I meant.

To me, he was no different from the man who had killed my first master, the Namcheon Swordsman.

That's why I would end this with the Namcheon Iron Sword.

Geumsangje, still glaring at me, looked up at the sky and muttered,

"Is my very existence that unacceptable to you?"

Then, suddenly, he raised his fingers in a sword seal.

He brought it to his neck and declared:

"I will not die by the hand of a descendant of the Sword Immortal.

My death is not a result of your warning or heaven's punishment.

It is a path I choose for myself."

— Slash!

Before he could finish speaking, he cut his own throat with his qi-infused hand.

It was a clean slice.

His severed head fell limply to the ground.

— Fssshhhhhh!

Blood sprayed from the cut, drenching his body.

A man of intense pride—

He even ended his life by his own hand, just to prove a point.

"I'm sorry... Namcheon. I wanted you to be the one to avenge your master."

At that, the Namcheon Iron Sword's voice echoed in my head.

— No, Woonhwi. I fought with you. I am satisfied. I believe even my former master can now rest in peace.

"Do you really think so?"

I had never seen him, but the Namcheon Swordsman was my master in spirit.

If the death of Geumsangje allowed him to rest peacefully in the afterlife, I too would feel at peace.

— So... is it all over now?

To that, I shook my head.

The man who was the embodiment of our twisted fate had died,

But the true mastermind was still alive.

The one who moved Geumsangje from the shadows—the Thunder Minister—was still out there.

Not only that, he still had the remaining cursed swords in his possession.

— Ah, you're right. But how will you find him now? Geumsangje died by your hand. He'll be even more cautious and go deeper into hiding, won't he?

That's likely.

Especially since I injured him before—he'll be even more careful.

I have to draw him out or go to him, but I'll need a strategy.

— Isn't there a clue in that guy Ja-gyeongjeong's memory?

Nothing.

Too much of his memory was missing.

If Baek had been in better condition, he might've been able to sift through it... Ah!

— What is it?

I turned to look at Geumsangje's corpse.

His body had only just died—it should still contain a soul heavy with grudges: Baek (魄).

He bore many sins and ended his own life.

Even if I absorbed that Baek, it likely wouldn't affect me too deeply.

***

-Vwoooong!

Just as I had suspected.

After the Emperor destroyed the Royal Seal, for some unknown reason, teleportation became possible within the imperial palace.

It seemed that the destruction of the axis of the formation, which had been preventing the use of internal energy and teleportation throughout the palace, was the cause.

By absorbing the Emperor's inner strength, I was able to access his memories—and I learned a great deal.

The most shocking discovery was that he had even begun producing counterfeit Demon Swords.

I thought of heading there right away, but I had to finish things with Master Mansasinui first, so I briefly stopped by the palace.

"Waaahhhhh!!!"

"The Sword of the Imperial Palace, Master Yeon, has returned!"

As soon as I appeared in front of the main hall using teleportation, cheers erupted.

Countless Imperial Guards and eunuchs were cheering at the sight of me, leaving me momentarily bewildered.

"The Sword of the Imperial Palace?"

What kind of title is that?

But I soon realized the reason.

It was because of Prince Gyeong, who was supporting the Emperor and smiling at me.

"Of course."

Now I understood why everyone was acting this way.

Standing beside the prince were Elder Biseon, Master Mansasinui and his adopted daughter, the Empress, and others.

As I approached them, Elder Biseon gasped and said:

"You've succeeded."

He had seen the severed head of the late Emperor in my hand.

Although I had burned his body, I had brought the head to confirm his death.

"Yes."

"I owe you a great debt, young man."

Elder Biseon expressed his sincere gratitude.

And rightly so—if not for me, he would have been at the mercy of the Emperor due to their pact.

Then, someone spoke to me.

"Haa... haa... I've heard everything from Elder Biseon and the prince. I, too, owe you a great debt."

"Your Majesty!"

It was none other than the current Emperor.

Though his face was gaunt, his eyes had regained their clarity, unlike when he had been addicted to the demonic poison.

"There's life in his eyes again?"

Wondering if it was true, I looked toward Master Mansasinui.

As if to clear up my doubts, Prince Gyeong explained:

"Although he was threatened, Master Mansasinui took secret measures to ensure that His Majesty could be freed from the poison at any time."

"He took measures? Does that mean he analyzed the poison?"

Master Mansasinui nodded and replied:

"Time was short, but it wasn't too difficult to analyze how the poison worked."

As expected of the man known as the greatest physician.

He had only a few days at most under the Emperor's coercion, yet he had already grasped the workings of the poison.

With such talent, he could surely create an antidote for the demonic poison.

"You're Master Yeon, correct?"

When I nodded, Master Mansasinui clasped his fists in a respectful gesture.

Then, holding his adopted daughter's hand tightly, he said:

"If not for you, my daughter and I would've been in grave danger. I sincerely thank you."

It seemed I had unintentionally earned his favor.

I was curious how he'd react if he knew my true identity, but there was no need to bring that up now.

That's why I was still maintaining the appearance of Yeonsaeng.

Master Mansasinui pulled something from his robes—it was his personal identification plaque.

"I can't give you a greater reward, but as a physician... if you ever need anything..."

And I did.

In fact, it was urgent, so I interrupted him before he could finish.

"Then, is it possible to create an antidote to the poison that afflicted His Majesty?"

"...If we can determine what herbs or poisons were used, it is entirely possible to make an antidote."

"Ah! Then, please grant me the method to create the antidote."

"Is that really all you need?"

He looked at me curiously.

I replied through a whisper transmission:

[I'd like to request your help for other patients who are severely poisoned. I can't reveal their identities just yet, but I'll bring them to you once the antidote is ready. Also...]

I pulled something from my robes—a plaque from Master Joje, left to me by my maternal grandfather.

When I handed it to him, Master Mansasinui's eyes widened.

"This is...?"

[My maternal grandfather said he shared life and death with the original owner of that plaque, and was asked to pass it on after their death.]

At my words, tears welled in the physician's eyes.

That reaction told me just how deeply he cared for his fellow disciple.

Then came a surprising revelation.

"Woo-hyang. Your real father has returned."

"!?"

Master Mansasinui's adopted daughter took the plaque and became flushed, eyes welling with tears.

She wasn't just his adopted daughter—she was the daughter of his late fellow disciple.

How astonishing.

With a trembling voice, Master Mansasinui said:

"A mere plaque is not enough to repay this debt, Master Yeon."

With those words, he pulled out something from his waist—not a wooden plaque like before, but a finely carved jade identification token.

He handed it to me and said:

"If you or your grandfather show this, I will come to you anytime. I'll give my utmost to treat you."

"Ah!"

Not just once, but anytime?

That was practically a vow to become our personal physician.

I never expected such a strong-willed man to go this far in gratitude.

Trying not to show my delight outwardly, I quietly rejoiced inside, until Prince Gyeong said with a smile:

"It seems we both got what we wanted. Everything turned out well. Hahahah!"

From his words, it seemed he had been acknowledged as Crown Prince by the Emperor during this ordeal.

That would explain his satisfaction.

But unfortunately, as he said, not everything was over.

I shook my head and said:

"Not yet."

"Not yet? What do you mean?"

As Prince Gyeong and the others looked puzzled, I held up the Emperor's head and said:

"There's another one behind this man."

"Another one? Then we still can't let our guard down?"

To ease their worry, I replied:

"That's why I'm heading out right now—to find that person."

-Snap!

With that, I ignited the Emperor's head in flame.

Fire surged forth, consuming the severed head that had been grotesquely sticking out its tongue.

-Fwoooosh!

I must find out exactly what that man was plotting.

---

Back to the present.

At the tomb of King Pyeong of Chu, in the open space before a hidden stone chamber.

-Grab!

"Gah!"

I seized the neck of the confused Commander Noejang and gripped it tightly.

"Who is this 'Demon Sage'?"

At my question, he struggled violently, but my internal power was superior—resistance was futile.

I plunged my hand into his chest.

-Thrust!

"Urgh!"

I grasped his heart and released an electric shock.

-Crackle!

"Gyaaaaah!"

The pain contorted his face into a monstrous expression as he screamed.

But I continued to send electric shocks as I spoke:

"Is the one trapped in that blazing-hot place the Demon Sage?"

"!!!"

His eyes widened even further.

Just as I saw in Ja Gyeongjeok's memories—the one with snake-like eyes—this must be the Demon Sage he spoke of.

Who is he, to have been sealed away in a hellish prison by the Eternal Seal Technique?

I strengthened my grip on his heart to demand more answers.

"You moved Ja Gyeongjeok to obtain the Eternal Seal Technique from the detonator—"

-Crunch!

Then it happened.

Something bit the hand I had buried in his chest.

My hand, tough as diamond, wouldn't normally be hurt—but I was baffled.

"What is this?"

Acting swiftly, I grabbed whatever had bitten me and withdrew my hand.

-Pop!

-Hiss hiss!

"!?"

To my surprise, the thing that bit me was a snake.

It had snowy white eyes—like they held the snowfields within them.

"This is...?"