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Chapter 201: Betrayal (9)How did this happen?

'First, let's organize the situation.'

My eyes don't move.

Neither does my consciousness.

I use the method that amplified my senses during my days as a first-rate martial artist to explore my surroundings.

From behind me, I hear the footsteps of Hong Guk.

"Sir Seo Hweol, I've done everything you asked. Hehe..."

'Ah, I see...'

I had used Hong Guk to find a connection between Seo Hweol and the Blood Yin Realm.

But, from the start, Hong Guk had been recruited by Seo Hweol.

'I thought he was on a trip elsewhere, but he was actually under the Black Dragon King all along. I thought he was just at the early stage of the Four-Axis, but he had already gone through all the Axis Foundation rituals in the lower realm and just needed to accumulate spiritual energy, and he sneaked into the lowest level of the Serving Command Ark avoiding Gyu-ryeon's eyes?'

How many of the words and actions this guy spouts are not lies?

I listen to the breathing and heartbeats of Cheon Ryang and the other Seo Hweol opposition faction demon beasts, thinking.

'Except for Hong Guk, the others aren't on Seo Hweol's side...'

The situation is becoming a bit clearer.

Meeting Hong Guk was where it all went wrong.

'Cheon Ryang wasn't the one making the idiotic decision to drag Gyu-ryeon's farm to the Tiger Race at this time.'

Hong Guk must have been egging Cheon Ryang on from the side.

And Seo Hweol could have wiped us out even before Gyu-ryeon arrived if he wanted to.

But the reason he waited for Gyu-ryeon to come and then ambushed her, trampling her, is...

"...Senior, Gyu is no longer needed, it, seems?"

While being held by the throat by Seo Hweol, I ask with difficulty breathing.

Seo Hweol smiles.

"Let's just answer what I ask."

"You're, too, much…Senior, Gyu, really… you."

Crack!

My left arm is twisted back.

However, I don't scream but just give a wry smile.

"I'm, not one, to talk, but, you're, too easily, playing with, heart, aren't, you?"

"Hmm… Can't you feel pain? Or is your tolerance high?... Your tolerance seems high. As expected, you are too strange."

Crunch, crunch...

Seo Hweol begins to crush my left arm with spiritual energy.

Yet, I just grin at him.

"Indeed, no matter how many times I see it, your willpower is not something that a human who hasn't even lived 50 years can have. Miss Hye-seo is completely intolerant to pain, but you, her colleague, what are you exactly?"

"...What, did you, do, to Oh Hye-seo?"

What did he do to make her intolerant to pain?

"Nothing much. Just a few experiments."

...

I shut my mouth after looking into Seo Hweol's eyes.

Seo Hweol is just throwing words to stir my emotions.

'If I show too much interest in Oh Hye-seo here, it's all over.'

Rather...

Just then.

"Seo Hweol..."

Thud... Thud...

Gyu-ryeon rises from her place.

Even though she is bleeding all over her body, and there is not a single place untouched by Seo Hweol's assault, she resembles a little girl shedding tears.

"Why, why do you do this? I, I loved you..."

"…"

Seo Hweol turns to Gyu-ryeon with a smile.

"I loved you! I liked you! I wanted to look pretty for you, wanted you to only see my good sides. I wished you would only look at me, holding your hand felt so good... But why, why did you do this to me..."

"Ah, Senior Gyu. That is because…."

Seo Hweol flings me aside and casually approaches her.

He whispers into Gyu-ryeon's ear with a kind face with hands clasped behind his back.

"You just had the urge to reproduce, wanting to mate with me. Nothing more than that."

"No, no! It's not about sexual desire! I really, my emotions..."

"Senior Gyu."

Swoosh...

Seo Hweol's hand caresses Gyu-ryeon's cheek.

His hand gradually moves down her jawline, caressing her neck, then down to her collarbone, delicately as if playing an instrument.

"Emotion, you see, is here."

Seo Hweol's hand reaches Gyu-ryeon's chest.

"Inside here."

And his hand moves a bit lower from her chest, touching Gyu-ryeon's ribs.

Puff!

Seo Hweol's hand brutally penetrates her ribs.

"The action that takes place inside the lungs is what emotion is."

Seo Hweol continues, gently stroking Gyu-ryeon's head.

"When an external stimulus comes, the brain recognizes it, the diaphragm goes down, and air enters the lungs. Then, the vibration of the air that enters the lungs is sorted out and expressed along with body language, foot movements, and eye contact. That's what 'emotion' is. That's all there is to it."

"Ugh...!"

Unable to listen any longer, I vomit blood and rise.

"Stop... spouting... nonsense...! What you're talking about... isn't emotion...!"

"This is all there is to emotion."

"What you're talking about… is acting out emotion, not emotion itself…!"

Yes.

What he's talking about is merely the emotional acting done by clowns and actors on stage, not real emotion!

Seo Hweol looks at me as if I said something absurd.

"Interesting words, Daoist Seo. This world is a play under fate, and we are merely actors acting within this play. Why would you say acting by an actor is not emotion?"

"…"

For some reason, the Mad Lord's figure seems to overlap with Seo Hweol's.

Their ideologies are drastically different.

Even their attitudes towards emotion are polar opposites.

But why does it feel like the destinations of these two madmen, though at opposite extremes, somehow seem similar?

"Like an actor, you should just be faithful to your role. Otherwise, you'll be driven off the stage. That's why you have to die, Senior Gyu."

Seo Hweol looks at her with a pitying gaze and smiles faintly.

Indeed, if he is an actor, it'd be a splendid performance.

But still, his heart essence is a cold and pure darkness, and in my eyes, he is not an actor but a monster pretending to be human.

Seo Hweol's hand, starting from her lungs, begins to ravage through her body.

"You definitely were of use. Just enough to make Miss Hye-seo jealous, just enough to help me, and be satisfied with a supporting role in the corner… But you overdid it. You could have kept continuing on the stage. Was it jealousy towards Miss Hye-seo? Was it possessiveness towards me? Either way… it would be troublesome if you really became an Integration stage Demon King and tried to possess me."

"...Seo Hweol..."

"Do not worry, senior. Today, the cunning opposition faction demons here will collude with the Blood Yin Realm and summon the Heavenly Fiends here. You will try to stop them and will be killed by the vile Heavenly Fiends. It will be a sad tale. Mourning the loss of my lover, I will gather the entire Earth Tribe to oppose the Blood Yin Realm."

"Seo Hweol..."

"All thanks to your death today, a beautiful story will unfold. Rest in peace, Senior Gyu, for the glory of the Earth Tribe."

"Seo Hweol...!!"

Drip, drip...

Gyu-ryeon bursts into tears.

Wo-woong!

Golden light erupts from her body.

"I, I really, truly loved you...!"

"As I said, emotion is merely the amount of air coming from the lungs. Ah, since the lungs correspond to metal in the Five Elements, perhaps emotion is of the metal attribute. Haha..."

"We made a pact with the Vast Cold Oath didn't we...? I, I..."

Confused, Gyu-ryeon forcefully pushes Seo Hweol away.

With one hand raised, the seal of the Ark Controlling Envoy shines in her hand.

Simultaneously, a spatial rift opens, and the entire cotton farm enters a dark space through the rift.

The lowermost floor of the Serving Command Ark.

The administrative area of Ark Controlling Envoy Gyu-ryeon.

Puff!

As she soars into the air, trying to fly to the upper layers of Serving Command Ark, Seo Hweol says,

"I've been waiting for this. Knowing you would teleport here under pressure."

Patt!

Seo Hweol slams her down again.

Boom!

A loud crash resounds, and the entire farm collapses.

Gritting my teeth, I form a seal.

Zing!

At the same time, light flashes throughout the farm, and the Mad Lord's circuit begin to operate, launching an attack on Seo Hweol.

"Ho, a puppet circuit... When did you install this? I've always been curious, but the Mad Lord couldn't have had a disciple, so where did you learn this circuit? It's quite similar to that of the Mad Lord."

Crack!

However, with a bit of effort from Seo Hweol, the entire farm begins to collapse.

'He's practically at the Integration stage...!'

Indeed, showing off the Four-Axis stage cultivation in front of the Mad Lord a thousand years later was just for show.

In reality, in just a thousand years, he was an entity capable of regaining the title of 'Dragon King.'

"Run..."

Flash!

As Cheon Ryang and the other opposition faction demon beasts attempt to flee, Seo Hweol clenches the air, and they all crumble into pieces of flesh.

Seo Hweol approaches Gyu-ryeon, who is trying to stand up, and tramples on her neck again.

Crunch!

"Thank you, Senior Gyu. The lowest level of Serving Command Ark is a space of darkness, so whatever happens here hardly draws attention. It would be more troublesome if traces are left outside..."

"Guh...!"

"What bug is this? An interesting stealth technique."

Snap!

With a flick of his finger, Yu Hwa is ejected from behind Seo Hweol.

"Ho, isn't this the musician from that time? Were you also from the Heart Tribe? Haha, indeed, the Heart Path Method is quite profound and mysterious."

Yu Hwa glares and attempts to play.

But the next moment, with a flick of Seo Hweol's finger, her arms are broken.

"...!"

"The rumors about you and Daoist Seo being in a romantic relationship in the Immortal Demon Tower were true, it seems. To be together with Daoist Seo today on such a day..."

Seo Hweol extends his hand towards her.

And the next moment.

Flash!

A golden thread flickers between Seo Hweol and Gyu-ryeon.

Seo Hweol twitches and looks at Gyu-ryeon.

"This is..."

"Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement. We made a Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement, Seo Hweol... We, we..."

As she starts truly realizing Seo Hweol's deception towards her, she panics, repeating the same words.

"Ah, Senior Gyu. Do you still have something to say?"

"Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement... we, with the Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement..."

"Huhu, Senior Gyu. You sure like this Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement, I see."

"We made a pact with the Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement to die together on the same day..."

Seo Hweol smiles gently, kneels on one knee in front of Gyu-ryeon who is lying in confusion and muttering, and tenderly strokes her head.

"Senior Gyu, you know why the Vast Cold Oath was replaced by the ritual of White-Red Wine, don't you? Definitely, it's something of a terrifying technique that binds a couple and pulls them towards the fate to die together on the same day. But... the Vast Cold Oath is a technique that has lost its efficacy since ancient times. It requires specific conditions to activate, but now, without being a True Immortal, the conditions for activating the Vast Cold Oath are forever unknown."

Creak, creak...

Seo Hweol breaks off Gyu-ryeon's horn.

Holding her horn in his hand, Seo Hweol grins.

"Now, it's a spell that is completely useless. I was a bit startled when you first applied the Vast Cold Oath on me, not knowing what spell it was. But realizing it's a meaningless technique, it's just laughable. Huhu... just like you, Senior Gyu."

"No, no... Seo Hweol...! Don't abandon me...! I, I love you, I really like you... Seo Hweol...! I, I am..."

Tears of blood flow from her eyes.

She collapses, feeling a sense of disconnect from Seo Hweol's gentle smile.

"Now, as I explained earlier, with your death, I can gather the Earth Tribe based on the role of a young man of the Bright Cold Realm who has been deceived by the cunning schemes of the Blood Yin Realm, centered on the sadness of losing a lover. Now, please make your exit…."

The next moment.

As if trying to escape from Seo Hweol's words, Gyu-ryeon cries tears and shatters the ground below, diving into the dark space.

With that aftermath, both Yu Hwa and I are swept away and dragged along with her.

"Where do you think you're going? If you recklessly use such power in the lowest floor…"

Splash!

Seo Hweol launches something sharp.

It's a droplet.

The droplet fired from the tip of Seo Hweol's finger targets her Demon Core, and Gyu-ryeon's Demon Core shatters into pieces.

At the same time, Gyu-ryeon grabs the void and widens the space.

Screech!

A spatial rift opens..

From the lowest level of the Serving Command Palace, an entrance leading [downward] appears.

Seo Hweol, seeing her open the spatial rift, figures out where the rift is headed and, with a cheerful laugh, stops in his tracks.

"Choosing to exit the stage yourself, what an excellent choice."

I am pulled into the spatial rift along with Gyu-ryeon, drawn by her spiritual energy and the strange force emanating from her.

Beyond the spatial rift, the last thing visible is Seo Hweol looking at us with a smiling face.

Yet, with eyes that are not smiling at all, he observes our end to the very last.

"Hmm... It's a bit regrettable to have let Seo Eun-hyun escape. I wanted to research what beings of Heavenly Rejection can do... But it's not a loss since I can study Miss Oh Hye-seo more. Quite satisfying. Don't you think so?"

Seo Hweol turns around with a slight smile.

There, Hong Guk is fawning over Seo Hweol with a flattering expression.

"How could there be any doubt? Everything went according to sir Seo Hweol's plan.Truly remarkable! How did sir know leaving Seo Eun-hyun would consolidate the opposition? You've eliminated the opposition and gained the pretext of losing your lover to the vile Heavenly Fiends of the Blood Yin Realm..."

"Yes, indeed. Your contribution has been significant until now."

"Not at all. It's all thanks to sir's superior stratagem. I just did as you instructed..."

"I see, I'll help you evolve into a Heavenly Fiend of the Blood Yin Realm then!"

Hong Guk, ecstatic, laughs out loud.

"Haha, thank you. In fact, 700 years ago, while fighting the fiends of the Blood Yin Realm, I felt that those fiends fought quite comfortably. I thought, if only I could evolve into one of such renowned Heavenly Fiends…"

Ignoring Hong Guk, Seo Hweol forms a seal, and the opposition factions' blood energy gathers in front of Seo Hweol, emitting an ominous aura.

Seo Hweol collects the blood energy and chants a spell, and soon, something dark emerges from the mass of collected blood energy.

"Here, take this. With this in your mouth, you can become an entity of the Blood Yin Realm."

"Ah, thank you. I'll remember sir's grace in the Blood Yin Realm... Kweeeek!"

The next moment, the dark object Seo Hweol hands over latches onto Hong Guk's face.

"Kweeeek! Kweek! Sir, Seo Hweol, Seo Hweol…!"

Hong Guk tries to remove the black object, but it clings to his face and does not come off.

After a while, Hong Guk screams as the creature from the Blood Yin Realm tears off his head, killing him.

The creature that ate Hong Guk's head settles on his body, taking on the exact appearance of Hong Guk's head.

Seo Hweol speaks to the entity that had taken over Hong Guk's body.

"Go to the Human Race Territory and create a pretext for those humans who wish to wage war against the True Devil Realm. Leave the Serving Command Ark and tell the Black Dragon King to find a host from the Mystical Scaled Fish Commanding Sect."

"Un. Der. Stood."

The entity awkwardly responds and bows to Seo Hweol.

Pleased with the sight, Seo Hweol turns his head to the side, smiling with his eyes.

"I've kept my promise. Now, the Hong Guk you knew, having been devoured even in soul by the Heavenly Fiends, will suffer pain until he reaches the Netherworld. A sufficiently cruel death."

Baek Nyeong appears out of thin air.

Baek Nyeong looks at Seo Hweol for a moment and then closes his eyes.

"...Please save my people."

"Have I ever spoken empty words?"

"..."

Baek Nyeong, dripping with silent tears, kneels in front of Seo Hweol,

Seo Hweol looks into the darkness with a pleased smile.

"Truly a night of delightful betrayals."

Where is this?

Swoosh...

I can hear the sound of rain.

I regain consciousness and open my eyes.

The sky is visible.

The sky, filled with dark clouds, is pouring rain as if a hole had been punctured through it.

'This is...'

Somehow, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth feels sparse.

If the Bright Cold Realm is underwater, this place feels like a vacuum.

"The Lower Realm...?"

Inhaling the sparse spiritual energy of heaven and earth, I grab my arm, broken by Seo Hweol, and stagger to my feet.

Then, I shiver.

Surrounded by a mass as large as a mountain range, a mountain range-sized entity encompasses me.

It's Gyu-ryeon.

"Ah..."

She transformed into her true form and protected me from the pressure of space as we fell into the Lower Realm.

"Senior…Gyu.."

I run towards where her head is located.

"Senior Gyu-ryeon!"

When I reach where her head is.

I realize.

"…"

[Seo Hweol... Seo Hweol... Seo Hweol....]

She is muttering Seo Hweol's name endlessly, her eyes blurred as if her soul has left her body.

And even that is fading as her eyes grow more vacant, possibly due to Seo Hweol shattering her Demon Core.

"Senior, please transform back! If you transform back, I'll somehow see to your wounds, Senior! Senior!"

But her mind seems to have completely collapsed, perhaps due to the betrayal by the person she loved most.

She continues muttering Seo Hweol's name until, at one moment, the light in her eyes disappears.

Gyu-ryeon has died.

"Senior..."

With a heart filled with devastation, I look at the dead body of Gyu-ryeon.

Just then.

Creak...

Something rolls out of Gyu-ryeon's mouth.

Splatter!

It's a mass of blood.

"…!"

Within the scarlet blood, I see something moving.

"This is..."

I hurry over and approach the moving thing within the mass of blood.

And what I found is...

"Senior?"

Gyu-ryeon.

Naked, crawling out from within the mass of blood, Gyu-ryeon mutters with a lost face.

"Seo Hweol... Seo Hweol... Seo Hweol..."

"Senior Gyu..!"

From the Four-Axis stage onwards, one can resurrect even after death by consuming their cultivation.

Although the spiritual energy I feel from her is no different from that of a mortal, I decide to be thankful that she is even alive.

"It's good that you are alive..."

"Seo Hweol...!!!"

Then, I feel something is off about her state.

"I'll kill you!!!"

Drip, drip...

Tears of blood flow from her eyes.

Swoosh...

Rain pours from all around, and the rainwater washes away her tears of blood.

Within that rain, her cries of vengeance echo far and wide like rumbling thunder in a storm.

"I will, I will definitely kill you, Seo Hweol...! You, you..."

Thus.

On some unknown land in the Lower Realm.

That day, a being whose heart was shattered by betrayal from her loved one weeps tears of blood and cries out for revenge.

Chapter 202: Shattered Heart (1)"First, wear these clothes."

I take off my top and drape it over Gyu-ryeon, whose spiritual energy has fallen to the level of a mortal.

Gyu-ryeon keeps mumbling with a soulless expression that she will kill Seo Hweol, and I look around for a place to avoid the rain.

'I need to find Yu Hwa.'

I remember Yu Hwa definitely falling with us.

But strangely, she is nowhere to be seen around here.

As we cross beyond Gyu-ryeon's main body, the surrounding terrain appears to be mountainous.

I head towards the mountains, intending to make a cave by drilling a hole somewhere suitable.

That's when I spot Yu Hwa in the distance.

"Ah...!"

Apparently, she had been catapulted incorrectly while descending to the lower realm, half-buried in the ground with her lower body exposed.

Trying to lessen the impact with spider webs during the fall, white spider webs are oozing out from her rear.

I first pull her out, upside down, slung her over my back, and head to a nearby cliff to create a rock cave.

Kwoooah!

Unleashing the power of the Black Dragon's True Blood, a punch creates a cave large enough for three without much effort.

Entering inside, I gather branches.

Chzz, chzzz!

Infusing fire spiritual energy continuously with the Fire Surpassing Path to Cultivation, steam erupts from the branches, drying out all moisture before catching fire.

'Fortunately, I still have spiritual power equivalent to the Qi Building stage left.'

Seo Hweol strangled me and played tricks at that time, causing considerable loss of my spiritual power. However, not only my body, which was trained through the Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method, but also my internal energy is intact, and the remaining spiritual power is enough for the Qi Building stage.

'I should be able to recover my cultivation soon.'

"Senior Gyu, come sit here."

After lighting the fire and calling Gyu-ryeon over, she looks at me with a dazed face.

Then, she laughs emptily.

"...I'm not Gyu-ryeon. Don't call me Senior Gyu."

"Yes...?"

What she says next makes me sigh deeply.

"The real Gyu-ryeon is dead. Normally, a being at the Four-Axis stage would resurrect with a body capable of cultivation after death. But... do you see?"

She shows her frail arm.

"It's an arm that cannot accumulate spiritual energy. I'm neither exactly a human nor can I return to a dragon's body, only living in a transformed body. Even then, I'm not a real human capable of practicing Heaven Tribe methods..."

She looks at the flames with empty eyes and continues.

"The real Gyu-ryeon… She gave up on reviving and chose to die. She intended to die and probably did die. I am not Gyu-ryeon. Just a remnant she left behind."

She forces a smile and speaks gloomily.

"At the Four-Axis stage, life force becomes so strong that even if one doesn't wish to resurrect... remnants like me can come into being after death. The real Gyu-ryeon's lingering resentment, anger, despair, and sense of betrayal created me. I am definitely not Gyu-ryeon, just her remnant..."

Seeing her empty laugh, I ask with a heavy heart.

"Then, how should I address you?"

"...Call me Gyu-baek, the spirit of Gyu-ryeon."

"Yes, Miss Gyu-baek."

After saying that, Gyu-baek stares blankly into the fire.

Her heart essence is so twisted that it's hard to read properly at the moment.

Leaving her aside, I approach Yu Hwa.

I cleanse the wounds on Yu Hwa's upper body with a spell and cast a technique to activate her vitality on her.

I would have preferred to treat her directly, but since she has the body of a demi-human, not a human, her meridians and blood vessels are completely different from those of humans, making it impossible to treat her with anything specific.

Having no other choice, I reluctantly decided to rely on her innate vitality for healing and cast a spell to activate her life force.

After the rain stopped, several days passed.

I took care of Yu Hwa and gathered even the sparse spiritual energy to regain my cultivation.

Having practiced the method of Understanding before Breakthrough several times before, I was able to regain my cultivation quickly even with sparse spiritual energy.

Using formations to draw and absorb the dragon veins of the surrounding terrain, I managed to regain my cultivation up to the Core Formation stage.

Yu Hwa also regained consciousness when I returned to the Core Formation stage.

"...Where is this?"

"It seems to be the lower realm."

"Lower realm... Which lower realm?"

Which lower realm?

As I am wondering, Yu Hwa asks again.

"The Astral Realm or the Decaying Corpse Realm. Which one is it?"

"Ah... I'm not sure about that."

"I may not know much about the lower realms since I'm from the Bright Cold Realm, but I've heard that in the Decaying Corpse Realm, the sky is blocked above, and in the Astral Realm, you can ascend endlessly. Could you check for us?"

"Understood."

Leaving Yu Hwa still lying behind, I step out of the cave.

'Let's see, shall we go up?'

My crushed arm had fully recovered after reaching the Core Formation stage.

I leap towards the sky.

'Treading Heaven!'

Whoosh!

The Formless Sword merges with my entire being, and I rise to the sky as one with the Formless Sword.

Mixing in the Flying Escape Technique as I ascend, I soar into the sky faster than most Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

Gradually, the air becomes thinner.

However, having regained my Core Formation stage cultivation, the presence or absence of air is of little concern to me.

Breaking through the clouds and rising further into the sky, I widen my eyes.

"Ah..."

The air completely disappears, and sound ceases to exist.

The sky, which had been endlessly blue, suddenly turns as black as night.

"Phew..."

While it's not as cold as the lowest level of Serving Command Ark, a considerable chill envelops my body.

At the same time.

Whoosh!

I enter the universe.

"This place is... the Astral Realm...!!!"

I realize that I finally come to a 'familiar' world, different from the flat earth I had seen before, and shout with excitement.

Below me, 'round earth' can be seen.

Wearing the Formless Sword and moving further away from that land, the round earth soon looks down upon me like a star.

"Indeed, the Astral Realm is a proper universe...!"

Familiar.

Well, not really familiar, but somehow, I look around the universe with anticipation.

'If the Astral Realm really is the universe...'

The terrain of the land I had just ascended from, at a glance, is definitely not Earth.

First of all, this planet has two satellites orbiting it.

But, in any case, I have fallen into a world that matches the knowledge I had during my time as an Earthling.

This means.

'Somewhere in this universe, Earth might exist...!'

This is significant news.

The universe is infinitely vast, but.

Someday, we might be able to return to the place we lived in.

I float in space for a while, filling my heart with the countless stars in the galaxy.

Afterward, I descend back to that planet.

Whizzing―

Entering the atmosphere with the Formless Sword enveloping my entire body, a strong frictional heat is generated on the Formless Sword, causing a burden.

Of course, the burden isn't too great, so it's bearable, and I fall near the original place like a meteor.

Kurung!

The hillside next to Gyu-ryeon's body is completely crushed as I land.

I return to the cave to tell Yu Hwa that this place is the Astral Realm.

Just then.

"So you were from the Heart Tribe too."

Suddenly, Gyu-baek, who had been staring blankly, comes out in front of the cave and looks at me indifferently.

I slowly nod my head.

"...I'm sorry for deceiving you. But..."

"It's fine. You deceived Gyu-ryeon, not me."

"...I'm sorry."

I bow once again to her and then head into the cave.

From behind, I hear Gyu-baek muttering blankly.

"This one or that one. They all only came to deceive Gyu-ryeon."

"..."

Although she didn't say much, Gyu-baek seems to become more upset upon realizing I am from the Heart Tribe.

'...I've deceived her about too many things.'

I sigh inwardly and approach Yu Hwa.

She is healing her body by activating her own vitality.

"This place is the Astral Realm. The sky stretches endlessly, and the land is round."

I explain the universe in a way she can easily understand, informing her that this is the Astral Realm.

Upon hearing my words, Yu Hwa's eyes light up.

"The Astral Realm...! Then, then...!"

Her eyes, usually closed in contemplation, flashes open in excitement.

"Is there something in the Astral Realm?"

"Yes, of course. We ended up in the Astral Realm and got trapped in the lower realm... but it turned out to be a good thing."

"Hmm, I wonder what's good about that..."

However, what she says next surprises me.

"If we're in the Astral Realm, we can somewhat communicate with the Highest Council of the Heart Tribe."

"Ah...!"

'Indeed, there is a reason for her excitement.'

It means that, although we are stranded in the lower realm, there might be a way out.

"Being able to communicate with the Highest Council, is there anything I can help with?"

"Ah, there's nothing you need to help with."

"It's fascinating. Being able to directly contact the upper realm from the lower realm."

"Oh, to be precise, it's not about connecting the lower realm with the upper realm. Perhaps the Heaven Tribe or Earth Tribe could, but our Heart Tribe doesn't have such capabilities."

"...? Then how do you make the connection?"

As I wonder, she smiles and explains.

"To contact the Highest Council means directly contacting the Supreme Leader of the Council, who then relays the message to the Bright Cold Realm."

"...!"

I gasp at her words.

"Wait... the Supreme Leader you're referring to..."

"Yes, that's right."

Upon her confirmation, not only I, but also Gyu-baek, who has been sitting gloomily at the entrance of the cave, is startled.

"The Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One is currently in the Astral Realm and I am an intelligence agent who received a mission from the Esteemed One, so with a little time, it will be possible to contact him."

"...!!!"

This is astonishing news.

'So, that's why she said she will contact the Esteemed One about Kim Young-hoon being in the lower realm last time.'

The Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One was originally in the lower realm.

From the entrance of the cave, Gyu-baek looks at us and snorts.

"That's quite surprising. A great musician who can also communicate with the Esteemed One. Anyway, it's fascinating how the mysterious Heart Path Method enables communication with the Esteemed One from such a distance."

"…"

"Having two Heart Tribe spies so close and Gyu-ryeon not realizing it is just pitiful."

She clicks her tongue as if displeased with us and turns her head away.

There is a moment of intense silence between Yu Hwa and Gyu-baek. I break the silence by changing the subject.

"By the way, what is the Heart Tribe's Esteemed One doing in the Astral Realm?"

Yu Hwa tilts her head in confusion.

"I'm not sure. I heard he was looking for something..."

Gyu-ryeon interrupts our conversation again.

"Except for those from the Blood Yin Realm, all the Star Shattering stage Esteemed Ones from across the Middle Realms are currently on a mission in the Astral Realm. I heard they are all looking for something at the edge of the Astral Realm. There's a special Decaying Corpse Realm within the Astral Realm, but I don't know much about it."

"Ah, thank you, Miss Gyu-baek."

I thank her and, reminded of something, ask again.

"But why are the Blood Yin Realm's Esteemed Ones remaining in their realm? Didn't you say that the Esteemed Ones from the other realms have all gone in search of something?"

"The Heavenly Fiends of the Blood Yin Realm didn't follow not because they didn't want to, but because they couldn't. They are confined to the Blood Yin Realm."

"Confined?"

"Yes. They cannot go to any other world except for the True Devil Realm and the Bright Cold Realm. This includes the lower realms like the Astral Realm as well."

Though she pretends to be reluctantly sharing what she knows, she seems to genuinely enjoy being part of the conversation.

I smile slightly, reading her intent.

Though her heart essence is still incredibly gloomy compared to the normal days of Gyu-ryeon, it is evident that engaging in conversation is making her a bit better.

"With my limited understanding, I'm not sure why the Heavenly Fiends of the Blood Yin Realm ended up like that. Could Miss Gyu-baek enlighten me?"

"I don't know much either. It's said that due to the pull of fate, the Star Shattering stage Heavenly Fiends are bound to the Blood Yin Realm and cannot leave. They can travel to the True Devil Realm since it's originally the same dimension, but I'm not sure why they can go to the Bright Cold Realm."

"Thank you for your teaching."

"Enough. Don't talk to me, you Heart Tribe folks."

After finishing her words, she turns her back again and stares blankly at the sky from the cave entrance.

However, seeing her heart essence and noticing she improves a bit as we converse, I continue to engage her in conversation.

Gyu-baek, though pretending to be annoyed, answers when I keep talking to her and I can notice her condition improving.

When the fog over her heart essence finally lifts somewhat, I cautiously ask her.

"Miss Gyu-baek, I have a question."

"What is it, again?"

"...Mis Gyu-baek mentioned that it's difficult for you to learn demon beast methods or Heaven Tribe methods."

"…"

Her expression darkens again at my words.

I cautiously ask her.

"Have you considered learning the Heart Path Method?"

"...!"

Startled by my question, Gyu-baek glares at me, and Yu Hwa, who had been carving wood and attaching spider webs to create new strings, also turns her head towards us.

"You're telling me to learn the Heart Path Method...?"

"Why not?"

"That's..."

After pondering for a moment, she sighs softly.

"...After oppressing and despising the Heart Tribe, how can I now learn the Heart Path Method? Wouldn't that be shameless?"

It's an interesting reason.

'It's not that she dislikes the Heart Tribe, but she dislikes the idea of herself, who has tormented the Heart Tribe, learning the Heart Tribe's power...'

Indeed, her nature is kind.

I smile at Gyu-baek.

"Why would Miss Gyu-baek worry about that?"

"What?"

"Who you're talking about is 'Gyu-ryeon', isn't it?"

"...! You…"

She seems momentarily confused about her identity, clutching her head and glaring at me.

"Besides, doesn't Miss Gyu-baek have something she wants to do right now?"

Observing the deep-seated heart essence within her, I ask.

After a long silence, Gyu-baek nods.

"...I want to kill Seo Hweol."

"Yes, with such a desire, such longing... how can you achieve that with a body that cannot learn any methods right now?"

"…"

"I can teach you the Heart Path Method. Shouldn't you seek revenge on Seo Hweol by learning it?"

Of course, I don't expect her to reach Beyond the Path with it.

The reason I made this suggestion is because I want to give her, who is deeply twisted in darkness, something to immerse herself in.

'Conversing seems to improve her state slightly, but...'

Without addressing the root issue, she will remain in a state where she might succumb to suicide at any moment.

I hope that by awakening and training her in this way, focusing on cultivation might help lighten her dark heart essence.

After hearing my words, she is silent for a while and then clenches her teeth.

"...I don't know. All I have are memories of fearing, despising, and being terrified of the Heart Tribe. Moreover, in my, no, in Gyu-ryeon's memories, Gyu-ryeon always considered the Heart Tribe as something that must be killed..."

"…"

"I don't know if I should learn the Heart Path Method."

"...Give it a…"

"I will give it a thought."

She bites her lip.

"I understand."

I decide to give her some time to think about it.

Thus, near the cave, we spend a few more days with Yu Hwa recovering her vitality, I my cultivation, and Gyu-baek her spirit.

About two weeks after falling into the lower realm, on the day Yu Hwa's injuries are fully healed, I receive unbelievable news from her.

"The Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One is sending an avatar here this way."

"...!?"

Both I and Gyu-baek nearby are startled by her words.

"When... is the Esteemed One expected to arrive?"

I ask her in confusion, and she makes an awkward expression.

"...Now."