“Either hear the details from your informants, or hear them directly. There’s only one thing I can tell you. Don’t worry.”

“Do you know something?”

“A lot. Who do you think I am.”

“The Martial World’s Supreme.”

“How could one above the heavens not know what happens under the heavens.”

“…….”

“Don’t worry. Your youngest son will have to do great things later—would he die from something as trivial as ‘that level of trouble’?”

Seol Jungcheon walked slowly up to the Ice-Heaven Go Board and dropped into a seat.

“Hyunsim.”

“…Yes, Palace Lord.”

“We have a guest. Bring out some tea.”

Hyunsim glanced at the Heavenly Daoist.

Then Seol Jungcheon’s voice reached his ear.

“Don’t add poison.”

Hyunsim flinched.

“…Yes.”

Hyunsim went out just like that, and the Heavenly Daoist burst into the laughter he had been holding back.

“I’m already starting to like this snow mountain.”

***

After the fierce battle with Mae Wuidong, Seol Unhwi’s consciousness was drifting through darkness.

It was a dream.

No—it was closer to a memory than a dream.

A dim, distant memory from the far past of his previous life.

“Unhwi.”

A low, majestic voice rang out. Just that voice made the air around them grow heavy.

“Yes, Cult Leader.”

A young man in black clothes knelt with his head lowered. His eyes were stained red, and a faint blood aura flowed from his entire body.

The Heavenly Daoist.

The Cult Leader of the Original Blood Cult, the one called the Martial World’s Supreme, looked down at him slowly. On his face, dignity was mixed with a strange gentleness.

“Stand.”

Seol Unhwi rose slowly.

Back then, he was different from now. Sharper, more destructive.

In the martial world, there were plenty who feared him just from hearing his name. The martial world’s supreme was clearly the Heavenly Daoist, but he did not involve himself much in the affairs of the martial world.

Unifying the martial world was also the Heavenly Daoist’s will, but in reality it proceeded under the name of Blood-Heaven Arbiter Seol Unhwi.

At some point, Seol Unhwi had said his share in unifying the martial world was not small—but that was excessive modesty.

It was Seol Unhwi who actually carried out the unification of the martial world, and Seol Unhwi who completed it. Not a small share? No—aside from a few parts, all of the share belonged to Seol Unhwi.

That Seol Unhwi asked the Heavenly Daoist.

“What will you teach me today?”

“Heh. What could I possibly teach you now.”

The Heavenly Daoist stood and walked to the window. Outside it, the vast territory of the Original Blood Cult spread out.

“If you’re a genius who already reached No-Extremes Incarnation at forty-six, my teaching would only get in your way.”

“What made me who I am is you, Cult Leader.”

“You’re humble.”

“Because it’s true.”

“Heh heh… enough. Let’s drink some tea together.”

Seol Unhwi nodded.

“Sit.”

The Heavenly Daoist began brewing tea with his own hands. Tea brewed by the hands of the Martial World’s Supreme—just that was an honor.

“Cult Leader, have I committed a wrong?”

The Heavenly Daoist shook his head.

“If you had done wrong, I’d punish you. Would I brew tea.”

“…….”

“You’re doing well. You’re doing so well it’s enough to worry me.”

“Worry, you say….”

“How many years has it been since you became the Blood-Heaven Arbiter?”

“It has been fourteen years.”

“In those fourteen years, you have done countless things for the Original Blood Cult.”

The Heavenly Daoist paused.

“But in the process, you are gradually losing something.”

“Losing something….”

“Your humanity.”

The Heavenly Daoist handed Seol Unhwi tea as he spoke.

“A martial artist must be strong. But strength is not everything. Before being a martial artist, you must be a human being.”

Seol Unhwi accepted the tea and asked.

“Am I not human enough?”

“Not yet. But if you keep going like this…”

The Heavenly Daoist’s gaze deepened.

“In the end, you will die by the sword. Not another person’s sword—your own.”

“My own sword.”

“The path of a martial artist is lonely and harsh. Especially for a martial artist as strong as you, even more so. But even in that loneliness, you must not lose your humanity.”

The Heavenly Daoist took a sip of tea and continued.

“Strength is only a tool. What you become strong for—that is what matters more.”

Seol Unhwi stared at him in silence.

“Why are you trying to become strong. Years have passed since you reached No-Extremes Incarnation, and you keep looking beyond it.”

“…….”

“You even touched the Maitreya Brahma Sect and the Heavenly Gate. Ordinary martial artists don’t even know they exist. That’s how uninterested they are in the affairs of the martial world.”

“Are you saying the path I walk as a martial artist is not right.”

“No. How could I not know your path. It is tyrannical, and it is demonic, and it is righteous—so it can be called a path that is yours alone. But broadly speaking, the center of the road you walk is tyranny. Yet sometimes you stray from that road.”

“…….”

“It seems you don’t even know the standard for that straying.”

“I apologize.”

“Apologize? No. Let’s find out now. What do you draw your sword for. For the Original Blood Cult? Or for me? Or is it for yourself?”

Seol Unhwi could not answer easily.

Because it was not anyone else, but the Heavenly Daoist before him.

He clearly wanted a deeper answer.

And Seol Unhwi was not prepared to put that deeper answer into words.

This had to be made certain.

It was not that he did not know the road he would walk.

Straying? That was how it would look. But everything was connected as one.

Seol Unhwi could answer. Clearly, with certainty.

But he could not.

Because the Heavenly Daoist was someone he followed like a father.

The Heavenly Daoist smiled gently.

“You don’t have to answer right now. But someday, you will have to bring it out. Your answer.”

“What is your answer, Cult Leader?”

“My answer…?”

The Heavenly Daoist thought for a moment, then said.

“I fight for a wish.”

“A wish.”

“A wish—and people are inside it as well.”

“…….”

“The believers of the Original Blood Cult, and even all people in this world.”

Seol Unhwi wore a puzzled expression.

How old was the Heavenly Daoist.

No one knew.

Why did he found the Original Blood Cult.

That too, no one knew.

Then what was his wish.

At least, Seol Unhwi did not know.

The Great Demonic Tyrant who stained the world with blood was now a phrase that referred to Seol Unhwi, but before him, it had been the Heavenly Daoist.

There was a reason all of the martial world feared the Original Blood Cult.

And yet—“all people in this world.”

Would the Heavenly Daoist, who hated hypocrisy most, put on the mask of hypocrisy himself?

He was absolutely not that kind of person.

For words like that to come from his mouth meant, truly, that it was right.

“Cult Leader, you truly have many secrets.”

“Heh heh… that’s why I’m the martial world’s supreme, isn’t it.”

“…….”

“If you’re bored, try finding them out sometime.”

Seol Unhwi was sincerely curious.

“What is it that you truly want?”

“You ask the same question every time.”

“Because it isn’t solved no matter how many times I ask.”

The Heavenly Daoist chuckled softly.

“Didn’t I just say it.”

“That has always been the same too. A wish—I want to know specifically what your wish is, Cult Leader.”

“Each time you ask like that, I’ve always given the same answer. I’ll give you that answer again now. What I truly want is a world of great peace and prosperity.”

“…….”

“I have no intention of making those who don’t understand understand. Even if I am misunderstood and hated, I walk to make the world better.”

“…….”

“You too will know someday. Why I walk this road, why I go this far, why even though I’ve lived for hundreds of years I cannot enter rest. And what it is I truly seek to protect.”

The Heavenly Daoist was a person with truly many secrets.

He placed a hand on Seol Unhwi’s shoulder.

“No matter what happens in this world, do not lose your humanity. No matter how strong you become, no matter how many enemies you kill, you must still be human.”

Seol Unhwi nodded.

“I will keep it in mind, Cult Leader.”

“And one more thing.”

The Heavenly Daoist’s expression turned serious.

“Someday, a time will come when you must walk a ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) path different from mine.”

“A different path….”

“When that time comes, do not hesitate. Walk the road you believe is right. Even if it is a road that stands against me.”

“Are you telling me to betray you, Cult Leader?”

“It is not betrayal.”

The Heavenly Daoist smiled warmly.

“That is the true path of a martial artist. Following one’s own will, not another’s.”

“…Cult Leader….”

“There is one reason I do not speak to you ‘specifically.’ The moment I say it, you will never be able to escape of your own will.”

“Isn’t the decision mine to make?”

“That’s why I’m saying it isn’t.”

“…….”

“You are extraordinary, but you are not perfect.”

In the Heavenly Daoist’s eyes, Seol Unhwi had a deficiency.

That deficiency had made Seol Unhwi who he was, but now it had become a shackle that blocked Seol Unhwi from becoming complete.

Because Seol Unhwi did not know the Heavenly Daoist’s thoughts, he wore an expression that he could not understand—but the Heavenly Daoist did not explain further.

“When the time comes, you will know. And honestly, I’m curious as well. Fate made you and me meet like this, but if it had made us meet the other way around, what would happen.”

“…….”

“Just something I said.”

Then the two quietly drank tea. A warm time between people who were family and yet not family—the Martial World’s Supreme and the Blood-Heaven Arbiter.

The dream began to blur.

But what remained vivid until the end was the Heavenly Daoist’s last words.

“Kid, you will become a good person. Someday.”

And Seol Unhwi fell into deep sleep.

With the Heavenly Daoist’s teachings carved deep into his chest.

***

Slowly, consciousness returned.

When Seol Unhwi opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was an unfamiliar ceiling. He tried to move his body, but his entire body was wrapped tightly in muslin cloth, and even the slightest movement made his wounds throb.

On top of that, the stench of medicine was so strong it stabbed into his nose.

“Young Mas— Young Master!!”

A familiar voice rang out. When he turned his head, Chief Seong was looking at Seol Unhwi with an expression like he was about to cry.

“…Looks like I’m not dead yet.”

“How can you say something so absurd… truly… thank goodness.”

As relief began to settle on Chief Seong’s face, Seol Unhwi asked.

“Where… is this?”

“It’s the annex. The Heavenly Dragon Hall collapsed, so we moved you here temporarily.”

Seol Unhwi tried to raise himself slowly, but Chief Seong reached out and stopped him.

“You can’t overdo it yet. The backlash from ‘that’ is severe. It’s a miracle you’re alive right now.”

He grew curious.

“How long have I been lying down?”

“…Fifteen days.”

Fifteen days…?

At those words, Seol Unhwi’s brow pinched hard.

“…Were there problems?”

“Your body is the biggest problem, Young Master.”

“Don’t say nonsense.”

“…A lot happened. More importantly… may I call people in?”

After thinking for a moment, Seol Unhwi shook his head.

“Before you call anyone, explain what happened in the meantime first.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep