“She’s gone.”
Only after Eunwol had left did Seolhwa finally release the tension in her body. If he had truly wished it, Eunwol could have killed her here today. Knocking her unconscious and dragging her back to the Fire Crow Pavilion would have been nothing to him.
But he left. Even when she raised her senses to the utmost, she could not detect the slightest trace of him. He was truly gone.
The fact that he neither killed her nor took her away carried two meanings. One, he was telling her to run wild as much as she pleased. Two, he was confident he could take her whenever he wished.
“…Either way, it’s fortunate.”
Whatever his intentions, what she needed most right now was a reprieve. Whether that time was short or long, she needed it to prepare herself to face him. And today, she had learned two things for certain.
The Blood Demon would never give up on her. And for now, she was safe. The thought brought her a measure of relief—until suddenly her vision blurred.
“…?”
Her body staggered, and she grabbed onto a nearby tree to steady herself. The effect of the sleep bomb was spreading. On top of that, the wound she had received from Pawol was still bleeding, refusing to close.
Now that the battle was over and her body had relaxed, the sleep bomb’s effect and the blood energy that had seeped into her body began to circulate.
‘Not yet… I can’t collapse yet.’
Perhaps her family already knew she was missing and were searching for her. She had to return before they worried further.
‘Before the sun rises…’
She lifted her gaze to the night sky. Darkness still covered the world. Seolhwa dragged her heavy steps forward.
She didn’t know how much time had passed. Her trudging steps grew slower and slower. She had gone too far, trying to avoid Namgung Mucheon’s senses.
But this child’s body was far weaker than she had thought. Returning such a long way was no easy task.
‘I have to go back…’
Just a little further. Seolhwa turned her head and looked down at the city spread beneath the mountain ridge. The city lights blurred and overlapped in her vision.
Her eyelids had grown unbearably heavy, as if weighed down by a thousand catties.
‘…Sleepy.’
So very sleepy.
“Huh?”
A somewhat youthful voice sounded before her. Seolhwa raised her head to look. Her vision was too hazy to make out the face.
Only…
‘Plum blossoms…’ …Mount Hua?
Her body collapsed with a thud.
“W-whoa, hey!”
The sound of urgent footsteps pounding toward her was the last thing she heard.
People. Innocent people.
Parents whose children had been taken, people standing helpless before death.
‘Kill them.’
The voice pressed down on her like a death sentence. The hand holding the sword trembled. Her breath grew ragged.
The people’s eyes were filled with fear. Fear, and at the same time, a faint hope. Perhaps… perhaps they might live?
But that hope was crushed in an instant.
Slash—!
Dark red blood sprayed. The metallic stench of blood made her stomach churn. Those who had been looking at her with pleading eyes only moments ago now lay sprawled lifeless on the cold ground.
A voice, colder than ice, seeped into her ears like a blade.
‘Do not hesitate. Do not give them hope of survival. That is your duty.’
‘Leave no seeds of trouble behind. If you do not kill, you will be killed.’
Her trembling hand gripped the sword. The master who had ordered her to kill, who had made her slaughter with her own hands, turned and walked away. There was no trace of guilt in those departing footsteps.
All that remained was the crimson path of blood.
Her eyes opened. The faint light of dawn filled her vision. Seolhwa quietly chewed over the memories that had surfaced.
Why was she outside? Why was she lying on the ground?
‘Right… I met the Twelve Moons and the Second Moon.’
The Twelve Moons was dead. The Second Moon had left. And she had survived.
Recalling the events of the night, Seolhwa tried to rise.
But— “…!”
Her arms and legs were tightly bound, preventing her from standing. As she lifted her upper body, something that had been covering her slid off.
‘Martial robes?’
It was a martial robe embroidered with a plum blossom crest.
“You’re awake?”
The voice came from her side. Twisting her body, she saw a boy sitting on a bench, swinging his legs. He looked about fifteen.
His black hair, tinged faintly with blue, was tied up neatly. His black eyes shone brightly. His skin was smooth, his features clean and well-formed, but still youthful.
The kind of face that would rush headlong into danger out of misplaced chivalry and die early.
“You slept well. Not too cold?”
“…I’m fine.”
“Good thing the night was warm. Otherwise your lips might’ve frozen crooked. Next time, don’t just fall asleep anywhere.”
The boy grinned. His innocent smile carried no malice at all. Anyone watching might think they were old friends.
“What are you playing at?”
“What do you mean?”
“Did your master send you?”
The boy tilted his head.
“Hmm…”
After thinking deeply, he answered with a bright face.
“Nope. My master doesn’t even know I’m here. Well… maybe he does now…”
He scratched his head sheepishly.
“He told me not to go out last night no matter what, but I snuck out anyway.”
“….”
“I was only going to play for one watch and then head back. If it weren’t for you.”
Seolhwa frowned.
Their conversation was running in circles.
“Untie this.”
“Can’t do that.”
The boy pointed at her.
“You look really dangerous right now.”
“….”
“It’s written all over your face. Kill. If I untie you, who knows who you’ll kill?”
“I won’t. So untie me.”
“Oh really? So people who aren’t killers collapse in the mountains covered in blood and reeking of killing intent?”
“…Is that not allowed?”
“Nope. Not allowed.”
His cheerful smile was irritating. For the first time, Seolhwa felt the urge to kill someone who bore no hostility toward her. Not even when facing Pawol had she felt this way.
It was strange. The boy pointed at the blood on her clothes.
“Whose blood is that?”
“Pawol’s.” “Who’s Pawol?”
“An assassin.”
The boy’s expression instantly grew serious. He rubbed his chin and muttered.
“A struggle between assassin groups? Looks like I’ve gotten myself into trouble…”
Seolhwa let out a quiet sigh. Dawn was already breaking. She didn’t have time to waste bickering with this boy.
“If you think I’m an assassin, why did you save me? Like you said, I could kill again.”
“I’m a Daoist. I don’t kill people without reason.”
“You could’ve at least taken me to the authorities.”
“That was my plan at first. But then…”
He turned his head toward the city.
“I saw people searching for someone. Looked like warriors from the Namgung family. But they didn’t seem to be chasing anyone.”
“And?”
“So I thought about it. Are you the young lady they’re searching for? Or the assassin who killed her?”
“…And your conclusion?”
“Yeah.”
The boy looked back at her and smiled.
“You’re the Namgung young lady, aren’t you?”
The answer surprised her. She had expected him to call her an assassin.
“So you knew, and you were just playing word games?”
“Uh… could you maybe lower your killing intent a little…?”
“Untie me. Now.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
The boy quickly hopped off the bench and untied the cloth binding her hands and feet. The moment her legs were freed and her body was unrestrained— Whoosh—! A sharp gust of wind surged toward him.
It was the Namgung family’s Heavenly Wind Palm Force.
“…!”
Though focused on untying the knots, the boy did not miss the sudden attack. He immediately countered with Mount Hua’s palm technique.
Pak! Pak! Papapak!
In an instant, dozens of exchanges flew back and forth. The boy gritted his teeth, struggling to keep up with Seolhwa’s speed.
Pak! Papapak!
Seolhwa pressed him hard.
Thwack—!
With a strike infused with a bit of inner energy, the boy was sent skidding backward.
“Cough!”
Blood trickled from his lips. He clutched his chest, clearly injured internally. After a long moment to steady his breath, he lifted his head.
“Wow…”
His eyes sparkled.
“You’re really strong!”
Despite his injury, his face shone with pure admiration. Seolhwa brushed her hands off indifferently.
“How did you know I was from Namgung?”
“From your inner energy, of course! At first I thought you were poisoned. So I checked your meridians.”
He must have examined her to see if she was poisoned.
“It felt a little unusual, but it was a clear, pure energy. Around here, the only ones with that kind of inner energy are the Azure Sky Sword of Namgung, right?”
The boy dusted himself off and straightened his posture. He clasped his fists together in a proper martial salute toward her.
“My apologies for the late introduction. I am Yu Kang, first disciple of Mount Hua. It is an honor to meet the young lady of the Namgung family.”
Gone was the mischievous boy from before. His neat, disciplined bearing now carried the air of a true Daoist.