“....”

Namgoong Seolhwa, who had watched the whole scene unfold, could not help but be stunned by the word the Boss had spoken.

‘Did he just... say what I think he said?’

Slave?

Sold—into slavery?

This man...?

Seolhwa had, throughout the vision, hazily assumed that the figure before her was the Long-Scarred Bamboo-Hatted Man.

It was his array and his illusion; she thought it was intended to show why he sought to craft a Great Law that turned back time.

But the moment the Boss said the word “slave,” only one name flashed through Seolhwa’s mind.

‘Hyeolma. — the Blood Demon.’

Her chest began to pound, fast and hard.

Seolhwa looked down again at the collapsed Yeon Hwi and the woman already dead and cold.

Thud. Thud....

Her slightly parted lips trembled.

The instant Seolhwa recognized the Blood Demon’s presence, Yeon Hwi’s appearance, as if waiting for that recognition, slowly, subtly changed.

“...!”

He had been battered by the Black-Path, swollen and split, a wreck—but he was Hyeolma.

Though quite different from the face Seolhwa remembered, it was unmistakably his face.

Why had she not recognized him before?

They said the array hid his face to prevent recognition, yet the woman’s face was the same as she recalled.

She was younger and thinner than the woman Seolhwa had met in the Blood Cult, but it was clearly the same woman.

Why had she not recognized her either?

“Take him away.”

“!”

The Black-Path men hauled the fallen Hyeolma off regardless.

Seolhwa hurried after them, and at that moment—

Huuuk—

“!”

The vision sped forward through Yeon Hwi’s subsequent life.

When he came to, Yeon Hwi had survived many deaths.

His wounds were never properly tended; in immense pain and despair he tried to die several times, but they would not let him go so easily.

Rage was useless.

What returned to him was only more beatings and mockery.

With the pain of losing his family and the agony of his body, Yeon Hwi endured a living hell each day.

Finally, when he gave up everything—rage, death, even sorrow—and resigned himself, they dragged him somewhere.

It was the home of a man who lived alone deep in the mountains.

“....”

Seolhwa recognized him at once.

There was no scar across his face now, but he was clearly the Long-Scarred Bamboo-Hatted Man.

Seolhwa exhaled, a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding.

She had hoped otherwise.

She had prayed it was not the Blood Demon.

The man handed the Black-Path men a heavy pouch; they chuckled, dumped Yeon Hwi there, and left.

After they left, the man silently tossed Yeon Hwi a broom and something wrapped in bamboo leaves.

Withered and starved, Yeon Hwi picked up the bamboo-wrapped parcel; when he realized it was a rice ball, he devoured it greedily.

From that day on, Yeon Hwi lived as the man’s slave.

He swept the yard, chopped wood, cooked rice.

Sometimes he climbed the mountain to gather herbs to dry, washed clothes, and cleaned the house.

Often, standing still, he would watch the man at his work with his long, unwashed hair—otherwise he was a reasonably diligent slave.

Seolhwa stood opposite Yeon Hwi, who watched the man who made the Great Law.

No— the vision drew her forward to stand before him.

When she stood there, it was as if Yeon Hwi’s gaze was directed at Seolhwa herself.

It felt as though he faced her.

The surroundings disappeared one by one.

Soon the world went entirely white, leaving only Yeon Hwi and Seolhwa.

Between his unwashed, disheveled hair, Yeon Hwi’s eyes glinted with life.

His gaze still shone with the blood-red light of hatred.

It was the look Seolhwa knew well—the Blood Demon’s look.

Tap—

Someone approached from behind Seolhwa.

She did not turn, and yet she knew who it was.

“Grief and injustice weigh heavily.”

The man she hated so much.

The sworn enemy of herself and her clan she could never, for a moment, forget.

Tap.

“This world is to be blamed.”

It was Hyeolma — the Blood Demon.

“I regret being born; I hate the hours I have painfully lived.”

The Blood Demon passed by Seolhwa and stepped toward Yeon Hwi, one step at a time.

“Why did you live righteously? For whom did you swallow your tears, and for what did you endure pain?”

He grasped Yeon Hwi’s shoulder.

“If I had known life would be this bitter, I would not have been born. If I had known I would lose everything, I would not have made anything dear.”

His grip on the shoulder tightened.

The frayed, torn fabric of Yeon Hwi’s clothes crumpled easily beneath his hand.

“I would never have taught myself to love.”

The Blood Demon’s eyes turned toward Seolhwa standing a little behind.

He was looking at her—clearly at her.

“Do you understand?”

His voice was low, dark, full of reproach.

Merely hearing it felt as if the chest were being torn apart.

“Life is this muddled and miserable.”

He said it.

****

After training and washing up, Yu Gang halted as he reached to open the door to his room.

“....”

He sensed someone inside.

A short sigh spilled out reflexively.

Clack—

When he opened the door, the women in the room exclaimed, “Oh my!” and “Young Master—” in surprise.

They were all beautifully made-up, heavily perfumed, resplendent women.

Yu Gang frowned slightly at the somewhat lascivious scent wafting from the room.

It was not only the scent.

The room was lavishly decorated with all manner of red cloth, ornaments, and soft lamps.

Bang—!

Before he could take in the whole room, Yu Gang closed the door and turned away.

The women ran out behind him, calling desperately, but Yu Gang was already far from the quarters.

KWAANG-!

He burst into the cult leader’s hall as if to smash the door; the Heavenly Demon and the lieutenants flanking him on both sides turned in unison at Yu Gang’s sudden entrance, surprised.

Yu Gang fixed his gaze only on the Heavenly Demon, ignoring the others.

The Heavenly Demon met his stare without a flicker, as if he had expected this.

“Everyone, leave.”

Baek-yeong discreetly ushered the others out.

The lieutenants glanced at Yu Gang in consternation and left the hall.

Finally, after Baek-yeong closed the door and stepped out, only Yu Gang and the Heavenly Demon remained in the room.

“I told you to stop sending them.”

The Heavenly Demon leaned back in his chair with slow movements.

His eyes were half-lidded but he looked down on Yu Gang clearly.

“What must I do for you to cease this?”

This was not the first time the leader had sent women to him.

Since the day they clashed over succession, the leader had been sending Yu Gang excessive wealth, women, and followers.

“Cut them down.”

The blunt, curt reply made Yu Gang’s brow twitch.

“If I do not like something, I destroy it, drive it away, or kill it. You may do that here.”

“There is no one who can kill as they please. No matter where that is.”

“Then you must learn again. Here, at the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, everything is decided by the law of the strong.”

“I know that. Is it that you still do not understand that this place is why I hate it?”

Yu Gang and the Heavenly Demon locked eyes without yielding an inch.

“Since you seem not to have understood, I will make it clear. I have not the slightest intention of becoming the leader of the demonic cult. I hate this place.”

“Is it because of that child?”

“!”

Yu Gang, expecting yet another attempt to force the succession, was taken aback by the leader’s unexpected question.

Noticing the agitation, the Heavenly Demon’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He propped his chin, speaking with dissatisfaction.

“The Namgoong Clan. They are a family respected in the Central Plains. Do you think that name befits standing beside the leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult?”

“...That is none of your concern.”

“You are my son. Even if you reject it, the bond of blood does not break so easily. Your presence here is proof.”

The child they had failed to find had returned to the cult of his own feet.

From the moment the leader heard the child had come back, he took it as heaven’s will that the child would carry on his will.

“That child is now meeting the troops of our main sect. Do you know what that means?”

“....”

“That child is preparing to oppose the Blood Cult.”

“...I understand that much.”

“Do you also know that even if all the forces of the Central Plains gathered, they would still not be equal to the Blood Cult?”

Yu Gang’s expression hardened.

He knew the # Nоvеlight # Blood Cult was dangerous, but he did not know the full scale.

If the leader’s words were true—

“You have seen the mighty force of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult with your own eyes, so there is no need to explain.”

“....”

“I will not say more. For the sake of that child you speak of, accept the position of successor.”