Ssshk— Sshiiik— Sshiiiiik—

A sharp whistling tore past their ears.

The arrow split the space between Seolhwa and Yu Gang and thudded—! into a tree.

“Seolhwa.”

“Yes.”

Seolhwa glanced back.

He doesn’t intend to kill.

The opponent was White Shadow, famed as unmatched under heaven in archery.

There was no way he would shoot arrows that “just happen” to miss.

For even Yu Gang to sense how deliberately those shots were made to miss meant two things.

First: he had no intention of capturing them by force.

Second....

Sshuk— Sshyuuk—

Seolhwa looked forward again.

Just a little farther, and that place would appear.

The very “Forest of Demonic Creatures” they had passed when arriving at the Demonic Cult.

White Shadow knows the Forest of Demonic Creatures perfectly.

What creature appears where; where each creature’s territory begins and ends.

Last time, when testing her and Yu Gang, he had lured a wolf-beast precisely at the hour he wanted.

So White Shadow’s intention must be the second.

He’s herding us into the Forest of Demonic Creatures.

A master of White Shadow’s level would certainly have sensed Seolhwa’s change.

He would not choose a frontal clash.

The Forest of Demonic Creatures was the most advantageous environment for him—and the most disadvantageous for Seolhwa and Yu Gang.

Ssshk— Sshiiiiik—

“Yu Gang.”

Yu Gang turned to Seolhwa.

“It’s best if we deal with him before entering the Forest of Demonic Creatures.”

“Yes.”

He understood immediately—he had thought the same.

The two began widening the distance to separate—when:

“Wait!”

Seolhwa stopped and called Yu Gang back.

Yu Gang halted as well and looked toward the place Seolhwa was staring at.

Far ahead, seated cross-legged at the entrance to the ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ Forest of Demonic Creatures, was someone.

Who is that?

Yu Gang’s brows knit.

He sensed no presence.

Was it someone untrained in martial arts? Or someone so far above him that he could not detect even a trace?

The deep darkness of the mountains made it impossible to tell who it was.

He looked at Seolhwa with a frown—but she was smiling, as if she had recognized him.

Someone Seolhwa recognized—but Yu Gang didn’t.

A master.

And if this was someone who made Seolhwa smile, the likelihood was high he was an ally.

Could it be the Lord?

Seolhwa and Yu Gang resumed walking toward the seated figure.

Yu Gang’s expression remained tense, still wary.

The man at the entrance also rose and walked toward them, having noticed them.

And when he finally stepped out of the shadows into the moonlight—

“...!”

Yu Gang’s face brightened all at once.

Tap—!

He ran toward him.

“Master!”

It was Ouyang Do.

Ouyang Do chuckled as he braced himself for Yu Gang’s charge.

“How are you here, Master?!”

“I told you, didn’t I? I would come to greet you upon your return.”

Yu Gang’s face blossomed with a broad smile.

He had said that when Yu Gang left the Martial Alliance.

But Yu Gang had not imagined the greeting would be here.

“Did you enjoy your little excursion?”

Yu Gang’s bright smile dimmed for an instant.

Then he quickly restored it and answered cheerfully.

“It was a valuable experience.”

“Good. For a martial artist, all experiences matter. If you learned even a little, that is enough.”

“But... how did you know we would come here today? We never sent word that we were leaving.”

“Seolhwa sent it. And I happened to be nearby. However...”

Ouyang Do’s gaze shifted to Seolhwa behind him.

“What happened to you?”

His eyes narrowed faintly as he focused on her.

His gaze judged her for a long time—then hardened.

“...Is it what I think it is?”

Even as he looked at her, he hardly believed it, and so he had to ask again.

Seolhwa smiled lightly and nodded.

“Yes. Most likely.”

“....”

No sound—not even a sigh—came out.

She had already been a monster before, but in that brief time she had crossed the bounds of humanity.

The Heaven-Beyond-Heaven realm at only twenty years of age.

When she had reached the Flowering realm, that alone had been unheard of—but this... this was...

“Do you intend to ascend to immortality itself?”

“Of course not.”

Seolhwa laughed softly.

Then she glanced back over her shoulder.

It had been a long time since they’d met—she wanted to speak slowly, but this wasn’t the moment.

Ouyang Do also sensed the pursuit closing in and frowned.

“You’ve brought guests.”

“Sorry. I’ll finish quickly.”

“No need. I know the man.”

Ouyang Do placed Seolhwa and Yu Gang behind him and stepped forward.

Soon, the No-Trace Unit of the Demonic Cult, led by White Shadow, emerged from the forest.

Three arrows were already nocked on White Shadow’s bowstring.

He looked genuinely surprised.

“To think I would meet someone I never expected to see here.”

“I feel the same.”

“It has been a long time, Elder Ouyang Do.”

“You’re alive, I see.”

“...I believe that is what I should be saying.”

White Shadow withdrew the arrows and returned them to his quiver.

Even with Namgoong Seolhwa present, he had not been confident of victory.

But with Ouyang Do added—

No matter what he attempted, he could not win. There was no point in fighting.

“My apologies, but my business lies with the one standing behind you, Elder.”

“This child?”

Ouyang Do gestured toward Seolhwa.

But White Shadow shook his head.

“The one beside her. My lord commanded me to bring him.”

Ouyang Do’s brows arched low.

“And who is your lord?”

“The Cult Lord of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. And the one behind you is the young lord of the Cult.”

His brows crooked even higher.

The Cult Lord? Young lord?

My disciple?

He turned his gaze on Yu Gang—who answered not with words, but by lowering his eyes.

He was not denying being the Heavenly Demon’s child.

Ouyang Do stared at Yu Gang for a moment, then looked back at White Shadow.

“It seems there is some misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding...?”

“This child is my grandson.”

“!”

“...!”

Both Seolhwa and Yu Gang stared at Ouyang Do, stunned.

So did White Shadow and the No-Trace Unit warriors behind him.

“What... did you say?”

“I said he is my grandson. My blood grandson.”

“...Excuse me?”

Murmurs rippled through the No-Trace Unit.

Hadn’t they been told he was the Cult Lord’s son?

Why was Ouyang Do claiming him as his grandson?

“Elder... your jest goes too far. Do you think I am lying?”

“I am not jesting either.”

A radiant aura like sunlight began rising around Ouyang Do.

“Does my statement sound like jest to you?”

Despite the dark night, the space around him slowly lit as if burning on its own.

The unmistakable sign of battle intent made White Shadow reflexively draw an arrow and set it to the string.

Around him, a green aura shimmered like rising heat.

“Fall back.”

Tat— Tadat—!

At his command, the No-Trace Unit vanished into the darkness.

But they had only hidden their bodies—they had not withdrawn from the battlefield.

“....”

Seolhwa sensed their killing intent, one by one, behind trees and rocks.

It was not a hostility-driven killing intent, but the instinctive reaction of people who felt their lives truly threatened.

The Demonic Cult’s warriors are well-trained.

Given their skill, they must have realized Ouyang Do’s realm far exceeded theirs—and yet they did not flee.

Unless—

Because of the Heavenly Demon, of course.

Seolhwa cast a brief glance at the distant rocky peak.

Most martial artists wouldn’t notice—but she had sensed his presence clearly from the beginning.

The Heavenly Demon.

He had been watching them since the moment they left the Demonic Cult.

No one can run away while their lord is watching.

And White Shadow, who had shown no desire to fight until now, was no exception.

“Elder. Must it come to this?”

A tense smile tugged at White Shadow’s lips.

Around his bow and arrows, a thick aura had already gathered.

“You know how this ends. You cannot win.”

Fwhoooom—

Scarlet sunlight whirled around Ouyang Do.

In his hand now was a massive blade.

“Turn back now, and I will let you keep your head.”

“I have circumstances of my own, Elder.”

“You’ve become a loyal dog since last we met.”

“Even a free bird needs a nest.”

They stared at each other for a long moment.

Tat— Sshik! Sshiiiik! Sshik!

Three green-tinged arrows flew toward Ouyang Do at high speed.

Seolhwa admired their trajectories.

He had drawn the bow lightly—but all three arrows curved in different directions.

Kang— Kakang! KWAANG!

Two light arrows—and one heavy, aura-laden arrow.

Ouyang Do deflected them all without moving a single step.

But at the instant he struck aside the last arrow—

Pwoooooom—!

“!”

Seolhwa grabbed Yu Gang and pulled him back.

A thick white smoke burst out around the three of them.

A smoke bomb?

No—this wasn’t ordinary smoke. It contained a hallucinogenic poison.

Seolhwa tracked White Shadow’s presence through the rapidly spreading cloud.

So this is why he is called White Shadow.

Was she finally going to witness his famed prowess firsthand?

Seolhwa’s lips curved with a hint of excitement.