“.......”

The moment I met Yuyeon’s eyes, it felt like my body hardened into stone.

A gaze that carried nothing.

I couldn’t see any emotion at all.

People say it’s the absence of anything that makes something feel even more alien.

Because there was no emotion whatsoever, a strange fear brushed past me.

The malice and resentment held by malicious ghosts and vengeful dead—

if people are shaken by that kind of brutally pure emotion, then—

......This.

This was a brutally pure void.

Because there was nothing, an unreachable distance opened up.

[......Hah.]

Yoo Cheongil looked at Yuyeon, then turned his head back. Toward where Seongheon stood as a living spirit.

[Mal-ko, what the hell did you do?]

[.......]

Seongheon didn’t answer Yoo Cheongil.

Even so, Yoo Cheongil kept talking at him.

[I thought you’d only suppressed killing intent. But that isn’t it.]

Coldness pooled in Yoo Cheongil’s eyes.

[Don’t tell me you blocked off emotion itself?]

Blocked emotion. My eyes narrowed slightly at that.

[I wondered what you used to suppress the Heavenly Killing Star, and you went and chose a violent method that doesn’t suit you. Didn’t you?]

[.......]

Seongheon’s face darkened.

[What were you so afraid of? If you chose it in fear, the method is pathetic beyond words. What did you do?]

For once, Yoo Cheongil sounded emotional. There was a faint anger in his eyes—shockingly clear.

[Tell me, Seongheon.]

It was the first time.

The first time Yoo Cheongil called Seongheon by his proper name instead of Mal-ko.

Only then did Seongheon open his mouth.

[It was the best I could do.]

[The best?]

[I couldn’t seal everything, so I had to seal the vessel itself. Otherwise there was no way to keep that child intact.]

[Keep her intact?]

Yoo Cheongil’s lips curled.

It wasn’t understanding. It was closer to a sneer.

[What a ridiculous excuse. You blocked the road she was meant to walk—what’s “intact” about that? Is that the Daoist principle you used to preach?]

DRRRRRK.

The table trembled faintly.

Old man. Calm down.

When he got angry, everything around him moved.

Not an ordinary soul—at the very least, the spirit of a general.

Yoo Cheongil’s presence was enough to make the waking world react.

[Pathetic nonsense. Are you senile because you’re about to die? Is that it?]

[.......]

Even at Yoo Cheongil’s words, Seongheon didn’t react much. Calm—no, not calm, but he didn’t show anything like a violent response.

[Maybe I am.]

[What?]

[Cheongil. You might be right. Maybe I’m senile. Or if not—]

SSSSSHHH—.

Seongheon moved. Unlike Yoo Cheongil, he looked a little translucent.

As Seongheon moved, he suddenly reached out and stroked Yuyeon’s hair. Of course, he couldn’t touch her.

It only looked that way.

[I know it’s no excuse. I know I blocked this child’s burden to reclaim my spring.]

Darkness fell over his expression.

[Was it something I should have done? I don’t know that, either. The ruthless greed I held in my final years must be why.]

Greed.

At that word, Yoo Cheongil’s brow twisted hard.

[I didn’t expect to hear the word “greed” come out of your mouth.]

[Neither did I.]

Seongheon let out a quiet laugh.

A smile so dry I understood the meaning of “dry laughter” instantly.

[......It was all greed. Not for this child—for me.]

[Ha.......]

After he said that, I could see Yoo Cheongil’s qi steadily settling.

[......Damn Mal-ko.......]

His blue eyes were still furious, but the edge of his momentum had dulled.

[You’ll regret it. Or do you already regret it?]

[Regret.......]

Seongheon repeated the word and shook his head.

[I don’t regret it.]

[Hm?]

[The time I had in my final years was too precious to regret something like that.]

SSRRNG—.

He knew he couldn’t touch her, but still, for a moment, it looked like Seongheon’s hand was truly stroking Yuyeon’s hair.

[I gained more from this child than what I gave up for her. I never even thought of it as giving something up. Now, I even think it was something I had to do. Even so, if there’s one regret that remains—]

The hand over Yuyeon’s head slowly pulled away.

[It’s that I locked this child away with my greed. That is my only regret.]

[.......]

At Seongheon’s words, Yoo Cheongil’s expression vanished.

His blue eyes still shone, but his face went blank enough that I had to pause without meaning to.

[You’ve changed.]

[That’s right.]

[What ruined you like this?]

[I don’t know. Maybe, like you said, I’m senile.]

[Don’t joke like that. Seongheon. I still remember what you said before we parted.]

[.......]

Seongheon closed his mouth at that.

[You said you only did what you had to do. You said there shouldn’t be regret.]

[.......]

[So I’ll ask again.]

Yoo Cheongil’s eyes slowly drank in more light.

[Do you regret it?]

[.......]

Seongheon couldn’t answer.

Was that answer enough?

Yoo Cheongil looked away from Seongheon.

God.......

This suffocating atmosphere. I didn’t know what was going on, but it was obviously something serious.

......What are you two even doing.

What were these old men doing with me standing right here?

It wasn’t like they were clashing qi.

It felt more like Yoo Cheongil was beating Seongheon one-sidedly.

I didn’t know the details.

But I didn’t have the luxury of caring, either.

“......Are you okay?”

Yuyeon was beside Seongheon’s fallen body.

I had to care about her first.

“.......”

Yuyeon didn’t react. It felt like she heard me, but there was no answer.

I knew she couldn’t answer with words, but then she should at least answer with an expression.

Instead, she just stared at me.

“.......”

“......Um.......”

Silence drifted between us, and then she looked back at Seongheon again.

The same eyes. The same air.

Was she breathing or not?

Without blinking even once, she only stared at Seongheon.

Was she telling me not to touch? Was she saying she wanted to be alone?

If so, I only had one choice.

“......If you’re okay, that’s enough. I saw the Sect Master, so I’ll go.”

I left the words behind and was about to turn.

I figured—looking at her—there wasn’t anything seriously wrong.

But then—

Press.

“Hm?”

Just as I moved, my body stopped.

Not by my will.

Yuyeon suddenly grabbed my collar.

Her face still turned toward Seongheon.

“......Why are you—”

I tried to ask, but—

“.......”

Without a word, Yuyeon kept holding my collar.

“.......”

Only then could I see it.

She’s shaking.

The hand clutching my collar was trembling.

I stared at her. It wasn’t just her hand.

......Her qi is shaking, too.

Even her qi was trembling, faint but clear. And the calm breathing I thought I saw—

had been an illusion.

Yuyeon’s breathing was slower than anyone’s. So slow it looked like she was holding it.

I’d mistaken it for steady breathing because it never seemed to change.

But that wasn’t it.

Yuyeon had simply been holding her breath for a long time.

“.......”

Only after seeing that did I look away.

I turned the body that had been rising and sat down beside her.

Even then, Yuyeon didn’t let go of my collar.

Time passed like that for a while.

What do I do.

An awkward atmosphere went back and forth. There wasn’t anything I could say.

I’d always been weak at things like this.

What am I supposed to say?

What should I say?

I’d lived closer to death than anyone, but I was farther than anyone from the hearts of those left behind.

I couldn’t offer comfort that meant anything.

I couldn’t even fake empathy.

That was just how my temperament was built.

So what was I supposed to do in a moment like this?

What do you mean, what do you do.

Chief Baek’s words brushed past me.

Just stay quiet. Don’t screw around and don’t open your mouth. The moment you open your mouth, it’s a disaster. Instead of spewing bullshit that you’re calling comfort, shut up and stay beside them.

It was harsh, but I agreed with it.

More than once, I’d opened my mouth to “comfort” someone—

and only shoved them deeper into despair.

“.......”

So I stayed still.

The uncomfortable silence dragged, slow as molasses.

Then—

SWISH.

“.......”

Yuyeon moved. The hand holding my collar slid down and changed to my wrist.

The trembling in her fingertips was unmistakable.

Only then did I speak to her.

“Hey.”

“.......”

No answer. But it wasn’t the same as before.

Maybe she thought I was pointing it out because she grabbed my wrist—Yuyeon tried to pull her hand away.

Clench.

I grabbed the hand that was pulling back.

Yuyeon’s shoulders jolted hard.

[That bastard......?]

Seongheon’s voice sounded strangely chilling, but I ignored it.

A second ago he looked gentle and weak—why was ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) he speaking in a voice that scary?

I felt it, sure, but right now I had something to say to Yuyeon first.

“I’ve got something I need to do.”

It was me sticking my nose in.

Something I didn’t need to say. Something I’d be better off doing alone.

But for some reason, I felt like I had to say it.

“The one who did this to the Sect Master—I’m going to catch him.”

“.......”

And then—

SSSSSHHH—!!!

That distant qi I’d seen before surged out of Yuyeon’s body.

[......No!]

[KID.]

Seongheon startled, and Yoo Cheongil called to me.

Their urgency grated on me, but I ignored it. Watching that qi creep upward, I said:

“Want to come with me?”

[Wait....... What are you—]

Seongheon spoke at me. I let it go in one ear and out the other.

I didn’t have the space to listen to ghosts right now.

“.......”

Yuyeon stared at me again after hearing me. With the qi growing stronger behind her, I waited for her answer.

Honestly, I didn’t need to wait.

I already knew what Yuyeon’s answer would be.

“.......”

And sure enough, Yuyeon nodded.

“Yeah? All right. Then let’s go together. But.”

I turned my eyes.

Toward the killing intent that was getting stronger by the second.

With my eyes slightly hardened, I added:

“If you’re coming with me, suppress your qi. I’m not taking you while you’re carrying that useless baggage.”

“.......”

No response.

So I narrowed my eyes and said it again.

“Suppress it.”

I couldn’t stop the irritation from leaking into my voice.

The instant the words landed on Yuyeon—

Stop.

The qi that had been leaking out halted.

Instantly. Like it had never been there.

[Huh?]

[What?]

The old men’s eyes widened.