Ssshhh—

Leaves scattered on the wind. Still green, still full of life for the season.

A soft breeze tangled the leaves and brushed my cheek.

The sensation then was ice-cold.

Because the weather was cold? No way. It wasn’t cold at all right now.

Give it a little and the heat would roll in—there was no way it was cold.

What felt cold now wasn’t skin or flesh. It was my soul that felt the chill.

A coldness.

One that came from the soul.

Feeling the cool tightening over my whole body, I hardened my face.

One wrong move and I’d give myself away.

I had to hold it in somehow.

‘What is this?’

I thought at the same time.

‘How did he figure it out?’

The Poison Sovereign stared at me from ahead with a chilling gaze.

If I hadn’t misheard, he had definitely spoken to me.

‘That he knows I can see?’

How did he know?

I hadn’t shown anything—had I?

I controlled my face with everything I had.

I didn’t even swallow dry, and I did my best to keep the corners of my eyes from twitching.

‘No way.’

Don’t shake.

‘I didn’t slip.’

I didn’t slip. Since coming to Sichuan and meeting the Poison Sovereign’s soul, I ran through my steps fast.

‘Nothing.’

Even thinking it over again, there was no slip.

Meaning I hadn’t done anything that would tip him off that I could see ghosts.

Then—

‘Is he testing me?’

Is he trying to probe me? Likely, but that was its own problem.

‘Why probe?’

Where did he find something odd? If I didn’t slip, it means he shouldn’t have found it odd in the first place.

The very fact the Poison Sovereign had noticed something and was trying to test me was the problem.

Because it meant I’d let even the slightest tell slip.

‘Where in the world...?’

I hadn’t faced the Poison Sovereign that many times.

First time was in the Poison King’s office.

After that, at most three.

Three, including where Tang Yeran had been.

Within those, what did I do that would make the Poison Sovereign suspicious?

No matter how I thought, there was nothing.

So if he’s probing me, what the hell is that about?

“Sss—”

I pushed down the flood of questions and took my steps again.

Don’t show it.

Whether it’s a probe or some baseless certainty.

In the end, I had only one move I could take.

‘Play dumb.’

Even if I know, I play dumb. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

There was nothing else but to feign ignorance.

Just walk past. I put my toes down with that intent when—

“Trying to play dumb, are you?”

The Poison Sovereign smiled faintly at me.

“Fitting that you’re that idiot’s heir—you’re good at hiding.”

My ears pricked at the mention of Yoo Cheongil.

“But, boy.”

Slick.

‘...!’

The Poison Sovereign appeared right before my nose. If I hadn’t been focused, I would’ve jumped out of my skin.

“I don’t have the leisure right now to humor your situation.”

With his words, the cold I felt surged harder.

My fingertips felt like they would tremble on their own.

Endure. I forced it down.

‘What kind of aura is this?’

The sensation creeping into the body was absurd enough to make me lose words.

That old man Yoo Cheongil, and this old man Poison Sovereign.

For dead ghosts to exert this much aftershock—

How in the world did they live in life to end up like this? It was astounding.

‘Damn it.’

I cursed over and over inside.

“Answer me. You can see.”

“......”

I ignored him again. I didn’t stop walking either.

I had to escape somehow.

‘One ghost clinging to me is already too much. I can’t add another here.’

My head was packed with the thought of running right now, and on top of that, the Poison Sovereign?

Not a chance.

‘If that happens, my life’s truly ruined.’

That was a line I could never yield. So, the moment I tried to walk again—

“Looks like you don’t intend to answer. Fine.”

The Poison Sovereign spoke and reached a hand toward me.

The fingertips were blackened, charred. The particular pitch-black was nothing if not ominous.

‘He won’t touch me.’

Even knowing he could never touch me—

‘...He won’t, right?’

A wave of unease swept me.

The tips of his fingers came all the way to my eyes.

Should I dodge? I was still hesitating to the last of the last when—

[Leave it.]

Clack—!

A big hand shot out and seized the Poison Sovereign’s skinny wrist.

[I went to the trouble of marking him, and you’re going to cut in line?]

[...Ha.]

The Poison Sovereign grimaced as he looked at the owner of the voice.

Ssshhhh—

The cold, already strong, roared higher.

Gooseflesh rippled under the clothes against my skin.

“So, you were here after all.”

The Poison Sovereign bit his lip like he’d expected it.

And the other ghost who saw that—

[Yoo Cheongil] bared a savage grin at the Poison Sovereign.

[Long time, Tang Gyeon.]

At once—

Kaaaaaaa—!!!

The cold hit its limit like it was screaming.

“Kh—...”

I spat a groan and clenched my fist.

[You already died and crossed over. What scheme keeps you crawling around this world?]

When the Poison Sovereign growled, [Yoo Cheongil] snorted a laugh and answered.

[Look who’s talking. Look at yourself. Crawling around loaded with regrets—don’t you feel too ashamed to hold your head up? Learn what shame is.]

[...You little—?]

The Poison Sovereign glared at [Yoo Cheongil]. At that posture, [Yoo Cheongil] wrinkled his face like he wouldn’t back down either.

‘Wow.’

Watching it, I couldn’t help letting out a low admiration.

The old men looked downright murderous.

The Poison Sovereign was sly-scary.

[Yoo Cheongil] was just absurdly scary.

[Why? Mad? Want me to fold you up clean for the first time in a while?]

[You never fix that ignorant mouth no matter how many years you pile on. It was because you were like that that the Martial Alliance got dragged through the mud.]

[Dragged my ass. Jin did all that on his own—why would I get blamed? Do you know how much money came in as sponsorships while I was Alliance Leader?]

[Don’t care.]

[Oh? You son of a—]

“......”

The most low-class banter flew between them. Were those really the words of heroes who’d saved the world?

A knot of something I couldn’t name skimmed my head.

[Anyway.]

Midway through the squabble, [Yoo Cheongil] turned and put a broad back before me.

[I’ve already claimed this kid. Get lost, Tang Gyeon.]

The low voice carried a chilling resonance.

[If it’s you, you know.]

Something seethed. The moment I heard [Yoo Cheongil]’s voice, the words spilled up from inside.

Be tense. What’s in front of you isn’t a normal existence.

[Tang Gyeon, the thing I hate most in this world is anyone laying a finger on what’s mine.]

A chill.

Just from one sentence, my back drenched.

Sweat ran uncontrollably.

Tok, tok.

[Yoo Cheongil]’s hand tapped my crown. Of course, I couldn’t feel it.

[...You.]

The Poison Sovereign’s brow wrinkled like never before watching that.

Then—

[Don’t tell me.]

As if he’d caught something, his eyes widened.

[I see. So that’s it.]

[What is?]

[I was wondering why you were hanging around this world—]

The Poison Sovereign spoke like it had finally dawned on him.

[No wonder you looked alike. Is that boy your hidden bastard or—!]

“Are you insane—how could a face this fine come out of that old man—”

Ah.

I shut my mouth right after the words left.

It was such a godawful line I reacted before I knew it.

[...]

[...]

Both ghosts’ gazes stuck to me.

Feeling those gazes, I scratched the back of my head sheepishly.

“...Whoops... I, uh, slipped there...?”

I tried to smooth it over with words.

Of course, there was no way that would fly.

****

I returned to my quarters.

Coming back, I could already feel the sun was going down.

First thing I did on arrival was light a lamp.

In the slightly brightened room, I sat on the edge to hide the shadow over my face.

And before me—

[...You witless bastard.]

[Yoo Cheongil] stared at me like I was pathetic, and beside him the Poison Sovereign sat giving me a strange look.

“Ahem...”

I coughed awkwardly, but that didn’t cut off [Yoo Cheongil]’s scolding.

[You held out so well, and you ruined it all because you couldn’t bear that one thing?]

“...No, I couldn’t help it.”

[Couldn’t help it? How is that something you couldn’t help?]

He talked like he absolutely couldn’t understand.

“Come on, you know why.”

I could only feel wronged.

“How does a kid like me come out of your face? That at least needed correcting.”

In a house with nothing, the one thing we could have was a face.

Taking after a father who lived by his looks, I was born good-looking—and then to be told I resembled that fiercely carved old man? How could I stand that?

I couldn’t.

[...Are you deranged?]

At my sincerity, [Yoo Cheongil] recoiled in disgust.

[For that? And what about me, anyway.]

“What about you? You really don’t know...?”

[Of course I don’t! With this I’m handsome enough with a generous face! Do you know how many women I charmed by face alone when I was young?]

“Did you bury your conscience with you when you died? Otherwise this makes no sense.”

[You little—?]

A cross-shaped vein rose on [Yoo Cheongil]’s brow.

He was about to snarl and kick off another shouting match when—

[...How about you stop there?]

The Poison Sovereign slid in.

[That’s not the issue right now, is it...?]

So a dead ghost can make that tired a face.

Looking at the Poison Sovereign, I felt like I’d learned one more thing.

[So, whatever the case... boy. You are saying you can see me.]

The Poison Sovereign looked at me and asked. I nodded with a sour face.

“...Yes.”

“As I thought.”

He reacted like he’d already known. Seeing that, this time I asked.

“...How did you know?”

How did he possibly know?

By my reckoning, there was no way to get caught.

It was weird how he’d come at me almost certain, so since I was caught anyway, I decided to ask outright.

Then—

“I can see it.”

He gave an unexpected answer.

“You can see it?”

What did that mean? That he could see I could see ghosts?

“Boy. I mean I can see that you are looking at me.”

“...What does that mean?”

I asked for more detail.

Thankfully, the Poison Sovereign explained.

Only—

“Refusing to look at me on purpose, hiding that you can see, forcing yourself to turn away from other things—those tiny, tiny differences carry a trace I can feel.”

Even after hearing it, I needed time for it to settle.

‘So...’

Which meant—

‘He realized it because I tried not to look?’

The dissonance born of deliberate behavior.

The Poison Sovereign had read that.

“...Is that even possible?”

How does that work? It sounded insane, so I asked back.

“It is.”

The answer didn’t come from him but from [Yoo Cheongil].

[Even the slightest difference is still a change, and you don’t have the control to manage all those behaviors. From the viewpoint of a martial artist who’s reached a certain realm, there are parts you can’t help but feel.]

“...So if a spirit is a master, he can tell I can see ghosts.”

[Hmm...]

[Yoo Cheongil] looked at me a moment and added,

[Well... to catch differences on this level—there probably aren’t many in the Central Plains right now...]

“Fewer than ten, at best.”

The Poison Sovereign nodded like he agreed.

[Would the Plum Blossom guy see it?]

[He would, but he’s going to die soon anyway.]

[True. His thread’s about run out. Why’s his lifespan so needlessly long?]

[I thought he’d be the first to croak, but the bastard hung on a while.]

“...”

If they were saying “Plum Blossom guy,” then—

‘Plum-Blossom Single-Sword...?’

The current Mount Hua Sect Leader, one of the Ten Great Sects, and unlike these two, a living “beyond-the-heavens.”

If that was true—

‘It takes a ridiculous level to notice.’

They’d just said fewer than ten, so if that was a relief, it was a relief.

‘...Put another way.’

There could still be ghosts who could notice.

“Sss.”

Even if the odds were low, the possibility existed, so I needed a method.

I started grinding my head on what to do when—

“Boy.”

The Poison Sovereign’s voice came.

“I have a favor to ask of someone who can see me.”

As expected.

‘...Knew it.’

The reason a ghost spoke to me was obvious: to use me to resolve their lingering regrets.

The Poison Sovereign would be no different. So—should I accept it?

‘No.’

I shook my head inside.

Right now, even one [Yoo Cheongil] was overwhelming.

I couldn’t take on anything more. Whatever the favor was, I had to refuse.

With that in mind, I opened my mouth to the Poison Sovereign—

“I’m sorry, but given my circumstances I can’t—”

“There’s something I want you to secretly bring from my secret archive. If you bring just that, I’ll give you Shaolin’s Supreme Great Rejuvenation Pill.”

“—do it, but... fine, let’s at least hear you out...?”

As ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) always—

Desire beats reason.

...Goddamn it.