Chapter 68

Chapter 68
Standing before the blooming garden, Yeom Hwa-sin kept both hands resting quietly behind his back.

From the rear, his frame resembled a towering rampart of stone that would never yield, no matter how relentlessly it was struck.

Could it be that he had genuinely mastered the Diamond Indestructible Body?

Baek So-cheon had pushed his physical form through brutal, unrelenting discipline, yet he had never managed to establish an affinity with the Diamond Indestructible Body.

He considered that it might simply come down to one’s internal purpose. In truth, reaching the apex of external disciplines had never been his genuine pursuit; refining his flesh had merely served as a stepping stone toward recovering his lost inner energy.

What kind of unyielding conviction had driven the man before him to master it?

Could such an attainment be the byproduct of a singular, ravenous obsession to swallow the entire martial world whole?

“I generally despise interfering in another family’s domestic affairs, but there is one thing that needs saying. Are you not acting entirely too self-absorbed?”

It was an open criticism regarding the neglectful way he treated his son’s development, and Yeom Hwa-sin grasped the meaning without hesitation.

“Had fate made you my offspring, I certainly wouldn’t have brought him up in such a manner.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“It means that boy was born lacking from his very first breath. If an incompetent half-wit hopes to endure in a place as ruthless as this, the bare minimum he requires is a vile, vicious disposition.”

Baek So-cheon could easily read the logic underlying the remark. If one raised a child to be yielding and soft like pure water, that gentle current would inevitably be contaminated with venom inside the Black Heaven Alliance.

“If that earlier incident still has you harboring resentment, cast it aside. Did you genuinely believe I intended to butcher you on the spot? That is simply not my style.”

“Wasn’t it your clear intention to end my life back then?”

“Over applying the Soul Subjugation Art to my flesh and blood?”

“Was that not the reason?”

“Do I truly appear to you as someone who squanders his thoughts fretting over external lives like that?”

He spoke of his own boy as if referring to a mere stranger. More chilling still was the fact that he meant every single syllable.

“I have never believed that an individual shackled by kinship could ever shoulder the monumental endeavor of uniting the Central Plains. When viewed from that angle, it is an ambition far better suited to someone like you.”

“I possessed no desire for such things from the very start.”

“Then pray tell, where does your passion actually lie? Setting aside that tedious righteousness and loyalty you cling to so stubbornly, what is it that you truly value?”

Had that question been thrown at him several months ago, he would have remained entirely speechless. Naturally, he harbored no desire to unveil his inner thoughts to this man even now. Yet within his soul, a quiet answer formed.

*At long last, I have begun to see my own existence and the companions who walk beside me.*

The determination to take back his stolen destiny had firmly taken root within him.

Once he survived the impending storm of this conflict, he fully intended to spend his remaining days chasing his personal peace and joy.

Voicing such vulnerabilities aloud, however, would merely hand the monster a handle to manipulate him with. It remained far safer for Yeom Hwa-sin to view him as nothing more than a stubborn, simple-minded fool of the orthodox paths who was hopelessly blinded by duty.

Then, quite out of nowhere, Yeom Hwa-sin spoke up again.

“And yet, every now and then, that absurd loyalty of yours actually stirs a sense of envy within me. Out of everything you possess, that is the singular virtue that even I, the lord of an entire alliance, find myself coveting.”

“You already have hordes of followers beneath you swearing their fealty. Stop acting so pathetic.”

“Hahaha.”

Yeom Hwa-sin let out a booming laugh. Baek So-cheon could not discern whether the sound sprang from authentic amusement or was tinged with an undercurrent of self-mocking sorrow.

“For what purpose did you call me here?”

“You must remain in this place.”

“Give me a reason.”

“Consider it the fee required to grant safe passage to those two women.”

“That is hardly an acceptable explanation. You claimed yourself that you are not petty enough to act on such impulses.”

“If I am forced to state a cause… I must be certain that my son remains breathing and unharmed throughout the next five days.”

Having delivered his verdict, Yeom Hwa-sin turned away and walked off, treating any further dialogue as entirely unnecessary.

Roughly half a shichen later, a carriage stood ready in the courtyard to carry the travelers back toward the Murim Alliance.

“Why did you wait until this very second to let me know?”

“Had I mentioned it earlier, you would have spent the entire time attempting to prevent it. There was no need to burden your mind with needless panic.”

“Even taking that into account, handling things this way is entirely wrong.”

“Do not let it trouble you. Simply depart.”

“How on earth could I leave without worrying?”

Just then, Yeom Hwa-sin strode over, his presence imposing.

“The glare you are directing toward me seems to grow more venomous with every passing breath.”

“That is not true.”

Cheon-geuk promptly lowered her head, averting her gaze. Without realizing it herself, the intense emotion swelling in her chest had surfaced clearly in her eyes as she stared at him.

Yeom Hwa-sin drove his point home with a cold, piercing ultimatum.

“Should any misfortune befall my boy, Baek So-cheon forfeits his life.”

The ruler of the underworld had clearly seen through the tender sentiment Cheon-geuk harbored for Baek So-cheon.

Stepping forward, Na-sa-rin took it upon herself to answer.

“Rest easy. Nothing untoward shall happen to your son.”

“Then you may rest assured that Baek So-cheon shall return with his life intact.”

Baek So-cheon addressed Yeom Hwa-sin directly.

“Grant me a brief moment to confer with Alliance Lord Cheon.”

“Go ahead.”

Baek So-cheon walked alongside Cheon-geuk, putting a comfortable distance between themselves and the transport.

“I shall be perfectly fine. Accompany the elder and make your way back without fretting over me.”

“Are you truly certain? Am I not going to spend every waking moment regretting that I walked away from you right now?”

“Trust me, you need not worry.”

“I will prepare some wonderful tea and wait patiently for your return. Until we meet again.”

As she pivoted to head toward the carriage, she leaned in close and whispered something softly against his ear.

With that final farewell, he watched the carriage depart, carrying both women safely into the distance.

Once the vehicle had vanished completely from sight, Yeom Hwa-sin spoke up beside him.

“There is a particular destination you and I must visit together.”

Evidently, detaining him here had never been about monitoring his son’s safety at all.

As if prearranged to perfection, another carriage rolled up and halted beside them.

“Step inside.”

Baek So-cheon followed the man into the interior compartment, and the horses surged forward without losing a second.

The carriage rattled violently as it traversed rugged, uneven roads, yet the driver never once pulled back on the reins. The servant’s reckless handling mirrored the unyielding temperament of his master flawlessly.

After enduring the rough transit in silence for quite some time, Yeom Hwa-sin finally broke the quiet.

“Do you happen to realize why I hold a liking toward you?”

Baek So-cheon shifted his head to face him directly.

“Because you do not squander your breath babbling meaningless inquiries. You never pester me asking where we are traveling or why we are going there, like some whining toddler.”

“Where exactly are we traveling?”

“And on top of that, you display such delightful defiance. It is genuinely endearing. It is moments precisely like these that make me wish you had been born of my own blood.”

“Then you should refrain from spouting nonsense about casting aside familial bonds.”

“Hahaha.”

“Since we have ventured onto this subject, allow me to raise a query of my own.”

“Speak.”

“I have caught word that the dreadful curse embedded inside our bodies originated from Jeok Pa-rap, the former master of the Blood Cult Lord.”

Yeom Hwa-sin merely inclined his chin in confirmation. The information was already known to him.

“Is Jeok Pa-rap truly still walking among the living?”

“He breathes still.”

“Rumors claim he has lived past a hundred winters.”

“The Blood Cult may possess fewer martial artists compared to our ranks, but their sect crawls with inhuman aberrations. Even if some ancient relic claiming two centuries of life stepped forward from their shadows, it would hardly come as a shock.”

Jeok Pa-rap was genuinely among the living? As the mentor who had shaped Myeon Seung, the vicious techniques at his command were not matters to be taken lightly. If that monster still walked the earth, they were undeniably dealing with an immensely formidable veteran.

It also explained why the records compiled by the Hyun-cheon Pavilion on the Murim Ranking List could never be considered absolute truth. The name of Jeok Pa-rap had never once graced those prestigious scrolls.

“Are you genuinely determined to unleash this war?”

“I am.”

“When will it begin?”

“With the arrival of next spring.”

If those words held true, there remained barely five months to prepare. Considering Yeom Hwa-sin’s unbending personality, this timetable was essentially carved into stone.

“As you are well aware, the Blood Cult has nursed an unending thirst to devour the Central Plains. The malicious curse they planted within our bodies stands as undeniable proof of their ambitions. Do you truly believe you can afford to bleed your own strength dry locked in battle against us? What will you do if they plunge a blade into your exposed back?”

“The skull resting on my shoulders is made of sturdy material. A simple strike to my rear will hardly suffice to claim my life.”

“You do know that their supreme leader has achieved the pinnacle of great mastery in the Blood Heaven Qi?”

“I am well aware.”

Was it genuine assurance, or mere blustering pride? Whichever it was, the man showed not the slightest hint of hesitation or dread at this moment.

Had he truly attained an unyielding, indestructible state of existence?

Even the offhand remark regarding the durability of his skull felt heavily layered with unspoken meaning.

Before long, the carriage slowed to a stop at a destination located not far from the primary stronghold of the Black Heaven Alliance.

Stepping out onto the dirt, Baek So-cheon noticed a modest thatched cottage resting in the distance. The dwelling sat quietly in the middle of wide rice paddies, yet Baek So-cheon’s instincts immediately detected the presence of several formidable martial artists lurking in concealment nearby.

“Within that humble hut resides a solitary woman. An orthodox practitioner, just like yourself.”

Baek So-cheon felt a wave of astonishment wash over him—not due to the existence of the woman, but because of the tone coming from Yeom Hwa-sin. It carried a strange, awkward hesitation, an uncharacteristic shyness that completely clashed with his typical domineering demeanor.

What followed was an even more mind-boggling admission.

“She is the maiden who has completely ensnared my heart.”

Baek So-cheon stood entirely dumbfounded. For the supreme ruler of a demonic alliance, taking multiple concubines beyond his lawful wife was hardly a scandalous matter. But having the man openly confess such a tender sentiment directly to him was utterly surreal.

It was clear that Yeom Hwa-sin had fallen desperately in love with her—a man who had never in his lifetime surrendered his emotions to any female. To someone of his standing, women had merely served as temporary instruments of carnal pleasure and political utility.

And yet… he had surrendered his heart unconditionally to this singular maiden.

He was a monarch who possessed the terrifying power to claim any maiden he desired by sheer force, yet he had stayed his hand with her. Naturally, there existed a reason behind such restraint.

“Surely you didn’t drag me out here merely over a situation like this?”

“Do you think I hauled you all this distance merely to crush some insignificant insect? A helpless creature completely restrained beneath the power of the Dark Spirit Control Technique?”

“You have… truly lost your mind.”

“Hahahaha.”

Yeom Hwa-sin let loose a booming, unrestrained fit of laughter. He seemed to thoroughly savor the sheer disbelief etched onto Baek So-cheon’s face. In this world, no other living soul possessed the audacity to address him with such blunt disrespect. The moment he no longer found that brazenness entertaining would likely mark the very second he resolved to end Baek So-cheon’s life.

Even so, the depth of emotion Yeom Hwa-sin felt toward the maiden was undeniably real.

“I attempted everything to purge her from my thoughts, yet nothing prevailed. Now, the sole course of action left to me is to sever her breath forever.”

“Do you still harbor lingering attachments?”

“Throughout the entirety of my existence, not a single woman has ever dared to defy me.”

Who among those women had ever yielded to him out of genuine affection?

Baek So-cheon swallowed the retort before it could pass his lips. When a man’s pride was tangled up in matters of the heart, a single misplaced spark could ignite an uncontrollable inferno. Perhaps that stubborn refusal was the very reason she drew breath today. Had she submitted to him meekly, he would likely have discarded her like trash just as swiftly.

“Why bring me here to this place?”

“I want you to discover the reason she harbors such deep loathing for me.”

The truth was that Yeom Hwa-sin understood the reason far better than anyone else; this was simply a desperate plea disguised as an errand, hoping somehow to sway her locked heart.

“You are a family patriarch with a wife and heirs, yet you come seeking romance counsel from an unwed man like me?”

“You possess a natural charm that draws women to you, do you not? You comprehend their subtle moods far better than I.”

“Do you honestly believe she will confess to a complete stranger what she refused to utter before you?”

“She belongs to the righteous path above all else. I am simply placing my hopes on the fact that you share her background. Perhaps… who knows what might happen.”

“Who knows? Just like how I never anticipated you plunging a sword directly into my heart three years ago?”

“And what happens if I refuse this request?”

“Then I shall strike you down where you stand. Enduring a blood curse carries no humiliation for me, but humbling myself to make this pathetic request certainly does. Furthermore, I will order my men to hunt down and slaughter those two women who departed earlier.”

“The fact that you are dragging them into this proves how desperately you desire this outcome.”

“Which is precisely why I am tasking you with it. Your mind grasps the core of a matter swiftly.”

“Do you truly lack anyone among your own followers capable of handling this?”

“Try reigning as the Black Heaven Lord for a single day, and you will comprehend it all too well. You will see what kind of depraved filth surrounds my throne.”

In truth, beneath his command were men who were profoundly loyal, remarkably cunning, composed, and intimately knowledgeable regarding the female mind.

Yet every last one of them was an unrepentant monster. They were merciless, bloodstained demons who had carved their paths through butchery to stand at his side.

“I refuse to send those vile bastards near her. I refuse to let a single word of this matter touch their ears. I will not even permit their filth to enter her sight.”

“Yet you find me acceptable?”

“Indeed.”

It was an extraordinarily raw and vulnerable appeal coming from the mouth of Yeom Hwa-sin, but Baek So-cheon could comprehend the sentiment behind it. In this fleeting moment, the tyrant had stripped away his schemes and grand conspiracies, standing merely as a flawed mortal man.

Was he attempting to validate that he still possessed the tender emotions of a living human being?

Or perhaps he was trying to demonstrate that even a creature like him sheltered an untouched, sincere heart beneath his monstrous exterior.

Much like the tender emotions Baek So-cheon shared with Cheon-geuk.

He sought validation.

Yeom Hwa-sin was desperately yearning for someone to recognize that his passionate affection was entirely pure.

“Seeing as you have already backed me into a corner with threats of death, would you object if I put forth a condition of my own?”

“Do not bother asking to halt the war. I will not postpone its arrival by a single day either.”

“I am not asking for that.”

“Then what is it you want?”

“Bestow upon me one of your treasured martial scrolls.”

“Which one?”

“The Wind God Movement Technique.”

Yeom Hwa-sin’s gaze tightened instantly with sharp suspicion, the fleeting warmth of pure affection vanishing as though it had never existed.

“You have no use for such a craft.”

“Neither do you, isn’t that so? I am well aware that its foundational principles directly clash with the martial techniques you cultivate.”

“How could you possibly know of such a detail?”

“How? We traded blows and locked horns for years on end—do you realize just how extensive that war was? By the time our bloody campaign reached its conclusion, I could have accurately guessed what delicacies you took for your morning meal.”

“Stop playing games and answer me plainly! Why in the world are you pursuing martial manuals when your cultivation is gone?”

Yeom Hwa-sin lunged forward, gripping Baek So-cheon’s wrist in a punishing hold, aggressively channeling a surge of internal energy into his pathways to scrutinize his dantian. The diagnostic sweep confirmed that the energy center remained utterly shattered; not a solitary trace of internal power lingered within the channels of his flesh.

“It is for her sake.”

“Her? Ah, you speak of that assassin woman.”

“You consistently toss around threats to take her life. If she can master the Wind God Movement Technique, she will at least possess the means to flee to safety.”

Baek So-cheon utilized Cheon-geuk as a shield for his intentions. Given the circumstances, it provided the most convincing explanation imaginable.

Yeom Hwa-sin erupted into a loud, scoffing chuckle.

“Unless that woman manages to advance through the technique to the eighth realm or beyond, do you truly believe she could ever outrun my grasp?”

Up to the seventh realm of mastery, escape from his wrath remained impossible. Yet conversely, reaching the eighth meant one could truly slip past his reach. It was undeniably the pinnacle of all movement arts under heaven.

“Slipping past you directly would indeed be an impossible feat. But a sovereign like you carries far too many burdens, does he not? You are hardly the type of lord to wander the four corners of the earth merely hunting down an ordinary assassin.”

“Are you asking me to guarantee that my subordinates will not lay their hands upon her?”

“She has taken a liking to this empty shell of a man who possesses not a scrap of martial energy. The least I can offer in return is to secure her safety.”

Baek So-cheon shifted his eyes toward the solitary thatched cottage standing against the fields.

“Surely you can empathize with the feelings that occupy my heart these days.”

In a sense, this bizarre dilemma presented the ultimate opening.

Yeom Hwa-sin did not dwell long in his hesitation.

“Very well. You have my word.”

At this precise juncture in time, that solitary maiden—and the uncharacteristic yearning he harbored within his breast—held far greater weight in his mind than the most coveted manual of lightness arts under heaven.

Baek So-cheon turned on his heel and began making his way along the path toward the small thatched house.

From behind his back, Yeom Hwa-sin’s deep voice echoed across the open air.

“I shall remain standing right here until you return.”