Book 8 Chapter 3

A Duel

"Get out of the way!"

Wei Wushang said.

"I'll go out myself."

Finally, Wei Wushang conceded that the situation was beyond what his subordinates could handle.

It was his role to clean up the mistakes of his subordinates. He could no longer stand by and watch the reputation of the Iron Hoof Demon Cavalry plummet.

"Are you alright?"

The one who worried about his safety instead of the Iron Hoof Demon Cavalry was none other than Bilu Yeon. Wei Wushang felt deeply insulted, but since he was about to fight, he dared not act rashly. Whether he liked it or not, although he absolutely did not want to admit it, he had to acknowledge this person's skill. He couldn't tolerate that.

He carefully gripped his steel spear. A fierce fighting spirit burned in his eyes. As expected of a unit commander, his aura alone showed a significant difference in skill compared to his subordinates.

"Is this finally the uncle's appearance?"

Bilu Yeon smiled. Wei Wushang said.

"This is the only moment you'll be able to wag that arrogant tongue of yours. I will pierce straight through your throat. So that you never wag that blasphemous mouth again…"

"…Gulp!"

Although he took care to sound fierce and intimidating on the outside, dry saliva went down his throat. At this moment, caution, rather than the killing intent that enveloped his entire body, dominated him. This was proof that Bilu Yeon's presence had made Wei Wushang so tense that his hasty nature felt wary and suppressed his true instincts.

Now, even he himself could not predict the outcome of this fight. He couldn't be sure if he could handle the martial prowess that the other person had shown just a moment ago.

Just then.

"I'll take this fight!"

Bilu Yeon knew very well whose voice that rough and unrefined tone, devoid of any subtlety, belonged to. Bilu Yeon turned his head and greeted Yeomdo, who was approaching behind him, with pleasure. Yeomdo was walking with the crimson flame, a memento, slung over his shoulder.

"Wow! What brings you here? Weren't you just planning to watch pretend you didn't see anything?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Of course, I came to help!"

Yeomdo felt a twinge of guilt inside, but he said with a serious expression. Gucheonhak's eyes, recognizing his identity, gleamed. He felt that today might bring more losses than gains. However, it was already too late to retreat, as the damage to the Iron Hoof Demon Cavalry was too severe.

"Who are you?"

Wei Wushang made the mistake of not recognizing Yeomdo again here.

Compared to Yeomdo, Wei Wushang's martial arts ranking was, to put it mildly, close to the bottom. This was because the Iron Hoof Demon Cavalry, excluding their commander, was strong as a group, not as individuals.

"Who are you?"

Yeomdo's eyebrows immediately shot up to the sky.

"Who are you, then?"

"You… you rascal!!!"

Wei Wushang gasped for breath. He clearly neglected to memorize the Jianghu Personage Record.

"Endure it! He is Yeomdo (焰刀)."

It was Gucheonhak who stopped Wei Wushang, who was in a charging posture as if he would attack at any moment.

"Don't tell me that person is the famous 'burning mongrel'?"

"Hahahaha!"

Bilu Yeon burst into laughter. Yeomdo's face turned like a yaksha.

"What did you say?"

Sparks flew from his eyes. It seemed that many arrogant fellows had appeared during his quiet time at the academy.

Gucheonhak nodded.

"Crimson beard, crimson hair, crimson eyebrows! Who else in the Jianghu has such distinctive physical characteristics that are entirely red, besides Yeomdo?"

Even to Wei Wushang, he undeniably had a striking, vibrant appearance. However, his identity did not break his fighting spirit. Gucheonhak could sense this from the aura emanating from Wei Wushang's entire body.

"Do you want to try?"

Honestly, Yeomdo was too overwhelming a presence for Wei Wushang. Gucheonhak's true feelings were to avoid a direct confrontation as much as possible. He did not want to rashly send a trusted subordinate to his death. However, Wei Wushang showed no signs of backing down.

"Please leave it to me!"

This was his firm declaration of will. Gucheonhak was inwardly pleased by Wei Wushang's composure even after hearing Yeomdo's name. He no longer thought of stopping him.

"Even if he is one of the five great sword masters of the righteous sects, the Fire Spirit Flame Heaven Soul-Stealing Blade (火靈焰天奪魂刀)?"

"I am not afraid."

Wei Wushang's gaze was locked on Yeomdo, showing no signs of looking away. Behind Yeomdo, six armored horses were burning with their masters.

"Good! Good!"

Yeomdo smiled inwardly with satisfaction. What he feared in the Iron Hoof Demon Cavalry was their coordinated group attack, not a one-on-one duel. In a one-on-one fight, it didn't matter whether he was riding a horse or not, or whether the horse was armored. He was no longer a novice in the Jianghu, and he was long past the age of being intimidated by the size of a horse.

Clang!

Wei Wushang's spear, thrust for the first time, collided head-on with Yeomdo's saber. Yeomdo directly received Wei Wushang's charge, which was amplified by the horse's momentum.

Screeeech!

Unable to withstand the breakthrough power of the horse and rider united, Yeomdo's body was pushed back by about a zhang. As a result, a deep furrow nearly a zhang long was carved. However, his body did not fall backward.

"Tsk tsk! How brutish…"

Bilu Yeon clicked his tongue upon seeing that.

He had the skill to easily evade or deflect, yet he chose to block it head-on out of sheer stubbornness. A truly Yeomdo-like act. To try and break it by colliding head-on…

"You're quite good!"

Yeomdo said, firmly blocking the opponent's spear with the saber held tightly in both hands. Wei Wushang leaped back with his horse. As the distance between them widened beyond the reach of the spear, Yeomdo intended to catch his breath. This was the moment Wei Wushang was aiming for.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!

Three consecutive thrusts delivered like a gale! The attack came in, ignoring the widened gap. Yeomdo was caught off guard.

Yeomdo's sides were torn, revealing bare flesh. This was the work of two glancing thrusts.

"As expected of the rumored Yeomdo. To block my Three-Stage Gale Strike (三段疾風擊) head-on… However, how do you intend to overcome this distance?"

With this attack, Wei Wushang seemed to have regained some confidence. The spear Wei Wushang held had suddenly doubled in length to a 10-foot (about 3m) long spear. It seemed to be a tactic to gain an advantage in distance.

However, that tactic soon proved meaningless.

"Huh? Huh? Huh?"

In an instant, Wei Wushang was horrified. A stream of intense heat coiled up his spear. It was Yeomdo's Sword Flame Qi (劍焰氣).

"Hmph!"

His palms felt like they were being seared. If he endured any longer, he felt he would drop the spear.

"Ha! Take this!"

Again, the fierce thrust of the Three-Stage Gale Strike erupted through his spear. Three large holes were simultaneously pierced in the previously intact ground. The holes were not wide, but they were nearly half a zhang deep. This meant that Wei Wushang's thrusts possessed incredible penetration power. A spiral pattern resembling a vortex was drawn around the holes, indicating immense rotational force penetrating the earth.

And that meant Yeomdo had just blocked such a thrust head-on. The Monster Evaluation Committee leaned slightly more in Yeomdo's favor. No matter how powerful a blow, it was useless if it didn't land.

"Did you think I'd fall for the same trick twice?"

His voice was heard from above Wei Wushang's head, who was sitting on his horse. At some point, Yeomdo had leaped high above Wei Wushang's head.

Then, Yeomdo landed lightly on the spear Wei Wushang was holding. Although it was a long spear, about 10 feet (about 3m) long, Yeomdo used it as a foothold to maintain a stable posture and balance.

"Clap clap clap!"

Bilu Yeon applauded Yeomdo's stunt without reservation. Yeomdo politely ignored it.

Swish!

Yeomdo quickly and lightly advanced towards Wei Wushang along the spear. Wei Wushang had nowhere left to evade. He didn't have enough time to draw another weapon to defend himself.

He closed his eyes tightly.

'Commander! I'm sorry.'

At that moment, for the first time, Wei Wushang recognized death and accepted it humbly.

Splat!

With a flash of red light, Yeomdo's crimson flame delivered a merciless sword strike to Wei Wushang's neck.

Normally, Wei Wushang's head would have been separated from his body, soared into the air, and then fallen to the ground, rolling about five times.

However, surprisingly, that did not happen. What was even more maddeningly surprising was that Wei Wushang's neck was still attached to his body and functioning properly. Therefore, Yeomdo was truly on the verge of going mad.

"Isn't this cheating?"

Bilu Yeon's gaze turned to where Gucheonhak was standing. One of Gucheonhak's favorite weapons, the Five-Star Black Dragon Spear (五星墨龍槍), which had been stuck behind the galloping horse a moment ago, was missing.

It was now in Gucheonhak's hand. And it was the culprit that had interfered at the critical moment when Yeomdo's sword was about to cut off Wei Wushang's neck.

"I'm sorry! But I couldn't let my precious subordinate die! It's hard to find someone like him again."

"Commander!"

Wei Wushang was so moved that he looked as if he might shed tears. Fortunately, such an unsightly scene did not occur.

'For this person, I will someday surely lay down my life!'

Wei Wushang decided so. It was a romantic thought of a warrior. The life he referred to was the very life that had been about to end in an instant by Yeomdo's sword just a moment ago.

"Hmph! It's ruined!"

Yeomdo grumbled. It felt as if someone had gone to the bathroom and forgotten to wipe.

Bilu Yeon said.

"Even so, cheating is cheating. Cheating always comes with a penalty. What will you pay as the price for cheating?"

Bilu Yeon's gaze remained fixed on Gucheonhak. Gucheonhak met his gaze silently.

"A bet!"

Gucheonhak said.

"A bet… That's a very interesting story. And it's quite appealing to me."

Bilu Yeon showed interest in Gucheonhak's words.

"That's fortunate. If you had refused, there would have been no other choice but total war until one of us was annihilated."

Gucheonhak's words were sincere. Leaving open the possibility of returning without completing the mission meant a great deal to him.

"Then, what kind of bet is it?"

"A duel (一騎勝負)!"

Upon hearing Gucheonhak's words, a wave of surprise spread across the faces of Yeomdo, Nayelin, Moyonghwi, Qinghen, Baekmuyeong, Janghong, Hyoryong, and the Jujakdan.

A duel! In other words, a match or a captain's duel, where a representative comes out and decides the entire outcome of victory or defeat. In other words, it is a method of entrusting the entire outcome to one person's martial prowess.

"That's a very interesting method."

Bilu Yeon seemed quite pleased. The method proposed by Gucheonhak seemed quite satisfactory.

"I'm glad you like it."

"Then, you will naturally be their representative… and then, on our side…"

With their commander Wei Wushang defeated, the last card left for the Iron Hoof Demon Cavalry was their leader, Zephyr Black Mark Gucheonhak. It was a checkmate. Bilu Yeon looked around slowly, searching for a representative.

"Where are you looking? The representative on your side is, of course, you."

"Me?"

Bilu Yeon's expression was reluctant. It seemed he wasn't inclined.

"Why? Is there a problem? Surely you're not afraid now, are you?"

"No! Of course not. I was just thinking of passing it on to someone else because it's a bit bothersome."

*Smirk!*

A devilish smile spread across Bilu Yeon's lips. Jujakdan and Yeomdo thought that they absolutely did not want to be the one to receive that transfer. Then, they began to ponder how to politely refuse. If they didn't prepare about five reasons in advance, they could be at a disadvantage later. Qinghen and Baekmuyeong, still unaware of what was happening, just blinked their eyes blankly. They probably thought Bilu Yeon was joking and were being casual and complacent. However, Jujakdan and Yeomdo knew very well that this was not the case at all.

Ironically, it was Gucheonhak who rescued them from this predicament.

"Who else could represent you? Since you were the one who blocked us first, shouldn't you be the one to finish this?"

Gucheonhak's will was unwavering and majestic. Indeed, he was a formidable figure.

"Sigh! With everyone's encouragement, if it truly must be so, then I have no choice."

When Bilu Yeon agreed, Yeomdo and Jujakdan breathed a sigh of relief.

Clack, clack!

Zephyr Black Mark Gucheonhak finally stepped forward. A weight, as if a mountain was moving, could be felt.

"Whew! That's a fine horse."

"It's called Ink Star (墨星)!"

Gucheonhak's favorite horse, Ink Star, was covered in a mane as black as ink, down to the last hair. And it exuded a fierce aura as if it were about to roar. Its massive body, appearing half as large again as a normal horse, was an undeniable stage effect to instill fear in people. Moreover, its eyes, despite being a horse, burned fiercely, resembling those of a ferocious beast. At this point, it was an understatement to simply call it a horse.

"Is this finally the captain's appearance?"

"If you defeat me, this will be the last battle. However, if you do not, your efforts up until now will be in vain. It will be a decisive battle, one-on-one (一騎)."

Gucheonhak realized that further engagements were useless sacrifices. They had already been swept away by the aura of the monster with the face of a young boy. It was a quagmire from which there was no escape. He was the only one left to reveal the bottom of that swamp, to break it.

Clutch!

A slender, white hand, as white as jade, grabbed Bilu Yeon's arm. The owner of the slender hand was Nayelin. Bilu Yeon looked at Nayelin with a puzzled expression.

However, there was not even a shred of emotion that could be called emotion on her face. And she left only one word.

"Be careful."

With these words alone, Bilu Yeon was satisfied. In her usual manner, she would never have acted like this. Even now, Nayelin could neither understand nor explain her actions. An unknown emotion had made her act this way.

"Hahaha! To hear such words from you, Miss Na, today is a lucky day. This fight alone will be worthwhile. Don't worry!"

Bilu Yeon said with a bright smile. Then she replied with a serious expression.

"Who is worried now?"

"Of course, you are, Miss Na!"

"I wasn't worried at all."

She declared firmly. But she failed to disappoint Bilu Yeon.

"Really?"

"Really."

At Nayelin's answer, Bilu Yeon smiled again.

"Then it must be true. But! … Thank you for worrying!"

Bilu Yeon thought this was enough. As for his indifferent juniors, he could always discipline them later with sufficient mental training.

Bilu Yeon relaxed his body, releasing all tension.

An unspoken bell announcing the start of the duel rang silently in their hearts. It was time to begin.

Splat!

Gucheonhak's right arm, pulled back for an instant, shot forward like lightning.

Pang!

A deafening roar, as if piercing the air! The air swirled, caught in the powerful spear force.

Fssshhhhh!

In an instant, an invisible spear grazed Bilu Yeon's left ear, passing through the air. A few strands of hair scattered into the air, caught by the power of the invisible spear strike.

The buzzing of the loud sonic boom filled his ears.

"Wu… Wuying Spear (無影槍)! Huogonggesang (虛功隔傷)!"

Yeomdo exclaimed in admiration. It had been a long time since he had seen such a perfect Huogonggesang. The level of skill that could injure an opponent across ten zhang was by no means ordinary.

'And it wasn't even his full strength!'

It was clear that he had held back. This made the Cheongwan side anxious as well.

"Master! Can the senior disciple win?"

Namgungsang asked with a worried tone.

"Probably!"

Yeomdo's gaze, as if he couldn't be bothered to say more, moved forward.

*Smirk!*

Bilu Yeon smiled.

"Ho? Is this a greeting instead? How kind of you."

He deliberately aimed for the side, slightly off-center, rather than the front.

"You are someone who doesn't even properly return greetings."

He had no intention of aiming directly at a younger junior in a single blow. His pride as a senior did not allow it. However, he had intended to take an ear, at least. And Bilu Yeon had managed to evade even that by a narrow margin.

'Could he have seen it?'

Gucheonhak denied the doubt that arose in his mind.

Thump!

Gucheonhak now intended to fight seriously, holding his spear with both hands and aiming straight ahead. What he had shown so far was just a taste. The real fight was about to begin.

The air felt as if it were tautly drawn, and a tension that gripped the hearts of the onlookers pervaded everything.

"Hee! Hee!"

In the strange silence, only the neighing of Ink Star could be heard intermittently. The tension was being drawn further and further back.

"Ha!"

Gucheonhak kicked the horse's belly with his foot, and Ink Star, as if waiting, sprang out like a gale, wild and fierce. The earth screamed as if being torn apart under Ink Star's hooves.

Rough dirt flew in all directions. The man and horse became one, appearing like a gale that swept everything away.

"Haa!"

Pang!

Gucheonhak stabbed the air with his spear. With a sharp sonic boom, an invisible penetrating force flew towards Bilu Yeon. The secret technique of the Wuying Spear, Huogonggesang, was unfolding again. However, there was a significant difference in its power.

If what he showed before was one penetrating force, then this was five penetrating forces.

Wuying Spear (無影槍) Secret Technique (秘技)

Huogonggesang (虛功隔傷) Wuxing Strike (五星擊)

However, no matter how much one force became five, Bilu Yeon, who had dodged it once, would not fail to dodge it again.

Swoosh!

Bilu Yeon's body swayed like a willow branch, and the five penetrating forces passed through his body as if it were permeable, hitting the bare ground in vain.

Crash! Crash! Crash!

The ground was deeply gouged, and five giant pillars of earth shot up. As the Huogonggesang Wuxing Strike was rendered futile, Gucheonhak quickly pulled the reins and drove his horse to the right of Bilu Yeon, that is, to the diagonally left where Bilu Yeon could be positioned. This was so that his right hand could easily attack Bilu Yeon.

Shhhh!

This time, Gucheonhak swung his spear horizontally. Then, as if the spear had become a whip, it lengthened and the spear's shadow rippled.

Kwagwgwgwag!

This time too, Bilu Yeon evaded Gucheonhak's attack by a narrow margin. However, this strike was an unexpected change. A wall of earth rose high in front of Bilu Yeon's feet, creating a large, straight furrow.

But it was not yet time to let his guard down. Once again, a wave of light flew towards Bilu Yeon. This time, it did not stop at once.

Wuying Spear (無影槍) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wave Shattering Strike (波浪粉碎擊)

Earth Rending (裂地)

A terrifying spear shadow that crashed down like waves! A wave of Qi!

Gucheonhak circled around Bilu Yeon, continuously unleashing the techniques he had just used. As the name Earth Rending (裂地) suggested, the earth was torn and shattered, screaming.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Now, obscured by the rising dust and the light of the spear, Bilu Yeon's figure was no longer visible to their eyes. It was a relentless assault, like the whip of a beast tamer.

Hiiiiing!

Gucheonhak's favorite horse, Ink Star, let out a pleased neigh. Gucheonhak, who had been circling and surrounding Bilu Yeon, returned to his original position.

However, the dust that had completely covered Bilu Yeon's standing spot had not yet cleared. Gucheonhak remained tense, watching the front.

'It was a perfect attack with no flaws. Then why this unease?'

An inexplicable unease caused Gucheonhak to grip his spear tighter. He must have surely been hit.

"Waaahhhhh!"

Cheers were already erupting from various parts of the Iron Hoof Demon Cavalry. On the other hand, the faces of the Cheonmu Academy students, led by Yeomdo, were gravely set. The academy students waited with serious faces for the dust cloud to clear.

Just then.

"Cough! Cough!"

A figure covered in dust, their body coated in dust, emerged from the murky cloud. He coughed repeatedly. It seemed the thick dust had irritated his airways. The hazy figure was, of course, Bilu Yeon. Bilu Yeon walked out leisurely from the hell of the assault, as if to display his persistent vitality. Apart from being covered in dust, unfortunately, there was not a single scratch on him.

"Oh my, oh my! I don't have many spare martial arts uniforms, so I'll have to wash this."

Bilu Yeon grumbled, brushing off the dust from his body. Fluffy clouds of dust rose from his limbs.

"Amazing!"

Gucheonhak was genuinely impressed. The warrior's blood that had been dormant within him began to boil. A thrill ran down his spine. He felt that such a man was worth facing with his full strength.

"Is there truly anyone else in this world like you?"

"No."

Bilu Yeon's utterly shameless answer.

"This is my last attack. I will put all my heart and soul into this attack. If you can withstand this attack safely…"

Gucheonhak paused for a moment before continuing. His mind was now completely settled.

"…I will acknowledge my defeat and return to the Black Heaven Alliance with my troops. Are you ready?"

A flash of lightning appeared in Gucheonhak's eyes.

"Whenever."

Bilu Yeon was always ready.

Gucheonhak, with a serious face, raised his spear, held in both hands, as if aiming for the upper stance. His left hand gripped the spearhead, and his right hand lightly held the middle of the spear. It felt as if it had become a single blade.

"As expected of Zephyr Black Mark Gucheonhak…"

Yeomdo said with genuine admiration. Indeed, his martial arts skill was on a different level from Wei Wushang, with whom he had just fought. He was amazed that the spear could be wielded in such an unconventional way.

Chaaaaang!

The spear, raised above his head, was diagonally sliced with terrifying speed.

Wuying Spear (無影槍) Fatal Technique (必殺) Ultimate Technique (奧義)

Wuying Blade (無影刃)

Bilu Yeon momentarily sensed an intangible sword qi flying towards him like a hawk in the sky. A blade as fast as light, intangible and shadowless!

Swish!

However, Bilu Yeon, in a cowardly manner, managed to evade even this single strike filled with the intent of a killing blow. Even as the air was split in half, he only suffered a graze on the hem of his robe. Perhaps if he hadn't released the Black Dragon Ring, he wouldn't have been able to evade it. The power of the Wuying Blade was that terrifyingly fast and frightfully potent.

A fatal technique is a skill that risks one's own life to take the opponent's. If it fails, the mental blow to oneself is immense. Who could remain unscathed when one's life was wasted in vain?

Towards the dumbfounded Gucheonhak, Bilu Yeon unleashed his final strike.

Flash!

A flash of lightning pierced the space in a straight line.

Crack!

The helmet split in half, and Gucheonhak's hair scattered in the wind. His vision was momentarily obscured by his loosened, flying hair. When it cleared, Bilu Yeon was on his favorite horse, Ink Star, though no one knew when he had gotten there. And now, a Bifrost Saber, its fangs bared, gleamed with a chilling sharpness at Gucheonhak's neck. It was Gucheonhak's complete defeat.

"I lost."

Thus, the battle came to its end.

The sun was now setting in the west, casting a deep twilight.

"Is everything settled with this?"

Nayelin said.

"Too much blood was shed."

In this fight, Bilu Yeon had shown no mercy and had acted ruthlessly. It was a fight steeped in the smell of blood.

"Once I decide to draw blood, I do not fear it. That is the shield of my resolve that protects my mind. If my spirit is eroded by the fear of blood and murder, I can never exert my full strength. Of course, it wasn't a situation that required full strength…"

Bilu Yeon said in a calm voice. Nayelin watched him with a quiet gaze. But she did not open her mouth to say anything. She simply watched silently.

The sight of the renowned and powerful Iron Hoof Demon Cavalry, renowned for their strength, turning their horses and retreating to the horizon, defeated by the might of a single individual, would forever be etched in Qinghen's mind. Qinghen and everyone around him, listening to the sound of hooves echoing emptily across the earth, watched them disappear beyond the horizon, kicking up dust.

Despite the relentless pounding of the hooves, which resonated with the sky and earth, an inexplicable silence filled the surrounding space. This made their figures seem even more surreal.

Only after confirming that the entire Iron Hoof Demon Cavalry had disappeared beyond the horizon of the vast plain did Qinghen's gaze turn to Bilu Yeon. It was as if they had returned, a lie. And without a single sacrifice!

He stared intently at Bilu Yeon, the instigator of this event, the embodiment of recklessness, the master of impulsive actions, and a habitual offender. He regretted that his vision training was insufficient to dissect and penetrate him.

'What on earth is that person's true identity?'

Who in this Jianghu could have raised such a person, no, such a monster?

More than a dozen armored horses, the very limbs of the Iron Hoof Demon Cavalry, which boasted invincibility and speed faster than the wind, lay scattered on the sandy earth like corpses. And… the remaining Iron Hoof Demon Cavalry turned their horses and returned to their starting point.

'In the past thirty years, has the Iron Hoof Demon Cavalry ever turned back?'

He could definitively say that such a thing had never happened. Where the Iron Hoof Demon Cavalry, one of the symbols of the Black Heaven Alliance's invincibility, passed, there was only victory and the destruction and ruin they brought.

That day, Qinghen had the fortune to witness an exception for the first time. Whether it was good fortune or misfortune, he could not be sure.

And, as if by agreement, everyone fell silent about what they saw that day. This included Bilu Yeon's disciples, the Jujakdan, as well as Janghong, Hyoryong, Baekmuyeong, and Qinghen.

This was because none of them had the slightest desire to be labeled a madman and pointed at by others for carelessly babbling. Fortunately, none of them were perverts who found pleasure in such things.

"Hey! Hey! Qinghen! Qinghen!"

Qinghen's reverie, lost in recalling the past, was broken by Baekmuyeong's call.

"Huh? Ah! Muyeong, is that you?"

Only then did Qinghen regain focus and gaze intently at his lifelong friend. A friend who had followed with a resolute determination but returned safely without doing anything.

"What are you thinking so deeply about?"

Baekmuyeong asked.

"Ah! It's nothing."

"Are you thinking about that day?"

His friend, with his quick wit and deductive skills, was indeed sharp. Although Qinghen did not explicitly say yes or no, Baekmuyeong had no difficulty guessing his inner thoughts.

"Don't think about that day anymore. It's not good for your mental health."

Whenever he recalled that day, he felt confused as to whether he was truly in the real world or wandering in a fantasy. It was like the Butterfly Dream (蝴蝶夢)… To them, that day still felt very dreamlike and unreal.

"Yes, that would be best. For now, let's seal it deep in our memories and not open it. If we think about it too much, we might go crazy."

Baekmuyeong actively agreed with his thought.

"An excellent choice. You've thought well! You've thought well!"

When he collected himself and looked around again, Bilu Yeon had already disappeared somewhere. Qinghen gave up thinking any deeper.