Chapter 178
A few days before Sun Woo-jin and Dang Yeo-eun confirmed their feelings for each other.
Hae Cheong-yeon, who was walking a tightrope alongside Gu Yoo-eum-ma Ji Gi-eum—the one who had come to kidnap her—was originally confident she could safely send Narae Su-yu and Sak Mu-heun back home.
She believed that if she stalled for just the right amount of time and then exchanged herself for their safety, she could get them all out unharmed.
But before she even realized she had stalled long enough, an unforeseen situation confronted her.
In a dazed voice, Hae Cheong-yeon called out his name.
“…Hyeolma?”
Yes. It was him.
The very Hyeolma she had seen during the Jeonghyeol Great Battle.
Jeong Hyeolma Jeon Mu-gwang appeared before her, accompanied by two subordinates.
He looked at her with a strangely sympathetic gaze and said,
“So, you’re the daughter of Ha Dae-hyup. A pleasure to meet you.”
At that moment, Hae Cheong-yeon could no longer keep her composure.
She understood what his sudden appearance here meant.
With a trembling voice, she asked Hyeolma,
“Father… could it be?”
Hyeolma sighed slowly, avoiding her eyes as he replied,
“Your father was a warrior worthy of respect. I regret having to bring you such news.”
Thud!
Without realizing it, Hae Cheong-yeon’s legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground.
She was so stunned she barely registered her own state.
Hyeolma gently took the sword from her neck, which she had been gripping weakly, using a subtle technique to disarm her.
Then he carefully returned the sword to its sheath.
Shing!
But Hae Cheong-yeon didn’t even notice.
Tears began streaming down her vacant eyes.
Tears she hadn’t shed since infancy, as if all the years of bottled-up emotions were suddenly pouring out.
She muttered absentmindedly,
“Father…”
Suddenly, the cheerful face of her father appeared in her mind.
“Father…”
From a young age, she had always been a little different from others, struggling to fit in—even among her own family.
But her father had always showered her with a special kind of love, far beyond what others gave.
“Father…”
He was the first—and the last—hero in her life.
Stronger than anyone, upright beyond compare, and deeply respected.
She had always believed he would be by her side forever.
No matter what happened, he would always be there…
“Father!”
He used to say to her every time they met,
“Oh, my beautiful, beloved daughter. This old man has come to see you again!”
She longed to see that face.
She wanted to hear that voice.
The ache in her chest was unbearable.
She couldn’t imagine a world without him.
“Fatherrrrrr! Aaaahhh!”
Hae Cheong-yeon screamed.
As if she might faint from crying, she called out his name over and over, her voice breaking with desperation.
Hyeolma watched her silently, his expression heavy with mixed emotions.
After waiting a long while until Hae Cheong-yeon had somewhat calmed down, Hyeolma took her to a secluded room in a building near a massive mountain.
He placed a cup of tea in front of her and said,
“I’m not much of a connoisseur, so the taste might be lacking, but warm tea should help you a bit.”
But Hae Cheong-yeon just stared blankly at the cup.
Seeing this, Hyeolma smiled faintly and asked,
“You might not believe me, but don’t worry—I didn’t put anything strange in it. Though, honestly, there’s no need to.”
His words were true.
Hae Cheong-yeon was now completely in his grasp.
She could no longer use herself as a hostage, and even if she tried to take her own life, it would be impossible.
Suddenly, she asked him,
“What do you want from me?”
Hyeolma took a slow sip of his tea before answering,
“There was once a figure called Yeokcheon Hyeolma. Have you ever heard of her?”
It was an unexpected question.
Hae Cheong-yeon’s eyes flickered with interest before she nodded.
“I remember her as the leader of the Hyeolgyo who was defeated and killed by Noe-shin and Geom-shin.”
Hyeolma smiled faintly.
“Yes, you know well. Everyone remembers her as a tragic victim of the legendary Noe-shin and Geom-shin. But from the Hyeolgyo’s perspective, it’s a bit different. She was a very special leader in the long history of the Hyeolgyo.”
“Special?”
“Yes, very special. For one, she fought fiercely against masters of the Mythical Realm like Noe-shin and Geom-shin, believed to be nearly on their level. And above all, she was someone who awakened again after five hundred years.”
Hae Cheong-yeon’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Awakened again after five hundred years?”
“Yes. It might be hard to believe, but it’s true. She was a master who nearly ruled the world about six hundred years ago. She preserved her body and soul, then awakened again after five centuries to try and conquer the world once more. Though, of course, she failed again.”
Hae Cheong-yeon shook her head at the absurdity of it.
“That’s impossible.”
Hyeolma smiled faintly.
“Do you think so? Maybe. But the Hyeolgyo don’t see it that way. And I, too, have seen the records she left behind and come to believe it’s true.”
At that, Hae Cheong-yeon could no longer dismiss the story.
The Hyeolma before her didn’t seem like a fanatic who believed in baseless legends.
On the contrary, he appeared highly rational and reasonable.
If even he believed it…
Hyeolma continued.
“According to the records, Yeokcheon Hyeolma was killed in her final battle by someone. Some say it was a joint attack by Noe-shin and Geom-shin; others say it was another master entirely. But that’s not important. What matters is that her death left another special legacy in Hyeolgyo’s history.”
Frowning, Hae Cheong-yeon asked,
“A dead person… left a legacy?”
Hyeolma smiled brightly, eyes gleaming.
“Yes, a truly special legacy. She came back from death.”
Hae Cheong-yeon let out a bitter laugh.
Coming back from death? What nonsense was that?
She began to doubt whether she had overestimated Hyeolma all along.
But Hyeolma, seemingly unaware of her thoughts, went on.
“It seems she instructed her followers to prepare for the afterlife. Through necromancy, they were to summon her soul back. Then, they were to bind that soul to a young body.”
Hae Cheong-yeon’s expression sharpened as she coldly said,
“If that had succeeded, there would be legends about Yeokcheon Hyeolma after that. If it failed, it would mean nothing.”
She was pointing out that no such legends existed beyond that point.
So it was just a baseless myth.
But Hyeolma only smiled faintly.
“Maybe. But what if I told you this? The possession succeeded, but the new body couldn’t withstand Yeokcheon Hyeolma’s power.”
“Couldn’t withstand her power?”
“Yes. The records say they succeeded in binding her soul, but the young body collapsed soon after. And the followers who performed the ritual were killed by pursuers shortly after.”
Hae Cheong-yeon stared silently at Hyeolma for a moment.
Then she asked,
“Why are you telling me this?”
Suddenly, Hyeolma’s eyes flashed dangerously.
He smiled—not the calm, pure expression from before, but like a true demon lord—and said,
“They say Yeokcheon Hyeolma was a prodigy and a beauty from childhood. And… her eyes were different colors—one blue, one black—just like you, Miss Hae.”
Hae Cheong-yeon swallowed hard without realizing it.
Now she fully understood what Hyeolma was implying.
He intended to possess his own body with the worst monster in Hyeolgyo’s history—the Yeokcheon Hyeolma.
With a tense gaze, she asked again,
“Why are you telling me this?”
Hyeolma’s expression softened once more, and he smiled faintly.
“Well, the biggest reason is that you’re the daughter of the Sword Saint. Believe it or not, I truly respect your father. And secondly… I want you to have the will to live.”
When the Sword Saint was mentioned, Hae Cheong-yeon’s eyes flickered briefly before she slowly questioned,
“The will to live?”
“Yes. To be honest, preparing the great ritual takes time. And for it to succeed, you need to be healthy—and ideally, your martial prowess should be even stronger. So from my perspective, it’s better for you to keep training by your own will than to simply keep you locked up.”
Hae Cheong-yeon let out a bitter laugh and asked again,
“So you want me to take care of myself to become a vessel for a monster. Why do you think I’d ever agree to that?”
Hyeolma smiled faintly in response.
“Honestly, don’t you think this grand ritual is bound to fail? That it’s impossible?” the Blood Demon said. “So if it does fail, as I suspect, you’ll have the chance to strengthen your martial skills and secure your future. And even if it succeeds and the Reverse Heaven Blood Demon possesses you, it won’t be any different. This ritual places two souls in one body, and the stronger will of the two takes control. So, if—”
At his words, Ha Cheong-yeon’s eyes gleamed.
“If my will is stronger, I can drive her soul out again?”
The Blood Demon smiled slyly, as if taunting her.
“What do you say? If you believe in yourself, isn’t it worth a try? At least it’s better than being sealed and trapped, unable to do anything.”
Ha Cheong-yeon paused, deep in thought.
But honestly, there was no need to overthink it.
If she could move freely and train, she could create far more opportunities than being sealed and imprisoned.
And if things went south, she’d at least need her freedom to take her own life later.
Yet, strangely enough, that very condition seemed too favorable to her.
For someone like the Blood Demon to offer such advantageous terms—it felt suspicious.
“Could it be because he’s confident the ritual will succeed?”
There was no way to know for sure.
But the conclusion was already set.
Ha Cheong-yeon finally looked the Blood Demon squarely in the eye.
“Alright. I’ll do it your way. But on one condition.”
The Blood Demon nodded.
“Speak.”
Ha Cheong-yeon’s demand was simple: the safety of Nasa-yu and Sak-mu-hun.
“Please send the two who were captured with me back safely. If they return unharmed, I will follow your wishes.”
The Blood Demon nodded briefly, then called out toward the door.
“Ji Gi-eum, bring them in.”
Soon, a ghostly figure cloaked in blood wind—Ji Gi-eum—entered, carrying the still-sealed Nasa-yu and Sak-mu-hun lightly in his arms.
The Blood Demon spoke sternly.
“I intend to let these two go safely. So you must release them somewhere safe and allow them to leave. And this is my order—no one in the Blood Sect is to lay a finger on them.”
He turned back to Ha Cheong-yeon.
“This is as much as I can do. But they must return to the Flying Dragon Corps as soon as possible. If they come back to rescue you or wander the jungle and get attacked by demons, that’s beyond my control.”
Ha Cheong-yeon nodded and looked at Nasa-yu and Sak-mu-hun.
They were sealed, unable to speak, but their eyes were filled with desperate hope as they looked at her.
Suddenly, the Blood Demon asked,
“Do you want me to break their seals?”
Ha Cheong-yeon thought for a moment, then shook her head.
“I’ve made a wager with you. If I win, maybe someday we’ll meet again safely. So trust me and please just go back. Don’t let my efforts be in vain. Let’s hope for the future… Thank you for everything.”
With that, she nodded to the Blood Demon.
That was her final farewell to them.
After ordering Ji Gi-eum to release Nasa-yu and Sak-mu-hun, the Blood Demon left Ha Cheong-yeon alone and strolled slowly through the garden.
From the shadows, Ji Gi-eum approached and asked,
“Is it safe to leave her alone, Supreme One?”
The Blood Demon smiled faintly.
“Are you worried?”
“Though she made a promise to you, she’s still a young girl. If left alone, she might suddenly take extreme measures.”
It was a valid concern.
Promises were just words; if she broke hers, there was nothing to be done.
Ji Gi-eum felt uneasy leaving her alone.
But the Blood Demon only smiled and replied,
“Don’t worry. She’ll do everything she can to survive.”
Satisfied with that, Ji Gi-eum said no more.
“If the Supreme One says so, then so it shall be.”
The Blood Demon smiled again.
When people spoke of the Blood Sect’s soul-binding techniques, they always thought of the Black Blood Phantom Twin Pill.
But they didn’t know.
The Blood Demon was just as skilled in soul-binding as the Black Blood Phantom Twin Pill, and just as adept at creating zombies as the White-Faced Corpse Demon.
He especially favored subtle suggestion techniques, planting ideas without the other person realizing it.
Making them believe they wanted something themselves, only to bring about their downfall—that was another of his specialties.
Even during this conversation, he had planted a suggestion in Ha Cheong-yeon’s mind—one she would never consciously notice.
And that suggestion was… hope.