The blood spraying through the air looked just like scattering cherry blossoms.
Under the moonlight, Seol Tae Pyeong launched himself off the half-shattered tile roof. His fingertips were already stained with dark red blood.
Watching the White Demonic Spirit flee wildly toward the center of the inner palace, scattering talismanic spells as it went, it became impossible to tell who was the demonic spirit and who was the human.
Even with a single swing of his broken sword, the force of his blade surged forth and covered the entire area.
The demonic spirit unleashed an immense force of spiritual energy that blazed through the surroundings, yet he burst forward without getting harmed and seized the collar of the White Demonic Spirit.
This White Demonic Spirit was Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun from the first cycle, and having never met Seol Tae Pyeong before, it had no idea who he was.
Nonetheless, through memories passed to it by the Plague demonic spirit, it could roughly sense the immense power he wielded.
He had killed Moon Demonic Spirit Yoran and Sun Demonic Spirit Pyeong Ryang.
Neither illusion arts at the pinnacle of mastery nor sheer brute strength could bring down this Sword Master. Yet, even with all that, it had never been anything quite like this.
To resist the energy of the heavenly dragon, to nullify high-level spells with just a shake of his head….this level far exceeded what the Plague demonic spirit had hinted about his power.
Sword Master Seol Tae Pyeong’s soul had been honed endlessly through the vast cycles of reincarnation.
What had turned him into such a monster?
What on earth had driven him to endure this endless suffering and tempered his soul to the absolute limit?
There was only one person who could have done something like that.
The senior maid of the Hwalseong district led her horse leisurely to the outer perimeter of the palace, which was now in chaos.
It wasn’t hard to picture that girl gazing indifferently at the pillar of light rising up from the center of the inner palace right about now.
The one responsible for creating that monster was none other than her future self.
Her own self, who loathed the world and felt a profound disappointment with the futility of life. And the one binding that self was none other than the senior maid of Hwalseong District.
Gritting its teeth, the White Demonic Spirit gathered all of its energy and leaped back into the sky above the Inner Palace.
It floated higher than the walls of the White Tiger Palace and tried to escape out of the reach of that crazy monster.
High up in the sky, the mighty energy of the Heavenly Dragon began to spread.
The Heavenly Dragon, the guardian deity of the Cheongdo Empire, who was charged by the Emperor of Heaven to protect the world and uphold righteousness.
To see the energy of that Heavenly Dragon drawn by a mere demonic spirit’s use of Taoist arts was an utterly shocking sight.
This energy filling the entire sky was clearly visible to all those trapped in the inner palace.
The large moon was now tainted by the ominous energy of the demonic spirit. The power that the White Demonic Spirit Ah Hun wielded had reached a level that even dozens of prominent Taoist masters could not hope to subdue.
The people gathered in the inner palace raised their eyes to the scene.
The maids of the Four Great Palaces, who guarded each palace against the rampaging spirit beasts, also watched, as did Headmaid Lee Ryeong of the Heavenly Dragon Hall, who was running around with purification water.
Even the crown princess consorts gathered before the White Tiger Palace.
And even Seol Ran, the senior maid seated at the center of Heavenly Dragon Hall, the one who held the role of this world’s protagonist.
The end of the world had come.
A chain of hatred stretched endlessly.
Under the blood-red moon, the White Demonic Spirit proclaimed it.
Crack!
But Seol Tae Pyeong leaped forward, grabbed its collar, and yanked it down without hesitation.
With a choking sound, the demonic spirit tumbled to the ground and its form gradually revealed Yeon Ri’s appearance.
With each leap and evasive move, the two monsters had, at some point, arrived right in front of the Heavenly Dragon Hall, situated at the center of the inner palace.
– Kyaaa!
– Monsters! Save us!
In the courtyard of the Heavenly Dragon Hall, Seol Tae Pyeong threw the White Demonic Spirit to the ground and then struck it square in the face with his fist.
The White Demonic Spirit flew backward and rolled across the front courtyard of the hall. Its clothes were now covered in dirt and dust.
[Keuhu… hah…]
The maids screamed in terror as they fled from the Heavenly Dragon Hall.
They were terrified not only of the White Demonic Spiri’s appearance but also of Seol Tae Pyeong who was breathing heavily while clenching his bloody fists.
Who here was the real monster?
Even the White Demonic Spirit seemed to share that thought as Seol Tae Pyeong finally spoke.
“Yes… somehow, it seems I still have the heart of a human.”
Seol Tae Pyeong gritted his teeth and glared at the White Demonic Spirit.
Hesitation had somehow crept into his eyes.
“You’re nothing but a mere demonic spirit. Even if you’ve taken on Yeon Ri’s form, it’s only an illusion created by the Plague Demonic Spirit. I vowed never to forget that and to push forward without hesitation. However…”
Seol Tae Pyeong looked at the White Demonic Spirit with sad eyes.
“You too must be connected to Yeon Ri in heart, carrying the memories from the very first cycle. Even if your memories were crafted, the grief and sorrow you feel are real.”
[….…]
“Perhaps that’s why hesitation clings to my fists. I too haven’t been able to escape the weakness that comes with a human heart.”
The White Demonic Spirit, who saw Seol Tae Pyeong hesitating, reached up to touch its own cheek where a strange numbness began to rise.
…Hesitating? Wandering in doubt?
Where? How?
Crack!
In that instant, Seol Tae Pyeong leaped forward once again.
“Damn it! Yes… I promised Yeon Ri! No matter what form my opponent might take, I swore never to hesitate! I promised with all my heart…!!!”
Thud! Thud!
The White Demonic Spirit tried to pull away to put some distance between them, but Seol Tae Pyeong had already closed in and landed a fierce punch across its face.
A tooth shattered, and fresh blood splattered. Its cheek began to swell as waves of searing pain surged. It felt as if the bones in its face had been crushed.
“Ugh…! I must! Harden my resolve! I must break free from this temptation!!”
Thud! Thud!
“No matter if you’ve taken the form of a fragile woman, I must not be swayed by appearances…!!! I have to stay alert…!!!”
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The White Demonic Spirit tried to summon the Heavenly Dragon’s energy to engulf Seol Tae Pyeong, but he braced his arms with all his strength and sharply twisted his body to the left, before driving his fist into the White Demonic Spirit’s left side.
[Guh, ah…!]
The White Demonic Spirit’s breath stopped instantly. Its consciousness slipped away before it snapped back into clarity.
But by the time its senses returned, Seol Tae Pyeong’s foot had already driven into its abdomen.
Crash! Bang! Bang!
Even if it was a demonic spirit, it had taken on the form of a human woman. Was it really necessary to beat it so savagely?
So brutal was the White Demonic Spirit’s appearance now that such thoughts might actually arise.
After a hard kick to the solar plexus, it flew backward and landed sprawled in the courtyard. Its figure could only be described as utterly destroyed.
As it staggered and tried to pull itself up, a fleeting thought crossed its mind.
Should it… just stay down?
Pretending to have lost consciousness and lying flat might mean taking fewer blows.
But that would be a mistake.
The monster was charging again with clenched fists and blazing eyes. Just because something appeared unconscious didn’t mean this monster would stop punching.
In order to take even a few less hits, it had to keep moving somehow. In Seol Tae Pyeong’s view of “equality” there was no mercy.
Crunch!
Boom!
When Seol Tae Pyeong landed another blow, the White Demonic Spirit was sent crashing through the paper doors of the Heavenly Dragon Hall and landed in the inner chamber.
Since this was where it originally lived, it was like sending it back to its hometown.
Seol Tae Pyeong had come to the Heavenly Dragon Hall with one purpose in mind. That is to finish off the White Demonic Spirit.
The crown princess consorts gathered in front of the middle gate of the White Tiger Palace saw it clearly. He was risking his life and fighting against the White Demonic Spirit.
“…….!”
The shift in the battleground carried great significance.
Until now, the White Princess had been able to hold back the crown princess consorts solely because she was the mistress of the White Tiger Palace.
No matter how prestigious the other crown princess consorts might be, it would be a breach of etiquette to trespass into the domain of another palace’s mistress.
That position as mistress of the White Tiger Palace had given her the authority to block them.
However, if the battleground changed to the Heavenly Dragon Hall, the situation would be entirely different.
The mistress of the Heavenly Dragon Hall… was likely the most dangerous person among those gathered here.
“Tae Pyeong has gone to the Heavenly Dragon Hall…!”
A glimmer like starlight flashed in Azure Princess Jin Cheong Lang’s eyes.
The Heavenly Dragon Hall, not the White Tiger Palace, was Jin Cheong Lang’s domain. If she were to decide to stand her ground there, she could stop not only the other crown princess consorts but anyone short of the Emperor himself.
The White Princess wallowed dryly.
If Jin Cheong Lang returned to the Heavenly Dragon Hall, who knew what might happen.
She couldn’t allow Jin Cheong Lang who was under the White Demonic Spirit’s influence to hinder Seol Tae Pyeong, who was in the midst of a fierce battle.
But how?
If the Heavenly Maiden wanted to return to her quarters, who in the world could stop her?
The only one who could control the Heavenly Maiden was the Emperor.
But Emperor Woon Sung couldn’t intervene now. Within this inner palace, the Heavenly Maiden was as powerful as the Emperor himself.
“P-Please… stop!”
The White Princess hastily raised her voice, but it was useless.
A huge surge of spiritual energy gathered around Jin Cheong Lang. The sheer amount of energy pouring out of her fingertips was overwhelming. This only went to prove that despite her young age, she had already reached the level of a skilled Taoist master.
Those blessed by the divine fever sometimes surpassed human limitations.
She intended to cover the entire area with her energy and subdue everyone in her path to make her way to the Heavenly Dragon Hall.
“You can’t, Your Highness!”
At that moment, someone ran forward with her arms spread wide.
Black hair as dark as ebony billowed in the wind. While others braced themselves with their eyes shut tightly against the force of Jin Cheong Lang’s energy, only Seol Ran moved freely within it. It was strange.
“You shouldn’t … go to Tae Pyeong now…!”
Seol Ran also understood that Jin Cheong Lang was not in her right mind.
If she went out into the battlefield now, she would only be used as a tool by the White Demonic Spirit. Therefore, Seol Ran was determined to keep her here.
How could a mere senior maid hope to stop this young Taoist master who was blessed with divine fever and wielded the power of the Heavenly Dragon?
But Seol Ran wasn’t one to care about such things.
If something needed doing, she did it. She was that kind of person.
And Seol Ran had one weapon she could rely on.
She was none other than the sister of Seol Tae Pyeong, the vice general at the heart of this conflict.
“If you go to Tae Pyeong now…! If you go to him…!”
Seol Ran felt like her brain was on fire.
It was utter chaos in the inner palace, with spirit beasts rampaging and demonic spirits wreaking havoc.
The mental state of the crown princess consorts was somewhat off, and her only family Seol Tae Pyeong was risking his life in battle.
In the midst of this escalating crisis, she reminded herself of her duty.
She had to trust her brother Seol Tae Pyeong, and make sure he had an environment where he could focus entirely on the fight. To do so, she would have to use any means necessary.
Even if her opponent was Cheongdo’s most powerful woman, the Heavenly Maiden, she would pull out every weapon she had to stop her from leaving.
No matter how ugly or shameful…!
Even if it meant being a coward…! If it had to be done, she would do it…!
“If you go to Tae Pyeong now…! I-I’ll gossip about you…!”
“……?”
“I-I’ll say that the Azure Princess is picky and overly demanding, th-that she’s not fit to be a companion…! I’ll make sure he hears terrible things about you…!”
What madness was this?
The White Princess who was watching this felt her head spin.
Was this maid even aware of the absurdity of what she was saying?
A mere maid, threatening to slander the Heavenly Maiden of the entire country? Did she not value her own life?
The Heavenly Maiden could end her life with a mere point of her finger. This was nothing short of madness.
Yet Seol Ran clenched her teeth and shouted.
“Even if I have to…! Lie down in my own grave…! I’ll never let you get close to him…! I’ll hold Tae Pyeong by the shoulders and make him listen to his sister…!”
“…….”
And truthfully, she wasn’t wrong.
Everyone who knew anything about the Hwayongseol siblings was well aware of the strength of their bond. Even if it meant defying an imperial order, these two would never ignore each other’s advice.
If his blood sister Seol Ran was adamant about stopping him, Seol Tae Pyeong would undoubtedly keep his distance from whoever she disapproved of.
Yes, this was Seol Ran’s ultimate strategy as Seol Tae Pyeong’s sister.
– Don’t play with that person.
Just hearing it felt immature and ridiculously petty. It was the kind of ploy that seemed more appropriate for a teenage girl, to whisper and gossip as if she had some kind of power. To the point that it was almost embarrassing to watch.
Even Seol Ran, who had said it out loud, felt her back grow hot with embarrassment as a blush crept across her cheeks, but she managed to raise her chin and steady her trembling voice.
“Tae… Tae Pyeong listens very well to his sister…!”
“……”
“O… Ohoho…!!”
She tried to force a haughty laugh, but her attempt at acting like a villainess only felt awkward, like a poorly fitting costume.
In the end, it was the White Princess, the only one still in her right mind, who bore the full weight of embarrassment.
From the start, such a lowly tactic was never going to work against the Heavenly Maiden.
After all, she was the Heavenly Maiden of the entire country. It was not a title that could belong to someone easily swayed by the tricks of a mere maid.
Flash!
Yet, at that moment, the intense spiritual energy that had filled the area gradually began to subside.
The White Princess had failed to consider one crucial fact. Right now, Jin Cheong Lang was not in a normal state either.
Through the subsiding spiritual energy, Jin Cheong Lang’s form was revealed. She was covering her mouth with the sleeve of her robe as usual.
And in the now calm atmosphere, she stood still… drenched in a cold sweat.
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