This time, I really thought I was going to die.
A true master skilled even in assassination arts had drawn her blade and pressed it against my neck, and I couldn’t even react.
When Morong-su approached from a distance, at least I saw him coming.
But Saweol had been right next to me. When she drew her dagger, I couldn’t respond at all. I was merely pretending to stay calm thanks to the Heavenly Demon Divine Art.
[What’s going on, monster?]
“The gamble paid off.”
I sighed and perched on the edge of a desk.
Saweol’s body trembled briefly, then she sat down in full lotus position. Anyone could see that she had achieved enlightenment.
[Is Transcendent Peak really something that can be reached with just a few words?]
“Of course not.”
If it were that easy, every dog and cow would be reaching Transcendent Peak. Well, to be fair, later in the story that sort of thing actually does happen…
But at this point in the story, Transcendent Peak was still a supreme realm achievable only by a rare few.
Which meant Saweol was just that talented. After all, that’s how the one who created this world had written it.
Not that I could just say to Skybreaker, “Yeah, you’re all fictional characters, and she’s got preset stats from the author.”
“Just accept it.”
[Even acceptance has its limits, monster.]
Skybreaker’s voice turned sharp.
[I’ve never heard of any secret chamber like this belonging to the Supreme One. How do you know of it?]
“I’ll tell you someday. Just not now. You’re about to miss a precious scene.”
I gestured with my chin toward Saweol.
Before I realized it, Saweol was levitating in her lotus position.
Her body became enveloped by the unique qi of the Sacred House, distinct from common notions that “righteous qi is clear, demonic qi is murky.” Unlike the ferocious heat that had felt like it would burn everything earlier, this heat now felt gentle—like being embraced.
[If she’s truly a descendant of the House of Radiant Star, then this must be the Sacred Flame Divine Art.]
A very intuitive name.
[A woman cultivating an art of extreme yang? Is that even possible?]
In the world of Return of the Murim, women are inherently aligned with yin. If a woman learns an art based on extreme yang, or a man learns a yin-based technique, penalties apply.
And yet, she still reached Transcendent Peak? That defied conventional understanding.
Also—Skybreaker was no longer calling Saweol a “wench,” but respectfully referring to her as a “woman.”
Whether because she was a master now, or a descendant of the House of Radiant Star, Skybreaker’s tone had slightly changed.
Well, he is a Divine Cultist. Respect for the strong is practically a commandment.
While I was momentarily lost in thought, the energy surrounding Saweol began to rise above her head, forming a shape.
One… two… three flower buds bloomed above her head.
Gooooo—
Even I, who wasn’t well-versed in martial arts, could sense how auspicious the energy was that condensed into those blossoms.
[So that’s the flow of qi visible to those at Transcendent Peak…]
While I remained clueless, Skybreaker seemed to be sensing something significant.
Soon, the buds fully bloomed.
These weren’t ordinary flowers. They were radiant blossoms made of pure qi. As they bloomed, petals began to fall one by one, until only the stalks remained.
The flowers, representing a martial artist’s life, turned into particles of light, scattering and then being reabsorbed into Saweol’s body.
There was no bone-marrow transformation. That was meant to remake a martial artist’s body into its prime. But Saweol was still young—too young to require such a transformation.
However—
Ptooey!
Saweol spat out something the size of a pinky finger. A squirming larva flopped around briefly before flipping on its back and going still.
[…The parasite!]
The remote-controlled bomb latched to her heart had been neutralized.
[This is bad! Without the parasite, Saweol can’t be controlled anymore!]
“She can’t escape anyway.”
[You bastard! That body is mine!]
Skybreaker started thrashing about, trying to go wild. I clenched my fist tightly, halting him.
Finally, Saweol opened her eyes.
There wasn’t a blinding flash or overwhelming radiance. The essence of Transcendent Peak was to control one's qi freely, wasting not even a single grain.
Saweol looked at me with an expression that was hard to read.
[Run…]
“Thank you.”
[?!]
Saweol knelt before me, bowing with one knee.
“Thanks to you, Great Lord, I was able to reach a new realm.”
Her tone carried a respect she hadn’t shown before.
Her gaze, once filled with suspicion and confusion, was now calm and reverent.
“Now that I’ve reached this state, I understand. Great Lord, you’re not of an ordinary Transcendent Peak realm.”
…Wait, did she figure something out?
“I can see it now—the flow of qi, the order of all things. It flows everywhere. But from you… I feel nothing. Not even the mental image that all Transcendent Peak masters are said to possess.”
“Not all Transcendent Peak experts are the same. That must mean he’s far beyond.”
Wrong. I just can’t use martial arts.
Mental image? I don’t even have one of those.
Still, she was misinterpreting everything in a way that worked out for me, so I maintained a serious expression.
“Despite your capabilities, you led me here instead of defeating Sado Gwang alone. That means…”
Her eyes gleamed.
“You were giving me a chance, weren’t you?”
Of course not.
In truth, it was a gamble—and my last card.
Let’s say Saweol defeats Sado Gwang after reaching Transcendent Peak.
What would she do once her revenge was over?
“She’d go to the Martial World, obviously.”
She’d immediately leave to search for her brother. And then I’d lose my best human weapon—the ultimate insurance I had.
But I can’t afford to die just yet.
I had no other choice. If this took out Sado Gwang, then I’d have a path to survive.
I stayed silent, and Saweol seemed to interpret that as agreement.
“As you wish, I will not seek indiscriminate revenge. That would make me no different from him. However, as a member of the Divine Cult, I will carry out righteous vengeance. You gave me this chance.”
“Have you conquered the demon in your heart?”
Saweol stood.
Instead of answering, she said something else.
“I’ll be waiting in the Valley of Lost Souls.”
And then, just like that, she vanished.
[Monster.]
“Yeah?”
[What happens to the Supreme One now?]
“To stop a Transcendent Peak master? Hmm. You’d need about 50 Peak-level masters, all ready to die.”
Sado Gwang's household had a little over a hundred Peak-level experts in total. Most of the other Six Demon Families had two or three Transcendent Peak masters, but Sado Gwang made up for that with sheer numbers of Peak-levels.
But they weren’t loyal warriors. Their alliances were contracts of convenience. They’d prioritize survival.
In reality, he probably had around 40 loyal Peak-level fighters he could mobilize.
That wouldn’t be enough to stop Saweol if she went all out. Of course, Sado Gwang wouldn’t just sit and watch. He surely had traps laid, and if Saweol let her guard down, she could still fall.
But… I don’t even feel like that’ll happen.
Saweol, a Transcendent Peak master trained in assassination.
The people gathered in the Valley of Lost Souls might die without ever realizing what killed them.
If hell on earth was going to unfold, it would be here. I simply couldn’t imagine Saweol losing.
Uuung—
With Saweol gone, Skybreaker, finally free to act, floated into the air and began wandering among the bookshelves.
[So all these books in this secret archive… they’re records of everything the Supreme One has done?]
“Yeah. His diaries.”
[There must be hundreds…]
“It’s the product of an obsession to restore his body. There should be something about you in here, too. Want to look?”
[No.]
Skybreaker replied firmly.
[I’m not like Saweol—I haven’t cultivated deeply. I don’t know how to let go of my heart. Actually, I wonder if I even have one.]
“…What are you going on about now?”
[Look at these books.]
His voice took on a somber tone.
[The Supreme One twisted and manipulated countless people as he pleased. Why would I be any different?]
[I’m nothing more than a puppet crafted by his hands. Can a puppet even have a heart?]
I waved my hand. Skybreaker resisted a little, but because of the spiritual contract tied to the relic, he was dragged toward me.
I picked him up. He had no eyes, but I spoke as if looking straight into them.
“You have a heart.”
[…]
“Would a being without a heart whine about being bored or complain?”
[But what if that was part of the design, too?]
“At first, you didn’t even treat me like a person. Now, at least, you call me ‘monster’ and treat me as one. Would a puppet change like that?”
[…]
“If not that, then believe in the Soul Separation Technique. You and I had our souls swapped. I believe I truly exist. So that means you do too.”
[Hahh…]
Skybreaker sighed deeply.
[Let’s go to the Valley of Lost Souls.]
“To do what?”
[There’s something I need to ask my brother.]
“Alright. Saweol said she’d be waiting, so as long as we’re not too late…”
I left the family grounds and spurred my horse forward.
Hoping I wouldn’t be too late.
***
The Valley of Lost Souls was said to be a deep canyon filled with gloomy water mist all year round. Even during the day, sunlight couldn’t penetrate, making it a perpetually dreary place.
As I rode, I imagined it—
Thick mist that made it impossible to see ahead. Corpses lying broken, not even knowing what had hit them. The stench not of water, but of blood. A nightmare of crimson liquid flowing through the valley.
But when I actually arrived—
It was bright.
The mist had cleared. It was midnight, yet the area around the valley felt as bright as midday.
At its center stood Saweol.
She stood still, holding a dagger in both open palms.
Uuuung—
From her dagger, heat shimmered, radiating qi and mirage-like waves. That light and heat must have dispelled the fog.
There was a sense of sacredness, almost reverence, that could be felt even on the skin.
And if that were all, I might have accepted it.
After all, a Transcendent Peak expert could twist the laws of nature. Like the Frost Witch who had created an icy realm at some unknown ruin.
But what I saw before me… defied any rational understanding.
“Forgive us our sins, forgive us our sins, forgive us our sins…”
“I shall live forever in penance, forever in penance, forever in penance…”
“I stole thirty-six lives, robbed one hundred and one items, committed seventy acts of theft, and ninety-two…”
Hundreds of people were on their knees, confessing their sins.