The very day Jo Yeon was taught martial arts from Wol Ha-eun and danced with her.
The two finally became a pair.
As the couple left the Seoak Village, they flew on a magic artifact, their bodies leaning a little closer to each other than before.
From that day on, they were always together.
Before, only their bodies were together, but now, even their hearts were completely intertwined.
For the next few years, they continued to exterminate demon beasts together, deepening their love.
At the same time, they both grew stronger.
Ha-eun's martial arts improved greatly alongside Jo Yeon, striving to reach the pinnacle of Five Energies Converging to the Origin.
The consciousness method that Jo Yeon was developing also took shape after truly becoming lovers with Ha-eun.
Tstststststs—
"It's beautiful..."
Ha-eun smiled as she watched Jo Yeon refining his consciousness method.
The thread-like form of his consciousness scattered in all 4 directions, much like a mortal's.
The threads of Jo Yeon's consciousness, influenced by his current emotional state, were tinged with a violet hue, resembling tentacles at a glance.
The threads were particularly connected to the seven patterns on Jo Yeon's face, making them seem even more intertwined with him.
Recently, two of the seven tattoos had begun merging into one, and because of this, Jo Yeon's face appeared even more connected to the tentacles.
The sight was somewhat grotesque. Yet, the appearance of those consciousness threads was strikingly beautiful, and Jo Yeon, at the center, looked like an immortal being burning with the flames of consciousness.
After calming his consciousness method, Jo Yeon took off his mask and met Ha-eun's gaze.
By now, Ha-eun no longer wore her mask.
Perhaps it was because they wanted to see each other's faces more clearly.
"Hmm, it's embarrassing. It's still incomplete...and the threads spilling from my whole body—doesn't it look a bit...strange?"
"Hmm..."
Ha-eun watched Jo Yeon return the consciousness threads to their spherical form and, after a moment of thought, spoke.
"Isn't it a matter of perception?"
"Perception?"
"Yes. If you see it as strange, it's strange...but if you look at it from another perspective, it's really quite beautiful. Just like when you said my face was pretty."
"That was genuinely..."
"Enough. It's embarrassing, so stop it. What I mean is...it's only strange (怪奇) because you perceive it that way...but in my eyes...yes."
Ha-eun paused as if searching for the right word, then said,
"It's wonderfully mysterious (奇妙), in a way that's quite fascinating and beautiful."
[TL/N: Wonderfully Mysterious also means Wonderfully Strange or Strange and Wonderful.]
"Hmm..."
Jo Yeon blushed.
"Your choice of words...is weird. You need to study more."
"No! What do you mean by that!? Even after I complimented you..."
"Ack! Don't hit me! The difference in our physical strength makes it hurt!! I-Instead, how about we go get something to eat? I'll buy you something delicious to lift your mood..."
After bickering for a bit, the two headed to a nearby village.
As they entered the village, Ha-eun held Jo Yeon's hand.
"Huu..."
Though she was getting used to not wearing her mask, it still wasn't completely comfortable for her.
Her pockmarked scars were from a rare plague that even complete transformation couldn't erase, and the burn scar was something she had purposely left, to remind her of the anger she felt when she lost Wol Bi.
However, now that her vengeance was complete, the burn scar only brought her a deep sense of shame.
But eventually, she found peace by holding Jo Yeon's hand, ignoring the stares of the people as they headed to an inn together.
All eyes in the inn turned toward them.
A hunchbacked man and a hideously scarred woman.
It was a combination that naturally drew attention.
"Hmph!"
Jo Yeon, irritated by the stares, raised his killing intent.
His consciousness waves spread throughout the inn, causing the faces of the mortals there to turn pale.
They quickly finished their meals and left the inn, while even those strong enough to withstand his consciousness waves averted their eyes.
"Ah, you didn't need to go that far."
"Hmm...I had something to say anyway."
Jo Yeon led her to the top floor of the inn, seating them at the spot with the best scenic view.
He looked like he wanted to say something, but his face turned red, and he fumbled for words.
"Uh...so...um..."
Jo Yeon stammered for a while, breathing heavily.
Finally, as if making a decision, he grabbed Ha-eun's hand and spoke.
"Will you...marr—"
Thud—
Just as Jo Yeon was about to say something important, a hand suddenly slammed down on the table, separating the two of them.
Jo Yeon, ready to glare at the intruder with killing intent, suddenly flinched as a chilling realization dawned on him.
'What? Neither of us noticed until this person got so close?'
A man wearing a bamboo hat and ragged martial robes stood before them.
His eyes had a vacant look, and an unpleasant smile curled on his lips.
Jo Yeon felt a terror he had never felt before from the man standing before him.
As Jo Yeon and Ha-eun stood frozen in place, the man smiled faintly and spoke.
"Hoho...no need to be so tense, you two. I've only come to ask for your names."
With a trembling voice, Jo Yeon asked,
"...Who might you be, senior?"
"Hoho, I wonder if you'd know if I told you. You see, I'm...yes, the father of the ones you two killed during your heroic deeds."
Chills!
Jo Yeon felt a chill run through his entire body.
The only beings he and Ha-eun had killed since they began their journey were demon beasts.
Which meant this man before them was 'the father of one of the demon beasts they had slain.'
And as far as Jo Yeon knew, there was only one type of demon beast that could transform so perfectly into a human form.
'Transformation Stage...in other words, a demon beast at least at the Nascent Soul stage!'
Jo Yeon trembled before the man as if he were a quaking aspen.
'Is this how it ends...?'
It was when Jo Yeon's eyes were filled with despair.
Ha-eun took a deep breath and spoke to the man.
"Senior, we do not know who you are. However, I will say this. Most of the beings we have slain were demon beasts that excessively harmed humans and developed a taste for slaughter. For those demon beasts that only once preyed on humans, we merely injured them and chased them away, teaching them that humans are not their prey. We do not know which demon beast you claim as your child, but every one of those we killed had a reason to die!"
Jo Yeon stared at her in shock.
'No...to say that in front of a Nascent Soul stage demon beast...I see. Unlike me, she doesn't understand the level of a demon beast that can transform...'
But suddenly, he noticed the cold sweat forming on the back of her neck.
Yes.
Even though she might not know the exact level of the man in front of them, she understood that he was a terrifying being.
Despite that, she still spoke confidently.
Jo Yeon saw a reflection of Wol Bi in her appearance.
'Ah...my friend. You truly...live on within your disciple.'
It's when Jo Yeon felt crushed by the pressure of impending death and saw Wol Bi's image.
"Hoho...hohuhahaha!"
The man started to laugh.
He patted Jo Yeon and Ha-eun on their shoulders.
"It seems there's been a misunderstanding, my friends. I haven't come to hold you accountable. In fact, I came to thank you for cleaning up some waste product (廢品)."
'Waste product?'
Jo Yeon and Ha-eun's eyes twitched.
The man chuckled heartily and said,
"What you killed was just a waste product that escaped while I was perfecting a secret art to great completion. I was about to deal with it myself since it would have been troublesome if the remnant was seen by the Jo or Won Clans, but you two saved me the trouble. I should be thanking you instead. That's why I came to ask for your names to express my gratitude, so please relax. Hoho..."
"..."
"..."
The tension between Jo Yeon and Ha-eun eased slightly at the man's words.
But not completely.
The two exchanged glances before speaking.
"My name is Jo Yeon (早緣)."
"My name is Wol Ha-eun (月下恩)."
"..."
But upon hearing their names, the man fell silent for a moment.
Jo Yeon and Ha-eun anxiously glanced at each other and then at the man.
Suddenly, the man muttered to himself.
But his words were clear to the ears of both of them.
"Yeon (緣)...is that it, perhaps? Then what's that thing stuck to it? Hmm...could a lowly thing have attached itself due to a twisted fate (命)..."
The man's unfocused eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them.
Jo Yeon and Ha-eun both felt a chill run down their spines.
Those eyes looked at them as if they were lifeless objects, not people.
'What is he planning to do to us...?'
It's when Jo Yeon grew me anxious.
The man suddenly smiled faintly and asked,
"Are you two by any chance lovers?"
Their faces flushed at the question.
"Mm, that's correct."
"Yes we are, senior."
"Haha, I see. In that case...would you two consider breaking your connection and parting ways?"
"...!?"
Jo Yeon shot up from his seat.
"...I apologize, but that will be impossible."
"Hoo, why is that?"
"Because I cannot sever my feelings for my beloved. No matter how much you threaten us, that will never change."
"Hmm..."
The man seemed to ponder Jo Yeon's words for a moment, then suddenly grabbed Ha-eun's shoulder and whispered in her ear.
"If you spend one night with me immediately, I will make you my consort (妃) and ensure you live a life of abundance. You will be able to live for another thousand years and experience all the finest things the mortal world has to offer."
"What the...!?"
Jo Yeon's face turned bright red with anger.
The man's eyes split vertically.
"And most importantly, if you come with me now...I won't kill the two of you."
Kugugugugu!
An overwhelming pressure filled the entire inn.
Jo Yeon could hardly breathe under the man's oppressive force, and Ha-eun, too, was barely holding on, panting as she deflected the intense aura.
"Now...make your choice. Die here a dog's death, or come with me and secure a happy ending for the both of you..."
And the next moment,
Jo Yeon's eyes bulge wide.
Slap!
Ha-eun had slapped the man across the face.
Her entire body was ablaze with Protective Gang Qi as she resisted the man's pressure, and her hand shone brightly with Hang Gang.
Grinding her teeth, Ha-eun spit out her words.
"If senior continues to harass us, I choose to die right here. The one who has truly loved and accepted me is this man surnamed Jo, and once I accepted his heart, I never had any intention of accepting anyone else. Please stop insulting us, and quickly kill us if you must."
The man rubbed his slapped cheek, looking at the two with amused eyes.
Then, he smiled faintly again.
"How interesting. My secret art definitely worked, but your emotions are taking precedence...hoho. In that case, I'll make a proposal. Does the distinguished person have any plans of changing your name in the future?"
The man looked at Ha-eun and asked.
She seemed puzzled by the question and replied,
"...Who knows. I'm not sure...but I suppose no one can predict the future."
"Hmm...very well. Then, I'll leave it at that. I'll take my leave for now."
The man lifted his hands from their shoulders and turned around.
To the man turning around, Ha-eun called out to him.
"I don't know why you are doing this to us, but if you truly wish to take someone as your consort and receive their love, please treat people with sincerity. If senior continues with that attitude, senior will never receive genuine love."
Wuduk—
At Ha-eun's words, the man suddenly stopped and looked back at her.
Chills!
Ha-eun and Jo Yeon felt danger to their lives.
For a brief moment, a vision flashed in their minds of their bodies being torn apart.
It was the lingering echo of killing intent that had passed over them.
"Ah..."
The man chuckled as he clutched his head.
"My apologies. A momentary flaw appeared in the secret art I've learned which allowed some killing intent to leak out. Well then, I hope the two of you continue to live harmoniously and happily."
The man smiled faintly, glancing at Ha-eun.
"And, Miss...it would be wise for you to watch what you say in the future. Though I wish the best for both of you, who knows? A slip of the tongue could lead to a horrible end, one even I can't imagine. Hoho..."
With that, the man descended the stairs, still with a smiling face.
For a long while, the two of them stood frozen in place, unable to move.
It wasn't until a fishy smell reached their noses that they finally stirred.
Jo Yeon looked down at the inn below.
The majority of those who had remained in the inn became pancakes with their bodies exploded.
It seemed they had been unable to withstand the man's earlier pressure and had died.
With grim faces, Jo Yeon and Ha-eun left the inn without saying a word, leaving the village and flying off on their flight magic artifact to escape for a long time.
Fortunately, no one followed them.
Yet, Jo Yeon and Ha-eun could not shake the ominous and foreboding feeling they had when they encountered the man.
"...Did I say something wrong?"
Ha-eun spoke with a bitter expression as they hovered in the air.
"It's just that...he seemed like someone who wanted to be loved, so I thought I'd offer him some advice."
"Hmm...love, you say..."
Jo Yeon shuddered, recalling the man's dull eyes and lifeless intent.
Having only just begun to grasp the consciousness method, Jo Yeon could barely perceive the color of the man's intent. Thus, he was able to recall the man's intent.
The man's intent was incredibly cold and heavy, exuding a chilling sense of foreboding.
Jo Yeon had never before sensed the intent of a being that screamed so much in agony.
"To me, he seemed not like someone who wanted love, but like someone who had gone mad. He felt as if he had no heart at all."
The two talked as they piled stones in memory of the mortals who had died in the inn.
They were too terrified of that being to return to the inn and retrieve the corpses.
"Is that so...well, we can have different perspectives. By the way, there was something I wanted to say in the inn, but...we were a bit interrupted."
Hmm? What is it?"
After they finished stacking the stones and offered a brief prayer, Ha-eun turned to Jo Yeon and spoke.
"Would you...spend the rest of your life with me, Older Brother Jo?
"...Ah."
Jo Yeon looked at her and let out a hollow laugh at his own pathetic self.
Thinking back, hadn't he intended to propose first?
In the end, she beat him to it.
With a bitter smile, Jo Yeon took Ha-eun's hands in his.
"I will. I will live together with you for a hundred years, no, a thousand years...I will grow old with you and will die together on the same day and same time."
"Is that so...? Thank you."
Ha-eun smiled softly.
Jo Yeon, shaking off his bitter smile, broke into a full, radiant grin.
"For our official wedding...how about we hold it at that place?"
"Which place?"
"Where we first introduced ourselves."
Ha-eun's eyes sparkled at Jo Yeon's suggestion.
"Ah, that place!"
"Yes. When spring comes and the flowers are in full bloom...let's choose an auspicious day and hold our ceremony in front of the quince tree."
Ha-eun blushed and nodded at Jo Yeon's words.
"That sounds wonderful. It's autumn now, so..."
"In half a year, the quince flowers will be in full bloom. We'll wait until then, and though it may be modest, we'll choose an auspicious day and hold the ceremony together."
"Yes. On that day, at that moment, let's truly become one."
At Ha-eun's words, Jo Yeon smiled as if he had gained the world.
Tstststststs!
On his face, patterns of seven colors emerged.
Two patterns that had been halfway merged fully combined, leaving only six patterns on Jo Yeon's face.
As they decided on the date, the two began preparing for their wedding gifts.
Jo Yeon borrowed a mortal's forge to pour all his talent into crafting the most fitting gift for her, while Ha-eun honed her martial skills even further.
It was to undergo another complete transformation.
When she had undergone her first transformation, she had left the burn scar to remind herself of Wol Bi's vengeance.
But now, she had avenged Wol Bi within the limits she could.
Thus, she no longer needed the scar.
To become one with Jo Yeon in her most beautiful form, she dedicated herself entirely to undergoing a complete transformation once more.
And a month after the two had promised to marry...
Jo Yeon was taken away by the Jo Clan.
"...What?"
Jo Yeon stared at the clan's Core Formation Elder in bewilderment.
"Wh-What do you mean by that?"
"Can you not even understand speech, you foolish thing? Didn't I tell you that the Clan Head is formulating a grand plan? The Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, Black Ghost Valley, and the Grasslands Tribe Alliance! The East is too far, so it's difficult to make any moves there, but we're gathering all the nearby forces. I'm saying an empire that spans the entire continent will be created."
"Yes, yes. I understand that. But..."
"But what! Did I not say you are to soon enter into an arranged marriage with one of the late-stage disciples of Black Ghost Valley. So stop your wandering and prepare for your wedding."
"P-Please wait a moment. I...am not fit for marriage. As you know, Elder, I am a hunchback, and my appearance is unsightly..."
"But you are an Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent! That too, initially a Seven-Pattern Law Talent, but after recent confirmation, you've evolved into a Six-Pattern Law Talent. An Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent can only be born from the Jo Clan's pure bloodline. Moreover, for the talent to evolve to a higher stage means that your bloodline is even more pure and talented than most. As your bloodline is close to that of a direct descendant, your appearance is of no concern!"
"B-But..."
Jo Yeon swallowed hard.
A direct descendant of the clan?
Had the clan ever once treated him like a direct descendant?
If they had, he wouldn't have been doing something like wandering in the first place.
Jo Yeon decided to appeal not with logic or profit, but with emotion.
"I've already promised to marry someone else."
"Hmm, who is it? Perhaps someone from a major sect?"
"No, it's not that. Although she's just a martial artist, she has exceptional talent..."
Kwang!
"Keheok!"
Jo Yeon coughed up blood as he was crushed by an overwhelming pressure.
The Core Formation Elder glared at him with his face twisted in fury.
"You...filthy thing. Engaged to a beast? Not even a branch member, but an Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent, the face of the clan, engaged to a beast! You wretch, watch your mouth. If word gets out that you've been playing house with a beast, the Jo Clan will be the laughingstock of the world! Listen carefully, you fool. Mortals are not the same humans like us! They're beasts, livestock! To borrow the phrasing of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect...they are [non-human]! There's already some dissatisfaction from Black Ghost Valley due to your hideous appearance, but if it's revealed that you engaged in bestiality, your arranged marriage will fall apart!"
The Core Formation Elder continued to shout furiously.
The Qi Building cultivators who have gathered in front of the Elder for the arranged marriages with the late-stage disciples of Black Ghost Valley all sneered at Jo Yeon.
"Engaged to a beast?"
"Insane. His twisted lust matches his grotesque appearance."
"He is so disgusting that I have no words, keke..."
Jo Yeon grinded his teeth at the jeers of the crowd.
"As the Elder said...I'm a hunchback with a hideous appearance. But..."
He looked the Elder straight in the eyes and spoke.
"She...she is not a beast! She is undeniably a 'person'!"
The Elder was taken aback by Jo Yeon's words and replied.
"Crazy thing. You call a beast a person? Not only did you mate with a beast, but now you see them as a person? You lunatic, do you even understand how much benefit is tied to this political marriage? Although your partner also has many issues with relationships with men, she's still the daughter of one of the Curse Lineage Elders of Black Ghost Valley!"
"If this political marriage is so important, then please, have a younger and more handsome late-stage cultivator take my place instead of a hunchback like me. I am unworthy of marrying someone as distinguished as the daughter of the Curse Lineage Elder."
"You fool! Do you even realize how much they want the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent? Anyone with this talent must participate in this marriage! Are you really going to forsake the grace the clan has given you all these years over your twisted affection for some beast? Do not make the clan a laughingstock. Remember how much you've benefited from the clan as you've grown and walked the path of cultivation!"
At the Elder's fierce reprimand, Jo Yeon bit down hard.
The clan's grace?
What did he receive again?
He recalled his father, who had beaten him since childhood, the clan members who tormented him when he moved to the main family, and the adults who kicked him away in disgust whenever they saw him.
The spirit stones and elixirs he had been allotted were always stolen by his peers. Even the three pills meant to help him reach the Qi Building stage were taken by his relatives. In the end, he had to buy a leftover pill, a Building Emptiness Pill, from the market just to break through to the Qi Building stage.
And wasn't it the Jo Clan that killed his closest friend?
Jo Yeon had always harbored resentment towards the clan, but now, hearing them speak of 'grace' while insulting Ha-eun, it made him lose control.
"Do not insult her. Who are you calling a beast! She is a martial artist who knows righteousness and a person who embraces benevolence The real beasts are those within this clan who treat branch members like mere test subjects—"
"Enough!"
Kwang!
Jo Yeon coughed up more blood, silenced by the Elder's roar.
"He's completely lost his mind. Completely bewitched by that beast. This won't do! Hear me! Lock this madman in solitary confinement and watch him closely! Do not release him until the political marriage is settled!"
The Elder glared at Jo Yeon as he spoke.
"Whether you like it or not, you will sacrifice yourself for the clan! You carry the blood and surname of the Jo Clan, you were born with the great Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent, and the clan has supported you up to the Qi Building stage! If you've enjoyed the benefits, you must know how to repay the favor! The political marriage will take place this winter. Until then, stay in solitary confinement and sort out your emotions!"
"W-Wait!"
Jo Yeon tried to resist, but the clan's Qi Building stage cultivators rushed in, subduing him and dragging him away.
"Please wait, Elder! I cannot go through with this marriage. I've made a promise with her..."
However, his pleas fell on deaf ears and he was locked away in solitary confinement.
Jo Yeon stared out in a daze from within the cell.
The room was covered in an impenetrable barrier, making escape impossible.
Jo Yeon gritted his teeth.
'No...'
This couldn't happen.
He had to be with her.
"No!"
Kwang!
He pounded the wall with his reddened eyes.
Kwarurung!
But as he raged, the barrier activated, triggering a spell that shocked his consciousness.
"Kuuuugh!"
Jo Yeon opened his eyes in anger, his consciousness reeling from the impact.
'This, this is...'
When his consciousness collided with the barrier, he felt his mind become strange.
He instinctively understood.
This room's barrier was designed to brainwash him.
A brainwashing barrier created to make him dedicate his body and soul to the Jo Clan!
Budududuk...
Jo Yeon was certain.
If he remained trapped here until winter, he would go completely mad, forgetting her and becoming a mere puppet obeying the clan's commands.
'I must escape before the wedding date arrives!'
He began analyzing the barrier and pushing the consciousness method he had been developing to evolve even further.
So that he would never be brainwashed.
So that the person called Jo Yeon could remain true to himself.
And...so he could break this room's barrier.
Time passed quickly.
Finally, winter approached, and Jo Yeon was visited by the Elder who came to his solitary room.
"Have you regained your senses a little now?"
"...Yes, Elder. I think I temporarily lost my mind and did something disgraceful. Please forgive me. I will follow your orders properly from now on."
Jo Yeon's eyes appeared somewhat dazed and vacant.
The Elder looked at him with satisfaction and smiled.
"Very good. The disciplinary barrier provided by the Sea Dragon Clan was well-crafted. The wedding is only a few days away, so be prepared. It might be best to get you dressed ahead of time. Hear me!"
At the Elder's command, the Jo Clan's servants came in and changed Jo Yeon's clothes.
He was dressed in the Jo Clan's traditional wedding attire.
A clean, light pink silk robe.
The Elder nodded approvingly as he observed the sight.
"Even a hunchback looks somewhat presentable when dressed like this. Haha! Now, spend a few more days facing the wall and composing your emotions. Soon, we will become in-laws with the Black Ghost Valley's Cursed Lineage..."
The Elder spoke with satisfaction before leaving the solitary room.
However, once the Elder left, Jo Yeon's gaze changed.
With sharp eyes, he extended his consciousness.
Tstststststststs!
Threads of his consciousness filled the room.
Jo Yeon focused his mind on the consciousness threads, bringing his hand to the floor.
Wo-woong!
His threads of consciousness clung to the ceiling, walls, and floor of the solitary room, starting to draw a strange circuit.
'It's still incomplete, but I can at least break the barrier.'
Wo-woong!
Jo Yeon's circuit seized control of the barrier.
And at a certain moment,
Flash!
Jo Yeon fully took control of the barrier and discreetly dismantled part of it without leaving any trace.
"It's done!"
He smiled with exhilaration and finally stepped outside.
'It seems the vigilance has weakened since the Elder visited.'
After surveying his surroundings and confirming no one was around, he skillfully slipped out of the Jo Clan.
Though the clan's barrier formations repeatedly blocked his path, Jo Yeon used his unique consciousness method and circuits to break through them.
It was late at night.
Taking advantage of the darkness, he finally escaped the Jo Clan's territory completely.
"It's done, I did it!"
After escaping the Jo Clan's territory, Jo Yeon quickly boarded a flying magic artifact and sped off toward Shengzi.
'The arranged marriage date is approaching soon. Before then...I must marry her.'
Jo Yeon knew.
Eventually, both he and she would be captured again by the Jo Clan.
It was likely they couldn't avoid the arranged marriage.
However...
Jo Yeon, even if that were to happen, at the very least wanted to marry her first.
To marry some unknown female cultivator from Black Ghost Valley, only to later marry her in a second wedding?
'That can never happen.'
Even if he must see his friend Wol Bi who already went to the afterlife, Jo Yeon flew swiftly, determined to hold his first wedding with Wol Ha-eun no matter what.
Paaatt!
Soaring through the dark night sky, Jo Yeon finally arrived at a secluded corner of a forest.
"Ah...!"
As soon as he arrived, his eyes reddened.
Midwinter.
Beside a quince tree, stripped of all its leaves.
There, Ha-eun was living in a small cabin she had built.
It was to keep the promise they had made to hold their wedding in front of this quince tree.
Jo Yeon stepped into the cabin.
"Who...ah!"
Ha-eun's face turned to surprise when she saw him.
For a moment, the two silently looked at each other.
Though no words were spoken, the meaning was conveyed.
Jo Yeon and Wol Ha-eun ran to each other and embraced tightly.
"I missed you."
Jo Yeon said.
"I missed you too."
She replied.
For a long while after those words, the two remained silent.
And then, after some time, Jo Yeon spoke.
"The clan is trying to make me the subject of an arranged marriage."
He spoke, holding Ha-eun's shoulders.
"There's no way to avoid it. The Jo Clan is the Continent's Foremost Clan...even if we run, they'll eventually track us down."
"That's..."
"But...we can still become husband and wife."
Jo Yeon met Ha-eun's gaze with burning eyes.
"Let's hold the wedding today. Though I'll be captured again and forced into the arranged marriage, you will be my first wife. No matter how grand the arranged marriage may be, the person I marry will only be the second wife."
The two held hands tightly.
"Even if it's my fate to go through with the arranged marriage, within that fate, I will regard you as my first. So...though it's unprepared, and though the ceremony can only be inadequate..."
As he spoke, Jo Yeon's eyes turned red.
Things hadn't turned out the way he had hoped.
He had wanted to set an auspicious date for their wedding, watching the spring flowers in the warmth of spring, but now, they had to hold the ceremony urgently in the middle of winter. The situation itself felt unreasonable.
Still, he wanted to form this connection with her no matter what, even if it had to be like this.
"Will you marry me?"
Ha-eun, hearing Jo Yeon's sincere words, also teared up.
"Yes. I've always been ready to be with you, whenever and however."
She took Jo Yeon's hand and brushed it against her face.
Where the burn scar had once been.
In the past few months, she had managed to undergo another transformation, successfully erasing the burn mark.
Jo Yeon and Ha-eun stepped outside the cabin.
Outside.
In front of the quince tree that had saved their lives, where they had first introduced themselves,
The two placed a bowl of cold water before the quince tree.
Ha-eun looked at the quince tree with a bittersweet expression.
"I wanted us to be united when the spring flowers were in full bloom, but fate doesn't seem to allow it."
"..."
At Ha-eun's words, Jo Yeon gazed at the bare, leafless quince tree.
Then, right there, he took off the clothes he had been wearing.
The traditional wedding attire given to him by the Jo Clan, meant for the arranged marriage with the female cultivator from Black Ghost Valley.
He stared at the light pink silk robe for a moment before, without hesitation, started tearing it apart.
Rip, rip!
With quick movements, he shredded the silk robe.
After a short while, Jo Yeon's silk robe had turned into dozens of strips of light pink thread.
Jo Yeon swiftly climbed the quince tree and tied the pink threads to each branch, one by one.
Although no flowers had bloomed, the sight of the quince tree adorned with dozens of pink threads was quite beautiful.
Jo Yeon climbed down from the tree and smiled faintly.
"I'm sorry this is all I can do. But still...this is my version of spring."
He looked at the many pink threads fluttering in the winter wind and gave a bitter smile.
"...It's strange...it's too strange, I'm sorry."
But Ha-eun shook her head.
"...I told you, it's not strange...it's wonderfully mysterious...it's beautiful."
Ha-eun smiled brightly as she looked at the tree.
"It's wonderfully mysterious and beautiful. Just like you."
With the bowl of cold water and the many light pink threads adorning the quince tree, the two held their wedding ceremony.
"We offer our respects to the Divine Spirits of Heaven and Earth."
The night passed, and dawn began to break in the distance.
At the time when the moon set and the sun rose.
Jo Yeon and Ha-eun made their vows before the sun and moon.
"We swear before the Eight Lights, who have governed blessings since the very beginning of time. We swear before the Mountain God, Earth God, and all the Gods of the Heavens and the Underworld. From now on, under the eyes of the Divine Spirits of Heaven and Earth, we will be bound together as one. We will grow old together, living for a hundred years, a thousand years, side by side."
"When their hair turns white, so will mine. When they fall into madness and roll in the mud, I will roll in the mud with them. If they commit a sin and fall to the depths of hell, I will follow them to the bottom. Whether in paradise or in hell, we will always be together."
"We ask the Heavenly God, Mountain God, Snake God, and all the Gods of Heaven and Earth and the Heavens to bless us, so that we may become Paired Winged Birds flying together in the sky and intertwined branches planting roots together in the earth."
[TL/N: Paired Wing Bird (比翼鳥), also known as Biyiniao, is a mythical bird in East Asian mythology that only has one eye and wing, so it needs to pair with its mate in order to fly.]
The two, having followed the simplified wedding rites, shared the bowl of cold water under the dawn light, each drinking half.
Then, they held each other's hands.
Whiiiii—
The wind blew around them, as if blessing the couple.
And so, Wol Ha-eun and Jo Yeon became husband and wife.
-x-X-x-
"...Thank you for being with me. One day...I will properly marry you."
"This is already more than enough. It's me, hus..."
It was when the word 'husband' was about to escape her lips.
Kwaaang!
An intense heat melted all the nearby snow and burned all the trees.
Kugugugugu!
An overwhelming heat filled the surroundings.
"You bastard...!"
The Core Formation stage Elder of the Jo Clan.
The very one who brainwashed Jo Yeon and pushed forward the arranged marriage with Black Ghost Valley.
Paat, pabababat!
Countless late-stage disciples of the Jo Clan also appeared around him.
"You filthy, brainless bastard...in the end, you couldn't hold back and came here to engage in bestiality with livestock in heat? Fine, if that's what you want, I'll make sure to tear you two apart completely. If that livestock dies, then you will..."
Jo Yeon didn't wait for the Elder to finish his words and prepared a spell, aiming it at his own head.
"If you kill or harm her, I will immediately kill myself."
"Wh-what!?"
"I will accept the arranged marriage you've proposed. I'll even marry the cultivator from Black Ghost Valley and give you descendants. But, you must promise to spare her life and not harm her in any way. If you don't, I will smash my own head and die right here. Even as an Elder, you won't be able to stop this."
Jo Yeon spoke while glaring sharply at the Elder.
"If more were born with the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent, you could just kill us both now. But as far as I know, there hasn't been any recent awakening of the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent."
Jo Yeon wasn't foolishly threatening his life without reason.
He had thoroughly investigated before escaping from the Jo Clan.
"You could kill me if you plan to break off the political marriage with the daughter of the Curse Lineage Elder. After all, what use is a mere Qi Building Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent like me. So please, kill me right here and break off the engagement!"
"You...!"
Jo Yeon knew.
Over the years, he had eavesdropped on the conversations outside his solitary room using his consciousness method and became certain.
The head of the Jo Clan planned to use these political marriages to elevate the clan into the royal family of the cultivator world.
To do that, they needed an unbreakable alliance, and Jo Yeon's death here would create a flaw in the Clan Head's grand plan.
If another Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent had emerged within the last few days, they could have simply killed Jo Yeon and replaced him in the arranged marriage.
But that was impossible.
The Elder glared at Jo Yeon with a face flushed red, while Jo Yeon held Wol Ha-eun's hand and brought the spell closer to his own head.
Finally, the Elder shouted at Jo Yeon.
"Fine! You son of a dog bastard. I swear on my Golden Core, my honor, and the honor of the Jo Clan, that I won't lay a finger on your pet! I won't kill her or torture her. But!"
With blazing eyes, he glared at Jo Yeon and spoke.
"To avoid any strange rumors from Black Ghost Valley, I will send your pet to the eastern end for a while. For the first twenty years of your marriage, the two of you will be absolutely forbidden from meeting each other. Understand!?"
'Twenty years...'
Jo Yeon let out a low groan.
It was a long time.
Too long.
But he read the Elder's intent.
'This is the limit.'
If he pushed for more conditions, the Elder might explode and kill Ha-eun right here.
"I understand. In return...after that period, you must promise to let us meet again."
"Fine! I'll promise that too. I swear it on my Golden Core, my honor, and the honor of the Jo Clan! Is that enough!?"
Jo Yeon also addressed the late-stage disciples behind the Elder.
"Please make sure that those who came with the Elder also promise."
At those words, they looked at each other, smirked, and nodded.
"Alright. We promise. We'll let you two meet again someday. We swear on our honor."
"Truly..."
"Enough!"
Kugugugu!
Jo Yeon tried to use his consciousness method to read the intent of the late-stage disciples, but the Elder's sharp shout blocked his technique.
"That's enough. Enough with the chatter! They've promised in front of me, so they'll keep their word. If you keep doubting, I'll take it as an insult to my honor."
"...Understood."
Though still dissatisfied, Jo Yeon decided to trust the Elder.
Twitch—
Hmm? Something...
He felt a strange ominous sensation from the Elder and the late-stage disciples, but he dismissed it as a result of the tense situation and bowed his head.
For some reason, it reminded him of the foreboding he had felt when he met that Nascent Soul stage demon beast long ago, but he forced himself to accept the situation.
'This is the best option.'
Jo Yeon looked at Ha-eun and embraced her.
"Twenty years is a long time, but...if we yearn for each other, it won't be such a long period."
"Yes, I understand. Even if two changing cycles of the mountains and rivers pass, my heart will not change."
The two embraced for a moment before parting.
Jo Yeon headed back to the Jo Clan with the Core Formation Elder.
Meanwhile, Ha-eun left with the late-stage disciples to the far east.
She would be separated from him in the east for the next twenty years.
Though it was far, Jo Yeon swore with determination as he arrived at the Jo Clan that he would go meet her again.
'One day...one day, I will see dear again.'
And three days later.
Jo Yeon heard an absurd piece of news.
"A-Annulment...is that what you're saying?"
The Core Formation Elder nodded with an extremely angry expression.
"...Yes. It seems Black Ghost Valley investigated your past and discovered that you engaged in bestiality."
Crack...
The Elder glared at Jo Yeon as he spoke.
"If that had caused a crack in the alliance, I would have personally torn both you and your pet to pieces...But you're unbelievably lucky. It turns out your partner also made a grave mistake."
The daughter of the Curse Lineage Elder from Black Ghost Valley...it was known she had a habit of frequenting men, but no one expected her to bring a man to play with the night before the wedding. The main family's Grand Elder discovered it, and as a result, the engagement was annulled. Originally, Black Ghost Valley was going to accept you as a favor to gain the upper hand in the alliance...but since we found such serious misconduct on their side as well, both sides were at fault, and we decided to annul the engagement without further words."
"Th-Then..."
Just as Jo Yeon's face was about to brighten.
The Elder shouted furiously.
"Don't get any foolish ideas! Your next political marriage will be arranged soon. However...because of the rumors of your bestiality, it will be harder to find a match."
Puhk!
The Elder struck Jo Yeon's face violently.
Puhk, puhk, puhk!
He continued to beat Jo Yeon with his own hands as he spoke.
"Consider yourself lucky, you piece of trash! If the other party hadn't been so promiscuous, I would have personally melted you and that beast down as materials for my dharma treasure! Damn it, it makes my blood boil. Now I have to run around finding another match for this garbage!"
After furiously beating Jo Yeon until he was near death, the Elder stormed out of the room, saying,
"Reflect on your actions. And you'd better raise your cultivation quickly! If you don't raise your worth, no one will be willing to marry someone who engaged in bestiality. If, because of your bestiality, you fail to secure an arranged marriage, I'll personally bring your pet and tear it to pieces in front of you!"
"...Understood."
Jo Yeon bowed to the Elder as he left the room.
And then he made up his mind.
'Let's raise my cultivation.'
This was also an opportunity.
The Elder had said that only by raising his cultivation could Jo Yeon have a chance of marriage, but raising his realm also meant having more choices.
'Core Formation...no, if I can reach Grand Perfection Qi Building, the clan won't be able to treat me like an insignificant bug anymore.'
When that time comes, he might not be able to avoid the political marriage, but no one would be able to stop him from living with Ha-eun.
Being with a mortal is considered bestiality?
So what?
Among those at the Grand Perfection Qi Building stage, some of the truly eccentric practitioners of devilish arts even engaged in 'real' bestiality.
The Elder probably thought that even if Jo Yeon raised his realm, he would only reach the mid Qi Building stage at most.
However, Jo Yeon already internalized insights on the level of Core Formation long ago in his youth.
The only reason he had maintained his early Qi Building stage cultivation was because extending his lifespan too much would mean that no matter how many spiritual elixirs he gave her, he wouldn't be able to die on the same day as Ha-eun.
But now was not the time to worry about such things.
'Even if I reach the Golden Core stage, extend my lifespan to beyond 600 years, and can no longer grow old together with Ha-eun... I must raise my realm now!'
Jo Yeon swore that he would raise his cultivation, and from that day, he nearly shut himself in his room.
Time passed.
Five years went by, and Jo Yeon's marriage partner still hadn't been decided.
The Core Formation Elder had threatened to find Ha-eun and kill her if no partner was arranged within ten years, but Jo Yeon wasn't afraid.
Wo-oong!
Though he hid it from the Elder, Jo Yeon's cultivation had already reached the late Qi Building stage.
'Core Formation is not far off.'
Even more, his Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent showed signs of evolving once again.
Perhaps because he had spent the last five years diligently practicing artifact crafting and awakening his talent, two of the six patterns were showing signs of merging again.
Because of this, the Jo Clan was being more cautious in selecting a marriage partner for him, which had delayed the process.
After the Elder left, Jo Yeon smiled faintly and resumed his cultivation.
'The day I can truly be with her is not far off.'
It was then,
"Hey, hunchback."
Late-stage disciples entered Jo Yeon's room.
"...?"
Jo Yeon looked at them with doubt.
They were the same late-stage disciples who had witnessed him and Ha-eun with the Elder that day.
They had all married high-ranking members of Black Ghost Valley by now and held considerable status within the clan.
One of them approached Jo Yeon, patted him on the shoulder, and handed him a wooden box.
"I heard your Pattern Law Talent is about to evolve again? Haha, I really do wonder if you're the same fool from before. If you become a Five-Pattern Law Talent, won't you finally be on our level!"
One of the late-stage disciples, born with the Five-Pattern Law Talent, put his arm around Jo Yeon's shoulder as if they were close.
He was the same late-stage disciple who had bullied Jo Yeon the most since childhood.
"I'm sorry for bothering you in the past. Once you become a Five-Pattern Law Talent, you'll finally be a person, so we shouldn't hold grudges like before."
With an unpleasant smile, he thrust the wooden box at Jo Yeon.
"Take it, it's a spiritual elixir."
Suddenly, Jo Yeon felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort and disgust rising within him.
"...What kind of elixir is this?"
"You know it. It's an Emotion Advancement Pill (情進丹)."
"...!"
The Emotion Advancement Pill.
A pill created by the Jo Clan, specifically for those with the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent!
It was an exceptional pill, its recipe known only to a select few among the clan's alchemists.
"My uncle is one of the top alchemists in the main family. I gave him some rare ingredients, and he personally crafted this special Emotion Advancement Pill. He was thrilled, saying he'd never worked with such special ingredients before."
The late-stage disciple said this with a subtle expression.
"Come, eat it. Although the Seven, Six-Pattern Law Talents are trash, the Five-Pattern Law Talent is still useful to the main family, so you too will become a useful asset to the clan. You might think I bothered you a little when we were young, but it was all done thinking for your sake, to toughen you up you know? So don't misunderstand."
Jo Yeon took the wooden box containing the Emotion Advancement Pill, hesitating for a moment.
For some reason, he felt a deep sense of discomfort and disgust.
And as he hesitated, the late-stage disciple's face twisted into an irritated expression.
"Hey, what's with that look? That pill took my uncle years to make. Are you disrespecting me and my uncle right now?"
"That's...not it. It's just, giving something so precious to someone like me..."
"You keep trying to refuse. Go ahead and eat one right here. If you keep disregarding our goodwill, we won't just sit still either. You know we have your pet's whereabouts, right?"
"...Mm..."
Jo Yeon's face darkened.
He sighed and opened the wooden box.
Inside, there were three pills subtly glowing with a pale pink hue.
Precious pills that amplifies the talent of an Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent!
Why would he give such a valuable thing to someone he bullied since childhood?
Jo Yeon looked at his intent.
His Intent was filled with a purple pleasure.
'Is this malice or goodwill?'
His consciousness method was incomplete.
Even for Jo Yeon, interpreting the enlightenment of Five Energies Converging to the Origin wasn't an easy task.
He could barely see the color tones, and he could only barely guess at the intentions behind those colors.
'I can't grasp the exact intention.'
In the end, Jo Yeon swallowed the pill in front of them.
It didn't seem like it was poisoned.
As soon as he ate it, a gentle energy began to circulate throughout his body.
It felt as if a warm hand was softly caressing his body.
"Puhahahahaha!"
Watching this, the late-stage disciples all burst out laughing at once.
They seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Jo Yeon couldn't understand their intentions.
"Good, good. Really good, you hunchbacked brat!"
After patting Jo Yeon's back, the late-stage disciples left his room, saying,
"We'll leave so you can absorb the medicinal effects. Then, eat well and become a brilliant talent for the main family, you brat!"
Jo Yeon stared at the door they had exited for a moment.
Then he looked at the remaining elixirs in the wooden box.
For some reason, he had a bad feeling.
But still...
'...I should eat them.'
Because he had to grow stronger to seize an opportunity.
If he became a Five-Pattern Law Talent, the clan wouldn't be able to completely ignore his opinions.
'And...if this Emotion Advancement Pill works, perhaps...'
Jo Yeon thought he could perhaps even aim for the Four-Pattern Law Talent.
'If I become a Four-Pattern Law Talent, maybe the family would allow me to live openly with Ha-eun.'
"I must..."
Jo Yeon made a vow while looking at the pills.
"I will definitely be with her next time."
Now was the time to raise his realm and talents by any means necessary.
All...to be with her.
With that thought, Jo Yeon picked up another pill and swallowed it.
The six marks that appeared on his face merged together to form five.
Jo Yeon muttered briefly.
"Wait for me, dear..."
The medicinal effects of the Emotion Advancement Pill were still swirling inside him.
He felt that once he absorbed all of its effects, the path to becoming a Four-Pattern Law Talent would open.
"I will definitely come for you. To grow old together, to be with each other for a hundred years..."
Jo Yeon's eyes lit up with determination as he touched his chest.
"Because that is what we promised..."
Bubbling, bubbling, bubbling...
Above a massive body of a dying Sea Dragon, oozing with purple foam,
There, a man wearing a bamboo hat with vacant eyes stroked the Sea Dragon's corpse with a grin.
"Hoho...though I guided it with my own hands, the Jo Clan is truly beyond imagination. I merely stimulated their nature, and yet to go that far...but more importantly..."
His pupils split vertically.
"In the end, if it turns out like that, it seems it wasn't what I'm looking for. Because that thing's [setting] (設定) is to 'die together on the same day and same moment'."
Clicking his tongue in disappointment, the man pulled something from the body of the Sea Dragon, whose eyes had rolled back in death.
Five years passed.
Kugugugugu!
Inside one of the training cave residences of the Jo Clan.
A loud rumble echoed as Heaven and Earth spiritual energy surged into the cave.
"What's going on?"
One of the Elders of the Jo Clan looked towards the direction of the cave residence.
"This celestial phenomenon...could it be...?"
As if realizing something, he flinched in shock and flew towards the training cave.
A short while later, a powerful pressure of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy rushed out from inside the cave.
Kugugu!
The doors to the training residence opened, and Jo Yeon emerged from inside.
"N-No, what is this...?"
The Elder's mouth dropped open.
The one who emerged from within the training cave residence was Jo Yeon, the very person the Elder had once threatened, saying he would kill his pet if Jo Yeon failed to find a match.
Seeing Jo Yeon, the Elder inhaled sharply.
"You...you've reached...Core Formation...but more than that!"
He was stunned as he looked at the marks that had appeared on Jo Yeon's skin.
"F-Four-Pattern Law Talent! A Four-Pattern Law Talent!? How is this possible? A Seven-Pattern Law Talent evolved into a Four-Pattern Law Talent? Even if you eat Emotion Advancement Pills like rice, evolving the Law Talent isn't easy. How many times have you evolved already?!"
But regardless of the Elder's astonishment, Jo Yeon simply smiled faintly.
"Have you been well, Elder?"
"..."
"I've broken through to the Core Formation stage and even attained the Four-Pattern Law Talent."
Jo Yeon gestured behind him.
Inside the training cave residence countless magic artifacts that Jo Yeon had crafted over the years to evolve his Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent were piled up.
"I'll dedicate all these magic artifacts and dharma treasures to the clan. With this much, Elder, don't you think I should be able to choose my own marriage partner?"
"..."
The Elder looked at Jo Yeon with an incredulous expression, then sighed.
"...Do as you wish. To think you were hiding such talent...it's surprising. Here, this is the magic artifact that records the location of that mortal you cherish. Whether you go to her or not is up to you As I promised, ever since that day, I've completely left her alone and haven't touched her!"
"Haha, thank you."
After thanking the Elder, Jo Yeon quickly went to the Grand Elder and the Clan Head to pay his respects.
The Clan Head and Grand Elder's praise left through one ear, his mind solely focused on the moment he could go to see Ha-eun.
Finally, when the Clan Head finished his words of advice and well-wishing toward Jo Yeon, Jo Yeon made his request.
"Clan Head, now that I've reached the Golden Core stage and attained the Four-Pattern Law Talent, I believe I have the right to choose my own marriage partner."
"Hmm, that is true. Do you have a prestigious clan or a disciple from a major sect in mind?"
"I...want to marry a martial artist."
"What?!"
The Nascent Soul stage Clan Head's face turned red with anger and shouted.
"When I heard those rumors about bestiality or whatever, I thought they were lies...but to think you still carry such perverse tastes!"
Kugugugugu!
The Clan Head raised his aura in rage, but barely managed to control his anger as he sat back down.
"...If you were only a Five-Pattern Law Talent, or merely at the Qi Building stage, I would have personally beaten you to death. But given your realm and talent, I won't kill you. Do as you wish. However! Even if you keep a pet, you will marry the woman chosen by the clan!"
"...Thank you."
Jo Yeon nodded, dissatisfied but at least having gained permission.
'I'm confident I'll rise to the Nascent Soul stage with my Four-Patten Law Talent.'
When that day comes, no one would be able to stop him from officially marrying Ha-eun.
Though the idea of spending only a hundred years with Ha-eun was a bit regrettable, if he gathered all the rare medicines on the continent and raised her to the Core Formation stage, they could possibly spend a thousand years together.
With such dreams in mind, Jo Yeon left the audience chamber and took out the magic artifact that recorded Ha-eun's location.
As expected of the Jo Clan, renowned for their genius in artifact crafting, creating a magic artifact that could track a single mortal's location was an all too easy feat.
'The Elder must've made this just in case, but hasn't activated it once in ten years.'
Jo Yeon analyzed the structure of the artifact.
'It seems to track her movements based on her blood information and leads me to her location. The craftsmanship is unnecessarily high. Anyway, this damned Jo Clan...if they have this level of skill, bestowing mortals a year of abundance..."
Though he harbored a slight grudge toward the Jo Clan, Jo Yeon felt as if he could fly.
It felt like nothing but happiness awaited him now.
Even the Jo Clan, which he had disliked to this day, seemed to now give him a faint sense of belonging.
"Well, that's enough. Let's go."
Wiiiiing!
The moment Jo Yeon activated the magic artifact, wings sprouted from the round artifact, and it floated into the air.
The magic artifact flapped its wings and headed in a certain direction.
Jo Yeon followed it using the Flying Escape Technique.
"Since it'll take a lot of spiritual power to travel east, I should replenish with elixirs or spirit stones before..."
Then, Jo Yeon noticed something strange.
The artifact wasn't heading east.
It was headed toward a corner of the Jo Clan's main family.
Jo Yeon's eyes widened.
'Wait, could it be...?'
He felt a sense of disbelief.
"She wasn't in the east, but hidden within the Jo Clan's main family? Hah..."
Then again, even for the Jo Clan, a Five Energies Converging to the Origin martial artist like Ha-eun had worth as a bodyguard for their Qi Refining disciples. That might be how they were using her.
"Hah...to think she was close by all along and I never knew. The main family must've controlled the information. No...was it because I was too focused on cultivation and didn't pay attention? Regardless..."
Wiiiiing!
The magic artifact passed through the sparring grounds, cultivation rooms, the magic artifact refining chamber, and headed toward a secluded corner of the main family.
It was going to the pill refining room.
"...What's this?"
Jo Yeon stared at the magic artifact that arrived at the front of the pill-refining room, puzzled.
'Is Ha-eun inside?'
He carefully opened the door and stepped inside.
Since even a Core Formation cultivator like him couldn't enter the pill refining room carelessly, Jo Yeon proceeded with caution.
As he opened the door, the magic artifact flew to a corner of the pill refining room.
"Dear...are you there?"
Jo Yeon, with a trembling heart, followed the magic artifact.
Then, the artifact stopped.
It halted in front of the flame vent that ignited Earth Fire (地火) for the alchemy furnace.
"..."
Jo Yeon briefly looked around.
Ha-eun was nowhere to be seen.
"...Is the magic artifact broken?"
He touched the artifact.
But from the perspective of someone who had reached the level of the Four-Pattern Law Talent, the magic artifact was not broken.
He could feel Ha-eun's blood registered within the artifact.
The Qi within the blood was undoubtedly Ha-eun's, as Jo Yeon remembered it.
"..."
Jo Yeon fiddled with the artifact again, muttering to himself.
"How strange. It seems broken, but...I can't figure it out with my skills."
It was then.
Jo Yeon heard someone approaching behind him, yawning.
"Huaaaaahm, combining medicinal ingredients isn't easy. Hey, wait! Who are you?!"
Jo Yeon turned around.
It was the same late-stage disciple who had given him the Emotion Advancement Pill in the past.
The late-stage disciple smiled with a cheerful face the moment he saw Jo Yeon.
"Well, look who it is! Isn't it the hunchback! Haha, did you just come out of seclusion? How'd it go? Made any progress? I'm already at the late Qi Building stage without even going into seclusion. Let's see how far you—huh?"
As he checked Jo Yeon's consciousness and spiritual pressure, the late-stage disciple's expression changed.
"W-what...?"
Then, Jo Yeon reached out toward the late-stage disciple.
Clench!
Grabbing the late-stage disciple by both shoulders, Jo Yeon asked,
"...Where is she?"
The late-stage disciple's face turned pale.
"H-How did someone like you reach Core Formation...?"
"Where..."
Crunch!
He spoke to the late-stage disciple who was babbling nonsense.
"Is she?"
"Kugh, you, you..."
It was at that moment.
Clench!
Someone appeared in the room and grabbed Jo Yeon's hand.
Jo Yeon looked at the person.
The late-stage disciple's uncle.
A Grand Perfection Core Formation stage Great Elder, just about to enter the Nascent Soul stage.
"Amazing. I didn't expect that hunchback my nephew mentioned would grow to this level."
"...Where is she?"
Jo Yeon asked him with a sharp glare.
Before the Great Elder could respond, the late-stage disciple hid behind him and sneered.
"Haha, you mean your pet? Didn't we keep our promise?! We said we'd 'let you meet her again!'"
"...What?"
"Over there! Your pet is 'over there!'"
The late-stage disciple pointed to Jo Yeon's stomach.
Jo Yeon briefly looked down at his own stomach, then glanced at the flame vent of the alchemy furnace, before turning his gaze back to the Great Elder.
Finally, his eyes settled on the late-stage disciple.
Saaaaaaaa—
"...You."
A cold aura began to spread around Jo Yeon.
"U-Uncle!"
"Hmph, you made a mistake. You didn't tell me he cared this much for a pet."
The Grand Elder blocked Jo Yeon's path and spoke.
"My nephew was a bit hasty, but you should understand. In the end, wasn't it just livestock? Besides, those three hundred Emotion Advancement Pills made from your pet were truly of excellent quality. The clan's late-stage disciples, the Clan Head, the Elders, and even the supreme Grand Elders all consumed them and achieved remarkable improvements in their aptitudes. It must have died happily knowing it was of immense help to the Jo Clan."
"..."
"If you have any complaints, speak up. It was a rather special kind of livestock, so we can compensate you. If you need another pet, we can bring a few more from the secular world."
"..."
"If you have no complaints, leave. The pill refining room is not a place for even Core Formation elders of the clan to enter recklessly."
"..."
Jo Yeon walked past the Grand Elder and left.
He returned to his room in a daze.
Then he looked down at his hand.
Crunch—
Jo Yeon bit down on his own hand.
Crunch, crunch, crunch...
Blood began to flow from his hand.
Crunchcrunchcrunchcrunchcrunch...
Jo Yeon didn't care about the flowing blood, biting until his bones were exposed.
Drip, drip...
Red liquid began to flow from Jo Yeon's eyes.
He understood what he had eaten.
"Ahh..."
Crackcrackcrackcrackcrack...
He resented his own hand.
He resented his mouth for thoughtlessly eating anything.
"Aaaaahhhhhhh!!!!"
Sssss—
The four patterns on Jo Yeon's face began to blur, gradually starting to resemble three patterns again.
That day, Jo Yeon went mad.
Everything else in his mind disappeared, leaving only a single goal.
The annihilation of the Jo Clan.
With that as his sole purpose, he threw himself into revenge and madness.
-x-X-x-
Around six hundred years passed.
During that time, many events occurred in the cultivation world.
A young boy who found a secret manual on a cliff founded a sect called the Azure Heaven Creation Sect and opposed the Jo Clan's influence. The marriage alliance between the Jo Clan, the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, and the Black Ghost Valley began to weaken as a new generation took over leadership in those two sects.
And around that time...
The head of the Jo Clan and the Council of Elders convened another meeting.
"The era of our Jo Clan has arrived."
The Heavenly Being stage cultivators of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, Black Ghost Valley, and other demon race factions all ascended to the upper world with the recent opening of the Ascension Gate.
However, the Heavenly Being stage cultivators of the Jo Clan, who possessed Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent, did not ascend.
It was because of their Heavenly Punishment.
Thus, the Jo Clan naturally became the foremost power on the continent, possessing the greatest number of Heavenly Being stage cultivators.
Over the six hundred years, the number of Heavenly Being stage cultivators in the Jo Clan had increased to ten.
The Clan Head spoke confidently.
"Now, without a doubt, the Jo Clan is the greatest on the continent. We can bring any sect to its knees by force. But the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, Black Ghost Valley, and others...sects with deep foundations that have senior members who ascended to the higher realms. If we forcefully annex them and those seniors descend, it would be disastrous. Therefore, we must proceed more moderately and absorb them gradually."
"What method do you think is best?"
"The mass marriage alliance we held six hundred years ago. Back then, we arranged widespread marriages between lower-ranked disciples of the clans and sects, forming a light alliance. But this time, we will establish an even stronger alliance. We will arrange marriages between Core Formation Elders from each sect and clan, slowly bringing them into the Jo Clan!"
"Hoo...that sounds good."
"As expected of the Clan Head!"
"Truly, the genius who evolved the Three-Pattern Law into the Two-Pattern Law in the shortest in record time...thanks to Clan Head, our Jo Clan is experiencing an unprecedented golden age..."
Kwang!
Inside the meeting hall where the Clan Head and the Grand Elders were gathered.
The door to the meeting hall suddenly burst open, and someone walked in.
The Clan Head furrowed his brow and shouted.
"Who do you think you are!? How dare you barge into the Elder Council meeting...?"
"Everyone, quiet!"
The hunchbacked figure who had entered the hall shouted loudly.
"From now on, I, Jo Yeon, a descendant of the Jo Clan, have something to say."
"Hmm...?"
It was Jo Yeon.
After scanning the meeting hall with glossy eyes, he ran a hand across his face.
Tststststststs!
As the pattern on Jo Yeon's face became visible, everyone in the hall was shocked.
"This, this, this..."
"One-Pattern Law Talent!!!"
They all shot to their feet, grinning with joy.
"Amazing! A One-Pattern Law Talent has appeared..."
"How many thousands of years has it been since this happened!? Haha! Hahaha! Truly, the age of the Jo Clan is upon us!"
The Clan Head, his face brimming with excitement, shouted.
"With a One-Pattern Law Talent, we don't need marriage alliances or anything else. We can just conquer everything! Haha! Well done, well done! Your name...yes, it was Jo Yeon! You've done well, this—"
"Shut up for a moment. I can't hear properly."
"...?".
But Jo Yeon, showing no interest in the clan head's words, placed a hand to his ear as if focusing on a distant voice.
Jo Yeon's eyes flashed as he spoke.
"Good, good. Then I will give you one last chance. Clan head! And members of the Elder Council! Do you remember the name of my wife, Wol Ha-eun, who died six hundred years ago?"
At those words, the clan head and the Grand Elders exchanged puzzled glances.
As the higher ups of the Jo Clan, they knew most of the Elders at the Core Formation stage and above.
But none of them remembered Jo Yeon ever being married.
"...Who is that?"
The clan head asked, puzzled.
Jo Yeon's eyes twitched.
"...Yes. Ignorance is not a sin. I will enlighten you. My wife was a martial artist. She was the disciple and adopted daughter of Wol Bi, the martial artist of Five Energies Converging to the Origin from the Wol Clan of Byeokra..."
"Wait, wait..."
The clan head shook his head as if he had a headache and interrupted Jo Yeon's words.
"What you're saying right now is...that pet from six hundred years ago was your wife? Well, I understand if you have strange preferences, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention acts like bestiality in such an official setting. After all, this is a gathering of elders, is it not?"
The clan head was displeased, but seeing the single pattern emerging on Jo Yeon's face, he gritted his teeth.
"So, if you could just show a bit more formality..."
"You all have two choices."
Jo Yeon crossed his arms and spoke confidently.
"First, you and I mobilize everything we have to find a way to see my wife again and beg for her forgiveness. Second, you go directly to where my wife is and ask for her forgiveness."
"..."
A chill spread through the meeting hall at Jo Yeon's words.
"So, you're saying we either resurrect the dead or die ourselves?"
The clan head shook his head in disbelief.
"Haha. You're going too far with your jokes. Just because you lost one pet..."
Crack!
In the next moment, the clan head was split in half and killed.
Not only his body, but even his Nascent Soul was cleaved in two in a single strike, leaving no possibility of revival.
"...!"
"What in the world...?"
"Is this an attack!?"
As the Grand Elders panicked, Jo Yeon shouted again.
"Everyone quiet! Quiet! Sit down!"
"You disrespectful brat, a clan elder has just died and you dare—"
Kwang!
The moment one of the Grand Elders were about to shout at Jo Yeon.
As expected, the Grand Elder's body was also split in two, just like the clan head.
Only then did the Grand Elders fall silent, staring at Jo Yeon.
It was because they could see that the Grand Elder who spoke was killed at Jo Yeon's mere gesture.
One of the Grand Elders asked in a trembling voice.
"You...you...just now. Did you kill the clan head and a Grand Eld-."
Pukwak!
The Grand Elder who opened their mouth was also split in two and killed.
Jo Yeon, his eyes gleaming wildly, looked around at the Grand Elders and muttered.
"I told you to be quiet. I can't hear [the voice] properly."
"..."
"This is your last chance. Will you help me find a way to resurrect my wife, or will you all die?"
For a moment, silence reigned over the Grand Elders.
And then—
Kwaaaang!
The ceiling of the hall was blown away, and ten Heavenly Being stage Supreme Grand Elders of the Jo Clan appeared.
"We came because the clan head was killed, and what is this...!"
The appearance of the Heavenly Being stage Supreme Grand Elders brought hope to the eyes of the Grand Elders.
"E-Elders!"
"You've arrived just in time! This madman is trying to stage a rebellion!"
"That Jo Yeon bastard killed the clan head! Please, elders, punish him!"
The Jo Clan's Heavenly Being stage cultivators glared at Jo Yeon and shouted.
"You bastard! Do you realize your crime?"
Kurururung!
The heavens roared.
Heaven and Earth spiritual energy trembled.
A terrifying pressure weighed down on the entire area.
However, even under the immense pressure, Jo Yeon sneered.
"...I definitely said this was the [last chance]. Isn't that right, dear?"
The next moment, the Heavenly Being Supreme Grand Elders and the Nascent Soul Grand Elders were startled to see a woman standing behind Jo Yeon, emerging from the shadows.
"Grand Perfection Heavenly Being!"
"When did such a high person appear...?"
Ignoring the loud Jo Clan, Jo Yeon turned around and gently stroked the woman's cheek.
The woman resembled Ha-eun.
She looked just like she did in the final moments Jo Yeon had shared with Ha-eun.
Though there was no burn scar on her face, there were pockmarks, and though she appeared intelligent, her face was angular.
Not exactly a beautiful face.
She wore a pure white robe, and like when Jo Yeon and Ha-eun had first become lovers, her face was veiled by a plain cloth, hiding her appearance.
Jo Yeon caressed her cheek.
It was cold.
He stared at the puppet in Ha-eun's form and murmured quietly.
"Just end it all for me. [Dear]."
The next moment, [She] became light and soared into the sky.
Wielding short spears in both hands, [She] rushed at a Heavenly Being Supreme Grand Elder, splitting him in half and killing him in a single strike.
"H-Heok...!"
"This is insane..."
The realm of Jo Yoen's body was merely at the Grand Perfection Core Formation stage, but she was a puppet who partially rose to the Grand Perfection Heavenly Being stage over six hundred years.
A masterpiece completed by pouring in all his obsession.
Jo Yeon, who had completed [Her], burst into maniacal laughter and shouted.
"Now, then. Let it all be annihilated! My clan!!!"
The Jo Clan burned.
And a great massacre ensued.
It was caused by just one Grand Perfection Heavenly Being stage puppet.
The tragedy was wrought by the puppet known as [Her].
"P-Please, spare me! Please spare me!"
Jo Yeon smiled as he watched the clan's Elders being dragged before him.
"Throw them in."
In addition to [Her], Jo Yeon began controlling puppets at the Nascent Soul-level to systematically destroy the clan.
One Grand Perfection Core Formation Elder was thrown whole into a refining furnace by a Nascent Soul-level puppet.
"GUAAAAAAAH! Guuurgh...grk..."
After some time.
The Grand Perfection Core Formation Elder emerged from the Jo Clan's refining furnace as a single pill.
It was the Emotion Advancement Pill, the pride of the Jo Clan.
Gulp!
Jo Yeon swallowed the Emotion Advancement Pill.
It was originally a pill made from grinding down mortals, taking several years to refine, but when it was made from cultivators, the refinement was completed in an instant. Jo Yeon smiled in satisfaction as he observed the quickly finished pills.
"H-Hey, Jo Yeon. You, you remember me, right? I treated you so well..."
Jo Yeon looked at the late-stage disciple who had fed Ha-eun to him, now dragged before him.
With a gentle expression, Jo Yeon ordered the puppet.
"Rip out his tongue."
Then, taking out numerous healing pills and elixirs he had taken from the Jo Clan's treasure vault he said,
"And feed these to him, so he regenerates. Repeat it until his mind breaks."
Jo Yeon, with a relaxed gaze, began refining the entire Jo Clan into pills and swallowing them.
'They said she was turned into three hundred pills and fed to the late-stage disciples and higher ups.'
No one knew exactly who had consumed Ha-eun.
Thus, Jo Yeon made one decisive choice to retrieve Ha-eun, who had entered the bellies of his clan members.
"You will all become one with me."
A decision made to completely become one with Ha-eun.
Jo Yeon endlessly consumed the Emotion Advancement Pills, which had surpassed even the highest grade due to being made from cultivators.
"Don't worry."
And, the more Emotion Advancement Pills he ate.
The more of his clan he devoured, the greater the madness took root in Jo Yeon's mind.
"I will never forget any of you."
Jo Yeon used all his consciousness to remember every single member of his clan, screaming and wailing before him.
After all, they were his blood relatives.
"You will all...become one with my world."
Jo Yeon firmly imprinted the images of the screaming people into his consciousness.
It was to bear the original sin of devouring his clan.
And with each person he consumed.
Jo Yeon felt the noise in his head grow louder.
His mind gradually filled with endless shouting and screams.
Crunch!
At last, Jo Yeon devoured all the members of his clan.
The late-stage disciple, who had gone mad after having his tongue ripped out again and again, was the last to enter Jo Yeon's belly.
"Heh, heh heh..."
Unlike six hundred years ago when he had been half-mad, Jo Yeon was now completely insane.
Hearing the resentment and hallucinations of his clan members, he shed tears.
"Are you alright over there, dear?"
He said, hugging [Her] lovingly.
"Look, look. Didn't I tell you? That our clan members aren't truly evil people. Look. In the end, they're racking their brains with me, trying to find a way to meet you again, right? Isn't that so?"
Pretending to listen to the empty air, Jo Yeon laughed.
"Ahh, see, my clan members are responsible people. They're saying how they'll be one with me like this and meet dear again to apologize...meet dear again...again..."
Mumbling nonsense while grinning at the empty air, Jo Yeon grabbed [Her] body.
Then, he shouted.
"Again...I want to see you again!"
He raised his voice in agony, looking up at the sky.
"Again, again, if I could go back to that moment. If I could return to the moment when I met you, I would never hesitate. Even if it meant dying together, I would run away with you while holding the wedding. We swore that we would die on the same day, at the same time, didn't we? Right? So, I, I...again..."
In his eyes, the moment he first met Ha-eun was reflected.
Every moment he shared with her flashed by.
He recalled the words she had said to him.
—It's only strange because you perceive it that way...but in my eyes...yes. It's wonderfully mysterious, in a way that's quite fascinating and beautiful.
Strange (怪奇/bizarre) and wonderfully mysterious (奇妙) are, essentially, differences in perception.
For some reason, those words lingered in Jo Yeon's mind.
Jo Yeon let out a voice filled with pain.
"Again! Again, even if just once, I will...recreate that moment!"
From the ruins of the Jo Clan, one hunchback who had lost everything and gone mad,
Having consumed beyond the limits of the Emotion Advancement Pills, he reached a place transcending even the One-Pattern Law Talent and vowed to recreate the one moment that had been the most valuable in his life.
He swore before [Her].
"Even if just once!!!"
That day.
Jo Yeon hugged [Her] in his embrace and was determined.
Even though there was no difference between bizarre and wonderfully mysterious, he resolved that he would become a bizarre monster henceforth.
Recognizing himself as a monster, even if it meant pouring out countless sacrifices,
He would wait for the day he could see her again.
Only then, he believed he would return not as a bizarre monster, but as Jo Yeon from that wonderfully mysterious and beautiful time...
He made that resolution.
"I am..."
Looking at [Her] in his arms, he muttered.
"The father (父君) of monsters (怪物)"
Contemplating his bizarre and hideous self within his madness...
Jo Yeon thus became the Mad Lord (怪君).
[TL/N: I mentioned way back that Mad Lord really means Bizarre/Strange Lord. Monster (怪物) also means 'freak', and the first hanja means strange/bizarre. 부군(父君), which was just translated as father, is a formal and respectful way of calling someone their father in historical times. It can be translated literally as father lord. Hence, put together, it creates Bizarre/Strange Lord.]
Author's Note: In yesterday's note, I announced that the Mad Lord episode would be finished in one chapter...
However, as I added more emotional depth, the length increased, and it ended up becoming three chapters.
I have no excuse if you accuse me of indulging in a character I favor.
However, I really wanted to share about the character known as Mad Lord with my readers.
I am well aware that melodramatic elements can be seen as a drawback in regression and cultivation stories.
But even though it may be dripping with melodrama, I wanted to express this character called the Mad Lord.
You could say it was the author's inability to suppress their own desires over the consideration of the readers.
If there were any readers who found it boring, I sincerely apologize as a web novel author for not providing a faster-paced development.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks and love to the readers who have read up to this point.
Always thankful, and once again, thank you.