CFZ

Drip.

The sensation of something flowing made me frown.
I lowered my gaze.
My chest—specifically, my heart—had been pierced.

A hand. I could see a hand, the very hand that had torn through my chest.
I shifted my gaze with difficulty to see the face of the person it belonged to.
The owner of that hand was none other than me. Or rather, the me from my previous life.

Squish.
The hand pulled out, and a burst of blood sprayed forth.
“Guh…”

Blood spilled from my mouth as I fell to my knees.
From this lower position, I looked up at him—at myself.
He gazed down at me with cold indifference.

Then, he raised his hand and pointed it toward me.
"Next time, bring an answer."
"If you don’t, you might as well end your own life."

With those heavy words,
Whoosh!
Black flames engulfed my head.

   ******************
   
I shot upright, eyes wide open.
“…Haa… haa…”
Panting heavily, I clutched my chest. My trembling fingers searched for reassurance, and I let out a relieved breath.

Thankfully, my chest was intact.
But—
“…Kuh…”

Pain surged through my body, muscles throbbing in protest. No, this wasn’t just muscle pain—it was far worse.
This felt like…
My meridians are swollen.

My entire body’s meridians were inflamed.
The realization of my earlier ordeal hit me like a hammer.
“Ah, damn it.”
I recalled the moment I’d collapsed, my mind fogged with pain. And the memory of spitting blood while desperately trying to subdue my rampaging energy.

Grimacing, I loosened my clothing to examine my body.
The marks were still there, faint traces on my chest.
The scars where I’d driven my fingers in.

…Looks like it’s mostly healed.
The scars were superficial now. My body had already recovered from the worst of it. For someone like me, injuries of this level weren’t a problem.
I let out a low, shaky breath.

The method worked.
My energy had been on the verge of an uncontrollable rampage, and I’d been uncertain if anything could stop it. But the method… it had worked.
Driving my fingers into my chest to manage the energy—

It was a technique I’d experienced firsthand in my previous life at the hands of Cheonma.
I’d endured it many times before, and though I’d doubted whether I could replicate it…
By clenching my teeth and pushing through, I somehow succeeded.

I can’t believe this actually worked.
Even to me, it felt absurd. But thanks to that, I’d survived.
If I hadn’t, I would have succumbed to Qi Deviation or exploded from the rampaging energy. It had been a razor-thin escape.

As relief washed over me,
“…Shit.”
I couldn’t help but curse as I recalled the reason for the energy’s rampage.

The cause was none other than…
That bastard from my past life.
I had confronted him after popping a pil.

And I had lost.
“…Damn it.”
When I woke up, my energy had already spiraled out of control. There was no time to understand the situation—only to suppress the chaos.

That wasn’t the issue. No, saying it wasn’t an issue would be strange. But more pressing than my life was…
“Why did I lose?”
Why had I lost?

That was the question that gnawed at me.
I couldn’t comprehend the outcome of that fight.
“I was stronger.”

My current cultivation had surpassed the state I’d achieved as the Black Flame Bastard in my previous life.
I was confident that I wouldn’t lose to him.
And yet, I had.

Why?
“Was it because I couldn’t use my flames?”
The sealing of my Nine Flames Firewheel technique—was that the problem?

In the fight, I hadn’t been able to use my flames.
But—
Is that really the reason?

Even if I couldn’t use my flames, it didn’t justify such a one-sided defeat.
Could it be that he was stronger than I remembered?
No.

That wasn’t it either. His level was the same as it had been in my previous life.
Which meant there was only one explanation.
I simply lost.

I had been outmatched.
The me of my past life was beyond my current self.
Grinding my teeth, I muttered, “Damn it.”

Why? What went wrong?
Who was he, really?
The sealing of Nine Flames Firewheel—that bastard was undoubtedly responsible for it.

Why my past self was doing this, I didn’t know.
Why now, of all times?

The timing infuriated me. I’d caught a faint glimpse of the path to greatness.

But now, my flames were sealed.
“I don’t have time for this.”
I needed to reclaim that feeling before it faded.

Yet that bastard stood in my way. And I couldn’t beat him?
It was maddening.
“…Haaa.”

What should I do?
Instinctively, I knew—I had to face him again.
And so—

“…I’ll fight him again.”
There was no time to waste deliberating.
I wanted to confront him right away.

The problem was…
“…Was today the day I was supposed to meet Ilcheon Sword?”
The swordsman I had last encountered disguised as the Celestial Stream Sect Leader—our next meeting was scheduled for today.

If I faced him now and failed to win…
All my plans would go up in smoke.
It wouldn’t end peacefully. Knowing that, should I still go?

Part of me wanted to throw all plans aside and crush that bastard.
But—
“Damn it.”

Despite my frustration, my body was already moving.
Even if my cultivation was sealed, there was still too much to do.
There was no room for pride anymore.

As I pushed my aching body forward,
"Much has changed."
“…!”

His voice echoed in my mind.
"Do you think you’ve changed as well?"
Those words… he’d spoken them as he tore off my left leg.

"Don’t delude yourself. You only think you’ve changed. In truth, you remain the same—vile and weak."
"Pathetic."
The words he spat out while breaking me were as vivid as the pain itself.

“Bastard,” I growled, my face twisting.
I wasn’t sure if I was cursing him or myself.
Why? Why couldn’t I answer him?

And…
“What is it you want from me?”
What was the answer he was looking for?

I still didn’t know.

   ******************
   
I turned to face the Poison King, my body still aching, intending to thank him and share a few words.

"…Where exactly do you think you’re going?"
The Poison King’s voice was tinged with disbelief as he addressed me.
"Do you even realize the state you were in when you collapsed?"

"Yes, I remember. You must have been quite shocked, but thank you for taking care of me."
I meant it sincerely.
I’d heard what had happened after I collapsed—that the Poison King had taken me to a physician and, moreover—

"I also heard that you purposely didn’t inform Lady Tang. I deeply appreciate that…"
He had made sure Tang So-yeol wasn’t told, sending her ahead to the Martial Alliance instead. That decision meant the most to me.
If Tang So-yeol had found out, she would have worried endlessly.

The Poison King must have known that, which was why he made such a choice.
"The physician said your meridians are severely fatigued. He recommended you rest for a few days. So how can you be up and moving already?"
"My body is fine, and I have too many urgent matters to attend to. I’ll properly express my gratitude the next time I visit."

"You—!"
"I’m sorry for making you worry."
Even as I spoke, I knew how shameless I sounded.

After all, the Poison King had gone out of his way to care for me when I collapsed, yet here I was, immediately declaring I was leaving.
And then there was the matter of my silence.
"You still won’t explain, will you?"

That made it worse.
Why had I suddenly needed the Dokcheon Pill? What had caused me to collapse after consuming it?
Even though I trusted the Poison King more than most, I still couldn’t bring myself to explain.

"…I’m sorry. I’ll explain everything when I return."
"…"
"I promise."

At this point, I should have come up with a convincing excuse, even a flimsy one.
Now, the plan…
I needed to meet with Ilcheon Sword alongside the Shadow King. Once I disrupted Ilcheon Sword’s focus one last time, I could arrange a separate meeting with the Celestial Stream Sect Leader.

And during that process, I could drop subtle hints about Ilcheon Sword…
It was crucial to maintain a delicate tension between the Celestial Stream Sect Leader and Ilcheon Sword. I needed their mutual suspicion to grow before bringing them together.
No, wait… if I do that, it’ll mess up the task I gave to Cheol Ji-seon.

Should I buy more time? But that wasn’t an option, given my current circumstances.
I can’t even fully trust my own body right now, so how could I extend the timeline? Even if I could… how?
Let’s say I managed to buy time. Would it even solve anything?

I was already running low on red spirit stones to craft another Dokcheon Pill.
No matter how I approached it, the situation was suffocating.
I had to balance securing justification for my actions, pushing the plan forward, and ensuring everything stayed on track.

There were too many moving pieces.
Damn it, what do I do…?
I needed to organize my tasks while assessing my physical state and securing justification for future actions.

My head throbbed. I clutched my forehead, tempted to shove all these thoughts away, but I couldn’t.
…I have to organize everything.
Even if I didn’t want to, it had to be done.

I wasn’t Moyong Hee-ah, Jegal Seon, or even Cheol Ji-seon.
I wasn’t a genius. Mistakes were inevitable, but I had to make sure they were manageable.
To achieve that, I needed to cut back on sleep, push myself harder, and grind through the details.

Biting down hard on my tongue, I muttered inwardly.
Think. Keep thinking.
Just figure something out…

"Young Master Gu—!"
"…!"
A sharp shout froze me in place.

I turned to see the Poison King staring at me.
It jolted me back to reality.
"Are you alright?"

"…Ah. My apologies. I was just lost in thought."
I forced a smile, trying to dispel his concern.
It was a bad habit, and I sighed inwardly as I steadied my breathing.

"…Truly, I’m sorry. I’ll explain the situation when I return—"
"Young Master Gu."
"Yes…?"

"Are you truly alright?"
"Excuse me?"
His words left me momentarily speechless.

"…Ah, yes. I’m perfectly fine. I was just overthinking and spaced out for a moment, that’s all."
"…"
The Poison King didn’t seem convinced. His expression shifted into something I despised.

"My daughter mentioned something today."
A face full of concern—a look I hated more than anything else in the world.
"She said you don’t seem to be in good condition lately."

"…I don’t know what she means. I’m perfectly fine."
"The time I carved out for her was supposed to be a precious opportunity. Yet she spent the entire day talking about you. It left me feeling uneasy. But…"
The Poison King continued, locking eyes with me.

"Seeing you now, I think I understand how she feels."
Once again, he asked me,
"…Are you truly alright?"

"…"
I bit my tongue, hard.
What did he mean by asking if I was alright?

And why was he asking it at all?
I was the one who had burst into his life, creating chaos and dragging his cherished daughter into my mess.
I couldn’t fathom the Poison King’s mindset.

And so, there was only one answer I could give him.
"I’m fine."
I was fine.

No.
I had to be fine.

   ******************
   

Exhausted.
My mind and body were utterly drained.
That was all I could think of as I left the Tang Clan and forced my feet to keep moving.

I hadn’t slept a wink last night, and yet, somehow, the sun had already set again.
Each step sent a dull ache through my body. My swollen meridians still hadn’t fully healed.
Though I had managed to stabilize my energy, the strain on my heart lingered.

And beyond that—
The fatigue was piling up.
I could feel it weighing down my body.

Or was it mental exhaustion, given that my body hadn’t completely failed me yet?
Maybe I should rest.
It felt like the time had come to take a break.

But resting wasn’t an option.
“…Haa.”
I ran my hand down my face, adjusting my expression.

There was no point in hoping for sleep tonight, just like every other night.
First things first—the Shadow King.
Once I arrived, I’d find him and follow the plan step by step.

Suppressing the sigh that threatened to escape, I forced myself forward.
Endure it.
I wouldn’t collapse.

I swore to myself I would endure.
Still, there was one thing I wanted—
…I need to see the kids.

Before I did anything else, I felt the urge to see their faces.
Not that I intended to do anything in particular.
Just seeing them would be enough.

It would give me a moment to breathe, to take one more step when I felt like stopping.
“Hah.”
I laughed softly at the thought, the sound escaping before I could stop it.

How absurd.
When was the last time I told them not to follow me?
Not long ago, I’d been so desperate to keep them away. Now, here I was, longing to see them.

How contradictory.
I knew how foolish it was, yet I couldn’t help myself. I needed something—anything—to keep me going.
In the distance, I could see the Sichuan branch.

The sight of it made me straighten my slumped shoulders.
I steadied my breathing and adjusted my expression into something more composed.
"Leader!"

The moment I arrived, one of the branch members rushed toward me.
I waved slightly and gave him a small smile.
"I’m sorry I’m so late. I didn’t mean to worry anyone."

It was awkward.
I’d left them with a mountain of tasks, only to collapse somewhere and return late at night. If anyone questioned where I’d been all day, I wouldn’t have a good answer.
“…Nothing serious happened, right?”

"Leader… something terrible has happened."
"What?"
"Namgung and Wi are… missing."

Snap.
Something inside me, barely holding on, finally broke.