Chapter 160
“Se-Sejin, what did you just say…?”
“Huh? You mean, that I had feelings for you? Or that I never even had a chance to confess…?”
“Aaaagh!”
Ye-rin jumped up in shock.
It was true that in the illusion shown by Man-nyeon Bing-jeong, Se-jin had confessed to her.
*‘But that was just an illusion! It wasn’t real!’*
Se-jin teasingly added,
“Anyway, I’ve done my part. I saved that despicable descendant who dared to bind his fate with you.”
“Wait, you saved him?”
Ye-rin immediately turned serious, asking again.
“What do you mean by that? Did something happen to Do-yul? Is he in danger?”
“Ugh, stop nagging…”
Se-jin clicked his tongue, then stood up with a swift movement.
“Don’t worry too much, Master. Nothing bad will happen to him.”
His expression was so earnest that Ye-rin involuntarily fell silent.
Se-jin continued to look at Ye-rin. He memorized everything about her: the youthful face that was different from her past life, her gentle voice, and the eyes that always smiled at him. All of it.
He etched them into his memory, vowing never to forget.
Once he was ready to let go, he spoke.
“Master.”
Se-jin pulled out the deepest and oldest truth that had been buried in his heart.
“Although it’s true that I once had feelings for you, and I couldn’t completely let go of my attachment to you, which is why all of this happened…”
“….”
“But, I truly loved my family, and I loved the North Sea Ice Palace that you left behind.”
Ye-rin met his gaze, filled with silence and emotion.
“I lived a full life, and I can confidently say I died a satisfying death.”
Se-jin’s voice was firm and unwavering as he continued.
“I was happy… meeting you and becoming your disciple.”
“….Se-jin.”
“I was very happy.”
At that moment, Se-jin realized something.
He had wanted to say these words for his entire life.
It didn’t matter whether Ye-rin accepted his feelings or not.
Just being able to express this truth was enough.
*‘How light-hearted I feel.’*
Se-jin smiled softly.
“So, Master, I hope you find happiness with that descendant.”
With those gentle words, Se-jin slowly began to fade away.
Like snow in a blizzard, he scattered into tiny fragments of light.
“Se-jin!”
Ye-rin reached out desperately, trying to hold on, but she couldn’t.
“It’s time for me to leave.”
A soft voice, filled with warmth, gently urged her back.
“Go back to the people who love you, and who you love.”
As those words faded, the world around her turned pure white.
—
* * *
“…In. Madam!”
The urgent voice calling her name made Ye-rin snap out of her daze.
“Are you awake now?”
Ye-rin blinked, confused. Slowly, her vision cleared.
The first thing she saw was Do-yul’s pale, almost ghostly face as he looked down at her.
“…Do-yul.”
Ye-rin’s dry lips moved.
At the same moment, Do-yul hugged her tightly.
“How are you feeling? Are you okay?!”
Do-yul gripped her clothes tightly, as if terrified that she might disappear from this world at any moment.
“How… How did you use the primordial energy? What were you thinking…?”
His voice broke into fragments, shaking with emotion.
Do-yul bit his lip in an attempt to control his feelings, but it was futile.
Tears began to fall freely, dripping down onto Ye-rin’s face.
“Do-yul, are you crying?”
Ye-rin asked, her voice soft with surprise.
At the question, Do-yul bit his lip even harder, turning his head away.
“…No.”
However, there was no way to prevent the tremble in his voice.
Ye-rin, flustered, grabbed Do-yul’s arm.
“It’s… It’s fine. I’m alive…”
“Is that what you’re going to say right now?!”
Do-yul snapped, suddenly turning to face her.
‘Gah.’
Ye-rin swallowed her breath.
No wonder—Do-yul’s face, the one she loved more than anything, was covered in tears.
‘Ah, I really think I messed up.’
Her conscience pricked her like a needle.
“Were you really planning to die together with the Blood Demon?”
“Th-That… I mean…”
“What would you have done if you never woke up?!”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you…”
Ye-rin hurriedly tried to soothe Do-yul, but suddenly paused.
Wait, didn’t Se-jin clearly say…
“Anyway, I’ve done my part. I saved that despicable descendant who dared to bind his fate with the Master.”
…Didn’t he say that?
In an instant, Ye-rin’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.
‘This feels like a really dangerous move.’
For a moment, she pondered, then subtly turned to test Do-yul.
“By the way, Do-yul.”
“Yes?”
“Clearly, my primordial energy was completely exhausted, so how is it that I’m still fine?”
Ye-rin saw Do-yul’s shoulders stiffen noticeably.
“…Even if Se-jin shared his primordial energy with me, that energy would have been tainted by demonic Qi.”
Ye-rin narrowed her eyes.
“But the primordial energy I feel in my body doesn’t have any taint of demonic Qi.”
“That’s… I mean…”
“Could it be…”
Ye-rin probed coldly.
“Did you purify the primordial energy yourself and inject it into me?”
“….”
“Don’t tell me.”
Ye-rin’s voice became even sharper.
“Did you really tamper with the primordial energy?”
“Did you just leave your wife to die without doing anything?!”
“You’re being reckless! You’re incredibly lucky if you don’t suffer from a calamity, but one wrong move and you could die!!”
As they continued arguing back and forth, Ye-rin suddenly looked up at the sky.
*‘The sky…’*
It was a clear sky with not a single cloud in sight.
The purple darkness and fog had completely vanished.
The bright, icy blue sky was proof that the formation had been completely broken.
So then…
“Where’s Se-jin?”
Ye-rin suddenly asked.
“That is, the Blood Demon…”
Do-yul, who had been trailing off, gestured silently to one side.
Ye-rin instinctively turned her head to follow Do-yul’s gaze and froze.
At the end of her line of sight lay only the torn remnants of the Blood Demon’s clothing scattered on the floor.
Amid the cloth, a handful of snow-white powder remained, gently blowing in the breeze like snowflakes.
“When I woke up after losing consciousness, that was all that was left.”
Do-yul recalled the situation at the time.
Several hours after he had purified and poured the primordial energy into Ye-rin, her primordial energy had finally stabilized.
Her complexion had returned to a healthy flush, and her breathing had become steady and calm.
*‘She’s… fine now, right?’*
He asked, seeking confirmation, and the Blood Demon nodded.
*‘She’ll wake within a few hours.’*
*‘…I’m truly relieved.’*
Watching Ye-rin with her eyelids gently closed as though sleeping, Do-yul felt a deep sense of relief.
Then, the Blood Demon had abruptly asked.
*‘Are you really relieved?’*
*‘What do you mean?’*
*‘You must know the state of your own body.’*
*‘…’*
Do-yul fell silent for a moment.
After accepting the Blood Demon’s primordial energy, the demonic Qi that had accumulated in his body had already surpassed its limits.
His breath grew shallow, and his body burned with an intensity as if it had been thrown into a fire.
It was the sign of *Juhwa Ipma*, the process of being consumed by the demonic Qi.
The Blood Demon had declared, looking at Do-yul.
*‘Your dantian is already severely damaged.’*
*‘Is it?’*
*‘Your internal energy is now ruined. You will no longer be able to use martial arts.’*
*‘I see.’*
*‘…Aren’t you afraid?’*
For the first time, Do-yul faced the prospect of losing everything he had built as a martial artist.
*‘Well, I’d be lying if I said I’m not afraid.’*
But Do-yul smiled brightly, as if he were genuinely happy.
*‘But it’s fine.’*
*‘Fine?’*
*‘Of course. If I can save my wife, I’ll sacrifice anything.’*
His words were sincere.
Struggling, Do-yul continued.
*‘Nothing in this world… is more important than her.’*
*‘…’*
*‘That’s why you too used your primordial energy to save her, didn’t you?’*
Do-yul’s smile deepened.
*‘Even though you knew you would die.’*
The Blood Demon stared at Do-yul with a frown.
Primordial energy was directly tied to human life.
In other words, it meant that even the Blood Demon, who was using Seol Yeon’s body, couldn’t be free from the consumption of primordial energy.
Add to that the fatal injury Ye-rin had inflicted on him.
The Blood Demon was now beyond salvation.
Do-yul muttered weakly.
*‘But… I don’t think I can hold on much longer.’*
At those words, the Blood Demon gave him a complicated look.
In truth, Do-yul was on the verge of losing his rationality.
The only fortunate thing was that there was someone who could stop him if he went mad from the *Juhwa Ipma* and began rampaging.
It was, ironically, the very same Blood Demon he had been battling for his life that had become the only one he could rely on.
It was all quite absurd…
*‘Tch.’*
At that, the Blood Demon clicked his tongue.
*“Is it just yourself you’re thinking of? You should be thinking about your master too.”*
*“…What?”*
*“If you die or end up badly injured, your master will be heartbroken.”*
The Blood Demon reached out toward Do-yul.
Unlike the madness that had consumed him earlier, his voice was calm.
*“So sleep for now.”*
*“Please take good care of your master from here on out.”*
That memory was the last one Do-yul had.
“When I regained consciousness, I found that I had already broken free from the *Juhwa Ipma* process. I believe the Blood Demon must have helped…”
Do-yul, who had been explaining, suddenly looked down at Ye-rin.
Ye-rin had silently lowered her head, her lips pressed tight, gripping the Blood Demon’s remnants of clothing in both hands.
*“Se-jin…”*
Ye-rin whispered softly, as though squeezing the words out.
Her chest was heavy with regret, her throat constricted so tight that no tears came.
Trying to hold back the rising emotions, she merely trembled her shoulders, suppressing her breath.
*‘The Blood Demon called her “master.”’*
Previously, Ye-rin had spoken of having lived as Baek Seol-yeon in her past life.
A person who had served Baek Seol-yeon as a master.
Moreover, Ye-rin herself had referred to Se-jin as *Se-jin*.
So, perhaps the Blood Demon was…
*‘Hyeon Se-jin.’*
The second leader of the North Sea Ice Palace, and Do-yul’s distant ancestor.
*‘What kind of story could there have been, for Hyeon Se-jin to be resurrected as the Blood Demon?’*
For a moment, Do-yul pondered but then shook his head.
That was a question for later.
What mattered now, was…
*“Wife.”*
At the quiet call, Ye-rin slowly lifted her head.
Do-yul, his expression serious, spoke in clear, measured tones.
*“I’ve thought about this a lot.”*
*“What about?”*
*“About the ‘world in the book’ you mentioned.”*
In an instant, Ye-rin’s face stiffened.
*“And I’ve come to a conclusion.”*
Before Ye-rin could even respond, Do-yul continued quickly.
*“It doesn’t matter what world it is, whether it’s from a book or not.”*
With that declaration, Do-yul looked genuinely relieved.
*“In the end, you chose to be by my side, in the world you want to live in, right?”*
*“…Do-yul.”*
*“That’s all I need.”*
Ye-rin stared at Do-yul, blankly.
And then…
*Thud.*
A single, heavy tear fell from her eye.
Do-yul, flustered, didn’t know how to react, calling her name in a panic.
*“W-wife?”*
*“Ugh, hu-hu-huk…”*
For the first time, the composed Ye-rin cried aloud, like a child who had just discovered how to cry.
*“I… I don’t know what happened, but I’m sorry. So please don’t cry…”*
Do-yul hurriedly pulled her into his arms.
*“I don’t… know why I keep crying…”*
As Ye-rin sobbed, she buried her face in Do-yul’s chest and cried out loud.
Do-yul, unsure of what to do, gently patted her back.
And Ye-rin thought to herself.
*‘It’s warm.’*
The hand on her back was so warm.
