Chapter 3
The energy core that I had clearly felt was now separated, and the power I once wielded as one with the heavens and earth, utilizing spiritual energy, had vanished like dust. And yet, I was still alive.
And I could start again.
But first, I needed to understand my current situation.
Why had this happened?
Reversing time defies not only celestial providence but also the flow of the universe itself. It was something beyond comprehension.
Not just anyone is born with the fate of defying the heavens. In fact, reversing the flow of fate is something even the powerful beings above the sky cannot achieve.
I ran my hand down my face as I looked into a mirror.
The final moment…
I had been caught in an avalanche.
The defensive energy surrounding my body had been meaningless—I had already expended all of it.
I had felt my limbs being torn apart, my throat ripping open, and my skull being crushed.
No…
Wait.
I focused a little more.
There was something else.
The realm I had reached was the state of Honwon Dokjon—a state of absolute existence.
At that level, one could no longer be considered human.
Even if one’s head was crushed, they could survive.
No matter how weakened and exhausted one might be, to completely kill a master of Honwon Dokjon, certain conditions must be met.
The first method is to destroy the head first, then the heart.
The second method is to destroy the heart first, then the head.
The final method is to destroy both the head and heart simultaneously.
Only when both of these vital functions are completely lost can one truly be killed.
Let’s think again.
I definitely felt my limbs being torn apart. I felt my skull shattering.
Then…
What about my heart in that moment…?
Was it destroyed?
It was. But right before it was, something lodged itself into my heart.
I rested my chin on my hand.
Then what exactly had pierced my heart?
The avalanche had been triggered when I split that enormous, ancient glacier in two.
Surely, the avalanche contained more than just snow and debris.
There must have been something else buried within it.
And if one of those things happened to be a divine treasure capable of reversing fate…
That would explain my current situation.
I lifted my head and gazed out the window. The massive, ancient glacier loomed in the distance, as clear as day in my vision.
That mountain, which had stood there for millennia, must have held countless undiscovered secrets.
A smile formed on my lips.
Every word I had spoken before my death had been sincere.
The life of an illegitimate child…
As a child, I had felt that life was like that of a pig bound in shackles. I believed that I had to escape in order to live with dignity.
I had convinced myself that I did not belong here. My thoughts were filled with nothing but the idea of escaping.
And to be honest, my life truly changed after I left the Snow Palace.
I entered a secret realm, learned martial arts, gained fame through my skills, and eventually joined the Blood Sect, an infamous organization known as the most ruthless in the central plains.
Forty years.
That’s how long I lived as a Blood Sect disciple.
And yet, I had only spent nineteen years in the Snow Palace.
I lived those forty years with no regrets, like a madman.
But those nineteen years… I regretted them deeply.
Those years haunted me, even in my dreams.
I had long since lost the right to return to the Snow Palace, so I could only pray from afar for its eternal prosperity.
However, as time passed, the Snow Palace became an even greater cesspool of corruption than the Blood Sect, and I was left with no choice.
So, I destroyed it with my own hands.
I had no regrets about that either. But now, I had a new opportunity.
This time, I would live without regrets.
“Um… Lord of the Branch?”
I turned my head. A middle-aged man with disheveled hair stood before me.
The general manager of this Seolap Branch was a single individual.
His name was Seong Yangho, commonly called General Seong.
“The branch members have all assembled.”
I nodded and began walking forward.
Then, I paused beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“General Seong.”
“Yes, Young M… No, Lord.”
“How’s the work treating you?”
“…It’s manageable.”
Something about this situation felt amusing, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“I know your job isn’t easy, General Seong.”
“…It’s nothing.”
“You were never meant to be a general manager. Of course it’s difficult.”
For a split second, General Seong’s eyes flashed sharply.
But it was only for a moment—something I would have missed if I hadn’t returned to the past.
“General Seong.”
“…Yes… Lord.”
“Today, blood will be spilled. Make sure the lower-ranked members remain steadfast.”
There was no response.
“Why do you look at me like that?”
“…Are you… okay?”
“Do I look unwell?”
“No, but… you seem different.”
I laughed.
“In a world where you must change to survive, change is inevitable.”
“…”
“If you need anything, come find me anytime. And let’s settle on a title—Young Master or Lord.”
“…I’d prefer to call you Young Master.”
“Then so be it.”
With that, I stepped outside.
A total of eighteen people had gathered in the training grounds of Seolap Branch.
Regardless of age or gender, they all had the same question in their eyes.
Seol Woon-hwi has changed.
He had always been a timid illegitimate child, but today, he had killed someone.
And not just anyone—he had killed Ya Woon-sang, the Sub-Branch Lord of Seolap.
And who was Ya Woon-sang?
A first-generation disciple of the Jureong Sword Sect, formally dispatched to oversee Seolap.
He was a disciple of Lee Ji-chang, the Ice Snow Sword Scar, one of the four great elders of Jureong Sword Sect, and a man with a promising future.
And yet, his head now lay severed on the ground.
This is madness.
The illegitimate son has lost his mind.
There was no way he had done this in his right mind.
But then, another question arose.
Ya Woon-sang was at the early stages of the Qi Condensation Realm, yet Seol Woon-hwi, who had barely reached the Jucheon Realm, managed to kill him?
And why had he gathered them all here?
Before they could dwell on those questions, Seol Woon-hwi addressed them.
“I’m sure you’re all wondering why I called you here.”
Silence.
“The man lying dead over there, Ya Woon-sang, dared to overstep his authority as Sub-Branch Lord. He extorted money, seized power, and deserved his fate.”
He paused briefly before clasping his hands behind his back and smiling.
“I am the true Branch Lord of Seolap. And from this moment forward, there is one absolute rule in this branch—absolute obedience to the Branch Lord’s command.”
A cold silence fell over the gathering.
“If anyone refuses, raise your hand now. Or turn around and leave.”
