“Soma-nim!”

I dashed toward Geugak Soma using my blink step.

Fortunately, I caught his spiritual form before he collapsed.

After gently laying him down, I injected a stream of internal energy into his chest to examine his insides. His qi and blood were blocked and twisted, suffering severe internal injuries.

The situation was worse than expected. Just as I was about to inject more energy for treatment, my heart sank—I had almost depleted my internal energy using Gui Cheon Form.

I squeezed out every last drop of energy I had left and pushed some into Soma’s body again. I carefully tried to clear the blockage but lacked enough energy. If left as is, the qi and blood would rage uncontrollably and cause irreversible damage.

My heart pounded faster and anxiety grew. So, I summoned all my remaining energy, and blood welled up in my throat. Though my body was far from normal due to injuries and exhaustion from fighting Yalyulhan, now was not the time to care for myself.

Using all my strength to regulate his internal condition, Soma regained consciousness and opened his eyes.

I spoke in my usual bright tone.

“That fight was amazing, wasn’t it?”

His eyes behind the mask smiled. Without Soma, there would have been no such spectacular fight or outcome.

“…Yes, it really was.”

His voice weak, unlike usual. He seemed to sense his end.

“Lee Gongja.”

“Yes, Soma-nim.”

“…I’m glad to have met you.”

As his eyes began to close, I squeezed out the last bit of energy I could. Like a drop of water in a desert, a handful of energy precariously held his life.

“If I become Cheonma, you must protect me.”

Soma’s eyes trembled. Full of regret, they spoke to me. Sorry he would leave without seeing me become Cheonma.

“You know my temper, right? I’ll never give up on you, Soma-nim. Unless you’re taking me with you, stay strong. I won’t let you go like this. So, pull yourself together.”

Soma struggled to hold on but was beyond help.

“If you die like this, I’ll regret it forever. So don’t die!”

Suddenly, he coughed blood. His qi and blood began to surge wildly. If I couldn’t calm it, he would die.

“No!”

The thought that Soma might really die drove me mad.

“Please! Soma-nim! Hold on!”

I squeezed and squeezed my internal energy again. All I wanted was to save Soma. I had regressed to avoid losing someone—losing Soma like this was impossible.

But I had no energy left, and Soma’s convulsions worsened.

My vision blurred; tears filled my eyes.

Had I ever cried before?

Then Soma grabbed my hand. He must have known how deeply I cared for him. Now I knew it too—how deeply I cared.

Soma slowly raised his hand to his mask.

He was about to show me his face one last time.

Soma’s eyes through the mask’s eye holes were smiling—brighter than any smile he had ever shown.

I grabbed his hand to stop him from removing the mask.

“I won’t look! I bet you look better than me, so I won’t see that face! Show me in fifty years!”

Soma laughed and coughed up blood again.

Summoning his last strength, he spoke.

“Lee Gongja… will become a good Cheonma.”

Even as his vitality faded, he smiled at me until the end.

“I do not regret the time spent with you.”

For the first time, I prayed to the heavens.

Please save him!

Even when I wandered all over Jungwon unable to find great medicinal materials, when loneliness and hardship made me want to die, or when facing death in crisis… I had never prayed.

But now, for the first time in my life, I prayed.

Please! Save him! Just help me once!

At that moment—

Something fell to the ground from the arms of the slumped, lifeless Yalyulhan.

It was a box.

Seeing something peek out from the open box, I ran toward it.

Amazingly, it was the Mannyeonseolsam. It seemed it had been a birthday gift for Oreoshingeom.

I took it and helped Soma sit up, placing the Mannyeonseolsam into his mouth.

“Endure with the power of Mannyeonseolsam! Hold on until I finish a full cycle of internal energy!”

Normally, this would have been a reckless choice. Taking a strong elixir like Mannyeonseolsam in a seriously injured state could worsen the condition.

But this was the only way. I trusted the Mannyeonseolsam—and I trusted Soma.

“Soma-nim, chew and swallow with all your remaining strength!”

Our eyes met.

Don’t give up!

Soma forced himself to chew and swallow the Mannyeonseolsam.

I immediately began a full cycle of internal energy—the most urgent one of my life. Time felt endlessly long.

I must have said “please” more times today than in my entire life.

After completing the swift cycle, I injected internal energy into Soma again and checked his condition.

Relieved, Soma had succeeded in suppressing the wild qi and blood surging thanks to the Mannyeonseolsam’s power. But the elixir’s energy was not absorbed as internal energy—it only temporarily suppressed the surging flow.

The qi and blood could flare up again anytime. I had to get him to Ma Ui as soon as possible.

“Thank you, Soma-nim.”

My voice was moist with emotion. I was grateful to him for holding on. Grateful that I could give him Mannyeonseolsam and say thank you. That was truly precious.

Soma’s eyes spoke to me.

Thank you, Lee Gongja.

What more needed to be said?

I untied the Geukpum Cheonjam sash that bound both Soma and me at the chest.

Then I lifted Soma onto my back and secured him tightly with the Geukpum Cheonjam.

He had made it through. Now it was my turn.

Soma, who do you think you are to decide where we go? The day that Yalyulhan boards the boat to the afterlife, do you think I’ll let you on?

After wrapping my energy around Soma to keep him steady and comfortable, I began running.

I ran with all my might, feeling as if I had mastered the fastest blink step just for this moment.

Bisa-in sat before the estate’s main gate.

Ilrang Baekcheolgi arrived there.

“You can’t go around alone like this. Didn’t you promise?”

“Just this once, please.”

Bisa-in only let Ilrang come. Ilrang was the only person he truly trusted in the world.

Ilrang’s gaze turned toward the ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) estate behind them. The scent of blood wafting through broken walls confirmed a fierce battle had taken place.

“Don’t be too shocked no matter what you see inside.”

“There’s more than one person’s blood here. Where exactly is this place?”

Bisa-in spoke quietly.

“This is where my future will be decided.”

Ilrang stepped inside and said,

“Then my future will be decided too.”

The blood-soaked place still bore the marks of a fierce battle.

Ilrang, scanning around, discovered Yalyulhan’s corpse and was shocked.

Stunned, Ilrang stared dumbfounded at the body. He could hardly believe it.

Yalyulhan is dead? That Yalyulhan?

That single phrase was enough. That Yalyulhan.

But that wasn’t all.

Another corpse caught Ilrang’s eyes.

Oreoshingeom.

He already knew Oreoshingeom was allied with Yalyulhan. Whether he was stronger or weaker, one thing was certain: Yalyulhan was the standard to measure strength.

The sight was hard to believe even when seen.

What surprised Ilrang further was the bloodstained Hyeolryun lying on the floor.

After recognizing Hyeolryungap, Ilrang identified Samak as well.

At this level, Cha Hwan’s death was hardly surprising.

Ilrang left the estate again. Bisa-in still sat by the main gate.

“What on earth happened here?”

“Sit down.”

Ilrang sat beside him. His still-throbbing heart wouldn’t calm.

“If it were them, declaring war on the Martial Alliance would have been justified.”

Though exaggerated, it wasn’t a boast.

If these people attacked someone, what martial sect could stop them?

Bisa-in was as shocked as Ilrang when he first saw this scene.

When Geom Mugeuk said he would kill Yalyulhan, a part of him doubted.

Could he really kill him?

But he had done it.

This unbelievable feat was accomplished by the one who had always nagged about eating well.

Only now did he truly feel Geom Mugeuk was the son of Cheonma. And he had done what no successor before could.

“Who did this?”

Ilrang asked.

“I did.”

“What?”

Ilrang was shocked.

“I’ll take responsibility for this.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, I promised to handle the aftermath.”

“Who actually killed him?”

“You don’t need to know. It’s better you don’t, for your sake.”

Ilrang was confused but knew this was not the time for questions.

“Very well. Then let it be so. But will the Maengju believe you killed Yalyulhan?”

“That’s why I called you.”

“Huh?”

“Now we handle the aftermath. How to make him believe I dealt with Yalyulhan.”

Ilrang realized, as Bisa-in had said earlier, that his future and fate depended on this.

“My lifelong rival is dead, but my real fight starts now.”

Bisa-in had once imagined the heretics invading. Could Geom Mugeuk really stop the Cheonma heretics?

And why did he have this baseless confidence that such a thing would never happen?

Bisa-in wanted to see Geom Mugeuk. Terrifying as he was, he wanted to see him. Wanted to hear his meaningless jokes.

“How about it? You told me to handle this. Now it’s your turn. I trust you. Eat well!”

It felt as if those words echoed in his ears.

If he became the Sado Maeng leader, he wanted to tell Geom Mugeuk what kind of disciple he had.

“So you must become Cheonma too.”

Even at night, Geom Mugeuk and Geugak Soma had not returned.

Seodaeryong paced anxiously in the yard.

Then Cheonhwa Luju appeared.

“You two must be out celebrating killing Yalyulhan.”

Seodaeryong’s ridiculous joke made Cheonhwa Luju smile.

“Seems so.”

She looked more relaxed than Seodaeryong.

“Did you have another dream?”

“No.”

“But your face looks at ease.”

“Investigator Seo said it wouldn’t work.”

Seodaeryong sighed lightly.

“It did—until sunset.”

Cheonhwa Luju asked Seodaeryong,

“Are you worried?”

“Master Lee has never come back late. He always opens the door and strides in as if nothing happened.”

Just then, someone opened the door and entered.

Seodaeryong and Cheonhwa Luju were startled but it was unfortunately a warrior from the heretics managing the inner residence.

“An urgent dispatch from Tongcheon Pavilion.”

Surprised, Seodaeryong hurriedly took the dispatch and read it.

“Master Lee went to the main sect first because Soma-nim was injured.”

Cheonhwa Luju’s expression hardened. Seodaeryong cautiously added,

“The report did not specify how badly Soma-nim was hurt.”

At that moment, Duke Dok came out and said,

“He must be seriously injured. Going straight to the main sect means so.”

Duke Dok did not say anything to reassure her.

“You must prepare to leave immediately.”

“Yes.”

Though worried for Cheonhwa Luju, Seodaeryong hurried on Duke Dok’s order.

Seeing her worried, Duke Dok unexpectedly offered,

“Let’s go together.”

Cheonhwa Luju was surprised.

“You’ve never been to the main sect?”

“That’s true.”

“Then come have a look.”

Cheonhwa Luju understood. Though unspoken, Duke Dok meant,

Cheonhwa Luju bowed politely.

“I will follow your noble offer. Thank you for your great kindness.”

“No problem. Soma will be glad if Luju is there when he wakes.”

“Better than getting scolded for coming where I shouldn’t.”

“You know better than anyone that won’t happen, Luju.”

Duke Dok snapped open his fan with a sound, waved it lightly, then went inside to prepare. Cheonhwa Luju watched him leave and bowed once more.

Then she entered to bid farewell to the rescued women, who would be escorted safely by the sect’s warriors.

Soon after, the three boarded the carriage.

Seodaeryong shouted from the driver’s seat,

“All right, let’s depart.”

Cheonhwa Luju’s gaze deepened as she looked outside. She worried about Soma. Though able to see much, she felt nothing about Soma’s fate.

In times like this, it made her angry. She could see others’ destinies clearly but often failed to see her own.

Was she afraid to go to the heretics? No way. If it meant seeing Soma, she would board the carriage to hell without hesitation.

“Brother, don’t die.”

And now, she said the words she always joked about with Geom Mugeuk sincerely.

“Please take good care of our brother.”

The reins holder knew her heart better than anyone. The carriage raced toward Cheonma Sin Gyo faster than ever before.