Chapter 600: Not the 'Yeon' for Smoke, but the 'Yeon' for Fate

TL: FoodieMonster007

After the Saintess and the women in white who accompanied her had left, the tent now held only the Heavenly Fate Palace Lord Wi Mucheon, the Protection Palace Lord, and Geom Mugeuk, who was hidden inside the Spacetime Manipulation Technique.

Until the others departed, Geom Mugeuk could not leave the tent. He especially had no way of avoiding Wi Mucheon's notice. Evading the senses of a master like Wi Mucheon was impossible for someone with only a few years of inner arts.

"What is she plotting?" Wi Mucheon wondered, pondering the Saintess's intention to stay.

The Protection Palace Lord then spoke cautiously. "Isn't she trying to persuade the Saintess to stop the war?"

Wi Mucheon recalled the Saintess's appearance. He had not sensed any desire to persuade him when she claimed she was only delivering a prophecy.

She definitely changed her mind at the last moment. Why?

Wi Mucheon walked toward the map. The Saintess had changed her mind right at the end, after looking at that exact map.

The reason for her change was standing directly in front of Wi Mucheon. Although Wi Mucheon could not see him, he and Geom Mugeuk were standing face to face. Both men were holding a Secret Box.

Could that be the reason? A surge of emotion washed over Wi Mucheon. He was looking at the same map he viewed every day, yet today his heart was pounding strangely.

As Wi Mucheon was about to take another step toward the map, the Protection Palace Lord spoke cautiously from behind him.

"I heard you earlier. When you achieve world domination…"

The Protection Palace Lord could not bring himself to complete the sentence.

He had also heard Wi Mucheon whisper about his plan to kill the Saintess and destroy the Saintess Palace.

"Even if this prophecy turns out to be nonsense, you must not do that."

The Protection Palace Lord had already resolved to dedicate his life to this war. He believed the heavens' will was with Wi Mucheon, especially since the Secret Box had awakened. However, the Protection Palace was fundamentally meant to protect the Heavenly Fate Palace itself, not the Heavenly Fate Palace Lord. As the Protection Palace Lord, he could not idly watch the Heavenly Fate Palace Lord kill the Saintess. Such an act would also signify the collapse of the Heavenly Fate Palace.

"For the Saintess's sake, you must not do that."

Wi Mucheon turned to face him. His expression was gentle, despite the Protection Palace Lord's words going against his will.

"I understand. I won't do it."

"Thank you for your magnanimity."

"You've bet everything on me. I should at least grant a request like that."

Just then, a subordinate's report came from outside the tent.

"A messenger pigeon has arrived from the Murim Alliance."

The two men exchanged glances at the mention of a messenger pigeon from the Murim Alliance. A message from the enemy, at this final stage of the war?

A subordinate came in, respectfully handed the messenger pigeon to Wi Mucheon, and then departed.

Wi Mucheon's expression turned serious as he read the contents.

"What does it say?"

Wi Mucheon looked up, his eyes shining with intensity.

"It's a handwritten letter from the Divine Sword Martial Emperor."

This was the first messenger pigeon sent directly by the Murim Alliance's leader, yet its contents spoke of an end.

"He says he can no longer bear to see his subordinates sacrificed. He wants to face me in a one-on-one duel at the summit of White Sun Peak in three days."

The Protection Palace Lord was stunned. He had never imagined that the leader of the Murim Alliance would propose a one-on-one, life-or-death battle.

"There could be a scheme hidden in this. Please refuse!"

The Protection Palace Lord was firm, but Wi Mucheon slowly shook his head.

"As you know, the Divine Sword Martial Emperor isn't one to use schemes for things like this."

Both men were well aware that the Divine Sword Martial Emperor valued honor above all else.

"If I refuse, the world will see me as a coward."

The Protection Palace Lord also desperately wanted this war to end, even one day sooner.

However, a strange anxiety surged through him. It was not a simple worry, like thinking 'He must have proposed the duel because he's confident he can win'. Instead, it was an instinctive fear rising from the depths of his heart. This was the reason the Protection Palace Lord opposed the duel so strongly, even to the point of disrespect.

"The murim will remember only the victor and the vanquished, not the coward and the brave." His words obviously sounded like he was telling Wi Mucheon to win even if it meant being a coward, but he just wanted to stop him somehow. How could Wi Mucheon not feel any unease? Accepting the duel meant being dragged along by his opponent's proposal.

It was at that exact moment. The Secret Box in Wi Mucheon's possession vibrated, as if it wanted to join the conversation.

"……"

Both men were startled by the Secret Box's sudden vibration.

"The Secret Box is crying out now, of all times?"

Wi Mucheon took this as a sign from the heavens. With this, there was no longer any reason for him to hesitate. Surely this reaction meant he should fight, not run away?

"If this fight were the end, then yes, I could endure a little humiliation. But this fight is the beginning." He was a man who dreamed of unifying the world after getting rid of the Evil Alliance and the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. It was a grand undertaking that he could never achieve if he was seen as a coward.

"I will accept this duel."

Wi Mucheon immediately began to write a letter by hand. It was a reply accepting the proposal.

"Send this to the Divine Sword Martial Emperor."

After seeing the Secret Box vibrate, the Protection Palace Lord could no longer try to dissuade him.

"I will obey your command, Saintess."

The Protection Palace Lord accepted the letter and departed from the tent.

Geom Mugeuk had observed this entire process. He already knew the outcome of this fight. Just as the Saintess prophesied, Wi Mucheon was destined to die at the hands of the Divine Sword Martial Emperor. However, future generations did not know how he died, because no records of that final battle were ever left behind.

So that battle will take place in three days.

Now alone, Wi Mucheon took the Secret Box out from his robes.

Geom Mugeuk could tell from everything he had observed so far, and from the look in Wi Mucheon's eyes as he gazed at the Secret Box.

He hasn't yet obtained the power contained in the Secret Box. If Wi Mucheon had already obtained the power, he would have been the one to send the letter first. That was how Geom Mugeuk understood why Wi Mucheon had been so furious with the Saintess. It was probably because a part of his heart still lingered on the thought that the prophecy might be true.

Several questions also formed in Geom Mugeuk's mind. Is that Secret Box an empty one? If it does contain energy, what kind of orb's power does it hold? And if it does hold power, why isn't it giving that power to Wi Mucheon? And why did it vibrate just now?

Geom Mugeuk took out the Secret Box he was carrying.

He looked down at his Secret Box, which smiled as brightly as ever.

Three hundred years ago, here, what in the world did you do?

Geom Mugeuk finally left the tent. He seized his chance when Wi Mucheon briefly stepped away.

He wanted to find the Saintess immediately, but he could not. The tent where the Saintess was staying was guarded like a fortress by the women in white. On top of that, numerous Heavenly Fate Palace martial artists had gathered nearby, hoping to catch even a glimpse of her face. She was truly a sacred being to the people of the Heavenly Fate Palace. It seemed he would have to visit her quietly at dawn.

With that decided, Geom Mugeuk immediately crossed back to the Murim Alliance's camp. The large Secret Box from the Yellow Dragon Academy's basement had sent him to the Murim Alliance camp first after absorbing him. There had to be a reason for starting here.

"You, you're alive!"

The Division Leader, Jang Hu, and the other team members greeted Geom Mugeuk warmly. If not for Geom Mugeuk, they all would have lost their lives in the fight with the enemy they met during reconnaissance.

"I tried to catch the one who ran away, but I ended up losing him."

"As long as you came back alive, that's all that matters. That's enough."

It was at that moment that a cold voice came from behind. "What do you mean, 'that's enough'?" The person who entered the tent with a menacing aura was none other than Jo Woong. He was the same man who had stepped forward to berate someone for recklessly asking the Divine Sword Martial Emperor, the Murim Alliance's leader, if they had a way to win. In the end, it was also Jo Woong who had sent them on the late-night reconnaissance mission.

"You cut down three enemies?"

Jo Woong had already heard the reports from the team members who returned earlier.

His expression could not possibly be good. He had sent them out expecting them to suffer, but they had returned with merit instead.

"I was lucky."

"You can't cut down three enemies in one spot with just luck. So, what happened to the one who fled?"

"I lost him."

"And you've only just returned now after chasing him?"

"……"

Jo Woong tried to find fault in any way possible. "What's your family background?"

"I grew up as an orphan."

Father, I'm sorry. I can't even pretend to be from the Gansu Western Blade Sect here.

"Then who did you learn martial arts from?"

"I happened to learn a thing or two while treating a severely injured master."

A flicker of suspicion crossed Jo Woong's face. This thorn in his side was only giving him answers that could not be verified.

Just then, Jang Hu, who stood beside Geom Mugeuk, stepped forward.

"If it weren't for this friend, we would have all died."

The other team members also stepped up to add their comments.

"It's been a long time since a reconnaissance team cut down three enemies."

"The newcomer has achieved great merit."

In the end, Jo Woong glared at Geom Mugeuk with a displeased expression before turning and leaving.

It was Geom Mugeuk who became suspicious instead.

At first, he had thought Jo Woong was just the type of narrow-minded person one could find anywhere. Seeing him come all this way, however, was definitely strange.

Why is he going this far?

That question was answered around the time of the Purple Orb. Two people were meeting in a deep, deserted forest. One was a figure wearing a mask, and the other was the same Jo Woong who had sought out Geom Mugeuk earlier. "White Sun Peak, in three days." This was the moment that information known only to the high command was being passed to the masked person.

Geom Mugeuk watched this scene from between the bushes in the darkness. He had been keeping an eye on Jo Woong and had followed him when he snuck out at night. Geom Mugeuk could now understand why Jo Woong had been so sensitive. Because Jo Woong himself was a traitor, he was suspicious of everyone around him. Was someone here to investigate him? Was there another traitor?

However, there was a fact even more surprising than Jo Woong being a traitor. Geom Mugeuk felt a familiar energy from the masked person's aura. The aura the masked person revealed was demonic qi. A demon! Surprisingly, Jo Woong was passing information to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. Now Geom Mugeuk finally understood why this final battle was not recorded in detail in the Murim Alliance's history. The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was involved in this fight!

Late at night, the Saintess sat inside her tent. The Heavenly Fate Palace Lord had not given her any special consideration, so her provided tent was an ordinary one used by martial artists. Her mere presence, however, filled the small, worn-out space with a sacred aura.

Hwa Seon, the guard captain for the women in white who came to assist the Saintess, spoke to her.

"When day breaks, please return to the palace, Saintess."

Hwa Seon was worried about the Saintess.

The current Saintess was born with the most sacred energy of any Saintess in history, and all of her prophecies had been accurate. Yet the Heavenly Fate Palace Lord had shown a truly disrespectful attitude, forcing her to stand before him and even offering her alcohol. In other words, this was a sign that he intended to deny her prophecy.

In a situation like this, the Saintess could be in danger if a fight broke out with the Murim Alliance. The Heavenly Fate Palace Lord might not save her. The women in white who accompanied her had learned martial arts, but the Saintess Palace was fundamentally not a place that valued martial arts. It was a place for governing the heart and accepting the will of the heavens. They were not people who could defeat the masters of the orthodox sects and leave leisurely in the first place.

"There's someone I must meet before I go back."

"Who do you mean?"

"A guest will arrive before dawn."

Hwa Seon was inwardly surprised by these words. Who could the Saintess be planning to meet on this battlefield?

"If someone comes to visit at dawn, let them in without asking any questions. And don't let anyone else enter."

"Yes, I understand."

Just as she had said, someone came to visit before dawn. The person who entered with a calm expression, as if he had an appointment, was Geom Mugeuk. The women guarding the entrance let him in without even asking his name. In other words, this meant the Saintess had been waiting for him.

She really did see me inside the Spacetime Manipulation Technique.

The Saintess had a different feel about her than when he had seen her in the other tent earlier.

The Saintess asked the first question. Her voice was endlessly captivating, yet it also carried a sense of dignity. "Who are you?"

She had seen him inside the Spacetime Manipulation Technique, but could it be that she did not know he was someone who had crossed three hundred years of time?

Or was she asking him despite already knowing everything? It was not an easy task to figure anything out about this mysterious, blindfolded woman.

"I am Geom Yeon. I use the 'Yeon' for smoke, not the 'Yeon' for fate. I am someone who will disappear forever like smoke once this meeting is over." It was the most fitting introduction he had ever given with this name, since he would truly be impossible to find in this world forever.

"Why did you come here?" she asked again. Geom Mugeuk answered cautiously, thinking his fate could change depending on his reply. "I didn't come here because I wanted to." The truth would, as always, exert the greatest power, unless the other person was someone who would take it and use it as a weakness.

"Fate has led me here. I also don't know why, or for what reason, I have come."

Geom Mugeuk gazed at the Saintess and politely added a question of his own.

"So please, tell me. Why have I come?"

He did not say where he came from, and she did not ask. Geom Mugeuk could feel it. She was gazing at him, even though she was blindfolded. It was not because the cloth covering her eyes was one she could see through. She was seeing him with the eyes of her heart.

How much time had passed?

A surprising statement flowed from her lips.

"This time, not one, but two prophecies came down."

Geom Mugeuk was startled, as he had not expected to hear those words.

"It was a prophecy to deliver these words to the person standing in the darkness, in the middle of the battlefield." Standing in the darkness? The narrow space of the Spacetime Manipulation Technique he had created was dark because of his insufficient inner arts. If she had truly seen him, he would have appeared to be standing in darkness.

The second prophecy, which she had not delivered to Wi Mucheon, was then conveyed.

"The darkness will lead you to the will of the heavens."

Geom Mugeuk repeated her words to himself.

"The darkness? What could that mean? Does it literally mean the night? Or does it refer to some kind of being?"

The Saintess said nothing more, as if she was only there to deliver the prophecy.

Sensing an unspoken dismissal, Geom Mugeuk bid farewell to the Saintess.

"Thank you sincerely for delivering the prophecy."

As he bowed politely and turned to leave, the Saintess spoke from behind him.

"To me, it feels less like the 'Yeon' for smoke, and more like the 'Yeon' for fate."

Geom Mugeuk turned back toward her with an expression that asked what she meant.

"I'm saying you don't need to thank me."

A faint, inscrutable smile formed beneath the white cloth covering her eyes.

"Because you have already repaid it all."