Chapter 199

Chapter 199: Freedom

A record about the Primordial Heavenly Demon?

I quietly looked at Dokgo Jinak.

“How did you find this?”

“After what happened with the great evil, I had the Divine Cult's archives searched from top to bottom. This is a collection of some of the oldest records we found.”

I carefully turned the pages.

Just as Dokgo Jinak had said, most of the book contained records related to the Primordial Heavenly Demon.

Stories from before the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had even been founded.

Records of him defeating countless enemies with overwhelming martial power.

Stories of more and more people gathering around him until, at some point, they began calling him the Heavenly Demon.

But there was nothing about where the Primordial Heavenly Demon had been born.

Nothing about his parents.

Nothing about his original name.

Then my hand stopped at one passage.

[None knew the origins of the First Heavenly Demon. Some claimed that he came from beyond the heavens.]

Beyond the heavens.

I stared at those words for a long time.

At first, I thought it simply meant no one knew where he came from.

But after turning a few more pages, I found another similar passage.

[There also remains a tradition that he was born in no land beneath heaven, but crossed over from beyond the sky.]

"..."

My hand stopped again.

Born in no land beneath heaven.

Crossed over from beyond the sky.

This wasn't merely saying he came from some distant western region or beyond the borders of the Central Plains.

At that moment—

a voice from long ago flashed through my mind.

One who is the same as me.

And then—

Han Mujin. No... Ahn Cheol.

My grip on the book tightened.

Ahn Cheol.

A name I had never told anyone.

The name I had possessed before living as Han Mujin.

The name from the completely different world where I had once lived.

The Primordial Heavenly Demon had known it.

At the time, I hadn't even been able to guess how.

But if the record before me was true....

One possibility surfaced in my mind.

Don't tell me....

I wasn't originally from this world either.

I had died in another world.

And when I opened my eyes again...

I had been inside Han Mujin's body.

Then perhaps the Primordial Heavenly Demon had also crossed over from somewhere beyond this world.

Of course, all of this could just be my imagination.

But once the possibility entered my mind...

the words he had spoken long ago suddenly carried a different weight.

The fact that he knew the name from my previous life.

The fact that he had called me one who is the same as me.

Perhaps those things weren't completely unrelated to the records in this book.

I couldn't be certain.

But once the question took root, it refused to leave.

“Han Mujin.”

Dokgo Jinak's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

“Why are you spacing out like that?”

"..."

“Did you find something?”

I shook my head.

“I'm not sure.”

Dokgo Jinak looked displeased.

“Or you just don't want to tell me?”

“That might be part of it.”

“You really know how to irritate people until the very end.”

I looked down at the old book again.

I had no way of knowing the truth.

Even this record was only a legend passed down over hundreds of years.

More importantly...

there was no longer anyone I could ask directly.

Thinking about it more wouldn't give me an answer right now.

Maybe one day I'd learn the truth.

And if I never did...

there was nothing I could do about that either.

I handed the book back to Dokgo Jinak.

“Anyway, thank you.”

“Hmph.”

Dokgo Jinak took the book and tucked it back into his robe.

“Now leave.”

I stared at him.

“You called me all the way out here just to tell me to leave already?”

“What? Were you planning to spend the night here with me?”

“No, thank you.”

“Then get lost.”

I shook my head and turned away.

After walking a few steps, I suddenly looked back.

“Cult Leader.”

“What now?”

“Next time, let's have a drink.”

Dokgo Jinak stared at me for a moment.

Then snorted.

“Prepare something good.”

I frowned.

“Why are you talking like I'm paying? I'm merely a poor Taoist detached from worldly possessions.”

“You're the one inviting me. Are you saying you won't pay?”

“When did I say I'd invite you?”

Dokgo Jinak merely waved a hand as though I were annoying him.

There was no point arguing further.

I chuckled and left the valley.

For the first time in a very long while...

Kunlun was peaceful.

Disciples who had finished training gathered in small groups around the training ground.

A breeze blew up from below the mountain and lightly stirred the hems of their Taoist robes.

I was also spending time with everyone at one side of the training ground.

Nearby, Sect Leader Cheon Gwangcheon and Jin Gwangung were talking.

Hyeongwon had his spear planted beside him and was bickering with Yu Seola over something.

Myeongjeon stood awkwardly between the two, glancing back and forth.

A little farther away...

Sogwang and Wang Dusik were laughing with the people from Event Hall.

This is nice.

To think Kunlun could look this peaceful.

I couldn't remember the last time I'd been able to sit around this comfortably since regressing.

Then—

“So, Mujin.”

I turned toward Sect Leader Cheon Gwangcheon.

“Yes?”

“What do you plan to do now?”

I tilted my head.

“What do you mean?”

“You've been running all over the martial world without a moment to rest because of the Righteous Alliance.”

He smiled gently.

“Now that everything major has been resolved, shouldn't you finally do what you want?”

What I want....

I thought about it.

But surprisingly...

nothing came to mind right away.

Until now, there had always been something I needed to do first.

I gave a small laugh.

“I'm not sure yet.”

Everyone nearby naturally turned toward me.

“But for a while, I think I'll just live however I feel like.”

Cheon Gwangcheon's eyes narrowed slightly.

“However you feel like?”

“Yes.”

I looked around.

“If I want to play, I'll play.”

“If I want to rest, I'll rest.”

Then I added after a moment of thought,

“And if there's somewhere I want to go, I'll go there.”

Jin Gwangung immediately snorted.

“Hmph. Listening to you talk, anyone would think you've spent your whole life doing only what other people told you.”

I glanced at him.

“Master, you did order me around quite a lot.”

“What did you say?”

Jin Gwangung's hand shot up.

I immediately leaned backward.

Whoosh!

“I'm joking.”

“You brat! Your mouth is the only thing that never gets tired!”

Hyeongwon suddenly cut in.

“You're going to live freely?”

“That's right.”

His eyes lit up.

“Then you'll have plenty of time to spar with me.”

“No thanks.”

“What?”

I shrugged.

“If I'm living freely, why would I spend that freedom fighting you?”

“How can you call yourself a martial artist if you avoid sparring?”

“That's my freedom too.”

Before Hyeongwon could argue further...

Yu Seola smiled.

“Senior Brother Hyeongwon must be the most worried.”

He frowned.

“About what?”

“If Senior Brother Mujin goes off traveling, you'll lose the person you always want to spar with.”

“Who said I was worried about that?!”

Everyone burst out laughing at Hyeongwon's reaction.

Sect Leader Cheon Gwangcheon smiled as he looked at me.

“Yes. That sounds good too.”

Then—

“You've already done more than enough.”

His gaze softened.

“From now on, live the way you want.”

“I will.”

The way I wanted.

Hearing those words suddenly reminded me of something.

Come to think of it....

I searched inside my robe.

My fingertips touched something hard.

When I pulled it out...

a token mixed with blue and gold gleamed beneath the sunlight.

The Blue-Gold Token of the Myeong Family Merchant Group.

The one Merchant Group Head Myeong Chiwon had given me.

“Myeongjeon.”

“Yes, Martial Uncle?”

Myeongjeon immediately came over.

I waved the Blue-Gold Token in my hand.

“What's the most expensive inn in the Central Plains?”

Myeongjeon blinked.

“Pardon?”

“Somewhere with great liquor and amazing food.”

He looked confused.

“Why are you asking?”

I held up the token.

“I'm going to live freely.”

Myeongjeon's face changed instantly.

“M-Martial Uncle! Don't tell me you're planning to use the Blue-Gold Token Father gave you!”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Why are you so shocked? Didn't he give it to me to use however I wanted?”

“T-That's not what he meant!”

Myeongjeon reached for the token.

I quickly pulled it away.

“Martial Uncle!”

He shouted desperately.

I grinned.

“I'm going to eat as much delicious food as I want.”

I spun the Blue-Gold Token between my fingers.

“That token guarantees the credit of the Head of the Myeong Family Merchant Group!”

Myeongjeon looked like he was about to cry.

Hyeongwon quietly stepped closer to me.

“You said good liquor?”

I stared at him.

“Why are you suddenly interested?”

Yu Seola approached with a smile as well.

“That sounds fun. I'll come too.”

Myeongjeon frantically looked around for help.

“Why is everyone acting like this?! First Elder Gwangung! Please say something to Martial Uncle!”

Jin Gwangung glanced once at the Blue-Gold Token.

Then spoke as though it were obvious.

“Use it.”

Myeongjeon froze.

“What?”

“If you received it, it's meant to be used.”

“First Elder Gwangung, you can't say that too!”

Jin Gwangung shrugged.

“Didn't your father give it to him personally?”

“Well... yes, but....”

“Then there is no problem.”

“There absolutely is!”

Myeongjeon's desperate cry only made everyone laugh harder.

Eventually, he ran over to Sect Leader Cheon Gwangcheon.

“Sect Leader! Please say something! You know how valuable that token is, don't you?”

Cheon Gwangcheon stroked his beard.

“I have heard that it is an extremely valuable token guaranteeing the Merchant Group Head's credit.”

Myeongjeon's face immediately brightened.

“Exactly!”

Then—

“So please stop Martial Uncle from using it recklessly—”

“Come to think of it.”

Cheon Gwangcheon cut him off.

“I have always been rather curious what the finest liquor of the Myeong Family Merchant Group tastes like.”

"..."

Myeongjeon couldn't speak for a long moment.

“S-Sect Leader?”

This time, even I couldn't hold back my laughter.

Hyeongwon and Yu Seola were laughing too.

Sogwang and Wang Dusik, who had been farther away, approached after noticing the commotion.

Jin Gwangung openly laughed at Myeongjeon's expression.

It was noisy.

Honestly...

almost unbearably chaotic.

And strangely enough...

I didn't dislike the sound at all.

I suddenly lifted my head.

Beyond the training ground, Kunlun's blue mountain ridges stretched into the distance.

Above them...

the clear sky seemed endless.

Before my regression, I had always been alone.

I couldn't trust anyone.

I never even knew whether I'd still be alive the next day.

For a while, my second life had been no different.

I had to survive.

I had to take revenge.

I had to stop the tragedies of the past from happening again.

But now...

things were different.

Behind me, Myeongjeon was yelling at me to hand over the Blue-Gold Token.

Hyeongwon was insisting that he was coming to the inn too.

Yu Seola's laughter mixed with Jin Gwangung's shouting.

Sect Leader Cheon Gwangcheon, Sogwang, and Wang Dusik were there as well.

Come to think of it....

Somewhere along the way...

so many people had gathered around me.

There were people I could laugh with.

And there was a place I could return to.

I wasn't alone anymore.

“Martial Uncle!”

Myeongjeon charged at me again.

“At least give me the Blue-Gold Token first!”

I quickly stuffed it back into my robe and stepped away.

“No.”

“Martial Uncle Mujiiiiin!”

Everyone burst out laughing again.

Laughing with them, I ran toward the edge of the training ground.

Blue Kunlun spread out before me.

And behind me...

the laughter of familiar people continued without end.

I had been given life twice.

From now on...

I could decide where I wanted to go.

Yeah.

I quickened my steps.

This time, let's really live freely.