Chapter 42: Emperor of Flames 4

When he lifted his head, Baek Moo-jin found himself alone once more on Seolui Peak. At that moment, Baek Moo-jin opened his eyes. As if his presence on Seolui Peak had been an illusion, it vanished, and Baek Moo-jin remained seated with his double-edged sword pressed against Jin So-hye’s back.

But Jin Sohye’s body had already passed a dangerous critical point and was beginning the Great Heavenly Cycle.

Where had Yan Di gone?

Had he been annihilated by Baek Moo-jin’s power?

That couldn’t be.

How much time had passed?

Baek Moo-jin found it difficult to gauge the time. He simply withdrew his hands to leave Jin So-hye, who had initiated the Great Circulation herself, undisturbed. Then, since Baek Moo-jin had also expended his energy, he sat down beside her and entered a state of qigong meditation.

The strange sight of the two sitting side by side, practicing qigong, continued for a long time.

Before they knew it, dawn broke as they continued to peer into their own inner selves.

For both Baek Moo-jin and Jin So-hye, restoring their own bodies took precedence over curiosity about Yeom Je.

However, when they completed the Great Heavenly Circuit, a truly bizarre phenomenon occurred.

This was a kind of reward.

Yet the magnitude of the reward differed for each of them.

This was because Baek Moo-jin’s internal energy had been vastly stronger than Jin So-hye’s from the start. The difference in capacity was too great.

Baek Moo-jin had used his own internal energy from the start, whereas Jin So-hye had exerted her power by borrowing the power of the Yan Emperor.

The power held by the Yan Emperor was redistributed by Baek Moo-jin.

Jin Sohye, who had started the Great Circulation first, and Baek Moo-jin, who had started it later, finished the Great Circulation almost simultaneously.

Jin Sohye sat still for a moment, catching her breath.

At that moment, Baek Moo-jin witnessed a strange phenomenon on Jin So-hye’s back.

Among the highest stages of martial arts cultivation is the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown. It is a phenomenon where, during qigong practice, three flower-bud-like illusions bloom atop one’s head.

However, from Jin Sohye’s back, illusory flames of crimson light were rising.

Baek Moo-jin smiled.

‘She succeeded.’

Baek Moo-jin sensed Jin So-hye had grown stronger.

Yet, upon Baek Moo-jin’s back, having completed the Great Circulation, a white flame far larger than Jin Sohye’s was flickering.

Yet no one witnessed this.

Baek Moo-jin naively thought that perhaps the effect of the Great Heavenly Cycle had been amplified because he had pushed himself too hard. He did notice his recovery seemed strangely faster, but since it was an entirely positive phenomenon, there was little room for doubt to creep in.

In any case, it meant the power held by the Yan Emperor had been split and channeled into Jin Sohye and Baek Mujin’s dantian respectively.

Jin Sohye was never a vessel capable of fully containing the power of the Yan Emperor. The immense power of the Yan Emperor had been floating aimlessly, unable to be contained within the vessel that was Jin Sohye. However, Baek Mujin and the former heads of the Seolsan Baek Clan shattered it completely. As a result, the lost power redistributed itself, settling into the bodies of Jin Sohye and Baek Mujin according to their respective capacities.

Thus, as a result of Baek Moo-jin helping Jin So-hye, both he and she ended up harboring the power of the Yan Emperor within their bodies—a power neither could have ever anticipated.

Who created the Yan Emperor?

When did the Yan Emperor begin?

How exactly did the Yan Emperor accumulate his power?

Someone must know the truth, but at this very moment, Baek Moo-jin knew nothing.

He simply faced the situation not with his head, but with his heart.

He helped Jin Sohye simply because he wanted to.

Baek Moo-jin had never considered himself a chivalrous knight, but the very heart that resolved to aid Jin So-hye in her crisis was itself the White Path, the heart of a knight.

When one gains a stroke of luck, there’s rarely any particular reason. The cause and effect aren’t always clear.

It was simply something Baek Moo-jin had gained.

Unexpectedly, like fate itself.

2.

Jin Sohye gasped for breath.

“Huuu…”

Jin Sohye looked back at Baek Moo-jin with a noticeably relieved expression.

“Mr. Baek, thank you.”

Baek Moo-jin responded, startled for no reason.

“Ah, yes.”

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Baek Moo-jin had been examining his own body as if checking for injuries since earlier, but he hadn’t felt anything particularly unusual. Baek Moo-jin asked.

“Are you all right, Miss Jin?”

Jin Sohye nodded and replied.

“Thanks to you, I feel much better. Perhaps because I completed the Great Heavenly Circuit well, my body feels light. Much lighter than usual.”

The two young people, lacking worldly experience, looked at each other and rejoiced purely.

Baek Moo-jin asked.

“How is the energy of the Yan Emperor?”

Did Jin Sohye know that Baek Moo-jin had fought the Yan Emperor?

Jin Sohye’s words followed calmly.

“It seems to have subsided. The master’s true energy was purer than I anticipated. I worried it might be extreme Yin energy, but that was unfounded. It’s returned to normal, just like when Father and the left and right attendants assisted him.”

Baek Moo-jin nodded and said.

“What exactly is the true nature of the Yan Emperor? You might find this hard to believe, but while helping Miss Jin, I saw a vision. A massive fire dragon dwells within Miss Jin’s body.”

“What? Is that true?”

“Why would I lie at a moment like this?”

“What happened to that fire dragon?”

To Jin Sohye’s innocent question, Baek Moo-jin replied like a boy.

“I shattered it into pieces.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

There was no need to mention the absurd story about the previous clan heads appearing to help. Even Baek Moo-jin found it hard to believe. It was something only Baek Moo-jin needed to keep in his heart.

Jin Sohye tilted her head and stood up, trying to demonstrate her martial arts.

Baek Moo-jin watched her, leaning back against the bed. Before his eyes, Jin So-hye moved as if dancing.

At some point, Jin Sohye drew forth power potent enough to provoke the Demon King, enveloping the sky-piercing flame technique in a whirlwind.

Whoosh!

The room they were in instantly filled with scorching heat. Startled, Jin Sohye withdrew the Yan Hua Qi.

‘How can it be wielded so smoothly?’

Jin Sohye turned her stance, blinking her large eyes as she looked down at Baek Mujin.

“Master Baek.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you.”

Baek Moo-jin smiled.

‘This is maddening.’

Jin So-hye is a beautiful woman. Whether she was just moments ago fighting for her life against the apparition, or whether she encountered King Yama himself, the fact that Jin So-hye is beautiful remains completely unchanged.

Baek Moo-jin was a man, after all.

Unconsciously shaking his head, Baek Moo-jin rose with a smile on his lips. He slowly approached Jin So-hye and said.

“It’s a relief. Rest now. Even if you feel better, rest is essential. I’ll stay nearby. I should rest a bit too before returning to duty.”

Jin Sohye said nothing.

Baek Moo-jin smiled, gave a slight nod, and headed for the door, leaving Jin So-hye standing there.

At that moment, Jin Sohye grabbed Baek Moo-jin’s passing hand.

The motion was remarkably light and concise.

What kind of fool in this world would make a woman reach out her hand? But in this very moment, Jin Sohye had clearly expressed her intent. After all, relationships between men and women sometimes develop precisely when we wonder if this is really okay.

What that development signified could not be immediately ascertained, but the moment Baek Moo-jin’s hand was grasped, he pulled Jin So-hye toward him, wrapping one arm around her waist while cupping her face with the other hand as he pressed his lips to hers.

Both possessing formidable martial arts prowess, this was a moment fraught with danger.