Chapter 184 Confusion (4)

Chapter 184 Confusion (4)

“I remember everything.”

Not a trace of darkness clouded Yu Zhangming’s face.

Seeing this, Gu Yangjie rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, wondering if he had misread the situation.

But Yu Zhangming’s face was fixed in a smile.

“Every single thing. Everything.”

“……”

How could he smile? Gu Yangjie forced himself to hold back the question he wanted to ask Yu Zhangming.

Yu Jang-myeong’s continuation of his words also played a part.

“It may have been one life for you, but I have seen many versions of you until now. And I have seen Hoon dozens of times.”

Dozens of times.

At those words, Gu Yang-jeok felt his throat tighten involuntarily.

Even he, who had lived two lives, had suffered this much until now; dozens of times was utterly unimaginable.

Simultaneously, another question arose.

Even if he was Palma, shouldn’t he have been able to win with dozens of experiences? Why hadn’t he?

Reading his expression, Yoo Jang-myeong offered a bitter smile.

“This is the first time he’s regained his memories in his twenties, though.”

“…Ah.”

Gu Yangjie let out a soft sigh without realizing it.

Unlike himself, who had recalled his past life immediately upon returning to this life, Yu Zhangming had needed a long time.

As the scent of blood wafted from Gu Yangjie’s lips, Yu Zhangming changed the subject.

“Do you know why I never hated you?”

“I don’t know.”

“I never counted how many times I was reborn… but one thing remained constant.”

Yu Zhangming brushed past Gu Yangjie and walked toward the hill overlooking Huashan Sect’s grounds.

“Whatever the reason, you always longed for Huashan Sect. And your martial arts always mirrored Huashan.”

“…Is that so?”

Gu Yangjie forced down the choking emotion rising in his throat.

Hearing those words, a memory suddenly surfaced.

“You were my final opponent, and the wind born of plum blossoms swept me away. How could I not be glad?”

“……”

“This senior brother bears you no resentment. It was merely my own inadequacy, my vessel too small to embrace you. “

There was no falsehood in Yu Zhangming’s smile as he spoke thus.

”To my eyes, the incense of the priest seemed more fragrant than mine.”

A conversation shared when he and Yu Zhangming fought to the death in a past life flashed through his mind.

He himself had been the one to kill Yu Zhangming.

‘And Senior Brother remembers that.’

As Gu Yangji’s face darkened, Yu Zhangming reached out and patted his shoulder.

“You may not remember, but we brothers once fought against the Palm Sect in a previous life. Do you know how much sorrow I felt then?”

Yu Zhangming’s gaze turned toward the Huashan Sect, now more prosperous than in the past.

He had taken it for granted until now, but after regaining all his past-life memories, the sight was utterly astonishing.

How could the Huashan Sect, always called the ‘extremely impoverished sect,’ have developed to this extent!

It was a level of progress unachieved in any previous life, a rebirth of the Huashan Sect. It was also a feat impossible for him alone.

It was a miracle only possible because Gu Yangjie possessed his past-life memories from the very beginning.

Yu Zhangming gazed at his own palm.

‘I only wished that enemy wouldn’t live with guilt…’

Who would have thought the lingering energy he left for Gu Yangji as he died would bring about such a miracle?

Yu Zhangming shed hot tears, recalling Ha Jin’ak, who had treated him like a strange fellow.

The fact that his senior brother was alive.

That alone made this life worthwhile. The tragedy Huashan must endure could end as mere misfortune, sparing it from darkness.

Yu Zhangming’s gaze returned to Gu Yangjie.

“You must have suffered greatly.”

“Not at all.”

Gu Yangjie forced down the lump rising in his throat. Yu Zhangming’s single sentence seemed to melt away all the fear he had been harboring until now.

But both brothers remained wary.

What was the ultimate goal of the ghost of Plum Blossom Village?

Once all the Palmas were dead, how would the ghost react?

They knew nothing yet, but someday they would have to face it directly.

Gu Yangjie’s gaze turned toward the depths of Plum Blossom Village.

Then, Yu Jangmyeong spoke.

“If we tackle the matters before us, one by one, won’t everything eventually be resolved?”

Having said this, Yu Zhangming drew an incense burner from his robe.

After hearing from Tongtianweng that Jin Muwol had vanished, Yu Zhangming had brought this as his own way of paying tribute.

Seeing it, Tongtianweng’s eyes grew hot.

“First, let us pay our respects to the late Grandmaster.”

“…Yes.”

Gyu Yangjeok watched Tongcheonong clench his right fist tightly and silently vowed to himself.

He would never, ever, come to regret his actions.

Even if it meant bringing down a volcano…

‘Even if heaven itself stands in my way.’

Gu Yangjeok placed the incense sticks neatly before the altar.

Then, three times.

He bowed, praying they would meet again as good karma.

* * *

The next day.

After finishing his morning training, Gu Yangjeok made his way to the Brain Prison.

As long as he hadn’t yet brought Mantongzi into the volcano’s interior, he alone could detect when Ma Yi deployed his sorcery.

‘Mantongzi’s been grumbling lately too.’

He stopped by briefly to see him. They say a bear’s life is a good life, right?

Mantongzi complained irritably that he was getting plump from eating nothing but fine meat all the time.

Of course, for Gu Yangji, this was a difficult matter to confirm outright.

Not only did the Grand Master, Baek Dan-hyeon, need to agree, but the approval of the two Great Protectors was also essential.

Especially since the two Great Protectors harbored significant resentment toward Mantongja, making it difficult to achieve in the short term.

But just yesterday, Tongcheonong had spoken to Gu Yangji with a serious expression.

“I will speak to the Protectors.”

“Could the reason for their aversion to sorcery be…”

“It’s because of Jin Shixiong.”

Tongcheonong gazed briefly at the spot where Jin Muwol had been seated before letting out a long sigh.

“It’s time the Jeong brothers understood now.”

“Indeed. Among the Eight Palms, there are those who wield aggressive sorcery.”

Gu Yangji frowned, recalling Daichensu.

After all, bringing Mantongzi to Huashan had been precisely to stop him.

‘Now that the most senior elder has stepped forward, Mantongzi should be able to reside within Huashan Sect.’

Gu Yang-jeok felt his plan gradually coming together and let out a strange smile.

But he quickly suppressed it.

Just a little further into this place lay the Demon’s Lair.

Thud… thud…

In the enclosed space, the footsteps echoed loudly.

He could have moved quietly if he’d wanted to, but he deliberately made them loud, intending to rouse the Demon.

Just as he reached the halfway point, the voice of the Demon Lord reached his ears.

“…You’re here?”

“Your voice sounds unusually hoarse today.”

Gu Yangjeok twitched the corner of his mouth.

“Guess you were bellowing your head off or something?”

“Noisy.”

When the Demon Lord answered curtly, Gu Yangjeok subtly activated his Silver-Gold Qi.

If his voice sounded different and his replies were short, it meant he’d likely escaped.

After arriving, Gu Yangjeok exhaled a sigh of relief.

“Seems nothing unusual happened.”

“Why, were you worried?”

Gu Yangjeok snorted at Ma Yi’s sarcasm. He cautiously guarded against letting his guard down.

Since Ma Yi and Palma still believed Jin Muwol was alive, he had to prevent them from directly attacking Huashan Sect.

If they caught even the slightest hint, it could become a fatal misstep.

Gu Yangji began inspecting the prison cell where Ma Yi was confined in detail.

“Worried? What for… It’s a relief he didn’t kill himself.”

“Why would I do such a thing when my life is worth so much?”

“That’s why you could kill the Immortal Demon so easily. I’m truly grateful for that.”

At those words, Ma Yi vented his frustration.

“If you knew, why not just release the acupoints? Do you have any idea how hard it is to speak with my whole body frozen?”

“I didn’t come here to chat with you.”

Just as he finished speaking, Gu Yangjie’s face froze instantly.

“Looks like you thought I was a fool after all.”

“…Heh heh.”

Ma Yi let out a chuckle, then moved his own body to strike the wall with the stone he held in his hand.

Not only had he released the blood seal, but he had undoubtedly used the stone fragments to deploy an illusionary formation.

Clang!

Gu Yangjie drew his sword, immediately channeling his Jiaxian Qi to strike.

But the belated revelation of the truth froze his hand.

“You bastard…”

“Isn’t it ridiculous?”

Ma Yi spread his arms wide, gesturing toward the prison confining him.

In one corner, what appeared to be the remains of a demon—horns and such—were scattered about.

It was undoubtedly summoned by a high-level sorcerer to attack Ma Yi.

Even such evidence would vanish without a trace over time, making it nearly impossible to determine which sorcerer had done it.

Ma Yi’s condition was far too gruesome for him to have done this to himself.

One arm, the only intact one, was broken, and half his face was charred by fire, making him hideous to look at.

Though now vanished, it seemed not only the demonic beast but other spells had been used to attack him.

The demonic beast whispered someone’s name in a voice boiling with hatred.

“Crow… that piece of trash…!”

“Weren’t you on the same side?”

“We were.”

Crunch.

As Ma Yi seemed to be consumed by rage, Gu Yangjeok raised his voice.

“If you tell me what Crow truly is.”

“Knowing it would be meaningless.”

Meaningless? What does that even mean?

When Gu Yangjeok looked at him with puzzled eyes, Ma Yi snorted.

“Didn’t you find it strange?”

“Well, the Martial Alliance has always been like that.”

“The White Robe Sect.”

At those words, Gu Yangjie’s eyes sharpened.

It was precisely because the Martial Alliance was in decline that the White Robe Sect, the group under Namgung Cheon, was gradually asserting its presence.

Hadn’t rumors even circulated that they were the ones who drove out Jisahong?

‘I had almost expected it to be Nangong Tian.’

Gu Yangji immediately questioned Ma Yi.

“So it’s not Nangong Tian, but there’s a Crow within the White Robe Sect?”

“Both.”

“…I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

A hollow laugh flickered across Ma Yi’s face.

Even he thought the method the Crow had chosen was absurd.

“In short, the Crow is… like a heart demon without substance.”

“A heart demon?”

“Just as Guangningzi cultivated the Jixian Gong to temper a body worthy of inheriting the legacy of Plum Blossom Valley… the Crow chose to implant fragments of himself into a single martial art.”

Though losing his body to Yeo Dong-bin was the primary reason, of course.

Murmuring in a faint voice, the demon clung desperately to his fading consciousness.

“The crow is both the Pang Clan of Hebei and the Nangong Clan. It can be seen as a demonic creature formed from dark arts.”

“Nonsense!”

“Of all the Eight Palms you’ve faced so far, was even one of them a reasonable existence?”

At those words, Gu Yangjie had no choice but to concede.

Starting with the Black Dragon possessing the body of a dragon, to the Immortal Demon of Fire who nearly subdued the Martial Alliance even with all limbs crippled.

And then there was the Great Heavenly Water, whom he had briefly clashed with in a past life—an entity capable of destroying a nation with its sorcery alone.

Weak only in one-on-one combat, no one could match its lethality in large-scale battles.

Gyu Yang-jeok, having mulled it over, looked down at the ground beneath Ma Eui’s feet.

“…Damn!”

So much blood had spilled that the floor beneath the brain prison was soaked. His clothes had been stained with blood to begin with, but now they were completely tattered.

Gu Yangji’s face stiffened.

‘If the Demon Blood Seal is activated, anyone would be forced to strike first.’

No matter how formidable Ma Yi was, it would have been an unavoidable fight.

As Gu Yangji hurried to support him, Ma Yi let out a bitter laugh.

“I, who thought I would live above your heads, am now leaning on a blood-soaked lump like you… How truly miserable.”

“Shut it!”

“Ma Yi, you bastard. Must you live on in such a revolting manner?”

Ma Yi mustered his last strength and shoved Gu Yangji away.

But Gu Yangji’s body didn’t budge, and a deep sorrow settled on Ma Yi’s face.

Even his short, shallow breaths began to falter, gradually slowing.

Regret thickened on Ma Yi’s face.

“Truly… it was a worthless life…”

“Ma Yi! Ma Yi!”

Gu Yangjie shook Ma Yi’s body, crying out in desperation. But his body was growing cold.

‘He must have already extracted all the information.’

Grit.

Gu Yangjie clenched his teeth tightly.

Though he had brought Ma Yi here intending to kill him from the start, this unintended death was not what he had wished for.

“Damn it.”

Placing the lifeless Ma Yi on the floor of the brain prison, Gu Yangjeok felt the crow’s treachery cut deep into his bones.