Chapter 118: Just Because Part 3

– I have a friend I left behind in the Heavenly Jade Pavilion.

It was about a week after Seol Tae Pyeong first met Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun.

Seol Tae Pyeong who looked like a beggar was greatly shocked when he realized that the girl he had found at the foot of the White Immortal Mountain was the former Heavenly Maiden, but it took less than a week for him to match her.

– In the Heavenly Jade Pavilion?

– Yes. I regret not saying goodbye before being expelled from Heavenly Dragon Hall.

The girl who introduced herself as the former Heavenly Maiden had absolutely no manners.

She would yell at any opportunity, and whenever Seol Tae Pyeong tried to say something, she would scold him. She would ask what kind of behavior that was, pick at every little thing, and get angry at the smallest matters, to the point where Seol Tae Pyeong was on the verge of being fed up.

Despite all this, Seol Tae Pyeong took her in and let her sleep and eat at his hideout by the riverside on the outskirts of the Imperial Capital. He was a living saint in every sense of the word.

However, that clueless girl, instead of showing any gratitude, kept demanding this and that… By the time his head was filled with the thought that he had saved her for nothing, she spoke.

The girl sat quietly in Seol Tae Pyeong’s riverside hideout and said while hugging her knees,

– If I could see that friend one last time, I would have no regrets….

– Heavenly Jade Pavilion is the most sacred place in the deepest part of Heavenly Dragon Hall… A place like that isn’t somewhere just anyone can come and go, except for someone like a Heavenly Maiden. How could a friend of yours get in there?

– If I’m here, just accept that I’m here. Why are you so full of doubt? And why have you been speaking so casually to me for the past few days? Do I look easy to you?

– You were lying on the ground counting the days until you died, and now you’re acting so proud… and aren’t you no longer the Heavenly Maiden?

– Shut up. Do you think I was lying there because I couldn’t resist? I was just lying down because I had no will to live. If I wanted to, I could’ve dealt with a wild animal….

– Oh, sure, sure.

Seol Tae Pyeong’s sarcastic response made Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun’s face scrunch up with irritation.

But Seol Tae Pyeong acted as if her expression didn’t bother him at all and continued grilling fish over the campfire.

Seol Tae Pyeong wasn’t just dressed like a beggar; he was, in fact, a beggar.

He was a wandering swordsman who was drifting near the imperial capital with nothing but a single sword.

His swordsmanship was remarkable, to the point that if he had entered the palace and pursued the path of a military official, he might have secured a good position.

However, he seemed to have no ambition for the military official’s path and was just idly wasting his days like a vagabond.

– It may be hard to believe, but my older sister works as a maid in the Heavenly Dragon Hall. She might flip if she sees you. I mean, imagine the person she used to serve, now sitting here yelling and stealing her little brother’s food. How ridiculous is that?

– You’re far from being a proper person, but it seems your sister is quite decent. Not just anyone can become a maid in the Heavenly Dragon Hall.

– Yeah, my sister is pretty capable. Anyway, thanks to her, I have a rough idea of how things work in the Heavenly Dragon Hall. We don’t see each other much, but we exchange letters from time to time.

Seol Tae Pyeong blew on the grilled fish to cool it before taking a bite. Several more fish that were skewered and sizzling were roasting over the fire in front of him.

A few of them were pointed in Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun’s direction as if he was offering her some to eat as well.

– Isn’t it a bit strange to have a friend in the Heavenly Jade Pavilion? The only one who can stay there is the Heavenly Maiden.

– Don’t argue with me.

– ……

She must be a woman with no proper upbringing.

Seol Tae Pyeong was sure of it in his heart.

– There’s a friend who used to come visit me when I sat alone in the the Heavenly Jade Pavilion every night. Whenever I felt lonely, they’d share a drink with me.

– How could anyone sneak into the Heavenly Jade Pavilion every night with the security in the Heavenly Dragon Hall? Does that even make sense?

– If I say it happened, then it did.

– …So you didn’t get to say goodbye to that friend?

At Seol Tae Pyeong’s words, Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun nodded her head.

– Then why not try asking around or go to their house to find them?

– It only means something if we meet in the Heavenly Jade Pavilion.

– What kind of nonsense is that? If you’re truly close, you’d be happy to meet anywhere.

– I could see them anytime if I wanted, but I must meet them in the Heavenly Jade Pavilion…

After saying that, Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun quietly stared at the flickering campfire.

She was already covered in dust and her elegance was nowhere to be found, but it was clear that she wanted to go to the Heavenly Jade Pavilion one last time.

But she wasn’t the Heavenly Maiden anymore. How could she possibly enter the Heavenly Dragon Hall?

She wouldn’t even be able to approach the entrance of Cheongdo Palace, let alone the Heavenly Dragon Hall. For the rest of her life, there was no way this girl would ever set foot in Cheongdo Palace again.

***

The phrase “heaven and earth being overturned” was not just a metaphor.

The vast inner palace had fallen entirely into the hands of the White Demonic Spirit, and not only was it cut off from the outside world, but the flow of time itself had begun to distort.

When the wrinkled hand of the White Demonic Spirit sliced through the air, a huge crack split open in the wide courtyard in front of the White Tiger Palace.

From the shimmering energy, monsters began to tear through the air and quickly spread throughout the inner palace.

“That… that is…!”

The White Princess’s eyes widened in shock.

The first thing she saw was a gigantic bird soaring into the sky.

It was so large that just one wing could cover an entire person with room to spare.

It was covered in bluish feathers. This was the legendary Blue Cloud Bird, a mythical creature that occasionally appeared in ancient paintings and literature.

But that wasn’t all. Grotesque creatures like a twisted Qilin, a human-headed bird, and a lion with seven faces leaped out and charged forward.

– Kaaaargh!

– Keeeeeek!

Since the beginning of time, the Heavenly Dragon that protected Cheongdo had been the most powerful divine beast. It had received a portion of the Emperor of Heaven’s strength, the creator of this world.

That power was so immense that it seemed to mirror the Emperor of Heaven’s authority. It broke the very boundaries of common sense.

It could sever space, completely isolate the inner palace from the outside world, or even reverse the flow of time itself.

Or it could unleash mythical creatures that shouldn’t exist into the world.

These mythical beasts that were born from the Heavenly Dragon’s power soared into the sky above the inner palace. As if they were flaunting their presence.

The mythical creatures that were fully unleashed were all corrupted by demonic energy. Some of them were rotting and decaying, while others were grotesquely distorted. The once mysterious atmosphere was long gone, leaving only twisted monstrosities in its place.

“Haah…”

The White Princess’s eyes trembled violently as she watched the scene.

She was so absorbed by the sight before her that she seemed to forget how to breathe. Her breathing eventually grew ragged, and the strength in her legs began to give out.

If there was such a thing as hell, would it look like this?

The sight alone was enough to make her stomach churn, but with superhuman willpower, she managed to regain her composure.

“So this is the power of a special demonic spirit … It’s truly different.”

I grabbed my broken sword and started to step forward in front of the White Princess.

As I glanced at her face, I saw her pupils trembling. She was filled with fear.

It was a situation where anyone could collapse to the ground after their legs gave way, and it wouldn’t be surprising.

But the White Princess gritted her teeth and clung tightly to the sleeve of my robe.

“Can you think of a way to win?”

“……”

“If not, we must find a way to escape.”

I could feel her hand trembling violently as she gripped my sleeve.

But even in this terrifying situation, she stood firm and held her head high as the mistress of the White Tiger Palace. She was determined to find a solution.

“I am familiar with the layout of the White Tiger Palace. If we are to escape, following my lead would be the most efficient.”

Her voice trembled like a quaking aspen as she looked up at the horde of mythical creatures swarming the sky.

There was no room for her to hide the fact that she was afraid.

However, it’s in moments of crisis that a person’s true character is revealed.

The White Princess had always lived her life balancing on the edge of a cliff. Even when her life was at stake, even in situations of extreme terror that left her body trembling, she instinctively sought the right answer.

However, my gaze was fixed on the sword in my hand.

Seeing this, the White Princess widened her eyes and spoke again.

“But if you intend to fight…”

She knew what had to be acknowledged.

In this situation, she herself was nothing more than a burden. Her basic knowledge of Taoist arts wouldn’t be enough to survive against that special demonic spirit.

If protecting her restricted my actions, it would hinder the defeat of the White Demonic Spirit, the very cause of all this chaos.

She closed her eyes tightly, then opened them again before throwing off the long silk robe that clung to her sleeves.

She grabbed the hem of her dress, which nearly dragged on the ground, tied it up, and pulled her hair back into a bun.

Then she spoke firmly.

“I will abandon you and run.”

It was a fitting statement for the White Princess.

Although she said she would leave me behind and escape, in reality, separating from me in such a situation was nearly suicidal.

The safest choice for the White Princess would be to stay close to me. In the chaos that had overtaken the palace, I was the only one who could protect her.

Nevertheless, she made the “right” decision.

“As I mentioned, I know the internal layout of the White Tiger Palace well, and I can perform basic Taoist techniques. Just because I’m on my own doesn’t mean I’ll die immediately. I can at least hide myself.”

“White Princess.”

“Don’t worry about pointless things. I don’t intend to die here. I want to live longer.”

She knew it was too late to hide her fear.

And so, even while fully exposing her fear, she didn’t utter a word of weakness.

“My ambition is still high.”

And then she forced a smile. The very fact that she could smile in such a situation was absurd.

So, from my perspective, I couldn’t help but return her smile.

Before I could say anything, the White Princess dashed out through the middle gate of the White Tiger Palace.

The sky above the inner palace was filled with stars and the moon.

No matter where one went, the scenery of Cheongdo Palace was always beautiful. The palace, filled with young women of exquisite beauty, constantly received praise for its romantic landscape, no matter where you looked.

Under that romantic night sky, the sight of various mythical beasts roaming about gave the illusion of having stepped into the immortal realm of a painting or poem.

However, those creatures were wandering the world to kill. It was closer to hell than an immortal paradise.

– Kwaak!

– Kuung!!

– Gyaaaaaaaah!

The sudden chaos that descended upon the inner palace was already overwhelming, but the unknown monsters rampaging made the maids scream in unison.

Sadly, there was nowhere to run. The inner palace was filled with the terrified screams of the maids, and fear stained every corner.

It looks like hiding in the guard outpost next to the middle gate of the White Tiger Palace would be the best option…!

As she ran, the White Princess had already finished organizing her thoughts perfectly.

She didn’t know what those strange monsters were, nor could she understand what was happening in the inner palace, but… somehow, she felt a strange certainty that Seol Tae Pyeong would take care of it.

Yes, there was no denying it now.

That’s right. I trust that man.

Using others, calculating gains and losses, discarding people without hesitation, stepping on them like rungs of a ladder to climb higher…. such a life had always seemed normal to her.

For the first time, the girl realized the weight of trust.

Amid the confusion of the current situation, she felt an unwavering certainty that Seol Tae Pyeong would somehow resolve everything. There was no basis for this certainty, yet she unhesitatingly staked her life on it.

Just as she began to feel a strange discomfort with her own foolish decision—

Swoosh.

She saw several women staggering toward her from beyond the middle gate of the White Tiger Palace.

The moment she felt a sense of familiarity with their elaborate clothing, a peculiar sense of danger crept up her spine.

“Tae Pyeong-ah… where are you… Tae Pyeong-ah …”

“I’m sorry… your misfortune… is due to the Jeongseon clan …”

“Tae Pyeong-ah… where have you gone… there’s still so much we need to discuss…”

By some stroke of luck, the White Princess had avoided falling under the spell of the White Demonic Spirit.

It was partly because the White Demonic Spirit had come for her last, and partly because Seol Tae Pyeong had protected her just in time.

But the other princess consorts were not so fortunate.

The other palace mistresses were completely overtaken by the White Demonic Spirit’s illusion. They had come all the way to the White Tiger Palace with their bodies limp like lifeless corpses.

Behind them… the ground was littered with the bodies of countless mythical beasts.

These women were all different from the White Princess. They were skilled enough to defend themselves against such creatures. There was no need to worry about them being injured by the rampaging beasts.

However… their mental states were far from normal.

At a glance, it was clear that entering the White Tiger Palace like this would only lead to them being exploited by the White Demonic Spirit. There was no way this situation would benefit Seol Tae Pyeong. On the contrary, it would only add more burdens and weigh him down even further.

The White Princess swallowed dryly.

Now that things had come to this, the plan to sneak into the outer gate’s guard post had to be abandoned.

The White Princess grunted as she pushed the latch of the outer gate. Then she slammed the large door shut.

Thud!

And so the White Princess stood guard before the outer gate of the White Tiger Palace.

“White Princess … is Seol Tae Pyeong inside…?”

The eyes of the gathered princess consorts gleamed with an inexplicable sharp intensity.

The White Princess turned her head and swept her gaze over them. Not one of them was an easy opponent.

I knew he had many admirers, but to think it would come to this… What a troublesome man.

Crossing her arms in front of them, the White Princess firmly steeled her resolve.

The Vermilion Princess, the Azure Princess, the Black Princess.

Each one of them was formidable, not the kind to be taken lightly. Yet, as the only one among them who had managed to maintain her sanity, the White Princess had to block their advance with nothing but her sharp tongue.

The situation felt as though she were chasing away stray cats from her own lover, which hurt her pride deeply… but if she let them reach Seol Tae Pyeong, it would only lead to disastrous consequences.

And so the White Princess mustered her courage and spoke before them.

“You all cannot enter the White Tiger Palace. As the palace mistress, I say this with absolute resolve.”

A single stray hair had escaped from her tied-up hairstyle, clinging to her cheek.

Gone was her usual divine and mysterious beauty; now, only a determined young girl stood guarding the outer gate.

“Do not even think about touching General Seol Tae Pyeong.”

A flicker of life sparked in her eyes.

The White Princess herself never imagined she would one day utter such words.