Chapter 125
The sword was half-buried in the neck of the Bloodflame Fist Demon.
Blood spurted out and soaked the clothes, but it didn’t ignite into flame.
Rather, the heat seemed to subside.
“Kuhuk!”
The Bloodflame Fist Demon spat out a mouthful of blood. With a faint voice that sounded like air leaking from a broken bellows, he spoke.
“W-Who am I...?”
A pitiful sight, far from someone known as one of the most infamous demonic warriors of the Demonic Cult.
His expression was like that of an old, exhausted man tormented by years of anguish... and I didn’t like it.
No matter the reason, he slaughtered innocents, and even turned those flames against me.
More than anything, I was worried about Seol Lihyang. “I’m not going to listen.”
Ssskuk.
With the last of my remaining strength and internal energy, I slashed the rest—clean through, easily.
After confirming the head rolling across the ground and the lifeless body collapsing, I finally turned around.
There she was—Seol Lihyang, curled up on the gravel, panting heavily.
“Are you alright?!”
I whipped my exhausted body into motion and ran over. She barely managed to lift her head.
I supported the back of her neck with my arm.
The chill I felt from her forearm sent shivers through mine. Seol Lihyang's body temperature was usually low, but this was abnormally cold.
I was flustered and at a loss, but she managed a faint smile.
“Hehe. Did we win?”
“Yeah. Thanks to you, we did. Now we just need to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m fine… just a little cold...”
“Cold?”
This was Seol Lihyang, born with the Pure Yin Physique. She had such immense yin energy that she was practically immune to cold—if anything, she was vulnerable to heat.
Yet now, in the middle of summer, someone like her was shivering. Something was clearly wrong.
I pulled her trembling shoulders close and held her tightly.
“It’s okay. It’ll be okay. You didn’t use your True Source Yin Energy, right?”
“Mm. You said you’d finish it before I had to, so I endured it. I did good, right??”
Her eyes were half-closed, and she gave a silly smile. I nodded and grabbed her hand.
I’m not a physician, but I’m a martial artist well-versed in the body. Even if I don’t know how to treat, I’d know if something was wrong.
With that, I gently pressed her wrist to check her pulse.
"Ah."
Just as she said, her True Source Yin Energy was intact. She collapsed simply from exhaustion and because her body, having never handled this much yin energy at once, was overwhelmed.
Like how a fever follows body aches, the overexertion of yin energy caused her temperature to plummet unnaturally.
Her chills were severe, and her body felt like ice, but it wasn’t life-threatening.
Warm clothes, a good meal, and plenty of rest would be enough. A tonic would help speed recovery.
“Phew...”
I let out a sigh of relief without meaning to, but Seol Lihyang misread it and wore a wistful expression.
“Mn? So... that’s how it is.”
“It’s okay. I have no regrets. My life was basically a gift from you anyway. I’m just glad I could help in the end.”
“Wait. What’s with the sudden—”
“So it’s okay. But I do feel a bit of regret. If I knew it’d be like this, I would’ve been honest with myself a lot sooner.”
“I think you’re misunderstanding something—”
“Mn. No, I’m not just getting sentimental because I think I’m dying. I’ve thought about this a long time, and I finally decided to say it.”
“That’s not it—”
“Hold me tighter. Mm. Just a bit more.”
“Are you even listening to me...??”
I was speechless, but I hugged her tightly as she asked. She needed body heat right now anyway.
Of course, to Seol Lihyang, who was clearly misinterpreting everything, it probably felt different.
She closed her eyes slowly, as if to absorb my warmth. When she finally opened them again, they had a strangely wistful look—reminding me of the last moments before my regression.
“Thank you. And… I’m sorry.”
“Seol Lihyang.”
“The truth is… I like y—”
“You just caught a cold—”
“???.”
Both of us cut off mid-sentence, then blinked at each other in silence.
“What was that sound?”
“Seol Lihyang, what were you just about to say?”
Silence again. Like synchronized puppets, we tilted our heads left, then right.
Suddenly, her face flushed bright red in realization.
“Forget it!”
“What? Forget what?”
“Just forget it!”
“You mean that thing you were about to say? Like, the part where you said you actually l—”
“Kyaaaah!!!”
She screamed and buried her face in my chest.
Just like a child who believes if they can’t see something, others can’t see it either.
Even Seo Mun-Hwarin (Seorin), suffering side effects from Rejuvenation, wasn’t this extreme—so she must be so embarrassed she can’t bear it.
I gently patted her on the back.
“I-It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay!”
“I didn’t hear anything.”
“You heard more than half!”
“But I don’t know what came after.”
“You’re lying! You totally know!”
Sharp. Honestly, I already knew Seol Lihyang liked me as a man—ever since that song she sang at the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering.
I’m not the only one who knows—Tang Sowol does too, which is a problem.
Still, her words now were a clear insight. She must’ve thought she was really dying and decided to confess at the end.
Best to pretend not to know for now.
I kept my face serious and spoke.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. More importantly, that’s not what matters right now.”
“Suspicious...”
“I said it’s like a cold, but sometimes a bad one can leave you on death’s door.”
“You said I wouldn’t die!”
“I don’t intend to let you, so don’t worry. You’ll suffer like hell, though.”
“That’s not comforting! That makes me more anxious! Explain properly... Kuhk!”
Mid-sentence, Seol Lihyang started coughing. I just turned my head slightly to avoid the spray.
She stiffened up and asked in a cracking voice.
“I-Is this really okay...? I’ve never even properly coughed before, only sneezed...”
“Don’t worry. Your energy is depleted, but your body’s still trying to absorb yin energy both internally and externally. That’s what’s causing this.”
“Explain that in simpler terms.”
“Your body can’t handle yin anymore, but it’s still drawing it in like usual.”
“Uhm. Even simpler?”
“It’s like you ordered a ton of food while starving, then realized your coin pouch had a hole and you’ve got no money.”
“That’s dine-and-dash!”
“Exactly. So soon, your whole body’s gonna feel like you’re getting beaten up.”
"Ah."
She finally understood and opened her eyes wide—back to their usual deep black.
As if that triggered it, her body slumped and leaned heavily against mine.
“W-Wait… It’s really cold now… So cold it hurts...”
“I told you. Your body’s in bad shape right now.”
“Don’t just say it, give me a solution! What do I do… Hnn!”
A shiver shook her body mid-sentence. Her temperature had dropped again.
Through chattering teeth and a pale face, she murmured:
“I really feel like I’m going to die...?”
“I said you won’t. Just hang in there a bit more.”
I hoisted Seol Lihyang onto my back and headed toward the Bloodflame Fist Demon’s corpse.
I stripped off his upper robe, wrapped his severed head in it, and tied it to my waist.
Then I secured Seol Lihyang’s thighs tightly so she wouldn’t slip.
“Hyat! Wh-Where are you touching?!”
“If you don’t like it, put some strength into the arms around my neck.”
“They won’t move!”
“Then stay still.”
“Is this really the best method...?”
She sighed, eyebrows twitching. Even her breath against my nape was cold.
She acted nonchalant, but she must’ve been in unbearable pain—like her blood vessels were freezing.
Thanks for pretending otherwise so I won’t feel guilty for being late—but I’ve already checked your pulse. It won’t work.
Before we left, I rifled through the Bloodflame Fist Demon’s belongings one more time.
A pouch with a strange texture, like leather or silk. It had burn marks, but remained intact. Must be fire-resistant or immune to internal energy.
“Hopefully something useful inside.”
Usually, such pouches carry valuables. A first-aid elixir would be ideal.
I dumped out the contents.
Several tightly sealed letters, a small container of ointment, a few gold coins, and an elixir I recognized.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
The letters must be messages to the Demonic Cult, the ointment likely a wound salve like Golden Wound Balm, and the gold for expenses.
The elixir?
“A Demonic Explosive Pill...”
The Demonic Cult gives this to its warriors—if you’re dying, better to explode.
It grants power beyond your limits, but at the cost of death. At best, you’ll survive but never use martial arts again.
That’s why the Bloodflame Fist Demon didn’t use it—he cared more about saving his own skin.
All useful evidence against the Demonic Cult, but nothing helpful for Seol Lihyang right now.
“No choice. This’ll be rough, but cling to me as much as you can.”
“What for?”
“We’ve walked far enough. There should be a village nearby. This looks like a river with moderate flow and lots of fish.”
More importantly, the Bloodflame Fist Demon hadn’t been chasing us—he was waiting ahead of us.
Meaning, he probably found a nearby village, learned our route, and decided to ambush us.
We’re close to a place where we can rest and get treatment.
I’m tired from the fight, but I still have the strength to carry one person.
After explaining this, Seol Lihyang nodded.
“Okay. I’ll follow your lead. But first, one little problem.”
“What is it?”
“I, uh... Let my guard down and now I’ve got... the urge.”
“???”
“Ugh... I really have to go. Like, soon. I might leak...”
I carefully set her down.
After a moment of internal conflict, I asked,
“Do I have to pull your pants down for you?”
“W-Wait! I’ll try on my own!”
Fortunately, Seol Lihyang still had enough strength left for that.