A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 412

412. The Appearance of the Heavenly Demon

The black mist-like Demon God disappeared, and Sohn Bin approached a large gray door engraved with complex circles. He could tell that the door was larger than he had initially thought. There was no trace of the clash between Sa Soo-yeon’s Myeong [life force/destiny] and Dang Wol-ah’s Cheoljeon [iron wire technique] moments before.

Ssk.

Sohn Bin, who had been looking up at the door, carefully reached out and touched it. Instantly, the large door opened upward without a sound, and the group felt a gentle breeze.

“Huh? Is it outside?”

It was natural for Hwang Bang-ju to mutter that. Bright light poured out from beyond the door. But that couldn’t be. Considering the path they had taken so far, this was still underground. The group cautiously stepped through the door and realized that they had entered a vast, open, and bright space.

“Wow. It’s amazing!”

With Seo-rin’s exclamation, Hwang Bang-ju also gaped. It was truly a beautiful garden. Lush trees of all sizes cast shadows, and beautiful flowers bloomed in profusion, displaying a variety of colors. Clear water flowed along the waterways, making sounds, and small birds flew overhead. It was truly a place full of life.

“Such a wonderful place…….”

“It’s fake.”

“Pardon?”

Hwang Bang-ju turned to Noh-gun with a surprised expression. But Noh-gun frowned and continued in a low voice.

“It’s fake. The birds, the trees, the flowers, everything you see.”

“……All of it?”

It was natural for Hwang Bang-ju to ask that.

“No, how can this all be fake…….”

Muttering to himself, Hwang Bang-ju reached out to a colorful flower in front of him. But just before Hwang Bang-ju’s hand touched it, the flower blurred and part of its shape became indistinct, as if it shouldn’t be touched.

“Heok!”

Startled, Hwang Bang-ju quickly pulled his hand away. Then, as if nothing had happened, the flower returned to its original appearance. Hwang Bang-ju stared at the flower, which was swaying gently in front of him, displaying its radiant beauty, with a fearful expression.

“I don’t know if it’s some kind of illusion, but nothing you see is alive. It’s all fake. And…….”

Noh-gun, who was speaking, raised his head and looked up.

“This isn’t outside either, it’s indoors.”

“Here?”

Hwang Bang-ju raised his head. But no matter how much he squinted, the area above his head just looked like a blue sky.

“Look there.”

Noh-gun pointed behind him with his chin. Hwang Bang-ju turned his head and noticed that the door they had just passed through had disappeared without a trace, and that the wall curved gently, leading all the way to the top of his head.

“Good heavens. Then this place is…….”

This light-filled place was an incredibly vast indoor space with a hemispherical ceiling. Moreover, this vibrant garden was entirely fake. Hwang Bang-ju trembled without realizing it. This place felt even more eerie than the desolate valley or the silent corridor they had passed through earlier.

“Hmph.”

Noh-gun snorted.

“That Heavenly Demon, what taste…….”

At those words, Hwang Bang-ju snapped back to his senses. He realized anew who they were about to face. An intense urge to turn back surged within him, but the door they had passed through was already gone without a trace.

“What’s that?”

Seo-rin suddenly spoke. Hwang Bang-ju, who had been glancing behind him, looked at where Seo-rin was pointing. In the center of this vast space, something like a line was extending downward from the impossibly high ceiling. It was only after hearing Seo-rin’s words that he realized that the line was actually a pillar-shaped structure.

“It looks like a pillar, but it’s amazing it hasn’t collapsed.”

“Whatever that is.”

Noh-gun tapped the ground lightly and said.

“I think we’ll find out soon.”

Hwang Bang-ju looked down at his feet. A path covered in strange patterns stretched toward the center. It wasn’t stone, but metal, something that even Hwang Bang-ju had never seen before.

“Right?”

At Noh-gun’s words, Sohn Bin nodded.

“Yes.”

Noh-gun noticed that Sohn Bin’s expression was quite serious, but he didn’t think too deeply about it. No one wouldn’t be nervous in the face of the Heavenly Demon and the Gate of the Abyss that he had opened.

The group slowly walked along the path. The sight of the trees casting shadows gave the feeling of walking along a garden path, but the thought that none of these things were alive made it feel even more desolate.

Flap.

Hwang Bang-ju raised his head at the sudden sound. Several small birds were flying away. Hwang Bang-ju, who had been watching the scene without thinking, suddenly noticed that the colors of the birds were changing.

‘Heok!’

The feather colors of the flying birds instantly transformed into something more flamboyant. That wasn’t all. The trees that had been casting shadows also darkened in color and became even lusher. It was as if summer had suddenly arrived, and the entire garden was changing.

“Uh, Elder, this is…….”

Hwang Bang-ju stuck close to Noh-gun.

“Tsk.”

Noh-gun also noticed the change, but he just clicked his tongue and didn’t say anything.

Rustle, rustle.

Before they knew it, the surroundings had turned into a dense forest. The greenery became even thicker, and flowers bloomed everywhere. Even the wind and light changed, and the vitality of midsummer filled every direction. Seo-rin let out an exclamation at the beautiful change, and Sa Soo-yeon and Dang Wol-ah were also captivated. But no one stopped walking. They didn’t say anything other than small exclamations.

Thud, thud.

As the group walked, the appearance of the garden continued to change little by little. It was as if someone was rapidly turning the seasons.

Flutter.

Leaves began to fall. The sound of insects filled the air, and colorful autumn foliage dyed the trees. Autumn had arrived in the garden. But that was only for a moment. The lush trees soon revealed their bare branches, and the chirping of birds disappeared. When white snow covered everything like a lie and white steam began to come out of Hwang Bang-ju’s mouth, the group was finally able to reach the center of this vast space.

“……Heo-eo.”

Hwang Bang-ju raised his head with his mouth open. There, a flat white structure resembling a large overturned dish was located. The structure, which was all white and surrounded by steep stairs, was more than three stories high, even though it was called a dish. As a result, they couldn’t see what was at the top. However, what they could confirm was that the pillar extending from the ceiling was heading directly above and that the pillar was much larger than they had thought.

“We have to go up, right?”

Hwang Bang-ju asked Noh-gun, speaking for the silent group. Perhaps because of the tension of facing the Heavenly Demon, the others hadn’t said anything since earlier.

“Yes.”

At Noh-gun’s answer, Hwang Bang-ju turned to Sohn Bin. Sohn Bin was looking up with a stiff expression. The smile he always wore was gone now.

Thud.

Sohn Bin went first, and the others followed behind. Hwang Bang-ju, who was closely following Noh-gun up the stairs, suddenly turned around.

‘Heok.’

The vast space visible below was completely desolate. It wasn’t that winter had ended and spring had come again, but that everything had disappeared and become devastated. Hwang Bang-ju trembled and quickly grabbed Noh-gun’s sleeve and hurried his steps.

“Huk, huk.”

It was only when he was out of breath that Hwang Bang-ju finally reached near the top of the white structure. Teok.

‘Uh…….’

Hwang Bang-ju, who had finally set foot on the top, blinked his eyes. As he had guessed, the top of the white structure was very wide. And the pillar extending from the ceiling was also connected here. However, what was unfortunate was that the lower part of the pillar, although it was still very high above Hwang Bang-ju’s head, seemed to have been torn off. Moreover, a sinister and eerie, pitch-black mist-like energy was swirling from the severed part. Perhaps that energy had ruined this magnificent pillar? But the sight that made Hwang Bang-ju speechless was not that.

Rustle.

A gust of wind fluttered the hem of his robe, which was embroidered with colorful patterns. There, where the pillar extended down, a huge chair was placed. The chair, which was like a throne and placed on a pedestal, had a very simple shape but was so large that it defied common sense, making the person sitting on it look small. But the presence emanating from the person sitting in that seat was so overwhelming that even the huge throne seemed natural.

“What’s wrong?”

A voice like rolling jade beads flowed out from behind a fan. The eyes, which seemed to enjoy watching everyone’s shocked expressions, were as beautiful as those of a beautiful woman. But the owner of that voice and those eyes was a man. An existence more beautiful and deadly than anything else, referred to as another sky even in the Outer Heaven, which was called the Heaven Beyond Heaven [a higher dimension or realm].

“Don’t tell me, you didn’t know?”

The owner of those eyes, who was smiling faintly behind the jade fan, was none other than one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Outer Heavens, the former Jade Dragon. Whoosh. A dry wind blew. But no one could open their mouths. The Jade Dragon, leaning against the huge throne, covered his mouth with a jade fan and watched the group’s reaction with amusement.

“……Uh, excuse me.”

The one who spoke was Hwang Bang-ju. As if he didn’t understand the current situation, he asked the former Jade Dragon with a puzzled expression.

“So, you’ve already defeated the Heavenly Demon and are waiting for us?”

“There’s no way that’s the case.”

The answer came from Noh-gun. Noh-gun spat out the words as if chewing them.

“The Jade Dragon defeated the Heavenly Demon and is waiting for us? I’d bet my entire fortune on him being on the Heavenly Demon’s side.”

“Heok!”

Hwang Bang-ju stepped back in surprise. When he thought about it, it was too strange for the former Jade Dragon to be in this place. If he had defeated the Heavenly Demon, there was no way a Demon God would be guarding the door.

Clatter.

The jade fan folded, and the former Jade Dragon revealed his face. That beautiful face, which even a man would fall for, let out a light chuckle.

“There’s been a misunderstanding. I’m not on the Heavenly Demon’s side.”

At those words, Hwang Bang-ju let out a sigh of relief. He thought to himself, ‘I knew it.’ But that was too early of a judgment. The red lips of the former Jade Dragon, who was wearing a smile, moved as if whispering.

“I am the Heavenly Demon.”

Thud.

As if something heavy had fallen, a heavy silence swept around. The former Jade Dragon was still smiling, but it was clear that those words were not a joke. None of the group, including Noh-gun and Sohn Bin, were smiling. No, they couldn’t smile.

“To be more precise.”

The Jade Dragon continued, smiling. He seemed to be enjoying this moment more than anything else.

“I have become the Heavenly Demon, instead of that foolish one who had been asleep for countless years, unable to even escape the shackles of the abyss’s darkness.”

The former Jade Dragon said as if singing. He slowly turned his head towards Sohn Bin.

“You knew, didn’t you? Because you ended the old Heavenly Demon with your own hands a moment ago and saw his memories.”

Sohn Bin, with a stiff expression, did not answer. The former Jade Dragon’s clear voice continued.

“To lose his divine status and be swallowed by the Demon God who was protecting him, how unsightly. That’s why you shouldn’t have subordinates.”

The former Jade Dragon’s sharp smile hung on his red lips.

“That’s why you shouldn’t trust anyone.”

Ssk.

The former Jade Dragon’s cold gaze turned to the rest of the group.

“Well, you guys didn’t trust me anyway.”

“Hmph. Of course not.”

Noh-gun retorted with a stiff expression.

“There are only two people in the world who trust the Jade Dragon. Either they’re complete fools or…….”

“He is.”

Sohn Bin interrupted Noh-gun’s words.

“Where is he?”

Sohn Bin’s question was followed by Noh-gun’s unfinished words.

“……Or the Martial Emperor of Hyeoncheon [a legendary figure].”

“Hut.”

The former Jade Dragon laughed. Even amidst the gazes of Noh-gun and Sohn Bin, Dang Wol-ah and Sa Soo-yeon, and Seo-rin and Geom-hee, the former Jade Dragon leisurely stroked his jade fan.

“I understand why you’re asking about him, but isn’t this a bit much?”

Noh-gun didn’t understand what he meant. But the former Jade Dragon continued leisurely.

“I’m not the only one who’s been waiting for you here. For example…….”

Ssk.

The folded jade fan pointed upwards.

“A small and weak, frail woman who can’t even walk on her own power.”

Sohn Bin raised his head and looked up at the pitch-black energy swirling in the severed part of the giant pillar.

Whoo-oong.

“……Oh dear.”

Noh-gun groaned. And only then could Hwang Bang-ju see it too. Hidden in the ominously swirling pitch-black energy was the figure of someone hanging with their arms outstretched.

The woman who had left with Sa Ja-hyuk, Blood Phoenix Geum Sa-ryeon, was hanging her head and limply drooping her red robes.

Gritting.

Sohn Bin gritted his teeth. Blood Phoenix Geum Sa-ryeon was motionless as if she had lost consciousness. But her pale face, visible through her disheveled hair, could be clearly seen.

“She’s been waiting so eagerly.”

The former Jade Dragon’s laughter-filled voice echoed in the group’s ears.

“Even with her beloved lover in front of her, she only speaks of you.”

Tok.

Following the former Jade Dragon’s jade fan, Hwang Bang-ju shifted his gaze beyond the large throne and discovered someone kneeling under the extended pillar. It was Gwi Gyeon-soo-ra, looking haggard. His hair was disheveled like a criminal, and his clothes were torn here and there. His sword was shattered into two pieces and scattered beside him.

“To helplessly watch the woman you love more than your own life suffer in front of you.”

The Jade Dragon said, looking directly at Sohn Bin.

“Don’t you think it’s a truly cruel thing? Moreover, if that woman is waiting for someone other than you…….”

The Jade Dragon wore a bitter sneer.

“Anyone would be driven to this, wouldn’t they?”

Like a corpse devoid of life, Gwi Gyeon-soo-ra, with his head bowed, showed no reaction. Even the presence of Sohn Bin’s group seemed to have no meaning to him.

It was at that moment.

Woo-oong.

Gwi Gyeon-soo-ra raised his head sharply, and at the same time, black mist swirled. And Blood Phoenix Geum Sa-ryeon twitched and convulsed.

“……Ah.”

That thin groan may have only been heard by Gwi Gyeon-soo-ra. But everyone could clearly see that Blood Phoenix was in pain. And they could also see the blood flowing from Gwi Gyeon-soo-ra’s tightly closed lips.

Blood Phoenix Geum Sa-ryeon is used to pain. No, she doesn’t show pain. Therefore, only Gwi Gyeon-soo-ra could guess the magnitude of the pain hidden behind that small groan.

Gwi Gyeon-soo-ra’s clenched hand trembled. But Gwi Gyeon-soo-ra could no longer do anything. Gwi Gyeon-soo-ra, who had been looking up at Blood Phoenix Geum Sa-ryeon, slowly closed his eyes and bowed his head again. The existence of Sohn Bin’s group seemed to have no meaning to him.

“How is it?”

At the clear voice, Sohn Bin and the others turned their heads. The former Jade Dragon, as beautiful as a painting, was smiling and looking at Sohn Bin.

“Don’t you think this is enough courtesy to welcome you?”

Sarak.

The former Jade Dragon rose from his seat. And a blue energy began to spread around him.

Sarararak.

Like a shining blue mist, it soon took the form of huge and eerie wings, appearing on either side of the former Jade Dragon. It was the manifestation of a divine being with huge wings of malice.

“Welcome to the end of the world.”

The Jade Dragon said with a smile. That smile was no longer mockery or sharp criticism.

“Raja [king] of this world.”

The former Jade Dragon, no, the being who should now be called the new Heavenly Demon, looked down at Sohn Bin from the throne and said.

(Author’s words)

Seo-rin: Oh, is this the end of the world? It’s closer than I thought?

Former Jade Dragon: (Smiling) Not here, but me.