Chapter 318 |
318. Fallen Blossoms (2)
Time within the Demon Bell flowed far faster than in reality.
This was partly because the mind accelerated, creating a disparity between perceived and actual time, but also because what the Demon Bell displayed was not the entirety of memory.
Human memory only retained certain deeply impressive fragments, while glossing over fine details.
Thus, in the absence of significant events, time leaped ahead unnaturally, letting days pass in an instant.
The world that the three women entered was such a place.
Thanks to this, after rapidly sweeping through several years of Cheon Hwi’s life, the three reached their own conclusions.
“Brother Cheon of the past truly was incredible. No wonder he was called Blood Wolf.”
“Sister Tang, you don’t need to sugarcoat it. At this level, just say it cleanly—he lived thoughtlessly, reacting moment to moment like a beast.”
All three were exhausted by the raw, unfiltered behavior of the past Cheon Hwi—so far and away worse than what they had seen previously.
But they all agreed with Seo Mun-Hwarin’s final remark.
“Yes, that Ironblood Hall Master is a good person.”
The Ironblood Hall Master was someone who kept her word.
Even when Cheon Hwi didn’t want to study, she dragged him back and taught him letters, telling him what should and shouldn’t be done.
One or two days out of every seven, she reviewed his martial arts—not with halfhearted nods, but with thorough and precise advice.
Thanks to her, he learned to read and thus suffered fewer deceptions; he learned basic manners and thus drew fewer condemnations.
Cheon Hwi, being the type to return what he received, caused markedly fewer incidents as more people stopped treating him carelessly.
Just as the Ironblood Hall Master said—He had grown from a beast into a person.
But what changed the most was his martial arts.
Though he had already reached the Peak Stage through overwhelming talent, innate instincts, and obsessive diligence—
He had never properly learned a complete martial art.
That had always been a tremendous shackle on his growth.
The Ironblood Hall Master filled that gap.
She did not pass down her true martial art, but she taught many modified, lower-level forms.
Among them, the one she seemed most invested in teaching was footwork.
She never even gave it a name—calling it simply “a decent footwork”
But the three watching women were all martial artists of their own significant realms.
They immediately recognized it as anything but ordinary; even if different from its original lineage, it was clearly a high-grade ascension-level art.
And they could not help being shocked.
“Heavens! So the other surviving member of the Seo Mun Clan that was said to have connections with Hwi…Was that Ironblood Hall Master??”
“Uh… seriously, Sister Seorin???”
“Of course! Who but This One would fail to recognize Thunderclap Step? She said she couldn’t pass on her true martial art because, being of a collateral line, she couldn’t spread it freely.”
“The Demon Bell’s dream may be unclear in meaning, but its ties to reality are undeniable. Congratulations, Hwarin unni—you found a clue to a surviving member of the Seo Mun Clan in an unexpected place.”
“Heheh… I now have one more person to find before restoring the Seo Mun Clan’s name plaque.”
She nodded, remembering Cheon Hwi’s earlier explanation about the footwork—Then her expression stiffened.
“…But Hwi clearly told This One that the person who passed down Thunderclap Step to him died long ago.”
“What? What do you mean?”
Tang Sowol tilted her head in confusion as Seo Mun-Hwarin gave a bitter smile.
“Just as I said. When Hwi told me the story and I asked for her location to visit immediately, he said she was already gone and no longer wished to be involved in the affairs of the martial world.”
“That’s…”
Tang Sowol widened her eyes as she stared at the Ironblood Hall Master before them—At the warmth and compassion in her gaze as she earnestly taught Cheon Hwi.
If the Ironblood Hall Master were already dead in the present, then how could an older Cheon Hwi have learned from her in the past?
While Seol Lihyang, who knew the truth, remained silent—
Tang Sowol and Seo Mun-Hwarin reached the conclusion they had quietly been holding since learning of Cheon Hwi’s mental restriction.
Reincarnation.
Considering that one half of Cheon Hwi’s restriction was tied to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, they assumed these were memories from a previous life.
It was wrong—but it aligned smoothly enough to appear plausible.
With Seol Lihyang giving them a subtle look, Seo Mun-Hwarin let out a long sigh.
“The Ironblood Hall grounds, the fortuitous encounters Hwi picked up as though gathering stones from a roadside…
If these were memories of a previous life, it cannot have been too long ago.”
“Yes, and considering Brother Cheon’s current age…”
“It must have been shortly after the Seo Mun Clan was annihilated—or when This One had already avenged everything and retired. This One has never heard of such a high-level expert from that era.”
“That narrows the timeframe. Once we return, I’ll have someone investigate what happened in the Black Lotus Sect during that period. But…”
“But? Is something the matter?”
“N-No, nothing.”
“Come now. It saddens This One. Why hide things from me?”
“It’s just… the Black Lotus Sect is an unorthodox faction, so investigating might be difficult.”
“Speak honestly. Perhaps This One may help.”
“And also… I think it might be hard to find information from decades ago.”
Seo Mun-Hwarin tightly closed her eyes, and Tang Sowol fidgeted awkwardly beside her.
Seeing them flustered, the only one who knew the truth—Seol Lihyang—shook her head with a silent laugh.
“For things like that, we can think about them later. For now, let’s keep watching. We might miss something.”
“Yes… you are right, Hyang.”
“Indeed. It still looks peaceful, but… we already know it will not end well. If we can learn something, then this moment is the most important.”
Seo Mun-Hwarin nodded, returning her gaze to the unfolding memory.
There, Cheon Hwi visibly changed.
Becoming more normal, more honest with his emotions, gradually resembling the man he was now.
It was much like what they had seen before through the Demon Bell—Except this time, the perspective centered not on the Demonic Sound Ice Witch, but on the Ironblood Hall Master.
Thus, they noticed something they hadn’t before.
That the Ironblood Hall Master—whom they thought merely a kind superior, teacher, and parent-like figure to Cheon Hwi—Was beginning to change.
Her martial strength was high, but inwardly she was somewhat unstable.
As with many Flowering Stage martial artists, she often carried an air of transcendence—But not always.
Sometimes she gazed at the sky with hopeless resignation.
Sometimes her martial arts leaked heavy regret.
The Cheon Hwi of the memory, still only a Peak Stage martial artist, did not seem to notice—But to the three watching women, it was clear.
In short, the Ironblood Hall Master was a precarious person.
She improved rapidly after she began teaching Cheon Hwi.
Instead of staring blankly at the sky or garden, she now spent time laughing beside Cheon Hwi and the Demonic Sound Ice Witch.
And whenever she saw Cheon Hwi growing by absorbing her teachings, her expression resembled that of a proud master raising a beloved disciple.
Just as Cheon Hwi met the Ironblood Hall Master and the Demonic Sound Ice Witch and became a better person—
She, too, seemed to regain the meaning of life through meeting him.
It was a heartwarming exchange—
Until the moment her gaze changed, after the Demonic Sound Ice Witch and Cheon Hwi shared a night together.
At first, she treated both of them as her disciples, giving generously without hesitation.
But the closer Cheon Hwi and the Demonic Sound Ice Witch grew, the more a new emotion crept into her gaze.
“Is… is that envy?”
“It looks like it, doesn’t it, Sister Tang?”
“Yes, This One sees it too.”
At first, they dismissed it.
Her face couldn’t be seen, but from her speech and realm, she didn’t seem young.
Being alone without family, it was only natural she would envy the two young people before her.
People always longed for what they lacked.
But as days passed, the feeling intensified.
Her temperament was gentle, and she cherished the Demonic Sound Ice Witch equally, so it never turned to jealousy—But though suppressed, the emotion never vanished.
It sank deeper, heavier into her heart.
Eventually, her gaze toward Cheon Hwi carried a weight impossible to overlook.
Cheon Hwi—still not fully human (?)—was oblivious.
The Demonic Sound Ice Witch—utterly smitten with him—also noticed nothing.
Everyone else in the Ironblood Hall, however, understood.
Naturally, so did the three watching women.
Then came the moment—A moment like an accident.
The Ironblood Hall Master stole the underclothes Cheon Hwi had removed before washing after training and fled to her room.
“You said she was like his teacher! Like his parent!!”
Having just rewatched the night shared between Cheon Hwi and the Demonic Sound Ice Witch, Tang Sowol was already on edge—so she exploded with betrayal.
She had respected the Ironblood Hall Master as an elder worthy of admiration—Never imagining she would succumb to impulse and commit such an act.
Seol Lihyang and Seo Mun-Hwarin moved to calm Tang Sowol, offering awkward smiles—
“We should follow her.”
“…Sister Tang???”
“Sowol? What did you just—”
“I said we should follow her. Who knows, maybe she took it for a different reason.”
“But you saw her face! It was obviously for something indecent!”
“Even so, we should confirm.”
Tang Sowol’s eyes gleamed unnervingly.
Pressed by her intensity, Seol Lihyang and Seo Mun-Hwarin ended up seeing it.
The Ironblood Hall Master—Wearing Cheon Hwi’s underclothes on her head.
And slowly lowering her hand.
“…Ah.”
Tang Sowol retreated silently, unable to deny it any longer.
Seo Mun-Hwarin blinked, sensing a strange discomfort—but she, too, soon left the room.
Tang Sowol stared blankly up at the sky—Until a restrained voice trembled behind her.
“Why is Brother Cheon so good at attracting women…?”
“I don’t think she planned to pursue Hwi, though…”
“But look at the result.”
“Well… yes.”
Seol Lihyang shrugged.
At least this was not Cheon Hwi’s actual affair (or was it not), so Tang Sowol calmed down quickly.
Then she suddenly widened her eyes.
“Ah. But isn’t this supposed to be Brother Cheon’s memory?
He’s probably washing up right now—so how can we see all this…?”
“If these were only Hwi’s memories, then everything would unfold strictly from his perspective. This One believes the Demon Bell is using his memories as a medium to show us the events themselves.”
“That… makes sense. We’ll ask later. We’re reaching the end, after all.”
At that, Seol Lihyang and Seo Mun-Hwarin nodded gravely.
The slow, gentle process of Cheon Hwi and the Demonic Sound Ice Witch opening their hearts to each other—They could never forget what waited at the end.
As Tang Sowol inhaled deeply, time continued moving forward.
Unable to push away the Demonic Sound Ice Witch, and unable to give up the affection that bloomed late—The Ironblood Hall Master’s missteps increased from one to two, then three.
Whenever Cheon Hwi looked away, she stole something of his.
Not only underclothes—But brushes he used for studying, utensils he had just eaten with, and in winter, she feigned cold despite her profound internal energy and borrowed his cloak.
Her lofty realm allowed her to hide these actions from Cheon Hwi and the Demonic Sound Ice Witch—
But she could not escape the gaze of the women watching from the Demon Bell’s world.
“…Is… is that how you use that?”
“Hm. It’s a little pitiful, though.”
“Since it’s filled with Hwi’s traces.”
Tang Sowol was horrified by the unexpected uses, Seol Lihyang looked away for unspeakable reasons, And Seo Mun-Hwarin… seemed oddly intrigued.
If the Ironblood Hall Master realized they had seen everything, she would faint in shame and probably bite her tongue.
Fortunately, in this memory, Tang Sowol, Seol Lihyang, and Seo Mun-Hwarin existed only as phantoms.
Thus, the Ironblood Hall Master could remain the dignified superior and teacher before Cheon Hwi and the Demonic Sound Ice Witch—Until the very end.
Fwoosh—
Cheon Hwi stepped away from the Demonic Sound Ice Witch’s corpse, distancing it from the flames, And walked toward the burning pavilion.
If there were a person who truly walked into hell by their own will—Surely, it would look like this.