Tang Yuhwa was blindfolded and moved to another carriage.

"Are the medical students okay?"

"They are fine. I promise to move them safely to Sichuan."

"If there are any problems, I will never forgive you."

The Heavenly Demon chuckled as she looked at Tang Yuhwa, who was sitting boldly across from her, blindfolded.

"You say you won't forgive me, but what can you do?"

"My master told me not to forget a grudge as much as a kindness."

At Tang Yuhwa's words, the Heavenly Demon felt her heart ache for some reason.

"You have a good master."

The Heavenly Demon, Baek Sowol, closed her eyes and recalled the past.

* * *

After Baek Sowol arrived at the Heavenly Mountains, she was separated from her party and guided to her quarters.

After that, Baek Sowol received lavish treatment.

'Is this okay?'

Lying on the soft bed, Baek Sowol was lost in thought.

No matter how she looked at it, it didn't seem that the group in the Heavenly Mountains had this much leeway.

Unable to bear her curiosity, Baek Sowol asked the person who seemed to be a handmaiden who brought her breakfast the next morning.

"Great Hero Baek has the qualification to be treated."

Baek Sowol could not ask back at the firm words of the person who seemed to be a handmaiden, which even felt a little mad.

'She thinks it's natural, as if it should be so.'

After the person who seemed to be a handmaiden left, Baek Sowol fell into another worry.

'That person is also a martial artist who has learned martial arts, right?'

The reason Baek Sowol had evaluated her as a person who seemed to be a handmaiden, not a handmaiden, was because she had learned martial arts.

It wasn't just her.

All the people Baek Sowol had seen while staying in this residence had learned martial arts.

'All the people I see have learned martial arts, and the person who seemed to be a handmaiden who had learned martial arts just now said that I was a person with qualifications, right?'

Baek Sowol connected the questions that came to her mind.

'Could it be martial arts? Is the qualification martial arts?'

Baek Sowol recalled the scene until she arrived at the Heavenly Mountains and came here.

There were definitely ordinary people until she came to the residence.

But the closer she got to the residence, the better the buildings and the quality of life seemed.

'Now that I think about it, they were all martial artists.'

Although Baek Sowol somehow understood that martial artists were treated well.

'To think that even those who seem to be servants and handmaidens are martial artists.'

She was engulfed in a strong sense of incongruity that even those who seemed to be servants or handmaidens were martial artists.

"Why on earth? Could it be that they are dividing classes by martial power?"

Baek Sowol's question was quickly resolved.

It was because when she asked the person who seemed to be a handmaiden who brought her lunch, the answer came back immediately.

"That's right. Here, you are treated according to the level of your martial arts."

"Is that okay?"

To Baek Sowol, it was a story that she couldn't understand.

"Isn't it a natural story? How do you think a barren place like this runs?"

"Because it's hard to form a system, are you managing it by force?"

"Yes, that's right."

"That's..."

"There are many unlearned people here. There is nothing as good as the primitive thing called power."

Although Baek Sowol was convinced by the words of the person who seemed to be a handmaiden, she did not feel very good.

'I can understand it, but it's still a story I'm not fond of.'

Baek Sowol spent the afternoon with a restless feeling, and when it was almost evening.

"The leader wishes to see you."

"The leader?"

"He is the one who rules this place."

"I-I see."

Baek Sowol received an invitation.

'The leader? The leader? Could it be that a religious group rules this place?'

With a puzzled look, she followed the person who seemed to be a handmaiden and arrived at a place that, on the outside, was not much different from Baek Sowol's quarters.

Baek Sowol, who had imagined some kind of religious facility, was a little relieved.

"Nice to meet you for the first time, Young Lady Baek."

The man called the leader also had a very ordinary, slightly pot-bellied, good-natured neighborhood uncle-like feeling, so she was even more relieved.

"Did you spend the night comfortably?"

"Thanks to your consideration, I was able to spend it comfortably."

"I am Wu Eonyong."

"I am Baek Sowol."

The leader's voice was as benevolent as he looked.

A very reassuring feeling.

Perhaps because incense was burning, the clear scent similar to pine needles also seemed to affect her impression.

"I believe you are feeling many questions."

"Yes..."

With a hazy feeling, Baek Sowol listened to the leader's words.

"Why I, who manage this place, am called the leader, and why martial artists are treated well."

"Yes."

"But there is no need to feel any questions. Right?"

It was a strange flow of conversation.

But Baek Sowol did not feel any questions at all.

"Yes."

Hearing Baek Sowol's answer, the leader smiled benevolently.

Baek Sowol also smiled, following the leader's smile.

"Young lady, you will have to assist me by my side as a divine maiden."

"Yes."

From that day on, Baek Sowol acted as a divine maiden by the leader's side.

She did not have any questions.

By the time she had a question, for some reason, the question disappeared, and only a clear scent lingered in her mind.

Everything was perfect and natural.

Then one day.

"Great Hero Baek! Great Hero Baek!!"

A commotion was detected by Baek Sowol's senses.

"Where do you think this is that you are causing a commotion!"

"Let go!!"

A place a little far from her quarters.

There, a familiar presence and sound were heard.

Unconsciously, Baek Sowol moved her feet to that place.

What Baek Sowol saw when she arrived there was a familiar man being subdued by handmaidens and servants.

'Who is it?'

Although it was a familiar man, the man's identity did not come to Baek Sowol's mind at all.

When she tried to recall something, a clear scent brushed past the tip of her nose, and her mind went blank.

"I'm sorry for the commotion, Divine Maiden. I'll clean it up right away."

"Yes."

Answering the handmaiden's words blankly, Baek Sowol turned around.

At that moment.

"Great Hero Baek! Didn't you say you were looking for a person with the Baek surname!"

As those words reached her ears, Baek Sowol's body flinched.

'It was something important...'

As the haziness in her mind cleared a little, Baek Sowol's hazy gaze returned a little.

Baek Sowol immediately approached the man.

Although the handmaidens and servants tried to stop such a Baek Sowol, she stopped them by raising her hand and asked the man.

"Who were you?"

"It's me! Ju Wol-lyang!! Didn't we come here together?"

In Baek Sowol's hazy mind, the image of the man with that name began to emerge little by little.

A talkative and surprisingly knowledgeable caravan member with a neat impression.

As the haziness in her mind cleared little by little, Baek Sowol carefully looked at Ju Wol-lyang's appearance.

Unlike her own appearance, which was being treated lavishly, he had a gaunt and haggard appearance.

That appearance looked even more shabby than before he had come to the Heavenly Mountains.

Baek Sowol, for now, held back from asking Ju Wol-lyang about the current situation and turned her gaze to the servants and handmaidens.

"Step back."

"Divine Maiden."

"I said step back."

The maids and handmaidens sent an unwelcome gaze to Ju Wol-lyang and left the place.

As they left, Baek Sowol immediately supported Ju Wol-lyang.

"For now, let's move and talk."

Supporting Ju Wol-lyang, Baek Sowol moved.

'Why on earth was I moving according to the leader's words without any suspicion?'

Although she would have normally headed to her quarters, Baek Sowol, whose head had cleared a little, judged that even her quarters were dangerous.

Moving to a deserted ruined building by exerting her senses to the fullest, Baek Sowol carefully laid Ju Wol-lyang down.

"What on earth happened?"

"I heard from someone here that a person with the Baek surname had arrived at the entrance of the Heavenly Mountains and had been moved."

At Baek Sowol's question, Ju Wol-lyang answered with difficulty.

He looked so unwell that it was a wonder how he had come to where Baek Sowol was.

'What on earth is his condition... He came to find me in this state?'

Baek Sowol, for a moment, postponed asking about the person with the Baek surname and asked about his situation.

"What on earth have you been doing to be in such a state? Don't they even provide meals here?"

"That's..."

At Baek Sowol's question, Ju Wol-lyang had a bitter expression.

"After arriving here and parting with you, Great Hero Baek, we were not treated as people."

"How can that be!"

"Here, if you are not a martial artist, you are not treated as a person. Did you know?"

"Shamefully, I did not."

Baek Sowol hung her head low.

After meeting the leader, for some reason, her mind had become hazy, and she hadn't even thought of looking for them.

"The others...?"

With her head hung low, Baek Sowol asked about the well-being of the others and glanced at Ju Wol-lyang. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

At Ju Wol-lyang's bitter smile, it seemed she knew the situation of the others even without hearing the answer.

"Only I am left."

At Ju Wol-lyang's bitter answer, Baek Sowol clenched her teeth so hard that blood might have come out.

"I-I didn't even know that the others were suffering such hardships... no, I couldn't even think of anything else..."

"It's okay. Seeing you just now, Great Hero Baek, I could tell that you were not in a normal state."

At Ju Wol-lyang's considerate words, Baek Sowol fell even deeper into guilt.

'To think I only realized now that I was affected by something strange. How can I be so lacking?'

She could only clench her teeth and continue to curse herself.

"Great Hero Baek, that is not the problem now. The whereabouts of the person with the Baek surname is the problem."

Towards such a Baek Sowol, Ju Wol-lyang continued to speak with difficulty.

"As for the whereabouts, please inquire with the gatekeeper. It has not been long since I heard the rumor, so it is not too late."

Although Ju Wol-lyang continued to urge Baek Sowol, Baek Sowol did not move, with her teeth clenched.

"Phew."

Looking at such a Baek Sowol, Ju Wol-lyang struggled to raise his body.

"Great Hero Baek, everyone makes mistakes and has regrets. Whether it is of their own free will or against their will."

Having gotten up from his spot, Ju Wol-lyang gently patted Baek Sowol's shoulder.

"It is the same for me. I originally wanted to become a martial artist. So I ran away from home as if running away, but in the end, I only became a caravan member."

Baek Sowol raised her head and looked at Ju Wol-lyang.

Although when she had seen him while coming to the Heavenly Mountains, he had had a neat impression and was slick and talkative, now, for some reason, his face overlapped with her master's.

"It was a big mistake. I also regretted it. But because of that, I came to know what I can and cannot do, and I was able to think and decide not to repeat my mistakes."

The master in Baek Sowol's mind was the most ideal human.

An absolutely flawless and noble, and a transcendent being who was stronger than anyone in the world, yet had a humble side.

He was different from the man in front of her.

"Great Hero Baek. Do not make a mistake again. Do not regret."

But for some reason, at this moment, this man seemed to resemble such a master.

"To do that, move."

It was a strange thing.

'If it were Master, he wouldn't make a mistake.'

Thinking so, Baek Sowol nodded her head.

"Yes!"

Answering with a voice full of emotion and determination, not the emotionless 'yes' from before, Baek Sowol moved.

"Since it is difficult for me to move, I will stay here. Please go."

"I'll be right back. Great Hero Ju, please take care of yourself."

Kicking off the ground, Baek Sowol headed to the gate of the Heavenly Mountains.

Unlike the area around her quarters, there were no martial artists, and their shabby attire caught her eye.

'It's so obvious, so how could I not have realized?'

By the time Baek Sowol arrived at the gate, martial artists began to be seen around.

Unlike the people she had seen before the gate, their complexions were good, and their bearing was also good.

As the soldier at the gate discovered Baek Sowol, he immediately lowered his posture.

"Why has the Divine Maiden graced this place with her footsteps?"

Baek Sowol nonchalantly scanned the soldiers' appearances.

What appeared on their faces was puzzlement.

The look of seeing a being that should not have appeared here.

'They also know that I was affected by something and was not in my right mind.'

A martial artist who was stealthily placing his hand on his weapon was also seen.

Without a word, Baek Sowol performed her lightness skill towards that place.

Reaching the martial artist in a single step, Baek Sowol immediately stretched out her hand.

"Keoheok!"

The martial artist who had been placing his hand on his weapon was slammed into the wall and vomited blood.

"What is this!!"

The martial artists around Baek Sowol drew their weapons.

Without minding, Baek Sowol imbued her internal energy and stomped her foot.

Kuuung!!

The surroundings shook as if an earthquake had occurred.

A silence flowed among the soldiers who had seemed about to rush at Baek Sowol until just now.

Baek Sowol quietly muttered.

"Everyone, stop. I have something to ask."

Baek Sowol's tone was by no means thick or intimidating.

Rather, it was a thin and delicate tone if anything.

But at the words carried in that voice, the surrounding martial artists could not dare to resist and had no choice but to obey.

It felt as if their bodies would be crushed by the hegemonic aura flowing from Baek Sowol's body.

Although there were quite a few first-rate martial artists of the same realm as Baek Sowol, they did not dare to resist her.

In the center of that, Baek Sowol quietly approached the martial artist who seemed to have the strongest martial power here and asked.

"Tell me the whereabouts of the Baek who has arrived here.”

(End of Chapter)