Chapter 131: Memories That Don't Dilute Over Time (3)

There, it was an ancient ruin. Only the main structure barely retained its form, while everything else had succumbed to the passage of time, losing its original shape. Shoulder-high grass and thick layers of dust were the only witnesses to the ruthless passage of time.

In the midst of the ruins, there was a small girl walking through a thicket of grass. Eunhanseol, who appeared to be just around sixteen years old, possessed a mysterious grace in her appearance.

Eunhanseol's gaze toward the ruins was devoid of any emotion. Her face, devoid of any hint of emotion, was like a lifeless doll.

The wind blew, gently brushing through her dark blue hair. She stood in place for a while, savoring the breeze.

At that moment, a black doll appeared behind her.

"Miss."

It was Saray, her guardian.

Eunhanseol turned around.

"Commander."

"Our lord is looking for you."

"My lord?"

Note: The translation provided is a direct interpretation of the text into English. The context may become clearer as the story progresses, as this passage appears to be part of a larger narrative.

Eunchan's eyes brought up the memory of Ichae.

In the past seven years, she had seen Lord Sogeumhyang only a few times. Even those occasions were stories from her early days of training. Once she had progressed through a certain stage of her training, she had never seen Sogeumhyang again.

"Please guide me."

"Please follow me."

Saray led the way, and Eunhanseol followed, nodding silently. Eunhanseol had always been quiet, but she had never been this reserved.

She spoke even less, and her emotional fluctuations had vanished. It was far from her usual self.

"Miss."

For the first time, a pitiful glint appeared and disappeared in Saray's eyes, but he said nothing. His role was to assist Eunhanseol and carry out her orders, not to offer advice.

Saray led her to a large garden far from the ruins.

The garden, located by a lake, was incredibly serene. Tall walls and an even taller pavilion in the middle, with warm sunlight pouring through, made it resemble a scene from a painting.

Inside the garden, it was as quiet as it looked from the outside. The two of them opened the garden gate and entered deeper into it.

Fragrant Forest Pavilion (향림정).

It was a pavilion located at the innermost part of the garden. From Hyangrimjeong, you could see the picturesque view of the lake at a glance.

Eunhanseol was seated in Hyangrimjeong.

Her jet-black hair, which fluttered in the wind coming from the lake, contrasted sharply with her snow-white skin, ruby-red lips, and silver-white irises, making it impossible to gauge her age.

"Master."

"Hanseol."

Her name was Sogeumhyang, and she was Eunhanseol's master.

Sogeumhyang rose from her seat and greeted Eunhanseol.

"Come here."

As Eunhanseol ascended to the pavilion, Sogeumhyang embraced her tightly.

"You've endured a lot."

"Master."

"Congratulations on passing the Crystal Ice Silver Light Grand Technique."

"It's all thanks to you, Master."

Eunhanseol pulled away from Sogeumhyang's embrace and looked at her. Just as Eunhanseol had remained unchanged over the past seven years, Sogeumhyang had not changed a bit either. It was as if time had chosen to bypass them both.

"Please have a seat."

"Yes."

The two of them sat facing each other.

A satisfied smile crossed Sogeumhyang's lips as she carefully examined Eunhanseol. Her disciple's achievement seemed to surpass her expectations.

"Now, it seems like I should pass on the title of 'Baegyaseonja' to you."

"No, Master. I still have a long way to go."

"No one is perfectly fitting for their title from the start. You already have the qualifications to carry the title of 'Baegyaseonja.'"

Sogeumhyang slowly reminisced.

Several decades, perhaps even more, ago, Sogeumhyang herself had received the title of 'Baegyaseonja' from her master. In Milya, she was known as 'Baegyaseonja,' but to her enemies, she was called the 'Baegya Witch.' That was how much blood she had on her hands.

She had carried the heavy burden for a long time. And now, it was time to pass on that heavy burden to her disciple.

"From now on, you are the Baegyaseonja of this generation."

"Master?"

"Please cherish that title."

Eunhanseol closed her eyes.

Now, the individual known as Eunhanseol no longer existed. There was only one Baegyaseonja among the masters of Milya, and that was her destiny.

Sogeumhyang suddenly asked, "Do you still resent me?"

"How could a disciple... resent her master..."

Sogeumhyang reached into her embrace. In her hands, now revealed, were two small wheels, each the size of a child's palm.

The Moonlight Wheels (월광륜).

They were the emblematic secret weapons of the Baegyaseonja.

Sogeumhyang handed the Moonlight Wheels to Eunhanseol.

"It's yours now."

Eunhanseol's expression cracked for the first time. Her eyes welled up with tears. She gingerly accepted the Moonlight Wheels.

Clang!

As if recognizing its new owner, the Moonlight Wheels emitted a clear, resonating sound.

Eunhanseol felt a refreshing energy penetrating her body. The energy originating from the Moonlight Wheels surged through her.

Sogeumhyang's voice reached her ears.

"Do not resist; activate the Eunhonsimgyeol. It's the process through which the Moonlight Wheels recognize you as their owner."

The Moonlight Wheels were celestial weapons. Those who couldn't master the Eunhonsimgyeol or lacked permission would be consumed by the magic of the Moonlight Wheels and driven insane.

Without a second thought, Eunhanseol activated the Eunhonsimgyeol. The energy of the Eunhonsimgyeol merged with the Moonlight Wheels' magic within her body.

As if mercury flowed through her veins, Eunhanseol's entire body felt invigorated, and a silvery radiance began to emanate from her.

"By this, you and the Moonlight Wheels have become inseparable entities," Sogeumhyang said with a smile on her lips.

The process of the Moonlight Wheels recognizing their owner was nearing completion. Eunhanseol was now the true owner of the celestial weapon, the Moonlight Wheels.

When Eunhanseol opened her eyes, a silvery radiance flowed out and then disappeared. Sogeumhyang waited for Eunhanseol to regain her senses before speaking.

"I am going back to Milya now."

"Master."

"The Convocation of Masters has been summoned."

Eunhanseol's expression hardened.

She knew well the significance of the Convocation of Masters. It was only summoned when there was a major decision regarding Milya's fate.

"Once the Convocation of Masters is summoned, it's only a matter of time before we enter the middle realm. The upheaval will start soon."

A peculiar fervor burned in Sogeumhyang's eyes.

She had accepted Milya's entry into the middle realm as an inevitable fact. Only the timing and manner remained in question.

"It will probably take two to three months for a decision to be reached. Until then, you are free to do as you please. Enjoy that time to the fullest. Afterward, your personal time will cease to exist."

"Master."

"This is the first and last consideration I offer as your master. Do not decline it," Sogeumhyang said.

"I understand," Eunhanseol nodded, bowing her head. Sogeumhyang observed Eunhanseol in that moment of compliance without saying anything.

Just as her own time had come to a halt, Eunhanseol's time seemed frozen as well. Perhaps no matter how much time passed, she would remain unchanged.

"Hanseol."

"Yes?"

"Do you resent me?"

"How could a disciple..."

"It's okay. I felt the same way at first. Emotions gradually wear away, and at some point, you start to doubt if you're truly a normal human being."

Eunhanseol bit her lip. She had indeed started to doubt her own humanity, just as Sogeumhyang described.

"But never doubt it. Just because you can't feel human emotions doesn't mean you're not human."

"I know, Master."

"Yes, you're a smart child. You'll surely handle it well."

Sogeumhyang patted Eunhanseol's shoulder.

Eunhanseol's gaze turned toward the shimmering lake, her retinas filled with radiant light.

Jinmuwon removed his clothing, revealing a body covered in wounds. It had been only a few months since he had entered the middle realm, but his body was covered in both small and life-threatening injuries.

Some of the wounds were minor, but there were also numerous injuries that seriously endangered his life. Jinmuwon gently touched the wounds with his fingers before reaching out for the clothing in front of him.

It was a new red-brown hanbok, the traditional Korean clothing. His previous attire had been torn and damaged beyond recognition. So, Jinmuwon had no choice but to have a new hanbok made.

The deep red-brown color, the emblem of the Northern Sky Sect, remained the same. It was made as close to the hanbok he had received from Hwangcheol as possible, and it felt familiar. The hanbok fit Jinmuwon perfectly.

After testing his movements a few times, Jinmuwon picked up the red-brown pifeng (피풍) this time. It appeared to be an ordinary pifeng, but it had been specially crafted using the scales of the Kyoryong and the hide of the Fire Bear, providing it with the abilities of wind resistance (피풍), fire resistance (피화), and water resistance (피수).

Inside the pifeng, there were multiple compartments for storing everyday necessities. With the items he had packed into the pifeng, Jinmuwon could easily sustain himself on a journey of a day or two.

The clothing Jinmuwon put on and the pifeng were both creations of Tangmun. They were gifts given to him by the head of the sect for his services, and Jinmuwon saw no reason to refuse the generous gesture.

After stowing away some simple items in the compartments of the pifeng, Jinmuwon fastened his sword to his waist. Despite the numerous items inside, the pifeng showed no signs of strain and did not hinder his movement in the slightest.

Jinmuwon, fully prepared, stepped outside. Waiting for him were Hajinwol, Danggimun, and Dangmireo.

Hajinwol and Danggimun had originally planned to accompany him, so their presence wasn't surprising. However, Dangmireo's presence was unexpected. Although the sect leader had wanted her to stay behind at Tangmun, Dangmireo insisted on joining the expedition, citing her duty to her master and adoptive father, Danggimun.

In the end, Tangmun couldn't overcome Dangmireo's determination, and he reluctantly allowed her to join.

When Jinmuwon emerged, Danggimun approached with a smile.

"Is everything ready?"

"As you can see, there's no need for any additional preparations."

"I see you like the gifts."

"I'm not sure if I deserve something so valuable."

"Haha! While the clothing and pifeng are indeed special, they're not considered particularly valuable within Tangmun. Don't worry about it."

"True. It fits me so perfectly that it feels like they were originally made for me."

Dangmireo, who had been standing nearby, added a comment as if she had been waiting for the moment. There was a shadow in Jinmuwon's eyes as he looked at her.

Unless he was a complete fool, Jinmuwon couldn't help but be aware of the feelings Dangmireo harbored for him. No matter how far apart they were, her gaze was always fixed on him.

Certainly, Dangmireo was a beautiful and wise woman, deserving of love and admiration. However, in Jinmuwon's heart, there was no room to accept her.

No matter how much time passed, she lived on in his memories, undiluted.

Jinmuwon's gaze turned northward.