Chapter 709

"Fa... Father!!!"

Moments later, Semun Hye's sobs echoed through the area, but she had no time to sink into grief before sensing a massive seismic shift rumbling through the arena.

Rumble!!

She could see the [Grave of the Gods] before her closing at tremendous speed. In the blink of an eye, the entrance vanished cleanly, leaving only a barren plain in its place. Berus, standing beside her, spoke up.

"Fortunately, Jeon Uk isn't angry. He must have sealed the tomb's entrance swiftly since you handled things cleanly."

"Th-that means..."

"No mortal can enter the [Grave of the Gods] anymore."

"......"

"I'll return to my homeland now. May your father rest in peace."

Berus vanished without a backward glance. He probably felt he'd done all he could.

Semun Hye bit her lip hard.

She thought to herself.

'I can't escape from here. There has to be a way to get back in somehow.'

The Sword Demon had died protecting her. Now, she believed her task was to remember this ruin's location and explore further. Even if the tomb was sealed, she could search nearby historical sites or other ruins for clues. That was her duty.

For now, she needed to gather more clues for Baek Woong's return.

And if possible, find a way to reopen the [Grave of the Gods] once more.

Semun Hye released a messenger pigeon to summon the Shadowless Gate disciples, who were like her limbs, while preparing a funeral for the Sword Demon. Strangely, though, even after spending over a month more on that plain, no reply came. Considering the Shadowless Gate disciples were waiting near Yonyeong Province, this was odd.

She headed to Yonyeong Province to find them, and after investigation, uncovered a shocking fact.

All the Shadowless Gate disciples had vanished.

As if they’d ascended to the heavens, not a single trace remained.

She wondered if they’d been killed, but there were no signs of that either.

Semun Hye felt despair deep inside but couldn't afford to collapse. She gathered equipment for ruin exploration on her own. At the same time, she scraped together money to buy information from scholars, merchants, and village elders. She wanted to contact her comrades, but with no idea where they were, rash moves could expose her to enemy factions. Hiding her identity, she wandered the plains, surviving.

Then, one day, she heard a voice in her mind.

[Can you hear me?]

The voice was unfamiliar at first, but she soon recognized it. Semun Hye was startled, just as the Sword Demon had been upon hearing it.

"It's you. Where on earth are you?!"

[...I can't talk long. The Sword Demon Elder couldn't pass this on to you, so listen carefully and do exactly as I say from now on.]

The voice continued.

[I need a device to transmit memories. That way, we can prepare for unexpected accidents. And as one of the few survivors, you must know everything that's happened so far. Only then can you pass the memories to Baek Woong.]

"You know everything?"

[For now... But I plan to expand by contacting comrades one by one.]

"Got it. What do I do?"

[I need an artifact that can receive the power of the Netherworld. On a full moon night when moonlight shines on a lake, recite the incantation I'll teach you.]

Semun Hye felt bewildered.

[I don't know any sorcery at all. Just reciting the incantation will work?]

[Of course not. You need some foundation in sorcery to accept it. But... you can do it.]

[......]

[At the same time, I'll teach you basic sorcery until the next full moon.]

Semun Hye half-doubted the voice's plan but had no choice. In her current state with nothing else, the voice's owner was her only option. She learned the basics of sorcery telepathically from him while awaiting the next full moon.

When the day came, she went to the southern Yo wetlands. As the full moon rose, she began chanting the sorcery and incantation he'd taught her. The clear moonlight floating in the lake's center began to distort slowly.

Splash

Light poured from the lake's center, and soon the entire vast surface turned pitch black. Then, the dark lake transformed into a giant mirror, shimmering silver, revealing a figure bathed in moonlight.

Semun Hye said.

"It really worked."

The other replied.

[Yes. This place is now a subspace connected to the deepest part of the Netherworld.]

"How did you do that?"

[...I can't tell you yet.]

"Why not?"

[If you're captured by enemies or brainwashed... If my location or secrets leak, it'll become a major weakness for Baek Woong's movements.]

Semun Hye found his words plausible. She was wandering like an orphan, far from the martial world—if "enemies" targeted her now, she'd be defenseless. Especially without the Sword Demon or other comrades to protect her.

Plus, there was precedent, lending his words credibility. He said.

[No one knows when Baek Woong will return. But I estimate 5 to 10 years.]

"Is there a reason?"

[If it's longer than that...]

He started to say something but clamped his mouth shut, then continued.

[Anyway, Semun Hye, your tasks ahead are to build your own strength while continuing to investigate the [Grave of the Gods]. Do what you initially thought of doing.]

"You went through all this trouble just to tell me that?"

[Of course not. I'll give you one clue and one power.]

"A clue? Power?"

He nodded.

[The reason the Shadowless Gate disciples vanished while waiting near the capital. That's what puzzles you most now.]

"You know where they are and what happened to them?"

[Of course.]

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

[Because even if I did, you couldn't save them now. You lack the power.]

"......!!"

[The Shadowless Gate disciples are now...]

He explained what happened to them and their current state. After hearing it all, Semun Hye wanted to cry from rage and despair. Indeed, she couldn't rescue them right now. Wiping her tears, she said.

"Isn't... there some way?"

[Not really. But they're not in immediate danger, so relax. At least those guys aren't two-legged. They'll probably be fine.]

"......"

[And the power for you is this mirror.]

Flash

A pitch-black hand mirror appeared in Semun Hye's palm. Strangely, its reflective surface was completely inked over, seemingly unusable. It didn't reflect anything, making front and back hard to distinguish. As she examined it, he said.

[That mirror is a divine treasure. It's slowly awaken the power dormant within you. I don't know how far it'll go, but it's enough for self-defense. And later, to contact me, use the inked mirror.]

"...I have a question."

[What?]

"Does that mean you won't contact me anymore?"

[Yes. This contact was a risky stretch, watching for eyes... Only reach out when Baek Woong returns.]

"Understood."

[You need to know the situation, so I'll pass the minimal necessary memories.]

Then, the bizarre phenomena vanished, the lake returned to normal, and memories from the capital's decisive battle flooded vividly into Semun Hye's mind. They were surely the visual and auditory info Zhuge the scholar had collected via familiars back then. But gaps existed here and there, limited for contingencies.

Semun Hye thought.

'I have to wait.'

She didn't know when Baek Woong would return, but she couldn't waste a single day. Her father, Sword Demon Seomun Daeryong, had given his life to protect her—she must carry on his will until his return. From that day, whenever she had time, she sought records, scholars, and research, and occasionally hid her presence to train her martial arts in remote mountains.

Thus, five years passed.

"Baek Woong-nim. Are you listening?"

I replied while following Semun Hye, leaping through an unnamed mountain path.

"I'm listening well."

Tadak

Even bounding over tree branches, her every word came through vividly.

I'd joined Semun Hye and left the ancient ruins immediately, heading to the Yo-nam lake under her guidance. I'd been hearing her long tale throughout the journey. Some parts were skimmed over, leaving gaps.

'About twenty li left to the lake?'

Almost there. At this pace, we'd arrive soon.

Splash...

Arriving at the lakeside with Semun Hye, we silently gazed at the night lake. It was vast, at least twenty li in radius—not elongated, but broadly expansive, amplifying its grandeur.

"......"

Thinking of the five years she'd shared, indescribable emotions surged. I'd thought surviving Amcheon Village's ordeals was tough, but my comrades had endured worse. And the Sword Demon's death brought a brutal sting.

I wanted to visit his grave now, but Semun Hye had no time for that, dragging me to the lake. Considering she was his daughter, she probably longed for it more—yet bringing me meant she knew how grave her duty was.

Gazing at the sky, I said.

"It's night, but a new moon. Can't summon like this, right?"

To my question, Semun Hye drew the inked mirror from her bosom and said.

"Not so, Baek Woong-nim. We use this mirror."

Then, she cried out toward the heavens.

[By the authority of the Nether Mirror, I command thee—come forth, full moon!]

Flash

That instant, the new moon over the lake turned into a full moon. Impossible, yet the inked mirror's power wrought a temporary miracle. As the full moon appeared on the lake, Semun Hye began additional incantations.

I watched her inwardly amazed.

'She only learned basics, yet she's already at mid-level sorcerer realm...'

Five years of steady practice, sure—but building that sorcery skill from mere basics? I realized anew that Semun Hye was a prodigy too.

Splash

Moments later, tossing the inked mirror into the lake as she'd said, the entire surface turned pitch black, then began shifting to silver.

Hum

In the silver lake's center stood a figure.

I knew he was the one Semun Hye mentioned, who'd guided her all along. A familiar face, but haggard and worn. Seeing him, I said in a trembling voice.

"You're... alive..."

He chuckled softly and replied.

[Entering the Netherworld's heart means I'm neither alive nor dead. But I still have power to help you, Baek Woong.]

"......"

What to say?

The Sword Demon's death had choked me with grief, but this felt different.

Feeling my comrades' efforts to aid me stirred fresh fear—could I really do this?

But I couldn't weaken, so clenching my fist, I said to him.

"Help me, Mangryang."