The Cheonma looked down at me intently.

‘Why, why is he staring at me? Did he hear our conversation?’

The dagger uncle answered my question.

[It would be better if he heard the conversation. There’s nothing we can hide from that guy anyway.]

‘That’s true……’

I tried to calm my trembling arms.

Only then did the dagger uncle speak as if trying to reassure my shaking self.

[It’s okay. That guy can’t help but like you.]

‘Why is that?’

[Why would he persecute someone who saved his disciple? A warrior never forgets debts of gratitude.]

I made eye contact with the Cheonma.

He spoke to me.

“You possess something strange.”

The dagger uncle shouted in an angry tone at his words.

[Something strange? Surely he’s not talking about me!]

It was clearly referring to the dagger uncle.

‘How did he notice?’

I felt my body stiffen involuntarily.

However, the dagger uncle spoke as if it wasn’t a big deal.

[Your grandfather has noticed to some extent too, hasn’t he?]

‘That’s true, but…’

Grandfather knew I was hiding something.

But he didn’t stop me because he thought it wasn’t harmful to me.

“You saved my disciple.”

I didn’t think about how he knew.

If it was the Cheonma, he would have been able to see through that fog and witness the situation.

The Cheonma didn’t say thank you. Those in high positions are usually tight-lipped.

They had no choice but to become as taciturn as their position. Every single word had to carry that much weight.

‘My grandfather was like that too.’

They preferred to show through actions rather than words.

Just like how the Cheonma moved our lodgings to ensure our safety.

‘Of course, the Cheonma seems to have a more free-spirited nature than that……’

Just like Ji Cheon Wu in the Cheonma Supremacy. The two looked quite similar.

To the point where I wondered if Ji Cheon Wu would become like the Cheonma when he grew older.

“Be careful. Power always comes with a price. Can you handle that power?”

I nodded carefully. The Cheonma’s eyes lit up with interest.

“I can handle it.”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because it’s a power that’s favorable to me. And I’m a genius.”

The Cheonma didn’t deny my words.

“Yes, you are indeed a genius. That’s why you defeated Wi Cheon.”

The Cheonma raised one corner of his mouth. It was a smile so handsome it momentarily made me lose my senses.

‘Don’t let your guard down, he’s an old grandfather!’

Although he maintained a youthful appearance through body transformation, the Cheonma was incredibly old!

“If you wish, I’ll lend you my power sometime later.”

I froze on the spot, still holding the dagger uncle.

I knew what his words meant.

This was enough to understand how great a favor the Cheonma had bestowed.

I asked the Cheonma.

“Does it matter what kind of request?”

“Yes, as long as it doesn’t harm the school. The price for saving my disciple is high, after all.”

I looked up at the Cheonma.

To think I now had the right to ask a favor from the Cheonma. It was truly an incredible thing.

The Cheonma crossed his arms and lowered his head while looking at me.

His pitch-black eyes were like darkness. They were deep eyes whose depths I couldn’t fathom.

“I can’t quite figure out what’s going on in that tiny head of yours.”

Saying that, the Cheonma smiled as if amused.

“When you’ve lived for a long time, you tend to lose interest in most things. But the things you do are interesting. You’re like a moth.”

“A moth?”

“Yes, a moth that flies into the flames. It’s impressive how you rush towards danger even knowing it’s a perilous path.”

This is somewhat strange……

Being called a moth should usually sound like an insult, but because the Cheonma said it with such a serious face, it didn’t feel like one.

At first glance, it even felt like a compliment. His eyes sparkled with interest.

“How amusing.”

Saying that, the Cheonma flashed a grin.

[This is the timeline separator]

Ji Cheon Wu and Shin So Kyung came with the medicinal decoction.

“Ugh, it’s bitter.”

Ji Cheon Wu was watching me with hawk-like eyes.

“Don’t leave any.”

[The kid is right about this.]

I had no choice but to finish the decoction with tears in my eyes.

After confirming that I had emptied the decoction, Shin So Kyung returned to her quarters.

She looked tired from taking care of me for several days without proper sleep.

“You might really collapse at this rate. Should I carry you on my back if you can’t get up?”

“It’s not that bad.”

“You really… You don’t take care of yourself enough. That’s why you’re called a moth.”

This guy, he was listening.

Well, the Cheonma didn’t bother to hide the conversation.

If he had wanted to hide it, he would have used his qi to block the sound.

‘Shin So Kyung probably heard too.’

I understood why the two appeared as soon as the Cheonma left.

Ji Cheon Wu looked at my hand. It was the hand I had injured to save Ak Wi Cheon. Somehow feeling that he wasn’t in a good mood, I rolled my eyes.

Ji Cheon Wu’s face contorted.

“A moth, of all things… Ignore it. You’re going to live for a very long time.”

I couldn’t help but smile.

“Thanks for the kind words. I plan to. I’m really going to live for a very long time.”

“What exactly did you talk about with that person?”

“Well, he just said he’d grant me a wish for saving his disciple.”

Ji Cheon Wu nodded.

He looked deep in thought.

“That guy, he’s definitely strong.”

Certainly, the Cheonma’s skills were overwhelming. The men in black who attacked the Cheonha Festival were strong.

Only the Cheonma and our grandfather could subdue such individuals in an instant.

But even after seeing his strength, I couldn’t feel at ease. It would take the combined forces of the Cheonma, grandfather, and Ji Cheon Wu to face the Blood Cult.

That’s how strong those guys were who had unnaturally increased their power.

“What are you thinking about so deeply?”

At my question, Ji Cheon Wu looked at me with a complicated expression.

“Just thinking that I’m weak.”

I was taken aback.

Ji Cheon Wu is not weak at all. If he were weak, he wouldn’t have made it to the finals of the Cheonha Festival.

“When you fought that Ak Wi Cheon guy in the finals, I was just watching.”

“……”

“And when you were in danger, I couldn’t help you in time. What would have happened if the Cheonma hadn’t appeared?”

“That’s only natural. Those guys were too strong.”

“No, it’s not natural.”

Ji Cheon Wu said that while leaning his head against a tree.

“I always thought… Honestly, I’m a genius. You called me a genius too, and I think I’m stronger than other guys.”

This guy was saying something similar to what I said when I met the Cheonma.

But like the Cheonma, I couldn’t refute Ji Cheon Wu’s words.

Ji Cheon Wu was definitely a genius.

He just hadn’t met a proper master like I had.

“I felt a bit frustrated. Losing my place by your side to someone else.”

Ji Cheon Wu said that while making eye contact with me.

‘He’s grown a lot.’

I suddenly felt that keenly.

It was actually a funny thing to say.

Both Ji Cheon Wu and I were still children. Even if we had grown, we were still in our early teens. Yet Ji Cheon Wu was strangely mature.

‘I may have a past life, but he’s certainly impressive.’

Ji Cheon Wu asked me.

“You want me to leave with that person, right?”

I was taken aback.

‘Was it that obvious?’

But it wasn’t that I particularly wanted Ji Cheon Wu to leave. I liked having him by my side too.

At some point, he had become an indispensable presence to me.

Of course, it would be better if Ji Cheon Wu left with the Cheonma.

To be honest, I was afraid.

Afraid of whether I could really change the future in the end.

Sometimes I had dreams where the Nam Gung clan, which had become precious to me, crumbled and grandfather passed away.

The Blood Cult would eventually try to bring down my grandfather.

It was laughable that I was worrying about grandfather, who was considered one of the strongest in the world.

“You’re right. I need to become stronger.”

Somehow, it seemed like Ji Cheon Wu’s purpose for becoming stronger had changed.

Saying that, Ji Cheon Wu suddenly brought his face close to mine.

My face involuntarily reddened at the sudden appearance of his handsome face.

This guy doesn’t know how deadly his face is.

[No, he knows very well. That’s why he’s using it like that!]

I pretended not to hear the dagger uncle’s words. The dagger uncle rarely spoke well of Ji Cheon Wu.

“But promise me. Until I become stronger and return, don’t get closer to any other guy.”

“What’s with that childish request?”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“That’s not difficult at all. I don’t have any friends besides you anyway.”

At my words, Ji Cheon Wu smiled brightly.

[Mandoo, you need to be careful. You shouldn’t make such promises carelessly!]

I looked at Ji Cheon Wu.

Because he stood up without hesitation.

[This is the timeline separator]

I heard that the Cheonma was leaving immediately for Mount Shipman, where the Cheonma Divine Sect was located.

I suppressed my complicated emotions.

It was because of Ji Cheon Wu’s bombshell announcement this morning.

“I’ll return to the Nam Gung clan and then leave for the demon sect.”

Nam Gung Yu Cheong was shocked, and so was Shin So Kyung.

That wasn’t all. I was surprised. It was because of the person following behind me. For some reason, the Cheonma had ordered Ak Wi Cheon to visit the Nam Gung clan.

It meant to safely escort me there and then bring Ji Cheon Wu to Mount Shipman.