Chapter 76 – Purgatory (5)

In the room where Si-heon had left,

Heaven sat down, lowering her heavy eyelids.

The creeping frost was slowly tightening around her throat, like the icy grip of midwinter.

– Clatter.

She set down the teacup, along with her eyelids.
A ghastly sensation that steals life away. It was painful, but she didn’t shiver.

She always faced her trials with unwavering resolve and a heart as steadfast as a mountain. She had faith in her disciple. Heaven sat and waited for several hours.
In the fleeting moments of waiting, only silence hovered, and no conversation passed between them.

Even so, she, who was known as the Heavenly Demon, was nothing more than a mere tree.

As death drew near, she unwittingly found herself revisiting the past.

* * * * *

Heavenly Demon.

A name burdened with a fate that commands awe from all but could never truly earn their respect.

And his disciple, Little Heavenly Demon, Cheondo.

The weight carried by that name always seemed too heavy for someone like me, who was nothing more than a mere mortal.

“Cheondo.”

“As a Heavenly Demon, you must always be composed and see through the world with clarity.”

Father.

No… My Master always kept me by his side, tirelessly working to expand my limited perspective.

Because of that, I was forced to enlarge my inner energy reservoir, or even kill someone at times. There were moments when I found myself lost in desperation.

Those difficult experiences undoubtedly raised me to a higher level of skill and understanding, but I deeply loathed it.

‘I despise being a Heavenly Demon.’

I detest putting in the effort, and I fear the pain and bloodshed even more.

I never wanted to see my sisters cry ever again.

But the master disregarded our emotions, silently adhering to his own convictions. Still, the reason I persisted lay elsewhere.

Do-won (桃原).

The utopia our master sought.

“I have a dream.”

The man would habitually murmur.

“One day, you too will say these words to your disciples.”

I didn’t understand his meaning.

“It’s alright if you don’t know.”

The master’s hand stroked my hair. The kind smile that surfaced on the wrinkled face of the old man was something I had yearned for in my youth.

He used to greet me with a wide grin when I fashioned a ring from picked flowers.

What kind of dream could have turned such a father so cold? Although the rigorous training was challenging, the questions that continuously arose drove me to train even more diligently.

To understand what the Master desires.

By the time I turned 15, I had shed my youthful innocence and become a formidable warrior.

“Cheondo! Look at this, hehe.”
“Cheondo, isn’t this lovely?”

My sisters still resembled girls their age, but I thought that was fine. Baekdo and Hwangdo were also being trained by the Master, but they were not as ruthless as I. It was enough for me alone to carry on the name of the Heavenly Demon.

The Master wanted me to become a Lesser Heavenly Demon as well.

One day, the Master asked:

“What do you think the Heavenly Demon is?”

Well, I didn’t know. I hadn’t even given it any thought, for I had only charged forward.

“Someone who rules over heaven and earth… Isn’t that who they are?”

The Master merely laughed.

“Many people think that way. However, it’s different. 천 (天) represents the sky, and 마 (魔) symbolizes a demon. The name you bear can never be virtuous and will not have control over anything.”

“Know the significance of that name.”

Bitterly tapping on his pipe, the once-respected teacher, now fallen from grace, swept off the bandage around his neck with his calloused thumb.

“Would you not refuse to become a demon?”
“Are we demons…is that it?”
“If that’s what everyone calls it.”

Pursue your dreams.
Even the beautiful deeds of the Heavenly Demon are regarded as the wicked path of a demon.
The power to twist the world has a far-reaching impact, making everyone apprehensive of him.
The master did not hesitate to become a demon.

“With power, even a virtuous person may turn evil.”

The master said.

“I detest such a world.”

People in this world are too violent to be labeled as good, and yet there are some too conspicuous to be called evil.

“It’s quite rare these days to find a fool who flaunts their own sense of justice. It’s akin to revealing the cunning snake hidden within themselves.”

The master who sat with me on a rock, sharing conversation. I sometimes find myself missing the sharp scent of burning tobacco that lingered around him, the odor that induced a natural cough when I was close by.

“Nevertheless, there truly are good people in the world. Fools who would willingly sacrifice their lives for the tormented wicked continue to live.”

My father said.

“But ultimately, such people will be eliminated.”

Do-won-hyang exists for those people.

“Wouldn’t it be justifiable to turn the heavens upside down for the sake of that dream?”

My father’s thoughts were too entangled for me to comprehend. Even the man known as Socheonma failed to fully grasp my father’s ideas.

So, pursuing that dream.
Honestly, I don’t believe it’s likely.

Yet, as if understanding me, my father simply smiled and stroked my head.

“I won’t insist on it. However—”

“When time passes and I’m gone, I hope you’ll look back at least once.”

There was no profound meaning in the grandiose title of Heavenly Demon.
It was nothing more than a moniker assigned by others.

“All you need to do is follow your dreams. Your…”

My Do-won.

Gazing up at the full moon, reminiscent of ripe, luscious fruit, I mulled over that phrase countless times.
I’ve heard it over a hundred times, but as time went by and I grasped its meaning, the dream ultimately didn’t change much.
I will fulfill my dream no matter what.
It’s true that my father’s back appeared broad and supportive, and before I knew it, I found myself admiring my master.

However, even the person I thought would never fall ultimately met their end.

-Whirring.

It was a night when flames surged beneath the celestial vault.

Dead brothers and sisters. Mother, who perished impaled on a spear, and uncle, who met his end by the blade of a sword.

Father, who sought to overturn the heavens and console the souls of the righteous by becoming the Black Sun himself, endeavored to ignite a war single-handedly.

The harrowing scene—black waves enveloping the house as the moon descended—still lingers in memory, refusing to fade.

It was a desperate struggle, but ultimately, Master could not realize his dream. Yet, matters did not conclude there.

His shattered, faded dream and the arrow of original sin that Master had forged continued to target our family without respite.

The karmic cycle of the banyan tree, which sought to engulf the world, effectively met its end.

As expected, the outcome led to the dissolution of the family. The majority of the Banyan Tree family members faced execution, and the offspring bore the mark of the World Tree, falling prey to a curse.

Unable to adapt to the curse, most went mad or perished. In the end, only one survived.

White Peach, Zodiac, and me.
Originally three, we became one.

Would it be accurate to say that our souls were gathered and settled into a single body?
Perhaps not, for even the body might be different.
What was certain was that only one among the three bodies could manifest at a time. No matter how I interpreted it, there was no changing that fact.

That was the work of the Copying Tree.

Having survived, we
were meant to become Heavenly Demons, successors to our teacher and father.

Yet, even so, I could not become a Heavenly Demon.

Due to my insufficient talent and lack of skill.
The power of the Heavenly Demon required a balance of three elements:
The talent of martial arts, the quantity of magical power, and the quality of magical power.
White Peach possessed the talent for martial arts, Zodiac held the quantity of magical power, and I had the black quality of magical power.

In the end, none of the three of us could properly wield the power of the Heavenly Demon.

‘However,’

That wasn’t the sole reason I couldn’t become a Heavenly Demon.
In truth, there was an even greater reason than that.

One truth that I had strived to turn away from and refused to accept.

‘…I was afraid that the time had not yet come.’

The fear stemmed from knowing how much blood must be poured into the chalice to achieve Dowonhyang.

The weight of the name Heavenly Demon is heavy.

The expectations of White Peach and Zodiac are far too much for me.

Even my father had failed. Although he once dominated the world, he was ultimately defeated.

I thought to pass on my power to someone more talented and have them inherit my dream. In truth, I had tried to flee in such a manner.

It is deeply shameful.

But –

– Hmmm!

“Master… where are you?”

As a teacher, I now see you through a mentor’s eyes. I finally understand the saying that it doesn’t hurt, no matter how much I hold you in my gaze.

“I am here. From the moment you left, I have not taken a single step.”

“Is that so… I apologize. But, my vision is failing me right now.”
“It seems so. Your eyes are stark white; have you been poisoned?”

Fleeing would be absurd. As a mentor, I must remain dignified.
That was my belief.

From the moment I first met him in the mountains and spoke with him to ascertain his intentions. Seeing the bitter smile on the face of a child who had lost his father. His unwavering determination in life-threatening situations. I had made a promise.

“What a shame, to be afflicted by such poison.”

A pallid face, even colder to the touch of my hand.

“Master, about the accomplishment…”

Despite all the hardships he endured, he doesn’t blame me at all. How proud I am to have such a disciple.

“There’s no need to speak of it.”

Sincerely.

“Just your return brings me joy.”

I gently brushed the disciple’s head as he leaned into my chest with my humbled hand.
As I lifted my hand from the disciple’s head while he closed his eyes, blood stained my fingers.

I gazed upon it with a bitter expression.

“Hard work. That’s how growth works.”

Failing is acceptable.
Even if things go awry in the future… I harbored no intention of blaming him.

“……”

As Si-heon slept, Cheondo murmured softly.

“Thank you.”

For allowing me to carry on the name of the Heavenly Demon.
For granting me the confidence to embrace the heavens.

“Thank you.”

In the pristine white room, only the refreshing resonance from Cheondo’s voice subtly diffused.

* * * * *

“Lee Si-heon.”

A fearsome voice resonated in my ears.
The nightmare I thought I had narrowly escaped returned once more.

“Think carefully about whose son you are.”

“Straighten your shoulders.”

“Keep your eyes open.”

Before me, a pentagonal badge bearing the single character for “nation” – a sight that sickened me just by laying eyes on it.

The voice of a man from the past, who had once slowly tightened his grip on my young throat, echoed in my head.

“Don’t ever consider putting anyone above yourself.”

The urge to vomit intensified, and my disgust surged. The helplessness I felt back then gradually resurfaced.

Father.

‘Fuck.’

I cursed under my breath and bit my tongue in my dream. Desperate to wake myself up, I forced the corners of my mouth upwards, giving him a strained smile.

“Father.”
“What is it?”
“Is life behind bars worth it?”
“…What?”
“Thanks to that, I’ve had a hard time being criticized as the son of a politician.”

The hard-won defiance. I forcibly pulled myself out of that filthy dream.

…

…

…

-Startle!

My breath caught, and cold sweat poured down like rain. As my blurred vision slowly cleared, I began to see what lay ahead, and a familiar face came into view.

Chundo’s face with a hand on her hot forehead.
The cold palm cooled the heat, feeling pleasant.

“Master?”
“What is it?”

Chundo’s face remained expressionless. Feeling a bit mischievous, I rubbed my cheek against the hand that was sweeping my forehead.

-Smack!

I received a flick on the forehead.

“Ouch!”
“Get up gracefully.”

Holding my forehead, I rose from my seat, shedding a few tears.
It hurt like no joke.
As I glanced back and glared, Chundo laughed at me.

“Why are you laughing?”
“No, it’s nothing.”

Chundo turned her head, rummaging for something to eat. Then, as if something suddenly came to mind, she spoke with a soft smile playing on her lips.

“Lee Si-heon.”
“Yes?”

“I have a dream.”

I didn’t understand her words.

“What are you talking about?”
“I’ll tell you later.”

Chundo smiled enigmatically.

Has this person finally succumbed to senility? With such a trivial thought, I rose from my seat.