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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Mod7
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Leaving the sect, Bi Wol and I boarded a carriage heading west. It felt strange to be leaving the familiar world of the martial arts sects.
“Master, what’s it like in the West?”
Bi Wol’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. It was clear she harbored romanticized notions about this journey.
“In essence, it’s not that different from the martial world. After all, people are people, wherever you go.”
Unfortunately, I was also the author who’d created that fantasy world.
Back then, I was younger and had a penchant for crafting dark and gloomy settings.
The result was a dark fantasy world where monsters roamed the northern lands, and a separate continent called the Demon Realm, ruled by the Demon King, loomed over everything.
“If it’s not different…?”
“What I mean, Bi Wol, is that there will be plenty of people in need of our help, wherever we go.”
I sighed, unable to maintain the facade of optimism.
If I’d known these fictional worlds would become reality, I would have written them to be more hopeful.
“Is that really true?”
Bi Wol snuggled closer to me inside the swaying carriage, her warm breath tickling my ear as she whispered.
“I heard that there are Taoist priests in the West who wield mystical powers and swordsmen who can imbue their blades with energy.”
Her closeness startled me, and I shifted away. She just giggled and inched closer again.
Sometimes, this lack of distance between us felt unnerving. Was this normal for a master and disciple?
“That ‘energy’ is called ‘mana’ out there. And instead of a dantian where internal energy gathers, they have something called a ‘mana core’ in their hearts. It allows them to turn their imagination into reality.”
I gently pushed Bi Wol away, my hand pressing against her cheek. Her skin was soft and smooth beneath my fingers. She puffed out her cheeks, feigning annoyance.
“Master, why are you avoiding me?”
“You’re too close! What will people think?”
Honestly, Bi Wol was like a daughter to me. She was born from the words I wrote, a fragment of my own soul.
“…I don’t care what others think.”
“Well, I do! I’m the leader of a sect! What will happen if rumors spread that I’m involved with my own disciple?!”
I lightly pinched her cheeks, stretching them out.
They were so soft and pillowy, like little mochi. Or maybe a hamster stuffing its cheeks with sunflower seeds.
“Mafter, pleafe let go (Master, please let go)” Her words were garbled.
I chuckled, unable to contain my amusement.
“Will you behave yourself?”
“Yes! But please don’t pinch my cheeks so hard!”
She rubbed her cheeks, pouting. Seeing her like this, she seemed less like someone born under the Heavenly Demon Star, fated to kill, and more like an ordinary young girl.
‘At this rate, maybe I can change Verdandi and Azazel’s fates as well.’
I smiled softly and brushed a stray strand of hair away from Bi Wol’s face.
One was a fanatic driven to murder in the name of justice, and the other a saint who made a pact with an outer god for a chance at love.
They say the greatest honor for a creator is to see their characters come to life…
‘I want them to have a happy ending, as much as possible.’
Now that they were no longer confined to fiction, but lived and breathed in this reality, I had to do everything in my power to help them. As their author, I couldn’t just remain a bystander.
“Master, are you already acquainted with this ‘junior sister’ you mentioned? I didn’t quite understand your explanation before…”
Bi Wol looked up at me, her gaze like that of a curious kitten.
She clung to my arm possessively, like a puppy trying to mark its territory.
“She’s like a daughter to me. In fact, there are two of them.”
“…What?”
A wave of chilling killing intent erupted from Bi Wol. The carriage lurched as the horse, startled, snorted and pawed the ground.
“…Bi Wol, control yourself.”
“But… But…”
I placed a hand on her head, speaking soothingly as I used my own energy to suppress her aura, preventing it from spreading.
If this continued, not only would the coachman collapse, but even the horse might lose consciousness. Our journey to the West would be over before it even began.
“Didn’t I tell you not to let your emotions control you like this? A sword without purpose and killing intent without direction will only end up hurting yourself.”
I couldn’t fault her for her reaction.
Given her dependence on me, it was understandable for her to fear being replaced.
“I consider them to be my daughters because they, like you, have lived unfortunate lives due to my mistakes.”
“Why do you call them your mistakes, Master? You’ve done nothing wrong.”
No, this was entirely my fault.
“I had the power to protect these children, the martial might and the compassion. ”
A bitter taste filled my mouth. As the creator of this world, I could have given them a happy ending.
“But I turned a blind eye to their suffering. I was too caught up in my own problems. I made excuses, telling myself they were simply unlucky.”
But that was a lie. To me, the final bosses, the villains, were nothing more than obstacles for the protagonists to overcome.
“Someone like you, the Ice Dragon who shattered the evil sect that imprisoned me, shouldn’t say such things.”
They were nothing more than tools meant to be defeated.
“…I could have saved them sooner. I could have saved more of them. If I had been stronger, if I had been more aware, I could have found you sooner.”
“It was beyond your control, Master. No one can blame you.”
Bi Wol insisted that it wasn’t my fault. And it was true, those were easy words to believe, comforting even.
After all, they were just characters from a story, figments of my imagination, nothing more than words on a page, until I was pulled into this world.
But…
“Words are cheap, Bi Wol. If I hadn’t saved you, how many more children would have been sacrificed and had their flesh and blood spilled?”
The situation was different now. Everything in this world lived and breathed, each with their own story.
And it was all because of a few lines I had carelessly written.
“…”
“Bi Wol, my dear disciple, as radiant as the moon in the night sky, remember this: the master you follow is a flawed man finally facing the consequences of his past mistakes.”
I couldn’t reveal everything to her, not yet. But I could at least be honest about my own failings.
None of this would have happened if I had finished their stories, if I hadn’t abandoned them.
“I understand… I won’t forget.”
Bi Wol seemed to comprehend, her grip tightening around my wrist as she nuzzled her head against my hand.
The murderous Heavenly Demon from moments ago was gone, replaced by a young girl seeking comfort and reassurance.
“The first junior sister you’ll meet is a child who’s been consumed by her sense of justice.”
“By justice, you mean…”
“Let’s just say she’s a powerful individual who won’t hesitate to kill anyone who violates her principles.”
I began to tell Bi Wol about Verdandi, how she used her Scales of Justice and Eyes of Truth to judge everyone she met, instantly determining if they were worthy or not.
The problem was, her definition of ‘evil’ was incredibly broad.
“…She doesn’t hesitate to act?”
A starving child stealing food to survive, a parent disciplining their child with a firm hand…
“Yes. To her, taking a life is as easy as breathing.”
In Verdandi’s eyes, they were all criminals deserving of punishment. That was the character I had created.
The final boss of a story had to be strong, and they had to be undeniably evil.
Bi Wol was lucky I found her when I did.
“I understand now, Master.”
Bi Wol’s hands clenched into fists as she nodded resolutely. She seemed to understand, even sympathize, with Verdandi’s story.
“You wish to extend your boundless grace to her as well!”
“…”
Her choice of words was a little off, but she seemed to understand my intentions.
“This foolish disciple. For a moment, I thought she might be your illegitimate child. But of course, that couldn’t be! You would never betray my trust, you would never… be with another woman…”
Bi Wol giggled, a radiant smile spreading across her face. Her cheeks were flushed with relief and happiness.
“…Hold on a second, Bi Wol. Do you hear that?”
Just then,
Clank. Clank. Clank.
A strange dragging sound reached our ears, metallic and rhythmic. It was definitely not the sound of horseshoes against the road.
“This doesn’t bode well.”
I shared my concern with Bi Wol, and she, too, noticed the peculiarity of the sound. She immediately straightened in her seat, ready to spring into action.
“…It sounds like chains. Bi Wol, can you tell how many are approaching?”
I asked Bi Wol to assess the situation. With her exceptional senses, she could gauge the enemy’s strength.
As the saying goes, know your enemy and know yourself, and you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.
“There are three sturdy men with iron flails, five well-built men wielding clubs, two who appear to be guards with broadswords, and… one who seems to be the leader, carrying a large axe.”
Bi Wol closed her eyes, using her senses to pinpoint the bandits approaching their carriage.
It seemed they were using chains to block the path, trapping their victims before robbing them.
“Eleven in total, then. Good.”
As soon as she finished speaking, I leapt from the moving carriage.
First Stance of the Ice Crystal Divine Art: Ice Shattering Fist!
I spun, my fist connecting with the earth. A deafening crack echoed through the air as a pillar of ice erupted from the ground.
It was a technique that focused all of one’s internal energy into a single point, releasing it with explosive force. Used against a person, it could freeze their meridians. Used against the ground, it could create a solid platform.
“M-Master?!”
Bi Wol’s surprised cry reached me as she followed suit, leaping from the carriage. I could see the demonic energy of the Heavenly Demon Art swirling around her.
We quickly secured a strategically advantageous position, just as…
“This is the territory of our 72 Green Forest Brotherhood! If you wish to pass, you’ll have to pay the toll!”
A man with a booming voice and a physique like a mountain emerged from the trees. His presence alone radiated a sense of danger.
“I am Shan Pao, the Mountain Storm, leader of this band!”
He hefted a massive axe, swinging it experimentally as he eyed us with a predatory gaze.
“Gahahaha! If you don’t want to taste my axe, then leave your valuables and the girl!”
“Yeah! Our toll ain’t cheap!”
The bandits surrounding their leader roared with laughter, their expressions a mixture of amusement and disdain.
Undeterred, I let a slow smile spread across my face.
“…It seems you’ve never heard the name ‘Ice Dragon’.”
My words cut through the air, silencing the bandits’ laughter.
“Ice Dragon? You mean the martial arts expert who fought in the War of Good and Evil?”
“Wait, you don’t mean…”
Shock and uncertainty flickered across their faces, and I couldn’t help but smile inwardly.
I was running low on funds for the journey to the West, and here they were, walking, talking treasure chests.
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Free loot and money lol
Journey to the West? Lol