The moon hung low over the jagged cliffs of the Mount Liang Valley, casting long, trembling shadows across the forest floor. The wind whispered like the echo of ghosts, carrying with it a scent that set every hair on Jinhyuk's body on end. Even after months of First Rate cultivation, the portal world still had a way of unsettling him, a world where reality bent under the weight of mystical energy, where even a simple tree could conceal a lethal curse.
Jinhyuk moved silently, his senses stretched to their limits. Every leaf that quivered, every ripple of shadow among the gnarled roots, was scrutinized. Beside him, Dan Sae-Ryeo matched his steps, a grin dancing across her face despite the oppressive darkness. You've been quiet all night, she teased, elbowing him lightly. Are you brooding again, or did the shadows steal your courage?
He didn't answer immediately. His eyes scanned the dense thicket ahead, narrowing at a subtle shimmer, like heat waves on stone, but darker. A soft hum reverberated through the ground beneath his boots, a resonance that spoke of magic, of life forms not bound by flesh but by energy and malice.
This… this is unnatural, he muttered, his voice low. Stay close. Whatever lurks here, it won't play fair.
The shadow stirred. From the darkness, forms began to coalesce, hunched and twisted with limbs too long and claws like jagged obsidian. Their eyes burned a malevolent crimson, reflecting every moonbeam like living coals. They were shadow beasts, spirits twisted by the lingering dark energy of the portal, neither fully corporeal nor entirely spectral.
They feel the power, Jeok-Ma's voice hissed in his mind, rough and sardonic. They know you've advanced. Let's see if you can survive using more than brute strength.
Jinhyuk's chest tightened. He could feel the thrum of his own energy, the First Rate mastery he had earned through relentless pain and focus. Not just brute force—he needed strategy, cunning, patience. The beasts lunged in unison, a coordinated wave of dark intent that would have overwhelmed anyone unprepared.
He sidestepped the first strike, feeling the wind from the passing claws whip across his cheek. Focus… read their patterns… exploit weaknesses, he muttered. Energy surged along his limbs, subtle currents of chi bending with each precise motion. He struck back, shattering one beast with a pulse of concentrated force. The others recoiled, snarling in unison, their ethereal forms undulating unnaturally.
Dan Sae-Ryeo danced around him, her daggers flashing like twin moons. Not bad, bandit king. But don't get cocky...these things bite hard.
I don't intend to fight blindly, Jinhyuk replied, eyes scanning the rest of the clearing. Every strike is deliberate… every dodge is calculated.
The shadow beasts attacked again, faster this time. Jinhyuk's senses flared; he anticipated each lunge, countered, redirected their momentum against one another. He felt the subtle hum of their cursed energy, the pull of darkness attempting to seep into his own mind. Jeok-Ma's voice rang sharp: Do not temper your rage… but control it. Power without restraint will kill you faster than they ever could.
Pain lanced through him as a claw grazed his shoulder, leaving a burning streak across his skin. Jinhyuk gritted his teeth and allowed himself a flash of fury... but only enough to sharpen focus, not consume judgment. Each movement, each strike, was a blend of First Rate technique and tactical ingenuity. The shadow beasts fell one by one, their forms dissipating into motes of dark mist that dissolved in the moonlight.
Panting, he lowered his stance, scanning for further threats. But the forest was silent again—taut and watchful, as if the land itself had acknowledged his victory. Sae-Ryeo laughed softly, a mixture of relief and admiration. Impressive. Looks like you're learning to dance with darkness… instead of letting it eat you alive.
Jinhyuk allowed himself a brief smile, but it was fleeting. His mind drifted...not to the victory, but to the memory that haunted him: the woman he had lost, the child he could not protect, and the one he still longed for. The portal world offered training and strength, but it also mirrored his inner turmoil, reflecting the rage and grief he carried.
Far away, in the gilded halls of the Namgung Clan palace, Namgung Yura awoke with a gasp. The morning light was weak and golden, painting the room in delicate warmth, but it did little to dispel the lingering shadows of her dream. She had dreamed of Jinhyuk...his laughter, the glint of mischief in his eyes, the strength that had once protected her. She had seen him smile at her in the dream, and it had felt painfully real.
Jinhyuk… she whispered, her voice trembling. Are you… are you alive? Or have they… have they taken you?
Her fingers clutched the silk sheets, knuckles white with desperation. Memories pressed upon her: the village, the innocence of youth, the stolen years when they were together. And now six years later...the knowledge that the Namgung Clan and Murong family had shrouded the past in lies, that her heart had been torn from him by politics and power.
I thought… I thought you were dead, she murmured, a tear slipping down her cheek. I've missed you so much… every night I wished you'd come back to me. Every morning I feared I'd never see you again.
She rose from the bed, moving to the window that overlooked the palace gardens. The wind carried the scent of cedar, rain, and distant fields. For a fleeting moment, she felt it, a resonance of life, a pulse that reminded her of him.
Even if the world has hidden you, even if the shadows are thick… I will find you, Jinhyuk, she whispered, her gaze fierce, her heart unyielding. Even if I must defy my own clan, even if I must defy everything… I will find you.
Her fingers clenched around the cold wooden ledge, knuckles trembling with determination. She allowed herself one more moment of vulnerability, one more tear, before straightening her posture. The dream lingered, but so did hope...a hope that had survived despite the manipulations of the Namgung and Murong families, despite years of separation.
Back in the forest, Jinhyuk had moved on from the shadow beasts to a small clearing dotted with cursed weapons. Swords, spears, and axes protruded from the earth as though impaled by invisible hands. A low hum of energy pulsed from them, drawing at the edges of his consciousness. He recognized the danger immediately: these were not traps meant to kill indiscriminately, they were tests, probes of his mental and spiritual strength.
Clever, Jeok-Ma hissed in his mind, almost approvingly. They challenge not just body, but mind. Fail, and you will be devoured by what you cannot anticipate.
Jinhyuk's fingers brushed the hilt of a sword hovering slightly above the ground, its energy corrosive yet strangely familiar. He felt the pull of temptation, a whisper of immense power...but he resisted. His mastery of First Rate techniques allowed him to channel chi around the cursed energy, neutralizing its effect while maintaining balance. Each weapon he touched was either sealed, redirected, or destroyed by a precise wave of controlled energy.
Dan Sae-Ryeo watched from the side, eyes wide but sparkling with amusement. You make it look easy… but I know it's not. That's some First Rate finesse right there.
Jinhyuk allowed himself a short laugh, chest heaving. It's not finesse… it's survival. Every movement has a cost. One misstep, and these weapons will kill you before your brain can react.
Sae-Ryeo smirked. And yet, you're still brooding. What's really on your mind?
He looked to the horizon, eyes narrowing. Her… the one I cannot forget. The one who should not even exist in this world anymore. And yet, there she is...or perhaps, some echo of her. Namgung Yura…
His fists clenched at his sides, the memory of her brief glance in the city, the heartbeat that had synchronized with his own, pressed heavy on his chest. I have to grow stronger. For vengeance… and for her.
The night deepened, filled with the quiet pulse of mystical energy and the lingering danger of shadows. Each encounter, each threat, was more than a test...it was preparation. Every victory reinforced his mastery, yet every moment reminded him of the fragility of life, the cruelty of fate, and the burning need for revenge.
The Murim world… is a web, he muttered, almost to himself. And I will learn to move within it… not as prey, but as predator.
Sae-Ryeo's voice cut through his thoughts, teasing but earnest. Your heart carries ghosts, Jinhyuk. But maybe… that's what makes you dangerous. And unforgettable.
He did not reply, only nodded. A silent vow passed through him, binding past and present, vengeance and hope, darkness and the faint light of love. The forest held its breath, and the portal world watched as Kang Jinhyuk continued his ascent, a man shaped by grief, sharpened by pain, and driven by the unyielding pull of destiny.