The refusal came without even a moment's hesitation.
Yang Jahan's master, Jinmun, frowned deeply.
“No, I mean, at least consider my dignity—”
“I'm already showing consideration for your dignity by speaking with you at all.”
Had it not been Jinmun standing in front of Baek Unjin, Yang Jahan likely would not have survived.
With his arms crossed, Jinmun let out a long sigh.
“Your disciple tried to kill my disciple.”
“Could it not have been an accident?”
“Are you joking?”
The creature Yeonseo had nicknamed Cloudie was actually a fragment of Unmong, Baek Unjin's guardian spirit.
If Unmong had not intervened, Yoo Yeonseo would have died from the very first attack.
There was no mistaking it.
That strike had been filled with killing intent.
“Why make such a fuss over a single disciple? It's not as though you're lacking disciples.”
Unlike Baek Unjin, who had only one disciple—Yeonseo—Jinmun had hundreds.
His teaching method involved forcing his disciples to compete against one another, granting his true guidance only to the most talented among them.
“I'm sorry, but just as you treasure your disciple, I have reasons why I cannot abandon mine.”
“I see.”
Baek Unjin stepped forward.
A clear declaration that he had no intention of backing down.
At only eighty years old, he had reached the Nascent Soul Realm and become one of the elders of the Eight Great Orthodox Sects—a genius recognized by the entire cultivation world.
Even Jinmun could not defeat him easily.
The atmosphere instantly grew tense.
I staggered to my feet and hurriedly grabbed the hem of Baek Unjin's robe.
“Master... are you planning to kill him?”
“He tried to kill you.”
“Well, that's true, but...”
I glanced at Yang Jahan.
He still hadn't raised his head.
It was true that I had nearly died.
But in the end...
I hadn't.
This is difficult.
Regardless of what he'd done, Yang Jahan was still the protagonist of Chronicles of Heavenly Ascension.
As far as the story went, we were barely past the opening chapters.
Having the protagonist die because of me felt wrong.
Do you know what would happen if Yang Jahan gets killed by Baek Unjin?!
There were still countless unresolved disasters and catastrophes waiting in the future of the novel.
Separate from the fact that he'd tried to kill me, he was still the protagonist.
He had things he needed to accomplish.
After wrestling with my thoughts for a long time, I finally spoke.
“Even so... I don't think killing him is the answer. I'm unharmed, after all.”
I still didn't know why Yang Jahan had tried to kill me.
But that alone wasn't enough reason for him to die.
More importantly, judging by his master's reaction, there was no doubt he would receive punishment of some sort.
If he was punished, that was enough for me.
“Consider yourself fortunate.”
Baek Unjin gently patted my head before stepping aside.
Thankfully, the fury radiating from him seemed to have lessened.
“Ahem. My apologies. I'll make sure this matter is properly resolved—”
“We'll settle it with a Life Fate Token.”
“Baek Unjin!”
“Otherwise, we can pretend none of this ever happened.”
“A Life Fate Token? I only have two of them! Isn't that asking a bit much?”
“There will be no further compromise.”
Baek Unjin's tone was absolute.
Jinmun groaned.
He looked down at Yang Jahan with obvious displeasure, muttering to himself.
Well, that's understandable.
Yang Jahan was the first cultivator in fifty years to enter the Infinite Profound Sect with a Heavenly Spiritual Root of the Void attribute.
Void-attributed roots were already exceedingly rare.
A Void Heavenly Spiritual Root was even rarer.
In the original story, the sect's upper leadership had argued endlessly over who would be allowed to take Yang Jahan as a disciple.
There was no way Jinmun would abandon him over something like this.
Whether Baek Unjin had demanded the token because he knew Yang Jahan's value or not, I couldn't tell.
“Urgh... fine.”
“Then hand it over now.”
“But after this, the matter is settled.”
Baek Unjin reluctantly nodded.
The moment the agreement was reached, Jinmun reached into his storage pouch and threw an old wooden token through the air.
The token traced a graceful arc before landing perfectly in Baek Unjin's hand.
“Master...”
A Life Fate Token was a supreme treasure.
When carried on one's person, it would automatically activate during a mortal crisis and twist fate itself.
The change in destiny might be minor.
Or it might save a life.
Either way, it was considered one of the most valuable treasures in existence.
Knowing exactly how precious it was, Yang Jahan lowered his head even further.
“That's enough. We can discuss the details once we return.”
“...Yes.”
Before leaving, he turned and glanced at me.
The matter might have been resolved.
The hostility in his eyes, however, remained unchanged.
Hmph! Bleh!
I stuck out my tongue at him.
What kind of protagonist was this?
He was unbelievably annoying.
A moment later, Yang Jahan and Jinmun mounted their flying swords and disappeared into the distance.
As soon as they were gone, the tension drained from my body.
I nearly stumbled.
Baek Unjin caught me immediately.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes. Just a little dizzy.”
Lowering himself, he placed a hand against my forehead.
Soft blue light flowed from his fingertips, spreading across my body.
The wounds wherever the light touched began healing at a visible rate.
Cultivators' bodies were fundamentally different from those of ordinary mortals.
High-level cultivators could regrow severed limbs through healing cultivation techniques.
However, while self-healing arts were common, techniques capable of healing others were far rarer.
It helps that Qingwu Sect specializes in that area.
Baek Unjin was particularly skilled in healing arts.
Thinking about it, that was probably one of the reasons I had survived in the first place.
“How do you feel now?”
“I think I'm better!”
Seeing my injuries completely healed, I smiled.
Baek Unjin rubbed my head.
Then, before I could react, he crouched down and lifted me effortlessly into his arms.
The sudden sensation of rising startled me.
The height difference between us was still significant, after all.
Blinking, I looked up from where I sat cradled against him.
“Just because your wounds are healed doesn't mean you're not exhausted. Get some rest.”
His embrace was warm.
Comfortably warm.
On the journey back, Baek Unjin collected the merchants' bodies and informed traders in a nearby village of their location.
He also recovered every bolt of Heavenly Rhythm Silk they had been transporting.
Perhaps out of consideration for me, he chose not to use a flying artifact.
Instead, he quietly traveled through the air using sword flight.
Nestled against him, I asked a question that had been bothering me.
“What exactly happened to those merchants?”
“I initially believed they had become vengeful spirits, but it appears they were attacked by Ghost Souls.”
The merchant caravan had included cultivator guards.
Unfortunately, they simply hadn't been strong enough to fight Ghost Souls.
Silently, I prayed that the dead would find peace.
“Ah! Cloudie!”
Remembering him at last, I hurriedly pulled Cloudie from inside my robe.
What if he's dead?!
Earlier, there had been a massive hole through his body.
Now, however, he looked completely fine.
“Huh? You're healed?”
As though understanding my words, Cloudie floated over and rubbed against my cheek affectionately.
“It's not as though he has a physical body to begin with. A wound like that was never particularly serious.”
Guardian spirits, unless their master's spiritual power was completely exhausted, could disappear temporarily but were rarely destroyed outright.
“That's a relief. I wish I had a guardian spirit too...”
My eyelids began drooping.
I started nodding off mid-sentence.
Baek Unjin chuckled softly.
“If fate permits, you'll meet one eventually. Don't worry too much about it.”
“Okaaay...”
Still answering him, I promptly fell asleep in his arms.
The owner of the cloth shop expressed his condolences upon hearing that the merchants transporting the Heavenly Rhythm Silk had been killed by Ghost Souls.
“I'll make your disciple's Feather Robe as quickly as possible.”
“Thank you.”
While Baek Unjin spoke with the shopkeeper, I wandered around admiring the various bolts of silk.
“Yeonseo.”
At his call, I immediately scampered over.
“Yes, Master?”
“Choose whichever silk you like best and try infusing it with your spiritual power.”
“Okay!”
Picking out a bolt that caught my eye, I poured spiritual energy into it.
Instantly, the dull gray fabric began changing color.
When I stopped channeling energy, I slowly unfolded the silk and stared at the transformed cloth in my hands.
“Oh?”
The shopkeeper's eyes widened.
“Oh my... that's a color I haven't seen in a very long time.”
