Meanwhile, at Seok's home, the two were gathering his belongings with the help of Hinatako, who began to feel a sense of joy as she assisted.
Observing her, Seok cast a sharp, piercing gaze her way. She offered a faint smile, quickly turning her face aside to hide it—a reaction that left him puzzled.
"Oh, dear Seok, please stop flirting with me—it's so embarrassing! Didn't you say we were relatives? Why are you acting like this? Then again, if you want us to be a real couple, I'm more than ready for that."
Hinatako spoke with a bashful tone, her face flushed with shyness.
Seok merely looked at her with annoyance, saying nothing, and turned his face away. She glared at him, feigning deep indignation as she slumped to the floor.
Seok, however, paid her no mind, continuing to pack the items he would need for his time at the Mount Hua Sect. Although he would not be able to see his family, he had managed to ensure they would live in a safe location within the city of Gasmburg.
He turned his gaze back toward Hinatako, who was now acting like a wronged little child.
"You were the one who sent that video—the one accusing those scumbags of raping women of all ages—weren't you?" "..."
Hinatako remained silent, choosing not to respond as she gathered her belongings. She was deeply annoyed by Seok's cold demeanor—especially considering she had previously helped him secure permission from Jian Yi to train at the Mount Hua Sect.
Seok watched her for several minutes in total silence. Despite being over two thousand years old, she was acting like a child; yet, he had been entirely serious in what he said.
She, however, returned his gaze with the look of a wife who had been slighted by her husband. It irritated him so much that he felt tempted to kick her right out of his room.
He decided against it, though—he would need her in the future. Besides, she was the only person he had ever loved, aside from his family—both in his past life and his current one.
"How infuriating! That scoundrel Seok treats me as if I were just some girl he met a few days ago—even though we first crossed paths on the third day of the festival! We've known each other for over two thousand years; we've been married as humans and as cursed beings! It's so annoying! Do we have to get married all over again as demigods?"
"Then again, isn't there a law that allows for marriage from the age of twelve? In our old world, that idea was abolished back in the twenty-first century, but here we are in the sixth century AD—so, technically, it's perfectly permissible, given that I'm biologically an adult."
Hinatako's expression shifted as she felt a warmth against her back. She realized Seok was embracing her, his chin resting atop her head—a gesture that caused her face to flush bright red with shyness. She slowly raised her head, only to find him focused on gathering his belongings using his telekinetic ability. This left her feeling even more embarrassed, as he appeared quite attractive to her.
She offered a faint smile as she watched him:
"This body has several advantages over the previous one, doesn't it? Changing your clothes was an invaluable reward for it—a true testament to the quality of the 'merchandise'."
Seok glanced at her from the corner of his eye, his expression filled with clear annoyance and irritation. Yet, the way she looked at him—reminiscent of an adorable cat—prevented him from doing anything about it.
He spoke with a tone of vexation as he stowed his items away, eventually tucking them into his own personal dimensional space:
"If the 'Marriage Contract of Curses' didn't suppress your desires toward anyone other than me—given that I am, after all, your husband—I would have sworn you lost your virginity a long time ago."
Hinatako's eyes widened at Seok's words. Seething with indignation, she began pummeling his chest with her fists, leaving him completely bewildered by her actions.
As he fell to the ground, Hinatako thrashed her arms and legs in the air, expressing her fury and attempting to break free from his firm, unyielding grip.
"What's wrong with you? Why are you acting like this? You're not a child!"
Seok asked, sounding flustered, as he felt his chest grow damp with her tears. She looked up, and he realized she was crying. "..."
Seok couldn't find a single word to say; he never expected something like this to happen. Seeing Hinatako cry was deeply distressing for him, so he pulled her into an embrace and lifted her head toward his own face.
Her face flushed with shyness, and she offered a faint smile as she wiped her tears against Seok's clothes:
"As I said before, there are aspects of this body that are better than the old one—and there's nothing wrong with checking the quality of the 'merchandise,' is there?"
Seok looked at her with an expression that clearly asked, *What is wrong with this perverted fool?* Even so, he decided to let her remain resting against his chest, knowing full well that if he moved, she would simply cling to him again, looking at him with the expression of someone who had been betrayed.
Deep down, however, he felt a sense of happiness, simply being with the person he loved most.
A few minutes passed before they finished gathering their belongings. Hinatako, wearing a smile radiant with joy, worked even faster than he did.
He then asked her the same question she had previously refused to answer:
"You were the one who sent that video—the one accusing those scumbags of raping women of all ages—weren't you?"
Hinatako turned her gaze toward him, a mischievous smile playing on her lips:
"You're right—I did. That academy director, Fersalkin, was incredibly annoying—though, to his credit, he did keep his word. I was placed in the 'Masters' class, tailored to my specialization, and on top of that, I received private tutoring from the very best instructors from my second year all the way until graduation." "On top of that, I received 45,000 platinum coins, an exemption from the final exam, and a spot among the students heading to the Khaldin Celestial Academy next year."
"Still, he only did it to silence me—which I find incredibly annoying. Besides, he deserved what happened to him for threatening your life twice! I would have ended up a widow because of him—my dear husband, Seok! To die a third time without even having a son? Absolutely not! That's why he deserved exactly what you did to him."
Seok looked at her with an expression that suggested she had watched far too many short Chinese films and soap operas in her past life—and that she was going to make his future a very, very long and exhausting experience.
He rose from his seat, his gaze fixed on an elegant box resting on his desk. A faint smile graced his lips, and he paid no mind to Hinatako, who was watching him with a look of bewilderment.
"What's this, dear Seok? Is there something you'd like to take along, or perhaps something you intend to gift to your beloved Hinatako? Hahahaha! That would be a lovely gesture for the occasion, wouldn't it?"
Hinatako's tone was laced with heavy sarcasm, yet Seok's cheerful expression remained unchanged. He picked up the entirely black box and turned toward her, a warm smile still lingering on his face.
"I don't know what this black cube is, but it has been with me since the very first day of my previous life. And yet, I feel as though it binds us together. A strange thing to say, isn't it?"
Seok's voice was calm as he looked at her. Suddenly, her expression shifted to one of sheer astonishment: the black box split in two, merged into their minds, and then permeated their entire bodies. Though they didn't understand why this was happening, they found themselves reacting as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Quite a peculiar phenomenon, wouldn't you agree? Hahahaha! But a strange question has been weighing on my mind ever since I was born into this world: what if our 'previous' lives were, in fact, *second* lives—and we were originally beings from entirely different worlds?"
Seok looked at her with an expression of exasperation at her vivid imagination—as if reincarnation were some simple, everyday occurrence. Yet, he found himself agreeing with her; after all, they had died twice and been reborn three times. The possibility of an even earlier life remained.
He sat up without a word, overcome with a profound sense of happiness—a stable life, a beautiful family, and the person he loved by his side. There was no reason for sadness, save for the fear of losing them.
He turned his gaze toward Hinatako, who was busy organizing their luggage for the journey to the Mount Hua Sect:
"Perverted, foolish, mischievous, dangerous, adorable, feisty, comical, strong, loyal—and possessing an overwhelming, almost excessive, femininity. All these traits packed into one person. Even though her flaws might outweigh her virtues, she is still the one person willing to stay by my side until the very end of the world."
Hinatako glanced back at him, only to find him fast asleep; he was utterly exhausted from the grueling training required to master his own power.
He had reclaimed his core as the King of Curses and, in an incredibly short span of time, had developed both his mana core and his Dantian roots. To wield these powers with ease, he had to strike a perfect balance between his current strength, his physical body, and his mind.
With a faint smile, Hinatako approached him, draped a blanket over his shoulders, and planted a kiss on his left cheek—a gesture that immediately brought a flush of shyness to Seok's face.
"Oh my—Seok, the King of Curses, is blushing! How absolutely hilarious..."
As Hinatako teased him, Seok pulled her toward him, drawing her close against his chest. Hinata-ko's expression held a great deal of shock, yet as her face remained buried against Seok's chest, a faint smile graced her lips.
She closed her eyes, surrendering herself to the embrace she had longed for ever since she was born into this world.
---
The following day, at 5:30 AM, Tom gazed with a calm expression at the list of tasks provided to him by the System. [Quest List]
[Main Quest List
Main Quest: Collect 12 Origin Seeds
Seeds Collected: 01/12
Quest Duration: Permanent
Failure Penalty: None]
[Sub-Quest List
Quest 01: Comprehend Laws and Concepts
Host Level: Intermediate
Current Comprehension Rate: 50%
Quest Duration: Permanent
Failure Penalty: None
Quest 02: Find the Key to the Palace of Knowledge
Quest Duration: Permanent
Failure Penalty: None
Quest 03: Complete the Integration
Quest Duration: Permanent
Failure Penalty: Death
Quest 04: Eliminate the Rulers of the Six Provinces and Unify the Fantasy World
Quest Duration: Permanent
Failure Penalty: Erasure of the story
Quest 05: Unlock the Pavilion of the Yang and Yin Tree
Quest Duration: Permanent
Failure Penalty: None]
Tom did not utter a single word as he gazed out the window. Twenty-two days had passed since he obtained his first seed and took the initial step toward completing the main quest. Meanwhile, the fact that these quests had no time limits brought him a sense of relief.
It dawned on him that the System itself was not the one imposing the penalties; rather, the penalties were simply the natural consequences of failing to act in time—outcomes that would occur regardless of whether the System had formally designated them as "quests" or not. He closed the system interface, his gaze lingering on the message Myeong-hee had given him:
[Seong-hun, your face is ugly—like it or not.]
Though he felt a faint sense of annoyance, he realized there were tasks awaiting him—missions that would require him to leave the ordinary world he currently inhabited.
He placed the message into a small box, then tucked it away into his personal dimensional space; he cherished it as a memento of his old companions.
Taking a deep breath, he looked up at the sky and offered a faint, gentle smile:
"It has been a long time. There are people I must see, and missions I must carry out."
"So much time has passed, and so many events have unfolded—from the entrance exam to the festival celebrating the millennium since the defeat of the Demon Realm—all marking the first steps on my journey of self-discovery."
He stood up and headed toward the door, stepping out of his home to wander the academy grounds and breathe in the fresh air.
Tom's gaze remained calm as he surveyed the academy—a place that had stood nearly empty for ages, save for the angelic and elven servants who had tended to it over 300 million years ago.
Today, it welcomes two million students every year, spread across various disciplines. Once an obscure location known only to neighboring clans, it has transformed into one of the most renowned places in the world—a center of power that can no longer be ignored.
The place that two individuals once planned to build has now become a destination for people from all five continents of the world. Non-human students currently make up 0.45% of the student body, while there are no non-humans among the administrative staff—a stark contrast to the past, when they accounted for 46%. Three thousand years ago, the position of principal was not restricted to humans; however, policies shifted due to the fear of infiltrators, given that the academy serves as a gathering point for major powers within the human sector.
He cast his gaze toward an empty plaza—a space that was once a greenhouse surrounded by flowers. So much has changed over the course of millions of years. The Versalkin Academy has evolved significantly, and such transformation was inevitable.
Yet, he was less concerned with these changes than he was with returning to the origins of the Versalkin Palace, where he once lived with his wife, Zeihua Ming Hua. For now, however, he could do nothing; he was simply too weak.
Though he was currently confined to the world he inhabited, he remained certain that he would see her again. More than 700 trillion years had passed since they were separated; a few more years of waiting would be of no consequence to them.
He continued on his way in silence, having no desire to speak—preferring instead to contemplate the world around him. Alessandra appeared by his side, her expression so remarkably calm that it took Tom by surprise.
Nevertheless, he showed no outward sign of interest, though he managed to discern a subtle, hidden trace of sadness in her features. Alessandra spoke, casting a somewhat inscrutable look his way:
"Do you remember the places you visited during the trials? The secret tunnels—I'm referring to the first, second, and third trials. Those are the very locations where you'll be able to carry out your missions or acquire items to aid you. As for the rest... it seems you already know your fourth destination and the ones that follow, don't you?"
Tom didn't say a word; he simply kept his gaze steady and calm. A faint smile crossed his lips as he reached out to gently pinch her cheek—a gesture that left her looking at him in bewilderment.
"I know them well enough. Still, seeing you again brings me a sense of relief. And, for what it's worth, you're quite adorable when your cheek is being pinched."
Alessandra's eyes narrowed in annoyance as she stared at him—his hand still lingering on her cheek—before she swatted him on the head, as if to say: *Enough with the nonsense!*
Tom winced slightly, rubbing his head, and the two continued on their way.
"Tom Fragelson, you need to become stronger than you are now. Make the most of your upcoming journey; if you play your cards right, it will prove highly beneficial to you."
Alessandra's tone remained matter-of-fact as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
Tom let out a deep sigh, looking toward her while trying to clear his thoughts. Seeing her again after such a long absence had brought him immense joy—a feeling that had clearly led him to act in ways she found rather eccentric. "I know that well—better than you might expect. The Celestial Immortals Academy will be your next destination. I'm not certain if I'll be carrying out a mission there, but one thing is for sure: what I'll face will be far more challenging than fighting a pack of useless fools."
"You'll be entering a realm of the most brilliant minds and the most refined, elite scoundrels—a place far more dangerous than the 'hybrid' cultivation world we currently inhabit. That is precisely why I've had to be so incredibly cautious over the past ten months."
Alessandra offered no comment; instead, she gazed at him with an inscrutable expression, then shifted her eyes toward the sun, which was beginning to rise.
After watching him for a few moments, she gently patted his hair, her voice bright and cheerful:
"Tom, you must be careful on your journey. Make the absolute most of the next five months—break through to the 'Boundless' rank. You will need every ounce of your strength to survive the three years that follow."
"June 29th—you have only one day left as a student at the Fersalkin Academy. Choose carefully how you spend the coming months. Will you head to the Northern Continent—specifically to the Hua Yu clan, where Zhao Li once lived—or will you go to Mount Hua, the birthplace of the Plum Blossom Emperor? The choice, ultimately, is yours." Tom's expression shifted to a faint sadness as he listened to Alessandra. Yet, he had already decided on his destination: Mount Hua, the birthplace of the Plum Blossom Emperor.
As her hand pulled away from his hair, he gazed at her for a few seconds before resting his face against her chest—a gesture that left her both bewildered and slightly annoyed by its peculiar, somewhat brazen nature. Had she not been an intrinsic part of his very being, she would have kicked him straight out of the realm of the living—and the afterlife, for good measure.
"I know what I must do now, but I am so tired—exhausted, truly. I am weary of bearing everything, yet I remain that same fool who needs everyone else by his side."
"After all, I am a tree; a tree cannot live or flourish in isolation. It requires the world around it to remain alive."
Alessandra remained silent as she listened, cradling his head and resting her chin upon it, while he, in turn, wrapped his arms around her waist.
She sighed, watching him for several long moments before whispering into his ear:
"And yet, Tom, you must rely solely upon yourself. You are, after all, Ji Yao Li—the former leader of the Guardians of the Sacred Tree of Existence. Be the one upon whom others can depend; for in the end, it is the tree that can endure the harshest conditions that truly survives."
Alessandra's form began to dissolve into a shimmering, golden-white mist, flowing back into his body. She vanished, leaving Tom frozen in place—like a broken doll—for several minutes. While he agreed with Alessandra—that, for the most part, one must rely solely on oneself—he also knew that, just as one cannot clap with a single hand, that same hand is nonetheless capable of delivering a powerful punch, or handling a wide range of tasks, from signing agreements to much more. Even so, he was certain that, as time went on, he would inevitably need others to help resolve various problems.
He decided to continue on his way without saying a word, sensing that idle chatter would, in the end, change nothing at all.