He left his home immediately, without a moment's hesitation.
"Right, I need a new test subject and a suitable hideout to keep them in."
Seol Haoran mused to himself, casting calm, measured glances around him to avoid drawing suspicion with his unusual behavior.
Closing his eyes for a few seconds, he searched his memory for a fitting location. He recalled the residence of the former leader of the Hwa-Yu Clan—a man known as the Great Demonic Venerable, Yong Yu-jung—who had ruled over a millennium ago.
A sinister smile spread across his face, and a crimson glint flickered in his cold eyes.
"The residence of the Great Demonic Venerable, Yong Yu-jung. Over the centuries, as the clan's territory shifted and underwent renovations, the house ended up deep within the forest—now a forbidden zone for all clan members."
"And then there are the rumors—none of them pleasant. They say he even forced people to refine Gu for him."
Seol Haoran thought to himself, his inner voice laced with excitement and satisfaction.
Suddenly, his expression shifted as he glanced toward the runic portal used to display the test results on Jeju Island.
Looking around, he noticed the members of the Hwa-Yu Clan, their faces frozen in utter shock.
"What on earth happened while I was busy with my breakthrough?"
Seol Haoran sighed, puzzled. He decided on the most efficient way to get what he wanted without unnecessary chatter: a thinly veiled form of extortion. He grabbed a passerby firmly by his clothing, causing the man great distress. However, the moment he realized it was Seol Haoran, his expression shifted instantly to one of sheer terror.
Seol Haoran was already at the level of a clan elder; furthermore, he had reached the late stage of the third rank—just one step away from breaking through to the fourth rank and attaining the status of a clan leader.
Sensing Seol Haoran's intent before a word was even spoken—or perhaps simply terrified of landing in a predicament he couldn't easily escape—the man began blurting out everything he knew.
Seol Haoran, however, showed no sign of letting him go. Instead, he saw an opportunity: with the members of the Hua Yu clan preoccupied with preparations for tomorrow's beast waves, many people would be gathered at the clan center.
In a cold, uncompromising tone that left no room for argument—instilling both fear and submission in the man—Seol Haoran spoke:
"I intend to scout the surrounding area. You would do well to follow me—without any useless chatter."
The second-rank Gu Master swallowed hard, nodding in agreement, before heading toward the clan center to inform the clan leader.
As they made their way toward the center, a faint smile touched Seol Haoran's lips; he had found a far better solution than risking his own life by dumping the remains of the corpse out in the wilderness. He slipped the storage ring into the pocket of the Rank 2 Gu Master without the latter noticing, ensuring that if the ring were ever searched, the blame for the murder would fall upon him. Having done so, he continued on his way, acting as if nothing had happened.
A few minutes later, at the heart of the Hua Yu clan, the two of them knelt respectfully before the clan leader—a gesture that left the leader somewhat bewildered.
In a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, Siul Haoran spoke:
"My companion and I decided to go on an exploratory mission; he sensed something suspicious and wanted to put his mind at ease. I chose to assist him, and he asked me to inform you on his behalf, as he felt too embarrassed to do so himself."
The clan leader cast a suspicious glance at Siul Haoran. Given his notorious reputation within the Hua Yu clan, it was impossible for anyone to believe him so easily.
Siul Haoran was well aware of this—he could see the utter disbelief in the eyes of every clan member present. Yet, this reaction was hardly surprising, considering everything he had done over the past two years.
He spoke again, his tone heavy with sorrow, as if he had been betrayed by his own kin:
"Is this how you look at me? Was I not the first to confront the leader of the Barbarian clan when he sought to destroy the Hua Yu clan a year ago? Was it not I who sacrificed a rare Gu for the sake of this clan when the merchant Ji Tang Li attempted to seize the Spring of Life? Even if I have treated you poorly in the past, I was the very first person to make sacrifices for the Hua Yu clan." Everyone remained silent, gazing toward Seol Haoran. They were overcome with regret and guilt, recalling all he had done for the Hua Yu clan.
The leader of the Hua Yu clan spoke in an apologetic tone—a gesture that led Seol Haoran to mock both him and everyone else present, deep within his own mind.
"I offer my apologies, on my own behalf and on behalf of the entire Hua Yu clan. However, it is quite late; leaving the premises is not permitted, except in cases of absolute necessity."
"Very well—tomorrow, I shall authorize a scouting expedition for you, and ensure you are provided with everything you might need for the journey. I pledge this upon my honor and the honor of my ancestors."
Seol Haoran chuckled inwardly as he listened to the clan leader's words.
*So, you wish to elevate your standing within the clan by exploiting my past achievements, casting yourself in the role of a fair and just ruler? Well done—you've succeeded.*
Seol Haoran's tone was laced with sarcasm as he rose from his seat.
He and the Rank 2 Gu Master spoke simultaneously:
"Thank you, Clan Leader Yu Ziyang, for your immense generosity."
Yet, the pleasant atmosphere was short-lived. One of the clan elders, looking puzzled, retrieved a storage-ring Gu from the foot of the Rank 2 Gu Master.
The elder cast a cold, piercing glare at the Rank 2 Gu Master—a look so intense that the man collapsed to the ground, paralyzed by terror.
As for Seol Haoran, he feigned ignorance, pretending not to understand the situation. After all, he was only eighteen years old, and by their reckoning, he had begun his path as a Gu Master just six years prior. "Elder Ming Yu-mao, something is strange. Why is there a scent of blood coming from your hand?"
Seol Ha-oran's tone was filled with bewilderment, leaving everyone present in a state of deep shock.
Clan Elder Ming Yu-mao then spoke, confirming Seol Ha-oran's observation:The following day, Friday, July 24th, at 8:30 AM, everyone was gathered at the dining table. The Venerable "Heaven's Blessing" Izlabeth was present, unlike the Venerable "Lotus Blossom" Jiehao Yuxuan and the Venerable "Final Patch" Pingtao Xin—both of whom had decided against remaining in the same space as Yuta. After all, who could say for sure who might end up exploiting whom?
In a calm, measured tone, the Venerable "Heaven's Blessing" Izlabeth spoke:
"Jia Caseral—my second son's other half—you should take some time to rest. I know you've been meditating these past few days; I truly encourage that, my dear."
Jia offered no verbal response to the Venerable "Heaven's Blessing" Izlabeth, choosing instead to nod in agreement—a gesture that drew a faint smile from the elder.
Izlabeth then turned her gaze toward Yuta, who was eating with complete composure. Yet, she sensed that he was contemplating something.
"So, when do you depart for the Northern Continent?"
Though her tone remained calm, the question drew everyone's attention toward her.
Yuta glanced at her with a flicker of mild annoyance, but he chose to let it slide—after all, he would be leaving soon enough.
Continuing to eat, he replied in a calm, steady voice:
"I'll be leaving at the start of next month; there are still many things I need to take care of." Kerry and Liri's expressions were filled with shock as they listened to Yuta's declaration. Yet, they could say nothing to stop him; they knew him too well—once he made up his mind, he would invariably see it through.
The two sighed in frustration, lamenting the fact that they hadn't spent much time with him over the past few days. Observing them, the Venerable Blessing of the Heavens, Islabeth, offered a faint, gentle smile.
In a calm, soft tone, she addressed them:
"Well, how about you both join me for a stroll through the palace gardens? It should be quite delightful."
Astonishment washed over Kerry and Liri's faces. They nodded in agreement, though they were clearly hesitant—they weren't accustomed to interacting with strangers, and the Venerable Blessing of the Heavens, Islabeth, was still someone they were not yet used to.
Elsewhere, Gia recalled the words spoken by "Nameless" that day—back when she had activated the "Memories of the Queen" ability from *I am the Great Outcast* and accessed Nameless's "Palace of Everything."
"Yuto will tell you everything you need to know for now. It might seem like a lot, but it's information you must possess. Afterward, you'll need to break through to the 'Boundless' rank to unlock your wings; once you do, you'll be able to evolve almost entirely on your own."
Gia sighed inwardly, staring down at her food. Every so often, she would glance toward Yuta, trying to fathom the true nature of this absurd game. Was it a part of Yuta, a fragment of Nameless, or perhaps both? Jia wasn't entirely sure what was happening around her, but she was certain of one thing: whatever she was about to hear would change the way she viewed the world—and Yuta. Then again, even that wasn't something she could be entirely sure of.
She rose from her seat and left the room, heading toward her own quarters to get some rest. Yuta and the Venerable "Heaven's Blessing" Islabeth watched her go in silence, both fully aware of what was weighing on her mind.
Meanwhile, in her bedroom, Jia lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling with a puzzled expression:
"Strange. The ability—the memories of the 'Queen of the World' from *I am the Great Outcast* and the 'Palace of Everything Nameless'—hasn't triggered even once since that day. Is there something I'm supposed to do, or...?"
Jia's tone was laced with bewilderment as she recalled that day—the first time she had encountered "Nameless."
What surprised her, however, was that she felt no panic. She knew he was part of "the other entity." Could this be linked to Yuta's mental fortitude and his own acceptance of that reality—to the point where her own subconscious now treated the fact as something mundane, something she had already heard before?
Jia couldn't come up with any other explanation; she simply perceived it as an ordinary detail. Still, it was deeply frustrating—she had wanted to prove that she didn't need anyone, only to discover that she was, in fact, a part of another entity.
With a faint, annoyed sigh, she pulled the "First Creator's Phone" from her inventory, her gaze fixed on it as she prepared to watch the day's recording. She activated the first creator's phone, navigated to the main menu, and tapped on the voice recording app. She stared at the day's latest entry, her expression tinged with a certain tension.
Still, she decided to listen—after all, what could possibly happen? But just as she was about to play it, Yuta stopped her, his gaze calm and steady.
"If I were you, I wouldn't play this recording. Six days have passed—six recordings—and this is the seventh. I advise against opening it right now; your level of perception isn't developed enough to handle what you'd hear. The words themselves might seem ordinary, but their impact on you would be entirely different."
Yuta pulled his hand away and sat down beside her—a gesture that left her feeling rather bewildered. Sitting next to another version of herself was profoundly strange; it was as if she were looking into a mirror that had flipped her gender.
Breaking the silence, Yuta glanced at her from the corner of his eye and asked:
"I heard 'Nameless' told you that I would explain everything. Was he right?"
Jia met his gaze with a calm, steady look—all the confirmation he needed. A faint smile touched his lips as he reached toward her face, but she instinctively pulled away. He then burst into loud laughter, pulling his hand back:
"Hahahaha! I suppose you're afraid of that now, aren't you? But don't worry—it's gone! After all, I grabbed your hand just a few seconds ago! Hahahaha! You're such a silly girl, Jia!"
Jia shot him a look of clear annoyance. Without a moment's hesitation—having waited for this very instant for a long time—she threw a powerful punch straight at his face.
However, he caught her wrist with ease—a feat that earned him a look of slight annoyance, as the disparity in their strength was immense.
She recalled the two times he had forced a kiss upon her—once at the Versalkin Academy, and again on Jeju Island—and her expression shifted to one of utter contempt and disgust.
"You vile, repulsive scoundrel—you womanizing piece of trash!" she spat, her voice laced with a mix of scorn and revulsion, leaving him somewhat taken aback. "Have you grown so bored with women that you've decided to start dating yourself instead?!"
Yuta said nothing; he was stunned that such a thought had even crossed her mind, especially since he had come to see her regarding a matter of great importance. Were her feminine traits finally taking over, or what?
Regardless, one thing was certain: he did not love her, and the feeling was mutual. His previous kisses had been nothing more than a ruse to make others believe they were a couple—a fact she was well aware of—yet she had chosen to use the moment simply to insult him.