Lee Tae-sung walked confidently through the Mortu Nocturn branch.
When he first discovered the map in the ring, he hadn’t even dared to think about coming here.
A branch belonging to one of the large forces of the Unorthodox Faction was a place where one’s life could be at risk just by approaching it.
But now that he was the victor, Lee Tae-sung had nothing to hold him back.
*Nod*
As he moved, he saw a First-class Member of the Flying Dragon Clan handling the aftermath of the battle.
The man gave Lee Tae-sung a slight nod.
Normally, First-class Members didn’t show such respect to one another.
Furthermore, Lee Tae-sung was technically the youngest among the First-class Members.
However, news had spread that he was the hero of this war and was slated for promotion to a Special-class Disciple.
Consequently, people were already treating him with the appropriate respect.
‘Is this the place?’
Following the map, he arrived at a building not far from the Branch Manager’s office.
It looked like a place where servants had originally stayed.
There was no particular security, and it didn’t look important.
After entering, Lee Tae-sung went down to the basement.
The map was pointing further down.
“Hmm. There’s no path.”
Abeson said, suddenly appearing beside him.
“The location is definitely here.”
Lee Tae-sung figured that made sense, considering it was a map from hundreds of years ago.
Elleun was a place with a history much older than that, but the Mortu Nocturn branch hadn’t existed back then.
“I’ll try breaking through.”
Lee Tae-sung drew his sword.
Then, he channeled the energy of the Heavenly Net Flame Hand.
*Sizzle!*
Having reached Level 6 in proficiency, he was now able to draw out the energy of the Heavenly Net Flame Hand through his sword.
Flames as concentrated as magma dripped from the tip of the blade.
The mere heat scorched the dirt on the floor, and Lee Tae-sung swung his sword down toward it.
Red Cloud Seven Forms —
Heavy Sword Form.
Among the techniques of the Red Cloud Seven Forms, this was the one that delivered the heaviest and most intense strike.
When combined with the energy of the Heavenly Net Flame Hand, it unleashed a burst of explosions and heat.
Dust rose in thick clouds, and when he swept it away, a gaping hole was revealed.
“I’ll give it a few more hits.”
Lee Tae-sung unleashed the same strike several times in a row.
*Boom! Boom!*
The impact was strong enough to shake the ground.
‘I never would have discovered this place if we hadn’t won the war.’
Even if he had tried to infiltrate secretly, wouldn’t he have been caught eventually while making this much noise?
But right now, everyone else was poking around for Mortu Nocturn’s treasures, so this level of commotion wouldn’t draw any attention.
After digging down about 3 meters, a black, shimmering surface appeared before Lee Tae-sung’s eyes.
Abeson let out a low groan.
“The Dark Spirit Realm? What is that?”
The Flame Spirit Realm, the Wind Spirit Realm, the Water Spirit Realm, and so on.
In the depths of the continent, there were places connected to other dimensions known as Spirit Realms.
As it turned out, this place was connected to the Dark Spirit Realm.
They probably didn’t realize there was a gate to a Spirit Realm right beneath them, but thanks to that entrance, this land became a place where those of the Black Magic lineage could receive assistance.
This was because Dark Spirits added strength to fields like the Unorthodox Faction, Black Magic, and Necromancy.
Back then, the manager of the Mortu Nocturn branch likely felt this faint energy that was helpful to them and bought the land to build on it.
“Seeing as the map points here, it seems your son went inside. Should we follow him?”
<…….>
Abeson hesitated at Lee Tae-sung’s words.
The son he had exchanged letters with was a kind and pure child.
He wondered why that child would leave a map pointing toward the Dark Spirit Realm.
Although he wanted to go inside immediately…
<…No. Forget it. Let’s withdraw. All Spirit Realms are dangerous, but the Dark Spirit Realm is especially severe. It’s not a place where humans can live.>
It was too dangerous for Lee Tae-sung, who was helping him.
“Are you really okay with that?”
“!!”
A wicked voice suddenly echoed from inside the Spirit Realm.
Lee Tae-sung jerked back in surprise, and Abeson shouted urgently.
A Dark Spirit, clumped together like a ball of black light, emerged from the entrance.
Sensing that the creature’s energy was unusual, Lee Tae-sung funneled all his power into the Heavenly Fire Holy Law Art.
<…!!! Hieeeeek!! Th-th-th-the Flame Emperor!!??>
“?”
The Dark Spirit suddenly slammed itself into the ground and began bashing its own body against the floor repeatedly.
—
Lee Tae-sung and Abeson couldn’t understand what was happening.
They calmed the Dark Spirit and asked for the whole story.
The creature answered Lee Tae-sung’s questions submissively while trembling in fear.
The answer was quite a spectacle.
One day, the Flame Emperor had invaded the Dark Spirit Realm.
During his rampage, half of the Spirit Realm was nearly destroyed.
The number of spirits extinguished at that time was countless, and among them was an ultra-high-rank spirit who had been designated as the next Spirit King.
Therefore, the spirit had a seizure the moment it encountered Lee Tae-sung, who gave off the exact same energy as the Flame Emperor.
Abeson looked like he couldn’t believe it.
He knew his lifelong rival—though he might have been the only one who thought of it that way—was a troublemaker, but he hadn’t realized it was to this extent.
The trembling Dark Spirit begged Lee Tae-sung for mercy.
Lee Tae-sung looked at Abeson.
“It’s a bit strange that they’re still so afraid when it must have been hundreds of years ago.”
Simply put, it felt like the successor of a villain—who had turned their entire house into a mess and “educated” their friends—had visited again just one week later.
‘It’s understandable that they’d be afraid.’
Only then could Lee Tae-sung understand the spirit’s reaction.
“Hey, spirit.”
“That’s right. I am the successor of Master Flame Emperor.”
<…….>
In reality, he wasn’t a successor who had been formally recognized while the master was alive, but since he was finding his legacy one by one, he was indeed the successor.
At Lee Tae-sung’s answer, the spirit’s movements froze as if it had seen something terrifying.
“I have a favor to ask.”
“Can you guide me through the Dark Spirit Realm?”
“No. I’m looking for something. I just want to find it quietly and leave.”
In a situation where he thought he couldn’t track Abeson’s son’s traces anymore, a breakthrough had appeared.
Since things had turned out this way, Lee Tae-sung wanted to see it through to the end.
<…Are you serious? You won’t go on a rampage, you won’t destroy anything, and you won’t extinguish other spirits?>
“Of course.”
The spirit’s voice was suspicious, but it nodded its head.
—
Lee Tae-sung and Abeson entered the interior of the Dark Spirit Realm.
The spirit guided them from the front.
While it had looked like just a black light from the outside, it took on a complete form inside.
The creature, which looked like a small cat, introduced itself as “Gobel,” a low-rank Dark Spirit.
“I heard that if you make a contract with a spirit, you can borrow its power?”
Gobel’s shoulders stiffened as it answered sharply.
“You don’t have to be so tense.”
Gobel began slapping its own mouth.
Lee Tae-sung was curious about something.
‘I heard that spirit magic can be used just by contracting with a spirit.’
That was why Spirit Mages were born only through talent.
Although Lee Tae-sung didn’t particularly have talent for spirits, he wondered if he could form a contract since this spirit was being so submissive.
So, he made a cautious suggestion.
“Then, do you want to form a contract with me?”
“OFL….”
Did it hate it that much?
Lee Tae-sung smacked his lips in disappointment.
To be honest, even if a contract were possible, he would have had to seriously consider it.
Lee Tae-sung’s mana carried a faint aura of holy power due to the Heavenly Fire Holy Law Art.
If the power of a Dark Spirit were added to this, a conflict would surely occur.
He felt certain of that even without trying it.
Deciding to drop the subject of the contract for now, he walked forward.
The interior of the Spirit Realm was surprisingly not that different from the continent.
They were on a path through a meadow, and it was more ordinary than expected, except for the sky and the ground being somewhat dark.
This was what Abeson said beside him.
As they followed the path, they encountered a moderately sized mansion.
However, the windows throughout the building were all covered with iron bars.
“Come to think of it, you said you were a jailer. What’s inside?”
‘Light Spirits?’
He had intended to go there anyway to ask the prisoners if they knew about old man Abeson’s son, but the mention of Light Spirits piqued his interest.
Maybe he could try to arrange a contract?
Unlike Dark Spirits, there wouldn’t be any side effects to using that power.
“Can I take a look?”
Gobel never said no to anything Lee Tae-sung said.
Thus, they entered the mansion used as a prison.
As they walked, they encountered other Dark Spirits that appeared to be jailers.
The other Dark Spirits licked their lips as their eyes sparkled upon seeing Lee Tae-sung.
Gobel became restless, but instead of saying anything, Lee Tae-sung channeled his power.
The mana of the Heavenly Fire Holy Law Art spread into the surroundings, and the spirits who felt that energy scattered in a panic as if they had seen something horrific.