Archive of Our Own

Sleep doesn’t come easily to Yoo Joonghyuk, especially after a day of intense training.

Instead of falling asleep the moment his head touches his pillow—like some people he knows—all the things he avoided thinking about during the day start flooding his mind. Things ranging from martial drills to tomorrow’s dinner. The state of his parents to the upcoming conference.

He’s thinking of his sister and how she’s fairing in Seon Ju Peak where he isn’t allowed to visit her, when he hears clinking near his head. Coming from the wall.

Or rather, from outside the wall, where he knows someone is likely throwing pebbles at his shack to get his attention.

One advantage of being the head disciple is having his own cabin on the peak. The disciple dormitories are too warm and, frankly, too messy for him to sleep comfortably. His quarters are much better than what a regular Baek Jeon disciple is provided.

The only, but significant, disadvantage of his cabin is that it’s conspicuous. And everyone knows where he stays, including people from other peaks.

Including the head disciple of Cheong Jeong who refuses to leave Yoo Joonghyuk alone.

“Hey, Yoo Joonghyuk! Are you asleep already? I know you’re not so come out,” the person outside whispers just loud enough for him to hear.

Yoo Joonghyuk sits up, grabs a thick outer robe from his closet, and puts it on over his sleeping garments.

By the time he reaches his intruder’s location, the boy has already run out of small pebbles and is debating whether to use a large rock or stop entirely.

Yoo Joonghyuk watches him, unimpressed, for a little while before clearing his throat. “What do you want?”

The boy—intruder, fellow head disciple, menace, Kim Dokja—looks up, attention drawn away from the large piece of rock.

“Soooooo,” Kim Dokja begins, as though continuing a conversation, not starting one in the middle of the night. “What did you and your master talk about?”

Yoo Joonghyuk raises a brow. “Is this why you came all this way?” he wants to ask but simply shrugs and answers the question. “The Immortal Alliance Conference.”

This sort of inquiry isn’t unusual for Kim Dokja. Ever since their first meeting—and throughout their friendship—he’s been rather involved in Yoo Joonghyuk’s training and accomplishments.

From the moment Kim Dokja first approached him, demanding a spar with the shining star of Baek Jeon Peak and then embarrassed him in front of a crowd, he had taken an unusual interest in Yoo Joonghyuk’s martial progress.

Of course, Yoo Joonghyuk was suspicious at first. He convinced himself that Kim Dokja’s attempts to discuss his training were part of a ploy to sabotage his cultivation. It wouldn’t have been the first time a martial sibling treated him cruelly.

His background, without an influential family at his beck and call, made bullies think he was an easy target. Someone to push around with no consequences.

Unlike most kids at Chang Gung Mountain, whose parents owned mansions in the capital city and whose families paid a dowry’s amount in spirit stones to get their children to learn under certain famed masters, Yoo Joonghyuk happened upon the disciple selection purely by chance, then caught Namgung Minyoung’s attention solely through talent and potential.

He hadn't exactly been receptive to Kim Dokja's constant prodding. But as they got to know each other, as Kim Dokja weaseled his way into Yoo Joonghyuk’s life, he came to realize Kim Dokja’s fishing for information was born from a desire to help.

And as Kim Dokja smuggled scroll after scroll from the extensive libraries of Cheong Jeong, and gave away priceless pills and elixirs that would aid Yoo Joonghyuk’s cultivation, he had—much to Yoo Joonghyuk’s dismay—become a close friend.

When asked why he went to such trouble for a stranger, Kim Dokja said, “Think of it as insurance. I have little desire to keep up with my martial training after I become Peak Lord. I plan to use up all the favors I've accumulated to have you protect me, so I can spend my days lounging around, reading, or researching without doing any heavy lifting. Hence, I call you my colleague, my business associate. This one looks forward to working with you!” 

Yoo Joonghyuk could tell Kim Dokja wasn’t being completely honest, likely omitting something, but he let it go, knowing he wouldn’t get an answer no matter how much he pried.

Looking at Kim Dokja now, sitting on the ground excited by the prospect of attending the Immortal Alliance Conference together brings a warmth to his chest he only ever feels when he’s with his sister.

“I knew it! I told you it was time she asked you about it. She sure took her time with it, though.”

“There were plenty of other disciples who had requested to compete,” Yoo Joonghyuk makes an excuse for his master but does not refute that she would eventually pick him to represent their peak.

“Yeah, okay,” Kim Dokja scoffs.

The short conversation comes to a lull.

Usually, Kim Dokja never runs out of things to say. Whether it’s talking about his most recent “trashy novel” find or tips from sketchy merchants about yet another undefeatable weapon, he always has a topic to discuss. But today is different. The boy who has never learned the meaning of the phrase “shut up” sits in complete, solemn silence.

When Kim Dokja finally speaks up, it’s ominous. “Yoo Joonghyuk, you know we’re friends, right?”

“Yes,” Yoo Joonghyuk replies without hesitation. He would have refused to admit it under any other circumstance, but the earnestness of the question throws him off guard. Kim Dokja is rarely if ever, this heartfelt.

“You know I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you, right?” he asks again.

Yoo Joonghyuk immediately knows the answer to that question. It’s a yes. He knows with his heart, mind, and soul that Kim Dokja would never jeopardize his safety. Sure, there have been a few incidents between them that ended up with injuries on either side, but they were never serious or intentional.

Despite the easy answer, both the question and his response creep under Yoo Joonghyuk’s skin, filling him with dread.

“I know,” he answers anyway, swallowing the lump in his throat.

“We’re life and death companions, afterall.” Kim Dokja chuckles. There’s very little humor in it. “Remember that, okay?”

Kim Dokja then bids him goodbye and is gone before Yoo Joonghyuk can even ask what that was all about.

He thinks about giving chase and demanding answers, but it’s late, and Kim Dokja is not one to divulge information he isn’t willing to share.

So, Yoo Joonghyuk goes to bed. He falls asleep thinking about Kim Dokja and the first time he was called the latter’s “Life and Death Companion”.

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

“You’re claiming you know exactly where to find this beast?” Yoo Joonghyuk asks. He knows Kim Dokja is unusually knowledgeable when it comes to monsters, demons, and gear, but this seems overly dubious even for him.

“It should be hatching season, so yes,” Kim Dokja responds under his breath, his gaze still on the ground, trying to make out where the footprints are leading. “If we’re lucky, we can snatch one of the unfertilized eggs and make a healing salve with it. Acquire one of the most sought-after materials in the cultivation world and complete a part of my head disciple task in one go. Two birds with one stone.”

Yoo Joonghyuk frowns at that. He wasn’t told anything about the egg heist part of the plan, and neither were their masters.

Before he can voice his grievances and scold Kim Dokja for never being forthcoming with his intentions during outings like this, a loud shriek startles them both.

“This way!” Kim Dokja exclaims after his initial stupor, walking directly toward the source of the noise.

Yoo Joonghyuk sighs and reluctantly follows.

Once they have eyes on the Three-Horned Phoenix, Kim Dokja slows down as they approach their target. After finding a dense enough bush to hide behind, he kneels on the ground and takes out a few talismans. “I need you to lure it away from its nest. I’ll secure the eggs in the meantime.” Without waiting for a response, Kim Dokja rushes away toward another hiding spot.

When Yoo Joonghyuk jumps out of the bush and makes a ruckus of himself, he doesn’t have much choice in the matter. It’s either have the beast chase him around and potentially kill it before Kim Dokja even comes back, or let it attack Kim Dokja to make a point of his displeasure.

The correct choice has never been more obvious.

Yoo Joonghyuk draws his sword and uses a significant amount of energy to make it glare. The light from the sword is so bright, that it stuns the bird beast for a moment before it can correctly identify Yoo Joonghyuk as a threat to itself and its nest.

With the monster's attention drawn solely to him, Yoo Joonghyuk makes a run for it. His steps are quick and light even when he’s not using the Air Steps technique. Using it would risk losing the monster’s interest. So, he relies purely on his physical strength to outrun his prey.

The bird monster follows closely, though never at full speed. The density of the trees makes it harder for the creature to spread its wings and fly. Yoo Joonghyuk takes advantage of this, dashing between trees and hiding behind them, ensuring the bird never loses sight of his still-glowing sword.

Pleased with how far they are from the bird’s nest—and slightly concerned that it’s catching up so quickly—Yoo Joonghyuk stops his dashing to fight.

His first strike catches the bird off guard. The slash connects with its ankle, eliciting a pained caw. The bird retaliates with a swipe of its claws, but Yoo Joonghyuk blocks the attack with his sword, leaps to the right, and thrusts toward the bird’s belly. This time, the attack doesn’t land. The bird dodges by flying overhead and going for his back, but Yoo Joonghyuk’s sword is there to block the claws even before they become tangled in some vines.

The Three-Horned Phoenix isn’t really a phoenix—it’s named for its brightly colored feathers—but that doesn’t make it an easy kill. With venomous claws that can paralyze, or kill in the worst cases, the creature is more than ferocious. So, Yoo Joonghyuk must be extra diligent with his dodges.

The claws it’s so used to using as a deadly weapon don’t serve the bird very well in these circumstances. Each swipe gets stuck on tree branches. When one does manage to connect, Yoo Joonghyuk easily parries with his sword.

The fight drags on without either gaining the upper hand. Yoo Joonghyuk isn’t tall enough to strike the bird when it flies, and the bird isn’t precise enough to hit him with its claws.

Maintaining the sword’s glare is exhausting. With the monster now enraged, Yoo Joonghyuk knows he must end the fight quickly.

If he can get enough distance to use Air Steps, he’s confident he can kill the bird easily enough. The challenge with that is getting that distance. Unfortunately for the monster, Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t rise to the top among hundreds of disciples without taking risks during battles.

He turns to flee, intending to create enough space to strike at the bird flying overhead.

The Three-Horned Phoenix, equally frustrated with the fight, has a similar idea. Flapping its wings and getting further away from Yoo Joonghyuk, it shrieks again. As its beak stays open long after the sound has been produced, he notices particles of red appearing in the monster’s mouth!

Alarm bells go off in Yoo Joonghyuk’s mind. This isn’t a normal Three-Horned Phoenix! Fire breathing is exclusive to ancient monsters that have begun cultivating real phoenix traits.

Yoo Joonghyuk by himself is outmatched, and grossly underprepared. His only viable course of action right now is to run as far away as possible as fast as he can and pray that the fire doesn’t reach him.

As he runs, the monster not giving chase, he thinks if Kim Dokja is aware of their prey’s specialty. Whether he decided to omit yet another fact instead of communicating with Yoo Joonghyuk like a normal person.

His thoughts come to a halt when he feels the heat brewing behind him. Even before the phoenix releases its fire, Yoo Joonghyuk can feel the temperature rising. He readies himself for the oncoming attack. He can’t make it out of the phoenix’s range in time. But using his sword as a conduit for spiritual energy and turning it into a source of some cooling might save him from certain death.

Decision made, Yoo Joonghyuk plants his feet, grips his sword, and pours all his remaining energy into creating a shield of cold. The last thing he sees before closing his eyes is the almost phoenix, ready to burn him to ashes.

Instead of the telltale caw of a phoenix breathing fire, Yoo Joonghyuk hears another pained shriek followed by a distinctly human cry. He opens his eyes and starts sprinting toward the sound before his mind can catch up with his body.

Kim Dokja is standing there, his sword lodged in the phoenix’s corpse some meters away from him, clutching his stomach.

“Kim Dokja!”

Kim Dokja is smiling when he falls to his knees, blood seeping into his robes.

Despite the perilous situation, even the faintest smile on Kim Dokja's lips twists something in Yoo Joonghyuk—something he refuses to name.

“What happened?!”

Kim Dokja shakes his head and allows Yoo Joonghyuk to examine his injury. Yoo Joonghyuk exhales in relief. The cut isn’t too deep. Just a surface wound that hasn’t harmed any of Kim Dokja’s internal organs.

However, his relief is quick to fade. The cut isn’t the issue, it’s the venom.

“I got to it before it noticed I was even there.” He grimaces slightly. “I didn’t expect to nick myself in its claws when we landed.”

Yoo Joonghyuk grabs Kim Dokja’s pouch and rummages around for an elixir that’ll slow the venom’s progress. He finds an unlabeled glass vial with some sort of fluid inside. Kim Dokja doesn’t stop Yoo Joonghyuk from feeding the concoction to him so he must have been right about its contents.

Kim Dokja’s breathing is a little labored, as expected, after being injected with a paralyzing venom directly in the belly. Thankfully, his heart rate is steady and he is not bleeding profusely.

Yoo Joonghyuk confirms that his death isn’t imminent. Only then does he speak.

“You’re a fool,” he says. Careful not to jostle him too much, he lifts Kim Dokja onto his back. “I would’ve survived the fire.”

Kim Dokja shakes his head. He points to where he placed the pouch with the unfertilized egg and rests his head on Yoo Joonghyuk’s shoulder once he’s sure they’ve secured their find. His hair brushes against his cheek, and for a brief moment, Yoo Joonghyuk wishes the sensation would last forever.

“And I will survive the venom,” Kim Dokja says.

The only reason Yoo Joonghyuk doesn’t refute Kim Dokja when he says that is because he, too, hopes that he survives the venom.

Yoo Joonghyuk doesn’t scold Kim Dokja for yet again sacrificing his well-being to protect him. It’s not that he doesn’t care; he just knows he wouldn’t be able to get it through Kim Dokja’s thick skull.

Kim Dokja, however, knows him well enough to understand exactly what he is thinking even without him saying anything. “Well, what a day, huh?”

Yoo Joonghyuk doesn’t answer.

“All of this is strengthening our friendship. Don’t you agree?”

“We’ve been through so much together, Joonghyuk-ah, haven’t we?”

“Friends through life, only separated by death. That’s what we are.”

Yoo Joonghyuk scoffs. Friends through life, his ass. The only reason they’ve been through this much is Kim Dokja’s tendency to just do stuff for Yoo Joonghyuk without telling him, always putting himself in dangerous situations. Like he knows Yoo Joonghyuk will find him to fix whatever mess he created this time.

“Life and death companions!”

Yoo Joonghyuk nearly trips upon hearing that. “You’re the biggest fool in all of Chang Gung.”

Does Kim Dokja not realize how overtly romantic that label sounds?

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

Preparing for the Immortal Alliance Conference is a lot of pain.

The training part? Yoo Joonghyuk is okay with it. He likes fighting, and furthering his cultivation doesn’t feel like a task when he enjoys it so much.

What is a pain is being dragged around by the An Jeong head disciple, who refuses to do her assigned work by herself.

The An Jeong head disciple, Han Sooyoung, will only be at the conference for logistical work as part of her task to prove she is worthy of her Future Peak Lord title. Unlike Yoo Joonghyuk, who only needs to focus on getting stronger and defeating as many legendary beasts as he can, Han Sooyoung must arrange how they will transport all the disciples and Peak Lords attending the conference. She needs to ensure they have enough food for the journey, that the horses are well-fed and rested, that every person and object is transported safely, and that she discusses all her decisions with both her master and the sect leader himself.

It’s a hard task; Yoo Joonghyuk will admit.

Therefore, Han Sooyoung refuses to suffer through all that work alone.

“You two are so fucking lucky,” Han Sooyoung grumbles.

The three of them are sitting in one of the private rooms in the Cheong Jeong Library. Han Sooyoung is currently reviewing her logs one last time before submitting them to be reviewed by her master. Meanwhile, Kim Dokja is engrossed in some book he picked up during their last trip to the town at the foot of the mountain.

“Yoo Joonghyuk gets to fight to prove his worth, and this idiot’s job is to paint fucking fans. Unbelievable! I can’t believe both of your peaks outrank mine in the hierarchy.”

Yoo Joonghyuk doesn’t listen to her complaints; all her words go in one ear and out the other, like most things she says.

Kim Dokja, however, takes offense. “Hey! My task is to assemble a group hunt and prove that I’ve mastered the four arts. That’s what the paintings are for.”

Han Sooyoung has some choice words for him in return. About how Cheong Jeong disciples are all uppity young masters and ladies with no real cultivation experience. Kim Dokja calls Han Sooyoung’s peak a group of glorified errand runners.

The two of them start arguing, calling each other names.

Yoo Joonghyuk doesn’t join in. He takes the opportunity to observe Kim Dokja while he’s too busy to notice.

They haven’t really spoken since that late-night rendezvous. Yoo Joonghyuk still remembers the sad smile Kim Dokja had on his face when he left—so unlike the teasing grin he usually wears. With only a few weeks left until the conference and a few weeks since the two of them had a real conversation, Kim Dokja’s behavior seems strange, to put it lightly. Yoo Joonghyuk has a feeling that Kim Dokja has been avoiding him. But he hasn’t had an opportunity to confront him about it. He planned to use this meeting to finally speak to Kim Dokja properly. He’s even more determined to do so now, after receiving that excuse of a letter from him asking to talk a little.

Despite her complaining and arguing non-stop, Han Sooyoung is an efficient worker. There’s a reason she, among all her peers, was chosen to be the head disciple. She’s done with her work not long after meeting up and leaves just as swiftly, claiming to be busy.

That leaves just him and Kim Dokja in the room, in complete silence.

Yoo Joonghyuk doesn’t break it and doesn't feel it is his responsibility to talk first. He has been attempting to get Kim Dokja to speak to him for the better part of a month now. Since Kim Dokja was the one to send him that note about wanting to converse, starting the conversation falls on him.

Which he does. “Uh- how are you? How’s training going?”

“Fine.”

“That’s… good.” Kim Dokja closes his book with a loud thud. “Well, the reason I called you here today is this.” He reaches inside his right sleeve to pull out a small pouch. He places it on the low table and pushes it toward Yoo Joonghyuk’s side.

Yoo Joonghyuk doesn’t reach for it. Only furrows his brows and stares. “What is this?”

“It’s a- it’s for… a survival kit in case of an emergency. I prepared one for the Immortal Alliance Conference.”

Yoo Joonghyuk has never been a straightforward person, always preferring to hide his actions of care behind terse words. But if he wants to get to the bottom of Kim Dokja’s recent weird behavior, he has to be forthcoming. “You’ve been acting off.”

Kim Dokja averts his gaze. “I’ve been busy with head disciple duties. You know how it is. Everything is just so hectic in preparation for the conference.”

“That’s not all.” Yoo Joonghyuk refuses to back down. He knows Kim Dokja, and the only reason he would be acting this way is, “You’re scared,” he concludes.

Yoo Joonghyuk knows he’s right when he hears Kim Dokja’s breath hitch. “I’m… worried. The Immortal Alliance Conference isn’t exactly known for its safety. If something were to go wrong—which is likely to happen—I want to be prepared.”

Yoo Joonghyuk reaches over the table to grab Kim Dokja’s emergency supply pouch. Looking over the items inside, he notices they’re mostly healing-related: salves, elixirs, pills, spirit stones to rejuvenate energy, and the like. What Kim Dokja claims seems in line with his actions today. He has always been a worrier.  As much as he tries to seem nonchalant around people, Yoo Joonghyuk knows every risk Kim Dokja takes is calculated. Every scheme that appears impulsive is part of a larger plot of his, or at the very least meticulously well thought out.

Being over-prepared and anxious about the Immortal Alliance Conference is in character for him.

However, Yoo Joonghyuk can tell that isn’t the whole story. The Kim Dokja he knows would never let this trivial worry show. He’d claim to be fine and in control of his emotions, all the while spiraling in worry. He wouldn’t be admitting his anxieties to Yoo Joonghyuk after a single not-even-threatening question.

Yoo Joonghyuk is tempted to jump over the table, grab the lapels of Kim Dokja’s robes, and give him a good shakedown. He wants to yell in his face to just talk to him. He wants Kim Dokja to know he’s there for him and that he can talk to him about anything—that he’s always been there for him ever since that first spar they had years ago.

But he doesn’t.

That is not who Yoo Joonghyuk is.

“Thank you for the supplies.” He takes the pouch and ties it to his belt.

Kim Dokja gives him an equally stunted reply. “Make sure to put it to good use.”

It’s as good a dismissal as any, and Yoo Joonghyuk takes that as his cue to leave.

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

Hundreds of disciples from various renowned sects, from Cheon-il Overlook to Seo Hwa Monastery, all stand in formation, looking up at the tower where all of their masters will be watching the competition. But Yoo Joonghyuk’s attention is elsewhere.

Kim Dokja stands to his left. Despite having three people between them, both are staring each other down instead of paying attention to the announcements about the rules.

For the first time in what feels like forever, Kim Dokja stares back at him with the intensity Yoo Joonghyuk has come to associate with him. He isn’t sad or solemn. He doesn’t look secretive or as if he’s plotting something. The only thing Yoo Joonghyuk can sense in his gaze is competitiveness. Yoo Joonghyuk’s pulse quickens, a familiar fire sparking in his chest. This is the Kim Dokja he knows.

And that’s what it all comes down to between them, isn’t it? Constant sparring and finding ways to one-up each other. That’s how they became friends in the first place.

Yoo Joonghyuk is still plenty worried about the conference. Kim Dokja’s sense for trouble is never wrong. If he found it necessary to prepare this much for today’s competition, Yoo Joonghyuk knows for certain something will go wrong. But it’s hard to care about that when the blood pumping through his veins is unusually hot, his qi practically begging to be used—he is raring to go.

Finally, the announcer finishes his explanation. A few moments pass in complete silence, the crowded arena so quiet one could hear a pin drop.

And—BANG!—the fireworks signaling the start of the competition go off!

Without even glancing back at Kim Dokja to see where he’s going, Yoo Joonghyuk runs east. With his speed, which outclasses most other attendees, he leaves the others in the dust.

His goal is to reach the border of the competition grounds—taking out weaker monsters on the way—then make his way toward the center. He knows Kim Dokja will adopt a similar tactic. This way, they’ll only come across each other far into the contest, toward the end. It’ll make it more exhilarating—comparing kill counts and gloating to see who will end up victorious in the most important event of their discipleship.

He makes it to the border soon enough and begins to work his way through the monsters in the area, slowly walking westward to reach the center.

About halfway through his journey, Yoo Joonghyuk has taken out so many different monsters he’s already lost count. Unlike others he’s encountered, Yoo Joonghyuk doesn’t pick and choose his battles—at least, not this time.

He was lectured on this matter by Namgung Minyoung before the conference: The number of kills isn't the only thing that affects their scores; the strength of the monster plays a part as well. Choosing to waste his time only on weaklings would not serve his purpose. It’d hinder his final score if anything.

Because of that, it takes him a bit longer than he’d prefer to make his way through all the monsters, but there’s nothing else he can do.

Yoo Joonghyuk is in the process of wiping blood from his sword when he hears a scream. The monsters brought for hunting shouldn’t be hard to deal with. And they certainly should not be capable of mimicking humans to draw in prey. The scream must have come from another human asking for help. So, he decides to follow the noise.

As he approaches, Yoo Joonghyuk realizes the scream isn’t an isolated cry for help; it’s a disaster.

People are running left and right, dodging, attacking, and yelling for help. The demonic qi in the air is so thick it’s making it hard for Yoo Joonghyuk to breathe.

Injuries aren’t uncommon during the Immortal Alliance Conference. Plenty of disciples who aren’t truly qualified attend to compete, only to lose a limb or their lives, in the worst-case scenario. But multiple groups of disciples being attacked by demonic monster species—that are definitely not appropriate prey for an event like this—is more than alarming.

Grateful that the demon spiders haven’t noticed him yet, Yoo Joonghyuk sprints toward the center with even more urgency. This time, he ignores the monsters in the area.

Once sure he won’t be caught by the spiders, he pulls out his emergency flare and fires it.

Only moments after his flare fades, dozens of other flares rise and explode, all from different areas of the competition grounds.

Something is not right.

Something has gone terribly wrong, and Yoo Joonghyuk needs to find Kim Dokja immediately.

On his way to find Kim Dokja, though he has no way of knowing his exact location, Yoo Joonghyuk encounters others dealing with similar situations. Demonic monsters attack disciples all around the competition grounds.

Yoo Joonghyuk stops to help several groups. He takes down a ferocious full-blooded demon, a few bone eagles trying to kill the spirit eagles used for surveillance, and some critters he can’t be bothered to identify. His attacks and battle strategy are as precise as always, but his mind is elsewhere. He needs to find Kim Dokja.

Yoo Joonghyuk is pushing the limits of exhaustion when he hears a familiar voice crying out in pain.

“Kim Dokja!”

This scene is a familiar one, even if the circumstances are not.

Kim Dokja is standing there, his sword a few meters away from him, knocked out of his hands, surrounded by bodies of monsters. He turns around upon hearing Yoo Joonghyuk calling out to him.

To Yoo Joonghyuk’s surprise, it’s not relief on Kim Dokja’s face that greets him. It’s terror.

“Are you hurt?” Yoo Joonghyuk asks but his question goes unanswered.

“You have to get out of here, right now!” The fear in his eyes isn’t for his own survival, Yoo Joonghyuk notices, it’s over Yoo Joonghyuk’s—like it always is.

“What are you talking about?” Yoo Joonghyuk asks. Then it hits him.

Kim Dokja knew this was going to happen. He knew the Immortal Alliance would be invaded, but he didn’t say anything about it. He only made sure Yoo Joonghyuk was adequately prepared and did nothing else.

Yoo Joonghyuk’s mind fills with countless questions.

How did he know? Why did he know? Why didn’t he say anything? What does this mean?

But never does he consider whether Kim Dokja poses a threat to him. Despite the confusion swirling in his mind, the possibility of betrayal doesn't even cross his mind.

Yoo Joonghyuk’s silence must have lasted too long because Kim Dokja clutches his hand and starts dragging him toward the outer corners of the competition grounds.

“Listen to me, Yoo Joonghyuk. You need to leave. Something… dangerous is coming, and you can’t be here when it does.”

Yoo Joonghyuk frowns. “I’m not leaving you here alone.”

That earns a surprised chuckle from Kim Dokja.

“I’ll be fine. You know how good a fighter I am. But you’re not safe here."

Yoo Joonghyuk doesn’t question how or why Kim Dokja knows this. He complies and lets himself be guided toward “safety”. If Kim Dokja says it’s dangerous for him to stay, Yoo Joonghyuk knows he’s telling the truth. But if he must leave the arena to be safe, Kim Dokja is coming with him.

“I know you must have questions. I swear I’ll explain everything later, but you just have to trust me,” Kim Dokja says, explaining even though Yoo Joonghyuk hasn’t asked for it.

“You have my trust,” Yoo Joonghyuk admits easily.

Kim Dokja’s steps falter. He turns to look at Yoo Joonghyuk. There’s a small smile playing on his lips. He looks like he’s about to say something when the ground starts shaking and rumbling, causing both of them to lose their balance.

“Oh no,” Kim Dokja mutters. “It’s already happening. I was too late.”

Yoo Joonghyuk doesn’t have time to dwell on what he means. The ground is shaking so violently that it’s difficult to stay standing. The tremors feel unnatural, almost as if the earth itself is trying to tear apart under some unseen force. And they only stop when the ground cracks beneath them.

“Watch out!” Kim Dokja yells, tackling Yoo Joonghyuk to the side.

Mere moments later, the earth splits, forming a huge sinkhole—larger than any Yoo Joonghyuk has seen before.

But this is no ordinary sinkhole, Yoo Joonghyuk quickly realizes. It emits an ominous red light and sweltering heat that he can only compare to real phoenix fire.

It’s not just the heat that’s oppressive—it’s the qi as well. The unfamiliar qi tries to trample Yoo Joonghyuk’s spiritual veins, and attempts to bend them to its will. It doesn’t succeed, though, and Yoo Joonghyuk manages to rid his system of the qi as quickly as it arrives.

The same thing cannot be said for Kim Dokja.

His best friend is kneeling on the ground, clawing at his head, tears streaking his face. Yoo Joonghyuk reaches out to place a hand on his back, intending to transfer some of his spiritual energy to help him withstand the sinkhole’s oppressive qi. But Kim Dokja’s veins reject his qi, lashing out instead.

That can mean their energies aren’t compatible, which he knows is not possible. They’re disciples of the same discipline, martial brothers from the same sect who have transferred qi in this exact way hundreds of times before. Or that Kim Dokja is having a qi deviation; also not possible as Yoo Joonghyuk can see that is not the case.

There’s only one other explanation Yoo Joonghyuk can think of: the qi flowing in Kim Dokja’s body isn’t human.

He pulls Kim Dokja toward his chest, attempting to sit him up straight. But Kim Dokja keeps prostrating, his head on the ground, hands scratching at the dirt.

Kim Dokja inhales shakily, speaking between loud sobs. “I’m sorry.”

Yoo Joonghyuk spots what he’s apologizing for right away.

Two small black horns are sprouting from Kim Dokja’s temples, barely visible amidst the locks of his hair. The back of his snow-white robes rips to make space for the growing bony wings. The transformation is grotesque. Yet Yoo Joonghyuk remains calm, anchored by the knowledge that despite his appearance, this is still Kim Dokja.

Yoo Joonghyuk stays kneeling by Kim Dokja’s side, still clutching him to his chest. The sharp wings poke him in the ribs, threatening to cut through the cloth, but he doesn’t care.

Kim Dokja swats at his hands, attempting to push him away. “Leave, Yoo Joonghyuk.”

Yoo Joonghyuk is not moved in the slightest. He stubbornly holds onto Kim Dokja. “I’m not leaving,” he insists. His voice tightens with urgency, but beneath it, there’s something else—a fear that has been brewing inside him all these year, the fear of losing Kim Dokja. “If they find out you’re a-” He cuts himself off without meaning to. “When they see you like this, they’ll kill you!”

“You ought to do the same,” Kim Dokja says. “How do you think all the demons here today got through Hwan Hwa’s security? It was me, Joonghyuk-ah. I knew what was happening today, and I allowed it. I helped.”

Yoo Joonghyuk clenches his jaw, biting the insides of his cheeks. He doesn’t need Kim Dokja to explain further; he’s already pieced together what happened today.

Kim Dokja is a demon—most likely a spy from one of the saintly families, sent here to disturb the sects and cause havoc.

But aside from this one incident, Kim Dokja has never done anything malicious. He hasn’t hurt his peers or sabotaged their cultivation, even though it’s common for even human cultivators to do so. He hasn’t botched missions or intentionally ruined their finds—quite the opposite.

He was always the first to volunteer for work like that—his completion rate almost perfect, only rivaled by Yoo Joonghyuk’s.

Yoo Joonghyuk refuses to believe that this is all there is to it. It can’t be true that Kim Dokja is demon nobility, and that everything he did was solely to keep up appearances.

He knows Kim Dokja, more intimately than he cares to admit. And whoever this is, it’s not him.

Plus, Kim Dokja’s identity doesn’t explain the appearance of the sinkhole, which Yoo Joonghyuk now realizes is a portal to the Endless Abyss.

Demon or not, even if he played a role in the attack, Kim Dokja couldn’t have anticipated the portal opening today, nor could he guarantee it would happen right in the middle of the competition grounds.

There’s so much more to the situation that Kim Dokja is not admitting.

So, Yoo Joonghyuk does what he always does when it comes to Kim Dokja: he refuses to back down. “We’re leaving. Together.”

Kim Dokja closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and finally sits up. He faces Yoo Joonghyuk head-on, his gaze intense, with all his demonic features out in the open.

His eyes, normally a dark brown, now have an unnatural red glint. Yoo Joonghyuk can also see that his fangs are noticeably larger and sharper.

“We can’t,” Kim Dokja says, his voice unchanged from the one Yoo Joonghyuk has heard a million times.

“The portal will not close until it claims all the souls it craves. A hundred human souls, at the very least.”

Yoo Joonghyuk cannot see how that affects them getting to safety and leaving the Abyss to the people in charge. Surely, there’s another way to seal the portal.

Kim Dokja stands up. He pats Yoo Joonghyuk on the back, as he always does, and steps closer to the edge of the portal.

“Someone with high enough cultivation might do the trick, though. If I—” or you, goes unsaid—“jump in, the portal might close for good.”

Yoo Joonghyuk’s eyes widen in shock, fear, and everything in between. Kim Dokja can not be planning on jumping into the portal, can he?

The Endless Abyss is exactly what the name suggests: an endless stretch of uninhabitable abyss, where only the toughest and most resilient of creatures can hope to survive. From the temperature to the geography, from the monsters dwelling within to the flora, everything in the Abyss is designed to kill.

If Kim Dokja manages to survive the fall, he will certainly not survive what comes next.

Regaining control of his thoughts, Yoo Joonghyuk moves to tackle Kim Dokja back to safety, away from the edge of the portal.

But, he doesn’t.

He can’t.

With that pat from before, Kim Dokja has sealed Yoo Joonghyuk’s qi and movements.

Now, Yoo Joonghyuk can’t do anything.

He can only watch, screaming at Kim Dokja to stop as the latter turns his back on him, looking down at the depths of the Abyss.

“Let's meet again, Yoo Joonghyuk.”

Kim Dokja jumps.

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

Yoo Joonghyuk doesn’t remember how he got back to the sect.

Everything after Kim Dokja’s descent into the Endless Abyss is a blur. One moment, he’s kneeling on the ground, the ominous sinkhole long gone; the next, his master is in front of him, checking him for injuries. He thinks he might’ve been unresponsive when Namgung Minyoung arrived to get him, but he doesn’t have the energy to dwell on that now.

After arriving at the sect and being sent to Cheon Cho Peak for a check-up, Yoo Joonghyuk locks the door to his cabin and doesn’t leave.

A few disciples come to check on him, asking him what happened at the conference but Yoo Joonghyuk keeps his door shut and lies in bed for what feels like an eternity.

He doesn’t know what he thinks about, just that his mind is constantly occupied.

Three whole days pass without Yoo Joonghyuk interacting with anyone—if Kim Dokja were around, he would’ve broken his window to drag him out—until his master comes knocking on his door.

“Joonghyuk, open the door. Your master has things to discuss with you.”

Yoo Joonghyuk opens his eyes and looks around. He doesn’t remember falling asleep, but he wakes up on the ground all the same.

Yoo Joonghyuk gets to his feet as if nothing is wrong. As though the days spent in his cabin were nothing more than a bad dream, he puts on a fresh set of robes and opens the door.

“Master,” he greets Namgung Minyoung and bows respectfully.

“I came to congratulate you on your victory,” she says, smiling proudly.

Yoo Joonghyuk lets the feeling of his master’s pride wash over him. “Thank you,” he says, bowing once more. “Do I get a prize?”

Namgung Minyoung laughs. “You can have a share of my earnings, boy. But there’s no prize aside from glory.”

Yoo Joonghyuk nods.

Namgung Minyoung asks a few more questions about his training, the conference, and if he’s feeling better now.

Yoo Joonghyuk responds to all her inquiries with ease. She leaves after ensuring that he’s well-rested and ready to resume his duties.

During their conversation, even when asked about what he witnessed, Yoo Joonghyuk doesn’t mention the opening of the Endless Abyss. Namgung Minyoung tells him they detected enormous amounts of demonic energy around the area where he was found, but Yoo Joonghyuk reveals nothing.

Kim Dokja’s words before jumping into the abyss echo in his mind: “Let’s meet again.”

If Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t know better, he’d assume it was a farewell. Kim Dokja, ever the dramatic, alluding to wanting to spend his next life with Yoo Joonghyuk again. But Yoo Joonghyuk knows Kim Dokja. He’s familiar with the easy confidence that colors all of his words and the way he always means what he says—one way or another.

Meeting again implies that Kim Dokja plans to survive—no, it implies he will survive and return to the mortal world, within this lifetime.

Revealing what he saw and mentioning the appearance of an Endless Abyss Portal would risk Kim Dokja’s identity being revealed as a demon as well.

Yoo Joonghyuk intends to keep everything a secret until Kim Dokja returns—either in human or demon form—and decides for himself if he wants others to know his ancestry.

All Yoo Joonghyuk can do now is focus on his training.

When Kim Dokja returns, Yoo Joonghyuk can’t let him down with mediocre progress, can he?

After breakfast and a quick dip in the disciple baths, Yoo Joonghyuk realizes it’s Cheong Jeong Peak’s break day. It’s the day the three of them gather in the library to study together every week.

With no tasks to complete or night hunt reports to grade right after the conference, Yoo Joonghyuk decides to attend the meetup empty-handed. He’s sure Han Sooyoung will demand his help when she sees that he has nothing to do anyway.

Just as expected, Han Sooyoung is already seated when Yoo Joonghyuk arrives at the library.

“You’re late,” Han Sooyoung greets him without looking up from her scrolls.

She adjusts her glasses as they slide down the bridge of her nose and appraises Yoo Joonghyuk. Noticing that he isn’t working on anything, she hands him a stack of reports to grade.

Yoo Joonghyuk wordlessly accepts the task, and the two of them work in harmonious silence.

Growing tired of her reading material, Han Sooyoung puts down the scrolls and stretches her back.

“It’s really quiet without him around, isn’t it?” She finally addresses the elephant in the room.

Yoo Joonghyuk grunts, neither confirming nor denying her statement.

“Yoo Joonghyuk,” she calls his name. “You couldn’t have stopped Kim Dokja from jumping. We both know how self-sacrificial he gets when he puts his mind to something. None of this is your fault.”

She’s trying to comfort him, Yoo Joonghyuk can tell. She’s being a good friend. Unlike him, who hadn’t planned on bringing up Kim Dokja at all.

And it would’ve worked too, if not for one small issue.

 “...How do you know about that?”

Han Sooyoung raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I was the only one who saw it happen. And I didn’t mention it to anyone,” Yoo Joonghyuk explains. “How did you know about the abyss?”

Silence falls over the room again. The tension in the room so thick, that one could cut it with a knife.

“Uh… I-” Han Sooyoung laughs nervously. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!

She sweeps an arm over the table, dumping all her documents into the tote bag she carries everywhere. “I-I should leave. I just remembered how busy I am today! See you next week, Joonghyuk.”

Han Sooyoung barely takes three steps toward the door before Yoo Joonghyuk leaps over the table, bringing her to the ground.

If his target had been anyone but Han Sooyoung, Yoo Joonghyuk would’ve been choking them, forcing out an answer no matter what.

But they’re friends, so Yoo Joonghyuk has to settle for gripping the lapels of her robes firmly, without causing any real harm.

“You know something,” He states flatly.

Han Sooyoung huffs, trying to shake him off. His grip on her clothes is too strong, and he’s much heavier than her. Without using her cultivation and attracting the attention of other disciples in the library, she can’t get away.

“Answer my questions, Han Sooyoung.”

“Okay, fine, I’ll talk, you psycho!”

“How did he know the Endless Abyss would open during the conference?” Yoo Joonghyuk asks without releasing her.

“I don’t know how he did it, but there are ways to predict things like that,” she answers reluctantly.

“You said he made up his mind to jump in. So, he planned this ahead of time?”

Han Sooyoung scratches the side of her head, adjusting her glasses knocked askew. “Kind of, yes.”

When Yoo Joonghyuk gives her an unimpressed look, clearly unsatisfied with her answer, she sighs in annoyance. “It’s not like he shared every detail of his plans with me! All I know is that he knew the Endless Abyss would open and it required a strong soul to close it.”

“Do you have any idea what he’ll do now?”

Han Sooyoung shakes her head, eyeing the hands still gripping her robes tightly. She only speaks once Yoo Joonghyuk lets go and allows her to sit up. “He’ll either wait for the next portal to show up, or he’ll find Shim Ma.”

“Shim Ma the sword?” Yoo Joonghyuk asks to make sure.

Han Sooyoung nods.

Yoo Joonghyuk finally steps away from her, tidying his robes, which had gotten disheveled during their tussle. He extends a hand to help Han Sooyoung up. She shoots him a disdainful look before taking his hand and straightening her own clothes.

Yoo Joonghyuk clears his throat in lieu of an apology.

Han Sooyoung rolls her eyes at him.

“What are you going to do now that you know the truth?” Han Sooyoung asks once they’ve both tidied up and no longer look like they’ve been rolling around on the ground like children. “Expose his identity? Hunt him down?”

Yoo Joonghyuk stares at her, his answer already obvious. “I’m going to find the next Endless Abyss portal before he does, and you’re going to help me.

Han Sooyoung doesn’t seem particularly surprised by his response and merely sighs.

─────── ·𖥸· ───────

Finding another portal to the Endless Abyss is easier said than done.

The method to locate potential portal sites is fairly simple: an abundant source of demonic energy and minor earthquakes in the area, possibly signaling a larger calamity. It’s simple but unreliable.

Yoo Joonghyuk has lost count of how many times they’ve shown up in remote villages, only to be met by powerful demons and divine beasts instead of the portal they hoped to find.

Each time this happens, Han Sooyoung consoles him by saying, “Well, at least you’re furthering your win streak. I doubt any disciple before you has ever slain this many legendary monsters.”

The trips they take are enjoyable, and they help occupy Yoo Joonghyuk’s time in Kim Dokja’s absence. Even though she can’t join most of the time due to her packed schedule, whenever Han Sooyoung does tag along, it’s always a pleasant affair.

On his quest to find a portal to the Endless Abyss, Yoo Joonghyuk also builds a reputation for being undefeated in battle, constantly appearing where help is most needed and solving issues without ever asking for compensation.

His reputation is as beneficial as it is burdensome.

His name spreads far enough that most inns charge him a lot less and people freely give out any information they know whenever he asks. But it also causes many cultivators to challenge him to unnecessary fights, aiming to prove that Yoo Joonghyuk isn’t worthy of his undefeated title or to steal the “limelight” from him.

The task Han Sooyoung and Yoo Joonghyuk have taken on feels impossible at times. False alarm after false alarm, where the source of demonic energy turns out to be completely unrelated, both Yoo Joonghyuk and Han Sooyoung begin to lose motivation. Especially after the incident where Yoo Joonghyuk gets lost in a maze array for literal weeks, they both come close to quitting.

But they never do.

They take breaks when needed. Yoo Joonghyuk stays at Baek Jeon Peak, helping his master train new disciples, while Han Sooyoung is often on missions to procure rare items some Peak Lord requires.

Despite the false alarms, injuries, and burnouts, they never give up.

Three years of their lives pass like this, in a constant state of vigilance.

Three long years and their hard work finally pays off.

 ─────── ·𖥸· ───────

The oppressive quality in the air is familiar. Yoo Joonghyuk recognizes it immediately.

This is the sensation he’s been searching for: demonic qi so overwhelming that it threatens to choke anyone who dares to breathe it. The air is suffocating—not in the way it gets when a divine beast is nearby, but with a distinct quality. It’s a sign of the Endless Abyss.

If Han Sooyoung were here to experience it, Yoo Joonghyuk knows she’d be gasping for breath and complaining at the same time.

The ground trembles, an unseen force trying to split the earth apart.

And that’s exactly what follows the tremors. Once they die down, a sinkhole appears before Yoo Joonghyuk’s eyes, emitting an ominous red light and sweltering, muggy heat. This time, too, it will refuse to seal itself until it consumes the souls it craves.

Yoo Joonghyuk and Han Sooyoung have had this conversation many times. When they finally find the portal, Yoo Joonghyuk will jump in and try to locate Kim Dokja. Hopefully, the two of them will return once they find Shim Ma. Despite her initial resistance, Han Sooyoung eventually comes around, unable to find another way to close the portal without sacrificing hundreds of innocent lives.

Now, Yoo Joonghyuk stands before the Endless Abyss’s gates, ready to throw himself into its depths to find Kim Dokja.

Hindsight is a virtue only time can grant. And Yoo Joonghyuk finally understands why Kim Dokja felt he had to jump—three years after the fact.

The Endless Abyss would have stayed open until it was satiated. For that to happen, Kim Dokja would have either had to stand by as more lives were taken by the demonic invasion, or worse, watch as Yoo Joonghyuk was pulled into the Abyss’s chasm. If Yoo Joonghyuk had been in his place, he would have made the same decision.

He takes a steadying breath, counts to three, and dives forward. He isn’t worried about his survival, strength, or abilities. Yoo Joonghyuk knows how far he’s come in his cultivation. He knows he can handle this. He wonders if this is exactly what Kim Dokja felt years ago.

Maybe it’s fate, or luck that has eluded him for three years, but the first thing he sees when he opens his eyes within the borders of the Endless Abyss is black wings. Wings attached to a man about his age, clad in robes blacker than the feathers on his back.

The man is currently occupied with a black moon rhinoceros python, his attention zeroed in on the creature. He doesn’t notice Yoo Joonghyuk approaching from behind and stealing his opponent from under his nose.

The monster breathes its last breath while its former opponent stands frozen still.

Yoo Joonghyuk stands just as still—not from shock or awkwardness, but because there are so many things he wants to say and do at that moment. Emotions roil inside him, overwhelming his senses, so he simply stands, staring at the black-clad man.

In contrast, Yoo Joonghyuk is wearing white robes with gray accents, impossibly conspicuous amidst the reds, browns, and blacks of the Abyss.

Gathering his wits while the black-clad man still stands stiff in confusion, Yoo Joonghyuk sprints toward him.

The man lets out a pained “oof” as he’s pulled into a violent hug.

“Yoo Joonghyuk?” The man—Kim Dokja—says. “What are you doing here?” His voice is hoarse as if he’s unused to using his vocal chords for anything other than screams and grunts.

Yoo Joonghyuk hugs him even tighter. “You’re an idiot.”

Kim Dokja laughs. It’s loud, grating, and melodious all at once, just as it’s always been.

Yoo Joonghyuk pulls away but doesn’t release him. He takes in Kim Dokja’s features. He looks older, thinner, and like he hasn’t had enough sleep. But his hair is still the same black as when Yoo Joonghyuk last saw him. The smell of bamboo and silk still clings to him, and his lips are still that irresistible shade of pomegranate.

Yoo Joonghyuk does what he has never dared to do before. Tangling his fingers in Kim Dokja’s hair, he pulls him forward until their lips crash. Then, he indulges.

The kiss seemingly takes Kim Dokja by surprise but once that dies down, he enthusiastically reciprocates. He kisses Yoo Joonghyuk back with that intensity that he’s come to associate with Kim Dokja.

And, for a moment, the whole world stops. Yoo Joonghyuk forgets all of his worries. He doesn’t care about how they’ll find a sword only ever mentioned in legends, with no one who has seen it with their own eyes. He doesn’t care about how long it’s going to take them to find it, and then go back to Chang Gung. He doesn’t care whether they’ll be accepted back into the sect with Kim Dokja’s identity as a demon undeniable to anyone with eyes.

Nothing matters now that he has Kim Dokja back.

None of it matters when Kim Dokja is here in his arms, kissing him like he loves him just as much as Yoo Joonghyuk loves him.

They’ll make it back to the mortal realm in due time. They’ll reunite with Han Sooyoung, and Kim Dokja will eventually explain everything he’s been hiding.

Everything will turn out alright.