The Eunha family's home was much quieter than the streets of Haryeong they had just passed through.
In one of the guest rooms, Raven sat cross-legged on a somewhat thin mattress. Both of her hands rested casually in her lap, palms facing each other directly in front of her navel. Her fingers were slightly curved, forming a small space between her palms, while her eyes were tightly closed.
There was no sound of conversation inside the room.
Only the faint sounds of activity from outside could occasionally be heard through the window.
Since arriving at Eunha's residence, Raven hadn't truly rested. As soon as she got the chance to be alone, she immediately took advantage of it to check her physical condition through meditation.
Qi flowed slowly through her meridians.
Death Qi and Life Qi moved along their respective paths, but were no longer as powerful as they had been during the previous battle. Both still placed a considerable strain on Raven's body.
The battle against Gwi-heon had turned out to drain more energy than she had anticipated.
A moment later, Raven opened her eyes. He moved his fingers slowly, feeling the lingering fatigue still present in his body.
"I didn't expect the Northern Sea technique of Guardian Gwi to have such a significant effect."
Raven fell silent for a moment, recalling their battle. It wasn't just the power of the technique that caught his attention, but also its effect on the flow of Qi within his body.
"Northern Sea…" he murmured softly.
That name stirred a vague memory of someone he had faced in the past. A warrior from the northern region who used a similar type of Qi and called himself the Snowstorm.
'That person was both wise and foolish. Well, I suppose those two traits could indeed coexist within him at the same time.'
A vision slowly emerged in his mind. It was as if he were back on a hilltop, sitting side by side with someone, with a small jar of liquor between them. That figure seemed to be speaking at length to him, but Raven couldn't recall what they were talking about. The person's face was also shrouded in thick mist, making it impossible to recognize them—much like the woman who had once appeared in his dream.
Raven tried to dig deeper into that memory, hoping to grasp whatever remained.
However, the harder he tried to remember, the fainter the image became. Fragments of the event flashed briefly through his mind before vanishing just as quickly, as if something were blocking him from seeing the past clearly.
"Huh…"
Raven finally let out a soft sigh and gave up.
"It seems like it was too long ago."
She had no intention of forcing herself to remember something she couldn't even reach. If those memories truly couldn't be retrieved, there was no point in wasting time trying to recall them now.
"Besides, this isn't the right time."
Raven opened her eyes, then stood up from where she was sitting.
She walked leisurely toward the window on the side of the room and opened it. The morning air immediately flowed in, bringing a cool breeze along with the faint sounds of activity from outside.
From that window, part of the Eunha family estate stretched out before her. Wooden buildings and pavilions stood among the neatly manicured grounds, while in the distance, several people could be seen beginning their training on the practice grounds. The servants were also busy carrying out their respective duties, causing the previously quiet residence to slowly fill with the bustle of the morning.
Raven's gaze then shifted further away.
From the moment they first found themselves stranded in this world, through the long journey that eventually brought them to Haryeong, various scenes continued to fill his mind.
The city was still vivid in his memory.
The bustling streets.
Merchants busy with their affairs.
Soldiers standing guard.
And warriors walking among the people without carelessly drawing their weapons.
Raven fell silent.
The Murim he remembered from his previous life felt so different.
The era he once knew was far more chaotic. Faction-based battles, murders, and power struggles were things that almost never truly ceased.
However, this place...
At least from what he'd seen so far, it was far more peaceful.
"Huh… the world really has changed a lot."
Raven stared out the window.
However, before he could continue his train of thought, Raven's body suddenly tensed. A violent cough shook his chest, forcing him to double over while covering his mouth.
"Khuk!"
As he lowered his hand, Raven found blood staining his palm. He stared at it for a moment before exhaling softly.
"Looks like I overreacted a bit."
He wiped away the blood, then refocused his attention on the condition of his body.
"Death Qi and Life Qi do indeed make my strength increase much faster… but this body still can't keep up with their flow."
He slowly clenched his fist.
The Heavenly Demon Body Technique he had created had indeed significantly strengthened his body.
However, there was one thing he couldn't ignore.
His body was still that of a teenager who had never undergone martial arts training before.
Unlike in his past life, this body had grown up in the modern world. It had never been forged through extreme physical training, combat, or the flow of Qi—all of which are part of a martial artist's life.
No matter how much power he possessed, his current body still had its limits.
If he continued to force it beyond what it could handle, the consequences would only get worse.
Raven looked at his palm once more before wiping away the remaining blood.
"From now on..."
His gaze returned to the view outside the window.
"I have to go back to training from the basics."
Knock.
Knock.
A soft knock suddenly sounded at the door.
Raven didn't answer right away.
He quickly wiped the remaining blood from his palm. After making sure nothing was left, he turned his head slightly toward the door.
"What is it?"
"May I come in, Young Master Jin?"
Han Min-ji's voice came from behind the door.
"Come in."
The door opened slowly.
Han Min-ji stood in the doorway. After bowing politely, she stepped inside with her usual calm demeanor, though this time her movements seemed a bit more cautious.
"Young Master Jin," she said softly.
Raven turned to face Min-ji. His expression remained impassive as he waited for her to state the purpose of her visit.
"The patriarch wants to see you."
Raven didn't answer right away.
His eyes narrowed slightly. Not out of surprise, but as if he had finally heard something he'd already expected to come.
"...All right," he replied briefly.
He then walked toward the door, while Min-ji stepped aside slightly to let him pass.
"When you're ready, I'll escort you."
Raven gave a slight nod.
Without asking any further questions, he left the room with Min-ji. The two of them made their way through the Eunha residence toward the patriarch's room.