The morning after the chaos of the Mirror of Longing, the tension was still thick in the air. Jang-Uk sat in deep contemplation, the events of the night weighing heavily on his mind. He had narrowly avoided the soul shift, but it was clear that something had changed inside him—something he couldn't quite grasp yet.

Mu-Deok, standing by his side, was still adjusting to the fact that the Alchemy of Souls had almost taken place, that Jang-Uk had come so close to losing himself. Her hand tightened around her blindfold, a symbol of the sacrifice she had made and the fear that gripped her heart.

The light that had flashed so violently before now seemed to hum quietly in the back of her mind, its implications lingering as Jang-Uk turned to her. He didn't speak for a long time, but his gaze softened, and when he finally did speak, his words were like a weight being lifted from his chest.

"You were right," he said quietly, his voice filled with a resolve he hadn't had before.

"I can't keep running from who I am. I have to embrace it."

Mu-Deok, still trying to understand the gravity of what had just happened, nodded silently. She had never wanted this for him—not like this. Yet, her heart fluttered, knowing that he was taking a step toward becoming the person he was always meant to be.

But before either of them could process the moment further, a familiar voice interrupted them.

"Jang-Uk, Mu-Deok," Park Jin's voice was stern, though there was a trace of concern in his tone. He approached them cautiously, his eyes flicking between them with an unreadable expression.

"There's something we need to discuss," Park Jin continued. His eyes found Mu-Deok's briefly, and then they moved to Jang-Uk.

"The marriage negotiations between Cho-Yeon and your family, Jang-Uk... It's becoming increasingly clear that Cho-Yeon's actions have been... concerning."

Jang-Uk's gaze hardened, a frown tugging at the corners of his lips.

"What do you mean?"

"Cho-Yeon's ambitions seem to be clouding her judgment," Park Jin explained, a hint of frustration leaking through his otherwise calm exterior.

"Her recent behavior—what happened with the Mirror of Longing, the way she's manipulated events—raises too many questions."

Mu-Deok's heart sank at those words, and though she remained silent, she could feel the tension brewing between them. Cho-Yeon had always been a complicated friend—one whose actions were often wrapped in mystery. But she had never imagined it would come to this.

Meanwhile, in the cold, rain-soaked streets outside, Cho-Yeon's mother, Lady Jang, was listening to a new proposition from Jin-Mu, who stood before her with a sly, calculating grin.

"You should reconsider the marriage," Jin-Mu suggested, his voice dripping with scheming intent.

"Cho-Yeon has her place as a future queen, but Bu-Yeon..." He paused, his smile widening.

"She could be the next leader of Jinyowon, and marrying her would elevate our influence. We could control the future of the land."

Lady Jang frowned, clearly not pleased by the thought. But Jin-Mu pressed on.

"Think about it," he urged, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous promise.

"If Cho-Yeon marries Bu-Yeon, then you and I would be in the perfect position. We could join the Jin family and solidify our power. Imagine what could be achieved."

Lady Jang remained silent, her eyes narrowing as she weighed the options. She had always kept her cards close, but now, something about Jin-Mu's suggestion sparked doubt in her mind.

Later that evening, as the moon rose high and the night air grew colder, Mu-Deok found herself alone in a temple, her heart heavy with the choices she had made. Jang-Uk had stayed behind, and for a moment, she felt the weight of their separation more than ever.

But just as she was about to leave, a figure appeared in the shadows—Kil-Joo, with that same twisted, malevolent smile that had haunted her for so long.

"You've made your choice, Mu-Deok," he said, his voice low and sinister.

"Now, bring him to me."

Mu-Deok stood her ground, her hand instinctively reaching for her sword, but before she could act, Kil-Joo's power surged, knocking her off her feet. She gasped, struggling to regain her balance, but she was too slow.

In that moment, Jang-Uk appeared, his sword drawn in a flash, cutting through the air with deadly precision. "Stay away from her!" he shouted.

Kil-Joo smirked, conjuring his own dark magic as the rain poured down in sheets around them.

"Do you really think you can stop me?" he taunted, his eyes flicking toward the sky, where the energy of the Alchemy of Souls was beginning to swirl, pulling the particles of magic into the air.

"This will be your end, Jang-Uk."

But Jang-Uk didn't falter. With a steady breath, he focused his energy and released the Tansu technique, knocking Kil-Joo back. The force of the blow sent Kil-Joo sprawling, but he quickly recovered, summoning even more power. The particles around them glowed ominously, a sign that the Alchemy of Souls was about to begin.

As the sky turned a fiery red, Jang-Uk and Kil-Joo both reached for the energy, their souls on the verge of shifting. But then, a soft touch—the feel of Mu-Deok's hand in his—stopped him.

"Don't," she whispered, her blindfold now removed, revealing eyes that were full of both fear and love.

"Please."

Jang-Uk hesitated, and in that moment, the magic around them shifted. Instead of the soul shift occurring to Jang-Uk, the ground beneath them quaked as the energies twisted and roiled. The particles in the air dissolved, and the very fabric of reality seemed to unravel.

But instead of Jang-Uk's soul shifting, it was Kil-Joo who was caught in the surge. His body convulsed, and his soul was ejected from his form. The energy dispersed, leaving behind only the lifeless shell of the man who had tried to bring Jang-Uk to ruin.

Mu-Deok frantically shook Kil-Joo's body, her heart racing as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. She was certain Jang-Uk had been inside him, but when she looked into his eyes, she realized something was different. His soul had not shifted. It had been the Soul Ejector that had surged his energy, breaking through the barriers that held his powers in check.

"What happened?" she breathed, her voice filled with disbelief.

"Your soul—it didn't shift. But why... why is it like this?"

Jang-Uk looked down at his chest, his eyes wide in realization. There was no blue mark. His soul had not shifted. But the power inside him felt different, stronger, as though it had been released and set free.

He met Mu-Deok's gaze, his heart pounding in his chest. "Something's changed. I'm not the same anymore."

Mu-Deok nodded, feeling the weight of their new reality settle in. The Alchemy of Souls had almost claimed him, but something had stopped it—something neither of them fully understood yet. They were standing on the precipice of a new beginning, one that would change everything.

But as the storm raged around them, they both knew this was just the beginning of something far more dangerous.