Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 106 – Lord of the Western Sea (3)

The red line drawn on the floor throughout the entire cavity.

Glancing at it, Mok Gyeong-un said to the white-haired middle-aged man,

“By any chance, is the proposal you made earlier still valid?”

“Proposal?”

“Yes. In a way, it’s thanks to me that you came out of there, isn’t it?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the white-haired middle-aged man twitched his lips and soon let out a vicious laugh.

“Hahaha! You think it’s thanks to you that I’m out?”

“Ultimately, yes.”

“What a funny kid. How can your intention to satisfy your human greed be considered a favor?”

“After being trapped for thousands of years and finally being released, for someone who has lived that long, can’t you let it slide in a good mood?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the white-haired middle-aged man scoffed.

To him, Mok Gyeong-un was at best an insect crawling on the ground.

Just as humans don’t have emotions towards insects or pay special attention to them, the white-haired middle-aged man had no particular feelings about what Mok Gyeong-un said.

However, there was something intriguing.

“You’re a truly peculiar kid.”

“What?”

“Why do you have no fear?”

“Fear?”

That was the white-haired middle-aged man’s question.

Even before and now in this isolated situation, Mok Gyeong-un didn’t fear him at all.

Despite being in a situation where fear should well up as he could die at any moment.

The white-haired middle-aged man approached with narrowed eyes and said,

“Do you not fear death? Or are you under the delusion that you won’t die even in this situation?”

“Well. I can tell you it’s not the latter.”

“Not the latter?”

“Yes.”

“So you’re saying you don’t fear death?”

“Everything that lives is bound to decline anyway, so what’s the point of fearing it?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the white-haired middle-aged man found him peculiar.

Even beings who live eternally like himself fear extinction.

Yet a mortal says he doesn’t fear death.

At this, the white-haired middle-aged man extended his hand and said,

“Is that so? Then we can test whether you truly don’t fear death.”

The white-haired middle-aged man lightly waved his hand.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un’s left arm, which was floating in the air in a running posture, bent backward.

His arm was completely bent beyond its range of motion.

Just looking at it was horrifying.

-M-Master!

Gyu Soha shouted at the sight of Mok Gyeong-un’s bent left arm.

However, the person in question, Mok Gyeong-un, only let out a slightly rough breath without showing any particular change in expression.

At this, one of the white-haired middle-aged man’s eyebrows raised.

‘He’s enduring this?’

No matter how strong his patience was, he thought he would at least let out a groan.

But it was completely unexpected.

While they were doing so, Elder Yang Mu-won, the keeper of the treasure vault who had been watching this sight, hurriedly tried to run somewhere.

“The mechanism… The mechanism…”

Yang Mu-won muttered.

He was trying to activate the mechanism installed in the treasure vault.

‘I need to activate the mechanism and quickly send a signal requesting help from the main sect.’

He couldn’t handle a supreme master of that level with his own strength.

However, the mechanism installed in this treasure vault was designed to handle hundreds of intruders and even Transcendent Realm supreme masters.

As he was about to go to the activation device of the mechanism,

“Ugh!”

A chill ran down his spine, and he felt something cold seeping into his body.

As a master close to the pinnacle-stage of the Peak Realm, he had felt a cold and invisible presence around him for a while.

But what was this unpleasant sensation?

“Gah!”

Elder Yang Mu-won’s body trembled violently as if having a seizure.

Then his eyes rolled back.

The blood vessels on his face bulged black as Yang Mu-won.

A reddish blood color seeped into his rolled-back eyes, and soon his face returned to normal.

‘That was close.’

The one who had taken over his body was none other than Cheong-ryeong.

Upon hearing Yang Mu-won’s muttering, she realized the situation and possessed his body.

She was aware of the mechanism installed in the main sect’s treasure vault.

So if the mechanism here was the same or superior to the one she knew and was activated carelessly, Mok Gyeong-un, who was currently captured, would be in danger.

“Haa… Haa…”

As Mok Gyeong-un was catching his breath, the white-haired middle-aged man said,

“Seeing that you can easily endure this much, it seems better to tear it off rather than break it. This time, one of your legs…”

“Tearing it off is up to you, but how will you get out once I’m dead?”

“Out?”

“Yes. From what I see, even someone as powerful as you seems unable to cross that red line.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the white-haired middle-aged man silently stared at the red line drawn on the floor.

Then he opened his mouth again.

“You’re talking as if you’ll open that for me.”

“…If we can come to a mutual agreement.”

“Agreement? It sounds as if you’re saying you’ll make that disappear if I spare your life.”

“Let’s say that’s the case.”

If he had the upper hand, he would have tried to gain some benefit from the deal, but the opponent was a Spirit Beast-level malevolent spirit who could kill him at any time.

Knowing that provoking it would do no good, Mok Gyeong-un intended to receive the minimum price to save his life.

Then the white-haired middle-aged man smirked and said,

“Why would someone who claims not to fear death want to save his life as a price?”

“…I have something I must do.”

“Something you must do?”

“There’s someone I need to kill.”

“Revenge, is it?”

“…”

There was no answer, but it was clearly an affirmation.

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the white-haired middle-aged man approached him, grabbed his chin, and lightly lifted it up.

“In other words, you want to prolong your life even a little for the sake of revenge.”

“Of course, everything depends on your choice. If you want to kill me, I’ll die, and if you accept my deal, I’ll be able to get out of this cavity.”

“Get out of here…”

The white-haired middle-aged man stared intently at Mok Gyeong-un.

In fact, his mood was close to its peak.

That was because he had been sealed inside that scroll for a staggeringly long time of thousands of years.

But now he had come out of it.

He had gained freedom.

If he could break even that red prohibition…

“It’s tempting. Is saving your life the only thing you want?”

“…Yes. It doesn’t seem like a situation where I can ask for anything else.”

“You’re quick to understand your place. Good.”

The white-haired middle-aged man lightly nodded his head.

Then Mok Gyeong-un’s body, which had been floating in the air, fell to the ground.

“Huu… Huu…”

Mok Gyeong-un, who had fallen to the ground, grabbed his left elbow that had been bent backward.

No matter how strong his endurance against pain was, it was impossible not to feel pain when a perfectly fine arm was bent in the opposite direction.

‘For now…’

He bent his arm, which had been bent backward, back to its original direction.

His face turned slightly red, but he still didn’t show any signs of pain.

‘It’ll take time to recover.’

As the arm was bent, the bones near the elbow cartilage had cracked and shattered, making it impossible to move properly.

Mok Gyeong-un looked at the line drawn on the floor.

‘One chance.’

There was only one chance.

Although he had proposed a deal, he had no intention of actually releasing the being.

If the red line, which seemed to be a barrier, were to be lifted, there was no telling how this vicious Spirit Beast would come out.

Therefore, Mok Gyeong-un inwardly recited the first incantation of the Eight Shattered Techniques.

If he could create even a momentary gap…

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un’s arm rose upward on its own.

‘!?’

Then his body started moving on its own.

At this, Mok Gyeong-un frowned and said,

“What are you doing?”

“By the way, human. Is there any need for me to make such a deal with you?”

“…”

“I can just move your body like this.”

The white-haired middle-aged man waved his hand, and Mok Gyeong-un’s body moved on its own as if it had become a puppet.

‘This is troublesome.’

Mok Gyeong-un let out a soft sigh.

He himself wasn’t the type to trust others easily, but it seemed this Spirit Beast was the same.

Moreover, it didn’t give him the slightest opening, as if it hadn’t simply lived for thousands of years.

Perhaps this time, he might have to prepare himself.

‘Grandfather.’

Perhaps he wouldn’t be able to take revenge…

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un saw Cheong-ryeong coming out of Yang Mu-won’s body.

Seeing that,

At that instant, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes turned cold.

Why did he think for a moment that he might not be able to take revenge for his grandfather?

Does dying mean he can’t take revenge?

There were Cheong-ryeong and Green Spirit Gyu Soha, who would become vengeful spirits to take revenge even after death.

Was his resentment towards the one who killed his grandfather only this much?

“Ha…”

Self-anger and self-mockery.

As it grew, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes came alive as if they were burning.

“Huu.”

Mok Gyeong-un drew upon the death energy within his body.

Compared to the vast demonic energy of the white-haired middle-aged man, it was just a drop in the bucket, but what if he concentrated it all in one place?

Like the death energy concentrated in the danjeon.

The energy from the lower danjeon and middle danjeon was concentrated solely in his right hand.

As all the death energy was concentrated in one place,

‘What is this kid doing now?’

The white-haired middle-aged man frowned while looking at Mok Gyeong-un’s right hand.

That was because Mok Gyeong-un’s right hand had somehow turned pitch black.

‘More… More…’

The death energy concentrated and materialized into one.

It took on a completely different form and color from aura.

Seeing this, Cheong-ryeong’s eyes widened.

‘Energy more condensed and concentrated in one place than aura.’

It was none other than true energy.

She couldn’t hide her astonishment upon seeing this.

Although he had gained enlightenment about energy in the treasure vault, Mok Gyeong-un was still at the Peak Realm.

But true energy, which was only possible at the supreme Transcendent Realm, had been formed.

What on earth was going on?

‘What is that color?’

The peculiar thing was that ordinary true energy had a blue color like the stars of the Big Dipper.

But the energy concentrated in Mok Gyeong-un’s hand had a black color as if everything would be sucked into it.

Was it a phenomenon that occurred as the death energy was concentrated?

At that moment, the hand that had been bound by demonic energy was freed.

At the same time, as Mok Gyeong-un struck his blackened hand towards the floor, fragments flew in all directions with a loud noise.

However, those fragments didn’t reach the white-haired middle-aged man.

As if an invisible barrier had been created, the fragments were blocked and oxidized on the spot.

Then, in an instant, the white-haired middle-aged man disappeared and appeared at the entrance of the cavity where the red line was drawn.

The white-haired middle-aged man extended his hand forward.

Then, Mok Gyeong-un’s body, which had been charging forward like a spear with his black hand extended through the fragment dust, was repelled backward.

“Ugh!”

Mok Gyeong-un, who had been repelled, collided with a bookshelf and knelt on one knee on the floor.

Black blood flowed from the mouth of Mok Gyeong-un, who had suffered internal injuries.

He had concentrated all the death energy in his body into one hand to increase destructive power, but that also meant there was less energy to protect his body.

‘I can’t close the gap at all.’

Mok Gyeong-un clicked his tongue while looking at the white-haired middle-aged man blocking the entrance.

He thought it might be possible for a moment, but it didn’t work.

While they were doing so, the white-haired middle-aged man looked at Mok Gyeong-un with interest and said,

“How truly strange. I didn’t realize it before, but how does a living being possess the energy of the dead like that?”

The white-haired middle-aged man hadn’t been able to detect this when Mok Gyeong-un was circulating energy only within his body.

However, when the energy was concentrated in his hand and materialized, he realized that it had little to do with the true energy that Taoists and Immortals cultivated through life-nurturing techniques.

“Strange. Strange indeed. I’ll have to examine your body.”

The white-haired middle-aged man made a pulling gesture towards Mok Gyeong-un.

Then, in Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes, he saw the vast demonic energy trying to grasp him in the form of a giant hand.

Right at that moment,

In an instant, the entire room was covered in blood.

Seeing this, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes trembled.

‘The realm of ghostly intent?’

A space made of blood.

This was Cheong-ryeong’s realm of ghostly intent, the Blood Realm.

The blood surged up like a geyser and instantly trapped the white-haired middle-aged man.

Behind that whirlpool of blood, Cheong-ryeong was visible.

‘Why?’

Mok Gyeong-un looked at her with an uncomprehending expression.

Why did she come in here?

No matter how much she had reached the level of Cheong-ryeong, she absolutely couldn’t compare to a malevolent spirit at the level of a Spirit Beast.

But why did she come in?

Then she shouted at Mok Gyeong-un,

“Run!”

Upon hearing this, Mok Gyeong-un threw his body towards the entrance without a moment to think.

He couldn’t miss the opportunity she had created for him.

Right at that instant,

The whirlpool of blood scattered in all directions and disappeared as if oxidized.

The white-haired middle-aged man had a contemptuous expression.

“What a foolish act. Catch…”

-Don’t underestimate me. Spirit Beast.

At that moment, Cheong-ryeong’s entire body was covered in blood, and she transformed into a human form seemingly made of blood.

Then, the spiritual energy emanating from her became incomparably stronger than when she had unfolded the Blood Realm.

It far surpassed Cheong-ryeong’s level.

Seeing this, Gyu Soha muttered in a surprised voice,

-Re…sentment?

The blood droplets floating around simultaneously rushed towards the white-haired middle-aged man.

Along with that, Cheong-ryeong, who had transformed into a blood incarnation, hugged the white-haired middle-aged man from behind, holding him in place.

However,

The white-haired middle-aged man lightly moved his hand while still bound by her,

The blood droplets flying in from all directions stopped midway.

Then they lost strength and fell to the ground.

‘To this extent…’

Cheong-ryeong’s eyes, which were like blood, trembled.

By detonating all her spiritual energy, she was able to exert a power close to the Blue Spirit level for a moment, but even that didn’t work against this Spirit Beast.

Then the white-haired middle-aged man spoke as if impressed,

“I thought you were an ordinary evil spirit, but your strength is far greater than most high-ranking malevolent spirits. If I take your energy, it will quench my hunger a bit.”

With those words, he took a deep breath.

Then Cheong-ryeong, who had been hugging him, writhed as if in pain.

-Aaagh!

The spiritual energy was being absorbed at a tremendous speed.

Despite the pain, Cheong-ryeong mumbled with her lips,

-G…o…a…way…

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed as he looked at this sight.

‘Why?’

No matter how much of a servant spirit she was, why was she trying to sacrifice herself for him?

What was the reason for trying to save him to this extent, even though he didn’t move according to her will?

Once she herself was extinguished, everything would be meaningless, so he couldn’t understand it.

Did she believe that if he survived, he would take revenge on her behalf until the end?

That couldn’t be.

But why was she going this far?

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes met hers as she lost strength and returned to her human form.

Her eyes held complex emotions.

Why did the gaze of someone sacrificing themselves for another make him feel so concerned?

‘…How annoying.’

Mok Gyeong-un, who had been smirking with his lips, shouted,

“It seems it would be better for you to remain trapped in here.”

With that cry, in an instant, Mok Gyeong-un thrust his hand towards his own chest.

The white-haired middle-aged man couldn’t hide his bewilderment at the sight of this.

“You bastard!”

He had never expected Mok Gyeong-un to suddenly perform an act of self-destruction by thrusting his hand into his own chest.

At this,

The white-haired middle-aged man pushed aside Cheong-ryeong, whose spiritual energy had weakened, and ran towards Mok Gyeong-un.

“Kuhk!”

Mok Gyeong-un coughed up a mouthful of blood and collapsed backward.

“This crazy human bastard!”

This fellow had to stay alive to remove that red line and go outside.

There was no way for the vengeful spirits to remove it.

Therefore, the white-haired middle-aged man couldn’t help but become desperate.

He bent his knees, lowered his posture, approached Mok Gyeong-un, and grabbed his right hand to pull out the hand thrust into his chest.

Right at that moment,

“Huh?”

At that instant, the palm he grabbed seemed to stick like suction, and the demonic energy was escaping at a tremendous speed.

Mok Gyeong-un, whose mouth was covered in blood, smiled sardonically and muttered,

“Cough, cough… It’s really hard to grab a hand.”