Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 137 – Shadow Clan Master (1)

The Five Mountains Alliance, a group of faithful subordinates to Jang Neung-ak, the second disciple of the Society Leader.

The severed head of Wi Maeng-cheon, the second-ranked member known as “Second Mountain,” fell lifelessly to the ground as blood gushed like a fountain from his neck.

-Thud!

Although Wi Maeng-cheon always maintained a calm demeanor, his final expression was close to a scream.

-Thump! Thump!

Soon, Mok Gyeong-un’s right hand, which had turned black and grotesquely swollen, returned to its original state.

This was the essence of the Acupoint Striking Technique.

It was difficult to maintain for long due to its severe side effects, but it could increase one’s power by two to three times for a short period.

Mok Gyeong-un had carefully saved this technique and utilized it at the appropriate moment to behead Wi Maeng-cheon.

-Swish!

Cheong-ryeong lightly descended in front of Mok Gyeong-un.

-It was decent, but you still have a long way to go.

“You’re right.”

Mok Gyeong-un readily admitted it.

Even though his other senses were extraordinarily sharp, his opponent was a blind man.

He had struggled quite a bit in a pure duel against such an opponent.

Initially, he had intended to win the fight solely with the death energy from his lower danjeon and pure techniques, but as the battle prolonged, he ended up using the power of his danjeon and the Acupoint Striking Technique.

Thus, despite eliminating the target, he wasn’t entirely satisfied.

On the other hand,

‘He’s fast.’

Although Cheong-ryeong had said Mok Gyeong-un still had a long way to go, she inwardly clicked his tongue at Mok Gyeong-un’s growth rate.

Strictly speaking, the blind Wi Maeng-cheon was a superior master compared to Mok Gyeong-un.

He was far above in both internal energy and experience.

In fact, befitting his experience, he even demonstrated the ability to pressure Mok Gyeong-un by using variations at every appropriate moment.

However, Mok Gyeong-un was learning as he fought.

It was admirable to witness.

‘I thought he would struggle more.’

It was different from what she had expected.

Due to the lack of time, even if they had fought more with just their lower danjeons, Cheong-ryeong thought there might have been a chance for Mok Gyeong-un to win.

From the perspective of someone observing closely, it was a growth rate that defied explanation.

Meanwhile, Mok Gyeong-un spoke while looking at Wi Maeng-cheon’s corpse.

“Hoh.”

-Why are you… Hm?

Cheong-ryeong’s eyes also widened in surprise.

That’s because the death energy from Wi Maeng-cheon’s corpse was gathering and condensing.

“What’s happening?”

Mok Gyeong-un had intended to absorb the death energy before it dispersed.

However, unlike before, the death energy wasn’t scattering but converging.

Cheong-ryeong chuckled and said,

-It’s your first time seeing this, right?

“Seeing what?”

-The birth of a proper vengeful spirit.

“Ah… Is this it?”

-That’s right.

Mok Gyeong-un, who had mastered various techniques, including the Six People Spirit Summoning Technique, could artificially create vengeful spirits using death energy.

However, this was the first time he had witnessed one naturally forming.

If that was the case,

-He must have felt quite wronged.

Ordinary resentment isn’t enough for a vengeful spirit to form.

If the death energy was condensing to this extent, it meant that the resentment had reached its peak.

Soon, the condensed death energy began to take on a human form.

The level of a vengeful spirit is determined by the strength of the obsession and resentment the individual possessed during their lifetime.

-Tremble!

As it took shape, the handle of the broken Bamboo Sword trembled.

A soul that has lost its physical body clings to an object to prevent itself from leaving the mortal realm.

That handle was likely that object.

-It seems his resentment was quite strong.

Cheong-ryeong was intrigued.

Even though it was still in the process of fully taking shape, judging by the spiritual energy emanating from it, it was at least at the Orange Spirit level or above.

The vengeful spirit finally took complete form.

-Grrr!

With flickering white eyes, Wi Maeng-cheon glared at Mok Gyeong-un.

-How unjust. How unfair. I wanted to follow that person, achieve great things, and open my eyes, but to die like this and become a ghost…

A voice filled with resentment.

Wi Maeng-cheon didn’t take his eyes off Mok Gyeong-un.

-In death, I get to see the face of my enemy. I curse you. I will follow you until you die and torment you…

Wi Maeng-cheon, who was speaking, suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

Something was strange.

As he had become a vengeful spirit naturally, he was aware of his own death.

Thus, he also instinctively understood the principles of the boundary between the living and the dead.

However, why did he feel like Mok Gyeong-un was making eye contact with his dead self?

At that moment,

“You seem to have a lot to say. A newly formed vengeful spirit is quite talkative.”

-You? Could it be that you can see me?

“If I can see you, that’s why I’m responding like this, right?”

-You! You did this to me!

Realizing that Mok Gyeong-un could see him, Wi Maeng-cheon, filled with even more rage, lunged at Mok Gyeong-un with the intent to kill.

At that instant,

-Grab!

-Ugh!

Wi Maeng-cheon’s white pupils trembled.

It was because Mok Gyeong-un had suddenly grabbed his neck.

-What, what is this?

He was a dead man.

How could Mok Gyeong-un grab the neck of his dead self?

-What the hell are you? How…?

As he was utterly baffled, a voice from behind startled Wi Maeng-cheon.

-Hey, youngster. For someone whose corpse hasn’t even gone cold, you sure are lively.

‘!?’

Vengeful spirits can instinctively distinguish levels.

Wi Maeng-cheon’s mind grew hazy from the immense spiritual pressure he felt from behind.

‘What… What kind of energy is this…?’

This wasn’t just a simple vengeful spirit level but a calamity-level existence.

His spirit body trembled, and his lips wouldn’t close.

To the terrified Wi Maeng-cheon, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“This is the first time I’ve seen a case of someone becoming a vengeful spirit like this. What should I do?”

-What do you mean, what should you do? Just absorb the death energy and exorcise it.

“Ah, right. That would be better.”

-Squish!

With that, Mok Gyeong-un raised his death energy and tried to apply more force to Wi Maeng-cheon’s neck.

At first, Wi Maeng-cheon didn’t understand what exorcism meant.

-Sizzle!

However, along with a strange sense of pain, he felt a threat as if his spirit body was gradually disappearing.

It instilled an even more intense fear than when he had faced death.

Wi Maeng-cheon hurriedly cried out,

-S-Spare me!

“You’re already dead.”

-Please… Please give me a chance.

“Would a chance hold much meaning for you?”

-I, I don’t wish for anything else. Just let me see the faces of my wife and child one last time. Then I’ll accept exorcism or whatever else.

“Wife and child?”

Mok Gyeong-un tilted his head slightly as if puzzled.

Wi Maeng-cheon spoke in a pleading voice,

-Long ago, after losing my eyesight to the Glorious Snake Poison, I had a single wish. It was to see the faces of my wife and child.

This was true.

Wi Maeng-cheon had an earnest desire.

It was to somehow cure his blinded eyes and see the faces of his family.

Jang Neung-ak, the second disciple of the Society Leader, had promised Wi Maeng-cheon that if he achieved great things, he would help him find the Medicine Immortal Hae Yeong to restore his eyesight, which had been blinded by poison, though it was uncertain whether it would be possible.

But who would have known that he would be able to see after dying?

-I beg you. I can’t leave this world like this. If you grant me this, you can kill me or do whatever you want.

He had no significant lingering attachments to anything else.

Wi Maeng-cheon simply wanted to see.

The faces of his wife and child, whom he had never seen while alive.

As he expressed his wish, the corner of Mok Gyeong-un’s mouth curled up.

“Ah, I thought you became a vengeful spirit solely due to resentment, but there were also precious beings who left you with lingering attachments in life.”

-Gasp!

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Wi Maeng-cheon instantly realized his mistake.

He had said those words out of fear of being extinguished and a desire to resolve his only lingering attachment, but upon reflection, it wasn’t something he should have asked of this bastard.

Wasn’t this bastard the very culprit who had killed him?

As he thought he had made a mistake, Mok Gyeong-un whispered in his ear, just like before killing him.

“That’s fortunate. Then you’ll be able to work a bit more voluntarily compared to other spirit servants.”

‘!?’

What the hell was he talking about now?

As he was puzzled, Wi Maeng-cheon noticed Cheong-ryeong looking at him with sympathetic eyes.

***

Mok Gyeong-un, who had finished his business outside and returned from his outing.

As he was about to pass through the entrance pavilion leading to his private residence, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed.

‘Hmm.’

He lightly scanned the surroundings and immediately noticed that the guard warriors who were supposed to be protecting the area had disappeared.

The people who should have been there were absent.

Smirking, Mok Gyeong-un entered the building of his private residence as if he didn’t mind.

Walking along the corridor, he opened the door to a room.

“You’re late.”

As the door opened, a familiar voice came from inside.

It was none other than the Shadow Clan Master.

Surprise flickered in Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes.

He had dismissed everyone earlier without much explanation, so why was he waiting alone for Mok Gyeong-un?

There was no presence felt within a radius of about twenty zhang around them.

Puzzled, Mok Gyeong-un was about to clasp his hands and bow in greeting, but the Shadow Clan Master interrupted him.

“Where have you been?”

“Training…”

“You don’t need to make such a flimsy lie about being at the market.”

“…”

The clan master’s voice was unusually heavy and cold, different from his usual demeanor.

It seemed to be an extension of his earlier behavior.

The clan master tapped his finger on the table and continued,

“How far did you go with the head of the intruder?”

Mok Gyeong-un feigned ignorance and nonchalantly replied,

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Master. I…”

“The head was missing from the crematorium.”

“…”

At the clan master’s words, Mok Gyeong-un licked his lips and fell silent.

It seemed that the clan master had personally checked the crematorium after Mok Gyeong-un’s visit.

Mok Gyeong-un shrugged and said,

“I apologize, but I don’t understand why you’re asking me about it. I did leave the residence briefly, but if you ask the guard warriors…”

“I still can’t comprehend it even after pondering.”

“What?”

“What kind of trick did you use?”

“What trick are you referring to?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s counter-question, the clan master sighed and shook his head.

Then he stood up from his seat and spoke,

“There’s something called a sense of discomfort or unease.”

“…”

“It was small at first, making it difficult to notice, but at some point, the surroundings centered around you became engulfed in that unease.”

The clan master found it puzzling.

The members of the Shadow Clan were thoroughly trained in mental discipline, as they also acted as spies and handled confidential matters.

Thus, there was a belief that they would never betray the sect.

But how was this possible?

It had only been seven days.

Within this short period, how could they have been swayed by Mok Gyeong-un, who was merely a hostage of the righteous faction?

“I don’t know what strange technique you used, but even though you’ve become an official disciple, it seems you’ve crossed a line that can’t be overlooked.”

-Shing!

The sound of something being drawn was heard.

It was the sound of a blade being unsheathed from the scabbard at the clan master’s waist.

In an instant, the sharp blade was pressed against the underside of Mok Gyeong-un’s chin.

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed.

He had anticipated a certain gap in strength, but the clan master’s martial prowess was incomparable to Wi Maeng-cheon, who was a subordinate of Jang Neung-ak, the second disciple of the Society Leader.

‘He’s strong.’

With pure martial arts from the lower danjeon alone, it was utterly impossible to do anything against him.

At that moment, the clan master spoke in an even colder voice,

“Depending on your answer, I may have to behead you. So from now on, I’d like you to respond clearly to my questions…”

Before he could finish his sentence, the clan master frowned.

It was because Mok Gyeong-un had laughed.

‘!?’

Seeing this, the clan master recalled the smile filled with malice that Mok Gyeong-un had shown when he beheaded the intruder to quell the confusion.

It was the first time he had felt a chill down his spine and sensed danger upon seeing someone’s smile.

The clan master’s grip on the blade tightened.

“That smile just now…”

“Your intuition is quite sharp. To reach such a conclusion based on a mere sense of unease.”

“You…”

“So, are you going to behead me?”

“…”

At that question, the clan master’s gaze sharpened.

Mok Gyeong-un’s response just now was tantamount to affirming that the clan master’s suspicions were correct.

Although he didn’t reveal how he had done it.

One thing was certain: this child was truly dangerous.

It wasn’t simply because he was a hostage of the righteous faction or had outstanding talent, but the person himself was completely different from the ordinary.

“It seems it would be beneficial for the sect to behead you right now.”

“Perhaps.”

The clan master inwardly clicked his tongue at Mok Gyeong-un’s composed reaction.

He had to admit, the child had guts to show such composure even when his life was being threatened.

However, merit was merit, and death was death.

If this child was left unchecked, that sense of unease would engulf the entire Shadow Clan.

-Grip!

The clan master gripped the blade’s handle, ready to exert force.

It was at that very moment.

“But you know, if you behead me, everyone will find out that Master is a worshipper of fire. I wonder if that would be alright.”

‘!!!!!!’

The clan master’s expression instantly stiffened.

‘This bastard… How does he know that?’