Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 33

A middle-aged man with a fierce appearance.

He was Sang Ung-baek, the outer manor master of Yeon Mok Sword Manor.

Known as the “Merciless Fist” in northern Anhui Province, he was a master of martial arts and had been the most loyal subordinate of the second generation since the time the manor was founded by the Mok clan.

Unlike the inner hall master Jang Myeong-in, who had entered the manor trusting the manor master, Sang Ung-baek was known for his strong convictions even among the retainers.

As such, Lady Seok couldn’t win him over.

He was a central figure in Yeon Mok Sword Manor and held significant influence among the retainers.

Therefore, she had no choice but to be cautious around Sang Ung-baek.

“It’s true, Outer Manor Master. No matter what, why would I order harm to be done to that child?”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

Despite her explanation, Outer Manor Master Sang Ung-baek showed a reaction of disbelief.

This infuriated Lady Seok inwardly.

Not only had things become complicated due to that wench of a diviner’s actions, but now she was also being subjected to suspicion.

‘Damn wench.’

She had no idea what had transpired.

The diviner had received a thousand silver coins and then betrayed her at the drop of a hat.

‘Ghostly Spirit Pavilion… Sak…’

She would make sure they paid the price.

Right now, this man was another problem.

“Phew.”

Outer Manor Master Sang Ung-baek had a persistent nature.

Once he harbored suspicion, he would continue to monitor and scrutinize her.

In this situation, she had no choice but to distance herself from Mok Gyeong-un for a while.

‘Troublesome.’

She needed to seize the secret manual from that bastard Mok Gyeong-un.

If Sang Ung-baek’s surveillance caused the second son, that incompetent Mok Eun-pyeong, to snatch it away, Yeong-ho’s position might be jeopardized.

She needed a different approach.

Outer Manor Master Sang Ung-baek was gazing at her with a suspicious look.

He clicked his tongue inwardly.

‘It’s a mess.’

Ever since the manor master’s life had become uncertain, with his death imminent any day, Yeon Mok Sword Manor had literally fallen into disarray.

Still, he thought they would at least mind their manners until the manor master drew his last breath.

But this was the worst.

Even with the manor master still alive, they were openly trying to kill other successors in a fight for the position of the next manor master.

‘Manor Master…’

If the manor master learned of this, he would be greatly disappointed.

On the other hand, it was regrettable.

If the manor master had firmly established the succession from the beginning, he and the other retainers would have upheld his will and protected the designated successor.

But that hadn’t been the case, leading to this situation.

Now, even the retainers’ opinions were mostly divided, so the moment the manor master’s breath ceased, Yeon Mok Sword Manor might truly become a battlefield among blood relatives.

‘What should I do?’

In the end, he too had to make a choice.

Normally, it would be right to support the eldest son, Mok Yeong-ho, but seeing this, it was utterly disappointing.

Even considering the first wife, it was undesirable.

The person who would become the eldest in the family once the manor master passed away was engaging in such acts.

But suddenly, something didn’t make sense.

‘Come to think of it, the second young master too…’

Why were they targeting the third young master, Mok Gyeong-un?

If they had fought among themselves or targeted the youngest young master, whom the manor master cherished the most for his innate martial talent, it would have been somewhat understandable.

But the third young master, Mok Gyeong-un, had absolutely nothing.

He lacked martial talent, and with the downfall of his mother’s maternal family, his position had weakened.

None of the retainers supported him, so neither the chief wife nor the second young master had any reason to keep him in check.

Yet they targeted his life.

‘Because he’s the easiest target?’

No, it was too early for that.

The manor master hadn’t even passed away yet, and engaging in such acts would only cause them to lose the support of the retainers.

Outer Manor Master Sang Ung-baek grew genuinely curious.

Why had they targeted Mok Gyeong-un?

There must be something they needed to keep in check, prompting them to prioritize targeting him above all else.

‘…I need to find out what it is.’

It wasn’t a matter to be overlooked.

If there was something that made them all willing to risk his life, it needed to be verified.

***

-Swish!

Someone entered the medicine hall by passing through the ceiling.

It was none other than Cheong-ryeong, wearing a crown and holding a long pipe in her mouth.

Demonic Monk greeted her respectfully with a bow.

In response, she grumbled.

-Is it because she had a spirit servant? Or because she’s a diviner?

-…

She had been waiting for an opportunity to try to possess Sak’s body.

However, she had failed.

She was confused about what the problem was.

Diviners take precautions to protect their bodies with incantations or talisman techniques in advance.

As a result, low-grade ghosts, even if they wanted to possess the bodies of diviners or individuals with strong energy, were unable to do so.

But Cheong-ryeong wasn’t a low-grade ghost.

Yet she couldn’t possess the body.

-Tsk.

She had tried to sever the forced bond through possession but had failed.

Was it because she, herself had become a spirit servant?

With a sullen expression, Cheong-ryeong descended and gazed at Mok Gyeong-un, who was sitting on the bed, focused on the reverse circulation of qi.

-There’s no way to escape. But this fellow…

Her blood-red eyes flickered with intrigue.

Through her ghostly eyes, she could see that Mok Gyeong-un’s energy was becoming considerably stable.

-Ho ho.

Mok Gyeong-un had absorbed the energy of the Ritual of Binding armadillo through the Chakui Technique.

The energy of an Ritual of Binding is more negative and purer than the death energy generated from a deceased human.

She had expected him to be unable to control it or even expel a significant amount, but it was unexpected.

He was steadily absorbing this energy.

-Hmm.

Cheong-ryeong approached close to Mok Gyeong-un.

Then she brought her face close to Mok Gyeong-un’s, who was focused on circulating his qi.

‘Strange.’

The scar on his forehead.

It hadn’t been long since he was cut, but the wound looked as if several days had passed.

At this rate, it seemed like it would heal within a few days.

‘…It surpasses human resilience.’

She had found it strange that he had survived despite suffering injuries that could be considered nearly fatal before becoming a spirit servant.

But upon closer inspection, it was clear.

This fellow possessed a recovery ability incomparable to ordinary humans.

How was this possible for a human?

‘There’s something.’

He was definitely not an ordinary human.

If she hadn’t been forcibly turned into a spirit servant and lost control, she could have seized his body to find out why, which was a pity.

Clicking her tongue, Cheong-ryeong stared intently at Mok Gyeong-un’s face.

‘Quite a pretty face.’

She had felt it before, but Mok Gyeong-un’s face could be considered exceptionally beautiful.

It met the criteria for a pretty boy.

Although she didn’t particularly like this mortal fellow, at least his beautiful face was somewhat tolerable.

It was suitable for appreciation.

-Pak!

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un suddenly opened his eyes.

As a result, their eyes met at close range.

Oh my.

This guy surprises even ghosts.

“What are you doing?”

-…

Saying she was admiring his face would be embarrassing.

In response to his question, Cheong-ryeong distanced herself and casually turned her head to the side, holding the long pipe in her mouth, feigning ignorance.

-What am I doing? I’m not doing anything.

“Hmm.”

Mok Gyeong-un, who had been silently observing Cheong-ryeong, asked, “Did you handle that matter well?”

-Hmph. How dare you ask me such a question?

“As expected of Cheong-ryeong.”

Mok Gyeong-un smiled brightly.

As if displeased by his attitude, she raised one eyebrow.

She felt like she had made a mistake by agreeing to help this fellow.

She had offered to assist him, going against expectations, to see how he would handle the Ritual of Binding armadillo and the diviner woman on his own, but now she regretted it.

To her, Mok Gyeong-un said, “You were gone for a long time, so I wondered if you had left for good.”

-…Leave, you say.

Cheong-ryeong grumbled grumpily at Mok Gyeong-un’s perceptive words.

Her desire to leave was immense.

Apart from agreeing to help him, her true intention was to sever the bond of being a spirit servant at the first opportunity.

-Stop talking nonsense and continue circulating your qi. If you want to make the energy you took from the armadillo your own, even a little bit, you should…

“Ah! There’s one thing I want to confirm.”

-Confirm?

“Yes. I’m curious if this is what they call the danjeon.”

–Danjeon? It’s still unknown whether you can form a danjeon with death energy or not. If you diligently…

“Isn’t this tiny clump below the navel the danjeon?”

-…What?

Cheong-ryeong furrowed her brow.

Did this fellow just say he had formed a danjeon?

-That can’t be.

Cheong-ryeong looked at Mok Gyeong-un with an expression of disbelief.

No matter how much energy he had absorbed from the Ritual of Binding, forming a danjeon so quickly was incomprehensible to her.

She had never seen such a precedent even when she was alive.

After sensing the energy, he had only circulated his qi for a short while, and he had already created a danjeon?

-Can I check?

“Yes. I’m curious if it’s correct, so go ahead.”

With that, Cheong-ryeong brought her palm towards Mok Gyeong-un’s abdomen.

The method of confirmation was very simple.

As a ghost without a physical form, she could directly enter his body to check.

However…

-!?

It doesn’t pass through.

Her palm didn’t enter his abdomen but stopped at the surface.

As a high-grade ghost, she was capable of materializing her ethereal body for a brief moment.

But this wasn’t because she had materialized now.

-Tak tak!

“What are you doing?”

-It won’t go in.

“Why?”

-How would I know?

Even she couldn’t understand the exact reason.

It was clearly an ethereal state, so why was this happening?

Thinking there might be a problem with herself, she approached Go Chan, who was snoring on the bed next to them.

Then she inserted her hand into Go Chan’s stomach.

It went in so naturally.

-It works here? Then…

She briefly materialized the tip of her inserted hand and lightly touched his danjeon.

The moment she did so, Go Chan woke up with a start.

“Eek!”

Then he trembled, his eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

Cheong-ryeong had momentarily forgotten.

The danjeon, from the moment it is formed, becomes the most sensitive part of the body.

However, whether Go Chan fainted or not, she didn’t care.

Rather…

-Tsk tsk, what an exaggeration. Anyway, it’s not my problem.

She was focused solely on the conclusion.

For some reason, her ethereal hand didn’t pass through Mok Gyeong-un but collided with him.

It was a highly peculiar occurrence.

-Strange. Could it be because he became a spirit servant? Hey, Madman. You try it too.

At her words, Demonic Monk approached and carefully touched Mok Gyeong-un’s body.

As expected, even Demonic Monk’s ethereal body couldn’t pass through Mok Gyeong-un’s body.

The two ghosts couldn’t hide their puzzlement.

“Do you know why?”

-Hmm. If it’s not between ethereal bodies, there’s no reason for them to collide like this.

“Then it would be difficult for you to confirm whether I have a danjeon or not?”

-Well… Even if not, there are other…

Before she could finish her sentence…

-Squeak!

The door to the medicine hall opened with a small sound.

Wondering who it was, they looked in that direction and saw a middle-aged man with a fierce appearance entering.

‘Outer Manor Master?’

It was Outer Manor Master Sang Ung-baek.

Mok Gyeong-un remembered his face since he had interrogated him once before.

“Aah.”

Upon discovering Mok Gyeong-un sitting cross-legged, Outer Manor Master Sang Ung-baek’s expression darkened slightly.

It was because he saw the injuries covering his body.

Although he was recovering quickly, the scabs still made it difficult to discern.

Sang Ung-baek approached and spoke.

“You’re still awake, Young Master.”

“Ah. Yes.”

Outer Manor Master Sang Ung-baek, who had come close, bowed his head deeply and said, “I apologize. If I had paid more attention, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Based on appearances alone, Mok Gyeong-un’s condition was at its worst.

Sang Ung-baek, who believed he had ended up like this due to an attack, genuinely considered it his own negligence.

That’s why he was apologizing.

In response, Mok Gyeong-un shook his head and said, “No. It’s alright. These things can happen.”

“It’s not a matter of these things can happen. The outer hall warriors were guarding, yet you were injured, Young Master. This is entirely my fault.”

“You don’t need to blame yourself.”

Mok Gyeong-un spoke with a smile.

Sang Ung-baek’s eyes flickered as he observed Mok Gyeong-un.

As the outer manor master, although not frequently, he had occasional contact with the young masters and had a rough understanding of their personalities.

There were also rumors circulating within the manor.

‘…Strange, just like last time.’

Sang Ung-baek knew Mok Gyeong-un to be quite fussy and timid.

Especially after his martial talent declined and his maternal family fell, he had become even more so.

But looking at him now, should he say he was composed?

He had faced life-threatening situations twice in a row, yet he remained so calm?

This incident wasn’t that long ago.

Yet there was no sign of fear or emotional trauma.

‘Was he always like this?’

Suddenly, doubts arose.

Even for adults, it was challenging to remain composed and calm despite being injured and having one’s life threatened.

“Young Master… Are you truly alright?”

At that question, Mok Gyeong-un instantly realized that he had made a mistake.

He had considered it trivial, but he should have feigned some distress.

With that, he slightly lowered his head and said, “To be honest, I am worried that I might die quietly at this rate.”

Upon hearing those words, Sang Ung-baek’s eyes narrowed further.

His suspicions deepened.

Even if he expressed concern only after being asked, it was already too late.

‘…This has become troublesome.’

Mok Gyeong-un also noticed his suspicion.

Until now, he hadn’t faced significant suspicion, but an unexpected person seemed to complicate matters.

Although it didn’t seem like he doubted whether Mok Gyeong-un was an imposter yet, continuously involving someone with such keen intuition would be unfavorable.

At that moment, Outer Manor Master Sang Ung-baek spoke.

“Young Master… You don’t look well.

At that question, Mok Gyeong-un instantly realized that he had made a mistake. He had considered it trivial, but he should have feigned some distress. With that, he slightly lowered his head and said, “To be honest, I am worried that I might die quietly at this rate.”

Upon hearing those words, Sang Ung-baek’s eyes narrowed further. His suspicions deepened. Even if he expressed concern only after being asked, it was already too late.

‘…This has become troublesome.’

Mok Gyeong-un also noticed his suspicion. Until now, he hadn’t faced significant suspicion, but an unexpected person seemed to complicate matters. Although it didn’t seem like he doubted whether Mok Gyeong-un was an imposter yet, continuously involving someone with such keen intuition would be unfavorable.

At that moment, Outer Manor Master Sang Ung-baek spoke.

“Young Master… You don’t look well. May I examine your body to see if you have any severe internal injuries?”

Upon hearing that question, Cheong-ryeong, who was beside him, whispered,

-It’s better to be careful. If, as you said, a danjeon has truly formed, no matter how small it is, its energy will be completely unrelated to life energy.

Mok Gyeong-un glanced at her with a puzzled look.

Then she said with a smirk.

-You might be mistaken for practicing an evil path.

‘What’s that?’

Mok Gyeong-un still didn’t have much knowledge about martial arts. However, based on her tone, he roughly understood the meaning of her warning.

With that, Mok Gyeong-un shook his head and said, “It’s alright. When the physician comes tomorrow…”

“Young Master, please forgive my rudeness.”

-Pak!

Before he could finish his sentence, Outer Manor Master Sang Ung-baek swiftly grasped Mok Gyeong-un’s right wrist using a Golden Roc Hand Technique. Sang Ung-baek’s hand movements were much faster than those of the escort guard Gam or Lady Seok. There was no room to dodge.

Not only did Sang Ung-baek grasp Mok Gyeong-un’s wrist, but he also struck acupoints on his chest.

-Pa pa pa pak!

He instantly struck the numbing acupoints that would immobilize the body. Having struck the acupoints, Sang Ung-baek injected his true energy through Mok Gyeong-un’s wrist to examine his danjeon.

After injecting his true energy, Sang Ung-baek quickly examined Mok Gyeong-un’s internal organs through the meridian pathways and tried to sweep down to the danjeon.

However…

-Swish!

The true energy that was flowing through his body suddenly dispersed.

‘!?’

Sang Ung-baek furrowed his brow. Thinking that the true energy had been interrupted halfway, he tried sending it again. But the result was the same.

-Swish!

His true energy flowed along the meridian pathways but dispersed once more. Something was strange.

Sang Ung-baek pondered for a moment. Usually, when examining the body, one injects true energy to a degree that doesn’t strain the other person’s body. However, if it dispersed like this, he had no choice but to inject more true energy. It’s just that this method could be a bit dangerous.

“Young Master… I apologize, but I will inject a little more true energy. Although I have struck the numbing acupoints, please endure the discomfort for a moment…”

“Hmm. There’s no other way. Cheong-ryeong.”

“Cheong-ryeong? What is…”

-Puk!

It was at that very moment. Sang Ung-baek couldn’t move for an instant. It was because he was seized by a bizarre sensation of something grasping his heart.

“Gasp… Gasp…”

Instinctively, Sang Ung-baek knew. It was gripping very gently, but if it applied even a little force, it seemed like his heart would burst. What is happened was this bizarre occurrence?

As he was perplexed, Mok Gyeong-un said something as if he were conversing with someone.

“No, no. It would be troublesome if you burst his heart. Please wait a moment.”

‘!?’

In an instant, Sang Ung-baek’s eyes widened as if they would tear apart.