Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 45

-Whoosh!

The amount was incomparable to the energy generated by the death of a single person.

The death energy created by the deaths of dozens of people was not only vast in quantity but also deep in purity.

This was because it contained all the negative emotions at the very moment of death.

‘Excellent.’

While circulating energy using the Reverse Breathing Technique, it was far more than when he had absorbed the energy of the malevolent spirit, Gu Yeo of the Two Demons and Two Spirits.

This was unexpected.

The risk he had taken was worthwhile.

At this rate, he seemed likely to achieve his goal faster than originally anticipated.

‘Twice….. No, perhaps even three times.’

It was about expanding the diameter of his danjeon.

He was concentrating the high-purity energy flowing in through energy circulation, and if done well, it might be possible to triple it.

Of course, he had no idea what level of internal energy this corresponded to.

As Mok Gyeong-un focused on circulating energy, Go Chan, who was tasked with guarding him, was extremely tense.

‘…….It’s reckless.’

If Ha Chae-rin’s body, which had reached the Peak of the Transcendent Realm, was on such high alert, there was no chance of victory.

Where did such a monster appear from?

At that moment, the scarred man shifted his gaze from Go Chan to Mok Gyeong-un, who was immersed in energy circulation.

Then, with an intrigued expression, he spoke.

“Engaging in energy circulation amidst the chaos of an unknown enemy’s appearance and the spilling of blood. What an interesting child.”

He then began to approach with long strides.

It looked like he was merely walking, but he swiftly closed the distance from the pavilion in just a few steps.

‘Gasp!’

Startled, Go Chan felt it was futile and called out to Mok Gyeong-un.

“Young Master?”

He wanted to shake him and tell him to come to his senses, but if he accidentally disrupted him during energy circulation, it could lead to Qi Deviation.

“Young Master?”

Go Chan called out to Mok Gyeong-un once more.

However, there was no response.

Instead, he seemed to be in a state of self-transcendence, accelerating his energy circulation even further.

-Whoosh!

All the surrounding death energy was visibly being absorbed at a tremendous speed, making it difficult to interrupt the process midway.

In the end, Go Chan concluded that his only option was to buy time.

Come to think of it, he was already dead.

He couldn’t let Mok Gyeong-un come to harm out of concern for the possessed body getting injured.

-Whoosh!

Go Chan sent energy to his feet acupoint and stomped his foot.

At that moment, Ha Chae-rin’s possessed body shot forward at an incredible speed.

It was incomparably faster than his original body.

-Tap tap tap tap!

In an instant, he circled the scarred man’s vicinity twice.

“Hoho. Quite fast indeed.”

The scarred man muttered.

However, it didn’t sound like praise at all, and he wasn’t even assuming a defensive stance.

Go Chan bit his lower lip.

‘He’s looking down on me, isn’t he? Flying Kill Martial Arts, 3rd Stance, Engraving Silent Performance!’

A martial arts technique naturally came to mind.

The unique martial art that Flying Killing Yama’s Guest took pride in, the Flying Kill Martial Arts 3rd Stance, Engraving Silent Performance[1], instinctively unfolded from his body.

-Swoosh swoosh swoosh swoosh!

Go Chan somersaulted in the air and unleashed his leg techniques towards the scarred man.

Six windmill-like kicks accurately targeted the vital points along the center line.

He thought the man would dodge or block them in some way, but…

-Shudder!

Suddenly, startled by the sharp killing intent, Go Chan twisted his body to the side.

-Swish!

Severed strands of hair scattered in all directions.

‘When?’

If he had been a moment later, that huge Taoist sword would have sliced his body in half.

As he twisted his body, Go Chan threw three Lustrous Jade Flying Needles, which he had drawn from his bracelet, towards the face of the scarred man.

-Swish swish swish!

-Clang clang clang!

However, the man easily deflected them with his Taoist sword.

Moreover, as if that wasn’t enough…

-Thud!

“Ugh!”

With an invisible angle, he accurately struck Go Chan’s abdomen with his left fist.

Go Chan let out a dying scream as he was sent flying backward, tumbling several times.

-Thud thud thud!

“Cough!”

Blood flowed from his mouth as he coughed.

The difference in skills was evident after just a single exchange.

However, Go Chan’s eyes gleamed with surprise.

It wasn’t because the scarred man was incredibly strong, but because the pain from that strike wasn’t agonizing.

‘What is this?’

Strangely, his stomach churned, and he felt nauseous.

Yet, the sensation of pain itself was still absent.

Because of this, Go Chan could recognize that he was possessing someone else’s body.

‘It feels strange.’

But now wasn’t the time to dwell on this peculiar feeling.

Go Chan trembled as he raised his body.

Even if the sensation of pain itself was absent, the fact that his body had suffered an impact remained unchanged.

Thus, his legs wouldn’t properly support his weight.

“Woman. If you try to stop me one more time, you’ll die.”

The scarred man warned in a low voice.

Those words made Go Chan feel somewhat offended.

“Who are you calling a woman……”

“Stop right there!”

-Swish swish swish!

At that moment, someone shouted and leaped forward.

He then blocked Go Chan’s path and aimed his sword at the scarred man.

It was none other than Mok Yu-cheon.

“Young Master Mok?”

“Miss, are you alright?”

‘Huh?’

At those words, Go Chan’s expression turned blank.

Goosebumps were about to rise all over his body.

Glancing at the dumbfounded Go Chan, Mok Yu-cheon spoke with a forceful tone.

“Ahem. Miss, please step back as it’s dangerous. I will handle this man.”

“………”

As a man, he could tell.

Mok Yu-cheon was putting on quite a show.

Because of that, Go Chan couldn’t bear the cringe.

Regardless, Mok Yu-cheon politely bowed to the scarred man, perhaps to make a good impression, and said,

“I am Mok Yu-cheon, the fourth son of the Yeon Mok Sword Manor. May I ask for what reason you have entered our clan and caused this commotion?”

At Mok Yu-cheon’s words, the scarred man chuckled.

Then, he looked Mok Yu-cheon up and down and spoke.

“Interesting. To think I would encounter two promising individuals in a place like this.”

“What do you mean?”

“Young lad. You have no right to question me.”

With those words, the scarred man exuded a strong oppressive aura.

He merely revealed his killing intent, but Mok Yu-cheon’s heart raced.

‘Strong.’

As a supreme master at the early stage of the Transcendent Realm, Mok Yu-cheon could gauge how powerful the man before him was.

Perhaps he was a master on par with his father before he lost his arm.

It had been a long time since he felt such trembling.

The scarred man then asked him,

“Mok family. Where is your father?”

“Do not address my father so casually.”

Mok Yu-cheon raised his voice, seemingly angered by the scarred man’s words.

Seeing his reaction, the scarred man smirked and said,

“Don’t shout. Trying to conceal your fear only makes you appear weaker.”

“What?”

Unable to restrain himself, Mok Yu-cheon leaped forward, intending to unleash his sword technique.

“So naive.”

To be provoked by such a trivial taunt.

-Swish!

In an instant, as if the ground had pulled him, the scarred man’s figure reached Mok Yu-cheon’s front.

‘What speed…..’

It was imperceptible.

The startled Mok Yu-cheon tried to twist his body to the left and change the trajectory of his sword technique.

At that moment, the man’s hand moved as flexibly as a snake, reaching towards Mok Yu-cheon’s face.

“Huh?”

Mok Yu-cheon hastily raised his left arm.

The man’s palm lightly touched his wrist.

The instant it made contact, a majestic energy penetrated, and Mok Yu-cheon’s body was sent flying as if it were a feather.

-Bam!

“Ugh!”

The force was so strong that he flew more than five zhang before coming to a stop.

Mok Yu-cheon tumbled several times on the ground and spat out blood.

“Cough.”

Even though he had tried to circulate his body’s protective energy upon contact, the opponent’s internal energy had penetrated his viscera.

It was a high-level emission technique called Penetrating Force[2].

It exhibited exceptionally effective power against martial artists weaker than oneself, and Mok Yu-cheon was such an existence to the scarred man.

‘To not even be treated as an opponent…..’

The Taoist sword he held in his right hand remained slung over his shoulder.

The gap was too overwhelming.

However, he couldn’t give up here.

This situation wasn’t a friendly spar or training.

‘A real battle.’

This man was an enemy who had invaded the Yeon Mok Sword Manor.

If he yielded here, it would be the end.

Mok Yu-cheon regulated his breathing and raised his body.

Then, Go Chan approached his side, assuming a bow stance, and said,

“Young Master. We need to attack together.”

“Miss?”

‘This bastard!’

For a moment, Go Chan felt the urge to tell him not to call him “Miss,” but he let it go.

It was only natural since he was possessing a woman’s body, and now wasn’t the time to quibble over forms of address.

As the two of them prepared to launch a joint attack, the scarred man grinned sinisterly.

“What foolish actions.”

With that, he attempted to take a step towards them.

It was at that very moment.

“Haa!”

With a resounding shout, someone appeared and brought down a single strike on the scarred man.

The scarred man, who hadn’t fully unleashed his abilities when facing the two of them, grabbed his Taoist sword and swung upward.

-Clang!

The clash of sword and blade reverberated in all directions.

The energy of the two supreme masters was so strong that fierce winds swirled around them.

However, even between them, there was a disparity.

-Bam!

The one who had delivered the downward strike was eventually sent flying backward, pushed back by about five steps.

“Fa- Father!”

That person was none other than the Manor Master of the Yeon Mok Sword Manor, Mok In-dan.

-Drip drip!

Black blood trickled from the corner of Mok In-dan’s mouth.

Having risen from his sickbed not long ago, he had expended a significant amount of true energy, and being unaccustomed to using his left hand, he couldn’t even muster half of his prime strength.

“Father!”

As Mok Yu-cheon tried to approach, Mok In-dan extended his hand and shook his head.

“Stand back. He’s not your opponent.”

“But……”

“Ah!”

With those words, Mok In-dan’s eyes glanced at Mok Gyeong-un, who was sitting cross-legged and circulating energy.

Why was that child doing that?

Was he injured?

He appeared to be fine on the outside.

After a moment of puzzlement, Manor Master Mok In-dan shifted his gaze to the approaching scarred man and spoke.

“Who are you to invade our clan?”

“Invade? Hahahaha!”

At this question, the scarred man burst into laughter and took something out from his bosom.

Seeing it, Mok In-dan’s expression instantly hardened.

It was none other than a seal.

‘A seal?’

Mok Yu-cheon’s eyes narrowed.

No matter how he looked at it, it seemed to be a seal, but why was his father so startled?

As they pondered, the scarred man tossed the seal upward and caught it repeatedly, then spoke.

“You should know well what this is, Manor Master Mok.”

“…….How did you obtain that?”

“How, you ask? Hahahahaha! Manor Master Mok, you’re quite the actor. To say such a thing after arbitrarily seizing ‘that,’ which is no less than our society’s treasure.”

‘Seize?’

Mok Yu-cheon looked at Mok In-dan with an expression of incomprehension.

At that moment, a shocking revelation emerged from Mok In-dan’s mouth.

“……..Are you from the Heaven and Earth Society?”

In response to this question, the scarred man grinned.

It was a sign of affirmation.

‘!!!!!!’

At this, not only Mok Yu-cheon but also Go Chan’s eyes widened.

The reason for their astonishment was simple.

The Heaven and Earth Society.

It was one of the colossal forces that currently divided the martial arts world of the Central Plains into three factions.

Revering only the existence of the strong, they had once plunged the martial arts world into chaos, claiming to unify it.

At that time, countless wandering warriors had lost their lives.

Thus, the martial arts world still couldn’t help but tremble in fear upon hearing the name of the Heaven and Earth Society.

‘The- The Heaven and Earth Society?’

Go Chan was dumbfounded.

No wonder there weren’t many forces that would dare to commit such a brazen act against the Yeon Mok Sword Manor, a renowned martial arts family in Anhui Province.

But if it was truly the Heaven and Earth Society, it was a grave situation.

No matter how much the Yeon Mok Sword Manor had gained fame as a martial arts family, if they were determined to attack, they would have to be prepared for the annihilation of their clan.

“Ah…”

A sigh escaped from Manor Master Mok In-dan’s mouth.

To think it would be the Heaven and Earth Society.

Mok In-dan’s gaze turned to his youngest son Mok Yu-cheon, Mok Gyeong-un who was circulating energy, and the warriors of the Yeon Mok Sword Manor fighting nearby.

‘Is this my karma?’

Why had he been greedy back then?

If only he hadn’t brought that thing, such a situation wouldn’t have occurred.

Mok In-dan spoke with difficulty.

“…….If we hand that over, will you withdraw from our clan?”

‘Father?’

At those words, Mok Yu-cheon looked at Manor Master Mok In-dan with surprised eyes.

Although the Manor Master’s words were meant to save everyone, they were almost equivalent to surrender.

His heart ached at the sight of his father’s weakened appearance, which he had never witnessed before.

“I shouldn’t have revealed the identity of our society. I was hoping for a bit more resistance.”

The scarred man muttered as if he was disappointed.

Seeing his attitude, Mok Yu-cheon couldn’t hide his inner fury.

Unless they looked down on them to an extreme degree, they wouldn’t display such an attitude.

Manor Master Mok In-dan sent a glance and shook his head.

It meant not to act rashly.

‘Even if you’re angry, endure it, my son. The opponent is the Heaven and Earth Society.’

In any case, the situation was extremely unfavorable from the moment such a monster had arrived.

Apart from being weakened, even if his body were intact, Manor Master Mok In-dan had no confidence in handling the scarred man.

The scarred man rested his Taoist sword on his shoulder and asked,

“Where is it? That thing.”

“Let’s make a promise, man

“Make a promise, man to man, first,” Mok In-dan demanded.

The scarred man replied, “Manor Master Mok, you’re not lacking in capacity as a leader. Very well. I, Son Yun, the Bright Blade King, one of the Five Kings of the Great Heaven and Earth Society, shall make a promise. If you hand that over, I will refrain from causing further harm to the Yeon Mok Sword Manor and withdraw.”

‘…….One of the Five Kings.’ Mok In-dan was inwardly astounded. To think that Son Yun, the Bright Blade King, one of the eight executives leading the Heaven and Earth Society, had made a move. If that were the case, there was no doubt he had come with the intention of annihilating the clan if things went awry. At this realization, cold sweat trickled down Mok In-dan’s back.

The scarred man, or rather, Son Yun, the Bright Blade King, one of the Five Kings of the Heaven and Earth Society, asked, “Where is it?”

In response to that question, Mok In-dan pointed somewhere and said, “Over there lies our clan’s Medicinal Hall. Among the herb containers in the Medicinal Hall, if you open the drawer marked with ‘Five Elements,’ an underground entrance will be revealed.”

“Hoho.”

“Inside, there is a stone door engraved with the character ‘jeong‘ (丁). The passage contains mechanical traps, so you must either break through twenty steps at once using lightness skills or traverse by grasping the ceiling.”

“Well hidden indeed.”

“In that place, there should be a wooden box with talismans attached to it.”

“Did you hear that?” Son Yun, the Bright Blade King, asked one of the masked individuals beside him.

“Yes,” the masked individual replied.

“Bring it.”

“Understood!”

The masked individual promptly vanished in the direction of the Medicinal Hall.

‘…….He said it’s hidden in a secret space inside the Medicinal Hall?’ Go Chan furrowed his brow with a perplexed expression, surreptitiously glancing at Mok Gyeong-un, who was still absorbing the death energy. He had a feeling that things were becoming thoroughly entangled.