Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 85

‘Damn mortal bastard!’

Was he finally trying to find out about her past in this way?

For a moment, she pondered whether she should break the seal of the wooden doll and leave.

Just then, the master of the Corpse Blood Valley, Lee Ji-yeom, spoke.

“Since my liege has spoken thus, I will briefly commit a discourtesy. How did the incident of that day…”

-Damn mortal! Stop him right now. My past, in this way…

Feeling desperate, she shouted for him to stop.

However, Mok Gyeong-un had no intention of doing so.

In any case, if he encountered something related to her past, like with the Li family, he would find out what had happened one way or another.

Just what had she experienced to become a vengeful spirit…

-Flinch!

At that moment, the master of the Corpse Blood Valley, Lee Ji-yeom, and Mok Gyeong-un simultaneously looked in a certain direction.

It was towards the outside of the building.

-What is it? Why are you acting like that?

Cheong-ryeong, sealed inside the wooden doll, could not sense the external energy.

So she was puzzled when the two reacted simultaneously like this.

The master of the Corpse Blood Valley, Lee Ji-yeom, had already approached the window.

-Clack!

As he opened the paper-covered window, the courtyard in front of the lodging was revealed.

There were red-belted warriors standing guard in front of it, and nothing was happening.

At this, Lee Ji-yeom slightly tilted his head.

He was sure there was something that stimulated his senses just now.

But it had disappeared in an instant.

‘What was that?’

The energy he felt just now was too ominous to ignore.

However, now that it had disappeared, it was difficult to search for it blindly.

As he pondered this, Mok Gyeong-un spoke.

“Valley Master.”

“Ah. Yes, my liege. It doesn’t seem to be anything…”

“May I go out for a moment?”

“Pardon?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s sudden mention of going out, Lee Ji-yeom frowned as if in a difficult position.

On the other hand, Cheong-ryeong inside the wooden doll inwardly felt relieved.

She didn’t know what was going on, but thanks to that, the attention could be diverted.

***

About a quarter of an hour ago.

On a mountain hill about 1 li (approx. 0.5 km) away from the lodging.

There, about ten red-belted warriors were transporting four spies whose energy cores had been destroyed and whose bodies were restrained.

Among the spies was Neung Hwa-yang, who could be considered the only female.

The other spies had resisted, getting their arms and legs cut off, and were unable to endure the pain of having their energy cores destroyed, so they all fainted.

However, she was the only one still conscious.

The reason was that she was possessed by Gyu Soha.

‘Ah…’

Gyu Soha couldn’t hide her regret.

She had barely obtained a decent body, but it was a pity to use it and discard it like this, but she had to carry out her master’s orders.

When the time came, she believed her master would find her a suitably decent body.

If that happened,

‘…Will I be able to see that person again?’

Her own younger brother who had driven his own flesh and blood to death.

She had endured on the cliff of solitude with her anger towards him.

If her master went into the castle of the Heaven and Earth Society, she might see him again.

It had been fifteen years since her death.

There was no way he would have died in just that time.

[You damn bastard. If only you die, everything will be resolved.]

[You… you…]

[Acting all superior every time, pitying me as if you had everything…]

[I… I’m not…]

[You were just born before me, that’s all.]

-Clench!

Strength entered her hand.

The last face she saw at the moment of her death was his face filled with ecstasy.

With that face, he had repeatedly smashed her face with a rock.

It was an indelible yoke of hatred.

-Creak!

While she was pondering this, the cart carrying them suddenly stopped midway.

Wondering what was going on, Gyu Soha squinted and observed why.

‘Huh?’

The red-belted warriors were greeting someone.

Both were wearing Taoist robes, one was a white-haired old man, and the other was wearing an eye patch and leaning on a cane.

One of the senior warriors leading the red-belted warriors clasped his hands together and greeted.

“Bong-yang, a senior warrior of the Corpse Blood Valley, greets the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion.”

The identity of the old man was none other than In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, which was in charge of esoteric arts consultation under the Heaven and Earth Society.

And next to him was the middle-aged man with the eye patch leaning on a cane, his disciple and Taoist master, Jo Ui-gong.

‘Why have they come here?’

Bong-yang, the senior warrior of the Corpse Blood Valley, couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

That was because there were Taoist masters dispatched within the Corpse Blood Valley, so there was rarely any reason for the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion to come here.

However, he couldn’t figure out why they had come here.

Just then, In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, asked the senior warrior.

“Were there any unusual incidents during the checkpoints?”

At his question, the senior warrior slightly frowned.

Although he was cooperating under the Society Leader’s orders, matters related to the checkpoints were ultimately the responsibility of the master of the Corpse Blood Valley and his subordinates.

He had no obligation to report to the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion.

‘Is this old fart trying to create more trouble?’

He was already doing the bothersome task of categorizing and moving the corpses one by one because of the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion.

So he was even more reluctant to say anything.

Perhaps his thoughts were showing on his face?

“Hey. Do you take the Primal Killing Pavilion lightly? The Pavilion Master is asking, so why aren’t you answering?”

Jo Ui-gong frowned and pressed him.

At this, the flustered senior warrior hurriedly spoke.

“No, that’s not it. How could that be? There were no major problems in conducting the checkpoints.”

At his answer, Jo Ui-gong clicked his tongue as if dissatisfied.

The warriors of the main castle were mindful of the Primal Killing Pavilion, which was favored by the Society Leader.

On the other hand, the warriors of the Corpse Blood Valley were not.

Was it because the master of the Corpse Blood Valley himself was close to being rebellious, as the Blade King had said?

“Tsk tsk. Does the Pavilion Master coming all the way here seem like nothing special happened?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The cliff…”

-Swish!

At that moment, In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, extended his hand and cut off Jo Ui-gong’s words.

Jo Ui-gong closed his mouth and quietly stepped back, unable to upset his master and teacher.

Then, In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, spoke with a somewhat serious expression.

“Don’t ignore my words. Something unusual is happening. If there’s even the slightest suspicious or strange incident, speak of it. Otherwise, I’ll have no choice but to report to the Society Leader and halt the checkpoints of the Corpse Blood Valley this time.”

“Pardon?”

What on earth was he talking about?

Why would he halt the checkpoints of the Corpse Blood Valley that were proceeding normally?

The senior warrior couldn’t help but be perplexed.

Just what had happened for the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion to personally come here and say such things?

“Was there really nothing unusual?”

In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, asked again.

At this, the perplexed senior warrior Bong-yang hurriedly spoke.

“There was nothing that could be a problem. The Taoist master in the cave also said it was fine that the monster making pig squealing sounds died during the previous checkpoint…”

“Wait.”

“Yes?”

“What do you mean by that?”

In Seo-ok asked with narrowed eyes.

At this, senior warrior Bong-yang carefully repeated what he had said.

“The monster making pig squealing sounds died…”

“Gal-jeo? Gal-jeo died?”

Did that monster also have a name?

He wasn’t sure what it was, but it seemed to refer to that wolf monster making pig squealing sounds, so senior warrior Bong-yang nodded and replied.

“Yes. It seems to have died during the second checkpoint.”

“What do you mean?”

In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

That was because he knew how the checkpoints were conducted due to the ‘thing’ in the cave and the Spirit God Parasitic Poison Art.

Moreover, didn’t the Primal Killing Pavilion manufacture the flag used in the second checkpoint?

In the first place, the key point of that checkpoint was to run away from the monster, and there was no one who could catch it.

“That can’t be…”

“One of the trainees killed it.”

“What? You’re saying one of the trainees killed Gal-jeo?”

At these words, In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, couldn’t hide his surprise.

Even ordinary wolves were difficult to deal with without weapons or martial arts.

Yet they were saying that among the boys aged 16 to 19, there was someone who killed the phantom wolf with bare hands?

“Is that true?”

He found it hard to believe.

Jo Ui-gong also seemed to have the same thought as his master In Seo-ok, as he asked back in disbelief.

Then, senior warrior Bong-yang spoke as if frustrated.

“Sigh. It’s true. We also couldn’t believe the report at first, but that kid tore apart the monster’s mouth and killed it. If you truly can’t believe it, the monster’s corpse should be in the cave…”

“What? Tore apart its mouth?”

“No. Can’t you just go and see for yourself?”

At senior warrior Bong-yang’s words, Jo Ui-gong was dumbfounded.

There were also ranks among the phantom wolves.

Even the lowest grade, the Fierce Beast, required Taoist masters to be at least at the Moon-level to deal with it.

Let alone the Monstrous Beast, which was one rank higher.

It was something an ordinary human could not handle.

As he was in disbelief, In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, asked.

“Is the trainee safe, at least?”

“He’s safe. Rather, he was less injured than the other trainees.”

“My word.”

An exclamation flowed from the mouth of In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion.

Just what kind of fellow was he to be able to do such a thing with bare hands?

From the perspective of a Taoist master, he couldn’t help but be interested.

So he asked.

“May I ask for the name of that trainee?”

Well, that wasn’t difficult.

“It’s a kid named Mok Gyeong-un.”

“Master!”

As soon as those words were spoken, Jo Ui-gong called out to In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, in an excited voice.

He was so surprised that he unconsciously called him master as soon as he heard the name.

Realizing his mistake, Jo Ui-gong suppressed his excitement and spoke.

“It’s that child.”

“That child?”

“Didn’t I tell you? The child I accepted as a disciple was sent to the Corpse Blood Valley by the Society Leader’s order, so please inform him…”

At those words, In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, frowned.

The child his disciple he had accepted as a disciple had killed the monster?

This was quite surprising.

So he asked.

“When did you accept that child as a disciple?”

“It hasn’t even been half a month since I accepted him.”

“What?”

The eyes of In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, widened.

A kid who had only received teachings on esoteric arts for half a month had single-handedly caught the monster Gal-jeo?

Since he was sent to the Corpse Blood Valley, he wouldn’t have had talismans or magic tools, right?

Then Jo Ui-gong whispered to him.

“Just in case, the disciple gave him a ring with incantations inscribed on it, but even so, isn’t it remarkable that he did this alone with his own strength?”

At his words, In Seo-ok stared intently at Jo Ui-gong.

He knew better than anyone what a ring with incantations inscribed on it was.

He had directly taught the method of making it, so there was no way he wouldn’t know.

However, even if he had that, catching a phantom wolf of the Ghost Beast level was definitely not an easy task.

No, it was practically impossible.

‘If what Ui-gong says is true, he has accepted a disciple with an absurdly outstanding talent.’

He had no choice but to acknowledge it.

He understood why Jo Ui-gong had insisted so much on informing the Society Leader.

If he had that level of talent, it was only natural for him to do so.

‘I want to see him in person.’

What kind of fellow he was.

However, there was something he had been suspicious of from the start.

He had tried to brush it off, thinking there was no way, but this feeling was unmistakable after all.

“Hand me the cane.”

“Pardon?”

“Didn’t I tell you to hand it over?”

At his master’s words, Jo Ui-gong looked puzzled but handed over his cane.

Then, In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, lightly tapped the ground with the cane.

-Thud!

-Jingle jingle!

At that moment, the silver coins on the head of the cane shook strongly.

Along with it, In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, muttered softly.

“Ma-yang-gak-seo Seo-won-un-jeong Jeo-won-gi-yun…”

-Swoosh!

The jingling sound of the silver coins gradually grew louder.

Then finally,

-Thud!

The red-belted warriors, who had been nodding off, collapsed on the ground as if they had fallen asleep.

Even the senior warrior Bong-yang was no exception.

“What on earth is…hmm.”

-Thud!

“Master, what…”

Jo Ui-gong couldn’t hide his bewilderment at In Seo-ok’s sudden incantation.

That was because his master’s chanted incantation was not just for putting people to sleep or making them faint.

It was invisible to ordinary people’s eyes, but to Jo Ui-gong’s eyes, the gray-colored lines that appeared whenever In Seo-ok shook the silver coins on the cane were clearly visible.

-Swoosh!

The gray-colored lines that appeared like that created a semicircular curtain covering a distance of about 15 jang (approx. 50 meters).

‘Spell power barrier.’

Spell power barrier.

It was a barrier created by a Taoist master’s spell power.

Among the Taoist masters of the Divine-Sun-Moon-Profound-Transmission, only those whose spell power reached the Sun level or higher could create it, and it was comparable to the Ghost Realm created by high-grade vengeful spirits.

However, why did his master, In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, suddenly create a spell power barrier?

Just then,

-Swoosh!

At that moment, chains shot out from the cart carrying the spies and pounced on In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion.

“Master!”

-Swish!

“Don’t interfere.”

In Seo-ok shook his head and lightly swung his cane.

Then, the chains that had been rushing towards him were all bent and crashed to the ground.

“This is?”

Jo Ui-gong instantly realized that the chains were made of spiritual power.

He looked at the cart,

“Ugh…”

There, he saw a girl with black blood vessels bulging all over her body, writhing.

The girl was the spy Neung Hwa-yang.

Looking at the girl suffering in pain, In Seo-ok, the Pavilion Master of the Primal Killing Pavilion, lifted the corner of his mouth eerily and spoke in a meaningful voice.

“So this is where my Gu poison was.”