The Third Visit of the Demon Cult
‘…So this ghost belongs to the Black Ghost Valley…’
Honestly, I had been plotting against the Demon Cult for some time now, but I never truly intended to settle permanently in the Myeonggwi Realm.
‘As long as I can talk to the Black Ghost Valley about Kang Min-hee’s symptoms…’
I decided this ghost would serve as my contact point with them.
“This… the guest has arrived. Take her to the ‘Private Chamber.’ I will offer her the most special treatment myself.”
At my signal, the puppet disciples in the cult’s hall moved to seize her.
The ghost in flowing robes wept, her face twisted in humiliation as she shouted.
“I am the one who swore to give everything to Lord Cha-jo Ghost, Number 30! I will never be soiled by you filthy ones! Kueeet…!”
[…]
There seemed to be some serious misunderstanding between us, but frankly, no matter how I explained, she would never believe me.
I gestured for her to be taken away, then closed my eyes.
Uuuung―
My True Power had already accumulated seven-tenths.
‘Seven thousand years of lifespan. Three thousand more and the True Power will be complete.’
Moreover, because the Mugeuk Sect had infiltrated the mortal realm in many places, the rate at which sacrifices were offered had begun to accelerate.
Like this.
Chuchuchu―
I extended my consciousness through the Gongryeong-ji, sensing the offerings.
***
‘This place…’
The spot my consciousness reached was a side realm.
Unlike the Water Realm, this side realm was rich in heaven-and-earth spiritual energy and quite vast.
I followed the voice that called me through the side realm.
A hidden corner of the side realm.
A secret valley.
It was eerie!
For some reason, when I extended my consciousness into that valley, I sensed a chill in a certain spot.
I entered the cave hidden within the valley.
Uuuung―
I flowed into the boy’s body.
Inside the boy’s consciousness.
I faced the boy.
[Did you call me?]
The boy trembled as he spoke in a trembling voice.
“Yes, O Venerable One. Please lend me your power.”
The boy immediately began explaining his situation without my asking.
“I am an experimental subject of a Demon Dao cultivator.”
The boy’s name was Ham-jin.
He was an orphan in a rural village.
But while he was surviving by begging, his village had been attacked by a bandit gang and destroyed.
The bandits had burned the village and captured all the beggars for human trafficking.
And he had been sold to a Demon Dao cultivator because of his bad luck.
“He calls us ‘disciples,’ but in reality he only bought us to experiment on. He has no other use for us. No, I heard his plan. He wants to steal our bodies to extend his own lifespan!”
[So you called me?]
“Yes, please save me. I will offer you whatever you wish.”
[I know the price. Why did you call me?]
“No matter what the price, I would rather die pitifully at the hands of that monster than remain in this hell.”
[Good… then…]
Just as I was about to accept the boy’s lifespan and grant his wish, I thought, ‘Wait a moment. Something feels off.’
I spoke to the boy.
[…First, go out of this cave.]
“What?”
[Do as I say.]
I moved the boy’s body out of the cave.
Outside the cave lay a vast valley.
Small holes were scattered across the valley, from which faint presences could be felt.
It seemed the Demon Dao cultivator had dug pits and kept his disciples inside.
But what really caught my attention was something else.
‘This valley…’
I hadn’t paid much attention when I first entered, but while reading his unconscious memories, I noticed something strange.
[Do you know how this valley was formed? Do you know any legends or myths about it?]
“Ah… they say long ago a green god descended from the sky, split a turtle in half and died, creating this valley. That is why it is called the Turtle-Splitting Valley.”
[…]
I observed the boy’s pits with my consciousness.
[Leave your body to me for a moment.]
“What?”
[If you lend me your body for just one incense stick, I will grant you a very special ability.]
“Ah, I understand.”
The boy nodded, and I took possession of his body, approaching the altar he had used to offer sacrifices to me.
Kwaddeuk―
I split the altar, then sharpened the heavenly-and-earthly spiritual energy until it became razor-sharp.
The broken pieces turned into a wooden staff.
Uuuung―
I gathered heavenly-and-earthly spiritual energy and formed Blade Qi, coating the staff with it.
Then.
Kwagagagag!
I swung the staff at the boy’s pit.
Kwadjijik―
The strike was weak.
At best, it made a small dent in the pit.
But after seeing the dent, I looked back at the valley.
And placed my hand on the bedrock that formed the valley.
I could feel the qi of the dragon vein flowing from within the valley.
It was like the blood vessels of a living being.
“…Normally such dragon veins do not form like this.”
The valley created when the green god split the turtle.
“Hae-cheon Venerable….”
I immediately understood.
This valley was a world born from the corpse of a creature killed by the Heaven-Sinking Venerable Jang Ik, transformed by the corpse’s death.
And I remembered the chill I had felt when I entered.
‘Ah…’
I used Wansuigungmurok with Ham-jin’s body, fused my Chongcheon-geom with my body, and flew out of the cave into the sky.
I could feel the boy’s unconscious mind reacting in shock.
But I paid no heed to his shock.
‘As expected…’
I stood at the edge of the side realm.
I rose toward the ‘ceiling’ of this world, looking down upon it in awe.
This world was a battlefield.
Everywhere, blade marks from Jang Ik’s staff were carved into the ground.
I looked at the marks and understood the battle’s flow.
The battle had begun at the northwest edge of this world and ended here at the southeast edge.
And the conclusion was that Jang Ik had won, and the creature he fought was dead.
‘Jang Ik… fought quite hard!?’
I sweated in my mind while inferring from the marks and traces left in the world.
The one called ‘Venerable’ had fought hard.
That meant the creature that died after fighting Jang Ik was also at the Star Shattering level.
I understood why this side realm, unlike the Water Realm, had such thick heavenly-and-earthly spiritual energy.
After the Star Shattering creature died, its remaining power had enriched the world.
‘What exactly is this world?’
I looked around in bewilderment.
How had a side realm like this withstood the battles of Star Shattering Venerables so tenaciously?
Then I sensed something odd and descended further.
Kuguguguk―
I induced heavenly qi.
Ham-jin was a three-pillar talent of wood, fire, and metal. I shook the dragon vein and caused a minor earthquake.
Kugugugugu!
The valley shook, cracks spreading and collapsing.
‘Why was the corpse of a Star Shattering creature that fought Jang Ik evenly only capable of causing this tremor with Heavenly Person-level power?’
It was strange.
Then.
Jijjing―
I realized what this dead creature, now a valley, was.
‘This…!’
Deep below the dragon vein.
A mass of auspicious power was concentrated there.
‘So… it wasn’t that the Venerable’s corpse was weak, but all his authority had gathered beneath it, and the outer shell had simply decayed.’
Kuguguk―
I pulled with my spiritual power to lift the entire valley.
But then.
Jijjing―
‘Tsk. If I push harder, the boy’s soul will collapse.’
The initial pull had reached Foundation Establishment.
So I could lift with a trace of power.
But this boy Ham-jin was barely at Qi Condensation, Layer 1.
Even at my peak control, my soul was struggling, and pushing more power through the boy’s soul would likely vaporize his.
Of course, if his soul vaporized, I could easily take over the body, but I didn’t need to go that far.
‘But there’s no need.’
No need to commit an inhuman act.
No matter how valuable the treasure beneath, one life is worth more.
I entered the boy’s pit, erased the traces of the sacrifice he had offered, and spoke to Ham-jin.
“I’ve confirmed everything. But since you can’t hold on much longer, withdraw for now. However, since we’ve already connected, from now on you can call me without an offering. Call me again. I will lend you my power.”
Ham-jin nodded faintly inside his unconsciousness, enduring my soul’s pressure.
Uuuung―
I gathered heavenly-and-earthly spiritual energy into my hand.
“And this is the price for borrowing your body.”
Wiiiiing―
I condensed the gathered qi into a blade.
The blade became a spirit sword and appeared above my hand; I swallowed it whole.
The spirit sword entered the boy’s Dharma Treasure Heart Core and settled at its center, becoming my Dan.
Wiiiiing―
Paaang!
I linked my Dan with the boy’s Heart Core and granted him the illusion of my sense.
I still couldn’t fully control the power I had created, but he would gain the sense of beasts.
“Beasts are more sensitive than humans and can foresee great disasters or accidents. This is all based on the senses I have given you. Since I have also given you the beast’s sense, use it to survive.”
Chuchuchu―
I left his consciousness and said.
“You need time for your soul to heal, so call me again in three months. Until then, see you.”
The moment I left his physical body, Ham-jin fainted from exhaustion.
‘What a tremendous harvest!’
Far greater than the qi I had obtained falling from the cliff during a life-and-death struggle.
‘The corpse of a Star Shattering Venerable!’
Of course, even the Venerable’s corpse had mostly exhausted qi, but all that qi had not vanished—it had been concentrated in a single point of auspicious energy.
‘The chill I felt when I first entered was because the Venerable was dead, but I was still facing him.’
Venerable was still Venerable.
The possibility of obtaining something left by that Venerable had opened.
I returned to my seated main body and lit up my eyes.
[Hehehehe, hehehehehehe…!]
I smiled happily through my nineteen mouths.
At that moment.
Hong Beom urgently conveyed news.
“Master, a Integration stage Taesu in this region is approaching the Guangyin Realm.”
I extended my consciousness and recognized the lizard-shaped zombie charging toward the Guangyin Realm wrapped in my blessing.
[From the qi, it belongs to the Black Ghost Valley. Impressive momentum.]
I rose from my seat, eyes blazing.
[It doesn’t matter. I’ve prepared for this as well. Convey to the Void Shattering Ghost King: begin.]
“Yes.”
Hong Beom opened his communication jade slip and contacted Oh Hyun-seok.
And in the direction west of the Guangyin Realm where the Taesu was charging.
Oh Hyun-seok and Jeon Myeong-hoon stood there.
***
“Hmm, we ascend from here? Won’t the formation break?”
“It’s fine. I can control it completely.”
“I see…”
Oh Hyun-seok looked at Jeon Myeong-hoon with curious eyes.
“No matter how many times I see it, it’s astonishing. Jeon Myeong-hoon standing so normally…”
“…Hurry up and start.”
“Understood. Then…”
Kugugugugu!
Oh Hyun-seok sucked in heavenly qi and focused his mind.
His entire body was dyed purple.
His One Sect Body could absorb any qi.
Heavenly-and-earthly qi, yin-yang qi, whatever.
All absorbed and melted inside the Soul Origin, raising the realm!
That was the One Sect Body.
That was why it had no effect whether he absorbed qi or pure qi; he could raise his realm either way.
When he first came to the Myeonggwi Realm, he had briefly fainted from absorbing unfamiliar energy!
[Go!]
Kugugugugu!
And Oh Hyun-seok attempted to break through from Heavenly Person to Four Pillars.
Kureul, kurururung!
Dark clouds appeared in the sky, and twin-colored heavenly lightning struck Oh Hyun-seok.
Kwarururung!
Normally that level of heavenly tribulation would have turned the area into a battlefield, but this time it was different.
Because Jeon Myeong-hoon was controlling the remaining tribulation outside.
And just as the nearby Black Ghost Valley Integration stage Taesu, the lizard zombie, arrived in the Guangyin Realm intending to smash its body against it.
Kwarurururung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon reached out and scattered the tribulation he had accumulated onto the lizard zombie.
[Kaaaaak!]
The lizard zombie howled and retreated a step, and Jeon Myeong-hoon smiled slyly.
“This is the domain of the Mugeuk Sect. Tell me, why have you come here?”
[I received a message not long ago. These Demon Cult fools. They said they raised the Baek-eum Realm and sent me somewhere. Here? I’ll make you regret it!]
“Hahaha, have you not received a report that our master fought several Void Shattering Ghost Kings at the Integration stage?”
[Of course I did. But judging by it, the center maintaining this formation is that kind of master. Could he fight me? Moreover, the power I was just sent is quite depleted…]
The lizard zombie looked at Jeon Myeong-hoon and laughed with knowing eyes.
It was exactly as he said.
Seo Eun-hyun could not leave the Mugeuk Sect, and the brilliant glow of the Baekran Chukseongmun, which had burned brightly until the Jueyecheonjijindan, had long since dimmed.
However, Jeon Myeong-hoon smiled wickedly.
“Indeed, it is a little difficult right now. But… could we have not expected this?”
Chak!
Jeon Myeong-hoon formed a seal.
Following his will.
Kwadjijijik!
The ascension tribulation striking Oh Hyun-seok split in the sky and spread in all directions.
The massive ascension tribulation spread out, seeming to encircle the entire Guangyin Realm, then flew back to strike Oh Hyun-seok again.
The direction of the tribulation was distorted by Jeon Myeong-hoon, weaving a net around the entire Guangyin Realm before striking Oh Hyun-seok once more.
It was indeed distorted by Jeon Myeong-hoon, but it was not that the tribulation was interfered with—it was only that its path had been slightly adjusted, so the tribulation had not become stronger.
“Attack as much as you want. This is a tribulation barrier full of the aura of Pasahyeonjeong.”
[Hmph…! Controlling tribulation? What sorcery is this!]
The lizard zombie stepped back from the barrier in shock.
Then, as if remembering something, he grinned at Jeon Myeong-hoon.
[Indeed, the tribulation is threatening to us ghosts, but when you think about it, the method is rather amusing.]
Jjeok!
The lizard zombie opened its mouth and pulled a Law Tablet from its core.
He spat out a large wheel-shaped Law Tablet and began rotating it.
Kiyaaaaaaa―
A resonant sound echoed from the wheel, and immense ghostly energy began to burn.
Kwarururung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon hurled the wheel blazing with ghostly energy toward the tribulation barrier.
Bboom!
Kwaaang!
The wheel, infused with ghostly energy, could not pierce the barrier and was bounced back.
But the barrier changed.
Kwadjijijik!
The sky is angry.
Someone had interfered with the ascension tribulation.
Receiving external aid.
Therefore, it is punished with even stronger heavenly punishment.
The tribulation stems became thicker and stronger.
Oh Hyun-seok, the target of the tribulation, was enveloped in brighter tribulation.
[Hahaha, isn’t it the end when the target of the tribulation dies? If I continue attacking, the barrier will become stronger, but that means the tribulation will also grow stronger. You killed your own companion with your own hands!]
Jeon Myeong-hoon laughed as he poured endless attacks toward the barrier.
The tribulation-formed barrier grew thicker and stronger with time, but Jeon Myeong-hoon merely laughed.
[Come now, if you truly care about your companion, remove this foolish barrier at once! You must stop distorting the tribulation according to your will!]
And.
Jeon Myeong-hoon stood motionless.
Jeon Myeong-hoon looked at his stance and frowned.
‘Mad Demon Cult bastards. Even while my companion is suffering agonizingly in the tribulation, he shows no expression change?’
The tribulation was gradually thickening.
Now the tribulation barrier surrounding the Guangyin Realm was no longer a net—it looked like a vast sea of thunder itself.
Jeon Myeong-hoon was perplexed.
‘Wait, at this point… it seems he should have died from the ascension tribulation…?’
***
The tribulation barrier.
Inside the vast sea of thunder.
Inside it, Oh Hyun-seok, the source that summoned the tribulation, roared.
[Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!]
Kugugugugugu!
Oh Hyun-seok, spurting purple Soul Origin from every pore, endured even the tribulation.
Jeon Myeong-hoon smiled wickedly at the sight.
“Sorry, but our companion’s constitution is one that grows stronger and more powerful the more he is hit.”
Jeon Myeong-hoon had watched Oh Hyun-seok’s training scenes for two hundred years.
‘Oh-hyeong Cheon-ri, Cheong-cheon Gae-byeok-mun… where exactly…’
He shook his head, gradually changing his body.
Jeon Myeong-hoon, transformed into a giant flesh corpse spewing lightning, cut through the sea of thunder and emerged outside.
Kugugugugu!
Jeon Myeong-hoon’s eyes widened at the sight of the flesh corpse giant emerging from the sea of tribulation.
[You evil Demon Cult bastards! You offered your companion as a sacrifice for the tribulation barrier! You really are untouchable!]
[Think what you like.]
Kwadjijijik!
Jeon Myeong-hoon gathered the abundant tribulation qi around him and lit his eyes.
[Enough chatter. How about playing with me now? Ahahaha!]
[Kuk, even a grain of companion sentiment?]
[Come now, come here. I welcome you to the Mugeuk Sect.]
Kwarurururur!
Jeon Myeong-hoon laughed, pouring out the lightning torrent.
***
I extended my consciousness to observe Oh Hyun-seok enduring the ascension tribulation and Jeon Myeong-hoon blocking the intruder.
‘You are doing well.’
In Oh Hyun-seok’s case, he had been hammered by the tribulation countless times, tempered like steel.
If a real Integration-level tribulation fell, even he would die, but for now he was surviving and receiving appropriate training.
‘Jeon Myeong-hoon is controlling that much perfectly…’
Now it was only a few shichen before I could activate the Jueyecheonjijindan again.
‘Then, while there is still time… shall I test the prisoners?’
I moved to the upper level of the Mugeuk Sect to find prisoners to send as contacts for the Black Ghost Valley.
Deulkeok―
A ghost prisoner in the Black Ghost Valley robes.
When I opened the door of the room where she was staying, I saw her jump in surprise at the person waiting inside.
“Kueuk, what are you going to do to me!?”
[Nothing special. Just have a chat.]
“You evil Demon Cult master! What did you put in the food!? My mouth…! It’s strange…!”
[Mmm…]
‘Why is she acting like this. It’s just normal tea.’
I had Hong Beom serve her honey tea with mint flavor, and she seemed shocked at the unfamiliar taste.
‘Kang Min-hee loved this flavor, so I thought all ghosts would like it, but apparently not.’
[The mouth will settle again. Then… shall we have a somewhat more substantial conversation?]
“Kueeuk…!”