Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: Phrenology is a Science
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At that moment.
I was swiftly crossing the rooftop of the manor.
Screeeeech—
“Are you sure your stamina is alright?”
“Because the daytime spar with the Lion King Warrior was so intense—”
‘No. I’m fine.’
The lingering spirits seemed to think I was exhausted from the duel with the Lion King Warrior.
I chuckled softly and took a deep breath.
Thump thump thump thump thump!
Air filled my lungs completely, and my heart began pounding rapidly.
Blood circulated swiftly, delivering oxygen brimming with power to every cell.
Sparks flew in my eyes as a result.
Flash!
Huuuuuh—
All my fatigue and impurities mixed into the long exhale.
My body might have been slightly tired, but my mind and senses were sharper than ever.
The Red Dragon Demon Body felt far more solid.
I’d used it in real combat for the first time during the day, so it had been rough around the edges, but not anymore.
I now knew exactly how to circulate my qi, how to squeeze my muscles for peak efficiency, and how to harmonize it all with sorcery. Every improvement was etched in my mind.
Peeking at the Dark Lord’s Myriad Heavenly Hole had unknowingly deepened the effects of the Black Dragon Heart Technique and the powers of the Heavenly Demon Tiger Heart Art.
‘In fact, this is the clearest my head has been.’
I activated the Violet Flame Eyes.
The moment purple flames rose above my eyelids, the chaotic battlefield came into sharp focus.
At that instant.
Screeeeech!
‘It’s coming!’
The sound of slicing air.
A chill raced up my nape.
An attack targeted the back of my neck.
I spun my body in the opposite direction and swung the Fear Wind Fan in my hand.
Boom!
A heavy impact jolted through my wrist.
The ambusher leaped back, laughing.
“So that’s why the White Bone Net Demon got caught so stupidly. Makes sense now.”
“…Black Bone Death King.”
“Oh? A young friend recognizes me? That’s a rare treat. I haven’t shown my face in the world for over twenty years.”
“Who wouldn’t recognize you from that hideous appearance?”
“Fair point. Hahaha!”
He guffawed boisterously, but I knew better than anyone how insidious he truly was.
The Black Bone Death King, leader of the Black Bone Ghost Valley.
This guy, a jiangshi himself from the start, was a distant descendant of the Mount Mao Sect and the supreme master of all corpse arts in the world.
“It’s been six years since we last saw his face, but damn if it isn’t thrilling!”
“Remember when we were dragged around by the Assembly because they had dirt on us? He strutted around like he owned the place.”
“And when it came time to find the young cult leader, he hid in the back and survived all alone.”
“Look at that mug. Born looking like an asshole, so he acts like one. No surprise.”
“People live up to their looks, after all. Stinks of old sweat too. Filthy bastard!”
By now, the Black Bone Death King was surrounded by corpse servants reeking of decay.
A two-headed vulture perched on his shoulder, massive tigers three times normal size flanked him left and right, and a gray bear stitched together like a doll from various bears loomed behind.
“Each one surpasses the level of an ordinary corpse servant—calling them monsters wouldn’t be an exaggeration.”
“This must be the Assembly’s handiwork too...!!”
Indeed, their auras alone rivaled full-fledged oni without falling short.
Like the White Bone Net Demon or Gu Min-chae, this guy hadn’t been idle for the past six years either.
But.
“The way they’ve grown stronger is...”
“Just like with the White Bone Net Demon.”
“He’s the one who tampered with the Ghost King Manual the young cult leader left behind! Look at that shameless face!”
“Phrenology really is a science. Up to his same old shit.”
I grinned.
Because I’d encountered traces of the Ghost King Manual here too.
And seeing these enhanced corpse servants made his goal crystal clear at last.
He spoke.
“The black ghosts told me that once full-scale war breaks out, grab you first. I agreed. I’ve got something I’ve been dying to ask you anyway.”
A question, huh.
I could guess.
“I’ll ask just one thing.”
“What if I don’t want to answer?”
“I’ll ask anyway.”
Rumble rumble rumble!
The ground shook.
The earth split open behind me, and four grotesque corpse servants—impossible to tell if human or monkey—emerged, drooling.
They almost looked like they had dog heads.
I knew these freaks well.
Wild Dog Children.
Born from corpses abandoned in the mountains, they kidnapped humans and devoured only their brains.
The Black Bone Death King’s smile deepened.
“Otherwise, those things will rip your skull open by force.”
“That’d suck. I’m not ready to die yet.”
“Then answer nicely, and I’ll let you live.”
“Shoot.”
“…Your attitude toward an elder is downright offensive, though.”
Grrrrr!
The Wild Dog Children bared fangs like sharp daggers and growled.
“I hear the righteous clans drill manners into their kids thoroughly, but you? Nothing like that.”
“Yeah, didn’t hear it. Bastard son, remember? What was some pasty old fart gonna teach me?”
He meant the White Bone Net Demon.
I threw him maximum sneer.
“Oh, right. That explains why you’ve been getting skinned alive nonstop. Ranch business must be hurting bad—no time for lectures, huh?”
“…Just like the rumors, that mouth of yours is a master at scraping nerves raw.”
The Black Bone Death King forced down his anger.
No wonder—after six years of gritting his teeth to rebuild, all his ranches got raided again. Must burn like hell.
“Talking to the young cult leader any longer just breeds anger. Tsk tsk tsk!”
“Puhahaha! Look at him! That asshole face got even more assholish!!”
Amid the spirits’ uproarious laughter, the Black Bone Death King spoke again.
“Whatever your attitude, you’ll answer anyway. So, you—Dark Demon—”
“Hey, osteoporosis.”
I cut him off, and the smile vanished from his face in an instant.
Osteoporosis.
The nickname I’d called him while carving him up in my past life.
『So you wanted to be the Ghost King that badly?』
Telepathy.
His face stiffened rigidly.
“…You, what the—』
『But you couldn’t, so what now? No matter how much a fake thrashes, it’s still fake. Can’t become the real deal, right?』
“!!”
『So how about the fake just stays in its place?』
His question was obvious from the start.
Probably something about his connection to the Dark Demon God Transformation Art.
If there was one, he’d chase it down.
That way, he could wipe out remnants and claim the rest of the Ghost King Manual too.
The problem was, this guy who’d long coveted my realm could only think so far.
Which meant I had too many ways to counter right here.
Just like with the White Bone Net Demon.
Like this, for example?
“You—”
The Black Bone Death King couldn’t finish.
The gray bear behind him suddenly swiped at him with a forepaw.
Boom!
He barely dodged.
The force was so immense the ground flipped where the paw hit.
His eyes widened.
His well-controlled corpse servant attacking out of nowhere? Shocking.
“What the—”
“What else? It’s as ugly as your face.”
I hurled maximum mockery.
“You’re fucked.”
I swung my index finger in a wide arc, and this time the house-sized tigers lunged at him.
Grooooowl!
Rooooar!
Jaws snapping at his lower and upper body.
The Black Bone Death King scrambled.
He tried urgently to command the Wild Dog Children, but they were already tangled up biting and tearing at each other.
Kyaaak! Kyaaaaak!
Keeek!
“Puhahaha! Freedom! Finally, we have bodies too!!”
“Every time that oni bragged about fresh air outside, I wanted to explode! Kraahaha!”
“Young cult leader, thank you for giving us this chance again!!”
“Long live the young cult leader!!”
Just as Gojo had failed to shine and submitted to me, the other corpse servants were the same.
No matter how evolved into freaks, they were mere puppets wielded by sorcery.
Before the true Ghost King like me, they could only submit instinctively.
So I’d stealthily seized the Black Bone Death King’s command and selectively forced possession on proven loyal spirits.
Like the oni taking Gui’s body, they effortlessly hijacked the freaks.
Sorcerers’ battles differed completely from warriors’.
No matter how skilled, if your spells got read, it was like being stripped bare.
That’s why the Black Bone Death King was doomed to lose to me, no matter what.
“Damn it all!!”
He spat curses and gathered his hands, unleashing twin palms forward.
He couldn’t reclaim control no matter how he tried—must be driving him insane.
So he aimed to repel the two tigers first, but the problem was the spirits inside: elders who’d been top experts in life, destined for demonic cult elder status.
No way his lone sorcerer martial arts impressed them.
“A mere Hundred Rending Palms that mid-tier demonic cultivators train in?!”
“Even that’s novice level!”
The tigers were Horse Belly freaks, known for human faces, brilliant minds, and agile movements.
The possessing spirits dodged the palm strikes with casual midair flips and bit off limbs in one go.
Crack!
“Gaaah! You bastard...!!”
Even the near-indestructible durability of a Ghost Spirit Corpse couldn’t fully withstand the Horse Belly’s bite force.
His left shoulder tore clean off.
His right thigh ripped halfway, dangling in shreds.
A crippling injury.
“Dieeee!”
Finally, ghostly flames blazed in the Black Bone Death King’s eyes.
He twisted his body massively and unleashed another empty-air palm. Immensely compressed demonic qi exploded in one breath.
Rumble rumble ruuumble!
“Urk!”
“What firepower from this guy!!”
“As expected of a Ghost Spirit Corpse. Annoying...!!”
The two Horse Bellies flew back in an instant, and the Wild Dog Children aiming for blind spots tumbled across the ground.
“You... no, you...!!”
The Black Bone Death King glared at me now, his entire body ablaze with pitch-black evil qi and demonic qi like inferno flames.
His killing intent stung my skin.
As a Ghost Spirit Corpse superior to a Demon Wheel Corpse, his evil qi was immense.
His half-mad eyes reflected my smirking face perfectly.
He looked like he’d realized something, face full of disbelief.
As he opened his mouth again, I spoke first.
『Curious who I am?』
“!”
『Too bad. No intention of telling a fake properly.』
“!!!”
The Black Bone Death King flinched and rapidly retreated.
A sword blade stabbed into where he’d stood.
Boom!
Amid debris from shattered earth.
The Lion King Warrior growled lion-like at the center.
“Filthy spawn of the demonic cult...! You won’t lay a finger on my precious sworn brother!!”