Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Yokai Uproar
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Later, when Yuk-gyeong helped awaken the man who would become a legend,
Bu Elder grumbled as he entered the side hall inscribed with "Elder Hall." Busybody, calling people left and right... he muttered, but he couldn't refuse the summons.
Not when it came from the man hailed as a legend of the previous era.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ In the deepest part of the grand, antique main hall sat a bed where a figure lay.
A figure who occasionally twisted and turned, as if in pain somewhere.
The frail old man groaning on that bed was none other than Radiant Moon Sect's Origin Energy protector, Mu Ga-hwa.
A powerhouse who wouldn't yield even against three peers of the same realm, a protector whose fame shook the Great Moon Kingdom, the Earth Overturn True Person Mu Ga-hwa, who earned his title by flipping the earth thrice with a single gesture.
Now reduced to an old man writhing on a bed, he greeted Bu Elder.
"So, how's the kid doing?"
"Greetings, Supreme Elder. The kid's doing fine. Spirited as ever, except he keeps trying to climb right up to the top of my head."
He omitted just how clever and helpful the boy was around his training platform. Explaining that would seem too boastful, and it didn't suit Bu Elder's temperament anyway.
Yet Mu Elder picked up on the nuance hidden in Bu Elder's words.
"Heh heh, looks like the boy's really taken a shine to you."
"Taken a shine? Cheeky little brat. His cultivation speed's so fast he's already hit Response Qi Great Circle and whining for a Gathering Qi pill."
Bu Elder stuck out his lower lip in mock complaint.
His tone sounded grumpy, but those who knew him well could tell he was subtly making a request.
"So, are you here asking me to allocate a Gathering Qi pill for that kid of yours, Bu Elder?"
"Not exactly... It's just that this single spiritual root kid's progressing so admirably fast, and I don't want to stifle him..."
Bu Elder trailed off, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment—a classic sign of someone caught red-handed.
Mu Elder chuckled lowly as he shifted on the bed.
"Heh heh, I've got a Gathering Qi pill ready for him. But I want to see if he can form a human-rank gathering core. You know as well as I do—reaching a human-rank gathering core helps with Core Formation."
"I've only formed an earth-rank one myself, so what do I know? I have heard that a human-rank gathering core gives even a tiny bit of help during Core Formation."
"Tiny? It's a massive leap before the great hurdle of Core Formation. I'm curious about the boy's limits. Response Qi Great Circle in just a week. How long for Gathering Qi?"
"He's cultivated without a single bottleneck so far. Forcing one now might scare him off and hinder his future path."
"What's the virtue of a cultivator? Patience and perseverance. If he buckles at this, he has no immortal affinity. What, you that worried about him?"
"Worried? I'm just afraid this unreliable punk trips on a pebble and becomes even less reliable."
"Not very honest, are you?"
Mu Elder clicked his tongue at Bu Elder's gruff deflection.
"What about Jang Ga? Don't their Supreme Elder have anything to say?"
"You think that punk could even open his mouth here in the Elder Hall? Besides, he went into secluded cultivation over a decade ago—no word since."
Mu Elder, who treated Jang Ga's Supreme Elder like a kid.
Jang Ga's old coot might be revered as Supreme Elder elsewhere, but in the Elder Hall, he was the youngest—and with no Origin Energy elders besides Mu Elder himself, he had no standing or power to speak up.
"So no need to worry?"
"Nothing to worry about. Just keep an eye on the boy. If he strays off the path, give him a good thrashing. Until he reaches Gathering Qi, you're basically his master."
Bu Elder nodded at Mu Elder's admonition. That was as far as his role as a Gathering Qi elder went, he supposed.
He'd never thought of himself as Yuk-gyeong's master. Teaching a genius on the verge of Gathering Qi was absurd for a Gathering Qi elder like him.
Still, he couldn't help growing fond of the boy while watching over him.
Bu Elder changed the subject.
"Jang Ga's getting out of hand. The sect leader's resented them for a while now."
"Vile lot, caring only for family gains over the sect's... But considering the loyalty Jang Ga's ancestor offered the sect, we can't coldly mistreat his descendants."
Jang Ga had been loyal to Radiant Moon Sect.
Their ancestors, and their ancestors' ancestors, had belonged to the sect. Even in Mu Elder's memory, Jang Ga's forebear Jang So-gun had laid down his life for it.
In truth, Jang Ga stood on the merits of those ancestral sacrifices.
That's how they could throw their weight around in Radiant Moon Sect.
"I don't overlook Jang Ga's merits either..."
"Cough, cough. Let Jang Ga's brats know restraint. If they hold their status as Radiant Moon Sect disciples close to their hearts. Otherwise... remind them. Radiant Moon Sect doesn't welcome outsiders..."
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ In the dense forest of Iron Citadel Peak, a figure rustled through the underbrush.
The tall, lanky shadow rummaging here and there muttered in frustration.
"Where the hell did this thing go? Escapes while I'm out... "
He flipped through the thick bushes once more, scanned the surroundings with spiritual energy, and shook his head.
What he sought—a yokai—was adept at concealment. Ordinary search methods wouldn't cut it.
If even he struggled to find it, surely the one he'd bound tight before stepping out...
But when he returned, the chains were snapped, and the yokai had fled.
The shadow counted on his fingers, estimating, then muttered again.
"Heard disciples are going missing in the sect... Nah, couldn't be?"
It could. The damn thing loved eating people. Probably was. Damn it!
Should never have taught it that.
Formations.
A yokai using formations was a nightmare to track.
Teaching formations to a Gathering Qi yokai had seemed pointless drudgery—exhausting with no reward. Now it was a headache too.
If only he'd known; he never would have bothered.
"If this bastard causes more trouble..."
The tall shadow sighed and pressed on with the search. The sect leader's furious face loomed in his mind.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Heard about it? Rumor of a yokai sneaking into the sect."
"Yeah, me too. How many have vanished already? Heard another disciple went missing on Iron Citadel Peak."
The weird rumor of a yokai in the sect took concrete shape only after two more disciples disappeared.
Four disciples gone total: three Response Qi cultivators and one Gathering Qi.
The strange rumor Kang the junior brother had heard—and even Cho senior brother—now swept through the sect with real substance.
With rumors this bad, the main sect couldn't sit idle.
Thus, they formed a search party, led by a Core Formation elder, to investigate the yokai rumor.
A middle-aged man in sky-blue robes, with sharp, handsome features, tucked his hands into his sleeves and stood before the search party.
"I, Elder Ben, will lead this search. I am Geum Seung-won of Absolute Severance Peak."
Iron Face Geum Seung-won.
The elder who'd overseen Yuk-gyeong's entrance exam when he joined Radiant Moon Sect—Geum Elder—was now in charge.
Faint waves of spiritual energy emanated from him. His mere presence intimidated, making the surrounding disciples shrink back.
One immortal affinity scholar described Core Formation beings thus:
"...Monsters who stir heaven-earth spiritual energy flows with a mere twitch. Defying the heavens to form their core, hence the name Core Formation Realm..."
Moreover, Geum Elder was a late Core Formation powerhouse nearing Origin Energy, dubbed the Divine Army.
The search party relaxed. With a leader of such realm, even danger could be handled.
"With Geum Elder, no worries about danger."
"Geum Elder's on it? This'll wrap up quick. Free merit points. The disciples who didn't sign up will regret it."
"Look, even the single spiritual root guy's here. With him on a mission like this, it's basically foolproof, right?"
Yuk-gyeong was part of this search party too.
Why? The search was near the Miscellaneous Labor Quarter, so he volunteered. Someone he needed to see would surely be there if it involved the Quarter.
Plus, merit points as a bonus.
Geum Elder led the party toward the Miscellaneous Labor Quarter.
The sudden influx of cultivators—who never set foot there usually—stirred up a commotion in the Quarter.
The residents buzzed: What happened?
The Quarter's steward, notified in advance, emerged to guide Geum Elder and the party.
"Miscellaneous Labor Quarter steward, step forward and report. Any missing persons here?"
"Y-yes. Disciple Yeong Sun-il greets Geum Elder. No disciples have gone missing from the Miscellaneous Labor Quarter."
Yeong Sun-il, the Quarter's steward, reporting to Geum Elder.
The man Yuk-gyeong had business with was precisely him.
Yeong Sun-il!
Response Qi 7th Star, too old to continue cultivating, now the Quarter's steward.
As if Yuk-gyeong could forget him.
Yuk-gyeong never forgot favors or grudges.
He now knew the harassment from Sun-il stemmed from Jang Ga backing him.
Revenge had been delayed because, right after jumping to outer disciple, word of Yuk-gyeong getting payback on Sun-il would do him no favors.
A guy who entered via elder's recommendation—not even a proper disciple—starts with revenge? Bad optics for Yuk-gyeong.
Plus, relations with the elder he served.
No rapport yet; borrowing his clout for revenge was risky.
Build ties with the boss first, then branch out.
Now he could.
Good relations with the boss, time passed since entering via recommendation.
Time for payback.
And if doing it, do it right.
As Steward Yeong Sun-il finished reporting and tried to slip back into the crowd, Yuk-gyeong stepped forward.
"Elder! I have something to say!"