108. Dragon Pool Tiger Den
The power of Domination manipulates gravity.
That meant I could reverse its direction at will, letting my body descend slowly just like this. I landed lightly on the ground without kicking up a single speck of dust.
“……”
“……”
No one spoke a word. Their mouths hung open, but no one could muster the words.
They just stared blankly, eyes darting between me and the Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa sprawled on the ground.
“When did you take the Golden Gate Shackles...?”
Sa Wol muttered, staring at her empty hands.
The power of the Time Wheel Jade is impressive.
I nodded readily at Pa Cheon's words.
“H-how the hell did you do that?”
Cheol Mu Geuk muttered in disbelief.
“I stepped in so we wouldn't lose it. That's all.”
“Doesn't sound like something you can just brush off that easily.”
“It's exactly what you saw.”
I'd been planning to hang back, spectate, and reap the benefits. But when it looked like we'd lose it, I scrapped that and revised my strategy on the fly.
The moment I used the Flicker Jade to close in on Sa Wol, I activated the Time Wheel Jade, slowing time. Pa Cheon focused his inner energy, stretching the flow to nearly a 15:1 ratio. It felt like time had frozen solid.
With the Golden Gate Shackles snatched from Sa Wol's grasp, I poured every ounce of strength into my legs and leaped as high as I could, then Flickered straight to Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa.
After that? Well, you saw it.
I toggled the Time Wheel Jade on and off to bait the phoenix, bound it, and dropped it. No need to explain further—my jaw would just get sore.
Just to keep myself from getting cocky and thinking I was the real deal, I should note that this stunt burned through ninety percent of the inner energy stored in Pa Cheon.
A few more seconds, and I'd have eaten a counterattack and gotten obliterated.
“How long are you all just going to gawk? Young Master Cheol.”
“Y-yes? Yes, sir.”
I handed the other end of the Golden Gate Shackles to Cheol So Pyeong. He grabbed it in a daze.
Anyway.
Piiiik!
I approached Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa. It eyed me and backed away, as if afraid.
Being a divine beast far more sensitive to energy than humans, it must have sensed the dormant Heavenly Demon Divine Art within me.
Did we really need to drag Cho Ryang all the way here for this? It's terrified.
Look at those eyes. Do they look like eyes that can be tamed?
Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa's gaze burned with defiance. Fear was fear, but submission was another matter entirely.
“Cho Ryang.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Think you can handle it?”
“Leave it to me—I'll give it a shot!”
I folded my arms behind my back and stood watch as Cho Ryang approached. Dressed in the robe Cheol Mu Geuk had given him, the boy inched toward Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa cautiously.
“Hello?”
Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa glanced at me warily but snorted in response, as if saying a kid like you can't do a damn thing to me.
“Sorry, but mind if I touch your head for a bit?”
Fwoosh!
It started to snort flames.
“If you wanna die, go ahead and blow.”
Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa reined in its snort at my words.
“Thank you, Family Head. But it's no good if it's this scared.”
“Is that so? Do as you see fit.”
“Thank you, sir!”
Cho Ryang beamed and asked again. Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa grumbled but grudgingly allowed the touch.
“Thanks.”
Cho Ryang placed his hand on Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa's head.
The instant he did—
“?!”
“Hm?!”
The Super Peak experts—Cheol So Pyeong and Sa Wol—jerked in surprise, staring at Cho Ryang.
Even—
Something's emanating from Cho Ryang. My head's tingling.
You don't have a head.
Exactly—and that's why it's weird. Could this be the Upper Elixir Field sensation Do Il Gwang mentioned?
Pa Cheon was sensing it too. What the hell was Cho Ryang doing?
“Yeah, yeah. I see. You were just resting quietly, but someone kept bothering you.”
Piiiik!
“So you wanted to be alone and tried chasing everyone off?”
Piiik! Piiik!
“But wouldn't it be better to be with others than all alone?”
Piiiik!
Cheol Mu Geuk muttered in bewilderment.
“That kid's definitely talking to the divine beast, right?”
“Seems like it.”
“All I hear are chirps and peeps.”
Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa, who had been shoving Cho Ryang away at first, was now rubbing its head against him. Maybe it was thrilled to have a human actually listen for once.
“Mm. Uh-huh. Really? We'll talk about that later, okay?”
Piiiik!
“Still, you can't do that.”
Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa whined at Cho Ryang's firm tone. Despite its head being as big as the boy's upper body and possessing far greater power, it seemed to heed him.
He's using that Upper Elixir Field sensation.
The future Poison Eye Divine Hand really was something else. He hadn't done anything flashy, but it already looked like he'd tamed it.
“Haha, that tickles.”
Piiik!
“Really? Is that true?”
Cho Ryang glanced my way. I met his eyes.
This world really was all about talent and ability. Nothing else mattered.
Unfair as hell.
The more I thought about it, the more pissed off I got.
Some people gained enlightenment from a single word and powered up. Others were born with the greatest talents and grew stronger just by breathing.
Me? I couldn't even properly cultivate martial arts. Sure, I had the Heavenly Demon Divine Art body, but blocked meridians meant I couldn't do jack.
But you caught Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa.
That's not the same thing. I bluffed for ten seconds, and now I'm tapped out. Plus, these idiots keep screwing up so bad I have to step in every time.
Cheol Mu Geuk owed his Flame Fire Jade absorption and flame ignition to me, yet he screamed like a banshee over a log-bound phoenix. Cheol So Pyeong, a Super Peak master, couldn't snag one damn bird with his simsang.
Sa Wol charged in like it was a joyride, oblivious to the mood, forcing me to intervene. Even Cho Ryang hung back sucking honey, lent a hand at the end, and now acted like he'd done it all himself.
...Demon. That's a bit much.
Did I say anything untrue?
True, but...
Even Pa Cheon, nitpicking every little thing, was getting on my nerves.
Then Cho Ryang approached me.
“Family Head.”
“What?”
“Mu-geuk has something to say.”
“To me?”
Cheol Mu Geuk pointed at himself, realized his mistake, and cleared his throat awkwardly.
“No, change the name. 'Mu-geuk' sounds off.”
“Ah, sorry!”
Why were they all so dense? Was it some intelligence debuff?
Everyone irritating me left and right—I just wanted to head back, crash, and sleep. Sleep was the best cure for this crap.
“Family Head! Family Head!”
“I'm listening. Don't yell.”
“Mu-geuk insists on telling you something.”
“What is it?”
“Go on, Mu-geuk. It'll be fine.”
I heard Cheol Mu Geuk muttering beside me, “That punk's calling it Mu-geuk on purpose.”
Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa approached me cautiously. No hostility in its eyes this time, but still wary. A massive flame bird closing in was pretty damn intimidating, though.
Pa Cheon. If it acts up, hit it with the Time Wheel Jade and lop its head off.
Really?
Don't you need its inner core?
True... But you've been off lately, you know that? No, I mean you've been extra sleepy and irritable these past few days.
It's because you clatter around when I'm trying to sleep.
Piiik!
“I still can't understand you like that.”
Piiiik!
No sooner had I spoken than Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa opened its maw. Thick flames roared forth, engulfing me.
Pa Cheon! What the—!
I'd trusted Pa Cheon to activate the Time Wheel Jade and stood still. But the flames swallowed me. Too late to Flicker now—my vision was a wall of fire; no clue where to aim.
This brainless bird was zero help to—
“……”
The flames didn't hurt. They didn't scorch my flesh.
Instead, they burned my mind.
What the hell.
It felt like a layer of grime was sloughing off my psyche. I'd chalked up the constant head pressure to fatigue, making me snappish.
Wrong.
Bathed in Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa's flames—which purified all impurities—I understood. Something invisible had been crushing my mind, steering my thoughts, heightening my sensitivity.
The flames died down.
My vision cleared. My mind sharpened to crystal clarity. Hell, it felt like being reborn.
“Thanks, Mu-geuk. And you too, Cho Ryang.”
“Heh, hehe... Feeling better?”
“You've noticed for a while, haven't you?”
Cho Ryang nodded and tapped his head.
“You looked way more tired than before. And this sensation... it felt off. Like something was stuck there?”
Sharp instincts, as expected. That's why he'd cheered me on from the Iron Family.
“And the cause is probably...”
“Enough. Too many ears. Best not say it. I already know.”
“Yes, sir.”
Cheol Mu Geuk grumbled sourly.
“What kinda nonsense is this? Why'd you bathe in the phoenix fire?”
“Ask Mu-geuk yourself.”
“I told you not to call it that! And I can't understand the damn bird!”
“Then have Cho Ryang translate for you.”
“You little—wait. Did Mu-geuk just shrink? How does a house-sized beast pull that off? Incredible!”
For all his griping, Cheol Mu Geuk accepted the name. Distracted from chewing me out, he bolted toward the now sparrow-sized Mu-geuk, artisan curiosity ignited.
With him out of the way, I finally addressed who I truly owed an apology.
Sorry, Pa Cheon.
It's fine. Couldn't be helped.
Pa Cheon brushed it off cooler than expected.
With a clear head, I pieced it together.
Chu Tae Su.
The bastard had hexed me. Chills ran down my spine—and rage boiled up.
Question is, when did it start?
Over tea in the parlor? No. I'd already been fatigued before that. Sure, exposure to the Heavenly Demon's presence played a part, but I'd been overly irritable.
...Maybe on Jan Hon Do.
After the fight with Jin Yeong Ryeong, Kwak Ri Yeon patted my shoulder. Chu Tae Su had approached to do the same. That's when he must have struck.
Exhausted from battle, my mental barriers down—that was the perfect window.
Can't let my guard down for a second.
I'd dismissed him as a 0.7 Sado Gwang knockoff. No major moves beyond puppeteering that elder to death—nothing suspicious. But he'd been scheming in the shadows, silent and undetectable.
Pa Cheon, hate to say it, but no inner core for you.
Agreed. We'll need periodic flame baths.
Pa Cheon concurred.
Lucky break: Chu Tae Su probably never imagined I'd purge his hex with Mu Geuk Cheon Hwa's flames.
They only burned what the phoenix willed. In a kill scenario, it'd have no reason to target a hex on my mind—and live capture seemed impossible.
One thing crystalized anew.
This place—the Divine Cult—was truly dragon pool tiger den.
Crunch.
At minimum, I had the power to protect my body, the justification, and—
Piiiik!
“Ooh, amazing. Simply amazing.”
—trustworthy allies.
“We're heading back. Time to report to the Lord.”
No matter what Chu Tae Su tried next, I wouldn't go down easy.