Chapter 967
Chapter 967
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 967
Chapter Title: Path of Radiant Ascension
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Chae Song-kyung gulped down the cold water his subordinate had brought, pulling his mind into sharp focus.
He hadn't crossed paths with Namgung Rin here by pure chance. A few days earlier, he'd gotten wind that she was heading to Nakwol Mountain and had arrived in this village ahead of time to lie in wait. Then he'd met her and shared words.
The Namgung Rin he'd met in the flesh lived up to her fame without a shred of shortfall in beauty. More than any woman he'd ever laid eyes on.
'Namgung Rin's not just about her looks. The Namgung family's backing makes her shine even brighter.'
Had she accepted his marriage proposal, everything would've wrapped up neatly. But he hadn't held out any real hope for that. She'd dismissed talk of wedding the O Yeonchae family's eldest son without batting an eye, so ignoring him—the third son—was only natural. Hell, if she'd said yes, he'd have suspected some ulterior scheme lurking beneath.
Night deepened. Chae Song-kyung fought to steady his racing heart and waited with dogged patience for it to grow even later. Then, at the Chou hour (1-3 a.m.), he sprang into action.
He drew two items from his bosom. Funds he'd secretly squirreled away for emergencies, scraped together and blown on black market contraband.
One was Uryong Fragrance. Wrapped in a scrap of paper, it was an incense said to drop an ox or dragon into instant slumber. He'd already tested its bite. Even a martial artist at the Chuji realm couldn't hold out a single breath before nodding off.
The other was the Soul-Maze Great Needle. Jam it into the nape of the neck, and the target lost their wits; give a command in that state, and they'd obey it to the letter—even after you pulled the needle out.
Chae Song-kyung's plan was dead simple. Dose her with the Uryong Fragrance to knock her out, then plant the Soul-Maze Great Needle in her nape. Force her to accept his proposal and swear off any resistance.
'If I can make Namgung Rin my woman... I can leapfrog big brother and claim the family headship. And snag the realm's top beauty as my wife to boot.'
It was a shot at flipping his entire life on its head in one go.
Chae Song-kyung scaled the wall via an open window, making for Namgung Rin's room. A small hole he'd prepped sat between the closed shutters. He slipped the Uryong Fragrance through it. He waited a beat until its white smoke filled the room. A moment later, he smashed the window quietly and slipped inside. Namgung Rin was surely fast asleep from the incense by now.
Thud.
Inside, Chae Song-kyung pinched his nose shut. The room reeked of thick, hazy Uryong smoke. Tendrils escaped through the open window, drifting skyward before vanishing without a trace.
'Namgung Rin. Out cold. Wouldn't wake even if you hacked off an arm before morning.'
A smile crept across Chae Song-kyung's lips as he gazed at Namgung Rin, sprawled asleep on the bed. Up close like this, she was breathtaking. A woman like her, his wife.
He reached out toward her, visions of a smooth path ahead dancing in his head. Just flip her over and sink the needle into her neck.
But his hand halted midway. Blocked by Namgung Seol's husband, Sung Yu-jin, who appeared out of nowhere at his side.
"Wh-what the hell!"
Caught off guard, Chae Song-kyung's eyes bulged as he stumbled back.
"Gonna try your luck with another man's woman?"
Sung Yu-jin wrenched his hand. It snapped like a dry twig.
"Gaaahhh!"
Chae Song-kyung let out the loudest scream he could muster. Born to a merchant house, he wasn't a martial artist. The techniques he knew barely kept him fit. With things gone south, he needed the guards in the inn to hear him.
"Gaaah! Gaaaaahhh!"
His wails were ear-splitting.
Sung Yu-jin smirked in mockery.
"Waste of breath. No matter how much you howl, no sound's getting out."
"A sorcerer...!"
Tears streamed from Chae Song-kyung's eyes amid the agony of his broken wrist. It was a trap. They'd known he was coming and prepared.
'A way out—a way...!'
He racked his brain. There had to be an escape even now. But Sung Yu-jin gave him no time to think. His leg lashed out, shattering Chae Song-kyung's ankle. The foot twisted in an unnatural direction.
"......!"
The pain was too searing for even a scream. Splayed on the floor, Chae Song-kyung looked up at Sung Yu-jin and felt his blood run ice-cold. Those eyes held no mercy. This man could kill without twitching an eyebrow.
"M-mercy, please! I'll make it up to you—whatever it takes!"
"Should've thought of that before. But what's this?"
Sung Yu-jin stomped his left wrist and plucked up the needle.
A silver needle, finer than a fingertip, almost invisible at a glance. Up close, faint black runes curved along its length.
"Soul-Maze Great Needle."
Namgung Rin sat up from the bed. She hadn't slept a wink. Sleeping incense? If prepared, it was child's play to counter. And her art was the Imperial Sovereign Divine Technique, hailed as peerless. No way she'd fall to cheap tricks without dropping her guard.
"Soul-Maze Great Needle?"
"Stick it in the nape, and they lose their mind. Give orders then, and they obey. Like hypnosis, I guess."
"Hypnosis?!"
Sung Yu-jin handled the needle gingerly. Namgung Rin read his thoughts and gave a wry smile.
"It's pretty infamous. Any martial world veteran worth their salt knows it. I've nearly eaten one myself a few times."
"Fix for it?"
"Easy. It's sorcery. Find another sorcerer to dispel the curse. Unless you're a total normie, full submission's rare."
"Eh, weaker than I thought."
Sung Yu-jin snapped the needle with blatant disappointment. He could snag hypnosis stickers with point-blank performance anytime if he wanted.
"Stuff a guy like him can get has limits. Even black market's got caps on cash alone—and he's no whale getting VIP treatment."
"Short version: dude way out of his depth."
Sung Yu-jin flicked the broken needle. It speared straight into Chae Song-kyung's left eyeball. Sickening rolls and screams filled the room.
"Lord Seong, you're really going through with it."
"Told you I would. I get your worry. Loose ends?"
"...Yeah. The main house pulls decent coin from O Yeon Trading. Can't ignore that."
"No corpse, just a missing person. Cleanup's on me."
Sung Yu-jin slung an arm around Namgung Rin's shoulders. His hand kneaded her ample breast playfully. She yielded without resistance.
"Sp-spare me... please...!"
"Nope."
Sung Yu-jin replied curtly, blue lightning crackling from his fingertip.
???
Nakwol Mountain.
Named for the tale of the moon crashing down upon it. Called that since ancient times, so who knows if it's true.
We craned our necks from the base, staring up.
Roughly two kilometers high. Steep as hell. Problem was, no clear path snaked up the slope. The Nakwol Maiden lived near the summit, so it'd take at least half a day on foot.
"Hubby, wanna sorcery our way up in one whoosh~?"
Mi-ryeong's pitch tempted me.
But Namgung Rin shook her head.
"Heard the Nakwol Maiden hates sorcery. Story from decades back: some sorcerer used it without permission and fled down the mountain with a severed arm, half-dead."
Mi-ryeong nodded.
"Can't blame her—stranger slinging spells in her turf? We'd piss her off. Gotta schlep it on foot to stay in her good books. Ugh, legs aching already! Hubby, piggyback?"
"Quit whining. You've got better stamina than me."
I glanced at Namgung Seol. Weakest endurance here. Eyes burning with zeal at the mountain now, but in a few hours, I'd be carrying her. Not that I minded.
'Fragile build, no hiking experience. Better stick by her side.'
We set off.
Didn't know the Maiden's exact digs. Just that it was summit-adjacent.
'No yokai vibes at all.'
Big mountains like Nakwol usually crawled with yokai ambushing climbers. Unless a sect claimed it or a warden kept watch.
'Means the Nakwol Maiden runs this whole place solo, spotless.'
I shot Mi-ryeong a look.
Since entering the mountain, she'd gone quiet. Usually clung to me or chattered nonstop with the Namgung sisters.
'Her dead-serious mode means she's on guard against the Maiden.'
An hour in, Namgung Seol hit her limit right on cue, huffing hard.
"Too far to rest. Here, Seol-i. I'll carry you."
"I can keep going..."
Words said, she nestled into my arms meekly. I scooped her up princess-style. My hands naturally cupped her rear and chest. Why her breaths stayed ragged even in my hold.
"That bit about the Nakwol Maiden being over a thousand? True?"
I asked Namgung Seol. Teased by my hands, she flushed and nodded.
"Yeah. That's the word."
Namgung Rin chimed in.
"For real. Records mention her a millennium ago. Exact age's a mystery, but definitely over a thousand."
A thousand years.
A dizzying span.
But possible in this world. Humans could stretch lifespans.
'Inedia realm caps at a century, my Ogi stage hits 250 total. Climbs with each breakthrough. Thousand-plus needs Mansang...'
Not necessarily. Lifespan boosters like sorcery, artifacts, elixirs abounded. Could be Johwa realm instead.
Inedia → Chuji → Ogi → Samjeong → Johwa → Mansang → Deungseon.
Mansang was sixth.
'...Even Johwa puts her tops among humans I've met.'
Made sense why Samjeong-level Mi-ryeong was tense.
"Kinda weird, though. Someone that big-league, but slim rumors."
"She rarely leaves Nakwol Mountain."
Namgung Seol said.
"That old, gotta be a granny, right?"
"Nah."
Namgung Seol shook her head. Only one here who'd met the Maiden.
"She was a looker."
A looker.
Words that hooked me hard. I grilled Namgung Seol for details.
"How hot we talking? Hotter than Mi-ryeong or you Rin?"
"Hmm. Bit prettier, or about even."
"Boobs?"
"Slightly bigger than sis Rin's. Hair down to her thighs... super calm vibe."
Bigger than Rin's? G-cup odds high.thousand-year-old with taut skin? Details pending, but damn intriguing.
'If she's a stunner on the outside, age is just a number.'
Elves prime example.
Our steps lightened toward the summit.
We halted well short of the peak. Two houses perched amid the trees—one weathered, one fresh. Spaced about fifty centimeters apart.
Nonstop march got us there by 3 or 4 p.m. Strain your ears, hear a stream nearby.
The door to the old house creaked open. A woman stepped out.
"You've arrived. I was waiting. Though... more guests than I expected."