The Crying Ghost (5)

Translator : Elizabeth

When my sister writhed in pain reacting to my Qi, I realized that the weakness of these things is Qigong.

In the end, since the spirit was also an existence born of Qi, it couldn't handle a stronger Qi.

But the problem was that my internal energy had truly hit rock bottom now.

Stepping forward boldly was good, but my hands and feet were trembling.

So, I have no intention of exchanging blows multiple times.

Only one strike. I'll end it with that.

"N—No!"

Hyeon-bi's shout came from behind me.

"Do you truly intend to die? Do you really not know that humans cannot cut evil spirits!"

Geez, she's really screeching.

I held up three fingers.

"Regulated breathing, footwork, and a sword. With just these three, there is nothing under the heavens that cannot be cut."

It was true. I pulled up my internal energy, which had fallen to the bottom.

And released this Qi outward.

Ah... Resentful. How resentful.

The creature stood up slowly.

It had now cast off the shell of a young child.

Just a human shape. Neither man nor woman, it stood before me in the form of a person (In).

How can a mere lowly creature manipulate Qi? Just what on earth are you?

A sword rose from the shadow near its feet.

If not for you, everything would have gone according to plan. What a pity. Truly a pity.

I rested my sword on my shoulder.

Boy, flesh is a strange thing. Even if you tear it, it screams, and even if you leave it, it rots. So I always choose to strip it all off.

The creature also raised its sword.

I will tear out your guts. I will pull out your intestines long, wrap them around your ankles and drag you around, making you trip over them yourself. Then your crying sound will ring out for quite a long time.

"You bastard, you talk too damn much. Do you fight with your mouth?"

...

For the sake of entering the martial world (Murim-cho-chul), I suffered like a dog for the past 10 years.

I survived several life-threatening crises and continued training until I could finally release my internal energy externally.

The reason was simple.

Boom!

The ground around me sank. Dust rose around me. Using my feet as a support, I withstood the pressure.

For the past 10 years, forms and techniques (Tu-ro and Cho-sik). Connecting everything, I mastered the Three Talents (Sam-jae).

Horizontal slash, vertical slash, and thrust.

It was a truly simple principle. Since this was actually a mediocre martial art belonging to third-rate martial arts.

But I had no other choice.

Thinking I'd learn other sword techniques when I found a martial arts manual someday, I practiced only this Three Talents Sword Technique relentlessly.

Even this was closer to just swinging it since I couldn't learn the proper chants, but I was able to gain enlightenment while swinging the sword.

Ultimately, the path of the sword (Geom-ro) was a line (Seon).

Cutting is nothing more than drawing a line.

Swinging thousands of times, I strived to draw this line accurately.

Whoosh—!

The Qi boiling from my Danjeon surged through my blood vessels.

Blue energy wrapped around the blade, condensing silently.

It didn't flash, nor was it loud.

Just a single stream. A quiet blue light wrapped gently around the sword body.

Huh...?

The strength in the creature's hand holding the sword loosened for a moment.

Its body trembled. Although it had no pupils, its panic was evident.

How can you...?

There was no value in listening any longer. I didn't even have the strength to converse. I just wanted to rest a bit.

I took a step. Approached the bastard. It was still just trembling.

Crying Ghost. Why are you trembling so much?

For a creature that barely sustained its existence by parasitizing on others' weakness to be trembling like a brat when it's time to die—it's truly laughable.

I put strength into the hand holding the sword.

I'm not a saint or a gentleman, and I'm an uneducated bastard, but I know this one thing.

The person who should shed tears is that person's share. It's not a share for a cowardly bastard like you to steal.

Swish!

And then I drew it.

A blue line grazed the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Crying Ghost's neckline.

...

The creature didn't say anything. It didn't resist at all.

No voice, no curse, no crying. Without any words or movement, it just stared at me blankly.

Soon, the Crying Ghost's mouth opened.

As its head and neck separated, its gaze remained on me until the end.

Thud.

The head hit the ground.

The black shadow scattered into the air in an instant and faded away.

Why are you staring like that?

I kicked its head once for no reason and sheathed my sword.

Sssss—My body aches all over. This sneaky bastard, if it had just fought fair and square, I wouldn't have suffered this much.

I looked around.

Hyeon-bi looking at me with surprised eyes, people gradually waking up, and the subsiding noise.

"...H—How on earth."

Hyeon-bi approached me.

"How did you cut an evil spirit..."

She seemed to want to ask a lot of things, but strength drained from my entire body.

I told you to come back quickly. Thanks to that, my internal energy hit rock bottom, and I feel like dying.

"Mumyeong?"

Anyway, everything is over.

"...Mumyeong! Mumyeong!"

Finally, I can go home.

Lying in the sickbed of the Hyeonmu Palace, I received truly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠royal treatment.

I was a bit bewildered at first. I mean, maids came to visit for days on end, bringing precious medicinal ingredients, food, and even doing all my laundry?

I'm not usually someone who likes this kind of thing much, but receiving it was actually pretty nice.

"Wow—! What is this?"

"They said it's a snack."

"I've never eaten something like this while living here. Gasp! It's, it's sweet! It's too sweet!"

My sister Hyang-rang ate the crumbs while nursing me.

She came like a ghost whenever food was brought in. Using nursing as an excuse.

"Oppa, I really see you in a new light. I never dreamed you'd be strong enough to beat up an evil spirit!"

"I hit pretty hard."

"My brother is the best!"

Hyang-rang giving a thumbs up while stuffing her face with precious snacks.

Leave some for me. I really want to hit her.

"By the way, to think that this body, a possessor, was in a state possessed by the Crying Ghost. If not for you, Oppa, it would have been a real disaster."

"So do some mental cultivation. Should I teach you how to do Un-gi-jo-sik while we're at it?"

"Screw that, Oppa. Only you can do something that boring."

Chatting with her like that, my body gradually recovered.

A week ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠passed.

My sister, having filled her stomach, lay next to me and patted her belly.

"So you're leaving now, Oppa? to make that Gangho or whatever?"

"I should."

I already told the Head Maid. That tomorrow, I'll leave this Hyeonmu Palace and return to the Imperial Palace.

"Honestly, can't we just live together in the Hyeonmu Palace? Sucking honey like this. The way I see it, everyone in the Hyeonmu Palace is probably favorable to you now, right?"

"How can I live when I'm itching for action? Anyway, I'll receive some reward for this incident, so I can just live well with that."

"...That's true. Since you're the first martial artist in history to cut an evil spirit. I wonder how much you'll get?"

Hmm. How much should I ask for? About 50 sacks of rice? Is that too much?

Just then, Clack! The door opened.

It was Hyeon-bi.

At Hyeon-bi's sudden appearance, my sister, who was about to enter nap mode, immediately knelt and pretended to be placing a hand on my forehead.

I also sat up.

"Wait, what is this?"

Looking closely, it wasn't just Hyeon-bi.

Hyeon-bi entered first, and behind her, the Head Maid of the Hyeonmu Palace and other maids appeared in a line.

Then the Head Maid took a step forward and knelt silently.

Thud!

Following her, all the maids prostrated themselves in the same posture.

Thud! Thud!

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠sound of foreheads touching the floor rang out in layers.

"We offer our humble apologies to Investigator Mumyeong. In the past days, the Hyeonmu Palace doubted the Investigator. We saw you not as a necessary person, but a troublesome one. We treated you not as a helping hand, but as an eye to be wary of."

Feeling strange that the Head Maid, who was so rude, was acting so humble.

"Geez, why are you doing something you usually don't do? Just get up."

"No. I, the Head Maid, apologize on behalf of everyone for all this rudeness."

She pressed her forehead deeper to the floor.

"Also, words of gratitude. That Her Highness is standing here like this. For that alone, the Hyeonmu Palace has incurred a debt to the Investigator that cannot be repaid."

Honestly, I intended to just suck honey and go back at first too.

Because of that, this gratitude gave me goosebumps.

I was about to tell them to get up again, but the Head Maid raised her head.

"From now on, the Hyeonmu Palace will not turn away the Investigator in any seat, under any pressure."

She said.

"If anyone doubts the Investigator, that doubt must pass through the Hyeonmu Palace first. If anyone slanders the Investigator, those words will hit the walls here first. The Hyeonmu Palace will support Investigator Mumyeong until the end."

When the Head Maid finished speaking, the maids behind her also raised their heads and opened their mouths.

"Thank you, Investigator-nim!"

"Thank you for letting us live!"

"You're cool!"

Indeed, at the last remark, the Head Maid opened her eyes wide and gave a warning glare.

Shortly after, Hyeon-bi took a step forward.

She handed me a plaque with a Black Tortoise pattern drawn on it.

"Investigator Mumyeong, I share the same thoughts as the Head Maid. This Hyeonmu Palace will always be open to the Investigator. If there is ever anything you need me for, you may come find me anytime."

"No, well."

Feeling awkward for no reason, I scratched the back of my neck and accepted the Hyeonmu Plaque.

"If you say so, I unders—"

"—Ugh!"

But the moment I put my hand on the Hyeonmu Plaque.

Hyeon-bi snatched her hand away Pop!

"...N—No. Our hands, touched."

An earthquake occurred in her pale green pupils.

"Th—That. Uh, um."

At this, my sister's mouth fell open.

The Head Maid, who witnessed this right in front of her, also opened her eyes wide.

"...I—I will be going! Mumyeong, if you are leaving, say goodbye before you go!"

Hyeon-bi turned around and walked away quickly.

The gazes of the Head Maid, me, and Hyang-rang entangled in the air.

"Ubububububub—"

Hyang-rang started foaming at the mouth.