Chapter 273: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual[R-18] (103)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 273: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual[R-18] (103)
‘He’s fallen for it completely.’
In terms of pure speed, I definitely had a slight edge. Considering Dae Yeong-ban was a master at the peak of the Transformation Realm, this was certainly strange.
‘For someone of his realm… his lightness skill is terrible. Did he… neglect his training?’
I subtly adjusted my speed, beginning to lead him in a specific direction.
I had only one goal: a location that appeared in the original Daoist Yin-Yang Manual.
‘Hyeolgi-gok.’
A forgotten Yin-Yang Disturbance Zone, its name barely remembered.
It was a formation the Blood Cult had created in the past to lure and annihilate the great masters of Murim. A horrifying trap that twisted the energy in one's dantian, causing their internal energy to collapse on its own.
In the end, however, even they couldn't control it and abandoned it. Much later, it would be rediscovered by the Honcheonhoe, who modified it and renamed it Hyeoleumhoeyeon-gok (Blood Yin Returning Lotus Valley).
The stronger you were, the more dangerous the place became.
‘The more internal energy one possesses, the more violently they are swept up by its vibrations. In other words, it’s a venomous trap that only catches masters.’
“Stop right there!”
Behind me, Dae Yeong-ban chased after me, screaming like a rabid dog.
‘Just a little more…’
I deliberately made my footsteps louder, crashing through the forest.
The location wasn't clearly described in the original story, but by piecing together faint memories, I managed to find it.
‘It should be around here… An old musk tree to the left, a half-collapsed stone wall to the right and below it… and…’
At that moment, an old pillar entwined with vines came into view.
Its surface was scorched black, with faint traces of a forgotten killing curse pattern. Below the pillar, a half-buried circular barrier stone slate was visible.
‘That’s it.’
Without hesitation, I stopped in front of it. Then, I deliberately projected my energy forcefully in all directions to lure Dae Yeong-ban.
Whoosh…
The flow of my internal energy seeped into the ground. Sensing the influx of external energy, the formation began to awaken.
‘The activation conditions are met…’
But at the same time, this formation also affected its caster. I immediately cut off the circulation of my energy and stood before the pillar.
Thud!
At that exact moment, Dae Yeong-ban’s foot landed squarely in the center of the barrier.
“Got you—!”
Simultaneously, I placed my palm on the pillar and pressed down on the surface of the circular stone slate.
KABOOM!
Instantly, a red aura erupted from beneath the ground.
Rumble…!
Hidden patterns lit up one by one, and at the center of the barrier, the energies of yin and yang twisted together and burst forth.
The pillar vibrated, emitting a deep resonance.
“...Ugh, ugh…?!”
Dae Yeong-ban’s body froze. The flow of internal energy he had been unconsciously circulating was suddenly reversed.
“What… is this…?!”
His long spear trembled. His energy surged backward, and the currents spreading from his dantian raged violently through his meridians.
His face contorted, and cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.
‘Now.’
I completely halted the circulation of my internal energy. This place was more dangerous for masters.
I couldn't stay long either. I immediately kicked off the ground. As quickly and quietly as possible, I threw myself into the darkness of the forest.
Rustle…
I ducked low, slipping through the leaves.
Behind me, Dae Yeong-ban’s screams and the explosion of his energy tore through the forest.
“Kuaargh…! Aaaaargh—!!!”
His screams echoed, but I was already out of his sight.
Once I was away from the center of the formation, I finally let out a quiet breath.
And I felt it. A deep exhaustion rising from within my body, and a tingling dizziness.
‘The formation’s energy… it affected my body too.’
I could endure it for now. But if another battle were to happen right away, it would be too much.
I lifted my head and looked at the forest path stretching into the distance.
*
Where Jin Seo-yun had left, there was no longer any trace of power or dignity.
Dae Yeong-ban Jo Cheong lay collapsed on the ground, bleeding from every orifice—his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
It was the result of being caught in the formation, causing the qi and blood throughout his body to flow in reverse. His muscles were rigid, his organs twisted, and with every breath, droplets of blood sprayed from his lips.
“Gaaack…!”
Vomiting a clot of blood, Jo Cheong fell to his knees. His teeth chattered together.
Then, suddenly, the formation that had been crushing his body lost its effect. At the same time, a voice reached him.
“Oh my, I sent you on a mission, and this is what you’re doing here?”
A clear voice, yet its tone was as cold as ice.
Jo Cheong raised his head.
“Lady… Lady Ha-rim…”
A woman emerged from the darkness of the forest. Long black hair flowed like silk, and her red eyes shone with a bewitching light.
A slightly twisted smile spread across her face.
It was Baek Ha-rim, the Eunwol Danju of the Honcheonhoe.
“I certainly gave you power, and I gave you a chance—”
She adjusted the collar of her clothes with one hand, slowly looking down at him.
“But the mission failed because of your personal greed… so you’ll have to be punished, won’t you?”
Jo Cheong’s face turned pale.
“P-Please… that… anything but that…”
Baek Ha-rim brought a hand to her lips and smiled.
“It’s a punishment. Why, don’t tell me you still think you’re human?”
She took out a small, intricate silver bell from her robes.
Jingle.
A faint vibration echoed through the air. Instantly, Jo Cheong’s body convulsed.
“Kuaaaaaaaah—!!”
The area around his dantian swelled with a reddish hue, and something began to squirm beneath his skin.
“Ugh… this… No, no…!”
But it was already too late.
Sizzle…!
The Gu poison implanted in his body—a control geas the Honcheonhoe placed in its test subjects.
Baek Ha-rim quietly rang the bell again.
Jingle, jingle…
“If you want to live, crawl to me.”
Bleeding, Jo Cheong prostrated himself and crawled to her feet. The sound of his bones cracking and the feeling of his internal energy being crushed spread through his body.
“I… will never… fail again…”
Jo Cheong lowered his head, blood dripping from his face. But Baek Ha-rim pressed the tip of her foot onto his forehead, grinding it into the dirt.
“You were trash who couldn't even reach the Transformation Realm—”
A quiet smile hung on her lips.
“I raised you with such care, even gave you the title of Dae Yeong-ban…”
The tip of her foot pressed down on the crown of his head as if to twist it.
“And you get caught in a single measly formation, end up a bloody mess, and can’t even bring back one princess?”
Jo Cheong couldn't say a word, merely gasping for breath as he pressed his head to the ground.
“When you’re given a chance, you’re supposed to deliver results. Isn’t that right?”
“Y-Yes, that’s right…”
Baek Ha-rim smiled quietly and, once more, raised the bell and gently shook it next to Jo Cheong’s ear.
Jingle…
At that single sound, Jo Cheong’s body spasmed.
“If you don’t want to be disposed of… do better, okay?”
“……Yes.”
“Still, because I’m so kind, I’ll give you a special chance. Once you’ve recovered, bring me the key the princess has immediately.”
“I understand…”
“Now, get lost.”
With his head still bowed, Jo Cheong dragged his staggering body away and disappeared into the darkness.
Only Baek Ha-rim remained, standing quietly in the forest. She gazed at the old barrier pillar that Jin Seo-yun had activated, her red eyes narrowing before a slow smile formed.
“What an interesting man… He naturally activated a formation that we haven't been able to figure out for over a year since we found it.”
Baek Ha-rim’s lips slowly curled upwards, and she licked them with her red, moist tongue.
“Haa… It’s been a while since a man has piqued my interest this much…”
A sweet breath escaped her lips. Following that breath, her hand naturally moved toward her groin. A slight press was all it took for the slick sensation of her already-drenched inner flesh to meet her fingertips.
Her fluids spread, sliding down her finger.
“What should I do… Should I watch him a little longer? Or should I tame him with my own hands, right now?”
She had been observing Jin Seo-yun’s actions from afar. For a disciple of the Sword Empress, his personality and actions were more suited to the Demonic Faction or the Demonic Cult.
Her red eyes sparkled.
‘I want him… completely…’
An endless debate. She wanted to chase after Jin Seo-yun right now and make him hers.
“I can’t… Haa… I can’t hold back…”
She pulled her fingers away and licked the slick fluid from their tips.
“I’ll just have to eat him…♥”
A slow smile spreading across her face, she stood up.
The moment the clear fluid trickling from her groin ran down her thigh, her red eyes flashed, cutting through the darkness.
Baek Ha-rim’s body rose as lightly as the wind. Using her lightness skill, she leaped into the trees. Her movements, as she jumped swiftly from branch to branch, left no trace behind.
“Jin Seo-yun… become my new toy.”
Her laughter drifted on the night wind. Her body still aroused, she moved quickly in the direction Jin Seo-yun had gone.
*
As I was resting my exhausted body against a large boulder, a chilling sensation trickled down my spine, enveloping me.
“What is this…?”
I shivered from the sudden chill. Perhaps because I had used up so much stamina in the fight and in luring Dae Yeong-ban, my strength wasn't returning even as I rested. My head throbbed, and my vision felt blurry.
‘Is the effect of Hyeolgi-gok worse than I thought?’
Just as I was about to get up and continue on my way.
“Found you.”
A cold, clear female voice came from behind me.
Instantly, all my senses sharpened. I smelled danger. I quickly spun around to face the direction of the voice.
A woman emerged from beneath a shadowed tree.
Long black hair fluttered, and her red eyes shone moistly in the darkness.
The tight black clothes she wore revealed every curve of her body, a sight so sensual that my instincts reacted before my mind could even register her as an enemy.
“You’re fucking hot… wait, who are you?”
She let out a soft chuckle and approached.
“Oh my… you think I’m hot?”
I looked closely at the smiling woman’s face. The moment I realized who she was, my dick went completely limp.
“Baek Ha-rim…”
As I muttered her name, her eyes curved bewitchingly.
“You know me?”
She stepped onto the boulder with the tip of her foot and slowly approached until she was right in front of me. We were so close I could feel her breath on my face.
Her scent and her heat tickled my nose. She stared into my eyes for a moment, then slowly tilted her head.
“Interesting. A man seeing me for the first time who knows my identity right away…”
She smiled slowly.
“Darling… what’s your real identity?”
Her lips were slightly parted. She met my gaze, her eyes sparkling with interest.
“You probably already know, don’t you?”
“Hmm… strange… from the scoundrel of the Jin family~ to a master of the Transformation Realm in the blink of an eye, and now you even know who I am…”
Her hand traced a path over my chest and abdomen. Then she whispered suggestively.
“Darling… you’re starting to scare me a little.”
The corners of her lips twisted playfully. But beneath it, there was a clear mix of excitement, curiosity, and a hint of madness.
“Stop with the bullshit… Are you here to kill me?”
“Hmm… if you’re so cold, it makes me a little sad, you know?”
“Just state your purpose.”
At my curt reply, Baek Ha-rim narrowed her eyes and pressed her body even closer.
Her knee pressed lightly against my thigh, so close I could feel its heat through my clothes.
“My purpose…”
She tilted her head, pretending to think for a moment. Then she brought her lips close to my ear and whispered, as if breathing hot air into it.
“You know… darling.”
“……”
“It’s because I’m—”
She slipped a hand inside my upper garment. The cold tips of her fingers brushed against my chest, slowly moving downward.
“—completely, utterly… so turned on by you it’s driving me crazy.”
I heard a sharp intake of breath.
“You have… a scent that I like.”
She stopped her hand over my dantian and slowly rolled her fingers there.
Baek Ha-rim’s lips parted slightly. And just as they were about to meet mine.
“…I can’t.”
She muttered, pressing against me as if to push me down.
“I’m just going to eat you now.”