Chapter 479: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual[R-18] (114)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 479: Daoist Yin-Yang Manual[R-18] (114)
A heavy silence pressed down upon the Grand Hall.
On the black silk carpet, the Division Lords knelt. In the very front row, the Four Heavenly Kings, known as the core power of the Honcheonhoe, quietly bowed their heads.
Beneath a red lantern sat a man, still as a shadow.
His eyes were half-closed, yet his mere gaze was enough to freeze the breath of everyone present.
And at last, he spoke.
“…Baek Ha-rim is dead. And her Soul Stone has been shattered.”
In an instant, the entire hall was engulfed in silence.
The Soul Stone—it was the core secret that allowed the Honcheonhoe to live beyond the limits of a normal lifespan.
For her Soul Stone to be shattered did not mean a simple death.
It meant the annihilation of her very existence. A complete end.
“Mak Gang-woo.”
The Cult Leader’s gaze shifted to one of the Four Heavenly Kings.
At that moment, everyone raised their heads to look at him.
From the left of the front row, a middle-aged man in a black robe stepped forward.
“Yes, Cult Leader.”
His voice was deep and heavy, its resonance alone enough to make half of those gathered here afraid to even lift their heads.
“Find the one who killed Baek Ha-rim… and bring them here. Their life… is not particularly important.”
He uttered the last words with eyes devoid of any emotion.
“However, you must bring me their soul. We will cast that bastard’s soul into the Honcheonhoe’s Demonic Blood Pool.”
“As you command.”
Mak Gang-woo turned without another word and silently left the Grand Hall.
*
I moved to a spot a short distance from the Kunlun Sect. It was an ordinary-looking forest, but one massive tree stood out.
‘This is it.’
I began to circle the giant tree, examining it slowly. It looked like an ancient tree, easily hundreds of years old, but something about it felt off.
Looking closely at the base of its roots, I noticed the soil was a slightly different color, as if it had been recently disturbed and covered back up.
I started to tap the ground around the tree carefully with my foot.
Most of it sounded like solid earth, but one spot near the roots made a different sound.
It meant the space below was hollow.
I carefully began to dig away the soil around the roots. Just as I expected, a wooden plank covering an entrance was revealed.
‘So it was here after all.’
I inspected the area around the entrance more closely, checking for any poison needles or explosive devices.
‘…Thankfully, there don’t seem to be any external traps.’
Still, I lifted the plank cautiously.
A narrow passage leading underground appeared, with a set of stairs disappearing into the darkness.
Just as I was about to enter, I heard the sound of clapping from behind me.
-Clap, clap, clap.
“Impressive. You’re no ordinary man, I see.”
A chill ran down my spine at the sound of his voice. The fact that I hadn't sensed him meant he was either an incredible master, or his stealth abilities were insane.
I spun around reflexively, drawing my sword.
A middle-aged man in a black robe emerged from behind a tree. He had a thick beard, and his sharp eyes held no trace of hesitation or emotion.
And the aura emanating from him…
‘Late-stage Transformation Realm.’
Daoist Yin-Yang Manual… In this fucking world, every time I turn around, someone stronger than me pops up.
‘This is why I can never let my guard down here.’
The man looked at me and said with a blank expression, “Are you Jin Seo-yun?”
“What if I’m not?”
“I already knew. I was just asking out of courtesy.”
An awkward silence fell between us. I was the first to break it.
“More importantly, how long have you been watching?”
“Since you arrived in Qinghai Province.”
Then, he immediately introduced himself. “I am Mak Gang-woo, the Grim Reaper of the Honcheonhoe’s Four Heavenly Kings.”
…Mak Gang-woo.
At the name, my grip on my sword instinctively tightened. A character who never properly appeared in the original story. His name was only mentioned a few times. However, it was often said that he was one of the top three strongest warriors in the Honcheonhoe.
‘Hah, this is annoying right after I got here, but it’s also a perfect chance to test my skills.’
In the world of Lewd Yokai After School, the Black Dragon’s power was too overwhelming. A fight relying on that power could hardly be called a test of my own pure skill.
But it’s different now. Without that power, I can see just how far I can go on my own.
‘Bi-yeon. Give me some support.’
‘Okay. Got it.’
I lowered my stance. Seeing this, Mak Gang-woo silently raised his spear. It was an ink-black spear. The oppressive aura emanating from its matte tip weighed heavily on the earth.
“Jin Seo-yun,” he said quietly. “If you pledge your loyalty to the Honcheonhoe, I will spare your life.”
I scoffed. “Bullshit.”
“So you insist on drinking the poison. I trust you know that your choice has put your woman’s life on the line?”
The moment I heard that, I realized he hadn’t come alone.
‘…Seo-rin is there, so that’s fine. The problem is Yeon-hwa.’
Hong Seo-rin should be able to buy enough time. But Ju Yeon-hwa has only been learning martial arts for a short while.
That meant the burden of fighting would fall entirely on Hong Seo-rin. She would have to protect Yeon-hwa all by herself.
‘At first, I was just going to test my strength, but…’
I changed my mind.
‘Bi-yeon. Spirit Fusion.’
‘Be careful. This man is dangerous, I can tell at a glance.’
I nodded silently at Bi-yeon’s warning. For her to be so certain meant he was truly dangerous.
Bi-yeon, who had been in the form of a sword, slowly regained her shape. A blue silhouette shifted into a human form, then blurred into transparency and seeped into my body.
-Swoooosh…
My body trembled lightly. The fusion with the spirit was complete—my true qi and her spirit energy overlapped perfectly, merging into one.
At that moment, Mak Gang-woo’s eyes narrowed.
“Just now… what was that?”
“You don’t need to know.”
The flow of the wind condensed at my fingertips, sharp as if I had sliced through the very currents of the sky. I used that energy to form a sword.
A clear, teal blade materialized in the air. The Qi Sword in my hand cut through the wind, emitting a faint vibration. My energy, fused with the spirit, rippled out from the sword’s tip like a wave.
Mak Gang-woo watched me silently, his gaze more cautious than before.
“…I see now why Baek Ha-rim lost to you,” he said in a low voice. “I will face you with my full strength from the start.”
The energy radiating from the spear in his hand was extraordinary. The surrounding air vibrated with a pressure that felt like space itself might collapse.
‘Well, it’s not like I beat Baek Ha-rim with my own skill…’
But there was no need to correct him.
I, too, lowered my stance.
My internal energy began to circulate, centered in my dantian. My body felt lighter, my consciousness sharper.
And then, we stared at each other in silence.
In the flawless silence, an energy like the calm before a storm pressed down on the earth.
Just then.
-BOOM!!
A massive explosion echoed from the direction of the Kunlun Sect.
As if taking that sound for a signal, Mak Gang-woo and I moved at the same time.
He moved first, closing the distance as he swung his ink-black spear.
Fast.
The tip of the spear shot toward my neck in a straight line, like a striking snake. I twisted my body reflexively to dodge, and—
-Slice!
Sharp metal grazed my cheek. A cold sensation, and a shallow cut.
‘More difficult than I thought…’
This was my first time facing a spear master. His reach was far greater than I had calculated.
Just then, Mak Gang-woo reset his stance. With an explosive burst of momentum, he kicked off the ground and charged.
-CRASH!
The earth trembled with his steps as the tip of his spear drew an arc toward me.
I also kicked off the ground and rushed him head-on. My body cut through the air, flashing like moonlight.
Moon Shadow Sky Sword Dance - Sword Dance.
As serene as the moonlight, yet as swift as the wind. My sword carved a silver trajectory through the air as it moved toward Mak Gang-woo’s spear.
Sword and spear clashed at high speed. Sparks flew, and the sound of metal rang out.
Mak Gang-woo’s spear technique was linear yet unpredictable. Like a snake stalking its prey, I never knew when or where he would strike a vital point.
I entrusted myself to the flow of the Sword Dance. As natural as moonlight dancing on water, yet utterly merciless.
I deflected the tip of his spear, then twisted at the waist and swung my sword in the opposite direction.
-Swish!
The tip of my sword grazed Mak Gang-woo’s chest, tearing his clothes.
I didn’t stop.
‘Don’t give him an opening to attack.’
My sword was already rising, tracing its next path.
Moon Shadow Sky Sword Dance — Moon Shadow Slash.
Like a blue moon rising, a crescent-shaped Sword Force cut through the air and plunged downward in a straight line.
“Kuh…!”
Mak Gang-woo raised his spear to defend, but the Sword Force sent him flying back.
-BOOM!!
His body stumbled backward. He was dragged across the ground, his feet digging into the earth and kicking up a cloud of dust.
“You’re… much fiercer than I expected.” He gritted his teeth and glared at me.
But I was already preparing my next strike. Once you have the momentum, you must never stop.
‘Don’t break the momentum,’ Bi-yeon’s voice echoed in my mind.
My body shot into the air again. Tracing a semicircle, my third strike fell.
Moon Shadow Sky Sword Dance — Moon Shatter.
-CR-CR-CRACK!
This time, the Sword Force rained down like scattering fragments.
“Kugh, impressive.” Mak Gang-woo pulled back, glaring at me.
“But! The real fight starts now.”
He swung his spear in a wide arc. His energy contracted like a coiled spring before exploding outward.
“—Eight Ghost Spears of Remaining Souls!”
A sinister killing intent rose from the tip of the spear. The air turned freezing cold, and suddenly, eight spear shadows shot out in all directions.
“First, Soul Spirit Chasing Soul Stance!”
The spearhead writhed like a snake as it flew toward the nape of my neck. It was a relentless attack that would follow if I dodged and push through if I blocked.
“Second, White Bone Soul-Striking Spear!”
The spear suddenly vanished, then reappeared from a completely unexpected angle. Its bizarre trajectory was like it had erupted from beneath the ground.
“Dammit…!”
As I barely managed to twist away, his spear technique grew even more vicious.
“Third, Ghost Gate Killing Style!”
The spear spun, drawing a large circle. With a sinister energy like the gates of the underworld opening, thrusts and slashes rained down simultaneously.
“Kuuugh—!”
I grunted and was pushed back, but Mak Gang-woo didn’t let up.
“Fourth, Dead Man's Crying Sound Wave!”
Whoooosh—
The sound of the spear cutting through the air was like the wailing of the dead. A terrifyingly fast barrage of strikes poured down like rain.
I was barely managing to defend against the spear tip, but an even stronger attack was waiting.
“Fifth, Corpse Soul Soul-Snatching Kill!”
A dense killing intent gathered at the spear’s tip, then shot toward my heart like lightning. It was a strike that felt like it could steal one’s very soul.
As I desperately blocked it, a madness appeared in Mak Gang-woo’s eyes.
“Sixth, Eight Directions Ghost God Formation!”
In an instant, an illusion unfolded as if the spear had split into eight. East, west, south, north. Attacks came from every direction at once. I couldn’t even tell where the real spear was coming from.
“You crazy bastard…!”
I mobilized every sense in my body to follow the flow of the spear.
-Clang! Clang! Boom! Swish! Boom!!
With my sword, Sword Force, and instantaneous footwork, I tried to evade and counter each strike.
“Seventh, Blood River Underworld Stance!”
A blood-red energy flowed from the spearhead like a river, and an endless wave of slashes surged toward me. It was as if the river of blood from the underworld was overflowing.
And then, he raised his spear high into the sky. All the internal energy in his body gathered at its tip.
“Eighth, Nine Heavens Thunder Roar Spear!”
KRA-KOOM—!
With a roar like the sky collapsing, a massive spear energy plunged downward. A strike that seemed to combine the fury of thunder and lightning fell upon me like a thunderbolt.