The Opening of the Ghost Domain

The colossal malice emanating from the Ghost Gate on Mount Wanse in Beijing made it painfully clear that the previous chaos had been nothing more than a preliminary phenomenon. With a thunderous kuuung—!, the gate finally swung open.

Immediately afterward, thick demonic mist visible to the naked eye began pouring through the narrow gap. A deranged laugh echoed across the overwhelming presence of the gate.

The sound reverberated as if trapped by invisible walls. The anomaly was immediately apparent. Namgung Woo realized without even activating his Changnyeongmanan that the space around them had begun to twist, simply from the way the echoes behaved.

"The space…."

It had closed. This place was no different from a prison. There were no physical boundaries, yet ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the area they occupied was clearly isolated from the outside world.

"Hey, young hero."

When had he approached? Gwak Dan's quietly spoken words carried no significant internal energy, yet they reached Namgung Woo with perfect clarity. What was unfolding now was something the commander had never witnessed in his decades serving with the Jinyiwei. But just because one hasn't experienced something doesn't mean one doesn't know of it. Humans learn through the experiences of others.

The predecessors of the Jinyiwei had faced days like this and recorded their lives in writing for the sake of future generations. They had documented it: from Black Gates and above, it was no longer mere invasion but closer to erosion. The demonic beasts that emerged from them were calamitous incarnations beyond ordinary living creatures, and their very presence repainted the surrounding world in the colors of another realm. They had named this phenomenon—

Namgung Woo rolled the word Gwiyeok on his tongue. The land of ghosts. The territory of those who had crossed over from beyond the Ghost Gate into this world.

"And if we leave it alone like this, it will continue to expand. We should already consider all of Mount Wanse a Ghost Domain. After this…."

"It will reach the Forbidden City."

"Exactly."

The Forbidden City, situated directly below Mount Wanse, was the sole imperial palace of the Ming Dynasty. Even the massive palace in Nanjing, the Southern Capital, could not compare. It was the pride of the emperor who ruled the world and his exclusive residence. Yet Gwak Dan smiled as if this were actually fortunate.

"This is actually better."

"Pardon?"

"The Forbidden City is a temple of ten thousand gods in the mortal world, filled with every kind of sorcery imaginable. From grand principles of feng shui to the tiniest patterns in the painted beams, everything in the Forbidden City embodies the logic of mystical arts."

"That bastard Lee Ja-ryong seems to have pulled quite a few tricks, but no single human can completely dismantle something so intricate. It should hold back the expansion of the Ghost Domain for a while. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"If we stop it here, Beijing will remain safe… That's what you're saying."

Namgung Woo's answer was exactly what Gwak Dan had been about to say. Feeling even more favorably toward this mysterious young expert who understood his thoughts so perfectly, Gwak Dan allowed some of his tension to ease. If he had been alone it would have been hopeless, but with a master of Namgung Woo's caliber at his side, there was a chance of victory.

"Well… Let's think about that after we survive this fight."

"Playing hard to get, are we?"

But that only made him like the young man more. When was the last time someone had refused his offer? The memory had grown hazy. They had all been disappointing. A real man should at least have the backbone to stand by his own principles, shouldn't he?

"Don't worry. With you and me together, we can win this."

The moment those words left his mouth, a massive surge of energy erupted from the Ghost Gate.

"It's coming!"

Gwak Dan's shout was swallowed as the Ghost Gate swung wide open, releasing another soul-scraping shriek. Kwaak!

A grotesque, twisted arm the color of ash and blue burst from the gate. The instant Namgung Woo registered it, the limb was already right in front of their faces.

"Kgh!"

Kwaaang!

An unexpected ambush. Even though his Changnyeongmanan had let him witness the entire approach, his mind couldn't react fast enough. But it's fine. No injuries.

The defensive form of the Thirteen Forms of the Iron Sword he had instinctively deployed blocked the strike. The sword art he had practiced without missing a single day since arriving in this world reacted on pure reflex, stopping the arm cold.

"Hey, young hero! Are you alright?"

"No problem!"

The fact that no follow-up attack came was thanks to Gwak Dan stepping in. Regaining his composure, Namgung Woo saw the commander swinging his sword at the ashen-blue entity.

"I'll join you!"

Namgung Woo immediately circulated the Thunder Emperor Divine Art throughout his body at full power. This was no opponent to hold back against. He had realized that from the previous strike. As the Thunder Emperor Divine Art raced through his meridians, white-gold lightning erupted across his entire form.

The advancing footwork of the Infinite Step slammed powerfully into the ground, launching his body forward. In that near-instantaneous burst of speed, the Thunder Emperor Divine Art surged along both arms and into his sword, condensing into sword energy.

The charging slash, enhanced with the subtle principles of lightness skill, sliced through the demonic beast's arm that had been aiming for Gwak Dan's side.

Puhwak!

No matter how tough its body, it was powerless before the stellar aspiration held in a human hand. In the blink of an eye, within that ultra-fast exchange, the demonic beast's gray arm was reduced to nothing but a chunk of meat that tumbled across the ground.

"Well done. But from now on, prioritize aiming for its throat over protecting me. I can withstand a few hits with my protective energy. I am Gwak Dan."

"…Understood."

Having lost an arm, the creature seemed to have learned it shouldn't charge in recklessly. The entity that had burst out as if tearing the gate apart now distanced itself from the two men and began to observe them.

Namgung Woo took the opportunity to examine the being that had emerged from the Ghost Gate. It had the form of a beastman with a lion's head. Unlike humans, its legs had reverse joints, and massive horns protruded from its maned skull. Its overall ashen-blue skin showed no signs of vitality whatsoever. Some areas were darker, almost blackish-blue, as if mimicking the coloration of living creatures. Only the faintly glowing eyes seemed to be the sole proof that this was a living, moving being.

It was a grotesque creature Namgung Woo had never seen before. Its appearance didn't perfectly match any demonic beast he had encountered in Chukrok Murim. But Gwak Dan was different.

"Hou."

"Hou?"

"The monsters that come through Ghost Gates borrow similar concepts from this world to form their shells. Essence and spirit influence each other, and the shells they wear have roughly the same relationship. Therefore, that is a Hou."

Hou. A yokai said to be born when a jiangshi accumulates demonic power over a long period and transforms. Originally human in form, after evolving into a Hou, it becomes an entirely different lifeform, much like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. The most common forms resemble lions, oxen, or horses. That lion-like head was essentially the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠identity it had assumed after changing from a humanoid yokai to a beast-type one.

And there was one more piece of evidence proving the monster's identity as a Hou, unfolding across the ground.

"The grass…."

The grass that had held the green vitality of July was losing its life force and withering. In an instant it turned a sickly yellowish-brown, then crumbled into dust and scattered like dirt.

"Its mere presence brings drought. A Black Gate… and one very close to becoming a White Gate at that. This is no ordinary Hou. Its rank is on a completely different level."

"Just as you say."

Suddenly, Lee Ja-ryong cut into Gwak Dan's words.

"Hmph. Buying time? You forced open an incomplete gate. There's no way you're unscathed either."

On top of the severe wounds Namgung Woo had inflicted, Lee Ja-ryong had forcibly opened the unfinished gate. He had committed a series of reckless acts. His right shoulder was split wide open, his right arm dangling limply, yet he spoke with perfect composure. The sight was grotesque.

"Buying time? No. The Mangcheonhu is not under my control. What I am doing is rather…."

Namgung Woo ignored the rest of Lee Ja-ryong's words. It was moving.

The moment it judged that Gwak Dan's attention had shifted while conversing with Lee Ja-ryong, the Mangcheonhu unhesitatingly thrust its malevolent presence toward the commander.

Kiiiiiiing—!!

The sound of claws clashing against a sword wrapped in sword energy was like dragging a blade against a grinder, tearing at their eardrums.

"You move well!"

Though Namgung Woo had blocked the Mangcheonhu, Gwak Dan was not idle. He sent sword energy flying toward the Yellow Dragon Lion that had begun charging again and shouted. His sword whipped up a fierce gale that scattered the blood droplets flung by the Yellow Dragon Lion. The force of a single strike resembled a whirlwind.

If Namgung Woo's sword was lightning, then Gwak Dan's was the wind. The commander's blade, having dismantled the Yellow Dragon Lion's attack, became a raging storm that severed its neck.

"One down first! Young hero, switching! I'll take the Hou. You handle Lee Ja-ryong!"

Gwak Dan was clearly moving toward the more dangerous position. Not because he was stronger, but because it was the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠most efficient choice. In terms of pure martial prowess, Gwak Dan might have a slight edge, but he lacked the means to immediately dismantle incomprehensible sorcery. On the other hand, hadn't Namgung Woo displayed a mysterious ability that shattered Lee Ja-ryong's defensive spells in a single move?

This was the correct division of roles. Even if Gwak Dan couldn't defeat the Mangcheonhu, if Namgung Woo could kill Lee Ja-ryong and close the gate, the beast could be dealt with later somehow. Having finished all his calculations, Gwak Dan hacked the now-motionless Yellow Dragon Lion's corpse into pieces as if delivering a final blow, then spun around.

"Go!"

Namgung Woo used the principles of repulsion and attraction to ride the force the Mangcheonhu was exerting in reverse. There was no need for words. He had no doubt that he and Gwak Dan both clearly understood what each of them had to do.

Namgung Woo's eyes blazed white-hot. Through his Changnyeongmanan, the core of the sorcery enveloping Lee Ja-ryong was laid bare in perfect detail.

He's the same.

A body that should have been dead. There were ways to amplify life force or heal wounds through martial arts or spells, but in Lee Ja-ryong's case, it had gone too far.

I should stop thinking of him as human.

A flow of true energy similar to that of the Yellow Dragon Lion could be glimpsed within Lee Ja-ryong's body. Namgung Woo steeled his resolve. He must not think of this as murder. Because this thing had already stepped beyond the bounds of humanity. And because the things it had done had long abandoned any sense of human decency.

Even if Lee Ja-ryong had truly been wronged, the moment he summoned the Mangcheonhu and brought catastrophic harm to innocent civilians, he could no longer be considered blameless.

With the resolve to kill.

The instant his decision was made, essence, energy, and spirit resonated as one. The Blue Sky Divine Art filled his body to form an inner universe, while the Thunder Emperor Divine Art rode his sword and communed with the outer universe.

I will cut him down.

From the night sky above, a single streak of lightning descended into Namgung Woo's blade.