Chapter 138
Chapter 138
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 40
>Chapter Title: Shadow Clan Lord (1)
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The trusted subordinates of the Assembly Lord's second disciple, Jang Nung-ak—the Five Peaks Society.
Among them, the severed head of the second-ranked Second Peak, the blind Wi Maeng-cheon, fell powerlessly to the floor, blood spurting like a fountain from the cross-section of his neck.
-Psh!
Wi Maeng-cheon had always worn a composed expression, but the look on his face at his final moment was close to a scream of agony.
-Thud! Thud!
Mok Kyung-un's right hand, which had turned black and grotesquely swollen, finally returned to its original state.
This was the secret of the Reverse Blood Killing Technique.
It was a method with such severe side effects that it couldn't be maintained for long, but for a short time, it could boost one's internal energy two or three times over.
Mok Kyung-un had conserved it as much as possible and unleashed it at the perfect moment to sever Wi Maeng-cheon's neck.
-Swish!
Qingling landed lightly in front of Mok Kyung-un.
"Not bad, but you're still a long way off."
"You're right."
Mok Kyung-un readily admitted it.
Even if his other senses were superhumanly sharp, his opponent had been a blind man who couldn't see.
Against such a foe, a pure contest had been quite a struggle.
He had originally intended to settle it solely with the death qi from his lower dantian and pure form exchanges, but as it dragged on, he ended up using the Starvation Technique and Reverse Blood Killing Technique.
That was why, even after eliminating the target, he wasn't entirely satisfied.
On the other hand,
'He's fast.'
Though she said he was still far off, Qingling inwardly clicked her tongue at Mok Kyung-un's growth rate.
Strictly speaking, the blind Wi Maeng-cheon had been a rank above Mok Kyung-un.
He was far superior in internal energy and experience.
In fact, true to that experience, he had pressured Mok Kyung-un with clever variations at every key moment.
Yet Mok Kyung-un was learning and adapting right in the thick of it.
It was impressive even just to watch.
'I thought he'd struggle more.'
It was beyond expectations.
If they had more time, she even thought he might have won relying solely on his lower dantian.
It was an inexplicable growth rate, even from her position watching closest of all.
Meanwhile, Mok Kyung-un looked down at Wi Maeng-cheon's corpse and opened his mouth.
"Hoo."
-What's that... Hm?
A glint appeared in Qingling's eyes as well.
The death qi from the dead Wi Maeng-cheon was condensing and gathering.
"What could this be?"
Mok Kyung-un had tried to absorb the death qi before it dispersed, as he always did.
But unlike before, the death qi wasn't scattering—it was clumping together.
Qingling chuckled and said,
-It's your first time seeing this.
"Seeing what?"
-The birth of a proper vengeful spirit.
"Ah... this?"
-Exactly.
Mok Kyung-un had mastered techniques like the Six Yin Spirit Summoning Art and others to artificially create spirits from death qi.
But seeing one form so naturally was a first for him.
And that meant,
-He must have died with quite the grudge.
It took more than ordinary obsession to become a vengeful spirit.
For the death qi to clump like this meant his resentment had reached its peak.
Soon after, the gathered death qi began to take on a human shape.
The rank of a vengeful spirit was determined by how strong its obsession and grudge had been in life.
-Shudder!
As the form took shape, the handle of the broken Death Command Sword began to tremble.
A spirit without a body latched onto a medium to keep its soul from departing the living world.
That handle was likely the medium.
-His grudge runs deep.
Qingling was intrigued.
Even mid-formation, the spiritual power leaking out suggested it was at least a crimson spirit or higher.
And so the vengeful spirit fully took form.
-Crunch!
Its white eyes flickering, Wi Maeng-cheon glared at Mok Kyung-un.
"How unjust. So unjust. I wished to follow Him, achieve great deeds, and open my eyes anew, yet I die like this and become a wandering ghost."
A voice filled with resentment.
Wi Maeng-cheon didn't take his eyes off Mok Kyung-un.
"Even in death, I can gaze upon my enemy's face like this. I curse you. I'll haunt you to the end, tormenting you until you—"
Wi Maeng-cheon cut himself off mid-sentence.
Something was off.
Having become a vengeful spirit by natural order, he was aware he had died by his own hand.
Thus, he naturally understood the principles of the boundary.
So why did it feel like Mok Kyung-un's eyes were meeting his own?
Then,
"You've got a lot to say, huh? A fresh vengeful spirit, and already chattering away."
"You...? No way—you can see me?"
"If I couldn't see you, would I be answering like this?"
"You bastard! You did this to me!"
Confirming that Mok Kyung-un could see him, Wi Maeng-cheon flew into even greater rage and lunged at Mok Kyung-un with murderous intent.
At that moment,
-Pak!
-Guh!
Wi Maeng-cheon's white pupils shook.
It was because Mok Kyung-un had suddenly grabbed his throat.
"H-How?"
He was a dead ghost.
How could Mok Kyung-un grasp his dead throat?
"You bastard, what are you? How...?"
Bewildered beyond comprehension, Wi Maeng-cheon convulsed at the voice from behind.
"Hey, kid. This fresh corpse that's not even cold yet is full of spirit."
'!?'
Vengeful spirits could instinctively sense ranks.
The immense spiritual pressure from behind made Wi Maeng-cheon's mind reel.
'Wh-What kind of energy...'
This wasn't just any vengeful spirit—it was calamity-level.
His spiritual body trembled so much his lips wouldn't move.
To the terrified Wi Maeng-cheon, Mok Kyung-un said,
"This is the first time I've seen someone turn into a vengeful spirit like this. What to do?"
-What do you mean, what to do? Just absorb the death qi and exorcise it.
"Ah, right. That makes sense."
-Grip!
Mok Kyung-un channeled his death qi, tightening his grip on Wi Maeng-cheon's throat.
At first, he hadn't understood what "exorcise" meant.
-Sss!
But now, with the strange pain surging in and the threat of his spiritual body slowly fading, he felt it.
It inspired a fear more intense than facing death.
Wi Maeng-cheon hurriedly cried out.
-Sp-Spare me!
"You're already dead."
"Please... just give me one chance."
"Would a chance even mean much to you?"
"I-I'm not asking for anything else. Just let me see my wife and child's faces one last time. Then do whatever—exorcise me, anything."
"Your wife and child?"
Mok Kyung-un tilted his head slightly in puzzlement.
Wi Maeng-cheon pleaded in a desperate voice.
"Long ago, after the Glory Serpent Poison blinded me, I had one sole wish left. It was to see my wife and child's faces."
It was true.
Wi Maeng-cheon harbored a deep longing.
Somehow restoring his blinded eyes to see his family's faces.
The Assembly Lord's second disciple, Jang Nung-ak, had promised that once the great cause was achieved—whether possible or not—he would seek out the Camp-Resolving Immortal Healer to help Wi Maeng-cheon regain his sight from the poison.
Who could have known death would grant him vision?
"I beg you. I can't leave this world like this. Grant me this, and kill me however you like."
He had little attachment to anything else.
Wi Maeng-cheon simply wanted to see them.
The faces of his wife and child he had never beheld in life.
As he voiced his wish, one corner of Mok Kyung-un's mouth curled up.
"Ah, I thought you became a vengeful spirit purely from resentment, but you had precious ones leaving regrets in life too."
-Flinch!
At Mok Kyung-un's words, Wi Maeng-cheon realized his mistake in an instant.
He had spoken out of fear of dissipation, hoping to fulfill his one regret, but this was no one to beg.
This boy was the very culprit who killed him.
Regretting his slip as he did before his death, Mok Kyung-un whispered softly into his ear once more.
"Perfect. Then you'll work more willingly than the other familiars."
'!?'
What was he saying?
As confusion set in, he saw Qingling looking at him with eyes tinged in pity.
* * *
Mok Kyung-un returned from handling business outside.
As he passed the entrance hall toward the annex where his quarters were, his eyes narrowed.
'Hmm.'
A quick scan revealed the escort warriors guarding the area had vanished.
The people who should be there were gone.
He chuckled softly, then entered the annex building unconcerned.
Walking down the corridor, he opened a door.
"You're late."
A familiar voice came from inside as the door opened.
It was none other than the Shadow Clan Lord.
A glint entered Mok Kyung-un's eyes.
Why was this man, who had dismissed everyone without a word earlier, waiting alone for him?
No presence could be felt within twenty-odd zhang around.
Puzzled, he moved to clasp his hands in a fist salute and greet him, but the Shadow Clan Lord cut him off.
"Where have you been?"
"Training..."
"No need for such flimsy lies about being at the training grounds."
"......"
The Shadow Clan Lord's voice was far heavier and colder than usual.
It seemed a continuation of what had happened before.
Then, tapping the table with his finger, the Shadow Clan Lord continued.
"You went somewhere carrying the intruder's head, didn't you?"
Mok Kyung-un feigned ignorance and replied nonchalantly.
"Your disciple has no idea what you're talking about..."
"Only the head was missing from the incinerator."
"......"
Mok Kyung-un smacked his lips and fell silent at the Shadow Clan Lord's words.
Evidently, he had checked the incinerator himself after Mok Kyung-un's visit.
Shrugging, Mok Kyung-un said,
"I'm sorry, but I don't know why you're asking me. I did leave the annex briefly, but if you ask the escort warriors..."
"I've thought it over, but I still can't comprehend it."
"Pardon?"
"Just what trick did you use?"
"Trick? What do you mean?"
The Shadow Clan Lord sighed and shook his head at Mok Kyung-un's question.
Then he rose from his seat and spoke.
"There's something called a sense of incongruity, or discomfort."
"......"
"It was subtle at first, hard to notice, but at some point, everything around you became permeated with that discomfort."
That was the Shadow Clan Lord's doubt.
Those in the Shadow Clan also served as spies and handled secrets, so they underwent rigorous mental training.
Thus, he believed they would never betray.
So how was this possible?
It had only been seven days.
How could they turn to Mok Kyung-un—the hostage of the orthodox factions—in such a short time?
"I don't know what bizarre method you used, but even as a formal disciple, you've crossed a line I can't overlook."
-Shing!
The sound of something being drawn rang out.
It was the blade sliding from the saber sheath at the Shadow Clan Lord's waist.
And with the sound, the sharp blade edge was already at Mok Kyung-un's chin.
-Swish!
Mok Kyung-un's eyes narrowed.
He had expected some gap in skill, but the Shadow Clan Lord's prowess was incomparable to Wi Maeng-cheon, trusted subordinate of the Assembly Lord's second disciple Jang Nung-ak.
'...Strong.'
With pure lower dantian arts alone, there was no way to handle him.
The Shadow Clan Lord spoke in an even icier voice.
"Depending on your answer, I may have to sever that neck of yours. So from now on, answer my questions clearly...!?"
Before he could finish, the Shadow Clan Lord furrowed his brow.
It was because Mok Kyung-un was smiling.
'!?'
Seeing it stirred the memory of that malevolent grin Mok Kyung-un had flashed when he beheaded the intruder to quell the confusion.
It was the first time his spine had chilled and he'd felt danger from someone's smile.
Recalling it, the Shadow Clan Lord's grip tightened.
"That smile just now..."
"You have sharp instincts. Jumping to that conclusion just from a sense of discomfort."
"You..."
"So, are you going to behead me?"
"......"
At the question, the Shadow Clan Lord's gaze sharpened.
Mok Kyung-un's response all but confirmed his suspicions.
He hadn't revealed how, but still.
One thing was certain: this boy was truly dangerous.
Not just because he was a hostage from the orthodox factions or a martial prodigy—the boy himself was utterly unlike ordinary people.
"Slicing your neck now might be best for the Assembly."
"Maybe."
The Shadow Clan Lord inwardly marveled at Mok Kyung-un's calm reaction.
To stay so composed under threat to his life—his guts were impressive.
But merit was merit, and personal matters were personal.
Leaving this boy be would let that discomfort erode the entire Shadow Clan.
-Grip!
The Shadow Clan Lord tightened his hold on the saber hilt, about to strike.
It was then.
"But if you behead me, everyone will know your master worships fire. Not sure if that's okay."
'!!!!!!'
In that instant, the Shadow Clan Lord's face stiffened.
'This bastard... how does he know that?'
[Chapter 40: Shadow Clan Lord (1)] End