Chapter 32
Chapter 32
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 9
>Chapter Title: Armadillo (3)
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Unlike vengeful spirits that lack physical bodies and thus cannot be touched or perceived, among the fierce beasts of the Night Blind Haze, some possess tangible forms.
Having a physical form meant exactly that—they could be touched.
However, even so, the souls of these Night Blind Haze beasts, agglomerations of yin demonic energy, were pure demonic poison harmful to living humans. Even trained exorcists hesitated to handle them barehanded.
Yet, astonishingly, Mok Kyung-un had seized the armadillo with his bare hands.
'Is he unaffected?'
For Sak, the exorcist who commanded the armadillo as her shikigami, this was utterly bewildering.
Why?
Demonic poison caused agony merely upon contact.
Yet Mok Kyung-un showed no such signs.
-Kak!
'Oh no!'
Sak snapped out of her daze at the armadillo's cry of suffering.
She swiftly drew a talisman from her bosom.
It was a Thunder Ink Charm talisman.
-Chak chak chak!
She rapidly formed hand seals with her left hand and chanted the incantation.
"By the decree of the Jade Emperor, the divine ink descends—like clouds and mist, the ghostly forms align. The divine ink strikes lightly amid the chaos of the world, unleashing thunder. Hasten like the律令!"
No sooner had the incantation ended.
-Pachichichichi!
"Ugh!"
Blue flames erupted from the hand gripping the armadillo, sending violent convulsions through Mok Kyung-un's body.
Every human body harbors a trace of thunder energy.
The Thunder Ink Charm technique temporarily amplifies this thunder energy, paralyzing the target's nerves and inducing muscle spasms.
"Armadillo!"
Believing Mok Kyung-un immobilized by the electrocution, Sak reached to reclaim her shikigami.
But then,
-Kwak!
-Kakakakakak!
The armadillo writhed even more in agony.
What was happening?
'The Thunder Ink Charm didn't work. Could it be because he practices martial arts?'
Ordinary people, unless they had an unusual constitution, were generally susceptible to such spells.
However, martial artists, who could manipulate qi, often resisted talisman arts or spells entirely.
Sak assumed Mok Kyung-un, coming from a martial clan, had endured through his internal energy.
Of course, contrary to her guess, Mok Kyung-un hadn't withstood it with internal energy.
'Lucky break.'
It wasn't intentional.
For a split second, Mok Kyung-un had been unable to move due to the shock.
Yet even in that instant, he had maintained the Adherence Technique. The temporarily surged thunder energy within his body had gathered in his right hand.
Seizing that moment, Mok Kyung-un had instead channeled the gathered thunder qi into the armadillo.
-Kakakakakak!
That was why the armadillo had suffered.
'Armadillo!'
As her shikigami agonized further, Sak's impatience grew, and she prepared another spell.
Sak rolled up her sleeves.
On her wrists were affixed the Heavenly Ox Talisman and the Earth Ox Talisman.
-Chalak!
She drew a talisman from her waistband.
It was inscribed with Dipper Ox Talisman.
She bit the end of the talisman with her mouth and formed the hand seals of the Azure Sky Decree.
-Chak!
'Face Ox God Borrowing Power Method'
This was a technique that doubled one's strength temporarily by reciting the Face Ox God Borrowing Charm.
Exorcists had devised it to contend with goblins or Night Blind Haze beasts.
It granted tremendous power for about a quarter of an hour.
"Sealing the pure, the Dipper unleashes great power—heavenly ox, earthly ox, dipper host. Six formations, six stems command the spirits. Summon great power, shake the eight trigrams, shake the nine heavens. Ten thousand thunderclaps, great power rends mountains and seas, endlessly piercing the five forms..."
"Demon Monk!"
"Huh?"
-Papak!
As she chanted, she urgently leaned back.
The Demon Monk had appeared out of nowhere, swinging his skull prayer beads at her head like a weapon.
Dodging it, she bit her lip hard.
'Yellow Spirit... when?'
She had been focused on Mok Kyung-un and forgotten about it.
No, its condition hadn't seemed threatening enough to interfere.
-Sruruk!
But now, it looked greatly improved.
The wounds on its body had nearly vanished.
'Strange.'
Even a bodiless vengeful spirit shouldn't recover this quickly.
Puzzled, she prioritized snatching her shikigami from Mok Kyung-un's grasp...
It was right then.
-Kakakakakak!
The armadillo's scream.
Startled, she whipped her gaze to the gripped armadillo.
Just moments ago, it had seemed fine, but now it was severely emaciated.
Seeing this, Sak realized something was gravely wrong.
'Armadillo? W-what is this?'
He was merely holding its neck—why was the Night Blind Haze beast withering like this?
And it was withering even more rapidly.
In her panic, she drew a wooden dagger affixed with talismans from her waist and hurled it at Mok Kyung-un.
However,
-Sruruk!
The Demon Monk blocked her path.
Sak darted sideways, forming a hand seal with one hand and chanting.
"Sun and moon flow, ghost accompanies, five limbs seek no hindrance..."
But before she could finish,
"Huhk!"
Agonizing pain gripped her chest.
Instantly realizing the source, she stared at Mok Kyung-un and the armadillo.
"Ar-armadillo!"
Sak's pupils shook wildly.
The Night Blind Haze armadillo wasn't just emaciated—it was nearly desiccated.
It emitted only feeble groans, on the verge of death.
-Kak....... Kak........
She couldn't comprehend the situation at all.
It was bizarre enough for an ordinary human to grasp a Night Blind Haze beast barehanded, but without spells or arts, how was this happening?
"S-stop!"
She cried out desperately.
But Mok Kyung-un, clutching the armadillo's neck as it withered to skin and bones, ignored her completely.
He seemed utterly absorbed in something.
Only Cheongryeong could guess why Mok Kyung-un was doing this.
-Hah!
Her eyes clearly saw it.
The armadillo's energy, that of a Night Blind Haze beast, was being absorbed by the Adherence Technique.
The demonic energy composing the armadillo was yin energy, the opposite of yang energy, inherently infused with the qi of death.
'So much more.'
He had only meant to hold the armadillo as a means to an end.
But upon absorbing its energy with the Adherence Technique, Mok Kyung-un realized something.
It contained far more death qi than killing a single human.
This amount might be enough to form a dantian in one go.
That was why he continued devouring the armadillo's energy.
Though it could control insects, the armadillo had no special physical abilities among Night Blind Haze beasts, leaving it helpless against the Adherence Technique.
-Uyuh.......
Having all its energy absorbed, the armadillo teetered on the brink of death.
Right then.
-Thud!
Sak dropped to her knees and pleaded desperately with Mok Kyung-un.
"Please, let that child go."
The armadillo was a precious shikigami to her.
She couldn't lose this family-like companion of four years like this.
Sak shouted.
"I'll abandon the commission if you let it go!"
At those words, Mok Kyung-un paused the Adherence Technique and turned to her.
He regarded Sak with intrigued eyes.
'Abandoning it over something like this?'
It was unexpected.
It wasn't even human—it was a Night Blind Haze beast.
He hadn't thought she'd kneel to save a mere shikigami.
'Hmm.'
Was this little beak that precious?
Mok Kyung-un chuckled softly and soon spoke, gazing at her.
"You said commission?"
"Yes."
"Whose commission?"
'Ah!'
She inwardly cursed her slip.
In her haste, she had offered to abandon the commission.
The most crucial rule was to never reveal the client.
But she had erred.
"I'll ask again. Whose commission?"
"That is......"
Reputation mattered in this line of work.
Breaking it would mean...
"You don't seem that eager to save it, then. In that case..."
As Mok Kyung-un prepared to resume the Adherence Technique, the hesitant Sak finally answered.
"Madam Seok... the Great Madam of Timber Sword Manor commissioned it."
Mok Kyung-un smirked at her words.
He had already suspected as much, since the client was obvious.
He had merely confirmed.
"As expected."
"........."
Sak's expression darkened, perhaps from self-loathing at revealing the client.
To her, Mok Kyung-un asked again.
"Do you know an exorcist named Myo-sin?"
"........."
-Kak!
The barely breathing armadillo cried out again.
Startled, Sak blurted.
"Y-yes!"
"You're slower to answer than expected. From now on, no answer means I dispose of it."
-Euduk!
Sak ground her teeth at Mok Kyung-un's words.
Young as she was, with considerable experience as an exorcist, this was a first.
Being blackmailed with her shikigami.
Other exorcists or the branch leader would mock her, but with no family, the armadillo and money were her life.
"I'll... I'll answer properly, so please stop."
"We'll see. Next question—did you receive payment for the commission?"
"Yes."
"How much?"
"A thousand silver taels."
"You got paid well."
"........."
"What exactly were the commission details?"
"The Third Young Master Mok Kyung-un was possessed by a goblin and killing people, so perform forced exorcism."
"That doesn't seem like the whole story."
"Even if he died during the exorcism, it was fine. And... retrieve the manual from you."
"Ah."
Mok Kyung-un chuckled.
Of course.
Seeing his inexplicable power in handling the shikigami, she had likely commissioned another exorcist without overreaching.
Mok Kyung-un stared at her intently.
Then asked.
"Any other comrades?"
After a brief hesitation, she answered.
"......Yes."
She had considered denying it but decided that revealing other exorcists would make him hesitate to act rashly.
Did her ploy work?
"Hmm. Comrades, huh... So your comrades know you're handling this job?"
"All of them do."
She eagerly added, thinking a group would make him more cautious.
And her prediction seemed partially correct.
"This just got troublesome."
Knowing she had comrades aware of her mission, Mok Kyung-un found it quite annoying.
He had killed Myo-sin, and now this exorcist had come.
Killing her would likely bring more.
"Do they know the target is me?"
"Yes."
"Hmm."
Seeing this, Sak thought things might resolve well.
She had promised to abandon the commission, but this man was extremely dangerous.
Unable to see clearly due to her white-eye injury, he didn't seem possessed—he truly wielded it.
'......Is he really commanding it as a shikigami?'
Commanding a vengeful spirit as a shikigami was impossible.
She'd discuss next steps with the branch leader later, but for now, she hoped fear of repercussions would make him release her and the armadillo shikigami.
Stroking his chin, Mok Kyung-un spoke.
"This is tricky."
'Hah.'
She inwardly sighed in relief.
Truly fortunate...
-Kwak!
-Kakakakak!
In that instant, the armadillo screamed in agony.
Panicking, Sak shouted.
"I answered! Why are you doing this?"
"Ah... No matter how I think about it, whether I let you go or not, more exorcists will come one way or another. Right?"
"........."
Sak couldn't respond to the question.
Even if she lied, this cunning man would see through it.
"No answer means yes."
Mok Kyung-un smiled faintly.
"Say goodbye to this little beak, then."
With that, he prepared to resume the Adherence Technique and absorb the armadillo's remaining energy.
Sak's eyes reddened as she screamed.
"Stop! Stop! I'll do anything, just don't kill that child!"
Mok Kyung-un's lips curled slyly at her plea.
* * *
The front courtyard of Hyehwa Hall.
Great Madam Seok stood with hands clasped behind her back, waiting endlessly.
This time, the matter had to be handled definitively.
If that impudent Mok Kyung-un truly handed the manual to Second Young Master Mok Eun-pyeong, the situation could reverse.
Thus, she hoped the exorcist Sak would resolve it well.
"Madam, the outer wind is cold. Why not wait inside?"
One of the maids, So-hwa, suggested.
Great Madam Seok shook her head.
"How do you know how things will turn out?"
If contingencies arose, she planned immediate cleanup.
If not, no one could have it.
It was then.
"Madam, the exorcist is coming."
Ho-ang, the guard warrior, pointed toward the entrance of Hyehwa Hall.
There was the exorcist Sak.
"Ah!"
Great Madam Seok's face brightened at her unscathed appearance.
It meant the commission succeeded.
"Congratulations, Madam."
"Don't get ahead of yourself."
She thought to ask, once in the front courtyard, how she accomplished it and if she obtained the manual.
But upon crossing the entrance, Sak halted midway.
Great Madam Seok found it odd.
Watching curiously, she saw Sak draw something talisman-like from her bosom.
'What is she doing?'
Unable to bear it, she beckoned and said.
"What are you doing there? Come here and talk..."
Before her words finished, Exorcist Sak shouted loudly.
"Great Madam! Our 귀영각 cannot kill Young Master Mok Kyung-un as per your commission!"
'!!!!!!'
Her shout was so loud that Great Madam Seok, guard Ho-ang, and the maids couldn't hide their shock.
What madness was this?
'This bitch has lost her mind.'
But it didn't end there.
"Young Master Mok Kyung-un is not possessed by a goblin! Therefore, do not bring such commissions to our hall anymore! If you do..."
With that, Exorcist Sak formed hand seals and chanted a spell.
"Five spirits thunder, travel through the fields, breaths span a thousand li, emerge and vanish in the four seas, thereby punish..."
Sensing something wrong, guard Ho-ang urgently lunged to seize Sak.
It was right then.
"Huhk!"
"Hak!"
The two maids brought from her parental home clutched their chests in agony.
Their faces turned dark red, forehead veins bulging as if to burst.
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