Chapter 398
Chapter 398
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 105
>Chapter Title: Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul (2)
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“Master. I sense the aura of the Hundred-Faced King, the worst among the Six Demons, from that human.”
“!?”
Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul furrowed his brow at the grave warning from the spirit beast White Blaze Poison Fang.
The Hundred-Faced King?
He suddenly recalled a memory from long ago that he had completely forgotten.
* * *
“......Why? Why can’t I subdue it?”
Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul muttered in disappointment as the spell Intent-Forgetting Sovereign Chant failed to take effect.
With that lord’s help and considerable sacrifices, he had finally suppressed it.
Yet the spell he had so painstakingly prepared didn’t work at all.
No matter that it was called the leader among spirit beasts, this spell had subdued even spirit beasts of that caliber. Why?
As he puzzled over it, the battered White Blaze Poison Fang spoke.
“That monster-like being helped subdue it, but the Six Demons are completely different in class from ordinary spirit beasts like us.”
“I acknowledge they’re stronger than typical spirit beasts, but even so, why does this one have such unbreakable will?”
“Their power transcends spirit beasts and approaches that of divine beasts without limit.”
“Divine beasts don’t exist.”
“They do. It’s just that the world can’t withstand their power.”
“The world can’t withstand it?”
“At the point of becoming a divine beast, the being completely deviates from the natural order.”
“Natural order?”
“The natural order is what sustains this world.”
“......Like the laws of heaven.”
“Similar. But laws of heaven are in the realm of principles and rules. The natural order is more like a flow.”
Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul clicked his tongue at White Blaze Poison Fang’s words.
He had thought he had reached the pinnacle of sorcery by subduing spirit beasts to make them familiars and achieving numerous feats as a sorcerer, but he still had much to learn.
Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul grabbed the golden mane of the fallen being and said.
“In any case, it seems impossible to make it my familiar. No matter. Even without that, it has plenty of uses.”
“......”
“White Blaze Poison Fang. Tell me if you know of any other Six Demons.”
At his demand, White Blaze Poison Fang spoke with evident difficulty.
“Even with that monster’s help, do you think such luck will strike again?”
“Luck?”
“The Lion Tear King was barely captured because it had weakened long ago in its battle with the White Peng Demon King. But a Six Demon in perfect condition is entirely different.”
“A Six Demon in perfect condition?”
“Yes. Their power surpasses anything you can imagine, Master. And among those Six Demons, there are two you must absolutely never touch.”
“Two you must absolutely never touch?”
“The other Six Demons are already beyond what ordinary spirit beasts can handle, but those two are on another level entirely.”
Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul asked curiously at the intensely serious warning.
“What exactly are those two?”
“The Great Power King and the Hundred-Faced King. If you ever encounter them, abandon any shred of hope, no matter how slim.”
* * *
It was a conversation from quite a long time ago.
After that, he had no further encounters with beings called the Six Demons, so he had forgotten all about it.
Until now.
The great nine-tailed fox with golden fur, Illusory Demon Fox. Hundred-Faced King Golden Fur Nine-Tails.
It was said to be even worse than the Great Power King, known as the oldest among the Six Demons, and its malice had led countless nations and humans to ruin.
The most famous examples were the Yin and Zhou Dynasties.
“......Hundred-Faced King. Golden Fur Nine-Tails.”
The aura of that being from Mok Kyung-un?
What did that mean?
Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul, puzzled, asked.
“What do you mean, the Hundred-Faced King’s aura? You’re not saying that guy is the Hundred-Faced King, are you?”
“No. But he possesses something steeped heavily in the lingering resonance of its aura.”
“Lingering resonance of aura?”
Mok Kyung-un smirked at their conversation.
It seemed they were referring to the ornament made from the tail the Golden Fur Nine-Tails had given him.
Even a spirit beast right below the Six Demons feared the Golden Fur Nine-Tails to this extent, confirming its superior class.
Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul clicked his tongue and said.
“Whether it’s lingering resonance or whatever, it’s not the Hundred-Faced King itself, right?”
“It’s not that simple, Master.”
“What?”
“......For something to carry such a strong lingering resonance of aura means it could belong to the Hundred-Faced King or be connected to it.”
“So what do you want me to do about it?”
“Touching that human rashly could incur the Hundred-Faced King’s wrath.”
Despite the spirit beast White Blaze Poison Fang’s warning, Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul soon scoffed.
“Perfect.”
“Perfect......?”
“That lord needs more cards anyway. I can’t miss a chance to draw out another of the Six Demons.”
“Master...... The Hundred-Faced King is completely......”
“Enough. Things are different now from back then. And a fight with that one is unavoidable anyway. So fulfill your duty as a familiar.”
“......”
Realizing it couldn’t persuade its master, the spirit beast White Blaze Poison Fang shut its mouth and glared at Mok Kyung-un.
‘Aaaah.’
If it weren’t bound as a familiar, it would flee this place immediately.
But it had no choice.
If Myeong-ryul issued a command through the bond, it had no choice but to obey, and if he severed the bond outright, he could take its life.
In the end, it had to follow orders no matter what.
“Devour the bast......”
Before the words could finish.
White Blaze Poison Fang’s tail, flickering with white flames, whipped out like a lash, striking something.
-Pang!
With that, Mok Kyung-un landed in a stance ten paces away, having blocked something with his demon sword Evil Instant.
Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul inwardly clicked his tongue at the sight.
‘A guy I can’t let my guard down around.’
He hadn’t even noticed the guy move.
As Great Young Master Na Yeul-ryang had said, he had clearly surpassed the wall of walls and reached a realm rivaling the Six Heavens.
He too had learned martial arts for self-protection, but this opponent was too much in terms of martial prowess.
However,
“I’ll show you how a sorcerer titled Square Deity fights.”
With those words, he formed a hand seal with his left hand and softly chanted a spell.
Then, one of the wooden dolls at his waist shattered with a sound, and a strong aura rose as something revealed itself.
-Pak!
The being wasn’t particularly large.
It resembled a human form, but more precisely, it looked like a monkey.
Two red spots adorned its forehead, its body covered in floral patterns and small spines.
Most striking was its mouth, stretching to its ears in a grinning expression.
Qing Ling clicked her tongue upon seeing it.
“For it to seal a demon beast-class illusory demon fox like that and carry it around.”
“......A demon beast?”
The aura it emanated was far from ordinary.
“It’s a Yu-al.”
Demon beast Yu-al.
An illusory demon fox inhabiting the northern Variant Spring Mountain of Pill Fragrance Mountain, so swift its form was hard to discern.
Unlike other illusory demon foxes, its habit of eating fruits and leaves meant it rarely harmed humans greatly, but it was called a demon beast for good reason—its aura was tremendous.
Not quite on the level of the higher-class spirit beast White Blaze Poison Fang, but a illusory demon fox with this much aura was equally dangerous.
At that moment, Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul spread his arms wide.
The spirit beast Yu-al flipped backward through the air onto Myeong-ryul’s shoulders, then clung to his back like being carried.
-Pak!
As Mok Kyung-un moved to act,
-Kraaaargh!
The spirit beast White Blaze Poison Fang roared and opened its maw toward Mok Kyung-un, spewing flames.
-Fwoosh!
The flames spread in a fan shape, instantly engulfing the radius around Mok Kyung-un.
Riding the momentum, White Blaze Poison Fang drew up more aura.
The flames it spewed shifted from crimson to blue, then white.
As the flame color changed, a roar accompanied the garden floor burning away, turning to ash instantly upon contact.
‘Dead?’
White Blaze Poison Fang, continuously spewing white flames, sensed nothing within and thought Mok Kyung-un might be dead.
But then,
-Shwick!
The flames parted, and Mok Kyung-un flew through, aiming to sever White Blaze Poison Fang’s neck.
“Where!”
In an instant, White Blaze Poison Fang swung its massive forepaw, swatting Mok Kyung-un away.
-Clang!
Of course, Mok Kyung-un blocked the claw with Evil Instant.
But the force behind it was no joke, sending him flying in the direction of the swing.
After tumbling about ten paces, Mok Kyung-un kicked off the air mid-flight to charge back at White Blaze Poison Fang.
But then,
-Swish!
Someone appeared behind Mok Kyung-un.
The being clasped its hands together, aiming a downward strike at his head.
But sensing the presence, Mok Kyung-un,
-Clang!
Raised Evil Instant overhead to block it.
As he blocked the attack with the blade, Mok Kyung-un’s eyes gleamed.
The attacker was Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul, his entire body clad in floral-patterned armor like plate mail.
Immense aura and tremendous demonic energy emanated from Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul.
‘What’s this?’
“Human-Demon Unity.”
-Boom!
No sooner had he spoken than Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul’s kick targeted Mok Kyung-un’s face like lightning.
So fast and powerful that it tore the air with a sound, generating immense pressure.
Moreover,
-Shwick!
Mok Kyung-un’s form was truly rent by the kick.
But Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul’s brow twitched.
-Slither!
It was an afterimage left by the Body-Switching Technique.
‘Dodged that?’
Thanks to the swift-moving demon beast Yu-al, his speed had increased in Human-Demon Unity.
Yet he had lost sight of Mok Kyung-un for a moment.
Then Mok Kyung-un appeared about ten paces away.
“You dodge well.”
“Is what you’re wearing a demon beast Yu-al?”
Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul’s ears perked at Mok Kyung-un’s question.
Even experienced sorcerers didn’t know all illusory demon foxes at a glance.
For him to recognize it instantly suggested knowledge of sorcery surpassing most sorcerers.
“Quite perceptive.”
At Mok Kyung-un’s intrigued words, Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul shrugged and replied.
“Demon beast Yu-al can transform its body among illusory demon foxes to achieve Human-Demon Unity.”
That’s why he had gone to the trouble of capturing it from Variant Spring Mountain.
Thanks to the Human-Demon Unity technique, draping Yu-al’s body over him like armor fused his internal energy and aura, rivaling even transcendent realm masters beyond the wall of walls.
And,
“White Blaze Poison Fang. White Flame Form.”
-Kraaaargh!
At his command, the spirit beast White Blaze Poison Fang roared, its house-sized body gradually shrinking.
It became tiger-sized, then its entire form was enveloped in white flames.
-Fwoosh!
Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul curled his lips slyly and said.
“You’d best stay alert.”
Though smaller, White Blaze Poison Fang in White Flame Form had condensed its aura for greater power and speed several times over.
“Our combined assault—you and White Blaze Poison Fang—cannot be endured even by a grandmaster who has reached the transcendent realm.”
-Swish!
As Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul exchanged a glance with White Blaze Poison Fang and moved,
Mok Kyung-un suddenly sheathed his demon sword Evil Instant.
Myeong-ryul, sensitive to sounds, found it odd.
“Surely you’re not surrendering?”
“Yes.”
Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul inwardly scoffed at Mok Kyung-un’s reply.
He must think me a fool.
With Yu-al in Human-Demon Unity, his five senses and aura detection were sharpened.
It seemed like he was withdrawing his energy, but the air felt boiling with something.
Likely trying to lure carelessness for a strike—a trick that might fool the sighted.
But then,
“Perhaps stop holding back your power now.”
“What?”
What nonsense is this...
-Hummm!
In that instant, sharp sword intent surging from all directions sent chills down Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul’s spine.
What is this?
The sword is sheathed—why does it feel so vividly sharp?
As he puzzled,
-Shwick!
-Kraaaargh!
A roar from spirit beast White Blaze Poison Fang like splitting eardrums assaulted his ears.
“!?”
But this didn’t sound like a roar no matter how he heard it.
It was closer to a scream laced with agony.
[Chapter 105: Grand Sorcerer Myeong-ryul (2)] End
