Chapter 419
Chapter 419
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 109
>Chapter Title: Water Clash (6)
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Whoosh!
In the dark throne hall.
Blood trickled from the mouth of the being shrouded in shadows upon the throne.
Soon after, the being opened its eyes.
Not just its two eyes, but the third eye on its forehead as well.
Crack!
The sturdy stone armrest of the throne crumbled powerlessly in the being's grip.
The being's three pupils burned with rage.
Having linked half of its consciousness to an identical set of eyes, it had fully felt the backlash from the mutual destruction.
The sensation of instantaneous annihilation.
Even for a being that had lived through countless ages and weathered every trial, it was far from a welcome feeling.
‘To lose even a portion of my power like this.’
At a glance, duplicating consciousness seemed like creating a completely separate entity, but that wasn't quite accurate.
It was more accurate to view it as connecting and sharing with the main body.
Thus, a portion of its power was inevitably contained within, and losing the eyes of this duplicated consciousness meant losing the power infused there as well.
‘Perfect Asura, my foot—clearly not, from the results.’
One consciousness clicked its tongue.
In response, the eye on the forehead twitched, and another consciousness voiced its will.
‘The variable was huge—you saw that too while watching together.’
‘You’re the one who said no variable would be a problem.’
‘If it could’ve been killed easily, we would’ve settled it a hundred years ago.’
‘What?’
Boom!
Infuriated, the being stomped the floor.
The ground cracked open, and the entire dark throne hall shook violently as if struck by an earthquake.
Rumble rumble rumble!
Once the vibrations in the hall finally subsided, one consciousness spoke in a soothing tone.
‘Calm down, companion.’
‘Calm down? Not only did I lose a portion of my power, but that bastard got his hands on So Wol again. And you say that so easily?’
‘Not completely.’
‘What are you trying to say?’
To that question, one consciousness replied in a meaningful tone.
‘Didn’t I say it? He’ll desperately come searching for us.’
* * *
“I leave it to you now.”
No sooner had those words ended than Mok Kyung-un’s eyes, filled with absolute dignity, trembled faintly, and his gaze and demeanor shifted.
Back to his usual self, Mok Kyung-un stared at his palm, smeared with the ashen residue from the burst third eye.
‘……What is this?’
Mok Kyung-un felt an eerie sensation.
Last time, it had felt like the entity within him had completely seized control of his body.
But this time was different.
It felt more like assimilation.
To the point where it seemed like another self, with wills aligning perfectly.
He had even conveyed his intent to it.
[Deceive him.]
And indeed, the entity within had accepted that intent and deceived him.
Then, it had willingly relinquished control of the body.
What, exactly, was the purpose of this being inside him?
As his mind grew chaotic, an enormous cheer erupted from the plaza.
“Waaaaah!!!”
It was the cheers from the affiliates under Mok Kyung-un.
They had been watching the sky anxiously amid their battles with the enemy, fearing for Mok Kyung-un’s safety.
But as the mist cleared, revealing the third-eyed one—or rather, Great Young Master Na Yul-ryang—slumped like a corpse, they were convinced of Mok Kyung-un’s victory.
That was why they raised these victory cheers.
“Hah?”
Amid the cheers, Chun-chu, the First Realm of the Secret Assembly and one of the Seven Heavens, facing off against Gu Cheon-mu—the leader of Spirit Sword Manor—clicked her tongue with a somewhat surprised expression.
‘Even if it wasn’t the main body, to lose after deploying the Ancient Sealing Heaven Technique?’
It was the Taegong Bongcheon Technique, an ancient forbidden art that had even sealed the Sea Slayer King, one of the Six Demons closest to divine beasts.
For her, who had predicted Mok Gap’s victory, it was impossible not to be shocked.
How could a mere human be this strong?
Her gaze toward Mok Kyung-un turned peculiar.
Swish!
At that moment, Gu Cheon-mu aimed his sword at her and said,
“Your prediction didn’t come true. The battle is decided. Of course, I thought you’d keep fighting, but now that my lord has joined……”
Before his words could finish.
“Surrender.”
Chun-chu withdrew her energy, raised both hands to signal no intent to fight, and declared.
Gu Cheon-mu furrowed his brow, unable to hide his bewilderment.
Even if their leader had fallen, he hadn’t expected such an easy surrender.
At the very least, as one leading otherworldly beings, he had anticipated unexpected maneuvers or desperate resistance.
“What trick is this?”
“Our leader lost, so we surrender cleanly. What trick?”
“……”
Something was suspicious.
He needed to seal her meridians and suppress her thoroughly to prevent any schemes.
Chongsaeng!
Whoosh!
Then, Cheong-ryeong, having partially recovered her spiritual power, flew up to Mok Kyung-un’s side.
She had been greatly worried too, showing relief upon seeing him unharmed.
“Cheong-ryeong.”
“You really……”
Cheong-ryeong’s eyes reddened slightly as if to say something, but she closed her mouth.
Then, as if nothing had happened, her gaze filled with resentment again as she looked at Na Yul-ryang, gripped in Mok Kyung-un’s hand by the face, and asked,
“Did you kill it?”
“No, it’s not dead.”
“……Are you leaving the finishing blow to me to vent my grudge?”
Cheong-ryeong asked in a tone slightly moved, thinking Mok Kyung-un was being considerate.
But Mok Kyung-un shook his head and replied,
“I wish, but this one isn’t.”
“What do you mean not? Didn’t you yourself acknowledge this as Bi Seung-heon, the third-eyed one?”
“I did, but precisely speaking, it wasn’t the real consciousness.”
Cheong-ryeong asked with an expression of incomprehension.
“Not the real consciousness? What does that mean? If not real, then fake?”
“Less fake, more like it duplicated its own consciousness identically.”
“Duplicated its consciousness identically?”
“I don’t know how, but it seems it can transfer its consciousness and power through the third eye.”
“The third eye…… So it’s not just parasitism like with Immaeng-ryang?”
“Yeah, seems that way.”
Having overheard the conversation between the entity inside him and that one, Mok Kyung-un now knew something about the third-eyed one, though new questions arose.
Their talk had been so abstract it was hard to grasp, but it seemed the entity within knew this third-eyed being.
Even the third-eyed one knew the entity inside him enough to spew rage.
[The odd sense that I killed it but didn’t—it was because of this.]
[Indeed. Desperately craving something can be called greed too. But after stealing from me as you pleased, how dare you lecture me on greed?]
Hearing that, strangely, Cheong-ryeong’s story came to mind.
The man Cheong-ryeong, as Ryu So-wol in life, had loved.
For some reason, their conversation evoked a connection to the past she had spoken of.
‘……No way.’
Mok Kyung-un’s eyes narrowed.
Then, a cry calling him from somewhere reached his ears.
“M-Mok Young Master! Help us!”
Mok Kyung-un looked down puzzled toward the source.
There stood a bloodied woman—Ki Ok-ryeon, the eldest daughter of Valley Lord Ki Hae, the closest confidante and longtime friend of Wi So-yeon, the youngest disciple of the Heavenly Harmony Society Leader.
What?
Come to think of it, Wi So-yeon and most of her faction were missing.
Why had Ki Ok-ryeon appeared in such a state?
As he wondered, Cheong-ryeong spoke.
“Hand that one over to me and go.”
“Na Yul-ryang?”
“Yeah. It was under its body’s control, so it might remember something.”
She didn’t disbelieve Mok Kyung-un, but since the third-eyed one had possessed it, she figured she might learn something about it.
Mok Kyung-un nodded and handed over the unconscious Na Yul-ryang to her.
Then,
Thud!
He landed lightly on the ground near Ki Ok-ryeon with a subtle movement.
Ki Ok-ryeon pleaded with tears welling up.
“Young Master, please help. Lady Wi So-yeon has been kidnapped by unknown assailants.”
“Kidnapped?”
“Yes, Sword King Myeong and my father, Valley Lord Yang-am, confronted them, but…… Sob……”
She couldn’t continue, tears flowing.
Most of the blood on her clothes was her father’s.
He had desperately protected Wi So-yeon but was bisected by the enemy and lost his life.
Overwhelmed by grief recalling his end, Mok Kyung-un asked her,
“What about the Sword Demon?”
That was why he was puzzled.
Though Wi So-yeon had her own affiliates, he had sent the supreme swordsman Ji Oe—the Sword Demon recruited from Sword Valley, the sword sanctuary—just in case.
“Sword Demon?”
“Ji Oe.”
Recognizing the name, she replied.
“He…… He sent me to you, Young Master.”
“Ji Oe sent you?”
“Sob…… Yes, Lord Ji Oe joined and fought that enormous man with Sword King Myeong, but he’s too strong.”
Sword King Myeong Son Yun was a massive figure himself, but this man was even larger.
With one of the Five Kings, her father—an executive at Great Leader level—and top masters stepping up, she thought they’d handle it, but he overwhelmingly dominated them.
Thus, Ji Oe, who joined late to aid them, had hurriedly sent her to Mok Kyung-un.
‘Why?’
In that instant, Mok Kyung-un felt suspicion.
If they desperately targeted Cheong-ryeong, it made sense since the third-eyed one was Bi Seung-heon too.
But Wi So-yeon, though Cheong-ryeong’s identical twin-like sister, was strictly another person.
So why kidnap her?
Moreover, Ji Oe was a Flower Realm master, and Sword King Myeong Son Yun nearly matched him.
To deploy such force here that even their joint assault couldn’t handle—just to kidnap Wi So-yeon?
‘……Something’s up.’
Mok Kyung-un instinctively sensed the Secret Assembly targeted Wi So-yeon for a reason.
Nothing was perfectly coincidental.
He’d always wondered why she resembled Cheong-ryeong so strikingly; it likely tied to that secret.
Thus,
“Where?”
“I-I’ll guide you……”
Thwack!
“Eek?”
“Tell me.”
Wrapping an arm around her waist, Mok Kyung-un unleashed Lingong Heodo and soared into the air.
Boom!
Kicking off the air, he flew toward Wi So-yeon’s residence.
From the shattered wall of the main building, someone staggered out and watched.
It was the Heavenly Harmony Society Leader.
“Cough cough…… In the end, they laid hands on that child Wi So-yeon?”
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