Chapter 43
Chapter 43
-----------------------------------------------------------------
>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 12
>Chapter Title: Clan Head (1)
>-----------------------------------------------------------------
A man in indigo robes, carrying a satchel on his back, paced restlessly near the Timber Sword Manor’s compound, clutching a talisman in his hand.
-Flutter flutter!
Before long, a massive shadow with flapping wings formed around where he stood.
Gradually, it shrank as if descending.
“Gojо. Did you find him?”
At those words, the now-smaller eagle shadow shook its head.
The man’s face twisted in confusion, but he soon formed a blade-hand mudra and pointed at a spot in the air.
He closed his eyes, concentrating intently.
When he opened them again, he furrowed his brow.
‘What the hell?’
Having received what Gojo had seen, he struggled to comprehend the situation.
The entire compound was shrouded in a hazy mist.
Such a phenomenon didn’t occur easily.
It was caused by the strong obsession of a high-level malevolent spirit—a kind of ghostly intent domain.
‘...This is no ordinary matter.’
A ghostly intent domain was akin to a barrier in exorcism arts.
Only malevolent spirits at least at the green spirit level could form one.
That was why the man regarded it gravely.
‘What to do.’
He’d tried to scout the target from outside, but that had become impossible.
Even the exorcist Sak, whose barrier skills nearly matched his own, had fallen victim, so he couldn’t recklessly approach with sorcery.
And with the Ghostly Shadow Pavilion having incurred the Great Madam’s wrath, entering was out of the question.
“Hmm.”
He was pondering this when something caught his eye.
A drunken young man, arm-in-arm with women who looked like courtesans, was stumbling toward him.
The youth retched onto the ground and collapsed, prompting the courtesans to shake him awake.
“Oh dear!”
“Young Master Mok? Young Master Mok? You should go home and rest. Didn’t you say you’d show us around?”
“Mmm...”
After shaking him several times to no avail, the courtesans glanced around furtively.
Seeing the youth called Young Master Mok still unresponsive, they began slyly rummaging through his clothes.
The man’s lips curled into a faint smile at the sight.
* * *
The foundational text of the Yin-Yang School states that the lowest grade of malevolent spirit, a red spirit, is akin to a grudge-bound ghost and can cause living beings goosebumps or mild chills.
Go Chan had become a malevolent spirit due to his desperate will to live, his resentment, and the deathly aura Mok Kyung-un had instilled in him.
The lowest grade, a red spirit, at that.
Having just become one, he knew nothing.
He didn’t even understand possession—what it was or how to do it.
Thanks only to the azure spirit’s guidance, he’d managed to take over Ha Chae-rin’s body.
As he suppressed her ego, fragments of her memories seeped in.
A room stained with blood.
A heart filled with resentment.
[Grandpa? No way, you’re dead? You’re Bi Sal Yeon-gak, one of the Four Great Assassins of the Central Plains. Get up. You can’t die. Get up!]
[The sect leader’s seat is vacant, and you tell me to live to a hundred? What bullshit is that?]
[Just do it! Do it!]
[Grandpa... I’ll inherit your position and get revenge for you. No matter who it is.]
Through absorbing Ha Chae-rin’s memories, he learned the truth.
The sect leader had been suddenly assassinated, plunging the Shadow Blade Sect into internal chaos.
Ha Chae-rin had been performing the Hundred Days Hundred Lives ritual to become that sect’s leader.
‘So that’s how it was?’
It was astonishing.
The deceased sect leader, titled one of the Four Great Assassins, had reached the supreme realm, boasting near-perfect success rates befitting the pinnacle of the assassin world.
For such a formidable killer to be assassinated out of nowhere.
From Ha Chae-rin’s memories, even she suspected it might be the work of one of the other Four Great Assassins.
If so, revenge would be no easy task for the Shadow Blade Sect.
Of course, that was their problem.
Go Chan wanted nothing more than for them to resolve it.
“Young Master...”
“Yes?”
“Please, just get me out of this body.”
-Chills!
Even as he spoke, goosebumps prickled his arms.
It was because of his own voice.
Anyone could imagine their soul taking over another body, but experiencing it for real was overwhelming for Go Chan.
“If I do, I’d have to deal with that woman immediately.”
“...”
She was an assassin who’d targeted Mok Kyung-un’s life.
He couldn’t let her live.
“She’s the granddaughter of the Shadow Blade Sect leader, right? The next in line?”
“Y-Yes, but...”
“You came here over the retired Gam Escort too. If his granddaughter dies, won’t it get even messier?”
“...That’s... true.”
Go Chan’s voice trailed off.
He couldn’t refute Mok Kyung-un.
Though the Shadow Blade Sect members suffered under her temperament, their loyalty and respect for the late Bi Sal Yeon-gak ran deep.
If Ha Chae-rin, his granddaughter, died, the entire sect would pursue Mok Kyung-un relentlessly.
Deep down, that was exactly what he wanted.
‘I wish he’d die.’
But if Mok Kyung-un died, he’d vanish too.
That was the fate of a familiar bound consecutively, according to the azure spirit.
‘Damn it.’
What a wretched fate.
No different from slavery.
Sharing life and death with Mok Kyung-un, he couldn’t just let him die.
Go Chan’s heart grew heavy.
-Hoo.
As he stewed, the azure spirit, puffing smoke from a pipe, snorted.
-Why the death wish face, newbie? You’re already dead—be grateful you possessed a living body.
Was this something to be grateful for?
Couldn’t they have put him in a man’s body, at least?
Fearing the azure spirit, he uttered words contrary to his true feelings.
“...Well, sure, but.”
-You were weak as hell in life anyway.
“...”
-Whether retired or not, reaching old age as a mere second-rate? No hope left.
“...”
Should it be called killing with a mere phrase?
Each of the azure spirit’s words stabbed like daggers, tormenting Go Chan.
While he was speechless for another reason entirely—
-Pak!
Instinctively, Go Chan jerked his head back.
“Y-Young Master?”
Mok Kyung-un’s shoe sole hovered right before his nose.
A split second slower, and it would’ve smashed his jaw.
Mok Kyung-un said to him,
“You’re quick, alright. Quicker than Go Chan the escort before he died.”
“Huh?”
Go Chan frowned.
On reflection, this wasn’t his original movement.
He’d simply followed the body’s lead.
Ha Chae-rin’s supreme-realm body had senses far sharper than Go Chan’s second-rate one.
‘Ah!’
The azure spirit chuckled at him.
-Why so surprised? It’s natural—strong body means strong reactions.
“I-Is that how it works?”
-You’d better adapt quick, newbie. Your low level means it’ll take time to wield it properly.
Malevolent spirits had grades too.
The azure spirit, ascended to the realm of countless phantoms, could draw power beyond the original body upon possession.
But Go Chan, a mere red spirit, couldn’t.
Even so, a supreme expert’s body made him incomparably stronger than before.
‘Supreme realm...’
A strange feeling welled in Go Chan.
In life, training martial arts, ascending to first-rate had been his goal.
But despite his desperate wish, lacking talent, he’d never crossed that threshold.
Now, he inhabited a supreme-realm body.
Realizing this shifted his mood entirely.
-Looks like you’re warming up to it.
Snapping out of it at the azure spirit’s words, Go Chan waved his hands dismissively.
Tempted by the supreme realm though he was, it was still a woman’s body—and that tormented him.
-Newbie thinking’s still so mortal.
The azure spirit clicked its tongue.
Once accepting one’s death and ghostly nature, the body was mere shed skin.
Sure, some husks pleased more than others.
But rejecting it just for being female? Incomprehensible.
-Tsk tsk. Cherish the young, beautiful flesh you got.
“I-I’m a man. Young is fine, but a woman’s body... I can’t...”
-Keep peeking at erotic paintings in secret and grinning to yourself, and I’ll kill you.
“No! Why would I do that?”
He had no such tastes.
If possessing, he’d wanted a man’s body, nothing more.
Mok Kyung-un spoke to him.
“Adapt to that body for now. I’ll switch you if the chance comes.”
He wanted to demand a swap immediately, but aware of their situation, Go Chan held his tongue.
Dejected, he merely nodded.
No choice—he’d have to live in Ha Chae-rin’s body for a while.
But would this guy really switch him later?
A nagging unease.
That was when—
-Thud thud thud!
Footsteps pounded down the corridor.
Someone knocked on the door.
-Knock knock!
“Who is it?”
“Young Master! Bok Hyun from the Inner Hall.”
“Come in.”
At Mok Kyung-un’s words, the door opened, and a man in Inner Hall attire entered.
Bok Hyun bowed slightly in greeting, then spoke in a voice brimming with delight.
“Young Master. Rejoice!”
“Huh?”
Rejoice over what, out of nowhere?
As confusion set in, Inner Hall warrior Bok Hyun said,
“The Clan Head has awakened!”
‘!?’
Mok Kyung-un and Go Chan in Ha Chae-rin’s body exchanged surprised glances.
Back then, the Clan Head had been dying—not possessed, but slain by the demon monk.
Though he’d left the body, it had been gravely weakened—yet somehow he’d survived.
‘Hmm.’
An unexpected turn.
He’d been considering leaving once he familiarized himself with the basic arts, before the Clan Head died.
Sticking around longer would only tangle him with the Great Madam or Second Young Master.
But the Clan Head had awakened.
Did that mean he’d fully recovered?
“Young Master?”
At Bok Hyun’s call, Mok Kyung-un composed himself, placing a hand on his chest and feigning relief.
“Ahhh. What fortune. Father has awakened.”
Go Chan inwardly clicked his tongue at the act.
Unaware of Mok Kyung-un’s true nature, Bok Hyun suspected nothing.
“Timber Sword Manor’s blessing.”
“Indeed. Thank you for relaying it.”
“Ah! Not just that.”
“Huh?”
“The Clan Head seeks you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. He said bring you at once.”
Mok Kyung-un tilted his head slightly.
Calling for him right after waking?
What for?
-Maybe because of that hidden spot in the medicine hall basement?
‘Ahh...’
Mok Kyung-un thought it plausible at the azure spirit’s words.
Though just awakened, he might’ve checked the manual’s hiding place.
If so, he was naturally under suspicion.
-What’ll you do?
Mok Kyung-un shrugged lightly.
With an Inner Hall warrior here personally, he had no choice but to go.
Their joyful reaction suggested it might not be the issue the azure spirit predicted.
“Understood. I’ll head to the main hall soon.”
“No. He said bring you immediately.”
“Immediately?”
‘Not that?’
Hard to confirm either way.
Whatever it was, meeting the Clan Head was unavoidable.
“Got it. Let’s go then.”
As Mok Kyung-un spoke, Go Chan in Ha Chae-rin’s body moved to follow out of habit.
Mok Kyung-un shook his head.
“G... Ha Chae-rin Escort, don’t you have storage room cleanup?”
‘...Ha Chae-rin, huh.’
The names had merged.
Feeling awkward, Go Chan scowled.
Then he recalled what happened in the storage room.
‘!!!!!’
Where he’d lost his life.
Had they not disposed of his corpse yet?
“I’ll be back. Handle it while I’m gone.”
“...Understood.”
As Go Chan replied, Mok Kyung-un left with Bok Hyun.
The azure spirit naturally followed Mok Kyung-un.
Once they were gone, Go Chan felt a pang.
Now he faced cleaning up his own corpse.
‘Damn.’
Go Chan shook his head.
Then, he rose to head to the storage room.
‘Ugh.’
Go Chan flushed, glancing down at his chest.
The unfamiliar weight and sensation—unexperienced as a man—felt bizarre.
Goosebumps rose again.
He stared at the erotic painting, but couldn’t adapt.
Ha Chae-rin’s alluring face, flowing robes—undeniably beautiful.
Her ample development only accentuated it.
‘More distracting than expected.’
The chest felt heavy.
Go Chan glanced around the empty room, then curiously brought his hands to his breasts.
-Swish!
The azure spirit’s face suddenly protruded through the door curtain.
“...”
Go Chan froze like ice.
-Tsk tsk.
The azure spirit clicked its tongue pityingly, then withdrew.
-Swish!
He rushed out the door, but she was long gone.
Go Chan wanted to dig his own grave right then.
* * *
‘Hmm.’
En route to the main hall, something glinted in Mok Kyung-un’s eyes.
He wasn’t the only one heading there.
At a fork, Mok Yu-cheon—face duskier red than four days prior—approached under another Inner Hall warrior’s guidance.
‘Not about the medicine hall?’
A relief?
As he thought that, Mok Yu-cheon spotted him and hurried over, as if he had something to say.
────────────────────────────────────
────────────────────────────────────