Chapter 54
Chapter 54
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 15
>Chapter Title: Proposal (2)
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“You... become my disciple.”
‘!?’
At Sorcerer Jo’s words, Mok Kyung-un’s eyes sharpened.
He was already quite displeased from being manipulated by the sorcery.
‘Did he do something unnecessary?’
Mok Kyung-un’s eyes darted around, scanning his surroundings.
For now, no one was in sight, and he sensed no unusual presence.
Was it confidence that he could handle him alone that led him to lure Mok Kyung-un here with sorcery?
‘Ten paces.’
At this distance, he could surely subdue him.
His lightness skill had improved, making him faster than before.
And sorcerers’ physical abilities were markedly inferior compared to martial artists.
‘If I kill him before he can cast any spells...’
“If you think you can do anything to me since no one’s around, let me tell you that’s a mistake.”
“........”
He wasn’t as oblivious as he’d thought.
But there was definitely no presence.
And he hadn’t pulled out any talismans or the like.
It wouldn’t hurt to try once...
-Shudder!
Mok Kyung-un froze.
The moment he tried to lift his foot slightly from the ground, he felt the surrounding energy twist.
It was similar to the alien energy he’d felt when releasing his hand from the carriage.
But this time, it was sharp, like a vicious weapon being swung.
“Quite sensitive, aren’t you?”
A glint appeared in Sorcerer Jo’s eyes.
He had anticipated that a clever boy would find some way to escape the formation.
That’s why he had prepared in advance.
“To survive in this harsh world, preparations must be thorough. That’s my first lesson to you.”
“........”
At his words, Mok Kyung-un scanned the surroundings again.
No talismans or anything like that were visible.
So why had that ominous feeling hit the moment he tried to step?
Sorcery truly grew deeper the more one delved into it.
Mok Kyung-un looked at Sorcerer Jo and spoke.
“...I don’t recall ever saying I’d become your disciple.”
“Do you think you have a choice?”
“I can see you’re quite interested in me, but I have my own position to consider.”
“Position? Ha.”
Sorcerer Jo sneered.
Then, he pulled something from his waist.
It was a wooden doll with a talisman labeled “Seal” attached.
Sorcerer Jo tossed it up and caught it as he spoke.
“Don’t you want this back?”
Seeing it, Mok Kyung-un tilted his head slightly.
With a suspicion, he directed his deathly energy gaze at the wooden doll, and it seemed something was inside.
But the energy was so faint that it was hard to detect without focus.
“Did you already forget about the thing you were trying to protect?”
“That thing... no way...”
“That’s right. Did you really think I’d believe you’d leave something this dangerous there?”
“........”
“What an interesting fellow. Even among skilled sorcerers, few manage to make a vengeful spirit a shikigami.”
It was only after sealing the Demon Monk in the wooden doll that Sorcerer Jo realized.
Not only had he self-studied sorcery alone, but he had also bound a vengeful spirit as a shikigami—something even expert sorcerers struggled with.
He was talent too precious not to take as a disciple.
“I don’t know how you did it, but if you obediently agree to become my disciple, I can return this.”
He thought it was a decent proposal.
The boy must have done considerable research to make the vengeful spirit his shikigami.
So, he wouldn’t want to lose it easily.
But,
“You don’t need to return it.”
“What?”
“It’s already out of my hands. What can I do?”
“...Ha?”
This guy.
He must have suffered greatly to make the vengeful spirit a shikigami, yet he discards it this easily?
Was he putting on a strong front on purpose?
“Then it’s fine if I destroy this vengeful spirit?”
“Do as you please.”
He showed not the slightest regret, which was absurd.
His thinking was different from ordinary sorcerers.
Or was it because he was originally a martial artist?
“Hmm.”
If he destroyed the vengeful spirit as the boy suggested, it would make his own vessel seem small.
A master’s vessel had to appear vast, after all.
Sorcerer Jo tossed the wooden doll toward Mok Kyung-un.
“Take it.”
-Clack!
“...Why are you giving it back?”
“Do you think my vessel is so small that I’d covet something from my prospective disciple?”
At these words, Mok Kyung-un sneered inwardly.
He was desperate to take him as a disciple.
What to do?
For now, there were three options.
Risk it and kill Sorcerer Jo to escape, despite the unknown trap?
Or pretend to become his disciple, then deal with it and escape?
The last one was,
‘...Dangerous, but infiltrate the Heaven-Earth Society by becoming this man’s disciple.’
It was the riskiest of the three.
If he ran into that man who had noticed his pursuit back then, he could be killed before even getting revenge.
‘The second one seems best.’
It was the most appealing method.
It was his favorite approach, too.
At that moment, Sorcerer Jo spoke.
“If I were you, I wouldn’t refuse the offer.”
“Why?”
“Becoming my disciple would at least slightly increase your chances of survival. Why hesitate?”
“........”
“You’ve arbitrarily learned the society’s manual. Do you think you can survive there? I doubt it. Your life hangs by the whims of the Lord or the executives. Becoming my disciple might at least improve those odds.”
“........”
Mok Kyung-un’s expression didn’t change.
Seeing this, Sorcerer Jo clicked his tongue inwardly.
Was this approach meaningless to him?
Well, this was the boy who had bargained with a sword to his throat against the Myeongdo King.
‘Does he have no attachment to life? Or is he coldly calculating?’
If the latter, he needed to change tactics.
Sorcerer Jo tsked and said,
“You’d break if I pushed hard. Fine. How about this? You’ll learn it anyway as my disciple, but I’ll teach you the sorcery to contain a shikigami in a vessel.”
“...What do you mean?”
“Just what I said. A slightly different example is right in your hands.”
At those words, Mok Kyung-un looked at the wooden doll in his hand.
No energy emanated from the wooden doll labeled “Seal.”
Staring at it intently, Mok Kyung-un’s eyes sparkled.
“Looks like this interests you.”
Sorcerer Jo sneered.
He had expected the boy to take the bait.
‘He’d need it if he wants to carry that vengeful spirit properly.’
Otherwise, every skilled sorcerer who spotted it would try to exorcise it, unaware it was a shikigami.
He figured this sorcery was exactly what Mok Kyung-un needed.
And his prediction was spot on.
‘Hiding a shikigami’s energy...’
Mok Kyung-un had been pondering just such a method.
It was a better offer than the earlier talk of survival.
With expert sorcerers or grand masters like the Myeongdo King around, he couldn’t keep Qing Ling or the Demon Monk close.
To the intrigued Mok Kyung-un, Sorcerer Jo said,
“How about it? Ready to become my disciple now?”
“If I become your disciple, I can learn what you just mentioned?”
“Of course.”
Mok Kyung-un replied,
“Then teach me that sorcery first. Then I’ll become your disciple.”
“Teach you first? Hahaha! What’s so hard about that? But if you want to learn it, you swear first.”
He wouldn’t fall for it so easily.
Having expected as much, Mok Kyung-un licked his lips slightly.
To him, Sorcerer Jo pulled another item from his waist.
It was a small iron chain loop.
“Take it.”
-Swish!
-Clang!
Catching it, Mok Kyung-un looked puzzled.
Then he said,
“Put it on your wrist and say this: ‘I, Mok Kyung-un, become the disciple of Jo Ui-gong and will uphold his will.’”
“........”
Doubt filled Mok Kyung-un’s eyes at the words.
“Wear this chain and say it?”
“That’s right.”
“...This isn’t just some random order.”
“Of course not. Would I simply take as disciple someone who’s practically a hostage and tried to flee? I need assurance.”
“Then what happens if I make that oath?”
Sorcerer Jo—no, Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong—smiled and answered the question.
“A restriction will be placed.”
“Restriction?”
“Once you make the oath, you won’t be able to harm me in any way. It’s nearly absolute.”
‘Of course, you’ll be compelled to obey my commands.’
Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong always gave this Command Chain to promising disciples.
By swearing on themselves via the Command Chain, they could never refuse his orders.
But he didn’t mention that, knowing the boy wouldn’t comply easily.
‘How will he react?’
The boy was so suspicious, he might not swear easily.
But then, Mok Kyung-un put on the chain and spoke.
“I ask that you keep your promise. I, Mok Kyung-un, become the disciple of Jo Ui-gong and will uphold his will.”
The moment the words ended.
The chain trembled faintly, tinkling.
Seeing it, Jo Ui-gong’s lips curved in satisfaction.
‘Now he’s mine.’
He was the type who wouldn’t be satisfied unless he got what he wanted.
Jo Ui-gong pulled out something folded in cowhide from his bosom.
“Take it.”
-Swish! Thud!
Mok Kyung-un snatched it with one hand.
Written on it was:
[Corpse Inquiry Manual]
“What’s this?”
“A sorcery I created. Memorize it all on the way back to the Heaven-Earth Society and return it.”
“...Aren’t you keeping your promise?”
“Of course I am. The sorcery you want is inside.”
“Thank you.”
“Call me Master.”
“Thank you, Master.”
Pleased at the word “Master,” Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong stepped down from the stone ledge, leaned on his staff, and walked off somewhere.
Mok Kyung-un said,
“Aren’t you going to release the spell you’ve cast?”
Without dispelling it, he couldn’t take a single step.
To this, Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong smiled faintly and said,
“I’ll give you about an hour.”
“Pardon?”
“The way to dispel the sorcery is in there too. Find it well. If you don’t return in time, something quite unpleasant will happen. Hahaha!”
With that, Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong entered the southeastern forest and vanished.
Mok Kyung-un let out a faint scoff.
Already trying to teach him from the start.
‘Interesting.’
The method didn’t matter.
He’d just take what he could.
-Slither!
Soon after, someone lightly descended from the sky.
It was none other than Qing Ling.
-The sorcerer’s finally left your side.
Mok Kyung-un eyed her suspiciously.
“You’re not a fake, right?”
-Fake? What nonsense is that? More importantly, you looked ridiculous trapped in that sorcery, hopping in place alone. Couldn’t you have held out longer?
“You’re real.”
-...What makes you so sure?
“Well... I have my ways.”
A feeling, perhaps?
To such Mok Kyung-un, Qing Ling asked,
-But why did you do something so unlike you, mortal?
“What do you mean?”
-That chain seems to hold strong command energy. Why make such an oath?
“To get this.”
Mok Kyung-un shook the Corpse Inquiry Manual at her.
She snorted.
-You did that for something like that? Have you suddenly turned stupid? Or are you confident you can break free of the binding?
“No need to break free or anything.”
-What?
Casually, Mok Kyung-un slipped off the chain from his arm.
Frowning, she asked,
-Does it come off that easily?
“No. A command oath requires swearing on one’s true name to begin with.”
-Ha!
At that, Qing Ling finally understood why Mok Kyung-un had made such an oath.
Mok Kyung-un wasn’t his real name to start with.
Naturally, the command couldn’t take hold.
‘That makes sense.’
This sly mortal wouldn’t do something disadvantageous just to learn sorcery.
-So, you got what you wanted. Planning to escape again?
“...I was, but now I’m rethinking it.”
-Changed your mind?
“Yeah. Maybe hiding right under their noses is better.”
That place was risky, but in a way, the darkest shadow.
At Mok Kyung-un’s words, Qing Ling gave him a strange look.
He asked,
“Looks like you have something to say. I had a question too.”
-You say I have something to say, then hit me with your own question? What logic is that?
“I want to ask first.”
-What is it?
“Why do they think it’s real—not the Evil-Slaying Eight Forms, but the sword sequence you showed?”
That’s what he’d wanted to ask.
At Mok Kyung-un’s words, Qing Ling fell silent.
-.........
“Don’t want to tell me?”
-Hoo.
Silently, she puffed on her pipe and exhaled smoke.
Normally, this reaction meant she had no intention of sharing.
Mok Kyung-un shrugged.
“Well, can’t be helped then.”
-.........
“I need to look at this first anyway. That way, I can keep the Demon Monk and you by my side...”
-You’re really going there?
“Huh?”
-To the Heaven-Earth Society.
Her somewhat serious tone brought back the rooftop gaze.
Those blood-red eyes had seemed ready to dye everything in crimson.
Even now, a hint of that fury showed.
“Depending on the situation.”
-...How fitting.
“What do you mean?”
-That ‘situation.’
“Hmm. What are you trying to say?”
To Mok Kyung-un’s question, Qing Ling exhaled a long stream of smoke, extended her hand, and said,
-If you’re really going there, become my disciple.
“...Hmm.”
Mok Kyung-un scratched his head.
Today, he kept hearing offers to become someone’s disciple from all sides.
Even from Qing Ling, of all people.
“Uh... I don’t know your reasons, but we don’t need that master-disciple stuff between us...”
-The weight is different.
“Huh?”
-Being my disciple means you, mortal, must bear the Moon Clan’s karma and carry out a purge in blood.
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