Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 15
>Chapter Title: Proposal (3)
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-The weight is different.
"Pardon?"
-Becoming my disciple means you must bear the karma of the Moon and carry out a blood purge.
'A blood purge?'
The atmosphere around Cheongnyeong was thick with killing intent, unlike her usual demeanor.
But when he thought about it, she was a vengeful spirit.
One whose grudge was so deep it had kept her in this world for over a century.
Mok Kyung-un met her gaze and spoke.
"So it is connected to the Heaven and Earth Society after all."
-......I won't deny that.
"But why bring up the karma of the Moon and a blood purge just for becoming your disciple?"
-It's exactly as I said. I demand payment in blood.
"In simple terms, revenge."
At those words, Cheongnyeong took a long drag from her pipe as if annoyed, then exhaled a long plume of smoke toward Mok Kyung-un's face.
-Hoo. It may lack the gravity, but in your terms, yes, revenge.
Her words brought a glint to Mok Kyung-un's eyes.
It was a sense of kinship with the idea of revenge.
He too was wandering like this for his grandfather's vengeance.
Just not as a dead soul like her, but alive to resolve this grudge.
She spoke.
-What say you? Will you become my disciple?
"Shouldn't you tell me at least somewhat why I need to become your disciple so I can decide whether to accept or not?"
-That's......
"That's?"
-No. If you're not going to the Heaven and Earth Society, then forget everything I've said.
"......You have a talent for building up hope and then letting it cool."
-Hmph. This wasn't meant to pique your interest.
"........."
Mok Kyung-un stared intently at Cheongnyeong.
In truth, he had no interest in others' circumstances or stories.
Even with the shared sentiment of revenge.
He had asked her to explain only to make him understand why he needed to become her disciple.
"But may I ask one thing?"
-If it's a question I can't answer, refrain from asking in the first place.
"That's up to you. Someone of your caliber must have died ages ago—hasn't time already exacted your revenge?"
At Mok Kyung-un's words, Cheongnyeong snorted derisively.
And then she asked.
-Would you let your enemies go just because you think time will settle everything?
"No."
-Then why not? Didn't you just say otherwise?
"......You got me there."
Mok Kyung-un shrugged and continued.
"You're right. If you're going to seek revenge, you have to see it through to the end. You can't just leave anything related to that bastard be."
Family, kin, everything precious must be taken away.
If you're going to avenge, there's no reason to consider excuses or circumstances.
At least, that was Mok Kyung-un's idea of revenge.
Cheongnyeong's red lips twitched as she spoke.
-Our minds align. I'm the same. I can't forgive those despicable offspring of that son of a bitch still drawing breath, nor the truth being buried and insulting me. Better to take it all with my own hands. Even if it means staining everything in blood.
-Gooooooo!
Mok Kyung-un looked around and pointed.
Her immense rage had erupted, turning the surroundings into chaos as if a storm raged.
Even the area was染ing in blood-red.
"Calm down."
-..........
At his words, she seemed to become aware and soothed herself.
The sudden changes around them ceased as if they had never happened.
Seeing this, Mok Kyung-un inwardly clicked his tongue.
If Cheongnyeong was this powerful, how dangerous and strong must a vengeful spirit of even higher caliber be?
It was intriguing.
But that wasn't the important thing right now.
"Cheongnyeong."
-Speak.
"Even if I'm not your disciple, couldn't we pursue your revenge together if circumstances align?"
-No!
"Pardon?"
-It only has meaning if you, mortal, inherit the karma of the Moon.
"So what exactly is this karma of the Moon?"
-You'll learn naturally once you become my disciple and go there.
"You're stubborn. Then I just won't become your disciple."
-What?
Wrinkles formed on Cheongnyeong's elegant brow.
She spoke in a voice laced with irritation.
-Fine, then you're not going to the Heaven and Earth Society?
"No, I am. I've decided to go."
-Then why!
Her resounding shout rang in his ears, making Mok Kyung-un furrow his brow.
Cheongnyeong wanted to force her will if she could, but the bond between food spirit and master prevented it.
What an irritating relationship.
It bound her in chains, leaving her unable to do anything.
At that moment, Mok Kyung-un spoke.
"I'm sorry, but I hate being controlled by anyone. Even you, whom I somewhat trust right now."
-......Annoying.
"Even so, there's no helping......
-Annoying, I said!
Cheongnyeong's hand trembled as she yelled sharply.
The reality of being controlled by such a brat as her food spirit infuriated her.
She had barely escaped her sealed prison, and with her caliber, she could move freely unlike an earthbound spirit—yet this?
She wanted to kill him to vent her frustration.
But doing so would render meaningless the century she had endured while nursing her grudge.
'Damn stubborn mortal!'
A punk who hadn't even lived half a century, making her annoyed.
After glaring at Mok Kyung-un for a long while, she spoke.
-Fine. I'll teach you this much. You may not know the current situation, but originally, the Heaven and Earth Society was born from three main lineages.
"Three main lineages?"
-One of them is the Moon Lineage.
"......And you're from that Moon Lineage?"
Sharp as ever.
Cheongnyeong didn't deny it.
-That's all I can tell you now, mortal. A century has passed anyway, so investigating back then would be pointless. Nothing from that era remains unchanged, so just inherit the karma of the Moon.
She stared piercingly into Mok Kyung-un's eyes.
With other humans, she could read their thoughts from their eyes or expressions, but this mortal alone—she couldn't tell what he was thinking.
She wasn't even sure if his emotions beyond anger were genuine.
Then Mok Kyung-un readily said.
"Sure."
-Hoo. Your stubbornness is...... What?
"I'll learn from you, Cheongnyeong."
-You'll become my disciple?
"Yes. But on one condition."
-......What condition?
"Skip the formal master-disciple titles like 'master' or 'disciple.'"
-Arrogant mortal.
"Even though you're my food spirit, I don't call you 'master.'"
-..........
She clicked her tongue at Mok Kyung-un, then soon nodded.
It didn't matter anyway.
Normally, receiving martial arts would require solidifying the master-disciple bond, but she was a dead soul anyway.
What meaning did the living world's etiquettes hold for her?
-Tsk tsk.
Seeing her like this, Mok Kyung-un gave a faint smile.
In truth, since he was going to the Heaven and Earth Society anyway, he was in a position to learn the remaining forms of that swordsmanship and the energy circulation method from her.
He was the one who should be asking.
-Why are you grinning like that?
"It's nothing. More importantly, we should hurry."
-What do you mean?
"It's hard to keep doing this here."
Mok Kyung-un unfolded the scripture talisman he held.
He needed to dispel the spell within one hour to be able to step away, and master a concealment spell to hide Cheongnyeong's energy.
* * *
Half a quarter-hour before the one-hour mark.
The surroundings were in disarray.
The masked figures who had left their posts were returning one by one.
'Hmm.'
Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong looked toward the northwestern forest with slightly disappointed eyes.
It was taking longer than expected.
Truthfully, one hour wasn't that long.
Even for the designated spell, mastering the concealment technique in one hour was quite difficult.
Especially when you had to find which spell it was within the scripture talisman—extremely tight.
'I thought it might be possible.'
If he failed, it might mean the situation was harder than he had anticipated.
Then there was no choice.
He would have to go and dispel the spell himself.
It was at that moment.
'!?'
A figure walking from the dark forest came into view.
It was Mok Kyung-un.
"No way?"
"How is this punk?"
The masked figures who spotted Mok Kyung-un gasped at seeing him outside the wagon, not in it, and moved to subdue him again.
Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong stopped them.
"Halt."
"But......"
"That child is now my disciple. I merely had him train briefly."
"Pardon?"
The masked figures looked back and forth between Mok Kyung-un and Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong with slight surprise.
They hadn't expected him to truly take him as a disciple.
However, Jo Ui-gong outranked them, so they couldn't defy and soon returned to their positions.
Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong spoke to Mok Kyung-un, who was looking around.
"You're later than I expected."
No, actually, it was beyond expectations.
He had truly found and dispelled the spell within the hour.
But as his disciple, he intended to withhold praise as much as possible.
Mok Kyung-un bowed slightly and replied.
"If I'm late, my apologies, Master."
"I have expectations of you, so don't disappoint me."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"In any case, dispelling the spell must have been mentally taxing, so rest for now. We'll depart once the Bright Path King arrives."
"Understood."
With that, Mok Kyung-un looked around.
He had been curious about it for a while.
The masked figures had brought boys who appeared to be around 15 to 18 years old, two per pair.
They all had hoods over their faces, blinding them.
Mok Kyung-un asked in a low voice.
"What are they?"
At his question, Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong chuckled and answered.
"New recruits gathered from each faction."
"New recruits?"
"Think of it as killing two birds with one stone since we're here."
It was hard to make sense of what he was saying.
It seemed intentionally vague from the start.
"You'll learn in time, so no need to concern yourself now. From here on, you'll travel in my carriage, so go ahead and rest."
Where he pointed was not a supply wagon, but a neat-looking carriage.
Seeing it, Mok Kyung-un shook his head and said.
"My apologies, Master, but may I ride in the original supply wagon for a while?"
"What?"
Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong looked puzzled, then seemed to understand.
"Ah, is it because of your younger brother?"
Not at all, but Mok Kyung-un nodded as if so.
Jo Ui-gong clicked his tongue at him and said.
"You're choosing unnecessary hardship. If you change your mind, switch to my carriage."
"Understood."
"Ah, and a warning: this time you could leave because I intended it, but don't even dream of helping your brother escape or anything like that. If you do something foolish, you'll witness Timber Sword Manor's annihilation."
"I'll keep it in mind. As your disciple, nothing like that will happen."
"It had better not."
Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong grinned.
He was shackled by the oath seal anyway, so he couldn't disobey orders.
Mok Kyung-un said to him as he smiled.
"By your authority as Master, could you perhaps remove the guard watching inside the supply wagon?"
"That's......"
"If it's difficult even with your authority, it's fine. I just want to quietly memorize this inside the wagon."
Mok Kyung-un said, holding up the scripture talisman.
At his words, Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong, who had been about to refuse, nodded.
It was because the former part of his statement rubbed him the wrong way.
"You think I lack even that much authority? Fine."
"Thank you."
"But don't do anything suspicious. Even as my disciple, provoking the Bright Path King won't end well."
"Understood."
As Mok Kyung-un bowed in thanks, the corner of his mouth subtly lifted.
* * *
Entering the supply wagon, Mok Kyung-un closed the door and took something from his bosom.
It was a small wooden doll the size of a finger, engraved with the character for "Communicate."
Mok Kyung-un smiled faintly and whispered softly.
"Success."
-......Success my foot. I'm suffocating in this damn wooden doll.
The voice from the wooden doll was none other than Cheongnyeong's.
Mok Kyung-un had successfully concealed her energy.
If Sorcerer Jo Ui-gong learned he had decently mastered even this spell within the hour, he would have been astounded.
He thought Mok Kyung-un had barely dispelled it in time.
Mok Kyung-un placed the wooden doll on his palm and said.
"Endure just a bit longer."
If she emerged from it, her vengeful spirit energy would reveal itself.
There was no benefit if Jo Ui-gong noticed.
Then the wooden doll trembled and wriggled on his palm on its own.
Soon, a grumbling voice emerged.
-To think I'd end up possessing such a pathetic wooden doll. You have no idea how taxing this is, mortal.
The method Jo Ui-gong taught was possession into a medium.
It was a spell similar to sealing.
Thus, Cheongnyeong believed she couldn't exert any power inside the wooden doll...... but that wasn't the case.
The Demon Monk couldn't, but she could break out of the wooden doll at will.
It seemed due to the difference in their calibers.
"Careful. It's cracking again."
-How much more careful can I be here? Even sturdy flesh can't withstand my presence.
"Indeed."
It was enduring thanks to the spell controlling her energy.
Otherwise, the doll would have shattered long ago.
The doll-formed Cheongnyeong sat on his palm and said.
-Still, if used well, this spell could let me sustain in a weak body decently.
That was her one consolation.
"Yes. So just bear with it a little. Once we arrive, I'll find a suitable body for you."
"Understood."
"In any case, I've secured a decent training spot until we get there."
He hadn't expected much, but securing the inside of the supply wagon was quite a gain.
Without it, training would have been difficult.
At least during travel, he could quietly receive the swordsmanship transmission from Cheongnyeong and practice reverse energy circulation.
-But what about that guy?
-Kikikikik!
Cheongnyeong moved the stubby arm of the wooden doll to point at someone.
It was Mok Yu-cheon, still unconscious.
Mok Kyung-un approached, rebound the loosened cloth over his eyes,
-Tat tat tat tat!
and struck his mute acupoint again.
Thus, Mok Yu-cheon returned to his original state.
"This should keep him quiet."
-......You're something else.
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