Chapter 88
Chapter 88
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village
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Afterward, Miho undid the barrier of Naseongmun and released the subjugation force of the Twelve Rites. A chilling cackle echoed from Miho atop the fourth-floor hall as she watched the subjugation force's retreating figures.
"Ahaha. It would've been fun to catch those fools and roll around with them right here."
I was still seething over the betrayal by Monk Jiwol, so I waved her off.
"Enough of that. So, what's your plan now?"
"Hmm... Baek Woong, where do you live?"
"I'm currently a guard warrior for the Jeong family."
At my answer, Miho tilted her head.
"The Jeong family? You've joined some odd place."
"I got an introduction and joined up."
"Hoo... sounds like you've had quite a few adventures."
"Yeah, something like that."
As I brushed it off, Miho let out a chuckle. Then she said,
"Since we've crossed paths like this, want to stick around and see what Myocheong's like?"
Myocheong!
The evil spirit of Seogyeong!
Even great yokai dreaded its overwhelming power and hesitated to absorb it. I had no idea what might happen if I laid eyes on such a thing, so I could only shake my head.
"No thanks. I haven't learned any sorcery, so I've got no resistance to evil spirits like that."
"Ufufu. You seem to have picked up Daoist arts, but even then, you couldn't fend off a possession attempt from something on Myocheong's level."
"You know that already—why ask?"
"Kyahaha, 'cause it's fun."
"..."
Miho really was a yokai who lived entirely by her whims. She snapped her fingers, and in that instant, the vanguard spirit and rearguard spirit I'd seen earlier were resummoned.
"The yard's a mess—clean up the shikigami remains."
Thud. Thud.
The vanguard and rearguard spirits lumbered off to the lower floors. I was speechless watching the very same spirits I'd fought to the death against just moments ago get summoned so effortlessly. The subjugation force had suffered hell to take them down, yet she could resummon them just like that?
Catching my look, Miho said,
"Ufufu. There aren't many sorcerers stronger than me. Especially when it comes to illusions—no one can stand against me unless they've reached the level where they shatter the boundary between reality and illusion!"
"Huh?"
"'Huh' what?"
I'd blurted it out because I knew someone who perfectly matched her description. Especially someone I always sought out across my reincarnations. As curiosity filled the gumiho's face, I had no choice but to tell her.
"There's this guy named Cheon Woo-jin, disciple of Mang-ryang Seonsa—he seems to be at the realm you're talking about."
I'd expected the gumiho to be shocked, but she simply nodded as if it all made sense upon hearing Mang-ryang Seonsa's name.
"Ahh, Mang-ryang Seonsa, huh. To guide a human disciple to the Phantom God realm..."
"Phantom God?"
"The ultimate realm of illusion arts. The boundary between 'you' and 'me' vanishes, and no one can block that person's illusions. Even I, with over seven hundred years of life, haven't reached Phantom God."
"..."
I was struck anew by Cheon Woo-jin's sheer cheat status. For even a great yokai like the gumiho to fall short of his level! Considering how his fellow disciple Mang-ryang could barely handle basic spells, Cheon Woo-jin was truly peerless when it came to sorcery.
'No wonder he single-handedly blocked the entire Jinuiwi force led by their chief commander with just an illusion barrier...'
The memory suddenly resurfaced, leaving me depressed.
I shook my head and said,
"Anyway, got it. I'd be truly grateful if you helped me find Ha-in."
"Ufufu, no worries. I know the exact location."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"How do you know that?"
As I fired off questions, Miho's face soured with displeasure. She snapped curtly,
"Why do you keep grilling me like an interrogation? Do you always talk to your allies like that?"
"N-no."
"Hmph! I'll be at the Baekhwa Guest House in Seogyeong—come find me."
Whoosh!
Miho vanished abruptly via teleportation spell. Her personality was unlike anyone I'd ever met, leaving me at a loss. One thing was clear: she was incredibly picky and capricious. I realized I'd have to read her moods as meticulously as I had back when I worked as a dung collector, and it gave me a headache.
'Ugh, this'll be a pain... but no helping it.'
Just having a great yokai like her on my side was a huge boon. And she even knew Ha-in's location—there was no reason to refuse. Of course, I had to keep in mind she might betray me on a whim, but once I got Ha-in's location, I'd come out way ahead.
I slipped out of the ruined Dongnyeong Mansion and entered the streets of Seogyeong. As if the desperate battle moments ago had been a lie, the city was peaceful. I asked passersby along the way and soon arrived at the Baekhwa Guest House, a three-story building.
Miho sat at a table on the first floor, eating sochae. She was in her girl form again, but it had a fresh, pure charm different from her adult look. She was inherently beautiful, and the Goryeo-style attire suited her well. Despite her childlike appearance, men around kept stealing glances at her eating.
I sat at the table, and Miho said,
"Hmph. Done reflecting?"
"Sorry. I'll watch my words from now on."
"Good enough."
She smiled brightly with a "fufut" and continued,
"You want something too?"
"I'll have sochae."
Miho shot her hand up and called out cheerfully,
"One sochae here~"
"Coming right up~"
As I ate my sochae, I stared at Miho. She looked like an utterly ordinary human girl—like she couldn't possibly be the same yokai who'd wielded mighty shikigami and exuded lewd allure just before. If I ran around town shouting that Miho was a gumiho, I'd be the only one labeled crazy.
Once Miho finished her sochae, she said,
"Ha-in is held by the Twelve Rites Lord."
"The Twelve Rites Lord...!!"
"He's of the Dan clan, so it's only natural."
I let out a groan at Miho's intel.
The Twelve Rites Lord!
That title referred to the supreme leader commanding the Twelve Rites of Haedongmun. With twelve organizations, coordination was inevitable, and a head was needed. Much like the Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader, the Twelve Rites Lord guided the massive alliance of sects.
But unlike the Righteous Heaven Alliance Leader—whose fame, appearance, and martial arts rang throughout the Central Plains—nothing was known publicly about the Twelve Rites Lord's looks, skills, or aliases. Probably because hiding one's identity was more efficient when leading an alliance on a narrow land like Goryeo.
This was new info, so I asked,
"What's the Dan clan?"
"As I said earlier, they're the guardian clan protecting Goryeo—no, this entire peninsula. They stay out of the spotlight but shield humans from envoys and other races."
"Like Mang-ryang Seonsa in the Central Plains."
"Pretty much the same role."
This world had a lot of hidden guardians. As I pondered, Miho said,
"But Baek Woong, you owe me some info too."
"Like what?"
"Why you're hunting for Ha-in!"
"Hmm."
Miho propped her chin on her hand, eyeing me with curiosity.
"You're a total illiterate when it comes to sorcery—why chase after Ha-in, the ultimate secret among secrets that even sorcerers crave? And coming all the way from the distant Central Plains to Goryeo, no less."
I thought it over, then decided to be straight. Nothing to hide anyway.
"Honestly, I don't even know what Ha-in is. My companion just said it's highly likely one of the Seven Luminaries treasures, so I've been tracking it."
"A Seven Luminaries treasure? You're on a quest to collect the Seven Luminaries treasures?"
"Yeah."
Miho's face twisted in disbelief for the first time—more like utter bafflement.
"You... you're insane. Trying to gather the divine treasures of the God Era. Something even immortals wouldn't dream of, and with a human lifespan?"
"Luckily, I received Queen Mother's blessing, so my lifespan's plenty long. I'll see how far I can go."
"Queen Mother?!"
Miho's face froze like she'd been struck by lightning. I felt oddly satisfied—after all, she'd been toying with me so leisurely till now. But Miho didn't notice my shift and started mumbling to herself.
"So that's it... I wondered why I felt this affinity for you... Queen Mother's blessing... but now I'm..."
Then, with a suddenly grave expression, she said,
"How did you receive Queen Mother's blessing? Answer properly."
"Is that important?"
"Extremely, to me. Tell me now!"
Her expression was desperate—I could tell joking or bullshitting would get me in trouble. Having died so many times sharpened that instinct. I answered calmly.
"I already obtained one of the Seven Luminaries. I offered the qi I gained from it to Queen Mother and received her blessing in return. I didn't perform the ritual myself—Cheon Woo-jin helped."
"You... obtained a Seven Luminary...!!"
Miho completely lost her composure. She scrambled over and plopped down beside me, leaning in close.
"Tell me more! I want to hear it all."
"Hang on!"
I gently pushed her away.
"Miho! It's been all me talking since earlier? If you're my ally, share some info too."
Realizing she'd gotten ahead of herself, Miho pulled back a bit.
"What info?"
"How I can get Ha-in from the Twelve Rites Lord from here on."
"Hmm..."
Miho ordered a cup of tea and pondered before answering.
"Two ways."
"Which?"
"First, snatch it by force from the Twelve Rites Lord. Second, have the Twelve Rites Lord hand it over."
"...That's obvious even to a kid."
As I chided her, Miho primly turned her head away.
"Hmph! Figuring that out's your job. Once you find the Twelve Rites Lord's location, the rest is up to your planning, right?"
"So how do I find that location?"
"No clue, but thrash the Twelve Rites sect leaders one by one—they've surely met the Lord."
"Gotcha."
"Now, the Seven Luminaries tale."
I explained how I'd obtained the Seven Luminary Mangya, how I'd offered its writ. But I fudged Mangya's whereabouts.
"...After that, we enshrined Mangya at the shrine where Cheon Woo-jin serves Mang-ryang Seonsa."
"Ugh... yeah, figures. Mang-ryang Seonsa'll manage it. Urgh..."
Miho bit her sleeve in deep regret over whatever. I picked up that her greed for the Seven Luminaries was intense. Puzzled, I asked her,
"Mangya wasn't even that great for combat— is it really such an amazing treasure? Sure, it awakens the lower dantian and grants sorcery talent, but for a God Era relic...?"
"Hmph, you idiot! Don't say that anywhere else."
Snapping venomously, Miho continued,
"Since Mang-ryang Seonsa's got it anyway and we can't obtain it, I'll tell you. Mangya's true power is Heavenly Ice—it can even destroy a Great Ra Immortal. Gain Mangya's divine power, and an earth immortal ascends to the heavenly realm in an instant, becoming a high immortal. If its existence were known, every yokai and immortal under heaven would scramble for it."
"..."
Heavenly Ice, power to destroy even Great Ra Immortals!
I couldn't help but be stunned by the unexpected revelation. Then I asked,
"Wait—Mangya's a treasure from the mythic era, right? How do you know its power?"
"I served Queen Mother in the heavenly realm before descending to earth. It's common knowledge among the upper immortals and great venerables up there, so I knew too."
"So you're one of Queen Mother's..."
Miho suddenly glared and cut me off.
"Enough! You're a real pro at getting under people's skin."
Sarcasm.
"Uh..."
"Sigh, didn't anyone teach you conversation skills? How do you just pry for the info you want without any regard for the flow or consideration for the other person? This is the most stifling talk of my life."
"..."
She'd scolded me, but I had nothing to say. Reincarnating so many times had dulled my emotions, and in a life where failure to get key info meant death anytime, this habit was inevitable. Miho shook her head helplessly.
"Anyway, thanks for the Seven Luminaries story. Now that things are like this, I'll help you to the best of my ability."
"So you can get Ha-in?"
"Otherwise it'd be a lie."
I made a proposal.
"If it's that dire, how about this?"
"How?"
"If Ha-in turns out to be a Seven Luminary and we get it, you hold it first and use what you need. I just need the location—lend it to me later when I need it."
Miho's eyes went wide. My offer was so unexpected. Then she beamed and grabbed my hand.
"Let's do that. Excellent proposal."
Now Miho would help without suspecting my motives for Ha-in. She'd have felt uneasy about me backstabbing her over it, but my offer preempted that. It made me look like a total sucker.
But this was my best option now. No way to force Miho militarily, and even without my help, she'd pursue what she suspected was a Seven Luminary.
'I just need the location and acquisition method.'
Once I had those, I could always use reincarnation to get it solo later.
With the alliance sealed, Miho said,
"Yawn... but your skills are kinda lacking. At this rate, Ha-in's out of reach."
She'd praised me earlier, now this? But criteria had changed with the deal, so shifting evaluation was fair. I grumbled back,
"You're strong, so isn't that fine?"
"Nope. The Dan clan are existences far beyond human strength. Even I would end up sealed in a frontal clash."
Pointing at me, Miho said,
"I'll give you ten years. Get strong enough to properly assist me within that time."
"Get strong? Not sure what that means. Just cultivate martial arts?"
"Fufu, knew you'd say that. I'll help."
She held out a small bronze mirror.
"Take this."
"What's it?"
"One of the three sacred treasures from Nagoya's Atsuta Shrine: the Yata no Kagami."
The mirror called Yata no Kagami emanated an uncanny glow in my hand. As I stared at it, Miho explained,
"It's a type of shizui stone—it activates the soul and vital energy. A sorcerer would draw greater power from it, but it'll help you grow stronger. Meditate facing the mirror for one sichen each morning and evening—it'll be effective."
"Effective, huh..."
"Ufufu—if you're still disappointing after ten years, I'll bewitch you."
She said it playfully, but it didn't feel like a joke at all. This Yata no Kagami was clearly a treasure from Dongyoung lands—handing it over for free was impossible. If I didn't meet her standards in ten years, she might kill me.
Miho smiled brightly.
"When the time comes, I'll find you. Sweet dreams tonight."
Whoosh!
Miho's body vanished via teleportation right there. Worried people might sense something off, I glanced around hurriedly—but oddly, no one batted an eye at her disappearance. She'd probably set up a perception-manipulating barrier beforehand. I patted my chest in relief, though a bitter feeling lingered.
'For a great yokai, her sorcery's insanely strong. Can martial arts even oppose something like that?'
But spouting that without reaching martial arts' peak would be arrogant. I trudged back to the Jeong family, wrapping up the Seogyeong subjugation with the alliance with the gumiho as the result. No matter what happened to the Twelve Rites, I'd play it off as being bewitched by the gumiho and oblivious to events.
That night, I bedded down.
Huff... huff...
I wandered a dreamlike haze. In the dream, I was naked, sweat dripping from my decently toned muscles. On silk bedding, I pistoned my hips wildly, lost in endless pleasure.
Thud thud thud.
A soft, voluptuous female body yielded beneath me. From behind her hips, I felt fluffy tail fur. Pale hands toyed with my face, vacant-eyed and engrossed in the act. Moans filled the air.
"Ahng... aaah...
It felt like I was watching my actions from afar. My mind sealed, body moving on instinct alone.
My lower body felt ready to burst. My frantic movements peaked suddenly, spilling lust as our joined bodies shuddered violently.
"Haat... ahng...
Unsated after one round, my body roughly groped her form, lips crashing into the beauty before me. She eagerly accepted, caressing my firm chest.
I flipped her over into rear-entry, slowly pushing my twitching member in. Another fierce coupling ensued, her moans tickling my ears. I savored the passionate ecstasy with all I had before finally erupting.
"Uuuugh!!"
I awoke groaning. Then I realized my crotch was soaked. Clutching my head, I spat curses.
"Damn fox..."
So "sweet dreams" meant this?
Despite suppressing with deep inner power, I'd had a wet dream for the first time in decades.
Back at the Jeong family, Jeong Cheol-uk summoned me.
I'd expected a scolding for my absence, so I went to face him.
"Guard Warrior Baek Woong. Big trouble in Seogyeong, I hear."
"Yes."
Instead of the tiger chase, he jumped straight to the subjugation. As expected of someone like Jeong Cheol-uk—news reached men of his stature easily. He eyed me gravely before saying,
"Tell me what happened."
I skipped the negotiations with Miho entirely. Said I'd been bewitched by the gumiho, lost my mind, and wandered until I ended up at the Jeong family gates. Claiming illusion sorcery, Jeong Cheol-uk shifted in his chair.
Creak.
"Truth is, that incident caused a mess. Rumors the subjugation force couldn't handle the gumiho's power have made Seogyeong's security iffy, and tiger tribes everywhere are restless. Fail to resolve this quick, and my position's in jeopardy."
"..."
"Baek Woong, could you join the subjugation force again? They say you fell to the gumiho's illusions, but the Twelve Rites side actually wants you back. This time, top sorcerers and Twelve Rites sect leaders are joining—so please go."
Even so, I shook my head.
"I'm sorry. I never want to face that yokai again. I'd rather die."
"Hmm..."
"It's too agonizing. Please forgive me."
With my genuine pained expression, Jeong Cheol-uk looked resigned.
"Hmph, no helping it. I'll grant leave—rest in the annex for three months. Want a woman or two?"
"Grateful, but I'd prefer to be alone."
"That so? Rest easy then."
"Rest well yourself, family head."
Creak...
I shut the door behind me and sighed.
"Haa."
Now the real challenge began. I had to build enough power in the next ten years. Fail, and the gumiho would drain my essence dry till death. If those lewd dreams became reality, no amount of inner power or stamina would save me. I'd copulate dozens of times a night till my hair fell out and I withered away.
I clenched my fist.
"Survive!"
Nothing for it but to train like mad for the next ten years.
============================ Author's Note ============================
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