Chapter 15 - A Manly Face
Ma-seon.
An ancient figure known only through records even in the Demonic Cult.
His exact origins are unknown.
However, since the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains have never had any spirit veins, past or present, he must have come from one of the righteous Taoist sects.
The reason is simple.
Human greed—the desire everyone possesses.
Money, fame, lust, martial arts, and even the aspiration to become an immortal. When taken to extremes, they all become greed.
Ma-seon, who was originally a virtuous immortal.
His name lost to time, called simply Ma-seon, he was born with talents unmatched in history, earning the title of the world's greatest in his era.
Yet even he failed to ascend as an immortal.
That unfulfilled dream twisted into greed and longing, ultimately leading him astray from the righteous path to bloom impure flowers.
Indeed.
It was from his hands that the Soul Absorption Great Law was born.
Cloud Peak Demon Sea... is it?
Jin Muhon had supplemented the flaws of Cloud Peak Mist Sea with Ma-seon's insights.
From that came the five ultimate techniques.
First stage: Rise Mist. Second stage: Void Change. Third stage: Cloud Sea. Fourth stage: Absorb Essence. Fifth stage: Sword Intent.
Having reached the second stage, Jin Muhon paid little mind to anything beyond the fourth. At best, the third.
This was merely an implementation in his mind of Cloud Peak Mist Sea fused with Ma-seon's arts.
Rushing ahead risked falling into qi deviation.
"You've reached the fourth stage?"
Absorb Essence, the fourth stage.
Absorbing the opponent's qi through the summoned mist.
There was no other way to explain the current situation.
Time to confirm.
"Huuuuuh..."
Jin Muhon exhaled long and slow in a cross-legged position.
Then he stirred his upper dantian power and unleashed Rise Mist.
Ssssss.
Red mist slowly rose from Jin Muhon's entire body.
At first, it was thin and faint, like heat haze rising from the ground.
But soon, the blood-like red mist thickened, filling the room.
Tzztztztz.
Blood Mist.
The red mist emitting a bloody scent climbed the walls and blanketed the ceiling.
Third stage. Cloud Sea.
Jin Muhon expanded the mist's domain.
Blood Mist seeped out through the window and door cracks. A faint bloody aroma spread on the cold night air.
- Huh? What's that smell?
Presences of Ghost Soul Sect warriors outside his quarters began to register one by one.
It wasn't just presences.
Fear, relief, anticipation, tension—complex emotions mingled and transmitted through the mist.
Jin Muhon focused on the closest one.
Unlike the others, this one was enjoying the situation.
The warrior who had picked a fight with Chukang.
A suitable subject.
Jin Muhon concentrated his awareness on the warrior.
The Blood Mist slithered toward the warrior's legs like a snake, wriggling up his ankles, knees, and waist.
- Huh? What the—?
The warrior let out a startled voice and tried to call his comrades.
But he couldn't.
The Blood Mist had already climbed his chest and throat, strangling him like a starving serpent.
Fourth stage. Absorb Essence.
Jin Muhon focused his intent.
The Blood Mist began devouring the warrior's meager inner energy, thin as a rat's tail.
- Guh! Gk!
The warrior tried to scream. But the mist wouldn't even allow that.
An eerie energy spread through the night sky.
And as expected, the warrior's inner energy flowed through the Blood Mist to Jin Muhon.
It was faint and weak, but unmistakably inner energy.
- Kek!
The warrior finally let out a death rattle and collapsed forward with a thud.
Jin Muhon focused on the alien flow of energy.
Through his arms, shoulders, neck, and into his head.
Like filthy river water merging with the ocean and purifying, the warrior's inner energy began melting into his upper dantian.
"......"
Jin Muhon slowly opened his eyes.
His hands trembled, his lips parched.
The fourth stage of Cloud Peak Demon Sea, which had existed only in theory.
It really... works.
The Soul Absorption Great Law had been revived in Jin Muhon's hands.
This was no mere acquisition of a new technique.
Not all Demonic Cult leaders had mastered it, but every one who had reached the pinnacle as Heavenly Demon.
Jin Muhon quietly closed his eyes.
The night over Ghost Soul Sect grew even darker.
The next day.
The sun hung high in the midday sky, yet mist still lingered over Ghost Soul Sect. Its reddish hue made it feel even more ominous.
"Aigoo, what kinda fog is this."
"Brother, doesn't this fog smell like blood?"
"You idiot, after all that blood yesterday, you think it wouldn't stink?"
"Ah. Yeah, you're right."
Kiiik.
At that moment, the doors to the sect leader's hall creaked open.
The man who had turned Ghost Soul Sect upside down and claimed the hall.
Jin Muhon, who had holed up without eating, finally emerged.
Step. Step. Step.
The warriors guarding the hall startled and bowed deeply.
One cautiously lifted his eyes to peer at the approaching Jin Muhon.
"B-brother! L-look at th-that?"
"Shh! Quiet, you fool!"
"Just look at it!"
"What the—huh?!"
The warrior who peeked up gaped wide-eyed.
Red mist writhed around Jin Muhon like a living thing.
It even resembled wings in shape.
"S-sect leader! You've come out!"
The Ghost Soul Sect disciples bowed in unison.
Jin Muhon gazed at them with an emotionless expression.
His cold eyes swept the compound.
"Why am I your sect leader?"
"...Pardon?"
A chill wind whistled through the disciples.
"Cut the nonsense and fetch Chukang."
"Ah! Yes!"
Not satisfied with becoming sect leader like that, now appointing a vice-sect leader too.
The warriors shuddered at Jin Muhon's ruthlessness and scattered to find Chukang.
A short while later.
Jin Muhon took his seat on the grand chair in the main hall.
Below in the courtyard, the surviving Ghost Soul Sect disciples lined up.
A heavy silence fell.
Dozens of rough unorthodox warriors gathered, yet not one twitched.
Faint mist clung to the ground, and clouds filled the sky as if rain loomed.
In that ominous atmosphere, merely meeting Jin Muhon's eyes made their hearts sink.
"Chukang."
"......!"
After a long silence, Jin Muhon's lips parted heavily.
Everyone startled and turned to Chukang.
"Gasp! Yes!"
Chukang, bound like a criminal and kneeling, snapped his head up.
His hair disheveled like a thug's, lips cracked here and there. His uniform torn and filthy from rough handling by the warriors.
Jin Muhon asked.
"Why are you like that?"
"...Pardon?"
"You're the Ghost Soul Sect leader now. What kind of state is this? Did Iron Blood Society beat you?"
"Uh... well..."
A tense silence descended on the compound.
Chukang blinked and glanced around.
His eyes locked with one warrior's.
"That bastard!"
Chukang pointed at the warrior.
"Family head! That bastard did this to me!"
"Is that so? Who is it? Step forward."
"You bastard! Don't hide back there! Yeah! You! You, damn it! Bang Cheolsan!"
Quick on the uptake, Chukang glared and bellowed.
Finally, a burly warrior scratched his head and stepped forward.
"Family head! It's that guy! He did this to me! That ungrateful wretch!"
"Got it. Shut up."
"That filthy bastard—gasp! I-I'll shut up! Yes!"
Chukang clamped his mouth shut.
Jin Muhon eyed the man who stepped forward.
Dark, angular face. Broad shoulders. Massive fists.
The man, seemingly in his late thirties, had innocent eyes but looked built for strength.
"Your name."
"Pardon?"
The man looked up, blinking blankly.
Jin Muhon sighed faintly and continued.
"Your name. What is it."
"Ah! Bang Cheolsan, sir."
"Bang Cheolsan. Age?"
"Nineteen, sir."
"Right. Nine... what? Nineteen?"
"Yes."
Jin Muhon stared at Bang Cheolsan in disbelief.
Bang Cheolsan looked puzzled, as if asking what was wrong.
Jin Muhon turned his gaze.
The watching warriors nodded silently.
"Heh. You look every bit the man."
"Heh heh. I hear that a lot, sir."
"...And your position in Ghost Soul Sect?"
Bang Cheolsan scratched his head.
"Me... what position, sir?"
"...What work did you handle."
"Ah! That kinda thing? Whatever they told me to do, I did it, sir."
Jin Muhon glanced between Bang Cheolsan and Chukang.
Chukang, sly and sharp but without peers; Bang Cheolsan, dim-looking but seemingly steadfast.
They seemed a good match.
"Bang Cheolsan. I'm assigning you a new position."
"Ah, yes. Give me anything, sir."
"You're now the sect leader's personal attendant and guard."
"Understood!"
Bang Cheolsan bellowed in his booming voice, echoing through the compound.
Jin Muhon met Bang Cheolsan's eyes steadily.
Not a flicker of hesitation.
"Do you know what that entails?"
"Sect leader's personal attendant and guard, sir!"
"What does that mean?"
"Uh... so... sect leader's the vice-sect leader... personal... what do I do, sir?"
Jin Muhon squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them.
"Follow the sect leader wherever he goes. Protect him with your life if he's in danger. Can you do it?"
"E-even my life, sir?"
"If you can't, say so now."
Bang Cheolsan turned to look at Chukang.
Chukang glared back from his knees.
Bang Cheolsan scratched his head.
"Aw, hell. I'll do it, sir."
"Good. But look—the sect leader's bound and kneeling."
"Oh no! That won't do, sir!"
Bang Cheolsan rushed to Chukang, unbound him, and hauled him up.
Chukang, fuming, shook off his hands.
"Let go!"
"Yes! Sect leader!"
Jin Muhon smirked and spoke.
"Chukang."
"Yes! Family head!"
Chukang, who had been glaring murderously at Bang Cheolsan, quickly straightened and bowed politely.
"As I said, you're the Ghost Soul Sect leader now. Act like it."
"Ah, understood."
"Cherish your subordinates like your own life. Only then will they give theirs for you."
"...Yes."
"Keep sweet-talkers at arm's length, and keep blunt speakers close. They'll save you."
"Understood!"
Jin Muhon continued advising Chukang at length.
Though it might sound like nagging, Chukang and the disciples listened without a hint of discomfort.
Every word from Jin Muhon weighed like a mountain.
"Ahem! Ahem! I've said too much."
Late to catch the mood, Jin Muhon cleared his throat and stopped.
Chukang snapped his head up.
"No! Precious words like gold and jade! I'll engrave them in my heart! Right, everyone?!"
- Yes! Exactly!
- We'll never forget the family head's teachings!
- Thank you!
The rough-faced unorthodox thugs raised their voices in unison.
Still, they were unorthodox at heart.
Ready to betray at any moment, but as long as Jin Muhon stood strong, Chukang would live.
Looking down at those disciples, a belated puzzlement crossed Jin Muhon's eyes.
"But we're short some people?"
Everyone gulped, faces saying it was only expected.