Chapter 61 - Go and Come Back.

A night thick with yin energy.

Jin Muhon headed to the training chamber with his three younger siblings in tow.

Clunk—clatter—

He locked the door from the inside—no sliver of light could escape—and lit the lantern hanging on the wall.

"Sit."

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"Yes, brother."

"Got it, big brother."

"……."

Jin Baek, Jin Jeokhwa, and Jin Jaryeong sat cross-legged on the cold stone floor, their faces tense and rigid. The chill seeping up from the earth bit into their skin, but the three, gripped by tension, didn't even notice.

"Nervous?"

Jin Muhon asked quietly as he took his seat.

"Yes."

Jin Baek answered, and the other two nodded as well.

"You lot, all tense like this. The sun'll rise in the west tomorrow."

"Heh heh heh. You got that right."

Today was finally the day he'd promised to pass on their martial arts. They had no idea what techniques they would learn, but the mere fact that they could regain their power set their hearts pounding without cease. Yet the emotion rising before excitement was a fear that they might not be worthy.

They didn't show it, but knowing how deeply Jin Muhon had pondered this, the three couldn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠help but tense up even more.

"The heart method I practice is called the Cloud Peak Demon Sea."

"……?"

"Cloud Peak… Demon Sea? Is there even such a thing?"

The three stared blankly at the name they'd never heard before. Jin Muhon briefly explained how he'd created the Cloud Peak Demon Sea after leaving the Demonic Cult.

"Hmm. Insights from Ma-seon, huh…."

"Doesn't matter—it's a heart method big brother made! Even if he borrowed a bit from Ma-seon, that doesn't make Cloud Peak Demon Sea Ma-seon's art!"

Jin Baek and Jin Jaryeong wavered briefly at the name Ma-seon, but quickly schooled their expressions.

"I cultivated the Cloud Peak Demon Sea using my upper dantian after my lower one was destroyed."

"U-upper dantian! For real?!"

"……!"

"Hohoho! I knew it! I always smelled something fresh and divine wafting off big brother!"

The three were more shocked by the use of the upper dantian than Ma-seon's insights. They'd spent their lives pushing martial arts to the limit, so they knew full well how perilous that path was.

"Then… us too… upper dantian…?"

Jin Jaryeong slowly opened his mouth. Jin Muhon shook his head firmly.

"No. The upper dantian is too dangerous. I succeeded by sheer luck, a stroke of fortune piled on fortune. There's no guarantee you'd all make it. One or two of you—or even all three—might lose everything."

"Hmm…."

"……."

"……."

The three bowed their heads in silence. It wasn't fear of death that moved them, but Jin Muhon's concern for their lives.

Not a lord commanding death, but a brother seeking a path to live together.

That was what moistened their hearts.

"So… what should we do?"

Jin Muhon slowly met each of their eyes.

"There's another who cultivated Ma-seon's insights without a lower dantian. And he didn't even use the upper one."

"What? Another lunatic like that exists? Who the hell is it?"

Jin Jeokhwa's voice rose in shock. The sealed training chamber hummed, the lantern flames dancing.

Jin Muhon narrowed his eyes.

"Jeokhwa. Sounds like you're calling me a lunatic too."

"N-no, that's not what I—"

With a light touch to ease their tension, Jin Muhon began the transmission in earnest.

"Surprisingly, there was a sect outside the cult that inherited Ma-seon's insights. They called it the Fate Soul Heaven Sacrificing Scripture."

"Fate Soul… Heaven Sacrificing Scripture…."

"I'll now transmit the incantations. Memorize them."

The three straightened instantly, focusing their minds. The air in the chamber grew heavy in a flash.

Jin Muhon gazed at the dust sparkling in the lantern light and slowly began reciting the incantations.

While Jin Muhon's Cloud Peak Demon Sea summoned and wielded souls, Dan Ri-ye's Fate Soul Heaven Sacrificing Scripture subjugated them for use as inner energy.

That difference likely determined whether one used the upper dantian or not.

Jin Muhon repeated the incantations until the three had them memorized perfectly. At some point, he fell silent, and they murmured them with eyes closed.

Moments later, Jin Baek slowly opened his eyes and asked.

"Brother. The 'heart palace' in the incantations… that means the middle dantian, right?"

"Yes."

The essence of the Fate Soul Heaven Sacrificing Scripture lay in storing ghost energy in the dantian and borrowing its power. Ghost energy was the grudge-filled aura of the dead.

Thus, higher mastery drove the cultivator mad with those grudge-filled energies.

But Dan Ri-ye, lacking a lower dantian from the start, had stored it elsewhere: the middle dantian, the heart.

The lower dantian was too pure to refine ghost energy easily, and the upper too unstable to contain its rampage.

The hot heart, however, could serve as a furnace to refine it per the incantations. Its power might wane, but it would surely prevent the cultivator's descent into madness—just like Dan Ri-ye.

"Hmm. Middle dantian."

"Way better than upper."

"Upper dantian… too… dangerous…."

The three replayed the ghost energy flow centered on the middle dantian in their minds, over and over. As seasoned experts, it wasn't difficult.

But the crucial issue remained.

"Big brother, where do we get ghost energy? We can't grab ghosts if we can't see 'em."

Unlike Dan Ri-ye, they couldn't see ghosts. Jin Muhon chuckled and summoned his blood mist.

Tsssseee—

"Didn't I say I'd found the way?"

Red blood mist filled the chamber. The three looked around in astonishment.

The lantern flames flickered, casting red-and-black shadows in the mist. Staring at them, it almost seemed like human silhouettes dancing.

Shing—

Jin Muhon drew the Four Emperors Sword from the floor.

KIIIIIAAAAAHHHH!!!

"Gah!"

"Wh-what the fuck!"

"Ngh!"

The chamber echoed with ghostly wails, startling the three to their feet. Jin Muhon unleashed his sword intent, summoning the four souls.

One by one, blood-red shadows emerged from the mist.

"……."

"……."

"……."

Finally grasping his intent, the three swallowed hard and stared at the souls.

He planned to feed them these souls. Jin Baek met Jin Muhon's eyes.

"How many of those things you got?"

The corner of Jin Muhon's mouth curled up slyly.

How many had died to the Sword Demon's blade? Their grudge-filled souls lingered, unable to pass on, wailing at his side.

Now it was time to release them and repurpose their energy.

Woooong—

"Whoa!"

"Huh?"

Jin Muhon spread his sword intent. From the four souls, three grudge essences refined into gleaming white orbs floating in the air.

Per the Fate Soul Heaven Sacrificing Scripture, one refined grudges in their own heart palace, but since his brothers couldn't find ghosts, this would have to do for now.

Jin Muhon reached out. The white orbs drifted toward the three.

"Take them in."

"Yes."

"Understood."

"…Yes."

Jin Baek, Jin Jeokhwa, and Jin Jaryeong sat reverently cross-legged. The orbs approached their faces and seeped into nose and mouth like smoke.

Jin Muhon nodded.

"Congratulations."

His satisfied smile made the blood mist writhe.

***

The three siblings successfully recovered their inner energy by absorbing the ghost energy. Their muscles and bones filled out quickly, enough for daily life without strain.

"Family head."

"Doctor Han."

As Jin Muhon reviewed reports on Unbong County operations, Han Sowol entered his study.

"I've prepared some fresh tea this time."

He turned to see her holding a tea set, smiling softly. Jin Muhon gestured to the seat before him.

"Come, sit."

"Yes."

Han Sowol approached carefully, sat opposite, and began brewing with meticulous care, down to her fingertips.

Bubble bubble bubble.

The warmth rising from the small teapot blended with her leisurely movements, easing the tension in Jin Muhon's heart. No words passed between them, but neither found it awkward.

"The young masters are out again, I see."

"Recovered, and now they're itching for action."

"Hoho! They should still take care, though."

For the first couple months, the Jin siblings received ghost energy refined by Jin Muhon. Then, starting with Jin Baek's eyes, whenever the three unleashed the Fate Soul Heaven Sacrificing Scripture, their pupils turned pure white.

Ghost White Eyes.

They had opened eyes that could see spirits.

'What a sight that was.'

Recalling their freaked-out reactions brought a faint smile to Jin Muhon's lips. Han Sowol, whose attention was fixed on him, didn't miss it.

"Something good happen?"

"Hm? Oh, must be the tea with you, Doctor Han."

"…Yes. Me… too."

Han Sowol bowed her head deeply. Watching her, Jin Muhon thought of his siblings.

Once their Ghost White Eyes opened, they'd roamed about capturing spirits. Unbong County was nearly ghost-free now.

"Well, makes life better for folks."

"Pardon?"

Grudge-bearing ghosts lingered in the living world, harming the populace. With them gone, Unbong County's people suffered fewer illnesses, and things went smoothly.

Amusingly, it was only after the Demonic Cult's great demons settled in that Unbong County became a good place to live. Ghosts ascended grudge-free, and smiles bloomed on faces.

An outcome Jin Muhon hadn't foreseen.

"No skilled doctors in Unbong County before, but thanks to you, Doctor Han, it's livable now."

"Ah… yes. All thanks to you, family head."

"What'd I do? Anyway, no word from your master about coming back?"

Mention of her master stiffened Han Sowol's face slightly.

"Funny you mention—master sent a letter a few days ago. Needs help with a difficult patient."

"Can't ignore a master's call. I'll assign escorts—go."

"Pardon?"

Han Sowol's eyes widened as she stared at him. Jin Muhon met her gaze with a puzzled look.

Big, sparkling eyes. One ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠poke, and tears might spill.

"You mean… go… and come back?"

"Yes. Go if you want, return anytime."

"Then… I'll go and come back."

"Do that."

"I will come back!"

Her eyes sparkled with resolve. Jin Muhon didn't know why she emphasized "come back," but he smiled as softly as he could.

Her lips curved up too.

"Your smile looks much more natural now."

"Does it?"

"Yes. It suits you."

Tap tap tap.

Footsteps approached the study. Moments later, Chukang entered with a report and bowed. Once leader of the Ghost Soul Sect, now self-proclaimed servant of Jin Muhon.

"Family head. A guest."

"Guest? Who?"

No one expected, so Jin Muhon tilted his head.

"The Nangong family."