Chapter 079 - Power Obtained from Ma-seon
That night.
The inn lay sunk in deep slumber, breathing softly.
The lamp wick burned low, and only the occasional creak of wood echoed faintly from the end of the corridor.
Jin Muhon sat in the room where Oepari lay, silently gazing down at him.
“Ugh...”
Perhaps sensing Jin Muhon’s gaze.
Even in unconsciousness, Oepari let out a low groan.
Jin Muhon focused his mind, carefully examining the Divide Soul dwelling within Oepari.
The vessel and soul must align perfectly.
In truth, Oepari lying there like this wasn’t the fault of the Gangnam Hero, but of Jin Muhon’s own Divide Soul.
Still, thanks to temporarily animating Oepari’s body with it, he had claimed victory in the spar.
This was the insight gained from his battle with Ma-seon.
But the revelation went beyond that.
I wonder if it’ll work...
Jin Muhon exhaled lightly and summoned Blood Mist.
Tsssh—
Soon, thick red fog blanketed the narrow room.
The boundaries of walls, ceiling, and floor blurred away, the lamplight itself twisting crimson.
Shing.
Jin Muhon drew the Four Emperors Sword and summoned one of the four souls slumbering within the Blood Mist.
He turned his head.
A red shadow stood abruptly amid the dense crimson haze.
The one-armed swordsman, Blood Light Demon.
“......”
The man who had fallen into qi deviation, dyed the martial world in blood, only to perish by Jin Muhon’s hand and become a high soul.
Jin Muhon gazed for a moment at the Blood Light Demon rippling in the mist, then softly roused Oepari.
“Rise.”
“Ugh... F-Family Head...?”
Oepari struggled to open his eyes.
“...Huh?!”
Then his eyes flew wide in shock, and he scrambled upright.
“Ugh!”
“Don’t push yourself.”
“My body... feels like it’s gonna snap apart.”
“......”
Jin Muhon watched Oepari silently.
In the suffocating hush, Oepari knelt politely.
Something in Jin Muhon’s gaze seemed to demand words from him.
“Do you want to grow strong?”
Jin Muhon’s voice rumbled heavily through the room.
Oepari’s heart lurched.
“...Pardon?”
“I asked if you want to grow strong.”
“......”
An obvious question.
Who under heaven didn’t crave strength?
If he’d been strong, there’d have been no such disgrace in today’s spar.
Hell, he wouldn’t have wasted his years as a thug in Unbong County.
Yet Oepari hesitated to reply.
“You’re weak.”
“...My apologies.”
“No real chance to build power, sure—but that’s just an excuse. Doesn’t change the fact you’re weak.”
“Yes.”
Oepari bowed his head.
Jin Muhon spoke true.
Had he ever poured his all into anything?
...Never.
Jin Muhon waited patiently for Oepari to gather his thoughts.
It didn’t take long.
Oepari soon lifted his gaze, eyes burning with resolve.
“Family Head! I wanna get strong! Strong enough to protect Lady Hayeon too!”
“Too late. Learn a heart method now, build qi—you won’t catch your enemies. Train the sword like a madman, and that missing arm still handicaps you. Still want it?”
“Yes!”
Oepari ground his teeth against the brutal truth but wavered no more.
Jin Muhon would point the path. He didn’t toss out questions like that for nothing.
Jin Muhon nodded.
“There’s a way. But it ain’t easy. No promises it’ll work—and even if it does, no telling if you’ll still be you.”
“......”
Oepari didn’t grasp the full meaning.
But for strength, he’d pay any price.
“Tell me how! I’ll do it!”
Jin Muhon turned his gaze slowly.
In the red Blood Mist, lamplight gleamed off the quietly rippling Blood Light Demon.
“A shard of my soul’s inside you right now.”
“Ah! That’s why!”
Oepari’s eyes bulged.
Those bizarre moves in the spar against the Gangnam Hero.
Felt like Jin Muhon’s power—and sure enough, connected.
“The guy in front of you? Blood Light Demon. Lived a shit life, died by my blade.”
“...Ah.”
“I’m gonna fuse his soul, yours, and my lingering shard in your body.”
“W-What?! Fuse... souls...?”
Oepari stared at Jin Muhon, hands trembling.
Fuse souls? The hell was that even possible?
His mind reeled, breath ragged.
“Yeah. First time trying it myself. Like I said—no clue if it works.”
“If... they fuse... I won’t be me anymore?”
Jin Muhon shook his head faintly.
“Dunno. My shard won’t meddle much. Just bridle the Blood Light Demon’s frenzy, smooth the merge with you. But.”
“......?”
“After your soul fuses with his? No idea.”
“......”
Oepari’s lips clamped shut.
“Don’t want it? Then forget it. I’ll give you a fitting heart method, sword art. Train hard, and you’ll outstrip your current self easy.”
Oepari stared wordlessly at Jin Muhon—then grinned suddenly.
“Not like you, Family Head.”
“Meaning?”
“You swing without a second thought—even to kill.”
Jin Muhon shook his head.
“This ain’t simple.”
“Means you give a damn about me, yeah?”
“......”
“I’m in, Family Head! Sick of scraping by like this! Fuck it—let’s do it!”
Their eyes locked midair.
Jin Muhon’s calm and steady; Oepari’s churning with thrill and dread.
“Cross-legged.”
“Yes!”
Oepari shifted into position.
Jin Muhon mirrored him, facing directly.
“Eyes shut. Prepare to take in the Blood Light Demon.”
“Yes.”
“Fusion works? You’ll wield his power.”
“Yes!”
Jin Muhon closed his eyes slowly.
Oepari followed suit.
“Beginning. Keep your mouth shut.”
“......”
Oepari nodded vigorously in reply.
“See you soon, Dokbi.”
“......!”
Jin Muhon spoke Oepari’s name for the first time.
Oepari shuddered head to toe.
Tsssh—
The Blood Light Demon advanced slowly toward Dokbi.
Several days had slipped by since they’d holed up at the inn.
Dokbi needed time to adjust after merging with the Blood Light Demon.
The group killed time wandering the nearby streets.
“Weather’s finally thawing, huh, Uncle?”
“So it is.”
Jin Hayeon beamed up at Jin Muhon.
Too early for blossoms, yet her smile bloomed like spring flowers.
Men on the bustling street kept stealing glances at her.
“Tsk tsk. Damn pups. Spot a pretty face and lose their minds.”
Muheo clucked his tongue, shooting dirty looks at the passersby.
Jin Hayeon stifled a laugh.
“Master. You’re the one ogling women’s faces hardest.”
“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“No woman in the world prettier than the Palace Lord.”
“Ahem! Hem! It’s her heart I fell for—not the face.”
“Oh, sure?”
Jin Hayeon grinned at Muheo.
A cold huff sounded from a few paces back.
“Hmph!”
Okhwa Palace Lord Buso-yong.
Muheo flinched and flashed a dopey grin her way.
Buso-yong whipped her head aside.
But the eyes peeking over her veil held no former frost.
“Heh heh heh.”
Muheo chuckled dopily at that alone.
“That happy?”
Jin Hayeon tugged his sleeve with a smile.
“Master! Check that out! Jewelry stall!”
“Eh? Not my thing.”
“Nonsense! Women love that stuff! Get one for the Palace Lord. I’ll help pick.”
She whispered.
Muheo’s eyes bugged out.
“R-Really?”
“Duh! When’ve I lied to you? Hurry—grab one for me too.”
“Right! Let’s move! Go go!”
“Uncle! We’ll catch up! You first!”
Muheo and Jin Hayeon bolted into the shop.
Jin Muhon paused, glanced back, then strode on like nothing happened.
The three Okhwa Palace women, trailing close, fell in beside him.
“The Jin Family Head’s a peculiar one.”
Buso-yong spoke first.
Jin Muhon, sifting Haomen Lord intel via Divide Soul, snapped to and met her eyes.
“Peculiar how?”
“Every other man leers at us like that. You? Not a flicker of interest.”
Jin Muhon glanced where she pointed.
True enough—men young and old peeked at the veiled trio.
“They’re wearing veils, Palace Lord and disciples alike.”
“Pardon?”
“I know your face, so no thrill. They’re dying to peek behind the silk.”
“Hoho!”
Buso-yong’s lovely eyes arched in amusement.
“Then women should eye us too, no?”
“Hmm...”
Jin Muhon scanned as he walked.
Right then, a girl smack in the street’s center blinked up at the group, eyes wide.
“Look. That kid ain’t curious about your face, Palace Lord.”
“Who?”
Buso-yong turned.
“Seems she’s eyeing the Jin Family Head instead. Ah—coming our way.”
“Hm?”
Jin Muhon halted.
Buso-yong and Hongcheong waited beside him.
Barely ten, if that.
No noble airs, but tidy clothes, pretty face.
“Hello. You the Jin Family Head?”
She bowed neatly before him, then straightened.
Buso-yong shot Jin Muhon a playful smirk.
“Yeah. Looks like.”
“Phew... Thank goodness.”
The girl sighed relief, fishing a letter from her bosom.
Jin Muhon eyed her gaze over the missive.
Sharp eyes, unnaturally keen for a child—something off.
“Take this.”
“What’s this?”
“From our director. Said deliver politely.”
“Director?”
Jin Muhon glanced puzzled at Buso-yong.
She shrugged, shook her head.
He took the letter, asked the girl.
To the esteemed Jin Family Head,
I wish to apologize for my rudeness a few days past and humbly invite you to my manor.
— Yuil-do, Director of Seonghye Hospital
“Who’s your director?”
“Name’s Yuil-do. Folks call him the Gangnam Hero.”
“Gangnam... Ah.”
Recalling the fool who’d flirted at the Okhwa women days back, sparred Oepari—Jin Muhon shrugged it off, checked the note.
Normally trash it unread. But the girl’s vibe was weird.
“Hmm...”
“What’s it say?”
Buso-yong craned curiously.
Jin Muhon chuckled, refolded, handed it back.
“Apologizes for the other day. Invites me to his manor.”
“Hmph! Hasn’t learned. Should beg on his knees. Come on, Jin Family Head.”
“Hold up.”
The girl blanched at Buso-yong’s snap.
Jin Muhon crouched eye-level.
Probed Gangnam Hero links via Divide Soul.
“Your place Seonghye Hospital?”
“Yes. How’d you know?”
Jin Muhon grinned, rose.
The girl peered up anxiously.
“Let’s go. Lead on.”
“Yes!”
She beamed, spun about.
Buso-yong eyed him askance.
“You know this Seonghye Hospital?”
“Roughly. You head back to the inn, Palace Lord. I’ll drop by, exchange greetings.”
“......”
A faint smile tugged Buso-yong’s lips.
The world’s Sword Demon, off to chat?
Ridiculous.
“I’ll tag along. Sounds entertaining.”
“Doubt it.”
“Shall we?”
“We shall.”
Buso-yong and Jin Muhon traded smiles, followed the girl.
Hongcheong trailed Jin Muhon in silence.