Chapter 117
Chapter 117
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 117
Chapter Title: Two Shamans
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It was a far more intuitive and straightforward method than I had expected.
Honestly, my gut told me that wandering around all day would just lead to pointless suffering.
Still, it was better than doing nothing and waiting for that lewd demon to make a move.
I turned to Elder Gok and asked,
"Will you set out right now?"
"No time to dawdle. I'll move with the branch leader. Might I ask the young hero to accompany this friend of mine, just in case?"
"No need. I can handle it alone."
Before I could even respond to Elder Gok's request, pointing at Elder Yeon, a curt refusal burst out first.
Elder Yeon, who had flatly rejected the idea, simply left the hideout ahead of us.
"Yeon! Yeon!"
Even at his friend's call, Elder Yeon vanished around the corner of the alley.
"Ha... damn."
Elder Gok stared blankly at his retreating figure for a moment, then turned to me with an apologetic expression.
"Y-Young hero..."
"Don't worry. We'll go after him."
Guessing what he was about to say, I stood up with Hwa-ryeon and left the hideout.
Leaving behind Elder Gok's eyes filled with clear gratitude, we hurried out of the alley, but Elder Yeon had already concealed himself.
Well, it didn't matter—he was already in the palm of my hand.
I expanded my qi sense net as widely as possible.
My qi manipulation was still clumsy, leaving the net full of holes, but fortunately, I was able to detect Elder Yeon's presence.
I led Hwa-ryeon and followed in his footsteps.
He was a shaman, but an elder who hadn't trained in martial arts.
His steps weren't particularly fast.
Before long, we caught up to Elder Yeon, who was still hiding.
Yet even with us right behind him, he pretended not to notice.
Did he really think we hadn't found him after coming this far?
I chuckled and spoke up.
"You're already busted, so no point hiding. Come on out."
"...Tch!"
With an irritated grunt, Elder Yeon revealed himself from thin air and pointed accusingly at me.
"Just like earlier—what the hell? How do you keep finding me?!"
"Trade secret. Don't even think about running. You won't shake me with those old legs."
"Hmph! I'll just use the Shrinking Ground Technique. You think you could catch me then?"
"Ooh, Shrinking Ground Technique. That's actually real?"
I perked up at the familiar term.
Shrinking Ground Technique, or Shrinking Earth Method.
It was a fairly famous spell, even to my knowledge, that folded the earth to shorten vast distances.
In my past life, it was known as a secret art passed down through generations in the Kim family of the north.
There was even a song about it: "The general uses the Shrinking Ground Technique."
Unfortunately, it died out by the third generation or something.
"Hmph, of course. Someone like me could go from here to Yangyang in one go."
Elder Yeon puffed up at my admiration.
From Wuhu to Yangyang was over two hundred li.
Traversing that distance in an instant was undoubtedly impressive.
Surprise flickered across Hwa-ryeon's face beneath her veil.
Noticing it, Elder Yeon's nose rose even higher.
That was when I launched a surprise attack on him.
"So, you're planning to use that Shrinking Ground Technique to grab the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon and flee the moment you find him?"
"......"
Elder Yeon froze mid-pose.
His eyes trembled as he looked at me, then forced an awkward laugh.
"H-Haha... W-What are you talking about? Why would I...?"
"Why? Because if that lewd demon stays in Wuhu, death is the only path."
Once Zhuge Geun-yeong learned the true identity of the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon, he demanded immediate execution to bury the family's shame.
Elder Gok, Elder Yeon's friend, had only shown a bitter expression but hadn't opposed it.
He probably thought it was better than capturing him alive.
"Under the Great Ming Code, rape is punishable by death. And there are over ten victims. If he's caught in Jincheng, drawing and quartering is a certainty."
"......"
"Isn't a clean beheading better than having your limbs torn apart in agony?"
No matter what, the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon couldn't escape death.
Elder Yeon grimaced at my words, which carried that implication.
"Foolish bastard. Utter scum of the earth...!"
He stopped in his tracks, muttering curses under his breath, then suddenly grabbed my hand and pleaded desperately.
"L-Look here. Isn't there some way? I-I'll reseal that bastard's spells. No more illusions, I'll make sure he can never step foot in the world again. Just... please, spare his life. Please?"
They say a crooked arm bends inward.
Even after disowning him, after seven years together, his disciple was still dear to him. Knowing full well his crimes, Elder Yeon still begged for his life.
If I didn't make him give up here, he might interfere with capturing the lewd demon.
Judging that, I relayed the tragic news I'd heard yesterday.
"Yesterday, one of the victims assaulted by the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon died. Suicide."
"...!"
I continued as Elder Yeon widened his eyes in shock.
"And she probably won't be the last. More will choose the same out of despair over their fate or fear of the finger-pointing to come."
That's what it meant to defile a woman's chastity in this Ming Dynasty.
To the lewd demon, it was just a moment's pleasure, but for the raped women, their entire lives were shattered.
"You want me to spare the Jade-Faced Lewd Demon's life? Well, if I catch him and you whisk him away with your Shrinking Ground Technique, it might be possible."
"......"
"But I have no intention of doing that. No matter how painful his past or what twisted thoughts drove him—it doesn't matter. The Jade-Faced Lewd Demon must die a miserable death."
If only for the women whose lives he ruined.
The wrinkled hand gripping mine fell away limply.
In that brief moment, his face seemed to age several more years, all expression draining from it.
Soon, Elder Yeon trudged onward unsteadily.
Feeling a bitter taste in my mouth for some reason, I followed behind.
*
In the end, it was a complete bust.
Neither our side nor Zhuge Geun-yeong and Elder Gok's group found so much as a trace of the lewd demon.
Of course, I hadn't expected a big haul on the first day, but the thought of wandering endlessly like this made a sigh escape me naturally.
"He might have already left Hanku for Wuchang or even Hanyang."
As the sun set, we regrouped at the Zhuge family Wuhu branch.
Zhuge Geun-yeong's face hardened as he mentioned the other two cities of the Wuhu Three Powers.
After scouring the city all day without a single trace, he was saying the demon might not be in the city at all.
Honestly, it was the scenario I least wanted to consider.
If he'd really gone to another city as suggested, tracking him would be even harder.
What were the odds of finding him by endlessly repeating this in other cities?
Naturally, I concluded our current method was futile.
"Isn't there some other way?"
At my question, Elder Gok stroked his beard thoughtfully, while Elder Yeon, shaking off his gloom, said something odd.
"Don't just ask us—spit it out yourself first. Didn't those long-nosed bastards teach you anything like that?"
"...Pardon?"
Wondering what nonsense he was spouting, I tilted my head, but Elder Gok beside him called out to Elder Yeon and shook his head.
At that simple gesture, Elder Yeon realized something, his eyes widening like saucers.
"Huh? For real?"
"Yes. He stated he never received training from any Daoist sect."
At Elder Gok's response, Elder Yeon stared at me like I was the world's most bizarre creature.
Frowning at the gaze, I asked,
"You said the same earlier today—so why do you keep associating me with the Daoists?"
Elder Gok apologized with a sorry look.
"If it bothered you, I apologize. From a shaman's eyes, your soul seems extraordinary."
"...My soul is extraordinary?"
It wasn't unpleasant to hear, but it wasn't particularly satisfying either.
Unlike Elder Gok, who hesitated to elaborate, Elder Yeon answered my question without reserve.
"It means your spirit rank is anything but ordinary."
"Spirit rank? What's that?"
"Yeon..."
Elder Gok called to him in mild reproach.
Elder Yeon shrugged as if it was no big deal.
"Better to know than not. At your level, random folks might approach you with weird ideas."
"Hmm..."
After groaning and pondering, Elder Gok finally nodded.
Elder Yeon spoke up as I sat there baffled, clueless about what they were on about.
"Spirit rank refers to the quality of one's soul, plain and simple."
"The quality of a soul? Does that exist?"
"Most souls have negligible differences in rank. But through cultivation, one can elevate it. The prime example is those Daoist immortal-path practitioners. The long-nosed fools messing around trying to become immortals."
"So at first, we thought the young hero was one of their disciples too."
It was intriguing yet somewhat absurd.
First sorcery out of nowhere, now immortal-path cultivation?
At this point, I wondered if martial arts hadn't advanced because of stuff like this.
But the explanation that followed proved me wrong.
"These days, both shamans and immortal-path cultivators are down to just a tiny handful. So we took interest, wondering why a young practitioner had appeared."
I nodded along to Elder Gok's words, then voiced my lingering doubt.
"From what you're saying, it sounds like my spirit rank is quite high. How did that happen?"