Chapter 33: Is This How I Perish?
A strange premonition washed over me. No, it felt more like something had grabbed my ankle. I had no choice but to halt and stare at Yong Dae-seok's stone coffin and the relic storage box.
The flustered Bongmareung urged me on.
"You fool! What are you doing? Did your legs suddenly give out? Get out of here, now!"
Even so, I didn't budge. A tangle of thoughts too complex to put into words churned in my mind like an overflowing sea. The name Yong Dae-seok flickered there.
They said he died outside the Hundred Thousand Mountains, and his body was never recovered...
Then why build that stone coffin?
"It's an empty tomb. A fake grave, you see? Look, the lid's not even there—it's wide open."
That made it even stranger. In the sacred Ten Thousand Demons Mausoleum, they didn't build empty tombs. If no body was recovered, they simply carved the name into the mausoleum wall. So why a stone coffin inscribed with Yong Dae-seok's name? It looked like they were certain his body would be found someday and placed inside.
And that mask in the storage box...
That's supposed to be Yong Dae-seok's relic, right?
In the end, they recovered the relic intact but not the body. I didn't know how Yong Dae-seok died, but this was bizarre all the same. High-ranking demons' relics were treasures of immense value—often harder to retrieve than a body itself. Yet no body, but the relic was here?
The more I think about it, the weirder it gets.
"Since when has the world lacked strange happenings? Enough—let's go! The tomb keepers are swarming like rabid dogs!"
Bongmareung screamed. Probably half the mausoleum guardians had started searching by now. But a little farther, and I'd see the exit. The only obstacle left was the Mausoleum Captain.
So...
Time to gamble.
The Sea-Sky Treading Flight that Ok Geum-ran taught me was one of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult's premier lightness skills. I hadn't mastered it fully yet. Still, I figured I could make it work—with my new plan.
Let's use the mausoleum guardians' instinctive reaction to the soul-pursuit liquid.
I strode boldly toward the storage box containing Yong Dae-seok's mask. Then I smashed it with my fist.
Kwachik!
"Wh-what...?"
Bongmareung's jaw dropped. The top of the box shattered cleanly, and the soul-pursuit liquid began bubbling furiously. A gale whipped up naturally—not just enough to change the lantern flames' color, but fierce enough to snuff them out entirely.
I quickly shoved in the chopsticks from the Myriad Deaths Yao-Hu and fished out Yong Dae-seok's mask. Then I scooped up the box full of soul-pursuit liquid and launched myself forward.
"Why the hell are you grabbing that damn box?!"
"'Cause it's useful!"
"Aigoo! You mad bastard, you're about to do something insane again!"
"Thanks for the high praise!"
Sea-Sky Treading Flight lived up to its name—it was a lightness skill that let you tread across sea and sky. As a beginner, I was still at the level of scorching my soles just to run fast, but it was definitely quicker. My body accelerated like an arrow from a bowstring.
That's when a monstrous roar shook the air.
Krraaaaaarrr!
"Dodge!"
Bongmareung barked the warning without explanation. As the cry rattled the entire Ten Thousand Demons Mausoleum, a massive shadow loomed. Instinctively, I hurled myself aside. Something whooshed past, slamming into the wall with a boom.
"It's the Mausoleum Captain!"
Embedded in the wall was a gigantic iron ball, bristling with vicious spikes—twice the size of a man's head. The Mausoleum Captain's chain mace had come for me.
And it wasn't done.
"Intruder... eliminate... all..."
The captain swung his arm, and the chain linking the iron ball whipped toward me like a wave, infused with tremendous power. I leaped aside again, but the chain grazed my side.
"Kuk!"
My robes tore instantly, blood spraying. As sharp pain made me grit my teeth, the iron ball hurtled back—retrieved somehow. But with my foresight wide open, I dodged properly this time.
Putting distance between us, I clicked my tongue in disbelief.
"That thing's a real monster. Bong, why not just absorb it with Hyeol-lyeong Gye-ma-sul?"
"Don't even think it! Absorbing that ugly brute and its foul qi could cause massive backlash! Save Hyeol-lyeong Gye-ma-sul as a last resort!"
Not impossible, but it could poison me. Hesitate from side effects, and the pursuers behind would catch me.
"That mask was nothing special! Why touch it? Now what?!"
Bongmareung nagged loudly. He figured the captain—near the Extreme Stillness Realm as a giant demon—was beyond me. But I saw it differently.
"I'm gonna use this. The relic box."
"That's not a weapon—it's just a plain box! What're you gonna do?!"
"Agh! Quit nagging! You're not my mother-in-law!"
"You insolent brat! Did this one say anything wrong?!"
"Say one more word. Then I'll call you Mother Bong-in-Law."
"......"
He shut up fast—hated that nickname, apparently. First, close the distance.
And neutralize that crazy chain mace somehow.
I had to. I set the relic box down, channeling True Origin Demonic Qi and Extreme Heaven Nine Wheels Art inner energy together. Then I drew the sword Dokgo Jae had gifted me.
What was its name again? Forgot.
Gripping the hilt anyway, I charged the Mausoleum Captain. Unleashing Sea-Sky Treading Flight and Shadow King Wind in sequence, his chain and ball whizzed harmlessly beneath my feet.
And in the next instant...
'Mountain-Shattering Sea-Destroying Strike!'
Its ultimate technique unfolded.
Not fully comprehending the mantra yet, it was an incomplete sword art... but
Pa-pat!
Sparks flew as the chain snapped clean. The now-useless iron ball rolled across the floor.
"Oh, not a bad sword at all."
No more worry of becoming mincemeat. Pouring True Origin Demonic Qi freely had paid off handsomely.
"Press the attack and clear a path! Delay longer, and the other tomb keepers will join in!"
All the mausoleum guardians were probably rushing the exit now. As Bongmareung said, I had to break the captain or die trying.
But beating that monster head-on? Impossible.
"Intruder..."
He flung the mace—sans ball—and drew a new weapon from his robes. He charged like lightning, swinging.
"Eliminate... all...!"
Another spike-studded weapon, but easier to wield up close. A secondary for close quarters.
I saw the future coming clear as day, yet couldn't counter. It was that fast.
Kwang!
"Damn it! Don't clash head-on! That sword won't hold!"
Bongmareung yelled as I barely parried with my sword. Who'd want a direct hit? But even with foresight, I couldn't evade. The captain closed with insane speed.
"It's coming again!"
Shuuuk!
The iron club flashed like thunder at my head. Twice, three times, four... On the fifth clash,
Pakak!
wrist-snapping pain erupted with sparks.
"This one told you! Head-on breaks it! Dodge now!"
I glared wide-eyed. With Extreme Heaven Nine Wheels Art at full power, every scene was vivid. The blade that blocked snapped in half.
The captain raised his weapon again.
"Eliminate... all!"
"Ah, is this how I perish?"
Bongmareung muttered despondently. But that was premature.
I dropped low fast. After forcibly blocking five assaults and staggering back,
Got it. Right where I want it.
At my feet lay the relic box. Now filled only with bubbling soul-pursuit liquid, Yong Dae-seok's white mask long removed.
"Eat this!"
I snatched it up and hurled the contents at the captain. The remaining soul-pursuit liquid drenched him, billowing white steam.
Clutching my broken sword, I retreated swiftly.
"Intruder..."
It shouldn't have burned. But the colorless liquid-soaked foe froze like a statue. Then it shook its head side to side, spinning in place.
Bongmareung tilted his head.
"Why's it doing that? Turned idiot all of a sudden?"
Why it froze? Yong Baek-heon's knowledge let me answer.
"The soul-pursuit liquid primarily extinguishes lantern flames, but secondarily acts like Thousand-Mile Pursuit Fragrance."
"Thousand-Mile Pursuit Fragrance? Oh ho!"
In other words, it marks grave robbers so tomb keepers can track them. And the mausoleum guardians were brainwashed to instinctively follow that scent.
Drenched in it, the captain plunged into instinctual confusion—unable to distinguish foe from self.
"Oh ho! Brilliant move! But what're you standing around for? Run while you can!"
"Nah."
I shook my head firmly. Couldn't do that.
"After all I've taken from that bastard? No way I'm leaving now. Plus, running means a long chase. I've got plenty of that liquid on me too."
So, decisive action. Finish it.
"Huu!"
After a deep breath, I leaped with all my might under the captain's jaw. I slammed the sword hilt upward with everything I had.
A heavy thud vibrated through my palm.
Puk!
"...!"
Half a sword, but the blade pierced easily—through the soft throat, into the skull, out the crown.
Black blood soaked my hand, trickling down. I shuddered slightly, yanking the sword free. The captain collapsed in a heap.
"It... worked?"
Even Bongmareung sounded stunned. I was awed too at felling the Mausoleum Captain. But no time for admiration—my energy was spent. Caught now, I'd be done.
"Get out before the others come! Now!"
Got it.
Something nagged at me, but no choice. I bolted for the exit like mad and made it back to Wayong Hall unscathed.
At breakfast, Ok Geum-ran set a plate of fried rice before me.
"......"
Her glare was fierce. I scratched my chin, averting my eyes.
Returning to Wayong Hall last night, I needed gold sore medicine first. Blood wouldn't stop from the wound.
"That chain had tiny needles embedded. Wounds torn like that don't clot easy."
"Damn it. Where's the gold sore salve?"
Blood loss was blurring my vision. No choice—I woke the sleeping Ok Geum-ran. When I asked her to apply it, she freaked, naturally.
Treatment went fine, but I had to spill about the night op. Raiding the sacred Ten Thousand Demons Mausoleum? She was speechless.
"Ho-sam, you really..."
"Whoa, this fried rice is killer! Never seen it so glossy and perfect. Dig in!"
I shoveled it in fast. She sighed once and left.
Truth was, she had to understand my position.
I need to get stronger faster. Can't avoid the risks.
"Quit the nonsense. Touching that mask put you in danger, didn't it? You'd have slipped out quiet—no death match with the captain!"
Nearly faded Bongmareung complained. Fair point—no retort. If I hadn't gone for Yong Dae-seok's mask, no peril.
But hey, gained real combat experience, right? Think positive.
"You brat, excessive optimism is a disease. Sigh, whatever. Drop it!"
He gave up; I smirked. Two gains anyway.
Myriad Deaths Yao-Hu's chopsticks, Yong Dae-seok's mask.
Back in my room after polishing off the rice, I examined my main target first.
Plain worn bamboo chopsticks at a glance, but laced with vivid demonic energy.
Bongmareung gulped.
"Her lingering will must remain. Whatever insight, absorb it all without waste. Got it?"
"Of course. Wouldn't miss it."
I was dying to know too. What had Myriad Deaths Yao-Hu left in these?
Bongmareung and I unleashed Hyeol-lyeong Gye-ma-sul without hiding our excitement. A deep blue flash erupted, unfolding another mental realm.
Next instant, I blinked at the glowing lump before me.
"What the hell is this? Some kinda beast?"
"Hmm. Small body, long ears—rabbit, perhaps?"
When absorbing Yong Baek-heon's Asura Sword, True Origin Demonic Qi took a great horse's form. This time, a rabbit—from Myriad Deaths Yao-Hu's energy condensed into a living thing, a mountain hare. It twisted its head, scouting around.
Then suddenly...
"The rabbit...!"
"Rabbit it is! Catch it!"
Myriad Deaths Yao-Hu's power bolted away light as a real hare. I chased frantically, reaching out.