Chapter 7
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 7
It was a truly terrifying strike.
It far exceeded the realm Ise had imagined—though, strictly speaking, she wasn't human to begin with.
So this is the power of the Dogwi Tribe's greatest master.
His master possessed an overwhelming strength that far surpassed his expectations. So much so that the old saying, "As long as Mongryeon stands guard, no ordinary demon ghost dare approach Ghost-Guarding Temple," no longer sounded like a mere joke.
That was why the boldness of the Aseongyongma, which had dared to hunt the Dogwi Tribe, was so shocking.
And it was also why the tragedy that had occurred during her absence felt all the more heartbreaking.
"Are you feeling any better?"
"Yes, Master. I have recovered a great deal."
"How admirable that you endured without letting out a single groan. If you are well enough, get up. I shall give you a task."
Mongryeon handed Ise a cluster of bells with a handle split into two prongs at one end, a small brass knife adorned with paper tassels, and a rectangular strip of paper split vertically.
"These are Dharma Artifacts for exorcism. They were crafted so that even mortals without spiritual energy can use them."
"Exorcism, Master?"
"Indeed. Hunting down a demon ghost is not the end of it. Their resentment lingers in their corpses for a time. If you do not exorcise them properly, that resentment will wander the nine heavens and eventually give birth to another identical demon ghost. In essence, you would have only hunted an empty shell."
Ise turned the Dharma Artifacts over in his hands. He could feel a subtle, auspicious aura emanating from them, confirming they were no ordinary items.
"Even with the Wadu Scholar you killed, its resentment had already escaped. In other words, setting aside the mastermind behind it, your revenge was incomplete from the very start."
"...I see."
"The first line is the exorcism mantra. Hold the Ritual Bell in your right hand and the False Eye in your left. Keep your mind clear, and recite the exorcism mantra with reverence."
Mongryeon smacked her lips regretfully.
"If you had awakened your Spirit Root, you could have absorbed quite a bit of spiritual energy from this hunt. What a shame."
"Is it really alright for me to do this?"
"Who else? A Dogwi like me? Exorcism is a ritual that only the human race can perform. That is precisely why we maintain an alliance with them."
"I heard that the Dogwi Tribe can raise their cultivation realm by devouring demon ghosts. Wouldn't it be better if Master ate it instead?"
"Forget it. If I were to devour its demonic energy, I would have had to eat it alive. Besides, a mere insect-like Qi Refining Stage demon ghost won't even tickle my stomach. Just consider this a chance to gain experience."
"Ah... Understood."
Ise replied, persuaded.
He then calmly read out the exorcism mantra.
Ghosts Flee and Calamities Dissolve; Ultimately, All is Dispersed.
It was a short incantation.
As the eight-character phrase came to an end, the Ritual Bell chimed softly, radiating a brilliant, golden light.
The next moment, a dark energy surging from the corpse of the Aseongyongma roiled frantically before burrowing straight into Ise's body.
"...?"
"Are you finished?"
"Yes."
"Good. Don't feel too down about not absorbing spiritual energy. At the very least, the effects of the medicinal pill you swallowed will remain in your system for a long time, taking full effect once you awaken your Spirit Root. You've hit the jackpot."
"However, something feels a bit strange."
"What is it?"
"It feels as though the demonic energy inside the Aseongyongma entered my body... Can humans absorb demonic energy?"
Hearing Ise's words, Mongryeon stared intently into his body.
She thought she could faintly sense demonic energy, but it was so faint that it was hard to distinguish from turbid Qi.
Could an energy as tiny as a rat's biceps even be called demonic energy...?
Since the Aseongyongma had poked several holes through his body earlier, it wasn't particularly strange for demonic energy to temporarily linger inside him.
She shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, I've never heard of such a thing. That would only be possible in a Demonic Path Sect where they practice demonic arts. Besides, humans inherently cannot control demonic energy, and demon ghosts cannot control spiritual energy. Though their roots are the same, they are entirely different powers. Only those with exceptionally keen five senses or those who have reached a certain cultivation realm can vaguely sense them."
Ise furrowed his brows almost imperceptibly. To him, both types of energy—spiritual energy and demonic energy—were distinctly perceptible.
"I see. I must have been mistaken."
"If it bothers you that much, remember the symptoms and ask when you get to the Great Martial Dao later. Your master here despises theory."
At Mongryeon's firm response, Ise closed his mouth.
Although the uncomfortable sensation settled in his belly was still squirming and churning, there was no need to upset his master.
He decided to observe it a bit longer before bringing it up again.
"Now perform the soul pacification for the fallen children. Hold the sacred knife in your right hand. The soul pacification mantra is on the third line."
Exorcise enemies, pacify allies.
Ise engraved the rule into his mind, chewing on the thought.
"Though they were souls born as demon ghosts, pray with all your heart that they do not fall into the Bottomless Abyss of the Demon Realm, but safely pass through the Gate of Reincarnation and be reborn as humans in their next life."
"...Yes."
Mongryeon and Ise gathered the bodies of the deceased Dogwi Tribe members, laid them out neatly, and observed a moment of silent tribute toward them.
Spirits Depart in Peace; Follow the Path of Light.
This time, he could distinctly feel their spirits ascending toward the heavens.
When the ritual ended, Ise looked at Mongryeon.
She wore a complex expression. But soon, a smile spread across her face, as if seeing off those who were departing.
"Smile. It is the custom of the Dogwi Tribe to show smiles to the deceased."
"...Yes."
Ise also felt a sharp ache in a corner of his heart.
It was the same feeling he had when he lost his family to the Wadu Scholar.
The sense of loss had finally caught up with him, lingering late.
The deaths of those whose faces he had looked upon every day for six years weighed far heavier than he had anticipated.
"You're making a truly hilarious face."
Seeing himself unable to properly cry or smile, Ise thought it was a blessing that there was no mirror nearby.
* * *
Several days passed after the rampage of the Aseongyongma.
Gong Il-chwi and Gong Wol-jang were sentenced to ten years of confinement in Repentance Cave.
Furthermore, a restriction art was placed on the young Dogwi, forbidding them from stepping outside the territory.
Ise looked at Mongryeon and the members of the Dogwi Tribe lined up behind her.
They had all come to see him off.
Today was the day Ise would depart from Ghost-Guarding Temple to take the entrance exam for the Great Martial Dao.
"Tsk. Stubborn brat. It's right around the corner if I just carried you there."
"As I mentioned, I wanted to gain some real-world experience along the way."
"Just make sure you don't run into a blind demon ghost and get yourself killed."
Mongryeon nonchalantly handed him a dagger wrapped in cloth.
"This is..."
Resting in his hands was the Meridian-Severing Blade—the treasure Ise had wielded during the decisive battle against the Aseongyongma.
"Is it really alright for me to accept something so valuable?"
"Take it before I change my mind."
Ise hurriedly took the dagger and tucked it securely into his shirt.
"I can't give you much else. Everything here is precious treasure my kids risked their lives to gather. Use it well, and return it once you reach a cultivation realm where you no longer need it."
"I shall do so."
As Mongryeon stepped back, the members of the Dogwi Tribe stepped forward one by one, pulling items from their sleeves and stuffing them into Ise's travel pack.
Everything from packed lunches to silver coins, small gemstones, mysterious scrolls, and a necklace inlaid with a red stone.
"Those are Spirit Stones. Cultivators use them as currency or grind them down to make medicinal pills. Keep them on you for now."
"Thank you."
These were undoubtedly their treasured collections. Seeing them hand these over like pocket money, without even fully understanding their uses, caused a sharp, tender ache in a corner of Ise's heart.
Finally, Gong Ah, who had been hesitating, handed over a neatly wrapped, cone-shaped object.
"Um... Take care of yourself."
"Thank you. But what is this?"
Instead of answering, Gong Ah scurried back into the crowd of Dogwi.
Mongryeon chuckled and answered in her stead.
"That's a baby horn. It's a horn that sheds just once before adult ghosts grow their permanent horns. For humans, it's like a baby tooth before permanent teeth grow in. It's quite a rare ingredient, so if you ever have to refine pills later, think of Gong Ah while you grind it up and consume it."
"...Gong Ah."
"You might die out there, so why didn't you plant a seed before leaving? I was curious to see what a human-Dogwi hybrid would look like."
"Leader!"
From somewhere out of sight, Gong Ah's voice shrieked in embarrassment. The laughter of the adult Dogwi followed immediately after.
Following Mongryeon's words—hard to tell whether they were a curse or a joke—farewells were exchanged among the Dogwi.
He bowed deeply in gratitude.
This place felt like home now.
Stepping back, Ise performed nine traditional bows of respect toward Mongryeon.
"Once I enter the Great Martial Dao, I expect to be away for quite a long time. Though we are of different races, I regard Master and all of you as my family. I will never forget the grace you showed in taking me in. May you remain healthy and safe."
"Alright. Don't worry about us and just grow strong. The Great Martial Dao's rules are softer than you'd think, so drop by whenever you find the time."
"Yes, Master. Well then, I shall be on my way."
As he bowed his head once more, Gong Ah, the kitchen maid, and several members of the Dogwi Tribe waved their hands and shouted:
"Safe travels, Ise!"
"Make sure you eat well!"
"We'll miss you!"
Ise took a heavy first step forward—toward Cheongsan, a place famous for its flowing spiritual energy.
* * *
Subu Village.
He had once considered this place his home.
If only his desperate pleas for help during the rampage of the demon ghosts hadn't been ignored.
If only someone had reached out a helping hand after he lost his family.
Perhaps he would still think of it that way even now.
For his life in Subu Village had been the second happiest memory of his existence.
Now, however, his heart was relatively at peace. It was likely because he had found a new home.
Ise stepped into the house. Sensing something amiss in the main hall, his brow furrowed.
The graves...
They were gone. The graves he had built for his family had vanished.
Ise wiped his dry face with his hands, washing over his troubled visage.
Inside the courtyard, it was utterly empty, as if ransacked by bandits, and the thatched house looked like an abandoned ruin on the verge of demolition.
Barely suppressing the surge of anger, Ise's eyes landed on the flat stone he had used as a tombstone.
There was writing inscribed on it in ink:
「If you see this, come find me. —Wisaeng.」
It was unmistakably Scholar Wisaeng's handwriting.
Instead of sinking into gloom, Ise immediately headed toward Scholar Wisaeng's residence.
Without his family's graves, there was no reason for him to ever return here again. He intended to meet the man who claimed to have business with him and leave right away.
"Scholar Wisaeng, it is Ise."
"Come in."
He was reading a book in his study, looking exactly as Ise had always remembered him.
Even when Ise walked in, he did not glance up, keeping his eyes fixed on his book.
"Did you ask for me?"
"In the second drawer of the cabinet on the left, there is a money pouch. It contains the funds exchanged after liquidating the belongings you left behind last time, the remaining household items, and the land."
"...That was my rightful payment to you."
Despite Ise's words, Wisaeng merely shook his head.
"Leaving things behind after unilaterally finishing your own business is not what one calls a rightful payment. I feared it might turn into a beautiful futility if you failed to return alive, but I am glad to see you made it back."
"Was there really any need to go this far...?"
Six years ago, this was a man who hadn't cared whether Ise lived or died.
Though Ise was grateful for this inexplicable goodwill, it also made him uncomfortable.
"Does one need a reason to return items to their rightful owner?"
Ise was unable to answer Wisaeng's calm counter.
The scholar finally closed his book and met his gaze.
"I remember when you were first adopted into this village. And when you used to frequent my study."
"I remain grateful to you for allowing me to read your books and for teaching me how to read and write."
"When you survived alone back then, there were people who wanted to help you. Though there were also thugs who sought to block that help."
"...Is that so?"
"Fear born of ignorance breeds monsters. So do not resent them too much."
"I do not particularly bear any resentment."
Wisaeng offered a faint smile. It occurred to Ise that this was the first time he had ever seen the man smile.
"Inside the money pouch is a piece of pine paper marked with the location of your family's graves. Visit them from time to time to pay your respects. I regret reinterring them without your permission, but according to geomancy, placing graves inside a home goes against reason."
"Thank... you."
"Now, you may go."
Delivering his message concisely and immediately issuing an eviction order was also very typical of him.
Six years ago on that day, the world had been full of things to resent, but now, there were only people he felt grateful to and indebted to repay.
"Young Ise."
"Yes?"
"You look good. I am glad."
Ise bowed deeply and slowly retreated.