Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 65

‘Is it the difference in grade?’

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes gleamed with interest at the pale white hands returning to the water after just one warning.

Indeed, with her grade reaching the level of a blue spirit, even her overwhelming presence alone dominates ordinary vengeful spirits.

“You’re truly amazing as expected.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s praise, Cheong-ryeong, who had chased away the water vengeful spirits, spoke in an annoyed voice:

– Do you think I said it was dangerous because of these low-grade ones?

“Of course not.”

Mok Gyeong-un shrugged his shoulders.

Naturally, if they were just red spirits or vermilion spirits, she wouldn’t have warned him.

What she was warning about was that thing transforming into the worst gu poison by devouring each other.

Gooooooo!

The area about forty jang away was covered in a thick fog.

It was so dark that the inside was barely visible.

If it were a simple fog, it would be better, but a pitch-black fog was swirling like a huge torrent, and just looking at it felt extremely ominous.

– That’s not the only problem.

“… Are you also talking about those?”

Besides that thing that had engulfed an entire space, there were also smaller ones.

Those also formed small fogs and were chaotically entangled, and something seemed amiss about them.

Cheong-ryeong spoke while looking at those:

– Low-grade vengeful spirits that are no match for me will feel fear and hasten to flee like those just now. But those are different.

“What do you mean by different?”

– Vengeful spirits that have coveted and devoured each other see nothing.

“What does that mean?”

– They are devouring each other to survive and become stronger. Those things see nothing right now. They only have the thought that they must devour.

That’s why Cheong-ryeong advised not to approach them closely.

No matter how much lower their grade is and how weak they are compared to her, if those that have gone mad and turned into hungry ghosts rush at them all at once with determination, it becomes difficult to protect.

– Hey, kid. Do you think you can penetrate through those and absorb that?

“I’ll have to try.”

– You reckless bastard.

That was too dangerous.

Rather, there was a possibility of being devoured, so she wanted to forcibly pull him up even now.

While she was thinking that, Mok Gyeong-un looked around.

There was only an ominous feeling, and not a trace of human presence could be felt at all.

Thus, Mok Gyeong-un muttered:

“I think it’ll be fine here.”

– What are you saying?

At Cheong-ryeong’s question, Mok Gyeong-un suddenly fumbled around the back of his waist near his spine and placed his palm there.

Then he pressed down at a spot with his finger.

“Phew.”

– … What are you trying to do now?

“Should I say I’m half-believing and half-doubting since it was something I had been contemplating whether to try or not?”

– What?

As she questioned back.

Mok Gyeong-un’s back curved, and then he slightly furrowed his brows.

He was someone who wouldn’t even blink an eye at ordinary pain, so how much pain must it be for him to act like this?

– Just what are you…!?

Cheong-ryeong’s eyes gleamed with interest.

It was none other than the needle, about the size of a finger joint, dangling from Mok Gyeong-un’s finger.

– Ha!

The end of this needle, shaped like a hook, was none other than the Golden Gate Lock.

It was used to seal meridians and restrict internal energy.

Originally, this Golden Gate Lock could only be removed using a special tool with strong magnetism, but Mok Gyeong-un removed it using the Art of Binding.

‘To utilize the Art of Binding in this way…’

The meridian near the spine where the Golden Gate Lock was inserted was extremely dangerous.

Therefore, even though it could be risky, he removed it by adjusting the Art of Binding without any hesitation.

It could be called bold.

– You really are…

“Wait a moment. I need to remove the remaining two first.”

– …

Mok Gyeong-un removed the remaining two Golden Gate Lock just like he had done earlier.

Inserting the Golden Gate Lock into the acupoints of the spine is painful, but removing it is even more agonizing, yet there was no change in his expression even the second time.

It could be called tremendous endurance.

Puck!

The moment Mok Gyeong-un completely removed the inserted Golden Gate Lock,

Swoosh!

The sealed meridians opened, and the restriction was lifted.

The death qi he had gathered until now circulated throughout his body, and his energy became abundant.

‘Look at this.’

Cheong-ryeong’s eyes narrowed.

When his meridians were closed, the qi wasn’t manifested, so she couldn’t estimate how much death qi he had gathered, but this exceeded her expectations.

It had already surpassed twice the amount of death qi he originally possessed.

If he could digest that, his internal energy alone would reach the beginning of the peak stage.

‘It’s almost miraculous.’

Death qi differs from ordinary qi.

It could be said to be almost the opposite, and Mok Gyeong-un would be the only human possessing that much of the qi of death.

No, was that guy really human?

In the first place, it was strange for him to be fine while possessing such an enormous amount of the qi of death.

Flinch!

Cheong-ryeong looked around and smirked.

The low-grade vengeful spirits nearby were feeling fear from the tremendous death qi emanating from Mok Gyeong-un.

Mok Gyeong-un stretched and said:

“It feels refreshing. It was suffocating to keep this damn thing inserted.”

– Did you endure it on purpose?

“Yes. Just in case.”

He had heard that highly skilled experts could sense the qi of inferiors.

That’s why Mok Gyeong-un had thought of this method from the moment the Golden Gate Lock was first inserted, but he had been enduring it.

Cheong-ryeong clicked her tongue and said:

– So you didn’t come down here recklessly.

With this much, apart from that huge one, there were only a few entities here that could directly threaten Mok Gyeong-un.

Of course, those devouring each other would indiscriminately target him.

“Risking one’s life and committing suicide are different.”

– You’re good with words. But it’s still dangerous nonetheless. Even if it’s not complete yet, that thing may be more dangerous than me in some sense.

Its purpose wasn’t possession.

It was to indiscriminately devour and complete its transformation.

It would try to devour him in any way possible.

– Will you deal with the surrounding ones first?

Cheong-ryeong asked, pointing her head towards the small whirlpools.

At this, Mok Gyeong-un shook his head.

Then, looking at the huge whirlpool, he said:

“When eating fish, you should start with the head.”

– You crazy bastard. Is that a fish?

To call that thing “eating fish starting with the head”.

It’s a saying that the head of a fish is the most delicious part.

If he was indirectly expressing his opinion to go after the strongest one first, it was typical of him.

– Excessive greed is overambition. But if you can make that yours as you said, it could cut down ten years.

“Can you help me?”

– Before being a supreme-ruler of gluttony, do you think I’ll let my disciple die?

At those words, Mok Gyeong-un smiled brightly and said:

“Because if that disciple dies, Cheong-ryeong the master will also die.”

– … Cut the unpleasant talk.

“Yes, yes.”

– Phew.

Cheong-ryeong took a long puff from her pipe, exhaled smoke, and pointed at the huge whirlpool of fog, saying:

– I’ll gather their attention here. Just focus on running forward.

“I’ll be counting on you.”

– Eat to your heart’s content.

As soon as those words ended, Cheong-ryeong struck the ground with her pipe.

Then, with her blood-red eyes glinting, she opened her mouth.

– Blood Realm.

Gooooooo!

At that moment, blood began to form on the ground centered around her palm.

Drip drip!

Blood droplets rising as if falling in reverse.

The blood droplets shot up towards the sky, dyeing the surroundings red.

Seeing this, Mok Gyeong-un thought to himself:

‘Ghost Realm.’

A barrier created by a high-grade vengeful spirit.

That could be called the Ghost Realm.

Unlike the barriers deployed by sorcerers, this Ghost Realm was constructed by the vengeful spirit’s resentment and madness converging into a space.

‘Was it to this extent?’

Nearly several dozen jang around were dyed in a bloody color.

The low-grade vengeful spirits nearby trembled their spirit bodies at her resentment spreading and creating this Ghost Realm.

Some even scattered, unable to endure it.

Sizzle sizzle!

Puck! Puck!

Just then, the small whirlpools that had been busy devouring the surrounding vengeful spirits suddenly moved.

Wooooo!

Their target was none other than Cheong-ryeong.

By intentionally opening her realm and revealing her power, the transformed vengeful spirits that had been focused on devouring showed intense interest.

Go.

Poof!

At Cheong-ryeong’s words, Mok Gyeong-un turned to the side.

Even if the attention of the transformed vengeful spirits was focused on Cheong-ryeong, if he passed right in front of them, they might change their target.

Therefore, he had no choice but to go around from the side.

Tap tap tap tap!

When he used lightness skill, the speed was tremendous.

The surroundings swiftly passed by, and before long, he reached the front of the huge whirlpool.

The bloody realm exquisitely didn’t reach here.

If it had, this too would have turned its attention to Cheong-ryeong.

‘It’s amazing.’

Swoooosh!

Mok Gyeong-un inwardly exclaimed at the sight of the black fog swirling like rough waves.

It evoked a fear that if swept away by it, one might never return.

Most people, no, even considerable sorcerers would never dare to enter this.

However, Mok Gyeong-un had one other thing.

He had no emotion called fear.

Poof!

Mok Gyeong-un stepped into the violently raging torrent of vengeful spirits.

The moment he entered, a scream that seemed to tear his eardrums echoed.

Kyaaaaaaaa!

And a stench of rotting corpses vibrated from all directions as if to numb his nose.

It was as if his entire flesh would peel off, and it was painful to move even slightly.

“Phew.”

So this was why Cheong-ryeong had warned him.

It felt as if he would be swept away by the evil and brutal qi far beyond his expectations.

However, to avoid being swept away by this, Mok Gyeong-un circulated the death qi throughout his body using reverse cycling.

Right at that moment.

Clank!

Suddenly, a chain flew out from somewhere and coiled around Mok Gyeong-un’s waist.

At this, Mok Gyeong-un focused death qi into his hand and struck down.

Chiiing!

The chain was severed.

‘Huh?’

But this wasn’t the end.

Swoooosh!

Countless chains flew in and instantly restrained Mok Gyeong-un’s limbs.

It happened in an instant, so he couldn’t even avoid or resist.

Grip!

‘This… strength…’

The chains coiled around his entire body except for his head.

The binding force of these chains was so strong that no matter how much strength he used or pulled out death qi, they wouldn’t budge at all.

Swoooosh!

The chains that had restrained Mok Gyeong-un like this began to drag him towards the center of the black fog whirlpool.

It wasn’t something he could resist with strength.

As he was being dragged, another scream was heard from somewhere.

Aaaaaargh!

Save me!

Please! Please!

It was a scream close to pleading.

But as that sound got closer, something began to appear in his blurry vision.

Crunch! Crunch!

The sound of something being eaten was heard from there.

Wondering what it was eating,

‘!?’

The lower half of a vengeful spirit in human form was seen kicking upside down.

But its upper body was inside the wide-open mouth of a bizarre entity covered in chains.

It was a sight that made one shudder just by looking at it.

Glub! Glub!

The sound of the vengeful spirit being eaten came from inside the mouth, and it didn’t last long.

Because the lower half was also sucked into the mouth in an instant.

Devouring wasn’t a euphemism.

It was literal.

Uooooooooh!

The bizarre entity covered in chains that had devoured a vengeful spirit whole let out a roar.

The surroundings shook as if an earthquake had occurred.

Save me!

Please!

The vengeful spirits held by chains screamed and pleaded even more at this.

They were insanely terrified.

At that moment.

Tremble tremble!

Mok Gyeong-un’s entire body began to tremble.

Was he feeling the emotion of fear for the first time in his life?

At this, the bizarre entity covered in chains that had been roaring slowly turned its gaze.

Woooooo!

Two eyes visible through the gaps in the chains emitted a gaze.

-I’ll eat. You.

An eerie voice echoed in all directions.

Then, Mok Gyeong-un, who had been trembling, raised his head.

But his face didn’t have an expression of being consumed by fear.

As if all of this was exciting, his lips twitched, and soon the corners of his mouth spread to his ears.

-!?

The pale white eyes gleamed with interest.

Mok Gyeong-un spoke to that bizarre entity covered in chains:

“Seems like our opinions coincide.”