A connected red thread. It signified that their souls were connected. A Spirit Guardian.
Having become an anomaly bound to a master, the being known as Blue Spirit was in an uproar, tearing at her hair and screaming at how unjust and absurd the situation was. She even threatened Mok Gyeong-un, unable to contain her rage.
However, -Sizzle!
‘Kuh! Dammit!’
The being, Blue Spirit, was choking Mok Gyeong-un when she suddenly pulled her hand away in alarm. He wondered why, then saw red handprints appearing on Blue Spirit's own pale neck.
‘Could it be?’
Seeing this, Mok Gyeong-un realized something. He didn't know the exact reason, but it seemed a Spirit Guardian shared any harm inflicted upon its master.
‘So that's why.’
He now understood why black spots had appeared all over the Demonic Monk's body. It was because the damage Blue Spirit had sustained while attacking with her blood drops was reflected back onto the Demonic Monk.
‘I see.’
He now understood why beings like Spirit Guardians obeyed their masters. With their souls connected, they shared all harm, so they had no choice but to eliminate anything that threatened their master. Seeing this, he could understand why the being, Blue Spirit, was reacting this way.
How infuriating must it be for such an arrogant being to become a Spirit Guardian, no different from a slave. Even for a being that was only a soul, it was enough to make her furious. But that was all.
Mok Gyeong-un didn't care whether the being, Blue Spirit, felt wronged or was bursting with rage. On the contrary, he was satisfied, having achieved his goal.
‘Blue Spirit rank.’
In terms of rank, it was the fifth of seven levels, a high-level vengeful spirit close to an evil spirit monster. A Blue Spirit-rank vengeful spirit, having existed with its grudge for over a hundred years, could affect things other than living beings, unlike the Yellow Spirit-rank Demonic Monk. Mok Gyeong-un wanted to confirm this.
‘Before that...’
Mok Gyeong-un spoke to the still-fuming Blue Spirit.
“Since you've become my Spirit Guardian, what should I call you?” -........
“Isn't it a waste of time to keep acting like this?” -........
‘Hmm.’
Mok Gyeong-un let out a sigh. He shook his head at the sight of her fuming and refusing to even make eye contact.
“Then I suppose it doesn't matter what I call you.” -........
“Would something like 'moron' be fine?” -How dare you!
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, the Blue Spirit, who had been avoiding his gaze, snapped her head around. Mok Gyeong-un smirked and said, “I see you don't like that one.” At that, one of Blue Spirit's eyebrows shot up menacingly. -You wretched mortal, you dare to play games with this master?
“If you don't want to be toyed with, then give me a proper name to call you.” -I have no name to give to a worthless mortal.
After saying that, the Blue Spirit snapped her head away again. Seeing this, Mok Gyeong-un inwardly clicked his tongue. Fortunately, she wasn't a threat to him, but he thought she might be quite difficult to control.
“I have no choice then. Since you don't want to tell me, I'll call you whatever I want.” -........
“I can't think of anything else, so I'll call you Blue Spirit.”
Mok Gyeong-un decided to simply use 'Blue Spirit,' the rank that denoted the vengeful spirit's level, as her name. At this, the being known as Blue Spirit frowned slightly. It seemed to bother her.
But it seemed her pride wouldn't allow her to reveal her true name or title.
‘I'll have to slowly coax it out of her.’
There was no point in obtaining a Blue Spirit-rank if he couldn't use her. Without showing his thoughts, Mok Gyeong-un approached something. It was the book lying on the cave floor, its human skin cover torn off.
Picking up the book, Mok Gyeong-un asked, “Blue Spirit, you must know what's written inside.” -Who said my name is Blue Spirit...
Hah.
About to get angry, she waved her hand dismissively, as if she didn't want to speak. Then she reached out, picked up the long pipe that had fallen to the floor, and began puffing away. She seemed to be quite the smoker.
Mok Gyeong-un smacked his lips and began flipping through the book.
‘Huh?’
A peculiar light gleamed in Mok Gyeong-un's eyes. The characters written in the book seemed to be written in blood.
‘Interesting.’
A cover of human skin, and words of blood. Most people would be so repulsed by this book they wouldn't even think of looking through it. Of course, Mok Gyeong-un didn't care about such things at all.
But that wasn't the problem.
‘What is this?’
Inside the book, the characters were jumbled together without any order. They were arranged so randomly that it was difficult to even interpret them. Mok Gyeong-un frowned as he looked at the characters.
‘Why are they arranged so haphazardly?’
The characters themselves were also highly abstract words rather than common ones. He had recently seen writing like this. It was the Lotuswood Heart Transformation Technique.
It described breathing and energy circulation methods, but the part related to the heart technique was composed of highly abstract words, like reading a poem.
‘It's similar. But more complex.’
A total of thirty characters were arranged randomly. It seemed they were meant to be combined, but no matter how he connected them, they formed meaningless sentences. -Pfft! Just then, he heard a sneer.
He looked over and saw Blue Spirit puffing on her long pipe and shaking her head. Her reaction seemed to say, 'You could die and come back to life and you still wouldn't know what this is.' Mok Gyeong-un paid her no mind and stared intently at the characters.
“Hmm.......”
After staring for a while, Mok Gyeong-un finally opened his mouth.
“Mujeolmangryeoseo....... Ihyungwihimyang......” -!?
As the two phrases came out, the sneering Blue Spirit's expression stiffened. From her reaction, Mok Gyeong-un was able to deduce that the two phrases he had combined were correct. However, he knew if he showed it, he wouldn't be able to confirm it with her expression, so he deliberately kept a straight face and deduced the next phrase.
“Muohjeongeosang...... Musanghyungwijeon......”
As he said this, Blue Spirit's expression went beyond stiff to a deep frown. It seemed the next phrases were also correct. He was connecting them based on what felt most fitting, and it was working.
With the remaining six words, “Magaryanghaegeo......
Yeokhaemugeukhyeol.” -Crumple!
The moment he finished speaking, just as he completed the sentence, he felt a tightening in the center of his stomach, and the book in his hand crumpled grotesquely.
‘What in the world?’
Mok Gyeong-un couldn't understand what had happened. Looking at the crumpled book, the paper was bunched up in the direction of his hand. It was as if it was trying to stick to his palm.
Just then, Blue Spirit's voice reached his ear. -How did you learn the Binding?
“What?”
Mok Gyeong-un asked, looking at her. Blue Spirit had a surprised look on her face before she quickly turned her head away. Her determination not to speak to him seemed firm.
Looking at her, Mok Gyeong-un asked quizzically, “What is this 'Binding'? Does it have something to do with what happened to the book?” -.........
“When the book crumpled, I felt a slight tension below my navel. Is that related too?” -Hah......this is...
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, Blue Spirit was dumbfounded. Blue Spirit had known from the start that Mok Gyeong-un had not learned any martial arts. Therefore, she was certain he would never be able to understand this.
No, it was inevitable. Unless one reached a considerable realm or had great enlightenment, it was difficult to even accept it. But surprisingly, Mok Gyeong-un had combined these thirty characters to create the first incantation. -..........
Blue Spirit glanced at Mok Gyeong-un. She didn't want to speak to him because he had made her his Spirit Guardian, but her curiosity grew. She wondered if he had truly understood it properly.
After a moment of deliberation, Blue Spirit opened her mouth. -Hey, mortal.
“Jeong...... No, it's Mok Gyeong-un.” -What?
“Call me Mok Gyeong-un.”
At that, Blue Spirit scoffed and said, -Mortal. Even though he told her his name, she seemed to have no intention of using it. Since he wasn't one to attach much meaning to such things, Mok Gyeong-un just shrugged.
As long as they could communicate, what he was called didn't matter. Blue Spirit took a drag from her long pipe, blew out a puff of smoke, and said, -Mortal. Do you remember that sensation from a moment ago?
“Sensation?” -Yes.
“I'm not sure what you mean.”
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, Blue Spirit stared at him for a moment before shaking her head. -Then again, it's impossible for a worthless mortal to learn the Binding technique so easily..... -Crumple! Before she could even finish her sentence, the book in Mok Gyeong-un's hand crumpled even more, sticking to his palm.
A peculiar light gleamed in Mok Gyeong-un's eyes as he watched.
‘Ah?’
Just as Blue Spirit had said, he recalled that sensation, this time focusing and reciting the incantation in his mind. At that, the paper crumpled again and stuck to his palm. It was truly a strange phenomenon.
But as he did this, the area below his navel grew taut again. Not only that, but he also felt the blood vessels in his arm, starting from his palm, grow tense just like his abdomen. Mok Gyeong-un looked at Blue Spirit and asked, “What is this?”
Blue Spirit looked at him and clicked her tongue in disbelief, muttering. -........ To see something in death that I never saw in life.
“What? -........ It's nothing.
“What do you mean, nothing?”-Never mind, mortal.
“Since we've become partners in fate, why don't you try to open your heart a little?”-Open my heart?
Hah!
This master has become the Spirit Guardian of a worthless mortal like you, and you expect me to open my...
“Gasp!”
Before she could finish her sentence, Mok Gyeong-un clenched his fist. The veins on the back of his hand and wrist were bulging as if they were about to burst. -Shudder! -Tch! The back of Blue Spirit's hand trembled.
Because their souls were connected, Mok Gyeong-un's pain was transmitted to her. At this, Blue Spirit shouted, -Hey!
Mortal.
Stop breathing and clear your mind.
“Hh, hh!”-I told you to stop breathing!
At her shout, Mok Gyeong-un forced himself to hold his breath. And he tried to think of other things to erase the incantations he had been chanting unknowingly in his head. Seeing this, Blue Spirit's eyes narrowed.
His concentration was incredible. What just happened was a phenomenon caused by his inability to control the Binding technique. Normally, one would become lost in the incantation and would find it difficult to break free from that state without someone's help.
Yet, with just a single piece of advice, Mok Gyeong-un was breaking free on his own. It would be a lie to say she wasn't surprised.
“Hah.”
Soon, the sound of steady breathing came from Mok Gyeong-un's mouth. Seeing this, Blue Spirit clicked her tongue in amazement. Mok Gyeong-un asked her,“Why did that just happen?”-.......
It's because you couldn't properly control the Binding technique. He thought she wouldn't answer this time either, but surprisingly, Blue Spirit replied meekly. At this, Mok Gyeong-un smirked and said,"Are you going to tell me properly now?"-Hmph!
I'm only trying to prevent you from doing something useless and harming this master. Mok Gyeong-un narrowed his eyes at Blue Spirit's blunt tone. Then, he shrugged.
It didn't matter what her reason was. As long as his curiosity could be sated.
“What is the Binding technique?”-It is as the name implies.
It is the art of pulling and attaching.
“Attaching, like just now?”-Yes.
“But why did my stomach hurt, and on top of that, why did my blood vessels bulge?”-That's because you were just pulling at nothing.
“What do you mean by that?”
Looking at the confused Mok Gyeong-un, Blue Spirit pointed somewhere with her long pipe. It was the corpse of Jo Il-sang, hanging upside down. Having been hung upside down and beheaded, all the blood seemed to have drained out, leaving him incredibly pale.
“Try it on that.”
“On this?”
Mok Gyeong-un approached the dead Jo Il-sang and nudged him. Blue Spirit nodded.
“..........”He didn't know why she wanted him to use the Binding technique on the dead Jo Il-sang, but Mok Gyeong-un placed his palm on the body without a word.
Then, Blue Spirit urged him. -No, not there.
“What?”-His energy has scattered since he's dead, but do it on his dantian.
“By dantian, do you mean the area on the abdomen below the navel?”-Do I have to explain every little thing like that?
“......... Well, I don't know much.”
At his words, Blue Spirit snorted and took a drag from her long pipe, blowing out smoke. Mok Gyeong-un took a light breath and placed his palm on Jo Il-sang's dantian. Then, he recited the incantation of the Binding technique in his mind.
‘Mujeolmangryeoseo Ihyungwihimyang Muohjeongeosang Musanghyungwijeon Magaryanghaegeo Yeokhaemugeukhyeol.’
Along with that, he recalled the sensation, and -Slap! Then, the skin of the dead Jo Il-sang's dantian stuck to Mok Gyeong-un's palm. The texture was different from when the book crumpled, but there was nothing else.
Just as he was about to think that, something burrowed into his palm. It was a warm energy.
‘This is?’
He could clearly feel the energy entering his palm and flowing through his blood vessels. Soon, that warm something flowing through his blood vessels even warmed his tensed abdomen. The warm energy made him feel elated.
As this was happening, Blue Spirit spoke in a triumphant voice. -Do you feel it? That is the profound principle of the Binding technique. It can pull anything and make it attach.
Even qi is no exception.