"Aaargh!"
"Ma-Madaaam!"
The maids cried out in agony. The veins on their faces swelled, looking as if they would burst at any moment.
"You wretched wench!"
Guard Ho-aeng, further enraged, was about to launch herself forward. Just then, Great Madam Seok urgently shouted.
"Ho-aeng! Stop!"
"What?"
At the cry, Ho-aeng had to stop after only three steps. She glared with eyes full of rage at Occultist Sak, who was chanting an incantation. She had grasped the Madam's weakness perfectly.
Madam Seok cherished the maids she had brought from her family home and her guard warrior, Ho-aeng, as much as her own son, the first young master. It was because they were people with whom she shared a nostalgia for her hometown. But to be swayed like this would only give the enemy an opening to exploit.
"Ma..." -Swish!
Madam Seok raised her hand, her face cold as ice. It was a sign not to interfere. Madam Seok glared at Occultist Sak as if to kill her and spoke.
"Occultist Sak. If you do not stop this instant, I promise you. I will mobilize all my connections and power to erase you and the Ghost Shadow Pavilion from this world."
She meant every word. She had touched what should never have been touched. How dare she not only betray me but also torment my people?
In the face of her fury, Occultist Sak did not show it, but she could not hide her bitterness. In the end, it had all gone just as Mok Gyeong-un wanted.
[You said you'd do anything. You can at least do that much, right?]
[..........]
She had never met such a cunning bastard. She thought he was just an immature 17-year-old young master who knew nothing of the world, but he was a little demon. To think he would come up with such a scheme.
With this, the Great Madam would come to hate her and the Ghost Shadow Pavilion. No, from the Ghost Shadow Pavilion's perspective, a long-time client had turned into an enemy.
'Haa.'
She let out a deep sigh. She was in no position to worry about the Ghost Shadow Pavilion. What would happen to her when they found out about this?
She had broken several of the Ghost Shadow Pavilion's rules just to save one Spirit Guardian, so it wouldn't be strange if she were expelled, exiled, or made to pay an even greater price. 'Is it time to leave?' -Grit! Biting her lip hard, Sak stopped chanting the incantation.
And she shouted to Madam Seok.
"If you dare to follow and harm me, you will lose your two maids."
'How dare that wench!' Madam Seok's anger rose to the crown of her head, but she barely suppressed it. She had seen with her own eyes that occult arts possessed a strange power to threaten a person's life even from a distance, so she could not easily ignore Sak's threat. -Flinch!
Madam Seok looked somewhere and furrowed her brow. She could hear many presences within the manor converging on Radiant Blossoms Hall. It was probably the outer hall guards.
Madam Seok, who had been glaring at Sak, finally made up her mind.
"........ Leave before I change my mind. Quickly."
At these words, Sak let out a small sigh of relief.
"Huu."
The technique she had used was called the Six Slaves Incantation, an occult art that could directly harm or control a person. Normally, it required a part of the target's body, their time of birth, six sacrifices, and two talismans. Only when all these were prepared could one perform a killing curse or anything else.
What she had just done was merely a temporary display, borrowing the power of a few special talismans and a special artifact called an Illusory Blade. -Crumble! The Illusory Blade in her robes had shattered, so she could no longer perform the art. In the end, it had been a gamble.
'I must go quickly.' If she didn't hurry, she might be found out.
-Creeeak!
Carefully opening the door to the Medicine Hall, Occultist Sak stepped inside. To her, Mok Gyeong-un, who was sitting on the edge of a cot, raised a hand and spoke casually.
"Did you do well?"
"........ Yes. I did as you commanded."
At that, Mok Gyeong-un asked again.
"So you say, but are you certain?"
"Yes, Young Master. I have confirmed it."
Hearing the voice from behind, Occultist Sak frowned slightly and turned her head. The one who had answered from behind her was none other than Guard Go Chan. 'So he had someone follow me after all.'
Sak clicked her tongue inwardly. It was no surprise that such a cunning fellow would have her watched. But she didn't care much.
For Guyeo, she had done exactly as she was told. Sak looked at the gaunt Guyeo, gasping for breath in Mok Gyeong-un's right hand, and spoke.
"Now, please keep your promise."
"Alright. A promise is a promise."
Even at Mok Gyeong-un's words, Sak did not let down her guard. Though younger than her, there was no telling what this man would do next. That was why she couldn't be careless.
Mok Gyeong-un approached her, gripping Guyeo's neck.
"Ah! There is one thing I want to ask."
She flinched.
Surely he hadn't changed his mind and was about to say something else? Though doubtful, she tried her best not to show it and spoke.
"....... What is it?"
"In that group you belong to, the Ghost Shadow Pavilion, are there others besides you who handle evil spirit monsters or vengeful spirits like this Demonic Monk here as Spirit Guardians?"
At Mok Gyeong-un's question, Sak looked at the Demonic Monk, a Yellow Spirit. Indeed, no matter how she looked at it, that soul was undoubtedly a vengeful spirit belonging to the realm of anomalies. She truly couldn't understand.
Vengeful spirits were beings that remained in this world solely due to their resentment. Because of their obsession with that resentment and their grudge to cause harm, they could not be used as Spirit Guardians. No, they could not even become Spirit Guardians.
'They are merely targets for exorcism.' Just how was that man commanding a Yellow Spirit as a Spirit Guardian? She couldn't comprehend it at all.
Moreover, he wasn't even an Occultist.
"Are you unwilling to talk?"
Startled by Mok Gyeong-un's prodding, she quickly answered.
"No. In the Ghost Shadow Pavilion, there are three occultists who can command Spirit Guardians, including myself."
'Though soon it will be two.' Not only had she broken the Ghost Shadow Pavilion's rules, but she had also made an enemy of the Great Madam of the Lotuswood Sword Manor, so she was in a position where she had to leave one way or another.
In the worst case, they might try to kill her or place a curse on her. Anyway, that wasn't what was important right now.
"There aren't that many, then."
"...... In the Ghost Shadow Pavilion, yes."
"In the Ghost Shadow Pavilion? Then are there other occultist groups?"
At this, Sak inwardly cursed herself. She had said something she didn't need to. Since she would be leaving the Ghost Shadow Pavilion anyway, she would have to find another place to belong.
It was a mistake. So, she answered vaguely.
"Just as there are many martial sects in the martial world besides the Lotuswood Sword Manor, the same goes for occultist groups."
"Well, I suppose that makes sense."
"Do you have any more questions?"
"Could I also know what kind of evil spirit monsters the other two occultists handle?"
"........."
Sak was genuinely astounded. This man had clearly not let down his guard against the Ghost Shadow Pavilion. It wasn't enough that he had driven a wedge between that woman, the Great Madam who wanted to kill him, and the Ghost Shadow Pavilion; he was also preparing for what might come.
She glanced at Guyeo, who was held in Mok Gyeong-un's hand and looking at her pitifully. After hesitating, she finally opened her mouth.
"An occultist named Go, who has served the pavilion master for a long time, handles a fierce Beast from Green-Tailed Mountain, the Horned Demon Eagle, as his Spirit Guardian."
"What kind of power does that evil spirit monster have?"
"I don't know exactly. But I remember its appearance. It has a body like an eagle with bizarrely shaped horns."
"You're not pretending not to know, are you?"
"........ A Spirit Guardian is like a secret art to an occultist, so most of them hide what kind of power it possesses."
That was the truth. Even among occultists, it was a basic rule not to reveal or ask about each other's occult arts or Spirit Guardians. That was their unspoken rule.
Mok Gyeong-un nodded and then asked.
"And the other person?"
"The Ghost Shadow Pavilion Master. Even I do not know what kind of evil spirit monster the pavilion master possesses."
"You don't know?"
"Yes. But there's a high probability that he has a top-tier evil spirit monster as his Spirit Guardian."
'Well, he is one of the pavilion masters of the Occultist’ Council of Sixty-Four Divisions, so that must be the case.' The Occultist’ Council of Sixty-Four Divisions. It was a group of sixty-four occultist factions located throughout the Central Plains.
Their leaders, the pavilion masters, were occultists who had made quite a name for themselves in the hidden world. Though he wasn't among the Six Divine Occultist called the pinnacle, he was said to be about in the middle, so his skills must be formidable.
"Do evil spirit monsters also have ranks? Like vengeful spirits?"
At Mok Gyeong-un's question, Sak nodded.
"Yes."
"If it's top-tier, what level is that?"
"Evil spirits and monsters can be divided into ranks: lesser beast, fierce Beast, demon beast, devil beast, spirit beast, and divine beast."
Sak's Spirit Guardian, Guyeo, is called a lesser beast in the Classic of Mountains and Seas. In fact, lesser beasts were among the more docile of the evil spirit monsters, and could be considered a type that avoided humans. However, once you get to the level of a fierce Beast, there are some that eat humans.
Therefore, from the fierce Beast level onwards, it was extremely difficult to subdue or handle them as Spirit Guardians.
"Hmm. Then that pavilion master must handle a spirit beast or a divine beast."
At that, Sak shook her head.
"No, no. That's not it."
"It's not?"
"Yes. Spirit beasts and divine beasts are walking calamities themselves, so it is nearly impossible for even the most outstanding occultists to make them into Spirit Guardians."
Spirit beasts and divine beasts were beings called calamities or legends. Even she had never actually seen these beings. She had only come across records of them in the ancient texts and the Classic of Mountains and Seas that she studied to learn occult arts.
'Thinking about it, the Six Divine Occultist are truly amazing.' The Six Divine Occultist, called the pinnacle of occultists. They were the six occultists who had received the title of 'God'.
She had heard that among them, two had managed to subdue spirit beasts as their Spirit Guardians. Of the countless occultists, only two had reached that realm, so they were worthy of the title of 'God'.
"Then it must be a demon beast or a devil beast?"
"Most likely."
Even if not a spirit beast or higher, a demon beast or devil beast was worthy of being called top-tier among evil spirit monsters. They were beings that had gained great notoriety in a region or whose demonic power was extraordinary. Mok Gyeong-un's lips twitched as he muttered under his breath.
"I'd prefer it if it were a devil beast."
"What?"
"Ah... It's nothing."
Sak furrowed her brows. What did this man just say? While she was puzzled, Mok Gyeong-un handed Guyeo over to her and said.
"Here. You may go now."
"........."
With trembling eyes, she accepted the gasping Guyeo.
After Sak left, Guard Go Chan spoke with an anxious tone.
"Young Master... is it alright to just let her go like that?"
"I promised to let her go."
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, Go Chan grumbled inwardly. 'Since when was he so merciful?' But he didn't show it on his face.
Should I say I've gotten used to it?
"Will it be alright? This subordinate worries that the occultist woman might hold a grudge and try to take revenge..."
"It's fine."
"Are you not worried?"
There was always a 'what if'. Though he couldn't see anything with his own eyes, from what he had gathered, it seemed Mok Gyeong-un had blackmailed the occultist woman with something precious to her. So there was a chance she might hold a grudge because of it.
At this, Mok Gyeong-un gave a strange smile and said.
"Guard Go Chan has a point, but she probably won't be able to. Probably."
"........."
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, Go Chan was puzzled. He didn't know what his master was relying on to be so confident.
-Tremble!
Occultist Sak held the gasping Guyeo. Her heart ached terribly. She had spent years with this child; Guyeo was her only friend and family.
But now, she was on the verge of death. Having exhausted most of her energy, it wouldn't be strange if she died at any moment. If she didn't find a way to replenish or restore it, she might lose Guyeo. -Grind!
Her heartache turned into anger. She had been recognized as a remarkable talent, earning the title of Spirit Adept at a young age. Yet now she had to suffer such humiliation.
Occultist Sak turned her head and looked toward the Medicine Hall where Mok Gyeong-un was. '....... I may be retreating like this now, but soon....' -It seems you are making a vow of revenge, mortal. -Chill! Startled for a moment, Sak frantically tried to distance herself from the voice that came from behind.
But someone wrapped their arms around her head. -Swish!
'This is...'
She didn't know what to do. A chill coming from behind her sent a shiver down her spine. Even Guyeo, whom she held, was trembling like a leaf in fear.
It wasn't because she was weak, but because she was truly terrified. 'This... this feeling...' She could never forget this sensation.
The being that had deflected her reverse killing curse and struck her white eye. Cold sweat beaded on Sak's forehead. And the droplets trickled down her cheek. -Drip!
'It can't be.' Now, having come into direct contact with this being, she knew for sure. This was definitely not a mere Green Spirit.
'How could this be...' She couldn't believe it. That he could handle such a wicked and horrifying being? -Sting!
"Hagh!"
Her white eye, reacting to the anomaly, felt a tearing pain as bloody tears streamed down. She could no longer see anything with her white eye. -Creep! In her black pupils, she could see someone looking down at her, upside down. '!!!!!!!'
A beautiful face. In contrast to it, blood-red eyes filled with madness. The moment she met that gaze, she couldn't breathe.