How dare this worthless mortal try to seal my vital points and probe my body as he pleases. A madman eager to die, I see. What should I do?
If you don't want your heart to burst, shall I just pull it out?
“Gasp… gasp…”
Outer Hall Master Sang Ung-baek found it hard to even breathe. He couldn't relax because of the hand gripping his heart. Mok Gyeong-un looked past him, at the smirking face of Blue Spirit.
Mok Gyeong-un was quite intrigued by her power.
‘She’s on a completely different level.’
The Demonic Monk, a Yellow Spirit-rank, was a handful even for a first-rate master, yet Blue Spirit had subdued Sang Ung-baek with such ease. A man who seemed stronger than Guard Gam had been caught without even sensing her. It seemed she could kill him whenever she pleased.
He now understood why the Yin-Yang Fundamental Scripture stated that anything Green Spirit-rank or above was a disaster that was difficult to handle. It was worth the effort of humoring her and waiting. She wasn't yet under his complete control like the Demonic Monk, but with a bit more taming, she would be useful.
Are you going to stay like this? I can't maintain this kind of partial materialization for long.
‘Ah…’
Is that so? That was good to know. One had to understand an ability precisely to use it properly in any situation.
Blue Spirit raised an eyebrow and said. Could it be that you can't move because your paralysis points have been sealed?
“No.” Shuk!
Mok Gyeong-un moved, pulling Sang Ung-baek’s hand off his wrist. At this, Sang Ung-baek, who had been completely immobilized, felt his eyes tremble. He had clearly sealed the vital points.
But how could he move?
‘Could it be?’
Sang Ung-baek thought he knew the reason. Even the true energy he had forcefully pushed in had dispersed within the body. This meant there was a high probability that the true energy used to strike the vital points had also scattered.
‘Ha!’
A body impervious to point-striking techniques, even without the Blood Reversal Grand Art or profound internal energy. It was truly strange. As he stood there in astonishment, Mok Gyeong-un spoke.
“Are you in pain?”
“Haa… haa…”
“Is it so bad you can’t even speak?”
At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Outer Hall Master Sang Ung-baek carefully parted his lips.
“What… what in the world did you do to me?”
Sang Ung-baek couldn’t comprehend what this thing was that had pierced through his body and was now clutching his heart. To Sang Ung-baek’s question, Mok Gyeong-un let out a faint smile and said.
“I don’t think you’d want to know.”
“Pardon?”
He would only be more terrified if he knew what was behind him.
“And I don’t feel the need to tell you.”
At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Outer Hall Master Sang Ung-baek furrowed his brow, unsure of what to do. Was this really the Mok Gyeong-un he knew? The atmosphere was completely different.
Mok Gyeong-un then asked him.
“By the way, Outer Hall Master. Why were you trying to examine my body?”
“That is…”
“I would appreciate a proper answer.”
Gulp!
Meeting Mok Gyeong-un’s gaze, Sang Ung-baek swallowed dryly without realizing it. He hadn't noticed before, but the boy's eyes were staring fixedly at him, without the slightest movement. Why was his gaze so chilling?
It was not a gaze a mere seventeen-year-old boy should have.
“It seems you don’t want to answer. Blue Spirit, you said you wanted to burst his heart…”
“I, I wanted to confirm something!”
At the thinly veiled threat, Sang Ung-baek hurriedly answered. Mok Gyeong-un tilted his head slightly and asked.
“Confirm what?”
“…Both the Great Madam and the second young master, I found it hard to understand why they would go to such lengths to target the Young Master.”
“You found it hard to understand why they were targeting me?”
“That is correct.”
“Hmm. Why is that?”
“Pardon?”
“The succession contest is in full swing, so I don't see anything particularly strange about it.”
At those words, Sang Ung-baek hesitated for a moment before speaking cautiously.
“If this is the true self you’ve been hiding, Young Master, then I can understand their feelings. But given the image you’ve shown until now and your circumstances, it wasn't a situation where the others would target you so aggressively this early on.”
“…”
“The Manor Lord hasn't even passed away, so it was strange for them to push themselves to target you. Thus, I thought you might be hiding something, Young Master.”
Hearing the Outer Hall Master’s words, Mok Gyeong-un clicked his tongue inwardly. To think he could arouse suspicion in this way.
‘That real guy. He must have been quite the fool.’
It was ridiculous to be suspected for such a simple reason. Of course, it wasn't entirely incomprehensible. It just meant he had stood out too much in the past few days.
‘Hmm.’
Mok Gyeong-un stroked his chin. If even the Outer Hall Master, whom he had met only once, was suspicious, it wouldn't be long before other vassals started watching him for similar reasons. The only fortunate thing was that there seemed to be no suspicion that he was an imposter yet.
They just seemed to think he was hiding his strength. Mok Gyeong-un opened his mouth.
“So, did you achieve your goal of confirming it?”
At that question, Outer Hall Master Sang Ung-baek parted his lips, his voice tense.
“... Were you hiding it on purpose?”
“Who knows. I have no obligation to tell you that. More importantly, I'm contemplating what to do with you, Outer Hall Master.”
It’s hard to maintain this form. Just kill him, mortal. Blue Spirit spoke in a dry voice, puffing on her long pipe.
Mok Gyeong-un shook his head slightly.
“Not yet.”
Killing the Outer Hall Master would make things truly complicated. It would disrupt his plan to learn martial arts at the Lotuswood Sword Manor and then leave. It was quite a predicament.
Then what do you plan to do?
“Well.”
I’m reaching my limit.
Decide.
“Hm.”
Outer Hall Master Sang Ung-baek couldn't understand it at all. Someone was clearly clutching his heart, but he couldn't feel any presence behind him. It was a situation a ghost would cry over.
What was even stranger was that Mok Gyeong-un was having a conversation when nothing could be heard. How was he supposed to accept this situation? But that didn't seem to be the problem right now.
It felt as though he had discovered something he shouldn't have. He might be killed to silence him. He spoke hastily.
“Young Master… please forgive my discourtesy.”
“No. How can it be discourtesy for something that has already happened?”
“It is discourtesy. As a vassal of the Mok family, I should have approached this more carefully, but I was too rash. I beg for your forgiveness.”
“I said it’s fine.”
“This subordinate truly had no other intention. I merely wanted to confirm if the Young Master also possessed the qualifications for succession.”
This was the truth. He was disappointed in both the Great Madam and the second young master, Mok Eun-pyeong. That was why he wanted to confirm if Mok Gyeong-un possessed something that made them feel so threatened.
Because when the Manor Lord eventually passed away, the moment of decision would come.
“Now that I have seen the Young Master's true face, this subordinate…”
“That’s enough.”
“Pardon?”
“I have absolutely no interest in whether the people of this family fight over succession or not. But if the Outer Hall Master gets involved, it might get a little tiring.”
“Yo, Young Master? What in the world…”
What did he mean? If he had no interest in the succession contest, why had he hidden his true nature? Sang Ung-baek couldn't hide his bewilderment.
Good.
Then I can kill him, right? Blue Spirit said, a corner of her mouth lifting as if she had been waiting.
“No.” What do you mean, no?
Then what are you going to do? Mok Gyeong-un looked at the Demonic Monk beside him and said.
“Is what you tried to do to me before possible?” …!?
At those words, a strange light flickered in the Demonic Monk’s eyes. As Blue Spirit stared with a look that asked what he meant, Mok Gyeong-un pointed a finger at Outer Hall Master Sang Ung-baek and said.
“I read in the Yin-Yang Fundamental Scripture that being possessed by a vengeful spirit is called possession. Can you do it?”
What?
At those words, Blue Spirit’s eyes widened. Was this bastard openly giving him a chance for possession? Giving such a good opportunity to this Bald monk fellow instead of her…
Hmph.
Blue Spirit's eyes narrowed. On second thought, she really disliked the rugged face of this mortal named Sang Ung-baek. It wasn't a body she particularly wanted to take.
Thus, Blue Spirit spoke in a tone as if she were magnanimously yielding. He’s giving you a chance, why don’t you try it, Bald monk. … The Demonic Monk glanced around cautiously, then looked at Sang Ung-baek with eyes like he was looking at a delicious meal.
It was the instinct of all vengeful spirits to want to seize a living body, a spirit. It was no different even after becoming a Spirit Guardian.
“You can hold him, right?”
That’s not even a difficult task. … At those words, the Demonic Monk approached Sang Ung-baek.
Chills!
As he came almost face to face, Sang Ung-baek, who sensed the coldness with his spiritual sense, was startled and shouted at Mok Gyeong-un.
“Yo, Young Master, what are you trying to do right now?”
“You heard me.”
“Pardon?”
“Possession.”
No sooner had those words been spoken. The Demonic Monk seeped into Sang Ung-baek’s body.
Ssssk!
“Heok!”
Sensing this, Sang Ung-baek urgently tried to draw up the energy in his dantian to expel this disgusting thing from his body. But at that moment, Blue Spirit touched Sang Ung-baek’s dantian and brain simultaneously.
“Keok!”
For a moment, the energy that was about to spread from his dantian throughout his body was cut off. As if that wasn't enough, she touched his cerebrum, and Sang Ung-baek’s eyes glazed over as if he had lost his mind. Not missing this chance, the Demonic Monk attempted to possess Sang Ung-baek’s body.
Udeuk! Udeuk!
Sang Ung-baek’s back arched like a bow. Then, a bizarre sound flowed from his mouth.
“Kkeugeogeogeo!”
Th-thump!
Black veins bulged here and there, a sight similar to the Manor Lord's previous state. It was the process of taking over a body through a killing curse. Understanding this, Mok Gyeong-un watched Sang Ung-baek with an intrigued gaze.
His body twisted violently; he looked to be in great agony.
Hoo.
Blue Spirit exhaled a thick cloud of smoke from her long pipe. She too was watching with eyes full of anticipation, just like Mok Gyeong-un.
‘Break. Please break.’
That wench named Sak had failed because she was an Occultist. But this man, Sang Ung-baek, was different. She hoped the Demonic Monk would succeed in controlling the body and that the bond of the Spirit Guardian would finally break.
If that happened, she could sever her own Spirit Guardian bond anytime by targeting an easy-looking spirit.
Ssssk!
It was at that moment, as she watched with anticipation. As if the body had been subjugated to some extent, the black veins that had been bulging from the skin began to subside. And the pained expression on Sang Ung-baek’s face disappeared.
It changed to one of complete blankness.
Dududuk!
Straightening his back, Sang Ung-baek, who had closed his eyes, opened them. With a pale face and a peculiar glint in his eyes, different from ordinary people, Sang Ung-baek’s atmosphere was considerably different from before. Just then, Sang Ung-baek tilted his head slightly and shivered.
“Why is this happening? Is the possession not over yet?”
At that question, Blue Spirit answered. He’s probably locking away the ego. It’s the natural order to control the mind after taking over the body.
“Oh. Is that so?”
Once the mind is controlled, everything is taken. Even the memories of the possessed body.
“Memories? Ah!”
Come to think of it, the Demonic Monk, who was an anomaly, had used the Occultist’s spell to make the Manor Lord spit out the location of the secret manual in his head. If he could read memories, it meant he could almost become that person. A corner of Mok Gyeong-un’s mouth crept up slightly.
‘This is good.’
There was no need to go through the troublesome process of making something useful. The Spirit Guardian was completely his. There was no worry that it would change its mind at any moment like a human.
It was right then. The trembling of Sang Ung-baek’s head stopped. Although a subtle ghostly energy could be seen in his eyes, the paleness had vanished to the point where one couldn't tell at a glance.
“Is it over?”
At that question, Sang Ung-baek nodded his head. Then, as if satisfied, he twitched his lips and said.
“Master. This body is now mine.”
The possession was a success. Mok Gyeong-un also smiled, satisfied that the body had been completely taken over. 'The body of the Outer Hall Master.'
His range of movement might become much more convenient from now on. On the other hand, Blue Spirit’s expression was not very good. The reason was that she could see the red thread protruding from Sang Ung-baek’s chest was still connected to Mok Gyeong-un.
Tsk!
Severing the Spirit Guardian bond through possession was impossible.