Chapter 23 – The Trap

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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“It was all ordered by Brother Beom Chang!”

Jin So-myeong barely stopped the Horse-Slaying Saber that he was about to strike down forcefully.

He barely maintained a calm expression and spoke.

“…Beom Chang ordered it? Who is that guy?”

Since he had already finished his investigation and knew all about Beom Chang, he asked as if he knew nothing.

“Th-That…”

The answer was slow. Seeing him hesitate, still unable to judge the situation, he frowned deeply.

Swish!

Just before the Horse-Slaying Saber, swung in an instant, plunged into his finger.

“Argh! I-I will speak! I will tell you everything, so please put that vicious thing away! So, what happened was…”

The fellow’s explanation continued on.

Everything, from Beom Chang being the nephew of the Foundation Establishment old monster, to setting a plan targeting Jin So-myeong.

He poured it all out satisfyingly.

“Ah. I remember who Beom Chang is. He’s the gatekeeper who forced me to become a miscellaneous labor disciple in the past, right?”

“Yes! Normally he would have visited long ago to force the contract again, but since you suddenly disappeared, Daoist friend, he thought you were dead and gave up. But then you appeared in the market one day…”

Once he started speaking, there was not a shred of hesitation.

He confessed all the dirty tricks played against Jin So-myeong recently.

“He intended to make it difficult to earn spirit stones so that cultivation would be hard, and then naturally approach to bestow favor. I am sorry!”

“Ha. What was he going to do by bestowing favor? Do you think I would be grateful for that?”

“Wouldn’t it be better than forcing a contract? In fact, I do not know Brother’s thoughts either. …But think about it carefully! Entering under Brother’s command won’t be entirely bad either!”

“What?”

At the sight of him shouting confidently instead, it went beyond absurdity to the point where curiosity arose.

As Jin So-myeong gestured with his chin to speak, the messenger hurriedly cried out.

“Please listen carefully. Whether you live as a rogue cultivator or become an outer disciple of the Red Yang Sect, it is the same that there is no future. It would be ten times better to be loyal to Brother, who has the possibility of achieving Foundation Establishment!”

“Absurd. Does that fellow give rewards just because you are loyal?”

“Of course! If Brother, who breaks through to Foundation Establishment later, leads us, we also have the possibility of achieving Foundation Establishment!”

He clicked his tongue at the messenger who earnestly persuaded him as if sincere.

Shaking his head, Jin So-myeong spat out a word.

“After signing that stupid slave contract?”

“…Yes?”

“In the first place, does a fellow like Beom Chang have the capacity to lead Foundation Establishment subordinates? He will definitely impose all sorts of restrictions. Living and dying depends on a single word of his, so what changes even if one achieves Foundation Establishment?”

As if hit right on the mark, the fellow’s mouth shut tightly.

In this world of transcendent beings, a contract did not simply possess legal binding.

A contract containing mysteries was more terrible than the law.

If one entered into a contract, even by force, one had to keep it.

This was because a highly important part of the body, like essence blood which was the source of life, was used in the contract.

There were even contracts using the soul, which were famous for having immense binding power.

Although it depended on the terms of the contract, if violated, one could become a cripple or die.

As Jin So-myeong looked down quietly at the messenger, the hesitating fellow excused himself.

“A slave is a misunderstanding! You seem to have thought wrongly after seeing the contract for miscellaneous labor disciples, but that is only proposed to truly insignificant guys!”

“Haha.”

“How could we mistreat someone who is good at combat like you, Daoist friend! I recognized it immediately after seeing the single move you used to suppress me! You have the talent of a battle immortal! Brother Beom Chang will use you importantly!”

He spoke so much that his ears were about to hurt. He was a fellow who, even if drowned in water, would have only his mouth floating.

Although he probably knew that his life was as good as dead since things had reached this point, he desperately tried to convince him.

Letting the nonsense go in one ear and out the other, Jin So-myeong waved his hand.

“Enough. You must know that I cannot simply let you go. If you want to live, sign here.”

Jin So-myeong took out an antique parchment from his breast pocket.

The thick spiritual Qi leaking from the paper made it clear at a glance that it was a special object containing mystery.

“Th-This is?”

The moment he handed over the soul contract called the Soul Contract .

The messenger’s face turned pale. He could not even speak, his hands and feet trembling.

“A S-Soul Contract! Daoist friend. No, Brother! Is there really a need to go this far!”

He clung pathetically, but Jin So-myeong did not waver. He spoke in a cold voice.

“An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Since you bastards tried to use me as a slave, I shall do the same. Do you have any complaints?”

This Soul Contract was originally purchased to be used on Beom Chang, but since the situation turned out like this, it was also fine to test it on the messenger first.

‘Though it is a waste since it costs a hundred spirit stones.’

Recalling the expensive price inwardly, Jin So-myeong fluttered the contract.

He said to the opponent who had lost his mind while kneeling.

“Refuse if you don’t want to.”

“Ah…”

As if drinking rotten water from a corpse, the messenger, who hesitated several times, eventually accepted the contract.

The pupils of the fellow who read the terms shook wildly.

“Party B must unconditionally obey Party A’s orders. …Even at the risk of his life.’ Insane.”

The more he read the text of the contract, his face, which was already pale, completely dyed in despair.

“‘Cannot speak falsehoods to Party A… In the case of deliberately trying to deceive or cause harm, the divine soul is destroyed, resulting in death.’ Ugh! Aren’t the contract terms too severe!”

“Only to this extent can I let you go with peace of mind. As I said earlier, refuse if you don’t want to.”

Shring!

Since he could just die. He substituted his final words by drawing the Horse-Slaying Saber.

“W-Wait a moment!”

The persuasion of the Horse-Slaying Saber worked very well.

The intimidating blade to an ignorant degree was more effective than any eloquent speaker.

“Ugh…”

The moment the man who shut his eyes tightly signed the Soul Contract.

A mysterious light burst out from the contract. It penetrated between his eyebrows, capturing a part of his divine soul like a hostage.

“Ah!”

Simultaneously with the fellow’s sigh filled with despair.

A faint connection arose between the two. The contract was successfully established.

Now, Jin So-myeong could destroy the opponent’s divine soul with a single thought.

Honestly, it was sufficient to end it here, but he did not stop.

He proceeded with one more step.

‘May the power of the contract become stronger!’

He made a wish with all his might. He poured in all of the over thirty Supreme Great Ability beads.

He strengthened the binding force of the contract and made it undetectable even by the sensitive senses of a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator.

He also did not forget to hide the traces of the Supreme Great Ability exerting its power.

In fact, the Supreme Great Ability was originally highly secret and did not leave traces anyway.

This was because Jin So-myeong always wished for it, whether unconsciously or consciously.

But just in case, he paid even more attention this time.

More than half of the consumed golden beads were used to strengthen secrecy.

‘Whew… Done.’

He successfully made a slave.

In fact, if not for the Supreme Great Ability, he would not have taken such a dangerous action.

This was because, although the traces of the contract were famous for being very secret, there was no guarantee that it would not be caught by even a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator.

‘But it doesn’t matter now.’

The Supreme Great Ability was a supreme power to the point of tearing through empty air to create the Secret Realm of the Mind.

There was no way that a breakthrough at the level of Foundation Establishment could dismantle a wish that contained over thirty golden beads.

“Damn it… What on earth is this because of that damn Beom Chang bastard!”

Tears rolled down the messenger’s cheeks. He seemed deeply resentful that he was forced to become a slave.

‘Tsk, tsk.’

Indeed, there was nothing to pity. He had merely suffered exactly what he tried to do to another, so it was his own doing.

The messenger who had been sitting blankly stood up late and came to his senses.

He bowed his head politely to Jin So-myeong as if serving a master.

“Since it has turned out like this, I will serve you with all my heart. But if I have a request, it is that you release the contract if I establish merit someday…”

“Mmh.”

It was a question that did not need a clear conclusion. He did not answer, giving neither hope nor despair.

“Are you really a fifteen… no, sixteen-year-old boy? Did a great expert reincarnate by any chance?”

It seemed he had made a bizarre misunderstanding due to actions uncharacteristic of a young boy, but again, he did not bother to answer.

Tap.

He tapped the fellow’s dantian with the tip of his foot. After returning the sealed spiritual Qi, he spoke.

“Since the contract is done, I must verify if your words are true. Explain from the beginning again why you stalked me.”

“Huh?”

The messenger, who let out a hollow laugh as if completely fed up, spoke.

“You are truly thorough. If it’s you, Daoist friend—no, Brother, you will become great someday. Anyway… there was no particular lie in what I said earlier. Beom Chang is indeed the nephew of the Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator. And the reason for stalking you, Brother, is…”

He repeated what he had said, but there was no issue.

He was relieved because if he had spoken a lie even after the contract, he would have vomited blood long ago.

“By the way, what is your name?”

Since he was a subordinate—no, a slave—he had gained anyway, there was nothing bad about knowing his name at least.

“…My name is So Yo-gwang.”

“Good. So Yo-gwang. I will give you the first command. One month from now, lure Beom Chang to the place I specify. You must ensure the fellow does not let his guard down with a suitable reason. Is it possible?”

So Yo-gwang’s face turned pale. Stiffening like a stone statue, he could not even answer properly.

“W-What did you just say…”

He had imagined what kind of outcome Jin So-myeong’s command would bring.

To So Yo-gwang, who asked back as if he did not want to believe it, Jin So-myeong kindly repeated it.

“I told you to bring Beom Chang to the place I specify one month from now. The most important thing is to make sure he does not let his guard down.”

“C-Could it be. Are you planning to suppress Brother Beom Chang—no, that bastard Beom Chang—just as you did to me, and force him into a Soul Contract!”

So Yo-gwang’s voice grew louder.

Jin So-myeong frowned at the violent rejection reaction, as if he had stepped on a snake.

The sight of him making a fuss out of fear was not pleasant to see at all.

“I only asked if it was possible?”

“It is impossible!”

So Yo-gwang, who shouted resolutely, desperately explained.

“You might not know yet because the rumor hasn’t spread, but Beom Chang recently rose in realm to the 6th layer of Qi Condensation! Even if the two of us attack simultaneously, we cannot win!”

“The 6th layer?”

“Yes! Moreover, Beom Chang is his uncle’s—that is, the Foundation Establishment old monster’s—most talented family member.”

“…”

“Since he raised him almost like his own child from childhood, how much must he have been doted on? I do not even know how many dharma treasures he received for self-defense!”

As if telling him to change his mind, So Yo-gwang explained about Beom Chang in detail. He seemed in a mood to even talk about the guy’s preference in women.

“Stop. Cut the useless talk and describe the dharma treasures he possesses. I will judge after listening.”

“Yes. There are several dharma treasures he boasted to me about. Especially, the dharma treasure called the Shadow-Shattering Bell is very terrifying, and the effect of this Rank 1 highest-grade dharma treasure is…”

Jin So-myeong, who calculated the chances of winning while listening intently, made a decision.

It was a big help thanks to So Yo-gwang explaining about Beom Chang in detail.

“Good. My command remains unchanged. One month from now, lure Beom Chang to the place I specify.”

“Yes?”

So Yo-gwang probably tried to scare him into giving up, but he felt more confident instead.

“Suppressing the fellow is something I will handle myself. I did not expect anything from you in the first place. You only need to focus on bringing Beom Chang.”

“…Bringing him is not difficult. If I deceive him saying that things went wrong and I have suppressed Jin So-myeong in this wasteland, he will visit directly to establish the master-servant contract. I will get scolded a bit, but there is no problem.”

“The probability of him coming with another person?”

“To tell you the truth… it is very low. That slave contract Beom Chang forces is itself awkward to let others know about.”

“Indeed.”

“As you can see from the fact that the bastard acted as a gatekeeper as punishment, it is not a normal entry contract.”

It was a very satisfying answer.

“Alright. Then return to the market for now. Of course, before that, we should devise a way for the two of us to contact each other.”

Besides the way to transmit news, they talked about concrete plans.

So Yo-gwang begged several times along the way to change his mind, but he did not accept it.

In the end, the tearful So Yo-gwang returned to the market, and Jin So-myeong disguised himself with the Faceless Mask and followed secretly.

***

One month later.

Jin So-myeong, whose Supreme Great Ability was completely recovered, circulated the Breath Concealing Art to hide his presence.

He hid between boulders as large as houses and guarded beyond the horizon, which was due to Beom Chang who would visit after a short while.

How long did he wait?

‘They’re here!’

Far in the horizon, two figures flew while drawing a parabola.

The moment he concentrated spiritual Qi in his eyes to strengthen his vision.

So Yo-gwang, who seemed minutely tense, and Beom Chang, who followed behind him with an irritated expression, were visible.