Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel) - Chapter 86 - Origin Kill Pavilion Lord (1)
Chapter 86 – Origin Kill Pavilion Lord (1)
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Translated by Jinmu
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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‘You damned mortal bastard!’
Was he really going to learn about her past in this way?
For a moment, she even wondered whether she should break the seal on the wooden doll and come out.
Then Yi Ji-yeom, the Valley Master of Corpse Blood Valley, said,
“Since my lord says so, this subordinate will be discourteous for a moment. As to how this Society understands what happened that day…”
-You damned mortal bastard! Make him stop at once. To dig into my past in this way…
Becoming flustered, she shouted at him to stop.
But Mok Gyeong-un had no intention of doing so.
If he ever came face to face with anything related to her past, like with the Li Clan, then one way or another he would end up learning what had happened.
Just what had she experienced to become a resentful spirit…
-Start!
At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un and Yi Ji-yeom, the Valley Master of Corpse Blood Valley, both turned to look in the same direction at once.
It was toward the outside of the building.
-What is it? Why are you like this?
Blue Spirit, sealed inside the wooden doll, could not feel external energy.
That was why she found it strange when the two of them reacted at the same time.
Yi Ji-yeom, the Valley Master of Corpse Blood Valley, was already moving toward the window.
-Pak!
When he opened the paper-covered window, the square in front of the lodging came into view.
Before it stood the red-belted warriors on guard, and nothing at all seemed to be happening.
At that, Yi Ji-yeom tilted his head slightly.
There had definitely been something just a moment ago that stimulated his sense of qi.
Yet it had vanished in an instant.
‘What was that?’
The energy from earlier felt far too ominous to dismiss casually.
But now that it had disappeared, it was difficult to go searching for it blindly.
Then Mok Gyeong-un said,
“Valley Master.”
“Ah. Yes, my lord. It seems nothing of note…”
“Would it be possible for me to step out for a moment?”
“Pardon?”
At Mok Gyeong-un’s sudden statement that he wanted to step outside, Yi Ji-yeom furrowed his brow as if troubled.
Blue Spirit, inside the wooden doll, on the other hand, felt relieved inwardly.
She did not know what was happening, but thanks to it, their attention had been diverted.
* * *
About one quarter-hour earlier.
On a hillside in Corpse Blood Valley roughly one li away from the lodging.
There, around ten red-belted warriors were transporting four spies whose dantians had been destroyed and whose entire bodies had been bound.
Among the spies was Neung Hwa-yang, the only girl among them.
The other spies, unable to endure the pain of having their arms and legs severed and even their dantians destroyed after resisting, had all fainted.
She alone remained conscious.
The reason was that she was being possessed by Gyu So-ha.
‘Ahhh.’
Gyu So-ha could not hide her regret.
She had finally gained a decent body, yet it was wasteful to use it and throw it away in this manner, but she had to carry out her master’s command.
She believed that when the time came, her master would procure a suitably acceptable body for her.
And if that happened,
‘…….Would I be able to see that bastard again?’
The younger brother who had driven his own flesh and blood to death.
She had endured in the pit of isolation through her rage toward him.
If her master made it into the Heaven and Earth Society’s inner castle, then perhaps she would be able to see that bastard again.
Fifteen years had passed since her death.
There was no way that bastard would have died in so short a time.
[You damned bastard. Once you die, everything will be resolved.]
[Y-you… you…]
[Every time you acted superior just because you had everything and kept throwing pity around…]
[I… I… never…]
[You were merely born before me.]
-Clench!
Strength entered her hands.
The last face she had seen as she died had been that bastard’s face, filled with delight.
With that face, he had smashed her face again and again with a stone.
This was a yoke of hatred that would absolutely never fade.
-Kkireureuk!
Just then, the cart carrying them came to a stop midway.
What was it? Wondering, Gyu So-ha narrowed her eyes and looked to see why.
‘Hm?’
The red-belted warriors were greeting a pair of people.
Both wore robes. One was a white-haired old man, and the other wore an eyepatch and dragged a cane.
One of the senior warriors leading the red-belted warriors cupped his fist in salute and greeted them.
“Senior Warrior Bong-yang of Corpse Blood Valley offers his greetings to the Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion.”
The old man’s identity was none other than In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, which oversaw consultation on occult arts under the Heaven and Earth Society.
And beside him, the middle-aged man with the eyepatch and cane was his disciple and occult practitioner, Jo Ui-gong.
‘Why have these two come here?’
Senior Warrior Bong-yang of Corpse Blood Valley could not hide his puzzlement.
And no wonder, since occult practitioners had already been dispatched within Corpse Blood Valley, there was almost never any reason for the Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion to come here in person.
Yet he had no idea what matter had brought him here.
Then In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, asked the senior warrior,
“Has there perhaps been anything unusual while conducting the gates?”
At that question, the senior warrior furrowed his brow slightly.
They cooperated because of the Society Leader’s order, but matters concerning the gates were, to the very end, the work of the Valley Master of Corpse Blood Valley and those under him.
There was no particular obligation to report them to the Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion.
‘Is this old man trying to create trouble again?’
Even as it was, because of the Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, they had already been burdened with the troublesome task of sorting and moving the corpses one by one.
Perhaps for that reason, he felt even more reluctant to say anything.
Had that thought shown on his face?
“Look here. Do you think so little of Origin Kill Pavilion? The Lord asks you something, so why do you not answer?”
Occult practitioner Jo Ui-gong scowled and demanded.
At that, the flustered senior warrior hurriedly replied,
“No, absolutely not. How could that be? There have been no major problems in carrying out the gates.”
At this answer, Jo Ui-gong clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.
The warriors of the main stronghold kept an eye on Origin Kill Pavilion because it enjoyed the Society Leader’s favor.
But the warriors of Corpse Blood Valley did not.
Was it, just as the Fate Blade King had said, because even the Valley Master of Corpse Blood Valley himself was near to having a rebel’s disposition?
“Tsk, tsk. Do you think the Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion came all the way here when nothing of note had happened?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“At the cliff…”
-Rustle.
At that moment, In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, stretched out a hand and cut off Jo Ui-gong’s words.
Since he could not upset his master and the Lord of the Pavilion, Jo Ui-gong shut his mouth and quietly stepped back.
Then In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, opened his mouth with a rather grave expression.
“Do not take this Pavilion Lord’s words lightly. Something unusual is happening. If there is anything that troubles you even slightly, or anything strange occurred, speak of it. If not, this Pavilion Lord will have no choice but to report to the Society Leader and have the gates of Corpse Blood Valley halted this time.”
“Pardon?”
What in the world did that mean?
Why would the gates of Corpse Blood Valley, which were proceeding normally, be halted?
The senior warrior could not help but be bewildered.
What in the world had happened for the Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion to come all the way here and say such a thing?
“Has there really been nothing out of the ordinary?”
In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, asked once more.
At that, Senior Warrior Bong-yang, still bewildered, hurriedly replied,
“There has been nothing that should cause a problem. While carrying out the previous gate, the monster that made pig-like cries died, but the occult practitioner in the cave also said that was fine…”
“Wait.”
“Pardon?”
“What did you just say?”
In Seo-ok asked, his eyes narrowing.
At that, Senior Warrior Bong-yang cautiously repeated what he had just said.
“The monster that made pig-like cries died…”
“Galjeo? Has the Galjeo died?”
Did that monster have a name as well?
He did not know what it was, but since it seemed to mean that wolf-monster that made pig cries, Senior Warrior Bong-yang nodded and answered.
“Yes. It seems to have died during the second gate.”
“How is that possible?”
In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, could not hide his puzzlement.
And no wonder, because he knew, thanks to that thing in the cave and the Spirit God Gu Poison Art, how the gate was meant to proceed.
Moreover, had not Origin Kill Pavilion been the one to produce the flags used in the second gate?
From the start, the key to that gate was escaping the monster beast, and there was no one who should have been capable of catching it.
“That cannot be…”
“One of the trainees killed it.”
“What? There is a trainee who killed the Galjeo?”
At those words, In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, could not conceal his surprise.
Even an ordinary wolf was difficult to deal with if one had no weapon or could not use martial arts.
And yet there was a boy only between sixteen and nineteen who had killed an uncanny monster with his bare hands?
“Is that really true?”
He simply could not believe it.
Occult practitioner Jo Ui-gong, who seemed to think the same as his master In Seo-ok, also asked again in disbelief.
At that, Senior Warrior Bong-yang answered as if frustrated,
“Of course it is true. We did not believe it at first when we saw the report either, but that boy tore the monster beast’s jaws apart and killed it. If you truly cannot believe it, then the corpse of the monster should still be in the cave…”
“What? Tore its jaws apart?”
“Why not see it for yourself?”
At those words from Senior Warrior Bong-yang, occult practitioner Jo Ui-gong was stupefied.
Even uncanny beings had ranks.
Even the lowest rank, a ferocious beast, could only be dealt with by occult practitioners who had reached at least the rank of Skill.
Then let alone a monster beast, which stood one rank above that.
That was something an ordinary human could not handle.
As he stood there unable to believe it, In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, asked,
“And is that trainee unharmed?”
“He is unharmed. In fact, he was less injured than the other trainees.”
“Huh.”
An exclamation escaped In Seo-ok’s lips.
What sort of boy could do such a thing with bare hands?
Even from an occult practitioner’s standpoint, it was impossible not to be interested.
So he asked,
“Would it be possible to hear the trainee’s name?”
There was no reason it should be difficult to tell him that.
“The boy is called Mok Gyeong-un.”
“Master!”
The instant those words left his mouth, occult practitioner Jo Ui-gong called out to In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, in an excited voice.
He was so surprised that the moment he heard the name, he unconsciously cried out, Master.
Realizing his mistake, Jo Ui-gong calmed his excitement and said,
“It’s that child.”
“That child?”
“Didn’t I tell you? The child I took in as a disciple was sent to Corpse Blood Valley by the Society Leader’s order, so I asked that you please report it…”
At those words, In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, furrowed his brow.
The child his disciple had taken in as a disciple was the one who killed the monster beast?
This was something he could not help but find quite startling.
So he asked,
“When did you take that child as a disciple?”
“It has not even been half a month since I took him in.”
“What?”
The eyes of In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, widened.
A boy who had received instruction in occult arts for only half a month had caught the monster beast Galjeo by himself?
Since he had been sent to Corpse Blood Valley, it was not as though he would have had talismans or ritual tools with him either.
To him, Jo Ui-gong said in a whisper,
“This disciple gave him a ring engraved with an incantation just in case, but even so, isn’t it remarkable that he did this by his own strength?”
At those words, In Seo-ok stared fixedly at Jo Ui-gong.
He knew better than anyone what a ring engraved with incantation words was.
He had personally taught him how to make it, so there was no way he would not know.
Yet even with that, catching an uncanny being of monster-beast rank was absolutely no easy feat.
No, it would not be an exaggeration to call it practically impossible.
‘If Ui-gong’s words are true, then he took in as a disciple a fellow with talent so ridiculous that it borders on absurdity.’
He had no choice but to acknowledge it.
Now he understood why this Jo Ui-gong fellow had insisted so strongly that he report it to the Society Leader.
If the child possessed that degree of talent, then acting this way was only natural.
‘I want to see him myself.’
What sort of fellow he was, that was.
But there was something he had been half doubtful about since earlier.
He had thought there was no way and tried to let it pass, but indeed this feeling had not been mistaken.
“Hand me the cane.”
“Pardon?”
“Did I not tell you to hand it over?”
At those words from his master, occult practitioner Jo Ui-gong, puzzled, handed over his cane.
Then In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, lightly struck the ground with the cane.
-Thud!
-Chalang, chalang!
At that moment, the silver coins at the head of the cane shook violently.
And along with that, In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, muttered quietly,
“Horse horn in the west, clouds settle to the low plains…”
-Chwarrrrrrr!
The sound of the trembling silver coins grew louder and louder.
Then, before long,
-Thud!
The red-belted warriors nodded off drowsily and soon collapsed to the ground as though they had fallen asleep.
Even Senior Warrior Bong-yang was no exception.
“What in the world is… hmmm.”
-Thud!
“Master, why?”
Occult practitioner Jo Ui-gong could not hide his bewilderment at In Seo-ok’s sudden spell.
And no wonder, because the spell his master had recited was not merely one to induce sleep or make someone faint.
Ordinary people could not see it, but to Jo Ui-gong’s eyes, the gray lines that appeared each time In Seo-ok shook the silver coins on the cane were clearly visible.
-Swaaaaaa!
Those gray lines spread through the surroundings to a range of around fifteen zhang and formed a semicircular curtain.
‘A spell-powered barrier.’
A spell-powered barrier.
That was a barrier formed from an occult practitioner’s spell force.
Even among occult practitioners of the Divine Sun-Moon Mysterious Skill Transmission, one had to reach at least Sun-rank in spell force to accomplish it, and it rivaled the Domain of Ghost Intent made by high-rank resentful spirits.
Then why had In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, suddenly created a spell-powered barrier?
Just as he was thinking that,
-Chwarrrrrrrrr!
At that moment, chains sprang out from the cart carrying the spies and rushed toward In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion.
“Master!”
-Sseuk!
“Do not step in.”
In Seo-ok shook his head and lightly swung his cane.
Then the chains that had been rushing toward him all bent at once and crashed to the ground.
“This is?”
Jo Ui-gong instantly realized that the chains had been made from spirit power.
At that, he looked toward the cart.
“Grrr.”
There he saw a girl with black veins standing out all over her body, staggering unsteadily.
The girl was the spy Neung Hwa-yang.
Looking at the suffering girl, In Seo-ok, Lord of Origin Kill Pavilion, twisted up the corners of his mouth and said in a meaningful voice,
“So this is where this Pavilion Lord’s gu poison was.”