'What should I do? Should I say it's a surprise magic trick? That's crazy. Should I put it back in my mouth? No, what would she think of me? Should I say it's a chronic illness? But I'm already at the Nascent Soul stage! Or...'
It's when my head is spinning with thoughts.
Kang Min-hee approaches me.
Feeling like my head will explode from the tension, I brace myself.
Considering Kang Min-hee's personality and the severity of the punishments at Black Ghost Valley, I might end up working in the labor camp with my spiritual power sealed for ten days or become the test subject for some crazy cultivators for a few days.
Then it happens.
"Are you alright, Seo Li?"
Kang Min-hee asks, placing her hand on my forehead.
"Ah…"
Come to think of it, I was so focused on my mistake that I didn't read her intent.
Kang Min-hee is actually worried about me.
"I'm okay. I apologize for showing such an unsightly scene."
"Unsightly scene? You vomited blood. That doesn't look okay at all?"
"Ah…this is…"
I try to think of a proper explanation.
"It's a side effect of a method I practiced before ascending to the Bright Cold Realm. It's just a bit of blood, so please do not worry."
"Hmm, really?"
However, I realize something is wrong.
Her intent is turning cold.
"My friends say it's a lie."
"…!"
Apparently, some ghosts who practiced devilish arts, like the Blood Demon Suppressing Sea Light or Blood Chain Binding Forest, have recognized my symptoms.
"I have a lot of friends. And among them, there is a friend with excellent medical skills. They say your symptoms are caused by internal turmoil."
"…Is that so…I apologize for lying."
"Huuu…"
She gestures tiredly towards me.
"Come here. I'll give you medicine."
"…! No, thank you. How could I possibly dare…"
"It's an order. Come here. Don't go coughing up blood somewhere else, get treated here."
I involuntarily follow her to her office.
Some ghosts start cleaning up the blood I had spewed at the back.
'Damn, I just came to greet her to raise some goodwill…'
Because the main body suddenly saw something strange, I ended up bearing the consequences.
She reaches into a storage scroll hanging in her office and pulls out a pill the size of an eyeball.
"Here. This is called the Yin Bamboo Pill. It's very effective for internal injuries."
"May I know what this medicine is made from…?"
"Why? Got allergies?"
"Yes…something like that."
"Hmm, let's see. It's made from ingredients good for internal injuries…dried leaves of Ghost Yang Flower that grows in places with thick yin energy in Ghost Valley, Ghost Bamboo that grows in swamps, and… Euk. Whine Bone Toad poop??"
It seems she is hearing the ingredients from her 'friends'.
"And black moss… and clay used for building houses??? Really? Why would you make medicine from that? What? The clay has the power of consciousness imbued in it? What is this..."
She hesitates for a moment, then asks me.
"It contains frog poop and mud…it should be safe to take… What do you think, do you want to eat this?"
"Yes, please give it to me."
If I think of it as Yuan Yu's body, I can eat things even worse than poop.
Rather, the thought of insulting Yuan Li actually makes me feel refreshed.
"Hmm. Alright."
I thank Kang Min-hee, chew the pill, and activate the Blood Demon Suppressing Sea Light.
Life energy surges through my body, and my chest feels refreshed.
"How is it? Do you feel better?"
"Yes, thanks to Grand Elder, I feel much better."
The disgusting, revolting feeling that made my stomach turn is completely gone.
Yet, I feel slightly worried.
'The main body's passed out right now.'
No, rather than passing out, it's more like he's lying down in the monks' quarters to recover his strength, sleeping as if fainted.
The problem is that the main body is sleeping.
After reaching the Core Formation stage, I hardly needed sleep or food, and since I swore revenge on Yuan Li after Hyang-hwa died, I haven't slept properly.
I rarely felt so weakened that I needed to sleep.
If I ever passed out, it was usually because I had encountered an exceptionally powerful enemy and fought until I lost consciousness, endured extreme environments for over ten years until my spiritual power was completely depleted, or met a great being.
'But, the main body started acting strange after looking at just one Taenghwa Painting.'
His physical condition isn't that bad either.
Thanks to the enlightenment from Tae Yeol-jeon, I learned how to draw power from deep within my unconscious, converting that power into vitality through the Formless Sword.
Yet, out of nowhere, I suddenly felt nauseous and fainted.
It's such a strange occurrence.
'Is there something hidden in that Taenghwa?'
Perhaps that's the case.
If so, it's truly terrifying.
Because Yeon has also seen Taenghwa.
Perhaps Tae Yeol-jeon is being controlled by deities like the Seven Brilliances Kings or the Future King without even realizing it.
My primary concern is the safety of the main body.
At the same time, I'm worried about the safety of 'us.'
'The main body has always been me.'
I am Seo Eun-hyun, and Seo Eun-hyun is Seo Li.
It's no different from playing with a puppet in one hand and performing ventriloquism.
Of course, calling it merely ventriloquism is an understatement given the resources and level of the technique involved.
'My current situation is like a ventriloquist fainting from exhaustion while the puppet wakes up and continues the performance.'
It's an utterly nonsensical situation.
So, is the current 'me' the original 'Seo Eun-hyun,' or a 'second personality' born from 'Seo Eun-hyun'?
I feel confused about my identity.
Of course, it isn't as if I'm suffering or worried about being truly separated from the main body.
'It is what it is.'
I possess the memories of the original Seo Eun-hyun, as well as his enlightenment.
Whether I am Seo Li or Seo Eun-hyun or a second personality born from him.
Honestly, that's all there is to it.
I have no desire to possess the main body or to steal his life and the power of his regression.
The main body's life, the power of regression, and his fate are all in themselves terrifying despair and pain.
I don't want to take that on.
'What worries me is 'regression'...'
Until now, I was sure that if the main body died, his consciousness would fully transfer to me, and I would become the resurrected form. If the resurrected form dies, I would regress again.
However, seeing signs of separation between the main body and 'my' consciousness raises a concern.
'If the main body dies, he might regress without resurrecting as me….'
That would be a loss for the original and a huge concern for me.
'If that happens, what will happen to me?'
Would I regress with the main body, or stay in this world line?
Either way, it doesn't matter.
'Once the main body wakes up, I'll need to discuss this issue with him.'
I organize my thoughts and bow my head to Kang Min-hee in front of me.
"Thank you very much, Grand Elder."
"Alright. It's good if you're feeling better. Next time, don't think it's rude. If you're struggling or in pain, speak up immediately. I hate people who pretend to be fine the most."
"Haha… Is that so?"
"Yes. Back in the day, there was a fool like that in my hometown."
"What kind of fool?"
"That fool and I…how should I put it, we worked together in a place like a merchant association. That fool made a huge amount of mistakes when he first joined. He managed to improve after making the mistakes soon enough, but… Anyway, in his second week, he spilled a drink on his superior's desk."
"…"
I know exactly what she's talking about, and my mind sinks.
'Damn it.'
It's about me.
Definitely about the incident when I spilled coffee on Chief Hyun-seok's seat.
'Hyun-seok hyung-nim... I thought he was the scariest in the department back then.'
They say when a woman harbors resentment, frost falls in summer.
Then why doesn't frost fall when a man gets angry?
Because when a man is angry, it's a force in itself.
Now, Oh Hyun-seok and I got along well as brothers, and he himself is the type who easily laughs and makes friends.
However, typically, such people are the most terrifying when they get angry.
After work, I was called to the smoking area for an hour and a half and got a stern lecture while standing in a parade rest posture.
It was the first time I realized how terrifying it could be to be reprimanded without getting hit.
'Especially when someone as big and muscular as him speaks in a low, stern voice….'
I thought there was a lion growling in front of me.
"When that stupid bastard messed up, I waited for him to get scolded by his boss and then we went home together. When I saw him, he was drenched in cold sweat and his legs were so weak he could barely stand. When I told him to... How should I explain this here...um, something like a transport magic artifact? I told him to sit, but he insisted on standing."
That's exactly how it was.
She had waited for me, struggling herself.
I remember the events of that day.
Even worse, it started raining when we got off the subway, and Kang Min-hee didn't have an umbrella.
Back then, both of us commuted from our family homes in the southern part of Gyeonggi, so we took the Shinbundang Line from Seoul to Gwanggyo.
One of the reasons I started dating her was that our commuting routes overlapped, and we both got off at Gwanggyo.
'When we got off, all the convenience store umbrellas were sold out and there was nowhere to buy one….'
Since my home was closer to Gwanggyo Station, I decided to run home and gave my umbrella to Kang Min-hee, who had further to go.
'That's a memory too.'
Kang Min-hee recounts the story exactly as I remember it, including how I gave her my umbrella.
However, her perspective on the experience seems slightly different from mine.
"That idiot moron bastard dared to catch a cold the next day and wandered around all day with a fever, driving me crazy trying to take care of him. I was so frustrated watching him sniffling all day without being able to speak properly."
'I don't remember it being that bad...'
From my memory, I managed to get through the day fairly well.
But it seems Kang Min-hee remembers it a bit differently.
"And what's more, that day, there was something called Excel from my hometown. Our superior taught it to us that day, but because of the cold, he couldn't properly get it in his head, and kept coming to ask me about it."
She laughs as if amazed by her own story.
"This shows that if you fail to take care of yourself in time, the harm spreads to the whole group. Remember this: don't act like that idiot moron."
"..."
Hearing her story, something stirs in me, and I ask a question.
"But, excuse me, Grand Elder."
"What is it?"
"In the story you just told…you mentioned that the fool gave you his raincoat and got a cold the next day."
"Yes, that's right."
"Then, if you hadn't taken the raincoat, wouldn't you have caught the cold instead?"
"That could've been the case. But unlike that fool, I'm smart."
She sighs and continues.
"If I had caught the cold instead, I could have learned from that fool later, right? He's too dumb to understand anything more than what I explain to him, but I can grasp most things with just a single explanation. So it would have been better for me to learn from that idiot later. Therefore…"
She lights a pipe and stands up.
Kang Min-hee begins drawing a formation on the ground that communicates with the Nether Ghost Realm, finishing her story with the following words.
"If I could go back in time, I would get sick instead."
"..."
The main body woke up again.
I explained everything I had experienced to the main body and summarized all the events that had occurred while he was asleep, transmitting the information to his consciousness.
However,
I did not convey Kang Min-hee's last remark to the main body.
***
'Hmm, a second personality…'
It feels like I've become mad, but upon careful thought, I realize I've always been insane and accept it calmly.
Though I appear sane, in reality, my mind already snapped during the first Seven Stars Ritual, so it's just the madness returning again.
I've been mad for quite a while now.
'Separation of personality...'
When I had just fallen asleep, I was definitely disconnected from Seo Li, but now I can feel it.
I can feel that Seo Li and I are connected again.
'If a real separation of personalities were to happen...that wouldn't be too bad.'
Feeling connected to Seo Li, I sense that if I die, Seo Li would return with me.
Since our souls are still one, he wouldn't detach from me.
If that happens, we can better endure the loneliness of regression.
Seo Li isn't particularly scary.
I didn't think he has the ability to take over my body, and even if he gains such power, he considers me, the original, important enough to inform me of any change in his personality.
There's no lack of information sharing between Seo Li and me; we are one.
That is, as much as we are one body, I am prepared to let it be if he takes over.
After all, Seo Li is me, too.
'Well, okay. Setting that aside…'
I straighten up.
Dururuk—
Inside the monks' quarters, Yeon brings in some tea.
"Oppa, have some tea. I learned how to brew tea from Miss Monk, and she brews it really well."
"Ah, thanks."
After drinking the tea she offered, I tidy up my spot and look around the monks' quarters.
'There are quite a few books here.'
Even inside the living quarts of monks, there are bookshelves here and there, filled with books.
I randomly pick one to read.
'Hmm, I've seen this fairy tale in the Head Realm…'
I flip through the familiar fairy tale book and put it back.
The fairy tale, with the theme of 'sincerity moves the heavens,' seems to exist even in the Bright Cold Realm.
I also read several books on Buddhist Family Methods to broaden my understanding of them and the Seven Brilliances Kings.
After a while, Kim Yeon, using the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon, says,
"Eun-hyun Oppa, Monk Tae is calling for you."
"Ah, okay. Let's go now."
I put the books back on the shelf and head back to the Grand Nirvana Temple's guest hall with her.
There, Tae Yeol-jeon is waiting with several books laid out.
"These are the Buddhist Family Methods you requested, Cultivator Seo. There are consciousness methods, body refining methods, and regular methods. There are various types, so take and learn them as you wish."
I express my gratitude and pick up the books, skimming through them before being startled.
"Wait...aren't all of these methods for reaching the Integration stage starting from the Nascent Soul stage!?"
I expected them to be methods for the Qi Building and Core Formation stages at most, but recognizing their value makes my hands tremble.
Tae Yeol-jeon smiles slightly.
"After all, I lack the talent for Heaven Tribe methods, so my cultivation has only reached the Core Formation stage. These method books have no value to me beyond being sutra annotations."
"…What do you want in return?"
"What do you mean? As I said, they hold no great value to me. I'm giving them to you for free. After all, we're both Grand Cultivators."
"Uuum..."
I once again scan through the consciousness methods, body refining methods, and Heaven Tribe methods one more time with my consciousness, and take only those that seem most helpful to me.
"Thank you."
"It's nothing."
I thank Tae Yeol-jeon and we chat a few more words..
Then, a question suddenly occurs to me.
"By the way...Daoist Tae, there's something I'd like to ask."
It's something I've been curious about while meeting her.
"What is it?"
"The Manifestation you've achieved, it's called the Heart and Heaven Taenghwa Painting, right?"
"That's right."
"While confronting your Heart and Heaven Taenghwa Painting, I felt that the essence of your manifestation stems from the Core Formation method you practiced. In other words, a Heaven Tribe method."
That's right.
In martial arts terms, she achieved Entering Heavens through internal energy methods.
Since she's originally from the Middle Realm, it's certain that she didn't practice internal energy methods but rather a Heaven Tribe method to reach Entering Heavens.
In short, it's as if Cheongmun Ryeong had reached Entering Heavens through his obsession with Understanding before Breakthrough.
I wondered how that was possible.
If such a thing was possible, why aren't all those obsessed with their cultivation methods becoming members of the Heart Tribe?
At my words, Tae Yeol-jeon laughs and says,
"I am first and foremost a religious person before being a cultivator. As someone who has returned to the Buddha, and developed my faith in the Seven Brilliances Kings to the extreme, I was able to reach Manifestation as a result."
"Hmm..."
Ultimately, the key is not an obsession with the cultivation method itself but rather an intense yearning for a particular enlightenment within the cultivation method that leads to Manifestation.
Feeling a mix of regret and curiosity about Cheongmun Ryeong, I ask her a question.
"Is it possible to reach Entering Heavens through Immortal Family Methods? For example, by seeking Understanding before Breakthrough..."
"It is theoretically possible. However, Immortal Family Methods are much more difficult than Buddhist Family Methods."
"Why is that?"
"Buddhist Family Methods always involve defining the existence of intent and understanding its exchange. After all, even the Seven Brilliances Kings are said to reside within us as a form of intent. Immortal Family Methods are not like that. They are practiced solely by oneself. That's why it is infinitely more difficult to achieve Manifestation through Immortal Family Methods than Buddhist Family ones."
"Hmm..."
"And one more thing."
She explains another difference between Immortal Family Methods and Buddhist Family Methods.
"If Buddhist Family Methods derive their foundation from the Seven Brilliances Kings, Immortal Family Methods mostly derive theirs from [Heaven] and [Earth]. These are the Heaven Tribe and Earth Tribe methods. Especially since Heaven Tribe methods take [Heaven] as their origin, the more you practice, the less you care about human intent, making Manifestation even more elusive."
"Hmm... I see."
Indeed, it seems that the more one masters Heaven Tribe methods within the Immortal Family Methods, the further one moves away from the enlightenment of Manifestation.
I, too, felt that the higher my realm, the more contradictory the enlightenment demanded by the Heaven, Earth, and Heart Tribes became, so it makes sense.
After a few more words, I express my thanks to her and get up from my seat.
"Thank you for enlightening me on many things. From now on, as fellow Grand Cultivators and fellow Heart Tribe spies, I look forward to your guidance."
"Hahaha, Heart Tribe spy? I just ran away from my master to become independent, so I'm really not a spy... Maybe you are the only spy, Cultivator Seo."
She responds to my joke with a joke of her own and sees me and Yeon out.
At the gate of Grand Nirvana Temple, another question suddenly occurs to me.
"By the way, I have one more question."
"What is it?"
"If you don't want to answer this, you don't have to. But I was wondering why your name and the name of the Grand Nirvana Temple's Grand Nirvana Hall are the same?"
"..."
"If this question was rude, I apologize."
"No, it's not that serious of a question. There's nothing much to it. I originally had no name. I was simply born and raised in the Grand Nirvana Temple. I don't know who my real parents are, nor do I care to know. I've always identified myself with the Grand Nirvana Temple, taught by the former head monk here."
Tae Yeol-jeon kindly explains the origin of her name.
"The head monk told me to return to the secular world and enter the Nascent Soul stage to find my parents and didn't give me a dharma name. But I didn't want to sever my ties with Grand Nirvana Temple, so I decided my own dharma name to be Tae Yeol-jeon, the same as Grand Nirvana Hall."
She bows with folded hands as she sees us off.
"My name is Tae Yeol-jeon. Just a rebellious rascal who didn't even receive a name from Grand Nirvana Hall."
We bow in return and then leave.
Meeting her gave me much to think about and much to gain.
After returning to Heavenly Cauldron Mountain from Grand Nirvana Hall, I ask Yeon for a favor.
"Min-hee unnie?"
"Yeah. Do you think it's possible? You know that Jeon Myeong-hoon wasn't on good terms with everyone, and that my relationship with Kang Min-hee wasn't great either, right?"
"Uh, you two didn't get along well?"
For some reason, Kim Yeon looks at me with partly closed eyes.
I'm puzzled, not knowing the reason.
"Yes, well. I'll try to contact her. I have something to talk about with Min-hee unnie anyway...and I also want to see her."
"Thanks, that's great."
Soon after, Yeon contacts Black Ghost Valley.
And the reply comes quickly.
Kiyaaaa―
A ghost from Black Ghost Valley comes to the training grounds where Yeon and I are practicing.
Kim Yeon, who had been practicing the Paired Wing Dance in front of me, looks at the ghost as it approaches her.
She connects her consciousness with the ghost using the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon.
After a while, her expression brightens after receiving the ghost's reply.
"Ah, Oppa! Min-hee Unnie will have time to meet after the full moon, so we'll meet then!"
"Oh! As expected..."
Kim Yeon, who was always the most beloved in the company, received a quick reply.
However, I feel something strange
'Wait, from Seo Li's perspective, Kang Min-hee seems to be quite free now. Why insist on meeting after the full moon?'
It's as I said,
Currently, I've become quite close to Kang Min-hee in Seo Li's body.
Oddly enough, she said she felt a familiar sense from Seo Li and quickly became close with him.
Thanks to that, I know.
She has quite a bit of free time now.
'But why specifically after the full moon?'
I ponder if there's a reason, then read the celestial energy.
'After the full moon, it will be the day when the yin energy is strongest in the Bright Cold Realm for the year.'
It's something akin to the winter solstice.
There seems to be a specific reason for choosing that time.
And so, the full moon passed.
Woooong!
'I' am flying through the sky using the Flying Escape Technique.
Recently, I have been carrying out various missions for the Mystical Scaled Fish Commanding Sect and have already gathered three hundred merit points.
I can officially enter the Ghost Soul Hall if I gather seven hundred more points or reach the Heavenly Being stage in the meantime.
And today, I am in the middle of another mission.
It's a seven hundred point mission directly assigned by Kang Min-hee, the vice-hall master of the Ghost Soul Hall.
'Now I understand why Kang Min-hee wanted to meet on this day.'
Shiiiik—
Using a Flying Escape Technique, I slice through the night sky and enter the vast wetlands of Cold Yin Marsh, located on the eastern outskirts of the Cloud Island Archipelago, beyond the Human Race Grand Alliance's territory.
The Cold Yin Marsh is a deeply yin-saturated swamp territory, and it's a region belonging to the Yeopta Tribe, a Heaven Tribe resembling reptiles.
I go as far as humans are allowed in the outskirts of the Yeopta Tribe territory.
'This place seems good.'
I find a suitably gloomy and deep swamp and release the ghosts I have brought from the Black Ghost Valley.
As the numerous ghosts spread out in the already murky Cold Yin Marsh at midnight, an overwhelming symphony of ghostly wails and sobs echoe everywhere.
Kiyaaaaaaa―
Euuughhh...
Aaaaahhhh!
Unlike before, now that the Ghost Immortal Kui Devilish Secrets has taken shape, I can alter the form of death to not agitate the ghosts, so they don't find me as terrifying and don't try to flee.
[Form the formation!]
As I command as a Ghost King, the ghosts begin to draw a formation according to my orders.
It's a formation that Kang Min-hee had taught me.
After a while, a massive diagram made of ghosts appear over the swamp of Cold Yin Marsh.
The diagram depicts a giant Ghost King, with the character for longevity (壽) reversed on its face.
I gather the surrounding yin energy and ghostly energy, forming hand seals and chanting incantations.
And at a certain moment,
Paaaatt!
The formation, which has been absorbing the yin energy of Cold Yin Marsh, begins to emit yin energy on its own.
Sssaaaa―
The surroundings are increasingly shrouded in a sinister and terrifying aura.
When the terrifying aura reaches its peak, I complete all the hand seals and recite the final incantation.
[Hidden Gate of Decaying Rot (腐䝗秘徯門), open!]
Chaaaaaaa!
In an instant, as if torn apart by a massive beast, the entire area where the diagram is drawn rapidly decays.
At the same time, I can see streams of pitch-black darkness flowing into the Bright Cold Realm.
'Hmm, it feels like I'm conducting some sort of grand demon summoning ritual.'
Though it's just a ritual to summon an ex-girlfriend.
After a while, as the pitch-black darkness subsides, I gradually notice something crossing over from beyond the darkness.
It's a massive ghostly entity with disheveled hair, leading thousands of Ghost Kings around her, with pitch-black ghost claws on both hands.
As the ghostly entity plants its claws hands into the ground of the Bright Cold Realm, it begins to climb up.
Chiii—
I wrap the Ghost Immortal Kui Devilish Secrets around the Yin Soul Ghost Incantation to make sure it doesn't feel any pain, then create long chains to bind its wrists.
Next, I begin to pull the creature up into the Bright Cold Realm from above.
After a while, the creature, with a body long enough to measure about 2.4m, finally succeeds in stepping onto the soil of the Bright Cold Realm.
The numerous Ghost Kings that followed it let out regretful screams as they remain beyond the darkness, and the dark space I opened begins to close.
After a while, the body of the 2.4m ghost creature begins to shrink.
Tstststs―
Eventually, the 2.4m ghost creature shrinks to the size of a human woman and becomes a naked woman in the darkness.
[Whooosh...]
A breath like that of a ghostly wind sweeps through the nearby environment.
The swamp within a 70 li radius freezes over with just one breath.
[It's warm. As expected, I like the Bright Cold Realm.]
She takes a step forward with a grin.
Immediately, the ghostly energy responds, naturally enveloping her body. Soon, she is dressed in the black long robe of Black Ghost Valley.
'That's...'
The Black Grand Elder of the Black Ghost Valley, Kang Min-hee's main body.
I bow my head before her, letting my hair hang down.
Since I am also wearing the characteristic black robe of the Black Ghost Valley, she and I clearly look like a superior and her subordinate.
"Seo Li, Yin Soul disciple of Black Ghost Valley. I have completed the mission assigned by the Grand Elder."
[Ah, yes. Good work, Seo Li.]
She laughs, emitting frost with every breath.
[I will inform the Duty Hall to award you merit points. By the way…did you bring it?]
"Here it is."
I hand her the pipe that her clone often smoked.
[Ah, thank you. This kind of thing is not possible on the side path.]
The mission I had undertaken, worth 700 merit points, was to help the main body of Kang Min-hee, the Black Grand Elder and Vice Hall Master of Ghost Soul Hall, to enter the Bright Cold Realm from the side path.
[Huuuuu...]
Using will-o'-the-wisp, she lights the pipe and walks to a suitable spot.
Then, from her shadow, Ghost Kings of at least Heavenly Being stage rise and freeze the water in the direction she gazes, creating an ice chair.
As she exhales cold air, the ice freezes further and becomes even more solid.
Kang Min-hee smokes the pipe while sitting on the ice chair.
Blue smoke rises from her lips.
[Originally, I intended to give you this mission to bring you into the Ghost Soul Hall through merit points…]
Kang Min-hee looks at me and speaks with amazement.
[Seeing you with my main body, your death...it's really deep. I'd believe it if you said you're a Ghost King who crawled back from facing a Death God in the darkest depths of the Netherworld. Hehe…]
"..."
[With your talent, you can reach the Heavenly Being stage with just a bit more enlightenment in a short period. Save your contribution points and aim for the Heavenly Being stage instead. Use the points when you really need them. Understand?]
Grateful for her kind suggestion, I bow my head and express my thanks.
"Thank you, Grand Elder. And...I shall take my leave now."
I know why Kang Min-hee did not immediately return to Black Ghost Valley but settled here at Cold Yin Marsh.
Today is the day she is to meet Kim Yeon.
Kang Min-hee had specified in her communication with Kim Yeon, 'Do not bring Jeon Myeong-hoon and Seo Eun-hyun.' Therefore, I shouldn't be present here.
However, Kang Min-hee, with wide eyes, speaks as if she doesn't understand.
[What are you talking about, Seo Li? Come here. I have someone to meet, but they won't arrive for a while. Keep me company until then.]
"Uh…then, can I leave when they arrive?"
[Do you dislike me?]
"No, not at all..."
[Why do you keep trying to leave? It's fine to stay. I'm just meeting an old friend from home…]
I ended up staying with Kang Min-hee.
For a while, we chatted, and at some point, I found myself brushing her hair.
[Ahhh, ah. Ah. Hmm.]
"Is it okay?"
"Mmm. Ahhh. Mmm."
She begins to vocalize in a soft voice, saying,
"Hmm, it's nice. You brush well. Who taught you?"
'You did.'
"Someone taught me a long time ago."
"Whoever it was, they taught you well."
I remember brushing her hair when she was tired and begin brushing it again, occasionally massaging her scalp.
Kang Min-hee feels my touch and takes a puff from her pipe.
Blue smoke wafts up as she remains silent for a moment.
"It's cold. The side path..it's directly connected to the Nether Ghost Realm, so the ghostly energy and yin energy from there pours out."
"Is that so?"
"Perhaps that's why I missed this warmth. I felt it indirectly with the clone, but the warmth felt by my true body is certainly more special."
She relaxes and rests her head in my hands for a while.
"Shall I massage your shoulders too?"
"Please do."
I naturally comfort her in the order she used to like.
Under the night sky, her perpetually cold shoulders gradually begin to warm.
Time passes.
Paaaatt!
From afar, a pale pink glow flies in.
It's Yeon.
I feel uncomfortable as if I'm breaking a promise, but since Kang Min-hee told me not to leave, I stay.
Taatt!
Yeon emerges from the dim glow.
Her eyes meet Kang Min-hee's.
Taktak―
Kang Min-hee quickly puts away her pipe into the storage scroll and greets Kim Yeon warmly.
"Yeon-ah~! It's been sooo~ long! Our cutie! How have you been?"
"Unnie~! I haven't been…great, but it wasn't unbearable."
Kang Min-hee squeezes Kim Yeon's cheeks with both hands, doting on her, and Kim Yeon laughs happily in response.
After laughing and chatting for a while, Kang Min-hee introduces me to Kim Yeon.
"This is Seo Li. A friend who attends to me. It's okay for him to stay with us, right?"
"Of course. Hello, I'm Kim Yeon, Min-hee unnie's junior. You're very pretty too!"
"Uh..um...thank you."
There's something I need to correct, but I awkwardly smile and let it pass for now.
After a brief lively catch-up, they move to a nearby rock and create seats using an earth manipulating technique, and begin to talk in earnest.
I feel like a third wheel between them but decide to endure it.
During their conversation, Kim Yeon coughs slightly, then speaks to Kang Min-hee with a bit more seriousness.
"Min-hee unnie."
"Hmm? What?"
"Have you met with any of our other colleagues?"
"Colleagues?"
"People from our company."
"...No, I haven't met them. I've heard things here and there, but I haven't actively looked for them... Jeon Myeong-hoon, that bastard...I heard he's dead?"
"...? Section Chief isn't dead though?"
"Oh...I thought something happened with the whole sect or something… Guess I heard wrong. Eh, just die already. Why isn't that bastard dead?"
Despite her words, she internally breathes a sigh of relief.
"Hehe, well…it seems Eun-hyun oppa managed to save him somehow."
"..."
"…Um, Min-hee unnie."
"What."
"I…"
Kim Yeon hesitates for a moment, glances at me to ensure I wouldn't understand, and speaks in Korean.
"I...started dating Eun-hyun oppa."
Kim Yeon watches Kang Min-hee's reaction carefully as she speaks.
For a while, both of them are silent.
Kim Yeon cautiously asks Kang Min-hee.
"Is that...okay?"
***
Chapter 302: Protection (護) (4)
Kang Min-hee stays silent for a moment after hearing those words.
I carefully observe the intent of the pair.
Kim Yeon's intent is filled with embarrassment, guilt, and worry.
And Kang Min-hee...
"Huuu..."
She leans her shoulders against the back of the chair.
Then, she suddenly starts to smile with satisfaction.
"Ah…really…I finally feel relieved."
"Are, are you okay?"
Kim Yeon, looking pale, asks.
Kang Min-hee smiles and says,
"Yeah, I'm fine, Yeon-ah. Didn't I tell you? We were just dating for fun, and there are no real feelings between us. Didn't you notice that I'd been supporting you two from behind since we were at the company?"
"But... still..."
"Rather, how did that dumbass figure out your feelings? That's what I'm more curious about. Really…do you know how frustrated I was while we were at the company? It felt like I swallowed ten sweet potatoes at once. Now it finally feels like they're going down. It's like the food that wouldn't digest before is finally settling down"
"Unnie..."
As Kang Min-hee continues, Kim Yeon's intent grows more complicated.
"I'm really fine! Really…I've already made a lot of friends here, and I'm always surrounded by people, so I'm not lonely. I told you at the beginning. I'm not fated to be with a man."
"..."
"So…congratulations, Yeon-ah. And if that dumbass makes things hard for you or does something stupid, tell me. I'll refine him into a Ghost King for you to control easily."
"Ah, that's okay. I know how to make puppets myself..."
"Hahaha! That's impressive, you know!"
Shiver!
I desperately control my intent, ensuring it doesn't flow between the two.
How much did the two laugh and talk?
As dawn approaches, both of them eventually sigh.
"It's almost time to part."
"Yeah, it's a shame. Let's meet again when we have time."
"When will you be able to meet next?"
"Hmm, actually, it might be hard to meet again on any other day than today. I usually have to cultivate in the Side Path. So, I'll probably stay in Black Ghost Valley for a year or two, before going back."
"The Side Path...isn't it hard?"
"It's not that hard. I have a lot of friends there. You'd be surprised if you knew."
"That's a bit of a relief then."
"Yeah~, no need to worry, okay?"
However, Kim Yeon can't erase her worried intent as she looks at Kang Min-hee.
"…Unnie. I have to start going soon... but can I say one last thing?"
"Hmm? What is it?"
"…If you still have feelings for Eun-hyun oppa, I can give up. Everyone knows you two got along well at the company. So…please tell me."
'I had a good relationship with her?'
"I had a good relationship with him??"
Kang Min-hee asks incredulously.
It seems like Yeon is misunderstanding something.
We were more like frenemies, meaning we 'couldn't entirely hate each other' privately.
Publicly, we clashed openly, and even privately, we bickered a lot.
How can she think of our relationship like that?
"I always fought with him when we met?"
"Really? To me…it looked more like childhood friends playfully teasing each other."
"Oh dear…maybe it's because I only shared the playful stories with you."
"…Unnie, if you really have feelings for him…please tell me."
"..."
Kang Min-hee frowns, seemingly annoyed.
"Hey, Kim Yeon. Why are you acting like this? I told you I don't have any feelings. It was just a joke. Neither of us took it seriously, so why are you making a fuss? Stop it already. I genuinely support you two, so you don't need to worry."
The intent of genuinely supporting is true.
However, Kim Yeon suppresses her feeling of pity.
"…Okay. I understand."
"Right, I've been congratulating you since earlier, so I don't know why you keep acting like this… Anyway, didn't you say you have a favor to ask?"
By now, the sun has fully risen, and the yin energy of Cold Yin Marsh has subsided.
Kim Yeon tells Kang Min-hee about Jeon Myeong-hoon and the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect who had gone to the Nether Ghost Realm.
Hearing this, Kang Min-hee exclaims in surprise.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon...other than being flirtatious, he's grown so much... Well, it's been almost 100 years. If he was still the same as back then, he'd just be an idiot."
"..."
"Well, anyway, you're asking me to let Jeon Myeong-hoon use the Side Path, right?"
"Yes."
"Hmm, well…it's possible. Ah, that bastard won't try to hit on me again, will he?"
"Probably…not. Section Chief…he's matured a lot."
"Yeah…he should've matured sooner."
Kang Min-hee clicks her tongue and nods.
"Okay, I'll let him use it. But."
She says with a serious expression.
"To enter the Side Path, he must follow my words, and he can't refuse my commands under any circumstances… Did you say Jeon Myeong-hoon is at the Heavenly Being stage and at the Great Perfection at that?"
"Yes. According to Eun-hyun oppa, he can reach the Four-Axis stage with enough time."
"Hmm, then it won't work. If Seo Eun-hyun, you, or any other companions accompany him, I can't allow it. Last time, the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect who passed through the Side Path were at most at the Nascent Soul stage, with most at the Core Formation stage, so I allowed them to go together. But if a Heavenly Being at the Great Perfection tries to enter, the size of their soul alone would create a large burden, to the point that the Side Path could collapse if he has companions."
"Ah...yes, I will let him know."
'Oh, this...'
I feel regret knowing that I can't accompany Jeon Myeong-hoon.
I also have an attachment to the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect and am curious about the secrets of the Nether Ghost Realm.
'It was also an opportunity to build the Longevity Axis. I'll have to wait for the next opportunity.'
It's unfortunate for Jeon Myeong-hoon as well.
'At least if he could take Yeon Jin, he could get advice from Yeon Wei…'
As an experienced person who went to the Nether Ghost Realm, Yeon Wei would have provided much help to Jeon Myeong-hoon.
I nod.
"Given this situation, we should ask Yeon Wei directly."
While listening to their conversation through Seo Li, I leave Heavenly Human Island and head for Thunder Spirit Island.
On Thunder Spirit Island, above the remains of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.
Jeon Myeong-hoon is floating and gazing over the landscape, while Yeon Jin is diligently training on a nearby peak.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon, Yeon Jin. Come here. I have something to discuss."
"What?"
"If you're going to the Nether Ghost Realm, it's best to ask Yeon Wei, who's experienced there. Yeon Jin, can you contact Yeon Wei?"
"Yes! I'll contact the ancestor!"
Shortly after, Yeon Jin, who had been sitting as if communicating with something, twitches and then opens his eyes.
Wo-woong!
His gaze has changed.
It's Yeon Wei.
"It's been a while since you've called me. Do you have something to ask this old person?"
"Well, besides how you are, we want to inquire about the Nether Ghost Realm."
"I, of course, am doing very well. Recently, I've taken in some cute disciples, and I'm enjoying doting on them. I'm also planning a conquest of the Head Realm...I have a lot to do, and it's really great."
Yeon Wei rambles a bit about how well she's doing before asking back.
"By the way, you said you wanted to ask about the Nether Ghost Realm?"
"Yes. Do you know anything about it?"
"The Nether Ghost Realm…it's a gloomy place. Yet it is also thriving."
For a while, information about the Nether Ghost Realm flows from Yeon Wei's mouth.
Jeon Myeong-hoon and I absorb the information about the Nether Ghost Realm into our minds.
After finishing her words, Yeon Wei adds one more thing.
"By the way, this information is about 43,000 years old, so it might not be accurate. Just keep that in mind."
"Understood. That's good enough for now. However, there's one more thing I'd like to ask."
"What is it?"
I ask seriously.
"Hon Won's weakness."
"Hooh?"
The beginning of this life.
From the very first day, I had to struggle in a chase with Hon Won.
If caught, it would have been straight onto the next life, so I had to fight with all my might.
But knowing Hon Won's weakness from the start would have made it no problem at all.
Yeon Wei appears to ponder for a moment.
"Weakness… Originally, there was no such thing as a weakness for that guy. In fact, as long as he's in Heaven-Earth Palace, he has no weaknesses. He's practically invincible within the same realm."
"...!"
I can't help but gasp at that statement.
"Is that even possible?"
If that's the case, one must face Hon Won outside Heaven-Earth Place to have a chance.
"No, didn't you manage to inflict a fatal wound on Hon Won by targeting his weakness, causing him to be trapped in the Heaven-Earth Palace?"
"Weakness, huh. I just fought well because I know his Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique well. The sacred object of the Yin Soul Ghost Sect that I 'borrowed' played a role too. I sacrificed the sacred object and one of my own axes to deal a fatal blow to him. He never really had a weakness.""
"…Wait, if it's a borrowed sacred object, are you allowed to sacrifice it?"
"It's fine because I borrowed it secretly."
"..."
'…Isn't 'secretly borrowed' the same as 'stolen'?'
I suddenly have a question and ask her.
"By the way, Senior said you know the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique well. Did you learn it while fighting Hon Won?"
"No, I learned it directly from Hon Won."
"Hmm?"
"Did you think we just growled at each other feeling fatefully incompatible from the start? Until that day 43,000 years ago, we were quite close. We were inseparable."
"What kind of relationship did you have?"
"We were betrothed."
"…???"
I can't hide my shock at Yeon Wei's words.
"About 43,000 years ago, I agreed to a political marriage with the Palace Lord of Penglai Palace to elevate the status of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect. Hon Won accepted too. We teamed up and almost killed the Black Dragon King, though we spared his life, and he allied with us and the Human Race. The Human Race Grand Alliance was immensely grateful to us. Hahaha…"
"..."
I'm speechless at this shocking revelation.
'My main body is hearing some incredible stories.'
I feel a headache coming from the sudden flood of information.
Eventually, Kang Min-hee and Kim Yeon hugged each other and parted ways.
Wrapped in a rosy dull glow, Kim Yeon flew far away, and only Kang Min-hee and I still remain at the Cold Yin Marsh
"It was hard to understand, right? Talking in foreign languages."
"Haha, no, it was an honor."
"Really? I guess so... By the way, Seo Li."
"Yes."
Kang Min-hee turns to me and says
"Isn't it about time you reveal your true identity?"
"...Pardon?"
"That combing and shoulder massage...I only taught it to that bastard during the three weeks we dated. But you replicated it perfectly. It's strange. I thought it was odd from the start when you kept hiding your face and I couldn't see your soul through death.
Wo-woong―
Kang Min-hee's left hand transforms into a dark ghost claw.
"It's you, isn't it? It really makes me sick. How did you think to follow me here? Well, I expected it…."
She speaks with a sinister smile.
"It won't be like on Earth. You're going to die here today."
Bo-oong!
She swings the ghost claw at me.
"Die, you damned bastard."
***
Kang Min-hee didn't have a father.
She was told he had an accident when she was very young.
Fortunately, thanks to having a lot of insurance, Kang Min-hee and her mother didn't live a life of scarcity.
However, her mother was deeply involved in shamanism.
One day, when Kang Min-hee was seven years old, she fell ill with a severe fever.
She couldn't remember the events of that time, but her mother said that she was bedridden for seven days and nights, tormented by nightmares.
Even now, in the picture diary Kang Min-hee wrote when she was seven, the nightmares she had back then remained.
In it, a giant wearing a black kasaya sat on a lotus flower, looking down at Kang Min-hee's house from the sky.
After Kang Min-hee recovered from the fever, her mother took her to a shaman she often visited, General Fairy.
Kang Min-hee still remembers the first time she visited the shaman.
―Ghost! A big ghost has possessed her! I've never seen such a big ghost before. This child has a strong yin energy that attracts ghosts. The powerful Yin energy is drawing the ghosts in. After exorcising the ghost, she must receive spiritual descent!
Startled and almost fainting, the shaman's words made Kang Min-hee's mother cry and agree.
Kang Min-hee's opinion didn't matter.
And whether it was due to the influence of the ghost said to have possessed her or the aftermath of the fever.
She was always frail.
She frequently got sick and wasn't good at physical activities.
Because of this, Kang Min-hee visited the shaman even more frequently.
More precisely, her mother often dragged her there.
Every time they visited the shaman, the shaman would perform strange sacrificial rituals, claiming to exorcise the ghost that had possessed Kang Min-hee.
But even as Kang Min-hee entered elementary school,
Became an upperclassman,
And became a middle school student,
Despite the continuous rituals, the shaman couldn't expel the ghost that was said to possess Kang Min-hee.
―What's going on!? The ghost's power is growing stronger with time! Today, I'll borrow the power of the General to exorcise it! Ask the manager over there for the cost of the ritual.
―Unbelievable! Such a big ghost exists!? Today, I will directly receive the General into my body and manifest him in this world to exorcise it! Manager, calculate the cost of today's ritual.
―I will stake my life as a shaman to exorcise you, evil spirit! Manager! Call the General and the Deities of Heaven and Earth; we are going to hold a grand ritual. Also, inform Min-hee's mother about the cost of the ritual…
The shaman, who seemed to call for the manager more often than the General they served, changed their attitude when Kang Min-hee became a high school freshman.
―Hi, hiiiek! Ah, I understand. Yes. It wasn't a ghost. It wasn't a big ghost that possessed you! You! You yourself! You were the shadow I saw! You were never human, but a ghost born borrowing a human body! Hi-hihik…! W-wait. If the shadow is you, not a ghost that possessed you, then what's attached to you? The divination clearly showed something was attached…! That, that, that, that, that…! G-General, where are you going! General!!!!! Don't leave me…kururrrk…!?
The shaman, who had said that a big ghost possessed Kang Min-hee, suddenly started foaming at the mouth and collapsed.
And after being taken to the emergency room, the shaman, upon regaining consciousness, lost all their memories and became mentally incapacitated.
It was said they only retained the intelligence of a three-year-old.
Kang Min-hee's mother, already doubtful of the shaman's ability to exorcise the ghost supposedly possessing her daughter, finally lost interest in shamanism after such an incident.
Instead, she became a Christian and started going to church for prayers, but Kang Min-hee didn't go with her.
Instead, she started learning judo.
Despite being weak, it didn't matter.
She wanted to believe that being born weak had nothing to do with something like a ghost.
Even if she was weak, she wanted to become strong.
However, it seemed that the shaman's words about a ghost possessing her weren't entirely unfounded.
From the moment they stopped visiting the shaman, Kang Min-hee started seeing something like a shadow following her.
She didn't tell her mother.
If she did, she would be dragged to church as well.
Instead, Kang Min-hee exercised even more diligently and focused on her studies.
She firmly believed that the black shadow was a psychological issue stemming from anxiety, and she became interested in psychology and neuroscience.
However, nothing could shake off the black shadow.
At some point, the black shadow gradually became more distinct.
Sometimes it took the form of her mother, sometimes an acquaintance, sometimes the shaman, and sometimes it transformed into the father she had never met.
As she progressed through high school, the shadow became so distinct that it became hard to differentiate from a person.
And one day.
The shadow spoke to her.
―Hello?
Kang Min-hee ignored it.
And from that day on, strange things began happening around her.
They weren't major incidents.
Things like frequently getting bird droppings on her, her umbrella disappearing on rainy days, or narrowly avoiding accidents.
Strangely, her luck seemed to have taken a turn for the worse.
Especially those who were close to her suffered even greater misfortunes.
Soon, rumors spread at school, and people started to avoid her.
The shadow spoke to her.
―If you hold a knife in your mouth and look in the mirror at midnight, you'll see your future husband. Let's try it. You'll succeed. You have the talent.
Kang Min-hee ignored it.
―Let's draw the talisman the shaman used. I'll help you draw it. The talisman you draw will be effective. I guarantee it.
―Aren't you interested in the magical potions witches use? I'll tell you how to make them.
―Aren't you curious about the power and wisdom contained in the Reversed Pentagram?
Oddly enough, the shadow, which had always whispered occult and sinister knowledge and curses to Kang Min-hee, started to use that power directly.
―I did it for you. I held a knife in my mouth and looked in the mirror at midnight, and I saw your future husband. Surprisingly, you're not fated to marry. You're meant to be alone.
It foretold Kang Min-hee's fate on its own.
―I drew the talisman for you. Give it to someone you don't like as a gift. It'll be effective.
One day, when she woke up, the entire room was covered with talismans made of A4 paper.
―You know that boy who said he liked you? I got his hair, put it in a doll, and stabbed it. He won't be able to come to school for six months.
Watching the shadow grow stronger, clearer, and able to speak like a person.
Kang Min-hee finally had to admit it.
A ghost was indeed attached to her.
And this ghost…
―No one can match up to you. They don't deserve you. Even you don't realize how amazing you are. Don't worry. I'll keep away anyone who doesn't measure up. I'll make sure they can't get close to you.
The ghost scattered misfortune around her to keep anyone from approaching her.
Kang Min-hee couldn't make friends.
After realizing this, she put up walls to prevent anyone from getting close to her.
She always smiled in front of others but discarded all emotions behind their backs.
The people she kept at a distance didn't suffer as much misfortune.
Instead, she immersed herself in dramas and movies.
The fictional characters in them allowed her to love without bringing misfortune.
That's why she dreamed of a secret office romance while watching dramas.
Her attitude remained the same until she got a job at a bath products company.
'...Where did it go?'
At some point, the shadow was no longer visible.
She felt like she could fly.
The shadow that had always recited ominous prophecies seemed to have been washed away by the soap water produced by the bath products company.
'I should stay at this company.'
She felt like she was soaring.
A feeling of liberation.
Her first job.
Superiors who took care of the new employees.
And a colleague who subtly looked after her during her first company dinner.
Coincidentally, they shared the same commute, and both had a longing for office romance.
With everything aligning, including the post-dinner intoxication, she started dating Seo Eun-hyun.
At first, it felt like she was flying.
But all those thoughts reversed when Seo Eun-hyun spilled coffee.
It was coffee that should never have spilled.
But when Kang Min-hee saw it, 'someone' pushed Seo Eun-hyun's back.
Seo Eun-hyun bumped into Oh Hyun-seok, spilling coffee on his documents, and strangely, the usually good-natured Oh Hyun-seok was particularly enraged that day.
As if possessed, he lectured Seo Eun-hyun for 90 minutes after work, during which Kang Min-hee broke out in a cold sweat.
It hadn't disappeared.
She wasn't freed.
It had just been temporarily invisible.
The day after Seo Eun-hyun gave her an umbrella and caught a cold.
Kang Min-hee made a decision.
Before Seo Eun-hyun could come further into her heart.
She would drive him away in advance.
After that, Kang Min-hee did everything she could to break up with Seo Eun-hyun.
She deliberately took him for a drive and smoked cigarettes heavily in the car.
When Seo Eun-hyun tried to pour sauce over his food, she overturned it in anger.
When Seo Eun-hyun ordered sauced chicken, she insisted on fried.
She force-fed Seo Eun-hyun mint chocolate, and so on.
Eventually, the two broke up.
In her memory, she was the one who suggested the breakup.
In fact, she couldn't remember the exact details of the breakup.
They babbled nonsensically to each other and somehow ended up parting ways.
However, Seo Eun-hyun's misfortune continued.
Jeon Myeong-hoon kept getting annoyed with Seo Eun-hyun, and Seo Eun-hyun kept wasting away, as if something was wrong with him.
So she decided to resign.
She went to Seo Eun-hyun, making excuses that weren't really excuses, saying she would resign.
Even then, she babbled nonsensically, so she didn't remember the details.
But the company president saw her project proposal and raised her salary.
And then, she saw the shadow again, next to the president.
―Stay here. I checked the fortune, and it says staying here will bring a limitless future.
She tried to ignore the shadow's words, but it climbed onto Seo Eun-hyun's neck and spoke to her, holding his throat.
―Stay. The fortune is good.
"…"
Kang Min-hee had no choice but to stay.
At the company, she was always praised, and her promotions came quickly.
But she never felt at ease.
The shadow always followed her, and the thought that she could never escape it made her feel suffocated.
Then,
One day,
A landslide occurred, and she ended up on Ascension Path.
Arriving at the Ascension Path, she noticed something unusual before anyone else.
The shadow that had followed her all her life was gone.
It was no longer visible.
And, after being kidnapped to Black Ghost Valley.
She began to learn the Ghost Path Method.
She guessed that her shadow was a kind of Ghost King.
A very powerful Ghost King.
At the very least, a Ghost King at the Nascent Soul stage.
So she raised her cultivation realm with all her might, so that she could someday overpower that Ghost King if they ever met again.
She truly gave it her all.
In this way, she was able to become a Black Grand Elder.
On the day she rose to the Four-Axis stage.
She felt a sense of anticipation, thinking, 'maybe.'
Maybe that Ghost King would never appear again.
But then.
A disciple named 'Seo Li' arrived.
Seeing Seo Li for the first time, Kang Min-hee felt a strong sense of déjà vu.
She was certain she had seen him somewhere before.
Definitely.
Since this kind of déjà vu had never been wrong, she believed he was a person she had definitely seen before.
No, she 'used' to think he was a person.
There was an unusually thick aura of death surrounding Seo Li.
It was something only a ghost could possess, not a human.
Moreover, Seo Li unknowingly acted similarly to Seo Eun-hyun.
'What is this, really?'
She considered the possibility that Seo Eun-hyun had deliberately sent a clone to Black Ghost Valley.
But Seo Eun-hyun wouldn't do that.
Why would he secretly send a clone to Black Ghost Valley where she resided?
If it were Jeon Myeong-hoon or Oh Hye-seo, it might be possible, but Seo Eun-hyun had no reason to do such a thing.
Furthermore, Seo Li would occasionally give her massages or comb her hair in ways she had only taught Seo Eun-hyun.
It wasn't Seo Eun-hyun's clone.
Then there was only one other possibility.
The shadow.
The being that had been following her.
It had finally reappeared.
This time, in the form of a disciple of Black Ghost Valley.
It seemed visible to others as well.
Therefore, she could not hastily conclude anything.
Since the shadow was visible to others, it might not be the shadow she knew.
Hence, Kang Min-hee decided to see it directly with her main body.
And only after seeing it with the Ghost Eyes of her main body, could Kang Min-hee make a judgment.
That is the shadow.
The darkness as thick as the shadow, no, even surpassing that shadow.
The form of death, as if it had crawled up from the depths of the Netherworld!
And.
The subtle aura reminiscent of Seo Eun-hyun.
Finally, she could understand.
The Seo Li before her eyes was the wretched shadow that had relentlessly followed her.
No, at the very least, it was related to that shadow.
After feeling Seo Eun-hyun's touch through the shadow for a while, Kang Min-hee made a decision.
In that case.
'I will kill you and uncover your true identity.'
It was time to rid herself of the shadow that had been tormenting her.
***
Kikiging―
A pitch-black claw tears through the air.
I roll backward swiftly, evading Kang Min-hee's attack.
Shukang―
In an instant, her attack brushes past where I had been, slicing through the terrain of the Cold Yin Marsh.
A chilling blue aura rises visibly where her attack passes.
'Damn it.'
If it hits, I die.
I can feel that clearly.
Even using the Formless Sword and the Mad Lord's circuits with this body only brings me to the Heavenly Being stage.
There's no way I can block someone at the Four-Axis stage.
'Did she realize that I'm Seo Eun-hyun?'
It doesn't seem like that.
I glance at her intent.
'The dark crimson intent of hatred...is deeply submerged.'
If she knew I came as a clone, anger would have flared up rather than hatred.
That means only one thing.
'Did she mistake me for someone else?'
That is the only possibility.
I hurriedly retreat and shout at Kang Min-hee.
"Grand Elder, why are you doing this? Could it be a misunderstanding?"
Kang Min-hee sneers.
"It can't be a misunderstanding. That darkness...this sense of déjà vu...and those familiar actions... You are that being."
"What do you mean by 'that being'?"
"Well, did you ever have a name? I don't really know. I always called you the shadow. Sometimes you mimicked my mother, sometimes my father, sometimes a friend, and sometimes a complete stranger. Isn't that your identity? This time too, you're mimicking someone I don't know."
'Damn it.'
It's clear.
She's mistaken me for someone else, not Seo Eun-hyun.
Someone who bears a darkness as thick as the form of death I wield.
'She's smart, but she sometimes trusts her intellect too much and jumps to strange conclusions. That's Kang Min-hee's flaw.'
Hence, a year and a half before we arrived at Ascension Path.
We fought because of that, and she ended up pushing a project that caused considerable losses for the company.
'Well, thanks to that, I ended up memorizing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, so it wasn't entirely a loss…'
Anyway.
Occasionally, she would make mistakes by relying too heavily on her genius.
This seems to be one of those times.
'Judging by her state, she won't listen even if I explain.'
Kwagwagwagwang!
The slash from her attack flies over Cold Yin Marsh's horizon, exploding in a burst of blue light that dyes the sky.
Ghostly energy and the cold freezes my entire body.
My movements begin to slow.
Kang Min-hee approaches me for close combat, extending her claws to stab my right arm.
At the same time, she shortens the length of her claws, grabs my collar with her right arm, and yanks me towards her.
'This is, leg sweep!'
She seems to grasp the flow of force, and I begin to fall under her force.
Kang Min-hee was capable of everything.
Work, exercise, foreign languages, you name it.
She was a jack-of-all-trades, excluding interpersonal relationships and morality.
One of the famous anecdotes about Kang Min-hee was this:
When Jeon Myeong-hoon was a Deputy, he once visited Oh Hye-seo's apartment where she was hosting a small party with female colleagues.
He tried to subtly sexually harass Kang Min-hee while flirting with her, and the story goes that Kang Min-hee immediately grabbed Jeon Myung-hoon and threw him to the ground.
After that, Jeon Myeong-hoon ended up with a broken ankle and was prescribed six weeks of recovery.
There was a time when that guy hobbled around on crutches and couldn't even glance in Kang Min-hee's direction, making it an undeniable incident.
'Oh Hye-seo told me about this, I think?'
According to Oh Hye-seo's testimony at the time, after breaking Jeon Myeong-hoon's ankle, Kang Min-hee casually smoked a cigarette while hailing a taxi to send him to the hospital.
Jeon Myeong-hoon, embarrassed, claimed he needed crutches because of a car accident, but thanks to Oh Hye-seo, everyone in the department knew the real story.
Kim Young-hoon and Oh Hyun-seok considered reporting it, but since neither side said much, the incident was quietly swept under the rug.
'As expected, she's strong.'
Kang Min-hee is strong.
Before coming to Ascension Path, although couldn't use internal energy as a mortal, she already possessed the skills of a first-rate martial artist..
I twist my body in midair, plant my feet into the ground, and then propel myself towards Kang Min-hee with a double palm strike.
As the Blood Demon Suppressing Sea Light activates, a vast sea of blood begins to form between my double palms and her, allowing me to break away from her.
And then, I realize something.
'Kang Min-hee….'
Tsstss
A thread of her intent aims for my neck.
I break into a cold sweat, hastily evading the following strike of her attack.
At some point, she has reached the peak through her own efforts using the judo she learned back on Earth and her combat experiences involving her ghost claws.
Unlike Kim Yeon, who received my help through Tribulating Heavens Beyond the Path, or Oh Hyun-seok, who has the Unique Holy Body and trained while being beaten into a meatball by Azure Tiger Saint, or Kim Young-hoon, who has a talent specialized in martial arts, she reached the pinnacle realm purely through her own efforts and aptitude.
'Indeed, a genius.'
'This is driving me crazy.'
I click my tongue internally, focusing my consciousness on Seo Li.
An immense situation is unfolding on Seo Li's side, and shocking revelations are pouring out in front of me.
"Are you saying you were engaged to Hon Won?"
"Yes. We were engaged for mutual benefit rather than affection. Although Hon Won has withered since, he was quite handsome when he was younger, so I didn't mind. He also seemed to have considerable affection for me."
Yeon Wei continues her story.
"At first, it was more friendship than affection. Or rather, we realized we shared a comrade's bond after capturing the Black Dragon King. Our compatibility was quite good…. If our relationship had continued, our comradeship might have developed into romantic feelings. Until Hon Won fell in love with another woman."
A bitter expression crosses her face.
"Hon Won told me he fell in love with another woman from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect and apologized. I was a bit disappointed but accepted it. After all, a marriage of affection would bring more benefits to the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect than a political one, so I was willing to break off the engagement. And…I wanted to see who this bold disciple was that stole his heart."
In front of me is the shocking past of Hon Won and Yeon Wei.
On the other side, the relentless chase between Kang Min-hee and Seo Li.
I quickly analyze the situation, trying to understand who Kang Min-hee mistook Seo Li for.
Strangely, my thoughts become unusually clearer, and I feel like I can see the web of relationships among people.
How can I twist these relationships to gain the most benefit?
Such thoughts and plans seem to pour out endlessly.
'A strange feeling.'
I wonder if I always possessed this talent.
I examine this web of relationships and begin to trace back the 'shadow' figure Kang Min-hee kept mentioning.
Then, while backtracking through this network, I feel something strange.
The person she calls the shadow is something that has been with Kang Min-hee since 'Earth.'
That means it's one of the Enders.
But the characteristics she described match 'Seo Eun-hyun.'
Yet, Seo Eun-hyun is different from the 'shadow.'
'What is this? Who exactly is the shadow?'
I instruct Seo Li to ask Kang Min-hee a few questions.
Following my command, Seo Li delivers the lines I had written on the spot to Kang Min-hee.
"Huhu, Colleague Kang. Why are you doing this? Wasn't it just a joke? I guess you disliked the prank I pulled when we first joined the company?"
[You…you really are that bastard. It wasn't just the company. Throughout my entire life! If it weren't for you! By now, I would have…I would have gotten along well with that person!]
Kang Min-hee transforms into a 8-foot ghost and attacks me even more ferociously.
'Judging by Kang Min-hee's reaction, it's someone who influenced her even before the company. Kang Min-hee lost her father, so her mother? No, I once met her mother, and she wasn't the type to say such things. In that case...'
I quickly run through my thoughts and reach a conclusion.
'Kang Min-hee has some kind of mental illness that even I wasn't aware of. Due to this mental illness, she constantly sees hallucinations and tries to explain her misfortunes through them. She's now mistaking Seo Li for her hallucination.'
Until now, I thought I was the one who needed to be treated.
Looking back, it seems like an overreaction, but there must have been a reason for my judgment.
However, now it appears that the one needing treatment is not me, but Kang Min-hee.
Then, I am startled by Yeon Wei's next words.
"The name of the disciple loved by Hon Won from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect was Cheon Ra (Heavenly Net). There is no female disciple with the name Cheon Ra in our Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect. I even checked among male disciples who had learned gender transformation methods, but there was no one. I even contacted the main sect in the Head Realm at that time. However, there was no such person in the Head Realm either. Hon Won...had developed a mental illness, creating and loving a non-existent woman."
"…!?"
The shocking revealed truth leaves me dumbfounded.
'So, because of a mental illness, he fell in love with a nonexistent woman from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, and due to this mental illness, he tried to kill me and Jeon Myeong-hoon, claiming we failed to protect the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect?'
For a moment, I feel a surge of irritation towards Hon Won, but then I sense something strange.
A cultivator at the Integration stage is not simply a powerful monster.
Having a vast and expanded consciousness means perceiving, understanding, and growing mentally just as much.
Reaching the Integration stage means it's not easy to go mad.
Their minds have grown too strong for that.
So, what could cause someone like Hon Won to develop a mental illness?
"Why did he develop a mental illness?"
Yeon Wei looks up at the sky for a while.
From her intent, I sense a hint of bitterness, a trace of regret.
And a touch of fear.
"I searched far and wide to find out why. The process of finding out was so arduous it's hard to describe... But to cut a long story short, I discovered the reason for Hon Won's mental illness when I went to the Nether Ghost Realm."
'Hon Won, who created a nonexistent woman and fell in love with her.'
I feel a strange sense of overlap between him and Kang Min-hee, who is currently fighting Seo Li.
She, too, is hating something nonexistent.
'Maybe there's a clue to solving Kang Min-hee's issue?'
I focus on Yeon Wei's words.
"Why did he develop it?"
"…God."
"God...?"
"Hon Won developed a severe mental fracture by directly facing a great higher being that could be called a god (神). Facing such an overwhelmingly powerful existence, even in a dream, can cause mental issues."
A great higher being.
A True Immortal.
In other words, just like Hon Won, Kang Min-hee's mental illness might be related to a True Immortal.
"And...whether it was due to the influence of that higher being, I'm not sure, but the Bright Cold Realm tried to erase any traces of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect and some others. Under the orders of Baek Woon, I erased the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect with my own hands. Then, using the sacred artifact of the Yin Soul Ghost Sect and the secret arts I learned in the Nether Ghost Realm, I forcibly sealed and treated Hon Won's mind."
From Yeon Wei's mouth, the secret history from 40,000 years ago flows out.
"And the cured Hon Won came to firmly believe that I had killed his true love. His memory was distorted during the treatment process. You know what happened afterward. I used the sacred object of the Yin Soul Ghost Sect to weaken Hon Won's realm and inflicted a fatal wound, forcing him to recuperate at the Heaven-Earth Palace."
This is the truth from 40,000 years ago.
Under the orders of Sacred Master Baek Woon of the Bright Cold Realm, Yeon Wei destroyed the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect with her own hands and attempted to treat Hon Won.
Although the treatment succeeded, the cost was that Hon Won's memory was distorted, leading him to believe that Yeon Wei had killed his true love and attempt to kill her.
I watch Yeon Wei, whose intent is tinged with bitterness, and think,
'How tragic.'
Then suddenly, a bizarre thought comes to mind.
'Is Hon Won the tragic one, or is Yeon Wei the tragic one?'
For some reason, I feel that Hon Won, whose mind was toyed with by a great existence, to be the more tragic one.
'Damned main body. Kang Min-hee is going even crazier!'
After I said Colleague Kang whatever, Kang Min-hee's eyes completely turned and she charged at me.
'Speaking of which, is Hon Won the tragic one? I feel that Yeon Wei, betrayed by her lover, is more tragic...'
This is a bizarre difference of opinion between the main body and me.
Bo-oong!
Chwaaaak!
Kang Min-hee's ghost claws tear into my belly, gouging out a deep wound.
'This won't do.'
If this continues, I will die.
Dying isn't the problem, but losing the identity I had established in the Black Ghost Valley will be painful.
'I even made an agreement as Seo Li to go to Lofty Dragon True Person's storage scroll. I can't let this opportunity slip away…!'
Absolutely not.
I quickly think.
Yuan Yu's Blood Body is practicing Heaven Tribe methods.
It's possible to use Entering Heavens Formless Sword and the Mad Lord's circuits.
But it hasn't mastered Earth Tribe methods.
'Without the harmony of Heaven, Earth, and Heart, overcoming the two-realm difference is impossible.'
In this situation, how can I win against Kang Min-hee, who is not open to any persuasion?
How
As I ponder this,
I suddenly observe the Ghost King-transformed Nascent Soul within my body.
'Wait, is that possible?'
It seems like a crazy idea, but I somehow feel it might be possible with Seo Li's body.
If overcoming a two-realm difference is impossible, I just need to make it a one-realm difference.
In other words,
'While escaping from Kang Min-hee, I will immediately elevate this body to the Heavenly Being stage!'
Wo-wo-woong!
Absorbing the yin energy around me and the ghostly energy from Kang Min-hee, I quickly begin refining my mind with the formulas for the Heavenly Being stage.
'I'll rise to the Heavenly Being stage!'
Right now, immediately!
Translator Notes: 8-foot ghost (팔척귀신) is a term referring to a ghost from a Japanese ghost story. Basically, the ghost has long hair, wears a wide-brimmed hat, and has twisted joints.