Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 169 – Cho Tae-cheong (1)

After traveling a considerable distance using lightness skill, Mok Gyeong-un stopped.

It was none other than the vicinity of the high tower where the Primal Killing Pavilion estate was located.

The high tower, known as the tallest building in the inner city except for the main hall where the Society Leader resided, was attached to the Primal Killing Pavilion estate.

Therefore, although Mok Gyeong-un didn’t completely know the layout of the inner city yet, it wasn’t too difficult for him to find it.

Cheong-ryeong’s voice reached Mok Gyeong-un’s ears.

-Mortal. Are… Aren’t you going too far?

-Too far?

-Even if you’ve crossed the threshold, if something like earlier happens again, you might even die instead.

Cheong-ryeong was concerned about the previous situation.

That strange technique that had immobilized even the rapidly strengthened Mok Gyeong-un.

If he were to be caught in it and have his neck slashed, it would lead to an irreversible situation.

-It’s not too late yet. Let’s go back.

-No. If we go back, it’ll be too late.

-Sigh. What’s too late?

-Someone capable of using such a strange technique, who knows what they might do.

Mok Gyeong-un was concerned about a different aspect than Cheong-ryeong.

If it was something that could be dealt with to some extent, there was no need to rush.

However, if it was a technique that was completely impossible to deal with, taking the initiative first was the answer.

Mok Gyeong-un thought they needed to handle it before the other party could do anything.

-Goodness, you really don’t listen at times like this, mortal.

Cheong-ryeong clicked her tongue.

Once this mortal fellow made up his mind, he never yielded.

Unless she manifested and forcibly dragged him away, there was probably no way to dissuade him.

So, Cheong-ryeong said,

-Tsk tsk. There’s no other choice. Avoid a direct confrontation.

-We should.

If they went in directly, it would be equivalent to letting the other party know they had come.

To make it difficult to see with the naked eye, he had been moving through dense shadows the entire way.

Since crossing the threshold, it had become difficult for ordinary people to sense his presence.

So, the guards standing in front of the estate were chatting among themselves, unaware that he was nearby.

-Fortunately, night has fallen.

At night, there are fewer people wandering around and more places to hide.

Mok Gyeong-un opened his spiritual sense and focused on his spiritual eye.

It was to identify the most convenient route.

-Woosh!

‘…Ho.’

When he opened his spiritual eye, he saw two energies at the early stage of the Transcendent Realm beyond the wall.

‘To have two experts of the Transcendent Realm stationed here.’

The early stage of the Transcendent Realm was almost equivalent to the level of a Grand Master.

As Amjongju had said, it seemed to be true that the Society Leader valued the Primal Killing Pavilion and was thorough with security.

Moreover, most of the energies of the martial artists guarding the estate were at least first-rate experts or higher.

If one were to infiltrate out of mere curiosity, there was a high probability of suffering a setback.

Of course, Mok Gyeong-un didn’t mind that at all now.

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un’s figure dispersed like mist.

It was the Clear and Manifest Water Crossing Steps he had stolen from Eldest Young Master Na Yul-ryang.

The Clear and Manifest Water Crossing Steps, when deliberately used, was so fast that it was difficult to detect with the naked eye, making it challenging even for experts of the Transcendent Realm to easily notice.

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un instantly crossed the wall and entered.

Then, he quickly moved through the estate.

There were a total of fifteen buildings inside the estate.

Among them, the diviner who had used that bizarre technique beyond common sense on him would be present.

-Are you planning to search each one by one?

-I have to. But since that would take a lot of time, I should start with the main hall.

-Main hall?

-Yes.

A diviner with immense curse power capable of detecting even Cheong-ryeong’s energy couldn’t possibly be an ordinary person.

He speculated that they would be at least an executive-level figure within the Primal Killing Pavilion.

-Wouldn’t it be easier to find them if you tell that Jo Ui-gong fellow about their appearance?

-Ho. That’s a good idea.

Mok Gyeong-un agreed with Cheong-ryeong’s suggestion.

Jo Ui-gong, who had become the Pavilion Master by overthrowing his former master and previous Primal Killing Pavilion Master In Seo-ok.

Then, he would immediately find out who this person was.

So, Mok Gyeong-un headed straight to the main hall building.

-Swish!

Throughout his use of the Clear and Manifest Water Crossing Steps, no one noticed Mok Gyeong-un’s movements.

Before long, Mok Gyeong-un reached the main hall of the Primal Killing Pavilion.

Arriving in front of the main hall, Mok Gyeong-un surveyed the surroundings and sought a way to enter.

‘Two at the entrance.’

Two experts at the Peak Realm were guarding it.

Since the door was closed, it was difficult to enter without them noticing.

Then, he spotted an open window on the 2nd floor of the main hall.

Although there were first-rate experts presumed to be escort warriors on the 2nd floor corridor, fortunately, there was no such person at the open window.

-Tap! Tap!

Mok Gyeong-un formed a hand seal and used the Six Yin Boundary Technique.

The Six Yin Boundary Technique was to detect curse power and prepare for any possible exorcism techniques.

A faint curse power was felt from the open window.

It seemed that an exorcism technique was set up.

‘The only answer is to disable the technique simultaneously with entering.’

-Tap! Tap!

‘Hariti Mudra!’

Mok Gyeong-un, who had formed a hand seal by bending his thumb and joining three fingers, chanted a technique of release and used the Clear and Manifest Water Crossing Steps to insert his body into the open window while running upside down under the 3rd floor roof.

At the same time, Mok Gyeong-un changed his hand seal to a sword seal.

“Urgent and speedy. Release!”

As he extended the sword seal forward, the surroundings became quiet.

Although it seemed as if nothing had happened, the nine talismans attached to the wall crumbled into ashes.

-Sizzle!

‘The Nine Shadows Binding Technique?’

It was an exorcism technique where nine shadows bound the intruder and pierced holes in their limbs.

It was quite an aggressive technique.

As expected, the fact that it was set up meant that the window was intentionally left open.

However, it didn’t matter.

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un used the Clear and Manifest Water Crossing Steps again and moved through the corridor.

There were a total of six guard warriors guarding the 2nd floor corridor.

They were all at the first-rate level, but none of them were particularly a hindrance to Mok Gyeong-un.

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un quickly moved while disabling the exorcism formations set up intermittently, and immediately went up the stairs to the upper floor.

Arriving at the 3rd floor corridor, Mok Gyeong-un paused for a moment.

‘Hmm.’

There was a cloud bridge connecting to the high tower.

Judging from the fact that it was set up for direct movement from the 3rd floor, it seemed that the high tower was also used by the executives within the Primal Killing Pavilion.

However, it was strange.

-Why are you stopping?

At Cheong-ryeong’s question, Mok Gyeong-un surveyed the surroundings and said,

-I don’t sense any energy.

-You don’t sense any energy?

-Yes.

The main hall building had up to 4 floors.

He knew that the Pavilion Master’s room was on the 4th floor, but there was no one guarding the 3rd floor.

Mok Gyeong-un’s spiritual sense had become even more sensitive since crossing the threshold.

However, on this floor, there were no traps or guards to be seen.

That made him even more wary.

Mok Gyeong-un looked up.

A single energy was felt on the upper floor.

It was very familiar, belonging to the current Pavilion Master, Jo Ui-gong.

Mok Gyeong-un, who had been carefully examining the surroundings, finally went upstairs.

After all, Pavilion Master Jo Ui-gong was superficially his master, and being bound by the Enslavement Chain, he was no different from a slave, so he had no choice but to follow Mok Gyeong-un’s orders.

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un stood in front of the Pavilion Master’s room.

Mok Gyeong-un, preparing for any unforeseen circumstances, briefly formed the Hariti Mudra with his left hand and opened the door to the Pavilion Master’s room with his right hand.

-Creak!

As the door opened and Mok Gyeong-un entered, his eyes narrowed.

The reason was,

‘Illusion technique.’

An illusion technique was being used before his eyes.

Ordinary illusion techniques didn’t work on Mok Gyeong-un, who had opened his spiritual eye.

It was because he could see that it was a false image created by curse power.

The scene shown by the illusion technique depicted Pavilion Master Jo Ui-gong sitting at his desk in the office.

However, in reality,

‘Haa…’

Inside, Jo Ui-gong was seen naked, with his limbs bound, looking dazed.

“Heheheheh.”

Jo Ui-gong wriggled his body and let out a bizarre laugh.

But his expression was distorted as if in pain.

-…We’ve been discovered.

-It seems so.

There was no way he would be in such a miserable state otherwise.

Mok Gyeong-un formed a hand seal and lightly waved his hand while chanting a technique of release.

-Swish!

Then, the illusion technique that had been set at the entrance of the Pavilion Master’s room was dispelled.

As the illusion technique was released, the overlapping scene before his eyes disappeared, and the current Pavilion Master Jo Ui-gong’s appearance, with his limbs restrained, became clear.

-Wait. Don’t approach him.

At Cheong-ryeong’s words, Mok Gyeong-un stopped in his tracks.

Even without her warning, he would have stopped because he had discovered something.

It was because of Jo Ui-gong.

-Squirm! Rumble!

“Ugh, haha!”

Jo Ui-gong’s skin bulged out, and something was moving inside.

Its shape was quite revolting, resembling a centipede.

It was crawling all over Jo Ui-gong’s skin, and whenever it did, Jo Ui-gong seemed to be in pain, bleeding and suffering.

However, this wasn’t just one.

There seemed to be dozens, no, hundreds of them crawling all over his body.

-How vicious.

With those things burrowing into his entire body and feeding on him, it was only natural for him to lose his mind like that.

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes sharpened as he looked at the Enslavement Chain on Jo Ui-gong’s arm.

The Enslavement Chain had dug into Jo Ui-gong’s wrist.

-He must have fought against the restraints of the chain.

-It seems so.

The one who had reduced Jo Ui-gong to this state must have tried to find out who had placed the Enslavement Chain on him.

That’s why they had committed such an act.

However, once bound by the Enslavement Chain, one could never betray.

Therefore, as the techniques clashed, it seemed to have left Jo Ui-gong in such a devastated state.

-Can you remove it?

At Cheong-ryeong’s question, Mok Gyeong-un shook his head.

He had never seen such a technique before.

It was rather impressive that Jo Ui-gong hadn’t died despite having such a large number of bugs crawling all over his skin.

-…It seems to be that guy.

-That guy? You mean him?

-Yes.

The existence that had immediately noticed Cheong-ryeong’s presence and changed course with a technique that had taken away all of Mok Gyeong-un’s sensations except for his consciousness.

It seemed that existence had reduced Jo Ui-gong to this state.

‘Ah.’

Mok Gyeong-un, who had been staring intently at Jo Ui-gong, drew a line with his sword finger.

-Swish!

Then, a sharp murderous intent sliced through the air of the Pavilion Master’s room.

Along with it, a red line appeared on Jo Ui-gong’s neck, and then,

-Slide! Thud!

His head fell to the floor.

Mok Gyeong-un let out a soft breath.

Since he no longer had any value as a pawn, the only thing he could do for him was to end his life mercifully.

If he tried to forcibly keep him alive, it would only hold him back.

Mok Gyeong-un chuckled.

‘It’s not as easy as I thought.’

The exorcism skills of Jo Ui-gong, who had earned the title of Moon-level, were unrivaled among the diviners he had encountered.

For someone like him to be so helplessly defeated…

Now, he had a rough idea.

The existence that had reduced Jo Ui-gong to this state and chased them to their doorstep after detecting Cheong-ryeong’s spiritual power.

‘…Is it the one called Cho Tae-cheong?’

The person Jo Ui-gong had been afraid of, his senior brother.

He seemed to be the most likely candidate.

[Senior Brother Cho Tae-cheong possesses curse power comparable to our master. He is an existence I cannot possibly handle.]

Those were the words Jo Ui-gong had said to him.

Since he had subdued the previous Primal Killing Pavilion Master In Seo-ok, Mok Gyeong-un thought Jo Ui-gong would be able to sufficiently resist if he made full preparations.

However, it seemed he had underestimated him.

He might be an even more troublesome diviner than the arrogant and elderly In Seo-ok.

Perhaps he was an even stronger diviner than Jo Ui-gong had anticipated.

‘If I don’t kill him now, he’ll be a nuisance.’

Murderous intent flickered in Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes.

It was at that very moment.

-Thump!

The sound of footsteps echoed in Mok Gyeong-un’s ears.

-Thump!

The moment he heard the second footstep, Mok Gyeong-un turned his head back.

-Why are you doing that?

-…It’s him.

Mok Gyeong-un’s memory was beyond imagination. He could remember even the habits of the other party just by the stride and sound of their footsteps, so he could immediately identify who it was.

It was undoubtedly the same existence that had entered the old shrine.

-Is he coming?

-Yes.

-What will you do?

-…I have to kill him.

There was no need to hesitate. Even if this existence was a tremendous diviner, the key point was only one. If he killed him before he could use any techniques, that was it.

Mok Gyeong-un’s actions were very swift once he made up his mind.

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un’s figure dispersed like mist. Along with it, Mok Gyeong-un, who had used the Clear and Manifest Water Crossing Steps, ran out of the Pavilion Master’s room and down the corridor using high-speed movement.

-Swish!

To Mok Gyeong-un, who was using high-speed movement, the existence walking down the corridor was moving at an extremely slow pace, no different from walking.

It was that ordinary-looking diviner wearing a gray yin-yang robe. This time, unlike in the shrine, his senses weren’t sealed, so the diviner’s energy was clearly visible.

However,

‘The energy is overlapping?’

Something was strange. As he approached the guy using high-speed movement, his energy was different from ordinary people.

After opening his spiritual eye, the energy became visible, and the guy’s energy appeared to be overlapping. It was as if he wasn’t a single existence but two together.

However, the overlapping energy, unlike the extraordinary curse power, was not much different from ordinary people who hadn’t cultivated martial arts in terms of the energy itself.

Therefore, there wouldn’t be much of a problem in killing him.

-Swish! Swish! Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un, who had instantly passed by the diviner and stood right behind him, raised his murderous intent in his sword hand.

Since he hadn’t cultivated martial arts, the diviner was still walking forward at a very slow pace.

So, Mok Gyeong-un tried to behead him in one strike.

-Whoosh!

But it was at that very moment. The forehead of the slowly walking diviner suddenly split open.

-Crackle!

Then,

-Startle!

For a moment, Mok Gyeong-un furrowed his brows. The reason was that the small energy overlapping the diviner suddenly surged to an unbelievable level.

And that energy was extremely ominous and inauspicious.

However, this wouldn’t stop Mok Gyeong-un. Mok Gyeong-un tried to behead the diviner.

But just as the murderous intent of his sword hand was about to touch the neck,

-Kwang!

At that moment, something pressed down on Mok Gyeong-un’s shoulder. Along with it, the floor shattered, and Mok Gyeong-un’s figure fell straight down.

-Crash!

Mok Gyeong-un’s figure, which had fallen to the 3rd floor, didn’t stop there and broke through the floor again, descending further.

Mok Gyeong-un raised his head and looked at the existence pressing down on him. It was a pair of giant hooves.

Between those hooves, he saw a pair of ferocious eyes and strange horns.

-It’s the Toru!

Cheong-ryeong hurriedly said to Mok Gyeong-un. This was the evil spirit from Mount Kunlun that had been chasing her.

As befitting a Imaemangnyang-level evil spirit, its demonic power was incomparable to that of fierce beasts or monstrous beasts.

Under the pressure of its force, Mok Gyeong-un’s figure instantly broke through the 2nd floor and fell to the 1st floor.

-Crash! Crash!

The beast seemed to be trying to crush him to death like this. However, the moment it stepped on the solid 1st floor, unlike the wooden corridor,

-Crackle!

As the floor cracked in all directions, Mok Gyeong-un, who had channeled the crushing force through the soles of his feet, swung his sword hand towards Toru’s face.

-Slash!

At that moment, one of Toru’s ferocious eyes was split in half, and purple blood spurted out.

The Toru, with one eye slashed, let out a roar of pain.

-Roar!

The roar created shock waves and shook the surroundings. The walls shattered, and it was utter chaos.

Along with it, the enraged Imaemangnyang Toru thrashed about, trying to trample Mok Gyeong-un, who had cut out its eye, with its hooves.

‘What a nuisance.’

As Mok Gyeong-un dodged it and tried to counterattack, it was at that very moment.

-Clang! Clang!

The Toru’s hooves were blocked by some invisible barrier. What is this? As he was wondering,

“Hey you!”

‘!?’

A pretty short-haired girl in maid attire, with one hand forming a seal, urgently shouted to Mok Gyeong-un while gesturing.

“Follow me right now!”