Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 326 – To Sichuan Tang Clan (3)

“Mok (目) and Gan (艮) are not separate but ultimately one. The eye (眼)… The third Mok-gan actually means the third eye (三眼).”

‘Ah!’

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, the Holy Fire Priestess’s eyes trembled.

She had also heard that the subordinates of Secret Society’s leader, Secret Master, called him Mok-gan.

She had simply dismissed it as a peculiar name, but hearing Mok Gyeong-un’s words sent chills down her spine.

‘The third eye…’

She had seen the third eye on that person’s forehead up close.

It was so terrifying that it was deeply engraved in her memory.

Then, Mok Gyeong-un spoke:

“I thought there might be another third eye, but I didn’t expect that other third eye to have such a close relationship.”

“What do you mean by another third eye…”

“It’s none of your business, but it seems there’s more than one third eye… !?”

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un furrowed his brow.

It was because he suddenly remembered the Assassin King of the Sea, the monstrous raccoon dog sealed in the report scroll.

The first one to mention the existence of the third eye was none other than that monstrous raccoon dog.

The bastard had said that it was the third eye that sealed him in the scroll.

‘Could this third eye be… that third eye?’

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes sharpened as he furrowed his brow.

If the existence of this third eye was truly the same third eye that sealed the Assassin King of the Sea, it would be quite troublesome.

If it possessed the power to seal a being like the Assassin King of the Sea, one of the Six Demons infinitely close to divine beasts, it meant that it possessed strength beyond that level.

‘…’

Even now, having rapidly grown stronger, he wasn’t confident that he could face the Assassin King of the Sea’s monstrous raccoon dog or the White-Faced King, the Golden Nine-Tailed Fox he had encountered in the imperial palace of Kaifeng.

If the third Mok-gan, that is, the third eye, possessed strength surpassing the Six Demons, the path to revenge might still be distant.

“Hmm.”

However, it was still difficult to make a definitive conclusion.

If there was more than one third eye, there could be two or even three.

Therefore, it was still uncertain whether the third eye that sealed the Assassin King of the Sea and the third Mok-gan, the leader of the organization, were the same being.

‘But it’s unexpected.’

The existence of the third eye was hard to consider as human.

It was no different from a high-level malevolent spirit parasitizing a human body.

To think that such a being was the leader of the organization related to his grandfather’s death, everything was becoming more complicated.

‘…What is their purpose?’

The mastermind behind the false prophecy and the being that might have the closest connection to his grandfather’s death.

He became curious about this being’s true purpose.

Mok Gyeong-un turned his head and looked at the Holy Fire Priestess.

Her condition seemed quite poor, her face deathly pale and her breathing gradually weakening.

Mok Gyeong-un said:

“Rest for a bit…”

-Thud!

At that moment, the Holy Fire Priestess’s eyes rolled back, and she collapsed forward.

***

-Sssssh!

Black haze rose from Seop Chun’s entire body as he focused on circulating energy with his eyes closed.

The black haze differed in nature from the usual internal energy.

Mok Gyeong-un placed his palm on Seop Chun’s back, assisting his energy circulation as a change occurred in his internal energy.

After a while, Mok Gyeong-un removed his palm.

-Tak!

Eventually, Seop Chun, who had been concentrating on circulating energy, opened his eyes, unable to hide his surprise.

As this ferocious and dark energy was added to the internal energy circulating within his body, its nature underwent a change.

‘It’s a strange energy. Despite being completely opposite to purity and possessing a destructive nature, its purity is high. It’s almost like primordial energy.’

Originally, this energy was not the type that could be mixed with internal energy.

However, as Mok Gyeong-un overlaid this energy as if painting a coat, the internal energy was completely transformed.

‘Not only has the energy changed, but it has also become stronger.’

It was difficult for a martial artist to completely entrust their body to others, even in a master-disciple relationship.

However, Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak considered this a kind of loyalty test, so they entrusted their bodies.

But the result was quite unexpected.

Seop Chun knelt on one knee before Mok Gyeong-un, joined his hands in salute, and said:

-Pak!

“Thank you, my lord.”

“There’s no need to thank me. Focus on embodying the demonic energy to the fullest.”

“Demonic energy… It’s demonic energy. I will keep that in mind.”

Seop Chun seemed to be in high spirits, feeling chosen after receiving the energy, to the point where even hearing Mok Gyeong-un’s voice made him excited.

“Then go ahead.”

“Yes, my lord.”

As Seop Chun left, a voice echoed in Mok Gyeong-un’s ear.

-It’s truly remarkable. To think it actually worked.

The owner of the voice was none other than Cheong-ryeong.

Mok Gyeong-un shrugged and said:

-Indeed. Unlike the energy of the dead, the death energy, the demonic energy can be assimilated.

Assimilation.

It literally means being eroded like a silkworm eating mulberry leaves.

Noticing the increased loyalty and rapid improvement in capabilities of Ma Ra-hyeon after embodying the demonic energy, Mok Gyeong-un had infused demonic energy into Seop Chun and Mong Mu-yak.

Originally, internal energy could be slightly different in nature depending on the differences in energy circulation techniques, leading to rejection phenomena. However, under the premise that the other party completely entrusted their body, remarkable results occurred.

-You have created your own subordinates, you bastard.

-Useful subordinates, that is.

Cheong-ryeong didn’t deny Mok Gyeong-un’s words.

In the case of complete demonic energy, it goes beyond assimilating the other party’s body and destroys all internal energy, so Mok Gyeong-un lowered the purity of this energy before injecting it.

However, even this alone gave birth to beings possessing energy similar to Mok Gyeong-un’s.

-If it’s not that unique energy-circulating constitution of that baldy, you can use the demonic energy to create your own loyal subordinates, you brat.

The baldy Cheong-ryeong mentioned was the expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong.

In Ja Geum-jeong’s case, he had tried to infuse demonic energy, but it had leaked out of his body, making it impossible to assimilate.

It was probably due to the Supreme Power’s Qi circulation technique

The Shaolin’s energy circulation technique itself contained Buddhist enlightenment, so it was impossible to suppress the thorough rejection phenomenon.

-Well, as long as it’s not a case like this, there shouldn’t be any problems.

-I don’t know what kind of ambition has taken hold of you, but seeing you expand your own loyal subordinates, are you trying to properly establish your own forces?

-Who knows? Properly skilled individuals would be more useful than a bunch of nobodies.

Properly skilled individuals…

This guy is gradually changing, and it can be felt.

The subordinates he had mentioned before were truly just subordinates.

They were literally subordinates that could be used and discarded at any time. But now, he was truly trying to build his own forces.

Although Cheong-ryeong didn’t dislike this change, the being latent within the guy continued to bother her.

‘…Black eyes.’

Why did the memory of that time keep lingering?

***

Seop Chun, who had received the demonic energy, approached Mong Mu-yak, who was sitting cross-legged next to the encampment.

He thought Mong Mu-yak was immersed in energy circulation, but he opened his eyes midway.

Seop Chun said to him:

“Have you fully embodied the energy received from our lord?”

“…You received it just half an incense stick before me.”

It wasn’t energy that could be embodied in a short time.

However, as they both possessed the same energy, the demonic energy, the increase in energy was clearly felt, as if reading the other person through energy perception.

‘The energy has become stronger.’

Seop Chun inwardly clicked his tongue.

After absorbing the Shaolin’s Small Returning Pill and beginning to embody the demonic energy, Mong Mu-yak’s energy had reached the peak of the Transcendent Realm, and it was no exaggeration to say so.

It wasn’t just Seop Chun who had this thought.

Mong Mu-yak also felt that Seop Chun’s energy had become significantly stronger after receiving the demonic energy from their lord.

However, the real monster was someone else.

Mong Mu-yak clicked his tongue as he looked at Ma Ra-hyeon, who was sitting far away from the campfire.

‘…He has definitely surpassed the wall.’

Ma Ra-hyeon had gained enlightenment but had not fully internalized it.

However, it seemed that he had recently completely embodied that enlightenment after absorbing the Small Returning Pill, as his energy had become properly stabilized.

To this extent, he had definitely crossed the threshold of the Transformation Realm.

Just how much enlightenment had he gained to experience such a rapid increase in capabilities?

As Mong Mu-yak clicked his tongue, he glanced at the expelled monk Ja Geum-jeong, who was sitting in front of the campfire, drinking from a gourd.

‘That masked guy is no pushover either, but that baldy is also not to be taken lightly.’

Perhaps due to his unique energy circulation technique, his capabilities were utterly unreadable.

He clearly didn’t seem to have surpassed the wall, but why couldn’t he gauge the extent of that guy’s energy?

Why does he seem to keep getting stronger even though he doesn’t particularly cultivate?

He was even more incomprehensible than the masked guy.

‘I can’t let my guard down.’

From his perspective, the four people here had a high probability of becoming their lord’s closest confidants in the future.

If he, himself fell behind at this time, he might be assigned the lowest rank among the closest confidants.

‘I need to become stronger.’

Mong Mu-yak’s fighting spirit soared.

Of course, the same went for Seop Chun.

Without further conversation, they immersed themselves in energy circulation, focusing on embodying the demonic energy bestowed upon them by his lord.

***

‘Huh?’

The Holy Fire Priestess, who had regained consciousness, looked around.

Where the hell was this place?

She had lost consciousness during the conversation with Mok Gyeong-un, who might be the incarnation of that being, probably due to severe bleeding from her severed arm.

With her old body and lack of internal energy cultivation, it was a situation she couldn’t endure.

As she looked around, she couldn’t help but be surprised.

It was dark, probably nighttime, so she didn’t know where she was, but she could feel the sensation in her severed arm.

So, with a doubtful heart, she felt her arms, and the severed arm was attached.

‘What the hell is this?’

What was going on?

Was she dreaming?

Her arm had definitely been cut off, so why was it intact?

As she wondered, she touched her ear with a doubtful heart.

But…

‘…’

The severed ear was gone.

The arm was attached, but the ear was still cut off.

What the hell was going on?

As she was baffled, a creaking sound was heard in front of her, and the dark space split open as a door opened.

‘Gasp!’

The faint light from the campfire pouring in.

The silhouette of a man casting a shadow against that light.

It was none other than Mok Gyeong-un.

The moment she saw Mok Gyeong-un, the Holy Fire Priestess was gripped by fear and involuntarily flinched, moving her body backward.

-Thud!

However, she couldn’t move any further as her back was blocked.

Thanks to the light, she could see her surroundings, and the place she was in was…

‘A carriage?’

It was definitely a carriage.

What had happened while she was unconscious?

As she wondered, Mok Gyeong-un entered, closed the carriage door, and said:

“I opened the door because your breathing seemed to have changed, and indeed, you’re awake. Are you feeling better now?”

“H-how long was I unconscious?”

“I even infused internal energy, but perhaps due to severe blood loss, you didn’t wake up for nearly a day. I thought you might die if it couldn’t be helped, but fortunately, you woke up.”

A day?

She had been unconscious for that long?

No wonder her entire body felt weak.

But did he just say fortunately?

“It would be troublesome if you died already when I still have more questions and uses for you.”

“…”

Right.

Of course.

There was no way this demonic bastard would spare her life out of goodwill.

As this thought occurred to her, the Holy Fire Priestess suddenly felt dejected and sorrowful.

How did it come to this?

To the depressed her, Mok Gyeong-un said:

“Do you know where this place is?”

At that question, she made a puzzled expression.

How could she know where this place was when she had been unconscious for a day?

Then, Mok Gyeong-un smiled and said:

“It’s Guangyuan.”

‘G-Guangyuan?’

The Holy Fire Priestess’s eyes widened.

Guangyuan was a small county located at the northern entrance of Sichuan Province.

The Sichuan Tang Clan was located in Chengdu, the center of Sichuan Province, so if they traveled diligently by carriage, they could arrive within ten days.

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