Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 176 – Three Eyes (4)

‘What was that just now?’

Yeo Su-rin looked at Mok Gyeong-un’s face in puzzlement.

If her eyes weren’t deceiving her, although it was brief, Mok Gyeong-un’s right eye had turned a silver color, and an energy that couldn’t be specified as curse power or demonic energy was felt.

But it was only for a moment and quickly disappeared.

‘I’m sure there was a change in his eye.’

When it returned to its original state, that strange energy also vanished.

What was going on?

-Flap, flap!

A small bird flying around Mok Gyeong-un.

It was the shrunken form of the monster beast Heum-won.

When Mok Gyeong-un told it to hide its appearance as if he found it bothersome, it had shrunk to the size of a sparrow and was circling around.

As expected of a monster beast, it concealed its demonic energy so well that it seemed difficult to notice it was a beast unless one had outstanding demonic energy or was extremely sensitive.

‘Oh, I really don’t know.’

The monster beast Heum-won definitely seemed to have become Mok Gyeong-un’s familiar.

But all of this stemmed from one thing.

That was…

‘Did he really become like this after eating that eyeball?’

It was something she found hard to understand.

The eyeball was a Wretched Fiend and a parasitic beast that took root in a human body.

Would eating such a beast make this possible?

[The demonic energy, blood, or flesh of beasts is nothing but poison to humans. So make sure it never enters your mouth, even by mistake.]

That’s what her master had said.

Yet Mok Gyeong-un had done the crazy act of eating it.

And the bond of the Three Eyes’ familiar had been transferred to Mok Gyeong-un.

Something completely contrary to the common sense she knew had occurred.

‘How on earth did he do it?’

She was burning with the desire to ask.

However, even if she asked, it seemed unlikely that Mok Gyeong-un would tell her.

Just like the martial arts sects and factions, if the pavilion or sect of sorcery was different, they had their own techniques and did not share them with other sects.

In the first place, asking about it was considered taboo.

‘Ah, I’m really curious.’

But once her curiosity was piqued, she had to resolve it to feel at ease.

For Yeo Su-rin, Mok Gyeong-un was a collection of curiosities.

If he had really eaten a monster and made its bond his own, she wanted to dissect and study him.

As Yeo Su-rin stared at Mok Gyeong-un like that, she came up with a good idea.

‘Right. Then I can keep observing him closely.’

There was a very simple solution.

Not only that, she had learned that there was another Three Eyes besides the one that had been one with Diviner Cho Tae-cheong.

Then she hadn’t completed her master’s order yet.

There was still a reason for her to stay here longer.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“I think I’ll… Huh?”

Yeo Su-rin’s eyes widened as she tried to speak to Mok Gyeong-un.

The reason was none other than the fact that Mok Gyeong-un had opened the lid of what seemed to be a coffin placed next to the desk in the pavilion master’s office, and there was a person inside.

“What is that? Wait, that person? It’s not a living person.”

“That’s right.”

Mok Gyeong-un shook his head.

Inside was something that anyone would consider a corpse.

That corpse was none other than the former Primal Killing Pavilion Master, In Seo-ok.

“Ugh… ugh…”

Seeing In Seo-ok groaning, Yeo Su-rin said, “Is this a jiangshi? No, a corpse ghost?”

“You have good eyes.”

Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes flashed with interest as Yeo Su-rin immediately recognized In Seo-ok’s condition.

This woman may be chatty, but she was definitely a capable diviner.

Both in terms of knowledge of sorcery and demonic energy.

“No way. That corpse ghost, could it be… the Primal Killing Pavilion Master?”

“That’s right. You recognize him?”

“Of course. It took a while to enter the main hall building, but I’ve been inside the Primal Killing Pavilion since three months ago.”

During that time, she had familiarized herself with the face of the Primal Killing Pavilion Master, In Seo-ok.

But she hadn’t expected him to be in this state after not seeing him for half a month.

Yeo Su-rin let out a sigh and said, “Why did the Primal Killing Pavilion Master end up like this? Could it be that he was attacked by the Three Eyes?”

At her words, Mok Gyeong-un shook his head.

“No, that’s not it.”

“It’s not? Then who on earth did this? The Primal Killing Pavilion Master may have left the Sixty-Four Pavilions, but he’s still a diviner.”

Excluding the top six diviner gods, the highest level in sorcery was called master diviner.

For a skilled master diviner to become a corpse ghost like this…

Only a diviner of the same level or higher could have done this.

However…

“I did it.”

“Ah, so Master Mok did it… What?”

Yeo Su-rin looked at Mok Gyeong-un’s face in surprise.

In Seo-ok was the Primal Killing Pavilion Master, who had a high reputation even among the master diviner of the Sixty-Four Pavilions.

And Mok Gyeong-un had made him like this?

“Really?”

“Yes, really. Did you think it might be fake?”

With those words, Mok Gyeong-un clicked his tongue and formed a hand seal.

-Tak! Tak!

‘Jae (在)! Jin (陣)!’

Then he struck In Seo-ok’s chest with his palm.

A strange thing happened.

The curse binding In Seo-ok was released, and his neck bulged, and then…

“Kuh-blegh.”

Something like intertwined tree branches violently popped out.

Every time they came out, In Seo-ok’s entire body shook violently.

It seemed that the tree branches had spread throughout his body, fixing him in place so he couldn’t move.

“Wow… That’s really vicious. Vicious.”

Yeo Su-rin clicked her tongue at this sight.

At this, Mok Gyeong-un chuckled and said, “This wasn’t done by me. It was probably done by the Three Eyes, Cho Tae-cheong.”

“The Three Eyes?”

“Yes. In Seo-ok wasn’t supposed to be here originally.”

He had told the dead Diviner Jo Ui-gong to take care of it if he managed to take the position of the Primal Killing Pavilion Master.

But his presence here meant that the Three Eyes, Cho Tae-cheong, had noticed his existence because of this.

It was fortunate that it was resolved before things got more complicated.

Otherwise, things would have gotten tangled.

‘And is it fortunate?’

Mok Gyeong-un was already pondering one thing.

With the death of the diviner Jo Ui-gong, he had lost the person who would control the Primal Killing Pavilion.

But with the living corpse ghost, the former Primal Killing Pavilion Master In Seo-ok, that problem was solved.

With him around, he could fill the void left by the dead Jo Ui-gong and Cho Tae-cheong.

“Kuh-ugh.”

-Swish!

As the long, extending tree branches were all pulled out, In Seo-ok’s body twitched, and then he sat up as if he had regained consciousness.

Then he slightly bowed to Mok Gyeong-un.

“Hiya. You really made him like this. No, how did you subdue the Primal Killing Pavilion Master?”

“I’m good at it.”

“Ahaha. Good… Will you keep answering like that?”

“Yes.”

-Crunch, crunch!

Yeo Su-rin chewed her fingernails and glared at Mok Gyeong-un.

He was the most troublesome man she had ever met.

Seriously.

As she chewed her fingernails, she let out a sigh and said, “Then you won’t tell me why you made him like that, right?”

“Yes. Although we had a deal, our relationship ends here, doesn’t it?”

“What?”

“You’ll be leaving now, won’t you?”

“Ah…”

Yeo Su-rin looked at Mok Gyeong-un with a strange expression.

Although they hadn’t known each other for long and their relationship was short, they had faced a common enemy while risking their lives, so she thought they had become somewhat close.

But with these words, she realized that Mok Gyeong-un didn’t trust her at all.

‘This person… Is he very shy?’

Yeo Su-rin clicked her tongue with a twisted expression.

Even though it was a bet, she had given him a disposable treasure, so she felt disappointed.

Fine.

Now that it had come to this, she would make him treat her warmly with his own mouth out of spite.

Yeo Su-rin, who had inwardly set her ambition, said, “I’m not going back.”

“You’re not going back?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Didn’t you say there’s one more Three Eyes?”

“That’s…”

Mok Gyeong-un clicked his tongue inwardly as if he had made a mistake.

He had asked about this, thinking it was important information, but because of this, Yeo Su-rin also had a reason to stay here longer.

No, was it a situation where she couldn’t leave yet?

“Ah… Is that so? But there won’t be any more inside the main hall, so you’ll have to search hard.”

“What? You’re not going to search?”

“Me?”

“Yes. Judging from what you said to the Three Eyes earlier, weren’t you trying to find the other Three Eyes?”

“No. I was just checking if there was another one.”

“No, then you’re not going to search?”

“Yes.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Yeo Su-rin showed a troubled expression.

She had intended to observe Mok Gyeong-un under the pretext of searching for the Three Eyes together.

What should she do about this?

Yeo Su-rin, whose mind had become complicated, pouted her lips like a duck and said, “No, isn’t that really mean of you?”

“What’s mean about it?”

“Even though this is also a relationship, can’t you help me a little? Thanks to me, you were able to kill the Three Eyes here without difficulty.”

At her words, Mok Gyeong-un replied nonchalantly.

“Wasn’t it because our goals aligned? And the one who risked his life was me. As I recall, Miss Yeo, you were always ready to run away.”

“T-That was just what I said. If things had turned out differently, I would have helped.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Yeo Su-rin stamped her feet with an indignant expression and said, “It’s true.”

“Yes, I’m sure it is.”

Mok Gyeong-un placed his hand on the head of the former Primal Killing Pavilion Master, In Seo-ok, as if he had no interest.

Then he infused the energy of death, the death qi, into In Seo-ok’s head.

-Whoosh!

A corpse ghost is literally close to a corpse state.

However…

“Huh?”

Yeo Su-rin’s eyes widened.

She had thought that the Primal Killing Pavilion Master, In Seo-ok, was simply a corpse ghost.

But before she knew it, the state of the Primal Killing Pavilion Master, In Seo-ok, was changing to resemble his living appearance rather than a corpse.

Even the color of his skin was turning from purple to a flesh tone.

“A-A living corpse ghost?”

A living corpse ghost.

It was a forbidden secret technique of the Six-Person Spirit Summoning Technique.

When the heart’s blood of the caster is fed to a person who has just died, and the yin energy of those who have recently died is gathered in one place, and a technique is performed, this is born.

Literally, it is a living corpse ghost.

‘A living corpse ghost?’

The reason she was surprised was simple.

Creating a living corpse ghost was even more difficult than an ordinary corpse ghost or jiangshi.

To create a single living corpse ghost, nearly thirty people had to be killed, and their energy had to be gathered together. Moreover, living corpse ghosts had too many weaknesses.

If they couldn’t periodically kill people and fill themselves with the yin energy of the dead, their bodies would rot, so their utility was extremely low.

“Master Mok… That’s a forbidden technique.”

“Ah, it was.”

Mok Gyeong-un looked at Yeo Su-rin with a cold gaze.

Come to think of it, she was from the Harmonious Immortal Pavilion, which belonged to the proper diviner group, the Sixty-Four Pavilions.

On the other hand, the Primal Killing Pavilion was a group that had left the Sixty-Four Pavilions, joined hands with martial arts groups, and performed all sorts of forbidden techniques.

Therefore, Mok Gyeong-un didn’t place much significance on forbidden techniques.

However, in reality, among diviners, forbidden techniques were literally sorcery that should not be performed.

‘Should I kill her?’

Mok Gyeong-un had intended to let her go since she had been helpful.

But now that she seemed like she might become an obstacle, he was contemplating whether to kill her.

Meanwhile, Yeo Su-rin spoke with sparkling eyes.

“No, how did you do it?”

“What?”

“To give vitality to a living corpse ghost, you need the yin energy of those who have just died.”

“…”

“That’s why it was a forbidden technique, but could it be that you found a way to infuse vitality even without that?”

At Yeo Su-rin’s words, Mok Gyeong-un let out a soft sigh.

It was because she was creating her own excuses.

So Mok Gyeong-un lightly nodded his head.

At this, Yeo Su-rin approached Mok Gyeong-un with sparkling eyes and said, “Where are you really from? Are you perhaps a disciple of the pavilion master of the Sonmunjiyonggak?”

“Gentle Gate Dragon Pavilion?”

“Huh? You’re not?”

“No.”

“Then the Submerged Moon Water Pavilion…”

“I won’t tell you, so stop asking.”

“Hmm… Can’t you at least tell me that much?”

“Yes. And I have a lot of work to do here. So let’s part ways here. Otherwise, you…”

He omitted the latter part about having to kill her.

He hoped she would understand.

But Yeo Su-rin clasped her hands together with a pleading expression and said, “Master Mok, I’m really, really saying this because it’s hard for me to find the Three Eyes alone. Can’t you help me?”

She seemed to have misunderstood.

Should he just kill her?

There was no need for her anymore.

Mok Gyeong-un said with a faint smile, “I’m busy with my own work.”

“Then I’ll help Master Mok too.”

At those words, Mok Gyeong-un raised an eyebrow and asked back, “You’ll help me?”

“Yes, from what I see, Master Mok wasn’t here for three months, so it seems you’re not here as a diviner, right?”

“…”

“Since you’ve also learned martial arts, you’re here as a martial artist, aren’t you?”

Indeed, even though this woman was chatty, she wasn’t stupid.

“Right? Then don’t you need someone to manage this living corpse ghost?”

“…”

At her words, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed.

Someone to manage the living corpse ghost…

Even though it had self-will and was close to the state of a living person, a corpse ghost was still a corpse ghost.

It needed to be managed from time to time to ensure there were no problems.

Yeo Su-rin, convinced that Mok Gyeong-un was contemplating, smiled brightly and said, “I’ll actively help you with anything else you need, not just this. Master Mok, please help me find the Three Eyes too. Isn’t that a fair deal?”

“Hmm.”

“Hey, don’t pretend to think about it.”

“It seems like a not-so-bad condition.”

“Right?”

“But I don’t trust people well.”

“No, I keep my promises well!”

“Because there’s always the possibility of ‘what if’.”

“Ugh, you’re really too much. I gave you the spare treasure without a word. Even if it can only be used once, it’s worth a thousand gold.”

At her words, Mok Gyeong-un chuckled.

He knew from observing her that this woman had no ill intentions.

However, Mok Gyeong-un didn’t completely trust people.

That’s why he thought an appropriate measure was necessary.

“Do you really wish to make a deal?”

“I told you. If you help me find the Three Eyes, I’ll help you with your work too. Isn’t it fair in a way?”

“Well, I suppose so.”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s somewhat positive answer, Yeo Su-rin’s expression brightened.

“Then you’re accepting it?”

“I’m considering it, but if you agree to one condition.”

“A condition?”

“Yes. As I mentioned before, I don’t trust people well. So…”

-Swish!

Mok Gyeong-un extended his hand.

Then, something was sucked from the wrist of the beheaded corpse fixed in front of the pavilion master’s desk into Mok Gyeong-un’s hand.

-Swish! Tak!

“Huh? How did you do that just now?”

“I’m good at it.”

“Ugh.”

He never properly taught her even once.

Biting her lips tightly and glaring at Mok Gyeong-un, Yeo Su-rin soon recognized what was in his hand.

“Wait a minute… Don’t tell me that’s the Chain of Incantation?”

“You recognize it.”

At this, Yeo Su-rin spoke with a somewhat stiffened expression, unlike before.

“You’re not going to tell me to wear that, are you?”

In response to that question, Mok Gyeong-un smiled brightly and replied, “I was going to tell you to wear it.”

“No. That’s used to subjugate the other party!”

“It’s not to unconditionally subjugate you, but think of it as a kind of safety device. When we’re both done with our business, I’ll release you.”

“I can’t! Absolutely not!”

Yeo Su-rin shouted angrily with a furious face.

No matter what, this was not acceptable.

The Chain of Incantation was a dangerous treasure that allowed the one who imposed the restraint to drive her to death as much as they wished.

And he was telling her to put that on?

-Whirl, whirl!

Meanwhile, Mok Gyeong-un twirled the Chain of Incantation and said, “Then there are only two options.”

“Two? One would be to not make a deal at all and part ways.”

“Yes, you’re quite perceptive.”

“Then what’s the other one?”

“It’s a method that I’ve found to be somewhat effective, so it might not be bad for you either.”

“So what is it?”

“Becoming my woman.”

‘!?’

Instantly, Yeo Su-rin’s expression stiffened.

For a moment, she doubted her own ears.