Chapter 121

The chanting had ceased, and now, only silence hung heavy in the air.

Then, someone emerged from the distance.

Thump, thump.

Kang Yuseong’s brow furrowed slightly as he faced the figure, whose footsteps were chillingly sinister.

The figure’s appearance was so grotesque it was enough to make anyone recoil, resembling a wicked fiend, capable of making a viewer’s heart seize up in terror.

It wore a tattered, rotting monastic robe, a rosary with blackened, discolored beads around its neck. From beneath the robe’s sleeves, a wrist protruded, skeletal and so emaciated it was hard to believe it was human.

And then, its face.

What if all the expressions of every demon in the world were concentrated into one? That was the face before him.

Black spots, like “flowers of death,” bloomed across its entire face, and its eyes, brimming with an eerie malevolence, were terrifyingly ghastly.

Upon seeing Kang Yuseong, it twisted the corner of its mouth.

The blackened teeth glinting between its lips were enough to turn one’s stomach.

“You are… interesting.”

Its voice was a chilling rasp, like fingernails dragged across rusted iron.

Yet, Kang Yuseong met its gaze unflinchingly.

His attention, however, was fixed on something else entirely.

‘This creature…!’

Thieving Eye.

He activated Thieving Eye, peering through the robed figure. To his astonishment, no pattern appeared above its head.

Did this mean there wasn’t a single ability to plunder?

Kang Yuseong was momentarily caught off guard by this unprecedented situation, when the ancient being let out a cackle.

“You have a rather ill-mannered habit, don’t you? Beware, lest…”

Its eyes glowed with a chilling light.

“Your soul shall wander the nine hells, eternally lost.”

‘Hmm?’

Kang Yuseong instantly realized something was amiss.

The ancient being was clearly speaking Japanese.

Yet, that voice wasn’t reaching his ears; it was penetrating directly into Kang Yuseong’s mind.

‘This…!’

The more he observed, the more unfathomable the ancient being became.

One of the Six Supernatural Powers (Yuk Neung) passed down in Buddhism: ‘Mind-Reading (Tasimtong).’

In the past, when Kang Yuseong was a Monarch, there were indeed beings who had awakened the Six Supernatural Powers of Buddhism.

And some had even awakened abilities beyond those Six Supernatural Powers, one such being Ishi, a high monk from Tibet.

That individual had transcended Mind-Reading, awakening ‘Mind Transmission (Jeonsimtong),’ allowing them to convey their very thoughts directly to another. It was akin to how Kang Yuseong could now forcibly implant his consciousness into other entities using Brain Chain.

He had vaguely speculated that the ultimate form of Brain Chain might be akin to the Six Supernatural Powers of Buddhism, Mind Transmission, or even mind control. Yet, to his astonishment, the ancient being before him was actively using Mind Transmission.

‘This creature… what is its true identity?’

What was truly astonishing, however, was that in this current era, no one was known to have awakened even Mind-Reading, let alone Mind Transmission.

Even the Tibetan high monk Ishi, in this period, would be struggling just to survive on his own.

So, who was this being, capable of freely wielding Mind Transmission, raising countless spirits, and radiating such a potent aura that it felt like evil incarnate?

“Be not surprised. You shall soon know.”

Moreover, the ancient being, strangely, spoke in archaic tongues.

A bizarre entity whose true identity remained utterly unknown.

As Kang Yuseong directly confronted the ancient being, he instantly recognized that it wielded an overwhelmingly immense power.

As if to prove it, the golden radiance surging from Kang Yuseong’s entire body was slowly diminishing in intensity.

The radiance that typically incinerated darkness was, instead, slowly being devoured by the profound gloom.

The ancient Japanese tongue.

And the aged, ceremonial monastic robe.

Adding to that, a formidable Corpse Summoning Skill.

As Kang Yuseong slowly sifted through his memories, something suddenly clicked.

‘Could it be…!’

Kang Yuseong’s mouth fell open in an instant.

Come to think of it, he had heard something similar a very long time ago.

It was back when he had routed the Tsukuyomi Attack Unit and annihilated their remnants.

Back then, someone dying by his blade had uttered a warning.

If Grand Master Yoshii had been present, Joseon would have been steeped in death.

That remark had lingered, prompting him to investigate Grand Master Yoshii’s identity, but honestly, he had soon forgotten about it.

Grand Master Yoshii was an ancient Japanese evil monk, a figure rarely even found in shrines nowadays. How could someone who had died thousands of years ago possibly appear now?

Thus, at the time, he had dismissed it as mere nonsense, and indeed, there had been no further mention of Grand Master Yoshii appearing.

But now, here in Busan, an eerie Yin energy blanketed the city more intensely than ever before, brutal massacres had unfolded, and unprecedented, bizarre events were taking place.

Could this, then, be Grand Master Yoshii?

This undead, half-corpse of a being?

As if sensing his thoughts, the ancient being smirked.

“Is there truly a need to know such things? After all, once it passes, it shall merely be a fleeting, scattered illusion.”

It offered no denial.

And in its very tone, it strongly revealed its true identity.

There was no doubt.

It was Grand Master Yoshii…

The ancient evil monk of Japan; it was undoubtedly that very being.

‘That… that was true!’

Kang Yuseong clenched his fist tightly.

“By the way, I am surprised. To think there is one such as you in this land. Thanks to that… I shall feast after a long time. Khuhuhuhu!”

Grand Master Yoshii.

It was also a master of cannibalism.

And not merely of flesh.

It was…

A wicked monk who devoured souls.

Those who died by its hand had both body and soul extinguished, their very existence utterly erased. That was why the ancient Japanese people had been desperate to capture the evil monk Yoshii, and eventually, after thousands of sacrifices, they had succeeded in beheading it.

Yoshii’s head, it was said, was tied to a heavy stone and cast into the deep sea, while its body was bound and sealed within a mountain cave.

He didn’t know why this being was said to have revived now, but regardless, it stood before him. That alone was the unyielding reality.

Yet, Kang Yuseong suddenly smirked.

“You’ve lived too long, it seems your mind has dulled. Evil Monk Yoshii.”

At those words, Yoshii stared intently at Kang Yuseong.

Kang Yuseong met its gaze, uttering coldly,

“The place you belong is not this land, but within a cold tomb.”

CRACK!

Suddenly, sparks erupted.

The considerable distance between the two instantly vanished, as Kang Yuseong swiftly brought his sword down upon Yoshii.

Yoshii parried Kang Yuseong’s sword with a small stick held in its hand, but its expression was far from pleased.

“I’ll bury you in your grave, old monster.”

WHOOSH!

No sooner had the words left his lips than Kang Yuseong’s leg tore through the air, lashing out.

CRACK!

Yoshii’s gaunt body reeled violently from that single kick.

This time, however, Kang Yuseong’s brow furrowed.

An immense force had been packed into that kick.

Yet, Yoshii had nullified the kick’s power with some arcane force. Its body had merely swayed slightly, no more than a gentle push.

“Heheheh.”

It gave a strange smile, raising its gleaming eyes to Kang Yuseong.

“You are quite fierce, aren’t you, little one.”

A dense, purplish mist emanated from its entire body. It was this very mist that had blocked Kang Yuseong’s kick just moments ago.

It seemed imbued with a power capable of completely negating physical damage.

‘No opening…?’

With a single exchange of blows, Kang Yuseong perfectly assessed the situation.

Evil Monk Yoshii presented no openings.

Kang Yuseong utterly dominated in terms of physical damage and speed, but the problem was that these advantages proved ineffective.

This wouldn’t do.

But stopping here was not an option.

If there was no opening, he would create one.

Kang Yuseong pushed off the ground with immense force, charging forward.

SHING!

The sword in his hand spun through the air, baring its ferocious edge.

SWISH!

Then, in a flash, the sword rapidly arced towards a single point, surging upward.

CLANG!

Yoshii parried again with the stick in its hand, sending sparks flying wildly.

Suddenly, Kang Yuseong’s left hand splayed open, aiming for Yoshii’s flank.

BOOM!

The moment Yoshii’s eyes flickered, Kang Yuseong’s left hand unleashed a torrent of fierce flames.

THUD!

The mist enveloping Yoshii blocked the initial impact, but the flames instantly pierced through it, striking Yoshii squarely.

“Gah!”

Yoshii staggered.

In an instant, Kang Yuseong thrust out his left hand, seizing the back of its neck and yanking it forward.

The moment Yoshii’s head helplessly bowed towards the ground, Kang Yuseong’s knee shot upward.

CRUNCH!

A deafening roar, like an artillery shell exploding, echoed as Kang Yuseong’s knee slammed directly into Yoshii’s head.

“Urgh!”

Yoshii reeled, but Kang Yuseong didn’t let up, thrusting his sword straight forward.

SWISH!

At the crucial moment, Yoshii twisted its body, evading the sword, but the front of its robe was ripped open in a long tear.

SPLATTER!

And black, viscous blood gushed from its chest.

Kang Yuseong frowned as he watched it.

But he did not cease his assault.

To halt his attack now would be to grant the creature an opening.

Its sorcery had reached an incredibly potent level, and if Kang Yuseong allowed it to wield its power freely, he himself could be in peril.

WHOOSH!

Once more, searing flames gathered in his left hand.

And in a single instant, they unleashed a massive explosion.

BOOM!

The flames engulfed Yoshii’s face directly.

CRASH!

Yoshii’s gaunt frame was thrown backward.

WHOOSH!

In an instant, Kang Yuseong moved swiftly, rushing to plunge his sword into Yoshii’s heart.

And the moment he raised his sword to plunge it into the chest of the fallen Yoshii, Kang Yuseong’s eyes turned stone cold.

On the ground lay nothing but a rotten log.

Just then, Kang Yuseong’s eyes caught sight of a dark, undulating energy fading away in the distance.

As that energy dissipated, the eerie aura that had thickly blanketed the surroundings also gradually faded away.

‘Damn it!’

The evil monk.

A new form of ability user.

Perhaps someone had awakened the ancient evil monk, but failed to control its power.

Otherwise, there was no way only it would have appeared here.

And it wasn’t likely that something unprecedented in the past would suddenly manifest only in the present.

In the past, the truth about the evil monk Yoshii, whom a dying Japanese man had cursed with his last breath, was now brazenly manifesting as reality before Kang Yuseong’s eyes.

It seemed there had clearly been attempts to awaken the evil monk Yoshii in the past as well.

However, while the evil monk Yoshii had not appeared in the past, there must be a reason for its manifestation now.

‘Hmm…’

Kang Yuseong sheathed his sword, lost in thought.

He had been deceived by Yoshii.

From the start, the true Yoshii was likely never here.

He had been fighting a mere log imbued with Yoshii’s intent (Yeom) this entire time. Its true body had to be elsewhere.

That place was…

Kang Yuseong’s eyes turned south.

A nation lay there.

Japan.

The place where those who had unleashed a massive slaughter upon this land lurked.

‘Yoshii.’

It seemed he would have to go there.

After all, there was an old saying: a disobedient, barking beast must be beaten until it’s dead.