Dozens or hundreds of poisonous creatures are put into a jar and the lid is not opened until only one survives.

The worst one that survives like that is called gu poison.

Mok Gyeong-un, looking down at the cliff that was like a bottomless pit, asked in a puzzled voice:

“Gu poison…?”

– Yes. Can’t you hear them? These screams.

He could hear them.

Very clearly at that.

• Kyaaaaaa!

• Aaaaargh!

• Save meeeee!

• Please! Please!

The screams of vengeful spirits suffering in agony were soaring upward.

This was the first time he had seen this many vengeful spirits wailing together.

If taken individually, they were only at the red spirit level and nothing special, but with hundreds, no, thousands of vengeful spirits gathered in one place, it was truly a scene of hell.

– Take a closer look. Your eyes should be able to see it.

At Cheong-ryeong’s words, Mok Gyeong-un stared intently at the bottom.

The vengeful spirits wailing there were stretching their hands upward as if yearning for freedom, but iron chains were bound to their ankles and wrists.

Clang clang!

“Those are…”

– You should know well since you learned sorcery. You’ve done it once too, kid.

At her words, Gochan flashed through Mok Gyeong-un’s mind.

Originally, Mok Gyeong-un had used sorcery to turn a soul that would naturally go to the afterlife into a vengeful spirit.

The method wasn’t very difficult.

It was enough to somehow hold the departing soul in this world and taint it with the qi of death.

“Ha!”

The corners of Mok Gyeong-un’s mouth twitched.

It was quite a sight to behold.

That enormous number of dead souls were trapped under this narrow cliff and transformed into vengeful spirits.

This was absolutely not something that happened by chance.

It occurred forcibly.

It couldn’t be anything but a horrific deed.

However, while looking at this, Mok Gyeong-un was more intrigued than surprised.

‘Truly peculiar.’

Seeing this, Cheong-ryeong clicked her tongue.

No matter how she looked at it, this guy’s thinking was far from that of ordinary humans.

But it didn’t matter.

Right now, her only thought was that whether it be an evil spirit or whatever, as long as it could resolve her deep resentment, it was fine.

Cheong-ryeong said:

– You should know that there are grades even among vengeful spirits, right?

“… That’s right.”

– How strong of an obsessive grudge did they have before dying? How long did they hold that resentment? It’s influenced by such things.

“…”

– But that’s not the only way grades are determined.

“It can also be achieved in other forms?”

– Yes. Don’t you see it now?

Cheong-ryeong pointed somewhere with her long pipe.

That place was the darkest spot at the bottom of the cliff that was like a bottomless pit.

That one spot was particularly invisible.

But upon closer look, an astonishing sight could be seen.

“… They’re being dragged.”

– Yes.

The screaming vengeful spirits.

Those vengeful spirits were being forcibly dragged to that one place as if being absorbed.

The vengeful spirits were desperately resisting, but due to the chains restraining them, they were being sucked in one by one.

Every time that happened, the dark space kept growing larger and larger.

“I understand what you mean now.”

Mok Gyeong-un now grasped the meaning of what she had said.

The meaning of the word “gu poison”.

– When vengeful spirits are together in one place, there may be cases where they don’t clash. But if they are restrained and confined in one place, unable to escape…

“They’re harming each other. No, I should say they’re devouring each other.”

– Yes.

Mere ghosts were devouring each other and transforming into the worst form in one place.

And that transformation into the worst was probably that dark spot.

A darkness that made one shudder just by looking at it.

“Gu poison, huh…”

It was a fitting name.

How much had the vengeful spirit that remained alone like that transformed into the worst form?

At the very least, it was definitely above a yellow spirit, no, a green spirit.

Mok Gyeong-un glanced at Cheong-ryeong.

‘Perhaps.’

It might be the process of forming a vengeful spirit on par with her.

As that thought occurred to him, he suddenly drooled.

Then Cheong-ryeong said:

– Now’s the chance.

“Chance?”

– A complete gu poison hasn’t been born yet. I don’t know how much of the worst they’re trying to create, but if you can absorb even a little of that qi, it will have a greater effect than killing them one by one.

This was the reason Cheong-ryeong had brought Mok Gyeong-un here.

Killing boys and absorbing death qi was naturally a way to become stronger, but the bottom of this cliff was a concentration of vengeful spirits to create gu poison.

The qi formed in that process had a different potency than ordinary death qi.

– It’s already overflowing, so if you perform the Art of Binding here, you’ll be able to sufficiently receive the qi.

“I suppose so.”

– Hurry up and do it.

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

– What? Don’t tell me you’re scared.

“No.”

– Then why are you refusing to do it?

“I’m not refusing. Rather than doing it here, I’m more tempted by that.”

‘!?’

What Mok Gyeong-un pointed at was none other than the dark spot.

At this, Cheong-ryeong furrowed her brows.

Then she spoke as if it was absurd:

– Are you crazy and want to die?

“Pardon?”

– That place is the very torrent where vengeful spirits are devouring each other and transforming. And you’re saying you’ll go there as a living being?

“Is it not possible?”

– Hey, brat.

“Yes.”

– There are still hundreds of individual vengeful spirits that haven’t been devoured. And if you enter that whirlpool, you may end up being devoured instead. Discard your unnecessary bravado.

It was a sincere warning.

Even if they were restrained, they were vengeful spirits.

If those things came surging like a wave all at once, there was no telling what would happen.

– You’ll die showing off with the meager sorcery you’ve barely learned. Be satisfied with the overflowing qi here as I told you.

At Cheong-ryeong’s words, Mok Gyeong-un smiled brightly.

Then he approached the edge of the cliff.

– Hey!

Cheong-ryeong urged the approaching Mok Gyeong-un.

To her, Mok Gyeong-un said while looking at the dark spot:

“Even if I take the risk, if I can absorb that concentrated qi, won’t I become much stronger than now?”

– … You crazy bastard. You may die before becoming strong. If it seemed easy from the beginning, do you think I would stop you?

The vengeful spirits that were not only trapped but also devouring and being devoured had become agitated.

That alone was dangerous, yet he was going to take that risk?

This guy had really lost all sense of fear, too much at that.

It had been like that since their first encounter, but he too easily risked his life if necessary.

– You and I are one and the same. I don’t want us to recklessly commit double suicide.

“As if I would ever wish for Cheong-ryeong to die.”

– Then back away.

“Didn’t you say it, Cheong-ryeong?”

– What?

“That with my current strength, I can’t do anything within Heaven and Earth Society.”

– …

“Even if the risk is great, wouldn’t it be better to seize the opportunity in any way possible? Enduring hardship and tasting bitterness or whatever, waiting idly doesn’t suit my nature.”

Poof!

As soon as those words ended, Mok Gyeong-un jumped off towards the side of the cliff where the slope was relatively gentle.

– You!

Cheong-ryeong waved her hand, trying to pull Mok Gyeong-un back up.

But she was blocked by the qi of the vengeful spirits rising from the cliff.

Rather, a useless vengeful spirit was pulled up and,

Aaaaaahhhh!

Sizzle!

It got caught in the barrier blocking the top of the cliff and was incinerated.

At this, Cheong-ryeong burst out in anger.

– Damn you, kid!

He finally went down there.

She had warned him not to, but he ignored it.

If it weren’t for being bound by the cord of the flesh-eating supreme-ruler, she would have wanted to leave him to die like that.

But she couldn’t leave him like that.

– You’re making me annoyed.

– Whoosh!

Cheong-ryeong launched her body downward, following Mok Gyeong-un.

The spell power of the talismans was enveloping the surroundings, making even considerable oddities reluctant to pass through, but she forcefully parted it.

Crack crack crack!

***

• It’s a flesh body!
• A living one!
• It’s alive!

It was a mess as he descended along the gentle slope.

The cries of vengeful spirits echoed in his ears.

‘It’s incomparable indeed.’

At the top of the cliff, numerous talismans were attached, suppressing the qi.

But when he actually came down, it was tremendous.

It was as if he had entered a torrent.

The vengeful spirits noticed his presence and quickly approached, and each and every one of them was coveting Mok Gyeong-un’s flesh body.

Mok Gyeong-un, who had been descending the cliff as if sliding, brought his hands together and formed hand seals.

Puck! Puck! Puck! Puck!

Presence! Soldier! Fight! Those! All! Formation! Lineup! At! Front!

They were the hand seals of the Nine Character Vitality Technique.

By performing all nine hand seals consecutively, the spell varies according to the final hand seal.

Here, if he performed the Hapjangin (Anjali Mudra) with his palms joined together,

• Swoooosh!

Numerous threads connected around Mok Gyeong-un, forming a sphere.

This was a barrier to repel oddities.

To properly perform the Nine Character Hand Seals of the Nine Character Vitality Technique, a medium was needed to aid the talismans or spells, and Mok Gyeong-un had a ring on his left index finger.

It was given to him by diviner Jo Ui-gong.

It contained a spell that allowed him to use the full range of the Nine Character Vitality Technique.

‘Is this a barrier? It’s quite useful.’

A barrier refers to tying a certain space according to a purpose.

• Crack crack crack crack!

– Can’t approach.

– What is this?

– It’s blocked.

The vengeful spirits at the ghost level that had been approaching closely were bounced off.

The hand seals of the Nine Character Vitality Technique could easily handle and repel even red spirits.

Like that, while maintaining the Hapjangin with his hands joined, Mok Gyeong-un slid all the way down and felt the slope becoming steeper at a certain point.

‘I think I need to grab on.’

It seemed he had to grab the cliff and climb down.

But when he looked below, he saw water pooled there.

It wasn’t visible from above, but if it was that deep, it seemed sufficient to jump into.

Puck!

Mok Gyeong-un pushed off with both feet.

And he jumped towards the place with water.

Splash!

‘As expected.’

The water wasn’t very deep.

Should he say it was about twice his height in depth?

So he tried to swim up, but,

Ahhhhh!

Uhhhhh!

The screams of vengeful spirits reached his ears.

They came from the bottom of the water, and before he knew it, something white was visible around him.

‘Hands?’

They were hands.

Pale white hands, as if swollen with water, without a hint of blood.

Just looking at them was extremely eerie.

Those hands suddenly wriggled and rose up, trying to grab Mok Gyeong-un’s ankles.

Crack crack crack!

But since he hadn’t released the Hapjangin yet, they were blocked by the barrier of the Nine Character Vitality Technique.

‘Good thing I didn’t release it.’

He thought, but something was quite different.

The red spirits at the ghost level had easily bounced off the barrier.

But the palms had bounced off the barrier yet didn’t give up trying to grab him.

Then soon,

Tap tap tap tap!

The palms adhered to the barrier like an octopus’s suckers.

‘!?’

They were enduring the barrier.

Suddenly, he remembered what he had seen in the Basic Writings of the School of Yin and Yang.

[Oddities in water are more dangerous than ordinary oddities.]

‘So this is what it meant?’

At this level, they weren’t red spirits but vermilion spirits.

Judging it to be somewhat dangerous, Mok Gyeong-un kicked his feet while maintaining the Hapjangin.

He had to somehow rise to the surface.

Splash splash splash splash!

Then, before he knew it, numerous hands surged up from the bottom.

They grabbed the spherical barrier surrounding Mok Gyeong-un and tried to pull it down.

Aaaaargh!

‘This… is troublesome.’

At this rate, he wouldn’t be able to reach the surface.

Although he could hold his breath better than ordinary people, it would be dangerous if it prolonged.

Crack crack crack!

Just then, cracks appeared on the barrier where numerous palms were clinging.

It seemed like it would shatter at any moment.

Mok Gyeong-un frowned.

‘In that case.’

Puck!

Mok Gyeong-un changed the hand seal from Hapjangin to Geumgangji (Vajra Mudra) by raising only his middle fingers.

At that moment,

• Swoooosh!

The spherical barrier burst out, and a strong force simultaneously pushed away the palms.

Not missing this opportunity, Mok Gyeong-un kicked his legs powerfully and rose out of the water.

He tried to swim to the shore, but he felt the hands that had been bounced off from below all rushing up to grab him at once.

• Swoooosh!

Right at that moment.

• Woong!

Mok Gyeong-un’s body suddenly floated by something.

Then he was sent flying to the shore.

• Thud!

Roughly flying over, Mok Gyeong-un rolled on the ground twice and got up.

Someone gracefully descended next to Mok Gyeong-un.

It was none other than Cheong-ryeong.

– Damn you, kid. You really won’t listen to my words.

As she expressed her annoyance, Mok Gyeong-un smiled brightly and said:

“Phew. You came just in time.”

– What? Just in time?

“I thought Cheong-ryeong would surely help me.”

– Tch!

At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Cheong-ryeong was about to smack his head with her long pipe but held back.

The impudent kid was desperate to use her.

Anyway, it seemed to be her fate to be entangled with this guy.

Just then,

• Swoosh swoosh!

The white hands rose from the water and approached in the direction where Mok Gyeong-un was.

At this, Cheong-ryeong turned her head and glared at the hands with her blood-red eyes.

And in a low voice, she said:

– He’s mine. Scram, you young ones.

No sooner had those words ended.

The numerous hands that had been targeting Mok Gyeong-un trembled as if having a seizure, then promptly went back into the water.