Chapter Title: Dark Heaven Village
After capturing Jeokwol and Nokwol, Yi Cheong-un forced them to their knees and said,
“From now on, tell me every ultimate technique you’ve cultivated.”
“Patriarch!”
“I won’t say it twice.”
Jeokwol’s hands trembled as he squeezed his eyes shut. It didn’t take long for him to realize he had no choice, his face twisting into one of resignation. But Nokwol, unlike Jeokwol, eyed Yi Cheong-un with deep suspicion before speaking.
“Why would a patriarch of the Thunder God Style need arts like ours at your level…”
Bam!!
“Ugh…”
“Does the Thunder God Style patriarch need to explain why he likes the of you?”
“…No.”
“This is a warning. If you spout that nonsense one more time…”
Zzzzt.
Thunderous energy crept from Yi Cheong-un’s hand, and Nokwol finally bowed his head.
“Understood.”
“Good.”
Yi Cheong-un sent me a transmission.
[It’ll take about a month to extract their ultimate arts. Wait just that long.]
[Understood.]
With time to kill, I decided to visit Cheon Woo-jin. He was farming behind Jangryeong Valley, hoe in hand, wearing an openly annoyed expression.
“What now? Why do you keep bothering me?”
“Teach me sorcery for a month.”
“You couldn’t master it after two years of effort. What do you think you’ll do in one?”
“That’s why I don’t need to raise my realm—just teach me simple spells I can swing around with raw power. I want to use what I have properly.”
Cheon Woo-jin grunted in understanding, his tone gruff.
“I get it. You want to know how to emit yin god force like a yokai unleashes its yokai power.”
“Yeah.”
“She’d know better than me—that fox. I don’t like brute-forcing power. A yokai who’s controlled it since birth, breathing it like air, could teach you the knack.”
Yokai were indeed better suited than humans. As half-demons, they were more accustomed to wielding the power stemming from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.
Flash!
I teleported straight to Dongyeong and sought out Miho. I explained everything, and she crossed her arms, saying,
“Hmm. I’ve never taught yokai power control to a human before.”
After a moment’s thought, Miho continued.
“Can you give me a bit of that yin god force?”
“Huh?”
“You can’t grasp the knack without feeling the power’s nature directly.”
“Got it.”
I took Miho’s hand and transferred a portion of the yin god force I’d gained from Jeonuk’s statue.
Whooo.
About three years’ worth? Suddenly, Miho let out a sharp scream.
“Aagh!!”
“Miho?!”
But she gripped my hand tight, refusing to let go. Her face was flushed with unprecedented excitement, her cheeks rosy. She pleaded as if craving something intensely.
“Keep going… more! Give me more!”
This felt dangerous.
I severed the connection quickly. Miho staggered and collapsed to the floor. Worried, I reached to help her up, but she waved me off and backed away.
Panting heavily for a while, she finally stood and said,
“Incredible… I feel stronger in an instant.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s truly divine power. It hit so suddenly, I nearly lost my mind.”
Had she almost gotten addicted to the yin god force?
“Hmm…”
Sure enough, Miho’s tails glowed brighter and fiercer than before. Considering I’d given her about half of what remained in Jeonuk’s statue, it was impressively efficient. Her eyes gleamed with greed as she said,
“A bit more yin god force, and I’ll know for sure.”
When she reached for my chest, I panicked and backed away, shouting,
“Wait, wait, wait! This isn’t the time!”
Miho’s eyes burned with yokai fox allure, almost like a curious cat’s.
“Just the same amount as before.”
“No!! Snap out of it.”
Miho blinked as if coming to her senses and stepped back. She made an excuse.
“Sorry, Baek Woong. Yokai are more sensitive to power than humans… It felt like drinking heavenly nectar. I couldn’t help it—it’s been centuries since I came to this power-scarce mortal realm.”
“Whew. So, you get how to wield it now?”
“Yes. I’ll teach you how to use it directly.”
Whoooong.
Miho shifted to her half-yokai form, raising her nine tails. Ethereal foxfire flickered around them, which she gathered into a glowing orb. She held it before me and said,
“Yokai power differs from martial arts or sorcery. Those draw power through specific techniques, but yokai power is like stamina.”
“Stamina?”
“Touch the orb.”
As my hand reached out, power seeped through like blood into my veins. Instinctively, I sensed its simple structure. Noticing my realization, Miho withdrew the orb and said,
“You get it? Inner arts require building qi in the eight extraordinary meridians and meridians via breath control. Sorcery demands grasping the eight trigrams and yin-yang five elements. Yokai power needs none of that hassle.”
“Hmm.”
“It’s just moving your essence with your body—like breathing. That’s yokai, that’s power. So yokai power is stamina.”
“I think I get it.”
Martial arts required focusing power in the blood and qi to guide it, but yokai power didn’t. Sorcery attuned spells to spiritual power via principles, but yokai power skipped that. It was pure, brute-force simplicity, like stamina. Miho giggled at my understanding expression.
“Ahaha. Martial arts and sorcery stump you, yet you’re a natural with yokai power. Low-grade yokai struggle with this knack.”
“Huh? Am I talented?”
“Yes. I can’t speak for other fields, but grasping it from one explanation shows your knack. Maybe from filling your body with it?”
“Heh heh.”
I grinned.
‘Who knew I had talent in something.’
Pleased by Miho’s praise, I beamed—until she continued.
“Now that I’ve tasted yin god force, it’s leagues beyond normal yokai power… true divine might. But it belongs to the yin, with demonic traits, so it seems controllable like yokai power. Master the knack, and you’ll wield it right away.”
“Ooh! How?”
“Start with [emission].”
Miho cupped her hands like unleashing a palm wind, then shouted.
“Haa!!!”
Boom!
Wind burst from her palms, shattering a pillar ahead. Stunned, I said,
“Huh? You mean shoot palm winds?”
“No. You martial experts can gather qi for palm winds, but this is pure yokai power flung with a shout. Draw your latest yin god force to your palms and release.”
“Hmm…”
I furrowed my brow and tried as instructed.
Boom!
“It worked!”
“Your knack is sharp.”
“Hahaha!”
How long since proper praise? I quickly grasped yokai power control for yin god force. Some parts remained unclear, but half a day’s lessons from Miho made it usable.
“You can also [manifest] shields or spears.”
Cling!
Following her guidance, I effortlessly manifested yin god force into intangible spears or shields. It didn’t boost raw power but diversified tactics.
Pausing to rest, Miho said,
“Yokai use yokai power like fish swim—it’s effortless. But a human wielding it so naturally is odd…”
“……”
“……”
“And yokai power’s simplicity lacks the depth of martial arts or sorcery.”
“What do you mean?”
“Martial arts aren’t just inner power—profound techniques leapfrog power gaps, right? Same for sorcery. But yokai power is raw force alone; technique rarely overcomes innate differences.”
“Ah.”
“So yokai grow by amplifying yokai power volume, not refining combat skills across generations like humans. By devouring people, seducing to gather spirit power, committing evil, or claiming ancient relics…”
I understood Miho. Easy to use as pure power, but its limits were clear. Disappointed, I said,
“Then yokai power control can’t evolve for growth.”
“No. I said ‘rarely,’ not ‘never.’”
“Huh?”
“Yokai have their own advanced combat methods. Only high-grade ones like me can use them.”
Sss.
Miho’s eyes shifted. Meeting them head-on, my mind fogged, heart pounding wildly. My lower body stirred against my will. Sensing the change, I surged qi to calm myself, breaking free in cold sweat.
Wiping my brow, I yelled,
“Miho! Why charm me out of nowhere?”
“That’s the advanced method.”
“What?”
“Purely boosting offense and defense with yokai power plateaus eventually. Unless you’re a brute monster from Aokigahara, raw combat power evens out. So high-grade yokai gather yokai power, then develop [special abilities] fitting their yokai essence.”
Special abilities!!
The term excited me, drawing my focus as Miho continued.
“Mine is inmate charm from the heavens, refined further. Other yokai leverage their eerie traits similarly. Snow women, tengu, nurarihyon, gashadokuro, satori, tsukumogami—they’re bizarre. You felt it battling great yokai in Aokigahara’s flood.”
“Yeah… I guess.”
I nodded. Those brutes had unleashed weird powers amid the fights. I’d overcome with meridian qi buildup, but some moments were dicey.
“But they mostly brute-forced, rarely using those eerie abilities?”
“The flood’s a freak place. Overflowing demonic qi means hulking great yokai need no special abilities. Overwhelming power renders technique useless.”
“Hmm, makes sense.”
“Anyway, back to the point.”
Miho sipped tea brought by her attendants and continued.
“Once you’re adept with yin god force, you might develop a [special ability].”
“Me?”
“It’s like a bloodline ability. With your vast yin god force, you’re a distant heir to Three Sovereigns Five Emperors’ Jeonuk—a divine descendant. In a rank, a supreme great yokai.”
“…_…”
“It’s plenty possible.”
Her words twisted my expression oddly.
“Why that face?”
“I’m human… Developing special abilities feels wrong. It’d distance me from humanity.”
Miho chuckled.
“Hee hee, what’s wrong with ditching humanity? Your yin god force is a treasure any yokai, demon, or sorcerer would kill for. No reason to cling to being human.”
“I don’t wanna become a yokai or ghost!”
“Do as you like. You’ll it anyway.”
Nibbling a small fruit pastry, Miho added,
“One thing: A special ability from mastering yin god force would be unimaginably potent. To fight gods, you can’t forsake it.”
“Hmm…”
I pondered. Her words seemed sweet but hid a trap.
Mastering yin god force might make me inhuman!
I could become a great ghost god rivaling great immortals—or mutate into a mighty yokai. Power would soar, but reverting to human? Species change wasn’t easy to swallow.
I studied special ability development from Miho for another month before returning to the Central Plains. Before Yi Cheong-un, I stopped by Cheon Woo-jin.
“Cheon Woo-jin. Could mastering yin god force turn me non-human?”
He scowled irritably.
“You think you’re human now?”
“Huh?”
“Damn… Always dumb questions.”
Grumbling, he said,
“Don’t worry. No matter how strong yin god force grows, it won’t change your essence.”
“Why so sure?”
“It’s Jeonuk’s power. Can it dominate your core? Even his avatar descent didn’t erase your soul.”
Turning away sharply, he added,
“That’s why everyone pins hopes on a thickhead like you.”
“…_…”
Not fully convinced, I headed to Yi Cheong-un.
He spoke immediately.
“Baek Woong. I’ve extracted most secrets from Jeokwol and Nokwol. Time to train Thunder God Style fist arts and miscellaneous techniques.”
“Understood.”
I glanced at Jeokwol and Nokwol. A month of torment left them gaunt. No pity—they’d abandoned Thunder God Style’s aspirations for selfish comfort.
For the next half-year under Yi Cheong-un, I focused on fist arts and sundry skills. Having basics from Thunder Spirit Man and Ghost Soul Unification, the rest came easier than expected.
Then one day.
“Whoa. Hiding out here, huh.”
At Jangryeong Valley’s entrance.
My comrades and I faced a freakish man there.
Precisely, he’d brazenly approached. Our detection barrier spanning ten li caught him, yet he strolled to the entrance unperturbed.
But we hesitated to attack.
Mangryang stepped forward, cupping fists to the dog-masked figure.
“Anti-Heaven Alliance Leader Mangryang greets the Twelfth Rhythm Lord. What brings you here?”
Indeed.
The lone intruder was the dog-masked Twelfth Rhythm Lord. He scanned the area silently before saying,
“Nothing big. Just something to say.”
“What’s the matter?”
Mangryang didn’t ask how he’d found us. The Twelfth Rhythm Lord wouldn’t come alone—hundreds of schemes already swirled. We could only guess his intent.
His next words froze the air.
“The White Lotus Cult Leader and I plan to destroy the Imperial Palace. The Anti-Heaven Alliance should help.”
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