Chapter 42 : Rescuing Shangguan Mijong (2)

Chapter 42: Rescuing Shangguan Mijong (2)

She had been grasping at straws, desperate to save her child teetering between life and death.

When she heard that Yong Hwarin might be able to do it, and the elders opposed the idea, Ha Yanggyo—rarely seen showing emotion—flushed with anger and criticized the elders.

In the end, the Head of the Shangguan Clan had no choice but to surrender to his wife's will.

“Prepare to initiate the spiritual ritual immediately.”

At her words, Yong Hwarin and Nan Myeonggwak headed straight for the place where Shangguan Mijong was being protected.

“Heh, I didn’t expect you to get me out. By the way, what’s your name?”

“Yong Hwarin of the Heavenly Central Sect.”

“Young Master Yong, thank you. I don’t know how you convinced that stubborn Head of the Shangguan Clan, but it’s quite something.”

“But… are you ready to perform the ritual immediately? Shouldn’t you at least stabilize yourself first?”

“That’s only what amateurs do. Just because a martial master’s body is injured doesn’t mean their martial foundation weakens. My stamina is fine.”

While the two exchanged words, they arrived at the residence where Shangguan Mijong was staying.

As they reached the place, Shangguan Byeokin, who had been waiting, warned them sternly.

“If anything goes wrong, Young Master Yong, not just you but your entire clan will bear the responsibility.”

His eyes were filled with rage, brimming with fury that had nowhere else to go.

Having been hounded mercilessly by his wife, his anger naturally turned toward Yong Hwarin.

*

To perform the ritual, several preparations were necessary.

Nan Myeonggwak was cautious, knowing his very life was at stake in this task.

He used chicken blood to draw mysterious symbols around, forming a ritual formation.

“I ask that everyone else leave the room.”

When the Head of the Shangguan Clan tried to leave a guard behind to protect his daughter, Nan Myeonggwak objected.

“If they worsen the situation even slightly, who will take responsibility? Both I and Young Master Yong are staking our lives on this.”

At those words, Shangguan Byeokin drove all outsiders out.

Instead, he stationed guards outside the room to prevent any attempts to flee.

Once the formation was complete, Nan Myeonggwak spoke.

“Enter the center of the formation and sit cross-legged. Then, following my instructions, you must guide your qi through the prescribed acupoints. First to the Crown Point, Back of the Head, Occipital Ridge, and Brain Lake—then maintain your qi around the Throat Window, Refined Shadow, Pine Valley, Ascending Stream, and Celestial Center for about a moment.”

All the points Nan Myeonggwak mentioned were centered around the head.

“As I said before, the soul resides in the upper dantian. Therefore, we must activate the upper dantian to awaken the soul. If you simply awaken the soul, the person may go mad. But this ritual formation suppresses the awakened soul's power, preventing it from going berserk. Once the soul is controlled by the formation’s power, you must implant it into Shangguan Mijong’s upper dantian to erase the other ego.”

Yong Hwarin, concerned, asked,

“But what if my soul is instead erased by Shangguan Mijong’s soul?”

Nan Myeonggwak shook his head.

“That won’t happen. Your soul came from outside, while Shangguan Mijong’s soul is split from her own. In such cases, the soul from outside is stronger. For instance, your soul is able to dwell within your body now precisely because it’s stronger. Normally, souls cannot possess the living. That’s because the soul of a living person is dozens of times stronger than one wandering the afterlife.”

Yong Hwarin nodded and sat cross-legged at the center of the formation.

“From now on, just follow my voice.”

As he guided his qi per Nan Myeonggwak’s instructions, pain exploded in his head like it was splitting open.

When Yong Hwarin grimaced, Nan Myeonggwak said,

“The soul is awakening and trying to take control of yours, which is why it hurts. But you must endure.”

“Ugh!”

As a scream leaked from Yong Hwarin’s mouth, Nan Myeonggwak urgently added,

“If the soul starts talking in your mind, do not consciously respond. We must not fully awaken it yet. To keep it under our control, even if it tries to talk to you, ignore it. If you respond, the soul could take over your consciousness. You must remember this. We cannot awaken the soul fully yet.”

Even in the throes of pain, Nan Myeonggwak’s words rang clearly in his ears.

He knew how critical this task was.

Nan Myeonggwak waved a dust whisk and began muttering an incantation of unknown origin.

As the whisk, shaped like a long tassel, swept through the air, the formation drawn in chicken blood began to glow with a soft crimson light.

Then, in Yong Hwarin’s mind, the Demonic Master tried to speak.

‘You bastard! Are you trying to kill me?! Kill that bald priest now! If you mess this up, you’ll die too!’

A bizarre voice echoed in his head.

Yong Hwarin followed Nan Myeonggwak’s orders and didn’t say a word.

He convinced himself it was just a hallucination and ignored it.

As the ritual circle’s glow intensified, the Demonic Master began to rave.

‘You think I’ll just sit still? Do you even know who I am, you fat pig? Kill that priest! Now!’

Hearing that, Yong Hwarin became certain this was the same old man he had met right before his death in his previous life.

Just then, Nan Myeonggwak gently rested the dust whisk atop Yong Hwarin’s head.

Immediately, the raving soul in his mind quieted.

Even Yong Hwarin, who had been skeptical of the ritual, found himself impressed by Nan Myeonggwak at that moment.

“Young Master Yong, open your eyes and listen carefully.”

Yong Hwarin opened his eyes and looked at him.

Nan Myeonggwak’s eyes had turned bloodshot, as though they were soaked in red. The intense use of spiritual power had driven his upper dantian into a frenzied state.

When one uses spiritual force without sufficient energy in the upper dantian, such symptoms manifest in the eyes.

“Now go to Shangguan Mijong, cover her mouth, and place your mouth on her nose.”

It was a bizarre instruction, but Yong Hwarin complied.

“Then, focus your energy on the acupoints around the upper dantian. That will stop the soul from going berserk. If done properly, the soul, unable to escape, will be drawn through your mouth into her nose and take control of Shangguan Mijong’s upper dantian.”

Before Yong Hwarin could ask the question on his mind, Nan Myeonggwak explained,

“Even after it takes over the upper dantian, the soul won’t fully pass to Shangguan Mijong. Since the root of the soul still resides in your dantian, it must return.”

Yong Hwarin’s goal was not to banish the soul but to keep it under his control.

As he circulated his energy and focused it into the designated points, a headache struck and he felt something exit through his mouth.

He also saw a faint, ghost-like form enter Shangguan Mijong’s nose.

“I told you to cover her mouth because if the soul enters through her mouth, it could destroy her dantian.”

After explaining this, Nan Myeonggwak continued,

“Now comes the critical part. You must consciously identify the other ego currently controlling Shangguan Mijong’s awareness. Since your soul controls her upper dantian, it should be possible.”

Yong Hwarin closed his eyes, hoping to detect something.

Then, he heard Shangguan Mijong’s consciousness speak.

‘Who are you? Who are you to barge into my domain?’

Inside his awareness, Yong Hwarin saw two women.

After the Demonic Master’s soul seized her upper dantian, the inner egos were pushed out and encountered Yong Hwarin’s consciousness.

He had to eliminate one of them, but there was no way to immediately determine which was the real one.

Both wore the same clothes and had identical faces—distinguishing them was nearly impossible.

“If you’re unsure, ask a question.”

Seeing Yong Hwarin hesitate, Nan Myeonggwak suggested.

“There are two identical women. Not just one.”

When Yong Hwarin spoke, Nan Myeonggwak looked surprised and paused in thought.

“Young Master Yong, embrace both of them.”

Yong Hwarin embraced both women.

They didn’t resist but quietly accepted his arms.

The Demonic Master’s soul had already seized their upper dantian, and they no longer had the strength to resist. Had it not, Yong Hwarin’s own consciousness could have been erased instead.

This proved that when someone possessed like Yong Hwarin tried to heal Shangguan Mijong, it could be even more dangerous.

“Now touch their chests.”

Yong Hwarin grimaced and refused.

No matter the context, even if this was the mental realm, touching a woman’s chest still felt immoral.

“It’s important.”

Nan Myeonggwak’s serious tone made Yong Hwarin steady his breathing. There had to be a reason behind this strange request.

With both hands, he touched the chests of the two women he held.

“Feel them and compare their sizes.”

Sure enough, the two women had noticeably different chest sizes.

“Have you confirmed it?”

Yong Hwarin nodded, and Nan Myeonggwak said,

“Now touch the real Shangguan Mijong’s chest.”

Yong Hwarin reached out and felt the chest of the unconscious Shangguan Mijong lying down.

“The one whose chest matches that of the real Shangguan Mijong is her true ego. The one with the smaller chest is a fragmented personality. Stab her now.”

“I have no blade.”

Yong Hwarin replied, and Nan Myeonggwak responded quickly.

“Imagine one. Picture yourself holding a dagger.”

As he imagined it, a dagger formed in his right hand.

In this realm of consciousness, what one imagined could become reality.

Yong Hwarin hesitated, glancing at the small-chested version of Shangguan Mijong, worrying, What if she’s the real one?

“You mustn’t delay. If she senses danger and hides, you’ll never find her.”

The woman noticed the dagger in Yong Hwarin’s hand and tried to pull away.

Yong Hwarin had no choice but to trust Nan Myeonggwak.

He plunged the dagger into the chest of the woman trying to escape.

“Aaaaagh!”

The screaming, writhing woman melted away and gradually vanished.

“Young Master Yong, now it’s time to retrieve the soul. Follow the reverse path of the qi flow I taught you.”

As he reversed his energy flow, the Demonic Master’s soul, coiled in Shangguan Mijong’s upper dantian, was sucked back out.

Then Nan Myeonggwak began smacking Yong Hwarin’s head with his dust whisk as though brushing away dust.

The headache disappeared without a trace.

There was no doubt—when it came to exorcism and soul arts, Nan Myeonggwak was a true master.