The Terminally Ill Young Master of the Baek Clan

Mang-hon’s appearance was grotesque.

His face, heavily made up, was pale, with tattoos and silver rings pierced throughout.

When he laughed, the silver rings clinked.

“You’ll see when you look, hahahaha!”

He cackled as if the mere thought was delightful, eventually laughing loudly, clanging and ringing.

Mang-hon’s lover stared blankly at his face.

Then, as if puzzled, she said, “How does it look?”

“Heh heh… Eh?”

“What do you think it looks like?”

“It’s something that happens within the Wudang Sect, right?”

“That’s right.”

“The Wudang has sealed the gates, hasn’t it?”

Her words were accurate. Mang-hon pondered deeply.

He might have felt slightly embarrassed, tugging at the ring on his lip as was his habit when flustered.

The woman quietly waited only for Mang-hon’s words.

Mang-hon was a cruel monster, but still, wasn’t he her lover?

Just by sharing important secrets with her, she felt like she had become someone special.

Of course, she would never betray Mang-hon, nor could she.

It was her small revenge to make him feel awkward with restrictions.

Mang-hon clapped his hands.

“Yes, I was too caught up in my own perspective. You need to see it with your own eyes to feel the atmosphere. It’s going to be quite a spectacle.”

“Yes.”

Mang-hon raised his hand as if to ask her to wait a moment.

Then, with the other hand, he tapped his chest.

Next, he tapped near his collarbone, then grinned and stuck out his tongue.

On the red tongue, there was a bug, even redder than the tongue itself.

The bug wriggled its long antennae. Mang-hon caught it with his fingers and said, “Want to eat it? If you do, you’ll be able to see.”

“…”

The woman was silent for a moment, then shook her head.

“I think I don’t need to see.”

“Hmm, well, then there’s nothing to be done.”

Mang-hon quickly swallowed the red bug again.

The woman couldn’t even imagine how someone could take a bug out and put it back into their stomach.

“Then I’ll watch alone.”

Mang-hon stood up.

The woman draped the robe Mang-hon had taken off over his shoulders.

Mang-hon kissed her once and waved his hand briskly.

Ssshhh—

The bright red tassels that had been blocking the sound were all retracted at once.

Voices of people faintly reached them. This place was a five-story tavern.

Even though it was daytime, there were drunkards, and there were embarrassing sounds coming from men and women together.

Instead of going down the stairs, Mang-hon moved toward the window.

He did nothing, yet the paper door automatically opened. There was a balcony jutting out where one could catch a breath of fresh air.

This place was Xiangyang in Hubei, where diligent commoners scurried about like ants, carrying on with their lives.

But Mang-hon’s gaze was not on the ground.

He was looking towards Mount Wudang in the distance.

“Il-ryeong.”

No sooner had Mang-hon uttered a word than something astonishing happened.

Out of nowhere, someone appeared, slipping into view nearby.

It was a stealth technique even more remarkable than that of the Hidden Ghosts.

“Yes, my lord.”

“Have you taken over all the duties of Il-gwi?”

“I have handled everything without any shortcomings.”

Mang-hon scratched his ear. Inside his ear, several tiny bugs, as small as grains of rice, lived.

These creatures, formed from demonic arts and dark magic, delivered various pieces of information to Mang-hon every moment.

Some of these were connected to the Hidden Ghosts currently hiding in the Wudang Sect.

“Don’t disappoint me. I did have a hard time raising you guys.”

“I will never fail to meet your expectations.”

The one called Il-ryeong disappeared with a swish.

Unlike the Hidden Ghosts, who looked nothing like humans, Il-ryeong appeared to be an ordinary person.

His stealth technique was superior to that of the Hidden Ghosts, making him an excellent replacement.

Indeed. Mang-hon had already prepared replacements for the Hidden Ghosts.

“That was your mistake, not to consider this, Heuk-am…”

Mang-hon chewed on his thumbnail.

No matter how powerful Heuk-am was, he wouldn’t have thought that Mang-hon would sacrifice the Hidden Ghosts.

To Mang-hon, Heuk-am was more of a concern than either the Wudang Sect or the Murim Alliance.

This time, he could torment that Heuk-am.

Crunch—

He finally bit into his thumb hard enough to draw blood.

Then, he rubbed his thumb with blood on the corners of both eyes.

A mysterious event occurred. The blood smeared around his eyes gradually dyed the whites of Mang-hon’s eyes red.

Soon, Mang-hon’s vision began to change.

Mount Wudang, seen far in the distance, seemed to draw nearer.

Below.

Mount Wudang was now below.

Screech—

The perspective of a hawk crossing the sky.

Mang-hon was borrowing the eyes of a bird.

Inside this bird’s body, a Gu, connected to one living somewhere inside Mang-hon’s body, would be growing.

The hawk, freely flying over Mount Wudang, flapped its wings.

The bird seemed to descend as if it were plummeting.

The hawk’s vision was sharp enough to spot a ground squirrel scurrying on the earth.

The figures of the Wudang martial artists roaming around Mount Wudang were clearly visible.

Drip—

Blood dripped from Mang-hon’s nose.

Sharing sensations was a part of dark magic that was particularly burdensome.

However, he couldn’t afford to miss it.

“I’ve found them.”

There were many martial artists gathered near the valley.

They seemed to be on guard, as if protecting something.

But it seemed that no one knew that the Hidden Ghosts were hiding nearby.

A broad smile spread across Mang-hon’s lips.

Myung Won glared around with wide-open eyes.

It’s rare for the sect leader of Wudang to personally rush into action.

But today was an exception.

During the search for a successor to transmit the divine arts of Zhang Sanfeng, entangled with the Sword Emperor, a suspicious intruder appeared.

They dared to harm the disciples of Wudang.

Fortunately, there were no deaths or injuries, but Cheong Su and Cheong Hye almost died.

Three corpses of the Hidden Ghosts were found. All were killed by the Immortal Divine Dragon, Baek Yi-gang.

It might be shameful to some that an outsider repelled the intruders into Wudang.

However, Myung Won did not think so. How fortunate it was that these neatly placed corpses were not Wudang disciples.

True Martial Hall Head Myung Cho shouted angrily as he looked around, “Why are the third-generation disciples here!”

This was near the valley where the Heaven Ascension Cave was located.

The Sword Emperor, Yi-gang, and Cheong Hye had not yet come out of the Heaven Ascension Cave.

Moreover, they hadn’t found even one of the Hidden Ghosts, who might be several more in number.

The highest state of alert was still in effect at Wudang.

“I, I’m sorry, Senior Uncle. It happened as we moved in groups…”

One of the first-generation disciples repeatedly bowed to Myung Cho.

He was with a few young third-generation disciples.

“Does it make sense that we still haven’t found any trace?”

“Perhaps they have already left Mount Wudang…”

“Unless they are ghosts, they can’t just pass through the Inescapable Net. They must be hiding somewhere.”

Myung Cho made such an assumption.

In fact, it’s unknown.

They might be those who even avoided the eyes of the Sword Emperor. There was a strong possibility that they had already escaped.

Myung Won was aware of it but didn’t specifically point it out.

With the Sword Emperor and the successors yet to come out, it was best to stay alert.

“Disciples, refrain from acting alone. The situation is unusual.”

“Yes!”

“Myung Cho and Myung Yun, lead the first-generation disciples to form patrols above and below the valley, and on the northeast and southwest sides respectively.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Myung Won gazed intently at the entrance of the Heaven Ascension Cave.

He too had visited this valley before. In his childhood, he had fished and played here, but never imagined that Zhang Sanfeng’s secret place was hidden here.

“Cheong Su.”

“Yes, Sect Leader.”

Cheong Su was beside Myung Won.

There was a significant difference in rank, but Cheong Su was ordered to stick close to Myung Won because he was the last to have encountered the Hidden Ghosts.

“You said he was impaled through the chest but got up again.”

“That’s… correct.”

“Hmm.”

Cheong Su hadn’t seen it, but Myung Won and the Myung line masters thoroughly dissected the intruder’s corpse.

Experts in martial arts were well-versed in human anatomy. This was especially true for the martial artists of the major sects.

In that respect, the body structure of the intruder could only be described as bizarre.

Clearly, the body had been modified through dark magic. The limbs were not originally this long, nor would the skin naturally be so ashen. The eyeballs almost lacked whites, showing only pitch-black pupils.

More astonishing was the trace of the Gu.

Golden Needle Phantom witnessed a wound on the chin and examined the skin with a sharp knife.

Traces of isolation were found in the intruder’s body.

‘Ominous.’

It wasn’t without guesses.

The sects using such things were limited, and excluding a few that had disappeared and those beyond the Great Wall, there was only one answer.

‘Why would the Evil Cult be here, of all places.’

The martial artist from the Azure Forest, Golden Needle Phantom, seemed convinced it was the work of the Evil Cult.

What roused Myung Won from his thoughts was the murmuring uproar.

Cheong Su, who had been crouching, also reacted.

“Oh, ooh!”

It wasn’t the entrance to the Heaven Ascension Cave. A little away from the entrance, at the upper part of the valley, a rock stirred.

The rock teetered and then plunged into the valley water.

And then they appeared.

“Great Senior Elder! Che-Cheong Hye!”

Cheong Su rushed forward with a face that looked like he was about to cry.

It hadn’t been long since Yi-gang and Cheong Hye entered the Sword Emperor’s Heaven Ascension Cave, but how could he not be overjoyed?

Cheong Hye at least appeared to be unharmed, and it was a relief even though they had exchanged blows.

However, the condition of the three was a bit unusual.

It was Yi-gang who had shown amazing prowess while cutting down the Hidden Ghosts.

Now, he was being supported by Cheong Hye and the Sword Emperor.

Fortunately, the Sword Emperor seemed to be in a coherent state of mind, supporting Yi-gang’s left shoulder.

“Senior Elder!”

Sect Leader Myung Won formally bowed.

He too had been greatly concerned.

“Cough, Sect Leader… you’ve been waiting.”

“Yes, it’s a relief you are safe.”

“That’s how it turned out.”

“This… child…”

Myung Won looked at Yi-gang cautiously.

Yi-gang seemed uncomfortable even taking steps.

“His energy has diminished.”

“You don’t mean…!”

What could cause such a loss of energy? Myung Won felt an inexplicable sense of dread.

“Did you transmit the divine arts of Zhang Sanfeng?!”

How could it have been transmitted so soon?

“No.”

“…Then?”

“The Founder’s divine art, I will not teach them to anyone.”

“Wh-what…?”

“They will be discarded. Please understand that.”

Myung Won was at a loss for words.

There were many questions he wanted to ask, but just then, Yi-gang let out a pained groan.

“Ugh.”

Yi-gang truly felt so drained that it was as if he were dying.

It was like staying up for three days and nights straight.

Moreover, his body ached as if he had been running nonstop for those three days. He also felt dizzy, similar to the headache one got from a hangover.

「A-are you alright?」

“I feel like I’m going to die.”

Zhang Sanfeng did not use his internal energy or move his body violently as promised.

However, there were clearly aftereffects from the possession.

「Rest for a few days, and you should recover soon.」

Yi-gang forcibly opened his eyes and lifted his head.

Familiar people were rushing from below the valley.

Tang Eun-seol, Peng Gu-in, and Neung Ji-pyeong included.

They all wore smiles on their faces.

It was just when Yi-gang was about to raise his hand to greet them.

‘…A bird?’

A hawk hovered above in the sky.

Circling around, as if waiting for corpses to feast on.

Screeeeeech—

A sharp horn sounded from below the valley.

The ones who were running stopped and turned around.

The martial artists of Wudang did the same.

“Go, catch them!”

One of the first-generation disciples shouted, and the situation quickly became hectic.

It seemed that the Hidden Ghosts had emerged.

Several masters guarding around Myung Won also ran in that direction.

Myung Won first looked at the Sword Emperor and Yi-gang.

Not just Yi-gang, the Sword Emperor’s condition also did not look good.

“First, let’s move to a safe place…”

Just as he was about to say that.

The sound of the horn that had been heard earlier was followed by an explosion.

Boom!

Something soared into the sky.

It was a warrior wearing the martial uniform of Wudang.

“Explosives…!”

Someone shouted that.

Yi-gang and the Sword Emperor both turned to look in the same direction.

It wasn’t the lower part of the valley. It was the opposite side.

In the shadows of the rocks at the upper part of the valley where they were.

Yi-gang’s eyes met with someone buried in the ground.

Eyes that were pitch-black, showing no whites.

Clearly, the Hidden Ghosts who had fled were buried in the ground.

And soon, simultaneously with the sensation of the earth stirring, the explosives detonated.