Chapter 16 :

Chapter 16

Act Three: The Grand Martial Path Entrance Examination (9)

Meanwhile, the first team’s examination began.

The moment its shackles were removed, the demon convulsed at the sight of Kang Yitae’s face and then hurled itself in the opposite direction.

It did not get far before crashing into an invisible wall and falling at the edge of the pattern drawn on the ground.

Screeeech!

A spiritual-power barrier.

That was the true nature of the formation laid across the ground.

Neither the demon nor the applicants could leave it.

Encouraged by the sight of the demon screaming in terror, the applicants hesitantly approached it one step at a time.

Although they had not awakened their spiritual roots, they had trained their bodies as thoroughly as possible to enter the Grand Martial Path.

Once they had successfully surrounded it, the applicants simultaneously swung their respective weapons.

If they coordinated properly, a mere low-ranking demon should have been—

Slash!

Fresh blood sprayed through the air with the sound of something being severed.

“Aaaargh!”

Their confidence was repaid with a horrific scream.

The demon’s claws had sliced through the wrist of an applicant swinging his weapon at it.

It then leaped toward the collapsed applicant and resumed its attempt to escape.

The applicant whose hand had been severed collapsed onto the ground, tears and mucus streaming down his face.

He soon surrendered and was dragged out of the examination ground.

“They’ll be able to reattach it if he goes to the Medical Hall.”

The entire team failed.

The examiners rescued the injured applicants crawling across the ground, and Kang Yitae expressionlessly placed the demon back inside the Demon-Storing Jade.

The examination continued.

The teams that included applicants who had awakened their spiritual roots somehow succeeded in killing their demons.

However, the claim that this was the beginning of the real examination had not been an exaggeration.

Some applicants lost limbs, others had holes punched through their bodies, and one was even killed instantly by a single blow.

“...Someone really died.”

The true problem began after that.

The death of another person was profoundly shocking to the young cultivators.

Their bodies stiffened with tension before their examinations even began, resulting in an even greater succession of injuries.

“It doesn’t seem truly random.”

At Yise’s murmur, his teammates turned toward him.

Their faces had also stiffened with tension, but seeing Yise’s perfectly calm expression instead helped them relax.

“They’re only low-ranking demons. Relax. Even a ten-year-old could capture something like that.”

“You’re joking in a situation like this...? Aren’t you nervous at all?”

Yise shook his head at Seol Ryeong’s question and continued,

“The combined amount of spiritual energy possessed by each team’s applicants is roughly proportional to the demon’s energy. That ritual implement probably selects a demon suited to each team’s level.”

“Wait. Then what about us...?”

Seol Ryeong’s face visibly paled at Yise’s words.

“Even so, there should be an upper limit.”

The highest number on the die was fourteen.

All the demons summoned thus far had been Risk Level Nine low-ranking demons.

Their opponent would probably be one of the strongest among the Risk Level Nine demons.

“Next. Yise, Hae Unchan, Seol Ryeong, and Pi Garam.”

The Juryeonggu die spun rapidly.

[T/L: Juryeonggu was a 14-sided die from the Unified Silla period, which was excavated from Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. It was made of oak and had 6 square faces and 8 hexagonal faces.]

The number it produced was fourteen.

Just as expected.

The creature imprisoned inside the Demon-Storing Jade was a monkey-like monster with gleaming eyes, blue skin, and a red mane.

“It’s a Mok Gwang.”

The Mok Gwang was a Risk Level Eight demon.

“It’s a Lustful Ghost!”

Recognizing the demon, Seol Ryeong recoiled in disgust.

It was unfair enough that only their team had received a Risk Level Eight demon, but of all the possible opponents, they had drawn such a vulgar creature.

“It looks weak.”

“It’s considerably more troublesome than the demons summoned so far. It’s aggressive too.”

Screech! Kieeeek!

Just as Yise had said, unlike the other demons that emerged terrified, the Mok Gwang struggled violently and threatened them even while still shackled.

Its gaze immediately fixed upon Seol Ryeong.

“Seol Ryeong, be careful.”

“I’m already planning to try again next year if anything happens.”

Another name for the Mok Gwang was Lustful Ghost.

When men and women were present together, it invariably attacked the woman first and did not hesitate to tear apart her clothing with its claws.

It was one of the few kinds of demons known to sexually assault humans.

There was even a saying that a Mok Gwang would inevitably appear whenever a woman bathed alone in a pond.

Its red, gleaming eyes slowly swept across Seol Ryeong’s body.

“Ugh... It’s disgusting.”

Seol Ryeong shuddered.

“Its weapons are its swift movements, sharp claws, the thundercloud it uses to call down lightning, and blade-like winds that strike from a distance. Stay calm.”

Yise’s teammates looked at him in surprise when he began reciting information the moment he saw the demon.

They took their positions and gripped their respective weapons while Yise explained the Mok Gwang’s characteristics in greater detail.

Then the demon’s shackles were released.

The Mok Gwang screeched and shot forward in an instant.

Hae Unchan and Yise simultaneously leaped toward it.

Hae Unchan’s sword and Yise’s axe attacked from opposite sides.

However, the Mok Gwang’s figure abruptly vanished, and it immediately slipped past both of them.

An arrow was fired toward its body, but the Mok Gwang knocked it aside with its claws and charged directly at Seol Ryeong.

Seol Ryeong screamed and swung her ritual staff, but the Mok Gwang struck it with its claws and sent it flying into the air.

Just as the demon’s wicked claws were about to reach Seol Ryeong, Yise closed the distance and struck the Mok Gwang from behind with his axe.

A harsh tearing noise rang out, like metal scraping against metal.

While the Mok Gwang blocked Yise’s axe with its claws, Hae Unchan rushed in like a lightning bolt and kicked it away.

“Its claws are about as hard as black iron. Be careful.”

The Mok Gwang screeched hideously.

It seemed displeased that the two men were standing between it and Seol Ryeong.

Moments later, black smoke slowly rose from its mouth and gathered in the air.

It resembled a dark cloud.

The dark cloud moved slowly at first before rapidly positioning itself above Yise and Hae Unchan.

“Dodge!”

Yise shouted and threw himself aside.

Hae Unchan reflexively rolled in the opposite direction.

A small bolt of lightning struck the spot where they had been standing a moment later.

The ground was scorched black.

The Mok Gwang then flailed its arms through the air, launching blade-like winds toward Seol Ryeong.

Seol Ryeong hurriedly spun her ritual staff to defend herself, but several parts of her clothing were sliced apart, and blood began flowing from her wounds.

She might have suffered a fatal injury if Pi Garam had not quickly covered her with his arrows.

“It’s stubbornly targeting only Seol Ryeong. Do you want something to cover yourself with?”

Hae Unchan’s own clothing was actually in far worse condition.

His upper body was practically bare, displaying his sun-bronzed, muscular skin.

Instead of answering, Seol Ryeong tore off the lower hem of her Daoist robe and tied the remaining fabric securely around herself.

“I’m fine. It isn’t even torn that badly. You should straighten your own clothes. I’m embarrassed just looking at you. Someone might think the Lustful Ghost was targeting you.”

“...It isn’t that bad.”

“Enough. Let’s center ourselves around Seol Ryeong, buy time, and create an opening.”

At Yise’s instruction, the other three surrounded Seol Ryeong as if concealing her.

“Its weakness is fire-attributed magic. Do you have a related ritual implement?”

Someone specializing as a shaman should possess a considerable number of ritual implements.

“I have a Fire-Bomb Talisman. It has three shots.”

Just as expected.

It was a basic fire-attributed offensive talisman.

Three shots would be enough.

“Hae Unchan, take the lead and engage the Mok Gwang. Pi Garam, prepare the formation you mentioned earlier. I’ll protect Seol Ryeong. Seol Ryeong, maintain your concentration as much as possible. Launch the fire when I give the signal.”

Yise had no intention of using the Meridian-Severing Dagger.

It was valuable enough to be called a spirit treasure.

Displaying such a precious object before so many people might invite someone’s jealousy.

Yise had engraved even Mong Ryeon’s most ordinary admonitions upon his heart.

Hae Unchan courageously rushed forward and confronted the Mok Gwang.

His sword remained inside its black scabbard.

At his cultivation realm, he could not infuse spiritual energy into his weapon.

He would be better off fighting with his bare hands and feet after infusing spiritual energy into them.

Yise blocked the distant lightning and wind blades with his shield.

It was a shield that had withstood even the attack of a Risk Level Six demon.

It was an ordinary shield, but its durability was sufficient for it to be considered a ritual implement.

It might appear that he was performing well because of superior equipment, but the examiner himself had instructed them to use any means necessary.

The equipment they had prepared was also part of their ability.

Apparently deciding to eliminate the troublesome Hae Unchan first, the Mok Gwang focused its assault on him.

Hae Unchan was gradually forced backward as wounds began accumulating across his body.

“Fire!”

Just as Hae Unchan fell into danger, Seol Ryeong’s talisman spewed flames and rescued him.

After confirming that Hae Unchan had temporarily withdrawn, Yise asked Pi Garam,

“The formation?”

“It’s ready.”

Pi Garam’s formation had been completed at precisely the right moment.

“Hae Unchan! Get out of there!”

Hae Unchan, who was beginning to struggle, hurled himself to the side.

The Mok Gwang immediately charged toward Seol Ryeong.

It entered the space they had deliberately left open.

The confinement formation installed beneath it began to glow.

The Mok Gwang’s body momentarily stiffened.

“Fire!”

The second flame shot forward with tremendous force.

As the Mok Gwang struggled to avoid the fire, Yise used Dokkaebi Steps to close the distance.

A fireball approached from one side.

A human approached from the other.

Forced to leave itself defenseless against one of them, the Mok Gwang’s gleaming eyes rolled rapidly.

Ultimately, it chose the human, whom it perceived as the greater threat.

When Yise approached, the Mok Gwang ground its teeth and extended its hand.

Perhaps because Pi Garam’s skills were still insufficient, the formation had not completely immobilized it.

Bang!

Its claws collided with the shield.

The Mok Gwang’s tremendous strength knocked the shield from Yise’s hand.

However, the approaching fire struck the creature and began spreading across its body.

Yise extended his hand to seize its torso as it writhed like a loach.

“Watch out!”

His companions’ simultaneous shouts pierced his ears.

Yise did not withdraw his hand.

The creature had no means of extinguishing the fire.

If they dragged out the battle and hunted it slowly, they could kill it more safely.

But what mattered to Yise was distinguishing himself.

He needed an overwhelmingly impressive performance, enough to place first or second overall.

Therefore, he would kill it with this single strike.

A fleeting moment passed as slowly as a revolving lantern of memories.

As though issuing an order, Yise conveyed his will to the spiritual energy and demonic energy flowing through his body.

Extend.

Even if you refuse to move, I will continue moving.

If I die, you will eventually lose your master and disappear as well.

As though responding to that intense will, the spiritual energy and demonic energy moved competitively toward his fingertips at the same time.

Yise’s hand seized the Mok Gwang’s arm.

The instant their flesh touched, the two intersecting energies latched onto the demon.

Sensing that something had gone terribly wrong, the monkey-like demon convulsed.

Yise’s axe descended like a lightning bolt and sank into the demon beast’s flesh.

Crunch!

With the small axe buried halfway into its neck, Yise pressed down and struck again with all his strength.

Slash.

At last, the Mok Gwang’s head fell to the ground and rolled away.

Amid the silent stillness, only Yise’s breathing could be heard.

He raised his slightly lowered shoulders and steadied his ragged breathing.

Looking around, he saw his teammates staring in bewilderment at the demon that had been killed so quickly.

Yise stared intently at his left hand, from which he had dropped the shield.

He reflected once again upon the enlightenment that had allowed him to break through the barrier during the battle.

Become conscious of the energy within.

Imbue it with will.

Then dominate it as desired.

Golden spiritual energy enveloped his entire palm before disappearing.

In its place, savage black demonic energy appeared as if jealous, then vanished as well.

The Second Star of the Energy Refinement Realm.

In a single leap, he had surpassed the stage that had troubled him for several days.

An emotion difficult to describe, something close to exhilaration, rose from his heart.

Some might have wondered why anyone would make such a fuss over merely reaching the Second Star of the Energy Refinement Realm.

For Yise, however, it was the first growth he had achieved without anyone’s help.

It was small, yet it felt like an enormous step.

With his small axe still embedded in the demon’s neck, Yise lifted the severed head high.

Everyone watching stared at that grotesque display in astonishment.