Chapter 246: Prince Gyeongjin (3)
Consort Ho.
The emperor had numerous women.
Among them, there was one woman who received his particular favor: Imperial Noble Consort Seo.
However, the dynamics within the Inner Court, which seemed like they would be maintained for a long time, changed at some point.
It was because of the sudden appearance of Consort Ho.
'A peerless beauty that one couldn't help but be captivated by.'
Everyone who saw Consort Ho showered her with praise.
The appearance of the palace maid who had just entered the palace was so outstanding that rumors spread, saying her beauty rivaled that of Imperial Noble Consort Seo in her prime.
The woman who entered the palace as a maid rose to the position of consort in just three years by enchanting the emperor with her appearance alone, without any backing.
As a result, even the four most powerful figures in the palace had recently become most wary of this woman who had captured the emperor's heart.
But why had Consort Ho appeared in the Bi-gyeong Palace, Prince Gyeongjin's territory?
And without any attendants or palace maids to serve her, no less.
Something was very strange.
-Tok tok!
In her hand as she walked, there was a fairly large cloth bundle, making it even more puzzling.
However, rather than her strange appearance, Chief Eunuch Ho of the Western Depot had to hurry and inform the emperor's residence of the enemy's infiltration, so he hastily clasped his hands together and bowed to her, saying,
"Consort Ho, I apologize for not being able to properly pay my respects due to the urgent situation. An unidentified enemy has infiltrated His Highness's quarters, so…"
"Enemy?"
"That's right. Therefore, I must request assistance, so I ask that you please return, Madam. I shall…"
"Wait."
At that moment, she called out to Eunuch Ho.
As the situation was already urgent, Eunuch Ho unintentionally answered in an irritated voice.
"Madam, there's no time for this…"
-Swish!
At that moment, Consort Ho threw the cloth bundle she was holding to Eunuch Ho.
The cloth bundle looked quite heavy, as it was sagging, but when she lightly threw it with one hand, Eunuch Ho caught it with a puzzled expression.
-Pak!
'She threw this with one hand?'
It was indeed quite heavy.
Since he was a man and had learned martial arts, he could easily catch it, but wasn't Consort Ho an ordinary woman who hadn't even learned martial arts?
Eunuch Ho asked,
"Madam, I don't know what this is, but I don't think I can deliver it to His Highness right away…"
"Look inside and see what it is."
At her commanding and arrogant tone, Eunuch Ho frowned.
Although she received the emperor's favor, he was the Chief Eunuch of the Western Depot, so he deserved some respect to a certain extent.
Therefore, Eunuch Ho thought he should just ignore her for now and leave.
After all, he had shown the minimum courtesy.
-Thud!
Eunuch Ho set the cloth bundle she had thrown on the floor.
And just as he was about to kick off the ground and launch himself,
-Pak!
At that moment, the wrapped cloth bundle opened on its own, and something inside popped out.
Unconsciously seeing this, Eunuch Ho,
'!?'
Was startled and took about half a step back.
That's because inside the cloth bundle was none other than a severed human head.
And not just any head, but the head of a woman,
'Th-This woman is…'
Eunuch Ho immediately recognized whose head it was.
The owner of this head was none other than the palace maid who had been assigned to Consort Ho's Auspicious Palace.
[Just put a little bit of this powder in soup dishes or strongly seasoned food.]
[Are you sure it will be alright?]
[Don't worry. This secret medicine is difficult to detect even for those who have learned martial arts or physicians with sensitive tongues. So, make sure to add it every day without fail.]
[Understood, Chief Eunuch.]
It was even the palace maid he had met not long ago to receive a progress report.
The moment he saw the severed head of that palace maid, Eunuch Ho couldn't help but reveal his emotions.
No, he couldn't help it.
The palace maid who had died with her neck severed wasn't dead with a distressed face, but was smiling brightly as if she was happy.
This was utterly eerie.
As he was at a loss for words due to this, a voice reached his ears.
"She looks so happy, doesn't she?"
-Swish!
Along with that voice, a hand rested on his shoulder.
And with a fragrance so sweet that it tickled his nose, Eunuch Ho's eyes shook wildly.
When did this woman get so close to him?
Even though he was surprised to see the severed head of the palace maid, he wasn't so disoriented that he couldn't sense someone's presence.
'Could it be that she has learned martial arts? No, but for that…'
There wasn't even a trace of her having learned martial arts.
If one had learned even a little bit of martial arts, it would show in their walking posture or movements.
Even the structure of their body would change to suit martial arts.
However, Consort Ho was not like that at all.
From her footsteps to everything else, it was difficult to find any traces of her having learned martial arts.
As he was confused, Consort Ho's voice was heard.
"You know, I'm rather refined, so I quite enjoy cooking in addition to raw food."
"…"
"But one day, someone started tampering with the food I enjoyed eating."
"Madam… what are you saying right now…"
-Swish!
Before he could finish speaking, Consort Ho's soft and small hand touched Eunuch Ho's neck.
There was nothing particularly stimulating his senses, but the moment her hand touched him, he instinctively felt a chill run down his spine.
"I'm not done talking yet."
"…"
Eunuch Ho unconsciously swallowed his dry saliva.
What the hell was this woman?
Just being close to her made it uncomfortable to breathe due to an inexplicable pressure.
Was she truly an incredibly supreme master beyond imagination?
As he thought that, she continued speaking.
"It's really interesting. Humans do similar things in every era. Whether it's decades ago, centuries ago, or millennia ago, as soon as they're slightly displeased, the first thing they tamper with is the food."
"…Madam, I'm truly sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about…"
"Playing dumb is also the same."
"I really…"
"Enough."
"Pardon?"
"I just need to have some raw food for a change."
'!?'
-Stab!
At that moment, something burst through Eunuch Ho's chest.
It was none other than,
"Ugh… Ugh…"
A hand grasping his heart.
Eunuch Ho's eyes widened as if they would tear apart.
The sight of his heart, gripped by a blood-stained hand, beating and pounding, made him feel like he was going crazy.
In his ear, Consort Ho whispered softly.
"A freshly extracted human heart is a delicacy because it's so fresh. It's yours, but do you want a taste?"
'!!!!!!'
At those words, Eunuch Ho, who had been coughing and turning pale, finally lowered his head.
Seeing him die faster than expected, Consort Ho pulled out the hand she had pierced through him and muttered regretfully.
"Maybe I should have tormented him a bit more before killing him."
Now that she had killed him, it felt like she had done it too easily.
Then, shaking her head, she brought the heart she was holding to her mouth,
-Chomp!
And took a crisp bite as if eating an apple.
-Chew chew!
After thoroughly chewing and swallowing the heart, Consort Ho savored it with her eyes closed.
"Ah, this is why I can't quit raw food."
Boiled, grilled, and fried foods were delicacies, but they weren't staples.
She only felt like she was eating when blood and meat juices overflowed.
Like that, Consort Ho quickly devoured the faintly beating heart.
It didn't take long for her to eat it all.
"That was a good meal."
Consort Ho wiped the blood from the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief in a refined manner, like a lady.
After wiping the blood, Consort Ho turned her head toward Prince Gyeongjin's quarters.
Then, with an intrigued look in her eyes and a twitch of her lips, she grabbed the hair of the dead Eunuch Ho's head.
***
Around the same time in Prince Gyeongjin's quarters.
-Swish! Thud!
Mok Gyeong-un released his grip on Prince Gyeongjin's neck.
Prince Gyeongjin, whose legs had lost strength, knelt on the floor.
Although he had tried to hold him as gently as possible, Prince Gyeongjin, who had been suffocating from having his neck grabbed, coughed and caught his breath.
"Cough, cough."
Looking down at him, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged and said,
"An unexpected outcome."
"Cough, cough… what?"
"I thought that since he was someone who served you, if he had even a shred of loyalty, he would choose to save your life and his own, no matter what."
He had emotionally pushed him into a corner, but the result was slightly different from what he had expected.
Mok Gyeong-un smiled at this outcome.
"It seems that for those who have learned martial arts, their danjeon is much more precious than their loyalty to their master or their life."
At Mok Gyeong-un's words, Prince Gyeongjin, who had finally caught his breath, clenched his fists.
He inwardly felt betrayed by Chief Eunuch Ho's actions.
Since he had served him for a long time, he thought he would act according to his intentions.
However, he never expected him to choose to preserve his martial arts, contrary to those intentions.
'Eunuch Ho, how could you…'
It was truly disappointing beyond words.
To him, Mok Gyeong-un said with a smile,
"It's quite unfortunate. To think that a trusted subordinate would choose your death."
At those words, Prince Gyeongjin spoke with anger in his eyes.
"Are you going to kill me?"
"Since Eunuch Ho made his choice, shouldn't I?"
-Pak!
At that moment, Prince Gyeongjin prostrated himself toward Mok Gyeong-un and spoke in a desperate voice.
"Spare me."
He no longer had any dignity or pride as a prince.
Mok Gyeong-un's lips twitched, and he bent down and whispered in the ear of the prostrating Prince Gyeongjin.
"You know that sparing you won't benefit me at all, right?"
"Please, spare me. I don't want to die like this."
"You've become quite honest."
"…"
With a shred of self-esteem remaining, Prince Gyeongjin didn't respond to those words.
Then, he spoke with a strained voice.
"If you spare my life, I will shift the blame for your crimes onto Eunuch Ho."
"Oh."
"…I cannot forgive Eunuch Ho for turning his back on me like this."
"You're saying you'll make it seem like Eunuch Ho did everything."
"That's right."
At his words, Mok Gyeong-un smiled and said,
"For once, your thoughts and mine align."
At those words, Prince Gyeongjin's expression brightened.
He hadn't had high hopes, but it was no different from taking a gamble with a last-ditch effort.
But he never expected it to unexpectedly work.
Well, from this person's perspective, if he killed him, the situation would spiral out of control, so it could be a natural choice.
"Then let us come to an agreement."
"There's no need for that."
"What?"
To Prince Gyeongjin, who questioned him, Mok Gyeong-un whispered meaningfully.
"You just need to give me that body of yours."
'!?'
It happened as soon as those words ended.
-Shiver!
"Ugh!"
The prostrating Prince Gyeongjin's eyes rolled back, and violent convulsions occurred throughout his body.
Then, as he gradually stabilized, his eyes returned to normal.
No, his eyes had changed from usual.
Prince Gyeongjin got up and opened his mouth.
"I never thought the day would come when I would possess a prince's body. Disciple."
The one who had taken over that body was none other than Cheong-ryeong.
As if she was pleased to possess someone else's body for the first time in a long while, Cheong-ryeong clenched and unclenched her fists, showing a satisfied expression.
To her, Mok Gyeong-un shrugged and said,
"Well, it's not bad since it's been a while since you possessed someone, right?"
"Well, entering such a noble body isn't too bad…"
-Startle!
Cheong-ryeong stopped mid-sentence and turned her head toward the door.
It wasn't just her.
Mok Gyeong-un, who had been smiling until just now, also looked at the door with sharpened eyes.
-Thud!
Soon, the door opened, and a beautiful woman wearing splendid red and gold clothes appeared.
The woman who had suddenly appeared smiled radiantly, then held up the torn head of Chief Eunuch Ho and said,
"Won't you let me join in too, guys?"
248: Chapter 247: Consort Ho (1)
"Won't you let me join in too, guys?"
'!?'
The sudden appearance of the stunningly beautiful woman in splendid red and gold clothes momentarily hardened the expressions of Mok Gyeong-un and Cheong-ryeong, who was possessing Prince Gyeongjin's body.
That's because in the hand of this woman, whom they were seeing for the first time, was the torn head of Chief Eunuch Ho of the Western Depot.
'What the hell?'
Mok Gyeong-un's hardened eyes wavered.
Since he had surrounded the room with deadly energy to completely block out sound, he couldn't accurately sense the approaching sounds from outside.
However, he didn't feel anything from this woman who had opened the door and entered.
He couldn't see the color of her energy, neither through his senses nor his physical eyes.
'…What is her identity?'
There was one time he had encountered a similar case.
It was when he met the old man with the bamboo fishing rod.
Due to his overwhelmingly superior level, it was difficult to even sense his energy, and even when he opened the power of his Third Eye, his eyes couldn't withstand the pressure of the energy.
At that moment, Cheong-ryeong, who was possessing Prince Gyeongjin, opened her mouth.
"Consort Ho?"
When possessing someone, depending on the degree of assimilation, one could read their memories.
Even if it wasn't complete assimilation, if it was someone Prince Gyeongjin was familiar with, Cheong-ryeong could also immediately recognize them.
'Consort Ho?'
At Cheong-ryeong's words, Mok Gyeong-un couldn't hide his bewilderment.
If she was Consort Ho, wasn't she one of the two women the emperor favored?
How did she appear holding the head of Chief Eunuch Ho of the Western Depot, who had gone out to seek help?
As he was puzzled, Cheong-ryeong spoke with a perplexed expression.
"Consort Ho, what in the world are you doing? Isn't that Eunuch Ho's head in your hand?"
She spoke as if she had truly become Prince Gyeongjin.
With this, Mok Gyeong-un immediately grasped Cheong-ryeong's intentions.
It seemed that since she couldn't determine the other party's true identity, she was trying to act as Prince Gyeongjin for now.
Therefore, to play along, Mok Gyeong-un tried to clasp his hands together and bow his head.
However,
"Pft."
The woman called Consort Ho let out a mocking laugh.
Then, she tossed the head of Eunuch Ho she was holding.
-Thud! Roll roll roll!
Consort Ho walked into the quarters and spoke.
"Don't overdo the acting. spirit."
'!?'
At those words, the eyes of Cheong-ryeong, who was possessing Prince Gyeongjin, slightly wavered.
What the hell was this woman's true identity?
Since she had reached the level of a Blue Spirit, even ordinary necromancers had difficulty discerning that she was possessing someone.
Yet, she had immediately noticed it.
Her confident tone made it difficult to play dumb or make excuses.
Therefore, Cheong-ryeong spoke with sharpened eyes.
"Who the hell are you?"
"You?"
"That's right. You…"
-Pak!
At that moment,
Consort Ho, who had appeared in front of Cheong-ryeong possessing Prince Gyeongjin in an instant, tried to grab her neck.
However, at that very moment,
-Pak!
Cheong-ryeong, who was about to be grabbed, pushed herself to the side, and someone grabbed Consort Ho's wrist.
It was none other than Mok Gyeong-un.
Looking at her grabbed wrist, Consort Ho curled her lips and said,
"You're quite fast for someone with an old man's face."
"…"
Mok Gyeong-un didn't respond to her words.
No, it was more accurate to say he couldn't respond.
-Tremble tremble!
Although he was grasping her wrist, apart from it being slender, it was so unbelievably strong that it was difficult for him to withstand it.
Just as he thought he should let go,
-Bam! Crash!
At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un's body, which was holding Consort Ho's wrist, crashed into the wall of the quarters and broke through it.
Consort Ho, who had easily thrown off Mok Gyeong-un, turned her gaze to Cheong-ryeong.
"I can tell your level is quite high, but it seems you don't know your place. spirit."
"You…"
-Bam!
Before she could finish speaking, Cheong-ryeong's body was slammed to the floor.
Consort Ho was pressing down on her head, and although she shouldn't have been able to feel pain even if she was possessing a human body,
"Ugh…"
A groan escaped her lips due to the intense pain that seemed to penetrate her head.
Cheong-ryeong looked at Consort Ho with perplexed, widened eyes.
The sight of her grinning as if she was having the time of her life made it seem like she was enjoying this situation.
At that sight, Cheong-ryeong could instinctively tell.
'This woman… is not human.'
It wasn't a statement stemming from her personality.
She truly wasn't human.
She hadn't noticed it because her energy wasn't revealed, but this force pressing down on her head was undoubtedly demonic power.
Moreover, it was demonic power that was immensely vast and pure to an immeasurable degree.
If just a fragment of it was this powerful, what was the true identity of this being?
'A demon beast?'
No.
It could be even higher than that.
No matter how high-level a demon beast Imae Mangnyang was, as a spirit who had reached the Indigo Spirit level, her spiritual power was not inferior to it.
At least, she couldn't be overwhelmingly suppressed like this.
If that was the case, could it be,
'A spiritual beast?'
Was this woman, who had the appearance of a beautiful human, a spiritual beast?
Spiritual beasts were considered the highest level of Imae Mangnyang.
How could such a being exist in the palace as a woman favored by the emperor?
As she was perplexed, Consort Ho spoke.
"You're an interesting one. Most spirits or monsters wouldn't dare enter my territory, but seeing you enter so fearlessly."
-Crunch!
"Aargh!"
As Consort Ho pressed down on her head even harder, a scream burst out from Cheong-ryeong's mouth.
Cheong-ryeong felt pain that seemed like it would shatter her spiritual body.
Right at that moment,
-Rumble!
A vast curse power spread throughout the quarters.
Along with it, four pillars shot up around Consort Ho.
Seeing the four pillars that had risen, Consort Ho's eyes flickered with interest.
"I wonder what this is."
Consort Ho looked at the pillars, then turned her gaze.
There, Mok Gyeong-un walked out from beyond the shattered wall, forming a hand seal with one hand and grasping his sword finger with the other.
"I felt curse power, but I didn't know you could also use sorcery."
As soon as she finished speaking, Mok Gyeong-un extended his sword finger toward Consort Ho.
"Four Peaks Linking Technique."
-Whoosh!
Along with this, a wall of curse power formed from the pillars and connected.
Then, it tried to imprison Consort Ho.
"Shrink!"
Mok Gyeong-un made a grasping motion with his palm.
The size of the wall created by the Four Peaks Linking Technique began to shrink.
The intention was to cleverly reduce the size of the curse power wall to cut off and trap only Consort Ho's wrist, which was pressing down on Cheong-ryeong's head.
However, right at that moment,
"You have a lot of tricks up your sleeve, but what can you do?"
Consort Ho smirked and flicked her finger at the wall of curse power that was about to connect.
-Clang!
-Rip!
At that moment, along with the rebound, Mok Gyeong-un's palm was torn and forcibly opened.
Not only that, but the wall of curse power that was meant to imprison Consort Ho shattered into pieces, and the curse power scattered in all directions.
"Petty tricks won't work, so what…"
-Swoosh!
At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un's figure appeared in front of her.
Then, he thrust his sword finger, infused with sharp sword energy, toward Consort Ho's eyes.
Realizing that sorcery didn't work on her, Mok Gyeong-un immediately switched to martial arts and chose to directly attack her.
However,
-Pak!
Consort Ho waved her hand without dodging Mok Gyeong-un's sword finger at all.
Then, Mok Gyeong-un's figure, which was thrusting his sword finger, scattered like an afterimage.
At the same time,
-Bam! Crash!
Mok Gyeong-un's figure was hit by something right behind her and slammed into the floor.
The impact was so strong that it broke through the floor of the quarters and created a depression around it.
"Disciple!"
Cheong-ryeong called out to Mok Gyeong-un in shock.
Then, she noticed something fluttering above the spot where Mok Gyeong-un had fallen.
It was a tail with golden fur.
'A tail?'
The tail was connected to none other than under Consort Ho's skirt.
Consort Ho covered her mouth and laughed.
"Hohohoho, petty tricks like that shadow clone technique won't work on me. No, you should at least create ten clones for me to possibly find an opening."
-Swish swish!
Along with that, golden tails rose from under Consort Ho's skirt.
There were quite a few tails.
Seeing the tails, Cheong-ryeong's pupils shook intensely.
'Golden tails?'
At that moment,
A vicious and dark energy suddenly surged from the crater in the floor.
It was none other than demonic energy.
Consort Ho's eyes glimmered with interest as she looked at the flowing demonic energy.
It was because she had never felt such energy before.
'It's not human, not a spirit, and not an energy I've felt from monsters either…'
Right then,
-Whoosh!
The surging demonic energy suddenly multiplied several times in an instant.
Then, the energy gathered into a single point within the crater and brushed past Consort Ho in a fleeting moment.
-Swish!
A black line appeared in the air.
Along with it, Mok Gyeong-un stood right behind Consort Ho, breathing roughly.
"Haa… Haa…"
The greatest technique he could currently execute was this sword energy and the technique of gathering all his power into a single point.
-Creak! Creak!
His muscles tensed up and cried out throughout his body.
Although he didn't collapse like before, it was still a tremendous technique beyond his comprehension, so he couldn't use it consecutively more than once at the moment.
Mok Gyeong-un slowly turned his head.
'!?'
Upon turning his head, Mok Gyeong-un frowned.
That's because despite it being his most powerful strike with all his might, Consort Ho was unaffected.
No, it wasn't that she was completely unaffected.
-Drip!
A single scratch appeared on her beautiful cheek, and a drop of blood flowed from it.
Consort Ho wiped it with her sleeve and raised an eyebrow.
"Blood…"
Although it was just a single drop, when was the last time this had happened?
No, it was virtually nonexistent.
It was the first time since her birth that a mere human had inflicted a wound on her.
Consort Ho's eyes turned cold, and then the color of her eyes and hair began to change.
-Swish swish!
They took on a golden hue that felt noble and splendid.
At her transformation, Mok Gyeong-un swallowed his dry saliva.
Even without opening the power of his Third Eye, the energy emanating from the transformed Consort Ho was so distant that it sent chills down his spine.
-Swish swish!
Behind her, whose hair and eyes had turned golden, nine tails rose like mountain peaks.
'Nine tails?'
Seeing this, something flashed through Mok Gyeong-un's mind.
[There is a being known to be even worse than the Great Demon King, who is said to be the oldest among the Six Demons. That being is an evil incarnate and leads everything to destruction.]
[…Leads to destruction?]
[Many nations, from ancient times to the Yin and Zhou dynasties, have fallen because of that being.]
[Yin and Zhou? Could it be that spiritual beast you're talking about, Golden…]
[That's right. It is the great fox Imae Mangnyang, the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed, who has a hundred faces and is thus also called the Hundred-Faced One, with nine golden tails filled with ominous demonic power.]
249: Chapter 248: Consort Ho (2)
Ordinary monsters are typically recorded in books known only to necromancers, such as the "Compendium of Monsters and Oddities from the Classic of Mountains and Seas."
However, this being with nine golden tails was different.
Records of it could be found not only in ancient texts but also in the Historical Records.
Its first appearance in the Historical Records, considered an official history, was during the Yin Dynasty.
[The fox monster Daji, who devoured King Zhou's concubine Su Yang and transformed into her, corrupted the king, leading him to create the Alcohol Pool and Meat Forest, indulging in extravagance and pleasure. As a result, tyranny arose, and the Yin Dynasty fell at the hands of King Wu of Zhou.]
This fox monster was called by many names, befitting its title of the Hundred-Faced One.
Daji of the Yin Dynasty.
Bao Si of the Zhou Dynasty.
Lady Huo of the Tianzhu Kingdom.
Tamamo-no-Mae of the Eastern Ying Kingdom.
Appearing in numerous forms and names, it influenced the fate and history of nations.
Necromancers and monsters with knowledge referred to this catastrophic and worst monster as follows:
The Hundred-Faced King, the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed.
-Swish swish!
The nine golden tails emitting an ominous and tremendous demonic energy.
With its matching golden hair and eyes, this monster was both mysterious and beautiful.
'This… This is beyond imagination.'
Cheong-ryeong, possessing Prince Gyeongjin's body, was at a loss for words.
The demonic power emanating from Consort Ho, no, the Hundred-Faced King Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox who had revealed its true identity, was truly immeasurable.
It was incomparable to the monstrous raccoon dog, the Sea Slaying King, she had seen in the Sihyeol Valley.
In the first place, the Sea Slaying King was in a weakened state due to being sealed.
However, this worst calamity-level spiritual beast, known to be close to a divine beast, not only crushed her fighting spirit but also made her will submit.
'…There's absolutely no way to face this.'
Even if one's martial arts reached the pinnacle, surpassing the wall of walls, it would be impossible.
In the first place, the level of existence of this monster, which had existed since ancient times, was completely different.
It was truly perplexing beyond words.
How could one encounter such a being in the palace of all places?
'Ah!'
Cheong-ryeong's eyes wavered.
Come to think of it, this Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox, known as a great calamity, often appeared when a nation's fate was coming to an end.
The current Central Plains was exactly in such a state.
The Central Plains had become impoverished in many places due to the long-lasting famine, but the emperor and the powerful officials were enjoying extravagance, engaging in power struggles, and exploiting the commoners' blood and sweat.
Even the martial arts world, which had opposed the government for the sake of chivalry and martial arts, was now colluding with them to plunder the commoners to the extent that it wouldn't be surprising if the current Central Plains erupted at any moment.
If that was the case, this worst monster might have appeared to put an end to the weakened fate of this nation.
-Clench!
Cheong-ryeong bit her lip hard.
The situation was completely different from when the monstrous raccoon dog Sea Slaying King, who was sealed and imprisoned, had not been fully released.
She couldn't escape, and there was no hope of fighting against this opponent.
She had never felt such despair before.
However,
-Swish!
At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un was composing himself.
He was seen grasping his sword finger and once again gathering demonic energy into one.
Seeing this, Cheong-ryeong couldn't hide her bewilderment.
'Disciple, you…'
Aren't you afraid?
Even though you can feel this tremendous pressure that makes it difficult to even breathe, are you thinking of fighting?
'What are you thinking?'
Mok Gyeong-un was always cold and rational.
Therefore, he must have naturally realized that he couldn't do anything against this worst being.
Nevertheless, she couldn't understand why he was burning with such fighting spirit.
"Oh."
This was the same for Consort Ho, no, the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox.
Although she hadn't transformed into her true form, she had properly revealed her demonic power, yet he didn't diminish his sharp aura toward her at all, which piqued her interest.
So she opened her mouth.
"Even if it's just a single drop, since you made me bleed, I will kill you."
"Do as you wish."
"Aren't you afraid, human?"
"If I die because I'm weak against my opponent, it's ultimately just the natural order of things, so what is there to be afraid of?"
At his nonchalant words, her eyes flickered with interest.
She had encountered countless humans over a long period of time.
Among those humans, there were certainly some who were so strong that they could hardly be called human.
However, even those individuals, when suppressed by her and faced with the threat of death, showed their ugly sides and revealed their emotions of fear and pain.
"Hmm."
The corners of the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox's mouth twitched.
Seeing a human who seemed to have lost all fear after a long time aroused both her interest and curiosity.
She wondered if this human, who showed a nonchalant attitude while talking about the natural order of things, could maintain such composure even in the face of true pain and suffering.
'I have never seen such a thing.'
She had engaged in amusement for thousands of years, but the outcome was always the same.
Regardless of the being, they were all the same in the end.
Humans became infinitely weak in the face of desire and always succumbed to fear in the face of terror and death.
The Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox spoke with a radiant smile.
"Human, I'm curious to see how long your bold appearance can last."
-Swish!
She pointed her index finger at Mok Gyeong-un.
At that moment, a mass of white light formed by demonic power rippled and rushed toward Mok Gyeong-un's head in the blink of an eye.
-Swish!
Mok Gyeong-un moved his neck in an instant to dodge it.
'Oh.'
He dodged it?
It was a mass of demonic power she had launched, taking into account the speed at which he moved.
Yet, he lightly dodged it.
"Not bad. Then…"
-Swish! Bang bang bang!
The Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox fired demonic power at Mok Gyeong-un in rapid succession with her fingers.
It was so fast that it was impossible to even discern with the naked eye.
However,
-Swish! Swish! Swish!
Mok Gyeong-un dodged them with minimal movement, narrowly avoiding them.
'I can't take my eyes off her.'
Mok Gyeong-un's eyes never left her fingers.
Although the speed was even faster than ultra-high-speed movement, he could predict the trajectory by keeping his eyes on where her fingers were pointing.
The corners of the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox's mouth rose.
"Ah, so that's how you dodged? You're a clever one. Then how about this?"
-Whoosh!
In an instant, spheres of demonic power, each about the size of a finger joint, surrounded Mok Gyeong-un in uncountable numbers.
"Try dodging this too."
As the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox made a grasping motion with her hand,
-Bang bang bang!
The small spheres of demonic power that had surrounded him simultaneously rushed toward Mok Gyeong-un.
There were so many of them that they engulfed him in an instant, making his figure no longer visible.
'Disciple!'
-Crunch!
Just a single sphere of demonic power piercing the ground was enough to imagine its tremendous power, and he had been bombarded by such an incredible number of them.
It wasn't something that could be dodged or endured.
Cheong-ryeong's expression, which had been hesitating in despair, changed to anger.
-Swish!
With that, she abandoned Prince Gyeongjin's body and came out.
Then, she gathered all her spiritual power and struck the floor.
'Blood Realm.'
-Rumble!
At that moment, blood began to form on the floor, centered around her palm.
-Drip drip!
Blood droplets rising as if falling in reverse.
Blood droplets gushed throughout Prince Gyeongjin's quarters, dyeing everything red.
This was her Ghost Realm created by her strong thoughts.
Although she knew she was no match for the opponent, she had decided to help Mok Gyeong-un rather than perish without doing anything.
However,
-Crack crack crack!
Cracks appeared in the quarters that were being dyed red.
Then, as if nothing had happened, her Ghost Realm, the Blood Realm, disappeared.
The Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox spoke as if it was absurd.
"In front of whom are you arrogantly deploying a realm, spirit? Do you want to perish first?"
-Swish!
The Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox extended her hand toward Cheong-ryeong.
Then, with a strong suction force, her spiritual body was forcibly pulled toward the hand.
Cheong-ryeong's expression distorted.
'Too strong.'
She knew she was no match, but the gap was too wide.
To the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox, she was literally no different from an insect crawling on the ground.
-Grab!
-Ugh!
Cheong-ryeong's face, whose spiritual body's neck was grabbed by the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox's hand, contorted in pain.
The demonic power was so strong that even a little force seemed enough to instantly annihilate her.
But right at that moment,
-Boom!
A black line burst through the floor and rose upward.
-Slash!
The black line slashed the back of the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox's hand.
The Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox, who had been trying to annihilate Cheong-ryeong, lost her grip on the spiritual body's neck.
'Disciple?'
In an instant, Cheong-ryeong's eyes widened.
It was because she saw Mok Gyeong-un, whose entire body was covered in blood.
Despite his appearance being a mess from the demonic power bullets, his eyes hadn't lost their spirit at all.
-Whoosh!
As Mok Gyeong-un extended his left hand, Cheong-ryeong's spiritual body was flung backward.
Immediately after that, Mok Gyeong-un tried to strike the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox's head with his right hand in a chopping motion.
However,
-Grab!
Before he could do so, one of the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox's tails wrapped around Mok Gyeong-un's body, and another tail coiled around his wrist.
-Squeeze! Tremble tremble!
Mok Gyeong-un's hand, bound by the tail, trembled violently.
The Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox's eyes flickered with interest as she watched this.
'Look at this.'
Even though she had grabbed him with her tail, the force contained in Mok Gyeong-un's chopping hand was no ordinary.
She could immediately understand the reason.
Mok Gyeong-un's right hand was concentrated with tremendous demonic power.
That demonic power was none other than her own.
"You're interesting."
The corners of the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox's mouth twitched.
She didn't know what technique he used to absorb the demonic power, but it seemed he had endured the numerous demonic power spheres rushing toward his entire body and gathered that power to the fullest.
And in the fleeting moment when her attention was focused on that spirit, he hadn't missed the opportunity and burrowed into the ground to attempt a surprise attack.
-Drip drip!
Blood flowed from the wound on her right hand.
Seeing this, the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox let out a hollow laugh.
"Ha!"
She had tried to push him to the extreme and show him the fear of death.
But instead, he had counterattacked in such a situation, and on top of that, he had inflicted another wound on her.
This was truly the first time such a thing had happened.
-Lick!
The Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox licked the flowing blood with her tongue and glared at Mok Gyeong-un with a cold smile.
Through her golden eyes and disheveled hair, she saw Mok Gyeong-un's face covered in blood.
Seeing his face, her eyes flickered with interest.
"You?"
That's because although she knew he was concealing his face with something, she didn't expect the face hidden underneath to be so young.
No matter how she looked at it, he wasn't even in his late teens.
And such a fellow had inflicted wounds on her body, who had lived for thousands of years, twice?
'This one is completely crazy.'
Rather than feeling unpleasant, she became even more intrigued.
-Creak! Creak!
The blood vessels in Mok Gyeong-un's right hand swelled up as if they were about to burst.
This was a phenomenon that occurred because the blood vessels couldn't withstand the concentration of demonic power in one hand, which was difficult to handle.
-Spurt spurt!
And as a result of not being able to release that power, blood vessels burst in various places on Mok Gyeong-un's right hand, and blood flowed out.
Nevertheless, there was not the slightest change in Mok Gyeong-un's expression.
He only showed a look of regret in his eyes.
At this,
-Squeeze!
The Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox exerted force on the tail that was wrapping around Mok Gyeong-un.
The force was so strong that even the blood vessels on Mok Gyeong-un's face, which was already covered in blood, bulged and seemed like they would burst at any moment.
However,
'Look at this.'
Even though he was on the verge of death, Mok Gyeong-un didn't even groan and instead stared straight at the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox.
There was not a hint of fear in his eyes.
Seeing his appearance, the corners of the Golden Fur Nine-Tailed Fox's mouth twitched.
She had seen so many humans, but in the end, no one had overcome their fear in the face of death. This was the first time.
So, with the corners of her mouth raised, she said,
"I have seen countless humans over thousands of years, but you seem to be the first human who truly shows no fear in the face of death."
"…"
Mok Gyeong-un only glared at her without saying a word.
"Seeing such unwavering and upright eyes makes me curious."
"…About what?"
"I wonder if a human like you would also remain uncorrupted in the face of desire."
"Corrupted?"
As soon as those words ended, the splendid clothes that had been covering her body slid down.
Along with it, an extremely beautiful naked body was revealed.
250: Chapter 249: Consort Ho (3)
"I wonder if someone like you can resist corruption in the face of desire."
No sooner had she spoken than the golden Nine-Tailed Fox's radiant red dress slid off her body.
With it, an exquisitely beautiful nude figure was revealed.
Her exposed body was so perfect it was hard to believe she wasn't human.
With her full breasts, slender waist, and glossy white skin, she looked like a work of art.
Any man who saw this breathtaking figure would be lost in a mire of desire, unable to regain his senses.
-Flinch!
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox smiled seductively at Mok Gyeong-un.
"What do you think of me?"
She took pride in her beautiful body.
Among the numerous supernatural beings who had accumulated spiritual power and could transform into humans, few possessed a body as perfect as hers.
'Hohohoho.'
No one could resist her body.
Even the tyrant King of Yin and the King of Zhou who overthrew her, as well as countless other kings, princes, warriors, and heroes who remained in history, succumbed to their desires.
It was beyond the capacity of males to resist.
Instinctively, males sought the best females.
'Those who succumb to desire quickly fall into depravity.'
She had corrupted countless men who had fallen to her temptation.
The effects of their corruption were significant.
While it affected only their close family and friends if they were ordinary individuals, it could sway the fate of a nation if the fallen were burdened with heavy responsibilities.
This was the ultimate pleasure for the golden Nine-Tailed Fox.
A world filled with pandemonium and despair through the fall of one human.
She relished the process.
'You will be no exception.'
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox reached out to Mok Gyeong-un, who was bound by her tail, and lifted his chin to make him look at her.
But,
'!?'
One of her eyebrows shot up.
She was curious about how he would react to her naked body, but Mok Gyeong-un's eyes were utterly devoid of emotion.
He looked at her as if she were an ordinary object.
"You······."
Her eyes narrowed.
What was this guy?
Was he holding back?
Human males in their prime should be overflowing with sexual desire.
No matter the situation, it was normal to be overwhelmed with lust at the sight of her perfect body.
How could he look at her with such indifferent eyes?
She started to feel irritated.
'Well done, mortal.'
Cheong-ryeong, who was watching, was inwardly pleased.
She had worried that Mok Gyeong-un might succumb to the temptation of the stunningly beautiful golden Nine-Tailed Fox, but his emotionless face made her feel unexpectedly good.
"Your patience is impressive."
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox pouted her lips and then flicked her tongue, gently caressing Mok Gyeong-un's cheek.
-Suuk!
"It seems you're holding back, but let's see how long that lasts."
"······."
Her hand slowly moved toward Mok Gyeong-un's tattered clothing, which had been shredded by her spiritual energy.
She grabbed his top and tore it off.
-Jiik!
Mok Gyeong-un's top ripped away, revealing his bloodied but well-developed upper body.
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox licked her upper lip at the sight.
"For a young guy, you have quite a nice body."
His face was quite handsome too—no, extremely handsome.
Among human males, faces like his were extremely rare, even over thousands of years.
'Heh.'
There is a saying that adding gold dust to something already precious is a bonus.
It is better when the target is worth seducing and corrupting.
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox, having stripped Mok Gyeong-un of his top, now moved her hand toward his lower garment.
-Squeak!
Mok Gyeong-un tried to use his demonic energy to free himself from her tail.
But the spiritual power of the golden Nine-Tailed Fox, a being close to a divine beast, was as vast as the open sea and didn't budge.
As Mok Gyeong-un struggled, the golden Nine-Tailed Fox spoke to him in a scolding tone.
"Stay still. This older sister will take care of everything."
With that, her hand reached Mok Gyeong-un's waistband.
Just as she was about to grab it, Cheong-ryeong shouted urgently.
-Stop it!
Cheong-ryeong raised thorns made of blood to protect Mok Gyeong-un and aimed them at the golden Nine-Tailed Fox's tail.
-Slash!
However, the blood thorns didn't harm the golden Nine-Tailed Fox's tail at all.
Instead, they melted away, scattering drops of blood.
"You're quite annoying. I'll kill you first······."
-Swish!
At that moment, the golden Nine-Tailed Fox looked at Mok Gyeong-un.
Though his face was still emotionless, there was a faint sense of killing intent.
Though it was faint, she could sense it.
'Look at this.'
When he showed intent to kill the ghost, he revealed faint emotions for the first time.
She found this intriguing.
She had thought he was almost emotionless, but he was reacting to a mere ghost.
What kind of relationship did these two have?
-Uuuung!
Lesser beings wouldn't see it, but the golden Nine-Tailed Fox could.
The string of fate connecting them.
It indicated they were bound by an ancient master-servant contract, the servant spirit.
But why did they seem to share a bond?
-Ssiiik!
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox's lips curled into a sly smile.
She had corrupted countless humans over thousands of years, knowing better than anyone how to exploit their emotional vulnerabilities.
So,
-Pat!
-Damn it!
With a wave of her hand, she created a barrier of spiritual energy, instantly trapping Cheong-ryeong inside.
Cheong-ryeong tried to break through with her spiritual power, but,
-Slash!
-Urgh!
The moment her spiritual energy touched the barrier, it repelled her.
The burning pain made her ghostly hands turn black as if they were being eroded by the spiritual energy.
It looked as though her hands were being corroded.
"Hey, spirit. If you don't want to be extinguished, you'd better stay still. If you keep this up······"
-Eudeuk!
Before she could finish her warning, Cheong-ryeong, gritting her teeth, threw herself at the barrier once more.
She sharpened all her energy, turning herself into a sword to break the barrier.
-Thud! Slash!
Even in her ghostly form, she was a swordsman.
She had gained many insights alongside Mok Gyeong-un.
Her determination as a swordsman transcended even her spiritual power at that moment.
-Swish!
'!?'
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox's eyebrow twitched.
Even a high-level spirit was causing cracks in the barrier she had created with her spiritual power.
This spirit······. Was she willing to sacrifice herself?
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox's lips twitched.
'I can't let that happen.'
If this ghost was extinguished, this interesting human's emotions would stagnate.
She couldn't let that happen.
-Slash!
-Aaaaaaah!
Inside the barrier, it was like a thunderstorm, with blue lightning striking Cheong-ryeong.
The lightning inflicted severe pain on her ghostly form, making her scream in agony.
At that moment,
-Kwaaaak!
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox's tail tightened around Mok Gyeong-un.
Her eyes glimmered.
The fierce dark energy inside him had suddenly grown stronger.
She could be sure of it now.
'······He is not emotionless.'
He had emotions.
They just weren't easily displayed.
If he were truly emotionless, it would be different, but since he had emotions, even if deeply buried, the situation changed.
-Pak!
One of her tails slapped Mok Gyeong-un's cheek.
It seemed like a simple slap, but it carried tremendous spiritual energy, shaking his brain.
The dizziness made Mok Gyeong-un's head wobble.
-Lick!
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox licked his cheek and said,
"You'd better stay still. Otherwise, I'll really extinguish that spirit of yours."
She gestured toward the barrier where Cheong-ryeong lay on the ground, her spiritual form severely damaged.
Her ghostly form was so transparent it was clear she was in a dire state.
She lay there, trying to maintain her spirit form.
"······Are you threatening me?"
"Think I'm joking? Try me."
"Such threats don't really······."
"What?"
Mok Gyeong-un momentarily closed his mouth at her words.
Normally, he would have told her to do as she pleased, indifferent to whether she extinguished the ghost or not.
But a strange feeling arose.
He didn't want to see Cheong-ryeong extinguished.
'······What is this?'
Had he any feelings left besides vengeance and malice?
No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't understand why he felt this way since he considered compassion and sympathy irrational.
But logically, why did he dislike the idea of Cheong-ryeong dying?
He couldn't understand.
At that moment,
"Since you seem to have grasped the situation, let's continue, shall we?"
-Chwak!
Before he could react, the golden Nine-Tailed Fox tore off Mok Gyeong-un's pants.
With his pants shredded, Mok Gyeong-un was now completely naked.
"Hohohoho."
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox laughed heartily and slowly lowered her head, savoring the situation.
There was no place more honest than that part of a male's body.
Even in the face of death, it couldn't be controlled by reason, driven by the instinct to procreate.
Let's see how it reacts to such a perfect female body up close…
'······.'
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox's expression suddenly turned cold.
She had expected at least some reaction, but her assumption was completely wrong.
As she stared intently at Mok Gyeong-un's unchanged state, for the first time in thousands of years, her pride was about to take a hit.
'So that's how it is?'
Fueled by stubbornness, the golden Nine-Tailed Fox slowly approached Mok Gyeong-un, aligning her body with his.
-Mungle!
Her full breasts pressed against his well-defined muscles.
-Pak!
Wrapping one slender leg around his waist, she leaned in close, her breath hot against his ear as she whispered seductively,
"Haa. I'll turn you into a beast."
251: Chapter 250: Consort Ho (4)
"Haa. I'll turn you into a beast."
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox had long perfected a particular skill.
It was to worm her way into the weakened hearts of humans, tempting and corrupting them.
The male human body was remarkably honest to its instincts.
More than just seeing, direct physical contact, skin-to-skin, was where they became truly vulnerable.
-Suuk!
She pressed her body against Mok Gyeong-un, her full breasts soft and yielding as they touched him.
"Haa."
With one leg wrapped around him, she blew hot breath into his ear.
Sound was another means of arousing a man.
Usually, by this point, most males would have been unable to control themselves and would have lunged at her.
Yet, Mok Gyeong-un remained unfazed.
'You're still holding out.'
He was at the age where his desires should be raging, but his patience was astonishing.
Usually, when a man's desire began to surface, she would penetrate his mind, amplifying his deepest desires.
Once addicted to such desire, they would gradually fall into depravity.
'Not reacting even to this······.'
Her stubbornness only grew. Smiling slyly, she leaned in closer.
She had always used mental intrusion to show what she wanted, except for her first time corrupting a human long ago. Now she decided to change her approach.
-Lick!
She licked his neck with her tongue, her hand sliding downwards.
Her hand made contact with his manhood, stroking it gently to awaken his arousal.
-Fondle!
She knew exactly how to handle a male.
Caressing him with delicate hands, she tried to awaken the dormant desire within him.
But,
-Shlick!
'······Is this guy impotent?'
She had never encountered someone so unresponsive.
He even looked at her with cold eyes as she carefully stimulated him.
It felt as if she were dealing with a stone.
Clearly, he had repressed emotions.
She hadn't expected him to hold out this long.
"Enough."
Mok Gyeong-un spoke to her coldly.
Most women would have given up by now, feeling insulted by the lack of response.
But the golden Nine-Tailed Fox's determination only grew stronger.
The more one controlled their emotions and desires, the faster and deeper they would fall into corruption.
'Let's see if you can withstand this.'
She smiled wickedly and brushed her palm over her face.
In that instant,
-Srukk!
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox's face transformed into someone else's.
Mok Gyeong-un's eyes narrowed.
It was Cheong-ryeong.
'!?'
Known for her shapeshifting abilities, the golden Nine-Tailed Fox had transformed into Cheong-ryeong, indistinguishably perfect.
Mok Gyeong-un's eyes shifted.
Unlike Wi So-yeon, the third Mortal of the Heaven and Earth Society Leader, who looked almost like a twin of Cheong-ryeong, this transformation was flawless in appearance and aura.
"Mortal. Haa."
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox, now in Cheong-ryeong's form, called him like she would.
Looking at him with slightly unfocused eyes, a stark contrast to her usual seductive gaze,
-Flinch!
This time, he showed a slight reaction.
'Look at that.'
As expected, he was responding.
Although Cheong-ryeong was undeniably a peerless beauty, the golden Nine-Tailed Fox was even more perfect and beautiful. Yet, Mok Gyeong-un reacted to her.
Noticing this, she intensified her efforts to provoke him.
"Mortal······. Haa······I feel strange."
Mok Gyeong-un exhaled deeply.
Being perceptive and different from others, he knew this was an illusion.
The real Cheong-ryeong was weakened, lying just over there.
But,
-Soft!
"Mortal······. Do something about me."
Seeing her in Cheong-ryeong's form, her chest pressed against him with a desperate expression, his body began to react.
'This is a fake.'
Mok Gyeong-un tried to maintain his rationality.
But once his body started reacting, it was hard to control.
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox's eyes gleamed.
'Ha?'
He was far more endowed than she expected.
She had seen countless males over the years.
She could tell for sure,
He was exceptional.
'Ahh.'
This changes things. A sly excitement filled her eyes.
She had planned to penetrate his mind the moment he showed desire, but now she felt an excitement she hadn't in a long time.
Seeing him struggle within her embrace made her want to indulge him even more.
Transformed into Cheong-ryeong, she pressed against him, feigning helplessness.
"Mortal. Haa······Mortal······."
As she caressed his cheek with one hand, a strange fragrance and spiritual energy seeped from her hand into his nose.
Mok Gyeong-un's eyes grew hazy.
She whispered into his ear.
"Haa······Ravage me like a beast."
No sooner had she spoken,
-Grab
Mok Gyeong-un roughly grasped her lush hips, pressing his body against hers.
-Kung!
Like a wild animal, his force made the golden Nine-Tailed Fox, in Cheong-ryeong's form, moan.
"Hah."
Hearing her moan in Cheong-ryeong's voice aroused him further.
Feeling him become one with her, the golden Nine-Tailed Fox's face flushed.
'Good.'
What female wouldn't enjoy this?
"Hurry······hurry······"
She urged him, her voice low and demanding.
Despite his wild push, he met her gaze and began moving slowly.
Their faces were so close their noses almost touched, creating a charged atmosphere.
'Haa. What is this guy?'
She expected him to act purely on instinct under her influence, but he moved deliberately, gazing into her eyes with a dazed look.
Oddly, it made her more excited.
'Different.'
Despite being enthralled, he was different from other males.
Her breathing grew heavy, turning into sensual moans.
"Haaung."
What began as a means of seduction had now become genuine excitement for her.
Corrupting him could wait.
But then, an unexpected interruption occurred.
-Mortallllll!
'!?'
The real Cheong-ryeong, who had been nearly unconscious, started to recover some energy and witnessed the scene.
-!!!!!!!!
Seeing this, she couldn't bear it even in her spirit form.
She would have felt discomfort if the golden Nine-Tailed Fox had seduced Mok Gyeong-un with her real form, but seeing herself in the act infuriated and confused her.
'Mortal······. You······.'
Mok Gyeong-un, with eyes clouded by lust, was gazing at the golden Nine-Tailed Fox who looked exactly like her.
t felt like she was the one engaged with him.
Cheong-ryeong snapped out of her daze, feeling a peculiar mix of emotions.
'No.'
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox was a monster who had seduced and corrupted countless men for thousands of years.
If left unchecked, Mok Gyeong-un would fall too.
She gathered all her remaining strength and cried out.
-Mortalll!
Her cry resonated like a wave.
If he were under the golden Nine-Tailed Fox's spell, it might break him free.
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox sneered at this.
'Do you think he can wake up from my spell?'
Entranced by desire and instinct, there was no way he could break free······.
At that moment, she noticed something.
Mok Gyeong-un had paused momentarily in response to the cry.
'This guy?'
Had he heard that in his current state?
Cheong-ryeong shouted again.
-Mortal! Snap out of it!
-Paarr!
At her continued cry, Mok Gyeong-un's hazy eyes wavered.
Seeing this subtle change, the golden Nine-Tailed Fox clicked her tongue inwardly.
She had infiltrated his heart by transforming into Cheong-ryeong, but the real one being so close seemed to affect him quickly.
The golden Nine-Tailed Fox sighed inwardly.
'What a pity.'
She gave up on enjoying herself further.
His mental strength was far stronger than that of ordinary humans, making it difficult to enchant him consecutively.
-Pak!
She grabbed his head with both hands.
Staring into his eyes,
'I'll completely enthrall you and make you mine.'
Suddenly, darkness enveloped Mok Gyeong-un's vision, plunging everything into blackness.
***
"Human. Shall we take a look at where your fundamental desires stem from?"
The Nine-Tailed Fox delved into Mok Gyeong-un's mind, sifting through his memories. To corrupt him and make him completely hers, she needed to read the memories that held the root of his desires or potential weaknesses. Relatively recent memories appeared faintly like fragments, but this man, more so than she initially thought…
"I like it."
She had assumed this man was different from other humans. But his actions and thought processes seemed utterly detached from humanity. This was the first time she encountered a being who wasn't so much corrupted as innately close to evil and demonic energy.
"How have I not discovered such a man until now?"
She had long searched for an extraordinary being. It was because of a prophecy she heard during an amusement.
[Daji-yeo. No, Nine-Tailed Fox. Someday, you will meet a human who is the embodiment of demonic energy itself.]
[Human? How can a human be demonic energy itself? Didn't you say humans are incomplete beings, neither good nor evil?]
[That's right. However even this old man cannot fully comprehend all the secrets of Heaven.]
[Damn you. What's the point of telling me something you don't even understand well yourself?]
[Find him. He will bring you what you have yearned for the most.]
[…What I desire, he will bring to me? Is that true?]
[It is.]
[Then how can I meet him? With your vaunted ability to read the secrets of Heaven, you should be able to know, right?]
[I do not know.]
[Then there's no other way. We have no choice but to keep fighting.]
[…Will things really turn out this way?]
[You're the one who proposed this deal, claiming you'd reveal what I've desired. But do you think you can end this fight with such a vague story?]
[...]
After contemplating, he finally spoke.
[All this old man can see about that man is a throne stained with blood.]