WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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Episode 4: Demon Monk (1)

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It had been trapped within a body for a long time.

The body’s owner possessed a stronger will and greater resolve than it had expected.

When it tried to seize control quickly, the owner blocked their blood and ki circulation and sealed away their own consciousness.

“You can resist, but it is useless.”

Taking that consciousness was only a matter of time.

No matter how strong the owner’s will was, they would eventually yield.

Once it took possession of the weakened body and consciousness, it would be able to claim that body for itself.

“Not much longer now.”

It believed everything was going smoothly.

Then an unexpected variable appeared.

It had nearly broken through the sealed consciousness, but an obstacle arose.

“Who are you?”

Ordinary humans could not perceive its existence.

Yet this person knew how to control it with strange sorcery.

“Are you trying to drive me out?”

Thus began a contest of strength.

Either it would be driven out, or it would take possession.

Then, the one who wielded this strange sorcery deceived it and forced it into a wooden doll.

“How dare you deceive me.”

The being, brimming with resentment, grew even angrier.

Only after it reclaimed that body and twisted the neck of the one who had tried to expel it would its fury be appeased.

But it was interrupted along the way.

So, rather than the body it had intended to possess, it targeted the interloper.

“A fine body.”

A young body.

Unlike the body it had originally intended to possess, it did not overflow with righteous spirit. Yet it leaned more heavily toward Yin, making it even more suitable for its purposes.

This body was worth possessing.

It was younger than the previous body, so its sense of self and will should be weaker as well.

“I will take it quickly.”

It merely needed to erase the man’s consciousness.

If it stimulated his consciousness and confined it, his sense of self would eventually weaken.

But then...

“This is...”

The being could not hide its astonishment.

Just what was this body’s owner?

A primal desire that seemed ready to pierce his very heart.

It was the desire to kill.

“Is this man truly a living being?”

Death.

Darkness.

Rage.

Killing intent.

All these were mixed together, filling him with Yin energy.

To the being, this desire filled with death and killing intent was an irresistible instinct.

“Magnificent.”

The being rejoiced in that desire.

But it was soon seized by disappointment.

Had it been left alone, this supreme desire would have blossomed gloriously. Yet something had suppressed it, preventing it from flowering properly.

“I will remove whatever is suppressing your desire.”

If the desire had yet to bloom, it would be better to open it completely.

A perfect body required a perfect mind.

Then something unbelievable happened.

‘What are you?’

The man had perceived it.

It had tried to confine him within the reality his consciousness yearned for, but failed.

“That cannot be.”

How had he perceived it?

It was impossible for a living being to directly notice or touch it.

‘I asked what you are.’

Then it had no choice.

Even if it had to use a somewhat forceful method, it would have to proceed with the invasion by force.

It chose to invade him by force.

The invasion of his body had already begun. If it devoured even the man’s will and consciousness, he would have no choice but to surrender his body.

Creep...

‘!?’

For the first time, it felt flustered.

The invasion was proceeding in reverse.

The energy that had entered the body was instead being absorbed by him.

It happened at an unimaginable speed.

“Stop.”

‘What are you babbling about?’

“Stop!”

‘You’re annoying.’

“No.”

‘I said you’re annoying.’

“I give up. I’ll leave, so stop.”

At this rate, it might be completely devoured.

It tried desperately to escape.

But now, the man was holding onto it.

* * *

“Phew.”

Taoist occultist Myo Shin let out a weary sigh, then picked up the sword lying on the floor.

He had thought it would be light, but the sword was quite heavy.

Holding it with both hands, Myo Shin stared at the Manor Lord with a tense expression.

‘Can I do this?’

He had exorcised aberrations before, but he had never killed a living person.

That was why he felt tense now that he was about to do it.

But he had to.

‘I have to kill the Manor Lord.’

Only then could he complete the First Madam’s request and pin everything on Mok GyeongUn.

He intended to claim that Mok GyeongUn had gone berserk after being possessed by the aberration inside the Manor Lord and killed the Manor Lord.

Then, with the First Madam’s help, he could naturally dispose of Mok GyeongUn.

‘Do it.’

He had to hurry.

If Mok GyeongUn’s bodyguard warrior outside entered, things would go wrong.

Myo Shin started toward the Manor Lord.

That was when it happened.

Jolt!

Myo Shin stopped short.

A chilling cold sharp enough to raise goosebumps seized him. His face stiffening, Myo Shin slowly turned his head.

‘!?’

For a moment, Myo Shin could not hide his bewilderment.

He doubted his own eyes.

A hazy giant, at least two heads taller than an ordinary adult, was glaring at him with eerie eyes.

‘Th-this...’

A giant monk wearing blood-soaked robes and a skull prayer-bead necklace.

The bloodless monk’s face held no trace of life.

It was...

‘An aberration?’

Myo Shin knew with certainty that this being was an aberration.

Taoist occultists like him called such beings aberrations or vengeful spirits, though ordinary people also called them ghosts.

Trickle...

Cold sweat ran down Myo Shin’s forehead.

Had his spiritual sight suddenly improved?

This was the first time he had seen an aberration with such a distinct form so clearly with his own eyes.

‘Damn it!’

Myo Shin cursed inwardly.

There was no way his spiritual sight could have suddenly improved.

This aberration had to be of such a high rank, with such a powerful vengeful spirit, that it was beyond his ability to handle.

That was why it could manifest itself so clearly.

Clang!

Myo Shin threw down the sword and formed hand seals.

Tap!

‘Presence!’

Tap!

‘Soldier!’

Tap!

‘Fight!’

Tap!

‘Person!’

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Forming a sword-finger seal and a Vajra Fist Seal, Myo Shin chanted toward the aberration.

“Mighty spirit of battle, soldiers and generals of others, fear at the sight of me. Five Lakes, One Star, chief clerk, unclean influence, demons, evil spirits, and aberrations, depart...”

He was in the middle of chanting.

At that moment, the aberration in the form of a monstrous monk drifted toward him like mist.

Whoosh...

‘It won’t work!’

He had attached a Seven Stars Descent Talisman to his chest to protect his body.

Exorcising the aberration would be difficult, but it could not directly affect him...

Thud!

“Urgh!”

The blow to Myo Shin’s face forced him to stop chanting.

The pain was one thing, but Myo Shin blinked in bewilderment.

“H-how?”

The one who had struck him was none other than Mok GyeongUn.

How could he move when he should have been unable to control his body after being possessed by the aberration from the Manor Lord?

He should have been restrained by the Suppression talisman.

As Myo Shin wondered about this, his eyes shook after spotting something.

A hazy black thread flowed from Mok GyeongUn’s chest, connecting him to the aberration in the form of a monstrous monk.

Seeing it, Myo Shin realized that something was terribly wrong.

‘...How can this be?’

It meant only one thing.

Two connected souls meant it was a spirit familiar.

A spirit familiar was, as its name suggested, an inhuman being bound to and made to serve a person.

But there was a simple reason Myo Shin was so shocked.

‘How could an aberration...?’

That aberration was a vengeful spirit.

It was a spirit congealed to resolve its resentment. Such things did not serve people.

They were beings that could rightly be called harmful.

Among exceptional Taoist occultists, there were occasionally those who handled spirit familiars. But those were ancient beings or benevolent kinds of spirits and goblins.

‘Impossible.’

How could such an evil aberration imbued with a curse become a spirit familiar?

Moreover, Mok GyeongUn had not learned occult arts or Taoist arts.

It made no sense at all.

Normally, if an ordinary person were possessed by an aberration of that degree, they should lose control of their body or their life.

‘How...’

“Should I remove this?”

“What?”

Rip!

At that moment, Mok GyeongUn reached out and tore something from Myo Shin’s chest.

The fluttering yellow paper was none other than...

“Huh?”

The Seven Stars Descent Talisman.

Myo Shin’s eyes widened.

That talisman was what protected him from aberrations.

But if it was removed...

Whoosh...

The pale, giant monstrous monk was approaching with an eerie smile.

Flustered, Myo Shin hurriedly formed hand seals and tried to chant a protective incantation in place of the talisman.

But...

Thud!

“Guh!”

Mok GyeongUn kicked him in the stomach.

Struck in the abdomen, Myo Shin collapsed into a hunch from pain that felt as if his insides had been turned over.

He fought back the urge to vomit and tried to form hand seals again.

“Guh!”

Myo Shin’s back arched in the opposite direction.

His face darkened, and veins bulged across it.

Throb! Throb!

Myo Shin understood.

The aberration had entered his body and was trying to kill him.

Unless he quickly formed hand seals and used occult arts, the aberration would invade him and perhaps take his life.

Myo Shin strained with one hand, trying to form a hand seal.

But then...

Press!

Mok GyeongUn stepped on his hand.

So that he could do nothing at all.

Panicked, Myo Shin gasped for breath and desperately pleaded.

“Pant... pant... Young master, please spare me. Please... if you’ll only let me live... I’ll... do... anything...”

“I don’t need anything.”

“If it’s because I deceived you...”

“No.”

Mok GyeongUn shook his head.

“You did it to survive. What could I possibly do about that? But you heard where the official seal and secret manual are as well.”

‘!?’

Myo Shin was left speechless.

Regardless of whether Myo Shin had deceived him, Mok GyeongUn already intended to kill him.

Watching Myo Shin’s dumbfounded expression, Mok GyeongUn smiled brightly.

“So just die.”

A chill ran through Myo Shin.

Mok GyeongUn’s lips were smiling, but his eyes did not move at all, like those of a dead person.

He seemed more terrifying than the aberration.

“Guh! Guh!”

Blood flowed from Myo Shin’s mouth as veins bulged across his entire face.

Then his convulsing body gradually fell still.

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