Myst, Might, Mayhem

Chapter 424 – Soul and Spirit (2)

“…The moment the alchemy that unites the soul and spirit falls into his hands, you will never be able to escape his grasp, even before you can settle your hundred-year grudge.”

‘!?’

Cheong-ryeong’s expression hardened at the Heaven and Earth Society Society Leader’s meaningful words.

What the hell is he talking about?

Alchemy that unites the soul and spirit? What on earth does that mean?

Her mind became confused, and she was at a loss for words. She stared blankly at the Heaven and Earth Society Society Leader before her eyes widened and she spoke.

-…What’s with that wench?

That wench.

She meant Wi So-yeon, the Heaven and Earth Society Society Leader’s youngest disciple.

She had found it strange how eerily similar the girl looked to herself.

Come to think of it, that wasn’t the only strange thing.

Cheong-ryeong recalled how she had attempted to possess her, only to nearly have her spirit body forcibly trapped in that body.

Her voice rose.

-What is this? Why does that wench look like me?

“…I don’t know the exact principles either, but if the records are correct, Wi So-yeon was born from your soul.”

‘!!!!!’

Cheong-ryeong was confused by those words.

Wi So-yeon is her soul? What the hell does that mean?

As far as she knew, the soul and spirit were one.

Just then, someone’s voice was heard.

“I’ll explain that.”

Cheong-ryeong and the Heaven and Earth Society Society Leader’s gazes turned in that direction.

There stood a man with a terribly burned face and no eyes, leaning on a cane.

Seeing the man with the cane, the Heaven and Earth Society Society Leader spoke with a wary look in his eyes.

“You are…”

He clearly remembered him as someone from the Elder Council.

However, Cheong-ryeong, who had been with Mok Gyeong-un, knew his true identity.

-Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul.

“Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul?”

-That mortal’s true identity. He’s one of the Six Direction Gods and a follower of Three-Eyes, no, Bi Yong-heon. Though not anymore, of course.

‘Six Direction Gods?’

The Six Direction Gods.

They were the six gods considered the pinnacle of diviners.

Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul was one of the Six Direction Gods and had been following Three-.

However, after being defeated by Mok Gyeong-un and revealing information, he almost died due to a prohibition left by Three-Eyes, but he swore loyalty to Mok Gyeong-un to survive.

Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul spoke as he walked over, leaning on his cane.

“Both the soul and spirit can be considered spirits.”

-Spirits?

“The reason they’re divided into two is because spirits can be divided into two types of essence.”

-Two types of essence?

“The soul ascends to heaven for reincarnation and then descends again. On the other hand, the spirit is both an essence and the residual thoughts accumulated through life, as well as the remnants of the physical body.”

-…

“Conversely, the spirit should return to the earth, but because it’s an essence born from that life, it remains even after death while the physical body decays. If it harbors strong resentment during this period, it becomes a ghost. That’s what we call a vengeful spirit or ghost.”

-I don’t not know that. I just…

To Cheong-ryeong’s words, Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul waved his hand lightly as if to calm her and said.

“Of course. But this is where it gets important.”

-What are you talking about?

“Even though the spirit is an essence accumulated through the physical body, it’s also an element that forms the spirit. The soul is yang that rises to heaven, and the spirit is yin that returns to earth. The soul and spirit that have gone to heaven and earth meet again when the time comes and are reborn anew. This is what Taoism and Buddhism call…”

-Reincarnation…

One is born, dies, and is born again.

This is called reincarnation.

It could be said to be the providence and natural order that sustains the world.

Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul nodded and continued speaking.

“That’s right. Reincarnation. However, as I just mentioned, reincarnation can only occur when both the soul and spirit are present. For instance, if the soul attains enlightenment and reaches nirvana, or if the spirit is trapped by resentment and becomes a ghost without returning to the earth, they can’t meet again and thus can’t reincarnate.”

-But what about that Wi So-yeon?

“It’s exactly as the Society Leader said.”

-Exactly as he said? You just said with your own mouth that the soul and spirit must come together for reincarnation…

“Yes, that’s how it should be. But Mok-gan broke that law.”

-Broke the law?

“Originally, the soul would be purified through the process of ascending to heaven and passing through the celestial gate. However, Mok-gan separated your soul and spirit and kept them captive.”

-Is that even possible?

“It’s nearly impossible, but he has existed for ages, changing countless bodies, so his knowledge is close to that of an immortal.”

This was the reason Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul followed him.

Myeong-ryul wanted to obtain his vast knowledge to cure his burns and eyes that couldn’t be healed due to a curse, and to surpass his limits as a diviner.

-…So you’re saying that mortal wench Wi So-yeon is a physical body born from my soul that Bi Yong-heon captured and kept?

“That’s correct.”

-But even if he captured the soul, without the spirit…

“Because it’s incomplete, it’s difficult for the physical body to maintain itself. From what I’ve heard, the bodies containing your soul born through various wombs couldn’t even last a few years.”

-Grr!

Cheong-ryeong gritted her teeth at Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul’s words.

Her anger surged to the point where her teeth chattered.

Not only did he imprison her vengeful spirit for nearly a hundred years, but he also held onto her soul that should have ascended to heaven and did such a thing?

No matter how obsessed he was with her, this was beyond excessive.

-…So that wench Wi So-yeon succeeded in forming a physical body without the spirit?

“Complete success is impossible.”

-What do you mean by that?

“From the beginning, the soul, spirit, and reincarnation are literally the providence that forms the world itself. How could even a being with vast knowledge arbitrarily achieve such a natural order?”

-Meaning?

“The physical body of Wi So-yeon is also incomplete. That’s why a body with only a soul can’t continue to endure and tries to crumble.”

At these words, the Heaven and Earth Society Society Leader muttered in an angry voice.

“Heavenly Yin Severed Meridians.”

“…That’s right. That phenomenon can also be said to have occurred because the physical body couldn’t endure.”

The Heaven and Earth Society Society Leader had thought that Heavenly Yin Severed Meridians was just her innate affliction.

However, after learning the truth, he realized it wasn’t so.

Even though she was born from the best womb, Wi So-yeon’s body was in an incomplete state without the spirit, so to compensate for the lack of yin energy, her body itself endlessly generated and went berserk trying to fill it.

-Crazy bastard…

A harsh curse spilled from Cheong-ryeong’s lips.

Though she hated him, his madness was truly abhorrent.

Although the soul and spirit were separated, wasn’t the soul still essentially herself?

To capture her soul and forcibly make it be born repeatedly, only to die each time – his obsession was the worst itself.

-Did he revive a body with just the soul out of obsession for me?

“…You would know that better than I do.”

-Obsession… obsession… Haa…

Suddenly, Cheong-ryeong found something incomprehensible.

If he was so obsessed with her that he would create a new body with just the soul, why did he seal away the spirit separately?

-I don’t understand. If he had such remarkable abilities, wouldn’t it have been better to reincarnate me from the beginning without separating the soul and spirit? Wouldn’t that have fulfilled his desires?

To her question, Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul shook his head and answered.

“Of course, that would be true. But as I mentioned earlier, because the spirit is made up of residual thoughts from the physical body, it becomes a ghost if filled with resentment. In that case, it can’t unite with the soul, which can be considered yang.”

-Hmph! Then couldn’t he have resolved my resentment by sacrificing himself?

“It’s not a problem that can be approached so simply.”

Sacrificing oneself was tantamount to suicide.

Even if he achieved reincarnation as desired, he wouldn’t obtain what he wanted.

And,

‘…There is one thing I’m curious about.’

Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul also had one doubt here.

Although he didn’t know exactly what happened at that time, did Mok-gan really not know this principle that a spirit full of resentment and a soul couldn’t become one over a hundred years ago?

If he knew this principle, was there any need to take everything away from her and fill her with resentment?

‘Perhaps this is Mok-gan’s way of Bi Yong-heon…’

At that moment, Cheong-ryeong looked at the Heaven and Earth Society Society Leader and spoke.

-You just said that a spirit full of resentment that becomes a ghost can’t become one with the soul. But what is this alchemy that unites the soul and spirit?

“It’s exactly as it sounds. He has been searching for alchemy that forcibly unites the soul and spirit for a long time.”

-Don’t tell me the reason is…

“That’s right. It’s to make you, the spirit full of resentment, and Wi So-yeon, the soul that formed a physical body, become one.”

-Ha!

Cheong-ryeong sneered.

The very person who turned her into a vengeful spirit now wants to forcibly unite her soul and spirit to revive her to fulfill his obsession?

-Foolish bastard. Does he think I’ll do as he wishes just because he revives me like that?

“If one masters the alchemy to handle the soul and spirit, one can freely manipulate the residual thoughts contained within them as well.”

The Heaven and Earth Society Society Leader agreed with Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul’s words and said.

“It was written that way in the records as well.”

-What?

“It says that everything will be resolved if the parts of the residual thoughts in your spirit that are full of resentment and unnecessary memories are blown away.”

-…

At these words, Cheong-ryeong’s expression hardened.

All this time, while burning with resentment, she had wondered why he had imprisoned her in a secret manual made of heart.

But now all those questions were answered.

Even after a hundred years, he hadn’t let go of his obsession with her.

For the sake of merely possessing her, because of such severe obsession and madness, he took away all of her clan and everything she loved?

-Bi… Yong… Heon!

-Grooooowl!

As her killing intent materialized, the surroundings rippled with an even deeper purple hue.

It was gradually darkening beyond purple.

-Flinch!

‘This can’t be.’

They say that the spirit energy of a vengeful spirit depends on how long it has existed or how strong its resentment is.

But as her spirit energy rose terrifyingly, Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul couldn’t help but be inwardly surprised and stick out his tongue.

Though unintended, her hatred after learning the whole truth seemed to have dug even deeper, almost to the point of the abyss.

But strangely, this wasn’t all.

-Flutter flutter flutter!

Although he couldn’t see, his senses were extremely developed and he used his main power to substitute for this, so he could feel the connection linked to Cheong-ryeong’s spirit body trembling strongly.

For some unknown reason, Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul furrowed his brow at this sight he had never seen before.

But at that very moment,

-Crack!

The connection that looked like a red thread linked to her suddenly broke.

A connection is close to the providence that links spirit mediums and diviners.

But for it to break?

‘How?’

-Pak!

In the blink of an eye, the surroundings were covered in blood.

It happened so suddenly that Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul couldn’t hide his bewilderment.

How could the ghost domain be formed so quickly?

As he was greatly surprised,

-Pak! Bang!

His body flew backwards and hit the wall, becoming fixed in place as if someone had grabbed him.

“Kuk!”

He wasn’t the only one who flew back.

-Bang!

“Cough, cough!”

Although he had severe internal injuries due to the prohibition, even the Heaven and Earth Society Society Leader, who had reached the Profound Realm beyond the Wall of Qi, couldn’t properly control his body against her tremendous spirit energy.

Despite drawing up his qi, he was barely managing not to be pushed back.

Cheong-ryeong spoke in a chilling voice overflowing with ghost energy.

-Tell me. Where is he?

“Cough, cough… I don’t know.”

-If you don’t tell me, I’ll start by killing your disciples and then everything alive remaining in the Heaven and Earth Society.

-Swish!

Blood rose up and wrapped around his entire body, tightening strongly.

Despite the pain, the Society Leader endured it and spoke.

“Haa… haa… I really don’t know. But there is a way to draw him out… Ryu So-wol, don’t you know it too?”

-…Speak.

“The Ghost Blade… found traces of alchemy that can forcibly unite the soul and spirit.”

‘!!!!’

Grand Divination Master Myeong-ryul’s ears trembled at the Society Leader’s words.

He knew that even the soul transfer technique, the forbidden art he had barely found, was derived from a treasure left behind by an evil person called a calamity in the time of the old murim.

‘Did they find the treasure of Wicked Heart Granny?’

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