Chapter 2. A Body He Doesn't Like
Some time after the bandits disappeared, Byeok-ho’s fallen body twitched.
When he opened his eyes, the clear blue sky filled his vision as though it were about to come crashing down on him.
For a moment, dizziness struck him, and he covered his eyes with one hand.
Dried blood had hardened over his hand like plaster.
“What the hell is this?”
He lifted his head and looked around.
Another martial artist lay dead beside him, while the merchants’ clothes and belongings were scattered everywhere.
That alone was enough for him to understand what had happened.
“Of all people, I ended up with someone like this.”
Ja-ha was glad that his Soul-Spirit Unification Art had succeeded.
However, he was disappointed that the person whose soul wavelength matched his own had turned out to be nothing more than a low-level martial artist who had already been on the verge of death.
In truth, Byeok-ho had already died.
It was only because Ja-ha’s soul entered his body at that exact moment that the body miraculously came back to life.
Had Ja-ha been even slightly later, he would have lost the body he needed and become a wandering vengeful spirit trapped between life and death.
Fortunately, he had entered just before Byeok-ho’s heart completely stopped.
At least he had escaped such a miserable fate.
A sigh naturally escaped his lips.
“Phew...”
Ja-ha tried to get up.
But the moment he moved, sudden dizziness swept over him, and countless images flashed across his vision.
Byeok-ho’s entire life.
The people he had met.
The memories he had shared with them.
Everything poured into Ja-ha’s mind at once.
Unable to endure it, Ja-ha collapsed back onto the ground.
He had no choice but to sit there for a long time and watch Byeok-ho’s entire life unfold inside his head.
It was not something he could stop by force.
Byeok-ho’s soul had already left after his death.
But because Ja-ha had taken its place, the memories that should have disappeared with Byeok-ho were instead flowing into Ja-ha’s soul.
Ja-ha had never imagined such a side effect.
His head felt as if it were being split apart.
He grabbed his hair and pulled at it in pain while accepting Byeok-ho’s memories.
Before long, Ja-ha frowned and grumbled.
“Ah, what a completely pathetic life. Did I really enter the body of someone like this?”
Ja-ha had lived as the Young Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
Everyone in the cult had looked up to him.
Though only for a short time, he had even become the Cult Leader and wielded absolute authority.
After living as someone with absolute power, Ja-ha could not understand a life like Byeok-ho’s.
Byeok-ho had grown up as an orphan and had been so poor that even receiving a full meal had been enough to make him grateful.
His fellow disciples were also poor and unimpressive.
Yet Byeok-ho had cared deeply for every one of them.
And even in the final moments before his death, the thing Byeok-ho regretted most was the bank draft hidden against his chest.
Ja-ha opened the front of his clothes.
Inside was something carefully sealed in wax.
He sighed.
Byeok-ho had sealed it like this because he had been afraid that the bank draft might get wet from rain or water.
Apparently, his greatest regret before dying had been his failure to deliver this bank draft to the Cheongun Martial Hall.
When Ja-ha touched it, a sharp pain stabbed through his chest.
It felt strangely emotional rather than physical.
After absorbing all of Byeok-ho’s memories, Ja-ha suddenly felt powerless.
Part of it was because the body had lost so much blood.
But compared to Ja-ha’s former body, which had always felt light and effortless, Byeok-ho’s body felt like a pile of cotton soaked in water.
The unfamiliar heaviness made him extremely uncomfortable.
Ja-ha circulated his qi for a moment and examined his dantian.
Because the body had just suffered severe blood loss, it was difficult to inspect everything inside himself.
So he checked only the dantian.
Then his eyes widened in shock.
“What?! Only twenty years of internal energy?!”
Ja-ha had undergone body cleansing from the moment he was born.
He had also consumed countless precious medicines and spiritual treasures from the Demonic Cult.
Thanks to that, he had possessed an astonishing one hundred and twenty years of internal energy.
And now, after living in such a body, he had entered Byeok-ho’s body...
A body with only twenty years of internal energy.
Of course it felt as if iron weights were hanging from every part of him.
“I have an incredibly long road ahead of me.”
Even with one hundred and twenty years of internal energy, Ja-ha had been chased by the Seven Heavenly Demons and fallen from a cliff to his death.
So what was he supposed to do with a mere twenty years of internal energy?
How could he possibly take revenge?
Ja-ha could only sigh.
However, those twenty years of internal energy were actually the result of Byeok-ho’s relentless effort.
From the moment Byeok-ho first learned martial arts, he had practiced qi circulation every single day without rest.
For someone his age, twenty years of cultivated internal energy was close to the highest level one could reasonably possess.
But Ja-ha could not understand that.
And when he searched through Byeok-ho’s memories, he discovered that the only martial art Byeok-ho had properly learned was the Cheongun Sword Art.
With a body like this, how long would it take to build up enough internal energy and master enough martial arts to take revenge on the Seven Heavenly Demons?
Those monsters had already surpassed the limits of ordinary humans.
His goal felt impossibly distant.
But—
“Still, I can't give up. No matter what it takes, I'll slaughter those Seven Heavenly Demons and reclaim my position as Cult Leader.”
That was now Ja-ha’s purpose in life.
He would never forgive the Seven Heavenly Demons for betraying him.
“First, I need to get down from this mountain.”
Ja-ha forced himself to stand.
The moment he did, the entire world seemed to spin around him.
He quickly grabbed a nearby tree.
“Damn it. At this rate, I'll become food for wild beasts before I even get the chance to take revenge.”
Ja-ha complained bitterly.
He could barely imagine walking down the mountain in this condition.
After managing only a few steps, sharp pain pierced his chest and the rest of his body as if needles were stabbing him from every direction.
Then his legs suddenly gave out.
Ja-ha fell forward and struck his head against the ground again.
Byeok-ho’s body was practically incapable of moving.
“Damn it. I finally succeeded in completing the great technique, and this is the body I get?”
Ja-ha felt like cursing the heavens.
He had barely managed to come back to life, yet it seemed as though he might simply become food for wild animals.
Just then, Ja-ha heard faint voices in the distance.
A group of merchants climbing the mountain discovered his collapsed body.
“There's someone here!”
Ja-ha vaguely heard the shout.
Then his consciousness disappeared.
When Ja-ha opened his eyes again, he was startled to discover that he was no longer lying outside.
Instead, he was resting on a soft bed.
The fact that wild animals had not torn him apart was already enough to reassure him.
But this peaceful environment was something he had not expected.
He slowly looked around.
It appeared to be an ordinary guest room in an inn.
Ja-ha had once traveled through the martial world after leaving the Demonic Cult.
During that journey, he had stayed once or twice in rather poor inns.
This room looked almost exactly like those places.
Ja-ha first checked his physical condition.
Bandages had been wrapped around his chest.
Apparently, someone had brought him here and treated his wounds.
Creak!
At that moment, the door opened and someone entered.
“Ah, you're awake?”
A young man smiled happily when he saw Ja-ha.
Without thinking, Ja-ha immediately cupped his fists in greeting.
“Ah, yes.”
Ja-ha hated himself for doing that.
Byeok-ho had worked as an escort and had become accustomed to lowering his head politely before others.
Because of that habit, even though Ja-ha himself had no intention of acting humble, the body reacted before his mind could stop it.
If Ja-ha had possessed full control over Byeok-ho’s body, he would probably have simply sat there stiffly and accepted the greeting.
“By the way, how did I end up here?”
Ja-ha spoke carefully.
He had already accepted the fact that he was no longer the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
Now he was merely the disciple of an insignificant martial hall.
It would not be easy to completely change the way he spoke after spending his life commanding others.
Still, Ja-ha was not foolish enough to behave arrogantly without reason.
He understood that making people suspicious of him would only cause unnecessary trouble.
The young man gave him a pleasant smile.
“Let me introduce myself first. I am Jeo Geumsan, the chief manager of the Daewon Merchant Company.”
Ja-ha had never personally heard of the merchant company.
However, information about it immediately surfaced in his mind.
When Byeok-ho had worked as an escort in Taiyuan, his escort agency had frequently done business with the Daewon Merchant Company.
“Ah, I know it well. I have quite a connection with the Daewon Merchant Company.”
Jeo Geumsan was a young man with an easygoing appearance.
For some reason, his smile possessed a charm that naturally made people feel comfortable.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I worked as an escort for the Taiyuan Escort Agency for three years, so I know your company well.”
The Taiyuan Escort Agency was one of the three most famous escort agencies in Taiyuan.
The largest were the Lüliang Escort Agency and the Taihang Escort Agency.
However, when it came to trustworthiness, the Taiyuan Escort Agency was considered the best.
That was why the Daewon Merchant Company frequently did business with them.
“Oh! So that's how it was.”
Jeo Geumsan’s smile grew even wider when he learned that Ja-ha had worked for an escort agency that often did business with them.
He was pleased that the man he had rescued already had a connection to his merchant company.
“But how did you end up in such a condition?”
Jeo Geumsan could already guess what had happened.
Even so, he asked because he wanted to hear the details directly.
He knew there was a great difference between making assumptions and hearing the truth from the person involved.
“I encountered bandits from the Tiger King Stronghold. We fought, and this was the result.”
“Bandits from the Tiger King Stronghold?”
“Yes. They appeared to be the chief and vice-chief.”
Jeo Geumsan let out an exclamation of surprise.
“The Tiger King Stronghold is filled with some of the strongest bandits in the entire Jeyun Mountain Range. Their chief, Tiger King Saber Paeng Gyo, is even rumored to have once been a martial artist of the Hebei Paeng Clan.”
He continued.
“And their vice-chief, Cutting Light Sword Oh Sambo, is said to be a master of the fast sword who once earned quite a reputation in the martial world. If you fought men like them, it's no surprise you couldn't handle them. Frankly, it's a miracle you're still alive.”
Hearing Jeo Geumsan’s explanation, Ja-ha ground his teeth.
Once I recover my martial arts, I'll kill both of those bastards.
Perhaps it was because their actions had nearly caused Ja-ha himself to become a wandering ghost.
Or perhaps it was because of the hatred that remained inside Byeok-ho.
Either way, powerful murderous intent rose inside Ja-ha.
And through that feeling, Ja-ha finally realized something.
Byeok-ho’s soul had departed.
However, his baek remained.
And that baek was influencing Ja-ha’s emotions.
It seems a man named Byeok-ho carried too much resentment to simply die like that.
A human soul was made from two parts—the hon and the baek.
Though they seemed similar, they were actually different forms of spiritual existence.
The hon was the spirit associated with yang energy.
The baek was the spirit associated with yin energy.
When a person died and the body began to cool, the hon left first.
However, because the baek possessed stronger yin energy, it remained even after the body had gone cold.
Only when all the blood completely hardened would the baek finally depart.
But Ja-ha’s soul had entered Byeok-ho’s body before his baek could leave.
As a result, Byeok-ho’s baek spirit had been absorbed into Ja-ha’s soul.
That was also why Ja-ha had inherited Byeok-ho’s memories and experiences in such perfect detail.
Only now did Ja-ha fully understand what had happened.
He shook his head.
“Phew... this won't be easy.”
If Byeok-ho’s baek had truly merged with his soul, then Ja-ha would continue feeling Byeok-ho’s emotions as if they were his own.
“What do you mean?”
Jeo Geumsan’s question pulled Ja-ha out of his thoughts.
“Ah, I was talking about taking revenge on the Tiger King Stronghold.”
Ja-ha quickly came up with an explanation.
“Even though we knew each other only briefly, Brother Jang, who was protecting those merchants, was brutally killed by their swords. He won't rest peacefully unless someone avenges him.”
Ja-ha used Two Wolves Sword Jang as an excuse.
Jeo Geumsan looked impressed.
“As expected of an escort from the Taiyuan Escort Agency! When it comes to loyalty and trust, few can compare to the Taiyuan Escort Agency.”
This time, Jeo Geumsan’s admiration for Byeok-ho was sincere.
Although they had known each other only for a short time, Byeok-ho was willing to avenge a fallen companion.
Such loyalty naturally stirred a man’s heart.
“May I ask the honorable name of the escort?”
Ja-ha answered out of habit.
“How could the chief manager of a merchant company address me so respectfully? Besides, I no longer work as an escort, so I'm not an escort anymore.”
For some strange reason, polite words kept coming naturally from his mouth.
Ja-ha absolutely hated it.
He had only just become aware of Byeok-ho’s remaining baek, so its influence was still affecting his speech and behavior.
“Then what should I call you?”
“My name is Byeok-ho.”
“Ah, Brother Byeok. Then I'll call you Brother Byeok from now on.”
“Brother Byeok is too generous a way to address someone like me.”
Ja-ha felt irritation rising inside him.
His mouth was casually producing humble phrases he had never once used in his previous life.
And yet there was still a polite smile on his face.
This Byeok-ho fellow had a servant's mentality engraved into his bones.
Still, Ja-ha had no intention of ruining something important over such a trivial matter.
Even though it felt like he was wearing clothes that did not fit him, he simply endured it.
“So, Brother Byeok, where were you heading? Were you escorting those merchants?”
“No. I was only traveling with them. I wasn't their escort. The late Two Wolves Sword was the one protecting them.”
“I see. So even though it wasn't your responsibility, you stepped forward to help them fight and ended up suffering such terrible injuries.”
Jeo Geumsan looked as though his opinion of Ja-ha—or, more precisely, Byeok-ho’s sense of justice—had risen even higher.
Ja-ha did not bother correcting the misunderstanding.
There was no harm in letting Jeo Geumsan think that way.
In fact, he even acted as though that was exactly what had happened.
Still, when Jeo Geumsan asked where he had been going, Ja-ha remained silent for a long time.
Byeok-ho’s body kept giving him a strong feeling that he had to go to the Cheongun Martial Hall.
But Ja-ha had absolutely no interest in something like the Cheongun Martial Hall.
His entire mind was filled with revenge against the Seven Heavenly Demons.
Right now, he needed to search for a way to regain his strength.
He had no intention of going to some poor martial hall and playing around with fellow disciples.
He felt slightly sorry for the dead Byeok-ho.
But from the very beginning, Ja-ha had never planned to continue living Byeok-ho’s life.
When Ja-ha remained silent, Jeo Geumsan smiled with the relaxed expression of a merchant.
“I suppose that was too personal a question. Our merchant company is traveling to Mount Li because we have some business there.”
Mount Li was near Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi, beyond Mount Hua.
The moment Ja-ha heard those words, a memory from ten years ago suddenly surfaced.
The recollection came so abruptly that a soft sound escaped his mouth.
“Ah...”
Ten years ago.
At the time, Ja-ha’s father, Ja-gang, had still been alive as the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
There had been a physician in the cult known as the Physician of Yama.
He had been raising strange gu insects, but he lacked certain materials.
So he had asked Ja-gang for permission to travel to Mount Li in Shaanxi.
Ja-gang trusted the Physician of Yama and allowed him to go.
Thinking back, Ja-ha remembered that the Physician of Yama had been researching an extraordinary treasure capable of increasing internal energy for his father.
Ja-gang had practiced the Heaven-One Primordial Art, one of the forbidden demonic arts passed down through the Demonic Cult.
The technique required sixty years of internal energy every time one advanced to the next stage.
If the practitioner lacked enough internal energy, their blood would flow backward through their body and kill them.
For that reason, even the Demonic Cult, with its thousand-year history, had forbidden its members from practicing the technique.
However, if someone managed to completely master it, they would possess peerless martial power with no equal beneath the heavens.
Thanks to this martial art, Ja-gang had been able to keep the Seven Heavenly Demons in check.
But he never managed to reach complete mastery.
Eventually, his blood flowed backward, and Ja-gang died.
Although Ja-gang had been considered an extraordinary genius, he had originally served as a strategist of the Demonic Cult.
His body had never been as strong as that of a true martial artist.
It was precisely to overcome this weakness that the Physician of Yama had researched other ways to increase Ja-gang’s internal energy.
And before Ja-gang suffered his fatal accident, the Physician of Yama had discovered some kind of secret method.
While researching it, he had traveled to Mount Li.
