The Martial God with Psychic Powers

At Yeon Woo Jin’s command to follow him, the Taoists wore dumbfounded expressions.
Did they still not understand the situation?

Did they not realize where they currently were?
They thought they had been attacked by a fellow Wudang Taoist—right here in Wudang itself.
They believed Yeon Woo Jin had assaulted them.

“You think we’re going to listen to the likes of you?!”
“You wretched bastard! How dare you torture us! Have you forgotten this is Wudang?!”
“We won’t let you get away with this!”

“To lay a trap and ensnare us in a formation—you're clearly in league with that Myung Cheon bastard!”
They still hadn’t come to their senses.
Yeon Woo Jin chuckled and said,
“It seems you heard what I said as a request. But that was an order.”

“What?”
“You arrogant—!”
“We’ll capture you and make you suffer the pain we endured!”

The Taoists all rushed toward Yeon Woo Jin at once.
Smack— smack-smack— smack!
“Guhk!”

“Urgh!”
With a series of slaps, the charging Taoists were sent flying.
Their cheeks swelled up instantly, flushed red.

Rubbing their puffed-up faces, the Taoists stared at Yeon Woo Jin in disbelief.
He didn’t look like he knew any martial arts—yet he was an incredible master.
“It seems you have no intention of coming quietly. Shall we have a little chat instead?”

As he spoke, Yeon Woo Jin rolled up his sleeves.
At the same time, the surroundings began to shift into a gray hue.
Sensing something was off, the Taoists began to back away.

But then—
Thud.
There was nothing there, yet it felt like they hit a wall.

When they reached out, [N O V E L I G H T] their hands touched something invisible blocking their way.
Panicking, the Taoists looked around as Yeon Woo Jin helpfully explained,
“This is the Ten Thousand Illusions Celestial Concealment Formation. Interesting, right? Until I deactivate it, none of you can leave. And no one outside can see inside.”
“W-Why are you doing this?”

“W-We were wrong. Just let us go.”
Yeon Woo Jin shook his head and said,
“No. You’re still not listening to what I’m saying. I told you—we're going to have a conversation.”

“F-Fine!”
“L-Let’s talk!”
“If this is a conversation, why are you rolling up your sleeves?”

The Taoists asked, anxiety creeping in.
“Oh, we’ll talk. Just with a different mouth.”
What… did that mean?

A different mouth?
Yeon Woo Jin raised his fist and said,
“From now on, this is my mouth. Now, shall we begin our conversation?”

Just calling it a mouth doesn’t make it one…
“This is ridiculous—”
They tried to object, but couldn’t finish the sentence.

Smack!
“Gah!”
Yeon Woo Jin’s fist landed squarely on the Taoist’s face.

“For a first conversation, that was decent. Now, let’s move on to the next one.”
Smiling as he clenched his fist again, Yeon Woo Jin looked to the Taoists—who now saw nothing but a demon in front of them.
 

****
“Please… enough… I beg you…”
“We were wrong…”

“Forgive us…”
The Taoists groveling before Yeon Woo Jin.
He asked them,
“Now, my dear Taoists, what exactly did you do wrong?”

“Well… that is…”
As they hesitated, Yeon Woo Jin curled his fist again.
“Still not enough talking. We needed to have a deeper conversation, didn’t we?”

“N-No! We—we bullied Myung Cheon! And falsely accused him to get him expelled!”
Finally, they started answering smoothly.
Even as they spoke, they were grinding their teeth inwardly.

‘Just wait until we get out of here. We’ll report every one of your atrocities to the main sect.’
‘You’ll pay for this.’
They pretended to repent outwardly, but their eyes betrayed their hatred.

Their faces didn’t look remorseful at all.
They looked resentful.
Yeon Woo Jin smiled.

“Your words don’t match your expressions.”

The Taoists flinched in surprise.
“That won’t do. You’ll be staying here a while.”

He began inscribing another pattern into the formation.
Temporal Displacement Formation.
A formation that alters the flow of time between the inside and the outside. One day outside equals one month inside.

He had used this same formation many times before to train others.
Once the formation was activated, even the visible scenery vanished, replaced by a completely gray world.
“Now, just wait here.”

Yeon Woo Jin, having finished inscribing the pattern on the ground, disappeared from the formation.
The Taoists, seeing their chance, scrambled to escape.
“Seven-Star Break!”

“Wudang Face-Splitter!”
“Drifting Cloud Hundred Strikes!”
They hurled all their Wudang martial arts techniques at the formation.

Boom—!
Crack!
They struck it with all their might, trying to break it.

But it was futile.
The formation only shimmered slightly.
One day passed, then two. Starving, exhausted, the Taoists collapsed.

That was when Yeon Woo Jin returned.
“Ah, I meant to be back sooner.”
While it had only taken him a short while to get food outside, two days had passed inside.

The delicious smell made the Taoists' eyes shoot open.
Their gazes locked on the food in Yeon Woo Jin’s hands.
“Eat.”

The moment Yeon Woo Jin set the food down, they dove in and devoured it.
They had been in despair, certain they’d starve to death—then hope came in the form of food.
Clatter—clack.

Munch—munch.
Chomp—chomp.
Slurp—

Only the sounds of chopsticks hitting bowls and mouths chewing echoed through the space.
Gulp—gulp—
They even downed all the water.

Finally, the Taoists looked like they might survive.
They had learned the true value of food—deeply—over those two days.
Now that their stomachs were full, they noticed the other supplies Yeon Woo Jin had brought:

A sack of barley powder, water jars, and dried food.
All provisions meant to last a long time.
What was all this for?

Judging by the quantity, it would last for quite a while.
“You’ll be staying here for two months.”
“What?”

“If we disappear for two whole months, the main sect will go into chaos!”
“Don’t worry. Two months here is just two days out there.”
…What the hell?

That didn’t even make sense.
Logically, something like that was impossible.
But… if it was this monster in front of them, maybe it was possible.

Their voices trembled.
“E-Even if it’s just two days… if we’re missing by dinner, they’ll come looking for us…”
“I already left a note saying you went into the mountains for training for two days. I’m sure it’s been delivered.”

“W-What? T-To whom?”
“To that kid from the Geonja Faction.”
The second-generation disciples.

They hung their heads in despair.
Who would go looking for someone when they said they were on retreat?
Was it really true?

That two months here equaled two days outside?
Yeon Woo Jin grinned.
“Well then. See you in two months. I hope you’ll reflect deeply during that time.”

With that, he vanished.
He didn’t walk away—he simply disappeared.
“D-Did he just vanish?”

“W-Was that a ghost?”
“Are we all just having the same nightmare?”
“If it’s a nightmare, why did it hurt so much when he hit us?”

“Are we really supposed to survive two months here?”
“I’d go crazy in just a week…”
“What if he forgets to come back after two months?!”

At that, fear surged through them and they began trembling.
“L-Let’s believe… H-He’ll come back.”
“Y-Yeah. Let’s believe. If we’re scared, let’s meditate or train. It'll pass faster.”

And so, to overcome their extreme anxiety, they began to move their bodies.
 

****

Meanwhile, Myung Cheon had arrived at the place Yeon Woo Jin had instructed.
It was a wide cavern. As he stepped inside, he felt something invisible brush past his body.
He paid it little mind and looked around.

Near the jars, he spotted fasting pills—enough to last several months.
Water was flowing naturally from the cave wall.
To have prepared even this.

He was truly grateful.
The only way to repay that gratitude was to make the Azure Dragon’s energy wholly his own.
Myung Cheon sat cross-legged at the center of the cave, placing his hands over his dantian.

He took a deep breath and began to observe his own body.
One day passed, then two. But the Azure Dragon’s energy showed no sign of movement.
Myung Cheon focused all his attention.

On the third day…
He finally sensed it.
The Azure Dragon’s energy had been hiding.

It seemed… afraid.
As if wary of something.
When Myung Cheon called out to it, the energy stirred.

At last, a response.
It moved with cautious hesitation, as if on alert.
Never before had the Azure Dragon’s energy moved so timidly.

What was different?
Was it his changed physique?
No.

If that were the case, it should’ve become even more violent.
Could it be hiding to avoid the benefactor’s energy?
“So that time…”

Back then, when Yeon Woo Jin held his hand and infused his energy—the wild energy had suddenly quieted down.
“Come out. There’s no one here but me.”
As if it understood him, the Azure Dragon’s energy began to move energetically.

Then it tried to surge out wildly like before.
But this time, he wouldn’t allow it.
Myung Cheon concentrated, trying to seize it.

The energy dodged him playfully, almost mockingly.
A tedious game of tag began.
How much time had passed?

Eventually, cornered by Myung Cheon’s energy, the Azure Dragon’s energy thrashed violently.
It had always caused his meridians to twist and knocked him unconscious in the past.
But this time, it didn’t work.

No matter how violently it thrashed, it couldn’t overcome Myung Cheon’s now-strengthened body.
“Hold still! You’re my energy!”
He focused with all his might to seize the Azure Dragon’s energy.

At that moment—
A sharp tingle pierced his mind, and the entire world turned white.
In that blank space, the shadow of a dragon floated midair.

—You are not worthy to be my master.
A voice echoed in his mind.
—Who are you?

—I am the Azure Dragon. When I regained awareness, I found myself inside your body.
—Didn’t you enter because I have the Azure Dragon Physique?
—Azure Dragon Physique? Puhaha! As if such a body could exist. I simply took that body to enjoy the human world. Soon, it will be mine.

—You think it’ll go your way?
—Hehehe. No human has ever bested me. You will be no different.
—If you take my body, he won’t let it slide.

At the word he, the Azure Dragon visibly flinched.
So it had been hiding because it feared Yeon Woo Jin.
—Damn. That man is terrifying…

—So even the Azure Dragon fears a human.
—No. I mean, until now, no. But that man… he’s not someone you can call human.
—You mean he’s a god?

—No… even gods are no match for him.
—What are you saying? “Not even gods”?
—Even gods can’t oppose him. He… he possesses the power to kill gods. That’s why I feared him. I’ve never been so afraid before.

A human strong enough to kill a god.
Myung Cheon shuddered at the Azure Dragon’s words.
—Damn. If I take your body, I’ll be ripped out by that man anyway. So let’s make a deal.

—What kind of deal?
—I’ll give you my power. In exchange, let me do what I want from time to time.
—What is it you want?

—Human-made alcohol! I miss it so much! Let me drink it again!
—Are you insane? I’m a Taoist!
—A Taoist is still human, no? You can drink. If not… then I won’t give you my power.

Myung Cheon pressed his palm to his forehead.
Was this really one of the Four Guardian Beasts?
Wasn’t it just a mischievous spirit?

That thought crossed his mind—
And the Azure Dragon snapped.
—How dare you treat me like some stray spirit! If not for that man, you’d be nothing but prey to me!

—…Wait. Can you hear my thoughts?
—Of course. You and I share one body.