The Second Eunuch Regains His Manhood

194th Episode: One Heart, One Body

Ding-dong.

That unpleasant bell rang again.

“What’s going on?”

“Brother… Ji-yak!”

Hearing the sound of the Gangsi Lord’s bell, So Cheonma and Heuksaryong sprang to their feet. It was an undeniably unpleasant Monday morning wake-up call. Ignoring it was not an option. Heuksaryong hugged Sosumahu tightly.

[Brother. It’s Gangsi Lord.]

Gangsi Lord.

I now knew exactly what his secret martial arts were. It was thanks to Sahyeong. Sahyeong must have heard it from Jeoksawol.

Gangsi Lord’s secret martial arts were the Corpse Martial Arts and the Technique of the Whispering Blood.

And the reason he could come back even after his head had exploded was because of the Technique of the Whispering Blood. His main body was lying safely in a distant land, while he sent his consciousness to the Gangsi, remote controlling it like an envy-inducing avatar skill in full-dive virtual reality.

That was the Technique of the Whispering Blood.

He had once again possessed another Gangsi corpse to block our path.

Of course, it was unlikely he had come in an unguarded state like last time.

This time, it would be wise to assume he had come fully prepared. Because preparation should always be based on the worst-case scenario.

“Heuksaryong, So Cheonma. You need to leave. Heuksaryong, take Ji-yak with you.”

I quickly told them.

“Gangsi Lord is coming. Sahyeong and I will hold him off, so you need to leave as soon as possible.”

I spoke while keeping an eye on the overwhelming presence in front of us.

Gangsi Lord’s goal was to deal with me and Sahyeong, and retrieve Sosumahu.

Since Plan A involving Cheonma Gangsi had failed and Plan B was now in play, there was no doubt that Gangsi Lord’s priority was me and Sahyeong.

So, Sahyeong and I would hold Gangsi Lord back. It’s better if we can win.

“…Brother, be careful… You have to. Ji-yak is with you…”

Heuksaryong spoke with a worried tone after hearing my words.

Anyone would think I had already married Heuksaryong and had Sosumahu as our daughter.

“I get it, so just hurry and leave with So Cheonma. Before it gets more dangerous.”

“Okay!”

Heuksaryong nodded. Soon, the presence of Heuksaryong, So Cheonma, and Sosumahu rapidly disappeared in the distance.

Confirming that everyone had left, I grabbed Sahyeong’s hand.

“Sahyeong. Just like last time… we do it.”

“Of course, I know.”

Crack.

Sahyeong tightened her grip on my hand. So tightly it felt like it would break. Just then, Sahyeong’s eyes blazed with determination.

Zing.

In the mist, a pair of red eyes illuminated the void.

Zing. Zing. Zing. Zing.

Accompanied by that, countless blood glow lights shone in the mist like LEDs. Tap, tap.

As the footsteps grew closer, the figure emerged.

It was Gangsi Lord, a man in his early thirties with an emaciated, ugly face.

Soon, Gangsi began to emerge from the mist, one after another. One, two, three, and dozens of Gangsi surrounded Sahyeong and me.

Gangsi Lord grinned.

“It’s been a while, Lee Cheol-soo. And you must be part of the Gongdong Alliance?”

Gangsi Lord’s gaze fell upon me. Bloodlight flickered in his eyes.

“Back for more after getting your head smashed? Coming here with that ugly face again, huh? Seems like you’re overflowing with confidence, Gangsi Lord.”

I provoked him while staring at Gangsi Lord.

Heuksaryong and So Cheonma. Lastly, Sosumahu.

All three of them had already fled, but still, I could not afford to relax. I had to buy time.

Hehehehe.

Gangsi Lord chuckled with an unsettling grown man’s laugh. That heh could be a sign of a grown man or a weak man, depending on who used it.

I was clearly using the grown man’s heh

, while he was undoubtedly using the weak man’s heh.

“Are you trying to buy time? You rookie. Hehehehe. Let me be kind one last time: the current me has no interest in fleeing rookies. You are far more important to me right now.”

A sinister blood energy rose from Gangsi Lord’s gaunt body. The energy that seeped from him filled the space in an instant.

Hyeongyeong’s Mastery.

That unique domain of his materialized right here. My skin tingled.

Attacking now would be a bad idea.

We were already in his domain. In this space, Gangsi Lord held absolute superiority. He controlled this area with his mastery.

[Sahyeong.]

I called out to Sahyeong.

[I’ll protect my disciple.]

Sahyeong sent me a message with a heavy tone, her gaze locked on the void ahead, her eyes losing focus.

Sahyeong’s protecting me. Normally, I would think it was fortunate that she took on dangerous stuff herself, while I relaxed behind her.

But not this time.

[We can’t do that. Sahyeong. Right now, we need to protect each other.]

A grown man does not hide behind a woman’s behind.

A woman’s behind is something that should only be dealt with on the bed.

So, I would protect Sahyeong too.

At my words, Sahyeong’s eyes quivered slightly. The lost focus in her gaze found its way back.

[Okay!]

Sahyeong replied.

Our opponent was Gangsi Lord. The last time, we barely managed to match his strength due to the weakness of his imperfect mastery. But this time, he wouldn’t be in the same condition.

If Gangsi Lord wasn’t just for show, he’d have brought a way to compensate for the flaws of his imperfect mastery due to the Technique of the Whispering Blood.

Ding-dong.

When Gangsi Lord shook a bell with his hand, one Gangsi stepped closer to him. Gangsi Lord’s sharp, claw-like fingernails pierced the Gangsi’s chest. The Gangsi slumped like a dead fish.

Gangsi Lord bit into the dead heart he extracted. The power emanating from his body became even more intense.

“Hehehehe, you’re now trapped like mice in a cage. Rookies…”

Gangsi Lord’s body bulked up like he had just pumped iron, stained with blood at his mouth. A red radiance glimmered across his gaunt, ugly face.

“I will definitely offer your heads to my master today and sever the vein of the Primordial Sword Technique!”

The moment Gangsi Lord raised his claws.

Flash!

With a burst of light, his intent-filled mantra was engraved upon the world.

[Mountain of Corpses and Sea of Blood]

A sharp, nauseating blood scent and the stench of rotting corpses filled the air.

Slosh.

Just as the name suggested, a horrific horizon emerged, a sea of blood created past the border.

It was the Blood Sea.

Squish.

Thick, clingy blood stuck to my shoes. In my sight, a hill piled high with corpses, flies buzzing around, became visible.

It was the Mountain of Corpses.

And there he was, sitting on a throne made of dead bodies.

Gangsi Lord.

As he opened his eyes, a huge pair of bloody eyes rose in the gray sky.

“Is this your Mind’s Martial Arts? Truly filthy and unpleasant, just like its owner. Is this foul odor the essence of your mastery?”

I said, kicking away a nearby corpse.

Mind’s Martial Arts.

He hadn’t used it during our last encounter at Cheonma Mound. If he had, he could’ve overpowered me in a second and torn me limb from limb.

But now, he had employed his Mind’s Martial Arts. As I suspected, he must have brought back a way to compensate for the weakness of the Technique of the Whispering Blood.

This was the first time I faced such a stinking Mind’s Martial Arts. Upon hearing my words, Gangsi Lord laughed.

“Hahahahahaha! You’re still so relaxed, Lee Cheol-soo. But I’ll watch to see if that calm can last from this throne.”

While sitting on his throne of corpses, Gangsi Lord raised his arms. Suddenly, a gigantic crimson hand appeared in the air.

Thud, thud.

From the pair of blood-soaked claws floating in the sky, blood dripped down.

Gangsi Lord laughed.

I exchanged glances with Sahyeong.

Sahyeong nodded. She held my hand and we activated the 合格陣.

‘Alone, I can’t win. But if we are two…’

I couldn’t match Gangsi Lord’s Mind’s Martial Arts alone.

But together, we stood a chance.

Ordinarily, it would be impossible, but with Sahyeong as my partner in the 合格陣, it became feasible.

Heavenly Body.

A talent bestowed from above. Fighting alongside Sahyeong, a genius among geniuses, gave me hope to defeat Gangsi Lord.

I released Sahyeong’s hand.

We widened the distance between us to shoulder width. Even without speaking, I could read Sahyeong’s thoughts in this moment.

The basic principle of Gongdongpa Mugong is Yin-Yang Reversal.

The reversal of Yin and Yang.

By flipping the positions of Yin and Yang, explosive power is indeed the essence of the Gongdong Martial Arts.

And now, our 合格陣 was a formation manifesting the Yin-Yang Reversal through both Sahyeong and me. It was an extension of the formation we briefly synchronized during Cheonma’s trial.

With intent, a surge of energy rushed forth from my dantian, triggering a whirlwind of warm Yang energy throughout my body. My domain was Yang.

Goooooo!

From Sahyeong, standing to my left, a chilling Yin energy soared. She governed the Yin aspect. In that moment, both Yin and Yang manifested.

The floor stained with blood revealed the form of the reversed Taijitu.

[Dare to perform tricks before me? You shall perish today by my hand!!]

At that moment, Gangsi Lord’s voice echoed across the Mountain of Corpses and Sea of Blood. With a sweep of his arms, the massive blood hand in the air rushed toward Sahyeong and me.

Crash!

As the sharp claws of the blood hand tore through space and came towards us with sparks flying…

Sahyeong and I simultaneously performed the Ihap Sin-gong.

Ku-kwak-kwak-kwak-kwak!

The powers of the Yin-Yang Reversal erupted, filling the air with overwhelming momentum. The moment Sahyeong and I raised our swords together.

Clang!

With the sound of metal clashing, the giant claws of his blood-hand deflected against the jet-black sword technique enhanced by our combined force.

[This is absurd…!!]

Gangsi Lord’s astonished voice rang out. A smirk spread across my face.

Yes.

Everything is according to plan. This is worth a shot.

*

Heuksaryong ran with So Cheonma.

Gangsi Lord.

He figured he would return. Two masters of Hwakyung were preventing an imperfect mastery.

It was unbelievable. But Lee Cheol-soo and Yujinhwi stood in the way of Gangsi Lord for her sake.

“Damn it.”

Heuksaryong bit her lip. Even while engaging in lightness, a sense of self-loathing overwhelmed her body.

Caught up in the grand conspiracy surrounding the Demon Sect, all she could do was flee.

That reality felt utterly miserable. It was not Lee Cheol-soo but she who couldn’t grasp the vastness of the Martial World.

“Hmmm…”

At that moment, as Wi Soryeon continued running.

Sosumahu, cradled in her arms, opened her eyes.

“…Mom…”

“Uh, huh? Ji-yak woke up?”

Wi Soryeon skillfully responded, looking at Sosumahu.

A myriad of emotions crossed her mind. It was because of this girl, presumed to be the last Cheonma, that the current situation unfolded.

But Wi Soryeon could not bring herself to hate Sosumahu.

“…Dad is gone.”

Sosumahu said. Just as Wi Soryeon was about to offer an excuse.

“Ji-yak… You have to help Dad… From the bad guy… Dad…”

Sosumahu stumbled over her words.

At that moment, Sosumahu’s gray hair began to rise into the sky. An overwhelming power surged from her body, soaring into the heavens.

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