Chapter 365
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Episode 365: An Invaluable Opportunity
Living in a community inevitably leads to competition, whether intentional or not.
Among the outer disciples of Yeo Dongbin, the level of skill was exceptionally high due to the rigorous selection process. However, two figures stood out: Baek Seolyeon and Cheong Cheonseok.
Of the two, Baek Seolyeon shone like a star. Her abilities were so exceptional that they could be compared to the Taoists of the Five Dragons Palace (오룡궁).
After astonishing Master Go Hak with her Dark Magic (흑암법), Baek Seolyeon returned to her place and, unintentionally, her gaze fell upon Yeon Namcheon.
She couldn’t help but feel curious.
She had heard countless rumors: the infamous swindler who had sold information about the selection process, yet somehow managed to become Cheongbulno’s named disciple (기명제자).
Although she tried not to judge him by his appearance, his unkempt face seemed to reflect his dubious past.
“—Is he truly skilled? Or was he just lucky?”
Regardless of the rumors, the truth would soon be clear. As the proverb says, “A needle in a sack will always be noticed (낭중지추).” If he had talent, it would eventually come to light, just as hers had.
Master Go Hak, too, was curious about Yeon Namcheon’s abilities.
“—Yeon Namcheon,” he called.
Yeon Namcheon stepped forward. The other disciples looked at him with a mixture of resentment and curiosity.
Taking out his Seal Hand (검결지), Yeon Namcheon began to recite in a clear voice:
—”In formless emptiness, nothing can be seen (공허무상불견시). All of heaven and earth unify and disappear (건곤일색간불변). Om geup geup ye yul ryeong sa ba ha!”
He had chosen Void Magic (공허법), known as the most difficult of invisibility techniques.
In an instant, his figure vanished completely.
It wasn’t a simple trick or a fast movement technique; he simply faded away without a trace.
Master Go Hak blinked several times, incredulous. Finally, he asked, still unsure:
“—Are you still there?”
Yeon Namcheon’s magic was so perfect that even the master, with all his experience, couldn’t detect him.
“—Yes, I’m here,” Yeon Namcheon replied, breaking the technique and reappearing in his place.
Master Go Hak broke into applause, clearly impressed.
“—Wonderful! Truly worthy of being Cheongbulno’s named disciple. I’ve never taught anyone with your skills.”
Then, he turned to the other disciples and said firmly:
“—Look closely! This is the true invisibility magic of the Five Dragons Palace. You should feel proud to be learning these techniques.”
The outer disciples, who had been watching open-mouthed, responded energetically:
“—Yes!”
Baek Seolyeon pursed her lips in frustration. Although she was intimidated by the perfection of Yeon Namcheon’s technique, a strong desire to surpass him also ignited within her.
With this demonstration, the mocking and contemptuous glances towards Yeon Namcheon began to diminish. Many began to recognize that Cheongbulno hadn’t chosen him as his named disciple by mere chance.
——————-
Five Dragons Palace (오룡궁)
Geumjeong Pavilion (금정각)
Midday.
In the Geumjeong Pavilion, Celestial Master Cheonmyeong, leader of the Five Dragons Palace, received an unexpected visit from the head of the Daewon Pavilion (대원각), Soyoja.
“—What is it?” Cheonmyeong asked, observing the visitor intently.
The Daewon Pavilion oversaw the temples and branches associated with the Five Dragons Palace, so an unannounced visit meant something serious had happened.
Soyoja, with an uneasy expression, responded with another question:
“—Master, are you familiar with the Taecheong Temple (태청도관) in Xi’an?”
“—Of course. Isn’t that where the renowned exorcist Neungji Seonin resides?”
Neungji Seonin was a Palace Taoist, famous for his exorcism skills, to the point of being considered almost a saint by ordinary people.
“—Well… Neungji Seonin… has had a problem,” Soyoja replied with a sigh.
“—What problem?”
“—In Xi’an, there’s a wealthy merchant named Yong Daein, whose wife, of incomparable beauty, was allegedly the victim of gwijip (귀접).”
Cheonmyeong frowned. Gwijip, or “union with spirits,” was a term used to describe s*xual encounters between a human and a spirit, and it wasn’t a topic that Taoists treated lightly.
“—And then?”
“—When the Ja-eun Temple, which they first went to, couldn’t solve the problem, Yong Daein sent his wife to the Taecheong Temple.”
Cheonmyeong nodded, recognizing that this made sense, given Neungji Seonin’s renowned reputation as an exorcist.
“—However, during the exorcism, Neungji Seonin suddenly collapsed. The next day, although he regained consciousness, he began to behave as if he were possessed.”
“—You mean that Neungji Seonin, instead of solving the problem, ended up possessed by the spirit?”
“—That seems to be the case, according to the report from the Taecheong Temple. They are now requesting that the Five Dragons Palace intervene to solve the problem.”
Cheonmyeong let out a long sigh.
Solving problems in the branches was a responsibility of the main temple, but cases related to exorcisms were especially complicated. Sometimes, the most skilled exorcist in the branch could surpass anyone in the main temple, and Neungji Seonin was an example of this.
If even he had failed, solving this wouldn’t be easy.
To make matters worse, Soyoja added:
“—Furthermore, Yong Daein’s wife happens to be a Murim warrior and is now causing trouble at the Taecheong Temple.”
Cheonmyeong covered his face with his hands, clearly exasperated.
The conflict between warriors and sorcerers was well-known. Warriors often belittled sorcerers, creating both physical and psychological tensions.
After long reflection, Cheonmyeong replied:
“—It would be ideal if Cheongbulno were still alive… But isn’t Jangchun Jin-in up to this task?”
“—Certainly, Jangchun Jin-in is capable.”
Although his skills were similar to Neungji Seonin’s, Jangchun Jin-in had a significant advantage: he was also a warrior.
“—I think Jangchun Jin-in, his disciple, and three outer disciples will be enough to handle this situation. Make sure to include Yeon Namcheon among them.”
“—Understood.”
Thus, it was decided that a group led by Jangchun Jin-in would depart for Xi’an to resolve the problem.
————————–
After the afternoon practices ended, Mu Wi, the master in charge of Yeo Dongbin, summoned Yeon Namcheon, Cheong Cheonseok, and Baek Seolyeon.
“—Tomorrow morning, Master Jangchun Jin-in and his disciples will depart for Xi’an. You will also accompany them, so prepare yourselves.”
“—May we know the purpose of this mission?” Cheong Cheonseok asked.
“—An exorcism ritual will be performed at one of the temples in Xi’an. Your task will be to help with the preparations. It’s an opportunity that can’t be bought with money, so make sure you learn everything you can.”
“—Yes, master!” Cheong Cheonseok and Baek Seolyeon replied, visibly excited.
As Mu Wi said, the exorcism rituals of the Five Dragons Palace (오룡궁) were famous, and participating in one was an invaluable opportunity to gain knowledge and experience.
However, Yeon Namcheon simply scratched his head with an indifferent expression.
“—Of all things, why exorcisms?” he thought.
He felt that his studies were going in a strange direction.
When Mu Wi left, the three began to pack their bags. Once ready, they gathered without anyone ordering them to, perhaps due to the pressure they felt towards the exorcism mission.
Cheong Cheonseok was the first to speak, addressing Yeon Namcheon:
“—Younger brother, do you have experience in exorcisms?”
“—No, and you, older brother?”
“—Neither. And you, Sister Baek?”
“—Me neither. I haven’t even seen one,” Baek Seolyeon replied.
The three exchanged awkward glances. They had been asked to help with the ritual preparations, but none of them had any experience, not even as spectators.
Cheong Cheonseok muttered to himself and then asked:
“—Maybe I should memorize some purification mantras. Do you know any?”
Yeon Namcheon shook his head, while Baek Seolyeon, with a confident expression, replied:
“—I know three. Younger brother, you should learn at least one purification mantra if you don’t want to have problems with evil energies.”
“—What kind of problems?”
“—Do you know what an exorcism is? It’s expelling an evil spirit. And if you expel it, where do you think it will go?”
“—Where?”
“—Evil spirits look for a new ‘home,’ and their ‘home’ is people. If you expel it from one body, it will seek to possess someone nearby.”
“—W-what? Is that true?”
“—Of course. There are many stories of people going crazy after witnessing an exorcism ritual.”
Yeon Namcheon’s face turned pale. He had a special fear of spirits, and Baek Seolyeon’s stories didn’t help at all.
With a calm tone, Baek Seolyeon advised him:
“—The trip will take at least seven days. Use the time to memorize a mantra.”
“—Yes…”
The conversation quickly shifted to talismans, and Yeon Namcheon listened attentively to the exchange between Cheong Cheonseok and Baek Seolyeon. Both had experience, having been outer disciples of the Palace for longer than him, making them a valuable source of knowledge.
————
The next day, early in the morning, four Taoists and three outer disciples left the Five Dragons Palace.
The group consisted of Master Jangchun Jin-in, his three disciples, and the three outer disciples, including Yeon Namcheon, Cheong Cheonseok, and Baek Seolyeon.
As they walked down the main road, Jangchun Jin-in called Yeon Namcheon to his side.
“—So you’re Cheongbulno’s named disciple, right?”
“—Yes.”
“—Tsk, tsk. Not even the great masters can beat the passage of time. What a pity he left us. Did you manage to learn a lot from him?”
“—A little.”
“—How long were you under his tutelage?”
Jangchun Jin-in showed a special interest in Yeon Namcheon. Cheongbulno, with his mastery of the Language of Words (언법), was legendary in the Palace. His voice could control the elements and expel all kinds of evil spirits.
“—About a month.”
“—Hmm…”
The master let out a slight sigh.
“—My own disciples have been learning for more than five years, and even then I’m not sure they’re ready… How could someone with only a month of training be of help on this mission?”
He knew that the opponent they would face was the evil spirit that had defeated Neungji Seonin, a famous exorcist. Under those circumstances, Yeon Namcheon’s abilities seemed insufficient.
“—Did he transmit his Language of Words to you?”
“—Yes.”
“—That’s good. Have you ever witnessed an exorcism ritual?”
“—No.”
With this answer, Jangchun Jin-in dismissed any expectations towards him.
“—I’ve heard that you’re the most talented among the outer disciples. Is it thanks to the Language of Words?”
“—Not exactly. Its use is a bit different.”
“—Right, I forgot that detail. Anyway, I expect a lot from you. Wherever you go, remember that you are a disciple of the Five Dragons Palace.”
“—Yes, master.”
“—You can return to the others.”
Yeon Namcheon bowed his head respectfully and returned to the other outer disciples.
From that moment on, Jangchun Jin-in didn’t call him again or pay him any more attention.