The Terminally Ill Young Master of the Baek Clan

The name Dam Hyun called it by was Cheongho, which meant “blue fox.”

Her body was covered in blue, beautiful fur that glistened. However, moving around in a spirit form consumed a lot of spiritual energy. Last time, she used all her spiritual energy for the Three-Element Sacred Flower, a sort of gamble. Because of this, these days she spent more time sleeping than being awake.

But now, despite being awake, she didn’t move.

This was because people who saw the wooden puppet move were either screaming in terror or trying to exorcise it. Of course, oddballs like the Forest Lord or Dam Hyun, who knew her situation, were different.

She had never expected this situation.

To meet Yi-gang here, of all places.

The despicable human who had snatched the root of the Three-Element Sacred Flower right before her.

“Your name was Cheongho.”

The moment she heard those words, she got goosebumps all over. The human in front of her was clearly seeing her form.

It was true, even Dam Hyun couldn’t see her when she was in her spirit form, but Yi-gang could see her clearly even then.

“What…? You can see it!” Dam Hyun exclaimed in surprise.

Cheongho was also very tense. If it was discovered that she had escaped the prison and was knocking children unconscious…

The Taoists who came to interrogate him in Repentance Cave recently were completely fooled. They couldn’t find any evidence and withdrew.

“Ah, that’s right.”

Fortunately, Yi-gang was vague in his response instead of being specific.

At that moment of relief for Cheongho.

Yi-gang suddenly touched her belly.

「Kiyak!」

“Don’t touch her!”

Dam Hyun shouted angrily, but it was futile.

Cheongho, feeling ticklish, jolted her body abruptly.

“Wow—!”

“Gasp!”

Yu Su-rin and Jin Ri-yeon were both surprised and amazed.

Everyone’s attention turned to Cheongho, standing on two legs.

“The puppet is moving!”

“Could this be that fox yokai…!”

It was a natural reaction. Dam Hyun wanted to hide Cheongho in his arms quickly, but he couldn’t do so due to being pressed on the pressure point.

「What are you doing, you wicked bastard!」

Cheongho glared at Yi-gang, grinding her teeth.

「You bastard, not only did you steal all the herb, but you also continue to torment me!」

Cheongho showered Yi-gang with curses. It was her way of releasing all the pent-up anger she had accumulated.

Since there was no Soul Echo Board, it was unlikely that anyone could hear her words. Pouring out insults did give her some relief.

Yi-gang stared blankly at Cheongho and then muttered, “So, you can speak this time.”

Cheongho’s legs gave out, and she collapsed.

Yi-gang could even hear Cheongho’s voice. He couldn’t understand it; last time, he surely couldn’t hear her.

「Ah, surely because you ate my root…!」

‘I ate it, but nothing really changed.’

「What? Such a waste on a fool who doesn’t know its effects. The Three-Element Sacred Flower is, you see… Huh?」

Cheongho was startled mid-sentence. Yi-gang hadn’t made a sound, yet she could understand his words.

“It seems I can converse with you in the same way as with my ancestor.”

“You’re speaking? You can hear Cheongho’s words!”

Unable to hold back, Dam Hyun intervened. To an outsider, the conversation between Yi-gang and Cheongho seemed completely silent.

Yi-gang looked back and forth between Dam Hyun and Cheongho.

“Who knows.”

“Who knows? Right, there’s no way you can. Only those with a kind heart can see Cheongho. And hearing her voice is out of the question…”

Dam Hyun seemed to be visibly relieved. It appeared certain that he couldn’t hear the words of the fox yokai.

Cheongho, feeling reassured, made a request.

「Yeah, just stay quiet!」

“I can hear it. The voice of this fox.”

「You bad bastard!」

No matter how much the fox cursed, it didn’t affect Yi-gang.

He spoke to a shocked Dam Hyun.

“Wh-what is she saying?”

“She’s asking Senior Brother to help me.”

“Cheongho is?”

Yi-gang wanted Dam Hyun’s help. The explanation that Cheongho was saying that twisted Dam Hyun’s expression.

“Thinks me a fool, huh? Cheongho won’t follow anyone other than me. All humans are trash.”

Yi-gang inadvertently admired the remark. It was his first time hearing someone actually say such a line.

“Aren’t you human too, Senior Brother?”

“I’m different. I’m the person Cheongho recognizes. I will eradicate the evil humans…”

Yu Su-rin made a gagging gesture, and Jin Ri-yeon averted her gaze, as if embarrassed.

After witnessing Dam Hyun’s confident attitude, Yi-gang asked Cheongho, ‘Do you understand?’

「Wh-what should I understand?」

‘If you don’t want to get exorcised for electrocuting those kids, behave properly.’

「You shouldn’t talk about that!」

‘So, Dam Hyun doesn’t know about it.’

Yi-gang blatantly threatened Cheongho.

Cheongho was dumbfounded. It was the first time in her long life that she had been threatened like this.

She quickly got up.

“Stop messing around and let me go… Huh!”

Dam Hyun was astonished. Cheongho, who usually shied away from others except Dam Hyun, was rubbing her face against Yi-gang’s hand.

“Senior Brother, the fox wants to convey this.”

“Cheongho being friendly with someone else…”

“I’m a much better person than other humans, so she says to help me with all your might.”

“That can’t be true!”

“Shall we verify? If I’m right, nod your head, fox.”

Then Yi-gang spoke to Cheongho with his mind.

‘Nod your head.’

Cheongho gently nodded her head.

Dam Hyun was left gaping in shock, while Yu Su-rin and Jin Ri-yeon marveled at the moving puppet.

“Then, I kindly ask for your help, Senior Brother,” said Yi-gang while stroking Cheongho.

Dam Hyun was certainly a strange person.

It seemed true that his mind was imbued with dark Qi. Initially, he disliked Yi-gang but then changed his attitude.

“Human beings are basically evil. They’re trash. Only a few have a somewhat pure heart. The rest are not even worth living.”

It seemed he alone decided who those few worthy humans were.

“On the other hand, animals are different. They are pure. Have you ever heard of a beast enslaving and torturing its own kind for pleasure?”

Dam Hyun’s eyes sparkled dangerously as he said this.

But soon, he looked at Yi-gang with a soft gaze.

“Those who cherish animals, in that respect, can be considered differently.”

And then Dam Hyun extended his finger into the air.

Mysteriously, a wild bird flew down and perched on it.

“Also, a person loved by animals is a person of value. These creatures have very sharp senses.”

Dam Hyun cautiously extended his hand. Surprisingly, when Yi-gang brought his finger close, the wild bird perched on it.

Dam Hyun smiled, revealing his white teeth.

After tilting its head a few times, the bird flew off into the sky.

“You are worthy to be my junior brother.”

Anyone else would have been greatly surprised to hear this. Dam Hyun was a notoriously prickly person.

Just yesterday, when the Disciplinary Hall Head at Repentance Cave was seeing off Yi-gang and his group, an incident occurred.

He had simply told Dam Hyun, “Don’t cause trouble while I’m away.”

Dam Hyun had retorted, “I’ll handle it, so don’t interfere.”

Yi-gang had expected the Disciplinary Hall Head’s palm to come flying at him.

Instead, he spoke with a cold expression, “As expected, you’re not fully reformed yet. Come here.”

It was a moment when Dam Hyun was about to be locked up in Repentance Cave again.

It was then Yi-gang stepped forward.

He knelt and pleaded with the Disciplinary Hall Head, “Please hold me responsible for Senior Brother’s actions. He came out for me.”

There was a risk that the Immortal Divine Sword would not attain enlightenment and become a wandering spirit. Yi-gang was willing to kneel as much as needed to save him.

The sight of Yi-gang kneeling had also greatly surprised the Disciplinary Hall Head. Fortunately, it was decided to deal with Dam Hyun’s issue after the matter was resolved.

Despite this, Dam Hyun didn’t care if his actions would eventually get him into trouble.

Dam Hyun recognized him for a simple reason: Cheongho and the animals followed him.

Yi-gang asked a question that was bothering him, “Are yokai considered animals?”

“Do you understand what you’re asking? You’re wondering if yokai are bad, right?”

Yokai are evil and must be exorcised. Spiritual beings can be good or bad, so they are neutral. That was the general distinction.

“Who even made such distinctions? There are good yokai and evil spiritual beings.”

“So, you mean the fox is a good one.”

“Cheongho is a good child.”

Dam Hyun said this with a pleased smile. He seemed unaware that the fox had been outside electrocuting children.

「It couldn’t be helped. And it’s an absolute secret.」

‘So be it.’

Yi-gang lost interest. It didn’t matter to him as long as Dam Hyun was actively helping.

Dam Hyun stood up.

“It’s dry enough now, let’s go inside.”

They had been drying a large piece of paper outside the library. It was made of several sheets glued together with paste.

Yi-gang neatly rolled up the well-glued paper.

“Why do we need this paper?”

“I’ll explain,” said Dam Hyun while munching on some sweets.

He had long been deprived of sweets and demanded them.

“Sweet, so sweet.”

Muttering so, he avidly chewed on the sweets, looking rather unsatisfied.

However, Yu Jeong-shin insisted that Dam Hyun was essential. Why though? Yi-gang’s question was soon answered.

“The problem started with the formation,” Dam Hyun declared while crunching on the sweets.

Yu Jeong-shin quietly looked up at Dam Hyun.

Dam Hyun picked up a large brush and poked dots on the spread paper.

“This is…”

“Yang Spirit Lesser Heaven Formation, isn’t it? It seems you have based the formation on that, right, Master?”

“That’s right. The Immortal Divine Sword’s spiritual energy is extraordinary, so I had to use such a formation.”

Surprisingly, the dots he marked on the paper represented the symbols of the Nine Palaces, which constituted the formation of this place. Simply put, they were the central points.

Golden Needle Phantom expressed admiration. He also had knowledge about formations.

“Wow. The formation was altered for Yi-gang’s treatment, and you’ve grasped even that without missing a detail.”

Although Golden Needle Phantom was just praising, Dam Hyun’s expression turned cold.

“Of course, I had to understand the changes… that’s where the problem is.”

“What is with this brat? Look at the way he talks.”

“Don’t interrupt and just listen.”

Golden Needle Phantom wasn’t an easy-going person either. However, he softened his stance upon seeing Yu Jeong-shin’s earnest expression.

Dam Hyun had a natural talent for Qi Men Dun Jia and spirituals.

“It makes sense to construct the formation centered around the Yang spirit. But…”

He brushed a point on the paper.

The spot where Yi-gang would lie, a pathway through which the Immortal Divine Sword’s spiritual energy would flow to Yi-gang.

“The goal isn’t simply to ascend the soul. Rather like this, with the soul at the center of Nine Palaces. Following the motion of the constellations…”

Dam Hyun continued his explanation, seemingly entranced.

His brush moved across the paper as if alive.

There was strength in the movement of his thin forearm, almost like a dance. His explanation was uninterrupted.

Yu Jeong-shin looked pleased yet bitter, while Golden Needle Phantom and Yi-gang were simply in awe.

Yu Jeong-shin interrupted Dam Hyun, who was explaining with fervor, “Wait, so the reason for our failure last time was…”

“That’s obvious.”

Dam Hyun, about to chew on some more sweets, realized he had already finished them. He then stabbed the stick he was holding into the center of the paper.

“We should have used Water Qi and Fire Qi to separate the soul. The problem starts with the mix of incense. It’s too late to make it again, so we must replenish Water Qi in another way.”

Dam Hyun stood up and approached the Heavenly God Candlestick. Only six candles with fire were left.

He boldly picked up one candle and approached the Immortal Divine Sword.

Yi-gang and his group followed Dam Hyun.

“The hun is ready to ascend, but the po is still bound to the earth. Look.”

The Immortal Divine Sword, staring blankly into space, appeared unresponsive to any commotion around him.

It was the moment Dam Hyun held up the candle from the Heavenly God Candlestick.

Swoosh—

The gaze of the Immortal Divine Sword shifted downward, towards the candle.

“Now is the last chance for the spirit to attain enlightenment, while it still retains some consciousness.”

Dam Hyun declared confidently.

‘This time, we can truly succeed.’

At that moment, everyone thought so.