Chapter 289 – Ghost (5)
“Come to think of it, why did he insist on coming to Taesan? I understand why he wanted to go to Yeongsan, but…”
During dinner, after the meeting had ended and everyone had gathered together, I muttered to myself, and Samayeryeong answered in a calm voice.
“Taesan is special.”
“Special? What’s different from other Yeongsans?”
At first, I thought the world I was reincarnated into was just a simple martial arts world.
But as I searched for a way to cross over to Hong Yeon-hwa’s world, fought against gangsters in the Jungsa Battle, and heard the unfinished story from my master’s will, I realized that it wasn’t necessarily the case.
Strictly speaking, this world was originally closer to the world of Seonhyeop.
A world where monks and spirits fought against ghosts using all sorts of alcohol and equipment. And now, the world of Mu Gong, where the name of the gods remains only in name, has come to its heyday, where training is relatively easy.
As I learned so much about the forgotten Bisa, it was natural that I knew something about Yeongsan.
Yeongsan (靈山)
To put it simply, it is a mountain where spirits gather, and it can also be said to be a sacred mountain where spiritual energy gathers.
Originally, spiritual energy exists everywhere in the world, but there are places where energy accumulates particularly well.
For example, mountains are like that.
Spiritual energy becomes stronger where nature is abundant, and what about mountains? Isn’t it nature itself?
Therefore, there is a huge flow of natural energy in the mountains, and where the flow is concentrated, it is called Yonghyeol.
Imagine what it would be like to have a mountain where natural energy is particularly strong.
It can produce several times the training effect, and the efficiency of all techniques applied to the environment, such as tactics and machinery, would be much higher.
If you are exposed to the accumulated natural energy of the deceased spiritual energy around you for a long time, animals and plants become spirits or spiritual grass. There may be bonuses such as metals and boulders turning into special things like Hancheol or Pungnyeonseok.
Anyway, that’s why Yeongsan was very important… but that’s all ancient history now.
With the development of Simbeop and the art of medicine, people have increased who would rather grumble and train among people than be confined to the Simsan Valley.
Well, there were many people who wanted to return to their hometown, but there weren’t many who wanted to live as a natural person.
However, the traces of that time still remain.
First of all, the unit of measurement used to measure the amount of internal energy, called Gabja.
Chapter 289 – Ghost (5)
“Come to think of it, why did he insist on coming to Taesan? I understand why he wanted to go to Yeongsan, but…”
During dinner, after the meeting had ended and everyone had gathered together, I muttered to myself, and Samayeryeong answered in a calm voice.
“Taesan is special.”
“Special? What’s different from other Yeongsans?”
At first, I thought the world I was reincarnated into was just a simple martial arts world.
But as I searched for a way to cross over to Hong Yeon-hwa’s world, fought against gangsters in the Jungsa Battle, and heard the unfinished story from my master’s will, I realized that it wasn’t necessarily the case.
Strictly speaking, this world was originally closer to the world of Seonhyeop.
A world where monks and spirits fought against ghosts using all sorts of alcohol and equipment. And now, the world of Mu Gong, where the name of the gods remains only in name, has come to its heyday, where training is relatively easy.
As I learned so much about the forgotten Bisa, it was natural that I knew something about Yeongsan.
Yeongsan (靈山)
To put it simply, it is a mountain where spirits gather, and it can also be said to be a sacred mountain where spiritual energy gathers.
Originally, spiritual energy exists everywhere in the world, but there are places where energy accumulates particularly well.
For example, mountains are like that.
Spiritual energy becomes stronger where nature is abundant, and what about mountains? Isn’t it nature itself?
Therefore, there is a huge flow of natural energy in the mountains, and where the flow is concentrated, it is called Yonghyeol.
Imagine what it would be like to have a mountain where natural energy is particularly strong.
It can produce several times the training effect, and the efficiency of all techniques applied to the environment, such as tactics and machinery, would be much higher.
If you are exposed to the accumulated natural energy of the deceased spiritual energy around you for a long time, animals and plants become spirits or spiritual grass. There may be bonuses such as metals and boulders turning into special things like Hancheol or Pungnyeonseok.
Anyway, that’s why Yeongsan was very important… but that’s all ancient history now.
With the development of Simbeop and the art of medicine, people have increased who would rather grumble and train among people than be confined to the Simsan Valley.
Well, there were many people who wanted to return to their hometown, but there weren’t many who wanted to live as a natural person.
However, the traces of that time still remain.
First of all, the unit of measurement used to measure the amount of internal energy, called Gabja.
Gabja is the amount of internal energy that can be accumulated over 60 years of training.
But even I have more than 8 Gabja of internal energy.
Of course, this is because of my mastery of Muryeong Shingong and Ilwol Seongsin Soonhwan Gong, which allows me to accumulate a much larger amount of internal energy compared to others at the same level… but even other masters of Hwagyeong have at least 5 Gabja.
That doesn’t mean they accumulated their internal energy for 300 to 480 years.
The standard for 1 Gabja is the initial Simbeop created when Muyong was born, which means the amount of internal energy that must be accumulated over 60 years.
Nowadays, with the development of Muyong and the art of medicine, it is possible to accumulate internal energy several times faster, and the time can be further shortened with elixirs.
Thanks to this, even a non-cultivator who hasn’t lived for 100 years yet can have a power-inflated amount of internal energy of several Gabja.
And another trace is the location of the giant martial arts sects.
Mosan, Hwasan, Amisan, Mudangsan, and Gonryunsan.
They are all famous mountains for Yeongsan, and each has a martial arts sect with a history and power, such as Mosanpa, Hwasanpa, Amipa, Mudangpa, and Gonryunpa.
This is also a trace of the past when Yeongsan was important, and if you look closely, all of them are places where Taoist martial arts sects have taken root.
Amipa is a Buddhist martial arts sect where beggars gather… but this is a slightly unusual case.
Originally, Amisan was a holy place of Taoism where Taoist priests gathered, but during the process of Taoism losing its power and Buddhism taking over, the current Amipa naturally took root.
Should we call it a successful generational change between Taoism and Buddhism?
I’ve talked a little off-topic.
Anyway, it’s true that”Taesan is special,” Samayeryeong answered calmly during dinner after the meeting had ended and everyone had gathered together.
“Special? What’s different from other Yeongsans?” I asked.
Yeongsan is a mountain where spirits gather, and it can also be said to be a sacred mountain where spiritual energy gathers. It is a world where monks and spirits fight against ghosts using all sorts of alcohol and equipment. And now, the world of Mu Gong, where the name of the gods remains only in name, has come to its heyday, where training is relatively easy.
“If you are exposed to the accumulated natural energy of the deceased spiritual energy around you for a long time, animals and plants become spirits or spiritual grass. There may be bonuses such as metals and boulders turning into special things like Hancheol or Pungnyeonseok. That’s why Yeongsan was very important… but that’s all ancient history now,” I explained.
“However, the traces of that time still remain. The location of the giant martial arts sects, Mosan, Hwasan, Amisan, Mudangsan, and Gonryunsan, are all famous mountains for Yeongsan, and each has a martial arts sect with a history and power, such as Mosanpa, Hwasanpa, Amipa, Mudangpa, and Gonryunpa. This is also a trace of the past when Yeongsan was important, and if you look closely, all of them are places where Taoist martial arts sects have taken root,” I continued.
“Taesan is special because it’s a place where ghosts gather. It’s a place where the dead gather, and the energy that accumulates there is different from other Yeongsans. It’s a place where the dead can be reborn,” Samayeryeong explained.
I was surprised by his words. “Reborn?”
“Yes, reborn. The dead can be reborn as ghosts and live again. That’s why Taesan is special,” Samayeryeong said.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “The dead can be reborn as ghosts?”
“Yes, that’s right. And that’s why he wanted to come to Taesan. He wants to be reborn as a ghost,” Samayeryeong said.
I was speechless. I couldn’t believe that someone would want to be reborn as a ghost. But then again, this was a world where monks and spirits fought against ghosts using all sorts of alcohol and equipment. Anything was possible.
“Didn’t Myeongwoljin try to use the Bongseon ritual to come over here before?”
“Did she?”
Later, I heard from my teacher that it was a pretty innovative idea, but since the purpose of the ritual was different, it would take a long time to succeed.
“The Bongseon ritual is originally a ceremony where a new emperor announces to the heavens that he has become the emperor. During the process, he receives advice and meets with spirits.”
“That’s what I heard… but they don’t do it anymore these days, right?”
“Right. The frequency of the Bongseon ritual has gradually decreased even before the connection with the heavens was cut off, and now it’s not done at all.”
There was a reason for this too. After Taoism, Buddhism became popular, and after that, Confucianism also flourished, making the position of the Bongseon ritual, a Taoist ceremony, precarious.
And it costs a lot of money to perform the ritual once.
Finally, there was a time when the spiritual energy of Mount Taesan was depleted due to performing the ritual too often.
“It’s somewhat recovered now, but isn’t it strange that they only perform the ritual at Mount Taesan to the point of depleting the spiritual energy?”
“That… isn’t Mount Taesan the only spiritual mountain that the royal family has always owned, even if the country changes?”
“That could be. But I’m thinking the opposite.”
Since a while ago, Hong Yeon-hwa had been reaching out her hand and sneakily taking side dishes, and Samayeorang, who was pushing the dishes towards Hong Yeon-hwa, continued the conversation.
“There’s a reason why it has to be Mount Taesan. I don’t know what it is, though.”
“Uh…”
Come to think of it, that makes sense. The previous emperors were afraid of friction with the martial arts world and did not covet other spiritual mountains.
It was meaningless if it wasn’t Mount Taesan.
“But then, the fact that the other side is deliberately luring us to Mount Taesan means that there’s something more than just wanting to fight advantageously from their home base. It’s like there’s some kind of trap that we don’t know about.”
Is this really okay? Isn’t it better to prepare more and then leave? Even with Hong Yeon-hwa there, there’s no guarantee that no one will get hurt and everyone will come back safely.
When I asked that, it was Hong Yeon-hwa, who was quietly focusing on her meal next to me, not Samayeorang, who answered.
“Don’t worry! I already heard about that from Myeongwoljin!”
“Huh? When?”
“Yesterday, when you were training with Soso in the training ground.”
“Ah.”
Right. It was when I was in the middle of warming up, feeling like I was going to fight properly for the first time in a long time, so it would have been a bit of a bother to interrupt.
“What’s the plan? You’ve thought of something, so you’re going to announce it tomorrow and leave the day after, right?”
“Of course! It’s a very simple yet effective solution, so get ready to praise Lady Hong!”
With oil and seasoning on her lips, Hong Yeon-hwa straightened her waist and placed her solid chest on the table, looking pleased with herself.
I smirked and wiped my lips with my sleeve, trying to contain my laughter.
“Okay, go ahead and tell us.”
“Listen carefully! It doesn’t matter what kind of trick that guy who claims to be Lady Hong’s parents has up his sleeve! Because…”
“Because?”
“Because he plans to destroy Taesan along with us from afar!”
“….”
Uh, well, that’s a way to do it, I guess?
Hong Yeon-hwa, even more enthusiastic at my dumbfounded expression, began to explain her rational thinking in detail.
“Think about it. Taesan might be hiding some huge secret, but it’s not like it’s Mount Shimandae or anything, which isn’t that important from the perspective of the new religion. So wouldn’t it be safer and more certain to just destroy everything?”
“Is that so?”
“That’s right! Of course, even Lady Hong can’t destroy the mountain all at once… but there’s no need to do it all at once.”
Hong Yeon-hwa explained that she would throw a powerful steel ring made from her full strength from afar, rest for a moment, and then repeat the process.
Of course, that guy won’t just sit still.
He might send a bunch of ghosts to surround us.
But so what? There’s no way Hong Yeon-hwa would leave any room for him to breathe.
Even if we buy some time, we and the new religion’s executives can quickly recover and break through the encirclement.
“….”
I didn’t want to admit it, but this ignorant and dangerous method was indeed a very efficient method, as Hong Yeon-hwa said.
Well, if you delve a little deeper, there’s a possibility that the opponent who understands Hong Yeon-hwa’s power has prepared for this method as well…
But there’s nothing we can do about it.
At this point, this is the best method I can think of.
Did she notice my thoughts? Hong Yeon-hwa looked at me expectantly, shaking her head as if she was looking for something.
I looked at her pink lips, perfectly positioned for me to raise my hand and scratch her head.
How long have I been doing this? Samayeorang, who was sitting across from me, kicked my neck and said,
“By the way, we have to prepare for the announcement and departure tomorrow, so there’s only tonight left, I guess.”
“Huh? Oh, right.”
I tiptoed up.
I glared at Samayeorang as his foot pressed down on my belongings, moving from my neck to my thigh and finally reaching my groin.
“Well… can we expect something tonight?” he asked with a sly grin.
I pushed his foot away and stood up, feeling a mix of annoyance and arousal.
“Get your foot off me, you pervert,” I said, trying to hide the fact that his touch had stirred something inside me.
Samayeorang chuckled and stood up as well, brushing off his robes.
“Come on, don’t be like that. You know you want it,” he said, his voice low and seductive.
I rolled my eyes and walked away, trying to ignore the heat spreading through my body.
“Let’s focus on the task at hand, shall we? We have a lot to do tonight,” I said, hoping to steer the conversation away from our personal desires.
Samayeorang followed me, his eyes fixed on my back.
“Sure, we can do that. But don’t forget that we’re not just colleagues. We have a special connection, you and I,” he said, his voice trailing off into a whisper.
I stopped in my tracks and turned to face him, my eyes blazing with a mix of anger and lust.
“We have a mission to complete, and that’s all that matters. Don’t get distracted by your carnal desires,” I said, my voice low and dangerous.
Samayeorang smirked and stepped closer, his hand reaching out to touch my face.
“But isn’t that what makes life worth living? The thrill of the forbidden, the excitement of the unknown… Don’t you want to experience that with me?” he said, his voice husky with desire.
I pushed his hand away and took a step back, trying to regain my composure.
“Enough. We have work to do. Let’s focus on that,” I said, my voice firm and commanding.
Samayeorang pouted and stepped back, his eyes still fixed on me.
“Fine. But don’t forget that I’m always here, waiting for you,” he said, his voice dripping with promise.
I turned away and walked towards the door, my heart racing with conflicting emotions.
This mission was going to be a lot harder than I thought.