Published at 26th of January 2026 9:30 am

Chapter 343

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Beams of light soared endlessly toward the sky.

The light exploded upwards in tremors, radiating something insidious. It felt utterly strange and ominous beyond compare.

If this were truly a brilliant radiance, it wouldn't feel so wrong.

It was wretched and unpleasanta light that absolutely should not exist in this world.

I let out a sigh as I beheld it.

"Ah, to think I'd see this again..."

It was a light I had witnessed in my previous life, which was exactly why I detested seeing it now.

The Bridge of Resentful Thoughts.

Chief Baek had called it that, and I found myself agreeing with him.

... What in the world is that?

That's...

Yu Chun-gil's eyes widened as he gazed at the light. Noticing this, I parted my lips.

"They're evil spirits."

What did you say?

... Chun-gil. Look inside there.

Sung Hun pointed at the light with a trembling hand. In response, Yu Chun-gil checked the light again.

Heh!

It seemed Yu Chun-gil finally understood. Sung Hun had a good eye for these things.

Kyaaaaaaa---!!!

The evil spirits screamed as the light shot up. That's right, that light was composed entirely of evil spirits. Spiritual energyor the malefic energy known as evil kiwas bursting forth like light.

'Impressive, really.'

The question was,

'Where did they gather so many evil spirits?'

To create a pillar that size, how did they bring together such a number?

'No matter if this is the Central Plains, still...'

Even if the world of my previous life was overrun by death, an amount of evil spirits like that was on another level. That column meant someone had stuffed a considerable number of evil spirits into the stake.

'... Those fanatic bastards.'

What could they possibly hope to achieve by doing all this? While I pondered the question

... Kid.

Yu Chun-gil spoke to me.

Is it alright to leave this as it is?

Having noticed the situation was grave, Yu Chun-gil asked me. I replied nonchalantly.

"Yes, well. Ordinary people can't see it anyway."

The surrounding shamans must have been frantic, but what could they even do? At best, those without spiritual sense would only feel a mild earthquake.

However

"But if we leave it alone, it'll become a problem."

This many evil spirits were rebelling and surging upward. And it wasn't just a random surgethey were consolidating, gathering again in the sky.

There was only one thing that signified.

'The birth of a Calamity God.'

Countless evil ki was amassing, swarming with vengeful thoughts, birthing another god.

This meant disaster was about to descend, and in such an amount...

'... What a headache.'

At this rate, Shaanxi would likely be destroyed. The land would rot and become uninhabitable.

A Calamity God brought calamity. If it began in Shaanxi, nothing more needed to be said.

So, what will you do?

"What do you mean? I'll leave it."

What did you say, you little?

Yu Chun-gil furrowed his brow. He really looked terrifying then.

"You can't touch that right now."

And what is that supposed to mean?

"If I recklessly tampered with it, I'd only give myself a bigger headache."

So you'll just leave it be?

"Yes. I have to leave it as is."

I had to.

"I set up a formation exactly for this."

What?

I had made preemptive preparations so I wouldn't have to touch it myselfthere's no way I'd just let it be.

'There's a reason I got the others involved.'

I'd asked my companions to help with something.

It was time to make use of that.

"Probably..."

By now, it should be just right.

No sooner had I thought that

KU-GAGAGAGANG---!!!

The tremors intensified immeasurably, then, abruptly.

Thunk!

Huh?

Uh?

The rising energy dissipated. It was done.

"Success."

The energy had stopped. The reason was simple.

'I didn't think it would work, since it's been so long.'

I fidgeted with my sleeve. I felt a papery rustling from within. It was a talisman.

'Turns out I really do make them pretty well.'

I'd crafted talismans and asked my companions to stick them around the area where the stake was driven.

The talisman was inscribed with my blood. Though not as effective as my grandmother's, the result was still quite good.

This had induced a distortion.

What stood now was the result.

'Prevents the vengeful thoughts from rising up.'

I looked at the ground. Lines radiated outward from the stake, invisible to ordinary people.

There were ripples from each point of the six-pointed star.

Incompletely installed stakes, and insufficient power. That's where the frailty was coming from.

And then

PAAAAAA---!!!!

Lines snapped, the spell formation began to break apart. The tremors subsided, and the chaotic, mangled sky returned to normal in an instant.

Ohhh...

Yu Chun-gil was amazed at this sight.

You always think ahead.

He seemed surprised that I'd had a plan for everything.

"Don't be relieved just yet. It's not over."

Huh?

The real event was about to begin. I continued staring up at the sky. There was still a problem up there.

"Don't you see it?"

KYAAAAAA---!!!

The vengeful entities shot upward, only to be cut off. In other words, the evil spirits that had barely managed to coalesce were unraveling.

With that much energy dispersing, this whole area would turn to chaos.

Perhaps not a Calamity God descending, but it was obvious it would become complete pandemonium.

And so

'I have to take care of it.'

I needed to deal with that, in a way that benefited me as much as possible.

Sssssss---!!!

Chills ran down my body. I felt myself cooling as I gradually focused. Tsk. Tsk. I felt something unlock within me.

I undid the seal I'd bound once more. As I did, I recalled something I'd heard a long time ago.

'You bear too great a karma for a human. How pitifuland tragic.'

'Let me ask you.'

Those words had come from that so-called magnificent existencethe light itself.

'You were born as a human, yet you bear a karma that surpasses it. Will you not become a god?'

What did I say to that?

Ah, right. I remember.

'What the hell are you saying, maniac? Are you an evil spirit, too?'

I'd said it wth annoyance, and Chief Baek had been horrifiedhow could I speak like that to such an existence?

Even that seemed ridiculous to me.

A ghost was a ghost. Who cared? That was just how I lived back then.

'Hahaha.'

The being had laughed at that.

'Good. Yes, you are correct.'

'There is no need to become a god. Even gods are hardly different from humans. So do not forget your karma. You have your own role to fulfill.'

If I had any regrets, perhaps they would be about what I might have become if I had listened to those words back then.

If I had

'I wouldn't be doing garbage like this right now.'

KIRIRIK!

Everything snapped back into place. Immediately, the energy in my body stilled.

Thunk!

Even the noise stopped.

The evil spirits' wails vanished, and the beings thrashing in the sky went rigid.

At that moment

SSSSSSSS---!!!

The evil spirits all fixed their gaze on me. Every time I felt that, it sent chills through my body.

But I looked at them and laughed.

"What do you think? Look tasty?"

From birth, I had a body that demons coveteda spirit with overwhelming innate energy. My grandmother had defined my soul as something so innately extraordinary that even ghosts with divine talent would envy it; any evil spirit would drool at the thought.

That's why I lived like thisrestraining my sight so I could see a manageable number of ghosts.

If, instead, I fully released my spiritual energy like this

KYAAAAAAA---!!!

Every evil spirit in the vicinity would have flooded right at me.

KWA-AA-AA-A---!!

Countless evil spirits charged me at once.

Kid!

Yu Chun-gil reacted in alarm, but

"It's fine."

I raised my hand. It was not Yu Chun-gil who would save me.

KWADUDUDUK!!

The evil spirits attacked. Sensing it, I exerted my spiritual force. At that

KYAAAH!

The evil spirits that had tried to tear into me all surged into my body. Tainted energy filled my soul.

I endured the suffocating feeling.

'... If I mess up, I might die.'

The evil ki was too muchenough to overfill my vessel, dangerously so. I hadn't even absorbed half of it yet.

Normally, if you absorb this many evil spirits into your body, your soul is corrupted, you go mad, or even die in spirit. I knew that all too well.

'... Are you going to help me out now?'

But I had faith in one resource.

'If you don't, I'm dead.'

Despite these words, I kept devouring evil spirits without end. And after a while

Unbelievable.

A voice reached me.

It wasn't Yu Chun-gil or Sung Hun. It was deeper and emotionless.

Are you trying to use me?

Heavenly Demon.

The one inside me through the Divine Sword.

I remembered. The time in Henan when I'd devoured all the evil spirits, my body was unharmedinstead, my energy had increased.

And, when I'd been to the Mind Realm created by Heavenly Demon, I'd seen it then

Heavenly Demon sitting atop a mountain of evil spirits.

He had subdued every evil spirit that entered my body. Seeing that, I'd decided to try this maneuver.

If Heavenly Demon were to refuse? Then I'd simply die.

But

I was convinced Heavenly Demon would save me. He needed me.

As proof

This really is laughable.

I could sense Heavenly Demon move within me.

Since I have to pay rent for my stay, I'll help you once. But remember this

SSSSSS---!!!

Something unfurled inside.

There won't be a second time.

Immediately, the suffocating sensation disappeared.

Kya...ahhh...!

Even the wails faded.

"... Oh."

Calming my racing heart, I couldn't help but admire it.

"Truly useful"

I felt well justified for relying on Heavenly Demon. Just then

KUGUGUNG!!

My body vibrated. Suddenly, I felt something within my dantian. Countless energies seemed to be surging up from nowhere.

"What is this...?"

What was this new energy? It was suddenly accumulating, and I was caught off guard.

Now that I think on it

Heavenly Demon's voice suddenly spoke again.

Just saving you would be a bit of a waste.

"What?"

With a voice tinged with laughter, he spoke to me.

I ought to take something for myself too, don't you agree? That's the way of fair exchange.

"What do you"

I've paid enough for the rent. Be satisfied with that as well.

Heavenly Demon did something. I realized it, and immediately, a power far greater than before rebelled inside me. The problem was, this energy was far vaster than my dantian could contain.

Despite having reached the Transcendent realm, I couldn't handle this energy.

The energy that overflowed my vessel began to rampage, naturally enough.

KUGUGUGUGUNG!!!

"Keuk...!"

Thud.

I collapsed to my knees under the weight of excruciating pain.

My mind snapped, and I blacked out just like that.

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

Trying to use the Heavenly Demon will always backfire.

Also, I'm guessing the Heavenly Demon converted some of the evil spirits into Demonic Energy and stored it in Bang Sung-Yun's dantian?

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