Published at 5th of February 2026 2:36 pm

Chapter 386

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

A place bathed in moonlight. At the center of it bloomed a radiant flower.

White petals blossomed thickly, their number strangely abundant.

Perhaps because of the moonlight, the flower seemed tinged blue at a glance, but it was clear the moonlight wasn't the only reason.

'There's a haze rising.'

A blue haze. Sparse energy emerged from the pure white petals.

It felt alien yet awe-inspiring. That was my impression the very first moment I saw it.

'... So that's the Spirit Herb.'

It was my first time seeing it in person. The very existence of the Spirit Herb was like that. I had read plenty about it, but this was the first time I laid eyes on it with my own two eyes.

'So this is what it's like.'

The peculiar sensation radiating from the Spirit Herb was enough to completely captivate my gaze.

Furthermore...

'... The yin energy is definitely strong.'

The overwhelming yin energy contained within the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb.

That explained why this cave was so cold, why the air was so thick with moisture.

It seemed everything originated from the energy exuded by the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb.

Sssssss—

Goosebumps rose along my arm. Partly from the cold.

'The yin energy really is too strong.'

With yin energy at this level, it was only natural for the body to react.

'Just how strong must it be if not even spirits can linger here.'

Even ghosts should find this kind of yin energy formidable. Yet not a single trace of them could be sensed nearby.

The yin energy of the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb was simply too powerful.

Splish.

I stepped forward. The water was so cold, I could barely endure it.

I slowly approached the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb.

『Stop.』

I froze in place at Yu Chun-gil's words.

"Why?"

I asked.

『I've set something up ahead. Don't approach recklessly.』

"..."

The moment I heard those words, I focused my Moon Eye. I looked around, wondering if something was there.

'There's nothing I can see.'

Nothing in particular stood out. Then—

『Cast Moon Heaven.』

"...."

Yu Chun-gil spoke calmly, and I cast Moon Heaven once again as he said.

Fwoooooosh—!!

Crackle—!!!

Because I'd used it earlier to climb up here, I didn't have much ki left.

As soon as I activated it, a slight dizziness struck me.

『Now, go forward.』

Splish. I passed through the stream and slowly moved closer. Even then, nothing in particular could be sensed.

What had he set up? I was about to wonder when—

Crackle.

"Hm...?"

As I neared the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb, I felt something brush across my body. Like a tingling sensation.

All the hairs on my arms stood on end. What was that? As I wondered in confusion—

『That's enough. You can release it now.』

Yu Chun-gil spoke with an air of relief.

"What was that?"

I released my energy and asked, to which Yu Chun-gil replied in his usual dispassionate tone.

『I set up a formation.』

"A formation?"

『Yes. Unless one uses Moon Heaven, the rocks would collapse and destroy the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb.』

"... What kind of—"

There are formations like that? Wait—more importantly...

"You can use formation arts too?"

That old man knew such advanced arts? I stared at him in utter bewilderment.

『What's with that look in your eyes? Did you think I couldn't use formations?』

"... No, I just didn't expect it, that's all."

『Well, I can't actually. That was Jin. He did it for me.』

"..."

Of course...

Suppressing a sigh, I listened as Yu Chun-gil chuckled.

'... So it's Jaegal Jin?'

My maternal grandfather.

To think Heavenly Insight personally laid such a formation.

'That means Heavenly Insight knows the location of the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb.'

And—

'He made a formation that only allows one to reach it by casting Moon Heaven.'

The conditions set for this formation surprised me. I hadn't known such a thing was possible.

I was genuinely impressed.

Anyway.

'So, I passed the obstacle.'

Leaning slowly against the rock, I looked ahead.

The yin energy felt far more intense than before.

The Spirit Herb, right in front of my nose. Staring at it, I asked Yu Chun-gil,

"What should I do next?"

『Get a little closer.』

"...."

I lowered my gaze and bent my waist. I closed the distance until it was barely half a hand span.

『Listen carefully.』

Yu Chun-gil spoke as if urging me to focus.

『The instant you uproot it, swallow it whole. Do not leave even a speck behind.』

"Even the roots?"

『Yes. Even a slight delay will let its energy dissipate. You must eat it at once.』

"..."

Gulp.

I swallowed nervously. My heart pounded.

'Will simply eating this really let me be reborn?'

I felt doubtful, but there was no turning back now.

I steadied my breath.

'In one go.'

Resolving myself, I grasped the stem.

Pop—!

I pulled it out. No excessive force was needed. It came out root and all, perfectly clean.

It was fascinating. How did it come out so easily? But there was no time for curiosity.

Crunch.

I shoved it into my mouth. I'd never eaten a flower raw before, so I didn't know, but it was far more unpleasant than I'd expected.

Chew.

It tasted awful. Bitter, with that peculiar floral fragrance swirling in my mouth. I felt like gagging, but I forced myself to chew.

There was even the earthy taste. No wonder, since I ate it with the dirt clinging to the roots.

'Damn it.'

This is something I'd never do twice.

Thinking that, I forced myself to chew and swallow.

Gulp.

It wasn't so large, so somehow I managed to get it down. I dearly wanted a drink of water, but—

『Sit cross-legged.』

Because of Yu Chun-gil's words, I couldn't even do that. I assumed the correct posture.

『Focus. From here on, it will be exceedingly difficult.』

He warned me. How hard could it be? I shouldn't have been so curious about that part.

Ruuuumble---!!!

"...!!"

I learned soon enough.

"... Ugh..."

My dantian churned violently. The opened middle dantian vibrated uncontrollably, and within my body—

'... It's cold.'

An immense yin energy began swirling through my meridians.

Thump! Thump! Thump!!

It was an explosion.

The moment the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb entered my stomach, its energy began filling my vessel.

The cold energy made my lower abdomen tremble.

"... Ugh..."

My teeth chattered. It wasn't just the cold, but the violent upheaval of ki that hurt so much. It felt as if every bone in my body was resonating.

Just when I thought I would scream—

『Endure.』

Yu Chun-gil restrained me.

『Don't make a sound. Keep your mouth firmly shut. Not a trace of energy can be allowed to leak out.』

Easier said than done.

Be silent, even in this state? Ridiculous.

'Damn it.'

I gritted my teeth and endured. My whole body hurt, yet I had to put up with every bit. I was practically speechless.

I barely managed to hang on, over and over. How many times had I suffered such pain in my life?

Thump—! Thump thump—! Thumpthumpthump—!!

Colliding ki. Now I understood what Yu Chun-gil meant by friction.

'They really are fighting each other.'

My ki rampaged inside me, and the surge of yin energy clashed against it.

Like predators fighting to devour each other, they battled wildly.

The brunt of that turmoil hit me directly.

With such fierce conflict inside, it felt as if my house—my body—was about to burst apart.

'This is insane.'

Crack.

A sound I shouldn't have heard reached my ears. What was that? Where did it come from?

'I'm in so much pain, I can't even tell what's breaking.'

Something fractured—but I had no idea what or where.

Is this really right?

'Is this really going to work?'

Will this agonizing transformation really change my life? Could I trust in this?

'Maybe I'd rather just die.'

I clenched my fists, enduring over and over, but all that kept rising to the surface was the feeling that I'd rather die.

Fwooooosh---!!!!!

The yin energy spun as if to freeze my body.

Thumpthumpthump—!!!

My own ki danced as if to shatter my body completely.

Whatever the case—

'I can't contain it.'

I simply didn't have a vessel to contain these two forces. Realizing that, my arms began to tremble uncontrollably.

『Focus.』

Yu Chun-gil intervened.

『You don't need to contain it. Even if you try, too much will just spill over. In that case, you'll gain nothing.』

'Then what am I supposed to do?'

If I couldn't contain it anyway, was I just supposed to endure the pain? Might as well tell me to die.

Negative thoughts spilled out uncontrollably. That was how much I hurt and hated this.

Perhaps sensing my feelings, Yu Chun-gil grinned and said:

『If you can't contain it, at least try to circulate it.』

Circulate it?

『Better to let it flow, rather than force it to stay.』

Let it flow.

At his words, I examined my body.

Thumpthumpthump—!!

Ki raging; yin energy circling.

Both my barely held mind and my strength.

If I lost my grip, all the ki would erupt and my body would explode.

'... I'm supposed to release it?'

He wanted me to let it flow instead of suppressing it?

But what about my body, which felt on the verge of bursting?

The thought alone made me tense up.

And the pain intensified.

『Are you afraid?』

Yu Chun-gil asked.

『It's natural to be afraid. But listen, boy. If you don't let go, you'll die anyway.』

Such a reckless statement.

'Who do you think told me to eat this in the first place?'

I ate it because he told me to—now if I don't let go, I die? What nonsense.

『Not just release it, but let it flow along the path. Move with it. That's the way.』

"...."

Don't loosen your grip.

Let it flow.

I swallowed; uncertain but determined, I relaxed my hold on the ki.

Rumble—!!

'Damn it.'

As soon as I let go, the ki stormed about in fury.

I wondered if I should lock it down again.

'Let it flow.'

I gently manipulated the ki, pacifying and guiding the angry force over and over.

'Follow the flowing yin energy...'

I let my ki follow the already-circulating yin energy along my meridians.

Naturally, they didn't mix. The ki instinctively repelled the yin energy—there was no way they'd blend.

So what should I do?

'If they don't mix, but I still need them to flow...'

-!

A flash of insight struck me.

'... Let them flow around a central axis, without mixing.'

I spun my ki along the central axis of the yin energy, moving together but separate.

Like a vortex swirling atop a string.

As I imagined that and tried to coordinate my ki—

『That's it.』

Yu Chun-gil made an inscrutable noise.

『That's enough to establish a foundation. Now—』

A touch grazed my neck.

『Step aside for a moment.』

My strength faded from my body.

At the same time, my consciousness was severed.

* * *

I opened my eyes.

『Hah...!』

I gasped, hastily covering my mouth with my hand.

I remembered the instruction not to make a sound.

『Wait, what?』

I realized there was no need for that. My body lay down below me.

Sitting cross-legged with closed eyes—that was my body.

Right atop the rock where the Moonlit Night Spirit Herb had been.

『In that case...』

Is that Yu Chun-gil now occupying my body?

Was Yu Chun-gil manipulating my ki on my behalf, inside my body?

『Hah.』

I was left speechless.

Fwooooosh---!!!

Thump! Thump!

I saw ki swirling rapidly out of my body.

With each shock, my flesh visibly shuddered.

Would I be okay?

I'd never heard of this kind of vicarious rebirth.

『Sss.』

Was I really going to be okay?

I was worrying about that when—

Thud.

『Huh?』

Something brushed against my body. What was that? Confused, I looked back.

Wait. Could someone brush past my spirit-form body to begin with?

Just as I realized the oddity—

『What?』

I came face to face with someone standing behind me.

A shadow as black as pitch.

A man whose eyes shone crimson.

『It's been a long time.』

It was the Heavenly Demon.

TL's Corner:

Oh, long time no see, Heavenly Demon Sir!

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