Chapter 41: The Fundamental Vow (5)

 

The psychic known as Cheonsu Doryeong was taken aback.

 

Heavenly Descent?

 

‘I have seen it before. Those born with a very special Fundamental Vow can invoke power from Heaven without manifestation, activation, or resonance.’

 

Could it be that Yoo Hajin, this man, was a practitioner of the Heavenly Descent?

 

Cheonsu used the Dog of the Ghost Gate, The Water Ghost Gate, turning all his power to defense.

 

‘Nothing is activating? But this person is held in special regard even by the noble spirits.’

 

Therefore, Cheonsu remained on guard.

 

However, even after more than ten seconds since the man proclaimed a Heavenly Descent, nothing happened.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

Cheonsu looked toward Yoo Hajin.

 

Yoo Hajin had laid the unconscious Jinari to safety and was just staring intently at him.

 

‘What is this? Is there a strategy? Was it to induce me to activate Water Ghost Gate?’

 

Water Ghost Gate, a variant of the Ghost Gate, channels the spirit realm generated by the Gate into the caster’s body to significantly boost defense. In return, the caster must pledge never to leave the front of the Gate.

 

‘I’ve been had. He’s sealed my mobility.’

 

So, Cheonsu closed his own Ghost Gate. The manifested Ghost Gate vanished, consuming a great deal of spiritual energy, and he had to wait more than ten minutes before he could open another.

 

“I won’t be outdone.”

 

Cheonsu looked at Yoo Hajin again.

 

Yoo Hajin was still just staring intently at him.

 

Yet, still, nothing happened.

 

“What exactly is he doing?”

 

Admitting his pace had been broken, Cheonsu tried to attack Yoo Hajin conventionally.

 

The first attack was with a clap, meant to resonate with the opponent’s hands, taking control of them.

 

But Yoo Hajin’s hands didn’t move.

 

And yet, there was no sign that the technique of Heavenly Descent had been activated.

 

Nothing happened at all.

 

“As expected, it doesn’t work.”

 

Even though his empathic attack failed against the opponent’s solid defense, Cheonsu was unfazed.

 

He was the Overlord of Hongdae.

 

Cheonsu’s domination of Hongdae wasn’t through real estate investment.

 

He was exceptionally skilled in spiritual combat.

 

Thus, he prepared for his second attack.

 

The second attack was to assault the opponent with a spirit, leaving behind only its hand.

 

Originally, shamans specialized in commanding other souls that resonated with their own spirit.

 

Therefore, they were greatly influenced by their environment.

 

A shaman related to fire would be powerless in the middle of the sea, and one associated with wood would be much weaker in the desert compared to other psychics.

 

However, in the right environment, a shaman could be much more powerful than sorcerers and necromancers. And this was Cheonsu’s stronghold.

 

There were too many vengeful spirits that had been left with nothing but their hands by Cheonsu.

 

He smirked, looking at those spirits.

 

“What, what’s going on? Why can’t I see the spirits?”

 

But Cheonsu could not see the spirits.

 

He couldn’t even see a single ghost.

 

On the day before his spiritual eye awakening, Cheonsu panicked upon realizing he had become as clueless as a criminal who hadn’t grasped anything.

 

“What on earth is this technique?!”

 

Cheonsu looked again at Yoo Hajin.

 

Yoo Hajin was just staring intently at him.

 

Only then did Cheonsu realize that his optic nerve was being eroded by a strange negativity he had never felt before.

 

‘Those eyes, looking into those eyes piles up strange negativity on the optic nerve. That’s why my spiritual vision disappeared. Damn it. If I had just closed my eyes from the start, I wouldn’t have been forced into this situation.’

 

Finally understanding why Yoo Hajin was looking at him, Cheonsu closed his eyes and focused his spiritual energy on them.

 

But this negativity was not easily purified. Cheonsu had never heard of such negativity.

 

The negativity that is invisible, impenetrable, and even unfelt?

 

If it were an extreme negativity, revealing itself openly, one could run away at full speed to avoid it, but what kind of malice is this?

 

Wait, is this really negativity?

 

A type of negativity that doesn’t affect the body but negates spiritual power alone?

 

By the principles of spiritual power, this was impossible.

 

‘What in the world is this?’

 

Negating negativity? Negation of enlightenment?

 

Cheonsu found a peculiar resonance in the term.

 

No matter how much he pondered, this was not simple negativity.

 

‘Damn it, if I don’t carefully purify this bizarre negativity one nerve at a time, I might end up with a long-lasting disability of not being able to see ghosts...’

 

It was at that moment.

 

A left hook exploded on Cheonsu’s jaw.

 

The sharp pain snapped Cheonsu back to consciousness, and he inadvertently opened his eyes, making eye contact with Yoo Hajin again. Then, the negativity began to seep beyond the optic nerve into other nerves.

 

‘What happens if this negativity breaches the optic nerve and infiltrates the brain?’

 

The brain, so crucial to spiritual abilities it could be called the Upper Field, was where damage could cause significant loss to spiritual powers, even if the soul remained intact, according to academic consensus.

 

But what if this bizarre negativity infiltrated the brain?

 

Could it mean the loss of spiritual powers?

 

Such a thing must never, ever happen.

 

He will become a criminal lost without enlightenment, dancing in the mortal realm forever unaware of what the spirit realm is.

 

With that thought, Cheonsu clenched his eyes tighter, even as Yoo Hajin’s fist, capable of crushing a car, smashed through all defensive spells and wrecked Cheonsu’s body.

 

Of course, Yoo Hajin’s fist wasn’t something that could be avoided just by closing one’s eyes. Thus, Cheonsu tried to flee, but Yoo Hajin was too fast.

 

‘This punch, this speed. It’s a force that couldn’t possibly come from a normal body. He uses power related to negativity while being able to use spiritual power himself? How is that possible?’

 

In a moment, Yoo Hajin stopped his attack, and a sound of enduring pain could be heard.

 

Cheonsu calmly assessed the situation.

 

He almost panicked when a straight punch to his solar plexus made him spit blood, but Cheonsu was also the warrior who had conquered Hongdae. Thus, he understood Yoo Hajin’s level.

 

‘He stopped his attack? Why? Ah, I see. Maintaining his power must have put a strain on his Upper Field.’

 

Just ten minutes of using his ability and it’s already straining?

 

‘Yoo Hajin, this guy, is truly a beginner among beginners who has just awakened to his Fundamental Vow.’

 

That meant he couldn’t sustain his power for long. And he mentioned Heavenly Descent.

 

According to ancient texts provided by the noble spirits, spirit users who employ Descent suffer much stronger side effects in their bodies compared to other spirit powers.

 

Since the power emanates from Heaven and not from their own bodies.

 

Trusting that ancient text, Cheonsu endured Yoo Hajin’s merciless punches.

 

Even though three ribs and his right arm were completely shattered, he had to endure.

 

‘A newcomer on the path of enlightenment, capable of manifesting his Fundamental Vow, has pushed me this far? What kind of monster will this person become if he grows?’

 

No matter the talent gap, it was impossible for a lesser-ranked psychic to defeat a higher-ranked one. The hierarchy was almost absolute.

 

Yet, the existence at the bottom of the psychic’s hierarchy was pushing him, a heavenly-ranked, this far. It was truly unbelievable. How powerful must his Fundamental Vow be?

 

What would happen if this person gains just a little more enlightenment to become a half-celestial, or even, a celestial-ranked psychic?

 

“Indeed, even at the risk of inciting the noble spirits’ wrath, you must die here today.”

 

Cheonsu said as he spat out half-broken teeth.

 

“As a shaman resonating with hands and gestures, I pledge here today to take this person’s life.”

 

With the pledge, he received a heavenly fortune from the sky.

 

The received fortune immediately transformed into spiritual energy.

 

With that, the spiritual energy needed to open the Ghost Gate was barely filled.

 

In that moment, the once closed and locked Ghost Gate began to unlock.

 

“Ghost Gate Manifestation, Unified Heart Gate.”

 

Thus, Cheonsu immediately opened the Ghost Gate.

 

As Cheonsu’s Ghost Gate opened, his spirit realm began to fill the studio ceiling.

 

The VIPs, who had been watching the fight with interest, were caught off guard and captured by Cheonsu’s spirit realm.

 

“Hey, Cheonsu. What are you doing!”

 

“Do you know how much I’ve paid? This, this isn’t good for any of us.”

 

Ignoring such comments, Cheonsu repaired his battered face, his eyes still closed.

 

Of course, Yoo Hajin’s punches didn’t stop either.

 

However, several VIPs blocked Yoo Hajin’s punch flying towards Cheonsu’s face with their hands, like goalkeepers.

 

“You know, Yoo Hajin.”

 

Having fully restored his face and right arm, Cheonsu said,

 

“In this world, there are sorcerers who resonate with souls better than a celestial-class shaman. Sorcerers who handle souls better than shamans, without the weakness of the environment. The world is truly unfair.”

 

Cheonsu said with a laugh,

 

“That sorcerer at their peak enslaved ten Ghost Kings and invaded the Sect Alliance alone. I thought the Sect Alliance would be destroyed that day. The sight of more than ten Gates opening simultaneously in the sky was truly spectacular.”

 

And then, Cheonsu formed a seal.

 

“I believe that scene represents the pinnacle of strength. Subjugating another’s spiritual power as your own to cover your weaknesses. That’s the goal I pursue.”

 

Instantly, the VIPs started forming hand seals at a rapid pace.

 

They looked at Cheonsu in confusion as their hands formed seals on their own.

 

Even those trying to flee ended up forming seals as they ran.

 

“Cheonsu, Mr. Cheonsu, please don’t do this!”

 

“Senior, please have mercy!!!”

 

“What is this seal?”

 

But Cheonsu, still with his eyes closed, couldn’t see their disgrace.

 

However, forcing them to use their full power through the seal must be draining them significantly.

 

“It’s a power not even close to that goddess’s, but I believe it’s enough to kill a rookie. Farewell, terrifying talent.”

 

And with his eyes still closed, Cheonsu combined the full powers unleashed by the VIPs and directed it all toward Yoo Hajin.

 

***

 

My vision returned.

 

My head felt like it was on fire, and my eyes were about to pop out.

 

Damn, even my nose was bleeding.

 

“That hurts.”

 

Had I momentarily lost my mind because of all the infuriating things I saw?

 

I seem to have said something as cringey as Heavenly Descent.

 

I can’t quite remember.

 

“Ah.”

 

Looking ahead, Cheonsu with his eyes closed was saying something.

 

“It’s a power not even close to that goddess’s, but I believe it’s enough to kill a rookie. Farewell, terrifying talent.”

 

Farewell?

 

What’s this all of a sudden?

 

I looked at the sky next to me.

 

Nothing special was visible.

 

There wasn’t much else other than the giant rock made of rebar and concrete floating around.

 

“Oh, shit?”

 

Suddenly, that rock flew towards me.

 

And it was coming fast.

 

“Wow, shit!!!”

 

This is crazy.

 

I drew out the Black Sheath.

– – – The End of The Chapter – – –

 

[TL: You can support the translation and read 5 chapters ahead of the release here on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Bill94 

 
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