<strong>Watch out for the Fox Spirit.</strong>
No matter how much of a <strong>Heavenly Beast</strong> it is, the allure just now was a power beyondmon sense.
Even a spiritual being of my level almost lost myposure in an instant.
The <strong>Dongja Gong</strong> is a fine martial art, but as my internal energy grows, there is a fatal w—it bes easier to fall prey to such temptations.
Even for a pure spiritual being like me, maintaining such purity makes it more vulnerable to these temptations.
If it weren’t for that, I wouldn''t be feeling this strange anticipation.
I suddenly wanted to wag my tail, wanted to be held in someone''s arms.
I also let out some unintelligible, rather undignified noises.
If I were in my right mind, I’d never think of such things.
But still, I’m d she didn’t show any hostility.
Rather, this form of attack made me realize how dangerous it could be and gave me an opportunity to prepare.
...But how do I prepare for this?
Should I hide <strong>Tus</strong> and <strong>Pus</strong> in my fur?
Whenever I go into a daze, they could just bite me.
It seems like a decent n.
They’re growing bigger as time goes on, but they’re still small enough to be hidden in my fur for now.
Hooo.
...And then, there’s this one too.
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong>.
The exact reason is still unknown, but it seems to like me.
“Surely… just now?”
The <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong>, confused, muttered to himself, shaking his head.
"Was it a dream...?"
He muttered and then nced at me.
"<strong>Gomo-doshi</strong>, could it be that you...?"
He was likely wondering whether something had happened or if he had dreamt it.
It wouldn’t really matter if I said something or not.
Even if I spoke about the <strong>Heavenly Beast</strong>, he wouldn’t believe it. Communicating with my “gek-geks” is hard enough.
If it were a short story, I could say it, but the longer it gets, the more distorted it would sound.
“Gekgek.”
Hooo.
But contrary to my thoughts, the <strong>Fox Bead</strong> flew into the air.
“Hah! It really wasn’t a dream!”
The <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> quickly got into a defensive posture.
Whoosh!
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong> spun around as if it didn’t like the <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong>, swirling in the air.
“<strong>Gomo-doshi! Watch out!</strong>”
Woo!
The two beads, like heads of the beads, were about to collide.
There was no time for me to stop it.
Then it dashed away, and the <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> charged forward, head lowered.
Boom!
A deafening roar was heard.
“<strong>Gegegeek!</strong>”
...In the midst of it all, I was stuck between them.
“<strong>D-Daehyeop!</strong>”
*
<strong>The Fox Bead and the Iron-Head Dragon were both buried in the ground.</strong>
The <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> had only his head poking out, and the <strong>Fox Bead</strong> had half of its body exposed.
Simply burying them in the earth wasn’t enough for me, so I used nts to bind them up.
“Sorry, sorry! <strong>Gomo-doshi</strong>, I didn’t mean to….”
<strong>Wooo…</strong>
The two creatures groaned in frustration.
“Gekgek….”
I could still feel the vibrations in my bones.
As expected, the <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong>’s headbutts were not something you want to take head-on.
Though his strength had diminished since our battle, it was still quite powerful.
Of course, it wasn’t just the <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> producing that force.
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong>, which had flown towards us in a sh from the other side.
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong>’s attack met the <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong>''s headbutt, creating a strange harmony between them.
Thanks to that, the power was enough to make me scream.
“<em>Kuhh…</em> The nts are…! <strong>Gomo-doshi</strong>, please stop this!”
<strong>Wooo! Wooo!</strong>
Huh?
What’s wrong with my nts?
Still, the fact that a man is doing that makes me feel a little strange.
...You’re male, right?
If you’re a female too, my position here might be awkward.
“Hah… Hah… Thank you, <strong>Gomo-doshi</strong>…”
<strong>Wooo…</strong>
Both the <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> and the <strong>Fox Bead</strong> were panting heavily.
…Although I’m not sure if I should say the <strong>Fox Bead</strong> was panting.
Luckily, the <strong>Fox Bead</strong> seemed to calm down a bit.
If they had continued fighting, I’d have personally shown them what the inside of <strong>Gomo-doshi’s</strong> mouth looked like.
Instead, I gave a brief exnation with my <strong>gekgek</strong> sounds.
“…<strong>Heavenly Beast</strong>. I thought it was a being of imagination, but to think it actually exists. Being by <strong>Gomo-doshi’s</strong> side, it seems my humble experience is widening.”
The <strong>Heavenly Beast</strong> appeared for a brief moment, and she had entrusted this <strong>Fox Bead</strong> to me.
“Moreover, seeing that the raging spirits have disappeared without a trace, it seems the <strong>Heavenly Beast</strong> must have gathered them. It’s true what they say, a sacred spiritual beast connected to the heavens—those rumors don’t seem exaggerated.”
<strong>Wooo.</strong>
“Yet, to think the <strong>Fox Bead</strong> could move so actively… I think I understand why it’s angry. I must have eaten that <strong>Bead</strong>.”
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong> is not amon artifact.
It is an item controlled by a fox that has trained for over a hundred years. For someone else to obtain it, the original owner must die.
The <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> had received the <strong>Fox Bead</strong> from Nam Gung-Yeon, and at that time, the <strong>Bead</strong> did not move.
It was considered a spiritual medicine, and he simply swallowed it.
“A <strong>Fox Bead</strong> that isn’t handled by a fox typically doesn’t move. It makes sense that it wouldn’t, since its owner had died. But for this <strong>Bead</strong> to move like this…”
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong> trembled lightly, almost as if agreeing with his words.
“…The owner hasn’t died.”
But that statement is contradictory.
The premise for the <strong>Fox Bead</strong> to change hands is that the original owner must die.
“I can’t say for sure, but there must be some story behind this. It seems that it’s trying to follow <strong>Gomo-doshi</strong>, having sensed the power within you.”
The power within me?
“…The warm power that awakened my mind, one that reminds me of the sun. The <strong>Fox Bead</strong> must have felt the same energy inside me.”
There was something I needed to address.
The sun-like power the <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> mentioned.
I don’t have that much to do with the sun.
If I had used fire, such a misconception might have been possible, but at that time, I didn’t use fire.
I was simply using my nt maniption abilities.
“The power to break evil magic, the power to make nts grow and enrich thend. <strong>Gomo-doshi</strong> is the sun itself.”
Yin and Yang, and the Five Elements.
Among them, I thought my power was tied to the Wood element.
If I had taken control of the <strong>Fire Mountain Dragon Gate</strong>, it would have made sense for the Wood power to manifest.
But, in reality, the source of my power might not be from Wood, but from Yang.
No, that’s a bit of a stretch.
Making nts grow and controlling them is undeniably the power of Wood.
But the questions persist.
…To understand my powers more clearly, I’ll need to im another Dragon Gate.
Especially <strong>Chodo</strong> from the <strong>Dragon Life Cult</strong>.
The child of a nt-controlling dragon.
If I take his <strong>Dragon Gate</strong>, I’ll understand the true source of my power.
“This <strong>Fox Bead</strong> was likely drawn to that power of <strong>Gomo-doshi</strong>,” he said.
<strong>Wooo.</strong>
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong> nodded, as if agreeing with his words.
I don’t know exactly what the source of my power is, but maybe it’s just that it likes my power.
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong> was entrusted to me by the <strong>Heavenly Beast</strong>.
There’s a story behind this <strong>Bead</strong>, and someday, I’ll have to uncover it.
It’s a sentient object, but it’s powerful enough to harm me to some extent.
Additionally, the powers that foxes wield belong to the Yin side of the Five Elements.
While I had no idea where to get the Yin, it seems like the <strong>Fox Bead</strong> hase to me just like that.
<strong>Wooo.</strong>
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong> trembled lightly.
It rubbed its body against my cheek.
“…It’s moving like a child trying to charm its parents.”
The <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> spoke calmly.
As he said, the <strong>Fox Bead</strong> had some behavior that reminded me of a child.
It didn’t like the <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong>, so it tried to attack him without thinking, but then seemed sulky after I scolded it, and now it’s showing me affection immediately after being pulled out from the ground.
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong> and the <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong>.
They’re strangely simr, aren’t they?
Both lost their parents, both lost their masters.
They must have resented the world and were destined to die.
Both the <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> and the <strong>Fox Bead</strong>.
But then they met me.
Their fates have changed.
<strong>Gegekk.</strong>
The <strong>Gegekk</strong> disturbance was created for people like them.
Just like <strong>Tus</strong> and <strong>Pus</strong> and <strong>Tang So-Yeong</strong>.
“<strong>Gegekk</strong>.”
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong> trembled intensely.@@novelbin@@
The <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong>’s eyes widened.
“<strong>Gomo-doshi</strong>…!”
The <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> spoke with a trembling voice.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t quite understand….”
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong> seemed to agree with his words, twitching slightly.
…
“<strong>Gekgek!</strong>”
The lizard felt embarrassed.
“<strong>Gomo-doshi! Please, not the nts!</strong>”
<strong>Wooo! Wooo!</strong>
<strong>*</strong>
<strong>I stayed a bit longer in the snowy mountain.</strong>
Although it was called a snowy mountain, there wasn’t much snow umted.
Using my abilities, I made nts grow, creating a suitable ecosystem.
Unlike before, the environment was now conducive to various creatures gathering.
The management of the snowy mountain was entrusted to the <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong>.
Since my body is only one, it was impossible to manage both the snowy mountain and the volcano simultaneously.
I still hadn’t fully mastered the volcano, so it would be better to focus on my original ce.
The <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> was a reliable subordinate.
Though he had weakened, his headbutt was still strong enough to pose a threat to me.
Moreover, as he became more ustomed to the <strong>Dragon Gate</strong> powers, he would only grow stronger.
His body was also indestructible, so unless another <strong>Dragon Gate</strong> owner appeared, there was no way he could lose.
“<strong>Gomo-doshi</strong>, are you leaving now?”
The <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> spoke gantly.
<strong>Wooo.</strong>
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong> trembled lightly in my fur.
The <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> would perform his duties on the snowy mountain.
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong> would stay with me and eventually reveal its secrets.
The <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong> made a respectful bow.
It was the ideal image of a devoted follower that I had been hoping for.
“<strong>Gekgek</strong>.”
<strong>Jisalseong</strong>, <strong>Bak Gi-Gae</strong>.
If one didn’t feel unease at the destiny of <strong>killing</strong>, it would be a lie.
But I believed he could ovee it.
After all, that’s what <strong>Gegekkyo</strong> is about.
“<strong>Gegekk</strong> is <strong>Gegekk</strong>, and may the <strong>Qiti-hoo</strong> prosper forever.”
…Could you not use such difficult words?
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I returned to the volcano.
“I had heard that the Head of Shaolin had fallen, but to think that’s the case….”
I instinctively reached for <strong>Baek Rang’s</strong> stomach, but stopped myself, and instead spoke with <strong>Tang So-Yeong</strong>, touching <strong>Ching</strong>.
“The true identity of <strong>Nam Ga-han</strong> is the <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong>, and he was destined for <strong>Jisalseong’s</strong> fate. I never heard such talk even from <strong>Dang-ga</strong>.”
It seemed <strong>Shaolin</strong> had thoroughly controlled the information.
If you were to pick the two sects most mired in corruption, it would likely be <strong>Dang-ga</strong> and <strong>Shaolin</strong>, but even <strong>Dang-ga</strong> wasn’t aware of this.
Of course, a high-ranking person from <strong>Dang-ga</strong>, like the head of the sect, might have known, but someone like <strong>Tang So-Yeong</strong>, with her own standing, didn’t know.
Other martial artists would bepletely unaware, and most likely believed that <strong>Shaolin</strong> had truly fallen.
“I’m relieved now. I’m not exactly sure what’s going on, but having a rift with humans will only lead to trouble. Even if we win, we’ll suffer damage, and killing humans brings trouble with the vengeful spirits. At least if it wasn’t for that old hag…”
<strong>Baek Rang</strong> sniffed the air.
His wolf-like glossy ck nose moved and nudged against my chest.
“<strong>Baek Rang</strong>? What are you doing?”
“I just smelled something familiar.”
...Is it because of his wolf senses?
“This soft smell. I’ve smelled it somewhere before.”
Soft smell?
“…Hey.”
He pressed gently on me with his front paw.
“<strong>Geek</strong>…”
“Did you meet that old hag?”
“<strong>Gekgek!</strong>”
How did he know?
Well… wait, why am I shivering?
I’m a <strong>Gegekkyo</strong>’s divine beast, after all.
These are my followers.
“<strong>Gekgek.</strong>”
Yes.
I smiled as I thought about <strong>Tianhu</strong>.
So what’s next?
“…Catch it.”
Huh?
As soon as <strong>Baek Rang</strong> spoke, <strong>Tus</strong> and <strong>Pus</strong> quickly moved.
From <strong>ng</strong> to <strong>Ching</strong>, they were all in motion.
“<strong>Gekgek?</strong>”
No, wait. Am I not the leader here?
“Let’s conduct an inspection first.”
<strong>Baek Rang</strong> said coldly.
Inspection? What inspection?
Right. He’s probably going to check if I’m <strong>Gomo-doshi</strong>?
“Let’s check the lower part…”
“<strong>Geek!</strong>”
Only then did I understand why <strong>Tus</strong> and <strong>Pus</strong> were following <strong>Baek Rang</strong>.
<strong>Kraaaak!</strong>
<strong>Iron-Head Dragon!</strong> <strong>Daoist!</strong> <strong>Dojeong!</strong>
I am a divine beast of <strong>Gegekkyo</strong>!
I already miss the <strong>Iron-Head Dragon</strong>''s respectful demeanor.
No matter how I think about it, the structure of <strong>Gegekkyo</strong> is strange.
I tried to block them with my hands, but these beasts were hell-bent on undressing me.
Especially around the lower body!
“<strong>Geek!</strong>”
I couldn’t summon any strength, and I felt as if I was about to be a dried <strong>Gomo-do</strong>.
As I trembled in fear, I couldn’t resist.
“…Stop.”
A figure with golden hair and red eyes appeared.
“<strong>Gegekk!</strong>”
It was <strong>Neph</strong>.
No matter how <strong>Zuo Ho Fa</strong> and <strong>U Ho Fa</strong> were charmed, it seemed they hadn’t managed to persuade the <strong>Deity</strong>.
Currently, <strong>Neph</strong> held the position of <strong>Deity</strong>.
The <strong>Deity</strong> was the second-highest position after me.
...But why is she ignoring my words and listening to hers?
“…Tch.”
<strong>Baek Rang</strong> clicked his tongue in disappointment.
At least thanks to <strong>Neph</strong>, I survived.
“<strong>Gegeek…</strong> <strong>Gegekk!</strong>”
I hugged <strong>Neph</strong> and bawled my eyes out.
<strong>Neph</strong> just smiled softly and patted my head.
How could someone be so merciful?
She’s clearly not a mere <strong>Deity</strong>, but a <strong>Heavenly Maiden</strong> sent down from the skies.
Her chest was admittedly a bitcking, but still...
While burying my face in her chest, crying, something strange happened.
<strong>Neph’s</strong> hand stopped.
Why is she stopping?
“…<strong>Gek?</strong>”
When I looked up, <strong>Neph’s</strong> eyebrows were raised.
She looked angry.
<strong>Swoosh!</strong>
In an instant, a tremendous amount of spider silk burst out and bound me up.
“…Finish it.”
Wait a second.
<strong>Neph</strong>, are you joking?
“<strong>Geek!</strong>”
The <strong>Gegekkyo</strong> followers rushed in unison.
“This… this is…! I need to record this…”
<strong>Tang So-Yeong</strong> only observed as my clothes were being torn away.
The <strong>Fox Bead</strong> also seemed strangely quiet, as though waiting for something.
“<strong>Geekgeek!</strong>”