Chapter 544: Chapter 544

Contrary to Choi Yeonseung’s assumption, the Goddess of Pleasure and Lust didn’t fully trust the Master of Slowness and Silence. In fact, she had tried to convey that to Choi Yeonseung, but he wouldn’t listen, always hanging up on account of being busy.

The Master of Slowness and Silence is being suspicious.

-That’s right, Master.

The nightmare demons serving the goddess were spread out in her wide and open palace. One couldn’t imagine the realm of any other strict constellation looking like that.

The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires and the Goddess of Pleasure and Lust were both constellations worshiped by nightmare demons, but they had totally opposite tendencies.

The manipulator constellation wanted her nightmare demons to control their desires and grow more mature, but the goddess of pleasure expected the exact opposite from her servants.

She didn’t understand why strong beings had to suppress their desires. If one could satisfy their desires, they should do just that. The strong had the right to do that.

Because of her mentality, all the nightmare demons in her realm remained true to their nature. One of them, who had grown bigger than a giant, was ceaselessly stuffing her mouth with food from a huge pile that had been brought to her. Another nightmare demon was greedily gulping down the liquor made by the household members of the Snake of Alcohol and Dancing.

Some nightmare demons were collecting artifacts, and some were humming as they lined up the severed heads of their enemies...

The moment the goddess spoke, they all stopped what they were doing and concentrated.

Do you really think the Master of Slowness and Silence will betray me?

-Except for you, all constellations are greedy and selfish. I think it’s quite possible.

-Why should you worry about this in the first place? It’s that mortal’s fault for making you think like this, Master! Let’s attack first!

The nightmare demons reacted vigorously, but the Goddess of Pleasure and Lust had an annoyed expression. Of course, it was great that her subordinates embraced their desires, but that also caused them to be reckless.

A fight between constellations couldn’t be determined by emotions or whims. Constellations that behaved like that didn’t survive for long in the Abyss.

Besides, the goddess knew how strong the Master of Slowness and Silence was. She wouldn’t be so foolish as to fall for the tricks of other constellations and pick a fight with the Master of Slowness and Silence.

Is that really the only way...?

The goddess fretted over this issue before deciding to leave it to fate. If the household members of the constellations who intended to go against the Master of Slowness and Silence ended up completing her trial, she would join them in their fight against him.

But if those mortals failed, the goddess would maintain her alliance with the Master of Slowness and Silence. She obviously had no intention of making an enemy for nothing.

“...That’s what she said.”

“Oh, indeed. In fact, I remember my master saying something like that,” Choi Yeonseung lied through his teeth.

Lamart nodded as though she had known it. There was no way the Undefeated Incarnation of Training wouldn’t have told him.

“The trial prepared by my master... I don’t think any other constellation in the Abyss has prepared such a merciful and generous challenge. Isn’t it amazing?”

“Oh...”

Choi Yeonseung was impressed with this mortal for being more shameless than himself. Was it necessary to be at this level in order to become the household member of an evil god constellation?

“You don’t need to risk your lives to find the kingdom in the Abyss. If you take on the trial on Earth and succeed, Master will hand over her kingdom.”

“I see. It truly is generous,” Choi Yeonseung roughly agreed. Indeed, it seemed that this trial of the Goddess of Pleasure and Lust had some lenient aspects to it.

Most importantly, there was no need to go directly to the Abyss, which meant that humans could take on the challenge on the spot if they wanted. For this trial, the Goddess of Pleasure and Lust directly invited mortals into a dream.

Of course, the results weren’t glamorous. From what he had heard, one of China’s A-grade hunters had taken the challenge because it seemed easy to him, and now he was in a half-dead state. He had underestimated the trial on account of being just a dream and ended up in a pitiful state.

Clearly, the trial wasn’t a walk in the park.

“Do you have any advice for me if I challenge it?”

Choi Yeonseung had slight expectations from Lamart. After all, she had a strong liking for him. Of course, she didn’t like him in the conventional sense; she was more like a carnivore salivating for her prey...

“Hm... I think it’s better to just not take the challenge?”

“...”

“Yes, I really think it’s better not to do it,” Lamar reiterated her point.

“Why do you think so?” Choi Yeonseung asked calmly.

“This trial is too dangerous for mortals.”

Rather than refuting her assertion, Choi Yeonseung decided to maintain a friendly attitude so he could gather more information he needed.

“How exactly is it dangerous?”

“Once they enter Master’s dream, mortals will face their own desires.”

Facing one’s own desire—that wasn’t entirely unfamiliar. There were several Abyssal monsters who used this type of hallucinogenic skill. In addition, Choi Yeonseung had faced a similar trial in the realm of the Manipulator of Dreams and Desires.

“Don’t think it’s like the hallucinations you might encounter in the Abyss. The trial is on a completely different scale,” Lamart warned sternly as if she could read Choi Yeonseung’s thoughts.

The Goddess of Pleasure and Lust was one of the most powerful constellations in the Abyss, so her trial would naturally not be easy to complete. The things one would encounter in this trial were completely different from the skills commonly used by Abyssal mortals.

-Still, I’ve gone through the trial of the Manipulator of Dreams and Desires. I think I’ll be okay.

The Manipulator of Dreams and Desires was even more flustered by Choi Yeonseung’s words.

[The ‘Manipulator of Dreams and Desires’ tells you not to think such nonsense!]

[She says that her power of existence is a grain of sand compared to the power of the ‘Goddess of Pleasure and Lust.’]

‘...It hurts me to hear this.’

Choi Yeonseung suddenly felt a pang in his heart. Although she was a low-to-mid-grade constellation in the Abyss, the manipulator constellation shouldn’t be so harsh on herself...

“Is it that different? I find that hard to believe.” Choi Yeonseung provoked Lamart to get a bit more information, and she did just that.

“It’s not just a matter of overcoming desires. Even if you keep overcoming them, in the end...”

Lamart hesitated, but Choi Yeonseung could already take a guess.

‘The constellation must’ve prepared something.’

Unless the Goddess of Pleasure and Lust was a pushover, she wouldn’t have created a trial that could easily be completely.

-Why bother inviting others to a dream instead of showing up herself?

The goddess of sloth made a good point.

Choi Yeonseung thought about it—they were both constellations and there wasn’t much of a difference between their power of existence. Would it be difficult for him to deal with the goddess of pleasure?

‘It seems better than a raid in the sense that I don’t have to worry about eyes on me, but...’

Choi Yeonseung wouldn’t let his guard down. Besides, the fact that he was fighting an enemy he virtually knew nothing about was quite unnerving. And the fact that Lamart tried to dissuade him from participating...

“If you really want to attempt the trial, you had better do it with several other mortals, not by yourself. And...”

“What? You can speak comfortably.”

“Why don’t you give me some of your desires before you try it?” Lamart suggested shyly.

Naturally, Choi Yeonseung refused.

***

“I want to see Ma Xiaohui.”

“!”

“I will guide you!”

After waiting for what felt like an eternity for a response, the Chinese hunters responded frantically to Choi Yeonseung’s request. They were still anxious about the appearance of the household member of the Master of Slowness and Silence.

However, Choi Yeonseung wasn’t concerned about that at all; the trial of the goddess of pleasure was all he could think of.

“Hunter Choi Yeonseung, are you perhaps in a better mood...?”

“Get out of the way.”

“Yes, sorry.”

Choi Yeonseung instantly silenced the hunters who spoke to him in low voices. He then entered the hospital room where Ma Xiaohui was recovering.

Being an A-grade hunter, it was no exaggeration to say that he was receiving the best possible treatment in the country. But even so, Ma Xiaohui couldn’t rise from his bed.

‘Or rather, he doesn’t want to.’

Choi Yeonseung realized that Ma Xiaohui’s physical condition was perfect. The only thing that prevented him from getting up was his own will. He didn’t want to wake up because the goddess’ dream was too sweet.

-I want to wake him up to ask about what happened. Is there any way?

-Let’s see...

The goddess of sloth and the chef constellation both hesitated. That was how tightly the hunter’s soul was bound. It was as if he were serving the Goddess of Pleasure and Lust, so it was naturally difficult to forcefully wake up such a soul.

Choi Yeonseung looked around, and Meng Qianhao, who was next to him, looked at him in confusion.

“I want to be alone,” Choi Yeonseung told him.

“...W-why?”

“I’m going to check his condition with the skill given to me by the constellation I serve. Do you want me to reveal my secret skill to outsiders? Is that what you mean now?”

Choi Yeonseung’s stern gaze instantly made Meng Qianhao concede and comply with his request.

“How can that be? I’m leaving!”

“Yeah, go outside for a minute.”

Meng Qianhao quickly left the room, only to be showered with questions by the people in charge, who were bewildered.

-Meng Qianhao, how can you abandon your position without permission? What if Hunter Choi Yeonseung takes him to another country...

-You know how many hunters were taken from China recently! He’s a hunter kidnapper!

-If you don’t shut up, I’ll send you to seek asylum in the underworld.

-......

-......

A warm conversation ensued between the Chinese hunters. Nevertheless, Choi Yeonseung ignored them and put his hand on Ma Xiaohui.

-What are you trying to do?

Bam!!!

As if answering the goddess of sloth’s question, Choi Yeonseung struck Ma Xiaohui’s chest with his palm. The shock was so great that Ma Xiaohui went completely limp.

‘Um... It can’t be done by hitting him?’

“Wh-what’s going on in there?”

Choi Yeonseung could hear voices from outside the room. In any case, the hunters didn’t dare to go in, fearing they might offend him.

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

“But... Alright...”

Ma Xiaohui was an A-grade hunter, considered one of China’s national treasures, but now he was just a test subject. Choi Yeonseung tried a variety of methods—striking his insides with martial arts, attacking with elements such as fire or ice, absorbing magic power, and so on.

Despite being beaten, crumpled, and rolled over, Ma Xiaohui still lay in his bed with a cheerful expression.

[The ‘Goddess of Balance Who Walks Ahead’ suggests using the power of the ‘Master of Slowness and Silence.’]

“!”

Normally, it would be humiliating for a constellation to have to resort to the power of another constellation, but Choi Yeonseung didn’t really care. After all, hadn’t he been using the powers of various constellations?

‘Certainly... The power of the Master of Slowness and Silence might be suitable in this situation.’

The power to erase the power of other constellations... Of course, the Chinese hunters might panic if he used this particular power, but it was none of their business...

Choi Yeonseung concentrated. At that moment, he saw a different future, and following that future, he used martial arts as if possessed.

This wasn’t the power of the Master of Slowness and Silence, but Choi Yeonseung’s unique martial art.

-...!

The goddess of sloth was shocked. What Choi Yeonseung was doing right then... was it really possible...?

Ma Xiaohui started convulsing.

Choi Yeonseung had been so focused on his martial art that he had forgotten about the task at hand, and so he belatedly exclaimed at the other constellations.

-Heal him!