Chapter 87

The space cut off inside and outside by the Cheonlajimang barrier set by the Corrupted Monk.

The barrier covered the ground thoroughly, as if to allow no gaps, even blocking the sound of the underground water flow.

When Lin collided her foxfire with the barrier, the flames were instantly snuffed out and vanished. The foxfire, which would usually burn even the strongest of yokai to ashes, had no effect here.

Do you see the talismans stuck to the walls? They’re catalysts that greatly amplify the spell’s effects.

The talismans were placed all around the barrier. The Corrupted Monk had anticipated Lin’s arrival and laid a trap in wait.

“You knew about this?”

Of course~ Didn’t I tell you? The Corrupted Monk is sneaky. While he mocks you for being just a six-tailed fox, he’s thoroughly prepared himself.

“Then why didn’t you tell me?”

If you always seek safe battles, how do you plan to become a Gumiho in this lifetime? When you need to grow quickly, you must take risks.

The fact that this naïve Gumiho had just delivered such a sound argument bothered Lin. Even more frustrating was that she couldn’t help but accept it.

She didn’t like it, but she fully agreed with the need to take risks. The faster she grew, even by a single step, the sooner she could protect Karamir.

“Oh great Gumiho... though I am unworthy, I ask for your permission, as I have other tasks I must see to. Please allow me to act without incurring disrespect...”

The Corrupted Monk, who was subtly implying that he wanted to handle this matter quickly, was now fully prepared to hunt the fox.

He thrust his staff into the ground with a dull thud, and the rings attached to it jingled.

“Chung .”

In front of the Corrupted Monk, the air seemed to compress, distorting the space around it. With a sharp sound, a blast of air shot forward, making his robes flap violently.

Whoosh!

Something was coming. Though invisible, its destructive force was palpable. It wasn’t loyalty, it wasn’t an insect, it was a stab. An invisible awl surged forward like a bullet. It was faster than a blink.

Lin swiped her hand, spreading a veil as if she were smearing paint across the air.

Bang!

The hastily conjured shield barely blocked the oncoming awl. But because it was made so quickly, it wasn’t as sturdy as her usual barriers.

Like a needle piercing paper, the awl pierced straight through.

“Huh!”

Lin held her breath briefly and twisted her head just in time. The awl sliced through her hair as it passed. If she had been even slightly slower, there would have been a hole in her face.

But it was far too early to feel relieved. The Corrupted Monk began counting beads with his other hand while chanting.

“Nirvana Bead.”

A massive bead fell from the sky without giving Lin any time to react. She pushed off the ground, launching herself to the side.

Boom!

The bead that struck the ground instantly shrank. It was a form of binding spell. If she got caught, it was obvious she wouldn’t be able to move.

Even though she dodged, there was no relief, as each time the Corrupted Monk counted another bead, a giant bead was summoned, chasing Lin relentlessly.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

Just when she thought she had escaped from a life of running, Lin was once again forced to flee from the beads. But this time was different. Running felt awkward.

It wasn’t because she hadn’t done it in a while. It was because her body had grown, and most importantly, the bouncing of her chest was uncomfortable.

Having grown rapidly in a short time, the unfamiliarity of her body was all the more apparent. She hadn’t had enough time to adapt to her sudden physical changes.

“Damn it!”

Even as she fled, Lin lashed out with foxfire at the Corrupted Monk in frustration, but a simple swing of his staff dissipated it effortlessly.

Even Ungwi had fallen to this attack.

But it wasn’t just the difference in strength between Lin and the Corrupted Monk.

This barrier... it’s suppressing my power!

The Cheonlajimang was not simply a barrier to trap an opponent. It was a curse that weakened anyone caught inside.

Not only did it interfere with her control over her yokai power, but it also drastically diminished the strength of her magic.

The barrier was sturdy, and her attacks weren’t landing on the Corrupted Monk. At this rate, Lin could see no future except being hunted down.

Use your eyes, use your eyes. Why waste such good eyes?

The Gumiho, who had been silently observing Lin’s efforts, finally spoke up in frustration.

“Lin doesn’t know how to use them yet! I only learned about this ability today!”

Hmph... I figured it out without anyone teaching me. Some Gumiho you are.

“Stop bothering me! If you’re not going to help, just be quiet!”

Unable to shake off the Gumiho, who kept embedding sighs into her mind, Lin finally snapped and shouted.

With another sigh, the Gumiho, acting like she was doing Lin a favor, said:

This kind of strong barrier always has a risk. To dispel the spell, you need to remove the talismans.

“Destroy the talismans?”

No, no. I said risk. The caster themselves can’t leave until the talismans are removed. But I’ve stressed this before—the Corrupted Monk is sneaky.

The Corrupted Monk was unlike ordinary yokai. He was a human who had chosen to fall into corruption. Even though he became a yokai, his human-born nature hadn’t disappeared.

Do you think a guy who set talismans against a six-tailed fox would not have considered what would happen if he lost? A monk afraid of death, who even swallowed his comrades out of fear? He’s not going to waste time removing talismans when he needs to run!

“Then...”

You need to find the weak point in the barrier.

Lin immediately activated the Sun Shadow Eye. The sunlight reflected in her pupils.

The fragments of fate are only one aspect of what you can see with the Sun Shadow Eye. Depending on the intent of the caster, there are endless ways to use it.

The first use of the Sun Shadow Eye:

Melt your consciousness into the sun. From now on, you are the sun, illuminating everything beneath you, even the sky.

It was a cryptic statement.

And there was no time for idle riddles when she was busy dodging attacks.

So Lin didn’t try to understand it. The more she thought about it, the more confusing it became. Instead, she shut off her thoughts and let her instincts take over.

It was a wise decision.

Even though countless years had passed, memories had faded, and new personalities had emerged, the soul remained the same. The soul of the Gumiho was still the same.

Even without words, the shared instincts between their souls awakened the Gumiho’s abilities within Lin.

Lin’s eyes widened. As if she were a light source shining upon the world, the Sun Shadow Eye began to reveal things that had been hidden.

The Corrupted Monk’s subtle movements.

The flow of yokai energy within him.

Even the energy forming the barrier.

And Lin found it.

Beneath the Corrupted Monk’s feet.

That area had a particularly weak flow of yokai energy.

No wonder he hadn’t moved from that spot. At first, Lin thought he was just being dignified, but of course, that wasn’t the case for someone like the Corrupted Monk.

Quite the opposite.

It was a filthy trick to conceal his cowardice.

What she needed to do was simple.

“You mean I just need to remove that?”

Having figured out the solution, Lin crouched, then launched herself forward like a slingshot, with flames surrounding her hands.

The target was a spellcaster, weak in close combat, and by staying near him, he wouldn’t be able to use his Nirvana Beads to attack effectively.

Ah, you’re half right.

Lin realized what that meant for herself. The Corrupted Monk yanked the staff from the ground, and dark purple energy coiled around its shaft.

Whoosh!

The Corrupted Monk stabbed the staff forward like a spear. A purple flash struck Lin’s shoulder like a lightning bolt, piercing through.

“Ugh!”

The Corrupted Monk pressed his empty hand against Lin’s stomach.

“Crush .”

BOOM!

“Gah!”

With a deafening sound that reverberated through the air, a massive shockwave exploded into Lin’s abdomen. She spewed blood as her body was flung back, only stopping when she collided with the barrier.

Lin, sprawled on the floor, tried to get up, but her body wouldn’t respond. The shockwave had spread throughout her body, even shaking her brain. Her head was spinning.@@novelbin@@

The Gumiho squatted down in front of the fallen Lin, chuckling as if she were watching an amusing show.

Monks are different from ordinary sorcerers. They’re more like battle mages, if you will. They can even spar with martial artists.

“Why do you keep hiding such important things...”

I was going to tell you, but you rushed in on your own.

It was infuriating, but now was no time to argue.

Lin enveloped herself in foxfire like a cloak. After Karamir was badly injured by Blood Wolf, she had begged Yuha to teach her this healing technique.

Even so, it would take time for her to fully recover, and her body still trembled. Watching her, the Gumiho asked curiously:

You said you defeated Ungwi. How did you manage that? From what I see, it seems impossible.

That was because Karamir had helped her. Thanks to his suspiciously perfect strategy, she was able to take down Ungwi without any trouble.

But this time, he wasn’t here to assist her. She had rushed here, driven by the thought of catching the Corrupted Monk and earning praise. She had been too confident, believing she could handle this on her own.

There is one way...

“If there is, hurry and tell me.”

You can temporarily lend me control of your body.

Even if they shared the same body and power, the skill level would vary depending on the “pilot.” In other words, if Lin let the Gumiho take control, she would be able to use the true power of the Gumiho and capture the Corrupted Monk.

The Gumiho whispered into Lin’s mind:

How about it? Tempting, isn’t it?