Chapter 88

A crossroads unfolded before her.

One option was to continue fighting an opponent against whom victory wasn’t guaranteed. However, her current state wasn’t great, and she had no certainty of winning.

The other option was to accept the Gumiho’s help. While she had never seen it in action, her instincts told her that the Gumiho would easily defeat the Corrupted Monk. By handing over control of her body "temporarily," her life would be guaranteed.

Think about it. If the Corrupted Monk catches you, it won’t just end with death. You’ll be sealed and become a puppet, providing yokai energy for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years.

“......”

And you’ll never see the master you love so much again.

Lin flinched hard. More than anything, the thought of not being able to be with Karamir struck a chord deep within her.

Yet, she hesitated to accept the Gumiho’s offer outright. After all, the idea of handing over control of her body made her uncomfortable. Even though the Gumiho said it would only be "temporary," Lin wasn’t naive enough to trust that completely. She knew better than anyone what the Gumiho was capable of.

“No.”

Why? You trust your master but not me?

“Yep. Why should Lin trust you? If something happens to Lin, it’ll be troublesome for you too, right? If you really want to help, then tell me how to use my power. Stop trying to tempt me with useless distractions.”

Hmph~

A sharp, tense battle of wits unfolded between the two foxes. Meanwhile, the Corrupted Monk was already preparing another spell.

In the end, it was the Gumiho who backed down first.@@novelbin@@

I was really just offering to help you. But, well, if there’s no trust, I guess we’ll have to build it.

Lin stood up and steadied herself. She took a deep breath. Thanks to the healing foxfire, she had at least recovered a bit, though she was far from fully healed.

Having agreed to cooperate, the Gumiho offered another piece of advice.

Did you know you can use the Sun Shadow Eye as a medium for your magic?

This time, the message was short, but it was easier to understand.

Magic with mana.

Yokai arts with yokai energy.

Blessings with divine power.

The fox bead Lin had absorbed not only enhanced her Sun Shadow Eye, but it also granted the possessor immense power.

Lin summoned the warm, sunlit energy within her fox bead. The method was the same as channeling yokai energy.

Whoosh.

A soft, golden flame flickered to life in Lin’s hand, reminiscent of the gentle light of a spring sun. Though it was much stronger than her usual foxfire, it still wasn’t enough to break through the Corrupted Monk’s defenses.

Lin caressed the flame.

She shaped it into the form she desired—an attack the Corrupted Monk wouldn’t be able to dodge.

The flame soon took the shape of a wheel, like the solar disk of the sun.

Hisssss!

The spinning, hollow disc shrieked as it rotated at high speed. As it accelerated, the disc grew larger and larger.

Sparks flew everywhere, resembling a fierce crimson blaze.

Boom!

Lin moved with full force, using her entire body. Using her left leg as a pivot, she twisted her waist and hurled the spinning disc from her palm with all her might.

The solar wheel shot diagonally into the sky.

Whish!

The razor-sharp edges of the spinning wheel sliced cleanly through the Nirvana Beads. But that wasn’t the end of it.

Like a sun in the sky, the wheel hovered overhead, illuminating the barrier with its bright light. After spinning in all directions, it plummeted toward the ground—directly toward the Corrupted Monk.

Eyes wide with determination, the Corrupted Monk extended his staff, as if to declare that he wouldn’t surrender his position.

“Suumyung Wave (水明波).”

Jingle!

A clear bell rang out.

Just like a drop of water hitting the surface, gentle ripples spread through the air. One by one, circular waves layered upon each other, forming a defensive barrier.

Crack!

The solar wheel collided with the invisible shield, fiercely spinning as it emitted intense heat and flames.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

The Corrupted Monk’s rhythm of tapping his staff quickened with impatience. Each time he tapped, another ripple formed in the shield, and with each ripple, the solar wheel’s spinning began to slow.

After repeating this several times, the wheel’s speed noticeably decreased. The Corrupted Monk exhaled briefly. He hadn’t expected her to be able to wield yang energy.

He muttered to himself, as if he had suddenly realized something. Was there a Fox God from the past nearby? He needed to capture and confirm it.

“Hm?”

The Corrupted Monk blinked. In his focus on defending against the solar wheel, he hadn’t realized it yet—Lin had already disappeared from the edge of the barrier.

That Lin...

“Move aside, you wretched ghost.”

...appeared from beneath the solar wheel.

Her right fist was cloaked in golden flames.

The gap between them was only the length of an arm. Though swinging a long staff would be awkward, it was perfect for Lin. Her fiery punch struck the Corrupted Monk’s abdomen.

“Gah!”

The Corrupted Monk spat violet blood as his body was flung backward.

“Hoo.”

Lin took a deep breath and exhaled.

At last, she had secured her position. The barrier was still sapping her strength. It needed to be broken, but Lin didn’t.

The Gumiho had said it herself—the Cheonlajimang not only trapped the opponent, but also prevented the caster from leaving. As long as she held this spot, the Corrupted Monk wouldn’t be able to escape unless he removed the talismans.

Taking her strength?

She could tolerate that level of penalty. After all, it also meant he wouldn’t be able to leave this place before he died.

Crack.

Crash!

As usual, the Cheonlajimang shattered easily, without much fanfare. Since they were in the sewers, there was no dramatic burst of light or anything like that.

Beneath the broken barrier, the Corrupted Monk lay crumpled on the ground, a tattered mess. With the caster dead, the once murky water regained its clarity.

Thanks to Lin’s impressive skill at throwing discs—worthy of a circus—the Corrupted Monk’s limbs had been severed long ago.

Pitiful as he looked, tied up and begging for donations, he probably could have collected rice wherever he went.

Of course, Lin had no intention of doing such a thing. If she had to choose, she much preferred being dragged around on a leash rather than being the one dragging someone else—naturally, only by her master.

Moreover, this was an opportunity to absorb a large amount of energy...

Absorb it. Stop overthinking it.

The Gumiho scolded Lin, having sensed her hesitation like a ghost.

“I don’t really want to absorb it...”

Lin glanced at the Corrupted Monk lying on the ground. He looked like a dried-up worm stuck to the asphalt on a hot day.

He looked filthy, wouldn’t taste good, and the thought of having the Corrupted Monk’s energy swirling around inside her made her feel sick.

It was a mindset unbefitting a yokai, and the Gumiho was dumbfounded. She had never seen a yokai who was so picky about their food.

You’re really spoiled, aren’t you? Do you know how hard it is to come by a yokai like this to absorb? Most don’t even get the chance.

“I know that, but...”

If you know, then eat. Otherwise, you won’t grow.

Lin hesitated but knew she had no choice. When she absorbed Ungwi’s power, it had been a significant amount, and the Corrupted Monk was sure to provide even more. She’d be close to becoming a seven-tailed fox.

Lin reached out toward the Corrupted Monk. His yokai energy began to flow into her through her hand.

“Oh, great Gumiho... please, show mercy to this lowly monk...”

The Corrupted Monk begged, holding out his severed arm toward Lin, but she paid him no mind. Silently, she continued to absorb his energy, and eventually, he moved no more.

As expected, the amount of energy she absorbed was immense. And despite her initial hesitation, there was something she couldn’t deny—it tasted far better than she had anticipated.

It wasn’t something as simple as taste. It was an exquisite flavor that was hard to describe. The more she consumed, the more she wanted to continue. It was an addictive sensation.

Do you know? The stronger the bond of fate with your opponent, the more delicious their energy is?

“An opponent bound by fate?”

That’s right. In my experience, it was the most delicious thing I ever tasted. It’s probably tens of times better than the Corrupted Monk you just ate.

Tens of times better?

How delicious must it be? Lin’s curiosity surged, and without realizing it, she absentmindedly asked, purely out of curiosity.

“What does it taste like?”

The Gumiho’s lips curved into a wide grin before disappearing. Her spirit swirled around in front of Lin, her expression filled with ecstasy.

It’s like an electrifying pleasure wraps around your whole body, your heart races as if it’s going to burst, and a shiver runs through you, flooding your brain like a blazing fire... Haah...

The Gumiho breathed a hot, thick breath into Lin’s ear. Despite knowing the Gumiho couldn’t physically affect her, Lin couldn’t shake the sensation of heat spreading across her skin.

And more than anything, their energy flows through your body. How does that sound? Wouldn’t that feel amazing?

“......”

Lin pondered. The person she felt most bound to by fate was none other than Karamir.

Karamir’s energy flowing through her body...?

The thought made Lin swallow involuntarily, without even realizing it.

“Did you catch the Corrupted Monk?”

Back home, Lin slowly nodded.

It seemed like it had taken her longer than expected, but it turned out she had caught the Corrupted Monk. However, judging by the hole in her sleeve, the battle hadn’t been easy.

“Were you hurt?”

“I let my guard down for a moment. But I’ve already healed, so I’m fine.”

“It’s a relief that you’re unharmed, but didn’t I tell you to return once you found him?”

As with the fight against Ungwi, Karamir had intended to share the strategy for dealing with the Corrupted Monk. Gumiho would surely question how he knew such things, but it was better than letting Lin get hurt.

“Lin?”

“Y-Yeah?”

“What are you thinking about? Are you listening to me?”

Lin’s response was delayed, as if she had been zoning out.

“I’m listening. Sorry. I didn’t follow orders.”

“There’s no need to apologize. You did well and deserve praise. I was just worried.”

Lin might have felt a bit disappointed. After all, she had worked hard to capture the Corrupted Monk and save the city, but all she was getting was a scolding for not following orders.

Feeling bad, Karamir reached out to pat her head, a gesture meant to show he was proud of her. Normally, Lin would wag her tail happily at this, but her reaction was lukewarm this time.

The look in her eyes was unreadable.

That night.

Despite having grown tails and matured into a fully grown woman, Lin slept next to Karamir.

Though she couldn’t climb onto his stomach like she did when she was younger, she made up for it by pressing herself tightly against him.

Because of this, Karamir found sleeping a challenge every night. He even seriously considered seeking out magic to suppress his libido.

In the end, he hadn’t gone that far yet.

When Karamir finally fell asleep, Lin didn’t.

She carefully sat up and began to stare intently at Karamir.