BXBX NOVEL Chapter 87: The Tiger Who Became a Cat (1)
I was currently massaging Jamsuni’s calf, kneading it gently.
But suddenly, Jamsuni’s leg began wiggling and flailing.
She wanted me to focus on what she was saying.
“You know the saying, ‘opposites attract,’ right?”
“Who do you take me for, an idiot? Of course, I know that.”
“It’s just like that. Opposites do attract. The sun and the moon, the sky and the earth, the presence of a soul and its absence. They seem like polar opposites, but in reality, they’re two sides of the same core essence. By harnessing Yin energy, you draw in the opposing side of your fundamental essence.”
Wait, so if Nayu, the Shaman of the Heavens, learns Yin-Yang reversal, does that mean she could control the earth too? Are you telling me that the person who’s been running around shouting, ‘Nayu’s cute puppy!’ and chasing after Myeong-Myeong is that monstrous?
“This is totally OP.”“It’s not OP at all. It’s all the result of intense training.”
Jamsuni started squirming, trying to sit up.
I quickly asked, “Then, if you train in the opposite of your core essence, does it still count as training?”
“That’s a sharp question. Ahhh.”
Jamsuni stretched, yawning as she spoke.
“The answer is yes. In fact, you can reach higher levels much faster than with regular training.”
Oh? So it’s possible to progress much quicker than with normal training? Now, that’s interesting.
“But it’s just as dangerous. High-level fire attribute users can withstand even lava, but if they train with ice in the dead of winter, they risk freezing to death.”
My interest vanished instantly.
Disappointed, I nodded.
“Got it.”
“What’s with that grim expression?”
Jamsuni kept babbling on, but nothing she said after that really stuck with me.
****
But then, what exactly is my opposite ability?
As soon as I lay down to sleep, the thought popped into my head.
My ability was the nullification of spiritual powers.
And I had the minor inconvenience of being unable to see ghosts.
So, what’s the opposite of my ability?
“?”
I couldn’t quite grasp it.
An ability that lets you see ghosts better than anyone else, maybe?
Or perhaps a body that resonates well with spiritual powers?
But how do you even train a body like that?
“...?”
I don’t know.
I closed my eyes and thought.
When was it that my power grew stronger? It was when I fought Cheonsu and when I faced Nagu, the head of the Heavenly Ordeal Sect.
Ultimately, my core is ghost extermination.
My ability strengthens when fighting psychics.
So, to grow stronger quickly, I’d have to fight anyone with enlightenment—regardless of age or gender...
I remember that chick facing off against Cheonsu.
A young hero guarding the crossroads comes to mind.
“Hoo.”
This is frustrating. I at least want to grow to the point where I can use the Heavenly Demon’s Dominance Technique. Without that, there’s no way I could deal with someone like Joo-cheol.
Without it, I’d just get completely wrecked.
I bet even the esteemed figures of Cheonji have an area-of-effect skill like Joo-cheol’s.
That’s right. I intend to have a showdown with the high-ranking figures of Cheonji to retrieve my runaway younger sister.
The esteemed figures of Cheonji.
They call them Baekdu, don’t they?
The ones who guard the Great Demon Gate.
They prevent anyone from approaching the Great Demon Gate.
They said Harin is beyond the Great Demon Gate.
Joo-cheol mentioned that Celestial Immortals couldn’t get close to the Great Demon Gate.
“The esteemed figures of Cheonji...”
The only Celestial Immortals I knew was Gamlo.
And my relationship with Gamlo was just barely acquaintanceship.
Wait a minute.
The tiger I fought last time, Baek Yoorin, is also a Celestial Immortals, isn’t she? Could it be possible to approach the Great Demon Gate by using Baek Yoorin?
“…!”
I should visit the tiger’s den tomorrow.
****
Deep within the tiger’s den,
a woman, looking somewhat melancholic, clasped her hands together.
Her name was Baek Yoorin.
“Yang is the power of life.”
Baek Yoorin murmured, sitting cross-legged.
Humans, being inherently alive, primarily train in Yang energy. Yang is life itself, and it’s through this energy that they wield spiritual powers.
“Yin is the power of death.”
And Yin is the power of death.
When it meets Yang, it dissipates and vanishes.
Masters who trained in Yin energy used this phenomenon to conceal their abilities and their power levels. This technique was called ‘Yin Transformation.’
Right now, Baek Yoorin was practicing Yin Transformation. To be able to hide her abilities… To mask such a monstrous form…
“This form, even my mother didn’t want to look at…”
With her lips tightly pressed, Baek Yoorin focused on her training.
Extinguish Yang with Yin.
Extinguish Yang with Yin.
Envision herself as something other than a monster.
Imagine herself without a tail.
Extinguish Yang with Yin!!!
“….”
Who knows how long she sweated like that? By the time her training suit was soaked, the fabric clinging to the curves of her chest, waist, and hips, she could feel the results. It was more than mere Yin and Yang energy—a strange, unfamiliar power enveloped her.
“!”
The mighty spirit of the tiger had contracted and shrunk. It felt as though the spirit was retreating inward, like a tiger returning to its den.
“Did I… succeed?”
She tried to stand up.
But her body felt incredibly heavy.
“Huh?”
Her body, which usually required careful restraint to avoid smashing through walls or the ceiling, was now so weighed down that she could walk around just like any ordinary person.
Baek Yoorin picked up a nearby mug.
And she tightened her grip.
Yet, the mug didn’t break.
Her physical strength had returned to how it was before the awakening of her spiritual sight. This Yin Transformation seemed even more successful than the one Gamlo had described.
It was as if her power had completely disappeared.
Thump, thump—
With a racing heart, Baek Yoorin steadied herself and stood in front of the mirror.
She looked at her reflection. In the mirror, a version of herself without fur or a tail grinned back at her.
“I... I did it. I actually did it.”
A tear slipped down Baek Yoorin’s cheek. Forgetting she was drenched in sweat, she grabbed only her coat and hurried outside.
She longed to talk to people.
Since becoming a monster, she had only spoken to other monsters of a similar level. More than anything, she craved an ordinary conversation.
So, she stepped outside and began looking around, hoping to find someone to talk to.
In Seoul, where the population density graph skyrockets, finding people was easy, but for a tiger who hadn’t spoken to an average person in seven years, finding someone to actually talk to was much harder.
She wandered around town, walking awkwardly. No sirens blared, and no one ran away from her.
“Wow.”
People glanced at her now and then, as if keeping a slight distance, but she didn’t mind. She wasn’t a monster anymore. She could blend in.
As Baek Yoorin strolled along the street, she noticed something she hadn’t thought about in ages—a restaurant. She carefully headed toward it. Maybe she could strike up a conversation with someone there.
“Um, hello...”
As Baek Yoorin entered the restaurant, she realized people were staring at her strangely. No, this wasn’t just strange—it was a look of disgust.
Her eyes began to tremble as the scornful gazes poured over her.
‘Why... Why were they looking at me like this?’
“What’s with that disgusting spirit?”
“Ugh, it ruins my appetite. Where’s the patrol squad?”
“They’re on their way, honey.”
Patrol squad? Still shaken, Baek Yoorin only then noticed a group of men approaching her, holding blunt weapons.
“A human turning into an abomination? We’d better deal with it quickly.”
“Ugh, that spirit… It’s terrifying.”
“Don’t chicken out, you idiot. Just look at her; she seems weak as hell.”
It was then that Baek Yoorin understood.
People can’t smell their own scent.
Nor can they see what’s behind them.
The same applied to spirits.
Baek Yoorin had thought her spirit’s appearance was perfectly normal, but to others, she appeared as a small monster from another world.
Her soul was that of a fearsome tiger from a different dimension. Having lived with that power, Baek Yoorin had grown desensitized to the terrifying energy of her spirit.
She didn’t realize how much fear and revulsion it inspired in people.
“S-sorry. I’ll just go…”
Baek Yoorin tried to leave, but the people didn’t stop. Thud—a pipe swung and struck her arm.
“Ow!”
It hurt. A lot.
Baek Yoorin felt fear and stepped back.
Looking around, she saw more people gathering.
Their gazes were icy cold.
“I... I…”
Baek Yoorin was on the verge of tears, but no one saw them—just as no one had noticed the tears of a boy who had once been a demon.
And so, Baek Yoorin ran, with stones being hurled at her back.
“Chase her down!”
“We have to kill that monster before it grows any stronger!”
It hurts. It really hurts.
It’s like the time she fought Kim Sojin.
No… it’s even scarier than that.
Baek Yoorin ran towards the Cheonji Division’s branch near the tiger’s den. She was a Baekdu of Cheonji; with their power, she could escape these terrifying people.
She finally reached the hidden branch of Cheonji, but the guardian, Banseon, standing at the gate, simply said:
“What? You claim to be Lady Baek Yoorin? What a joke.”
“How dare you impersonate a Baekdu. A disgusting act from someone with such a disgusting spirit. You should be grateful Lady Baek Yoorin isn’t here to shed blood.”
What… what?
I am Baek Yoorin.
Is it just because my spirit changed a little that they don’t recognize me?
Baek Yoorin felt a mix of injustice, frustration, sadness, and fear.
Even Jiseon, her loyal follower, looked at her from a window with a face twisted in contempt. No one recognized her.
“Get lost,” Banseon said, raising his hand.
And from behind, the patrol squad was closing in.
“I… I am Baek Yoorin…” she whimpered, reduced to a frightened girl.
****
When I arrived at the tiger’s den, people were all rushing toward one place. Stepping off my scooter, I asked a nearby bystander:
“What’s going on? A festival?”
“No, it’s a funeral—a monster’s funeral.”
A monster’s funeral? I hated hearing that phrase. It always meant one thing: a witch hunt was in full swing.
Come to think of it, it’s been ages since the last witch hunt.
People with spirits categorized as “monstrous” either died in witch hunts or leveled up enough to become true monsters and escape persecution.
So, there hadn’t been a witch hunt in a while.
“When will this primitive custom finally disappear?”
I quietly climbed up a nearby signpost.
If I’m not too late, I’ll try to stop them. With Baek Yoorin’s power, I should be able to scatter a crowd like this easily.
From my elevated view, I scanned the area to locate the center of the mob. Who was the target of this witch hunt?
In the middle of it all was Baek Yoorin.
Baek Yoorin stood there, bleeding from her forehead, trembling in fear.
Why is Baek Yoorin there?
“?”
No way—my Cheonji connection!
And with that realization, I dashed forward.
– – – The End of The Chapter – – –
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