What is “Dog-Curse Blocking Technique”?

"Dog-Curse Blocking Technique"
The ultimate technique of Dog-Curse’s divine beast, Gomo-do, who has mastered the Blocking Technique.
Can freely wield two massive spears.
Even if energy is exhausted, it will not stop breathing.

Hmm…

I stared at the status window.

Blocking Technique, huh? It sounds like an ordinary technique…

But after reading the description, it didn’t seem like it was limited to just that.

The vague wording makes it a little suspicious, but it’s a technique that doesn’t hurt to have.

The ability to wield spears doesn’t matter to me much.

What matters is the part that follows.

The line that says, "Even if energy is exhausted, breathing won’t stop" can be interpreted in many ways.

For example, it means I could still move even if my MP runs out, or I can survive even when exhausted.

I doubt such a situation will arise, but it’s good to have such a safeguard in place.

Like how I don’t have to worry about poison due to Heavenly Poison Immunity, and I can deceive poison-using enemies, I can probably use this technique for deception as well.

...Though calling the Blocking Technique a form of deception feels a bit wrong, but when survival is at stake, what wouldn’t I do?

If only something like Yorae Shinjang had come out, that would have been a jackpot.

Baek Bo Shin Gwon could also be used to apply a blade-like force with a swing if used well.

It’s a bit disappointing, but I’ll take what’s given.

Next time, give me something better.

...Wait.

I didn’t hear that low crooning sound this time.

Not that I wanted to hear it, but…

"Grand Master... Are you alright?"

Bak Gi-Gae, showing respect, spoke humbly.

Not long ago, he had spoken in a slightly formal tone, but now he had become as gentle as a lamb.

"To think you’d be this enraged..."

Huh?

Did I act that way?

"Gegekk."

You’ll understand one day how I feel.

It’s like thinking I was about to have a fish snack, only to find out it was chicken instead.

I thought I had received Yorae Shinjang, but then some strange martial art popped up instead...

"So, that’s it? Alright, I understand."

You get it?

Do you understand about the fish snack?

"But you were speaking so fluently earlier. Why is it now...?"
"Of course, it’s not that we can’t communicate, but may I ask why you’re...?"

"Gegekk."

Well, obviously…

...Wait?

Now that I think about it, I was speaking smoothly earlier.

But now, I’m just croaking.

Is there some condition that comes with speaking?

Let me think of the common situations when I could speak.

When fighting the Red Dragon.

And when fighting the Iron-Head Dragon.

The Red Dragon had harmed Baek Rang, and the Iron-Head Dragon had tarnished my master’s Heavenly Demon Cult.

...Could it be that I can only speak when I'm angry?

No, it doesn’t seem like that's the case.

Otherwise, every time I saw Tang So-Yeong's chest, words would have spilled out.

"Gegekk."

"Well, I can hear you fine. Ah, is it related to that form I briefly saw...?"

Why are you suddenly like this?

I can’t adjust to this way of speaking.

...Or maybe this is the normal way?

Is it abnormal for followers to treat me like an object or something to be underestimated?

By the way, about the form I briefly saw...

"It was temporary, but... I definitely saw a human form in Grand Master’s body."

I could feel his focus as his internal energy converged.

I had a feeling he was sneaking a look at me, but that’s what he was doing.

It might be similar to my wild sight principle.

"White hair and blue eyes. If Grand Master were to turn human, I thought it might look like that."

I had thought he had seen my past life, but that wasn’t it.

White hair and blue eyes—doesn’t that belong to the Blue Dragon?

Perhaps he saw the possibility of my transformation into a human, like a mirror of potential.

"The strange feeling of two voices overlapping... It’s a shame I can't confirm it now without the Fox Bead."

I’ll have to experiment with it later.

"...I’m sure it was around here somewhere?"

The Iron-Head Dragon looked around the ground.

It seemed he was searching for the violet orb he had dropped earlier.

"Geck..."

He whistled.

It’s not like I hid it between my right front paws.

"...So, you took it, Grand Master."

Wait, didn’t he say he couldn’t use that strange power anymore?

How did he know?

"Of course, Grand Master should take it. I’m satisfied that I didn’t have to cut open my belly to get the inner core. And you’ve even granted me Bingjo’s inner core."

He’s speaking in such a savage way.

Why would I need to cut my belly open?

I guess he’s learned good social skills from living in Shaolin all this time.

"But to explain... this item is called the Fox Bead."

The Fox Bead.

It already sounds like something valuable.

"It’s a powerful item that corresponds to the Dragon’s Pearl."

The Dragon’s Pearl?

"Geck!"

Wait a minute.

I’m a middle-tier Dragon, aren’t I?

The middle-tier Dragon’s hand holds the Dragon’s Pearl?

"Gegegegeck..."

So, living virtuously brings rewards, huh?

Now I’m truly becoming a dragon.

"...Of course, it’s not exactly the same as the Dragon’s Pearl. A fox who has trained for 100 years can likely create a Fox Bead."

"Geck."

Well, that’s interesting.

Isn’t 100 years quite a lot?

"The Dragon’s Pearl is far beyond that... Even so, these two are considered equivalent because of a fox that trained for a thousand years."

A thousand years!

I suppose if it trained for that long, it could rival a dragon.

"The fact that the Fox Bead is circulating means its owner is dead. A thousand-year-old fox’s Fox Bead is as rare as plucking stars from the sky."

Hmm...

The violet orb trembled for a moment.

This Fox Bead seems like just an ordinary artifact.

It was a Fox Bead that had fallen from its owner and into Bak Gi-Gae’s hands.

"...It was given to me by someone with the surname Nam Gung. Now that I think about it, it’s quite strange. Even the weakest Fox Bead must have trained for at least 100 years... How did he..."

Nam Gung-Yeon’s name appeared again.

What kind of person is he, for his name to keep popping up?

Let me sort things out.

The Fox Bead in front of me was swallowed by Bak Gi-Gae.

It was probably a Fox Bead from a fox that trained for just over 100 years.

And then it was acquired by this Nam Gung-Yeon person and handed over to Bak Gi-Gae.

I had a general idea of the power of this orb.

The Iron-Head Dragon’s level was 132.

After I defeated him, he spit out the Fox Bead and dropped to level 95.

A drop of about 40 levels.

And this wasn’t just any beast, but a spiritual being.

If I could claim this orb as my own, my strength would increase exponentially.

"...It’s best for Grand Master to take it."

Since I was just silently watching, he said that.

Yeah.

I’ll take it.

But... something about it feels off.

Is it because it went into the Iron-Head Dragon’s stomach and then came out?

Or is it because it’s an artifact that lost its owner?

Hmm...

I wonder if it’s because it’s trembling slightly.

...Wait?

"What’s this!"

The Fox Bead trembled, then leapt into the air.

"The Fox Bead... is moving?"

The Iron-Head Dragon seemed surprised by this, so it didn’t seem like a normal occurrence.

"Grand Master... watch out!"

Could it be that it’s about to cause some danger?

I moved quickly, but it seemed too late.

The Fox Bead shot straight for my neck and rubbed against it.

"Geck?"

What is this?

At some point, the Iron-Head Dragon had dug into the ground and was just peeking his head out.

"...Hmm, this is interesting. It’s acting like a child meeting its parents."

Acting like a child meeting its parents.

That description fit perfectly.

It was similar to the behavior of the mice or spiders I hadn’t seen in a long time.

...But why is it doing this to me?

"If it’s not thinking about breaking my throat with the friction from rubbing against me, then it’s really..."

Yeah.

Wait?

I glanced at the Fox Bead.

From what the Iron-Head Dragon said, it seemed like the Fox Bead was trying to do something to me with that friction.

"Gegekk!"

I jumped back in surprise.

Of course, nothing would happen with just one orb, but after hearing that, I couldn’t stay still.

Wooooo...

The orb soared into the air and began to spin wildly.

"Gegekkgekk."

What is this?

I’m not sure, but it looks like it’s angry.

Woooooo...

"This... these restless souls...!"

Restless souls?

Yes, the restless souls of the monks the Iron-Head Dragon killed would be here.

The Taoist and Dojeong had only made temporary measures, but that was just a temporary fix.

Now, those souls began to react to the Fox Bead and moved like crazy.

Although I couldn’t see them, my middle-tier Dragon senses could feel the flow of power.

This is dangerous.

The souls screamed in unison.

Not only the souls of the humans who died now, but also those of other spiritual beings.

If I didn’t deal with the Fox Bead right now, something terrible was going to happen.

Just as I was about to respond...

Thud.

The cries of the restless souls stopped.

The falling snow froze in the air.

The Fox Bead stopped moving, and even the Iron-Head Dragon, who had been preparing to act, froze.

It was as if time had stopped.

Even I couldn’t move.

"Ho."

A voice echoed.

"I felt the energy of the Fox Bead, so I came by."

It was a voice filled with exhaustion.

"It may look like a dragon, but there’s another presence here."

Though my movements were not completely halted, I could still hear the voice.

That in itself was proof.

Creeeeek...

I struggled to move.

"This is interesting."

My whole body shivered, but I was slowly starting to move again.

"You moved even though I didn’t allow it?"

The mysterious being spoke with an amused tone.

Despite the weariness in the voice, I could sense a hint of curiosity.

Creeeeek...

I managed to turn my head just slightly.

A woman with golden hair was smoking a pipe.

Fox ears above her head.

And countless tails behind her.

I instinctively knew who this was.

The ancient being with nine tails that Baek Rang had once mentioned.

[Heavenly Beast LV???]

"Tail-bearing ancient death. I find you intriguing."

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

The Iron-Head Dragon, the Red Dragon, even the Snake Queen.

No matter how powerful a spiritual being was, with my current eyes, I could measure their level.

But this woman... was different.

This overwhelming power.

And the vast internal energy I couldn’t take my eyes off of.

"Ge-rol-rol-rol..."

Wow, this is huge.