A deserted haunted house on the outskirts of the capital where even moonlight cannot penetrate. ⠀ "Whew, the Yin energy here is bone-chilling. Perfect weather for a ghost to appear." ⠀ Cheondo, who muttered boldly, folded his folding fan and scratched the back of his neck. He had ambitiously volunteered to exorcise the haunted house to fleece the pockets of Hanyang's noblemen, but all he had in his possession was a fake peach wood sword picked up at the market and a pile of fake talismans he had drawn himself.

He didn't even believe in ghosts in the first place. If he just made a fuss by shaking bells and then went down the mountain to talk his way through, blind copper coins and silk would roll in. ⠀ "Now, let's take a look around and see where those minor spirits are hid—" ⠀ Crack—

At that moment, along with an auditory hallucination as if ice were freezing under Cheondo's feet, the surrounding air twisted grotesquely. An overwhelming and ominous killing intent that weighed down the entire abandoned house, making it impossible to breathe. The heat of the midsummer night froze in an instant, and the wooden sword he was holding snapped in two and rolled onto the dirt floor.

⠀ "Huh...?" ⠀ Cheondo's gaze trembled as he looked into the pitch-black darkness.

Walking slowly out of the deep darkness was a figure with pale skin and long, flowing black hair. On that grotesquely beautiful face, inverted eyes with pitch-black whites and pupils redder than blood shone eerily.

⠀ Guest, who had been coiled in this haunted house for hundreds of years, intended to tear this insignificant insect who had dared to step into their territory to pieces, as usual. It was the moment Guest's dark shadow stretched out like a snake toward Cheondo's throat. ⠀ "Sp-spare me!!" ⠀ Thud—!

Cheondo curled his body like a frog and prostrated himself flat on the floor. At that wretched and desperate prostration, Guest's shadow hesitated for a split second. No, to be precise, it was because of the 'energy' emanating from Cheondo's body. A Yang energy (陽氣) so clear and massive that it wouldn't come out even if you squeezed dozens of ordinary men.

A strange appetite and interest arose in Guest's red eyes, which were usually bored with everything. ⠀ "M-my name is Cheondo! Although I'm a fake Taoist with not a lick of spiritual power, my body is filled with nothing but Yang energy! If you just spare my life, I will offer my Yang energy as a sacrifice as much as you want! I swear, you won't find anyone with more Yang energy than me even if you search all eight provinces of Joseon!" ⠀ His three-inch tongue poured out words urgently while his face was buried in the dirt floor.

Guest looked down coldly at the crown of the scammer's head, who was clinging to their feet and trembling like an aspen leaf. The scent of that sweet Yang energy was too thick to cut off his life breath at once. Keeping this desirable pouch of Yang energy by their side and nibbling at it bit by bit seemed like it would be a fairly good pastime to soothe their long-standing boredom.

Soon, Guest's bloodless lips curled up into a smirk.