The Footprints You Left Behind (7)
“Ah, I see. That was the item my great-granddaughter-in-law brought when she married into my line.”
Wol-ryang spoke with me outside the tent. “My great-granddaughter-in-law was from Byeokra Kingdom, while my great-grandson belonged to the grassland tribes… and when she bore my grandson, she gifted him a lucky amulet.”
“Hearing that….”
The world truly was narrow. Meeting such connections in this place…
“My great-granddaughter-in-law wished for her friend’s child to marry my grandson, but my grandson arranged a suitable match for the young one. He never tied himself to that promise and simply married as he chose.”
I listened in silence as he spoke. “Then, after my grandson married and his wife and I lived happily… Won Rip, that bastard… attacked the boy’s tribe one day.”
CRACK… CRACK…
Wol-ryang ground his teeth. His resolve burned crimson. “Everyone died. My grandson vanished, leaving only his lower body behind, even the amulet he carried from his mother….”
“….”
“I… I will reclaim my grandson’s upper body from that monster!”
‘Upper body… I suppose fate had its own design. Buk Hyang-hwa gave him her lower half, so the man destined to be her partner was devoured by Won Rip’s upper body.’
I stood beside the old man, watching him clench his jaw, and thought: ‘Why must the tyranny of the powerful always bring despair and pain to others?’
We both had been. We had all suffered the most vicious torment at Won Rip’s hands and lost what mattered most. I wondered: ‘Did he even possess anything worth keeping?’
Only time would tell. Could a man with something precious simply snatch another’s treasure without the slightest hesitation?
I fell into deep thought, while Wol-ryang beside me only cursed Won Rip endlessly. And before long, Core Formation cultivators from every corner of the continent gathered. The grand conference began.
* * *
Inside the tent, a spatial expansion spell had been cast. Roughly two hundred Core Formation cultivators were present. Those who could not reach us in time—minor clans, reclusive mountain sects, or isolated forces—had also gathered today, bringing the count past the previous total by about fifty. Two hundred Core Formation warriors. This was the last fighting force left in the world. “Then, we shall hold the council to wage war against the Blood Wood Daoist Won Rip, the monster who triggered the Dabcheon Desert Massacre.”
Cheongmun Jung-jin rose from his seat and addressed the hall. After countless hours of debate, the assembled Core Formation cultivators had concluded that Jung-jin was the most suitable leader for this coalition. His descendant status to Changhoja clearly carried heavy weight. The meeting commenced. Various factions offered strategies against Won Rip. Cheongmun Jung-jin listened, weighed every opinion, and organized them all. When no further suggestions came, he spoke. “Then, at last, I will present the plan decided upon by the Cheongmun Clan.”
Moments later, his words turned to the floating castle Bongmyeong Castle and the one-level lower cultivation array it contained. “We propose pulling down the Foundation Establishment cultivators’ stage to the Core Formation level inside the castle.”
“That is correct. We also examined the treasures within. Most belong to the Heavenly Person realm and were already taken by the previous owners, but….”
He continued. “We found several one-use items inside: a few immortal wines equivalent to Divine Wines, talismans corresponding to Divine Talismans, and various miscellaneous magical treasures.”
“Miscellaneous treasures….”
“Things like the Bear Fist that aids spirit infusion to demons, tougher nocturnal formation techniques, needles that mend torn clothes, and chopsticks that aid digestion of food. Rather vague tools, you might say.”
A wave of disappointment washed over the expectant Core Formation cultivators. “Wines and talismans are indeed ancient treasures with use, but they are one-time only, are they not?”
“Precisely. Upon inspection, only a handful of wines that grant temporary power boosts and a few talismans granting unique abilities remain. No repeatable effects.”
“One-use….”
“Then they are useless.”
“Still, they have value….”
It was then that the head of the Byeokra Clan, Byeokcheon-gi, spoke with eyes blazing. “Talismans? Divine Talismans?”
“Yes.”
“Have you… verified what kind of talismans those remaining ones are?”
“Not yet in detail.”
Byeokcheon-gi grinned. From his robes he drew two glowing sheets. “When the last Bongmyeong Castle opened, our Byeokra Clan also obtained several treasures from it. One of them is this.”
“Th-that is…!?”
WHOOSH!
Two sheets of Divine Talismans filled with sacred light emerged. “Cheonseongbu. A talisman that can replicate a Heavenly Person’s single strike once. Bongcheonbu. A talisman that can envelop the body in Heavenly Person-level defense for a short time. These two were obtained during the last Castle journey.”
“H-Heavenly Person…!”
“Exactly. Using Cheonseongbu, we can turn that monster into mincemeat with a single hit if it lands.”
He turned to Cheongmun Jung-jin. “Heavenly Person seniors already possess that level of defense and offense, so they would have no need, but the remaining talismans in Bongmyeong Castle must include Bongcheonbu as well. And….”
Byeokcheon-gi smiled slyly. “As you said—drop Won Rip into the castle, lower his cultivation one stage, wrap him in Bongcheonbu, then strike with Cheonseongbu…”
Hope flashed across Cheongmun Jung-jin’s and the others’ faces. Even I felt my spirits lift for the first time in ages at the thought of finally killing the monster. “We can capture him.”
“Heh, I was prepared to suggest another method, but this will do.”
“Hmm?”
Cheongmun Jung-jin pointed at me. “Lord Seo, you are unaffected by the formation even when the castle’s formation activates. That allows you to maintain Core Formation power continuously and engage the lowered Won Rip one-on-one.”
“Hah….”
Byeokcheon-gi stared at me in astonishment, and the faces of the cultivators inside the hall showed a mix of emotions. “Then, let our Byeokra Clan and that young one take the lead to pin down the monster, while the rest of the cultivators provide support from behind.”
“Hold on. Our Eastern region also possesses a superb decisive technique that can even handle Foundation Establishment cultivators.”
“Our Northern grassland tribes possess an honorable formation that can suppress one stage higher.”
Core Formation cultivators were indeed terrifying, yet after centuries of survival they had amassed far more resources—formation treasures, spiritual stones, pills—than their Core Formation counterparts. Because of this, the gathered Core Formation cultivators were already heads-deep in planning how to divide the spoils. Of course, I had no interest in their ugly scramble for loot. “Leaving aside the Bongmyeong Castle plan, every other suggestion…”
“Won’t work. After two hundred years, Won Rip will still be alive and well. Especially those Heavenly Person-level Cheonseongbu and Bongcheonbu.”
‘Why did such terrifying talismans exist, yet in my previous life Won Rip lived so comfortably?’
Of course, the Bongmyeong Castle plan had introduced a variable this time. Perhaps it was enough. ‘But even that won’t suffice. We must kill him. We must. If we don’t tear him apart in this life, we can never soothe the souls of those who died this time.’
After the conference ended and the cultivators began to chatter, I approached Cheongmun Jung-jin and quietly added one more plan. “I ask that this plan be kept strictly between us. Only I will execute it.”
“What… no, is that true?”
“It is. Even a Core Formation cultivator would still find use in this.”
“Hmm… of course. No matter how strong a Core Formation cultivator is, this is no small power.”
I nodded. Besides simply sealing the monster in Bongmyeong Castle, several other plans were necessary to ensure his certain death.
* * *
The first conference concluded successfully. In truth, nearly every plan moving forward had been decided here, and we simply had to follow them from now on. I moved with the others and, using the Seopmyeong Ship, led several formation masters and talisman refiners into Bongmyeong Castle to begin the task of collecting every last treasure inside.
KIIIIING!
The castle’s formations were unlocked by the talisman refiners, and the treasures within began to spill out. “Hmm… miscellaneous treasures? There’s nothing useful here. Mostly ornamental or decorative items.”
“Wines and talismans would be far more valuable.”
Some Core Formation cultivators alongside me clicked their tongues at the useless treasures. All were strange formation treasures or magical artifacts with no practical use, so none rushed to claim them. Only the Byeokra Clan, who bred demons, eyed the Bear Fist with a flicker of interest. That was all. “Then let’s open the formations for the wines and talismans as well.”
Together with the Core Formation cultivators, formation masters, and talisman refiners, I succeeded in retrieving the talismans and wines from the castle’s storehouse. Among the talismans were two Cheonseongbu that granted Heavenly Person-level defense, one Hongjobu that trapped enemies in formation mazes, and one Byanyobu capable of turning the user into a demon for a moment. Several other ordinary talismans existed as well, but they were mass-produced and of little use. “The wines are quite numerous. Talismans have more use, but wines take up space and offer only one-time effects, so fewer were taken….”
The talisman refiners and formation masters brought by the Core Formation cultivators explained the wines according to their categories. The wines fell into three types. Those that strengthened the body temporarily—regeneration, speed, defense, strength—such as Yeollungju, Cheonsimsu, Wolryeongju, and Halseonju. Others that enhanced the connection between the body and inner formation treasures, strengthened the treasures themselves, or improved the ability to wield them, such as Mollyeonseom, Jinwolru, Baekhongju, Seonyeokok, and Jinraju. Finally, simple ones that brought joy upon drinking or cleared the mind and purified qi through scent alone: Hongmaesu, Jeonsimju, Jarakhya, and Jasaekgyuju. Cheongmun Jung-jin looked at the wines and said, “These immortal wines will be distributed before the final battle to amplify our power.”
He glanced at me and Byeokcheon-gi. “Especially Lord Seo and Lord Byeok, along with the Lord of the Ten Thousand Li Minrab from the East. The three of you will face the monster head-on, so you will receive the greatest variety of wines and talismans.”
“Understood.”
“Among them, Lord Seo and the Lord of the Ten Thousand Li Minrab will handle the monster’s legs in the early stages, so they shall receive the most wines and talismans. Remember that.”
The Lord of the Ten Thousand Li Minrab bowed his head in thanks to Cheongmun Jung-jin, and I nodded flatly. With that, we had planned to distribute every remaining treasure, wine, and talisman inside Bongmyeong Castle. The plans against Won Rip were nearly complete, and every clan, tribe, and nation was exerting every resource to nurture new Core Formation cultivators. All that remained was time. ‘During these remaining years, I must cultivate.’ Two hundred years remained. Inside that time, I would reach the Foundation Establishment realm through the perfect Eumhon Gwijumun. ‘No, even with the current Eumhon Gwijumun….’ I would still have a long way to go before Foundation Establishment. ‘Then what is left… the training ground?’
After a moment of thought, I decided to train there. And time passed. Two hundred years had now elapsed.
* * *
WHOOSH—
In the mountainous region of Seongje Empire, three lines of dull light rose from the peak. Three Core Formation cultivators using Dunhuangjutsu. “So, Young Master Byeok, the cultivator we are to meet is currently training in his ant cave?”
“That is correct. Apparently he has mastered a curse-based martial technique, so we must be careful not to be startled by its gloomy aura.”
“Aigoo, that gives me the creeps. Practicing a curse technique inside an ant cave.”
“Watch your tongue. Didn’t the Clan Lord and the elders say this man is one of the keys to hunting that monster?”
“Tch, I respect the Clan Lord’s authority, but we’re Core Formation cultivators now. Why do we still have to listen to the opinions of those old relics? Young Master Byeok, before we reach the city, how about we take a little sightseeing tour…?”
Byeokmunseong of the Byeokra Clan frowned. The two beautiful Core Formation cultivators chattering beside him kept trying to flirt with him, but he paid them no mind. ‘They are utterly idiotic. By claiming to hunt a Core Formation monster, they forced our clans to provide support that previously could not exist. That is why we even reached the Core Formation stage, yet they disregard the elders who reached it through pure skill, not borrowed power.’
Byeokmunseong knew his place. Even he would have needed to burn through his entire three-hundred-year lifespan granted at Foundation Establishment just to reach the Core Formation stage. ‘No matter how hard I search, I will never find another person as pure and virtuous as her.’
Byeokmunseong offered a bitter smile and flew toward Seongje’s mountainous village with the two cultivators. Paaat!
When the three streaks of dull light hovered above the village, the people emerged from their houses, murmuring. Byeokmunseong looked down at them and asked, “Is there a large ant cave in this area? Where is it located?”
A village elder, probably the headman, knelt politely before Byeokmunseong and replied, “I don’t know the exact location of the ant cave, but beyond that peak there is a dark cave. Two hundred years ago, a legend said that a demon ant once lived there….”
“Thank you.”
Byeokmunseong did not wait to hear more and flew in the direction indicated by the elder. On the other side of the peak lay a massive cave carved into the side of a steep mountain, and from inside it poured streams of pitch-black darkness. ‘Curse techniques….’
The gloomy aura made Byeokmunseong swallow hard. ‘Every single wisp of darkness seeping out from there is a curse technique….’
The two women following behind him also discovered the cave in the middle of the mountain. “That must be the mad….”
“Shh! What are you doing? If we attract a curse, we’re dead.”
“Oops, my mind….”
Byeokmunseong shot a glance at the two chattering behind him, descended before the cave, and bowed respectfully. “It has been a long time, Lord Seo. The time for that monster to be freed is almost here.”
A flash of killing intent crossed Byeokmunseong’s eyes. “It is time to exact my revenge. Step aside.”
KUGUGUGU!
From inside the cave, the darkness began to crawl out slowly.