The Hundred Ways
I dusted the dirt from my clothes, then turned to look behind me.
Whishhhhh...
Dust rose from the ground I had just pierced through.
Crack!
I moved my Invisible Sword to cover the dirt a little more.
The cave had been hastily filled, but I hadn’t touched the main formations, so the sudden collapse of Seogyeong-seong was out of the question.
The Makri Family was gone.
By wiping out most of the Foundation Establishment elders, the Core Formation seniors, and the patriarch in the main family, the remaining Makri Family members in the territories would slowly wither away under the Jin Family.
I gazed at the low tables packed with loot I had gathered from the Makri Family.
Among everything in the Makri Family, I had taken every spiritual stone except the Danak Sword Art.
With this...
The problems in the Yeon Kingdom were all solved.
“Then… what now?”
I shifted my gaze south.
“I should go meet Song Jin and Seo Ran.”
Whoosh!
A pitch-black sea stretched before me.
I flew over the ocean, reaching Seo Ran’s residence in the Yeon Kingdom in just one day.
Splash!
I opened a path through the water with my Invisible Sword and descended straight to his underwater cave.
When I arrived right in front of the cave where he lived, he popped his head out urgently.
Whoosh!
I spoke to Seo Ran in the Yojok language.
“You are Seo Ran?”
He sensed the pressure from my Invisible Sword and asked cautiously, “Yes, that’s right. Senior… are you a Yojok?”
“Just an unusual human. And…”
Probably because in this life’s early stages there had been no major changes, he would have already received the Wave-Breaking Pearl from Seo Hyoel as planned.
“What should I explain…”
I hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“I came to find you on the orders of the Sea Dragon Clan elder, Jeon Hwang.”
“You know Elder Jeon?”
Scooping his eyes wide, Seo Ran asked.
I nodded.
“You would have received the Wave-Breaking Pearl from Seo Hyoel and the order to detonate the Seopmyeong Ship. Isn’t that so?”
“…Y-yes.”
“First, hand over the Wave-Breaking Pearl.”
“Huh? Uh, here it is.”
Suspiciously, Seo Ran handed me the Wave-Breaking Pearl.
I accepted it and told him.
“You couldn’t break the Black Ghost Valley’s formations sealing the Seopmyeong Ship, so you couldn’t enter, right? Come with me. I’ll break the formations for you.”
“G-grateful…”
Scooping his head in thanks, Seo Ran looked at me and said, “Since I already know you are half-human half-dragon, you can change into your true form if you wish.”
“…! Elder Jeon… did he actually say that?”
“I just said it. Now follow me. Let’s go to the Seopmyeong Ship.”
“…Yes.”
Suspiciously, Seo Ran followed me toward the Seopmyeong Ship.
We arrived in the waters where the ghost ship was located.
An invisible formation stood before us.
Crossing it would lead into the ghosts’ territory.
“Senior, this formation first…”
“Enough. Stay there.”
I pushed Seo Ran back and raised my hand.
Danak Sword Art, Issan!
Cutting downward.
That was all I did.
And.
Whoosh!
The void split, and the formation was sliced away.
Then, on the other side, the countless ghosts formed into a Ghost Mother split cleanly in half, creating a path.
Crack…
Scooping his mouth open, I dragged the dazed Seo Ran and rushed toward the center of the Seopmyeong Ship’s formation.
At the center of the formation, the final solid formation remained.
But.
Boom!
Kwang!
My Invisible Sword pierced it, and this time the formation exploded in a single blow.
“H-heh…! Even at Core Formation level it would take ages to break… I’m looking at something that should be impossible…”
Seo Ran stared in daze before me, his eyes filled with terror.
Given his suspicious nature and the fact that he possessed Nascent Soul-level power, it was only natural.
“Hurry. There’s someone I need to meet.”
“Someone to… meet?”
“Do you really think that even though Black Ghost Valley is ruined, they would leave no one guarding the proud Seopmyeong Ship?”
I led Seo Ran straight down to the lowest level of the Seopmyeong Ship.
And there, I found Song Jin watching me with tense eyes.
[Who are you…]
Song Jin condensed his qi as if he already knew I had shattered the formation in one blow.
I told Seo Ran behind me.
“Bow to him. This is Song Jin-senpai, the Heavenly Being ghost remnant who guarded this Seopmyeong Ship after being killed by Goe-gun Jo Yeon.”
“U-um, hello…”
[You… don’t tell me…]
Scooping his lips tight, Seo Ran bowed to Song Jin as instructed.
[Is this the child of that old man? Why have you come here?]
At those words, Seo Ran pressed his lips together.
“I came to find the memento of my mother.”
[Her mother’s memento?]
Flame!
Dark flames flared from Song Jin’s eyes.
But he seemed to be checking my reaction and softened his voice without showing anger.
[Of everything left here, every single one is the treasure of this old man’s sect. I cannot give it to an outsider like you.]
I raised my Invisible Sword and said, “You wouldn’t mind giving me a chance to find it, would you, senpai?”
Dark flames surged fiercely in Song Jin’s eyes at my Invisible Sword.
Though furious, he realized he had no way to resist when I, who looked like a Nascent Soul expert, drew my sword in threat.
[How did you manage to sneak in during this raid? What kind of monster dares to come and go freely in the king’s territory…? Damn it…]
He clenched his teeth and spat angrily.
[Half a day. I’ll give you half a day. Within that time, find your mother’s room and search for the memento there. If you haven’t left by then, I’ll burn my ghost soul and show you the wrath of a Heavenly Being…!]
“I understand. Thank you.”
Scooping a bow, Seo Ran knelt before Song Jin, and I nodded.
And a while later.
Scooping his guide, Seo Ran arrived at the room of his mother.
[You…!]
Song Jin glared as if furious, but he stayed silent and watched us calmly.
A while later, Seo Ran found the jade tablets left by his mother and began to read them slowly.
Song Jin also sneaked in and started reading the jade tablets with him.
I stepped out of the room for a moment.
A while later, I heard conversation between Song Jin and Seo Ran inside the room.
I stepped out of the Seopmyeong Ship and slowly gazed at the sky.
Three days had passed.
[You… what is your scheme?]
Song Jin came to find me, who was quietly waiting on the deck, and asked.
[Why did you bring that child to me? Without demanding any price, you sided with him?]
I remained silent for a moment and gave a half-excuse.
“I received the order from Elder Jeon of the Sea Dragon Clan.”
[Elder Jeon…? I see. The chief astronomer of the Sea Dragon Clan. Hmph…]
“Then why are you asking?”
[…I decided to take him as my disciple.]
Once again, the master-disciple bond between Song Jin and Seo Ran continued.
Seo Ran and Song Jin bowed to me on the deck of the Seopmyeong Ship.
[Though I don’t like it, I must thank you for bringing him here.]
“I am truly grateful. Whenever you wish, I will grant you anything you ask for.”
[Even though I have a disciple like that, I cannot live only with my bare hands. Same for me.]
“Then…”
I looked at Song Jin and said.
“First, allow me to use the Seopmyeong Ship.”
[Huh…?]
Koong!
I placed the pile of spiritual stones I had taken from the main family of the Makri Family in front of him.
“This should be more than enough to lift the Seopmyeong Ship, right?”
There was no way.
I had taken every spiritual stone from the Makri Family.
[Ugh…!]
Song Jin’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the spiritual stones.
[Enough and overflowing. Fine. Where do you want to go?]
“First… to the Sea Dragon Palace of the Sea Dragon Clan.”
I moved together with them toward the Sea Dragon Palace.
Whoosh!
With the Ghost Mother, the Seopmyeong Ship crossed space.
We arrived right where the Sea Dragon Palace stood.
“Can the Seopmyeong Ship’s main cannon pierce the seal on the Sea Dragon Palace?”
[Impossible. All the main cannons remaining on the Seopmyeong Ship are broken.]
“I see…”
I clicked my tongue at the memory of the cannon that had been fired by the Thousand-Li Iron Net.
“Then I have no choice but to use my power.”
I stepped down from the Seopmyeong Ship, endured the water pressure, and swung my Invisible Sword.
The place where Seo Ran had set up the formation in my previous life.
If I pierced the weakest point of Seo Hyoel’s seal, it would work.
Koong!
The Invisible Sword pierced the inside of the seal.
From the weakest golden formation, it began to crush.
The golden formations grew thinner, and after a while.
Paaang!
A small hole appeared on one side of the seal as if nothing had happened.
“Seo Dowan, follow me. And if possible, please follow senpai Song Jin as well.”
[How can I trust you when you dug a trap here?]
Song Jin glared at me suspiciously, and I sighed and said.
“I swear on the Seopmyeong Ship. I solemnly swear I did not place any traps here.”
[Hmph… I understand.]
Song Jin formed a seal and pulled his ghost qi into himself.
Whishhhhh!
Song Jin leaped down with his ghost qi attached to the Seopmyeong Ship, and Seo Ran and I entered the Sea Dragon Palace.
[I’ve never seen the Sea Dragon Palace since receiving the invitation from the Sea Dragon King.]
“Me neither. It’s been a long time.”
We headed toward the inner palace of the Sea Dragon Palace.
[By the way, why did you call me here?]
“Come. I have something to show you.”
I led them to the palace where Jeon Hwang had died.
Whoosh!
And when I entered the palace.
“Hah!”
A sticky curse flew toward Seo Ran and stuck to him.
When Song Jin flinched and tried to peel the curse off Seo Ran.
Passsss…
The curse stuck to Seo Ran melted away as is.
Probably because he had heard Jeon Hwang’s voice, Seo Ran’s eyes trembled.
“E-elder Jeon…? I-I need to check the jade tablet…!”
I calmly stepped forward and picked up the jade tablet.
There, I found a familiar book.
I pulled the book toward me with my Invisible Sword and set the jade tablet down.
Then I handed the book to Song Jin.
“Please check if there is any problem with it.”
[If there is a problem… this is just…]
At that moment.
[What…! Damn it, we’ve met eyes!]
Song Jin, who had been reading the book, flinched.
And.
Twitch, twitch…
Even though he hadn’t finished reading the book, the book left behind by Seo Hyoel suddenly twitched madly.
Whoosh!
A Ghost Mother extended from Song Jin’s hand covered the book, and he said urgently.
[Damn it, I’ve set a seal for a moment. Let’s get to the Seopmyeong Ship quickly!]
Crash!
I grabbed Song Jin’s shoulder and returned with him and the Invisible Sword to the Seopmyeong Ship.
And when I finally arrived at the Seopmyeong Ship.
Paahaaat!
The Ghost Mother could not endure and finally exploded.
And a blue beam burst from inside the book.
The consciousness of Sea Dragon King Seo Hyoel!
And the consciousness of Seo Hyoel began to recite the words I had heard in my previous life.
When Seo Ran’s eyes widened, Song Jin formed a seal and shouted.
[Devour it! Seopmyeong Ship!]
At the same time.
Kiyaaaa—
From the deck of the Seopmyeong Ship, ghost qi surged out and began to tightly bind Seo Hyoel’s remnant.
And Seo Hyoel’s remnant was sucked straight into the Seopmyeong Ship.
Whishhhhh…
Thus, Seo Hyoel’s remnant disappeared.
[This is the consciousness left by the Sea Dragon King. Why did he leave this behind?]
Song Jin looked puzzled, and Seo Ran trembled with shock from Seo Hyoel’s words.
I picked up the book and handed it to Seo Ran.
“Inside here is Elder Jeon Hwang’s diary. There are no more schemes left by Seo Hyoel. Please read it slowly once.”
“…I understand.”
Scooping as if afraid to know the truth, Seo Ran hesitated for a moment but then accepted the book with trembling hands and began to read.
A while later.
Dok, dok dok…
Scooping tears from his eyes, Seo Ran began to cry.
“My king… my king… everything he showed me… was a lie…?”
Shocked, Seo Ran stared at the book for a long time and cried.
After a few hours.
“You have calmed down somewhat, Seo Dowan?”
“…”
“Before writing the last part of the diary, Elder Jeon Hwang asked me to guide you well. I have guided you here by inheriting his will. Now, I expect you to make your own judgments well.”
Scooping his teeth, Seo Ran nodded.
“…I understand. Thank you.”
He had an expression as if he had made a resolve.
Song Jin, who had been watching us, said to me.
[I will not count the Seopmyeong Ship as an offering. Because of this, my disciple has learned the Sea Dragon King’s schemes, and I will also acquire the countless treasures left in the Sea Dragon Palace.]
“Thank you. Then, may I board the Seopmyeong Ship and visit a few more places?”
[Hmm…?]
Late evening.
The heat of the desert had cooled, and night was approaching.
Whoosh!
The Seopmyeong Ship appeared in the middle of the desert.
In the distance, I saw a pitch-black castle.
“Senior Song Jin, do you feel a massive amount of ancestral souls sleeping beneath that castle?”
[Hah… it is huge.]
“Can you use these to break the formations covering that pitch-black castle?”
At my words, Song Jin nodded.
[What… fine.]
Whoosh!
A while later.
The Seopmyeong Ship landed in the desert.
And Song Jin began to form seals.
Since it was midnight when the sun had not yet risen, the ghost qi of the ancestral souls boiled even stronger.
Kiyaaaaa!
Kiaaaaaa!
Kaaaaaaa!
Bubububu…
Countless millions of ancestral souls beneath the pitch-black castle howled madly.
And it seemed they had sensed something odd, for blood mist flowed out from inside the pitch-black castle.
[What? Who? What bastard…?]
And a familiar face appeared.
It was Won Rip.
I smiled viciously and said.
“Stay still quietly. Why come out and try to throw away your life?”
[What…? Wait! The Seopmyeong Ship? Black Ghost Valley?]
And then Song Jin completed his spell.
Kiyaaaaa!
The ghost horde howled and rushed toward Song Jin’s body.
[This madman! What? Why are you suddenly doing this to me!]
Won Rip, seeing Song Jin’s qi growing, guessed his identity and struggled with a terrified voice.
But Song Jin paid no attention to his words and completed the Ghost Dao spell.
[Damn it!]
Swish!
Creak!
Won Rip spat curses and entered inside the pitch-black castle.
Soon, the ancient formation covering the pitch-black castle appeared.
Whishhhhh!
At the same time, a blood-colored crimson river flowed out from inside the pitch-black castle and strengthened the formation.
Long Yuan True Power.
It was Won Rip’s reserve life.
Kiing!
Crack, crackle!
The formation strengthened and spewed strange lightning.
And.
Boom!
The sky was filled with dark qi.
In an instant, Song Jin, who had recovered his Heavenly Being-level power, rose into the air with his back to the pitch-black castle.
[A master of the power of fate…]
“That’s what they say.”
Goe-gun had definitely said something similar.
Even before, I had heard words about that castle.
Song Jin looked at me and said.
[He seems to want to capture that thing. Even if the castle itself is nothing special, the core supplying the power of fate to the castle is annoying. And that guy is hiding right below the core now. I can destroy the castle in one blow, but I may not be able to catch that guy hiding behind the core.]
“Ah, no problem. As long as you do that much, I will handle the rest.”
[Then…]
Blue ghost flames flared from Song Jin’s eyes.
[I will show you the power of the Black Ghost Valley elder…]
Kiyaaaaa!
Koong, koorung…
Dark clouds gathered in the sky.
Soon, the dark clouds clustered into the shape of a giant ghost head.
[Ghost Bone Array! Open!]
[Kiyaaaaaah!]
The sound of ghost bones echoed across the world.
And the giant ghost head of the clustered dark clouds twisted wildly and fell straight toward the pitch-black castle.
The power was no different from the stone that Goe-gun had thrown!
And.
Crack!
The ancient formation full of Long Yuan True Power on the pitch-black castle endured for a moment but then turned red and exploded.
Kwaaang!
And the pitch-black castle beneath the ancient formation collapsed.
Kwakwakwakwang!
Dark wind howled across the world.
A while later.
[Hah… amazing. I hit it gently, but I didn’t think the castle would remain in shape.]
Song Jin looked at the pitch-black castle in amazement and said.
Exactly as he said.
Even after receiving the monstrous blow just now, the pitch-black castle did not turn into dust but only the roof of the upper floor flew off, yet its shape was maintained to some extent.
Of course.
[Kiyaaaak! Kraah, kraak!]
Won Rip vomited blood inside, half his body like raw meat.
Splash, slurp!
He was regenerating his body by pulling in his Long Yuan True Power.
And…
Above him, the shape of Seo Hyoel flickered and disappeared.
Song Jin looked at Seo Hyoel’s shape, twisted his ghost flames for a moment, then turned his head to the other side.
[Seo Hyoel’s remnant and the core of that castle blocked my blow.]
“That’s…”
I remembered the events of my previous life.
After Goe-gun had dealt with Won Rip, when he had torn apart the pitch-black castle, it had been a stone fragment there.
At that time, I hadn’t paid much attention to the stone fragment because I had only thought of secretly escaping from Goe-gun.
But at this moment.
When I looked at the stone fragment properly, my eyes widened.
Crack, crackle!
That stone fragment constantly spewed golden lightning.
It was the top part of the stone that had been floating right in front of the Ascension Gate at the center of Deungsunhyang!