The Ten-Headed Ghost King’s Desperate Defense and the Betrayal King’s Arrival

p>The sky had turned a blinding white.

p>Inside it, Cha Jo-gwi endured an experience that felt like it was tearing apart his very soul.

p>“T-this… area…! It’s ripping apart!”

p>He ground his teeth, shrinking his domain.

p>“If the domain itself is annihilated… I’m finished… I’ll die…!”

p>Crack—crack—

p>He bravely abandoned the shattered fragments and pulled them back.

p>The blessing of “Breaking Evil and Revealing Righteousness” was absolute for the ghosts who lived in the Yin domain.

p>“As expected…! It must be a monster that has been eroded by the True Man…!”

p>Even as his body burned with agony, Cha Jo-gwi shrank his domain to protect himself and rushed before the Seopmyeong Ship to prevent his subordinates from attaining Buddhahood.

p>“Such a savage demon skill… and a black ghost with nineteen heads… to wield the Breaking Evil and Revealing Righteousness technique? I’ve never heard of it. It’s impossible!”

p>The power of the entire Yin domain concentrated on his twenty-one-headed giant ghost king form.

p>Logically, it was absurd for an existence equivalent to a demon’s incarnation to master this holy technique.

p>There was only one possibility.

p>This was power that had been “injected.”

p>Power obtained after being eroded by the great True Man!

p>“Kwaaaaaaargh!”

p>Even as his body blistered, he stood before the Seopmyeong Ship and endured.

p>The eternal white light began to fade.

p>“…”

p>Chi—chi—

p>Cha Jo-gwi saw the black smoke rising from his body and looked around.

p>He felt no “gaze” from above.

p>“Is it… night now?”

p>But something was strange.

p>Even in the Ghost Realm, the surroundings were far too “bright.”

p>“Blue… sky?”

p>Most of the ghosts had never been born in the Ghost Realm.

p>They had died on the mortal world, wandered the Ninth Heaven, and only then reached the Ghost Realm.

p>Therefore they still remembered what a “blue sky” was.

p>Cha Jo-gwi stared up at the blue sky with a vacant expression.

p>The new white light pouring from the sky dyed everything blue.

p>And the surroundings had become a desert.

p>“Ah… I see.”

p>Cha Jo-gwi collapsed onto the ground.

p>“The Black Ghost Sect’s power has turned the area around the White Sound Realm into a desert. And the sky has turned blue because of that cursed Breaking Evil and Revealing Righteousness technique he’s using…”

p>Crack!

p>He looked back.

p>The great ship that had been floating in the sky was now buried in the sand, no longer spewing black smoke.

p>“He concentrated his shield, and the power device discharged at once.”

p>At that moment, Cha Jo-gwi realized there was a massive “shadow” in front of him.

p>“Ah…”

p>No, it was not a shadow.

p>It was a “pit.”

p>Blue sky.

p>Endless desert.

p>In the center, an impossibly large pit had opened.

p>Cha Jo-gwi trembled.

p>That “pit” had been the location of the “White Sound Realm” until a moment ago.

p>The place where the Black Ghost Sect Lord had covered it with his circular sealing formation.

p>He looked up at the sky with shaking eyes.

p>The sky had become blue from the light.

p>Then what was the source of that light?

p>Yes.

p>The light was coming from the “White Sound Realm.”

p>The White Sound Realm was spewing a blessing that turned the sky blue and made it float in the air.

p>***

p>“Formation activated. Connecting Gongryeong-ji.”

p>“Dragon vein concentration complete. Floating array operating normally.”

p>“Formation charging at twelve tenths. Ready to activate at any moment.”

p>Uuuuung—

p>I sat in the sect leader’s seat, manipulating the spiritual energy that was stirring in front of me—Hong Beom.

p>Beside me, Kim Yeon controlled the formation, and below me I looked down at the formation masters who had been summoned from across the Mugeuk Sect.

p>[My disciples, listen.]

p>Uuuuung—

p>[I am deeply grateful that you have joined this mad sect leader. From now on, our Mugeuk Sect will embark on a long journey together with the White Sound Realm. The entire region where you lived will become one single Heavenly Road Island like the place I lived in, floating far away and spreading the name and teachings of the Mugeuk Sect to every corner of the world.]

p>The headquarters of the Mugeuk Sect, at the heart of the White Sound Realm.

p>The Mugeuk Sect Hall.

p>I sat beneath the hall, scanning the vast ritual domain with the entire White Sound Realm.

p>The formations I had installed over the past few years had lifted the dragon veins of the White Sound Realm into the sky.

p>Like the Heavenly Road Island of the human race.

p>And like Deungsunhyang.

p>The Ascension Gate of Deungsunhyang.

p>I recalled it and executed this plan.

p>The Ascension Gate created by Yang Su-jin was affected by the spiritual energy of Deungsunhyang.

p>It was intertwined with the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠spiritual energy itself and the power.

p>Just as with Deungsunhyang, I bound the entire White Sound Realm with spiritual energy and dragon veins.

p>This land would become the holy land of the Mugeuk Sect.

p>[This White Sound Realm, which will give birth to a new land in the future, will require a new name. From now on, this land will be called the Heavenly Road Island—Gwangum Realm.]

p>Kugu gugu gugu!

p>I stood at the sect leader’s seat in the Mugeuk Sect Hall.

p>Reaching into the air at the center of all the formations.

p>Kuku guk!

p>The power moved.

p>The floating array that lifted an entire region used only the power of the dragon veins.

p>I had not yet used the power I had absorbed from the Integration Grand Completion ghost kings’ battles and refined with the Great Desert Dead Sea Formation.

p>So how would I use that power now?

p>That was the beginning.

p>Pajik, pajik!

p>Jeon Myeong-hoon crossed his arms with a grin, lightning sparks flying beside him.

p>“Now we’re going, huh?”

p>[Yes. Let’s go save our comrades.]

p>Now it was time to rescue the disciples of the Geumsincheonroemun.

p>[Boundary Annihilation Domain Shrinking Array. Activate!]

p>***

p>Kugu gugu gugu!

p>Cha Jo-gwi’s expression changed.

p>“What kind of madman is this Black Ghost Sect Lord trying to do?”

p>His domain had been torn apart and he was mortally wounded.

p>No matter what the Black Ghost Sect Lord tried, he could do nothing.

p>When ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he looked up at the White Sound Realm floating in the sky with his deathly pale face…

p>Kiki gig—

p>A chilling sound echoed as space tore open.

p>And from inside came “it.”

p>Kwa jijijik!

p>It was a giant monster spewing red lightning and black lightning wildly from its entire body.

p>The six-armed giant carried six shadows on its back as it tore through space and locked eyes with Cha Jo-gwi.

p>“W-what?! Who are you!”

p>He was startled, but the red lightning giant ignored Cha Jo-gwi and glared at the person behind him.

p>[I missed you back then. Hahaha. I’ll give you the same fate as your friends.]

p>Kugu gugu gugu!

p>The giant stretched its hand toward the direction of the Seopmyeong Ship, behind Cha Jo-gwi’s back.

p>Cha Jo-gwi sensed the giant’s intention.

p>“This! It’s aiming for Baek Rin!?”

p>“Baek Rin! Run!”

p>Before his voice could finish, white light exploded from the Seopmyeong Ship and a massive skeleton shape emerged.

p>[You have to run again this time! Skeleton Metamorphosis…]

p>[I’ll miss it again.]

p>Kwa jijijik!

p>In the next instant, the six-armed giant.

p>Six Pillars Ghost King Jeon Myeong-hoon instantly became lightning.

p>Kwa jijijik!

p>Before Cha Jo-gwi, who was mortally wounded and could not move, could do anything, Jeon Myeong-hoon became a red lightning bolt that covered heaven and earth.

p>It became a giant net.

p>[Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation. Indra’s Net.]

p>Kwa jijijijik!

p>The net woven from red lightning spread as if to cover the sky.

p>The original souls of Baek Rin, shattered into thousands of fragments, screamed in agony.

p>[Six Pillars Ghost King!!! Kwaaaaaaargh!!!]

p>Cha Jo-gwi raised his mortally wounded body and shook Jeon Myeong-hoon’s net with faint spiritual energy.

p>“Y-you…! Damn Black Ghost Sect member! Let my comrades go!”

p>[Hmph. Annoying.]

p>Kwa jijijik!

p>“Kwaaaaaak!”

p>Cha Jo-gwi was finally struck by the red lightning and sent flying far away.

p>At that moment.

p>“Kwoak! Damn it, let go of this!”

p>“Huaaak! H-hemma!”

p>“Save us!”

p>Cha Jo-gwi’s eyes widened as he saw several ghosts trapped in Jeon Myeong-hoon’s net.

p>He had tried to catch Baek Rin, who was fleeing in thousands of fragments, and ended up snaring innocent ghosts as well.

p>The net had caught his adjutant Yu-hye and several other sailors.

p>Cha Jo-gwi shouted with blazing eyes.

p>“You! Wicked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Black Ghost Sect member! Release my comrades at once!”

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

p>[I’m sorry. I’m not in the mood to adjust power. I’ll drop you in a suitable spot. Don’t worry.]

p>Kwa jijijik!

p>Jeon Myeong-hoon pulled the net as he emerged from the space fissure.

p>The Heavenly Road Island in the sky emitted a strange fluctuation and began to move slowly forward.

p>And Yu-hye, Cha Jo-gwi’s adjutant, gritted his teeth and made a small gap in Jeon Myeong-hoon’s net.

p>Kwa jijijik!

p>“Yu-hye! Get out now!”

p>Cha Jo-gwi shouted.

p>But Yu-hye threw the other sailors out first.

p>The net was gradually being pulled inside the space fissure toward Jeon Myeong-hoon.

p>“Yu-hye!”

p>Cha Jo-gwi flew up, guiding his body that had been battered by blessings and lightning.

p>Finally, Yu-hye freed the last sailor of the Seopmyeong Ship from Jeon Myeong-hoon’s net.

p>And finally Jeon Myeong-hoon dragged Baek Rin, now divided into thousands of fragments, and entered the space fissure with Yu-hye.

p>Yu-hye smiled at Cha Jo-gwi.

p>“Hemmanim, it has been an honor to serve you for so long.”

p>Chi chi—

p>And Jeon Myeong-hoon closed the space fissure.

p>Cha Jo-gwi chased the Heavenly Road Island, which was gradually moving while emitting light, with insane speed.

p>The Heavenly Road Island spewed white blessings, but he didn’t care.

p>Cha Jo-gwi’s body burned.

p>“Yu-hye!!! It can’t be!!!”

p>Uuuuung—

p>However, the Heavenly Road Island gradually sped up.

p>The Heavenly Road Island that had moved like a snail was now speeding up ten times with each breath.

p>Wiiiing—

p>Pazijijik!

p>When Cha Jo-gwi finally reached out toward the light veil spewing from the Heavenly Road Island…

p>Flash!

p>The Heavenly Road Island spewed an immense light and instantly disappeared.

p>“…”

p>Cha Jo-gwi stared blankly at the increasingly dark void.

p>He felt space folding.

p>Yes, it was the Shrinking Method.

p>It wasn’t even a simple Shrinking Method.

p>A distance that even an Integration Grand Completion master could not catch up with in one step.

p>An absurd Shrinking Method that jumped tens of thousands of li in a single leap.

p>Cha Jo-gwi shook with a dazed expression.

p>“Yu-hye… Baek Rin…”

p>His adjutant and lover who had been captured by the Black Ghost Sect.

p>And his old friend Baek Rin.

p>“Huaaaaaaargh!!”

p>Cha Jo-gwi screamed madly under the sky of the Ghost Realm that was beginning to return to its original state.

p>***

p>Wiiiing—

p>I feel it.

p>The entire Gwangum Realm is crossing infinite space-time.

p>It felt less like Shrinking and more like spatial transmission.

p>Kugu gugu gugu!

p>I laughed while feeling the immense pressure of space-time indirectly.

p>Boundary Annihilation Domain Shrinking Array.

p>The formation developed by Kim Yeon, who had received the formation knowledge from me and Hong Beom through the Boundary Annihilation Heavenly Hole Array that exploded space through the Gongryeong-ji.

p>The Boundary Annihilation Heavenly Hole Array fundamentally exploded by “distorting space.”

p>And the Four Pillars Ghost King’s Shrinking Method folded and compressed space for a moment.

p>Hong Beom had come up with combining the two.

p>The Boundary Annihilation Heavenly Hole Array was the evil crystallization created by the human race.

p>After unfolding that evil crystallization, I would assimilate it with my curse.

p>Then I would reverse it together with my curse using the Baekran Chukseongmun.

p>Then the Boundary Annihilation Heavenly Hole Array would become a formation with a different purpose, not just destruction.

p>Hong Beom changed the purpose of the reversed Boundary Annihilation Heavenly Hole Array into a formation for “Shrinking Method.”

p>He absorbed the power of the ghost kings’ battles with the Great Desert Dead Sea Formation and injected it into the evil crystallization of the Boundary Annihilation Heavenly Hole Array to charge the formation.

p>Then he reversed the Boundary Annihilation Heavenly Hole Array, now assimilated with my curse, to change it into the Boundary Annihilation Domain Shrinking Array.

p>And, as is, he converted the immense power of the Boundary Annihilation Heavenly Hole Array into Shrinking Method in an instant to move a distance that was normally impossible.

p>Flash!

p>Kugu gugu gugu!

p>Finally, the first destination of the long and short Boundary Annihilation Domain Shrinking Array was reached.

p>“Six steps ahead.”

p>The Boundary Annihilation Domain Shrinking Array was designed to perform seven Shrinking Methods in total.

p>It was impossible to move an immeasurably vast distance in one go, so gaps had to be made to let the formation cool down after each move.

p>“First destination reached. Moved twenty thousand li from the current position of the original White Sound Realm.”

p>[Excellent. When is the next formation activation time?]

p>“Tomorrow.”

p>[Good. For one day, we will float at the first destination and let the formation’s overload cool down.]

p>I looked around the entire Gwangum Realm.

p>The formations laid across the land.

p>And the countless disciples who remained.

p>The disciples were connecting to the dragon veins of the Gwangum Realm to assist the formations.

p>“Excellent.”

p>I smiled, satisfied with the sight.

p>Those who had left had left, and the ones who remained had become even more devoted to the original sect.

p>At that moment, I was satisfied.

p>“Seo Eun-hyun. No… Sect Leader. I have captured the person you missed last time.”

p>Jeon Myeong-hoon walked over with a satisfied smile, holding a command creature made of bones in one hand.

p>[Oh? So you are Baek Rin. I have heard much from Wisi-hon and Eum-wa.]

p>I laughed and said.

p>[When we reach the final destination, I will let you explore the original sect and receive “training” and “blessing.”]

p>Baek Rin trembled slightly but spoke in a hollow voice.

p>“Do as you please. Black Ghost Sect Lord…”

p>[Hahaha, I’ll send it to Wisi-hon and Eum-wa. The Guardian Ghost King couple will treat it well.]

p>Jeon Myeong-hoon nodded.

p>And scratching his head, he said.

p>“Um, actually… the problem is, unlike the friends of the Guardian Ghost Kings we originally aimed for, I accidentally caught one more guy together.”

p>[Hm?]

p>As Jeon Myeong-hoon gestured, a ghostly maiden in white robes, bound tightly with a thunder-formed rope, was pulled in front of the seat.

p>“One of the Four Pillars Ghost Kings riding the Seopmyeong Ship was caught by mistake. What should I do with this one?”

p>[Hmm…]

p>I looked at the ghostly maiden in white robes with glowing eyes.

p>The ghost glared at me and pursed her lips.

p>“Hmph, kill me…! Black Ghost Sect Lord!”