The Devil's Hand Pushed, The Heaven's Edge Shattered (6)
The man whose hand had been gently stroking something glared at Jin Ma-yeol, the former captain of the Tuma Pirates, now facing off against the grand law enforcement of the Mugeuk Sect.
His brows furrowed.
From the man before him, he sensed a faint spiritual resonance.
Fusion stage or higher
Fusion stage.
Yet Jin Ma-yeol felt no concern.
A novice who's only just reached Fusion. Not worth worrying about
A novice who's only just reached Fusion.
He had only been here a little while. No need to fret.
The man flicked open his own treasure, the Yeha Suagyeom, and wrapped his domain around his entire body.
A black scythe etched with jade-like talismanic patterns crackled to life as he chanted. His figure grew half-transparent.
His specialty. A technique that let him partially overlap his domain with the void itself, hiding at any moment or redirecting enemy attacks elsewhere.
Jin Ma-yeol hurled the Yeha Suagyeom straight at Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Fellows who just hit Fusion usually can't recover once I crack their domains!LT__/em>
The scythe raced like lightning.
The moment it was about to strike…
“…!”
Domain cracked!
A surge of crimson lightning erupted from Jeon Myeong-hoon’s six arms.
Jin Ma-yeol staggered, spitting blood.
What the hell?!
He rolled desperately to dodge the falling Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Kwa-aang!
Jeon Myeong-hoon’s six palms slammed into the ground. Jin Ma-yeol countered with his scythe, but the moment he moved—
The seven-colored lightning surged and unified into a single scarlet torrent!
Red Lightning!
Jin Ma-yeol felt something was wrong.
I’ll crush you with everything I have…!
Kwa-ji-ji-ji-ji!
Six arms launched red lightning bolts in every direction.
Kwoorurung!
The scarlet lightning slithered, chasing him.
Kwa-ji-ji-ji-ji!
One bolt finally slammed into his torso. Jin Ma-yeol spat frothy blood and felt dizzy.
Damn it! I have to break out of his attack range!
He flashed away from the light beam.
A former pirate captain who had faced the Wonryip fleet more than once would never waste time inside the light beam when he could simply exit the domain.
But soon he realized his mistake.
My mistake! The domain was too shallow!
Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body swelled even larger. Crimson lightning poured from every inch of him.
Jin Ma-yeol’s face turned deathly pale.
This madman! It wasn’t his full power?!
Jeon Myeong-hoon pressed the attack.
Jin Ma-yeol tried to block.
His overall combat experience, skill, and reaction speed should have let him win.
But he gritted his teeth.
Everything is higher than him, yet the output alone is crushing me?!
Kwa-ji-ji-ji-ji!
He felt his domain cracking under the rain of lightning bolts.
It’s over…!
Kwa-ji-ji-ji-ji!
Jeon Myeong-hoon gathered his lightning and fired a single massive scarlet bolt.
Jin Ma-yeol’s face went white.
And then—
Kwa-aang! The gold light flashed and the 21-headed Ghost King descended like lightning, smashing Jeon Myeong-hoon’s upper body!
Kya-a-a-ah! Seo Eun-hyun!
Jeon Myeong-hoon screamed in fury.
And in his vision, for a split second of 0.01 seconds, a human figure with nineteen heads appeared before him.
Seo Eun-hyun’s figure seemed to speak to him, but the words were too short.
Then Seo Eun-hyun used Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body as a support pillar and shot toward the light beam that had torn open the sea domain created by the Buk-hyang Fleet.
Kwa-aang!
One corner of the sea domain collapsed through the dimensional curtain.
Jeon Myeong-hoon roared in fury, staring at the broken light beam where Seo Eun-hyun had passed through.
That damned Wonryip fleet’s deep-sea barrier… it was that easy to tear?
He shook his head.
Thankfully I didn’t face that monster head-on.
Jin Ma-yeol shook off the shock, raised his scythe and bone sword, and swung them at the regenerating Jeon Myeong-hoon.
For a moment the battle looked one-sided, but Seo Eun-hyun’s intervention turned it back into an equal clash.
Kim Yeon stared at Buk Hyang-hwa and had only one thought.
She doesn’t look like she’ll be easy to deal with.
Yet her judgment was swift.
I can’t let her finish the seal. I have to capture that commander right now!
Srrung, srrurung—
Eight non-returning blades flowed from Kim Yeon’s hands.
A soft pink light flashed along the blade as it swung straight at Buk Hyang-hwa.
But the next instant—
Kwa-aang!
Two warships escorting Buk Hyang-hwa’s flagship opened fire and shattered the pink slash.
Kim Yeon’s eyes lit up.
What? How did a mere law treasure destroy my attack?
She swung again, then used the bun-dun technique to try to crush Buk Hyang-hwa.
But the cannons came down again.
Kwa-aang!
Forced back by the fleet’s bombardment, Kim Yeon stared at the seal floating in the sky.
This seal weakens the ships on the other side and strengthens our own. I can’t fight inside it…
She glared at Buk Hyang-hwa with pink flames in her eyes.
And then a massive explosion rang out.
A huge hole tore through the sea domain formed by the Buk-hyang Fleet.
It had only been five seconds since the battle began.
The seal is broken!
Kim Yeon smiled.
Buk Hyang-hwa’s face turned pale.
No way… my seal!
Kim Yeon laughed wickedly and darted out of the light beam using the bun-dun technique, slipping past Jeon Myeong-hoon and Jin Ma-yeol and exiting the domain.
She turned her gaze to the four warships maintaining the seal and charged straight at them.
The moment she raised her blade, the one-way and Buk-hyang warships that had entered the domain burst out again and aimed their cannons at her.
But Kim Yeon was still smiling.
Kwa-aang!
The cannon struck her, yet she laughed.
What? Is that all? Hahaha!
It doesn’t hurt!
Nothing!
Outside the domain, Buk Hyang-hwa had no reason to lose to Kim Yeon!
Buk Hyang-hwa’s face hardened.
A faint smile spread across Kim Yeon’s lips.
Kwa-a-aang!
Seven seconds into the battle.
The clash of Seo Eun-hyun and Kim Young-hoon on the distant horizon shook the entire sea.
The shockwave triggered Kim Yeon’s charge toward the Buk-hyang Fleet.
Buk Hyang-hwa formed a seal with grim determination.
White flags waved rapidly aboard the one-way warships.
“Second Fleet, Sixth Division, Tenth Fleet—transition to Formation Y. Attach one one-way and one three-way warship to the port and starboard sides of the one-way flagship, and one two-way and three-way warships to the stern! The four-way warships support the sea lord from the surface!”
Chalala-rak!
The Buk-hyang Fleet formed a massive snake-like formation in the void and faced Kim Yeon.
Clang, clang, clang!
Thousands of warships connected, forming a single living organism.
The Buk-hyang Fleet, which had only reached early Four Pillars, instantly transformed into a colossal snake puppet and its aura soared into early Four Pillars.
Chalala-rak!
The snake-shaped fleet surrounded Kim Yeon as cannons opened fire.
Kim Yeon charged through the barrage straight into the serpent’s body.
The concentrated cannon fire was no match for her protective qi.
Finally, she clung to the three-way warship that formed the serpent’s torso.
Buk Hyang-hwa made a quick decision.
“437th three-way warship—separate from the body! Self-destruct!”
Clang, clang!
The connection snapped. The few sailors aboard the three-way warship escaped.
Kim Yeon felt the explosive qi rising inside the warship.
Her expression remained calm.
Listen carefully, disciple. All of my works, including the Wondrous Castle, are fundamentally superior to any mechanism in this world. Only a true immortal, sage, or fissure-opening puppet master could surpass me. Kill kill…
It sounds arrogant.
Yet Kim Yeon, who had seen the technique up close, understood.
All puppets of mortals in this world are fundamentally inferior to mine. Only primitive mechanisms and stupid puppet tricks. Most of the technology of mortal artisans in this world is inferior to the Wondrous Castle. Do you understand?
It wasn’t arrogance—it was confidence.
I can suppress and steal your Wondrous Castle technique and my circuit through the Strange Star-Mind Scroll anytime. Today I brought a Four Pillars puppet master just for you to practice on.
Kim Yeon’s Strange Star-Mind Scroll drilled into every corner of the three-way warship, mirroring the form of Goe-gun’s circuit.
She sighed.
He’s not that stupid after all.
Even if inferior to the Wondrous Castle, it was a formidable collection of techniques.
In fact, it felt more like evolution in a different direction.
No worry in her sigh.
Because her circuit had already taken control of the three-way warship.
Ki-i-i-ing!
The self-destruct order was canceled.
Kim Yeon, controlling the warship, locked eyes with the shocked Buk Hyang-hwa.
“Then, here I go.”
Kugu-gugugu!
Kim Yeon’s own law power as the driving force, the three-way warship blasted forward and rammed into the nearest Buk-hyang warship.
Kwa-aang!
At the same moment, the connection components linking all Buk-hyang warships to the three-way warship switched to the other ships, transferring command.
Kim Yeon’s eyes sparkled as she began seizing control of the remaining Buk-hyang warships through the one she now commanded.
From the command room of the one-way flagship, Buk Hyang-hwa’s expression twisted.
What are you doing to my work?!
Chi-ji-ji-ji!
Her face erupted with three-colored patterns as emotion surged.
Unlike in the Water Realm, her patterns had evolved. Two of the three colors were already half-mixed.
Biting her lip, Buk Hyang-hwa manipulated several devices in the command room.
The one-way flagship’s command room detached and transformed into a spider puppet.
“Captain! What are you doing?!”
“Captain, calm down!”
Buk Hyang-hwa ignored the frantic calls and her eyes rolled back.
Thud, thud, thud!
The spider puppet she rode rapidly descended the snake body and reached the Buk-hyang warships Kim Yeon now controlled.
Buk Hyang-hwa began moving her hands.
Clang, clang, clang!
Her face’s patterns glowed brightly.
Her hands sped up.
Kugu-gugugu!
Countless equipment shot from the spider’s legs and began tearing apart and remodeling the Buk-hyang warships according to her commands.
In seconds, the command system of one Buk-hyang warship changed.
Kim Yeon’s seized warship had its command authority reset.
Buk Hyang-hwa quickly entered her own name as the new commander and reclaimed the seized ships.
Finally, the spider puppet stepped onto the three-way warship Kim Yeon rode.
Kim Yeon laughed wickedly.
“Oh my, you came all the way down here? Full of confidence, aren’t you? I could probably control that puppet too, you know?”
“Don’t mock my works. Better yet, get off my work immediately!”
“No thanks. We’re in the middle of battle. What nonsense are you talking?”
“Ugh, as fellow puppet masters, let’s fight fairly!”
Kim Yeon sneered.
My master would have answered, but I’m not him. I have no pride as a puppet master and never liked my master who was one.
“…I’ve thought about it since the first time I saw you. Really unlucky. You…”
They glared at each other.
Buk Hyang-hwa asked.
“What’s your name? When I capture you, I’ll engrave your real name onto a treasure just for you.”
“Wonderful Ghost King Kim Yeon. What’s yours?”
“Conqueror King Buk Hyang-hwa. Kim Yeon, what a wonderfully good name you have.”
“Haha, pray you don’t get caught. If you do, I’ll remodel you into something like ‘Buk General.’ Anyway, I learned how to make living puppets from my master, so I’ll make something good.”
“As a puppet master with no pride and no exclusive puppets, it’d be better to self-destruct than get captured and remodeled by you. Even so, if I get captured by you, I’ll turn you into a splendid treasure or warship. Don’t worry.”
The two puppet masters stared at each other for a moment, then moved their hands rapidly.
Boo-woong!
Kim Yeon fired a slash. Buk Hyang-hwa urgently entered an order.
“Sea Pillar activation!”
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
Kuururung!
The slash split the spider puppet in half.
The next instant, the four-way warships that had been preparing formations on the surface of the deep sea manipulated the sea itself and created a colossal pillar.
A water pillar resembling a sea column shot into the sky and struck the three-way warship where Kim Yeon and Buk Hyang-hwa stood.
Kugu-gugugu!
Kim Yeon narrowed her eyes and looked around.
The surroundings warped in an instant.
She realized she had entered a strange space.
Countless scenes and fragments scattered like shattered glass.
Is this inside the deep sea?
And right in front of her stood Buk Hyang-hwa riding the ruined spider puppet.
Kim Yeon smiled wickedly.
“You really thought it through. What now? We both have the same cards left, don’t we?”
She took a step forward.
The space warped again, increasing the distance.
Buk Hyang-hwa’s voice came from far away.
[It seems you’re not familiar with the Goryeok Realm either. Hmph… In the deep sea inside the Goryeok Realm, you can’t move properly unless you’re a high-level practitioner of spiritual resonance.]
“Hah, what a cheeky one… Well, I remember your position anyway. You can follow me anytime. No need to worry.”
But Buk Hyang-hwa ignored her and laughed.
[Come follow if you dare.]
Uuu-woong!
She pulled out glowing ore from her own Jeomuldo.
Buk Hyang-hwa, holding ten ancient stones, crushed them all.
Paa-a-a-at!
Her figure vanished at the same time, leaving Kim Yeon stunned.
[The future king’s true successor. The mountain god will go mad.]
Buk Hyang-hwa exhaled on the nearby three-way warship.
Kugu-gugugu!
The four-way warships that had created the water pillar to drown their opponent in the deep sea.
Sea Pillar.
The colossal pillar sank back into the deep sea.
Kim Yeon, sucked inside, disappeared without a trace.
She must have come to the Goryeok Realm for the first time. She didn’t have time to gather ancient stones.
Buk Hyang-hwa knew the terror of the deep sea.
Even without ancient stones, she could use spiritual resonance in the shallow sea and escape if she had sea coordinates.
But her opponent was only at Heavenly Person level, had no ancient stones, and had no sea coordinates from the Goryeok Realm.
She used the bun-dun technique and returned to the one-way flagship.
Transmission signals were flying everywhere.
“Captain! Big trouble!”
“Please, Captain, don’t do something so reckless!”
Buk Hyang-hwa smiled faintly and waved her hand as if telling them not to worry.
“Sorry, everyone. But that woman… honestly, I don’t like her at all. I had no choice but to kill her. Now, let’s finish the rescue operation for Seo Ran…”
She headed to the temporary command room of the one-way flagship.
The moment she arrived—
Chi-ji-ji!
“Captain, abnormal law energy is embedded in your body. Please confirm.”
“Hmm?”
The law treasures in the temporary command room glowed at her.
Buk Hyang-hwa spotted a white, thread-like thing stuck to the tip of her arm.
This is… a consciousness thread?
She was about to figure out whose consciousness thread it belonged to when—
Kwa-ji-ji-ji!
Space tore open and a pair of emerald eyes appeared, grabbing her arm.
“…!”
A surge of spiritual resonance erupted from inside, and Kim Yeon’s face suddenly appeared.
Pink flames blazed in her eyes.
Chi-ji-ji!
You… you’re not Heavenly Person…!
“Drop the prejudice that Heavenly Person can’t use spiritual resonance.”
Kim Yeon smiled wickedly and covered Buk Hyang-hwa’s mouth.
As expected, Oppa Eun-hyun.
She released spiritual resonance from her dantian, where the power of Gwanghan Cheon-won rotated fiercely, and laughed.
“Then, Hyang-hwa. I’ll give you one last chance. Immediately release the seal you opened in the domain.”
She pointed at the Buk-hyang Fleet’s sea domain, even the parts Seo Eun-hyun had torn through, now regenerating.
When Kim Yeon finally removed her hand from Buk Hyang-hwa’s mouth—
“Sea Chaos activation! Self-destruct the one-way warships!”
Kugu-gugugu!
The one-way warships they were riding began to shake violently.
At the same time, the sea level rose from below the domain.
The deep sea began rising toward the domain surrounded by the seal, and Kim Yeon glared at Buk Hyang-hwa fiercely.
“You…”
“Sea Pillar, reactivate! Target: one-way warships!”
And from the deep sea below, a new water pillar began to rise.
Kim Yeon covered Buk Hyang-hwa’s mouth again and began pumping spiritual resonance into her body.
Buk Hyang-hwa’s pupils shook.
Kim Yeon slowly immersed the Strange Star-Mind Scroll into Buk Hyang-hwa’s mind.
I’ll stop you even if I have to control your body…!
Buk Hyang-hwa’s pupils rolled white.
Her entire body trembled.
And then—
Thud!
Someone grabbed Kim Yeon’s wrist.
Ah…!
Her expression brightened.
A man in white robes had appeared between them.
“Oppa Eun-hyun…”
Seo Eun-hyun looked at them with tired eyes.
It’s over, Yeon-ah. Let’s capture her as a prisoner for now.
Yes…!
Kim Yeon stopped pouring spiritual resonance and bound Buk Hyang-hwa with only law energy.
I sighed and quickly seized control of the warship with the Strange Star-Mind Scroll to prevent self-destruction, then maneuvered the ship to dodge the rising water pillar.
If I’d been a second later, it would have been big trouble.
I had already told Hong Beom to stop them if they started fighting each other, but he must have been busy reconnecting the half-split domain.
Good thing my body recovered quickly.
I almost watched Kim Yeon turn Buk Hyang-hwa into a Buk General and make her a general.
I sent transmissions across the entire Buk-hyang Fleet transformed into a snake puppet.
[I’ve captured your captain. Stop releasing the sea seal and raising the deep-sea level.]
But the Buk-hyang Fleet ignored the message and continued raising the level inside the seal.
The moment my transmission echoed, they suddenly opened fire on the one-way flagship.
Tung, tung, tung!
I deflected every cannonball with innate force and sighed.
Seeing Buk Hyang-hwa’s soul, I realized a passageway connected to the distant space.
Thinking about it, Song Jin must have prepared a way for her to revive separately.
Looking at the revival methods of the Black Ghost Valley, it seemed the Buk-hyang Fleet had decided to kill captured Buk Hyang-hwa and revive her in a safe place, or perhaps Buk Hyang-hwa had issued such an order in advance.
These bastards…!
Kim Yeon was furious, but I calmed her and headed toward the nose of the Buk-hyang warship, sighing.
Chalala-rarak!
White particles of energy floated around me.
I sent another transmission to Hong Beom.
[Hong Beom, activate the Half-Tribulation Seal.]
[Yes, Master.]
Uuuu-woong!
After a while, a seven-colored seal covered the entire domain.
Under my will, jade of the yin-yang and five elements surrounded the deep-sea seal created by the Buk-hyang Fleet.
Taesan!
Kugu-gugugu!
Yin and yang qi rose from my two palms, clashed, and I rushed toward the jade, spreading my arms.
Yeolje!
Kugu-gugugu!
The surroundings boiled white.
At the same moment, the Taesan Yeolje Art tore through the deep-sea seal in front of me.
The Half-Tribulation Seal Hong Beom activated protected Seo Eun-hyun, Kim Young-hoon, Oh Hyun-seok, Jeon Myeong-hoon, the thirteen Ghost Kings, and other figures from being torn apart.
But everything else—apart from them—was shredded away in an instant.
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
The Four Pillars cultivators, Heavenly Person cultivators, the deep sea inside the seal, and the deep sea rising from inside the seal—all vanished.
Kugu-gugugu!
A vast white light covered heaven and earth.
I frowned.
What?
The power was stronger than I expected.
It wasn’t my own power, but the deep sea of the Goryeok Realm itself was reacting to the Taesan Yeolje Art.
Kugu-gugu!
This, this is…!
The power of the Taesan Yeolje Art didn’t weaken, so I panicked.
Uuu-woong!
The entire surrounding deep sea was reacting to the Taesan Yeolje Art.
Yes, the Goryeok Realm itself was resonating with the Taesan Yeolje Art and echoing.
I stared at the column of light blocking my vision.
Could it be that I didn’t come to the Goryeok Realm to retrieve the remnants of a destroyed world?
Perhaps the relationship between this world and the Salt Mountain was more than just a mother-child connection.
[The future king’s true successor. The mountain god will go mad.]
Che-ji-yeok in the Goryeok Realm.
At the deepest part of the sea king pavilion at the center of Che-ji-yeok.
A man with blue scales opened one eye.
He looked toward one direction with glowing eyes.
…Is that the true successor of the one? The mountain god is about to go mad.
Sea Rin, the sage of the Goryeok Realm, laughed wildly and closed her eyes again.
“Go collect as much Goryeok power as possible, descendant of the Salt Mountain. That way you may see hope from the mountain god…”
[The future king’s true successor. The mountain god will go mad.]
Wijeong Sea Area.
Jeongryong Palace.
In the audience chamber of the sea dragon lord.
Yuk Rin, the sea dragon lord of Jeongryong Palace, sat on the throne with eyes wide open.
He trembled as he looked at the sea chart showing the entire Wijeong Sea Area’s situation on the floor.
Greed filled his eyes.
A being with the power of Bongrae…! Ah, ahaha! Yuk Yo! That pathetic thing finally did something useful for the first time! To think I’d catch such a big catch! Ahahahaha!!
Yuk Rin stood up laughing madly.
“It’s perfect! I don’t need to keep my promise with Jin Ma-yeol. A better substitute has appeared!”
He sent voice across the entire Jeongryong Palace.
“Listen! Prepare a celebration immediately! I’ll welcome the honored guests, and if necessary, I’ll hold the wedding ceremony for Princess Seongran Yuk Yo! What are you doing?! Move now!!!”
The entire Jeongryong Palace became bustling.
The Four Pillars and Heavenly Person mercenaries who tried to invade the domain were forced to flee, leaving only their souls behind.
Stubborn ones.
No Heavenly Person would have no revival method. None of them died.
Of course I could have stopped their souls from fleeing too, but I didn’t feel the need.
After suppressing the Buk-hyang Fleet, I entered the domain.
Buk Hyang-hwa, unconscious and bound by Kim Yeon’s law energy, was carried inside by Kim Yeon.
I glanced at Buk Hyang-hwa for a moment and sighed.
I wonder what expression to make.
The good thing was that thousands of years had passed; my heart no longer raced like before.
“Oppa Eun-hyun… no, Lord Seo. Are you going to lock this filthy thing in the underground prison, or kill it? If you leave her to me, I can turn her into a splendid puppet…”
“Ah… Yeon-ah.”
I stopped her because my head was hurting.
“She’s… a comrade of Seo Ran and Siho. For now, take her to the guest wing.”
Kim Yeon’s face showed confusion for a moment.
…Was she a prisoner?
…There seems to have been a misunderstanding. She’s not just a comrade of Seo Ran and Siho—she’s also a comrade of Deputy Leader Kim Young-hoon over there.
Only then did Kim Yeon spot Kim Young-hoon, who had been carried unconscious to the domain by the curse dolls, and flinched.
Kim Young-hoon was still unconscious.
Kim Yeon looked at Buk Hyang-hwa with a slightly gloomy expression.
I blinked at the unconscious Buk Hyang-hwa.
Although the same anxious feeling was gone, she was still a very complex existence to me.
Startled!
Thinking of the past, I unconsciously lost control of my inner thoughts and showed complex emotions toward her.
I shook my head and returned to the Mugeuk Sect battle.
When I wake up, I’ll sort out my feelings.
I already knew.
The her from this loop was not the her from that time.
So it wouldn’t be bad to sort my feelings completely this time.
I’ll have to listen to Hong Beom’s scolding.
During the battle with Kim Young-hoon, I had done everything I could to minimize damage to the sect, but the side effects had still been severe.
No one died thanks to my control, but Hong Beom had suffered a lot protecting the domain while the buildings were being ripped out.
Still, it was nice to have all the familiar faces together after a long time.
When the unconscious ones woke up, it would be quite enjoyable.
Seo Eun-hyun had entered the Mugeuk Sect battle.
Kim Yeon stared clearly at the Buk Hyang-hwa she had captured.
“…What just happened?”
She glared at Buk Hyang-hwa, whose inner thoughts Seo Eun-hyun had revealed earlier.
“…Everyone.”
Kim Yeon opened her eyes wide, called the curse dolls restoring the surroundings with an expressionless face.
They immediately ran to her and knelt before her.
“Have you called, Lord Wolryeong?”
“…Prepare a room in the guest wing. Also bring medicine suitable for humans. I’ll nurse this child myself.”