Chapter 131
Chapter 131
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Turn 1
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ever since I decided to pursue scholarship, I began by memorizing the Thousand Character Classic. I completely mastered it in five years, then moved on to the Four Books and Three Classics.
After finishing the Four Books and Three Classics, I started studying books of divination and the esoteric texts of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements. It took me fifty years to reach this level of understanding.
As I refined my knowledge, I felt a powerful energy fill my mind. From that point on, I had no trouble employing formations.
Of course, I wasn't as adept at handling qi as a martial artist, so I couldn't master all the cerebral arts.
But that all changed when I learned the Divine Arts of the Heavenly Demon from Master Heavenly Demon, building my internal energy in the lower and middle dantians. Once I understood the flow of qi, everything was different.
The internal energy accumulated in each dantian began to resonate with one another, leading to an awakening. After possessing Baek Mu-heun's body, it wasn't difficult to freely wield the energy of the upper dantian, which was akin to a divine power.
On top of that, after assimilating the Myriad Fragrance, I reached a state where I could freely utilize my internal energy as a martial artist and my formations as a sage.
I gave up on explaining this entire process and simply told Cheon-hyang what we needed to do next.
“We will wipe them out in one fell swoop. Now is our chance, while they are still not fully aware of our presence.”
[Yes! What should I do!]
“We must deal with them all at once so they can’t reach their backer. Speed is crucial, so we will strike at noon tomorrow, as soon as the morning sun has risen. At that time, you will activate the Qimen formation as I instructed. Afterward, continuously inform Hyeok of this location from the sky.”
Last night, I had not only spoken with Cheon-hyang but also opened the Ghost Spirit Talisman to give Hyeok his mission. This time, Hyeok's role was extremely important.
[Understood!]
The situation was such that if either Cheon-hyang or Hyeok failed to do their part, the plan could fail, so I reminded them once more.
***
Moonlight shimmered on the calm waves of the Yangtze River, and the village was enveloped in a peaceful atmosphere. But it was a false peace in a village occupied by monsters, and the residents were filled with nothing but false happiness.
In his room at the inn, Mu-heun spoke to Cheon-hyang.
“We must protect the villagers. The monsters’ evil deeds must end here. If we drag this out any longer, more children will die.”
Cheon-hyang responded to Mu-heun's words.
[Of course, Master!]
In preparation for the decisive battle at noon the next day, Mu-heun conjured a violet flame at his fingertip.
‘At noon, their power will weaken, and I will use fire, their weakness.’
He regulated the qi in his dantian through his breathing. At that moment, the sound of metal scraping against the room's door was heard, followed by a grotesque voice.
*We’re in trouble.*
“Gah, hahak! W-What little rat has come in and avoided the nightmares?”
They had been discovered.
The door creaked open slightly, and a Baku monster peeked its head in. Its appearance was truly bizarre and chilling.
The Baku bared its sharp teeth and sneered.
“Kahak! Rats, rats, rats! I caught one yesterday, but where are they all scurrying from! Did you think I wouldn't know if you put up a barrier inside the room!”
From the moment the creature had approached from outside, Mu-heun had dispelled all his formations. He began to act, looking at the Baku's face with a composed expression.
“W-What are you talking about?!”
“Gaha, kahak! Drop the act of trying to fool me. You haven't been intoxicated by the dreams I send you every night. I can tell at a glance… you’re practitioners of sorcery from the martial world!”
“Damn…”
Mu-heun realized that acting would no longer work on this monster. Furthermore, in this situation, he couldn't wait until noon the next day.
“Kahak! I will offer you to them! Kahak!”
Mu-heun opened the door and thought as he looked at the Baku that had come right up to him.
*‘It’s weaker than I thought… At this level, there’s no need to wait until noon. That is, if this one is all there is.’*
Then he spoke.
“I have no choice. I was hoping to catch you under the worst possible conditions you could imagine, but moving up the time shouldn't be a problem.”
“W-What did you say!?”
The Baku seemed slightly flustered by my utterly calm words. I paid it no mind and spoke with a chilling gaze.
“Listen well, you vile monster that has strayed from being a spiritual beast. Your evil deeds will end here.”
Hearing this, the Baku sneered and approached me.
“Kahak! You cannot face me. I feel no power from you at all!”
Mu-heun was slightly dumbfounded as he looked at the Baku. For a creature he had been wary of, it was surprisingly naive.
*‘Still, I must not let my guard down.’*
Mu-heun reactivated the Illusion Formation. Then, he sent a signal to Cheon-hyang with his eyes.
Cheon-hyang understood Mu-heun's intention perfectly. She stealthily moved behind the Baku and gave Mu-heun a wink.
When Mu-heun nodded, Cheon-hyang closed the door.
*Creeak—Thud.*
The Baku felt the door close and turned around.
“Kaaah…!?”
At that moment, Mu-heun unleashed a violet flame from his hand, heating the air in the room. As the startled Baku turned to flee outside, Mu-heun drew the Sun and Moon Sword and said.
“Are you ready to die?”
“Kahak!?”
No sooner had Mu-heun finished speaking than the demon-sealing flame erupted. A black dragon, glowing with a violet light, emerged from the tip of his sword and surrounded the Baku. The black dragon, formed from Mu-heun's qi, roared fiercely at the monster.
*Kuaaaargh!*
However, the Baku did not lose its momentum. It twisted its body, turning into a cloud. It then immediately tried to launch a mental attack on Mu-heun.
However, Mu-heun had already placed a defensive formation around himself, so the Baku's attack was completely ineffective.
“Gahahak! How can this be?”
Mu-heun stared at the bewildered Baku with a blank expression, then raised the Sun and Moon Sword and struck it down.
*Thwack!*
The Baku was slammed to the ground, and at that moment, the black dragon charged toward it.
“Kuh-hek!”
The Baku was startled to see the black dragon flying at it. It quickly turned its body, transformed back into a cloud, and tried to evade the dragon and escape.
“You fiend! You were hiding your power! Kahak! But you will not be able to catch me!”
Just then, Cheon-hyang returned to Mu-heun’s side, and he said to her.
“Well done.”
As the Baku, now a cloud, tried to slip through the crack in the door, Mu-heun spoke.
“Art of the Violet Sun.”
At the tip of the Sun and Moon Sword, two black dragons made of formless qi gathered, and soon, a round sphere of condensed Heavenly Demon's energy was created. The sphere was the size of a fist, but the moment it left the sword's tip, it began to expand at an incredible speed.
The massive energy flew straight toward the Baku and exploded.
*KABOOOM!*
Mu-heun had already extended his qi sense and confirmed that there was no one in the room across the hall or outside the inn's door, so he had no hesitation in detonating the violet sun.
“Kahak! T-This is… that time! That…!”
The Baku, which had been trying to escape as a cloud, began to disappear in Mu-heun's flames.
*Fwoooosh—BOOM!*
The inn room on the second floor was reduced to dust, and the wooden building was engulfed in a violet conflagration. The explosion that shot upward from it shook the heavens.
The sound of the blast echoed throughout the village, instantly spreading in all directions, and the pitch-black night sky was momentarily dyed violet.
It was a truly immense commotion.
Mu-heun pursued the burning Baku to the end, annihilating it with his flames.
*Fwoosh*
After confirming the Baku's demise, Mu-heun focused his internal energy into his legs and moved at a speed that even a master at the threshold of divinity would struggle to follow.
He shot violet flames in all directions of the village. The flames sequentially activated the Qimen formations he had prepared during the day.
Furthermore, as the flames grazed the air, they exploded and rose into the village sky. The flames that exploded in the heavens then activated the Cloud-Obscuring Formation.
“It’s done. Now, this village is no different from a birdcage. Cheon-hyang! Go and do your part!”
[Understood!]
Cheon-hyang flew off immediately upon Mu-heun's command, and Mu-heun headed straight for the pavilion in the center of the village. His target was the monsters' hideout behind the pavilion.
The ten or so Penghou and Baku monsters disguised as doctors were momentarily stunned. The energy rising into the air was far beyond a level they could handle.
The terrified monsters gathered inside the barrier they had created, which was exactly what Mu-heun had intended.
Overwhelmed by the aura Mu-heun emitted, they had retreated, which ultimately allowed him to separate the villagers from the monsters.
The Penghou that entered their hideout, the barrier, shouted.
“How can this be! When and how did such a powerful human enter the village!”
Mu-heun did not miss the opening as the Penghou and Baku entered the barrier and once again drew upon his internal energy to attack.
“Modified Eight Demons' Explosive Heat Art: Twin Black Dragons, Annihilate.”
From the tip of the Sun and Moon Sword in Mu-heun's right hand, two black dragons swam elegantly. In his left hand, a violet flame drew an eight-trigram formation, causing continuous collisions.
Then, Mu-heun formed a sword seal with his left hand and touched it to the Sun and Moon Sword. The explosive art and the two black dragons merged, and their energy began to amplify.
*Rumble!*
It was then shot toward the barrier where the Baku and Penghou were entering.
*Fwaaang!*
Mu-heun's ultimate technique shot out with a powerful sonic boom.
The two black dragons and the Eight Demons' Explosive Heat Art spiraled into the barrier, and soon, a massive explosion that shook the very earth erupted.
*KWAAANG!*
A thick cloud of dust rose.
*Crack! Crackle!*
The barrier shattered.
At that moment, there were figures inside the barrier protecting the Penghou and Baku. They were the Protectors of the Yangtze River. Among them was Chang-yeon, whom Mu-heun had known in his past life.
No, it wasn't just Chang-yeon. He couldn't remember clearly, but all the Protectors of the Yangtze River were monks or martial artists from Chipyeong Temple.
“Damn it…”
Even at a glance, their martial skills were at a second-rate to first-rate level. At their level, there was no chance they could reach him, a peak-level demonic master. The problem was that they had become human shields for the monsters.
The Protectors of the Yangtze River, already unable to judge for themselves, began to surround the monsters with vacant expressions.
Seeing them, Mu-heun shouted loudly.
“This is the end for you! Have your very souls been devoured by the monsters! Those who can hear my words, surrender!”
However, not a single one of the Protectors of the Yangtze River who heard Mu-heun's voice surrendered. On the contrary, they shielded the monsters and argued back at Mu-heun.
Some, with bloodshot eyes, screamed at the top of their lungs.
“What in the world are you doing! These people are the saviors of our village! Why would a master like you commit such atrocities against good people who have helped others!”
Some fell to their knees and begged, pleading desperately.
“Please spare us! Spare us! I’m begging you! These people have done nothing wrong! I am on my knees begging you, please!”
All of their voices had the deep, grating quality of a Baku's. Mu-heun realized the monsters were even more cunning than he had thought, experiencing a mix of anger and resignation.
“Damn…”
Just then.
*Th-th-th-thud!*
It wasn't just the Protectors of the Yangtze River; even the villagers influenced by the Baku and the Wangliang began to flock madly toward the monsters