Chapter 299
Chapter 299
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 299
Chapter Title: Breaching the Immortal Formation
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While the fierce battle was raging.
In the midst of the commotion, figures were moving through the air as if swimming, concealing their presence from the southeast of the Undying Heaven Cult's main headquarters.
It was Cheonhwi and his group.
"That bastard Sow and the additional bastards must have called in at least thirteen squads and three companies."
Go Yeongnak whispered, gazing at the distant clash of eerie energies.
"Thanks to that, it'll be much easier for us."
Gi Jung-hak said, his eyes calm and sunken.
A vibration could be felt beneath their stepping feet.
It had been coming from that fierce battle.
"All preparations are complete, so now we just need to do our part."
Yukwon murmured in a low voice.
The Demon Flame Division Leader and Cooperation Guard Leader had done everything they could.
Now, only their own task remained.
"No need to rush."
Soon, they quickened their pace.
Moving stealthily amid the clamor of clashing blades and surging murderous intent, they soon reached a tall wall.
Sabak.
They landed in front of it as lightly as feathers.
Still suppressing their presence.
Yukwon raised his head and spoke.
"We'll go over this."
At his words, everyone looked up.
A strange energy emanated from the wall, about three jang high.
Sticky and unpleasant...
An energy that instinctively repelled them.
'A unique energy like blood qi.'
Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed.
His eyes, infused with the inner energy of the Plum Blossom Divine Art, pierced through the wall—no, the formation enveloping the entire Undying Heaven Cult headquarters.
Thus, in his vision, the chaotic energy appeared as a hemispherical barrier surrounding the headquarters.
A form that protected the headquarters overall.
'Hmm, a pretty solid formation.'
The formation was tightly woven.
It ranked among the top formations he knew.
'Well, even so, it's still just a formation.'
Cheonhwi twisted his lips.
Whether it was called the Immortal Formation or whatever, it was ultimately just a formation.
There were life gates and death gates.
And those gates and paths were now vividly clear in Cheonhwi's eyes.
"Then follow me."
Yukwon said with a tense expression.
For them, meeting the Undying Heaven Cult Leader in perfect condition was the top priority.
To that end, they had to pass through the Immortal Everlasting Formation ahead as smoothly as possible.
He stepped forward.
Instantly, inner energy flowed from his entire body, making the hem of his robes flutter violently.
"We'll go in one leap."
Finishing his words, he kicked off.
Whisk!
He shot upward like a gale.
The others followed suit.
Swift and stealthy movements.
Those who had spread their divine senses at tremendous speed, as if ascending a beacon tower, soon leaped over the wall.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ At the Murim Alliance's assault, those in the Undying Heaven Cult's headquarters moved in a frenzy.
The cultists charged at the enemies targeting their cult without hesitation, while the Undying Bishops busied themselves directing them.
Yet, amid the headquarters' noisy movements, there was one quiet place.
Heavenlink Pavilion.
Even in the vast grounds of the Undying Heaven Cult, this tower soared endlessly toward the sky, visible at a glance.
And on the top floor of that Heavenlink Pavilion, a bizarre scene unfolded.
Dozens of people in purple robes knelt in two rows, spaced just enough to form a path.
All of them had their eyes gently closed.
"......"
The place was eerily silent at the same time.
Though winter winds blew fiercely from all directions, not one showed even the slightest movement.
Their breathing was exceedingly calm.
And at the end of the path they formed stood a man with his hands behind his back.
This young man, who seemed just past his early twenties, was an unparalleled beauty with sharp features and a slender jawline.
Whiii―
A fierce winter wind blew.
Causing the hair of those kneeling to wave dramatically.
Yet, strangely, only where he stood remained still.
His robes and hair hung calmly without a stir.
As if he alone were detached from the world, it induced such an illusion.
The man, standing ramrod straight, moved his distinctly black-and-white eyes to drop his gaze downward.
Toward the battlefield ahead.
The pitch-black pupils reflected the fierce battle between the Undying Heaven Cultists and Murim Alliance warriors, and he moved his blood-red lips.
"The mountain sacrifice has come on its own feet."
His voice came not from his moving lips, but from every direction around.
It was the Six Directions Voice Projection.
Following that, the translucent energy in his voice spread like ripples in all directions, causing the Heavenlink Pavilion to vibrate.
A truly transcendent sight.
But the kneelers did not react with surprise or falter at such a scene.
As if it were the most natural thing.
No, it was natural.
Who was this man?
The god they served, the Undying Heaven Cult Leader.
"Truly amusing, isn't it?"
The sublime Six Directions Voice Projection pierced directly into the minds of the Undying Bishops kneeling behind, not just their ears.
"Indeed, it is."
The Undying Bishops, kneeling, bowed their heads deeply in response.
Without the slightest error.
The sight was utterly sacred.
Yet the Undying Heaven Cult Leader paid no heed to them prostrating themselves.
He merely gazed at the battlefield, humming.
"A beautiful explosion of emotions."
The hot atmosphere of the battle unfolding before his eyes ignited a fire in his chest.
Murderous intent and passion, the scent of blood and morale.
And even the sorrow and fear of those facing death.
All sorts of energies and emotions swirled chaotically.
It was chaos.
Watching the tangled threads of emotions scatter in all directions, the Undying Heaven Cult Leader slowly bared his pearly whites.
A chillingly cold smile.
But on the lips of this unparalleled beauty, it exuded a strange allure.
At that moment.
"Cult Leader."
A voice broke his mood.
Soon after, an elder in pure white robes appeared at his side.
The Second Dead One of the Undying Heaven Cult.
The Soul Revenant.
The Undying Heaven Cult Leader gazed steadily at the suddenly appearing Soul Revenant and spoke.
"What is it?"
"The Immortal Everlasting Formation has been breached."
The Cult Leader's brow twitched.
Soon, all expression vanished from his face.
Instead, an indescribable chilling killing intent welled up in his pitch-black pupils.
"Who did it?"
"We haven't fully grasped yet... Ack!"
The Soul Revenant let out a groan.
It felt as if something transparent had seized his throat and lifted him.
At that moment, the Cult Leader's eyes, watching him, lifted from bottom to top.
Dongsil―
The Soul Revenant's body floated up about a chi.
A mystical sight.
No hand had touched him, nor had he circulated his qi to move.
Void Grasping.
A superhuman realm achievable only by those who had trained internal energy operation to the extreme—a power beyond human limits.
"You don't know, then."
The Undying Heaven Cult Leader whispered lowly.
While locking eyes with the Soul Revenant.
At the same time, the Soul Revenant's floating body was inexorably pulled toward the Cult Leader.
When it arrived almost nose-to-nose.
Facing the demonic eyes of the Cult Leader, starkly black and white, all color drained from the Soul Revenant's face.
His breath was blocked.
Yet, in that situation, ecstasy gleamed in the Soul Revenant's eyes.
'Ah, our Cult Leader has broken through the wall and ascended to a higher realm.'
He was rejoicing in the Cult Leader's advancement.
"I will find out immediately."
"Good. I'll give you a gak. Find out who they are and how they passed the Immortal Everlasting Formation within that time."
The Undying Heaven Cult Leader commanded softly.
A subdued voice.
Hearing it, the Soul Revenant grinned widely with an expression of utmost reverence, as if no greater joy existed.
A smile thick with killing intent.
"Understood."
Only then did the Cult Leader release his power.
Thud.
The Soul Revenant's feet touched the ground, and instantly, he drew his sword like lightning.
It was in an instant.
The sword, infused with hazy energy, stabbed into the floor right below where he stood.
Kwaaaaang!
The floor shattered and collapsed.
And through that gap.
Whisk!
Four figures shot up from below.
Dodging the streams of energy extending toward them was no easy feat.
The Soul Revenant, seeing they had evaded his sword, raised it again from below.
A standard mid-stance posture anyone could see.
But the resonance of energy emanating from his entire body was extraordinary.
Wuuuung―
The air began to hum.
The atmosphere around seemed terrified by the energy from the sword gripped by the Soul Revenant.
"Tch!"
"We have to dodge!"
"Hurry!"
"It's dangerous!"
The four still airborne.
Yukwon and the others tried to move urgently, but before they could.
Hwooung!
The Soul Revenant's sword slashed.
As it swept from left to right, the world began to dye in darkness.
No momentum, no sound.
Yet, starting from his waist, everything around was simply severed.
The range was vast.
Not only the pillars but even the structures of the top floor of the pavilion could not escape the sword strike and began to crumble.
Grreeek―
In the end, the roof of the Heavenlink Pavilion collapsed.
In that moment, those in the Undying Heaven Cult headquarters, as well as fighters far away, were startled and momentarily drawn to the sight.
For a brief time.
Hwooo!
Suddenly, wind surged from above.
It was Ghost Sword Go Yeongnak.
Running across the collapsing structures, he closed in on the Undying Heaven Cult Leader.
In an instant, he drew the sword from his waist and aimed at the head of the man standing leisurely with hands behind his back.
Ascending Overlapping Sword.
The sword, scattering fierce energy, tore through space and slashed downward.
A sharp blow targeting an opening.
'He's off guard!'
As Go Yeongnak thought he had seized the advantage.
Swish―
The Undying Heaven Cult Leader tilted his chin up and looked at the descending blade.
With utmost leisure.
And at that instant.
Creeeeng!
The space between them rang out loudly.
"What?!"
Go Yeongnak panicked.
His sword was blocked by a translucent energy around him and failed to strike true.
'Body Protecting Qi?!'
As he recoiled in shock.
"Is that all you've got?"
The Undying Heaven Cult Leader released his hands from behind his back.
And met Go Yeongnak's eyes.
In that moment.
"......!"
Go Yeongnak felt his consciousness fading.
The pitch-black pupils bloomed with utter darkness, swallowing his mind.
"How utterly boring."
Unfurling the divine Six Directions Voice Projection, the Cult Leader slowly extended his right hand.
A languid gesture.
But Go Yeongnak could not dodge.
His consciousness was already captive to the Cult Leader's eyes.
Grab.
Soon, the Cult Leader seized Go Yeongnak's head and slowly circulated his energy.
A faint purple aura.
Right after.
Hwaaaak!
Go Yeongnak's entire body shuddered violently.
Soon the trembling subsided, and he spewed a bowlful of blackish blood from his seven orifices.
Instant death.
"No fun at all."
The Undying Heaven Cult Leader glanced at the dead Go Yeongnak and casually tossed him aside.
Go Yeongnak's corpse plummeted downward.
A moment later, faint sounds of it being crushed below echoed up.
"......"
Silence fell.
Yukwon and the remaining group momentarily lost their words at the overwhelming divine might of the Undying Heaven Cult Leader.
Gazing at the frozen ones, the Cult Leader clasped his hands behind his back again and spoke.
"Assist the Second Dead One."
No sooner had he spoken than the Undying Bishops, still prostrating even in this situation, slowly raised their heads and stood.
Responding with frenzied voices.
"We shall obey the divine will."