Chapter 454: Monarch of the Underworld
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 454: Monarch of the Underworld
“You young punk...!”
Eumjin’s face twisted viciously at the sight of Kang Hyun-woo calmly closing the distance.
Just ten minutes ago, he would have been wary of this sudden intruder, carefully gauging his strength.
But that was no longer necessary.
The current time was 12:32 AM.
Once the clock struck midnight, the system’s restrictions on Eumjin had been lifted.
This meant he could now unleash his full power as an elder of the Ghost Spirit Valley.
「Name: Eumjin
Age: 104
Contracted Constellation: Guide of the Underworld
Affiliation: Boundless Heaven Sect · Ghost Spirit Valley
Authority: Kill List (A)
Exclusive Trait: Body of Lost Souls (A-)
Exclusive Skills: -
Traits: Ghost Slaying Incantation (A), White Bone Wandering Soul Art (B+), Soul-less Ghost Blade Slash (B-), Primordial Soul Annihilation Art (C)…
Skills: Spirit Enhancement (A+), Strange Devour (A+), Blood Forest Iron Body (B+)…」
“How long do you think you can afford to be so relaxed!”
Vwooom—
Eumjin formed a hand seal, drawing upon his spiritual power.
A sinister, cold energy instantly flooded the corridor. In the gloomy atmosphere, which felt as if it could possess a person just by standing in it, he unleashed the White Bone Wandering Soul Art.
Fwoosh—!!
In that instant, White Bone Ghosts burst through the floor, their numbers easily exceeding fifty.
The corridor was swarmed by the dead in a matter of seconds.
But Eumjin didn't stop there.
「Eumjin uses ‘Spirit Enhancement (A+)’.」
「Eumjin uses ‘Blood Forest Iron Body (B+)’.」
「Eumjin uses ‘Heavily Armed Army (B+)’.」
Kieeeeeeek!!!!
The presence of the White Bone Ghosts changed in a flash.
‘Spirit Enhancement’ intensified their vengeful spirits, and the effects of ‘Blood Forest Iron Body’ made them so resilient that they could no longer be called common ghouls. On top of that, ‘Heavily Armed Army’ equipped them with weapons comparable to low-grade magic treasures.
Although the narrow space limited the number of summoned ghosts to a few dozen, each one now possessed the combat strength of a B-rank magical beast.
This was the true power of Eumjin, an elder of the great Ghost Spirit Valley and a cultivator at the Qi Cultivation stage.
Though he was born with the somewhat inferior Body of Lost Souls, he never doubted that he would one day reach the Golden Core realm.
“Go.”
Kuaaaaar!!!
Kyaaaaaak!!!
Kieeeeeeek!!!
Rumble—
The moment Eumjin gave the command, dozens of White Bone Ghosts charged toward Kang Hyun-woo in unison.
Watching them, Eumjin smirked.
‘I don’t know what rock you crawled out from under, but to dare challenge me, an elder of the great Ghost Spirit Valley... I’ll rip out your soul and torture it.’
He had no intention of capturing him alive for information.
The advantage of the Ghost Cultivation Method was that such a troublesome process was unnecessary.
However, there was one thing Eumjin had overlooked.
“...Hm?”
Even on the seemingly insignificant lower floors, there were plenty of players who hid their true power.
—!!!
At that moment, a golden beam of light erupted from the other end of the corridor.
The faces of Eumjin and his disciples turned pale in an instant.
Just as an unbearable wave of nausea washed over them—
Formless Sword Art · Formless Moon · Slash.
KRRRRRRRRAAAAAACK!!!!
An aura of righteousness that shatters evil filled the corridor, and the White Bone Ghosts were shredded like vegetables in a blender.
Eumjin couldn't believe what he was seeing. The movement was comparable to that of a Golden Core cultivator who had mastered a sword cultivation method.
After cutting down dozens of White Bone Ghosts in a single breath, Kang Hyun-woo used Formless Step to advance.
In the blink of an eye, he was upon Eumjin and swung his sword without a hint of hesitation.
Startled, Eumjin reflexively reached out with his left hand, only to remember too late that his arm had not yet recovered.
In that life-or-death moment, he activated a magic treasure he carried.
Shhhlick!!
“Kuaaaack!!!”
Kang Hyun-woo’s sword sliced deep into his opponent’s shoulder, cutting diagonally across his body.
But the one who died was a disciple of the Ghost Spirit Valley. Eumjin had already moved to the rear of the formation, panting heavily.
Seeing this, Kang Hyun-woo realized Eumjin had used an item.
‘An ability that swaps positions with another person?’
Flicking the blood from his sword, Kang Hyun-woo readjusted his stance, quickly discerning the item’s ability.
It wasn't even worth being wary of.
But the disciples couldn't help but be shaken.
“E-Elder! What just happened...?!”
“Gucheol is dead!!”
“Silence!” Eumjin roared, his face contorted.
Unlike before, he looked extremely agitated.
“If I die, do you think you’ll be safe?! If you want to live, you’ll buy me time, even if it costs you your lives!”
““...””
At Eumjin’s words, the disciples exchanged glances, their faces pale with fear.
But he wasn't wrong.
“Everyone!! Deploy the Lost Soul Ghost Shadow Blood Array!!”
Gujin, the highest-ranking disciple, shouted urgently, and the others moved in perfect sync.
They surrounded Kang Hyun-woo in an instant, each pulling out a dagger to slice their palm. Simultaneously, they formed hand seals and chanted an incantation.
As if in response, the blood that soaked the floor spread out in all directions, forming a magic circle.
Vwoooooom—
The formation began to glow with a red light. The atmosphere was clearly ominous, but Kang Hyun-woo didn't move an inch.
He was partly curious, but it was also because his legs were completely immobilized.
The Lost Soul Ghost Shadow Blood Array had the effect of powerfully binding a designated target while temporarily protecting them from external attacks.
“Oh, noble soul slumbering in the underworld, I earnestly beseech you to answer the call of your descendants. Taishang Cibei Dadao Shenguang Buzhu Mingfu Kaiming Yiling Zhensheng Yingli Zhen’ai Shengyun Yuanbing Shangzhao Yujing...”
As he recited the spell, Gujin suddenly coughed up a torrent of dark red blood.
He had spewed nearly a liter, leaving his face deathly pale, yet a ghastly smile played on his lips.
At that moment, an unidentifiable presence could be felt from the center of the formation.
‘What is that...’
Gurgle, gurgle—
A black, viscous liquid tore through the floor and surged upward, like a sewer overflowing during a monsoon.
It soon took the shape of a human.
Clad in ancient Chinese armor, it held a massive glaive.
It was the very image of a valiant general who had roamed battlefields.
It was so enormous that Kang Hyun-woo had to crane his neck all the way back just to look up at it.
‘A fully-fledged Transcendent master?’
Thud—
The general said nothing.
He simply adjusted his stance and unleashed his killing intent toward Kang Hyun-woo.
In the darkness, a blood-red light flickered in his eyes.
Lost Soul Ghost Shadow Blood Array.
A forbidden formation that used a cultivator’s blood and a specific medium as a sacrifice to forcibly summon the soul of a dead person.
By trapping a designated target within the formation, it was possible to force a life-or-death battle with the lost soul.
It was, in a sense, a gladiatorial arena.
Thump—
Gujin, the second disciple of the Ghost Spirit Valley, collapsed, vomiting blood.
To summon the soul of a Qi Cultivation stage cultivator from the Ten Thousand Blood City, he had sacrificed his own appendix, spleen, pancreas, and left lung.
But he had no regrets.
The injuries weren't immediately fatal, and he had succeeded in summoning a Killing Star who had slaughtered tens of thousands in the outer tower area during his lifetime. For the price of a few organs, it was more than a fair trade.
Gujin smiled grimly.
Eumjin had told them to buy time, but he began to wonder if that was even necessary.
“Killing Star! Kill that bastard right now—huh?”
Splurt—
Before Gujin could finish his sentence, the Killing Star’s head was split in two.
Kang Hyun-woo retrieved his sword and sneered at them.
Reviving a powerful master as an undead required extensive preparation. Ignoring the proper procedures and relying solely on a formation to summon a mere soul had its clear limits.
Moreover, how could a dozen cultivators, barely in the early stages of Qi Condensation, hope to control a swordsman who had reached the late stages of Qi Cultivation?
Of course, even considering all that, Kang Hyun-woo was simply too strong.
He had sliced through the protective aura of a Qi Cultivation stage cultivator with a single strike, however incomplete the summoned being was.
—!!!
In that instant, the heads of the Ghost Spirit Valley disciples flew into the air. The protective talismans they carried were no more than scraps of paper.
All of this had taken less than a minute.
Kang Hyun-woo started walking to claim Eumjin’s head.
But even though all his disciples had been slaughtered, Eumjin remained crouched in the darkness, seemingly unconcerned.
Kang Hyun-woo frowned at the sight.
He wasn't preparing an attack, nor was he trying to flee.
Puzzled by Eumjin’s incomprehensible behavior, he decided it wouldn't be too late to think about it after he was dead.
He gripped the hilt of his sword and approached him.
Shiver—
As he drew near, a man in black robes, who had been there for who knows how long, slowly raised his head from behind the crouching Eumjin.
His face was pale, completely devoid of blood.
The moment their eyes met, an indescribable chill swept through Kang Hyun-woo’s entire body.
Ting—
「Eumjin uses ‘Insight (C+)’.」
「Your information is partially revealed.」
「Eumjin uses ‘Kill List (A)’.」
「The Constellation, ‘Guide of the Underworld,’ calls your name.」
As the messages appeared before him, Eumjin’s lips curled into a sinister smile.
Rustle—
The man in black opened a book.
「“Kang Hyun-woo.”」
Thump—
The moment the man spoke his name, Kang Hyun-woo felt an inexplicable tightness in his chest.
It was as if an invisible hand was roughly squeezing his heart.
Kill List.
It was Eumjin’s exclusive trait, a cheat-like ability that could take a person’s life simply by calling their name three times.
However, it came with strict limitations.
It could only be used three times in total, and if the target defended with an A-rank or higher trait, skill, or item, the chance would be wasted.
Most importantly, each use, regardless of success, cost Eumjin fifteen years of his lifespan.
As someone who cherished his own life dearly, he had only ever used the Kill List once before.
“Hahaha!!”
But this was no time to be stingy with traits or his lifespan.
「The Constellation, ‘Guide of the Underworld,’ calls your name.」
「“Kang Hyun-woo.”」
「“Kang Hyun-woo.”」
Fwoosh!!
The moment his name was called for the third time, the floor cracked open and countless hands shot out.
The inhuman hands grabbed Kang Hyun-woo’s ankles and began to pull him down violently, as if trying to drag him underground.
Kang Hyun-woo tried to resist by channeling his internal energy, but his body wouldn't respond.
“Kuhahaha!!! The grave sin of interfering with my work. You will pay for it with your life!!!”
“Your work?”
Already sunk to his knees, Kang Hyun-woo let out a short laugh.
It was a blatant sneer.
“With your level of skill, aren't you ashamed to call yourself a master?”
“You bastard!!!”
At Kang Hyun-woo’s mockery, Eumjin roared, veins bulging on his neck.
But the aftereffects of using the Kill List left him completely paralyzed. All he could do was glare daggers at Kang Hyun-woo and seethe internally.
“...You won’t be able to afford that composure for much longer.”
Eumjin recalled the first time he had used the Kill List.
His opponent had been a renowned Golden Core cultivator from the middle floors. At first, he too had been prideful, not even blinking an eye.
But just before being dragged into the underworld, he had broken down, weeping and sniveling as he begged pathetically.
Please, just spare my life.
The memory still sent shivers down his spine.
That was why Eumjin had no doubt.
The arrogant bastard before him would soon be begging for his life as well.
At the sight of Eumjin’s insidious smile, Kang Hyun-woo sighed, then looked up at the ceiling and muttered.
“So, how long are you going to just watch?”
“Hm? What nonsense are you spouting all of a sudden—”
「“Kuaaaaaaaargh!!!”」
At that moment, a blood-curdling scream tore through the air.
Eumjin whipped his head around, his eyes wide with shock. His own Constellation was dangling in mid-air, struggling as if caught by something.
Ting—
「The gaze of the Constellation, ‘Monarch of the Underworld,’ descends upon the land.」
“?!!”
Eumjin instinctively gasped and curled into a ball.
An irresistible terror threatened to crush his very existence.
「The Constellation, ‘Guide of the Underworld,’ is greatly flustered.」
「“M-Monarch! What brings you to such a humble place?!”」
Eumjin wasn't the only one in a panic.
Crrrack—
「The Constellation, ‘Guide of the Underworld,’ writhes in agony.」
「“K-Kuaaaargh!!! M-Monarch!!! Why are you doing this?!!”」
It was a scene too grotesque to describe.
The Constellation’s limbs were bent in grotesque directions until its entire body began to twist like clay, curling into a ball.
「The Constellation, ‘Guide of the Underworld,’ pleads.」
「“M-Monarch!! Monarch!! I was wrong!! Please have mercy!!! Aaaaargh!!!!”」
CRUNCH—
With a final, horrifying death cry that made it impossible to even lift one’s head, a heavy silence fell upon the corridor.
Thud—
Eumjin, who had been trembling with his head bowed, cautiously looked up.
“H-Hiiik?!!”
His eyes fell upon the ‘Guide of the Underworld,’ now compressed into a ball the size of a baseball.
It wasn't an avatar.
The Constellation’s true body was dead.
Eumjin was speechless, unable to believe the sight before him.
And that was the last thing he ever saw.
Slice—