Mujeong Soma (1)
Papapapapat!
Tearing the white clouds to shreds, Cheon Woo-jin's Ghost Wood Boat tore through the sky at full speed.
Pursuing close behind was Mujeong Soma's White Sandalwood Divine Vessel.
The White Sandalwood Divine Vessel was a flying Dharma Treasure whose performance ranked among the top five on this continent.
It could be called the most valuable of all the treasures Mujeong Soma possessed.
It even had the ability to perform short-range spatial leaps for instantaneous teleportation — a function Mujeong Soma, as a Late Nascent Soul cultivator, could wield to perfection.
Some twenty years ago, three Nascent Soul elders of a famous orthodox sect had spread an encirclement, together with their subordinates, to kill Mujeong Soma.
But Mujeong Soma had piloted the White Sandalwood Divine Vessel through an aerial battle, slaughtered every last attacker, and vanished without a trace.
Such was the overwhelming power of the pairing between Mujeong Soma and his vessel.
Yet Cheon Woo-jin showed no sign of intimidation.
His Ghost Wood Boat was a flying Dharma Treasure left behind by the Yin Soul Ghost Bone Palace.
Its performance ranked within the top three on this continent.
"Haha……!"
Mujeong Soma flung out a white sword.
It was a blade of spiritual qi forged through the Hundred Flowers Hundred Blades Art.
Far sturdier and more powerful than the sword qi wielded by ordinary cultivators, it was a superior-grade energy blade reminiscent of the sword gangs of the martial world.
But that sword qi never once struck true.
Cheon Woo-jin kept the Ghost Wood Boat executing intricate aerial maneuvers in every direction — up, down, left, and right — and each of Mujeong Soma's strikes pierced nothing but empty sky before fading away in vain.
Now the feel of it is coming to me.
Cheon Woo-jin had always been accustomed to sharp, angled turns.
It was a sense honed through moving freely in all directions by channeling his Lightning Foundation.
Applying that sense to pilot the Ghost Wood Boat, he found he could evade even Mujeong Soma's ferocious assaults with ease.
It would have been a struggle in the old days, but at Middle Core Formation, I'm more than capable now.
He couldn't claim to be drawing out a full hundred percent of the Ghost Wood Boat's performance.
Still, he was extracting fifty percent — no, nearly seventy-five percent.
Even that much was enough to hold his own against Mujeong Soma's White Sandalwood Divine Vessel.
"What an impressive vessel!"
Kwakwakwakwa!
Beyond the roar of the wind, Mujeong Soma's voice carried over.
"It appears to be a flying Dharma Treasure that surpasses even my White Sandalwood Divine Vessel! To handle it with such skill — you are clearly no ordinary man!"
At this very moment, Mujeong Soma was enjoying himself.
A man who had never met his equal in aerial combat, he couldn't help but be thrilled by the situation.
"I find myself quite curious who you might be! I am known as Mujeong Soma of the Blood World Mara Sect!"
"Cheon Woo-jin."
Cheon Woo-jin answered as he swung the Ghost Wood Boat into a wide arc.
"A rootless loose cultivator."
"I see……!"
Mujeong Soma's laughter rang across the heavens.
"I've heard of you! The loose cultivator of Ghost Head City who slew the young sect master of the Flame Emperor Gate! And that flying Dharma Treasure — is it a legacy of the Yin Soul Ghost Bone Palace you unearthed in Ghost Head City?"
He hadn't found it in Ghost Head City, but it was indeed a legacy of the Yin Soul Ghost Bone Palace.
"In any case, excellent! If it's a legacy of the Yin Soul Ghost Bone Palace, I'll need to start taking this a little more seriously!"
That would have been unnecessary even without the warning.
Cheon Woo-jin clicked his tongue.
But Mujeong Soma was hardly going to read his mind.
A colossal surge of spiritual power unfolded, and a great spell took shape.
Countless white blades blazed into being, filling the blue sky from edge to edge and barring Cheon Woo-jin's path.
No matter how skillfully he flew the Ghost Wood Boat, once space itself was filled like that, there was nowhere left to dodge.
Which was why Cheon Woo-jin released the technique he had been preparing since moments ago.
The signature spell that had shattered Song Mu-cheol, Sect Master of the Taiyi Easy Separation Sect, now unfurled — a black sea steeped in the principle of death and extinction, surging forth in the form of crashing waves.
Against the white blades raining down like a storm, black waves erupted.
Where the black tide swept through, a cleared corridor opened amid the white blades, and Cheon Woo-jin hurled the Ghost Wood Boat straight into that opening.
Shaking off the remaining blades as they belatedly gave chase, the Ghost Wood Boat broke through the danger zone entirely unscathed.
But the instant it finally burst free into the open blue sky —
The White Sandalwood Divine Vessel, having teleported through a spatial leap, cut directly across the Ghost Wood Boat's path.
Vessel ramming vessel — a form of ramming tactics.
The Ghost Wood Boat was protected by a spiritual barrier, but so was Mujeong Soma's vessel.
Worse, Mujeong Soma was surely reinforcing his vessel's barrier with his own spellwork.
A head-on collision would be genuinely dangerous.
Knowing that, Cheon Woo-jin had already made his own preparations.
A shield of Lightning Qi, amplified by the power of the Lightning Wheel Meridian, had been deployed across the Ghost Wood Boat's prow.
That shield possessed a repulsive elasticity that shoved back anything that struck it.
It would dampen the shock of the impact considerably.
"Haha!"
"Ugh……!"
Glaring at Mujeong Soma as he burst out laughing beneath his mask, Cheon Woo-jin gripped the control yoke with all his strength.
The next instant, the Ghost Wood Boat and the White Sandalwood Divine Vessel collided head-on.
"Ngh!"
"Kghh……!"
A tremendous boom shook the very heavens, and both vessels — the Ghost Wood Boat and the White Sandalwood Divine Vessel alike — lost their balance in midair.
The shock of two immense forces slamming together had momentarily knocked out their functions.
Stripped of flight, the two vessels began plummeting toward the earth.
"……!"
Inside the Ghost Wood Boat as it spiraled down in a dizzying spin, Cheon Woo-jin scrambled to restore its flight capability.
But less than a single day had passed since he'd boarded the Ghost Wood Boat.
He had grown comfortable with piloting it, but on-the-spot repairs were still beyond him.
And so the Ghost Wood Boat fell, inevitably, toward a mountain thickly crowded with trees.
Kukukukuung!
Toppling several towering trees, the Ghost Wood Boat crashed into the forest.
"Kgh……"
Cheon Woo-jin crawled out of the overturned Ghost Wood Boat.
Fortunately, the vessel itself seemed undamaged.
Despite having been shot down mid–aerial battle against Mujeong Soma's White Sandalwood Divine Vessel, not a single scratch marred its hull.
True, it had lost flight capability in an instant and fallen — but if its functions were left dormant for a while and then restarted, it would operate normally again.
"That was entertaining, Daoist Cheon."
Just then, a voice came from above his head.
Having already recovered its flight, the White Sandalwood Divine Vessel was hovering directly over him.
Mujeong Soma rested his arms on the railing, looking down at Cheon Woo-jin.
The mask hid his expression, but his voice alone made it plain how thoroughly satisfied he was.
"I'd been feeling rather glum over how little fun the Hwangryeol Flying Archipelago offered, but you've lifted my spirits considerably."
"I'm glad I could be of service."
Cheon Woo-jin replied in an ice-cold voice.
"Then shall we each go our separate ways?"
"I'm afraid not. From the look of it, that vessel of yours will take some time to recover its functions……"
The White Sandalwood Divine Vessel began to descend slowly toward him.
"Board mine. I'll see you to your destination."
"……"
So it comes to this in the end.
Cheon Woo-jin closed his eyes in resignation.
It wasn't part of the plan, but there's no helping it.
This was simply the kind of man Mujeong Soma was.
He prioritized moment-to-moment pleasure, and he never let go of anything that caught his interest.
In that respect, he was rather similar to Song Yuhee.
But there was one thing that set him clearly apart from her.
Beneath that eerie white mask, he was a man who concealed a burning, deeply human passion.
In the game, if one followed the demonic path into the Blood World Mara Sect, it was possible to build a rapport with Mujeong Soma and become his true sworn ally.
Depending on how the story progressed, he would even sacrifice his own life for the protagonist out of sheer loyalty.
Of course, more often than not he appeared as a powerful adversary filling the role of a mid-boss instead.
Accepting Mujeong Soma's offer is the better move here.
Cheon Woo-jin extended his hand toward the Ghost Wood Boat and sent it a signal.
The vessel shrank to the size of his palm.
It had been stored in that shrunken state in the Imperial Palace's treasury as well.
"Then I'll be in your debt, Grand Duke Mujeong Soma."
Tucking the Ghost Wood Boat into his breast, Cheon Woo-jin boarded the White Sandalwood Divine Vessel.
Perhaps pleased by his dignified bearing, Mujeong Soma laughed.
"You're welcome to simply call me Mujeong Soma. Or Soma, if you prefer."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Even if Mujeong Soma was a man of genuine humanity, Cheon Woo-jin could not let his guard down.
The man was, factually, among the most dangerous cultivators he had encountered to date.
Worse, at Late Nascent Soul, he was difficult to oppose even with the Instant Killing Heavenly Eye.
He possessed the ability to kill Cheon Woo-jin faster than the eye could take effect.
But if I can borrow Mujeong Soma's power……
Cheon Woo-jin recalled the state of the continent at this point in time.
Countless factions had flocked to the Hwangryeol Flying Archipelago this time, yet many others paid it no attention whatsoever and went about their own affairs.
Among them were those who would become obstacles in Cheon Woo-jin's path.
I may be able to remove that one early.
Even in the midst of encountering one of the most dangerous men alive, Cheon Woo-jin was already scheming to extract the maximum possible gain from this situation.
Mujeong Soma flew the White Sandalwood Divine Vessel in the direction of Ghost Head City.
He did not, however, travel at top speed, cruising along at a leisurely pace.
He was deliberately throttling back in order to converse with Cheon Woo-jin.
"What were you doing in the Hwangryeol Flying Archipelago, Daoist Cheon?"
"I am a mere loose cultivator."
Cheon Woo-jin answered evenly.
"It seemed a good opportunity had arisen, so I was simply poking around."
"Somehow I doubt a man of your caliber was wandering the archipelago looting corpses."
Mujeong Soma crossed his arms, his face still turned toward Cheon Woo-jin.
"I'm curious what sort of prey you hoped to sink your teeth into there."
"And what, might I ask, was Grand Duke Soma doing on Pyeonghwang Island?"
"……"
At the question Cheon Woo-jin abruptly threw out, Mujeong Soma fell briefly silent.
"How did you know I was on Pyeonghwang Island?"
"I caught a glimpse of you in passing."
"Hmm……"
Mujeong Soma rested a hand on his chin, lost in thought.
"The truth is, I intended to intervene in the struggle for the imperial throne. But the Taiyi Easy Separation Sect moved first, and my plans unraveled. So in the end I gave it up."
"……"
It had been none other than Cheon Woo-jin who had eliminated Mujeong Soma's subordinates in advance.
Had he not acted, there was a strong chance that not only Soehon Hyeolma but Mujeong Soma himself would have descended upon the Imperial Palace.
That would have made for an extremely thorny situation.
"It felt a shame to return with nothing to show for it, so I fussed about Pyeonghwang Island for a while…… but there was nothing interesting to be found, and I was on my way home."
"It would have been better had you simply gone home quietly."
"But as it happens, a certain vessel crossed the sky and caught my eye as it made for the Jinhwang Sea, kukuku."
Mujeong Soma let out a low laugh.
"Meeting like this must be fate. Let's get along well from here on, shall we?"
"Your offer is kind, but I operate out of Ghost Head City."
Cheon Woo-jin replied coolly.
"Maintaining friendly ties with the White Face Pavilion Master of the Blood World Mara Sect would not be easy."
Members of the Three Great Sects were forbidden from entering Ghost Head City.
At the mention of this, Mujeong Soma gave a dry chuckle.
"You never know. I might just enter Ghost Head City after all."
"If you were discovered, it would become a very serious problem."
"Daoist Cheon, do you know who I am?"
Mujeong Soma tapped his own mask lightly with a finger.
"I am Mujeong Soma, the White Face Pavilion Master. Concealing one's identity is my area of expertise."
"……"
In truth, if Mujeong Soma set his mind to it, no one in Ghost Head City would ever see through his disguise.
With the sole exception of Cheon Woo-jin, who could read status windows.
"Hold on a moment — since we're on the subject, perhaps I'll follow you to Ghost Head City and……"
"By the way."
Cheon Woo-jin cut him off mid-sentence and turned his gaze northward.
"I nearly forgot — if we continue on this course, we may be in danger."
"What do you mean?"
"We're flying toward Ghost Head City right now, are we not?"
"We are."
"I heard a rumor some time ago."
"A rumor?"
Here, Cheon Woo-jin deliberately paused for effect.
"Have you ever heard of the Night Rat Crowd?"
"……"
Mujeong Soma was silent for a long moment.
His face was hidden, but the silence carried a heavy, grave weight.
"As if I could fail to know them."
Mujeong Soma spoke in a low voice.
"The followers of Phantom-Winged Immortal Bat Jang Si-u of the Moonlit Thirteen League, are they not?"
Phantom-Winged Immortal Bat Jang Si-u.
One of the paramount experts representing the Dark Gate faction — like the Black Spirit Blade Emperor Gwan Hwang, one of the Thirteen Venerables.
"Why bring up the Night Rat Crowd all of a sudden?"
"I'm told their colossal Dharma Treasure, the Grand Yao Bat Warship, will be passing near Ghost Head City before long."
The Grand Yao Bat Warship was a flying Dharma Treasure of a size utterly beyond comparison with the Ghost Wood Boat or the White Sandalwood Divine Vessel.
True to its name, it was a warship-shaped treasure, with some hundred members of the Night Rat Crowd aboard.
Its greatest feature was its powerful stealth capability.
Moving as secretly as a bat flitting through darkness — that was precisely the Grand Yao Bat Warship.
Originally, the warship had departed for the open sea north of the continent and gone silent.
But recently it had completed its exploration of the outer sea and was making its way back toward the continent's interior.
Since Ghost Head City lay in the continent's north, the Grand Yao Bat Warship could not help but pass nearby.
This was information that had actually been mentioned in the game.
"If we run into them while flying like this, we'll be in danger."
"……"
Mujeong Soma said nothing for a long while.
But an extraordinary killing intent began to radiate from his entire body.
"Now that…… is welcome news indeed."
Deep, festering hatred laced the low voice.
For the man Mujeong Soma hated most in all the world was none other than Phantom-Winged Immortal Bat Jang Si-u.
In the past, Mujeong Soma had lost everything because of Jang Si-u.
As a result, he had cast aside everything and thrown himself into the path of the demonic dao.
He would find the man and settle the grudges of the past.
That had been the one and only wish Mujeong Soma had carried in his heart ever since.
"Daoist Cheon. I would hear everything you know, in detail."
Beyond the white mask, his eyes glinted red.
At the thought that he might finally avenge himself, Mujeong Soma's true emotions were bleeding through.
"Forgive me for raising this so abruptly — but help me, and I will repay you."
"Helping you is no trouble at all."
Concealing his inner thoughts, Cheon Woo-jin spoke with perfect composure.
"In exchange, however, I have conditions."
Mujeong Soma and the Phantom-Winged Immortal Bat.
He would build a battlefield for these two titans — and reap the greatest profit from it.
To that end, Cheon Woo-jin intended to leap onto that battlefield himself.