Chapter 71: Trapped in the Formation (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 71: Trapped in the Formation (3)
Just as I was about to step into the formation, Hwang Chu approached me and spoke urgently.
“Young Hero Eo, I have a way.”
“What is it?”
“There is a formation called the Ghost Heaven Soul Formation that can be deployed using the Soul Spirit Beads and the Soul-Soothing Three Spirit Bell. If we use that to counter, we can surely break this formation.”
“But hasn't there been a reason you’ve stayed quiet until now?”
At my question, Hwang Chu nodded.
“Yes. I was worried that if we failed, they would take everything from us. But now that you are in danger, Young Hero Eo, this is no time to be picky.”
“No. Even if we escape this spot using your formation, it will be difficult to break through their Heaven-Earth Dragnet. It’s better to take the gamble we already agreed upon. And don't worry—I have a way to get us out of here.”
When I spoke with such confidence, Hwang Chu seemed relieved and stepped back.
“I understand. I will trust you, Young Hero Eo.”
Thinking that getting out of here quickly was the only way to survive, I closed my eyes to focus on the reaction of the Divine Wood Blood Gu nesting in my dantian.
Then, I slowly moved my feet.
Whenever I stepped toward a Death Path, the Divine Wood Blood Gu would writhe as if having a seizure.
When that happened, I moved elsewhere until I found the Life Path.
In this manner, I continued to advance.
“Oh! Oh! Young Hero Eo! You’re halfway through! Keep going!”
I heard Pung-hyeon’s voice.
Confirming that my theory was correct, I moved even faster.
I opened my eyes to prepare for the possibility of Ban Ye attacking the moment I cleared the formation.
As I zigzagged through the area finding the Life Path, I could see the light in Ban Ye’s eyes wavering.
To break a formation, one usually had to be a master of not only the I Ching but also various manuals on formation arts. To truly master such things, one had to devote an entire lifetime to the study.
That was why formations were so difficult.
They were hard to deploy, but breaking them was even harder.
Yet here I was, navigating through it as if taking a stroll. Ban Ye must have been in a state of absolute shock.
I could tell by the way she stood frozen in place, even after I had completely cleared the formation.
Since Ban Ye gave no further instructions, the naked women who made up the Double White Net Blazing Dance slowly came to a halt.
“Stop!”
Finally, the command left Ban Ye’s lips, and the naked women receded like the ebbing tide.
Immediately, I felt the suffocating pressure that had been weighing down on the surroundings vanish.
Truly incredible. I only made it out because of the Divine Wood Blood Gu, but to be able to create a formation like this... Ban Ye is definitely a genius.
But this was no time for mere admiration.
I looked at Ban Ye and spoke.
“Now, it is time for you to keep your promise.”
I struck first, fearing she might deploy another formation.
“Ho... how did you know where the Life Path was?”
She even stuttered, seemingly traumatized by the fact that her formation had been dismantled.
I understood her shock. Her faith in this formation must have been absolute.
As I was exiting the formation, I had realized one thing.
“I suspect even you, Lady Ban, would have had trouble finding the Life Path of this formation. Is that not so?”
At my question, Ban Ye nodded.
“Even though I created it, it is not easy for me to find the Life Path. When I devised this formation, I made it so the Life Path would constantly shift. That is why I am so surprised.”
I gave a thin smile and replied.
“In truth, this Double White Net Blazing Dance effectively has no Life Path. This is because the formation remains active and shifts from moment to moment.”
While navigating it, I had realized the Life Path was in constant motion.
Just when I thought it was one way, it shifted to another.
However, thanks to the Divine Wood Blood Gu, I was able to track those shifts as I moved back and forth.
“He is right. To think someone could walk out of such a formation...”
The people who had been trapped inside began to crowd behind me.
“We must kill all these wicked wretches!”
The warriors of the Emei Sect, Qingcheng Sect, and Tang Clan—who had nearly died inside the formation—were furious. As they moved to attack the naked women, I stopped them.
“Wait. Please, listen to me for a moment.”
I raised my arm to restrain them, and they paused, looking at me.
“I made a promise with Lady Ban that if I cleared this formation, she would let us go and lift the Heaven-Earth Dragnet. If we attack them now, the dragnet will remain in place. We will only fall into deeper trouble. And above all, I wish to keep my word.”
Man-gong added weight to my statement.
“Young Hero Eo is the one who broke this formation, so I shall follow his lead.”
With Man-gong taking this stance, it was too late for the others to object.
“I, too, shall follow the wishes of Almsgiver Eo,” Pung-hyeon added.
With Pung-hyeon joining in, Tang Ja-seong bit his lip hard. It was then that Tang Bin stepped forward boldly.
“This is our chance to capture Ban Ye! If we just take that wicked woman, we don't need to fear the Heaven-Earth Dragnet. When else will we have a chance to catch her if not now?”
Tang Bin glared at Ban Ye with murderous intent, her rage likely fueled by the humiliation of being trapped in the formation and overcome by lust.
However, I stepped in to restrain her.
“Lady Tang, calm yourself. If Lady Ban had intended to kill us, we would have died long before I could have cleared the formation. Even if she is currently our enemy, we should be grateful for that much consideration.”
If we provoked Ban Ye and she refused to lift the Heaven-Earth Dragnet, it was weaklings like us who would be slaughtered.
I wanted to wrap things up here without agitating her, so I was annoyed that this ill-tempered girl kept trying to ruin everything.
I had said it to calm Tang Bin down, but Ban Ye looked genuinely surprised by my words.
I was trying to foster a softer atmosphere, but Tang Bin was ruining it.
“Brother, we must capture that woman immediately! We have to pay her back for the disgrace we suffered and hold the Demonic Cult League accountable! I want to see if she can remain so arrogant after daring to insult the Tang Clan!”
I could feel the sense of defeat and humiliation radiating from Tang Bin’s words.
Tang Bin was a woman rumored to be a genius within the Tang Clan. Her beauty and intellect were famous throughout Sichuan Province. She possessed outstanding skill with hidden weapons and poisons, but encountering the insurmountable wall that was Ban Ye had crushed her pride, turning it into venom.
Furthermore, seeing me—someone she had looked down upon—break the formation and see through Ban Ye’s intentions to the point of shocking the genius herself must have made her feel like her remaining pride was being ground into the dirt.
“Be silent! I am the one who made the promise, not you, Lady Tang. And if you want to capture Lady Ban so badly, go ahead and do it yourself. Don't try to incite others. If you want it done, do it alone!”
I barked at her, relying on the support of Pung-hyeon and Man-gong.
Shouting like this at Tang Bin, the so-called treasure of the Tang Clan, was likely an unprecedented event. I yelled because her behavior was genuinely irritating.
She kept trying to goad us into capturing Ban Ye, but did she really think a genius like Ban Ye—who was said to rival the brilliant minds of the Jegal Clan—would show up here with nothing but those naked women and no backup plan?
The answer was obvious if one just thought about it.
Yet, she was acting like a spoiled child, oblivious to the reality of the situation. I couldn't help but be angry.
At my words, Tang Bin’s face turned a deep, explosive red.
Deciding it was best to leave as quickly as possible, I spoke to Ban Ye.
“Then, I shall take my leave. As promised, there will be no Heaven-Earth Dragnet, correct?”
Ban Ye’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“I, too, know how to stake my life on my word.”
I gave Ban Ye a slight nod and looked at Pung-hyeon and Man-gong.
“Let’s go.”
As I spoke, the two of them nodded.
Just as we were about to move, warriors dressed in black and the uniforms of the Demonic Cult League suddenly rose up from the ground about thirty yards away.
They completely surrounded us. There were at least two hundred of them.
It seemed all the warriors who had been forming the Heaven-Earth Dragnet while we were trapped in the formation had gathered here.
A chill ran down my spine as I realized that if we had attacked Ban Ye, we wouldn't have made it out of here alive.
I looked at Tang Bin; her face had turned the color of ash. She seemed to be trembling slightly at the realization that her actions could have led to our total annihilation.
Tang Ja-seong put an arm around her shoulders to steady her.
“What is the meaning of this?” I asked.
In response, Ban Ye raised her hand and gestured to the right.
Immediately, the experts of the Demonic Cult League who had us surrounded split apart, creating a path.
Ban Ye wanted to demonstrate her capability by showing us that she had such a card to play.
We walked through the opening with an air of leisure.
As I was leaving, I stole a glance back.
In that moment, my gaze locked with Ban Ye’s.
She is a woman I never want to meet again.
Though we exchanged smiles and nods, that was my honest feeling.
Looking back, every single moment had been a life-or-death situation.
We headed toward the Ilguk Sect, where the bloody battle with the Blood Lama was likely still raging.
“Still, it’s hard to believe. I cannot understand why Ban Ye, the brain of the dark martial world who stands alongside Jegal Beom of the Jegal Clan, would throw away such a golden opportunity,” Pung-hyeon muttered.
Of course, he was glad they were out of danger, but he couldn't wrap his head around why she had let them go so easily after having so many experts on standby.
“She kept her promise,” Man-gong replied.
“That’s exactly why it’s so unexpected,” Pung-hyeon said, tilting his head.
However, I felt I could understand her. People with strong pride often tended to stick to their decisions, even when they knew they might be wrong.
I recited a bit of wisdom I had once heard from the Failed Scholar. Only now did I truly understand the story he had told me back then.
“It is a case similar to Xiang Yu,” I said.
Everyone turned to look at me. It was a bit embarrassing, but since I had already started, I continued.
“Xiang Yu’s advisor, Fan Zeng, plotted to eliminate Xiang Yu’s only rival, Liu Bang, by hosting a banquet. When Liu Bang and Zhang Liang attended, Fan Zeng ordered a dancer to assassinate Liu Bang during a sword dance. However, Xiang Yu could not bring himself to make the final decision, and Liu Bang eventually escaped. Perhaps Xiang Yu’s pride made him loathe the idea of killing Liu Bang through assassination rather than on the battlefield. He likely also had the confidence that he could kill Liu Bang whenever he wished, even without such schemes. He didn't realize that his pride would lead to a fatal blunder. At that time, Fan Zeng looked at Xiang Yu and called him a suzi—a fledgling. A fledgling is someone who does not know how to properly utilize an opportunity.”
“Are you saying Ban Ye is a fledgling?” Man-gong asked.
“She is no fledgling. It is just that, occasionally, pride overrides reason. This seems to be one of those situations. Fortunately for us, we survived because of it.”
I said this and gave a thin smile.
“So that is why you were provoking Ban Ye’s pride earlier,” Do Yeon said, as if she finally understood.
Well, it’s not like I calculated all of that.
As I walked on in silence, it ended up looking like everyone was following behind me.
Seeing three of the Four Dragons of Sichuan following in my wake made me feel immensely satisfied.
The Four Dragons of Sichuan might have high martial arts skills, but they weren't exactly experts when it came to worldly experience or the art of living.
“But tell me, Young Hero Eo, do you really have the secret manual? We received a secret message saying that someone had the manual and that we should protect him, but we ignored it, thinking it was a ploy to divide our forces. However, when we saw half of the Blood Lama’s forces surrounding the Ilguk Sect pull out, we came this way with half our strength just in case, following the direction indicated in the message.”
Hearing Pung-hyeon’s words, I realized the Candlelit Shadows had been up to their tricks again.
If the Candlelit Shadows hadn't leaked that information to the Blood Lama, these people wouldn't have come this way, and we would have surely been caught in the Demonic Cult League’s Heaven-Earth Dragnet and died a futile death.
I felt a tiny, mosquito-tear-sized bit of gratitude toward those annoying people from the Candlelit Shadows.
I decided it would be safer to be honest about the manual’s whereabouts since everyone was present.
“Yes. It happened to fall into my hands by chance.”
“But earlier, Ban Ye said she wanted the manual and one more person. Who is that person, and why does she want them?”
I gave a vague answer.
“I’m not sure. I have no idea who it could be.”
As I dodged the question, Hwang Chu ended up pinning it on me.
“Perhaps Ban Ye wanted Young Hero Eo?”
Pung-hyeon asked back, “Wait, why?”
Hwang Chu looked at me and smirked.
“Who knows? Maybe Ban Ye fell for Young Hero Eo.”
Pung-hyeon and Man-gong took that joke quite seriously.
“If that’s the case, it’s dangerous. They say Ban Ye is the type who gets everything she wants.”
Fortunately, thanks to the joke between me and Hwang Chu, the issue was glossed over smoothly.
I moved toward where the Sword Palace Squad was gathered.
The Sword Palace Squad and Ye Un seemed to have matured quite a bit through this battle; that "fledgling" vibe Fan Zeng spoke of had faded significantly.
I was grateful that they had left the Ilguk Sect to come here and save us. After all, surviving life-and-death situations together tends to foster a sense of camaraderie.
“Thank you for coming, Leader Ye,” I said, approaching Ye Un.
“We didn't really do anything...” Ye Un’s voice trailed off.
From Ye Un’s perspective, I had been the one to resolve the danger here as well, so it must have felt like they came to help but ended up being the ones helped instead.
“What are you talking about? Aren't the Sword Palace Squad and our group both part of the Ten Thousand Dragons Fortress’ Demon Subjugation Group? How can you say you did nothing? Didn't we protect the manual together?”
“I appreciate the sentiment.”
Ye Un’s manner of speaking had clearly changed.
It felt awkward having him suddenly use polite honorifics after always using casual speech with me.
This guy probably saw me clearing Ban Ye’s absolute formation with my eyes closed and mistakenly thought I was a master of unfathomable skill.
Well, it wasn't a bad thing for him to think that, so there was no need to correct him.
That’s why you have to learn by experiencing the world firsthand.
If you don't know how terrifying the world is, you’ll end up like a mutt barking at a tiger.
Just as not every four-legged beast is the same, not everyone who holds a sword is the same kind of warrior.
In this storm caused by the Blood Lama, have I finally risen to the rank of a hero? I’ve certainly made quite a few contributions and played a significant role. My retirement years are looking pretty good.
I headed toward the Ilguk Sect with these thoughts in mind.
Since the Blood Lamas must have suffered heavy losses in their battle with the Demonic Cult League and Ancient Wood Valley, stopping those attacking the Ilguk Sect shouldn't be too difficult now.
It was obvious that if I played even a small part at the Ilguk Sect, I would instantly skyrocket to hero status.
So, I traveled diligently for half a day without rest to reach the Ilguk Sect, but the situation I had expected was nowhere to be found.