Chapter 156
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: Advance Without Retreat, Permission to Kill (1)
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How much time had passed since I entrusted my body to Baek Liyeon?
My senses prickled with sharp warnings.
The storage room was nearly empty, but I opened my eyes without having replenished much.
"Eyes flash!"
"Kyauu!"
To guard against any possible ambush, I deliberately bellowed loudly to stage a proper final boss cutscene.
But aside from my loyal wolf pup, there was nothing else around.
Late shame washed over me, but I was grateful for the lack of ears as I surveyed the entire island with my Soul Moon Divine Eyes.
But.
"Uh...?"
The sensation was bizarre.
It wasn't individual auras I sensed—instead, the whole island felt like it had transformed into a massive living creature.
The vibe was seriously off.
"Wolf pup. Where's Baek Liyeon?"
"Ung..."
She didn't know.
I spread my Soul Moon Divine Eyes even wider.
Thump— Thump—
A vivid pulsation like a heartbeat emerged, and the island's full outline began sketching itself in my mind, bit by bit.
A birdcage unfurled like drawing a circle.
Sporadically scattered energies within it converged on the cage's center.
And etched inside: unmistakable despair, fear, pain, ecstasy, and malice.
...Besides the rats, there was something else.
"Hmm."
I quickly sorted my thoughts.
Support Master?
Or resolve the problem's root?
Rationally, the former made sense...
But my gut said if I didn't handle the latter fast, something irreversible would happen.
And my intuition never failed.
I rummaged in my bosom, pulled out a handkerchief laced with Master's scent, and dangled it near the wolf pup's nose.
"Probably over there, near the shore. Go secure Master first. Chew up any bad guys nice and crunchy and spit 'em out. But don't poke anyone who seems too tough. Got it?"
"Kyau!"
After settling the bill for all the energy he'd been nibbling from me bit by bit,
Thump— Thump—
I cautiously stepped toward the ominous spot resonating in near-sync with my pulse.
.
.
.
And then.
I reached dilapidated ruins that clashed with the island's tourist-spot vibe.
"Uwaaa! Aaaah!"
Baek Liyeon trembled and shrieked like a damsel—Guan Yu after losing at Go.
The blue waves and stars symbolizing the Northern Bright Divine Art—familiar from my two visits to the Northern Bright Annex—were etched into the ruins' floor.
Dark red blood snaked across the ground like it blanketed the ruins. Ominous blood qi rippled. At the center sat one weird bastard cross-legged.
My eyes, aced in Formation Comprehension, saw it crystal clear.
That punk.
Dared to anchor a massive formation on my Northern Bright Annex.
I wanted to cleave that outrageous thief—who dared touch my treasure—in half right then.
But first, dismantle the formation.
First things first.
"Uwaa! Uwa! Eut—"
After silencing Baek Liyeon—whose noise pollution had been chipping away at my soul—I snuck a glance.
Luckily, the thief kept muttering creepy chants without a twitch.
He hadn't noticed.
As expected, my Ghost Trail Silver Form was flawless.
Maybe rebrand it like Soul Moon Divine Eyes to something slick like Death Without Spirit.
The Grim Reaper of Justice, Geum Sihyeon...!
"Euh..."
I laid a hand on Baek Liyeon's head—she wasn't fully out—sucked the foul energy, and planted Northern Bright energy in its place.
Only then did her face relax, eyes closing as she snored softly. Raising juniors was this tough.
Anyway.
Even amid stray thoughts, I summoned inner super-genius Geum Sihyeon to plot the smartest breakthrough.
Sihyeon-marathon conclusion: one option.
I couldn't neutralize the formation outright, so shove it down the throat of the bastard sucking honey from it.
How?
My homeland's ancient trick: needle prick—no, position shift.
Don't question why I moved so freely inside the formation—focus on the task.
I extended palm intent, sprinkling Northern Bright Divine Art energy like a net to slowly seize control of the flow.
Fortune smiled.
Like lava smothering fire, my Northern Bright energy perfectly dominated the formation's.
Position shift basics: swift and stealthy.
Slow and subtle at first, unnoticed.
Then bolder, devouring nibble by nibble.
I'd jabbed the straw deep—my dantian soon ached.
Of course, unwanted weirdo memories crept in too.
Eh, half my fault.
...Chicken Butt Lady demurely dabbing rouge on her cheeks at the vanity? Manageable...
I wrenched away from that gruesome scene, praying the wolf pup rushed to help her.
Shing—
I drew my bow-sword, channeling qi into the string.
Per Balance Guardian Thanos teacher's doctrine, headshots first.
But swing at that neck now, and the pooled energy explodes—bye-bye Geum/Si/Hyeon.
Poisons would've been nice, but I dumped every last drop crafting Invincible Meteor Bullets earlier.
So, bow it is.
What nation am I from?
ADC nation with history from stone arrows to bows, Jeonja Chongtong, and K-2 Black Panther.
Ready, get set, go—fire zeh cannon...
Humming that ominous chant threatening my healthy teeth, I nocked my full-power trump shot.
Squeeeee—!
The arrow—laden with Crimson White Palm Force—tore forth with a wind-shredding roar.
Target: lower dantian.
Spares life if formation berserks on kill—perfect to neuter him.
And I regretted it soon enough.
"Keheuk—"
Should've been juicier. Just a bowl of blood? No style points.
Fired another—blocked solid this time.
"Ha, shit. Tough bastard."
I grumbled in disappointment.
Still, mission accomplished.
The rippling qi around calmed—the super-sized Absorbing Star Great Law weakening.
"What the hell—"
"Don't care, thief!"
No chit-chat.
Full throttle takedown from here.
The Illusion Demon was livid.
No clue what trickery, but not only siphoned power meant for him—used it against him.
Plus that nagging deja vu from first spotting him afar.
Couldn't disrupt the formation, so a few body-locked clashes in place.
Finally, he dredged the man's identity from memories he'd kill to forget.
"Right, Hong Sundok's pillar hubby. That evil ghost bitch's orders? Push me out?"
No idea why Ghost Demon's marked man traveled with Green Forest Bandit King and Baek clan's last survivor.
But tangled threads snapped loose.
That bitch had schemes, but this bold?
"What bullshit, fuck? Hellbent on blocking a man's path?"
Geum Sihyeon's sly grin iced over instantly.
But to the Illusion Demon—who saw through it all—just vile acting.
"Haha, got it. Big picture from that bitch. Wrong side, though. Cooperate now, forgive the rudeness. Hell, I'll elevate you."
Overcoming Infinite Moon Poison Formation to reach here? Special fate or blood qi honed to extremes.
Up close, talent tailor-made for martial arts.
Whatever Ghost Demon offered, she's just a rotten jiangshi hag.
But he could top it.
Grab Baek Liyeon, rip out soul and innate kill, implant here—with seals?
Perfect devoted minion.
"Fuck that—"
"Take my hand. I'll bloom that talent. Together crush mortals, pill-ify cocky martial artists, climb realms endless. Promise: Supreme Under Heaven in two years."
Utterly rational offer.
Power-worshipper couldn't refuse.
Yet.
"...Pills?"
"Yes, dan pills. Swallow one, decades of cultivation instant. Material fit varies, but no worry—soon raiding Demon Cult—"
Geum Sihyeon's assault paused, so the Illusion Demon—smug, thinking him swayed—detailed plans.
But.
"...Illusion Demon."
Geum Sihyeon's voice leaked like swallowing colossal rage.
The Illusion Demon furrowed his brow.
Why?
The pitch was flawless.
Unaware his words awakened a sealed titan in Geum Sihyeon's heart, he just puzzled.
"You... are a... creature... that should... not exist."
His syllable-chewing recitation hit intuition:
No more persuasion would work.
Still.
"Good, that loyalty. Heh heh."
Infinite Moon Poison Formation served its purpose anyway.
He yanked all energy back.
"Sweet dreams change minds. Got a special gift prepped for you. Hahaha!"
The Illusion Demon cackled, hurling his unique mind-image—One Palm Dreamscape—at Geum Sihyeon.
Unless higher realm, no blocking it.
Geum Sihyeon's pupils dilated.
But.
"Wha—why—how—"
Geum Sihyeon, as if untouched.
Sword starlight-wrapped, slashed for Illusion Demon's neck.
He yanked back desperately, but mind-image deployment left him exposed an instant.
A thin line etched his neck.
Half-inch deeper: instant death.
"Because your world is far too cramped and pathetic to hold this body."
Geum Sihyeon internalized all shown rage, recited coldly.
Eyes mirror the heart; the face in eyes gazing upon me is the moon's shadow afloat that lake—Heart Moon Ultimate Phase.
Geum Sihyeon's eyes gleamed like blood-red lakes.