Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: False Accusation
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'How did that bastard find me?'
Jegal Sun, who had been hiding inside the formation array, was greatly flustered.
Though it was merely a rudimentary Wood Illumination Formation, it wasn't so crude that the squad members could spot it at a glance.
Hahaha...!
Jegal Sun forced a hearty laugh as he stepped out from within the formation array.
"As expected of extraordinary prodigies. With the Murim Alliance's talents being so outstanding, how could the future of the martial world not be bright?"
He wore a benevolent smile, but inside, he was far from pleased.
He had hoped the Elusive Squadron's prodigies would take a bit longer to find him.
"Deploy the Seven Stars Formation."
At his command, the Jegal Family's retainers brought out three more logs.
The Seven Stars Formation was of considerable difficulty, as even the retainers struggled to arrange the logs easily.
Jegal Sun raised his hand to indicate their positions.
"That one is the fifth star, so it needs to shift half a step to the left. The final seventh star doesn't go there..."
Once the arrangement was complete, he turned to the Elusive Squadron members with a satisfied smile.
"This Seven Stars Formation was created by the Jegal Family, modeled after the heavens' Big Dipper."
As he said, the six wooden pillars, including the large tree, mimicked the Big Dipper, spanning a wide area.
"Once caught in this formation array, you won't easily escape until it's dismantled from outside. Which squad from the Elusive Squadron will enter first? The squad that breaks out won't need instruction from this old man."
Jegal Sun was confident.
He wanted to show the Elusive Squadron members the greatness of the Jegal Family through this Seven Stars Formation.
"The Tenth Squad will give it a try!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Paeng Se Gi shot to his feet and shouted.
Hahaha...!
"Very well, go ahead."
Jegal Sun permitted it immediately with a hearty laugh.
'Let them suffer a bit, you brats.'
His laugh was hearty, but his intentions were utterly sinister.
"Let's go, Brother."
The only one Paeng Se Gi trusted was Se Yeong.
As Se Yeong rose, the squad members followed suit.
Paeng Se Gi, who had shouted confidently, took the lead, with Se Yeong following behind.
As Se Yeong walked through the other Elusive Squadron members, his eyes met those of a woman cradling a seven-stringed zither.
She wore a light sky-blue martial robe; her eyes were clear and transparent, with an air of mystery about her.
The woman gave a faint smile before looking away.
'Does she know me? We've never met.'
Paeng Se Gi's figure vanished as he entered the formation array.
Se Yeong stepped in next, followed by the squad members without hesitation.
Sa Sa Un, the last to enter, turned his head to search for Namgung Seok.
He still couldn't let go of his lingering attachment to the First Squad.
But Namgung Seok's gaze upon him was ice-cold.
'It's all wrong. Everything's truly wrong now.'
Sa Sa Un entered with despair clutched to his chest.
"What do we do now, Brother?"
Paeng Se Gi's voice echoed from within the formation array.
"What did I say last time?"
"Right. You said the deeper into an absolute formation, the more distorted the space becomes, so the direction I'm facing might differ."
Paeng Se Gi remembered Se Yeong's words perfectly.
Se Yeong turned to the squad members and spoke.
"The purpose of a formation array is to deceive the eyes. Especially in absolute formations, this is amplified. As you walk inside, you'll see spots where space distorts slightly. Don't turn back or charge straight ahead. Instead, move right or left to check if the space is still warped. If it is, go the opposite way."
Hahu Yeon voiced a question at Se Yeong's explanation.
"Don't we move toward the distorted space to find the life gate?"
"That's true for crude formation arrays. But this one isn't that simple. Keep walking, and another distortion will appear—handle it the same way."
"I understand."
The Strategist watched the formation array with a bitter expression.
As expected, the Tenth Squad members would soon emerge through the life gate.
Those who broke the Five Elements Sunset Formation wouldn't fail at something inferior like the Seven Stars.
"Why the long face?"
Jegal Sun, watching proudly, asked curiously.
"The Tenth Squad will emerge through the life gate soon, Elder."
Jegal Sun let out a disbelieving chuckle.
Haha...
"Impossible. Only the Jegal Family retainers or Sima Family retainers could break this."
He declared confidently.
Even Jegal Family retainers, trained in formations since youth, would need considerable time.
"The Tenth Squad has Han Se Yeong."
"I've heard of him. Strong martial arts, right?"
"Yes. Not just strong in martial arts—he has deep knowledge of formations too."
Huh...
"The Elusive Squadron has such a prodigy? But isn't it strange? The only families deeply studying formations are ours, the Sima Family, and the Demonic Cult."
Jegal Sun's doubt was natural.
Famous sects and clans knew formations to some extent.
But only the Jegal Family, Sima Family, and Demonic Cult studied them deeply.
"He's definitely suspicious."
The Iron Thread Fairy, who had been listening silently, chimed in sharply.
She didn't want to miss this opportunity.
"How could an obscure family produce such a prodigy? He must be a Demonic Cult spy."
The Strategist immediately saw she was trying to frame Se Yeong.
"Han Se Yeong entered with a recommendation from Healing Forest. Doubting him is like doubting the Forest Lord."
Hmph.
"She must have fooled the Forest Lord too."
The Iron Thread Fairy stubbornly pushed to label Se Yeong a Demonic Cult spy.
But the Strategist refuted her directly.
"The Forest Lord doesn't recommend lightly. She wrote it because his identity is verified."
As he defended Se Yeong, squad members emerged beside the large tree.
Hahaha...!
"As expected, Brother is amazing!"
Jegal Sun's face twisted at Paeng Se Gi's bright laughter.
'Our family's formation broken so easily...'
His pride wounded, his face crumpled, while the Iron Thread Fairy hardened her killing intent.
'I must kill him somehow.'
"The Elusive Squadron has so many prodigies—I'm endlessly pleased. But the Seven Stars is formation basics; you all need much more study."
Jegal Sun tried to salvage the Jegal Family's pride to the end.
Se Yeong saw through it but said nothing.
"The Jegal Family surely has more than just the Seven Stars. We're grateful for yielding to us novices."
Instructor Kang tried to bolster Jegal Sun's shattered pride.
Haha...
"The insight of one with deep experience is what these prodigies should emulate."
"We've learned much today, so the Tenth Squad will head back."
"Very well."
Jegal Sun maintained a generous smile until Instructor Kang led the squad away.
But as they vanished from sight, his expression hardened.
'Even Jegal or Sima retainers couldn't break the Seven Stars that fast.'
Suspicious.
Far too suspicious.
The Iron Thread Fairy probed his thoughts.
"Since Han Se Yeong joined the Elusive Squadron, infighting has erupted among members. And the instructor was once Demonic Cult—plenty to suspect."
"Lady Jin Hwa Sa seems convinced young Han Se Yeong is a Demonic Cult spy."
"Yes. My eyes can't be fooled."
"The Iron Thread Fairy is framing young hero Han."
"What frame?"
"Claiming he's a Demonic Cult spy."
Hahaha...!
Se Yeong laughed loudly.
Quintessential Iron Thread Fairy behavior.
But Instructor Kang took it seriously.
"No laughing matter. She's renowned, backed by Sword Empress—her lies become truth. And I once served the Demonic Cult, so her words sound plausible."
"I have no strong attachment to the Murim Alliance. Don't worry."
The squad members were shocked at Se Yeong's revelation.
"Really leaving the Murim Alliance, Great Hero Han?"
"Where to after leaving?"
Unlike them, Paeng Se Gi seemed resolved.
"If Brother leaves, I'll follow. No attachment here—I only joined because of him."
Dang Ok Yi asked sharply.
"Where to live? Not back to your clan, surely?"
"Crazy? I'd get beaten to death by Father. I've got about a thousand silver nyang—enough for a small house to serve Brother. Train there; way better than here."
Even hot-tempered Paeng Se Gi had a plan.
But the others hesitated.
Leaving alone was easy.
But they were bound to their clans.
Se Yeong knew their situations.
"I won't drag you. Decide carefully. And I won't leave quietly—I'll kill who needs killing first."
Ah...
Sighs escaped the squad at Se Yeong's resolve.
What they'd suspected was becoming real.
If it happened, what should they do?
Even Sa Sa Un, who wanted Se Yeong gone most, grew worried.
"What will you do, Instructor Kang?"
Kekekeke...!
Instructor Kang laughed before answering.
"How much longer can this old man live? After so long in the Alliance, I should see the martial world before dying."
Instructor Kang implied he'd leave with Se Yeong.
Sa Sa Un's dilemma deepened.
He'd never had a mentor like Instructor Kang.
'Ah... driving me mad. Why must the instructor leave too?'
As they pondered, Yeong Gak watched silently.
'Buddha said life is endless suffering—it's true.'
"Om mani padme hum."
The First Squad, failing to find the life gate, had wandered over an hour.
Frustrated, one member unleashed lightness skill and dashed straight.
Thud...
Emerging, he looked skyward and sighed deeply.
Sigh...
But Jegal Sun awaited with stern rebuke.
"Why learn formations? The training ground was flat and small—lucky. If it were a cliff, what then?"
The squad member bowed his head.
"I'm sorry, Elder Jegal."
"Go back in."
"Yes."
Sending him back, Jegal Sun could only click his tongue.
Tsk tsk...
"Young ones so lacking patience..."
He blamed their impatience, but in youth, he'd been the most hot-tempered.
First Squad wandered inside; others grew bored.
"How'd the Tenth Squad escape so fast?"
"Han Se Yeong's truly a monster."
As they chatted to pass time, Baek Mong placed her seven-stringed zither on her lap.
Ding...!