Chapter 29: Wiyeon
Byeok Soseol was riding on the same ferry boat as me, heading westward. It wasn't particularly spacious, but it didn't feel cramped either. Leading the way was the sect leader aboard a stately silver vessel slicing through the air. The hull was densely inscribed with incantation characters resembling those used in talismans.
As I examined the markings on the exterior, my gaze shifted to the sect leader's back. He was deep in discussion with the Martial Pavilion Lord beside him. What kind of pressure must it be to shoulder the responsibility of an immense sect like the Unkak Sect? I only had to worry about my own life, but he bore the weight of the entire sect. Glancing at the thousand-plus disciples trailing behind him, then back to his shoulders, I could almost see an invisible burden crushing down on them.
Yet he showed no sign of faltering—his presence was commanding. A heroic aura emanated from his broad back, evoking the spirit of a true titan of the world. A fierce longing ignited within me: I want to become a man like him.
The journey to the western coast of the Gaun Mountains was peaceful. When traveling alone, I'd flown low to evade flying spirit beasts, but now they were the ones scattering from us. With multiple people aboard the flying artifacts taking turns at the controls, we pressed on relentlessly toward the west without rest.
Eventually, it grew taxing for just Byeok Soseol and me to alternate piloting, so one more from the third squad joined us for the shift. Ten days after departing the Unkak Sect, as the isolated fortress on the western coast came into view, the sect leader spoke.
"The enemy is right ahead. Stay with your squad and obey your squad leader's orders without fail."
His words that the foe was at our doorstep set my heart pounding. After cresting one more mountain, his warning proved true: atop the fortress's towering walls, thousands of our disciples clashed with the enemy. Massive turtle spirit beasts unleashed indigo beams from their maws, hammering the defensive walls, while over five thousand overseas cultivators in the sky rained down all manner of attacks on those below.
Beneath the walls stretched a grim line of fallen disciples' corpses, rivers of blood pooling in their wake. The grand formation protecting the fortress seemed already shattered; now, they relied solely on the high, sturdy walls to hold against the Blood Shadow Sect, Black Dark Sect, and Overseas Faction.
The cultivators' realms varied from Qi Refining to Nascent Soul, but their desperation was uniform. Here, notions like righteous path, demonic path, or evil path meant nothing—only killing intent filled the air. Qi Refining and Core Formation cultivators tangled in chaotic melee, while Nascent Soul experts fought separately in their own brutal exchanges.
The sect leader soared into the heart of the fray on his silver vessel, where dozens of Nascent Soul cultivators were locked in combat, his voice booming like thunder across heaven and earth.
It was my first time seeing Sect Leader Wiyeon in battle, and his divine might was awe-inspiring. Born with a lightning spiritual root, he'd swiftly mastered lightning techniques, reaching Nascent Soul late-stage with Spirit Severing within reach. His entire body was enveloped in silver lightning, resembling a thunder god descended to earth.
Wiyeon targeted the demonic cultivators among the overseas forces, obliterating evil ghosts and jiangshi with bolts of lightning. The Martial Pavilion Lord Gyeongjo bellowed,
Yeop Inyeong produced dozens of spirit beast puppets and addressed the third squad.
"The battle's outcome will likely hinge on the Nascent Souls. But their spirit power isn't infinite, so we can't ignore the surviving Qi Refining and Core Formation foes. Kill as many enemies as you can and stay alive. I'll leave some puppets here—if they run out of spirit stones and stop, just replace them."
Yeop Inyeong handed twenty puppets and spirit stones to a Core Formation late-stage member of the third squad before flying off to join the sect leader. Martial Pavilion Lord Gyeongjo then took command of all remaining squads.
The five thousand-plus overseas cultivators besieging the fortress and battling in the skies faltered at the sudden arrival of the Unkak Sect reinforcements.
"Waaah! Reinforcements are here!"
"Slaughter every last worm from the Blood Shadow Sect, Black Dark Sect, and Three Divine Sects!"
The Blood Shadow Sect, Black Dark Sect, and Overseas Faction cultivators, fighting with their lives on the line, roared in renewed fury. The Martial Pavilion Lord led from the front, swinging his white fan to unleash gales that shredded enemy barriers and flesh alike. Even primordial spirits couldn't escape, shattering into fragments. Witnessing the terror of a law treasure—wieldable only from Core Formation onward—was chilling.
Wherever his fan's winds passed, only pools of blood remained. The other disciples followed in his wake, seeking foes matched to their realms and diving into combat.
"Kwaaak!"
As a Nascent Soul powerhouse carved through Qi Refining and Core Formation cultivators, an enemy Nascent Soul expert flew in to counter.
"You sinister bastard. Leave the bugs to others and fight me."
A bald brute chuckled darkly. The insult twisted the Martial Pavilion Lord's expression into a frosty glare.
"I am Gyeongjo of the Unkak Sect. And who are you?"
"Heh heh, I'll tell a man about to die. I'm the Elder Tiger of the Blood Shadow Sect."
The Martial Pavilion Lord and the Blood Shadow Sect's Elder Tiger rocketed skyward, clashing fiercely. Before I knew it, I'd been swept into the fray, separated from Byeok Soseol, dodging enemy assaults frantically while countering with Fire Orbs.
Knowing the fight could drag on, I conserved spirit power meticulously, relying heavily on Lightning Talismans and Protective Talismans. When talismans created openings, I'd trust my Iron Skin Art to close in for close combat, slaying careless foes with Fire Orbs.
Though I'd reached Qi Refining 9th star, my realm wasn't fully stabilized, so I started cautiously with spirit power. But when enemies encircled me and the pressure mounted, I summoned a fire dragon with Fire Orbs, butchering a Core Formation initial-stage cultivator.
Fire Orbs synergized perfectly with my primary art, the Yin-Yang Art, amplifying their power immensely. A Qi Refining 9th star felling a Core Formation initial in one blow drew a barrage from surrounding foes.
Beams of multicolored light hurtled toward me, including strikes from a Core Formation mid-stage cultivator. I deployed my defensive artifact, the Spirit Shield, infused it with spirit power, and activated a Protective Talisman.
Bam!
In an instant, the defensive artifact Wol had given me shattered, the Protective Talisman pierced through, and my White Tiger Armor absorbed the brunt. Using the impact, I retreated swiftly backward.
Startled by my unexpected prowess, three Core Formation initial-stage cultivators flew in to surround and assault me. I dodged atop my flying artifact, trying to break their encirclement.
Kieeeek!
Grotesque shrieks heralded incoming evil ghosts; I hurled Fire Orbs at them and steered toward the base of the walls.
"Heh heh heh, is this where you die, brat?"
An elderly man, a youth, and a middle-aged woman at Core Formation initial encircled me, sneering. The elder opened his mouth, spewing black mist that plunged the area into darkness. My Fire Orbs did nothing; the fog only spread wider.
Trapped in the gloom, my senses dulled, enemies invisible. I stowed my flying artifact and extended my divine sense in all directions—but felt nothing.
"Ho ho ho..."
A eerie laugh accompanied an assault on my divine sense, splitting my head with agony.
"Kugh."
Having endured a divine sense attack from Hwang Danha once before, I fortified my mindscape with barriers and countered the incoming gray beam with an intermediate Earth Wall Talisman.
Boom!
A massive earthen wall rose, blocking the gray beam. Kwaang!
Suddenly, the wall crumbled as a five-chi skull charged with jaws agape, malevolent ghost qi swirling around it. Sensing the skull's dire aura, I unleashed all my Lightning Talismans forged with Three-Eyed White Tiger blood.
Kwarurung!
Dozens of silver bolts illuminated the darkness, slamming into the colossal skull.
Kieeeee!
The lightning proved effective; the skull shrank, shrieking in pain. The black-robed elder severed his right hand, feeding it to the skull. Blood light gleamed in its sockets, empowering it anew as it lunged again. The black mist coalesced on the stump, regenerating his hand—but at the cost of vital essence, leaving his face ashen.
I hurled the prayer bead artifact from the sect at the skull and charged the elder. Instinct told me he was the strongest; he had to die first. He grinned wickedly, forming hand seals. The skull thrashed, shattering the prayer beads in one bite before splintering into thousands of smaller skulls that wailed horrifically.
Kiiiiiik!
The ear-shattering cries churned my guts, blood trickling from my ears as tinnitus rang out. The middle-aged woman pressed her divine sense attack while the youth thrust his gray longsword artifact, firing gray beams.
I shielded my ears with spirit power, walled off my mindscape, and launched another intermediate Earth Wall Talisman. Suddenly, dozens of skulls swarmed it and detonated.
Boom!
The talisman triggered prematurely from the blasts, leaving me to take the gray beam bare-bodied.
Kwaaang!
I flew back ten chi, crashing into the wall and crumpling to the ground. Vomiting a bowlful of blood, I swallowed a healing pill from Low Moon Platform for internal injuries and doused myself in Rejuvenation Powder.
I'd hoped to end one with the Ecstasy Soul Enthrallment Art, but no openings arose. The elder seemed immune, and the woman specialized in divine sense attacks—likely superior to mine. That left only the youth.
No time to think: thousands of skulls swarmed like bees. Damn demonic scum. I blasted a massive fireball at the skulls, feinting toward the elder before veering sharply. The woman's divine sense struck, but my defenses turned it to mild pain.
As the elder and woman unleashed artifacts, I blocked with my last intermediate Earth Wall Talisman and charged the youth. He sneered, swinging his gray longsword wide. Its power was immense, so I activated a Protective Talisman with a seal.
Bam!
The silver barrier held, letting me close to five chi. Ecstasy Soul Enthrallment Art. Channeling my hoarded divine sense, I ensnared him. His sharp gaze dulled.
Seizing the moment, I smashed his skull with my fist and snagged his fleeing primordial spirit with the Soul Binding Claw. Its binding power made capture effortless. His gray longsword artifact bore no seals, so I claimed it with my right hand.
The elder and middle-aged woman stood dumbfounded, unable to process the youth's sudden death. I leveled the gray longsword at the elder and declared,
"You're next."