Chapter 45: The Owolbang
The turtle puppet was stored in the Dusk Pouch, and they flew swiftly beneath the mine. The sounds of battle with the shadow bats grew closer.
Emerging from the winding paths, they reached a vast cavern where Unkak Sect disciples were locked in combat with the shadow bats. These rank-3 demon beasts were on par with Qi Refining 10th star cultivators, and over a dozen of them were holding their own against four Core Formation initial-stage elders.
The shadow bats resembled one-chi-sized bats, spewing black beams from their mouths as they darted erratically through the air.
Kwakakang! The black beams, as thick as a man's waist, erupted from their maws, laying waste to the surroundings.
A cultivator in a sky-blue robe blocked one with a protective barrier from his pearl artifact and shouted, "Junior Yuseong, cut off the shadow bats' retreat!"
Blocking their escape route, he dove straight into the fray. He unleashed several high-temperature fireballs with his Flame Orb, assaulting the shadow bats.
Kieeeeek! The late-arriving Qi Refining 10th star disciples drew their artifacts and joined the attack on the shadow bats.
Among the group, the strongest—I Dongbeon—tossed his wood-affinity disc artifact into the heart of the shadow bat swarm and cast a spell.
Countless vines burst from the disc, lunging at the nearby shadow bats and binding them in place.
"Now!"
Even without I Dongbeon's call, everyone unleashed their most powerful artifact strikes on the ensnared shadow bats.
He drew the Strange Bear Sword he'd just acquired, swinging it wide to unleash a sword beam while erecting a wall of flames with his Flame Orb to seal their retreat.
Kwakakakang!! Kieeeeek!
Beams of light and sword qi in various colors shredded the fleeing shadow bats.
The ones bolting toward him melted entirely under the Flame Orb's assault.
The sudden barrage of powerful attacks inside the mine shook the surroundings violently, causing parts of the ceiling to collapse.
Under the Unkak Sect cultivators' combined assault, not a single shadow bat escaped—they were all slain.
Ban Un asked I Dongbeon, "Were those all the shadow bats here?"
"Seems like it, but to be safe, let's stay a month and keep watch."
"Understood."
They tidied up the area, then scattered once more to search for any remaining shadow bats.
When night fell, the search halted, and they returned to their lodging.
Since arriving in Unbyeok Village, their routine had been resting at the lodging by night and scouring the mine vicinity by day.
One day, while combing the caves around the mine with I Dongbeon, he asked, "Senior Brother I, does this spirit stone mine only produce low-grade and mid-low spirit stones?"
"They say mid-grade ones come out too. Recently, they found a whole batch and mined them."
A mid-grade spirit stone was worth about a hundred low-grade ones. The mention of a "batch" stirred a flicker of greed in the corner of his heart, but he suppressed it.
"Senior Brother I, you're not sneaking a few without telling the sect, are you?"
I Dongbeon shot him a stern look. "Junior Yuseong, pretend you didn't say that. I've received great favors from the Unkak Sect—I'd never do such a thing."
Caught off-guard by I Dongbeon's rigid, earnest demeanor, he quickly apologized. "Sorry. Just kidding."
I Dongbeon touched the Dusk Pouch at his waist and said, "Of course, the temptation to pocket a few mid-grade stones tugs at me too. But if I cross that line, what's to stop me from stealing more next time?"
"You're right, Senior Brother. There's a saying in the secular world: 'A bun thief becomes a horse thief.'"
"Both of us are short on funds, so we're weak to temptation, but we can't betray the sect."
A single joke to I Dongbeon led to a full day of lectures on conduct in the cultivation world and behavior within the sect. Still, I Dongbeon's deep affection for the sect was evident, so he listened attentively without showing annoyance.
Night soon arrived, and the search teams gathered at the mine entrance. As darkness gathered, the mine entrance looked like a gateway to hell.
I Dongbeon checked headcount and asked, "Any incidents today?"
"None."
"None."
Seon Yeong, who appeared as a middle-aged woman and was a Unkak Sect female disciple at Qi Refining 10th star, spoke up. "Senior Brother I, no more shadow bats have appeared. Why not leave Unbyeok Village to Senior Brother Ban Un and head back to the sect?"
With no more shadow bats in sight, spending a full month searching the mine felt like a waste. Seon Yeong seemed to think the same, urging an early return.
I Dongbeon pondered briefly before replying, "Junior Sister Seon's right. What do you think, Junior Brother Ban?"
"……."
Ban Un stood with his head down, arms crossed, lost in thought.
"Senior Brother Ban?"
No response even to Seon Yeong's call.
"……."
As Seon Yeong approached and touched his arm, Ban Un's arm pierced straight through her abdomen, his other hand crushing her heart.
Puk!
"……!"
Caught off-guard by Ban Un's sudden attack, Seon Yeong couldn't react and perished on the spot.
Her nascent soul fled her body. He'd known Ban Un was dangerous, but not a mad dog who would kill a fellow disciple.
Furious at Ban Un's outrageous act, I Dongbeon roared, "Junior Brother Ban! What have you done?!"
Sensing the dire atmosphere, the remaining group swiftly surrounded Ban Un.
"Senior Brother Ban, what is this? Why did you kill Junior Sister Seon?!"
Hearing him, Ban Un burst into mad laughter.
"Hahaha!"
Seon Yeong's nascent soul, which had fled behind the group, cried out, "Senior Brother I, kill him quick!"
I Dongbeon drew his disc artifact, and the others prepared theirs for attack.
Then, Seon Yeong's nascent soul behind them screamed.
A black-robed man appeared without a sound, drawing her nascent soul into his gourd with a pull.
Seon Yeong vanished into the gourd without resistance.
"A Qi Refining 10th star cultivator's nascent soul makes fine material. Hahaha!"
The laughter of the black-robed man in a crow mask echoed loudly through the night sky.
More crow-masked figures emerged behind him—over ten in total, all Core Formation cultivators.
He sent a transmission to I Dongbeon: "Senior Brother I, we should run."
Now only five Unkak Sect disciples remained. With over fifteen visible enemies, victory was impossible.
I Dongbeon replied in a trembling voice, "Why have the Owolbang cultivators come all this way?"
Ban Un, who had stayed silent until then, pulled a crow mask from his Dusk Pouch and donned it. "Resources are scarce in the heartlands, so we came here. We know Senior Brother I handles spirit stone transport—how about leaving your Dusk Pouch and going?"
I Dongbeon glared at Ban Un, his entire body radiating killing intent. "You worm! Don't call me senior brother! You're no longer a Unkak Sect disciple!"
"Haha, of course I'm not. I never was—I've always been Owolbang."
He transmitted again to I Dongbeon: "Senior Brother I, they have no intention of letting us live. It's a day's journey to the sect—let's escape first."
While I Dongbeon and Ban Un talked, the Unkak Sect group was encircled by the crow-masked figures.
Despairingly, two were at Core Formation late-stage: the black-robed man who'd taken the nascent soul and a slender woman.
Though their crow masks hid expressions, they were likely sneering.
Could they escape this?
I Dongbeon transmitted: "Junior Yuseong, they're after my spirit stones. Run the opposite way from me."
"…Understood."
I Dongbeon hurled his disc artifact at the weakest point in the encirclement. "Everyone, run! Survive and meet again!"
Last time it had sprouted vines; this time, it transformed into dozens of trees that shot outward in all directions.
I Dongbeon spat essence blood onto the trees. Crimson fruits formed on them, swelling to head-size before exploding.
Kwaaaaang!!
Nearby crow-masked cultivators were caught in the blasts, vanishing without a trace.
He and the other four, including I Dongbeon, seized the moment and fled through the breach.
"Capture them all and kill them! Recover every Dusk Pouch!"
The black-robed man bellowed from behind, flying after them, with crow-masked pursuers splitting off.
The surviving Unkak Sect disciples scattered in different directions.
Behind him were Ban Un and two other Owolbang cultivators—all Core Formation initial-stage, fortunately.
Once distance opened, he'd kill them in one go. He had to avenge Junior Sister Seon Yeong.
Fleeing without killing anyone would invite heart demons.
But first, caution: avoid the Core Formation late-stage ones.
He hadn't seen clearly while fleeing, but the slender woman seemed to be after I Dongbeon, and the black-robed man's target was unknown.
"……."
If not someone else, was he the target?
While fleeing with Earth Escape, he spread his senses backward.
Only Ban Un and the two others' auras.
"Looking for me?"
Above him, the black-robed man on a black cloud stared down.
Eye contact brought splitting headache and bloody tears.
"Guh…."
"Hahaha! A Qi Refining 9th star enduring my Demonic Soul Gaze? Impressive! You three, chase the others. I'll hunt this one myself."
Enduring the pain, he racked his brain for survival.
Even if the three initial-stage pursuers turned back, a late-stage foe was unbeatable.
Resisting the urge to gouge out his eyes, he fled faster with Earth Escape.
Just reach Unkak Sect, and he'd live.
"Daring to turn your back with a Core Formation late-stage like me ahead?!"
Kuwaaaang!
A massive gale erupted behind, unleashing a horde of evil ghosts.
These damned demonic scum!
He pulled out all his lightning talismans, cast spells, and hurled them at the ghost horde.
Kwarururung!
Dozens of lightning bolts swept the ghosts.
Fewer remained, but they pursued relentlessly.
Circulating Iron Skin Art to block their beams, he fled.
The black-robed man on the black cloud shouted, and the ghosts merged into a black whirlwind.
The vortex's suction pulled him in with immense force.
Earth Escape couldn't advance; he was dragged backward instead.
Pulled into the black whirlwind, it was eerily calm inside.
Floating ghosts and skulls cackled, disorienting his mind and body.
Kihehehe.
The black-robed man entered the whirlwind and eyed him. "Qi Refining 9th star, yet your skills are exceptional. Owolbang always needs talent—I'll give you a chance to live. Abandon Unkak Sect and join us."
"……!"