Chapter 339: Anyone Out There

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Namgung Sang-rin, who had been flustered, soon brightened.

“Ah! Sect Master Cheol!”

At that, Cheol Ryu-heun spoke with an apathetic expression.

“It’s an illusion formation that disrupts energy sense.”

Hearing those words, Namgung Sang-rin regained his composure and nodded.

“Ah, I see…”

The power of a formation that scrambled energy sense.

That must be why the presences of Murong Seol, Murong Song and other nearby party members couldn’t be detected.

Namgung Sang-rin’s eyes gleamed as he immediately posed a question.

“Then did I just circle in place?”

He had just moved forward to find the Murong sisters.

Perhaps that too was a misperception caused by the disrupted energy sense.

“Yes, well deduced.”

Cheol Ryu-heun replied briefly and then spoke again.

“It’s a rather well-made formation. But it’s not at a complete level of power yet. So just do as I taught you.”

Namgung Sang-rin suddenly remembered his teaching.

-Within the Shiwan Mountains exist numerous formations. Among them, the majority are formations with applications that disrupt energy sense and are accompanied by illusions, hallucinations, and such. Though I’ll be with you, unexpected variables or situations can always arise. So know this in advance. When a formation appears, closing your eyes and finding the path is also one solution. Depending on your abilities, it may be more than a stopgap measure.

What Cheol Ryu-heun had mentioned as a solution was fundamentally connected to the cultivation of mental imagery.

That is, to correct the body and find the path through the mind’s eye.

In other words, if one exercised high concentration through brief meditation, the disrupted energy sense would normalize.

Of course, a certain level of talent and aptitude were prerequisites for that.

At that moment, Cheol Ryu-heun let out an indifferent voice.

“Well, everyone will realize that and gather here. Wait a moment. This too is part of the training.”

With those words, he emitted pure white heat haze profusely from his entire body.

I am here.

Feel it.

Gather here.

As if speaking and gesturing beyond the fog.

“Yes, understood.”

Namgung Sang-rin nodded his head and spoke inwardly.

‘Good, then I too…’

He gently closed both eyes.

He intended to use quick meditation to restore his disrupted energy sense.

The party should be nearby, yet their presence was completely absent.

As expected, his energy sense was off-kilter.

This was the effect of the illusion formation here disrupting his physical energy sense.

However.

Once he entered deep concentration, his upper dantian responded.

‘I can feel them!’

The energy sense disrupted by the illusion formation recovered its order and began to clearly detect the surrounding presences.

‘One, two, three, four, five… ten, eleven… twenty, twenty-one… everyone is standing in their original spots!’

Some personnel had already approached nearby.

They had probably performed meditation just like Namgung Sang-rin himself.

“Come on over.”

Having spoken thus, Cheol Ryu-heun suddenly extended his hand to the side.

HWIK, HWIIK- HWIIIK-

Figures rapidly drawn in from beyond the fog.

They were Hae Su-yeon and Cui Lan, and Murong Seol and Murong Song.

Having extended his hand, Cheol Ryu-heun had released a powerful intangible force and pulled them over.

The four people also immediately realized that force was from an ally and had surrendered their bodies.

“Oh my!”

“Sect Master Cheol!”

“Ah, you came just in time!”

Just as Namgung Sang-rin had, the four women also brightened.

Just seeing Cheol Ryu-heun’s form gave them a sense of relief.

Natural reactions stemming from absolute trust.

Following that, when Cheol Ryu-heun’s hand again extended in another direction.

HWIHWIK, HWIK, HWIHWIK-

Four other figures were pulled by an intangible force like telekinesis.

They were Seol Pan-gyo, Mae Yak-bang, Namgung Heon-rin and Jeon Kwae.

Soon, Cheol Ryu-heun’s gaze turned toward the rear.

“Everyone followed my words and moved well. Now, shall we see your skills too?”

To whom was he speaking?

Suddenly, a grand Sound Transmission of immense internal power broke through the formation and flew in.

-I was planning to show you anyway. Our cult’s countermeasure.

At that sound, Namgung Sang-rin, Hae Su-yeon and others recognized who had responded via Sound Transmission.

It was Extreme Heaven Demon Emperor Gun Mu-ak.

At that moment.

KKUMTUL-KKUMTUL, KKUMTUL-KKUMTUL…

The fog thickly spread around began to slowly move and suddenly started turning pitch black.

Hae Su-yeon’s complexion completely changed.

‘This is…!’

From the black fog, an extremely dense demonic alluring energy was detected.

WOONG-

Sure enough, the Enchanting Flower Sword let out a brief ring.

It was a reflexive response phenomenon to alluring energy – a kind of rejection reaction.

In the meantime, the party including Hae Su-yeon felt that the energy sense operated with internal power was functioning normally.

At last, it was reaching them.

The presences through the black fog…

Only then did everyone figure out.

The person who had changed the white fog to black was the Heavenly Demon Right Attendant Delusional Seductive Demoness Ya Baek-ji.

That’s right.

With the exception of Hae Su-yeon here, Ya Baek-ji was the only martial artist who possessed alluring energy-attributed inner energy cultivation.

Moreover, the nature was different.

Hae Su-yeon’s alluring energy was actually closer to bright vital energy.

It was just that its application was mystical and seductive.

In contrast, Ya Baek-ji’s alluring energy was of turbid demonic nature.

So it could only be her.

Cheol Ryu-heun, with hands clasped behind his back, shrugged his shoulders.

“Ho-oh, not bad.”

No sooner had his brief mutter ended.

-Chirirririring-!

From somewhere, the sound of a large iron bell clashing burst out.

Immediately, the entire black fog trembled all at once and dispersed.

PAAAAAAA, PAAAAAAA…

Through explosive sound waves carrying turbid demonic energy.

This was most likely the work of Heavenly Demon Left Attendant Little-Bell Face Demoness Eun Yi-bi.

It was truly exquisitely controlled energy.

It had no effect whatsoever on the party’s bodies.

Of course, the party wasn’t of a level to be easily affected.

Anyway, as the fog completely cleared, the party’s view opened wide.

Mun Bin, Gongse Dan-yeong, Beon-sa and others looked at each other, relieved, then headed toward Cheol Ryu-heun.

Sword Wheel Crown Prince Gwi Je-shin and Solar Sword Saint Castle Lord Beop-yeol confirmed the traces of battle and were inwardly admiring.

“Everyone performed splendidly.”

“Hoot… indeed so. Beyond what I expected.”

Then each kindled their fighting spirit.

They too wanted to confirm the results of their advanced martial achievement through Cheol Ryu-heun’s arrangement.

At that moment, the Heavenly Demon Cult party headed by Gun Mu-ak, approached.

Cheol Ryu-heun looked at the two attendants and praised with an indifferent gaze.

“You both came well-prepared. Reversely disrupting and sealing the formation, then vibrating and shattering its core… force against force. As expected, it’s a tyrannical countermeasure befitting the Heavenly Demon Cult.”

Eun Yi-bi and Ya Baek-ji responded courteously.

“Thank you for the praise.”

“Hoho. I’m pleased you say so.”

Gun Mu-ak, who had been surveying the surroundings, spoke expressionlessly.

“It’s a stopgap measure.”

Cheol Ryu-heun turned his gaze and nodded.

“I know. The formation will reactivate as time passes.”

“You’re sharp. By the way, did the Heretic Cult make this illusion formation?”

“Probably. As I said earlier, it wasn’t originally a place where formations existed.”

“Meaning its range was expanded through artificial sorcery and incantations.”

“Yes, proof that it’s the Heretic Cult’s doing. And also proof of their ambitious plan.”

In that instant, Gun Mu-ak recalled a previous conversation.

-Do you know why the Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon forcibly sealed off the Heretic Cult?

-That’s something that shouldn’t be known.

-Right. But I know what it is. Because I obtained the Ascending Heaven Sword Dragon’s diary.

-What is it?

-The natural formations that exist within the Shiwan Mountains… using that power artificially unified to open a gate.

-Hmm, opening a gate? That’s meaningful.

-For example, a gate going in and out of a hell realm that no one knows actually exists.

‘The ambitious plan… hoot, they’re dreaming vain dreams. I’ll push you off the cliff of death. The Darkness-Craving Blood Clan, the Heretic Cult, the mysterious organization behind them – all of them…’

Having scoffed inwardly, Gun Mu-ak looked toward the distance and spoke.

“Let’s not delay further and depart. To the Ten Directions Ghost Road Lost Soul Formation.”

“Let’s do that.”

Having nodded, Cheol Ryu-heun whistled.

PPIIIK-

Immediately, Divine Wind and the four Heaven-Piercing Divine Birds appeared.

However, they didn’t run or fly but walked over.

As befitting clever divine creatures, they were still cautious of the formation.

Cheol Ryu-heun quickly sat in the saddle.

“Let’s go.”

At that, the remaining personnel also swiftly mounted the Heaven-Piercing Divine Birds’ backs.

But then.

TTOGAK-TTOGAK, TTOGAK-TTOGAK…

Divine Wind in the lead still wasn’t running.

The four Heaven-Piercing Divine Birds behind also folded their wings and walked.

In the midst of that, Hae Su-yeon asked while facing Cheol Ryu-heun’s back.

“Sect Master Cheol, are we traveling on the ground like this?”

“Yes. I plan to analyze the artificially created formations as we go. And…”

Cheol Ryu-heun, having trailed off, suddenly extended his left hand.

Simultaneously.

CHYACHYACHYACHYA, CHYACHYACHYACHYA…

Cloud-white energy spread extensively in all directions.

That was not ordinary white mist flowing.

It was energy of mystical immortal path nature.

Everyone sensed that power through their sharpened energy sense.

It was immortal studies’ energy cultivation related to the authentic transmission of Martial Immortal Dongbang Ya.

Without a doubt…

The white energy vanished covertly in an instant.

What to say – it seemed to have melded into this vast space.

Having withdrawn his hand, Cheol Ryu-heun spoke again.

“…I’ll use that power in reverse to cause them trouble.”

At those words, Gun Mu-ak inwardly smirked.

‘Heh, is that so?’

He finally realized.

Earlier, Cheol Ryu-heun had changed part of the illusion formation’s nature through some kind of immortal path technique.

So that enemies would suffer some calamity if they came here.

Cheol Ryu-heun, looking ahead, muttered inwardly.

‘Heart-Stealing Spirit-Commanding Body.’

It was a legendary body where one’s physical form itself became a supremely powerful formation.

Depending on one’s abilities, it was said to change even natural formations…

‘If there were someone with that body, things would be easier… hmm, isn’t there anyone like that out there?’

* * *

“Of course… there is, there sure is.”

The voice of someone positioned in an ancient castle site shrouded in darkness.

“No, there has to be. The Divine Martial Sword absolutely has to be here in the Shiwan Mountains. So that our ruined sect can make a comeback.”

The owner who had spoken again was a middle-aged man.

EUDEUDEUK.

A name seeped out from between his lips as he gritted his teeth tightly.

“Cheol Ryu-heun… just you wait. I’ll definitely repay the debt from before somehow.”