Chapter 395: Delusion

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“Keo…!”

Danmok Cheon’s short groan.

Warm fresh blood instantly soaked the brown martial uniform.

It was fortunate in its misfortune.

Because the pointed blade had exquisitely missed the heart as it pierced through.

However.

For Danmok Cheon, that was even more humiliating.

Because Gun Mu-ak had shown mercy in his techniques.

He had deliberately inflicted the penetrating wound to miss the heart.

As if handling prey caught in a spider’s web.

In that situation, the tearing sound of his flesh grew even louder.

TUTUK, TUTUK… TUK, TUK… !

His skin was rapidly splitting.

By the multiple Heavenly Demon Gravity Star that Gun Mu-ak had simultaneously operated.

At this rate, his muscles would soon be cruelly torn away.

Just then, Meng Wang and Meng Min appeared at the rear.

Having heard Meng Wang’s Secret Sound Transmission, Gun Mu-ak spoke indifferently.

“So, what do you think my power’s limit is?”

Danmok Cheon, amid his agony, harbored great doubt.

‘Kkeukeuk, this bastard…!’

Already, Gun Mu-ak’s Internal energy had exceeded the limit he had expected as extreme.

The four Heavenly Demon Gravity Star proved it.

The momentarily heightened power proved as much.

The moment Gun Mu-ak swiftly extracted the blade again.

SYUSYUSYUSYU, SYUSYUSYUSYU… !

Suddenly, along with sharp piercing sounds, sword energies flew about.

PEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEONG!

Thus, four strands of powerful sword energy simultaneously struck the Heavenly Demon Gravity Star generated above, below, left, and right, releasing heavy sounds.

Gun Mu-ak retreated about five or six paces due to the rebound force of the explosion.

PAPAK… !

Danmok Cheon, having barely freed himself from the binding, also quickly kicked the ground and moved backward.

“Keuk!”

If it had been just a little later, his limbs would have been cruelly torn off.

Along with that, the Fourth Great General had also been released from the pressure.

“Heok, heok…!”

The person who had executed the surprise sword energies and provided aid was a white-clothed old man.

Not just the clothes.

The long hair hanging down, white eyebrows, and white beard… everything about him was pure white.

Phantom Spirit Demon Emperor Hap-hwa.

The previous-era demon head who had faced Gun Mu-ak using Soul-Returning Perfect Form Technique and suffered harm by the unfathomable mystical application of the Demon God Sword reappeared.

And Heretic Cult leadership member Earth Direction Master had also appeared nearby.

Looking forward, Gun Mu-ak said.

“You came again without fear.”

At that, the enraged Hap-hwa flashed brutal eye-light.

“We won’t be fooled twice!”

At his hand signal as he shielded Danmok Cheon, Earth Direction Master moved his arms.

PALLLAKPALLAK, PALLLAKPALLAK!

All sorts of colored talismans flew through the air.

FLASH, FLASH, FLASH…!

Thus, five talismans burst with sinister and strange light.

HUHUHUHUHOONG… HUHUHUHUHUHOONG… !

The surface of the ground within a five-Zhang radius rose up and created clamorous wind sounds.

On top of that, there was even intense shaking like an earthquake.

DEUDEUDEUDEUDEUK… DEUDEUDEUDEUDEUDEUK… !

Earth Direction Master’s unique sorcery harmonized with the power of talismans and birthed a giant formation in this space.

A whirlwind current tangled with dust blurred not only sight but also all senses.

Clumps of dirt flew in like a terrifying tsunami.

TUTUTUTU, TUTUTUTU, TUTUTUTU… !

Each person couldn’t even properly open their eyes.

Starting with Meng Wang, the party released massive formless Aura/Aura/bearing in all directions while wielding their weapons.

PEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEONG, PEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEOPEONG… !

Amidst the series of explosive sounds, a few presences vanished.

It was literally momentary.

The enemy who had hidden their forms in the moment the white whirlwind swept by.

The sorcery grew stronger and stronger as time passed.

The pressure pressing down on all sides was steeply increasing.

Even the formidable Meng Wang felt great pressure.

‘It’s heavy!’

It was quite surprising.

Something like the simultaneous explosion of several people’s innate True Energy.

It seemed certain to be a sorcery and bound formation of conviction for escape, created by the Heretic Cult leadership.

Right at that moment.

-Spirit energy sacrifice… a type of sorcery utilizing life force. It seems the Heretic Cult hasn’t been idle.

Through Gun Mu-ak’s Secret Sound Transmission, the party finally understood the reality.

If so, this was an invisible force harmonized with the Shiwan Mountains’ unique formations, directly pressuring the upper dantian.

There was one way to break through this.

Internal energy operation based on ascending concentration, akin to meditation.

According to the method Cheol Ryu-heun had taught.

Suddenly.

KWANG!

Gun Mu-ak’s right foot struck the ground.

Simultaneously, Demonic energy of dark attribute transformed into violent flame fire and covered the space within a five-Zhang radius.

KUAAAAAA, KUAAAAAAA… !

Meng Wang and others at the rear flinched in shock.

‘Uuut!’

What Gun Mu-ak had executed was the ultimate Heavenly Demon World-Destroying Step.

Everyone created thick energy barriers with Internal energy close to the extreme.

Because if they didn’t protect their bodies that way, it felt like they would simply be swept away by that terrifying power.

In the midst of that, the party wore expressions of admiration.

Why.

Because Gun Mu-ak’s power had once again temporarily risen.

The turbulent sorcery phenomenon of dirt and wind whirling wildly soon thinned visibly.

SEUSEUSEUSSEUT, SEUSEUSEUSUSSEUT…

It completely vanished as if it had never been.

The Demon God Sword had absorbed all that energy.

Meng Wang and others again wore expressions of repeated amazement.

To break high-level sorcery with pure Internal energy alone, and to even absorb all the energy that constituted it…

CHEOLKEOK!

Gun Mu-ak, having stored away the Demon God Sword, soon pivoted his form.

“Don’t be surprised. Corrupted spirit energy is excellent food for this sword.”

Then he stared at Meng Wang intently.

“From the start, I had no intention of ignoring Cheol Ryu-heun’s advice. I just wanted to handle it my way. Of course, I wanted to pierce that bastard’s heart and kill him.”

At those words, Meng Wang let out an awkward look.

“Ahem, hem. As expected of a demon head, how aggressive. But…”

Trailing off, he asked a question in a meaningful expression with a quiet voice.

“What you said about your way… does that mean some kind of scheme?”

“I’ve placed one arrangement in that bastard’s body. So that more interesting things will happen. He will soon become a giant coffin. One that swallows his own allies…”

“Did you use the Demon God Sword’s power?”

Gun Mu-ak nodded his head silently, and Meng Wang smirked in response.

“Hut. As expected…”

He then informed Gun Mu-ak that Cheol Ryu-heun had come outside.

Then Gun Mu-ak showed slight interest.

“How was he?”

“He’s become stronger. Though he hasn’t shown all his power yet.”

Gun Mu-ak, with a light nod, quietly cast his gaze into the sky.

‘That fellow… is soaring without knowing how high the sky is. Does he truly intend to become a god?’

At that time, Eun Yi-bi and Ya Baek-ji carefully spoke.

“Grand Prelate, there will be even more powerful sorcery existing at the enemy’s base.”

“If it’s a similar type of bound formation as before, the drain on our side’s mental strength would be considerable.”

Immediately after, Gun Mu-ak spoke with a dry expression.

“Cheol Ryu-heun calculated that.”

Then the two women tilted their heads.

“Pardon?”

“There are two ways to break through bound formations like earlier. Mental-based martial arts, or… a powerful explosive force that destroys the space itself and neutralizes the sorcery’s mystical applications.”

At those words, not only Eun Yi-bi and Ya Baek-ji but also Meng Wang, Meng Min, Gwi Je-shin, and Beop-yeol seemed to catch on.

“Ah…!”

“So that’s why you said don’t kill…”

Each murmured among themselves as Gun Mu-ak spoke again.

“He’s preparing a grand explosive play. To seize the advantage the moment the main battle begins.”

He glanced at the bushes over there and continued his voice.

“Those who fled will feel cornered. Then there’s only one path to choose now.”

He then recalled the conversation with Cheol Ryu-heun.

-Generally, when people feel cornered, they cast aside reason and put instinct first. Now, think about it. What thoughts will arise if they’re defeated by you?

-They’ll seek extreme methods to increase their martial power.

-Exactly. And I predict that method will be one of two things.

-Either have their blood sucked. Or eat that thing.

-That’s it.

‘Hut… everything is flowing as he wills.’

Having laughed inwardly, Gun Mu-ak soon sent a gesture.

“Shall we head back now?”

* * *

“Heok, heok, heok…!”

A person breathing heavily leaned against a nearby tree.

The former Breaking Snake Forest Master of the previous Jianghu era, Snake Eye Sword Demon Mo Dok-jae.

But at that moment, a sharp piercing sound was heard.

SYUKAAAAK… !

Startled, Mo Dok-jae quickly ducked his upper body.

WAJIKEUN… KKWAHANG!

The tree he had been leaning against was shattered to pieces.

Someone’s sharp and heavy sword energy had flown in.

Mo Dok-jae, having rolled on the ground to dodge, caught sight of something.

The identity of the figure that had appeared ten paces ahead was Cheol Ryu-heun.

‘H-how…!’

It was an inexplicable situation.

He had fled to a safe place where layers of sorcery formations were deployed…

Cheol Ryu-heun, standing upright, spoke with an indifferent face.

“Being that slow, can you even save your life?”

In an instant, red energy light swirled in his pupils.

Seeing that, Mo Dok-jae suddenly felt his chest tighten.

Furthermore, even a throbbing feeling in his head…

“Keuk!”

Survival instinct born of fear reflexively moved Mo Dok-jae’s body.

PAPAK!

Having compressed the gap, his sword released a meandering current like countless snakes crawling along the ground.

SHWISHWISHWISHWISHWISHWISHWEET… !

A sword attack without sparing Internal energy.

But.

HWIK.

With one light hand gesture, the countless sword energies were all shattered.

PEOPEOPEOPEOPEONG, PEOPEOPEOPEOPEONG…!

Mo Dok-jae felt suffocated just by that.

‘Damn it!’

He quickly pivoted his form.

He chose to flee again.

But then.

UUUTTEUK.

Suddenly, his form stopped.

By the formless Aura/Aura/bearing of void object grasping that Cheol Ryu-heun had released.

Then he soon slid backward rapidly.

Drawn by the strong absorbing force that bound his body.

KWANG!

But he was no pushover either.

He immediately replenished his energy through the achievement of Nature Assimilation Realm and fired a large amount of Internal energy through the Bubbling Spring acupoint.

Having barely peeled off the force of void object Grasping, he advanced.

PAPAPAPAPA, PAPAPAPAPA… !

As he quickly passed through the forest path, he reached a certain point, looked back, and drew rough breaths.

“Huuu, huuu, huuu…”

He sharpened his energy sense and checked, but nothing was detected.

Finally, a sense of relief came.

This time, it seemed he had really shaken him off.

As his constantly heaving shoulders gradually subsided.

‘What terrifyingly monstrous Internal energy! A one-on-one battle with him must be avoided!’

He shouted inwardly and caught his breath, then quickly flew his body along the forest path.

‘Let’s hurry and report!’

But he was completely unaware.

Of the fact that he was currently running in place.

Also.

That Cheol Ryu-heun was located just ahead…

The moment he had faced those red eyes, he had been trapped in an exquisite illusion that completely blocked even his five senses and sixth sense.

That’s right.

Their eyes were already connected by a red thread of light.

‘Let’s find out. Who your ringleader is…’

Having spoken inwardly, Cheol Ryu-heun took one step closer.

TSEUTSEUTSEUT, TSEUTSEUTSEUT…

His spirit invaded the other’s upper dantian through the eye-light released by divine power.