Chapter 186: Soul Formation (1)

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read more at Nineheavens.org
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“Mok Sa-heon?”

The Nascent Soul stage cultivators, hearing Jin So-myeong’s muttering, flinched. They frowned while staring beyond the horizon.

“The feeling is a bit strange, but… it seems to be Fellow Daoist Mok.”

Mok Sa-heon, flying over at an immense speed, was literally half-human, half-insect.

Not only his upper body but his entire body was covered in carapaces, which was dreadful.

Had it not been for his relatively normal face, they would not have even been able to distinguish whether he was Mok Sa-heon or a member of the Insect-Armor Race.

“Just what happened for him to return alone, leaving the others where I know not.”

“Wait. Are those things attached to his shoulders arms, by any chance?”

Just as they were shocked to see Mok Sa-heon, who had four arms like the Insect-Armor Race,

Mok Sa-heon, who neared enough to be seen by the eyes in an instant, pointed a finger over here.

An instant.

The atmosphere boiled. An ominous current flowed, and then the sky filled with dark clouds split.

Ten brilliant pillars of light struck down vertically.

At the majestic sight resembling a divine punishment, the pupils of the Nascent Soul stage cultivators dilated.

“…!”

In this bizarre situation, there was no one who would let their guard down. Everyone was extremely tense, but they failed to react nonetheless.

The reason was only one.

Because the falling pillars of light were too fast.

In the world flowing slowly as if completely stopped, Jin So-myeong, who was the only one to react alone, kicked off the ground.

Leaping into the midair, he swung his sword towards the pillars of light.

Clang—!

The sword blade vibrated as if about to snap.

He smoothly rotated the sword that was about to be deflected away. While skillfully resolving the repulsive force, he suddenly realized.

‘This is…’

It is too similar to the beams of light he had experienced countlessly while undergoing a thousand sparring matches with the wooden dummy.

The exact same technique unfolded by a completely different entity.

The moment he perceived that fact, he naturally realized what the true identity of the pillars of light was.

‘To think it was simply clumped spiritual power thrown?’

Both the pillars of light falling now and the beams of light the wooden dummy had fired had not unfolded any particularly special spell.

They were just massive spiritual power compressed and fired like bullets.

No wonder. He had been puzzled because it was a spell with too excellent versatility, but the doubt was finally resolved now.

‘How absurd.’

The pillars of light fired by the entity presumed to have seized Mok Sa-heon’s body numbered ten in total.

A massive energy, to the extent of raising shivers, was condensed in each and every one.

Clang-clang-clang!

Starting with the first deflected pillar of light, he blocked a total of five pillars of light.

Deflecting as many as five in the split second when others could not even react could be called highly excellent, but that was the limit.

Except for the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration and the Blood Wings, which were techniques to be used cautiously, he exerted all his strength but failed to block them all.

Just as he was recovering the muscles of his arm, which were on the verge of being paralyzed due to the repulsive force,

The remaining five pillars of light struck down towards the transmission array.

Boom!

The barrier protecting the transmission array trembled once, then shattered like a windowpane.

To think that the barrier, which had withstood even the spell bombardment of the Insect-Armor Race, shattered without enduring even for a brief moment; the destructive power contained in the pillars of light was vividly clear.

Perhaps because the barrier had dragged time even if for a short while,

The frozen Nascent Soul stage cultivators reacted. Each infused spiritual power into their spirit treasures to face the pillars of light.

The instant the colorful spells surged up and collided with the pillars of light,

“Cough!”

A wretched sight unfolded.

The one grazed by the pillar of light was at least lucky. It ended with him vomiting blood and rolling on the ground.

The one who unluckily blocked it head-on…

literally evaporated.

With a single blow lightly scattered as if checking, as many as five Nascent Soul stage cultivators died.

An overwhelming power that made one shudder.

“S-Soul Formation stage?”

At the single word muttered by someone in shock, the eyes of the survivors grew so wide they seemed about to tear.

“We must leave immediately!”

The fear that started from the first person spread in an instant.

“Fellow Daoist Mok, regain your senses! Why are you attacking us!”

“His body has already been seized! Do you not see it when you look?!”

The Nascent Soul stage cultivators, while shouting noisily, were agile in their actions.

Without knowing who was first, everyone moved with one mind.

Each poured out items related to formations from their storage pouches to replace the collapsed barrier, and scattered extreme-grade spirit stones to activate the transmission array.

Around that time.

For some unknown reason, the Insect-Armor Race members who were trembling their entire bodies and flustered unfolded their wings and scattered at an immense speed.

It was a movement like a flock of sheep fleeing from a predator.

It would be better to attack together with Mok Sa-heon, so why?

The doubt was quickly resolved.

The gaze of Mok Sa-heon, who had struck down the pillars of light with an expressionless face, turned to the Insect-Armor Race this time.

The moment he reached out his hand and gripped the air,

The Insect-Armor Race members who were fleeing with escape lights stiffened abruptly. They struggled like insects taxidermied in the air.

“Kieeeek!”

Following the scream soaked in terror, an intense vortex rose from Mok Sa-heon’s mouth, and the Insect-Armor Race member turned into smoke and was sucked in.

“…Did he eat them?”

It was a shocking sight.

Hostile to both races? Just whose side was he on.

Because his actions were not consistent, they could not distinguish whether he was human or Insect-Armor Race.

However, it was certain that the situation was bad.

Every time he devoured the Insect-Armor Race, the aura emitted by Mok Sa-heon exploded exponentially.

He had already surpassed the Nascent Soul stage Great Circle level long ago, and advanced into an incomprehensible realm.

Could he truly be at the legendary Soul Formation stage?

Jin So-myeong narrowed his eyes. Just as he strived to be as cold as possible and examine the opponent,

“It is ready!”

“Quickly!”

There was no need to urge. The surviving Nascent Soul stage cultivators urgently activated the transmission array.

Woooong!

At the same time as a brilliant radiance surged from the transmission array, pillars of light struck down from the sky once again.

Earnestness dwelled on everyone’s faces.

For the transmission array to activate first before the pillars of light fell, please.

————!

Right before the vertically falling pillars of light touched, at that critical moment,

What on earth was he thinking; Jin So-myeong, who had been silently observing the situation, stepped back a step from the transmission array.

“No, why…?”

Before the words of the shocked Du Geum-bo could even finish,

The Nascent Soul stage cultivators disappeared, swept away by the radiance surging from the transmission array.

In that place which became quiet as the people who acted noisily disappeared,

Tap, he leaped lightly. As he was charging towards the pillars of light falling like a divine punishment, doubt filled him.

‘Why didn’t I leave?’

It was difficult even for himself to understand. Why did he remain here without going outside the Defeated Sage Dojo?

To buy time for others to escape? It was naturally not such a thing.

Just…

simply because a strong opponent he wanted to clash with was before his eyes, he could not bring himself to leave.

It was an extremely irrational decision. Risking danger simply because he wanted to fight a strong opponent?

But look.

Brilliant light surged along the blade.

A pure white light so intense that it would blind one by mere sight surged like waves along the sword body.

A Single Flash Lightens the Heavens.

Proof that his heart desired this.

Even before perceiving that his entire body had become light as a feather, he swung his sword according to instinct.

From left to right.

While deflecting the pillars of light with the blade that drew an oblique line, he realized what had changed.

‘It’s light.’

There was no repulsive force. Touching the sword wrapped in A Single Flash Lightens the Heavens, even the pillars of light where massive spiritual power condensed lost their strength.

As if being erased along with the scenery, it crumbled soundlessly as soon as it touched the sword.

Since there was no repulsive force to hinder his movement, it was so comfortable. He could accelerate endlessly.

Rumble!

He unfolded the Lightning Escape Art. Enveloped in thunderbolts, he deflected all of the pouring pillars of light.

Just as he was half-captivated by the incomprehensible power of the pure white light, A Single Flash Lightens the Heavens,

without even a moment to catch his breath, the third offensive followed.

‘Ha.’

The first offensive had been ten pillars of light, but by the time it reached the third, it became almost forty.

He could not help but feel doubt at the endlessly increasing pillars of light.

‘Just how much spiritual power does he have?’

Did it mean he was truly at the Soul Formation stage? No, even if so, it was incomprehensible.

What was the reason one normally used spells?

It was to consume spiritual power as efficiently as possible. No matter how much spiritual power one had, it was normal for it to be depleted quickly if used ignorantly.

Yet Mok Sa-heon’s offensive did not cease even though he was clumping spiritual power exactly as it was and pouring it out like a bombardment.

Counting only the energy consumed in a mere three attacks, he had already surpassed the Nascent Soul stage Great Circle level long ago.

‘His spiritual power cannot be infinite, either.’

If the spiritual power possessed by Jin So-myeong was compared to a puddle collected by rainwater, the opponent was a lake so vast it was conspicuous even from the sky.

At any rate, it was troublesome.

Since he was launching bombardments towards the transmission array, which was the sole exit, he could not even dodge and had to deflect them one by one.

“…”

Watching the pillars of light that had increased to over a hundred before he knew it,

he exhaled a short breath. With a single breath, he burned away and sent flowing the numerous worries that complicated his head.

He simply threw them all away.

Boom!

Ignoring the pouring pillars of light, he charged in reverse.

He decided to turn off his attention from the transmission array, which was the exit, and focus solely on killing the opponent.

‘There must be at least one more way out.’

Let’s think after killing him first.

It would suffice to find an intact transmission array even if he had to search the entire desert.

Boom!

The pillar of light that grazed past his shoulder caused an explosion. Leaving the transmission array, which was completely collapsed so that it could never be used again, he closed the distance.

Holding the sword in which Sword Gang and A Single Flash Lightens the Heavens mixed to emit a brilliant light,

he gathered all his concentration and struck down.

Right before the tip of the sword that flew while raising a faint afterimage could cleave the chest,

Mok Sa-heon put out his arm as if to block the sword, but unlike an entity possessing a massive energy to the point of being suspected of the Soul Formation stage, his reaction was slow.

Hesitating as he was about to raise his hand, it was not normal no matter how one looked at it.

‘Could it be that he is fighting over the body’s initiative with Mok Sa-heon?’

Although he did not know the detailed reason, he could not miss such a good opportunity.

The instant he only twitched his fingertips and failed to react properly,

Slash!

Swinging the sword wrapped in the light mist, he sliced it off arm and all.

Although a strong repulsive force, to the point of making his wrist ache, was felt while cutting the bone, he cut it nonetheless.

A blow successful more easily than expected. There was no leisure to feel joy.

Boom!

The severed arm swelled abruptly and exploded.

Smoke thick enough to block his vision surged up, and in an instant, twisted like a pretzel and turned into a spear, attempting to pierce his solar plexus.

Swish!

He instinctively responded to the spear, which had neared enough to be reached by merely extending his hand before he knew it.

The moment he swung the sword with all his might and struck the spear,

Screeech!

Along with a rough friction sound, sparks splattered.

His eyes grew wide. Perhaps because it was a spear created by the arm exploding, a force far stronger than expected was contained.

Stepping back half a step, he twisted his waist and wrist.

Ting—!

Roughly pushing off the sword, he deflected the spear, which was trying to pierce even his heart, at an angle.

There was no time to be relieved.

The spear that narrowly grazed past his shoulder writhed as if alive, and then became a rope.

‘…!’

Watching it sharply turn direction and attempt to wrap around his upper body,

Rumble!

He accelerated with the Lightning Escape Art using all his power.

Following that, he raised wind with the Wind Transformation Body Force to push away the rope, and struck the air with his left palm.

Pushing off the air as if firing a palm blast, he raised a repulsive force. While widening the distance as if being bounced away, he struck down the rope with the sword where A Single Flash Lightens the Heavens condensed.

Watching guardedly the rope that was split cleanly and fell to the ground was only for a moment.

‘Has he regenerated already?’

Mok Sa-heon, who became intact in the very brief moment he did not pay attention, was visible. The severed arm had already grown back.

Was there no meaning in cutting the arm?

It was not so.

It had an effect. The half-human, half-insect opponent also required the sacrifice of bugs to regenerate.

To regenerate the severed arm, the bugs remaining sparsely in the sky died off completely, and the bug eggs piled high on the floor also disappeared quite a bit.

Should he say the altitude of the entire ground had lowered? It felt as if the entire secret realm had become clean.

As the grains of sand, which were numerous enough to form a desert, turned to powder and fluttered, the ceilings of the buildings buried deep underground were revealed.

By killing and killing again,

if he consumed all the eggs laid on the floor, it meant he could win in the end.

Alternatively, hitting him with the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration, which possessed properties that interfered with regeneration, to kill him in a single blow was also one of the methods.

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