Chapter 215

Chapter 215

Central Zone.

Uuuuuuung!

“Has the seventeenth zone opened?”

Faster than expected.

The Sado Alliance Leader cupped his chin with a small expression of interest as he confirmed the massive ‘gate’ floating far in the air opening and spitting out intense light. An unexpected situation was unfolding, after all.

‘The seventeenth zone is more distinctive than other places.’

Swamps, meadows, forests, reed fields, city districts, ruined palaces, labyzes, deserts, great seas, and so on.

Even among the thirty different zones, the seventeenth zone was one of the particularly distinctive areas. The entire zone was covered in water, and it was structured so that one had to move between islands, making it difficult to fight without understanding water techniques.

An unusual environment meant that ordinary martial artists couldn’t exert their strength.

That’s why the seventeenth zone had a zone master created from the start that would be difficult for those who had only learned water techniques to capture, in order to maintain fairness. For those who had learned water techniques, nothing would be harder to catch than a water dragon that controlled wind and rain.

Yes. That should have been the case.

‘It was captured too quickly.’

Intervention by the Ten Heavens. Victory by an alliance that quickly grasped the structure. Or if not that.

A Demonic Cult member.

The Sado Alliance Leader turned his gaze elsewhere with cool eyes as he looked at the opened gate of the seventeenth zone. Either way, there was no way to confirm it right now, and that wasn’t what was important at the moment.

‘This is unusual.’

Demonstration of power. Pursuit of mutual harmony. Strengthening the forces of the Central Plains martial world.

This Gate Opening Ceremony was held with various purposes, but there was only one fundamental objective. To completely block the Demonic Cult’s invasion that might come soon, from its very roots.

That was to eliminate the Demonic Cult members who had infiltrated the Central Plains and secure the Divine Maiden’s bloodline.

In fact, several suspicious people had emerged in this massive Gate Opening Ceremony. Since there was a limit to the number of Demonic Cult members who could enter the Central Plains, not all of them would be Demonic Cult members, but it was clear as day that Demonic Cult members were hiding among them.

That’s what he thought.

Until now.

‘Isn’t it too quiet?’

The Sado Alliance Leader, who had been resting his chin in his hand with a listless expression, swept his gaze across the horizon with indifferent eyes. There were major and minor incidents, but when viewed through the Clear Mirror, it was a relatively peaceful Gate Opening Ceremony.

‘There’s no movement.’

If Demonic Cult members had infiltrated, they should have started acting long ago, yet it was quiet as if they hadn’t infiltrated at all.

“What does the Spirit Master think?”

“Perhaps they’re still choosing their timing.”

“Hmm.”

At the Sado Alliance Leader’s question with strange eyes, a shadow wriggled and produced an answer. And at that sight, the Sado Alliance Leader stroked his chin.

“If they advance to the central zone, then there really will be no answer.”

The purpose of the Demonic Cult members who infiltrated the Central Plains was one thing. To find the Divine Maiden’s bloodline.

If they found the Divine Maiden’s bloodline and ended the covenant, they could shed their constraints and set foot in the Central Plains martial world. That’s why they had to find the Divine Maiden’s bloodline and transport them to the main cult no matter what. However.

Would it be possible if everyone came to the central zone as the Gate Opening Ceremony reached its latter stages?

‘It would be difficult.’

There were only four of the Ten Heavens here. Even if any of the Seven Wheels came, they couldn’t win against four of the Ten Heavens simultaneously.

If the Divine Maiden’s bloodline advanced to the central zone, there would be no opportunity for the Demonic Cult members. Soon the central zone would become a battleground where all sorts of extraordinary people from the martial world would gather.

“The heavenly signs are turbulent, yet there’s no actual action.”

“Should we strengthen our vigilance a bit more?”

“No.”

Preparations had been made sufficiently enough. Preparing anything more wouldn’t help in rooting out the Demonic Cult members.

“If they don’t act, we’ll just carry out our original purpose.”

“That means……”

“If the Demonic Cult members don’t show any action, there’s no need to deliberately root them out. We can just move on to the next opportunity.”

“If we fail to root out Demonic Cult members in this Gate Opening Ceremony, there’s only one method.”

Find and secure the Divine Maiden’s bloodline that the Demonic Cult members are looking for, and then.

Sever that bloodline directly.

“Ah, I don’t want to do the stupid thing of not leaving an escape route completely open.”

The Sado Alliance Leader, who smiled with a piseuk, stroked the frame of his throne. Doesn’t it say that even a cornered mouse will bite a cat?

The Sado Alliance Leader didn’t want to deliberately corner the Demonic Cult, whose momentum was already fierce.

At least, not until now.

It goes without saying, but the title of Ten Heavens is not given to just anyone.

For example, even if one of the Ten Heavens suddenly died or died of old age, the person below them wouldn’t naturally become one of the Ten Heavens. The Ten Heavens weren’t ranked in order from the beginning.

Single-handedly worth a thousand, enemy of ten thousand, heaven-killer, heaven-slayer, and so on. The title of Ten Heavens was given to those who accomplished feats beyond the limits of ‘humans.’ Even if someone died, it would just change from Ten Heavens to Nine Heavens; it didn’t necessarily maintain ten people.

When looking at the condition of accomplishing feats beyond human limits, there was only one occasion for Bulgoe rising to the Ten Heavens.

Breaking through the 108 Arhat Formation, the ultimate formation among Shaolin’s ultimate techniques, single-handedly.

Not only that, but putting half of the 108 Arhats into bedridden states.

—Gueoeoeoeoeo—!!!

Kwaaaaang—!!!

Mount Tai crumbled.

The compressed air in the giant’s strike reached ahead of the hand and swept through the front. Air that swept away everything around it like a raging storm.

However, that was just a prelude. The real problem was the overwhelming physical force that came from that weight.

‘He’s strong.’

But not solid.

Bulgoe, who half-opened his eyes as he watched the house-sized palm slowly falling while receiving air resistance, formed his hand into a half-palm shape.

Thousand-Armed Kwan-eum

No Martial Art Unknown

Light burst forth.

As Bulgoe swung his arm, the fist energy that shot up in a straight line blocked the giant’s palm as it stepped down heavily. The giant’s hand, which gradually slowed down as if receiving strong resistance, stopped descending at some point.

However, it didn’t end there. Bulgoe extended his half-palm again.

Thousand-Armed Kwan-eum

Without Pain

Kwadeudeudeuk!

The golden aura shot up again and broke the giant’s forearm.

—Guaaaaaaaa—!!!

A strange cry.

“Hmm.”

What a noisy demon.

Bulgoe, who had pulled his body back while maintaining a half-palm like a Buddha statue as he watched the giant screaming and swinging its unbroken hand around, exhaled deeply. He couldn’t quite understand this situation where he was suddenly being attacked by the giant.

‘Why is this lowly creature suddenly attacking me?’

Bulgoe detested evildoers, but that’s why he knew about the ecology of evildoers better than anyone.

Among the evildoers whose stories circulated in the world, the majority were bastards who had no principles or beliefs of their own and just did whatever they wanted. Such bastards had no room for reform. Meeting them meant opening the killing precept and beating them to death with these two fists was contributing to the ten thousand living beings.

But what about the Sado Alliance Leader?

‘The Sado Alliance Leader, Manwang Mumyeong, is someone with conviction.’

What he says, he definitely keeps. He doesn’t easily reveal his inner thoughts, but he’s different from the common rabble of evildoers. At least he’s someone with a conviction that firmly supports his center.

Such a person didn’t seem like he would discriminate against individuals at such an event. Originally, the giant should have been slowly coming to the center while circling the outskirts.

Then there was only one anomaly.

‘He definitely said with his own mouth that he was the Divine Maiden’s bloodline.’

Kwaaaaaaaang—!!!

Bulgoe, who blocked the giant’s fist as it came down with clasped hands by raising his hand, fell into contemplation. The appearance of the pale-faced scholar from whom he felt nothing. However, the anomaly that occurred after that.

He said he didn’t feel the divine energy he expected to feel from the Divine Maiden’s bloodline, but that didn’t mean he could be considered ordinary. Hadn’t he escaped his notice and come out of the shop, then disappeared in an instant?

“I’ll have to find him.”

Even if that person wasn’t the Divine Maiden’s bloodline, it didn’t matter. Knowing about the Divine Maiden’s bloodline meant he had some degree of information.

He would open the killing precept and hear the answer. Where the Divine Maiden’s bloodline was.

‘For the sake of Guju, why wouldn’t I be willing to become an Asura?’

Supreme Great Power

Golden aura swelled up.

Bulgoe, who deeply exhaled as he watched the giant’s fist fall, pushed away the giant’s fist with the golden aura rising from his entire body. And gradually half-opening his eyes.

“Are they coming?”

The signs of people increased one by one.

Feeling those who had been observing from afar gathering, Bulgoe sharpened the senses he had deliberately kept dull and sluggish. Life force that felt vividly alive, as if directly transmitting breathing from nearby.

“Even when I was at Shaolin, I’ve never received this much attention.”

“This old body seems to be destined to be popular in its later years.”

No matter how many came, no matter how strong they were, it didn’t matter. Wasn’t it a familiar situation?

Through countless hardships and adversities, he hadn’t broken or bent. Though riddled with holes and frayed, the body itself was fine.

The one who never breaks. Therefore, Bulgoe.

“Come.”

Feeling the fist falling above his head and the life force gathering, Bulgoe spread both arms. And then.

Vajra Indestructible Art

Great Peace

The raging typhoon stopped.

As if the world had stopped.

My head feels heavy.

“……Mm.”

An unfamiliar scene.

Seomun Cheok, who had let out a groan, opened his eyes and turned his gaze to the side. A dark-colored boat floating on the sea.

‘What happened?’

He definitely remembered walking through the forest. He even remembered the forest darkening as if the light had suddenly disappeared, and the black silk that covered his body.

He thought he had been attacked and eliminated. So naturally he thought he would wake up in Sado Alliance’s great plaza.

“Are you awake?”

Seomun Cheok, who was startled by the familiar voice he heard while continuing his contemplation, hurriedly turned his head back. Then he saw the familiar figure in white.

“Sect Master……!”

“You woke up faster than I thought. The others haven’t regained their senses yet.”

Baek Riyun, who let out a piseuk laugh, continued while wiping his sword with a cloth.

“You must be curious about what happened?”

“……Yes. What exactly happened?”

“A yokai infiltrated.”

“……What?”

“I mean exactly that. Do you remember what happened when you were a Muryeon Hall Disciple, during your training?”

“What happened during training…….”

There were too many things, so he didn’t know what he meant.

“Hundred Demons Night Parade.”

“Ah…….”

At Baek Riyun’s answer, who let out a hearty laugh at Seomun Cheok’s appearance as he frowned trying to recall the memory, he shook his head.

“I don’t doubt for a moment that there’s a great yokai behind that Hundred Demons Night Parade. In fact, before that, when I was subjugating the yokai territory, I even met that yokai’s fragment.”

“Is……that so?”

“Yes. I didn’t tell you all because I was afraid it would be a burden.”

Heukya. The master of Sinseon Valley.

“Heukya stands at the apex of all evil things. It was him who attacked you. It seems he infiltrated this formation to confirm something.”

“……Such a yokai attacked me?”

At the thought that suddenly occurred to him, Seomun Cheok hurriedly drew up his internal energy to check his body’s condition and let out a sigh of relief. His body was perfectly fine for having been attacked by a yokai.

“He probably didn’t play any tricks on you. He didn’t seem to have any intention of harming anyone right now.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“What do I mean? Even I don’t quite understand. But Heukya has already crossed over to the central zone. He must have some business there.”

The Heavenly Demon is descending.

Heukya said that, but Baek Riyun didn’t believe those words. Wasn’t the position of Heavenly Demon in the Demonic Cult only nominally existing in the first place?

After the first Heavenly Demon died.

The Demonic Cult’s nominal leader was the Divine Maiden, and the actual leader became the First Wheel. He knew that the position of Heavenly Demon existed, but he had never heard stories of anyone ascending to the Heavenly Demon’s position. It was a structure where the Heavenly Demon couldn’t exist in this world in the first place.

Heukya was a yokai. He couldn’t fully trust those words. He had to filter about half of it. The Heavenly Demon descending—Baek Riyun didn’t believe that. But that was that, and this was this.

“The situation has become quite dangerous.”

“It means this is no longer a place where you can accumulate experience.”

Now that Heukya had intervened, this Gate Opening Ceremony had become a battlefield where even Baek Riyun couldn’t guarantee lives. Leisurely accumulating experience ended here.

“This Gate Opening Ceremony is over.”

“Abandon the Gate Opening Ceremony.”