Chapter 225

Chapter 225

The central zone opened.

“……Huk. Huk.”

Songbyeok Jinin, who had been gasping for breath in a completely tattered state like rags, looked at the disappearing form of the giant deity that had collapsed. The massive iron hammer remaining on the ground like the remains of the giant deity.

“If only that hammer hadn’t been there, it would have been much easier.”

“I apologize. There was no other way.”

As a man approached Songbyeok Jinin, who was letting out a deep sigh, and bowed his head, Baengri San and Wangpal, who had been resting exhaustedly nearby, widened their eyes. There was a face they never expected to see here.

“Seomun Cheok! How did you get here? Did you also fall into this zone?”

“No. I fell into zone seventeen.”

“Then…….”

“It means I bought a zone transfer right and came over. After catching the zone master.”

“……Already?”

“I wasn’t the one who did it. The Sect Leader came to my side.”

“Sect Leader…… oppa?”

“Yes.”

Kwung!

Seomun Cheok, who had paused for a moment, pushed the handle and laid the massive iron hammer that had been standing upright on its side, then fixed his gaze on Wangpal and Baengri San. And the words that followed.

“It’s not important where the Sect Leader came to right now. We need to escape from this place.”

“Hm? Dou. What do you mean we need to escape from this place?”

“Songbyeok Jinin.”

Seomun Cheok bowed his head as he looked at Songbyeok Jinin, who was blinking at the unfamiliar words and asking for his opinion, then continued his explanation.

“Do you happen to know about Heukya?”

“Of course I know. Isn’t he the master of Sinseon Valley? One of the Daeyogoe that can be counted on one hand in the world.”

“Heukya has currently infiltrated this formation and is plotting something.”

“……What?”

“I didn’t hear it directly, but according to what the Sect Leader heard, it seems that way. He apparently said that the Heavenly Demon would soon descend.”

At words that overturned common sense, Songbyeok Jinin involuntarily lost his words and blinked, while Seomun Cheok continued.

“Do you know about the Heavenly Demon?”

“……I don’t know much about that. Only that it’s an existence those Demonic Cult followers worship.”

“I don’t know much either, but the Sect Leader said this. That the Heavenly Demon is not an existence that can descend. That the Heavenly Demon is something that doesn’t even exist in the first place.”

“……The Heavenly Demon is something that doesn’t even exist?”

“Yes.”

The Demonic Cult’s first in command is the Divine Maiden. The second in command is the first of the Chilryun. Ilryun.

Although they are divided into first and second in command, the Divine Maiden and Ilryun cannot encroach on each other’s domains. It is the Divine Maiden who decides the Demonic Cult’s policies. And it is Ilryun who decides the Demonic Cult’s composition. They are divided that way.

“That the first in command is the Divine Maiden is the same as saying there is no one above her. What do you think that means?”

“It means the Heavenly Demon is a symbolic existence.”

“Yes. Commonly, the strongest person would be called the Heavenly Demon, but how could a human become a demon in the first place? It’s an impossible thing.”

“Hm. While there are plenty of evil and wicked humans, there has never been a precedent of a human becoming a demon themselves.”

The structure of humans is fundamentally like that. No matter how much demonic power one accepts into their body, isn’t it common sense that a human cannot become a yokai?

If ‘demon’ doesn’t simply refer to devil-like people but means a demon in the same sense as yokai, then its very existence is impossible. Whether the Blood Cult or the Demonic Heads, they all tried countless times to turn people into yokai and failed.

“The Heavenly Demon is literally a symbolic existence. An existence that doesn’t exist in this world.”

“……But if what you say is true, didn’t Heukya say that the Heavenly Demon would descend? Does that mean that yokai lied?”

“He might have lied. But…….”

If he were going to lie, he would try to make it a plausible lie. Would there be any need to specifically point out the Heavenly Demon?

“Perhaps the Heavenly Demon is a metaphor—that’s what the Sect Leader was thinking.”

“A metaphor?”

“Yes. While it’s common sense that a human cannot become a yokai, there’s no reason why only a human becoming a yokai should be called the Heavenly Demon.”

Heukya said he moved his feet for a rare spectacle, but there’s no reason to judge that as entirely true.

If we judge that part of Heukya’s words are lies and part are truth, then the ‘Heavenly Demon’ that Heukya refers to could be himself, or could be some other yokai.

“The Sect Leader predicted that the disciples would fall into danger in that situation. That’s also why I came here.”

“You mean to leave this opening ceremony formation itself?”

“Yes.”

“……Hm.”

At the sight of Seomun Cheok speaking while showing off his bracelet that was still firmly attached, Songbyeok Jinin let out a contemplative sound and looked to the side. People who were still looking at Seomun Cheok with dumbfounded expressions.

“I see. If what you say is true, this place looks extremely dangerous, but what will you all do?”

“……We.”

“I don’t have personal connections, but I hear that Uicheonmunju’s judgment is quite reliable according to rumors. In this poor Daoist’s opinion, it’s right to leave this place.”

At Songbyeok Jinin’s words, Baengri San, who had been thinking for a moment, paused then looked back at Seomun Cheok. And the question that followed.

“Where did oppa go?”

“He went to find Seonwoo Gang and Seohwa sajeo. He said sajeo strangely doesn’t get picked up by the detector.”

“……If the detector works, we’d find Seonwoo Gang quickly. But not knowing where Seohwa is means ultimately, oppa won’t leave here until he finds Seohwa either.”

“That would be the case.”

“Then we should help too…….”

“Get a grip. Baengri San.”

“……What?”

“I told you to look at reality.”

Seomun Cheok, who spoke bluntly, slammed his spear shaft down on the ground with a kwung and continued.

“Including you and me, no one from Uicheonmun can help the Sect Leader in the current situation. Do you know why?”

“It’s because we are people who must be protected for the Sect Leader. Only when we leave can the Sect Leader move freely.”

“But if we can’t find Seohwa quickly……!”

“Think sensibly. There are over thirty zones in this opening ceremony formation. We can’t search through all of them anyway. Not only searching through all of them, but even searching through half of half won’t be easy within the time limit. It means the probability of being helpful is extremely low.”

“The Sect Leader probably understands that too. The Sect Leader will be planning to look for Seohwa sajeo in the central zone.”

If the situation unfolds that way, then ultimately, staying here would only be a burden to Baengri Un. Stubbornly insisting could even make the situation worse.

“Don’t be reckless.”

“Even though we’ve grown stronger over the past two years, we haven’t grown strong enough to help the Sect Leader. We’re still greenhorns.”

Understand your place and face the situation.

“That’s……!”

At the sight of Seomun Cheok speaking that way, Baengri San, who had reflexively bristled, bit her lip and lowered her head. And the answer that followed.

“……You’re saying even if we stay here, we won’t be helpful?”

“Right. We’d only be in the way.”

“If we’re not here…… that bastard can move more smoothly.”

“Regrettably, that’s how it is.”

“What the……”

At the sight of Seomun Cheok speaking decisively, Baengri San closed her eyes and bit her lip.

She thought she could be helpful now, but if this is the case.

“We’re completely like dead weight…….”

“I understand.”

There are situations where you can be reckless and situations where you can’t. If she’s reckless here, it could affect Baengri Un’s safety.

“……I just have to cut the bracelet.”

“You decided well.”

Baengri San, who had bitten her lip, looked intently at the bracelet on her wrist. And at that sight, Seomun Cheok turned his gaze to the side.

“What will Songbyeok Jinin do?”

“Hm, if what you say is true, I should also wander around inside the opening ceremony formation and make my disciples escape outside. It does seem like something unusual is happening.”

“But don’t worry too much. This is Sadoryeon’s main alliance. Three Sipcheon are gathered inside the formation, and two more Sipcheon exist outside the formation as well. Even if someone called the Heavenly Demon really exists and comes here, could he gain the upper hand against half of the Sipcheon?”

Whether yokai or human, such an existence is hard to exist. Even if the old Heukya from before losing his power returned, if five of the Sipcheon stepped forward, they could succeed in subjugation without suffering great damage.

“While wandering around looking for disciples, if I happen to meet that child called Seohwa, I’ll also pass along your message. I have to go around looking for disciples anyway.”

“Really? Thank you. If you do that, it will be a great help.”

“Hehe, since I’m doing it anyway, what’s the difficulty? Though Uicheonmun is currently called Jeongsa now, it’s a sect that has a good relationship with Murim Alliance. We help each other and live.”

Looking at Songbyeok Jinin smiling good-naturedly, Baengri San and Seomun Cheok cupped their fists and bowed. And at that sight, Songbyeok Jinin waved his hand and turned his back.

“No need for excessive courtesy. A Daoist simply does what must be done.”

“……Thank you.”

“Then I should slowly go looking for my disciples too. Can you tell me Seohwa’s appearance? I need to pass the message if I see her.”

“Ah, about that.”

You’ll be able to distinguish her right away if you see her.

Just as Baengri San was about to say, “You don’t need to know,” she turned her gaze at the voice that quietly reached her ears. A voice speaking as if nothing was wrong, calmly, which made it sound even stranger.

“That child is here.”

Slowly.

Baengri Seon, who had been keeping his mouth shut in the back, swung his folding fan and space split open. And from within, Seohwa appeared with her eyes closed.

“What on earth…… is this?”

“I saw an opportunity and put her to sleep for a bit. She trusts people too easily. Perhaps because there are only good people around her.”

At the incomprehensible situation, Baengri San, who had lost her words and was staring directly at Baengri Seon, unconsciously put strength into the hand gripping her sword. An incomprehensible situation was unfolding.

“Why?”

“Why, you ask. What do you want to know?”

“Why Seohwa…….”

“I put her to sleep because she might run wild.”

The condition is strange.

Hwareureureuk—!!!

‘I need to subdue him.’

There’s no choice but to subdue him first and then hear the story.

Trusting the feeling rising up at the sight of Baengri Seon grinning, Baengri San raised her internal power to the extreme and rushed quickly toward Baengri Seon. However, at that moment, a low voice was heard.

“I seal.”

The body won’t move.

As if her pressure points had been struck, looking at Baengri San who had lost control of her body, Baengri Seon smiled slyly and looked around. The words that followed.

“You need to leave this place…….”

“That judgment is correct. Those who are here will soon be caught up in danger.”

“What on earth does that…….”

“It means exactly what it sounds like. Heukya didn’t lie about anything.”

The Heavenly Demon will descend.

Those words are not lies. The Heavenly Demon is an entity that truly exists, and will soon descend here. He will reveal himself inside this opening ceremony formation.

“However, that is not necessarily a threat. The Heavenly Demon will not be dangerous to you. Especially…… not to you, San.”

Baengri Seon, who looked at the frozen Baengri San, smiled bitterly and stroked Baengri San’s head.

“You will suffer hardships.”

“What…… nonsense are you……?”

“You and your companions will probably experience difficulties more challenging than any hardships and adversities you’ve faced so far. Because surpassing the original ‘flow’ and breaking through limits is nearly impossible for ordinary people.”

“Release this……!”

“However, those hardships and adversities are absolutely necessary for you. If you focus on avoiding immediate danger, you cannot prevent future destruction.”

This is the only path to life.

“You must not cut the bracelet. No one can leave from here.”

I seal.

Baengri Seon, who had frozen even Songbyeok Jinin, the head of a great sect, with a single hand gesture, smiled bitterly. And Songbyeok Jinin, looking at such Baengri Seon, was shocked.

“Magic arts……?”

“I noticed when sealing Bulgoe’s Reverse Tendon Scripture, but I’ve never heard of a magic arts practitioner of this level. Even Hwansin, who is said to stand at the pinnacle of magic arts, couldn’t use magic arts like this with just a single incantation……!”

Who on earth are you?

“Who am I…… is that what you asked?”

At the sight of Songbyeok Jinin asking with shock, Baengri Seon, who let out a deep sigh, shook his head. And the answer that followed.

“Just a passing scholar.”

“A passing scholar who hopes this will just become an old story.”