Chapter 226

Chapter 226

Sadoryeon Plaza.

“Suddenly the number of people coming out has increased. What on earth is happening?”

“It’s about time for the zone masters to appear and start rampaging.”

“Zone masters?”

“That’s right.”

At the question of Seowang Ju Tae, who had been sitting and watching those emerging from the formation for the fifth shichen, Taeak, who had been sitting, answered calmly. A heavy, low voice settled in.

“Have you heard that the opening ceremony formation is divided into thirty zones?”

“I heard. Also heard that about a hundred people enter per zone.”

“It’s an obvious thing to say, but martial artists are reckless-looking yet sensitive to their own danger.”

“Is that so?”

“To be precise, martial artists who have survived and arrived here are like that. It’s not a world lenient enough to live on talent alone.”

Whether Orthodox Path or Demonic Path, martial artists always live with one foot in danger.

Therefore, even if they appear reckless, they rarely take risks unless there’s a good reason. Unless they have some certainty, they won’t stake their matches or lives. That’s a survival skill that any experienced martial artist possesses.

“Until now, it must have been stagnant. If it were permissible to kill each other, they could ambush and kill, but since they have to tear off bracelets, it means the target area is limited.”

“Ambushing isn’t easy, and the difference in power with opponents isn’t overwhelming either. Most martial artists were probably maintaining a standoff while watching each other.”

If zone masters appear there, the story changes.

“Zone masters are devices that make martial artists move.”

“Devices……”

“Will they flee from an enemy they cannot resist? Or will they fight? Zone masters force martial artists to choose between two options.”

Of course, among them are those who possess tremendous enough power to face zone masters alone. For instance, those like Bulgoe, Daesageom, or Geomhu who are inside.

But if you’re not one of those people, zone masters are basically enemies you cannot face alone—literally like walking disasters. Entities you absolutely cannot catch without forming alliances.

“Martial artists will naturally form alliances. Whether they exclude each other within that, or absorb each other…… that will be the martial artists’ choice.”

“Either way, it can accelerate this stagnant situation more quickly.”

“Precisely.”

“That’s quite fortunate. It was reaching a point where sitting became difficult.”

At Ju Tae’s words, Ju Yeon, who unconsciously agreed, nodded her head. If it’s as he said, doesn’t that mean there’s not much time left until the opening ceremony ends?

‘I wonder when they’ll come out. The Uicheonmun disciples.’

As she watched Ju Tae sighing deeply and burying himself in his chair, she also turned her stiff body and stretched, when suddenly she turned her gaze at a movement she noticed. The figure of an old woman who had been just observing the formation but was now stealthily approaching it.

“That person…… was called Seo Noya, wasn’t it?”

“That’s right. Princess mama.”

“Why is that person suddenly at the formation…….”

“Isn’t she probably trying to inspect if there are any abnormalities?”

Looking at Taeak answering nonchalantly, Ju Yeon, who had tilted her head, stared directly at Seo Noya. And at that moment, complex patterns rose from the formation.

“……Palgwae?”

Geon and Gon. Heaven and Earth.

At the rising patterns, Ju Yeon instinctively narrowed her eyes and interpreted the incantation. She felt an odd sensation.

“Overturn heaven and earth, carry thunder and wind, defy the universe……?”

“What are you talking about, Yeon-a.”

“Wa, wait a moment. That’s…… not an incantation used in this kind of formation.”

Ju Yeon isn’t a magic arts practitioner, but she is well-versed in its theory.

Even if the preceding Geon-Gon trigrams are understandable, thunder and wind, the Jin trigram and Son trigram are not used in places like this. Usually, Jin trigram and Son trigram are trigrams used when employing magic arts aimed at reaching destinations faster than anyone else, like ground-shrinking or teleportation techniques.

Moreover, the latter part ‘defy the universe’ isn’t even established as a trigram. You’d have to think it’s an incantation that was twisted and added with some intention.

Of course, Ju Yeon doesn’t know what results that will bring. The other party is a magic arts practitioner of Hwansin level. How could she know what intention she had in engraving magic formulas in the formation? However.

‘The feeling is strange.’

Overturn heaven and earth, defy the universe.

The formation itself is filled with an odd feeling. An eerie movement as if something might happen at any moment.

“We need to stop her.”

“……Hm?”

“We need to stop that old woman right now. Father!”

“What on earth…….”

“There’s no time to explain! Uncle!”

At the shout of Ju Yeon, who suddenly stood up from her seat, Ju Tae, who had been stretching out his body, widened his eyes. And someone who reacts immediately to Ju Yeon’s shout.

—I don’t know what you’re talking about, but understood.

A ray of light invades the formation.

The attack from the one in charge of Ju Yeon’s escort pierces through the old woman’s shin at an invisible speed and gets embedded in the ground. An arrow with clear intention to fix her so she can’t move anymore.

“……Hehe. It’s already too late.”

Seo Noya, who let out a faint groan, fell forward and touched the formation with her hand. And the words that followed.

“Struggle continues immortally. All demons prostrate in worship.”

Taeak widened his eyes in shock, and everyone in the hall froze at that voice. Numerous characters rising in the formation.

What those characters referred to was only one thing.

“Let’s all go to the eternal paradise together. Puppets of fate.”

A strange premonition.

“Hm.”

I let out a contemplative sound while looking at those who had gathered in a huddle, holding weapons toward me in a standoff. An odd sensation brushing past the nape of my neck.

‘The feeling strangely isn’t good.’

At the eerie sensation, as if a small, cold snake was brushing past my neck, I tilted my head then smiled bitterly. Now wasn’t the time to pay attention to things like uncertain feelings.

“Why on earth…….”

As I confirmed that the martial artist who had been solemnly raising his greatsword and glaring at me was opening his mouth, I turned my gaze that way. Then the martial artist gritting his teeth.

“Why are you doing this? If you’re a martial artist of your level, you could take all our bracelets without needing to do something like this……!”

“A foolish question. If it’s possible but not done, doesn’t that mean it’s not needed?”

“……The bracelets aren’t needed?”

“That’s right.”

“Then why on earth…….”

“Because there’s someone I need to find.”

Collecting points to buy necessary things.

That might be the purpose of most who participated in this opening ceremony, but I’m different. In the first place, rather than such things, I participated in this opening ceremony to accumulate my disciples’ experience, and the situation has even changed from that now.

“I have no intention of interfering further.”

“There’s no reason to interfere either.”

“Wai……!”

Yuweolbo Manwol

Sambo

Along with the words, I confirmed the massive shadow descending from above, raised my internal power, and took a big step away from my position. And immediately after, the black, massive tail that struck the main palace.

Kwaaaaang—!!!

“It’s starting.”

I propped my chin while watching Heukya’s phantom starting to attack after catching its target. Right now, all three forces’ candles have been cut off.

There might be one or two left, but they can’t last until dawn with just that. And they can’t just flee either. At least half would be swept away during the escape.

‘If it continues like this, they’ll naturally gather together.’

Even if they gather, the forces will gradually decrease. The attacks Heukya makes from inside the main palace are so fast and powerful that even I can’t take them lightly.

No matter how many people gather, in a situation where they’re only receiving one-sided attacks, they can’t do anything. The large group of sixty people will soon become fifty, then forty, thirty, twenty, ten, and eventually no one will remain.

—Is there a way to catch Heukya? Of course there is.

That’s only if no one intervenes, that is.

“You came.”

At the murmur, a subtle smell flowing in on the wind.

Gray floats around. The moment consciousness is regained, the surroundings are filled with black fog. And something glinting within it.

“……Heukya.”

The red energy disappears from the eyes of Heukya, who had been sweeping the surroundings only with his tail until now. And Heukya’s size gradually decreases.

Just because the size decreases doesn’t make it easier. The fact that the size decreased while maintaining strength conversely means it became harder to avoid and block. However.

‘The blade now reaches.’

Even if it became more ferocious and stronger, the blade now reaches.

The moment I recognized that fact, light exploded from far away, pushing away space. A sword strike that pushes away the fog over a tremendous range.

Jewanggeomhyeong

Daegung Cheonryeo

The technique I saw in the sparring match with the Namgung Family previously.

Though sparser and weaker than Geomwang’s, I grinned at the martial art that was clearly dominating space.

Only two people from the Namgung Family participated in this opening ceremony. And among them, I knew who could unfold Jewanggeomhyeong.

“Namgung Hyeon was here too.”

The black long robe flutters wildly.

Those who rushed in like rays of light parted the fog and entered the main palace, adding a breath to blocking Heukya’s attacks. And between them, the figure of a youth wielding golden sword energy.

It’s Seonwoo Gang.

The moment I recognized him, Seonwoo Gang, who had joined the group forming a sword formation and blocking Heukya’s attacks, opened his mouth and started chattering about something. Though I can’t hear from here, it’s probably saying they should join forces.

‘As expected. You fit in well.’

I smiled while watching Seonwoo Gang, who instantly melted in and began fighting Heukya. I wanted to watch the fighting a bit more, but there wasn’t much time.

‘By now, Cheok-i should have sent the children out.’

Seeing several people gathered together, he must be quite visibly active.

With Seomun Cheok’s abilities, he would have found and sent out the children by now. So this side also needs to quickly send out Seonwoo Gang and look for Seohwa. Who knows how long the time will hold out?

“I should slowly explain the situation and send him out.”

As I deflected the tail striking down above my head and took a step toward Seonwoo Gang. To send Seonwoo Gang out of this formation.

Seonwoo Gang and Namgung Hyeon struggled to block Heukya’s attacks, Paeng Jin swung his greatsword and attacked Heukya.

The moment I raised my internal power to squeeze between them.

[Emergency Request Occurred.]

Red energy filled my vision.

[Emergency Request Occurred.][Emergency Request Occurred.][Emergency Request Occurred.][Emergency Request Occurred.][Emergency Request Occurred.]

With a deep red light I had never seen before.

[Emergency Request: Survival]