ISS-Chapter 329

Chapter 329

It echoed out.

Paaaaang—!!!

“What tremendous force.”

“Who’s fighting up there?”

“Well, I have a guess, but I’m not certain.”

At Seonwoo Gang’s question while looking at the force exploding atop the mountain demon’s head, I answered with a bitter smile and looked up at the sky. I had a rough idea of who might be fighting up there.

‘There aren’t many in this world who could tie down Heukya, even briefly, alone.’

An existence that could bind Heukya single-handedly.

Even searching the entire world, such existences could be counted on one hand. First of all, none existed among humans, and even among yokai, those who could stand alone against Heukya numbered at most two or three.

‘Among those two or three, Touhui, who became our ally, should be going around the outskirts commanding the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons right now.’

The other Seven Great Yokai had no particular reason to stand against Heukya now. Standing against Heukya here meant taking the humans’ side and accepting losses, and aside from Touhui, who harbored obvious jealousy toward Heukya, no one would do such a thing.

Then the one fighting up there must be someone I know.

‘Nakcheon.’

He’s probably the one holding the line up there.

“Everyone has crossed!”

“Good! Arrange formations immediately!”

As if not giving me time to fall into contemplation after standing still for a moment, the warriors who had crossed in short order gathered in threes and fives to form pairs. And watching that, my disciples gathered toward me.

“Sect Leader, it seems the sects of the orthodox path should occupy the Jung region.”

“The Jung region, is Gunggwi the commander?”

“Yes. The Great Fire Buddha also appears to have been dispatched there.”

“Fighting together would surely yield much benefit. However, we won’t head that way.”

“What? Then…”

“We act independently.”

“Independent… action?”

“That’s right.”

I let out a light laugh watching Seonwoo Gang look at me puzzledly. Because there was something I’d arranged beforehand.

“Gang-ah, do you know what the biggest problem is with fighting on the mountain demon’s back?”

“That’s… I don’t know.”

“It’s that the enemy looks down from above. We’re always fighting from below, that’s the problem.”

What’s the easiest way to gain the upper hand in a single battle?

It’s taking the high ground. Fighting while looking down from above almost unconditionally requires much harder struggle than fighting while climbing up from below.

Even just considering the terrain, but moreover, the great yokai here have each turned the mountain demon’s back into their own yokai domains, fully prepared to fight in ways suited to their characteristics. So what does that mean?

“It means we’ll suffer tremendous damage if we proceed like this.”

“Then…”

“We infiltrate through the gaps and occupy the rear.”

Yokai domains are ultimately maintained by their domain cores.

If we could infiltrate from behind and remove the domain cores while the yokai are distracted by opponents ahead, it would have the same effect as immediately demolishing all the walls of opponents engaged in defensive warfare. If they suddenly lose their advantage while fighting with it, the yokai will panic, and if we exploit that gap, the warriors can push through easily.

Of course, that’s assuming we successfully collapse the yokai domain after infiltrating from behind…

“Domain environments react sensitively to humans but are somewhat soft toward yokai.”

“Ah, so… you’re saying you’ll destroy the yokai domain on your own, Sect Leader?”

“Of course not alone. Even if I’m recognized as a yokai, they’ll notice something’s wrong once we get near the domain core, so it’s better to deceive them about our true strength with your presence. With this number, we can smash one or two domain cores, can’t we?”

“No, we normally can’t…”

“What are you prattling about. If we do it, it gets done.”

Baeklisan, who tapped Seonwoo Gang’s side as he stuck out his tongue with an intimidated expression, frowned.

“Thinking about complicated things won’t help since you won’t understand anyway. So which yokai domain are we destroying?”

“The Byeong region.”

“The Byeong region… the area the Divine Cult is in charge of?”

“Right. The Divine Cult’s power has been greatly weakened due to the battle at the Great Seal.”

The high-importance Gap and Eul regions were respectively assigned to Taeoak and Ilryun for rear attacks. The Sword Saint planned to move around the main force providing reinforcements where needed.

Then the place I should take on would be the region with the weakest forces but relatively high importance. Naturally, the strategic importance of the Byeong region wasn’t much less than other regions, so I should attack this place.

“Come to think of it, this is your first time properly entering a yokai domain.”

“Hm? Ah, well that’s true…?”

“Combat inside a yokai domain flows in a completely different manner from outside.”

I don’t know how often we’ll fight inside yokai domains in the future, but well, experiencing it this time wouldn’t be bad either.

“Try not to be too shocked when you experience it.”

“What’s so special about it… it’s all pretty much the same.”

Baeklisan grumbled as he followed behind me as I stepped forward with those words. And.

…

……

……..

A moment later.

“…”

The moment we arrived at the rear of the yokai domain, Baeklisan lost his words. Because.

“What the hell is this now.”

A vast snowy landscape spread out before our eyes.

---

Most renowned yokai each possess their own unique characteristics, and yokai domains tend to reflect those yokai’s characteristics.

Heukya’s yokai domain, the Valley of Immortals, maintained an environment so dark you could barely see the sun even during the day, and Touhui’s domain, which fed on jealousy, stimulated the psychology of those who entered to make them extremely irritable.

Of course, the Valley of Immortals and Touhui’s domain were quite mild for great yokai domains. After all, their own martial prowess was undeniably strong, and they were beings who wandered outside so much they didn’t really have time to manage their domains.

In that sense, the yokai domain of Seolgwi, the great yokai living atop the mountain demon, was particularly troublesome.

Seolgwi’s yokai domain boasted an environment like a true demon realm where simply setting foot in it caused one’s entire body to gradually freeze solid.

The center of the snowy landscape.

The white-haired woman sitting in the center of a castle made of transparent ice, the great yokai Seolgwi, brushed the ice with her fingertips and exhaled white breath with an annoyed voice.

-Such persistent creatures. Are they swarming here without knowing their place?

Seolgwi frowned at the many human presences eroding the yokai domain’s outskirts. They couldn’t move properly yet, not having adapted to the yokai domain, but the humans showed signs of gradually pushing in.

‘What do they think this place is?’

Seolgwi’s yokai domain, the Cruel Cold Realm (Hokhangyeong), caused everything entering the domain to gradually freeze solid.

That didn’t simply mean freezing from cold. Internal energy, movement, thought, yokai power, and even flames shrank and couldn’t spread their energy in here, ultimately freezing solid.

An ordinary warrior couldn’t last a moment, and even quite renowned masters couldn’t endure for an hour. Even warriors on her own level would gradually feel discomfort in their movements and internal energy usage, so trying to slowly attack like that over time was absurd.

-They should properly pay the price for their arrogance. Lowly things.

Seeing that the powerful individuals she’d heard about weren’t visible, they must have judged this place to be of relatively low importance.

-Huhu.

Seolgwi, who had slowly assessed the situation and rested her chin on her hand, let out a soft laugh. And at that moment, a shaggy brown-furred yokai burst in frantically.

-Uu. Lady Seolgwi, some humans entered from the rear. I saw them.

-Huu.

What was that supposed to mean now?

Seolgwi pressed her throbbing head and glared at the shaggy yokai with fierce eyes, throwing out a question.

-How many.

-Uu. I don’t know exactly. Less than ten.

-Stupid thing. Can’t you even count properly?

-Uu. I’m sorry…

-To have such a stupid subordinate.

Heukya’s subordinate yokai were all clever and sharp, so why were her own subordinates all so lazy and stupid?

‘Environmental difference… no, a difference in level…?’

It was natural that beasts became less active in colder regions.

-Whatever.

Seolgwi, who had reflexively treated her subordinates like beasts, shook her head.

-I’ll check myself. Get lost.

-Uu. Understood…

Seolgwi, who dismissed the shaggy yokai with an annoyed tone, placed her hand on the table and closed her eyes. The entire yokai domain’s appearance began to enter her view as if she could grasp it in her hand.

‘The number is… six?’

Not many.

However, judging opponents by numbers alone, whether human or yokai, was foolish. After all, even she, who reigned above her, could completely destroy this snowy landscape single-handedly.

‘Their level is…’

Nothing special.

Seolgwi, who had briefly checked how much they were affected by the yokai domain, confirmed most were affected and stopped paying attention. At that level of effect, they couldn’t do anything even if left in the rear.

-I don’t think there will be any problems.

But I should prepare just in case.

-This should be enough.

Seolgwi, who sent some of her subordinate yokai horde to the rear to prepare for the attack, slowly surveyed the battle situation. Humans forming formations and beginning to push in earnest.

-Worthless insects are swarming.

Many masters? She knew that.

Looking at the state of yokai being miserably cut down by the rampaging humans, it was clear how high the level of the invading humans was. Among them were some powerful enough to have winning odds even facing her one-on-one.

However.

-This is my nest.

While some yokai act independently wielding great power, there are also yokai who repel all invaders in their own nests, feeding on fear.

Inside this yokai domain, she could exert twice her usual power. Briefly tying down that number of people wouldn’t even be difficult.

-Lady Heukya.

When Heukya ascended to the position of Yokai King, she too would enjoy wealth and glory beneath her.

Finishing her thoughts, Seolgwi stood up to block the humans attacking from the front. And.

-Now, have you roughly understood what a yokai domain is?

-Uuugh.

Because she stood up so quickly, Seolgwi failed to see the scene unfolding at her back.

-Let’s gradually pick up speed.

The humans who had been trembling while advancing slowly from behind.

Were gradually picking up speed, advancing toward the yokai domain’s core.