Chapter 348: Devilish Cult (1)

Kugugugugu!

Under the dark sky of the Nether Ghost Realm, a gigantic ship moves.

The ship is named 'Nether Crossing Ship', meaning it could even cross the Nether Crossing River of the Netherworld.

One of only 49 in the Black Ghost Palace, a replica of a certain immortal treasure.

At the bow of that replica of the immortal treasure.

A Blue Grand Elder with the cultivation at the Integration stage, Cha Jo-gwi, turns around with a sparkling gaze.

[Are you ready, Baek Rin?]

"...Yes, I'm prepared for everything."

[Tch, I definitely tried to stop you several times. It was clearly you who decided to undergo the [experiment].]

"To defeat a monster, I must become a monster myself. That devilish cult leader is also a fanatic influenced by the erosion of a True Person. I will defeat him in the same way."

[Foolish fellow... Fine, do as you wish. More importantly, Yu Hye!]

[Yes, Captain.]

Cha Jo-gwi looks at Yu Hye, a maiden ghost dressed in white with a cultivation at the Grand Perfection Four-Axis stage, and asks,

[Where are the other two who came for support from our palace?]

[One is down below, and the other has possessed one of the crew members of the Nether Crossing Ship.]

Cha Jo-gwi looks where Yu Hye points.

Under the starlight, the shadow of the Nether Crossing Ship is moving along with the ship.

[One is moving by merging with the shadow, and the other is what? Possessing a crew member? Why do they live like that? Just come out and have a drink...tsk.]

Clicking his tongue, Cha Jo-gwi stops paying attention to the two Blue Grand Elders.

[Anyway, I didn't expect the palace to support us with two Blue Grand Elders.]

As Cha Jo-gwi clicks his tongue,

Woooong—

The eyes of Yu Hye, standing next to him, turn red.

Sururuk—

Yu Hye's shadow, reflected in the starlight, transforms into that of a demon ghost with a dog's head.

[In fact, our palace intended to secure the identity of the White Yin Domain cult leader by dispatching Blue Grand Elders at an appropriate time. We were planning to abduct the cult leader within the next 10 to 20 years.]

Upon hearing this, Cha Jo-gwi clicks his tongue and speaks to Baek Rin.

[See, Baek Rin. We could have just waited 10 or 20 years.]

"...It doesn't matter. What this person mentioned is about abducting the cult leader, not exterminating the cult. My goal is to exterminate the cult and save my comrades."

The entity possessing Yu Hye chuckles.

[That's right. Our palace had no interest in anyone other than the cult leader. But since we now have a 'volunteer', we've generously formed an extermination team as well.]

Cha Jo-gwi asks as he takes a drink.

[What exactly is that cult leader that the palace wants to secure him so badly?]

[Didn't you just hear? He is suspected to be a being corrupted by a True Person.]

Hearing this, Cha Jo-gwi frowns.

[Currently, the mission teams dispatched to the Chaos Realm are only collecting remains that have been corrupted. This time, we confirmed that the True Person trying to corrode this fellow is friendly to us through several sacrifices. However, we have no idea what kind of existence the True Person eroding the devilish cult leader is, so is it right to capture him and risk provoking a True Person?]

[Regardless, you know yourself that True Persons can never intervene in the Middle Realms. We don't know why, but there is definitely a reason they are so cautious. Even if a True Person get angry, there's nothing they can do. We all know it's more urgent to secure as many beings influenced by True Persons as possible and find a way to connect to the Nether Crossing River before the End.]

[Hmph, just a vain dream...well, fine. Arguing about this won't get us anywhere. Anyway...]

Cha Jo-gwi glares at the entity possessing Yu Hye and says,

[If you've said everything, get out of my lieutenant's body. Touch my woman again, and I'll tear your mouth apart.]

[Hehe, you're quite violent.]

Woooong—

After a while, Yu Hye's eyes and shadow return to normal, and she rubs her head with a puzzled expression.

[Did something happen?]

[Nothing special. By the way...is that the White Yin Domain?]

Cha Jo-gwi gazes into the distance from the bow, seeing a bright white light.

Wooooong—

A semi-transparent spherical barrier is covering the entire White Yin Domain.

[A formation? No, it's someone's method. It must be that cult leader's.]

He looks around with interest.

Across from Cha Jo-gwi's gaze.

Beyond the sphere covering the White Yin Domain, a pitch-black mountain comes into view.

[The Penglai Island folks...since we brought the Nether Crossing Ship, they brought the Five Elements Mountain. Keke, they sure must have suffered. And the Underworld Ghost Palace...]

Beyond the Five Elements Mountain, a gigantic, bizarre monster is crouching.

[A monster modified from the Vestiges of the Interdimensional Void...was it called Bi (泌)? They said it was created in collaboration with another dimension and it's on par with the Nether Crossing Ship and the Five Elements Mountain, so they brought it here?]

Cha Jo-gwi's eyes gleam.

[Even though the cult leader has accepted the erosion of a True Person, he's at most at the Grand Perfection Four-Axis stage. The real concern is the war with the two factions after the cult is exterminated. Yu Hye! Activate the Nether Crossing Ship's cannons. Prepare the ghosts used for the cannonballs, and drop the anchor to connect with the dragon vein.]

Kugugugugu!

An overwhelming aura emanating from Cha Jo-gwi, befitting an Integration stage Ghost King, envelops the White Yin Domain.

Soon, the Integration stage Ghost Kings from the Underworld Ghost Palace and Penglai Island also emit their auras, watching Cha Jo-gwi and the Nether Crossing Ship.

As the three forces are about to clash,

Flash!

In an instant, a multicolored light flashes from the center of the White Yin Domain.

And then.

From the decisive weapon prepared by the Underworld Ghost Palace.

Boom!

Heavenly lightning flashes from Bi's body as it collapses to the ground.

Kuoooooooo!

Bi, writhing in agony, lets out a maddened roar, and panicked voices echo from the Underworld Ghost Palace's side.

Kugugugugu—

Kiiiyaaaaaaaaaa!

Simultaneously, above the sphere covering the White Yin Domain,

A Ghost King with 19 heads rises up.

Below the Ghost King, millions of curse scripts and bizarre flower gardens begin to bloom.

Cha Jo-gwi clicked his tongue.

[Ha, is it because it's a monster corrupted by a True Person? At that level, it's at least at Integration strength. However, it doesn't matter. No matter how strong, there are 5 Blue Grand Elder-level Ghost Kings, 55 Four-Axis Ghost Kings, and the Nether Crossing Ship, Five Elements Mountain, and the momentarily paralyzed Bi. In total, it's equivalent to 15 Integration stage cultivators.]

Kugugugugu!

The anchor of the Nether Crossing Ship connects with the dragon vein below, absorbing the nearby ghostly energy.

Wooooong—

As the Nether Crossing Ship rotates sideways, its cannons aim at the cult leader.

[Fire the cannons!]

Flash!

The Nether Crossing Ship's cannons fire.

Simultaneously, an attack imbued with the energy of the Five Elements is launched from the Five Elements Mountain of Penglai Island.

The Integration stage Ghost Kings of Underworld Ghost Palace also unleash their attacks, and an enormous explosion obscures the figure of the devilish cult leader, Seo Eun-hyun.

Next to Cha Jo-gwi,

A Ghost King enveloped in shadows and another one possessing a crew member approach to watch the explosion.

[Hmm, it's nothing special.]

[See, I told you there was no need for me to come. It's overkill.]

The Blue Grand Elder, specializing in possession, laughs while inside the crew member.

[To die without even getting a chance to show my Dark Soul Possession True Devil Method...it would have been a great opportunity to boast about the strongest devilish method that crosses the plane of the Soul. Now, then. Let's collect the cult leader's body and determine how to handle the aftermath in the White Yin Domain with the other...]

Splat!

At that moment.

'Something' from within the explosion strikes the Blue Grand Elder possessing the crew member, causing him to stumble and collapse.

Cha Jo-gwi and the shadow elder show signs of confusion.

In the crew member's shadow, a shadow with a dog's head is impaled by a sword-like object.

[H-How...the plane of Soul...]

The next moment.

Boom!

The crew member's body explodes.

And the Blue Grand Elder, who had been laughing with them until a moment ago, evaporates without a trace.

[...]

[...]

Silence falls over the Nether Crossing Ship.

Meanwhile, the Underworld Ghost Palace's side grows noisy.

Kugugugugu!

Heavenly Tribulation boils up within the coughing and swelling Bi, causing it to explode.

Boom!

Cha Jo-gwi, the shadow elder, and Baek Rin look at the explosion with trembling eyes.

From within, the Ghost King with 19 heads slowly walks out.

The Ghost King has no injuries on its body.

Penglai Island's side, not yet grasping the situation, seem poised to attack the cult leader once more with the Five Elements Mountain.

However, Cha Jo-gwi quickly makes his decision.

[Raise the anchor! Retreat!]

Clank!

The anchor is swiftly pulled up into the Nether Crossing Ship.

Cha Jo-gwi tries to turn the Nether Crossing Ship around to escape.

However, the cult leader is one step ahead.

[Great Desert to Dead Sea.]

Kugugugugu!

A spherical canopy beneath the cult leader begins to shine, unleashing an immense suction force.

His suction force 'devours' the attack from the Five Elements Mountain entirely.

It also begins pulling the fleeing Nether Crossing Ship with overwhelming power.

Cha Jo-gwi grits his teeth.

[Damn it, are you saying we have to fight?]

I, with ghost fire radiating from thirty-eight eyes, survey my surroundings with a diversified view thanks to the increased number of eyes.

The Underworld Ghost Palace seems to have some connection with the Mystical Scaled Fish Commanding Sect, as the monster named Bi looked exactly like what I had seen in the Mystical Scaled Fish Commanding Sect.

But maybe because it was fed with more nourishing things, it was much bigger and imposing.

It retained characteristics similar to the Vestiges of the Interdimensional Void.

And the Vestiges of the Interdimensional Void have the trait of self-destructing when hit with a strike at the 3rd stage of Manifestation that's no different from Heavenly Tribulation.

The Underworld Ghost Palace is in complete chaos and fear.

Moreover, the Ghost King who had mastered a method involving the plane of Soul, was as expected instantly shattered to death by my All-Heavens Sword, which fully exists within the plane of Soul.

Perhaps sensing this significant reduction in power, the Nether Ghost Palace tried to escape while Penglai Island, with some misplaced confidence, continued their Five Elements infused attacks from the mountain-shaped dharma treasure.

But it's futile.

[Great Desert to Dead Sea.]

Kugugugugu!

I eat clean the attack from Penglai Palace while pulling in the fleeing Nether Crossing Ship with attraction force.

Wo-woong!

The energy absorbed through the Great Desert to Dead Sea flows into the prepared formation.

The dragon veins of the entire White Yin Domain are further stimulated.

[One tenth is filled.]

But it's still not enough.

More power is needed to carry out the grand operation.

[Now, come forth. If you dared to step onto our land recklessly, abandon any hope of leaving safely. Do not flee but come confront me.]

Due to my speech, the number of followers in the Wuji Religious Order have decreased.

About half of the ghostly creatures have left the White Yin Domain.

However, those who remain with me are burning with a fighting spirit beneath this place.

Though our power is halved, our morale has doubled.

[Make this more enjoyable for me!]

I shout thunderously at the Integration stage Ghost Kings of the three major factions glaring at me.

Kugugugugugu!

In the distance, a colossal mountain infused with the energy of the Five Elements begins to rise into the sky.

The mountain splits into five peaks, which then flip upside down.

Three Four-Axis stage Ghost Kings are each holding onto a peak of the mountain.

Kugugugugu!

Simultaneously, a Ghost King imbued with the ghostly energy of the Five Elements throughout its body charges at me.

Flash, flash, flash!

The Black Ghost Palace side fires cannons at me, and an Integration stage Ghost King formed from shadows hurls a scythe of shadows at me.

Wiiiing—

I draw forth the Colorless Glass Sword from one of my mouths.

Three thousand Colorless Glass Swords begin to dance at my feet.

[Transcending Cultivation Formation (越修陣). Open.]

Piiing—

Three thousand swords simultaneously vanish using the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts.

I wield the All-Heavens Sword and swing at the Five Elements Ghost King charging at me from the left.

With the halo of the Three Great Ultimates shining behind my head, I focus my imind.

'The shadow scythe thrown by the Shadow Ghost King, the Five Elements Mountain, the Five Elements Ghost King, the Nether Crossing Ship's cannon.'

There is a point where all these attacks can be cut in one stroke.

'Draw it.'

The Heaven Tribe and Earth Tribe gather information in different ways.

The Heaven Tribe uses short-term foresight, while the Earth Tribe uses something akin to 'inference' through the flow of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.

Then, how does the Heart Tribe obtain information?

What use are their 'eyes' that read emotions in battle?

Frankly speaking, the Heart Tribe's eyes do not offer significant help against such overwhelmingly powerful beings.

What good is foreseeing the path of an attack?

The overwhelming difference in power means it cannot be blocked, and the Integration stage cultivators have attraction force, making it unavoidable.

Such things can also be read through the short-term foresight of the Heaven Tribe and inferred through spiritual energy by the Earth Tribe.

Thus, for the Heart Tribe and martial artists to fight against these beings, something different is required.

Woo-woong―

My upper dantian heats up as if it's about to explode.

'Draw it.'

It's not foresight of the future.

It's not rational inference.

It's simply drawing the 'scene' they desire.

Then, to reach that 'scene', they pour all their strength into displaying their martial arts.

Yes, manifesting (具現) the reality one desires.

That is the power the Heart Tribe must develop to contend against the Heaven and Earth Tribes that possess immense strength and consciousness.

Bo-oong—

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

First Move.

Transcending Peaks!

A simple horizontal slash.

But within the trajectory of that one strike, all attacks are drawn in and cut away.

Kugugugu!

The Five Elements Mountain, as it falls, is suddenly deflected.

The Ghost King of Penglai Island's upper body is severely slashed and forced to retreat.

The cannons and scythe from the Nether Crossing Ship are cut apart and scattered.

'I blocked the first strike.'

But it really starts now.

Tsutsu―

The Great Desert to Dead Sea that I have activated devours the power of the other forces that have just been repelled.

However, the Ghost King of Penglai Island regenerates their body, and the Nether Crossing Ship also gathers its energy once more.

Moreover, the Ghost Kings of the Underworld Ghost Palace are now showing signs of entering the battle.

The eighth move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Secluded Valley, is a technique that deflects attacks, while the ninth move, Landscape Painting, scatters sword marks in all directions.

When these two moves are combined, they scatter attacks in all directions while deflecting the opponent's attacks.

Kwagwagwagwagwa!

The sword energy of the All-Heavens Sword dances widely across Heaven and Earth, scattering the attacks of the Ghost Kings charging at me.

The thirteenth move, 'Joy of Mountain and Peaks,' scatters sword energy omnidirectionally at the opponent. The fifteenth move, 'Layered Mountains,' splits sword energy and scatters it like a thorn bush.

Chwaak!

The All-Heavens Sword seems to extend, grinding the charging Ghost Kings of the Underworld Ghost Palace into nothing in front of me.

I combine my moves.

I transform them.

I apply them.

My sword (劍) is a storm.

It's a wave, and at the same time, it's a great mountain.

It's a lofty cloud, and also a single blossoming flower.

This is the Formless Sword.

At the same time, it is the sword of All-Heavens that combines all changes and hues.

Countless transformations of the All-Heavens Sword seem to coalesce within my grasp, then explode in an instant.

Severing Mountain.

A message from someone to cut through any great mountain before me and move forward.

Kwagwagwagwang!

Thousands, tens of thousands, millions of sword strikes unfold in an instant and erupt at once.

At the same time, one of the peaks of the Five Elements Mountain is completely cleaved away.

Kugugugugu!

In an instant, one peak turns to dust, and the Ghost Kings of Penglai Island look at me with bewildered expressions.

[Why are you like this?]

Wo-woong, woo-woooong!

[You haven't even faced the sword formation, so why are you standing there stupidly? Is this the end? Entertain me more!]

Then, the transparent Transcending Cultivation Formation activates, scattering storms in all directions.

"This is insane! What is that monster!"

"Which damned fool reported that maniac as being only in the Grand Perfection Four-Axis stage!"

Cha Jo-gwi, lacking even the energy to use spiritual speech, screams out loud.

Kugugugugu!

The ship is being torn apart by something transparent.

They tried to escape, but the spherical barrier sucks them in with a maddening force.

They can't resist either.

That [something], unseen and unfelt, storms around the monster, literally grinding anyone and anything that approaches.

Cha Jo-gwi grits his teeth and shouts at the Shadow Ghost King.

"I will send the signal! Let's deploy our domains!"

"It won't be enough for just the two of us to deploy our domains! All the Integration stage cultivators here must deploy their domains simultaneously to trap him!"

Cha Jo-gwi screams at the Integration stage Ghost Kings of the Underworld Ghost Palace and Penglai Island.

The Integration stage Five Elements Ghost King of Penglai Island, who had initially fought at the forefront against the devilish cult leader, is now desperately trying to flee as far away from him as possible.

"Everyone! We must join forces!"

Cha Jo-gwi shouts.

But the Integration stage Ghost Kings of the Underworld Ghost Palace and Penglai Island only scream and ignore him.

"Damn it! I'm saying if we combine our strength, we can catch him! You cowards!"

"Then you deploy yours first! Then we will follow!"

"Urghh...!"

Cha Jo-gwi's face turns red with anger, but he grits his teeth and forms a hand seal with the Shadow Ghost King.

"Open (開)!"

Kugugugugu!

Centered on Cha Jo-gwi, his domain unfolds.

The domain rapidly expands to encompass the entire White Yin Domain, trapping the devilish cult leader.

The Shadow Ghost King's domain also overlaps with Cha Jo-gwi's, beginning to pressure the devilish cult leader.

Kugugugugu!

The movements of the devilish cult leader slow down.

Only then do the expressions of the Ghost Kings of Penglai Island and the Underworld Ghost Palace brighten.

"Haha, seeing that he can't resist against the domain, he's not really at the Integration stage!"

"He's just scum who gained power from the erosion of a True Person...! Now witness the true power of the Integration stage!"

The domains of the Ghost Kings from the Underworld Ghost Palace and Penglai Island overlap further.

The four Integration stage Ghost Kings prepare their ultimate skills within the combined domains.

Cha Jo-gwi forms a bow with a ghost head and compresses energy to form an arrow.

The Shadow Ghost King creates a giant scythe made of shadows.

The Ghost King of the Underworld Ghost Palace forms the shadow of a monstrous beast with 108 heads, and the Ghost King of Penglai Island forms a ghost bird holding the power of the Five Elements in one hand.

Chwaruruk, chwaruk!

Clang, clang!

The 55 Four-Axis stage Ghost Kings who accompanied them also use their attraction force to suppress the devilish cult master with restrictive spells and curses.

"Die, you evil devilish cult leader!"

And then, the devilish cult leader, Seo Eun-hyun, laughs.

[White Orchid (白蘭).]

Paaaaaatt!

Around him, countless white flowers begin to bloom amidst the numerous sword strikes.

The next moment, the world turns brilliantly bright.