Chapter 380: With Everyone (4)

My head is foggy.

The sunlight is clear.

And then, a flood of confusing information rushes into my mind.

Age 30, hobbies are drinking, womanizing, gambling, and singing and dancing.

Occupation is a charcoal seller. Single...

My head aches as if it's splitting apart.

It seems like I had a dream.

I am Seo Eun-hyun, a charcoal seller.

But it feels like I had a strange dream while I was asleep.

I lived for thousands of years...

Flinch!

I grab my head and shout out loud.

"I am me!"

These are memories that I can never forget.

How could I forget who I am?

I am not Seo Eun-hyun, the charcoal seller!

I am Seo Eun-hyun, from the soap company!

"I am Seo Eun-hyun!"

I grab my head and get up from my seat.

I haven't forgotten.

Just moments ago, I was looking at the slopes of the Salt Mountain outside of Penglai Island, and I had fainted after being hit by the light emitted from Salt Mountain.

'Yuk Rin said if you enter Penglai Island, you will be trapped in an illusion formation and become a character within the formation.'

And this formation changes every time to fit us.

'At least this is certain.'

When Yuk Rin said this, he wasn't lying, and it's a fact we had learned through continuous interrogation for over a hundred years.

As I clutch my throbbing head and stand up, trying to make sense of the situation,

Whispering, whispering, whispering...

I hear murmuring sounds from around me.

When I come to my senses and look around, I find myself on a small platform in front of a thatched roof house (choga house).

And beyond the low fence of the house, humans who seem to be neighbors are watching me and whispering.

"That Seo fellow. He drank heavily last night, so he must be out of his mind."

"Hey, let's just go on our way. If we get caught by that thug, we're in trouble!"

"Ugh, having a thug like that in the village makes everyone uneasy."

"What's he doing today anyway?"

"Who knows. With that Seo fellow's personality, he might be planning to dump them in the mountains!"

"Oh my, how terrible. What an unfilial rascal!"

"..."

I assess the situation, considering the memories implanted in my head and the reactions of the people around me.

'So, the original setting for Seo Eun-hyun, the charcoal seller in this formation, is that his parents died of a plague when he was 13, and he has lived in this village for 30 years without marrying, behaving like a complete thug?'

It sure seems like an incredibly detailed formation.

When I glance at the neighbors, they all flee, emitting intent of having stepped on something foul.

'Wait, I think I couldn't see the intent of some of them. Is it just my imagination?'

After looking around at them once, I extend my hand.

I try to pull the hill behind Seo Eun-hyun's house with attraction force.

But the attraction force does not work.

I try to draw upon other methods like the Thousand Lustrous Forest Sea and the Great Desert to Dead Sea, and even the Silica Earth Great Wall Practice, but I feel nothing.

"Hm..."

I pull out a strand of straw used for making the fence and swing it over the platform.

Bo-oong!

I have trained in the sword for thousands of years.

Even without imbuing any energy, just swinging the straw leaves a mark on the platform.

After looking at the mark for a moment, I swing the straw at my arm.

Surung—

My arm is cut, and drops of blood start to seep out.

'The muscle strength and toughness of my physical body built with the Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method have all returned to an ordinary level.'

I try to focus my consciousness on my dantian only to realize that even my consciousness has reverted to my mortal days.

'This is quite...'

Of course, even without consciousness, I have no problem observing my body, so I calmly examine my dantian.

'The Golden Core is gone.'

The dharma treasure inside is also gone.

I have completely returned to the state of Seo Eun-hyun when first entering Ascension Path.

'Ah, maybe not that far.'

Thinking back, it's not to that extent.

Seo Eun-hyun, the charcoal seller in this formation, always has blackened hands and rough skin from working with charcoal.

"Huuu..."

I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

And I can feel something strange.

'There is no Qi (氣).'

Surprisingly, I can't sense any energy in the atmosphere.

Recalling the incident at the hot spring on the surface of Lightning Sacred Sea involving Jang Ik, I try to use attraction force to summon the All-Heavens Sword.

However,

"..."

Nothing happens.

"...Damn it."

It seems like laws or something in this world are twisted on a fundamental level.

"Yuk Rin, that dog bastard..."

How is this just a simple illusion?

It's more like an entirely different world!

Although I'm not too fearful since I still retained the ability to see intent and my accumulated martial arts, I'm annoyed to find out that some of Yuk Rin's information is wrong.

'That damned bastard said I could use Qi...'

But while searching through the memories of the charcoal seller Seo Eun-hyun, I discover that there are indeed beings similar to demon spirits (yaoguai) in this world.

I rub my forehead.

'Damn it, can the Demon Race use demonic power to some extent in this world?'

In other words, Yuk Rin wasn't lying from his own perspective when he said one can use energy.

Gritting my teeth, I start looking around for now to find my comrades or followers of the Wuji Religious Order.

Although I have some rough memories as Seo Eun-hyun, the charcoal seller, they are not complete.

I soon find Yeon Wei nearby.

She is across the street, inside a tiled-roof house wearing clean clothes, playing with her three-year-old son.

'That boy feels like Yeon Jin...'

"Uh...Elder Yeon Wei."

I speak to her first, and she looks at me with flared eyes, rushes into the kitchen, grabs a rice paddle, and slaps me across the face.

"Are you here to ask for rice again? You shameless thing! Get out of here! The only thing I'll give you is the rice stuck to your cheek, so scram!"

"Hmhm, dear wife. Why the commotion?"

"No, husband. it's the village thug again!"

Creak—

The door inside the tiled-roof house opens, and a gentleman who resembles Hon Won pokes his head out.

He meets my gaze and, looking above me, clicks his tongue and says,

"He's a poor young man. Dear wife should be more understanding. I've told you repeatedly, haven't I? Seo fellow's parents once helped our parents. Just give him a scoop of rice and send him on his way."

"Uuuuuh...alright, husband."

Yeon Wei's body trembles and reluctantly heads to the kitchen, scooping out a bowl of rice to hand to me.

"Uuuuuuh. Why, why do I have to give our precious rice, meant for my husband and son, to a beggar like you..."

She hands me the rice with trembling hands, and I accept it in a moment of confusion.

"Now that you've got the rice, get lost! And if you ever come back again talking about your parents' so-called kindness, I'll make sure you get a severe beating!"

As soon as I take the rice, she kicks me out the front door and slams it shut.

I examine the rice I have received.

It's mixed with pebbles and sand.

"...Judging by her character, it's definitely Yeon Wei."

I recall the face of her husband, Hon Won.

'He didn't have any intent visible.

I remember what Yuk Rin said.

'This formation creates illusions based on the target's memories.'

It seems Yeon Wei's husband is a character purely created from her memories, a figure of this world.

'Then the neighbors who showed intent...'

I remember their appearances, realizing they are people I have seen in the Wuji Religious Order.

'I see, the followers are set to appear as they did in life rather than as ghosts.'

I frown.

'That's that, but why hasn't Yeon Wei snapped out of it yet?'

I have already come to my senses, but she still seems to think that she is a character in this world.

'Even though Yeon Wei is dead, she still possesses the consciousness of a Four-Axis stage cultivator.'

Yet, she has lost her essence and fully embraced the setting of this world.

'I need to find the others...'

I decide to take a walk around the village.

And as I walk around, I come to realize my reputation in the village is dreadful.

Children started crying as soon as they saw my face, village maidens suddenly stopped chatting happily and walked as far away from me as possible, and the elderly men trembled in fear and fled with their canes when I approached. The sturdy young men spat on the ground whenever I drew near.

'Damn it, why did my character have to be a scoundrel?'

While I am pondering this, I suddenly freeze.

Up ahead, I spot Kim Yeon and Buk Hyang-hwa.

They are walking down the road, laughing together.

Their demeanor is so similar to their behavior in the Wuji Religious Order that I approach them on the off-chance that they regained their senses.

"Excuse me..."

But as soon as I speak, they recoil in fright.

"Kyaaak! You scoundrel! What are you trying to do to us?!"

"Stay away from Yeon Unnie! You pervert! What are you plotting now?!"

Kim Yeon retreats with a terrified expression, and Buk Hyang-hwa also steps back but stands protectively in front of her.

"No, wait. I have something to say."

I approach them taken aback by the realization that even Kim Yeon, with her superior consciousness, has not yet broken free from this illusion.

'If even someone with a vast consciousness like Kim Yeon hasn't snapped out of it, just how can one regain their awareness in this formation? Do they need some kind of stimulus?'

As I approach, Buk Hyang-hwa's face grows increasingly fierce. She pulls out a small silver knife from her bosom and grips it in her hand.

"Hey, calm down. I just need to check something for a moment!"

"What, are you trying to check our underwear, you villain! If you come any closer, I'll swing!"

"No, Buk Hyang-hwa. Just put that down for a moment..."

"Go! Get your hands off!!!"

Boong, Bo-oong!

Buk Hyang-hwa lets out a sharp cry as she swings the silver knife at me, and I reach out in alarm.

"Hey, stop swinging that as it's dangerous!"

I quickly grab Buk Hyang-hwa's hand and restrain her.

Kim Yeon, with tears welling up in her eyes, clings to the hem of my pants and begins to plead.

"P-Please, don't touch our Hyang-hwa! T-Take me instead!"

"No, it's not like that..."

Just then.

Boong!

I sense something flying towards me from behind, and I quickly turn to catch a flying stone.

"Oh...! You're here too."

With a welcoming expression, I wave at the angry man who had thrown the stone. It's Jeon Myeong-hoon.

"Hey, Jeon Myeong-hoon! Do you remember me?"

However, Jeon Myeong-hoon approaches me with an angry face and slaps me across the cheek.

"...?"

'It's been a while since I've been hit by this guy...'

Since the guy is always angry, I speak to see if Jeon Myeong-hoon regained his memories.

"Hey, why are you hitting me all of a sudden?"

But Jeon Myeong-hoon angrily points his finger at me.

"Shut up! You scoundrel, stop bothering the village maidens! Don't you know the village has been in turmoil because of you! Do you think I'll let it slide just because we were friends before? If you keep causing trouble, I'll ask Noonim to have you expelled from the village!"

He raises his hand as if to slap me again, but then a woman behind Jeon Myeong-hoon pulls him back.

"No, Husband! Even so, how can you hit a son in front of his parents?"

"What? What are you talking about?"

My body trembles as I look at her.

She resembles Jin So-hae.

She awkwardly smiles at me while pulling Jeon Myeong-hoon back.

"Haha, hello. We'll be going now."

The character resembling Jin So-hae grabs Jeon Myeong-hoon's wrist and hurriedly leads him away.

Jeon Myeong-hoon enters the tiled-roof house where Yeon Wei is.

It seems the 'Noonim' Jeon Myeong-hoon mentioned is Yeon Wei.

Thanks to Jeon Myeong-hoon holding me back, Buk Hyang-hwa and Kim Yeon quickly fled and disappeared from my sight.

I sigh.

"...Damn."

Upon waking up, I found myself as the thug charcoal seller of Penglai Island.