Chapter 385: Salt (3)

"Jeon Myeong-hoon!!!"

When I enter the house, I see Jeon Myeong-hoon sitting in the main hall.

A knife is held in Jeon Myeong-hoon's hand.

His clothes are torn in various places and there are numerous self-inflicted wounds.

"...."

I scan Jeon Myeong-hoon's room.

I hear the sound of someone breathing lightly inside.

I rush over and open the door, only to find Jin So-hae and her children lying on the ground.

They are all unconscious, apparently knocked out by Jeon Myeong-hoon.

I close the door and look at him.

"...Have you come to your senses?"

"...Seo Eun-hyun."

"...."

Jeon Myeong-hoon looks up at me with empty eyes.

"Kill me."

"...Don't talk nonsense."

"...I just want to think of it as a nightmare. Afterall...it's an...illusion...formation...right? Even if I die here...I'll wake up again. Isn't that right?"

"...."

"If you won't kill me...then what am I supposed to do."

"...."

"Here! So-hae is alive...!"

Jeon Myeong-hoon clings to me with a small voice.

His effort to lower his voice, despite being in utter despair, shows his fear of waking up Jin So-hae and his children.

"I'm saying So-hae is alive, okay? What am I supposed to do? Hmm? It's so vivid, Eun-hyun. It's not just So-hae's hand. Her breath, her gaze, her personality, her skin...everything is the same. The same! So I...I can't help but stay here. Here...if someone becomes the king here, this illusion formation will break, right? I can't bear to see this illusion formation break with my own eyes. Just kill me instead."

"...."

"I know. I know this world is an illusion. And I know that the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect are counting on me in the Lower Realm. I understand it clearly! I also know that I have to wake up someday! Because...I have to take revenge! Against Heavenly Punishment!"

He can't even string the words together properly, clutching at me desperately.

"So! I can't stay here! But! With my own eyes! This world, breaking, I can't bear to see it! Please, Eun-hyun. Kill me. Even if you kill me...it's an illusion...I'll come back, back to life again. Hm? Hm? Eun-hyun..."

Slap!

I slap Jeon Myeong-hoon's cheek.

"I've lost too!!!"

At my words, Jeon Myeong-hoon shuts his mouth.

"I've lost too!!! Don't cry like you're the only madman!"

Jeon Myeong-hoon seems to think I am talking about Hong Su-ryeong and falls silent.

But it isn't just Hong Su-ryeong.

Buk Hyang-hwa.

Kim Yeon...

My emotion regarding them. My feelings of seeing their face, the same but completely different inside, after multiple regressions.

Does this bastard know?

Does he know how it feels to have all memories and time ripped away, not knowing who or what to blame and seek revenge on?

Does he know the emptiness of not knowing the cause behind the regressions and shouting helplessly at the heavens?

There's another Jin So-hae in front of you?

You're afraid to see the dream break?

"I too! Lost the same! Don't lean on me!"

I grab Jeon Myeong-hoon by the collar and shout.

I too!

In front of my eyes, the same Buk Hyang-hwa!

The same Kim Yeon!

Have them here!

Does he know what it feels like to die multiple times, to regress as if waking up multiple times, to have all the time I've spent disappear like a dream?"

"Get up! You fucking bastard! Now is the time we have to move! Stop spewing bullshit! [This time too]! [If you don't want to lose more]! Follow my lead!!!"

Drip, drip...

Jeon Myeong-hoon bites his lip.

Bright red,

Bright red blood flows down his chin.

I grab Jeon Myeong-hoon's collar and drag him out of the house.

My comrades are starting to regain their memories.

Yuk Rin that bastard is planning something, some goddamned scheme.

In the sky, although unseen within this formation, the fate of calamity has been bestowed upon me.

In this Ancient Force Realm, I am fated for misfortune.

Therefore, I must overcome it by any means.

I cannot let go of anything I hold in my hands.

There are no next chances.

I must always be true to what I have at this very moment.

Yeon Wei and Jeon Myeong-hoon, who have high recognition in the Wuji Religious Order and the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, have woke up.

I head towards the prison I built behind Taiyi Village.

It's a prison for the countless warriors and humans who attacked Taiyi Village and were captured by the strengths of the demon spirits I subdued with my sword.

And of course, many of my old comrades are imprisoned there.

From their perspective, I am the King of Demon Spirits and the greatest devil the world has ever seen. Naturally, they wouldn't cooperate with me, hence the imprisonment.

The demon spirits obey out of a lack of reason and submission to power, but those with reason can't be helped.

Along with the Wuji Religious Order, a person affiliated with another force.

I arrive in front of the prison where Oh Hyun-seok is held.

At some point, Oh Hyun-seok had broken the chains and bent the iron bars of his cell to escape.

"Have you come out, Hyung-nim?"

"Yes, I've come to my senses."

Wuduk, Wududuk...

For some reason, Oh Hyun-seok, although human, seems to be treated like a demon spirit in this world.

Despite being human, he possesses the demonic power of demon spirits.

Perhaps it's because I taught him the Earth Tribe version of the Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method.

'If that's the case, I don't know why I'm just a charcoal seller.'

The rules of this world are filled with contradictions that can't be explained even with Yuk Yo's explanations, making it impossible to understand.

"...Are you alright, Hyung-nim?"

"Honestly...not really. I feel unpleasant."

"...."

"On Earth...there was a child my wife miscarried. Here, I became the father of that child and, wanting to not be ashamed before my wife and children, I set out to defeat the King of Demon Spirits."

"...."

"Knowing it's all an illusion...really, really pisses me off."

"...."

"Anyway, let's go. It seems everyone is waking up...didn't you say we need to take over some city to become king?"

"...Yes."

I nod my head and set out with Oh Hyun-seok, Jeon Myeong-hoon, Yeon Wei, and others.

Regrettably, Kim Young-hoon, Kim Yeon, and Buk Hyang-hwa have yet to regain awareness.

It might be because, besides the Wuji Religious Order, there are not many who cherish them.

Kim Yeon has the Mad Lord, but his forces, except for the Mad Lord himself, are all puppets, and it's unclear if the Mad Lord really cherishes Kim Yeon.

Regardless, I order the jiangshi demon spirit Wei Shi-hon and the water ghost demon spirit Eum Wa to capture and bring Buk Hyang-hwa and Kim Yeon.

I have other demon spirits escort the captives Kim Young-hoon and Yuk Yo.

The two are dragged along in resignation, and I shout while placing Jeon Myeong-hoon, Yeon Wei, Oh Hyun-seok, and Seo Ran on Shi Ho's back.

"Let's go! To the capital!"

Before Yuk Rin can pull some nonsensical scheme!

Thus, I lead dozens of demon spirit troops towards the capital.

Kugugugugu!

In the distance, the capital comes into view.

The capital of Penglai Kingdom is built around a massive mountain.

And that mountain is the Salt Mountain we saw when we first entered Penglai Island.

That Salt Mountain is most likely the center of this formation.

I look up at the summit of the Salt Mountain.

As seen when we first entered Penglai Island, there is a palace made of pure white salt crystals atop the Salt Mountain.

Up there lives Yuk Yo's mother, the Queen of Penglai Kingdom.

As we cross the city walls, thunder and lightning flicker from above Salt Mountain, and the guardian dragons protecting the royal family of Penglai Kingdom appear.

[How dare you! Where do you think you are trespassing?!]

"Climb up!"

At my command, the demon spirits ignore the dragon's roars and sprint towards the top of Salt Mountain.

The dragons begin to spew flames from their mouths.

"Guaaaaaaah!!!"

From Oh Hyun-seok's body, treated as a human-shaped demon spirit, purple primordial chaos seems to flicker as he thrusts his fist forward.

Kwaaaaang!

The fist force launched from Oh Hyun-seok's punch directly extinguishes the dragons' flames, and as the dragons show expressions of surprise, I command Shi Ho.

"Jump!"

Thud—

Shi Ho steps on a peak of Salt Mountain and leaps into the air.

I use Shi Ho's body as a springboard, feeling the oppressive atmosphere, and kick off from him.

Paaaatt!

Combining the force of Shi Ho's jump and my own leap, I soar high into the air.

Reaching a guardian dragon's face in an instant, I grab one of its whiskers and climbed up.

The guardian dragon struggles, but I hold on tightly, swinging my sword.

Boo-oong!

Shukwak!

My sword, crafted by a master blacksmith upon becoming the King of Demon Spirits, has the quality of a famed sword and easily penetrates the guardian dragon's scales.

The dragon's scales are tough, but my understanding of the sword is even more solid.

I perform a sword dance atop the dragon's body.

Shukak, shukak, shukakakak!

Wounds appear all over the dragon's body, and it roars in pain.

The guardian dragons of Penglai Kingdom's royal family number three.

In an instant, I subdue one.

In the distance, Shi Ho and Oh Hyun-seok simultaneously subdue another, and numerous other demon spirits perform swarm tactics to take down the last one.

"Don't kill them! We are entering the palace!"

I quickly mount Shi Ho again and head toward the center of the palace.

As I move towards the palace's center, I glance at a library full of Ritual Worship Scriptures.

'Now is not the time to covet those.'

At the palace's center, numerous trembling officials await us.

And at the center, a woman who looks like Yuk Yo is sitting on the throne with what seems to be a jade seal on the table.

I speak in a dry manner.

"I desire the throne. Lend it to me for a moment."

She sighs expressionlessly.

"...It's you people again, O dreamers."

"I...have many questions to ask, but I'm in a hurry now. I'd appreciate it if you quickly lend me the crown and seal."

However, she shakes her head.

"That is not possible..."

I raise an eyebrow but quickly understand.

From behind her throne, Jin Ma-yeol and Yuk Rin walk out.

Jin Ma-yeol sneers slyly and says,

"Sorry, but..."

I draw my emergency sword from my waist without a word and throw it at Jin Ma-yeol.

The sword lodges in Jin Ma-yeol's forehead, killing him instantly.

I look at Yuk Rin, whose face has hardened, and speak.

"Don't try any tricks, Yuk Rin. Even if you gain the throne, nothing will change. This Cult Leader possesses the combat strength at the Grand Perfection Integration level. The Ghost Kings of the order, the Conqueror Fleet, the Surpassing Radiant Divine Demon, and many others with powers at the Integration level stand with us. If you confess your plans and surrender, I promise to return Governing Dragon Island and the Wi Jeong Sea Domain to you and reinstate you as Palace Lord."

Yuk Rin seems to be staring at the dead Jin Ma-yeol, then speaks in a slightly trembling voice.

"Honestly...I don't understand what you're talking about."

"...What?"

"I am...just the prince of Dragon Kingdom, allied with Penglai Kingdom...I have no idea what is happening right now..."

"...."

I furrow my brows deeply.

His intent speaks the truth.

The Queen sighs and speaks to me.

"You seem like a dreamer with deep filial piety..."

"...?"

"Oh...maybe not? Anyway, dreamer, who knows how to respect elders...congratulations. It seems your forces have won."

She takes off her crown and jade seal as if she has a headache and points at them.

"Take them. I know this is what you always wanted."

She stands up from the throne and says,

"Now, sit. Sit here quickly, find what you need from our land, and leave. According to my daughter, you seem somewhat trustworthy...please, do not tear my heart apart like the last minister did."

At her words, the high and low officials of the palace, while trembling at the sight of the demon spirits, cry out.

"Your Majesty!!!"

"How can you hand over the royal ancestral shrine and temple of Penglai to the King of Demon Spirits!?"

"Your Majesty!!!"

They wail purely as if they know nothing.

In the midst of the wailing, I feel confusion with the helplessly unsure Yuk Rin, the Queen offering me the throne with a resigned expression, and my comrades behind me.

However, I approach the crown and jade seal with a hardened face and reach out my hand.

Right now, it's a race against time.

Thus, wearing the crown of Penglai Kingdom and holding the jade seal of Penglai Kingdom in my hand, I sit on the throne of Penglai Kingdom.

The Queen of Penglai Kingdom shouts with an expression as if she finds this bothersome.

"From now on, the King of Penglai Kingdom is here..."

And then.

In my head, Yuk Rin's voice resounds.

[Activate. Purple Soul Filling the Heavens.]