CHAPTER 421: THE SHAMANIC GU FORMATION (2)

“Hoo, hoo.”

Yi-gang plopped down heavily.

Because he had used the Supreme Ultimate Technique consecutively.

He had not mastered it for long, yet Yi-gang had to accomplish two tasks.

One was to concentrate that explosive storm of lightning at a single point.

And the other was to coordinate with other Absolute masters to use the Supreme Ultimate Technique in succession.

Yi-gang accomplished both excellently.

“…What is it called?”

Exhausted and sitting down, Yi-gang raised his head.

The one who asked was Nine Spear King So Jin-gwaeng.

He also looked tired, but his eyes shone brightly.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean your Supreme Ultimate Technique.”

Though he was not particularly close to Nine Spear King, he was unusually casual with Yi-gang.

It was like treating a friend’s child.

Considering So So-woon, it wasn’t entirely wrong, so Yi-gang accepted Nine Spear King’s friendly attitude.

“I haven’t decided on a name yet.”

“Thunder God… Thunder…”

Without being asked, Nine Spear King pondered deeply.

“How about naming it Thunder Lord’s Descent?”

“Well…”

Yi-gang hesitated briefly, then nodded.

“Th-that’s good.”

Thunder Lord’s Descent.

It means the Thunder Lord, god of lightning, has descended into this world.

It suited Yi-gang’s Supreme Ultimate Technique well, but it didn’t really matter.

‘I would never say it out loud myself.’

He wouldn’t shout the technique’s name while using it, so whether it’s Thunder Lord’s Descent or Lightning Crackle didn’t matter.

Baek Ryu-san stood up and spoke.

“Let’s rest first, then start. Gather the people down there so they can observe the process.”

Even Absolute masters get tired, so it was a wise suggestion.

But gathering people?

“Why use such a method?”

The Four Heavens Palace Master asked bluntly.

They had been killing each other until recently; even though the war had stopped, relations were still tense.

The Heaven’s Secret Scholar answered instead.

“Morale is low. Just showing the possibility of escape will restore hope to the warriors.”

“It’s just a matter of obeying orders.”

Though they spoke as if it was unnecessary, the Four Heavens Palace Master and Yo Dae-soon also agreed.

When starvation continues, the first to rebel are likely the demon warriors.

“Then, let’s regroup here in three hours.”

Baek Ryu-san said so and patted Yi-gang’s shoulder.

The touch was heavy. Baek Ryu-san seemed to have seen hope as well.

Or perhaps he was relieved that at least his two sons might survive.

The experiment was a success.

When the Supreme Ultimate Technique’s bombardment occurred for the fifth time, a hole large enough for a person to pass through appeared.

Seeing it quickly repaired, it seemed only three or four could pass at once.

Still, Yi-gang could get out.

But Yi-gang’s expression was not bright.

Rather, it was serious.

‘What on earth was that…?’

When a passage just big enough for a person opened, the outside sky was visible through it.

He was tired of the red sky.

He hoped for a clear blue sky outside.

But the glimpse of the sky was hardly describable as clear.

‘The color of the sky was strange. It was purple…’

「I saw it too.」

The sky was purple.

Could it have been dawn?

Did this terrible Mysterious Gate Formation distort time flow so they couldn’t tell?

「Nonsense.」

The Heavenly Demon dismissed Zhang Sanfeng’s words.

“Zhang Junbao, you must realize this formation is not meant for humans.”

「…It’s a strangely evil and ancient Mysterious Gate Formation with unknown origins.“

「Yes, then your duty is to warn, not to deceive with sweet comforts.」

The Heavenly Demon’s advice was deeply unsettling.

「Prepare for the worst-case scenario.」

The Heavenly Demon ended his counsel there.

When Yi-gang was silent for a moment and about to return to the tent.

* Yi-gang.

A telepathic message came from Do Cheon.

* Come here.

Do Cheon used Power Borrowing several times again.

As if it was true that it was more physically taxing than the Supreme Ultimate Technique; until recently, he was exhausted.

But now he looked only slightly tired and otherwise fine.

Curious, Yi-gang approached him.

“What is it?”

“The order is you, your younger brother, then Dam Hyun, followed by me and junior Wi.”

He already knew this.

“In case Junior Wi or I cannot get out of the barrier, there is a warning you should know in advance.”

“A warning?”

“Do you know that Power Borrowing draws power from that celestial being?”

“Every time a hole opens in the barrier, I briefly replenish that power. That’s why I look fine.”

Do Cheon seemed to anticipate Yi-gang’s curiosity.

“Outside…”

Do Cheon frowned and sighed.

“Something serious might have happened in the world.”

“Even so, don’t panic. First… return to Forest.”

Only four days had passed.

No matter how big, how serious could it be in such a short time?

It was hard to imagine anything more serious than the war between the Orthodox-Unorthodox Alliance and the Demon Cult.

“…Understood.”

However, Yi-gang also felt uneasy.

Do Cheon nodded gravely.

“We will break through this strange barrier.”

Baek Ryu-san’s voice boomed loudly.

His voice filled with internal power echoed among the quiet crowd.

“And those who go out will dismantle the barrier and help us.”

Tens of thousands were gathered down below.

Those from the Demon Cult and Orthodox-Unorthodox Alliance, who had been killing each other, and even the surviving Ming army, were all gathered.

They looked up at Baek Ryu-san and the Absolute masters.

“The Evil Cult, those cunning ones, instigated war and trapped us in this formation.”

Does position make the man?

Baek Ryu-san exuded the aura of someone who could command these tens of thousands.

“Let’s survive and exterminate them!”

Someone shouted.

The shout gradually spread.

“Aaaaaah!”

They raised weapons and yelled.

They were dirty, blood-stained, and starving due to insufficient rations.

But their shouts thundered loudly like thunder.

General Sun Mu and the commanders leading the iron cavalry and Ming army died in a demon ambush.

The soldiers stamped their feet, swept up in the fervor.

Baek Ryu-san placed his hand on his son’s shoulder beside him.

“Go and come back.”

It was probably not meant to pressure Yi-gang.

But Yi-gang felt overwhelmed.

The people’s shouts had not ended.

Looking down, tens of thousands were gathered.

From afar, they looked like an ant swarm, but each was a person.

Tens of thousands of mouths shouted toward Yi-gang.

The crowd’s voice was more like an earthquake or thunder than human.

「Do you see? Those eyes looking up at you.」

But what Yi-gang felt most clearly was their gaze.

About 160,000 eyes were all looking at Yi-gang.

Those eyes were filled with earnestness.

「Young Priest, you are seeing the emperor’s vision.」

「They stake their lives on you. Can you feel it? The power of their desperate wishes and desires.」

He felt a shiver.

But power?

「You may feel it a little, but you cannot yet use it.“

Yi-gang did not understand.

But there was no time to ask.

“Prepare yourselves.”

Baek Ryu-san declared so.

Yi-gang and his group finished preparing to exit the barrier.

Yo Dae-soon approached them.

“I hope… to see you again.”

When Yi-gang awkwardly nodded.

Though decaying, corpses and blood still overflowed in this basin.

Tsu-tsu-tsu-tsut—

Dark red blood droplets gathered on Yo Dae-soon’s body, forming armor.

Still, the overflowing blood gathered into Yo Dae-soon’s right fist, growing larger.

It was too huge to be called a fist.

A siege weapon-like thing formed in Yo Dae-soon’s hand.

Yo Dae-soon was the first to start.

His Supreme Ultimate Technique was simple.

“Single-minded Reverence.”

Truly fitting for Yo Dae-soon.

His technique originated from his reverence toward the Heavenly Demon.

That means… he was fiercely unleashing the Great Blood Demonic Art received from the Heavenly Demon.

He was returning what he received from the Heavenly Demon.

A strike that disregards himself with such a heart.

Naturally, it had the limitation that it couldn’t be used without such resolve.

At this moment, the limitation on his technique vanished.

His largest red fist yet struck the barrier.

A tremendous roar that drowned out the shouts of 80,000 warriors.

It should have shattered a huge rock wall, but the barrier was not even scratched.

Still, the Absolute masters did not hesitate.

Nine spears shot simultaneously into the sky from Nine Spear King’s body.

As if performing Qi-controlled Swordsmanship.

Those nine spears struck the points Yo Dae-soon had hit simultaneously.

Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang-!

Nine Spears One Moment.

A secret technique that unleashes nine spears in the blink of an eye.

Next was the Sword Pavilion Master.

The Crimson Moon Demoness, known for her bad relationship with the Sword Pavilion Master.

This time, even they did not hesitate to cooperate.

Ka-ga-ga-gak!

The martial arts of the two Absolute masters were truly earth-shaking.

For the first time, the barrier showed change.

Though only whitened, it was a meaningful change.

Soon, the Four Heavens Palace Master and the Unorthodox Union Leader Seo Moon-jae also rushed in.

A palm-sized stain spread greatly by their Supreme Ultimate Techniques.

And Baek Ryu-san.

Though his sons returned alive, the Heart Sword he mastered did not vanish.

Few Supreme Ultimate Techniques were as dramatic as the Heart Sword, which twisted the laws of reality.

Perhaps because of that.

Though he quietly swung his sword from afar, the largest change yet occurred.

A sound of cutting that which could not be cut was heard.

A paper-thin gap appeared in the whitened weakened part of the barrier.

Yi-gang’s eyes widened.

It was no illusion. The sky beyond was clearly an ominous purple.

“Next is us. Prepare, Yi-gang!”

Do Cheon and Wi Se-ryeong shouted.

They stood behind Yi-gang and Dam Hyun as when they entered.

Yi-gang again could not properly see Do Cheon and Wi Se-ryeong’s Power Borrowing.

Like before, golden rod-like things struck the barrier’s hole.

Wi Se-ryeong’s ten Hou Yi arrows widened the torn gap in the barrier.

Barely, a gap large enough for one person to squeeze through opened.

“Go! Yi-gang!”

Baek Ryu-san shouted.

Yi-gang started running.

His hair stood on end, and his eyes turned bright blue.

He simultaneously unleashed the Heavenly Thunder Bell and his Supreme Ultimate Technique.

A storm of lightning surged from all directions.

It concentrated on a single point of the torn barrier.

The wound in the barrier, which was about to heal, widened further in that short time.

And Yi-gang was the first to pass through the red barrier.

Whooong—

The purple sky swiftly approached.

Yi-gang landed rolling on the ground.

Beside him, Ha-jun and Dam Hyun landed.

“…Done.”

They succeeded.

Turning his head, the barrier was completely dyed red and impossible to see through.

Dam Hyun clicked his tongue.

“Elder Senior Uncle Do Cheon didn’t come out. So slow.”

Do Cheon and Wi Se-ryeong could not follow.

Meanwhile, the gap had fully healed.

The group’s expressions were grim.

Not only because of the clearly purple sky.

「The corpses…」

Around where Yi-gang emerged, many corpses lay scattered.

They were definitely not there when they entered.

Even the cool-headed Ha-jun was flustered.

These were not war casualties.

“They seem to have died long ago. Why…?”

They were almost skeletons. Hundreds of corpses, seemingly dead for months, lay on the ground.

Yi-gang and Ha-jun examined the corpses’ clothing.

“…They are from Wudang.”

Unexpectedly, they were corpses of warriors from the Wudang Sect.

“There are also Shaolin here.”

Some corpses wore Shaolin monk robes.

And corpses whose affiliations were unknown.

One thing was certain: this devastation could not have occurred in just a few days.

Above all, the climate was different from before.

“Was it always this cold?”

Though it had been lush, the forest was now bare and the air cold.

The season had changed.

“I thought not, but…”

Dam Hyun sighed deeply.

Yi-gang roughly guessed what had happened.

“The flow of time inside the barrier was distorted.”

Although they had been trapped for only four days.

Enough time had passed outside for the seasons to change.