Chapter 127 :

Chapter 127. The Black Flame Dragon Takes Away Their Chance (2)

"Are you really planning to go inside?"

I had a bundle stuffed with fasting pills and jerky slung over my shoulder, and a water pouch as long as my leg tied at my waist.

"What other choice is there? We can't just leave them there to die."

"...Why the hell does Young Master Jin have to clean up the mess those bastards made?!"

Seong Moran shouted so loudly that her voice echoed across the main training ground.

Each time, the members of the Nine Great Sects and the elders shot sharp looks toward her, but Seong Moran seemed completely unconcerned and only raised her voice further.

"Tell those high-and-mighty elders to go in themselves! If they failed to educate their damn brats properly, then the adults should take responsibility!"

Normally, such disrespect would have been enough to summon the Enforcement Pavilion immediately, but no one stepped forward.

If they caused a scene here and irritated me enough to refuse, it would be their own disciples who died.

"Um, Orabeoni. Are you going to be all right?"

Eun Seollan, who had come with Saryeon, spoke cautiously.

Namgung Seonhwa, Seong Moran, and Hong Saryeon all turned toward Eun Seollan with rabbit-like eyes.

"O-Orabeoni?"

"Did she just say Orabeoni?"

"She really called him Orabeoni?"

Under the interrogation of the three women, Eun Seollan looked flustered for a moment before her face quickly turned red.

"He said that his little sister's friend was basically his little sister too, so I got permission."

"..."

The gazes of the three women suddenly sharpened as they glared at me.

"So you like being called 'Orabeoni,' huh?"

"Oh, what a shame. I'm too old to call you 'Orabeoni.' What should I do?"

"I'm disappointed in you, Eldest Senior Brother."

I sighed while looking at them.

"Is that really important right now?"

The commotion gradually died down.

Under everyone's worried gazes, I followed Yu Jiryang's guidance and stood before the Soul-Destroying Formation.

—You can make it back out, right?

At the sudden voice transmission, I turned my head.

Jegal Somyeong was standing off to one side of the main training ground, meeting my gaze.

—If I try to search safely, everyone inside will die.

It took one double-hour to make a full circuit through the Soul-Destroying Formation.

If I checked every route they might have taken one by one, everyone trapped inside would be dead before I could even examine twenty of them.

—If their lives and yours are ever placed on the scales together, protect your own life first.

At Jegal Somyeong's words, I could only tilt my head.

Jegal Somyeong did not know me nearly as well as I knew him.

Moreover, from his perspective, I was someone who constantly used him and caused him trouble.

So why was he speaking as though he cared about my safety?

—Are you planning to pardon those bastards?

Jegal Somyeong, who had remained expressionless, suddenly snorted.

—If you bring them back, I will expel them without exception. Their sects will also be made to compensate for the damages they caused.

—I will definitely bring those bastards back alive.

The moment I took one step forward—

the noisy sounds of the main training ground vanished instantly, and I entered a space of perfect silence.

Even if someone memorized all two hundred thousand routes of the Soul-Destroying Formation, it was not a place where they could move between routes however they pleased.

If I was walking the third route and misplaced even a single step, there was no telling whether I would suddenly enter the one hundred sixtieth thousandth route or the eighty-fifth thousandth route.

That was what made the Soul-Destroying Formation fundamentally different from other arcane formation arts.

Searching for someone inside the Soul-Destroying Formation, where there was no background or object to use as a reference point, was like searching for a single needle in the Taklamakan Desert.

"They must have messed up while calculating the sexagenary cycle."

The official academy examination did not even test basic common knowledge, so there were plenty of idiots who could barely write their own names.

Those fools had recklessly stepped into the Infinite Buddha Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation using only three routes they had learned by watching over someone's shoulder.

This was beyond merely saying that ignorance made people fearless.

In truth, perhaps simply leaving them here to starve to death would benefit the Martial Alliance, and beyond that, the entire murim world.

"But if I do that, I won't get to properly screw over those Righteous Path Association bastards."

When I had shouted across the main training ground earlier, at least a few elders or academy students from the Nine Great Sects should have volunteered.

A disciple of the Taeul Sect, whom they looked down upon like dirt, had been shouting at them, yet none of them stepped forward.

That was not merely a matter of their own safety.

It would plant anxiety among everyone following the Righteous Path Association.

"So you bastards absolutely have to come back alive."

With that resolve, I retraced the steps I had taken up to this point.

In Eun Seollan's case, I had been able to find her quickly because the person following behind her remembered exactly which step she had taken incorrectly before disappearing.

This time, I had no choice but to search for them according to my prediction.

I stood at the point where the sexagenary cycle began its first rotation.

"Huuh... To think I have to do this with my own two feet. If not for the Chief Strategist's words, I would have left you bastards here to starve to death."

I drove the Taeul True Scripture to full power.

I opened all five senses and examined the route.

I retraced the hidden flow of the Soul-Destroying Formation that I had discovered after taking a wrong step on the Maling Plateau.

Two hundred thousand streams of energy flowed endlessly beneath my feet.

The moment I stepped sideways, all two hundred thousand streams changed in an instant.

Everything around me was still completely white, and the silence was identical.

But the energies flowing beneath my feet were entirely different from those of a single step before.

The Infinite Buddha Indestructible Soul-Destroying Formation exposed its inner workings.

"Huuh... Let's go."

I began stepping forward again.

#

"Who was it? Who came up with such a stupid plan?"

The elders affiliated with the Righteous Path Association could not hide their fury as they glared at the disciples of their respective sects.

They had failed to secure the top-ranked position, but by holding the numerical advantage, they had still been threatening Jin Sowoon's position as academy representative.

Unless something unusual happened, they could have used the fact that the academy students refused to follow him as justification to force him out.

"...The academy students were becoming too unsettled. We had no choice."

"You call that an excuse?!"

At someone's words, Daoist Myeonghyeon wanted nothing more than to beat the bastards standing before him into pulp.

But far too many eyes were currently focused on the main training ground.

"You should at least have volunteered to help dismantle the formation!"

If they had done that, the elders could have stepped in under the excuse of safety and restrained their disciples themselves.

But from the disciples' perspective, if even the elders could die from entering the Soul-Destroying Formation incorrectly, then they could hardly be expected to casually step inside.

"Enough. Let us stop here, Daoist Myeonghyeon."

Thinking back over what had already happened would only make their anger boil over.

It would not produce a solution.

"Didn't they say the Soul-Destroying Formation has two hundred thousand routes? Rescuing someone inside it cannot possibly be easy."

"It would be fortunate if he merely manages to preserve his own life and come back out."

If, by some one-in-a-thousand or one-in-ten-thousand chance, he actually managed to rescue those who had gone inside—

"The best outcome would be if that bastard disappeared inside along with them."

Those who heard Daoist Myeonghyeon mutter unconsciously flinched in surprise, but none showed it openly.

After all, that would currently be the best possible outcome for them.

They already knew a safe rescue was practically impossible.

Jin Sowoon may have rescued thousands on the Maling Plateau, but there had only been one route in and out then.

How could any human mind memorize two hundred thousand routes and then locate people who had vanished somewhere among them?

And this thought was not unique to Daoist Myeonghyeon and the Righteous Path Association.

A short distance away from Daoist Myeonghyeon's group—

"What do you think, Chief Strategist? Do you believe he can rescue them?"

Murim Alliance Leader Hyeok Mugang asked the person who always seemed to have an answer whenever he himself could not find one.

"I don't know."

At Jegal Somyeong's calm response, Hyeok Mugang's eyes widened.

To think the words "I don't know" had actually come from his mouth.

"Hoho... I suppose living long enough really does let you see everything."

Hyeok Mugang stroked his white beard twice and spoke again.

"There are things even the Chief Strategist does not know?"

"No matter how much I think about it, I cannot figure out how one could rescue people from inside that formation. That is why I said I don't know."

Each answer surprised Hyeok Mugang even more.

"Then why did you tell the academy representative to rescue them?"

"Because that bastard believed he could."

"What?"

Hyeok Mugang may have grown old, but his memory had not deteriorated to that extent.

"Was I the only one who failed to hear it? Didn't that child clearly say it was impossible?"

"He said he would have to risk his life. He never said it was impossible."

Hyeok Mugang repeatedly stroked his beard, thinking that those sounded like the same thing.

Jegal Somyeong continued.

"When he first realized what had happened and stood before the elders, he never once looked flustered."

"This is a matter of life and death. Moreover, it involves elite disciples of the Nine Great Sects."

"If responsibility were assigned for this incident, he knew perfectly well that some harm could eventually come back to him as well, yet he remained completely calm."

"That bastard was confident he could rescue them."

"But Jin Sowoon still refused to step forward until the very end."

"Because he had not yet gained proper justification."

"Justification?"

"If he had immediately entered the formation and brought them back, he could still have been held responsible for failing to properly supervise the Soul-Destroying Formation."

Hyeok Mugang's mouth opened unconsciously.

"Don't tell me..."

"He waited until responsibility was firmly placed on the Nine Great Sects."

Jegal Somyeong turned toward Hyeok Mugang, a faint smile forming on his lips.

"Moreover, at the end, he infused his voice with internal energy loudly enough to shake the entire main training ground while asking for people willing to dismantle the Soul-Destroying Formation."

"Why does that matter?"

"He was making something clear to those who follow the Righteous Path Association."

"The Righteous Path Association will not protect you."

"They do not care about you as much as you think they do."

"...Huh."

"He turned an incident that could have redirected all the blame toward himself into a perfect opportunity."

Hyeok Mugang was so astonished that he simply closed his mouth.

It was surprising enough that Jin Sowoon had used such political maneuvering.

But it was just as remarkable that Jegal Somyeong had perfectly understood every part of it.

Jegal Somyeong was now smiling broadly enough to show his teeth.

"I did not believe it myself until now, but today's events convinced me."

"That bastard's mind is even more exceptional than his martial arts."

"Hoho. I believe the last person whose intelligence you praised like that was Maeng Juwon."

"Which is yet another reason he absolutely must enter the Intelligence Department."

At Jegal Somyeong's final unnecessary addition, Hyeok Mugang could only smack his lips.

"Whatever the case, none of that matters unless he actually rescues them."

"Correct."

"Should we not prepare for the possibility that he fails? It has already been..."

The sun had completely set.

Three double-hours had already passed.

"I summoned the finest members of Shangcheon Hall from the Alliance."

"Will Shangcheon Hall alone be enough? Would it not be better to summon Shenghu Hall as well?"

"We must attempt to dismantle the formation only once, at the very end."

"If we make a mistake, even more members of the Martial Alliance could be swallowed by the Soul-Destroying Formation and become wandering spirits."

"Huuh..."

Hyeok Mugang unconsciously let out a long sigh.

Would the members of Shangcheon Hall risk their lives attempting to dismantle the formation?

Or would they leave those trapped inside to die?

The decisive moment was approaching.

After thinking for a long while, Jegal Somyeong finally made his decision and nodded toward Hyeok Mugang.

#

"What do we do?"

"Haah..."

"Why did they have to go in there..."

The faces of Jin Sowoon's companions standing around the Soul-Destroying Formation were filled with worry.

Fifty elite warriors of Shangcheon Hall sent by the Alliance were equipped with fasting pills and water just like Jin Sowoon.

They were currently learning about the Soul-Destroying Formation from the Maosan Sect art practitioners.

One day and two double-hours.

Inside the Soul-Destroying Formation, nearly eleven full days had already passed.

Yet no one had emerged.

Worry covered the faces of nearly everyone gathered at the main training ground, including the Murim Alliance Leader and Chief Strategist.

"Huuh..."

The moment for a decision was approaching.

They had originally set the maximum at one day.

They had told Jin Sowoon as well that if he took any longer than that, they would attempt to dismantle the formation.

Two additional double-hours had already passed.

After contemplating for a moment, Hyeok Mugang rose from his seat.

"Members of Shangcheon Hall, listen well. From this moment onward, we will begin dismantling the Soul-Destroying Formation."

The elders affiliated with the Righteous Path Association immediately rushed toward Hyeok Mugang.

"Alliance Leader, what are you saying? Dismantle the formation?"

"We cannot simply stand here and watch those trapped inside die."

"Even Jin Sowoon, who supposedly understands the Soul-Destroying Formation better than anyone, has failed to come out. Are you planning to put the members of Shangcheon Hall in danger as well?"

"In the past, during the Maling Plateau incident, the Alliance reacted too slowly and became the laughingstock of everyone under heaven. We cannot repeat the same mistake."

"Your words are correct, but I believe the solution itself is wrong. Would it not be better to treat this incident as a lesson, permanently seal the Soul-Destroying Formation, and designate it as one of the forbidden arts?"

At Daoist Myeonghyeon's words, Hyeok Mugang turned and glared at him.

"Elder Myeonghyeon, do you truly not care if academy students die inside the Soul-Destroying Formation?"

"No one is more saddened by the children's deaths than I am. But I fear that this could cause an even greater disaster and create a severe gap in the Alliance's strength."

Clear contempt appeared in Hyeok Mugang's eyes.

"When the Soul-Destroying Formation is finally dismantled, I do not wish to see the dried corpses of academy students inside."

That ended the conversation.

Hyeok Mugang once again addressed the warriors of Shangcheon Hall.

"Prepare yourselves!"

The Maosan Sect art practitioners once again paired off with the fifty warriors of Shangcheon Hall and carefully positioned each of them.

The Shangcheon Hall warriors listened with absolute concentration, determined not to miss a single detail.

They knew very well just how terrifying an ultimate formation the Soul-Destroying Formation was.

Even the faces of those courageous warriors of Shangcheon Hall had turned deathly pale.

When Jegal Somyeong raised a blue flag, all the Shangcheon Hall warriors fixed their eyes on it.

The moment it dropped, they had to step into the Soul-Destroying Formation at exactly the same time.

"Dis—"

Hyeok Mugang's command to begin dismantling stopped halfway.

Jegal Somyeong's blue flag, which had been about to fall, froze in place.

Both Hyeok Mugang and Jegal Somyeong turned their eyes toward the life-and-death gate of the Soul-Destroying Formation.

The white mist churned.

Then, from within it, a hollow-eyed figure staggered out, carrying something on his back.

He trudged toward where the elders were seated.

Crash!

Even the elders jumped in surprise and stepped back once or twice.

The figure immediately began stuffing the water and food from the elders' table into his mouth before finally managing to speak.

"Huah... I almost freaking died..."

"E-Eldest Senior Brother?"

Dongryong was the first to speak.

At his words, Jegal Somyeong snapped back to his senses and shouted.

"W-water! Bring water and food!"

At Jegal Somyeong's command, everyone waiting around the main training ground sprang into frantic motion.

Then someone checked the six people sprawled across the ground and shouted loudly.

"Th-they're alive! Everyone who entered the Soul-Destroying Formation came back alive!"

At those words, everyone gathered at the main training ground stopped what they were doing.

Then they erupted into cheers at the same time.

"Wooooaaah!"

"Waaaaaaaaah!"