Episode 132

That something unusual had occurred in the All-knowing High Formation was immediately apparent from the outside.

This was because dense clouds and mist were flowing out from the gaps in the tents surrounding the Qi Men Formation. The mist carried the scent of blood.

The martial artists of the Murim Alliance, who were controlling the test area, were also in a state of panic.

The All-knowing Master, who had been leisurely sitting and watching the clouds, suddenly stood up.

“What a bunch of useless fools!”

After scolding the flustered inspection officers, he strode out.

The inspection officers hurriedly followed the All-knowing Master.

“What’s… going on?”

“Can’t you even manage the Three Ghosts Bronze Cauldron I entrusted to you?”

“We took turns keeping watch.”

Scoffing, the All-knowing Master went to the place where the Three Ghosts Bronze Cauldron was stored.

It was at the exit of the All-knowing High Formation, where the Life Gate was located.

Instead of the expected examiners standing guard there, only a single skin mask was lying on the ground.

“A-an intruder!”

“A skin mask… Call the person in charge immediately!”

Soon, the examiner who had been on duty before the incident was brought in.

He was trembling as he answered the questions.

“The next examiner after me was a man named Yu Man-nyeong.”

“What kind of person is he?”

“He’s a friend who has been with the Murim Alliance for over five years… No, surely he couldn’t have…”

“That man must be dead by now.”

“Uhuk!”

The examiner knelt down in front of the skin mask, weeping bitterly.

It was certain that a spy had disguised themselves as an examiner and infiltrated.

The faces of the inspection officers turned pale.

Originally, the bronze cauldron only had one red eye open, but now, all three eyes of the goblin were open.

Thick clouds of blood-scented mist flowed out and into the All-knowing High Formation.

“Uh… Great All-knowing Master.”

“I told you not to use ‘Great.’”

“Yes, but, what about the successors who went inside just now?”

“Did you not understand what I said?”

The All-knowing Master, with a smoking pipe in his mouth, answered, “When the first eye opens, it leads one astray. When the second eye opens, there will surely be blood.”

His voice had a hint of laughter, but his words were not light.

“When the third eye opens, those trapped in the formation will be annihilated.”

“Then we must close those eyes immediately…”

“It’s useless.”

He declared, exhaling smoke with a foul smell.

“Once the third eye of the Three Ghosts Bronze Cauldron is open, it won’t stop unless it consumes a life.”

“We must destroy it right now.”

“Are you only hearing what you want?”

It was unclear how the All-knowing Master, with his small stature, could produce such a booming voice.

“If you want to destroy the Three Ghosts Bronze Cauldron, go ahead. I’ll get paid either way. But everyone inside will also die.”

“H-how can that be?”

“Do you think this is an ordinary object? This is a Treasure possessed by a yokai called Samgwi, or Three Ghosts. The All-knowing High Formation is its home. Do you know what happens if you forcibly destroy the bronze cauldron?”

“…”

“The formation will warp completely. Unless the ones inside are exceptionally strong martial artists, their meridians will burst and they’ll die.”

The mention of a yokai called Samgwi seemed like a tall tale to the inspection officers.

However, since it was the All-knowing Master who said it, they couldn’t take it lightly.

“Otherwise, they might already be dead.”

“We can’t just let the successors die!”

“Right, then the only way is to dismantle the external axis of the formation and go in.”

This implied there was a way.

Pointing at the exit of the All-knowing High Formation with his smoking pipe, the All-knowing Master said, “From here, we’ll open the Passage Gate of the formation and go in to rescue those trapped. Bring the experts.”

“Are we capturing that yokai?”

“It’s not a great yokai, but within the All-knowing High Formation, it’s powerful enough. We must confront it.”

Just as an inspection officer hurried to bring the experts, the All-knowing Master stopped him.

“I say this in case you didn’t hear me clearly, I said ‘experts.’ Not just any, but bring five experts of at least Peak level. Or bring someone of the Alliance Leader’s caliber.”

Five experts of at least Peak level.

The face of the warrior, who was about to call his colleagues from the Inspection Squad, turned pale.

If the All-knowing Master’s words were not an exaggeration, then the successors inside the All-knowing High Formation were certainly in grave danger.

Peng Gu-in, true to his nickname “Peng Family Twin Tigers,” was indeed raging like a tiger.

Even without his main weapon, the blade, his bare-handed fighting skills showed terrifying power.

Tat-tat-tat—

Swinging his sleeves lined with lead-weighted cords, the flying iron arrows were deflected, scattering sparks.

“Damn it!”

The mechanism shooting out the iron arrows was hidden in the brambles. Peng Gu-in ruthlessly smashed it.

Boom!

A mechanism personally designed by the All-knowing Master was instantly reduced to a heap of scrap metal.

Despite this, he couldn’t relax.

“Brother Gu!”

“Wait up!”

He and Cho Myung-hwi were busy destroying the mechanisms, but the damage had already been done.

“A mechanism designed to kill instead of injure! It’s like it’s intent on killing us.”

So Woon was hit by an arrow.

“There’s a lot of bleeding.”

“Tear up some cloth and tie up the shoulder!”

That’s exactly what Yi-gang was already doing.

Beneath him, So Woon was writhing with a deathly pale face.

A long arrow was embedded in his right shoulder.

Several iron spikes were also lodged in his thigh.

“Ugh…”

“Stay conscious.”

The arrowhead might have torn a blood vessel, as blood was flowing steadily. Yi-gang tore open the front of So Woon’s garment and tightly bound his right arm.

He was trained in medicine too. He managed to perform first aid.

“I can’t… use my True Qi.”

“It seems like the composition of the mist has changed.”

Yi-gang was accustomed to operating without internal energy, but the others were not.

The Qi-dispersing poison mixed in the mist was gradually disrupting the flow of True Qi. That’s why they couldn’t defend against the sudden attacks.

“Please, cough, pull out the arrow.”

“I can’t do it now. You’re bleeding too much.”

Yi-gang took out a small knife and snapped off the protruding part of the arrow.

Fortunately, the onslaught of hidden weapons had stopped.

Peng Gu-in and Cho Myung-hwi returned.

“Are you okay!?”

“I’m, I’m fine. cough.”

Cho Myung-hwi was so flustered that he forgot he had been speaking informally and examined So Woon’s wounds.

Then he expressed his gratitude to Yi-gang.

“Thank you, Brother Baek. While I couldn’t do anything…”

When the mechanisms suddenly began firing hidden weapons all at once, the group scattered, focusing on dodging them.

Anyone, not just So Woon, could have been hit by an arrow.

When he screamed and fell, Yi-gang was the quickest to react.

He sprinted low to the ground, grabbed So Woon, and rolled.

If it weren’t for Yi-gang, So Woon would have been pierced like a hedgehog and died.

Peng Gu-in, with a twisted face, said, “I should have brought my blade…”

It was an admission that he was not a fist fighter, but a blade wielder.

It was a confession made in regret, but none in the group took issue with it.

There was something more important at hand.

“The formation has changed,” Yi-gang announced.

The group instinctively felt it too.

“The murderous intent is strong. It’s a lethal formation designed to kill those who entered.”

“Why would the All-knowing Master want to kill the successors…”

“He’s either gone mad or there’s another reason.”

So Woon tried to stand up but groaned and slumped down again.

His thigh, from where the iron spikes were removed, was swollen and purple.

“It seems walking is out of the question. We need a doctor for detoxification.”

“For now, we should support Young Master So Woon and find a way out.”

Yi-gang put So Woon’s arm around his neck and stood up.

Cho Myung-hwi quickly approached and held So Woon’s right shoulder.

“I’ll help support him.”

“Nonsense! I’ll carry him, just stand back.”

Then Peng Gu-in took over.

Being much larger than the others, Peng Gu-in easily hoisted So Woon onto his shoulder.

Clearly, it was more appropriate for Peng Gu-in to carry So Woon, so Cho Myung-hwi didn’t insist further.

Peng Gu-in looked at Yi-gang with a changed expression in his eyes.

“The formation has changed. Can we still find a way out?”

“The method of breaking it hasn’t changed. Let’s head in the original direction first.”

It was the moment they were about to embark on a treacherous journey towards the torches forming the inner axis of the Qi Men Formation.

Boom!

It was a heavy, thudding sound.

Though there had been no sign of a presence before, something appeared on the path the group had just taken.

Peng Gu-in turned around, his mouth slightly agape.

“This is insane.”

“What is that… exactly?”

Peng Gu-in was a big man himself.

But the figure that appeared behind them was a monster that couldn’t simply be described as “large.”

Twice the height of Yi-gang, with arms and legs as thick as a human torso, its skin was as black as obsidian.

Covered with hair thicker than human hair, what was most striking was its face.

“Grrrr…”

From the mouth, which emitted a beast-like howl, thick saliva dripped down. Its sharp teeth resembled those of a wild beast, and its face bore three blood-red eyes.

“…A specter, a goblin. Or something like that.”

“D-do you know what that thing is, Brother Baek?”

“It’s definitely not human.”

“Looks like some kind of yokai…”

It was indeed a yokai.

Having captured the Twin-Headed Ghost Tiger and spent time with the Blue-Eyed Mad Demon, Yi-gang could now clearly sense a yokai’s presence.

This creature was far more dangerous than the Twin-Headed Ghost Tiger. Much more.

「Such a trivial creature…!」

‘Looks much more dangerous than you, though.’

The Blue-Eyed Mad Demon chuckled and scoffed.

「Compared to a great yokai, it’s nothing. It’s just flexing because this is its territory.」

“Ksss.”

「Look at that, it can’t even speak properly.」

The creature seemed to be in a very good mood.

It swayed its body as if dancing, and each time it did, the giant iron mace in its hand swung with a woosh.

The group remained on high alert.

Yi-gang was the one to step forward alone.

“B-Brother Baek, what are you doing now?”

“I want to see what kind of creature it is.”

Yi-gang quietly picked up a rock from the ground.

It was a heavy rock, as big as a human head.

And he hurled the rock straight at the goblin.

The creature, seemingly unaware of the flying rock, continued to dance.

Swoosh—

But suddenly, the rock disappeared mid-air.

Boom!

With a loud explosion, the creature smashed the iron mace onto the ground.

The flying rock shattered into pieces upon coming into contact with the iron mace.

It was an incredibly fast movement, almost invisible.

“Kishishis.”

The creature grinned, showing its yellow teeth.

Then it took a deep breath and let out a ferocious roar.

“Kwooaaarrk!”

The roar was so intense it felt like their eardrums would burst.

The ringing in his ears was so severe that Yi-gang squinted his eyes.

However, the reaction of the group was even more intense.

“Run, let’s run away.”

“L-let’s go…!”

Even Cho Myung-hwi, and surprisingly, Peng Gu-in, looked terrified. The strangeness of the creature was one thing, but the roar it emitted contained a peculiar magical power.

They turned pale, sweating profusely.

“What are you waiting for, let’s hurry!”

As Peng Gu-in started to run, Yi-gang had no choice but to follow.

The goblin started to chase them, laughing.

Though its steps were slow, its stride was twice as long, allowing it to keep pace with Yi-gang’s group even at a walking speed.

“Wouldn’t it be better to confront it here and then go?”

“What are you saying, Brother Baek! How can we confront that monster!”

Cho Myung-hwi spoke as if it was nonsense, and Peng Gu-in’s expression was similar.

For Yi-gang, it was a bit hard to understand.

‘Why are they so scared?’

Even though the creature was large and moved quickly, the combined attack of the three, including Yi-gang, should have been sufficient to confront it.

His question was soon answered.

「That creature, it used a sound technique that shakes one’s spirit.」

‘Sound technique? …Ah.’

The Twin-Headed Ghost Tiger had done something similar. When it roared, his whole body felt numb and stiffened.

「It’s natural for them to be scared when such an awful-looking creature screams like that.」

‘I’m fine, though.’

「How can you compare them with yourself who has me, the greatest in the world?」

Somehow, Yi-gang was unaffected by the goblin’s roar.

「Still, run for now.」

‘That’s probably best.’

There was no reason to stay behind and confront the yokai in slow pursuit by himself.

Yi-gang silently followed the retreating group.

But they couldn’t run for long.

Although they had followed the path straight, suddenly a rock wall appeared.

“Kuk…”

If the group had been in normal condition, a rock wall wouldn’t have been a concern. They could just climb it.

However, climbing with So Woon, who was unconscious and bleeding, was a different story.

“I’ll carry him up.”

Peng Gu-in spoke determinedly.

Then, a rock as big as a human torso flew and struck the rock wall.

Kaboom—

It was thrown by the goblin.

The creature, as if determined not to let them climb, picked up another rock and laughed.

“Kishishishi.”

It was a laugh like a cat that had cornered a mouse.

It seemed to have known all along about the presence of the rock wall here.

Fear deepened on the faces of Cho Myung-hwi and Peng Gu-in.

“Wh-what do we do now?”

“If we dodge the rocks well…”

Yi-gang cut them off.

“We have to block it. Right here.”

It would be fatal to try to climb the rock wall to escape, only to be hit by the rocks thrown by the creature.

The right choice was to make a stand here.

“Brother Baek…”

“You…”

Cho Myung-hwi and Peng Gu-in looked at Yi-gang with trembling eyes.

To them, Yi-gang’s calm demeanor in the face of the oppressive yokai was astonishing.

It was both admirable and somewhat shameful.

The goblin stood still, as if waiting for Yi-gang’s group to make their decision.

Cho Myung-hwi, with his lips tightly bitten, took a step forward.

“So Woon’s condition is critical. Brother Gu, please take him with you. I’ll hold it off here.”

“Myung-hwi…!”

He appeared ready to face death.

Indeed, he had stepped forward with that resolve.

“Brother Baek, please go with Brother Gu and guide the way.”

“…”

Yi-gang didn’t respond, just quietly gazing at Cho Myung-hwi.

It seemed he hadn’t considered the option of the three of them attacking together.

「His spirit is broken.」

‘It seems he believes we can’t win.’

「Still, it’s not easy to make such a decision.」

Cho Myung-hwi smiled bitterly and unfastened his headband.

A large scar crossed his forehead.

His previously benign appearance transformed completely.

From a righteous, young successor of the martial world to a swordsman with cold eyes.

“I’m sorry for hiding it. I’m not a disciple of the Heaven Sword Sect.”

“Wh-what did you say!”

Peng Gu-in was shocked.

“I’m neither a spy for the Unorthodox Union. I only came to covertly protect Young Master So Woon, the son of my lord. He might not know my true identity.”

When So Woon was struck down by an arrow, his reaction was particularly intense.

He had thought he forgot to use formal speech due to panic, but it seemed it was his original manner of speaking.

“What do you mean…”

“But I’ve already partially failed in my mission. However, I must save Young Master So Woon at all costs. I am prepared for any consequences here.”

Peng Gu-in’s eyes widened, his expression a mix of anger and sorrow.

Cho Myung-hwi’s confession stirred a sense of fiery righteousness in him.

Even though he had been concealing his identity.

“So that’s how it was.”

However, Yi-gang, who stood beside them, did not seem surprised.

“As expected… the nickname ‘Henan’s Sage’ is not unwarranted. Did you know, Young Master Baek Yi-gang?”

“…”

Yi-gang responded with silence.

Peng Gu-in was greatly surprised by Yi-gang’s insight.

Yi-gang avoided Peng Gu-in’s gaze.

‘I had no idea.’

「I didn’t know either.」

However, Yi-gang was just the type whose expressions didn’t give away his surprise.

He simply nodded as if to agree with the group’s misconception.

“Go quickly! I will hold it off here!”

Yi-gang refused.

“I will stay too.”

“Young Master Baek! You need to find the way.”

Just then, a flash of light burst in the northern sky.

A sound like something being split apart echoed.

The group, startled, looked towards it. The northern sky was brightly lit.

“It seems I won’t be needed to find the way. Someone from the outside appears to be breaking the formation’s outer axis to come in.”

At Yi-gang’s words, implying outside help was on its way, joy returned to Cho Myung-hwi’s face.

Yi-gang drew his meteorite sword.

Ssshh—

Although it would be difficult for Cho Myung-hwi to handle the monster alone, with Yi-gang joining, it would be enough.

Above all, this moment was an opportunity.

「That creature only has the ability to shake the spirit, nothing much else.」

‘But still, it’s more formidable than the Twin-Headed Ghost Tiger, right?’

「It’s a higher grade than the Ghost Tiger.」

‘So, what about the internal elixir?’

「I’ve been saying it since that goblin first appeared…」

The Blue-Eyed Mad Demon had mentioned it since the goblin’s appearance.

「It exudes a delicious scent.」

Perhaps it was because of the yokai’s blood mixed in.

Her way of speaking was different from that of the Immortal Divine Sword.

Yi-gang pointed his sword towards the light in the northern sky.

“Just head straight in that direction. Young Master Gu.”

“Huh…!”

Peng Gu-in wore an indescribable expression.

Suddenly, he sniffed loudly and then quickly removed his headscarf.

Like Cho Myung-hwi, he had no scars, but an unattractive face was revealed.

“My name is not Gu In-nam, it’s Peng Gu-in!”

“…Could it be, from the Peng Clan!”

Cho Myung-hwi’s eyes widened.

Peng Gu-in roared in a hoarse voice.

“I will definitely save So Woon and return here again.”

“Brother Gu, no, Brother Peng…!”

“You guys are the real men. I, Peng Gu-in, am deeply impressed.”

Yi-gang squinted his eyes, while Cho Myung-hwi seemed moved to tears.

“When we return, let’s become sworn brothers!”

“How can someone like me…”

“In blood brotherhood among men, what does status matter!”

“…B-brother!”

It was an excessively sweaty conversation.

Yi-gang finally couldn’t hold back and shouted.

“Ah, just hurry up and go!”