Chapter 14
Do you think I’m going to die?
Neither Eun Hwigyeom nor I came here planning to die!
Azure Flame Technique — Penglai Drunken Clouds, Lotus Chain Formation!
The lotus flowers began connecting together, amplifying their power.
“Cough!”
Using the Lotus Chain Formation was honestly a gamble, and far more magical power drained away than I expected.
Even drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth didn’t help much because there wasn’t enough spiritual energy nearby.
Gritting my teeth, I planted my feet firmly.
An overwhelming gravitational force pressed down hard enough to crack the ground beneath me.
At that moment, another hand burst out from the writhing black hole.
Wind Moon Technique — Flowing Gale!
Papapapat!
Massive blades of wind slashed at the hand approaching from the side, pushing it back.
“Brat!”
At Kang Jinhun’s shout, Eun Hwigyeom rushed toward me.
Though he was a cultivator, Eun Hwigyeom walked the path of a martial warrior.
Seven-Star Meteor Sword.
As he swung his sword downward, sword energy poured out like meteors and pushed the arm back.
“Seeenior Sisteeer!”
It seemed he lacked the strength to fully stop it, and Eun Hwigyeom reached his hand toward me.
I had reached my limit too and instinctively tried reaching back for him.
But then—
I hesitated.
‘No.’
What would happen if I grabbed his hand right now?
‘Master has probably already noticed something is wrong and is on his way.’
Just a few more seconds.
‘That thing isn’t at Ghost Spirit level yet!’
If I could hold off a Ghost Soul for only a few seconds, both Eun Hwigyeom and I could survive.
“Hold it back!”
“Wait, what are you trying to do?! Damn it!!”
Instead of grabbing his hand, I turned to face the Ghost Soul trying to emerge from the shadow.
Because I advanced to Third Star earlier than expected, I was actually already very close to Fourth Star.
‘Then I’ll break through right here!’
If I did that, I could temporarily restore my magical power and buy time.
I immediately formed hand seals and focused my mind.
Baek Unjin had always praised me for this one thing.
“I count the seven stars in the empty sky. The energy of heaven and earth becomes my breath. Yin and yang become one and flow through my meridians. Crimson light gathers within me, and all creation returns to the formation. O spirit essence, engrave yourself upon the source of my eternity!”
Thankfully, I knew how to perform the advancement ritual for Fourth Star Qi Refinement.
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth twisted violently, and clouds instantly gathered to cover the sky.
A hole opened in the heavens, and a brilliant white beam of light poured down onto me.
The moment the light touched me, my nearly depleted magical power surged back at terrifying speed.
[You □□□ commit a sin against the heavens……]
‘Huh? Did I just hear something?’
Something definitely spoke, but it sounded distorted and faint amidst the chaos.
Azure Flame Technique — Penglai Drunken Clouds, Lotus Chain Formation!
Using abbreviated hand seals, I immediately unleashed the Lotus Chain Formation again.
‘Damn it! Even this isn’t enough?!’
Even after pouring out all the magical power gained from reaching Fourth Star, I was still being pushed back.
‘Then I just have to endure!’
You think I’ll die helplessly?
I stretched my hand forward and reinforced the lotus chain even further.
KWAHHHHNG!
At that moment, another beam of light descended from the sky and pierced directly through the Ghost Soul’s hand.
‘Heavenly Tribulation?!’
“Seeenior Sisteeer!”
Taking advantage of the Heavenly Tribulation, Eun Hwigyeom unleashed the Great Heavenly River Sword Technique with all his strength, grabbed my arm, and pulled me backward.
The two of us rolled violently across the ground together.
Using wind arts, Kang Jinhun barely stopped us from falling off the cliff.
“Ugh…!”
The impact must have knocked me unconscious for a moment.
As soon as I regained my senses, I immediately grabbed the collapsed Eun Hwigyeom beside me.
“Hwigyeom! Don’t die! Hwigyeom!!”
“Cough… Ahh! That hurts! I’m not dead…”
Coughing blood, Eun Hwigyeom looked at me with blurry eyes.
He wasn’t dead, but blood flowed from wounds all over his body.
I barely had time to feel relieved before the Ghost Soul’s hand, burned by the Heavenly Tribulation, started approaching again.
Even Kang Jinhun must have realized things were hopeless because he shouted at us.
“Run!!”
Holding Eun Hwigyeom tightly, I squeezed my eyes shut.
‘No!’
Eun Hwigyeom felt unbearably small in my arms.
The Ghost Soul’s hand was getting closer and closer.
A pitch-black shadow covered us overhead, and icy cold seeped into my bones.
‘Is this how we die?’
If we die here, then Eun Hwigyeom, Kang Jinhun, and I…
‘Master.’
In that moment of crisis, the name that came to mind was Baek Unjin.
No… anyone is fine, so please—
PAAAAAAANG!
A massive shockwave suddenly exploded between us and the Ghost Soul, blasting the creature backward.
The Ghost Soul had completely broken free from the seal now, plunging the surroundings into darkness.
The deathly aura pouring from it was overwhelming, incomparable to ordinary ghosts.
Facing something like that made me realize how foolish I’d been for even trying to fight it.
Breaking through the resistance of the air, the Ghost Soul reached out again.
And then—
Both of its massive arms were severed instantly.
Part.
Grass fluttered, and Baek Unjin appeared before us.
“Master……”
“……”
The moment I saw the icy fury in Baek Unjin’s eyes, I flinched.
It was the first time I had ever seen him this angry.
Baek Unjin approached us and lowered himself.
“Are you alright?”
The instant his large hand rested atop my head, relief washed over me.
“Yes. Both Hwigyeom and I are safe.”
“So it seems.”
Baek Unjin nodded after checking Eun Hwigyeom.
While he examined our injuries, the severed arms of the Ghost Soul regenerated.
Papapat.
Other cultivators soon arrived one after another.
The moment they saw the Ghost Soul, their faces turned pale.
“T-That’s a Ghost Soul! Why is a ghost soul here?”
“Elder Baek!”
“I’ll handle this myself. Protect the disciples.”
“It’s too dangerous to fight a Ghost Soul alone! We should wait until the other elders arrive—”
“If even the smallest new wound appears on my disciples, I’ll take your lives first.”
Drawing the Purple River Sword from his waist, Baek Unjin glared coldly at the cultivators.
The terrified cultivators hurried over to protect Eun Hwigyeom and me.
Grrrrrrr.
A grotesque sound echoed through the air, enough to make one’s stomach churn.
With the Purple River Sword in hand, Baek Unjin suddenly appeared behind the Ghost Soul.
[Lotus Extinction Sword]
Papapapapat!
Dozens of sword energies split apart and shredded the Ghost Soul’s body to pieces.
The scattered spiritual energy gathered around Baek Unjin.
Tat!
Stepping through the air, Baek Unjin leapt high before slashing downward and landing on the ground.
KWAAAAAAANG!
The impact was so powerful that the gigantic Ghost Soul was crushed flat into the earth, creating an enormous crater.
But the Ghost Soul only blurred momentarily before reforming on the opposite side.
Hundreds of eyes suddenly opened across the Ghost Soul’s body and stared at Baek Unjin.
With a casual lift of his sword, all of the eyes exploded at once.
“I will make you regret touching my disciples.”
Holding the Purple River Sword in one hand, Baek Unjin formed hand seals with the other.
Mystic Ice True Water Seal.
Instantly, enormous waves of water surged up from every direction.
The spiritual energy of heaven and earth twisted violently as water erupted around Baek Unjin.
When he raised the Purple River Sword, the blade absorbed all the water and became one with it.
PAAAAAAAT!
The moment the sword moved, it looked as though an entire ocean wave was crashing down before us.
‘This is…’
I stared at Baek Unjin as though entranced.
I had heard that powerful cultivators could freely alter the surrounding environment itself, but I never imagined it would be to this extent.
The raging waves smashed into the Ghost Soul and shattered it apart once more.
But a ghost soul could not be killed so easily.
Just as I started wondering if these attacks were meaningless—
Baek Unjin, who had been swinging his sword from the same spot, suddenly vanished and reappeared high above.
