'500 Qi Building cultivators...!'
I don't really go on high alert, just clear my throat nonchalantly.
"Hmm... Well then. This will only take a moment so just wait a bit."
I flick my hand while inside the formation.
Kugugugu!
Then, as a typhoon rages outside the formation, all the Qi Building cultivators are seen unable to maintain their stance.
They somehow found out where the formation is located, but they seem unable to see exactly inside as they scream out.
"AAAAAAHHH!"
"The Core Formation senior is angered!""What, this power! Could it be he has reached the late Core Formation stage!?"
"It's formidable enough to rival even the Great Perfection of Core Formation!"
Kugugugu!
After the storm passes, the Qi Building cultivators sweat profusely as they move a few li away from me.
The leader among them, a Great Perfection Qi Building cultivator, yells out.
"Everyone, calm down and form ranks!"
At his command, they move orderly to arrange a spell formation.
Wo-woong!
Their spiritual power and spiritual energy connect.
Chik, chik, chik, chik!
The Qi Building cultivators position themselves and form hand seals.
As 499 positions are taken, their energy begins to amplify, and I start to feel my own energy be suppressed.
'Hoh, to this extent....'
I express pure admiration for the formation skills of the Jin Clan while observing closely.
The leading cultivator shouts.
"With this Flaming Forest Great Formation, even a late Core Formation senior cannot escape unscathed! Even a venerable Nascent Soul old monster might be trapped at least once, so please choose wisely!!!"
"Hmm...."
While quietly listening to these guys talk, I start to feel a bit annoyed.
'Not showing my power just makes them pester more.'
A kid at the Qi Refining 6th star or whatever might be cute, but being swarmed by five hundred is just annoying.
'I don't feel the need to exert myself on these fools....'
After a brief moment of thought, I extend my hand outward from the formation.
The Grand Perfection Qi Building cultivator of the Jin Clan, Jin Wei-do, feels an ominous premonition.
'What's this feeling?'
It feels like he had touched something he shouldn't have.
But it was the order of the clan head, and now it's too late to back out.
'Damn, why did the clan head ask us to bring such a formidable senior...?'
And while he doesn't know exactly what kind of formidable senior the old monster before them is, he showed no signs of fluster when facing a force of 500 Qi Building cultivators in front of him.
'Are we confident enough to handle this? But having laid out the Flaming Forest Great Formation, retreating now would tarnish the honor of the Jin Clan!'
That's when it happens.
Swoosh―
"...?"
A hand appears from outside the formation.
'What?'
Jin Wei-do sweats as he raises his magic artifact.
A flaming aura surges over a red staff.
'I'm feeling something ominous. I need to prepare!'
Just as he thinks that...
Wo-woong―
Above the hand, something that looks like a white orb appears.
'A lump of pure spiritual force? No, that seems like... it feels similar to the Gang Qi used by martial artists...?'
The next moment.
Flash!
In an instant, a burst of white light erupts, and a white orb suddenly moves in front of him.
"...!"
Jin Wei-do recoils in shock, stepping back.
But in the next moment, the area around the white orb seems to ripple with Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, and a fire attribute spell bursts forth from the white orb.
"What...!"
Huarurururu!
Jin Wei-do uses the spell he had been preparing in a panic, but for some reason, the flame spell emitted from the white orb devours Jin Wei-do's own fire spell, which he had been specializing in.
Kugugugugu!
"Arghhh!"
Jin Wei-do exerts all his strength in blocking the white orb in front of him.
'It's not just a simple lump of pure spiritual force!'
"Chief!"
"Activate the formation!"
"Join forces with the Chief!"
Huarururuk!
As the Flaming Forest Great Formation activates, Jin Wei-do feels an immense pressure from the formation concentrating on the white orb before him.
At the same time, the spiritual power of five hundred cultivators interconnect and amplify.
Huarururung!
Kuaaang!
Fire attribute spells from five hundred cultivators are unleashed simultaneously towards the small orb.
Kuaaang!
An explosion resonates, shaking the nearby mountains and rivers.
However, in the next moment, the eyes of Jin Wei-do and the many other Qi Building elders widen in astonishment.
Beyond the clearing smoke.
Around the white orb, the power of the Five Elements rotates, blocking the fire spells.
"Th-that's Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation...?"
A cultivator recognizing the flow of the spell murmurs quietly.
However, Jin Wei-do realizes that this is not the end.
'It's not just a simple Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation. It's a Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation that has been pushed to the limits of understanding... It's impossible to elevate the Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation to that extent unless you're at the level of Senior Cheongmun, but how could this be possible...! And that's not all. Within the power of the Five Elements, there are countless other flows of techniques rotating besides the Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation!'
Gulp!
Various thoughts pass through Jin Wei-do's mind.
'And, the identity of that orb is….'
He swallows and says,
"That is... that senior's Externalized Spirit technique!"
"Yes, what?"
"Focus your consciousness!"
They all extend their consciousness without exception and observe the white orb.
Then, in the realm of consciousness.
There, the orb begins to appear a bit differently.
Through the naked eye, it's just an orb, but through consciousness, it takes the form of a man dressed in white!
And for some reason, the man's face is not even clearly visible.
The Heaven and Earth spiritual energy itself seems to be obstructing the 'recognition' of the face.
Wo-woong!
In the realm of consciousness, the white orb.
The other form of the orb, the man in a white robe, forms a hand seal.
Jin Wei-do shouts.
"That's that senior's Externalized Spirit Technique! As you know, the Externalized Spirit Technique will self-destruct if the internal energy is exhausted, so everyone launch a full assault to deplete its energy!"
As soon as he finishes speaking, countless attacks pour down on the white orb under Jin Wei-do's command.
Kugugugu!
It looks as if a sea of scarlet red flames are forming.
The bombardment of spells continues for a while.
The eyes of Jin Wei-do and the cultivators bulge.
"...!!"
Gradually, their spells are being repelled.
The Five Element spells spinning around the orb, used by the Externalized Spirit, appears to drive back the fire spells.
"How, how can this be!"
Jin Wei-do is terrified but clenches his teeth.
'Even so, such powerful techniques cannot be maintained for long. We just need to endure a little more!'
That is what he thinks.
However, it's a mistaken belief.
Wo-woong.
A moment passes.
Jin Wei-do feels as if he's been bewitched by a ghost.
'Why, why is this happening...'
It's strange.
The Externalized Spirit, whose spiritual power should have waned and vanished, is still vigorously pressing on them.
No, it seems to have become even stronger than before.
'How can this be happening!?'
He screams internally, grinding his teeth.
From within the formation, I observe the Gang Sphere incarnation.
Having reached the Heavenly Being stage, the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth is on my side.
Therefore, even if it is an incarnation, as long as it contains my consciousness and wishes for it, the supply of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy is freely available.
Wo-woong wo-woong wo-woong
It seems the Qi Building cultivators haven't noticed.
But through my eyes, I can see the flow of the nearby Heaven and Earth spiritual energy streaming into my Gang Sphere incarnation.
Despite being an incarnation, the Gang Sphere endlessly absorbs the spiritual energy, becoming even stronger than at the beginning.
The outcome will probably be determined if things continue this way for a little longer.
"It's regrettable."
However, it seems it is time to stop using the Gang Sphere clone to torment these poor kids.
"Master, you've worked hard. I will handle it from here."
Hong Fan finally emerges from within the seal.
"It's fine."
I shake my head and say,
"Let's stop tormenting these poor fellows... And I need to find out how they managed to locate us. I'll go meet their clan head."
Swoosh—
I reach out my hand towards the Qi Building cultivators who are still burning with fighting spirit.
Extending my hand outside the formation, I instantly create eight more Gang Sphere clones and float them into the air.
And it takes less than half a moment for them to lose all their will to fight.
"Hmm, is this the so-called 'Buk Hyang Fleet'?"
Jeon Myeong-hoon looks quite interested as he examines the 'gift' brought by the envoy of the Gongmyo Clan.
The envoy of the clan Gongmyo Hee, shakes his head.
"To be precise, it would be correct to call it an 'early replica of the Nether Crossing Ship' created by Lady Buk."
"Hmm..."
"Lady Buk tried to replicate the Nether Crossing Ship while repairing one. Of course, being an early version, it isn't highly completed… However, she would later create the Buk Hyang Fleet based on this ship. We received the technology and were able to acquire one of these early Nether Crossing Ships replicas from Lady Buk. Now, we will transfer this valuable object to the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect."
"Hmm..."
Jeon Myeong-hoon inhales slightly as he gazes at the massive warship floating in front of the Golden Thunder Hall.
'He speaks beautifully but... isn't that just a prototype? After already receiving the technology and acquiring the technique to produce improved Buk Hyang Fleet ships, it seems like it's just for show.'
Although Jeon Myeong-hoon is somewhat displeased, he finds the spatial fluctuations emanating from the ship somewhat interesting.
"A powerful ghostly energy flows within."
"Yes, initially it was no different than a deteriorated replica of the Nether Crossing Ship."
"Hmm…"
Jeon Myeong-hoon is aware of the Black Ghost Valley.
The Head Realm's Three Great Sects.
The Human Race's Six Great Sects.
Once a great sect that commanded the entirety of the great seas of the Head Realm.
A replica of an immortal treasure, regarded as a divine object within that great sect.
A ship virtually embodying the identity of the Black Ghost Valley.
The Nether Crossing Ship.
'The energy emanating from the ship... Is it barely at the Core Formation level? But with the right power source, it seems it could quickly rise to the level of Heavenly Being.'
That strange unease he had felt when facing General Seo from Seo Eun-hyun is now emanating from this ship.
Of course, it's not as ominous as General Seo, but it feels like the despair he had experienced facing General Seo diluted to one-thousandth.
Rather than ominous, it's more accurate to say there's a slight tension.
But even that is enough for Jeon Myeong-hoon to know how well-crafted the vessel before him is.
Particularly, what he mainly notices is the functional aspect of this 'replica Nether Crossing Ship.'
'With such spatial fluctuations...'
"Long-distance spatial travel would certainly be feasible."
"Yes, of course. It's natural."
"Indeed…"
Through this Nether Crossing Ship, he dreams of once again ascending the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect as a whole.
While the current level of the Nether Crossing Ship makes it challenging, in a thousand years, the development of the Buk Hyang Fleet will be endless, and the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect will also have studied the acquired replica of the Nether Crossing Ship. A thousand years would be enough.
'With this, the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect can be firmly placed above again!'
In one thousand years,
When the Ascension Gate opens again,
Jeon Myeong-hoon vows to ascend to the Bright Cold Realm using this replica Nether Crossing Ship.
That's when it happens.
Wo-woong wo-woong!
Paaatt!
A dull golden glow flies past Jeon Myeong-hoon.
It's a disciple at the Core Formation stage.
"Grand Elder, it's news of Grand Elder Seo. He is currently in Yanguo…"
The disciple who brings news of Seo Eun-hyun hurriedly approaches Jeon Myeong-hoon and urgently whispers to him.
Soon after hearing his words, Jeon Myeong-hoon's eyes widen, shifting away from the Nether Crossing Ship.
"What, Seo Eun-hyun…!?"
"Hoh…"
I went to the Jin Clan headquarters with the Qi Building cultivators led by Jin Wei-do who had come looking for me.
And there, I found out why the Core Formation head of the Jin Clan had called me.
And how they found me.
It turns out they weren't chasing after the location of me, a Heavenly Being cultivator.
"Um… It seems there was some misunderstanding, Senior."
Sweating cold sweat, I look at the clan head who stepped down from the head seat and is now kneeling before me. I then turn my gaze towards the creature behind him.
It's a centipede the size of a human.
Hong Fan, who is next to me, makes eye contact with the antennae of the centipede.
"My demon beast... suddenly started convulsing while reciting the exact location… I sought senior for that reason. My pet demon beast is nearing the end of its lifespan, and I read in an ancient text that eating the inner core of its kind can extend its life..."
He had found 'Hong Fan' through his pet demon beast.
And I am aware of this pet demon beast's identity.
"Did you say you got it from Ascension Path?"
"Yes, yes. Precisely from the center of the Heaven-Treading Desert... It was lying beneath Ascension Path when I picked it up."
Indeed.
The centipede demon beast at the lower Qi Refining stage is, in fact, Hong Fan's sibling.
***
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