Jin Ryu's momentum is fierce.
She relentlessly crushes the puppets charging at her and endures the beams and traps falling upon her body, rushing forward undeterred.
Click, click, click!
However, the more puppets she shatters, the more they reassemble on the spot and begin to bind her body.
Gradually, Jin Ryu's body becomes encased in a puppet armor, but her steps do not falter.
Kuang, Kuang, Kuang Kuang!
The floor of the ship is dented with each step.
As Jin Ryu draws closer, tension begins to appear on Kim Yeon's face.
She breaks into a cold sweat as she looks at Jin Ryu's blood-red, hammer-like hands.
'That really hurt.'It was Jin Ryu who captured Kim Yeon, and with one hit from her pot lid-sized hands, Kim Yeon was knocked out cold.
In an urgent voice, Kim Yeon shouts at Buk Hyang-hwa.
"Sh-She's almost here! How much longer until it's finished!?"
"It's almost done! Stop rushing me!"
"Damn it! Don't you know how to hurry!? Move faster!"
Kuaaang!
At last, Jin Ryu destroys Kim Yeon's final puppet, glaring at her with a bright red face.
A face that seems to say something is still not enough.
Of course, Kim Yeon can confront her alone, but having heard of the mating methods of the Fighting Ghost Race, she dares not recklessly do so.
"Hurry! Faster!"
Kim Yeon's face turns pale as she reaches behind her and, in a state of panic, yanks Buk Hyang-hwa's hair.
"Kyaaa! Let go! It's done!"
Buk Hyang-hwa, irritated by the pain as if her scalp is being torn off, activates the device she has been modifying.
Flash!
"Kuruk?"
Jin Ryu, who is acting coquettishly, feels something strange.
Something becomes wrong with her senses.
Clang, Clang, Clang, Clang!
The passageway she is standing on suddenly flips, and she sees Buk Hyang-hwa and Kim Yeon moving to a different location.
No, the entire maze-like corridor that Buk Hyang-hwa and Kim Yeon have modified is splitting into segments and moving around.
'Wh-What is this...?'
It's such an absurd situation that she snaps out of her state of heat and opens her eyes wide.
Buk Hyang-hwa, looking at the mechanism connected to her pattern and glowing, shouts.
"It's done! The modified spaces have been transferred to each section of the Salt Bones Ship and we can now modify it quickly in a simplified manner. You need to help now, Unnie!"
"Got it!"
Kim Yeon grasps Buk Hyang-hwa's hand and begins to infuse consciousness.
Wiiiing!
Kim Yeon's consciousness threads spread throughout the Salt Bones Ship.
She connects with the consciousness of the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon embedded in Buk Hyang-hwa's head to rapidly exchange thoughts with her.
"I'll tell you the locations to modify and the methods through consciousness, so follow it exactly."
"Alright, quickly!"
Buk Hyang-hwa gives instructions to Kim Yeon, and following her orders, Kim Yeon begins modifying the entire Salt Bones Ship through the transmitted modified spaces in real-time.
"Good, now the ship itself has become somewhat puppetized!"
"Great, then please send me the blueprint!"
"Here!"
After a brief look at the blueprint, Buk Hyang-hwa's eyes brighten as she grasps Kim Yeon's hand.
"That Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon thing. Can you connect it more strongly with my mind?"
"Yeah, I can, but..."
"Then please do it quickly!"
After a moment's hesitation, Kim Yeon connects her consciousness more tightly with Buk Hyang-hwa's.
Instantly, the space they are in turns into a command room under Buk Hyang-hwa's influence.
Cling, cling, cling, cling!
The command room and the other modified sections of the Salt Bones Ship are connected with the circuits of the Mad Lord through Kim Yeon's Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon.
Transforming the Salt Bones Ship into a small-scale Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress happens in an instant.
Kugugugu!
Kim Yeon and Buk Hyang-hwa extend their consciousness and look up at the ceiling.
Buk Hyang-hwa remarks.
"I'm going to take us out of the Deep Sea!"
"Let's go!"
Kuuuuuu—
The Salt Bones Ship lifts its bow diagonally upwards.
Then, the Salt Bones Ship begins to move.
Woo-wooooong!
Cutting through the Deep Sea of the Ancient Force Realm, it moves forward with its bow pointed diagonally upward.
And a thunderous voice resounds throughout the entire ship.
[You damned...! What are you doing to my ship!?!]
The enraged voice of Jin Ma-yeol echoes throughout the ship.
[Get your hands off my ship! I'll kill you!]
Kugugugu!
Jin Ma-yeol's domain moves, pressing down on Buk Hyang-hwa and Kim Yeon.
However, when Kim Yeon manipulates something, Jin Ma-yeol's pressure is instantly dispersed by the devices in the command room.
Kim Yeon frowns as she reads the blood-reddened fury of Jin Ma-yeol.
"That person will soon come down here."
"Baek Rin needs to wake up quickly..."
Buk Hyang-hwa looks at the still unconscious Baek Rin.
Baek Rin's ghostly power has somewhat recovered, but he still hasn't regained consciousness.
Kim Yeon also glances at Baek Rin with a worried expression and then flinches before looking around.
"Jin Ma-yeol has retracted his domain! If an Integration stage breaks through everything and comes down here...what should we do?"
But Buk Hyang-hwa shakes her head with a meaningful smile at Kim Yeon's worry.
"No, that won't happen."
"What?"
"As a fellow ship master, I know. He will never recklessly destroy his own ship. He will try to navigate through the maze we created as much as possible and come to us."
"What? But you self-destructed your own ship."
"It felt like sacrificing my own child. But I had other ships, so it was possible. That Fighting Ghost Race has only one Salt Bones Ship, so his attachment to it is on a whole different level."
Buk Hyang-hwa, with a confident expression, steers the Salt Bones Ship to the surface.
"In short, we still have time before Jin Ma-yeol gets here!"
Kuaang!
Shattering the walls of the command room, Jin Ma-yeol, who has flown straight down from the captain's room, creating a hole throughout the Salt Bones Ship, locks eyes with them in fury.
"...What's this, Hyang-hwa? You were wrong."
"...Transmit."
Click!
Silently, Buk Hyang-hwa presses a button, and she and Kim Yeon, along with Baek Rin and Yuk Yo, are transmitted to another part of the Salt Bones Ship.
Clang, Clang, Clang!
Buk Hyang-hwa avoids Kim Yeon's gaze, who is staring at her silently, and restructures the new location into another command room.
"...From now on, your name is Wah-wah. Got it?"
"..."
Buk Hyang-hwa only puffs up her cheeks at Kim Yeon's scolding.
Kugugugu!
How far have we excavated down the Deep Sea with the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique and Jeon Myeong-hoon's domain?
I finally arrive at the location where the signal from the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon was connected.
However, there is nothing there.
'Damn it, what's this?'
The signal from the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon was definitely connected in this vicinity.
"What's this, Seo Eun-hyun? Didn't you say Kim Yeon is around here? Where is she?"
Jeon Myeong-hoon asks while spreading his domain to prevent the Deep Sea of the Ancient Force Realm from encroaching.
I close my eyes and operate the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon more precisely.
Due to the countless overlapping waves of dimensions, my consciousness can't connect well.
In the midst of this, I sense something.
Jiiiiing―
"...! Over there. Kim Yeon and the pirate gang are currently moving somewhere!"
"What? Where are they moving to?"
I look diagonally upwards.
"...It seems they are trying to rise to the surface. Did they detect us?"
"Perhaps. Alright, then let's chase after them."
"...No. Instead of chasing, let's rise back to the surface and head to a place where they are likely to emerge. Once they rise above a certain level, I can use the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique to evaporate the Deep Sea."
The leaders of the Wuji Religious Order nod and prepare to rise.
Suddenly, I notice a strange shadow deep within the Deep Sea.
'Huh...?'
It's the shadow of a Sea Dragon.
And on the Sea Dragon's nape, there are characters written in the 'Netherworld's language' that I learned from Black Ghost Valley.
Blood Yin (血陰).
Lofty Dragon (嶒龍).
Ancient Force (古力).
Myriad Realms Beneath (萬界).
Seed Dispersal.
Black Yin's Strategy (玄蔭之計) Ancient Force Division (古力部) Complete.
Reading the written characters, my eyes brighten.
"...!"
I stare at the object for a moment and then extend my hand.
Kuguguguguk!
It's fixed in one place in the Deep Sea, similar to the Deep Sea Island that Yeon Wei mentioned.
On closer inspection, the body itself is a massive stone statue made of ancient stone.
A stone statue carved into the shape of a Sea Dragon (海龍)!
Kuguguguk!
I compress the space with attraction force, forcibly tearing the statue fixed in the Deep Sea and take it into my embrace before rising.
'I need to investigate this.'
The appearance of the Sea Dragon Race that Seo Hweol always takes.
And Seo Hweol, who seems to have some connection with the Blood Yin Realm.
Seo Hweol, who always communicated with the Black Dragon King Hyeon Eum as the Grand Prince of the Sea Dragon Race.
There might be a clue to their connection.
[TL/N: The Korean characters for Hyeon Eum (현음) are the same as Black Yin (현음). The hanja for Black Yin actually translates to Black Shade, but there’s a likely chance it’s a typo by the author so I’m translating it as Black Yin.]
"No, Wah-wah! You said he'd cherish his own ship!"
"Who knew that despicable pirate would destroy his own ship to come for us!"
"What are you going to do! He'll soon reach us again!"
"You're the Unnie! Do something about it!"
"Stop saying stupid things!"
Kim Yeon and Buk Hyang-hwa are busily moving their hands while exchanging words in a heated argument.
In the midst of this, Baek Rin, who is beside them, opens his eyes.
"Kugh...Conqueror King, Mysterious Bizarre Ghost King, I apologize but, where are we...?"
Kim Yeon quickly conveys the current situation through consciousness using the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon.
Baek Rin lets out a low sigh.
"So, you're saying we still have a long way to go to reach the surface, but Jin Ma-yeol will soon catch us?"
"Yes! If we get caught, the ship will be restored to its original state, and we'll be stuck in the Deep Sea again."
"Eumm..."
As they sigh with hardened faces, Yuk Yo coughs and stands up.
She wipes the blood from her mouth and takes a deep breath.
"I will be the bait."
Buk Hyang-hwa and Kim Yeon flinch in surprise at her words.
Baek Rin's eyes blaze with blue ghost fire.
"What are you talking about?! Do you wish to die?!"
However, Yuk Yo only gives a bitter smile, unfazed by Baek Rin's pressure.
"What Jin Ma-yeol wants is me. In the first place, everyone was caught while trying to rescue me, so I should take responsibility. I will move around the Salt Bones Ship to draw his attention. Meanwhile, the rest should pull the Salt Bones Ship to the surface and escape."
[You foolish thing! How long do you think a mere Nascent Soul like you can run away for!?]
"My Dragon Form Disguise Method decreases the toughness of my skin and my attack power when I transform into a dragon, especially lowering my speed. That's why I was captured by the Wuji Religious Order initially. But following the advice of the Wuji Ghost King, I can now reverse this method. By doing so, I can 'maintain my form while becoming faster and stronger.'"
Yuk Yo's eyes are resolute.
"I've lived my life running and scamming. It's better for me to be captured than for the three of you. In fact, if it's me, I can scam my way out and escape more easily, so please don't worry."
Before anyone can stop her, Yuk Yo leaves the command room.
Watching her, Baek Rin seems restless and speaks to Buk Hyang-hwa and Kim Yeon.
"I apologize, Your Highnesses. The Cult Leader ordered me to look after Yuk Yo, so by the Cult Leader's command, I must..."
Kim Yeon examines Baek Rin's intent and laughs lightly, nodding.
"Go ahead, Sir Baek Rin. As you said, she's just a Nascent Soul. If a Four-Axis like you accompanies her, you can stall for time properly."
"Thank you, your Highness Mysterious Bizarre Ghost King!"
Baek Rin quickly bows to Kim Yeon and immediately chases after Yuk Yo, emitting a streak of light.
Kim Yeon watches them leave, then once again uses her consciousness to sense the entire ship before speaking.
"...Indeed, Jin Ma-yeol has changed directions from coming toward us to heading toward Yuk Yo and Baek Rin. We need to reach the surface as soon as possible while they buy us time. Can you do it?"
"Yes...ugh!"
While infusing spiritual power into mechanical devices, Buk Hyang-hwa frowns.
"What's wrong?"
"My spiritual power...is depleted."
"Haaah, Wah-wah. That's why I told you to reach the Heavenly Being stage quickly."
"Do you think it's as easy as it sounds?!"
"What's so hard about it?"
Kim Yeon chuckles and places her hand on Buk Hyang-hwa's back, infusing her with spiritual power.
Wiiing!
Connected through the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon, Buk Hyang-hwa blushes red the moment she feels Kim Yeon's spiritual power pouring into her.
'Wait, this person...'
For a moment, Buk Hyang-hwa seems to see a soft pink light.
For Buk Hyang-hwa, who has received both consciousness and spiritual power from Kim Yeon, a part of Kim Yeon's emotions also flows in for a moment.
Affection, longing, curiosity, joy, desire...
They are emotions directed towards someone that cannot be described with words.
But if one were to dare attach a name to it, it would be an emotion of warmth.
For a moment, Buk Hyang-hwa feels as if she is in the embrace of her mother, Yeon, beyond that soft pink light.
Wo-woong!
The patterns on Buk Hyang-hwa's face glow brightly as if burning.
"...Move aside, Unnie."
"Hmm?"
Buk Hyang-hwa takes a breath and extends her hands.
Simultaneously, the spider leg puppet attached to her back begins to move.
Click, click...
Clickclickclickclickclickclick!
"What, what's this?"
Kim Yeon looks at Buk Hyang-hwa with a slightly surprised expression.
Her hands are moving even faster than before.
Feeling as if Buk Hyang-hwa is possessed by something, Kim Yeon stares at her with a strange look.
"From now on, we will make the mechanical device we created go berserk all at once. It's not something we intended to use permanently anyway. It will cause the ship to quickly rise to the surface faster. Once we reach the sea surface, Yeon Unnie, please quickly contact the Cult Leader with your consciousness. If the Cult Leader sends even Sir Kim Young-hoon, the situation will be resolved in an instant."
"Wah-wah, you..."
"And!"
Buk Hyang-hwa shouts at Kim Yeon.
"My name is Buk Hyang-hwa, not Buk Wah-wah!"
Kim Yeon smiles softly as she looks at her and pats Buk Hyang-hwa's head.
"...Got it, Hyang-hwa."
"D-Don't bring your face so close! It's already big and burdensome as is!"
As Kim Yeon's face draws closer, Buk Hyang-hwa blushes and gives a scolding remark. Kim Yeon playfully flicks Buk Hyang-hwa's forehead before they start controlling the Salt Bones Ship together.
However, the two no longer argue as they did before.
***
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