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Chapter 820: New Fate and Upheaval (1)
Makli Hyun-ah's 'Talisman War Great Death Mausoleum’ comes to a successful close.
"The final winner is, Makli Nobi, the rising talent of the Makli Clan!"
Makli Nobi and Makli Bi-yeol, the two promising younger generation, remained until the final decisive battle and continued the fierce Talisman War Great Death Mausoleum, and in the end, Makli Nobi narrowly snatched victory.
"Kugh...it's a shame. If the last Bi-yeol Slash succeeded...!"
Makli Bi-yeol sheds tears as he steels himself with the resolve to bide his time and strike back, and Makli No-bi takes the posture of a victor as he receives the cheers of the crowd.
"Up to now, this has been the enjoyable Talisman War Great Death Mausoleum tournament! Then, in order to proceed with the awards ceremony, we shall release the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy suppressed by the formation, so spectators, please be careful so that you do not suffer qi deviation from the suddenly surging Heaven and Earth spiritual energy!"
After finishing his words, Makli Hyun-ah sets down his social authority, created by the Small Demon Pacifying Heaven Formation.
The faint black energy surrounding Makli Hyun-ah scatters away, the Small Demon Pacifying Heaven Formation is dismantled, and the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy inside the arena begins to surge.
'No matter how I think about this Confucian Family Method...it feels like some kind of wide-area 'mana burn'...'
Once social authority is created through the Small Demon Pacifying Heaven Formation, wherever the gaze and awareness of the authority-holder who receives that social authority reaches, it suppresses the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.
In other words, the range of the Small Demon Pacifying Heaven Formation is not the range of the formation, but the user's 'field of view,' which partially reproduces the power of the Confucian Family Method through a formation.
Because of this, the Small Demon Pacifying Heaven Formation can affect even outside the formation.
'Of course, that is also because this is not an ordinary Immortal Family Method...'
After finishing these and those thoughts about the Confucian Family Method, Makli Hyun-ah is about to bestow the spirit stones and rewards designated for the tournament's winners.
It is then.
"Daoist Makli Hyun-ah, dodge!"
Kugwagwagwang!
A black cutting strike flying in from somewhere rushes straight toward Makli Hyun-ah, and Makli Hweol, who is nearby for the purpose of guarding Makli Hyun-ah, darts in and blocks the black cutting strike.
"D-Daoist Makli Hweol, what is this...?"
"I did say I would do counterintelligence, but...it seems there is a spy from the Seogyeong Makli line. Isn't that right, Daoist 'Lee Cheop-ja'?"
Makli Hweol steps in front of Makli Hyun-ah, and looks down at the Talisman War Great Death Mausoleum participant who fired the black cutting strike.
The cultivator called 'Lee Cheop-ja'.
"Haha, so you are Makli Hweol, the branch family's greatest younger generation. As the rumors say, you are impressive. An ancient-era divine skill unearthed by the main family...for you to block 'Black Blade Slash,' the secret technique of the Black Blade Severing Secrets."
"Black Blade Severing Secrets...I have heard of it. The true divine skill called 'Black Blade Maturing Secrets' that the 'Black Blade Star Lord' in myth bestowed upon the mortal beings of the lower realms! And this is one of the versions among the originals that was split into seven branches, is it not?"
"Truly, the saying that you excel in both civil and martial is no empty reputation! You know quite a lot. Then you also know that once I activate the Black Blade Severing Secrets, no one can stop me, do you not?"
"Hoho, I know very well. Certainly, the Black Blade Severing Secrets of the ancient era is the most ferocious method, said to have no limit once it activates and connects to the dragon vein. Because of that dangerous power, I heard it is even classified as devilish arts."
"Correct. To stop me as I am now, at minimum an Elder at the Core Formation level must come. I can raise a blood calamity right here and now, but I intend to show mercy. That is, if you meet my demands. My demands are simple..."
"But that is only when it is the Black Blade Severing Secrets in a complete state. As I hear it, the Black Blade Severing Secrets unearthed by the Seogyeong Makli Line is not in an intact state...and I understand it is still in the middle of restoration..."
Makli Hweol smiles faintly, calmly puts a hand into his mouth, and pulls out a single sword.
Tsaaaaaat!
From Makli Hweol's sword, strong steam gushes out.
In an instant, the inside of the Talisman War Great Death Mausoleum arena turns humid, filling with water energy.
"Am I wrong, Daoist 'Makli Cheop-ja'?"
Hoo-woong.
The moment Makli Hweol makes a motion of swinging his sword downward!
Kugugugugugugu!
The water energy filling the arena instantly transforms into a gigantic sea of clouds.
Immediately after, the sea of clouds becomes a gigantic cloud dragon, and it envelops Makli Cheop-ja's body with its claws and fangs, beginning to press him down.
Makli Cheop-ja fires black cutting strikes from his hand and tries to shake off the cloud dragon, but the cloud dragon's head flares up like a candle flame and presses down and tramples Makli Cheop-ja even more strongly.
Makli Cheop-ja vomits blood and laughs.
"As expected...now I understand why you, Makli Hweol, are called one of the Ten Excellences of the Qi Refining stage. Even if it is in restoration, for even me, who learned an ancient devilish arts, to be unable to win...within the same Qi Refining stage, there is no being who is your equal!"
As if he realizes in an instant the gap between Makli Hweol and himself, Makli Cheop-ja makes a somehow complicated expression.
But right after, he howls as if roaring and triggers the latent potential of his entire body.
"But then...why, with such powerful talent and potential...why do you branch family bastards not cross over to the Devilish Path over such paltry sense of justice!? Why do you not follow the will of the main family!?"
Makli Hweol, as if he does not even feel the need to answer, silently presses down the surging energy of Makli Cheop-ja, who is explosively releasing his latent potential, with an even stronger momentum.
Wo-woong!
Makli Hyun-ah suddenly senses faint demonic energy flowing from Makli Hweol's entire body.
Even when he checks again, it is indeed the kind of energy that flows from demon beasts.
Kwarurung!
The cloud dragon looks as if it shines in all of the heavens' natural colors, and then, just like that, it becomes several times heavier and begins to smash the arena floor.
"Demon ability, Three Hundred Million Jin Sweet Water Peach."
The particles of the droplets that form the cloud dragon become more than twice as heavy, and the cloud dragon's overall weight begins to reach three hundred million jin.
"Kuaaaaaaah!!"
Makli Cheop-ja gets trampled by Makli Hweol even as he explodes his latent potential, and he begins to laugh with a twisted grin.
"Ke, kuhahahaha! So it is true that you cultivate with human-demon dual cultivation? You do not even use a Beast Taming method, and with only the power of your true body you can produce demon arts to this extent... But this also ends now. It is not only the Black Blade Severing Secrets that the main family has unearthed... It is something you cannot even imagine!
"A Shaman Family Method that breaks away from existing Immortal Family Methods...! It is an authority you can obtain not from some power humans gain through effort, but by merely offering sacrifices to existences that are unimaginably higher...! You, even if you are the branch family's rising star now, shall later become the main family's doormat!"
Kwaaaaaang!
Makli Cheop-ja's body seems to swell, and then his flesh goes off with a pop and bursts apart.
Dozens of black cutting strikes whip around like a storm centered on his flesh, but Makli Hweol changes the cloud dragon into the form of mist and covers the cutting strikes in a hemispherical veil, so there is no additional major damage.
Makli Hyun-ah is severely shocked as he watches a human explode to death right in front of his eyes, but he does not have time to just sit there in surprise.
Makli Hweol speaks with a dark expression.
"That self-destruction just now was not that man's will. Through that Shaman Family Method or whatever...he became 'connected' to something. Judging from the spiritual energy fluctuation, it is likely the Seogyeong Makli Line's Nascent Soul Grand Elder...! If that one directly forced the one to self-destruct...it means, with a high probability, that through the spirit of the connected Makli Cheop-ja, they already received every piece of information he found out...!"
He quickly holds a voice transmission talisman in his hand, and as he breathes his will into the voice transmission talisman, he contacts someone through it.
After a while, Makli Hweol receives a reply through the voice transmission talisman and speaks with an urgent expression.
"Everyone! Evacuate! Right now, it is said the Seogyeong Makli line is coming to immediately invade the main family!"
At those words, everyone in the arena, including Makli Hyun-ah, fall into chaos in an instant.
Those of other cultivation families and the Mountain and Seas cultivators are horrified and begin to run out of the arena, and only the Makli Clan's younger generation remain and gather under Makli Hweol.
"Makli Hweol Hyung-nim! What should we do?"
"Head to the main hall. I am not supposed to activate it now, but...there are plans prepared in the main hall in case of times like this!"
"Yes!"
"Daoist Makli Hyun-ah, let us go!"
"Uh, uuaah, wait a moment!"
Makli Hweol hoists Makli Hyun-ah up, immediately takes out a flying magic artifact, and flies out of the arena.
Makli Hyun-ah panics and hurriedly sucks in Makli Badger and the rabbits into the beat scroll.
***
Makli Clan main hall.
There, dozens of Elders and Grand Elders gather and begin to discuss with serious faces.
"Are you saying the Seogyeong bastards suddenly declared war?"
"Wooo! An attack without an ultimatum or a declaration of war violates the treaty!"
"Hmph, do those Devilish Path bastards care about that? This is not the time to whine about something like that!"
"Is there anyone who knows why those people suddenly started a war?"
While the Grand Elders urgently exchange opinions, the Cultivation Elder Makli Hye-seo quietly opens her mouth.
"From what I hear from Hweol, it seems they saw the method that the child of the Extreme Ghost Path Body obtained. When they saw that Small Demon Pacifying Heaven Formation or whatnot that the child unfolded, they likely felt a great sense of alarm."
"Keuuek...were they shocked by the Upper Realm method that the child obtained!? But in the first place, how did they even send a spy...? We too, through the ancient-era formation that Lord Makli Cheon-sa laid out before leaving, can filter out everyone who enters the clan with 'malice'!"
It is not that the humans of the Lianshan Makli Line are idiots and therefore allowed a spy.
They did invite rogue cultivators and people from other families to hold the tournament, but they invited only those who are all people they have been acquainted with since early on.
Moreover, when they enter the tournament grounds inside the clan, they all go through inspections one by one, and lastly, the ancient-era formation that Makli Cheon-sa laid out and left behind before ascending filters out all those who have malice or impure intentions.
At those words, Makli Hye-seo recalls the information Makli Hweol sent and speaks.
"Everyone should already know because of the voice transmission talisman from Hweol...but it seems the Seogyeong Makli Line dug up something called an ancient-era Shaman Family Method. I do not know well either, but it seems the Shaman Family Method borrows power from an existence like a god that exists in a higher dimension...so through the Shaman Family Method, by borrowing the power of a higher being, they seem to have been able to push a spy in."
"Kugh...those Seogyeong bastards. They got something annoying in their hands...!"
The Makli Clan's family head, Makli Hong, lets out a sigh. But soon, his eyes fill with a resolute light.
"No matter what, if they come invading first with alarm in their hearts, we cannot just sit still. The preparation period is short, but we must activate it now. Gather the clan's talents! Tell the ones in the branches to immediately ride the teleportation formation and gather at the main family as well! Right now, at once. Our Lianshan Makli Line shall activate the 'Heavenly Transfer Plan'!"
At Makli Hong's order, countless Elders and Grand Elders move in unison and begin to operate the formations installed throughout the Lianshan Makli Clan.
Teleportation formations activate all over the Lianshan Makli Clan, and from the places where the Lianshan Makli Clan's branches exist, numerous Elders and external members pour into the headquarters.
Watching the formations activate, Makli Hong speaks to Makli Hye-seo.
"Elder Makli Hye-seo. I am sorry, but...I would like to ask to borrow strength from Elder's contracted demon beast. Right now, the only one who can display Nascent Soul stage combat power is, in any case, only Elder's contracted demon beast."
At his request, Makli Hye-seo looks at her shadow.
Where Makli Hye-seo's gaze reaches, her shadow twists.
Makli Hong swallows hard and stares at Makli Hye-seo's shadow.
Her shadow has, before he knows it, changed into an existence with a fox's head and three or four tails.
Makli Hye-seo shrugs as she looks at that shadow.
"...That one is not someone I can command as I please...so I do not know. If that one's interest stirs, that one comes out, and if that one's interest does not stir, that one will protect only me to the end."
"...Is that so? Understood...for now, let us try to hold out as much as we can with only ourselves."
Makli Hong nods with a heavy expression, and as he watches the formations activate, he quickly flies to the Clan Head hall.
Kugugugugugu!
As the formation of the entire Makli Clan activates, tension rises on the faces of all the clan members.
***
"Uh, uuaak, Daoist Makli Hweol—uuuuwoop! Wh-What in the world is happening—uuup!?"
Makli Hyun-ah, slung over Makli Hweol's shoulder, flies quickly, and he endures the vomit rising from flight sickness with superhuman willpower.
Makli Hweol looks at the Makli Clan Headquarters a little distance away from the arena, and with a hardened expression flies insanely fast, and they succeed in arriving at the headquarters before the formation covering the Makli Clan Headquarters fully activates.
"Woop, uuuwoop!"
As soon as he arrives, Makli Hyun-ah retches outside the formation, and Makli Hweol hurriedly drags Makli Hyun-ah inside the formation.
"Do not go outside the formation. The main family's Heavenly Transfer Plan will begin."
"H-Heavenly Transfer Plan...what is that?"
"Yes...first, please use Daoist's talisman art to seal the bad breath a bit. Since you were in the middle of retching, there is a bit of a smell."
Makli Hyun-ah grumbles, seals his mouth odor, and then asks Makli Hweol once more about what the Heavenly Transfer Plan is.
"What is the Heavenly Transfer Plan?"
"That...you will know when you see it. It is going to begin now."
Kugugugugugu!
The light of the formation covering the Makli Clan Headquarters grows brighter.
"Th-This is...!"
Kuoooo!
Lianshan Makli Clan Headquarters.
The entire land they are on begins to float up into the sky inside a formation.
At the eight directions of the formation, eight Qi Building Elders each form hand seals and pour pure spiritual force into the land as they activate the formation, and the Core Formation Grand Elders and the Clan Head of the Lianshan Makli Line seem to be taking charge of some central axis of the formation from the Clan Head hall.
Woo-wooong!
Makli Hyun-ah's eyes grow as big as oil lamps, and he gapes at the solemn sight of the main family and part of the main family's manor rising into the sky.
Soon, from inside the Clan Head hall, the spirit speech of the Clan Head Makli Hong bursts out and shakes the entire clan.
[Target point, below the western great mountain range. Righteous Dao Immortal Sect Alliance's headquarters! Begin Heavenly Transfer!]
Kugugugugu!
The earth that supports the manor of the Lianshan Makli Clan changes shape according to the hand seals of the Elders and Grand Elders.
Kuuung!
Soon, the entire ground changes as if into someone's face, and from the back of that face's head, spiritual energy jets out, and the land begins to fly westward.
"Heavenly Transfer Plan. It is a plan that has been continuously pushed forward ever since Ancestor Makli Cheon-sa discovered an ancient-era flying formation. It was pushed forward with the intent of moving all of the main family's land near the Righteous Dao Immortal Sect Alliance's headquarters to block interference from the Seogyeong Makli Line."
Makli Hweol looks at the chunk of earth changed into the shape of someone's face and lets out a sound of admiration.
"I have seen it a few times in the proposal...but it truly is an ancient-era formation. This is the first time I am seeing it in person, and it is even more majestic than I expected. I heard that the face of that formation references the face of some general puppet from the distant ancient era..."
"Hmm...but that formation face looks really funny, puhaha! Ah, what did you say, Daoist Hweol?"
"...I am explaining the Heavenly Transfer Plan. Focus!"
"Yep..."
"Anyway, now that Ancestor Makli Cheon-sa ascended...in our Lianshan Makli Line, there is only two...no, only about one Nascent Soul-level force, so we cannot even make a fight against the Seogyeong Makli Line that has as many as three Nascent Soul stage powers, which is why we set up this plan."
"Wh-What, as many as three Nascent Soul stage powers?"
Makli Hyun-ah trembles as he recalls the Immortal Cultivation system and realms he heard from Makli Hweol.
'There are three humans who can beat the bear!'
"Th-Then at that level, isn't it better to just be absorbed...?"
"Haha, do not be afraid, Daoist Makli Hyun-ah. The Seogyeong Makli Line has many enemies. To the point that if even one of the three Nascent Soul stage powers leaves their post, they will be immediately invaded. And we also do have a Nascent Soul-level power. It is just that it is hard for us to fight properly...so there is no need to worry too mu—"
It is when Makli Hweol is reassuring Makli Hyun-ah.
One of the Elders who is in charge of the formation's rear axis shouts loudly.
"They are coming! Those Seogyeong bastards are chasing on a warship!"
Deeeng— Deeeng— Deeeng!
A bell sound rings through the entire Makli Clan, and the clan members all head to the rear at once.
Makli Hyun-ah also turns his gaze to the rear, and at the same time, he can see a gigantic warship chasing them from behind.
'A, a ship is flying around in the sky!? With the sails even spread!? Is that even physically possible?'
Makli Hyun-ah cannot help but be dumbfounded as he watches the warship, which has its sails spread yet chases them faster than most airplanes, but he soon admits that, regardless, it has romance.
'It is cool, though.'
[Members of the Lianshan Makli Clan, listen! Those Seogyeong bastards are chasing us. If we are caught by those filthy Devilish Path bastards, there is no future! So, all of you, fight to the death!]
"Uwaaaaaaaah!"
War cries burst out everywhere, and the elders and the younger generation of the Makli Clan all pull out talismans and magic artifacts and the like.
Soon, the warship sent from the Seogyeong Makli Line catches up to right beside their Heavenly Transfer formation.
Chiiiiii—
Makli Hyun-ah swallows with a gulp as he looks at the black aura pouring out from the humans of the Seogyeong Makli Line.
[That is devilish energy...]
Even just from the energy he feels, it is gloomy, damp, dark, and vile.
'It is power that fits me perfectly...but if I fell there at the start, I probably wouldn't be the side that learns it, but the side that is used as material, right?'
Makli Hyun-ah feels that the thing called devilish arts matches him well, but soon he grasps his place and shakes his head.
Immediately after, from the warship of the Seogyeong Makli Clan, cannons fire.
Kwagwang, kwagwagwag!
The cannon that fires spells by injecting spiritual power, and the many dharma treasures and magic artifacts mounted on the warship, all blaze with light.
"Daoist Makli Hyun-ah, please withdraw to the rear. The battle is something the other younger experts will do. My duty is to protect you in case of emergency, so please stay with me."
Makli Hweol moves Makli Hyun-ah back, and the younger generation of the Lianshan Makli Clan step forward and take a position to resist.
Soon, the younger generation of the Lianshan Makli Clan also bring forth their magic artifacts and contracted demon beasts and begin responding.
Kuwawak!
The demon beasts attack the warship through their own abilities and bodies, and they block the attacks of the Seogyeong Makli Clan's devilish cultivators with their bodies.
And that is not the end.
Hoong, hoong, hoong, ho-woong!
When the younger generation of the Makli Clan each pull out talismans and pour spiritual energy into them, countless phantoms of demon beasts rise from the talismans and leap into the warship to attack the devilish cultivators.
They are the Naming Family talismans that Makli Hyun-ah made and distributed in large quantities.
And as Makli Hyun-ah soon looks at the talisman handling methods of the younger generation, he is so shocked his eyes look like they are about to pop out.
'Uh, uhh...wait, that... :'
"Come out, Blue-Eyes Sea Dragon!"
"Come out, Blue-Eyes Sea Dragon!"
"Come out."
"Come out."
"Come o..."
Shushushushushut!
Thirty Blue-Eyes Sea Dragon phantoms are summoned into the void, and according to the younger generation's spell formulas, the phantoms overlap.
And it is when the overlapped sea dragons become thirty.
Kuuoooooo!
The aura of the sea dragons seems to clump together solidly and densely, and that vital energy gathers into one and changes into the shape of a completely different being.
Kuwawawak!
The younger generation all form hand seals at once and shout toward the combined sea dragon form.
"Come out, the ultimate Blue-Eyes Sea Dragon!"
Kugugugugu!
They gathered thirty sea dragon talismans at the Qi Refining mid-low level and created a sea dragon at the Qi Building level.
The Blue-Eyes Sea Dragon that reaches the Qi Building level roars loudly and begins to use its divine power.
Aura gathers from both sides of the Qi Building sea dragon's neck, and it makes two more heads.
In an instant, the sea dragon phantom that changes into the form of a three-headed dragon spews an even more overwhelming-sized dragon wave from its mouths, which increased to three.
Kuwawawawak!
The sea dragon's dragon wave smashes the three main cannons that the Seogyeong Makli Clan's warship has.
Makli Hyun-ah gapes at the sight.
'The ultimate Blue-Eyes Sea Dragon! H-How did they wield talismans? A way of using them like that...even I, the creator of the Talisman War competition, can't do it!'
What Makli Hyun-ah passed down as Talisman War has, before he knew it, slipped out of his hands and is growing on its own.
Kugugung!
But his surprise is only for a moment.
The Seogyeong Makli Clan members who lost their main cannons all begin chanting incantations with grim expressions as they start forming a formation.
Above the warship, suspicious spell characters begin to appear inside the formation they form, and an evil aura coils around the area.
The clan members of the Lianshan Makli Clan pour attacks to prevent them from finishing their suspicious act, but they endure the offensive with all their strength and, in the end, begin to complete the spell formation.
And at some moment,
Someone who seems to be a Qi Building Elder of the Seogyeong Makli Clan stands at the center of the spell formation.
The Elder has a hardened expression, as if they made a firm resolve, and the younger generation who see him shout.
"A Qi Building stage has stepped out!"
[Do not fear! From a Qi Building Elder onward, respond with the power of the formation! All of you, form ranks and only pay attention to the Qi Refining cultivators!]
As if answering the younger generation's complaints, from the Lianshan Makli Clan's Clan Head hall, the Clan Head's spirit speech bursts out and stabilizes them.
Chijijijik—
And, as if proving the Clan Head's words,
When the eight Qi Building Elders positioned in each of the eight directions all form hand seals at once, powerful lightning flows through the formation and the formation's light becomes thicker.
[It is a formation unfolded over the clan that filters out spiritual energy of the Qi Building stage and above! The weak spiritual energy of a Qi Refining cultivator is not filtered out, but it can protect you sufficiently from Qi Building cultivators! Put down your worries!]
At the Clan Head's spirit speech, relief flows over the younger generation's faces and their morale begins to rise.
But just then,
The Qi Building elder of the Seogyeong Makli Clan, who they thought was going to attack, only shouts loudly from the center of the spell formation.
"I, Makli Simseong-chung, devote this one body for the Makli Clan!"
Wooooooo!
With that declaration, grim ghostly energy settles over the entire body of the Seogyeong Makli Clan's Qi Building elder Makli Simseong-chung, and from Makli Simseong-chung's mouth, spirit speech bursts forth.
[O Thee who stands at the summit of Black Blades.
[O Existence who is paired with the Peng Bird that rules the Antimatter Sea.
[O Black God who polishes the Devilish beneath countless Myriad Stars!]
It is wicked.
Something wicked, and even more wicked, is forth into reality, using Makli Simseong-chung's body as a 'door'.
[This one who believes that a single strand of Thy hair is greater than the Nine Mountains Eight Seas pleads. I beseech for the ferocious beast that lives in that single strand of hair. This one pleads to send the beast that lives on the Black Star of infinite attraction force!
[In accordance with the contract of the Shaman Family, I summon forth at the price of a lifespan of 30 years!
[Come, O Beast of Black Star!]
Kwadudududuk!
The moment those words end, Makli Simseong-chung's flesh begins to crack like pottery.
But without their form collapsing completely.
From the cracked places, something begins to flow out.
That faraway dimension.
From that vast and dark place, an existence belonging to darkness begins to descend into reality.
***
Inside Makli Hyun-ah's beast scroll.
There, Badger, who gets defied when he tries to give the rabbits the name 'Rabbit Seven Heavenly Lords,' is subduing the rabbits as he fights them.
Amidst the fight, suddenly, Badger briefly stops oppressing the rabbits at a familiar aura he feels from outside the beast scroll, his eyes flickering.
"So they descend."