Chapter 112: Lotus (20)

I will kill him.

I will kill that creature.

Fiercely, savagely, I will shred his body into ten thousand pieces and kill him.

Swoosh!

As I fly through the air, kicking the void, swarms of black curses pour out around me like ants, leaving their mark.

I follow his trail with the demon senses active.

It isn't hard to track him down.

The spiritual energy of the places he had passed through are all unstable and flickering, and the scent of blood is blatantly strong.

Whoosh!

I absorb the Yin Soul Ghost Incantations swirling around me. I turn them into spiritual power, converting that spiritual power into internal energy for my Formless Sword, and then accelerate the Formless Sword even further.

Boom!

The sound of breaking air rumbles, and the impact of me rushing through the void causes the surrounding sand to scatter and turn into a sandstorm.

With bloodshot eyes, I run towards an area with a strong scent of blood.

"..."

It's a desert tribe located south of Cheon-saek City.

This tribe too has turned into a sea of blood.

Yuan Li is continuing his blood sacrifice, gradually regaining his Nascent Soul cultivation, and his speed is starting to increase.

I won't be able to catch up at this rate.

He is likely to keep getting faster.

What should I do?

As I ponder, a brown flying dharma treasure zooms towards me.

Boom!

I block the dharma treasure with my Formless Sword and glare at the person who shot it.

"You... Is it you! Are you the one who massacred this tribe under the Gongmyo Clan?"

He looks to be an elder of the Core Formation stage of the Gongmyo Clan.

His face bloodshot, beholds the massacred tribe and shouts at me.

"You! Answer me!"

I swing my Formless Sword without a word.

Kugugugu!

Although weaker than when I was fully prepared for facing Yuan Li, I'm still a formidable Core Formation level force.

The elder of the Gongmyo Clan is startled by my power and withdraws his dharma treasure, glaring at me.

I look at him with empty eyes.

"If you saw what just happened, you would know. The energy of the blood sacrifice in this city and the energy of my strike are completely different... I am also chasing the monster responsible for this. This creature killed all my dear ones."

"But, but... There's no proof that you're not involved in this! Do you know how precious these resources are? Compensate immediately..."

Kuaang!

I send another Formless Sword attack towards the annoying elder of the Gongmyo Clan.

A small valley forms right next to him.

"Noisy, shut up. Before I kill you."

Swoosh!

Every time I open my mouth, hundreds of curses gush out, filling my surroundings.

The curse spells are countless, filling the area around me, appearing akin to black mist surrounding me.

"Ugh, how can I trust the words of a devilish cultivator like you who practices such devilish arts...!"

"...This is not a devilish art."

Cough, cough!

Feeling a tightness in my chest, I cough, and more curses flood out of my mouth.

"It's a method... a method of curse incantations that only realizes one's own pain to understand pain. Yes, a method that sacrifices no one, a method that doesn't need to sacrifice anyone... This is not a devilish art...! I didn't sacrifice anyone...!"

I scream, clutching my head.

Hack, hack!

Black curses continue to cascade every time my mouth opens.

"But why...! Why are they taking them from me...! Why...! Why! Why!"

I cry black tears mixed with curses, holding my head, emitting a black mist of curse spells from my whole body.

"Why!!!"

It's then that the elder of the Gongmyo Clan, who has been watching me go mad, flinches.

Flash!

From far away, in the direction of Cheon-saek City, a blue light flashes, and someone flies over.

"Who!!! Who killed Ryeong! Who!!!"

Cheongmun Jung-jin.

The head of the Cheongmun Clan.

He seems to have rushed over in a hurry after hearing Cheongmun Ryeong's message, but it was already too late.

His eyes meet mine amidst the black mist.

"You are... You! What is this about! Explain!"

"Ah, the head of the Cheongmun Clan. Do you know him?"

"A friend of Cheongmun Ryeong."

"I suspect this person is the monster behind this massacre. That black thing... If that's not devilish arts, then what is?"

"...I will vouch for his identity. Ryeong who was in Cheon-saek City is also dead. This person was Ryeong's friend, so it can't be him."

Cheongmun Jung-jin vouched for my identity, and I explained the situation to him with empty eyes.

"So, you're saying a Nascent Soul old monster pretending to be of Core Formation in the Heaven-Treading Desert has started this massacre now that the Heavenly Being seniors have ascended...!"

I nod, and both Cheongmun Jung-jin and the Gongmyo Clan elder's faces grow serious after hearing my explanation.

The elder of the Gongmyo Clan says gravely,

"We must catch him! If what this person says is true, then this Yuan Li, the Nascent Soul old monster, is not only regaining his power by collecting his Blood Spirit but also absorbing the lives of each city, becoming stronger than his original cultivation! Now is the weakest he will be, we must catch and kill him!

But Cheongmun Jung-jin looks unwell.

"What do you intend to do? That Nascent Soul old monster is gradually regaining his Nascent Soul strength and becoming faster and stronger, while we can barely match up, let alone catch him!"

The elder of the Gongmyo Clan takes out a communication device.

"I will contact the elders and clan head! You too, contact the elders of the Cheongmun Clan and gather the Core Formation cultivators! If that Yuan Li went to the Northern Grasslands as well, the Core Formation cultivators of those tribes must be urgently chasing him by now!"

He declares,,

"We must immediately gather all the Core Formation cultivators of the continent and kill that Nascent Soul old monster!"

The two Core Formation cultivators sent messages to their clans.

"…Do you have any idea how that Yuan Li, the Nascent Soul cultivator, might move?"

I shake my head.

I can follow the traces, but his speed is increasing, widening the gap.

Then, I remember the location of the castle where Yuan Li resided.

"...I don't know where the old monster will go, but I know where he will return."

"What…! Really?"

I recall the black castle I had seen and the corresponding location, and share this information with them.

"Yes, then let's inform the elders of the clan and the head of the Byeok Clan. The whole continent should know that a Nascent Soul old monster has started his rampage. I'll also send messages to the Jin Clan of Yanguo and the Makli Clan."

"Shengzi will be informed by the clans of Yanguo, and the Gongmyo Clan will contact the lords of the Eastern States beyond the Heaven-Treading Desert. I don't know if the Nascent Soul old monster has already visited there, but at least we can warn them."

"The Cheongmun Clan will also get in contact with the chiefs of the Northern Grasslands."

Cheongmun Jung-jin and the elder of the Gongmyo Clan, with serious expressions, took out their communicators and made contacts.

After a while, both nodded.

"With this, the whole continent should be informed. Let's go east to the coordinates this person has given, where the Nascent Soul old monster will return!"

After speaking, the elder of the Gongmyo Clan flies towards the Heaven-Treading Desert using the Flying Escape Technique.

Cheongmun Jung-jin looks at me.

"You should go back and take care of the remains of those who left. You were a friend of Ryeong, and his remains too…"

"Let's go together."

I gaze at Cheongmun Jung-jin.

"I also have business with that creature."

"…You don't understand, do you? With your skill, merely at the Qi Building stage…"

Boom!

I swing my Formless Sword, showing my true strength.

Cheongmun Jung-jin stares at me in surprise.

"I apologize for hiding my strength. I am of Core Formation prowess. Please let me take part in avenging Cheongmun Ryeong."

"…Understood."

Cheongmun Jung-jin nods, and I fly with him to Yuan Li's castle.

Whoosh!

"There's a formation here."

Me, Cheongmun Jung-jin, and the elder of the Gongmyo Clan observe the giant sandstorm in the middle of the Heaven-Treading Desert.

"Seeing this formation, it's likely that within is the residence of the Nascent Soul old monster."

"I don't know much about formations…"

Both look a bit perplexed, and I silently step forward to start analyzing the formation.

"Ah, do you know how to handle formations?"

"It's fortunate indeed. After all, you did research formations with Ryeong…"

Thinking of Cheongmun Ryeong, Cheongmun Jung-jin clenches his fists tightly.

Days pass.

Boom!

In the middle of the Heaven-Treading Desert.

Here, Core Formation cultivators began to gather.

Core Formation cultivators from the Northern Grasslands, dressed in the attire of their tribes.

Core Formation cultivators from beyond the eastern direction of the Heaven-Treading Desert, ruling as lords.

The Three Clans of Byeokra.

Cheongmun Jung-jin, head of the Cheongmun Clan, and his six Core Formation elders.

Head of the Gongmyo Clan, Gongmyo Ryeong, and his six Core Formation elders.

Head of the Byeok Clan, Byeok Cheon-gi, and his five Core Formation elders.

The Two Clans of Yanguo.

Head of the Makli Clan, Makli Hwang-cheon, and his seven elders.

Head of the Jin Clan, Jin Yeo-woon, and his five elders.

The Seven Clans of Shengzi.

Head of the Jinlu Clan, Jinlu Yeon-cheon, and her eight elders.

Head of the Ha Clan, Ha Ryeon.

Head of the Geo Clan, Geo Bok-won.

Head of the Jun Clan, Jun Je-yeol.

Head of the Yeoljeon Clan, Yeoljeon Ri.

Head of the Ori Clan, Ori Cheon-ryeong.

Head of the Jeon Clan, Jeon Chil-seon.

49 Core Formation cultivators from the Western Three Countries of the Heaven-Treading Desert.

43 Core Formation cultivators from the Northern Grasslands of the Heaven-Treading Desert.

54 Core Formation cultivators from the Eastern States of the Heaven-Treading Desert.

And three rare Core Formation loose cultivators.

Over 100 Core Formation cultivators densely surround the formation.

One of the tribal chiefs from the Northern Grasslands shouts angrily,

"This is outrageous! We can't even count how many tribes that Nascent Soul old monster has massacred!!!"

"Our Byeokra as well! That Nascent Soul old monster has committed massacres in dozens of cities! We can't let such a devil roam free!"

"He hid his cultivation waiting for the Heavenly Being seniors to ascend. Nobody knows what vile intentions that old monster harbors! We can't let that Nascent Soul old monster roam free!"

Many Core Formation cultivators outside the formation are seething with anger, and a few formation masters among them began to dismantle the sandstorm formation with my help.

"We must wait here for that old monster, ambush, and kill him!"

Among them, one of the three Core Formation hermits, an old man wearing a bamboo hat and gray robes, raises his voice angrily.

"He killed my great-grandson! I will kill him! I will grind his bones and eat his flesh!!!"

Just like me, those who have lost loved ones.

"That old monster massacred a tribe under the Gongmyo Clan! How precious are the ores mined from that tribe! That Nascent Soul old monster must pay!"

Those who seek compensation.

"To massacre the bloodline of the grasslands, what a disgrace! I will tear his flesh and restore the honor of my fallen tribes!"

Those who sought honor.

"That creature completely destroyed our state's city! Such a dangerous being cannot be left free. He must be eliminated quickly!"

Those who want to eradicate Yuan Li before he becomes stronger.

Many opinions are exchanged, but the conclusion is one.

Yuan Li, the Bloodwood Practitioner.

This murderous old monster must be killed.

Boom!

Thanks to the efforts of me and several Core Formation masters, the sandstorm formation disappeared, revealing the black castle inside.

"First, let's invade his headquarters and destroy any dharma treasures or formations that might aid him!"

"Yes, good! We need to be fully prepared to face the Nascent Soul old monster!"

Silently, I fly among the Core Formation cultivators towards the black castle.

I approach Cheongmun Jung-jin and inform him regarding the ability of the castle.

Cheongmun Jung-jin shouts to others,

"This castle is a kind of dharma treasure. The Nascent Soul old monster can elevate his cultivation by one level inside it! If he recovers his early Nascent Soul cultivation, he can wield mid-Nascent Soul strength inside. If he recovers his mid-Nascent Soul cultivation, he can wield late Nascent Soul strength inside! We must pulverize this castle before the old monster returns!"

Cheongmun Jung-jin's words quickly gained trust and spread among those present.

Numerous Core Formation cultivators took out their dharma treasures from their storage devices and began to strike the black castle.

However, a kind of barrier appeared over the dharma treasure.

The barrier blocked the attacks of the Core Formation cultivators and protected the castle from crumbling.

"Ugh, it seems difficult to penetrate this barrier without a Nascent Soul level attack."

"Then..."

The Core Formation cultivators quickly convened for a meeting.

"It's an ancient formation. Even if formation masters rush in, dismantling this ancient barrier is a remote possibility. There's no other way than to break it by force."

"What should we do then..."

Numerous discussions are exchanged, and we, on the Heaven-Treading Desert, discuss strategies to confront Yuan Li with serious expressions.

And a few days later.

Kugugugugugu!

From afar, beyond the horizon, a blood-red cloud rises.

The faces of the more than a hundred Core Formation cultivators darken.

"Early… Nascent... Peak...!"

As Yuan Li approaches within the red blood cloud, the Core Formation cultivators grit their teeth.

Yuan Li's momentum is much stronger than when I had faced him, and his malice is beyond description.

[Haha, the bugs are quick with rumors. Have you come thinking you could handle me?]

Kugugugugu!

Yuan Li, enveloped by the blood cloud, looked around the audience and spoke calmly.

"Even if it's you, do you think you can defeat so many Core Formation cultivators...?"

Cheongmun Jung-jin shouts, stepping forward and glaring at Yuan Li..

Kugugugugu!

Yuan Li, amidst the blood cloud, looks down at us calmly and speaks,

[Just because there are many fireflies, does it compare to the light of the sun?]

The killing intent of many Core Formation cultivators are directed at Yuan Li, who has regained the strength of the peak early stage of Nascent Soul.

[Come at me, insects.]

Then.

I'm the first to step forward, drawing my Formless Sword.

I have fully recovered my spiritual power and internal energy over the past few days.

Definitely. This time for sure.

I will kill this monster.