Chapter 36 of 45

Chapter 36

Chapter 36, Fight Until You Die

Ziiiiing!

After a strange sound rang out once, a circular barrier of qi formed over an area of roughly twenty jang.

Hwancheonma sensed the strange change and once again gathered true qi into his hand before striking down at Jaha's head.

It was a move filled with the determination to kill Jaha no matter what.

However, before Hwancheonma's hand could even touch Jaha's head, an enormous rebound force blasted it away.

His hand went numb from the impact.

Hwancheonma could not bring himself to ask what kind of trick this was because of his pride, so he only twitched his cheek.

Instead, Shinbi rushed forward and shouted.

"You bastard! What kind of trick did you pull?!"

Jaha grinned at him.

"If you ask after falling for it, that puts me in a difficult position."

"The weather is clear, so it can't be the Water Thunder Formation. What formation is this?"

Jaha answered Shinbi's shout.

"It's called the Heavenly Prison Formation. It's similar to the Force-Reversal Rebound Formation."

The ones most shocked by Jaha's words were, naturally, Deung Hwahong and Zhuge Yuyeon.

They had never heard of the Heavenly Prison Formation, but they knew about the Force-Reversal Rebound Formation.

The Heavenly Prison Formation had been created by Jagang, so it was natural that they had never heard of it.

On the other hand, despite its ordinary sounding name, the Force-Reversal Rebound Formation was known as an extraordinary formation.

"My goodness. The Force-Reversal Rebound Formation was said to have been lost long ago. I never thought someone who could use it still existed."

When Zhuge Yuyeon said that, Deung Hwahong nodded.

"I've only ever heard its name too."

The two women, both highly knowledgeable in formations, became excited at the thought of seeing a formation they had only heard about with their own eyes.

Songrim asked from beside them.

"What kind of formation is the Force-Reversal Rebound Formation? If it's that formation, are we safe?"

Songrim's greatest concern was the safety of Deung Hwahong and the others.

Naturally, he was very interested in Jaha's formation.

"If what stopped Hwancheonma really is the Force-Reversal Rebound Formation, then we're safe."

When Zhuge Yuyeon said that with certainty, the faces of Songrim and Magae, who had been listening nearby, immediately brightened.

"Really? Is it that powerful?"

Songrim asked.

"The Force-Reversal Rebound Formation returns as much force as those trapped inside use while trying to break it."

"A formation like that actually exists? Then can't we keep them trapped until they die?"

Zhuge Yuyeon gently shook her head.

"That's impossible. Every powerful formation has a weakness matching its strength. The Force-Reversal Rebound Formation can only last around half a shichen at most. Young Hero Byeok said the Heavenly Prison Formation is similar to it, so it will probably disappear after half a shichen as well. I think Young Hero Byeok plans to leave this place before that happens."

Everyone nodded at Zhuge Yuyeon's explanation.

They had wondered what Jaha had been doing so diligently around the area earlier. Now that they realized it had all been preparation for the Heavenly Prison Formation, they looked at him in a new light.

"What? We're trapped too?"

Western Monster Saeng Goryang shouted.

Go Deung heard him and looked around.

When he realized that they too had been trapped inside the formation together with Hwancheonma, he glared at Jaha.

"I'll kill you someday."

He spoke while grinding his teeth.

Jaha was not frightened at all by the threat.

"Shouldn't you survive first before killing me? I don't think Hwancheonma over there plans to let you live."

Since Jaha was not wrong, Go Deung could not argue back.

Truthfully, he could not be certain he would survive against Hwancheonma.

Even Leader Ma Gi, the Black-Hearted Jade Demon, had been unable to stand against Hwancheonma. There was no guarantee that the Protectors and Venerated Retainers could stop him.

When Go Deung's expression twisted, Jaha spoke gently.

His tone sounded as though he were speaking to an old friend of ten years.

"I'm willing to tell you how to deal with Hwancheonma. What do you think? Would you like to hear it?"

"You think I'd listen to something from a bastard like you?!"

Go Deung immediately shouted.

"Is that so? Understood. Then we'll be leaving now."

Just as Jaha spoke as though he was about to turn away, Ma Gi said,

"What is it? The method to deal with Hwancheonma."

Ma Gi believed that if Jaha could set up such a strange formation, then he must also have a plan for dealing with Hwancheonma.

"I'll tell you."

Just as Jaha was about to explain, Magae interrupted.

"Wait, Young Hero Byeok. Why would you tell them something like that?"

When Magae tried to stop him, Goeui spoke.

"It's to maintain the balance. He judged that the Western Gorge Sect couldn't deal with Hwancheonma. So he's giving the Western Gorge Sect more strength so they can injure Hwancheonma. This isn't something you should interfere with."

Dang Jong and Namgung Cheol had been about to stop Jaha for the same reason as Magae, but after hearing Goeui, they quietly pulled back the feet they had stepped forward.

Deung Hwahong added to Goeui's explanation.

"He's right. Both sides are ultimately our enemies. So rather than having one side dominate, isn't it better if the two sides destroy each other? That's what Young Hero Byeok is aiming for. He's not trying to help the Western Gorge Sect."

Even Deung Hwahong understood that much. Songrim and Magae felt ashamed that they had overlooked it, and their ears turned red.

They controlled their true qi so their faces did not turn red, but they could not control their ears.

The forces of Hwancheonma and the Western Gorge Sect, trapped inside the Heavenly Prison Formation, remained facing each other while listening carefully to Jaha.

They were curious about the method for dealing with Hwancheonma.

The people standing behind Jaha also listened closely.

"Didn't you wonder why there wasn't any blood on the sword even though Hwancheonma's side was pierced through?"

They had been too busy fighting to notice such a thing.

Ma Gi looked at the sword lying on the ground and nodded.

"This seat also didn't feel the sensation of piercing flesh."

"Exactly. That means Hwancheonma's side might actually be hollow. His entire body might be hollow. The Demon Cult has many qi arts, so it's completely possible."

Ma Gi's eyes gleamed.

"I see. This seat agrees with your reasoning."

"So from now on, aim for Hwancheonma's head or heart. Those parts shouldn't be hollow. I think Hwancheonma reduced his weight and skeletal structure so he could move faster. Then he made himself look broad and imposing from the outside to lure his opponents into attacking."

There was no need for words to prove that Jaha was right.

Hwancheonma's face shifted between red and blue, his expression and color constantly changing.

Because of his pride, Hwancheonma could not say anything and could only suppress his anger.

"So it's not as if there's no way to deal with him."

"What is it?"

Ma Gi suddenly realized how intently he had been listening to Jaha and straightened his bent back.

"An empty shell is naturally weak against fire. I imagine Leader Ma prepared not only hidden weapon tubes to deal with Hwancheonma, but flame tubes as well. Am I wrong?"

Jaha assumed that someone who had prepared hidden weapon tubes would not have neglected to prepare flame tubes.

"Hahaha. It's almost as if you can read this seat's mind. You're right. I prepared flame tubes."

Ma Gi admired Jaha inwardly.

If someone like this had been my subordinate, I wouldn't have suffered this much.

"If you use the flame tubes properly, Hwancheonma won't be able to treat you carelessly."

Ma Gi nodded his chin as if he had realized something.

"So because half his body is an empty shell, it will burn easily."

Jaha smiled when he saw how quickly Ma Gi understood.

This should keep Ma Gi from being defeated too easily. Now that he knows how to resist Hwancheonma, Hwancheonma will also suffer serious damage if he wants to kill Ma Gi. If they both die fighting, that would be even better.

A wicked picture was forming in Jaha's mind.

No matter how powerful Ma Gi was, he could not defeat Hwancheonma.

Jaha knew that Hwancheonma had not even shown his true strength yet.

"Now, let's go."

Jaha smiled at Hwancheonma and Ma Gi before turning away.

Hwancheonma and Ma Gi watched him leave with bitter smiles. He had created a situation where they had no choice but to fight a battle of life and death, then simply walked away.

Neither had imagined that they would be stabbed in the back this badly by such a youngster.

"Are we really leaving just like this?"

Dang Jong complained.

"Then what do you want to do?"

Jaha asked.

Dang Jong wanted to tear apart Jaha's mouth for speaking casually to him, but he endured it.

No matter what anyone said, he was the Young Family Head of a prestigious righteous martial family.

For the sake of his dignity, he could not behave like someone from the demonic path.

However, inside his mind, Dang Jong had already poisoned and assassinated Jaha dozens of times.

"If those two sides fight until they die, won't there be a chance for us to gain the benefit while they weaken each other? If so, why throw away the opportunity to eliminate both forces that are disasters to the righteous martial world? You even went through all the trouble of setting up this formation."

Dang Jong still could not let go.

If he could capture those people, his fame would shake the entire martial world.

"What if the two sides don't fight and simply wait until the formation disappears?"

"Th, that..."

He had not considered that possibility.

"They are giants who dominated an era. Thinking we can capture them easily would be a serious mistake. Right now, putting distance between us and them is the way to survive."

Namgung Cheol and Paeng Umyeong glared at Jaha.

They believed that because of Jaha, they were losing an opportunity to gain great fame throughout the martial world.

Who knew when another chance like this would ever appear?

On top of that, Hwancheonma and Ma Gi were trapped like rats inside a jar, yet Jaha was running away because he was afraid. To them, he looked like a coward.

Even so, they were not confident they could defeat Hwancheonma and Ma Gi using only their own strength.

The three believed that together with Songrim, Magae, the Martial Alliance branch warriors, and Goeui, they had enough strength to fight.

So they descended with displeased expressions. Then they saw a group rapidly approaching from the distance.

Everyone immediately became alert and prepared for battle.

However, Songrim recognized the approaching group.

"Ah! It's the Martial Alliance's Vermilion Bird Unit!"

Songrim's face brightened more than ever before.

The Martial Alliance's combat forces were operated under the Four Divine Halls and were organized under the names of the Four Divine Beasts.

They were the Vermilion Bird Unit, Azure Dragon Unit, White Tiger Unit, and Black Tortoise Unit.

Their numbers differed between wartime and peacetime. During peacetime, each unit had around one hundred members, while during wartime the number could be increased three to five times.

Currently, it was peacetime, so every unit was operating at reduced strength.

When roughly one hundred Vermilion Bird Unit warriors dressed in red martial uniforms arrived, their momentum seemed powerful enough to pierce the heavens.

"Commander Un!"

The Commander of the Vermilion Bird Unit, Un Daeryong, had risen to become a unit commander of the Martial Alliance despite being not yet forty.

He was especially famous because he had started as an ordinary warrior.

The other commanders all came from prestigious martial families, but Un Daeryong had wandered as a mercenary before joining the Martial Alliance. He spent over ten years as an ordinary warrior, then became an Incense Master, a Hall Master, and finally Commander of the Vermilion Bird Unit two years ago.

Songrim, Hall Master of the Inspection Hall, had been friendly with Un Daeryong for years and grabbed his hand.

"I'm glad you came."

Un Daeryong's thick eyebrows were especially impressive.

"I don't know whether I'm too late. I was heading toward another region for a mission when I received an urgent message, so I came here immediately."

"You're not late. Your timing is perfect."

"The order said to protect an important person. Who is it?"

Songrim answered.

"Miss Deung over here."

Un Daeryong stared quietly at Deung Hwahong for a moment.

He did not understand why an entire combat unit had been mobilized to protect such a young girl, but after hearing Songrim's explanation, he nodded.

Songrim and Magae quickly explained the situation.

"So she's a girl being targeted by both Hwancheonma and the Black-Hearted Jade Demon. That certainly explains why we were summoned."