Chapter 126: What You Trampled On / The Path You Have Tread (14)

Chapter 126: What You Trampled On / The Path You Have Tread (14)/translatingnovice

[Uh... Aaaaaaah!]

Yuan Li swings the Blood Wave Fan.

But.

"Scatter."

The blood storm he tries to summon disperses by Seo Ran's command.

[This... damn it...!]

Yuan Li clenches his teeth, veins bulging all over his body.

And then, Yuan Li emits a bloody radiance.

Flash!

"Dangerous."

Hes far more sinister than when he was in his old body, a completely different level of threat.

I stand next to Seo Ran, grasping the Colorless Glass Sword and the Formless Sword together, and use the first form of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship towards the bloody radiance.

Flash!

Kwoooooosh!

Tingling...

After a moment of trembling hands, I glare at Yuan Li.

Though greatly weakened under Seo Ran's control, he is still a Nascent Soul cultivator, significantly stronger than his peers!

'He hasn't reached the late stage of Nascent Soul.'

Just like I distributed my power among the curse dolls, he focused more on the cultivation of the so-called Blood Body than his own, hence not reaching the late stage of Nascent Soul.

Instead, he created the Blood Body and added a millennium to his lifespan, which is no loss for him.

Truly, the more one uncovers, the more sinister and formidable he becomes.

But now.

'All of his cards are revealed.'

There is nothing more to worry about.

The hidden power that the Byeok Clan head mentioned must have been this Blood Body.

Finally, if I just take down this body.

'It's over!'

I dash towards Yuan Li with blazing eyes, and Seo Ran also forms a spell next to me.

"I wondered why this desert is so cold... Turns out there's so much yin energy sleeping beneath this land."

At his spell, the base of Yuan Li's black castle beings to boil and bubble.

Then.

Kiiiyaaaaaa!

Kiiyaaaa!

Kwaaaack!

An enormous amount of yin energy erupts, and a terrifying number of vengeful souls and ghosts begin pouring out from under Yuan Li's black castle.

Kiyaaaaaaa!

With their emergence, the previously clear desert sky fills with yin energy, dark clouds gathering once more.

"How many thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands did you slaughter and devour, Senior Yuan Li? Even the elders who managed the livestock farms would shake their heads."

Seo Ran clicks his tongue and forms another spell.

Yuan Li, with eyes blasting bloodlight, charges at Seo Ran, but I, along with the other surviving Core Formation cultivators, including Cheongmun Jung-jin, block his path with lit eyes.

-I blame you!

-Bloodwood!

-Bloodwood Practitioner Yuan Li!

-Yuan Li!

Countless ghostly wails cry out Yuan Li's name.

Seo Ran too looks appalled, and the ghosts crawling out from under the black castle continue to multiply.

Yuan Li's complexion darkens.

[This crazy... Why is a member of the Sea Dragon Tribe practicing the methods of the Black Ghost Valley...!]

"I've told you. I'm a disciple of the Great Black Ghost Valley."

Seo Ran smiles and continues his spellcasting.

And his spell becomes complete.

[I, Sea Ran, who hosts this Ghost Festival, call upon the spirits to reveal their reason for resentment!]

-Yuan Li!

-Kill Yuan Li!

-We were killed by the Bloodwood Practitioner!

[Having heard your cries, I, Seo Ran, disciple of Black Ghost Valley, offer you the opportunity to manifest in physical form and seek to assist you in your revenge. Please lend me your strength]

-Revenge!

-We can take revenge!

-Take revenge against him!

-Yuan Li!

Kiiiyaaaaaa!

Thousands of ghosts cry Yuan Li's name, howling in hordes.

All around Seo Ran, an enormous ghostly power erupts from within the ghost fog.

Its definitely not a level of ghostly power Seo Ran can produce alone.

[Disciple of the Black Ghost Valley, Seo Ran, hosting this festival and swearing in the name of the Nether Crossing Ship, offers you the chance to manifest and aid your revenge. But you too must swear to lend your strength against him!]

Seo Ran's voice echoes in all directions, and Yuan Li bursts into laughter.

[You, I see what spell you're trying to cast. That's a Heavenly Being level technique, can someone like you even handle it...?]

But Seo Ran ignores Yuan Li's words and continues on.

And then.

-Kiiiyaaaaaa!

-Kwaaaaa!

Kugugugugu!

Around Seo Ran, surrounded by ghost fog,

From somewhere afar, immense power flows from the Nether Crossing Ship, pouring into the thousands of ghosts slaughtered by Yuan Li.

If everything went as planned, Song Jin would have anchored the Nether Crossing Ship deep in the ocean.

After gathering the yin and ghostly energy of the deep sea through the Nether Crossing Ship, it was planned to be transmitted to Seo Ran via the ship's teleportation array.

Kwoooosh!

Tens of thousands of ghosts gain strength and wail.

Then, as Seo Ran completes his spell, tens of thousands of ghosts rush into his body.

Seo Ran's aura begins to surge dramatically.

The power of tens of thousands of ghosts converge into Seo Ran.

Yuan Li shouts with a tense voice.

[Fool! You won't be able to contain that power! Just explode and die, foolish Sea Dragon...!]

Then.

[Master, please come!]

Seo Ran calls out while looking at the ghost fog.

Ssshhh...

I shudder as I feel every hair on my body stand.

Another soul, not Seo Ran's, is present in his upper dantian.

The Attaching Spirit Great Spell.

It allows one to attach a part of their original spirit to someone else, enabling the distant exertion of their power.

"Kugh, cough!

I find it hard to breathe and collapse on the spot.

Not just me.

Even Cheongmun Jung-jin and numerous Core Formation cultivators who were blocking Yuan Li, all suddenly fell to their knees, overwhelmed.

Even Yuan Li, who is full of vigor, trembles violently.

[Ah, ahh, ahhh...]

Song Jin, the elder of Black Ghost Valley and a Heavenly Being cultivator, has gathered tens of thousands of vengeful ghosts that Yuan Li had slaughtered.

At this moment.

He regained his original strength.

[What a nostalgic scene.]

Blue ghost fire lights up in Seo Ran's eyes.

From his mouth, a different voice than Seo Rans.

Its Song Jin.

He seems lost in thought, looking at something different in the void.

Yuan Li, who looks as if hes about to foam at this mouth, emanates an intent of horror.

[Why, why... is there a Heavenly Being cultivator...!]

[Right, let's not fall into nostalgia. Even though it's just a remnant spirit left in my remnant soul, using the Attaching Spirit Great Spell is quite taxing on both my and Ran's souls. Let's finish this quickly.]

Kiiiyaaaaaa!

Tens of thousands of resentful souls wail.

Ghostly claws sprout from Song Jin's hand, now occupying Seo Ran's body.

[Huaaaaaah!!! Why are you still here! Why is a Heavenly Being cultivator still here!]

Yuan Li desperately tries to flee, invoking the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

[Die.]

And then.

Kuguaguaguaguang!!!

The strike tears away the outer walls of Serving Command Palace. The ancient barrier surrounding Yuan Li's black castle, which even the combined efforts of Core Formation cultivators couldn't budge, is also torn like paper.

Kuguaguanguang!

A valley forms in the desert.

Not a small one created by cultivators, but the desert literally cleaves in half.

No other words can describe the scene.

Simply put, the desert split in two.

That alone is enough.

And then.

The piece of meat that was once Yuan Li, hit by Song Jin's strike, twitches in the corner of Serving Command Palace.

Truly proving his feat of having survived Seo Hweol's Three Ultimate Strikes, hes still alive, albeit reduced to a piece of flesh.

And then.

Kulock!

Song Jin, in Seo Ran's body, coughs up black blood.

He looks at me.

[You, you said you learned a curse method, right? Transfer all the burdens inflicted on my disciple's body and soul to me, the caster of the Attaching Spirit Great Spell.]

"Will you be alright?"

[Im already a dead body so why does it matter? Just quickly transfer the burden.]

Following Song Jin's request, I use the Yin Soul Ghost Incantation to transfer all burdens on Seo Ran's body and soul to Song Jin as a curse.

Its possible because Song Jin himself allows it.

[Huh huh. This reduces the time I can spend with my disciple by 100 years. Damn it... If Yuan Li wasnt a threat to my disciple, I would never have done this. Surely you wont tell me that you cant finish him off after Ive turned him into a piece of meat? Im leaving now.]

With those words, Song Jin releases the Attaching Spirit Great Spell and disappears from Seo Ran's body.

'So this is the power of a Heavenly Being.'

I laugh hollowly at the traces Song Jin leaves behind.

Its my first time witnessing the attack of a Heavenly Being cultivator up close.

The sight of the split desert is chilling.

"Now, he's completely neutralized! Everyone attack!"

I hold the Colorless Glass Sword and fly toward the meat that was once Yuan Li.

The other Core Formation cultivators, released from Song Jin's pressure, also rush toward the flesh with blazing eyes.

That's when it happens.

Kugugugu!

From the black castle, the crimson stream flows again.

"Again?!!"

Cheongmun Jung-jin exclaims in disgust.

"Everyone, prevent it from reaching Yuan Li!"

I pour out curses, creating a river of curse spells.

The dark river of curses entwines around Yuan Li.

'I'll corrupt whatever Long Source True Power and everything else...!'

But then.

Swoosh!

The Long Source True Power summoned by Yuan Li.

Instead of Yuan Li, it heads towards the formation flags he had stuck in the ceiling of the Serving Command Palace.

"What...!"

I grit my teeth and raise the Colorless Glass Sword.

"Everyone, stop it!"

Hes trying to summon the Serving Command Seal.

Can we win?

Its truly despairing.

How in the world...

Can we defeat this monster?

Even if I risk my life now and unleash Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains...

Can I manage to land a strike?

Is this life even worth it?

That's when...

Wriggle, wriggle...

The ghost left in my arms by Song Jin starts to speak again.

[What's the situation inside?]

"Hmm?"

Alerted by Song Jin's voice, Yuan Li's body shudders.

"Seo Ran is captured, and Yuan Li is showing off his mid Nascent Soul cultivation while holding the Serving Command Seal."

[I see. It's going to be a bit noisy, so make sure you protect Seo Ran well.]

"Hmm?"

Just then.

Boom!

With a sound as if the heavens are tearing apart, one side of the black castles wall collapses.

A massive shockwave whirls through the hall, and I shield Seo Ran from the debris and shockwave headed his way.

And then...

I realize the identity of the surprise.

Yuan Li and I both utter its name.

[Nether Crossing Ship?]

"Nether Crossing Ship?"

Its a completely ruined, dark wreck.

Song Jin rammed the Nether Crossing Ship into Yuan Li's castle for his disciple.

[Barrier!]

And then, the debris from the Nether Crossing Ship flies and forms some sort of formation around Seo Ran.

Yuan Li, reminded of his dreadful experience at the hands of Song Jin, stands stiffly.

[Anyone who wants to live, get into the barrier Ive set up! I'll let everyone in except that Yuan Li bastard.]

Kugugugu!

Song Jin, gripping the helm of the Nether Crossing Ship, burns with ghost fire and speaks.

[Since my last move used up a lot of the time I can remain in this world, I might as well leave now."]

"MaMaster...!"

Seo Ran calls out to Song Jin in a desperate voice.

Song Jin looks fondly at Seo Ran.

[Disciple, remember this well. The will of Black Ghost Valley is not in the Nether Crossing Ship but in the people who reside inside.]

Swish...

Song Jin pulls out a dark pearl.

Its the space-breaking bead.

[The Serving Command Seal is frightening, but there are three ways to counter it. First, a fate stronger than the Serving Command Seal. Second, overwhelming power. And third]

"No, you can't! Space-breaking beadl! As the descendant of the Sea Dragon King, I command you, do not respond to my master's command!"

Kugugugugu!

The Nether Crossing Ship begins to vibrate.

[History. If it's something with a long history, it can resist fate. Experience the Nether Crossing Ships history of 500,000 years...!]

Wuwuwuwuwu!

The Nether Crossing Ship and the space-breaking bead begin to glow simultaneously.

"Why aren't you listening to me! Space-breaking bead! Listen to me!"

Seo Ran, his eyes rolling in panic, ignores the Nether Crossing Ship and shouts.

"No! Master! Master!!"

[Space-breaking bead, active. Nether Crossing Ship....]

In his final moments, Song Jin looks at Seo Ran.

Somehow, his eye sockets streaming with ghost fire, seem to be smiling.

[Self-Destruct.]

I hurriedly pull Cheongmun Jung-jin and the other cultivators into the barrier Song Jin set up.

Yuan Li frantically pounds on the barrier trying to get in, but since Song Jin doesn't allow it, he can only stupidly keep pounding while holding the Serving Command Seal.

And then...

A dark storm engulfs everything.

The storm subsides.

Seo Ran, weeping tears of blood, frees himself from Yuan Li's restraint and gazes at the debris before him.

"Ah, ah... ahhh..."

The barrier set up by Song Jin barely withstood the storm.

The reason it could withstand the terrifying spatial storm seemed to be not because the barrier itself was robust, but rather because the barrier, made from the debris of the Nether Crossing Ship, is unaffected by the power of the same Nether Crossing Ship.

Its a matter of property, not the magnitude of power.

I step out of the barrier.

Squelch, squelch...

"Heh..."

I spit words with contempt.

"Truly, utterly despicable."

A blood-soaked lump of flesh.

Above this lump, a figure of a blue dragon appeared, guarding the meatlump.

"Seo Hweol, Seo Hweol, Seo Hweol! Is it you again? Just stop coming out..!"

Swoooooosh

The dragon figure, having faced the spatial storm, scatters away.

However, thanks to Seo Hweol's protection, Yuan Li is still not dead.

"Seo Hweol...!"

I cry out his name in venom.

Chuarak. Churararak

The lump of flesh begins to regenerate.

Kurok Kurok

Yuan Li reveals himself again.

Now, Yuan Li also looks precarious.

His mask is shattered, covering only his eyes and forehead, leaving his mouth exposed.

His cultivation dropped to the Grand Perfection of Core Formation.

But.

Wo-woong!

The debris of the black castle, shattered by the Nether Crossing Ship, supplements his power.

Wo-woong!

His cultivation soars back to the initial stage of Nascent Soul.

"Heh, haha... hahaha..."

Whether he is too weak to speak in consciousness, he bursts into laughter with his voice.

"Serving Command Seal... the Serving Command Seal... saved me...! And with this early Nascent Soul cultivation, I can still... against you lot..."

He spits out a mouthful of blood while speaking.

"Kargh... gagk...!"

"Tsk..."

I attempt to approach him, but as he waves his hand, a blood light of early Nascent Soul level bursts out, blocking me.

"You, people like you... these youngsters... I, do you know how I lived to this day? For 900 years What preparations I made, with what emotions, I came this far? Do you know? I wont die. I will not die!

He screams, emitting power of the early Nascent Soul stage.

I look at him calmly.

"I, as well. Ive lived for about 900 years too."

"What...?"

"Don't casually use age to assert in front of me...!"

Boom!

I charge at him, swinging the Formless Sword.

But even as he vomits blood from the blow, he manages to fend me off, and the recoil sends me flying backward.

"Ugh...!"

"Keh, kah... These wretched fools. You vermin have driven me to this...! I'll kill you, I'll kill you all..."

I stagger, trying to stand up.

Then.

"...?"

I see a jade norigae among the debris of the black castle.

The norigae lay at Yuan Li's feet.

I hastily search my bosom.

"Ah..."

Fortunately, Hyang-hwas norigae is still in my possession.

Then, that one must be...

'The great-grandson of Wolryang. It's his...'

His relic must have been rolling around somewhere in Yuan Lis castle after being consumed by Yuan Li.

While I gaze at the norigae, Yuan Li, noticing my gaze, approaches it while sneering.

"Ah, right. This norigae. Was it the one that woman beside you 200 years ago had?"

He approaches the noriage.

He provocatively reminds me of my memories with Buk Hyang-hwa.

A vile provocation.

But its proof of how desperate he has become.

"This garbage..."

Crunch, crunch...

He stomps on Wolryangs great grandson's pendant, crushing it.

Crunch...

"You trash-like wretches, the trash you carry around is nothing. No matter how much you struggle, with the Serving Command Seal in hand..."

"It's not."

"What?"

I slowly stand up.

I have made my decision.

"...It's not trash."

"Ha, it's not trash? Look. This is trash. What's under my foot is..."

I have vowed to stay alive until I offer his head to their souls.

But now.

After Song Jin sacrificed his life, creating this opportunity.

Here and now.

Even if I can't offer his head to them.

I have resolved to die.

I grit my teeth and raise the Colorless Glass Sword.

"What you trampled onNo.."

Right at this moment.

"Everything you trampled. Everything you trampled on with your filthy feet up to this point!

I

"Is not trash!!!"

More earnestly than any other moment

"I'll show you!"

Holding my sword, yearn for the next realm.

"What you trampled on, what it truly is!"

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

"The Final Move..."

The Twenty-Fourth Move.

"Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains!"

The End of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

The most ferocious Self-Destruction Technique erupts from my fingertips.

Translator Notes: Donated chapter by Stephono, GOP, and Augustus. Thanks for the support!

***

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Link to donations in the discord!