novelraw Chapter 356 : Passing Through the Absolute Formation (2)
Chapter 356 : Passing Through the Absolute Formation (2)
Chapter 356: Passing Through the Absolute Formation (2)
‘So, he ended up suffering internal injuries. But to endure even after that—his stubbornness is impressive.’
Go Jin staggered backward, collapsing onto the ground as he vomited a basinful of blood.
“Hm, it seems that someone of Go Jin’s level from the Zhongnan Sect cannot pass through.”
Yong Hwarin thought this was the chance to exact a petty revenge on Go Jin and stepped forward.
“This time, it’s the Heavenly Sword Hero!”
Yong Hwarin looked back at Mo Biyoung and Jong Seok as he spoke.
“Follow closely behind me.”
“Brother, we cannot be a burden to you. Because of us, you might fail to pass through as well. Please go alone.”
Mo Biyoung also nodded, agreeing with Jong Seok’s words.
But Yong Hwarin only smiled.
“Trust me and follow. A formation of this level, I could pass through even with my eyes closed. Believe my words.”
Jong Seok stared at Yong Hwarin for a moment before lowering his head.
“My apologies. I briefly doubted you. I forgot what kind of person you are. No matter how formidable the formation, there is nothing you cannot pass through.”
“No, do not blame yourself for something like that.”
Yong Hwarin patted Jong Seok’s shoulder and then approached Pang Giyok.
“Will you follow behind me as well?”
Pang Giyok shook his head.
“Though you are my friend, relying on your strength to pass the formation is something I cannot allow as the heir of the Pang Clan. I will pass through on my own strength. Do not worry about me and go ahead.”
Yong Hwarin nodded and sent him a message through sound transmission.
Giyok, this formation is made of three layers. If you shake the formation, the energy of life and death will appear. If you cannot see that energy, do not attempt to challenge it.
Yong Hwarin transmitted the details of the three formations to Giyok along with a few warnings.
“Hwarin!”
Just as he was about to step into the formation, someone called him. He turned and saw Namgung Yoo standing there.
He had not seen her at Mount Taesil and thought she might be at Shaolin Temple.
“Ayoo.”
Yong Hwarin warmly took Namgung Yoo’s hand in greeting.
“Are you going in?”
“Yes. I plan to enter first and secure a place. Follow behind me.”
Namgung Yoo shook her head.
“No, if I pass through this formation not by my own strength but with someone else’s help, my reputation will plummet from then on. Even if I cannot pass, I must try on my own strength.”
The reason both Pang Giyok and Namgung Yoo refused to follow was to protect the pride of martial artists.
In the Murim, a martial artist without martial arts could exist, but one without pride could not.
“I’ve already told Giyok how to pass through the formation. The two of you can discuss and attempt it together. But don’t overdo it.”
“I won’t be greedy.”
“Good. Then let’s talk again after I return.”
“Yes, come back.”
As Namgung Yoo and Yong Hwarin spoke warmly, Mo Biyoung muttered while following behind him.
“When did the two of you become so close?”
Her tone carried a faint trace of jealousy.
“After risking our lives together in battle at the Kirin River, we decided to become friends.”
“Hm, friends, is it…”
Even Mo Biyoung could see that the way they looked at each other was not that of lovers.
‘Could I… at least become a friend to the Young Sect Leader?’
Mo Biyoung shook her head violently.
‘No, I mustn’t be greedy. Just being by the Young Sect Leader’s side is enough.’
In the past, she had never noticed it, but recently, there were times when guarding Yong Hwarin’s side became difficult.
Having matured into a woman, Mo Biyoung often found herself startled whenever she felt her desire flare up toward him.
She had never realized she could be such a lustful woman.
But there was one thing Mo Biyoung failed to realize.
Though her growing affection for Yong Hwarin was part of it, what truly drew her was the Protective Energy (Hoshinganggi) that he occasionally radiated without realizing it.
Since Yong Hwarin himself was unaware he was exuding it, only Mo Biyoung suffered greatly.
When Yong Hwarin walked toward the place where the energy of life and death revealed itself, the breathing of all the martial artists gathered at Jungeuk Peak quieted down.
Jeong Hang had passed through the formation using the Brahma Heaven Roar, so everyone was curious what method Yong Hwarin would use.
Yong Hwarin took out a flute.
He had brought it from the Sky Ocean Merchant Union after learning the Royal Consort Song (Wanghugok), so he could play whenever he had the chance.
He hoped that by playing the Royal Consort Song, he might grasp the essence of Sword Control with Qi (Igiyogeom).
“Is he planning to pass through the formation with a flute?”
One of the martial artists watching in silence muttered.
“Will that even work?”
“It doesn’t seem like it will be easy.”
“Quiet!”
As soon as Yong Hwarin raised the flute to his lips, the murmuring stopped all at once.
He infused true qi into the flute and played.
Even with the qi of the Half-Cycle Stage, the formation did not waver.
‘So, that’s how it is. If one’s cultivation is lacking, they are not meant to enter.’
Yong Hwarin infused the qi of Three Gaps.
Then the formation trembled, and within it the energy of life and death began to reveal itself.
When Yong Hwarin stepped forward, his figure disappeared as if sucked inside.
Behind him, Mo Biyoung and Jong Seok followed in.
“He entered!”
“Did he really break the formation with a flute and enter? Is that even possible?”
“He possesses abilities we cannot even imagine, so how could we know?”
Pang Giyok laughed as he spoke.
“As expected of Yong Hwarin. To stroll in so casually to a place I would not even dare approach.”
“Indeed. The more I see, the more impressive he becomes.”
When Namgung Yoo replied to Pang Giyok’s words, the two exchanged smiles.
“We are friends of that extraordinary friend.”
When Yong Hwarin was not expelled even after two hours, people began looking around to see who would attempt next.
So Yonghwa stepped forward.
“Now, it seems one of the Three Demonic Heavens will take the stage. Can he truly enter?”
From watching Jeong Hang and Yong Hwarin’s actions, So Yonghwa realized how to pass through the formation.
‘I never realized. The Void Spirit Yin Flow Grand Art I learned is so useful in such a moment.’
The Void Spirit Yin Flow Grand Art was martial arts that sensed the texture of the opponent’s qi.
That was why So Yonghwa used three different weapons depending on the texture of the opponent’s qi.
It was not to the level of seeing qi like Yong Hwarin, but rather feeling the texture of it, yet the difference was not so great.
So Yonghwa drew his blade.
He intended to shake the formation with the weight of Force to find the life-and-death path.
So Yonghwa raised his qi and struck with the blade.
As his figure vanished, sucked into the formation, the crowd erupted into murmurs.
“As expected of the Unrivaled Three-Cuts So Yonghwa!”
After that, the Young Valley Lord of the Blood Demon Castle, Moon Wu, stepped forward.
“Hmph, there is no reason to waste inner power to pass this formation.”
Moon Wu pulled out a handful of black pellets.
“Could it be… Little Thunderbolts?”
“It looks like it. Hah, one of those is worth a tael of gold. Just how many does he have?”
“Looks like at least a hundred. But if he can pass the formation, isn’t that cheap?”
“So he’s going to throw money at the problem.”
“Well, as long as one passes, the method doesn’t matter.”
Boom!
When Moon Wu threw the Little Thunderbolts, the formation shook violently.
Sensing the path of life and death, Moon Wu leapt toward it.
And the explosions continued to echo.
“What a brutish method.”
“Yet it seems effective.”
Even Namgung Yoo never imagined Moon Wu would resort to using Little Thunderbolts.
After Moon Wu entered, others who had been hesitating began to attempt one by one.
But none of them managed more than a few steps before being expelled.
Seo Seong, Daoist of the Qingcheng Sect, attempted with Sword Qi, but he too lasted only moments before being forced out.
Mak Yun, Daoist of the Kunlun Sect, thought to pass using movement arts and displayed the Kunlun Sect’s supreme technique, Cloud-Soaring Dragon Style.
The dazzling display of movement drew gasps and applause from the martial artists.
But it did not take long before the gasps turned into sighs.
Mak Yun rolled out of the formation, covered in fallen leaves and humiliation.
Seeing his wretched appearance, the martial artists could not openly laugh, so they turned their heads and coughed in embarrassment.
When the later generation prodigies of the Nine Great Sects failed one after another, the prodigies of the Twelve Great Clans mostly abandoned the idea of challenging.
They knew they would end up like Daoist Seo Seong or Daoist Mak Yun.
As silence fell with no challengers, the people of the Jaegal Clan stepped forward.
“Oh! Now the Jaegal Clan has come.”
“Will they completely break through the formation?”
In matters of formations, no discussion of Murim was complete without mentioning the Jaegal Clan, so all eyes turned toward them.
Since Jaegal Yohye, one of the New Three Thunders of the clan, and Jaegal Cheongyeong, the strongest of the younger generation, stepped forward, people expected they would succeed.
But they did not last even two hours before vomiting blood and being expelled.
“Keuhk!”
“Kuhek!”
Jaegal Yeongcheon not only spat blood, but also vomited yesterday’s meal.
Seeing this, Pang Giyok and Namgung Yoo, who had been considering a challenge, shook their heads.
“To force a challenge knowing it’s impossible is truly foolish.”
Pang Giyok nodded deeply.
“I agree with that.”
The two, having become friends, spoke informally.
“Shall we drink until Hwarin returns?”
“Did you bring some?”
Pang Giyok shook a gourd flask.
“I like your style.”
When Namgung Yoo said that, Pang Giyok laughed.
After that, a few others attempted the formation, but they lacked renown in Murim and drew little attention.
Yong Hwarin continued to play his flute and followed the path of life and death. As he advanced without difficulty, Jong Seok was astonished.
‘Brother has already far surpassed anything I imagined. I cannot even fathom how high he will rise.’
Even in the Hidden Saint Cult, he had never heard anyone say Brother lacked talent.
That was why, despite his talent, he had cultivated the Black Death God Light Poison Technique to the Eight Stars Realm.
But Brother was leaping across realms that others could not achieve even with a lifetime of effort, as though crossing stepping stones.
Though jealous, pride filled him more.
‘That man is my sworn brother.’
How many in Murim could break through this formation with nothing but a flute?
Thinking that made Jong Seok’s chest swell with pride.
“The formation is nearly at its end. Focus and follow closely behind me.”
“Yes, Brother.”
As Yong Hwarin halted, Jong Seok peeked over his shoulder.
“Huh? Isn’t that Jeong Hang?”
Mo Biyoung also saw him.
“Seems Venerable Jeong Hang still hasn’t passed through.”
Yong Hwarin had worried somewhat.
Though Jeong Hang had found the path with the Brahma Heaven Roar, doing so required pouring out more than Three Gaps’ worth of power.
But to continue passing through with the Brahma Heaven Roar was impossible no matter how much power Jeong Hang possessed.
Jeong Hang was seated, circulating his qi to resist the pressure of the formation.
As Yong Hwarin continued forward while playing the flute, he passed by Jeong Hang.
Jeong Hang, seeing Yong Hwarin approach, secretly hoped he would help him.
But when he simply passed him by, Jeong Hang was deeply disappointed.
‘Ah, I have brought shame upon Shaolin’s honor. If I fail to pass the formation and get thrown out, how could I possibly endure such humiliation?’
Though he was a Shaolin monk cultivating the Way of the Buddha, he could not ignore the honor of his sect.
‘Should I just ask him for help?’
But his pride would not allow such words. Even the little true qi he had left was being drained by the pressure of the formation.
It was fortunate the killing intent within the formation had already been cleared away. Otherwise, unable to withstand the pressure, he would have vomited blood and died.
Once Yong Hwarin completely passed through, Jeong Hang closed his eyes.
He knew only disgrace awaited him now, and he began chanting the Buddha’s name.
Even if he were to suffer disgrace, he resolved to walk out of the formation proudly on his own two feet.
And then—
“Venerable Jeong Hang, let us go together.”
Yong Hwarin smiled faintly and reached out his hand.
When Jeong Hang hesitated to take it, Yong Hwarin continued.
“This matter will be known only to you and me. But if you delay further, those following behind will arrive.”
At his words, Jeong Hang grasped his hand.
As their hands met, vibrant true qi flowed into him.
The abundant qi intertwined exquisitely with the energy of his Tendon-Altering Sutra, surging forth like a spring.
“Thank you.”
Jeong Hang spoke with sincerity.
“Let us go.”
Yong Hwarin had withstood the pressure of the formation until then, then played his flute again to find the path of life and death.
He had already escorted Mo Biyoung and Jong Seok outside first, then returned.
After bringing Jeong Hang out of the formation, Mo Biyoung quietly approached Yong Hwarin and asked.
“Why did you go back to bring him out? You could have just brought him along when you first passed by.”
It was the question weighing on her mind.
When Yong Hwarin first saw Jeong Hang, he passed him by coldly. So Mo Biyoung thought the Young Sect Leader regarded him as a rival and thus left him.
But when he later returned to bring him out, she could not help but wonder why.
Meeting Mo Biyoung’s curious gaze, Yong Hwarin smiled.
“If I tell you, you’ll scold me for being petty.”
“Well, I already know that the Young Sect Leader is petty.”
“Then I’ll tell you. If I had tried to help Venerable Jeong Hang when I first encountered him, would he have accepted my help?”
“Ah! Now that I think about it, he probably would have refused out of pride. But then why did he accept later?”
“Because after I passed him by, he had time to think. I gave him time to realize something more precious than pride. Once he understood there are things more important, he could accept another’s help.”
“Then why call it petty? Isn’t that closer to righteousness?”
Yong Hwarin smiled faintly.
“I erased his debt. This kind of help is like a promissory note—someday I will receive a favor ten times greater. Talents like him believe the world will collapse if they don’t repay debts. I will one day reap a far greater reward.”
“Haah!”
The way he spoke, like a seasoned merchant, left Mo Biyoung in awe.
“See? I told you, you’d think me petty.”
Mo Biyoung shook her head.
“No. I was only astonished at the Young Sect Leader’s profound insight. I truly admire you. Until now, I couldn’t understand how you gathered so many people and forces. But now, I think I do.”
“If that’s praise, then thank you.”
“It is praise.”
Mo Biyoung truly admired Yong Hwarin.
Together with Jong Seok and Jeong Hang, they slowly walked toward the summit of Jungeuk Peak.
He was excited.
Just the thought of witnessing the duels of those supreme masters bearing the title of the Three Supreme Swords made his heart pound wildly.
Upon reaching Jungeuk Peak, they saw three elders in meditation, circulating their qi together in harmony.
It seemed they were harmonizing their breath before an earth-shaking duel.
Not wanting to disturb them, Yong Hwarin stood quietly and waited.
Soon, others began arriving behind him—those who had also passed through the formation.
They were Wun Mang of the Wudang Sect, Cheong Mong of the Mount Hua Sect, Myung Ok of the Emei Sect, the Unrivaled Three-Cuts So Yonghwa, Nine-Serpent Sabre San Bi, and Moon Wu.
The younger generation of many clans were nowhere to be seen.
‘Ah, so in the end, Giyok and Ayoo did not make it through.’
Among the Twelve Great Clans, Pang Giyok and Namgung Suyong were the strongest of their generation. Seeing they had failed to pass, it confirmed that the younger generation of the Nine Great Sects were indeed stronger than those of the clans.
And since only the Four Great Sects among the Nine had succeeded, it also revealed the gap between them and the others.
Those who had passed were all outstanding geniuses of prestigious lineages.
The only one among them who was not from a great family was Yong Hwarin.
Those who arrived later had their clothes torn and dirtied, clear signs of struggle against the shifting formation.
Among them, the cleanest were Yong Hwarin, Mo Biyoung, and Jong Seok.
So seeing Yong Hwarin without even a single tear on his robe, others burned with competitive spirit.
It was as if they regarded him as a common enemy.
One elder in white robes stood and spoke.
“Hoh, I never thought so many would pass through the Triple Union Formation. In the past, not a single one managed.”
When the elder in white rose, the elder in black finished his circulation and stood as well.
“It seems quite a few decent youngsters have appeared recently.”
At those words, the last elder in blue slowly rose.
“These youths look rather impressive.”
The three elders gazed over the ones who had passed, smiling with satisfaction.
“Three from the Demonic path, seven from the Orthodox path.”
They had already seen through the momentum of each young martial artist.
Then the elder in blue looked directly at Yong Hwarin.
“There’s an interesting one.”
“Indeed.”
“Look at this one.”
The three elders’ eyes widened in surprise as they looked at Yong Hwarin.