Returning Immortal

Chapter 17 : Bewildering Illusion Formation

The group, which had safely escaped the formation spread at the entrance of the forbidden zone, took a short break and ate the food they had prepared.

Although it was only dry rations and dried meat jerky, everyone ate deliciously, perhaps because they were hungry.

The Grand Prince, who had finished his meal, asked Ne Jinja.

"Vice Director! We're only at the beginning, but why is the formation so fierce?"

At the Grand Prince's question, Ne Jinja answered with a worried expression.

"This absolute forbidden zone is a place where human footsteps are not allowed. Dangers lurk everywhere, so even masters of martial arts or masters of formations cannot enter carelessly. But it wasn't to this extent... It seems to have changed strangely recently."

"How so?"

"In the past, there was no such dangerous formation at the entrance of the forbidden zone. Moreover, there are even signs that these things have evolved on their own... It seems something has been tampered with."

"Hearing that makes me even more worried. If it's true that the formations inside the forbidden zone have evolved... we might not even be able to set foot in the ancient formation."

"I'm not sure yet, but... I have a bad feeling about this."

The reason Ne Jinja said he had a bad feeling was because of the direction of the evolution.

If the formations had evolved, they would have changed in a more difficult and dangerous direction than before.

The Ghost Medicine Hall Master, who seemed to have finished his meal, joined the conversation.

"Vice Director! If we had completely destroyed the formation when we passed through here three years ago, we wouldn't have had to suffer like this today, would we?"

"Hoho! It's hard enough just to pass through, so when would we have the time to destroy everything? And most of the formations spread out in this forbidden zone have self-recovery abilities. The formation we broke today will also be reactivated after some time, and if it changes into a more terrifying formation after being destroyed, wouldn't it be our loss?"

"Scary, so scary. Then what about the Heavenly Demon's Tomb? Don't tell me there's a possibility that the formation installed there has also evolved?"

The Heavenly Demon's Tomb that the Ghost Medicine Hall Master mentioned was the phrase engraved on the stone monument inside the ancient formation.

They had discovered it by chance while breaking the ancient formation three years ago, and if the formation there had also been restored, it would be a really big problem.

"I don't know yet. However, if it has evolved to that extent, with our current skills, we won't even have a chance to face the Heavenly Demon's Tomb."

Ne Jinja said with a fearful expression.

"Are you saying we can't break through even with this much power?"

"It's far from enough. If what we fear is true... even if a few more masters of the ultimate demon realm join, it will be difficult to even see the Heavenly Demon's Tomb."

"Gekekeke. Just hearing about it makes me lose strength, so let's stop with the pessimistic talk. Couldn't it be that, by some luck, that place hasn't evolved?"

"We can only hope so."

As Ne Jinja's words ended, a heavy silence fell around them.

It was because of fear.

The Ghost Medicine Hall Master, who seemed to dislike the heavy atmosphere, changed the subject again.

"Still, it's a relief that we have our Seongjin, the genius of formations. If it weren't for this kid, we'd still be fighting with those stone chunks, wouldn't we?"

At the Ghost Medicine Hall Master's opinion, Ne Jinja also nodded his head.

It was because Gwi Seongjin's talent was more outstanding than he had thought.

He had high expectations after he broke the Nether Demon Sealing Formation, but frankly, he hadn't thought it would be to this extent.

The ability Gwi Seongjin had shown today was truly beyond imagination.

"Hall Master! If you trust this child so much, why don't you release the poison you administered?"

When they first met, the Ghost Medicine Hall Master had covered Gwi Seongjin in poison.

It was because he thought Gwi Seongjin's way of speaking was arrogant.

"Gekeke. When did I ever administer poison? I only paralyzed his tongue for a moment, but didn't you see for yourself that I detoxified it right away?"

The Ghost Medicine Hall Master said, his expression changing.

While doing so, he secretly rubbed his fingers, and blue smoke rose from between them.

Contrary to his words, he was only now performing the detoxification.

* * *

After finishing their meal and setting out on the road, the group cautiously guarded their surroundings.

This absolute forbidden zone had too many hidden formations.

Some formations were cleverly hidden, and some were even ambiguous as to whether they were formations or not.

They could be spread out in layers, and the possibility that the path they were walking on was actually a path within a formation could not be ruled out at all.

So they walked with extreme tension, and Gwi Seongjin's hand, who was walking with Ne Jinja at the front, suddenly went up.

It was a signal that he had sensed something suspicious.

"What is it?"

When Ne Jinja asked with a suspicious look, Gwi Seongjin picked up a few small stones from the ground instead of answering.

And he flicked them forward one by one, and when the third stone fell to the ground, the scenery in front of them suddenly changed.

The green meadow had turned into a vast, blue sea.

Ting!

Gwi Seongjin flicked another stone.

Perhaps because he had put more force into his fingers, this one fell a little farther away.

But the expected change did not happen.

However, the fifth stone was different.

The moment the stone fell to the ground, black clouds gathered in the sky, a storm poured down, and lightning flashed.

Rumble! Flash!

Thunder and lightning struck down on the huge waves.

It was a sight that would make one's legs tremble just by looking at it.

Ting!

The sixth stone was flicked from Gwi Seongjin's hand.

At that, the stormy sea suddenly disappeared, and the green meadow they had first seen appeared.

There was still one stone left on Gwi Seongjin's palm.

Whoosh! Thwack!

Gwi Seongjin, who had thrown the last remaining stone into the air and caught it, threw it on the ground.

It was because it was no longer needed.

"As you can see, there is a formation in front. What do you think we should do?"

At Gwi Seongjin's question, Ne Jinja did not answer readily.

After stepping forward and looking at it for a long time, he asked Gwi Seongjin in a low voice.

"How did you know there was a formation in front?"

The formation spread out before his eyes was the Bewildering Illusion Formation, which Ne Jinja also knew well.

However, this too seemed to have evolved, and its power had changed to be a world of difference from the original.

The formation, which had only gone as far as to bewitch people and steal their minds, had now changed to a level where even one's life force would be sucked out in fear.

The bigger problem was that he had not noticed the signs of it being deployed.

The Bewildering Illusion Formation was a formation that changed with momentum.

Since a different energy was planted at each pivot point, there was no way he wouldn't have recognized it.

But the reason he hadn't noticed was because the energy was too faint.

He could barely feel it only after he was convinced that there was a formation, and this too must have been the effect of evolution.

The formation had evolved on its own so that its identity would not be revealed.

For Gwi Seongjin to have found that, it was no wonder Ne Jinja was surprised.

While the Ghost Medicine Hall Master, who had stepped back, pricked up his ears, Gwi Seongjin's mouth slowly opened.

"The yin virtue of the yang fire in front was not even."

'What kind of nonsense is this...'

The Ghost Medicine Hall Master blinked his two eyes, which were on top of his horse-like face.

It was because he couldn't understand Gwi Seongjin's words.

In contrast, Ne Jinja immediately understood what Gwi Seongjin had said.

If it was the yin virtue of the yang fire, it was clearly the shadow.

"Indeed..."

Looking at the trees standing in front, although they were of similar size, the lengths of their shadows were different.

The same went for the blades of grass.

Not only did the lengths differ depending on the location, but he could also see shadows that did not sway in the wind.

Although Gwi Seongjin said he had discovered the yin virtue of the yang fire with his meticulous observation, in reality, this too was a story he had made up.

The reason Gwi Seongjin had discovered the formation was once again thanks to his spiritual sense.

The points where he had flicked the stones with his finger-flicking divine art were also the transformation pivots of the formation identified by his spiritual sense.

He had even flicked a few stones to completely wrong places to show that his skills were still immature.

Of course, the shadows of the trees and grass were not a lie.

However, they were just excuses Gwi Seongjin had forcibly found after confirming the formation.

Ne Jinja, who could not know such facts, let out an inward sigh.

'I thought only his ability to break formations was outstanding, but to think his ability to detect them is also this outstanding... It's true what they say, that the back waves of the Yangtze River push the front waves.'

Ne Jinja had no choice but to admit now that Gwi Seongjin's ability was superior to his own.

"What is spread out in front is called the Bewildering Illusion Formation. But like the previous one, this too seems to have evolved on its own, becoming ever-changing, and its danger has changed to a level that is truly unpredictable. It seems a sacrifice will be inevitable to pass through here... What do you think we should do?"

Ne Jinja was asking for Gwi Seongjin's opinion on whether to break through the illusion formation in front and advance as it is, or to find another path and go around.

Of course, he would make the final decision, but for the prideful Ne Jinja, it was a great consideration.

"Will it be a long delay if we go around without breaking it?"

"It probably won't. But if we go around, we might run into a more dangerous formation than this."

"Although the illusion formation has evolved and the danger has increased, it doesn't seem to be to the extent that we can't break through. But as you said, Vice Director, if there is a way to go around, and if we can also save time, I don't think there's a need to take the risk."

"Didn't I say it's just as dangerous to go around?"

"This path will be the same."

Ne Jinja, who had been contemplating for a moment after hearing Gwi Seongjin's opinion, walked over to the Grand Prince.

And after discussing for a long time, he presented a new path to the group.

It was a path that avoided the Bewildering Illusion Formation.

The area where the Bewildering Illusion Formation was spread was unexpectedly wide.

To avoid it and enter the forbidden zone, the only way was to cross the Black Dragon Cliff next to it.

The Black Dragon Cliff was a cliff hundreds of zhang high on one side of a rocky mountain, and there was a legend that if you received the moonlight, the words 'Northern Darkness Divine Art' would be faintly reflected.

However, it was only talked about by people and had not been confirmed.

The path to the Black Dragon Cliff was narrow and steep.

The worst conditions for deploying a formation.

Even so, the group did not let down their guard.

It was because this was an absolute forbidden zone where one could not guarantee even an inch ahead.

Fortunately, there was no danger while approaching the foot of the mountain and climbing to the top.

Whoosh.

A strong wind was raging at the top of the mountain.

A fierce wind that had climbed up the cliff was also sweeping the ground like a knife.

On top of it, Ne Jinja pointed to one side.

"The place where the ancient formation is installed is right there. Do you see the large skull-shaped rock in front? The ancient formation is spread out from there. The Heavenly Demon's Tomb is located deep inside."

The Grand Prince's gaze turned in the direction Ne Jinja was pointing.

The ancient formation where the Heavenly Demon's Tomb was said to be built was not very far from this Black Dragon Cliff.

But the weather was not good, so even the skull rock looked blurry now.

"Looking from afar, the rock really looks like a skull."

"That's right. But if you get closer, it looks different. Some days, it even takes the form of a large evil dragon."

"Isn't that all because of the influence of the formation? But it seems like a long way to get there. If there were no formations and barriers in the middle, we could run there in one breath..."

"I wish that were the case too."

Ne Jinja answered with a bitter smile.

It was because he knew that the Grand Prince's wish was nothing but a dream.

"Vice Director! How many more formations do we have to break to reach the place where the ancient formation is installed?"

"I'm not sure, but we have to pass through at least four or five formations."

"Difficult. By the way, what are those?"

The Grand Prince asked, looking at the beasts running around at the bottom of the Black Dragon Cliff.

Not a few animals were roaming around, and among them were not a few ferocious beasts.

Some were species he had never heard of or seen before.

"Although they are not as ferocious and sinister as the monsters trapped in the barriers, many beasts live inside the forbidden zone. We killed quite a lot three years ago, but it seems their numbers have increased in the meantime."

"Are they not affected by the formation?"

"How could that be? However, some barriers or formations do not show their effect unless it's a human."

"That's quite peculiar. Then let's go down now."

"I understand. There is a gently sloping path over there, so let's go that way."

"I see."

As the group disappeared using their movement technique, only a fierce, strong wind raged at the top of the mountain.

Whoosh.

After a little time had passed...

Wriggle.

The ground, not far from where the group had been, shook slightly, and something broke through the soil.

It was a stunningly beautiful woman in green clothes.

"Hohoho! Poor things. To see them jump into the fire without knowing they might die is truly pitiful."

The green-robed woman, who had given a strange smile while looking at Gwi Seongjin's group, also flew straight down.

It was a movement so stealthy it could even deceive the wind.

(End of Chapter)