Chapter – 75
“They say he shattered the Eight Trigrams Formation in an instant… so that brat is also versed in illusion arts…!”
The Dream-Wandering Soul Summoning Art, which called forth the being most feared by its target, was one of the old man’s ultimate secret techniques.
Even Muwak, the Abbot of Shaolin, had fallen victim to that very technique and been turned into an Injuhwa.
Muwak, in his foolish monk-like pride, had shaped his own Dream-Wandering Soul. The result was inevitable—after a drawn-out, miserable struggle, he destroyed himself.
And yet—
That very Dream-Wandering Soul Summoning Art, which had left even the head of Shaolin helpless…
Twitch. Twitch.
The Dream-Wandering Soul shaped in the form of the Sun-Moon Divine Sword merely stabbed its own blade into its abdomen like an idiot and wriggled like a worm.
A thought suddenly crossed the old man’s mind.
What if the Sun-Moon Divine Sword isn’t as strong as the rumors say?
The martial world was a place where wild rumors were born and died daily. It was entirely possible.
“….”
After staring at Yeon Baekrim for a moment, the old man flicked his fingers.
A pellet of qi shot forward.
Ping—
The Finger-Flick Divine Art barely grazed Yeon Baekrim’s earlobe.
But Yeon Baekrim did not move.
He simply looked at the old man.
His expression clearly saw through the old man’s intent to merely test him.
“…You.”
Kang Yu also flinched.
Of course, he himself could have deflected that attack. But what if it had struck an eye? It could have caused serious injury.
Such composure—he himself would never have been able to show it.
As expected… he’s incredible.
“…It’s nothing.”
“Whoa…”
As Kang Yu once again gazed at Yeon Baekrim with reverence, the old man could no longer cling to his earlier doubt.
The Sun-Moon Divine Sword was no weakling.
The technique had worked properly. Yeon Baekrim was certainly not weak.
That left only one possibility.
That brat is an illusionist on par with me…!
To shatter the Dream-Wandering Soul in that manner—he had never seen or heard of such a thing.
Even witnessing it now, he could not comprehend the principle.
— I’ll go in myself.
— B-But the Bishop said to merely bind their feet for now…
Only now did he understand the repeated warnings written in the Bishop’s letter.
No matter how much illusion arts relied on innate talent, how could someone that young…
Just then, the Dream-Wandering Soul of the Sun-Moon Divine Sword dispersed.
And the brat’s whisper, clearly meant to be heard, struck the old man’s ears.
“Honestly, you built up so much suspense I was tense… but your skill isn’t that impressive.”
The old man froze for a moment, then chuckled lowly.
“Khk, khk, khk.”
The brat was an illusionist powerful enough to disperse the Dream-Wandering Soul in a single breath.
Except for the highest-tier sound-transmission arts, the master of a World-Within-Illusion Formation could hear even the crawling of insects inside it.
Yes.
That had been deliberate mockery.
“Very well. So you think this old body is that pathetic…”
How long had it been since he felt such humiliation?
Such competitive spirit?
The old man rapidly formed seals with his hands, organizing his thoughts.
The brat’s martial arts were lofty enough to defeat Myung Jwasa and Mo Yonghui.
With his own martial skill only at peak level, facing him in direct combat was absurd.
And the Sun-Moon Divine Sword stood beside him.
Thus, only illusion arts remained—but judging from the brat’s skill in breaking the Dream-Wandering Soul, he could not guarantee victory.
He had lured in a great fish using even the Shaolin Abbot as bait.
He could not allow the slightest margin of error.
If martial arts were impossible and illusion arts were uncertain—
Only one method remained.
Prohibition.
A secret art usable only within the World-Within-Illusion Formation.
A heaven-defying technique that overturned fate.
Of course, if he failed, he would spend years repairing the formation.
He might even suffer a backlash far worse.
But there was no other way.
For the destroyed Five Elements Hall and Eightfold Formation.
For the grand plan ahead.
He had to kill that brat here.
The old man scattered talismans into the air.
Once more, heaven and earth trembled.
KUUUNG—
“…!”
Sensing danger, Kang Yu kicked off the ground.
“He’s trying something again!”
Using a body-swapping technique, Kang Yu appeared behind the old man and struck at his nape.
“Sorry—!”
But—
“What…?”
It felt as if he had struck empty air.
Though his hand clearly touched the old man’s neck, there was no sensation.
Like two magnets repelling each other.
The old man slowly straightened.
“Khkhkhkh.”
He burst into laughter.
“How pitiful!”
The crimson sky distorted like heat haze.
Massive letters appeared.
【Prohibition I: Martial Arts】
The old man cackled.
“From now on, all physical contact is forbidden in this place. Sword, palm, fist, kick—anything. Even if you surpass the greatest under heaven, even if you are the Jade Emperor above the heavens.”
“All contact… forbidden?”
He drew a dagger and slashed his own hand.
The blade cut flesh—yet not a drop of blood fell.
He tossed it to Kang Yu.
Kang Yu cautiously drew it across his skin.
Nothing.
The same magnetic resistance.
Then new lines formed in the sky.
【Prohibition: Recognition Successful (Binding Applied)】
【Prohibition: Release Rule [II]】
“The prohibition will be lifted when only one of the three remains,” the old man recited.
The sky twisted again.
【Prohibition II: Techniques】
“Likewise for me. From now on, all techniques are nullified. Blood arts, immortal arts—anything.”
He scattered talismans.
They fell lifelessly.
“No illusion arts either. Khk.”
He laughed wildly.
“So! Who’s pathetic now?!”
Yeon Baekrim tilted his head.
The monster can’t use illusion arts anyway…
Is he strangely fair-minded?
Then—
The sky trembled again.
【Prohibition III: Question】
“Question?”
Unlike the others, this one wasn’t intuitive.
The monster looked up, then asked the old man:
“What happens if you ask a question?”
The old man’s eyes gleamed.
“You’ve taken the bait…!”
Immediately, Kang Yu’s body stiffened.
“What—?”
His pupils dulled.
Life drained.
He froze.
The old man roared with laughter.
Yeon Baekrim stepped back.
The sensation was familiar.
Like the corpses he’d seen long ago.
Rigor mortis…
“Not dead,” the old man said.
“But he soon will be.”
He explained about Injuhwa—perfect material.
Yeon Baekrim’s mind raced.
There was no way.
Or—
There is.
He knelt.
But—
“Kh—!”
His own body stiffened.
The sky:
【Prohibition III: Question】
He recalled.
“…Soon will be?” he had asked.
Question…
His vision darkened.
He froze.
The old man laughed.
But then—
His own limbs stiffened.
“What—?!”
The sky still bore all three prohibitions.
He looked down—
Yeon Baekrim’s eyes regained life.
He rose.
“How…?!”
“I suppose my deduction was correct.”
“Question… and self-question.”
The third prohibition only triggered for questions directed at others—not inward musings.
And intent mattered more than phrasing.
When Kang Yu had muttered “Question?” to himself—nothing happened.
But when he asked directly—he froze.
Yeon Baekrim had gambled.
“Soon will be?”—ambiguous enough to be self-directed.
The old man realized too late.
The sky’s prohibitions dissolved.
The old man turned to smoke.
『This is my world! I deserve at least this advantage…!』
The world curled inward.
『I give up on the Injuhwa. Wander the Nine Heavens together!』
Heaven and earth collapsed.
At the far edge—
A white light.
The only exit.
Two hundred steps away.
Yeon Baekrim prepared to run—
Then saw Kang Yu, still frozen.
“….”
He slapped his own cheek.
“Idiot. This is your one chance.”
He turned—
But memories surfaced.
— Hello. My name’s Kang Yu.
— May I ask you something?
— Thank you. You helped me so much.
— As expected of a righteous hero!
Yeon Baekrim shut his eyes.
“Damn it…”
He changed direction.
Hoisting Kang Yu onto his back, Yeon Baekrim ran with all his strength toward the light.
