Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 627

For a while, the usually quiet So-Geuk Palace finally began to stir. The tension of an impending battle swept through the palace in an instant. Most of the formations deployed restrictions, and the lower-realm disciples withdrew, disappearing from the palace.

Two days after Madam Mi and Baek Yo-yi had their conversation, Han Ryeo Sang-in, who was sitting in the stone building of Hyeonok Cave within the Void Spirit Hall, suddenly opened his eyes. He looked around at the cultivators who were resting and spoke.

“I have distributed the core incantations. With your talents, you should have mastered them sufficiently in two days, yes?”

At those words, the other cultivators quietly opened their eyes as well.

“This humble monk has no issues.”

“I have been waiting since half a day ago.”

“I am also prepared.”

Han Li was the last to answer, and there was no need to ask Baek Mong-hyeong and the middle-aged man.

“Since everyone is ready, let’s begin immediately. I don’t know if it will end in a few days or take over a month, but I can only hope for success. Frankly, this old man is also worried about the situation outside and desperately wishes to leave this place as soon as possible.”

Following that, Han Ryeo Sang-in and his disciples took out several sets of formation flags and discs from their storage and went outside the building, setting up several incredibly complex formations in the cave.

The external cultivators had nothing to help with, but they all left the building with burning curiosity, as it was an opportunity to observe the secret arts of another sect. Han Ryeo Sang-in and the others finished setting up the formations in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

The barriers, layered around the stone mound, shone intensely, and spells flickered along their surfaces. Han Ryeo Sang-in flew up, surveyed the area, and then flicked his finger.

At the same time, a dozen or so hand seals flew quickly and were absorbed into the formations.

*Woong!*

The formations emitted light and frantically gathered the Hyeonok Cold Qi [a type of extremely cold energy], creating a vortex. Only the red building stood unscathed in the vortex of cold Qi.

“The more Hyeonok Cold Qi, the better. That will increase the chances of overcoming the critical point.”

Han Ryeo Sang-in floated in the air, checked the vortex, and spoke with satisfaction.

At that moment, Han Li was staring at the five pillars of light that had risen from the center of the stone mound due to the power of the formation. The pillars of light were purple, red, white, black, and yellow, each containing pure spiritual power.

After confirming the shape of the formation, he immediately transformed into a streak of blue light and entered the purple pillar of light. The old woman and the other cultivators moved similarly, each taking a seat within their respective pillars of light.

Now, Han Li circulated the spiritual power within his body according to the secret incantations he had learned beforehand, emitting a brilliant purple flame from his entire body.

As he formed a hand seal, the purple light at his seat transformed into a large lotus flower. The soft, thin petals of the lotus shone beautifully in purple.

The Violet Zenith Flame that Han Li possessed grew larger as if stimulated when it touched the purple lotus. His eyebrows twitched slightly, surprised.

It was an unexpected gain that the formation deployed by Han Ryeo Sang-in had the effect of amplifying the power of the cold flame. If he could figure out how to deploy the formation, it would be very useful.

However, as the Violet Zenith Flame blazed, the consumption of his internal magic power doubled. It was the price for momentarily amplifying the power of the flame.

He looked around, observing the cultivators sitting on the other pillars of light. They all looked similar, sitting on lotus flowers made of light, but the cold flames they emitted were different.

Han Li also glanced at the cave wall.

The Taiyin True Flame would be quietly moving, collecting the Hyeonok Cold Qi. It was a stroke of luck that there was a restriction on consciousness within the Void Spirit Hall itself. Before he could withdraw his gaze, Han Ryeo Sang-in’s voice echoed in the air.

“The power of the cold flames possessed by the cultivators is considerable, so it seems you can endure for a long time. You can enter the Hyeonok Cold Qi with peace of mind. Just follow the incantations I told you beforehand.”

Han Ryeo Sang-in did not forget his final instructions and slowly entered the milky white cold Qi orb, surrounded by the Geonram Ice Flame.

*Kuururung!*

A blue light flashed, and then the dwarf’s body completely disappeared inside.

Whatever method he used, nothing happened even when the Geonram Ice Flame and the Hyeonok Cold Qi collided. Now, it was as if he had an additional milky white protective layer.

At this moment, the middle-aged man in the blue robe and Baek Mong-hyeong simultaneously flipped their hands and took out blue formation discs. The two of them gestured skillfully, and a five-colored protective barrier appeared from the formation, enveloping the other cultivators.

After that, a fierce wind raged outside the barrier, creating a white storm, but those inside could not see out.

Even as time passed, the storm around the stone mound continued relentlessly.

* * *

After seven or eight days, a large number of demon beasts appeared outside of Bukmyeong Island. They were advancing, divided into groups coming from the Ice Sea and groups coming from the mainland.

The demon beasts’ demonic energy covered the sky.

The families and small sects near Bukmyeong Island, without even attempting to resist, scattered in panic, either relocating or fleeing from Bukmyeong Island.

As they were openly invading, So-Geuk Palace immediately activated the surrounding restrictions. The surrounding temperature dropped sharply, and blizzards raged wildly.

The demon creatures from the Manyo Valley on the mainland also seemed to have prepared in advance, with a large number of low-level demon beasts rushing forward first to consume the cold Qi, followed by dozens of level 7 and higher demon beasts.

Most of the demon beast groups swarming from the Ice Sea were not afraid of the cold Qi and blizzards of Bukmyeong Island, so thousands of demon beasts flew towards So-Geuk Palace at the same time. And many demon beasts disappeared into the blizzards.

However, the high-level cultivators of So-Geuk Palace would not just watch them approach the ice fortress. A slaughter using formation restrictions and natural cold Qi was about to unfold.

Demon beasts with transparent bodies like jellyfish were secretly advancing through the blizzards.

The demon beasts called snow goblins or cold spirits were only level 5 or 6, but they could move freely like fish in water even in the harsh icy climate.

Suddenly, the level 6 cold spirit leading the group stopped and stared at a point in the blizzard with its several pairs of red eyes.

*Swish!*

Red threads shot out from the void, instantly shattering the demon cores within the bodies of the demon beasts. Only then did a female cultivator of So-Geuk Palace, wearing a white fur coat, slowly walk out of the blizzard.

Although her face could not be seen clearly, her cold gaze swept over the dead demon beasts before disappearing back into the blizzard.

* * *

About a hundred miles away, a demon beast with the head of a bull and the body of a human was walking alone on a frozen lake.

Its head had curved black horns, and its entire body was covered in blue fur. It looked quite foolish as it walked, swaying its hips with a large blade slung over its shoulder.

However, if human cultivators were to discover this demon beast, they would certainly not laugh. It was a level 7 demon beast on the verge of transformation.

Due to the flight restriction on Bukmyeong Island, only level 8 and higher demon beasts could fly freely, while the rest had to advance slowly on foot. Therefore, even demon beasts skilled in earth techniques had no choice but to walk diligently if they were not of a high enough level.

Suddenly, the demon beast swung the huge blade it had slung over its shoulder. It felt as if it was striking something invisible.

*Thud!*

At the same time, a terrible scream was heard from under the lake. A long mark, several feet deep on the surface of the ice, showed the power of the blow that had just occurred.

Suddenly, blood rose from the lake under the ice surface, and a man in So-Geuk Palace attire floated up. A cultivator who had been hiding in the water using a water escape technique had been caught and struck down before he could even launch an ambush.

The demon beast, its eyes gleaming with a ferocious light, grabbed the severed corpse in the air and began to munch on it.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the demon beast, having completely devoured the corpse, rubbed its belly contentedly and continued walking forward. Similar events occurred in various parts of Bukmyeong Island.

However, these were all incidents between low-level demon beasts and cultivators below the Core Formation stage. Nascent Soul cultivators and level 8 or higher demon beasts were nowhere to be seen.

The Nascent Soul cultivators of So-Geuk Palace did not even leave the ice fortress, and the level 8 and higher demon beasts were flying through the blizzards without interfering with whatever was happening below.

* * *

As the demon beasts approached the ice fortress, inside a certain hall within the Hanryeo Secret Realm, Madam Mi, with the surname Ryu, sat on the central chair, listening to reports from the Nascent Soul elders and disciples.

“…Among the hundred or so high-level disciples we dispatched this time, 37 of their life tablets have been extinguished. According to reports, a total of 128 demon beasts from various levels have been killed, most of them being Ice Sea demon beasts. We have already dispatched the second group of disciples, so they will probably join the first group in about an hour.”

“Already 37 have died… the time has come. The enemies must have entered within a hundred thousand miles of the ice fortress. Inform Elder Yeop to ring the Zhenhai Bell [a powerful artifact] in an hour. We must wipe out the low-level demon beasts of the Ice Sea at once. If we let them reach this place, it will be a great disaster.”

Madam Mi gave her orders in an instant.

“Yes, Palace Lord!”

A healthy-looking old man heard her words, took out a sound transmission device, muttered something, and then shot it out of the hall.

“Disciple Jeong, activate all the formation restrictions. If we activate the treasures, the high-level demon beasts of the Ice Sea will probably go berserk over the deaths of their kin.”

“Yes!”

At Madam Mi’s words, another elder bowed and transformed into a streak of light, leaving the hall.

“Instruct the disciples outside the palace firmly. The effect of the Zhenhai Bell only lasts for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, so they must return within that time. After that, immediately seal all the secret teleportation formations to prevent the demon beasts from using them.”

“Understood!”

With each command from Madam Mi, the elders moved quickly.

* * *

Hundreds of miles outside the ice fortress, a large number of high-level demon beasts gathered in one place and landed on an iceberg.

The front was where the powerful restrictions of So-Geuk Palace began, and the white energy made it impossible to see ahead, causing even the demon beasts on the verge of transformation to become cautious.

The demon beast group was divided into two. About a dozen were surrounding a tall old man and a small child, while the remaining twenty or so were gathered around a slender woman wearing a silver robe.

Strangely, the smaller group was well-dressed like human cultivators, and except for their different appearances, their behavior was human-like. They looked at the other demon beast group with subtle disdain.

The other demon beasts were numerically superior, but they all had ferocious appearances and wore roughly made clothes of leather and fur. Some were even shirtless.

They all carried or held weapons similar to military equipment, such as swords, axes, and maces. Their gazes towards the other group were also unfriendly.

They only lived in the glaciers and mountains, yet there was an unbridgeable difference between them, like water and fire. However, if human cultivators were to see this scene, they would not even know that and would only tremble and flee.

They were all level 8 or higher demon beasts on the verge of transformation, and the old man, the child, and the silver-haired woman were level 10 demon beasts.

The old man in the light-colored robe had a square face and an imposing presence, and his eyes were piercing. And the child, who looked no more than six or seven years old, had neat and handsome features, but his eyes were red, and there was a strange red aura on his face. The child maintained a faint smile throughout.