Heavenly Inquisition Sword Novel - Chapter 299
.jpeg){kind=tracking}
Chapter 299: Adjusting Destiny
Five Peaks Mountain.
At mid-height.
“Haah!”
Jang Mudeok, Apprentice of the Supreme Tao, stared ahead with an exhausted expression. Strange creatures he had never seen before clustered like swarms of ants. Human-headed spiders the size of rhinoceroses? Sure, in the Murim, there is also talk of the legend of human-faced spiders, whose webs are as strong as celestial silk and whose venom turns those touched into pools of blood. Although they are fearsome monsters, they are so rare that they are revered as spiritual creatures.
These human-faced spiders filled the valley.
The sound of the spiders moving echoed to the foot of the mountain.
Jang Mudeok shook his head in disbelief.
“This is incredible!”
The last time he climbed Five Peaks Mountain, there was no trace of these creatures.
He was climbing the same path, but he had no idea what was happening.
“Could it be that I got caught in an illusion?”
He raised his sword without thinking. The blade was stained with a green fluid.
He had been killing human-faced spiders for six hours, so it was natural.
After wiping the sword with his hand and smelling the fluid on his hands, a pungent odor cleared his mind.
This is not an illusion. The valley and the spiders are real.
Jang Mudeok quickly used the Heavenly Universe Technique to shake off the accumulated fatigue in his body.
“Everything that blocks my way will be cut down.”
To receive the teachings of the legendary Holy Mother of the Eight Emperors, he had to keep moving forward.
“Cursed creatures! I’ll kill you all!”
Shouting, Jang Mudeok advanced.
“Kikikikiki!”
“Kiki!”
The human-faced spiders emitted strange sounds.
Jang Mudeok cut through them without stopping.
The thunder created by the Thunder Technique echoed through the valley.
Yeon Jeokha’s group arrived at Five Peaks Mountain around noon.
Master Tairyeong discreetly took out the Eight Trigrams of Demon Pursuit and, after examining it, spoke with relief.
“Fortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any demonic energy on Five Peaks Mountain.”
Everyone nodded indifferently, as Jang Mudeok had not mentioned any demons.
The Incomparable Among Ten, Namgung Yeon, spoke to the Three Immortals of Kunlun.
“If you find anything strange while climbing the mountain, please let us know immediately.”
“Are you thinking of an illusion formation?”
Master Taiyi scrutinized the mountainous terrain, searching for possible points for an illusion formation.
“The Yoomyung Cult Leader is not heading to Baekmasa, also known as White Horse Temple. She must be doing something she doesn’t want even her followers to know. Surely she has taken precautions.”
“Understood.”
Immortal Taiyi looked at his disciples.
“We must use the Divine Eye Technique.”
Ordinary people can detect physical traps, but if an illusion formation includes the power of a god, not even the Incomparable Among Ten could detect it. The power of a god is essentially a divine manifestation, and to perceive it, special skills are needed, such as the Divine Eye Technique.
“Agreed.”
“Understood.”
The Three Immortals of Kunlun pressed their eyes with their thumb and forefinger while reciting the spell of the Divine Eye Technique. When they reopened their eyes, their pupils were enveloped in a spectral blue flame.
Yeon Jeokha watched them curiously, causing Immortal Taiyi to smile and explain.
“Young Master Yeon, this technique is called the Divine Eye. Before the Divine Eye, illusions are useless.”
“Can this break illusion formations?”
“No. It only allows you to see them. Breaking a formation is the work of experts. The Incomparable Among Ten could surely undo a formation.”
Immortal Taiyi looked at Namgung Yeon.
“I have some knowledge of illusion formations, but I don’t know if it will be enough.”
Although her response was not very confident, Taiyi smiled, knowing that her standards were higher than those of ordinary people.
“We will lead from now on.”
Master Taiyi took the lead, followed by Masters Taimu and Tairyeong.
Halfway up, the Three Immortals of Kunlun suddenly stopped, staring at a narrow path that climbed the mountain. The sign next to the path read “Fairy Temple.”
Shim Tong, of the Old Dao of Nine Heavens, who was watching, approached them.
“Why are you stopping?”
“There’s an illusion formation.”
“Illusion formation?”
Shim Tong and the others looked at the path but only saw a normal mountain path.
“Sister, can you see the formation?”
“No. If I can’t see it, it’s not a common formation.”
“Is there a formation you can’t see?”
Yeon Jeokha was a novice in illusion formations. He had never read a book about formations, nor had he heard the term until he arrived at Five Peaks Mountain.
“Ancient formations are not made just with techniques. They use feminine (yin) and masculine (yang) spirits.”
“Feminine and masculine spirits?”
“Feminine spirits are female ghosts, and masculine spirits are male ghosts.”
“A formation made with ghosts?”
“Yes, that’s why it can’t be seen with normal eyes. Only those who have trained for a long time can see them.”
“Ah! They can only be seen with the Divine Eye Technique!”
“Exactly. This is the first time I see the Divine Eye Technique. Kunlun’s reputation as the best outside the continent is well-deserved.”
Taiyi approached Namgung Yeon.
“Miss, we have confirmed that there are three layers of trigrams at the entrance of the formation, but we can’t see beyond due to the mist.”
Namgung Yeon thought for a moment and then asked.
“Did the trigrams move in one direction?”
“Yes, although very slowly.”
“Then it must be the Eight Trigrams Formation. But if they also use the power of spirits, it’s likely the Eight Trigrams Formation with Spirits.”
“What is that formation?”
Master Taiyi blinked at the unfamiliar term.
“The original Eight Trigrams Formation was created by Zhuge Liang. But the full version was not transmitted. Formation experts managed to recreate a version based on the trigrams.”
“Yes, that’s what we know as the Eight Trigrams Formation.”
“Exactly. But the power of the spirits could not be recreated until an extraordinary individual known as the Immortal of the Heavens discovered how to do it.”
“So, the Eight Trigrams Formation with Spirits is…?”
“It’s a formation that uses the power of spirits and is said to be the closest to the original formation of Zhuge Liang. It seems there is a successor to him in the Yoomyung Cult.”
“Do you know how to break it?”
“No. I only have superficial knowledge about it.”
“What shall we do now?”
Namgung Yeon avoided answering directly. She had been obsessed with the formations of Zhuge Liang and knew well the Eight Trigrams Formation. But the use of the power of spirits was beyond her control. To find a way to break the formation, she needed to see something tangible, but the power of spirits was not visible to the human eye. Without skills like the Divine Eye Technique, it was like being blind.
At that moment, Yeon Jeokha murmured.
“The soft thunder that can be heard on the mountain, is that also a manifestation of the formation? It’s curious.”
Namgung Yeon quickly asked.
“Most formations have no movements before activation. What kind of sound is it?”
Yeon Jeokha scratched his head before describing it.
“It’s hard to describe, but it sounds like soft, constant thunder, like when I ate something bad, and my stomach rumbled.”
“Regularly?”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s not a manifestation of the formation. Formations have no regular rhythms.”
“Then what is it? I can still hear it.”
Namgung Yeon heard nothing, nor did the others.
“It must be that your skills are so high that only you can hear it.”
Shim Tong agreed.
“There’s no other explanation for only you hearing it.”
Namgung Yeon suddenly said.
“It must be the sound of the Thunder Technique. It seems that Great Swordmaster Jang is trapped in the formation.”
“Ah!”
Yeon Jeokha exclaimed. He remembered a similar sound when he used the Nine Heavens Swordsmanship. Even lower-level sword techniques can create wind and thunder effects. Jang Mudeok, being one of the ten best masters in the world, must surely be making that sound.
“Do you think it’s really the Thunder Technique?”
“Yes. At first, I was confused, but now I’m sure. Great Swordmaster Jang’s energy is diminishing. The sound of the thunder is weakening.”
“The Eight Trigrams Formation with Spirits has no exits. It’s made to kill slowly. He must have entered last night. He won’t last much longer. What shall we do?”
Namgung Yeon looked at Yeon Jeokha.
It was the first time she faced the Eight Trigrams Formation with Spirits, and Jang Mudeok was trapped and dying inside it.
“What do you want to do, sister?”
“I can’t just leave knowing that Great Swordmaster Jang is dying. I would regret it my whole life.”
“Then let’s go.”
Shim Tong, who was momentarily surprised, shouted.
“Go? To that formation that even Great Swordmaster Jang couldn’t overcome?”
“Yes. Why?”
“Why? Miss Yeon said she didn’t know how to break the formation. I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but… Where are you going? Miss?”
Namgung Yeon stood next to Yeon Jeokha, who said.
“I’m going to adjust my destiny with Jeokha. I won’t force you. Come only if you want to.”
The Three Immortals of Kunlun moved first. Shim Tong, who kept murmuring, followed, though with heavy steps.
Guiyeong Ja, with a cheeky expression, said.
“We’ll stay here in case something happens. Someone must inform the Alliance.”
Yeon Jeokha sneered.
“Ha! Don’t talk nonsense about waiting. Come here now. Don’t worry about reporting the result. If we don’t return, they’ll know we failed. Are you coming? Are you ignoring me?”.
“No, of course not. Let’s go.”
Guiyeong Ja and Hyuk Muchun reluctantly advanced.
English