I gathered people to break the array.

"You told me to bring my master, so we came together."

First was Moyong Jaehwa and Yeo Samtong of the Gwigung Sect, who was here as his martial arts master.

Next, I instructed them to bring Ilgak, Namgung Seonhwa, and Cheol Sunjik of the Twelve Peaks and Castles.

While waiting for the people to arrive, I listened to the Zhuge Clan's formation master explain the Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array.

Right now, I probably knew more about the Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array than the formation master did, but for the time being, I obediently pretended to listen.

"The Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array was originally created as a living array."

"A living array?"

I managed my expression as if hearing it for the first time.

The formation master's shoulders bobbed with pride.

"Until the energy of the entire Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array is depleted, the Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array will never collapse. If an impact occurs internally or externally, the energy naturally moves to restore the array."

Certainly, the appearance of this concept of a living array changed the landscape of formation arrays.

But I hated seeing him act so triumphant even in this situation where a problem had occurred.

As if realizing an astonishing fact, I deliberately slapped my forehead with an exaggerated gesture.

"Ah! So because of that, if we try to forcibly break it, the academy students could all die."

"..."

While listening to the formation master, who now had an expression like he had chewed on shit, explain the Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array, all the people I called arrived.

"I heard you were looking for me?"

Summoned alongside Ilgak and Namgung Seonhwa, Cheol Sunjik's face was full of dissatisfaction.

Still, he did come.

"May I ask what this is about?"

I answered honestly.

"It's because there are not many people I know who possess 60 years' worth of internal energy."

"... Nam Hwaseong also possesses 60 years' worth of internal energy."

"I don't think that guy would be able to control his internal energy delicately, do you?"

As I shrugged and gave my assessment, Cheol Sunjik could not raise any particular objections.

After a brief silence, he stared at me intently and spoke.

"Do you think I will help Representative Jin Sowoon?"

"I'm not asking you to help me."

"Then who?"

Who else could it be but my reliable backer.

"I'm telling you to follow the Chief Strategist's orders."

"The Chief Strategist?"

As my gaze shifted behind him, Cheol Sunjik turned around in surprise.

"Is there a problem?"

Zhuge Somyeong's voice struck heavily.

Cheol Sunjik bowed his head, sweating profusely.

"... N-No."

Zhuge Somyeong glanced over Cheol Sunjik once, then looked at me.

"By when can you have everything prepared?"

"I will finish within 15 minutes."

"Good."

While Zhuge Somyeong prepared for any contingencies, I asked Yeo Samtong.

"Can you help Jaehwa shoot arrows at four places at the same time?"

"Four places?"

I nodded and explained more clearly.

"They must fall identically."

Yeo Samtong fell deep into thought for a moment.

"Hmm..."

"Brother, I don't have that kind of skill yet..."

Then, shortly after, he nodded.

"I think it will be possible."

"What?"

Instead of the dumbfounded Moyong Jaehwa, Yeo Samtong spoke confidently.

"The wind blowing around the Grand Equestrian Ground is not that strong, so it should be possible."

"What are you..."

I looked at Yeo Samtong and clasped my fist in a salute.

"Understood. Then please prepare according to my signal."

"No, no! Brother! I can't do it!"

Even though it was clearly a conversation about him, the guy seemed flustered as the conclusion was reached while excluding him, the very person involved.

Goodness, it wasn't even the first time, so I didn't know why he was so flustered.

I grabbed Moyong Jaehwa's shoulders with both hands.

"Jaehwa! The lives of seventy-eight people depend on your hands! You can do it!"

"No... Brother! I said I can't..."

"Everyone else, please come here."

"B-Brother...?"

Leaving Moyong Jaehwa behind like that, I finished the preparations by telling Ilgak, Namgung Seonhwa, Cheol Sunjik, and Buk Wonpyeong where and how they needed to prepare.

While each of them approached their positions and took their places, only Cheol Sunjik stood in place and stared fixedly at me.

"Perhaps you don't understand the method?"

There was no way that clever person wouldn't understand.

No, was he that displeased about working together for a bit?

Even though it was to save people?

"That's not what I am curious about."

Cheol Sunjik's eyes sank coldly.

"Why are you doing this?"

"What do you mean?"

Cheol Sunjik asked me, looking as if he couldn't understand at all.

"The Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array is a newly created formation array. No matter how outstanding Representative Jin Sowoon is, I do not think you can safely break a formation array you are seeing for the first time. If so..."

Soon, he took a step toward me and lowered his voice even more.

"Isn't it something you can just pretend not to know about?"

"..."

"Then the White Path Council would naturally collapse, and Representative Jin Sowoon's position would be solidified."

It was a reasonable question.

Just as he said, I might be doing something foolish right now.

Because until a massive faction is completely ruined, it is a monster in itself that fiercely pursues its own interests.

Perhaps by stepping forward, I might be saving the White Path Council from the crisis of its downfall.

However.

So what if that was the case?

Even in my past life, the ones who were ground down for political reasons were always the people at the bottom.

Only when their insignificant, trivial blood flowed and flowed, eventually staining their own feet, would the higher-ups come to their senses.

Now that I possessed even a meager amount of power, was he telling me to act exactly like those who were steeped in the inertia of authority?

Was he saying I should imitate that baseness and become the exact same kind of bastard?

Unfortunately.

"Because I can."

I didn't have the slightest intention of becoming a base human being like those bastards.

"What?"

At my answer, Cheol Sunjik furrowed his brow as if he couldn't understand.

I looked at him nonchalantly.

"Because I can save them, I am saving them. That is the only reason."

Still seeming to not understand, Cheol Sunjik's eyes wavered violently.

"... But if you fail, you might have to shoulder the blame. Are you truly okay with that?"

I shrugged once before answering him.

"That is the responsibility the person giving the orders must bear. Is it not?"

"..."

Cheol Sunjik bit his lip tightly, seemingly frustrated by something.

* * *

Living array (生陣).

A rare formation array of the era that obstructed the path of demonic practitioners and prevented slaughter.

However, the appearance of the Demonic Brain, who broke even this rare formation array, was a huge blow from the Murim Alliance's perspective.

Because it was as if the Minor Orthodox Unit had also been stripped of all the sanctuaries where we could at least rest a little, we ground our teeth again and again toward the Demonic Brain.

But coming to this point, to break the Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array using the method the Demonic Brain had used made me feel strange.

'Am I receiving help from that fucking Demonic Brain?'

I quickly shook off the stray thoughts in my head.

So what if I received the Demonic Brain's help?

When it meant I could save people.

If I could save my allies and beat my enemies, I would gladly receive help not just from the Demonic Brain, but even from the Heavenly Demon.

I steadied my resolve and looked around.

"We will begin."

At my shout, the four people positioned at four of the Eight Gates simultaneously began to draw up their internal energy.

They infused powerful internal energy into the remaining four gates, excluding the major Four Gates such as Life, Death, Open, and Rest.

RUMBLE, RUMBLE.

Under the pressure tightening from all sides, the Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array began to tremble.

As if caught showing its bare skin that shouldn't originally be seen, the visualized formation array revealed its movements completely to the outside.

Soon, the black mist filling the inside of the formation array slowly began to gather at the attacked four gates.

It was trying to defend against the external force (外力) by concentrating its power at the attacked points.

And then.

"Now!"

BA-BA-BANG!

Our opportunity had come.

At the same time, the four people's internal energy burst forth, and in an instant, the form of the Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array crumbled.

I shouted toward the four people.

"It starts from now! Please infuse your internal energy consistently!"

The Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array constantly tried to gather power to repair its broken outer walls, but perhaps because the force charging in from the outside was formidable, it did not restore properly.

Eventually, even the power that wrapped around the major Four Gates slowly began to move to the other four gates.

"Jaehwa!"

As my signal fell, Moyong Jaehwa, who was on the roof, began to shoot arrows in accordance with Yeo Samtong's instructions.

THWIP. THWIP. THWIP. THWIP.

The four arrows, which flew up in different trajectories, rose so high they were invisible before falling simultaneously.

Soon, the blunt arrowheads dropped simultaneously onto the pillars of Life, Death, Open, and Rest.

C-C-CRASH!

Along with an impact that shook the ground, the Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array momentarily rippled.

As if knowing the major Four Gates were being attacked, it tried to quickly send its power to the major Four Gates.

We couldn't miss this.

"We must grab hold of it!"

This was the reason why I had no choice but to call Cheol Sunjik instead of Nam Hwaseong.

We had to continuously hold onto the power that was trying to return.

"Uwaaaagh!"

"Uwaaagh!"

"Hup!"

Perhaps the pull was formidable, as everyone except Buk Wonpyeong let out full-throated shouts.

It was because some of the mist of the Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array had disappeared, and the figures of the personnel inside the formation array began to be seen.

Hope had started to show.

Now for the finale.

Standing on the roof of the pavilion right in the center, I released the Flying Dragon Claw endlessly and ensnared the four pillars of the Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array.

"Uwaaaah!"

And grabbing the Heavenly Silkworm Thread with both hands, I pulled the pillars that formed the Four Gates.

Before long, the Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array began to shake bit by bit.

A precarious feeling, like when a baby tooth is about to fall out.

It felt like with just a little more effort, I could pull out all the pillars.

At that moment.

"U-Uh-oh!"

Even though I had gone out of my way to call Cheol Sunjik instead of Nam Hwaseong to regulate the internal energy.

Perhaps unable to predict the force of the energy fluctuating as the pillars shook, panic crept into the faces of Buk Wonpyeong and Ilgak.

"Benefactor Jin!"

"Jin Sowoon! I've lost it...!"

The energy that had been blocking the four people instantly shifted to the pillars I was trying to pull out.

The four people could not immediately stabilize the rippling energy.

Due to this, the power of the formation array began to move to the major Four Gates!

If this continued, I might soon be dragged inside the formation array.

'Damn it!!!!'

From now on, it was a battle of endurance.

With the mindset of a gambler betting his life at the gambling house, I poured all of my energy into it.

'How many spiritual elixirs have I consumed so far!!!'

Then I tenaciously began to pull the pillars.

The taut Heavenly Silkworm Thread started to dig into my palms, but disregarding it, I exerted even more strength.

A pain that felt like my nerves were being shredded to pieces invaded my entire body.

However, recalling the screams of those trapped inside the formation array, I let out a shout.

"Uwaaaagh!!"

* * *

Upon entering the Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array, terrible nightmares surface.

Those who had experienced murder were engulfed in guilt, and those who had committed wrongdoings were enveloped in a sense of sin, unable to move an inch.

They had merely wanted to experience the Ten Thousand Forms Array, yet the energy dominating their upper Dantians drained all the strength from their bodies.

They tried to draw up the energy from their Dantians to protect their minds, but they could not shake off the illusions.

TREMBLE, TREMBLE.

An academy student who had just escaped from his illusions looked at his own two hands.

The corpses that had filled his surroundings just a moment ago and the bloodstains smeared all over his body had all vanished.

"I-It was definitely..."

In the illusion, his noble clan was annihilated due to his mistake.

Family, relatives, colleagues, and friends had all died, and only he had been waiting for death.

That was definitely how it was, but...

At the moment he was begging an enemy whose face he couldn't see.

Suddenly, all the sights he had thought were real vanished.

'What is going on?'

His violently trembling hands.

His neat martial attire without a single stain.

Around him were academy students looking just as dumbfounded as he was.

Only then did he realize the fact that he had entered the Ten Thousand Forms Array and seen an illusion.

Right then.

"Uwaaaaagh!!"

Raising his head at the shout heard from above, he saw a man gripping a thin thread and exerting his strength.

It was a familiar-looking man.

'J-Jin Sowoon?'

He couldn't help but be surprised by the fact that the man's identity was Jin Sowoon.

Thinking, 'Is this another illusion?' he looked around.

The other academy students were also making surprised expressions, seemingly seeing the same sight as him.

"I can't hold on!"

Someone's voice echoing from beyond the Ten Thousand Forms Array.

Along with that sound, the black clouds began to cover the ceiling once again.

The academy students swallowed up by the black clouds soon began to let out screams from within.

AAAAAGH!

SOB, SOB.

Please... Please...

Please forgive me! I was wrong!

The sounds of crying heard vividly.

Only then did the academy students realize that entering those clouds meant seeing illusions, and that Jin Sowoon was doing something to prevent that.

'But why...'

Jin Sowoon was no different from an enemy to them, who belonged to the White Path Council.

The vast majority of the people who entered this place were those who had participated in the White Path Council's event harboring strong animosity toward Jin Sowoon.

Why was Jin Sowoon trying to save people like them?

"Uwaaaaagh!!"

Perhaps finding it difficult to hold the thin thread with both hands, he wrapped the thread round and round his arm.

Due to the tension digging into his flesh, his skin began to swell grotesquely, and blood trickled down from both of his hands, flowing along the thread.

"Just... why..."

"What is this..."

"Not Zhuge Jeonggi... but Jin Sowoon?"

The reactions of the other academy students were not much different.

At Jin Sowoon's desperate-looking expression, they all just stared blankly, forgetting even the fact that they were in danger.

Right then, a shout erupted from the mouth of Jin Sowoon, who was looking down.

"What are you doing standing there like idiots! Smash the pillars connected to the threads immediately!"

"What? What did you say?"

Blood was still dripping from both of his hands.

"Ugh... If you want to get out of there, smash the pillars!"

"U-Understood!"

Without anyone having to go first, the people stood in front of the pillars connected to Jin Sowoon's threads.

Although it was inside the Ten Thousand Forms Array, finding the pillars was not difficult.

Because the blood that had flowed from the threads was soaking the pillars.

"Move quickly! You bastards!"

No one grimaced at Jin Sowoon's cursing.

They just kept striking the pillars as he said, as if possessed.

BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG.

As everyone scraped together every bit of their internal energy and began striking the pillars, the pillars soon began to shake violently.

CRAAACK.

And at that moment.

"Haaap!!!"

Along with Jin Sowoon's resounding shout, the pillars were uprooted all at once and soared high into the sky.

THUD, THUD, CRASH.

The four pillars fell to the ground simultaneously.

Before long, the black mist that had been obscuring all sides slowly thinned out and completely dissipated.

"M-My god!"

The Two Modes Eight Trigrams Ten Thousand Forms Array, which the Zhuge Clan had poured their heart and soul into creating.

Jin Sowoon had broken the rare supreme formation array said to surpass the Seven Stars Seven Catch Array.

"..."

"..."

Both the people inside and outside the Ten Thousand Forms Array looked at Jin Sowoon with their mouths gaping open.

"Ah! I really almost died."

Jin Sowoon plopped down onto the ground and spat out a curse, and people's gazes naturally turned to his hands and arms.

"Those damn White Path Council bastards! You should've kept your troublemaking in moderation."

The vast majority of the people inside the Grand Equestrian Ground belonged to the White Path Council, but no one showed animosity and lunged at him over his words.

"..."

"..."

"...!"

Everyone was just blankly staring at his bloodied hands and arms.