[What a funny guy.]
Black Dragon King laughs, baring his teeth.
[A human of the Human Race who has mastered the body refining method? Daring to stand before me? Do you not know that the vast majority of body refining methods you humans learn are but inferior versions of the demon beast methods? To boldly use an inferior method before me, one of the strongest of the Earth Tribe?]
Azure Tiger Saint remains silent.
Shiiiiing
"...?"
Im startled as I look at Azure Tiger Saint.
'The color, its changing.'
Its just as said.
The Azure Spirit Striking Origin Technique contained in his fists, which should have been rippling with a blue light and his wings, are gradually changing to a different color.
Redness gradually fades from the body of Azure Tiger Saint.
Its clear without asking.
Its the essence of his life, the energy of his blood, rippling and leaving the body of Azure Tiger Saint.
The blue of the Azure Wing Heavenly Shatter and the red of Azure Tiger Saint merge, turning into purple.
As the Tenth Wing unfolds, Azure Tiger Saint transforms into the incarnation of purple.
His appearance seems vaguely similar to Oh Hyun-seok, who had transformed his body with the energy of Primordial Chaos.
[Ha, you dare to oppose me? A mere body cultivator?]
Kurung, Kurururung!
Dark clouds begin to gather around the Black Dragon King, augmenting his power.
However, Azure Tiger Saint pays no heed and walks towards the Black Dragon King.
Kung, Koong, Kung!
With each step forward, his entire body gradually becomes larger.
With one step, he grows as much as a Fen (0.32 cm) with two steps, a Cun (3.33 cm), with three steps, a Chi (32.3 cm).
After four steps, he grows as much as a Ren (165 cm), five steps a Jian (1.8 m), and after six steps, he grows as much as a Ting (110 m).
Finally, after seven steps, Azure Tiger Saint's body has grown as much as a Li (500 m)
Kwoong!
Eight steps.
Azure Tiger Saint grows another 10 Li.
Kwoong!!!
Nine steps.
100 Li!
And at last.
Ten steps!
Kwaang!
[What!?]
Black Dragon King is flustered.
The body of Azure Tiger Saint continues to grow.
Thats, the Giant Transformation Technique that can be unleashed at the Heavenly Being stage through the Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method!
But this transformation is even more immense than what I have heard.
'Burning his life to gain power beyond the Four-Axis stage!?'
Its a power that can't be explained otherwise!
Soon, Azure Tiger Saint, now far larger than the mountain-sized Black Dragon King, raises his fist.
Akin to a Titanic Deity in Purple!
Suddenly, Azure Tiger Saint's wings retract into his body, and two purple dragons writhe on his arms.
[What!]
Before the Black Dragon King can fully regain his composure.
Kwaang!
Azure Tiger Saint's punch plummets down on the Black Dragon King.
Kugugugugung!
Literally.
The heavens and earth split apart.
The black sea created by the Black Dragon King is torn asunder.
And the Black Dragon King, who had seemed formidable in our confrontation until now, coughs up blood and falls!
[You...bastard...! Are you burning your life!?]
Kururung, Kurung!
The body of Azure Tiger Saint appears like a purple universe.
Within his body, numerous purple celestial bodies can be seen floating.
Azure Tiger Saint remains silent even as he faces Black Dragon King.
He just keeps pressing on!
That's the Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Methods final stage.'
The state of Azure Wing Heavenly Shatter becomes the base while life is burned.
The ultimate technique of the Azure Spirit Striking Origin Technique, the Azure Wing Heavenly Shatter, is wrapped around the fist. After transforming into a giant deity through Celestial Body Transformation of the Starlight Protecting Void Body, the tremendous power of the Five Elements Enduring Origin Scripture supports him.
Fighting against the Black Dragon King, surrounded by darkness, his giant form looks like a purple celestial god.
Kim Yeon doesnt just watch. She controls the Integration stage puppets to press the Black Dragon King.
The Black Dragon King, who had been fighting evenly against the Integration stage puppets, begins to be pushed back.
No, he was clearly being driven back by Azure Tiger Saint.
Kwagwang!
With every punch from Azure Tiger Saint that grazes his scales.
It is visible to the naked eye how the body of the Black Dragon King is being torn apart.
Kwaang!
The Black Dragon King is blown back, coughing up blood.
He glares at us, bleeding.
[You...kr, krh...dare...dare...!]
He is furious.
The Black Dragon King roars.
[Do you think I would lose to the likes of you!? I do not lose! I am the Black Dragon King, Hyeo Eum! I will return to my grand position!]
Chiieeeee!
Simultaneously, a red aura begins to swirl around his entire body.
Between the Black Dragon King's black scales, red blood energy starts to surge.
[Very well, now that I know your determination, let me prepare mine as well. Consider it an honor, I'm willing to shorten my lifespan just to annihilate you all!]
Kiiiiing!
"...!?"
And the next moment.
The blood energy emanating from the Black Dragon King soars even higher, and he suddenly charges towards the Esteemed One's left foot.
The Black Dragon King and the Esteemed One's Left Foot merges.
Kiiing!
Red light twists and writhes together.
[Ooooooh...!]
Within the writhing Esteemed One's Left Foot, the red tentacles of the corals seem to pull the Black Dragon King's body.
However, the next moment, the Esteemed One's Left Foot completely disperses in all directions!
"...!?"
The Esteemed One's Left Foot becomes a cloud.
No, it becomes a storm.
Kurung, Kururung!
At the same time, a sea.
The red blood cloud, harboring black lightning inside, disperses in all directions.
Simultaneously, the blood swarming between the red clouds look almost akin to a sea.
Woong, Wooroong!
"...!?"
The Black Dragon King merged with the Esteemed One's Left Foot, transforming into a phenomenon of the heavens and earth.
The devilish energy of the True Devil realm is drawn into the red storm, attacking the giant transformed Azure Tiger Saint.
Azure Tiger Saint, buried within the dark red storm, silently faces off against the massive amalgamation formed by the fusion of the Black Dragon King and the Esteemed One.
Kim Yeon also mobilizes the Integration stage puppets to block the red storm, but it proves futile.
'It cant be stopped!'
It has already surpassed the power of the Integration stage!
I have seen a being emitting that level of power before.
[Her]!
The [Her] who was modified by the Mad Lord braggingly to the Star Shattering stage emitted precisely that level of authority!
'We have to help!'
I look at Azure Tiger Saint burning his life.
The red storm is not just attacking his body.
The mind!
Its clear to my eyes that Azure Tiger Saint's mind is also being rapidly eroded by the storm.
'I can't physically block the storm. Even if Kim Yeon mobilizes the entire Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, it will be difficult. What I can do is...'
I barely manage to move my trembling body again.
'To infuse blessings into his heart, so he can protect himself!'
The Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace, in addition to infusing the Nascent Soul, is a strike that expels all of oneself in an instant.
Naturally, it places an enormous strain on the body as well, not only on the Nascent Soul.
Last time, I used the Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace to save everyone from the Esteemed One's technique and to lift Kim Yeon's seal, I used it once more.
Having performed the feat of squeezing out my entire being twice in one day, my body has been in a very poor state since then.
If I use Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace again this time, it will shave off at least 200 years off my lifespan.
But.
'That's nothing.'
After all, once you reach the Nascent Soul stage, time is in abundance.
So, there's no need to hesitate any longer!
Tstssts!
I gather every droplet of strength in my entire body.
Kim Yeon manipulates the Integration stage puppets to support Azure Tiger Saint, and Oh Hyun-seok is also gathering power, squeezing out his strength for Azure Wing Heavenly Shatter
The remnants of the Human Race from within the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress also came out, each preparing spells to support Azure Tiger Saint.
"Master!"
Oh Hyun-seok shouts loudly as he charges forward.
Charararak!
Seven pairs of wings extend from his back.
They are wings surely made at the cost of his lifespan.
Just when numerous individuals prepare to assist Azure Tiger Saint with their abilities,
At that moment,
Azure Tiger Saint, who was blocking the storm, suddenly glances back.
The instant I see Azure Tiger Saint's eyes, I realize his intentions and shout.
"Master! Don't."
Kugugugugu!
Azure Tiger Saint throws a punch towards us.
"...!"
As his fist moves, the armor he is wearing,
The Blue Sky Armor, which had been dyed purple along with his technique, is stripped away and flies towards us.
And perhaps due to the Blue Sky Armor's function,
We can feel the space itself being pushed back by the fist wind emanating from his fist, distancing us from him.
Azure Tiger Saint's voice softly reaches us.
[The Earth Tribe Grand Alliance will soon close the dimensional gate again. Leave quickly.]
"Master!!!"
Oh Hyun-seok, with tears streaming down his face, calls out to Azure Tiger Saint, and I employ Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace with all my focus.
Paaat!
It seemed as though a flash of light moved forward.
However, my Nascent Soul failed to reach Azure Tiger Saint.
Due to being pushed away from him, the distance my Nascent Soul had to travel became larger.
My Nascent Soul just barely fails to reach Azure Tiger Saint and is about to return to me!
But, I keep my mouth shut and use a different technique.
The moment my Nascent Soul wielded by the Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace gets closest to Azure Tiger Saint,
I use the mystical technique given to me by Gyeon Shin.
The spell of the Mysterious Bizarre Gu!
Whizz!
From my Nascent Soul, a fragment of my soul falls off and permeates into the body of Azure Tiger Saint.
A spell originally created to counter the mental interference of the Blood Yin Realm Heavenly Fiends.
Through Mysterious Bizarre Gu, I crawl into Azure Tiger Saints soul.
I then support his soul, resisting together against the mental interference of the Esteemed One that is eroding his mind.
'Are you Seo Eun-hyun?'
Noticing the presence of my soul, Azure Tiger Saint asks.
I imbue strength into Azure Tiger Saint's consciousness and reply.
'Come to this side now! If Master moves now, we can barely cross over to the Bright Cold Realm together!'
I share my partial soul and vision with Azure Tiger Saint from above the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, persuading him.
Gradually behind us, the dimensional gate of the Bright Cold Realm that Azure Tiger Saint broke through becomes visible.
We are being pushed towards the dimensional gate by the fist wind and the power of the Blue Sky Armor.
The dimensional gate is still closing in real-time.
'If you come quickly now, we can time it so that just Master and not that monster can cross over! Hurry!
'...Eun-hyun-ah.'
Azure Tiger Saint softly responds to my words.
'Do you know what I promised in exchange for the Earth Tribe Grand Alliance to open the dimensional gate for a moment?'
'Yes?'
I promised to halt the advance of the Star Shattering stage Esteemed One with my life. If an Esteemed One of the Blood Yin Realm, even just a clone, are to set foot in the Bright Cold Realm, it will immediately resonate the dimensional coordinates between the Bright Cold Realm and the Blood Yin Realm, providing a foothold for the Esteemed Ones of the Blood Yin Realm to cross into the Bright Cold Realm.
Azure Tiger Saint smiles bitterly, consoling me.
This is fine. If it means I can save my disciples, my juniors, I am satisfied with this.
I bite my lip tightly.
Tstssts!
The Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress finally crosses the dimensional gate into the Bright Cold realm.
Why, why do you, instead of yourself, choose to act for your disciples, your juniors? The cultivators I know are selfish, caring only about themselves! You too! Isnt it okay to live like that?
'....'
After a moment of silence, Azure Tiger Saint smiles at my divided soul.
'Eun-hyun-ah, please convey my last words to Hyun-seok.'
Crack, craduduk!
Gradually, red rays break through Azure Tiger Saint's mental barrier.
I try to block them by sacrificing my soul, but the power of a Star Shattering stage Esteemed One is impossible to stop with just my partial soul.
Crack
I silently heard the Azure Tiger Saint's last will, his final teaching.
Woooong!
Azure Tiger Saint's body begins to overheat.
After finishing his last words, he speaks to my splitting partial soul.
'...Thank you. If it werent for you, I might have already been consumed by the Esteemed One's mind and possibly gone to kill Hyun-seok with my own hands.'
'...Master.'
'Once again, please convey my words to Hyun-seok. You too, keep my words in your heart and live by them. Yes...'
He smiles faintly.
'All this time, as a master, I have learned a lot from you. Thank you, my disciples.'
Flash!
The next moment.
My partial soul is completely torn apart, and red light floods into Azure Tiger Saint's mind.
As I fade away from within Azure Tiger Saint, I witness him gathering all his energy to self-destruct with all his might.
Flash!
Me, Oh Hyun-seok, Kim Yeon, and the countless members of the Human Race within the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
We see a great star shining from beyond the Devil Realm.
Like fireworks, like flames.
What is certain is that it is a star shining in the darkness.
"Ah, ah Ahhhhh!"
Oh Hyun-seok stares at the star with a lost expression.
Finally, we cross the dimensional gate and arrive back in the Bright Cold Realm.
Surrounding us, an immense energy surge.
The Grand Cultivators of the Integration stage!
Seven Human Race Grand Cultivators surround us.
'No, it's not.'
They are projections.
A kind of avatar they sent by projecting their images into the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
These avatars each form a seal, stretching their hands towards the dimensional gate we came from.
"Close the gate!"
Kugugugugu!
The dimensional gate begins to close.
Upon seeing this, Oh Hyun-seok screams out in despair.
Wait! Just a moment! Please wait! My master, my master is still there!
He shouts as if he lost his mind, reaching out towards Azure Tiger Saint.
"Quiet! Stay still. Azure Tiger Saint swore to sacrifice his own life to save you! Are you going to waste your Master's death?"
One of the Integration stage Grand Cultivators sternly shouts at Oh Hyun-seok.
But Oh Hyun-seok, half-mad, gathers his energy.
"Wait! What are you doing!"
The Eighth Wing spreads from his back.
The power of a Four-Axis stage at its peak emanates from him.
Oh Hyun-seok too is willing to shave off his lifespan to save Azure Tiger Saint.
"Move! I'm going to save Master!"
Flash!
A dazzling blue light ripples, tearing open the dimensional gate the Grand Cultivators are trying to close.
As a result, the closing of the dimensional gate slows down.
And in that brief gap.
Kwaang!
Something pushes its hand into the Bright Cold Realm.
Damn it, you cursed creature!
Damn, its the Esteemed One's blood corpse!
Its a hand familiar to us.
The 'hand' thrust into the gap of the dimensional gate gradually moves to pry open the gap in the dimension.
At the same time, from beyond the dimensional gap, a voice identical to the owner of the 'hand' is heard.
"Eunhyun, ah. Hyun, seokah. Open, it. Behind, it, is chasing, me."
"Master!?"
Oh Hyun-seok is shocked as he looks at the 'hand'.
And then, me and the Grand Cultivators simultaneously shouts.
"Hyung-nim, no!"
"Stop! Stop it, that's not Azure Tiger Saint!"
Crunch....
I grit my teeth.
Recalling the moment when Yuan Li morphed his face with Hyang-hwas to beg for his life, the indignation of that insulting anger flared up in my mind once again.
Azure Tiger Saint died.
He perished gloriously.
But that damned Star Shattering stage Esteemed One, and that Black Dragon King!
Just like Yuan Li, they are desecrating the soul of the dead!
"Hyun, seok, ah! It hurts! Ah, ahh! If, you, help can live."
"Master? Is it really you, Master?"
Crack!
I struggle to my feet, speaking to Kim Yeon.
"Yeon-ah, please suppress Hyun-seok Hyung."
"...Yes."
Kim Yeon, too, seems to be in pain, biting her lips tightly as she moves the puppets to suppress Oh Hyun-seok.
Chirak, chirarak!
Simultaneously, the projections of the Integration stage Grand Cultivators also use their spells to bind Oh Hyun-seok tightly.
"No! Let go! Let me go! Seo Eun-hyun! What are you doing, Master is right there! Master is!"
"..."
'That's how it was.'
In my past life.
I realize why Oh Hyun-seok fell into madness.
Azure Tiger Saint probably also entered the True Devil Realm to save Oh Hyun-seok back then, and had self-destructed to allow Oh Hyun-seok to escape.
However, Azure Tiger Saint from my past life wasn't protected by my Mysterious Bizarre Gu, and might have been completely taken over by the Esteemed One even before self-destructing.
Now, only an arm is being used by the Esteemed One, but in the past life, perhaps his entire body was taken over and used for such purposes.
The Integration stage Grand Cultivators would have unhesitatingly killed Azure Tiger Saint transformed like that in front of Oh Hyun-seok and then closed the entrance to the True Devil Realm.
The Esteemed One, until the very end, would have begged Oh Hyun-seok for salvation through the mouth of Azure Tiger Saint.
Thus, until the very end, they would have desecrated Azure Tiger Saint's death!
And now!
In this life, since I have become his disciple.
I will never let it happen!
"Do not desecrate"
Crunch, crunch!
My entire body creaks.
Moving any more feels like it will kill me.
But still, I move.
Taking my stance, I prepare Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace.
"Someones death..."
Roar!
Once again, squeezing out my Nascent Soul, I growl towards the arm desecrating Azure Tiger Saint's death.
"With that filthy mouth!"
Flash, flash, flash!
Kim Yeon's puppets each shoot beams and cast spells to push the 'arm' out of the dimension.
The projections of the Grand Cultivators also try in their own way to expel the 'arm'.
"Senior Brother Oh."
Not as Seo Eun-hyun, Oh Hyun-seok's younger brother, but as the disciple of the Azure Heaven Creation Sect, I call Oh Hyun-seok while concentrating my energy.
"Grand, Cultivators! I have, good, information, to share! That guy, is, from the, Heart, Tribe! He, learned, the Heart Path, Method!"
The 'arm' wriggles, pointing at me, but I pay it no mind, my eyes shining as I continue.
"From now on, I will convey the last words of our master to you."
Why did Oh Hyun-seok fall in my past life?
Why did he go mad with grief?
It might have been due to the schemes of the Blood Yin Realm Esteemed One, but perhaps it was because the last words of Azure Tiger Saint hadn't been conveyed to him.
Although he inherited the symbol of Azure Tiger Saint's power, the Blue Sky Armor, he hadn't inherited the true essence of Azure Tiger Saint's spirit.
That's why, possessing power but a crushed spirit, he fell into corruption.
Zzzing!
The 'arm' gradually turns red.
From the 'arm', red corals sprout, coloring the surroundings.
The voice of the Black Dragon King, overlapped with someone else's, echoes all around.
[The Vice is palpable. The wickedness of the filthy Human Race, who cold-heartedly abandoned their own kind in the Devil Realm and closed the gate...]
Chiieeee!
"What is this!"
"The Blood Yin Esteemed One is using some kind of sorcery!"
"It's the devilish arts of the Blood Yin Realm!"
Red corals begin to grow from the projections of the Integration stage Grand Cultivators.
The red corals dye the heaven and earth spiritual energy in the Bright Cold Realm into devilish energy, further empowering the 'arm'.
Gradually pushed back by the attacks of the Integration stage puppets, the 'arm' slowly approaches us.
[Another Vice is felt. The wickedness of a madman who crazily modified other races into puppets....]
Suddenly, red corals also begin to sprout from the puppets controlled by Kim Yeon.
Creak, creak, creak!
"Ugh!"
Kim Yeon clenches her teeth, attempting to control the Integration stage puppets, but the red coral creates fissures in the command system between her and the puppets.
At some point, the red energy emitted by the red coral flows back along Kim Yeon's consciousness thread, invading her upper dantian.
"Aaaagh!"
Kim Yeon endures the pain, struggling to push the red energy out of her mind using her consciousness.
In an instant, Kim Yeon is incapacitated.
[Another Vice is felt... The wickedness of those filthy beings who without hesitation baked and ate the same sentient species as elixirs....]
"Haah!"
"What is this!"
"My body!?"
Red corals begin to grow from the bodies of the Human Race remnants around.
'What is...!'
I am shocked by this scene.
Can the concept of Vice be manipulated like this? No, more importantly... The Blood Yin Esteemed One's Left Hand and Foot didn't use such sorcery. Has the Black Dragon King started using such spells after merging with the Esteemed One's Left Foot?'
Fzzt, fzzt...
Corals sprout from me as well, but fortunately, the corals that emerge from me wither and die on the spot.
Seeing this, I intuitively understand.
Until now, the Black Dragon King was just one of the dragon kings from the demon race.
An Integration stage Black Dragon King who was born with a bit of immortal blood, but that was all.
But at this moment.
Having merged with the flesh of the Blood Yin Esteemed One, it seems the Black Dragon King had transformed into something [Different].
'He freely uses techniques that even a division of the Star Shattering Esteemed One couldn't use.... What exactly is he?'
To use the concept of Vice so freely?
"Ugh, no!"
"Damn it, that Blood Yin Realm Fiend...!"
The projections of the Grand Cultivators are quickly covered in coral, and the humans near the dimensional gate are all enveloped in coral, starting to be annihilated.
"Haa..."
I smile bitterly.
I think of what Azure Tiger Saint, no.
What my Master had said to me.
If it has come to this, I have no choice but to act similarly.
If I'm the only one who can act properly, shouldn't I uphold his will now?
Indeed, maybe I should have done this from the beginning.
I quickly take out the White-Red Wine I saved in my storage bag.
The Colorless Glass Sword tightly connects to my soul.
I clench my teeth and summon the power of Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace.
I have no intention of using a strike that penetrates the essence of that being.
I can't comprehend its thought process.
So, what should I do?
'Convert all the power of the Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace, which is used to penetrate the plane of Soul, into physical force.'
Kiiiiing!
I explode my Nascent Soul at the plane of Qi!
With such a strike, regardless of whether that creature transforms the surroundings into devilish energy or not, I can send it far beyond!
"Listen, Senior Brother Oh"
I approach the being with fierce determination in my eyes.
"This is the last teaching Master has passed on to us."
Sarak, sarararak!
Countless figures appear behind me.
The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
The artifact spirits that make up the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections are only clear as human figures to my eyes.
To others, they will appear as nothing more than a faint mist.
To Oh Hyun-seok and Kim Yeon, it might seem like countless mists are laid out behind me.
Since the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections store memories by 'reproducing' scenes through artifact spirits, it doesn't contain memories in the artifact spirits themselves, making it impossible to transmit memories through it under normal circumstances.
However, at the moment of my soul's explosion.
As my soul's energy is torn apart and scatters in all directions, under the name of 'death', the boundary between self and others disappears, allowing me to show my Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections to others for a very brief moment.
I plan to use this brief instant to reproduce the moment Azure Tiger Saint passed his last words to me and convey it to Oh Hyun-seok.
I turn around.
Oh Hyun-seok, who still hasn't regained his senses.
And Kim Yeon, who is making eye contact with me.
Kim Yeon's eyes tremble.
Fortunately, it seems she could overcome the red energy that invaded her mind.
"Don't go..."
Noticing what I am about to do, tears well up in her eyes.
"...I'm sorry."
I clench my teeth.
I don't want to die either.
Though a regressors life is said to be infinite, this time is once in a lifetime.
Every moment is once in a lifetime.
Because I regress, death is all the more terrifying.
Because I regress, it's all the more grievous to abandon this moment and reverse time.
Because I regress, this moment is all the more precious.
And.
Because its precious.
I will protect these precious people with my life.
Being able to protect, as my masters last will says. is a privilege.
I recall the last words of Azure Tiger Saint, the will he passed at the end.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Once again, I bloom a new technique.
No, to call it a new technique is somewhat inaccurate.
The Twenty-Sixth Move.
If Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace involves fusing all power within the sword and unleashing a strike, the newly created technique merely changes the process of 'unleashing' to 'exploding.'
Master.
"One Annihilation to the Near Shore ()."
From the sword in my hand, a burst of pure white brilliance explodes.
I explode all the power integrated within my Nascent Soul, with all the energy at the plane of Qi.
The next moment, the brilliant white light covers everything, and my mind is flooded with whiteness.
The Nascent Soul collapses.
But I have no regrets.
If this allows me to protect the precious connections I've formed in this life, even at the cost of my own life, then it is enough.
Countless figures follow behind me.
Through the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, everyone I've met so far is my connection and, at the same time, my master
Therefore, I return the favor to my masters as much as I received.
However, I could not return the favor I received from Azure Tiger Saint.
So by upholding Azure Tiger Saints will, I will fulfill my duty.
Thus, embracing the words of Azure Tiger Saint, I step towards death with a smile.
"Ah, ah..."
Kim Yeon sheds tears.
Hes going to die.
Seo Eun-hyun, with no one else being able to react to the sorcery used by that evil being from the Blood Yin Realm except him, chooses to sacrifice his life to block the Blood Yin Esteemed One.
'Not like this!'
Just as she gathers all her strength to try and stop him.
Sarararak...
Before her eyes.
Faint illusions appear.
The faint mist that rose behind Seo Eun-hyun materializes as if depicting a person.
Its Azure Tiger Saint.
The last moments of Azure Tiger Saint.
'That's...!'
A scene from Seo Eun-hyun's memory.
Kim Yeon's pupils narrow instinctively realizing this fact.
And Oh Hyun-seok, having seen the image of Azure Tiger Saint, also stops crying and looks at him.
[Why, why do you, instead of yourself, choose to act for your disciples, your juniors? The cultivators I know are selfish, caring only about themselves! You too! Isnt it okay to live like that?]
Seo Eun-hyun's voice is also heard.
His question resonates with Oh Hyun-seok.
Oh Hyun-seok wanted to ask Azure Tiger Saint the same.
What exactly is righteousness, what is affection How could you so easily sacrifice yourself for your juniors?
[Eun-hyun-ah. Please convey my last words to Hyun-seok.]
And Azure Tiger Saint turns around with a smile.
Oh Hyun-seok feels as if the projection of Azure Tiger Saint is looking right at him.
[People, from birth to growth, receive immeasurable grace that cannot be expressed in words. The reason I have upheld righteousness and maintained my version of goodness is because it is the duty and responsibility of everyone who has received grace throughout their life. No, it is not a duty but a privilege.]
The last words of the Azure Tiger Saint continue.
[To act with righteousness, dreaming the impossible dream.
To act with righteousness, overcoming endless trials,
To endure unbearable pain for the sake of righteousness,
To die for the noble ideal that righteousness defines.
Gazing upon righteousness, knowing how to mend our wrongs.]
It is his song.
The belief that Azure Tiger Saint pursued all his life.
Born with a strong and blessed body, living life with the willpower to make bone-grinding efforts.
As a chosen one, showing mercy to the weak.
Providing opportunities to those with abilities, protecting successors as an elder.
Fulfilling responsibilities to those under him.
Azure Tiger Saint, deemed a kind soul by the Mad Lord, sang of pure goodwill.
[...To love each other with purity and goodwill.
To have pride in impossible dreams]
Hearing Azure Tiger Saint's song, Oh Hyun-seok stops crying.
Wiping his tears, he stands up and respectfully bows towards the illusion of Azure Tiger Saint.
Kim Yeon could no longer try to stop Seo Eun-hyun.
All cultivators.
Especially those above the Nascent Soul stage, reaching the Heavenly Being stage, are madmen.
Though they seem sane on the outside, every one of them has a part that's flawed or gone insane.
Yes.
Azure Tiger Saint was mad with goodwill.
No, to be precise, he was mad with purity.
To believe and act on the insane logic that one can sacrifice oneself for others, for those one is responsible for, for one's people.
Kim Yeon could no longer stop Seo Eun-hyun's actions.
Seo Eun-hyun is now inheriting Azure Tiger Saint's will.
Bearing Azure Tiger Saint's last words in his heart, he truly upholds that will.
Because she can read heart essence through the Mysteriously Wonderful Innate Heart Canon, she was rendered unable to move, reading the resolute heart of Seo Eun-hyun.
Azure Tiger Saints song, his purity, finally comes to an end.
[Believing thus, reaching the stars.]
This is not a simple verse.
This is his purity conveyed to Seo Eun-hyun, Oh Hyun-seok, and all remaining disciples of the Azure Heaven Creation Sect.
[Once again, please convey my words to Hyun-seok. You too, keep my words in your heart and live by them. Yes]
Boom!
The body of Azure Tiger Saint bursts
And just as he had sung,
Azure Tiger Saint becomes a star.
[All this time, as a master, I have learned a lot from you. Thank you, my disciples.]
Flash!
The spirit of Azure Tiger Saint, just like himself, becomes a star and illuminates in all directions.
A madman, lost in purity.
But if this world is hell, maybe it's because he was pure that he had to die now.
Maybe it was because he was too good that he could not live any longer.
However, his will is definitely conveyed to Oh Hyun-seok through Seo Eun-hyun.
Oh Hyun-seok sees a person dispersing with a white glow beyond the star that Azure Tiger Saint became.
"...From now on, I will continue to carry on this will."
Oh Hyun-seok clenches his fist and shouts.
"By doing so... definitely. Definitely, I will prove that Master's heart was not meaningless! Watch over me from the other side, Seo Eun-hyun!"
Oh Hyun-seok, with determination, swallows his tears and shouts at Seo Eun-hyun.
As simply as that.
A person's heart, conveyed to another.
And with that
The fate of Oh Hyun-seok, who would have become a fallen wreck after Azure Tiger Saint's death, twisted.
Step by step...
Kim Yeon slowly approaches Seo Eun-hyun.
Seo Eun-hyun stands there, with his sword swung.
Seo Eun-hyun died while triggering his Nascent Soul.
The dimensional gate completely closed, and the arm of Azure Tiger Saint completely vanished, no longer subject to desecration.
He died with a smile.
Maybe it was the relief of being able to protect his connections in death.
She approaches Seo Eun-hyun and closes his eyes for him.
And then, Seo Eun-hyun's body finally seems to find peace, slowly collapsing into Kim Yeon's embrace.
Kim Yeon lowers her head and gently kisses the lips of the fallen Seo Eun-hyun.
Oh Hyun-seok, watching this scene, murmurs..
"You were... truly meaningful to so many people, Eun-hyun."
Around Seo Eun-hyun, countless ethereal figures stand centered on him.
Those figures embrace Seo Eun-hyun, who now rests on Kim Yeon.
"To me, there was only one master, but for you, Eun-hyun... to you, your masters were everyone now embracing you, werent they?"
Oh Hyun-seok momentarily feels as if he sees his own figure among those ethereal spirits and closes his eyes.
"Rest well, Seo Eun-hyun. Youve sufficiently repaid all the grace of the masters you wished to protect. Now... rest on the other shore."
Oh Hyun-seok thus commemorated Seo Eun-hyun.
However, contrary to Oh Hyun-seok's wishes, Seo Eun-hyun did not reach the other shore ().
As the name of the ultimate technique, One Annihilation to the Near Shore (), suggests, the place Seo Eun-hyun was to reach was just another near shore ().
But, for this moment at least.
As he struggled, trying with all his might to repay and protect the grace of all the masters he has met in his life.
Perhaps, Seo Eun-hyun was able to rest comfortably, embraced by the many people around him.
This was Seo Eun-hyun's fifteenth return.
Author's note: I would like to disclose that the last words of Azure Tiger Saint are a homage to 'Don Quixote.'
Azure Tiger Saint was greatly influenced by Don Quixote, especially by Don Quixote's 'purity.'
Now, the purity of Azure Tiger Saint, akin to that of Don Quixote, has been passed on to Seo Eun-hyun.
The Azure Heaven Creation Sect episode was written to awaken both Seo Eun-hyun and myself, feeling that we both had somewhat forgotten the initial spirit of the early days of If I find the way in the morning, I am content with death in the evening.'
Now, having inherited Azure Tiger Saint's purity, Seo Eun-hyun has gained the heart to die again for a noble ideal, bear impossible dreams, fight invincible foes, and endure endless pain.
In a way, it can be said he has rediscovered his original intentions.
As finding the original intention was the main goal of this episode, both Seo Eun-hyun and I will strive to rediscover our initial intentions and work harder.
I extend my gratitude to all readers who have been with us so far and promise to continue delivering good stories in the future. Thank you.
Translator Notes: This cycle is probably my favorite cycle yet. Also, this chapter took the longest time ever to translate (and is probably one of the longest being almost 6k words), almost six hours. Phew.
Btw, Blue Sky Armor can also be translated as Azure Heaven Armor which correlates to Azure Heaven Creation Sect but idk, it sounds too tacky. Blue Sky Armor has that simplistic feel that I think fits better with it being just a dharma treasure. It's totally not because I don't want to go back and update the terms ahahaha.
-x-X-x-
Ssssh...
Consciousness returns.
Could it be the price for having forcefully exploded my Nascent Soul?
My head feels so dizzy, it's as if I'm going to vomit.
But that feeling is fleeting.
I regain consciousness.
And then, a familiar voice reaches my ears.
"Make your choice. We'll soon scatter according to the guidance of the Bright Cold Realm's seniors. Which faction will you join?"
I look at Seo Hweol in front of me while pressing down on my throbbing head.
Hes looking at me with a rather interested expression. Not just him, but Jin Byuk-ho, Heo Gwak... and Azure Tiger Saint are all staring at me with shocked expressions.
Greed can be seen in the eyes of the Mad Lord as well.
My head is throbbing, perhaps because my consciousness has grown too large.
Ever since I attained the Five Energies Converging to the Origin, my consciousness became slightly larger than those of my peers, and it had grown even more after learning the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon.
In such a state, I reached the Nascent Soul Stage in my past life.
My consciousness, having just reached the Nascent Soul stage, is now in terms of sheer size, at the peak of mid Nascent Soul stage.
Is it because my consciousness has grown too large?
Even though I had undergone complete transformation in the Head Realm, my head started to hurt and throb.
It seems that even after harmonizing my body once, the size has grown too much to bear.
Fortunately, even though the harmony is disrupted, the body granted by Five Energies Converging to the Origin seems to hold up well enough that my head doesn't explode right away.
However, anyway.
"Ah, isn't this a Nascent Soul stage cultivator's consciousness!?"
"If the size of the consciousness is that big, it would overflow from the plane of Soul and even affect the plane of Qi."
"Getting a Nascent Soul would be greatly advantageous for him..."
"With his level, it seems he's immediately usable as a force, doesn't it?"
Indeed, the human, who had possessed a Core Formation stage consciousness, had his consciousness size suddenly grow to the Nascent Soul stage after exchanging a few words with Seo Hweol.
Setting aside the marvel, a consciousness level above the Nascent Soul stage, as they said, affects the plane of Qi meaning he can be immediately utilized as a force if managed well.
Therefore.
"Hey, how about joining our Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect? We'll give you the position of an outer sect elder right away and if you elevate your cultivation, we'll even offer you the position of an inner sect elder!"
"No, it seems like your soul is familiar with death. If you join Black Ghost Valley, you can achieve tremendous success! Infinite methods fitting the history of our valley await you! Considering your consciousness and that aura of death, joining Black Ghost Valley would mean."
"A Nascent Soul stage consciousness, you're a talent capable of properly digesting the training of our Azure Heaven Creation Sect! If you join now, I'll give you the position of a First-Cloud disciple and the status of my direct disciple!"
Jin Byuk-ho, Heo Gwak, and Azure Tiger Saint, none of them wanting to be outdone, shout at me with bright faces.
In the early part of my past life, while it was considered a marvel that I possessed a consciousness of the Core Formation stage, it wasn't met with such fervent enthusiasm as it is now. The intensity of their interest is curious.
That isn't all.
"Seeing this... makes me even more covetous. With your caliber, I will recommend a place for you in the True Dragon Alliance, and if you wish, not just my blood, but I will also use my recommendation for you to participate in the Immortal Beast Blood Fusion."
Seo Hweol also looks at my consciousness with an expression of wonder.
The Mad Lord, seeing the size of my consciousness, seems on the verge of madness again, rolling his eyes and trembling his fingers.
From experience, this is a prelude to his madness.
If it erupts, he will bite his fingers and go berserk.
'This isn't the time for this.'
I swallow my saliva inwardly.
Only upon witnessing the Mad Lord's reaction do I snap back to reality.
If I zone out now, I'll end up kidnapped by the Mad Lord, and any choice I might have will vanish.
'Of course, given my current state...'
I can feel the Colorless Glass Sword lying dormant within me.
The Colorless Glass Swords passed down from my past life after consuming White-Red Wine.
Connected to the Colorless Glass Swords is the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
Within the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, I can feel the accumulation of my past life's cultivation and experiences.
I sense that, if handled well, I can use the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections as a beacon to reclaim the realm of Nascent Soul within 10, 20 years.
I want to shorten that time, but the problem is matching the timing of the rituals and ceremonies required while practicing cultivation methods.
Nonetheless, as it became possible to regain my cultivation in a short period, even if kidnapped by the Mad Lord, escaping soon after would be feasible. But honestly, doing so is pointless effort.
'Let's set aside the sentiments of my past life for now and make a choice first.'
I rack my brain hard.
As cultivators ascend in cultivation realms and their consciousness expands, their intelligence, thinking speed, memory, etc., increase proportionally, little by little.
Of course, the degree of proportionality varies from person to person, but it's true that the breadth of thought changes according to the size of consciousness.
With my Nascent Soul-level consciousness at full throttle, I consider the best possible choice.
And finally.
I make my decision.
Jin Byuk-ho, Heo Gwak, Azure Tiger Saint... the Mad Lord and Seo Hweol are looking at me.
"I choose..."
Without hesitation, I walk towards one person.
"Ho, you've chosen me?"
He gives me a warm smile and pats my shoulder.
The Mad Lord's expression sours.
I feel like vomiting too, but I force a smile and bow to him.
"I, who am still lacking, wish to study under the guidance of the renowned Seo Hweol."
"Hahaha, a good choice. I will take care of you without fail. Although you are not of the Demon Race but the Human Race, I will make sure you're not ostracized or bullied among the demons."
"...Thank you."
I try to get used to the revulsion of Seo Hweol's heart essence while scanning my surroundings.
The eyes of the others are filled with pity, and the Mad Lord clicks his tongue and turns his head away in displeasure.
I turn my gaze to Yeon below the Mad Lord.
In my past life, I planned to choose Azure Tiger Saint from the start, so considering his pure characteristics, I even went ahead and hugged Yeon in front of the Mad Lord.
But now, it is difficult for me to approach her.
Not only is the Mad Lord glaring, but unlike the pure Azure Tiger Saint, if I act friendly with the Mad Lord in front of Seo Hweol, I don't know how I will be stabbed in the back later, so caution is necessary.
While I am sorting out my thoughts, the Mad Lord starts arguing with the Four-Axis stage wooden man and begins to go berserk.
Seeing the Mad Lord losing it, Seo Hweol quickly tells the Four-Axis stage demon who came for them to leave this place.
While the Mad Lord is having an outburst and Seo Hweol is preparing to leave, I secretly create a spirit clone from my soul and mix it with the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts without anyone noticing.
Then, I throw it towards Yeon without anyone realizing.
My spirit clone, with Mysterious Bizarre Gu, infiltrates her consciousness unnoticed.
Though I can't comfort her in the early stages of this life, through Mysterious Bizarre Gu, I can keep in touch and comfort her in the future.
I silently thank Gyeon Shin who passed on this technique and follow Seo Hweol.
Gyu-ryeon seems displeased with me riding on her head, but persuaded by Seo Hweol, she allows me to climb onto her neck.
Shortly after, she takes off into the sky and leaves the Flying Immortal Platform.
From atop Gyu-ryeon, I look down below, watching the Mad Lord throw a fit and pull out the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
And then, my gaze falls on Azure Tiger Saint, caught in the middle of them.
Seizing a moment of respite, I bow to him in my heart.
Even though he was my master in my past life, he has not become a different person through the regressions.
However, my feelings for him has not changed. He is the steadfast pillar and master in my heart.
'I will not forget your teachings.'
From now on, I will be under Seo Hweol.
I can't begin to imagine how dark and twisted the world beneath him might be.
But precisely because of that, I resolved myself even more not to forget Azure Tiger Saint's spirit, turning my head away from the tumult caused by the Mad Lord at the Flying Immortal Platform.
'Ive set my goals for this life.'
Originally, I considered joining the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect or maybe the Black Ghost Valley, which seems to suit me.
But while contemplating atop the Flying Immortal Platform, I decided on the objectives for this life.
'First, to find out what exactly happens to Oh Hye-Seo, who was taken away by Seo Hweol.'
Sitting among the other demons on top of the Four-Axis demon's head, I watch Seo Hweol chatter away with a pleasant smile.
It is necessary to delve into the dark schemes within him, to uncover what he plans to do with Oh Hye-Seo.
'Second, starting from the Black Dragon King Hyun Eum... find out what those Dragon Races are really up to.'
Blood Yin Realm's Star Shattering Esteemed One and the Black Dragon King are clearly related.
And Seo Hweol, the crafty serpent who supported Yuan Li's ascendance from the Head Realm to the Blood Yin Realm.
Without understanding what these Dragon Races want and their true identities intertwined with the Blood Yin Realm, I might not be able to keep up with the situation in the Bright Cold Realm.
So, this time, I plan to infiltrate from within to discover their objectives and identity.
'And finally, third...'
And the most important.
Perhaps the most challenging task.
'Starting now, as I cultivate under Seo Hweol and reach the core of the Demon Race.'
Thinking of the madness of Jeon Myeong-Hoon and the tragedy of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.
'I will infiltrate the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect and steal the Heavenly Lightning Banner before it is destroyed by the True Immortal.'
Then, bringing the stolen Heavenly Lightning Banner into the Demon Territory and throwing it into the mouths of Seo Hweol or Hyeon Eum, I will achieve perfect counter-poisoning.
This third goal is the main reason I chose Seo Hweol.
'In this life, I will confirm Oh Hye-seo's situation and the Dragon Races' objectives, and by stealing the Heavenly Lightning Banner, I will deal a significant blow to their base.'
These are my biggest goals of this life.
Unnoticed by Gyu-ryeon, I disperse the Formless Sword within me.
Then, I create a Gang Sphere in the center of my dantian to form my Inner Core.
Wo-woong!
As the Inner Core forms and stabilizes the center of my body, the throbbing in my head eases a bit.
Feeling the energy of my Inner Core, Gyu-ryeon, who is carrying us towards the Earth Tribe Territory, speaks.
[What's this? Were you a demon? I can feel demonic energy... Are you perhaps a half-demon?]
I clear my throat and then responded to Gyu-ryeon in demon language.
"I'm not a half-demon. I am indeed of the Human Race, but I learned a very unique method in the lower world that allows me to form a Demon Core even with a human body. Upon arriving in the Bright Cold Realm, the achievements that had been blocked until now have been unlocked, and a Demon Core has formed right away. Hahaha...."
"Ho, even demon language? Well, you Heaven Tribe theoretically can learn Earth Tribe methods too...."
As I fluently speak the demon language and reveal the energy of my Inner Core, Gyu-ryeon seems to develop a bit of goodwill towards me, no longer appearing entirely uncomfortable.
Seeing my actions, Seo Hweol comes down from Gyu-ryeon's head and walks over to me, sitting at her neck.
Swoosh!
Pretending to look down below from atop Gyu-ryeons neck, heading towards the Earth Tribe Territory, I pay my respects to Seo Hweol.
"Thank you once again for accepting me, Dragon King."
"Don't call me king. In the Bright Cold Realm, the title of 'king' is reserved for those of the Integration stage Demon Kings.... Anyway, not taking in a talent like you would mean I'm a fool without eyes. To think you can even form a Demon Core, you're much more compatible with our Demon Race than I expected."
"Thank you."
"And you've learned the demon language too, I really can't help but take a liking to you.... Since I can't take my eyes off a talent like you until we reach the Earth Tribe Territory, why not learn this method? I personally created it, and it's suited for an excellent talent like you."
Seo Hweol, smiling, takes out a method manual bound in demon beast leather from his bosom and hands it to me.
"Ah...."
The name of the method is Summoning Wind, True Blood Transformation.
"...."
As I silently look at the method manual, Seo Hweol gives a bitter smile, seeming apologetic.
"Truthfully, I wanted to provide you with a more proper demon method.... But it seems this is the best we can do before we reach the True Dragon Alliance, which is the headquarters of the Demon Race, for someone of human origin like you. Please understand."
However, reading Seo Hweol's heart essence, I can see that although he verbally expresses regret, his suspicion towards me is gradually rising.
'Damn it.'
Accepting the Summoning Wind, True Blood Transformation will make me his puppet and livestock, and not accepting it will make Seo Hweol suspect me.
I had never intended to fully gain his trust, but I hadn't expected to be suspected so soon after choosing to align with Seo Hweol, not even half a day in. Caught between a rock and a hard place, I open my mouth while looking at the Summoning Wind, True Blood Transformation.
Author's Note:
Main quest list for 15th Cycle: 1. Check on Oh Hye-seo's situation. 2. Spy on the Dragon Race. 3. Steal the Heavenly Lightning Banner. 4. (New!) Survive Seo Hweol's manipulation.
-x-X-x-
"Thank you for your kindness."
In the end, the best thing I could say was this.
I meticulously manipulated my facial muscles in detail, managing to smile broadly without letting any hint of being forced to show at all.
By controlling my heartbeat to show a genuinely happy physiological response, Seo Hweol's suspicions did not grow any further.
'It's not that suspicion has disappeared; it just hasn't grown any further....'
It seems that he is the type to be suspicious of everything in the world whenever an issue arises.
"Haha, then diligently practice until we reach the Earth Tribe Territory. With your talent, you should be able to grasp the form of consciousness within at most four days."
'He's saying he'll suspect me if I don't form the consciousness into a dragon shape within four days.'
Silently listening to Seo Hweol's well-wishes a bit longer, I had no choice but to unfold the manual for Summoning Wind, True Blood Transformation.
The manual, written in the language of the demon race, detailed the intricate training methods for Summoning Wind, True Blood Transformation.
The Summoning Wind, True Blood Transformation that Yuan Li bragged about stealing from Seo Hweol is a demon beast method that a cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage of the Human Race can practice.
However, after roughly reading through the essentials, I simply erased the knowledge from my mind.
'There's no reason for me to learn this crazy method with my own hands.'
The offhand remark Seo Hweol made about being able to form the shape of consciousness within four days meant that if I didn't, he might suspect me.
Then there is only one solution.
'Let's master the Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation.'
Instead of the Nascent Soul stage method, Summoning Wind, True Blood Transformation, I decided to master the Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation, which I received when I was at a much lower cultivation. Later, after regaining my state at the Nascent Soul stage, I will completely remove the effects of the lower level Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation.
Of course, I wasn't going to master it myself.
Wo-woong!
I communicate with Yuan Yu, melted inside my body through Blood Body Skin Armor and perform Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation through it.
The consciousness overlapping with mine starts to take the shape of a dragon as it changes.
Since its a technique I had already mastered before, the difficulty level isn't that high.
I operate the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon in accordance with the consciousness of Yuan Yu, hiding my form of consciousness within the consciousness of Yuan Yu.
Now, to the outside, my consciousness takes the complete shape of a dragon.
As my consciousness form changes, not only Gyu-ryeon but also the representatives of the demons from the Head Realm who had ascended with us came to offer their well-wishes.
Haha, Dragon King Seo No, from now on, its Sir Seo. Seeing you have made a good connection with Sir Seo, it seems you are someone with many blessings.
Your future path will be smooth as Sir Seo is someone who takes good care of his own, hahaha!
The Mighty Tiger King and the Holy Peng King pat my shoulders and continue their well-wishes.
A few days later.
Finally, aboard Gyu-ryeon, we arrive at the demons, no, the Earth Tribes largest territory, the True Dragon Alliance.
Whooosh!
I admire the landscape of the True Dragon Alliance from above, embracing the wind in the sky.
Countless mountain ranges stretch out in a line.
The color of the mountains are pure white, each emitting dense spiritual energy and giving off a divine feeling.
Below the mountains flow rivers of black and white.
The rivers seem to weave through the entire land, spreading out like a net beneath the mountain ranges.
The white and black rivers are mostly separate, but occasionally they merge, creating areas where multi-colored mists rise around them, looking quite mystical
The territory of the True Dragon Alliance is mostly as described, boasting a size and vastness that is immense compared to the combined territories of the Human Race's Sky Islands.
Looking at that endless horizon, I am overwhelmed by its size and vastness, taking a sharp breath.
While observing the countless mountain ranges and the black and white rivers from atop Gyu-ryeon, I suddenly realize something.
'The shape of those mountains, the flow of those rivers. It's almost like.'
"Bones and blood vessels Is this a natural landscape?"
"Oh, for a human, you have a good eye."
As I look down and speak, Gyu-ryeon smiles and explains.
"It's not purely natural terrain. That is the corpse of the great Dragon Ancestor who had reached the Entering Nirvana stage from our Dragon Race long ago. Our True Dragon Alliance was established on top of their corpse. Just as you said, those mountains are their bones, and the rivers are their veins and blood."
"...!?"
I gape at the vast land below.
If what she said is true, the size of the Dragon Ancestor at the Entering Nirvana stage would be even larger than the combined territories of the Human Race.
'A single Sky Island of the Human Race is slightly smaller than the continent of the Head Realm.'
Thinking of the territory of the Human Race crowded with numerous Sky Islands and being larger than that area means...
'Each part of his body is the size of a continent? That's rather...'
Cosmic in scale, isn't it?
I naturally open my mouth as I imagine the gigantic body of the dragon.
Hearing Gyu-ryeon's explanation, the other representatives of the demon race also look surprised, gaping down at the land.
Then, Seo Hweol, also curious, asks Gyu-ryeon a question.
"I heard that reaching the Entering Nirvana stage essentially means there's no limit to one's lifespan, yet even such a being had passed away."
"Originally, the ancestor was supposed to ascend as an Immortal Beast. However, before the True Devil Realm was separated from the Blood Yin Realm... during a war with the True Devil Realm, and after protecting the Bright Cold Realm from it, they passed away. It's because of their sacrifice that all beings in the Bright Cold Realm can enjoy such prestige."
"Ah~ So the ancestor was killed by a member of the Devil Race at the Entering Nirvana stage from the True Devil Realm?"
"Hmm, wouldn't that be the case? The records aren't detailed about how the ancestor died, so it's hard to say."
Seo Hweol silently looks down at the vast land after hearing Gyu-ryeons response.
After a while, we finally arrive at the heart of the True Dragon Alliance Territory, the place known as the headquarters of the True Dragon Alliance.
"That place is..."
The headquarters of the True Dragon Alliance boast a size comparable to that of the Human Race Grand Alliance's main sky island, the Heavenly Human Island.
Actually, it seems even larger than the Heavenly Human Island in terms of size.
Kugugugu!
Its a mountain that stands on vast land, more massive than any other mountain range I have seen before.
Strangely, the mountain is a perfect square, clearly divided on all sides, unlike any other mountain ranges that were said to be the 'bones' of the Dragon Ancestor I had seen before.
'Hmm, it feels bizarre.'
Looking at the shape of that mountain, I feel a distinct difference from the mountain ranges described as the 'bones' of the Dragon Ancestor.
Its as if a mountain from somewhere else had been plucked and dropped here, creating an eerie feeling.
What is this?'
As I wonder,
Gyu-ryeon introduces the headquarters of the True Dragon Alliance.
"Well then, welcome. To the True Dragon Alliance headquarters, the Serving Command Ark."
"Serving Command Ark?"
When one of the demon beast representatives asks, Gyu-ryeon, while looking at the square mountain, replies.
"Our True Dragon Alliance headquarters is located inside something called the Serving Command Ark. Hahaha, don't be too surprised, everyone. Inside this ark, there's an unimaginably vast space compressed again, so the space inside is as broad as the entire True Dragon Alliance territory combined."
"Oh."
"It's said to have been one of the immortal treasures from the ancient True Immortal Realm, but now it's almost devoid of its original functions and has become a wreck, with us using only its shell."
I marvel at the mind-boggling size described by Gyu-ryeon, focusing on the name, the Serving Command Ark.
'What's the relationship with the Serving Command Palace?'
Just as Im thinking that.
Seo Hweol asks Gyu-ryeon another question with a smile.
"By the way, senior. The area where our True Dragon Alliance headquarters is located, may I ask which part of the ancestor it corresponds to?"
"Ah, the place where Serving Command Ark is situated corresponds to the neck bone of the ancestor. Just a bit further back is the sacred land of the True Dragon Alliance, where the head of the ancestor is located."
"The neck..."
Seo Hweol seems to muse over Gyu-ryeons words for a moment before sitting back down with a smile.
After a while.
We enter the True Dragon Alliance headquarters, the Serving Command Ark.
Kugugugu!
The square mountain.
No, one of the upper parts of the Serving Command Ark, as Gyu-ryeon calls it, opens to welcome us.
"Now, since the True Dragon Alliance is the center of the Earth Tribe Territory, many envoys from various Earth Tribes have come. Everyone should find the envoys of their respective races and head to their corresponding territory."
Chk-chk-chk!
Upon entering the Serving Command Ark, Gyu-ryeon lands inside and transforms.
Her form changes, and soon she appears as a woman wearing a casual brown robe. Her hair is long, reaching down to her waist but seems unkempt overall, and small golden antlers protrude from her forehead. Her cheeks and arms are adorned with deliberately exposed yellow-brown scales.
"First, you, the Sea Dragon Race, and... there, the human, follow me. You need to register your names in the Dragon Registry of the True Dragon Alliance, so I'll guide you."
"Yes, thank you."
Gyu-ryeon, like ghosts leading the Human Race in my past life, explain about the True Dragon Alliance to me, Seo Hweol, and the elders of the Sea Dragon Race.
"Our Earth Tribe is, as you might know, a collection of numerous demon beast races. Though we talk about demon beasts and Earth Tribes, in truth, aside from the Dragon Race and a few other species, they are all different races
To lead these countless other races, the Dragon Race born with Immortal Beast lineage, and a few other superior large races have come together to govern the entire Earth Tribe. These large races have formed a single alliance to govern everything, which is our True Dragon Alliance.".
She continues with pride.
"And as you might have guessed from the name of the True Dragon Alliance, the strongest voice within the alliance belongs to our Dragon Race, which possesses particularly powerful strength among the large races.
Therefore, the name of the alliance was chosen as the True Dragon Alliance, and the headquarters of the alliance was also built in the central area of our Dragon Race's territory. In short, our Dragon Race is no different from the highest ruling class of the Earth Tribe. Act with pride."
"We will keep that in mind."
Gyu-ryeon, seemingly pleased with Seo Hweol's attitude, cheerfully pats his shoulder and continues forward.
The inside of Serving Command Ark is vast enough to be considered another world in its own right.
'Is that... the sky?'
I am astonished at the 'clouds' floating inside Serving Command Ark and the 'mountain ranges' within.
This is incomparable even to space artifacts like the Serving Command Palace.
Rather, it seems right to call it a world of its own.
Following Gyu-ryeon, we swiftly cross numerous mountain ranges and landscapes, feeling her Four-Axis stage power compressing space.
Despite merely walking, space is being compressed.
'Shrinking Earth Technique..'
A formidable technique that only those at the late stages of the Four-Axis stage or beyond can utilize!
I observe the flow of the Shrinking Earth Technique, trying to grasp the enlightenment of the Four-Axis stage.
After a while.
Inside the Serving Command Ark,
While it isn't as vast as the corpse of the Dragon Ancestor that is as large as the entire Human Race Territory we had seen earlier, we arrive at a place filled with bones of dragons, resembling mountain ranges, on the level of the Black Dragon King, Hyeon Eum.
It appears as if white mountains are scattered everywhere.
"Come here. This is the tomb of the Dragon Kings and the homeland of our Dragon Race, the Dragon King Mausoleum. Here, you can receive your identity plaques."
We arrive at the center of the Dragon King Mausoleum.
There, the skulls of Dragon Kings are gathered in abundance.
Even the skulls alone are as massive as mountains.
Gyu-ryeon points at the skulls, saying,
"Now, engrave your names on the skulls of past Dragon Kings. Carving your names into the minds of our ancestors in this way is a ceremony to announce to them that you have become part of the Dragon Race of the Bright Cold Realm."
All members of the Sea Dragon Race came out from Seo Hweol's storage artifact and engraved their names on the skulls of Dragon Kings.
As they did so, a radiant light flowed from the skulls of the Dragon Kings, entering the bodies of those who had engraved their names, leaving peculiar patterns on the bodies of the Dragon Race members.
"From now on, that pattern will serve as your identity plaque. Depending on each individual's qualities and characteristics, you would have received different patterns in different locations. I can't show you, but I have a pattern on my hip. When you infuse Qi into the pattern..."
Wo-woong!
A faint dragon-shaped aura seems to flow from Gyu-ryeon's body, sweeping over her once.
"This illusion proving you're of the Dragon Race appears. From now on, you can prove your identity this way. Remember everyone And for the human, you."
She says, looking at Seo Hweol.
"It's not possible to include a member of the Human Race in the Dragon Registry of the Dragon Race. It's only possible for a member of the Human Race to be included in the Dragon Registry if they have been infused with the Immortal Beast true blood, and their own blood has been covered by the true blood by more than 70%. If you wish to accept a member of the Human Race as part of the Dragon Race under other circumstances, you must create an identity plaque for them using a part of the recommender's body."
"That won't be difficult."
Woong!
Seo Hweol reveals his arm, and blue scales sprout all over it.
He plucks one of the scales.
The scale he pulls from his arm floats in the air and enlarges to the size of a palm.
Patz!
With a flick of Seo Hweol's hand, the scale is processed in mid-air, and an identity plaque with my name inscribed on it is created.
"Here, take this. This identity plaque made from my scale will preserve your status in the Earth Tribe Territory."
"Thank you for your kindness."
I thank Seo Hweol, feeling something odd.
'All the other Sea Dragons are registering their names in something called the Dragon Registry, and I've received an identity plaque, but why dont I see Oh Hye-Seo?'
I ponder Seo Hweol's intentions.
'Why isn't he creating an identity plaque for Oh Hye-Seo now?'
Though I wonder, there is no way to know right now.
Thus, we all acquired the means to prove our identities.
Afterward, we leave the Serving Command Ark, and under the guidance of Gyu-ryeon, we are introduced to the living space for the Sea Dragon Race.
Its a large 'lake' near the front paws of the Dragon Ancestor.
...Of course, its called a lake, but in reality, its size is no different from the seas of the Head Realm.
The lake is connected to the rivers known as the blood veins of the Dragon Ancestor, with black and white waters mixing, creating a five-colored mist.
Due to the mixing of black and white waters, the lake itself is not black and white but transparent.
'The surrounding area is covered in an enormous density of heaven and earth spiritual energy.'
The Five Elements Spiritual Energy is densely spread around the area.
Training here, I will be able to quickly regain my past life's cultivation.
"There are quite a few water attribute demon beasts living under this Cloud Heart Lake. But you, the Sea Dragon Race, should be able to subdue and take over, right?"
"There will be no issues."
"Good, then I hope you live well under the lake from now on. I'll be going now... If you have any questions, you can come and find me."
"Thank you very much for everything so far. We will surely seek your teachings in the Bright Cold Realm in the future."
When Seo Hweol smiles and bows to Gyu-ryeon, her cheeks flush with color.
"Hemhem, I'll be going now."
She coughs a few times as if to clear her throat, hastily bids farewell to Seo Hweol, and transforms back into her dragon form to fly away into the distance.
As soon as Gyu-ryeon is out of sight, Seo Hweol turns to the elders of the Sea Dragon Race and asks,
"How long do you think it will take to take over this Cloud Heart Lake? How long does the council think it will take?"
Responding to Seo Hweol's question, one of the older-looking elders of the Sea Dragon Race bows and replies.
"With our power, we can establish a larger Sea Dragon Palace under Cloud Heart Lake within three days and demand tribute from the surrounding races. If Lord Seo Hweol assists, it will not even take three days but two."
"I see. However, we need to discuss the protocol and titles among the Sea Dragon Race again. I cannot casually use the title of Dragon King in the Bright Cold Realm."
"King... no, if its Sir Seo Hweol, you will surely reach the Integration stage and officially reclaim the title of king."
Thank you for the encouragement. Then, I'll wait for three days, so please take care of everything. I have some matters to attend to at the True Dragon Alliance headquarters."
"Leave it to us."
After finishing their conversation, the elders of the Sea Dragon Race transform into dragons and dive into Cloud Heart Lake.
Shortly after.
Kugugugu!
The waters of Cloud Heart Lake boil tumultuously.
A significant battle seems to be taking place beneath the lake.
"Now then, you should follow me now."
"Yes?"
"I said I would recommend you for participation in the Immortal Beast Blood Fusion if you followed me. I'll keep my promise."
"May I know what this Immortal Beast Blood Fusion is?"
"Haha, you followed me without even knowing what the Immortal Beast Blood Fusion is?"
'Damn.'
I clench my teeth internally.
Suspicion blooms once again in Seo Hweol's mind.
Although there isn't much suspicion, if it continues to accumulate like this, I will inevitably be betrayed by him.
"More than the Blood Fusion, I trusted and followed Sir Seo Hweol's reputation. Haha."
"Ahaha, is that so? This is quite embarrassing."
We both laugh openly, while behind our smiles, we are sharpening knives against each other.
"I'll explain on the way. Follow me."
I climb onto Seo Hweol's back as he transforms into his true form and heads towards Serving Command Ark, listening to his explanation.
The Immortal Beast Blood Fusion is a competition held once every hundred years, gathering young demon beast prodigies to compete for the true blood of Immortal Beasts.
Winners of the Immortal Beast Blood Fusion receive a drop of their desired true blood, which they incorporate into their own blood, acquiring superior demon beast qualities.
Originally, non-Earth Tribes, like the Heaven Tribe, are not allowed to participate in the Immortal Beast Blood Fusion, but with the recommendation of a Four-Axis stage demon beast, participation is possible.
'The true blood of Immortal Beasts...'
As I think about the existence of Immortal Beasts,
Before long, Seo Hweol arrives inside Serving Command Ark again.
Within the Ark.
Seo Hweol lands in front of a massive stone building, transforms back into human form, and goes inside to handle some business, leaving me behind.
The building looks to handle various administrative tasks for the demon races, and as soon as Seo Hweol disappears from sight, I turn around.
'First, let's forget about ridiculous things like Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation or Summoning Wind, True Blood Transformation.'
Below the mountain where the stone building is erected, there is a large market that seems to be a marketplace for demon beasts, where numerous demon races are trading goods.
'For now, I'll find some proper demon beast methods.'
Tadat!
Using the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts, I enter the demon market without anyone noticing.
***