Author's Q&A (1)
Q: Where are we at, in terms of the narrative?
A: We entered the main story.
Q: Is the Surpassing Radiant Saber actually faster than light, or is it a metaphor?
A: Since it jumps through space, it can arguably surpass light. Just consider it a metaphor.
Q: Could a cultivator in Nascent Soul Grand Perfection use the best dharma treasure of the Black Ghost Valley to be as strong as a cultivator in Heavenly Being?
A: Thats probably the limit.
Q: Will we see other factions and demon beasts that ascended outside of the three great factions and the Sea Dragon Tribe?
A: They are not as important, so we might not see a lot of details, but we might see a little more of them?
Q: How many chapters can you write in a day?
A: Thats a Tremendous spoiler;;
Q: Are there pills that can change your physical gender in the upper realms?
A: There are a lot of Cultivation Methods that can change your gender. Pills that can do so are sometimes made by some enthusiasts.
Q: When will the centipede get a human form?
A: When it reaches the Nascent Soul.
Q: You previously stated that you initially assigned literary genres to the seven transmigrators. What are they?
A: Kim Young-hoon - classical wuxia
Jeon Myeong-hoon - classical xianxia
Kang Min-hee - apocalypse
Oh Hyun-seok - healing
Kim Yeon - thriller&gore&suspense
Oh Hye-seo - eastern romance fantasy
Seo Eun-hyeon - infinite loop
BlueMangoAdes Note: these genres do not necessarily apply to the actual characters of RToC. These were just initially assigned genres, after all.
Q: Why is the arm that was recently attached to Eun-hyeon by the Mad Lord so weak? Was it just roughly made to experiment with the Formless Sword?
A: In the eyes of the Mad Lord, Eun-hyun is just a bug, so he thought the bug would be grateful to have what amounts to a bigger limb. He did not realize that the bug can fire invisible beams to kill Nascent Realm cultivators.
Q: I am curious about the age of the transmigrators.
A: This should come up in the work eventually, but I dont think age matters much in xianxia.
Q: Are there no beings that are very powerful from birth? Do the True Immortals start from the Qi Refining as well, or were they divine from birth?
A: There are beings that are born at the Minor and the Middle Boundary level, but nobody is born as a true immortal Well, actually, there are beings that are born at that level, but they are mindless and more or less inanimate.
Q: Why is the Mad Lord so sweet?
A: Seo Hweol and the Mad Lord are the characters I showered with most affection
Q: I am curious about the power balance of the world of RToC. Yuan Li in Nascent Soul was able to maintain an advantage against hundreds of Core Formation cultivators. Does this apply in higher realms as well? Or does the difference get even bigger?
A: In the first place, Yuan Li is a somewhat exceptional Nascent Soul cultivator, so hes multiple times stronger than equivalent cultivators. The Core Formation cultivators that were left behind were really poor quality and weak, and Yuan Lis cultivation method itself specializes at massacring weaker beings There are multiple reasons Yuan Li was able to overpower hundreds of Core Formation cultivators, but a normal Early Nascent Soul Cultivator can be defeated by a hundred Core Formation Cultivators fighting a guerilla war. At any rate, the difference between stages get bigger as it usually does in xianxia.
Q: Is the centipede male or female??? This is very very important.
A: Its male..;;;
Q: What is the reason Seo Eun-hyeon ignored and destroyed the black castle in his twelfth regression?
A: From his perspective, its just a white elephant(burden/source of trouble)
Q: Can pills only be made with humans and demons as ingredients in RToC? Are there no pills made with plants like other xianxia?
A: Human pills are more common in the Head Realm because resources are scarce. Other places have a lot of human pills as well, but its not as common as it is in the Head Realm.
TranslatingNovice: This is a Q&A translated by another member of our discord community, BlueMangoAde! They say if Resnut is the right minister then BlueMangoAde is the left minister. Both are a great help in maintaining the accuracy and quality of this great work by the great author Tremendous (did you get the pun?). A round of applause for BlueMangoAde!
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Author's Q&A (2)
Q: What happens if someone with heavenly spiritual roots reaches Five Energies Converging to the Origin?
A: It will be revealed in a few chapters, but it turns their spiritual roots into mixed spiritual roots. Of course, its possible to avoid that by researching special methods to filter out spiritual energy, but nearly no cultivator has researched the matter. At least, thats what I decided for my setting.
Q: Why did Young-hoon abandon Seo Eun-hyun in the first life when he was living miserably after his soap business failed?
A: By the time Seo Eun-hyun was selling soap, Young-hoon was dead.
Q: Is it possible for Young-hoon to ascend within his lifespan?
A: Thats a spoiler In my initial idea he was beyond what my readers were imagining, but that felt like I was hyping Young-hoon up too much so I am wondering if I should go with my initial idea or
Q: Why do cultivators of the Cheungmun Clan use steroids when Azure Heaven Creation Sect cultivators are natty?
A: Thats why they were left behind in the lower world.
Q: There will be mecha General Seo rocket punch, right?
A: There will also be dino form.
Q: At this point in the story, three great figures of Qi Building seem kind of laughable. Was this meant to be a mocking title before the mass ascension? Or were they respected because its like they were running a marathon without legs?
A: The three great figures of Qi Building is not a mocking title, but refers to those with great expertise in their fields despite being in Qi Building. I think this is a misunderstanding due to lack of explanation in the novel. They are each beings that reached great understanding in their respective fields of alchemy, artifact refining, and cultivation method. Elixirs made by Makli Yun-ryeon and artifacts made by Gongmyo Cheon-saek were often bought by those in Core Formation and Nascent Soul realms. Cheungmun Ryeong also had a lot of important guests for his knowledge of cultivation techniques. The only reason they were not brought for ascension was because of their age. If they were all 50 years younger, they would have been squeezed in for ascension.
Q: Yang Su-Jin stated that all Enders are fated to visit Shattered Heaven Peak, but didnt Kim Yeon die before visiting the place in Eun-hyuns previous life?
A: Attraction of fate is not absolute. If Kim Yeon and Seo Eun-hyun were strong enough to live their fate, they would have reached Shattered Heaven Peak eventually. But it is possible to die before living out ones fate.
Q: Are there any plans for the centipede or the fox to gain human form? I just need a yes or no
A: I already had plans for the centipede to gain human form, and the fox was never going to show up again after being beat up with Formless Sword. However, the previous Q&A showed that there were fans of the fox and the centipede and I decided to give the fox a human form after some thought But it might be different from what you are imagining.
Q: Have you decided anything about Seo Eun-hyuns parents or other family? Or is this a spoiler?
A: I have, and this will come up when Eun-hyun reaches Nascent Soul. But Eun-hyuns parents are just part of his background and not very important in the story.
Q: I have questions about the size of the realms. What is the size of the Head Realm compared to Earth? There were many arguments among the readerbase about how Bright Cold Realm might compare to Jupiter in terms of size, so how big is it? Also, I have a question about Spiritual Roots. Are there many other roots that are not part of the 5 elements such as the Ghostly Yin Transforming Immortal Root? Do you have an example?
A: The Head Realm is about the size of Mars. Bright Cold Realm is about the size of the Milky Way Galaxy. Im not being weird here, this is just xianxia norms. There used to be a lot of roots like that, but the vast majority disappeared due to spoiler reasons, only leaving the spiritual roots related to the five elements.
Q: Three great sects of the Head Realm are Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder, Azure Heaven Creation, and Black Ghost Valley, right? But Azure Heaven Creation Sect feels like it is at best a sect that has mere 2000 years(...) of history that relies on Asure Tiger Saint, so how was it able to grow so much more powerful than other sects with more history? Was it very lucky???
A: Other sects do not train their disciples by shoving into lava and beating them up, but safely feed them elixirs. This is why Azure Heaven Creation was able to catch up.
Q: Seo Eun-hyun seems like he was incompetent back on Earth, so how did he do such a good job as the chief strategist of the Wulin Alliance? Did he just try very hard?
A: Seo Eun-hyun might seem like someone incompetent from what has been shown, but he only made a lot of mistakes when he first joined the company and usually did not make the same mistake again. If he spilled coffee repeatedly, even Oh Hyun-seok would not have been able to stand it.
Q: I dont know about xianxia too much, but whats the difference between what the MC is training and what martial artists do to train their body? Is it the difference between using spiritual energy and internal energy? Also, now that Eun-hyun is in the Middle Realm, will he ever visit the Minor Realm? Will there be other savepoints?
A: The difference between body refining method and what martial artists are doing in RToC is that martial artists are expressing and training the potential that is within the human body, and body refining cultivators use the heaven and earth spiritual energy to modify the human body. There are more stories to tell about the Minor Realm even outside of the Head Realm such as the Astral Realm, so we will see more than you expect. Savepoint stuff is spoilers.
Q: Since you draw inspiration from Reincarnated Swordmaster, I wanted to ask if True Immortals at the top can become as strong as Outer Gods of RS?
A: While RToC has influences from RS, the true immortals of RToC do not draw inspiration from RS. Just comparing power, the most powerful true immortals are comparable to the RS Outer Gods.
Q: Whats Buk Hyang-hwas concept if she ascends? Giant robots? Ironman?
A: Napoleon Bonaparte
Q: Ive heard that Bright Cold Realm and Blood Yin Realm are the strongest Middle Realms from other readers. Is this official?
A: Both of them are special realms with a lot of relation to the true immortals. However, its not quite right to call them the strongest, just special.
Q: Why is Cheungmun Ryeong at the first constellation of Qi Building when Core Formation and Nascent Soul cultivators come to him for his advice on Understanding before Breakthrough? Is his talent at Seo Eun-hyun level?
A: He was born with weak spiritual meridians. More specifically, he was so weak that he was fated to die in the womb, but he miraculously survived his birth.
Q: It seems like there are so few Star Shattering and Sacred Vessel cultivators in the Middle Realms, so I was wondering if Entering Nirvana is a realm that you can actually reach in the Middle Realms. Is it like the Tribulation Transcendence Stage of A Record of a Mortals Journey to Immortality, where you can immediately reach True Immortality?
A: While it is a special stage, it is not like the Tribulation Transcendence Stage, which only exists in technicality. Specifics are spoilers.
Q: I love you author, I hope you live a long and healthy life. Will we see stuff like Obsidian memory?
A: I love you too, readers. Obsidian was a mechanism that I did not like while reading Reincarnated Swordmaster, so it will probably not appear, and only very close to the end of the story if it does appear.
BlueMangoAdes Note: Obsidian memory refers to a technique in Reincarnated Swordmaster that allowed the transference of others memory across time loops.
Q: It took Kim Yeon 10 years to reach Nascent Soul, but Oh Hyun-seok is still at the later stage of Core Formation. Is there a difference between talents among Enders? I was wondering if the Enders taken by the Heavenly Beings later have higher potential.
A: Most things related to Enders are spoilers. However, the difference between Kim Yeon and Oh Hyun-seok comes from the fact that Kim Yeons Four-Axis level consciousness gave her an advantage at reaching Nascent Soul and that the Mad Lords consciousness compression techniques allowed her to train faster, which was very effective for her.
Q: Do you like kimchi-jjigae or doenjang-jjigae more?
A: Doenjang-jjigae
Q: Will going back to a Minor Realm create a new savepoint? Will we visit other Middle Realms? Is Seo Eun-hyun a virgin?
A: We will visit other Middle Realms. The condition that changes savepoint is a spoiler. As for whether Seo Eun-hyun is a virgin I will stay silent for Seo Eun-Hyeons dignity.
Q: Seo Eun-hyun was romantically as dense as he is back on Earth, right?
A: Yes.
Q: Will Kim Young-hoon and the fox be a couple?
A: lmao
Q: Is there a reason Cheongmun Ryeong did not get trained by Azure Tiger Saint? I think he could totally crush Yuan Li if he did. Or receive elixirs to become more healthier?
A: Cheongmun Ryeon might kill himself if he was trained by the Azure Tiger Saint
Q: How many chapters do you expect?
A: I am aiming for 700, but I am not sure. There might be more or less.
Q: In the recent chapter, Seo Eun-Hyeon was able to cultivate quite fast despite only having reached early Core Formation in his past lives. Is this because of the abundance of heaven and earth spiritual energy in the middle realm?
A: The plenty of energy and because his experience of being Four-Axis stage General Seo is not completely trash. However, Nascent Soul and beyond cannot be passed so easily with experience of wielding external items.
Q: I was disappointed that growth beyond the Deity Transformation stage in A Record of a Mortals Journey to Immortality was just numerical. Will there be qualitative growth in the Middle Boundary stages in this novel?
A: Nascent soul is the beginning of qualitative growth.
A: Were all the relationships with the colleagues good? Will there be trouble with Kang Min-hee and Jeon Myeong-hoon?
Q: Its as it has been shown in this work. Young-hoon was nice but distant. Hyun-seok took good care of Eun-hyun. Kim Yeon had a crush on him. Jeon Myeong-hoon obviously bullied him I will leave the rest for the joy of speculation.
Q: It was stated that everybody in the company knew Kim Yeon had a crush on Seo Eun-Hyun. What did the other five think of this?
A: Kim Young-hoon - Ugh, you dense bastard.
Oh Hyun-seok - Ugh, you dense bastard. But you will accept it some day, right?
Kang Min-hee - Ugh, you retarded bastard.
Oh Hye-seo - Ugh, you dense bastard.
Jeon Myeong-hoon - Ugh, you retarded bastard.
Q: Is Kim Yeon beautiful? I am curious you did not describe her looks much.
A: Her heart for Eun-hyeon is very beautiful.
BlueMangoAdes note: Some Korean readers used this answer to meme that Kim Yeon is ugly. (Because the answer seemed like refusing to describe how she physically looks.) Tremendous later clarified that they were subtly hinting that her breasts are big (thus, beautiful heart).
Q: 1. Is there a being like the Martial Arts God of Reincarnated Swordmaster? 2. Can you attain eternal life by reaching the equivalent of the Great Boundary with martial arts?
A: 1. Not sure what to say There is something, but Im not sure if I should call it Martial Arts God. 2. Theoretically possible.
Q: How big was Seo Eun-hyeons company? Was it small?
A: It was a mid-sized company.
Q: RToC lacks description for how characters look, so I am having a hard time imagining them. I think the reason there are a lot of fans for the centipede and the fox is because its easy to imagine what they will look like as humans, intuitively.
A: Umm To tell the truth, I dislike describing what characters look like. I think their true nature matters more than what they look like. I will think about adding character descriptions.
Q: Is Heart Path Method martial arts?
A: There will be an explanation later. Also, Heart Path Method is a name arbitrarily given to the technique used by Heart Tribe by the Heaven Tribe and Earth Tribe, rather than an official designation.
Q: Do cultivators get buffs to their looks as they reach higher stages?
A: Some do and some do not.
Q: Is the Heart Tribe an evil cult?
A: They are like revolutionaries. If I have to find a metaphor, they are like Communists during the industrial age.
Q: Does a Longevity Fruit only increase lifespan once or every time you eat one?
A: It increases it once, and every time you eat it afterwards reduces the lifespan increasing effect because of the resistance(?). 100 years from the first fruit, 50 years from the second, 25 years from the third etc
TranslatingNovice: Napoleon Bonaparte rofl. Q&A was once again translated by BlueMangoAde!
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Author's Q&A (3)
Questions about Tremendous
Q: Whats your gender?
A: Tremendous
Q: Do you listen to music while writing? What do you listen to if you do?
A: I think the OP of Jojo part 6 is amazing. I listen to the OP of the last episode of Jojo part 6 when I run into a writing block.
Kim Young-Hoon
Q: Whats the current relationship between Young-hoon and the fox? How many children do they have?
A: Uh Its closer to the relationship between an athlete and a punching bag.
Q: Can the fox left with Young-hoon shapeshift into a human?
A: Yes.
Q: Does Young-hoon teach the fox martial arts?
A: Its a spoiler but a small spoiler, so, yes.
Q: Will Young-hoons Heavenly Tribulation when he reaches 3rd Manifestation be faster than light?
A: Sure.
Q: Did you know that people really want to see Young-hoon again? I think people are more interested in him than love interests.
A: My producer always asks me when he will come back too. (lol) I am waiting for that day as well.
Q: I think you said that Kim Young-hoons cultivation talent was not very good, but if he ascends, will his cultivation naturally increase with age, taking care of his lifespan? Or is that difficult because of his Five Elements Spiritual Roots?
A: Yes, thats possible. However, Young-hoon will have a difficult time reaching Core Formation and beyond on his own, no matter what.
Q: How far into Qi Refining did Young-hoon reach when he became a cultivator after being defeated by cultivators?
A: 6th Star.
Q: Whats the trap that the Makli Clan left for Young-hoon as they admitted him to their clan after the Palace of Heavenly Demons was destroyed?
A: It was something like the Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation.
Q: Did Young-hoon of the ninth cycle die due to spatial pressure? Or did he reach somewhere like Seo Eun-Hyun thought?
A: Schrodingers Kim Young-hoon
Q: Are the only Kim Young-hoon who can be called Young-hoon hyung-nim by Seo Eun-hyun the Young-hoon of first and second cycle?
A: Yes. For now.
Seo Eun-hyun
Q: If Seo Eun-hyun becomes a third stage Heart Tribe spy and uses the Heavenly Tribulation attack, will the Heavenly Lightning be formless and ignore defense?
A: Yes.
Q: Yu Hwa transforms into a sunset colored river, but can Seo Eun-hyun transform as well, since he is at the second stage of Manifestation as well?
A: Thats the characteristic of Yu Hwas Treading Heavens, so it is difficult for Seo Eun-hyun.
Q: Is Seo Eun-hyun tech illiterate? He was unable to use Excel despite being a deputy manager
A: To be honest, it was based on my experience of being too incompetent to use the SUM function.
Q: Out of all of the masters so far, who is the closest to being Seo Eun-hyuns true master?
A: This might be unexpected, but it is Buk Hyang-hwa. The reason will probably come out at the latter part of the story.
Q: Seo Eun-hyun will be able to reach Entering Nirvana before the story ends, right?
A: Of course.
Q: Cheongmun Ryeong and Azure Tiger Saint kinda seem closer to mental support while all the really helpful stuff seem to come from Yuan Li, Mad Lord, and Seo Hweol. Is this intended?
A: While stuff he learned from dickheads stand out more, stuff he learned from the Cheongmuns is not bad either. Seo Eun-hyun at that level really needed their help.
Q: Seo Eun-hyun will receive a badass Esteemed One title when he reaches Star Shattering level, right?
A: Of course.
Q: Sensei, I have a question. How big is Seo Eun-hyuns dick???
A: Seo Eun-hyun has the hidden power of the dragons
Q: Can Seo Eun-hyun play at being a real genius instead of fake genius if he goes to the Black Ghost Valley?
A: If he goes to the Black Ghost Valley, its no longer playing at being genius.
Q: Is the reason he did not get struck by Heavenly Lightning when he surpassed his lifespan as General Seo because he counted as a Four-Axis cultivator?
A: Its because he counted as the Mad Lords property.
Q: I am waiting for dino-mode General Seo!!! I am really looking forward to it!!!!
A: ! You will have to wait a bit!
Q: Would Crown Prince Seo be a Star Shattering puppet?
A: It would be an amazing and terrifying puppet.
Q: I dont care if its Heavenly Being or Third Stage of Manifestation, when will Eun-hyun grow?
A: His growth rate will increase again after the Seo Hweol episode.
VS Battle
Q: Who is stronger? Young-hoon at the third stage of Manifestation or Seo Eun-hyun at the third stage of Manifestation?
A: I think it would depend on how they fight. Seo Eun-hyun would probably lose at a contest of pure martial arts, but Young-hoon would probably lose if they fight with everything they have.
Q: Crown Prince Seo made by Mad Lord vs Grand Prince Seo made using Seo Hweol by joining hands with the Mad Lord???
A: The dino mecha wins, obviously.
Q: Can Seo Hweol defeat the Mad Lord by himself?
A: Seo Hweol could win if the Mad Lord was by himself, but the Mad Lord wins if he uses his puppets
Q: Is the Mad Lords talent supreme among the five ascendants? Can any of them defeat him in a fight?
A: None of them can beat the Mad Lord in a straight fight.
Seo Hweol
Q: Is Cheungmun Ryeong like an unlucky Seo Hweol?
A: Huh? No, they are very different. In the zombie genre, Se Hweol is like a mutant zombie while Cheungmun Ryeong is a zombie with tenacity.
Q: Why did Seo Hweol panic so much when Gyu-ryeon kissed him? Wasnt he going to kill her anyways?
A: He panicked because he thought the Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement was a secret ancient technique meant to defeat him.
Q: Why did Gyu-ryeon fall in love with Seo Hweol? She fell in love very quickly. His face? Does he look handsome to dragons?
A: Yes. He looks handsome as well as being gentle and knowledgeable.
The Ascendants
Q: What would the five ascendants (Azure Tiger Saint, Jin Byuk-ho, Heo Gwak, Seo Hweol, Mad Lord) do for a living in the modern world?
A: Azure Tiger Saint: fitness trainer
Jin Byuk-ho: construction worker
Heo Gwak: captain of a ship
Seo Hweol: the mafia
Mad Lord: (under the assumption his life goes well) dentist that cares a lot about his family (under the assumption his life does not go well) insane mad scientist
Q: How many Heavenly Being cultivators gathered for ascension?
A: Over five hundred. That generation is a nonsensical golden age. Enough that Seo Hweols suggestion to ascend together to prevent the depletion of the world was accepted.
Q: How amazing is 500 Heavenly Being cultivators ascending at once?
A: Its ridiculous. One of the reasons humans declared war on the True Devil Realm was that they were supplied with high quality talents in bulk.
Q: Could Song Jin fully come back to life if he got a new body?
A: Song Jin lived too long.
Q: Can the Mad Lord build True Immortal level puppets if he reaches the Great Boundary?
A: The strongest puppets possible are Entering Nirvana level puppets. True Immortals cannot be turned into puppets. However, even True Immortals could be killed if you threw hundreds of millions of Entering Nirvana puppets at them but thats only theoretical, since it is unclear whether the Mad Lord will reach the Great Boundary.
Q: Are puppets always made to look like living beings?
A: It depends on what the maker wants.
Q: Is the reason the Mad Lord does not use a unique ability despite being on the same level as the Path Beyond the Heavens because he does not realize he has reached that stage, much like Seo Eun-hyun in the 9th cycle?
A: Yes.
Enders
Q: Do the True Immortals all know that Enders existed for a very long time?
A: The majority of high level True Immortals are aware.
Q: Do Enders have the same fate as previous Enders every time?
A: Same fate but the ability is different every time.
Q: Do legendary traits such as Heavenly Golden Thunder Body, Ghostly Yin Transforming Immortal Root, and Unique Holy Body exist beyond being abilities Enders have?
A: Some traits exist, and there are some traits that will exist in the future. You can think of it as the world giving them the optimal ability to achieve their fate.
Q: Are the initial genres you applied to Enders still applicable?
A: Some were abandoned and there are a lot of changes.
Q: Are all enders equivalent in talent? Do they have specialties?
A: While they do have their specialties, the values of the fates they were granted are equal.
Heart Tribe
Q: The third level of Manifestation is like Bankai in Bleach, right?
A: Up to Heaven Treading is like Bleach, but from the third stage on is based on my own worldbuilding. But there is no such thing as a truly original work, so I may have been unconsciously inspired by other works.
Q: Do Heart Tribe members usually not go through Five Energies Converging to the Origin and Ultimate Pinnacle?
A: They go through Five Energies Converging to the Origin, but they do not go through Ultimate Pinnacle. In the world of RToC, Gang Spheres have been invented by Kim Young-hoon
Q: Do you need a strong desire to awaken as a Heart Tribe member even if you master the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon? Is there a reason Kim Yeon failed to awaken?
A: To be more precise, you need an unimaginably strong desire to master Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon. The reason Kim Yeon failed to awaken as a Heart Tribe member will be shown later.
Q: Why does the Earth Tribe hate the Heart Tribe so much? Heart Tribe also seems to especially hate Earth Tribe, what about Heaven Tribe? Or has it just not been mentioned?
A: Heaven Tribe tends to imprison and abuse the Heart Tribe in their basement, so its not as visible from the outside.
Q: Do White Goat Race and Demi-human Race not belong in any of the Tribes?
A: Those species can be considered the mortals of the Bright Cold Realm. They are just slave species that become Heart Tribe members more often.
Q: Heart Tribe seem like they have less lifespan than other cultivators. What is the average lifespan of someone that belongs to a slave race?
A: Its difficult to answer because there is too much variance.
Q: Is the Heart Path Method the wider concept that includes martial arts?
A: Yes.
Q: Heart Tribe means those who have combined their outer heart essence with their inner heart essence and manifested their complete heart essence. Are there methods other than martial arts that allow this?
A: Its not impossible.
Q: Can the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon be considered a Heart Path Method?
A: Fully mastered Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon can be considered a Heart Path Method. But not even the Mad Lord has fully mastered it. (he thinks he mastered it)
Q: Yu Hwa said that the first stage of Manifestation can be reached by integrating the outer heart essence with the inner heart essence. Is consciousness and the color of intent the outer heart essence?
A: You can think of it that way.
Q: Whats the relationship between Sacred Master Baek Woon and the Heart Tribe? It does not appear to be bad, given how Jang Ik follows her orders.
A: Its like the relationship between the Ottoman Sultan and the Barbary pirates. While not officially acknowledged, it is beneficial to Sacred Master Baek Woon for the Heart Tribe to exist.
Q: Whats the proportion of the slave races in the Bright Cold Realm who cannot even attain Qi Refining?
A: About 30 percent.
Q: Is the Heavenly Tribulation added by Heart Tribe spies one per person? Or can they add it multiple times.
A: One per person. But sneak attacking and running away adds one as well..
Q: If you get hit by ten thousand third stage Heart Tribe Masters, you get hit by ten thousand Heavenly Tribulations when you ascend?
A: Yes. Thats why every race of the Bright Cold Realm is frantically trying to exterminate the Heart Tribe.
Q: Is there no way to remove Heavenly Tribulation added by Heart Tribe attacks? Do you have to get hit by it?
A: You have to use true immortal treasures such as the Heavenly Lightning Banner or do a very expensive ritual. There are more people willing to tank the tribulation than those willing to pay that price.
Q: Other than the ten thousand Heavenly Being level members of the Heart Tribe, does the Heart Tribe Alliance have Four-Axis and Integration stage members as well?
A: Yes. But overwhelmingly less than Heaven and Earth Tribes.
Q: What stage of Manifestation is Jang Ik at?
A: Two stages higher than the third stage of Manifestation
Q: I really hope the name of the third stage of Manifestation is not Beyond Heaven Beyond the Path.
A: Theres already hints about the name of the third stage.
Female Characters
Q: Can Gyu-ryeon be a love interest as well?
A: But she kissed Seo Hweol
Q: What happens to Gyu-ryeon without Seo Eun-hyuns interference? Does Seo Hweol still betray her???
A: Nobody remembers her name after a thousand years
Q: Can Gyu-ryeon be happy? Please.
A: I think of Gyu-ryeon as Seo Ran of the Middle Realm. She will be happy probably, eventually?
Q: Will Eun-hyun save Gyu-ryeon later?
A: Yep.
Q: Can you please make love interests as attractive as Gyu-ryeon? Why are all the confirmed heroines so unattractive?
A: Sorry. I was bad at writing female characters back then.
Q: Did Gyu-ryeon die to Yu Hwa in previous cycles?
A: Yu Hwa was fated to die by Seo Hweol while saving Baek Nyeong. Gyu-ryeon also died to Seo Hweol.
Q: Can Yu Hwa be a love interest? Spiders are totally worth it. How can you not love Heart Tribe spider-mama?
A: I considered making Yu Hwa a love interest because I personally really like her. However, narratively, she cannot be a love interest.
Q: Could Yu Hwas race swing across buildings like Spiderman if they existed in the modern world?
A: Yes, its possible. However, Yu Hwas race are peace loving musicians, so they would do street performances more than playing Spiderman.
Q: Please make a mention in the story that Kim Yeon is pretty.
A: Of course shes beautiful, but I probably wont write it in the story.
Q: How would Kim Yeon react if Seo Eun-hyun rejected her after waiting centuries in the 13th cycle as planned?
A: In hindsight, I should have done that even if Seo Eun-hyun would have been called a psychopath by some people Kim Yeons reaction is related to her fate, so spoiler.
Q: Can Oh Hye-seo be a love interest as well?
A: There is no way of knowing what she did with Seo Hweol while hidden.
Q: Just why dont you write that the love interests are pretty! Kim Yeon, Buk Hyang-hwa, future heroines, just say they are all pretty
A: Personally, I have a meaningless preconception that specifically describing that a character is beautiful fits evil beings more. I thought people would naturally accept that love interests are beautiful without description?
Q: Why is the Blood Body praised for its beauty a lot when love interests are not?
A: The Blood Body is closer to a sculpture than a person. Its like Yuan Lis artwork.
Q: About the Buk Hyang-hwa Napoleon thing, whats your thought on artillery?
A: Firepower is the true way.
Q ?
Q: Whats the cultivation talent of the fox from the Ascension Path and Buk Hyang-hwa?
A: Fox <- unexpectedly a first-class talent. Buk Hyang-hwa <- not very talented at cultivation but there are more things she can do as her Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent trait improves.
Q: Please tell me you wont abandon Buk Hyang-hwa? You wont, right?? When will best girl come back?
A: I love Buk Hyang-hwa
Q: Kim Yeon, Oh Hye-seo, and Kang Min-hee according to the size of their breasts?
A: If I must, Kim Yeon > Kang Min-hee > Oh Hye-seo
How Will The Story Unfold?
Q: How long until the end?
A: We started the Middle Realm storyline in earnest, so I think we are 2 out of 7 until the end.
Q: Its so fun, can you write 1000 chapters?
A: My goal is finishing within 1000 chapters. I dont think I will reach 1000?
Q: Youve stated that there was a lot of story left to tell about the Mad Lord. Will we get a storyline about all of the five ascendants?
A: I dont think we will cycle through all of the five ascendants. We will see the Mad Lords first stage of Manifestation and his backstory at an appropriate time.
Q: Will we see Yang Su-Jin again?
A: We will see him a lot.
Q: Will we visit Black Ghost Valley and Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect?
A: Yes.
Q: Will we see the centipede do more? So loyal yet so weak.
A: We will see him more.
Q:Will Five Elements Spiritual Roots be very helpful eventually?
A: Yep.
Q: Can you make Four-Axis cultivators more badass? Its not a low level, but they keep getting beaten up, they feel less powerful than Core Formation cultivators in the lower realm.
A: Oops I will try. :( To tell the truth, the name of the stage is kinda bad but I will try my best while unpacking the relevant worldbuilding.
True Immortal
Q: Are demon beasts that reached True Immortality called Immortal Beasts?
A: Yes.
Q: Are the power differences between True Immortals big?
A: The power differences between the stages of the Great Boundary are very very big. However, due to the nature of their abilities, True Immortals and Immortal Beasts can effectively gang up on each other.
Q: The Lustrous Glaze Peacock is said to want to mate with everyone and make Azure Peng have children. Whats their genders?
A: At the level of Immortal Beasts gender is meaningless. The Lustrous Glaze Peacock just loves mating.
Q: Why was it fine to hear Yang Su-Jins name but not Yu Hao Tes name? Is their name as a True Immortal different from their name while they were mortal?
A: The intention behind the name is also important. You do go insane if you understand the true nature of a True Immortal and call their true name, but you are not very affected if you just hear their name without understanding the true meaning.
Cultivation
Q: Are none of the axes made in Bright Cold Realm during Four-Axis?
B: Majority of Bright Cold Realm cultivators make their axes in Bright Coldt Realm by gathering a lot of Five Elements Spiritual Energy or by softening great dharma treasures. Seo Hweol was pretending to leave to other Middle Realms to gather a higher quality of energy.
Q: Does Earth Tribe not care about the quality of their spiritual roots since they gather up turbid heaven and earth spiritual energy and refine it with explosions?
A: They do not. If they survive the explosion, they grow, and if they are too weak, they die from their dantian exploding, so it is purely the survival of the fittest.
Q: Even Earth Tribe cultivators seem to do rituals for their Axes in the Four-Axis stage. Is this different from what Heaven Tribe cultivators do to raise their cultivation?
A: The rituals at Four-Axis are not aimed at the heavens.
Q: Do Earth Tribe cultivators control all of the five elements?
A: Heaven Tribe cultivators control every element as well after late Nascent Soul. However, they are inferior to Earth Tribe cultivators at the skill of controlling all five of the elements at once.
Q: Can the Mad Lord make true Star Shattering puppets if he reaches Star Shattering himself or picks up a corpse of an Esteemed One?
A: The corpse of an Esteemed One will not work. It is impossible without the Mad Lord himself reaching Star Shattering.
Q: The rarity of stages seem to be set up so that Qi Refining of the Lower Realms corresponds Core Formation of the Middle Realms, Qi Building corresponds to Nascent Soul, Core Formation corresponds to Heavenly Being, Nascent Soul corresponds to Four-Axis, Heavenly Being corresponds to Integration, with stages above being incomparable. Is this right?
A: That seems right.
Q: Is making Four-Axis Axes by using the Five Elements also Heterodox Axis Foundation?
A: The Orthodox and the Heterodox are decided by the method, rather than the ingredient. Building your own Axis with rituals - Orthodox. Taking from someone else - Heterodox. However, the way Seo Hweol is doing is the correct method, and its the other Four-Axis cultivators that are building their Axes the wrong way, which means the difference between the methods is not greatly meaningful for them.
Q: Does the power at the Integration stage depend on the method the cultivator used to build the Axes?
A: Yes. How one cultivated during the Four-Axis stage decides the stability at the Integration stage.
Q: Did Sacred Master Baek Woon build her Axes the orthodox way?
A: Yes.
Q: Is Understanding Before Breakthrough better than cheating your way up? Slower but more powerful?
A: Yup.
Q: The founder of the Yin Soul Ghost Incantation only being able to create 108 curses while Seo Eun-hyun is able to create thousands is a bit lame. Is Seo Eun-hyun special, or was the founder just not very good at it?
A: The founder of the Yin Soul Ghost Incantation understood pain via self harm, understanding human pain to be physiological. The founder did not study mental pain very much, so Seo Eun-hyun managed to surpass the founder.
Etc
Q: Since this is a Xianxia novel, the setting is eastern in nature with eastern characters, but does western culture and western characters exist in your setting? If so, will this be relevant?
A: Common sense would dictate that to be the case, but since this story is Xianxia and eastern fantasy, I am reluctant to do so. So they will not show up even if they exist.
Q: What is the most delicious dish at the Bright Cold Realm?
A: Full course meal of Devil Race meat, prepared by Human Race chefs of Bright Cold Realm.
Q: Is the webtoon adaptation going well?? I am terrified
A: I am receiving the storyboard, and I am also nervous But the character sheet looks great. I will get permission from the producer to post the character sheets when we confirm the company that will be doing the webtoon adaptation..
Q: Can I write fanfics?
A: Fanfics dont need permission as long as you dont profit.
Q: I am always astonished by the depth of worldbuilding when I read RToC! Do you research things every time you worldbuild? Or have you studied the relevant material and naturally worldbuilding as you write the novel?
A: Thank you for the overwhelming praise. I have learned how to worldbuild as I read Reincarnated Swordmaster, and did research of my own to create my world. The stages are something I have been thinking about for a while that I am organizing at RToC, rather than something I came up with when I started the novel.
Q: Whos your favorite character so far?
A: In order of how much love I put into them: Seo Eun-hyun, Seo Hweol, Buk Hyang-hwa, Mad Lord, Kim Yeon, the Final Boss, Yuan Li, Kim Young-hoon, Jeon Myeong-hoon, Heo Gwak, Kang Min-hee. The rest are below them and relatively equal to each other.
Q: Whats the race of Sacred Master Baek Woon?
A: From Star Shattering, race becomes meaningless. Ah, if you were asking about her tribe, she reached the Sacred Vessel stage as a Heaven Tribe.
-x-X-x-
How did this happen?
'First, let's organize the situation.'
My eyes don't move.
Neither does my consciousness.
I use the method that amplified my senses during my days as a first-rate martial artist to explore my surroundings.
From behind me, I hear the footsteps of Hong Guk.
"Sir Seo Hweol, I've done everything you asked. Hehe..."
'Ah, I see...'
I had used Hong Guk to find a connection between Seo Hweol and the Blood Yin Realm.
But, from the start, Hong Guk had been recruited by Seo Hweol.
'I thought he was on a trip elsewhere, but he was actually under the Black Dragon King all along. I thought he was just at the early stage of the Four-Axis, but he had already gone through all the Axis Foundation rituals in the lower realm and just needed to accumulate spiritual energy, and he sneaked into the lowest level of the Serving Command Ark avoiding Gyu-ryeon's eyes?'
How many of the words and actions this guy spouts are not lies?
I listen to the breathing and heartbeats of Cheon Ryang and the other Seo Hweol opposition faction demon beasts, thinking.
'Except for Hong Guk, the others aren't on Seo Hweol's side...'
The situation is becoming a bit clearer.
Meeting Hong Guk was where it all went wrong.
'Cheon Ryang wasn't the one making the idiotic decision to drag Gyu-ryeon's farm to the Tiger Race at this time.'
Hong Guk must have been egging Cheon Ryang on from the side.
And Seo Hweol could have wiped us out even before Gyu-ryeon arrived if he wanted to.
But the reason he waited for Gyu-ryeon to come and then ambushed her, trampling her, is...
"...Senior, Gyu is no longer needed, it, seems?"
While being held by the throat by Seo Hweol, I ask with difficulty breathing.
Seo Hweol smiles.
"Let's just answer what I ask."
"You're, too, muchSenior, Gyu, really you."
Crack!
My left arm is twisted back.
However, I don't scream but just give a wry smile.
"I'm, not one, to talk, but, you're, too easily, playing with, heart, aren't, you?"
"Hmm Can't you feel pain? Or is your tolerance high?... Your tolerance seems high. As expected, you are too strange."
Crunch, crunch...
Seo Hweol begins to crush my left arm with spiritual energy.
Yet, I just grin at him.
"Indeed, no matter how many times I see it, your willpower is not something that a human who hasn't even lived 50 years can have. Miss Hye-seo is completely intolerant to pain, but you, her colleague, what are you exactly?"
"...What, did you, do, to Oh Hye-seo?"
What did he do to make her intolerant to pain?
"Nothing much. Just a few experiments."
...
I shut my mouth after looking into Seo Hweol's eyes.
Seo Hweol is just throwing words to stir my emotions.
'If I show too much interest in Oh Hye-seo here, it's all over.'
Rather...
Just then.
"Seo Hweol..."
Thud... Thud...
Gyu-ryeon rises from her place.
Even though she is bleeding all over her body, and there is not a single place untouched by Seo Hweol's assault, she resembles a little girl shedding tears.
"Why, why do you do this? I, I loved you..."
""
Seo Hweol turns to Gyu-ryeon with a smile.
"I loved you! I liked you! I wanted to look pretty for you, wanted you to only see my good sides. I wished you would only look at me, holding your hand felt so good... But why, why did you do this to me..."
"Ah, Senior Gyu. That is because."
Seo Hweol flings me aside and casually approaches her.
He whispers into Gyu-ryeon's ear with a kind face with hands clasped behind his back.
"You just had the urge to reproduce, wanting to mate with me. Nothing more than that."
"No, no! It's not about sexual desire! I really, my emotions..."
"Senior Gyu."
Swoosh...
Seo Hweol's hand caresses Gyu-ryeon's cheek.
His hand gradually moves down her jawline, caressing her neck, then down to her collarbone, delicately as if playing an instrument.
"Emotion, you see, is here."
Seo Hweol's hand reaches Gyu-ryeon's chest.
"Inside here."
And his hand moves a bit lower from her chest, touching Gyu-ryeon's ribs.
Puff!
Seo Hweol's hand brutally penetrates her ribs.
"The action that takes place inside the lungs is what emotion is."
Seo Hweol continues, gently stroking Gyu-ryeon's head.
"When an external stimulus comes, the brain recognizes it, the diaphragm goes down, and air enters the lungs. Then, the vibration of the air that enters the lungs is sorted out and expressed along with body language, foot movements, and eye contact. That's what 'emotion' is. That's all there is to it."
"Ugh...!"
Unable to listen any longer, I vomit blood and rise.
"Stop... spouting... nonsense...! What you're talking about... isn't emotion...!"
"This is all there is to emotion."
"What you're talking about is acting out emotion, not emotion itself!"
Yes.
What he's talking about is merely the emotional acting done by clowns and actors on stage, not real emotion!
Seo Hweol looks at me as if I said something absurd.
"Interesting words, Daoist Seo. This world is a play under fate, and we are merely actors acting within this play. Why would you say acting by an actor is not emotion?"
""
For some reason, the Mad Lord's figure seems to overlap with Seo Hweols.
Their ideologies are drastically different.
Even their attitudes towards emotion are polar opposites.
But why does it feel like the destinations of these two madmen, though at opposite extremes, somehow seem similar?
"Like an actor, you should just be faithful to your role. Otherwise, you'll be driven off the stage. That's why you have to die, Senior Gyu."
Seo Hweol looks at her with a pitying gaze and smiles faintly.
Indeed, if he is an actor, it'd be a splendid performance.
But still, his heart essence is a cold and pure darkness, and in my eyes, he is not an actor but a monster pretending to be human.
Seo Hweol's hand, starting from her lungs, begins to ravage through her body.
"You definitely were of use. Just enough to make Miss Hye-seo jealous, just enough to help me, and be satisfied with a supporting role in the corner But you overdid it. You could have kept continuing on the stage. Was it jealousy towards Miss Hye-seo? Was it possessiveness towards me? Either way it would be troublesome if you really became an Integration stage Demon King and tried to possess me."
"...Seo Hweol..."
"Do not worry, senior. Today, the cunning opposition faction demons here will collude with the Blood Yin Realm and summon the Heavenly Fiends here. You will try to stop them and will be killed by the vile Heavenly Fiends. It will be a sad tale. Mourning the loss of my lover, I will gather the entire Earth Tribe to oppose the Blood Yin Realm."
"Seo Hweol..."
"All thanks to your death today, a beautiful story will unfold. Rest in peace, Senior Gyu, for the glory of the Earth Tribe."
"Seo Hweol...!!"
Drip, drip...
Gyu-ryeon bursts into tears.
Wo-woong!
Golden light erupts from her body.
"I, I really, truly loved you...!"
"As I said, emotion is merely the amount of air coming from the lungs. Ah, since the lungs correspond to metal in the Five Elements, perhaps emotion is of the metal attribute. Haha..."
"We made a pact with the Vast Cold Oath didn't we...? I, I..."
Confused, Gyu-ryeon forcefully pushes Seo Hweol away.
With one hand raised, the seal of the Ark Controlling Envoy shines in her hand.
Simultaneously, a spatial rift opens, and the entire cotton farm enters a dark space through the rift.
The lowermost floor of the Serving Command Ark.
The administrative area of Ark Controlling Envoy Gyu-ryeon.
Puff!
As she soars into the air, trying to fly to the upper layers of Serving Command Ark, Seo Hweol says,
"I've been waiting for this. Knowing you would teleport here under pressure."
Patt!
Seo Hweol slams her down again.
Boom!
A loud crash resounds, and the entire farm collapses.
Gritting my teeth, I form a seal.
Zing!
At the same time, light flashes throughout the farm, and the Mad Lord's circuit begin to operate, launching an attack on Seo Hweol.
"Ho, a puppet circuit... When did you install this? I've always been curious, but the Mad Lord couldn't have had a disciple, so where did you learn this circuit? It's quite similar to that of the Mad Lord."
Crack!
However, with a bit of effort from Seo Hweol, the entire farm begins to collapse.
'He's practically at the Integration stage...!'
Indeed, showing off the Four-Axis stage cultivation in front of the Mad Lord a thousand years later was just for show.
In reality, in just a thousand years, he was an entity capable of regaining the title of 'Dragon King.'
"Run..."
Flash!
As Cheon Ryang and the other opposition faction demon beasts attempt to flee, Seo Hweol clenches the air, and they all crumble into pieces of flesh.
Seo Hweol approaches Gyu-ryeon, who is trying to stand up, and tramples on her neck again.
Crunch!
"Thank you, Senior Gyu. The lowest level of Serving Command Ark is a space of darkness, so whatever happens here hardly draws attention. It would be more troublesome if traces are left outside..."
"Guh...!"
"What bug is this? An interesting stealth technique."
Snap!
With a flick of his finger, Yu Hwa is ejected from behind Seo Hweol.
"Ho, isn't this the musician from that time? Were you also from the Heart Tribe? Haha, indeed, the Heart Path Method is quite profound and mysterious."
Yu Hwa glares and attempts to play.
But the next moment, with a flick of Seo Hweol's finger, her arms are broken.
"...!"
"The rumors about you and Daoist Seo being in a romantic relationship in the Immortal Demon Tower were true, it seems. To be together with Daoist Seo today on such a day..."
Seo Hweol extends his hand towards her.
And the next moment.
Flash!
A golden thread flickers between Seo Hweol and Gyu-ryeon.
Seo Hweol twitches and looks at Gyu-ryeon.
"This is..."
"Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement. We made a Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement, Seo Hweol... We, we..."
As she starts truly realizing Seo Hweol's deception towards her, she panics, repeating the same words.
"Ah, Senior Gyu. Do you still have something to say?"
"Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement... we, with the Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement..."
"Huhu, Senior Gyu. You sure like this Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement, I see."
"We made a pact with the Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement to die together on the same day..."
Seo Hweol smiles gently, kneels on one knee in front of Gyu-ryeon who is lying in confusion and muttering, and tenderly strokes her head.
"Senior Gyu, you know why the Vast Cold Oath was replaced by the ritual of White-Red Wine, don't you? Definitely, it's something of a terrifying technique that binds a couple and pulls them towards the fate to die together on the same day. But... the Vast Cold Oath is a technique that has lost its efficacy since ancient times. It requires specific conditions to activate, but now, without being a True Immortal, the conditions for activating the Vast Cold Oath are forever unknown."
Creak, creak...
Seo Hweol breaks off Gyu-ryeon's horn.
Holding her horn in his hand, Seo Hweol grins.
"Now, it's a spell that is completely useless. I was a bit startled when you first applied the Vast Cold Oath on me, not knowing what spell it was. But realizing it's a meaningless technique, it's just laughable. Huhu... just like you, Senior Gyu."
"No, no... Seo Hweol...! Don't abandon me...! I, I love you, I really like you... Seo Hweol...! I, I am..."
Tears of blood flow from her eyes.
She collapses, feeling a sense of disconnect from Seo Hweol's gentle smile.
"Now, as I explained earlier, with your death, I can gather the Earth Tribe based on the role of a young man of the Bright Cold Realm who has been deceived by the cunning schemes of the Blood Yin Realm, centered on the sadness of losing a lover. Now, please make your exit."
The next moment.
As if trying to escape from Seo Hweol's words, Gyu-ryeon cries tears and shatters the ground below, diving into the dark space.
With that aftermath, both Yu Hwa and I are swept away and dragged along with her.
"Where do you think you're going? If you recklessly use such power in the lowest floor"
Splash!
Seo Hweol launches something sharp.
It's a droplet.
The droplet fired from the tip of Seo Hweol's finger targets her Demon Core, and Gyu-ryeon's Demon Core shatters into pieces.
At the same time, Gyu-ryeon grabs the void and widens the space.
Screech!
A spatial rift opens..
From the lowest level of the Serving Command Palace, an entrance leading [downward] appears.
Seo Hweol, seeing her open the spatial rift, figures out where the rift is headed and, with a cheerful laugh, stops in his tracks.
"Choosing to exit the stage yourself, what an excellent choice."
I am pulled into the spatial rift along with Gyu-ryeon, drawn by her spiritual energy and the strange force emanating from her.
Beyond the spatial rift, the last thing visible is Seo Hweol looking at us with a smiling face.
Yet, with eyes that are not smiling at all, he observes our end to the very last.
"Hmm... It's a bit regrettable to have let Seo Eun-hyun escape. I wanted to research what beings of Heavenly Rejection can do... But it's not a loss since I can study Miss Oh Hye-seo more. Quite satisfying. Don't you think so?"
Seo Hweol turns around with a slight smile.
There, Hong Guk is fawning over Seo Hweol with a flattering expression.
"How could there be any doubt? Everything went according to sir Seo Hweol's plan.Truly remarkable! How did sir know leaving Seo Eun-hyun would consolidate the opposition? You've eliminated the opposition and gained the pretext of losing your lover to the vile Heavenly Fiends of the Blood Yin Realm..."
"Yes, indeed. Your contribution has been significant until now."
"Not at all. It's all thanks to sir's superior stratagem. I just did as you instructed..."
"I see, I'll help you evolve into a Heavenly Fiend of the Blood Yin Realm then!"
Hong Guk, ecstatic, laughs out loud.
"Haha, thank you. In fact, 700 years ago, while fighting the fiends of the Blood Yin Realm, I felt that those fiends fought quite comfortably. I thought, if only I could evolve into one of such renowned Heavenly Fiends"
Ignoring Hong Guk, Seo Hweol forms a seal, and the opposition factions' blood energy gathers in front of Seo Hweol, emitting an ominous aura.
Seo Hweol collects the blood energy and chants a spell, and soon, something dark emerges from the mass of collected blood energy.
"Here, take this. With this in your mouth, you can become an entity of the Blood Yin Realm."
"Ah, thank you. I'll remember sir's grace in the Blood Yin Realm... Kweeeek!"
The next moment, the dark object Seo Hweol hands over latches onto Hong Guk's face.
"Kweeeek! Kweek! Sir, Seo Hweol, Seo Hweol!"
Hong Guk tries to remove the black object, but it clings to his face and does not come off.
After a while, Hong Guk screams as the creature from the Blood Yin Realm tears off his head, killing him.
The creature that ate Hong Guk's head settles on his body, taking on the exact appearance of Hong Guk's head.
Seo Hweol speaks to the entity that had taken over Hong Guk's body.
"Go to the Human Race Territory and create a pretext for those humans who wish to wage war against the True Devil Realm. Leave the Serving Command Ark and tell the Black Dragon King to find a host from the Mystical Scaled Fish Commanding Sect."
"Un. Der. Stood."
The entity awkwardly responds and bows to Seo Hweol.
Pleased with the sight, Seo Hweol turns his head to the side, smiling with his eyes.
"I've kept my promise. Now, the Hong Guk you knew, having been devoured even in soul by the Heavenly Fiends, will suffer pain until he reaches the Netherworld. A sufficiently cruel death."
Baek Nyeong appears out of thin air.
Baek Nyeong looks at Seo Hweol for a moment and then closes his eyes.
"...Please save my people."
"Have I ever spoken empty words?"
"..."
Baek Nyeong, dripping with silent tears, kneels in front of Seo Hweol,
Seo Hweol looks into the darkness with a pleased smile.
"Truly a night of delightful betrayals."
Where is this?
Swoosh...
I can hear the sound of rain.
I regain consciousness and open my eyes.
The sky is visible.
The sky, filled with dark clouds, is pouring rain as if a hole had been punctured through it.
'This is...'
Somehow, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth feels sparse.
If the Bright Cold Realm is underwater, this place feels like a vacuum.
"The Lower Realm...?"
Inhaling the sparse spiritual energy of heaven and earth, I grab my arm, broken by Seo Hweol, and stagger to my feet.
Then, I shiver.
Surrounded by a mass as large as a mountain range, a mountain range-sized entity encompasses me.
It's Gyu-ryeon.
"Ah..."
She transformed into her true form and protected me from the pressure of space as we fell into the Lower Realm.
"SeniorGyu.."
I run towards where her head is located.
"Senior Gyu-ryeon!"
When I reach where her head is.
I realize.
""
[Seo Hweol... Seo Hweol... Seo Hweol....]
She is muttering Seo Hweol's name endlessly, her eyes blurred as if her soul has left her body.
And even that is fading as her eyes grow more vacant, possibly due to Seo Hweol shattering her Demon Core.
"Senior, please transform back! If you transform back, I'll somehow see to your wounds, Senior! Senior!"
But her mind seems to have completely collapsed, perhaps due to the betrayal by the person she loved most.
She continues muttering Seo Hweol's name until, at one moment, the light in her eyes disappears.
Gyu-ryeon has died.
"Senior..."
With a heart filled with devastation, I look at the dead body of Gyu-ryeon.
Just then.
Creak...
Something rolls out of Gyu-ryeon's mouth.
Splatter!
It's a mass of blood.
"!"
Within the scarlet blood, I see something moving.
"This is..."
I hurry over and approach the moving thing within the mass of blood.
And what I found is...
"Senior?"
Gyu-ryeon.
Naked, crawling out from within the mass of blood, Gyu-ryeon mutters with a lost face.
"Seo Hweol... Seo Hweol... Seo Hweol..."
"Senior Gyu..!"
From the Four-Axis stage onwards, one can resurrect even after death by consuming their cultivation.
Although the spiritual energy I feel from her is no different from that of a mortal, I decide to be thankful that she is even alive.
"It's good that you are alive..."
"Seo Hweol...!!!"
Then, I feel something is off about her state.
"I'll kill you!!!"
Drip, drip...
Tears of blood flow from her eyes.
Swoosh...
Rain pours from all around, and the rainwater washes away her tears of blood.
Within that rain, her cries of vengeance echo far and wide like rumbling thunder in a storm.
"I will, I will definitely kill you, Seo Hweol...! You, you..."
Thus.
On some unknown land in the Lower Realm.
That day, a being whose heart was shattered by betrayal from her loved one weeps tears of blood and cries out for revenge.
***
"First, wear these clothes."
I take off my top and drape it over Gyu-ryeon, whose spiritual energy has fallen to the level of a mortal.
Gyu-ryeon keeps mumbling with a soulless expression that she will kill Seo Hweol, and I look around for a place to avoid the rain.
'I need to find Yu Hwa.'
I remember Yu Hwa definitely falling with us.
But strangely, she is nowhere to be seen around here.
As we cross beyond Gyu-ryeon's main body, the surrounding terrain appears to be mountainous.
I head towards the mountains, intending to make a cave by drilling a hole somewhere suitable.
That's when I spot Yu Hwa in the distance.
"Ah...!"
Apparently, she had been catapulted incorrectly while descending to the lower realm, half-buried in the ground with her lower body exposed.
Trying to lessen the impact with spider webs during the fall, white spider webs are oozing out from her rear.
I first pull her out, upside down, slung her over my back, and head to a nearby cliff to create a rock cave.
Kwoooah!
Unleashing the power of the Black Dragon's True Blood, a punch creates a cave large enough for three without much effort.
Entering inside, I gather branches.
Chzz, chzzz!
Infusing fire spiritual energy continuously with the Fire Surpassing Path to Cultivation, steam erupts from the branches, drying out all moisture before catching fire.
'Fortunately, I still have spiritual power equivalent to the Qi Building stage left.'
Seo Hweol strangled me and played tricks at that time, causing considerable loss of my spiritual power. However, not only my body, which was trained through the Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method, but also my internal energy is intact, and the remaining spiritual power is enough for the Qi Building stage.
'I should be able to recover my cultivation soon.'
"Senior Gyu, come sit here."
After lighting the fire and calling Gyu-ryeon over, she looks at me with a dazed face.
Then, she laughs emptily.
"...I'm not Gyu-ryeon. Don't call me Senior Gyu."
"Yes...?"
What she says next makes me sigh deeply.
"The real Gyu-ryeon is dead. Normally, a being at the Four-Axis stage would resurrect with a body capable of cultivation after death. But... do you see?"
She shows her frail arm.
"It's an arm that cannot accumulate spiritual energy. I'm neither exactly a human nor can I return to a dragon's body, only living in a transformed body. Even then, I'm not a real human capable of practicing Heaven Tribe methods..."
She looks at the flames with empty eyes and continues.
"The real Gyu-ryeon She gave up on reviving and chose to die. She intended to die and probably did die. I am not Gyu-ryeon. Just a remnant she left behind."
She forces a smile and speaks gloomily.
"At the Four-Axis stage, life force becomes so strong that even if one doesn't wish to resurrect... remnants like me can come into being after death. The real Gyu-ryeon's lingering resentment, anger, despair, and sense of betrayal created me. I am definitely not Gyu-ryeon, just her remnant..."
Seeing her empty laugh, I ask with a heavy heart.
"Then, how should I address you?"
"...Call me Gyu-baek, the spirit of Gyu-ryeon."
"Yes, Miss Gyu-baek."
After saying that, Gyu-baek stares blankly into the fire.
Her heart essence is so twisted that it's hard to read properly at the moment.
Leaving her aside, I approach Yu Hwa.
I cleanse the wounds on Yu Hwa's upper body with a spell and cast a technique to activate her vitality on her.
I would have preferred to treat her directly, but since she has the body of a demi-human, not a human, her meridians and blood vessels are completely different from those of humans, making it impossible to treat her with anything specific.
Having no other choice, I reluctantly decided to rely on her innate vitality for healing and cast a spell to activate her life force.
After the rain stopped, several days passed.
I took care of Yu Hwa and gathered even the sparse spiritual energy to regain my cultivation.
Having practiced the method of Understanding before Breakthrough several times before, I was able to regain my cultivation quickly even with sparse spiritual energy.
Using formations to draw and absorb the dragon veins of the surrounding terrain, I managed to regain my cultivation up to the Core Formation stage.
Yu Hwa also regained consciousness when I returned to the Core Formation stage.
"...Where is this?"
"It seems to be the lower realm."
"Lower realm... Which lower realm?"
Which lower realm?
As I am wondering, Yu Hwa asks again.
"The Astral Realm or the Decaying Corpse Realm. Which one is it?"
"Ah... I'm not sure about that."
"I may not know much about the lower realms since I'm from the Bright Cold Realm, but I've heard that in the Decaying Corpse Realm, the sky is blocked above, and in the Astral Realm, you can ascend endlessly. Could you check for us?"
"Understood."
Leaving Yu Hwa still lying behind, I step out of the cave.
'Let's see, shall we go up?'
My crushed arm had fully recovered after reaching the Core Formation stage.
I leap towards the sky.
'Treading Heaven!'
Whoosh!
The Formless Sword merges with my entire being, and I rise to the sky as one with the Formless Sword.
Mixing in the Flying Escape Technique as I ascend, I soar into the sky faster than most Nascent Soul stage cultivators.
Gradually, the air becomes thinner.
However, having regained my Core Formation stage cultivation, the presence or absence of air is of little concern to me.
Breaking through the clouds and rising further into the sky, I widen my eyes.
"Ah..."
The air completely disappears, and sound ceases to exist.
The sky, which had been endlessly blue, suddenly turns as black as night.
"Phew..."
While it's not as cold as the lowest level of Serving Command Ark, a considerable chill envelops my body.
At the same time.
Whoosh!
I enter the universe.
"This place is... the Astral Realm...!!!"
I realize that I finally come to a 'familiar' world, different from the flat earth I had seen before, and shout with excitement.
Below me, 'round earth' can be seen.
Wearing the Formless Sword and moving further away from that land, the round earth soon looks down upon me like a star.
"Indeed, the Astral Realm is a proper universe...!"
Familiar.
Well, not really familiar, but somehow, I look around the universe with anticipation.
'If the Astral Realm really is the universe...'
The terrain of the land I had just ascended from, at a glance, is definitely not Earth.
First of all, this planet has two satellites orbiting it.
But, in any case, I have fallen into a world that matches the knowledge I had during my time as an Earthling.
This means.
'Somewhere in this universe, Earth might exist...!'
This is significant news.
The universe is infinitely vast, but.
Someday, we might be able to return to the place we lived in.
I float in space for a while, filling my heart with the countless stars in the galaxy.
Afterward, I descend back to that planet.
Whizzing
Entering the atmosphere with the Formless Sword enveloping my entire body, a strong frictional heat is generated on the Formless Sword, causing a burden.
Of course, the burden isn't too great, so it's bearable, and I fall near the original place like a meteor.
Kurung!
The hillside next to Gyu-ryeon's body is completely crushed as I land.
I return to the cave to tell Yu Hwa that this place is the Astral Realm.
Just then.
"So you were from the Heart Tribe too."
Suddenly, Gyu-baek, who had been staring blankly, comes out in front of the cave and looks at me indifferently.
I slowly nod my head.
"...I'm sorry for deceiving you. But..."
"It's fine. You deceived Gyu-ryeon, not me."
"...I'm sorry."
I bow once again to her and then head into the cave.
From behind, I hear Gyu-baek muttering blankly.
"This one or that one. They all only came to deceive Gyu-ryeon."
"..."
Although she didn't say much, Gyu-baek seems to become more upset upon realizing I am from the Heart Tribe.
'...I've deceived her about too many things.'
I sigh inwardly and approach Yu Hwa.
She is healing her body by activating her own vitality.
"This place is the Astral Realm. The sky stretches endlessly, and the land is round."
I explain the universe in a way she can easily understand, informing her that this is the Astral Realm.
Upon hearing my words, Yu Hwa's eyes light up.
"The Astral Realm...! Then, then...!"
Her eyes, usually closed in contemplation, flashes open in excitement.
"Is there something in the Astral Realm?"
"Yes, of course. We ended up in the Astral Realm and got trapped in the lower realm... but it turned out to be a good thing."
"Hmm, I wonder what's good about that..."
However, what she says next surprises me.
"If we're in the Astral Realm, we can somewhat communicate with the Highest Council of the Heart Tribe."
"Ah...!"
'Indeed, there is a reason for her excitement.'
It means that, although we are stranded in the lower realm, there might be a way out.
"Being able to communicate with the Highest Council, is there anything I can help with?"
"Ah, there's nothing you need to help with."
"It's fascinating. Being able to directly contact the upper realm from the lower realm."
"Oh, to be precise, it's not about connecting the lower realm with the upper realm. Perhaps the Heaven Tribe or Earth Tribe could, but our Heart Tribe doesn't have such capabilities."
"...? Then how do you make the connection?"
As I wonder, she smiles and explains.
"To contact the Highest Council means directly contacting the Supreme Leader of the Council, who then relays the message to the Bright Cold Realm."
"...!"
I gasp at her words.
"Wait... the Supreme Leader you're referring to..."
"Yes, that's right."
Upon her confirmation, not only I, but also Gyu-baek, who has been sitting gloomily at the entrance of the cave, is startled.
"The Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One is currently in the Astral Realm and I am an intelligence agent who received a mission from the Esteemed One, so with a little time, it will be possible to contact him."
"...!!!"
This is astonishing news.
'So, that's why she said she will contact the Esteemed One about Kim Young-hoon being in the lower realm last time.'
The Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One was originally in the lower realm.
From the entrance of the cave, Gyu-baek looks at us and snorts.
"That's quite surprising. A great musician who can also communicate with the Esteemed One. Anyway, it's fascinating how the mysterious Heart Path Method enables communication with the Esteemed One from such a distance."
""
"Having two Heart Tribe spies so close and Gyu-ryeon not realizing it is just pitiful."
She clicks her tongue as if displeased with us and turns her head away.
There is a moment of intense silence between Yu Hwa and Gyu-baek. I break the silence by changing the subject.
"By the way, what is the Heart Tribe's Esteemed One doing in the Astral Realm?"
Yu Hwa tilts her head in confusion.
"I'm not sure. I heard he was looking for something..."
Gyu-ryeon interrupts our conversation again.
"Except for those from the Blood Yin Realm, all the Star Shattering stage Esteemed Ones from across the Middle Realms are currently on a mission in the Astral Realm. I heard they are all looking for something at the edge of the Astral Realm. There's a special Decaying Corpse Realm within the Astral Realm, but I don't know much about it."
"Ah, thank you, Miss Gyu-baek."
I thank her and, reminded of something, ask again.
"But why are the Blood Yin Realm's Esteemed Ones remaining in their realm? Didn't you say that the Esteemed Ones from the other realms have all gone in search of something?"
"The Heavenly Fiends of the Blood Yin Realm didn't follow not because they didn't want to, but because they couldn't. They are confined to the Blood Yin Realm."
"Confined?"
"Yes. They cannot go to any other world except for the True Devil Realm and the Bright Cold Realm. This includes the lower realms like the Astral Realm as well."
Though she pretends to be reluctantly sharing what she knows, she seems to genuinely enjoy being part of the conversation.
I smile slightly, reading her intent.
Though her heart essence is still incredibly gloomy compared to the normal days of Gyu-ryeon, it is evident that engaging in conversation is making her a bit better.
"With my limited understanding, I'm not sure why the Heavenly Fiends of the Blood Yin Realm ended up like that. Could Miss Gyu-baek enlighten me?"
"I don't know much either. It's said that due to the pull of fate, the Star Shattering stage Heavenly Fiends are bound to the Blood Yin Realm and cannot leave. They can travel to the True Devil Realm since it's originally the same dimension, but I'm not sure why they can go to the Bright Cold Realm."
"Thank you for your teaching."
"Enough. Don't talk to me, you Heart Tribe folks."
After finishing her words, she turns her back again and stares blankly at the sky from the cave entrance.
However, seeing her heart essence and noticing she improves a bit as we converse, I continue to engage her in conversation.
Gyu-baek, though pretending to be annoyed, answers when I keep talking to her and I can notice her condition improving.
When the fog over her heart essence finally lifts somewhat, I cautiously ask her.
"Miss Gyu-baek, I have a question."
"What is it, again?"
"...Mis Gyu-baek mentioned that it's difficult for you to learn demon beast methods or Heaven Tribe methods."
""
Her expression darkens again at my words.
I cautiously ask her.
"Have you considered learning the Heart Path Method?"
"...!"
Startled by my question, Gyu-baek glares at me, and Yu Hwa, who had been carving wood and attaching spider webs to create new strings, also turns her head towards us.
"You're telling me to learn the Heart Path Method...?"
"Why not?"
"That's..."
After pondering for a moment, she sighs softly.
"...After oppressing and despising the Heart Tribe, how can I now learn the Heart Path Method? Wouldn't that be shameless?"
It's an interesting reason.
'It's not that she dislikes the Heart Tribe, but she dislikes the idea of herself, who has tormented the Heart Tribe, learning the Heart Tribe's power...'
Indeed, her nature is kind.
I smile at Gyu-baek.
"Why would Miss Gyu-baek worry about that?"
"What?"
"Who you're talking about is 'Gyu-ryeon', isn't it?"
"...! You"
She seems momentarily confused about her identity, clutching her head and glaring at me.
"Besides, doesn't Miss Gyu-baek have something she wants to do right now?"
Observing the deep-seated heart essence within her, I ask.
After a long silence, Gyu-baek nods.
"...I want to kill Seo Hweol."
"Yes, with such a desire, such longing... how can you achieve that with a body that cannot learn any methods right now?"
""
"I can teach you the Heart Path Method. Shouldn't you seek revenge on Seo Hweol by learning it?"
Of course, I don't expect her to reach Beyond the Path with it.
The reason I made this suggestion is because I want to give her, who is deeply twisted in darkness, something to immerse herself in.
'Conversing seems to improve her state slightly, but...'
Without addressing the root issue, she will remain in a state where she might succumb to suicide at any moment.
I hope that by awakening and training her in this way, focusing on cultivation might help lighten her dark heart essence.
After hearing my words, she is silent for a while and then clenches her teeth.
"...I don't know. All I have are memories of fearing, despising, and being terrified of the Heart Tribe. Moreover, in my, no, in Gyu-ryeon's memories, Gyu-ryeon always considered the Heart Tribe as something that must be killed..."
""
"I don't know if I should learn the Heart Path Method."
"...Give it a"
"I will give it a thought."
She bites her lip.
"I understand."
I decide to give her some time to think about it.
Thus, near the cave, we spend a few more days with Yu Hwa recovering her vitality, I my cultivation, and Gyu-baek her spirit.
About two weeks after falling into the lower realm, on the day Yu Hwa's injuries are fully healed, I receive unbelievable news from her.
"The Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One is sending an avatar here this way."
"...!?"
Both I and Gyu-baek nearby are startled by her words.
"When... is the Esteemed One expected to arrive?"
I ask her in confusion, and she makes an awkward expression.
"...Now."
***