Kururung
I fly, hearing the sound of thunder roaring from above.
Waljak
Suddenly, a mouthful of blood bursts forth.
'Is this already my limit?'
Flash!
Kwarurung!
A pillar of light strikes down at me.
A Heavenly Punishment so swift that even Jeon Myeong-hoon struggles to react shatters my entire body and crushes me.
Kkudeuk, kkudeudeudeuk
[Aaaaaaah!]
Wrapping the Formless Sword throughout my entire body amidst the Heavenly Punishment, I push the life force of the Demon Race to its very limit.
Simultaneously, I unleash a sword strike towards the sky.
[Ahaaaaah!!!]
Finally, an invisible sword cleaves through the lightning in the sky.
"Huuh, Huuuh."
Once again, I overcame the Heavenly Tribulation.
Jeon Myeong-hoon is clenching his teeth, watching by my side.
"Seo Eun-hyun, include me in that sacrificial offering. Otherwise, you won't last!"
"Can't last?"
I suddenly look at my arm.
Pitch black.
Truly pitch black.
'How many Heavenly Tribulations have there been?'
Heading towards Yeon Jin, I can't even think anymore.
I had Yuan Yu activate its devilish arts to absorb the devilish energy of the True Devil Realm, continuously transferring the accumulated damage to Yuan Yu whenever there was time, yet I have still come to this state.
Now, I don't even have the brain power left to calculate the strength of the Heavenly Tribulations.
Everything just feels numb.
"Let's go, Jeon Myeong-hoon."
""
Jeon Myeong-hoon looks at me, seemingly wanting to say something, but then closes his mouth and starts flying again.
He's surprisingly worried about me.
No, it isn't worry.
It's guilt.
From Jeon Myeong-hoon's intent, I can feel the despair of not being able to save the sect, the regret of not trusting me, and the hatred towards the Heavenly Tribulation piling up.
Probably, if I were to be on the verge of death, he would try somehow to inhale my Heavenly Tribulation.
Of course, since it had become 'my' Heavenly Tribulation,
The moment Jeon Myeong-hoon starts to consume that Heavenly Tribulation, it will never end from that point on.
Knowing this, Jeon Myeong-hoon also remains silent.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon."
"What?"
"Just keep looking forward."
"Of course, I will"
I speak as I watch Jeon Myeong-hoon leading the way.
Flash!
But before Jeon Myeong-hoon can finish his reply.
Once again, golden lighting falls towards me.
Urrurung!
This time, I use the Lightning Predicting Eye to counterattack the golden lightning more proactively, driving it away.
Kwajijijik!
In the process, another golden lightning sweeps across my body.
Nonetheless, I succeed in driving away the Heavenly Tribulation once more.
"You"
"Jeon Myeong-hoon."
I turn and speak to Jeon Myeong-hoon who is looking back.
"Look ahead."
""
"Until Yeon Jin is completely saved, I absolutely will not die."
"Alright."
Jeon Myeong-hoon seems to clench his teeth, then moves forward as he was.
With half of my face melted and flowing down, I watch Jeon Myeong-hoon and follow behind him.
There's no more power for regeneration on my body.
I need to gather my energy even in such times to prepare against the Heavenly Tribulation.
'Let's prepare for death.'
Though I didn't tell Jeon Myeong-hoon, I am wrapped in the Formless Sword of Treading Heavens and continuously using Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains.
With every encounter with the Heavenly Tribulation.
With every resistance against the Heavenly Tribulation.
With every cleaving of the lightning, bit by bit.
The [power] accumulated inside my Colorless Glass Sword from clashing with the Heavenly Tribulation is raging.
After obtaining demon beast methods and Treading Heavens, the efficiency of using Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains has greatly increased, and having Yuan Yu means that when my life hangs by a thread and my spiritual veins are intensely pressured, I can drive the shock to Yuan Yu through curse techniques.
I have already given up on living further.
However, even amidst this, I am frantically using my mind, accelerating time.
The acceleration effect of Treading Heavens is insufficient, so I have to operate the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon alongside it to maximize acceleration.
'I'm almost there.'
I had determined the direction with Sudden Enlightenment.
Meanwhile, I have been imprinting my martial arts upon the world to the extent of changing the world to fill up Gradual Cultivation.
'Just a little more.'
The end of my frantic accumulation of martial arts is now almost at its peak.
Far away.
It feels like I can see the high ground.
'Just a little more.'
Following Jeon Myeong-hoon,
I awaken even more tension in my body and soul, groping for the next step.
What I have been trying to reach beyond Treading Heavens can be explained as follows:
A blind man must fully perceive the form of an elephant.
I had realized the direction of where the 'elephant' is through Sudden Enlightenment, and through Gradual Cultivation, I have been continuously engraving the shape of the elephant in that direction.
Reaching beyond Treading Heaven means,
As a blind man, after groping and touching the shape of the elephant, drawing an elephant identical to it by myself.
Of course, an elephant drawn by a blind man cannot be identical to the original.
Therefore, each blind person draws their uniquely shaped form and gives them different names, calling it an 'elephant.'
This is the Manifestation of the Heart Tribe.
Bo-oong!
With my face melted and no longer able to see forward, I look up to the sky and swing my Colorless Glass Sword.
I faintly feel through the tip of my sword the splitting of the Heavenly Lightning falling towards me.
Jeon Myeong-hoon is, as instructed, only looking forward.
'I can feel it.'
The speed of the Heavenly Tribulation striking down is accelerating, and the magnitude of the power within the Heavenly Tribulation is growing.
However, my enlightenment is also gradually reaching completion in proportion to the Heavenly Tribulation.
Swirling, whirling.
As the Heavenly Tribulation strikes down, I momentarily stop and draw circles on the spot with my footwork.
Simultaneously, I very naturally channel power into my sword and raise it towards the lightning.
Bang!
That's all it takes.
Just that is enough to feel the Heavenly Tribulation splitting apart.
I can no longer see or feel anything.
My eyes have turned into a liquid, and my skin has melted away, causing me to lose two of my senses.
Soon, it seems I won't even be allowed to smell as my entire face might melt away.
Kurung!
As expected.
A second Heavenly Tribulation strikes down soon after, lashing out at me.
Finally, my face completely melts away, and apart from a faint sense of hearing, I become unable to feel anything.
A world where all five senses have completely disappeared.
A space of nothingness ().
With all the energy for regenerating my body concentrated at the tip of my sword, I swing it. And thus,
Sitting in front of a canvas, I begin to draw the elephant I had been feeling out all this time.
Bo-oong, bo-oong.
My sword is the brush.
With each strike of the Heavenly Tribulation, a stroke is drawn, starting to depict an elephant on the canvas.
Jeon Myeong-hoon suddenly remembers Seo Eun-hyun's words to only look forward.
'What in the world?'
His words were so full of resolve that it was impossible to refuse.
Therefore, Jeon Myeong-hoon decided to fly forward, just looking ahead.
However, the sounds coming from behind inevitably makes Jeon Myeong-hoon want to look back.
'You, what are you doing back there!'
Piing, piing, piing!
The sound of something thin slicing through the air.
No, even clearer than that, as if the sound of a single water droplet falling into a tranquil lake had been finely crafted.
Such a strange sound started to continuously come from behind him.
But what truly terrifies Jeon Myeong-hoon is something else.
Starting from Zhengli's voice, Jeon Myeong-hoon realized he can hear the 'voice of lightning.'
This new sense he had acquired must have the ability to hear the voices of 'all kinds of lightning.'
Since Zhengli is a kind of lightning, he had been hearing its voice all along.
But now, a strange voice began to reach Jeon Myeong-hoon's ears.
Thump, thump....
'What is it, what on earth is it...!?'
Jeon Myeong-hoon does not dare to look back.
Because from behind him, there is literally the sound of 'numerous people bustling' coming through.
Behind the clear sound emitted by Seo Eun-hyun, the voices of countless people are striking Jeon Myeong-hoon's ears in the form of the 'voice of lightning.'
Feeling as if billions of mouths had sprouted all over Seo Eun-hyun's body and are chattering, Jeon Myeong-hoon clenches his teeth.
However, he does not look back, as per Seo Eun-hyun instructed.
There must be some reason.
If not believing in him has led to this situation, then from now on, he must believe!
Thinking so,
Jeon Myeong-hoon accelerates towards the location of Yeon Jin.
Gradually, the speed and frequency of the Heavenly Tribulations chasing after Seo Eun-hyun and Jeon Myeong-hoon increases.
Now, the Heavenly Tribulation is striking Seo Eun-hyun almost once every breath.
Moreover, the power contained in the Heavenly Tribulation has grown to a point where it's no longer conceivable.
But strangely, Seo Eun-hyun is easily slicing through the Heavenly Tribulation.
With the minimum effort for maximum effect, he is performing his sword dance, yet still keeping pace with Jeon Myeong-hoon who is flying straight ahead.
And, unbeknownst to both Seo Eun-hyun and Jeon Myeong-hoon,
A faint milky-white mist is emanating from Seo Eun-hyun's body.
The potential of Immortal Beast Seo Eun-hyun is gradually blending with the Formless Sword that envelops his entire body.
Both Seo Eun-hyun of the Earth Tribe and Seo Eun-hyun of the Heart Tribe are unknowingly becoming one under the Heavenly Tribulations.
From Seo Eun-hyun's body, a thunderous sound similar to the Heavenly Tribulation is gradually emanating.
Perhaps the numerous voices that Jeon Myeong-hoon heard are that.
Seo Eun-hyun's Formless Sword, becoming similar to the Heavenly Tribulation, mixed with his power of Earth.
Seo Eun-hyun's immortal beast power has connected to his Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
The world Seo Eun-hyun sought to imprint is his Sincerity (Entire Heart).
And, Sincerity is Seo Eun-hyun's everything.
Indeed.
Seo Eun-hyun has always intended to imprint his entire being onto the world.
Bo-oong, bo-oong, bo-oong!
Jjeong, jjeong, jjeong!
Seo Eun-hyun's sword dance speeds up.
As the speed and power of the Heavenly Tribulation intensified, at some point, Seo Eun-hyun's speed began to increase even faster.
And finally.
"It's here, Seo Eun-hyun!!!"
Jeon Myeong-hoon has found the place where Yeon Jin is staying.
"This place is"
Jeon Myeong-hoon looks troubled.
The land had now become Penglai Palace's territory.
A place once controlled by Seo Eun-hyun, where he had been plotting something.
Somewhere below, Yeon Jin is hiding.
"What is going on?"
One of the law enforcers of Penglai Palace asks Jeon Myeong-hoon on the territory of Penglai Palace.
From within the territory of Penglai Palace, one of the law enforcers asks Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Jeon Myeong-hoon speaks.
"There is a disciple of my sect inside. I apologize, but I just need to take one person out, so can I quickly go in and come back out?"
"Excuse me, but which sect are you from?"
"I am a Grand Elder of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect."
"Ah, the new sect that the higher-ups have been paying attention to recently?"
The law enforcer's tone changes as soon as he recognizes Jeon Myeong-hoon's affiliation.
"Why should I let you people in? Is there a prior agreement?"
"There isn't."
At that, the law enforcer of Penglai Palace speaks with a visibly displeased tone.
"You! I don't know who you are, but this land belongs to the great Penglai Palace. Even if your sect has been getting some attention from above recently, our Penglai Palace is a distinguished upper sect and riff-raff like you have no place to...""
"Shut up. Then die."
Kuarurung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon charges towards the Heavenly Being stage law enforcer of Penglai Palace, who was trying to say something.
A spear of red lightning shatters the Golden Core of the Heavenly Being stage law enforcer in one strike, blowing his body apart.
The law enforcer's Nascent Soul flees in utter panic, and Jeon Myeong-hoon gnashes his teeth and shouts.
"Since arguing with politeness is a waste of time, from now on, anyone who blocks my path will be killed. Everyone watching, get lost."
As Jeon Myeong-hoon exudes killing intent, disciples from various places of the Penglai Palace's territory appear and surround him.
"You! No matter how much the higher ups have favored your sect recently, you dare to kill a disciple of Penglai Palace, even a law enforcer at..."
Splat!
"Bastard, what are you doing!? Killing another Heavenly Being!? How dare you, the blood debt of the great Penglai Palace will be paid dearly by your Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect..."
Boom!
"H-haaak! Attack all at once!"
Jeon Myeong-hoon begins to slaughter the Heavenly Being stage cultivators of Penglai Palace without any hesitation.
Over 40 Heavenly Being stage cultivators attack Jeon Myeong-hoon all at once.
Jeon Myeong-hoon clenched his jaw, the veins on his face bulging.
[These fools who don't know their place... If they block the way]
He reaches out his hand, and a spear of red lightning appears in his left hand.
Jeon Myeong-hoon grabs the lightning spear and swings it around.
Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation ().
[I said I'd kill them all.]
Kuarurung!
Lightning shoots out from the spear like a tsunami, sweeping everything in its path.
The 40 Heavenly Being stage cultivators are thrown backwards, and the mountain range behind them is pierced through, creating a path.
Jeon Myeong-hoon spits out with an annoyed look on his face.
"Do you not see the one dancing with his sword while being struck by Heavenly Tribulation behind me? Stupid fools..."
Jeon Myeong-hoon sneers and heads towards the basin beyond the mountain range.
As he arrives, his gaze turns towards one side.
Deep underground.
Jeon Myeong-hoon hears the voice of lightning whispering from that place.
"We've arrived."
Kuarurung!
The spear of lightning appears in his hand again.
Jeon Myeong-hoon plunges the lightning spear down.
Kurururung!
A pillar of light made of lightning illuminates the surroundings.
It looks as if a red pillar is shining in the sky filled with dark devilish energy of the Devil Realm.
Shortly after, a giant passage leading underground appears in front of Jeon Myeong-hoon, and he jumps into the passage without looking back.
Fwoosh!
Jeon Myeong-hoon arrives at a giant crystal cave.
Covering the crystal cave are layers upon layers of 'formations' numbering in the thousands, millions, billions.
"This is"
As Jeon Myeong-hoon is stunned in front of the crystal cave.
A clear voice rings out.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon? No, Seo Eun-hyun is even behind you. No... in your arms, is that from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect? The energy inside looks like disciples from there..."
From within the formation barrier, a woman steps out.
Her hair dyed black and white, she looks up at Jeon Myeong-hoon with her arms crossed and asks.
"What's going on, Jeon Myeong-hoon."
Jeon Myeong-hoon immediately knows.
The person in front of him is not the Yeon Jin he knows.
The voice of lightning is telling him.
That person is the traitor from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, from 40,000 years ago.
Her name is Jin Wei.
"You"
However, Jeon Myeong-hoon, instead of condemning the traitor in front of him, states his original intention rigidly.
"Bring out Yeon Jin. I plan to descend to the Head Realm with Yeon Jin from now on."
"Hmph. This young one, talking to the ancestor of the sect with such disrespect."
"If you beat around the bush one more time, I'll kill you."
At Jeon Myeong-hoon's blunt words, Yeon Wei chuckles awkwardly.
"Ha... this guy really... Well, alright. You've come at just the right time. Come inside first. Since Seo Eun-hyun was captured by you, I've been hiding here, concealing my energy for years. I was managing to hold out but recently, the celestial energy strangely changed, and I was curious about the situation..."
Flash!
At that moment.
A Heavenly Tribulation strikes down towards Seo Eun-hyun who follows behind Jeon Myeong-hoon, scattering bright light in all directions.
Kuarurung!
Alongside it, a giant pillar of light plunges down from above Jeon Myeong-hoon towards the ground.
The pillar of light strikes Seo Eun-hyun and collides directly with the formation barriers Yeon Wei had set up.
The formation barriers crumble like brittle straw, and Yeon Wei dodges backwards in shock.
Kururung
After the Heavenly Tribulation subsides,
There remains a charred figure.
"Seo Eun-hyun!"
"What!"
Jeon Myeong-hoon screams out Seo Eun-hyun's name.
But the charred figure does not respond.
As even his face had completely burned away.
Yeon Wei quickly forms a hand seal seeing this.
Kugugugu!
Simultaneously, the formation barriers spread around activate.
"Since you were captured, Penglai Palace has been busy trying to take control and analyze your formations. Fortunately, they haven't found my formation barriers or discovered me... Anyway, they didn't dismantle the formations, so I've been able to gather plenty of life force!"
Chalalalalak!
As Yeon Wei forms a seal, golden light from the dragon vein flows into Seo Eun-hyun.
Seo Eun-hyun's charred body is restored in an instant.
Blink.
I slowly open my eyes.
It feels like I had been dreaming a long dream.
And then, I realize that I have almost completed drawing the elephant.
"This place is"
I look around.
Yeon Wei is standing in front of me, and the surroundings are filled with a crystal cave shining with crystal light.
In the distance, a lake that transparently reflects the other side is visible.
It's the Void Spirit Pond.
"Haaaaa"
Yeon Wei seems to want to explain something, but I shake my head to stop the explanation.
I feel like I understood the situation just by observing her intent.
I thought she had run away, but unexpectedly, she had been hiding and keeping her loyalty till the end.
Bo-oong!
I leap into the sky and thrust my sword towards the descending Heavenly Tribulation again.
The Heavenly Tribulation is cleaved apart.
Taat!
After landing back on the ground, I look at Yeon Wei and Jeon Myeong-hoon with a profound gaze.
"Seo Eun-hyun, you"
"It's okay, Jeon Myeong-hoon. Everything turned out well, didn't it?"
"No, you almost died!"
"It's fine. More importantly, this is the Void Spirit Pond, isn't it?"
"Yes."
Yeon Wei responds.
"I heard the gist from Jeon Myeong-hoon. We don't have much time, so I'll ask briefly. Do you have the Heavenly Lightning Banner or not?"
"No."
"Has the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect fallen?"
"Not yet."
"I see. But you're still going to descend to the Head Realm?"
"Of course."
Seeing my eyes, Yeon Wei pauses for a moment before speaking.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon didn't ascend from the Head Realm, so it will be difficult for him to find it. Take out your Blood Body. From now on, I will guide you to the Head Realm."
I silently take out Yuan Yu and once again swing my sword towards the descending Heavenly Tribulation.
Swoosh
As I swing my sword, I realize that my power of an immortal beast is intertwined with my sword.
And the power of the immortal beast is intertwined with the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, which in turn is a technique of the Heaven Tribe.
I feel as if Heaven, Earth, and Heart are all entwined together.
Although I had practiced these in parallel before, I have never felt as perfectly unified as today.
'What is this feeling?'
Yeon Wei emerges from Yeon Jin's body in front of me and enters Yuan Yu.
Creak
Simultaneously, she begins to forcibly align Yuan Yu with herself using her consciousness at the Four-Axis stage.
Jeon Myeong-hoon quickly puts Yeon Jin into his compressed space, and Yeon Wei starts to forcibly amplify Yuan Yu's cultivation within Yuan Yu's body.
Kwajijijijijik!
An immense lightning power bursts from Yuan Yu, and in an instant, Yuan Yu's cultivation surges from the Nascent Soul stage to the Heavenly Being stage.
However, perhaps due to the rapid increase in cultivation, Yuan Yu's body begins to disintegrate.
But as soon as Yeon Wei forms a seal with Yuan Yu's body, the Longevity Formation activates.
Kugugugu!
The power of the Longevity Formation flows into Yuan Yu, sustaining his disintegrating body with tremendous life force.
Once Yuan Yu's body is restored, Yeon Wei once again forcibly aligns the wavelengths of consciousness with him.
Yuan Yu's body begins to collapse again, repeating this process several times.
How many times did I fend off the Heavenly Tribulation?
How much time has passed?
Finally, Yeon Wei successfully takes over Yuan Yu's body.
Kugugugugu!
A clear Heavenly Being stage presence is felt from Yuan Yu.
Ppajik, ppajijijik!
Simultaneously, Yuan Yu's body, which had been a mix of Yin and Yang, becomes a complete female body.
"After all, I prefer it when things are certain like this."
Yeon Wei smirks and looks back and forth between me and Jeon Myeong-hoon.
"Then, we're going to the Head Realm now!"
We nod without saying anything.
Yeon Wei grabs both mine and Jeon Myeong-hoon's hands and charges towards the Void Spirit Pond.
Jeon Myeong-hoon and I layer our energy against the spatial pressure.
The next moment.
Kuuuuuuu!
We enter a giant space of darkness.
'This is the outskirts of the True Devil Realm!'
But just then.
Kururung!
From afar, it seems as though the Heavenly Tribulation is arising from within the True Devil Realm.
It appears to chase me even outside the True Devil Realm.
But perhaps due to being outside the realm, the Heavenly Tribulation is noticeably slower in its pursuit.
Wo-woong
Yeon Wei, paying no heed to the Heavenly Tribulation, stretches out her hand into the void and grasps some kind of [flow].
This flow becomes a thread linking Yeon Wei to a distant place.
She holds onto this thread and, with two additional arms sprouting from behind her, begins to fly, holding onto me and Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Kururung
Eventually, a massive Heavenly Tribulation is shot towards me again.
Chalak!
The hand that Yeon Wei uses to hold me turns into a rope made of flesh and wraps around my waist to facilitate my movement.
After expressing my gratitude with a nod,
I look directly at the Heavenly Tribulation charging towards me.
"Huuuuu"
From the outside of the world, the sight of lightning strands reaching out towards me from the inside is indeed a peculiar scene.
Feeling an indescribable emotion, I face the Heavenly Tribulation.
In that state, slowly,
Very slowly, I swing my sword to match the speed of the lightning.
Bo-oong!
And my sword, aligning with the speed of the lightning, cuts towards it.
"Ah"
I know.
I feel it.
At this moment.
The elephant drawn by the blind man is completed.
The sword forms I had swung billions of times feels imprinted within my hand and throughout this entire world.
I look at the elephant I had drawn on the canvas.
The elephant's name is Seo Eun-hyun.
Bo-oong!
The next moment, I find myself already slicing through the Heavenly Tribulation.
Lightning Speed.
Kurururung!
From my entire body, from the Formless Sword I am swinging, thunderous cries ring out like lightning itself.
It isn't an illusion that the world seems to have stopped.
It's me, moving nearly at the speed of lightning.
I wrap colorless lightning around my entire body, elevating the heart I had been dedicated to in my martial arts.
The name of this heart is Sincerity (Full Heart / ).
Simultaneously, True Heart ().
My all-out () truth () is encapsulated at the tip of my sword.
At the same time, the Sincerity I had engraved becomes another self and starts moving on its own.
The Formless Sword gains life.
Kurururung!
Certainly, it's a Heavenly Tribulation that I would have never been able to block before 'completion'.
But the Formless Sword, unfazed, slices through the Heavenly Tribulation.
The Tribulation imposed by the heavens and the Tribulation imposed by humans collide one after another from outside the world.
The tribulation of the heavens does not cease with just one. They begin to strike endlessly towards me.
The interval which had been shortening, now reaches a point where it enters a split second.
Kugugugu!
Scorching through the immense darkness, the Heavenly Tribulation incessantly pours down on me like rain.
'Can I block them all?'
Bo-oong!
But then, the Formless Sword, residing within the Colorless Glass Sword, cries out.
Cut.
That alone is enough.
I entrust my body to the Formless Sword, endlessly performing the sword dance while cutting through the Heavenly Tribulations.
The tribulations grow stronger and faster, but I continue to cut through them without care.
Furthermore, Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains has yet to cease.
I too continue to grow stronger, but my body is increasingly struggling to endure.
What should I do?
Cut.
Once again, the Formless Sword gives the same answer.
I smile.
I gather all the turbulent flows of power running through my entire body into one sword strike.
Then, without hesitation or stray thoughts, just,
Cut!
Kurururung!
Once more, I laugh as I cut through the lightning.
Not alone, but together with the Formless Sword.
Kugugugugu!
Seo Eun-hyun and Jeon Myeong-hoon.
And the flow caught by Yeon Wei's group begins to speed up.
Yeon Wei, holding onto the flow, rapidly heads [downward] while looking upwards.
Above, Seo Eun-hyun is endlessly performing his sword dance, becoming even stronger.
'What in the world is that?'
Yeon Wei is startled each time Seo Eun-hyun swings his sword, continuously growing stronger and amplifying his power.
'Is he becoming infinitely stronger? Is his body even able to withstand it? We need to gather energy to avoid attacks from monsters as we move to the Lower Realms for at least the next three days...'
That is when.
Twitch!
Yeon Wei heightens her alertness.
'This momentum, at least a Four-Axis stage?'
The space between dimensions. The void seen by cultivators during ascendance.
The Interdimensional Void.
Monsters without intelligence occasionally appear in this place called the Interdimensional Void.
Commonly known as 'Monsters of the Dimensional Rift.'
These monsters, lacking any intelligence and sometimes displaying bizarre abilities, often capture and consume ascending cultivators, making them a subject of caution among such cultivators.
And Yeon Wei senses something terrifying ascending from [below] towards them.
It's a gigantic golden Peng Bird.
As Yeon Wei frowns and begins to prepare to counter the monster,
Flash!
The Peng Bird simply brushes past Yeon Wei.
'What? When?'
However, the problem is that Yeon Wei didn't feel the Peng Bird passing by her at all.
It had passed by without her realizing it.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the Peng Bird does not hunt them. It merely grazes past Seo Eun-hyun alarmingly and ascends towards [above].
'What was that?'
It's when Yeon Wei feels something odd.
Fwoosh!
She strangely feels the [flow] she had caught speeding up.
'What? The attraction got stronger? It's from the Head Realm. Something is strongly calling one of us by fate!'
She shows a look of delight.
"Kids, rejoice. We got lucky!!!"
Kugugugugu!
Simultaneously, the trio begins to cross the Interdimensional Void at a tremendous speed.
"I was expecting it to take about three days... but now we have just thirty seconds left! Everyone, brace for the impact against the dimensional barrier!!!"
The next moment.
Gwaahhhhh!
The three of them hit something massive like a 'wall'.
But in the next moment, they pass through the 'wall' and enter within.
Fwoosh!
A burst of blue light greets them.
Jeon Myeong-hoon frowns at the infinitely sparse spiritual energy but relaxes his expression, feeling a familiar energy.
Yeon Wei also looks down with a nostalgic expression.
Seo Eun-hyun, who had been blocking the descending Heavenly Tribulation from above, finally stops his sword dance.
At last, the endless Heavenly Tribulation that had been striking down ceases as it could no longer follow them.
Seo Eun-hyun's gaze turns downwards.
"Shattered Heaven Peak?"
They had landed at the edge of Shattered Heaven Peak, located at the western end of the Head Realm where the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect was originally situated.
This was where the Heavenly Lightning Banner was once originally kept.
Thump, thud
The eastern edge of the Head Realm.
Far beyond the tribal nations to the east of the Heaven-Treading Desert, across the sea, protected by the World Shield Force, the World's End.
There, a man in black attire, with only an old saber at his waist, is pounding on the 'World's End' with his fist.
Suddenly, he looks towards the west.
-x-X-x-
"Finally"
"The Head Realm"
Yeon Wei and I almost simultaneously slump to the ground.
Rustle, rustle
At the summit of Shattered Heaven Peak.
There, we touched the land of the Head Realm for the first time in a long while.
Though it's a place I missed, it seems even more nostalgic to Yeon Wei, perhaps because it's literally her birthplace.
"I never even imagined I would set foot on this land again in my lifetime Haha, it feels surreal."
"Is that so?"
"This place is the Head Realm."
Jeon Myeong-hoon looks around with a dazed expression.
Understandably for Jeon Myeong-hoon, his memories of the Head Realm are probably limited to just a few days spent on Ascension Path, so it must feel awkward.
But at the same time, there's a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes.
The three of us just sit there for a while, chewing over a faint hope.
Thud, thud
I stand up, dusting myself off, and say,
"Let's get up. You know it's not over yet."
"You heartless guy."
"Damn it."
Yeon Wei and Jeon Myeong-hoon grumble as they get up from their spots.
We look up at the sky.
The celestial energy is telling us,
The Heavenly Tribulation is not over yet.
That is the case.
The Heavenly Tribulation sent by the Owner of Heavenly Punishment followed us even to the Head Realm.
However, Yeon Wei and I can afford to smile.
Perhaps because the Head Realm is indeed a special place.
The number and power of the Heavenly Tribulations that were predetermined seems significantly reduced.
If the original Heavenly Tribulation's power was formidable enough to challenge even a Star Shattering stage cultivator's strike,
The power of the current Heavenly Tribulation, all combined, is clearly only at the level of a Grand Perfection Integration stage's strength.
Moreover, since it took time for the Heavenly Tribulation to follow us to the Head Realm, it will only start striking after 3 hours.
In other words, we had bought ourselves about 3 hours' time.
"Yeon Wei-nim, as you can see, we have 3 hours left. The remaining power of the Heavenly Tribulation is altogether at the level of the Grand Perfection Integration stage If such a tribulation strikes the Head Realm directly, it will shatter the whole realm."
I look at her, speaking with certainty.
"Is there no way to deal with it?"
"There is one, albeit a slim possibility."
"What is it!?"
"The Consoling Lightning Ritual."
"Excuse me?"
I ask again, puzzled.
"The Consoling Lightning Ritual is a traditional festival handed down among the mortals of Shengzi isn't it?"
"Hmm, was the Consoling Lightning Ritual also cut off 40,000 years ago? And the mortals have been continuing its legacy? They really do a variety of things."
Yeon Wei clicks her tongue as if finding it absurd.
"So how is the Consoling Lightning Ritual transmitted among the mortals?"
"In Shengzi, it's conducted once a year on a day when the lightning and thunder are particularly fierce, as a 'ceremony to console the thunder and lightning'."
"Yes, that's it."
"Excuse me?"
"Mortals might have been conducting the ritual without understanding its purpose, but if you infuse it with magical power, it changes everything. Originally, the Consoling Lightning Ritual was indeed used to console lightning. It was quite effective in soothing the Heavenly Tribulation, weakening its power, and aiding in the advancement of one's cultivation realm."
Yeon Wei continues her explanation..
"In simple terms, the Consolation Ritual has the effect of 'weakening the Heavenly Tribulation.' So even that power, at the level of the Grand Perfection Integration stage, can be scattered and weakened, allowing you to withstand it."
She speaks, looking at Jeon Myeong-hoon.
"First, bring out the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect. Even if they are disciples of the Lower Lightning, they are cultivators who have practiced the Lightning Path Method. And the more people in a ritual, the better."
Jeon Myeong-hoon nods and clasps his hands together.
Crackle!
As he brings his hands together, lightning sparks between them.
In the midst of the lightning, a seal of lightning appears.
Jeon Myeong-hoon summons the seal and floats it into the air, where it expands massively.
From within the enlarged seal, the lower-ranked disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect emerge, grimacing as they breathe in the air of the Head Realm.
Apparently, they are uneasy about having left the dense spiritual energy of the Bright Cold Realm for this place.
But before they have time to settle their minds,
Yeon Wei continues with her commands.
"Do all of you know about the Consoling Lightning Ritual?"
Since Yeon Wei is inhabiting Yuan Yu's body, she is not wearing the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect's uniform but a blood robe.
Thus, the disciples look bewildered at first sight of her.
However, Yeon Wei scowls and stomps her foot.
Kugugugu!
A giant Taiji symbol swirls in the sky, and thunderous clapping resounds everywhere.
"I asked if you know it!"
At this, one of the disciples who seem to have the highest cultivation among them speaks up.
"Yes, yes! Before I became a cultivator, I mingled with the mortals and participated in the Consoling Lightning Ritual."
"Good, how many of you know about the Consoling Lightning Ritual?"
At that, all the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect from the Head Realm, except for those native to the Bright Cold Realm, raise their hands.
The number seems to be around 30,000.
Yeon Wei then instructs a few of them to conduct the Consoling Lightning Ritual on the spot, observing them as they perform.
Seeing their performance, Yeon Wei nods and says,
"Everyone, from now on, we will conduct the Consoling Lightning Ritual towards the sky, understand?"
"Yes, yes?"
"From now on, you will go to the locations I designate, take your positions there, and perform the Consoling Lightning Ritual just as you normally would!"
"Yes!"
Following Yeon Wei's command, everyone moves in an orderly manner to their positions for the Consoling Lightning Ritual.
She then begins drawing something on the ground at Shattered Heaven Peak.
It's the Three Powers.
Heaven (), Earth (), Man
"When I signal, you two ascend onto this formation respectively."
"What kind of formation is this?"
"Seo Eun-hyun, from now on you are Earth ()."
"What?"
"Jeon Myeong-hoon, from now on you are Heaven (). I will be at the Human () position, mixing your Heaven and Earth energies as I assist with the energy of the Consoling Lightning Ritual.
As she speaks, her hands continuously move, manipulating the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy to set up the formation.
The veins of the formation align perfectly with the directions to which she had sent the disciples for the Consoling Lightning Ritual, confining it within a giant formation.
'Such incredible skill in formation setting.'
Truly, as one would expect from someone who had lived for 40,000 years, she is versatile.
Yeon Wei continues to set up the formation and explains,
"This Taiji formation is designed to allow the two of you to exchange powers, enabling you to combine your strengths swiftly and draw out an even stronger force. For now, Seo Eun-hyun, quickly include Jeon Myeong-hoon and me as offerings in the sacrificial offering."
"What?"
"Are you pretending not to know? It's transmitted that Jeon Myeong-hoon's Heavenly Golden Thunder Body can absorb some of the Heavenly Tribulation. I even went as far as being a candidate for sect leader. Don't you know that?"
"Ah, I understand about Jeon Myeong-hoon, but why Yeon Wei-nim?"
"Listen well. From now on, we will absorb the spiritual power transformed from lightning by Jeon Myeong-hoon, that is, his spiritual power through this Taiji formation and channel it into your body according to my guidance. Do you understand, Seo Eun-hyun?"
"Is that possible?"
I ask, surprised.
She responds nonchalantly.
"It's possible. Because it's me."
Out of curiosity, I ask her,
"If that works, could I possibly reach the Heavenly Being stage?"
"No, that's impossible."
""
"The efficiency of the Taiji formation is too poor. You are placed at the position of Earth just to reduce Jeon Myeong-hoon's burden and disperse the Heavenly Tribulation as much as possible. The original purpose of this formation is not to absorb each other's powers, so it can't be helped."
"Yes, well I understand."
It seems that the transfer of spiritual power is incredibly inefficient, nearly one in a thousand.
However, even that small amount of spiritual power will be greatly helpful, so I gladly accept it.
"Then, let's set up the formation."
"Okay. First, both of you stand facing each other."
I stand facing Jeon Myeong-hoon.
She begins to create additional formations beneath our feet.
"This formation will connect you and Jeon Myeong-hoon."
We look at each other.
Although we disliked each other, we had grown together and finally came to a strange relationship where we could understand each other.
We don't speak, but it seems as if I can hear his voice clearly.
Let's do our best in our respective roles.
It's when we make that promise to each other.
"Hmm, is that so? Is there nothing I can help with, Miss?"
"With such a vague understanding of formations, you can't help me... Ahhhh!"
And then,
In a moment.
I rub my eyes.
Suddenly.
The clouds that stretched from the distant east to here are split in half.
A young man in black martial attire, with long hair fluttering, has his hand on Yeon Wei's shoulder.
His brown eyes shimmer with a golden glow as he removes his hand from Yeon Wei and speaks.
Overwhelmed with the joy of seeing him after such a long time, I can't help but shout out.
"Young-hoon Hyung-nim!!!"
"Ah, Deputy Seo. Section Chief Jeon. Long time no see."
"Huh?"
I'm excited, but Kim Young-hoon addresses us by our job titles.
Then I remember that in this life, he doesn't know me well.
'Ah I see.'
I'm thrilled to see Young-hoon Hyung-nim, but at the same time, I'm a bit saddened by the realization that he doesn't know me.
Jeon Myeong-hoon looks confused, not understanding my words.
"What are you talking about, Seo Eun-hyun. This man is Director Kim Young-hoon?"
"Oh, Jeon Myeong-hoon-i. How have you been?"
"."
Jeon Myeong-hoon shivers as he hears Kim Young-hoon's familiar tone, realizing it's the same way Kim Young-hoon always greeted him in the mornings.
"Ah, no Director Kim how come?"
"Haha, that's not important. Have you all been well?"
I laugh heartily as I look at Kim Young-hoon, who is happy to see us.
I smile faintly at Kim Young-hoon.
'Have you been well, you say?'
Have I been doing well all this time?
Countless cycles of memories pass by.
They were really relentless cycles without rest.
Each life was incredibly difficult, but I never felt that any of them were wasted.
Certainly.
"...Yes, I have been well."
I must have been well.
Kim Young-hoon grins and reaches for his waist.
"Good. Then, it seems like you too have come here and somehow grown stronger as well. When men meet, they should converse with blades, shouldn't they?"
Jeon Myeong-hoon seems unable to understand how much Kim Young-hoon had changed.
But I understand his martial spirit and give a wry smile.
"I'm sorry, Hyung-nim. That won't be possible."
Naturally, I too am itching madly to try.
When will such an opportunity come again in the next life?
I look at the line of clouds that I assume Kim Young-hoon had sliced through.
Far away.
From the east, the marks continue endlessly.
Not just that, but even the flow of spiritual energy is severed, and those traces extend beyond my consciousness, stretching far from the distant east.
In other words, Kim Young-hoon had reached here incredibly fast, from dozens of li outside my domain of consciousness, unnoticed even by Yeon Wei who holds the consciousness of the Four-Axis stage.
I can hardly grasp how much he has grown, and I want to face him immediately.
But there's no time for that.
I roughly explain our situation to Kim Young-hoon.
"Hmm is that so."
After a while.
Kim Young-hoon, having listened to my story, nods.
"So, you're saying that Heavenly Tribulation is lightning striking down from the sky? I've heard something like that while beating up those cultivator bastards....So it's powerful enough to scare even someone as formidable as you?"
"Yes."
"...Good. Then I'll help too."
Kim Young-hoon cheerfully offers his help, placing his hand on the hilt of his blade, and sits down nearby.
"Then just say the word when it comes down."
After finishing his words, Kim Young-hoon closes his eyes.
I swallow hard looking at him.
And Yeon Wei, seeing Kim Young-hoon, seems to realize something frightening and tries her best not to meet his eyes.
Though he is helping us, she doesn't seem keen on being with Kim Young-hoon.
"Oh and about that, that offering whatever? That thing."
Kim Young-hoon speaks while watching me divide the sacrificial offering between Yeon Wei and Jeon Myeong-hoon.
"I'll take part in that too. Include me."
"What?"
I speak, startled.
"This could be lethal. And, Young-hoon Hyung-nim, you have no ties with the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, do you?"
At that, Kim Young-hoon laughs heartily.
"Golden whatever sect has no relation with me. But, aren't I your colleague?"
""
""
"All of us were earnestly making soap together. Now that we've met again, colleagues should share life and death!"
Kim Young-hoon looks back at Jeon Myeong-hoon and then at me as he speaks.
Hearing his words, Jeon Myeong-hoon wears a dazed expression for a moment, and I laugh, thinking that the 'Kim Young-hoon' I had just met is still very much like the 'Kim Young-hoons' I knew.
"...Yes. Let's do that."
Eventually.
We look up at the sky, waiting for the right moment.
Time passes, and 3 hours have elapsed.
Finally.
Kurung, Kururung!
An enormous energy begins to gather in the sky.
This is all the ominous misfortune and disaster I had brought about.
It's a terrifying force capable of destroying this world.
Then, Yeon Wei speaks out loud.
[All disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect!]
Her voice echoes everywhere.
[Begin the Consoling Lightning Ritual]
Across various locations of Shattered Heaven Peak and the surrounding great mountains, the Consoling Lightning Ritual begins.
Kugugugu!
Yeon Wei, who had set up formations where the ritual is taking place, activates these formations simultaneously.
Spiritual energy of the Consoling Lightning Ritual gathers and surges back towards the summit of Shattered Heaven Peak.
Kugugugugugu!!!
The energy of the Consoling Lightning Ritual that gathers at the summit passes through Jeon Myeong-hoon at the position of Heaven (), then to me at Earth ().
From me, it flows to Yeon Wei at the position of Man ().
[I beseech the heavens. From time immemorial, we humans have been weak and have always hoped for the mercy of the heavens. We have been swept away by storms, screamed in wildfires, suffered under tsunamis, silenced by heavy snows, and feared heavenly punishment. The humble bodies standing under the heavens now are no different. We rightly fear and revere the heavens, for we are but weak humans.
[Please, from the position of a humble human, I beseech you. For the sake of the young humans, may you temper your anger and bestow your mercy!]
As soon as she finishes speaking, Yeon Wei sends the gathered Lightning Consoling Ritual energy upwards into the sky.
Paaaat!
The formless energy that rises to the sky somewhat reduces the ferocity of the Heavenly Lightning as soon as it touches it.
"It's working. The power of the Heavenly Lightning will continue to decrease as long as the Consoling Lightning Tribulation continues. Now, what remains is"
We all nod.
"to keep it at bay!"
Flash!
From the sky, a pillar of light plummets down.
Kwarurung!
The next moment.
Kim Young-hoon steps forward, draws his saber, and looks at me.
"I wanted to show you this in a direct confrontation... but well, let me show you in advance."
Chyuck!
He assumes his stance.
"The realm beyond Treading Heavens ()!"
I grin and nod.
"Please, do show it."
What name have you given that realm?
The next moment.
I am able to know the name Kim Young-hoon had given it.
"Beyond the Path ()."
Tsutsutsutsu!
Kim Young-hoon's entire body is covered in golden radiance.
For a moment, he seems to become the golden radiance itself.
His martial prowess and Treading Heavens become one.
And beyond that, he infuses his heart into his martial arts.
Kim Young-hoon has already reached that realm.
As he kicks off the ground of Shattered Heaven Peak and soars towards the sky, he shouts.
"Shattering Heavens ()!"
The name cried out by he who erased even the feeling of an instant as he sliced through the fringes of the Heavenly Tribulation and vanished into the sky.
Shattering Heavens Beyond the Path ().
This is the realm beyond Treading Heavens he defined.
His own Third Stage of Manifestation.
[Having reached this realm at Shattered Heaven Peak, I have named it Shattering Heavens.]
Kim Young-hoon's subtle heart language echoes in my mind.
'Is that so.'
[It seems you too have ascended to Shattering Heavens.]
Kim Young-hoon says happily.
[Come up, and even if we can't spar together, let's cut through the Heavenly Tribulation together and verify our enlightenment.]
I smile faintly and respond in heart language.
[I apologize but I]
Chuk!
I assume my stance, pulling forth the Formless Sword.
[Have not reached Shattering Heavens Beyond the Path.]
[Hm?]
Kurung, Kururung!
The sound of thunderous momentum unmistakingly abounds from my body which should have lost all Lightning Path Methods.
The Formless Sword merged with the power of the immortal beast.
And the power of the immortal beast is linked with my power as a member of the Heaven Tribe.
Heaven, Earth, and Heart are intricately intertwined.
Kim Young-hoon's Shattering Heavens Beyond the Path is a pure realm of martial prowess.
But this is not merely a pure martial art.
It rightfully deserves a different name.
Tsutsutsutsu!
As I infuse my heart into the Formless Sword, I finally speak the name of the last realm that ends with Beyond the Path.
"Tribulating Heavens Beyond the Path ()."
Ta-at!
Jjeoreong!
My single sword strike soars higher than Kim Young-hoon, severing the Heavenly Tribulation.
Before, even following Kim Young-hoon's footsteps was difficult.
But from the moment I obtained the Formless Sword, my path diverged from his.
Therefore, the path I must follow is also different.
He wields Shattering Heavens, and I Tribulating Heavens; thus we begin to dance a dance to avert destruction, turning our backs to each other within the Heavenly Tribulation.
***
Heaven and Earth Tribe methods, when practiced together, endow one with a strength that surpasses others within the same realm.
For instance, the Penglai Palace Lord Hon Won, after mastering the Mount Tai Splitting Emperor Technique, can exhibit the strength of a late Integration stage cultivator even at the early stage.
However, mastering the methods of Heaven, Earth, and Heart together allows one to surpass an entire cultivation realm.
Even I, at the Nascent Soul stage, possess the power to defeat those at the Heavenly Being stage in an instant.
Yet, there is something odd.
Despite having cultivated the three methods of Heaven, Earth, and Heart, I possess the capability to surpass two cultivation realms.
How is that possible?
The answer is quite simple.
It is not three but four Heaven Tribe, Earth Tribe, Heart Tribe.
And the Mad Lord ().
By embedding the Mad Lord's puppetry circuit within my body, my flesh too became a kind of 'puppet', instantly amplifying my strength.
I increased my power with the methods of Heaven and Earth, multiplied it with the Heart Method, and then multiplied it once more with the Mad Lord's circuits.
Such an amplified force allows me to leap two realm stages.
Kwarurung!
With each strike, the Heavenly Tribulation is cleaved apart.
If Kim Young-hoon is splitting the instant and dividing the Heavenly Tribulation billions of times in a blink, moving at speeds invisible even to me,
I am cutting more in each strike than Kim Young-hoon.
Even still, the Heavenly Tribulation flows downwards, spilling over to Jeon Myeong-hoon and Yeon Wei.
Kururung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon swallows the Heavenly Tribulation directly, transforming it into spiritual power and sharing it with me.
Yeon Wei receives the Heavenly Tribulation, distributing it through formations to the disciples performing the Consoling Lightning Ritual, ensuring we can withstand the lightning.
Kwarurung, Kwa-rung.
Despite the relentless battering of the lightning, myself, Kim Young-hoon, Jeon Myeong-hoon and Yeon Wei, along with everyone from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, are resisting with all our might, perhaps to the point where we are truly capable of blocking the Heavenly Tribulation.
'Maybe'
If things continue this way, we can definitely block it.
That's what I believed.
Two days passed in this state.
The power of the Heavenly Tribulation did not diminish. It only grew ever stronger.
Jeon Myeong-hoon feels like he is going to vomit. But, he shows no sign of it.
His dantian is filled with spiritual power, his cultivation has already risen to the Grand Perfection of the Heavenly Being stage, to the point he could have reached the Four-Axis stage if not for the dimensional pressure of the Head Realm.
Still, spiritual power continues to pour into him.
Setting aside that he can't fully achieve the Four-Axis stage due to the dimensional pressure of the Head Realm, he still needs to accumulate and stack at least one more layer of spiritual power.
A vessel that's already full cannot take in more water.
Jeon Myeong-hoon continued to deplete his spiritual power using the Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation Method, and he transferred spiritual power to Yeon Wei, who then shared it with Seo Eun-hyun.
However, the rate at which the spiritual power was being depleted was far slower than the rate at which it was forcibly being filled.
And on the second day,
Seo Eun-hyun and Kim Young-hoon endure using Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains and Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains, while Yeon Wei is bleeding from the seven orifices.
'Damn, this body's wavelength...'
No matter how forcefully she synchronized the frequency, it was hurriedly adjusted against time.
The wavelength of the forcibly aligned Yuan Yu began to loosen over time.
If she had only made moderate attacks without using her full power, the wavelength might have stayed synchronized longer.
But, she had to exert all her strength to block the Heavenly Tribulation.
If she holds back even slightly, the Heavenly Tribulation would descend on this continent and burn everything.
I feel like I'm going to die.
But I can't possibly stop.
I continue swinging my sword.
'The moment I stop, it's the end.'
The moment I hesitate even once with my sword, it will really be the end.
Jeon Myeong-hoon's body is about to burst from absorbing too much spiritual power, and if he bursts, Yeon Wei will also die from the Heavenly Tribulation.
That will be the end for me too, and everyone will be hit by the Heavenly Tribulation and die.
At this moment, I am at my strongest.
Tribulating Heavens Beyond the Path matching the Heavenly Being stage is filling in the other parts of Heaven, Earth, and puppetry, amplifying the power to an even greater state.
But that is my limit.
'It's gradually subsiding....'
I've used Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains too much. Any further use means only destruction awaits.
I am about to die. If so, there is only one thing left to do.
'Burn my life to sweep away the Heavenly Tribulation striking from beyond the heavens.'
That is what I have to do.
I begin to prepare for One Annihilation to the Near Shore. After channeling all my power inside the Nascent Soul, I will imbue the Nascent Soul into my sword and unleash it, exploding all that power in a fatal explosion.
'With this...'
Can it reach the heavens?
I ask the Formless Sword.
-Cut.
'...That's right, that's enough.'
If it can cut, that is enough.
As long as it can cut...!
Just when I think so..
Splurt!
Unexpectedly, the first to fall is Yeon Wei.
She vomits blood from Yuan Yu's mouth.
"Kugh!"
At the same time, she fails to hold her position at Man any longer and collapses, her soul leaving Yuan Yu and shooting like an arrow towards Yeon Jin, who is holding out in the distance.
I quickly descend to my spot, kick aside the rolling body of Yuan Yu, and hold the position of Earth.
[Please come back!]
I use heart language toward Kim Young-hoon, who is still using the Surpassing Radiant Saber in the sky.
Kim Young-hoon then comes to my and Jeon Myeong-hoon's side to reposition himself.
The three of us gather and push back the Heavenly Tribulation with all our might.
Jeon Myeong-hoon devours the Heavenly Tribulation, counter attacking with the absorbed power, while I gather all the powers of Tribulating Heavens, the Demon Race, the Heaven Tribe, and the Mad Lord, preparing the final strike even faster. Kim Young-hoon wields the Surpassing Radiant Saber even more swiftly.
Soon, our actions become reflexive where we are already in motion by the time we realize it.
But eventually, we have reached our limit.
'The position of Man is empty.'
As Yeon Wei, who was adjusting the Consoling Lightning Ritual, disappeared, the lightning became even stronger.
Simultaneously, with her gone and no longer dispersing residual lightning, thick bolts of lightning began to scatter everywhere.
'Now, is this the end?'
I chuckle bitterly as I look back at Kim Young-hoon and Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Kim Young-hoon also seems to be preparing for a significant strike like me, but it doesn't seem to be as powerful.
Just then, when we have all given up our will to live,
A familiar voice reaches my ears.
[Master, I will help you.]
"...! Hong Fan!?"
I'm startled to see Hong Fan speaking to me from inside the sealed jade bead.
"How can you help!? And how can you speak from within the seal?"
[I'm reversing the formations of the seal from within. I could have gotten out in a few days, but under the current circumstances, it's impossible. Instead, I'll give you advice!]
I recall that Hong Fan had always saved me when I was in critical situations.
"What is it, tell me!"
[First, do not let the Consoling Lightning Ritual end. It doesn't have to be just you. Anyone who can precisely operate Qi () can take over.]
I look at Kim Young-hoon.
[Young-hoon Hyung-him, please come here.]
I call Kim Young-hoon over and place him in the position of Man.
Jeon Myeong-hoon of Heaven.
Seo Eun-hyun of Earth.
Kim Young-hoon of Man.
The three of us, each stepping into the positions of Heaven, Earth, and Man, stand in place.
Kim Young-hoon doesn't entirely oversee the Consoling Lightning Ritual but just slightly adjusts the energy.
Yet soon, changes begin occurring in the Three Powers Formation.
"Hong Fan, changes are starting to happen in the Three Powers. Hong Fan?"
However, unexpectedly, Hong Fan also seems perplexed.
[What? What do you mean by that?]
"What?"
It's when we are both bewildered.
Pachichichichichik!
Suddenly, through the position of Man, the small amount of spiritual power from Jeon Myeong-hoon that was continuously transferring to me began to rapidly increase.
"What?!"
"What is this!"
It's when Jeon Myeong-hoon and I are hurriedly alarmed.
Kwaleung, Kwarururung!
The Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation Method that he is emitting begins to shine.
At the same time, the characters for Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation () appears above his body.
And right after that
Flash!
The characters for Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens () appear above my own.
'This is...'
This isn't because of Hong Fan's advice.
I can feel it clearly.
I glance down at Shattered Heaven Peak.
Yes, Shattered Heaven Peak itself.
An entity from 120,000 years ago had left something behind in this Shattered Heaven Peak.
That entity is guiding us.
The spiritual power that flowed from Jeon Myeong-hoon to me is then directly connected to Kim Young-hoon.
'Why?'
As I'm puzzled,
Suddenly, a brilliant light begins to emanate from Kim Young-hoon.
"What?!"
"What's going on?!"
Both Kim Young-hoon and I are startled by the unexpected event.
But the next moment,
I doubt my own eyes.
Paatt!
Above Kim Young-hoon's body, the four characters for Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder () appear.
In a flash, Yang Su-jin's words cross my mind.
Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation reflects the original fate of Yang Su-jin.
Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens symbolizes his will to twist fate.
Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder represents his future success in changing fate.
And Yang Su-jin had desired to exchange his fate with that of another Ender.
I remember Yang Su-jin's words that fate is immutable.
'Maybe...'
Kugugugu!
Shattered Heaven Peak vibrates intensely.
Simultaneously, the 'force' that started with the Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation gradually sweeps towards me and then towards Kim Young-hoon.
More precisely, it begins to be absorbed by the characters for 'Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder' that appeared above his body.
Wo-woong!
Gradually, the characters for Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder above Kim Young-hoon's body begin to rise and expand into the void.
Kugugugu!
The characters ascend in all four directions and soon adhere to the sky on all sides, covering the entire territory of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.
I then realize.
120,000 years ago.
The unfulfilled wish of Yang Su-jin is being reenacted in a completely different way from what he had originally intended.
I don't know what Kim Young-hoon's fate was.
There is still a lot unknown about Enders, and why Yang Su-jin wanted to exchange fates with another is beyond me.
From what I had seen of Kim Young-hoon, he had lived quite a miserable life many times.
However, Yang Su-jin had tried to exchange his fate with someone else.
And for that, he was willing to sacrifice others to swap with his own fate.
But the result is this.
The techniques created solely for Yang Su-jin's own benefit are manifesting in a completely different form, driven only by descendants acting solely for the sake of others!
Kwarurung!
As the characters for Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder cover the four corners of Heaven and Earth, I simultaneously feel the power of the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect growing stronger everywhere.
At the same time, the Consoling Lightning Ritual they are conducting also becomes enormously powerful and surges towards the summit of Shattered Heaven Peak.
Paatt!
The power of the Consoling Lightning Ritual that had ascended to the heavens significantly weakens the power of the Heavenly Tribulation.
But that is not the end.
Kugugugu!
The spiritual power flowing from Jeon Myeong-hoon to me increases.
It isn't just a simple increase.
It incessantly sweeps in, seemingly trying to channel power to the characters for Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder through me, and I intercept this massive spiritual power midway.
It isn't just spiritual power.
It's the boundless spiritual power that Jeon Myeong-hoon had continuously gathered while enduring this insane baptism of Heavenly Tribulation.
I smile, feeling this staggering amount of spiritual power.
'I can do it.'
With this, I can ascend to the Heavenly Being stage.
Kugugugu!
I gather strength.
In the state of Grand Perfection Nascent Soul, I begin to surround my Nascent Soul with such madness-matching power.
And finally.
Powered by the endlessly flowing strength of Jeon Myeong-hoon, I am able to reach a critical point.
"...Finally."
Today.
"I have arrived,"
I will.
"At the Heavenly Being stage!"
At last, the end of the Minor Boundary!
Kugugugugu!
A tremendous resonance begins to emanate from within my body, as I commence my ascension to the Heavenly Being stage.
***