'500 Qi Building cultivators...!'
I don't really go on high alert, just clear my throat nonchalantly.
"Hmm... Well then. This will only take a moment so just wait a bit."
I flick my hand while inside the formation.
Kugugugu!
Then, as a typhoon rages outside the formation, all the Qi Building cultivators are seen unable to maintain their stance.
They somehow found out where the formation is located, but they seem unable to see exactly inside as they scream out.
"AAAAAAHHH!"
"The Core Formation senior is angered!"
"What, this power! Could it be he has reached the late Core Formation stage!?"
"It's formidable enough to rival even the Great Perfection of Core Formation!"
Kugugugu!
After the storm passes, the Qi Building cultivators sweat profusely as they move a few li away from me.
The leader among them, a Great Perfection Qi Building cultivator, yells out.
"Everyone, calm down and form ranks!"
At his command, they move orderly to arrange a spell formation.
Wo-woong!
Their spiritual power and spiritual energy connect.
Chik, chik, chik, chik!
The Qi Building cultivators position themselves and form hand seals.
As 499 positions are taken, their energy begins to amplify, and I start to feel my own energy be suppressed.
'Hoh, to this extent....'
I express pure admiration for the formation skills of the Jin Clan while observing closely.
The leading cultivator shouts.
"With this Flaming Forest Great Formation, even a late Core Formation senior cannot escape unscathed! Even a venerable Nascent Soul old monster might be trapped at least once, so please choose wisely!!!"
"Hmm...."
While quietly listening to these guys talk, I start to feel a bit annoyed.
'Not showing my power just makes them pester more.'
A kid at the Qi Refining 6th star or whatever might be cute, but being swarmed by five hundred is just annoying.
'I don't feel the need to exert myself on these fools....'
After a brief moment of thought, I extend my hand outward from the formation.
The Grand Perfection Qi Building cultivator of the Jin Clan, Jin Wei-do, feels an ominous premonition.
'What's this feeling?'
It feels like he had touched something he shouldn't have.
But it was the order of the clan head, and now it's too late to back out.
'Damn, why did the clan head ask us to bring such a formidable senior...?'
And while he doesn't know exactly what kind of formidable senior the old monster before them is, he showed no signs of fluster when facing a force of 500 Qi Building cultivators in front of him.
'Are we confident enough to handle this? But having laid out the Flaming Forest Great Formation, retreating now would tarnish the honor of the Jin Clan!'
That's when it happens.
Swoosh
"...?"
A hand appears from outside the formation.
'What?'
Jin Wei-do sweats as he raises his magic artifact.
A flaming aura surges over a red staff.
'I'm feeling something ominous. I need to prepare!'
Just as he thinks that...
Wo-woong
Above the hand, something that looks like a white orb appears.
'A lump of pure spiritual force? No, that seems like... it feels similar to the Gang Qi used by martial artists...?'
The next moment.
Flash!
In an instant, a burst of white light erupts, and a white orb suddenly moves in front of him.
"...!"
Jin Wei-do recoils in shock, stepping back.
But in the next moment, the area around the white orb seems to ripple with Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, and a fire attribute spell bursts forth from the white orb.
"What...!"
Huarurururu!
Jin Wei-do uses the spell he had been preparing in a panic, but for some reason, the flame spell emitted from the white orb devours Jin Wei-do's own fire spell, which he had been specializing in.
Kugugugugu!
"Arghhh!"
Jin Wei-do exerts all his strength in blocking the white orb in front of him.
'It's not just a simple lump of pure spiritual force!'
"Chief!"
"Activate the formation!"
"Join forces with the Chief!"
Huarururuk!
As the Flaming Forest Great Formation activates, Jin Wei-do feels an immense pressure from the formation concentrating on the white orb before him.
At the same time, the spiritual power of five hundred cultivators interconnect and amplify.
Huarururung!
Kuaaang!
Fire attribute spells from five hundred cultivators are unleashed simultaneously towards the small orb.
Kuaaang!
An explosion resonates, shaking the nearby mountains and rivers.
However, in the next moment, the eyes of Jin Wei-do and the many other Qi Building elders widen in astonishment.
Beyond the clearing smoke.
Around the white orb, the power of the Five Elements rotates, blocking the fire spells.
"Th-that's Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation...?"
A cultivator recognizing the flow of the spell murmurs quietly.
However, Jin Wei-do realizes that this is not the end.
'It's not just a simple Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation. It's a Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation that has been pushed to the limits of understanding... It's impossible to elevate the Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation to that extent unless you're at the level of Senior Cheongmun, but how could this be possible...! And that's not all. Within the power of the Five Elements, there are countless other flows of techniques rotating besides the Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation!'
Gulp!
Various thoughts pass through Jin Wei-do's mind.
'And, the identity of that orb is.'
He swallows and says,
"That is... that senior's Externalized Spirit technique!"
"Yes, what?"
"Focus your consciousness!"
They all extend their consciousness without exception and observe the white orb.
Then, in the realm of consciousness.
There, the orb begins to appear a bit differently.
Through the naked eye, it's just an orb, but through consciousness, it takes the form of a man dressed in white!
And for some reason, the man's face is not even clearly visible.
The Heaven and Earth spiritual energy itself seems to be obstructing the 'recognition' of the face.
Wo-woong!
In the realm of consciousness, the white orb.
The other form of the orb, the man in a white robe, forms a hand seal.
Jin Wei-do shouts.
"That's that senior's Externalized Spirit Technique! As you know, the Externalized Spirit Technique will self-destruct if the internal energy is exhausted, so everyone launch a full assault to deplete its energy!"
As soon as he finishes speaking, countless attacks pour down on the white orb under Jin Wei-do's command.
Kugugugu!
It looks as if a sea of scarlet red flames are forming.
The bombardment of spells continues for a while.
The eyes of Jin Wei-do and the cultivators bulge.
"...!!"
Gradually, their spells are being repelled.
The Five Element spells spinning around the orb, used by the Externalized Spirit, appears to drive back the fire spells.
"How, how can this be!"
Jin Wei-do is terrified but clenches his teeth.
'Even so, such powerful techniques cannot be maintained for long. We just need to endure a little more!'
That is what he thinks.
However, it's a mistaken belief.
Wo-woong.
A moment passes.
Jin Wei-do feels as if he's been bewitched by a ghost.
'Why, why is this happening...'
It's strange.
The Externalized Spirit, whose spiritual power should have waned and vanished, is still vigorously pressing on them.
No, it seems to have become even stronger than before.
'How can this be happening!?'
He screams internally, grinding his teeth.
From within the formation, I observe the Gang Sphere incarnation.
Having reached the Heavenly Being stage, the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth is on my side.
Therefore, even if it is an incarnation, as long as it contains my consciousness and wishes for it, the supply of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy is freely available.
Wo-woong wo-woong wo-woong
It seems the Qi Building cultivators haven't noticed.
But through my eyes, I can see the flow of the nearby Heaven and Earth spiritual energy streaming into my Gang Sphere incarnation.
Despite being an incarnation, the Gang Sphere endlessly absorbs the spiritual energy, becoming even stronger than at the beginning.
The outcome will probably be determined if things continue this way for a little longer.
"It's regrettable."
However, it seems it is time to stop using the Gang Sphere clone to torment these poor kids.
"Master, you've worked hard. I will handle it from here."
Hong Fan finally emerges from within the seal.
"It's fine."
I shake my head and say,
"Let's stop tormenting these poor fellows... And I need to find out how they managed to locate us. I'll go meet their clan head."
Swoosh
I reach out my hand towards the Qi Building cultivators who are still burning with fighting spirit.
Extending my hand outside the formation, I instantly create eight more Gang Sphere clones and float them into the air.
And it takes less than half a moment for them to lose all their will to fight.
"Hmm, is this the so-called 'Buk Hyang Fleet'?"
Jeon Myeong-hoon looks quite interested as he examines the 'gift' brought by the envoy of the Gongmyo Clan.
The envoy of the clan Gongmyo Hee, shakes his head.
"To be precise, it would be correct to call it an 'early replica of the Nether Crossing Ship' created by Lady Buk."
"Hmm..."
"Lady Buk tried to replicate the Nether Crossing Ship while repairing one. Of course, being an early version, it isn't highly completed However, she would later create the Buk Hyang Fleet based on this ship. We received the technology and were able to acquire one of these early Nether Crossing Ships replicas from Lady Buk. Now, we will transfer this valuable object to the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect."
"Hmm..."
Jeon Myeong-hoon inhales slightly as he gazes at the massive warship floating in front of the Golden Thunder Hall.
'He speaks beautifully but... isn't that just a prototype? After already receiving the technology and acquiring the technique to produce improved Buk Hyang Fleet ships, it seems like it's just for show.'
Although Jeon Myeong-hoon is somewhat displeased, he finds the spatial fluctuations emanating from the ship somewhat interesting.
"A powerful ghostly energy flows within."
"Yes, initially it was no different than a deteriorated replica of the Nether Crossing Ship."
"Hmm"
Jeon Myeong-hoon is aware of the Black Ghost Valley.
The Head Realm's Three Great Sects.
The Human Race's Six Great Sects.
Once a great sect that commanded the entirety of the great seas of the Head Realm.
A replica of an immortal treasure, regarded as a divine object within that great sect.
A ship virtually embodying the identity of the Black Ghost Valley.
The Nether Crossing Ship.
'The energy emanating from the ship... Is it barely at the Core Formation level? But with the right power source, it seems it could quickly rise to the level of Heavenly Being.'
That strange unease he had felt when facing General Seo from Seo Eun-hyun is now emanating from this ship.
Of course, it's not as ominous as General Seo, but it feels like the despair he had experienced facing General Seo diluted to one-thousandth.
Rather than ominous, it's more accurate to say there's a slight tension.
But even that is enough for Jeon Myeong-hoon to know how well-crafted the vessel before him is.
Particularly, what he mainly notices is the functional aspect of this 'replica Nether Crossing Ship.'
'With such spatial fluctuations...'
"Long-distance spatial travel would certainly be feasible."
"Yes, of course. It's natural."
"Indeed"
Through this Nether Crossing Ship, he dreams of once again ascending the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect as a whole.
While the current level of the Nether Crossing Ship makes it challenging, in a thousand years, the development of the Buk Hyang Fleet will be endless, and the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect will also have studied the acquired replica of the Nether Crossing Ship. A thousand years would be enough.
'With this, the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect can be firmly placed above again!'
In one thousand years,
When the Ascension Gate opens again,
Jeon Myeong-hoon vows to ascend to the Bright Cold Realm using this replica Nether Crossing Ship.
That's when it happens.
Wo-woong wo-woong!
Paaatt!
A dull golden glow flies past Jeon Myeong-hoon.
It's a disciple at the Core Formation stage.
"Grand Elder, it's news of Grand Elder Seo. He is currently in Yanguo"
The disciple who brings news of Seo Eun-hyun hurriedly approaches Jeon Myeong-hoon and urgently whispers to him.
Soon after hearing his words, Jeon Myeong-hoon's eyes widen, shifting away from the Nether Crossing Ship.
"What, Seo Eun-hyun!?"
"Hoh"
I went to the Jin Clan headquarters with the Qi Building cultivators led by Jin Wei-do who had come looking for me.
And there, I found out why the Core Formation head of the Jin Clan had called me.
And how they found me.
It turns out they weren't chasing after the location of me, a Heavenly Being cultivator.
"Um It seems there was some misunderstanding, Senior."
Sweating cold sweat, I look at the clan head who stepped down from the head seat and is now kneeling before me. I then turn my gaze towards the creature behind him.
It's a centipede the size of a human.
Hong Fan, who is next to me, makes eye contact with the antennae of the centipede.
"My demon beast... suddenly started convulsing while reciting the exact location I sought senior for that reason. My pet demon beast is nearing the end of its lifespan, and I read in an ancient text that eating the inner core of its kind can extend its life..."
He had found 'Hong Fan' through his pet demon beast.
And I am aware of this pet demon beast's identity.
"Did you say you got it from Ascension Path?"
"Yes, yes. Precisely from the center of the Heaven-Treading Desert... It was lying beneath Ascension Path when I picked it up."
Indeed.
The centipede demon beast at the lower Qi Refining stage is, in fact, Hong Fan's sibling.
***
I look at Hong Fan and ask,
"Hong Fan, do you feel something?"
"...Yes. I definitely feel a faint sense of kinship through our blood relation. Hmm... And I've just realized it now, but now that I know the sensation of my own kind, I think I will be able to recognize the presence of nearby kin."
"Ho, is that so"
It seems likely that this was why the Jin Clan had managed to find us at their cultivation.
'Anyway, this is fascinating.'
Though it was said that it's dying from aging, the creature in front of me is clearly a 'demon beast' harboring 'demonic power' at the level of the low Qi Refining stage.
'I never thought it would truly awaken to a demon beast due to the spiritual energy of Immortal Demon Bamboo and Ascension Path.'
I look at the head of the Jin Clan and ask,
"So... you sought me out because you thought feeding my demon beast, Hong Fan's Demon Core, would extend the lifespan of your demon beast?"
"H-hehuk"
The Jin Clan head, sweating pathetically, frantically shakes his head.
"Ah, no, how could I covet the core of a senior whose cultivation is higher than mine! It was presumptuous of me to think of you as a fellow cultivator on the same level, and not as a Heavenly Being, and to attempt a transaction!"
"Hmm, is that so?"
I become curious and ask him,
"That pet demon beast of yours... it doesn't seem like you're trying to save it just because you're fond of it. May I ask why you want to save it?"
From his intent, it appears that the head of the Jin Clan didn't want to save Hong Fan's sibling out of special affection but rather for some utilitarian purpose.
At my question, he swallows hard and says,
"Although it might look trivial in the eyes of a Heavenly Being Bring it here!"
The head urgently shouts to one of the grand elders kneeling beside him.
At his command, the grand elder quickly runs and fetches a small jar from somewhere.
As he opens the sealed jar, a subtle wave of spiritual power emanates from it.
"Ho"
Both I and Hong Fan, who are watching nearby, show great interest as we look at the jar.
"Spiritual Fluid ()."
The dense spiritual energy within the fluid swirls inside the jar.
The concentration of this spiritual energy is not low at all. It's enough that even a Mixed Spiritual Root at the 1st star of Qi Refining can rapidly advance to the 3rd star through Breakthrough before Understanding.
And if applied to a Heavenly Spiritual Root, it would mean advancing from Qi Refining 1st star to Qi Refining 6th star through Breakthrough before Understanding due to its dense spiritual energy.
"This is a type of poison produced by my pet demon beast. As you know, depending on the concentration, poison can also be used as medicine, and such a spiritual liquid containing poison is equivalent to a top-tier medicinal ingredient."
"Hmm, it doesn't seem like just any centipede poison?"
Using my knowledge of poisons, I analyze the spiritual liquid to the best of my ability.
This fragrance, this quality, and that color seems more like a plant-based poison, crafted from a blend of many different medicinal herbs rather than just centipede poison.
However Hong Fan, looking at the poison fluid, says,
"It's astonishing, Master. The raw materials for this poison fluid are ordinary grass and sap that contain no spiritual energy."
"...!?"
That's when I realize why the head of the Jin Clan wants to extend the life of a mere low-level Qi Refining centipede.
"Ho That's quite incredible."
Caught off-guard by Hong Fan's immediate discernment of the poison fluid's true nature, the head of the Jin Clan glances fearfully at Hong Fan's shadow and trembles.
"It's not my doing but the talent of the centipede demon beast. Rather, it's incredible that you identified it so quickly, senior."
He praises the centipede demon beast implied to be Hong Fan's sibling, and simultaneously bows deeply to Hong Fan with great respect.
"There's no need to be so overly courteous."
As I am about to wave him off, the head of the Jin Clan says in a fluster.
"No, as my heart feels at ease doing so, please allow me."
"Well, if you insist"
At that moment,
Hong Fan suddenly shows a furious expression and intent, and shouts loudly,
"You insolent one!"
Until now, he had been quiet even upon meeting his sibling.
But suddenly, he is furiously lashing out at the head of the Jin Clan.
Both the head and the grand elders, and even I, are taken aback as we stare at him.
Hong Fan seems truly enraged, emitting poison energy as he yells.
"This ill-mannered fool, how dare you recklessly raise your head in front of the master!"
"I, I apologize! I thought it was permitted"
"Where did you get the nerve to talk back! You should have asked for permission at least three times!"
I look at the enraged Hong Fan and say, taken aback,
"It's alright, Hong Fan. I was the one who allowed it, was I not? It doesn't bother me."
"Hmm...!"
At my words, Hong Fan closes his mouth and nods, stepping back.
I feel an extremely strange sensation.
His intent suddenly returned to how it was just a moment ago to a shocking degree.
He returned to the typically dry demeanor of Hong Fan.
'Just because they were slightly less respectful to me, he suddenly became this angry?'
I calm my confused thoughts and advise him,
"Thank you, but there's no need to get so angry over something I've allowed in the future."
"Yes, I will bear that in mind. However, maintaining Master's dignity is important to me, and I might not be able to help myself. Please understand this."
"Hmm..."
Seeing Hong Fan express such intense emotions for the first time in a while makes me feel a little curious.
"By the way, Hong Fan. That little guy over there is said to be your sibling"
"That one is a girl."
"Ah sorry. I couldn't tell Anyway, since she's your sister, what would you like to do?"
At my question, Hong Fan looks up at me with a puzzled expression.
"Should I dispose of her?"
"No, no, no!"
Startled by his words, I ask again,
"You're meeting your sibling for the first time... Don't you feel any emotion or something? If you want, I can take that child in too."
"Hmm Are you suggesting this because of the Spirit Liquid? I have fully understood the composition of that poison. If you wish, I can inform you right now."
Without waiting for my reply, Hong Fan transmits the formula for the poison fluid into my consciousness.
'To think he figured out the formula and ingredients of the poison just by observing it for a short time... He really is remarkable...'
I muse internally.
"Thank you. However, what I was talking about wasn't a matter of necessity but of propriety. Isn't she essentially your family, whom you're meeting for the first time?"
At my words, Hong Fan shakes his head.
"No, Master."
"Hm?"
"Since reaching the Nascent Soul stage, I have seen and remembered everything from the moment I met you. She is not someone I'm seeing for the first time but one of the ones I saw once after emerging from the egg. I remember which egg she came out of and where she went."
"Hmm!"
My memories since the Nascent Soul stage are intact due to the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections storing them all.
For a typical Nascent Soul cultivator, the rapid life flashback that comes with the stage does not usually result in gaining complete memories.
There are cases of discovering the secrets of one's birth, but even those are hard to detail due to the swiftness of the flashback.
Yet, Hong Fan had managed to remember everything just by a brief glimpse during the fleeting review.
'What kind of brain does he have?'
I ask, baffled,
"You don't have any feelings towards your family?"
"That is correct, Master. Honestly, I do not even understand why I should be connected with such beings as family. Well, if it's about lineage, I have nothing to say, but I prefer not to associate with them."
"Hmm."
'Is it because he is so superior that he doesn't recognize his own kin as his kind?'
This is a common attitude among exceptional geniuses.
And it's similar to how cultivators in the Head Realm look down on mortals.
Though they are both humans, cultivators do not see the other as the same.
To them, mortals are fools who can't even control their own intent, spilling it around like thread.
I think about what to say, then let it be.
"...Well, if that's your attitude, let's leave it at that. More importantly"
Looking at the pet centipede demon beast, I ask Hong Fan,
"Do you have any desire to extend this demon beast's lifespan?"
"Not really. If you command it, Master, I will look into ways to extend its life."
"So, you're not interested in doing it yourself?"
"Yes."
I nod.
"That settles it then. Jin Clan head."
"Yes, senior!"
"It seems that we must find another way to prolong your pet demon beast's lifespan since I cannot give you my follower's Demon Core."
"That is perfectly reasonable!"
After giving a few words of advice to the respectful Jin Clan head and the grand elders, Hong Fan and I left the Jin Clan's residence.
While flying through the sky over Yanguo with Hong Fan, I confess to him.
"Hong Fan, in fact, I am the enemy of your parent."
This is a truth I had intended to reveal since coming to the Head Realm.
If this provokes Hong Fan into a rage, even if he attempts to kill me, I a, prepared to accept it.
It's a truth I had to confess someday, and even if it leads to my death, I have done everything possible for the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, so I am ready to accept a death that severs all ties.
However, Hong Fan's reaction is different from what I had expected.
"Is that so?"
"..."
The same being who had suddenly raged about a minor error to my dignity shows no emotion over the death of his familya profoundly indifferent reaction.
Struck by his eerily calm response, I recount the story of how I killed Hong Fan's mother.
I confess without omission that his mother, a Qi Building demon beast, was harming a human village, and I had killed her to save them.
After hearing my story, Hong Fan tilts his head.
"Perhaps, do you have any commands for me?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you wish to prosper that human village you mentioned?"
"No, Hong Fan... I am saying... I killed your parents."
"Yes."
"..."
"...Master?"
I'm inevitably a bit perplexed by his unusual thought process, which seems to differ even from that of other cultivators.
Even among cultivators, it's not normal to disregard one's parents, even if they are mortals.
Cultivators with mortal parents usually use their abilities as cultivators to provide for their parents as best as they can, and if their parents were murdered, a normal reaction would be like any other person, turning frantic with grief.
"...I apologize to you. I killed your parents."
Despite feeling uneasy about Hong Fan's attitude, I sincerely apologize.
This time, I sense that Hong Fan is significantly disturbed.
"Master, why do you apologize to me? Please do not apologize. I... have no feelings towards my parents whatsoever. My existence gains meaning only when I am with you, Master. From a very young age, I have understood my fate. Do you know what it is?"
"...What is it?"
"It is... 'to assist Master in moving forward from your side.' That is the fate I have realized."
"...Is that so?"
I look at Hong Fan and feel an indescribably odd feeling.
Why exactly is Hong Fan's fate to assist me?
I can't figure it out at all.
For a moment, we fly in silence.
Then, Hong Fan suddenly speaks.
"By the way, Master. Would you like to see the Formless Poison I have realized?"
"Hmm?"
'So suddenly?'
It's rare for Hong Fan to suddenly suggest something to me, so I look at him curiously.
"Yes, what do you want to show me?"
"Please, take a look."
Hong Fan extends his hand forward and says,
"This is the ultimate essence of the poison I have realized."
Paahhh!
Jeon Myeong-hoon swiftly cuts through the air, gritting his teeth.
Wo-woong!
As he forms a hand seal, a voice transmission spell forms in front of Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Jeon Myeong-hoon shouts into the spell.
"Director Kim Young-hoon, please come to the capital of Yanguo quickly. Seo Eun-hyun has..."
After mentioning Seo Eun-hyun, he activates the spell.
Kuarurung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon's voice transmission spell flies off at the speed of lightning.
Paatt!
A short while later, Jeon Myeong-hoon arrives above the Imperial City of Yanguo, looking down.
There, he sees something that has appeared.
Flash!
And in an instant, golden radiance flashes, and Kim Young-hoon is suddenly beside him.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon, is it true? Seo Eun-hyun has..."
"Yes, it seems..."
Jeon Myeong-hoon and Kim Young-hoon look seriously on one side of the Imperial City.
They are looking at an inn, or rather, what 'had been' an inn.
There, a giant pillar of salt has erupted and is stretching up to the sky.
In the center of the salt pillar, an old man dressed in black, with long eyebrows, is frantically doing something.
"Hong Fan!"
Jeon Myeong-hoon exclaims upon seeing the old man.
Kim Young-hoon and Jeon Myeong-hoon land beside Hong Fan and watch what he is doing.
From Hong Fan's hand, Seo Eun-hyun's head protrudes out of the salt pillar.
Within the salt pillar, Seo Eun-hyun's body can faintly be seen.
However, his body is gradually melting into the salt pillar, becoming one with it, and Hong Fan is holding Seo Eun-hyun's head and blowing something transparent into it.
"What's going on here!?"
Hong Fan replies with a perplexed expression.
"I don't know either. I just broke through the seal and came out to find Master like this. I am trying to awaken him now by stimulating his mind with my Formless Poison!"
"Just what...!?"
Jeon Myeong-hoon looks at Seo Eun-hyun with a startled expression, then approaches a waiter who is lying nearby, trembling with fear.
"You! Can you not speak the truth, why has this happened to Seo Eun-hyun?"
However, the waiter is too terrified to speak coherently.
"I-I don't know. This, this person just ordered another bowl of noodles and suddenly a white pillar burst out from his body...."
"Tell the truth! Is that really all there is to it!!!"
"It's true!"
Kim Young-hoon grasps Jeon Myeong-hoon's shoulder to calm him down.
"That's enough. His words are true.There's no fluctuation in his emotions."
"What in the world?"
That's when it happens.
Hong Fan's eyes widen as he shouts.
"I've made contact with Master's main consciousness! Please be quiet, I will awaken Master!"
Wo-woong!
Just how much of the transparent energy swirling in Hong Fan's grasp entered Seo Eun-hyun's mind?
Paatt!
Seo Eun-hyun opens his eyes.
"...Huh?"
Seo Eun-hyun, who seems unable to comprehend reality for a moment, gradually shows clarity in his eyes as he begins to understand the situation.
Then, his pupils tremble violently as he suddenly screams with insanity.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
As the Formless Poison spews from Hong Fan's hand, I feel the scene before my eyes shatter into pieces.
At the same time, I found myself back at the point 'right after ordering noodles at the inn'.
Kim Young-hoon and Jeon Myeong-hoon are staring at me, Hong Fan is looking at me with cold sweat, and a pillar of salt is growing from my body.
'Ah...'
Memories begin coming back to me.
I ordered noodles
With my hand, I shaped an [inverted triangle]...
From it
Something
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
I saw.
I saw, I saw, I saw, I saw,
IsawIsawIsawIsawIsawIsawIsawIsawIsawIsawIsawIsawIsawIsawIsawIsawIsaw,
What the Owner of Salt Mountain left behind.
***
Salt is sacred.
It has always symbolized purification and is also one of the essential elements of life.
The character for 'salt' () is formed by combining the characters for 'to see' () and 'saline/brine' (), symbolizing 'seeing edible salt being made by boiling in a cauldron.'
While there are many words for salt in the Three Thousand Greats Worlds, ultimately, all are fated to converge to the same meaning above.
[To see].
Inevitably, the notion of [to see] is embedded in salt.
[To see] is the essence of cultivation and, simultaneously, a contemplation of oneself.
Ultimately, one can say that salt is the concept of clairvoyant enlightenment ()' that had been pushed down from the plane of Fate to the plane of Qi, where it materialized.
Cultivation is essentially clairvoyant enlightenment.
Like tiny grains of salt gathering to form the sea.
Build mountains through clairvoyant enlightenment.
Building a mountain of salt is perhaps the fastest way to reach the heavens.
Mount Tai Splitting Emperor Technique's central verse ().
"AGGGGGHHHHH!!!"
I scream, my eyes rolling back in my head.
Verse!
Some 'verse' is being forcibly engraved into my mind!
And, every time I try to understand this verse, I realize my brain is gradually melting into salt and trickling away.
'I'm going to die!'
I can't die in such an absurd way!
Gritting my teeth, I recite the verses of the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique.
At the same time, I combine the Five Elements Blood Curse Banner and the Yin Soul Ghost Incantation to create the Black Ghost Curse Banner, imbuing it with the verses of the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique.
Kugugugu!
Inside my mind.
There, flags covered in black curses appear.
Simultaneously, dark storm clouds mingle with the flags, transforming them into flags made of black clouds.
Crack!
I drive the Black Ghost Curse Banner, imbued with the power of Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens, into my upper dantian, sealing away the whispering secrets in my head.
At the same time, I find freedom.
"Cough! Cough-cough!"
Kugugugu!
The giant salt pillar covering me crumbles.
Had I lost my mind and completely merged with the salt pillar, I would have become a salt pillar that saltifies everything it touches, like Cheongmun Ryeong. Fortunately, I managed to recover before reaching a critical state.
Chuaruk, chuaruruk
"Heok, hugh"
I regenerate my body, sweating coldly.
"Seo Eun-hyun! What happened?"
"Are you alright!?"
"Master, what happened?"
It's Jeon Myeong-hoon, Kim Young-hoon, and Hong Fan, respectively.
I stand up, trembling all over.
"Heogk Hah"
I seal away the memory of seeing [something].
But I feel it.
I understand the words of Yang Su-jin.
The words of Zhengli are painfully clear to me now.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon."
"Yes?"
"We need to leave."
"What are you talking about?"
Clench!
With bloodshot eyes, I grip Jeon Myeong-hoon's shoulder as if clawing at it and say,
"We need to get out of this world."
"That's obvious. So we were going to start constructing the Buk Hyang Fleet and wait until the Ascension Gate opens...."
"Right now!!!"
"What?"
I insist with my hands trembling.
"You don't know what I saw. No, sorry, I didn't see it clearly either. But one thing is certain. [We] shouldn't be in this world. This place is too ominous and terrifying. We need to ascend immediately! We don't need the Ascension Gate. I'm confident I can tear through the dimensional barrier. Let's go somewhere, anywhere, right now, Jeon Myeong-hoon!"
I remember the time when Yang Su-jin had forcibly ascended me to the Bright Cold Realm through the Ascension Gate.
Yang Su-jin had said then that this world is far too threatening for an Ender like us.
When coming to this world, it is only right to come only as an avatar.
If one walks around with their main body, it's certain that something will go wrong eventually.
Since I have sealed the memory, I can't know what I had [seen].
But one thing is certain.
'Malice. This Head Realm is filled with malice towards [us]. Immediately. We need to leave immediately.'
I look at Kim Young-hoon.
Suddenly, a tremendous sense of relief floods over me.
The fact that Kim Young-hoon had reached beyond Shattering Heavens and ascended to the Ancient Force Realm by himself along with Buk Hyang-hwa, Song Jin, and Seo Ran is such a big relief for me.
Jeon Myeong-hoon shakes his head, not understanding.
"What are you saying? If we ascend now, what about the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect"
"The Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect can survive as the foremost sect of the Head Realm. You've been handling the political affairs so you must have a rough idea of the level of the Head Realm, right? Even if none of the Core Formation disciples step forward, the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect can dominate the realm with just the Qi Building disciples and their formations and techniques. Even if a Nascent Soul cultivator appears in the Head Realm, our current Core Formation disciples can handle them. Moreover, Jin Hae-min is almost at the Nascent Soul stage. We don't need to worry about the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, Jeon Myeong-hoon."
"Hmm"
He looks bewildered.
But I plead with a desperate look,
"Please believe me, Jeon Myeong-hoon. I'm not lying [this time as well]! At the very least, 'we' should not be here with our main bodies. If you're worried, create and leave behind an avatar. No, I can create General Seo for you to use, just leave a part of your consciousness with it!"
Jeon Myeong-hoon trembles slightly at the words [this time as well], then grits his teeth.
"Damn. You always present difficult choices."
"...And there were calamities we could have avoided if you had accepted my suggestions"
"I will ask you one question."
Jeon Myeong-hoon grimaces slightly and asks,
"If we're the only ones to ascend... Wouldn't the disciples we leave behind suffer from the calamities you mentioned?"
"They won't."
I state firmly.
Although I practically know nothing about [what I saw], one thing is clear.
[What I saw] is dangerous only for [us] and beings of the True Immortal level or higher.
Beings below that stage, unless in special cases, wouldn't even be able to perceive it.
"If we advise the disciples to 'ban detailed interpretation of astronomical observations and celestial phenomena' before we ascend, there really won't be any problems."
""
"Trust me."
After a long moment of silence, Jeon Myeong-hoon sighs and nods.
"Alright."
He smiles bitterly and says,
"[This time] I should listen to you."
He is now aware of beings like the Owner of Heavenly Punishment, those who one should not even dare speak of.
He understands why I can't explain in detail, and this time, he decides to trust me.
"But it's impossible right now. Half a day. I'll arrange everything as quickly as possible and come."
Kuarurung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon turns into a streak of lightning and flies towards the direction of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.
I gasp for air and stagger.
"Are you alright?"
Hong Fan supports me by my side.
I groan and clutch my throbbing head.
Wo-woong, Woo-woong, Woo-woooong!
Inside my head, the knowledge I had sealed away writhes as if alive.
How long do I draw upon the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique to suppress that knowledge?
Finally, the knowledge within the seal quiets down.
And then.
Bo-oong
I feel a sound akin to the heartbeat of a giant beast.
Through that sound, I recall one thing.
'Ah I see.'
This knowledge is related to the Mount Tai Splitting Emperor Technique.
'I need to meet Hon Won first.'
As the throbbing in my head subsides, I look at Kim Young-hoon and say,
"Young-hoon Hyung-nim, I'm sorry but"
"Yes, well I understand. It's alright. I'm satisfied with just having a good match once."
"Thank you for understanding."
We briefly nod to each other and exchange greetings.
I use a voice transmission spell to call Jeon Myeong-hoon to Ascension Path, then hurry over there with Hong Fan.
Kugugugu!
In the center of Ascension Path, a completely sealed Ascension Gate.
Above where the Ascension Gate had been, the stele of Yang Su-jin and countless spatial rifts are present.
'Quickly. We need to get out of here quickly.'
I chew my nails anxiously, like a person plagued with impatience.
During this, my gaze is suddenly drawn to one spot.
'That spot'
That day, over fifteen hundred years ago.
Hong Fan first clung to me on that spot.
Suddenly, I recall the [dream] I had.
'Was it a dream since I saw the inverted triangle? No perhaps it was a dream from when I first started 'creating' it'
Yet, recalling that overly detailed thing, I feel suspicious.
"Hong Fan."
"Yes, Master."
I instruct Hong Fan, sharing the 'poison formula' I had received from him in the [dream].
"This Spiritual Poison, do you think you can make it?"
"Ho, it's a poison concocted just from ordinary herbs and sap without containing spiritual energy. I'll try making it right now."
Hong Fan swiftly disappears from my sight and soon sets up an apothecary in the forest of Ascension Path, rapidly mixing the ingredients.
Chyararararak!
He transforms his upper body back to its original form and moves countless centipede legs at an immense speed to mix the poison.
His appearance looks somewhat bizarre.
And after a while.
"It's done, Master. It's quite an interesting poison formula."
Hong Fan presents the exact same poison I had seen in my dream before me.
""
'What?'
Was it not just a simple dream?
How can knowledge from a dream be applicable in reality?
I suddenly feel a chill and ask Hong Fan,
"Hong Fan. I am going to give you another command."
"Please give me your orders."
"Can you go to the Jin Clan of Yanguo within half a day and investigate this matter?"
"Hmm, yes, I understand."
I hand Hong Fan a note containing several pieces of information, and he quickly leaves Ascension Path heading west, holding the note.
To calm my mind, I sit down and meditate.
Shortly after.
Fwoooosh!
Hong Fan returns.
"Yes, Master. I have found out. The current head of the Jin Clan is raising a centipede demon beast, and this centipede demon beast can produce the same spiritual liquid as the one you asked to create."
"Is that so?"
I am struck by a strange feeling.
The information from the dream is correct.
"And, upon further investigation, it turns out that the centipede demon beast is indeed from my lineage. It's one of my siblings."
"I see."
I hold my head.
'The information from the dream'
Matches reality.
I remember what had happened in the dream.
Although the coherence was strange, I had thought it was because it was a dream and the events proceeded according to the flow of consciousness.
But regardless of the situation's coherence.
The [facts] from the dream match reality.
'Just what in the world is happening?'
Confused, I recall the conversation I had spoken with Hong Fan in the dream.
A completely different appearance from the mother centipede, who had maternal love for her offspring and affection for her blood kin.
'What happened in the dream was not merely a fantasy. The dream was based on reality.'
Though I didn't ask Hong Fan explicitly, his attitude and thinking towards his family is likely the same as in the dream.
[The actual truth] had come to me within the dream.
I felt as if I was floating in the dream.
There was also a sense that my thoughts were not clear.
However, the 'truths' learned in the dream are true.
'It's not just a simple dream.'
However, why I dreamt a dream that felt like reality and the truth.
The intention of the entity that bestowed that dream upon me,
I simply cannot figure it out.
A while later.
While I am waiting near where the Ascension Gate and Hong Fan had been.
Kuarurung!
With a burst of lightning, Jeon Myeong-hoon appears.
As he opens a storage scroll, a massive warship emerges from it.
'That is'
Though nowhere near the level of the real Nether Crossing Ship, it's a warship endowed with extraordinary space attributes.
"Regardless of what happened, it's good to have received it. And by the way, I'm leaving my split soul at the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect's shrine. Just in case there is a need to communicate with the disciples of the Head Realm. You should do the same."
I shake my head.
"If you've left yours, there's no need for mine."
"Well, truthfully, mine isn't needed either because"
I'm startled by the figure that appears behind Jeon Myeong-hoon.
"Wait, you are you taking that guy?"
The person who appears behind Jeon Myeong-hoon is Yeon Jin.
Not his ancestor 'Yeon Wei', but Yeon Jin, who is at the Core Formation stage.
Then, suddenly, Yeon Jin's eyes flip, and Yeon Wei's voice flows out.
"I have decided to stay in the Lower Realm. I will seal my true soul with Jeon Myeong-hoon's split soul at the shrine, so it remains with the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect."
"Yeon Wei are you sure about this?"
"Yes. And isn't Yeon Jin being sent? I have embedded my split soul inside Yeon Jin's soul. Through Yeon Jin, you can communicate with me while I stay in the Lower Realm."
"Really are you sure?"
Knowing her strong desire for life, I ask again.
But Yeon Wei chuckles and replies,
"Once we reach the Middle Realm, Hon Won, that guy, will try to capture me one way or another. If caught by that scoundrel in this state, heh I'd rather not imagine it. It's better to stay here while he has enmity towards me. Don't worry."
"Understood."
I nod. After asking Yeon Wei for a few favors regarding investigating the Sea Dragon Palace, Serving Command Palace, Black Castle, and Ascension Path, I turn around.
"Phew"
It almost feels like I have just descended into the Head Realm, yet I am immediately going back up.
But I know.
This place is too dangerous.
So we must leave immediately.
Fortunately, Jeon Myeong-hoon trusts me this time, and I can go up with him.
Though it means leaving the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect behind, we avoided the disaster of total destruction by Heavenly Punishment.
"Then, let's depart."
Jeon Myeong-hoon boards the replicated Nether Crossing Ship with Yeon Jin and Hong Fan.
I raise my hand toward the spot where the Ascension Gate had opened, bearing the shape of the Three Great Ultimates on my back.
Then, I strike down with my hand.
Kwaaaaang!
"Back to the Middle Realm."
***
Kugugugu!
A powerful spatial storm surges beyond us.
After boarding the replicated Nether Crossing Ship, I grab the helm.
'The controls are...easier than the original.'
Kugugugu!
Recalling the memory of having sailed the Nether Crossing Ship before, I cross through the spatial rift along with the replicated ship.
Wo-woong!
The Nether Crossing Ship protects us from the spatial storm.
Instead of the interdimensional passage I saw crossing the Ascension Gate, it's just a void existing within the Head Realm.
For typical cultivators at the Heavenly Being stage,
That is, cultivators who do not use the Ascension Gate, how do they ascend?
It's simple.
Those who can feel the pull of fate are the cultivators at the Heavenly Being stage, and the 'Middle Realm' naturally attracts strong cultivators.
If one can catch this flow and head 'above,' their ascension is successful. If they fail to grasp it properly, they foolishly drift in the void and die.
That is the typical 'ascension.'
'I can feel it.'
The attraction from the 'Middle Realm' is calling for me.
Normally, I should ride this pull and seize the opportunity to ascend in one go.
That would naturally require staying in the void to observe the flow of this pull.
But I have no time for that.
Bo-oong!
I raise the Colorless Glass Sword.
Once again, the Three Great Ultimates appear behind my head.
Gwaaang!
To put it simply, ascending is like shooting an arrow on a battlefield.
Overcoming numerous obstacles and hitting the target.
Feeling the flow of attraction is like recognizing the enemy commander.
Riding this flow is like calculating the wind direction, obstacles, and distance before shooting the arrow.
That is 'ascension.'
But I...
Kugugugu!
Spatial waves split apart under my sword strike, creating a massive path.
It's a path leading to the Middle Realm.
'In a sense, I'm not shooting an arrow, but firing a cannon.'
Wind direction?
Obstacles? Distance?
None of that is needed. Just pierce through everything and hit the target directly.
Like a brutish tank, we split the void and ascend.
'It's done, we're on it!'
The pull emanating from the Middle Realm!
The space I reached the last time I ascended through the Ascension Gate.
The place cultivators call the Interdimensional Void!
Shiiiiiiik!
Countless scenes rush by our surroundings, heading downward.
The vast universe, the shape of the stars...
Everything is just as I had seen before.
However, what's different this time is...
Kugugugu!
I am ascending through the spatial storm, feeling the pressure with my bare body without any defense.
Jeon Myeong-hoon is physically weaker than me, so he is protecting his body with spells and holding Yeon Jin in one arm, shielding him together.
I stand at the forefront of the replicated Nether Crossing Ship, enduring the strongest spatial pressure entirely with my bare body.
'Was the view like this before?'
Previously, the space was so harsh that just enduring it felt like it would drive me insane.
But now, I am ascending through the Interdimensional Void leisurely as if going on a tour.
Suddenly, far beyond the mixed scenes of space in my sight.
Something is wriggling over there.
'That is'
It's something I had seen before.
A strange lifeform swimming through the spatial waves of the Interdimensional Void, imbued with the energy of the Heavenly Being stage.
'It makes sense now.'
The first time I ascended, the green-armored wooden man I met was wary, saying, 'Isn't this a monster from outside the world that has entered in human form?'
And when I was a governor for the Human Race occupied territory, I had some access to information about the Heaven-Earth Palace.
The Human Race Grand Alliance planned to turn the Void Spirit Pond into a Flying Immortal Platform like the Heaven-Earth Palace, making the documents accessible. Through them, I could see one of the duties of those managing the Heaven-Earth Palace's Flying Immortal Platform.
'To prevent the strange lifeforms drifting in the Interdimensional Void from entering the Middle Realm.'
That was it.
'What exactly are these creatures that the Heaven-Earth Palace is trying to block from entering?'
The Heaven-Earth Palace is not managed by the Human Race alone, but by the 'Heaven and Earth Tribes' as a collective.
In short, the writhing mass-like strange lifeform is an entity that the 'Heaven and Earth Tribes' together try to prevent from entering this world.
Wriggle
It's when I'm looking at it.
Suddenly, I feel 'its' intentions with my fourth sense.
Food.
"...!"
Kugugugu!
From afar, I see the strange lifeform swimming freely through the spatial pressure flying towards us.
'Damn it, it didn't even glance at me last time, why now...?'
Thinking back, I had reached Treading Heavens at that time so while my actual power was at the Nascent Soul stage, my cultivation realm was just hovering around the Qi Gathering stage.
Is it because of the spiritual energy inside me?'
Kugugugu!
I ponder what to do with the incoming strange lifeform.
But then, Jeon Myeong-hoon extends his hand.
Kwarururung!
A red lightning flashes through the Interdimensional Void, instantly frying the strange lifeform.
"Wait, Jeon Myeong-hoon. Hold on a bit."
"What now, why."
"Do you even know what it is to so recklessly?"
Just then.
Kiiiieeek!
With a chilling shriek, the strange lifeform, having pierced through Jeon Myeong-hoon's lightning, charges at the replicated Nether Crossing Ship.
Jeon Myeong-hoon's expression is one of utter shock.
I too, startled, reach out my hand.
Kugugugu!
The power of the Five Elements swirl in my hand and shoot towards the strange lifeform.
A blow that would be fatal even to a typical cultivator at the Heavenly Being stage!
However, the strange lifeform does not dodge the attack but continues charging straight through it. I frown, drawing the Formless Sword.
'It has an immense resistance to the Five Elements. This isn't normal.'
Then the answer is to grind it down with physical force.
Bo-oong!
Cheooong!
It's when I split the creature's body with the Formless Sword.
"...!"
I feel a strange sense of dj vu from the creature.
"What is this? It feels familiar..."
With that thought, I raise the Formless Sword again to completely slice up the creature's body.
But at that moment.
Kiiiiieeek!
"...?"
The bisected creature does not die but suddenly starts thrashing around wildly.
'Why?'
As I wonder, something familiar bursts forth from the creature's entire body.
Kwarururung!
"...!"
It's Heavenly Tribulation.
The creature is emitting Heavenly Tribulation from its entire body.
Seeing the familiar golden Heavenly Tribulation, I'm startled.
'This, this is not just'
It isn't just one simple golden Heavenly Tribulation.
From the creature, a familiar 'colorless' Heavenly Tribulation is also being emitted.
Surprisingly, this colorless Heavenly Tribulation appears to share the same properties as my Formless Sword.
After emitting Heavenly Tribulation from its entire body for a while, the creature entirely explodes due to the Heavenly Tribulation.
Or rather, since it also contained the power of my colorless Heavenly Tribulation, it didn't explode but rather seemed to slice itself up.
With the unexpected turn of events, I stand dumbfounded, watching the remnants of the creature being swept away by the spatial storm.
'What in the world was that?'
And then I finally realize where I have felt that strange sense of dj vu from the creature.
'Hon Won, Wi Ryeong-seon, Black Dragon King Heon Uum, Gyu-ryeon...'
Integration stage.
Or perhaps it's a feeling similar to the 'domain' power sensed from those who had attempted the Integration stage.
But the actual power it possessed was at the level of the Heavenly Being stage.
I ponder the identity of this creature and sigh, deciding to focus on ascending for now.
There might not just be one or two of such strange lifeforms, and there's no rule saying stronger ones don't exist.
And shortly after.
As expected, these mindless strange lifeforms continue to attack us.
'To think having so much Heaven and Earth spiritual energy causes such annoyances.'
Apparently, normal Heavenly Being stage cultivators have to deal with these strange lifeforms while ascending.
Or flee from them while ascending.
Or escape from them while ascending.
'I'm realizing it anew, but it's no wonder that ascenders are given special treatment in the Bright Cold Realm."
Breaking through all this and succeeding in ascension means one is truly a formidable cultivator.
I simultaneously realize again just how incredible people like Jin Byuk-ho, Azure Tiger Saint, and White Bone Ghost Devil are.
'Even though there were quite a few Heavenly Being stage cultivators in the sect, carrying the entire sect members to ascend adds enormous pressure... To do so while protecting them from these strange lifeforms during ascension is truly remarkable.'
It's mind-boggling.
Kwajijijik!
Fortunately, these creatures seem extremely susceptible to the power of the Heart Tribe, so swinging the Formless Sword causes the Heavenly Tribulation inside them to surge and explode on their own.
'Young-hoon Hyung-nim must have ascended quite comfortably.'
It's while I continue to ascend with these thoughts.
"Master, there seems to be something big down below."
Hong Fan points downwards.
As he said, a presence surpassing even the Grand Perfection of the Heavenly Being stage can be felt below, so Jeon Myeong-hoon and I move together.
Jeon Myeong-hoon assists me, and I wield the Formless Sword.
Jeon Myeong-hoon takes a breath and says,
"It seems like that monster down there might be the last one around here. I don't feel any more energy besides that one."
"Alright, let's push a little harder."
Then, we head to the rear of the replicated Nether Crossing Ship to prepare for the attack.
Flash!
My Heavenly Tribulation mixes with Jeon Myeong-hoon's Lightning Path Method and strikes down.
Kwagwagwang!
The creature at the level of the Four-Axis stage bursts into pieces, and Jeon Myeong-hoon defends against the Heavenly Tribulation emitted from the strange lifeform with his Lightning Path Method so it wouldn't reach the replicated Nether Crossing Ship.
And just as we are about to move forward again,
"Wait, Seo Eun-hyun. Isn't there something over there?"
"Hm? What do you mean?"
I follow Jeon Myeong-hoon's finger pointing [downward].
And then
And then
"Huh, uh?"
"Master!!! Master!!!"
I wake up to Hong Fan waving one hand towards me.
"What, what is it?"
My head is a mess.
Looking around, I am still on the replicated Nether Crossing Ship, continuously ascending.
For some reason, there's vomit all around me, and whether Hong Fan had slapped my cheek to wake me, my cheek is numb.
I realize that my consciousness has momentarily cut off.
'What in the world? My consciousness suddenly flew away for a moment'
And then I know 'why' my consciousness had disappeared.
'I saw [something]! I saw what Jeon Myeong-hoon pointed at! And then.'
Uh, ughhh!
I suddenly feel nauseous as if my stomach is turning over, and I vomit outside the replicated Nether Crossing Ship.
"Ugh, gheuurgh!"
I remember!
No, not exactly!
But, certainly!
I certainly saw something really, extremely, exceedingly, profoundly disgusting and revoltingly repulsive.
The revulsion hasn't completely passed, and I can't stop vomiting.
'What, what is it?'
What exactly did I see?
But since I can't remember at all, I shake my head and ask Hong Fan.
"Hong Fan, how long was I unconscious for?"
"Fortunately, it's only been half a day. Master and Sir Myeong-hoon did not wake up, so the replicated Nether Crossing Ship took on all the spatial pressure, and now its durability is almost worn out."
"This!"
I hastily run to the front to withstand the spatial pressure.
"What about Jeon Myeong-hoon?"
I ask, feeling that the replicated Nether Crossing Ship is considerably shakier than before.
Hong Fan replies to my question,
"I'm going to wake him up now. I thought it was more important to wake Master up first."
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
I glance at Hong Fan's hand.
'He must have slapped my cheek hard enough to break his own hand.'
My cheek, trained in demon beast methods, is more solid than steel.
Probably in terms of sheer hardness, it's harder than Hong Fan, who is a demon beast himself.
Hong Fan had struck my cheek hard enough to shatter his own hand.
Thump, thump!
Soon after, Hong Fan starts to slap Jeon Myeong-hoon's cheek, who is rolling around on the deck.
Shortly thereafter, Jeon Myeong-hoon also wakes up.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon, are you okay?"
"Uh, uhh? Uh uh..."
However, Jeon Myeong-hoon seems somewhat dazed, and unlike me who vomited immediately upon regaining consciousness, he appears to be in a strangely tranquil state.
Somewhat flush-faced, he still seems to be in a state of bliss.
I realize he isn't fully sober yet and say,
"Hong Fan. Hit him more."
"Yes, Master."
At that, Hong Fan, a demon of the Transformation Stage, ruthlessly slams his full power onto Jeon Myeong-hoon's head.
Kwaaaang!
Jeon Myeong-hoon's head inevitably explodes, and after regenerating his head, Jeon Myeong-hoon speaks with a dissatisfied face.
"Damn it, use words, words! I was coming to my senses!"
"...Jeon Myeong-hoon."
I ask with a stern face.
"Do you remember 'what' you saw during the ascension? You just lost consciousness."
"Ah... what I saw?"
It's then.
Drip
Jeon Myeong-hoon suddenly starts crying.
"Uh... why is this happening?"
"...?"
I furrow my brows, not understanding as I read his intent.
'A sense of loss?'
Right now, he's experiencing a profound sense of loss.
"I think... I saw something incredibly blissful. I don't know exactly what it was... but it felt so nostalgic. Yes... like when I was a child, playing joyfully under the care of a maid, and when the maid sister would read me fairy tales It felt so genuinely... happy like those old times."
He clutches his chest with a hollow feeling and says,
"Well... it seems it was a hallucination. Perhaps one of those bizarre life forms used some illusion on me. It was my fault for being careless. Sorry."
I feel strange hearing that.
'Why did he see the exact opposite of what I did?'
I seem to have seen something truly horrific and disgusting.
Why then did he see the exact opposite?
It's incomprehensible.
'An illusion from the lifeform?'
I somehow feel that wasn't it.
'If it was an illusion cast by a lifeform, we would have all been eaten and annihilated, causing my regression. But that didn't happen.'
It definitely had to be something other than a bizarre lifeform.
I feel uneasy, yet at the same time, somewhat relieved.
'At least... it's not a dream.'
After waking up from the salt pillar, I had been anxious that 'this very moment' might still be a dream within that salt pillar.
What if this is still a dream within a dream?
But just having seen that horrific thing made it clear.
'This is definitely not a dream.'
I can't know for sure, but what I saw was something that could not possibly manifest in a dream.
Something so dreadful that its mere appearance in someone's dream would be a desecration.
That was what I had seen.
'I am not dreaming right now.'
Confident in this, I sigh with relief and make sure not to look down again.
We continue for several days, being careful not to look 'downward' as we ascend from the Head Realm to the Middle Realm.
'We're almost there.'
Kugugugu!
Gradually, the attraction from the Bright Cold Realm grows stronger and clearer.
Soon, we should see the dimensional barrier of the Bright Cold Realm.
Just when I think so.
Puhak!
"!"
Jeon Myeong-hoon and I simultaneously gather our strength.
A massive bizarre lifeform appears above us, opening a mass of flesh that seems to be its mouth.
Kugugugu!
Kiiiieeek!
'It's a monster at the late Four-Axis level!'
Somehow, it had hidden among the spatial storms of the void, avoiding even my sight, and suddenly attacked us.
'Such diverse abilities.'
I click my tongue at the bizarre abilities this monster possesses as I draw out the Formless Sword.
Cheeeeng!
Its mouth has already engulfed the entire ship we are on.
However, I give it no thought and swing my sword directly.
Bo-oong!
I hardly exert any force.
Perhaps because of that, the monster does not split apart, but signs of Heavenly Tribulation brewing furiously are evident all over its body.
Heoop!
Finally, the creature swallows us completely.
"Hoh..."
And as we plunge into the monster's body, we all exclaim in astonishment.
Surprisingly, there is a [world] inside the strange lifeform.
Not a real world, but a tiny one.
A small world, about 10,000 square meters, that should rather be called a pocket dimension.
Ssssshhh...
There's a tiny island there.
About 100 square meters, truly minuscule.
The island is surrounded entirely by seawater.
And the sky is a night sky, filled with strange constellations I have never seen before.
"Just what in the world are they?"
"They felt like Integration stage cultivators, but to think they have a domain within the body like Integration stage cultivators as well."
Kugugugu!
I exclaim as I see the Heavenly Tribulation boiling in the sky.
"Hoh, even if Integration stage cultivators experience the Heart Tribe's Manifestation, they don't have Heavenly Tribulation seething within their domain like this... Strange."
These are bizarre creatures that accomplished what Integration stage cultivators couldn't, yet they possess energy and strength only equivalent to the Heavenly Being and Four-Axis stage.
Kugugugu!
The colorless Heavenly Tribulation falls, filling the entire world.
We defend against the Heavenly Tribulation and wait. After a while, we feel the small world inside the monster gradually collapse.
It's collapsing on its own, unable to withstand the Heavenly Tribulation Bomb.
Cheeeeng, Cheeeeng!
The night sky splits open, and through it, we can see the familiar void we had come from.
'Just a little more to the Bright Cold Realm..'
That's when it happens.
Ziiiiing
"...??"
Suddenly, I feel the immortal beast essence blood within me stir wildly.
The blood is reacting to a pull.
'What's this?'
It's telling me not to simply follow the pull of the Middle Realm but to follow it instead.
But at the same time, I feel the Nether Crossing Ship, although a replica, whining as it's infused with ghostly energy, suggesting another path of attraction.
'What is this?'
Before I know it, I can sense a dimensional barrier far away, endless like the sea.
Breaking through that barrier will lead us to the Middle Realm.
The Bright Cold Realm.
Entering there will likely bring us out at the Flying Immortal Platform of the Heaven-Earth Palace.
However, I feel a premonition that following these other pulls will lead us to a 'different' place, not the Flying Immortal Platform of the Heaven-Earth Palace.
'What should I do'
After a moment of contemplation, I decide to head towards the Flying Immortal Platform of the Heaven-Earth Palace.
I'm not alone. I have Jeon Myeong-hoon, Yeon Jin, and Hong Fan's lives to consider, and there's no need to gamble.
"Entering!"
I strike the dimensional barrier with the Formless Sword.
Kwaaaaang!
The replicated Nether Crossing Ship fails to withstand the final impact and shatters, scattering beyond the dimension, and we finally succeed in ascending to the Bright Cold Realm.
-x-X-x-
Flash!
As we leap over the dimensional barrier, we find ourselves in a familiar territory.
"Is this… Heaven-Earth Palace?"
It's Jeon Myeong-hoon's first time setting foot in the Heaven-Earth Palace.
The first time he was here, he had been sealed inside Jin Byuk-ho's Peach Garden Painting.
He looks around, and inspectors from the Heaven-Earth Palace begin flying towards us.
"Hoho, this is the Flying Immortal Platform connected to the Head Realm, but the time for the Ascension Gate to open has long passed, how come…."
Then, our eyes meet.
"Uh, umm! You're!"
Their faces stiffen as they recognize me, who once had a bounty placed on my head by Penglai Palace.
Simultaneously, I feel a massive consciousness sweeping over me from within the depths of the Heaven-Earth Palace.
'Hon Won has noticed me.'
The Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique is powerful.
But I am quite confident.
"I, Seo Eun-hyun, wish to speak with Grand Cultivator Hon Won, the Palace Lord of Penglai Palace and the Heaven-Earth Palace. The warrant issued by the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect has been lifted by none other than Jeon Myeong-hoon here, the highest authority of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect."
Crack!
Space splits open, and a gust of dust surges through.
From within the dust storm, a middle-aged man appears.
He grows a solemn beard, his head adorned with a manggeon (traditional Korean headband) with his hair in a sangtu (topknot hairstyle), dressed in a purple robe.
Wo-woong!
'That's, Hon Won'
I glimpse a fiercely burning light in Hon Won's eyes.
The light draws a black and white Taiji symbol within each of his pupils.
'Yeon Wei mentioned that Hon Won seems to have acquired a powerful new Spiritual Eye ability recently.'
I heighten my alertness.
'Indeed, what will he do to me…'
I cautiously bow, glancing at Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Jeon Myeong-hoon nods, affirming my statement.
"He speaks the truth. As Seo Eun-hyun said, he is no longer wanted by the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect."
Hon Won looks at us intently for a while and then falls silent.
I try to read Hon Won's 'intention' but fail.
'Damn, I thought he was just in his ordinary state but he's enveloped by his domain….'
Reading him is futile.
Nevertheless, Hon Won continues to observe us with his unique spiritual eyes.
After a while, he slowly speaks.
"Fine. There's no need to capture you. After all, what I'm after is Jin Wei..."
Hon Won turns his head, and the spatial rift he had created seems to close.
But then.
"Dodge!"
I quickly push Jeon Myeong-hoon, Hong Fan, and Yeon Jin out of the way.
At the same time, a massive palm strike swirling with the Yin and Yang of Taiji surges towards me, and I grit my teeth.
'Damn it, this is…!'
I can feel it.
This strike will kill me unless I unleash the Three Great Ultimates.
Boom!
I conceal the aura of the Formless Sword as much as I can and swing the Three Great Ultimates at the palm strike.
Kugugugu!
And, I feel the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy crazily pressing down on me.
"Hmm…."
Cheok, cheok
He steps out from the spatial rift again.
Beyond the scattered dust cloud, I can see Hon Won's 'eyes'.
The look in his eyes is piercingly sharp.
The character for 'inspect' (監) now floats in his eye.
Zzzt, zzzt, zzzt!
I bite my lip as I look up at the sky.
A vision of fate appears in the celestial energy.
In the very near future, I see myself fighting Hon Won.
"At first, I was doubtful, but now it's clear. You…"
Wo-woong!
The Integration stage Grand Cultivator begins to exert his power.
"You are of the Heart Tribe."
"…!"
Kwaang!
The next moment, his palm strikes again.
Cheeong!
I couldn't even react properly and was smashed through the Heaven-Earth Palace, burying myself into a mountain range within the palace's central territory.
Dududududu!
The dragon vein trembles, the earth shakes, and volcanoes erupt.
The entire Heaven and Earth spiritual energy vibrates, and Hon Won's voice envelops the entirety of the area.
[I always had my suspicions. The law enforcers of Penglai Palace who tried to control the puppets you made all suffered from madness. And now I understand why you were so strong. You were secretly mastering not only Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation, but also the power of the Heart Tribe...]
I spit out a mouthful of blood and retort just as fiercely.
[What's wrong with mastering the power of the Heart Tribe! I am a legitimate Heaven Tribe member!]
[If you were merely of the Heaven Tribe, it wouldn't matter. However, you openly obstructed the Human Race Grand Alliance's campaign against the Devil Realm. You triggered madness with your puppets using the power of the Heart Tribe... And you used a technique suspected to be of the Blood Yin Realm on my daughter and law enforcer, Hon Wei.]
I clench my teeth.
'Did he discover the traces of the Mysterious Bizarre Gu I implanted? Damn it, normally almost no traces remain once they're removed!'
It seems to be because of those 'eyes.'
[Moreover, since the disappearance of Thunder Spirit Island, the power of the Heaven Tribe has weakened. I cannot simply let you go. You, who are suspected to be a spy of the Heart Tribe, a spy of the Blood Yin Realm, and a spy for the recently notorious Mad Lord.]
Wo-woong!
I sense the flow of intent in the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.
I couldn't read it earlier because he was wrapped in his domain, but now, as he begins to expand his domain, I begin to see the flow of his intent.
Catching on to his 'intention', I spit out fiercely.
"Ridiculous. Regardless of being a spy, were you not planning to kill me from the start?"
[Ho, you're quite perceptive. Indeed, you're right.]
Flash!
Before I know it, the glint of the Flying Escape Technique sparks before my eyes, and Hon Won suddenly arrives in front of me.
[You and Jeon Myeong-hoon, who once again destroyed the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect… Neither of you needs to be alive. Moreover, by openly bringing along the descendant of Jin Wei, can you prove that you did not collude with her and contribute to the downfall of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect?]
"Wait! We have sustained the lineage of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect in the Lower Realm…"
[Are you trying to argue that after killing someone and burying only part of their body underground, the microorganisms that lived inside that person are still alive under the ground?]
"No, what does that even…?"
[You continued the lineage in the Lower Realm? Good for you. Shall I wait another 40,000 years for the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect of the Lower Realm to rise up?]
Bo-oong!
Kwaang!
Covered in the glow of the Flying Escape Technique, Hon Won's fist slams into my face.
Flash!
Suddenly, I'm flying from the eastern end to the northern end of the central territory of Heaven-Earth Palace.
'Crazy….'
It's merely the Flying Escape Technique.
Covered only by the Flying Escape Technique, he moved insanely fast.
Thankfully, it's at least possible to react, unlike with Kim Young-hoon.
'No choice. Now that it has come to this, I have to fight!'
Burning with determination, I visualize the Three Great Ultimates behind me.
Paaat!
The Flying Escape Technique of the Heaven Tribe, the physical body of the Demon Race, the acceleration of the Heart Tribe.
Combining everything, it feels as though the world has come to a halt.
And in that halted world, I prepare myself for death and take out the White-Red Wine to drink.
Bo-oong!
The Colorless Glass Sword becomes even more synchronized with me.
[Come, Hon…]
Before I can fully regain my senses.
Hon Won's palm has once again crossed space to strike my head.
Jeeeoooong!
But this time, I dodge his palm and cut through space.
―――――!
Moving at a speed that even sound can't catch up with, we exchange thousands of blows in mid-air.
His Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique, due to being a method of Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation, seems to allow him to move his body better than other Heaven Tribe cultivators..
He wields the power of Yin and Yang in his left hand and the Five Elements in his right, continuously assaulting me while I draw upon the full power of Heaven, Earth, and Heart, even incorporating the Mad Lord's circuits throughout my body.
Bo-oong!
Cheeooong!
His palm and the tip of my sword collide.
Kugugugugugu!
Due to that shockwave, the central territory of Heaven-Earth palace, larger than the Head Realm itself, melts into a sea of lava.
In the Lower Realms, such a strike would have destroyed the world several times over!
Jeon Myeong-hoon can't keep up with our fight and only protects Yeon Jin and Hong Fan.
However, I, managing to fight Hon Won to a considerable extent, am actually dripping cold sweat.
'This guy... still has reserves left.'
The longer our duel lasts, and the more we exchange blows directly, the easier it becomes to read his intent.
He is 'quite surprised.'
An intent that means it's surprising to him that I am holding my own against an Integration stage cultivator like him.
That is all.
He does not think for a moment that he might lose to me.
[I heard you were at the Nascent Soul stage, but the enlightenment I feel from you seems to be at the Heavenly Being. Did you advance recently?]
[....]
I exchange blows with Hon Won without any chance to answer his question.
Every time he throws a punch, the very dimension of the Heaven-Earth central territory contorts.
Every time I swing my sword, thousands of spatial rifts form.
[As a Heavenly Being, to think you could exchange blows with an Integration stage cultivator I to this extent. Unmatched in ten million years before and ten millions years after. You are truly a once-in-an-epoch genius.]
[....]
[And having created a debt to such a genius... it would be better to kill you quickly.]
Cheong!
Hon Won aims a kick at me.
From the perspective of martial arts, while there is precision, there are many openings. However the sheer [force] behind the kick is so overwhelming that, despite knowing the gaps, I can't counter.
'Damn it!'
I put all my effort into blocking his kick.
Kugugugu!
Just that sends me flying from the northern end to the southern end of the Heaven-Earth central territory.
Shiiiiii―
Even though I raised my arms to block, it feels as though my internal organs have been thoroughly shaken.
I look at my arm.
Hon Won's footprint is distinctly imprinted on it.
'Tribulating Heavens, Earth Tribe's defensive power, defensive spell techniques, and yet there's still a mark left...'
The problem is that this isn't even his full power.
[Well, I've had fun. Now off you go.]
Kugugugu!
The Heaven and Earth spiritual energy vibrates and begins to bind me.
'He's using that technique!'
I feel a chill and quickly escape the constriction of Yin and Yang and Five Elements before it can fully secure me.
Wo-woong!
And as I look up to see Hon Won folding space above, I grit my teeth.
[What a bother. Can't you just quietly let it happen?]
I smirk.
[I know your attack pattern. Using the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique, you'd annihilate anyone, but what's the point if it doesn't hit, no?]
Purely in terms of speed, Hon Won is absolutely below Kim Young-hoon.
Therefore, having reacted to Kim Young-hoon's speed, I can surely dodge Hon Won's techniques.
[Right. If it doesn't hit, it's meaningless.]
That was what I thought.
Kugugugu!
"...What?"
I see, across the entire central territory of Heaven-Earth, the bindings of Yin and Yang appear.
[Then try dodging this.]
Wo-woong!
Hon Won placed himself within the bind.
Yin and Yang and Five Elements, they cover everything between Heaven and Earth.
[Great Mountain.]
"Insane!!!"
My eyes bloodshot, I run towards the Heaven-Earth Palace.
'The entire central territory is the domain!?'
The Bright Cold Realm is immeasurably wider than the Head Realm.
And the central territory of Heaven-Earth Palace is also much larger than the Head Realm.
Just escaping from this place will take ages.
'I miscalculated.'
I shouldn't have confronted Hon Won.
Had I fled madly from the start, I could have preserved my life.
After all, Hon Won does not leave the central territory!
I finally reach Heaven-Earth Palace and spot Jeon Myeong-hoon protecting Hong Fan and Yeon Jin.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon!!! Hong Fan!!! Yeon Jin!!!"
Kwaang!
As soon as I arrive, I strike down the Flying Immortal Platform and crush the dimensional barrier.
"Get out! Get out now!!!!!!"
And then, Hon Won's voice bellows thunderously throughout Heaven and Earth.
[Emperor Splitting.]
"Get ouuuuuuuut!!!"
Kwaang!
Having punched a hole in the dimension, I barely manage to push Jeon Myeong-hoon, Hong Fan, and Yeon Jin out beyond the Bright Cold Realm.
And I, by a hair's breadth, fail to dodge Hon Won's attack.
The world is engulfed in light.
Where am I?
Suddenly, I realize I am standing amidst pitch darkness.
No, that isn't it.
This is the void.
'Ah… so that's it.'
Hon Won's attack had obliterated the entire Heaven-Earth central territory.
Wo-woong!
I notice a few Void Spirit Ponds around this void.
'I see. So is this the pure original form of the Flying Immortal Platform...'
One of the Void Spirit Ponds is rippling.
It seems to be the one I had used to send them back.
'I need to move…'
My hands and feet wouldn't move.
'No... that's not it.'
It's not that my hands and feet lack sensation.
It's that I 'have no' hands and feet.
I realize that my entire body, trained in the Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method, is squashed like dough, floating aimlessly through space.
Only my head still retains some form, but I feel my life fading fast.
'Golden Core… Nascent Soul… all shattered….'
Fortunately, the Colorless Glass Sword, linked to my soul, seems intact since I had thrown it along with Jeon Myeong-hoon beyond the Bright Cold Realm.
Flash!
Hon Won appears before me.
Truly astonished, Hon Won exclaims.
[Incredible. To maintain your form even after being hit by my Great Mountain Splitting Emperor... What a tremendous feat.]
He speaks while emanating black and white energy in his hands.
[Until now, no Heavenly Being stage cultivator, let alone anyone hit by my Great Mountain Splitting Emperor, has left even a trace behind. But you have managed to preserve your life after being hit... I pay my respects to that achievement.]
Wo-woong!
The Yin-Yang and Five Elements binding ensnares me as I am dying.
[Farewell, you failures who could not protect the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.]
Flash!
He looks down at me with cold eyes and stretches out his hands.
[Great Mountain.]
'Failed…to protect?'
Is that really the case?
It is.
Jin Byuk-ho, Jin So-hae, Jin Hwi, Hong Su-ryeong, Jin Min, Jin Jin-chan...
How many have died?
I failed to protect them.
But…
Smirk.
"…I am not ashamed… before them."
The lineage of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect survived, continuing its history and avoiding annihilation.
Thus, I overcame fate.
"This life… definitely."
Definitely, definitely!
"Was not meaningless!"
I did everything I could in this life.
Watching me accept death calmly, Hon Won's eyes waver.
However, there's no hesitation in his action.
[...Splitting Emperor!]
A white light covers the world.
That is my eighteenth return.
Translator Notes: I'm changing Mount Tai Emperor Splitting Technique to Great Mountain. I got confused because Great Mountain (太山) also translates to Mount Tai, however after doing some more research, it's a different Mount Tai from the famous one (泰山). Also, 'repentful enlightenment' is changed to 'comprehension.'
***