'...So, you're affiliated with the Black Ghost Palace...'
Honestly, even though I've been doing devilish cult-like things, I have no intention of continuing to be the public enemy of the Nether Ghost Realm.
'Anyway, it's necessary to have a conversation with the Black Ghost Palace to find out about Kang Min-hee's condition...'
I decide to use this ghost as a means of contact with the Black Ghost Palace.
[This...a distinguished guest has arrived. Escort her to the 'special room.' I will personally give her a very special treatment.]
At my words, the puppets within the religious hall move and grab her.
The ghost, dressed in mourning clothes, cries out with a tearful and humiliated face.
"I have pledged my entire being and body to the 30th Nether Crossing Ship Captain, Cha Jo-gwi! I will not be tainted by the likes of you! Kught...!"
[...]
There seems to be a serious misunderstanding between us, but she won't believe anything I say in this situation anyway
I gesture with my chin for them to take her away and then close my eyes.
Woo-woong—
I had already built 70% of the Longevity Axis.
'Seven thousand years of lifespan. I just need to gather three thousand more years, and the Longevity Axis will be complete.'
Moreover, with the Wuji Religious Order now infiltrating various places in the Lower Realms, the speed at which 'sacrifices' are being offered is gradually increasing.
Just like this.
Chuchuchuchut—
I feel the sacrifices being transmitted through the Void Spirit Pond and extend my consciousness.
'This place...'
My consciousness arrives at a Decaying Corpse Realm.
Unlike the Head Realm, this Decaying Corpse Realm has abundant Heaven and Earth spiritual energy and is quite vast.
I extend my consciousness, following the voice that called me from one corner of the Decaying Corpse Realm.
A secluded valley.
Chills!
As I extend my consciousness into the valley, I feel an unsettling chill from somewhere.
Regardless, I find and enter a hidden cave within the valley.
Woo-woong—
I flow into the body of a boy.
Within the boy's heart essence.
I face the boy.
[Did you call for me?]
The boy speaks to me in a trembling voice.
"Yes, O Great One. Please lend me your power."
Without me even asking, he immediately begins to explain his circumstances.
"I am an experiment of a devilish cultivator."
The boy's name is Ham Jin.
He's an orphan from a rural village.
However, while he was living fairly well by begging, his village was attacked and destroyed by a band of thieves.
The thieves burned the village and captured all the beggars for human trafficking.
Unfortunately, he was sold to a devilish cultivator.
"He calls us 'disciples,' but in reality, he only bought us to use as experiments. He has no intention other than to exploit us. I have heard his plans. He intends to seize our bodies to extend his own lifespan!"
[Thus, you have called for me?]
"Yes, please save me. I will offer you whatever you desire"
[You have called me knowing the price, correct?]
"No matter the cost, it would be better than having my body taken and dying miserably at the hands of that monster."
[Good...then...]
It's when I'm about to accept the boy's lifespan and grant his wish.
'...Wait. Something feels off.'
I speak to the boy.
[First, step out of this cave.]
"Pardon?"
[Do as you are ordered.]
I move the boy's body to exit the cave.
Outside the cave is a large valley.
There are small holes scattered throughout the valley, and each of these holes have traces of people.
It seems that the devilish cultivator had dug numerous cave residences in the valley to manage his 'disciples.'
But something concerns me more than those cave residences.
'This valley...'
While I didn't pay much attention as I descended into the boy's body, I noticed something peculiar while accessing his heart essence and reading some of his unconscious memories.
[Do you know how this valley was formed? Is there any legend or myth you know about it?]
"Ah...I've heard that long ago, a green god descended from the heavens, split a turtle in half, and created this valley. That's why it's called the Split Turtle Valley (切龜谷)."
[...]
I survey the boy's cave residence with my consciousness.
[Entrust your body to me for a moment.]
"Pardon?"
[If you lend me your body for one meal's worth of time (30 minutes), I will bestow upon you a very special ability.]
"Ah, understood."
The boy nods at my proposal, and I take over his body, approaching the sacrificial altar he used to worship me.
Kuadududuk—
I split the altar and sharpen it using Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.
The broken pieces of the altar soon form a wooden podao.
Woo-woong—
I gather Heaven and Earth spiritual energy to form blade energy and envelop the podao with it.
Then.
Kwagwagwagwak!
I swing the podao, slashing at the boy's cave residence.
Kwa-jijijik—
Since it's a careless slash, the power is negligible.
At best, it leaves a small groove in the boy's cave residence.
However, after seeing the groove, I turn my gaze back to the valley.
Then, I place my hand on the rock formation that constitutes the valley.
I can feel the energy of the dragon vein flowing inside the valley.
That dragon vein resembles the blood vessels of a living creature.
"...Ordinarily, such a dragon vein would never form."
A valley created by a green god splitting a turtle.
"Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One..."
I can immediately guess.
This valley was created from the corpse of some creature killed by the Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One Jang Ik.
And I remember the chill I felt when I entered this valley.
'Ah...'
Using the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts with Ham Jin's body, I merge with the All-Heavens Sword and soar into the sky from the cave.
I feel the boy seeing this sight from his unconsciousness, feeling astonished.
But I can't concern myself with Ham Jin's astonishment.
'As expected...'
I fly to the edge of the Decaying Corpse Realm's sky.
Looking down on this world from its 'ceiling,' I can't help but be astonished.
This world is a battlefield.
Everywhere, absolutely everywhere, is marked by the blade scars from the podao Jang Ik had wielded.
By examining the blade scars, I can gauge the aspects of the battle that took place here.
The battle started at the northwestern end of this world and ended at this southeastern end.
And the conclusion of the battle was Jang Ik's victory, with the creature he fought against dying.
'Jang Ik...struggled quite a bit!'
I infer from the blade scars and the traces in this world, sweating inwardly.
Jang Ik, a being with the title 'Esteemed One', had struggled.
This implies that the creature he fought against and killed, eventually becoming this valley, was also at the Star Shattering Stage.
I now understand why this world, unlike the usual Decaying Corpse Realms, has denser Heaven and Earth spiritual energy than the Head Realm.
This world became enriched by the power that leaked from the creature after it died.
'Just what is this world?'
I look around this world in confusion.
How could a mere Decaying Corpse Realm withstand a battle between Star Shattering stage entities so sturdily?
I feel something strange and descend again.
Kuguguguk—
I guide the celestial energy.
Since the boy has the attributes of earth, fire, and metal in his True Spiritual Root, I shake the dragon vein to cause a mild earthquake in the area.
Kugugugugu!
The valley shakes, cracks forming and collapsing everywhere.
'How could the corpse of a creature that fought Jang Ik on equal terms be shaken so easily by mere Heavenly Being level power?'
Something is odd.
At that moment,
Jiiiiing―
From the corpse of the creature that became this valley after death.
No, from the dragon vein that flows through this land, I realize something.
'This is...!'
Deep beneath the dragon vein.
There, an immense amount of auspicious power is gathered.
'I see...it's not that the corpse of the Esteemed One is weak, but all its power has concentrated in the force below, leaving the remaining outer shell fragile.'
Kuguguk—
I try to use attraction force to lift the entire valley.
However, at that moment.
Jiiiiing―
'...Tsk. If I use more power, this boy's soul will collapse.'
The last cultivator who borrowed my power had at least reached the Qi Building stage.
That's why, although barely, I could draw forth attraction force.
However, the boy named Ham Jin is merely a novice who has barely entered the 1st star of Qi Refining.
Even as I am adjusting my presence to the minimum, he is struggling to withstand my soul's pressure. If I draw more power through his soul, there's a high chance his soul will be completely vaporized.
Of course, if his soul were to vaporize, it would make it easier for me to take over his body, which is certainly advantageous.
'But that's unnecessary.'
There's no need to commit such an inhumane act.
No matter how many treasures lie below, nothing is as precious as a single life.
I enter the boy's cave residence and, after erasing the traces of his rituals to me, speak to Ham Jin.
"Thanks to you, I have confirmed everything I needed. However, you seem unable to endure any longer, so I will withdraw for now. Since we've established a connection, you can summon me without a ritual next time. Summon me again. I will lend you my power."
Ham Jin nods feebly from deep within his unconsciousness, barely enduring the pressure of my soul.
Wo-woong―
I gather Heaven and Earth spiritual energy in my hand.
"And this is your reward for lending me your body for a moment."
Wiiiiing―
I condense the gathered Gang Qi.
The Gang Qi forms a Gang Sphere above my hand, and I swallow it whole.
The Gang Sphere enters the boy's Law Transformation Dantian, settling at the center and becoming an Inner Core.
Wiiiiing―
Paaaatt!
I synchronize the Inner Core with the boy's upper dantian, granting Ham Jin the vision of the Demon Race.
He might not yet be able to wield the power of the Inner Core I have formed, but he will at least gain the vision of the Earth Tribe.
"Beasts are more sensitive than humans, often foreseeing great disasters or accidents. This ability is based on the senses I have granted you. I have bestowed upon you the senses of a beast, so use them to survive."
Tstststs―
I speak as I withdraw from Ham Jin's mental world.
"Your soul needs time to heal, so summon me again in three months. We will meet again then."
As I exit his body, Ham Jin, utterly exhausted, collapses and faints.
'This is a substantial harvest!'
This is far more significant than the fortuitous encounter one gains by falling off a cliff during life and death struggles.
'A Star Shattering Esteemed One's corpse!'
Of course, even though it's the corpse of an Esteemed One, most of the energy has faded. However, all that energy has not disappeared but has concentrated into one auspicious energy essence.
'The eerie feeling I had when I first entered was likely due to the presence of the Esteemed One, despite death.'
Regardless, an Esteemed One is still an Esteemed One.
There's a chance to obtain something left by that Esteemed One.
I return to my main body sitting in the religious hall, my eyes shining brightly.
[Huhuhu, huhuhuhuhu...!]
I laugh cheerfully through my nineteen mouths.
It's then.
Hong Fan urgently delivers a message.
"Cult Leader, an Integration stage Grand Cultivator is currently approaching the Twilight Domain."
I extend my consciousness and perceive a lizard-shaped jiangshi charging into the Twilight Domain that's wrapped in blessings.
[Judging by the aura, it belongs to the Black Ghost Palace. Quite the momentum.]
I rise from my seat, my eyes gleaming.
[No matter. I've prepared for such occasions. Inform the Soul Extinguishing Ghost King to commence.]
"Yes."
Hong Fan uses a transmission talisman to contact Oh Hyun-seok.
And to the west of the Twilight Domain, where the Grand Cultivator is charging towards.
Oh Hyun-seok and Jeon Myeong-hoon stand ready.
"Hmm, do I just break through here? Won't the formation break?"
"It's fine, I can control everything."
"Is that so...?"
Oh Hyun-seok looks at Jeon Myeong-hoon with curious eyes.
"No matter how many times I see it, it's fascinating. To think that Jeon Myeong-hoon has grown so much..."
"...Just start already."
"Got it. Then..."
Kugugugugu!
Oh Hyun-seok absorbs the Heaven and Earth ghostly energy, focusing his mind.
His entire body turns a shade of purple.
His Unique Holy Body allows him to absorb any type of energy.
Be it the Five Elements spiritual energy, Yin-Yang energy, or anything else.
It absorbs everything and melts it within the Primordial Chaos, elevating his realm!
That is his Unique Holy Body.
Therefore, whether he absorbs spiritual energy or ghostly energy, his cultivation will raise the same regardless.
When he first arrived in the Nether Ghost Realm, he fainted only because he wasn't accustomed to the energy he absorbed!
[Here I go!]
Kugugugugu!
Oh Hyun-seok is attempting to advance from the Heavenly Being stage to the Four-Axis stage.
Kurung, kurururung!
Dark clouds form in the sky, and dual-colored Heavenly Lightning strikes down on Oh Hyun-seok.
Kwarururung!
Normally, when someone of his cultivation faces a Heavenly Tribulation, the entire area would be in chaos, but this time it's different.
Jeon Myeong-hoon is controlling the remaining traces of the Heavenly Tribulation that strikes Oh Hyun-seok.
And when the Integration stage Grand Cultivator of the Black Ghost Palace that rules the nearby area, the Ghost King inhabiting the lizard jiangshi, Jin Gwi-shi, is about to body slam into the Twilight Domain,
Kwarururung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon extends his hand, scattering the accumulated Heavenly Tribulation he has stored onto Jin Gwi-shi.
[Kuaaaaagh!]
Jin Gwi-shi momentarily retreats, howling, and Jeon Myeong-hoon smirks as he speaks.
"This is the domain of the Wuji Religious Order. Please state your business for visiting."
[I just received a message, you devilish cultist bastards. They said you lifted the White Yin Domain and transmitted it somewhere. To think you have now come here. I will make you regret it!]
"Haha, haven't you heard that our cult leader fought against several Integration stage Grand Cultivator Ghost Kings?"
[Of course, I heard. But from what I can see, your cult leader seems to be maintaining this formation. Do you think he can come out and fight me? Moreover, it seems you've exhausted much of your strength due to the recent transmission...]
Jin Gwi-shi sneers sinisterly at Jeon Myeong-hoon with a knowing expression.
Indeed, his words are true.
Seo Eun-hyun can't leave the Wuji Religious Hall, and the radiance of the White Orchid Blessing Incantation, which had been blazing brightly until the activation of the Realm Annihilation Ground-Shrinking Formation, has significantly weakened.
However, Jeon Myeong-hoon smirks.
"Indeed, the situation is a bit challenging right now. But...do you think we didn't anticipate this?"
Snap!
Jeon Myeong-hoon forms a hand seal.
Following his hand seal, following his will.
Kwijijijik!
The Heavenly Tribulation that is striking Oh Hyun-seok splits in the sky and spreads in all directions.
The immense Heavenly Tribulation seemingly encircles the Twilight Domain, then flies back towards Oh Hyun-seok and strikes him again.
The direction of the Heavenly Tribulation is distorted by Jeon Myeong-hoon, enveloping the entire Twilight Domain like a net before striking Oh Hyun-seok.
Though it is distorted by Jeon Myeong-hoon, it's not 'interfered with' but 'slightly redirected,' so the Heavenly Tribulation does not grow stronger.
"Attack as much as you like. This is a Heavenly Tribulation barrier brimming with the energy of Vanquishing Evil and Upholding Righteousness."
[Kugh...! Controlling the Heavenly Tribulation? What kind of sorcery is this!?]
Jin Gwi-shi exclaims, retreating a step from the Heavenly Tribulation barrier in shock.
Then, as if recalling something, he grins at Jeon Myeong-hoon.
[Indeed, the Heavenly Tribulation is a threat to us ghostly creatures, but it's a laughable tactic when you think about it.]
Jeok!
Jin Gwi-shi opens his mouth and draws forth his dharma treasure from his dantian.
Spitting out a large wheel-shaped dharma treasure, he begins to spin it.
Kiyaaaaaaah―
The wheel emits ghostly wails as tremendous ghost fire begins to blaze.
Kwarurung!
Jin Gwi-shi hurls the ghost fire-laden wheel at the Heavenly Tribulation barrier.
Flash!
Kwang!
The wheel imbued with ghost fire fails to penetrate the barrier and bounces back.
However, the barrier changes.
Kwa-ijijijik!
The heavens rage.
Someone has interfered with the Heavenly Tribulation during breakthrough.
Help was given from outside.
Thus, the heavens respond with even stronger Heavenly Punishment.
The streaks of the Heavenly Tribulation grow thicker and stronger.
Oh Hyun-seok, the target of the Heavenly Tribulation, is engulfed in an even brighter Heavenly Tribulation.
[Haha, in the end, isn't it over if the target of the Heavenly Tribulation dies? The barrier might grow stronger with my attacks, but that means the Heavenly Tribulation also gets stronger. You've ended up killing your comrade with your own hands!]
Jin Gwi-shi cackles heartily, relentlessly attacking the barrier
The barrier made of Heavenly Tribulation grows thicker and stronger over time, but Jin Gwi-shi only laughs.
[Come now, if you care for your comrade, dispel this foolish barrier immediately! Stop this foolish act of distorting the Heavenly Tribulation to your purpose!]
Yet,
Jeon Myeong-hoon stands still.
Jin Gwi-shi frowns at this sight.
'These insane Devilish Path cultists. Even when their comrade is suffering so much from the Heavenly Tribulation, their expressions don't change at all?'
The Heavenly Tribulation is gradually thickening.
Now, the barrier of Heavenly Tribulation doesn't look like a net surrounding the Twilight Domain, but rather a vast sea of thunder and lightning.
Jin Gwi-shi is puzzled.
'Wait a moment...isn't it about time for the target to die from facing the Heavenly Tribulation?'
The barrier of Heavenly Tribulation.
Inside the vast sea of thunder and lightning.
Oh Hyun-seok, the source of the Heavenly Tribulation, is howling from within.
[Guaaaaaaa!]
Kugugugugu!
Emitting streams of purple primordial chaos, Oh Hyun-seok is holding his ground without succumbing to the Heavenly Tribulation.
Jeon Myeong-hoon smirks widely as he watches this scene.
"Sorry, but our colleague gets tougher and stronger the more he gets hit."
Jeon Myeong-hoon has witnessed Oh Hyun-seok's training for the past 200 years.
'Five Elements Body Refinement, you say? Azure Heaven Creation Sect, just what...'
He shakes his head, gradually transforming his body.
Transforming into a Six-Arms Giant spewing lightning, Jeon Myeong-hoon parts the sea of thunder and lightning and heads outside.
Kugugugugu!
[These wicked devilish cultists! They sacrificed their comrade as a pawn for the Heavenly Tribulation barrier! Truly despicable. They really are impossible to associate with!]
[Think what you will.]
Kwaa-jijijik!
Jeon Myeong-hoon gathers the surrounding energy of the Heavenly Tribulation, his eyes brightening.
[How about you stop babbling and come play with me. Ahahahaha!]
[Kugh, do you not have even an ounce of camaraderie?]
[Now, come here. Welcome to the Wuji Religious Order.]
Kwarururururu!
Jeon Myeong-hoon laughs as he unleashes torrents of lightning.
I extend my consciousness, observing Oh Hyun-seok undergoing the Heavenly Tribulation and Jeon Myeong-hoon intercepting the intruder.
'They're doing well.'
In Oh Hyun-seok's case, he is being relentlessly battered by the Heavenly Tribulation, being tempered like steel.
Even if it's Oh Hyun-seok, he would perish to an Integration stage Heavenly Tribulation. But for now, it's just right for his training without dying.
'Jeon Myeong-hoon will handle it well enough...'
If they can hold on for a few more hours, I can activate the Realm Annihilation Ground-Shrinking Formation again.
'In the meantime...shall I interrogate the captive?'
I head to the upper floor of the Wuji Religious Order to see the prisoner intended as the contact for the Black Ghost Palace.
Clunk—
The ghost prisoner dressed in the clothes of the Black Ghost Palace.
When I open the door where she is staying, she looks startled from inside.
"Kugh, what do you intend to do to me!?"
[Nothing much. We're just going to have a conversation.]
"You wicked devilish cultist! What did you put in the food!? My mouth...! It feels strange...!"
[Hmm...]
'What's wrong with her? It's just ordinary tea.'
I had Hong Fan serve her honey tea with a mint flavor, but it seems she is startled by the unfamiliar taste.
'I thought all ghosts would like it since Kang Min-hee did, but I guess not.'
[Your mouth will settle down soon. Now then...shall we have a more constructive conversation?]
"Kugh...!"
-x-X-x-
Crackling!
Jin Gwi-shi, who has been relentlessly striking the Heavenly Tribulation barrier, grits his teeth.
"Kugh, damn it...!"
By now, his body is in a state where even moving is difficult due to the lightning shot by the Six Extremes Ghost King, Jeon Myeong-hoon.
To make matters worse, the massive Sky Island seems to be stirring again.
Wiiing―
The light of blessings brilliantly bursts forth from the Sky Island and begins to advance forward.
Jeon Myeong-hoon hides his body inside the Heavenly Tribulation Barrier and laughs.
[Haha, well then, farewell for now. We shall be on our way.]
Wiiing―
The Sky Island begins accelerating.
But Jin Gwi-shin, despite being battered and vomiting blood, sneers.
[Hah, it seems like a method that moves a certain distance per day. Every place in a 200,000 li radius of here is within the reach of the Black Ghost Palace! All the Integration stage Ghost Kings stationed at our branches will be contacted! Do you think you can keep running forever!? How long do you think you can maintain that Heavenly Tribulation barrier!?]
However, Jeon Myeong-hoon merely enters deeper within the barrier with a nonchalant expression.
"Hmm, indeed. Moving only 200,000 li at a time can be a bit risky."
Kwa-jijijijik!
He glances at Oh Hyun-seok, who is overcoming the Heavenly Tribulation.
"Hyun-seok Hyung-nim will soon be done with his tribulation, so the Heavenly Tribulation barrier can't last forever either way..."
It doesn't matter.
Wiiing―
Wiiing―
Wiiing―
The Sky Island accelerates tenfold as it moves forward.
As it accelerates more and more, at some point it uses the ground-shrinking technique to cover hundreds of thousands of li. This is the Realm Annihilation Ground-Shrinking Formation.
And this Realm Annihilation Ground-Shrinking Formation has one particular feature.
Flash!
[No matter which direction you flee! You will never! Escape from the grasp of our Black Ghost Palace!]
Every time the ground-shrinking formation is used, up to 7 times, the spatial distortion that it creates intensifies, and the distance of the space folded doubles like the tenfold accelerating Sky Island.
'Earlier it covered 200,000 li, so now it will be 400,000 li.'
Jeon Myeong-hoon inwardly clicks his tongue.
'This world really...has an overwhelming sense of scale.'
Kwagwagwagwa!
The Twilight Domain activates the Realm Annihilation Ground-Shrinking Formation again towards the second destination.
Flash!
"Second destination, arrived."
[Well done, everyone.]
After commending the formation masters, I extend my consciousness to survey the surroundings of the Twilight Domain.
The first leap covered 200,000 li.
The next was 400,000 li.
'A total of 600,000 li. Not bad.'
The Realm Annihilation Ground-Shrinking Formation doubles the distance with each movement and can leap seven times in total.
Starting with 200,000 li, the total possible distance is...
'25 million li.'
The number is dizzying, but it's nonetheless possible.
'This is the power of human malice when converted into the ability to move...'
It's an insane distance.
'Though 400,000 li is not a long distance for those at the Integration stage, it will become increasingly difficult to follow as the distance doubles over the next days.
Kwa-jijijik!
Meanwhile, the Heavenly Tribulation falling from the sky gradually thins and finally disappears.
At the spot where Oh Hyun-seok was standing,
There appears a giant of starlight with eight pairs of wings.
Kugugugugu!
The Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method that Oh Hyun-seok reached great completion in is somewhat different from the one mastered by me and Azure Tiger Saint.
While starlight sparkles within my and the Azure Tiger Saint's bodies, mysterious purple clouds billow forth along with the starlight in Oh Hyun-seok's body,u0026nbsp;
This seems to be a part of his unique abilities.
'Well, good. In any case, with this...'
All four Law Protectors of the Wuji Religious Order have attained at least the Four-Axis stage in combat power.
Jeon Myeong-hoon, Hong Fan, and Oh Hyun-seok have all reached the Four-Axis stage, and the only one who hasn't, Kim Yeon, is practically the second-in-command of the puppets that form the backbone of the Wuji Religious Order.
Since she can mobilize the entire Wuji Religious Order at any time, her own cultivation level is irrelevant.
'In addition to that...'
[It's a bit surprising. To change your decision so quickly.]
"..."
Yu Hye, standing before my seat, blushes slightly.
"...Well, I honestly thought you were undoubtedly a devilish cult. But looking around, I see that you have good welfare and are a religious group that seeks considerable peace."
[Haha, that's why you shouldn't judge a ghost by its appearance.]
"...? Isn't the death within the cult leader showing on the outside?"
[Hmm...]
I have no words and can only smack my lips.
[Well, anyway. Please take care of the relationship between the Black Ghost Palace and this seat.]
"Hm, I can only relay the Cult Leader's words to the main palace. The decision is up to them. Even if I speak well of the Wuji Religious Order, an extermination order might still be issued."
[Well, I understand. That can't be helped.]
Yu Hye, who had initially been terrified of me, looked around the Wuji Religious Order once, meeting Baek Rin, Wei Shi-hon, and Eum Wa again.
Only then did she clear her misunderstandings about us.
Of course, she still flinches every time she sees me because of my death, but that's a natural reaction, so I can't say anything about it.
Moved by my sincere persuasion, Yu Hye eventually promises to convey our intentions to the Black Ghost Palace in the future.
[By the way, wouldn't you like to receive the 'procedure'? You'll really like it.]
"No, thank you. If I undergo the 'procedure,' I would have to modify my current ghost body, wouldn't I?"
[That's right.]
"This ghost body was created by my superior, Cha Jo-gwi, so there's no need for modification."
[Well, do as you wish.]
I have no intention of forcing someone who doesn't want it.
She mentions Cha Jo-gwi and then suddenly seems to remember something.
"By the way, could you at least give me a transmission talisman to contact Cha Jo-gwi-nim? I need to inform him not to worry as I am truly doing well."
But Hong Fan shakes his head.
"It seems you want to use the transmission talisman, but it will be difficult. Over the next few days, we will be leaping over hundreds of thousands, even millions of li. This will distort the space and the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, making it very unlikely for the message to be properly sent."
"Hmm, is it really that difficult? If I send about a hundred transmission talismans, wouldn't at least one of them reach?"
"It's not a matter of probability, but the fact that the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy will distort, causing the content of the transmission talisman to alter during the transmission."
Yu Hye ponders for a moment before speaking.
"I'll take the risk. How much would the message distort anyway? It's better to let Cha Jo-gwi-nim know I am safe as he will be worried."
"Well, if you insist..."
Hong Fan reluctantly takes out a transmission talisman from his storage scroll and hands it to her.
"Thank you, Law Protector."
"No need."
"Then, I'll go to my room and send the message, Cult Leader."
[Sure, and don't worry. I won't eavesdrop on the conversation between lovers.]
Yu Hye blushes slightly at my words and heads to her designated accommodation.
[Ah, youth.]
I chuckle as I watch her retreating figure.
Yu Hye returns to her room and unfolds the transmission talisman she received from Hong Fan.
"Cha Jo-gwi-nim, are you doing well? This is Yu Hye. I'm currently at the headquarters of the Wuji Religious Order. I am sending this message to reassure you not to worry too much."
She clears her throat and records her voice in the talisman.
Then she begins to convey the situation here.
"...I thought it would be like hell, but unexpectedly, the cult leader is a benevolent ghost who understands righteousness."
Starting with the cult leader, the Wuji Ghost King Seo Eun-hyun, she explains the purpose of the Wuji Religious Order.u0026nbsp;
"Furthermore, their goal is to aspire for a peaceful Nether Ghost Realm. It's truly a grand dream. While I don't know their ultimate aim as I'm an outsider, they say they'll let me go eventually. There's no need to come looking for me; I'll return to the Black Ghost Palace myself."
Worrying that her superior and lover, Cha Jo-gwi, might come after her recklessly, Yu Hye makes a request.
"And it seems it would be better if the Black Ghost Palace doesn't further antagonize the Wuji Religious Order. I'll explain more in detail when I return."
She speaks with consideration for the strained relationship between the Black Ghost Palace and the Wuji Religious Order.
"And your friend named Baek Rin seems to have calmed down after witnessing the true love between the Guardian Ghost King couple, Wei Shi-hon and Eum Wa. Although he appears a bit down, his eyes no longer burn with rage like before. Perhaps we have misunderstood this order too much."
Then there is the direct cause of Cha Jo-gwi's involvement in this battle.
She conveys the situation regarding his friend Baek Rin.
"...I think I won't easily forget what I've seen here."
Yu Hye reflects on her time in the Wuji Religious Order.
At first, it was frightening, but the cult leader turned out to be unexpectedly upright and kind.
And the peaceful and leisurely beings of the Twilight Domain were filled with happiness.
Yu Hye feels she might never easily forget the peaceful scenes of the Twilight Domain.
"And also...I left a message as if it were my last words before being captured but...um, it's a bit embarrassing. Although it was good serving you all this time, please forget my tone as if leaving a last will. I'd appreciate it if you could bury it forever in your memory."
She remembers leaving those last words with a wistful look in her eyes to Cha Jo-gwi just before being dragged away by Jeon Myeong-hoon, making her face turn red.
She feels like jumping into bed and kicking the blankets in embarrassment.
"Well, I think this is enough to let you know I'm safe. I'm truly safe. It's not that I'm brainwashed into saying good things about this place. Ah, and..."
Wo-woong―
She looks out the window at the trembling Twilight Domain.
'Didn't they say we will depart again soon?'
If so, it's about time to send the message.
"They say we will be departing soon. I'll end it here. I hope the contents of this talisman don't get too distorted. Then, goodbye. I'll be back soon."
Yu Hye steps outside the Wuji Religious Order and infuses her Ghost Path spirit power into the transmission talisman.
Hong Fan, approaching Yu Hye, asks again with a slightly worried look.
"I'm repeating this again, but because the spatial waves haven't subsided yet, the contents of the message might be distorted upon arrival. Some parts might be missing or mixed with static noise."
"Hmm, it's fine. My superior will understand everything regardless of how it's conveyed, so he'll understand even if it's somewhat distortion."
"If you say so..."
Paaaatt!
Soon after, the transmission talisman in Yu Hye's hand turns into a ray of light and flies somewhere.
At the place where the White Yin Domain used to be.
There, a Nether Crossing Ship is swiftly flying somewhere.
In the captain's cabin of the Nether Crossing Ship.
The sailors gather around, encouraging Cha Jo-gwi who looks as if he lost his soul.
"Don't worry, Captain. The Lieutenant will surely be safe."
"With her personality, she might even be scolding those devilish cult bastards and giving them a lesson."
"Besides, those guys are fleeing right now. How could they have the leisure to do anything to the Lieutenant? If we catch the devilish cult quickly, the Lieutenant will safely return!"
Cha Jo-gwi faintly smiles at the sailors' encouragement.
"...Yes...thank you, everyone...I've shown you a disgraceful side as your captain..."
At that moment.
Paaaaaat!
A clear light enters Cha Jo-gwi's captain's room.
"That, that's...!?"
"A transmission talisman?"
Cha Jo-gwi flinches in surprise and reaches out to the talisman.
Then, a gentle voice begins to emanate from it.
―Cha Jo-gwi-nim...
It's Yu Hye's voice.
Cha Jo-gwi's eyes widen, and the sailors of the Nether Crossing Ship fall silent.
Chi-jik, chi-ji-jik—
The static is quite loud, but Cha Jo-gwi swallows and trembles as he speaks.
"Yu, Yu Hye...! Are you alright? Please, please answer...!"
Chi-jik, chi-ji-jik—
Despite the static, Yu Hye's voice manages to come through the transmission talisman to Cha Jo-gwi.
—Chi-ji-jik...here...chi-ji-jik...worry...hell...chi-ji-jik...
"...Yu, Yu Hye..."
—Leader...chi-ji-jik...truly grand...do e...love...won't forget...
"..."
—Forever...chi-ji-jik...brainwash...soon...goodbye...chi-ji-jik...
Chi-jik, chi-ji-ji-jik...
With that, the transmission talisman goes silent.
And, in the captain's room of the 30th Nether Crossing Ship.
A tremendous wave of ghostly energy begins to surge.
[Those devilish cult bastards!!!]
Kugugugugu!
[I'll kill them all!!!]
With tears of blood streaming from his eyes, Cha Jo-gwi grits his teeth.
[No matter what it takes!!!]
Seven days pass.
Kugugugugu—
Finally, the Wuji Religious Order and the Twilight Domain covers the insane distance of 25 million li, reaching the northern end of the Nether Ghost Realm.
They approach the boundary between the Stable Realm and the Chaos Realm.
"It's almost time."
I sit in the cult leader's seat, smiling.
Jeon Myeong-hoon, to my right, nods.
"Yes, it's almost time."
Soon, we will be able to rescue the remaining disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.
Kugugugugu—
The Twilight Domain moves through the sky.
The Realm Annihilation Ground-Shrinking Formation can no longer be used, but simple movement is still possible using the Twilight Domain's dragon vein.
After a while.
We arrive at the area where the remains of the one who went berserk under the influence of an Entering Nirvana True Person are located.
Swoosh...
I fly above the Wuji Religious Order, taking a deep breath at the distant sight.
"Is that...the end of one who dies under the corruption of a True Person?"
***
I gaze at the desolate land far in the distance from above the Twilight Domain.
This is the starting point of the Chaos Realm, where the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect have entered.
An endlessly sprawling, lifeless desert.
Normally, such barren lands are common in the Nether Ghost Realm.
That's because, while it's difficult for life to flourish, it's a good place for certain types of ghostly creatures to reside.
However, I realize that this desert is fundamentally different from such places.
'Even ghostly creatures...aren't visible.'
It's too desolate.
In the Nether Ghost Realm, ghostly creatures are typically everywhere.
There are intelligent ghostly creatures, but also numerous mindless specters.
Particularly, those mindless specters can be found in various shapes and forms all over the Nether Ghost Realm.
But here, there are none.
Not even those common specters are visible.
What I see is an endlessly sprawling desolate land.
And...
Gakak, gakakak, gakak...
In the middle of the desolate land, 'someone's skull' lies alone.
Looking at that skull, I realize it's the remains of a cultivator eroded by a True Person.
Booong―
Kwaaang!
I quickly move my body and land in front of the skull.
'This is...'
Upon closer inspection, this is not a simple skull.
Crack, crack, crack―
This skull, which keeps moving its mouth as if it's alive, has a rather creepy appearance.
However, sensing the true nature of this skull, I realize that its state is far more terrifying than it appears.
Kwagak!
I grab the skull and pull it out from the ground.
Kwagagak―
As I pull further, a spine-like body emerges from below the desolate land. After pulling a certain length, hundreds of grotesque fiber-like things begin to sprout from the spine.
[Hyphae (菌絲), perhaps.]
Though I roughly confirmed it in my conscious domain before landing, it's still disgusting.
The cultivator eroded by the True Person must have been an ordinary ghostly creature.
But over time, its body has gradually transformed into these mushroom-like hyphae, taking root beneath this land.
Wooong―
I observe below the land with my consciousness.
An enormous number of hyphae is wriggling beneath the land.
There are so many hyphae that they cannot be counted even in the thousands or millions.
'The further north, the more clusters of hyphae there are.'
As I perceive the hyphae eroding beneath the land, I look into the distance.
'The remains of the eroded one must have spread their remains from all the way over there to this place, sprouting these hyphae.'
I stare at the skull, still clattering despite being pulled from the ground.
Disappointingly, the skull shows no reaction even as it sees my death, moving its mouth monotonously.
'Is it because it's already eroded?'
I try stimulating it with ghostly energy, attraction force, and spiritual energy.
But the skull mushroom ignores my efforts, continuing to click its teeth and wriggle in my hand.
Then, it happens.
Wriggle, wriggle―
The skull mushroom begins extending hyphae onto my hand.
The hyphae burrows into my hand, spreading roots inward.
'Remarkable. Even with the Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method activated, it easily penetrated this solid flesh.''
I marvel for a moment before trying to expel the hyphae eroding my arm.
However, none of the techniques I have learned can repel the fibers.
'Tsk...should I just cut it off?'
It's when I click my tongue inwardly.
Snap!
The hyphae reacts to the power of the last method I try using.
[...Ho.]
It's the mist of the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
Additionally, the hyphae responds to the power of the All-Heavens Sword.
Perhaps because the All-Heavens Sword contains the energy of Heavenly Tribulation, the hyphae withers upon contact and retreats from my hand.
Wooong―
Combining the power of the All-Heavens Sword and the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, I quickly expel the hyphae from my hand and shatter the skull mushroom.
Paseok!
The skull mushroom, touched by the All-Heavens Sword, crumbles into ashes and scatters beneath my hand.
Kwa-jijijik!
Jeon Myeong-hoon flies to my side and asks.
"Did you find out anything about this land?"
[Yes.]
I nod and tell him.
[These hyphae are weak to Heavenly Tribulation. However, they are not simply weak to any divine lightning. The black lightning of the Six Extremes Yin Thunder Body has little effect. So, you should try to emulate Heavenly Tribulation with your Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation Method as much as possible while moving forward.]
"Is that so? Got it."
[Then, let's depart.]
Jeon Myeong-hoon and I return to the Twilight Domain.
Kugugugugu―
I send the signal to depart from above the barrier of the Twilight Domain, and the Twilight Domain begins to move gradually northward.
Simultaneously, Jeon Myeong-hoon transforms into a Six-Arm Giant at the northern end of the Twilight Domain, takes out a six-colored flag, and begins to wave it wildly.
Kwarung, kwarararung!
The multicolored lightning from the six-colored flag gathers in the air, converging into a single red lightning.
Jeon Myeong-hoon utters invocations towards the red lightning orb in front of him.
The lightning orb explodes, and lightning with an aura very similar to Heavenly Tribulation spreads out like a curtain in front of the Twilight Domain.
Kwa-jijijik!
The Twilight Domain advances, erasing the hyphae beneath the land as it moves forward.
Wooong―
I focus my mind, surrounding the Twilight Domain with my consciousness to monitor for any possible incidents.
It's when the massive body of the Twilight Domain enters the desert.
Kugugugugu!
The entire land trembles, and the hyphae wriggling beneath the earth simultaneously release spores.
'There was no reaction when Jeon Myeong-hoon and I entered, but now they react since a big prey has come.'
But it's futile.
Wiiiiing―
For the Heart Tribe, the consciousness domain is both power and authority.
Their manifestations are mostly based on the consciousness domain.
However, their initially acquired consciousness domain rarely changes.
It's the same for Kim Young-hoon and Jang Ik as well.
With the consciousness domain they first acquired when reaching Five Energies Converging to the Origin, they perform all kinds of feats to defeat cultivators with consciousness that covers Heaven and Earth.
However, I possess the consciousness domain of the Heaven and Earth Tribes along with the power of the Heart Tribe.
My consciousness domain can cover the entire Twilight Domain and beyond!
Kwarururururu!
My consciousness surrounding the Twilight Domain becomes a storm.
The formless storm, swirling with all of Heaven's natural colors, repels every spore.
As we traverse the vast and desolate desert, the fallen spores turn to ash and return to the earth.
About a month passes.
How far have we traveled over this immense desert?
"Is that it?"
We finally reach the source of the hyphae spreading across this entire area.
We succeed in arriving near the remains of the corrupted cultivator.
Kwa-jijijijik!
Jeon Myeong-hoon roars, emitting red lightning from his six arms.
A storm of red lightning sweeps in all directions, eradicating all the hyphae.
Kwa-jijijijik!
After clearing the hyphae, he sets up a barrier of red lightning around the Twilight Domain and looks at me.
I nod.
Jeon Myeong-hoon, Oh Hyun-seok, and I step out of the Twilight Domain and walk towards the eroded remains.
As for Oh Hyun-seok, it was revealed over the past month that the spores are absorbed when they come into contact with the purple aura he emits. Seeing that they are harmless to him, I decided to bring him along.
The remains are massive.
[Horrible.]
I click my tongue as I look at the huge remains.
It's evident that this remnant is still 'alive.'
Jeon Myeong-hoon sticks his tongue out, looking between the remains and me.
"It's quite similar. No wonder you, who sits in the position of cult leader and resembles this, cause others to mistake us for a devilish cult."
[...]
I don't want to admit it, but the remains of the cultivator eroded by a True Person indeed resemble me.
At the center of the hyphae, supplying power to the hyphae, is a pure black body with white skulls sprouting from it.
Even through Nether Perception, it looks like a bizarre figure with death layered several times in one place.
Truly, it resembles my outer appearance.
'Tsk, so they didn't call us a devilish cult for nothing,'
"Then, me and Hyun-seok Hyung-nim will look around and find the sect's disciples."
Jeon Myeong-hoon and Oh Hyun-seok start to explore around, leaving the massive wreckage of about 30 zhang in size behind.
I click my tongue and stare at the entity before me.
'Anyway, It's still alive but...it's quite pitiful.'
Emotions flow from each of the skulls.
These emotions intertwine, forming a single consciousness domain.
Indeed.
These remains, despite their horrific state, are alive.
'Is it dreaming?'
The eroded one, receiving the gaze of a True Person, seems to be dreaming a long dream while desolating this land.
Did this person end up like this willingly?
Wooong—
I grip the All-Heavens Sword while contemplating.
'Can I cut it?'
After a moment of thought, I sheath the All-Heavens Sword.
'I can't.'
Attempting to cut it is possible.
However, for some reason I feel a deep sense of endless foreboding emanating from within the remains, stopping me from swinging the All-Heavens sword.
I have a feeling that cutting it recklessly will bring significant misfortune.
"Found it! They're over here!"
Jeon Myeong-hoon's voice comes from afar.
[I'm coming over there.]
I nod and start walking towards them.
Then it happens.
Shiver!
A sinister feeling licks my spine.
I quickly turn my head, raising the All-Heavens Sword.
What enters my sight are the remains in which a pupil made of pure white light has formed inside an eye socket.
Eyeballs form from within the eye sockets of the remnant with dozens of heads, staring directly at 'me.'
I quickly try to retreat, but the surroundings change instantly.
Pasasasak!
[...!]
The surroundings shatter, and suddenly, I am floating up above under a night sky.
[This place is...]
And the moment I look down, blood bursts from my thirty-eight pairs of eyes.
Pukwak!
[Kuurrgh...!]
A woman!
It seems as if I have seen a 'woman' whose limbs were grotesquely twisted and had holes punctured all over her body.
I grit my teeth as I feel my head swelling uncontrollably.
'What did I just see?'
Unable to stand, I collapse on the spot and barely manage to regain my composure.
'I can't look down...'
Just then.
Kwadududuk!
Suddenly, the force pressing down on me becomes overwhelmingly strong, and I fail to resist the weight of my head, slamming it down as if prostrating myself.
There's something like a transparent barrier preventing me from falling below, but the void below is still clearly visible!
'No, no...! If I look down...!'
And then, it happens.
[...?]
The 'woman' I saw earlier is no longer there below.
Instead, there is only a 'world' so vast that just perceiving it makes my head ache.
[Nether...Ghost Realm...?]
Yes.
Below is the entirety of the Nether Ghost Realm.
'What is this? I thought I saw a woman just now...'
I squint my eyes, extending my consciousness to identify whoever forced my head down with such force.
But there is nothing within a radius of thousands of li.
Nearby, stars are floating in the night sky, illuminating the darkness...
[...Stars?]
Chill!
Only then do I understand where I suddenly am.
'Crazy...could this be...!?'
Above the Nether Ghost Realm.
No, a place even higher.
Outside the dimension of the Nether Ghost Realm!
The place where [True Persons] reside and overlook the Nether Ghost Realm!
As soon as I realize this, a majestic voice resonates in my mind.
[Who are you?]
"...!!!"
I feel it.
Dozens of 'gazes' are piercing into my body!
'Damn, are you saying True Persons can summon beings from within the Nether Ghost Realm to beyond the dimension!?'
Various thoughts race through my mind, but I decide to answer the voice that had just echoed in my mind.
[I am...]
[We did not ask you, insect.]
Kwa-jijijik!
In an instant, my jaw shatters, making it impossible for me to speak.
No, I can't even project my 'will' outward.
It's as if the very act of 'speaking' has been sealed.
[While Your Excellency's words entered the Nether Ghost Realm and wrecked chaos everywhere, we have deliberated. But during our discussion, we discovered a frightening truth. None of us have ever corrupted something like that.]
Terrifying gazes seem to penetrate my body.
[Thus, there can only be one explanation. A being of at least True Immortal is corrupting and manipulating someone beyond our knowledge.]
The True Persons continue talking to me, no.u0026nbsp;
They continue speaking to the entity they believe is behind me.
[Please reveal Your Excellency's identity and, if there are any tasks you wish to entrust to us, we kindly ask that you do so. We have been observing the Nether Ghost Realm in our own way and have learned much over the countless ages, cultivating devotees in various places.]
Kugugugugugu!
As they speak, my entire body feels like it is being crushed.
[Your Excellency, we implore you to grant us an opportunity.]
And then, I extend my arm.
Wuduk, wudududuk―
I stand up from my position.
Kwaduduk!
It feels like attraction force on a cosmic scale is trying to crush my body, but I endure it.
For some reason, I feel that I 'can.'
[...!]
[How can a mortal stand under the authority of a transcendent!]
[I see. Is the entity behind it lending their power?]
[How can they possibly infuse power secretly to that thing under our scrutiny!]
I look around, piercing through the multitude of voices.
Countless stars.
And the 'gazes' pretending to be stars.
About fifty of them, perhaps.
Yes, fifty Entering Nirvana True Persons are casting stern gazes at me.
Gigik, gigigik―
I try to draw forth the Three Great Ultimates or the circuits, but realize it's impossible.
'So that's it.'
I understand what the True Persons have done.
'They didn't drag me here. They temporarily pulled my spirit out of the dimension. My physical body must still be down there.'
I narrow my eyes.
And with all my might, I push my heart essence and the 'something' suppressed within it.
Kuguk, kuguguguguk!
Just as I have lifted my body against the True Persons' attraction force, I draw out the 'speech' they had sealed within me.
[Honorable...True Persons...this insect humbly speaks.]
Kuguguk―
Just uttering a single word is excruciatingly difficult.
It feels as if my entire body will shatter at any moment.
But I can endure it.
Because it's not my actual self here, only my spirit.
Because only my spirit has been summoned, I can't call forth the Three Great Ultimates or the circuits, which require the cultivation of the Heaven and Earth Tribes. But conversely, as long as my mental strength is sufficient, I can endure!
[I am...not under...anyone's control. Please, send me...back.]
However, the True Persons murmur briefly among themselves before sending their will to me.
[Insect. We will acknowledge the feat of you speaking before us and thereby enlighten you. If they truly are a great being, whether you realize it or not, they can influence your fate and history, guiding your actions at will. Do not dare to voice your insignificant opinions and disrupt our conversation.]
Wuduk, wudududuk!
What would happen if I call forth the Inverted Cone or the names of Governing Immortals?
I want to do such a thing immediately, but 'speech' itself is sealed, and I am barely able to express my own opinions.
Thus, it's impossible to utter powerful 'words,' and similarly, I can't call forth those names or symbols.
[Your Excellency, we beseech you to answer us. We remained silent even when your sinister follower wandered through the Nether Ghost Realm, established a bizarre religion with a body piled with layers of ominous death, and disrupted the celestial energy of the Nether Ghost Realm with cursed dolls connected to the Bright Cold Realm. Your follower even approached our devotees and summoned Heavenly Tribulation right in front of them, trying to cause their annihilation. No matter if you are an honorable True Immortal, you are not a Great Net Immortal, so you cannot treat us with such disrespect.]
They ignore me entirely, continuing to speak to someone I don't even know.
I grit my teeth.
For some reason, that moment comes to mind.
The despair I felt when facing fifty Qi Building cultivators.
Although now they are cute little things, at that time, I felt like an insect.
Hiding in a collapsed building, trembling and barely holding my breath, treated like a bug hiding behind Kim Young-hoon.
It feels like I have completely returned to that time.
The situation itself is similar.
Back then, the Elders of the Makli Clan didn't even pay attention to me, focusing solely on chasing Kim Young-hoon, just like these True Persons right now.
[Kneel. Do not dare to direct those insolent eyes at us.]
Kwadududuk!
The overwhelming pressure pushes me down.
[...]
But even under the cosmic forces, I don't kneel, merely looking at the ground.
Everything is the same as back then.
But there is something different.
[Many times over...]
Kuguguguuk―
I gather my will.
[Many times over...I have been treated like an insect.]
Wooong!
I raise my head.
[But even an insect is not your plaything.]
I gather all my will and push the 'words' up my throat.
[If you wish to converse, treat me properly. If not, you will be stung by the poison of an insect.]
Kugugugugu―
Fury (怒氣).
Immense fury fills the heavens.
The True Persons are furious.
The situation is the same as before, but what has changed?
It's that through several lifetimes, I have ceaselessly trained my will, my desire!
Now, even if my mouth tears, I will say what needs to be said!
[Guaaaaaaah!]
Through the All-Heavens Sword, I convert my mental power at the Plane of Soul into the Plane of Qi.
The power of Five Elements and the power of Yin and Yang cover my entire body.
[Great Mountain!]
Kuuuung!
Light swirls in my hands.
This is not an ordinary Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique.
Within it, I imprint the form of [what I had seen]!
[Spitting Emperor!]
Scattering the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique towards the sky, I show them the Inverted Cone.
――――――――!
―!!!!
―――――!!
――――――――!!!!
Indecipherable screams shake the cosmic space.
No, their screams seem to shake the entire Nether Ghost Realm below.
[Your Excellency! Do you truly intend to become our enemy!?]
Kugugugugu!
A True Person with a furious voice shouts recklessly.
[Your follower will become miserable. We will drive its cult out of this land by any means necessary. Everything your follower says will be distorted in interpretation, and your follower will be annihilated and fall into the Netherworld, or will be banished to another world, unable to do anything else.]
Ooooooo—
Sensing the furious voice, I grin.
Pasak, pasasasak!
I shed my Ghost King body.
My human form emerges.
I, Seo Eun-hyun, look up at the sky and say,
"Talking like a dog. Isn't that what you've been doing all along?"
Being called a great ghost, devilish cult leader, vile devilish cult. Was it just once or twice?
For the past 200 years, I've done nothing but spread teachings, volunteer activities, and provide benefits everywhere.
I even seldom went outside the Wuji Religious Order to avoid scaring people with my appearance and form.
Yet, all the factions have been hostile towards me and called me a public enemy.
Two hundred years is not a short time, and wanting to be seen favorably by someone for that long is no simple matter.
It's only natural for people to open their hearts as much as the time invested.
But strangely, everyone remained in a bizarre misunderstanding until they were captured and saw the order with their own eyes.
Is all this just a coincidence?
I've been toyed with by fate many times.
Do you think I can't feel the déjà vu of fate now!?
"You've already been distorting information about our order and twisting our perception to others, spreading it across the entire Nether Ghost Realm! Haven't you been suppressing us for 200 years, making sure we can't spread far and wide by tampering with the Plane of Fate!? And now, when I ask to have a proper conversation, you growl as if you're doing a huge favor!"
Scolding the True Persons who are writhing madly after seeing the Inverted Cone, I smile.
I have been looking for a way to return to the Nether Ghost Realm again since earlier.
And now I found it.
'"Take care. I'm leaving now."
I already know.
Due to their pact with Blood Yin, these people can never interfere in the Middle Realms.
Since I heard it directly from Hyeon Eum, it must be certain.
No matter how much they try to talk to the being behind me, such a being doesn't even exist. In the end, they'd think they are being ignored and try to kill me.
In that case, it's better to refreshingly kick them in the butt and leave boldly.
"Reincarnation Judge of the Netherworld, Nether Ghost True Lord Yu Soo Ryeon! Please let me back in!"
―――――――!
―――!!!
――!!!!!!!!!!
―――――――――――!!!
Once again, the True Persons go crazy.
I, too, feel a shock as if my soul is collapsing.
But high-level information is more dangerous to higher beings, so they must have been even more shocked.
And anyway.
Kuguguguk!
By calling the [name], a strong 'attraction force' forms between the Nether Ghost Realm and me.
"Well then, goodbye!"
Paaaatt!
As the surroundings seem to glow white-hot, I return back inside the Nether Ghost Realm.
Kugugugu!
In the cosmic space where Seo Eun-hyun disappeared.
There, numerous wills communicate fiercely across the boundless spacetime.
The contents of the numerous wills seem noisy, but the topic is one.
How could a mere insect directly confront the will of transcendents, talk back, scatter [horrible things], and then escape?
And among them, the star where the True Person who had tried to talk to the being behind Seo Eun-hyun is located, shines brightly.
[Indeed, is it in the process of completing the Earth (地)? But how can that be possible? How can a mortal, even if the Five Blessings are acceptable, fuse all Six Extremes within itself?]
They are confused but soon solidify their will, causing the starlight to flicker again.
[Enough. There's no need to know. The being behind that thing must be lending their power. And since they are ignoring us like this, there's no choice. In order to prevent that being from exerting their authority here through that thing, we will either eliminate or drive their followers away through all the forces in the Nether Ghost Realm!]
Wo-woong!
At the True Person's words, the stars scattered across the cosmic space flicker, expressing their will in agreement.
***