Shiiiiiii—
From above the last remaining Sky Island, Thunder Spirit Island,
I look down at the ruins of the Human Race territory.
For some reason, I feel a complicated mix of emotions.
"Hey, Seo Eun-hyun."
Jeon Myeong-hoon approaches my side and speaks.
"...Jeon Myeong-hoon."
"Why do you look so grim? You were the one who did it."
"...."
He looks down at me with slightly hollow eyes.
"...Did I do the right thing?"
"Didn't you say Kang Min-hee would be coming out soon anyway? Then, you did the right thing in the end."
"...You know why I left Thunder Spirit Island, right?"
Jeon Myeong-hoon falls silent, his expression turning grim.
That's right.
I confidently razed the entire Human Race territory.
Thanks to the All-Heavens Sword's ability to ignore planes, there were injuries, but not a single death.
However, I couldn't bring myself to destroy Thunder Spirit Island, the old site where Hong Su-ryeong and our former sect, the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, once stood.
It's an incredibly selfish decision.
I destroyed others' lands and homes, driving them away, yet I spared the place that held my own memories. A total self-centered act.
The land I destroyed was surely someone's grave, a place filled with their memories.
The image of me smashing everyone else's homeland while clinging dearly to mine makes me look utterly despicable in my own eyes.
"Why are you acting so pitifully? it's unlike you."
Jeon Myeong-hoon gently strokes the wooden box that holds the hand of Jin So-hae as he speaks.
"Hugging your hometown then dying, or living even if you have to roll in the dirt after everything's been smashed—it's obvious which is better, isn't it? Stop whining uselessly and get up to prepare for Kang Min-hee. The people from Black Ghost Valley are here."
"...Got it."
After a moment of silence, I shake off my thoughts and stand up.
Just as he said, now is not the time to get lost in sentimentality.
I head towards the area near Thunder Spirit Island.
To the place where the Black Ghost Valley and the Azure Heaven Creation Sect are gathered.
The people from the Azure Heaven Creation Sect are diligently training their bodies on one side, while those from Black Ghost Valley are all silent and kneeling as if they are at a funeral.
I look at the Black Grand Elder, Heo Gwak, who is at the forefront, and speak.
"Grand Elder Heo. Please rise. Why are you all like this?"
"...."
Kung!
Instead of responding, Heo Gwak bangs his head on the ground.
"I must first clarify that our opposition against Elder under the Grand Alliance's call was absolutely not of our own volition."
"Well...I figured as much."
Two Nether Crossing Ships with fully operational power sources and dozens of Four-Axis Ghost Kings.
On our side, we only have one Nether Crossing Ship without a power source, two Four-Axis demon beasts, Oh Hyun-seok, and Azure Tiger Saint. It was practically a fight of dozens against one.
And yet, the fact that the Azure Heaven Creation Sect, Shi Ho, Seo Ran, and others were not instantly captured by Black Ghost Valley meant that they were quite lenient with us.
"Black Ghost Valley had no intention of being hostile toward us from the start, right?"
"...How could we ever dare to oppose you, Elder? It's no different from an ant declaring war against the king of a nation."
"...?"
I am slightly puzzled by Heo Gwak's attitude.
"Why are you being so formal? Is it because I destroyed the Human Race territory?"
It feels a bit strange.
Even the Grand Cultivator Association, despite knowing how powerful I am, only saw me at the Integration level and was brimming with fighting spirit, but Black Ghost Valley is acting unusually submissive.
However, I immediately understood after hearing what he says next.
"...We've been in contact with the main sect in the Nether Ghost Realm."
"Ah..."
That means word has spread about what I did in the Nether Ghost Realm.
"We are but insignificant creatures unworthy of even gazing at your shadow, Elder. The main sect instructed us that if we ever encounter Elder again, we should assess the situation and follow your command."
So...
Is it because of the incident where I drove away fifty Entering Nirvana True Persons? It seems that Black Ghost Valley considers me as either the incarnation of a True Immortal or perhaps even some sort of immortal treasure.
I am about to dismiss the flattery but realizing we lack time, I simply nod.
"...Well, I understand. Then, for now..."
Just as I'm about to command something to the Black Ghost Valley, I flinch, trembling as I scan the surroundings.
Jeon Myeong-hoon also shudders as if sensing something, and both the Black Ghost Valley and Seo Ran, who have learned the Ghost Path Method, tremble as well.
In the sky, yin energy is surging.
The energy of the dragon vein in the surroundings is gradually transforming into ghostly energy.
My expression darkens.
The place where the energy of the dragon vein is changing and where the yin energy in the sky is gathering...
As I trace the origin of these phenomena, I notice that the space beneath a Sky Island area, where Black Ghost Valley was previously located, is fluctuating.
'If I had delayed evacuating the Human Race by even a little, it could have been disastrous.'
I look towards the place where the Human Race has fled.
There are no mortals among the humans in the Bright Cold Realm.
As a result, when I wreaked havoc, they were all able to quickly escape their homeland by boarding flying magic artifacts.
I once lamented the lack of mortals, thinking it hindered the development of martial arts, but now, in retrospect, it's a blessing.
Thanks to that, they could escape so swiftly.
However, I can't afford to be satisfied with just that.
"...I'll speak plainly. The disciple you took in with the Ghostly Yin Transformation Immortal Root. She is soon about to go berserk."
"P-Pardon?"
"You can feel the yin energy, right? Soon, she will burst forth from where your sect was once located. She will emerge from the 'side path' on the outskirts of the Netherworld and descend upon the Bright Cold Realm. Her cultivation realm, even when estimated at the very minimum, will be at the Quasi-Star Shattering stage. No..."
I bite my lip, recalling how Jang Ik assessed Kang Min-hee in her prime.
"Other than having no rationality, it will be better to consider her at the actual Star Shattering Stage."
"Th-That..."
Heo Gwak seems to think it's impossible.
But at that moment, a terrifying ghostly wail echoes from one part of the Human Race territory.
"Kuheok!"
"Kugh..."
Everyone who has learned the Ghost Path Method, except for me, coughs up a handful of blood.
I stare with a hardened look at the source of the wail.
In about one or two shichen, Kang Min-hee will descend.
"I am aware of the true purpose of the Nether Crossing Ships."
I speak while looking at Heo Gwak.
"To collect all souls and spirits across the entire Heavenly Domain when the End arrives. It's designed for spatial transmission, dimensional transfer, and such. It's not meant for attack but for 'transportation,' isn't that right?"
"To know a fact only passed down to disciples of the Black Ghost Valley, how could...ah, no. It's only natural that Elder would know."
He readily acknowledges the truth, and I steady myself, looking at the place where Kang Min-hee is about to descend.
"Fly at full speed immediately towards the direction where the Human Race fled and load the entire Human Race onto the Nether Crossing Ships."
I command them with a stern expression.
The Human Race Grand Alliance, which includes the residents of the Bright Cold Realm, was estimated at roughly 30 billion by Temporal Fate Island.
It's possible to squeeze 7 billion of Earth's population into a single state in the United States.
The spatial compression on the Nether Crossing Ship is enough to fully contain the Heaven-Treading Desert.
Considering that the size of the Heaven-Treading Desert is similar to the continent I know as the Americas, theoretically, the insane population of 30 billion can be accommodated.
Heo Gwak nods slightly with a somewhat reluctant expression at my words.
"However, without doubling the power source, it will be difficult to guarantee speed. Also, even if we use spatial transmission, it's still within another region. As Elder mentioned, if the disciple who lost reason is at the Star Shattering stage, they can easily catch up using the ground-shrinking technique..."
"It doesn't matter. We can just do dimensional transfer."
"Even if we do dimensional transfer, where should we move to...? The True Devil Realm hates the Human Race due to the recent Human-Devil Great War, the Purple Gold Realm is too far, and if we go to the Nether Ghost Realm, the entire Human Race would perish. The Ancient Force Realm also requires a special kind of attraction force to enter."
"Not another Middle Realm, but go to a region in the Chaos Realm. If it's the Chaos Realm, the spatial coordinates are all mixed up, so she won't be able to easily use the ground-shrinking technique to follow..."
"But...but for that, we would need fixed spatial coordinates within the Chaos Realm region...and there are no fixed spatial coordinates in the Chaos Realm regions to begin with, and also..."
"There are."
I cut off Heo Gwak's words and hand him spatial coordinates I know of.
"Th-This place is..."
Heo Gwak's face turns pale as he receives the coordinates from me, while Heo Ryeong's face flushes red upon seeing them.
"Th-This..."
"Any objections?"
When I look down at Heo Ryeong, he rubs his side and lowers his head.
"...We will follow the Elder's command."
"Good. Now that it's decided, move quickly! Fly towards the direction where the Human Race has fled and prepare for spatial leap!"
The people of the Black Ghost Valley gather the members of the Azure Heaven Creation Sect and fly in the direction where the Human Race escaped.
The coordinates I gave them are the ones that had been in Jang Ik's podao.
In other words, they are the coordinates of the Heart Tribe territory.
I dispel the floating formation on Thunder Spirit Island, letting it fall downward.
Then, I take out Kim Young-hoon from my domain and request both him and Jeon Myeong-hoon.
"Could you two please take a look around the Human Race territory to check if there are any people left?"
Upon hearing my words, Jeon Myeong-hoon and Kim Young-hoon nod and vanish from sight with speed like light and lightning.
I confirm those who remain.
Seo Ran, who seems to have much to say to the people of Black Ghost Valley, and Shi Ho.
Azure Tiger Saint, who remained after sending off the Azure Heaven Creation Sect, as well as Oh Hyun-seok.
Kim Yeon, who decided to stay to check on Kang Min-hee's condition, and Buk Hyang-hwa, who followed her.
Hong Fan, who remained following me, is also still present.
Meanwhile, Wei Shi-hon, Eum Wa, Yeon Jin, and the others boarded the Nether Crossing Ship and followed Black Ghost Valley.
I look at them and speak.
"Thank you for staying. However, what I'm about to do from now on is merely a stalling tactic. In other words, the opponent is currently in such a terrifying state that all I can do is buy time. Therefore, if a critical situation arises, I ask that you follow my orders without hesitation."
Everyone nods in agreement.
If the situation becomes critical, the plan is to place my comrades within Jeon Myeong-hoon's domain and then have Jeon Myeong-hoon and Kim Young-hoon combine their strengths to reach the Nether Crossing Ship of Black Ghost Valley, which departed earlier.
Kurururung!
Flash!
As red lightning and golden radiance flickers, Kim Young-hoon and Jeon Myeong-hoon return.
Jeon Myeong-hoon shows me the countless humans inside his domain.
"These are people who were either in seclusion or couldn't evacuate in time due to various circumstances. With Young-hoon Hyung-nim's help, we captured them all."
Jeon Myeong-hoon, who suddenly started calling Kim Young-hoon 'Hyung-nim' at some point, shows me the people inside his domain and then points at one person with an irritated expression.
"Hu, huaaak!"
A woman is dragged out of the domain by Jeon Myeong-hoon's attraction force, shrieking as she struggles and screams.
"...."
It's Tae Yeol-jeon.
Or rather...
The woman who 'had been Tae Yeol-jeon' in a previous cycle.
"In the process, this woman claimed to know you and insisted on staying here, so I ignored her and brought her along. Do you know her?"
"H-Huaak, Elder! Do-do you remember me? Please save me! Th-This person is surely trying to take me to some strange place to turn me into a pill..."
"I don't. And Jeon Myeong-hoon isn't that kind of person, so be quiet."
I ignore her and snap my fingers.
She is flung back into a corner of Jeon Myeong-hoon's domain.
Hong Fan looks at her with an annoyed expression, covering his nose and shaking his head.
It's obvious she mistook Jeon Myeong-hoon, who appeared with an intimidating aura and suddenly tried to take her away, for a devilish cultivator collecting ingredients to make human pills.
In any case, thanks to her, the tension eases a bit, and we chuckle.
After telling Jeon Myeong-hoon to take our comrades to the Nether Crossing Ship in case of an emergency, I turn to look at the ground where Kang Min-hee is about to descend.
"Now then. Everyone, stay alert."
And then,
Kugugugugu!
With an overwhelming presence, as Kang Min-hee is about to descend.
Paat!
Suddenly, I find myself in a strange space.
A place filled with pure spiritual energy.
Chills!
Above a high mountain that seems to overlook the entire Bright Cold Realm.
Atop there, I have been transported in front of a huge pavilion made of white jade.
[Come here.]
A clear voice echoes from within the pavilion.
[I am Baek Woon. I have called only your consciousness here to have a brief conversation with you.]
-x-X-x-
Zzzt, zzzt...
I recognize the presence before me and feel a deep chill in my heart.
Literally.
The being within the White Jade Pavilion is no different from a world itself.
The more I try to perceive, the more it feels like my consciousness is sinking into a quagmire.
A presence that evokes despair before any sense of intimidation.
The Administrator of the Bright Cold Realm.
Sacred Master Baek Woon.
Without realizing it, I have fallen to my knees and prostrated myself before Sacred Master Baek Woon.
"...Seo Eun-hyun of the Human Path pays respects to the Sacred Master."
Snap!
With the sound of something bouncing, I suddenly find myself inside the White Jade Pavilion.
I have entered a grand hall vast enough to be a castle.
'This authority...'
I have seen this kind of unreasonable authority once before—one that can instantly strip away someone's consciousness and place it before them.
The True Persons.
It's the authority of the True Persons at the Entering Nirvana stage.
Which means...
'The being before me must be considered on par with the True Persons.'
Gulp.
I swallow nervously.
Even if the Sacred Master intends to scatter my soul and spirit right now, I don't think I can resist...well not to that extent.
Regardless, it's clear that this is a being capable of harming me at any moment.
"...May I ask why the Sacred Master has summoned this one who is still merely a mortal from the Human Path?"
In response to my question, Sacred Master Baek Woon's clear voice resonates throughout the pavilion.
[Raise your head.]
With a trembling heart, I lift my head.
And then I see it.
A giant.
Kugugugugu!
A giant, whose upper body alone seems to be two or three li long, is sitting on a white jade throne, looking down at me.
Sacred Master Baek Woon's skin has parts that are partially exposed, resembling tree bark, and white branches seem to sprout from her head.
She is dressed in a pure white robe, and from her eyes, upright energy is flowing.
As I continue to gaze up at Sacred Master Baek Woon, I realize that what I am seeing is an illusion.
Flinch!
I snap back to reality and focus my consciousness, and the giant vanishes from my sight, replaced by a withered tree-like being sitting on a small throne.
It looks like a scarecrow made of dried-up wood hastily dressed in a woman's clothes.
Seven lightning spears of different colors are embedded in her chest and abdomen, softly sparking with lightning.
Golden, red, dark blue, purple, pale pink, dark red, and black lightning sparks whip around, forming chains that restrain her movements and coil around her.
Sacred Master Baek Woon tilts her head slightly and speaks.
[As expected...is your weight class at the Star Shattering stage, to have directly pierced through my aura and seen my true form.]
"..."
As I stare at those lightning spears, I somehow feel that I know who their owner is and I let out a sigh in my mind.
My eyes meet those of Sacred Master Baek Woon.
Though her body is like a withered tree due to the lightning spears, her eyes are remarkably similar to the clear, bright ones I have seen in the earlier illusion.
Perhaps the vision I have seen earlier is her true form in her prime.
[Do you know why I summoned you? Traveler from the ominous world.]
"..."
There are too many possibilities, making it impossible to pinpoint exactly what it is.
As cold sweat drips from my brow, she chuckles softly.
Her laughter, while not as potent as the laughter of Esteemed Ones at the Star Shattering stage that could strike like an Integration stage attack just by hearing it, I feel an even greater sense of danger.
While the laughter of the Esteemed Ones felt like they couldn't contain their overflowing power, the laughter of the Sacred Master feels like it has completely controlled that immense power, leaving only pure laughter behind.
A danger even more restrained than that of the Esteemed Ones.
That is the Sacred Master.
[You survived even after meeting that [Arrogant Monarch], did you not?]
"...!"
Arrogant Monarch.
Though the title is incorrect, I instantly know who she is referring to.
It seems she knows that I survived an encounter with the Owner of Great Mountain.
"...Yes."
[That tyrannical Governing Immortal wouldn't have retreated without a reason. Do you know what the reason is?]
"...!"
I'm startled by her words.
She casually mentioned a [Governing Immortal].
Seeing the slight shock on my face, she tilts her head and says,
[The reason why one should not carelessly perceive or utter the names of True Immortals is that doing so creates an attraction force. This force can shock and kill lesser beings. However, someone at my level can strip the power contained in the [title] and speak it. That way, discussing them isn't all that difficult.]
"...I see."
[So, your answer to the question is?]
I swallow.
"I cannot say."
After meeting the Heavenly Venerable of Time and using His power to travel back 190,000 years, I was saved from being killed by the Mountain God thanks to the help of the God of Light.
It's simple to say.
But there are too many Governing Immortals involved in this.
Even if I assume Baek Woon could suppress the attraction force generated from my words, it's hard to believe she can control the forces of so many beings at once.
Hearing my response, she seems slightly displeased, tapping the armrest of her throne with a 'hmm'.
I look at Sacred Master Baek Woon and speak.
"That aside, if you have nothing else to say, may I ask for a favor?"
[...What is it?]
"The presence of the Star Shattering stage trying to enter the Bright Cold Realm. Please help me subdue her and restore her rationality."
She replied.
[Why should I do that...?]
"Pardon...?"
I'm taken aback by her response.
"N-No...She's merely lost her reason, but she's still a being at the Star Shattering stage. I cannot stop her. And a Sacred Master, as far as I'm aware...aren't you the one who protects the Bright Cold Realm...?"
[...You seem to be mistaken.]
She clicks her tongue and says,
[Guest from the ominous world. I manage the Bright Cold Realm, but I am not responsible for the safety of the living beings within it.]
"What does that...? No, never mind."
I try to understand what she means but then remember I don't have time, so I shout.
"If there is nothing else to be said, please send me back! I will stop her, even if it has to be with my own hands!"
[That I cannot do. I must observe you to confirm whether there is an attraction force from the Arrogant Monarch. If you are indeed Their puppet, letting you go could lead to the world's destruction.]
I understand what she means.
I am the one who directly witnessed the destruction of the world by the Owner of Great Mountain.
But I can't back down now.
Tstststststststst—
I draw upon the power of the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra, causing spiritual energy like grains of salt to float around me.
I have no intention of recklessly using the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra.
This is purely an intimidation tactic.
"Send me back immediately. I must stop her. If not, I will detonate this."
It's a simple bluff.
No one understands better than me the tyranny of the Owner of Great Mountain, and I resolved not to carelessly use anything related to True Immortals anymore.
However, Sacred Master Baek Woon doesn't seem to take it as mere bluffing. She flinches slightly before speaking kindly.
[If it's time you're worried about, don't be.]
Snap!
Wo-woong!
I tighten my focus as I feel the surrounding environment start to distort.
Her following words only heighten my tension.
[I have accelerated our consciousnesses by a hundred fold. We'll have time to share a brief conversation.]
"..."
The authority to casually pull someone's consciousness and accelerate it.
I have also accelerated Kim Yeon's consciousness within her dream, but that was due to the special nature of her dream.
However, Sacred Master Baek Woon has the power to interfere with someone else's consciousness directly in reality.
[While investigating the attraction force in your soul in this accelerated consciousness, while I can't say it's done in exchange, ask any questions you may have. I'll answer to the best of my knowledge.]
She intends to investigate me in this accelerated world while addressing any of my questions.
I think for a moment and then nod.
"Very well. Then, first, why does the Sacred Master leave the Mad Lord who is massacring the living beings of the Bright Cold Realm alone, and why does she allow the existence of the Ghostly Yin Transformation Immortal Root that will devour the land of the Bright Cold Realm?"
[As I said before, I am merely the administrator of the Bright Cold Realm. I am not your protector.]
"What does that mean?"
[Hmm...]
She seems to ponder for a moment before speaking.
[To make you understand, I will need to give a somewhat lengthy explanation. Do you know the purpose of the existence of Sacred Masters?]
"Other than being the administrators of worlds, I do not know much."
[Why do you think we manage worlds?]
"How would I know that?"
[Hehe...a cheeky thing. Listen carefully. From Sacred Masters onward, we begin cultivation by sensing the attraction force of fate.]
"...!"
Wasn't the attraction force of fate something only a True Immortal can handle?
'No, that's not right. Now that I think about it, even Quasi-Immortals used fate to bestow misfortune upon me.'
Perhaps from the latter stages of the Middle Boundary, one can begin to handle the attraction force of fate to some extent through the Plane of Fate.
[We cultivate by sensing a total of eight types of attraction forces of fate. And in that process, what's absolutely necessary is a vast world. The best option is a Middle Realm, the second is a star system, and the last is being captured by a living True Immortal and used as an immortal treasure.]
"..."
[You understand why the last one must be a 'living' True Immortal, right?]
"...Are you saying...it's possible to manage a dead True Immortal...?"
Baek Woon nods.
[Yes. Someone of your level might have already guessed, but the Middle Realms within the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, except for one, are entirely composed of the corpses of dead True Immortals.]
"..."
I am somewhat shocked, but since I suspected this for a long time, I only let out a silent sigh of acceptance.
[Around 500,000 years ago, under the lead of a great being known as the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord, three Judges of the Netherworld, a Netherworld spy, and a grand Netherworld army—five Gods in total along with a grand army composed of innumerable Reapers and True Immortals—descended upon our Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain. It is said that the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord, after competing with the four Heavenly Venerables and proving their strength, descended here with a certain purpose and waged war.]
It's fascinating.
Perhaps it's because Baek Woon can control the power contained in her words.
Despite the dangerous knowledge she is imparting, no matter how much I listen, it doesn't seem like it will cause any immediate problems.
[After competing with the four Heavenly Venerables, the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord descended to the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain and waged war against [something] with overwhelming power. But it is said that the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord's forces, including the Netherworld army, suffered a crushing defeat.]
The origin story of the Bright Cold Realm from 500,000 years ago flows from her lips.
[You know of the Vestiges of the Interdimensional Void, correct? The shed skins of Quasi-Immortals when they ascend to become True Immortals, or their corpses...even beings of True Immortal rank can sometimes create Vestiges when they die incorrectly. And...the corpse of the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord, who died a miserable death, was especially prone to creating a Vestige. Can you imagine how terrifying the Vestige of the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord, who fought on equal terms with the four Heavenly Venerables, would be...?]
"..."
[The Vestige alone could destroy the entire Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain. Thus, the True Persons of the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain at the stage of Entering Nirvana all gathered and discussed. "Someone must take charge of the corpses of those Judges and the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord, become a Sacred Master, and manage them so they don't turn into Vestiges." "We absolutely need gravekeepers to manage the remains of those beings."]
Sacred Master Baek Woon sighs as she speaks.
[And so, the corpse of the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord was taken over by the first Sacred Master of the Bright Cold Realm and the descendent of a Judge, Lofty Dragon True Person, who temporarily lowered their realm to enter. In the Ancient Force Realm, it was Hae Yu (Hae means Xie in Xiezhi, Yu means willow/ 獬柳), the son of the Ancient Force True Lord. In the Nether Ghost Realm, it was Yu Oh (攸於), the retainer of the Nether Ghost True Lord. In the True Devil Realm, it was Sae Eum (Sae as in Imperial Seal, Eum as in Yin/ 璽陰), the Immortal Treasure of the Nether Devil True Lord. In the Purple Gold Realm, a child who had just risen to become a Sacred Master nearby was captured and became the Sacred Master...and after some time, Lofty Dragon True Person was killed by that thing, and I lowered my realm to become the Sacred Master...do you understand now?"]
She clenches and unclenches her withered hand as she continues.
[I am not the protector of the living beings of the Bright Cold Realm. If I were still a Sacred Master in the midst of cultivation, I might have protected the living beings because I would have needed to cultivate through the attraction force of fate. But I am beyond the point of needing to comprehend the meaning of attraction force, or rather, there is no need to do so. My role is not to protect you living beings, but to tether this Middle Realm mass known as the Bright Cold Realm with the attraction force of fate, preventing the world from splitting and giving birth to terrifying Vestige.]
"...So, you won't help us?"
[I've done what I could. I've called Jang Ik, so if you endure for about 500 years, he will arrive. In around 500 years, his avatar will reach here and take care of the Mad Lord and the Star Shattering stage ghostly creature.]
"Are you saying you'll just watch as living beings are massacred for 500 years...?"
[It's just 500 years. What are you so worried about?]
Sacred Master Baek Woon props her chin with one hand and points to her abdomen.
[In any case, I sustained a fatal injury while fighting the left ring finger of Yang Su-jin 120,000 years ago, so I don't have the luxury to waste my power. Summoning Jang Ik is the greatest mercy I could extend for the sake of the living beings.]
"..."
I sigh inwardly, coming to grips with the overwhelming truths I have just learned.
Woo-woong—
Paaaatt!
I suddenly realize that something that I haven't even realized is there which entered my body at some point has been extracted.
[The investigation is over. For now, I don't see any connected attraction forces...you don't need to worry about the Arrogant Monarch suddenly descending again.]
"...Then you'll let me go now?"
Despite our consciousnesses being accelerated, some time has passed while listening to her story.
Kang Min-hee's descent is imminent.
[I'll answer one last question before letting you go.]
"...Thank you. In that case..."
I organize my complicated thoughts and ask a question.
"Lastly, you said I came from an ominous world."
I ask her why some high-ranking beings, starting with Yang Su-jin and including Zhengli, consider the Head Realm to be ominous.
There are many other things I am curious about, but I feel this is the most important.
At my words, her expression hardens slightly before she speaks.
[...Do you know how the six Middle Realms are arranged?]
"...I don't know."
At my response, Sacred Master Baek Woon taps the armrest with her finger.
Toong—
From the place she tapped, a ripple spreads out, and soon the surroundings are dyed with an illusion.
I find myself standing within a vast darkness.
In the darkness, I see five sun-like lights and one small dark red light.
Her voice echoes amidst the darkness.
[Those lights are the five Middle Realms. The dark red one is the Blood Yin Realm. Look closely. As I made them in forms you can see.]
As I observe the Middle Realms as she said, I can see corpses within the masses of light.
I can't clearly see their faces, but I can tell that each and every one had died horrific deaths. Either grotesquely twisted, pierced with gaping holes, or in the case of the Ancient Force Realm, their entire body was crushed and turned into a pulp, leaving only a head.
The Blood Yin Realm is just a dark red mist, making it impossible to see anything clearly.
Takk!
When she snaps her fingers, tiny lights begin to appear again around us.
[These are the Decaying Corpse Realms. They are the fragments of beings from the Netherworld army and the followers of Vast Cold who were killed by the [something]. Observe them carefully.]
Between the five Middle Realms.
I shudder as I look at the small light that appeared in the very center.
It's the decaying head of someone with their eyes rolled back into their skull.
'The Head Realm...?'
The Head Realm is at the center of the five Middle Realms.
Though it's closest to the Bright Cold Realm, it isn't that close and is only slightly closer than the other Middle Realms.
[That is the Head Realm. The ominous world from which you have come.]
"Yes...it's in the center of the Middle Realms."
[That is not what's important. Look again at the direction in which the Middle Realms died.]
"Pardon...?"
At her words, I look at the corpses within the light masses.
The Ancient Force, which has been turned into pulp with only the head remaining, is looking towards the Head Realm.
The severed head and arms of the Purple Gold Realm, whose body has been cut into eight pieces, are directed towards the Head Realm.
The head of the twisted corpse from the Nether Ghost Realm, twisted grotesquely even in death, seems to be looking at the Head Realm, as if reaching out towards it.
The True Devil Realm, with its body horribly mutilated and missing parts, is also looking towards the Head Realm.
And then, the horrifically distorted body of the Bright Cold Realm.
The Vast Cold Heavenly Lord, too, has died with an outstretched hand, as if reaching out towards the Head Realm.
Only after realizing this do I feel a chilling sense of fear that makes my hair stand on end.
[Do you see? The Head Realm, from which you have ascended from...it looks as though the Gods who once made their names known throughout the Heavenly Domain met their tragic end while charging towards the Head Realm.]
"..."
For some reason, the words 'Audience Chamber' that Cheongmun Ryeong wrote seem to flicker before my eyes.
Audience Chamber.
A place where one greets a great being.
[Do you now understand why the Head Realm is considered an ominous place?]
If so, what kind of entity is the existence of the Audience Chamber that even the great Vast Cold Heavenly Lord and the Judges twisted their bodies in such a way to meet?
-x-X-x-
Burururu—
At the shape of the Head Realm and the positions of the worlds surrounding it, I shiver and clear my mind.
'There's nothing I can figure out right now.'
I need to stay alert, but I shouldn't keep thinking about it.
The more I think about it, the more the attraction force builds up, and if that happens, who knows what kind of entity might peek into my mind.
"...Thank you for the valuable information."
[Alright, then be on your way.]
After Sacred Master Baek Woon fully releases the acceleration on my consciousness, I feel that she has granted me permission to return at any time.
I speak to her,
"May I come back later to resolve some questions?"
[Hmm...]
She ponders for a moment before replying.
[If you want to meet with me alone before reaching the Star Shattering stage, at least stabilize those disasters first.]
'She must be talking about the Mad Lord and Kang Min-hee.'
I nod after considering for a moment.
"...Understood. I will try my best."
[Good. Then, let us meet again later...]
Woo-woong—
With those words, my consciousness quickly returns from the Heavenly Lotus Mountain where Sacred Master Baek Woon resides.
Tststststststss—
When I open my eyes, I find myself back in the same situation.
Kugugugugu!
Yin energy is overflowing, and Kang Min-hee is descending.
'If Jeon Myeong-hoon and Kim Young-hoon combine their strength, they can reach a speed close to the Star Shattering stage.'
The rest of my comrades are also capable of each handling their own parts.
Moreover, considering that Sacred Master Baek Woon has verified my weight class as being on the level of the Star Shattering stage, I should be able to at least buy some time against Kang Min-hee who is descending now.
Surung—
I draw out the Colorless Glass Sword from the void through my domain and move forward to join my comrades.
Kururung—
Dark clouds cover the sky, and from their center, space begins to distort as a gray sphere starts to appear.
A phenomenon where the outskirts of the Netherworld is being forcibly overlaid onto reality.
But that isn't the end.
Kuuuung—
Is it the sound of a rifle being fired?
The sound of a grenade exploding?
Or the sound of a mountain being blown away by a spell?
A similar explosion echoes from deep within.
Kuuuung—
But instinctively, I realize that this isn't just any ordinary explosion—it's a 'heartbeat.'
Yes, this is the sound of someone's heartbeat.
Kuuung—
With the third heartbeat, the gray sphere turns black.
Tsschaaa—
Black smoke pours out from the darkened sphere.
And the sight makes the hair on my body stand on end.
'Crazy.'
What looks like smoke is actually tiny specks of dust.
And each of those specks are at least a Qi Building level ghost.
Kuuung—
The fourth heartbeat echoes.
The sphere begins to crack, and I feel something trying to burst out from inside.
I speak with a hardened expression.
"Young-hoon Hyung-nim. Jeon Myeong-hoon. Everyone, head to the Nether Crossing Ship now."
It seems I underestimated the situation.
I assumed that the Kang Min-hee of the Star Shattering stage we are about to face is the same Kang Min-hee I had encountered in the previous 18th cycle with Seo Li.
The Kang Min-hee of that time had only just reached the Star Shattering stage, and she felt about the same level as I am now.
The most overwhelming Kang Min-hee I ever encountered is the one from a thousand years in the future.
The bonafide Star Shattering stage Kang Min-hee was so terrifying that Jang Ik had to personally confront the Ghost Guiding Holy Mother.
Therefore, even though we are not yet a thousand years into the future, but only about 500 years later, the current situation...
It seems I had been under the delusion that I could possibly face Kang Min-hee.
"What do you mean, Eun-hyun? How can we abandon our comrade?"
"We can each pull our own weight..."
"I said go now!!!"
I cut off Kim Young-hoon and Jeon Myeong-hoon, shouting fiercely.
It's because my weight class has reached the Star Shattering stage that I can sense it, while my comrades, still at the Integration level, seem unaware.
Fortunately, Kim Yeon, whose consciousness has explosively grown to a level beyond the Integration stage, seems to grasp the meaning behind my words. She nods with cold sweat trickling down her face and Hong Fan stares blankly into the sphere as if sensing something,
"D-Do as he says, everyone..."
Kim Yeon clutches her head and breathes heavily as she speaks, and since Kim Young-hoon and Jeon Myeong-hoon are not entirely oblivious to the situation, they exchange glances and ask with dark expressions.
"Will you be alright?"
"As long as you all aren't here, I can muster every means available to hold out."
"...Alright."
Jeon Myeong-hoon nods, then he and Kim Young-hoon combine their strength, transforming into a golden lightning bird and flying off towards the Nether Crossing Ship of the Black Ghost Valley.
'To forget that a Reaper of the Netherworld intervened...are you retarded, Seo Eun-hyun?'
I curse myself furiously.
Kuuung—
Crack!
At last, a long, slender hand breaks through the sphere.
Kugugugugu!
If my suspicion is right,
This cycle's Kang Min-hee will be stronger than any version of her I encountered before.
Because she...
Crack!
Shatter!
'You're finally here.'
Due to the intervention of a Reaper of the Netherworld, at this point in time—500 years after we arrived in this world—her power already exceeds that of herself a thousand years in.
Whisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisper...
It's as if countless whispers are flickering at my ears.
Unintelligible murmurs.
Resentment, wailing, screams, prayers, cries...
The languages of the dead are all spewing out from one place.
The monarch of ghosts who leads tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions, trillions of ghosts.
It is the voice of the Ghost Guiding Holy Mother Kang Min-hee!
Whisperwhisperwhisper...
Kuguguk!
Just from her whispers, I can feel an enormous shockwave, understanding that this force is akin to the attack of an Integration stage cultivator.
'It's on par with the laughter of the Star Shattering stage Esteemed Ones in the Lightning Sacred Sea.'
Fortunately, I have grown stronger since then and I can still stand here now.
A black ghost with a ten-zhang tall body, tearing at its own head as it utters countless whispers.
Her head stretches out for several li, merging with the darkness, and she wears a robe of shadows with blue tears streaming from her eyes—this is the Ghost Mother.
I shout at Kang Min-hee, the Ghost Guiding Holy Mother.
"Over here!"
Whoosh!
At my words, her gaze locks onto me.
Kuguguk!
Just from her gaze, the ground around me begins to rot from the yin energy, and ghosts start appearing in all directions.
But I meet her gaze calmly and give a bitter smile.
Surung—
"...We have a lot of unfinished conversations, don't we?"
I raise the Colorless Glass Sword and assume a sword stance.
"Let's share them now."
The next moment.
Kang Min-hee has already arrived in front of me.
Kwagwagwagwang!
She swings her arm down.
In the past, I wouldn't have been able to react and would have been buried deep in the ground by such a blow.
But now, I smoothly deflect her hand with my sword and kick off the ground, soaring high into the sky.
In an instant, the blue sky draws closer, and I rise high enough for the vast territory of the Human Race to look small.
'I can see Heavenly Lotus Mountain.'
I glance at Sacred Master Baek Woon's Heavenly Lotus Mountain, where I had just been, and then turn my gaze to Kang Min-hee, who has already caught up with me.
Rip!
She opens her mouth.
Her blue teeth, having already turned into those of a monster, are jagged and sharp like a shark.
"Your teeth are healthy as always, I see."
Crunch!
I joke as I watch Kang Min-hee bite down on my Colorless Glass Sword.
Of course, she doesn't seem inclined to humor me. She pulls me below her using the strength of her neck and then dives straight down from this height, trying to plunge me directly into the ground.
Huarururuk!
Like a meteor entering the atmosphere and bursting into flames, she and I are surrounded by fire.
"This is going to hurt. Sorry."
Bo-oong!
In the midst of the scorching heat, I twist the Colorless Glass Sword that is clenched in her mouth.
Kagak!
With a few sword cries, the direction of the twisted Colorless Glass Sword in her mouth shifts.
At the same time, the Colorless Glass Sword that's wedged between her teeth cleanly severs Kang Min-hee's head.
[Kiyaaaaaaaa!!!]
A horrifying ghostly wail seems to echo beyond from the Human Race territory all the way to the Leaf Race territory.
Gurgle, gurgle!
From the place where her head is severed, black liquid flows, and two new heads sprout from Kang Min-hee's neck.
It's an amusing trick. But since I can produce up to 20 heads myself, I take advantage of her confusion instead of being impressed and climb onto her body.
Uguk!
She squirms as if trying to shake me off, but in her human form, I have her arms completely pinned down, pressing her beneath me and making it difficult for her to escape.
[Kiyaaaaaaaak!]
Another upper body sprouts from her back.
The new upper body aims a ghostly claw at me, but it's already too late.
I summon my true form with 20 heads, and using the thousand-pound descent (千斤墜) technique, I add the weight of an entire continent to her by enhancing the mass within my domain.
Kwaaaaang!
A massive rupture emerges across the entire Human Race territory, triggering tectonic shifts.
I feel a little sorry for the neighboring Leaf Race, knowing their territory is likely experiencing massive earthquakes and tsunamis.
'I'm sorry. I don't have the strength to evacuate you all.'
While initiating an emergency alert, I offer a slight apology to the Leaf Race and other nearby races who are just now beginning to evacuate. I then raise my sword towards the writhing darkness beneath my feet.
From a higher plane to a lower plane.
From a higher stance to a lower target.
In an instant.
In a moment so brief that it surpasses even the speed of the Surpassing Radiant Saber, my Deep Mountain, Emerging Dao single strike lands on the Ghost Guiding Holy Mother.
Boo-wooong!
The Human Race territory, spanning about 500,000 li, is once again split in half by my sword energy.
Sound itself fails to keep up with the speed, arriving only afterwards.
However, I harden my expression, and without hesitation, I withdraw from the Ghost Guiding Holy Mother after delivering the strike.
Ooooooo—
Ghosts begin to sing.
The tectonic shifts I caused by striking the Ghost Guiding Holy Mother into the entire Human Race territory,
From the cracks formed by those tectonic shifts, yin energy and ghostly energy begin to rise.
Kugugugugu!
"...This dog-like."
I mutter a curse under my breath as I realize the true nature of that yin energy.
Why is the Human Race considered one of the Two Evils among the Six Great Races?
Turning living creatures into pills is not a vice exclusive to humans. Many other races also keep slave races, and the mindset full of invasion and plunder isn't unique to humanity either.
In hypocrisy, the Tall Tree Race and Paired Wings Race surpasses them.
In strangeness, the Fungal Bone Race is above.
In ugliness, the Rotting Owl Race is superior.
In battle prowess, the Fighting Ghost Race outpaces humans.
Yet, the Human Race is among the Two Evils.
Why is that?
The truth lies in their 'quantity.'
The Human Race is one of the countless Heaven Tribe Races, seemingly ordinary at first glance.
But the Human Race is a species that could covet others' possessions even when they don't need them.
Humans could kill others even when it isn't necessary, desire to be more comfortable than needed, and pursue comfort and ease beyond necessity.
The power of their desire surpasses the combat prowess of the Fighting Ghost Race.
The ugliness of their desire surpasses the Rotting Owl Race.
The strangeness of their desire surpasses the Fungal Bone Race, and the hypocrisy of their desire surpasses that of the Tall Tree and Paired Wings Races.
Countless races were captured, experimented on, and turned into pills within the Human Race territory.
So, where did the 'souls of those countless races' go?
Kugugugugugugu!
Why did the Human Race abandon perfectly good land and insist on living arrogantly on the Sky Islands above it?
Ooooooo—
Ooooooo—
Aaaaaaaah!
Hoawwwww—
It hurts—it hurts—
Stop it, stop it...
It has been 500,000 years since the creation of the Bright Cold Realm.
After those long 500,000 years, the ugliness of the Human Race, who slaughtered and devoured countless other races, finally begins to surface.
Kugugugugugu!
I stand at the very bottom of the Human Race's territory.
There, beneath the ground, I meet the Ghost Guiding Holy Mother and see the endless souls pouring out, feeling utterly speechless.
When the Human Race plunders other races, they extract the inner cores and demon cores of those races to use as pills, turn their blood and skin into talismans, and their bones and organs into magic artifacts.
Even their souls are absorbed by devilish cultivators, who suck out their spiritual energy, leaving only the remaining scraps to be discarded below the Sky Islands like food waste.
By doing so, no matter how much resentment those souls harbor, they are left powerless and unable to become vengeful ghosts due to their lack of energy.
Even if they later try to slowly recover their energy, other souls, constantly falling from above, would turn into hungry ghosts and devour each other's energy in a desperate struggle to regain their strength.
Souls so full of resentment that they can't enter the Netherworld, and so weakened that they can't even reach the Nether Ghost Realm, continue to struggle and drain each other's energy in endless torment within the earth.
The land beneath the Sky Island is nothing short of humanity's garbage dump.
However, due to Kang Min-hee, the countless vengeful spirits who had been oppressed and tortured by the Human Race begin to awaken all at once, regaining their strength through her power.
No, to be precise, Kang Min-hee is merely a conduit. It feels as though power is being drawn from [deep within] and supplied to the vengeful spirits.
[Humanshumanshumanshumans...]
[Killkillkillkillkill...]
[Joinusjoinusjoinus...]
[Ithurtithurtithurt.]
[Wemustkillyouthesamewaytomakeyoufeelthesame...]
As the vengeful spirits who were sacrificed by humanity regain their strength, they all simultaneously become beings at least at the Qi Building level.
I look up at Kang Min-hee with a shocked expression, seeing how the power she can command has increased in an instant.
Kugugugugu!
Countless vengeful spirits, numbering in the trillions and quadrillions, flow into her, causing her size to grow even larger.
Her body, which was originally about 10 zhang, now surpassed 40 zhang, reaching a height of 4 li.
I let out a hollow laugh as I look at her now mountain-sized form.
"...Damn humans."
Kwagwagwang!
Her giant hand comes crashing down on the spot where I was standing.
I completely abandon the thought of trying to buy time against her.
'I need to escape.'
Even in my form as the Ghost King with 20 heads, I am no match for her who is commanding innumerable ghosts.
At first, the ghosts hesitated when they saw me, but after Kang Min-hee grew to the size of a mountain, they instead set their ghost fire ablaze and are now madly reaching out to me.
As if wanting to become one.
[Sorry, but your mistress and I have a rather uncomfortable relationship.]
Chuuwaaaaaak!
I dodge the black hands that are closing in on me like a net covering the sky and look at the Human Race territory, now completely engulfed in darkness and transformed into something resembling the Nether Ghost Realm.
Woooo-woooong!
Though it's a bit unseemly, I begin to flee, using the energy of the Three Great Ultimates entirely to dodge her grasp.
To say my energy is at the Star Shattering weight class means that the sheer magnitude of my energy is at the early Star Shattering level.
However, even with that, I have no chance against her. Having fully embraced the filth of humanity, she is now practically at the mid Star Shattering stage.
Flash, flash!
I use every means at my disposal, including the Gliding Technique, Flying Escape Technique, ground-shrinking technique, and Sword Flight to escape.
The darkness that covers the Human Race territory begins to chase after me.
Kugugugugu—
'Could even Jang Ik stop that?'
Cold sweat trickles down my back as I look up at the darkness of the Ghost Guiding Holy Mother that is swallowing up the territories of other races.
Rumble, rumble!
Black lightning flashes as dark blue ghost fire pours out from within, sweeping over the White Horned Race, one of the neighboring races of the Human Race.
Kugugugugu!
Countless cultivators of the cultivation world.
And the Heaven Tribe who has always given birth to the Heart Tribe.
Although the Human Race is particularly severe, no other Heaven Tribe Race is innocent either.
They, too, have massacred and invaded other races.
And the countless vengeful spirits of those they invaded are once again being sucked into the darkness of the Ghost Guiding Holy Mother, gaining power.
Kururung!
I watch as the aura of the Ghost Guiding Holy Mother gradually grows larger amidst the sound of black thunder.
'Crazy...'
I feel like I am about to lose my breath.
Each time she swallows an entire race, the size of the darkness grows larger.
Although it isn't as rapid a change as when she swallowed the vengeful spirits of the Human Race, it's clear to the naked eye that she is growing stronger with every race and vengeful spirit she devours.
There is a reason Kang Min-hee managed to swallow one-fiftieth of the Bright Cold Realm a thousand years in.
And now, Kang Min-hee has already gained power surpassing what she would have had at the beginning of her rampage a thousand years in, after meeting the Chief Judge.
'Sacred Master Baek Woon...it seems we'll need to summon Jang Ik's main body, not just his avatar.'
I look back with a stunned expression.
At that very moment, a giant hand from within the darkness reaches across space towards me.
"...!"
Before I can even react,
Due to the spatial manipulation of the Star Shattering stage, her hand reaches me, and I am struck rolling across one of the Heaven Tribe territories.
"Keheok...heok."
Drip, drip drip...
Blood flows from my seven orifices.
It heals quickly, but I realize just how immense the difference between the Ghost Guiding Holy Mother and me is, to the point where I can hardly even react.
However, more than that, I stare at the enormous dark storm that is still approaching from afar.
"...Kang Min-hee..."
Just a moment ago, when her hand struck me, I heard it clearly.
—Save me.
It's a will that only I, who is of all three Heaven Tribe, Earth Tribe, and Heart Tribe, can hear.
"...."
I should have run away as soon as I regained my senses.
But I widen my eyes and, with a slightly dazed look, stare in the direction of Kang Min-hee.
Whiiiioooo—
Once again, Kang Min-hee is annihilating one of the Heaven Tribe Races as she approaches this place.
In about 100 seconds, she will likely reach here.
"...Kang Min-hee..."
I call out her name, my parched lips sticking together as I speak.
Then, a response comes from beside me.
[Hoho, so that's the name of that being, Daoist Seo.]
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Twenty-second Move.
Without hesitation, I use Severing Mountain towards the voice I detest hearing.
-x-X-x-
Wo-woong—
The technique that has evolved to the point of being able to raze an entire territory is the current Severing Mountain.
Despite the immense power of this terrifying technique exploding at a single point, Seo Hweol reappears behind me, flashing that obnoxious smile.
"What is it now?"
I ask as I look at him.
In the past, I would have been nervous, afraid of falling prey to his Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens. But now, it no longer scares me as much as it once did.
Seo Hweol seems to have realized this too, as I can feel him openly using Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens to brainwash me.
"It won't work anymore. Stop your pointless efforts and state your purpose."
[Hoho, this is quite...you used to be such a nice person, but how you've changed...it's truly lamentable.]
His words make my eyes twitch.
This too is just another attempt to test my resolve.
But he isn't wrong.
My heart is just a pile of ashes, my soul the charred remains.
Why am I no longer afraid of Seo Hweol's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens?
Is it because I obtained the Purple Soul Filling the Heavens? Because I have the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra? Or because I gained the possibility of the Second Step Before the Throne?
All those things are merely external factors.
The truth is simple.
Now, I too have become a broken human being, one that would never fall behind the likes of the Mad Lord and Seo Hweol.
"Shut up and just tell me why you're here, you blind leech."
Bo-woong!
I swing my hand, slicing through the Seo Hweol before me.
But even though he's cut down in one strike, his form seems to scatter in the air before reappearing elsewhere.
'A projection? No, it feels too real to be just a projection...'
The place where Seo Hweol has fallen still holds his corpse.
However, I suddenly realize that something is off about the state of the body and understand the principle behind how he is appearing around me like a ghost.
'The corpse is only anchored in the Plane of Qi.'
Everything in this world exists across the three planes of Qi, Soul, and Fate.
Even inanimate objects are no exception.
The soil has its own spirit, mountains have their souls, and even stars have their essence.
Even lifeless objects exist in the Plane of Soul, and as seen through the Star Vein Eye, all things are also anchored in the Plane of Fate.
However, I see in front of me the corpse of Seo Hweol composed solely of the flow of Yin and Yang in the Plane of Qi.
"Oh Hye-seo, I see. Did she lend you her abilities to send this projection using her power?"
It's undoubtedly Oh Hye-seo's power.
Seo Hweol smiles faintly and says,
[As expected of Daoist Seo. That's right. She helped me.]
"If you were going to come, you should have brought Oh Hye-seo along. With her personality, she wouldn't have missed the chance to witness something as entertaining as this."
Recalling the first time I was betrayed by Oh Hye-seo, she appears to be someone who chases after stimulation and excitement.
Given that, in a situation like this where the territory of the Heaven Tribe is being destroyed by Kang Min-hee, it wouldn't be surprising for her to come just to watch. Yet, I can't sense her presence anywhere within hundreds of thousands of li.
[Hoho, it seems that after our last encounter, she's learned a bit about what fear is.]
"..."
Indeed. At this point, Oh Hye-seo witnessed the terrifying existence known as the Chief Judge.
Even someone whose emotions are as unreadable as her must have found it difficult to bear the sight of such a transcendent being's power.
[Thanks to that, she's become quite dependent on me lately. We've become quite essential to each other.]
At Seo Hweol's words, I recall the events a thousand years in.
'She was called his madam.'
It seems she married Seo Hweol after all.
Back then, I thought she was brainwashed, but it appears that somehow fate has always intended for the two to be bound together.
"So, what do you want?"
But such things are none of my concern.
I growl, glaring at Seo Hweol.
Wriggle, wriggle!
As my emotions flare up, something begins to writhe violently, as if trying to escape from the depths of my shadow.
My Heart Demons seem to be manifesting through a curse, trying to flee from me.
[Hoho...originally, she and I were merely in a relationship of mutual exploitation. We were constantly experimenting on each other, always ready to betray one another. But after my sight was sealed and her mind was scarred, we became necessary existences to each other and had to form an alliance. Do you understand, Daoist Seo?]
His words make my eyes twitch.
[Those who have lost their blessings can band together to fill each other's voids. You, as much as me and Old Man Jo, have a broken heart...we can form an alliance that compensates for each other's deficiencies.]
I laugh as I look at Seo Hweol.
"That almost sounds like you're admitting you have a heart."
[Haha...you didn't really think I have no heart at all, right?]
I read the will hidden behind Seo Hweol's words.
—A heart is something that can be either present or absent, depending on necessity.
It seems he is pretending to acknowledge his heart because he needs to persuade me now.
In the past, I would have noticed this and simply dismissed it.
Seo Hweol is a monster without a heart, after all.
But now, at the level I've reached, I can see something different.
After tens of thousands of years and having been broken down by unbearable pain, I understand something.
Seo Hweol, just perhaps, might be someone who desperately needs to deny the existence of a heart.
A heart is undoubtedly something sacred and beautiful, but...at the same time, it can also bring about hellish torment.
If he is as broken as I am, perhaps the reason he denies his heart is because he wants to escape this pain more than anyone else...
As I perceive this essence of Seo Hweol, I smile bitterly.
"I understand. I understand, so go ahead and wag your tongue, pitiful Seo Hweol. I'll listen for just a moment."
I speak in a tone laced with pity, sympathizing with him.
And whatever part of Seo Hweol this sympathy touched,
He stops smirking and opens his eyes.
His eyes are so dull and unfocused that it's impossible to tell what he is looking at.
Though his emotionless gaze is eerie, I realize that 'sympathizing with him' has hit him harder than any provocation I'd ever made.
[...]
He stops smiling and seems to look in my direction for a moment.
[...As expected, you're a higher being, Daoist Seo...how far have you seen through?]
"I've seen enough to understand that you're a somewhat pitiable being."
[...That will make our conversation easier.]
Seo Hweol turns his emotionless face towards Kang Min-hee, who is flying towards us.
[At first, I thought it would be better to let that being run rampant and leave it be. But after witnessing its unexpected power, I've changed my mind. While some chaos is necessary for my goal...I don't need complete destruction. So, how about joining forces with me to expel it outside the Bright Cold Realm?]
"..."
I ponder Seo Hweol's proposal.
Normally, I would have dismissed any suggestion from Seo Hweol without a second thought, but this time is different.
'If we expel Kang Min-hee to the Interdimensional Void or the Astral Realm, there will be far fewer casualties.'
In truth, the Heavenly Domain is primarily composed of the Astral Realm.
The Middle Realms are only considered as such because, as the Sacred Master said, they are the corpses of great beings, and they possess attraction force that influences the entire Astral Realm.
The vastness of the Middle Realms can never be compared to the breadth of the Astral Realm, which is an endlessly expanding universe.
The reason I was able to collect the shards of the Colorless Glass Sword in the previous cycle was because it was a time shortly after the creation of the world. If it had been tens of thousands of years later, I would never have been able to find the Colorless Glass Sword.
In that sense, if we send Kang Min-hee into that infinitely vast Astral Realm or the Interdimensional Void with only Vestiges, the casualties will be minimized.
At the very least, sending her outside the Bright Cold Realm will buy me time until I can challenge the Star Shattering stage.
"...It's a good idea, but..."
As Kang Min-hee gradually approaches, I ask while fleeing.
Seo Hweol, perhaps having merged with the dragon veins itself with the help of Oh Hye-seo, continues to project his form from the ground where the dragon veins are, maintaining conversation.
"How do you realistically expect to expel Kang Min-hee, who is at the Star Shattering stage, from the Bright Cold Realm?"
[I will pull together with my wife in the Astral Realm. Daoist Seo will push from this side.]
'Is Oh Hye-seo currently in the Astral Realm?'
I ask with a serious expression.
"She won't just quietly be expelled into the Astral Realm. You must have a plan, right?"
[Yes...well. It wasn't what I desired, but a being capable of holding that being down when it struggles has somehow come into existence.]
"...No way."
I look at Seo Hweol and let out a hollow laugh.
[I think I know what you're thinking. Yes, it's exactly that.]
"You want to join forces with the Mad Lord Jo Yeon?"
I ask in disbelief.
Indeed, at this point, the Mad Lord has two puppets beyond the Integration level.
[She] and the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress are exactly that.
And through the connection between [Her] and the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, the Mad Lord can currently exert power at the Quasi-Star Shattering level.
Moreover, a thousand years in, both [She] and the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress would individually rise to the Quasi-Star Shattering level, meaning the Mad Lord would have two puppets at the Quasi-Star Shattering stage by then.
In terms of raw power, if I, Seo Hweol, and the Mad Lord join forces, expelling Kang Min-hee from the Bright Cold Realm wouldn't be an empty boast.
But the Mad Lord is not sane.
How could anyone persuade such a person?
Seo Hweol continues speaking.
[First, Daoist Seo. You know the name and ability of the secret art I use, don't you?]
"...Yes."
[My Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens cannot brainwash you or the Mad Lord. Both of you are madmen, so even if I infuse my configurations, it won't take root because your consciousnesses don't follow a normal flow.]
"..."
[However, the inability to brainwash doesn't mean that 'my Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens cannot enter.']
"What are you trying to say?"
[Daoist Seo, you are a member of the Heart Tribe, correct? And your comrade is a disciple who has learned the Mad Lord's consciousness method. If you, I, my wife, and your comrade join forces, we can temporarily return the Mad Lord's consciousness to normal.]
'If I, Kim Yeon, Oh Hye-seo, and Seo Hweol combine our strengths, we can temporarily restore the Mad Lord's consciousness to normal...huh?'
It sounds suspicious.
"There's no guarantee that you won't brainwash the Mad Lord while his consciousness is temporarily restored, is there?"
[Hoho...you don't need to worry about that. I won't brainwash the Mad Lord.]
—I can't do it anyway.
I feel slightly reassured as I read the hidden meaning behind Seo Hweol's words.
'The Mad Lord's madness will likely recur thanks to the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, even if it is temporarily reversed, so brainwashing him would be pointless for Seo Hweol.'
But then again, who knows?
Seo Hweol is someone who might always be hiding something.
"How can I trust you?"
[...It's something I figured by analyzing the curse placed on me with my wife. The curse that the great being cast on my eyes extends its duration in real-time according to my 'evil deeds.' Initially, it was a mere thousand years, but now...it has increased to roughly 2 billion years.]
"..."
[And I realized there's only one way to break this curse. The curse isn't on my main body but on my 'mask'. In other words, if I erase all personalities other than my main body and start anew, I can break the curse.]
"You're telling me this because...it's related to that curse?"
[That's right, Daoist Seo. Because of this curse, it's impossible for me to find my main body. The curse placed by that great being doesn't merely block my sight; it prevents me from ever finding my main body.]
I instinctively know that Seo Hweol is telling the truth.
It isn't just because his actions and heart essence align.
It's because he has never lied about matters related to his essence.
As he continues speaking, my eyes glint.
[Therefore, I propose this, Daoist Seo. After we expel that being from the Bright Cold Realm, help me find my main body.]
This is a chance to find Seo Hweol's main body.
He returns his expressionless face to its usual self and gives a faint smile.
[Until we find my main body, I promise I will never betray you, Daoist Seo.]