Thump, thump, thump, thump...
The beating of a heart is audible.
Blink—
I blink.
For some reason, I feel a soft sensation from the back of my head.
"Ah, you're awake."
"...!"
I can't help but flinch for a moment.
Swoosh!
It's Buk Hyang-hwa.
She's giving me a lap pillow while working on something.
Upon closer inspection, it looks like she's drawing a blueprint for some magic artifacts.
"...Where is this? What's the situation?"
I try to spread my consciousness but quickly realize that my soul is still strained, so I ask her instead.
'I used too much mental energy cutting down Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.'
They say if you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you. Or that those who slay monsters slowly become monsters themselves.
These words hold true.
The very nature of Transcending Mountain Ridge Embedment is influenced by Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, and even though it's meant to deal with it...
It seems that's precisely why I had to exert so much mental energy.
Seo Hweol's murky, dark, and hollow heart is too similar to my own heart essence.
Because of that, I had to expend significant mental strength to avoid falling to Heart Demons while cutting down Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
Throb—
I clutch my head as I get up, and Buk Hyang-hwa supports me while explaining the situation.
"We're currently in a guest room within the Heart Tribe territory, specifically in the Cedar Wood Grove (杉木叢)."
"Cedar Wood Grove...it seems we arrived safely. What's the current situation?"
"The Heart Tribe's Supreme Council nearly started a war after the Human Race teleported here...but for now, Sir Young-hoon and Yeon Unnie, who possess Heart Tribe qualities, are mediating. Especially since there are talks going around that the Cult Leader is an outstanding member of the Heart Tribe, the Supreme Council said they would meet the Cult Leader first before determining the fate of the Human Race."
"...My shoulders are heavy..."
I smile bitterly and speak to Buk Hyang-hwa.
"That aside, let's stop with the title of 'cult leader.' How can there be a cult leader without a cult...?"
"Then..."
"Just something casual..."
I'm about to tell her to call me something casual, but I suddenly realize that in this life, my relationship with Buk Hyang-hwa has always been that of the 'Cult Leader' and 'Conqueror King.'
And as that thought crosses my mind, I realize a truth I have been trying to ignore since meeting Buk Hyang-hwa.
'From the start, ours is a relationship that can never be casual.'
I gaze at Buk Hyang-hwa with slight discomfort.
She is a complicated figure for me.
She is the same person as the Buk Hyang-hwa from my 10th life, yet at the same time, she is not.
Being with her means constantly seeing the shadow of her 10th cycle self standing behind her.
The past and present versions of her are different individuals, but as a person, I can't see her as a completely different being.
Because of that, I can't treat her purely as 'this life's Buk Hyang-hwa.'
'That's why I've avoided creating opportunities to face her directly...'
But somehow, we ended up in a moment like this, facing each other alone.
Opening and closing my mouth, I finally settle on a proper title.
"Daoist. Just call me Daoist Seo. No...since I am no longer a cult leader, please do so."
I consider my current position and decide to address her respectfully, as I used to.
However, she responds somewhat awkwardly.
"You can just speak comfortably. After all, you are an elder and my senior..."
"..."
The mention of 'elder' makes me feel somewhat sad, but I shake my head and reply.
"Before, our relationship within the organization dictated a certain formality, but now that we walk the same path of Immortal Cultivation, it's only right that I show respect."
"Mm...if that's what you wish...I understand. Daoist Seo..."
She tilts her head slightly, looking a bit awkward as she calls me 'Daoist.'
For a moment, silence hangs between us.
"Hmm...do you have something to say, Miss?"
Reading the subtle emotions on her face, I ask her.
At my question, she hesitates for a moment before speaking.
"I...I have one thing I'm curious about, Daoist...Seo."
She shows me the blueprint she's been drawing beside me.
'This is...'
Looking closely, it's not exactly a magic artifact blueprint but rather a kind of 'system,' similar to the Mad Lord's circuits.
However, while it seems influenced by the Mad Lord, it clearly appears to be something entirely unique.
"A remarkable artifact system. What type of artifact system is this for?"
"This...is a system for analyzing Qi and projecting scenes."
"Oh, like a vid..."
"A few hundred years ago, Daoist Seo gave me this."
She gently strokes the jade norigae hanging from her waist.
"..."
"Ever since the day Daoist Seo gave this to me, I've been studying it, and I've discovered that this norigae is always connected to somewhere. And when I focus my consciousness, I can shift my consciousness to somewhere filled with thick, hazy mist through this norigae. Recently, after meeting Daoist Seo, I realized that the place of hazy mist is within your 'Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections'."
Buk Hyang-hwa looks directly into my eyes as she speaks.
"Until now, Daoist Seo has never properly answered why that is. That's why I've been researching it all this time. After meeting Senior Mad Lord, I was able to grasp a significant clue. A technique that disassembles Qi and traces a target's past."
"...!"
"With this, I plan to trace the causality between Daoist Seo's Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections and my norigae."
I quickly realize what she plans to do.
Just like what Oh Hye-seo did.
Or what the Black Dragon Immortal Beast did.
She plans to trace my past and uncover the truth behind the norigae.
But as seen in the cases of both the Black Dragon Immortal Beast and Oh Hye-seo, the secret of the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is not something that can be easily unraveled.
Both of them have the authority to trace the past, yet they still failed.
In other words, unless Buk Hyang-hwa's abilities surpass those of the Black Dragon Immortal Beast, I don't have to worry about her discovering my secret.
However, since I understand why she's saying this to me directly, I can't carelessly dismiss her actions as being 'useless.'
"If it's the eyes of Daoist Seo, you probably know why I'm telling you this right now. Since you possess the same eyes as Sir Young-hoon."
"..."
Behind her subtle heart essence lies overwhelming despair and sorrow.
And a deep determination.
"Please don't ask me for the reason. But I will say this: uncovering the truth about the norigae is one of my deepest wishes, so I won't give up easily."
In other words, she is implying that if I don't want her to challenge and uncover the past between me and the norigae, I'd better tell her the truth.
But I can't.
In this world, I've come to painfully realize that [speaking something aloud] holds tremendous impact.
So I respond vaguely.
"...This is related to True Immortals, so I can't speak of it lightly. If mishandled, Miss's life could be at risk..."
"It's fine."
She looks at me as if life and death doesn't matter at all.
"It doesn't matter, so if there's anything you can tell me, please do."
"...It's something I cannot speak of. Please understand."
"...I understand."
She nods, seemingly bitter.
"I guess I'll just have to do what I can, to the best of my ability."
"Miss Buk..."
"Then, please excuse me. I will take my leave. Please rest and join us when Daoist Seo is ready."
With those words, Buk Hyang-hwa turns and swiftly exits the guest room.
Seeing her heart essence, I feel conflicted.
Woong—
I gradually feel my consciousness domain and authority returning, transcending space to the outside of the guest room.
I head towards the place where Qi and intent are clashing.
There, centered around Kim Young-hoon, twenty-two shadows are colliding their intents.
Chuararararak!
The martial scene they are painting momentarily shakes my foresight.
'Each one of them can be considered masters who have reached the ultimate of martial arts...'
They are confronting Kim Young-hoon, who is specialized in speed, using their own secret techniques, and they bombard him with moves that keep up without falling behind.
On the surface, it looks as if the projections of the Heart Tribe's Supreme Council are just standing still around Kim Young-hoon, but with my vision, having reached the Plane of Soul, I can see the massive currents of intent raging.
Normally, their will alone should have stirred up an overwhelming storm in reality, but everyone here is restraining themselves to the point where not even a speck of energy leaks out. They are competing purely in skill, so the battle of intent occurring at the Plane of Soul is not affecting the physical world at all.
"Yeon-ah."
"Yes."
Kim Yeon quietly appears beside me the moment I speak, and I raise an eyebrow.
Centered around the Demon Core within her body, I see that her intent has perfectly balanced into nine strands.
'If this were before, I would've missed that movement.'
It isn't a matter of martial skill or realm.
Martial artists accelerate their minds through techniques like Ultimate Pinnacle, but cultivators beyond the Nascent Soul stage can simply accelerate their minds through their vast consciousness.
They don't even need to divide their consciousness into forms like a Gang Sphere clone and then merge them again. By just compressing their consciousness, their mind gradually accelerates.
This is how cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage and beyond use techniques like the Flying Escape Technique to fight at high speeds in battle.
The 'Hidden Consciousness Technique' given to me by Mad Lord similarly compresses my consciousness to accelerate my senses, allowing me to 'feel spiritual energy through the spiritual root,' so 'compressing consciousness' itself is a way to accelerate the mind.
Currently, with her Demon Core as the center, Kim Yeon is aligning her consciousness 'like the Demon Race' and 'compressing' it, adding a tenfold acceleration to her already compressed consciousness.
Before even considering the level of her cultivation, albeit through a somewhat abnormal growth, she now possesses speed surpassing the Integration stage.
'If she's already this fast with Ultimate Pinnacle, which allows consciousness to simply become speed...'
If she reaches Entering Heavens Beyond the Path, where consciousness can be directly converted into 'power', what kind of authority will Kim Yeon wield?
Suddenly, I become curious.
'Of course, reaching Entering Heavens Beyond the Path isn't something that can be solved just by pouring in time, so it's hard to say how long it will take...'
I set away my thoughts about the distant, uncertain future and speak to her.
"Do you know how long I've been unconscious?"
"It's been exactly three days. It's also been a while since we came to the Heart Tribe territory to avoid Min-hee Unnie, and the Human Race has been in a psychological warfare with the Heart Tribe's Supreme Council to find a place to settle while waiting for you to wake up."
[TL/N: Kim Yeon uses 당신, which means you, but it has the nuanced meaning of 'dear' between spouses, being polite or formal, or being disrespectful or confrontational.]
"...?"
'Something has changed.'
I glance at Kim Yeon with a sense of strangeness.
The way she addresses me has subtly changed.
It isn't the 'Eun-hyun Oppa' she comfortably used before.
It feels like she's keeping a distance, yet at the same time, it seems she's even closer to me.
Kim Yeon continues explaining.
"Because of Min-hee Unnie, the original Human Race territory has become a land of ghosts where no living being can survive, just like the Nether Ghost Realm. Other territories near the Human Race lands that were suitable for human habitation have ended up the same way...as a result, the Nether Ghost Realm is also preparing to invade the Bright Cold Realm. They say it will take about a thousand years to restore the land to its original state. However, according to the judgment of the Grand Cultivator Association, the rampaging Min-hee Unnie...in other words the 'Ghost Guiding Holy Mother', will inevitably return to the Bright Cold Realm within a few hundred years due to the attraction force between her and the realm."
It means that in the end, we've completely lost our original foundation.
And a beast that has lost its den will eventually find a new one.
"It seems the Human Race wants the Heart Tribe territory as their new home."
"Yes. The Heart Tribe territory is in the Chaos Realm, so even if Min-hee Unnie returns, it won't be easy for her to find it. Moreover, it's one of the stable lands within the Chaos Realm, so they believe it's a safe place to live. That's why the Grand Cultivator Association is proposing to expel all of the Heart Tribe from the Heart Tribe territory and take over."
"...Foolish."
I click my tongue.
It's a land that Jang Ik stabilized in the first place, so what do they plan to do when Jang Ik returns?
Jang Ik himself is supposed to return in a few hundred years.
As I click my tongue, Kim Yeon continues her explanation.
"But...the entire Grand Cultivator Association was brutally defeated by the Heart Tribe Supreme Council, and Young-hoon Sunbae alone is dealing with the aftermath to prevent the entire Human Race from being annihilated."
"..."
They recklessly stretched out their legs without even properly checking where they were going to lie down.
'They've underestimated the Heart Tribe far too much.'
The 22 members of the Supreme Council.
'They must be Jang Ik's 22 disciples.'
I can sense it.
Each one of them is a supreme expert of Seated Detachment, Entering Hope.
'In other words...there are 22 people who can unleash a single strike at the Grand Perfection Integration-level during emergencies.'
Moreover, among them must be some at a higher level who can unleash consecutive Grand Perfection Integration-level single strikes.
The Heart Tribe is one of the three great powers of the Bright Cold Realm.
If one considers that the Six Great Races of the Heaven Tribe account for 60% of the Heaven Tribe's power, while the other races make up 40%, then the current strength of humanity is only around one-tenth of the Heaven Tribe's.
Even though the Heart Tribe is the weakest of the three great powers, they still have enough strength to overpower the Human Race, which is just 'a part of the Heaven Tribe.'
Step, step...
While I'm silently assessing the Human Race, someone approaches from a distance.
It's a maiden with white hair and red eyes, wearing light armor of violet and white.
"You've woken up."
I pause, trying to recall who she is, and eventually, her identity comes to mind.
"...Cultivator Gol?"
Her identity is none other than Gol Maek of the Grand Cultivator Association.
Since she usually hides her body within her rugged bone armor, it took me a moment to recognize her in this state with just her body.
Kim Yeon, seeing her, explains further.
"The entire Grand Cultivator Association is currently imprisoned by the Heart Tribe...except for Grand Cultivator Gol Maek. She was the only one who fiercely opposed fighting against the Heart Tribe."
Gol Maek sighs and speaks.
"...It was simply a rational decision. Aside from me, none of the other Grand Cultivators, except for Hon Won and Wi Ryeong-seon, have ever directly fought against the Heart Tribe. Even then, Wi Ryeong-seon only fought against Heart Tribe members below the second stage of Manifestation, and Hon Won, who has some proper fighting experience against them, is currently unconscious due to an internal clash of Yin and Yang energy. That's why the others didn't realize how terrifying the Heart Tribe is and rushed in recklessly, only to end up imprisoned."
"...That's strange. The Grand Cultivators must have lived for at least thousands of years. How could they not have experience fighting against the Heart Tribe, nor understand their fearsomeness?"
I'm puzzled, but I understand immediately after Gol Maek speaks.
"Most of those who fought even once against a Heart Tribe of the third stage of Manifestation or higher died before they could rise to the rank of Grand Cultivator."
"..."
Indeed, even ordinary cultivators are struck by 2,400 strands of Heavenly Tribulation when advancing to the Integration stage.
However, if they have a history of fighting against a Heart Tribe at the third stage of Manifestation, the number of Heavenly Tribulation strands increases to 3,600 without question.
Even if they manage to fight after reaching the Integration stage, once they've fought, they would never be able to attempt another advancement again.
Thus, it might be that reaching the position of Grand Cultivator is only possible if you avoid fighting the Heart Tribe.
"...In any case, Sir Young-hoon is currently 'communicating' with the Heart Tribe Supreme Council to prevent the entire Grand Cultivator Association from being executed."
"Communicating, huh..."
I look at them exchanging scenes furiously with intent, blending in enlightenment.
'It is a form of communication, I suppose.'
"And..."
"Hmm?"
As I briefly look toward Kim Young-hoon and the Supreme Council, Gol Maek bows deeply to me.
"Please forgive us for not fully grasping the Elder's true intentions earlier. In the end, you were right. Elder...is the savior of all humanity."
"I merely did what had to be done."
It seems even the Grand Cultivator Association has come to understand what I did.
"How could the salvation of humanity be something that's merely 'what had to be done'...your merits will be remembered for generations to come."
"Thanks."
"And...if I may ask for one favor...please ensure that Sir Young-hoon remains safe."
She looks at me as she speaks.
"Although it seems he is communicating with the Supreme Council, should things go wrong, only the Elder saving him can ensure the future for our Human Race."
"Hmm..."
Indeed, no matter how exceptional a martial artist Kim Young-hoon is, if he were to duel with the leaders of the Heart Tribe, who have a history of being abused by humans, there's a chance they might try to kill him.
'Though, that doesn't seem likely from the look of things right now.'
Currently, the Supreme Council of the Heart Tribe, who are sparring with Kim Young-hoon, are all feeling excitement, admiration, and respect. It doesn't seem like such a request is necessary.
"Alright, if Kim Young-hoon is in danger, I will step in."
"...Thank you!"
I accept the proposal, feeling like I'm clearing a debt.
Gol Maek thanks me several times, then hurries off, saying she'll deliver the good news to the Grand Cultivator Association.
For a moment, I stand next to Kim Yeon, watching Kim Young-hoon's spar.
Kim Yeon, having a level of sight around Entering Heavens due to the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon,
And me.
For both of us, the spar using intent is as clear as day, like watching fireworks. We can fully observe the exchange of intent between Kim Young-hoon and the Supreme Council of the Heart Tribe.
As I watch the display of fireworks, I turn to Kim Yeon and speak.
"...Yeon-ah."
"Yes."
"You have something to say, don't you?"
"..."
I ask while sensing Kim Yeon's emotions.
Though she's pretending to be fine, her mind is so devastated that it feels like she might collapse at any moment.
Her sudden change in how she addresses me must be related to this.
Kim Yeon takes a deep breath beside me.
It seems she's trying to control the overwhelming emotions welling up inside her.
After a moment of gathering herself, Kim Yeon slowly reveals a shocking truth.
At last, I understand why Buk Hyang-hwa came to me with that request earlier.
"...Hyang-hwa, she's going to die soon."
-x-X-x-
Paaaatt!
Sparks fly as Kim Young-hoon lets out a joyful laugh, beads of sweat running down his face.
Swoooosh—
The wind sweeps through Cedar Wood Grove, cooling the heat of the sparring match. I stand in the breeze, waiting for Kim Yeon's words.
"The Mad Lord told me. When she went to his Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress..."
Her words continue, and I listen silently.
After some time, the members of the Supreme Council, having finished their sparring with Kim Young-hoon, all turn their heads toward me in unison.
"We've heard much about you. That you've...reached this realm through the same means as us, despite having the body of the Heaven Tribe?"
After absorbing all of Kim Yeon's explanation, I silently take a step towards the Supreme Council of the Heart Tribe.
Thunk—
With just a single step, the members of the Supreme Council who had been directing their intent at me freeze in place.
They stare at me, frozen, and even Kim Young-hoon beyond them shares the same reaction.
Kim Young-hoon's eyes are wide enough to pop out of his head.
I look at them calmly, letting my sword hang by my side.
A slight nod.
No words are needed.
With a mere nod of my head, light flashes, and the twenty-two leaders of the Supreme Council, who only sent projections to face Kim Young-hoon, reveal their main bodies within the hall.
"We nearly failed to recognize a High Person (高人). Please forgive us."
I simply continue to gaze at them silently.
But even though I'm merely looking at them, they tremble all over, unable to bear the pressure of my presence and on the verge of collapsing.
In that state, I take another silent step forward.
At that moment, most of the twenty-two members of the Supreme Council start trembling violently, falling to their knees and collapsing in place.
It seems that upon gazing directly at my soul, which has realized the Sub-Heart Sword, none of them are able to maintain their composure.
The Sub-Heart Sword is something beyond comprehension for those around the level of Entering Heavens Beyond the Path or Treading Heavens.
However, the very fact that they are at a high realm means they can see too much, making the shock all the more overwhelming.
Kim Young-hoon, in particular, seems the most affected, as he grips his saber against the ground, cold sweat pouring down his face uncontrollably.
But indeed, they are the leaders of the Heart Tribe. Despite being directly exposed to my overwhelming presence, they manage to stand and regain their composure.
I shift my gaze towards the five among them who respond best to my pressure.
Their appearances are unimpressive.
A little one from the Small Person Race, a Flower Plant Race with a body shriveled like a spinach leaf, a Shrimp Shell Race that resembles a shrimp, a Miniature Monkey Race that looks like a small, baby monkey, and a Tiny Fungal Race that resembles a mushroom.
Yet despite their frail appearances, they seem more formidable than anyone else present.
Among them, one figure stands out the most.
He is of the Small Person Race, standing no more than one palm's length, a dwarf Heart Tribe.
The Small Person Race is one of the well-known slave races, resembling the Human Race but far weaker and possessing little to no supernatural powers, making them easy prey and often captured and kept as pets.
Yet, the elderly Small Person Race standing before me with his face covered in scars doesn't appear small at all.
Holding a needle like a sword in his hand, the Small Person Race Elder looks up at me and speaks.
"Teach me a move!"
"Hah!"
With the old man's shout, the five members of the Heart Tribe charge at me with a unified cry.
From this point, words are no longer needed.
Their combined assault begins.
Paaatt!
The Small Person Race Elder, wielding his needle like a sword, executes a sword technique before me and waves his toothpick-sized needle.
Though it appears somewhat cute, the outcome is far from that.
Toong!
As I deflect the slash from the old dwarf's needle upwards, the sky splits apart.
A move similar to Sky-Splitting Kim Young-hoon shown before!
An all-out strike carried out with the intent to cut through the entire Heart Tribe territory!
The withered body of the Flower Plant Race seems to be flying over me before striking down at me using the thousand-pound drop technique.
Swoosh!
As I sidestep using footwork, a flash of light follows, and the spot where the Flower Plant Race lands with the thousand-pound drop explodes, causing the surrounding terrain to shift and change violently.
Kugugugugu!
In the midst of the explosive brilliance, I calmly raise my sword and turn my gaze towards the Shrimp Shell Race charging at me.
They seem to be a boxer, and with their shrimp-like body, they thrust both fists toward me.
It's clearly a laughable scene, appearing nothing more than a shrimp flailing its arms.
But I smile faintly and swing my sword with all my strength.
Kugugugung!
Paaat!
As my single strike clashes with the Shrimp Shell Race boxer's punch, a formless shockwave blankets the entire area.
It feels as though all sound in the area has been erased.
The shockwave causes my body to lose function for a moment, and a ringing 'Piii' sound fills my ears.
Bo-woong!
Of course, I quickly regain my balance and prepare for the next attack. The baby monkey-like Miniature Monkey Race rushes at me, grabbing hold of the ground beneath my feet.
Fwooong!
Simultaneously, they swing the very ground I'm standing on, throwing me off balance. The mushroom looking Tiny Fungal Race stretches out both palms toward me.
Kigigigigik—
Their palms are filled with an immense concentration of Qi, and I can feel that everything within that energy is rapidly disintegrating, nearing the point of annihilation.
Behind me, the Small Person Race Elder. Above me, the Flower Plant Race warrior. Below my feet, the Miniature Monkey Race. In front of me, the Tiny Fungal Race and Shrimp Shell Race boxers. They are all closing in on me.
Beyond them, the remaining 17 leaders of the Supreme Council, having assessed the situation, are attempting to distract my 'vision' by disrupting me from a distance.
Those who have awakened to the manifestation of sound arts like Yu Hwa begin their performance.
With the sharp sound of a gayageum (a traditional Korean zither), my body is immediately slashed, and an inescapable formless net covers me, making my whole body feel as heavy as a thousand pounds.
Darkness clouds my vision, and the blood flowing through my body grows hot, leaving me in a state unable to control my body.
And in that state, I silently extend my sword and begin to dance with them.
Toong—
My sword hums as it deflects their attacks, sometimes redirecting them, and other times countering them.
It seeps out.
My sword naturally flows into the center of their formation, like a stream slipping between rocks.
In the midst of our sword dance, we become completely united.
I can feel their intent.
The exultation of facing an opponent beyond comparison and competing against a master.
Joy, excitement, reverence, and respect...
I envelop their intent with my own.
I overlay their Martial Arts with my own Martial Arts.
It feels bleak.
Painful.
Miserable.
Suffocating.
The vision is black.
The Grand Cultivator Association gave me the nickname 'Sword Devil.'
I have no interest in such a grim title, but at least in this moment, I think it suits me all too well.
That's how much my sword right now is steeped in dreadful screams and heartbreak.
A hollow yet dreadful sword movement spirals within my refined swordsmanship as I intertwine with the supreme masters of the Heart Tribe Supreme Council.
Kim Yeon's earlier words echo faintly in my mind.
—When the Mad Lord first met Hyang-hwa, he mistook her for one of his own bloodline.
The old man with the needle lands at the tip of my sword, spins seven times counterclockwise, and unleashes a powerful slash with the accumulated rotational force.
—He said that in the Head Realm, the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent is actually a Heavenly Penalty (天刑) that only his bloodline bears.
Using my right foot as a pivot, I spin clockwise, shaking off the elder and dispersing the rotational force of the slash he sent flying.
—But he quickly realized that Hyang-hwa isn't of his bloodline. He said that those with the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent all bear a 'curse,' and since the curses differ depending on the bloodline, Hyang-hwa not having the same curse as his is proof that she isn't of his kin.
Woo-woong—
My sword vibrates.
I continue sparring with the Supreme Council without using any Qi.
However, my emotions are being expressed through my swordsmanship, and my pain descends from the Plane of Soul to the Plane of Qi.
The surroundings gradually begin to be engulfed by devilish energy.
—The Mad Lord said that the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent is like 'a bird trapped in a cage.' A bird that cannot leave the cage...it's the first time I heard it, but he said those with the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent must never leave the world they were born in. Their Heavenly Penalty and curse begins the moment they 'escape their world.' In other words...those born with the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent in the Lower Realms must never ascend.
The surroundings are painted in darkness, and my sword energy slices through the air in all directions.
Without drawing upon the energy within me or the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, my sheer intensity causes my intent at the Plane of Soul to descend to the Plane of Qi, transforming into turbid energy.
Amidst the torrent of devilish energy, a golden radiance pieces through between the 22 intents surrounding me.
Kawang—
Kim Young-hoon, unable to resist any longer, has stepped into the fray.
But I push Kim Young-hoon's saber aside and recklessly unleash a barrage of sword energy.
—The curse of the Jo Clan...is said to be tied to their surname. I'm not sure of the details but...even though Hyang-hwa's curse is different, they do share some common points.
The sword dance that started with clam emotions has at some point turned into a killing sword.
I struggle to suppress the rising dark emotions within me, pouring more killing intent into my blade.
—Those cursed are said to eventually die. The Mad Lord connected his heart with [Her]'s and forcibly tethered his soul to this land using the ghostly energy of the Nether Crossing Ship's power source. And Hyang-hwa is...
Kaang—
My sword sends the old man with the needle flying.
And finally,
Flash!
The sword pressure unfolding from my sword spreads out, knocking back the 22 members of the Heart Tribe Supreme Council along with Kim Young-hoon, allowing me to finally calm down.
—...gradually losing the senses of her body. At this rate, not in centuries, but within mere decades, she'll lose all her five senses. Eventually, even the sense of breathing will vanish, and she'll die.
Clench!
I thrust the sword into the ground.
"Haah..."
I exhale.
My chest feels tight.
Right now, there's no connection between me and Buk Hyang-hwa.
But strangely, my chest still feels heavy.
I know the reason all too well.
Even though the woman in this life is different from the one from the tenth life, witnessing her death again is agonizing.
'No, that's not it...'
To be precise, it's 'not just that.'
'How many times...has it been already?'
It wasn't long ago that I lost my followers to Great Mountain, or that I died while holding Kang Min-hee in my arms.
And now, once again, it's been decided that one of my connections is going to disappear.
Yes, this is loneliness.
The dam of emotions, which had always struggled with the pain of losing connections, is now beginning to overflow with the finality of Buk Hyang-hwa's terminal fate.
Squeeze...
I grip the Colorless Glass Sword tightly and slowly suppress my complicated emotions.
And at that moment, the Heart Tribe Supreme Council, led by the Small Person Race Elder, bows deeply to me.
"It's an honor to witness such incredible skill."
"...I'm ashamed."
I give a bitter smile, unable to meet their eyes, nor those of Kim Yeon watching from behind me. I simply look up at the sky and speak.
"I failed to control my emotions, and turbid energy tainted my sword path."
"Is that so?"
"...Aren't you going to ask why?"
"If you wish to tell us, go ahead. Most of us in the Heart Tribe have lived under abuse and torment, carrying a hundred or even a thousand pains within us. Thus, in Cedar Wood Grove, we do not have the custom of prying into each other's hearts."
"...Thank you."
Looking at those who show me such courtesy, I feel embarrassed, yet overwhelmed by anger, sorrow, and indescribable panic. I lower my head, trembling.
Seeing me like this, the Small Person Race Elder smiles gently and says:
"In any case, after exchanging blades, I understand. Neither you nor that person...are evil. Even though you couldn't steady your heart, you never resorted to a killing move in the end. Respecting your kind heart, we of Cedar Wood Grove will accept you and the Surpassing Radiant Divine Demon as members of our forest."
"I thank you once again but..."
I calm my troubled heart, unsettled by thoughts of Buk Hyang-hwa, and ask a question.
"What do you plan to do about the Human Race?"
In the end, that is the biggest issue.
What we just competed in was a pure martial contest, and that's the only reason I won.
If we were to truly go all out, I would be the one who would surely lose.
Why?
Wo-woong—
'They're all disciples of Jang Ik.'
Within their heart essence, as if it's the most natural thing, Jang Ik's podao is embedded in each of them.
At their level, they are skilled enough to sufficiently draw out Jang Ik's podao through their own will and wield it with Jang Ik's 'original power.'
In short, the moment I decide to oppose them, I will have to endure at least 22 single strikes at the Star Shattering stage.
Woo-woong—
I observe the energy within me.
'I've reached the Second Step Before the Throne.'
Now, it is possible for me to use Star Shattering level attacks.
Of course...only for about three moves.
It will still take much more time before I can become fully accustomed to this realm.
As such, in my current relationship with the Heart Tribe, I can only take the position of the 'weaker' party.
At my question, they seem to exchange glances before responding.
"Normally, we would go through a trial before carrying out a sentence."
"How is the trial conducted?"
"It's simple. It proceeds according to one's cultivation realm. For the Grand Cultivators at the Integration stage and the old monsters at the Four-Axis stage, our Supreme Council conducts a duel with them, during which we uncover their emotions and ideologies, essence, and past deeds. If any evil acts are revealed in the process, we execute them immediately."
"..."
"For those at the Heavenly Being stage and Nascent Soul stage, they are made to face the wall for ten days while undergoing interrogation. Anyone who shows suspicious signs during this process is sentenced to death. From the Core Formation stage onwards, we conduct a more detailed inquiry, dividing the types of execution based on the severity of their sins. This ranges from a merciful beheading to harsher punishments like imprisonment until death or execution by boiling. For those at the Qi Building stage, we subject them to a proper interrogation period, where those who have committed heinous offenses face death, while those with fewer crimes are sentenced to imprisonment or hard labor. Qi Refining cultivators...are generally sentenced to labor."
"There's too many executions."
"There's no other choice, is there? To us, the Heaven Tribe and the Earth Tribe are not targets for rehabilitation or salvation but subjects of judgment. If someone is truly innocent and has never unjustly tormented the weak, even if they are a Grand Cultivator at the Integration stage who practices devilish arts, we do not punish them."
The Small Person Race Elder lets out a faint laugh and adds,
"Of course, when it comes to the Human Race, one of the Six Great Heaven Tribe Races...even if they are Qi Refining cultivators, the vast majority take the sacrifices of others as if it's something completely natural, trampling over them...most of the Human Race is evil."
His words are full of contempt, but I can't deny them.
The sheer number of vengeful souls Kang Min-hee absorbed in the Human Race territory alone is enough to hint at the depth of humanity's sins.
Still, I look at the Small Person Race Elder and ask.
"If you truly intended to do such a thing, you would've wiped out the Human Race before I even woke up. Yet, you waited, and only after I came out did you inform me of all this. Doesn't that mean there's something you want from me?"
At my words, the Small Person Race Elder smiles.
"You are correct."
"Tell me what you want."
In response to my words, the elder bows politely and says,
"I understand that you did not use your full strength in our earlier sparring match."
"...That is true."
If I really used my full power, the Heart Tribe territory would have been completely destroyed, leaving no one—Heart Tribe or otherwise—alive.
"Please exchange a genuine single strike with one of us."
"...What?"
"If one of us can face your true strike, we will delay our judgment of humanity's sins."
I can sense the burning desire in their eyes.
"The chance to face a master of a higher realm is extremely rare for us. Especially since we've already reached the pinnacle of the First Step Before the Throne. Don't you agree, O Esteemed One?"
I momentarily open and close my mouth at their words, then gaze at them with a gloomy expression as I speak.
"I'm sorry. I respect your enlightenment. I also have the desire to compete with you. However...now is not the time."
"Why not?"
"...My state of mind is unstable. If I get serious, I might end up killing you."
I have only recently lost my followers to Great Mountain.
And I only recently held Kang Min-hee in my arms as I committed suicide!
Now, on top of that, I learned of Buk Hyang-hwa's terminal diagnosis.
One after another!
All my connections!
Are leaving my side!
Ssssssssss—
As I recall that fact, turbid energy, ghostly energy, and devilish energy once again rise around me.
"...I don't want to kill those who have treated me as a guest. Please, if possible, come to me after I've calmed my heart."
Upon hearing my words, the faces of the 22 Supreme Council leaders all twist into expressions as menacing as evil spirits.
"...O Esteemed One, may I say something?"
"As much as you wish."
"We dare not claim to understand how you feel, Esteemed One. No, none of us can truly understand each other's feelings."
The words of the old man from the Small Person Race are quite amusing.
Isn't it because we possess the ability to read others' heart essences that we are called the Heart Tribe?
Yet, from the mouth of one from the Heart Tribe, who possesses this sight, comes the words that one cannot truly understand another's feelings?
It's a strange statement.
'I think I understand.'
But somehow, I feel like I can understand his words.
"We possess the eyes to peer into the heart, but no matter how much we read, it's merely an outward reflection. It's impossible to truly stand in someone else's shoes and offer genuine comfort. That's why, in our Cedar Wood Grove, not only is it an unspoken rule not to pry into others' emotions, but we also forbid offering careless consolation. Comforting someone is only permissible between those who share a deep connection."
He meets my gaze.
"Thus none of us will comfort you, Esteemed One. None of us will claim to understand your heart. However! Just as we have not dared to judge you carelessly, we ask that you do not judge us carelessly either! Who among us do you think fears death?!"
Boom!
All 22 members of the Supreme Council step forward in unison and shout.
"To see the realm beyond, we are all willing to discard our lives at any moment! Stop with your strange words and show us your true strength!"
"..."
I look at them, feeling slightly incredulous.
'They call me Esteemed One, but they don't treat me like how an ordinary cultivator would treat an Esteemed One.'
To most cultivators, Esteemed Ones are akin to gods.
Thus, when dealing with an Esteemed One, they wouldn't dare to look at them directly, nor would they act in any way other than a devout follower obeying the command of their deity.
But these people are different.
'You've raised good disciples, Master...'
Even if it means death, each of them possess the spirit to speak their minds to a god then die.
No, it's precisely because they are such people that they became members of the Heart Tribe, reached Entering Heavens, and rose to this level.
"There's one more issue."
"What is it?"
I give them a bitter smile as I speak.
"I, too, am a disciple of the Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One."
"Hm...!"
"In other words, if I were to kill any of you, as a fellow disciple, I would be killing my own senior brothers and sisters. So..."
"What does that matter!!!"
The Small Person Race Elder shouts once more with a thunderous voice.
"Stop with the formalities and focus on sincerity! Besides, even if we are senior brothers and sisters, discussing enlightenment between us is only natural! If you've gained enlightenment ahead of us, then help guide your slower senior brothers and sisters!!!"
The old man's words leave me momentarily speechless, and I finally respond with a complex gaze.
"...Understood."
Squirm, squirm...
I control the darkness welling up within me, the murderous intent rising from my chest, and ask,
"So, who among you will receive this junior brother's sincere strike?"
As expected, the Small Person Race Elder steps forward.
"I shall be the one."
I stare at him for a moment before speaking.
"Do not regret this."
"I will have no regrets."
"Then, here I come."
Tstststst—
The speed at which our consciousnesses accelerate grows faster and faster.
In an instant, the surroundings darken, and only the two of us remain in this world.
Here, physical size or any bodily constraints no longer matter.
What remains is simply how one counters the other's techniques.
[Sub-Heart Sword.]
From the start, I unleash my most powerful technique.
To present an ambiguous move in front of someone who has shown such resolve would be an insult to my opponent!
I pour everything I have into this one move!
[Transcending Mountain Ridge Embedment.]
The Heart Sword that emerges from my heart essence digs into his heart essence at a speed faster than recognition.
A single sword that cuts away at the heart every time he recalls me!
But this is not the end.
The application of Transcending Mountain Ridge Embedment.
Paaaatt!
[Transcending Rivers Embedment (川涉越深).]
The mountain grows steeper the further one climbs, and the river deepens the more one crosses.
A person's heart is just like this—one step inside becomes as deep as ten, the end never in sight.
The Sub-Heart Sword that cuts through the heart at the Plane of Soul merges with the ability of the All-Heavens Sword and descends to the Plane of Qi.
In short...
Pukwakak!
Originally, Transcending Mountain Ridge Embedment merely cuts the heart upon perceiving me, causing pain. But now, it means that perceiving me will cut even the physical body.
Kwakak—
The needle he is holding snaps.
But I can sense it clearly.
'He countered it.'
Though it was far from perfect, he 'confronted' the form of Transcending Mountain Ridge Embedment.
If his output had been as high as that of the Heaven or Earth Tribes, he might have completely shattered my Sub-Heart Sword.
But that's all.
In the end, one of the leaders of the Supreme Council.
The old man from the Small Person Race died standing.
I know.
When I unleashed the Sub-Heart Sword, I succeeded in perfectly controlling my emotions.
However, because the Small Person Race Elder had faced me with his full power, this death was caused by the rebound of that elder's force.
"Rest in peace, Senior Brother."
"Senior Brother."
"Senior Brother..."
The leaders of the Supreme Council all pay their respects in unison towards the Small Person Race Elder.
I know who he was.
The highest-ranking disciple of Jang Ik's current students.
The Vice-leader of the Heart Tribe Supreme Council.
At this moment, in Jang Ik's absence, he was the acting leader of the Heart Tribe.
"Senior Brother Gyeong Chang! Your noble spirit will be remembered forever!!!"
The swordsman of the Small Person Race, Gyeong Chang!
On my first day of waking up in the Heart Tribe's Cedar Wood Grove, I killed Jang Ik's oldest disciple.
Author's Note: The subtle brilliance of Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains begins with the growing volume of its content.
-x-X-x-
Shaaaaa—
Rain begins to fall after the death of the Small Person Race elder.
"The River Bend of Gyeong Chang is known as Sudden Wind, Sudden Rain."
The warrior of the Flower Plant Race approaches and tells me the name of the manifestation Gyeong Chang possessed.
"You must have witnessed the sudden, overwhelming power that surged from that small needle during the exchange of techniques."
"Indeed, it was exactly like that. It was a strength that couldn't have come from such a small body. How was that possible?"
I have already guessed the reason, but I ask wanting to hear more detail.
"Gyeong Chang was an individual, yet not just an individual. He was the king, the lord, of the countless members of the Small Person Race gathered in Cedar Wood Grove. He was always connected to his people, borrowing their strength to fight. By gathering their small amounts of energy, he amplified his power in an instant, like how sudden raindrops falling can cause a disaster. That was Gyeong Chang's River Bend. And...as you might have guessed, if someone borrows something, they must eventually return it."
Shaaaaa—
I watch as Gyeong Chang's intent, mixed with the rainwater, disperses and fades away.
It's a grand spectacle.
The massive clump of intent that just moments ago had been sending power to Gyeong Chang from the sky, now expresses the grief of losing its king, saturating the air with yin energy and causing the rain to pour.
Underneath the scattering raindrops, the strength that Gyeong Chang gathered from his people returns to its original owners.
But that isn't the end.
"If you borrow something, you must return it with interest. The king of the Small Person Race has returned all the enlightenment and determination he gained in his last battle to the people who lent him their strength."
"...I see."
I now understand why Gyeong Chang accepted my Sub-Heart Sword without retreating a single step.
"Was his lifespan already nearing its end?"
"Yes. The lifespan of the Small Person Race is less than one-fifth that of the Human Race. Even if they rise to the First Step Before the Throne, they can only live two or three thousand years at most. Gyeong Chang managed to live three times the maximum lifespan, reaching twenty thousand years by consuming spiritual herbs and spirit fruits of Cedar Wood Grove, as well as stolen spiritual elixirs from the cultivators of the Heaven and Earth Tribes...but that seemed to be his limit."
A king who sacrificed himself as an offering for his people, raising the entire race to a higher realm.
That was Gyeong Chang.
That was the man before me who, in order to gain enlightenment, saw the Dao in the morning and died in the evening.
I turn to the Flower Plant Race warrior and ask a question.
"You, too, seemed willing to risk your life like Gyeong Chang. May I ask why?"
"...It's difficult to explain in detail, but all of us have our own circumstances and the twists and turns of life. After going through countless storms and tribulations, we have still survived, sharpening our resolve to reach this level—that is who we are."
They look at me with serious eyes and speak.
"My name is Ryeo Hwa (麗花/Beautiful Flower), a disciple of the Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One. While it's difficult to tell you my entire life story, one thing is certain. Even if it had been me standing in front of Junior Brother just moments ago, not only I, but everyone in the Supreme Council, no. Anyone at the third stage of manifestation or higher, would have cast aside their life without hesitation."
Only then do I fully realize that this is the territory of the Heart Tribe.
A land where anyone who can fight possesses something more precious than their life.
People who are willing to risk their lives, not for themselves, but for something else.
We call such people kings.
Thus, everyone here is an honorable king in their own right.
A forest where trees grow to build a grand palace for kings.
This is the Cedar Wood Grove.
I watch to the end as the Small Person Race gathers to hold a funeral for their fallen king.
Perhaps because I was connected to Gyeong Chang and shared his emotions, none of the Small Person Race bore any resentment towards me.
A short yet intense encounter with Gyeong Chang, followed by death.
And the events that unfolded afterward.
Through this single incident, I come to understand what kind of place the Heart Tribe territory truly is.
Afterwards, I politely ask about the names of all 21 members of the Heart Tribe's Supreme Council.
Among them, I etch into my heart the names of the five individuals who withstood my pressure the best, including the king of the Small Person Race, Gyeong Chang.
The king of the Small Person Race, Gyeong Chang.
The great warrior of the Miniature Monkey Race, Jae Hu.
The Grand Elder of the Tiny Fungal Race, Dok Young.
The prophet of the Flower Plant Race, Ryeo Hwa.
The strongest of the Shrimp Shell Race, Yu Yeon.
For some reason, I sense that I will be strongly intertwined with them even in Cedar Wood Grove.
And so, I truly became part of the Heart Tribe.
Several days passed since I began interacting with the Heart Tribe.
By the order of the Heart Tribe Supreme Council, I was guided to the outskirts of the Cedar Wood Grove.
There, they took me to a small shrine made of cedar.
"There is a request that our master left behind. According to it, Junior Brother must undergo seclusion within this cedar shrine."
"Seclusion..."
Ryeo Hwa, who became the Vice-Leader of the Supreme Council after Gyeong Chang's passing, nods her head.
"Yes. Master explicitly stated that...if someone in the Heart Tribe reaches the Second Step Before the Throne after him, they must be isolated and forced into seclusion. He firmly warned that they must not leave the seclusion until certain conditions are met."
"Hmm...I see."
It seems a bit difficult to grasp at first, but I nod.
Somehow, I feel like I understand Jang Ik's intentions.
'It's likely to properly consolidate the enlightenment gained from Second Step Before the Throne.'
The cultivation of the Heaven and Earth Tribes does not easily fade.
But the cultivation of the Heart Tribe can sometimes regress.
Their cultivation relies solely on enlightenment, so if they forget their realization after rising in level, their realm can fall again.
Jang Ik likely recommended seclusion to ensure that the enlightenment is fully internalized, preventing such loss.
Inside the shrine made of cedar, which I enter following Ryeo Hwa, is a formation that prevents any light from entering.
As if they're trying to express an impression of distant emptiness.
"What is the condition for leaving seclusion?"
"It's simple."
Wo-woong—
Ryeo Hwa raises a small, low-grade spirit stone in her hand.
"When the energy contained in this low-grade spirit stone fills the entire interior of the shrine, you may leave."
"Hmm..."
It's a task similar to filling an entire house with a single coin.
After gauging the energy in the spirit stone, I nod and sit down in the center of the dark shrine.
Wo-woong—
Upon closer inspection, I notice that the interior of the shrine is spatially compressed, and once I sit in the center, it appears much more expansive.
'No, it's not space compression...'
It feels more like the space was remodeled, similar to when a planet was transformed into an environment habitable for living creatures by Jang Ik with his podao.
"Well then, I wish you good fortune, Junior Brother. May you succeed in fulfilling Master's task and emerge from your seclusion."
"Understood."
Creak...thud!
After saying her piece, Ryeo Hwa hands me the low-grade spirit stone and closes the shrine door.
Tstststsss—
In the darkness, the low-grade spirit stone emits a very faint light.
'It's about as much energy a martial artist could inhale in a single breath using their internal energy method...'
To think I have to fill this entire space with such a meager amount of energy—it seems like a difficult yet intriguing task.
'Since things have come to this, I should properly stabilize my realm before leaving.'
With my head already full of complex issues, such as Buk Hyang-hwa and other matters, this seems like a good opportunity to organize my mind.
Woo-wong—
As I observe my inner body, I simultaneously reach out with my consciousness to observe the current situation of humanity.
'Besides the space remodeling, there don't seem to be any restrictions.'
My consciousness easily slips outside the shrine.
It seems the structure relies purely on the conscience of the person who entered to continue their cultivation earnestly.
Humanity, for the most part, appears dissatisfied with having to live among the Heart Tribe, who were once their slave race. However, a few seem interested in the Heart Tribe's ways and are earnestly exploring martial arts.
Particularly, Kim Young-hoon, a member of humanity who entered the Heart Tribe Supreme Council with dignity, has gathered quite the following. There's an amusing event where a strange group called the 'Bright Cold Martial Alliance' has begun to form from his followers.
Jeon Myeong-hoon, along with Yeon Wei and others, is holding a memorial service for the four disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect who had died recently.
Oh Hyun-seok has been engaging in endless sparring with Azure Tiger Saint, gradually preparing to inherit the Blue Sky Armor from him.
And Kim Yeon...is with Buk Hyang-hwa.
She is researching the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon while assisting in the creation of Buk Hyang-hwa's work.
I briefly turn my gaze to where they are.
"Hyang-hwa, how are your eyes?"
"They've gotten a bit blurry."
Buk Hyang-hwa's curse is said to gradually dull all her senses until they are completely lost, eventually paralyzing her nervous system and killing her.
Though called a curse, it's essentially a Heavenly Penalty that came with her Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent, and there's no way to reverse it.
Last time, Kim Yeon asked me whether it might be possible to capture Buk Hyang-hwa's soul in the same manner as the Mad Lord, using the power of the Nether Crossing Ship's power source.
But I rejected that idea.
Having been trapped in a puppet for a thousand years myself, I know clearly that such a state is neither truly living nor truly dead—a fate worse than death.
Crack...
Buk Hyang-hwa's condition has worsened recently.
She mentioned that her eyes occasionally became blurry when she woke up, or that she would lose the feeling in her fingertips. But now, the Heavenly Penalty seems to be advancing rapidly.
I can roughly guess the cause.
'Great Mountain...you...'
Her condition started rapidly deteriorating after leaving the Ancient Force Realm.
Then, the most significant event during that time must be the cause.
'What more...are you trying to take from me again...?'
Clench...
I grip the ground near me.
Grains of dirt press under my fingernails, and I can feel the soil in my palm.
I have no idea what to do.
Am I just supposed to helplessly watch as Buk Hyang-hwa slowly dies?
'If I use the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique...would it not work?'
If I overlay Buk Hyang-hwa's fate with the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique, it isn't entirely impossible.
But there's a problem with that too.
'The Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique is a method that, by offering a sacrifice, changes one's fate by giving misfortune.'
To use this on someone else, I'd be 'offering myself as the sacrifice', 'giving the other misfortune'. It would become an Immortal Art that changes one's fate.
In other words, even if I use it on Buk Hyang-hwa, I will die, and she will have to live her entire life amidst misfortune and disaster.
She wouldn't want that either.
'Just what am I supposed to do!!??'
While I suddenly feel emotional, I suppress the rising Heart Demon.
'...It's dangerous.'
Until now, there haven't been many Heart Demons that posed a threat to me.
That's because I, myself, am a more dangerous Heart Demon than all my other Heart Demons combined.
Usually, when Heart Demons approach me, it's I who devours them.
But I feel it's different this time.
With Buk Hyang-hwa's terminal diagnosis acting as the catalyst, I feel all the Heart Demons I've devoured so recklessly until now trying to burst out from within my stomach.
If a Heart Demon erupts this time, all the Heart Demons I've consumed in agony up to now will erupt in unison.
'Cedar Wood Grove will turn into hell...'
It isn't just a metaphor. There's a high chance that the monsters born from the evolved Black Blood Tears Flower will burst forth all at once and plunge Cedar Wood Grove into an abyss of curses.
Moreover, since there are no special restrictive formations inside the shrine, it's even more dangerous.
'First...calm down.'
I shift my thoughts back to cultivation in an attempt to suppress the swirling emotions of rage and despair.
I retract my consciousness that I extended outside the shrine back within.
Wo-woong—
For some reason, the light from the lowest-grade spirit stone in front of me dims.
'...It's only emitting light. Normally, it should emit light for several years...'
It seems the stone doesn't have much energy, even for a lowest-grade.
I stop focusing on the spiritual stone and cross my legs in meditation, delving into repentant enlightenment.
Wo-woong—
My current cultivation is at the late Integration stage.
Wo-woong—
The divine powers of Time, Wind, Cold, Heat, and Sunlight are active within my domain.
In the final moments of my past life,
After consuming the Heavenly Lotus Fruit, my very essence nearly twisted due to a Heart Demon.
But the effects were certain—my cultivation surged to the Grand Perfection Integration stage.
And from that point, I shaved off my cultivation until I reached the Second Step Before the Throne, eventually stabilizing at the late Integration stage.
Normally, upon regression, my cultivation should have reverted back to the early Integration stage.
However, my advancement to the Second Step Before the Throne was helpful.
'I've now become capable of elevating my entire body to the Plane of Soul.'
And my regression is centered on my soul.
What does that mean?
'From the moment I rose to the Second Step Before the Throne, even if I return, my cultivation will no longer regress.'
In other words, I no longer need to store my cultivation in the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections to recover my realm.
What remains now is to recover my Grand Perfection Integration stage cultivation, awaken the divine power of Rain, and challenge the advancement to the Star Shattering stage.
That's all.
As I focus on awakening the remaining divine power of Rain, I begin dissolving all the stored cultivation in the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections into the Colorless Glass Sword, since I no longer need to store it.
The Refining Void Dharma Treasure is crucial for the advancement ritual to the Start Shattering stage anyway, so enhancing the quality of the Void Dharma Treasure is a necessary step.
Kugugugugu!
As I start dissolving the cultivation stored in the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections into the Colorless Glass Sword, a mighty force that shocks the heavens begins to shake the entire Cedar Wood Grove.
Since the power stored in the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is originally compatible with the Colorless Glass Sword from the beginning, it doesn't take much time to enhance the sword itself.
I just need to feed it.
Tstststststs—
A hazy mist rises from the Colorless Glass Sword, then is reabsorbed.
At the same time, my swords begin to hum.
After all three thousand Colorless Glass Swords were refined into Void Dharma Treasures, they became connected to my heart essence and gained the ability to be resurrected even if they break or are destroyed.
But that's all. For now, each of the three thousand swords is merely a dharma treasure at the Grand Perfection Nascent Soul level.
However, as the cultivation stored in the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections begins to flow into the Colorless Glass Sword, a transformation begins.
Tssaaaatt!
The sharp energy of each of the three thousand Colorless Glass Swords becomes even more ferocious, and their strength increases further.
The three thousand swords each begin to rise to the level of the Heavenly Being stage.
'The cultivation stored in the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is spiritual power at the mid Integration stage.'
That level of spiritual power is more than enough to elevate the quality of the three thousand dharma treasures.
I use one percent of the power stored in the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections to raise the three thousand swords to the early Heavenly Being level.
I infuse more power.
The Colorless Glass Swords evolve once again to the mid Heavenly Being level.
Three percent of the power from the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is consumed.
Late Heavenly Being.
Six percent of the remaining power is consumed.
Grand Perfection Heavenly Being!
Ten percent of the remaining power is consumed.
Kuadudududuk!
Suddenly, all of the Colorless Glass Swords glow brightly, emitting a dazzling light.
Flash!
It feels as if a chrysalis is shedding its shell, and I sense that the rank of my Colorless Glass Swords have dramatically risen again.
'Four-Axis...'
The quality of each of the Colorless Glass Swords is now at the Four-Axis level.
To get to this point, half of the cultivation stored in the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections has been used.
I pour the remaining half of the stored cultivation into the three thousand Colorless Glass Swords.
Paaatt!
At that moment, all three thousand Colorless Glass Swords light up again and rise once more.
'Mid Four-Axis...'
Dharma treasures at the Four-Axis level are called 'out-of-standard dharma treasures.'
Of course, there are dharma treasures like the Blue Sky Armor of the Azure Heaven Creation Sect that surpass even the power of Four-Axis level dharma treasures, but the term 'out-of-standard dharma treasure' lies in its 'qualification.'
From this level onward, without at least reaching the Four-Axis stage, it is impossible to fully draw out the power of out-of-standard dharma treasures, which is why they are called Four-Axis level dharma treasures.
Tssaaaaat—
The sharp glow of the Colorless Glass Swords fades as they become out-of-standard dharma treasures, losing their sharp energy and leaving only solid and dense intensity as they fall to the ground.
To an untrained eye, they would appear merely as glass sword models, so ordinary that they can be mistaken for decorative items.
But when I pick up one of the Colorless Glass Swords that has fallen to the ground, it responds to my touch, emanating a sharp energy that can likely cut through the Four-Axis Canopy of a Four-Axis stage cultivator.
Any Four-Axis stage cultivator would find that simply wielding one of the Colorless Glass Swords would allow them to overwhelm opponents at the same level.
Wo-woong!
I gather all the scattered Colorless Glass Swords back into one and gaze at them in contemplation.
I have fully infused all the stored cultivation from the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections into each and every sword, elevating them to the level of out-of-standard dharma treasures.
'They haven't fully integrated with the cultivation yet.'
The rapid rise in their quality is likely the cause. If I take time to allow the cultivation to fully merge with the dharma treasures, each of the Colorless Glass Swords will eventually reach the Grand Perfection Four-Axis level.
The power they will unleash when combined into one...it's to the point that even thinking of testing it gives me chills.
But that's not the most important thing.
Tststststststs—
I unfold the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections that now resides within the Colorless Glass Swords.
The Colorless Glass Swords glow brightly, releasing a hazy mist around them.
Around me, a web of myriad connections visible only to my eyes unfolds.
'...Now...I will never lose them again.'
Until now, losing the Colorless Glass Swords also meant losing the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, making it impossible to prevent the leakage of my memories.
But now that the Colorless Glass Swords have been refined into Void Dharma Treasures and are partially integrated with my heart essence...
The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections has also merged with my heart essence.
In other words, from now on, I will never again lose the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
'Embrace all connections and become impermanence...'
This is the enlightenment I came to upon reaching the Second Step Before the Throne.
Literally, I have embraced all connections within my heart essence.
'The impermanence reached through filling is also emptiness...'
I observe the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections as I contemplate my enlightenment on impermanence.
Originally a secret art for storing cultivation, the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections has now been completely emptied, revealing nothing but emptiness.
'Ah...'
As I gaze upon the connections within the completely empty Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, the enlightenment I previously only instinctively grasped now fully crystallizes.
'I see.'
Why does impermanence lead to emptiness?
Many fundamentally misunderstand this.
Emptiness (空) is not hollowness (虛).
It doesn't mean 'being hollow;' but rather 'being pierced through.'
Someone might look at an empty cave and think, 'It's hollow.'
But if they walk to the end of the cave and continue to dig, what happens?
The cave will pierce through to the other side of the mountain, becoming a 'path' that connects where they are with another place.
Piercing through a path that connects one to one another.
That is the essence of emptiness, and that is the true enlightenment I attained regarding impermanence.
To embrace all connections and become impermanence.
That means embracing all connections and breaking through a path towards all connections.
In Seated Detachment, Entering Hope, I trained with the goal of compressing my heart essence into a single strike.
But training in this realm will be about going beyond emptiness, opening a path from my heart towards all my connections.
'I see, Jang Ik...'
I now understand why Jang Ik implanted his podao into each and every Heart Tribe without distinction.
Perhaps it's so he can connect with all of them...
Paaaaatt!
I gather the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections into one.
The hazy mist shrinks to the size of the lowest-grade spirit stone in front of me.
Having poured all the stored cultivation into the Colorless Glass Swords, the energy within the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is now even less than that of the spirit stone.
As I gaze at that energy, I clearly understand Jang Ik's task.
Paaaaatt!
The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections emits light.
This light illuminates the entire shrine that is filled only with darkness.
This light is the grace I received from understanding the hearts of my comrades from 'past lives.'
The shrine, once filled with nothing but darkness, is now filled with the light I have built up.
From now on, just as this light erased the darkness, the emptiness in the shrine, I will continue to strive to understand the hearts of my connections.
By doing so, this light will continue to grow.
When the light grows and becomes as bright as the sun, I will finally reach the next realm.
Illuminating the endless Emptiness ( 공/空) within my heart and filling the Hollow (허/虛).
That, is Second Step Before the Throne.
The position where one erases the Void (허공/ 虛空) with the heart!
As thus...the name of this stage naturally settles in my heart.
"Void Shattering (虛空分碎)."
Filling the hollow heart through the path of connections and the grace received from them, reaching the realm where the emptiness is erased.
'Ah...'
I now realize I have fully entered Void Shattering.
Inside the shrine of the cedar trees.
There, along with impermanence, I comprehend the structure of the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is a path.
The timeline of my past.
A path where the memories of those timelines intersect.
And at the center of that path is Buk Hyang-hwa's norigae.
I unconsciously extend my hand and grasp the connection with Buk Hyang-hwa's norigae.
Tststststst—
Then, familiar memories surge like a flood.
"Ah..."
Drip, drip...
It's the memory from that time.
The tenth cycle.
That day, that final moment from back then.
It remains so vivid.
She, who appeared before me as a soul.
Her heart, feelings, that almost-touching sensation.
The sentimentality of the kiss.
The sense of liberation at the moment when the curse became a blessing...
"Ah...ahhh..."
As I feel the tears streaming down, I fully understand Jang Ik's intention.
Those who reach the realm of Void Shattering must all realize emptiness.
Just as the answer to the Heart Sword differs for each person, so too does the answer for emptiness.
But one thing is certain.
People always forget emptiness so easily.
Whether it is breaking through or emptying out, emptiness is something forgotten far too easily.
As is the grace received from others.
Until now, I thought I remembered everything through the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
But now I understand how arrogant and foolish that thought was.
'I haven't...truly remembered even a single thing. I...'
Though I may not have forgotten the memories, have I ever truly remembered the feelings from those moments?
Along with the connection to Buk Hyang-hwa's heart, the hearts of countless others.
Memories of the time spent with them flood into my chest.
The moments I spent cultivating Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation with Seo Ran, sharing both hardships and joy.
The moments when I taught my disciples, telling them to live...
As I recall the emotions in each of those countless moments, I gaze at the norigae connected to me.
Wo-woong—
Through the norigae, the emotions of someone else, not mine, begin to flow in.
The current owner of the norigae,
The heart of this cycle's Buk Hyang-hwa is flowing into me.
As I faintly feel the emotions of this cycle's Buk Hyang-hwa, I finally begin to understand, even a little, her feelings as she faces her impending death.
—I will complete it, no matter what.
"...I see."
I was thinking Buk Hyang-hwa is dying.
I was thinking she is leaving me because she has been cursed.
It was a misunderstanding.
It was a misunderstanding brought about by my arrogance, thinking of her merely as 'my person.'
Wasn't it the same with my disciples?
How many times had I foolishly and ignorantly told them to just live, without respecting their true desire to achieve their life's goal?
This cycle's Buk Hyang-hwa is, at this very moment...
'Coming back to life' in order to complete her creation as she approaches death.
I see the illusion of Hong Su-ryeong.
—If we cannot overcome fate, can't we at least make choices within fate's confines?
—If death and destruction are already fated, why can't I seek my heart's own path within that fate?
My disciples, as well as Hong Su-ryeong.
They all wanted to end their lives with their own hands.
The important part isn't 'wanted to end,' but 'with their own hands.'
And now, Buk Hyang-hwa, too, is trying to complete her work 'with her own hands' before leaving.
"..."
A thought crosses my mind.
If everyone were to stay with me for a thousand years, would that truly mean we are 'together'?
People are all fated to part ways eventually.
Just as Song Jin has now left me and Seo Ran forever.
All people eventually face the time of parting
If that is the case, until that time comes, respecting each other as much as possible and remaining in each other's hearts...
Would that not be the true way to be 'together' forever?
Paaaaat!
I open my eyes and see the dancing light from the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections grow stronger.
"...Yes."
I have made up my mind regarding Buk Hyang-hwa.
"Let's prepare...for the farewell."
I will do everything I can to find a way to prevent the curse, but if that's not possible, I will bid her farewell in her final moments.
I will stay with her as much as I can and send her off as a comrade of this cycle.
Step, step...
Clearing my heart and Heart Demons, I step out of the shrine.
As I organize my dharma treasures, I fully rise to the realm of Void Shattering.
And I resolve my attitude towards Buk Hyang-hwa, as well as all the connections that will eventually leave me.
Creeeak...
Both coming and going are their wills.
If the fate that cannot be avoided tries to take away my connections, I will be sorrowful, but let's not fall into despair.
I will try to protect them, but let's not obsess over them.
While respecting their lives, let's cherish the remaining time even more.
Creeeak...
It's when I close the door of the shrine.
Kim Yeon appears before me.
"It's been ten years."
"...?"
At those words, I turn around.
At the same time.
Pasasasak—
The cedar shrine I just left crumbles into dust.
It has suddenly weathered away.
As if Jang Ik had worked some trick.
"...I see."
Only then do I understand why, even though it was the lowest-grade spiritual stone, its light went out so quickly.
From the moment I focused my consciousness inside the shrine, my cognition had been distorted, and time had passed incredibly fast.
"...In these ten years, there was a great event."
She speaks as she walks away.
"For now, let's go to Hyang-hwa. I'll explain on the way."
"Alright."
With a relaxed smile, I ask her.
"A great event you say? What exactly was it?"
"First...in the Heart Tribe territory, Sacred Master Baek Woon's incarnation came to declare recognition of your status and...bestowed upon you a title as an Esteemed One."