I do not respond to [her] words.
'Those who gaze into the heart...crave for suicide...?'
It feels like she is about to reveal a secret regarding the suicidal tendencies of the Heart Tribe.
However, I neither look back nor answer.
Though it's an unbearably intriguing topic, I've gone through too much since the time of Great Mountain to speak carelessly.
I must stay cautious and even more cautious with my mouth shut.
"There's a saying that silence is golden, but silence at the wrong time can summon a blade. I'm not some violent mountain spirit, so you can speak freely about what you're curious about."
"..."
Saa—
'I've been read...'
I break into a cold sweat, unsure of what to do.
Eventually, I force myself to open my mouth, with great difficulty.
"May I...ask who you are?"
"That is impossible. It is for your own sake as well. Very few in this mountain can bear the weight of my name."
"..."
I swallow hard.
For a moment, my brain froze, and I asked a question I shouldn't have.
If she were someone like Great Mountain, she could have spoken her true name and exploded my entire body.
"...Thank you for your mercy. Then...may I ask why you came to find me?"
"You misunderstand."
"Pardon?"
"I did not come to you. You called for me."
'I called for [her]...?'
Drip, drip, drip.
The cold sweat running from my head soon slides past my cheek and drops from the tip of my chin.
It's not like I've met some overwhelming enemy in battle, yet here I am, sweating this much.
It's proof of how tense I am.
"You will understand who I am once you 'descend.' All the gods of the universe hold high expectations for you. So far, there have only been a handful of cases where all seven have entered the path of immortal cultivation and successfully ascended without growing old."
Drip...drip, drip, drip...
I feel the sweat continuously falling from my chin as I organize my thoughts for another question.
'I shouldn't ask any more about her identity.'
Instinctively, I feel that if I probe further into her identity, this being will become angry.
On the other hand, I sense that if I remain silent without asking anything, this being will also take offense.
'Let's not be too greedy.'
I decide not to ask too much, only appropriate-level questions.
For example, the information she just hinted at.
"...Regarding what you mentioned earlier...I'm curious as to why the Heart Tribe comes so close to suicide. Please grant me your wisdom."
"Now you've asked a question I can properly answer."
I sense that [she] is smiling.
"Do you know 'why' and 'how' the heart of an existence arises?"
"..."
I ponder deeply, suddenly struck by the sudden profound question.
"I do not know."
What exactly is a heart?
Why does it come into existence?
It's a question I've pondered since I began to explore intent, but I've never found an answer.
From a purely biological standpoint, the heart (emotions) is merely the expression of genes, a collection of electrical signals.
But upon coming to this world, I felt that even stars, even inanimate objects, possess something akin to a 'heart' to some extent.
In that case, what exactly is the true nature of the heart?
And the answer to my long-agonized question is revealed all too easily through [her] lips.
"The heart is essentially death."
Sururuk—
Someone's hand covers my eyes.
It is clearly [her] hand.
But I cannot think of pushing it away or resisting.
Before my eyes, a pitch-black darkness spreads boundlessly, devoid of even a single ray of light.
I realize that by 'covering my eyes', [she] has drawn my mind somewhere else.
Paaaatt!
Suddenly, I find myself in a pure white land.
I can still sense [her] presence behind me.
Drip, drip.
Something flows beside my feet.
It is dye.
Dyes of various colors flow beneath my feet.
"When all colors eventually merge, they become black."
Gurgle, gurgle...
As countless hues of dye mix, they turn black.
"And conversely, when all intents merge, they become colorless."
She is right.
Those who reach Five Energies Converging to the Origin all come to understand this truth.
"Colorless and black. Both symbolize the end. The extreme of intent is, after all, the 'end' itself...The final destination of the heart is death."
Flinch!
I feel a shiver run through my entire body.
Chuararararak!
The black dye at my feet suddenly starts writhing as if it's alive, then rushes towards me.
I am swallowed into the river of black dye.
Cautiously opening my eyes, I find myself having somehow reached the universe.
Inside the black dye.
Within it, the universe stretches endlessly.
Countless stars drift through the vast expanse of space.
"Those who gaze into their hearts gradually realize the true nature of their own heart."
Paaaatt!
The stars begin to shine.
The stars, in all their various colors, slowly start to illuminate the universe.
The universe begins to brighten.
"But when that nature is fully realized...the end is..."
The universe continues to brighten.
And it begins to heat up.
Shudder!
'Th-This is...'
I've seen this scene before.
The Owner of Great Mountain.
The terrifying scene shown by that overwhelming existence, the conclusion of the universe.
The End!
The universe begins to contract.
It seems to shrink at a speed faster than light, until it collapses into a single point and vanishes.
"Do you understand now? The reason why one can never become a True Immortal through realizing the heart...The reason why the entire world despises those who cultivate the heart. And...the reason why the fate of those who seek to realize their heart inevitably draws closer to death..."
"...Because the heart...is essentially death?"
"That's not all. The more people who gaze into the heart and realize its nature, the faster the End of their entire world approaches."
"...!!!"
"Not only do they destroy themselves...they also lead the entire world to death... That is the power of the heart. The conditions of the End for all the Heavenly Domains were altered to such by Vast Cold."
"Pardon...?"
I feel my mind freeze.
Who is this Vast Cold she's speaking of?
It's all too obvious.
The Owner of the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle.
The being who, alongside the Tribunal, challenged [something] and met a gruesome end.
Because of that being, the laws of the Heavenly Domain now hasten the End the more the heart is realized?
"Truly horrific and ominous...That is the true nature of the heart."
I feel her breath behind me.
While I remain frozen, [she] offers me a proposal.
"So I offer you this. From this day forward, do not look into your heart anymore. Just focus on understanding your feelings and experiencing them as they are. To cultivate the heart only accelerates everyone's misfortune and does nothing to aid in Immortal Cultivation. If you accept my offer, I will immediately elevate you to an Immortal Seat (仙座)."
"...!!!"
I am shocked by the staggering offer.
The words 'Immortal Seat' burrow into my mind, injecting its meaning.
True Immortal.
She is offering to make me a True Immortal if I give up on martial arts.
It is such a radical offer that I'm left speechless.
But what truly frightens me is [her] authority.
'If she's an existence capable of immediately making me a True Immortal...what will she do if I refuse her offer?'
The nightmare of the Owner of Great Mountain flashes before my eyes.
The universe perished in an instant, everyone died, and my body was torn to pieces.
Resistance was impossible.
This time, it feels like it will only be even worse, never less.
There is no hope.
Though she's neither threatening nor coercing me, merely speaking calmly, I feel my rationality crumbling.
I feel so terrified that I want to vomit.
I try to come up with countless solutions in my head, but none of them are useful.
I just want to collapse and sob, begging her to leave me alone.
Yes...
Finding peace here wouldn't be so bad.
If I become a True Immortal, I wouldn't have to worry about my lifespan anymore, nor fear losing my comrades.
With my abilities, I could live, running away even from the Owner of Great Mountain after becoming a True Immortal.
Wouldn't it be best to just accept her words and obtain an Immortal Seat?
...
"...I..."
It's when I open my mouth.
In that instant, a single memory flashes through my mind.
It's a certain scene.
A withered, aged hand is holding someone else's hand.
The sturdy-looking 'someone' is standing with the light at their back, looking at me with a complicated expression while holding my hand.
— Gu Ju (九疇/Nine Categories). Your name is...Gu Ju.
A fleeting moment.
But in that brief instant of a moment, I shut my mouth.
For some reason, an unknown emotion takes root inside me.
I remain silent for a moment.
Then, I respond.
"...I refuse."
"Why?"
"...It is difficult to obtain a human body, and it is difficult still to realize the Dao (人身難得道難明)."
Ziiiiing!
Instead of answering, I half-open my eyes and speak.
Through Flower Souls Filling the Heavens, a faint memory resurfaces.
The 16th cycle.
A conversation I shared with my friend.
"Follow the human heart to seek the root of the Dao (塑此人心訪道根)..."
I shout, shaking off the rising fear within my heart.
"If this body cannot achieve transcendence in this life (此身不向今生度)!"
I feel [her] gasp.
Though I do not read her intent, I can sense her emotion.
She is genuinely surprised.
"When shall I wait again to transcend this existence (再等何時度此身)!?"
[Editor: More details on the poem are given at the end of the chapter.]
Paaat!
Along with her, the world brightens before my eyes.
The image of the universe where everything has disappeared fades, and I find myself back in Seoak Village.
I see [her] remove her hand from my eyes.
Facing the fear, I speak to her.
"I understand now what you mean by death ultimately being the heart. The heart...is born from the contemplation of how to accept the life that will inevitably come to an end."
"..."
"However...even if the nature of the heart is terrifying, I will stand with my own feet in this terrifying world."
She does not reply.
Undeterred, I continue speaking.
"Receiving this body, receiving this moment...and even receiving death itself are opportunities that will never come again. Even if the heart brings me closer to death, as long as I've been given the chance to search for the roots of my heart in this life, I will not give up."
Because that is...
My [promise] with them.
Recalling the heart from the 16th cycle, which I cannot fully remember even with Flower Soul Filling the Heavens, I resolve firmly.
"If you wish, you may torture me. Even if words begging for death escape my lips, words of giving up will never come from my mouth...!"
Then, a voice of laughter comes from behind me.
It is a clear laugh.
"The more you read the heart, the closer your fate will be to death. Countless hands of death will reach out toward you. Even in such misfortune, will you truly not lose your heart?"
"I will try."
I firmly vow.
"Even if there are those around me who die, I will do my best so that they can die having obtained what they desired before death."
If my friend is to die in the evening, I will bring them what they wish for that morning.
I will do my utmost to make it so.
Dying is undoubtedly a sad and frightening thing.
The severing of all connections and hearts is a fear and pain so deep it could tear one's soul apart.
But still...
Death comes to everyone in the end.
If what we cannot escape are death and fate, I will find the greatest happiness within them.
Does abandoning my heart mean death will no longer loom over my connections?
Of course not.
No being is without death.
Moreover, my heart is not something made solely for myself.
So how could I possibly dare to give up this heart so recklessly?
Even if it leads to the destruction of the world, no one can take away what I hold in my embrace.
Not because I refuse to let it go, but because it already belongs to everyone.
Summing up my long and firm heart essence and resolve, I shout to [her] behind me.
"Not just the Immortal Seat, but even if you were to offer me the throne of Supreme Deities, I will not give this up. Please return!"
For a moment, silence lingers.
Then, I sense that her laughter has ceased.
"In that case...I shall observe just how much you realize the weight of your words. I had originally intended to meet you in another place, but having confirmed your determination in this place today...it seems I have no choice but to wait for our next meeting."
Step, step...
I feel her leaving from behind me.
"I look forward to our next meeting. Until then...beware of the North (北). As they may be the worst opponent for all Enders..."
Surururu—
With that, as I close and open my eyes, I find myself standing before Ryeo Hwa's corpse.
I have returned.
I quickly turn around.
There's nothing behind me except the shadow of the cedar trees.
Looking forward again, I see Hong Fan standing there.
'Beware of the North?'
What does it mean?
There is power in her words, and I realize that her words themselves symbolize the [North] itself.
Is there something in the north?
Or perhaps, is there a figure symbolizing the north among the True Immortals who poses a threat to us?
I don't know the details.
Looking at Hong Fan approaching, I shake my head to clear my thoughts.
"Are you alright, Master? You're drenched in sweat."
He hands me a towel.
I wipe the sweat and look at him.
After entering the Integration stage, he appears a bit younger.
The face that was once fully that of an elderly man now looks to be in his 50s or 60s.
Black hair is beginning to sprout from his head.
"...Hong Fan."
I look at him and say.
"What is it?"
"...Thanks."
"Pardon?"
"For staying by my side."
Hong Fan lets out a soft laugh, looking a little embarrassed as he speaks.
"As long as we stand under this sky, I will always serve you with the utmost sincerity, Master. There's no need to thank me."
I smile lightly, rise from my seat, and pick up Ryeo Hwa's corpse, burying her body.
Chuararak!
'Please, rest in peace...'
Ryeo Hwa, who has endured countless years...
Together with Hong Fan, I stay up through the night, paying my respects to her.
Twenty years pass.
Pukwak!
I click my tongue bitterly as I look at Jae Hu, whose eyes are closed as if dead, impaled by my sword.
"Hon…our."
Jae Hu, the great warrior of the Miniature Monkey Race, bleeds from my hand before fainting.
My Heart Sword has subdued their heart essence.
Though they aren't dead, they must have fallen into a comatose state.
Over the past twenty years, Dok Yeong has repeatedly challenged me, and I met him in battle every time.
In the end, Dok Yeong of the Tiny Fungal Race became completely battered and killed by me.
And today.
I faced Jae Hu of the Miniature Monkey Race and, at last, succeeded in subduing without killing.
"...It's been long."
Over the past twenty years, while facing the two masters of the First Step Before the Throne, I have awakened five of the six divine powers of my body.
Time (時) is the life that forms as moments meet with moments.
Wind (風) is the breeze that etches the form of the fading moment on the world.
Cold (寒) is the loneliness of the moment.
Heat (燠) is the affection of the moment.
Sunlight (陽) is the clarity of the moment!
Without using spiritual power, I can control the harmony of Heaven and Earth by simply altering my heart essence.
When I use the Divine Power of Time, the flow of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy surrounding me quickens.
When I use the Divine Power of Wind, the flow of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy stirs the wind, sculpting the surrounding land.
The Divine Power of Cold hardens the sculpted land, imprinting its form.
The Divine Power of Heat melts the imprinted form, restoring the land to its original form.
The Divine Power of Sunlight allows me to clearly perceive all the divine powers I've used so far.
'Now, the only one left is the Divine Power of Rain...'
I can sense it.
Once I awaken the last of the divine powers, I will reach the Grand Perfection Integration stage.
And then...
'There's at least a seventy percent chance that I'll rise to the Star Shattering stage.'
As I send sword energy flying off into the distance, I ponder.
'I must reach the Star Shattering stage quickly.'
Baek Woon said that within a few years, she would regain her position as Sacred Master.
Yet, decades have passed, and there is still no sign of her recovery.
'Now that I think about it, the one who referred to 500 years as just a short period is Baek Woon."
Perhaps her concept of 'a few years' is far longer than imagined.
Therefore...
Even a day faster, I must raise my Heaven and Earth cultivation to the Star Shattering stage and protect the entire Bright Cold Realm with my own hands.
'Now, among those who reached First Step Before the Throne, all of Jang Ik's disciples who reached the peak of the realm are either dead or in a comatose state.'
Having put Jae Hu into a comatose state, I've now become somewhat accustomed to Void Shattering, enough to subdue without killing them.
Thanks to this, no other challengers from the Heart Tribe have come to me.
'That's a good thing.'
Now, the gap between us has become so vast that it's meaningless for anyone to challenge me.
However, this also means that if I wish to raise my realm further, I will have to seek out opponents myself.
'If I find some strong Vestiges, it might not be a bad idea to go and test myself...'
Just when I think so.
Taatt!
Above the tallest tree in Cedar Wood Grove where I am sitting.
There, Kim Young-hoon and Kim Yeon appear.
"Ah, what brings you here?"
I ask, looking at them.
'What's this, surely Kim Young-hoon isn't planning to challenge me, is he?'
After all, the only one in the Supreme Council of Cedar Wood Grove who has reached the extreme of the First Step Before the Throne is Kim Young-hoon.
But contrary to my thoughts, Kim Young-hoon chuckles and shakes his head.
"I know what you're thinking, but it's not that. The detailed explanation...Kim Yeon should be the one to give it."
"...?"
I'm puzzled.
Kim Yeon steps forward with a bitter expression and speaks.
"A challenger has come for you."
"...Who is it?"
Sensing the unusual atmosphere between the two, I ask seriously.
And with her next words, I can only open my mouth dumbfoundedly.
"...Hyang-hwa."
Out of nowhere, Buk Hyang-hwa has sent me a challenge.
I stand at the dueling arena of Cedar Wood Grove.
A large crowd has gathered around.
Seo Ran, Shi Ho, Kim Young-hoon, those who have been close to Buk Hyang-hwa since the Head Realm days, as well as Kim Yeon, Hong Fan, and others who are close to her now, are all watching us.
I glance around, then look at Buk Hyang-hwa, who has barely stepped into the arena.
I can tell she is struggling to stand.
'She's lost her sight.'
Her eyes are completely unfocused, her hands and feet trembling.
Even her consciousness is extremely faint, making her hardly different from a mortal at this point.
I speak to her through heart language.
—Why did you come?
At my heart message, she gives a faint smile.
Suruk—
She raises a jade norigae.
A norigae filled with many connections and time.
And etched into that norigae, as if she had been researching it all this time, are countless circuits, tiny as grains of sand.
—I wanted to show it to you.
Without a word, I grip my Colorless Glass Sword and take my stance.
The next moment, I swing my sword towards her.
Through the arc of the sword, the final day of the 10th cycle, when the rain had poured heavily, brushes past.
Translator Notes:
It is difficult to obtain a human body, and it is difficult still to realize the Dao (人身難得道難明).
Follow the human heart to seek the root of the Dao (塑此人心訪道根).
If this body cannot achieve transcendence in this life (此身不向今生度),
When shall I wait again to transcend this existence (再等何時度此身)!
The above is a poem left by Lü Dongbin, warning future generations after seeing many people ensnared by fame, wealth, and lust, leaving them to vainly head toward death. It basically means that being born and living is a rare opportunity and realizing the Dao is difficult. Hence, one should cultivate the heart to realize the Dao because if not now, when? The Hanja for 塑此人心訪道根 translates more accurately to 'Mold this human heart to seek the root of the Dao' Due to similarities to Buddhist texts, I assume the poem was derived from Buddhism since Lü Dongbin also studied Buddhism.
-x-X-x-
Ting—
The first sword strike, which carries no internal energy, spiritual power, or attraction force, is deflected by the first spell that Buk Hyang-hwa sends out.
'What is this?'
I feel a strange sense of déjà vu from her and adjust my stance again.
—Are you really sure about this?
Ever since I reached Void Shattering, even if my opponent isn't at Entering Heavens, I can still hear responses through heart language as long as they allow it.
Her reply reaches me.
—I'm truly sure.
Whoosh!
I leap toward her as if flying.
Facing her, whose level is at the Nascent Soul stage, I am confident I can win by merely wielding the Colorless Glass Sword.
Thus, I confront her while sealing all my spiritual power and internal energy.
Swish!
In an instant, I rush towards her, aiming the sword at Buk Hyang-hwa's neck.
But at that moment, I feel a sudden chill, and using only my physical strength, I use the rebounding bow technique (弓身彈影).
[TL/N: A movement technique where one bends their body backward like a bow in midair, then springs forward using the rebound to propel themselves]
Thud!
A tingling runs up my ankle.
I feel a single strand of my hair get cut.
'What was that, just now?'
Just a moment ago, a basic spell whirled around Buk Hyang-hwa at a spin-chilling speed, cutting through my hair.
Although I feel sorry for her, Buk Hyang-hwa is merely an expert in crafting magical artifacts, not skilled in spellcasting, so I am struck by a sense of dissonance.
'Is it her magic artifact? Is she fighting using a magic artifact? No...this is...'
I look around, searching for any hidden magic artifacts, and finally realize what it is.
'So it was that.'
Zuuuung—
The norigae in her hand shines brightly.
A soft, jade light radiates around her, casting spells on her behalf.
'So this is the source of the dissonance. A magic artifact that casts spells for her...'
Yet, something feels off.
'...No. This isn't all.'
There is something more, something hidden that I am not aware of.
'...Is that it...?'
It is then that I understand why Buk Hyang-hwa challenged me to this duel.
This déjà vu.
She wants me to realize 'something' through this familiar feeling.
'If that's the case, I should oblige her.'
With my current strength, I can end this match against Buk Hyang-hwa in less than a second.
But to understand what Buk Hyang-hwa is trying to convey through this duel, I seal my power even further.
While sealing my spiritual power, internal energy, and attraction force, I also seal my consciousness.
Simultaneously, I seal my sight, and briefly puncture my eardrums to seal my hearing.
I breathe through my mouth instead of my nose, sealing my sense of smell, and I block my foresight, the senses of the Demon Race, and the vision of my intent as well.
Now, all that remains is my sense of touch.
I feel the grip of my sword and the vibrations of the ground.
I feel the flow of the wind.
And in that state, holding the Colorless Glass Sword, I launch myself once more toward Buk Hyang-hwa.
Sururuk—
I can feel it.
A vibration resonates from Buk Hyang-hwa's norigae.
I sense the thousands upon thousands of circuits inscribed within that norigae, seamlessly exchanging power, weaving together spells.
'It wasn't just one.'
I am surprised by the overwhelming capabilities of the norigae.
The norigae receives spiritual energy from Buk Hyang-hwa and spews out tens of thousands of spells per second, encircling her.
Chuarara!
I can feel it through the vibration of the air.
Right now, tens of thousands of spells are being generated around her, taking the form of spell characters that surround her.
Simultaneously, the spell characters begin to revolve around her in a cycle.
Just like the rings of rock orbiting around Jupiter or Saturn.
A 'ring' of spell characters appears around her.
Piiiiing—
The rotation of the 'ring' displaces the air, exuding a fierce momentum.
This level of spell manipulation is absurd.
'Just what did you do to that norigae?'
I let out a hearty laugh and take a deep breath.
Huuub—
In an instant, oxygen floods into the muscles of my entire body.
My muscles seem to expand momentarily, drawing out explosive strength.
Boom!
In the next instant, I break the sound barrier using only my physical strength.
The power of body strengthening techniques like the body refining methods or the demon beast methods are already sealed, and using only the strength of 'Seo Eun-hyun,' the human, I've surpassed extreme speed.
'The one I need to face isn't Buk Hyang-hwa.'
It is the creation she holds in her hands.
Pang, pang, pang, pang!
I move swiftly between the trees of Cedar Wood Grove, striking towards the norigae with feints, as if I may or may not attack.
Each time, the norigae detects my movements and moves the spell characters at extreme speed to defend Buk Hyang-hwa.
'Let's see if it can really defend against this.'
Pang!
In the next moment, I feign a sword slash from the front, but I immediately shift to her rear, thrusting my sword at the norigae.
The norigae's spell manipulation falters slightly but soon begins to respond to me.
Sixteen spell characters shoot toward me, aiming at my feet, ankles, groin, solar plexus, neck, and philtrum.
'Faster.'
Huuub!
I take a deep breath in a single moment and push my muscles even further into overdrive.
Boom, boom, boom!
After thrusting at the line of incoming spell characters, I disrupt the flow of the 'ring' surrounding her.
Kwaaaaang!
My sword, having broken the sound barrier, clashes with the 'ring,' causing a massive explosion.
Meanwhile, the norigae deploys defensive spells to protect Buk Hyang-hwa, while simultaneously producing offensive spells from the defensive spells, demonstrating a seamless combination of offense and defense.
'What in the world...?'
To modify spells in real time and use them like this is a skill only a grandmaster of spells could pull off!
I can't help but laugh in disbelief at the idea that a mere norigae is pulling off such a feat.
At the same time, the sense of déjà vu grows stronger.
I exchange blows with the norigae.
Even though I'm clearly fighting an emotionless artifact, it strangely feels as though I'm battling a person.
Ting, ting, tang!
My sword deflects three spells and shatters Buk Hyang-hwa's defensive spell.
The norigae quickly casts seven layers of defensive spells over Buk Hyang-hwa again, and a wide-area sealing spell covers the surroundings with her as the center.
The entire dueling arena is engulfed in this restriction, making my body feel heavy.
'Why is this?'
Though I am clearly in the middle of a battle, I feel as if I am dancing.
'...So that's it...'
I am indeed dancing.
Between the movements of my sword, the scenery of that rainy day starts to flash before my eyes.
'So it wasn't a hallucination.'
The rain I saw when I first swung my sword.
It wasn't merely a nostalgic vision from my memories.
Kwagwagwang!
Her Nascent Soul-level spiritual power is being supplied to the norigae, and the norigae amplifies it into spells at the Heavenly Being level.
The surrounding terrain begins to change.
Due to a fire attribute spell, the ground melts, turning into a sea of lava.
Slam!
I plant one foot on a solid spot amidst the lava sea and spin my body, using the wind generated by my sword to quickly cool the lava.
Sararak—
'Even with my eyes closed...I can still see.'
What I see before me is not Buk Hyang-hwa, unleashing lava, torrential rain, and freezing cold.
It's her—the one who danced with me as she was dying.
The dream-like memory of that time fills my vision.
Shwaaaaaa—
The rain stops, and the dance between she and I also ceases.
I exchange words with her.
Exuding curses profusely and suffering with pain...
She says something to me.
And in the midst of it, we share a kiss.
Paaaatt!
The curse begins to reverse.
Tap, tap...
Like raindrops hitting the ground and bursting apart, the dark curses explode outward, transforming into a pure white blessing.
As I watch this process, I look up at the sky.
Rain (雨) is born in the sky and dies when it reaches the ground.
The sky that brought the rain becomes vast and empty, and the darkness disperses.
'...Come to think of it, she was always giving me water.'
When we first met in the desert.
When we met again for the second time.
When she made it rain when we parted for the last time...
And even now.
Shhhuuaaaa!
Lost in thought, I deflect each raindrop from the rainfall spell coming from the norigae with the Colorless Glass Sword.
What is Rain (雨)?
Rain is dispersion.
At the same time, it is the emptiness that follows after it falls.
...
Is that all?
Chwarararak!
I sense the Divine Power of Rain activating within my embrace.
While facing Buk Hyang-hwa, as the memories of that time come back through the norigae, I finally comprehend all six divine powers of the Integration stage.
However, I have a gut feeling that this isn't the end.
—The heart is essentially death.
[Her] words linger in my ears.
Shwaaaaa...
The rain is starting to stop.
I flick the raindrops off my sword and point my blade at the final drop of rain.
Toooong—
The single droplet falls onto the tip of my sword.
But instead of letting it split apart, I rotate the tip of the sword.
Spinning in circles, I perform a sword dance.
Gradually, the tip of my sword lowers to the ground.
Carefully controlling my strength so that the droplet clinging to the sword's tip doesn't burst, I finally let the raindrop roll off the blade and onto the ground.
The droplet, having fallen from the sky, travels down my sword and flows into the ground.
And then, it merges with the countless streams of water in the surroundings, becoming part of the lake that has pooled on the floor of the dueling grounds.
I briefly sense the lake.
With sight, hearing, smell, and every sense sealed, I cannot rely on any senses.
In a state where all my senses are meaningless, except for touch,
I perceive the entire lake through the vibrations against my skin.
Paaaatt!
The norigae shoots spell characters at me once again.
—The heart is essentially death.
Raindrops are born in the sky and die on the ground.
The human heart is the same.
Born into this world, experiencing all of life's storms, it finally turns colorless and disperses away...
Just like raindrops.
Like the curses and pain I suffered in my tenth cycle....
—Was what I just gave you also a curse?
Flash!
I open my eyes.
Chwak!
With my single sword stroke, I slice through the spell characters and split the lake created by spells in half.
And then, at last, I sever her 'ring.'
Paaaatt!
The sword wind stirs Buk Hyang-hwa's hair wildly.
Gripping my sword, I smile and send her a heart message.
—So this was it, what you wanted to convey to me...
She silently nods with a faint smile.
I look at the waters of the lake, which have split and are now merging back together, and glance at the sky.
Raindrops are born in the sky.
And they descend to the ground.
But they do not die.
The rain born from the sky, upon reaching the ground, flows into streams, lakes, and eventually the sea.
Just as curses turn into blessings and rain becomes the sea,
Perhaps the end of the heart is not merely death.
Wo-woong!
I understand why the spells gather around Buk Hyang-hwa to form a 'ring.'
Wiiiiing!
In my mind, the formulas of the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle begin to glow.
In Spring, All Things Are Born (春則萬物始生).
In Summer, All Things Are Grown (夏則萬物長養).
In Autumn, All Things Are Matured (秋則萬物成熟).
In Winter, All Things Are Conserved (冬則萬物閉藏).
None Are Beyond The Merits Of The Four Seasons (無非四時之功也).
The Four Seasons are unending.
Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter are engraved in the flow of the Nascent Soul and the Four Seasons in the Heavenly Being stage correspond to human life.
The passage that pays tribute to the Four Seasons—None Are Beyond The Merits Of The Four Seasons—also has the meaning of paying tribute to a person's life.
It means that life doesn't end with Acceptance at Fate's End (考終命) but continues in a never-ending cycle!
Kuuung!
I realize that the six formulas of Rain (雨), Sunlight (陽), Heat (燠), Cold (寒), Wind (風), and Time (時) resonate with the formulas of the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle as if they are alive.
'The formula that begins with Time ends with Rain. And when the rain falls, the clouds disperse, and time flows once again...'
The reverse is also true.
The formula that begins with Rain ends with Time, yet inevitably returns to Rain.
An endless cycle!
The formulas begin to revolve.
Kwarururung!
Lightning flashes across the sky, and once again, the weather turns cloudy and rain begins to fall.
It is the wind and rain I have called forth.
As the rain falls on me, I ask Buk Hyang-hwa.
—Have you reached that person?
She smiles while she nods.
I smile too.
And at the same time, tears fall from my eyes.
Buk Hyang-hwa has finally succeeded in reaching the [place connected to the norigae].
Seo Ran, Shi Ho, Kim Young-hoon.
And Kim Yeon too.
All of them are shedding tears in the rain.
She has burned the last of her life to open the path to the world where Cheongmun Ryeong exists.
Paaaatt!
The norigae in her grasp turns pure white in an instant.
A bright white light, like salt.
She limps forward to me and hands over the norigae.
Then, she opens her mouth.
Her eyes are dull, her whole body trembling, but she slowly forces out her voice.
"Teacher...Cheongmun Ryeong...is alive."
"...I know."
As I accept the norigae, I speak both with heart language and my voice, so that Buk Hyang-hwa and the others can all understand.
"From...the moment...I sealed...the stone from his body into the norigae, I sought a way to retrieve it. But that stone vanished without a trace, leaving only a passage to a mysterious space… When I met Daoist Seo, I only thought the stone was connected to Daoist's divine power."
She loses strength and collapses on the spot.
I help her up.
"However, with Yeon Unnie's help...by interpreting the power along with the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle, I was able to understand. From the very beginning, what came from Teacher Cheongmun Ryeong's body was merely a passage connected to another world. That passage merely fused with the norigae..."
[TL/N: Teacher as in a respectful form of address, not as in the actual teacher/master.]
Wo-woong!
As she places the norigae into my hand, she continues speaking.
"As this norigae is connected to Daoist Seo's divine power...Daoist Seo's divine power is...directly connected to the world where Teacher Cheongmun Ryeong resides."
Shhhwaaaaaaa—
I unfold the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
A hazy mist spreads out around us.
As I listen to Buk Hyang-hwa's words, I grip the norigae even tighter.
'So that's how it is...?'
After Buk Hyang-hwa placed Cheongmun Ryeong's strange stone into the norigae and time passed,
My Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections itself became a passage to 'somewhere.'
I peer into the far distance within the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
From there, a very familiar energy is emanating.
Penglai Island.
The world atop Salt Mountain where Yuk Yo and Baek Rin had headed.
According to Yuk Yo, the place where Cheongmun Ryeong is located may be 'another dream,' but...
The essence is likely the same.
At this moment, I finally begin to understand how Kim Yeon came to possess the Ritual Worship Scripture of Love of Virtue.
Woong, wo-woong!
Just as the norigae surrounded Buk Hyang-hwa's body with spells in the form of a ring, the dream world atop Salt Mountain is deeply connected to the power of Samsara (輪回/cyclic change/reincarnation).
Though no one had managed to claim any treasures within Penglai Island that day, the reason Kim Yeon alone obtained what she desired was because she possessed the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle.
"I...have always dreamed, from a young age, of being crushed beneath a massive bird."
Gradually, our comrades began to gather around us.
Seo Ran, Shi Ho, Kim Young-hoon, Kim Yeon, and others.
Everyone close to Buk Hyang-hwa gathers nearby.
"When I think about it...it wasn't a dream of being crushed. The bird...was simply watching me. I only mistook the pressure for being crushed... That great bird had always been whispering inspirations to me...and I only came to realize when my death was near."
Tststststst!
Two patterns appear on Buk Hyang-hwa's face.
One is golden, the other silver.
"...My fate. Through the norigae, after consulting with Teacher Cheongmun Ryeong... after asking that person, I came to learn the truth. A great being gave birth to a living fate, and this fate spread throughout the world, giving birth to beings who 'become the greatest artisans within the land they dwell, but if they leave that land, they die for various reasons.' This living fate is precisely the true nature of the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent..."
Buk Hyang-hwa's breath becomes labored.
I can feel her entire nervous system gradually paralyzing.
"My curse...the Heavenly Punishment that began acting up recently, isn't because of the calamity we encountered back then."
She looks at me as she speaks.
"It isn't your fault either. It's simply...because as I researched the norigae, I began to step outside the bounds of my fate. It's not just about leaving one's physical homeland. Breaking free from the fate imposed on us—that is the true condition for the curse's activation..."
Tstststst—
Gradually, her body begins to shine.
At the same time, I can sense her light flowing into the norigae.
No, more precisely, within the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections inside it,
Her soul is moving beyond—towards the world of Salt Mountain.
"I...will go to where...Teacher Cheongmun Ryeong is. Escaping my fate, achieving true liberation..."
Kim Yeon bursts into tears.
She tightly grasps Buk Hyang-hwa's hand, and I, summoning all the attraction force, spiritual power, internal energy, and all my senses, try to hold onto her soul.
But it's no use.
Like salt dissolving into seawater, she drifts beyond the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, towards the world where Cheongmun Ryeong resides.
"And so..."
Pasasasasa—
Buk Hyang-hwa begins to break apart.
Her body turns into salt.
"Please don't be too sad."
With those final words, she closes her eyes completely.
"I loved you all...truly."
"Don't go...!"
With Kim Yeon's cry, she completely turns to salt and disappears.
I stare blankly at the salt that Buk Hyang-hwa has become.
Kim Yeon wails, and I tremble.
The salt that she has turned into does not possess any mystical power, like that of Cheongmun Ryeong.
It's just ordinary salt.
I stroke that plain salt and stand up.
The rain falling from the sky quickly ceases.
Kim Yeon clutches the salt to her chest and cries, but the salt just slips through her fingers, again and again.
Next to me, Hong Fan speaks bitterly.
"Miss Hyang-hwa...should have already been dead. But until the very end, with the sole intent to save Sir Cheongmun Ryeong...with the sole intent to unravel the secret of the norigae, she extended her life by borrowing the power of the norigae."
"..."
"Perhaps as the price of borrowing the power from another world, she turned to salt when she passed..."
He lets out a low hum as he mourns Buk Hyang-hwa by my side, while I clutch the norigae, now turned pure white.
The norigae has turned into a familiar material.
Salt Crystal!
Just like the palace atop Salt Mountain...
It has become a passage to another world.
Shi Ho carefully places a hand on Kim Yeon's shoulder and speaks.
"Lady Kim Yeon...it's time to let go. We must prepare a funeral."
"Quiet! There's still, still something...hope..."
"Lady Kim Yeon..."
At that, I turn around and speak.
"She's not dead yet."
Everyone's eyes widen at my words.
I recall how the rainwater falls to the ground and becomes a lake.
Though the form may change, nothing ever truly perishes.
The heart does not end with death.
Even if its form changes, it is unending.
And in the same manner...Buk Hyang-hwa's soul has only moved to another world.
"We can meet her again. Don't hold a funeral."
Kim Yeon stumbles as she stands up.
The salt crumbles from her hands.
"...How...what must we do...? Are you saying there's a method to go to the place Hyang-hwa spoke of? It's a place we can only reach by dying. Hyang-hwa's research proved that!"
"That's right. We cannot go there."
"Then how...?"
"That's why we have to bring 'that world' here."
"...What?"
She and the others look at me with eyes filled with confusion.
The world connected through the norigae and the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections feels different from Penglai Island's world.
It's only with the immense Salt Mountain, gigantic Salt Crystals, and the help of Penglai Island's formation that we barely managed to enter the world of Penglai Island.
In contrast, this norigae is too small.
At best, it can only accommodate a person's soul.
That's why no living person can enter the world connected to this norigae.
However, that doesn't mean there's no way.
If we cannot go there, then we simply need to call that world here.
And...
I already know a spell to summon an entirely different time and space into the one we are in.
"Follow me."
Yeon's Play.
If it's that...
We can bring back Buk Hyang-hwa.
Feeling the six divine powers fully settled within my body, I can tell.
Even with just the cultivation of Heaven and Earth, I am now at the Quasi-Star Shattering stage.
"Let's go end the Mad Lord."
The pitiful play of the Mad Lord, which has continued for thousands of years.
It is time to bring its curtains down.
-x-X-x-
Kwarururung!
I see the smoke rising from my entire domain after being struck by the Heavenly Tribulation.
The Grand Perfection Integration Stage Heavenly Tribulation.
It's a tribulation that had been temporarily postponed with Jeon Myeong-hoon's power after Buk Hyang-hwa's death.
From the moment I artificially delayed the tribulation, I had expected it to grow somewhat stronger but...
'So, this is the Grand Perfection Integration Stage Heavenly Tribulation.'
I sigh at the electric current still tingling inside my body.
Huiiiiii—
Chaos Realm region.
An endless rocky mountain range next to Cedar Wood Grove.
Due to the aftermath of my Heavenly Tribulation, the mountains there are not only shattered but spatial rifts have also appeared throughout the area.
It wasn't even directly hit by the tribulation, but just the residual effects from the tribulation that struck and ricocheted off my body caused this much destruction.
If my domain had been the typical domain of an Integration Stage cultivator, it would have been torn apart and crushed like the mountain range in the Chaos Realm region, leaving me in a state on the verge of death.
Six Divine Powers of the Integration Stage.
Ordinary cultivators of the Heaven and Earth Tribes simply fill their domains with energy, studying phenomena through that energy and acquiring their insights through Breakthrough Before Understanding.
I, too, thought there was no other way, until I realized that the domain at the Integration Stage is connected to the heart essence.
If one doesn't achieve the six divine powers of the Integration stage through Understanding before Breakthrough, they haven't gained the proper insights.
The absolute majority of Grand Perfection Integration cultivators, including Jun Jae, haven't truly realized the six divine powers.
They are merely mimicking the process after filling their domains with energy.
'No wonder the success rate of rising to the Star Shattering Stage is so low. Even reaching Grand Perfection in the Integration Stage is rare...'
I recall the terrifying Heavenly Tribulation that just passed and laugh bitterly.
Without using the power of Void Shattering and only relying on my Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation, it was almost beyond my strength to face this insane level of Heavenly Tribulation.
Most likely, ordinary cultivators at the Integration Stage would not rely on the six powers to face the Heavenly Tribulation of the Integration stage like I did. Instead, they would depend on dharma treasures or artifacts to elevate their realms.
'Relying on external objects makes one lack the strength when advancing to the Star Shattering stage, leading to failure in breakthrough.'
Shaking off my idle thoughts, I wait for the final stage of the Great Perfection Integration Heavenly Tribulation to pass.
Urung, ururung!
The dark clouds that have been pouring down the Heavenly Tribulation still haven't disappeared.
The Great Perfection Integration stage is a special realm.
It completes the Integration cultivation and is the last step before advancing to the Star Shattering Stage.
As such, the tribulation at this stage prepares one final obstacle near the end.
Urururung!
The dark clouds roar, gradually beginning to descend.
No...
Upon closer inspection, they aren't clouds but shadows.
Shadows are falling from within the clouds.
And the shadows cast upon the ground by the dark clouds also start swarming toward me.
From the Heavens and Earth and all Four Directions.
Shadows from the directions of the Six Harmonies rush toward me.
Suruk, Sururuk, Sururururuk...
I close my eyes.
From now on, it's time for the Heart Demon Tribulation (心魔劫).
Great Perfection Integration stage.
Once the six divine powers are completed, a new kind of tribulation is added for cultivators.
It's called the Heart Demon Tribulation, a type of tribulation where Heaven and Earth blow darkness towards the cultivator in the Plane of Soul.
From the Grand Perfection Integration stage onward, one must overcome this darkness to settle into the next realm.
Many cultivators refer to this 'darkness bestowed by the world' as the Heart Heavenly Demon, likening it to the Heavenly Fiends of the Blood Yin Realm.
Within the pitch-black darkness.
Inside Seo Eun-hyun's heart essence, the Heart Heavenly Demons begin to reveal themselves one by one.
The darkness of the Plane of Soul.
Negative and sinister torrents of emotions reborn into the world as Heart Heavenly Demons are now entering Seo Eun-hyun's heart essence.
[Hahahaha! What's this?! This darkness!]
[So, this fool thinks he's endured a little pain and now casts a shadow over his heart essence, huh!?]
[The true suffering of Immortal Cultivation is only just beginning, you dim-witted fool!]
The Heart Heavenly Demons cackle and, from deep within the darkness, they drag out something with their claw-like things.
[Kiiiieeek! Kirurururuk! Kueeeeegeeeek!]
What the Heart Heavenly demons pull out is a monster.
The monster's entire body burns fiercely, and its entire figure is covered with countless eyeballs, streaming tears in agony.
The Heart Heavenly Demons laugh as they look at the monster.
[Huhahaha! Is this your true nature?]
[How disgusting!]
[So pitiful and tough-looking, but what's the use of having tough skin if your flesh is this tender!]
The Heart Heavenly Demons cackle as they mercilessly tear into the monster's flesh, torturing it.
But then, something strange happens.
The monster being tortured by the Heart Heavenly Demons suddenly forms a peaceful expression and closes its eyes, falling asleep.
[...What?]
[Did it eat something strange...?]
It's at that moment.
One of the Heart Heavenly Demons, while mindlessly clawing in the darkness, sees another monster being dragged by its claws.
[Huh...? What's this now?]
It stares in confusion at the two monsters, looking back and forth between them.
They're identical.
[This bastard...has a split personality?]
[No wonder. From the moment I saw it, it looked like the heart essence of a madman. Judging by the sense of loss from losing comrades, it seems this one's mind broke from being unable to protect anything...]
Just then.
Kugugugugugu!
The heart essence begins to shake violently.
And suddenly, an endless swarm of monsters pours out toward the Heart Heavenly Demons.
[H-Heok...!]
[W-What is that!?]
Panicking, they try to stand their ground against the approaching monsters.
But the number of monsters is far too many. The Heart Heavenly Demons are like a drop in the ocean compared to them.
[E-Everyone, gather together!]
[Combine our strengths and defend our domain! If we gather, we live, if we scatter, we die!]
Gritting their teeth, they try to resist the oncoming wave of monsters.
But then, one of the Heart Heavenly Demons glimpses into the deep darkness.
It locks eyes with [something].
[Huh...?]
Pukwak.
In an instant.
The Heart Heavenly Demon who saw [something] explodes, and in its place, a tree made of swords sprouts.
The tree burns with flames, but from within, endless groans of agony can be heard.
The tree is definitely burning, but it emits no light—only streams of darkness, hideous beyond words, flow from the sword tree!
The Heart Heavenly Demons begin to panic.
Then, several more Heart Heavenly Demons glance into the deep [darkness].
[Huaaaaagk!]
[Kuaagk! R-Run...]
With those words, the other Heart Heavenly Demons also begin to change.
The remaining Heart Heavenly Demon, terrified, look toward the depths of the darkness.
And as if realizing something, they shout out in horror.
[S-So that's it! It's a Senior! The Quasi-Immortal level Heart Demon that appears when Entering Nirvana Quasi-Immortals breakthrough has already been parasitizing this cultivator's mind!]
[T-Then! We came to the wrong place!? Senior! Senior! Please hear us out for a moment!]
The Heart Heavenly Demons bow down toward the darkness, crying out.
[The Great Yin Soul (大陰魂) has decreed that no Integration Stage Grand Cultivators in the Bright Cold Realm should advance any further! We came here in droves because of that command! Truly, we didn't mean to offend your dignity...]
The next moment, the loud clamoring Heart Heavenly Demon explodes, being absorbed into the darkness.
From deep within the darkness, a massive presence quietly mutters.
[Silence.]
Crunch!
With that, all the Heart Heavenly Demons are dragged into the darkness at once.
[Huaaaaaah!]
[Heart Demon Senior is enraged!!]
[Everyone, run!!!]
The Heart Heavenly Demons scream in unison and flee.
However, they are quickly sucked into the darkness, and terrible screams echo from within.
[Kuaaaaaaaaah!!!]
[Let me out!!! Please, let me out!!!]
[What is this!!?? Just what is this!!??]
The Heart Heavenly Demons who reach the edge of the darkness hear those screams and are gripped with even greater terror, trying to escape.
But as the heart essence squirms, they are all sucked inward.
[Kuaaaaaah! Elder! Elder, please, Kuaaaagh!]
Finally, the last remaining Heart Heavenly Demon is sucked into the depths of the darkness.
And deep within the darkness.
Seo Eun-hyun's eyes glisten as he absorbs the last remaining Heart Heavenly Demon into his Glass Mountain.
"...Great Yin Soul?"
Blink—
I open my eyes.
The Heart Demons themselves weren't much.
They are merely clusters of negative energy, so once absorbed within me and dissolved in pain, they reverted to their original form as pure negative force.
But there's something more that concerns me.
Great Yin Soul.
It's information I discovered while dissolving the Heart Heavenly Demons.
Although 'Great Yin Soul' doesn't seem to be the official name, I can understand the meaning behind it.
An immense Yin (陰).
The [being] they referred to possesses the attribute of 'Immense Yin,' and that's why the [being] was referred to as the Great Yin Soul.
Thump, thump...
I look up at the sky.
I've fully stabilized at the Grand Perfection Integration stage.
The sky is clear, and no celestial energy is visibly present.
But I can sense it.
I've been feeling it ever since I heard the words of the Heart Demons in the Plane of Soul.
Instinctively, I know that something in the Bright Cold Realm has begun to shift out of place.
'Whatever the Heart Heavenly Demons call the Great Yin Soul has begun to exert its power in the Bright Cold Realm.'
Kugugugugu!
The Bright Cold Realm.
One of the colonies of the Tall Tree Race.
That place is currently being reduced to ashes beneath a strange fortress floating in the sky.
Wiiiiing!
Bee-like puppets are flying through the sky, capturing the cultivators of the Tall Tree Race and dragging them inside the strange fortress.
Inside the fortress.
Hundreds of Tall Tree Race cultivators are confined in barrels, trembling with fear, each with a strange tightening band-like ring attached to their heads.
[TL/N: Tightening band as in the golden circlet that Sun Wukong has.]
And the one observing this scene, the Mad Lord, strokes his chin while rolling his eyes.
"Ohohohoho...howinterestinginterestinginteresting... Don't you agree? You there?"
The Mad Lord asks one of the Tall Tree Race cultivators with an intrigued expression.
"Wh-What exactly do you mean...?"
"Your heads, of course! When I analyze the waves from your heads, what appears is a Sacred Vessel Sacred Master! That's all that's in there!"
"...O-Of course. The Sacred Master is our idol..."
"No, no, no...that's not the point. I already know she's your idol. But what's interesting is that one in every ten of you 'unconditionally' harbor secret, malicious desires toward the image of that Sacred Master!"
At those words, steam-like vapor rises from the face of the Tall Tree Race cultivator.
Their face distorts grotesquely like a malevolent spirit, and the Mad Lord bursts into insane laughter.
"Isn't it astonishing! That you all harbor such hidden desires!?"
"...That's slander..."
"It's not slander. It's a precise reading from a thorough investigation. But whether you harbor lustful desires or some other dark cravings for your Sacred Master, I couldn't care less. What's truly astonishing is...'one in ten'! No matter which of your colonies I raid! No matter which group of ten I capture! Without fail! Without fail, one in ten of you harbors such dark and vile desires! Do you know what that means?"
The Tall Tree Race cultivator tries to speak, but the Mad Lord shoves both hands into the cultivator's mouth, sticking his eyes into the cultivator's throat as he shouts.
It's as if he is greeting the inside of the Tall Tree Race cultivator's throat.
"Clearly, something's gone terribly wrong! Eehahaha! Isn't that right, [Black Lord]!?"
At the Mad Lord's words, from deep inside the throat of the Tall Tree Race cultivator,
It seems as though black yin energy begins to rise.
However, in the next moment, as the Mad Lord opens his mouth, countless mechanical devices and puppet arms shoot out from within and seize the black something inside the Tall Tree Race cultivator.
A little later, the Mad Lord pulls out the black something and rolls his eyes wildly.
"Eehahahahehehe!!! Goodgoodgoodgoodgood! I'm always grateful, [Black Lord]! Thanks to you, the new celestial energy calculation device is smoothly nearing completion!"
The Mad Lord shoves the black mass into something.
The devices inside the bizarre fortress begin to analyze and break down the black mass, transforming it into something else.
The converted black substance moves inside a transparent crystal tube within the bizarre fortress and activates something.
Flash!
The crystal tube lights up, drawing a constellation in the air.
The Mad Lord rubs his hands together frantically as he gazes at it.
"It'ssososointerestinginterestinginteresting... Even though I, in the Grand Perfection Four-Axis stage, can't see anything when I look at the celestial energy...the celestial energy calculated when I input this predicts a great misfortune in the Bright Cold Realm... That's your doing, right? Hmm? [Black Lord]! Answer me!!!"
The Mad Lord forcibly pries open another Tall Tree Race cultivator's mouth and peers into the throat, shouting relentlessly into it.
"It'sfineperfectwonderfulIlikeitsoproceed!"
Drooling, he turns to look at [Her], who is undergoing modifications in the back.
"It was a stroke of heavenly fortune to see a Star Shattering monster up close! With that data and experience, I am now able to transform [Dear] into a [genuine Star Shattering]!"
Kugugugugugu!
Behind [Her], something round and spherical is being constructed.
"An [Artificial Star]! Once it's completed and placed inside [Dear], you will truly enter the Star Shattering stage...but the power source is a problem. Even the power source of the Nether Crossing Ship isn't nearly enough to operate the artificial star...barely enough to run it for five seconds...? But it's fine. When the great misfortune sweeps the world, Heaven and Earth will shift!!!"
With eyes brimming with madness, the Mad Lord bursts into hysterical laughter.
"If I grind down the entire Bright Cold Realm! That will be enough to elevate [Dear] to the Star Shattering stage!!!"
The Mad Lord extracts black-red glowing masses from inside the Tall Tree Race cultivators, rushing to complete the modifications on [Her].
Kung!
Outside the bizarre fortress.
In a wilderness.
There, a Ghost King with 21 heads appears in the sky.
Kugugugugu!
Below the Ghost King, dark clouds gather in the sky.
Around the Ghost King, above the dark clouds.
Several figures stand there.
Kim Yeon, Oh Hyun-seok, Hong Fan, Jeon Myeong-hoon, Kim Young-hoon, Shi Ho, Seo Ran, and others.
They are the forces assembled to confront the Mad Lord.
The Ghost King, Seo Eun-hyun, stares at his own hand.
'Strange...'
He reads the celestial energy in the sky again.
'Throughout Heaven and Earth...the power of Devil (魔) is growing stronger.'
Perhaps because of that, the Ghost King's ghostly energy and yin energy are intensifying more than usual.
Kurung, kururung...
He looks towards the distant direction where the bizarre fortress is heading.
There, too, dark clouds are rising.
'...That just now...'
He feels as if a flash of black-red passed by, and with a tense expression, the Ghost King Seo Eun-hyun rotates one of his 21 heads 180 degrees to address his comrades.
[From this moment, we will begin Operation Exorcize the Mad Lord.]
[TL/N: In Korean, it doesn't say 'exorcize' but Attaining Buddhahood (성불). It could mean awakening the Mad Lord, enlightening the Mad Lord, or transcending the Mad Lord, which can be taken as a euphemism for sending the Mad Lord to another world/death.]
-x-X-x-
Operation Exorcize the Mad Lord is as follows:
First, I unleash a Void Shattering sword strike to slice the Mad Lord's Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress in half.
As confirmed back when Jang Ik was involved, even if the Mad Lord's fortress is cut in half, Yeon's Play will still activate, so there's no issue.
Next, Kim Yeon enters the split fortress and, through the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon at great completion, triggers Yeon's Play.
Then, Mad Lord will be exorcized (attain Buddhahood) within Yeon's Play, and the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress will fall into our hands.
The Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress has a self-repair function, so the parts I destroy should restore themselves.
The variables here are the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress and [Her] power.
'This life's Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress has the Realm Annihilation Ground-Shrinking Formation added to it.'
Just that alone gives it the mobility of the Star Shattering stage within the Bright Cold Realm.'
'Moreover, having witnessed Kang Min-hee at the Star Shattering stage firsthand...it's unclear how much [She] has been modified based on that information.'
In other words, I have to consider the possibility that the Mad Lord might try to escape from me.
Thus, I have prepared another plan for that.
[You understand your role, right, Seo Ran?]
"Yes, Senior."
Seo Ran is aboard the Nether Crossing Ship.
Seo Ran's Nether Crossing Ship has a power source installed.
The power source from the Nether Crossing Ship that was destroyed by Kang Min-hee was moved to Seo Ran's Nether Crossing Ship.
However, since this is a temporary arrangement, there is the condition that it has to be returned to Black Ghost Valley later.
'To think that when I mentioned going to face the Mad Lord, they readily lent me the power source with both hands...'
To Black Ghost Valley, the Mad Lord is a terrifying beast that left a blemish on their 500,000-year history.
Saying we're going to eliminate such a monster, they didn't just lend us the Nether Crossing Ship, but also numerous Ghost Kings.
Kiaaaaaaah!
Kiyaaaah!
Thanks to that, the eerie cries of the Ghost Kings are resonating from within the Nether Crossing Ship.
I gesture to Seo Ran, and he responds with a nod.
Following the signal, my comrades quickly board the Nether Crossing Ship.
[It will take about five seconds to activate the Realm Annihilation Ground-Shrinking Formation. During that time, we must infiltrate the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.]
If the Mad Lord escapes while fighting me, I will pursue him, while my comrades who infiltrate the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress will activate Yeon's Play.
"Yes! I will complete the mission without fail. Even if it's to carry on my master's grudge...!"
Behind the energetically shouting Seo Ran, it feels as though I can see the faint image of Song Jin.
The Grand Elder of Black Ghost Valley who was humiliatingly defeated by the Mad Lord.
Song Jin's vengeance will carry on through Seo Ran and be executed today.
[Good, then let's go!]
I nod and turn my head again.
Kugugugugung!
The Nether Crossing Ship moves.
The Nether Crossing Ship tears through space and performs a spatial leap.
The next place the Nether Crossing Ship will appear in the next moment will be inside the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress!
I exude ghostly energy as I fly towards the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, dragging dark clouds behind me.
When the Gliding Technique of the Demon Race, which utilizes Heaven and Earth spiritual energy as stepping stones, is used in a certain realm, the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy begins to assist them.
Heaven and Earth spiritual energy voluntarily rushes in, allowing the Demon Race to move even faster.
The dense spiritual energy transforms into the form of clouds, making it appear as though they are riding on clouds as they move.
Kwarurung!
Using the Gliding Technique, I shoot swiftly towards the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress from above the black clouds.
Tststststststs!
Curses begin to flow from my entire body.
The next moment!
Kwaaaang!
I collide with the defensive barrier surrounding the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
The defensive barrier wavers.
At the same time, the part of the formation I touched begins to decay.
Wiiiiing—
An alarm blares from the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
I smile faintly and stretch out both hands.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Ninth Move.
Landscape Painting!
The slash spread in all directions.
The transparent sword energy shatters the Mad Lord's defensive formation in one blow.
'With this, the Nether Crossing Ship will reach the interior of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress without issue.'
Since the barrier likely also includes parts that block enemy teleportation, the operation should proceed smoothly now.
What remains is...
Kwoong!
[We've...known each other for quite some time, haven't we?]
[She] appears above the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress!
Kugugugugu!
I feel the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress trembling.
The Mad Lord may be insane, but he's no fool.
Of course, his ability to assess situations is rather poor.
That's why the Mad Lord implanted a 'situation judgment magic artifact' in his body.
Thanks to that, when he meets a dangerous enemy, he knows how to flee at the right moment. Even if the Mad Lord wishes to fight, the judgment device implanted in him runs simulated battles with illusions, and if it determines there is no chance of victory, it forces him to attempt an escape.
After all, what do you think made that madman, who struggles to tell right from wrong, flee from the Flying Immortal Platform in the first place?
And now, the judgment device implanted in the Mad Lord seems to have decided that he stands no chance against me, as the Realm Annihilation Ground-Shrinking Formation begins to be activated.
Wiiiiiing!
I can see space bending.
'What the...? It's faster than I expected.'
It seems I made a slight miscalculation; it looks like the Realm Annihilation Ground-Shrinking Formation will only take about three seconds to activate.
In that time, the Mad Lord must have modified the formation once more, enhancing its performance.
'Now, the only remaining factor is [Her] capabilities...'
I enter into the time of instants and fix my gaze on [Her].
Three seconds.
It's short, but for those at the Integration stage and above, it's an extremely long time.
[We've had quite a lot of ill fate between us but...]
I smile as I look at [Her].
I recall the Mad Lord threatening all the other cultivation sects through [Her] in Ascension Path.
I recall [Her] chasing after me like a madwoman with just one hand, forcing me to suicide.
I recall [Her], who spent a thousand years with the Mad Lord, and in terms of energy had grown to the size of the Star Shattering stage.
[She] has always been a terrifying presence to me.
As I gaze at [Her], whose face is covered in white cloth like the Buk Hyang-hwa I danced with in the tenth cycle, I softly mutter.
[Today, I will confirm your face and sever this ill-fated connection.]
And in that moment.
I rush straight toward [Her].
Kwaaaaaang!
An immense roar and shockwave erupt.
I sense that the Nether Crossing Ship has successfully teleported into the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
Now, all I need to do is tie [Her] down!
I can feel it from the first strike.
'It's insane...Mad Lord.'
She's stronger than her at the thousand-year pont!
I can already sense the power of a star at the Star Shattering stage!
'But the strength consumption is fast.'
I realize that this overwhelming wave of power will soon subside.
'At best, five seconds? After that, it'll stop functioning.'
Her strength is immense, but it only lasts five seconds.
Of course, in the Star Shattering stage, five seconds is an incredibly long time, but that's all.
'It's incomplete.'
Her output included, [She] can't move in the same flow of time as me.
The acceleration of consciousness at this stage is at an almost transcendental speed.
[Then, please be on your way...]
[She], who I once feared...
Click!
In the frozen world.
There, something like a disk rises behind [Her].
'What...?'
It's a ring.
Behind her back, like a halo, like an aureole, a perfectly round 'ring' appears.
At the same time, a sharp mechanical sound is heard from [Her].
[Celestial Energy Calculation Device, activating. Switching to combat mode. Calculation speed for countering a Star Shattering stage enemy approved.]
Wiiiiing!
Inside the semi-transparent 'ring,' which appears to be made of crystal, something black writhes.
[I will counterattack.]
Kuang!
I let out a dry laugh as I watch [Her] spear strike my sword.
'Celestial Energy Calculation Device? Just what have you created this time, Mad Lord!'
Wooo-woong!
From my perspective, [Her] spear technique is crude.
It's only about as complete as the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship I used before Kim Young-hoon improved it.
But that's not the issue here.
'Attraction force...'
Kuguguguk!
I feel the power of a star surging within [her].
Simultaneously, the attraction force turns into repulsion, flinging me away with cosmic force.
Kuwoong!
I am flung away by that cosmic repulsive force.
In the next moment, [She] moves above me using the ground-shrinking technique and concentrates the attraction force at the tip of her spear, thrusting it down towards me.
Flash!
A brilliant light bursts forth.
With [Her] single strike, it's as if Heaven and Earth are connected by a pillar of light, and a 'hole' is pierced below.
The very space of the Bright Cold Realm distorts, and a hole is punched right through the dimension.
Click!
In a fleeting instant, she adjusts her stance through the 'Celestial Energy Calculation Device' and swings two short spears at me.
I parry the slashes of the short spears with Secluded Valley, then rush towards her.
'Astonishing.'
The Mad Lord has indeed created a puppet at the Star Shattering-level, even if it's only for five seconds.
Crunch!
My left hand digs into [Her] waist.
[She] narrowly dodges my strike and climbs up a large rocky mountain before shifting her stance.
In an instant, I reach in front of [Her].
[She] tries to react, but I unleash three consecutive techniques, slamming her down along with the entire rocky mountain.
Kugwang!
[She] is unable to react in time, crashing down below before bouncing back up.
I leap onto [Her] body and extend both hands.
Overlaying my hands with my sword, I slam down once more.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Dragon Vein.
Mountain and Valley Transformation.
My left hand slashes down, cutting [Her], while my right hand penetrates sword energy into [Her] body, erupting the power within as if reshaping the terrain from the inside.
Kwaching, Kwaching!
I hear the sounds of mechanical components inside the puppet's body shattering.
But it seems this level of damage doesn't impair her functionality, as [She] starts responding to me again.
In the world of moments.
There, [She] and I exchange countless blows.
Splurt!
We pierce through the clouds and clash in the sky.
[She] tries to push me back using the Paired Wings Spear technique.
Using a changing technique, [She] attempts to expose my weaknesses, but I disrupt her internally again with Mountain Echoes Valley Responds.
[She] mixes the illusory moves and domineering moves of the Paired Wings Spear to attack me with domineering force within her illusionary strikes, but I counter it by absorbing the force and sending it back with the Echoing Valley.
When beams of light shoot out from both her hands, I retaliate by unleashing beams of ghostly energy from my 42 eyes.
As [She] attempts to collapse the entire space through attraction force, I slice through the entire space with Accumulating Dust Forms a Mountain.
Shukwaaanng!
The force of Accumulating Dust Forms a Mountain not only cuts through the space but continues to surge forward relentlessly.
[She] blocks the sword energy from Accumulating Dust Forms a Mountain, but its power propels [Her] upward endlessly, toward the sky above the Bright Cold Realm.
I chase after her, overlaying the All-Heavens Sword onto my body.
Before long,
Jjeoong!
[She] is pushed back by Accumulating Dust Forms a Mountain, reaching the end of the Bright Cold Realm's sky.
The dimensional barrier.
Also known as the World Shield Force.
Towards the [Her], who has reached that veil, I charge at her with my sword enveloping my body.
Kwaaaanng!
It feels as if the entire Bright Cold Realm is reverberating.
At the same time, the distortion of the World Shield Force is visible to the naked eye.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Deep Mountain!
Originally, Deep Mountain is a move that digs deep into the opponent's space and slices upward.
But this time, I modified the technique to slash while body-slamming.
In other words, it doesn't just end with a body-slam.
Surung!
I lift my sword energy upwards at [Her], who is stuck within the distorted World Shield Force.
Flash!
Along with that, the already completely distorted World Shield Force of the Bright Cold Realm explodes entirely.
Kwagwagwang!
[She] is flung outside the Bright Cold Realm.
[She] tries to regain her stance and respond to me.
But I accelerate my consciousness even further and extend both hands.
Sword Formation.
Twelve Thousand!
From my entire body, Colorless Glass Swords are unleashed.
The sword formation I completed together with Hong Su-ryeong encircles [Her].
Three thousand Colorless Glass Swords each produce three additional split shadows, becoming a formation of twelve thousand swords.
The sword formation seems to rotate around [Her] before gradually starting to close in.
[This is the end!]
With a loud shout, I rapidly tighten the sword formation.
A burst of brilliant light erupts.
Flash!
With the blinding white light, an overwhelming attraction force concentrates into one spot.
[She] emerges from the sword formation.
One of [Her] short spears is broken, and one of her arms is so tattered that it's nearly unusable.
Her entire body is severely damaged.
And...
I can finally see [Her] face.