Duduk, dududuk, gududududuk!
The Sacred Masters who are beginning to draw upon the power of the Middle Realms,
These beings, who are virtually no different from True Immortals, begin to exude their rank.
The sheer intensity of their rank alone causes the celestial energy in the vicinity to flicker and distort countless times.
'As expected, I can't defeat the Sacred Masters of Middle Realms.'
Sacred Masters of star systems and those of the Middle Realms are similarly formidable within their respective domains.
Of course, even when they are said to be similar, the Sacred Masters of the Middle Realm have a slight edge.
However, it's a different story when it comes to external attacks.
Sacred Masters of the Middle Realms can perfectly unfold a defensive battle by drawing on the complete corpse of the True Immortal that constitutes their Middle Realm when external attacks come. Additionally, they can open a pathway to outside the Middle Realms through the [symbols], enabling them to counterattack even against True Immortals in case of emergencies.
But Sacred Masters of star systems are different.
If a True Person at the Entering Nirvana stage were to attack from the outside the star system, the star system would crumble from the periphery, leading to inevitable defeat.
This is because the defensive power of the star systems, which they are harmonized with, lacks the absolute quality.
'To overcome the Sacred Masters, it would be better to...'
I recall the move of Kunlun.
Unless I can unleash an attack that approaches the domain of 'pure death' on the level of Kunlun, there is absolutely no chance of victory against the Sacred Masters of the Middle Realms.
Suddenly, a thought regarding Jang Ik crosses my mind.
'Jang Ik...never feared Baek Woon.'
Perhaps, if it's Jang Ik, who has reached the pinnacle of the Second Step Before the Throne, he might have a single move capable of seizing victory against such Sacred Masters.
It might very well be the hidden something I sensed from him the last time we met.
Of course, I'm not overwhelmed by Baek Woon either, but to a certain extent, that's because of the Immortal Arts and names of True Immortals I know.
It is thanks to that incomprehensible knowledge that I have.
If I were to face Baek Woon relying solely on my own abilities, I wouldn't remain as Seo Eun-hyun but instead 'Seo the Firewood'.
That's why I've always harbored an instinctive fear towards Baek Woon, born from a fundamental difference in weight class.
'Even when I tortured Baek Woon last time, it was only possible because I had the asymmetrical advantage of Yang Su-jin's Thunder Spears and Jeon Myeong-hoon. If it had been me alone, I wouldn't have dared.' Ｒ
Shaking my head, I feel cold sweat running down my back as I stand before the Sacred Masters, whose momentum grows ever stronger.
As long as one isn't a vegetable, one can understand.
These individuals are not simply trying to 'invite' me.
'They're...trying to capture me and turn me into a Sacred Master!'
In truth, aside from Ban Ta, the other Sacred Vessel Sacred Masters also harbor significant desires for successors.
However, I never expected them to be this zealous.
Ban Ta growls.
[Five hundred thousand years. Five hundred thousand years! I've endured this accursed Purple Gold Realm for five hundred thousand years, pretending to be a king and even naming my castle Ban Ta Castle! Baek Woon! Back then, you were one of the True Persons who captured me and made me the Sacred Master of the Purple Gold Realm. How can you be so shameless!?]
At this, Baek Woon sneers.
[What does five hundred thousand years matter? After all, as cultivators, we must all become accustomed to eternity! It's not even a long time, so don't make such a fuss. And captured to become the Sacred Master, you say? Weren't you the one who agreed willingly? You even said it was necessary for your cultivation, so I gave you the entire Purple Gold Realm. Yet how is it now my fault for your failure of not being able to raise a successor? I, on the other hand, even willingly lowered my realm by one step to become a Sacred Master for the sake of the greater good!]
At those words, Ja Eum lightly interjects.
[Apologies, Sacred Master Baek Woon, but wasn't the so-called 'greater good' you speak of simply the decree of the Radiance Eight Immortals? At the time, I don't recall there being any particular reason for the Sacred Master to take charge of the Bright Cold Realm. It was simply a command from the Radiance Eight Immortals that happened to benefit you personally, was it not? Calling it for the 'greater good' or whatever is...is a bit unbecoming to look at.]
[This brat thinks he can say whatever he wants just because he has a mouth...!]
What starts as a mere argument between the Sacred Masters begins to escalate as their auras swell.
Their intensifying auras swell to the point of nearing an explosion.
Then, just as their auras reach the brink of exploding—
[Let's not do this. I have a good solution.]
[What is it?]
At Ja Eum's words, the Sacred Masters collectively stop their quarrel.
He smiles faintly before turning his gaze towards me.
[That is to simply...]
Then, just as he seems about to say something, he suddenly reaches out towards me quickly.
Chwaaaa!
It feels as though a colossal sea dragon is flying towards me!
I narrowly evade Ja Eum's strike, and the other Sacred Masters immediately catch on to what's happening.
The classic 'first to catch wins' situation!
[Kugh!]
Startled by this incredulous turn of events, I quickly retreat.
But the Sacred Masters, their eyes now ablaze, rush after me.
[Wait, wait, Seo Eun-hyun. Where are you going?]
[Come now, Cultivator Seo. Just stop by Ban Ta Castle for a moment. I've even prepared a feast for you. Drop by Ban Ta Castle and enjoy some food before you leave!]
[Hoho, Cultivator Seo. I have some important information to share with you. Won't you listen for just a moment? It's about Purple Soul Filling the Heavens...]
They push and shove each other with attraction force and spells as they close in on me.
Then, they begin quickly hurling 'something' constructed of consciousness towards me, and I can't help but be struck by some of them.
'These are...Sacred Vessel cultivation methods!?'
These are Sacred Vessel cultivation methods unique to each Sacred Master of the Middle Realms.
[Look, Seo Eun-hyun! The cultivation method of our Bright Cold Realm is the most superior!]
[No, look at the Purple Gold Realm! Do you know what I've been doing for the past 500,000 years?! This is the Sacred Vessel stage cultivation method I've spent five hundred thousand years researching in the Purple Gold Realm. It is by far the most superior Sacred Vessel stage cultivation method!]
While throwing their Sacred Vessel cultivation methods at me, they beckon me to come to them.
Finally, when they chase me down to the point where they are once again right before me,
'As expected... Now is not the time to become a Sacred Master.'
Starting from the role of protecting the Middle Realm during the End, it's not something a novice Sacred Master like me can accomplish properly
'This is the time to lay the foundation! Even if I do become a Sacred Master, it should be after the End, during the era of creation!'
With a faint smile, I speak to the Sacred Masters.
[My apologies, but this junior feels it is still a bit too early to take on the position of a Sacred Master of a Middle Realm. I will wander the Astral Realm for a little longer and decide then.]
With those words, I immediately draw the Colorless Glass Sword and slash towards the void.
Hidden Heavens Beyond the Path!
Paaatt!
In the blink of an eye, I vanish from the Sacred Masters' sight like a mirage.
The Sacred Masters, unable to grasp the situation for a while, erupt into fury.
[Y O U !!! ]
[Y O U D A R E E S C A PE !!??]
Unleashing the power of the Middle Realms, the Sacred Masters begin to devastate the surroundings with terrifying authority.
'Quick judgment.'
Upon seeing me disappear in an instant, they seem to have deduced that this is not a teleportation spell or ground-shrinking technique, but some form of stealth technique, and they respond by unleashing wide-area attacks.
'But it's unfortunate for them.'
If there is one problem, it's that their opponent isn't an ordinary beginner at the Sacred Vessel stage, but me—someone who has risen to the Sacred Vessel stage through the Three Great Ultimates.
Piiiitt!
I retreat to the most concealed place within the Plane of Soul, distancing myself far from them.
My All-Heavens Sword, which already allows me to traverse planes, has now been enhanced with Hidden Heavens Beyond the Path.
Not only can I send myself into the Plane of Soul, but I can also shift all my traces and all premonitions regarding me into the depths of the Plane of Soul, allowing me to temporarily vanish completely.
Temporarily, no history, no foresight, can locate me.
This feat is an extraordinary technique that even Jang Ik can not replicate, only made possible because of my advancement to the Sacred Vessel stage significantly enhancing my control over the Plane of Qi and my power within the Plane of Fate.
I swiftly escape from the grasps of the Sacred Masters and head towards the Path of Stars.
'First, I need to head to the Lightning Sacred Sea and inform the Esteemed Ones that the search for the symbols has concluded... After arranging for them to return through the Path of Stars, I'll have to make contact with that guy.'
Wo-woong!
The celestial energy in the vicinity shifts.
It seems the Sacred Masters are performing divination.
However, when even foresight fails to reveal my presence, they appear flustered.
'I've temporarily hidden myself from foresight using Hidden Heavens Beyond the Path. But as soon as that technique wears off, they'll pinpoint my location immediately.'
I need to proceed quickly.
Paaatt!
I arrive in the Peaceful Cloud Realm, leaving behind an incarnation to both observe the Sacred Masters' movements and to ensure that I'll notice any anomalies occurring in the realm. With that arranged, I immediately activate the Path of Stars and head towards the Lightning Sacred Sea.
Wo-woong!
I quickly move along the Path of Stars.
Unlike when I had activated it as an Esteemed One, activating the Path of Stars now at the Sacred Vessel stage allows me to pass through far more bases at once and activate teleportation arrays with much greater speed.
In what feels like an instant, I arrive at the Lightning Sacred Sea.
'For now...directly entering the Lightning Sacred Sea is absolutely out of the question.'
Doing so would result in an immediate confrontation with Golden Shaking Bird.
I send an incarnation into the depths of the Lightning Sacred Sea.
Not long after, several figures emerge.
It's the Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One Jang Ik and the Lightning Sacred Sea expedition team.
After explaining the situation to them, I inform them that the Path of Stars has been reactivated and that they can immediately use it to return.
At first, they appear slightly suspicious, but as those deeply connected to the Middle Realms, they seem to vaguely sense that the [symbol] have returned to the realms and show signs of acceptance.
[Understood. Someone of the Sacred Master level wouldn't deceive us for fun. Then, let us meet again in the Middle Realm.]
With that, they step on the Path of Stars.
Then, Jang Ik locks eyes with me.
"You, just what exactly did you do?"
His eyes widen—not at anything else, but at my realm.
"No matter how much we of the Heart Tribe grow rapidly with just enlightenment, there's still a certain degree of gradual cultivation (漸修) that must take place... Just how did a brat at the First Step Before the Throne reach the Second Step Before the Throne in just a few hundred years...and that too while cultivating Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation alongside it?"
He seems to find it a bit absurd.
I lift the Colorless Glass Sword with a grin.
"Would you care for a match?"
"Hmm..."
In my past life, I was paralyzed with fear by the 'perfect circle' shown by Hyeon Gwi and couldn't raise my sword.
Because of that, my exchanges with Jang Ik were limited to the chopstick fight, and we never truly fought head-to-head, leaving a sense of regret.
But it's possible in this life!
As I stare at Jang Ik with a faint expression of anticipation, he speaks again.
"...Let's save it for later."
"...Pardon?"
Slightly taken aback, I question him again.
'The Jang Ik is holding back?'
From a fight with me?
A fight with a strong opponent?
However, I immediately understand from Jang Ik's next words.
"It seems that for the two of us to truly exchange enlightenment, we would have to stake our lives. In other words, if we were to fight, one of us would have to die. It's not a situation where one side can hold back against the other."
He smacks his lips and says,
"Before dying, shouldn't I at least leave some final words for Cedar Wood Grove and visit the graves of my other disciples you've killed? So, as much as it pains me, let's postpone our duel for now."
"...Understood."
Since it's a reasonable suggestion, I slightly smack my lips and decide to settle things with him at a later time.
Jang Ik turns around, about to step onto the Path of Stars, but suddenly stops and looks back at me.
"You. Do you know why our Heart Tribe's territory is called Cedar Wood Grove?"
"Pardon? Isn't it simply because there are a lot of cedar trees?"
"And...why do you think there are so many cedars planted in the Heart Tribe territory? With my abilities, I could have easily cleared them all in an instant and planted any other crop that would be more useful. Why do you think I deliberately created a cedar forest?"
"Is there some reason for it?"
"Of course there is. The details are..."
As though recalling something, Jang Ik furrows his brows.
But he shakes his head and says,
"...Go visit the Peaceful Cloud Realm. The Fighting Spirit of the Small Green Race there...you Human Race call it martial arts, right? Anyway, if you trace back the origin of Peaceful Cloud Realm's Fighting Spirit and martial arts, you'll find something interesting."
Something interesting?
The origins of martial arts?
'Could this be related to why Hyeon Gwi blocked them specifically in the Peaceful Cloud Realm?'
"Yes, I will look into it if I get the chance."
"Good. Look for it at least once. What there is in the Peaceful Cloud Realm...greatly helped me in conceptualizing the realm of Three Steps Before the Throne."
With those words, Jang Ik disappears beyond the Path of Stars.
'Was there such a secret hidden in the Peaceful Cloud Realm...'
I feel a bit of surprise at Jang Ik's words and gaze momentarily toward the Lightning Sacred Sea.
'The Esteemed Ones have all been sent back. Now, the various forces of the Middle Realms should remain stable until the End.'
The Lightning Sacred Sea, too, will not be entered anytime soon.
'No, until I reach the Entering Nirvana stage with the Three Great Ultimates, I absolutely must not go in.'
Even if I do enter, it will only be through an incarnation.
Now, there's only one thing left to take care of.
"...Come out."
I murmur while gazing into the darkness of the Astral Realm.
"Seo Hweol."
It's been long and even longer.
Now, the time has come to bring this to a conclusion.
From within the darkness of the Astral Realm, a familiar face suddenly emerges.
'As I thought...'
He, who had fallen to become a blue earthworm in the previous life, has now been restored in this one.
When the White Wheel reversed, my Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections that felt a 'twisting' sensation when Seo Hweol was erased, became comfortable again, leading me to suspect his restoration.
"It's truly astonishing, Daoist Seo. Hoho, to think that in just 800 years, you would elevate the three realms of Heaven, Earth, and Heart to the level of Immortal Arts and reach the Sacred Vessel stage. From mocking Blood Yin, to defeating a True Person, to eluding all the Sacred Masters of the Middle Realms...such divine feats are truly..."
"Seo Hweol."
I cut off his words.
I pull out Seo Ran, who resides within my body, before Seo Hweol.
Seo Ran looks around the surroundings, as if unable to grasp what's going on. Meanwhile, I can feel Seo Hweol's excitement as he senses Seo Ran's aura.
"Oh, Ran-ah. What's this? It's truly been a long..."
And, just as Seo Hweol begins moving toward us,
I firmly grip Seo Ran's neck and shove his soul and body directly towards the Netherworld.
Among the four worlds overlapping the Astral Realm, Seo Ran's Nascent Soul and spirit tremble towards the Netherworld.
Seo Ran, with his low cultivation, doesn't even understand what's going on. However, Seo Hweol and I both know that his soul could fall into the Netherworld at any moment.
This is a technique only possible after reaching the Sacred Vessel stage.
Anything I hold in my grasp, I can now cast into the Netherworld, Source River, Eastern Heaven Flower Field, or Interdimensional Void at will.
"Don't move. I might 'drop' Seo Ran by accident."
Of course, I have no intention of doing so.
Seo Ran is, in the end, my friend.
I truly feel sorry for doing this to him, but...there is no other way to see Seo Hweol's most genuine face.
To be honest, anyone who knows me well would understand that I would never throw Seo Ran into the Netherworld.
'I absolutely cannot do it.'
Because he is my friend.
Because even if, to the current Seo Ran, I am just a senior held in high regard...to me, he is someone I feel a deep connection with.
In short, what I'm doing now is nothing more than an obvious bluff.
A cheap bluff that even third-rate villains wouldn't stoop to.
However...
Seo Hweol wipes the smile off his face completely in response to this petty, almost laughable bluff.
"...What are you trying to do?"
"I already know. Seo Ran's true identity...I believe I told you not to move!! If you activate even the slightest bit of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, I'll let go immediately!!!"
I can feel 'gazes' from all corners of the universe.
They are the gazes of the Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens entities unleashed by Seo Hweol.
Distant stars.
Nearby stars.
All living beings dwelling in those places stop what they are doing with solemn expressions and turn their attention towards me.
"...S-Senior? What are you...saying?"
Seo Ran looks at me with slight confusion and asks.
However, I remain silent. Seo Hweol, too, doesn't say a word.
Then, a moment later.
Finally, Seo Hweol casts aside all his masks and speaks to me with a solemn expression.
"What do you want, Seo Eun-hyeon?"
"Everything of yours."
For the first time across 999 lifetimes, I have grasped Seo Hweol by the throat.
For the first time in nearly a thousand lifetimes, I have gained the upper hand in my confrontation with Seo Hweol and demand what I want.
"All your secrets—confess them. Seo Hweol."
Now that your main body has been exposed, I hold absolute superiority over you.
"I won't negotiate. I won't make any deals. If you utter even a single sly word, Seo Ran will be 'disposed of' immediately."
Wo-woong!
I distort the space around us, forming a small dimension on the spot.
Just as Blood Yin had done to me, it serves both as a reception chamber to hear Seo Hweol's words and as a barrier to prevent him from escaping.
As if it's a part of the Colorless Sword Enclosure, it is a world bristling with swords protruding everywhere,
And then, in the next moment—
Thud!
Seo Hweol, his face devoid of expression, kneels before me for the first time.
This yearned-for reunion with Seo Hweol no longer makes him seem as towering as before.
-x-X-x-
"First, if there are any Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens embedded within me, remove and reclaim them. The same goes for my comrades."
At those words, Seo Hweol nods slightly.
Chwararararak!
From me and my shadow, an overwhelming amount of dark, shadow-like entities flow out and return to Seo Hweol.
'This insane bastard...'
I click my tongue at the sheer number of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens Seo Hweol had hidden.
No matter how well-suited Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens is for hiding in the darkness or how difficult it is to detect, this is truly ridiculous.
'I've always sensed the presence of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens before, but...I never imagined there were this many.'
Truly, he is someone who cannot be underestimated.
"State your purpose, Seo Hweol."
"...There is truth within the Head Realm. And approaching that ultimate truth—that is my goal."
"..."
I glare at him.
"And what do you intend to do once you obtain that truth?"
"..."
"I won't tolerate lies."
At my words, Seo Hweol briefly stares at me with a chilling gaze before opening his mouth.
"I can't say."
"Have you forgotten who holds your lifeline?"
When I envelop Seo Ran's surroundings with even more power of the Netherworld, Seo Hweol mutters.
"My true purpose. My past. As long as you don't ask about these two things, I'll help you obtain whatever else you need. However, these two are the only things I can never speak of to anyone. If you insist on knowing these truths and use Seo Ran as leverage to threaten me, I will use all the Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens I've amassed until now to ruin your mind."
Seo Hweol's eyes turn hollow in a way I've never seen before.
"Don't corner me, Seo Eun-hyun. Even if I die today, I can destroy everything you hold dear before I go. You wouldn't want that either, would you?"
"...Fine, then. I'll learn bit by bit."
I smile faintly and ask,
"What exactly is Seo Ran's true identity? Why is Seo Ran...the [pillar] of your Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens?"
At my words, Seo Ran's eyes widen to the point of popping out.
"S-Senior, what on earth...are you talking about...?"
"...I'll explain later."
Seo Hweol, briefly contemplating for a moment, opens his mouth with an expressionless gaze.
"Seo Ran is...my 'childhood.' To be precise...he is the embodiment of the 'emotions' and 'purity'...from a time when I 'believed' myself to be an 'ordinary human child'. That is Seo Ran. If Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens is the scattering of the configurations of the 'memories' of my life into the world, Seo Ran is the separation and preservation of only the 'happiness' and 'emotions' I experienced during childhood."
"You believed yourself to be an ordinary human child? What do you mean by that?"
"I told you not to ask about the past."
His gaze grows hollow once more.
'It's clear.'
This guy is undoubtedly cornered right now.
That hollow gaze, which he has never shown before, reveals it all.
'I need to handle this carefully.'
I sense that if provoked, he will unleash Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens into a rampage at any moment.
"...To what extent does your rule about not asking about your past apply? Does it include yesterday?"
"It doesn't."
"So it's not your entire past, but a 'specific point in time' that you're referring to. That specific point must be...I see. Since you yourself likened Seo Ran to your 'childhood,' the 'childhood' you speak of must be what you're referring to as your 'past.' In that case, as long as I don't ask about your 'childhood,' I can question you about other matters, correct?"
"...Correct."
Seo Hweol stares at me as he answers.
'Childhood...'
Suddenly, the image of Seo Ran from Penglai Island flashes in my mind.
'Back on Penglai Island, Seo Ran was oddly depicted not as a member of the Sea Dragon Race, but as a 'human orphan beggar'.'
Now I finally understand the reason.
Seo Ran is the 'childhood persona' of Seo Hweol.
And if Seo Hweol's childhood persona is that of a 'human child,' it was because Seo Ran possessed a human identity that he appeared as a human on Penglai Island.
I ask Seo Hweol,
"There's something I'm curious about. Why, then, have you been trying to kill Seo Ran all this time?"
The biggest question.
If Seo Ran is Seo Hweol's main body, why has he been trying to kill him until now?
"...Seo Ran was the original soul I possessed. A soul containing nothing but the emotions and purity of my childhood. But at the same time, as he is the [pillar] of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, he was originally meant to serve as its foundation and have 'my' persona overlaid upon him."
As Seo Hweol spills this truth, he appears darker and more hollow than ever before.
An appearance brimming with venom.
If I provoke him right now, it looks like something big might happen.
"But an error occurred in Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens. After placing my main body inside Yu Oh's body...my main body became distorted as it absorbed Yu Oh's emotions. As a result, instead of the persona of 'me' who was supposed to originally grow, a new persona emerged. And that new persona took on a new name. That is...'Seo Ran'."
"Yu Oh's emotions? What emotions did he absorb?"
"The biological responses that occur when a living being reproduces and conceives offspring. The emotion commonly referred to as maternal love."
Grin.
A smile appears on Seo Hweol's face.
It is the most 'grotesque' smile he has ever shown.
The corners of his mouth pull back so far that his gums are exposed, yet his eyes do not smile at all.
It is a smile that resembles a machine imitating a human expression...
Out of all the smiles I've seen from Seo Hweol across countless cycles, this grotesque smile feels like his most genuine 'smile'.
"It's amusing. The emotions of a mere living being disrupting Immortal Arts. Then again, the Yu Oh was 'that' Yu Oh, so perhaps she used some unknown Immortal Art to flaw Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens."
"..."
"Watching Seo Ran grow, I realized my plan had failed. Originally, it was an attempt to erode Yu Oh, but instead, my main body was eroded by her tricks and mutated strangely. So...I began devising a plan to 'fix' the broken main body."
From his mouth, the truth about the endless traps Seo Hweol laid finally spills out.
"The mutated main body acted just like an ordinary child. From its behavior, to all of its psychological states, everything pointed to it being an 'ordinary existence.' So, I decided to break it the way one would break any ordinary existence. First, I orchestrated the bullying of Seo Ran to make him suffer from depression. By breaking Seo Ran's personality, I intended to push him to commit suicide at the end, thereby resetting my main body."
As each of Seo Hweol's schemes are revealed, Seo Ran's pupils begin to shake madly.
He continues his explanation.
"However, another variable arose in the plan. It was Jeon Hyang. Corrupted after witnessing the 'truth' of the Head Realm, Jeon Hyang suddenly stopped being affected by my Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens. Contrary to my plans, she comforted Seo Ran's mind. In the end, I failed to break Seo Ran's personality and drive him to suicide. So as a last resort, I handed Seo Ran a self-destruct magic artifact, intending to obliterate him along with the Nether Crossing Ship. The self-destruct magic artifact was supposed to crush his body along with his memories and personality."
Hearing the cruel truth spill from his mouth, Seo Ran trembles like an aspen tree.
Through heart language, I ask Seo Ran in a way that Seo Hweol cannot hear.
—If this is too difficult to listen to, speak through your heart. I will shield you from hearing it.
However, Seo Ran clenches his teeth and speaks in his heart.
—...Please let me hear it. I will endure it.
—...Understood.
Seo Ran asks in a trembling voice.
"Were you manding me to destroy the Nether Crossing Ship to liberate the soul of the Sea Dragon Race warrior...?"
"..."
Seo Hweol closes his mouth in response to Seo Ran's question, and I speak to him.
"Answer Seo Ran's question as well."
"...That Nascent Soul of the Nascent Soul Sea Dragon race warrior was merely a tool I prepared to reclaim my own soul. After all, a physical body holds no meaning for me. Instead, the spiritual body formed from a Nascent Soul is far more useful. I intended to obliterate your body, reset you, and then use the Nascent Soul of the Sea Dragon Race warrior to implant the 'correct personality' into you. Afterwards, I would remove the soul within the Nascent Soul and replace it with yours. That way, I could once again possess a 'correct main body'."
At this point, I no longer hold Seo Ran by the neck.
In any case, as long as he remains within the small dimension I have created, it is no different from being in the palm of my hand—I can release him to the Netherworld at any time.
Seo Ran screams at those words.
"Just what...just what is a 'correct main body'!? Are you saying that I, that my entire life, is 'wrong'?"
"That's right. It's wrong."
Seo Hweol speaks with hollow eyes.
"Seo Hweol's life is wrong, and the life of the failure named Seo Ran is also wrong. The error has grown and grown, and before I knew it, reached the Four-Axis stage. As expected, I should have used even more extreme methods to reset the main body."
"Just what!? Just what is your purpose!? For what purpose are you so freely calling me wrong!? Just what is it!?"
It's at that moment.
'...!'
Seo Hweol's lips move.
When I asked him before, Seo Hweol said he would never speak of his 'purpose.'
But is it because it's Seo Ran's question?
Seo Hweol, though not fully, answers his question.
"To find an answer."
"...?"
"To find an answer to...this hatred."
"Hatred...? What hatred are you talking about...?"
"There is none right now. Not within you, not within me. Only when the 'me' who holds the 'memory' and the 'you' who possesses the 'essence' integrate will this 'hatred' emerge. And...I must find an answer to it. That is my purpose."
"...Just why...is something like that so important...?"
At those words, Seo Hweol lets out a grotesque laugh, his gaze pitch-black as if entirely devoid of pupils.
"...Would you even understand? The vow I made upon your soul. The heart to fulfill my purpose even if it means destroying the world... Don't open your mouth recklessly when you know nothing. You 'fake'."
Bududuk...
Veins bulge on Seo Ran's face.
"...I...am not...a fake..."
He trembles uncontrollably, clenching his fists tightly as if trying to suppress his anger.
Seeing that he might need time, I continue questioning Seo Hweol.
"Yu Oh. The disciple of Black Ghost Valley that Song Jin cherished. Who is she?"
"Yu Oh is, obviously, Yu Oh."
Seo Hweol points upward with his finger and speaks.
"Sacred Master of the Nether Ghost Realm, Yu Oh. Dispatched to the Head Realm under the command of the Underworld...she was the Sacred Master's fragment. But at the same time...split from her connection to the main body due to the Head realm's corruption, giving rise to reason, survival instincts, and emotions, she was someone who trembled in fear of death and desperately tried to ascend again through whatever means, a mere 'ordinary woman'. That is Seo Ran's mother. A pawn I intended to use to erode Yu Oh's main body. That is Yu Oh's identity."
Seo Hweol continues speaking without pause.
"Do you understand, Seo Ran? To erode Yu Oh, I scattered the soul of the child her fragment had conceived and inserted my 'main body' to erode the Sacred Master. The result is you. You are the one who killed the Seo Ran who was meant to be born, taking their place... You are nothing but a monster."
-x-X-x-
Seo Ran is trembling.
I look at Seo Ran's heart essence and step forward, momentarily pulling him back.
"Don't meet Seo Hweol's gaze, Seo Ran."
Beyond that empty nothingness, those hollow eyes that draw the opponent into their eerie emptiness.
It's not as if he's using any sort of enchantment or a special technique, yet anyone who meets his gaze starts to feel their mental strength deplete.
'Perhaps this too...is a kind of Immortal Art.'
If wielding the heart is considered an Immortal Art, then those eyes, stripped of emotion yet seeking for a sense of feeling, could perhaps also be categorized as such.
Since I am still not at the level where I can properly utilize Immortal Arts, I can't say for certain.
Blocking the space between Seo Ran and Seo Hweol for a moment, I question him.
"This is strange. If what you say is true...wouldn't it have been easier to just send one of your subordinates to kill Seo Ran?"
At my question, Seo Hweol responds with an expressionless face.
"I've tried. Over six hundred million times."
"..."
The number is far beyond what I expected.
"But all of them failed."
"What's the reason?"
"It's partly because of you. But the biggest reason is that Seo Ran, as the core of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, unconsciously wields it himself."
His words spark something in my mind.
"When I sent subordinates to assassinate Seo Ran, every time, other forces 'coincidentally' invaded the area and caused wars that killed my subordinates. When I took all precautions and sent subordinates again, they failed to kill Seo Ran for truly absurd reasons. They either mistook a Sea Dragon Race in the next room for Seo Ran, or they got distracted and lost their minds coupling with a passing Sea Horse maiden. Or, while dealing with the Mad Lord, they died after randomly touching a puppet trap. Or, inexplicably, they realized the futility of life while standing before the sleeping Seo Ran, discarded their weapon, abandoned the assassination, and decided to become a wandering hermit."
There's also the time when someone like Yuk Rin, who initially had no interest in Yuk Yo, suddenly became obsessed with her 'as Seo Ran desired,' relentlessly tormenting both she and Baek Rin.
Is this not a situation where the world seems to revolve around Seo Ran?
"Seo Ran, however faintly, knows how to use [Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens]. Because of that, it's impossible to 'use' someone to kill Seo Ran. Even accidental deaths caused by layered coincidences are impossible. 'Someone' nearby will always 'coincidentally' end up being the one harmed 'instead of Seo Ran'. That is Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens."
"...Then, in the end, why don't you just kill him with your own hands?"
"..."
At my words, Seo Hweol looks up at me.
Grin—
He gives me that peculiar grotesque smile of his again.
"The [main body], the [core], the [pillar] of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens... Do you know why I call that thing by those names?"
As his words continue, I feel an inexplicable unease.
"It's because it's important. I have no emotions, no heart. But...I have 'memories.' The memories of how precious the emotions during my childhood were remain in me. All the 'configurations of Seo Hweol' spread across the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain are united by the 'central point' of cherishing those emotions. If the core is lost, then we will all scatter as 'separate entities that happened to share the origin called Seo Hweol.' If that happens, it's over. Each and every 'Seo Hweol' will regain their memories, ego, and emotions, while all the preserved memories and vows of 'Seo Hweol' will be forgotten. Therefore...from the very start, the configurations derived from [Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens] must be bound by the absolute rule that the entity containing the 'most precious thing' cannot be attacked directly."
In other words, for Seo Hweol to erase the existence of Seo Ran, he can only guide the collapse of Seo Ran's personality.
The only one who can kill Seo Ran is Seo Ran himself.
"...For now, let's continue this conversation...elsewhere."
The time for Hidden Heavens Beyond the Path is running out.
Soon, the Sacred Masters will rush to this place.
"Provide me with a place to hide from the Sacred Masters, Seo Hweol."
In truth, I doubt there's such a place in the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain.
After all, the Sacred Masters of the Middle Realms are practically True Immortals.
It's only normal for there not to be a place to escape from five True Immortals.
However...for some reason, I feel like Seo Hweol might know of such a place.
And as expected, Seo Hweol gives me an immediate answer.
"Go to the Peaceful Cloud Realm. If it's there, you'll be able to hide sufficiently."
"...Understood."
Paaat!
After ejecting Seo Hweol outside, I quickly take only Seo Ran with me and board the Path of Stars to return to the Peaceful Cloud Realm.
Woo-wooong!
After shutting down the teleportation array in the Peaceful Cloud Realm, I ask Seo Hweol again.
"So, just hiding here won't be enough... What should I do, Seo Hweol?"
Woo-woong—
Seo Hweol's figure emerges once again in the darkness and speaks to me.
"Why do you think the Sacred Masters are chasing only you and not those Sacred Vessel sisters from earlier, Seo Eun-hyun?"
"Why?"
"It's because you're a freshly advanced, new Sacred Vessel. To appoint a successor for the Middle Realms, the Sacred Vessel must first be in a 'non-Sacred Master' state. That is, they must not already be governing a domain such as a star system or a Middle Realm. Sacred Vessels who have built experience to a certain extent can travel the Astral Realm and quickly harmonise with a fixed star using their own accumulated experience to become Sacred Masters of stellar systems. But you're different. Since you've never been a Sacred Master, they can capture you and immediately make you the Sacred Master of their Middle Realm."
I notice something strange in Seo Hweol's words.
"Becoming a Sacred Master of a star system seems to require special experience. But...becoming a Sacred Master of a Middle Realm is something that can happen 'instantly' if they want it to?"
"That's right. To be precise, Sacred Masters who manage the 'corpses of True Immortals' can make the appointment instantly."
Seo Hweol avoids saying 'Middle Realms' and instead uses the term 'corpses of True Immortals'.
From that, I feel like I can understand what he's implying.
"You...don't tell me you're suggesting I become the Sacred Master of this Peaceful Cloud Realm?"
I ask again, slightly taken aback.
"No, is it even possible to become a Sacred Master of a Decaying Corpse Realm? I thought it was only possible for Middle Realms!"
In the past, I wouldn't have acted so 'ignorant' in front of Seo Hweol.
Revealing my lack of knowledge to him would have been akin to exposing my weaknesses.
But now, it doesn't matter.
I have control of his main body, so what could he possibly do?
Seo Hweol nods at my words.
"Decaying Corpse Realms can indeed serve as a training ground for Sacred Masters. If you become the Sacred Master of the Peaceful Cloud Realm and hold a defensive battle here, even the Sacred Masters of the Middle Realms will only be able to scream in frustration and stomp their feet, unable to do anything."
"...That's strange. But I've never heard of any Sacred Master cultivation methods involving the Decaying Corpse Realms. Surely there's a reason why no one uses it! What are the side effects of cultivating as a Sacred Master through a Decaying Corpse Realm?"
"If, during your cultivation in the Decaying Corpse Realm, you fail to properly supply the realm with energy...the Sacred Master can dissolve into the realm itself and become its nourishment."
"..."
'As expected... This guy is someone I can't let my guard down around.'
If I hadn't asked, he clearly wouldn't have uttered a single word about the 'side effects.'
Even now, when his lifeline is in my hands, this guy is subtly trying to pull his tricks.
'Seo Hweol is Seo Hweol. Just because I've got him by the throat doesn't mean I can let my guard down.'
"Are there any other side effects of the Decaying Corpse Realm cultivation that you haven't told me?"
"That's all I know as of currently."
"...Are there any other side effects with the 'Peaceful Cloud Realm'? As far as I know...the Path of Stars is formed by Entering Nirvana True Persons disguising themselves."
Annoyed by his subtle attempts to gloss over the truth of the Peaceful Cloud Realm, I press him further.
"...The Peaceful Cloud Realm, strictly speaking, is not an Entering Nirvana True Person."
"What?"
"It's just...a fragment of a True Immortal's corpse that developed 'consciousness'. When the power of that consciousness combines with the power of the Peaceful Cloud Realm, it reaches a level equivalent to that of a True Person, becoming the starting point of the Path of Stars."
"Wait. So...you're telling me to become the Sacred Master of the Peaceful Cloud Realm, which 'still has consciousness'? And what do you think that consciousness will do to me?"
"It will show a favorable reaction. That I can guarantee."
"...What?"
At his following words, I can't help but flinch in surprise.
"The Peaceful Cloud Realm was originally one of the cultivation locations I found for Oh Hye-seo for after she advances to the Sacred Vessel stage. From the beginning, the will of the Peaceful Cloud Realm seemed to show joy to Oh Hye-seo, saying it had been waiting for 'someone like her, a Heavenly Rejected', for a long time. It even said that when she or 'anyone like her' becomes a Sacred Vessel, they should come find it anytime. It claimed...it would embrace them."
"...Swear it upon Seo Ran."
"...I swear it upon my 'childhood' in Seo Ran. This story is true. Moreover, I swear upon my main body that the Peaceful Cloud Realm is safe."
I nod and receive some additional information from Seo Hweol.
'For now...rejecting the Sacred Masters' proposals temporarily would be the most appropriate course of action.'
The Sacred Masters of the Middle Realms cannot relinquish their positions until a successor is chosen.
However, in cases of Sacred Masters of Decaying Corpse Realms Sacred Masters or star systems, according to Seo Hweol, they can step down anytime within an appropriate time frame, even without successors.
I have no intention of taking on the role of a Sacred Master until I overcome the End.
'Preparing for the End within the Middle Realms is a task the Sacred Masters should do. It's not something a fledgling Sacred Vessel like me can do.'
Rather, if I try to do so as a novice, I could lead countless living beings to their deaths.
Therefore, taking over the position of Sacred Master of a Middle Realm must be postponed until at least ten thousand years later.
After the beginning of the world starts.
Honestly...even after the new world begins, I'm not sure if I'll take on the Middle Realm Sacred Master position.
'I do feel a bit sorry for Ban Ta, but...'
I clearly saw it.
The [symbol] of the Purple Gold Realm, inscribed with 'Radiance Hall'.
'Whether the Purple Gold Heavenly Lord is a traitor or not, they were still part of the forces of Light.'
It feels as unsettling as when Baek Woon gave me an Esteemed One title.
'Becoming the Sacred Master of the Purple Gold Realm might naturally give the forces of Light a pretence.'
As long as there is no telling when the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord might reappear and molest my shoulders, it won't hurt to remain cautious.
'Therefore...after becoming the Sacred Master of the Peaceful Cloud Realm, I will expand my options before taking on the Middle Realm Sacred Master position!'
While the Sacred Masters desperately searching for successors seem a little pitiful, I can't become their replacement out of mere sympathy!
Wo-woong!
My celestial energy completely frees itself from the influence of Hidden Heavens Beyond the Path.
And I also become aware that the Sacred Masters searching for me have succeeded in locating me through divination.
"Very well. I shall become the Sacred Master of the Peaceful Cloud Realm right now!"
Woo-woong!
I then begin to synchronize my consciousness with the Peaceful Cloud Realm.
Far off in the Astral Realm, I can sense five Sacred Masters crossing spacetime like mad to reach me.
They have realized what I am doing.
I reveal my main body.
Woo-woong—
Having become the [flow] of the universe itself, I unveil my main body that is the 'orbit', surrounding the sky above the Peaceful Cloud Realm's Peaceful Continent.
'Synchronize the flow of the Peaceful Cloud Realm with my own.'
I look at the Sacred Vessel formula handed to me by the two sisters.
The Sacred Vessel cultivation formula is as follows:
Through the activation of the Five Epochs and Three Virtues, awaken the attraction force of the fate of Eight Paths.
Year (歲), Month (月), Day (日), Hour (辰), and Calendar (歷).
And Correctness (正), Strongness (剛), and Mildness (柔).
The Sacred Vessel formula is based on these eight principles, supplemented by the commentary annotations of the Sacred Vessel Immortal Treasure sisters.
The early Sacred Vessel stage is the rotation of the nebula.
Most Sacred Vessel Sacred Masters during this phase focus on the Five Epochs: Year, Month, Day, Hour, and Calendar.
One must acquire these five laws from the world, seize control of them, and establish them with one's own hands.
Once the establishment of these laws is complete, the nebula condenses toward the center of the rotating 'ring,' and light begins to emerge.
The Sacred Master's main body gradually transforms into a fixed star, advancing to the mid-stage.
The mid stage is the Fixed Star.
At this stage, the Sacred Master cultivates the attraction force of Correctness (正), realizing the correctness and straightforwardness (正直) of attraction force.
The late stage is the Red Giant Stage.
At this stage, the Sacred Master cultivates the attraction force of Strongness (剛), realizing the strong rule (剛克) of attraction force.
Grand Perfection is the Dwarf Star.
At this stage, the Sacred Master cultivates the attraction force of Mildness (柔), understanding the mild rule of attraction force.
Throughout this entire process, the Sacred Master oversees the eight necessities of life for the living beings within the world they govern.
Food (食; sustenance),
Wealth (貨; economy),
Sacrifice (祀; ritual worship),
Minister of Works (司空; territory),
Minister of Education (司徒; education and enlightenment),
Minister of Justice (司寇; law and order),
Diplomacy (賓; guests and foreign relations),
Army (師; general).
Using these eight essentials for living beings and through their own life, the Sacred Master gradually elevates the principles to the Plane of Fate, or in the case of the Earth Tribe, completely descends to the Plane of Qi.
Once the Eight Paths (八道) are completed, adding the Royal Perfection (皇極) results in what is called an Entering Nirvana stage True Person.
In other words, the key to the Sacred Vessel stage is cultivating the Eight Paths through the Five Epochs and Three Virtues.
Wo-woong!
I begin to synchronize Crystal Glass to Treading Sea with the Peaceful Cloud Realm.
Crystal Glass to Treading Sea Great Star seems to divide into eight directions, revealing the eight domains of the Eight Paths I will cultivate in the future.
Establishing the laws of the Peaceful Cloud Realm through the Five Epochs and Three Virtues, and then cultivating the Eight Paths.
This is precisely what I must accomplish moving forward.
Woo-woong!
—Master, is there anything I can assist with?
Hong Fan sends me a heart message.
Although he hasn't reached Entering Heavens in this lifetime, he still seems to be at the level of sending heart messages.
After replying that I am fine, I refocus my consciousness.
Kugugugugu!
Before long, I sense the Sacred Masters of the Middle Realms approaching quite closely.
They've already entered within 6,000 light-years.
'In half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea (~7.5 mins), they'll probably pinpoint my location and arrive in an instant. I need to hurry with the synchronization.'
Kwarururung!
Sure enough, giant totem poles the size of planets come hurtling from the distant expanse, relentlessly striking the Peaceful Cloud Realm.
Kugugugugu!
The world flickers and shakes violently.
As I begin synchronizing with the world, I feel as though my internal organs are being churned, and I shake my head to dispel the sensation.
I can feel Ban Ta desperately trying to stop me.
If he arrives here, he will undoubtedly cease any pretense of a 'polite invitation' and attempt to capture me, throwing me into Ban Ta Castle.
Kwarururung! Kwa-rung! Kwarururung!
Ban Ta hurls totem poles madly once again.
The totem poles embed into the Peaceful Cloud Realm repeatedly.
However, it seems he cannot pinpoint the exact location, as they occasionally embed themselves in other planets near the Peaceful Cloud Realm.
I can feel Ban Ta's 'will' from the totem poles he throws.
Through that 'will,' I can sense Ban Ta desperately sending me a message.
—Haha, Daoist Seo, calm down and listen to me for a moment. First, let me explain the dignity of our Purple Gold Realm...
—The Purple Gold Realm possesses a magnificent civilization that has flourished remarkably under my reign for 500,000 years of history. Are you perhaps interested in reproduction? If so, the males and females of the Purple Gold Realm would make excellent choices.
—You Human Race may claim that the Devil Race cuisine you make is the best delicacy in the entirety of the Middle Realms, but the Purple Gold Realm's flame-grilled sea cucumbers does not fall short even a bit. The taste is truly divine!
'What does it taste like to be that good...?'
Ban Ta's voice is genuinely desperate, and it begins to intensify.
—Heyheyheyheyheyheyheyhey, calm down, Daoist Seo. I don't know which star system you're conducting the synchronization ritual right now, but pleaselistentomywordsjustforameoment!
—Please just wait! I'll give you my Sacred Master position, Ban Ta Castle, and even my jade seal, so please just wait!
—Wait! Stop! I said stop! Stoooop!!!
—There isn't a single dharma treasure that the Purple Gold Realm doesn't have. And this isn't an exaggeration. Even the other Sacred Masters acknowledge this. The dharma treasure techniques of our Purple Gold Realm are the best in the Middle Realms! I can even strengthen your dharma treasure!!!
—I'm saying there are a lot of people in the Purple Gold Realm with the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent! I've heard there's one among your comrades. I'll give a method suitable for the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent!
—What do you want? I'm asking how much will it take!? How much!!??
—The Purple Gold Realm even has an Immortal Arts Library! I'll teach you any Immortal Art you wish to learn!!!
—Wait, please, just wait! Let's share a conversation for just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea (~15 mins)!
—Seo Eun-hyun! Seo Eun-hyun!!! Stop for a moment, just for a moment!!!
—Haaaaaaaah!!!
Kwaaaaaaang!
As if drawing forth even his true origin energy while hurling his totem pole spell at me,
The purple light emanating from the totem poles grows darker and more powerful.
As I become synchronized with the Peaceful Cloud Realm, every time a totem pole strikes the Peaceful Cloud Realm, the impact is transmitted as pain to me.
'It hurts...'
In this state, it'll be difficult to continue the synchronisation ritual.
Moreover, if I were to 'respond' to the consciousness imbued in those totem poles, Ban Ta would immediately pinpoint my exact location—thus, I absolutely cannot respond.
However...using my unshakeable heart, I close my eyes.
Even in this state, I remain vigilant against Seo Hweol, protecting Seo Ran, and while enduring the worst synchronization ritual...I melt into the Peaceful Cloud Realm.
'I can do this.'
This level of pain is nothing to me.
Paaaaatt!
Internally reciting the formula of the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra, I calm and focus my mind.
The furious roars of Ban Ta, which sounds like the cries of a wicked Heart Demon trying to disrupt my concentration, no longer reaches me at some point amidst my continued focus.
'Here I go.'
Woo-woong!
The 'orbit' I unfold splits into eight domains, seeping into the sky of the Peaceful Cloud Realm and begins to absorb the 'light' of the realm.
'The Sacred Vessel stage is ultimately...the position of managing the world's light.'
Without light, no living beings can survive.
Starting with Baek Woon and Hae Lin, to Yu Oh and Ja Eum, who oversee the Nether Ghost Realm and True Devil Realm—all of them.
In truth, they preside over the light of the Middle Realms.
Only now do I understand how the vast Bright Cold Realm managed to maintain nearly uniform cycles of 'day and night' across all its lands.
'Baek Woon has been managing the sunlight, moonlight, and starlight of the Bright Cold Realm, aligning its day and night.'
It's the same for the Ancient Force Realm.
There, they have no sun or moon. Instead, something resembling a 'ring' manages day and night.
The True Devil Realm, the Nether Ghost Realm, and the Purple Gold Realm are all likely the same.
Paaaaatt!
The 'light' of the Peaceful Cloud Realm completely seeps into my body.
And in an instant...!
Kwarurururung!
The Heaven and Earth spiritual energy of the Peaceful Cloud Realm converges into a single place.
At the forefront of Peaceful Cloud, in the center of the sea known as the Peaceful Cloud Great Sea!
At the exact center of this Peaceful Cloud Realm, a space begins to form for me.
Just like the Heavenly Lotus Mountain of the Bright Cold Realm, the Blood Sacrificial Altar of the True Devil Realm, the Black Palace of the Nether Ghost Realm, the Sea King Hall of the Ancient Force Realm, and Ban Ta Castle of the Purple Gold Realm, this world is preparing a palace to accept me.
Chwararararak!
In the case of the Sacred Master Palace, the palace reflects the heart essence and preferences of the respective Sacred Master.
And what emerges from reflecting on my heart essence is...a familiar mountain.
A mountain made of glass!
It resembles the image within my heart essence quite closely.
However, is it perhaps due to the influence of the Peaceful Cloud Realm's energy?
For some reason, instead of just ordinary glass swords embedded in the mountain like in my heart essence, the mountain is covered with glass blade-like 'trees'.
I look at the shape of those trees and immediately recognize what they are.
'Cedarwood.'
I recall Jang Ik's words, saying that once I visit the Peaceful Cloud Realm, I would understand why the Heart Tribe territory is called Cedar Wood Grove.
Indeed, the Peaceful Cloud Realm seems to have some sort of connection with cedarwood.
I briefly ponder over a name.
'Eun-hyun Great Mountain? Eun-hyun Castle? Eun-hyun Palace? Triple-Headed General Seo Divine Palace? No...'
After deliberating for a while on the most dignified name, I finally decide on the name for my Sacred Master Palace.
"Glass Cedarwood Mountain (琉璃杉木山). That shall be your name."
Kugugung!
The moment I name Glass Cedarwood Mountain, I feel that I am now completely connected to the Peaceful Cloud Realm.
Simultaneously, I feel as though I have become one body with this Decaying Corpse Realm, can now borrow the power of the Peaceful Cloud Realm, and subtly adjust the fates within it through my authority.
Woo-woong!
At the same time, the 'will of the Peaceful Cloud Realm' whispers something into my mind.
"...So it wasn't the Peaceful Cloud Realm."
As I sit atop the summit of Glass Cedarwood Mountain, I speak the 'true name' of this world aloud.
"Cedarwood Painting (杉木圖). That is...the name of this place."
Kwoong!
The moment I utter that true name—
A stele made of Salt Crystal crashes down before me.
On the stele, the world's name, Cedarwood Painting (杉木圖), is engraved.
Woo-woong!
I imbue the stele with my consciousness.
At the same time, the five Sacred Masters of the Middle Realms at last encircle this world.
Paaatt!
I send a colossal projection outside the world.
It is a projection created using the power of Cedarwood Painting.
The expressions of the Sacred Masters shift continuously as they gaze upon my projection.
[Greetings, seniors. This surname Seo finds this world to his liking...I have decided to act as the Sacred Master of this Decaying Corpse Realm for the time being. Please allow me to reintroduce myself.]
I bow to them, introducing myself.
[Sacred Master of Cedarwood Painting. I am Seo Eun-hyun.]
Then, Ban Ta's horrific wail echoes across the entire universe.
Thus, amid Ban Ta's anguished cries, I rise proudly as the Sacred Master of Cedarwood Painting.
-x-X-x-
'...He's screaming so much it makes me feel sorry.'
However, there's nothing I can do.
The End is approaching and there's no way I, who is only at the early Sacred Vessel stage, can make proper measures.
For the sake of the living beings of the Purple Gold Realm, at least until the End, it would be better for Ban Ta to take charge.
[Hmhhmm... It's unfortunate.]
[I'll have to wait for the next opportunity.]
Baek Woon and Hae Lin just smack their lips and turn away, while Yu Oh and Ja Eum looks at me for a moment with a sense of regret.
And...
Ban Ta suddenly rolls his eyes and bares his teeth.
[...Yes... Congratulations, Daoist Seo. But do you happen to know? Among us Sacred Masters, it is customary to give an initiation ceremony when a junior succeeds in becoming a Sacred Master.]
[...This is the first I'm hearing of it.]
[Of course it's the first time! This is a tradition passed down only within the Purple Gold Realm.]
'I remember Ban Ta being the first Sacred Master of the Purple Gold Realm...'
[...I am not a Sacred Master of the Purple Gold Realm, so I don't believe there's a reason for me to undergo that initiation...]
[In celebration of junior's advancement to Sacred Master, I, Ban Ta! Will give the best initiation ceremony ever!]
Kugugugugu!
Above Ban Ta's head, a purple thundercloud appears.
Inside the purple cloud, pure white lightning rumbles.
The thundercloud gradually grows in size, until it envelops the entirety of Cedarwood Painting.
'He's really angry...'
I silently click my tongue and decide to accept his strike for now.
And in the next moment—
Kwarurururung!
The purple thundercloud strikes directly towards me, pounding the entire Cedarwood Painting.
'This insane Sacred Master...does he intend to annihilate me...!?'
From within the storm of the purple thundercloud, I summon the Three Great Ultimates behind me.
But the Three Great Ultimates waver like candle flames in the face of the purple storm.
'He's drawing upon the power of the Purple Gold Realm to attack me...!'
At this rate, the entire Cedarwood Painting will collapse.
Of course, there is another option.
'If I sever my synchronization with Cedarwood Painting, this thundercloud targeting me will only push me into distant space, leaving Cedarwood Painting untouched.'
The choice between perishing with Cedarwood Painting or abandoning my Sacred Master position here is laid out in front of me!
Though it may seem like a petty move, this attack feels like the regret of Ban Ta, who has held the position of Sacred Master for 500,000 years and still hasn't found a successor.
'Can I...endure...?'
As I struggle with all my might—
Wo-woong!
Something is added around the power of the Three Great Ultimates.
'This is...!'
The power of Cedarwood Painting itself!
That power is supporting me.
'Is it because I have taken the role of Sacred Master that I can draw upon the world's power? But...the power of the Decaying Corpse Realm alone is not enough. Greater power...I need greater power!'
Greater power!
Even more formidable power!
It's at the moment that thought crosses my mind.
Kiiiiing!
Gradually, Ban Ta's thundercloud seems to slow down, and the world momentarily darkens.
'Is this...stopping time temporarily through attraction force? No, it accelerated my consciousness!'
I realize the identity of the force accelerating my consciousness.
'The will that has waited for a long time for Oh Hye-seo or those like her, the Heavenly Rejected...this is definitely an inheritance from an Ender!'
Paaaatt!
At the same time, an illusion appears before my eyes.
It's an illusion of a monster.
That monster is a sword cultivator.
Every time the golden monster moves, thousands and hundreds of millions of golden swords sway from its body, piercing throughout the universe.
Within that vision, I notice the monster is fighting someone.
'That's...!'
It's Hyeon Gwi.
The girl with a ponytail and donned in black martial attire is dancing.
The monster roars.
The entire universe trembles at the monster's utterance, and the sharp energy the monster emits cuts the universe.
However, the essence of the sword, which seems to split Heaven and Earth, cannot penetrate inside the dance of the girl.
Within her dance,
Within the circle inside, nothing can intrude, and everything seems to scatter into nothingness.
Trying to resist the terrifying force of that circle, I unknowingly find myself clenching my fist.
The Colorless Glass Sword is held in my hand.
Then...a familiar movement begins from her.
The girl who peacefully draws a circle.
Everything around that girl vanishes, leaving just a single circle between Heaven and Earth once again.
In the next moment...
Pasasak!
The circle shatters.
And the darkness of Heaven and Earth is lifted.
The golden monster, battling within the cosmic space, is shattered to pieces.
"You have reached One Wheel (一輪). However, you have not fully obtained Mandala (曼陀羅). Would you then, perhaps, be able to make the flower bloom?"
The girl, who shattered the golden monster, simply moves her hand.
With that movement, all parts of the monster's body are instantly moved into the Interdimensional Void and annihilated.
However, one single part resembling a thigh does not move according to the girl's will.
Seeing that, the girl gives a small exclamation.
"You've bloomed the flower. You've set foot somewhat into Piranirvana (入滅). But...what does that even matter?"
With that, I emerge from the illusion,
Yet, I do not escape a certain ecstasy that has captivated me.
And, without a word, I let my sword hang and aim it at Ban Ta's thundercloud.
Bo-oong!
Following Hyeon Gwi, I try drawing a circle.
Within the sword movement that carries neither sword energy nor intent, Ban Ta's thundercloud is cleanly sliced in half.
[What!!??]
Ban Ta shows a shocked expression and retracts the thundercloud momentarily from me.
However, I ponder the meaning of the sword swing I just performed, paying no mind to the external situation.
'This is...One Wheel (一輪).'
A single circle appears before my eyes.
Now I understand.
This circle is nothing special.
Perhaps...it has been inside me from the very beginning.
Another name for this circle is Seated Detachment, Entering Hope (坐脫立望).
In the realm of Tribulating Heavens, I condensed all of myself to create the All-Heavens Sword.
'The Owner of the Void' likely compressed all of the previous realms and discovered the Wheel (輪).
'I see. This is...Hyeon Gwi, or rather, the main body of the one who uses the name Hyeon Gwi. The realm name of the Owner of the Void!'
As I confirm what is called 'One Wheel,' I once again compress my martial realm.
Wo-woong!
I raise my All-Heavens Sword.
Compressing the Formless Sword once created the All-Heavens Sword.
Compressing the Formless Sword while wishing that all the colors of my life would be imbued within it, I named it All-Heavens Sword.
A single strike tempered from everything in my life.
That is the All-Heavens Sword. That is Seated Detachment, Entering Hope.
'I've been...drawing a circle.'
I can see a certain circle within the All-Heavens Sword.
In truth, every scene and moment of my life has been drawing this circle.
Beyond the scene I thought was flat, there is another scene.
Like both sides of a coin.
And just as continuously spinning the coin eventually turns it into a sphere, my life has, in fact, always been overlapped with death.
As life and death have always been rotating within me, drawing a circle, the perfect circle has always been within me.
Gazing into the enlightenment of the Owner of Void, I swing the sword again as if entranced.
And, I look towards the next moment.
Beyond One Wheel.
To the realm I have named Void Shattering.
Beyond the movements of the Owner of the Void, I naturally hear the realm name she coined.
Mandala (曼陀羅).
Beyond the All-Heavens Sword, the Wheel (輪) seems to rotate, and countless images are drawn around it.
It is the life of the entity known as Seo Eun-hyun.
My life is drawn into a Mandala and seems to scatter throughout the entire world.
Then finally, the very last moment!
Pasasa!
The Mandala shatters to pieces.
Just as the circle shattered.
My life returns to nothingness (無).
'Is this...the end?'
For some reason, my throat tightens.
But in the next moment,
I feel 'something' beyond that nothingness.
It is...a fragrance.
Though I can't identify which flower's scent it is, the instant I inhale that incredibly fragrant aroma—
I feel as though I could let go of everything.
Beyond that void (空虛), where nothing exists except the overflowing unknown fragrance.
It's as if I can hear the realm name of Void that Jang Ik called the Third Step Before the Throne.
Udumbara (優曇婆羅).
Yes.
One Wheel (一輪).
Mandala (曼陀羅).
Udumbara (優曇婆羅).
These are the great steps pioneered by the Owner of the Void.
Kwarurung!
As soon as I realize these realms, I feel as if thunder is crashing in my mind again.
Red Lotus (紅蓮).
Prajna (般若).
Dragon Flower (龍華).
This is another realm found in the memories of the golden monster.
It somehow does not seem to be the original realm of the monster, but I can clearly sense that the entity trained its power in accordance with this realm to oppose the power of the Owner of the Void.
And simultaneously, I can sense a commonality between these two realms.
It is that they each describe the ultimate of their realm as something 'alive.'
Udumbara and Dragon Flower.
They are all names of legendary flowers and trees.
They are things with life.
As if treating martial arts (武) as something truly alive.
Feeling this, I suddenly realize something.
'Three Flowers Wuji (三花無極). At some point...like Jang Ik's Three Steps Before the Throne, I started collectively referring to my Seated Detachment, Entering Hope, my Void Shattering...and the next third realm as 'Three Flowers Wuji'.'
Thinking about it, there was no 'trigger' for that.
Just 'at some point,' I thought to call the Martial Art realms of the Middle Boundary 'Three Flowers Wuji' and did so.
It has nothing to do with flowers, so [why] did I name [this] Three Flowers Wuji?
Chills!
I realize a terrifying fact.
"It was [today]!"
Three Flowers Wuji.
I realize that it's only [today] that I got the [trigger] to call the Martial Art realms 'Three Flowers Wuji.'
'Insane...'
The moment I identified the term Three Flowers Wuji [on this timeline], on [this very day]!
The realm 'Three Flowers Wuji' was [imprinted] across [all my timelines].
In other words, beyond the timelines of the regressor, me, it engraved the realm into the [me who had yet to witness] the legacy of the ancient Ender in the Peaceful Cloud Realm.
I understand that fact and 'how' it was made possible.
'An ancient...Ender's power. It's the power of an ancient Ender!'
A terrifying authority that engraves all realms even into my past self just from meeting at this moment!
It's a bone-chilling ability that is in no way inferior to regression.
'Come to think of it, Kim Yeon from a previous cycle said so.'
That our authorities aren't just a broad consciousness domain, Heavenly Golden Thunder Body, Ghostly Yin Transformation Immortal Root, and such.
Such things are just the trivial 'fragments' that emerged when the true power on the Plane of Fate was manifested onto the Plane of Qi.
This is the true authority of an Ender who has fully harnessed the power within the Plane of Fate.
It isn't a joke; it's an authority on par with regression.
Depending on its use, it's an authority that could even render regression as something 'trivial.'
"Heok...heok..."
Having confirmed the new realm name and the authority of a previous Ender, I look around.
'This place is...!'
I realize where I am.
My physical body had briefly danced a sword dance in ecstasy on the Peaceful Cloud Continent of the Peaceful Cloud Realm.
But now, my soul is on the 'underside' of the Peaceful Cloud Continent.
In other words, I have come to the 'backside' of the flat Decaying Corpse Realm.
'This is...'
There, I see a Mandala (曼陀羅). It is a Mandala of a mountain (山) of cedarwood (杉木) drawn on it.
A giant Cedarwood Mountain (杉木山)!
And, a Mandala inscribing the saga of a hero who entered the Cedarwood Mountain, defeated a monster, stole seven halos, and offered them as a sacrifice to the heavens.
'...I see. What Jang Ik wanted me to see...was this.'
Only now do I fully understand why Jang Ik named the Heart Tribe territory Cedar Wood Grove (杉木叢).
And while I'm staring at Cedarwood Mountain.
The Mandala depicting the Cedarwood Mountain quietly disappears.
Paaatt!
Simultaneously, as the Sacred Master of Cedarwood Painting, I am pushed out by an unknown force, returning once more to the summit of Glass Cedarwood Mountain.
At the same time, a whisper echoes in my ear.
—If you want to see it properly, prove it.
What must I prove?
Somehow, I feel like I know.
'It must be...to prove my own Martial Arts.'
Clench...
Clenching my hand tightly, I vow to one day return to the Mandala of Cedarwood Mountain.
For that is an opportunity to experience the inheritance of one of the few Heart Tribe entities beyond Void Shattering in this world.
As I rise back to the top of Cedarwood Painting, I half-open my eyes and meet Ban Ta's gaze.
Ban Ta stares at me in silence before speaking.
[...Yes. I have lost. Do as you wish. The Sacred Master of the Purple Gold Realm...the opportunity will come someday.]
The extraordinary skill I just displayed seems to have greatly surprised Ban Ta.
Kooong—
He reaches into the void and seems to pull out something before throwing it to me.
[Take it. For a genius like you, reaching Entering Nirvana will be immediate. It's a specialty from the Purple Gold Realm that helps with advancing to Entering Nirvana. It's a Dusk Talisman (黃昏符). I'm sorry for testing you recklessly. Take it as a token of apology.]
Wo-woong!
I catch the golden talisman he throws.
'This is...'
I can sense an overwhelming level of degenerate energy.
It feels as if an entire black hole of the universe was refined and crammed into the talisman.
In a way, it's a talisman-shaped singularity engine.
'Even for a Sacred Master, it's an item of considerable difficulty to refine. To give me a such thing...'
It seems he is truly sincere.
[I accept the apology. It is I who should be sorry for not being able to attend the invitation.]
[Haha. If you're sorry, then later on, help me catch a fresh Sacred Vessel with me.]
Thus, I completely resolve all animosity with Ban Ta, and I am formally recognized as a Sacred Master by all the Sacred Masters of the Middle Realms.
In that way, I prepare for the impending End with Seo Ran by my side.
Simultaneously, as I press Seo Hweol to uncover his plans and intentions...I begin my Sacred Vessel stage cultivation.