[Wheel]—what exactly is it?
Wiiiiing!
As I move, I float the [Wheel] and begin to contemplate its essence.
"M-Master! Why are you suddenly using that!?"
Hong Fan sees my Immortal Art and is startled, his eyes widening.
"Hmm...I'm just trying to explore the principles behind this Immortal Art. Is there a problem?"
"Uuurgh...I apologize. Somehow...just looking at that Wheel stirs unpleasant feelings within me. It's enough to give me a headache. It feels like there's a chilling malice festering inside me."
I am slightly surprised when I see the look in Hong Fan's eyes.
It's exactly as he says.
He is exuding an intense malice directed at someone.
It's a feeling deeper than anger or hatred, no...
It's something so powerful that it can hardly be called an emotion, but rather malice itself in its purest form.
'What on earth is this...?'
Thinking that Hong Fan might break down if this continues, I put the Wheel away for now.
"Understood. I'll study it later. More importantly...that malice, who is it directed toward?"
"...I am not sure. It seems to be tied to a connection from a past life... But what is certain is that it is aimed at the [Founder of the Wheel]."
"The Founder of the Wheel? That means...the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld?"
But at my words, Hong Fan shakes his head frantically.
"N-No. Not that side. Definitely, definitely, definitely not."
As soon as I mention the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld, Hong Fan abruptly erases the malice from his expression and clears his throat awkwardly.
"It seems I still cannot fully recall. I apologize. But if I keep looking at that Wheel...it feels like my mind will shatter... It is an outrageous request as your subordinate, but please, do not show that Immortal Art in front of me. I am really...truly sorry."
"Hmm, alright. I understand."
I nod, deciding to research the Wheel slowly at a later time.
Then, to divert Hong Fan's attention—
I first ask him to head to the Head Realm and retrieve the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.
'Since Hong Fan is currently at the Integration stage, he should be able to withstand it. Starting with the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect...I should meet the other connections once more before moving on.'
Afterward, I greet my connections in each Middle Realm through split souls.
'I'd like to enter the Head Realm again, but...'
It's dangerous.
As Hong Fan mentioned in the last cycle, making others worry too much isn't a good idea.
I organize my connections in the Middle Realms, then receive the Clear Scale Armor and a portion of ancient force from Hae Lin again before heading to the Lightning Sacred Sea.
At the Lightning Sacred Sea, I explain things in advance to Golden Shaking Bird, form an alliance with the promise of arranging a meeting with Jeon Myeong-hoon, and—
Together with Golden Shaking Bird, I return from the Lightning Sacred Sea and take Yeo Hwi as my subordinate again.
This time, there's no betrayal, so I personally handle Yeo Hwi's refinement.
Then, along with the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect and the now re-ascended Hong Fan, I find Ham Jin and Yu Hwi and kill them.
Afterward, I quietly sense the beings connected to my bloodline.
Wooo-woooong!
They are beings now scattered across the universe.
Those who have inherited my bloodline—the Candle Dragon Race.
The Candle Dragon Race has been passed down through generations and generations, and now they're born with innate power at the Qi Building level.
However, even that seems to have its limits.
The 'realm' can no longer be passed down beyond that point.
The Candle Dragon Race settled within a galactic cluster, flourishing their culture and living relatively happy lives.
The only issue is that the Human Race frequently invades to hunt them as ingredients for dharma treasures or pills. However, the Candle Dragon Race doesn't just sit back and take it.
Occasionally, Human Race cultivators at the Four-Axis stage from the Upper Realm come to cause trouble, but gathering three or four Candle Dragons at the Heavenly Being stage is enough to defeat even those Upper Realm cultivators, so there's no major problem in preserving the race.
Interestingly, the Candle Dragon Race hardly ascends.
Wherever they go, the Candle Dragon Race alters the surrounding environment to resemble their homeland.
While it's an optimized environment for the Candle Dragon Race, for other races—no matter how strong—it's nothing short of hell...
Because of this habit of turning their surroundings into a living hell even after ascending to the Middle Realm, most of them end up being driven out.
It wouldn't be an issue in the Chaos Realm, but the Candle Dragon Race dislikes the Chaos Realm due to its scarce Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.
Thus, they have no choice but to settle on a stellar system within the Astral Realm, where they continue to flourish.
If a Candle Dragon reaches the Heavenly Being stage or beyond, they seem to elevate their realm through an ancient cultivation method of entering the interior of a fixed star to absorb its Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.
Currently, the highest realm among the Candle Dragon Race is at the Grand Perfection Four-Axis stage, seemingly on the verge of reaching the Integration stage.
While that one is in meditation, I put them to sleep, appear in their dream, and teach them the Immortal Art of the Integration stage, Various Omens, as well as enlightenment into the Examination of Doubts of the Star Shattering stage. Afterward, I exit from their dream.
The Candle Dragon who receives my teachings is overjoyed, vowing to reach the Integration stage without fail. Watching them, I bestow my good fortune for their future path.
Some time later, Hong Fan ascends once again from the Head Realm, having collectively ascended the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, and returns with me to the Lightning Sacred Sea.
Kugugugugugu!
Just like in the previous life, the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect settles on the first floor of the Lightning Sacred Sea,
From now on, the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect will absorb the Heaven and Earth lightning energy here to grow.
"Did your trip to the Head Realm go well?"
"Yes, Master. Here is the situation of those Master wanted to check on."
Hong Fan casts an illusion within the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, transmitting the information to me through the vision.
As expected, the Head Realm remains unchanged from before.
The people living there are all doing well, just like last time.
I nod, then suddenly ask him a question.
"By the way, Hong Fan. I asked you to keep an eye out for a man or woman wrapped in bandages with a mask covering their face... Did you find anyone like that?"
"Ah, yes. I searched the entire Head Realm because of Master's request...but no such being exists in the Head Realm."
"Hmm..."
I furrow my brows.
'What is this? Is this because of the time discrepancy?'
"Haha. Well, if the existence is as Master described, that person might have been just an ordinary mortal. Perhaps Master misjudged the timing, and they've already died and been buried in the dirt, don't you think?"
"Emm..."
I let out a low hum, unsure how to explain 'Gyeong-i' to Hong Fan.
"...Well, it's fine for now. Maybe it was just my misunderstanding..."
Considering the shift in timeline, I start to think that the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord might have gone somewhere else first.
"Alright. Let's put that aside and depart. To the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain!"
"Yes, Master."
With that, I refine Yeo Hwi, assimilating her with myself, then temporarily kill Hong Fan, Ham Jin, and Yu Hwi to send them to the outskirts of the Underworld.
Then, together with Golden Shaking Bird, I head towards the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain.
Wiiiiiiing!
The Great Desolate Path shines, guiding us to the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain.
"Let's go! To the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain!"
Kwajijijijik!
And amidst the golden lightning, the Heavenly Domain transfer begins.
Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, Astral Realm.
The planet where Seo Eun-hyun first descended, the one where the altar stood.
In front of that planet, a giant god of light radiating silver-white light appears.
: : Hmm, it's not easily visible. Must I really go to the Head Realm? : :
Radiance Eight Immortals, Fifth Seat.
It is the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord takes out Seo Eun-hyun's Vestige and grips it tightly.
: : According to the foresight derived from the Vestige, it should've been here... Did something go wrong...? : :
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord stays still for a moment, then reveals a hint of anger as if irritated by something.
: : Does this mean I have to go all the way to the Head Realm to find out? Must I bear such risks? Damn it...Seo Eun-hyun. You bastard...! : :
Kurururung!
At the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's fury, the stars in the vicinity crumble and are sucked into them.
The planet where the altar once stood also turns to dust, and even the souls of the insignificant beings within are wholly swallowed by the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.
: : Why is this happening...!? Why does thinking of him stir me like this!? Is it the authority of the Ender of this era? Regardless, such bothersome things... : :
As if displeased despite having devoured several planets at once, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord clutches their chest at the strange emotion surging within.
: : I must go to the Head Realm. There...if I peer into the Heavenly Void Furnace (天空爐), I should be able to find Seo Eun-hyun... : :
Wiiiiiing!
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord transforms into light and heads toward the Head Realm, thinking.
: : Seo Eun-hyun must be found. The Ender who possesses the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra...I must find him and... : :
Kugugugugu!
Beyond the silver-white mask, the eyes of the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord blaze.
: : I must attain the clue to find the Seats of Radiance, Mu (戊) and Gi (己), stolen by the Mountain Gods. If I capture him, Radiance Hall will regain the honor it held in the distant past when it was the era of the Radiance Ten Heavens...! : :
[Editor: 戊 and 己 are two of the Ten Heavenly Stems (天干), the fifth and sixth respectively.]
Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.
A being originally named Ji-hwang (地黃).
Born with the sole purpose of restoring the lost Seats of the Radiance Ten Heavens—Castle Wall Heavenly Lord (城垣天君) and Field Garden Heavenly Lord (田園天君)—speeds up even more towards the Head Realm while thinking of Seo Eun-hyun, who holds the key to fulfilling her life's wish.
'Strange. Why didn't Hong Fan meet Yang Ji-hwang?'
I ponder this while recalling the true name of Gyeong-i, which I came to know of in my past life.
'Is it a matter of timelines? That's the most likely scenario. No, perhaps...'
I think of Hong Fan, whom I temporarily killed for the purpose of the Heavenly Domain transfer, and ask Golden Shaking Bird.
"Golden Shaking Bird. By the way, do you know the Immortal Titles and symbols of the Eleven Governings?"
"Yes, of course. The Immortal Titles and symbols of the Governing Immortals are common knowledge among True Immortals. Would you like me to tell you? Starting with the Supreme Deities, the most famous is the Radiance Supreme Deity Heuk Sa. Their symbol is the [Black Snake Biting its Tail]..."
"I never said I didn't know."
"Ahh..."
Radiance Supreme Deity Heuk Sa.
I already knew the names and symbols of the Governing Immortals, including Theirs, thanks to the basic knowledge of the True Immortal Realm that Blood Yin imparted to me.
However, Blood Yin apparently didn't know their real names, as he referred to Gwak Am as Ra Cheon (羅天).
Of course, that wasn't important.
What concerns me right now is Hong Fan.
'Hong Fan has always been unusually connected to the black snake... He has shown ties to the Underworld, and he seems to be gradually recalling memories of his past life. There were also mentions suggesting he was [a very ancient being] in his past life. Moreover, he's oddly eager to associate with the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld, even blushing when seeing Them. Considering all this along with the information about the Supreme Deity of Raindance Hall, the Radiance Supreme Deity Heuk Sa...'
A single conclusion forms in my mind.
'Hong Fan was a Reaper of the Underworld in his past life, one of the Immortal Beasts affiliated with the Underworld.'
Normally, that [ancient feeling] is something typically sensed from Immortal Beasts.
And since most Immortal Beasts are affiliated with the Underworld, Hong Fan likely was as well.
Moreover, the fact that he blushes in front of the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld and recalls past-life memories strengthens this inference.
'He wouldn't have been affiliated with Radiance Hall. Probably not...'
Logically speaking, the Underworld governs reincarnation and rebirth, so would they be crazy and leave a chance for a True Immortal affiliated with Radiance Hall to recover their memories in the next life?
'Yet, the fact that he's frequently connected to the black snake. Perhaps that means...'
I recall the Middle Realms of the Interdimensional Void in the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain from my past life.
The Middle Realms of the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain, the corpses of True Immortals who served under the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity were arranged in the shape of a [Snake Biting Its Tail].
In other words, they are stretched out in the symbolic form of Radiance Hall.
'True Immortals affiliated with Radiance Hall leave the mark of a [Snake Biting Its Tail] on those who resist, or form such marks with their corpses. Alternatively, they assign such a fate, causing the mark to form naturally.'
Considering these facts, Hong Fan is highly likely to be a former Reaper now entangled in the fate of Radiance Hall.
'A Reaper or an Immortal Beast who fiercely resisted Radiance Hall in a past life, was annihilated, and then reincarnated. That's most likely who Hong Fan is.'
A pitiful soul, branded with the mark of Radiance Hall upon his very fate.
'Of course, there's one more other possibility...'
But I choose not to dwell on that possibility for now.
If it turns out to be true, I may never be able to forgive myself.
'At any rate, Hong Fan's failure to meet the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord might not be a mere coincidence or a matter of timelines. It could be a matter of fate.'
I form a theory while contemplating the relationship between Hong Fan and the Heavenly Lords of Radiance Hall.
Hong Fan died resisting Radiance Hall in his past life.
If we assume it wasn't a coincidence that he couldn't meet Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, then this fate was imposed by Radiance Hall, which branded Hong Fan with the fate of the black snake.
Thus, from Radiance Hall's perspective, Hong Fan was deemed to not meet any Heavenly Lords affiliated with them.
In other words, Hong Fan himself is an existence that poses an enormous threat to the forces of light.
'That seems plausible.'
Just looking at Hong Fan's Integrated Dao Domain, [Darkness World], reveals a 'power that devours light'.
'Yang Su-jin once said that our existence is always watched over by the light in ways we can't even imagine.'
A truly terrifying thought.
However, if my theory is correct...
'The day Hong Fan regains his memories, we might be able to break free from those constraints to some extent.'
And perhaps...
'Yang Ji-hwang. Maybe her as well...'
At some point, I find myself hoping that I can rescue Sword Spear Heavenly Lord from Radiance Hall.
Considering that Hong Fan will eventually regain his memories, it might just be possible.
With those thoughts, I arrive at the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain.
Kurung, kururururung!
I burst out from the golden lightning that is a Heavenly Tribulation.
This time, I carefully control my rank to prevent any unnecessary casualties.
But then, I sense something strange.
"Hmm?"
Kwarururung!
'The one struck by the Heavenly Tribulation...is already dead...!'
It seems we've emerged amidst the remnants of the Heavenly Tribulation after the creature had already died.
Golden Shaking Bird grumbles, claiming I bring misfortune or some nonsense like that, so I smack her once and look around the dead demon beast's surroundings.
And then I see a familiar face.
"Hrk... Hic..."
'...Again...huh.'
A Demon Race around the Core Formation stage.
A female of the Blood Shark Race, seemingly yet to advance to the Nascent Soul stage.
That's right.
[This time as well], I have encountered Du Hwa.
'...Interesting.'
I smirk and glance up at the sky.
Is this the aftereffect of history repetition, or...
'Could it be that even True Immortals cannot truly escape fate?'
Either way, it's an intriguing hypothesis.
And what's even more nerve-wracking here is...
No matter which theory is correct...
'Does this mean I'll 'definitely' meet Glass Peacock again!?'
It means I'm bound to encounter Glass Peacock once more.
-x-X-x-
Kurururung!
I completely emerge from the Heavenly Tribulation, lowering my rank as I approach Du Hwa.
Du Hwa looks up at me, flinching in fear, and bows her head to the ground.
"A-Are you perhaps a senior at the Four-Axis stage? Wh-Wh-What brings Senior to me...?"
"Four-Axis, huh...? Well, I'm at a realm higher than that. First, that Demon Race over there who died from the Heavenly Tribulation—do you know him?"
"...He's my brother. He was impatient and recklessly faced the Heavenly Tribulation without even properly preparing for the Nascent Soul advancement, and died just like that."
"Hmmm..."
I consider whether to bring Du Hwa's brother back to life, but soon realize that he's already plunged deep into the Underworld without any lingering attachments to this life. I let out a sigh.
"Seems like...your brother didn't have much attachment to this world."
"Yes, that's right. He always boasted that if he couldn't advance his cultivation, he'd just aim for the next life."
"An impatient fellow."
"...Yes. He was really...an impatient one."
Du Hwa's eyes glisten with tears, uncharacteristic for someone of the Blood Shark Race. I click my tongue as I watch her.
'If he had only stayed in the outskirts of the Underworld, I could've revived him...but he had to rush straight into its depths, making it impossible to bring him back.'
I can't carelessly bring someone back if they themselves had no lingering attachments.
"Alright. Then, Du Hwa...I have a few proposals for you."
I present a few proposals to the sniffling Du Hwa.
Just like in the past life, I ask her to become a temporary devotee of me and Golden Shaking Bird.
Du Hwa nearly faints in shock upon realizing our identities, but she accepts our proposal. Once again, Du Hwa becomes the temporary vessel of Golden Shaking Bird.
"Hmph, to think I'm stuck in the body of a mere Core Formation stage Demon Race. It's so inconvenient I could die."
Kurururung!
As soon as Golden Shaking Bird takes over Du Hwa's body, she quickly raises the cultivation realm to the Heavenly Being stage, absorbs the Heavenly Tribulation to replenish energy, and grumbles while reshaping Du Hwa's Transformation form into her own.
"Can't be helped. Now, just follow me. We're going to find Jeon Myeong-hoon."
I summon Yeo Hwi and ride her towards the Divine Thunder Realm. At the eastern edge of the Divine Thunder Realm, in the Chaos Realm, I spot a small hut that seems to have been built by Jeon Myeong-hoon.
But just before Golden Shaking Bird can dash toward him, teary-eyed from sensing Jeon Myeong-hoon's aura—
"Hold on, Golden Shaking Bird."
"Yes? What is it, Elder?"
Chijijijijijik!
I absorb Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, slightly raising my cultivation to the Heavenly Being stage. Then, in that state, I concentrate a curse spell into my left hand that's potent enough to affect even True Immortals.
Kiaaaaaaa—
Under the immense power of the curse, the surrounding celestial energy distorts into malevolence.
Sensing the anomaly, Jeon Myeong-hoon bursts out of the hut in a panic, but it's already too late.
"Feel the pain, Jeon Myeong-hoon!"
Kwaaaaang!
The spear formed with the curse spell doesn't strike Jeon Myeong-hoon directly.
Instead, it pierces the ground beneath his feet. The moment it touches the earth, the curse detonates, transforming the area into a hellish demonic landscape.
"Kuaaaaaaaagh!"
There, I see Jeon Myeong-hoon writhing in agony, consumed by unbearable pain.
Booong, booong, booong!
Unfazed by his suffering, I continue hurling curse-infused spears, each one laden with my own torment.
The sheer agony distorts the very fabric of spacetime, causing parts of the Middle Realm's dimension to melt away.
At the center of it all, Jeon Myeong-hoon absorbs fragments of my pain into his very being, enduring unspeakable torment.
Pain worse than death itself!
Golden Shaking Bird, who had been staring dumbfounded at the scene, contorts her face like an evil spirit and tries to attack me in fury.
"You vile fiend...! What are you doing to my master!?"
Kwaduduk!
But with a single strike, I subdue Golden Shaking Bird and patiently wait for Jeon Myeong-hoon to endure and overcome the agony.
"Wait a little. If I don't give him misfortune beforehand, it'll be dangerous later."
"What...!?"
And so, after some time—
Having burned away all the curses with his own lightning, Jeon Myeong-hoon looks around with bloodshot eyes.
Seeing him like that, I leap down in front of him alongside Golden Shaking Bird.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon! Long time no see!"
"Master! Hic! I'm sorry. I couldn't stop that vile villain from casting those curses. Please forgive Golden Shaking Bird!"
At Golden Shaking Bird's words, Jeon Myeong-hoon seems to grasp the situation and growls, glaring at me.
"Good to see you, Seo Eun-hyun...but why the hell did you suddenly bombard me with curse spells like a madman!?"
"Ah, I'm a bit sorry about that. It's because I had to become the 'misfortune' brought here by Golden Shaking Bird for you. I hope you understand."
"You...!"
"Jeon Myeong-hoon! Do you not trust me!?"
"..."
Jeon Myeong-hoon grits his teeth, glaring at me, then forcibly takes deep breaths, suppressing his anger.
"...I'll...trust you...damn bastard."
"Hahaha!"
Thanks to scattering misfortune in advance this time, Jeon Myeong-hoon manages not to coincidently advance to True Immortality upon seeing me.
After exchanging brief words with Jeon Myeong-hoon, I ask why he still hasn't attempted his True Immortal advancement.
"By the way, Jeon Myeong-hoon, why haven't you tried advancing to True Immortality yet? Your Immortal Art seems complete."
"Heh... The Immortal Art is complete. But...it's a matter of resolve. Who can so easily throw themselves into the domain of death?"
"Is that so...?"
I understand the situation Jeon Myeong-hoon is in.
It seems he's waiting for a bit of a push.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon, then let me tell you about my True Immortal advancement experience. Listen closely."
I share with Jeon Myeong-hoon the process of my advancement, the feeling of embracing life and death, and the things I saw when I followed him into the Underworld in the past life.
Is it perhaps because I've experienced life and death multiple times?
I don't explain vaguely like others. Instead, I convey clear, precise insights to Jeon Myeong-hoon.
"Hmmm...! That's accurate."
Golden Shaking Bird also shares a bit of her experience to aid Jeon Myeong-hoon's True Immortal advancement.
Of course, since she forcibly advanced to True Immortality as a Thunder Beast, it's not particularly helpful.
"Listen carefully, Jeon Myeong-hoon."
"Hm?"
"You will succeed in your True Immortal advancement."
"...!"
"I will make sure of it. So...follow the path your fate points to without hesitation!"
"..."
Jeon Myeong-hoon lets out a low breath at my words, then nods.
"...Alright. If you say so...I'll trust you this time as well."
Pajijijijijik!
Without another word, he begins his True Immortal advancement on the spot.
Golden Shaking Bird seems a bit startled by the suddenness of it, but I nod.
After all, in our past life, the reason I followed him was because both Golden Shaking Bird and I were considered 'misfortunes' to him.
'In this life, since I've already thrown misfortune at him and he's attempting the advancement on his own will...the success rate is much higher!'
Of course, since there's still a chance of failure, I prepare the Impermanence Sword, ready to rush to the Underworld if any sign of trouble appears.
And so, after half a day passes—
Kwarurururung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon bursts out from the Underworld with thunderclaps, as if celebrating his True Immortal advancement, and rises to the True Immortal Plane.
From there, everything proceeds smoothly.
He once again draws the gaze of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity and receives the Immortal Title Heaven-Destroying One from the Naming Supreme Deity.
I revive Hong Fan, Yu Hwi, and Ham Jin in the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain, and we share long conversations.
Reuniting with Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Everything up to that point proceeds according to plan.
The morning after Jeon Myeong-hoon's True Immortal advancement.
I speak to my comrades.
"I'm against going to the Astral Realm."
"What? Were you even listening during our talk yesterday?"
Jeon Myeong-hoon snaps at me, and Golden Shaking Bird, perched on his shoulder in the form of a hummingbird, joins in sharply.
"Exactly! Seriously, you need to go to the Astral Realm to undergo the cultivation of the Radiance Ten Heavens to advance to Upper Immortal. Are you stupid, Elder?"
"I'm not stupid. It's just that we have things to do here right now, so I'm suggesting we postpone going to the Astral Realm."
"What? What could you possibly do in this wretched Middle Realm? Elder and my master are both Vestige Liberation Immortals now. Is there anything more important than cultivating as a Vestige Liberation Immortal?"
"I need to check on the other comrades from our hometown besides Jeon Myeong-hoon. So shut your mouth."
"No, just who does Elder think he is to shut me up? I am my master's messenger—"
"Golden Shaking Bird, Seo Eun-hyun is speaking. Be quiet."
Jeon Myeong-hoon grabs Golden Shaking Bird's beak to shut it up, and I continue explaining.
"First, we'll rely on Hong Fan and Jeon Myeong-hoon's help regarding the status of our comrades."
I calmly lay out the plan.
"Hong Fan has a unique technique called Void Sword, which allows him to read the flow of Heavenly Tribulation and even control it. Moreover, when combined with the authority of the Earth Tribe, he can trace the flow back to its very source."
"I know."
"And as you already know, Jeon Myeong-hoon holds the authority to command Heavenly Tribulation at will. When their powers are combined, the range of what we can attempt increases significantly."
"Such as?"
"Hong Fan."
I call for Hong Fan.
"I heard you have the auras of our other comrades."
"Yes, Master. I kept them just in case."
Woo-woooong!
From Hong Fan's sleeve, six auras rise.
Kim Young-hoon's, Jeon Myeong-hoon's, Kang Min-hee's, Oh Hyun-seok's, Kim Yeon's, and my own aura.
Unfortunately, there's none from Oh Hye-seo, but I don't care since I'm not interested in Oh Hye-seo's status anyway.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon, you'll cultivate these auras and refine them through Heavenly Tribulation. You can handle that, right?"
"I can. The Immortal Art of Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation is specialized in controlling Heavenly Tribulation. And after that?"
"Then, during Hong Fan's Star Shattering stage advancement, embed those refined Heavenly Tribulations into him along with the Star Tribulations. This way, Hong Fan will be able to read the aura of those Heavenly Tribulations and trace their source."
"Is that really possible for a mere Integration stage centipede demon?"
"Of course, I'll also combine my Earth Tribe senses with Hong Fan's to observe together. With the help of my True Immortal insight and Hong Fan's genius, we'll surely be able to read the status of our comrades."
"Hmm..."
Jeon Myeong-hoon contemplates for a moment, then nods willingly.
Thus, we decide not to head straight to the Astral Realm but to make preparations for a few years before making our way there.
"You're asking if I can activate the Great Desolate Path one more time?"
Golden Shaking Bird shakes her head at my question.
"Not possible at the moment. Of course, if Master returns and promises to pet Golden Shaking Bird whenever Golden Shaking Bird desires, I can act as the main soul of the Great Desolate Path and operate it. Additionally, with the authority of the fate Master possesses, he should be able to unlock all the hidden functions of the Great Desolate Path."
"Then why can't you do it immediately?"
"You're truly foolish, Old Man Seo."
"Don't call me Old Monster."
"You're not denying being 'foolish'. Hehe. Anyway...if I connect with the Great Desolate Path and become its main soul, I can certainly use many of its functions. But how are we supposed to return to the Lightning Sacred Sea where the Great Desolate Path is right now? The Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain connects only to the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain, which is the base of Radiance Hall. In other words, to get back to the Lightning Sacred Sea, we must pass through the base of Radiance Hall. Do you think that is possible?"
I let out a faint sigh at those words.
'To properly operate the Great Desolate Path and travel across all Heavenly Domains, a being like Golden Shaking Bird must act as its main soul. But to convince Golden Shaking Bird, I'd have to bring her along all the way to the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain, far from the Great Desolate Path...is that it?'
"If I told you to wait as the main soul of the Great Desolate Path while I bring Yang Su-jin's reincarnation, would you have believed me?"
"Ahaha! Absolutely not. Master always taught us Thunder Beasts never to trust anyone. So we trust no one except Master. Of course...it seems some ungrateful Thunder Beasts decided not to trust even Master."
"Hmm..."
Then, how should I persuade Golden Shaking Bird when the next life comes?
'I live each life to the fullest.'
But beyond that, I need to understand my position as a regressor.
'I have to think about the next life too.'
I must create an absolute proof that can persuade Golden Shaking Bird.
'I'll have to think about that from now on.'
With that thought, I watch Hong Fan as he prepares for his advancement in the Chaos Realm of the Divine Thunder Realm.
This time, Jeon Myeong-hoon is set to oversee Hong Fan's Star Tribulation.
Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!
Hong Fan, having restored his cultivation to the Grand Perfection Integration stage, explodes himself.
From within, he condenses himself through basic Immortal Arts, forming the body of the Star Shattering stage.
Kururururung!
Dust clouds condense, and the Star Tribulations begin to react.
Naturally, since there's hardly any starlight in the Chaos Realm, the Star Tribulations Hong Fan must endure are few in number.
However,
Jjeoooooong!
'As expected...'
I frown, watching the Star Tribulation strike down with a momentum capable of destroying worlds.
It's the same this time.
Hong Fan's Star Tribulation is far more intense than what others endure.
Kurururung!
Though this will strengthen his connection to the stars through the Heavenly Tribulation, a single moment of carelessness would mean instant death.
Jeon Myeong-hoon looks down at Hong Fan and begins to manipulate the Heavenly Tribulation.
The Heavenly Tribulation infused with the nurtured auras of each of us!
Kwarurururung!
The six-colored Heavenly Tribulation starts to descend.
Wiiiiiiing!
Meanwhile, the prophetic stars which I, Jeon Myeong-hoon, and Golden Shaking Bird prepared during Hong Fan's advancement preparation, rise into the sky.
Seven stars in total.
Within them are scenes of Hong Fan and us succeeding.
Kurururung!
Hong Fan reads the flow of the Heavenly Tribulation, tracing its source with the senses of the Earth Tribe.
I read alongside him, following the flow of the Heavenly Tribulation.
At the same time, the prophetic stars resonate with our senses, guiding us toward success.
"Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation."
Kururururung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon also supports us through Immortal Arts.
"Indra's Net!"
Kwachijijik!
Jeon Myeong-hoon's lightning spreads like a net across the surroundings.
Lightning has a property known as 'returning lightning strike'.
It refers to the phenomenon of Heavenly Tribulation that strikes the ground from the sky returning back to the sky.
Jeon Myeong-hoon's Indra's Net is one of the techniques that utilize this property of lightning.
Pachijijik!
The Heavenly Tribulation of the Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation Method, now within the domain of Immortal Arts, carries the history-reading ability of Hong Fan and I and the returning lightning ability of Indra's Net, splitting into six fragments.
Kwajijik!
Of the six fragments striking Hong Fan, one returns to my body, and another is reabsorbed into Jeon Myeong-hoon's body.
The remaining four Heavenly Tribulations scatter, flying towards the locations of our other comrades.
Golden Shaking Bird assists in controlling the lightning, and my mind briefly unites with Hong Fan's, reaching out to the other Heavenly Domains where our comrades reside.
The Good Sight Heavenly Domain, where Kim Young-hoon is.
The Underworld, where Kang Min-hee is.
The Elephant Nose Heavenly Domain, where Oh Hyun-seok is.
The Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain, where Kim Yeon is.
The Earth Axis Heavenly Domain, where Oh Hye-seo is!
'...Huh?'
I observe the status of our five comrades with Hong Fan.
Kim Young-hoon senses my gaze and responds with a faint smile, slicing through it with Martial Arts that has reached the Severing Heaven realm.
As if to say, 'Come at me'.
Oh Hyun-seok wanders through a misty haze.
He seems to have reached True Immortality, growing stronger as he navigates through the fog.
Kim Yeon, like Oh Hyun-seok, walks an endless labyrinth.
However, unlike the misty world, hers is quite literally a maze resembling the extreme of mechanical constructs.
It seems she's dismantling each mechanism, growing stronger with every step.
But I can't help but be astonished by the scenes of two individuals that I simply cannot comprehend.
'K-Kang Min-hee!?'
Kang Min-hee.
For some reason, she is kneeling before the illusion of the [Oldest One]'s [White Wheel], drawing something.
It's a taenghwa.
For reasons unknown, she seems to be receiving teachings of the taenghwa under the [Oldest One] in some dark place.
Noticing my gaze, she meets my eyes, silently mouthing, "Don't worry," before flicking her sleeve to block my view.
'Upper Immortal...Kang Min-hee has already reached at least the realm of an Upper Immortal.'
If that weren't the case, she wouldn't be able to block my vision so completely.
'I see. The reason that person transformed into Kang Min-hee before me in the past life was...'
It must be because They already placed her beneath Them and were teaching her.
'But to say it's the Underworld... Something feels different.'
I narrow my eyes, sensing something strange.
The place where Kang Min-hee is feels like the Underworld, but at the same time, it feels like another domain altogether.
'It's as if...it's a place connected directly to the deepest depths where the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld resides. It seems linked to the Underworld, yet...it doesn't feel like the complete Underworld.'
Perhaps it's a special space within the Twin Holding Heavenly Domain.
Deciding to leave it at that for now, I shift my gaze seriously to the final scene.
"...It's been a while, Oh Hye-seo."
I glare at the illusion of Oh Hye-seo, someone whose whereabouts I never even thought to check.
Oh Hye-seo smiles slightly.
"It's been a long time, Seo Eun-hyun."
"...You've...changed a lot."
I flinch in surprise at her appearance.
She has changed greatly since the past.
Her entire body is draped in a dark-red robe, her hair loose and wild, with dark-red eyes gleaming as she grins slyly, making her look like a witch.
Even though she wears a robe, patches of her skin are exposed in a provocative fashion.
Reclining seductively, she pokes at something beside her with a finger, then licks it with her tongue.
Her sticky saliva stretches between her fingers.
Though it's a simple scene, the scent of blood it evokes makes me glare at her.
"What are you eating, Oh Hye-seo? Are you stuffing yourself with human flesh again like in Cedarwood Painting? You better stop...before I come and carve out your belly."
"Ahaha, don't worry, Eun-hyun-ah...I'm not randomly killing people for food. Look, it's not even a human skull."
She lifts the skull of whatever she's been eating to show me.
It looks human but has horns—someone's skull.
She's slurping out the brain from that skull.
"Just like humans slaughter cows, pigs, and chickens to eat...I'm just eating a devil from the Earth Axis Heavenly Domain. I've got to eat to live, you know?"
"...So you've stepped foot into the Immortal Family."
I glare at her, deducing her cultivation realm.
"You've reached the Entering Nirvana stage, and yet you still need to eat things like that?"
"Puhuhuhu...Eun-hyun-ah, do you know?"
Oh Hye-seo pulls out a lump of bloody flesh from the skull and starts shoving it into her mouth.
"Me...you see... My chest hurts so much."
She starts to cry, her robe slipping and revealing just enough to tempt.
As I look deep into her eyes, I realize.
'...She's broken.'
"Ever since I...inherited Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens from...Seo Hweol...my chest has been hurting so much...you know? I don't know why it hurts so much, why it's so agonizing. It used to be so simple and easy. Back then, I just had one simple, clear desire—'Dominate and make them my slaves!' That was it. But now...it's gotten strange. What Seo Hweol entrusted to me...because of that...I feel like I'm going insane..."
Drip, drip, drip...
Blood tears begin to flow from Oh Hye-seo's eyes.
"After being dragged to the Earth Axis Heavenly Domain, I met a great being. The great and honorable Red Summit Great Mountain Life Phenomena Extinguishing Great Emperor (彤岳太山天齊大生滅法大帝) bestowed teachings upon me. I even died while receiving Their teachings. Who else could say they've experienced such a thing? Already a hundred times! I've died a total of one hundred times, suffering every kind of pain and torture imaginable... But you know..."
She claws roughly at her own chest, gritting her teeth.
"More than all that pain...the ache I feel inside this chest...is even stronger... I don't know why. Usually, when I don't understand something, Seo Hweol would come and teach me...but he doesn't this time. It's probably because he doesn't have a body anymore. That's why I'm going to make a body for Seo Hweol. I'm going to resurrect him."
"..."
"And then...I'll share this pain...with him. You understand...? But until then, I have to...pass this pain...onto others!"
Kwaduduk, kwaduk, kwaduk!
From within the skull of the devil clenched in Oh Hye-seo's hand, a terrible scream echoes.
The devil seems to still be alive.
"The pain...slightly eases. That's why I'm eating things like this, Eun-hyun-ah..."
She reaches her hand out towards me.
"The Red Summit Great Mountain Life Phenomena Extinguishing Great Emperor told me. To bring you...to bring you to the Earth Axis Heavenly Domain and feed you the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea (屍山血海) there. They said They left some of it just for you! So come and eat it. If you eat this...They will create a body for Seo Hweol. They said They will bring Seo Hweol back to life! Your realm will rise, and Seo Hweol will be resurrected and I'll be able to share this pain again and ask him what to do. We'll both...we'll both benefit. Right?"
"..."
"So come, Seo Eun-hyun. I've received Their teachings and got a grasp regarding the Devilish (魔) path. My cultivation is Entering Nirvana...but within the Earth Axis Heavenly Domain, near the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, I can crush Upper Immortals like you can. It's limited power, but overwhelming. Just borrowing this power makes me this strong. If you inherit it properly, you'll be even more incredible. So, come here. With my ability, I can bring you over right now..."
"...Oh Hye-seo."
I gaze at where Oh Hye-seo is.
She's leaning against something massive.
Only now do I realize.
It's a massive bone.
The corpse of a large sea dragon.
"Seo Hweol is..."
Looking at that sea dragon's corpse, I understand.
There's no soul there.
And having faced Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens dozens, even hundreds of times, I can tell.
Seo Hweol's configuration doesn't exist there.
Seo Hweol is already deep within the Underworld.
Paying for his sins at the very bottom of hell.
Maybe he's already been reincarnated as some lowly beast and is being slaughtered.
"Already dead. He's not there."
At my words, Oh Hye-seo freezes.
'...It's been a while. Since I've seen eyes like that.'
The eyes of Mad Lord and Jeon Myeong-hoon.
And...my own eyes, back when I lost Buk Hyang-hwa in the 10th cycle.
"...Seo Eun-hyun."
Oh Hye-seo smiles.
"You're stupid, aren't you?"
"I'm not stupid."
"No, you are stupid. Or maybe you've become blind in exchange for your strength. Look. Here, Seo Hweol is right here! [Seo Hweol]! [Seo Hweol] is with me right now!"
"...Listen carefully, Oh Hye-seo. Regardless of what happened...I'll tell you this, for your sake."
I relay the truth to her with a stern face.
"Seo Hweol is dead! That day! After sending you to the Middle Realm, he died! Let Seo Hweol go! What's by your side..."
"SHUT UUUUUUP!!"
"...is nothing but Seo Hweol's corpse!"
"Shut up, Seo Eun-hyun! You r-reptilian bastard. That habit of lying while wearing a human mask is showing again, huh? Don't make me laugh! Seo Hweol is here! [HERE]! [HERE], I TELL YOU!!!"
"That's nothing but Seo Hweol's bones!"
"SHUT UUUP!! I-I'll kill you. I'll kill you! I'll resurrect Seo Hweol, and together with him, I'll find you and flay that filthy body of yours! They said it's fine to fight you. They said as long as you merge with the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, it doesn't matter! They even said killing you and burying you in the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea is acceptable! Listen well, Seo Eun-hyun!"
Kigigigigik!
The surroundings begin to distort.
Taiji twists, and history trembles.
"I've experienced a hundred deaths. And through those deaths, my power has grown unimaginably. To a level someone like you could never comprehend! Someone like you, who cherishes life, maybe experienced death once while advancing to True Immortality? Hahaha! You can't defeat me. Because the power of us Enders reaches its peak when we experience death!!!"
"..."
"Listen well. This is my true authority! [Truth Manipulation]!"
"...! This crazy bitch..."
Seeing her reveal her ability out loud, I hurriedly summon the [Wheel].
"I, rewrite..."
For an instant, I feel it.
The power of the [Wheel] and Oh Hye-seo's authority, [Truth Manipulation], collide.
As the past rewrites itself, the fact that she spoke those words is erased, and I am suddenly thrust into a world drenched in blood by some bizarre authority.
"Reading the [truth], flipping that truth inside out, and as I please..."
Watching Oh Hye-seo flaunt her ability after pulling me into this alternate space, I let out a small sigh.
: : Filling the Heavens Governing View. : :
Shaaaaaa—
A hazy mist spreads, covering the blood-colored sea.
Oh Hye-seo's pointless explanation is cut off mid-sentence, failing to deliver.
"Ahahaha! It's this again, Seo Eun-hyun? Yeah...I still remember. You cornered Seo Hweol with this Filling the Heavens Governing View. But do you hear that? Seo Hweol is whispering to me. He's telling me that this time, he won't lose!"
I squint as I watch Oh Hye-seo draw power from the blood-colored sea.
From that sea, I sense the power of an all-too-familiar being.
'It's a portion of my Senior Brother's authority...'
The Great Mountain Supreme Deity, Gwak Am.
It belongs to my Senior Brother.
Clicking my tongue, I look at Oh Hye-seo.
Because she claims Seo Hweol is whispering to her, I glanced again just in case...but, as expected.
Even with my True Immortal eyes, there's no sign of Seo Hweol.
No spirit, no configuration.
All that exists is Oh Hye-seo herself, having inherited a part of Seo Hweol's heart that resided in the deepest depths of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
She is simply rambling to herself, practicing repentant enlightenment under the influence of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity, and reflecting on Seo Hweol's heart within her own heart.
'If I were to put it in Earth's terms...how ironic.'
Oh Hye-seo, who carries Seo Hweol's heart, has become exactly like the Mad Lord he despised.
"It's part of the Blood Sea of the Red Summit Great Mountain Life Phenomena Extinguishing Great Emperor. In here, I am equal to an Upper Immortal..."
"I've always wondered..."
I cut off Oh Hye-seo's rambling, summoning my true body into this strange space.
Dududududu!
Glaring at her from the center of the Glass True Fire's candle flame, I draw forth the Three Great Ultimates and smirk.
: : If you keep hitting the Mad Lord, would even he return to sanity? In front of someone far stronger, someone of a vastly higher rank, wouldn't even their rage be controllable? That kind of thought... : :
Though the Mad Lord faced Jang Ik once before, honestly, I don't consider that a proper encounter.
: : I guess I'll test it with you. : :
Heaven, Earth, Heart, and Wheel merge.
At the same time, my true body, having reached the realm of a True Immortal, hums and resonates.
Oh Hye-seo laughs as she stares at me.
"Don't be ridiculous, Seo Eun-hyun. You think you're stronger than us? In this Blood Sea, against me and Seo Hweol...you'll never win!"
Flash!
The light of Glass Peacock erupts from Oh Hye-seo.
At the same time, I charge straight through the light and slam my fist into Oh Hye-seo's face.
"...Huh?"
Kwagwagwagwang!
Her head explodes instantly, and cracks spread like a spider web across this Blood Sea space.
Chiiiiii!
Regenerating within the Blood Sea, Oh Hye-seo detonates the Glass Peacock's light again like flash bombs.
"Wh-What? Why isn't the power of the Glass Peacock..."
Kwarurururung!
Ignoring the light once more, I leap at her and chop down with my hand blade.
Jjeoooong!
The Blood Sea shatters again, and she screams.
"Why? Why isn't it working!? Why isn't it working!?"
Oh Hye-seo pulls out the Space Labyrinth Divine Power of Azure Peng, but I completely break through it in a single breath and grab her shoulders.
: : You don't know a damn thing about addiction... You think that just wielding power that toys with the truth can make you Glass Peacock themself? Azure Peng themself? : :
"Th-This can't be happening!? This can't be happening! G-Glass Peacock's power is invincible! The Glass Avidyā Advancement Light has always been the stronge—"
Kwaaaang!
I slam my hand blade down on Oh Hye-seo's face, splitting her in half.
Though she revives within the Blood Sea, every time I exert my strength, the entire space crumbles further.
Perhaps because it's a place that's half-similar to the True Immortal Plane, even the Northern Dipper Sealing Immortal Flag doesn't function.
Unleashing my full power, I smirk, flying at her once more and crushing her shoulder in my grip.
: : Keep flaunting that so-called 'strongest'. From now on, this Immortal... : :
Still holding her shoulder, I raise my hand blade again.
: : ...will heal you. : :
Jjeooong!
Once again, Oh Hye-seo is split in half and killed.
: : So, be grateful. : :
-x-X-x-
Kwaaang, kwaaaang!
The explosion shakes the surroundings.
With each of my strikes, the nearby space shatters, and Oh Hye-seo's body bursts apart.
: : From the very start... : :
Wrapped in Glass True Fire, I charge toward Oh Hye-seo and clamp her mouth shut.
Flash!
White wings bloom from her back.
At the same time, a pure white Heavenly Pegasus (天馬) manifests behind her.
It is muscle.
With a horse's head above the neck and the body of a winged human (翼人) below, the being clasps its hands together like a dharma statue before launching a fist at me.
A fist.
Watching that pure white fist, I feel time compress.
The world slows, leaving only the fist targeting me within it.
Even though Oh Hye-seo has reached the Entering Nirvana stage, that punch and my reaction speed seem too much for her to follow, as she barely manages to track it with her eyes.
Kwaaaaang!
Power!
Not any Immortal Art, authority, rewrite, or prophecy—just pure, concentrated power, flies at me.
Jjeoong!
And that concentrated force explodes within the Blood Sea!
Chiiiiiii!
By the authority of order, the Blood Sea I had split apart restores itself.
Kugugugu!
The phantom of the White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus summoned by Oh Hye-seo glares at me before charging in an instant, swinging its fist.
The Heavenly Pegasus's fist aims for my cheek. I lower my waist to evade and strike at its ribs with a hand blade.
The Heavenly Pegasus spins in place and swings its wings to smash me upward above the Blood Sea.
Paaang!
Kicking off the Blood Sea's surface, the Heavenly Pegasus soars toward me, extending both legs straight out.
Maintaining that form, it slams its legs down at me.
Sound disappears.
The two legs of the Heavenly Pegasus drive into my stomach, triggering an explosion.
Within the explosion's range, all sound vanishes, and the entire order of the Blood Sea begins to rearrange itself for the Heavenly Pegasus.
I laugh.
: : I like this. : :
Releasing my will, I reach out toward the phantom of the Heavenly Pegasus.
My hand blade collides with its fist.
Bruises form on my hand, while its fist is sliced away.
It retaliates with a knee strike. I shift my upper body, trapping its knee in my armpit, then stab its solar plexus.
A single thrust.
With that one thrust, a hole is pierced through the Heavenly Pegasus's solar plexus.
Even with a gaping hole in its chest, it continues our battle with an unrestrained smile.
Its back kick shatters my jaw.
My hand blade severs its left hand.
Our exchange grows fiercer.
Kugugugugugu!
But the end is approaching.
From behind, Oh Hye-seo barely keeps up with our exchange, overlaying her form with the illusion of Supreme Tiger, while summoning another Immortal Beast's illusion within both hands.
Kwaaaak!
I grab the Heavenly Pegasus's shoulder with my right hand.
The Heavenly Pegasus also grabs my shoulder with its right hand and grins.
With all our strength, we slam our heads against each other.
Another explosion erupts. Blood pours from my seven orifices, while the Heavenly Pegasus's entire head flies off, its upper body sliced apart.
Chiiiiii—
Grinning, I watch the Heavenly Pegasus's illusion scatter.
: : Good. : :
The authority of the White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus is order.
Through that order, it nullifies supernatural authority and Immortal Arts, forcing battle with nothing but pure flesh—a true member of the close combat faction.
: : I'd like to meet you properly someday. : :
And then, as if my words had reached it—
As the Pegasus's illusion dissipates, a voice echoes in my mind.
—Interesting fellow. Let's play again sometime.
Wiiiing!
I flinch in surprise.
That just now was the heart language of the Heart Tribe.
And the realm of the Heavenly Pegasus that could be judged by the resonance of that heart language is...
"Severing Heaven realm!?"
It is the realm of Severing Heaven.
For a brief moment, I stand there in a daze before offering a short bow in the direction where the White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus's illusion disappeared, as a gesture of respect from a junior to a senior.
Kugwagwagwagwang!
At that moment, Oh Hye-seo seizes the opening and unleashes her divine power toward my back.
But I simply turn around slowly, letting the Dragon Wave she fires from both hands strike my bare body.
[Die, Seo Eun-hyun!]
The phantom of Supreme Tiger overlays her body.
The phantom of Black Dragon surges within her hands.
She brings her hands together, aiming at me as if emitting energy. Her hands have transformed to resemble the maw of Black Dragon as it breathes a dragon wave at me.
: : Is this all? : :
Thud, thud.
I take one step forward, then another.
: : Is this really the Dragon Wave of the Immortal Beast Black Dagon? Do better. The strongest technique of dragons is normally the Dragon Wave, and yet, there's no way something like this is Black Dragon's ultimate move. : :
[D-Don't come closer!]
Thud. Thud. Thud!
: : If you've reached the Entering Nirvana stage, if you've faced death countless times...by now, shouldn't you not just be borrowing the power of an Immortal Beast but drawing out the very power itself? : :
Thudthudthudthudthudthud!
I start running.
Charging straight through the dragon wave of Black Dragon, through the beam fired by Oh Hye-seo, I rush towards her.
: : You dare call this the power of an Immortal Beast!!?? : :
Piiiiiit!
A single leap.
In an instant, the distance between us vanishes.
Kwaduk!
My hand grips her shoulder.
I wring out all of my spiritual energy, all the energy within my Immortal Body.
Then, using the elasticity of my Immortal Body, I swing a hand blade towards her face.
Jjeooooong!
An explosion erupts, and Oh Hye-seo's brain bursts apart.
The very woman who had been licking the brains of devils just moments ago now has her own brain scattered, dancing in the air.
The Blood Sea, which had briefly recovered due to the power of White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus, begins to break apart again.
Oh Hye-seo borrows the authority of the Blood Sea to regenerate her body.
: : Get a hold of yourself, Oh Hye-seo...! Seo Hweol is gone! : :
I shout in a firm tone.
[Shut uuuuup!]
Oh Hye-seo regenerates her body again while screaming.
[Seo Hweol is alive! He's right he—]
Kwagwang!
Once again, she fails to finish her sentence as her upper body is torn apart.
'Three strikes left.'
I glance at the space of the Blood Sea, struggling to withstand the impact, and draw forth even more power.
: : Open your eyes and look around! : :
[N-No! Don't be ridiculous! As if I'd listen to you! Seo Hweol is, Seo Hweol is right here!]
: : Seo Hweol is gone! : :
I kick Oh Hye-seo's jaw, blasting apart her upper body once more.
'Two strikes left.'
Then, I fly straight towards the spot where her lower body remains and grab her ankle.
She regenerates her body from the lower half upward, summoning and merging the authorities of Mountain-Destroying Demon Ape and White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus in both hands.
The jade of Yin-Yang and Five Elements engulfs me.
It seems she learned this from the Great Mountain Supreme Deity as well.
[That person has granted us power! Take this, Seo Eun-hyun!]
Kiiiiiiiing!
My body begins to assimilate with the jade of Yin-Yang and Five Elements.
But with cold eyes, I tighten my grip on Oh Hye-seo's ankle.
[Great Mountain!]
Paat!
Kwaaaaaang!
Light engulfs me, but I hold onto Oh Hye-seo and slam her into the Blood Sea.
The entire space containing the Blood Sea warps, fractures spreading through it.
'One strike left.'
With just one more attack, this Blood Sea will collapse.
Kiiiiing!
My body, which was beginning to break apart under the effects of the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique, is held together with the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra, nullifying her technique.
Oh Hye-seo appears dazed, her breath ragged as she struggles to regenerate her body.
: : So, you've learned the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique. For you to have mastered a technique incorporating over eighty percent of the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra's formula...it means Senior Brother has taken a liking to you. You are Senior Brother's disciple. : :
Kuguguguk!
I grasp her regenerating face with one hand, lifting her body as I speak.
: : Listen well to your Martial Uncle, Martial Niece. Seo Hweol...is dead. What you are seeing is nothing more than a lingering remnant of the past. : :
I tell her the truth with a bitter tone.
Seo Hweol's heart remains with her without a doubt.
But what Seo Hweol truly wished for was for her to 'survive safely'.
Surely, he never wanted Oh Hye-seo to become someone who desperately searches for him in vain like an insane Mad Lord.
How could anyone look at the current Oh Hye-seo and call her 'safe'?
: : Seo Hweol wouldn't have wanted you to suffer like this either. Get a hold of yourself. For your sake. And for Seo Hweol's! : :
From the moment I realized that Oh Hye-seo had received strength and guidance from the Great Mountain Supreme Deity...
I could no longer completely hate her.
Because, in the end, she has become my martial niece.
Drip... Drip...
From Oh Hye-seo's face, gripped within my hand, something warm drips down.
She is crying.
[...D-Don't...be ridiculous...You don't get to...decide that...on your own...]
: : ...! : :
Her body trembles, and I flinch at the power of the Blood Sea resonating with her.
'This is dangerous.'
The Blood Sea, which Oh Hye-seo had never properly drawn upon before, is now revealing its overwhelming force.
'Oh Hye-seo's madness is resonating with the power deep inside the Blood Sea...!'
Pain and resentment.
Screams.
These are drawing forth the power of the Blood Sea.
: : Oh Hye-seo... : :
[You...! Don't speak as if you understand!!! In the end, you don't know the truth either...!]
: : ...What? : :
[What do you even know!? If I don't do this, then what the hell am I supposed to do!? Tell me! What do you expect me to do!? Just what reason do I have to keep living!? Answer me, Seo Eun-hyun! Why are you still alive right now!? Why are you alive at all!?]
Kugugugugu!
Powerful resentment.
That power surges over us.
The Blood Sea rises in waves, swallowing both me and Oh Hye-seo.
Jjeooooong!
But I slam Oh Hye-seo's head down, completely shattering the world of the Blood Sea.
'This place is...!'
I realize where I am.
A rift in history!
Somewhere within the river of Taiji, Oh Hye-seo had momentarily shoved in the power of the Blood Sea to create this subspace.
'I see. Oh Hye-seo must have pulled my spirit into her domain while I was reading history through the Earth Tribe senses.'
As I prepare to return to reality, I search for Oh Hye-seo within the depths of the Source River.
I intend to take her with me.
But suddenly, I see an illusion before my eyes.
[Immortal Beast: Mountain-Destroying Demon Ape.]
Kugugugugu!
It is a massive mountain.
And I have seen this mountain before.
My pupils contract sharply.
A mountain of countless corpses pressing down upon the universe—a tyrannical mountain of darkness!
The very mountain which the Great Mountain Supreme Deity once sat appears behind Oh Hye-seo as an illusion, looming like a great folding screen supporting her back.
The fragments of the shattered Blood Sea world are absorbed into that illusion, allowing the presence of the mountain of darkness to manifest in this world.
[You don't know either, Seo Eun-hyun...why you live. Why others live... What it even means to be alive... What life even is...]
Oh Hye-seo, now fully regenerated, sheds dark-red tears as she meets my gaze.
[Don't speak so carelessly when you know nothing.]
Gigigigigik!
The Great Mountain Supreme Deity's authority activates!
Under normal circumstances, Oh Hye-seo wouldn't even be allowed to draw upon such power, yet I can feel that the Great Mountain Supreme Deity is permitting it because I am the opponent.
Wiiiiiiiing!
Dark-red streaks of light flash.
And the illusion of the mountain that Oh Hye-seo has summoned...
In front of it, the jade of Yin-Yang and Five Elements coalesces, beginning to emit attraction force.
'Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra!?'
I realize that the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra is targeting me.
The attraction force that compresses an entire universe into a single point is focused solely on me.
'Senior Brother...do you truly wish to merge that mountain and me into one!?'
The Corpse Mountain Blood Sea that Oh Hye-seo spoke of.
The Great Mountain Supreme Deity seems to truly want to fuse me with that Corpse Mountain Blood Sea.
'Even descending a portion of Their will to use the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra...'
I must escape.
I cannot take Oh Hye-seo with me right now.
'I have to wait for another opportunity.'
Kiiiiiiing!
I prepare a technique that is essentially the reverse arrangement of the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra.
I ready the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique.
'For now...I run!'
: : Great Mountain! : :
Dududududu!
Before my eyes, the same jade of Yin-Yang and Five Elements gathers.
: : Splitting Emperor! : :
Kwaaaaaang!
I detonate the jade, using the resulting repulsive force to partially escape the attraction force of the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra.
Since both share the same root mantra, the nullification effect is quite strong.
But that is all.
"I-It's still pulling me in!!"
Gritting my teeth, I prepare the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique once more.
'Can I escape with the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique? No...I can't escape!'
I instinctively know.
I cannot escape this.
At most, I can slightly weaken its effect—but just barely.
'The words of Great King Qin Guang...was this what they meant...?'
That as long as the Seat of Repentant Enlightenment is seized, it is absolutely impossible to win in a battle of interpretation.
It is exactly as they said.
From within that Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra, I feel enlightenment that I could not sense before.
When my cultivation was lower, I was unaware. But now, having reached a higher realm, I can tell.
The gap between Their enlightenment and mine is something that can never be bridged.
'Even with pure enlightenment in repentant enlightenment...I'm still far behind...'
I realize, quite literally, that the Great Mountain Supreme Deity is trying to merge me with this Corpse Mountain Blood Sea to share Their enlightenment with me.
Surprisingly, though Their method is oppressive, there is no malice in it!
'Insane...'
The Great Mountain Supreme Deity, in Their own way, is genuinely, purely trying to pass on Their enlightenment to me.
However...
As I look at the corpses shedding blood tears within the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, I cry out.
: : Senior Brother. Are you watching? : :
The Great Mountain Supreme Deity is not present here.
That Corpse Mountain Blood Sea is merely a remnant of the power They left behind—it is neither Their clone nor projection.
Only a faint trace of Their will resides within it.
Yet, for some reason, I feel as if the Great Mountain Supreme Deity is listening, so I speak towards Them.
: : I have my own enlightenment. I will walk the Immortal Dao under you, Senior Brother, but... : :
Wiiiiiiing!
A pure white light begins to gather in my hand.
: : That does not mean I accept your way! : :
That light is the glow of a hazy mist.
: : I have my own path! Do not force your way upon one who rejects it! : :
Flash!
The light gathered in my hand bursts forth right before my eyes.
And within it, a certain 'scene' unfolds.
This scene is one that only I can see.
The scene within the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is the moment when Glass Peacock pressed her lips against my cheek.
The trace that Glass Peacock left on my spirit in my past life!
That trace frantically scatters light, radiating an attraction force towards a familiar presence.
: : My Dao is the Cause and Connection of All Phenomena (萬狀因緣). : :
From afar, going against the current of history, a massive peacock enveloped in pure white light begins to soar toward me.
: : This is the interpretation of Repentant Enlightenment that I have chosen. I will not accept your way, Senior Brother. : :
In an instant,
Kugwagwagwagwang!
Glass Peacock, soaring against history, crashes directly into the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea. An enormous explosion erupts from Glass Peacock, shattering the core of the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra spreading from the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea.
Then, Glass Peacock's frenzied voice echoes across the entire river of history.
: : Where are you!? Where!? Ten million years! Where is my [Lover] worth ten million years!? : :
Shiver!
I awkwardly laugh, knowing exactly what Glass Peacock means by 'worth ten million years'.
It seems the mark Glass Peacock left on my cheek in my past life was exactly that kind of mark.
Kugugugugu!
From deep within the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, a fierce [arm] bursts forth and grabs hold of Glass Peacock's body.
'As expected... It's not just a fragment of Their will, but a part of Their split soul that They left behind.'
The Great Mountain Supreme Deity has heard my entire declaration.
: : Y-You, is it you, Mountain-Destroying Demon Ape? Ugh, uhut! Fine. Being seized by your rough hands and being utterly violated felt amazing too. If it's you, I could go for ten million years. B-But no... The one I carved this mark that I [must absolutely taste] was not you, Mountain-Destroying Demon Ape! : :
The split soul of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity.
Glass Peacock, caught in its grasp, rolls her eyes back and looks at me and Oh Hye-seo.
Then, our eyes meet.
: : So it's you! Wait for me! Wait for me! I will definitely... : :
Kwajijijijik!
The powerful hand of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity clenches tightly, crushing Glass Peacock into a small clump resembling a rice cake in its palm.
But perhaps because They only left behind a mere remnant of Their power—
It seems to be unable to completely subdue the body of Glass Peacock, who is at the Great Net Immortal-level, and is using all its strength just to hold onto her.
Jiiiiiiing!
At that moment, I sense someone has intruded into my Colorless Sword Enclosure.
It is a hulking figure, wrapped head to toe in bandages and draped in a tattered robe, sitting leisurely within my Colorless Sword Enclosure as if it were their own.
I quickly form an incarnation within the Colorless Sword Enclosure and bow before the figure.
"It has been a long time, Senior Brother."
Kwaaaang!
But They immediately swing Their bandage-wrapped foot, kicking my head and slamming me into a mountain within the Colorless Sword Enclosure.
[Who is your Senior Brother? Do not run your mouth carelessly...]
"Are you getting revenge because Junior Brother had beaten Marital Niece too much? Huhut."
As I dust myself off, I shudder slightly at the sight of [Gwak Am], whom I haven't seen in a long time.
Unlike before, Gwak Am now wears a yellow mask.
And for some reason, looking at that masked figure, someone comes to mind.
"...That appearance..."
[You do not need to know.]
They coldly cut off my words and glare at me.
[I prophesize this. One day, you will regret rejecting the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea I left behind today...and shed tears of blood.]
That is all.
With those words, Gwak Am, wearing the yellow mask, vanishes from my Colorless Sword Enclosure.
But I laugh.
Though They called it a prophecy, they were merely words—lacking any attraction force of a true prophecy.
Then...
: : S E O E U N - H Y U N !!! : :
Kugugugugu!
From the far reaches of the Source River, Golden Shaking Bird and Jeon Myeong-hoon have entered, holding Yeo Hwi.
It seems they came to rescue me after I was suddenly pulled into Oh Hye-seo's alternate space.
Paaaaat!
The two Lightning Path Immortals swiftly fly in and grab my hands.
Kugugugugu!
For a brief moment, Gwak Am's attraction force holds me in place, but I grip my friends' hands tightly and break free from Their attraction force.
The Corpse Mountain Blood Sea of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity no longer pursues me.
That is because it is using all its strength to restrain Glass Peacock, who is struggling wildly to pounce and violate me.
Relaxing my body, I sincerely offer my thanks to my long-unseen Senior Brother.
"Thank you, Senior Brother..."
Thus, with the strength of my connections, I escape the repentant enlightenment of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity and look back at them,
Golden Shaking Bird, seeing that Mountain-Destroying Demon Ape and Glass Peacock are fighting, hurriedly insists that we must leave the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain and quickly departs the Source River.
"...Let's go."
Recalling the moment right before I met Oh Hye-seo, I speak to Jeon Myeong-hoon and Golden Shaking Bird.
"To the Good Sight Heavenly Domain."
Oh Hye-seo and the Great Mountain Supreme Deity.
That brief yet intense encounter with the two of them comes to a close as we flee towards another Heavenly Domain.
-x-X-x-
Whiooooooo!
We ride Yeo Hwi, soaring through the distant Heavenly Domain.
"Where is the exit of the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain, Yeo Hwi?"
Yeo Hwi is one of the disciples of the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords, who are in turn disciples of the Heavenly Venerable of Time.
Because of this, she possesses extensive knowledge regarding the structure of the Star Veins stemming from the flow of time that is the Source River.
In an instant, Yeo Hwi locates the entrance and exit of the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain through the Star Vein Eye and flies toward it.
True Persons are undoubtedly strong.
Through the Star Veins, they can fold and traverse tens, hundreds of millions of light-years.
However, that only applies to the Heavenly Domain where they have advanced to the Star Shattering stage.
If it is an unfamiliar Heavenly Domain where not a single star vein is connected to them, then they are no longer able to recklessly leap across hundreds of millions of light-years as before.
Because of this, Yeo Hwi borrows the authority of Golden Shaking Bird, Jeon Myeong-hoon, and me to leap across hundreds of millions of light-years.
"By the way, the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain seems larger than the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain. Just from how it feels..."
In the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, flying for a few hundred million light-years is enough to reach the desired location.
However, in the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain, even after flying for billions of light-years, it still feels difficult to reach one's destination.
At my words, Golden Shaking Bird shrugs and explains.
"That's because, Elder, the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain is the smallest and narrowest of all the Heavenly Domains."
"Hmm? Is that so?"
"Yes. They say that Heavenly Domains continuously expand at the speed of light, but...that's actually incorrect. Only the Heavenly Domains under the direct jurisdiction of Radiance Hall expand at the speed of light."
"Oh? Then are there universes that expand faster than light?"
At my question, Jeon Myeong-hoon scoffs.
"The universe originally expanded faster than light. Didn't you know that?"
"...I was a humanities major. But why do you know? You were a humanities major too."
"I diligently built up my general knowledge even during work hours."
"...Why on earth were you building up general knowledge during work hours...?"
I clutch my head as it throbs from the conversation, and decide to continue listening to Golden Shaking Bird.
"The Heavenly Domains under the direct jurisdiction of Radiance Hall do not expand at a speed exceeding the speed of light. The Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, being one of those, has a relatively slow expansion rate. However, even putting that aside, the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain is said to be significantly smaller than the other Heavenly Domains under Radiance Hall's jurisdiction."
"And what's the reason for that?"
"Hmm, my master in the past said...once you reach Upper Immortal, you will naturally understand. I do not know either. Regardless, all other Heavenly Domains are far larger than the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain."
"Now that I think about it, isn't the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain also under the direct jurisdiction of Radiance Hall? Then shouldn't it be similar to the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain?"
"I suppose that's precisely why my previous master said that one will come to understand upon becoming an Upper Immortal."
It seems there is some deeper reason as to why Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain is so small.
For now, I simply nod and continue lending my power to Yeo Hwi, leaping across thousands of light-years as we make our way out of the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain.
Like that, two years pass.
Whiooooooo!
After two years of flying with Yeo Hwi, continuously leaping across thousands of light-years—
We finally arrive at the exit of the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain.
Woo-woong!
The origin of all Star Veins.
The birthplace of the universe.
Of course, in the Plane of Qi, there is no such thing as the universe's birthplace, but as one rises to the planes of Soul and Fate, that birthplace becomes somewhat visible.
And the location corresponding to the universe's birthplace in the Plane of Fate is precisely where we have arrived.
Kuuuuuuuu!
"...!"
And then, I flinch upon seeing something stationed there.
"What...is that?"
"Ah, well...as you probably know..."
Golden Shaking Bird gives an awkward laugh and explains.
"This place is under the direct jurisdiction of Radiance Hall. The Heavenly Domains directly governed by Radiance Hall always have something like that. Our Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain didn't have one because my master in his previous life smashed it apart and shoved in the Lightning Sacred Sea instead... Haha."
"..."
Indeed.
At the starting point of the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain, at the entrance to this world, a massive formation diagram in the shape of a [Black Snake Biting Its Tail] floats in the void.
"It's a teleportation formation. Even after leaving a Heavenly Domain, one must pass through a dimension called a 'sea,' which is assigned to each Heavenly Domain. It's usually referred to as the Inner Sea... Crossing this dimension is extremely arduous and time-consuming. Since the three of us are all Vestige Liberation Immortals, if we pool our strength, we should be able to reach the next Heavenly Domain in about 70,000 years."
"...70,000 years...?"
I click my tongue at the absurd number and speak.
"Don't talk nonsense. That's way too long. Yang Su-jin's Great Desolate Path just seemed to zip through anywhere in an instant..."
"Well...that's because the Great Desolate Path is an Immortal Treasure the Liberation Supreme Deity was forced to create back when They were an Immortal Lord. It is a rare artifact. In any case, for those impatient like you, Elder, the rulers of each Heavenly Domain install these formations at their domain's entrance and exit. All Heavenly Domains except for the Earth Axis Heavenly Domain and the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain have them."
Golden Shaking Bird points to the formation diagram in the shape of the [Black Snake Biting Its Tail].
"It's a teleportation formation that allows one to reach another Heavenly Domain in just two or three days..."
"We won't be able to use it."
Judging by Gyeong-i's reaction in the previous life, there's likely a bounty on all Enders.
The moment Jeon Myeong-hoon and I step into that place, the True Immortals under Radiance Hall's command will go berserk and chase us down.
"Yeah, probably...Master in his previous life also never used Radiance Hall's teleportation formations."
"Right. Then what should we do..."
As I contemplate, Hong Fan, who resides within me, sends a voice transmission.
"Master, if it is necessary, how about this method?"
"What method?"
"My Origin Star, Darkness World, can somewhat evade the gaze of Light."
"What...!? Is that really true...!?"
"Yes, since it's a world created using some of my past life's knowledge, I am certain. It somewhat falls into the realm of Immortal Arts. Therefore, Masters can temporarily conceal themselves in my Integrated Dao Domain, and I will go out and use the teleportation formation. From a concealment viewpoint, they would never imagine that exalted True Immortals would hide inside the Origin Star of a Star Shattering stage bug."
We nod at Hong Fan's words.
"Well...it's not a bad idea, but..."
"Are you sure we won't be caught?"
"It is possible."
As if to assure me, Hong Fan extracts his Origin Star from within me.
Hong Fan's Darkness World has already transformed into something akin to a [black hole] in the universe, absorbing all surrounding light.
Certainly, perhaps because he has mixed in an Immortal Art he created using his past life's knowledge, ordinary light does not seem able to easily penetrate its depths.
After a brief discussion, we nod to each other and decide to hide inside Hong Fan's body.
"By the way, since this teleportation formation belongs to Radiance Hall, do they not charge a toll?"
"It is said True Immortals and True Persons pay the toll by bestowing fortune in favor of Radiance Hall. Meanwhile, those at the Sacred Vessel stage and below pay with their lifespan. Those at the Sacred Vessel stage must give up a million years, while those at the Star Shattering stage and below will lose at least a hundred thousand years."
I click my tongue.
"Then those at the Integration stage would have to die just to travel to another Heavenly Domain."
"That is true...but why would an average Integration stage cultivator even try to cross into another Heavenly Domain? They are too busy struggling within their own Middle Realm as it is."
"Well then... Sorry, Hong Fan. We'll have to sacrifice a bit of your lifespan. But don't worry, we will bestow you with more in the future."
Since we have long since gained the ability to grant lifespan to mortal beings as we please, it is a promise we can easily keep.
Kugugugugu!
Thus, Jeon Myeong-hoon, Golden Shaking Bird, and the rest of us all enter Hon Fan's Origin Star.
Kugugugugu!
'It's dark.'
The interior of Hong Fan's star is utterly dark.
"Umm...! This is bad."
Jeon Myeong-hoon mutters to himself with a serious expression in the darkness for some reason.
"What's wrong?"
"[Black Hole]...Hong Fan's Origin Star is one of the celestial bodies known as [Black Hole], right?"
"That's right."
"I can't remember...what we called [Black Hole] on Earth...!"
It seems that after living through a vast span of cosmic time, Jeon Myeong-hoon's memory has started to show signs of wear.
I click my tongue and tell him,
"Wasn't it called a degenerate star?"
"Umm...! Was it? Yeah, I think that was it."
It seems I will have to find a way to address Jeon Myeong-hoon's memory loss issue at some point.
'No, wait, Jeon Myeong-hoon isn't the problem here...'
After this much time, Kim Yeon and Kim Young-hoon, who have not advanced far in their Immortal Cultivation, could be in much greater danger.
I decide to come up with a consciousness method for their sake while quietly waiting inside Hong Fan's body.
How much time has passed?
Woowoong!
Wo-woong!
"...Hong Fan..."
I sense that a hundred thousand years of Hong Fan's lifespan has just vanished.
Hong Fan has paid his lifespan as the toll.
Wo-woong!
Having passed through Radiance Hall's teleportation formation, we continue to conceal our presence within Hong Fan's body for another day or two.
Especially since I'm using Hidden Heavens Beyond the Path to completely erase the presence of Jeon Myeong-hoon, Golden Shaking Bird, and myself, even if light is projected into Hong Fan's body, it will not easily find us.
Wo-woong!
And then, some time later.
Hong Fan's will reaches us, and we emerge from deep within his Origin Star.
Woo-woooong!
We emerge from Hong Fan's body and look around.
"This place is...!"
Wo-woong!
The very nature of the Qi that composes the world feels different.
I read the celestial energy, absorbing the information of this universe.
"Good Sight Heavenly Domain...?"
That's right.
This is the Good Sight Heavenly Domain.
The place where Kim Young-hoon was last seen.
"Well then, shall we go find Kim Young-hoon?"
Woo-woong!
With fire burning in my eyes, my eyes flash with the gaze of Heaven and Earth.
History and the future unfold clearly within my vision.
At the True Immortal Realm, the consciousness domain is no longer an essential sensory tool.
Rather, the sight of Heaven and Earth is far superior for perception.
At the True Immortal Realm, consciousness is now nothing more than one of the many forces used to wield Immortal Arts.
Wo-woooong!
As I read through history and the future, searching for Kim Young-hoon, I suddenly sense something strange.
'What...? Just why...is it that even after tracing back three thousand years...there's no [history] of anyone entering the Good Sight Heavenly Domain from outside?'
It's as if the records have been erased.
Just as I begin to feel perplexed—
Blink.
"...Huh?"
Golden Shaking Bird, Jeon Myeong-hoon, Yeo Hwi, and I all freeze in place.
No one senses anything.
No one perceives anything.
Within a unit of time in the void that surpasses even a fleeting moment—
A girl with a ponytail, clad in black martial attire, appears among us like a ghost.
Surung—
And in her left hand, she holds something.
It is darkness.
No.
It is simply [something that is not light].
I cannot properly describe it.
The only certainty is that I cannot properly perceive it.
It is neither a sword nor a spear, neither a bow nor an arrow, neither a whip nor anything else.
Yet, as I look at it, I feel as if an illusion of being impaled by that very thing and dying unfolds before my eyes.
And within that instant that feels like an eternity, the ponytailed girl looks at me with hollow eyes and gives a terrifying smile.
"You came looking for that Kim Young-hoon guy?"
Her next words make me feel like I'm about to go crazy.
"He already died by my hand. Sorry to have made you come all this way for nothing."
Chuk!
"As an apology..."
She takes a stance.
That single movement alone makes me feel as if my entire being is crumbling.
"I shall dance with you as well."