'I didn't intend to restore the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections itself...'
I pull out a norigae that has been transformed into an Immortal Treasure from my waist.
Tsuaaaa—
At the same time, a hornless white deer reveals itself, centered around the norigae.
'For now, I have to strengthen my power for the battle with Hyeon Mu, so let's temporarily revive it just for the time being.'
Kugugugugugu!
The moment I make up my mind, the stag in front my eyes begins to expand, and the surroundings become shrouded in a pale mist.
Simultaneously, Hyeon Rang's eyes widen.
"This is... Just what in the world...? This much ancient force...?"
He stares at me, seemingly dumbfounded.
"I-If it's this much...you could qualify as a candidate for Immortal Beast King even now. Honestly, I'm surprised. And...haw, what even is this...an Immortal Art that even this Immortal can't observe..."
Hyeon Rang seems to try and peer into the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, but even he apparently cannot see inside and clicks his tongue.
"...It's merely a discarded Immortal Art."
I look at Hyeon Rang and let out a bitter smile.
"After all, what has been given and received through history resides within me. The past is simply the past... It's just that this time, considering the upcoming battle with Hyeon Mu, I am temporarily restoring it to more smoothly supply ancient force."
"..."
Hyeon Rang looks at me for a moment after hearing those words, then suddenly floats something above his hand.
"Do you know what this is?"
"What...is that?"
I frown as I gaze at the lump of light that exudes a familiar aura for some reason.
Hyeon Rang stares at it and speaks.
"I don't know either."
"..."
"But one thing is certain... This is connected to you. And it's a power that should go to you."
"..."
I realize the identity of what floats above Hyeon Rang's hand.
'I see. It's a fragment of my desire that I gave him when I first became a True Immortal...'
"Originally, if you and Hyun-seok had succeeded in learning the Immortal Art that this Immortal spoke of, this Immortal planned to refine this into another [name] and bestow it upon you then. That's the fastest way to strengthen you. But...for some reason, my instincts as a pure Namer, not as a Supreme Deity, are rejecting it."
He once again absorbs what floats above his palm back into his body and hides it.
"This...feels 'still' too early to give to you. A name that suits a vessel of your level. A thought comes to mind that I can't hastily create one after only just meeting you."
"Hmm, how strange."
At that, Hong Fan, who has been attending the same lesson with me, strokes his beard.
"To think the Naming Supreme Deity would be troubled like this. Your naming alone is in itself a great strength for Master. Wouldn't it be better to grant a name now, and later give an even greater one?"
"...My apologies. For now, I offer my apology to you all. Especially you, Seo Eun-hyun... My instincts as a Namer are screaming. I cannot grant you a name of this level. A name for you must be attempted only after far more history has accumulated and I've come to a much deeper understanding of you."
Ignoring Hong Fan's words, he speaks while staring at me with blazing eyes.
Hong Fan, too, doesn't press further when his words go ignored and simply steps back.
"Someday...someday. I will give you a name that fits you perfectly. I promise."
"...Well if that's how it is, do as you please."
I nod as I look into Hyeon Rang's eyes.
If nothing else, his 'eyes' are sincere.
I can feel that he sincerely wants to give me a name meant just for me.
Hong Fan looks somewhat dissatisfied, but says nothing further.
After that, I continue learning from Hyeon Rang the methods of handling ancient force, and how to properly control explosions as Immortal Beast.
At the same time, I learn methods to extract ancient force from the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
Perhaps because I've been continuously connecting to the Akashic Records, I absorb Hyeon Rang's teachings surprisingly well, and in the end, I mange to fully understand and master his teachings within just a shichen (two hours).
Oh Hyun-seok still groans and struggles, and I playfully tease him from the side while helping him out.
That's when it happens.
Woowoong!
Suddenly, a voice transmission arrives from the comrades who went to the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain.
Kim Young-hoon, Kim Yeon, Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Each had gone to the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain for their own reasons, and now it seems one of them has sent something.
'Not Kim Young-hoon... Is it Jeon Myeong-hoon?'
Jeon Myeong-hoon did mention he was setting a trap to catch Zhengli in the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, so it's probably a request for help with capturing her.
However, the voice transmission that arrives from Jeon Myeong-hoon is completely unexpected.
"This is..."
As I read the new information Jeon Myeong-hoon claims to have found in the Bright Cold Realm, my expression hardens.
His message is filled mostly with details about a recently uncovered plan of Blood Yin.
It's mostly information related to Blood Yin, but for us at this point in time, Blood Yin's old plans and oaths are not all that important.
What draws my attention, however, is how this information was obtained.
"Oh Hye-seo... She..."
At the unexpected news, my body trembles.
"She committed suicide...?"
That's right.
It's said Oh Hye-seo has committed suicide in the Earth Axis Heavenly Domain.
Flash!
Through the Great Desolate Path, I arrive at the Earth Axis Heavenly Domain together with Oh Hyun-seok.
To be precise...
Oh Hyun-seok's main body is still receiving training from Hyeon Rang, and what's next to me now is one of his clones.
Kurururung!
The outskirts of the Earth Axis Heavenly Domain are filled with remnants of a restriction that Radiance Hall once laid down, and traces left behind by Oh Hye-seo using the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea to block it from within.
Kugugung!
But I ignore all of that and reach out my hand, and at that moment, the dimensional barrier of the Earth Axis Heavenly Domain opens, inviting us inside.
Shwiriririk!
At the same time, the powers of the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea that fill the Earth Axis Heavenly Domain twist space as if it's been waiting for us, instantly transporting us before a massive palace.
The architectural style resembles that of the Sea Dragon Palace, but everything is tinged with a blood-red.
Kkiiiiiik...
I push open the door of the Sea Dragon Palace and stride forward to where Oh Hye-seo's history can be felt.
The structure of this Sea Dragon Palace is exactly the same as the one Seo Hweol had built before, so I quickly grasp its layout and identify the place where she died.
"..."
"..."
Oh Hyun-seok and I remain silent.
And finally, I stop at the place where Oh Hye-seo's history is last severed.
This place is...yes...
Structurally, it's the room that had once served as Seo Hweol's office.
"...Shall we go in?"
"..."
Oh Hyun-seok remains silent for a while, and only after some time does he open his mouth.
"I will see it with my own eyes. Let's go."
"...Yes."
Kkiiiik...
What we see as the door opens is...
Yes.
A massive alchemical furnace.
Inside the alchemical furnace, which stands on three legs, something bubbles and boils.
Oh Hyun-seok begins to tremble.
Both he and I have reached the realm of Earth Upper Immortal.
We immediately read the history to know exactly what Oh Hye-seo has done.
"...Oh...Hye...Seo...!"
With a cry that's unclear whether it is sorrow or fury, Oh Hyun-seok stumbles forward and tears open the iron cauldron with both hands.
Kwaaang!
From inside, the bubbling crimson liquid gushes out, and in the center of that liquid, something like a pure white pill, in the midst of condensing, appears before our eyes.
Oh Hyun-seok howls as he looks at the pill.
"Oh Hye-seo...!!!"
I let out a silent sigh at the miserable sight.
The moment I see the materials of this pill, history informs me.
Seo Hweol's bones.
And Oh Hye-seo herself...
Shwiririririk...
Though we do not wish for it, the power of an Earth Upper Immortal instantly shows us the history.
Of course, I could have refused to look, but I firmly read her history.
The appearance of her gently caressing Seo Hweol's bones, after personally building the Sea Dragon Palace where she once lived together with Seo Hweol.
The appearance of her continuously calling Seo Hweol's name, seeking him again and again.
She was insane.
But...
Time passed.
Ten thousand years.
She was mad.
A hundred thousand years.
She firmly believed Seo Hweol would come back to life.
A million years.
She began to think she must resurrect Seo Hweol with her own power.
Ten million years.
Gradually accumulating her cultivation inside, she spread her schemes across the entirety of Mount Sumeru, creating a plan for Seo Hweol's resurrection.
Fifty million years...
She slowly began to feel doubt.
And then...
Seventy million years.
Her madness began to 'heal'.
Could it be because she spent endless years alone, crying out only for Seo Hweol?
At some point, Seo Hweol's bones began to gradually ease her madness, and it became clear that she was slowly returning to her senses.
She began to accept Seo Hweol's death.
But the more she did so, the more she suffered.
She couldn't bring herself to accept the fact that she could not see Seo Hweol again.
And finally, she reunited with me.
She seduced Black Dragon and incited them to kill me, causing us to clash.
But...
In the end, I used the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra to completely annihilate Black Dragon and Oh Hye-seo's projection, rising to Great Net Immortal.
That is what marked the end,
The enlightenment of repentant enlightenment contained in the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra caused Oh Hye-seo projection to undergo repentant enlightenment, completely awakening her.
Oh Hye-seo finally realized.
—Seo Hweol...You...you're not coming back, are you...? Master...even the Great Mountain Supreme Deity...can't return you, can They...?
Had it gone well, her madness could have been completely healed through time and my Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra.
However...
She chose not to heal her madness.
—I...can't give you up... You are me. You gave me meaning. So...a world without you has no meaning... So...I won't let you go...
That was Oh Hye-seo's choice.
As I read the history, I witness her end with my own eyes.
—If giving you up means returning to sanity, then I won't give you up... I'll stay like this, stay mad like this...and be with you.
With those words, she shoved Seo Hweol's bones into the alchemical furnace made from the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea.
She then added the many Immortal Beast True Bloods she gathered until now, entered the furnace herself, and embraced Seo Hweol's bones.
She unraveled all her history, spirit, and authority, melting all the possibilities of resurrection into the furnace.
In this way, Oh Hye-seo melted away with Seo Hweol and closed her eyes.
—It was fun... If someday someone eats us, let's be born together inside them. Someday...let's meet again...
That is Oh Hye-seo's final moment.
I read the history, and read the Plane of Soul embedded within the history to trace where Oh Hye-seo's soul has gone.
I even send a voice transmission to Kang Min-hee, but Kang Min-hee only says that Oh Hye-seo's spirit has not entered the path of reincarnation.
She says it is impossible to find where Oh Hye-seo's spirit has gone.
As if her spirit has soared into the heavens.
"Hye-seo-ah..."
Perhaps reading her history together with me, Oh Hyun-seok simply sheds tears.
"Is this the end you wanted...? Was there truly no better future...? Why...every time your wounds are healed, do you only try to die...!? Even back then! In Big Brother's 'Hall of Love'!"
It seems to be a place known only between Oh Hyun-seok and Oh Hye-seo.
"Why!? Why do you always make this kind of choice!!??"
Oh Hyun-seok cries in anguish, and I let out a silent sigh as I watch him.
It's always like this.
I save my comrades, and block the future where they are helplessly slaughtered by someone.
But every time, every day, every moment!
Even though I save them, and save them, and save them again...
There are always those I cannot save.
Even though I never had the intention of saving Oh Hye-seo, I could not save Oh Hyun-seok from the pain inflicted because of her.
'Azure Tiger Saint... Oh Hye-seo too...'
I am always unable to save those related to Oh Hyun-seok.
Those tied to Oh Hyun-seok—I am never able to save them.
After I have Oh Hyun-seok take the pill formed from Seo Hweol and Oh Hye-seo's bodies, I step out from Seo Hweol's office.
And as I look around the Sea Dragon Palace, I discover that many books scattered throughout contain information about me.
They were written by Oh Hye-seo.
Most of them focus on targeting my weaknesses, deducing my identity, and laying out plans to defeat me.
I can't help but be deeply impressed as I read her journal, where she carefully analyzed my weaknesses and thoroughly documented, one by one, the opportunities I'd encountered and the origins of my power.
There are even methods written to exploit weaknesses I have overlooked and Immortal Arts I've gained but never properly used.
As I step outside the Sea Dragon Palace and mentally absorb the most intriguing contents of these books—
I suddenly read a passage written at the end by Oh Hye-seo.
—Seo Eun-hyun is my enemy, and my greatest adversary. Because...Seo Eun-hyun was Seo Hweol's greatest adversary. So even if I cannot defeat him...someday, when he returns to life, together with him, gain the starting point to bring Seo Eun-hyun down.
Seo Hweol's greatest adversary.
As I read that phrase, a feeling I cannot name washes over me.
Hwarururuk...
I burn the book and walk out of the Sea Dragon Palace.
"...Seo Hweol. Are you there?"
I glance toward the Sea Dragon Palace for no reason and ask.
"...I know you're there. Come out."
But of course, there is no response.
If it were before, the bastard who would have answered with something like, 'Hoho, Daoist Seo. So you've noticed,' and crawled out from some gloomy shadow...
Now no longer replies.
And yet, even though I know I will never hear that reply again...
For some reason, I feel as if Seo Hweol is still alive.
'Even now it feels like you're still alive...and seem to cling to our shadows no matter what.'
Even now.
Even though he's dead, it feels like he is still grasping onto us, unable to let go of his gloomy hand, and still slowly dripping pain upon us.
And realizing that, I quietly turn toward the Sea Dragon Palace and speak.
"...Seo Hweol. Listen well."
I sense Oh Hyun-seok collecting Oh Hye-seo's remains.
"From now on...I'm going to properly kill you."
Feeling Oh Hyun-seok's sorrow and pain, I vow.
"I will save Oh Hye-seo too."
Oh Hye-seo is detestable and irritating.
To be honest, I just want to stop getting involved now.
But...
Sadly, she is Oh Hyun-seok's family.
"I'm going to sweep away every part of you that's embedded in Oh Hye-seo's mind, and completely liberate her from you. Do you understand?"
Therefore, in order to completely wash away Oh Hyun-seok's sorrow, I realize that I must save her.
"So... When I do save Oh Hye-seo someday, stop clinging to us and move on peacefully."
With that, I turn away as I watch Oh Hyun-seok leave the Sea Dragon Palace carrying her remains.
I've made a vow.
If I die fighting Hyeon Mu this time and live again...
Then from that life onward, I will save Oh Hye-seo from Seo Hweol's shadow.
Protect the family.
That is the heart I swore upon while mastering the Flawless Mantra.
And whether she likes it or not...she is the family of my family, Oh Hyun-seok.
'107 days remain.'
I steel my heart, thinking of my match with Hyeon Mu.
'Within that time...I will fill the gaps Oh Hye-seo analyzed in me.'
Among the weaknesses she analyzed, the one I can resolve right now is the Immortal Art Mahayuga (महायुग).
Realizing that I've misunderstood how to handle Mahayuga from the beginning, I begin researching the most optimal way to rapidly grow stronger by combining the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections with Mahayuga.
Thus, Kim Young-hoon obtains the legacy of the previous Golden Body Heavenly King at Cedarwood Painting,
Jeon Myeong-hoon temporarily succeeds in capturing Zhengli,
And Kim Yeon becomes able to move the body of the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord.
Kang Min-hee, saying she shares our will, begins descending into the Saha World with a group of Reapers from the Netherworld.
Oh Hyun-seok, pushing his sorrow aside, begins to Divine Descent the Naming Supreme Deity into his body.
The day of the decisive battle begins to draw near.
"Did you manage to learn that Mahayuga without issues?"
Kim Young-hoon approaches and asks me.
"Yes, don't worry."
I nod without a problem and reply.
If you'd like, Hyung-nim, I can apply to you as well. Do you need it?"
"Hm... Sure. Go ahead."
"Then..."
I begin striking Kim Young-hoon's body at specific blood points.
At the same time, I infuse various parts of his body with the energy of the Immortal Art, maximizing the potential lying dormant within him.
Kkudududuk...
Mahayuga is an Immortal Art used in the form of a blood point striking technique, originally said to be a part of a yoga meditation method from the world of the Obsidian Devil Heavenly King.
Kkududuk...
Kim Young-hoon's body briefly twists, then he looks down at his own hand.
"This is...excellent. It aligns with the enlightenment I gained from the previous Golden Body Heavenly King... Of the enlightenment of the realm of the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld."
"Hooh..."
It seems Mahayuga itself is an Immortal Art created by combining the yogic meditation method from the Obsidian Devil Heavenly King's homeland, the Immortal Arts of this world, and a portion of enlightenment from the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld.
'So the past hundred or so days of effort weren't for nothing.'
I also apply the Immortal Art of Mahayuga Immortal to Oh Hyun-seok, Jeon Myeong-hoon, and Kim Yeon, and decide to restrain from using it myself until I face Hyeon Mu.
Roughly one shichen remains until the descent of Hyeon Mu's Gandhara.
We are currently inside the Inner Sea, the space between the Heavenly Domains of Mount Sumeru.
We have entered a space known as the Abyss (深淵)
'The Outer Sea is chaos, the Inner Sea is the abyss, huh.'
The Outer Sea of Mount Sumeru mixes the Three Planes together and allows for no laws to function. The Inner Sea of Mount Sumeru, though a mix of the Three Planes and the True Immortal Realm, is affected by the attraction force of each Heavenly Domain with laws faintly lingering.
However, despite the laws remaining, the laws of the Inner Sea are for the most part, completely in contrast to the Outer Sea, 'immutable.' Because of this, many entities of the Immortal Family refer to this place as the Abyss.
Kugugugugu!
Yet, we now witness those very laws of the Abyss, known for being unchanging, wildly twisting and distorting.
It is because, deep within the Abyss, Hyeon Mu is descending.
And for how long do we watch the depths of the Abyss?
Shrrrik!
From far in the distance, Hong Fan flies toward us.
"Hong Fan!"
"Master!"
Seeing Hong Fan soaked in blood, I bite my lip.
"Damn it, are you alright!?"
"I-I'm fine. More importantly, first..."
Woo-woong!
Even as he coughs up blood, Hong Fan injects us with 'wisdom.'
We come to know how far Hyeon Mu has descended, and roughly what form her true body takes.
Hong Fan, with a mere Entering Nirvana stage body, had declared he would go scout Hyeon Mu, carrying our protection and fate on his back.
But as expected, it seems this task was too much for Hong Fan. He is on the brink of death.
"Hong Fan..."
I look at him with sorrowful eyes and speak.
"Rest in the Elephant Nose Heavenly Domain. Hyeon Rang will take care of you."
"M-Master..."
But even as he bleeds, Hong Fan smiles.
"I...refuse."
"What...?"
"Until the end...I will remain within your body, Master...! So please...allow me to stay with you."
"..."
I gaze bitterly at Hong Fan and hesitate for a while.
But finally, I nod.
"The restored Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections will protect you. So stay hidden deep inside my body...within the range its power can reach."
"Yes...! Master...!"
Hong Fan smiles faintly, happy to remain by my side, and seeing that smile, I make a firm vow.
'I will not lose. No matter what.'
"Hong Fan. Life is..."
"Yes...?"
"Eat boiled potatoes. Don't you like...boiled potatoes? I've prepared plenty inside my body."
"..."
[TL Notes: Pun again. 'Life is' is homonymous with 'boiled'.]
For my loyal retainer who risked danger to directly face Hyeon Mu's descent, I manifest boiled potatoes within my body.
I remember everything, like how he smiled and said he liked them last time.
Though I cannot give him much, I can at least give him boiled potatoes.
"While eating boiled potatoes, wait for me. I swear...I will defeat Hyeon Mu and return."
"...Keok! Kuheok!"
Hong Fan, who had been listening quietly to my words, suddenly begins to cough up congested blood.
"Kuheok! Kuhuk! Kuugh...!"
"Hong Fan...! Kugh..."
Even with all of our protections carried on his back, perhaps witnessing Hyeon Mu's descent with a mere Entering Nirvana stage body was too much after all.
Hong Fan continues to cough up blood from deep within his chest without stop.
"M-Master..."
"Hong Fan...!"
He coughs up blood, whispering to me with a face full of pain and suffocation.
"...I have seen...Hyeon Mu and returned. And...Master. Upon seeing the Governing Immortals...there was something that came to mind."
I block his whisper from reaching anyone else.
It seems he wants to keep this a secret between us.
"Master... Do not trust the Naming Supreme Deity... They are...hiding something..."
"...Alright. I'll ask for details...after we've won."
He's too injured to say more anyway.
I hug the admirable Hong Fan once, then place him inside my body.
Inside, Hong Fan begins to stuff the prepared boiled potatoes into his mouth.
Looks like he really likes them.
"Now then..."
Everyone's expression grows solemn.
From afar, a massive presence is felt, only to vanish in an instant.
The owner of that presence is perfectly controlling their aura.
"From now on...shall we begin the Heavenly Venerable hu—"
I open my mouth with confidence, drawing forth my power, ready to declare the start of the Heavenly Venerable Battle.
"...?"
Then, in an instant.
I realize the world looks flipped.
'Wha...'
I understand immediately.
Hyeon Mu has appeared among us and, without us realizing it, has sliced my throat.
In the fleeting instant that the Heavenly Venerable Battle begins,
I am killed by Hyeon Mu.
-x-X-x-
The moment Hyeon Mu descends upon Mount Sumeru.
Kim Young-hoon and the other Enders all open their eyes wide.
A fleeting instant.
No, it should be said to be the fleeting instant within a fleeting instant.
Within that minuscule fraction of time, Seo Eun-hyun is disassembled in a flash.
It begins with the neck.
Seo Eun-hyun is torn apart limb by limb, starting from the neck, and dies.
That is the end.
Even that is only faintly perceived by Kim Young-hoon alone.
Paat!
By the time everyone becomes aware of Hyeon Mu, she is already standing atop Seo Eun-hyun's fractured body.
The one who reacts the most is Kang Min-hee.
: : Seo Eun-hyun!!! : :
Karmic Fire blazes from her eyes and engulfs the area in an instant.
Tadak, tadadadak!
Oh Hyun-seok steps forward and protects the others using the power of Primordial Chaos, and Hyeon Mu takes Kang Min-hee's Karmic Fire directly to her body.
However...
Even as she burns fiercely in the Karmic Fire, Hyeon Mu shows no reaction.
"What is this now? Trying to warm an elderly with some tea, perhaps?"
Her hollow eyes scan the surroundings.
Kang Min-hee sheds blue tears and glares at Hyeon Mu.
: : How dare you... To Seo Eun-hyun...! : :
Kugugugu!
With that, her entire body swells and begins to grow larger and larger.
Her form gradually transforms into a massive being cloaked in darkness.
Starting with Kang Min-hee, the other Enders also begin revealing their true forms.
Jeon Myeong-hoon transforms into a lightning god with three heads and eight arms.
Oh Hyun-seok becomes a warrior of chaos made entirely of vapor.
Kim Yeon becomes a giant god formed of pale pink light.
However, even seeing all this, Hyeon Mu shows not the slightest concern.
Instead, she only brushes her neck and clicks her tongue.
"Mere slaves...wearing such cumbersome shackles on their necks dare to confront this Venerable? Listen well."
She looks at Kim Young-hoon, then at the Naming Supreme Deity beginning to descend within Oh Hyun-seok, and gives a meaningful smile.
"Among those present, the only ones who can stand against this Venerable...are at least those not wearing shackles. If you intend to confront a Heavenly Venerable...you should have at least tossed aside such nuisances beforehand!"
Chwararak!
Something slips down from the end of Hyeon Mu's sleeve.
It is a snake.
Black snakes begin flowing out of Hyeon Mu's entire body.
Hiss hiss—
The snakes hiss as they begin to fill the surrounding area.
Kurururung!
Though they seem to be move as if alive, each snake radiates its own distinct power and begins to spread like storm clouds, seizing a part of the Abyss and brewing a storm.
From within that storm, hollow eyes flash.
Those eyes fixate on Kim Young-hoon.
A fleeting instant.
Kim Young-hoon barely deflects the strike that Hyeon Mu aims at him.
Hyeon Mu, targeting Kim Young-hoon's heart with her claw technique, exchanges heart language with him for a fleeting instant.
—Now then...before we begin in earnest, shall we enjoy a bit of amusement?
Hyeon Mu regains her stance with a relaxed expression as she faces Kim Young-hoon, and Kim Young-hoon hurriedly begins to move his body.
Thus, the great battle between the Enders and the Heavenly Venerable begins in an instant.
'Where...is this...?'
I blankly try to hold on to my senses.
It's strange.
I feel drowsy.
But I also feel that if I lose consciousness like this, I might never open my eyes again.
'Why...am I like this again...?'
After thinking for a while, I realize what happened to me.
'Ah...right. I was killed by Hyeon Mu.'
And that too with just a single strike.
I couldn't even perceive it.
Because her strike wasn't merely an attack, the moment Hyeon Mu unleashed her move, I was hurled straight into the domain of purity and began to be annihilated.
In front of Hyeon Mu, prophecy and revision hold no meaning.
An authority that completely ignores such miscellaneous methods of revival, throwing one's very existence directly into the domain of purity to be erased.
That is Hyeon Mu's power.
'So this...is how I die... That's not...so bad...'
It's regretful that I didn't live with even more effort...
But still, isn't this enough?
Isn't this...
A life lived fully enough...?
'I just...want to end it now...'
But just as I think that.
'Ah...'
Woo-wooong!
My consciousness begins to rise again.
'Aaaah...!'
I grit my teeth.
'Uaaaaaaah!!!'
Kigigigik!
The authority of regression forcibly drags me out of the domain of purity and starts regressing me.
However, is it because I remain conscious within the domain of purity?
I realize that this is being treated as a type of Heavenly Escape, and my body is beginning to re-emerge into reality.
'Please...! Please...!'
I cry out toward the authority of regression that pulls me from death.
'Just leave me alone already!'
That's enough.
I just want it to end!!
Puhwak!
With that, I gradually return to reality and resurrect.
If left like this, I will end up fully escaping from the domain of purity again and fight against Hyeon Mu.
'Damn it...'
Ironically, Hyeon Mu's power, which melts the opponent by casting them into the domain of purity, seems to not work this time.
It must be because the power of my regression lies in a domain deeper than Hyeon Mu's single strike.
'So I can't die, huh.'
Of course, dying isn't really my goal. Rather, my purpose is to live the best life I can, and be buried in the land I've lived in. So maybe this is fortunate in a way.
However...
The vague fear of not knowing where this story will end plants a deep despair in me.
That's when it happens.
'...?'
I suddenly feel something strange.
A bizarre sense of dissonance.
Within the domain of purity, I feel as though I can see some strange link connected to regression.
'Why...does it feel like the authority of regression is rooted in [a place deeper within the domain of purity]...?'
Hyeon Mu is clearly a being capable of casting others into the domain of purity or freely wielding its power.
However...
For some reason, I feel as though this authority called regression stems from a place even deeper than the domain of purity that Hyeon Mu can access.
At the same time, I recall something from before.
'Undeniably...Hyeon Mu once shook the authority of my regression itself!?'
Yes.
And that means...
'If I keep fighting Hyeon Mu, I might find a clue to sever the regression!?'
Puhwahahak!
I return to reality and look toward Hyeon Mu, who now stirs a black storm and faces all my comrades at once.
The other Enders are unleashing barrages of attacks through their respective authorities at Hyeon Mu.
But it seems none of them have yet revealed their true authority. It feels more like a prelude to gauge one another's strength.
Still, even during this prelude, my comrades are completely overwhelmed fending off the black storm unleashed by Hyeon Mu, and the only one she charges at with seriousness is Kim Young-hoon.
Even so, Kim Young-hoon sticks solely to defense, and for some reason, I get the feeling that he's barely holding it together.
It is then.
'...Huh?'
Before I know it, I become aware of Hyeon Mu's weapon trying to cleave through my neck.
Hyeon Mu, who just moments ago had Kim Young-hoon pinned, suddenly appears before my eyes again as if she's deleted time again.
There's no time to think further.
Before Hyeon Mu's sword slices through my neck, I use all my strength to cut my own neck first with the Impermanence Sword.
Pukwak!
In the next moment,
I sever my neck by my own will and use Heavenly Escape.
Perhaps because it's not Hyeon Mu who cast me into the domain of purity, but me doing it on my own will—
I manage to reappear beside Kim Young-hoon using Heavenly Escape and regain my senses.
But then, immediately after.
Blink—
'...!'
I suddenly sense Hyeon Mu stabbing into my heart again.
The tip of her sword is scraping against my heart.
The terrifying speed sends shivers all over my body.
'I can't even perceive it...! Isn't this basically deleting time!?'
I can't keep going like this.
Pukwak!
Once again, I kill myself and flee using Heavenly Escape.
But right after—
I feel Hyeon Mu's sword entering through my mouth, aiming to sever my spinal cord.
'Crazy...'
Puhwak!
I use Heavenly Escape again.
And when I open my eyes, Hyeon Mu is already upon me once more, killing me.
It's relentless.
So relentless, it feels like Hyeon Mu is obsessively focused on killing me.
In the end, I have to repeatedly use Heavenly Escape and experience death again and again due to Hyeon Mu.
And then, during one of those times.
'This is...'
Every time I enter and exit the domain of purity, I start to sense something.
'Something...is clinging.'
A True Immortal has no physical form, but if I were to imagine having one...
It feels like something is caught on my neck every time I go into and return from the domain of purity.
And that sensation is...
'A shackle...?'
It resembles the iron collars put on slaves or prisoners.
'What is this...? Something Hyeon Mu put on me...? No. It's different from Hyeon Mu's. But...without this shackle-like thing, I think I could respond to Hyeon Mu's movements much better.'
The more I die to Hyeon Mu, the more ways to counter her come to mind.
And for that, I feel a growing urge to cut off this cumbersome, shackle-like thing.
And then, in the very next moment—
Shwak!
Hyeon Mu's sword aims for my neck, and I parry it with the Impermanence Sword.
Tuuung!
I have deflected Hyeon Mu's strike for the first time.
"Hooh...?"
'I can perceive the shackle.'
I control this shackle as best as possible to not be hindered by it, and block Hyeon Mu's movements.
Then...!
'Cut!'
For a moment, the will of the Impermanence Sword becomes one with my own.
My Impermanence Sword seems to rise greatly, then severs the 'shackle' caught around my neck in an instant.
Kwagwagwagwang!
The moment the shackle is severed, the entire Abyss rumbles as if shaken, and the laws of the Abyss tremble wildly.
It's as if the Abyss is transforming into chaos, just like the Outer Sea.
Hyeon Mu watches this, and for some reason, gives a mischievous and charming smile.
"...!"
Her smile is so alluring that for a moment, I nearly lose my senses.
But it's not the kind of ordinary affection or gentleness. It feels more like an allure dragging me into a mire.
However...
'Not a chance.'
I do not let myself be bewitched by that smile. Instead, I thrust the Impermanence Sword toward this shackle that tightens around my neck as if alive.
Kwagwagwang!
Once more, an explosive sound bursts forth from around my neck.
At the same time, I succeed in completely severing the shackle that is trying to reattach to my neck.
Pshwiiiiiiii—
"Looks like you've shaken off the nuisance. You are now just barely qualified to face me."
I look at what has fallen from my neck.
It resembles the collar of a slave, yet as time passes, it unravels into the form of 'wisdom' and begins to blend into the chaos.
And seeing that, I widen my eyes.
That wisdom.
The identity of the shackle that had been binding me all this time, is none other than my Immortal Title.
The Immortal Title, Crystal Glass Being.
That is the very shackle that had bound me until now.
Shwiring—
In that moment, Hyeon Mu's weapon grazes right in front of my eyes, and I narrowly evade Hyeon Mu's strike.
But unlike the near misses until now, this time I clearly 'perceive' and dodge it, even if only by a sliver.
Pshht—
Of course, even though I dodge, I fail to deflect all the sharp energy, and the tip of my nose gets cut.
"Now that's more like it. How does it feel? Refreshing, isn't it?"
"..."
I glare at Hyeon Mu.
That's right.
Until now, Hyeon Mu hasn't even taken us seriously. She's merely been playing with us to give me enlightenment.
"You haven't been fighting us properly."
"Why on earth would I need to go all out against those wearing something like a shackle? That'd just kill the fun..."
Hyeon Mu lets her weapon hang loosely.
Paatt!
Before I realize it, Kim Young-hoon appears beside me.
He doesn't say a word, but I immediately understand his meaning.
Cheok, cheok!
He and I face Hyeon Mu, each taking a stance to launch an offensive.
The reason Kim Young-hoon has been focused solely on defense until now was to prepare for our coordinated attack.
However, Hyeon Mu doesn't take a battle stance against us. She just smiles leisurely.
"Well, you're now worth looking at, but...not yet."
"What?"
"Not yet... The guests haven't all arrived at the banquet. If we are all going to dance together in the emptiness, the more guests, the better..."
Kugugugu!
It is then.
I sense presences descending from other Heavenly Domains, from other dimensions.
'This is...!'
"In this cramped Mount Sumeru, you are not the only ones who have reached Udumbara. For them, being able to dance with this Venerable is a tremendous honor...so there is no reason they would not come. So until all the guests have arrived, this is merely a bit of fun."
Twitch—
I feel Hyeon Mu's body slowly beginning to distort.
Shiver!
At the same time, a chill runs down my spine.
I sense cold sweat forming on Kim Young-hoon's body.
'Even Kim Young-hoon, who has reached the Heavenly Venerable rank...is this tense!?'
Kugugugugugu!
Then, from far off, colossal beings begin to descend.
I realize all of them are faces I know.
Underworld Ten Kings.
Third Seat.
Blade Mountain True Lord (刀山眞君) Qin Guang (秦廣).
Underworld Ten Kings.
Sixth Seat.
Sword Tree True Lord (劍樹眞君) Wu Guan (五官).
Underworld Ten Kings.
Eighth Seat.
Corpse Saw True Lord (鋸骸眞君) Tai Shan (泰山).
Underworld Ten Kings.
Tenth Seat.
Wind Path True Lord (風途眞君) Du Shi (都市).
Blade Mountain, Sword Tree, Corpse Saw, Wind Path.
Four Great Kings of the Underworld Ten Kings have descended.
Yet they don't seem to be here to help Kang Min-hee. They do not glance in her direction, much less offer assistance.
And strangely, though they would normally be accompanied by Ghost Kings, Yakshas, Rakshasa, and Asuras, they appear entirely alone.
At that moment,
The Blade Mountain True Lord Qin Guang holds something in their hand.
It is a blade.
Upon the surface of that blade rise countless blade mountains, making it look more like a spiked club than a saber.
The Sword Tree True Lord Wu Guan begins to unsheathe their sword from their entire body.
They transform into something akin to a ghost made entirely of swords, much like myself.
The Corpse Saw True Lord Tai Shan throws off their judge's robe.
Revealed beneath are countless circular saws made of darkness.
The saws spin endlessly like a wheel, and their number is so vast they are as uncountable as stars.
The Wind Path True Lord Du Shi begins to summon blade winds around them.
Eventually, they become an interstellar wind—no, the Heavenly Wind between Heavenly Domains itself, becoming a massive whirlwind that sets its gaze on Hyeon Mu.
'I see...'
I break into a cold sweat.
Before, they hadn't properly revealed themselves, and because I saw them only in the Underworld, I hadn't noticed.
But now I understand.
They have all reached Severing Heaven.
In Underworld terms, they are beings who have reached the realm of Dragon Flower.
And it doesn't even seem like that's the end.
"Why hasn't Yan Luo come this time?"
At those words, Great King Qin Guang strokes their blade of blade mountains and responds.
[The Chief Judge must assist the Imperial Venerable and thus cannot act lightly.]
"Unfortunate. You are all like mirror copies of each other, but at least it would have been amusing."
"...!"
'If that's true, then...'
That means the number of those who have reached the realm of Dragon Flower from the Underworld, including the Yama True Lord Yan Luo, totals five.
I look toward the Underworld side.
Each and every one of the True Lords from the Underworld intensely radiates the power of Narayana Nature.
Strangely, they all seem to have gained the Divinity of Preservation, or acquired Triple Divinity specialized for it.
Just then,
Kururururung!
Suddenly, spacetime twists, and countless clusters of stars gather in the void.
Immediately after, something breaks through spacetime from within that place.
It is a being composed of countless arms.
Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords.
Sixth Seat.
Martial Melody Heavenly Lord!
The Martial Melody Heavenly Lord, who had once fought me, pierces through spacetime and appears.
At the same time, I realize that back then, the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord was holding back a great deal against me.
Though only one trace of Mahesvara Nature is sensed from them, they are unmistakably a Severing Heaven powerhouse.
Then, from a distant place, a deep fragrance drifts in.
'This scent...'
Jjeoooeok!
Spacetime splits again, and someone else appears.
It is a familiar face.
Snorting through flared nostrils, they emerge—a Heavenly Pegasus, clad in a black-red martial robe over a pure white body!
With white wings on their back, they fall from a flower field brimming with the vitality of countless lives and laughs.
The Immortal Beast White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus.
The Flower Overseer of the Eastern Heaven Flower Field has descended here in their true form.
From them flows the same creation-specialized energy as from Kim Young-hoon.
[It has been a while, Hyeon Mu. Are you hosting a banquet once again? How long has it been...]
Hyeon Mu, who looks around at them, smiles with hollow eyes.
"Though it's unfortunate Yan Luo didn't come, it can't be helped. Enders. Heavenly Kings. And those who have reached the ultimate of the Martial Path..."
Ripple—
Shiver!
Hyeon Mu's body begins to distort more violently.
At the same time, the black storm Hyeon Mu summoned to face the Enders begins to merge with her.
At that moment, I realize the Abyss is being 'stained.'
The Inner Sea that flowed between the Heavenly Domains begins to solidify as a singular space.
The expressions of White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus, the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord, the four Kings of the Underworld, Kim Young-hoon, and myself—all stiffen.
This is because the Interdimensional Void, which had until now been superimposed within the Heavenly Domains, now pushes outward and begins spreading across this Inner Sea.
Darkness and emptiness surge outward from Hyeon Mu, transforming the entire Abyss into a world of nothingness.
And at the very center, the constantly distorting form of Hyeon Mu finally begins to take on a proper shape.
It is a constantly spinning [Black Three Great Ultimates].
More precisely...
Just like I saw before, it is a spinning Three Great Ultimates made up of countless black snakes.
From that rotating Three Great Ultimates, I feel a funeral dirge echoing outward.
'I-I can't see...the future...?'
Suddenly taken aback by the inability to read the celestial energy, I gasp for breath.
No future is permitted to show itself to us.
It isn't simply that the celestial energy has been severed.
'Emptiness...!'
All scenes of the future are being devoured by the Heavenly Venerable of Void.
Everything is emptiness, and we realize that in our future, only nothingness awaits.
I swallow hard as I watch the mass of snakes writhing ominously at the center of the emptiness.
And then, Hyeon Mu's voice resounds.
[Everything borrowed...must always be returned with interest... All of you present here, do you not have something to repay to me...?]
"...Something to repay...?"
At those words, Oh Hyun-seok speaks as if it's absurd.
"What laughable words you speak. Hyeon Mu! I have heard from my master. You feed off our authority from the middle of Mount Sumeru to maintain your own authority as a Heavenly Venerable, do you not? And now you speak of a repayment...? How laughable! Is it not you who should repay us for the authority you have taken!?"
[Ahahaha... Disciple of the Prison Warden. You come here running your mouth after listening to Hyeon Rang's presumptuous nonsense? Before this Heavenly Venerable of Void...? Had you chosen to descend into the Underworld and accepted taxidermization, you would have learned a more proper truth...but all you've gained is delusion.]
"You dare...!?"
Just as Oh Hyun-seok is about to release vapor from his entire body—
[Now then, since all who should gather have gathered...shall we begin...?]
Hyeon Mu's Three Great Ultimates begins to spin even faster.
At the same time, I suddenly feel as if I can't breathe.
The oxygen I had been breathing so naturally until now suddenly feels extinguished.
Kim Young-hoon's eyes turn bloodshot.
I realize what has just happened.
One of the power sources that had been supplying us with strength.
The Plane of Soul, has 'closed.'
Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, the Bright Cold Realm.
All the members of the Heart Tribe there begin to go berserk.
Now, even the Bright Cold Martial Alliance struggles to suppress the Heart Tribe's rampage.
The reason is simple.
The Plane of Soul, has completely 'closed'.
Nether Ghost Realm.
A great chaos erupts there.
Because the Plane of Soul has 'closed,' countless beings using the Ghost Path Method suffer a temporary collapse in their cultivation level.
Fortunately, because the outskirts of the Underworld exist, the ghosts are not annihilated all at once, but the ghostly creatures of the Nether Ghost Realm cannot withstand the shock of the Plane of Soul vanishing, and in an instant, they are dragged into the Underworld.
Across the entire expanse of Mount Sumeru, a strange phenomenon occurs.
One of the Three Planes, the Plane of Soul, has 'closed'.
It is as if the Plane of Soul itself has escaped beyond the Heavenly Domain.
Countless mortal beings are thrown into confusion by this phenomenon, and those of the Immortal Family who know the truth can only tremble, driven mad by fear.
Hyeon Mu's voice echoes once more.
[Before we begin the dance, it seems the current Enders of this generation are all under a misunderstanding, so let me advise you...]
Kugugugugugu!
From the center of the endlessly revolving Black Three Great Ultimates, an eerie phrase emitting ominous momentum echoes out.
[All mortal beings of this world have mortgaged everything to Governing Immortals. The light you bask in, the land you tread, the spiritual energy you breathe, the names by which you define one another! The source of all those things, and those who provide them in forms suited for living beings, are the Supreme Deities and Heavenly Venerables. And among them, those who have stepped upon the path of Immortal Cultivation are all the more bound.]
The rotation of the Three Great Ultimates accelerates, appearing now like a circle made of black snakes.
[We are the ones who assist in the very realms of Immortal Cultivation, making your rise easier. Especially for those who follow the direct Immortal Dao of the Supreme Deities, this is even more true. For they receive additional powers through the direct assistance of the Supreme Deities through the Immortal Crown...]
'Immortal Crown...? Its system of power is clearly...'
The moment I think that.
Hyeon Mu laughs.
[It is not something like a system of power!]
'She read me!?'
I understand.
At this very moment, Hyeon Mu is a being who, like the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld, can read the thoughts of mere beings like us.
[The Immortal Crown...is proof of soul summoning...and simultaneously the power of divine descent... The more we use the Immortal Crown, the more our fate, soul, and history become dominated by the owner of the Immortal Dao, and eventually, we are either replaced by the incarnation of the original owner or transformed into their Immortal Treasure. To wear an Immortal Crown is, ultimately, to Divine Descent the will of the Supreme Deity or Heavenly Venerable into oneself!]
"...!?"
The moment I hear those words, a shudder like lightning runs through my entire body.
'That, that means...'
[Since one is Divine Descending the original owner of the Immortal Dao into oneself, naturally, one may gain resistance to their power... But those who wear the Immortal Crown lose the will to resist its original owner. One's fate becomes increasingly dominated, and eventually they become a slave. The Immortal Crown, in the end, is merely a different form of shackle.]
Hyeon Mu begins to chuckle.
Just the act of Hyeon Mu laughing makes me feel like I'm going to cough up blood.
'What is this...?'
[Even if you remove the Immortal Crown, should you confront its original owner...all the power you have 'borrowed' from that owner must eventually be repaid, with interest. And thus, those who have received Immortal Crowns can never defeat the true owner of the Immortal Dao.]
At that moment, Hyeon Mu chuckles toward the other Heavenly Lords and True Lords as if finding it laughable.
[And...there are some cunning Supreme Deities who, even without one's desire, forcibly grant Immortal Crowns through strange methods to lend out their power, limit that power, and toy with fate. Isn't that right, Hyeon Rang?]
At Hyeon Mu's words, we all turn to look at Hyeon Rang, who is Divine Descending into Oh Hyun-seok's body.
He gives no reply.
[All the Immortal Titles you have received...are merely shackles Hyeon Rang has placed upon us...! They are simply a different form of the Immortal Crown. Any being who receives a name from Hyeon Rang becomes incapable of defying him. You don't actually believe his presence here today is mere coincidence, do you?]
At those words, I glare at Hyeon Rang.
That's right.
The Immortal Titles Hyeon Rang granted us are, like those I had granted to my comrades, a special kind of Immortal Crown that he forced upon all True Immortals through some peculiar spell.
[Is that true?]
Jeon Myeong-hoon glares at Hyeon Rang.
Then, Hyeon Rang replies in a low voice.
[Yes. But it seems there is a misunderstanding. The Immortal Crown I granted you does indeed lend power, but the one to whom you must repay that power is not this Immortal...]
Hyeon Rang continues in a voice that sounds oddly strained.
[The one you must repay the power of the Immortal Title to...is not this Immortal...but Emptiness (虛空; void)...! It is to that existence the repayment must be made. And...the act of naming you...is not something this Immortal desires...]
From the eyes of Hyeon Rang, who has divine descent into Oh Hyun-seok's body, the light of Sun and Moon bursts forth.
[Even this Immortal...has placed a shackle around his own neck. I too now wish to break free from this repetition! That is why, this time, Hyeon Mu, I shall bring you down with the Enders of this generation and challenge the Audience Chamber. I will destroy the Emptiness that imposes fate upon this Immortal, and seize true freedom!]
Oh Hyun-seok's body grows massive, and Hyeon Rang's power begins to reveal itself to the entire world.
[Do not let our unity be sabotaged! And come to your senses! This Immortal shall protect you all!]
Kururururung!
Grown large enough to cover an entire Heavenly Domain, Hyeon Rang gathers the power of Primordial Chaos, borrowed from Oh Hyun-seok's energy, into his hands and brings it down upon Hyeon Mu.
Kwarururung!
But the rotating Three Great Ultimates quickly become a vortex.
The vortex begins to expand endlessly, and Hyeon Rang's giant form is soon pushed back by the swirling force.
Then, Hyeon Mu speaks again.
[Unlike those other gloomy Heavenly Venerables, or Radiance, or Hyeon Rang...I am merciful. Originally, the Heavenly Venerables are beings who, by their mere existence, lend principle to all of Mount Sumeru and crown it with Immortal Crowns.]
Hyeon Mu's next words are shocking.
[That is why, originally, it is impossible for any living being to kill us. Because the very principles we have imposed are embedded in your fate and soul... Half-transformed into the Immortal Treasures of us Heavenly Venerables, you reject the very act of killing us...
[But this Venerable shall show mercy. I shall give you time to 'repay' the power you have borrowed from me up until now. If your existence remains after that, then you shall be granted the qualification to challenge this Venerable...]
Shiver, shiver!
Blood drips down from Kim Young-hoon's mouth.
He has clenched his teeth so hard that his gums have ruptured.
At the same time, I feel a terrifying suction force coming from Hyeon Mu.
Not only me, but Kim Young-hoon, the True Lords of the Underworld gathered here, White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus, the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord—all seem unable to resist this suction.
[The underside of emptiness is soul.]
Shiver, shiver, shiver!
'Insane...'
My face contorts completely at the despairing truth I never realized before.
Kim Young-hoon's hands also tremble as he exhales.
[The Plane of Soul does not truly exist. All that truly exists in this world are the Planes of Qi and Fate.]
Back when I received the title of Sword Devil from Sacred Master Baek Woon and returned to Cedar Wood Grove—
I had entered the Plane of Soul and seen where the other dimensions intersected.
But among them, the Interdimensional Void could not be seen anywhere.
Only now do I understand the despairing reason behind it.
[The principle you have mistaken until now as the Plane of Soul is the underside of the Interdimensional Void. And...all beings who have cultivated through the Plane of Soul until now have, in truth, been borrowing my Immortal Crown all along...]
Someone once said something like this.
Maybe it's because this moment is so filled with despair, I can't remember who it was exactly...but I definitely heard these words before.
That the Heart Tribe are like beings who never originally existed, that barged into the world.
It turns out that was the truth.
The cultivation of the Heart Tribe was never something that truly existed.
Because the system of cultivation that the entity known as the Northern Heavenly Venerable forcefully wedged into this world is the Manifestation of the Heart Tribe.
Why is it that, through Void Perception, which connects to the Interdimensional Void, the talent of the Heart Tribe increases?
Because the Plane of Soul and the Interdimensional Void are two faces of the same thing!
Kim Young-hoon's talent is one intimately tied to the very Plane of Soul.
And now, Kim Young-hoon and I, who have continued our cultivation by borrowing immense power from the Plane of Soul, must pay a horrifying price to Hyeon Mu.
As I feel my energy being sucked out by the overwhelming suction force radiating from Hyeon Mu, her words ring in my ears.
[Repay it. And then dance with me. Please endure... Endure and endure, and while dancing with me...come kill me...]
Thus, realizing Hyeon Mu's truth, I grit my teeth, repaying every moment I've passed through the Plane of Soul to Hyeon Mu.
-x-X-x-
Dududududu!
I grit my teeth.
An overwhelming force constricts me, draining strength from my body.
Every moment I have resolved problems through the Plane of Soul.
Every moment I have gazed upon intent...
All the moments I have pursued martial arts through intent!
From those very moments, strength flows out of me.
Kiiiiiiiing!
Behind my back, the Pure-White Three Great Ultimates spins fiercely, pouring power into Hyeon Mu.
However, no matter how much energy is given to Hyeon Mu, this endless suction force remains impossible to resist.
Kim Young-hoon is the same.
No, his situation looks even more dire than mine.
He seems to barely be enduring through the cultivation of a Heavenly King, but even that feels like a candle flickering in the wind, about to go out.
At least for the other Enders, whose main powers don't lie in Martial Arts, things are a little better.
But Kim Yeon and Kang Min-hee, whose primary authorities are connected to the spirit, are being drained significantly, and the other Enders are also having a portion of the power they've accumulated as Enders sucked away.
As for the other True Lords and Heavenly Lords, perhaps because they've been regularly drained by Hyeon Mu whenever something like this happens...
They are being drained at a far lesser degree than we are.
'Thanks to Hyeon Rang, at least we're not getting immediately sucked into Void and devoured.'
The only reason we're still holding on is because the Naming Supreme Deity Hyeon Rang divine descent into Oh Hyun-seok's body and is suppressing Hyeon Mu's suction force.
Without that, we wouldn't just be drained of strength—we'd be getting pulled in and annihilated entirely.
'Is this...why the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld warned to beware of the North...!?'
The authorities of the Enders.
All the powers we awakened seem closely tied to death, or to the heart itself.
And Hyeon Mu is the founder of the Plane of Soul, which governs those powers of the heart.
That is why, to us, Hyeon Mu is the worst possible matchup.
Kugugugugu!
As I have such thoughts, I suddenly see the massive body of Hyeon Mu, which Hyeon Rang had been suppressing, begin to swell.
'Crazy...!'
The vortex of black snakes expands, pushing back Hyeon Rang, and begins spinning faster and faster to devour us.
Hyeon Mu's suction force shows no sign of weakening; it only grows stronger.
Despair settles into my eyes.
'How...are we supposed to defeat this...? No, can we even escape...?'
Perhaps, when we first heard that Hyeon Mu was descending, we shouldn't have thought of confronting her—but instead should have sought a way to escape.
'There's...no answer in sight...'
Just as everything before my eyes begins to darken—
Tuk—
"...?"
It feels as if someone pushes my back.
I turn around, wondering who it might be.
But there is no one behind me.
All that's behind me is the Pure-White Three Great Ultimates, and the [White Deer Without Antlers] I created to draw out my full power.
In other words, only the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections I temporarily restored for this time.
'Just now...who...?'
But just as I begin wondering who pushed me, I realize who it was.
'...You...'
Someone is extending their fist toward me.
It is—
My disciples, from when I was reaching Five Energies Converging to the Origin.
It is—
Kim Young-hoon, who has taught me countless martial arts until now.
It is—
My teachers, including Cheongmun Ryeong and Buk Hyang-hwa, who've taught me countless matters of the heart.
Within the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, all those countless people look at me and extend their fists.
How can this be?
The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is supposed to only reflect my heart...
Unless I desire it, they should only repeat their predetermined actions...
'Ah...'
Only now do I realize.
'They...haven't died.'
From them, I feel an undeniable sense of life.
Because they are a part of me.
And the reason they pushed my back is simply because I subconsciously wished for it.
'I...already knew the answer.'
I just hadn't recalled it immediately.
'The answer was already there!'
Kuduk!
My foot steps into space as I begin to move toward Hyeon Mu, who spews out suction force.
Kugung!
My physical body grows larger as my true form begins to reveal itself.
A white round collar robe made from glass sword mountains begins to shine clearly within the domain of emptiness.
: : O Owner of Void. You have said that we borrowed your strength. That you Heavenly Venerables cover this world with Immortal Crowns and lend us principles. : :
Kugugugugu!
The suction force from the spinning Three Great Ultimates only intensifies, but Hyeon Mu does not directly respond.
But even that is enough for me to feel as if I've received an answer.
Hyeon Mu looks upon me with interest.
: : Then, you Heavenly Venerables...are you not those who have taken the entire world as your disciple, and become the teachers of Mount Sumeru itself? : :
I press my palms together and bow before the enormous suction force before me.
: : O great teacher of the world. You have bestowed upon us teachings and principles. However, this disciple dares to ask you something. : :
The hissing snakes all turn their eyes to me.
: : My teacher. May this disciple, as your student, now offer teachings to the teacher in return!? : :
When Hyeon Mu first appeared to us, she called herself the creditor and us the debtors, taking strength from us.
But now, I begin to reinterpret that relationship in my own way.
Not as creditor and debtor, but as teacher and disciple.
Clang!
Outside the Pure-White Three Great Ultimates, the Wheel overlays itself.
The Wheel that absorbs the pure-white light begins to spin, radiating starlight.
At the same time, the power of rotation centered around me spreads out, repelling the suction force from Hyeon Mu that is bearing down on the surrounding Enders.
Kugugugung!
Simultaneously, a message flies forth from Hyeon Mu as if amused.
[Excellent. I have seen many Golden Bodies and Heavenly Kings, but you are the first to fight through interpretation in this way.]
Hyeon Mu praises me.
[...But that is merely a deferment of your debt. In the end, unless you show enlightenment greater than the moments you borrowed power from the Plane of Soul...the debt shall be enforced once again...!]
That's right.
In the end, what I have done is not erase the debt.
I have simply replaced the price of that debt—not by giving strength, but by 'showing the enlightenment' we have gained.
If the enlightenment we show does not satisfy Hyeon Mu, then we must once more repay that debt at the end.
Kigigik!
Compressing my body, I speak.
[I will show you now.]
At the same time, a powerful repulsion from Hyeon Mu flings away the Naming Supreme Deity and Oh Hyun-seok.
[Very well. Come at me.]
Shushushuk!
The True Lords and Heavenly Lords also step into the rotational force centered around me, evading Hyeon Mu's suction.
Then, all of us charge at Hyeon Mu at once.
The true Heavenly Venerable Battle begins.
Kururung!
An instant.
Hyeon Mu's body swells massively.
[...!]
Asaṃkhyeya, Ganges sand...no.
Black snakes numbering in quantities closer to the incomprehensible rampage and lash out like whips.
A fleeting instant.
Slashes formed from the bodies of the black snakes begin to overturn the entirety of the Inner Sea.
The Heavenly Domains existing in the faraway spacetime...
Corners of the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain, Twin Holding Heavenly Domain, and Heavenly King Heavenly Domain are visibly shaved away by Hyeon Mu's single strike.
[Restrain Hyeon Mu's main body!]
With my shout, Jeon Myeong-hoon unfolds Indra's Net.
A net of lightning originating from him spreads and covers Hyeon Mu's body.
Kim Yeon, now moving the body of the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord, crashes down from afar and slams into Hyeon Mu's massive form.
Oh Hyun-seok and the Naming Supreme Deity also transform into a giant god and push Hyeon Mu upward from below.
Kiririk—
Kang Min-hee forms a hand seal from a distance.
At that moment, countless 'laws' begin layering over Hyeon Mu.
Numerous laws carve themselves across Hyeon Mu's entire body, beginning to restrain her true form.
Kururung!
The Underworld Ten Kings begin to move.
The Blade Mountain True Lord and the Corpse Saw True Lord slice through the snakes' bodies with their blade and saw, while the Sword Tree True Lord and the Wind Path True Lord stretch out twin palms from both sides, cutting down Hyeon Mu's slashes as they press forward.
The Martial Melody Heavenly Lord moves countless arms, exchanging continuous palm strikes with Hyeon Mu's snakes.
And at the center of the whirling vortex Hyeon Mu is dancing—
There, Kim Young-hoon, White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus, and I land.
[So you're from the Brahma Nature side after all.]
Having compressed to a size close to that of an ordinary human like us, White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus asks Kim Young-hoon.
Kim Young-hoon gives a brief nod.
Seeing that, White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus speaks.
[There's only one way to kill Hyeon Mu. Hyeon Mu's Interdimensional Void is ultimately the result of her own interpretation of the domain of purity. Therefore...to kill Hyeon Mu, or at least inflict a fatal wound, our interpretation of the domain of purity must surpass Hyeon Mu's principle.]
[You're saying it's an interpretation battle? That we must deny Hyeon Mu's Martial Arts system through interpretation...?]
At my question, Kim Young-hoon shakes his head.
"No. Denying the Martial Arts system Hyeon Mu has built through interpretation...that's just the 'minimum' condition. To kill Hyeon Mu...we must deny the principle she has accumulated until now across the time of the Ganges sands."
[You're saying we have to deny her principle?]
"Yeah. To put it simply..."
He speaks with solemn eyes.
"We must cut through the emptiness."
At those words, my eyes widen.
[Wh-What are you...]
There's a reason why Hyeon Mu's Interdimensional Void is called the Interdimensional Void.
It's because it is, quite literally, empty.
There is nothing.
You can cut what has form.
You can cut souls.
You can cut space.
Even fate, and even history—my Impermanence Sword has cut through all of them.
However...
You cannot cut what does not exist.
Hyeon Mu's Interdimensional Void is literally emptiness.
The world closest to the domain of purity.
There is nothing there—thus, there is nothing to cut.
In truth, the current Interdimensional Void is the empty domain of purity, overlaid with the principle of 'nothing exists'.
Can you imagine it?
It's like painting white paint over a white wall.
Even if one tries to slash through the will that fills the Interdimensional Void, the domain of purity itself is a world no different from the Interdimensional Void, so cutting it would be meaningless.
The domain of purity itself supports principle of the Interdimensional Void, so cutting it would be pointless.
However, Kim Young-hoon laughs.
"Eun-hyun-ah. Is it meaningless to draw a picture on a black canvas?"
[Pardon...?]
"If all that lies before your eyes is darkness, then what must you do to dispel that darkness?"
Surung—
Kim Young-hoon lifts his saber with a bitter smile.
"Is not the way to dispel darkness, shining light!? If Hyeon Mu's interpretation of purity is 'nothingness,' then mine is different."
Kim Young-hoon's meaning is conveyed through the heart.
"Purity...is the possibility to become anything! That is...my will!"
If Hyeon Mu interprets a blank canvas as 'something empty'—
Then Kim Younghoon interprets that canvas as 'something on which anything can be drawn'.
And from Kim Young-hoon, the Triple Divinity of Creation begins to emanate.
White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus also creates numerous flower-shaped clusters of Gang Qi in the surroundings and laughs.
[Alright! Now then...everyone is ready for battle, right? From here on...let's go kill a Heavenly Venerable!]
Tadatt!
We scatter in three different directions.
I receive wills from Kim Young-hoon and White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus, and realize what I must do.
'The Underworld Ten Kings are blocking damage from Hyeon Mu's main body, the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord is clashing against one of Hyeon Mu's sides to test themself, and the Enders are doing everything they can to suppress an aspect of Hyeon Mu's authority.'
That means in the end, we are the ones who must wound Hyeon Mu.
Recalling the words of Kim Young-hoon and White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus, I recognize what must be done.
'If there is nothing I can cut...then overlaying something becomes the act of cutting.'
Countless snakes of emptiness rush toward me.
I fend off the snakes and land on the edge of the vortex—on the head of one of the snakes.
Kim Young-hoon and White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus also spin, landing on the heads of the snakes at the edges of the Three Great Ultimates that is creating the vortex.
Without needing to decide who goes first, we each unleash our martial arts toward the snake heads.
Heavenly Pegasus Divine Art (天馬神功).
[Heavenly Pegasus Sovereign Step (天馬君臨步)!]
Kugwagwagwang!
White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus lets out a powerful cry and stomps on the snake's head.
At the same time, the light of creation bursts forth, blowing apart the snake's head.
As the snake's skull bursts apart, a spacetime belonging to White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus is created.
Kim Young-hoon's will resounds through the world of emptiness.
Surpassing Radiant Genesis Form.
First Form.
Golden Wing Defiles the Light.
Shwikak!
From the single swing of Kim Young-hoon's saber, a golden river is created.
That golden river erases the head of the snake of emptiness.
Having overlaid their powers onto their respective snake's head, Kim Young-hoon and White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus charge from the edge of the Three Great Ultimates toward the center, heading into the eye of the vortex.
And everywhere they pass, the principles of Triple Divinity they've overlaid carve into Hyeon Mu's true form, beginning to erase it.
Watching them, I raise my Impermanence Sword.
Shwishwishwik!
Countless snakes rush toward me.
—Someone like you dares?
It feels as though Hyeon Mu's voice resounds.
'Unlike those two, I'm not specialized in creation.'
But I possess the Triple Divinity that can specialize in anything.
Tuk, tuk-tuk, tuk-tuk-tuk-tuk!
I begin to strike acupuncture points all across my body.
The Immortal Art Mahayuga activates.
The principle of Mahayuga is to interpret the entire world as wheels.
And likewise, my body—whether it is the Immortal Body of a True Immortal or a human's flesh—is interpreted as a part of the wheel.
Countless wheels gather to form the body, and Mahayuga accelerates the wheel-like body by borrowing the power of the wheel called 'world'.
Wheels that govern strength, speed, agility, creativity, endurance, and destructive power begin to rotate fiercely.
Every time I strike a point on my body, the cycling power spreads out, drawing rotational power from the wheel that is the world.
Kiiiiiiiiing!
At the same time, Mahayuga begins to resonate with the Flawless Mantra.
Behind my back—
On the outer edge of the starlight wheel, a [white circle] appears.
'Rotation is, ultimately, a bridle...'
The rotational power of Mahayuga causes my Pure-White Three Great Ultimates and the Immortal Art of 'Wheel' to spin even faster.
'At the pinnacle of the bridle, is the mantra that obtains the strongest power. Flawlessness.'
The power of the Flawless Mantra amplifies, supporting the cycle of my Triple Divinity.
Thus, the Triple Divinity cycles, spinning the Three Great Ultimates, and that spinning strengthens the Flawless Mantra.
Then, the Flawless Mantra again assists the cycling of the Triple Divinity...
The amplification of rotational force that begins from Mahayuga grows endlessly as it meets my Immortal Arts.
'At this level...could I use the thirty-sixth move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship?'
I recall the final secret art of Severing Mountain I've studied endlessly.
But I soon shake my head.
'That wouldn't suit the current situation.'
That is a decisive technique meant solely for the Great Mountain Supreme Deity who forces power against power.
It falls short when facing the True Martial Great Emperor, who has reached the peak of skill even without relying solely on strength.
'What I must do now...'
I recall the connections that had reached their fists toward me inside the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
'...is leave behind a footprint!'
Shikagak!
The Impermanence Sword is swung.
Severing Heaven Sword Form.
First Form.
Entering Heaven!
A pale mist settles over the Impermanence Sword.
It is the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
I dance a sword dance atop the body of Hyeon Mu.
It is a sword dance of failure that fills my life.
Tukwang!
Snake heads burst open, and my footprints are engraved upon the places where the snakes of emptiness once were.
Step by step, I become a storm.
White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus used the Heavenly Pegasus Divine Arts to create a spacetime of their own.
Kim Young-hoon used the Surpassing Radiant Genesis Form to create his own passage of time.
And I, through the Severing Heaven Sword Form and the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, carve my own footprints.
The three of us thus each advance toward the center of the swirling Three Great Ultimates.
From the edge of the vortex to its center, we encounter countless snakes.
Each of those snakes is the pinnacle of a weapon's technique.
Bian methods, claw techniques, swordsmanship, saber arts, chain techniques, staff methods, spearmanship…
Countless weapons...
And even martial arts centered around the physical bodies of demon beasts.
The grappling arts of weaker races.
The Fighting Dance of the Fighting Ghost Race...
From ordinary stone throwing, to bows, cannons, and even flying sword techniques of cultivators.
The entire history of Martial Arts becomes a flow that takes the form of snakes and surges over us.
And as we confront all the martial flows Hyeon Mu has mastered, we catch a glimpse of Hyeon Mu's philosophy on the Ultimate of Martial Arts.
"The pinnacle of Martial Arts is..."
Hissing sounds echo, and from within, Hyeon Mu's voice is heard.
"...the ultimate of killing."
Shwirik—
I strike away a snake flying in the form of a segmented whip and leave my footprint behind as I speak.
"To kill an enemy. To kill others. To kill groups. To kill armies. To kill nations. In the end, to kill the world. And finally, to kill oneself. Then what remains?"
No intent is visible.
Triple Divinity is also hard to perceive, perhaps because the place we are in is within Hyeon Mu's own Triple Divinity.
Therefore, just as I once perceived space using only my five senses during my first-rate expert days in order to become a peak master, I rely only on the abilities of my physical body to strike and cut down the snakes.
"In the end, all that remains is Martial Arts. And ultimately, all that remains for killing arts to kill is none other than the self. Thus, Martial Arts kill even oneself, leaving nothing behind. It becomes empty."
Beyond the hissing sounds, I feel the Heavenly Venerable of Void laugh.
Yet the laugh does not feel like laughter.
It feels more like a scream.
"Martial Arts is the Art of Killing. A blade exists to kill others. A claw exists to threaten enemies. There is no meaning in them. Having no meaning...is the true meaning of Martial Arts."
The number of snakes enveloping us continues to grow.
"The ultimate that can be achieved with the blade is to kill the world, kill oneself, and finally kill the blade itself, so that all becomes nothing."
Immediately after, I am at last completely swallowed by the snakes.
Nothing is visible.
"To kill and kill until one kills even oneself—that is the pinnacle of Martial Arts."
All around is complete darkness.
"You... Do you dare interpret the principle of Martial Arts, which has evolved by killing others, into something else? Can you dare present another answer?"
Within the darkness, I raise the Impermanence Sword, now wrapped in the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
"What meaning is there in swordsmanship that does not kill? Answer me."
White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus listens to Hyeon Mu's voice in the darkness, bearing a solemn expression.
[What meaning is there in the Martial Dao that does not kill others...huh.]
Kung!
Then they grin and stomp down.
[I hail from the Swift Horse Race, of the Demon Race. And...in our Swift Horse Race, the Martial Dao is not solely for killing others.]
Kung! Kuuung! Kwuuuuuung!
[The Martial Dao is the technique of moving muscles. And our muscles...are not made to stomp enemies to death, but are made to run across the wide-open plains!]
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!
Spreading their wings, White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus begins to sprint through the darkness, with their entire body brimming with solid muscle.
[To savor the wide-open world! That is my Martial Dao!]
Transformed into a white pegasus, White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus transcends spacetime for an instant.
Immediately after, they connect to the Akashic Records and burst through the darkness of Hyeon Mu.
At the end of the path piercing through the darkness, a girl clad in black martial attire, with snakes coiled around her body, waits.
Kim Young-hoon scatters golden light from within the darkness.
"Indeed. This blade is undoubtedly a tool created to kill people. Not just people, this is a weapon forged to cut down animals, spirits, and even mountains and fields."
As he slices through the snakes charging at him in the darkness, Kim Young-hoon shouts.
"But...isn't what matters the meaning you give to the blade when you wield it!? If, by holding this blade, I can protect my family instead of killing—then isn't that far more important!?"
"Then your blade is no more than a threat or an ornament. What meaning is there in a blade you will not draw?"
"Precisely because I do not draw it, I can create countless meanings! Killing is not the end... To give any meaning to this single blade—that is Martial Arts!"
Surpassing Radiant Genesis Form.
Fourth Form.
Golden Radiance Flint to Flash!
Kim Young-hoon becomes a Peng wrapped in golden light and soars.
The Peng flaps its wings and flies upward, piercing through the path of darkness.
And at the end of that path of darkness—
There, a girl clad in black martial attire smiles with hollow eyes.
[Martial Arts is...]
I repel the storm of snakes swirling in the darkness as I look within myself.
Yes, what is martial arts?
Martial arts has always been a part of my life.
Because it was a part of my life, it was something I could never give up.
But that's all.
Only a part of life, not the whole.
Therefore, I never devoted everything to Martial Arts.
Thus, my answer can't help but be lacking.
[Martial Arts...truly have no meaning.]
I believe Hyeon Mu is right.
Martial Arts, in the end, is a means to harm others, to kill enemies.
Martial Arts is ultimately the Art of Killing.
That premise seems impossible to deny.
"Then are you saying that while you follow my principle, you dare claim you can cut it down?"
The storm intensifies.
Barely enduring within it, I grit my teeth.
"If Martial Arts have no meaning, then why in the world are you even standing here?"
[...I do think I am unqualified.]
Yes.
I am not someone who dedicates everything to Martial Arts.
Always...
There were things more important than martial arts, and to gain those things, I devoted my life to learn martial arts.
The reason one can die in the evening after attaining the Dao in the morning is because the Dao attained in the morning is more valuable than life itself.
And to me, the name of that Dao is connection, not martial arts.
It's a cold statement, and in a way, a bitter one.
But my thoughts on martial arts remain unchanged.
Martial arts is a part of life.
[Martial arts is a means.]
Swikak!
I struggle to shake off the snakes.
Each and every one of them contains the power to devour a galaxy cluster with ease.
Moreover, that power is not drawn from mere energy, but techniques born from the extreme refinement of the flow of the Martial Dao.
Each of those snakes is no different from an ultimate technique on par with Sword-Guided Star Rain.
[Martial Arts itself has no meaning. You are right, Hyeon Mu. You are clearly one who has reached the Ultimate of Martial Arts, and having witnessed that, I cannot dare to discuss the essence of martial arts from within my realm.]
"You know your place well."
Tukwang!
In the darkness, I grit my teeth as I face the snakes that are the embodiment of Hyeon Mu's enlightenment.
I grit so hard my teeth begin to break.
[But!]
Shukak!
I swing my sword wide and cry out.
[Though I am still far from worthy of discussing the Ultimate of Martial Arts... Even if Martial Arts is meaningless, the moment it rests in a person's hand, it gains meaning!]
My sword dance is imbued with the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
With each movement, a footprint is etched, layering my history across the surroundings.
[Martial Arts is something that is passed from person to person.]
When I first received Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, it initially contained twelve moves.
[It is inherited, and it is developed.]
Then, when it passed to Kim Young-hoon and was developed, it became twenty-four moves.
[And finally, when it connects us...]
And...
As I continued through countless lives, the forms of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship I have accumulated now total thirty-six.
[Only then do the means called Martial Arts gain meaning!]
"Then, you are saying that Martial Arts (武) ultimately serves no purpose other than acting as a bridge, are you not?"
[It is not just martial arts!]
I recall Yu Hwa's music.
I recall Gyeong Chang's dance.
I recall Jang Ik's fighting spirit.
I recall Jin Ma-yeol's fighting dance.
"Everything in this world...only gains meaning when it connects! Nothing holds meaning on its own!"
As I deflect and cut down the snakes, I finally realize that even my seemingly infinite energy has been completely exhausted.
The light of the Three Great Ultimates fades.
I now shout entirely with my physical voice as I swing the Impermanence Sword.
When a person carries through their will, it is called chivalric righteousness (俠義).
If a person (亻) believing in their own will (夾) is called chivalry (俠),
Then perhaps, when people assert their will to each other, communicate, connect, and believe in one another...
That might just be the true meaning of Martial Arts.
The most important formula that forms the Impermanence Sword bursts forth and moves on its own.
—Like combining all intents turns them colourless.
—Embrace all connections and become impermanence...
"Martial Arts is the means to carry out chivalric righteousness!"
With that, as all my energy is exhausted and the Impermanence Sword enters a state close to nothingness, it moves as if alive, striking away and cutting down all the snakes.
Puhwak!
At last, I break free from the darkness.
Where I emerge is Hyeon Mu's true form.
The waist of the snakes forming the Black Three Great Ultimates.
I have reached halfway to the center of the vortex, the place where Hyeon Mu's will rages and swirls.
Before my eyes stands Hyeon Mu's incarnation.
"Then, what is your chivalric righteousness?"
A girl clad in black martial attire.
I answer her confidently.
"The Cause and Connection of All Phenomena!"
"..."
It is then,
'...Huh?'
As I look at her, I realize something I hadn't seen before.
That hollow gaze!
And perhaps because I'd been overwhelmed by the terrifying martial arts unfolding alongside her black attire, I hadn't perceived it until now.
Why?
I feel like I've seen her face before.
But the face I saw before looked a bit younger than Hyeon Mu's.
"Then prove it. Prove what your chivalric righteousness is."
Shiring—
Hyeon Mu grips darkness shaped like a sword at her fingertips and charges at me.
Thus, atop the midsection of countless snakes, Hyeon Mu's incarnation and I begin exchanging martial arts.