Clang!
The Heavenly Venerable of Time swings his left arm once.
All the surrounding chaos of the Outer Sea halts.
[Time separation. Targeted zone, ultra-acceleration.]
Kkiriririk—
Not only the chaos, but also the faintly undulating disgrace of the Heavenly Venerables within it—
Even Kim Yeon as well—are all frozen.
'It's not that everything is frozen.'
Only the Heavenly Venerable of Time is ultra-accelerated.
However, because my consciousness has risen to Araya Consciousness, my consciousness is able to keep up with the overwhelming acceleration that makes time seem to have frozen.
The Heavenly Venerable of Time seems to realize this too, and lets out a silent sigh as he swiftly performs three consecutive hand seals.
[Targeted zone, re-acceleration. Targeted zone, ultra-deceleration. Time segmentation.]
The Heavenly Venerable of Time accelerates again, while I am decelerated, and time fractures once more into segmented zones.
But it is pointless.
Tuk, tududududuk!
The principles of time binding me begin snapping one by one.
[I am a sword.]
Before I know it, I've reached the later stage of Great Net Immortal and gained the ability to interfere with Indra's Net, allowing me to strike directly at principles.
And the fact that I can touch the principles means I can attempt things 'beyond' mere 'touch'.
[A sword can be bound by nothing but its sheath.]
Tukdududuk!
The expression of the Heavenly Venerable of Time stiffens.
At the same time, his figure begins to distort.
Behind him, a Taiji of starlight ripples, and his human form incarnation begins to melt into the Taiji.
The principles of Indra's Net are severed by the Impermanence Sword.
Among the principles being severed, the principles of 'time' are included as well.
Kwarurururung—
Simultaneously, an overwhelming force begins to explode from within my body.
However, that erupting force does not disperse; it lingers around me.
It is my attraction force and explosion that have reached the level of Heaven-Earth Great Net.
'Vague prophecies or revisions alone are not enough to face a Heavenly Venerable.'
I condense all prophecies and revisions into a single point.
: : I, prophesize. The Martial Arts I have accumulated cannot be violated by any Absolute. The Martial Arts I have accumulated can be spoken of by no authority other than myself. These simultaneously are my revision... : :
Kiiiiing—
The power of prophecy and revision wraps around my Impermanence Sword and myself, like a scaled armor.
As much as it is narrow in scope, within that narrow range, it exerts power close to an 'absolute'.
Perhaps realizing this, the Heavenly Venerable of Time conveys a will of annoyance.
[Is this some tactic akin to Hyeon Mu's? How needlessly bothersome. Why do you resist? Great Net Immortal...no, even those at the level of True Immortal already understand that life and death hold no meaning...]
[...]
[Don't tell me...is it because you were about to copulate with that Ender and couldn't? In that case, the problem will be solved when that Ender awakens as a Heavenly King. Then, that one will naturally remember the promise made at this time... Why are you so obsessed with the present? Do you not realize I am offering you goodwill?]
The Heavenly Venerable of Time questions me with genuine incomprehension.
[All I can do as a projection is simply bring you to death in an instant, activating the mantra of Heuk Sa. It hasn't been long since I fixed your regression point. This is all the goodwill I can offer you at this point in time. Do you really believe...you can endure endlessly drifting through this Outer Sea, keeping your sanity intact?]
His voice somehow sounds as if he pities me.
[With nothing but pity for you, I try to grant you death now so you may begin anew... And yet you still, bound by desire and obstinacy of mortality, insist on continuing this life...? Even knowing you have near-infinite chances...?]
[...It is not obstinacy.]
With cold eyes, I release attraction force and begin to take control of the surrounding chaos.
The formula of the Salt Sea Returning Dew Jade gradually teaches me how to maintain balance in this Outer Sea.
[It is simply my way.]
Pasasasasa—
The Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra and the formula of Salt Sea Returning Dew Jade begin to resonate.
The power of the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra compresses the surrounding chaos and begins refining it, while the Salt Sea Returning Dew Jade consumes the compressed shards of chaos, spreading a spiraling vortex outward from those consumed fragments.
'It feels like I'm standing on solid ground.'
The resonance between the Salt Sea Returning Dew Jade and the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra instills in me an overwhelming sense of stability.
[Can you truly endure it? No matter what you think, this world is always more cruel than that. Are you really saying you can return to Mount Sumeru with your mind intact, sailing through the endless Outer Sea, even without my 'help'?]
Kurururung—
Before my eyes, the Taiji of starlight ripple and swell in size.
'Is this...the Heavenly Venerable of Time?'
In an instant, the surroundings begin transforming into a world of countless star veins resembling the Source River.
The star veins entangle and intertwine, forming something like a great river.
Above that river, countless scenes drift by.
Chwaaaaaa—
I feel as though I am about to be swept away by the waves of countless history observed by the Heavenly Venerable of Time, but I take my stance and take a step forward.
The First Form of Severing Heaven Sword Form, compressing the 1st to 12th moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Entering Heaven.
The Second Form of Severing Heaven Sword Form, compressing the 13th to 24th moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Treading Heaven.
The Third Form of Severing Heaven Sword Form, compressing the 25th to 36th moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Punishing Heaven.
With every form that unfolds, the profoundness of Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains seeps in, and I grow steadily stronger.
At the same time, I begin to gradually accelerate.
Now, as the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra resonates with the Salt Sea Returning Dew Jade and provides utmost stability—
Now is the best time to test the thirty-sixth move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Because the thirty-sixth move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship is, unlike the other moves, fundamentally rooted in the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra.
Shwiriririk—
Shwik—
From the first move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Transcending Peaks, to the final ultimate technique—
All the principles of martial arts I've learned and unleashed begin to circle my Impermanence Sword, biting each other's tail.
At the same time, the Severing Heaven Sword Form, which until now lacked proper form, finally begins to take its 'shape.'
It is mist.
Shwiririk—
Severing Heaven Sword Form, which seems to create trajectories of starlight every time it unfolds, has the starlight weave and tangle, changing form into something like a 'river' as it confronts the Source River.
Shikagak!
Kang—
Kagagagagagak!
Each time the Impermanence Sword is swung, it clashes with the torrents of the Source River, causing explosive roars to erupt.
And as those roars begin to grow louder, they transform into something eerie.
Kagagak!
Kakakak!
Kukaaaaagh!
Kaaaaaaaagh!
It sounds as if something is screaming.
And finally—
Kuoohhhhhh!
The screech of friction of the Severing Heaven Sword Form turns into a massive dragon's roar, echoing throughout the entire Source River, and the form of the Severing Heaven Sword Form with the thirty-six moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship added reveals itself.
It is a Candle Dragon.
The enormous form of the Immortal Beast Candle Shadow begins to appear with each sword trajectory, growing ever larger.
It expands by drawing in and reversing the power of the Source River itself.
I perform a sword dance within the endless torrents of the Source River, before the authority of the Heavenly Venerable of Time. When the power of the sword dance reaches its peak, I finally unleash the essence of the Severing Heaven Sword Form, the final ultimate technique of the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
The form of the Candle Dragon coiled at the tip of the sword roars, and I swing my sword with all my strength alongside that dragon's cry.
Shukwak!
That is the end.
Jjeoooook!
The Source River splits, and the rules created in this space by the Heavenly Venerable of Time also shatter, revealing the pure chaos of the Outer Sea and the disgrace of the Heavenly Venerables.
Even that revealed chaos of the Outer Sea seems to fracture endlessly, and an enormous path seems to unfold before my eyes.
The thirty-sixth move of the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship applies the principle of the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra to the domain of Martial Arts, bringing about an End (終末) with a single sword strike.
Of course, there are still many aspects that need refinement, and the technique is unfinished...but its sheer power seems enough to momentarily repel even a Heavenly Venerable's authority.
Pussshhhh—
Steam-like vapors seep out from all over my body.
'I thought my body had grown strong enough to withstand the recoil to some degree, so I tried it out, but...'
Even having reached the late stage of Heaven-Earth Great Net, my body still feels dangerously overheated after using it.
Had I used it at the realm of True Immortal or Upper Immortal, my Immortal Body would not have been able to endure the backlash and would have suffered fatal damage.
If I had used it during the Entering Nirvana stage or Sacred Vessel stage, it would have been nothing more than a self-destructive technique.
'Still, now it's only a matter of overheating. If I take a little more time and completely control the leaking force...by then, it should be usable.'
I steady my twilight true energy and gaze upon the halved sea of chaos.
Tststststs—
Then, a phenomenon as if time itself is reversing unfolds before my eyes, and the Heavenly Venerable of Time appears, entirely unscathed.
But that appearance is only superficial. In truth, he must be in considerable pain, since I have even cut through the principle.
[...Your power is worthy of recognition. But...no matter how great your power may be, time is something not easily endured. More precisely, the solitude of time akin to eternity... Even this conversation I am having with you now is only possible because you are still near the disgrace of the Heavenly Venerables. Once you leave and that medium disappears, communication will be impossible. That being the case, you must drift forever through the Outer Sea with only that Ender at your side... Can you truly endure such an outcome?]
[...]
[I am the only one who can kill you. Was it Kim Yeon? That child who has cultivated using the cultivation system of Primordial Origin is certainly strong and would likely win more than lose against other True Immortals, but in terms of pure weight class, the Immortal Cultivation system of Heuk Sa is far superior. That is why that child cannot kill you. And judging by your attitude, you don't seem inclined to kill yourself either.]
The Heavenly Venerable of Time asks with a solemn face.
[I will ask one last time. Can you truly accept eternally drifting in the Outer Sea?]
[...Whether the voyage in the Outer Sea is eternal or not...that is something no one can know, is it not? This is, after all, a chaos where all possibilities exist. Perhaps I may reach Mount Sumeru in a single instant.]
[...Wrong. While this is indeed a chaos where all possibilities exist...that is precisely what makes it terrifying. The Outer Sea overflows with positive possibilities, but it overflows just as much with negative ones...]
[...It does not matter. Possibilities are just that—possibilities...]
I turn my Transformation form body and speak.
[What I have accumulated is not inferior to infinite possibilities. So no matter how difficult the journey back from the Outer Sea may be, I will never collapse.]
[...Foolish. I have certainly...given you a chance.]
The Heavenly Venerable of Time sighs, turning away as if sincerely regretful.
[Do as you please. After all, mountain spirits have always been stubborn, so I figured this might happen. And...]
Wo-woong!
The projection of the Heavenly Venerable of Time melts into the void and resonates with the split soul of Yeong Seung within me.
[If you need my help, use that split soul as a sacrifice. Then, just once, I will send my projection to kill you. Now then, experience for yourself...what the true pain of eternity feels like.]
Finishing his words, the Heavenly Venerable of Time looks back at me with regretful eyes and completely dissipates.
I gaze at the place where he disappears.
Kugugugu—
Moments later, the extreme acceleration affecting me releases, and the frozen world resumes.
Kim Yeon blinks.
She seems unaware that anything happened.
[...It's nothing. Just...the Heavenly Venerable of Time being nosy.]
I take Kim Yeon's hand, climb once more onto Flower Soul Filling the Heavens, and kick off the Salt Crystal made from the disgrace of the Heavenly Venerables.
Kwaaaang!
Just like that, we kick off the disgrace of the Heavenly Venerables and begin our return journey to the distant Mount Sumeru.
'No matter how long it takes...both Kim Yeon and I can endure it.'
As I push through the endless chaos, I think this to myself.
It isn't simply because we can rely on each other.
Hwarururuk—
The spell of Celestial Lord Incense Burning.
It is because I can burn my split soul to communicate with my comrades in Mount Sumeru.
"Yeon-ah. For now...I'm going to use the Celestial Lord Incense Burning spell. Help me."
My comrades should have already prepared the conditions for Celestial Lord Incense Burning to activate through my split soul.
I take out the Heavenly Black Flag and the Earthly Yellow Banner given to me by Jeon Myeong-hoon, cover the surroundings, close my eyes, and sit in a lotus position.
Immortal Art.
Celestial Lord Incense Burning.
'Activate.'
Paaaatt!
Like so, my consciousness begins to get sucked toward the faraway Mount Sumeru.
Mount Sumeru, Twin Holding Heavenly Domain, Kali Realm.
In a certain region of the Human Race territory—
There, a mother lights an oil lamp before bedtime and tells a fairy tale to her children.
"Long, long ago, in a time far away, there lived a swordsman who cried out 'Heavens above!' at the world."
The children, with sparkling eyes, listen to their mother's story and gaze at the shadows cast by the flame of the oil lamp.
"The swordsman had no talent at all. So little, in fact, that no matter how much he swung his sword throughout his life, his realm never rose. And so, the swordsman swung his sword his whole life, shouting at the heavens—asking why he was given no talent. And then one day!"
The mother, mending her children's clothes with needle and thread, continues the fairy tale about the swordsman.
The children are drawn into the fairy tale their mother tells, imagining and picturing the story's protagonist as they immerse themselves in the tale.
Elsewhere in the Kali Realm.
In a detached palace of a Human Race imperial family, a court lady reads a fairy tale to the crown prince.
"Once upon a time, in a time long, long past, there was a White Immortal. This White Immortal entered a sect that wielded golden lightning. Why? Because that sect, due to the sins of their ancestor, was fated to be destroyed by another powerful Lightning Immortal. The White Immortal joined that sect to save it from the destruction of the Lightning Immortal."
As the court lady reads from the fairy tale book, the crown prince's eyes light up, and he begins to think about the fairy tale's protagonist.
As he imagines the protagonist and immerses himself in the story, the crown prince draws the image of the main character in his mind.
Not only in the Kali Realm, but also far off in other dimensions—
For example, even in a corner of the Bright Cold Realm, which had been transferred to the Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain, the same is happening.
Not only the Human Race but, even among the intelligent Heaven Tribe, stories and tales of the 'talentless swordsman' and the 'White Immortal' begin to suddenly become popular.
Countless humans and Heaven Tribe members read the tales and stories, picturing the protagonist in their minds.
Then, at some point, that protagonist embeds himself into their entire lives, deep within their unconsciousness.
Throughout numerous Heavenly Domains, except for the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain, the stories repeat again and again, and the protagonist becomes imprinted deep into the unconsciousness of countless living beings.
Then, at a certain moment—
The flow of those unconscious minds causes a ripple in the Plane of Soul.
The ripple formed in the Plane of Soul affects the Plane of Qi and the Plane of Fate, and gradually a certain energy begins to naturally arise throughout the entire world.
That energy is none other than the story's protagonist—
The one known as the 'talentless swordsman' and the 'White Immortal,' Seo Eun-hyun's innate true energy.
It is twilight true energy.
The heart toward the protagonist that sparks like candlelight in the hearts of those who read the tales subtly influences the Planes of Qi and Fate, causing them to faintly produce twilight true energy.
This is the result of Seo Eun-hyun's comrades, at his request, refining his split soul and spreading it throughout the world in the form of stories.
And then, at a certain moment,
Within the trickling stream of twilight true energy naturally generated by the spell of Celestial Lord Incense Burning, a certain 'consciousness' opens its eyes.
It is...
The 'consciousness' of Seo Eun-hyun, who, out in the Outer Sea, has just activated the Celestial Lord Incense Burning spell.
Shiririk—
Shiririririk—
Inner Sea of Mount Sumeru.
In the abyss where the energies of numerous Heavenly Domains flow, collide, are destroyed, and once more amplify—
From somewhere in those deep depths, twilight true energy begins to gather.
And from the place where twilight true energy converges, something opens its eyes.
That which awakens instinctively manipulates attraction force, forming an alternate space around itself and sends a signal to its 'comrades'.
Soon, the comrades will come rushing.
Inside the alternate space.
Within a world thick with the noise of countless 'stories', the something that opened its eyes—
Seo Eun-hyun, hearing the endless whispers from all directions, slowly begins to form his clone.
Shurururuk—
Perhaps due to the lack of twilight true energy, Seo Eun-hyun takes the form of a small child, and looks around while slowly regaining consciousness.
"...So noisy. On top of...that...even the sense of time...is weird..."
Blinking as if in a daze, he sits down and rubs his eyes.
"When will...my comrades...arrive...?"
It happens then.
Someone hugs Seo Eun-hyun from behind, sits him on their lap, and speaks.
"Hello, Seo Eun-hyun. It seems you've learned the Celestial Lord Incense Burning spell well."
"Mm, seems like...it. Since my consciousness...arrived from...the Outer Sea..."
The one with silver hair gently strokes the child-form Seo Eun-hyun, smiling.
"I see. By the way, Seo Eun-hyun, you've really accomplished countless feats, haven't you? Normally, even experienced Great Immortals only produce a single story's worth when they use Celestial Lord Incense Burning. But your stories aren't just one or two. They are so many and diverse, they've spread to all Heavenly Domains except the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain and the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain."
"Mmm...but...who are you...?"
"Don't think too hard right now. At this moment, you are a lump of information formed from the stories of countless living beings. It's only because so many beings have imagined you and etched you deep into their unconsciousness that you're able to communicate with Mount Sumeru from the Outer Sea. But as a lump of information, the more you think about complicated thoughts, the slower your will gets delivered. That means you'll stay in this dazed state even longer."
"Mmm..."
"Just stay in my arms for a bit. I have something to find anyway..."
The figure gently covers Seo Eun-hyun's eyes with slender, jade white hands.
"Celestial Lord Incense Burning is an Immortal Art where one takes the parts of their life that forms their identity and scatter them as stories. Then, by using those who read and imprinted those stories into their unconsciousness as coordinates and mediums, one communicates with distant worlds. And that means...by reading those stories, one can glimpse into the past of the True Immortal they wish to understand..."
Covering the eyes of Seo Eun-hyun, the figure embraces him and begins to search through the countless 'stories' flowing in the alternate space around the information entity that is Seo Eun-hyun.
Held within that being's arms, Seo Eun-hyun frowns at the scent of iron dust wafting from somewhere, but relaxes again at the warmth radiating from the being's body.
"Just...stay like this for a little while. If what you did through your Ender authority had enough impact to influence me...then surely, it was an event that influenced your identity. It must be within the stories of Celestial Lord Incense Burning."
Thus...
The one holding Seo Eun-hyun in their arms—
The Fifth Seat of the Radiance Eight Immortals, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, breathes in the subtle scent of Seo Eun-hyun's clone and begins to search for the story within Celestial Lord Incense Burning that relates to herself.
-x-X-x-
Tingle—
"Ugh..."
I hold Kim Yeon's hand in the Outer Sea, amplifying our consciousness domain together as we activate Celestial Lord Incense Burning.
But then, a piercing pain like a needle drives into my mind.
'What is this?'
Pasasasak—
Something is changing inside my Immortal Body.
'Wisdom? Formulae? Something...is being engraved.'
And it's a script I've never seen before.
Before long, I realize that this script is one mostly seen in the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain.
'I see. So this is the script mainly used by those from Radiance Hall...'
Deciphering the characters isn't difficult.
With my age and experience, my mind naturally compares and processes the characters, cross-referencing them billions of times until their meaning becomes clear enough.
After a while, I begin to decipher those special characters.
'This is...wisdom? I see. It's wisdom regarding the spell of Celestial Lord Incense Burning.'
I don't know why, but right now, as I use Celestial Lord Incense Burning, strange characters carve themselves into my consciousness, along with deeper wisdom about the spell.
'Judging by how wisdom regarding Celestial Lord Incense Burning is surfacing first...it seems that simply activating it naturally causes these to be inscribed.'
Wo-woooong—
For now, I accept the energy of the Heavenly Black Banner and Earthly Yellow Banner fluttering around me as I activate Celestial Lord Incense Burning, reading the wisdom.
"Hm...Heavenly Void Furnace?"
Heavenly Void Furnace (天空爐).
Also known as Heavenly Lord Furnace (天公爐), it is wisdom regarding the powerful Immortal Treasure.
'The spell of Celestial Lord Incense Burning...originally came from the Torch Candle Heavenly Lord, the [administrator of the Heavenly Void Furnace], lighting incense within the furnace...huh.'
Alongside this, knowledge about the Heavenly Void Furnace flows into my mind.
'The Heavenly Void Furnace is...in the Head Realm?'
Zzzzzing—
At the same time, I come to realize something.
'I see... In a past cycle, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord mentioned that if one uses a certain Immortal Treasure within the Head Realm, they could know our exact location... Was that the Heavenly Void Furnace?'
I organize the knowledge I've gained about the Heavenly Void Furnace.
The Heavenly Void Furnace is basically an Immortal Treasure shaped like a tripod brazier, hidden somewhere in the Head Realm. It seems the Radiance Eight Immortals use the Heavenly Void Furnace as a medium to wield Immortal Arts that control the Head Realm.
'So when the Torch Candle Heavenly Lord suddenly risked their life and performed a revision using the Head Realm's power...was that what it was about?'
When the Salt Sea Returning Dew Jade was activated, I was shocked to see the Torch Candle Heavenly Lord controlling the Head Realm like how the Head Realm stepped forward to protect Hong Fan.
'Fortunately, after refining the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections into my Immortal Crown, I was able to resist that kind of revision... I almost got caught off guard back then.'
Perhaps the Radiance Eight Immortals' claim to being the Radiance Supreme Deity stems from confidence in their control over the Emptiness Supreme Deity Myeong Woon. In other words, from their ability to control the Akashic Records to a certain extent.
I continue to read through the knowledge.
'The Torch Candle Heavenly Lord...periodically lights incense within the Heavenly Void Furnace to perform a ritual and synchronize with the furnace in order to control the Head Realm...ugh!'
Tingle!
Another surge of pain suddenly crashes into my head.
This pain is entirely different from before.
'Th-This is...the 16th cycle?'
At the same time, I sense that this is a truth deeply related to the 16th cycle.
'16th cycle... Heavenly Void Furnace... Torch Candle Heavenly Lord...kughk... Just what is going on. Did I...go back to the Head Realm in the 16th cycle?'
I delve deeper into the knowledge, trying to understand more about the so-called Heavenly Void Furnace.
Unfortunately, no further information appears regarding it.
The last piece of information is: 'The spell of Celestial Lord Incense Burning is a mimicry of the Immortal Art used by the Torch Candle Heavenly Lord, who controls the Heavenly Void Furnace by lighting incense within it'.
'Still, I suppose I've managed to learn quite a bit.'
After all, even if it is a mimicked Immortal Art, it still allows for the deduction of the original.
I continue to delve into the knowledge regarding Celestial Lord Incense Burning.
'The spell of Celestial Lord Incense Burning processes the user's split soul into the form of a 'story' and scatters it into the body of a desired being or into a chosen world, fixing coordinates in that place. The 'story' that comes from the processed soul is reduced to a level comprehensible to mortals, containing events or anecdotes that had a major impact on the formation of the user's identity...huh.'
As I read this, I briefly wonder if this could reveal the truth about regression, but instinctively I know.
'Ah, no. Definitely not.'
A faint tremor of principle stirs from the Radiance Mantra within me.
It seems the sinisterness of the Radiance Mantra can never be broken by something like the spell of Celestial Lord Incense Burning.
'Hmm, but if events that influenced my identity flow out in the form of stories...'
I fall deep into thought, considering that fact.
'...wouldn't that basically be like revealing my Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections...?'
Events or anecdotes that formed my identity?
Of course—every moment.
Every incident.
Every hour of everything contributes to shaping my identity.
That is my belief, and the ultimate form of that belief is my Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections and my Immortal Crown.
In that case, I begin to worry whether my Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections would be revealed to my comrades through Celestial Lord Incense Burning.
'Hmm... Fortunately or unfortunately...it doesn't seem to go that far.'
Whether fortunate or unfortunate, it appears that my Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections itself doesn't seem to be directly exposed.
'There's no way for my comrades to directly know the stories inside my soul. The information only resides within the version of the story diffused in a way mortals can comprehend...and stories diffused among mortals can be distorted or altered to fit their life or context, making it virtually impossible to identify the original.'
Still, it's not that there's no way to deduce the original.
'If the Radiance Eight Immortals reach the location where the information body formed by my stories is born through Celestial Lord Incense Burning and gathers all the information, then use the authority of the Radiance Supreme Deity, they might get a vague glimpse of the original...is it?'
I realize I need to keep an eye on the Radiance Eight Immortals, but I'm not too worried.
'To begin with, the place where my information body is born from the twilight true energy generated from the stories in Mount Sumeru was already set deep within the abyss of the Inner Sea.'
The abyss of the Inner Sea is an area impossible to locate something within without coordinates, even for the Radiance Eight Immortals.
Furthermore, when the information body is born through Celestial Lord Incense Burning, I've arranged it so that only my comrades will receive a signal. There's absolutely no way it would get exposed.
'Unless one of the Radiance Eight Immortals placed something like Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens on me to monitor me in real time, there's absolutely no issue. And even if such a surveillance Immortal Art had been used, the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable or the Heavenly Venerable of Time I just met would have definitely given me a hint.'
So, it's safe to assume that the Radiance Eight Immortals won't gain access to my information body.
'...But still, why does the information body feel so hazy like this? Is it supposed to take more time before it properly connects...?'
I focus my consciousness as I watch the Heavenly Earth Banner and Earthly Yellow Banner flutter.
Inner Sea of Mount Sumeru.
Behind the information body of Seo Eun-hyun located there.
From that place, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord holds Seo Eun-hyun's information body on her lap and concentrates her consciousness.
The Radiance Eight Immortals possess several authorities as the Radiance Supreme Deity.
Among them is the authority to trace back the origin and manipulate or utilize any Immortal Art created by Radiance Hall.
'Reverse-tracing Immortal Art Celestial Lord Incense Burning.'
Kiiiiiiing—
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord begins to trace back the endless 'stories' pouring into Seo Eun-hyun's information body, gradually approaching the 'original' of the stories.
Then, a flash of shock enters Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's eyes.
'Wh-What is this...?'
The stories scattered by Seo Eun-hyun are endlessly vast in type and classification.
Seo Eun-hyun's comrades seem not to understand what this means, but the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, possessing the knowledge and authority regarding Celestial Lord Incense Burning, is different.
Normally, only Supreme Deities or Heavenly Venerables produce such stories through Celestial Lord Incense Burning.
Yet as far as the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord knows, Seo Eun-hyun is no more than a young being barely ten thousand years old, practically a child.
But this child is bearing stories on a scale comparable to those of Supreme Deities and Heavenly Venerables.
That alone shocks Sword Spear Heavenly Lord at first.
But what shocks her now is something else.
'What kind of story...has each individual moment of life as the foundation of one's identity? Can a sane being even possess such a thing...? No, that's not it. Starting from True Immortals—no, once one reaches the Star Shattering stage, they all end up as madmen, so Seo Eun-hyun must be one of those types as well.'
That's right.
Normally, when Supreme Deities use Celestial Lord Incense Burning and spread many stories, it's because they've lived overwhelmingly long lives and accomplished numerous feats, so the stories naturally revolve around those feats.
But Seo Eun-hyun, for some reason, regards every single step taken, every breath inhaled as part of his life, even if it isn't a feat, and that ideology is directly reflected in Celestial Lord Incense Burning.
"Was he so pathologically obsessed with his own life that he recorded every part of it...?"
This is an utterly deranged mental world that can only be thought of in such a way.
Seeing this, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord momentarily hesitates.
'If it's like this...then finding information about me inside his memories...'
It's going to take a very long time.
Even though he's just a young True Immortal not even past ten thousand years, Seo Eun-hyun is a madman who accepts every piece of information about his life as part of his identity.
'This is practically...a miniature Akashic Records...'
Although the information is limited to himself, he is practically omniscient with regards to himself. In effect, it's no different from a miniature Akashic Records.
'If I think of it as combing through a ten-thousand-year-long miniature Akashic Records...even for me, it will take fifty to sixty years. No, if it's a mental world with this level of obsession, it might take a hundred years to explore it slowly without losing my sense of self.'
For the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, such a time span is not a major issue. The problem is that Seo Eun-hyun's comrades are expected to arrive soon.
The only reason she arrived the fastest is simply because she is part of the Radiance Supreme Deity, the administrator of all wisdom as light.
'They are not that slow either, so they will arrive shortly. What should I do? If beings like the Madam Ghost Mother, who directly receive protection from the Underworld, arrive...'
In the end, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord decides to take special action.
: : Pearl Jade. Do you hear me? : :
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord contacts the Pearl Jade Heavenly Lord, with whom she is paired with.
: : I am going to remain in the Inner Sea for a hundred years to investigate the past of Seo Eun-hyun among the Enders. : :
: : Understood. If there's no contact for over a hundred years, I will inform Great Forest and Rain Dew. : :
The communication is brief.
At the same time, the body of the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, who holds Seo Eun-hyun's information body in an embrace, begins to gradually melt.
Paaaaat!
Transformed entirely into silver-white light, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord flows directly into Seo Eun-hyun's information body.
'There's no need to bother clashing with Seo Eun-hyun's comrades. I just have to seep into the information body and peek into Seo Eun-hyun's memories...'
Tststststststss—
In this way, tracing back the spell of Celestial Lord Incense Burning, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord finally reaches the original memory of Seo Eun-hyun's first life.
Clang—
'...Huh?'
And in the next moment, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord beholds the image of the [Black Snake Biting Its Tail].
Hiss—
Hiss hiss hiss—
Somewhere, she thinks she hears the hissing of snakes, and in the next moment, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord loses consciousness.
Hiss—
Hiss hiss—
[External intervention detected.]
[Authority check.]
[Authority: Seventh body of the Radiance Ten Heavens, Sword Spear Gyeong.]
[Limited authority granted.]
[Viewing approved.]
Hiss hiss hiss hiss—
Kiririririk—
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord opens her eyes.
Just now, it felt like she had fallen into a space filled with snakes.
'Kugh, what was that? Is it related to the Ender authority? I feel like I saw a very familiar symbol just now... Whatever, it doesn't matter. I've connected to Seo Eun-hyun's memory.'
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord looks around.
Darkness surrounds her in all directions.
It seems to be a memory from Seo Eun-hyun's time as a fetus.
'First, since dangerous things might be hiding inside an Ender's memory, let's set up an escape route.'
Wiiiing—
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord tries to create an exit so she can escape from Seo Eun-hyun's memory at any time.
That's when it happens.
Hiss hiss—
[Authority invalid.]
'...?'
A strange snake sound echoes, and the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's authority is repelled.
'Wh-What is this? Wh-What's going on...?'
Quickly reading the surrounding wisdom, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord grasps the situation.
'I see. Seo Eun-hyun's memories...I don't know exactly what happened, but it seems escape in the middle is impossible. It's a structure that only allows exit once the entire memory is viewed. I didn't expect this. Is this part of the Ender authority...?'
She shows a slightly troubled expression, but the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord does not mind too much.
'In any case, he is a child barely over ten thousand years old. Moreover, the speed of reading memories isn't that slow. It's only ten thousand years worth...100 years is more than enough to leave...!'
After all, it's only a matter of reviewing the time Seo Eun-hyun has lived through. It shouldn't take that long.
Thinking this, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord begins to survey Seo Eun-hyun's entire life.
Paaaatt!
'So this is Seo Eun-hyun's birth...huh?'
And she discovers another world, entirely different from Mount Sumeru.
-x-X-x-
Seo Eun-hyun is born.
Under the care of his parents, he receives his name, grows up, and gradually establishes his identity.
However...
Seo Eun-hyun doesn't enter the eyes of the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord right now.
'Th-This world is...'
It is far too strange.
Though the world unfolds centered on Seo Eun-hyun's memories and is therefore not entirely accurate, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord gathers numerous clues and information from within Seo Eun-hyun's memories and is able to reach one conclusion.
'In this world...there are no True Immortals...?'
Of course, there are a few strange traces of transcendent beings.
That is, traces of them can be found in religions, but aside from that, there are currently no True Immortals, no transcendents at all.
Not even cultivators or martial artists who actively use Qi can be seen.
Even observing the stars yields the same results.
At least the sun, much like Mount Sumeru, gives off a similar feeling to that of an innate True Immortal, but even there, the presence of wisdom is faint.
'Can a world like this even exist...? Enders...they don't just suddenly appear in the Head Realm, but rather, they come from a 'different world' through the Head Realm as a middle passage...!'
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord falls into confusion.
The Radiance Eight Immortals do not believe there is another world outside Mount Sumeru.
Mount Sumeru itself is already vast and endless.
The Supreme Deities and Heavenly Venerables claim there's 'another world' and spout nonsense about wanting to go there, as if they're afflicted with madness.
But that's only because those Supreme Deities have raised their rank and weight class far beyond necessity and thus feel Mount Sumeru to be narrow.
If they only raised their rank and weight class in accordance to their place, Mount Sumeru would have been more than spacious enough to live in.
That is why the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, as one of the Radiance Eight Immortals, has always despised those Supreme Deities who spout such nonsense.
As one of the Radiance Eight Immortals, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord has always blocked those mad Supreme Deities who attempt to challenge the Gatekeeper of the illusionary space called the Audience Chamber—
That is, the Emptiness Supreme Deity.
Behind the Akashic Records that is the Emptiness Supreme Deity Myeong Woon, there surely lies the Absolute of Fate, and thanks to that Absolute of Fate, Mount Sumeru exists.
Without those Absolutes, Mount Sumeru would be torn apart like planets in a star system losing their central star and flung across the universe, scattered throughout the Outer Sea.
Therefore, the Radiance Eight Immortals have always strived to prevent the mad Supreme Deities from destroying or seizing the Origin Essence of History and the Origin Essence of Fate that lies behind it.
The idea that there is another world beyond the Emptiness Supreme Deity Myeong Woon is nonsense, and the Radiance Eight Immortals, over generations, have infiltrated the Head Realm with Immortal Arts, prophecies, and winged garments to prove it.
The emergence of Enders is simply the overlapping of special information located within the Akashic Records, and the reason they possess unique cultural styles is because they are information bodies born from hidden histories within the Akashic Records.
That has been, until now, the common sense, history, and truth known to the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.
'Then what in the world does this mean...!?'
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord feels her entire belief in the world crumbling.
Beyond Mount Sumeru.
Beyond the Emptiness Supreme Deity.
There exists 'another world'!
Moreover, this world seems to operate under laws completely different from Mount Sumeru.
In other words...
There are no True Immortals in this world, and in the era where Seo Eun-hyun lives, no transcendents appear.
'Isn't this...isn't this practically...the utopia of Radiance Hall...?'
A world where everyone lives free from the oppression of fate and the tyranny of transcendents, and can enjoy life.
Though there are dictators, tyrants, wicked rulers, and even a soap company CEO committing crimes here and there, compared to the tyranny and abuse of true transcendents that the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord has witnessed, such things seem more than bearable.
'Beautiful...'
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, alongside Seo Eun-hyun, visits the kindergarten, school, military, and society, and marvels at the beauty of this world.
However, amidst all this—
That day finally arrives.
Vroom vroom—
Seo Eun-hyun grips the steering wheel of a magic artifact called a car.
And then, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord screams.
[Ah, no!]
But this place is merely a world inside Seo Eun-hyun's memory.
There is nothing the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord can do.
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord must watch as Seo Eun-hyun and the others are helplessly swept away by a landslide and killed.
[No!!! Seo Eun-hyun!!]
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord sinks into grief.
Such a beautiful world.
Such a radiant world...
And yet, he passes away at a young age without even fully enjoying it within the span of his life.
To the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, that is far too tragic.
And then...
[...Huh?]
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord witnesses [someone] approaching the Enders who are dying in the landslide, disregarding all physical laws.
Immediately afterward, the light in the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's eyes, her vision, her entire face, and head burst into flames.
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, faced with a rank so overwhelming no Heavenly Lord could dare withstand, loses consciousness and faints for a moment.
Thinking, for some reason, that she might have seen a 'familiar symbol'...
Tst, tststststss...
"Ugh...I feel dizzy."
'I' gather my dazed mind and look around.
Whispers of endless stories murmur in my ears.
But at the same time, my reason solidifies, and I recognize that the 'connection' has now been fully completed.
'It's done. I've connected to Mount Sumeru. But...'
I immediately realize that the flow of time between Mount Sumeru and the Outer Sea is different.
'Because the flow of time is different, it's difficult to synchronize the flow of consciousness... This is quite difficult.'
I look at my information body, which has taken the form of my childhood self, and scan the surroundings.
"...But, who was that just now?"
Though I was in a haze, I clearly remember someone hugging the information body from behind.
'It was warm...'
"Was it Kang Min-hee...? Or...the Imperial Venerable? But why can't I see anyone?"
Through stories, I generated twilight true energy, and from that, I created an information body.
But the created information body is currently at a mortal level and cannot escape the Inner Sea on its own.
Someone has to come.
Just then,
Tssuaaaaa—
A pale mist seems to spread out in front of me, and someone appears.
"...! You're..."
That massive frame and bulging muscles.
This person is someone deeply familiar to me...
It is Oh Hyun-seok.
"Hyun-seok Hyung-nim!"
"Seo Eun-hyun! It's been a while. I heard you went out to the Outer Sea. Is that a clone?"
"Yes, well...you could say that."
"Hahaha, you look all weak and scrawny. You definitely need to be fed and raised properly."
Oh Hyun-seok lifts me up with one hand and places me on his shoulder as he speaks.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon, Kang Min-hee, and the others are currently digesting the rapid increase in rank and strength, so I came. I digested my rank quickly thanks to my master's help."
"Mm...I see."
'...Then, was the presence I felt earlier the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld? The Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld must have briefly protected me until Oh Hyun-seok arrived.'
"About Young-hoon Hyung-nim... I've heard some things, but I was told you know best, so I came to ask. Just what exactly happened?"
"...He..."
I roughly explain his situation.
"...I see. He used the Ender authority to jump to some point in the future...got it. That aside, I heard Kim Yeon and Oh Hye-seo are currently with you. I understand Kim Yeon, but...why did Hye-seo go with you...?"
"That's because Oh Hye-seo...is the medium of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity, and effectively their Immortal Treasure."
I also explain the situation regarding Oh Hye-seo to Oh Hyun-seok, and he nods as he carries me on his shoulder and charges out of the Inner Sea into a nearby Heavenly Domain.
"...I see. So that's what happened with Hye-seo."
"..."
Tuuuung—
After flying for a while, we enter the Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain.
Kugugugu!
And there, we come before something like a massive 'egg'.
"That is..."
Two enormous eggs float in the void of the Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain, and countless star veins are tangled like circuits, connecting to those eggs.
"That's Jeon Myeong-hoon and Kang Min-hee. I heard the Liberation Supreme Deity made those for their transformation. Apparently the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld personally requested it...but I don't really know their exact purpose."
"I see..."
"By the time they emerge, they'll have probably fully digested their Ender authority and their suddenly increased rank."
Suddenly increased rank.
It seems to refer to how their rank soared rapidly due to the taenghwa I brought from the last cycle.
"I heard each of them needs to be in there for about a hundred years to awaken, so let's sit and have a talk."
Oh Hyun-seok takes me inside a nearby planet.
A corner of a planet inhabited by the Human Race.
Oh Hyun-seok sets me down on the roof of a massive skyscraper, and, as if he swiped it from somewhere, pours himself a cup of clear wine and drinks.
"I'll take a cup too..."
"Nope. You're in a kid's body."
"What? How is that supposed to work? Do you know how old I am...?"
"Still no."
After drinking clear wine for a while, Oh Hyun-seok speaks with a bitter expression.
"...The foundation, 'Hall of Love'. The orphanage under it, 'Cozy Home'. Oh Hye-seo is from there. It was run by my eldest brother."
"...I've heard about it."
"Did I mention it before? Anyway...When I was young, since the orphanage was managed by our family, I went there to volunteer a few times. Though honestly...it felt more like just visiting my big brother's place rather than volunteering. Anyway...that's where I first met Oh Hye-seo."
From Oh Hyun-seok's mouth, stories about Oh Hye-seo's past begin to flow.
"I'm...not a pedophile or anything. But anyway, when I was seventeen and she was ten, I was kind of shocked. As you probably know...because she was incredibly pretty."
"Mm..."
"So at first, I took care of her the most. But I don't know if you know this. It turned out she had a mental illness."
"A mental illness...?"
"I don't know the exact diagnosis, but...anything she's interested in, she has to figure out everything about it. For example, after she took an interest in me, she searched the orphanage internet and looked up my past, my records, my dental records, and even the condition of my teeth. She figured out everything."
"..."
I'm a little surprised by this unexpected answer.
I knew she wasn't entirely sane, but to think she had such an obsession.
"When I asked her why, you know what she said? 'I'm the type who likes to investigate what I want to have'."
"...I guess she didn't realize that saying stuff like that could get her sent to a psychiatrist."
"Well...at first, I was going to tell my eldest brother to send her to a mental hospital. But then she said this: 'But, Hyun-seok oppa, I'm going to stop researching you now. Because you like me. Because I don't want to possess you, but want to live together with you.' That's what she said. So I just...told her not to do that again, quietly mentioned it to my brother, and buried it as a secret."
His gaze darkens slightly.
"She gave me some chills...but she was a pure and good kid. Oh Hye-seo, that girl... But around that time, I got pushed by the elders in my family to study abroad in Germany."
"...Hyung-nim, you studied in Germany?"
"Why do you ask?"
"It's just...hard to picture you speaking German..."
"...You're not perhaps seeing me as some kind of simple-minded musclehead or anything, right?"
"...Of course not."
"..."
Oh Hyun-seok eyes me suspiciously for a moment, but soon continues explaining.
"Anyway...after finishing university in Germany, I came back to Korea, got my master's in grad school, and stopped by the orphanage, only to find out she had already moved out and was living independently. But from what my eldest brother said, she got scolded harshly after digging into my background again. After that, she apparently stopped talking much...seemed to study hard alone, and I heard she entered the chemistry department on a full scholarship.
"Then not long after, as you know, she joined our company and came looking for me. She smiled brightly and said she joined to repay the kindness she received at 'Cozy Home'...but I could tell. Her expression might have brightened, but the purity that used to be in her eyes completely disappeared."
"..."
"From that point on, you know how it was. She worked decently enough in the company, got subtly involved in office politics, and blended in with the crowd decently enough. But I kept feeling uneasy around Hye-seo. Like...one day she was going to cause some kind of incident.
"But before I could dig deeper into Hye-seo...we ended up coming over to this world."
Oh Hyun-seok looks up at the sky.
"And...at first. When we were betrayed by Oh Hye-seo, I felt betrayed, but also somewhat relieved. Because the unease I always felt while watching her in the company disappeared when I saw her with that Seo Hweol guy.
"The purity and 'happiness' that had vanished from Oh Hye-seo's eyes...seemed to be completely full again when she was with that Seo Hweol guy."
"...Is that so?"
I smile bitterly at those words.
If Oh Hye-seo was happy with Seo Hweol...then I am the one who shattered her happiness.
"It's not your fault. That guy Seo Hweol...even I thought he was dangerous. Even if she was happy with him, eventually he would've dragged Hye-seo into danger for his own goals. You did well to take him down."
"I think so too. Seo Hweol...needed to die, for all of our safety."
"That's right. But what I'm trying to say is...after Seo Hweol died, Oh Hye-seo returned to the same state of unease as before. No, she probably became even more unstable. I...saw the moment of her sealing through Kang Min-hee's history reading. Her eyes back then... They were...incredibly dangerous."
"...You have something you want to say."
I sense Oh Hyun-seok's intention and ask.
Oh Hyun-seok nods and speaks.
"...Could you let me talk with Oh Hye-seo? I...want to speak openly with her. Have an honest, real conversation. I want to help her correct what's gone wrong."
"'Correct...huh?"
I don't know what to say.
Oh Hye-seo doesn't have something like a heart.
No, to be precise...it's faint.
Oh Hye-seo was born as a dull and emotionless creature, like a snake.
So the idea of 'correcting' her simply doesn't exist.
How can you correct something that was never there to begin with?
'Wouldn't it...just be better to just seal her for eternity?'
But I recall Kim Yeon, who is with me in the Outer Sea, and erase that thought.
'...Maybe, this too is arrogance.'
I erase the arrogance that Kim Yeon helped me realize.
A person's heart isn't something I can dare judge.
It is not something I can control.
'If it's Oh Hyun-seok...maybe he can persuade Oh Hye-seo.'
After all, he even remembers her childhood which I don't know about.
Maybe such a thing is possible.
'Besides, there's plenty of time.'
The time until we return from the Outer Sea is uncertain.
If Oh Hye-seo can be persuaded during that time, it might be the best possible path.
"...In that case, Hyung-nim. I'll let you meet her."
Woo-wooong—
After syncing with my main body, I ask Kim Yeon for help.
With Kim Yeon's assistance, I extract only Oh Hye-seo's consciousness sealed within me and connect it to the information body.
Tstststststs—
In an instant, the appearance of the information body changes.
Just as how the information body manifested the appearance of my childhood because it is weak,
When it tries to manifest Oh Hye-seo's form, the lack of power results in the appearance of a young girl version of Oh Hye-seo.
"...It's how you looked the first time we met, Hye-seo."
Oh Hyun-seok looks at the information body with a nostalgic expression, and soon, having come to her senses, she glances around and smiles faintly as if she's grasped the situation.
"...Who's this now?"
And then, at her next words, Oh Hyun-seok, me, and even Kim Yeon who is drawing information from me, can't help but be shocked.
Oh Hye-seo looks at Oh Hyun-seok and gives a weak, mocking smile.
"My foolish first love. Long time no see, Youngest Father Hyun-seok."
Translator Notes: Youngest Father meaning youngest uncle.
-x-X-x-
'First, first love?'
Am I hearing this wrong?
What kind of person tries so hard to throw their so-called first love into a world that's practically hell?
I recall how Oh Hye-seo once tried to throw us into the Blood Yin Realm along with Oh Hyun-seok, and I let out a hollow laugh in the Outer Sea.
"...First love...you say?"
Then, as Oh Hyun-seok's expression completely hardens, Oh Hye-seo laughs as if wondering why he's so serious.
"Loosen your expression. It doesn't matter anymore anyway. Even when I stupidly said I wanted to keep living together, you didn't even pretend to listen. A youngest father who didn't even acknowledge someone like me and just went abroad to study...I really don't care anymore."
"...I'm sorry. But back then..."
"Oh, I know, Uncle. A mere orphan from the orphanage your eldest brother ran wouldn't have meant anything to you, right? Even if I said I wanted to live together, it must have sounded like a child's nonsense. More than anything...seven years is just a breath's worth of time now, but back when we were mortals, that age gap was...pretty repulsive, right?"
"It wasn't repulsive. Even the male staff sticking to you at the time were mostly younger than you. Take Seo Eun-hyun, for example. There's a six year age gap."
"Six years you say? In actual age, it's more like four or five."
Oh Hye-seo grumbles a little, then gives a faint smile.
"More importantly...we don't really know Seo Eun-hyun's real age, do we? Did you know, Youngest Father Hyun-seok? Seo Eun-hyun...isn't from the Human Race. Yeon-ah, you're listening too, right? You're the one transmitting us from the Outer Sea after all. Listen closely...Seo Eun-hyun isn't human. He's a reptilian who's been wearing a human mask since Earth!"
"..."
At those words, Oh Hyun-seok looks at Oh Hye-seo with pity, Kim Yeon stifles a laugh at the sudden absurd mention of the Lizard Race, and I let out a sigh.
'If that's how we're going, then she herself is the one wearing a human mask while being non-human. Who's she to talk?'
Wo-woong!
I create a small information body beside Oh Hye-seo and speak.
"Whether I'm from the Lizard Race or not doesn't matter. What matters is that I'm still Seo Eun-hyun, and we're comrades. Whether human or not...we've all formed a connection together. That's enough. The real issue...is you, Oh Hye-seo."
I look into Oh Hye-seo's eyes and point out the deepest, most entrenched emotion in her heart right now.
"You're...planning to commit suicide if you fail to revive Seo Hweol, aren't you?"
At those words, Oh Hyun-seok is shocked again and shouts.
"Is that true, Hye-seo?"
"...Ah... Seriously...You have no sense of consideration, Seo Eun-hyun. Just dragging out someone's feelings like that..."
"Oh Hye-seo! Don't dodge the question, answer properly!"
"...Don't pretend to care, Hyun-seok Oppa. You're too dense to understand anyway, aren't you? As the youngest in the family, so far down the line of succession, you don't know anything about the family affairs. You grew up being spoiled and loved, only seeing and hearing the good things as the cute little youngest son... You know nothing."
"What do you mean I don't know anything!?"
"...Kuk... Kukuk... Kukukukuk... Ah... This is hilarious. What should I do? This is just too funny. I haven't had this much fun in a long time. To think you'd take such a deep interest in me..."
Oh Hye-seo giggles and buries her face in both hands.
"For someone to show such deep and persistent interest in me...it's feels like it's been a long time since Seo Hweol..."
I flinch, reading Oh Hye-seo's innermost thoughts.
Perhaps sensing that, Oh Hye-seo looks at me.
"...You read it."
"...Yeah."
"Are you going to say it?"
"If you keep your mouth shut till the end..."
"...Cruel. You're really cruel, Seo Eun-hyun... Digging up someone's secret like that and exposing it so carelessly..."
"Are you not the same? I heard you dug up everything about Hyun-seok Hyung-nim when you were still in the Oh Clan."
"...Fine. Since everything is going to be exposed because of Seo Eun-hyun anyway...I'll tell you. Hyun-seok Orabeoni. I'll tell you about the disgrace your Oh Clan has been hiding..."
Oh Hye-seo sneers and speaks.
"When we were little, the orphans from 'Cozy Home' always had their teeth counted. The physical information centered on our teeth was measured regularly, and that information always went up to 'Father'."
"So what about it?"
"Aren't you curious why they measured that kind of thing? You only need a health checkup once or twice a year. Why do you think they did it every single week?"
"..."
"Of course you wouldn't know. I understand. You're the youngest who only ever got affection, so you were never really involved in the family's core business. From what I found out, they were planning to open up the family secrets to you only after you earned a director position on your own... But, well, you came here before that happened..."
Oh Hye-seo's eyes are filled with exhilaration.
I read her inner heart and let out a silent sigh.
She wants to break Oh Hyun-seok.
She wants to show him the dirtiest secrets of his family and watch him scream in despair.
"Then I'll tell you, Hyun-seok Orabeoni. Listen closely. Your family, the Oh Clan, is a low-ranking member of a rather large secret organization. One that's connected to illicit organisations like the mafia, triads, and gangs.
"And...you all know about 'Special Additive Type 3' used in the soap that the Oh Family makes, right?"
We nod.
It's true our company's soaps contain not only standard ingredients but also several chemical additives developed by a department called the 'Special Materials Division'.
"Those special additives...are basically substances that alter people. When extremely diluted, they help with skin care and appearance, but in proper dosages, they have effects like 'delaying aging and extending lifespan.' Of course, even that's diluted to some extent. There are rumors in the Special Development Division that if someone were to consume the pure, undiluted concentrate, an adult could turn back into a child. Obviously, with Earth's tech level, an adult actually turning into a child probably wouldn't happen."
"What...!?"
"Take Oh Ye-rin, who's related to Hyun-seok Orabeoni, and is married to Director Kim Young-hoon... Kim Young-hoon, who represents one branch of the Oh Clan... Didn't you ever think it was strange how healthy he always looked? Even at his age, he was obsessed with hiking, and he started balding unusually fast, too."
"..."
"Director Kim Young-hoon was constantly absorbing products heavily infused with special additives, like the 'soap with high additive concentration' that's given only to Oh Clan members. Oh Ye-rin was steadily administering it in a suitable way into his body. That's why he was way healthier than his age would suggest. The severe hair loss was just a side effect."
"...!"
I suddenly recall something that was definitely strange.
'In the Head Realm...Kim Young-hoon's lifespan was projected to last 50 to 60 years from the day he entered.'
And by that point, Kim Young-hoon was already in his fifties.
Considering that complete transformation doesn't affect lifespan, only vitality and appearance, it was strange.
'Meaning...Kim Young-hoon's lifespan was around 110 years. In other words, even if he hadn't entered the Head Realm and stayed on Earth, he still would've lived healthily up to 110...'
Given that my own original lifespan was around 80, Kim Young-hoon's was excessively long.
The level of medical care on Earth is high and people talk about living to 100 or even 200 years, but in the Head Realm where medical standards are low...
Even with martial arts, I did think living that long was strange.
'So from the beginning...from the moment he joined the soap company and was registered into the Oh Clan, that long lifespan was already planned?'
"And what about you, Hyun-seok Orabeoni? Or the entire Oh Clan? How many people on Earth can maintain that kind of physique and muscle mass at your age...and keep such monstrous stamina? Kukuk... And the workouts you all do are just a bit more intense than the average office worker's. So why are you all so healthy and full of energy?"
"..."
"All of it. It's because you were all unknowingly ingesting appropriate amounts of the 'Special Additive Type 3,' the compound that the Oh Clan was co-developing after receiving it from the secret organization."
Oh Hyun-seok's eyes begin to tremble.
"Wh-What in the world...? Father... Our family...has been hiding something like that?"
"Just hiding it? Kukuk...They've been actively developing it. And...what do you think it means for a family linked to illegal organizations like the Oh Clan to be involved in 'development'? Have you ever thought about it?"
Oh Hyun-seok's eyes tremble intensely, as if realizing something in her tone, and I too let out a silent sigh.
"The Cozy Home under the foundation of the Hall of Love. Every product, food, and item those children used contained substances related to Special Additive Type 3. It's no different from feeding children soap in their food..."
'How could they commit something so outrageous...? How could they do that to children...?'
I groan inwardly at the truth, and Oh Hyun-seok can only gape with his mouth wide open.
"Cozy Home is just a giant clinical testing facility. Of course, they only use drugs with weaker side effects to prevent mass casualties, but honestly, no one really knows what the results would be. And of course...a very small number of children are given stronger drugs for experimentation, too."
"...You...you're saying you were a test subject for one of those strong-side-effect drugs...?"
"Ahaha, not quite. I was born like this. The side effects I had were just things like getting blisters on my skin or catching scurvy often. Of course...because of you, I almost ended up taking one of the drugs with severe side effects."
"What...?"
"I just wanted to open up to Hyun-seok Orabeoni. Because you were the only one in the Oh Clan who knew nothing about its darker side. And...no matter what happened, I thought Hyun-seok Orabeoni was the only person who'd take my side. That's why I stopped investigating you and tried to tell you everything...but you told that to 'Father'."
Oh Hyun-seok's face contorts.
"That day...you told 'Father' without much thought, didn't you? Thinking a ten-year-old orphan digging into the personal information of the orphanage director's sibling was a sign of mental illness. You thought the orphanage director would kindly give me psychological treatment, right? Ahaha, our innocent and cruel Hyun-seok Orabeoni..."
Oh Hye-seo's face also distorts.
"After that...I got dragged into 'Father's Heart Room'...and was punished."
"P-Punished...? What kind of punishment!?"
"...Let's just say I got beaten. Beaten until I could barely stay conscious. Well...that part wasn't a problem. But after that, I got classified as a Special Monitoring Subject and they started discussing using me as a target for strong-side-effect drug testing. Of course...after getting beaten in the 'Heart Room,' I start pretending to be a little slow to weaken the surveillance. I always switched my food with the others' behind their backs, so I didn't suffer any side effects."
"..."
"The kid I regularly swapped meals with got sick and was eventually sent to the hospital. I don't know what happened after that. Probably died. Kukuk..."
Oh Hye-seo grins as she speaks.
"I liked you. Well...I only realized recently that it was 'love'. Back then, I just thought it was a special interest...but anyway, I liked you. Because you were the one who always helped and protected me at the orphanage. But...my first love, with such indifference, with just one careless, responsibility-free comment, almost got me killed."
Her laughter grows gradually louder.
Her face seems to brighten, but her heart begins to fill with darkness.
In that darkness, there may be a hint of exaggeration to break Oh Hyun-seok down, but there are no lies.
"After that, I decided to join the company run by the Oh Clan. I wanted to know what kind of family this was. What's behind this family? What's hidden in the world's shadows...? I was curious. Illuminati, Freemasons, or maybe reptilians...I thought there had to be something strange like that. So...I dug to know everything around me. Thanks to that, I know everything from your dental records to the condition of your teeth, Seo Eun-hyun. The physical state of everyone in our company...aside from a few exceptions, I know it all."
"..."
"But I didn't expect a reptilian to perfectly disguise as a human and hide so discreetly. That was my mistake. I thought the idea that reptilians secretly rule humanity had less than a 0.1% chance of being real...but I underestimated you all."
I feel taken aback that my company is such a place.
But Oh Hyun-seok looks like he's about to explode.
"My original plan, you see...was to use the talent I was born with...to take control of the company, crush the Oh family under my feet...and then kill myself. That was my plan on Earth. But after coming to this world, I start thinking there are just too many hidden truths. Of course, seeing True Immortals changed my mind a bit...and Seo Hweol comforted me.
"So...I decided to be with Seo Hweol. I barely even think about Hyun-seok Orabeoni anymore. Right now, Seo Hweol's body has vanished for a while, but his spirit still remains with me. I'll prepare for years, even hundreds of millions of years...and I'll definitely resurrect Seo Hweol."
She looks straight at Oh Hyun-seok and me as she speaks.
"You can't stop me now. For Seo Hweol...has shown me what true 'love' is. Neither the dull Hyun-seok Orabeoni, nor the reptilian Seo Eun-hyun...none of you can stop me. Because...I've inherited the way to wield 'love' from Seo Hweol."
Kaang!
Oh Hye-seo's spirit draws forth her Ender authority to the max to escape from the seal.
Truth Manipulation activates, and the very truth that she is caught begins to replicate endlessly.
For a brief moment, it feels as though countless parallel dimensions form.
Within the afterimages of those numerous parallel dimensions, countless versions of Oh Hye-seo simultaneously reach their hands toward Oh Hyun-seok.
At the same time, the Immortal Art Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens activates.
Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, now united with her authority, seems to take root in our minds.
But immediately after—
Kwaduk!
As I exert my strength, all the authority she tries to wield gets sucked into my hand and is annihilated.
That is because the power I have accumulated is greater than both her Ender authority and the petty Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
"I forbid (不許) it. Do not dare to think of escape."
Even after witnessing me compress a universe, destroy it, and recreate it, the fact she still does not lose hope is, at the very least, commendable.
"But...your method is wrong. If it's you, you could easily slip past the restrictions of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity, and it doesn't even seem like the Great Mountain Supreme Deity is that intent on holding on to you... So why do you continue to live foolishly under their rule and use such wicked means?"
"...They said if I fulfilled their orders, they would bring Seo Hweol back to life. That's all."
It is then,
Oh Hyun-seok opens his mouth with a darkened expression.
"Stop lying, Hye-seo."
"What?"
"From long ago...your lies were always obvious. Maybe you thought you fooled everyone else...but not me. I've always seen through your lies. You are lying right now."
"Ha! That's funny, Uncle. Youngest Father. Hyun-seok Orabeoni. You never cared about me in the first place, so how could you possibly see through my lies...?"
"Because even though I didn't care about you in a romantic way, I truly considered you family. You were...no different from my younger sister..."
"..."
"So...just be honest. Oh Hye-seo. Do you really believe that guy Seo Hweol can be brought back to life?"
Oh Hyun-seok's eyes are filled with a will I've never seen before.
No...
It's not the first time I've seen that look.
'Back in the Azure Heaven Creation Sect. It's the look he gave when he awakened me.'
"Was what you felt for me truly 'love'? And the feeling you have for that Seo Hweol guy, is that really 'love'!?"
At Oh Hyun-seok's fierce shout, the blood drains from Oh Hye-seo's face.
Watching it, I understand instantly.
I understand what kind of state she is in right now.
"Look into my eyes and answer clearly. Oh Hye-seo! Do you truly believe Seo Hweol can be revived!?"
"...I don't get why you're doing this."
But she smiles crookedly and stares at Oh Hyun-seok.
"I love Seo Hweol. You were my first love, and I definitely loved you back then. Where's the lie in that...?"
Kuuung!
Oh Hyun-seok rises and takes a step toward Oh Hye-seo.
Above a star within a star system.
On the rooftop of a skyscraper in a Human Race territory, Oh Hye-seo steps backward.
"Why are you doing this? Even if I did lie, it has nothing to do with all of you! Now, Seo Hweol isn't even a threat to any of you anymore! Seo Eun-hyun, you, you...could crush Seo Hweol along with the entire universe if he becomes a threat, so why are you acting like this? Even if Seo Hweol comes back, what does it matter to you now that you've reached the True Immortal Realm?"
Kuuung!
Oh Hyun-seok takes another step toward her with a hardened expression.
And the smile that fills her face begins to disappear.
"Don't come. Don't come! Why!!?? You didn't care before, you tried to throw me into a mental hospital without a second thought, so why are you trying to come to me now!? Why now!? I don't have any feelings for you anymore. That's the truth! I just, just need Seo Hweol!"
Kuuung!
Oh Hye-seo finally reaches the edge of the skyscraper, and Oh Hyun-seok stands right before her.
Kwaaak!
Oh Hyun-seok grabs her shoulder and looks down at her.
"...Back on Earth...I lost a daughter to miscarriage. And even the daughter I got after coming to Mount Sumeru...I left her behind on Penglai Island. There have been far too many children...I failed to protect with these hands..."
"..."
"Now, I want to protect. I might not be able to protect and lead everyone like Seo Eun-hyun...but at least my family! At least you, who is my family! I don't want to lose you!"
"Don't make me laugh! Why are you doing this to me!? I told you I don't care about you! I...I learned love from Seo Hweol. I received my heart from him. And I even learned how to control and observe my heart from him. I know myself better than anyone else!"
"I told you not to lie!!"
Oh Hyun-seok's grip on Oh Hye-seo's shoulder begins to tighten.
"Is there really nothing you want to let out to me!? Just moments ago, you exposed all the disgrace of the Oh Clan like that, and yet you've got nothing to say to me!? Are the feelings you hold for that Seo Hweol guy really nothing but love!?"
"Shut uuuuuuuuuup!!"
Chwararararak!
Oh Hye-seo's information body becomes stained with darkness.
She avoids facing Oh Hyun-seok, hides deep into the seal I created, and further seals herself within Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
"..."
"..."
Oh Hyun-seok and I stand in place, unable to do anything but watch the process.
"...Even with my power, I can't get Oh Hye-seo out..."
Through Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, she locked her own soul away.
She completely closed the door to her heart, making it so that no being can interfere with her.
"...Do you still want to keep talking to Oh Hye-seo? Even after hearing something that shocking?"
"...I will keep talking to her."
But Oh Hyun-seok speaks with a hardened face.
"If I can, I want to talk to her again and again, over and over, until she finally spits out her true feelings."
"You mean you want her to reveal her true heart?"
"Yes. To Hye-seo, who doesn't even know if what's in her heart is really love or something else, and yet is walking into ruin with her own two feet...I want her to look back at her real heart."
"...Hyung-nim, are you alright?"
"I'm not alright. But..."
Oh Hyun-seok looks off somewhere with a stiff face.
"...I've already lost my family twice. I don't want to...lose my family again. Rather than knowing the truth about family...losing my family is what truly terrifies me more."
"..."
"You said she locked her soul away with Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens. If we can just undo that, then I'll be able to talk to her again, right?"
"That is correct, but...if she used Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens like this for self-protection, undoing it may be...incredibly difficult."
"Hm... What should I do...?"
Oh Hyun-seok ponders for a long while, and I watch him with a bitter smile.
"Let's try together with Kim Yeon, even if it takes hundreds of millions of years."
Tststststststss—
With those words, I return my consciousness to the Outer Sea.
Wo-woooong!
In my hand is the jade of Yin-Yang and Five Elements that imprisons Oh Hye-seo's main body, and Kim Yeon looks at me with a worried expression.
It seems she's worried about Oh Hyun-seok.
"...It's alright, Yeon-ah. Hyung-nim Hyun-seok won't break easily."
It's something only I, who once had my head burst apart by his roar, can say with certainty.
Even if it's Oh Hye-seo, someday she'll open her heart to Oh Hyun-seok.
However, Kim Yeon shakes her head at my words.
"...No way."
I look toward where her concerned gaze falls.
She...is worried about Oh Hye-seo.
"...You're worrying about her?"
"Mmm."
"Why? Oh Hye-seo is just...someone who tried to toy with us. If not for Hyun-seok Hyung-nim, I honestly would've gone and killed her long ago. So why are you bothering to worry about her?"
At that, Kim Yeon seems to hesitate for a moment.
Then after a moment, Kim Yeon uses Immortal Art to partially lift Bong Myeong's restriction, takes my hand, and begins writing letters on my palm.
"Hm...?"
As I read the letters, my eyes gradually widen.
"Wh-What...?"
—Inside Oh Hye-seo's body, a new life is growing.
I look at Kim Yeon with a dazed expression as if I've just been hit, and she gives a bitter smile as she writes a few more characters on my palm.
—Through my authority, I sensed it. Deep within her body...a new life is sprouting. And what is certain is...it is the result of sharing hearts with that being called Seo Hweol. So...even if it's not for Oh Hye-seo herself, at least for that life...please worry for her.
"..."
I frown, trying to sense this 'new life' that couldn't be known in the future and isn't even caught by Indra's Net.
'Kim Yeon isn't even lying. That means she really discovered something through her authority... Wait...'
Suddenly, I recall the slight changes in Oh Hye-seo's attitude I'd seen in the future.
'That subtle detachment in her demeanor...the way she gave up on saving Seo Hweol and chose to end her own life...those weren't just due to the passing of time... Maybe...'
If that's true, then this isn't just about Oh Hye-seo alone.
"...Alright, Yeon-ah. I believe you. In that case..."
—Be a little more delicate. Don't try to forcefully break open the door to her heart. Try approaching a bit more gently.
"...Gently. Gently, huh...?"
But I can't help but feel a little flustered.
Just how am I supposed to gently unravel Oh Hye-seo's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens?
It's when I'm pondering this.
[You're not delicate at all. If you can't even approach a female gently, can you really call yourself a male?]
"...Huh?"
"...!"
Kim Yeon and I flinch in surprise and widen our eyes, and can't help but be shocked at the figure that suddenly appears in the Outer Sea.
"G-G-Glass Peacock!! How!?"
That's right.
The one who suddenly popped out of the void before our eyes is none other than Glass Peacock.
[It's nothing special. This girl was harboring a strong reproductive urge toward you, so I mixed a strand of Glass Avidyā Advancement Light into a split soul and rode that desire to send a split soul along.]
Glass Peacock transforms into the appearance of a Human Race woman, wearing a smug expression.
[Of course, it was a risky gamble. I don't even know anything about the spell of Celestial Lord Incense Burning, and this split soul is at most at the level of a spirit leftover. If it can't absorb lust from the surroundings, it can't take form, and even if it does absorb enough to take shape, it still wouldn't be able to act unless it connects at least once with the main body in Mount Sumeru. In other words, you could say I was 'lucky'. Though, getting that luck to happen is all my skill.]
"..."
I stare at Glass Peacock's clone for a moment, then reach out my hand.
Since it's only a clone, I might as well crush it.
[Wait, hold on. I have a proposal.]
"...If it's something like mating with you..."
[No, it's not that. Although, if you did, I would certainly be happy...but right now, I want something even more enticing.]
The clone of Glass Peacock licks their lips and points at the jade of Yin-Yang and Five Elements in my hand.
[I want the Great Mountain Holy Mother. I truly want to heal her. You all want to undo the Immortal Art she's wrapped herself in too, right? I'll help you. After all, I'm the one who gave birth to the 'Owner of Liberation' as my descendant. Moreover, the Immortal Dao I walk is the Dao of Addiction. More precisely, the Dao of 'Wandering'. With me, I can directly negate that Immortal Art called Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens and unravel the mental labyrinth of the Great Mountain Holy Mother Oh Hye-seo without hurting her!]
At Glass Peacock's words, Kim Yeon and I glance at each other.
Somehow...
It sounds plausible.
[And you say she's bearing new life? Hahaha! Even better. I will bless it to ensure that life is properly born. So how about it? Join hands with me. Let me 'save' the Great Mountain Holy Mother Oh Hye-seo!]
Glass Peacock licks their lips and, with a half-mad expression, extends their hand to me and Kim Yeon.
And so, we take Glass Peacock's hand and begin the long process of dismantling the Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens that Oh Hye-seo used to seal away her own mind.