Kururung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon feels the lightning rampaging inside his body and quickly begins to learn the Sword Extreme Heart Method, informing his comrades of the situation.
"...Yeah, Kang Min-hee. The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord is currently telling me to learn something called the Sword Extreme Heart Method. Could you perhaps petition the Underworld to verify if this is real?"
"Hmm, they are responding right away. Surprisingly, it's genuine, and they say I should learn it too."
Kang Min-hee nods slightly in surprise as she communicates with the Underworld.
"And I'll let Oh Hyun-seok Orabeoni know myself. Seeing how they say that we, as Enders, must absolutely learn it, it really seems like the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord realized something and decided to side with us."
"Hmm, got it. If even you and the Underworld say so... Then, is it possible to request support from the Underworld for three days?"
"Well, the Underworld says that they won't stop me from going, but they won't go out of their way to exert power against the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, who might end up as an ally."
"As expected... So in the end, we really have to handle this with our own hands."
"Seems like it. I'll go ask Hyun-seok Orabeoni and his master, the Naming Supreme Deity. You just focus on learning that heart method as fast as possible."
"Got it."
With those words, Kang Min-hee departs for the Elephant Nose Heavenly Domain where Oh Hyun-seok resides, while Jeon Myeong-hoon begins slowly learning the Sword Extreme Heart Method with Golden Shaking Bird.
"Mm! At least the beginning part isn't difficult."
The Sword Extreme Heart Method consists of three stages in total.
In the first stage, through the consciousness domain of a True Immortal, one must measure the movements of mortals as well as the particles within their inner world.
One must track the flows within one's own history to find the movement that fits them best.
Whether fortunately or unfortunately, the Sword Extreme Heart Method itself seems as though someone had followed Jeon Myeong-hoon's entire life like Seo Eun-hyun and written down the formula best suited to him, making it extremely easy for him to learn.
Tststststststs!
Seated in lotus position at a spot within the Twin Holding Heavenly Domain, Jeon Myeong-hoon breathes fate and lightning through his Immortal Body.
Kurururung!
With each breath, he recalls movements from his own history that suit him best.
—Jeon Myeong-hoon, I may be beating the hell out of you right now, but you're more than capable of standing against me.
—Kuaaaagh! Seo Eun-hyun! I said stop hitting me already! There's already a big difference in realm between us, so how am I supposed to stand against you!?
It's an old memory from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.
—You're more than capable of standing against me. What I'm teaching you while beating you right now aren't movements from cultivation methods or demon beast methods, but movements that follow the principles of martial doctrine. No matter how big the difference in realm, embodying enlightenment from a completely different path can become a variable that surpasses the gap in realm.
—O-Oho... So I get to become some kind of martial arts master too?
—No. Sorry, but you're less talented than I am. It's terrible.
—...What the hell, fuck.
—But...even you have exactly one talent that lets you show movement aligned with the principles of martial doctrine.
The Seo Eun-hyun of that time spoke those words while handing Jeon Myeong-hoon a spear.
—Oho... So I have talent with the spear? Then again, the king of all weapons is the spear. If it's lightning and spear...alright, shall I try the Lightning *** Flow Spearmanship...?
[TL/N: Reference to a spear technique in Reincarnated Swordmaster that is from the main character's sect.]
—Don't spout bullshit. A spear isn't an easy weapon, and you've got no talent with it. Instead...
Seo Eun-hyun pulls out an identical spear in front of Jeon Myeong-hoon and takes a stance with it.
—Turning the spear and deflecting outward, Lan (攔). Pulling the spear inward while pressing and rotating, Na (拿). Lastly, thrusting the spear to counter, Zha (扎). The basics of spear techniques: Lan, Na, Zha.
—Wh-Why are you suddenly talking about basics...?
—Out of these basics, you at least have some talent in the technique of Zha, that is thrusting. So from now on...just practice thrusting to death.
—What? What about the other moves?
—Learning them occasionally is fine too. But with your explosive personality, your dumb brain, and your martial arts talent that's miserable to the point of being comparable to mine...if you try practicing the other forms, you'll probably find it boring and quit. So just keep repeating the only thing that will let you make real progress—thrusting.
—This, this son of a bitch...
—If you just keep repeating this thrust, and fully embody it into your body...then one day, you'll be able to land at least one hit on me.
With those words, Seo Eun-hyun continued to drill the basic spear thrust, Zha, into Jeon Myeong-hoon.
With a spear, he repeated the thrusting motion.
At first, it felt dull, and he wanted to try the other forms too, but it was just as Seo Eun-hyun said.
The other forms made no progress.
Only the simple act of 'thrusting' showed improvement each time he practiced. His stance stabilized, his body moved more smoothly, and he could feel the spear tip becoming sharper.
He lost interest in the other forms naturally, finding them dull, but thrusting alone managed to become Jeon Myeong-hoon's main technique.
Thanks to that experience, he now primarily summons and controls lightning in the form of a spear, using lightning-thrusts as his main method of attack.
Thrusting.
That one simple movement.
That is the movement the Sword Extreme Heart Method reveals to be the most appropriate for Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Woo-woooong!
The moment the Sword Extreme Heart Method recognizes that thrusting motion, it begins to move as if alive, forming a martial art perfectly optimized for Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Tsuaaaaat!
The formulas of the Sword Extreme Heart Method move and flow through his body.
In Jeon Myeong-hoon's Middle Realm, where red lightning pours down like rain.
There, the streaks of lightning begin to flow with a distinct pattern.
And that structured flow itself begins to supplement Jeon Myeong-hoon's 'thrust'.
The heart method itself enhances the form.
"Hmm, not bad."
Jeon Myeong-hoon rises to his feet, summons a spear of lightning, and assumes a stance.
In a space within the Twin Holding Heavenly Domain, he holds the spear of lightning and thrusts forward.
Paaang!
The lightning spear surges forward with him, condensing Jeon Myeong-hoon's power into a single point and detonating it.
Kwaaaaang!
Jeon Myeong-hoon watches in amazement as a star in front of him bursts apart.
"I didn't infuse any energy into it or use any Immortal Arts or spells... Using just the 'strength' I possess...I got this result?"
A stance and movement that draws out the full potential of strength he possessed but never used.
The Sword Extreme Heart Method, optimized for Jeon Myeong-hoon, supplemented his technique and awakened his potential.
[Congratulations. You have reached the Peak.]
At that moment, Jeon Myeong-hoon hears a message from the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.
'I finished the first part...and now I hear the voice of the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord. Does this mean I've officially entered the Sword Extreme Heart Method?'
[...By the way, what do you mean I've reached the Peak? I'm not into reaching any sort of peak like Seo Eun-hyun holding a sword...]
[TL/N: Peak = climax, sword = ___]
[I have no interest in lewd jokes. In any case, through the Sword Extreme Heart Method, you have reached the Peak Realm spoken of by the Heart Tribe Human Race.]
[The realm is literally called the Peak...? Ah, no, more importantly...I've heard about this from Seo Eun-hyun before. The Heart Tribe...wasn't it known to be more difficult to become one the higher you advance in Heaven Path and Earth Path Methods? Especially once you become a True Immortal, I thought learning Heart Path Methods was pretty much impossible...]
[That's how it used to be. But things have changed. Seo Eun-hyun has become a new law, and that phenomenon has been corrected. Now anyone, as long as they train through proper methods, can unfold power through Martial Arts.]
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord continues, explaining various truths to Jeon Myeong-hoon.
[In any case, since you've completed the beginning stage of the Sword Extreme Heart Method...you'll need to learn the middle and later stages as well. Fortunately, those two can be practiced simultaneously, so don't worry.]
[Hmm...! That's a relief! So how should I cultivate?]
[It's in the formula I sent to you...but to explain it once more, it goes like this.]
Jeon Myeong-hoon receives the cultivation method for the middle and late stages of the Sword Extreme Heart Method from the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.
The Sword Extreme Heart Method is, at its core, a cultivation method—yet also an 'invocation ritual' to call Seo Eun-hyun into this world.
Therefore, the most vital aspect of the Sword Extreme Heart Method is thought (念).
In the beginning stage, one gathers thought directed at Seo Eun-hyun using the Martial Art they learned as a medium.
In the middle stage, one amplifies that thought.
In the late stage, one awakens the [flower] within themselves through thought and invokes Seo Eun-hyun into their own body using that [flower].
[Currently, the Sword Extreme Heart Method has been fragmented and scattered across martial artists and Heart Tribe members across countless Decaying Corpse Realm and Astral Realms. Each time they awaken a [flower] through the Sword Extreme Heart Method...Seo Eun-hyun will find it easier and easier to return to this world. But the role of you and your fellow Enders is even more important. Your thought is stronger, in compatibility, than that of any other martial artist, of any other True Immortal. Unless it is a Heavenly Venerable or a Supreme Deity, most beings cannot surpass the thought you possess. This isn't about the realm, it's about the uniqueness you all possess.]
[Well...I get the method, but...]
Jeon Myeong-hoon breaks into a cold sweat.
[The condition for entering the middle stage...is either to reach 'Entering Heavens'...or possess a 'powerful heart toward Seo Eun-hyun'...or have an 'extreme level of mastery over a martial art'. But...how am I supposed to meet any of that?]
[Just one of the three is enough to allow entry into the middle stage. And...I created the Sword Extreme Heart Method because I believed you'd be able to make it in. So stop whining and master the whole thing within three days.]
With those final words, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord cuts off contact.
Jeon Myeong-hoon tries to send another message to the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, but the only replies he receives are dry reports concerning the 'Do Gon Sealing Plan' of Radiance Hall. No proper answers come through.
"Kuugh... Damn it..."
Jeon Myeong-hoon grits his teeth, grabs Golden Shaking Bird in his hand, and screams.
"What in the world am I supposed to do!? Golden Shaking Bird! Do they think I can enter Entering Heavens? Or that I've reached some extreme level of proficiency in a weapon? Or what, do they think my chest is bursting with a heart toward Seo Eun-hyun like some man-lover?"
Golden Shaking Bird, in the form of a hummingbird, simply blinks in Jeon Myeong-hoon's grasp.
'Uuu... Master's hand...so big and warm...'
Truthfully, Golden Shaking Bird doesn't care much about what happens in the future as long as she can stay with Jeon Myeong-hoon.
"Damn it! Three days!? There's only three days left, so what the hell am I supposed to do!?"
While communicating back and forth with Kang Min-hee and the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord and exchanging plans, Jeon Myeong-hoon hurriedly summons a lightning spear and begins practicing thrusts, while cultivating the Sword Extreme Heart Method.
"Kuaaaaagh! Sword Spear! Seo Eun-hyun! Why do all of you keep dumping this damned homework on me and leaving!? Why the hell does everyone just leave me behind!? What the hell am I even supposed to...supposed to do all by myself!!??"
Three days remain until the seal on the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity is released.
Jeon Myeong-hoon spends the first of those three days screaming and convulsing like that.
The second day arrives.
Paaang!
Jeon Myeong-hoon repeats his thrusts with the lightning spear, gritting his teeth with a face full of frustration.
"I'm getting angry."
Kwaaaang!
"Master! You're doing great! All hail Master!"
Golden Shaking Bird, as per Jeon Myeong-hoon's request from the first day, cheers him on fervently while holding two sparkling bushes in both her hands.
At first, Jeon Myeong-hoon found strength in Golden Shaking Bird's support, but the longer it goes on, the more irritation and anger swells within him.
He feels anger toward Seo Eun-hyun, who left him behind and hasn't returned, even as the time of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity's resurrection draws near.
He feels anger toward the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, who threw a heart method he can't even learn and refuses to even respond to his protests.
He feels anger toward the Underworld, who claims to protect the Enders but refuses to lend power for vengeance.
He feels anger toward Kang Min-hee and Oh Hyun-seok, who don't seem sincere, as they didn't lose family directly to the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
He even feels anger toward Kim Yeon and Kim Young-hoon, who are not here right now, and also toward Oh Hye-seo, who betrayed them multiple times.
And especially, he feels anger toward Yang Su-jin, who just had to oppose the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity and ended up creating this entire mess in the first place.
However, the one he is most furious at right now, the one who fills him with the most seething rage, is someone else.
More than the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity or Zhengli, it is someone who makes his anger boil even more.
It is Jeon Myeong-hoon himself.
He hates his own weakness.
His weak self, who without Seo Eun-hyun, without his comrades, without the help of the Underworld and the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, can't even think of standing up to face the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, feels retarded.
That weakness makes him feel like a fool.
'I couldn't protect So-hae because I'm weak.'
Paaang!
With each thrust he practices, he accumulates self-blame.
'Because I'm weak, I couldn't protect a single thing. I always had to be protected instead.'
Paaang!
'Because I'm weak, I keep trying to rely and lean on others.'
Paaaang!
'Because I'm weak and stupid, the only spear technique I can use is still the move of Zha. I can just barely unfold Lan and Na. I haven't even learned any other spear techniques! Even after wielding a lightning spear and practicing nothing but thrusts for tens of thousands of years, just like Seo Eun-hyun said! Even now! I—!'
"Never once obtained anything with my own hands!"
Kwarurururung!
Anger toward his own weak and foolish self.
Jeon Myeong-hoon cannot bear it any longer, and red lightning erupts across his entire body as he grits his teeth.
If the first day, after being informed by the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord about the resurrection of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity and receiving the Sword Extreme Heart Method, is panic—
Then the second day, spent communicating with the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord and his comrades, planning strategy and cultivating the Sword Extreme Heart Method, is anger.
Jeon Myeong-hoon rages at everything and continues thrusting without pause.
With every single thrust, the flame remaining in his chest grows stronger and hotter.
He fuels the fire of anger inside his chest, pouring all his strength into infusing that flame to the tip of his spear.
"Until when!? Until when do I have to keep doing this!!??"
It is not a resolution.
It is rage and lamentation.
Jeon Myeong-hoon knows the reality well.
Even if he trains for a hundred days, he cannot reach Entering Heaven in such a short time.
Aside from exceptional cases like the Great Mountain Supreme Deity, the Radiance Supreme Deity, and the Emptiness Supreme Deity, even among the countless Supreme Deities who have been enthroned since the formation of Mount Sumeru, the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity holds the highest level of power. There is no way Jeon Myeong-hoon can win with his strength alone.
The most he can probably do is land a pitiful, toothpick-like strike in the middle of a bombardment from the Radiance Eight Immortals.
Even that, if successful, would be a miracle.
He still absolutely lacks the power to confront the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity head-on.
And to Jeon Myeong-hoon, that truth is—
Heartbreakingly infuriating.
'So-hae...what am I supposed to do? Just what must I do to honor your spirits...!? What must I do...!? To take revenge!!??'
Kwarururung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon's thrust pierces through the Heavenly Domain and tears a hole in the dimension.
He now stands as a giant enveloped in lightning, and no sign of joy appears on his face.
Jeon Myeong-hoon knows.
If it was someone like Seo Eun-hyun, he would have pierced through space with nothing but the pure principle of martial doctrine, but in his own case—
Only by perfectly unleashing the power that has reached True Immortality without waste can he barely accomplish such a feat.
'I want to scream.'
Jeon Myeong-hoon, now transformed into lightning, twists his face like an evil spirit.
"I'm just...so angry at myself... I want to scream, to yell, to smash everything around me...and vent this rage...'
But he knows.
He is no longer a child.
'...But this anger can't be vented that way. Only by succeeding in revenge, only then will it be released. Only that alone...'
He tightly shuts his eyes.
'...can resolve the knot in my heart.'
And so, refining his fury, he gradually increases his concentration.
Now only one day remains until the liberation of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
Jeon Myeong-hoon no longer thinks about anything else.
He splits his consciousness. One part discusses strategy with Kang Min-hee and the others, another receives, conveys, and analyzes information from the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.
And the rest, he pours into the tip of the spear.
Using all his rage as fuel, the lightning spear formed of wrath grows ever brighter.
The third day.
Hwoong!
Jeon Myeong-hoon withdraws his spear.
Then, together with Golden Shaking Bird, he heads to the Bright Cold Realm.
Kururung!
Thunder Spirit Island.
The site of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, abandoned for a time long enough for mountains and rivers to change hundreds of millions of times, has now become just an ordinary forest.
Jeon Myeong-hoon arrives at the site and takes out a bottle of liquor, pouring it out.
Jjororo...
"This is the Immortal Wine made from the Heavenly Lotus Fruit consumed by Immortals, the Heavenly Lotus Wine. A mortal who smells a single drop could advance to the Heavenly Being stage, and a cultivator at the Heavenly Being stage who drinks a single drop could reach the Integration stage. A cultivator at the Star Shattering stage who takes a sip could see their cultivation advance by a stage, and for a cultivator at the Sacred Vessel stage drinking a cup, their odds of reaching the Entering Nirvana stage is said to increase by ten percent. It is said that if those at Entering Nirvana drink an entire bottle, their authorities swell, becoming able to stand against a True Immortal for a brief time."
Hweeeee—
A wind blows.
The scent of the Heavenly Lotus Wine spreads throughout the Bright Cold Realm. From its fragrance alone, the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy in the Bright Cold Realm becomes over ten thousand times denser, and the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy of the Chaos Region rises to match that of the Stable Realm.
From the entirety of Thunder Spirit Island, where Jeon Myeong-hoon pours the Heavenly Lotus Wine, light bursts forth, and a waterfall formed of spirit liquid begins cascading wildly from Thunder Spirit Island.
Due to this sudden amplification of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, a storm of spiritual energy swirls around Thunder Spirit Island, and strange celestial phenomena begin appearing all across the Bright Cold Realm like mushrooms after the rain.
However, Jeon Myeong-hoon keeps only the area around the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect relatively calm, and continues pouring the Heavenly Lotus Wine.
The trees within the sect grounds instantly transform into spirit trees, sprouting intelligence. The spirit herbs and spirit trees themselves become cultivators of the Demon Race, gaining awareness—but each and every one of them, sensing Jeon Myeong-hoon's presence, remains calmly rooted in place.
Tok, took...
When the Heavenly Lotus Wine finally empties from the bottle, Jeon Myeong-hoon takes out a wooden box from within his embrace.
Inside the wooden box lies a thoroughly withered, shriveled hand.
Staring at the hand for a while, Jeon Myeong-hoon kisses it once, gently strokes it, then looks up at the sky.
The memory of that time remains vivid.
Twitch, twitch...
No, it is still vivid even now.
Because the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon is about to resurrect soon, the lightning stirs within him, recreating the sensations of that moment.
"...Are you all there?"
Of course, they wouldn't be there.
They would have already been reincarnated by the Underworld and gone to good places.
Jeon Myeong-hoon once pleaded with the Underworld through Kang Min-hee to help find the reincarnations of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, but the Underworld refused.
They said that since those people have already reincarnated and are living well, there is no reason to burden them with the anguish of past lives.
Jeon Myeong-hoon recalls the worlds of the Underworld, that 'if there is a connection, one day they will become True Immortals, recall their past lives, and come to you—so do not worry.'
It is a statement that makes sense to the mind—but not to the heart.
"I...have come here."
He speaks as he gazes at the sky.
"Today, the ones who caused your deaths—the bastards Zhengli and the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity—are said to be returning to the world."
His lament begins.
"To be honest...if viewed purely from a factional standpoint, there's no real reason to kill them. That's why I'm not receiving any significant support. And they aren't some heinous Devil God like the Great Mountain Supreme Deity who is Seo Eun-hyun's sworn enemy, so there's no absolute need to eliminate them. In fact, in terms of good and evil, those two likely fall under the side of good. After all, our Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect only faced retribution for the havoc caused by our founder Yang Su-jin. Yes, I know."
He slowly lowers his head.
"If I had found So-hae's reincarnation and that reincarnation had been caught by some bugs and imprisoned in a hellish place for 120,000 years, suffering torment, I would have wiped out their entire race. In a way, the fact that Do Gon didn't wipe out humanity makes them quite merciful."
Jeon Myeong-hoon sets down the bottle.
"But...I am not only foolish and stupid, I am also narrow-minded...so even their mercy feels unbearably heavy and painful to me. So much so that I cannot possibly contain it within my chest."
On the first day, Jeon Myeong-hoon was consumed by panic.
On the second day, by rage.
But now, on the third and final day—
His eyes are colder than ever before.
"So...even if this revenge isn't righteous. Even if it serves no logical benefit factionally. Even if they are, in truth, good beings. I...I must offer the life of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity to your spirits. So please...if what this disciple is doing is foolish...then meet me again someday, even if it is in another life, and scold me severely."
Jeon Myeong-hoon rises from his place and begins to bow.
Once, twice, three times...
After offering a total of nine bows and then adding one more to make ten, Jeon Myeong-hoon turns around with a face more serious than ever before.
In his embrace is no longer the hand of Jin So-hae, which had always been with him since the fall of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.
He places her hand at a spot within the sect grounds, then slowly begins to walk.
With each and every step he takes, attraction force distorts, space warps, and before long, Jeon Myeong-hoon arrives before the Horse Ear Heavenly Domain.
Kururururung!
"You're late, Jeon Myeong-hoon."
Kang Min-hee glances back at him, waiting, while Oh Hyun-seok's eyes gleam as he looks at Jeon Myeong-hoon.
For the glint in Jeon Myeong-hoon's eyes is one he has never shown before.
"...I'm rooting for you, Myeong-hoon."
Nod—
Jeon Myeong-hoon gives a brief nod and stares at the Horse Ear Heavenly Domain before him.
Jjit—
Jjit—
A tingling sensation rises through his entire body, paralyzing him.
It is rank.
The rank of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity and other colossal beings presses down upon Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Kang Min-hee, who has reached True Lord.
Oh Hyun-seok, who has reached the pinnacle of Heaven-Earth Great Net.
Before them, boiling up in liberation, are the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity and Zhengli.
And,
From afar, countless Heavenly Lords descend.
The main forces of Radiance Hall, known as the Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma,
And the true rulers of this world who command them.
The presence and rank of the Radiance Eight Immortals are completely filling the surroundings of the Horse Ear Heavenly Domain.
Among them, Jeon Myeong-hoon, who is still at best only at the peak of Heaven Dao Great Net, is no different from a mortal.
Yet though he stands here as a common man, he has not lost the wrath of the common man.
He holds within his chest an anger that has been compressed and compressed again, to the point that heat no longer escapes, but only grows cold.
With cold eyes, Jeon Myeong-hoon raises his hand.
Kwarung, kwarururung!
A single streak of lightning gathers in his grasp.
He is one who devours all lighting and is loved by lighting.
He is one who can use lighting as both a spiritual elixir and dharma treasure.
And now, the lightning held in his hand—
Is none other than the lightning from the day the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon destroyed the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.
Kwarurururung!
At last, after a long and longer time, the dimension of the Horse Ear Heavenly Domain completely shatters.
From within, a giant Lightning God begins to rise.
Jeon Myeong-hoon raises his spear as he looks at them.
"Though you are not here right now."
Kang Min-hee and Oh Hyun-seok, seeing Jeon Myeong-hoon like that, calmly begin supporting him from behind.
"Still..."
Jeon Myeong-hoon briefly closes and opens his eyes, then stares directly at the Owner of Heavenly Punishment.
"Let's go together."
Whether these words are meant for the hand of Jin So-hae he cherished so deeply, or for Seo Eun-hyun, or for the already deceased members of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect—
No one can say for sure.
Thus, Jeon Myeong-hoon's vengeance, awaited for tens of thousands of years, begins with that single quiet phrase.
The Heavenly Punishment War raises its curtains.
-x-X-x-
Kurung—
Kurururung!
The Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, Do Gon, is liberated.
The Eighth Seat of the Radiance Eight Immortals, the Rain Dew Heavenly Lord, looks at them with a gleam in their eyes.
: : As expected... I don't know what method they used, but they have become far stronger than before they were sealed. : :
The Rain Dew Heavenly Lord glances slightly anxiously at the newly risen Torch Candle Heavenly Lord before continuing.
: : Great Forest, Sword Spear. Give the command. What should we do? : :
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, Ji Hwa, looks down at the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
Only she understands why the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity has suddenly grown this powerful.
It is because the Supreme Deity has become aware of the regression.
If regression simply meant turning back time to start over, there would be no issue.
However, the problem lies in the fact that the true identity of regression is the birth of a 'different dimension'.
Just as Seo Eun-hyun sensed the existence of a 'baby' and realized that regression creates the blood vessels of a certain 'baby', regression is a Heaven-Defying secret art that replicates every being of a world.
And...
Although regression can replicate everything, there exist things it cannot replicate.
Origin Essence, or the power known as the Seat.
Especially, the power of Supreme Deities and Heavenly Venerables who have completely seized their Seats can never be replicated through regression.
Therefore, even if regression continues infinitely and an infinite number of parallel worlds are born, Origin Essences and the divine ranks who possess them are never replicated.
If other beings are replicated by regression, then only those of Supreme Deity and above undergo 'dimensional transfer' instead of replication.
Still, since they are forcibly moved through spacetime, they temporarily lose the memories gained in the previous dimension and timeline.
But the fact that they have become aware of regression means they have regained all memories from the previous timelines and recovered all information.
'Origin Essence is the source of all laws that exist in this world. And Supreme Deities and Immortal Lords fight by drawing upon [the laws that exist in this world] through the Origin Essence.'
And having retrieved all information from every timeline means that the Governing Immortals no longer draw upon [only] the laws existing in this world.
'The other Governing Immortals suddenly entering seclusion must be for this same reason. Most likely, the vast majority of Supreme Deities...are now able to draw upon [the laws existing in other timelines] as well.'
The Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, Do Gon, in Seo Eun-hyun's 2000th cycle, was liberated through the 'light of a new civilization'—that is, through the lightbulb—and obtained a higher rank through it.
However, even with that, the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity could not oppose the Radiance Supreme Deity.
'But...the current Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity has obtained, in addition to the 'light of Liberation', the authority to wield the laws existing in at least one thousand timelines through Seo Eun-hyun's regressions.'
The power source of a Supreme Deity lies in the laws that exist in the world.
If previously Supreme Deities held only the laws existing in one world and one timeline.
Then those who have perceived regression now draw upon the laws from 'at least' a thousand worlds, a thousand timelines.
'It must be assumed that their output has increased by a factor of at least a thousand.'
Most likely, the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity's authority and output will continue to grow as Seo Eun-hyun undergoes further regressions.
Of course, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord is not concerned by this.
'The power lent by the Future King, who likely supports our Radiance Hall, to the Origin Essence of Radiance...is truly [absolute]. If we can unleash the power of the Origin Essence of Radiance at maximum output, even if the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity's power increases not just a thousand but a hundred million times, they can still be theoretically subdued.'
However, the problem is that to draw out the full power of the Origin Essence of Radiance, it requires not the Radiance Eight Immortals, but the Radiance Ten Heavenly Lords.
'But as we are now, until we slay the mountain divine spirit, we remain the Radiance Eight Immortals. In that case...first...'
After finishing her brief contemplation, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord steps forward and speaks.
: : Hold nothing back. Go in with full power from the start. : :
'With our current full strength, we will gauge the full power of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity. That's where we begin.'
Cheok, cheok, cheok, cheok!
At the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's words, all of the Radiance Eight Immortals simultaneously join their hands together and reveal the symbol of the [Black Snake Biting Its Tail].
Soon, a massive radiance engulfs the Inner Sea of Mount Sumeru, crashing down upon the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
It happens immediately after.
Kwarurururung!
The Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity begins to swing the Heavenly Lightning Banner.
Kurururung!
With a single strike from the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, Mount Sumeru quakes and lightning starts overflowing across the world.
Kwarururung!
Jjeooong!
And then, in the next moment—
Jjeojeojeojeok—
The most optimized formation for receiving the power of the Radiance Supreme Deity, of the Origin Essence of Light—
The symbol of the [Black Snake Biting Its Tail] fractures and scatters in pieces across the surroundings.
: : As I thought, they have grown far stronger. Torch Candle, Pearl Jade, Great Sea! Anything coming to mind? : :
At the Great Forest Heavenly Lord's words, the Torch Candle Heavenly Lord, who holds access to the Head Realm that is the Akashic Records, along with the Pearl Jade Heavenly Lord, responsible for strategy and logistics, and the Great Sea Heavenly Lord, advisor of the Radiance Eight Immortals, each let out a silent exhale.
: : It seems we can only conclude that they have received the influence of Enders... : :
: : When the Enders appear, there have been times when the powers of certain Supreme Deities suddenly surge immeasurably. This might be one of those cases... : :
: : And as it is, all the Enders of this generation have survived, ascended through the Head Realm, and reached the rank of True Immortality. They are truly the worst of the Enders... : :
At those words, the eyes of the Radiance Eight Immortals turn toward the Enders such as Jeon Myeong-hoon, watching from afar.
: : Filthy things who pry open the Heavenly Path each time, spilling enemies upon us... If not for the Underworld... : :
The Great Forest Heavenly Lord trembles violently as they pull their gaze away from the Enders and speaks to the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.
: : Sword Spear, we have assessed the power of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity. Give the order. : :
Responding to the Great Forest Heavenly Lord, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord raises a silver-white sword of radiance in one hand and shouts.
: : All former Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma, hear me. : :
Immortal Lords are also known as Envoys of the Heaven Dao.
The realm of Origin Essence they have each reached encompasses, quite literally, the principles of this world that could be called Heaven Dao.
So why then are the Immortal Lords of Radiance Hall attached with the term 'Final Age of Dharma'?
It is partly because the true purpose of Radiance Hall lies in the ending of all Immortal Dharma—thus the name.
But the true meaning of Final Age of Dharma lies in...
The End itself.
They are the ones who annihilate all who go against the will of Radiance Hall, destroy the age of all Supreme Deities, and crush all new attempts and all will of liberation toward fate, annihilating all those who defy the ideology of Radiance Hall.
They are the ones who annihilate beings of Immortal Rank not aligned with the will of Radiance Hall, and lead civilizations that do not conform to the will of Radiance Hall into the Final Age of Dharma.
These are the Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma of Radiance Hall.
: : Raise the threat level of the current Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity to the Mu rank. All former Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma, immediately drag the power of Heavenly Punishment toward the End! : :
Kugugugugu!
At those words, countless Immortal Lords and divine spirits begin to arrive beneath the Radiance Eight Immortals.
The Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma who bear the Immortal Crown of the Radiance Supreme Deity, the Thirty-Two Exalted, begin to descend following the call of the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.
: : Seongdo Envoy of the Final Age of Dharma, Heuk Yeong, receives the command of the Supreme Deity. : :
: : Judo Envoy of the Final Age of Dharma, Heuk Su, receives the command of the Supreme Deity. : :
: : Gwido Envoy of the Final Age of Dharma, Heuk Seong, receives the command of the Supreme Deity. : :
: : Gongdo Envoy of the Final Age of Dharma, Heuk Rin, receive the command of the Supreme Deity! : :
[TL/N: The Hanja is not given so I don't know what the transliterated parts are supposed to mean.]
Kugugugugu!
One by one, each Envoy of the Final Age of Dharma appears, spreading their presence throughout the Inner Sea.
Originally, there should have been Thirty-Three Exalted Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma, including the Tado Final Dharma Envoy, but after it was revealed that Heuk Am was an agent of the Underworld, the number dropped to thirty-two. Still, their momentum remains terrifying.
: : Thirty-Three Heavenly Resplendent Treasure Immortals, take the form of Treasure Pagodas and take your positions. : :
Kururung!
At the single utterance of the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, the Thirty-Three Heavenly Resplendent Treasure Immortals, considered candidates for Envoys of the Final Age, are summoned to the field and transform into Immortal Treasures.
Thirty-three colossal pagodas are summoned to the surroundings, and as the Great Forest Heavenly Lord extends their hand, the pagodas shine and unfurl a formation diagram.
Kurururung!
By the power imbued by the Radiance Supreme Deity, the thirty-three Immortal Treasures create a new Heavenly Domain within the Inner Sea, instantly trapping the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity and countless others.
The Thirty-Three Heavenly Resplendent Treasure Pagodas glow beneath the power of the Radiance Supreme Deity.
: : Descendants of the Purple Forbidden Heavenly Lord (紫禁天君), become the alms bowl and come forth. : :
Kurururung!
Then, at the next command from the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, the Star Shattering Esteemed Ones in the Purple Gold Realm within the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain show a response.
Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, Purple Gold Realm.
Ban Ta Castle.
The Sacred Master of the Purple Gold Realm, Ban Ta, smiles with rare satisfaction as he looks at the Star Shattering Esteemed Ones in front of him.
"Hahaha, you brats. You finally look like proper Esteemed Ones."
Though it is quite an amiable laugh, none of the Esteemed Ones present can bring themselves to smile.
"To think you would all 'voluntarily' bind yourselves in Ban Ta Castle to 'willingly' become the next Sacred Master of the Purple Gold Realm. This Sacred Master is truly proud of you."
All the Esteemed ones of the Purple Gold Realm are bound by special chains crafted by artisans possessing the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent under Ban Ta's command.
These chains are all connected to Ban Ta Castle and possess the function of allowing movement to any location within the Purple Gold Realm—yet are Refining Void Dharma Treasures that make escape beyond the realm utterly impossible.
"Now, you paras—no, admirable Esteemed Ones—will become proud guardians of Ban Ta Castle, and until you inherit the Purple Gold Realm, do not esca—no, take no journeys abroad, and strive until you reach the Sacred Vessel stage."
"Yes...Sacred Master."
"Well then, as today is a joyous occasion, let us all partake in a banquet..."
It is at that moment.
Flash!
A silver-white light flashes before Ban Ta's eyes, and just like that, the Esteemed Ones bound in front of him vanish to somewhere else.
The chains crafted by the Extraordinary Pattern Law Talents are also severed in an instant.
Ban Ta sits there blanky for a moment, unable to understand what he just saw, but soon realizes what has happened.
"Ah. Ahh. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!"
The Star Shattering Esteemed Ones who are the direct descendants of the Purple Forbidden Heavenly Lord Heuk Am, whom he carefully selected and raised for the sole purpose of pushing off the Sacred Master position, have all been abducted at once by Radiance Hall.
"Heavens above!!"
Kugugugugu!
The five Star Shattering Esteemed Ones summoned to the hand of the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord are soon handed over to the Great Sea Heavenly Lord.
The Great Sea Heavenly Lord grasps the Star Shattering Esteemed Ones and clenches their fist, and in an instant, they are clumped into a single lump and become a Sacred Vessel Sacred Master.
: : Worry not. Once this matter is resolved, you shall be returned to your original forms. We are not wicked Immortals who torment mortal beings... : :
The Great Sea Heavenly Lord comforts the panicked Esteemed Ones, then forges them who have reached the Sacred Vessel level into an Immortal Treasure in the form of an alms bowl.
Before long, a colossal alms bowl is completed, and the power of the Purple Forbidden Heavenly Lord begins to pour into it.
Swaaaaaaaaaah—
As the Great Sea Heavenly Lord lowers the alms bowl, an enormous wave begins to pour forth from it.
The light of the entire Heavenly Domain created by the Thirty-Three Heavenly Resplendent Treasure Pagodas vanishes, and the world begins to turn into a Darkness World.
All the True Immortals present feel as if they are submerged in water, twisting their bodies under the spell used by the Great Sea Heavenly Lord.
: : Plunge Heaven and Earth into darkness. Purple Forbidden Alms Bowl (紫禁鉢盂). : :
As the Great Sea Heavenly Lord's spell completes, the newly formed Heavenly Domain becomes a Heaven and Earth of darkness.
The only sources of light in this world are the Radiance Eight Immortals and the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon.
Then once again, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord speaks.
: : Qian-Kun Twin Immortals, become the ruler and take your place. : :
[Editor: Among the eight trigrams, Qian corresponds to Heaven, and Kun corresponds to Earth.]
Kurururung!
Among the Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma, the Qiantian Envoy, Qiantian True Lord, and the Kunyu Envoy, Kunyu Heavenly Lord—
These two Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma step forward.
They are the original owners of the Heavenly Black Banner and the Earthly Yellow Banner that Seo Eun-hyun once took.
They are also Immortal Lords who once clung to life by offering up their Immortal Treasures during the Vast Cold Great War.
: : Heavenly Black. : :
: : Earthly Yellow. : :
The Black True Lord and the Yellow Heavenly Lord each raise their left and right hands, and press their palms together.
Clap!
At the same time, an enormous burst of light begins sweeping through the world of darkness.
Kwaaaaaaang!
Yellow and black colors illuminate Heaven and Earth, and soon the entire world transforms into a world of Primordial Chaos similar to the Outer Sea.
Then, the two Envoys who created this Primordial Chaos fuse into one, forming a ruler the size of a galaxy.
Kuuung!
The Qian-Kun Ruler (乾坤尺/Heaven-Earth Ruler) that stirs Primordial Chaos enters the hand of the Rain Dew Heavenly Lord.
The Radiance Eight Immortals, who have now acquired the Thirty-Three Heavenly Resplendent Treasure Pagodas, the Purple Forbidden Alms Bowl, and the Qian-Kun Ruler, look down upon the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity and declare.
: : The Three Immortal Treasures of the Radiance Supreme Deity have gathered in one place. Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon, surrender now and obediently accept your judgment. : :
Then, the subordinate of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, Zhengli, looks up at them and speaks.
: : My Lord, the Three Immortal Treasures of the Radiance Supreme Deity...have revealed themselves. : :
Kururung—
The giant God of Lightning holding the Banner of Heavenly Lightning gazes at them and responds to Zhengli's words.
: : Indeed. : :
Kurung, kurururung—
The body of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity begins to grow brighter.
The power of chaos that fills all Heaven and Earth starts to recede, pushed back by the power of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
With the Thirty-Three Heavenly Resplendent Treasure Pagodas, they shape a Heavenly Domain aligned to their principles.
With the Purple Forbidden Alms Bowl, they bind the opponent within their place.
With the Qian-Kun Ruler, they plunge the opponent's attributes into Primordial Chaos and nullify them.
These Three Immortal Treasures are Immortal Treasures that use True Immortals, not mere Sacred Masters. Even the Purple Forbidden Alms Bowl, greatly weakened after the death of the Purple Forbidden Heavenly Lord, is elevated to a True Immortal-level Immortal Treasure by being forged from the Purple Forbidden Heavenly Lord's descendants and divine descending their power.
From the beginning, their very purpose is to raise the combat capacity of Radiance Hall—which, with only the Radiance Eight Immortals, cannot fully draw upon the Origin Essence of Radiance—to the level it held during the era of the Radiance Ten Heavenly Lords. Unless the Immortal Treasure is of this level, it can not endure.
Therefore, in the world, these Three Immortal Treasures of the Radiance Supreme Deity are sometimes called the Pride of Radiance.
The pride of the Radiance Supreme Deity.
And its dignity.
The Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity looks up at the pride of Light and raises the Heavenly Lightning Banner.
: : ...Let's go, Li. Let us fulfil...that ancient prophecy. : :
They recall the distant past.
Recalling the time when they and their subordinates were slaughtered by Radiance Hall, they begin to command thunder and lightning.
The subordinates of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
The Jade Pivot Forty-Eight Lightning Heavenly Great Immortals.
Recalling the prophecy they uttered as they perished—
The Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity begins to swing the Heavenly Lightning Banner.
: : Cry out. O Essence of Great Heavenly Punishment. : :
Translator Notes: Regarding Purple Forbidden Heavenly Lord, idk if it's a typo or name change by Tremendous.
-x-X-x-
: : The Essence of Great Heavenly Punishment reads the sins of the Nations (列邦). : :
Kwarurung!
The Heavenly Lightning Banner begins to ring, releasing lightning in all directions.
Lightning dances.
Then, it quickly becomes a net that blankets the entire Heavenly Domain, takes root across the entirety of Mount Sumeru, and begins resisting the entire Immortal Cultivation System.
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord watches them, continuing to gauge the power of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
'At this level...it's not just a thousand-fold. Two thousand-fold... Does this mean Seo Eun-hyun has regressed more than two thousand times...? Hmm...'
The highest number of regressions the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord has seen is around a thousand.
But in reality, Seo Eun-hyun has completed his 2010th cycle, and because of that, the number of timelines the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity can draw Heavenly Tribulations from have increased by two thousand times compared to before.
Supreme Deities are beings with infinite power.
No matter how much power they expend, it continues to fill back up without depleting, and even if they scatter prophecies infinitely, their blessings never run out, so there is no pain or suffering to endure.
That is the power and authority of Supreme Deities.
However, even if the power is infinite, the body that draws it out has limits.
If there is a bucket endlessly spewing water, the force that endlessly gushes forth is the Origin Essence, and the bucket drawing that water are the Supreme Deities.
If the water flows endlessly, the bucket will eventually wear down unless maintained.
'And for Supreme Deities, their body is the very attribute they govern.'
In other words, the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity before their eyes is the entirety of all the Heavenly Tribulations occurring throughout the entire world, the personification of Heavenly Tribulation itself.
'Heavenly Tribulation is both the weapon and the flesh of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.'
If lightning is a spear, then for the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, who originally wielded just one, it is as if two thousand more have suddenly been added.
'Even if the number of spears increases, the body and consciousness wielding them remain singular, and since it's not a situation where they can lend the spears to their subordinates, their effective combat power against us doesn't change much...but...'
The issue is that the number of spears has drastically increased.
If before they used them carefully, worried they might wear down, now there is no need for such restraint.
Whether the spears break or shatter, they can be swung with full force without consequence.
The same goes for the body.
Before, they might have drawn water carefully out of concern that the bucket would wear down, but now, regardless of the bucket's condition, they can endlessly pour out water.
After all, they have over 2000 buckets now.
'Maybe I miscalculated.'
It is not just one or two thousand times the output.
'I must think of it as the total usable power itself having increased two thousandfold...'
And when considering that the power is not merely used for combat, but across multiple areas and sectors, then the total force of the Supreme Deities could be said to have risen not merely by a thousand or two thousand times, but perhaps tens of thousands.
Purely by numbers, it is an overwhelming figure.
But the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, along with the Radiance Eight Immortals, don't particularly feel fear.
For that's only when you calculate 'just' the Dao of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
She calmly thinks as she transmits her analysis of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity's power and strategy to Jeon Myeong-hoon in real time.
'Listen carefully, Jeon Myeong-hoon. To put it in Earth terms, the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity is like the Qing Dynasty during the Opium War.'
And Radiance Hall and the Radiance Eight Immortals could be likened to all the major powers of that time.
Even if the Qing dynasty's silver reserves increased two thousand-fold, if it directly collided with the great powers, the undeveloped Qing would be defeated.
The issue wasn't simply the economic strength derived from silver, but the overwhelming difference between powers that had studied the principles of the world for centuries, advancing themselves through science, administration, and military, versus a decadent and corrupt Qing steeped in opium.
The same holds true for the Radiance Eight Immortals.
Including the Immortal Cultivation System they control, the power they draw upon as the Radiance Supreme Deity Heuk Sa is truly absolute.
Even if the Supreme Deities become thousands of times stronger, it is a rank they cannot bridge.
From the beginning, the reason the Radiance Hall has split power with the Underworld and ruled Mount Sumeru for what feels like eternity is precisely that.
'We didn't crush the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity in one blow, but in a long war, we win anyway.'
But the issue lies in the strengthened weight class of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
Even if the Qing Dynasty's silver reserves multiply by two thousand, it cannot defeat the great powers—but if it uses that silver well, it can still deal a critical blow to them.
'Right now, the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, when judged by weight class 'alone', should be considered equivalent to the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord.'
: : We will use attraction force. : :
: : Agreed. : :
The Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma and the Radiance Eight Immortals raise their right arms simultaneously while maintaining the circular formation.
: : In the name of Radiance Hall, we prophesize. : :
Heaven and Earth, and Heavens Above.
Their prophecy is embedded in the [light] that exists in all things of the world.
'However...even if the weight class rises to Vast Cold's level, we cannot lose. For fate supports us.'
Silver Basket, Obsidian, Vast Cold.
And even when facing many formidable enemies, like Salt Sea and the Underworld, though they have been driven to the brink of annihilation many times, the Radiance Hall never truly perished.
There is only one reason.
'As long as the Immortal Cultivation System is in use, as long as they step upon the fate we have designed and advance through it, they can never defy our fate.'
In the true battles of Supreme Deities, unless one reaches the level of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity, weight class alone has little meaning.
'As long as the power of fate and history exists—
'All weight class and magnitudes of power lie beneath it...'
Therefore, when looking only at the domain of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, it has increased by two thousandfold.
But when calculating everything, including their power of fate, the increase amounts to no more than 'tens of times' at best.
After all, from the start, the true power of the Supreme Deities was never solely made up of the Origin Essence and the Immortal Dao, but their Immortal Arts, prophecy, and the power of history revision.
If the total power of Supreme Deities is defined as ten parts,
The influence of fate, history, and Immortal Arts accounts for five parts. The power of Origin Essence influences at most one part.
The remaining four parts vary depending on the factions that follow the Supreme Deity, their allies, and the surrounding environment.
The power of Origin Essence is only a 'portion' of what they possess.
'Therefore, from now on, the Radiance Eight Immortals will use fate and the Immortal Cultivation System to suppress the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity. The direct combat will be entrusted to the Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma and the Three Immortal Treasures, while we focus on adjusting the world. The Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, too, will oppose us by exercising their influence within the Immortal Cultivation System and engaging the Envoys in battle, so openings are bound to appear.'
A question comes from Jeon Myeong-hoon.
—Got it. But what if we can't find an opening?
'Figure that much yourself. You're not a child, do I have to spoon-feed you even that?'
—...Understood.
'Of course, the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity will have hidden cards. And with your current weight class, even if you all stab into an opening, it may not be enough to inflict shock. They are a powerful Supreme Deity in their own right, after all. But I know the authority you Enders possess rivals fate and history, that it is a power of the [Absolute].
—...
'The authority of you all is sharp enough to become the dagger that pierces the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity. And...if you succeed in summoning Seo Eun-hyun, you will be able to leave a critical wound through the dagger you thrust. If that happens, you will surely be able to repay your resentment.'
—...Got it.
A determined resolve comes from Jeon Myeong-hoon, and the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord senses that conviction and grips her sword.
—I shall become the finest dagger, and strike the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
Jeon Myeong-hoon understands his role.
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord grips her sword and, together with the other Eight Immortals, begins their prophecy.
'Even if their weight class reaches that of Vast Cold, the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity can never become Vast Cold.'
The reason the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord drove the Radiance Hall to the brink of annihilation,
Is the weight class they accumulated through the Immortal Cultivation System,
The uniqueness of their authority as an Ender,
And the Immortal Dao they cultivated. It is because the Dao and Origin Essence of Acceptance at Fate's End specialized in drawing the power of the Absolute of Fate.
'A mere Supreme Deity without the uniqueness of an Ender, only able to draw meager power from the Absolute...'
...is nothing more than a single meal for the Radiance Supreme Deity.
In battles between True Immortals, no matter how powerful individuals may be, an individual can never overcome a faction.
The power of prophecy and history, regardless of the difference in realms, always favors the side with greater numbers.
Unless one is like the Radiance Eight Immortals who control the Immortal Cultivation System and are unknowingly supported by the Future King, or are exceptional cases like the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord, the Salt Sea Supreme Deity, or the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld, individuals can never defeat a faction.
Seo Eun-hyun, too, has fought many True Immortals and achieved success, but it is always because he used the Retribution of the Impermanence Sword to force the fate he suffered onto his opponent, or he simply caused chaos while fleeing.
Even the Great Mountain Supreme Deity, known as the greatest Devil God, gathers the fates of many through the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, becoming practically a faction in of himself.
'Sleep quietly, O Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity... You, who have lost all your forces, can never become the central figure of this era, as long as a being like Seo Eun-hyun exists among the Enders of this age...'
Wiiiiiiiing!
A massive radiance bursts forth around them.
That radiance begins to spread throughout the world, swallowing the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
Each and every 'ray of light' in that radiance is a prophecy.
Every single action of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity is now forcibly dictated by the prophecies of the Radiance Eight Immortals, fired at the speed of light.
Following the light-speed prophecies, the body and movements of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity gradually begin to freeze.
: : Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma, abolish the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity! : :
The command of the Great Forest Heavenly Lord is declared, and countless Heavenly Lords and True Lords fly toward the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity and begin a full-scale assault.
Then, a single utterance echoes from the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
: : O Essence of Great Heavenly Punishment, begin judging the sinners of the Nations. : :
Woo-woooong!
The banner surface of the Heavenly Lightning Banner begins to expand.
The banner expands to the point of covering the entire Heavenly Domain, connecting to various points throughout Mount Sumeru and shining brightly.
Soon, all beings see 'something'.
It is a colossal net.
That net is covered in thunder and lightning, and it appears to cover all of Mount Sumeru.
The name of the net is Indra's Net.
A net of principles that only those at the level of Heavenly Venerables can perceive is now, through the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, made briefly perceivable even to mortal beings.
The Heavenly Lightning Banner.
Zhengli's laughter begins to echo.
: : Immortal Cultivation is the process of taking control of one's own fate. : :
With her laughter, the Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma begin to be pushed back.
An overwhelming resistance force surges from the center of the Heavenly Lightning Banner.
: : To hold fate not in Heaven's hands, but in one's own—that is Immortal Cultivation. Therefore, it is Heaven-Defying, and that is why Heaven brings down Tribulation. Thus, Heavenly Punishment is Heaven's wrath. : :
Wiiiiiiing!
The lengthened banner surface encircles the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity in a circle.
Soon, from the Heavenly Lightning Banner that traces that circular formation, an immense power of circulation is born.
Lightning is but an instant.
A person's life is also but an instant.
The accumulation of those instants creates a cycle.
Therefore, Immortal Cultivation, which attempts to transcend the instant and become eternal, is a heretical act that seeks to escape the cycle.
Therefore, Heaven bestows instant upon those who have left the cycle, to return them to it.
That is the true nature of Heavenly Tribulation.
A power that makes humans who try to become gods re-live the life of a human.
: : O Arrogant Owners of Light. Even if you have ceased to be a person, can you truly ignore your origin? We were all, from the beginning, nothing more than dust. : :
Kwarurururung!
From the Heavenly Lightning Banner that draws a circle, terrifying lightning bursts forth.
That lightning shatters countless prophecies and begins piercing a hole into the Heavenly Domain created by the Thirty-Three Heavenly Resplendent Treasure Immortals.
: : To cry, to laugh, to rage, to grieve—a life wrapped in countless emotions, to live foolishly and to end foolishly. That is the fate we are given. A short but shining life that seeks brightness despite ignorance. Like a bolt of lightning, such is our existence. And yet, you, who ignore that truth, believing only your freedom is truth, and try to fix the shape of freedom as solely your own... : :
Kurung, kurururung!
The lightning bursting from the center of the circle begins to carry light of many colors.
Had Seo Eun-hyun seen it, he would likely think it resembles the lightning shown by the lingering thought of Yang Su-jin.
: : I ask you this. Do you speak of eternity because you have truly escaped the instant? : :
Urururung!
: : Even if you seize fate, control the Immortal Cultivation System, and suppress every being in the Three Heavens Great Thousand World so they may pursue freedom within that suppression—do you truly believe that such aspirations, and the authority born from those aspirations...are genuine light? : :
Then, light begins to explode from the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, who is enclosed within the banner surface of the Heavenly Lightning Banner.
Jeon Myeong-hoon and the Enders inexplicably feel a sense of longing as they see that light, and the many True Immortals gathered here begin to fall into confusion at the sight.
It is a light they have never once imagined.
Only the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord swallows bitterness upon seeing it.
: : Nothing in all of phenomena is eternal. Not even I, nor the Lord. Even if we become True Immortals, there is no such thing as eternity! Only the truth that 'nothing is forever' is eternal. We merely live a little longer than others. We too are just fleeting instants. Therefore, O Radiance Supreme Deity. : :
Jjeojeojuk—
The Rain Dew Heavenly Lord trembles and shouts.
: : Do Gon!! : :
Jjeojeojeojeojuk—
As the symbol of the [Black Snake Biting Its Tail] splits and dissolves in an instant—
The prophecy waterfall of the Radiance Eight Immortals fractures, and the Heavenly Domain of the Thirty-Three Heavenly Resplendent Treasure Pagodas begins to split apart.
: : This time, you cannot hide behind the mask. You must face yourself as is. : :
: : Youuuuuuu!! : :
At the same time, the Radiance Seven Immortals, realizing what has occurred, begin to erupt in rage.
: : D I D Y O U S T E A L T H E L I G H T !!?? : :
The new light of civilization acquired by the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
It is not merely a symbol or attribute.
It is a power torn directly from the Origin Essence of Radiance itself, and a fragment of its possibility.
: : With this...I too may approach a little closer to you. : :
Do Gon murmurs softly.
: : Life is progress. : :
Then, immense power begins to erupt from Do Gon.
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord suddenly recalls a distant past, the moment she first inherited her position among the Radiance Eight Immortals.
Just before the death of her predecessor, the Fifth Seat 'Ryeong', when the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord went on a rampage.
She now suddenly feels the same atmosphere as when the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord had raged.
'They are...nearing the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord...!'
But it is different from the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord.
Whereas the power used back then by the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord against Radiance Hall was simply the wielding of their own strength—
What the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity now appears to be using feels as if they are burning themselves.
'What...!?'
: : Three Immortal Treasures, retreat! : :
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, seeing an ominous future, hastily commands the Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma, but it is already too late.
Two thousand spears may have been obtained, but the wielder was only one.
That was how she had judged it.
It was a miscalculation.
Now that they have obtained the light of civilization and torn off part of the Origin Essence of Radiance—
The Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity can now simultaneously wield dozens of spears.
Their fundamental rank itself has risen tens of times over.
Moreover, raising one's rank in such a manner is by no means simple.
Tearing or fusing Origin Essences typically requires immense time and contemplation.
To accomplish this in such a short span of time demands an immense sacrifice, just like what the Great Mountain Supreme Deity does.
And now, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord sees the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity burning their very fate to accomplish this reckless feat.
'At this rate, even if they defeat Radiance Hall, they will die too. Why...why...!? No, even before that, why isn't Zhengli stopping Do Gon? That foolish woman. She doesn't even know what her own master is burning, and is just ignorantly following them!'
But regardless of any of that, the outcome is clear.
Kwaaaaang!
A massive explosion erupts, and the Heavenly Domain confining them is torn apart.
The Thirty-Three Heavenly Resplendent Treasure Pagodas are shattered.
Zhengli's voice resounds across the world.
: : 'The Lord will reclaim Their majesty'. : :
A wave of lightning arises, ripping through the darkness and creating a new world.
The Heavenly Domain belonging to Do Gon now imprisons Radiance Hall instead.
: : 'Their will shall resound against the oppression of light'. : :
As darkness collapses, the Purple Forbidden Alms Bowl disintegrates and returns to the form of the Star Shattering stage Esteemed Ones.
Soon, a massive pair of lightning spears hurtle toward the Qian-Kun Ruler.
The lightning pierces into the center of the Taiji and begins to separate Heaven and Earth.
: : 'When the Pride of Radiance collapses and light falls apart'. : :
The Taiji disassembles, and the Qiantian Heavenly Lord and the Kunyu True Lord are separated.
Because they are forcibly split apart, they both suffer fatal injuries and spit out divine blood.
Only then does the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord understand why the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity burns themselves.
She also understands why, unlike the Naming Supreme Deity or the Liberation Supreme Deity, they chose not to sufficiently refine their power within the Horse Ear Heavenly Domain but rise now.
: : 'At last, we shall stand once again beside the Lord, and follow Their footsteps once more.'
The Great Forest Heavenly Lord, Flower Plant Heavenly Lord, Great Sun Heavenly Lord, Torch Candle Heavenly Lord, Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, Pearl Jade Heavenly Lord, Great Sea Heavenly Lord, and Rain Dew Heavenly Lord.
The Radiance Eight Immortals, as if they simultaneously realize something, silently withdraw the Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma.
Acknowledging her misjudgment, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord conveys her message to the entirety of Radiance Hall.
: : All divine spirits of Radiance Hall, not just the Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma...assemble. : :
The being before their eyes is no longer a singular entity.
Through Seo Eun-hyun's regression, they have gained 'power' on the level of Vast Cold.
Through the light of civilization as a medium, they are burning their own life to fuse Origin Essences and have gained a 'uniqueness' on the level of an Ender.
And...
By fulfilling a prophecy from ages past with all their might, they have obtained a 'faction'!
'The Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon now...rivals the Great Mountain Supreme Deity who consumes the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea!'
Kugugugugugu!
: : Accept the command. : :
The words of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon spread throughout the universe.
And within the Interdimensional Void of the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain, a change begins to stir.
Kurung, kurururung!
Through the power of the Heavenly Lightning Banner, Indra's Net of lightning, now appearing even within the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain, touches the forty-eight Middle Realms that exist there.
It is at that moment.
Kwarurururung!
Lightning flashes, and the forty-eight Middle Realms begin to move.
At first, it is slow.
But with each passing second, the Middle Realms accelerate dozens of times faster, becoming lightning itself and flying off to some unknown place.
The Heavenly Lords gaze toward the sky.
And soon, they see forty-eight masses of lightning flying toward them from the distant Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain.
Kwaarurung!
Kwaarurung!
The sky becomes dyed with a heaven of lightning, and the Radiance Eight Immortals let out silent exclamations.
The words of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity resound once more.
: : Jade Pivot Forty-Eight Lightning Heavenly Great Immortals. : :
The seven Heavenly Dao Envoys—Ten Thousand Laws Spiritual Lord, Eastern Brilliance Spiritual Lord, Great Law Celestial Master, Divine Power Wondrous Salvation True Lord Heo, Great Salvation Celestial Master Gu, Celestial Master Zhang Ji-xian, Revolving Yang True Lord Heo—rise.
The four Heavenly Lords—Chief Strategist Heavenly Lord Deng, Tribunal Heavenly Lord Shin, Swift Flight Heavenly Lord Jang, Moon Comet Heavenly Lord Zhu—open their eyes.
The five Immortal Lords—Subtle Purity Spiritual Leader Primal Lord Jo, Subtle Purity Spiritual Leader Primal Lord Wi, Mystic Grotto Transmission Primordial Lord Ma, Primordial Chaos Spiritual Leader True Lord Lu, Primordial Chaos Spiritual Leader True Lord Ge—begin to exhale.
The four Heavenly Lords—Virtue of Fire Heavenly Lord Xie, Jade Palace Heavenly Lord Lu, Jade Sound Heavenly Lord Yi, and Tuṣita Brahma Heavenly Lord—regain their energy and take their places.
From Severing Sun Grand General Ma to Observing Life Grand General Gao, the twenty-three Grand Generals, the Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation Great Net Immortals, reclaim their pulse.
Twenty Immortal Lords.
Twenty-eight Immortal Lord level Great Net Immortals.
In total, forty-eight Great Immortals stand in formation around the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
The Jade Pivot Forty-Eight Lightning Heavenly Great Immortals.
The Immortal Lord who holds the First Seat of the Forty-Eight Lightning Heavenly Great Immortals, the Ten Thousand Laws Spiritual Lord, speaks.
: : This servant, Ten Thousand Laws, along with all forty-eight Lightning Immortals, assemble under the command of the Imperial King. : :
The forces of Radiance Hall freeze all at once.
In an age long past.
As the Jade Pivot Forty-Eight Lightning Heavenly Great Immortals were annihilated, they all spoke a single prophecy.
It was an almost impossible prophecy, but should it come to pass, it would be a fate that transcends impossible time and authority to become reality.
When the prophecy was heard, all True Immortals of the Sumeru World had considered it absurd. But now, shattering everyone's expectations, that truth has descended upon this very place.
: : We beseech the Imperial King—please grant your command. : :
At the cry of the Ten Thousand Laws Spiritual Lord, the forty-seven divine spirits behind echo the call in unison.
: : Please grant your command! : :
Kururururung!
Then, the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, having finally reclaimed what they long desired over an endless span of time, releases the Heavenly Lightning Banner from their hand and smiles.
: : I shall issue the first command. : :
Each and every one of their words become prophecies, displaying absoluteness.
: : All of you. Never again shall you die before me. : :
Kururururung!
It becomes the largest and brightest star of fate within the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity's body, radiating a light more powerful than any light shining in this place.
And upon seeing that light, the forty-eight Great Immortals all shout in unison.
: : We receive the command! : :
The faction of Heavenly Punishment is fully restored, and lightning flickers beneath their feet as they are adorned with shoes of lightning.
The Jade Pivot Forty-Eight Lightning Heavenly Great Immortals all don the Immortal Crown of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, beginning to draw upon the power of their Origin Essence.
Seeing this scene, the Radiance Eight Immortals fall silent.
Only moments ago, they had caused an uproar, but now, they gaze down coldly while joining their palms together.
Woo-woooong!
Around the Radiance Eight Immortals, thousands of divine spirits are summoned.
: : Radiance Hall Thirty-Three Envoys of the Final Age of Dharma. The six thousand spirits under their command, come forth. : :
Kugugugugu!
Vestige Liberation Immortals, Upper Immortals, Great Net Immortals, countless divine spirits all don the Immortal Crown born from the Origin Essence of Radiance and join their palms.
: : Raise the danger level of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity to Bing grade. Assume the presence of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity consuming the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, a Heavenly Venerable with their Gandhara, the projection of the Underworld, the weakened Vast Cold. All forces, confront with the resolve to fight without retreat. : :
The bodies of the Radiance Eight Immortals begin to burn.
At the same time, between the eight, two shadows start to blur into view.
: : Even if it strains us, we will draw out the power from the era of the Radiance Ten Heavenly Lords. From henceforth, all of Radiance Hall will crush the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon with full force! : :
Thus, Radiance Hall and the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
The forces of the two beings begin to collide in earnest.
The curtains to the Great War rises.
Kurururung—
Flash!
Light and lightning crash together.
And in a corner of the Inner Sea untouched by either—
Jeon Myeong-hoon takes his stance and half-opens his eyes.
'...Never again shall you die...huh?'
He recalls the voice of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.
He recalls the subordinates of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity who have returned to life.
And he grips the lightning spear in his hand with strength.
'...Thank you.'
Now, truly, there is nothing holding him back.
Jeon Myeong-hoon tempers cold fury at the tip of his spear and speaks.
"Let's go. To kill the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity."
His eyes lock onto the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, who shows an opening after summoning the Jade Pivot Forty-Eight Lightning Heavenly Great Immortals.
The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord has kept her promise.
She has used all her strength to create an opening for him. Now it is Jeon Myeong-hoon's turn to step forward.
To become the dagger that pierces the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, he kicks off and launches himself toward the battlefield of the gods.
Translator Notes: Regarding the titles of the Forty-Eight Immortals, many of them are based on a Taoist Scripture called the Jade Pivot Scripture (玉樞經) from the Song Dynasty. I tried my best to adapt their meanings into a more Xianixa-style based on the Hanjas I could find for them. I couldn't find Hanjas for some of the titles though, so I just did my best to fit whatever Hanjas could work to make it Xianxia-esque lmao.