Kugugung!
Divine providence tangles.
Presences whose mere sight makes the chest tremble personally descend to this place.
Tsuaaat!
Borrowing the power of the myriad stars to restore the body, I at last.
Finally, I can realize one of the answers I pondered for a long time.
[Baby].
The colossal form of the [Baby] I saw in the world beyond the timeline...
Its true nature.
'I see.'
Absolute Ones.
Omnipotent beings.
Those who take a single worldline as their blood vessel.
"Creator Gods..."
Divinities of infinite chaos and omnipotence.
Outside Mount Sumeru.
The Earth we came from, Silver Basket, Obsidian, and so on.
Creator Gods of Otherworlds where the very foundational principles of the world are entirely different reveal themselves in this place.
They are true Undying.
Perhaps because I am a Governing Immortal, perceiving them itself is not a problem, but...
Surely, if one is below Great Net Immortal, one's very existence would shatter just by perceiving them, and even at Immortal Lord level one's eyes would hurt.
Kung— Kung— Kung— Kung—!
However, what truly makes the chest throb is not their rank.
Kung— Kung— Kung—!
'So...many...!'
Each and every one is omnipotent, and there are far too many.
Beings who would be omnipotent in their own worlds send incarnations to this Mount Sumeru and reveal fragments of omnipotence.
And there are very many such beings.
At a glance, they number in the dozens!
'The world is...'
I once had such a thought.
Why do those who become Supreme Deities head to the Audience Chamber?
Why, after becoming Supreme Deity and fully enjoying what there is to enjoy, do they not live as eternal undying rulers of the Heavenly Domains, but instead...
...head 'outside,' and challenge the Future King!?
'It is...this...vast...!'
Even if one lives as a Supreme Deity, after living for hundreds of millions, tens of billions, trillions of years and more, all feel it.
Though one cannot know what lies outside this place called Mount Sumeru, surely 'outside' there is a world broader than this!
What the Radiance Hall says is nonsense, and 'outside' this world there are far, far too many other worlds that are so mysterious, beautiful, strange, and full of things to discover.
One instinctively realizes it.
The outside of this world is a different Heaven and Earth.
'If you think about it...isn't that so...?'
I look upon those mysterious, strange, and awe-inspiring Creator Gods and feel it.
'The beings drawn in periodically from other worlds are those called the Enders...so what Supreme Deity would not be curious about the outside...!?'
The incarnations of the Creator Gods seem to explain the very foundations of their own worlds.
Even one whose entire body is made of fire.
Even one made of endless chaos.
Even one composed of the cosmic great desolation itself.
And even one who assumes the form of an ordinary stellar system...
Through the insight of a Supreme Deity, as I peak into the worlds of the Creator Gods of Otherworlds...
I feel some emotion deep in my chest begin to throb.
And, leaving such a me behind, the Creator Gods use power.
In forms so bizarre that one cannot even guess their shapes, they block the front of Bong Hwa and each disperses the power of [Hope] in her stead.
As the authorities of a dozen or so Creator Gods overlay, Hope slowly disperses and scatters.
Seeing this, Hong Fan quietly asks Silver Basket.
"To defeat me alone, how great a price have you paid? Even if they do not desire it, by the promise of gods, you must serve them. Then again, since you are the wanderer who has roamed countless dimensions, you must indeed know many entertainments to please them."
"...O Future King. Do you not already know?"
It appears that, in order to summon those otherworld Creator Gods, Silver Basket, who is likewise originally a Creator God of another world, took some considerable loss.
"To those who possess everything, what could I give to spark their interest? I am merely the pretext. They are beings who descended because they are intrigued by you and Mount Sumeru itself."
"They are all faces I see anew. Since I see no familiar Creator Gods, they are gods who are not old, are they? You have lured in nuisances with curiosity as bait."
"If it is five or six, you can probably keep them briefly killed through your Hope. But o Future King! I have called them even at the cost of consuming the causality and legacies of high divinities I obtained while traveling innumerable Otherworlds. So many beings have gathered to block your Hope!"
Hong Fan sends a cold gaze toward Silver Basket, and Silver Basket, dwelling within Oh Hyun-seok's body and restoring the spirit, smiles.
"What could you possibly do against this many gods of Otherworlds!?"
As if offering gratitude toward Silver Basket's soul, Bong Hwa bows her head toward the being resurrecting inside Oh Hyun-seok.
Hong Fan glances at such a Bong Hwa, then looks again at Silver Basket, and then opens his mouth toward the beings of the Cosmic Great Desolation (宇宙鴻黃) who block them.
"O great gods. I do not wish to insult you."
Then Hong Fan, with empty eyes, looks up at them and speaks.
"This place is the conception palace of omnipotence. The gestation world of a Creator who has not yet completed creation. It is not a place for those who have already accomplished creation to come. I ask that you please leave."
At a glance the tone is polite, yet at the same time proud.
In response, the Creator Gods reveal anger.
'No, that is not it.'
I notice that it is not anger.
It seems like pity, and also like joy, and also like sorrow.
It is literally true chaos itself.
: : O G O D W H O H A S F A L L E N I N T O D E S P A I R : :
: : W E H A V E W A T C H E D O V E R T H O U : :
: : R A T H E R , T H Y C U R R E N T D E E D : :
: : I S I N D E F I N I T E L Y D E L A Y I N G : :
: : T H E B I R T H O F A C R E A T O R G O D : :
: : D O S T T H O U T H I N K W E W O U L D K N O W N O T : :
: : O F T H E P R E V I O U S G E N E R A T I O N W H O L E F T T H E C R A D L E A N D S L E E P S ? : :
: : H O W C O U L D T H O U K N O W N O T W H Y T H E Y D I V I D E D T H E I R S O U L I N T O T H R E E A N D S P L I T I T I N T O F A T E , H I S T O R Y , A N D M I R A C L E ? : :
: : L E T G O O F T H Y O B S E S S I O N A N D A C C E P T I T N A T U R A L L Y : :
: : E I T H E R L E T G O A N D F O L L O W T H E W I L L O F T H E P R E V I O U S G E N E R A T I O N : :
: : O R D E V O U R A L L T H R E E : :
: : T H O U A C C O M P L I S H I N G C R E A T I O N : :
: : I S G R E A T E R T H A N T H E R E S U L T O F T H Y F O O L I S H O B S E S S I O N :
: : D O S T T H O U T R U L Y N O T K N O W ? : :
Countless wills resonate in wondrous and bizarre ways and deliver to the Future King.
Why is it?
Even though they are beings who violently invaded the world at Silver Basket's request, from them I feel a sign as if they 'worry' about the Future King.
And, while receiving the sympathy of innumerable Absolute Ones, he grips the Emptiness Sword.
"O young Absolute Ones. Your opening of creation comes after my birth. Believing only in rank while invoking the former generation, what do you know that you would dare preach to me?"
Judging by the tone, he seems angry, yet the wave of will I feel from him is rather one of 'contempt.'
: : O R D E R O F T I M E A N D S U C H : :
: : H A V E N O M E A N I N G T O T H E O M N I P O T E N T : :
: : D O S T T H O U T R U L Y N O T K N O W ? : :
"Omniscient and omnipotent ones on your own ground. Are you truly ignorant of the result of violating my taboo and coming here."
The speech (言) of divine beings and the physical voice of a mortal being collide in the void.
And yet, why is it?
Surely those beings are of a rank so high that even I, the Star Genesis Supreme Deity, cannot properly read their speech, and yet,
I feel that the Future King's will, spoken out as nothing but an ordinary voice, is all the more chilling and baleful.
"O young Creators. Are you truly ignorant of why the ancient Creator Gods do not violate my taboo and, even at Silver Basket's request, do not descend."
Thud—
Breath…
Begins to caught.
Even to me, who fully restored the true body of the Star Genesis Supreme Deity, can tell that [something] I cannot perceive is beginning to bloom from the true body of the Future King, the Fate Supreme Deity Hong Fan Gu Ju.
Just then, Silver Basket, who barely stitched the spirit together by borrowing the energy of the Origin Essence of Life through Bong Hwa, begins to let out a lamentation unbefitting a Creator God of another world.
"Lament, and lament, and lament again. O Future King. Do you truly not know why, despite making such a sacrifice, I am in this place?"
The Future King ignores that cry and starts to reach out his hand.
Woooooo—
Those far-distant Otherworlds.
The other Creator Gods who do not descend into this gestational world called Mount Sumeru all at once wail in grief and numb heaviness and begin to 'move' their own worlds.
Many of the lights that shine beyond the void and the Vairambha Wind begin to flee.
As if they do not want to be caught up in it.
Here, the Creator Gods of Otherworlds who descended through Silver Basket begin to exert the power of their omniscient and omnipotent (全知全能) might, pressuring Hong Fan Gu Ju.
The endless chaos and omnipotent power that originate from them cover him.
Silver Basket begins to wail.
"For the sake of what you call Hope, how long do you intend to carry on this painful story!? Hope that pushes every being of a world that has not yet been born, including yourself, into hell—what meaning does it have!?"
Why do they wail?
Because they fear Hong Fan?
No, that is not it.
That is...
Pity.
"Do you not know how deeply those who watch over you pity you?"
They pity the Future King and feels endless compassion for him.
—True Martial Arts Emptiness Sword.
—Linked Profundity.
Throwing technique.
An upward cleave that uses repulsion force.
Accelerating technique.
A downward cleave that uses attraction force.
The ultimate techniques of the Emptiness Sword combine in an instant and are born as a baleful killing art.
—Upper Heaven Future King
Within the authorities of Creator Gods, Hong Fan Gu Ju, who takes the stance of throwing, begins to throw something.
It is not the Emptiness Sword.
It is...
"Just how long do you intend to continue that horrific Divine Art!?"
It is a transcendent [something] that I cannot even begin to perceive.
The power of transcendence that is called Great Mantra, or also called Divine Arts.
That is cast through the combination formula of the Emptiness Sword, pierces the incarnate bodies of the Creator Gods, leaps beyond the Void, and flies out to cause the collapse of a single world beyond the void in a single strike.
At the same time, one Creator God in the vicinity disappears.
The cause and effect are unknown, but through insight it is possible to infer.
At that very moment, a Creator God, world and all, was skewered and killed by the Future King's Divine Art.
That is the beginning.
Tukwang— Tukwang— Tukwang!
The Future King Fate Supreme Deity, tearing the authorities of the Creator Gods apart with mere movement, begins to throw something.
Each time that unperceivable thing called Divine Art is thrown, one world is pierced and meets annihilation.
And the Chief Divinity at the center of that world.
The ruler who governs the single world.
The Absolute One.
The Omnipotent One.
The Creator God, is torn and killed.
He brings collapse to worlds.
He brings annihilation to worlds.
He brings the End to worlds.
He brings ruination to worlds.
He brings massacre to Absolute Beings.
He executes them.
He exterminates them.
What on earth could one call it?
In that ghastly and hideous revel of killing, feeling inexpressible terror and pain, we can only watch as countless worlds and Creator Gods turn to powder before they can even react.
The Creator Gods are being massacred.
Before that appalling killing power, everyone except Bong Hwa only stares blankly at the scene.
Even Silver Basket and I, for a brief moment, lose even the will to resist that appalling absolute authority and can only stand with mouths agape.
Wooooooo—
The Creator Gods wail.
Jiiiiiing!
The wails of beings who create and annihilate worlds with a single word.
Their cry brings pain even to us who have nothing to do with them, our chests ache, and a bitterness of having lost a world invades the mind and delivers suffering.
They grant, by sound alone, emotions so fierce and terrifying even to Governing Immortals.
That is the wail of the Creator Gods.
And that terrifying wail at a glance also seems to be a wail from the pain of their worlds perishing and their very beings being torn to shreds.
Yet, I can tell.
They do not simply wail for that.
They are pitying the Future King.
Whisperwhisperwhisperwhisper—
As the Absolute Ones fade, they whisper.
Even as they themselves go to their deaths, as if such a thing does not concern them at all,
Wholly pitying and blessing the Future King...
: : Pleasedonottakethelongroadbackbutfindtheanswer : :
: : PitifulandpoorHongFanGuJuIshedtearsatthepainyousuffered : :
: : Igivemyblessingthatyoufindtheanswerandpraythatyoufindsalavation : :
: : Somedayescapeandbefreedfromthedreadfulandfoolishbridbleofpainyouoncethrewuponus : :
: : Isincerelypraythatyouyourselfareliberated : :
Empathy.
They, even as they die by Hong Fan Gu Ju, who destroys their own worlds and tears their true bodies apart, feel pity and sorrow for him, and sincerely empathize with him.
It is a strangeness that I cannot possibly understand.
Sensing the bizarre and incomprehensible vested interests of the truly born Absolute Ones, I feel the song of their wailing subside.
He, who destroyed the Creator Gods and tore apart dozens of worlds to powder, sits upon the jade throne of the Audience Chamber.
At the same time, for the first time I can feel 'emotion' from him.
Hearing the horrible and agonizing screams and wails of the Creator Gods, and hearing the blessings and empathy imbued in them, does he feel some stirring of emotion?
The emotion he shows for the first time.
It is 'fatigue'.
"Now!"
And Kim Young-hoon, who discerns him, shouts.
"If it is [now]...at least in 'speed', we can surpass him!"
What is obtained by emptying everything into emptiness is the Apex of Movement Techniques of Hong Fan Gu Ju, True Martial Arts Black Heaven.
The principle of Void Speed.
However, in this moment when fatigue and wavering nest inside that heart.
He has, for an instant, stepped out from perfect emptiness.
At least for now, he cannot use Void Speed.
And he also cannot use the ultimate technique that accelerates once more from Void Speed, 'Future'!
If it is now!
Through Golden Great Thousand World, we can seize superiority in speed!
With Kim Young-hoon's shout, a familiar authority begins to bloom from one corner of the Audience Chamber.
'This is...!'
The Origin Essence of Liberation inside the Liberation Seal of the Liberation Palace left by Bong Myeong freed Bong Hwa.
And what he left behind does not end there.
Pseudo-Ender
Liberation Law Talent
What is called a Pseudo-Ender is no different from a Pseudo-Absolute fragment.
Yes, he was truly a Craftsman of the Heavens.
For it is he who, with his own hands, weaved principle, fate, and causality to create a Pseudo-Absolute!
Clang, clang!
The Pseudo-Absolute fragment flashes, becoming a shining [key] that releases [something].
The next moment,
Kwaaaang!
Light bursts forth, and from the [cage] that has until now imprisoned the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld Bong Hwa, seven-colored light sweeps the whole world.
At the same time, inside that cluster of seven-colored light.
The things that have been compressed into the form of a [cage] start to be 'liberated'.
'This is...'
Because it fell a bit short to liberate Bong Hwa, the Origin Essence of Liberation was detonated directly, yet it is a key sufficient to liberate 'something else.'
That key resonates with some being's Immortal Art and mixes with a silver cluster of light within Primordial Chaos.
It is Purple Soul Filling the Heavens.
—Purple is the most suitable color to hide in the darkness.
—Carry on life in the darkness where light can never reach.
—By continuing the inherited life, we shall all finally reach liberation.
The formula that Silver Basket created, as it touches the will of the Liberation Supreme Deity, reverses from that of an authority which is specialized in seizing another's body,
It becomes not one that seizes another's flesh and oneself evolves.
But one that sacrifices oneself, and revives the soul of the one whose self was stolen.
The will of sacrifice of the Liberation Supreme Deity meshes with the will of Silver Basket and explodes the Psuedo-Absolute Liberation Law Talent with Purple Soul Filling the Heavens.
Those who are compressed into the form of a [cage] and [confined] begin to be liberated!
Kung, kung, kung!
On the face of Bong Hwa, who is truly advancing, a warm smile settles.
Perhaps it is because there are several faces familiar to her.
A gigantic silver body begins to recover, sucking in the spirits of Silver Basket that were torn away.
A Heavenly King of far-off primordial antiquity.
The one who was called the Silver Basket Heavenly King descends to this place.
Next, a being that exudes a presence second only to Silver Basket's ferocity opens their eyes.
They are also of antiquity, known as the God of Gods.
The one who was called the Obsidian Devil Heavenly King descends to this place.
The last presence I feel is a being far too familiar.
The moment Kim Yeon offers the true body she prepared in offering, they settle into that flesh and, compared to the others, awakens without any loss of power.
The one who was called the Tridacna Vast Cold Heavenly King descends to this place.
Led by those three beings, countless existences appear in this place.
Red Pearl Yang Su-jin.
Agate Seo Wu-jin.
Lapis Lazuli Jeong Sin.
Obsidian Vinaya.
Tridacna Shin.
Gold Gugalanna.
Beginning from existences so very familiar, to those whose names, authorities, and natal dharma treasures were seen in the past.
And the Agate Hatred Heavenly King of the previous generation who has connections with us.
From the heinous beings who provided the causality that gave birth to Seo Hweol,
To Enders of the past generations at the level of mere mortal beings with no presence at all.
Even to Enders at the trivial mortal-level who, upon arriving at the Head Realm, fell at once and died with their heads split on stone.
All Enders of all eras come back to life in this place and awaken in the Audience Chamber!
Kuuung!
At the same time, Silver Basket stamps a foot and injects [wisdom] that explains the current situation to them all.
Enders at the level of mere mortal beings, who are not even qualified to respond to that [wisdom], all explode and die at once.
However, perhaps judging that Enders of that level will not even be of help, Silver Basket pays it no mind and points at me and declares.
: : All of you, listen. Now. Except for now, there is absolutely no chance in the future! Only now, when the first error that ripped apart the devil's fate with his hands is here in this place! : :
Uuuuuuuu—
Four among the Five Desires Chain who were clearly torn to death by the Splitting Heaven Mantra come back to life at a single touch of the Obsidian Devil Heavenly King, and without any time to grasp the situation, they join again and become a gigantic Swallowing Heaven.
: : This is the only time when I can foresee the highest win rate called four pun! : :
A soft pink radiance bursts out, and a gigantic light pink colossus begins to lift something up behind their back.
Longevity, Wealth, Health, Love of Virtue, Acceptance at Fate's End.
The symbols of the Five Blessings radiate brilliantly in splendor and extend hands to the system of Immortal Cultivation that belongs to Hong Fan Gu Ju.
: : Bring forth a miracle. O fragments of miracle! : :
At Silver Basket's declaration, they all raise their momentum without words.
Of course, the ones who regain rationality are at least Enders of Immortal Lord rank.
Enders of Great Net Immortal and below, even though they receive [wisdom] and grasp the situation, for some reason only stand there with dazed eyes.
Even so, empowered by Silver Basket's command, they begin to move and unfold their respective authorities.
No one speaks.
'...So that is how it is.'
Those who uttered their fate.
All who let their tongues slip lost the right to speak.
Only Silver Basket, whose rank does not fall behind the Future King, can utter words.
Even so, their wills are clearly conveyed.
Drawing out the morale of no retreat before battle, they all at once begin to walk toward the Owner of Fate seated on the jade throne.
And Hong Fan lets out a sigh.
"I am tired."
Wuduk—
A mere sigh.
With that alone, a repulsion force that is enough to briefly halt the movements of all Enders of all eras arises and binds them.
And, as I perceive the truths contained in that repulsion force, I realize one thing.
'...It was not that his strength was worn down while facing the Creator Gods.'
Only, the wails and shrieks of the Creators Gods.
The blessing and sympathy within them shook his heart, and only dug a little deeper into the crack that already exists in that heart.
Therefore, only the stray thought that he is tired briefly revealed itself.
Of course, with just that stray thought, one of his ultimate techniques that is a movement technique is sealed.
But a stray thought is a stray thought.
"I should close my eyes for a moment."
If he calms his heart just a little, it is something that will be tidied away at any time.
He shuts his eyes and raises his hand.
"Attend to my hand. Storage scroll, Emptiness Supreme Deity"
The shackle that briefly sealed the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld, the Netherworld Queen Mother Bong Hwa. The gatekeeper who tested us and the door that leads to the Audience Chamber.
At the same time, the Head Realm, which has been harboring the Akashic Records all this time, appears upon his hand and begins to open its mouth.
That's right.
To him, even an existence at the level of a Supreme Deity is merely something at the level of a storage scroll that stores things like the Akashic Records.
And, what is 'stored' in the storage scroll is not only the Akashic Records.
Chwarararararak—
The Emptiness Supreme Deity Myeong Woon opens its mouth and begins to pour something out.
Kung, kung, kung, kung, kung, kung, kung, kung, kung!
Woooo—
Unlike the true body of Hong Fan Gu Ju, from which nothing is felt, as [those] begin to descend, a baleful and terrifying aura begins to fill all Heaven and Earth.
Ominous.
Ominousness beyond ominousness.
What appears before the numerous Heavenly Kings and Enders of all eras is dozens of Governing Immortals.
In other words, the Supreme Deities who have been devoured by the Emptiness Supreme Deity until now.
Dozens of Supreme Deities descend here and block the way before the Enders of all eras.
They have no reason, and only glare at us with black pupils and obey the command of the Owner of Fate.
That is not the end.
Kwaruru—
"...Gang...Sphere...?"
Kim Young-hoon mutters.
Above the hand of Hong Fan Gu Ju, something rotating appears.
It looks like a Three Great Ultimates formed by the gathering of countless thread-like things.
And I once saw something that looked exactly the same as that in the past.
Its name is Hyeon Mu's Gandhara.
It is the symbol of [Blackened Three Great Ultimates], and the very existence of that being itself.
Perhaps because he is tired, the moment he floats the Blackened Three Great Ultimates above his hand, a wisp of wisdom leaks out and reveals its identity.
—Henceforth, this shall be called Gang (罡).
The power that martial artists obtain upon reaching a certain realm is Gang Qi.
A name used in Body Protective Gang Qi, Sword Gang, Gang Sphere, and so on, and the power that cultivators call pure spiritual force.
Named as Gang, the name of the Northern Dipper's star of death, it was a power that, because it signified the loftiest attainment in the martial world, was wielded by countless martial artists and came to be known as Gang Qi.
Only now can I know who first attached the name Gang (罡) to Gang Qi.
The pure death of the North Pole itself.
'...What we...have been fighting is...'
The Northern Heavenly Venerable, the True Martial Great Emperor Hyeon Mu.
No, perhaps even the Southern Heavenly Venerable, Time, and the Eastern Heavenly Venerable, Sal Tree.
The heinous truth that what we have been calling Heavenly Venerables were merely tools into which a bit of history was breathed into the Gang Sphere clones of the Future King...
Reveals itself before my eyes.
Kurururu—
"It is not a Gang Sphere clone. Unlike your Gang Spheres, I focused on killing, not stability and skill."
He briefly spits out words, reading my thoughts.
Surely, those pieces of information feel like mercy given to me who endures hope, and a kind of respect...
But in the overwhelming disparity, even respect feels like mockery.
"I call it Gang Extreme."
A Three Great Ultimates of killing made of Gang Qi.
That chilling vortex begins to rotate ominously and 'multiply'.
It is certainly more unstable than our Gang Sphere, and I feel it focuses on attack and killing.
However, that is clearly an evolved form of Gang Qi like ours.
Kugugugugu!
As the Three Great Ultimates of killing expands, their shapes grow distinct and solidify into forms we know.
The Gandhara of the True Martial Great Emperor Hyeon Mu.
Yes.
The Fate Supreme Deity's Gang Sphere clone.
Fifty Heavenly Venerables appear and begin to converge.
"For the rest of the story, if you are still standing when I open my eyes, I shall listen."
With that, Hong Fan Gu Ju reclines on the jade throne and closes his eyes, entering meditation to settle his heart.
An overwhelming gap that feels utterly unbreachable.
However,
Despite that gap, I set my foot down.
Kung!
The true body of the Star Genesis Supreme Deity takes a step toward that jade throne.
Then, a silver giant takes another step at my side.
: : ...Do not give up. : :
Kung!
Beginning with Silver Basket.
The Enders, awakened across aeons, face the Heavenly Venerables and Supreme Deities.
And beyond them, they begin to step toward the colossal jade throne.
Kururururur—
Numerous black Three Great Ultimates.
One of the vortices of killing stands foremost and changes its appearance.
It is a familiar figure.
A girl in black martial attire.
Thinking about it now, if wrinkles are drawn on that girl's face, it is the same face as Hong Fan's.
With eyes filled entirely with self-loathing, that being opens her mouth.
"Give up. If I, who am merely a shard of a dream, am permitted this level of power against you, I have no way to lose."
She slowly brings her hand to the ponytail that has been tied until now.
Tuuk—
For the first time, Hyeon Mu tears off the 'something' that has been tying her ponytail.
Chwararak—
At the same time, Hyeon Mu's hair flows down like a waterfall.
Just tearing off what has been tying the ponytail that had always seemed short makes it pour down wildly, making the sight look rather uncanny yet at the same time sacred.
Shwaaaaa—
Black hair covers the surroundings and forms a sea of darkness.
It is a world of nothing.
The Interdimensional Void.
At the same time, the heart essence world of the Owner of Immortal Cultivation where all Middle Realms reside.
As the distinction between martial robes and hair grows faint in the darkness, that being raises the black something she has used as a weapon all this time.
Only now that I am a Supreme Deity, only now that I truly stand upon Martial Pinnacle, can I know what Hyeon Mu has been using as a 'weapon'.
It is a leopard-pattern hair ornament.
A form quite similar to what Bong Hwa has been using.
Amorphous darkness spews from it, becoming swords, spears, whips, arrows, and countless other forms of killing weapons with which she has been facing us with.
"'I' am merely playing with you as a gesture of respect for having come this far. 'Hope' is even now evolving, and since there is no particular restriction, 'I' could have unleashed indiscriminate barrages as much as 'I' liked."
At those grim words, Silver Basket seems to recall something unpleasant and flinches, and I smile faintly.
"I know."
"'I' have not properly used the power of fate, nor have 'I' summoned a proper Immortal Treasure. 'I' have also not used the [First Light] which is called forth through the gathering of all the summoned Supreme Deities here around the Radiance Supreme Deity. Great Mantra. What you call Divine Art has also had its conditions long met, yet was used only to face the Creator Gods. The debt enforcement that once used, can annihilate all of you at once has also not properly been used."
"I know that as well."
"The time when 'I' reached the ultimate of Martial Arts was the time before Nayuta. Across an unfathomable span of time, the one who has polished and evolved Martial Pinnacle is 'I'. With the power of Martial Arts alone, 'I' can butcher you all. With the use of proper Immortal Cultivation and mantras, authority and Immortal Treasures, just what chance of victory do you have?"
Only now can I perceive in more detail what reflects in those black pupils.
Hyeon Mu is Hong Fan's shame.
Only today, upon facing her, do I understand why Hyeon Mu insists on taking the form of a 'girl'.
"You...are the compassion that remains in Hong Fan. You are his softest part, and his last remaining humaneness."
"Only a defective product."
"No matter what form the heart takes, there is no such thing as defective."
I smile brightly as I look at her and raise the Impermanence Sword.
The power of the Turning Wheel Mantra, the power of the Origin Essence of Myriad Stars, infuses into the Impermanence Sword, and the Impermanence Sword begins to shine with starlight.
It feels as if a galaxy rests in my hand.
"You are merely the soft and gentle part."
"Nothing but the anguish that calls forth pain."
"So you are the anguish of the heavens."
Hong Fan calls Hyeon Mu a defective product.
And Hyeon Mu fears Hong Fan.
He says making a world without the heart is his first goal.
He says resisting the heart, resisting connection is Immortal Cultivation.
"If one truly has a strong heart, then is it not the heart to accept without needing to resist?"
Hyeon Mu's pupils tremble.
Tstststs—
The Impermanence Sword loses the form of a sword and becomes starlight that circles me.
I take a step toward her.
Hyeon Mu clenches her hand tightly.
The hair ornament in her hand trembles.
One step.
Two steps.
Three steps.
Countless exchanges pass between her and me, but nothing can truly bar my way.
The Void Speed she boasts of is sealed thanks to the main body whose heart wavers, and the killing arts that unfold from Hyeon Mu's hand enter my sight fully thanks to my having seen of a higher level.
At last, piercing through the countless unseen exchanges and moments of timing, I enter her boundary and reach my hand toward Hyeon Mu's chest.
"When the weakness is clear, where is the reason I cannot win, O heart of the heavens."
With eyes filled with anguish.
At the corner of Hyeon Mu's mouth, who has been pretending to be empty, a smile appears for the first time.
It is a somewhat sad smile, and yet...
Her eyes are shining.
"Are you saying you can do it?"
And the answer comes from elsewhere.
[He can.]
Tststststs—
Wo-woong!
At this place, a certain apparition appears.
The owner of that apparition is the Southern Heavenly Venerable, the True Ultimate Eternal Life Great Emperor Cheon Woon.
The Heavenly Venerable of Time.
It is the being called the Owner of Calendrics.
[No other can do so, but he can.]
Hyeon Mu casts her gaze toward Cheon Woon.
[Only he can set you free.]
"On what basis?"
[Because I saw it. Only I, as the observer of calendrics, remember together the 16th timeline.]
"...You..."
Hyeon Mu opens her mouth.
"You ran. You left. The Cradle of Chaos. The Conception Palace of Omnipotence...you escaped from Mount Sumeru!"
[Yes. I, shamefully, miserably, took advantage of the gap when the boundary of Cakravāda is split in half...and am running away to find the freedom I so longed for.]
Cheon Woon smiles brightly.
[Of course, with 'your' complete power, I can be captured. But...not 'right now'. Until the end of this battlefield, I can remain as a 'witness'!]
A smile rises at the corner of Hyeon Mu's lips.
"Ahaha...I see. Until 'I' capture you...the poison cannot be detoxified."
[...That's right. So, Seo Eun-hyun. Remember. Now that all restraints are released. Whatever causality there is, as long as I exist, the 16th cycle will be remembered 'no matter what'!]
"...My friend. Thank you."
The moment Hyeon Mu's words end, countless Gandharas swirl behind her and begin to unleash attacks toward me.
"You said let's dance, didn't you?"
Hyeon Mu begins to move through the lump of anguish grasped in her hand within the darkness.
The Supreme Deities and Gandharas gradually move by Hyeon Mu's command and begin to exert their authority.
"Then prove it. Prove that your enlightenment stands ahead of hope."
Wooo-woooong!
Hyeon Mu's face disappears, and what remains is a swirling Black Three Great Ultimates.
Beyond it, something reveals itself.
The Future King's storage scroll.
The Emptiness Supreme Deity opens its mouth.
Hyeon Mu, inheriting the will of the Future King, declares the opening of war and summons the Future King's treasure.
"Come forth. The first Immortal Treasure of the Heavens."
Future King Three Heavenly Treasures.
By the Supreme Deity's insight, I can tell.
The original of the downgraded version the Radiance Eight Immortals once showed.
The first.
The Heavenly Treasure corresponding to the Radiance Supreme Deity's Purple Forbidden Alms Bowl.
"Heavenly Void Furnace."
Tuk, tududududuk...!
From the Emptiness Supreme Deity's mouth, a familiar ground reveals itself again.
Ascension Path.
And, within that Ascension Path, the thing that had been sealed in the form of 'land' by Yang Su-jin.
Kugugugugu!
All Governing Immortals until now have merely swung it about blindly, but the relic of the Absolute now begins to exert proper 'authority' under Hyeon Mu's will.
16th cycle.
Kirilirik—
Cutting Principle unfolds from my hand.
Just like a ship moving forward with the power of a fair wind, will—empowered by the heavenly fortune that the Liberation Seal draws in—becomes a slashing strike that cuts principle.
Shukwagak!
The principle within prohibition is severed.
At some point, I become able to delve more intuitively into the world of the [net].
"How is it, Master? Is there an effect?"
"Mm..."
I look at the Liberation Seal that Hong Fan is holding.
"Indeed, the effect of what is called heavenly fortune is powerful."
Overall luck improves.
Not simply fortune, but starting from talent fortune, even health fortune and wealth fortune feel as if they rise further.
With Hong Fan carrying the Liberation Seal that summons heavenly fortune and following me, the cultivation speed of Cutting Principle soars even faster.
Feeling as if the heavens favor me, I rapidly cultivate the Star Extinguishing True Chapter.
Hong Fan as well hones cultivation at my side with me, learning the 'Three Spirits Art'.
It was one of the secret arts that became the original Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
Tsuat—
Hong Fan's body seems to split into three, then merges back into one.
It is the divine external incarnation secret art of the Three Spirits Art.
It is a secret art that splits realm and cultivation to later infuse it back in, with the drawback that one's realm lowers the instant it is learned; but somehow, even though Hong Fan splits his realm, before long he reaches the Grand Perfection Core Formation level.
'Soon the realms will reverse.'
Once he passes the Nascent Soul stage, from then on the real reversal will begin.
With a slightly stifled heart, I gaze beyond the Serving Command Palace into the void space that is nothing but darkness.
I have experienced having my realm caught up to multiple times, but honestly it is not a pleasant feeling.
Moreover, knowing that Hong Fan deliberately splits his realm with the Three Spirits Art to slow the speed at which he catches up to my realm makes my mixed feelings grow even heavier.
Recently those feelings have been growing and growing a little more, spreading even into a gloomy mood, so I have also been spending a little time reigning in my Heart Demon.
Perhaps knowing my heart, Hong Fan speaks behind me while holding the Serving Command Seal.
"Since Master has cultivated for long, would you like to go on an outing?"
"An outing..."
It is a good idea.
Ordinary cultivators too, when their cultivation is blocked, often seek a shift in perception by wandering the world of mortals or traveling the Nine Mountains and Eight Seas.
And in the midst of that, they also obtain fortuitous encounters.
However...
"Mm... In the Head Realm, it is a little...yeah."
The situation before ascending to the Head Realm is something I still remember.
From Cheongmun Ryeong to Buk Hyang-hwa, Seo Ran.
And even Kim Young-hoon...
The Head Realm is a place full of connections I painstakingly cut and left behind.
What should I do if I meet precious connections while practicing the cultivation of cutting connections?
'If I do it wrong, the cultivation of Cutting People might get all tangled.'
But as if reading my worry, he chuckles.
"Haw haw, Master. Are you perhaps worried about meeting old connections in the Head Realm?"
"That is...yes. That is right."
"Then how about going to a place untouched by the hands of people?"
"A place untouched by the hands of people...?"
"Yes."
Woooooong!
Hong Fan seems to manipulate the Serving Command Seal, then causes the Serving Command Palace to deviate from its original orbit.
Kugugugu!
Soon, the Serving Command Seal pierces the void space and reveals itself somewhere else.
"This place is..."
Kugugugugu!
It is a place familiar to me.
A place that, despite being the Lower Realm, possesses a density of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy similar to a Middle Realm.
It is Ascension Path.
"Ah, yes..."
With clear eyes, I jump down toward Ascension Path.
"It's a good idea."
Certainly, if it is Ascension Path where people's hands do not readily reach, it seems good to refresh my mood under the clear sky, tidying my heart with less worry.
I descend to Ascension Path.
Hwioooooo—
The wind of Ascension Path greets me.
And, unlike before, I discover something a little different in Ascension Path.
'The Sky Islands of the Sky Island Archipelago...are different.'
If the Sky Islands of the Sky Island Archipelago are being supported by the Grand Cultivator Association's fixed 'floating technique'...
Ascension Path is different.
'The dragon vein of Ascension Path itself...'
It has the appearance of [sealing] something.
The knowledge I accumulated from being dragged around by the Mad Lord in the Middle Realm, building experience as a governor in the True Devil Realm, and picking up various bits of information beside Seo Hweol, makes me recognize that fact even more clearly.
Thinking about it, it is so.
The barrier surrounding the entirety of Ascension Path also blocks ordinary people or cultivators below a certain realm from perceiving Ascension Path and from 'entering and exiting'.
The one who made Ascension Path.
Yang Su-jin obviously kept others from coming to Ascension Path.
'Ascension Path...is not floating by itself. Rather, the thing that Ascension Path is [sealing] is floating by itself, and Ascension Path is just 'attached there'.'
I suddenly grow curious about what is sealed in Ascension Path.
What is it for Yang Su-jin to seal it?
'Perhaps...even inside there, Yang Su-jin's lingering thought remains.'
If so, I may be able to meet Yang Su-jin's lingering thought again and seek advice on how to resolve my current state.
'Since Shattered Heaven Peak is a place where traces of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect remain, I don't know how the curse of the Heavenly Punishment True Immortal will flare up if I go...'
A curiosity that arises suddenly.
And at the same time, a strange confidence that, because I have the Liberation Seal and heavenly fortune itself increased, it cannot be a wrong judgment.
With those overlapping, I make up my mind to try to see what is sealed inside Ascension Path in this lifetime.
-x-X-x-
Chwaaaaa—
The textures and weaves of countless nets come into my eyes.
I see and feel the grains of innumerable nets and think,
'Amazing.'
Though I don't know how, Yang Su-jin somehow weaved the net itself and applied it to the seal.
'He manipulated the net through Heavenly Tribulation.'
I cannot even get a sense of how.
Even I can only barely hang onto the very edge of the principle that forms the net, and can do no more than faintly disturb the power of that principle.
'This is a True Immortal...!'
If one is a True Immortal, can one just freely manipulate rules themselves like this?
Marveling at Yang Su-jin's immense abilities, I go around Ascension Path and pick apart the power of the seal that blankets the entirety of Ascension Path.
Back when I was only at the Qi Refining and Qi Building levels, even looking around Ascension Path took ages...
But now that I have reached the early Nascent Soul stage of Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation, I can circle Ascension Path in half a day.
Because I look around faster than I expect, I use the Earth Escape Technique to peer down beneath the ground.
Before, I only looked around the surface of Ascension Path, or I looked up from below Ascension Path from the Heaven-Treading Desert. But now, I can survey the Sky Island's 'underside' using the Earth Escape Technique.
Tudududududu!
Moving under the soil through the Earth Escape Technique and circling once around the lower part of Ascension Path, I come to know something about the overall structure of Ascension Path.
It is something I uncover for the first time through my 16 regressions.
'Ascension Path is like...the shape of a brazier.'
A three-legged brazier shape.
That is Ascension Path.
'Is Yang Su-jin's Ascension Gate the lid's handle part of the brazier...?'
Thinking about it, that's right.
'The Black Castle.'
Yang Su-jin's Black Castle was originally under the Ascension Gate, and, torn away by 'something', only the bottom part remains with Ascension Path.
The upper part fell away to the Heaven-Treading Desert and became the Black Castle.
'If Ascension Path really is some kind of brazier, then the Black Castle itself is the lid's handle.'
"Hmm..."
After I circle Ascension Path once and then spend about seven days and nights observing the seals even more, I go again to the upper side of Ascension Path.
I head to where the bottom portion of the Black Castle remains.
The base part is in the northwest direction of Ascension Path, and farther northwest is where the Black Fortress is located in the Treading Heaven Desert.
I sit on the very northwestern edge of Ascension Path and think,
'The sealing art cast on Ascension Path is too high-level.'
There is nothing I can even poke or prod with the divine power of Cutting Principle.
'I cannot undo this seal as I am now.'
No matter how much I cultivate Cutting Principle, it's the same.
'Rather, finding a proper method to interfere with the seal will be faster...and...'
With a very high probability, the method to interfere with the seal likely remains in the Black Castle.
Wo-woong!
I unfold the Flying Escape Technique and fly toward where the Black Castle is.
Hwoooong!
In the distance I faintly sense the familiar Black Castle and the puke-inducing smell of blood.
Much of it is washed away by the desert's sandstorms, and before I ascended, I entrusted the vengeful souls to Seo Ran and Song Jin, so much is diluted, but...
It is still a disgusting smell.
Step—
Landing atop Yuan Li's Black Castle, I head instead.
'As expected, Seo Ran and Song Jin only took the vengeful spirits and cultivation resources, leaving things like old books or jade slips behind.'
If it's something in Yuan Li's fortress castle, it's either an ancient secret record or a manual of devilish arts.
But Song Jin is the librarian of the Black Ghost Valley's library with hundreds of thousands of years of history.
In Song Jin's eyes, they are no different from junk not worth the trouble to take, so they were left behind.
In Yuan Li's library within the Black Castle, I rapidly read through the books and jade slips he left.
Sure enough, there are several secret records hidden regarding Ascension Path.
"Sta-, Star Shattering stage cultivator...?"
While investigating the secrets about Ascension Path, Yuan Li, and the Black Castle, I read the history of a clan called the Yuan Clan and come to know an unexpected fact.
Yuan Li was the sole descendant of the 'Yuan Clan' that was exterminated by a great clan called the 'Jo Clan'.
Of course, I already know the Jo Clan is the lineage the Mad Lord came from, so it is not surprising.
But what is even more shocking is about the being called the progenitor of the Yuan Clan.
"One of the Star Shattering stage Esteemed Ones from the Blood Yin Realm who descended from the Upper Realm...tore off the Black Castle, and, by coupling with the clan that originally managed Yang Su-jin's shrine that is the Black Castle...gave birth to the Yuan Clan...?"
Yuan Li and the Yuan Clan seemed to have regarded that Star Shattering stage Esteemed One from the Blood Yin Realm as their de facto progenitor.
"So...is that why he raised such chaos to return to his homeland, the Blood Yin Realm?"
In a way, the origin of the Heaven-Treading Desert massacre started from that Star Shattering stage Esteemed One.
'Why on earth did an Esteemed One of the Upper Realm descend to the Head Realm?'
What on earth exists in this Head Realm?
Above all, if it's a Star Shattering stage Esteemed One, there should be some traces, but they left no trace behind, and I have never sensed their existence throughout all the regressions until now.
Perhaps...
Somewhere in this Head Realm, that Star Shattering Esteemed One might still be alive.
It is a very frightening thought.
Gulping, I read the secret records about the Yuan Clan, and then go further back than the Yuan Clan.
I read the records of the lineage that managed Yang Su-jin's shrine.
And suddenly, while reading the record book, I realize something.
"Central Spirit Holy Kingdom...?"
A familiar word appears.
I remember reading it long ago in the royal library of Shengzi.
'Long ago, the place where the Treading Heaven Desert is located was not a desert, but a very prosperous and abundant land. In that land there existed a tremendous empire that dominated the whole continent of the Head Realm in that era... That country was called the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom.'
But after the era of Yang Su-jin, that Central Spirit Holy Kingdom seemed to have gradually declined.
I am able to find the reason for it in the record book of the lineage that managed the shrine, kept by the Yuan Clan.
"Just before the progenitor ascended. That one destroyed the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom."
—According to the records, the progenitor called the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom a country of evil people that took as its state religion a wicked cult that believes in a snake.
—That person gathered all the dragon veins of the Central Spirit Holy Palace, robbed the vitality of the land where the cultists of the wicked Holy Kingdom lived, and sealed it into the land of the shrine that establishes that person's accomplishments.
—Thus, by that one's feats, under the Ascension Gate, the land of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect where that one's shrine was built took its place in the heavens as a Sky Island.
—It is called the Flying Ascension Island, and by placing the main hall of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect here, it facilitated the taking of tolls from those who seek to ascend, allowing the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect to establish itself as a top sect that remains through all ages—how is this not the grace of the progenitor!?
"..."
In summary, using religion as the reason, Yang Su-jin plundered all the dragon veins of a perfectly thriving nation and made one island.
He made it into the Ascension Path that floats in the sky.
'Because Yang Su-jin robbed the dragon veins, the area where the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom was located turned entirely into the Heaven-Treading Desert...'
Afterwards, the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom did not completely perish, and they struggled by any means to restore the dragon veins in the land that became a desert, but even that was utterly cut off and destroyed by the Star Shattering stage Esteemed One who descended from the Upper Realm forty thousand years ago.
'Did he have a grudge against the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom? Even so...under the pretext of believing in one religion, to wipe out an entire country...'
I glance at a book on Yuan Li's library shelf titled [Great Famine of a Destroyed Nation] and sigh.
Skimming it with consciousness, it is a book that details how many people, after the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom's fall, suffered famine and died because the dragon veins suddenly disappeared.
Truly, the more I hear of Yang Su-jin's deeds, the more I doubt whether this person is really a human.
'Is this truly not the conduct of one who does not regard people as people? This is...'
It is cruelty that could only come from regarding humans as something other than human.
Clicking my tongue at Yang Su-jin's outrageous conduct, I close the books.
"At least I found a lead..."
The caretakers of the shrine only knew that Yang Su-jin simply gathered the dragon veins of the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom into one and made Ascension Path, but they did not know 'what' was sealed.
But what is clear is that the dragons of the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom were gathered, the nation was destroyed, and something was sealed.
'It's too strange to say it is merely to support the Ascension Gate.'
Why was it the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom of all places?
Could it not have been Byeokra, Shengzi, Yanguo, the Great Northern Grasslands, or perhaps the Eastern Tribal States?
'There is something in the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom.'
"Hong Fan. I have a favor to ask."
At my words, Hong Fan appears behind me in an instant and bows his head.
The gigantic centipede politely opens his mouth.
"Please give the command."
"Gather materials concerning the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom."
Since his work sense is in any case better than mine, he will gather information faster than if I go around myself.
In addition, if I needlessly stir up the Head Realm as I go around, the chances of meeting old connections will be high.
At least now, while I cultivate the Star Extinguishing True Chapter, I do not want to meet old connections.
"Understood. Then...may I first advance to the Nascent Soul stage and then receive the command?"
"Of course."
Hong Fan cautiously asks me whether he may reach the Nascent Soul stage, and I nod.
Over the past few days, as I went around inspecting the seal on Ascension Path that Yang Su-jin set up, the gloom of having my realm caught up to by Hong Fan also eased a little.
Perhaps, regardless of realm, the act of exploring something mysterious itself blew away such a Heart Demon.
"To confess honestly...I was a little depressed that I can't keep up with your realm rising. I suppose...it is fair to say I felt a little jealous."
"Is that so?"
"No, perhaps besides being jealous of you...I was also a little afraid. The curse of Heavenly Punishment upon me...began from a True Immortal. Even now, frankly, I have such thoughts that you might be a True Immortal toying with me...and I am a little afraid."
"..."
"But...as I went around Ascension Path and washed away stray thoughts, I could find my original intention again."
I smile toward Hong Fan.
"Even if you are toying with me, so what? Even if you are such a vast existence that I cannot possibly oppose you and you are toying with my entire life...I decided to think of you as a friend."
At my words, Hong Fan's eyes become something unreadable.
"If I...truly am a wicked existence that toys with you, Master, then what are you going to do?"
"If you are such an existence, I absolutely cannot resist. Then is it not meaningless to discuss it?"
"I cannot...understand. Like the True Immortal of Heavenly Punishment who made Master's body like that, if I give Master an indelible wound, what are you intending to do?"
"That is a matter for that time. Right now, you are helping me, are you not?"
"That...is true."
"For what intention you help me, I do not know. But right now, you claim yourself as my subordinate and stand as my comrade. In that case, I treat you as a friend."
"Then, if I later betray and toy with Master, what will you do?"
"Hahaha, what use is there in talking about something that has not happen. I can think about it when the time comes."
"...You are a little irresponsible."
Hong Fan twitches his antennae, as if something about my attitude bothers him.
"Do you mean even when hope that comes in the future is to turn into despair, you will just let go?"
"I am not letting go. I am being faithful to the present."
"...Is that not ultimately an attitude that there is no tomorrow?"
"Is there any need to abandon the friend of now for the fear of tomorrow?"
"That is sophistry. Be prepared. What does Master know about me. That kind of complacency that does not prepare for tomorrow, that does not think of the future, is what brings misfortune. It is what dulls hope!"
Is it that something about my attitude is unpleasant?
Hong Fan raises his antennae stiffly, seeming to show irritation.
"Fine. Then since it is your sincere advice, I will prepare."
"...Do you truly understand my words, or are you just pretending to listen to me?"
"I am not pretending to listen to you. My friend is now earnestly offering sincere advice, so I am accepting it as well."
"..."
As if something does not sit right with him.
Letting out a vaguely unpleasant intent, he stares at me for a moment.
But in the end, he sighs and nods.
"Anyway, Master is saying that from now on, you will not be seized by Heart Demons, and you will not care whether I raise my realm or not? Understood. As for Master's thoughts, as one lives, there is plenty of room to change. Then, starting today I will earnestly raise my realm and assist Master."
Having finished speaking, he goes out of the archives, and I, seeing such a Hong Fan, think of something.
'He is very negative about not thinking of the future...'
Considering that countless insects live only for this one day, Hong Fan is a very alien centipede.
'Well, since memories of his previous life are coming to mind, it is only natural...'
Anyway, the important part was ultimately the words, 'I choose to trust Hong Fan'.
But seeing that at the word 'future', his mood was scratched and he showed an unpleasant tone, it seems he has some bad memory about 'not preparing for the future'.
'Perhaps...in this life, as I investigate Ascension Path, I should also try to learn about Hong Fan.'
In this life, just the two of us, Hong Fan and I, will have to be together for hundreds of years.
In the meantime, it would be good to learn about his previous life and his true intent.
Thus, the next day arrives.
Hong Fan immediately challenges the Nascent Soul stage advancement, and with the Three Spirits Art he raises all three bodies to the Nascent Soul stage.
Until now, it seems he deliberately held himself back, reading the mood because his master was depressed.
Clack, clack...
Entering the Nascent Soul stage and finishing his molting, Hong Fan succeeds in Transformation and comes to obtain a human body.
"Ohhh, Hong Fan...is that your Transformation form?"
"Mmm..."
Hong Fan's first Transformation form is the appearance of a robust middle-aged man.
His hair is black mixed with a few gray strands, and his body is that of a middle-aged man so robust that he stands at least a head taller than me.
At the same time, the black robe he condenses by exuding poison energy makes him look like an Emperor.
"Yes. Since a great many memories of my previous life returned, it seems the Transformation form was determined by the appearance of my past life."
In his voice there is an overbearing aura, seeming to have a wondrous power that naturally makes the listener look up to him.
'Sure enough, he really was a True Immortal in his previous life.'
If, with just a Transformation form at the early Nascent Soul level, he carries such dignity and imposing majesty, then surely in his previous life he was a True Immortal.
With such an imposing bearing that just looking makes one naturally want to bow and prostrate, I almost prostrate before him without realizing it.
But before that happens, Hong Fan goes down on one knee before me and bows his head.
"I speak again, but my fate is to attend and assist at Master's side so that you walk the right path. Under the heavens, I pledge loyalty to thee...so please treat me as before, no matter what my realm is. Under these heavens, I swear that I will care for you with utmost sincerity and devotion."
"...Thank you."
I accept once more the vow of loyalty that Hong Fan offers and reach out my hand as I raise him up.
"As long as you stay by my side, I will treat you as a friend. Barring anomalies, until this life ends...I will trust you."
"...Thank you."
At my words, Hong Fan wears a faint smile, and naturally takes the hand I extend for a handshake.
Though I have not taught him a handshake, it seems he does it by intuition.
Thus, after reaching the Nascent Soul stage, Hong Fan begins to move in earnest for my sake.
Through the Three Spirits Art, Hong Fan brings even the external clones all to the Nascent Soul stage.
Then he stations two of the three clones he made with the Three Spirits Art in other places, and keeps only himself, the main body, and one body at my side to attend me.
"First, I will leave one Three Spirits Art clone for the purpose Master mentioned, to travel all over the Head Realm and collect information."
"Oho, good. Of course you will handle it well on your own, but...what about the rest...? What do you plan to do? Would it not be better to invest the rest in information gathering as well?"
"I will send the other clone up to the Upper Realm. Through the clone raised to the Upper Realm, I judged it better to gather the trends and information of the Upper Realm to find even one method to undo Master's curse, or to find a way to slow the progress of Master's curse, or to find such an elixir or artifact."
"Hoh, good."
Following Hong Fan's counsel, I did come to the Head Realm where the Heavenly Punishment curse progresses more slowly, but I am also curious about the situation of the Bright Cold Realm, so it is welcome news.
"For the last clone, I will leave it by my side for now so that, should Master need it, I can trigger its cultivation to help. Is this acceptable?"
"Hm, I see. Thank you for the consideration. Then I leave it to you."
"I will not disappoint Master."
From that day, after I said I will not worry and will trust him, he displays his skill without reserve.
The clone chosen to sent up to the Upper Realm reaches the Heavenly Being stage in three days and he has it ascend, and the clone to gather information in the Head Realm learns within three days a method called the 'Blood Insect Demon-Devil Great Method' which Hong Fan says he once obtained in his past life, transforming its whole body into tens of thousands of tiny insects and departs the Heaven-Treading Desert.
Since those countless insects, once they accumulate sufficient energy, can divide as much as desired and can also parasitize the desired target, it seems to be an art optimized for information gathering.
Thus, seven days and nights after Hong Fan departs to gather information.
He quickly compiles high-quality information and hands it to me.
"Information on the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom..."
It is excellent.
I acquired considerable knowledge from the royal library of Shengzi and the Cheongmun Clan's archives, but Hong Fan brings countless pieces of information even I do not know of.
The Northern Great Grasslands and the Eastern Tribal states.
And from the homelands where high-ranking Demon Races like the Sea Dragon Race dwell, he brings numerous records, compiles them, and delivers to me the information I want.
Since it's no different from the fast information processing I once exercised through the information-search divine power of a communication magic artifact on Earth, I can sit comfortably in one place and compile myriad pieces of information.
'The imperial palace of the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom. At its center, there was a divine treasure handed down through generations in the Holy Kingdom...huh.'
The Central Spirit Holy Kingdom called it by the name Heavenly Void Furnace, and it seems it was regarded as a divine object symbolizing the Supreme Deity who governs the heavenly country.
Throb—
The Supreme Deity who governs the heavenly country.
For some reason, the moment I see that expression, the [Ender's Tale] I saw before comes to mind and my head starts to ache.
'Is it the same being as the one that appears in the Ender's Tale?'
Perhaps it is not a mere myth or legend but an actually existing True Immortal.
"Hong Fan, what do you think about the being called the 'Supreme Deity who governs the heavenly country' that appears in the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom's legend?"
"Haw haw haw, I don't know what kind of guy it is, but I don't like it from the name alone."
"Is there anything that comes to mind?"
"No, not particularly..."
"I understand."
Seeing that Hong Fan shows no reaction, perhaps it is not a True Immortal that actually exists.
Or it could simply be a being with no acquaintance with Hong Fan.
'First, the Heavenly Void Furnace is a divine object that symbolizes the Supreme Deity who governs the heavenly country, and is the precious treasure of that being.'
I recall the three great divine artifacts of the Head Realm.
If it bears the name divine artifact, then it should at least be at a level connected to a True Immortal.
'The Immortal Treasure Heavenly Lightning Banner of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect. The imitation Immortal Treasure Nether Crossing Ship of Black Ghost Valley. The Azure Sky Armor of the Azure Heaven Creation Sect that is said to have reached the level of an Immortal Treasure.'
With high probability, this Heavenly Void Furnace too is an item related to a True Immortal.
I look at the illustration about the divine artifact called the Heavenly Void Furnace that Hong Fan has investigated.
What appears in the illustration is a brazier with three legs.
My suspicion nearly turns into certainty.
'What is sealed in Ascension Path...with high probability is the Heavenly Void Furnace.'
Why did Yang Su-jin seal this Heavenly Void Furnace?
I read through the materials Hong Fan has researched and learn the Heavenly Void Furnace.
The uses of the divine artifact called the Heavenly Void Furnace are largely twofold.
The first is for ritual use. When at times a messenger of light descends from the heavens to give an oracle, they insert incense fire into the Heavenly Void Furnace to conduct the rite and pray for prosperity for the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom.
The second is for cultivation, going into the Heavenly Void Furnace for a short while to meditate and then coming out.
The Heavenly Void Furnace is apparently large enough for a person to enter, and if one goes inside and meditates for about a day and then comes out, the cultivation blocks open up, or the cultivation of divine powers and methods whose progress has been slow advances sharply.
As a side effect there is the drawback that the consciousness is slightly damaged, but if there is a way to restore consciousness by learning a consciousness method, it is at a level where there is no problem.
'If I read only up to here, there seems to be no great reason to seal the Heavenly Void Furnace...'
Why, then, did Yang Su-jin go so far as to seal the Heavenly Void Furnace?
'If I dig into the seal of the Heavenly Void Furnace first, I should also be able to meet Yang Su-jin's lingering thought. When that time comes, I'll ask directly.'
Through the records of the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom, I learn that the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom virtually worshipped the Heavenly Void Furnace as almost a God, and that they did not light incense to the Heavenly Void Furnace in order to perform a rite to the heavens through the Heavenly Void Furnace...
But they performed the ritual targeting the Heavenly Void Furnace itself.
According to the records, because the Heavenly Void Furnace is a divine artifact with immense spiritual nature, if one performs a ritual to the Heavenly Void Furnace, a certain response comes, and one can be granted a certain fortune, almost like the Liberation Seal.
However, because it is a ritual method from 120,000 years ago, it has almost fallen out of use in the present, and Hong Fan barely managed to obtain it.
'If I try to receive a response by conducting a ritual at such close range to a divine artifact with strong spiritual nature, the power of the seal will naturally block it.'
In this stabilized state of the Ascension Path's seal, no matter how much I use the divine power of the Star Extinguishing True Chapter, breaking the seal is unreasonable, but if the sealed target responds from inside, the seal too will show a certain gap.
'If I drive Cutting Principle into that gap, then the lingering thought left by Yang Su-jin will come out from the desire to not have the seal be broken.'
If it turns out that way, I can meet Yang Su-jin's lingering thought, show my present state, and seek an answer.
And perhaps I can borrow the power of the Heavenly Void Furnace to cultivate the Star Extinguishing True Chapter.
'A divine artifact that, just by going in and meditating a little, allows breakthroughs in cultivation?'
To someone like me with no talent, it is nothing short of an immense treasure.
Since I have already learned the Wonderfully Mysterious Heart Canon, even the side effect is at a level of no problem.
In a day or two, I can recover something like a slight damage to consciousness with the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon.
"Hong Fan, through the ritual that appears here, I will try to connect to the thing called the Heavenly Void Furnace. Prepare the rite."
"Yes, Master."
Through Hong Fan, I obtain the items used for the ritual, seize the auspicious timing, and begin offering the ritual to the Heavenly Void Furnace.
As Hong Fan and I wave flags and carry out the ritual, the celestial energy gradually surges, and Ascension Path begins to respond.
'For the celestial energy to surge just from performing a ritual. Is it truly an immense divine artifact?'
Wo-woong!
And after a while,
I feel the net of the seal ripple from deep within.
The Heavenly Void Furnace responds, and it seems as if Yang Su-jin's seal strives to block that response.
However, I aim for that gap and use divine power toward the seal deep within.
"Cutting Principle."
Shikagak!
The consciousness domain narrows, turns into a solid line, and flies out as a slashing strike.
The slashing strike of consciousness becomes a blade that cuts principle, slicing away a portion of the seal formula's principle.
And at that moment,
Tsuaaaaaat!
As I thought, the lingering intent of Yang Su-jin, which I anticipated to also exist in the seal of the Heavenly Void Furnace, begins to connect to my mind that is conducting the rite.
Kurururung!
The whole world is thunder and lightning.
But it is a little different from the lingering thought that is at Shattered Heaven Peak.
It is a world of thunder and lightning, yet beyond that world, Ascension Path faintly shows through.
It looks as if the world of thunder and lightning is faintly overlaid upon Ascension Path.
Kwajijijik—
Within the lightning, a familiar will takes form.
A human figure formed of red lightning.
Golden Divine Yang Su-jin!
[O later generation. Surely that my lingering thought has responded means that you are an Ender after me.]
As expected, his lingering intent appears, and I answer with courtesy.
"Yes, Golden Divine. Because there is something I wish to ask you, I touched the seal you set under the name Ascension Path."
[Ha...You have received a powerful gift, later generation. State what you wish to ask me.]
"That is...huh?"
At the words 'later generation', I suddenly feel the presence of someone, and I hurriedly turn around.
"...?"
"Uh..."
Hong Fan has entered the space of Yang Su-jin together with me.
It is a different place from the space at Shattered Heaven Peak, but I am a little flustered because I thought it is a space that only an Ender can enter.
"How...?"
"...Just...since Master's spirit was being dragged in, I came in together..."
"Ah..."
I suddenly remember that Hong Fan is a True Immortal.
'Can a being at the level of True Immortality also enter a place like this easily?'
"I will stay quiet so as not to disturb you, Master. Please, carry on with your matter."
"Ah, understood."
With a slightly forced expression, I take my gaze off Hong Fan and look again at Yang Su-jin's lingering thought.
"...?"
At that moment, I feel a strange sense of incongruity.
'What is this, something is...'
It seems entranced.
I don't know the reason, but the senses that have become extremely keen while cultivating the Star Extinguishing True Chapter inform me of some intuition through the 'net.'
Yang Su-jin's lingering thought, right now, is entranced by something.
'Is it Hong Fan...? No. No...Yang Su-jin is a being who reached the peak of True Immortality. He is a being who overcame even Heavenly Tribulation.'
But Hong Fan still has an aspect that receives a strong influence from Heavenly Tribulation.
Therefore, no matter how strong a True Immortal Hong Fan is, I expect he ranks below Yang Su-jin.
And more than anything, even if Hong Fan is a powerhouse on par with Yang Su-jin, the current Hong Fan is a being who has lost most of his memory and power, with a maximum that is only at the Heavenly Being stage.
Though it is only a lingering thought, Yang Su-jin's will that affects fate should be stronger.
'Above all...that is just something like an image that Yang Su-jin left behind.'
It is only that he was a True Immortal that some will remain even in an image.
How could something left as a record be bewitched?
'I must be overly sensitive.'
I shake my head and shake off the thoughts that rise in my mind.
For some reason, it looked as if a Taiji passed before my eyes, but it must be because I entered Yang Su-jin's subspace.
"O Golden Divine! I received a curse that a True Immortal of Heavenly Punishment laid upon my spirit! I wish to ask how I should perform curse-unbinding to remove this curse!"
[...]
At my question, Yang Su-jin's lingering thought opens its mouth.
For some reason, it is stiffer than the lingering thought at Shattered Heaven Peak, and it answers while giving off a strangely puppet-like feeling.
[Use the Heavenly Sky Furnace (天空爐).]
'Heavenly Sky (天空)?'
It seems Yang Su-jin refers to it as Heavenly Sky Furnace (天空爐), not Heavenly Void Furnace (天公爐).
No, perhaps the name attached by the humans of the Central Spirit Holy Kingdom and the name perceived by Yang Su-jin who is True Immortal rank being different is only natural.
"O Golden Divine...whether you thought the Heavenly Sky Furnace was dangerous or had some reason to seal it...is there not a reason you sealed it? Then is it acceptable for me to use it?"
[...The reason I sealed the Heavenly Sky Furnace is...only to minimize Light from interfering with the Head Realm. It is not completely sealed. If the Fourth Seat of the Eight Immortals properly performs the ritual, even my seal is useless.]
Jiiiiiing—
When I receive information about the existences called [Eight Immortals], I feel as if my head is about to burst.
It seems to be some group of True Immortals that oppose Yang Su-jin.
[Therefore, O later generation. Through the Heavenly Sky Furnace, increase your cultivation and strengthen your divine powers and authority. If you do so, surely your problem shall also be resolved...]
Tststststss—
As with the afterimage at Shattered Heaven Peak, the afterimage in Ascension Path also begins to grow faint, as if its time has come.
[I grant you the authority to ignore my seal and access the Heavenly Sky Furnace...]
Tsuaaaat!
Before Yang Su-jin's afterimage finally vanishes, it reaches its hand toward me and bestows some blessing.
Receiving its blessing, I return to reality, and I think about the sense of incongruity I felt throughout my conversation with Yang Su-jin.
'Why? That is surely Yang Su-jin's afterimage. But...'
Why is it?
I felt as if I was not conversing with Yang Su-jin, but a puppet.
As if someone wore Yang Su-jin's shell instead of Yang Su-jin himself and gave me the answers—an unsettling feeling.
"...Hong Fan. Did you perhaps feel something from the afterimage of the Golden Divine Yang Su-jin?"
"Mm...As I still have not recover my realm, I do not know well. As Master knows, my Innate True Method, Darkness World, is characterized by weak stability and senses... It seems my realm is too low to feel delicate senses like Master."
"Mm..."
Hong Fan's words are also right.
'Is it just a needless worry?'
I try thinking it over, but in the end, I arrive at the conclusion that there is nothing I can know by worrying right now.
"If it is hard to reach a conclusion, how about first trying as the Golden Divine suggested? If it seems like a trap, I will enter the Heavenly Void Furnace first and try meditating once. If there is no problem for me, there will be none for Master either."
"Hong Fan...!"
I feel moved by Hong Fan's attitude to sacrifice himself for me, but I soon shake my head.
"No. I cannot put you up as a sacrifice."
"However..."
"Enough! It is what I decided. Do not make me repeat my words."
Leaving behind Hong Fan, who shows his concern, I use the Earth Escape Technique and immediately begin to burrow toward the center of Ascension Path.
Woo-woong—
The seals that Yang Su-jin made through dragon veins and principle seem as though they will block me, but the power Yang Su-jin directly granted cancels those seals, and I am able to break through them in an instant.
And after a while,
Deep in the center of Ascension Path,
I arrive at a certain cave that is on the inside.
"This place is..."
It is a cave that seems to have formed naturally, but I can tell its form was thoroughly made to seal something at the cave's center.
I walk toward the center of the cave, and at last, I can see what is sealed in the middle.
"This is..."
The divine artifact that Yang Su-jin called the Heavenly Sky Furnace.
The true nature of the buoyant force that keeps the entirety of Ascension Path floating in the sky.
Woo-woong!
I slowly approach that mysterious three-legged brazier floating in the void.
The legs of the brazier are rusted, so it is hard to see in detail, but one is black.
One is yellow.
One is a color close to white mixed with all of Heaven's natural colors.
Wo-woong—
As I look at the strange engraved embossed patterns on the surface of the brazier, I feel a certain [wisdom] enter my mind.
—When the Three Powers become one, that is the very Origin of Omnipotence.
—Divide Omnipotence to become three, and that is the very Absolute of the Three Kings.
Those patterns are some kind of ancient script.
And it seems that even if one does not know how to read this ancient script, it conveys its implied meaning directly to the reader in the form of [wisdom].
'Origin of Omnipotence? What is that supposed to mean?'
It does feel like a wisdom that looks impressive, but perhaps it is too high in level.
Or perhaps it only sounds impressive...
I do not receive the kind of shock I do when I face True Immortals.
'Well, it is probably nothing that great. Even if it really is great, I have the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, so if I record it there, I won't forget it and can look into it later.'
Leaving behind the formula that gives a strange sense of déjà vu as if I have seen it somewhere,
I examine the Heavenly Void Furnace closely.
A brazier large enough for a person to enter.
'Do I just go in and meditate for a day?'
I carefully probe the inside of the Heavenly Void Furnace with my consciousness, and the moment I realize there is nothing inside, I carefully step in.
'After meditating for a day, blocked cultivation or divine powers will become a little stronger, is it...?'
It certainly is a brazier with powerful spiritual nature, but that spiritual nature is firmly fixed to the Heavenly Void Furnace and does not seem likely to flow into me in particular.
"Hong Fan, are you out there?"
I call Hong Fan, and Hong Fan answers from outside the Heavenly Void Furnace.
"Yes, Master. I followed and am outside."
"If anything suspicious appears, wake me immediately."
"Yes, understood. As much as it is called a divine artifact, if anything strange happens, I will pull Master out immediately."
"How reassuring you are."
Smiling faintly, I close my eyes and sit in a lotus position, passing the time.
I do not know how long I spend clearing my consciousness and calming my heart.
I start to feel a little bored, and I also feel tired.
Nothing happens, and I am so bored that I even doze off now and then.
Thus, a day passes.
"...Hong Fan, are you there?"
"Yes, Master."
"Was there anything unusual outside?"
"No."
I come out of the Heavenly Void Furnace and approach Hong Fan, who is standing guard as my law protector outside.
"Hmm...let us go out for now."
To check whether there is anything strange or not, I come out with Hong Fan to the surface of Ascension Path.
And when I read the celestial energy of the sky to check the time...
A day truly has passed without anything happening.
'Time is not particularly twisted...there is no earthshaking change...and the spiritual nature of the Heavenly Void Furnace has not flowed in... Rather...'
I observe a corner of my consciousness.
A portion of my consciousness was torn away, to the point that it must be restored.
'It was torn away by quite a large margin.'
The degree of damage to my consciousness is more severe than I expected, to the point it seems I must operate the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon and recuperate for at least a month.
'My cultivation doesn't seem to have increased in particular either... Did my consciousness just get torn and that's it? What on earth is this...?'
Just when I am clicking my tongue inwardly at the Heavenly Void Furnace and am about to operate the formula of the Star Extinguishing True Chapter to observe the 'net'...
"...Huh?"
Only then do I feel a change.
"Hm? Master, is there some change?"
"Uh, uhhhhh..."
Shiver!
Goosebumps start to rise.
"What on earth is this...?"
I went into the Heavenly Void Furnace and meditated for a day.
After coming out, I immediately try using the divine power of Cutting Principle and realize something.
The cultivation divine power of the Star Extinguishing True Chapter's first layer, Cutting Principle.
A divine power that cuts principle.
The cultivation progress of Cutting Principle has advanced as much as if I cultivated for a year.
Only then do I realize how terrifying a divine artifact the Heavenly Void Furnace is.
'Regardless of the rank of the method, if I simply go inside and meditate for a day...in exchange for consuming consciousness, it simply advances a year's worth of cultivation.'
The common cultivation methods or the Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation sold in the marketplace.
Even the Immortal Arts of a True Immortal.
As long as I spend about a day, this divine artifact pierces through a year's worth of cultivation progress equally for everything.
That is the ability of the artifact called the Heavenly Void Furnace.
The moment I realize that, I feel my chest swell with hope.
'If, if it is this divine artifact.'
It is possible.
Within this lifetime, it is possible to sever the very connection with the True Immortal of Heavenly Punishment and completely escape the curse of lightning transformation!
Present.
Kugugugu!
I look at the Heavenly Void Furnace, which, by Hyeon Mu's command, is gradually regaining its size and exerting its authority, and I let out a bitter smile.
As I view the memories of the 16th cycle, only now do I understand that devilish monster's curse.
At the time I didn't understand immediately, but only now, having ascended to True Immortality and risen to become a Governing Immortal...
Just by reviewing the memories, I come to understand all the truths that were hidden.
The true ability of the Heavenly Void Furnace is distortion of time and deletion of memory.
It invites the target who enters the Heavenly Void Furnace into its inner world of Primordial Chaos and makes them spend one hundred million years, then, after erasing the memories of those one hundred million years, returns their existence to reality and throws them a pitiful amount of cultivation progress as the price for one hundred million years of ascetic suffering.
That is this devilish monster's power.
In the 16th cycle.
In reality, I lived around five hundred years and died.
But I, who was sucked into the Heavenly Void Furnace, suffered for an unimaginably eternal span of time.
Vividly recalling the nightmare of the 16th cycle...
I begin to devise a dispelling formula to break the authority of the Heavenly Void Furnace.