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Coming coming coming!
He is coming!
Kikikikik!
As the gap in space opens, something with a massive presence can be felt leaping towards this place from afar.
Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress!
The Mad Lord's Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress is trying to leap inside the Serving Command Ark.
Seo Hweol, too, seems to feel the familiar presence of the Mad Lord's Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, turning his head towards where he feels its presence.
"How, about, that...?"
At this moment, when Seo Hweol is out of his senses!If the Mad Lord arrives, Seo Hweol will no longer be able to do anything.
Unable to employ any trickery.
Literally like raw meat laid out before the Mad Lord, unable to concoct any sinister plan.
After all, in a few days, my entire body will turn into lightning and I will die.
If Seo Hweol gets stuffed by the Mad Lord and holds a wedding ceremony with the Mad Lord's puppet, it will be a rather satisfying ending for Gyu-ryeon and all those sacrificed by Seo Hweol.
Creak!
The spatial rift opens, and from afar, through the void, the silhouette of a fortress with clanking mechanical gears flying towards this place can be seen.
Yet, Seo Hweol does not change his expression.
Rather, accustomed to the pain, he opens his mouth like me.
"The Serving Command Ark may be... a discarded immortal treasure... but still, an immortal treasure, is an immortal treasure..."
After briefly looking at the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, Seo Hweol manages to bear the pain and smiles faintly.
Then, his gaze falls away from the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
"Without a special seal, that allows direct entry... no matter even the Mad Lord... it's not so easy to enter this place."
"...Seems like it's coming in though?"
Kikikikik―
As if to mock Seo Hweol's words.
The massive Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress is gradually getting closer from beyond the space.
Due to the influence of the Serving Command Ark, it appears like something is blocking the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress at intervals.
However, the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress penetrates all resistance and enters this place.
Kikikikik―
At the sight of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress overcoming the resistance of the Serving Command Ark and gradually approaching, Seo Hweol is momentarily speechless.
No matter how cunning Seo Hweol's schemes are, no matter how outstanding his strategies,
To the Mad Lord, no common sense, logic, or scheme can prevail.
Finally.
Kikikikik!
Creak….
From the void, stopping just about 30 meters away inside the Serving Command Ark, the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress comes to a halt.
The gate of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress opens.
Creak!
My whole body tingles.
From inside, the overwhelming aura of 28 beings.
I realized that each of these auras do not fall short of the presence of Gyu-ryeon, who had once attempted the Integration stage.
Creak, creak!
Of course, even if the Serving Command Ark is completely destroyed, Seo Hweol's words about it still being an immortal treasure aren't entirely false, as the 28 puppets couldn't enter this side.
However, as the 28 puppets simultaneously stretch their hands towards this area, a gap seems to appear in some invisible resistance surrounding the Serving Command Ark.
Creak, creak!
And finally.
A gap large enough for a child to enter is created.
Boooom!
Just that is enough.
From the other side, the Mad Lord commanding his puppets is felt.
Within the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, countless bee puppets fly in through the small gap and surround us from all sides.
Boooom!
The bee puppets cross over to where we are standing, surrounding Seo Hweol and me, spinning wildly.
The whirlwind created by the bee puppets prevents Seo Hweol from using the blood sacrifice from the Four-Axis cultivators to enhance his strength.
"Now, what will you do?"
I look at Seo Hweol, who is reaching towards the gathering of the blood sacrifice's energy, and smile bitterly.
I can feel it.
The enormous energy of the blood sacrifice, which was immense just moments ago, is gradually diminishing.
Like many types of devilish arts, such large-scale sacrificial techniques have a short duration.
If the objective is not achieved within that short time, it becomes utterly useless.
Judging by how quickly the energy is diminishing,
It’s clear that the energy created by Seo Hweol's blood sacrifice is dispersing.
Moreover, these bee puppets are clearly designed for spatial leaping.
These puppets will surely prepare to fully summon the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress inside the Serving Command Ark.
Once that happens, the Mad Lord will fully enter, and it will be the end for Seo Hweol.
'Let's not let our guard down until the very end.'
Yet, despite having driven Seo Hweol into a corner, I find myself tensing up even more.
If I know Seo Hweol, he surely has more tricks up his sleeve.
It wouldn't be strange if another Seo Hweol suddenly emerges from underground, claiming that what we've been dealing with until now was just a clone.
It wouldn't be strange if he had suddenly tampered with the poison mixed by Hong Fan.
'I've felt disharmony ever since meeting Oh Hye-seo.’
It's likely one of Seo Hweol's schemes.
Though sealed by the Five Elements Blood Curse Banner, I am currently caught in Seo Hweol's trap and must remain cautious until the very end.
'There are still several ways to push Seo Hweol further.'
However, I decide to wait until Yu Hwa arrives with reinforcements.
It's best to be cautious until a more certain force is available.
'Let's endure. Until we can deal a more decisive blow to him!'
Creak, creak, creak!
Beyond the bee puppets.
In the direction of the spatial rift.
There, as if the bee puppets accomplished something, the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress manages to widen the spatial rift a bit more.
‘Good, if it continues like this…’
But then, it happens.
Thunk!
Suddenly, the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress jolts and begins to be pushed back slightly.
‘What…!’
Seo Hweol opens his mouth without losing his smile.
"It seems... the Demon Kings of the Earth Tribe... are not just sitting idly by."
Wo-woong!
I realize that a strange attraction is coming from the direction of the spatial rift.
Beyond the spatial rift.
Behind the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
There, the Integration stage Grand Cultivators of the Earth Tribe are pulling the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress with an attractive force to drag the Mad Lord back outside the Serving Command Ark.
"Are you, relying, on that?"
However, I just smirk.
I know the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress best.
The Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress hasn't even begun to use its real power yet.
Kugugugu!
Several cylindrical thrusters appear behind the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
Simultaneously, an immense spiritual power erupts from the thrusters, resisting the attractive force and sticking to the inside of the spatial rift as if it’s going to pierce through back to its original position.
'If it was easy to block or restrain the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, could the Mad Lord have freely spread his wings for a thousand years?'
Despite its fortress-like appearance seeming quite slow, the true nature of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress is an incredibly fast mobile fortress.
The Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, when the Mad Lord is serious, cannot be stopped by anything.
"Indeed, it will be a bit difficult."
However, Seo Hweol's complexion doesn't change, and his heart essence remains undisturbed.
'What?'
What is he relying on?
Seo Hweol.
Seo Hweol just smiles.
And I feel an indescribable unease from that smile.
"I cannot understand the emotions that typical creatures speak of and share."
'Even though it should be indescribably painful, what's going on? Has he completely accustomed to the pain already?'
"Even when I try to analyze and mimic what is called emotions through the vibrations of the lungs, it is not enough to fully understand the behavioral patterns of living creatures. So, I have developed a hypothesis while studying the behavioral patterns of the Mad Lord."
I let Seo Hweol's nonsense go in one ear and out the other, focusing on whatever trick he is about to play next.
Click...
Seo Hweol reaches into his bosom and takes out a necklace from within.
It’s an unassuming necklace made of thin cotton thread, but the ornament on the necklace is a beautiful gem made of green crystal.
Seo Hweol wraps the necklace around his hand, tying the gem to his palm.
"To creatures, each individual has something they call 'precious,' akin to the purpose of life. Intelligent creatures, called sentient beings, mostly have such a thing. Surprisingly, this includes me as well."
"...?"
I try not to focus on Seo Hweol's nonsense, but I am momentarily startled by his statement that he also has something precious to himself and look him in the eye.
"To the Mad Lord, it was [Her]. To my descendant Ran, it was 'familial affection.’ To Baek Nyeong who I took in, it was 'the well-being of his race.' And to that Heart Tribe who went to save Baek Nyeong, it was 'the safety of her disciple.'"
Snap!
Seo Hweol extends his hand holding the green crystal necklace towards the spatial rift where the Mad Lord is trying to enter.
'I have to stop him before he does something!'
But I can't move.
It’s impossible to understand how Seo Hweol can suddenly move so calmly.
'Has he not felt pain from the beginning? No, if that were the case, he wouldn't have performed such a foolish act of clutching his head and falling over trying to resist the curse.'
Then, Seo Hweol is also feeling pain.
No, he is experiencing more pain than I am.
Then how is he so composed?
Feeling revolting, I glare intensely at Seo Hweol's heart essence.
"What I want to say is, if you know what entities desire, it's too easy to control various entities by slightly manipulating those desires. Like the musician who went a completely different way for the safety of her disciple, taking a long time to come for support, and Baek Nyeong who offered his soul to me for the well-being of his species."
Whirring!
Green light bursts from the jade that Seo Hweol holds, illuminating the illusion of Baek Nyeong.
'That is…!'
Baek Nyeong!
'How could…!'
Seo Hweol extracted Baeknyeong's soul and is manipulating it by infusing it into the necklace.
"Baek Nyeong, use the Mountain Repelling Whip."
[Yes, Master.]
Simultaneously, Baek Nyeong, with his soul extracted, combines his power with Seo Hweol's and exhibits his Beyond the Path to Heavens.
Seo Hweol says with a faint smile.
"The Heaven and Earth Tribes may despise Heart Tribe individuals who have reached the third stage of the Heart Path Method, but in my view, the potential of the Heart Tribe is limitless. Just as you, merely at the Nascent Soul stage, can fuse the power of Heaven, Earth, and Heart to produce a force comparable to the Four-Axis stage… The power of the Heart Tribe, if properly utilized, can be like this…."
Kugugugu!
The power of Baek Nyeong’s Beyond the Path to Heavens to adjust' 'weight,'
And the attractive force emanating from Seo Hweol’s hand combines, starting to amplify madly.
'That is…!'
Just like when my Formless Sword of Treading Heaven and my Nascent Soul are combined, showing an incredible amplification.
The attraction emanating from Seo Hweol's hand amplifies immensely.
And then.
Bang!
With a sound of breaking through the air, the force emanating from Seo Hweol's hand suddenly turns into a repulsive force, pushing the Mad Lord's Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress away.
Kugugugu!
If the cultivation of the Heaven and Earth Tribes is additive, then the cultivation of the Heart Tribe is multiplicative.
Already surpassing the peak of the Four-Axis stage, Seo Hweol possesses a power akin to that of the Integration stage.
With Baek Nyeong's Beyond the Path to Heavens to control [weight] added to Seo Hweol's power, his attractive force reached as high as the peak of the Integration stage.
With the Integration stage Demon Kings of the Earth Tribe pulling from behind and Seo Hweol pushing from the front, the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress appears to be pushed out gradually and then disappears beyond the darkness of the void.
"It's strange that while using the Heart Tribe can be so useful, magical artifacts or dharma treasures utilizing the Heart Tribe are rarely produced. Isn't it odd? There's more than enough reasons to despise the Heart Tribe, whether it’s reading heart essence or adding Heavenly Tribulations. Why haven't the inhabitants of the Bright Cold Realm ever considered utilizing the Heart Tribe... Is it because they’re too repulsed even to attempt such simple uses?”
He asks me with a slight smile.
“Doesn’t it seem like a hatred purposely planted in the Bright Cold Realm? Daoist Seo, who embodies Heaven, Earth, and Heart, do you perhaps know something about this?”
“…”
"Won't you tell me?"
"So, it's not that you don't feel pain."
I finally realize how Seo Hweol is enduring this insane level of pain.
Seo Hweol had disassembled his own consciousness.
He cut his soul into several pieces and then reattached them, not quite completely.
In doing so, he had disassembled his consciousness, becoming akin to being unconscious.
In short, what is speaking to me is not Seo Hweol himself but actions inputted into his body before he disassembled his soul.
'The moment the Mad Lord appeared, he gave up enduring the pain with his consciousness and temporarily disassembled his mind before pushing the Mad Lord away.'
Having successfully repelled the Mad Lord, he will probably revert his consciousness back as he had programmed.
‘There’s no need to take anything Seo Hweol says seriously.’
Everything he says is a lie.
The reason he’s prattling on with seemingly profound words is just a ruse to hide the fact that he lost consciousness!
Then.
'Now is Seo Hweol's most vulnerable moment!'
Charrak!
A storage bag floats up beside me.
It isn't just any storage bag.
A special storage bag that can contain living beings.
A type of storage bag called a Peach Garden Painting.
Charararak!
From within, a woman wearing an old, rustic robe walks out.
It’s Gyu-baek.
The Mad Lord retreated, but that is fine.
After all, this revealed a vulnerability in Seo Hweol!
[Miss Gyu-baek!]
I convey my intentions directly to Gyu-baek through heart language.
Gyu-baek nods and extends one hand.
Kiiing!
A golden seal shines from her hand.
The seal of the Ark Controlling Envoy.
One of Gyu-ryeon's authorities, allowing free passage in and out of the Serving Command Ark.
Using this authority, it’s possible to instantly connect a predetermined location with the inside of the Serving Command Ark.
The door in space opens.
'I didn't use it in front of the Mad Lord because I didn't know what would happen to Gyu-baek...'
"Yu Hwa!"
If it’s to call Yu Hwa, now is the time to use it.
"Baek Nyeong is here, come over!"
And then, from beyond the door in space, a crimson stream quickly crosses over to this side.
Kiiing!
Baek Nyeong's figure is still faintly visible in Seo Hweol's hand, which had just pushed away the Mad Lord, and Yu Hwa captures that scene as soon as she arrives.
Baek Nyeong, Yu Hwa's beloved disciple, is being used as a magic artifact with his soul extracted by Seo Hweol.
Yu Hwa says nothing.
Instead, she reveals her true form, places the zither in front of her, and begins to play with a solemn expression never seen before.
Jiiiiing―
The entire space seems to resonate with the sound.
Yu Hwa's Illusory Play focuses solely on Seo Hweol, deeply, and even more deeply pulling his disassembled consciousness.
Even deeper.
Despite the melody being focused solely on Seo Hweol, just hearing it makes me feel an indescribable drowsiness.
But both Gyu-baek and I brace ourselves and watch Seo Hweol stagger.
Somehow, it feels like falling asleep now due to Yu Hwa would lead to a nightmare like no other.
I say to Gyu-baek.
"I use curses, Yu Hwa uses sleep. Seo Hweol himself temporarily disassembled his consciousness to create this vulnerability."
Gyu-baek clenches her fists tightly.
"Have you made up your mind?"
"...Yes."
Her heart essence has been shaking from the moment she saw Seo Hweol.
However, within that wavering heart essence, one resolve remains unshaken.
Her heart Path Method, bound by many limitations.
Yet, against a specific target, it displays unparalleled power—Gyu-baek's Entering Heavens.
"To avenge Gyu-ryeon's grudge."
Beyond the Path to Heavens.
Auspicious Exchange of Emotional Expression (瑞交情表)
A symbol of the promise shared between Seo Hweol and her, designed solely to end Seo Hweol.
Based on the content of the Vast Cold Beautiful Agreement created for the mutual death of the parties involved, Gyu-baek’s Beyond the Path to Heavens now activates.
Clink, clink, clink!
Chains of the same brown color as Gyu-baek's robe flows from her hand.
Simultaneously, the brown chains naturally permeate Seo Hweol's chest, entwining around his heart, major organs, and various parts of his Demon Core.
'I see...'
I realize where the chains emitted from Gyu-baek's hand are connected.
Chains connected to Gyu-baek's heart.
These chains are likewise connected to Seo Hweol's heart, major organs, and Demon Core.
Literally, her Beyond the Path to Heavens is for dying together with Seo Hweol.
Implementing the content of the Vast Cold oath created for their mutual demise is precisely Gyu-baek’s Beyond the Path to Heavens, the symbol of their shared promise.
Clink, clink, clink!
I summon countless Generals Seo from the storage bag, making them open their mouths behind me.
At any moment, I am ready to sacrifice my body, exploding curses and the Formless Sword in a suicidal attack.
Even if Gyu-baek fails to kill Seo Hweol, my explosion woill end him.
Even if we can't finish Seo Hweol, we can at least injure him enough to incapacitate him for a while, giving the Mad Lord enough time to return.
‘It’s been a life full of ups and downs.’
I went under Seo Hweol to uncover his true nature.
Though I gained much from observing him from beneath, I couldn’t learn everything, and instead, I encountered many explosive situations like bombs.
‘Really, do I have any regrets?’
I contemplate whether I have any regrets in this life as I am about to deliver the final blow.
I will know when I see the panorama of my life flash before me at that moment.
‘Never let your guard down until the very end.’
Seo Hweol is Seo Hweol.
Seeing his heart essence, it’s clear he is indeed Seo Hweol himself, unpredictable in when and where he might plot something.
Focus all your attention on observing Seo Hweol!
Right up to the very end!
Never let your guard down...
Pwook!
"...Huh?"
Bo-oong!
Before Gyu-baek can activate the Auspicious Exchange of Emotional Expression.
A crimson hand pierces through Gyu-baek's back and out her heart.
Krrrik!
The chains that emerged from Gyu-baek, spinning wildly with yin and yang, disperse on their own.
And then, the crimson hand shoots towards me.
Jjeong!
I am struck down by the formidable force carried by the crimson hand, collapsing to the ground.
Walak!
My body, already more than 80% transformed into lightning, feels like it will disperse at any moment.
From the remaining 20% of my flesh, red liquid trickles out, spreading around.
"You..."
With a bewildered look, I gaze at the face of the one who had ambushed Gyu-baek and me.
"Yuan Yu...?"
The immense power Seo Hweol had gained from performing a blood sacrifice with all the Four-Axis stage cultivators.
I thought it had all dissipated.
It hadn't.
It was all absorbed by Yuan Yu.
And then, as Yuan Yu speaks, I feel a sense of despair.
"It's strange. You were hit by the Lustrous Glaze Peacock's light, how can you recognize me?"
From Yuan Yu's mouth comes a very familiar voice.
It’s none other than Oh Hye-seo’s voice.
"Really, you're too strange, Seo Eun-hyun. A misty haze protects you. Because of that haze, I can only read superficial things about you."
Tsstsstss!
I finally realize the identity of the strange disharmony I feel in my mind.
My memories were distorted by the light of the Lustrous Glaze Peacock, but the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections that I was using unconsciously showed me the truth.
I wasn't hit by the Lustrous Glaze Peacock's light 'on my way back' after meeting Oh Hye-seo.
I was ambushed by the Lustrous Glaze Peacock's light 'on my way to meet' Oh Hye-seo.
The conversations I had with her, my reading of her heart essence, the sequence of events when I was hit by the light...
Everything had been mixed up and distorted by the first light of the Lustrous Glaze Peacock she had cast on me.
Stagger, stagger...
Yu Hwa, too, staggers under the power of Oh Hye-seo's white light emanating from Yuan Yu's body, and her playing comes to a stop.
Simultaneously, Seo Hweol, having reassembled his disassembled consciousness, stands up from his place.
Oh Hye-seo, in Yuan Yu's body, walks slowly towards Seo Hweol, who greets her with a warm smile.
Very familiarly, just as he often did to me, Seo Hweol pats Yuan Yu's shoulder.
Pat, pat—
"Yuan Li thought he had learned the method of creating a Blood Body from ancient ruins and considered it his unique technique. But, it was actually me, Daoist Seo, who initially guided Yuan Li to the ancient ruins to learn the method of creating the Blood Body.
Pat, pat—
"If you had obediently mastered the Summoning Wind, Sacred Blood Transformation, which contains the techniques of the Blood Yin Realm, as I advised, you would have realized what I did to the Blood Body... It's a pity, really."
Pat, pat—
Oh Hye-seo, avoiding Seo Hweol's patting hand, says,
“Someone who knows the exact method to activate the Blood Body can access the memories stored in the Blood Body by touching it. The activation method involves... elevating the Blood Body’s vitality in extreme environments, right?”
"Oh dear, Miss Hye-seo. It's troublesome if you reveal such a huge secret carelessly."
"Well, doesn't it matter? After all, Seo Eun-hyun is going to die. From my perspective, it's more important whether shaking Seo Eun-hyun's emotions can stir those misty things."
"Hmm..."
Certainly, that was it.
For some reason, Seo Hweol frequently patted my shoulder in this life.
And the vast majority of those times were when I was wearing the Blood Body Skin Armor.
‘Activating the Blood Body in extreme environments is part of the technique?'
He had been patting my shoulder in a friendly manner since our first meeting.
I thought it was just to simulate camaraderie.
That wasn't it.
Seo Hweol was trying to find out why a stranger like me who ascended was wearing Yuan Li's Blood Body from the beginning.
From the beginning, Seo Hweol wanted to know why someone he met for the first time and ascended was wearing Yuan Li’s Blood Body.
Realizing how often Seo Hweol casually tapped my shoulder, I feel a sense of emptiness.
"...I was merely a clown dancing before you."
I thought I had been monitoring Seo Hweol through the Mad Lord's circuits.
But it turns out I was the one being constantly monitored through the Blood Body.
Literally, it was just a play put on by a clown.
Yes, a clown’s performance.
And thus, the ludicrous performance of the clown comes to an end.
"...Yes, I lost."
With a hollow laugh, I look at Seo Hweol and Yuan Yu, who are looking back at me.
"Since it’s come to this..."
I clasp my hands together, interlocking my fingers, and close my eyes.
And then, I chant.
"...Return to thee."
***
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