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The moment I utter "Return to thee" is precisely when it happens.
Before any reaction can occur, Seo Hweol charges at me with a speed too fast for the eyes to follow.
Crunch!
Seo Hweol strikes me down, his foot stomping on my chest.
"Ghh...ugh!"
My [words] do not come out.
No, what should I say?
It feels as if my [will] to speak, including my [words], are suddenly suppressed.
'What is this...'The feeling as if Seo Hweol had rushed in and isolated me from the entire world.
However, I do not panic.
Instead, I look at Seo Hweol and smirk.
It’s the first time.
The first time Seo Hweol's heart essence has been so tumultuously disturbed.
Seo Hweol is still smiling with a frozen expression, but his heart essence is storming in a way I had never seen before.
My [words] are sealed, but I convey my message to Seo Hweol with my lips so he can clearly see.
―Are even you afraid of True Immortals?
"…Haha, wouldn't it be disrespectful to bother someone who is already suffering from exile in a far-off dimension by calling them to this world?"
'Exiled?'
It seems like Seo Hweol knows something about the owner of the Heavenly Lightning Banner.
'To think an entity exiled in a distant dimension showed that level of power….'
The more I know, the more it seems that True Immortals always easily surpass the limits and boundaries I had in mind.
Wo-woong!
I check the state of my body.
Despite my chest already being transformed into lightning, Seo Hweol is 'stepping' on it.
Glancing around, I notice the characters for Good (好) and Virtue (德) floating up in my lower and middle dantians, respectively.
I look at my head.
Above my upper dantian, the character for Distant (攸) appeared, and I smile bitterly.
―What have you done to me?
"Thanks to Daoist Seo needlessly running his mouth, I had to consume one of my Axes to seal you."
'Seal...!?'
Literally, it feels as though my entire body is gradually creaking, increasingly isolating me from the world.
"Thanks to you, I need to go to the Blood Yin Realm to replenish the fourth Axis I had to use. My tasks have become quite bothersome because of this."
'Bothersome...'
Of course, by his expression, it seems like he is just teasing me.
However, Seo Hweol's heart essence has indeed become a bit complicated.
It appears that the fact he has to go to the Blood Yin Realm is irritating Seo Hweol.
'Why, does Seo Hweol have some connection to the Blood Yin Realm?'
Somehow, Seo Hweol's demeanor suggests he is reluctant to visit the Blood Yin Realm.
―If you didn't want to go to the Blood Yin Realm, couldn't you have used another Axis?
According to Seo Hweol's previous explanation.
Nether Ghost is for Longevity.
Purple Gold is for Wealth.
Ancient Force for Health, and True Devils for Love of Virtue.
Since the Blood Yin Realm branched off from the True Devil Realm, it’s no different. It makes sense for him, who sealed with the Axis of Love of Virtue, to replenish his Axis there.
But if he dislikes going to the Blood Yin Realm, couldn't he have just used another Axis to seal me?
When I think so,
"Are you teasing me, or do you genuinely not know?"
'What? Did I say something wrong?'
As I’m puzzled,
"The Purple Gold Realm is too far away, taking a thousand years just to travel back and forth, which would be a waste of time... and the Ancient Force Realm requires certain conditions to enter, making it difficult to replenish the spent Axis, wouldn't you say?"
―Then why not go to the Nether Ghost Realm?
When I ask, Seo Hweol smiles.
I frowned, observing Seo Hweol's heart essence.
'Did I say something wrong?'
Realizing my gaffe in speech through observing Seo Hweol's heart essence, I notice the tension boiling within him has significantly calmed down after my recent response.
"It's strange. You are too strange."
Seo Hweol bends down to my level, bringing his face close to mine as if he can't comprehend.
"Continuing from what I said earlier, an entity can be controlled if you know its precious thing, its purpose. But what are you exactly? I've been monitoring your movements through Yuan Li's Blood Body for over a hundred years, but I can't figure out your purpose."
"..."
"What is your precious thing? Sometimes it seems like you have something precious, but just now, you seemed ready to shatter the board as if nothing was precious to you."
Seo Hweol's bright blue pupils are stretched wide, observing me.
Trying to understand what kind of being I am.
"Without a known purpose, without anything precious, you should be a power-lost, fallen being. Yet strangely, you're unaware of the obvious dangers of the Nether Ghost Realm… Not a decrepit being, are you perhaps the leftover of some noble existence? Perhaps a leftover born with only a fraction of memories attached, not receiving the entirety."
Seo Hweol narrows his eyes and smiles.
"Except for the era of the heretic Yang Su-jin, there's no information about the decline of True Immortals within the past 120,000 years. So with high probability, you're a noble being that fell during Yang Su-jin's time?"
"..."
“After seeing Daoist attempt to summon that being, I inferred the situation before and after. Had you directly faced that being with the body of a mortal, you would have surely surrendered to them in a matter of moments. However, the fact that Daoist has endured from the disappearance of Heavenly Human Island until now indicates that that being has shown you favor. My guess is, perhaps you directly assisted the Essence of the Great Heavenly Punishment in being found by her master? There could be no other action worthy of their favor…”
Seo Hweol's speculation continues.
“And the method that likely aided the Essence of the Great Heavenly Punishment was most likely by knowing her true name and calling it out. By doing so, you would have been well aware of what would happen to the descendants of Yang Su-jin who that entity resented. With a high probability, you are one of the True Immortals who was killed by Yang Su-jin and harbored resentment towards him.”
"..."
“There are many candidates since Yang Su-jin had destroyed not just one or two entities. However, there aren’t many who harbored enough grudge against Yang Su-jin to devastate even his descendants… If we exclude those who would never borrow that being’s power, the list of candidates narrows down to less than ten fingers.”
Seemingly getting closer to my identity, Seo Hweol asks with a smirk.
"Given how things stand, revealing your identity might not be a bad choice. Doesn't Daoist Seo have an inkling of who I might be?"
I hesitate for a moment, not knowing what to say, and then coldly laugh.
―Why would there be a need to reveal that between us?
"Hmm? Between us? What do you mean?"
But Seo Hweol pulls his face away from me as if he doesn't understand.
―Haven’t we been watching, doubting, and preparing to backstab each other for decades?
“Ah, that….”
Seo Hweol chuckles upon reading my lips.
“It was all just a joke, wasn’t it?”
“…”
For a moment, I feel dazed by Seo Hweol's response.
“Haha, why are you like this, Daoist Seo. If you are among the entities I suspect… weren’t we the beings who held the universe in our palms, traversing dimensions and unraveling countless conspiracies and strategies on the scale of fate and history? Why fuss over a few incidents in this Saha World (娑婆世界/Mundane World)? To us, it’s merely… a joke, isn’t it?”
'A joke...?'
Hearing Seo Hweol's words make my mind tremble.
'All of this, just a joke...?'
It’s absurd.
But I suppress my tumultuous heart essence and look at Seo Hweol.
'Don't be swayed.'
It's clear.
There's another lie mixed in there.
And Seo Hweol is observing me, throwing information mixed with lies.
‘Don’t get entangled with Seo Hweol. I need to buy time.’
In a little while, the Mad Lord will completely break through to the 7th floor, the formal entrance to the Serving Command Ark.
As long as Seo Hweol doesn’t completely seal me and continues to converse with me until then, there’s hope.
‘Don’t be swayed by Seo Hweol’s words. Act as if I know more and extract more information from him.’
―If everything's a joke, wouldn't venturing into the Nether Ghost Realm for a bit of adventure be fine, even if it's a bit dangerous? You seem to dislike going to the Blood Yin Realm.
"Hmm... Do you really not know anything about the Nether Ghost Realm?"
'...?'
“As you know, the absolute majority of Entering Nirvana stage True Persons desire to enter the True Immortal Realm by any means necessary… Hence the Nether Ghost Realm is swarming with those at the Entering Nirvana stage, their eyes red and observing. Beings at the Entering Nirvana stage are far too mature to be mere objects of jests… You can guess why they are observing the Nether Ghost Realm, can’t you?”
―....
'The Nether Ghost Realm is related to a shortcut into the True Immortal Realm?'
This can also be a lie, but somehow, the words just uttered by Seo hweol feel true.
I’ve learned that the Nether Ghost Realm is a place teeming with Entering Nirvana cultivators, red-eyed and observing.
'If they're merely observing rather than directly entering, it's probably because of the promise with the Black Dragon King...'
Black Dragon King.
Nether Ghost Realm.
Blood Yin Realm.
Entering Nirvana stage.
Astral Realm.
Seo Hweol....
How is everything related?
How can I compile this information to continue the conversation with Seo Hweol?
As I ponder,
"So, I'll ask again, Daoist Seo."
Seo Hweol looks into my eyes with a slight smile.
“It was just a joke among us. Still, will you not reveal your identity?”
And then, it happens.
"A joke...?"
Squirm, squirm...
Gyu-baek, who had collapsed earlier.
Her heart had been pierced, yet she starts to twitch and slowly begins to rise.
"Oh..."
Seo Hweol watches her with an intrigued look.
The hole where her heart had been pierced has already stopped bleeding.
I gasp, knowing how Gyu-baek is moving.
'She is forcibly circulating Qi throughout her body to stand up.'
She is temporarily doing the work of the heart by circulating energy herself.
But in such a state, Gyu-baek is as good as dead.
Despite her efforts to prevent vitality from escaping, her face is rapidly paling.
She’s already on the brink of death, so doing anything more is pointless.
Yet, still.
With a trembling voice, squeezing air from her lungs, Gyu-baek speaks.
"A joke... was it? Say it again, Seo Hweol. To you, was the time with Gyu-ryeon merely a joke?"
Gyu-baek, with a hole in her chest, places her trembling hand over it and glares at Seo Hweol.
“Gyu-ryeon… I… loved you… truly…! But to you, was I merely a joke?”
Gyu-baek cries out.
"Answer me, Seo Hweol...! Was all of this just for your amusement?"
And Seo Hweol clicks his tongue.
"You're not Senior Gyu."
At his cold attitude, Gyu-baek clenches her teeth.
"Even if you somehow managed to come this far by mastering the Heart Path Method as a remnant, that's all. You're just... a leftover of Senior Gyu. Not the person herself. Don't be mistaken. Gyu-ryeon is dead, and your actions are utterly meaningless."
"I am... no."
Gyu-baek, with tears streaming down her face, collapses to the ground.
“Yes, Gyu-ryeon… truly liked you… Seo Hweol…!”
“Hmm, what do you want me to do about it? Perhaps the words I once said to Senior Gyu haven’t been passed down to you? Emotions are just the amount of air that goes into the lungs and nothing more….”
"No!"
Swish!
Auspicious Exchange of Emotional Expression activates once more.
Chains fly towards Seo Hweol.
But with a flick of his hand, Seo Hweol easily deflects the chains of Auspicious Exchange of Emotional Expression.
Gyu-baek launches the chains at Seo Hweol several more times with Dragon Form Soaring Claw, but Seo Hweol deflects them as if they are nothing.
"What a bother. Miss Hye-seo, could you take care of this leftover for me?"
"Eh? I don't want to. It's fun."
"..."
Oh Hye-seo, finding the situation amusing, sits to one side in Yuan Yu's body, propping her chin up.
"Well... if Miss Hye-seo finds it bothersome, there's nothing I can do."
Step, step...
Seo Hweol steps off my chest.
But still, perhaps due to the characters of Love of Virtue floating above my upper, middle, and lower dantians,
I can't move a finger, let alone speak.
Clang, clang!
The chains of Auspicious Exchange of Emotional Expression target Seo Hweol multiple times, but Seo Hweol, with his uniquely unpleasant smile, continues deflecting them as if the brief entanglement with the chains during his slumber was merely a momentary inconvenience.
Gyu-baek's heart is hopelessly unreachable to Seo Hweol.
Whoosh!
Seo Hweol deflects the chains one last time.
Suddenly, Seo Hweol is right in front of Gyu-baek.
"Have you vented a little?"
"You...!"
Snap!
Seo Hweol flicks his finger in front of Gyu-baek.
Blood spurts from her seven orifices, and she collapses right there.
Seo Hweol completely disrupted the forcibly circulating heaven and earth spiritual energy within Gyu-baek.
It’s miraculous her body didn’t explode into a handful of flesh from the shock.
Seo Hweol glances down at Gyu-baek for a moment, then grabs her by the hair and drags her towards us.
“With such a resentful body, offering her as a blood sacrifice to the Blood Yin Realm will immediately strengthen fellow Daoist's seal. Now, Daoist Seo, although there was a slight delay, shall we continue where we left off… what are you doing?”
Crack, creak...
No matter what, [words] won’t come out.
However, 'moving my body' seems somewhat possible when I muster all my strength.
I concentrate the power of the Formless Sword into one arm, slowly lifting it.
Despite the characters of Love of Virtue pressing down on me even more fiercely, I extend my hand without care.
Towards Gyu-baek.
"Hmm, on the verge of death, yet you still have some business with this leftover. Ah, perhaps you wish to mate before being sealed?"
―Shut up.
"I don't understand. What do you want with this leftover of this Saha World... Have you grown too attached to your toy?"
―No.
"No?"
I concentrate all my focus on the arm extending towards Gyu-baek.
The Formless Sword, at the level of Treading Heavens, tears through the characters from Love of Virtue and slowly reaches Gyu-baek.
―It's not a joke!
Gyu-baek is someone I can only meet in this life.
Even if I meet her in the next life, she will never be the same Gyu-baek as now.
Born out of Gyu-ryeon's obsession and resentment, if not with the same emotions and memories as Gyu-ryeon, I will never see the same Gyu-baek again.
But I’m not sad.
After all, to me, every existence in this world is someone I can only meet once in that lifetime, and Gyu-baek is no different.
Yes.
These are connections I can only form in this lifetime.
―How can the memories built with those unique connections be just a joke?
Finally, I succeed in holding Gyu-baek's hand.
It’s a hand hardened with calluses from practicing the Dragon Form Soaring Claw.
A hand trained to meet Seo Hweol, and one that practiced martial arts with me.
At the same time, it’s also the hand of a comrade who achieved nothing.
“It wasn’t a joke, you say.”
Watching my lip movements, Seo Hweol observes us for a moment before releasing Gyu-baek's hair.
She collapses powerlessly to the ground.
'...?'
But I feel Seo Hweol's actions are somewhat strange.
'What?'
Did I see something wrong just now?
For a moment, I thought I saw a very faint gleam in Seo Hweol's heart essence.
It passed so quickly I’m not sure if it was real.
'It must have been a mistake.'
I turn my attention away from what would be unlikely for Seo Hweol and hold Gyu-baek’s hand firmly.
Gyu-baek isn't dead yet.
Though she will probably die soon, her hand is trembling weakly.
Through that trembling hand, I feel her emotions.
Anger and resentment.
Longing and sorrow.
And... love.
Gyu-ryeon loved Seo Hweol.
And Gyu-baek, inheriting Gyu-ryeon's memories, also inherited the memories of loving Seo Hweol so dearly.
Even though filled with Gyu-ryeon's resentment, Gyu-baek also holds love for Seo Hweol.
Even if the object of her love is a detestable being, her love itself shines too brightly for some like Seo Hweol.
I gaze at her heart essence, capturing that light within my own heart.
'I will remember. Your heart...'
This unique bond in this life, I will bury it deep within my heart and remember this feeling.
Thus, Gyu-baek's last appearance is added to the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
I thought that would be her last appearance.
Sararak―
"...?"
Before a pink thread extended from my hand.
Sarararak―
Somehow, a fragrant floral scent spreads around.
At the same time, roots sprout from the thread that extended from my body.
The thread splits into several branches, spreading out in all directions.
The strands that seem to spread out everywhere soon gather together, intertwining to form a shape.
It’s the figure of Kim Yeon.
Wo-woong―
Inside the deepest part of the burrow dug by Hong Fan.
There lies a figure, still unconscious.
It’s Kim Yeon, who has not regained consciousness for days.
She has been lying there with a blank look in her eyes for several days and nights.
Kim Yeon is dreaming.
It’s the scene where she went on a business trip with the person she likes and saw the quince flowers blooming profusely in an orchard.
Then, something resounded deep within her dream.
―I will remember. Your heart…
It’s the voice of Seo Eun-hyun, to whom Kim Yeon had attached her consciousness.
Beyond Seo Eun-hyun's voice, the 'heart' that Seo Eun-hyun wants to remember is conveyed to her through the consciousness attached to Seo Eun-hyun.
It’s the heart of someone who loves another.
The heart of Gyu-ryeon, who had devoted everything to Seo Hweol.
Although the ending was catastrophic, the heart of Gyu-ryeon throughout the process shone so brightly.
And that light was transmitted to Kim Yeon through Seo Eun-hyun.
Simultaneously, as that light reached Kim Yeon.
Her Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon, combined with Kim Yeon's talent and her fate, tremendously amplified.
As a result, Kim Yeon, while asleep, unknowingly awakened her true abilities through the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon.
Tsststsstssts!
The pink silhouette of Kim Yeon overlaps with my hand, which is holding Gyu-baek's.
Our hands, mine, Gyu-baek's, and Kim Yeon's, are layered together.
Seo Hweol, surprised by the unexpected situation, steps back a few paces, and Oh Hye-seo waves at Kim Yeon with a delighted face.
"Oh my, it's Yeon, isn’t it?"
Then, Oh Hye-seo extends her hand towards Kim Yeon with a joyful expression.
"Yeon-ah, you're being a nuisance. I'll come back and dote on you like old times, so could you disappear for a while?"
Tsststssts!
Around Kim Yeon, Yin and Yang swirl as if to make her figure blur momentarily.
But only momentarily.
The pink silhouette of Kim Yeon places her hand over the hole in Gyu-baek's chest.
At the same time, golden light begins to burst from inside Gyu-baek’s hollow chest.
Seeing this, Seo Hweol shouts at Oh Hye-seo.
"Miss Hye-seo! Quickly, stop that!”
Wo-woong!
A blue light flashes, and Seo Hweol tries to fly away in his true form.
However, the golden light is faster.
The golden light turns into a thin thread and flies towards Seo Hweol, naturally connecting to his chest.
I understand what this golden light thread means.
‘This is… the Vast Cold Oath…!’
At the same time, Gyu-baek, whose chest is filled with golden light, flutters her eyes open.
After locking eyes with Kim Yeon's silhouette for a moment, she coughs up blood and stands up.
“AAAAHHH!!!”
Then, Oh Hye-seo, who had been quickly reading through the threads of the Vast Cold Oath, suddenly screams.
Despite being in Yuan Yu's body, she clutches her burst eyes, crying tears of blood.
As if she had seen something that should not be seen.
"Whatisthatwhatisthatwhatisthat…"
Terror-stricken, Oh Hye Seo soon severes her connection with Yuan Yu's body and disappears into somewhere.
Yuan Yu's body, having lost its controller, collapses right there.
Gyu-baek, clutching her chest, extends her hand towards Seo Hweol who is fleeing into the distance.
Wo-woong!
Her intent overflows in all directions.
Beyond the Path to Heavens.
“Auspicious Exchange of Emotional Expression."
Once again, Gyu-baek's Beyond the Path to Heavens is activated.
Once more, chains emerge from Gyu-baek's chest.
Not brown chains.
Golden chains pursue Seo Hweol with the speed of light, connecting to him without giving him a chance to react.
Chalalalak!
Connected to Seo Hweol, the golden chains quickly shorten, pulling the fleeing Seo Hweol back to this place.
Seo Hweol transforms back into human form as he is being pulled back and lands here.
Seo Hweol looks at Gyu-baek, then at Kim Yeon.
"...What are you?"
His face is still smiling.
But Seo Hweol's voice is colder than ever.
"A technique that only Vast Cold can initiate... the Vast Cold Oath. Why can you preside over the Vast Cold Oath? Who are you?"
His smile is colder than ever, and Seo Hweol's heart essence is more turbulent than ever before.
Somewhere within the True Dragon Alliance.
In the residence of the Black Dragon King.
Inside, a massive dragon stirs..
The black dragon raises its head to the sky, opening its mouth in disbelief.
"Vast Cold... How could...?"
Outside the Serving Command Ark.
Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
At the heart of the fortress, the Mad Lord suddenly grabs his head and comes down from [Her] knees.
The Mad Lord's Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon is resonating strongly with something.
And, clutching his chest, the Mad Lord sheds tears.
Not the noisy, bawling tears he had always shed.
The silent tears flowing from the Mad Lord contain his sincerity.
"...My disciple is doing something."
Feeling Kim Yeon's presence through the resonance of the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon, the Mad Lord looks towards the Serving Command Ark.
"Something is happening there. I must go. I might witness something similar to, no... something far more tremendous than Yeon's Play..."
Clutching his chest, the Mad Lord solemnly unfolds the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon without wiping his tears.
Wo-woong!
The Mad Lord's Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon brightly ignites.
“It's time to end this clumsy puppet show. I need to see what my disciple is trying to do. Judging by this resonance from the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon… what my disciple is attempting must be the true next step that the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon must achieve...!"
Bo-oong!
Briefly regaining his senses, the Mad Lord controls the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, operating it more efficiently and logically.
And the puppet legion of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, which had been bombarding indiscriminately with sheer numbers, begins to reorganize rapidly.
"This child is not what's important, right, Seo Hweol?"
Gyu-baek locks eyes with Kim Yeon's silhouette for a moment, then again with Seo Hweol.
"It's like a miracle... no, it is a miracle. A miracle has occurred, and the Vast Cold Oath has been activated. Seo Hweol."
Gyu-baek points at her chest, brimming with golden light, with a clear smile.
"My heart is gone, and I am about to die. And since the Vast Cold Oath was activated by a miracle, you will also die."
"..."
"You probably know better... the Vast Cold Oath is a technique related to fate. Changing bodies or replenishing life force is useless. Resurrection is impossible. It means the heavens have decided to end our fate."
"..."
"But... as you know, Seo Hweol. This isn't the Vast Cold Oath agreed upon by both of us. It's a one-sided Vast Cold Oath that Gyu-ryeon imposed on you. Since a witness is present here, you have the right to undo the Vast Cold Oath, Seo Hweol."
Gyu-baek slowly spreads her arms towards Seo Hweol.
"Just as Gyu-ryeon transmitted her love to you by imposing the Vast Cold Oath, undoing it must also be done in reverse. Seo Hweol, the method to undo it is simple."
At her following words, I can't help but snicker.
"Kiss me sincerely. Unless you return more than what Gyu-ryeon gave to you, the Vast Cold Oath will not be undone."
In many fairy tales featuring lovers, the ending usually involves breaking a curse with a kiss and living happily ever after.
Similarly, Seo Hweol, who was cursed, has to give a sincere kiss of love to Gyu-baek in order to break the curse.
"Now, Seo Hweol. Show me your sincerity."
Gyu-baek, who informs Seo Hweol that only sincerity can undo the curse, wears a cruel yet beautiful smile.
And for the first time, Seo Hweol’s smile disappears from his lips.
This long performance has come to an end.
Only Seo Hweol, dragged down below the stage, remains.
***
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