A single sword.
However, Seo Eun-hyun is not disappointed.
Tstststststst—
Although it's just a single sword, the fact that it has taken shape is what matters.
A faint mist begins to rise over the Colorless Glass Sword.
Seo Eun-hyun restores the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections related to his overall memories.
The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections that forms the main thread of Seo Eun-hyun's life.
Wooong—
He feels the attraction force that the humming Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections points towards.
The attraction force has become much clearer than before.Now, it will be much easier to find more shards of the Colorless Glass Sword.
After sensing the attraction force for a moment, Seo Eun-hyun descends onto a planet where he was making a tombstone.
He inhales the spiritual energy and half-closes his eyes.
Behind his head, the Heavenly Circle rises, and the Four Axes emerge in his four directions.
Kurururung—
As if realizing what he is about to do, dark clouds begin gathering in the sky.
Indeed.
30,000 years.
Now, even Seo Eun-hyun's lifespan is nearing its end.
He gained 10,000 years each from the Axis of Wealth and the Axis of Love of Virtue.
And another 10,000 when he reached the Four-Axis stage.
The Longevity Axis and the Health Axis had both been sacrificed when he reached the Four-Axis stage, so they are as good as non-existent.
Therefore, if he wants to continue living and keep searching for the Colorless Glass Sword, he now has to rise to the Integration stage.
He soars into the sky, ensuring the tombstone he created remains intact.
Unlike the typical Heavenly Tribulation that could be faced comfortably while sitting, the breakthrough tribulation for the Integration stage has to be faced while floating in the sky.
In the case of Jeon Myeong-hoon, the power of his Heavenly Golden Thunder Body allowed him to transform and withstand the tribulation, but Seo Eun-hyun, possessing more ordinary talent, has no such ability.
'First, let's gather all the necessary materials.'
Seo Eun-hyun directs his will towards the dragon vein below.
Attraction force emanates from his hand.
Kugugugugu!
The dragon vein, which had been boiling within the star, is pulled out by Seo Eun-hyun's will and begins to be refined within his grasp.
Seo Eun-hyun uses the internal energy method known as 'Dragon Vein Qi Method', which he mastered during his time in the martial world.
In an instant, Seo Eun-hyun's body transforms, becoming indistinguishable from a dragon blood pool where dragon veins converge, and the powerful energy of the dragon vein surges like a torrent following the circulation of the Dragon Vein Qi Method.
Connected to the dragon vein through the Dragon Vein Qi Method, Seo Eun-hyun refines yet another Nascent Soul through the Earth Tribe method.
The energy of the Dragon Vein Qi Method is of the earth attribute, and the newly refined Nascent Soul glows with a golden hue, imbued with earth energy.
Wooong—
A Nascent Soul of the earth attribute appears before Seo Eun-hyun's eyes.
Using the power drawn from the dragon vein, he begins to erase the 'personality' of the Nascent Soul, leaving only its 'attribute.'
And then,
Wuduk, wudududuk—
He starts compressing the Nascent Soul.
After a while, the Nascent Soul completely transforms into an Axis of Five Elements representing the Earth element.
Seo Eun-hyun places the Axis of Five Elements refined through the Dragon Vein Qi Method onto his palm and then alters its attributes in correspondence with the Eight Trigrams.
The Fire of the Five Elements corresponds to the fire (☲/離/火) of the Eight Trigrams.
The Water of the Five Elements corresponds to the water (☵/坎/水) of the Eight Trigrams.
The Wood of the Five Elements corresponds to the wind (☴/巽/風) and thunder (☳/震/雷) of the Eight Trigrams.
The Metal of the Five Elements corresponds to the sky (☰/乾/天) and lake (☱/兌/澤) of the Eight Trigrams.
The Earth of the Five Elements corresponds to the ground (☷/坤/地) and mountain (☶/艮/山) of the Eight Trigrams.
Gradually, the nature of the Axis of Five Elements changes, transforming the earth (土) attribute axis into Gen (艮)—that is, the Axis of Mountain (山).
'Considering that my heart essence and most of my main methods are related to Mountain (山), it's better to prepare a Mountain Axis.'
Of course, in that case, it would have been better to build the Mountain Axis directly using the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique rather than the Dragon Vein Qi Method.
However, Seo Eun-hyun painfully understands more than anyone else that the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique is connected to True Immortals, so he created the axis using the Dragon Vein Qi Method derived from Kim Young-hoon instead of a method originating from a True Immortal.
And so, Seo Eun-hyun's breakthrough to the Integration stage begins.
Wiiiiing—
Seo Eun-hyun's Nascent Soul exits through his Baihui point and sits cross-legged in the air.
At the same time, the halo of the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle forms behind the Nascent Soul's head.
The Five Blessings Axes of Longevity, Wealth, Health, and Love of Virtue form the Earthly Bearings around the Nascent Soul's dantian.
Typically, the process of rising to the Integration stage would involve first shortening the distance between the Heavenly Circle and the Earthly Bearings through the process of Heaven and Earth Unity, then merging them entirely, and finally evolving them into a small world.
But Seo Eun-hyun half-closes his eyes.
Six shadows emerge from beneath him.
After infusing the Love of Virtue Axis, his Six Extremes Yin Thunder Body completely vanished.
No, to be exact, Seo Eun-hyun's Six Extremes Yin Thunder Body became the Six Extremes (六極) itself.
Six additional axes emerge around him.
From his vantage point above the planet in the Astral Realm, Seo Eun-hyun is able to resolve one of the doubts that has previously arisen in his mind.
It's about the Five Elements Heterodox Axes Foundation, the Five Elements Orthodox Axes Foundation, the regular Five Blessings Axes Foundation,
And the Five Axes Six Extremes Axes Foundation formed by receiving the Five Blessings and returning lifespan to sense the Six Extremes.
The Four-Axis stage,
Or rather, the Earth Axis stage, has a lot of methods.
Then among all these methods, which one is the correct approach?
He has pondered about this.
The Five Elements Axes places the attribute learned by one’s Nascent Soul as the center and strengthens the central axis with the remaining four axes of Five Elements.
The Five Blessings Axes do not strengthen attributes but instead strengthens the Four-Axis Canopy itself.
Which one is truly the proper Earth Axis stage method?
Only now, on the day he performs the breakthrough ritual to the Integration stage, does he finally find the answer.
'...They were all one from the beginning.'
The originally united method of Axes Foundation Practice.
It has been split by someone.
Originally, the Five Blessings Axes is composed of Health, Wealth, Longevity, Love of Virtue, and the individual's Heavenly Circle-turned Axis corresponding to Acceptance at Fate's End that forms the Four-Axis Canopy and evolves it to reach the Integration stage.
With the Five Blessings Axes method, it becomes significantly easier to unite the Heavenly Circle of Acceptance at Fate's End with the Earthly Bearings of Health, Wealth, Longevity, and Love of Virtue, significantly reducing the difficulty of rising to the Integration stage.
But what will happen if the Six Extremes Axes are added?
Heavenly Circle of Acceptance at Fate's End, along with Longevity, Wealth, Health, Love of Virtue,
And the Six Extremes.
First of all, the numbers don't add up.
Though the Heavenly Circle is perfect on its own and doesn't require a numerical counterpart, where do the Six Extremes fit within the Earthly Bearings?
Of course, one can still attach them appropriately and skillfully, and as long as one has the sufficient senses to maintain a balance, there won't be any issues with rising to the Integration stage.
In fact, upon reaching the Integration stage, the Five Blessings and Six Extremes become more perfectly integrated, providing advantages in terms of attraction force and other aspects.
However, the Five Blessings Six Extremes Axes are inherently rather ambiguous axes.
'I was mistaken from the beginning.'
He finally realizes how to unify the previously fragmented Four-Axis method.
'The mistake was in thinking the Five Elements Axes and the Five Blessings Axes are separate.'
Wo-woong!
Seo Eun-hyun's Vast Cold Heavenly Circle, located in the upper dantian of his Nascent Soul, separates from it.
The four Five Blessings Axes in the lower dantian of the Nascent Soul also detach.
Combining the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle with the remaining Four Blessings creates five axes.
Adding the Six Extremes Axes results in six axes.
A total of eleven—a rather ambiguous number.
However, Seo Eun-hyun lifts the Mountain Axis that he prepared beforehand.
The Mountain Axis slips in among the eleven axes!
Twelve axes are now formed.
At last, the Earth Axis stage is completed.
Requiring the Five Elements Axis, the Five Blessings Axes, and the Six Extremes Axes; that is the proper Earth Axis stage.
'From the beginning, the crucial point in forming the Heavenly Circle and Earthly Bearings is the [Sky] and [Ground]. The Four Directions aren't necessarily required.'
Seo Eun-hyun completes the Earthly Bearings with the Earthly Branches (地支).
Wo-woong!
Centered around Seo Eun-hyun's Nascent Soul, the twelve axes connect through attraction force and each take their respective positions.
Then, the Yin-Yang dual energies within Seo Eun-hyun's Nascent Soul begin to rotate, turning the wheel of day and night.
With each cycle of day and night, the Nascent Soul's shadow and light sweeps across the twelve axes in sequence.
Gradually, the rotation of day and night accelerates, and the speed at which light and shadow passes over the twelve axes also increases.
And at a certain moment,
Paaaatt!
The twelve axes shine brightly, drawing a circle.
Seo Eun-hyun converges his attraction force towards the center of the circle, preparing to break through.
Inside the circle created by the twelve axes, the scenery of Seo Eun-hyun's Four-Axis Canopy begins to be reflected.
And according to the landscape within the Four-Axis Canopy, the circle gradually begins to take on a three-dimensional form.
It's a method of advancement quite different from that of ordinary cultivators at the Four-Axis stage, but he proceeds without hesitation.
Woo-woong!
The Four-Axis Canopy that had been becoming three-dimensional suddenly forms a complete sphere, and Seo Eun-hyun's Nascent Soul expands to match the size of the sphere, placing it within his dantian.
The shape is strikingly similar to the planet beneath Seo Eun-hyun.
"These are the Earthly Bearings (地方)."
However, Seo Eun-hyun integrated his Heavenly Circle Axis with the Earthly Bearings.
So, how is he supposed to achieve Heavenly Circle?
The answer is simple.
Woo-wooong—
Centered around the Earthly Bearings within his Nascent Soul, Seo Eun-hyun's Nascent Soul gradually begins to melt.
His Nascent Soul becomes the atmosphere surrounding the Earthly Bearings' world, simultaneously becoming the cycle of Yin and Yang of day and night, the star constellations, and even...the cycle of the Four Seasons.
Seo Eun-hyun gradually makes his Nascent Soul resemble the planet beneath his feet.
His attraction force forms the Earthly Bearings' attraction force, giving rise to the concepts of North and South. With the workings of day and night, East and West are born, finally manifesting the concept of the Four Directions within the sphere.
The Heavenly Circle of the sky and the Earthly Bearings of the ground interact, forming a small world of Heaven and Earth Unity!
Simultaneously.
Kugugugugu!
Dark clouds begin to gather in the sky.
Seo Eun-hyun starts his rise to the Integration stage.
Kwarurururung!
From the sky, three types of Heavenly Lightning descend upon him at once.
The ordinary blue-colored Heavenly Lightning that falls from the sky,
The golden Heavenly Lightning that typically strikes during breakthrough,
And the mysterious black-colored (玄色) Heavenly Lightning, symbolizing the Heavens.
[TL/N: Mysterious Black as in the same Black in Black Ancient]
Each of these three types of Heavenly Lightning strike Seo Eun-hyun with exactly 200 bolts each.
Kwadudududu!
At the same time, the dragon vein of the earth beneath Seo Eun-hyun's feet begins to writhe violently.
Simultaneously, with a thick mist seemingly gathering near the ground, lightning surges from the ground to the sky.
Again, the blue lightning that has been striking Seo Eun-hyun and the Enders,
The golden lightning, typical of a standard breakthrough Heavenly Tribulation,
And the yellow-colored (黃色) lightning, symbolizing the Earth, shoots up from the ground to the sky with 200 bolts each, striking down on Seo Eun-hyun.
But that is not the end.
Dark clouds begin to form from the east of the planet, and in addition to the blue and golden Heavenly Tribulation, the azure-colored (靑色) Heavenly Tribulation, symbolizing the East, sends 200 bolts each toward Seo Eun-hyun.
From the west of the planet, dark clouds gather again and sends 200 bolts each of blue, golden, and white-colored (白色) Heavenly Tribulation, symbolizing the West, toward Seo Eun-hyun.
From the south, 200 bolts each of red-colored (赤色) Heavenly Tribulation, symbolizing the South, along with the golden and blue Heavenly Tribulation, are sent.
From the north, 200 bolts each of black-colored (黑色) Heavenly Tribulation, symbolizing the North, along with the golden and blue Heavenly Tribulation, are sent.
A total of 3,600 bolts of Heavenly Lightning.
The breakthrough Heavenly Lightning of the Integration stage is also known as Six Lightnings (六雷), a powerful Heavenly Tribulation that fills the positions of the Heavens, Earth, and Four Directions.
Seo Eun-hyun can no longer simply crush the clouds with a single blow as he had done before.
[Kuaaaaah!]
But that is still not the end.
The advancement to the Integration stage only truly begins now.
He must draw upon the energy of Heavens from the Six Lightings, and the energy of Earth from the nearby dragon vein, to carve a dragon vein into the interior of the small world he has created.
All while being struck by the Six Lightnings!
This dragon vein will create the life force within the small world, functioning as the Eight Extraordinary Meridians of the 'world' itself, making it an extremely crucial task.
Kuguguguguk!
Seo Eun-hyun brings the dragon vein into his small world.
Into the middle area of the 'ground' domain.
In other words, if compared to Earth, he is laying the path of the dragon vein along the 'equator.' Then, he establishes the Earth Axis that connects the South and North Poles.
After laying the dragon vein at the equator and the path connecting the North and South Poles, the next step is to carve a path through the sky using the Six Lightnings.
What is engraved into the sky are the constellations and star movements of the Three Enclosures and Twenty-Eight Stars that he has already inscribed on his Golden Core, and the paths of the sun and moon for day and night.
And after having completed all of this and enduring the Six Lightings for an indefinite amount of time,
Kuarururung!
At last, the torrential rain of Heavenly Tribulation ceases, and what remains is Seo Eun-hyun's body, slowly emitting smoke as it floats above the planet.
He slowly half-opens his eyes.
Seo Eun-hyun can sense the 'World (世界)' that has taken root within his body.
This world gifts Seo Eun-hyun with a level of attraction force far beyond that of his previous Four-Axis stage, and it bestows upon him a newfound sense of omnipotence, different from before.
Although it's a small world, within it, he is akin to Nature (自然) itself.
A domain obtained through the Dao (道) of Heaven and Earth Unity.
Focusing his mind, Seo Eun-hyun clasps his hands together and stimulates his small world, causing it to expand outside his physical body.
"Integrated Dao Domain!"
Paaatt!
In an instant, a dimensional veil bursts forth from Seo Eun-hyun's body, continuously expanding his body.
Standing at the North Pole of this barren, ashen-gray desert that is his domain, Seo Eun-hyun clasps his hands together and closes his eyes.
This place is solely my domain.
That means no one can intrude without my permission.
I wield my authority within the domain and, just in case, block out all the 'light' within it.
In an instant, the domain is shrouded in darkness.
Thud—
I sit down alone in the desert, and within the darkened world, I speak.
"...Everyone, I have reached the Integration stage."
As I stare into the darkness, I fantasize about the others.
"Young-hoon Hyung-nim, Jeon Myeong-hoon, Kang Min-hee, Hyun-seok Hyung-nim, Yeon-ah...Buk Hyang-hwa. Seo Ran, Shi Ho, Hong Fan, Yeon Wei..."
I call out each name that comes to mind, one by one.
My voice echoes in the darkness.
"...Will you...congratulate me...?"
No answer comes.
In this darkness that no one can peer into, I bring my hand to my face.
Something falls onto the rough sand.
Yeon Wei was right.
I was wrong.
This world is nothing but despair.