Flutterflutterflutterflutter—
The Black Ancient Paper flutters in the wind before my eyes.
I stare blankly at the contract written on the Black Ancient Paper.
The Heavenly Venerable of Time will rewind my time to before my comrades were slaughtered, and in return, I will reveal my fate to the Heavenly Venerable of Time when I realize it.
I can return.
To that time!
To the time when I had not yet lost my connections.
I tremble in the ashen world.
The idea of returning doesn't evoke any emotion in me.
But the power of the Heavenly Venerable of Time means that my regression point itself will be fixed!It will fix the uncontrollable death regression time!
Thump, thump—
I clutch my trembling heart.
"Ah..."
I understand.
"Ah..."
I...
Can never refuse this offer.
"Ahhh...!"
My vision blurs.
I am someone who has lived for 190,000 years.
I am someone who thought I tempered myself in pain and nothingness.
Now that the Star Shattering stage is just ahead, I am someone who thought has become stronger than ever.
But now, I finally understand.
"Aaaaah! Aaaaaaah, aaaaaah...!"
From the tips of my fingers to the deepest depths of my chest, I tremble. And from that tremor, and the tears that flow from it, I understand.
Humans, no matter how strong or weak,
In the face of hope, they are beings that become so very fragile.
Both my words and Yeon Wei's were wrong.
This world is neither filled with hope nor only with despair.
Hope itself is the sweetest despair.
How many times have I wished for this?
Again and again, time after time, I have imagined myself returning to my comrades' side.
"C-Can I really return...?"
I prostrate myself.
I bow.
No, if he was human, I would have been willing to lick his feet.
Even if he wasn't a human but a beast, it wouldn't have mattered.
"Can I!? Can I really return to that time!?"
With bloodshot eyes, I ask with a desperation that could never be repeated.
And the answer comes.
[Indeed.]
Deeeeeng—
From somewhere, it rings.
The sound of a giant brahma bell echoes throughout the Heavenly Domain.
Puhak!
At the same time, something rises from beneath my feet, and something descends from above.
In an instant, it's as if Heaven and Earth are being split in two.
Kuung!
It's a giant compass.
No, it also resembles a sundial.
At the same time, it looks like some kind of device that marks the celestial bodies of the universe.
It's a compass that calculates the bearings and coordinates of the universe, a clock that measures time through light, and the Essence (精華) of the Calendar Method (曆法) that determines the calendar of Heaven, Earth, and all phenomena.
It's as if all things in the universe and the starlight of the cosmos are converging on the center of this bizarre yet sacred structure.
Before conversing with the Heavenly Venerable of Time, I briefly recall the Throne of Galaxy I saw.
Kugugugugung!
In hindsight, it wasn't a throne.
It's merely one of the countless axes of the celestial globe formed by the river of stars.
Puhak!
My eyes burst, and blood pours down.
Jiiing—
My head is ringing.
At the shock that feels as if my brain is going to shut down, I tremble uncontrollably with my mouth clamped shut.
Pasasasa—
Before me, the ashes that formed from the now-weathered peach blossom spring paradise clump together, and the Heavenly Venerable of Time returns to his human form.
The human figure briefly gazes at me, then bows towards [somewhere].
'Ah...aghh...'
Now, I finally understand.
Paaaat!
The human form of the Heavenly Venerable of Time.
In an instant, it transforms into the South Polar Compass and is then absorbed into the gigantic structure before me.
The being I have been conversing with until now is not the Heavenly Venerable of Time.
Isn't it absurd from the start?
If he is the Heavenly Venerable of Time, does it make any sense that the main body of the Heavenly Venerable of Time has been carrying me around on his back throughout all the corners of the universe for 190,000 years to open my Star Vein Eye?
Starlight begins to gradually fill the structure.
My head explodes, and my brain matter spills out.
However, even so, I can not die.
My time is fixed here, as if I can never proceed beyond death, even if my domain, soul, and consciousness all shatter.
At the same time, I am able to understand.
About [the being I have been conversing with until just now].
About [the being who introduced himself to me as the Heavenly Venerable of Time and tested me].
It is not the Heavenly Venerable of Time.
I recall the words of Jin Ma-yeol.
That the [Heavenly Craftsman] created an immortal treasure for the [God of Calendar] to contain the being's strength.
Indeed.
The being I have been conversing with until now is the Immortal Treasure (仙寶) of the Heavenly Venerable of Time.
A proxy of a God.
No, to be exact, it's merely an incarnation of the proxy.
I have never once spoken directly with the Heavenly Venerable of Time.
I have only discussed a contract with the incarnation of their proxy.
As I cling to it, finally, the proxy of the Heavenly Venerable—
The God's Immortal Treasure reveals its true form.
Jiiing—
My head hurts.
Clang, clang, clang...
The moment I gaze upon [Its] true form, I am struck once again with the impact that feels as if my very domain is collapsing.
[Its] true form is a celestial globe forged from the river of stars, a vessel capable of containing an entire Heavenly Domain.
Knowledge, along with [A Name], flows into my mind.
The Immortal Treasure (仙寶) of the God of Time.
The Southern Polar Ritual Treasure (南極寶儀), Yeong Seung (令升).
Unable to die, with my upper body completely obliterated and only my soul remaining, I kneel and scream in despair before the majesty of [Yeong Seung (令升)].
Kiiiiiing—
Gazing upon [It], countless possibilities of time flow into my mind.
Jiiiiiing—
Failing to follow Kim Young-hoon, the possibility of spending a thousand years researching soap and reaching the pinnacle of soap.
Surrendering to Yuan Li and becoming his disciple, the possibility of ascending to the Blood Yin Realm then invading the Bright Cold Realm, tearing out and eating Kang Min-hee's heart to advance to the Star Shattering stage.
Or after believing that the Immortal Treasure of the God of Time is actually the Heavenly Venerable of Time until the very end, the possibility of being mocked until the very end and eventually being forced to stamp the contract under the threat of the Immortal Treasure, leading to my twentieth return.
Countless possibilities flow before me.
But those aren't what's important.
What's terrifying are the [symbols] etched on Yeong Seung's path!
[Black Snake Biting Its Tail]
[Mountain (山) Exuding Darkness]
[Taiji In The Shape Of A Fetus]
[Black Sun]
[Bird Trapped In A Cage]
[Sun And Moon Pair Of Eyes]
[Lightning Spear]
[White Wheel]
[Six Interconnected Stars]
[Transparent Seed]
[Blackened Three Great Ultimates]
Eleven symbols in total are engraved in a grand scale.
Some of them are shining brightly, but the [Black Snake] and [Sun and Moon Eyes] do not emit any light, and although the [Lightning Spear] and [Fetus] are glowing, their light is extremely faint.
Pasasasasa—
The world seems to be turning white.
Through the [symbol], that being [beyond] is watching me!
The [Owner of Great Mountain] is observing me through the mark of the Mountain (山).
: : Are You There? : :
With that 'will,' the gaze that is upon me vanishes.
But I can tell.
My entire body breaks out in chills!
They are coming.
Deeeeeng—
Once again, the sound of the brahma bell echoes throughout the entire universe.
It's a sound originating from the center of the structure before me, from where the starlight is converging.
Tststststs—
The elderly figure appears before me once again.
But this is not the same old man who appeared earlier.
With light and shadow rotating around its entire body, it's something trying to clumsily mimic a human.
The body of [something mimicking a human] twists.
It looks as though an existence beyond mortality is awkwardly adjusting its form to communicate with a mere mortal like me.
The incarnation of the Immortal Treasure that has been conversing with me just moments ago, the South Polar Compass.
I realize that It's now ceasing to reveal itself as an incarnation, and instead is preparing to converse with me as the main body of the Immortal Treasure Yeong Seung.
: : On behalf of the Lord, I shall ask you. : :
It asks.
: : Will you make the contract with the Lord? : :
Paaaatt!
My body reverses once more.
My body and domain, which gazed upon the fragments of distant existences, is beginning to recover as if time is turning back.
I want to go insane.
No, I want to lose my mind, drooling saliva, and sob uncontrollably.
But I can't.
The being before me is forbidding even that and is forcing me to answer.
"...I...I..."
With my entire body trembling, I weep.
I must answer.
I must answer.
Isn't the great one before me waiting for an answer?
And then, it happens.
Jiiiiiing—
Once again, something resonates.
And I understand.
This is not a headache ringing in my head.
Rather, it's something resonating deep within my chest.
That's right, this is...
'Ah...'
It's the Colorless Glass Sword I have harmonized with for 190,000 years.
A wave coming from [somewhere] connected to that Colorless Glass Sword!
That wave is awakening my mind.
When the wave reaches its peak, I can momentarily see a vision.
It's a woman in white stroking a jade-colored deer.
No, I am mistaken.
What she is stroking is a jade-colored norigae.
She looks at me and says something.
—Was what I just gave you also a curse?
The memory of that moment soaks my chest.
With that, I snap awake.
For some reason, the overwhelming presence of Yeong Seung, who is intimidating me, no longer seems to matter.
"...O Great One"
: : Speak. : :
"The Great One said if I make the contract, you will turn back time, correct?"
: : That is correct. : :
"One thing, may this lowly one inquire?"
I bow and prostrate myself before It.
"If time were to return, and I were to meet those comrades from that time, will they be the ones I long for?"
: : ...: :
"Please grant me the answer."
It does not respond.
From [Its] silence, I can be certain.
I already knew.
It's something I have known for a long time.
It's a fact I have learned from repeatedly returning back in time.
No matter how many times time reverses, I can never return to the time I wish for.
An ironic paradox.
There is a person who lost someone they love.
They regress and arrive at the point just before losing their loved one.
But is the 'one they lost' and the 'one they loved' truly the same being?
Absolutely not.
The one who returned was together with the 'one they lost' until their death, but the 'one they loved' after returning is someone who has not experienced their own death.
In other words, unless the 'one they lost' also regresses together with the one who returned, no matter how many times the regressor returns, they can never meet the one they seek.
Even if it is just a matter of seconds difference between whether they were slaughtered or not, as in the proposal from the Immortal Treasure before me, the result is the same.
I think of Kim Young-hoon, who resisted until the very end.
I think of Buk Hyang-hwa, who sought Kim Yeon and also sought my help.
I think of Oh Hyun-seok, who died without even being able to hurl swears.
I think of Seo Ran, who was devoured so absurdly and pointlessly.
And I think of my dear friend, who promised to watch over me as long as I remember him.
If I were to return to the past, I would be returning to a time before they met those ends.
In that case, just how am I supposed to remember their final moments?
Does that mean they couldn't be with me in their final moments?
Indeed.
It's a matter of just a few seconds.
No, even a difference of one second is the same.
The being one second later is inevitably different from the being one second earlier.
Because I am so painfully aware of this more than anyone else, I had to let her go.
Because I am so painfully aware of this more than anyone else, I couldn't bring myself to ask the one I loved so dearly to come with me, and could only leave her with a norigae.
"If...you truly wish to send me back, then send all my comrades back as well. If not, I will not enter into any contract with you!"
Only now do I understand.
Thanks to the vibration of the Colorless Glass Sword, no.
Thanks to her, with whom I exchanged hearts—no.
Thanks to all the connections that have taken root within me, I am able to realize this.
Including Yang Su-jin's words, all the connections I have accumulated until now are telling me.
The time that has passed can never return.
And the words spoken can never be taken back.
In that case, neither the fate that has been uttered can be reversed.
My fate is my fate, and my connections are my connections.
And my time is my time.
What has passed has meaning in itself.
No matter how painful it may be, I will accept it!
I will not trade my time that has passed as an object of a transaction!
"I will not return to that time."
: : ...: :
After a brief pause, the Solar Polas Compass looking at me, Yeong Seung, speaks to me.
: : That is not allowed. : :
It's just as I am about to say something.
Daeeng—
I hear the third ring of the brahma bell.
Kuung!
Yeong Seung's main body begins to move.
Countless trajectories and symbols on the Celestial Globe undergo myriad transformations as its orbit changes.
I can feel it.
Each time Yeong Seng's main body moves, the star vein of the Heavenly Domain changes in real-time!
At the same time, Yeong Seung, who has been considerately adjusting [Its] level before me, reveals Its full might once again.
I once more go mad and wail.
But I don't simply lose my mind.
Jiiiiiing—
Holding the Colorless Glass Sword and with a desperate will, I manage to prevent myself from stamping the contract in front of me.
I'm going to die now.
That much is certain.
It's only natural, given that I provoked a transcendent being.
I don't leave out the possibility of being tortured for hundreds of millions of years before dying.
But even so!
This one thing, I am sure of.
"I!"
Even amidst the impact that feels as if my entire body is being crushed, I scream.
"Am not wrong!"
Waduduk!
I feel my arm being plucked off.
Then, a colossal will forcibly takes my arm and stamps the black paper with it.
The contract on the black paper has already changed at some point.
—By the authority of the Servant (????) of Time, the Ender is to be regressed by 1 gak (15 minutes).
As I see those words, I lose consciousness within a searing pain that turns my mind blank.
A world shrouded in ashen dust clouds.
There, an old man in white robes is wailing.
Before his eyes, a black piece of paper flutters.
The old man is howling within the dust cloud world, and moves as if obeying the meaning of a voice that resonates throughout the world.
But at a certain moment, the old man ceases his howling.
And with clear eyes, he speaks.
"I will not return!"
Within the dust clouds.
The owner of the voice speaking to the old man falls silent for a moment before driving him to madness.
In that state of madness, the old man is led to stamp the contract.
But in the end, he does not stamp it.
Eventually, the owner of the voice, who has taken the form of an elderly man's appearance,
The God of Time's Immortal Treasure,
Yeong Seung of the South Polar Compass, cuts the old man's hand and forces his seal onto the contract.
The contents of the contract have already been changed at some point.
—By the authority of the Servant (????) of Time, the Ender is to be regressed by 1 gak.
The old man dies.
And Yeong Seung's eyes glow.
Daeeng—
With the sound of the brahma bell ringing, starting from the center of Yeong Seung's main body, the sound of the universe's star vein changing echoes.
Among the countless orbits and needles attached to Yeong Seung's body, the needle labeled 'Reforming Calendar' seems to glow red.
: : Red (赤) is essentially a cycle (循環). : :
As the countless star veins seem to cycle, the time within the space they occupy reverses in an instant.
And, the old man who just died comes back to life once again and wails.
This time, Yeong Seung tries with yet another method to persuade the old man.
But in the end, the old man's eyes clear once more, and he rejects Yeon Seung's offer.
Time reverses again, and the cycle repeats.
In the midst of it all, Yeong Seung mutters with a solemn gaze.
: : Keep refusing. : :
Dong—
The brahma bell rings, and time within the domain of the Heavenly Venerable of Time reverses.
: : This is the Lord's domain. Within this place, we can repeat as many times as necessary. : :
A certain madness seems to flicker in Yeong Seung's eyes.
: : For my Lord's safe return, I will do anything. : :
Dong—
Once again, from the center of the starlight within Yeong Seung's body, the sound of the brahma bell echoes.
Time reverses once more, and this time, another attempt at persuasion is made.
But the result is the same.
At first, Seo Eun-hyun seems to cry and cling to Yeong Seung, but soon he regains his senses and rejects [Its] proposal.
No matter how many times it repeats, the outcome is the same.
Finally, when the number of small-scale regressions within the time domain reaches a hundred,
Only then does Yeong Seung realize that something is wrong.
It takes on the body of a mortal and glares at Seo Eun-hyun before It.
[...What are you?]
"Pardon...?"
It sent the incarnation that is the South Polar Compass and observed Seo Eun-hyun by his side for 190,000 years, believing It has understood everything about him.
To him, comrades are everything in life.
In the eyes of the Heavenly Venerable of Time's Immortal Treasure, Yeong Seung, who has reached the pinnacle of the world,
The person who can absolutely never reach the Star Shattering stage is the one named Seo Eun-hyun.
Unwilling to abandon anything, he is the very essence of a greedy person.
But something is strange.
The greedy person It observed for 190,000 years is, at the crucial moment, always acting in a way that deviates from Its prediction.
"...I will...not return!"
A hundred times.
"The time that has passed cannot return."
A hundred and fifty times.
"Even if you are the God of Time."
Three hundred times.
"A life that has already passed is, by itself..."
Five hundred times.
"By itself, already within me."
A thousand times.
"So, I will never go back."
Over and over, sound, like a parrot, or like a record-playing magic artifact, keeps repeating.
And it's around then that Yeong Seung understands something.
[I see...you are receiving help from outside.]
Seo Eun-hyun isn't relying solely on his own strength.
How dare a mere mortal hope to maintain his sanity in the presence of Yeong Seung's rank, who borrows the power of the God of Time!?
[Someone], at every crucial moment, is assisting Seo Eun-hyun.
[Who is it?]
Yeong Seung glares at Seo Eun-hyun.
There's nothing out of the ordinary.
Neither his domain, nor the dharma treasure known as the Colorless Glass Sword, nor his Heart Tribe abilities.
There's nothing that seems peculiar.
Nothing can be sensed.
Literally, everything about Seo Eun-hyun is as colorless as his nature suggests.
But It can tell.
Incessantly trying different methods to persuade Seo Eun-hyun, only to be resisted every time, It understands.
He is definitely not enduring solely with his own strength!
Yeong Seung tortures Seo Eun-hyun.
Sometimes It gives pleasure, sometimes hope, and other times, It makes offers that are impossible to refuse.
But each time, It is blocked.
And each time, he repeats the same words.
"I will. Never. Return to that time!"
[...You.]
When all five thousand attempts have failed.
Yeong Seung finally manages to grasp a clue.
The Colorless Glass Sword he overlooked.
A seemingly insignificant sword that feels as if it's made of sand.
The painting of the connections of all phenomena (萬象因緣圖) contained with that sword.
From within it, a wave connected to [somewhere] is flowing.
[Who are you?]
Yeong Seung approaches Seo Eun-hyun, who has become nothing more than minced flesh, and snatches the Colorless Glass Sword.
[I know there are many entities clinging to this one, but this is the domain of the Heavenly Venerable. Cease your peering and begone at once!]
Dong—
The sound of the brahma bell echoes, and time begins to reverse.
Clinkclinkclinkclinkclinkclinkclinkclink—
Yeon Seung's main body rotates, weaving the star veins, and using that power to reverse the time within the domain, It intends to drive out the entity connected to the Colorless Glass—
Crack—
[....]
Yeong Seung suddenly realizes that all phenomena within the time domain have momentarily come to a halt.
Its complexion turns pale in an instant.
The time domain has forcibly stopped, with a power that seems as if someone is violently gripping it.
The orbit and needles that are about to reverse time comes to an enforced stop.
It turns Its gaze to the far edge of the time domain.
[...Light should be watching, so how...? No.]
After hesitating briefly, It quickly sends Its incarnation, the South Polar Compass, to the edge of the time domain.
The boundary of the Heavenly Domain.
Pazzzzt!
Arriving at the edge of time through the South Polar Compass, It looks up at the entity who has halted Its path from outside the domain of time.
A colossal and tyrannical Great Mountain (太山), so vast it seems to crush the Heavens and Earth and the entire universe, enters before Yeong Seung's eyes.
Yeong Seung transforms Its incarnation into a human form and bows Its head as respectfully as possible.
"O Owner of Great Mountain, I understand what may have provoked thee. However, this is the domain of..."
: : Shut up : :
A voice that reverberates through Heaven and Earth spreads throughout the entire universe.
: : Splitting Emperor: :
The next moment, even to the area where Yeong Seung's main body resides, the time domain is torn apart and all things in Heaven and Earth are annihilated.
Clinkclinkclinkclinkclink—
The countless trajectories and orbits, needles and symbols surrounding Yeong Seung's main body, the South Polar Ritual Treasure, moves.
The countless calendar signs float around Yeng Seung, and the stars veins resonate with the entire univ—
Flash!
And with a single gesture from the being atop Great Mountain, half of Yeong Seung's body is torn away.
: : When my Lord returns, you will not be forgiven. : :
Despite having half of Its body torn away, Yeong Seung speaks emotionlessly to the Great Mountain that seems to crush the universe.
And a response echoes from the direction of Great Mountain.
Ahahahahaha—
Kekekekeke—
Uhhahahaha!
It's not the voice of the Mountain God.
It's the scornful laughter emanating from the countless corpses and skulls, the faces of the dead, scattered all over Great Mountain.
The countless skulls, corpses, and the dead collectively speak in unison, conveying the God of Mountains meaning with mockery.
[If you don't want to be stuck like Heavenly Punishment's Immortal Treasure and rot there for all eternity, They say to shut up!]
[They say to shut up!]
[They say to shut up!]
Uhahahahahaha—
Kekekekeke—
Kuhahahahaha!
Ahahahaha!
Far beyond the comparison to the wails from the deepest depths of Hell, the spine chilling clamor of the dead.
Yeong Seung watches the being as It quietly maneuvers the orbits encircling Its body.
: : Do you truly intend to wage war against time for all eternity? : :
In the next moment, the remaining half of Yeong Seung's body is torn away again.
As if to say They have no intention of exchanging words with a being of a lower rank.
As if to say, just shut up and step aside.
The tyrannical Devil God arrogantly looks down at Yeong Seung.
Yeong Seung, in Its incarnation, briefly looks up at the Devil God.
Beside that Devil God, a small Salt Mountain is emitting a faint light.
: : With just that, do you really believe you can evade the Light...O Arrogant God...you shall face regret. : :
And with Yeong Seung's words, the entire Great Mountain begins to overflow with crimson lava.
No, that isn't lava.
It's red blood, as hot as lava.
Dong—
The brahma bell rings once more.
And the domain of time trembles violently.
The entire Greater Realm trembles from their clash.
Dong—
I don't know how many times it's been.
Inside a pit of ashen dust in an unknown place, I ponder that the sound of the brahma bell ringing in my ears is something I've heard many times before.
'What is it?'
A strange sense of incongruity sweeps over my entire body.
It feels as if something has been 'repeated' several times.
Perhaps, Yeon Wei felt this way when looking at me.
Did many of those who were shocked upon seeing me feel like this?
What's certain is...
'Something is happening.'
For some reason, the voice of the Heavenly Venerable of Time, who was conversing with me just a moment ago, can no longer be heard.
I tightly grip the Colorless Glass Sword and closes my eyes.
'Can I really...go back?'
I should be able to.
That is the God of Time!
The Master of Years and the God of Calendar as well.
If it's such a being, surely they can send me back.
But I feel...an emptiness in a part of my chest.
"O Owner of Time, please grant me the answer. Can you truly send me back to that time?"
I ask, feeling another emotion boiling up within me to cover that emptiness.
And,
There's no response.
"...?"
Just a moment ago, the Heavenly Venerable of Time, who was crumbling to ashes and speaking as if He can turn back my time at any moment, has suddenly gone silent.
I gently touch my chest.
The contract to reveal my fate is far too suspicious.
Yang Su-jin said I must not reveal even the slightest trace of my fate.
And considering Yang Su-jin words, who said there is only one being among the Governing Immortals that can be trusted, the Heavenly Venerable of Time's proposal is terrifying.
But...
'I...cannot refuse this offer...'
That is the human named Seo Eun-hyun.
Even if I were to someday realize my fate and reveal it to the Heavenly Venerable of Time, leading to a miserable death like Yang Su-jin.
If only I could meet my comrades from that time today, I would not hesitate to reveal my fate.
'I want...to meet them.'
Hong Fan, Buk Hyang-hwa, Kim Yeon, Kim Young-hoon, Kim Young-hoon, Seo Ran, Jeon Myeong-hoon, and others...
I think of my friends one by one as they come to mind.
For 190,000 years, I've been running around just to remember them, so how can I not want to see them again?
If I can only see them once more...
I clench my chest as I think of them.
"O Owner of Time...please answer!"
If it is truly certain that I can return, there's no need for hesitation!
That's what I believe.
But still, there's no reply from the sky clouded with dust.
"..."
I wait for a moment.
I wait for a shichen.
I wait for a day.
Suddenly, as if the Heavenly Venerable of Time vacated their seat, there's no response at all.
I observe my body.
'The lifespan of this body has already ended.'
Only the Heavenly Venerable of Time's authority is holding it together.
'Just how long does he intend to do this?'
He said he wanted to make a contract with me, but why isn't he saying anything?
I wait for a long time.
And when the Heavenly Venerable of Time still does not respond, I pick up the Colorless Glass Sword.
If the Heavenly Venerable of Time is going to abandon me, I thought I might as well refine the Colorless Glass Sword during that time.
Juuung—
As the Colorless Glass Sword is refined within my Dan Fire, the cracks that split it begin to mend.
Paaatt!
As the condition of the Colorless Glass Sword recovers, it once again returns into my body, within the small world.
In that state, I begin refining the Colorless Glass Sword once more.
'From now on, I will never lose it again.'
A dharma treasure of the Integration stage fully assimilates with the center of the domain.
Wo-woong!
As the Colorless Glass Sword is refined within the Dan Fire, it flows towards the center of the star.
Finally, when it reaches the center of the star, I feel the Qi of the Colorless Glass Sword and my soul becoming one through the energy of the star.
A dharma treasure that is assimilated with the center of a domain at the Integration stage is called a Refining Void Dharma Treasure (煉虛法寶).
Why is it called a dharma treasure that refines the void (虛)?
Just like the phrase 'ten thousand streams return to the origin,' as one rises through the stages of cultivation, the boundaries between paths gradually start to blur.
From the moment a dharma treasure assimilates with the center of a domain, it becomes a conduit connected to the heart essence of the Integration stage Grand Cultivator.
From the Integration stage onward, even the power of the Heart Tribe can be imitated, albeit faintly.
Refining the void (虛) of the empty heart (心空) is called Refining Void (煉虛).
Combining Heaven and Earth is called Integrated Dao (合道)
Because Heaven, Earth, and Heart becomes one, it is called Refining Void Integrated Dao (煉虛合道).
That is the source of power wielded by cultivators of the Integration stage.
Of course, generally speaking, Refining Void Dharma Treasures are incredibly difficult to refine.
Even average Integration stage Grand Cultivators have to devote at least ten thousand years of single-minded focus just to assimilate the dharma treasure with their soul and spirit to obtain a Refining Void Dharma Treasure.
However, in my case, the path to my heart essence is already opened, and I am merely adding the Colorless Glass Sword to that path naturally, so there's no need to waste that much time.
When I connect my heart essence to the Colorless Glass Sword, it so very naturally becomes a Refining Void Dharma Treasure.
'With this...'
The Colorless Glass Sword, the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, will no longer be separated from me.
I half-open my eyes and unfold the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections through the Colorless Glass Sword, which is now assimilated with my heart essence domain.
If the Heavenly Venerable of Time will not meet with me, I will at least spend this time reminiscing about my comrades.
Yes, that surely must be the case.
Dong—
For some reason, a similar sound is heard from inside the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
'What is this?'
I take a step forward from the starting point of the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
As always, the starting point is the illusion of my parents.
And as I pass them, illusions of my life gradually begin to unfold.
My illusions flow continuously behind me, creating a vision of regressions.
First cycle, second cycle, third cycle...
Seventeenth, eighteenth, nineteenth cycle...
The countless cycles of time pass behind me.
And then, the comrades of this current cycle.
The illusion of our order brushes past me.
Gazing upon them, I stand there for a while, lost in the memories.
It's then,
Toong—
The sound of a droplet of water falling is heard.
As I notice something within the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, my eyes open widely.
In the distance,
Beyond the hazy mist, a green deer is running.
I foolishly reach out toward that deer.
However, the closer I try to get, the further the deer moves away from me.
'What is that...?'
At first, I thought it was an illusion.
But this is the [second time] I'm seeing it.
If it's the second time, it can't be an illusion.
That is something real!
Even if it moves away, I run towards the deer.
Inside the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, I pass through the hazy mist and keep running!
And at some point,
Dong—
I open my eyes wide with the familiar sound.
It's gone.
Scenes of time and space, entirely absent from my memories, are within the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
Dong—
A clear yet somehow eerie brahma bell sound rings out.
And then, I see countless versions of [Me].
I endlessly rejected the Heavenly Venerable of Time's proposal.
And the Heavenly Venerable of Time kept returning me back to just moments ago.
The time of the entire universe didn't seem to reverse, only the space around me.
However, seeing him endlessly return me to the past, with the fanatical obsession of rewinding time until the words 'I will make the contract' come out of my mouth, I stand there with my mouth agape.
But when the next scene appears, I am shocked once more.
The God of Time's Immortal Treasure.
South Polar Ritual Treasure!
That is the true identity of the old man who had thus far called himself the Heavenly Venerable of Time.
"...Ha, haha, hahahaha!"
It's then that I finally understand.
The Heavenly Venerable of Time did not personally come to meet a bug like me.
All of the unbelievable feats so far have been done solely by the God of Time's subordinate and Immortal Treasure, the South Polar Ritual Treasure, by the being called Yeong Seung.
Seeing nearly five thousand small-scale regressions, I let out a hollow laugh.
Within those regressions, I was subjected to countless tortures, tasted hope, and faced despair.
The memories of that time flow into me.
Drip, drip, drip...
I feel something flowing from my eyes.
What can this be?
It's red.
They are tears of blood.
The countless times I was deceived by Yeong Seung, the grief and pain of those countless small-scale regressions are bursting out all at once.
I look up at the sky and laugh, drained of energy.
Behold.
This is the difference between a Governing Immortal and me.
With just the power of a great being's immortal treasure, I had to watch my comrades being torn apart, and had to endure torture through countless small-scale regressions.
How long must this continue?
How long!?
Just how much longer!?
I'm so sick and tired of this.
I stand up.
In front of me, I see a woman gently stroking a jade-colored norigae.
I smile at her.
She helped me.
But, it certainly wasn't just her.
Through her, [someone] beyond helped me.
I understand clearly.
Connected to the jade-colored norigae, connected to the Colorless Glass Sword, someone from [somewhere] helped me.
"Who are you?"
With a solemn expression, I ask beyond the hazy mist.
No answer comes.
But instinctively, I know.
What I sense beyond is the power of a being that bears an astonishing resemblance to the Owner of Great Mountain, yet possesses the exact opposite temperament.
For some reason, I feel as if the entity beyond is faintly smiling.
The next moment.
Paaaatt!
The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections begins to blaze pure white-hot.
"...! Wh-why...?"
I haven't moved at all, but the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is operating the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra as if it's alive.
I panic and try to stop it.
Great Mountain might descend upon this place!
But the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections' rampage can't be stopped.
It struggles madly to break free from my grasp.
And then, I understand the reason why.
One of the final verses of the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra, which I haven't yet uttered, is too closely aligned with the Dao of my Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
Perhaps that's why the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is acting out.
I grit my teeth and desperately try to control the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
If this continues, the Owner of Great Mountain will surely descend again.
The mere memory of that nightmare from 190,000 years ago makes me distressed.
However, as I struggle to control the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, a faint voice brushes past my ears.
—Do not confine your connections.
"...How can I not? If I don't, the Mountain God will descend here!"
In response to my scream-like retort, the owner of the voice seems to smile softly.
—Even if They come, They won't be able to hinder you right now, no?
A tone that is both clear and hard to understand.
For some reason, Their words make my chest beat.
"What do you mean by that?"
—Immortal Cultivation is repentant enlightenment...
Their words continue.
—Repentant enlightenment means approaching the essence more closely than any other Path (Dao) Method in all the myriad phenomena of the world...do not fear the external pressure that has yet to arrive, and focus on your current self.
For some reason, with every single one of Their words, it feels as if the tangled threads in my mind are unraveling.
—The mountain of repentant enlightenment opens only to those who look back at themselves.
But even as the threads unravel, I don't seem to gain anything concrete.
Just what in the world does that mean in this situation?
However, for some reason, I naturally close my eyes and begin to reflect on myself, following the absurd voice's words.
I close my eyes in reality, shut my consciousness within my domain, close my perception within my heart essence, and shut my knowledge regarding the connection of all phenomena itself within the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
—What do you feel?
"I feel nothing."
I reply with a voice filled with despair.
But suddenly, I realize something.
There is nothing.
But, do I not still exist?
The voice is no longer there.
But that is okay.
Even without the voice, somehow, I feel like I know the next step.
Not everything has disappeared.
The existence called [I] still remains.
In that case, where did [I] come from?
The answer is obvious.
I open my eyes.
The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is no longer visible before my eyes.
Of course it isn't.
Because [I] am formed by the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.
Being formed by countless grace, the one that managed to come this far is I.
Even if I don't perceive it, I am already within the grace.
No, there's no need to perceive it.
Because it's already within me.
Therefore, there's no need to obsess.
Because it's already within me.
I open my mouth.
The last two verses of the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra that I was unable to utter before,
Are now surging wildly within my chest, as if begging to be set free immediately...
I take the Colorless Glass Sword, which I refined into a Refining Void Dharma Treasure, into my hand.
Then, I begin a sword dance.
This sword dance contains my history.
Only now do I understand why the 31st move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship went out of control.
Many people say the same thing.
They say that Immortal Cultivation is unfeeling.
They say that to reach a higher realm, one must sever connections.
But they are wrong.
The approach itself is flawed from the beginning.
There's no need to abandon.
There's no need to sever.
'Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, 31st move.'
Just as the heart is like the heavens, never disappearing,
"Accumulating Dust Forms a Mountain (積塵成山)!"
So too do the connections remain within me, whether I perceive them or not.
There is no need to obsess.
Obsessing is for things one does not possess.
Since they are already within me, why obsess?
Dong—
The sound of the brahma bell rings out.
Somewhere, I can feel the gaze of the Owner of Great Mountain.
But without yielding to their rank, I unleash the first move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
The final verse of the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra, which I was unable to voice, finally bursts forth.
"Like combining all intents (意) turns them colorless..."
Paaaatt!
The faint mist emanating from the Colorless Glass Sword draws the Three Great Ultimates.
As the Three Great Ultimates merge, they become a brilliant white light, transforming into a single slash that cleaves the sky!
"Embrace all connections and become impermanence (無常)."
Dong—
The sound of the brahma bell echoes.
And the furious roar of someone enraged fills the universe.
Time begins to reverse, as if trying to undo the actions I have just taken.
But my heart remains unmoved in the face of any external pressure, and I repentantly enlighten myself upon all the grace that have shaped me.
Paaaatt!
The reason my sword move exploded before is because my obsession was obstructing the Sword Way of my clear heart.
Now, nothing stands in the way.
So the only thing left is to fully unleash this enlightenment!
The Sky-Splitting single strike severs a portion of time itself, allowing me to finally escape the grasp of Yeong Seung from within the space of dust clouds.
Finally, I realize.
Everyone is already within me. For I am formed by them.
Thus, there is nothing to obsess about.
What I must do now is not obsess but resolve.
As I emerge from the dust-filled sky, what I see is the main body of Yeong Seung and the projection of the Owner of Great Mountain.
Looking at the will of these great beings that can overturn Heaven and Earth, I resolve.
No, it would be more accurate to say that I finally accept a truth I have already known.
"...I won't...be able to return home, will I?"
I know.
My goal is to sever the regression.
To achieve that, I planned to investigate the Ascension Gate.
But ever since I encountered the remnant of Yang Su-jin, I subconsciously realized it.
That perhaps, even if I investigate the Ascension Gate, returning to my homeland will be impossible.
Even Yang Su-jin, who reached the pinnacle of True Immortality, failed to do it—so how can I possibly do so?
But this is a truth I feared to face, so I turned a blind eye to it until now.
However, now that I know the truth is also within me, and that there's no need to fear external pressure, I finally accept it.
'I cannot return home.'
Accept it.
Instead, let me correct my goal.
'If that's the case, let me correct the goal of returning home and severing the cycle of regression.'
The method to break the regression is uncertain.
Even the possibility of returning home is slim.
So what should I do?
It's simple.
To not regress again, ascend to the pinnacle of this world.
Become stronger.
As the Mad Lord said, the only thing that can overcome the attraction of fate is a power that overcomes it.
Grow stronger and stronger, until eventually, no one can toy with me.
Until no one can force me to regress.
Yes.
Let's become an existence of Eternal Life (永生)!
Dong—
The sound of the brahma bell tries to hold me in this moment, and the barrier of Yin-Yang and Five Elements encircles me, but I simply close my eyes and smile.
—Embrace all connections and become impermanence.
I have already found the answer I was seeking.
The essence of repentant enlightenment is already within me.
No matter the pain imposed by external pressure, I will not waver.
Even if I am captured and tortured for ten billion years, the confidence that I will not waver grows in my heart.
No, it must have been there all along.
Just then,
Dong—
As the sound of the brahma bell rings, time comes to a halt.
"...?"
When I look around, what I see is a halted chaotic sky.
The essence of Yeong Seung and the essence of Great Mountain can not be recognized. It's as if in this frozen world, those of a lower rank cannot perceive. Hence, I can't see anything.
But I can feel it.
Even though the world has stopped, I can tell that my own time is flowing properly.
'Ah...'
Time is passing.
The lifespan of my body is coming to an end.
Finally.
After hundreds of thousands of years, I am finally closing my eyes.
However, I force my closing eyes open and respectfully bow to the being that has appeared before me.
"...I greet the Great One."
[He] looks at me for a moment.
Then, He smiles subtly.
:: Did you inherit Their mantle? ::
"..."
I don't reply and just smile faintly.
Seeing my smile, He lets out a hearty laugh.
:: Excellent. I apologize on behalf of my subordinate's rudeness. ::
The being, dressed in a dignified dragon robe adorned with the Taiji symbol, bows courteously to me.
Then, as He looks at me, He mutters.
:: If that is truly your will, then we too must prepare ourselves...To truly achieve liberation, I too must strengthen my resolve. ::
Mumbling incomprehensible words, He reaches out His hand towards me.
Perhaps triggered by His authority, light bursts forth from my body, and thousands, millions of pure white particles radiate out.
Then, from within the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections inside me, a vision of [someone] with a benevolent smile seeming to push their hand outward, surrounds my body.
The being who stopped time laughs as He sees this.
:: As a gesture of apology, I will give you a gift. ::
"Thank you, but I have already obtained more than enough."
:: This is also my resolve. ::
For some reason, His expression seems resolute.
:: To truly reach liberation, one has no choice but to gamble. ::
Kugugugugu!
The Taiji symbol drawn on the center of His robe begins to ripple.
In the next moment, that existence transforms into a strange yet sacred being, with countless starlight trajectories overlapping within the Taiji symbol.
The size is such that Yeong Seung, who encompassed the galaxy as part of Its body, is only the size of His palm.
Deeng—
The sound of the brahma bell rings out once more.
This time, it isn't the unpleasant bell sound that Yeong Seung previously rang.
It's an incredibly clear and pure sound, one that also seems to cleanse the heart.
:: In the distant future, I will wait for you all in the Domain of Void ::
Simultaneously with His words, I realize that my lifespan has come to an end.
My consciousness is fading.
With the last of my strength, I open my mouth.
"Thank you...for your overwhelming kindness..."
However, I fail to utter His regnal name until the very last moment.
Whether it's due to a lack of time, or if this too is fate, I can't tell.
In the end, His regnal name only lingers within my mouth.
'O Heavenly Venerable...of Time...'
Deeng—
The final sound of the brahma bell rings.
Time begins to flow again in the world that has been frozen.
Yeong Seung's gaze, filled with disbelief, pierces through me, while another gaze, laden with an emotion I can't comprehend, is directed at the salt covering me.
As I am buried under Salt Mountain, I finally let go of the obsession I have been holding onto for so long.
I can feel the end of my long and lengthy 19th life.
I will regress once again.
Yes...I hate regression.
But if regression is a fate from which I can never escape, I will accept it.
And within this cycle, I will find my own answer.
Just like how today, I embraced my connections and cast off my obsessions!
After achieving Eternal Life, I will find an answer I can truly accept for myself!
I am not Seo Eun-hyun, the Earthling from a civilized society.
I am the Regressor (回歸者) Seo Eun-hyun.
At the end of a life that's been like hell, casting off all my obsessions, I solidify my identity and goal even more firmly.
And so, I close my eyes.
That is my twentieth return.