Clang—
It's called a 'door' for convenience, but in reality, it's a type of branded mark.
A red dragon's branded mark is imprinted on Kang Min-hee's body.
'That's...'
It's the same spell formation I've seen on the topmost floor of the Serving Command Palace.
The spell formation imposed on her body and the Ghost Kings around her begins to bind her, becoming a passage to the Astral Realm.
Zuuuuung!
A faint image of the Astral Realm begins to emerge behind Kang Min-hee.
The branded mark on her body is summoning a scene of the universe filled with stars.
And through that scene, I understand the reason Seo Hweol's curse of blindness, which was originally a thousand years, extended to a span of two billion years.'Seo Hweol, you crazy bastard...'
The scene of the Astral Realm.
Beyond it, true to its name, an endless sea of stars stretches out.
And within that sea of stars.
Countless beings live among the fixed stars and planets.
From flame whales living within fixed stars to civilizations on blue planets, to insect-like species dwelling on planets filled with toxic clouds.
Filled with all kinds of civilizations and all forms of life, the Astral Sea (星海).
Seo Hweol is there.
Thud!
On a planet inhabited by a species resembling humans.
One of the members of that species stands there with hands behind their back, smiling faintly.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
[Hoho...]
Then, all the members of the race around them begin to laugh in the exact same manner.
[Hohohohoho...]
Thud thud thud thud thud thud!
Their alien, mask-like laughter spreads across the entire planet.
It's the same for other stars as well.
On the toxic cloud-covered planet, the poisonous insects that had been spewing venom stand up, twitching their antennae as they begin to laugh.
Even the flame whales living in the fixed stars stop swimming and begin to laugh in place.
All the life forms on every star visible behind Kang Min-hee are already infected by Seo Hweol.
Their numbers, even with a simple calculation, easily reach hundreds of billions.
No, it might even be in the trillions.
'This insane bastard. He caused all this mess while blind?'
Once fully consumed by the Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, one essentially becomes identical to Seo Hweol.
Even if trillions of Seo Hweols just casually litter the streets or bump into people once a day, all those evil deeds would certainly accumulate to easily fill two billion years.
It's when I'm struck in shock.
'Wait. Seo Hweol, that bastard, could it be...?'
Somewhere far off in the Astral Realm.
From that place, I sense a familiar presence, and I understand what Seo Hweol is trying to do.
Oh Hye-seo is exerting her power.
Just like how Kim Yeon and I are connected through the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon, allowing us to sense each other's intentions and share power back and forth,
Oh Hye-seo is connected to Seo Hweol and the Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, exchanging authority between them.
Woo-woong—
By her authority, a Taiji appears above the inhabitants of countless stars infected by the Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
The Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens stirs their souls.
Oh Hye-seo's authority, linked with the Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, begins to move their Qi.
Tap!
All the Seo Hweols simultaneously form a hand seal.
The insects use their antennae, the demon beasts use their paws, tails, or fins, all forming the same hand seal.
My jaw drops at the following scene.
'The star veins...are changing.'
Chills!
Though Seo Hweol roughly explained it to me, I didn't know the exact method. Now that I understand what he's doing. I'm left utterly dumbfounded.
'By infecting the inhabitants of the planets with Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, Seo Hweol is seizing control of the dragon veins by linking their corrupted souls to the Plane of Qi through Oh Hye-seo's authority, and with that...'
He is brainwashing the stars.
Kugugugugugu!
Stars also possess souls, but those souls are completely different from those of intelligent beings or living creatures.
The will and reason within those souls is minimal.
However, Seo Hweol has temporarily brainwashed all life forms on the stars and, through those beings, is overlaying his personality onto the stars whose reason are weak.
Puhwak!
Finally, the Nether Crossing Ship makes a dimensional leap and briefly reaches the Interdimensional Void outside the Bright Cold Realm.
Despite the brand of Seo Hweol still being on her, Kang Min-hee also follows the Nether Crossing Ship and leaps out of the dimension.
I can sense the Mad Lord's Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress, which had been pursuing us, suddenly come to a stop.
[Seo Hweol!!!]
The Mad Lord is crying out in tears of blood from within the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
[Did you!? Erase my most important memory?!]
The Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens placed on the Mad Lord is unraveling.
'Damn...!'
He begins to go berserk, and Kim Young-hoon moves quickly, taking Hong Fan from the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress onto the Nether Crossing Ship.
[Seo Hweol! Seo Hweol! Seo Hweooooool!!!]
The Mad Lord's consciousness grows unstable, and as he rages, the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress that has been following us begins to descend back into the dimension.
Though the Mad Lord is cursing Seo Hweol, Seo Hweol continues his spell without paying any attention.
'The star veins...are moving.'
The attraction force of the stars brainwashed by Seo Hweol begin to move freely, causing changes in the star veins.
Deeeng—
With the senses given by the Star Vein Eye, I hear a sound like a brahma bell being struck from some distant place as the star veins move.
As the star veins shift, they sketch out a massive formation in the universe.
Deeeng—
The sound of the brahma bell rings once more, and above the formation drawn across the universe, the light of divine immortal beasts such as the Black Dragon, Lustrous Glaze Peacock, and Azure Peng appears.
It's Oh Hye-seo's authority.
Then, the forms of the immortal beasts begin to cry out in unison.
Wuuuuuuuu—
Kugugugugu!
As the immortal beasts howl, an attraction force begins to emerge from the center of the formation.
Kang Min-hee's speed slows.
Now, all that's left is for Seo Hweol to pull and for me to push.
But with the Mad Lord out of the picture...
'I have to do this alone.'
Even if Kang Min-hee struggles, there's no choice.
I have to push her out!
"Sorry, Kang Min-hee."
As I gaze upon Kang Min-hee, with tears of dark blue streaming from her eyes in the darkness, I summon the Three Great Ultimates and press both palms forward.
"Goodbye."
Seo Hweol and Oh Hye-seo pull, and I push.
Kugugugugu!
Kang Min-hee slowly begins to be pushed backwards.
She starts moving toward the scene of the universe.
It's then,
Flash!
A blue light seems to flicker from Kang Min-hee's hand, and she reaches out toward the two Nether Crossing Ships ahead.
Kuguguguk!
Attraction force of a cosmic level pulls towards her, summoning the Nether Crossing Ships.
It isn't her will.
The countless vengeful souls harbored within Kang Min-hee are demanding the blood debt of humanity aboard the Nether Crossing Ships.
Of course, aside from the grudge against humanity, the ghostly energy of the Nether Crossing Ships is similar to the energy Kang Min-hee has cultivated, making the attraction force even stronger.
[Aaaaaaah!!!]
Kang Min-hee's scream echoes through the Interdimensional Void.
'I'm sorry, Kang Min-hee.'
There are still so many things I haven't been able to say to her.
I can't imagine how much she's suffering.
Though I've endured hellish experiences, I don't even dare to imagine how her suffering compares, burdened with the pain of vengeful souls numbering in the quadrillions within her...
But now is not the time to comfort her as I did back then.
I have already lost far too much.
Losing more would wear down my heart too much.
The Human Race facing calamity, my comrades, and my own life...
Now, I will protect them.
Wo-woong!
However, as I sense the overwhelming power of Kang Min-hee, I break out in a cold sweat.
'She's...too strong.'
My prediction was wrong.
It isn't just that her strength is immense.
Kang Min-hee and the Nether Crossing Ship share the same ghostly energy.
As a disciple of Black Ghost Valley, she possesses the attraction force of Black Ghost Valley itself.
In other words, as long as the Nether Crossing Ship of Black Ghost Valley is advancing ahead, shaking her off completely is a nearly impossible task.
'This isn't the time to hold back!'
Kugugugung!
Watching the Nether Crossing Ships being pulled by Kang Min-hee's attraction force, I make my decision.
'I must to do everything I can to push her away!'
I draw out the Colorless Glass Sword and focus my sword intent.
Just then,
Bo-oong!
Kwagwagwang!
Suddenly, an explosive force erupts from within Kang Min-hee and throws me back completely.
"Keheok!"
I am flung back solely by the slash of a ghost claw and crash straight into one of the Nether Crossing Ships.
Kwagwagwang!
My mind feels like it's going blank.
The impact has caused the Nether Crossing Ships midsection to be half-destroyed.
Fortunately, it didn't split completely and remains barely connected.
I shout to Heo Gwak.
"Overdrive the Nether Crossing Ship! As much as you can..."
And then.
Flash!
Along with a blue light, Heo Gwak and several of the Heavenly Being stage Elders and Ghost Kings of Black Ghost Valley rush in and completely shatter the half-broken midsection of the Nether Crossing Ship.
I'm taken aback.
Thud, thud, thud, thud!
The Elders of Black Ghost Valley, including Heo Gwak, push the remaining half of the Nether Crossing Ship towards the other advancing Nether Crossing Ship, while the Ghost Kings of the opposite Nether Crossing Ship pull the half with their attraction force.
The half of the Nether Crossing Ship they are pushing is filled with young cultivators whose cultivation realms are lower.
Kugugugugu!
On top of the collapsing Nether Crossing Ship that is being pulled by Kang Min-hee, Heo Gwak and the other Elders of Black Ghost Valley pay their respects in the unique manner of the Black Ghost Valley towards the Nether Crossing Ship fleeing in the distance.
Thump, thump, thump, thump!
As the Elders pay their respects by striking their chests, the Elders on the other Nether Crossing Ship, led by Heo Ryeong, reciprocate in the same manner.
I ask Heo Gwak.
"...Why did you stay behind? You could have escaped with your ancestors."
Heo Gwak gives a bitter smile.
"...As you may recall, Min-hee is the child I brought here."
He turns his head to look at Kang Min-hee, who is stretching her hand towards us.
Heo Gwak and the Elders all transform into Ghost Kings.
Sails sprouts from Heo Gwak's body.
He transforms into the form of a Ghost King with sails.
[The captain must share the fate of the ship. Being in a position of leadership means bearing the responsibility. I was responsible for Min-hee, and I am also responsible for this Nether Crossing Ship.]
Heo Gwak and the Ghost Kings of Black Ghost Valley calmly look at Kang Min-hee from atop the Nether Crossing Ship, drawing forth their ghostly energy.
[Therefore, we will not flee from our responsibilities!]
Paaaatt!
All at once, they throw themselves into the darkness where Kang Min-hee is, without hesitation.
Heo Gwak, until the very end, controls the split Nether Crossing Ship, charging the remaining half of it towards Kang Min-hee.
I separate from the Nether Crossing Ship, committing their final moments to memory.
Kwagwaggwawang!
The Nether Crossing Ship self-destructs, and Kang Min-hee, who has embraced its energy, momentarily pauses in the face of the familiar explosion of energy.
All the Elders of Black Ghost Valley who had ascended from the Head Realm perish without exception.
Watching them, I take out an item from my domain.
Wo-woong!
A spiritual body the size of a head, covered in pure white light.
It's the Heavenly Lotus Fruit.
Crunch, crunch, crunch...
Just consuming it could turn an ordinary mortal into a Four-Axis stage cultivator—an insane spiritual fruit.
A snack enjoyed by True Immortals.
The fruit of the Melia tree nurtured by Hae Nyeong. As the true Heavenly Lotus Fruit enters my stomach, a tremendous storm of spiritual energy begins to whirl within my domain.
How much spiritual power does it take to turn an ordinary person into a Four-Axis stage cultivator?
At the very least, it would require enough spiritual energy to forcibly create the Axes of the Heavenly Circle and Earthly Bearings.
And if it's that much spiritual energy...
'Early, mid, late...Grand Perfection!'
In any case, my cultivation reached the Grand Perfection stage before regression.
It only dropped a little while regressing.
Kwarururururung!
A rumbling sound echoes from around me as lightning flickers.
'With the momentum to carve out my cultivation...'
I will unleash the single strike that severed the misfortune of the Entering Nirvana True Persons.
The Star Shattering stage is a star.
Just as Integration stage Grand Cultivators or Demon Kings develop domains within their bodies, Star Shattering Esteemed Ones form stars within their bodies.
Although it's the size of a moon, it's still large enough to be considered a star from a mortal's perspective.
In other words, to land a meaningful strike against a Star Shattering stage being, one must be able to sever a star.
'That's why you gave me the task of cutting a star, Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One.'
I charge at Kang Min-hee, unleashing my sword move.
And at some point.
'Ahh...'
I realize that I have entered what feels like a pure white space.
I must have reached the stage of awakening in the midst of facing this formidable adversary of the highest level.
In this pure white space, I clearly perceive the path I must take.
I can feel it.
The immense force to cut down a star is boiling within me.
The spiritual nature contained in the Heavenly Lotus Fruit is refining my mind.
If I take just one step forward, I will attain supreme enlightenment and cut down Kang Min-hee!
A new realm begins to unfold before my eyes, and as I stretch my hand towards the resonating enlightenment, I begin my sword dance.
In the next moment, I realize that I have been performing Accumulating Dust Forms a Mountain completely wrong all this time.
A new horizon begins to open.