I do not respond to [her] words.
'Those who gaze into the heart...crave for suicide...?'
It feels like she is about to reveal a secret regarding the suicidal tendencies of the Heart Tribe.
However, I neither look back nor answer.
Though it's an unbearably intriguing topic, I've gone through too much since the time of Great Mountain to speak carelessly.
I must stay cautious and even more cautious with my mouth shut.
"There's a saying that silence is golden, but silence at the wrong time can summon a blade. I'm not some violent mountain spirit, so you can speak freely about what you're curious about."
"..."
Saa—
'I've been read...'I break into a cold sweat, unsure of what to do.
Eventually, I force myself to open my mouth, with great difficulty.
"May I...ask who you are?"
"That is impossible. It is for your own sake as well. Very few in this mountain can bear the weight of my name."
"..."
I swallow hard.
For a moment, my brain froze, and I asked a question I shouldn't have.
If she were someone like Great Mountain, she could have spoken her true name and exploded my entire body.
"...Thank you for your mercy. Then...may I ask why you came to find me?"
"You misunderstand."
"Pardon?"
"I did not come to you. You called for me."
'I called for [her]...?'
Drip, drip, drip.
The cold sweat running from my head soon slides past my cheek and drops from the tip of my chin.
It's not like I've met some overwhelming enemy in battle, yet here I am, sweating this much.
It's proof of how tense I am.
"You will understand who I am once you 'descend.' All the gods of the universe hold high expectations for you. So far, there have only been a handful of cases where all seven have entered the path of immortal cultivation and successfully ascended without growing old."
Drip...drip, drip, drip...
I feel the sweat continuously falling from my chin as I organize my thoughts for another question.
'I shouldn't ask any more about her identity.'
Instinctively, I feel that if I probe further into her identity, this being will become angry.
On the other hand, I sense that if I remain silent without asking anything, this being will also take offense.
'Let's not be too greedy.'
I decide not to ask too much, only appropriate-level questions.
For example, the information she just hinted at.
"...Regarding what you mentioned earlier...I'm curious as to why the Heart Tribe comes so close to suicide. Please grant me your wisdom."
"Now you've asked a question I can properly answer."
I sense that [she] is smiling.
"Do you know 'why' and 'how' the heart of an existence arises?"
"..."
I ponder deeply, suddenly struck by the sudden profound question.
"I do not know."
What exactly is a heart?
Why does it come into existence?
It's a question I've pondered since I began to explore intent, but I've never found an answer.
From a purely biological standpoint, the heart (emotions) is merely the expression of genes, a collection of electrical signals.
But upon coming to this world, I felt that even stars, even inanimate objects, possess something akin to a 'heart' to some extent.
In that case, what exactly is the true nature of the heart?
And the answer to my long-agonized question is revealed all too easily through [her] lips.
"The heart is essentially death."
Sururuk—
Someone's hand covers my eyes.
It is clearly [her] hand.
But I cannot think of pushing it away or resisting.
Before my eyes, a pitch-black darkness spreads boundlessly, devoid of even a single ray of light.
I realize that by 'covering my eyes', [she] has drawn my mind somewhere else.
Paaaatt!
Suddenly, I find myself in a pure white land.
I can still sense [her] presence behind me.
Drip, drip.
Something flows beside my feet.
It is dye.
Dyes of various colors flow beneath my feet.
"When all colors eventually merge, they become black."
Gurgle, gurgle...
As countless hues of dye mix, they turn black.
"And conversely, when all intents merge, they become colorless."
She is right.
Those who reach Five Energies Converging to the Origin all come to understand this truth.
"Colorless and black. Both symbolize the end. The extreme of intent is, after all, the 'end' itself...The final destination of the heart is death."
Flinch!
I feel a shiver run through my entire body.
Chuararararak!
The black dye at my feet suddenly starts writhing as if it's alive, then rushes towards me.
I am swallowed into the river of black dye.
Cautiously opening my eyes, I find myself having somehow reached the universe.
Inside the black dye.
Within it, the universe stretches endlessly.
Countless stars drift through the vast expanse of space.
"Those who gaze into their hearts gradually realize the true nature of their own heart."
Paaaatt!
The stars begin to shine.
The stars, in all their various colors, slowly start to illuminate the universe.
The universe begins to brighten.
"But when that nature is fully realized...the end is..."
The universe continues to brighten.
And it begins to heat up.
Shudder!
'Th-This is...'
I've seen this scene before.
The Owner of Great Mountain.
The terrifying scene shown by that overwhelming existence, the conclusion of the universe.
The End!
The universe begins to contract.
It seems to shrink at a speed faster than light, until it collapses into a single point and vanishes.
"Do you understand now? The reason why one can never become a True Immortal through realizing the heart...The reason why the entire world despises those who cultivate the heart. And...the reason why the fate of those who seek to realize their heart inevitably draws closer to death..."
"...Because the heart...is essentially death?"
"That's not all. The more people who gaze into the heart and realize its nature, the faster the End of their entire world approaches."
"...!!!"
"Not only do they destroy themselves...they also lead the entire world to death... That is the power of the heart. The conditions of the End for all the Heavenly Domains were altered to such by Vast Cold."
"Pardon...?"
I feel my mind freeze.
Who is this Vast Cold she's speaking of?
It's all too obvious.
The Owner of the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle.
The being who, alongside the Tribunal, challenged [something] and met a gruesome end.
Because of that being, the laws of the Heavenly Domain now hasten the End the more the heart is realized?
"Truly horrific and ominous...That is the true nature of the heart."
I feel her breath behind me.
While I remain frozen, [she] offers me a proposal.
"So I offer you this. From this day forward, do not look into your heart anymore. Just focus on understanding your feelings and experiencing them as they are. To cultivate the heart only accelerates everyone's misfortune and does nothing to aid in Immortal Cultivation. If you accept my offer, I will immediately elevate you to an Immortal Seat (仙座)."
"...!!!"
I am shocked by the staggering offer.
The words 'Immortal Seat' burrow into my mind, injecting its meaning.
True Immortal.
She is offering to make me a True Immortal if I give up on martial arts.
It is such a radical offer that I'm left speechless.
But what truly frightens me is [her] authority.
'If she's an existence capable of immediately making me a True Immortal...what will she do if I refuse her offer?'
The nightmare of the Owner of Great Mountain flashes before my eyes.
The universe perished in an instant, everyone died, and my body was torn to pieces.
Resistance was impossible.
This time, it feels like it will only be even worse, never less.
There is no hope.
Though she's neither threatening nor coercing me, merely speaking calmly, I feel my rationality crumbling.
I feel so terrified that I want to vomit.
I try to come up with countless solutions in my head, but none of them are useful.
I just want to collapse and sob, begging her to leave me alone.
Yes...
Finding peace here wouldn't be so bad.
If I become a True Immortal, I wouldn't have to worry about my lifespan anymore, nor fear losing my comrades.
With my abilities, I could live, running away even from the Owner of Great Mountain after becoming a True Immortal.
Wouldn't it be best to just accept her words and obtain an Immortal Seat?
...
"...I..."
It's when I open my mouth.
In that instant, a single memory flashes through my mind.
It's a certain scene.
A withered, aged hand is holding someone else's hand.
The sturdy-looking 'someone' is standing with the light at their back, looking at me with a complicated expression while holding my hand.
— Gu Ju (九疇/Nine Categories). Your name is...Gu Ju.
A fleeting moment.
But in that brief instant of a moment, I shut my mouth.
For some reason, an unknown emotion takes root inside me.
I remain silent for a moment.
Then, I respond.
"...I refuse."
"Why?"
"...It is difficult to obtain a human body, and it is difficult still to realize the Dao (人身難得道難明)."
Ziiiiing!
Instead of answering, I half-open my eyes and speak.
Through Flower Souls Filling the Heavens, a faint memory resurfaces.
The 16th cycle.
A conversation I shared with my friend.
"Follow the human heart to seek the root of the Dao (塑此人心訪道根)..."
I shout, shaking off the rising fear within my heart.
"If this body cannot achieve transcendence in this life (此身不向今生度)!"
I feel [her] gasp.
Though I do not read her intent, I can sense her emotion.
She is genuinely surprised.
"When shall I wait again to transcend this existence (再等何時度此身)!?"
[Editor: More details on the poem are given at the end of the chapter.]
Paaat!
Along with her, the world brightens before my eyes.
The image of the universe where everything has disappeared fades, and I find myself back in Seoak Village.
I see [her] remove her hand from my eyes.
Facing the fear, I speak to her.
"I understand now what you mean by death ultimately being the heart. The heart...is born from the contemplation of how to accept the life that will inevitably come to an end."
"..."
"However...even if the nature of the heart is terrifying, I will stand with my own feet in this terrifying world."
She does not reply.
Undeterred, I continue speaking.
"Receiving this body, receiving this moment...and even receiving death itself are opportunities that will never come again. Even if the heart brings me closer to death, as long as I've been given the chance to search for the roots of my heart in this life, I will not give up."
Because that is...
My [promise] with them.
Recalling the heart from the 16th cycle, which I cannot fully remember even with Flower Soul Filling the Heavens, I resolve firmly.
"If you wish, you may torture me. Even if words begging for death escape my lips, words of giving up will never come from my mouth...!"
Then, a voice of laughter comes from behind me.
It is a clear laugh.
"The more you read the heart, the closer your fate will be to death. Countless hands of death will reach out toward you. Even in such misfortune, will you truly not lose your heart?"
"I will try."
I firmly vow.
"Even if there are those around me who die, I will do my best so that they can die having obtained what they desired before death."
If my friend is to die in the evening, I will bring them what they wish for that morning.
I will do my utmost to make it so.
Dying is undoubtedly a sad and frightening thing.
The severing of all connections and hearts is a fear and pain so deep it could tear one's soul apart.
But still...
Death comes to everyone in the end.
If what we cannot escape are death and fate, I will find the greatest happiness within them.
Does abandoning my heart mean death will no longer loom over my connections?
Of course not.
No being is without death.
Moreover, my heart is not something made solely for myself.
So how could I possibly dare to give up this heart so recklessly?
Even if it leads to the destruction of the world, no one can take away what I hold in my embrace.
Not because I refuse to let it go, but because it already belongs to everyone.
Summing up my long and firm heart essence and resolve, I shout to [her] behind me.
"Not just the Immortal Seat, but even if you were to offer me the throne of Supreme Deities, I will not give this up. Please return!"
For a moment, silence lingers.
Then, I sense that her laughter has ceased.
"In that case...I shall observe just how much you realize the weight of your words. I had originally intended to meet you in another place, but having confirmed your determination in this place today...it seems I have no choice but to wait for our next meeting."
Step, step...
I feel her leaving from behind me.
"I look forward to our next meeting. Until then...beware of the North (北). As they may be the worst opponent for all Enders..."
Surururu—
With that, as I close and open my eyes, I find myself standing before Ryeo Hwa's corpse.
I have returned.
I quickly turn around.
There's nothing behind me except the shadow of the cedar trees.
Looking forward again, I see Hong Fan standing there.
'Beware of the North?'
What does it mean?
There is power in her words, and I realize that her words themselves symbolize the [North] itself.
Is there something in the north?
Or perhaps, is there a figure symbolizing the north among the True Immortals who poses a threat to us?
I don't know the details.
Looking at Hong Fan approaching, I shake my head to clear my thoughts.
"Are you alright, Master? You're drenched in sweat."
He hands me a towel.
I wipe the sweat and look at him.
After entering the Integration stage, he appears a bit younger.
The face that was once fully that of an elderly man now looks to be in his 50s or 60s.
Black hair is beginning to sprout from his head.
"...Hong Fan."
I look at him and say.
"What is it?"
"...Thanks."
"Pardon?"
"For staying by my side."
Hong Fan lets out a soft laugh, looking a little embarrassed as he speaks.
"As long as we stand under this sky, I will always serve you with the utmost sincerity, Master. There's no need to thank me."
I smile lightly, rise from my seat, and pick up Ryeo Hwa's corpse, burying her body.
Chuararak!
'Please, rest in peace...'
Ryeo Hwa, who has endured countless years...
Together with Hong Fan, I stay up through the night, paying my respects to her.
Twenty years pass.
Pukwak!
I click my tongue bitterly as I look at Jae Hu, whose eyes are closed as if dead, impaled by my sword.
"Hon…our."
Jae Hu, the great warrior of the Miniature Monkey Race, bleeds from my hand before fainting.
My Heart Sword has subdued their heart essence.
Though they aren't dead, they must have fallen into a comatose state.
Over the past twenty years, Dok Yeong has repeatedly challenged me, and I met him in battle every time.
In the end, Dok Yeong of the Tiny Fungal Race became completely battered and killed by me.
And today.
I faced Jae Hu of the Miniature Monkey Race and, at last, succeeded in subduing without killing.
"...It's been long."
Over the past twenty years, while facing the two masters of the First Step Before the Throne, I have awakened five of the six divine powers of my body.
Time (時) is the life that forms as moments meet with moments.
Wind (風) is the breeze that etches the form of the fading moment on the world.
Cold (寒) is the loneliness of the moment.
Heat (燠) is the affection of the moment.
Sunlight (陽) is the clarity of the moment!
Without using spiritual power, I can control the harmony of Heaven and Earth by simply altering my heart essence.
When I use the Divine Power of Time, the flow of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy surrounding me quickens.
When I use the Divine Power of Wind, the flow of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy stirs the wind, sculpting the surrounding land.
The Divine Power of Cold hardens the sculpted land, imprinting its form.
The Divine Power of Heat melts the imprinted form, restoring the land to its original form.
The Divine Power of Sunlight allows me to clearly perceive all the divine powers I've used so far.
'Now, the only one left is the Divine Power of Rain...'
I can sense it.
Once I awaken the last of the divine powers, I will reach the Grand Perfection Integration stage.
And then...
'There's at least a seventy percent chance that I'll rise to the Star Shattering stage.'
As I send sword energy flying off into the distance, I ponder.
'I must reach the Star Shattering stage quickly.'
Baek Woon said that within a few years, she would regain her position as Sacred Master.
Yet, decades have passed, and there is still no sign of her recovery.
'Now that I think about it, the one who referred to 500 years as just a short period is Baek Woon."
Perhaps her concept of 'a few years' is far longer than imagined.
Therefore...
Even a day faster, I must raise my Heaven and Earth cultivation to the Star Shattering stage and protect the entire Bright Cold Realm with my own hands.
'Now, among those who reached First Step Before the Throne, all of Jang Ik's disciples who reached the peak of the realm are either dead or in a comatose state.'
Having put Jae Hu into a comatose state, I've now become somewhat accustomed to Void Shattering, enough to subdue without killing them.
Thanks to this, no other challengers from the Heart Tribe have come to me.
'That's a good thing.'
Now, the gap between us has become so vast that it's meaningless for anyone to challenge me.
However, this also means that if I wish to raise my realm further, I will have to seek out opponents myself.
'If I find some strong Vestiges, it might not be a bad idea to go and test myself...'
Just when I think so.
Taatt!
Above the tallest tree in Cedar Wood Grove where I am sitting.
There, Kim Young-hoon and Kim Yeon appear.
"Ah, what brings you here?"
I ask, looking at them.
'What's this, surely Kim Young-hoon isn't planning to challenge me, is he?'
After all, the only one in the Supreme Council of Cedar Wood Grove who has reached the extreme of the First Step Before the Throne is Kim Young-hoon.
But contrary to my thoughts, Kim Young-hoon chuckles and shakes his head.
"I know what you're thinking, but it's not that. The detailed explanation...Kim Yeon should be the one to give it."
"...?"
I'm puzzled.
Kim Yeon steps forward with a bitter expression and speaks.
"A challenger has come for you."
"...Who is it?"
Sensing the unusual atmosphere between the two, I ask seriously.
And with her next words, I can only open my mouth dumbfoundedly.
"...Hyang-hwa."
Out of nowhere, Buk Hyang-hwa has sent me a challenge.
I stand at the dueling arena of Cedar Wood Grove.
A large crowd has gathered around.
Seo Ran, Shi Ho, Kim Young-hoon, those who have been close to Buk Hyang-hwa since the Head Realm days, as well as Kim Yeon, Hong Fan, and others who are close to her now, are all watching us.
I glance around, then look at Buk Hyang-hwa, who has barely stepped into the arena.
I can tell she is struggling to stand.
'She's lost her sight.'
Her eyes are completely unfocused, her hands and feet trembling.
Even her consciousness is extremely faint, making her hardly different from a mortal at this point.
I speak to her through heart language.
—Why did you come?
At my heart message, she gives a faint smile.
Suruk—
She raises a jade norigae.
A norigae filled with many connections and time.
And etched into that norigae, as if she had been researching it all this time, are countless circuits, tiny as grains of sand.
—I wanted to show it to you.
Without a word, I grip my Colorless Glass Sword and take my stance.
The next moment, I swing my sword towards her.
Through the arc of the sword, the final day of the 10th cycle, when the rain had poured heavily, brushes past.
Translator Notes:
It is difficult to obtain a human body, and it is difficult still to realize the Dao (人身難得道難明).
Follow the human heart to seek the root of the Dao (塑此人心訪道根).
If this body cannot achieve transcendence in this life (此身不向今生度),
When shall I wait again to transcend this existence (再等何時度此身)!
The above is a poem left by Lü Dongbin, warning future generations after seeing many people ensnared by fame, wealth, and lust, leaving them to vainly head toward death. It basically means that being born and living is a rare opportunity and realizing the Dao is difficult. Hence, one should cultivate the heart to realize the Dao because if not now, when? The Hanja for 塑此人心訪道根 translates more accurately to ‘Mold this human heart to seek the root of the Dao’ Due to similarities to Buddhist texts, I assume the poem was derived from Buddhism since Lü Dongbin also studied Buddhism.