Kwaduk...
I grip the remaining podao.
Having used up 19 podao to erase the projections of the Seven Esteemed Ones Of An Era, I now only have three left.
Since Jang Ik's podao specializes in 'destruction' itself, it seemed there was nothing better for sweeping away the Esteemed Ones in large numbers.
Kuung!
Meanwhile, the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress has now reached Heavenly Lotus Mountain.
Fortunately, at least five Esteemed Ones have been swept away.
Since Jang Ik's podao attacks through the Plane of Soul, once it 'recognizes' a target, the attack itself sends a shock to their main body.
Even though I only struck their projections, the main bodies will probably need several years just to focus on recovering from the damage.
I look toward the remaining Esteemed Ones.There's Esteemed One Swae Ryeong, the vanguard of the Blood Yin Realm.
And the most powerful of the Blood Yin Realm, Esteemed One Gyu Cheon.
'Of all the ones left, of course, it's the most troublesome ones.'
I gaze at Esteemed One Swae Ryeong.
A red giant with coral sprouting all over its body.
Blink!
The red giant's body is covered in what seems like countless eyeballs staring at me.
Just like the last time I faced Esteemed Ones, reading intent isn't easy.
Back then, I thought it was just the peculiar grotesque nature of the creatures from the Blood Yin Realm, but now that I've reached this realm, I can tell.
'It's not a characteristic of the Blood Yin Realm beings, but rather a trait of those at the level of Esteemed One or above.'
Kuung!
Esteemed One Swae Ryeong suddenly sits down on the spot.
Then, sitting crossed-legged, they begin to form hand seals.
'They're using their strength!'
To prepare for the Blood Yin Realm's invasion, the Bright Cold Realm has documented all the appearances, names, and abilities of the Blood Yin Realm's Esteemed Ones.
This is because, unlike the other Middle Realms whose Esteemed Ones all went to the Lightning Sacred Sea, only the Blood Yin Realm retains its Esteemed Ones.
As a result, anyone of the Grand Cultivator level or higher is provided with information about the Blood Yin Realm's Esteemed Ones.
Esteemed One Swae Ryeong's abilities involve curses, heart demons, and environmental control.
Curses, heart demons, and environmental control aren't particularly scary.
What's most terrifying about that Esteemed One is their God-Invoking (降神) ability!
Esteemed One Swae Ryeong is famous for summoning and commanding the power of the Blood Yin Realm itself.
Kuguguguk!
From where Swae Ryeong sits, red coral begins to sprout everywhere.
Ooooooo—
Negative forces gather around him, and countless Heart Heavenly Demons begin to emerge.
As they revolve around Swae Ryeong, they start to form some kind of ritual formation.
If that formation is completed, a portion of the Blood Yin itself will descend upon Swae Ryeong, granting them their authority.
'I just have to stop it in the middle, but the real problem is...'
I glance toward Gyu Cheon, who's glaring at me.
Though they haven't rushed toward me after seeing I still have Jang Ik's podao, if I try to charge at Swae Ryeong, they seem ready to attack at any moment.
The Yellow Dragon Race is already infamous for its strength.
And this Yellow Dragon has even mastered sinister devilish arts to become an Esteemed One of the Blood Yin Realm.
'They're a monster that can't be compared to something like Yuk Rin...'
Even though they're only projections, perhaps due to the support from the Blood Yin Realm, both of their presences are as intense as their main bodies.
'Can I do this?'
I have to face two Esteemed Ones.
I sharpen my mind to the extreme.
'I can do it.'
No, I must do it.
Dudududududududu!
My entire body begins to expand again.
I become a giant of starlight with 21 heads.
Gyu Cheon and Swae Ryeong, even as they watch this, don't seem overly wary.
Their attention is still focused on Jang Ik's podao.
'Do they still not consider me worth paying attention to?'
I'll make you pay attention.
Wriggle, Squirm, Wriggle!
[Kuaaaaaah!]
Eyes begin to sprout all over my body.
Just like Esteemed One Swae Ryeong, who is covered in coral and eyes, flags and eyes begin to sprout from my own body.
The eyes bulge, nervously watching me, while the flags emit continuous screams of agony.
The Extinguishing Realm Demonic Curse Banner sprouts from my entire body, spreading a vicious aura around me.
Kiyaaahhh!
Kyaaaaah!
Huaaahhh!!!
As horrifying ghostly wails erupt, half of the Heart Heavenly Demons that have sprung up around Esteemed One Swae Ryeong seem to flee from my presence.
The other half seem like they want to escape as well, but appear to be bound to Swae Ryeong through some kind of sorcery, unable to flee.
Sensing the aura of my curses and pain, the gazes of Swae Ryeong and Gyu Cheon change.
Although I can't read their intent, I can sense their emotions from their eyes.
Shock.
'They're only shocked, huh?'
I'll turn that into tension.
I draw out the power of my Immortal Beast True Blood.
Chiii—
The mist of the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections billows faintly around me.
The strength of my body expands even further.
Now that I've exhausted most of Jang Ik's podaos, it's time to face these two Esteemed Ones purely with what I've accumulated.
I will face them with everything I've accumulated through the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle, the Earth Axis, and Understanding before Breakthrough!
I draw forth Nether Perception, Earth Perception, Star Vein Eye, and the Heaven, Earth, and Heart vision of the three planes into my vision.
Though I cannot unleash the Three Great Ultimates due to a lack of harmony in my cultivation, the puppet circuit covers my entire body.
It is no longer the circuit of 'General Seo.'
Now, the circuit of General Seo from the Four-Axis stage is insufficient to amplify my strength.
The circuit engraved in me is the one I've been digging up for a long time from [Her].
Since I've analyzed [Her] while fighting, modifying my entire body like [Her] in an instant is no issue.
As Heaven, Earth, Heart, and Puppet wraps around me, an overwhelming force begins to explode from within my body.
Only now do I see 'wariness' flash in the eyes of Gyu Cheon and Swae Ryeong.
I draw out the Colorless Glass Swords.
Each one is an out-of-standard dharma treasure of the Four-Axis stage.
Tststststststtt!
Three thousand Colorless Glass Swords begin to combine.
Three thousand become three hundred.
The out-of-standard dharma treasures condense into peak Four-Axis dharma treasures.
Three hundred become thirty.
The peak Four-Axis dharma treasures become true Refining Void Dharma Treasures at the Integration level.
Thirty become three.
The Integration-level dharma treasures merge into dharma treasures at the Grand Perfection Integration level.
The three completely fuse into one.
The Grand Perfection Integration-level dharma treasures evolve into something beyond the Integration stage.
Thus, the All-Heavens Sword is completed!
Wiiing!
I grip the Colorless Glass Sword as my forty-two eyes gleam with light.
'I've rarely relied on dharma treasures up until now.'
Up until this point, the Colorless Glass Sword was honestly just tempered glass through Dan Fire.
So rather than drawing on the power of the Colorless Glass Sword, I always used it to 'enhance' my Formless Sword or All-Heavens Sword in battle, which actually diminished my concentration.
But now, things are different.
Flash!
The Colorless Glass Sword, blossoming into the form of All-Heavens, begins to shine brightly.
It feels as though I can sense the breath of her from the 10th cycle.
The Colorless Glass Sword has three forms.
The first form, 'Color' gives the sword the ability to change its energy.
The second form, 'Natural,' enables the sword's energy to link with mine.
And the final form, 'All Heavens,' allows the sword to convert my emotions directly into power.
The 'All Heavens' form of the Colorless Glass Sword becomes enveloped by the All-Heavens Sword.
The Colorless Glass Sword, now a Refining Void Dharma Treasure and completely fused with my heart essence, overlaps with the All-Heavens Sword.
Dududududu!
'So is this...the Colorless Glass Sword?'
After countless years, I finally feel the full power of the Colorless Glass Sword in my hands.
For the first time since acquiring it, I draw out 100% of the All-Heavens Sword's power, smiling.
It feels as though I'm holding a star in my hand.
The sword pressure flowing from my blade does not fall short of the overwhelming presence of Sacred Master Baek Woon’s Within Heavens Star.
'Thank you.'
To the you of the 10th cycle.
The pure white light of the All-Heavens Sword, amplified by the Colorless Glass Sword, shoots from my right hand, forming a pillar that connects Heaven and Earth.
I can see the wariness growing in the eyes of Gyu Cheon and Swae Ryeong.
But this isn't the end.
From within my domain, I pull out 'another sword.'
A pure white sword body.
A replica of an Immortal Treasure, made of Salt Crystal.
Reforming Calendar!
A part of the South Polar Compass which is a clone and imitation of the Immortal Treasure Yeung Seung, the Southern Polar Ritual Treasure!
This is a tool I've always felt uneasy about, not disappearing even after my return.
But this is not the time to feel uneasy or anything else.
With the Reforming Calendar Sword in my left hand and the All-Heavens Sword in my right, I assume a dual-sword stance, continuously drawing out the potential of both swords.
The power erupting from Reforming Calendar is no less than the All-Heavens Sword.
And finally.
I see tension filling in the eyes of the two Esteemed Ones.
Our gazes clash.
Immediately, I charge toward the two Esteemed Ones.
'Quick, activate Yeon's Play!'
Mad Lord, and Kim Yeon!
Kugugugugung!
The sky roars.
Chwaaak!
"Heok...hah..."
Kim Young-hoon, his entire body drenched in cold sweat, swings his sword at something in the air.
Thud!
But with that, he collapses on the spot.
He has succeeded in cutting down the Heart Demons that had tormented him.
But now he is so drained that he cannot even move.
"...Damn it."
Bang!
He slams his fist into the ground.
His hands tremble.
The realm Seo Eun-hyun named Void Shattering.
Kim Yong-hoon has tirelessly strived to reach that realm.
But this is a realm that's not easily grasped.
Even after reaching the peak of Seated Detachment, Standing Oblivion, it remains the same.
He has not even a clue how others reached that realm.
He knows it isn't something that can be achieved through mere effort.
It requires the will to burn oneself to the point of destruction.
But...
'How am I supposed to do that!?'
He must return.
However, to rise beyond this stage, he needs to embody emptiness.
And he cannot embody emptiness without forgetting everything precious to him.
'Are you telling me to abandon the reason I practice martial arts!?'
Kim Young-hoon is an ordinary person.
He led an ordinary school life, completed ordinary military service, graduated from an average university in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, and dedicated his life working for an average company.
He met Oh Ye-rin, the daughter of one of the company's board of directors, Oh Young-cheol, and got married, living an ordinary married life.
Sometimes they argued, sometimes they were harmonious, and sometimes they were happy together. They had an ordinary married life.
They were ordinary days.
He was a man who had lived an ordinary life his whole life.
And he was someone who had devoted everything to protect that ordinariness.
Kim Young-hoon is the head of his family.
"How!? Can you tell me to give up!?"
He pounds the floor of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress and shouts.
With trembling hands, he picks up his blade.
"I can't...give up."
Seo Eun-hyun suggested embracing connections, but Kim Young-hoon refused.
Because it isn't his own enlightenment.
He can't accept everyone like Seo Eun-hyun, with his wide-open heart.
He isn't tenacious like Jeon Myeong-hoon, who relentlessly pursues a single goal to the breaking point.
He isn't smart like Kang Min-hee, who can solve problems easily.
He isn't physically strong like Oh Hyun-seok either.
He doesn't have impressive specs like Kim Yeon.
And he isn't quick-witted like Oh Hye-seo.
Because of that, he earnestly hopes to gather with everyone.
To return home.
As he watches the battle between Seo Eun-hyun and the two Esteemed Ones, one that even the phrase 'shaking Heaven and Earth' is insufficient to describe, he can tell.
Seo Eun-hyun is being pushed back.
The corrupted Yellow Dragon Gyu Cheon is too strong.
If it were a one-on-one fight, Seo Eun-hyun might have had the upper hand, but the two-on-one situation is driving Seo Eun-hyun into a corner.
If it continues like this, Seo Eun-hyun will be defeated, and they will all be annihilated.
Of course, Kim Young-hoon is confident that he can survive.
The Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts, and the Surpassing Radiant Saber.
Because they are martial arts so perfect for escaping.
But he cannot do that.
"I...cannot...give up..."
His family, and his comrades who are like family.
He cannot give up a single one because he, too, has come to deeply understand the preciousness of these connections.
Clink!
He grabs his saber and stands up, tears streaming down his face.
Then, he begins to focus his mind on all the martial arts he has accumulated.
He cannot give up either side.
But he also cannot sit down and cry forever.
Because he is an adult.
'I don't know how Seo Eun-hyun did it!'
In any case, it's impossible to easily understand someone else's realization!
So, he'll use his own method.
'I will reach the next realm with my own way!'
Paaaaatt!
The countless connections in Kim Young-hoon's mind begin to disappear.
He momentarily focuses all his attention inward to his saber.
Everything in this world vanishes except for his Martial Arts.
He embodies the emptiness in his heart and his eyes shine.
'There's no need for later or tomorrow. Now!'
Paaaaatt!
Golden radiance begins to burst forth.
'Now! Right this moment! I must reach it!!!'
Beneath the red sky.
A golden sun rises.
Surpassing Radiant Genesis Form.
Second Style.
Golden Dawn Unfolds (金曉爲開)!
[TL/N: The '曉/dawn' also means to know, to understand.]
The golden dawn opens.
Kim Young-hoon's body ignites.
Golden radiance blazes from his entire being.
In that instant.
Though it is only a single moment, he enters emptiness.
His plane rises.
'Is this...the world you see?'
With that final thought, the existence known as Kim Young-hoon disappears from the world.
What remains is a single, sharp golden radiance!
The flash of light (閃光) cleaves through the red coral giant that had been channeling the power of Blood Yin to strike Seo Eun-hyun!
[——————!]
An immense scream envelops the area.
Pasasasa—
Beyond the back of the coral giant, Kim Young-hoon reappears amidst the scattering golden light.
'Are you watching, Seo Eun-hyun?'
He thrusts his fist forward, watching Seo Eun-hyun, who is now engaged in a one-on-one battle with the Yellow Dragon.
'I, too, have taken a step forward.'
With that thought, Kim Young-hoon faints.
Kurururung!
I glance down as I confront Gyu Cheon, who is pressing me down with overwhelming force.
'I've always believed.'
It seems he has finally found his own answer, taking one step forward.
Though he hasn't fully established his enlightenment and completely entered the realm, he's clearly grasped the concept.
Now, the only thing left is my side.
I look at Gyu Cheon, who fights me on equal footing, and smile with all 21 mouths.
[What will you do now? The one breaking my curses is gone.]
[...]
I smirk as I see the fallen Esteemed One Swae Ryeong, who had been twisting the curses of my Extinguishing Realm Demonic Curse Banner and moving it elsewhere.
Wriggle!
The Extinguishing Realm Demonic Curse Banner embedded all over my body begins to squirm.
At the same time.
Kiyaaaaaa!
The screaming banners use the opening I made by approaching Gyu Cheon to pierce into their Inner Star.
Bulge!
Gyu Cheon's eyes widen.
[This will sting a bit.]
In the next moment, Gyu Cheon's eyes roll back.
Try to endure it.
This is the Extinguishing Realm Demonic Curse Banner that even tore apart Sacred Master Baek Woon's mind!
I madly begin thrusting the banners embedded in my body into Gyu Cheon.
Blood gushes from Gyu Cheon's seven orifices.
But as expected of an Esteemed One, though their body writhes in pain, they do not succumb to suicide or death from the agony.
But they cannot move.
That alone is enough.
I grin, holding Reforming Calendar and All-Heavens Sword in my hand.
[Vanish, specter of the Yellow Dragon Race!]
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Ultimate Move.
Severing Mountain!
The 22nd move is unleashed through the two divine swords, severing Gyu Cheon's bones and flesh.
Though they are merely a projection, it does not matter.
I cut through both their soul and flesh through the Plane of Soul.
Once recognized, no matter where their main body is, it will be cut.
That is the attack of the Heart Tribe that has reached Void Shattering!
My sword strike travels through the Plane of Soul, all the way to where Gyu Cheon's main body lies.
If I can identify the main body, I can cut it no matter what!
Shortly after, Gyu Cheon's projection is completely torn apart and vanishes.
I turn all 21 heads 180 degrees and look back at Esteemed One Swae Ryeong, who took a hit from Kim Young-hoon.
'A long ill-fated connection.'
From Su In and Hong Yeon, to the many connections formed in the True Devil Realm.
The countless people who died at the hands of Esteemed One Swae Ryeong...
'It's time to end this.'
Remembering them, I grip Reforming Calendar and the All-Heavens Sword and leap towards the Swae Ryeong.
Jjeong!
With my strike, the entire Heavenly Lotus Mountain trembles.
Esteemed One Swae Ryeong, who had briefly lost consciousness due to Kim Young-hoon's attack, fully loses consciousness under my blow.
Or so I thought.
[...!]
I take a step back, trembling at the vicious sense of intimidation emanating from Esteemed One Swae Ryeong's projection.
:: Do not interfere. ::
Bzzzzzz!
My mind goes blank.
In the next moment, I feel a sudden dizziness from Blood Yin's authority that Esteemed One Swae Ryeong invoked at the last moment.
Kurururung!
Red lightning crashes from the sky.
It's not Jeon Myeong-hoon's lightning—it's a sign that Blood Yin's authority is gradually taking control of the world.
Kuarung, Kurururung!
Seven streaks of blood lightning strike the ground.
At the same time, dimensional gates begin to open at the points where the blood lightning struck.
[Ha, ha...]
The Blood Yin Realm Seven Esteemed Ones Of An Era.
Their main bodies are beginning to be summoned.
I swing my sword to shatter the dimensional gates, but it's useless.
As if the authority of Blood Yin is protecting them, my sword doesn't even cause a budge.
Judging by the weakened aura I feel, it seems they've been shaken by Jang Ik's podao and my earlier attack.
But even if we fight while accounting for the fatal wounds, the combined strength of those seven...
'Around three Esteemed Ones...'
Perhaps there's considerable resistance crossing the dimensional gates because they are Esteemed Ones, as the summoning process is slow.
However, that's not the problem right now.
The reason my head felt dizzy just moments ago,
'Blood Yin's split soul launched a mental attack!'
I quickly return to the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress to check on the condition of my comrades.
All of them are convulsing, and only Kim Yeon, Seo Ran, and Hong Fan remain unharmed.
The rest are bleeding from their seven orifices, dying with their brains turned to mush from the mental attack.
Even Seo Ran, who appears 'unharmed,' is merely in a peaceful slumber, and Kim Yeon is sitting in meditation, still doing something.
I connect to Kim Yeon through the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon and ask.
—Kim Yeon, can you activate Yeon's Play?
Fortunately, a positive response comes from Kim Yeon's side, indicating that it seems possible.
However, the problem is with the Mad Lord.
I rise to the upper level of the Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress where the Mad Lord resides.
The Mad Lord is dying there with his brain completely mushed.
For those at our level, regenerating a brain isn't difficult, but the mental attack had directly struck his soul, making regeneration difficult.
With a stunned expression, I infuse blessings into the Mad Lord's body and shout.
"Damn it! No!"
Yeon's Play must be unfolded by two puppet masters with powerful consciousnesses.
One from outside, and one from inside.
And the method to activate the Yeon's Play from the 'inside' is known only to the Mad Lord.
It's when I'm racking my brain to find a solution.
Step—
"...!"
I flinch in surprise at the shadow of a person that appears before me.
It's Seo Hweol.
He laughs as if he can't believe the situation.
"...To think I'd be treating the Mad Lord in my lifetime. Well...it can't be helped since time is pressing."
Blink!
As he reaches out towards the Mad Lord, an 'eyeball' sprouts from his hand.
"Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens...?"
"What Blood Yin just used is an application of Purple Soul Filling the Heavens. As you already know, Purple Soul Filling the Heavens is a secret art of inheritance. Blood Yin is currently trying to seize this world by giving 'themself' as an 'inheritance' to the Bright Cold Realm. In the process, they infused a part of their consciousness into you all, who are a 'part of this world'."
His explanation continues.
"In short, those who were hit by Blood Yin's Purple Soul Filling the Heavens and whose brains are now mushed will soon turn into Blood Yin themself."
"...!!!"
I look down at the Mad Lord.
But then I glance at Seo Hweol and speak.
"Judging by the look on your face, you must have a solution."
He is still smiling as usual.
"Didn't Daoist Seo also obtain Purple Soul Filling the Heavens in the Ancient Force Realm? And it seems you've fully made it your own. With my Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens and your Purple Soul Filling the Heavens, we will prevent the Mad Lord's mind from being eroded by Blood Yin. After awakening his mind through a powerful consciousness, we'll restore his memories through my wife's authority. You remember what we did before, correct?"
'Before'.
Seo Hweol's words likely refer to the time when he, Kim Yeon, and Oh Hye-seo joined forces to peer into the Mad Lord's memories in order to deal with Kang Min-hee.
"At that time, we temporarily erased his memories, but this time, we'll revive them. For that, we need the power of Daoist Seo, a 5th stage Manifestation Heart Tribe. My wife's authority will comb through the Mad Lord's history, and then the Mad Lord's disciple will stimulate his consciousness through the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon to bring his memories back to life. I will block Blood Yin's erosion with Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, so Daoist should use your Sub-Heart Sword to engrave the Mad Lord's memories back into his soul."
"Good. I'll cooperate."
"Straightforward, I like it. Then..."
Snap!
Seo Hweol snaps his fingers, and a ritual formation drawn in blood appears around the Mad Lord.
Seo Hweol and I stand, facing each other. We each use our Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens and Flower Soul Filling the Heavens to block the power of Blood Yin that is eroding the Mad Lord's mind.
At the same time, I send the power of Flower Soul Filling the Heavens to my comrades, temporarily blocking Blood Yin's Purple Soul Filling the Heavens.
Snap!
Seo Hweol snaps his fingers again, and from his shadow, a projection of Oh Hye-seo emerges.
She steps between Seo Hweol and me with a gloomy gaze.
I glance at Oh Hye-seo briefly, then signal to Kim Yeon.
Tstststststststt!
Kim Yeon's consciousness clone appears opposite of Oh Hye-seo.
The four of us stand in the four directions surrounding the Mad Lord, each forming hand seals.
"Well then...let's begin."
I take out the Sub-Heart Sword, Kim Yeon brings forth the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon, and Oh Hye-seo draws on her authority.
Thus, we connect with the Mad Lord's soul once again.
A Taiji emerges between Oh Hye-seo's hands and begins to reverse its rotation.
Flap, flap, flap, flap...
The sound of turning pages echoes, and a bright white light fills my vision.
As Kim Yeon's Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon stimulates the Mad Lord's consciousness, his first memory appears before me and Kim Yeon.
His first memory.
It's the memory of his birth.
The past of Mad Lord (怪君) Jo Yeon (早緣) unfolds before Kim Yeon and I.