Chapter 538: Vast Cold's Descendent (1)
Dududududu!
An overwhelming distortion and fissure appear before my eyes.
The Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords are descending.
However, rather than that, I smack my lips bitterly as I witness Seo Hweol's final moments.
'It was a long connection.'
My old friend is gone, just like that.
Though I cannot pinpoint the escaped Oh Hye-seo's location with my Gang Sphere clone, I am not worried about her.
'Did Oh Hye-seo inherit Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens?'I reabsorb my Gang Sphere clone and contemplate her future.
But...
No matter how I think about it, I cannot believe someone like Oh Hye-seo will be able to wield Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens as skillfully as Seo Hweol.
Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens...
Was such a terrifying Immortal Art because it was in Seo Hweol's hands.
Someone like Oh Hye-seo can never use it like Seo Hweol.
'I don't know the details, but it seems she fled to the Middle Realms.'
In that case, sweeping through the Middle Realms later will resolve the issue.
If it's me who has attained the Entering Nirvana stage Three Great Ultimates, such a task is not a problem.
'Now, even the entirety of the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain no longer feels so vast...'
However, everything must first wait until the immediate crisis before me is resolved.
I calm my tense emotions, avoiding direct eye contact with the projections of the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords being summoned before me, and speak.
[What brings the honorable Great Immortals to descend upon the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain?]
Then, a voice answers.
: : You, Heaven-Defying One. : :
: : Did you not distort providence and defy the fated destruction? : :
: : If life has a conclusion, then so must the world have its End. : :
: : You have disregarded such principles and recklessly twisted the fate of the world, delaying the End. : :
: : How can you not realize that this is clear self-righteousness? : :
: : Destruction is an inevitability for the world's health. : :
: : Do you realize how many eons of plans have been disrupted because of your mistake? : :
At those words, I bow even deeper and speak.
[I apologize deeply, but this humble one is merely an insignificant being who knows little of the providence of the Great Beings. As the Great Beings have said, I found it too tragic for the living beings of the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain to be annihilated, so I briefly delayed the End. I have spread Heaven and Earth spiritual energy throughout the entire Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, and after making it so more living beings can ascend to the Middle Realms...I will not delay the End that arrives next. I beg for this one forgiveness.]
I just want to give a few more opportunities.
Of course...for those that still fail to ascend to the Middle Realms after receiving the opportunities, there is nothing more I can do.
I know that persistently distorting providence is not necessarily the right thing to do.
But...just once, can they not be given a chance?
After all, I, too, reached this position because I was given one more chance.
Therefore, I wish to give at least one opportunity to the living beings of the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, who must face sudden and unexplained death.
However, the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords growl as if enraged.
: : How arrogant. Do you think someone like you has such a right? : :
: : Because the fated destruction did not occur, the time of countless Heavenly Domains have been twisted. : :
: : The fact that time flows equally in every world and every place is due to the agreement of the Great Beings. : :
: : Therefore, we must protect the flow of that time. : :
: : Yet, because of your actions, the feet of these Lords have been tied. : :
: : If destruction does not befall the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain as scheduled, these Lords will not be able to leave to the Outer Sea... : :
: : We will eliminate you, the root of this twisted defiance against heavens, judge all those connected to you, and destroy the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain as originally intended to correct the distortion of time... : :
I bow even lower at those words.
[This humble one has done wrong. Please, punish only this humble one. Punishing the living beings of the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain and those connected to me is far too cruel. Please, grant mercy and forgive this humble one...]
However, the being at the forefront of the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords speaks sternly.
: : Impossible. : :
: : We are beings entrusted with the mission to seek the Great One... : :
: : We are beings that cannot afford to have our feet tied while correcting the distortion of time... : :
: : Therefore, eliminating you, the source of this distortion, and all beings entangled in your distortion to recover the balance, is unavoidable. : :
: : You must willingly accept your rightful punishment. : :
[Will you truly not grant forgiveness...? You may punish me however you wish. And surely, the Great Beings can gather the distortions that started with me and spread to my comrades, and concentrate them back onto me and punish me alone. Would that not be possible?]
: : Why should we waste such an Immortal Art on an insignificant being like you? That would be a clear injustice and a waste. : :
: : Heaven-Defying One, if you have committed a sin then receive your punishment... : :
[...]
I exhale deeply, releasing spiritual energy, and rise from my spot.
[Very well. Then let us give this a go, Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords.]
Though I do not look directly at them, I gaze roughly towards where they stand and shroud myself entirely in the aura of the Impermanence Sword.
Seeing this, the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords stretch out their hands toward me with a tone filled with pity.
: : Have you gone mad with fear? : :
: : It cannot be helped. : :
: : Still, we will send you off without pain... : :
And so begins the clash of wills between me and the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords.
Greedy Wolf Heavenly Lord (貪狼天君).
Giant Gate Heavenly Lord (巨門天君).
Preserving Wealth Heavenly Lord (祿存天君).
Literary Melody Heavenly Lord (文曲天君).
Integrity Chastity Heavenly Lord (廉貞天君).
Martial Melody Heavenly Lord (武曲天君).
Breaking Army Heavenly Lord (破軍天君).
[TL: The titles are all derived from the stars of the Big Dipper. English equivalents are Dubhe, Merak, Phecda, Megrez, Alioth, Mizar, Alkaid respectively.]
The projections of the seven Heavenly Lords simultaneously extend their hands.
As the Literary Melody Heavenly Lord raises their hand, a nebula instantly condenses in the void, and a star is born.
: : In the name of this Lord, I prophesize. The Heaven-Defying One will be defeated by the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord. : :
When the Greedy Wolf Heavenly Lord stretches out their hand, another nebula condenses beside the first, forming another star.
: : In the name of this Lord, I prophesize. The Heaven-Defying One will be beheaded by the Breaking Army Heavenly Lord, and his soul will fall into the abyss of the Netherworld. : :
Wiiiiiing!
Twin Stars (雙星) form in an instant.
At the same time, the Twin Stars etch themselves powerfully into the planes of Qi, Soul, and Fate, forming a [scene].
In that scene, I am defeated by the being called the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord and killed by the being called the Breaking Army Heavenly Lord.
Woo-woong!
The stars emit attraction force.
As a result, the Plane of Fate distorts, and I feel my future being pulled towards that scene.
Woo-woooong!
Simultaneously, the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord and the Breaking Army Heavenly Lord step forward.
Though only projections, they stretch out their hands and swallow the newly formed stars.
The stars enter the approximate location of their dantians and begin spinning rapidly.
Immediately after, the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord begins flying towards me.
Jjeooong!
With their single punch, I am hurled away without being able to react, crashing into a fixed star within a nearby stellar system.
Kwarurururu!
The energy of the fixed star blows fiercely, and flames wrap around my body.
That is not the end.
Wiiiiing!
Attraction force distorts space centered around the Marital Melody Heavenly Lord, drawing in heaven and spiritual energy and beginning to form something.
It is an [arm].
Around the projection of the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord, terrifying [arms] begin to emerge, seemingly enveloping the entire universe.
One of the arms of the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord, composed of [arms], strikes directly at the fixed star where I am.
Kurururung!
Their arm begins striking the star I have embedded into repeatedly.
Kwaang, Kwaang, Kwaaang!
Dozens of pillars of fire rise from the fixed star.
It seems as if the star will soon shatter.
And every time I am struck by that being's blow, I feel my fate being gradually pulled toward the scene of my defeat.
'At this rate, defeat is certain.'
The attraction force grows stronger, and the inevitability of my defeat begins to increase.
Misfortune begins to engulf me, and ominous omens gradually grow in number.
'...I must destroy it.'
With my eyes gleaming, I gaze at the star of fate located roughly at the dantian of the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord.
As long as that starlight exists, I will ultimately be drawn to that fate.
Hwarurururuk!
I quickly draw the Colorless Glass Sword.
Once broken before, the Colorless Glass Sword has at some point revived within my Colorless Sword Enclosure.
However, the Colorless Glass Sword no longer holds meaning for me.
This is because there is no longer any dharma treasure that suits the Impermanence Sword.
'But Buk Hyang-hwa undoubtedly made this to help me.'
Clench!
I tightly grip the Colorless Glass Sword.
At the same time, the Colorless Glass Sword begins to shine.
For thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of years.
This is the Colorless Glass Sword that has been refined with the Glass True Fire within my domain.
There is no other dharma treasure more compatible with Crystal Glass to Treading Sea than this.
Thus, rather than it being called the Colorless Glass Sword...
It might as well be called Crystal Glass to Treading Sea itself.
Hwarurururuk!
The Colorless Glass Sword sheds its sword form and transforms into flame.
The glass flame, taking no particular form, moves freely within my hand, amplifying and absorbing all the authority of Crystal Glass to Treading Sea and myself.
The Impermanence Sword has no form.
Therefore, no dharma treasure can aid the formless Impermanence Sword.
However...
The Colorless Glass Sword, created by Buk Hyang-hwa specifically for me, was made to contain infinite transformations.
It was refined with her heart, and later received the hearts of countless others to become completed as Crystal Glass to Treading Sea.
Thus, only the Colorless Glass Sword, which inherited the will of Crystal Glass to Treading Sea, can embody the Impermanence Sword.
The Colorless Glass Sword that has become Glass True Fire itself, transforms endlessly under my will and begins to bend into thousands of curves and straight lines.
At the same time, the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship that has completely lost its form begins to unfold.
Booong!
As I grip and swing the Colorless Glass Sword, countless principles of Martial Arts I have realized unravel in a single stroke, bending into thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of millions of trajectories to form sword techniques.
Transcending Peaks, Entering Mountains, Climbing Veins, Flowing Hills, Solid Rock, Strange Stone, Deep Mountain, Hidden Valley, Mountain and River Painting, Dragon Vein, Precipice, One Hundred Eight Hundred-Million Creation Emerging Peak (百八億開闢峰).
The first part of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, which combines fundamental sword basics, begins to deflect the arms of the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord.
However, the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord, with movements that also carry their own martial principles, writhe their hundreds of millions of arms as they crawl and pierce into my sword domain.
Yet, inside the breached sword domain, even more ruthless sword techniques await.
No...these are no longer just techniques.
Joy of Mountains and Peaks, Qi Mountain Heart Heaven, Layered Mountains, Mountain Tiger, Mountain and Valley Transformation, Echoing Valley, Mountain Echoes Valley Responds, Nine Mountains Eight Seas, Heavenly Lake, Severing Mountain.
The extremes of cutting, splitting, tearing, blocking, deflecting, absorbing, and countering—all the ultimates of [attack] are melted into something greater.
What unfolds through the Colorless Glass Sword is the very will to [cut down].
Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains.
Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains.
I incorporate two more concepts into the sword technique, gradually growing stronger.
As time passes, I absorb not only the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord's power but also the recoil from our body to slowly but surely grow stronger...!
But...
The attraction force emanating from within the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord begins to gradually pull me into the scene of defeat.
Ridiculous misfortunes and ill fates start to stack against me, and the gaps I am forced to reveal provide countless opportunities for the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord.
At last, their arms pierce into my domain once again.
The domain formed from the sword techniques derived from sincerely researching the applications of sword energy, the combination of intent, and martial principles permits the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord's movements.
However, the storm raging around me has not yet subsided.
Up until now, the place where the arms of the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord have intruded are within the domain of basic sword techniques and application of sword energy unfolded by the Colorless Glass Sword.
However...
From this point onwards, the domain I unfold is the domain of the Impermanence Sword.
Swordsmanship integrating Heaven, Earth, and Heart begins to unravel.
Paaaatt!
A pure white light bursts forth, and rays of Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace erupt from my entire body.
Thousands, hundreds of millions, trillions of strands of Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace become a storm blowing around me.
The storm of light begins to sweep the surroundings, tearing apart the arms of the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord's arms.
One Annihilation to the Near Shore explodes, further strengthening the storm of light.
Through Guiding to the Summit, countless fine lines within the storm of light writhe and pierce into the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord and begin exploding. From within, sword formations activate, creating a domain of Twelve Thousand Peaks that begins to shatter the arms of the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord.
Through Boundless Dao to the Other Shore, what seems like a one-time phenomenon of this storm of light instead continues to dance without end, endlessly growing stronger as it intertwines with Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains.
With Deep Mountain, Emerging Dao, the storm of light crosses the planes of Qi, Soul, and Fate, utilizing that overwhelming speed to repel the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord's body with overwhelming force.
At the same time, a brief opening appears in the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord's movements.
Using Accumulating Dust Forms a Mountain, I merge the storm of light into one.
A single Sky-Splitting strike containing all of me bursts upon the body of the Marital Melody Heavenly Lord.
The rough outline of their projection's dantian is exposed.
Through Transcending Mountain Ridge Embedment, the lower abdomen of the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord—who is thinking about me—ruptures, fully exposing the star of prophecy hidden within their dantian to the world.
Then comes the combination move of Sumeru and Kunlun.
The move of Sumeru that I had to previously draw strength through a sword dance to activate, is now in a 'state that is practically no different from constantly performing a sword dance' through the Impermanence Sword, eliminating the casting time entirely.
Thus, without any hesitation, I borrow the power of the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain through Sumeru and launch the thrust of Kunlun.
Flash!
At that moment, a tiny hole appears on the star of prophecy.
But that is all. The prophetic star remains intact.
However, I leave my will within the star of prophecy using Transcending Mountain Ridge Embedment and Guiding to the Summit.
Immediately after, the will follows my intention, and the thirty-fifth move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship—Cedarwood—activates.
From within the star of prophecy, countless manifestations of the Heart Tribe begin to burst forth.
Jang Ik's Four Treasures Annihilating Heavens Blade, Kim Young-hoon's Surpassing Radiant Creation Form, Non-Toppling Non-Standing, Endless Cold Window, Illusory Play under the Rosy Afterglow, Mountain Repelling Whip, Sudden Wind Sudden Rain, Flower Soul, Jin Ma-yeol's Fighting Step...
The countless dreams of the Heart Tribe shatter the dream of the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords head-on.
Jjeeeong!
The star of prophecy collapses, and the dream they had in that fleeting moment.
The future where I am defeated crumbles away.
Kwaaaang!
Slightly staggering from the explosion caused by Cedarwood, the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord exchanges glances with the other Heavenly Lords.
: : Truly remarkable. : :
: : It does not feel good to destroy one so exceptional with our own hands. : :
: : But the distortion must be corrected... : :
Then, the Giant Gate Heavenly Lord, the Preserving Wealth Heavenly Lord, and the Integrity Chastity Heavenly Lord each raise their hands.
: : I prophesize. The providence of the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain shall perceive the price of the distortion. : :
: : I prophesize. O providence that is known to all. Thy shall pay the price for that distortion. : :
: : I prophesize. The price of distortion shall rightfully return to the Heaven-Defying One as retribution. : :
Kugugugugu!
Three stars are born, and three fates are ordained.
At the same time, across the entire Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, the aftermath of End I deferred begins to surface.
Gugugugu!
As the price for the postponed End, the terrifying distortion of the universe begins to twist me.
The space where I stand distorts.
Simultaneously, the very spot I occupy seems on the verge of collapse.
Guk, guguk, guguguguguk!
However, I begin to gradually escape the distorted space, carrying the Impermanence Sword within me.
At that moment, the Greedy Wolf Heavenly Lord raises their hand again.
Seeing this, I can't help but be shocked.
'Insane... Could it be...?'
: : I prophesize. A future where the Heaven-Defying One is swallowed by a black hole is seen. : :
Kwadududuk!
Along with the distortion of the space I am standing in, a black hole of the universe begins to form directly behind me.
The black hole, too, is a star of prophecy, and because of that prophetic star, my body starts getting sucked into the black hole.
The gravity of the black hole begins to violently compress my body.
Of course, under normal circumstances, something like this black hole would not be an issue, but the problem is the Breaking Army Heavenly Lord.
The prophetic star inside the belly of the Breaking Army Heavenly Lord.
The prophecy that [I will be beheaded and killed by the Breaking Army Heavenly Lord] is gradually approaching.
The more I am compressed by the black star, the harder it becomes to move my body, and the Breaking Army Heavenly Lord slowly approaches me.
I grit my teeth tightly and begin to rise from my position.
Hwarururuk!
The Colorless Glass Sword blazes, engulfing my body and helping me rise.
'As expected...Severing Mountain Swordsmanship alone isn't enough.'
After using the Impermanence Sword once, I can understand.
This Impermanence Sword, which reaches complete impermanence, cannot fully unleash its power with conventional sword techniques that possess form.
I must create it.
Here and now, I must create a swordsmanship capable of fully unleashing the Impermanence Sword.
'Can I do it...?'
At some point, my Void Perception has grown and grown, reaching a level that can be compared to Kim Young-hoon.
However...
I truly do not know if my martial arts will yield a good result.
'...Right.'
But I smile and raise myself up completely.
'Let's believe in myself.'
I am a fool and a dullard.
However, as I said to Seo Hweol...I have reached this point by overcoming countless adversities, failures, and defeats.
If I am such a fool, I will be able to overcome whatever adversity comes my way.
'If I can't create it, I will fix it.'
Fix it, fix it, and fix it again—until I reach the right answer, even within failure.
Walking forward without giving up.
That is the way a dullard fights.
Wiiiiiing!
I begin to condense the forms of the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
The 36 techniques are undeniably powerful, and among them, the 36th move I've envisioned holds such devastating might that, if completed, I feel I could slay a True Immortal even at the Sacred Vessel stage.
However...
The techniques other than the 36th are ultimately unsuitable for wielding the Impermanence Sword.
Therefore, to properly wield the Impermanence Sword, I begin refining a sword form to properly reach the Impermanence Sword.
The first twelve moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
A Sword Art (劍藝) that was created by combining the fundamentals of the sword.
I compress them into a single form.
The middle twelve moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
A Sword Style (劍式) that reaches the pinnacle of the sword through combining the mastery of sword energy and intent.
I refine them into a single form.
Excluding the 36th, the final eleven moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
A Sword Doctrine (劍學) that integrates the three powers of Heaven, Earth, and Heart to expand the domain of the sword and elevates the very potential of the sword itself.
I birth them as a single form.
Thus, the three sword forms are created.
Kiiiiiiing!
In the next moment, I unleash the Impermanence Sword.
Chwararararak!
The first form, born from the first twelve moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Entering Heaven.
Flash!
Countless stances and forms of the sword combine, shattering the black hole behind me.
The second form, born from the middle twelve moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Treading Heaven.
Kiririring!
The Impermanence Sword surges wildly, combining countless sword styles.
With just a thought, destructive power erupts, shattering the three prophetic stars summoned by the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords.
: : I prophesize... : :
But they begin to prophesize once again.
As expected of True Immortals.
And not just any True Immortals, but as high-ranking ones, they display overwhelming majesty, recklessly welding prophecies that would require dozens of Entering Nirvanas countless years of painstaking effort to just cough out one.
Seven stars of fate are born again.
Seven stages leading to my defeat unfold before my eyes.
However...
The third form, created through the final moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Punishing Heaven (罰天)!
The next moment.
The glass of the Crystal Glass to Treading Sea seems to sweep across the entire star system and the cosmic space, shattering the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords and all their prophetic stars.
This is...
The sword form that maximizes the potential of the Impermanence Sword.
[Severing Heaven Sword Form (斷天劍形).]
Let us continue.
This will be completely different from before.