Chapter 558: World Of Sun And Moon (9)
Bright Cold Realm.
Kurururung!
As I enter the Bright Cold Realm, the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy of the realm trembles briefly.
Baek Woon has noticed me entering.
Wo-woong!
Light flashes as if it is about to burst, and a certain ripple radiates from Baek Woon's position.
It is a signal.
Baek Woon is sending a message to the True Immortals of Radiance Hall that I have entered the Bright Cold Realm.'How thorough you are, Baek Woon...'
I briefly glare at Baek Woon and laugh.
She immediately sends the signal upon discovering me, but...
My main body is outside the Bright Cold Realm, preventing the message from leaking outwards, so my location isn't revealed to the True Immortals of Radiance Hall.
After ensuring that none of the signals leaving the Bright Cold Realm reach their other destinations, I cast a brief look at Baek Woon before heading off to find my yearned-for connections.
The first place I visit is the Black Ghost Valley.
The Human Race has, at some point, reclaimed its original territory.
Although Kang Min-hee contaminated much of the Human Race's land, once the death energy scattered to some extent, it unexpectedly became the optimal territory for cultivation for the Black Ghost Valley.
For that reason, Black Ghost Valley now stands as the foremost sect of the Human Race, wielding overwhelming influence.
I enter the deepest part of Black Ghost Valley and meet their leadership after a long time.
"This is unexpected. For you to have entered this place!"
"Ah, C-Cult Leader!"
The current leaders of the Black Ghost Valley.
They are Wei Shi-hon and Eum Wa, the married couple who were once members of the Wuji Religious Order.
Both have now reached the early Integration stage, having cultivated based on the ghostly energy Kang Min-hee left behind.
From what I hear, Eum Wa was once the vengeful spirit of a human, while Wei Shi-hon became a jiangshi after his spirit possessed the corpse of a dead human. Because of this, they were able to be accepted as part of the Human Race.
'Of course, it's probably more because it was an opportunity to accept the combat power of an Integration stage Grand Cultivator couple. They wouldn't have cared whether they were ghostly creatures or whatnot.'
I laugh as I look at the two trembling before me.
"Do not be too afraid. I did not come here to reprimand you for leaving the Wuji Religious Order and entering the Black Ghost Valley. Rather, seeing that you are doing well here puts my heart at ease."
The ghostly couple, who are both among the few remaining members of the Wuji Religious Cult and hold a special place for me, let out a sigh of relief and smile at my words.
"We are grateful, Cult Leader."
"We had only heard that Cult Leader was attacked by a True Immortal after advancing to the Entering Nirvana stage..."
"I have ascended to True Immortality."
"I-Is that really true!?"
Their eyes widen, and their mouths gape in astonishment.
We exchange a few words of conversation for a while.
After some time, I ask them a question.
"I will soon embark on a journey to a distant world. Would you perhaps...wish to follow me?"
At my words, they exchange glances before showing troubled expressions.
From their faces and intent alone, I can already tell.
"I understand. It seems to be a difficult matter..."
"O-Our apologies."
"We...have a child."
Although they are deceased beings, they tell me they now have a child.
At their level of cultivation, where a child can be born not through sperm and eggs but through the combination of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, it isn't strange for ghostly creatures to conceive a child.
"I see. If it is the Human Race, then it will also serve as a safe shield for you. I wish you and your family continued good fortune."
"Thank you, Cult Leader!"
"We offer our deepest gratitude!"
The couple bows to me before approaching to tell me something.
"And, Cult Leader. This is something we learned only after joining the Grand Cultivator Association and accumulating merits...but it is something Cult Leader must know."
"What is it?"
"It is about...the origins of the Grand Cultivation Association Leader, Jun Jae."
"Jun Jae's origins...?"
From their following words, I come to learn a very intriguing fact.
"Jun Jae...I see. Understood."
From what I hear, Jun Jae is a being born with the bloodline of the Immortal Beast Pangu, and his homeland is not the [Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain] where we reside but rather the [Elephant Nose Heavenly Domain].
'They say the Elephant Nose Heavenly Domain shares some similarities with the nature of the Ancient Force Realm in that only the chosen ones can enter... In that case, if I ever have to go there, Jun Jae can serve as the key.'
After carefully organizing the information I heard from Wei Shi-hon and Eum Wa in my mind, I set out for Penglai Palace.
In the Penglai Palace I am visiting after a very long time, the person seated in the position of Palace Lord is a very familiar presence.
It is Yeon Jin.
"It has been a while, Yeon Jin."
Yeon Jin, seated on the throne of the Penglai Palace Lord, has already reached the Four-Axis stage.
He gazes at me briefly before wordlessly pulling out a bottle of liquor from a storage scroll.
"Care for a drink, Elder?"
"Sure."
I share a drink with Yeon Jin for some time.
"Penglai Palace Lord Hon Won... Before the previous Palace Lord was taken away to Elder's Cedarwood Painting...he said [When the time comes for me to die, I will transmit the information of my successor]. And...when his time came, Hon Won placed my name in the position of successor. I wanted to figure out why such a thing happened. However, I couldn't uncover the truth...I've been waiting for the day Elder would return."
He pours me a drink and asks,
"What is the truth, Elder? Was Hon Won mad? Or...just as my ancestor, Yeon Wei, had hoped...did Hon Won come to his senses?
"..."
I drink and reply.
"It was just as Yeon Wei had wished. The two...died holding each other."
"...I see..."
Yeon Jin downs his drink in one go.
"...Senior."
"What is it?"
"At your level, Senior, could you perhaps grant me the Five Blessings Axes?"
"Do you desire it?"
"I know it is shameless, but please, in consideration of Senior's friendship with Elder Yeon Wei, I implore you. Please grant me the Five Blessings Axes."
Wo-woong!
I draw out a portion of the Five Blessings energy within me and implant it into Yeon Jin's body.
"I have condensed the power of the Five Blessings Axes and planted it as seeds within you. When you conduct your Axes Foundation Practice in the lower realms from the Bright Cold Realm, the Five Blessings Axes will form around those seeds."
"...Thank you. With this, at least...I'll have some foothold within Penglai Palace."
He smiles faintly and speaks.
"Ancestor Yeon Wei once told me about the secret of our family name."
"Your family name?"
"Yes. The surname Yeon (淵) has the meaning of pond."
Yeon Jin begins to explain.
"Originally, my ancestor, Elder Yeon Wei, was an orphan before becoming a disciple of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect. She said she had no surname, only the name [Wei]. The only surname she received was the Jin surname, bestowed by the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect. However, during the catastrophe fifty thousand years ago, she voluntarily renounced the Jin surname. And the surname she created for herself was the Yeon surname."
Yeon Jin drinks his liquor and continues speaking.
“Why would she choose the surname ‘pond’? I once asked her that, and she replied saying this. Long ago…the person she loved the most was a person like a mountain.
"Though they are separated now, if by any chance...if by the slightest chance, that person like a mountain returns, it was to welcome them back again...to become a pond that accepts the soil they accumulated. That is why she chose the surname Yeon (淵)."
"..."
"...If it's Elder, you must know, right? Who the person my ancestor referred to is."
"...I know."
"Yes. It is none other than the former Palace Lord...who is also my ancestor...Hon Won. To be honest, I hate Hon Won. I hate the things he left behind and I hate the things he did to my ancestor. I even hate his descendants! If you think about it, they are distant relatives of mine, but those damned Hon bastards keep proposing political marriages with me, regardless of whether they're men or women. It's driving me insane! Elder must know of that Hon Wei person, right? It's that woman who clung to Elder! She keeps making a fuss about getting married, and I feel like I'm about to lose my mind! I truly despise everything Hon Won left behind!"
Crack.
The glass in Yeon Jin's hand fractures.
"...But still...I have to protect it, don't I?"
Yeon Jin, his face slightly flushed as if slightly drunk, gives a bitter smile.
"Because my ancestor definitely...cherished it all. After all...she hoped for it to continue. Therefore I...will become stronger. I will grow stronger and stronger until I seize control of Penglai Palace! I will claim the position of Penglai Palace Lord that no one can challenge!"
I listen to Yeon Jin's resolve and smile faintly.
"That is why I requested the Five Blessings Axes. Thank you...for granting my request."
"...More than the Five Blessings Axes, it seems you needed me to settle your heart."
"You could say so."
"...You've grown, Yeon Jin."
Yeon Jin is no longer the cute Yeon Jin I once knew.
He is now growing into an adult.
"The drinks were good. I'll take my leave now. I hope you reach the Integration stage."
"Yes, please take care..."
"And..."
Wo-woong!
I begin to reveal my presence while in my split soul state.
"Uh, uh?"
Pukwak!
Swords of glass begin to spurt from Yeon Jin's entire body.
His eyeballs explode, dissolving into fine white powder that flows out.
His body begins to transform into something unrecognizable whether it's glass or salt, and he cannot even scream as he writhes in agony.
"I hope you succeed."
Wo-woong.
I infused Yeon Jin with as much [wisdom] of the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique as he can endure.
Afterward, I leave Penglai Palace behind.
Bright Cold Realm, True Dragon Alliance.
There, I encounter yet another old connection of mine.
It is Gyu Ryeon, who has at some point become an Integration stage Demon King.
'This time, there is no intersection between her and me.'
Yet, the fact that we shared a connection in a past life does not change.
'She's already in the mid Integration stage... At this rate of cultivation, she can sufficiently aim for the Star Shattering stage.'
Perhaps, she might even be able to aspire to become a True Immortal.
Woo-woooong.
I reveal my presence before Gyu Ryeon.
[Kiyaaaaaaah!]
Glass swords emerge from her entire body.
She burns fiercely before collapsing unconscious on the spot.
'It's done.'
I have imparted the [wisdom] of basic Immortal Arts to her.
I instill an even firmer understanding of Various Omens, exponentially increasing the probability of her advancement to the Star Shattering stage.
Blessing Gyu Ryeon's future, I head towards Cedar Wood Grove.
Cedar Wood Grove.
The territory of the Heart Tribe.
There, I once again see countless members of the Heart Tribe.
And...
"...Amazing."
I click my tongue as I see how many members of the Heart Tribe have already reached the First Step Before the Throne.
Some of them are even nearing the enlightenment of the Second Step Before the Throne.
What's even more surprising is the Bright Cold Martial Alliance.
Initially, it was an alliance formed solely by the Human Race under Kim Young-hoon.
But now, the Bright Cold Martial Alliance has accepted other races and has become a place to train in martial arts together.
A group not for humans, but one that exists for the sake of justice.
That is what the Bright Cold Martial Alliance has become.
The Human Race in the alliance have been making many martial arts tailored to the Heart Tribe.
Just as martial arts in the Head Realm were originally based on the movements of demon spirits and the cultivation methods of cultivators,
They are now devising internal energy methods based on the methods of the Heaven Tribe to strengthen the frail bodies of the Heart Tribe, while also drawing inspiration on the movements of the Earth Tribe to elevate the capabilities of the Heart Tribe.
The Human Race, once regarded as one of the most wicked races in the Bright Cold Realm, has now become a group within the Martial Alliance that inherited Kim Young-hoon's will and practices righteousness.
'...This is good.'
I merely observe the Heart Tribe, looking down from above without interfering. I only leave fragments of the Impermanence Sword in the heart essences of a select few who show promise, then leave Cedar Wood Grove.
'They are all sincerely devoted to the training of martial arts.'
For that reason, even if I descend among them to teach...
They would all be consumed by suicidal thoughts and rush at me to die.
'It would be better to simply leave behind the starting point of Severing Heaven through the Impermanence Sword.'
Moreover, even without me, the seeds left by Kim Young-hoon have already begun to sprout.
His seeds will someday grow into towering trees, forming a forest—a forest (Wulin/武林) of Martial Arts.
'There is nothing more for me to do here.'
Having left my trace in Cedar Wood Grove, I make my way to the Azure Heaven Creation Sect for one final visit.
The Great Azure Heaven Creation Sect.
The sect of Oh Hyun-seok, and my sect as well.
There, I arrive at the grave of Azure Tiger Saint.
Trickle, trickle...
"...So he passed during his Heavenly Tribulation."
Advancing to the Integration stage is no trivial matter.
Even those with talent must temper themselves with life-or-death resolve and meticulous preparation, or they will perish. That is the Integration stage advancement Heavenly Tribulation.
How could a Grand Perfection Four-Axis endure the hundreds of streams of Heavenly Tribulation descending from all six directions?
'A thousand years ago, he passed while attempting to advance to the Integration stage...'
One thousand years before I awakened,
Azure Tiger Saint reached the Grand Perfection Four-Axis stage and attempted to advance to the Integration stage.
Standing before his grave, I read the history lingering over it and pour a drink with a bitter expression.
'So many connections vanish, progress, and intertwine.'
In the brief span of three thousand years, so many events have unfolded.
"Goodbye, Azure Tiger Saint."
After bowing to Azure Tiger Saint, I rise into the sky and head to my final destination in the Bright Cold Realm.
Heavenly Lotus Mountain, White Jade Pavilion.
Paaaatt!
This is the place Sacred Master Baek Woon resides.
Tadatt!
As I exert my will, I instantly arrive inside the White Jade Pavilion.
Baek Woon trembles as she greets me.
"The moment this Immortal arrived...you very enthusiastically sent signals out beyond the Bright Cold Realm. Sacred Master Baek Woon."
"...Sacred Master Ban Ta has been longing to see Senior. Senior knows, does he not? That even during the Sacred Master days, he followed Senior around..."
"That is probably because I was at the Sacred Vessel stage at the time. Now that I have become a True Immortal, I doubt he would even pay me any attention..."
"..."
"...Baek Woon. Listen."
"...Please give me your command..."
"As a devotee of Radiance Hall, I know you tried to sell me out more than once. Even just three thousand years ago...the one who called upon the Great Sun Heavenly Lord was you, was it not?"
"..."
"If it is this Immortal, I could kill you immediately through a prophecy. However...I will show mercy. Fulfill one request."
"What is it?"
Wo-woong—
I summon a list of my past connections and their factions within the Bright Cold Realm and hand it to Baek Woon.
"Look after them. If you do, I will overlook your insolence. After all...it would be better for you to exchange favors and live at ease than to live while being the target of resentment of an ominous True Immortal from the Head Realm, no? Whether you are a devotee of Light or not...this Immortal has the ability to hunt and kill at least you."
"..."
"Will you accept?"
Baek Woon looks at the list I hand her and sighs before speaking.
"I shall accept your command."
"You thought well."
With that, I entrust Baek Woon with those remaining in the Bright Cold Realm and leave for the Astral Realm.
Wo-woong!
'I hear it...'
It seems Yu Hwi's words were not lies.
When I focus, I sense Ham Jin calling out my name while focusing on cultivation from afar.
I channel my consciousness to Ham Jin, and ask him a question within his subconscious.
'Ham Jin, if I were to move to another Heavenly Domain, would you follow me?'
Ham Jin appears to deliberate over the question rising from his subconscious before soon reaching a conclusion.
—Gladly!
'Good.'
Seeing this, I quickly fly towards the Lightning Sacred Sea.
Clang, wo-woong!
Yeong Seung's split soul.
As I throw in the celestial sphere, the Great Desolate Path begins to activate.
Golden Shaking Bird enters the interior of the Great Desolate Path with me, and Yeo Hwi, perhaps having been properly taken care of by Golden Shaking Bird, causes no reaction from the Great Desolate Path.
I turn to look at Hong Fan, who is watching me from outside the Great Desolate Path.
"Well then, I'm off. Hong Fan."
"Yes, Master. When you arrive at the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain...please summon me right away."
"All right!"
"Then, goodbye..."
Pop!
Hong Fan pops his own head, taking his life. Feeling the attraction force of Yu Hwi and Ham Jin, who are thinking of me, I kill them both in a single strike.
While I directly asked Yu Hwi, I only questioned Ham Jin through his heart as a small form of punishment.
Regardless, Hong Fan and the two of them will now pass through the outskirts of the Underworld and resurrect in the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain.
Golden Shaking Bird performs a hand sign, and I follow by forming the same hand sign.
"Well then, shall we be on our way, Elder?"
"Yes, let us depart."
Woo-wooong!
The components of the celestial sphere within the Great Desolate Path begin to rotate, painting the surroundings in thunder and lightning.
The will of the Great Desolate Path speaks to me.
: : Where do you wish to go? : :
"To the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain!"
Kugugugugu!
And with a sensation of violent shaking from the Great Desolate Path,
Golden Shaking Bird and I leap across the vast spacetime.