Chapter 593: Mount Sumeru (6)
Splitting Heaven Mantra (裂天眞言).
Or rather, the phenomenon known as Splitting Heaven (裂天).
What is born from that phenomenon is precisely us, the Enders, and the current Great Mountain Supreme Deity seeks to reverse the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra in order to recreate that phenomenon with Their own hands.
'...But, that's called the Splitting Heaven Mantra?'
A mantra that tears the heavens apart (裂天).
However, as I recall the final scene of my past life, I tilt my head in doubt.
'Back then. the Heavenly Domains did collapse, but it didn't feel like it was tearing the world apart.'
I recall the terrifying golden wave I felt at the time.
'It was more like...devouring the world. In fact, it felt quite similar to the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra.'It didn't feel like it was being unfolded in reverse.
"...How does the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity know of such things?"
"During the time when They helped Vast Cold's True Immortal advancement...it was a truth hinted to me, who had arrived a step too late to assist. They said They would recreate Splitting Heaven with Their own strength, and when that time comes, to choose one of two options. Become Their ally, or become the power source for Their Splitting Heaven Mantra..."
"..."
They are certainly choices befitting Gwak Am.
"But I never thought of helping him. That hasn't changed even now. Rather...I only have thoughts of stopping him."
"Why is that?"
"In order to explain, I must first ask you something. You know the difference between Immortal Arts and mantras, correct?"
"I have a general understanding."
I explain to Them the difference between Immortal Arts and mantras as I know them.
Immortal Arts are the spells used by True Immortals.
In other words, all techniques that twist the principles of the world through one's heart or attraction force.
Then what exactly are Immortal Arts that are specifically referred to as mantras (眞言/True Words)?
A mantra is essentially a 'collection of Immortal Arts.'
Weaving together a couple Immortal Arts at a minimum or as many as thousands, and unfolding them is what is called a mantra.
The Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra, the Flawless Mantra, and even [Wheel], which combines the two, all fall into this category.
'Even the creation of the Small Heavenly Domain used by the Thirty-Three Heavenly Resplendent Treasure Immortals was probably a mantra as well.'
Strictly speaking, even my Impermanence Sword falls under this classification.
The Impermanence Sword is a collection of Immortal Arts, starting from Filling the Heavens Governing View to all the ultimate intents of my Crystal Glass to Treading Sea raised to the domain of Immortal Arts.
However, since the Impermanence Sword is something that has fused with my Entering Heavens, I named it sword rather than mantra.
Do Gon listens to my explanation and nods.
"Exactly. Mantras are an assembly of Immortal Arts. But have you ever considered it this way?"
"What do you mean?"
"The existence of True Immortals inherently benefits the world. In one way or another, we are beings that 'give birth' to something within this world. When we issue a fate, that fate itself becomes a cradle of life, and even life itself. True Immortals, by their very nature, are beings that create fate. That being the case..."
As I listen to Do Gon's continuing words, I understand what They are saying.
"Then would it not be correct to say that the Immortal Arts of True Immortals are, in itself, alive?"
"...That makes sense."
I nod.
The notion that my Impermanence Sword is alive has been felt down to my bones since its days as the Formless Sword.
'The Impermanence Sword is already alive.'
In other words, Immortal Arts can inherently be considered something that possesses life.
They simply exist in a form that lives in fusion with True Immortals.
Within the cells of living organisms, there exist cells that absorb the energy provided by the cells and, in return, supply them with the glucose necessary for survival.
Originally, these were separate cells that existed outside of the cells, but at some point, they entered the cells and coexisted, eventually evolving into organelles—or so the theory goes.
'Mi...what was it again?'
In any case, Immortal Arts and the Impermanence Sword give me a similar impression.
They function as one of my organs, moving together with me and responding to my heart, but they are existences with their own separate life and heart.
That is what Immortal Arts are.
"Mantras that weave together Immortal Arts that possess their own hearts are..."
"Exactly. They are, in essence, 'another form of Innate True Immortals'."
"..."
At those words, Seo Hweol suddenly comes to mind.
'That guy...could he have also had the potential to become an Innate True Immortal?'
For some reason, I feel that this topic could be the key to solving Oh Hye-seo's madness, so I make sure to commit it to memory.
"In other words, every mantra we wield is a living entity. More precisely, we should call them living [phenomena]."
At this, Jeon Myeong-hoon frowns slightly, as if he doesn't quite understand.
"...I don't get it. Can life exist in that form?"
"Why wouldn't it?"
"Well...I've never seen such a lifeform before. Honestly, it looks like even Seo Eun-hyun is a bit doubtful."
That much is true.
Even though mantras are living phenomena and even considered innate True Immortals, I have never 'clearly' encountered such an existence.
I say that my Impermanence Sword is alive, but I never felt like I engaged in a rational conversation with it.
"If you cultivate the formula of the Radiance Ten Heavens, you will get a general understanding... Since that too is a byproduct connected to the mantra of Radiance Hall."
"...I'm not sure. I've thought that feeling was stronger because it is a realm connected to the Radiance Supreme Deity.
"Hmm... In that case, there is a much more intuitive way to explain it."
Do Gon smirks and gestures toward us.
"This is not much different from what I have been saying before. To put it plainly...you Enders are ultimately innate True Immortals born from the Splitting Heaven Mantra.'
"What...!?"
Jeon Myeong-hoon's eyes widen as if they're about to pop out.
"What do you mean by that? Are you saying...we weren't human?"
"You could interpret it that way. And you would not be wrong. Strictly speaking, you are [innate transcendents wearing human skin]. What did you think was the reason you could advance in realms so quickly, gain absurd privileges and abilities, and reach this point faster than anyone else? Because you are geniuses? Wrong. You are...merely beings hiding within human flesh, gradually shedding that shell and reclaiming the [power you originally possessed]."
"..."
"..."
Jeon Myeong-hoon and I both let out a silent breath at the same time.
I especially stare down at my own hands in shock.
These hands that have wielded the sword countless times.
'The power I've accumulated all this time...wasn't truly mine...?'
But Jeon Myeong-hoon, having seemingly realized something, releases red lightning across his body.
Pachijijik...
"...I see. I think I can understand."
"...?"
But I, unable to comprehend, simply stare at Jeon Myeong-hoon for a moment.
'He understands this...?'
I, for some reason, feel like I don’t understand.
Throughout roughly a thousand lifetimes, I have been regaining the power I have lost, and often been treated as a genius from it.
But that was undoubtedly about reclaiming the power I accumulated as a mortal being in my past lives.
It was never the feeling of recovering power as a 'being that was originally a transcendent.'
'...I don't know.'
Shaking my head, I ask Do Gon a question.
"Yes, I understand now that a mantra is both a True Immortal and an 'existence'. Then, the reason the Great One has not joined the Great Mountain Supreme Deity is...?"
"It is simple. Every mantra is the greatest ally of the True Immortal who wields it. And for those at our level...it is even possible to manifest the true form of that mantra into this world. You have seen it before, have you not? The Great Mountain Supreme Deity's mantra... Its true form."
"...Could it be that the Great Mountain Supreme Deity's mantra is..."
"That is right."
I recall the mountain of corpses lying beneath the Great Mountain Supreme Deity, weeping tears of blood as they conveyed Their will.
"...So that Corpse Mountain Blood Sea...was Gwak Am's mantra."
The Corpse Mountain Blood Sea They had tried to feed me all this time, the hordes of vengeful ghosts that always followed Them.
That was Their very mantra and ally.
"That is right... And there is one more thing. If a mantra is an innate True Immortal, would it not also be possible to grind down an existing True Immortal and turn them into a 'mantra'?"
"...!"
Only now do I understand what the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity is trying to say.
"Gwak Am...that insane bastard..."
The truth is so absurd that a curse slips from my lips on its own.
Mantras are innate True Immortals. At the same time, True Immortals can be turned into mantras.
A mantra is the greatest ally of the True Immortal who wields it.
The Great Mountain Supreme Deity Gwak Am told the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon to become Their [ally].
"When that madman said [ally] and [power source], They meant the same thing..."
Telling the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity to cooperate meant grinding Them down and treating Them as part of Gwak Am's mantra.
Using Them as a power source meant grinding Them down all the same.
"There was no choice...?"
"Hmm, no. That is not quite right. [Becoming a mantra] and [becoming a power source] are undeniably different. If one becomes a mantra, they can retain their sense of self and even exert influence over the Great Mountain's mind. However, becoming a power source means simply being ground up as fuel to activate the mantra. There is a clear distinction."
"..."
"But I absolutely do not want to become one with that insane madman's Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, that grotesque sight. That is all."
Hearing the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity's explanation, I click my tongue.
Jeon Myeong-hoon nods and speaks.
"So, I understand why you refuse to aid that Great Mountain Supreme Deity. But how exactly do you plan to save us if we set you free?"
"The Splitting Heaven Mantra of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity exists solely to break through the Audience Chamber that is called the Thirty-Third Heaven (三十三天) within the Head Realm, located at the vertex of the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain. In other words...everything that happens before They break through the Audience Chamber is nothing more than a 'preparatory stage' for activating the Splitting Heaven Mantra."
"...!!"
I grit my teeth at those words.
'As expected...I wasn't mistaken.'
The golden waves I witnessed in my past life had indeed looked as though they were 'devouring' Mount Sumeru.
'So only after completely consuming Mount Sumeru can the Splitting Heaven Mantra be properly activated to break through the Audience Chamber!'
It is a truly terrifying truth.
"And considering the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea that reflects the temperament of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity...the preparation phase for the Splitting Heaven Mantra must be the same. They will likely devour the entirety of Mount Sumeru. They will compress this entire world into a single point with the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra. Then, by unraveling such a Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra in reverse to use the Splitting Heaven Mantra, the Thirty-Third Heaven will be breached, and They will immediately...reach [beyond]."
Do Gon exhales a quiet sigh as They gaze somewhere in the sky.
"And...at the very moment when the Great Mountain Supreme Deity has devoured all of Mount Sumeru, right before They activate the Splitting Heaven Mantra. As everything in Mount Sumeru has become one, [for just a single moment], They will reach a state of greatness that no one has ever dreamed of."
"A state of...greatness...?"
"Yes...the very first form of all things. Having devoured all Seats and Origin Essences, the state where They manifest the [beginning]..."
"...!"
"The Great Mountain Supreme Deity...for just a single moment. In that one single moment when They have devoured all of Mount Sumeru, They will reach the [First Light]. That...is the argument I present to you as the means to escape from the Great Mountain Supreme Deity's devilish hands."
At Their next words, my eyes widen.
"I...once fought against the Radiance Eight Immortals alongside my former subordinates, the Jade Pivot Forty-Eight Lightning Heavenly Great Immortals (玉樞四十八雷天大仙)... In exchange for the lives of my loyal retainers, the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain, and all of my power and influence...I learned this truth."
Chills!
The atmosphere shifts.
Is it because They are recalling an unpleasant memory?
Do Gon's grief takes form, emerging into reality and influencing the surroundings.
Drip...drip...
Something red begins to well up at the tip of Zhengli's chin that Do Gon possessed.
A crimson liquid flows.
It looks like tears of blood.
It is an incomparably refined form of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, imbued with fury.
"Because I uncovered...the true nature...of the Radiance Supreme Deity...and the weakness that light possesses...through Indra's Net... And because I also know...how to exploit that weakness in the [First Light]...to evade its gaze and survive..."
Kuuurung!
The surroundings seem to darken.
A powerful sense of despair and sorrow sweeps through the surroundings.
[...If you can endure beneath me for just a while...eventually, the Great Mountain Supreme Deity will reach the Audience Chamber and perish on Their own. Then, everything will be over. No one can escape under the gaze of light... It's just...I simply did not know before that bowing my head beneath Their reign was the only way to survive.]
Do Gon rises from the seat.
[I have presented my argument. Will you meet your inevitable destruction beneath the Splitting Heaven Mantra of the tyrannical Devil God, the Great Mountain Supreme Deity...or will you choose to liberate this Immortal and seek hope within the certainty of destruction? No matter when it is, make your choice. As the Heavenly Tribulation of all phenomena, whenever you make your decision, speak to the Heavenly Tribulation. May you choose wisely...I shall wait within that prison.]
With those words, Do Gon begins walking away.
With every step They take, They vanish into lightning alongside Zhengli. Their appearance carries the dignity of an emperor, yet at the same time, They appear unbearably lonely and desolate.
[Why did you ignore my warning and challenge the Audience Chamber back then...my friend?]
I read the lingering thoughts of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity as They fade into the void.
The last thing on Their mind was the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord.
The inexplicable regret of a being with the attitude of submitting to light!
As I witness this, a strange paradoxical feeling along with a sense of kinship wells up within me.
Tingle!
16th cycle.
'What's this...?'
For some reason, seeing Do Gon's demeanor strongly reminds me of the 16th cycle.
'...I don't know.'
For now, discussing it with the other comrades seems to be the right course of action.
Kigigigik...
The surrounding attraction force and spacetime gradually return to normal, and Jeon Myeong-hoon and I exhale quiet sighs.
Kwarurururung!
The Great Desolate Path leaps through the world of lightning and arrives at the Good Sight Heavenly Domain.
"...First, let's find Kim Young-hoon, Jeon Myeong-hoon. Let's gather everyone and then discuss together."
"...Agreed."
Jeon Myeong-hoon nods heavily, his expression filled with deep thought.
Kururung!
With a gesture from Jeon Myeong-hoon, the Great Desolate Path and the Lightning Sacred Sea shrink and enter his body.
I secure Hong Fan within myself, making sure that the Heavenly Venerable of the Void never detects him, and then I wait for a moment.
"By the way, Seo Eun-hyun. How are you planning to find Kim Young-hoon in this vast Good Sight Heavenly Domain?"
"It's not difficult. Just wait a little. A guide will come..."
"What...?"
And before my words can even finish.
Blink—
As I blink once, a familiar face appears between Jeon Myeong-hoon and me.
The Heavenly Venerable of Void.
It is the True Martial Great Emperor, Hyeon Mu.
"...!"
"You've grown quite a bit. To think you could follow my arrival with your eyes."
"I merely managed to catch your form."
Jeon Myeong-hoon flinches in utter shock at Hyeon Mu's sudden appearance, while I barely manage to perceive the moment she arrives and speak.
"We are here to find Kim Young-hoon."
"Kim Young-hoon? Ah..."
Hyeon Mu speaks with empty eyes.
"He's dead."
Surung—
Hyeon Mu raises something black towards me and speaks.
"If you have complaints, come at me. I will take you on any..."
Before she can finish speaking, I interrupt her, stepping back while drawing the Colorless Glass Sword and then taking three steps forward.
In the first step, I infuse my sword energy and the vital essence of my entire being.
In the second step, I unleash the refined essence, circulating it through my body and the surroundings.
In the third step, I return all that circulated essence back to its origin.
These three steps contain the quintessence of the martial knowledge I have gained enlightenment on.
And at the origin of all circulation, all power is gently returned.
This is a single circle.
Revealing the enlightenment I reached while fighting the Thirty-Three Heavenly Resplendent Treasure Immortals, I smile faintly.
"I have drawn a circle. Do you find any flaws in it?"
"..."
Hyeon Mu remains silent.
She simply gazes at me with vacant eyes.
"You must have come here to test a junior and help refine their abilities. However...this junior has already found his path. I have received your teaching, so please return Kim Young-hoon. I know full well that he is not dead."
"..."
After staring at me for a moment, Hyeon Mu scatters the weapon in her hand.
"...Indeed. You have no need for guidance."
"Yes, so—"
"You."
But in the next moment.
Hyeon Mu interrupts me, and I can't help but flinch in surprise at her next words.
"Will you not engage in dual cultivation with me?"