Chapter 597: Pen (3)
Kururung!
We cross the sea of lightning and reach another Heavenly Domain.
'This place is...?'
I inhale the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy of the Heavenly Domain and read the information regarding this domain.
It is at that very moment.
"...!"
I feel a chill running across my entire body and scream.
"Golden Shaking Bird!!!!!! Activate the Great Desolate Path!!! Right now!!!"Kugugugugu!
From the distant universe.
A seven-colored bird, with an unusual aura, flies towards us.
Its appearance is so reminiscent of a certain Immortal Beast I know that I can't help but feel shocked.
"Glass Peacock is here!!"
Indeed.
Glass Peacock who possesses color like resplendent glass.
The being that is following is undoubtedly Glass Peacock.
Golden Shaking Bird is flustered and begins to manipulate the Great Desolate Path again.
It is then.
[Huh? Huhhh? M-Master! Elder! There is something wrong with the Great Desolate Path!]
Jeon Myeong-hoon and I look towards where Golden Shaking Bird is screaming.
For some reason, the Great Desolate Path has stopped functioning.
'Damn it...! Judging by the momentum of what's chasing us, the being coming right now is Glass Peacock's main body!'
It is not merely at the level of the clone in the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain.
'I am confident I can win even against a Great Net Immortal.'
But Glass Peacock is a being capable of defeating the seat holder of their Immortal Dao, in other words, an Immortal Lord.
They must be considered an Immortal Lord, a significantly powerful Immortal Lord at that.
'I have no confidence in winning against an Immortal Lord!'
Even though I attained Triple Divinity, using it consecutively right after a fierce battle with the Hyeon Mu is too much.
My Triple Divinity seems much smaller in size than Kim Young-hoon's, and because of that, my endurance appears to be slightly lacking.
'At this rate...'
We will be violated!
This being will capture us, turn us all into fools, and violate us madly.
At that moment, Kim Young-hoon clicks his tongue and speaks.
"Well, just escaping Hyeon Mu's Heavenly Domain is enough, right? This should be enough. The rest, we can just run away with our feet."
"...!"
I watch Kim Young-hoon stepping out confidently and smile brightly.
"Ah, there was that method as well. I request you, Hyung-nim! That seven-colored bird is famous throughout the Three Heavens Great Thousand Worlds as a notorious rapist. We must never get caught!"
"Yeah, I got it. I've met a few True Immortals, and they all had bizarre tastes. If it's a famous rapist even among them...I understand!"
I go out and absorb the ring finger of Yang Su-jin containing the Great Desolate Path into my body, then cling to Kim Young-hoon.
Tsts!
Having become practically akin to having no physical substance upon becoming a True Immortal, it is easy to attach myself to Kim Young-hoon, who is at the Heavenly Being stage.
As I provide him with energy and vitality, Kim Young-hoon smirks and glances once at the bird.
"Hey! You cosmic rapist! Come try following me. If you can catch up that is!!! You see, lecherous creatures like you..."
Kududududu!
Kim Young-hoon kicks off into space and starts running.
"Will never catch me!!"
Piiiiiit!
The surrounding environment starts to gradually change.
As Kim Young-hoon kicks off, stars and galaxies instantly pass by him.
It looks as though clusters of galaxies are moving at ultra-high speed backwards relative to him.
Kugugugugugu!
Yet, despite running at a speed far surpassing light-speed, the seven-colored bird calmly continues to chase us.
Kim Young-hoon clicks his tongue upon seeing this.
"It's really fast. What on earth is that thing to be so quick?"
"It's Glass Peacock."
While attached to Kim Young-hoon, I explain to him about Glass Peacock.
Kim Young-hoon, who is somewhat familiar with the knowledge of Origin Essences, Seats of Immortal Daos, and the such, is left with a dumbfounded expression when he hears that Glass Peacock violated Azure Peng for twenty million years to seize its Seat.
"...They are a Great Net Immortal who possesses that level of power. Though they were deprived of their position of Immortal Lord and demoted to Great Net, you can practically consider them as an Immortal Lord."
"Crazy..."
Kim Young-hoon looks at Glass Peacock as if he has goosebumps.
His pace quickens even more.
It seems he is genuinely starting to feel fear towards Glass Peacock.
"...Alright, I got it. I will do my best to escape. I'll increase the speed even more. Hang on tight!"
"Yes!"
Gradually, a golden aura begins to swirl around Kim Young-hoon's steps.
As Kim Young-hoon's heart essence reveals itself through his intent, he starts running in a state where the form of a golden Peng overlaps with his form of a human.
Piiiiiit!
Superclusters begin to swiftly pass by him.
Yet still insufficient, the speed continues to accelerate.
Shiririririk!
In the superluminal speed that has far surpassed light, I feel a phenomenon as if the layers of the world are gradually turning planar and narrow.
I, who can sense the dimension above the fourth dimension at the True Immortal-level, begin having my perception degrade to the third dimension, and then to the second dimension as the speed accelerates.
'The world...is turning into a flat plane?'
The universe transforms as if into a sheet of paper, and Kim Young-hoon runs on top of the paper drawn with countless constellations and superclusters.
'When speed increases to this extent, does the world look like this...?'
I marvel at the transcendent speed Kim Young-hoon displays and look back.
I am greatly startled.
The seven-colored bird is still chasing us.
"I-It's still coming!"
"Damn it..."
Kim Young-hoon grits his teeth.
"Hold on tight. If it keeps chasing us, we have no choice..."
Golden light begins to radiate from his eyes.
"I will leap beyond the Heavenly Domain!"
Piiiiiiit!
In that state, Kim Young-hoon begins to accelerate once more.
And I feel the universe, which has become planar and started to resemble a sheet of paper, gradually 'narrowing.'
If we accelerate to the extreme at this rate, the universe will eventually become a thin line.
In other words, it seems it would turn into a first-dimensional level.
However, reaching that level seems a bit difficult even for Kim Young-hoon as he does not achieve one dimension.
The universe, having turned into a sheet of paper, only contracts to the level of a typical mortal's country.
The nation-sized path stretching forward in the direction Kim Young-hoon is running extends far ahead, and in that distant place, there is a point where the background of this path changes.
I instinctively realize that is the boundary of the Heavenly Domain.
"Please keep running, I will break through."
I scatter Glass True Fire towards Jeon Myeong-hoon and Golden Shaking Bird, who cannot keep up with Kim Young-hoon's speed with consciousness and perception.
Within the extremely short time, the Glass True Fire clings to the two True Immortals and sucks their energy.
Originally flames meant to absorb energy and provide enlightenment, the Glass True Fire is used similarly to the star devouring technique this time.
After sucking energy from the two True Immortals, roughly replenishing the power lost in the battle with Hyeon Mu, I raise the [Wheel] behind me.
In the state of being attached to Kim Young-hoon's body, I somewhat reveal my true body and raise the Colorless Glass Sword, focusing my consciousness at its tip.
'I will pierce through!'
The thrust containing the principle of Kunlun of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship bursts forth from my hand.
Amplifying power through the Wheel, we charge towards the boundary of the Heavenly Domain along with Kim Young-hoon's speed.
[Here we go!]
: : Yes! : :
His speed, my power.
And the sharp thrust containing the principle of Kunlun unfolds.
Jjeoooooong!
A tremendous explosion resounds,
And Kim Young-hoon and I feel as if we are caught in something sticky, along with the feeling that the boundary of the Heavenly Domain is stretching.
'This, this is...!'
And I can't help but be shocked.
The moment we pierced the boundary of the Heavenly Domain.
Someone used history revision to alter the boundary's attributes.
Some has given the boundary of the Heavenly Domain a powerful elasticity and tension, like a bowstring.
'No...!'
Stretch!
The boundary of the Heavenly Domain does not break.
I try to nullify the history revision through the Wheel's ability to rectify causality, but it does not work.
The history revision by [someone] pushes back the might of the [Wheel] as if it isn't much, nullifying my authority, and I receive a tremendous shock from the backlash of the Wheel being negated.
"Kuheogh!"
Immediately after.
Tuuuuung!
The boundary of the Heavenly Domain, stretched due to powerful elasticity, snaps back to its original state and flings us away.
The direction we are flung towards is, of course, the path we have been running along.
In other words...
Towards the direction of the seven-colored bird chasing us.
With dizziness overtaking my vision, I make an expression of despair.
'N-No...'
Is this how we become fools, violated for ten million years?
However, Kim Young-hoon does not despair.
"Nonsense!"
He grabs the golden saber as he is flung towards the seven-colored bird.
"I will not give in!"
Flash!
Enveloped in golden light, he shouts with firm resolve.
"I will go back. Until then...I will absolutely not be corrupted or distracted by anything!"
Kururung!
He becomes a flash of light.
Becoming a light that seems as if it would cleave through the Heavenly Domain, he aims the tip of the golden blade at the seven-colored bird.
"Leave us be, you cosmic lecher, you lust demon!"
Jjeooooong!
A golden storm seems to envelop the universe.
And I open my eyes wide.
The seven-colored bird, hit by Kim Young-hoon's all-out strike, doesn't bear any wounds.
I detach from Kim Young-hoon's body and stand dazed with my mouth agape.
"Seo Eun-hyun! Help, together we can create the gap to escape! We even escaped before that Heavenly Venerable of the Void. There is no reason we can't escape before a mere rapist! Come on! Seo Eun-hyun!"
"..."
Cold spiritual energy crazily seeps from my entire body.
"Seo Eun-hyun!!! What are you doing! Are you feeling scared from a mere rapist? Come on! You can do it!! Let us show this damn pervert that your and my martial arts, the fruits of what we have accumulated, can overcome it!"
"...Hyung-nim."
Wiping the spiritual energy that forms like cold sweat, I smile awkwardly.
The Great Desolate Path that is within me.
Inside, Golden Shaking Bird is bowing deeply, and Jeon Myeong-hoon, following Golden Shaking Bird's instructions, is bowing towards the seven-colored bird.
"Seo Eun-hyun! Why are you acting this way! Are you scared of this rapist!?"
"...I'm sorry, Hyung-nim."
I close my eyes tightly and bow my head towards Kim Young-hoon.
"I...was mistaken. It is not Glass Peacock."
Honestly, I couldn't help it.
Based on appearance alone, doesn't it look almost identical to Glass Peacock? It's to the point that I only realized its essence upon facing it up close.
'Thinking that the actual Glass Peacock is following us made it urgent too...'
But ultimately, it wasn't.
The being before us is not a [Peacock], but a [Falcon composed of seven-colored light].
Though, as far as falcons go, its tail feathers are extraordinarily long, giving it a feeling more akin to a phoenix, vermillion bird, or peacock.
Only then does Kim Young-hoon, after examining the outline of the seven-colored bird, smile awkwardly.
"...So it's not...a rapist?"
"Hyung-nim...please stop saying..."
Just then,
The seven-colored falcon opens its mouth.
: : The name of this Immortal is Bong Myeong. : :
I prostrate before Bong Myeong, who has descended before us.
"...I greet Your Majesty, the Supreme Deity."
: : I am a being known as the Liberation Supreme Deity, Bong Myeong. : :
Kim Young-hoon, tactfully, also bows down on the spot, and I look up at Bong Myeong while sweating cold spiritual energy.
'They aren't upset about being called a rapist, right...?'
And at Bong Myeong's next words, I widen my eyes in shock.
: : Follow me. Currently, all of the Radiance Eight Immortals are gathered in this Immortal's Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain... : :
"...!"
: : You shall be executed. : :
Before we can resist in any way.
Chwararararak!
A scroll depicting a landscape painting unfurls from Bong Myeong's wing feathers.
And before we can even resist, Kim Young-hoon and I find ourselves transported to a valley depicted within the landscape painting the moment we regain our senses.
But what's surprising is that it doesn't end there.
"Huh!?"
"What?"
There's a small village inside that painting, and as men who look exactly like Kim Young-hoon, Jeon Myeong-hoon, and me walk out, they look at us with expressions of shock.
"What in the..."
It's when Kim Young-hoon is bewildered.
"Uh, huaaagh!"
"Huaaaaaagh!!!"
Three humans who look identical to us.
And for some reason, a person who looks similar to Kim Yeon is suddenly dragged up into the sky.
Flap, flap, flap!
From where they were dragged, the projection of the seven-colored falcon appears and adjusts its size before us.
"I apologize for the rough treatment, given the unfortunate timing of your arrival of all times. However, with this, both this Immortal and you will be somewhat free from the gaze of light."
"This place is..."
"A move created by this Immortal to defy light... It is a fake world pre-constructed with the genetic information of you Enders obtained through various methods. The versions of you from this world that were just taken will be executed in front of the light instead of the real you."
"...!"
Upon hearing those words, my face hardens.
"...We appreciate the goodwill you have bestowed upon us. However...the safety obtained through the sacrifice of others is not specifically necessary."
"Sacrifice...? Whom do you mean?"
"Our substitutes you just took...the humans used as replacements for us."
"Sacrifice...sacrifice... You speak strangely."
Bong Myeong tilts Their head.
"They are promised bliss in the afterlife in return for serving this Immortal. I have spoken specifically to the Owner of the Underworld, so they will all reincarnate as the Dragon Race or as beings of noble status even within the Heaven Tribe, enjoying long lifespans... So, who is being sacrificed?"
"Still...suddenly having their current lives taken away is..."
"How amusing."
Jjuuuuk!
The neck of the seven-colored falcon stretches out.
Its neck elongating like a snake to bring its face close to mine creates an eerie sight.
"In this Three Heavens Great Thousand Worlds, even the lowliest and most pitiful of bugs born have a nobler and happier determined futures than you Enders. Who is worrying about whom?"
"...Pardon?"
"Those who have another life need not worry. Even those in the Head Realm, though they repeat, have an afterlife. The only ones who should worry are those without a next life..."
Bong Myeong's eyes approach, leaving only a palm's breadth between us.
The eerie falcon with the elongated neck discloses a foreboding truth to me.
"What use is living a single life as kings...? You are only that... Once you enjoy a fleeting moment, that is all... You, whose fates are entirely mortgaged, are to be pitied, not to pity."
Kim Young-hoon asks in confusion.
"Mortgaged...? Just what do you mean by that?"
Hearing that questions, Bong Myeong's eyes glint a somewhat blue light as if pitying us.
"Currently, this Immortal's Heavenly Domain is...where the banquet of the Radiance Eight Immortals and other Supreme Deities is being held... Once the banquet of the Supreme Deities concludes, all will be revealed."
After finishing speaking, They fly upward with a flap.
"The banquet of the Supreme Deities shall conclude in 100 years. Until then, play the role of your scapegoats in the world created by this Immortal. If you do not act according to your roles...the desecration of fate by this Immortal will become null, and you will be caught by the light..."
Chchchuch!
From where Bong Myeong flaps and passes by, three seven-colored feathers remain.
The feathers swiftly fly towards us, transforming into light beams and entering our eyes in an instant.
"This, this is...!"
As soon as the feather enters my eyes, I understand my role in this world.
Archaic Underworld characters appear before my vision, explaining my role.
Kim Young-hoon and Jeon Myeong-hoon, too, are bewildered as they carefully voice the roles they have been assigned.
"Pyromaniac...? Me...?"
"A spy?"
Jeon Myeong-hoon is given the role of a pyromaniac.
Kim Young-hoon seems to be assigned the role of a spy.
However, I am so incredulous that I cannot even bring myself to say the role I have been given.
—Your role is [Human Soap Merchant].
—You are to capture humans in this world and play the role of a madman who makes and sells soap out of them.
—Please capture people and make soap.
—Please feel pleasure while making soap.
—Actions not aligning with the role will increase the chances of being detected by the Radiance Eight Immortals in the Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain.
Author's Note: Thank you everyone for loving < Regressor's Tale of Cultivation> until now.
Starting from next week, <Soap Maker's Tale of Cultivation> will begin. Thank you.