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The Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, Bright Cold Realm, Heavenly Lotus Mountain.
We gather there, in front of Baek Woon, and begin a meeting.
"So...you're saying you'll go to the Outer Sea alone?"
At Jeon Myeong-hoon's question, I shake my head.
"More precisely, it'll be me and Oh Hye-seo, I suppose?"
"...Why does it have to be Oh Hye-seo?"
Kang Min-hee glares at me and rolls her eyes, and everyone, including her, looks at me with eyes full of suspicion.
The reason is simple.'Damn... Back on Earth, I did chase after Oh Hye-seo for a bit.'
And unlike with Kang Min-hee, there were quite a few times we used to laugh openly together.
But from my perspective, that's something that happened over a hundred million years ago. I no longer have any particular interest in Oh Hye-seo.
However...
'From their perspective, that was only a few ten thousand years ago, so maybe they still think I'm trying something with Oh Hye-seo.'
It's quite understandable.
'...Still, it feels a bit unfair. Was there even a single male employee in our company that Oh Hye-seo didn't try to seduce?'
Anyway, I sigh and begin explaining the reason seriously.
"Bringing Oh Hye-seo along isn't for the reason you all are thinking. It's because of her Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens... With that Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, the Great Mountain Supreme Deity could exert influence on you."
Great Mountain had once extracted and eaten Seo Ran, the core of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
As mentioned in Penglai Island,
Rather than it being just because Seo Ran looked delicious, given Great Mountain's cunning nature, the more plausible reason is that Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens is useful to him and he tried to take it for that reason.
The Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra is an Immortal Art that engraves one's heart across the universe.
And Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, too, from the perspective of 'engraving the heart', is an Immortal Art that has overlapping parts with the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra.
Therefore, at this moment, Oh Hye-seo, who can be considered a disciple or even an Immortal Treasure of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity, carries a strong possibility of becoming his medium.
I sip spirit tea brewed from the leaf of Sacred Master Baek Woon and speak.
"And as I explained earlier...the Great Mountain Supreme Deity has arranged things so that the Splitting Heaven Mantra is completed the moment Oh Hye-seo dies. So...it's better for me to take her to the Outer Sea while keeping her sealed."
"Mmm!"
At those words, Kim Yeon asks with a puzzled expression.
Originally, I should be unable to hear anything due to the restriction of the Liberation Supreme Deity Bong Myeong.
But after rising to Araya Consciousness...
—Then why aren't you taking us?
Bong Myeong's restriction has now become virtually meaningless.
Her thoughts and heart echo from the domain of principles, and her will penetrates through the restriction and reaches me.
'Of course, you still have to elevate your consciousness to the domain of untainted to hear it...but compared to before, the restriction has clearly weakened.'
"You're asking why I'm not taking you all...? You already know. In the Outer Sea, time is all scrambled. Even if it's only a fleeting moment here, no one knows how long it'll be there. And in the Outer Sea, there's nothing. More importantly...the teachers who will guide your growth are here."
That's right.
Even until recently, Bong Myeong—who released Kim Yeon to us—had still been guiding her growth.
For her to follow me now is no different from giving up on her own growth.
"My Immortal Treasures will also remain here."
That includes even Hong Fan.
Hong Fan, Yeo Hwi, Yu Hwi, and Ham Jin will stay here and periodically communicate with me, assisting in the process of refining the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity into my Immortal Treasure with the help of Kang Min-hee and the Underworld.
"So...I'm sorry, but I can't take you to that dangerous and chaotic Outer Sea. I really am sorry. But there's no need to worry too much."
In front of my comrades, I sever a portion of my consciousness domain and create an external incarnation.
In an instant, my split soul is born, flaring with a bluish glow in my palm.
Huarurururuk!
"This is an Immortal Art I received from Bong Myeong."
This Immortal Art, called Celestial Lord Incense Burning (天公焚香), literally tears off a facet of myself and leaves it in a distant world, allowing communication with those in that world.
"Through this Immortal Art, it will be no different from me always being with you. Even if I head to the Outer Sea, I can communicate with you through this Immortal Art, and it can even serve as part of the Great Net Immortal cultivation. So...don't worry too much about not being able to see my main body."
Eventually, my comrades are all persuaded by my words.
"Huu... If you're going to say that much, fine."
My comrades each take a piece of Heavenly Lotus Fruit offered by Golden Shaking Bird and nod.
The true Heavenly Lotus Fruit, aside from having spiritual nature, also bears a powerful fortune atop that nature, making it one of the foods commonly eaten by True Immortals.
Surprisingly, there are a whole pile of Heavenly Lotus Fruits in Yang Su-jin's treasure vault, and so, happily enjoying the fruit I hadn't been able to taste before, I explain to my comrades what needs to be done going forward.
"First, for me to go to the Outer Sea, I have to activate the Salt Sea Returning Dew Jade."
And as I mentioned before, I need their help to do so.
"The leap to the Outer Sea has already been promised by the Naming Supreme Deity...they will assist with that. What you all need to help with is the 'run-up' to that leap."
I explain each of their roles.
"Kang Min-hee, please stabilize the entire 'path' for the run-up using your ability."
While I don't know the full extent of her ability, I've figured out by now that her power has something to do with 'rules'.
Using the 'rule' she creates, the path of Mount Sumeru for the leap into the Outer Sea will be stabilized.
"Jeon Myeong-hoon, the 'path of Mount Sumeru' for the run-up must pass through the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain. And as I explained before...the Salt Sea Returning Dew Jade requires 'acceleration' midway."
"If Kang Min-hee builds the path, you need me to accelerate you at the midpoint."
"That's right. In the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, the 'platforms' prepared by the Ancient Force True Lord will accelerate me...but in the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain, I'll need your help. The Radiance Eight Immortals of the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain will especially try to obstruct me, but you should be able to shake off their interference, assist me, and then smoothly exit the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain through the Great Desolate Path."
After explaining Jeon Myeong-hoon's role in further detail, I turn my gaze to Kim Yeon.
"And Yeon-ah, you'll need to assist in accelerating me between the Naming Supreme Deity and Jeon Myeong-hoon."
"Mmm!"
"Beyond the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain...the Earth Axis Heavenly Domain is where I just used my power, so I can use the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra there to accelerate again... We don't need to pass through the Bearing Tree, Good Sight, or Twin Holding Heavenly Domains, but at least one more Heavenly Domain needs to be crossed before reaching the Naming Supreme Deity."
Kim Yeon will help me with the run-up from the Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain and accelerate me.
"You'll help me there."
The task is relatively less important than that of the other comrades, but it is undoubtedly essential.
'There's no great concern about reaching the disgrace of the Heavenly Venerables.'
After all, once I activate the Salt Sea Returning Dew Jade from Mount Sumeru—assuming it activates properly—I can arrive directly at the disgrace of the Heavenly Venerables. That is the Salt Sea Returning Dew Jade.
In other words, this task is less about reaching the disgrace of the Heavenly Venerables, and more about the far greater difficulty of 'returning from the domain where the disgrace lies' to Mount Sumeru.
'If I were an Immortal Lord like the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords or the Radiance Eight Immortals, it would've been easier to return to Mount Sumeru using the power of the Origin...'
But the reality is that while my weight class is at the very top level of Immortal Lords, I am not actually one. So I must carve my way through the Outer Sea with my own strength to return to Mount Sumeru.
'If I'm lucky, I might ride the currents of chaos and return instantly...but if I'm unlucky, I might have to endure for several ten billion years like Kim Young-hoon.'
Because of that, I decide to take every possible precaution.
'I have to ensure my comrades can grow even without me.'
"Baek Woon. From now on, the Bright Cold Realm will be transferred to the Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain, and Kim Yeon will oversee the realm from there."
I first decide to give Kim Yeon the body of Vast Cold, laying the foundation for her to grow as much as possible.
"You wouldn't happen to have any complaints about this, do you?"
I eat a piece of Heavenly Lotus Fruit and question Baek Woon, who has offered the White Jade Pavilion and is kneeling and serving us tea.
In response to my question, Baek Woon answers with a reluctant expression.
"...It is I who should be grateful...for being released from the position of Sacred Master."
—This return of the Golden Divine madman. Just what in the world did he eat to reach late Heaven-Earth Great Net right after advancing to True Immortal? Don't tell me that after fighting Blood Yin, he really ate Blood Yin using the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra... Ever since the Owner of the Underworld expressed support, all connections to Radiance Hall have been severed as well... Damn it. Every one of those from the Head Realm are strange and freakish...
Baek Woon hides her fear and confusion toward me behind a polite expression as she answers.
Seeing her like that, I feel a vague, inexplicable emotion rise in me, and I let out a chuckle.
According to what I've read in history, Baek Woon is about six million years old.
Looking back now, she too is still quite young.
"...Baek Woon, you've had several conflicts of opinion with us, haven't you?"
It was Baek Woon as well who tried to immediately gather all the Entering Nirvanas and annihilate us when I began to recite the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra.
—That lunatic, could it be he's planning to use that as justification to boil me down into a pill and eat me? I had a hunch since the moment he suddenly asked to brew tea using my leaves. So this is where this life ends... Even so, before I go, I'll burn those clueless Tall Tree Race fools who only pollinate into firewood before I leave.
"...I ask for forgiveness for failing to recognize the Great Immortal."
Baek Woon calmly accepts her death and bows her head before me, and I shake my head as I look at her.
"I am not trying to harm you. Though we had our disagreements, you have managed the Bright Cold Realm well as its Sacred Master, and you've shown us mercy on more than one occasion. Of course, there was the incident of you renaming the Bright Cold Realm and ruling it under the surveillance of Light, but...that was the will of Radiance Hall, something you could not defy it. So...I intend to show you mercy."
"...Pardon?"
At my words, a hint of joy appears in Baek Woon's eyes.
And seeing that, I offer her sincere advice.
"Enter the Underworld. I don't mean to die. Just stop pledging loyalty to Radiance Hall."
I explain to Baek Woon about the Splitting Heaven Mantra, and how in no more than a billion years, Mount Sumeru will be destroyed.
And...I tell her the true will of Radiance Hall.
"Th-That's..."
"The Radiance Eight Immortals will join hands with the Great Mountain Supreme Deity. In the end, extinction of those who follow the Immortal Cultivation system is their ultimate goal. You can't escape from that either. Normally, even if they had that kind of intent, you could have followed them for the sake of justice.
"After all, even if they have such a goal, achieving it would be endlessly far away with many obstacles to overcome. But if they join hands with the Great Mountain Supreme Deity, then the situation naturally changes."
"..."
"Mount Sumeru will truly be destroyed. For those who follow the Immortal Cultivation system, they will be destroyed whether they are evil or good. The Radiance Eight Immortals...simply believe that a being with emotions having great power is a violation of justice in itself."
I offer sincere advice to Baek Woon, who is, in her own way, our acquaintance.
Yu Oh of the Nether Ghost Realm and Hae Lin of the Ancient Force Realm, when it comes down to it, both belong to the Underworld.
The new Sacred Master of the True Devil Realm too, inevitably belongs to the Underworld...
I honestly don't know much about Ban Ta, but judging by how well he maintains his position as Sacred Master, he'd likely turn his heart to the Underworld if others advise him. Right now, the only Sacred Master still loyal to Radiance Hall is Baek Woon.
'Truthfully, it's not like she was fully on our side.'
Still, she has shown us mercy many times in her own way.
From the start, the position of Sacred Master is one that bestows grace upon all living beings of the Middle Realm after all.
All the good and joyful things that happened in the Bright Cold Realm took place under her governance, so I truly offer her my sincere advice.
Hearing my advice, Baek Woon nods gloomily with a serious expression.
"...Thank you for the advice."
"Thank you for accepting it."
I nod and rise from my seat.
"Well then..."
In response, my comrades also rise from their seats.
"Let's go. Toward the Outer Sea..."
Kwarururung!
Golden Shaking Bird, now one with the Great Desolate Path, turns into lightning and instantly engulfs the entire Bright Cold Realm in lightning.
Pabatt!
My comrades immediately leave the Bright Cold Realm, and I take a moment to look around.
The inner region of the Bright Cold Realm, the Human Race territory.
There, the grounds of the Azure Heaven Creation Sect in Azure Cold Island.
I gaze at that place for a long time.
Woo-woooong—
Ever since arriving in the Bright Cold Realm, I have replayed the history of the Azure Heaven Creation Sect site over and over again.
'...It's the same again.'
No matter how many times I replay the history, it's always the same.
'This time too, a [White Stag] took Azure Tiger Saint away.'
This time, it even happens earlier than when Azure Tiger Saint faces the Heavenly Tribulation.
Even so, he vanished, taken by a stag that suddenly appeared.
'No matter how far back I go into the past, that's not what matters.'
As I read through the history, I come to understand something.
'It's similar to Kim Young-hoon's True Attainment...or the previous Golden Body's ability.'
[A being from another timeline] intervening in the past [regardless of spacetime] and fixing the result.
In other words...
'As long as there exists someone who sends the [White Deer] from the future, it's impossible for me to save Azure Tiger Saint at this point in time.'
It's something that has been fixed as a kind of 'result'.
'Damn it...'
I can only feel frustrated not knowing who it is that sends that [deer].
'At the very least, it's not me.'
The white deer that saves Azure Tige Saint is a [white deer with magnificent antlers].
My Flower Soul Filling the Heavens right now is a [white stag without antlers].
It's not just the appearance that differs.
'The [heart] within that deer wasn't mine.'
Being able to read even hearts to some extent through history is the current me.
I can partially read the hearts of those from the past, and it is because I feel all too clearly that the heart within that deer is not some 'heart of my future self' that I feel frustrated.
'It was the heart of someone I've never seen before.'
It doesn't belong to any of my companions either, and because it's the heart of someone entirely unfamiliar, I cannot let my guard down.
'That unidentified being... Just why did they kidnap Azure Tiger Saint?'
I have no answer.
'Is it...the Future King?'
I bite my lip as I speculate about the one who abducted Azure Tiger Saint.
No matter how I think about it, the one who abducted Azure Tiger Saint across all time and space with an authority in the shape of a deer can only be explained as the Future King.
'If the heart isn't mine, and it belongs to a completely unknown being, yet still transcends spacetime...then it should be that.'
I look up at the sky and think quietly to myself.
'...Wait for me, O Fate. To save my master, I will definitely rise...all the way to the heavens.'
I will rise above the heavens and finally seize the hope that lies in our path ahead.
With that vow toward our future path, I turn around to activate the Salt Sea Returning Dew Jade.