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Chapter 693: Do Gon (屠乾)
The term Supreme Deity refers to those who wield the greatest authority under fate and history.
They live for near-eternal spans of time, and they may be sealed, but they do not easily die.
The only things that can kill them are themselves and their own fate.
And Do Gon, upon rising to become a Supreme Deity, saw their own fate.
Countless True Immortals, upon reaching True Immortality and seizing the Plane of Fate, believe they have seized fate, but that is a misunderstanding.
All True Immortals ultimately remain beneath fate. They may have grasped part of the Plane of Fate in their hands, but they can never be free from the flow of attraction force that courses through the entire world.
And the Governing Immortals, rulers of the True Immortals, who have transcended all the limits and boundaries of True Immortality, become the very flow of the great attraction force itself. Thus, they can perceive the great current flowing through the world.For this reason, when they reach the realm of Supreme Deity, they come to know what lies at the end of that vast flow—[their own end].
Governing Immortals usually call this predestined fate (宿命).
Predestined fate symbolizes their end, but at the same time, it protects them.
For until they face the opponent of their predestined fate, Supreme Deities do not die easily.
Therefore, there are only two ways to kill a Supreme Deity: either twist the current of fate itself to kill them, or uncover the predestined fate that exists within them and kill them through it. There is no third option. And trying to kill them without uncovering their predestined fate is an act close to impossibility.
And the end Do Gon saw was just one.
Among the Heavenly Kings, they were killed by the Red Pearl Heavenly King.
It is the future and fate that the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon saw, and it is also their predestined fate.
[Do you wish to find the way to desecrate predestined fate?]
The Great Mountain Supreme Deity appeared and asked Do Gon, who became a Supreme Deity.
Whether they wished to desecrate predestined fate.
Do Gon sought an answer from him.
[Tell me. What is the method to desecrate predestined fate?]
Seeking an answer from the Great Mountain Supreme Deity, they followed his instructions, joined hands with him, and did their utmost to defy and deceive their predestined fate.
'If I can, I will defy predestined fate and deceive it—so I may live forever.'
That was Do Gon's thought, and likely the thought shared by countless Supreme Deities besides them.
Of course, the Red Pearl Heavenly King is a being that arises endlessly, so each time an Ender appears and the Red Pearl Heavenly King awakens, Do Gon must endlessly desecrate the predestined fate again and again.
In truth, most predestined fates are of such a nature.
Even if one learns how to desecrate predestined fate and defy it once, predestined fate endlessly seeks out Supreme Deities.
Therefore, to confront predestined fate, they armed themselves with the Devilish alongside the Great Mountain Supreme Deity.
Wrapping themselves in Evil, the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity became despair itself and relentlessly tormented the Enders who could become the Red Pearl Heavenly King.
Then one day, the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity encountered someone who changed their thinking.
[Are you the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity?]
[You must be an Ender. Are you the Red Pearl Heavenly King designate?]
[Well, I don't know about that. But...there is something I wish to request of you.]
[Hoo, what is it? There will be a price, of course...]
[Bestow Heavenly Punishment upon me.]
[...What?]
[I am one who committed a great sin and came to this world... The weight of the sin I have committed is too much even for me to bear...]
That person kneeled before the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity and begged.
[Thus, I ask of you, O Owner of Heavenly Punishment. Cast your Heavenly Punishment...and lessen me of my sin...]
That was the first meeting between Vast Cold, who would later be called the Tridacna Vast Cold Heavenly King, and the Owner of Heavenly Punishment.
The Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity delivered endless Heavenly Punishment to Vast Cold, who pleaded for it themselves.
But, for some reason, even after receiving the Heavenly Punishment, they did not die.
The Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity used all their strength to kill them, yet they did not die.
No, it would be more accurate to say they could not die.
[As I thought... Even Heavenly Punishment cannot kill me...I just want it to end now...]
[What are you? Is Undying the authority you possess as an Ender?]
[No... My authority as an Ender is something else. My inability to die is not an authority, it is a curse...]
[A curse?]
[Yes, a curse gained from being stingy over a single cup of water... I thought I could wash away the curse by receiving Heavenly Punishment, but...was that impossible as well...]
Do Gon felt frustration as they looked upon Vast Cold, whom they could not kill.
That the Heavenly Punishment of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity could not absolve for sin?
Do Gon could not accept that truth.
Thus, Do Gon searched together with Vast Cold for a way to atone for Vast Cold's sin, and to find a way to kill them by casting tribulation upon Vast Cold, they journeyed throughout Mount Sumeru.
Over time, they grew closer to Vast Cold and became their friend.
Listening to the words of the prophet from Vast Cold's homeland, as described from Vast Cold's own mouth, made Do Gon reflect deeply.
And at some point, they came to fall for Vast Cold.
Not as the opposite gender, nor as the same gender—but Do Gon fell for their character, and the enlightenment they possessed.
And finally, when Vast Cold stood at the threshold of the Heavenly Lord advancement.
Do Gon completely changed their thinking.
No...
It would be more accurate to say they finally realized what they have always known but chose to ignore.
'I did not hate the Red Pearl Heavenly Kings. In truth, I...'
Through the truth they came to realize while being together with Vast Cold, Do Gon made a resolution.
Even if it is their predestined fate to be killed by the Red Pearl Heavenly King, they will no longer desecrate fate.
Thinking so, they gathered the remnants of the past Red Pearl Heavenly Kings, whom they killed until now, and created a banner.
Then they tore away a split soul and breathed it into the banner, becoming the Immortal Treasure of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon.
They decided that no matter when their predestined fate comes for them, they will no longer run from it.
So, when the predestined fate arrives, they planned to hand over this banner, made from the remnants of the past Red Pearl Heavenly Kings, as payment for the sins of killing them, and then die.
However, whether due to Do Gon's own power or the strength of the Red Pearl Heavenly Kings, another personality was born within the split soul infused in the Immortal Treasure, and before long, that split soul became an entirely separate existence.
Do Gon was taken aback at first, but they named the banner 'Zhengli' and cherished it like a daughter.
Even if the predestined fate comes one day to kill them, until then, they would savor every connection they can before death.
Thinking so, they watched over Vast Cold's growth.
But fate did not leave such a Do Gon alone.
Not long after making that resolution, Radiance Hall noticed the rebellious will inside Do Gon, and in the end, Do Gon and the Jade Pivot Forty-Eight Lightning Heavenly Great Immortals, along with the four thousand True Immortals under Do Gon, were all annihilated.
The Jade Pivot Forty-Eight Lightning Heavenly Great Immortals left behind a prophecy that they will be resurrected at Do Gon's side when Do Gon regains their authority, but that is something close to impossible.
All that remained for Do Gon was Zhengli, and even Vast Cold, after wiping out Radiance Hall, challenged the Future King and had their soul extracted—cast out of the Head Realm together with the other Immortal Lords.
Do Gon had to suppress their sorrow for tens of thousands of years, together with Zhengli.
And amidst that sorrow, they began to wish for one thing.
[I just...want it to all end now.]
Having lived for tens of billions of years as a Supreme Deity, they had come to know countless pleasures and joys, as well as pain.
Now, Do Gon was exhausted.
Fate continued to whip the Supreme Deities without rest, and all they wanted now was to vanish, to close their eyes and be freed from the whip of fate.
Having become a Supreme Deity and gaining the ability to sense the presence of the Future King, they understood.
Among all the Supreme Deities, the Future King paid particular attention to Do Gon.
They didn't know why.
But one thing was certain: now that they had caught the eye of the Future King, only pain awaited them.
Fate will continue trying to strip them of everything to bring them pain.
Just as it took away their subordinates, their Heavenly Domain, and their family.
Fate will continue to try to take Do Gon's family from them.
And Do Gon no longer...
...wanted to lose their family.
[When will my...predestined fate arrive?]
They waited endlessly for their predestined fate.
They hoped that before cruel fate separates Zhengli from them, they will be the one to close their eyes first, so that at least Zhengli may have a safe life and end.
And then, hundreds of thousands of years later, he appeared.
The Golden Divine Yang Su-jin.
The moment they saw him, Do Gon knew.
Yang Su-jin was their predestined fate, the one who will finally bring an end to Do Gon's long and longer life.
Thus, they arranged for Zhengli to reincarnate as someone close to Yang Su-jin, to be by his side.
And they hoped that one day, Yang Su-jin would become their predestined fate and come to kill them.
Sure enough, just as they hoped, Yang Su-jin grew rapidly.
Possessing the Heavenly Golden Thunder Body, he absorbed Do Gon's lightning at an overwhelming rate, grew stronger, grew closer to Zhengli, and through Zhengli, inherited Do Gon's Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation Immortal Art.
Do Gon rejoiced.
At last, someone who would put an end to them and treasure Zhengli had appeared.
That is what they believed.
Until Yang Su-jin dual cultivated with Zhengli.
The day Yang Su-jin and Zhengli first joined.
They saw Yang Su-jin erupt in fury like an evil spirit of slaughter.
Through the insight of a Supreme Deity, Do Gon instantly understood what had happened.
The countless traces of the Red Pearl Heavenly Kings within Zhengli flowed into Yang Su-jin through their dual cultivation.
[Do Gon!! Speak!]
Yang Su-jin shouted.
[Did you...intend to desecrate me as well!? Just like those countless others you toyed with before!?]
[That is correct.]
And Do Gon, full of joy, went along with his rhythm.
Now, through Zhengli, the Ender's beginning, development, twist, and conclusion surely had begun.
All that remained was for Yang Su-jin, having read the traces within Zhengli, to follow and grow stronger through the course of the Ender's progression, fly at Do Gon, and kill them.
Though Zhengli would be wounded, if Do Gon protects her, she wouldn't lose her life in the Ender's progression, and after Yang Su-jin, she would no longer be entangled with the Ender and be able to live a peaceful life.
That is what they believed.
Kwarung, kwarururung!
[I...I...loved you!]
Until they realized the one Yang Su-jin truly longed for was not Zhengli, but the very origin and main body of Zhengli—the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon.
Kwarururung—
Do Gon looks down at their chest.
Their body is restrained by Seo Eun-hyun and the Radiance Supreme Deity, and their spirit is being completely pierced and annihilated by the new predestined fate—
Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Seo Eun-hyun's power and Jeon Myeong-hoon's authority are erasing them.
'For a moment...I dreamed an old dream.'
While being erased, Do Gon gazes at Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Through a Supreme Deity's perception, they can tell.
Jeon Myeong-hoon, as he pierces through Do Gon, seems to read the memories buried deep within Do Gon's spirit.
Jeon Myeong-hoon looks back at them.
Kwarurururung!
As Do Gon vanishes, both they and Jeon Myeong-hoon arrive at a sea made of thunder and lightning.
Jeon Myeong-hoon, who both kills Do Gon and follows Do Gon's Immortal Dao, has reached the Seat of Heavenly Punishment.
[Did you read the memories?]
[...Yes.]
Jeon Myeong-hoon glares at Do Gon and speaks.
[Yang Su-jin... So that's what happened. To not kill you, he began to run away from you.]
Do Gon smiles bitterly.
[Yang Su-jin's Jin So-hae...wasn't Zhengli, but you.]
[...]
Do Gon suddenly feels as if they smell the scent of poppies.
The poppy, which shows illusions to those who consume it, was a flower Yang Su-jin especially favored.
Though Do Gon never understood it, they respected it.
When Zhengli and Yang Su-jin were together, Do Gon, whose split soul Zhengli originates from, quietly accompanied Yang Su-jin.
When Zhengli and Yang Su-jin held hands, Do Gon held that hand too.
When Yang Su-jin whispered sweet words to Zhengli, Do Gon heard those words too.
[Perhaps, I loved not only Yang Su-jin, but all the Red Pearls of the past.]
A truth they realized while with Vast Cold.
It was that they had always loved the Red Pearl Heavenly Kings.
Do Gon recalls the time when they became enthroned as a Supreme Deity.
They interpreted Heavenly Punishment as anger and made the Origin Essence of Heavenly Punishment their own.
Perhaps because they turned their own origin into anger itself, they created a fate where they could not help but be drawn to anger.
[How does it feel to have succeeded in revenge, Red Pearl?]
[...It makes me angry.]
Kururururung!
The Origin Essence of Heavenly Punishment is being dyed with Jeon Myeong-hoon's color.
As the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity steps down from the Seat of Heavenly Punishment, Jeon Myeong-hoon is ascending as the new Heavenly Lord of the Origin Essence of Heavenly Punishment.
[You are one who enjoyed everything that could be enjoyed, waited for Red Pearl in order to commit suicide, and then, unable to bear Yang Su-jin's love, made not only me and Zhengli...but all of us miserable.]
[Is that so?]
[This situation, where even if I kill you, it wouldn't mean I've defeated you...makes me so angry!]
[...]
Do Gon feels their body disintegrating.
[But...even so, not killing you would mean I can't have my revenge either...and so I am unable to do anything about it... That alone makes me so angry! So angry I could go mad!!]
Jeon Myeong-hoon shouts.
Kurururung!
The Sea of Heavenly Tribulation is now completely seized by Jeon Myeong-hoon's command and turns red.
Kwa-jijijijik!
And soon, the Sea of Heavenly Punishment begins to rise in reverse.
It begins to transform into a 'Divided Lightning Great Heavenly Rain (別雷大雨天)', identical to Jeon Myeong-hoon's inner world, where new lightning constantly fall without end.
Within the rain of lightning, Jeon Myeong-hoon speaks.
[So...say it. If there is any reason why I shouldn't now take revenge on your comrades...on your family, Zhengli and the Jade Pivot Forty-Eight Lightning Heavenly Great Immortals, then speak! Otherwise...I might thrust my spear of revenge even at your family!]
[...]
Then, Do Gon looks at Jeon Myeong-hoon and speaks.
[Take your revenge.]
[...What?]
[As much as you want, until your resentment is resolved...I said take your revenge.]
[You...]
[If that will release your knot, then I too can be at peace.]
Do Gon fades away while looking up at the sky.
[In the end, what is most hateful is the heavens, it is fate. Everything from us who are having this conversation, to me killing the Red Pearls, to you having your family massacred by me...is all the fault of fate. That is why, I want your knot to be released.]
[What do you...]
[Your fate is to rage. If you no longer rage, then perhaps you will be free from that fate.]
[...!]
As Do Gon crumbles into dust, they begin to pass on everything they have prepared to Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Kwarurururung!
Beginning with the Origin Essence of Heavenly Punishment, the authority to control all of the Jade Pivot Forty-Eight Lightning Heavenly Great Immortals, the ownership of Zhengli, and the countless powers the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity had concealed—everything begins to be transferred to Jeon Myeong-hoon.
[For you breaking free from the fate bestowed by the heavens...would be my ultimate act of vengeance against the heavens that oppressed us all...]
[...]
[We are all beings who have lived bound by the fate called anger. So then...to break free from that fate of rage, would that not be the greatest anger against the one who imposed it upon us?]
Jeon Myeong-hoon lowers his head.
There is much he wants to say.
Truly, there are so many things he wants to say.
He wants to pour out all his resentment to Do Gon.
But Do Gon simply entrusts everything to Jeon Myeong-hoon and chooses to close their eyes.
Just what should he say here?
Just what should Jeon Myeong-hoon do to truly take revenge on them?
Jeon Myeong-hoon ponders for an instant that feels like an eternity.
And at last, to Do Gon who is facing their final moment, Jeon Myeong-hoon opens his mouth.
[Then I will bring you back to life.]
[...Huh?]
[All the Jade Pivot Forty-Eight Lightning Heavenly Great Immortals who you've entrusted their lives to me for your sake...ended up being used by you. So to relieve at least their rage...I will bring you back. And...so that they can rightfully protest against you, I will reveal the whole truth.]
[...]
[You say the ultimate of revenge is breaking free from revenge? No, you can't escape the bridle of revenge. For forcing you back into that bridle...is the greatest revenge I can take. So, one day!]
Jeon Myeong-hoon shouts toward Do Gon.
[I will bring you back to life!!]
Do Gon looks at Jeon Myeong-hoon and smiles.
[...I've lost.]
They give a hollow laugh and close their eyes.
[For you...have already broken free from anger.]
Do Gon closes their eyes while looking at Jeon Myeong-hoon holding a golden shining spear.
'Are you watching, Yang Su-jin?'
They recall a person from long ago who overturned all fate in order to escape from anger.
'Your descendant...has escaped it splendidly.'
[It is...a perfect victory...for you all...]
In their eyes, countless Red Pearl Heavenly Kings, the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, and its founder, Yang Su-jin, are reflected.
'From the bridle that you and I...could not escape...'
And so, the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon fully closes their eyes, engulfed in a mix of hope that they will one day be resurrected, hollow resignation, and defeat.
The Nine Heavens Origin Responding Thunderous Sound Universal Transformation Great Emperor.
It is the end of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon.
And from the end of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, a new Owner of Heavenly Punishment begins to be born.
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