At first, it was simple curiosity toward the life born from only the most precious parts of Seo Eun-hyun and Kim Yeon—two beings she treasures deeply—coming together to form the most precious existence.
Then, when that life was conceived within Kim Yeon's womb, when it gained a body and a beating heart, the curiosity only grew stronger.
Because Seo Eun-hyun and Kim Yeon are both people whom Kang Min-hee loves dearly.
Perhaps the child inherited only the most lovable traits of both.
That's what she thought.
And on the day that child was born—
Kang Min-hee, seeing the child's eyes for the first time, suddenly thought:
'I want to be with this child...truly without any barriers.'
To put it simply, it was the feeling of 'wanting to get close'.
And as she watched the child grow, approaching the child with things like Jeongyeong Five Flowers and binding herself to the child.
She came to realize that the feelings she has for this child aren't just about wanting to be close.
'I see. I...'
She has come to love this child.
There are elements of love that cannot be defined solely by the concept of sexual affection.
And the 'love' Kang Min-hee feels toward the child is clearly a kind of love that cannot be judged by such elements.
She wants to be together.
She wants to see what the future holds.
She wants this child to be happy...
Carrying all those countless hopes, Kang Min-hee came to love the child.
Yes, perhaps...
Kang Min-hee began to think of this child as her own.
And maybe that is why...
When she heard Kim Yeon was going to abandon her body and return, she became so angry.
Whatever the case may be, she loves the child.
The child of Seo Eun-hyun, bearing the name of his old friend, 'Seo Ran'...
Sometimes like a mother, sometimes like a friend, sometimes like an adorable junior...
She loved her that way.
And when she first learned that Seo Ran has resolved herself to death—
At first, she didn't know how to face it.
But that confusion didn't last long.
'Ah...'
The moment she saw Seo Ran's eyes, she understood.
She knew what she must do for her.
Both Kim Yeon and Seo Eun-hyun are people Kang Min-hee likes.
So when she learned that the two like each other, she chose to step aside.
They are both people dear to her, and she didn't want anyone to be hurt because of her.
But...
She was never able to offer them her wholehearted congratulations at their wedding.
She was never able to truly wish for their happiness.
And so...
To the being who resembles only the most lovable parts of the two people she loves, she wanted to offer all the happiness she wasn't able to give them.
Kang Min-hee wished for Seo Ran to be happy.
And...
Watching Seo Ran awaken her Immortal Art and close her eyes, she came to fully understand what sorrow is.
Sorrow is a prison bar. A wall.
Yet at the same time, a wall also becomes a support for those who have climbed it.
As she parts with Seo Ran, she accepts the sorrow completely, and comes to understand that a being with a heart can also grow through sorrow.
The moment she fully realizes this, she becomes aware of a waterfall of power overflowing within her chest.
'This is...'
It is the sorrow of the Underworld.
A deep and even deeper sorrow.
Even the Underworld herself has overcome sorrow...
But the despair and grief brought by the gap between her and the Future King are so immense that even that is not enough. The Underworld's heart is filled with sorrow vast enough to overturn the world.
And Kang Min-hee realizes that through her enlightenment, she has finally reached the minimum standard to properly receive and use this sorrow.
'Ahhhh...'
Kugugugugugu!
A sorrow of incomprehensible magnitude bursts forth through Kang Min-hee.
And all that sorrow transforms into authority through her power.
Seo Eun-hyun's cultivation system that bloomed from Seo Ran.
Using that system as a medium, information about the Western Heaven Flower Field, sent by Seo Eun-hyun's group from the 'outside,' flows into her.
And the moment she realizes that—
'Bridle Creation.'
Using the overflowing sorrow as a medium, Kang Min-hee begins to create thousands of laws, launching a counter-erosion on the Western Heaven Flower Field.
She senses the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable being flustered, but it is useless.
Kugugugugung!
With the system completely broken through, and the authority being of a similar structure, it is possible to erode it from this side.
Moreover, the tool used for the erosion is none other than the sorrow of the Underworld.
The Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable tries to pull back the mantra of the Western Heaven Flower Field in panic, but perhaps the sorrow emitted by Kang Min-hee has driven the mantra insane as it no longer recognizes the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable or Kang Min-hee.
: : Now...the Western Heaven Flower Field is mine. : :
Kugugugugugu!
Having seized control of the Anti-Governing Immortal Technique, the Western Heaven Flower Field, she realizes she is ascending into a new being along with the power of her mantra.
At the final moment, the fireworks Seo Ran showed her flash before her eyes.
Kururung!
'I...'
As the absolute of sorrow becomes completely hers, she finally divine descents the power of her Origin Essence and rises to her feet.
Kugugugugugu!
Her mind, empowered by the absolute, transcends countless spacetime, and the memories of those countless versions of 'herself' from all those spacetime merge with her own...
She comes to know of Seo Eun-hyun's greatest secrets.
'I see, Seo Eun-hyun. You...'
Understanding Seo Eun-hyun's secrets, she at last engraves her name as a completely reborn being upon the world.
Lapis Lazuli Flower Heavenly King (琉璃花天王) Kang Min-hee.
Tsuaaaaaah—
Kang Min-hee watches Seo Ran's fate and soul fade away into some pale pink space in the far distance.
Perhaps because it realized it is the power of the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord, it is heading into a space that only the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord can enter.
It seems neither Seo Eun-hyun nor Kim Yeon can enter that space. Even they can only look from afar.
Kang Min-hee slowly walks between the two and gently caresses Seo Ran's aura.
: : Someday...if there is a cause and connection, let's meet again. : :
At Kang Min-hee's words, Seo Ran's fate hums and resonates, deciding on a certain emotion.
And at that single expression of emotion, Kang Min-hee smiles brightly.
Because that emotion is anticipation.
: : Someday...we'll meet again, won't we, Ran-ah? : :
Kim Yeon gently strokes Seo Ran and asks with tender affection, and from Seo Ran's soul, the emotion of affirmation appears.
Kim Yeon's face brightens at that answer.
Lastly, Seo Eun-hyun places his hand upon Seo Ran's fate-soul.
: : I'm sorry...for naming you Seo Ran. If you carry the memories of Su In and Hong Yeon, that name must not be pleasant. : :
At his apology, filled with remorse, Seo Ran's fate-soul Transforms.
It is the form of Seo Ran, made of a faint, soft light.
Fully manifesting in the appearance she had when she lived as a human, she slowly strokes Seo Eun-hyun's cheek.
That gesture seems to say...'it's okay'.
Watching this, Seo Eun-hyun sheds a single tear.
: : Next time too...will you be our child? : :
Woo-woooong!
Seo Ran's fate-soul turns into a single strand of light and briefly touches Seo Eun-hyun's forehead.
It is as if Seo Ran is embracing Seo Eun-hyun.
: : Yeah... Thank you. : :
And as if that single embrace has given him the answer he wished for, Seo Eun-hyun smiles as he watches Seo Ran, In and Yeon, slowly get drawn into the alternate space of Vast Cold.
Seo Eun-hyun, Kim Yeon, and Kang Min-hee all stand still for a while, watching the lingering trace of that space.
And then, they begin moving again.
Because there is still work left to be done.
: : You've devoured Western Heaven, Kang Min-hee. : :
: : That's right : :
: : Then can you locate the coordinates of Sal Tree? : :
: : ...As much as needed. : :
Kugugugugu!
Kang Min-hee traces the history of the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable remaining within the Western Heaven Flower Field and accurately pinpoints the coordinates of the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable in the Outer Sea.
: : I'm connecting it. : :
Authority, Bridle Creation.
Clang!
As Kang Min-hee extends her hand, thousands of chains created from her stretch forth into the depths of the chaotic sea.
At the ends of those chains are the coordinates of the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable that Kang Min-hee just fixed.
: : I've captured Sal Tree. : :
Kang Min-hee speaks, perceiving the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable being caught in her bridle.
Seo Eun-hyun nods at her words.
: : Song Jin, how long until the scheduled time? : :
: : It is around half a day. : :
It seems that while Kang Min-hee and Seo Ran were trapped, time had flowed a bit differently, as the Nether Treading Ship is already nearing the boundary of Cakravāda.
: : Kang Min-hee, can you hold on for long? : :
: : Of course. : :
Kang Min-hee smiles as she begins converting the immeasurable sorrow pouring out from the Underworld into authority.
: : I can hold him for a thousand years. Just say the word. : :
Kugugugugu!
And a short while later, the Nether Treading Ship arrives at a strange space.
If the previous Outer Sea was a sea of chaos, then the place they reach this time is a world of nothingness.
A faintly glowing white world with literally nothing in it.
And there—
: : Welcome, Seo Eun-hyun. And...Red Pearl Cycling Heavenly King. Lapis Lazuli Flower Heavenly King. : :
They finally meet the incarnation of the Heavenly Venerable of Time, who has been waiting for them.
: : I'd like to share a conversation, but it seems you are a bit busy. : :
: : That's right. : :
: : Then let us exchange greetings a little later. : :
They quickly exchange wills, then gaze beyond the chains where the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable is caught.
: : Oh Hye-seo! : :
Immediately after.
Oh Hye-seo's power and the Wheel simultaneously activate.
Authority.
Truth Manipulation.
Authority.
History Rewrite!
Clang!
At that very instant, the ends of the chains instantly shift positions, and the locations of Kang Min-hee and Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable switch.
The Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable appears within the arena, and Jeon Myeong-hoon thrusts his lightning spear and activates his authority.
Authority.
Causality Induction!
Kwarurururung!
The authority that creates and gifts the desired reality in proportion to what they suffered activates,
And the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable screams.
: : Stab. Lightning-Tipped Spear. : :
Kwaarurung!
Jeon Myeong-hoon's Lightning-Tipped Spear, carrying the power of Causality Induction, impales the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable as if pinning him to the spot.
Tsuuaaah—
Immediately after, Kang Min-hee returns to her position by utilizing the power of Bridle Creation.
: : Finally...we meet face to face again. : :
Seo Eun-hyun lets out a sigh as if he's disturbed and extends his hand toward the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable.
When they were sailing from the Nether Crossing Ship, Sal Tree eroded them from a distance through the mantra of the Western Heaven Flower Field and fired off prophecies from a distance that were too tricky to respond to, making direct engagement nearly impossible.
But now,
With Kang Min-hee having reverse-eroded the Western Heaven Flower Field, and using it as the coordinate, they have dragged the Sal Tree here.
'If he is right in front of me, I can deal fatal blows as much as I want.'
Recalling this fact, Seo Eun-hyun surrounds the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable.
Thus, the incarnation of the Heavenly Venerable of Time.
The Red Pearl Cycling Heavenly King.
The Lapis Lazuli Flower Heavenly King.
The Four Enders below them, Seo Eun-hyun wielding a Supreme Deity-level Immortal Treasure, and White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus—
Face off against the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable.
The Heavenly Venerable Battle begins.