Kugugung!
A great shock spreads through the Radiance Spirit Ship.
It is a shock that anyone can feel.
"Hmm..."
Esteemed Ones Baek Jin and Baek Eun let out low voices.
'Of all times, why does something troublesome have to happen when Baek Geom is away...?'
Baek Geom is in a state assumed to be possessed by a Heaven Immortal.
Thus, as long as she is present, they do not have to worry no matter what danger arises.
"The shock arose from the lower deck. Moreover, this wave is..."
"It is not of the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain. Perhaps a True Immortal of another Heavenly Domain has intervened..."
"Since we are in transit, it is troublesome to request aid from the Law Protecting Immortal..."
After some discussion, the two beings realize that in the present situation, they can only block it with their own strength.
"But since we are in lightspeed navigation, it is difficult for us to go directly. If the navigation stops suddenly, the Radiance Spirit Ship will be smashed apart."
"Kngh...it cannot be helped. We must lend a hand and tell the disciples to block it. Whether those brats can hold it back..."
"It is not such a strong wave."
"Complacency is forbidden. If the one who acted is of True Immortal rank...even if the power seems weak, who knows what unpredictable tricks may be used..."
"Even if we worry, there is nothing we can do. Let us suppress the wave for now, and entrust the handling of it to the disciples."
"...So be it."
Baek Eun and Baek Jin, each taking the stern and the bow of the Radiance Spirit Ship, simultaneously form hand seals.
Their seals become a white radiance that blocks the strange phenomenon arising beneath the ship from spreading and suppresses the power of the phenomenon.
Soon after, the voices of the two Esteemed Ones spread throughout the entire Radiance Spirit Ship.
[To all disciples of the Radiance Spirit Sect, heed this. At present, in the lower deck of the Radiance Spirit Ship, in the Mu (戊) sector, an abnormal phenomenon has occurred. We have taken measures, so there is no great danger, but as we have only suppressed its power, the phenomenon must be eliminated within a short time. Disciples who aid in dispelling the abnormal phenomenon will each be granted Sacred Light (聖光) in accordance with their merit.]
At the voices of the Esteemed Ones, the whole Radiance Spirit Ship becomes noisy.
"Sacred Light...?"
"Hmm, it seems even the Esteemed Ones are pressed for time. Sacred Light, huh..."
Seo Gyeong tilts his head as if puzzled, and Wol Ryeong touches his cheek and explains.
"They say Sacred Light is one of the dharma treasures mainly used by those who are Esteemed Ones and above. It is the condensed power of light that the Esteemed Ones can wield, and since its form is ever-changing, it can be used in many ways."
"...How do you know that? Nobody taught me."
"Hm? Well, usually you learn it from fairy tales or basic knowledge books from when you are four or five years old. In most sects or clans, if you learn as a child, it is impossible not to know..."
Wol Ryeong looks down at Seo Gyeong with puzzlement, and he gives an awkward smile as he points toward beneath the deck.
"Anyway, Wol Ryeong, are you going to go?"
"Of course I will."
Wol Ryeong nods vigorously.
'To grant Sacred Light...!'
It is like granting a Core Formation cultivator's dharma treasure to a Qi Building cultivator.
Granting an Integration cultivator's Refining Void Dharma Treasure to a Nascent Soul cultivator.
Like Granting a True Immortal's winged garment to a Sacred Vessel Sacred Master.
'Being able to use a massive lump of power that even Quasi-Immortals and Esteemed Ones use, from the Four-Axis stage onward.'
That experience will be useful even after becoming an Esteemed One.
Seo Gyeong, watching Wol Ryeong, also grasps a sense of what this Sacred Light is.
'I see, so it is like the Immortal Crowns of the Radiance Supreme Deity that all the True Immortals of Radiance Hall use...only a degraded version.'
In the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, when one becomes an Esteemed One, one is granted a small star. In the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain, it seems one is granted a strand of Sacred Light.
When one nurtures and cultivates this Sacred Light well, once reaching the True Immortal rank, it naturally evolves into the Immortal Crown of Radiance.
Wol Ryeong takes Seo Gyeong down below the deck, sets him down, and descends into the sector spoken of by the Esteemed Ones.
Already, several Integration stage senior brothers and senior sisters are positioned there, and Wol Ryeong, standing at their center, gazes at the massive mountain of coral that is emitting ominous ripples.
That mountain of coral made of glass, with its countless sharp and pointed edges...
Looks like a sword mountain.
Shiver!
Wol Ryeong feels goosebumps rise over her whole body.
'It is that Mountain Divine Spirit again.'
She thinks the Divine Spirit of Sword Mountain is spewing some kind of malice around her.
It is then,
[Wo, Wol Ah...]
A voice calling her childhood name echoes from somewhere.
Since she still has not gotten used to the name Wol Ryeong, she flinches when she hears it.
Uduk, udududuk!
The coral mountain of glass begins to move.
Kugugugugu!
"I-It's moving!"
"Suppress it with Integrated Dao Domains!"
The Radiance Spirit Sect's Integration stage disciples rush to spread their Integrated Dao Domains, forming a sealing formation that engulfs the coral mountain, but soon an enormous roar explodes out.
[ D O N O T I N T E R F E R E !!!!!!!! ]
Dudududududu!
The monstrous roar filled with dreadful resentment tears apart the Integrated Dao Domains of the Integration stage Grand Cultivators all at once, and ruptures the nearby space.
Shwikak!
Wol Ryeong cuts down the aftershock of that roar with sharp sword energy, her eyes gleaming.
'Dangerous.'
Wol Ryeong has not learned any special methods.
The only method she has learned is the Radiance Spirit Sword Formula, a Core Formation method she received when she first entered the Radiance Spirit Sect.
Even what she had learned before in the Wol Clan, the Radiance Formula, is nothing more than a basic method widely spread throughout the whole Heavenly Domain.
Yet, even though she has not learned any special method, she reinterpreted the Radiance Spirit Sword Formula, creating her own specialized method and advancing her cultivation through the succeeding realms.
Chuaaaatt!
Based on the Radiance Spirit Sword Formula, Wol Ryeong's own innate law formula spews out light, placing a sword of radiance in her hand.
'Light is a sword.'
She knows well the sharpness that light holds.
How to refine light into sharpness, how to wield light as a weapon—such knowledge gushed up in her mind like a flood from the very moment she first learned the method.
[Wol Ah!!!!!]
Kugugugugugu!
While receiving attacks from the other Integration cultivators, a massive body rises within a section of the Radiance Spirit Ship.
It is a monster.
The monster whose entire body is formed of blade-like glass coral looks down at Wol Ryeong, glass-colored flames bursting from its eyes.
[Guaaaaaaaaagh!!!]
Kugugugung!
The monster, locking eyes with Wol Ryeong, immediately charges at her with a body slam.
If not for the Integration stage senior brothers and senior sisters restraining it, she would have been smashed to death by that single charge.
'Let's trust in the senior brothers and senior sisters.'
Gripping the sword of radiance, Wol Ryeong's eyes shine, trusting the Integration stage senior brothers and sisters who are twisting their Integrated Dao Domains into binding ropes that tie the monster's body.
'I do not need much.'
Woo-woong!
The sword of radiance floats into the void, becoming a flying sword.
Wol Ryeong imbues her will into the flying sword.
'Just a single strike.'
Only, that one strike must contain the Dao.
Though separated from her body, Wol Ryeong feels the unity of body and sword with the flying sword.
Unifying her mind and body with the flying sword, forging her entire will into that one strike, Wol Ryeong releases the flying sword.
Woo-woong—
The flying sword is slow.
But everyone present can sense it.
If this flying sword grows one day...
It will become a dreadful strike capable of tearing apart even Upper Immortals in a single blow.
"Sword (劍), Dao (道)...!"
Tsuaaaaat!
Since it is still incomplete, the name is not yet complete, but Wol Ryeong utters the first words of the ultimate technique's name in advance and unfolds the sword formula.
And, at that very moment—
Jjeoeeeeong!
Wol Ah's flying sword pierces through the core of the monster, shattering its body into pieces.
Kugugugugu!
The monster's body collapses.
"Huuu..."
Only then does Wol Ryeong also release the tension she unknowingly held tight within her body.
'It was only a technique I imagined, but as expected, it worked well.'
This technique will likely continue to be refined, until it eventually becomes her genuine ultimate technique.
And she will not be content with just that.
'If I go beyond simply making it my ultimate technique, and instead fill the heavens with it...? If I create a Sword Rain...?'
If that happens, she may be able to destroy even an entire world with a single strike.
While she is immersed in that vision of the future—
[Wol Ah!!! Why me!!?? Why are you attacking meeeeee!!??]
Kwarururung!
From within the remains of the Glass Mountain, a monster whose whole body has become charcoal emerges.
Though its size is now human-scale and smaller than the previous giant form, the menace it exudes is of considerable degree.
And above all, it is fast.
'Huh...?'
Wol Ryeong, having poured everything into the ultimate technique and now exhausted, can only barely move her body in response to the monster charging at her.
Woo-woong!
She squeezes out the last of her strength and forms a radiance halberd out of light.
After swords, what she handles best is the halberd or spear.
Kaang!
Her radiance halberd collides with the monster's hand.
The monster's hand has transformed into a massive glass sword, and the pressure it carries is immense.
[Wol Ah! I love you! Please accept my heart! Wol Ah, love me. Look at me. Be mine. Hehe, hehehuhuhuhuhehe...!]
Kaang, kaang, kaang!
The other Integration stage senior brothers and sisters also seem exhausted, for they only cast simple spells and none use attraction force directly to assist.
Seizing that gap, the charcoal monster dodges all their spells and attacks while continuing to pressure Wol Ah.
'What level of skill is this...?'
Wol Ah realizes that each and every sword strike unleashed from the monster embodies profound principles of the Sword.
It is clearly a monster with faint reason, so how can it possess such overwhelming sword enlightenment?
Her talent immediately finds the answer again.
'This is not its own insight.'
It is borrowing enlightenment.
Wol Ryeong swings her halberd to block the monster's sword strike, her eyes shining.
Tsuaaaat!
The world grows silent.
It is as if only she and the monster before her exist in this world.
She senses countless flows from both the monster and herself.
The results of countless movements emanates from them, and suddenly—
Reading those lines, she notices that two distinct flows are emerging from the monster.
The two flows are so intricately overlapped that if not for her eyes, anyone else would have missed them.
'Those two flows...'
Tststststs—
Wol Ryeong's eyes gleam as she grips her halberd.
'I will split them apart and tear them away separately.'
If she does so, then these bizarre sword strikes unleashed by the charcoal monster will all lose their path.
A world of hyper-concentration where everything stands still.
To True Immortals it is daily life, but to mortals it is an endlessly distant world of darkness. To that world, Wol Ryeong takes a step.
Tsuaaaat!
The sound of water splitting is heard.
Her halberd transcends all laws for an instant, surpassing the plane through pure enlightenment alone.
Beyond the Plane of Qi, into the Plane of Soul.
And further still...
Her spear reaches the essence of the Plane of Soul—Void.
In that instant, it slices directly between the two flows emanating from the charcoal monster.
Shuwaaak!
Then, she opens her eyes wide once more.
'This, this place...'
Hwarurururuk!
All of Heaven and Earth burns with glass-colored flames.
And before her stands a giant of mist, seated upon a Glass Sword Mountain as their throne.
It is impossible to clearly perceive its form, but instinctively, she knows that she must not perceive it properly.
: : Child of Light. Do you still not desire power? : :
"...I know who you are. I dare not borrow power from an evil god like you."
: : You say you cannot borrow my power... Haha, amusing words for one most closely aligned with my power. I wonder how long such hypocrisy will last. : :
"..."
Wol Ryeong does not answer. She lowers her eyes, avoiding its gaze.
: : Child of Light, I shall watch over your journey. Through you, I shall leave behind what I desire. : :
Words beyond comprehension.
That one sentence, appearing like a prophecy, leaves her unable to respond.
And right after—
Tsuuaaaaat!
She returns to reality and opens her eyes wide again.
'Damn it, that cursed Mountain Divine Spirit...!'
In that brief moment of conversation with the Mountain Divine Spirit—
Within that moment, she succeeded in severing the 'connection' between the Mountain Divine Spirit and the charcoal monster.
However...
'I haven't yet finished off the charcoal monster...'
Even though the connection is cut, the charcoal monster still charges toward her, spewing countless glass swords from its body.
[Become! One with me! Wol Ah!!!]
A fleeting instant not enough to even draw back her halberd of radiance.
Pukwak!
"...Eh?"
In that fleeting instant, another sword of radiance pierces into the charcoal monster's forehead.
She knows who the owner of that radiance sword is.
She recognizes the fluctuation of that spiritual power.
"Seo, Seo Gyeong...?"
It is Seo Gyeong, standing behind her with an oddly apologetic expression.
The monster, its head impaled by Seo Gyeong's sword, finally collapses, its strength exhausted.
Tsuaaaaaaah!
The charcoal covering the monster vanishes, and from within, the face of Ju Ho, the disciple of the Radiance Spirit Sect, is revealed.
Those who know him rush to his side, and Wol Ryeong, recalling that she has seen him somewhere before, gazes with bitter eyes.
"...Thank you, Seo Gyeong."
"No need, Wol Ryeong. It's just what fellow disciples should do."
Seo Gyeong speaks awkwardly, then slowly walks over to close the disciple's eyes.
"...Go in peace. May your next life be a little more peaceful."
As she watches Seo Gyeong, Wol Ryeong feels that despite his youthful appearance, there's an inexplicable maturity about him.
'...What is this...?'
And as she sees this unexpected side of Seo Gyeong, Wol Ryeong feels a strange ripple stir within her chest.
Thus ends the incident aboard the Radiance Spirit Ship.
Esteemed Ones Baek Jin and Baek Eun commend Wol Ryeong and the Integration stage disciples, and even Baek Geom, who later joins them, rarely acknowledges Wol Ryeong's contribution.
"Not bad. I saw from afar as well, and it seems you have at least grasped a foundation that can be passed down to."
At Baek Geom's cold praise, Wol Ryeong's whole body tingles and soars, only to cool down again when she sees Baek Geom looking for Seo Gyeong.
Wol Ryeong, the Integration stage cultivators who distinguished themselves during this incident, and Seo Gyeong, all receive shards of the special dharma treasure 'Sacred Radiance' from Baek Jin and Baek Eun, using them to grow strong their abilities.
All the other disciples praise them.
At the same time, they secretly harbor jealousy.
And...
Within the bridle of jealousy and inferiority, a certain shadow begins to seek them out.
"P-Power...I want...power..."
"You...desire power, I see."
Seo Gyeong takes out a white powder from his robe and pours it into the mouth of a cultivator in the Heavenly Being stage.
The cultivator, who appears as an old man with hair turned completely white, despite his aged appearance, grins foolishly and rolls his eyes back as he eats the salt powder.
"Ugh, uuuuugh...good... This is...good..."
Hwarurururuk!
At the same time, a strong Glass True Fire surges from the Heavenly Being cultivator's body and injects enlightenment directly into his mind.
Though the outward appearance when receiving enlightenment may seem a bit disturbing, they are excellent realizations without any side effects.
"Good. Since I drew attention, I was able to leave behind more traces. More than anything...because my trace rampaged once, I can now draw power and influence directly from the main body without raising suspicion. Excellent."
Muttering to himself, Seo Gyeong walks along a shadowed corridor and speaks toward one of the shadows cast by his figure.
"Are preparations proceeding well, Yu Hwi, Ham Jin?"
Tstststst—
At that moment, massive figures emerge from within the shadow and bow their heads behind Seo Gyeong.
[Yes, Lord. Once you arrive in the Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain, the followers are set to act simultaneously.]
[Just give the order, Teacher.]
"Good... It relieves me to know the preparations are going well. However, do not grow complacent yet."
Seo Gyeong looks up at the eastern section of the Radiance Spirit Ship, where he lives with Pal Jin, Wol Ah, and others, his eyes glinting.
"For truly unimaginable numbers of eyes are watching the next Sword Spear candidate."
Continuing his secretive conversation with the even more secretive shadows, Seo Gyeong walks further along the shadowed corridor.
At last, more than ten years pass, and the Radiance Spirit Ship arrives at the Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain.
A stellar system of the Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain, the Gi Jin Realm.
The most powerful force there, the Gi Clan, welcomes the people of the Radiance Spirit Sect.
"Greetings, Esteemed Ones of the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain. I am Gi Yeon, the current head of the Gi Clan. While the Esteemed Ones and disciples of the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain carry out your subjugation campaign in the Earth Boundary Heavenly Domain, we of the Gi Clan will do everything we can to accommodate you."
Dressed in a light pink palace attire, the head of the Gi Clan wears a gentle expression as they bow to the members of the Radiance Spirit Sect.