Thud—
Hon Jin takes a step and assumes a posture with one hand extended.
That stance, which also looks like a stance to deliver a palm strike, is the basic stance of the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique.
And, seeing that posture, I take the basic sword form, the middle guard stance, and with the Youth Samsara Sword Method, I summon a radiance sword and grip it in my hand.
After we first assume our sparring stances, a brief stillness envelops the arena.
My eyes and Hon Jin's eyes meet.
And then, my pre-emptive strike begins.
Shikak!
Wrapping attraction force around my sword, the sword momentum fired at Hon Jin directly warps the surrounding dimension and drives thrusts into various parts all over his body.
And in the next moment, I notice that small symbols of the Five Elements appear at every place I thrust and block my sword momentum.
'He saw this.'
His eyes have improved.
This is not something achievable with a mere consciousness domain.
The sword strike I unleashed looks simple, but it contains the principle of Martial Pinnacle.
'I'll go faster.'
Our gazes exchange for a fleeting instant, and in that moment two sword strikes simultaneously fly toward Hon Jin.
It is not that I split one sword strike into two, nor that I use a feint.
Chuaaaat!
A slash that no one in this arena can perceive.
Within spacetime itself, 'two' actions overlap, and slashes fly simultaneously from both right and left.
If the first left slash is a slash simply sent forth, the right slash is a slash hurled by transcending spacetime.
'If you exceed light speed, you can reach the past.'
Recently, by combining the principle of the Radiance Mantra, the abilities of Immortal Beasts, and the divine art Kim Young-hoon once displayed, I succeeded in implementing a slash that, if only for an instant, can return to the past.
'From the future to the past.'
By surpassing superluminal speed, I twist causality and cause the actions of two strikes to exist at the same time.
'Using the foundational principle of the Radiance Mantra, I transcend light!'
Chuaaaat!
It is still an imperfect technique that needs much experimentation.
Even so, this is the technique of I, who reached Martial Pinnacle.
Even though I control the power to an extremely delicate degree, if you cannot see it, you cannot block it.
And in a fleeting instant.
Hwoong—
The energy of Yin and Yang appears at Hon Jin's left and right and naturally blocks the two strikes.
Kwaching—
However, no matter how large the consciousness domain is, it is a single consciousness.
Even if it is the energy of Yin and Yang, perhaps it is unavoidable that power leans ever so slightly more to one side. The two slashes dig persistently into the weaker side among them, break through the defense, and reach Hon Jin's body.
Kaaaang!
The Integrated Dao Domain's dimensional veil wrapped around Hon Jin's body blocks my radiance sword.
However, in the end he endures only by relying on the Integration stage weight class. If I was in the late Four-Axis stage, Hon Jin's body would have been cut in half.
Up to here, these are very brief instant exchanges.
On the surface, it would look like the old Hon Jin and I, a fresh green fledgling, trading a few swings.
In truth, through Indra's Net, most of the inner thoughts of the Grand Cultivators flowing in are them swallowing dry laughs, and most of them are seen to pay no attention to our spar.
Here, the only ones who come to their senses and watch us are Gol Maek and Wol Ryeong.
With senses that have reached the Quasi-Star Shattering stage, Gol Maek barely keeps up with, then loses, then catches up to the exchanges between Hon Jin and me, and strains to glimpse the hidden side concealed within our exchange, while Wol Ryeong, though unable to sense or see anything, feels that 'there is something' and glares with eyes blazing in an effort to figure it out.
'Remarkable talents.'
But in this world, there are realms that cannot be reached by talent alone.
That is why the Radiance Hall does not simply raise its future Eight Immortals candidates by letting them breathe idly in their subordinate sects, but sends them to the Middle Realms to accumulate various experiences.
"Integrated Dao Domain..."
With a trembling voice, Hon Jin clasps his hands together and unfolds his Integrated Dao Domain.
"...Island of Taiji Great Dust Within Fierce Winds (太極大塵居烈風島)."
His Integrated Dao Domain unfolds in a very peculiar way.
Instead of covering the surroundings with a dimensional veil, he tempers the Integrated Dao Domain like a sharp blade between his clasped hands, then breathes out a shout and sends the tempered Integrated Dao Domain flying at me.
Outwardly, it only looks like he is sending out a thin thread-like line, but in truth, he is compressing the Integrated Dao Domain itself into a single blade and sending it forth.
As expected, the only one who notices this method is Gol Maek, and Wol Ryeong, though unable to even discern its identity, thinks that it's 'amazing' and gapes with her mouth open.
'I originally intended to hold back in case Wol Ryeong suspects my identity, but...'
I smile faintly at Hon Jin and begin tempering the radiance sword taught by Sword Spear until it becomes endlessly transparent.
'But in front of him, I cannot.'
I must show at least a fraction of my true skill.
The dimensional slash compressed from the Integrated Dao Domain itself has a powerful suction force, so it is absolutely unavoidable at close range.
Furthermore, though it appears to be fired separately from Hon Jin, because it is still connected to him through the domain, it will pursue even if I dodge, and fuse even if I cut.
Cheok—
I raise my now colorless sword and assume a thrusting stance.
'I will sever the connection.'
I will thrust through the gap of that blade and aim for Hon Jin beyond.
Shukwak!
The thrust at extreme speed instantly pierces through the gap in the dimensional slash and seeks Hon Jin's heart beyond.
The moment it touches the heart, it will scatter through all of Heaven and Earth and grind Hon Jin's body apart.
But immediately after, Hon Jin instantly recalls the dimensional slash he had fired at me, compresses it into a single point, and with that one point blocks my thrust.
Kwaaang!
But it is not enough to just block that thrust, as he is driven back all the way to the very edge of the go stone we rose upon.
"Hmm...when will this end...?"
"Grand Cultivator Hon, haha... He seems to be having a hard time."
"Still, to think someone who was once even called the strongest of the Human Race is now..."
From the Human Race Grand Cultivator Association flows opinions of pity toward Hon Jin.
The spar between me and Hon Jin is exceedingly dry.
Unlike others, it is not flamboyant, and only restrained methods are used, and each and every strike is of levels that transcend imagination, so there are not many who can even recognize them.
The only ones present who shudder are three.
Hon Jin himself, receiving ceaseless teachings as he faces me.
Gol Maek, straining to glimpse my teachings no matter what.
And Wol Ryeong, though unable to even discern what is happening, with talent alone unconsciously senses the value of our exchange and trembles.
Kang, kang!
Our monotonous exchange continues.
And within that monotonous exchange, our duel gradually ascends to a metaphysical dimension.
Kwaquagwang!
Hon Jin unleashes a palm strike with the power of explosion, from within which he mixes dozens of nets of Five Elements and lightning.
Shwikak!
With the barest of motions, I cut that strike, evade the aftershock, and try to counterattack, but in that instant Hon Jin, hiding behind his own attack, thrusts with both palms.
Kwaaang!
The power of Taiji dwelling in his hands seizes my Qi and blood, twists and entangles the Taiji of my entire body, and tries to rupture all my spirit veins.
Hwooo—
With a single breath I try to neutralize the Taiji and expel Hon Jin's Taiji settling in my spirit veins, but at the same time, the Taiji resonates with the Five Elements spiritual energy and tries to tear my whole body apart.
"Splitting Emperor."
A terrifying strike that rends the opponent's entire body spreads within me from the inside out.
'He fused the Taiji Quaking Lightning Body and the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique!?'
I realize what Hon Jin has done and let out a hollow laugh.
Shikagak!
But in an instant, I concentrate the attraction force of the Four-Axis stage into a single point to suppress the power of the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor, and I carry that rebound into my sword to counterattack Hon Jin.
An old Grand Cultivator and a young cultivator, in a way unfit for people called cultivators, stick close and engage in close combat.
There are no grand visual effects of great spells, and the spells we unfold are all colorless, formless, and traceless, so they are not that flashy.
On the surface, it looks simply like an old man and a little kid grappling in a messy brawl.
Yet within it, I am able to converse with Hon Jin.
My lips flick into movement.
Seeming to have learned lip-reading, Hon Jin reads it and smiles.
—You have grown a lot. Yeon Jin.
Hon Jin.
My old friend who inherited the position of Penglai Palace Lord from Hon Won, and inherited the Hon surname to become 'Hon Jin'.
—It has been a long time since I was called by that name. It is good to see you again, Elder Seo Eun-hyun.
—Hahaha...
I smile faintly as I trade blows with Hon Jin.
By now, some Grand Cultivators grow drowsy and even fall asleep or enter meditation.
Each blow boasts immense might that crosses dimensions and planes, but because the moves are so high-level, they, instead, fail to notice.
—Why have you not risen to the Star Shattering stage? At this level...you would have been more than able to reach the Star Shattering stage.
I wonder why Yeon Jin has not risen to the Star Shattering stage.
Why is it that, despite having the skill to trade hands with me, he 'does not' rise to the Star Shattering stage?
Unlike Gol Maek, who is merely at the Quasi-Star Shattering stage in weight class only, he fulfills all the conditions to rise to the Star Shattering stage. Why does he still deliberately remain here and grow old?
Immortal Art Various Omens—Rain, Sunlight, Heat, Cold, Wind, Time.
Every formula is mixed into each of Yeon Jin's moves.
It is an application of the Immortal Art in a different dimension when compared to the one called Do Ryeok.
And above all...
Watching Yeon Jin's gaze gradually brighten, to see to what level his eyes have reached, I, for an instant so that no one notices, deliver a faint strike at the speed of True Immortals.
But the next moment,
Chuaaaaat!
It is only a brief instant, yet I see a character clearly engraved in Yeon Jin's eyes, and I smile.
—So you have brought the Supervisory Eye within your grasp as well.
—...To reach you again...I devoted my whole life to this.
Supervisory Eye.
An eye that opens only when a mountain divine spirit directly lends power to a being who inherits the power of a mountain divine spirit.
Among all eye arts at or below the Entering Nirvana stage, that eye is the highest-level eye art, and it is an overwhelming spiritual eye that surpasses all those eye arts.
Hon Won, too, once obtained the spiritual eye when the Great Mountain Supreme Deity granted the Supervisory Eye to him in order to watch over the Enders.
However...
Yeon Jin, by his own power, devoted his whole life to trace back along Penglai Palace's Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique in order to reach the Mountain Gods at its origin.
It is similar to Heavenly Venerables.
It is the difference between the Three Heavenly Venerables who borrow the power of the Absolute from the True Emperor, and the Underworld who, by their own power, divine descents the power of the Absolute.
—Like the Mountain God who toyed with the fates of Hon Won and ancestor Yeon Wei, I, too...suspected whether you are a Mountain God who toyed with me and the ancestor... And whether you, who saved the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, was merely a split soul of a Great Immortal at that time who toyed with fate, or whether you truly were simply a genius who grew with us and experienced many things together... To know that answer, I had to reach you.
For that, he traced back the method of Penglai Palace to connect, with the power of a mortal being, to the Immortal Dao of the Mountain, and he succeeded in connecting with me, who stands at the summit of that Immortal Dao.
That is Yeon Jin's feat.
Unlike Hon Won's Supervisory Eye, which is only the highest eye art at the level of mortal beings, the Supervisory Eye that Yeon Jin obtained on his own...
That Supervisory Eye alone is no different from the eye of a True Immortal.
—...Have you obtained the answer?
By his own power Yeon Jin reaches me, who stands at the peak of the Mountain Immortal Dao, and, by borrowing my strength, he connects to my essence.
In that process, I do not intervene at all.
—...I have obtained it. You...
Awakening the eye of a True Immortal, Yeon Jin smiles brightly, and beyond the Plane of True Immortality, he directly perceives my presence.
His gaze, using my consciousness dwelling in Seo Gyeong's body as the medium, crosses numerous Heavenly Domains in an instant and reaches my main body in the Heavenly Escape Realm.
It is a power any True Immortal can use if they know the other's existence or Immortal Title, but Yeon Jin, with only the strength of a mortal being, obtained the eye of a True Immortal and unfolded that ability.
Tuk, tuk...
Tears of blood flow from Yeon Jin's eyes.
It is astonishing.
Even though I restrain my rank, his Supervisory Eye still clearly reveals my existence to him.
Even if it is a power that originates from me and therefore has some resistance to my wisdom, it is undeniably a great feat.
A feat of looking directly at the body of an Immortal Beast King while only at the Integration stage and yet not exploding and perishing.
—You were...truly nothing more than our friend.
Yet the mortal being who achieved such a feat only looks up at me with the eyes of one meeting an old friend and smiles.
—You were not a True Immortal who toyed with the fate of the ancestor. You did not toy with my fate either. You and Senior Brother Jeon Myeong-hoon were truly...
From that single sentence, I feel countless knots inside Yeon Jin unravel.
—...my friends...
Kwaaaaaaang!
Hon Jin's arm shatters my sword and strikes down upon my head, slamming me into the ground, and I cough out a mouthful of blood.
The duel between the old Grand Cultivator at the Integration stage and the young cultivator at the Four-Axis stage.
Naturally, it ends in victory for the Integration stage Grand Cultivator.
"...Thank you...for your teaching."
Yet even so, the Integration stage Grand Cultivator, whose eyes flicker as if in senility, bows with deep respect to the Four-Axis stage cultivator who is defeated by him.
At that absurd sight, the Grand Cultivator Association, including Wi Jin-nambuk, sigh and support Heon Jin back to his original seat.
'...I am the one who should thank you, Yeon Jin.'
I smile as I watch Yeon Jin whose vitality wanes.
Fighting him, I understood.
Yeon Jin has no thoughts of rising to the Star Shattering stage, and only intends to die at the Integration stage.
Like Yeon Wei, he suspected throughout his life whether Jeon Myeong-hoon and I were True Immortals who toyed with them.
When Yeon Wei was alive, he was too young to harbor doubt, but after Yeon Wei's death, he inherited Yeon Wei's heart.
I could have sworn directly that it is not so, but I never made such an oath until now, and only today did I finally unravel Yeon Jin's knots.
Because it was a knot that could not be undone unless confirmed with his own hand.
'I accepted your heart as well.'
His concern and his knots about me.
The doubt of whether his life was toyed with by True Immortals is now resolved.
But one knot remains in Yeon Jin's heart.
The knot toward the Great Mountain Supreme Deity who toyed with the fates of Yeon Wei and Hon Won now passes to me.
'I will return it to that one...on your behalf without fail.'
Trading blows with my friend Yeon Jin, I decided to accept his heart.
He too seems to realize this, as he nods his head with a peaceful face.
The other Grand Cultivators only shake their heads, thinking Yeon Jin has gone senile again.
'He will not reach the Star Shattering stage.'
For a cultivator at the Integration stage and beyond, the desire to rise in realm is not that immense.
It is said that humans want endlessly to live and live again, experiencing every joy of life, but even so, their lifespan is 150,000 years.
150,000 years.
A span of time where Yang Su-jin could appear 50 times.
Even that, with special secret arts or elixirs, their lifespan can extend up to 200,000 years.
In extreme cases, there are even Integration stage cultivators who live up to 300,000 years.
After enjoying every pleasure in life, every mountain and sea delicacy, and relishing in all manner of new things, do they truly want to live endlessly?
Human desire is not infinite.
The power of desire seems strongest, but its limits are also the clearest.
I realize that Yeon Jin's desire and goal come only this far, and I nod.
—You have suffered much. When you go...go in peace.
I send a heart message to Yeon Jin, and I take measures on Yeon Jin's Supervisory Eye that reaches me.
Chijijik—
Yeon Jin flinches in shock, squeezes his eyes shut, and soon surprise settles on his face.
From now on, Yeon Jin's 'eye' can be passed down to the next Palace Lord of Penglai Palace.
The descendant he designates will inherit the Supervisory Eye generation after generation along with the position of Penglai Palace Lord.
Yeon Jin's descendants will obtain this eye that he reached by devoting his entire life, merely by inheriting the Palace Lord position.
Of course, to use it at Yeon Jin's level would require over fifty thousand years of bitter training, but considering the ability of the Supervisory Eye, even that would be a cheap price.
Sensing my consideration, Yeon Jin once again offers me a small thanks.
Thus, in that brief meeting with Yeon Jin, I do everything I need to do.
'What was that, just now?'
From the eyes of third parties, Seo Gyeong and Hon Jin's sparring is lousy.
The spar between Hon Jin, who despite being an old monster at the Grand Perfection Integration stage, drifts in and out of senility and his vitality is so drained he may die on any day, and the Four-Axis stage kid Seo Gyeong, is disappointing.
It just ended with them scuffling a bit.
However, Wol Ryeong can tell.
'Between the two, something immense was exchanged. Seo Gyeong, you...'
In some ways, it is a situation where Seo Gyeong can seem suspicious.
But for some reason, Wol Ryeong's heart chooses not to suspect Seo Gyeong, but to dig into the techniques Seo Gyeong showed.
'Just how in the world did you...manifest such transcendent divine authorities in a human body...? I want to know, too...'
Ordinarily, the power of the fate she belongs to should reveal what is suspicious and make her wary of what is unknown, but...
Strangely, that power does not activate.
As if some part is subtly broken.
Perhaps an error that no one knows has arisen in her fate...
But no one notices it.
For that error is too subtle to even call an error, and in some respects it even further realizes her fate.
Wol Ryeong does not spar.
It is because she has realized much from the spar between Seo Gyeong and Hon Jin and does not even have the leisure to digest those enlightenments, and because Gol Maek also says to stop the friendly sparring.
In the end, the contest of momentum of the Radiance Spirit Sect party ends in the defeat of the Radiance Spirit Sect disciples.
All the Radiance Spirit Sect late-stage prodigies perform the missions assigned by the Grand Cultivator Association in accordance with the Human Race Grand Alliance's demands, and only ten years later do they finally become eligible to receive support for the Thunder Resonance Valley subjugation mission.
Kurung, kururururung!
Earth Tribe territory.
There, Dragon King Gyu Ryeon, who established herself as the Earth Tribe's True Dragon Alliance Lord, meets the Grand Cultivator Association of the Human Race Grand Alliance and the Radiance Spirit Sect disciples.
"Are fellow distinguished ones the ones who have come to subjugate that fanatic cultist group called Thunder Resonance Valley that has settled in our Earth Tribe territory and is sucking dry all the dragon veins of the Earth Tribe territory?"
At Gyu Ryeon's words, Wol Ryeong nods and steps forward.
"Yes, it is us four disciples of the Radiance Spirit Sect—Wol Ryeong, Mu Geom, Bi Hwa, and Seo Gyeong. We have come to subjugate Thunder Resonance Valley, so we ask that the Dragon King also help with the Thunder Resonance Valley subjugation."
"Well, good. As it is, the entire Earth Tribe territory is caught in a shortage of cultivation resources because of those Thunder Resonance Valley bastards...so I would like it if the subjugation were done even a day faster. First, let us go to Thunder Resonance Valley's main mountain, Thunder Sword Mountain, over there in the distance, and I will give you the detailed explanation as we go."
Thus, the subjugation of Thunder Resonance Valley, a fanatic cultist group under an evil god, finally begins.