Chapter 301: Conclusion (1)
It was a dim, snowy day.
Han Yeong, the fallen Sun and Moon Divine Cult’s priestess, let out a sigh as she looked at the companion who had returned after several years.
“Heaven-Slaying Star, huh. You’ve brought something strange again. The Sun and Moon Divine Cult isn’t an orphanage, Yuseong.”
Twenty-eight years old—just past the prime of her youth.
She had devoted the entirety of her twenties to rebuilding the completely collapsed Sun and Moon Divine Cult, and tiny wrinkles had begun to form at the corners of her eyes.
Standing before her, Cheon Yuseong, the last descendant of the Sun and Moon Divine Cult, turned his head slightly, avoiding the dagger-like glare of his lover.
“Sorry. But surely a Master can’t stop their disciple’s choice, can they?”
“That’s already the sixth one you’ve brought.”
“Ahem! Still, doesn’t that give us hope for the future?!”
The future, the future…
She sighed again.
“…Fine. I’ll admit they all seem somewhat promising.”
Glancing briefly at Cheon Yuseong, Yeong suddenly smiled brightly and approached Ma Seoyeon.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Yeong, the one who oversees this Sun and Moon Divine Cult.”
“Ah, hello.”
Peeking out timidly from behind Yoo Jeon, Ma Seoyeon spoke in a frightened voice.
“Lady.”
“…….”
“…….”
For a moment, a hellish silence filled the air.
The word that started with “Lady”, directed at her—whose skin had begun to wrinkle from years of hardship—was an absolute taboo, a line that must never be crossed.
But the young and clueless Ma Seoyeon crossed that line far too easily.
“Pfft!”
Someone failed to hold back their expression at that moment.
Thud!
“Guh!”
The sole of a foot struck that someone’s side at lightning speed.
“Eek!”
As her mighty Master was sent flying, Ma Seoyeon clung to Yoo Jeon’s sleeve, trembling.
Yoo Jeon tried to soothe the frightened Ma Seoyeon.
“It’s alright. This happens all the time.”
“…….”
The last priestess of the Sun and Moon Divine Cult wasn’t so petty as to harm a child who had spoken out of ignorance.
However, for someone aware of the situation to dare laugh… they would be lucky if they only lost their ribs.
“Hnnng! Grrrr!”
Yeong watched the trembling figure clutching their side with a look of utter disdain.
“So, how was your trip to the Central Plains?”
“It’s become even sharper… no, it’s gotten worse.”
The moment another strike seemed to be charging in Yeong’s foot, Cheon Yuseong hastily changed the subject.
“I had a feeling it would turn out this way when I brought Heaven-Slaying Star… but the chaos in the world shows no sign of settling.”
“Well, that’s not entirely true.”
“……?”
Cheon Yuseong revealed the greatest outcome of his trip to the Central Plains.
“They’ve apparently found a piece of Heavenly Evil.”
“‘They’…? You mean those damned Heaven-Defying Society rats?”
Her expression instantly turned cold.
“Hah, how amusing. After centuries of raising hell trying to turn the world upside down, they’ve finally found one?”
“There’s still time. Heaven’s Timing hasn’t come yet.”
Just as Cheon Yuseong said, in such chaotic times, Heaven’s Timing was often slow to arrive.
“True, they wouldn’t want to waste the piece they barely managed to find on a rushed attempt. Let me see…”
With a long gaze toward the sky, she furrowed her brows slightly.
“About ten years… maybe?”
“Ten years isn’t too bad.”
“Not too bad? You realize this just means more work for us, right?”
She clicked her tongue in irritation.
“Lately, things have just started to ease up as scattered Cult members slowly began gathering again.”
“Well, there’s nothing I can say about that, no matter how many mouths I had.”
“Tsk! Anyway, go inside. We need to perform the Adjustment.”
“Once again, I’m counting on you.”
Without hesitation, Cheon Yuseong started walking toward the small shrine built behind Yeong.
“The demonic energy is growing stronger by the day. You never know when it might consume you, so keep your mind sharp.”
Cheon Yuseong shrugged his shoulders.
“With you by my side, what’s there to worry about?”
She frowned slightly.
“I can’t watch your back forever. I made a promise to the previous generation, so I’ll do my best, but you need to prepare for the time when I’m no longer around.”
“That’s too cruel. I can’t even imagine a life without you.”
“Stop spouting nonsense and get inside.”
Smack!
Receiving a slap on his back, Cheon Yuseong grumbled as he disappeared into the shrine.
Clicking her tongue, Yeong turned her gaze to Yoo Jeon.
“You really have it rough, having to look after that idiot.”
Yoo Jeon shook his head with a bitter smile.
“No, Priestess. Isn’t it a disciple’s duty to look after their Master?”
“Hoohoo, how commendable.”
She patted Yoo Jeon on the head.
For some reason, seeing that made Ma Seoyeon feel oddly uncomfortable.
Poke.
Feeling a slight pressure on his back, Yoo Jeon turned his head.
“Hm? It’s alright, Seoyeon. The Priestess isn’t a bad person.”
“…….”
Ma Seoyeon didn’t answer and just kept staring at Yeong.
“Kukukuk! Looks like I left quite the spicy first impression.”
Yeong chuckled with a peculiar smile.
“Well, judging by the state you’re in, you must’ve had a tough time out there. But there aren’t any bad people around here, so you’ll have plenty of chances to heal your heart. Though… we’re poor, so you might go a little hungry.”
At those words, Yoo Jeon boldly declared that such a thing would never happen.
Yeong laughed, saying that if they wanted to avoid that, their Master needed to hurry up and rebuild the Cult.
“Come on. It’s your first day joining the Cult, after all. We should at least celebrate with some meat.”
“Thank you, Priestess!”
Yoo Jeon’s face lit up with joy.
Cheon Yuseong, who had entered the shrine, wandered around the Ten Thousand Mountain for a bit looking for the missing Yeong, but that was a trivial matter.
A thousand years ago.
Led by my Master and Senior Brother, I had joined the fallen Sun and Moon Divine Cult and spent ten years in the Ten Thousand Mountain until I set out again for the Central Plains to capture the resurrecting Heavenly Evil.
Always bickering, yet like parents—my Master and the Priestess.
And my Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers who, though they sometimes clashed, had always been harmonious.
For me, those ten years had been the happiest time of my life.
Thud!
My entire body burst apart.
Shockingly, no organs or bones spilled from my torn flesh.
Only red blood.
Nothing but liquid blood.
Blood Explosion.
This technique, essentially a self-destruction move, could only be performed after awakening the final stage of Heaven-Slaying Star.
And its ability was simple.
“Such a useless move….”
On the pure white arm of the Priestess who had pierced through me, crimson vein-like lines suddenly began to spread.
‘Corrosion?!’
No, this wasn’t just about taking over the opponent’s body.
In each drop of that blood, I could sense distinct wills!
It felt as if countless beings, not Ma Seoyeon alone, were charging at her all at once.
It was a grotesque sight, but somehow, I knew exactly what it was.
‘The Memory of Blood!’
One of the abilities of Heaven-Slaying Star, as Ma Cheolsu had once explained to me.
That power was now manifesting in a different form.
“Ma Seoyeon! You cling to me until the bitter end, do you?!”
The Priestess, now transformed into Heavenly Evil… no, into the Grand Heavenly Lord Han Yeong, flared her energy in an attempt to shake off Ma Seoyeon’s blood.
But each time, though her momentum faltered briefly, Ma Seoyeon’s blood clung even tighter, wrapping around her entire body with greater ferocity.
Grit!
I clenched my teeth.
The countless wills spilling outward meant that the core self of Ma Seoyeon had essentially perished.
She had truly sacrificed her life to hold her opponent back.
“Seoyeon… sacrificed herself to buy us time.”
And the Heavenly Demon Founder was also aware of this fact.
“Can you feel it? The power of the Heavenly Demonic Divine Art circulating within her.”
I slowly nodded.
“Yes, I can feel it.”
Normally, no one else could have noticed it, but only the Heavenly Demon Founder and I understood.
The power currently driving the Grand Heavenly Lord Yeong was the fragments of the Heavenly Demon Founder… and the strength of Seventh Heavenly Lord Baek Ryeo.
The Heavenly Demon Founder spoke calmly.
“From now on, we shall resonate the fragments within her with the ones inside you.”
“…!”
“If we expend the last of our strength, we can elevate your level and pull that being down to your level.”
I understood immediately.
After Hwan Seong’s ultimate spell had failed, the Heavenly Demon Founder and the strength of our brothers had already reached their limits.
To push further meant accepting annihilation in exchange for mutual destruction.
“Jeon-ah.”
“Yes.”
“Protect our youngest. You can do that, can’t you?”
Yoo Jeon gave a faint smile and nodded.
“I will follow soon.”
“Good. I’ll go ahead. Though we’re nothing more than remnants of thought, whether we’ll meet again in the afterlife is uncertain.”
The Heavenly Demon Founder extended his hand toward the Grand Heavenly Lord.
“At the very least, our will shall be carried on.”
Crackle!
In response, the remaining disciples, who had been preserving their strength until now, all flared their qi at once.
Feeling the power of the resonating fragments within her, she roared fiercely.
“Yuseong! Are you really planning to stand in my way until the end?!”
The Heavenly Demon Founder gave a bitter smile and spoke to her.
“I truly loved you.”
Their gazes met.
“But perhaps… you never did. Maybe not even before you lost your mind.”
“Stating the obvious…”
Drip!
For some reason, blood tears began to stream down from her empty eyes.
“We were nothing more than bound by a contract made by the previous generation. No matter what meaning you attach to that relationship, it holds no value to me now.”
“…Is that so?”
After a brief pause, the Heavenly Demon Founder bowed his head to her.
“I’m sorry.”
“…!!”
The once-compassionate face of hers twisted into a demonic snarl.
“Knowing all I went through… and using your so-called mission as an excuse, you couldn’t give me a proper answer. This outcome… might have been inevitable.”
“You… you…!”
She let out a crazed scream toward the Heavenly Demon Founder.
“How dare you apologize to me?!”
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
A terrifying wave of power exploded around them, obliterating everything in its path.
That ‘apology’ had struck her deepest nerve.
‘There’s more to this than just what’s on the surface.’
There was no way she would rage like this over a mere apology.
The Heavenly Demon Founder continued.
“My life and power… if I could, I would hand them over to you without resistance. But given the circumstances, I must apologize once more.”
His hand moved toward his chest.
“Please, stop blocking the path of our descendants and vanish with me as a ghost of the past.”
“■■■■!”
At that moment, as she let out an inhuman scream toward the Heavenly Demon Founder—
Cracks began to spread across the Heavenly Demon Founder’s body.
From those cracks, black light began to pour out, binding her in place.
Rumble!
And it wasn’t just him.
The remaining disciples behind him also followed suit.
Sending their strength to the Heavenly Demon Founder, they prepared for their own end, fully committing to this mutual destruction.
“Ha, is this the end, then.”
Even as the skin peeled from their bodies like scales, their expressions remained calm.
“Just as Junior Sister Ma said… it was good to have met you, Junior Brother.”
The first to wave at me and vanish was Sa Gumhui.
“Though my descendants have gravely wronged our Cult… I hope you’ll give them at least one chance at forgiveness. I’m sorry for leaving you with such a heavy burden, Junior Brother.”
Hwan Seong, forcing a bright expression, disappeared next.
“Well… I don’t have much to say. It’s still a shame I couldn’t beat Senior Brother in the end.”
“I’m sure you’ll manage just fine, so there’s nothing more for me to add. Ah, perhaps I’m the true winner for raising the best disciples?”
Pa Gooncheong and Jin Gwanchun also vanished with somewhat satisfied smiles.
And so, everyone was gone—except for Yoo Jeon and Sojeong, who wasn’t even here.
Yoo Jeon looked around the fading surroundings.
“The corrosion is vanishing.”
As he said.
The once calm seashore scenery had now completely disappeared, returning to the original black-and-white void.
In other words, the Yoo Jeon standing before me was also about to vanish.
“Junior Brother.”
“Yes, Senior Brother.”
“I have two final requests.”
I clenched my teeth and nodded.
“I’m listening.”
“First… if you survive this place, there will be no more than five beings in this world who could stand against you.”
Indeed, except for the Cult Leader, the Grand Heavenly Lord, Dao Zun, and Cheon Yura, no one else remained who could stop me.
“Please… use the power you gain here wisely.”
His lover had died a miserable death, and our Master and Senior Brothers had perished.
Grief beyond words filled his eyes, yet Yoo Jeon still worried about the world until the very end.
“I’d like to tell you it’s an unnecessary worry… but I suppose I must answer this way. I will keep it in my heart.”
Yoo Jeon smiled faintly at my reply.
“Thank you.”
“And the second?”
“Retrieve my sword.”
If it was Yoo Jeon’s sword… he must have meant the Ten Heavenly Record Immortal Sword, said to be sealed somewhere in the Ten Thousand Mountain.
Pointing at the dimmed True Star Sword, he spoke.
“The True Star Sword is nothing but scrap metal now. My sword should serve as a worthy replacement for you.”
“Understood.”
“Within that sword… I believe I left behind my enlightenment.”
Flinch!
“By enlightenment… you mean…?”
“Most likely, the enlightenment I left to stop Master from losing himself. No matter how much I change, if it’s ‘me’, I would have done so.”
“……”
“And the future we once faced together… it should be lying there as well.”
I couldn’t bring myself to speak so easily.
Yoo Jeon patted my shoulder.
“To you, it may already be nothing more than a long-gone past. No matter what you see, don’t give it too much meaning. That’s all I ask.”
“I… understand.”
Unlike the first, this second acceptance barely came out of my mouth.
“Thank you. Now then, as Senior Brother, I should fulfill my final duty.”
Yoo Jeon and I turned our eyes toward—
The Grand Heavenly Lord Yeong, who had been torn apart by the Heavenly Demon Founder and our brothers’ self-destruction, standing in ruins.