Миний нэр бол (1)

Woosh!

The sword is rampant.

No, the Colorless Glass Sword is more akin to a ray of light.

Thousands of rays pour towards Seo Hweol.

I move my sword with even more focus than when I eliminated those 15 Four-Axis stage cultivators.

'I will kill him right here.'

Originally, I had considered listening to Seo Hweol a bit and even using him to possibly collaborate to some extent.

However, I realized my heart essence was involuntarily changing while talking to him.Seo Hweol was brainwashing me without me noticing.

'This guy, it's impossible to even associate with him.'

Kugugugu!

The aftermath of my sword strikes makes the earth tremble.

'I will erase him without leaving a even speck of dust!'

Paaaatt!

Tens of thousands of rays burst forth from a single sword, desintergrating Seo Hweol's cells one by one!

[Da-Daoist Seo, why are you…]

To kill a Four-Axis stage cultivator, you must split the Heavenly Circle inside them.

[Daoist Seo, wait…]

My consciousness becomes even more precise.

Seo Hweol's Golden Core shatters.

His Nascent Soul collapses.

The round Heavenly Circle inside him and the Axis Foundation accumulated in the region becomes visible.

Shu Shu Shu Shuk!

Four sword strikes in total.

The four strikes primarily tear the Heavenly Circle and Earthly Bearings.

Then, I begin to disintegrate his Heavenly Circle and Earthly Bearings completely.

Paaatt!

[No, wait, listen to my…]

It seems like he's trying to say something, but I ignore it.

There's no trust for someone who tries to brainwash another upon meeting.

It's better to completely annihilate them upon meeting to avoid future troubles.

Paaaatt!

He tries to reveal his Four-Axis Canopy, but even that is shredded by my Colorless Glass Sword.

His Four-Axis Canopy vanishes in an instant, and all that remains in front of me is his body turned to dust.

'Now, all of the flesh (肉) is dead.'

However, Four-Axis cultivators can resurrect.

They can resurrect from their own bodies, but many Four-Axis cultivators resurrect at a place they have designated.

I can't stand to see that happen.

So, how should one kill a Four-Axis cultivator attempting to resurrect?

It's simple.

Wo-woong!

The Formless Sword cries.

At the same time, the plane of the Formless Sword rises, beginning to leap into the plane of Soul.

[Wa-wait...]

"You cannot resurrect."

The Formless Sword, moving freely between planes, salivates towards Seo Hweol's soul.

"Cut!"

The sensation of the Formless Sword connects with me, and I begin to see.

The pathway of the soul that cultivators of the Four-Axis stage pass through to resurrect!

Normally, despite knowing an opponent might resurrect, a Four-Axis cultivator cannot touch this soul passage.

Not even those at the Integration stage can do so, unless they are at the late Integration stage or beyond.

The plane is simply too high up.

But I am different.

Bo-oong!

The Formless Sword already ascends to the plane where the soul passage is located, and cuts off Seo Hweol's connection to that passage.

Paatt!

[Ah, no…]

"Die, Seo Hweol."

Papapapapat

An enormous current of light sweeps through and completely disintegrates Seo Hweol's soul.

He perishes within the storm of light, along with a final breath of death throes.

That is the end of Seo Hweol.

"Hoo…"

As soon as I confirm that Seo Hweol's soul scattered, I stop my sword.

And I look at him.

His body started regenerating his face despite being turned to dust due to his unbelievable vitality. However, once his soul scattered, the regeneration ceased.

Only Seo Hweol's face remains on the corpse.

That corpse of Seo Hweol is still smiling.

Smiling kindly, as if he had never felt the terror of death.

"…"

I killed Seo Hweol.

I split the Heavenly Circle and Earthly Bearings thoroughly so that he can't even resurrect.

Even his soul essence was scattered.

But just what is it?

Looking at Seo Hweol's smiling face even in death, I can't shake the feeling that he isn't truly dead.

'It's incredibly unsettling…'

Could it possibly be a clone?

However, I shake my head.

'This guy definitely used the Four-Axis Canopy, and he had Heavenly Circle and Earthly Bearings inside him.'

If what I killed was a clone, that would mean Seo Hweol's clone was a Four-Axis cultivator.

He is not the Mad Lord, and there's no reason for him to waste a Four-Axis clone in such a place

'Moreover, although it was faint, his heart essence... and the intent he showed when he died… those were real.'

Meaning, this was indeed Seo Hweol himself.

"…Is he dead?"

Thuk-Thuk―

I poke at Seo Hweol's facial remains.

It doesn't suddenly come back to life.

Just in case, I pick up Seo Hweol's facial remains, empty one of my storage scrolls, and seal his face inside it.

Although I sealed it because it felt odd, if he really is dead... I can use it as material for an identity plaque later, so it won't be a loss.

"Hmm… it seems like he's truly dead."

No need for words like 'Did I kill him?'

He is certainly dead.

Thinking so, I feel incredibly refreshed, and the heavy emotion that seemed to weigh on my heart dissipates.

I realize that Seo Hweol's mere existence had been a significant pressure on me.

'From now on, I should kill them as soon as I see him'

I decided how I will deal with Seo Hweol in the future.

Then, I send a heart message to Hong Fan and Jeon Myeong-hoon to unblock their senses.

After entering Tribulating Heavens, my ability to send heart language, not only to the Heart Tribe but to others, has significantly strengthened.

Originally, those not from the Heart Tribe wouldn't even perceive the heart language.

But now, I have sharpened the intent within the heart language itself, making it easier to send and convey my will.

"Right, so what was that all about? That dragon guy… seemed like someone I saw at Ascension Path before?"

"Yes. He was a very sly and cunning fellow. He dared to try and brainwash me, so I killed him."

I answer Jeon Myeong-hoon's question, and Hong Fan laughs heartily.

"Haha, well done, Master. Those who covet Master all deserve to die."

"Seo Hweol was certainly that kind of guy."

Regarding Seo Hweol, I won't feel any guilt no matter how many times I kill him.

"So what will you do now, Seo Eun-hyun?"

"It's obvious. I'll enter the Human Race Grand Alliance and be recognized as a Grand Cultivator. If not a Grand Cultivator, at least I will be recognized as having equivalent strategic value."

"Hmm, will they accept you? You're a wanted man, and from what I've heard, isn't that Heart Tribe technique something that the Heaven Tribe shuns?"

"That's correct. However... the being that descended Heavenly Punishment. That entity wasn't just being watched by us that day."

"What?"

"That day, all the Integration stage Grand Cultivators of the Heaven Tribe were observing Thunder Spirit Island."

I explain the whole situation.

"So… you mean to say that among the Heaven Tribe right now, aside from a few like Hon Won, everyone who was watching Thunder Spirit Island that day saw the Owner of Heavenly Punishment and received critical injuries?"

"That's right."

"So they'll accept you to fill the void in the Heaven Tribe's strength?"

"Exactly."

"Hmm... well, that's not bad."

Jeon Myeong-hoon nods as he speaks.

"Then I should prepare again for a place in the Bright Cold Realm, so that the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect can settle there after they ascend."

"That's a good idea. Then first... shall we head to Heavenly Human Island in the Human Race Grand Alliance?"

Paaatt!

That's when it happens.

Ziiiing!

I suddenly twitch at a 'signal' I feel from somewhere.

Using the Flying Escape Technique with Jeon Myeong-hoon, we fly towards the direction of the Human Race Grand Alliance, and I focus my mind on the signal.

Eventually, I can discern where the signal is coming from.

'Yuan Yu!'

Yuan Yu has entered the Bright Cold Realm.

Wo-woong, woo-woong!

I connect to Yuan Yu's mind.

The Mysterious Bizarre Gu I had implanted in him activates, operating inside his Nascent Soul and connecting his and my vision and senses one by one.

'This is…'

It's when I barely open my eyes in Yuan Yu's body and look around.

"Hmm, impressive. It's good to have gained an ascender as soon as the Flying Immortal Platform was set up... but that the ascender is only at the mid Nascent Soul stage is disappointing."

"...!"

I quickly look up at the man in the black robe who has approached and spoken.

He looks down at me.

A dense devilish energy emanates from him.

"It seems you're a cultivator trained in devilish arts? You have learned a rather decent devilish art in regeneration that allows you to withstand dimensional pressure. It's actually not a bad choice since the frequency of encountering Vestiges (尸) decrease when you ascend during the Nascent Soul stage."

"Where… is this place?"

I already know, but I confirm again through Yuan Yu's mouth.

"This is the Flying Immortal Platform within Black Ghost Valley in the Bright Cold Realm."

"This isn't… the Nether Ghost Realm?"

"Oh, were you aiming for the Nether Ghost Realm when you ascended?"

"Yes."

I nod.

I assumed it would lead to the Nether Ghost Realm based on the attractive force of the Nether Crossing Ship, but it turns out to be merely inside Black Ghost Valley.

Meanwhile,

I feel something was off.

'Wait, a Flying Immortal Platform? Inside Black Ghost Valley?'

I look at the ground I am standing on.

It's the same type of Flying Immortal Platform that exists in the Heaven-Earth Palace.

Inside the Flying Immortal Platform, I can feel the power of the Void Spirit Pond.

'Ha, these... Black Ghost Valley guys... Even though there is a Void Spirit Pond within their sect, they didn't report it to the Human Race and created their own Flying Immortal Platform to monopolize it? Are they trying to absorb all the talents coming from the Lower Realms into their sect?'

I look at the black robed cultivator.

Facing 'Heo Gwak', I ask.

"Might I know why I, who ascended targeting the Nether Ghost Realm, ended up in the Bright Cold Realm?"

"It's simple. This Flying Immortal Platform was fed with a vast amount of ghostly energy to make it very similar to the one in the Nether Ghost Realm."

"…!"

"The Nether Ghost Realm is good, but our Black Ghost Valley in the Bright Cold Realm is not bad either. In fact, in some ways, it's even better than the one in the Nether Ghost Realm. Although it differs slightly from the main lineage of the Black Ghost Valley in the Nether Ghost Realm, here too, we enjoy the honor of being among the Human Race's Five Great Sects and receive considerable respect. We also share the majority of cultivation methods, only slightly inferior to those of the original sect."

He grins as he speaks.

"If you train with our Black Ghost Valley, I can guarantee you'll see effects no different from training in the Nether Ghost Realm. We really like talented individuals like you who have advanced on their own. Moreover, we treat the talents we accept very well. How about it, won't you join our main sect?"

"…."

I awkwardly smile through Yuan Yu's body.

Heo Gwak's intent comes right into my sight.

Since he hasn't employed any magic artifact to defend against the Heart Tribe's vision like Seo Hweol, I can somewhat guess his intention.

'If I refuse, he plans to kill me.'

The very existence of a Flying Immortal Platform within their sect implies exactly that.

A Void Spirit Pond should not be owned by any specific group, by principle.

But what happens if someone ascends using a Flying Immortal Platform made from a clandestinely obtained Void Spirit Pond and then chooses not to join their sect?

Naturally.

They will have no choice but to silence them through murder.

Since Black Ghost Valley primarily deals with Ghost Path Methods involving ghost souls, perhaps those who refuse their offer are simply killed and refined into ghost souls.

From their perspective, it's either a source for acquiring quality disciples or for obtaining quality materials for Ghost Path Methods, so having a Flying Immortal Platform is not a bad thing for them.

I pretend to ponder for a moment before speaking.

"It is an honor. I am grateful for the opportunity to join the Great Black Ghost Valley."

Heo Gwak, whose face is neither that of a man nor a woman, brightly smiles and warmly pats my back.

"Congratulations on becoming a disciple of Black Ghost Valley. What's your name?"

After a moment of contemplation, I awkwardly smile and say,

"My name is Seo Li."