A Turning Point
The height differences of water are called water levels.
Then, if dimensions also had height differences, what should they be called?
From that thought came the word realm level.
Dimensions truly have height differences.
Recalling the feeling when handling the Invisible Sword, the material world we live in belongs to a lower realm level, and as we ascend to higher realm levels, we encounter more metaphysical essences.
And those who reach the realm of Origin Spirit can identify realm levels based on the height differences of the dimension.
When I fought Wonrip, and when I battled other Origin Spirit masters.
They occasionally launched attacks that even Core Formation masters could not sense with their consciousness, or principles allowing them to split space and perform spatial movement.
These all originated from the sensation of identifying realm levels.
If a higher realm level tore through lower realm level space and attacked, or attacked a lower realm level directly, those below in cultivation could never confront them.
Of course, if like Oh Hyun-seok, one stupidly condensed power itself, it could work against higher realm levels, but fundamentally, the reason Origin Spirit cultivation overwhelmed Core Formation masters was due to realm level differences.
Zzt zzt zzt!
For a thousand years, I had been handling Goe-gun's circuits.
Goe-gun's circuits contained the principle of condensing power that could reach higher realm levels in itself.
Moreover, I had used the Invisible Sword to cross realms, and I had a rough feel for higher realm levels.
So now.
I would gather my qi and temper my soul toward the higher realm level!
Fwaaah!
I focused my consciousness and soul on the Golden Core center, and at the same time began connecting to the higher realm level using the Invisible Sword.
I was not using the Invisible Sword to manifest it for attack, but simply reaching the higher realm level while holding it within my body. There was no risk of exposure.
I continued compressing my power while focusing my consciousness on the center of the Golden Core.
Inside the Golden Core, spiritual energy was condensing at its limit, leaping toward even higher realm levels.
And it was that moment.
Ah...
I suddenly felt a sensation as if intent and qi were swirling together while contemplating the center of the Golden Core.
Is this... the Origin Spirit?
As consciousness and spiritual energy mingled, I suddenly felt a vast yin-yang surging within my body.
Zzt zzt...
Taiji...
Taiji is, in a sense, history.
Beyond the spiral of the Taiji that Taiji draws, I witnessed some scene.
It was the history of a man named Seo Eun-hyun.
Ah, so this is it.
The phantom lights Oh Hyun-seok mentioned.
From this very instant onward, I observed the history of the human called me, just as one watches a movie in reverse.
Spiritual energy flowed backward, illuminating the past.
Zzt zzt zzt!
Several months ago, the moment I was told by Changhoza to go to the Demon Realm before boarding the ship.
Before that, the moment I had just arrived in the Mortal Domain with Kim Yeon.
Before that, the moment I was being pursued by Goe-gun.
Even before that, the moment my head exploded from Oh Hyun-seok.
Before that, the moment I was sparring with Oh Hyun-seok.
Before that, the moment I had just regressed and chosen the Changcheon Gaebyeokmun.
The moment I faced Goe-gun's Yeon-ui Yeon, kissed with In-yeon, and was struck down by a blow from Seo Hyul.
The moments I spent trapped in the puppets...
The clearer my memories were, the slower and clearer they could be seen, while hazy memories passed by in an instant.
And finally, as I traced back through my memories, I reached the region where my memories had lain dormant.
There they were, the memories I had lost...
And the memories of the Earth I had forgotten...
Fwaaaah!
No! Too fast!
The memories from my forgotten eras sped past so quickly that I could barely recognize them.
No! I must see this memory!
I struggled in my mind, forcing myself to look at the memories I had forgotten.
And in that instant!
Cough!
I opened my mouth and coughed up blood.
Kkheuk! Keueok!
Heart Demon!
It was the price of devoting too much attention to something else while approaching the Origin Spirit realm.
Keueok, keueok... kkeuk...
Blood poured from my seventh orifice.
Psst...
The Origin Spirit that had been about to form inside my body had dispersed.
I watched the past scenes that had been floating in my mind vanish beyond the veil.
Kkeuk, damn it!
Kwaaang!
I swung my fist hard toward my own head and shattered it.
Hoo, heeik! Senior Seokyeong?
Yeon-jin beside me jumped in fright, but I slowly regenerated my head and thought.
I burst my head to prevent the Heart Demon from spreading further. But the Origin Spirit challenge...
It was over.
Hey, what is going on over there!
Hyeon-woon flew over from afar and asked me while I was regenerating my head.
I first regenerated my mouth and answered.
...While challenging the Origin Spirit, a sudden Heart Demon appeared and I exploded my head to stop it.
What?
Hyeon-woon's face twisted at my words.
Even if you say the invasion hasn't started yet, you proceeded with such a major matter without reporting it to your superior, and in the process you injured yourself and your combat strength decreased!
Chwaak!
Chiik!
...!
Hyeon-woon launched an attack at me while I was regenerating my head.
My regenerating head was sliced again by his attack, and he burned my neck to prevent further regeneration.
...!
[All listen!]
Hyeon-woon's furious voice echoed across all directions.
[Here is one who, before the Demon Realm vanguard set out, arbitrarily challenged the Origin Spirit and failed, suffering a Heart Demon injury. And without reporting the major fact that he was challenging the Origin Spirit to his superior, he proceeded!
All listen! For the army to move properly, for the war to run correctly, communication between superior and subordinate is crucial! Anyone who continues in this manner without reporting, crosses into a major realm, obtains a Heart Demon, injures themselves, will be dealt with under military law! Seo Eun-hyun is to remain headless until the vanguard has crossed the Demon Realm's barrier and seized one region!
...
In an instant, I had become a military law violator and would remain headless for some time.
Seo, Senior Seokyeong... are you alright?
[...Well, not having eyes is a little bothersome since I have to see surroundings with my consciousness alone, but it's not a problem I can't endure.]
Yeon-jin asked with trembling voice while looking at my neckless upper body.
It, it doesn't hurt, does it?
[Senior Yeon seems to have never experienced losing one's head before.]
No! Generally, how many Core Formation masters have experienced losing their heads!
Ah...
I see. In the lower realms, most fights between Core Formation cultivators end with severed necks, but in the Gwanghan Realm there are few such incidents.
Perhaps because of abundant resources, there are simply fewer opportunities to fight.
While I was conversing with Yeon-jin.
Kim Yeon and Oh Hyun-seok hurriedly flew over and were startled upon seeing my neckless form.
U, Eun-hyun oppa?
Seo Eun-hyun! What on earth is going on!
[Ah, it's nothing special. Just...]
I explained what had just happened.
No, that's just too cruel. Even so, how did you...
Oh Hyun-seok cleared his throat and patted Kim Yeon's shoulder.
Well, even if one loses their head above Core Formation, they can still survive, so this is a fairly common punishment method.
But you can't regenerate either, right?
[Since the military rules were broken, they deserved the punishment.]
Upon my words, Oh Hyun-seok clicked his tongue as if he did not understand.
Still, it's a bit strange. Is there any reason to weaken the power of comrades right before war?
[Anyway, there are many Origin Spirit and Core Formation besides me. Showing one as an example to correct military discipline is more important. Moreover, I wasn't actually killed, and I only lost one head.]
I slowly appeased Oh Hyun-seok and Kim Yeon, then changed the subject.
[By the way, while challenging the Origin Spirit, I saw it.]
W-what? You saw it?
Oh Hyun-seok asked with a smile.
How was it? Did you find your memories with those phantom lights?
[...No.]
I tried to shake my head but realized there was no head to shake and just waved my hand.
[As you know, Senior, when facing phantom lights, hazy memories pass too quickly to see properly. And memories that don't even come to mind need no words. In short...]
Hm, I guess I have to try again.
[Yes.]
The countless chains of my memories that I had seen before obtaining the Origin Spirit.
If I had ignored them and continued walking, I might have obtained the Origin Spirit.
But I could not ignore them.
That was probably why the Heart Demon had acted.
Still.
I smiled inwardly.
Perhaps I have found a way.
Even if the Heart Demon came, what then.
From now on, I will challenge whenever there is a gap in the Origin Spirit.
I breathed deeply and thought.
And I would see the flow of those memories countless times.
In this way, I would definitely recover my memories!
I made that resolution.
* * *
And several more months passed, and finally the members of the vanguard assembled.
The formation was also at its peak in spiritual energy.
Kugugugugu!
The formation shone with golden light, and the formation's spiritual energy revealed itself toward the pitch-black fog at the entrance to the Demon Realm.
It will begin soon.
I thought inwardly while observing my surroundings through my consciousness.
At various points of the formation, talented individuals from the Mortal Domain sects and families sat supplying formation power to complete it.
When we arrived, the formation had been empty, but now it was completely different in personnel.
Perhaps within one or two more sects, more people would be sent and the formation would complete, and the vanguard would depart as well.
The organization of the vanguard was already nearly set.
The Origin Spirit masters would be one-hundred-person commanders, the Core Formation masters ten-person commanders, controlling ten Foundation Establishment masters to charge into the Demon Realm.
Of course, since I was a sinner punished before departure, like Hyeon-woon had said, I would have to act under a ten-person commander like the other Core Formation masters until my crimes were pardoned or I achieved separate merits.
And the ten-person commander of the ten-person unit I entered was Yeon-jin beside me.
Hoo, it's tense, Senior Seokyeong.
[You don't have to be so tense. With Senior Yeon, I'm sure you can handle it well.]
Uuu, why am I the ten-person commander. Moreover, Senior Seokyeong has a higher realm than me, so perhaps it would be better if Senior Seokyeong commanded...
[Pull yourself together. After all, I am a sinner and cannot hold command, so Senior Yeon will have to work hard. If you need anything, I can help a little from the side. Don't worry.]
Senior Seokyeong! Thank you so much!
[It's nothing.]
After comforting trembling Yeon-jin before the war with the Demon Realm,
I inwardly prepared my secret technique.
From the time I entered the Changcheon Gaebyeokmun until now, decades had passed.
During that time, I had continuously researched public techniques to merge the Three Spirit Gong and the Army Horse Dragon Bone Fist, analyzed the secret technique, and finally succeeded in merging the two public techniques.
There were still some things to supplement, but it was almost done. Now I just needed to test it.
This nameless public technique, which had no name yet, formed a qi spirit in the law treasure upon use, took that qi spirit as its substitute, divided part of the cultivation into the qi spirit,
And later, when cultivation fell, it could recover the cultivation even faster with the help of the qi spirit.
Unfortunately, storing the cultivation itself completely in the law treasure and recovering it all at once was too difficult and had failed...
Of course, it was not impossible if the law treasure was nurtured for a long time and its quality grew along with the owner.
But even the current glass mirror was at its limit in that regard.
However, such things were not greatly important.
Uuuung!
I thought while practicing the public technique.
What was important was that by completing this public technique, I could form the qi spirits of any deeply impressive beings to my liking.
That meant.
From now on, the phantom lights that appear when reaching the Origin Spirit. I would turn all the beings appearing in those phantom lights into qi spirits and store them.
It would be difficult to store complete memories,
But if I recorded the beings symbolizing those memories, those recollections, that past, in the form of qi spirits within the law treasure,
Perhaps the memories of the phantom lights that passed by too quickly, which I had lost, could also all be recorded, and by seeing those recorded beings I might recover the memories again.
Uuuung!!
I raised my spiritual energy.
For the past several months, I had continuously challenged the Origin Spirit.
Of course, because I had been reported to Hyeon-woon, if I failed to reach the Origin Spirit again, I would receive punishment again, but that was not a problem if I did not get caught.
Of course, in a normal Origin Spirit challenge, once the Origin Spirit was obtained, heavenly tribulation would fall, making hiding impossible...
But I was not aiming for 'reaching the Origin Spirit'.
My goal was 'finding memories through the process of reaching the Origin Spirit'.
If I repeated stopping midway without obtaining the Origin Spirit, I could remain undetected at all times.
Zzt zzt zzt!
I challenged the Origin Spirit again and traced back through past memories.
And I activated the nameless public technique and began recording the beings of those memories as qi spirits in the law treasure.
Zzt zzt zzt!
Around me, hazy shapes appeared and transformed into the forms of Kim Yeon, Changhoza, and Oh Hyun-seok.
The connections I had met in this life.
But before I could form even more qi spirits.
The phantom lights had already sped past and vanished once more.
Uuuung!
I dispersed the Origin Spirit that was about to form again, and I injected the spiritual energy that had dispersed into the insides of the qi spirits I had just formed, storing my cultivation.
'The speed of forming qi spirits is slow.'
Of course, it would speed up once I became familiar with it.
'From now on, I will form these qi spirits and, watching the phantom lights, record my memories as qi spirits.'
I looked at the three transparent qi spirits I had formed around me and smiled inwardly.
'I will definitely recover my memories!'
Ah, Senior Seokyeong. What are those hazy things around Senior Seokyeong?
[Ah, they are the phenomena that appeared while I was cultivating the public technique I am learning.]
You seem to be cultivating a peculiar public technique. By the way, Senior Seokyeong, about those hazy things...
Yeon-jin began talking about the hazy things he had seen while living, as he looked at the qi spirits I had formed.
People could not see the shape of qi spirits, only hazy fog forms, so that was natural.
But I suddenly realized that Yeon-jin was talking much more today than usual, and it was strange.
Ah, I see. Is he tense?
Soon the formation would activate and the entrance to the Demon Realm would open.
Then it really was the Demon Realm invasion.
I conversed with Yeon-jin to ease his tension.
And a few days later.
Uuuuung!
The formation had changed to brilliant golden light.
In front.
The envoy of the Mortal Domain Federation, the commander of the vanguard.
The master of Four Pillars, the Society of Tombs' Son, Gyu-seok, took out his law treasure.
[Mokgye-jin, activate!]
With that word, the formation we had prepared for several months with spiritual energy activated.
Blink!
Golden light surged toward the dimensional barrier of the Demon Realm ahead.
The pitch-black fog was torn apart by the golden light and scattered!
Kugugugugu!
[From now on, the Demon Realm invasion begins! Advance, all troops!]
And one-hundred-person commanders of Heavenly Persons, one-hundred-person commanders of Origin Spirit, and ten-person commanders of Core Formation began forming up according to the orders.
Hahaha! I want to taste this tender demon flesh!
Cute little demon brats, this old man will protect you!
I heard that pills made from demons are very effective for martial arts?
Countless masters took out their law treasures and law qi and licked their tongues while charging toward the Demon Realm.
Huiiiii!
I followed Yeon-jin, who carried the ten-person commander badge, and soon.
The capital of the Demon Realm began to come into view in the distance.
Beyond the Demon Realm, demon beasts had built fortresses and laid out defense lines to welcome us.
The evil mortals have invaded!
Form up the battle array!
For the Demon Realm, everyone, stop these greedy mortals! Unite!
Thus, the Great War between Man and Demon truly began.