The Master's Benevolence (11)
I laughed mockingly.
The black dragon king showed his teeth and laughed.
[The absolute majority of union techniques that humans cultivate are ultimately a degraded version of beast techniques—do you not know that? Facing me, one of the strongest among the beasts, and wielding a lowly technique?]
Changhoja remained silent.
Chiiiii—
“...?”
And I stared at Changhoja in shock.
*The color is changing.*
It was true.
The dragon energy gathered in his two fists should have been a deep blue, yet his fists and wings were shifting to a different hue.
The crimson color was being drained from Changhoja's body.
I didn't need to ask what it was.
It was his life force, the qi of his blood, surging out of his entire body.
And the azure of the Heavenly Shattering Strike merged with Changhoja's crimson, turning purple.
The tenth wing unfurled, and Changhoja became a violet apparition.
He looked faintly like Oh Hyun-seok, who had once transformed his body with the energy of chaos.
[Ha... So you dare challenge me? The union demon?]
Kurling, kurururung!
Dark clouds began to gather around the black dragon king, intensifying his power.
But Changhoja paid them no heed and walked straight toward him.
Thud, kwoong, thud!
With every step, his body gradually grew larger.
One step and he grew by a whole character. Two steps and a full inch. Three steps and a full chi. Four steps and a full jian. Five steps and a full ren. Six steps and a whole town. Seven steps and a full li.
Kwoong!
Eight steps.
Changhoja had grown another ten li.
Kwoong!!!
Nine steps.
One hundred li!
And finally.
Ten steps!
Kwaaaaang!
[What...!?]
The black dragon king was startled.
And Changhoja's body continued to swell.
*'That's the divine transformation that activates when the Changryeong Seonggwang Ochae Daebop reaches the Heavenly Person realm...!'*
But this was far more colossal than I had ever heard.
*'By burning life force, am I gaining power beyond the Four Pillars?!'*
It was the only explanation!
Now towering over the black dragon king, who was as large as a mountain range, Changhoja raised his fist.
He resembled a violet giant!
His wings had already withdrawn into his body, and two violet dragons writhed in his arms.
[What...!]
Before the black dragon king could recover his wits.
Kwaaang!
Changhoja's strike slammed into him.
Kkuguguguugung!
“...!?”
In truth.
The heavens and earth were torn apart.
The black sea that the black dragon king had created was ripped to shreds.
And the black dragon king, who had been holding his own against us until now, vomited blood and collapsed!
[This... monster... Burning life force!?]
Kurling, kurung!
Changhoja's body looked like a violet universe.
Countless violet star patterns floated inside him.
Changhoja said nothing while fighting the black dragon king.
He only pressed forward!
*'This is the final stage of the Changryeong Seonggwang Ochae Daebop.'*
The Heavenly Shattering Strike became the basic stance while burning one's life force.
The final move of the Dragon Energy Fist was naturally wrapped around the fist, after which the stellarization of the Stellar Light Body Technique and the immense power of the Five Elements Longevity Formation sustained him.
The colossal figure cloaked in darkness fought the black dragon king like a violet heavenly god.
Kim Yeon, instead of just watching, moved the unity puppets to press the black dragon king.
The black dragon king, who had been locked in a fierce struggle with the unity puppets, began to be pushed back.
No, he was clearly retreating before Changhoja.
Kkwakwakgwang!
With every brush of Changhoja's fist against his scales, pieces of the black dragon king's body were torn away.
Kwaaaang!
The black dragon king vomited blood and was driven back.
He glared at us with bloodshot eyes.
[You... you bastards...!]
He was enraged.
And the black dragon king roared.
[Do you think I'll lose to the likes of you!? I don't lose! I'm the black dragon king, Hyun-eum! I'm the one who will return to the grand position!]
Chiiiii!
At the same moment, a crimson qi surged across his entire body.
Red blood qi erupted from between the black dragon king's scales.
[Good. Since I've heard your resolve, I'll make mine too. Behold my resolve—to slaughter you all, even if it costs me a portion of my lifespan!]
Kiiiiing!
“...!?”
And the next instant.
The blood qi bursting from the black dragon king's body rose even higher, and he suddenly charged toward the Venerable One's left foot.
At the same time, the black dragon king and the Venerable One's left foot merged.
Kiiiiing!
Red light twisted and writhed.
And...
[Ooooo...!]
The writhing left foot of the Venerable One seemed to pull the black dragon king's body inside it.
But the next moment, the Venerable One's left foot completely disintegrated!
“...!?”
The Venerable One's left foot turned into clouds.
No, a storm.
Kurling, kurururung!
At the same time it became a sea.
Red blood qi, carrying black lightning inside, scattered in all directions.
And the blood that filled the red clouds looked like an ocean.
Urrung, ururung!
“...!?”
The black dragon king had become one heavenly phenomenon by merging with the Venerable One's left foot.
The demonic qi of the Demon Realm was pulled into the red storm and transformed into a giant, covering Changhoja.
Changhoja sank into the crimson storm and silently blocked the enormous thing formed by the merger of the black dragon king and the Venerable One.
Kim Yeon also deployed every unity puppet she controlled to stop the red storm, but it was impossible.
*I can't block it!*
It had already surpassed the power of unity puppets!
I had seen an existence that could unleash power like that.
*Her!*
The [Her] that Goe-gun had modified to at least Star Shattering level was spewing exactly that kind of authority!
*I have to help!*
I looked at Changhoja burning his life force.
That red storm wasn't just attacking his body.
His spirit!
I could clearly see Changhoja's spirit being slowly eaten away by the storm.
*'I can't physically block the storm. Even if Kim Yeon throws every puppet at it, it won't work. What I can do is...'*
I slowly moved my trembling body again.
*'Only by filling his heart with a blessing so he can protect himself!'*
The Ocean of Righteousness, Mountain of Grace wasn't just a strike that split the Yuan Spirit. It was also a strike that spat out all of one's own being in an instant.
Of course it drained the body as well.
Last time I used it to save everyone from the Venerable One's strike and to break Kim Yeon's Golden Seal again.
Because I had used it twice in a single day, squeezing out everything, my body condition had been terrible ever since.
If I used it one more time, even if I survived, my lifespan would be shortened by at least two hundred years.
But...
*'That's nothing compared to what I have to do.'*
Once I reached the Nascent Soul realm, time would be on my side.
So there was no reason to hesitate any longer!
Tsetsetset!
I gathered all my strength into my body.
Kim Yeon moved the unity puppets to support Changhoja, and Oh Hyun-seok gathered power while refining the Heavenly Shattering Strike.
The remnant soldiers of the Wondrous Castle had all come outside and were preparing techniques to support Changhoja.
“Master!”
Oh Hyun-seok shouted loudly and leaped forward.
Slararak!
Seven wings shot out behind his back.
They must have been made by shortening his lifespan.
When countless people sent out their strikes to help Changhoja...
That was the moment.
Changhoja, who had been blocking the storm, glanced back over his shoulder.
And the instant I saw Changhoja's eyes, I understood his intention and shouted.
“Master! Don't...!”
The next instant.
Kkugugugugu!
Changhoja reached out his fist toward us.
“...!”
His fist moved, and the armor he wore began to peel away.
According to his union technique, the azure armor that had been dyed together with the violet color flew toward us.
And perhaps because it was the power of the azure armor.
We could see the space itself being pushed back by the fist wind bursting from his fist, distancing him from us.
Changhoja's voice reached us softly.
[In the Total Union, the dimensional gate will be closed very soon. Get out quickly.]
“Master!!!”
Oh Hyun-seok cried with tears streaming down his face as he called for Changhoja, and I channeled every ounce of my life to use the first move of the Ocean of Righteousness, Mountain of Grace.
Paahaaat!
It was like a flash advancing.
But my Yuan Spirit never reached Changhoja.
Because he was moving away, I would have to push my Yuan Spirit even farther from my body to reach him.
Barely.
My Yuan Spirit reached Changhoja but then returned to me!
But I kept my mouth shut and tried another way.
The moment the Yuan Spirit I had swung with the Ocean of Righteousness came closest to Changhoja.
I used the divine technique Shin-gwi had given me.
The Strange Parasite Technique!
Piiit!
A piece of my soul detached from my Yuan Spirit and seeped into Changhoja's body.
This was a technique originally created to counter the mental interference of the blood Underworld's existences.
Through the Strange Parasite Technique, I entered Changhoja's soul.
And while supporting his soul, I resisted the Venerable One's mental interference that was eating away at his spirit.
*'You... are Seo Eun-hyun?'*
As if sensing my soul's existence, Changhoja asked.
I poured my strength into his consciousness and said.
*'Come this way even now! If it's now, Master will barely be able to cross into the Gwanghan Realm!'*
I shared the remnants and vision of Changhoja I had left from above the Wondrous Castle and tried to convince him.
Gradually, the dimensional gate of the Gwanghan Realm that Changhoja had destroyed became visible behind us.
We were being pushed toward the dimensional gate by the fist wind and the power of the azure armor Changhoja had unleashed.
The dimensional gate was still closing in real time.
*'If you come quickly now, let Master come this way only, and we can time it so that monster can't cross! Hurry!'*
*'...Eun-hyun.'*
And Changhoja answered my words gently.
*'Do you know what I promised to do in exchange for the Total Union opening the dimensional gate for a while?'*
*'Yes?'*
*'I promised that I would block the Venerable One of Star Shattering's advance even if it meant throwing away my life. The blood Underworld Venerable said that if even a fragment of my body touches the Gwanghan Realm, the dimensional coordinates between the blood Underworld and the Gwanghan Realm will resonate, and the 'ones' of the blood Underworld Venerable will be able to cross into the Gwanghan Realm.'*
Changhoja smiled bitterly and encouraged me.
*'This is fine. If I can save my successors... if I can save my disciples... this is enough.'*
I bit my lip tightly.
Tsetsetset!
The Wondrous Castle had already crossed the dimensional gate of the Gwanghan Realm.
*'Why... Why does it have to be that you are sacrificing yourself for your disciples and successors instead of yourself? The sages I know are selfish, only caring about themselves! You too! Isn't it wrong to live like that!'*
'....'
Changhoja, who had been silent for a while, smiled at my remnant soul.
*'Eun-hyun, pass my last will to Hyun-seok.'*
Kwaduk, kwoodeudeuk!
The red light beams began to penetrate Changhoja's mental barrier.
I tried to block them by swapping my remnant soul, but the Venerable One of Star Shattering's power could not be blocked by a remnant soul.
Proud....
I silently listened to Changhoja's final instruction, his last words.
Uuuuuung!
Changhoja's body began to overheat gradually.
And after finishing his will, he spoke to my remnant soul that was being completely torn away.
*'...Thank you. If it weren't for you, I would have already been devoured by the Venerable One's mind and perhaps gone to kill Hyun-seok with my own hands.'*
*'...Master.'*
*'Let me repeat. Please pass my words to Hyun-seok too. You must live bearing my words in your heart. So...'*
He smiled faintly.
*'Up until now, as a master, I've learned a lot from you. Thank you, my disciples.'*
Boom!
The next instant.
My remnant soul was completely torn away, and a red light poured into the inside of Changhoja's spirit.
I watched from inside Changhoja as he poured all his power into a self-destruction.
Paahaaat!
Oh Hyun-seok, Kim Yeon.
And the countless human remnants in the Wondrous Castle.
They saw a huge star shining in the demonic realm beyond.
It was like fireworks, like flames.
What was certain was that it was a star shining in the darkness.
“Ah, aaaa... aaaaa...!”
Oh Hyun-seok stared at the star with a dazed expression.
Finally, we arrived back in the Gwanghan Realm after crossing the dimensional gate.
And enormous auras surrounded us.
Unity Grand Masters!
Seven human unity grand masters surrounded us.
*'No, they're not real.'*
They were projections.
A kind of clone that projected their true forms into the Heavenly Qi to send to us.
And those clones each formed bonds and reached out toward the dimensional gate we had come out of.
“Close the gate!”
Kkugugugu!
The dimensional gate closed.
And Oh Hyun-seok, seeing the scene, shouted desperately.
“W-wait! Wait a moment! Master... Master is there!”
He shouted like a madman and reached out toward Changhoja.
“Quiet! Stay still. Changhoja went to sacrifice his own life to save you! Are you trying to make my master's death meaningless!”
One of the unity grand masters glared at Oh Hyun-seok and shouted sternly.
But Oh Hyun-seok, half-mad, gathered power.
“Wait! What are you doing, you bastard!”
Eight wings shot out from behind his back.
The clear peak power of the Four Pillars realm burst from him.
Oh Hyun-seok was also sacrificing his lifespan to save Changhoja.
“Step aside! I'm saving Master!”
Paahaat!
A dazzling blue light flickered as the unity grand masters tore open the dimensional gate they were trying to close.
As a result, the speed at which the dimensional gate closed was slowed.
And through that momentary gap.
Kwaaang!
Something reached into the Gwanghan Realm.
“You bastard!”
“Damn it, it's the blood Underworld's blood corpse!”
It was the 'palm' that was familiar to us.
The 'palm' that had been slammed into the gap in the dimensional gate gradually moved, trying to pry it open.
And at the same time, the same voice as the owner of the 'palm' came from beyond the gap.
“Eun... hyun. Hyun... seok. Open it. Behind you, the monster is chasing...”
“Master...!?”
Oh Hyun-seok looked at the 'palm' in surprise.
And Kim Yeon and I shouted at the same time.
“Brother, no!”
“Stop! Stop it, that's not Changhoja!”
Proud....
I gritted my teeth.
The moment Won Rip had been rubbing his own face and trying to beg for his life in Hyang-hwa's appearance, the mocking anger surged back into my mind.
Changhoja was dead.
He had ascended splendidly.
And that damned Star Shattering Venerable One, and the black dragon king too!
They were mocking the vengeful spirit of one who had died like Won Rip!
“Hyun... seok...! It's... it's outrageous! Ah, aaa! If you... save me... I can... live...”
“Master? Is it really Master...?”
Tuduk!
I rose with my trembling body and told Kim Yeon.
“Yeon-ah, suppress Hyun-seok hyeonim.”
“...Yes.”
Kim Yeon, also in agony, bit her lip and moved the puppets to pin down Oh Hyun-seok.
Slaa, slarakarak!
At the same time, the projections of the unity grand masters used techniques to tightly bind Oh Hyun-seok.
“No! Let go! Let go! Seo Eun-hyun! What are you doing now? Master's there! Master's...!”
“...”
*'I see.'*
I understood why Oh Hyun-seok had fallen in the last life.
The situation now was different, but...
Changhoja had gone into the Demon Realm to save Oh Hyun-seok even then, and he had probably sacrificed himself to save him.
But the Changhoja of the last life, without the protection of my Strange Parasite Technique, might have had his body taken by the Venerable One before self-destruction.
Even now, with only one palm left, he is being used by the Venerable One, but in the last life he might have been robbed of his entire body and done that.
The unity grand masters, without hesitation, would have killed the Changhoja who had become like that in front of Oh Hyun-seok's eyes and closed the entrance to the Demon Realm.
The Venerable One would have used Changhoja's mouth to beg Oh Hyun-seok to spare him until the very end.
In this way, they would have mocked Changhoja's death!
And!
In this life, since I had become his disciple.
I would never let that happen!
“The death of a person...”
Proud, proudduudeuk!
My entire body creaked.
If I moved, I would die right away.
But I still moved.
I set my posture and prepared the first move of the Ocean of Righteousness, Mountain of Grace.
“With that dirty mouth...”
Kuuung!
I squeezed my Yuan Spirit again and dangled Changhoja's arm, growling at the bastard who was mocking his death.
“Don’t mock it! Devil!”
Boom, boom, boom!
Kim Yeon's puppets fired lasers and used techniques, driving the 'palm' out of the dimensional gate.
The projections of the grand masters also tried to drive the 'palm' out as they wished.
“Teacher brother.”
Not Oh Hyun-seok's younger brother, Seo Eun-hyun.
As a disciple of Changcheon Gaebyeokmun, I focused every ounce of my energy while calling for Oh Hyun-seok.
“Grands... masters! I will give you good information! That guy is a mind demon! He has learned the law!”
The 'palm' twitched and pointed at me, but I ignored it and continued with bright eyes.
“From now on, I will deliver Master's last instruction to you.”
Why had the Oh Hyun-seok of the last life fallen?
Why had he become insane and wept?
There must have been tricks from the blood Underworld Venerable, but perhaps Changhoja's will hadn't reached him.
Although he had inherited the azure armor, symbol of Changhoja's martial might, he had not inherited his true foundation, his spirit.
That was why he had succumbed to strength and fallen.
Ziiiiing!
The 'palm' gradually turned red.
And red coral sprouted from the 'palm', staining the surroundings.
The black dragon king's voice overlapped with someone else's and echoed in all directions.
[This feels like evil. The evil of dirty humans who closed the gate after abandoning their fellow tribesmen as sacrifices to the demonic realm...]
Chiiiii!
“W-what...!”
“The blood Underworld Venerable is using some sorcery!”
“It’s a demonic art of the blood Underworld!”
Red coral began to grow from the projections of the unity grand masters.
And the red coral dyed the Heavenly Qi of the Gwanghan Realm with demonic qi, giving the 'palm' more power.
Gradually, the 'palm' that had been pushed back by the attacks of the unity puppets began to advance toward us.
[Another evil feels like... the evil of madmen who turned healthy tribes into puppets with their mad qi...]
And suddenly red coral began to sprout from the unity puppets that Kim Yeon controlled.
Tremble, trembletrembletremble...
“Grrr...!”
Kim Yeon gritted her teeth and tried to control the puppets, but the red coral created a crack in the command system between her and the puppets.
And at some point, the red qi spewing from the red coral flowed back along Kim Yeon's consciousness and invaded her upper dantian.
“Aaaak!”
Kim Yeon endured the pain, used her consciousness to push out the red qi, and struggled.
In an instant, Kim Yeon was paralyzed.
[Another evil feels like... the evil of dirty people who simply roast and eat fellow wise beings without hesitation...]
“Huaaak!”
“W-what...!”
“My... my body...!?”
And red coral began to sprout from the bodies of the remnant soldiers of the human race around us.
*'What is this...!'*
I shouted while watching the scene.
*'Can metaphysical concepts like evil be handled like that? No, more than that... The blood Underworld Venerable's left hand or left foot didn't use that kind of technique. So when the black dragon king merged with the Venerable One's left foot and started using that sorcery...?'*
Piit, piit...
Coral sprouted on me too, but fortunately the corals coming out of me withered and died.
Watching that, I instinctively understood.
Until now, the black dragon king had been nothing more than one of the dragon kings of the beast realm.
He had inherited a little true blood, but that was all—a unity black dragon king.
But right now.
With the body of the blood Underworld Star Shattering Venerable One merged, the black dragon king seemed to have transformed into something else.
*'A technique that even the fragment of the Star Shattering Venerable couldn't use is used freely... What is this guy?'*
Using the concept of evil so freely?
“Grr, no!”
“Damn it, the blood Underworld guy...!”
The projections of the grand masters were instantly covered with coral, and the humans near the dimensional gate were completely engulfed and began to be wiped out.
'Ha...'
I laughed coldly.
I laughed while recalling the words Changhoja, no, my master had given.
If it had come to this, I too had no choice but to act like him.
If I couldn't act properly, I should at least follow his will.
Yes, I should have done this from the beginning.
I quickly took out the Baekhongju I had prepared earlier in Jeomuldo and drank it.
The colorless glass sword connected firmly to my soul.
I gritted my teeth and raised the Ocean of Righteousness, Mountain of Grace.
I had no intention of using a strike that probed the mind of the existence in front of me.
I couldn't read his thought process at all.
So what should I do?
*'Convert all the power of the Ocean of Righteousness, Mountain of Grace, which was used to probe the soul's position, entirely into physical force.'*
Kiiiiing!
I exploded the Yuan Spirit in the qi position!
If it was that kind of strike, even if the guy transformed the surroundings into demonic qi, it would be enough to send him beyond!
“Listen, teacher brother.”
I said while approaching the existence with eyes burning fiercely.
“This is Master's last instruction.”
Sarak, sararak!
Countless human figures appeared behind my back.
The Ten Thousand Phenomena Affinity Diagram.
Originally, the qi spirits composing the Ten Thousand Phenomena Affinity Diagram only showed clear human forms to my eyes.
To others, they were nothing more than faint white mist.
Perhaps to Oh Hyun-seok and Kim Yeon's eyes right now, it would look like countless misty things spreading behind me.
And since the Ten Thousand Phenomena Affinity Diagram preserved memories by having the qi spirits 'recreate' the scene, and there was no special memory stored in the spirits, transmitting memories through the Ten Thousand Phenomena Affinity Diagram was basically impossible.
But the moment my soul exploded.
The moment my soul's energy tore apart and scattered in all directions, the boundary between self and others would disappear under the name of 'death', allowing me to show my Ten Thousand Phenomena Affinity Diagram to others in an extremely short instant.
I planned to use that short time to recreate the moment Changhoja had passed on his will to me through the Ten Thousand Phenomena Affinity Diagram and show it to Oh Hyun-seok.
I turned around.
Oh Hyun-seok, who still hadn't regained his senses.
And Kim Yeon, who was looking at me.
Kim Yeon's eyes trembled.
Fortunately, the red qi that had invaded her head seemed manageable.
“Don’t... go.”
Realizing what I was about to do, she cried with tears brimming.
'...Sorry.'
I gritted my teeth.
I didn't want to die.
Although the regressor has infinite lives, this time was only once.
Every moment was only once.
Rather, dying when regressing was too terrifying.
Rather, reversing time by leaving this moment was too heartbreaking.
And.
Rather, this moment was too precious when regressing.
Because it was precious.
I would protect these precious people.
Protecting them was a privilege, just like Master's will...
I recalled the will Changhoja had given at the end.
The Danak Sword Art.
The twenty-sixth move of the Dan-ak Sword Play.
The Ocean of Righteousness, Mountain of Grace was a strike that held all power in the sword and thrust it out.
The newly created move was nothing more than transforming the 'thrusting' process into 'explosion'.
*'Master.'*
“Ilmyeol Dochaan (One Destruction Leading to This Shore).”
From the sword held in my hand, a pure white light burst forth.
All the power I had integrated inside the Yuan Spirit exploded with every ounce of qi energy.
The next instant, the pure white light covered everything and my mind turned white.
The Yuan Spirit collapsed.
But I felt no regret.
If I could protect my precious connections made in this life with my life, that would be enough.
Countless human figures followed behind me.
Through the Ten Thousand Phenomena Affinity Diagram, everyone I had met until now was my connection, and at the same time my master.
That was why I had returned as much favor as I had received from the masters.
But I couldn't return the favor I had received from Changhoja.
So by accepting Changhoja's will, I completed my duty.
I walked toward death while hugging Changhoja's words and smiling.
* * *
“Ah, aaaa...”
Kim Yeon cried.
He was dying.
When no one could react to the blood Underworld's evil technique used by the blood Underworld's wicked existence, only Changhoja could move, so he had sacrificed his life to block the existence of the blood Underworld.
'I can't let this happen!'
When she gathered all her strength to stop him.
Slararak...
Faint illusions appeared before her eyes.
The faint white mist that had risen behind Seo Eun-hyun materialized like a person and drew a certain figure.
It was Changhoja.
Changhoja's final moment.
*'That's...!'*
Kim Yeon's eyes, which had intuitively understood the fact from Seo Eun-hyun's memories, became bloodshot.
And Oh Hyun-seok, who saw Changhoja's figure, stopped crying and looked at him.
[Why... Why does it have to be that you are sacrificing yourself for your disciples and successors instead of yourself? The sages I know are selfish, only caring about themselves! You too! Isn't it wrong to live like that!]
Seo Eun-hyun's voice was also heard.
His question applied to Oh Hyun-seok too.
Oh Hyun-seok had wanted to ask Changhoja.
What exactly was righteousness, what was emotion... How had you been able to throw your body away for the successors so easily.
[Young-hyun, pass my will to Hyun-seok.]
And Changhoja smiled and looked back.
Oh Hyun-seok felt as if the projection of Changhoja was looking at him.
[Humans receive favors they cannot express in words until they grow up. And the reason I have protected righteousness and guarded good according to my own way until now is because that is the duty and obligation of every person I have received favors from while living. No, that is not an obligation, it is a privilege.]
Changhoja's will continued.
[To pursue impossible dreams while performing righteousness.
To endure endless suffering while overcoming it.
To endure unbearable pain for righteousness.
To die for the noble ideal toward righteousness.
To correct wrongs while looking toward righteousness...]
It was his song.
Changhoja's lifelong belief.
Born with a strong body blessed by heaven, having lived while possessing the will to grind bones.
As the chosen one, bestowing mercy on the weak.
Giving opportunities to those with ability, guarding successors as an adult.
Carrying out responsibility to those below.
It was the pure song of goodwill pursued by Changhoja, who was praised as pure by Goe-gun.
[...To love each other with purity and goodwill.
With pride in the impossible dream...]
Oh Hyun-seok, listening to Changhoja's song, stopped crying.
Wiping away his tears, he bowed respectfully toward Changhoja's illusion.
Kim Yeon could no longer try to stop Seo Eun-hyun.
All the sages.
Among them, those who reached the Nascent Soul realm or higher were all madmen.
Although they appeared sane on the surface, only those whose minds were cracked were like that.
That's right.
Changhoja was a madman of goodwill.
No, more precisely, a madman of purity.
A person who could truly believe and act on the logic that one could sacrifice oneself for others, for those responsible, and for one's own people.
And Kim Yeon could no longer stop Seo Eun-hyun's actions.
Seo Eun-hyun had now inherited Changhoja's will.
He had buried Changhoja's will in his heart and truly followed it.
Because she could read thoughts with the Strange Star-Mind Scroll, she read the firm mind of Seo Eun-hyun and could not move from that spot.
Changhoja's song, his purity, was finally ending.
[...So believing, reaching the stars.]
It wasn't a simple poem.
It was his purity, conveyed to all the disciples of Changcheon Gaebyeokmun, including Seo Eun-hyun and myself.
[Please pass my words to Hyun-seok too. You must live bearing my words in your heart. So...]
Paahaat!
Changhoja's body exploded.
And like the song he sang just now, Changhoja became a star.
[Up until now, as a master, I've learned a lot from you. Thank you, my disciples.]
Boom!
Changhoja's qi spirits, just like the original Changhoja, became stars and shone in all directions.
A madman who had gone mad with purity.
But if this world was hell, perhaps it was because of his purity that he could die now.
Perhaps he hadn't been able to live because he was too kind.
But his will had clearly been passed on to Oh Hyun-seok through Seo Eun-hyun.
Oh Hyun-seok saw a person scattering with the pure white light group beyond the Changhoja who had become a star.
'...From now on, I will continue to inherit this will.'
Oh Hyun-seok clenched his fist and shouted.
'By doing so... I will definitely... definitely prove that Master's heart was not meaningless! Watch from the other shore, Seo Eun-hyun!'
Oh Hyun-seok swallowed his sobs and shouted to Seo Eun-hyun while tightening his resolve.
Simply.
It was simply that a person's heart was transmitted to another person.
But that had twisted the fate of Oh Hyun-seok, who would become a derelict after Changhoja's death.
Slow, slow...
Kim Yeon slowly approached Seo Eun-hyun.
Seo Eun-hyun stood in the posture of swinging his sword, like that.
Seo Eun-hyun stood like that, and exploded his Yuan Spirit to die.
The dimensional gate was completely closed, and Changhoja's palm had completely disappeared, no longer being mocked.
But he died while smiling.
Perhaps he felt relief that he could die while protecting his connections.
She approached Seo Eun-hyun, closed his eyes, and his body fell slowly into Kim Yeon's arms as if it could finally rest.
Kim Yeon bowed her head and gently kissed the lips of the fallen Seo Eun-hyun.
Oh Hyun-seok watched the scene and murmured.
"You... you really were a meaningful person to many people, Eun-hyun."
Around Seo Eun-hyun, countless faint white human figures stood centered on him.
Those figures were holding the sleeping Seo Eun-hyun together with Kim Yeon.
'Master was only one person to me, but Eun-hyun... To you, the masters wrapping you now are all your masters, right?'
Oh Hyun-seok closed his eyes, feeling as if one of those figures was his own remnant soul.
'Sleep well, Seo Eun-hyun. You've repaid enough of the favors of all the masters you wanted to protect. Now... rest in the other shore.'
Oh Hyun-seok bid farewell to Seo Eun-hyun that way.
But contrary to Oh Hyun-seok's wishes, Seo Eun-hyun never reached the other shore.
Like the sword art name Ilmyeol Dochaan, the place Seo Eun-hyun reached was only another this shore.
But at this moment.
As much as he struggled with all his strength to repay and protect the favors of all the masters he had met in his life and slept now.
Seo Eun-hyun might have been able to sleep comfortably in the embrace of countless people.
That was his fifteenth regression.
**Author's Note:** The author's note beforehand states that Changhoja's will is a homage to *Don Quixote*.
Changhoja is a character greatly influenced by Don Quixote. In particular, he is said to have been most influenced by Don Quixote's 'purity'.
The purity of Changhoja, similar to Don Quixote, has now been passed on to Seo Eun-hyun.
The Changcheon Gaebyeokmun epilogue was created to remind both Seo Eun-hyun and myself of the early Jomunseok Sage's heart, as we seemed to have forgotten a little of it recently.
Now that Seo Eun-hyun has inherited Changhoja's purity, he can face impossible dreams, fight invincible enemies, endure endless suffering, and gain the heart to die again for the noble ideal.
In a way, it can be said that he has regained his original innocence.
Since regaining original innocence was the main goal of this episode, Seo Eun-hyun and I ourselves will look for original innocence and work harder from now on.
I would like to express my gratitude to all the readers who have been watching so far, and look forward to showing you good stories in the future. Thank you.