What Makes a Human? (6)
He had reached the realm of Nascent Soul Integration Grand Completion and sat down in his seat to observe his inner self for stabilization.
After some time, countless streams of divine light shot forth rapidly from the east.
They were the elders and patriarchs of the Geumsincheonroemun sect, along with the various elders.
And at the center of them all stood Geum Byeok-ho.
“W-what is this…?”
Geum Byeok-ho’s eyes were filled with bewilderment.
I was not hiding the pressure emanating from my current realm, and the oppressive aura caused by it had made everyone realize that I had already reached the Nascent Soul Integration Grand Completion.
Upon learning that I had advanced to the Nascent Soul Integration Grand Completion, the eyes of the elders and patriarchs widened as if they might pop out of their sockets.
“…”
“…”
“…”
Yet paradoxically, while their faces were painted with shock and awe, the surroundings remained incredibly quiet and composed.
However, I was momentarily dazed by the “excessively” turbulent thoughts surrounding me.
In truth, the thoughts of the current elders, patriarchs, and Geum Byeok-ho had reached a state of “mad frenzy.”
And finally.
“Uwaaaaaaah!!”
One of the Heavenly Person elders suddenly burst into tears.
“Ancestor-nim…!!”
Starting with that elder, the majority of the elders and patriarchs began weeping with faces full of passion.
Did emotion spread like a contagion?
Even Geum Byeok-ho’s eye sockets were slightly reddened.
“Y-you… y-you…”
Thud, thud…
He did not remain hovering in front of me but instead knelt down.
Geum Byeok-ho approached me, grabbed my shoulder, and bowed his face low.
“You… are the future of the sect.”
It was not tears of sorrow, but tears of passion that could no longer be contained—the joy overflowing from the entire leadership of Geumshincheonroemun.
“Listen up, everyone!”
Geum Byeok-ho shouted loudly.
“Seo Eun-hyun here has succeeded in mastering all ten thousand-plus cultivation techniques of the Geumsincheonroemun. However, due to some reason, he cannot use the Thunder Technique. Nevertheless! As you can see right now, this Seo Eun-hyun has overcome even that using his genius talent and reached the Nascent Soul Integration Grand Completion in a short period! Listen up, everyone!”
Geum Byeok-ho shouted loudly.
“I, Geum Byeok-ho, as the Taesang-jangmun, recommend Seo Eun-hyun elder as the next sect leader!”
“…”
And suddenly, upon Geum Byeok-ho’s declaration, the elders also began shouting one after another.
“The current sect leader, Geum Min, also recommends Seo Eun-hyun elder!”
“I, the chief of the division, Jin Hwi, also recommends!”
“I, elder Geum Jinchan also…!”
“I…!”
Countless elders simultaneously recommended me, and the patriarchs agreed.
And unanimously, I was appointed as the next sect leader.
“From now on, when the current sect leader Geum Min steps down, the next sect leader Geum Jinchan will inherit it, and subsequently the next next sect leader Seo Eun-hyun will receive the sect leader seal! And! From today, the next next sect leader Seo Eun-hyun elder who possesses the qualification of sect leader!”
Uuuung!
Geum Byeok-ho reached his hand toward the void.
His Four Pillars hand passed through space and connected to somewhere inside the Geumsincheonroemun, from which he pulled out a golden belt.
It was a golden belt engraved with the character for Thunder (金雷).
“I bestow the golden surname of the one who symbolizes the qualification of sect leader!”
Geum Byeok-ho handed me the golden belt with a proud face and said.
“Accept it, from now on you shall be Gold Eun-hyun!”
With that, by receiving the belt I became the next next sect leader of the Geumsincheonroemun, Gold Eun-hyun.
---
The birth of the genius who had inherited everything of the Geumsincheonroemun, “Gold Eun-hyun,” soon spread throughout the entire sect and across the entire Heavenly Road.
Geum Byeok-ho announced that he would hold a celebration banquet in a month’s time to confirm Gold Eun-hyun as the next next sect leader, and sent invitation letters to other humanoid sect groups across the Heavenly Road.
Many responded to the invitation.
And among them were even a few Nascent Soul Integration Grand Completion Taesu who would send their clones.
Many admired and looked up to Gold Eun-hyun.
Except for Jeon Myeong-hoon.
“…”
[Why, Master-nim?]
Jeon Myeong-hoon stood before me without saying a word, watching the massive centipede, Hongbeom, chewing on his tail.
[You said you wanted to meet the master, right?]
“…” Well, yeah. That’s right.”
Jeon Myeong-hoon stared blankly at the east behind Hongbeom with a dumbfounded expression.
That east was familiar to Jeon Myeong-hoon.
He had never entered it, but it was the one he had been conscious of for ten years.
When Hongbeom had told him to go meet his master, Hongbeom had readily taken him there, and Jeon Myeong-hoon had been excited.
The sight of countless heavenly tribulations striking down at that place, with the entire sect’s elders and patriarchs flying there, was unforgettable.
Jeon Myeong-hoon had received help from Hongbeom through that promising elder for ten years.
Perhaps, the elder soon to become an elder—or rather, the one who would soon reach that realm—would lead the sect together with Jeon Myeong-hoon.
However, the place where Hongbeom had taken him was Seo Eun-hyun’s east.
At first, he had trouble understanding it and hesitated.
Then denial followed.
He had simply thought that an elder who had just reached the Nascent Soul Integration Grand Completion would stop by Seo Eun-hyun’s east.
But Hongbeom had confirmed it with a final blow.
—This is the residence of your master, Seo Eun-hyun-nim.
That was the situation moments ago.
“Seo Eun-hyun… already reached the Nascent Soul Integration Grand Completion?”
When Jeon Myeong-hoon had barely reached the Foundation Establishment realm, Seo Eun-hyun had already been at the Nascent Soul Integration Grand Completion.
He stood in front of the east for a long time, dumbfounded.
His own joy at reaching Foundation Establishment now felt incredibly trivial.
“While I was reaching Foundation Establishment, was Seo Eun-hyun already standing before Heavenly Person… Was my Heavenly Thunder Body not better than the Thunder Body…?”
He wanted to deny reality.
He wanted to believe that the owner of the massive ritual domain surrounding the entire mountain range outside the east was not Seo Eun-hyun but someone else.
Thud…
But it was reality.
And Jeon Myeong-hoon gritted his teeth and walked into the inside of the east.
Thud, thud…
Jeon Myeong-hoon’s footsteps were heavy, but he never stopped.
Jeon Myeong-hoon of this world would never have entered under these circumstances.
He would have denied reality or compromised with it, thinking “hidden talent, good luck,” and moved on.
He would never have gone to meet the other party.
He would never have accepted them.
Originally.
But Jeon Myeong-hoon finally stood before Seo Eun-hyun who was sitting in seiza, stabilizing his realm inside the east.
“Even though we were in the same sect, it’s been quite a while since I last saw you.”
“…”
Jeon Myeong-hoon nodded silently at Seo Eun-hyun’s words.
Seo Eun-hyun flicked his hand to one side.
A pocket dimension unfolded beside him, and a small cushion emerged from within, descending in front of Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Soon after, various teaware such as teacups and teapots spilled out from the pocket dimension.
“Sit.”
Jeon Myeong-hoon sat down wordlessly.
As Seo Eun-hyun flicked his hand, the teapot moved in the void, and tea leaves moved to enter the teapot.
Water droplets condensed and entered the teapot, beginning to boil, and after a while Seo Eun-hyun poured the tea in front of Jeon Myeong-hoon with a flick.
“This is the Operation Technique Tea. Simply smelling it improves your law power, and those below Core Formation see their training speed tripled for three days, while those at Foundation Establishment see their training speed increased for a month. It should be useful for you at the beginning of Foundation Establishment.”
Jeon Myeong-hoon picked up the teacup, closed his eyes tightly, and drank the tea like a strong liquor in one go.
…
After opening his mouth, he said.
“Thank you for the precious… tea, Elder Seo.”
“…”
And even Seo Eun-hyun’s eyebrows twitched in surprise at Jeon Myeong-hoon’s honorific.
“What’s your intention?”
Jeon Myeong-hoon bit his lip for a moment.
And slowly, yet with clear eyes meeting Seo Eun-hyun’s, he said.
“I decided to acknowledge you.”
“Me? You?”
“No.”
He clenched his fist and said.
“The fact that I have been lazily cultivating until now!”
“…”
“Clearly we came from the same world, were the same companion, and were the same human. Yet Elder Seo… is already at that realm, and I am the one hearing that you possess mythical talent. I am still only at the beginning of Foundation Establishment. At some point, I heard those words from my sparring partner. Truly, those who pursue the path with intent in the capital do not sleep, sacrifice mealtimes, and immerse themselves endlessly in training. At that time, I thought that was not a human life and did not agree. But!”
Jeon Myeong-hoon looked directly into Seo Eun-hyun’s eyes.
“…Now, I see that I was… lazier than you. I am ashamed of myself.”
“…”
“From now on, I will immerse myself endlessly in training to surpass you. Only after surpassing your realm will I surpass your position, and only then will I treat you as before.”
Light sparked in Seo Eun-hyun’s eyes.
“Amazing. You can change like this…”
“…”
“I am grateful for the teachings through Hongbeom until now. I will go now.”
“…” Well, okay.”
Jeon Myeong-hoon rose from his seat upon hearing Seo Eun-hyun’s words, bowed his head, and left the east of Seo Eun-hyun without hesitation.
Jeon Myeong-hoon left the east of Seo Eun-hyun, completely left the ritual domain of Seo Eun-hyun, and only then let out a sigh.
“Whew…”
His back was covered in cold sweat.
He had clearly acknowledged Seo Eun-hyun.
It was different from ten years ago.
But having acknowledged Seo Eun-hyun, Jeon Myeong-hoon recalled the acts he had tormented him with.
“Fortunately… it seems he doesn’t mind it much…”
Since Seo Eun-hyun had not shown much emotion toward him, Jeon Myeong-hoon let out a sigh of relief inwardly.
“Honestly, I thought he would at least punch me a few times…”
Jeon Myeong-hoon himself had boldly shouted at Seo Eun-hyun with the intention of being hit.
But Seo Eun-hyun had only watched him with transparent eyes the whole time, saying nothing.
“That guy would not have been able to hold back laughter in the past… He really seemed to have no emotions.”
Jeon Myeong-hoon thought while recalling Seo Eun-hyun’s eyes.
“That guy… seems to have changed a lot from before. Has he also changed a lot, like me over ten years?”
He thought for a moment, then laughed with a “heh” and shook his head.
“Okay, I need to stop worrying about that guy.”
He had been constantly compared to Seo Eun-hyun for ten years.
And finally, Seo Eun-hyun had reached the Nascent Soul Integration Grand Completion and become an elder in front of him, while Jeon Myeong-hoon had only just reached the early stages of the Heavenly Thunder Body.
“From now on, I will stop worrying about Seo Eun-hyun and walk confidently down my own path.”
He no longer felt inferiority toward Seo Eun-hyun but only pure ambition toward him, deciding to surpass Seo Eun-hyun.
He made up his mind that way and returned to his own east to immerse himself in training.
That is, for about two days, there was no shaking in that heart.
Until Geum Byeok-ho proclaimed the “next next sect leader Gold Eun-hyun” to the entire sect.
“Damn it!!! Next next sect leader!”
Jeon Myeong-hoon, with a hollow face emerging from the east, turned his face bright red.
His master, Geum Jinchan, was a promising young elder of 921 years who would become the next sect leader.
And Geum Jinchan had always drilled into Jeon Myeong-hoon’s ears.
—You must become the sect leader after me! Wake up, even though you are currently below Seo Eun-hyun, I will make you sect leader with all the myths and honor of the Heavenly Thunder Body!
Even on the day he succeeded in the Seven-Star Ceremony.
—I believed in you. From now on, your training will keep improving, and you are truly the one who will succeed me as sect leader!
Jeon Myeong-hoon had thought in secret that even if Seo Eun-hyun became an elder and then an elder, he could never become sect leader.
The Geumsinja Yang Su-jin, who possessed the Heavenly Thunder Body, was a god of the Geumsincheonroemun, and Jeon Myeong-hoon was no different from a god’s child who had inherited the god’s body.
Of course, Jeon Myeong-hoon had firmly believed he would rise to the highest position of the Geumsincheonroemun.
“Although I am currently below Seo Eun-hyun, the sect leader is me!”
But now, even if he became sect leader, he would only be the “next generation” sect leader of Seo Eun-hyun.
He could never surpass Seo Eun-hyun within the Geumsincheonroemun.
“Damn it!!! Damn it! Seo Eun-hyun!”
The vow he had made two days ago to surpass Seo Eun-hyun with pure ambition had vanished from Jeon Myeong-hoon’s mind.
“I will definitely surpass you! Definitely!”
Crack, crackle!
The evolved form of the Red Thunder Technique that Jeon Myeong-hoon had started learning after reaching Foundation Establishment, and the first completion of the Seven Thunder Sutra, “Red Thunder Sutra,” emitted even redder lightning in response to Jeon Myeong-hoon’s inferiority.
One month later.
A celebration banquet for the next next sect leader “Gold Eun-hyun” was held, and countless sects sent envoys to congratulate him.
This was not only for the sects in Noeryeong-do but also for representative sect groups of other Heavenly Roads in the humanoid region, along with a few Nascent Soul Integration Grand Completion Taesu of the humanoids who sent their clones.
---
“Please accept it, next next sect leader.”
“Ah… thank you.”
I received the greetings from the representatives of the various Heavenly Road representative sect groups who had come to celebrate.
And, while receiving the wine served by “Chang-hoja,” the representative of Changryeong-do, I expressed my gratitude.
Chang-hoja laughed boisterously and patted my back heartily.
“I felt it even back then, we really should have kidnapped you and brought you to our Changcheon Gaebyeokmun! Whoa! How about it, are you thinking of coming to our Changcheon Gaebyeokmun?”
“I would also be regretful for not being able to go to Changcheon Gaebyeokmun. Since the favor I received from Geumsincheonroemun is immense, I’m afraid that proposal would be difficult.”
I smiled slightly and conversed with Chang-hoja.
And Geum Byeok-ho, who had been listening to our conversation, glared at Chang-hoja and shouted.
“Greedy!”
“Yeah, I’ll pour you one glass.”
Chang-hoja poured wine for Geum Byeok-ho with a laugh, and Geum Byeok-ho, after drinking the wine poured by Chang-hoja, shouted with a reddened face.
“What kind of nonsense is that! The next next sect leader Gold Eun-hyun elder is the treasure of this sect, and being greedy for it is considered a challenge to me!”
Kwa-rung!
Seven-colored lightning burst from Geum Byeok-ho’s body and struck Chang-hoja.
“Hahaha, this human’s old personality came out again.”
Thud, thud!
Chang-hoja laughed heartily and slapped Geum Byeok-ho’s belly a few times, and Geum Byeok-ho grabbed his belly, stepped back a few paces, then ran at Chang-hoja and grabbed him, flying up into the sky.
The two sect leaders who had drunk strong spiritual wine suddenly got drunk and engaged in a fight.
“As expected…”
“Haha, sorry for the disgraceful behavior. But Chang-hoja-nim, Geum Byeok-ho-nim, and Baekgol Gwima-nim have been close since your young days, so you often act like that.”
The envoy team from Changcheon Gaebyeokmun showed an apologetic expression to me and poured wine into my cup in place of Chang-hoja.
“I see. But I know why Black Ghost Bone Valley did not come, right?”
I asked the envoy team members of Changcheon Gaebyeokmun with a curious tone.
He shook his head as if puzzled and said.
“I don’t know well either…”
Black Ghost Bone Valley had not sent an envoy to my celebration banquet.
“Um, recently it is said that the situation in the Heavenly Road where Black Ghost Bone Valley is located is somewhat unstable…”
According to hearsay, the Black Iron Island where Black Ghost Bone Valley was located was still in the midst of war.
Although Black Ghost Bone Valley had succeeded in pushing out the existing representative sect groups, the remnants of the existing sects were causing disturbances everywhere, and they were using the Seopmyeong Ship of Black Ghost Bone Valley to suppress them.
It was said that Black Ghost Bone Valley was even gathering resources to manufacture one more Seopmyeong Ship.
“Well, they must be busy on that side.”
“Indeed. It was a pity we had things to discuss with Black Ghost Bone Valley too.”
I nodded slightly with a hint of regret.
“I had thought I could borrow their strength…”
I talked with the envoy team from Changcheon Gaebyeokmun and continued conversing with others, turning my head.
Having received envoys from numerous Heavenly Roads was an opportunity.
“An opportunity to smoothly execute the Heavenly Thunder Banner sealing plan.”
Among them, it was important to get to know the water realm cultivators who had ascended.
I knew I would never reach Heavenly Person before the Heavenly Thunder owner descended.
That was why there was no way for me to descend to the lower realms to seal the Heavenly Thunder Banner in the water realm.
But if I could not descend as Heavenly Person, someone would bring me.
And the most suitable targets would be the Heavenly Person cultivators from the same water realm.
The opponent I had chosen was likely the Heavenly Person cultivator of Black Ghost Bone Valley.
If I faced the Heavenly Person elder while he sent an envoy to my celebration banquet this time, I would secretly ask him to cooperate, and in return promise to transfer to Black Ghost Bone Valley.
“But since he was absent from this celebration banquet in Black Ghost Bone Valley after all…”
I seemed to need to find an alternative.
And it was then that I was getting acquainted with the envoys and others.
“Hey, you!”
Suddenly, a beam of light flew from somewhere.
Next moment.
Kwaaaaang!
A massive explosion resounded, and the entire Golden Thunder Hall of Geumsincheonroemun, where the celebration was being held, shook.
Kugu gugugugu!
“What the hell is going on!!!”
Geum Byeok-ho, who had been sparring with Chang-hoja in the void, also came down as the alcohol wore off.
However, when he saw the perpetrator of the incident, his pupils widened.
“Y-you…!”
Kugu gugugugu!
When the dust settled, I frowned.
A woman in black martial attire with braided hair was extending her fist at me.
Thud, thud…
I brushed off the dust and said.
“You are…”
“Nice! You blocked Heon-wi’s attack!”
Kugu gugugugu!
I immediately estimated the realm of the woman who had suddenly attacked me.
“Mid Heavenly Person… insane? No matter how much Nascent Soul Integration Grand Completion, to have Heavenly Person mid-level attacking below that realm…”
It was practically an attack meant to kill.
I frowned.
“And why is Geum Byeok-ho-nim suddenly so restless?”
When the woman who called herself Heon-wi appeared, Geum Byeok-ho could not stay still, biting his lip.
Even Chang-hoja seemed to be considering whether he should stop her.
“Is she the daughter of a high-ranking person?”
I estimated her position.
“I apologize, but the headquarters of the Humanoid Total Alliance did not specially send anyone, so it is unlikely that you are from that side, or perhaps you are the child of some noble?”
“Hahahaha! You’re sharp! Yes, this body bears the bloodline of a great Humanoid Nascent Soul Integration Grand Completion Taesu!”
“So she was the daughter of a Taesu.”
I smiled faintly and said.
“To someone of your noble bloodline, why would you…”
“Enough!”
However, she cut me off abruptly.
Following her words, I could only be stunned.
“Let’s get married!”