Karmic Threads Unravel
“Speak.”
The air crackled with agony, emotions twisting into something sharper.
One after another, the curse seals began to ooze out around me.
“Speak…!”
Finally, they surged forth like a torrent, flooding the space in a black deluge.
“Tell me!”
A waterfall of curses poured down toward me.
I poured every last trace of the agony I carried straight into Jeong-ryeo.
Because she was a Celestial Thunder Banner, her mind was structured differently from a human’s. The pain transferred only a fraction.
If one curse normally inflicted 100 units of torment on a mortal, it seemed to give Jeong-ryeo barely 0.01.
Thus, a few thousand curses would be enough to crush her will.
Kwa-kwa-kwa!
Countless curse seals flooded into the Heavenly Thunder Banner from within.
[Ah…!]
The Banner writhed in pain.
“Speak. What are you trying to do?”
Jeong-ryeo finally opened her eyes, numbed by the torment.
[Curious…?]
A gaze from inside the Banner pinned me down.
Alongside that, I saw another of her “intentions” stretching into the distance like a silk thread.
“What kind of sorcery are you—?!”
The rain of curses descended across Bongroedang.
The black seals ate into the floor, corroding stone.
[Madman… I was only surprised for a moment… but how foolish. If you had simply let me embrace you and spoken my name, I might have granted you peace…]
At the same time, something shot toward the far end of her intention.
Kwa-rung!
A monstrous surge of qi exploded outside the shrine.
Crackle, crackle!
Static electricity crackled through the air.
‘Has Jeon Myeong-hoon entered the Nascent Soul stage?’
But something felt wrong. The qi around us was violently turbulent.
‘What happened?’
I stared at the Heavenly Thunder Banner.
[Even if you use curses at the mortal level, they are troublesome. Raise your mind to the realm of life and reshape your spiritual structure. No pain at all. Your torture is useless.]
“You…”
[And then…]
Soon Jeong-ryeo’s form shifted back into her human shape.
The pole I had been clutching in the Banner was now at her ankle.
She gripped a transparent object that had arrived from the direction where Jeon Myeong-hoon waited.
[Finally… you have come this far.]
Clang!
She slammed the transparent object downward.
I saw a fourth sense reveal her “intention.”
It was like iron chains snaking through the Geumsincheonroemun halls and connecting everywhere. When she struck, the chains snapped instantly.
Bang!
Swoosh—
A malevolent qi unlike anything before erupted from her.
[Ahaha, only one layer remains. Even the core-level technique of Yang Su-jin cannot fully break the final chain… but with just a sliver of my authority’s power, I can still enslave it…]
Click!
Smiling wickedly, she snapped her fingers.
[Though you try, child… you cannot stop me. It is already too late.]
Suddenly,
Jiji-jing!
Mysterious thunder qi burst forth around her.
Kuu-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
‘What in the—!’
The power expanded, swallowing the entire Geumsincheonroemun, then the whole island of Noeryeong-do.
At the same time.
Crackle—!
“…”
Inside my mind, the thunder qi twisted with every emotion surging up.
“You…”
My testicles and a portion of my soul’s lust were sliced away.
Of course, since I had reached Nascent Soul, my soul possessed immense power and would regenerate over time.
Thanks to that, I could resist Jeong-ryeo’s influence. Yet the desire to clutch the Heavenly Thunder Banner burned even harder.
I looked at her and my face paled.
“This damned—!”
Even I, whose lust had been cut away, felt the desire rise again.
What about people with less spiritual resolve?
Kua-kua-kua-kua!
As expected.
Kwang!
The doors of Bongroedang shattered. Geum Byeok-ho and the other elders burst in, faces flushed with excitement.
Geum Byeok-ho panted, his face red.
“What are you doing, Elder Seo Eun-hyun? You are holding the Heavenly Thunder Banner in the shrine! To touch it, you must at least be the next sect leader…”
“…”
“Elder Seo Eun-hyun?”
I offered an awkward smile.
“I apologize, Supreme Sect Leader. Could you grant me a little more time?”
“…”
“What nonsense—Elder Seo Eun-hyun. The Heavenly Thunder Banner, the sect’s sacred relic, can only be touched by those who hold the position of Sect Leader! You, who are still only the successor, must not touch it! Hand it over at once!”
Geum Byeok-ho suddenly roared, veins bulging in his eyes.
Normally, even if I held the Banner, he would never shout like this. He knew I was a perfect genius beyond even the Celestial Thunder Golden Body, and that I was the future of the sect.
I gave him a bitter smile.
“You are truly insane, you wretched thing.”
“What are you saying?! One more rebellious outburst and I will lock you in the Thunder Execution Cave for ten years! The final order: hand over the Heavenly Thunder Banner!”
Crackle, crackle—!
The electric signals inside my mind twisted, fueling the desperate need to grasp the Banner.
I wanted to hold it against my chest.
To touch it.
To lick, handle, and unleash its thunder strikes.
To wield its power.
Surely Geum Byeok-ho and the elders felt the same.
But I read the Banner’s true will—and her “intention.”
‘To hypnotize the people of Geumsincheonroemun, then teach them her name.’
I suppressed the burning desire and gripped the Banner tighter.
She returned to the shape of a flag in my palm and obediently offered it.
Let us see how long you can hold out.
Jinhwi shouted, “Seo Eun-hyun! The sect elders have not spoken! Hand over the Heavenly Thunder Banner quickly!”
“Wait, what exactly are those dark qi?”
Geum Jin-chan frowned at my curses.
“This… I think I saw something similar in Black Ghost Valley before…”
“Seo Eun-hyun! What have you learned?!”
“Seo Eun-hyun!!! Hand over the Heavenly Thunder Banner first!”
The elders shouted in confusion. I bowed once on the spot.
“…”
“What—?”
“From now on—”
While they were still reeling, I slowly lifted the curses.
Whenever things linked to True Immortals, they always ended up this twisted.
“This worthless, foolish disciple… seems I must betray the sect.”
Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa!
The storm of curses rushed toward the elders.
“Hah, a mere curse. What do you think we are after reaching the Heavenly Person realm…”
“Aaaah!”
“Kua—!”
Most of the elders who tried to endure my curses with their bodies collapsed with froth on their lips.
Even one-hundredth of the pain from the 60,000-fold amplifying poison was too much for a Heavenly Person elder. Geum Byeok-ho fell unconscious the moment.
[How cruel, Eun-hyun. You plan to betray your sect?]
The Banner laughed.
[Anyone who cultivates the Thunder Soul Method cannot escape my hypnosis… Are you challenging the entire Noeryeong-do right now? Ufufu… Do you truly have the will? Eun-hyun. Let me go. Hand me over to someone else.]
She whispered my name with a soft voice.
I wanted to obey at once.
But I answered coldly.
“Be quiet.”
[…]
Thud, thud…
Passing the fallen elders, I now faced half-conscious elders surrounding me.
“Th-this… Elder Seo Eun-hyun!”
“What is this?!”
“Elders, what kind of— No, give us the Heavenly Thunder Banner first! You must not hold the sect’s sacred relic!”
“No, the Banner is one thing, but what about those dark curses…”
“Black Ghost Valley’s Thunder Soul Method! I saw it before!”
The elders’ eyes filled with shock.
“Y-you… you betrayed the sect and chose Black Ghost Valley?!”
“That treacherous—! Seize the Heavenly Thunder Banner from that wretch!”
“Guard the sect’s sacred relic with your life!”
Because of Jeong-ryeo’s hypnosis, their logical minds had stopped working.
They charged at me without listening.
I simply smiled bitterly and raised one hand.
Kua-kua-kua-kua!
Because the pain from removing my testicles and a piece of my soul was still fresh, I generated new curses.
Countless curses poured out, corrupting Bongroedang to its core. The fog of curses blanketed the summit of Noeun-bong.
“Huaaah!”
“Kuaaah! Kua—!”
“It hurts… it hurts so much…!!!”
The elders could not endure my pain and collapsed one after another.
No external wounds, but they would wake up healthy after a nap.
I glared at Jeong-ryeo with contempt.
“You will pay a price. I swear it.”
[Ahaha… you are frightening.]
“…”
“I am truly terrified.”
“…”
“Remember this well. The crime of making me betray my sect with my own hands will never be forgiven so easily…”
I looked at the struggling Jeong-ryeo once more, then descended Noeun-bong.
At the same time, I felt a distant roar of a massive red lightning bolt.
Kua-kua-kua-kua!
“Ah…”
A colossal red thunderbolt rose from the ground, forming a pillar of light.
Kwa-jiji-jik!
The crackling qi brushed against me.
‘That’s… dangerous.’
I laughed hollowly, feeling the enormous qi.
[With my help, you have obtained the Red Thunder Heavenly Tribulation.]
“What?”
I was startled and glared at Jeong-ryeo.
But she ignored my gaze and spoke to Jeon Myeong-hoon, who was spewing red thunder qi.
[Come here, Myeong-hoon. Thanks to me, you have received the divine thunder. Come and assist me.]
She began to sing.
[There is a villain who betrayed the sect. For decades he hid his true nature, infiltrated the sect, attacked the elders and the Supreme Sect Leader, and tried to steal the sect’s sacred relic… Come here and slay this villain to right the justice of the Geumsincheonroemun…]
“You…”
Urrung!
Her voice reached Jeon Myeong-hoon.
I tried to block it, but because her “voice” reached him through some metaphysical means, I could not stop it.
I had no choice but to quickly open two sound transmission jade slips.
They were connected to Jinhwi and Hong Su-ryeong.
“Hong Su-ryeong, Yeon Wi! Please uphold the oath! Today is the day I spoke of!”
Soon, Hong Su-ryeong answered with surprise, “Understood.”
From Jinhwi’s side as well came the reply, “Understood.”
The moment the words left my mouth.
Kwa-rulung!
The red lightning bolt charged toward me.
Kwang!
I failed to dodge Jeon Myeong-hoon’s attack and was struck in the Red Thunder Heavenly Tribulation, flying toward one side of the Geumsincheonroemun summit.
Kwa-ahng!
One summit exploded. I rose from the rubble, glaring at the one who struck me.
“…”
“You have grown quite well.”
“Seo Eun-hyun.”
From inside, Jeon Myeong-hoon, now a pure lightning spirit, spat.
“What are you doing right now?”
“…”
“I cannot explain to you.”
“Explain.”
“Just trust me for a moment. Stay a little away from me. If you get near the Heavenly Thunder Banner…”
Kwa-rulung!
The thunder flashed. In the next instant, Jeon Myeong-hoon’s sword struck toward my head.
Bang!
I drew my sword and blocked it.
“Wait for my words…”
Kwa-rung, kwa-rung, kwa-rulung!
“Wait…”
Kwa-rulung!
“A moment…”
Flash!
Kwa-ahng!
Countless lightning lights flashed as Jeon Myeong-hoon attacked relentlessly.
I realized his state was far from normal.
“You… what did you do to Jeon Myeong-hoon…?!”
Something was strange. If the technique he had mastered truly was the Red Thunder Heavenly Tribulation, it had to be Yang Su-jin’s method.
Yet Jeon Myeong-hoon had mastered Yang Su-jin’s technique and was completely hypnotized by Jeong-ryeo.
‘The Myeonsin Geopcheon had at least a minimal resistance function. But the Red Thunder Heavenly Tribulation has none?’
[Curious, Eun-hyun?]
I wondered, and Jeong-ryeo whispered wickedly from beside me.
[I guided the fellow to the technique known as the Red Thunder Heavenly Tribulation, the core method of the traitor Yang Su-jin.]
“…”
[And Yang Su-jin’s core method is the very technique he personally received from my lord…]
“…”
[As the lord’s proxy, I merely guided my ‘disciple,’ Jeon Myeong-hoon. Do not worry about your companions. Nothing will happen. More importantly, worry about yourself, Eun-hyun…]
Jeong-ryeo laughed wickedly.
I had already been exchanging blows with Jeon Myeong-hoon, piercing through the clouds and reaching the sky.
‘This is no easy matter.’
I sent a signal toward the thing I had hidden.
[The Red Thunder Heavenly Tribulation is the pinnacle of the Thunder Soul Method created by its owner… Ufufu, even Jeon Myeong-hoon who just entered the Nascent Soul stage possesses the power to easily finish the Heavenly Person Great Completion…]
In the next instant.
Kua-kua-kua-kua!
Puff!
From beneath the clouds, a dark figure rose and blocked Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Kwa-kak!
The thing that grabbed the rampaging Jeon Myeong-hoon opened its mouth with a vicious glint.
“Go, General Seo.”
The Four-Pillar Golden Body General Seo that had remained on Geumsincheonroemun for decades and had been steadily refining.