The Cataclysmic Tribulation (4)
“Is this really true, Seo Eun-hyun?”
Jeon Myeong-hoon asked me.
I nodded in response.
I gave him a rough summary of everything that had happened up to that point.
Jeon Myeong-hoon appeared remarkably composed even after facing the owner of the Heavenly Tribulation, making it possible for me to relay the details without losing my grip on reality.
‘Earlier that guy… I think he muttered something about knowing his own name.’
It seemed connected to whatever he had been thinking.
“…That is the reason I tried to steal the Heavenly Thunder Banner until now.”
“…I see.”
“Yeah. It’s hard to explain how I knew about those details in advance. But just as you came into existence riding the Heavenly Tribulation Body, I too possess something similar.”
“….”
Jeon Myeong-hoon stared blankly for a long time, then let out a hollow laugh.
“Heh heh… I see. I understand, Seo Eun-hyun.”
He clutched his face and screamed as if in agony.
“We were nothing but idiots! If I had heard your words… heh heh… damn it! Hahahaha! Uwaaaaa!”
“….”
I rose from my seat with a heavy heart.
“…We have no choice. The most important thing right now is not that. If you have assessed the situation, get up.”
“…Understood.”
Jeon Myeong-hoon stood up with a face still clouded by despair and gloom, but without slipping into madness.
He ascended into the sky above the Golden Divine Thunder Sect and shouted.
[All survivors of this sect, gather here at once!]
Kugugugu!
Witnessing the lightning bolts spewed by Jeon Myeong-hoon, numerous lower-rank disciples soon began to flock in from all directions.
[Listen well. The Golden Divine Thunder Sect has been exterminated by those of the True Immortal realm or higher!]
Whew…
[And you all must have already read the Heavenly Secrets, but your lifespans have been drastically shortened to around twenty years, haven’t you?]
“We have!”
Every disciple answered in unison.
[That is false! It is not twenty years, but all of you will face the Heavenly Tribulation within three years at most!]
Whew…
“B-But, Elder Senior Brother… If that is the case, what are we supposed to do? None of us have ever faced the Heavenly Tribulation! And I have heard that each and every one of them is beyond our ability to withstand!”
[Yes, that is correct. That is precisely why, in this situation where the Supreme Sect Leader and all the elders of the sect have vanished, I, the Elder Senior Brother named Jeon Myeong-hoon, hereby command!]
Kwoong!
As he stamped his foot, thunder gathered behind him, and an enormous palace constructed entirely of lightning appeared.
It was one of the techniques of the Lightning Extermination Heavenly Palace, and the ability Jeon Myeong-hoon had mastered from the Lightning Tribulation Divine Technique.
[Most of you know you suffered the Disaster of Non-Transmission when you ascended from the Water Realm to the Gwanghan Realm. Correct?]
“Yes!”
[Just like before, enter this palace, activate the formation, and I will protect you while taking you back to the Water Realm!]
The crowd murmured again at his words.
“Elder Senior Brother, if that is the case, does that mean we must abandon the abundant resources of the Gwanghan Realm and return to the Water Realm?”
[That is correct. Can you not see it? Your lifespans are shrinking!]
“H-However, there is no guarantee that we will survive upon returning to the Water Realm!”
[If you remain here, you will die without fail. But returning to the Water Realm gives you even the smallest chance of survival! What are you going to do?!]
Jeon Myeong-hoon’s piercing question caused all the lower-rank disciples to nod at one another with fearful faces.
“We will go back to the Water Realm!”
[Good choice. All of you, enter this palace now! Activate the formation just like when you ascended! The newer disciples who joined more recently will learn from the others!]
Under his decisive command, every disciple of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect entered the lightning palace he had summoned.
Jeon Myeong-hoon gathered the remaining remnants of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect.
Then he reached out toward the lightning palace.
Kugugugu!
The lightning palace shrank and fit perfectly into his sleeve.
As he flicked his sleeve, the palace vanished inside it.
While he was dealing with the remaining disciples of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect inside the sect’s main hall, I headed back to the Palace of Sealed Spirits where I had been imprisoned.
Next to my sealed Spirit Stone lay the one sealed by Hong Beom.
I quickly took Hong Beom’s Spirit Bead.
It would take time to break his seal, but there was no time now.
“Jeon Myeong-hoon, by the way, there are still disciples out there carrying out their missions beyond Noeryeong Island. They…”
“I know. We will take them all with us. Only…”
He spoke in a dark tone.
“Some of those sent to the Myeonggwi Realm by the Supreme Sect Leader cannot be brought back now.”
“…Understood.”
“However.”
He continued.
“Some dispatched to the Jinma-gye are now synchronized with their Thunderbolt Body and Qi Sensing. They… might even be able to be taken!”
“…!”
“Let’s go!”
“Understood.”
I moved together with Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Paaat!
Using the Wind Escape Technique, we flew out beyond Noeryeong Island and collected the disciples on mission.
Some disciples, recognizing me, panicked and tried to flee, but we had no time to explain, so we captured them, implanted the Five Elements Blood Curse Flag, and brought them along.
In this way, we were able to recover every last disciple of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect who had been dispatched across the Human Alliance’s skies.
Fortunately, the farther away the place where the owner of the Heavenly Tribulation had appeared, the more time remained before the Heavenly Tribulation would strike, so we could rest easy about the disciples outside.
“Then, Jeon Myeong-hoon, how many disciples remain?”
“Thirteen dispatched to the Jinma-gye. Including one additional, fourteen remain.”
“What do you mean additional one?”
Jeon Myeong-hoon said as if it were obvious.
“The Azure Thunder disciple Yeon-jin. That guy is still in the Jinma-gye too.”
“…That guy…”
“A traitor of the sect?”
Jeon Myeong-hoon shook his head.
“His ancestor may be a traitor, but his descendant is definitely a disciple of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect! Therefore, Yeon-jin must also be rescued and come with us!”
“…Understood.”
I nodded, watching his resolve.
Paaaa!
He and I flew toward the Jinma-gye.
At the moment we entered the Jinma-gye.
Kureung, kururung!
Flash!
Dark clouds flickered across the sky as a massive golden thunderbolt suddenly fell toward me.
“…!”
Kwarurung!
I hastily used the 23rd stance of Mountain Beyond Mountain to block the golden thunderbolt, but an immense pain surged through my entire body, and I truly felt my life hanging by a thread.
“What the hell was that just now?”
“….”
“Seo Eun-hyun?”
I stared silently into the sky.
‘It has begun.’
The result of slightly twisting fate with the Myeonsin Gyeopcheon.
The countless calamities gained as a price.
Kugugugu!
The pressure pressing down on my body grew even stronger.
The calamities of the Myeonsin Gyeopcheon arrived in this way.
The twists of fate transformed by the Myeonsin Gyeopcheon all manifested as calamities.
And to withstand them, sacrificial offerings were required.
But the sacrificial offering right now was me.
Therefore, I was the one who had to bear the twists of fate twisted by the Myeonsin Gyeopcheon.
In that case, how were the calamities twisted by the Heavenly Tribulation arriving?
Naturally, the calamities twisted by the Heavenly Tribulation arrived as the Heavenly Tribulation itself.
In short.
I had essentially dumped the entire Heavenly Tribulation of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect onto myself.
“Seo Eun-hyun, I asked what happened, didn’t I?”
Jeon Myeong-hoon’s growl pulled me back.
I explained the current situation.
Jeon Myeong-hoon said after hearing my words.
“Can you not connect the Myeonsin Gyeopcheon to me?”
“What?”
“I cannot register as one of the sacrificial offerings either.”
“Hmm…”
“I do not care about the Heavenly Tribulation. Once I convert it all into law power, it will be over.”
“It is possible. However, it will take some time.”
“Then it’s fine. Let’s first think about going to the Water Realm.”
“Alright.”
We continued flying toward the Jinma-gye.
Jeon Myeong-hoon and I fell the Four Pillars guardians of the Jinma-gye entrance and prepared to enter.
“Then let’s go quickly.”
“Wait a moment. Hold on, Jeon Myeong-hoon.”
“Hmm?”
I activated the Strange Star-Mind Scroll at that spot and connected with Kim Yeon.
The past few years.
When I was being pursued by the Golden Divine Thunder Sect, I had connected with Kim Yeon through her to direct the direction of the Wondrous Castle.
Thanks to her, I had raided the Jigok Jinryeongmeng, and thanks to that, Gu-ryeon was still alive today.
I made one more request of Kim Yeon.
[…Can you do this for me?]
[Yes, Oppa Eun-hyun. Of course. For the past eight years, I have been waiting for Oppa to speak to me. It truly… truly feels wonderful.]
[Sorry, Yeona. Maybe… this time I might not be able to contact you for a few more years.]
[…Is that so?]
She showed a sad expression.
[It can’t be helped. But… you will definitely return, won’t you?]
[Yeah.]
[Then it’s fine. I will practice the Wing-to-Wing Dance while waiting. I was already about to enter the Three Flowers Gathering at the Crown with the method Oppa taught me. Since there are many parts of the Strange Star-Mind Scroll that align with the path to reaching Five Qi Consorting with the Origin, it should be no problem to reach it with enough time.]
I accelerated my consciousness and chatted with her for a moment.
If possible, I wanted to talk for much longer.
There was so much to discuss after eight years had passed.
But I did not have much time left to give her.
[Then, Yeona. Let’s meet again later.]
[Yes, Oppa!]
Tzutzut!
I came back outside the dream and looked at Jeon Myeong-hoon.
“It’s done. Let’s go.”
“Alright.”
As we spoke, I looked up at the sky, and it seemed we had arrived right before the Heavenly Tribulation struck again.
‘If I die without enduring the Heavenly Tribulation, the Myeonsin Gyeopcheon will be undone, and those who avoided fate will immediately face the Heavenly Tribulation.’
I resolved to endure for as long as possible, and received this time’s Heavenly Tribulation.
Kururung!
“Is it over?”
“Yeah.”
“Let’s go.”
We charged straight toward the dimensional gate of the Jinma-gye.
Fortunately, we quickly found the remaining thirteen disciples of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect.
Most had been on missions near the Human Alliance’s first and second occupied territories.
What remained now was only Yeon-jin.
‘How do I find Yeon-jin…’
Should I have implanted the Strange Parasite after all?
That was when Jeon Myeong-hoon pointed to a certain direction and spoke.
“Yeon-jin is over there.”
“Hmm? What?”
“Just keep going in that direction.”
“Whoa… Is that your ability?”
“Well, the lightning… never mind. Even if I explain, you probably won’t understand.”
Jeon Myeong-hoon shook his head as if about to explain further.
Before leaving the Human Alliance’s occupied territory to search for Yeon-jin, we built a small shrine of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect inside it and offered greetings to countless ancestors from inside.
I offered a bow to my master Jin-hwi, and Jeon Myeong-hoon did the same.
Paaat!
The bow-worshippers exited the Human Alliance’s occupied territory immediately.
Thick demonic energy from the Jinma-gye greeted us, and Jeon Myeong-hoon flew aimlessly toward the place where Yeon-jin was, and I followed behind.
It seemed the voice of lightning was guiding him continuously.
I looked up at the sky once more.
‘The Heavenly Tribulation is growing stronger.’
Even just a little while ago, it had been a strike of the late Four Pillars stage, but the power of the Heavenly Tribulation now felt as if it was converging toward the Integration stage of the Four Pillars.
‘I have to get back to the Water Realm quickly. Otherwise… I might die, and the Myeonsin Gyeopcheon might be undone.’
With Yeon-jin found, there would be no more time to delay.
‘Right now, we will descend to the lower realm through the Gongryeong-ji!’
Today of all days.
Just when I had prepared everything in advance, the Gongryeong-ji, Jangsaeng-jin, and Yuan would be used.