The Black Sea Beneath the Castle
The heavens and earth seethed as though boiling.
Black qi surged and churned everywhere, transforming into pitch-black streams that flowed like living blood.
The sight was almost eerie.
And yet, the black waters overflowed in every direction, swallowing the world whole.
In that instant, Wonrip—the Blood Wood Daoist—finally realized that his own body and the Wondrous Castle had slipped into the very heart of this endless black sea.
Inside the control room of the Wondrous Castle, Wonrip let out a string of excited laughs.
“Ho-oh. He’s not just pulling out a domain from inside his body to blanket everything. He’s using the qi of heaven and earth to merge the surrounding area into that domain and—without even realizing it—has twisted the environment around him. This is the power of a late-stage Integration cultivator? How surprising. Truly, a wonderful reference.”
Kugugugu!
From the very bottom of the black sea, a colossal figure erupted.
It was Hyun-eum—the Black Dragon King who had once smashed Wonrip’s head.
“You… how dare you challenge me. Yes… I see now. You’ve come looking for Seo Hyul and his kind. You’re no great being. Just some lucky bastard who stumbled upon the power of Gwanghan. I’ve heard of you before—Jo Yeon, the Puppet Monarch. After being defeated there, you kidnapped a Gwanghan Inspection Mission, didn’t you? Correct. If the Gwanghan realm is your home, it’s only natural that you’d leave the power behind!”
Kwajjwaak!
Hyun-eum opened his jaws and roared.
“Die, you insignificant insect!”
Flash!
A dark beam shot straight toward Wonrip like a blade of light.
The black line rocketed toward the Wondrous Castle.
But in the next instant—
Boom!
A right arm belonging to “Her” shot out from inside the Wondrous Castle and shattered the beam in mid-air.
However, right after—
Another Hyun-eum burst upward from beneath the black sea’s surface and charged straight at Her, while six Integration-stage puppets suddenly leaped out from within the castle to assist Her.
“You insects. Those who only mimic true power are not to be feared!”
The six puppets moved in perfect sync around Her, forming a flawless defensive formation that blocked every direction of heaven and earth.
Hyun-eum, at the center, fought fiercely against the real Hyun-eum.
But he was utterly unmoved.
Instead, within the domain he had created, he freely drew upon strength, suppressed the puppets’ qi with the power of his own domain, and manipulated the black sea’s energy as he wished.
Kwa-aang!
Hyun-eum’s horn struck Her directly.
She was flung away in an instant.
And then Hyun-eum lunged forward with his jaws wide open—
Kiiiiiing!
Startled, Hyun-eum suddenly frowned as he sensed an overwhelming surge of qi approaching from the direction of the Wondrous Castle.
‘What kind of strength is this?’
It was an overwhelming “force.”
Not even the breath of a dragon tribe.
It far surpassed the Star Shattering realm and was clearly beyond late-stage Integration.
If he took that head-on, even Hyun-eum would suffer fatal wounds.
‘This is exactly the spot I need to hit if I want to attack this puppet. I’ll retreat this time.’
Of course, the ideal way to deal with Wonrip would have been to seize Her as a hostage, but since Hyun-eum had no idea of that, he simply backed away and dove back into the black sea.
The beams of light that had condensed at the center of the Wondrous Castle’s three roofs plunged straight into the heart of the black sea.
A massive shockwave erupted, evaporating every drop of the sea’s water across a thousand-mile radius, and the hidden Hyun-eum suddenly stood revealed.
“You damned bastard! Even if I’ve fallen, you dare to evaporate the water I’ve manifested from the Black Sea of Mingdo Heaven?! How is that even possible?!!!”
Hyun-eum glared at the Wondrous Castle as though he wanted to devour it, teeth grinding.
Kugugugug!
Around him, dark qi began to frenzy.
“This worm… how dare it poke at my pride? I cannot forgive this! Do you even know what kind of water you’re touching?!”
Hyun-eum’s body swelled, his scales thickening, and his flesh ballooning outward.
At the same time, black qi erupted between his scales, dyeing the surroundings crimson.
“I will show you your crimes!”
Flash!
Hyun-eum shot toward the Wondrous Castle like a blade of light.
The Integration puppets, led by Her, formed a line to block him.
Hyun-eum’s horn met Her defense.
She successfully blocked the strike but was still flung away.
The second puppet had its body split in two and shattered.
The third lost its upper body entirely.
Every remaining puppet met the same fate.
They were powerless against the explosive charge of the Black Dragon King and were torn apart, carving a path through the castle.
Once more, light began to condense at the very top of the Wondrous Castle.
Hyun-eum’s eyes burned with fury.
‘That’s dangerous. Even if I force up my power, taking it head-on will be fatal. Besides… twice? Twice? Can a mere puppet or talisman even fire that many times? Unless it’s not a normal technique…’
He further compressed the gathered force and wrapped it around his body.
Through this state, Hyun-eum calculated the exact moment the puppet’s beam would launch.
He seized the instant of firing!
Flash!
The beam launched.
Hyun-eum dodged with everything he had.
Kugugugug!
Behind him, a violent explosion rocked the domain he had created.
Hyun-eum spat a mouthful of blood but ground his teeth and pressed forward.
Only two puppets remained.
A Taeho tribe puppet rushed at him, but Hyun-eum crushed it with pure inner power.
A Hanryeong tribe puppet spat freezing breath, but Hyun-eum ignored the cold and bit the puppet in half.
Kwajjjak!
Kwadddduk!
Finally, Hyun-eum reached the front of the Wondrous Castle and slammed one foot down.
Kwa-aang!
A section of the castle wall was torn away, revealing Wonrip and part of the control room directly before his eyes.
“So this is your face, you rat bastard…”
Hyun-eum’s pupils dilated as he gazed into the control room.
He then extended his consciousness and began probing the interior of the Wondrous Castle.
‘What kind of structure allows such power? Was it the power of Gwanghan?’
His consciousness spread like threads, reaching the very top floor.
It arrived at the place constructed solely for Wonrip’s whims.
And Hyun-eum’s eyes widened in shock.
“This… this is… a immortal technique…?”
He pulled back slightly, gasping for breath.
“So that’s it… He’s using the power of an immortal technique. I suspected the Gwanghan qi was embedded in it, but he’s not just borrowing it—he’s directly cultivating it. Mmm… yes. Forgive me. No, I take that back. It’s a structure I’ve never seen before… It must be a technique he developed himself…”
Hyun-eum, who had been mocking him a moment ago, suddenly burst into a hearty laugh.
“Heh-heh. A mere insect like you actually made me panic. How ridiculous, fellow Daoist. Of course it’s impossible to shake the Black Sea without equal power. You do have a way of making things confusing, though. Attacking me while spouting such nonsense caught me off guard. Hah, well, since you’ve always possessed the power of Gwanghan, I naturally assumed you were at least equal…”
He switched to a kind and gentle tone.
“That said, if you weren’t simply delivering a message from your seniors… then it must be the will of this Daoist friend who has come to see me. A Daoist who has braved this dangerous place to come here—especially one who wields the power of Gwanghan and an immortal technique, and who has come to meet me… must be one of the Daoists from the underworld. I suppose I can guess who you are. Hoo-hoo…”
Hyun-eum smiled and prepared to continue the conversation.
But Wonrip, still inside the control room, frantically slammed buttons and spat out a short sentence.
“What the hell are you babbling about, you worm?”
Click-click-click-click-click-click-click-click!
Kugugugugug!
And twenty-eight Integration-stage puppets suddenly appeared around Hyun-eum.
[…Eh?]
“I’ll ask just one question. Where is Seo Hyul?”
“T-that’s…”
“I understand, I understand. You reckless fool. Fine, if that’s your intention, I’ll let you choose between Black General and Black Prince. The Black Emperor is just too cool, so you’ll have to settle for one of the other two.”
Chiiiiii—
Hyun-eum, who had forcibly suppressed his qi, stared at the twenty-eight puppets charging toward him and his eyes widened.
“This… what… you… we… are not?”
Kwaddddduk!
His entire body began to tear apart.
“A mere insect… a mortal even lower than dust… how dare it develop the principles of true immortal families?! This is absurd. I cannot believe it. How could something like that even exist…?”
Booooooom!
The Black Dragon King stared at the twenty-eight puppets and the sphere of light condensing above the Wondrous Castle with a dazed expression.
But he laughed bitterly, as though he had understood something.
“So that’s how it is. He was born there. What a wretched fellow…”
Flash!
A magnificent beam of light enveloped Hyun-eum’s entire body.
* * *
“Halt! Stop immediately!!! All external missions currently being carried out by Heukrin Yeolmung are canceled, and anyone who has come from outside—whatever you are doing right now—return at once!”
I suddenly burst into the curse workshop and glared at the Heukrin Yeolmung disciple who was disrupting the curse-making process.
“Listen here, if we leave now, the curse piled up here will lose all its power. The structure itself will collapse and become nothing but a useless lump of energy.”
The other curse masters nodded in agreement.
But the Heukrin Yeolmung disciple said it didn’t matter.
“It does not. I am speaking with that in mind as well. At this moment, a problem has arisen inside Heukrin Yeolmung that cannot be ignored, so I must ask you to leave.”
“…Understood. However, when you call us back, the compensation must be paid from the beginning.”
The Heavenly Person-level curse masters Gupun and Wiehon of Black Ghost Valley drove the stake home.
The Heukrin Yeolmung disciple frowned in pain but nodded.
“Very well. If things go wrong, I will pay the penalty. Please leave for now.”
We eventually stepped out of Heukrin Yeolmung.
“What the hell happened? Do you know anything?”
“I don’t know.”
The curse masters muttered with varying degrees of confusion, while I listened in through the circuits of Wonrip that I had secretly planted inside Heukrin Yeolmung long ago.
And I learned the full story.
‘So that’s how it is. Wonrip attacked Hyun-eum, reduced his east side to ruins, and drove Hyun-eum into a desperate retreat just before death. After shattering the east side, he roamed the areas of the Jinryong Alliance causing trouble… Well, I guess that tracks with Wonrip.’
I had no choice but to accept that this was simply the nature of the man.
‘With the ancestor missing, Heukrin Yeolmung’s functions have naturally halted. In the worst case, we may not even receive the compensation we were promised…’
And most likely, the one Wonrip was searching for was Seo Hyul.
Witnesses who claimed to have seen Seo Hyul, and sightings of Wonrip actively hunting for him.
Those facts would be enough to plant a seed of doubt in Gyuryeon’s mind—perhaps Seo Hyul was still alive.
* * *
Bongmyeong-ju, the central territory of the Jinryong Alliance.
At the very bottom of Bongmyeong-ju, Gyuryeon—who had recently become an Integration-stage Dragon King—had been relieved of her duties as area governor and was in the middle of handing over her responsibilities to her successor.
“Lady Gyuryeon, have you heard? A madman who completely destroyed Hyun-eum’s east side has been searching for General Seo Hyul.”
“Yes, I heard that as well.”
Gyuryeon’s eyes trembled.
‘Is it really… still alive?’
But the rescue signal Seo Hyul had sent her at the very end, and the scene of his final moments, still burned in her mind.
‘He must have been killed by that wicked “Seo Daoist.” The transmission even showed the moment his revival path was severed… Yet… he keeps appearing alive.’
News from the human race.
That a madman named Wonrip was roaming about.
And… Gyuryeon’s own female intuition.
All of it pointed to the same conclusion—Seo Hyul was still alive in some form.
“That aside, Lady Gyuryeon, have you heard what that madman Wonrip was saying as he wandered? You really should listen to this, Lady Gyuryeon…”
“What did he say?”
“‘Seo Hyul! Come out! I heard you’re getting married! I came to bless your pure bride and you, so get out here right now!’ he was shouting as he went around.”
“…?”
Gyuryeon’s eyes filled with confusion.
“That’s strange. I knew he was secretly preparing a marriage ceremony before, but… because of that, he never even bound the Gwanghan Covenant, so we still haven’t even been engaged…”
She recalled secretly watching Seo Hyul preparing the marriage ceremony in the Sea Dragon Palace and felt puzzled.
Of course, since Gyuryeon had no idea that Seo Hyul had done it for her to see—out of consideration for her—her only conclusion was that he was up to something suspicious.
But the area governor’s successor, her close friend from the Yellow Dragon Clan, Gwanghwa, spoke with a gentle smile.
“Lady Gyuryeon. No, noona. This is a conversation between family members, so please listen carefully.”
“Go on, tell me.”
“The General Seo who suddenly sent you word that he was dead. The rumors of him vanishing from human territory. The madman’s claim that he was preparing a wedding. The marriage ceremony he was preparing before…”
Gwanghwa grabbed Gyuryeon’s shoulder and spoke with a serious face.
“General Seo might be cheating on you.”
“W-what?”
“He definitely has someone else right now!”
“N-no. That’s impossible. Seo General is so proper…”
Even as she spoke, Gyuryeon could not stop a memory from flashing through her mind.
‘That human-race pet…’
The human woman she had seen walking hand-in-hand with Seo Hyul inside Bongmyeong-ju.
As she remembered the woman, Gyuryeon unconsciously clenched her teeth.
‘Thinking about it, when he first saw “Seo Daoist,” he was still at the Nascent Soul stage. He seemed to have some talent, but I didn’t like him at all… And the two of them had known each other since the lower realms. They didn’t seem to hate each other at first.’
Her head spun rapidly.
‘The two of them never met again, and suddenly that “Seo Daoist” appeared and killed him before he could even revive? And he sent me that scene?’
Could it be that Seo Hyul wanted her to believe he was dead?
That thought struck Gyuryeon’s mind.
‘Yes, and he went to the human territory with that human pet… and cheated…!’
Kkuddeuk…
Gyuryeon involuntarily released a surge of force, warping the space around her.
Something was finally clicking into place.
‘Perhaps… the marriage ceremony he prepared back then wasn’t for me—it was for that pet. And the rumors that he was going to marry her… is why that madman is still searching for him? Yes. That’s it!’
Her intuition as a woman was telling her the truth.
Seo Hyul was still alive.
And he was with that human woman.
‘Seo Hyul!!!’
No matter what, the Seo Hyul who had died at Seo Eun-hyun’s hands could never answer her.
Dead people had nothing to say.
* * *
I let out an astonished gasp.
“How incredible. This place is Tae-yeol Temple…”
The Tae-yeol Temple where Tae Yeol-jeon resided stood beneath Cheonin-do, in the deepest valley of the Gwanghan realm.
It was a small temple.
But what was truly astonishing was the fact that every inch of the valley where the temple stood was covered with enormous murals.
I stared at the majestic sight in silence.
“Um, so, oppa. There are mind-cultivation techniques here that help with meditation, right?”
Kim Yeon and I had come down here together.
Once I found suitable meditation techniques, and once I had asked Kim Yeon to contact Kang Min-hee, there was nothing more I could do.
“Yes. And there is also one late-stage Integration cultivator here. I’m sure my martial arts will pair well with her.”
I thought of Tae Yeol-jeon’s indomitable will.
What she had was clearly a comprehension rooted in the mind path.
But in the Gwanghan realm, there were no inner energy mind methods to speak of.
In other words, her indomitable will was “an indomitable will based on water-cultivation techniques.”
I had only just learned that it was possible to reach the tip of the tongue through the desire for water-cultivation techniques, but I had brought Kim Yeon along because I believed she would be able to help Kim Yeon replace her martial-arts cultivation with meditation techniques.
We crossed the valley filled with murals and finally arrived at a small temple.
After passing several doors, the main hall of the temple came into view.
However, unlike other temples, this main hall was not called the main hall—it was named Tae-yeol Hall.
Kiiik—
The door of Tae-yeol Hall opened, and Tae Yeol-jeon stepped out from inside.
“Welcome, both of you.”
She bowed with clasped hands. I followed suit, and even Kim Yeon instinctively matched the motion.
It was clearly the function of the Mind Heaven Buddhist Painting she possessed.
Kim Yeon and I entered Tae-yeol Hall.
“This building is called Tae-yeol Hall, I take it?”
“Yes. Because our small sect is named that way, the name is a little unusual. And as you suspected, my own name comes from this Tae-yeol Hall as well.”
We moved to the main worship hall, paid respects to the seven kings of the world—Bosal figures of this realm—and then sat in the guest hall.
Tae Yeol-jeon personally brought the tea leaves, lit the firewood, and prepared the tea for us.
“What a clear and pure fragrance.”
I savored the tea’s aroma and the qi of the temple at the same time.
“It seems perfect for cultivating alone.”
“Alone? There are many people here. It’s never quiet.”
Her words made me look around.
‘Come to think of it, this guest hall…’
There were indeed murals everywhere.
“Are you interested in the techniques of the seven kings?”
“To be honest, it’s more of a worldly reason. I need meditation-related techniques, so…”
At my words, Tae Yeol-jeon smiled softly.
“There are many meditation techniques. Especially among the techniques of the seven kings, quite a few are meditation methods.”
“I also have questions about the seven kings.”
My eyes met the murals hanging everywhere.
The Bosal in the paintings all wore kind smiles.
“What would you like to know?”
“Please tell me everything.”
“Everything… I will speak from what I know.”
Tae Yeol-jeon suddenly brought out one of the murals.
“To explain the seven kings, we must first discuss the Future King.”
The mural depicted a figure seated in lotus position on a lotus flower, wearing a black robe and smiling gently.
Beneath the lotus flower sat seven Bosal—seven kings of the same kind as those depicted elsewhere, all gazing up at the figure in black robes with hands raised high, as if praising his virtue.
The figure extended one hand, inviting them to sit beside him.
“The Future King symbolizes salvation that will one day arrive. Some say it represents hope, or the very concept of tomorrow and the future itself. It also signifies the path beyond true immortality—after the opening of the black sea—and carries deep significance as the origin of the technique of the seven kings.”
“…”
“And the seven kings are Bosal and Heavenly Kings who teach the Future King the way to reach him. Once their roles are fulfilled, they will follow the path the Future King has chosen and ascend to sit beside him, enjoying eternal bliss together.”
Kim Yeon’s eyes sparkled.
“What a wonderful story. They seem like truly great people. I used to occasionally listen to Buddhist lectures in my hometown…”
“Heh-heh. Your hometown also has the techniques of the seven kings? I’m starting to feel quite familiar already.”
“…”
To her, Tae Yeol-jeon’s story was clearly very interesting.
“However, because the concept of the Future King is so vast, it almost never appears in the techniques. It is mentioned only once or twice in the sutras. In reality, it is almost the embodiment of the entire three-thousand great thousand worlds. That is why the seven kings mentioned in the techniques are essentially the Future King’s disciples. Among them… the Cold Lunar Heavenly King…”
Suddenly, Tae Yeol-jeon’s gaze turned toward me.
Kim Yeon, noticing my strange expression, asked me.
“Oppa, are you okay? Do you feel sick?”
“…”
I could not answer.
A strange sense of déjà vu washed over me.
At the same time, I felt as though my stomach was being violently churned.
‘I’m going to throw up…’
Since the Core Formation realm, I had never once been ill or felt unwell for any reason.
But for some reason, I now felt as though I was about to vomit and desperately needed to lie down.
My body felt terrible.
I examined my body with my consciousness, but I could not find any cause.
My head would not stop spinning.
After thinking it over, I finally realized when the déjà vu had first appeared.
‘Ah, yes. When I was vomiting on the Namyang-type Seopmyeong Ship during the Nascent Soul stage…’
It was the same feeling.
I felt a writhing parasite crawling inside my mind, so I finally could not hold back. I trembled violently and, using all my strength, transferred the vomiting sensation toward Seo Lip.
—Main body! Main body!!! Haaaargh!!!
A mad howl came from Seo Lip’s side, but I had no time to care.
My head felt numb and painful.
It was as though a bug had entered my brain and was causing me to have a seizure.
I apologized to Tae Yeol-jeon and asked.
“I’m truly sorry. I suddenly feel very strange and would like to rest for a moment.”
“Ah, yes. Of course. I will prepare a room for you.”
I leaned on Kim Yeon to steady myself and made my way to the guest quarters of Tae-yeol Temple, thinking.
‘What is this… The mural…’
The moment I saw the mural, I could no longer endure it.
But I still did not know why.
* * *
‘Main body!!!!!’
Vomiting on myself felt like an utterly special sensation.
The current me was vomiting in front of tomorrow’s me, and tomorrow’s me was vomiting in front of yesterday’s me.
People did curse themselves that way, but it was always a special feeling.
Because when one cursed themselves, it was always at the moment everything had completely gone wrong.
I stared at the vomit I had thrown up.
What on earth had Wonrip done to his own blood?
Instead of stomach acid, the inside of my stomach was filled with blood-like substance, and what I had vomited was bright red blood.
And I had just come out of Heukrin Yeolmung and had only just met Kang Min-hee.
Kang Min-hee stared at me with wide eyes as I vomited in front of her.
‘I will kill you, main body.’
Of course, it was a meaningless curse—“I will kill you, past me”—so I simply swallowed it.
The real problem was that I had vomited right in front of her—the veteran curse master and former colleague from Black Ghost Valley.
I had to clean this up.