The Star Sea (1)
Thump… thump… thump…
I gripped my racing heart and regained my senses.
“Ugh… heh…”
The world around me was still inside my body.
“…What was that just now?”
I had been speaking with someone whose identity was unknown to me.
And that unknown someone had given me a gift called the Flowers of Ruin.
I quickly searched my clone body and then rummaged through my main body as well.
Shaking my body triggered earthquakes and storms across every corner, but that was not the time to care about such things.
“Who on earth gave me what?”
I felt a cold sweat running down my spine as I observed my body, my soul, and the celestial aura.
“There’s no visible curse… but what the hell is it?”
Still, not seeing anything special only made me more uneasy.
Shatter!
I summoned my disciples, who were scattered across my body cultivating individually, to gather at one place.
“Everyone, I have something I must say.”
“Hm? What is it?”
Shatter!
I pulled out the All-Heaven Sword and pressed one to each of their heads.
“From now on, with this, you will be able to communicate with me. So… for now, please all ascend to the heavens immediately.”
“Uhm, what is the matter, Master? Hmm, this thing doesn’t seem to detach easily.”
Hong Beom rubbed the thing stuck to his chest and asked with a question.
“First…”
I told my companions the most critical truth.
“About the existence we call ‘us.’ The high beings in this world call the seven of us who come from other worlds with special abilities ‘Terminating Ones.’”
“Oh, then my this…”
“And! I’ve mentioned this before, but do not casually reveal what you possess!”
I cut off Oh Hyun-seok’s words and shouted loudly.
“There are many among you who do not know this, but I once met a high being long ago. A being commonly referred to as a True Immortal. And he said to me, ‘True Immortals cannot bestow upon us anything except for the curse.’ In other words, even if True Immortals bring us kindness and bless us, that kindness and blessing become an all-weighable calamity for us.”
I continued with a stern expression.
“And I have just received a mysterious blessing from what I suspect is a True Immortal.”
Upon hearing my words, the expressions of everyone present darkened sharply.
They had all endured hundreds of deaths at the hands of Hyeol-eum, the True Immortal level, after all.
“Ah, this can’t be right.”
They had died too many times in a short period, and I was confused.
They could not possibly have died hundreds of times.
They were probably thinking of the moment when Hyeol-eum had invaded the Gwanghan Realm.
“I was never confused, but with the Ten Thousand Phenomena Affinity Diagram recording so rapidly, it seems I was momentarily confused.”
I felt a headache coming on and recalled my meeting with the Saintess Yu-o.
“…What is it? Something felt strange about my meeting with Yu-o… but I couldn’t catch what it was.”
I shook my head and, deciding to figure it out slowly, continued my explanation.
“Anyway. Since I received a blessing from such an existence… what I have beside me now is dangerous.”
“What are you saying?! When it comes to times like this, we should stick together!”
“Yeah!”
“Right. When you suddenly collapsed like you did earlier with the sword dripping blood, there should be someone to help when you collapse suddenly!”
I looked at Seo Ran and Hong Beom in response and said.
“If that’s the case, please have everyone else ascend to the heavens except for Seo Ran and Hong Beom.”
“What?”
“The Seopmyeong Ship and Hong Beom’s Woldoipcheon or the Hapdo Yeongyeok are sufficient for me. Regardless of their cultivation stage. But if the others want to stay with me, it would be better for them to advance their cultivation first.”
I stated the facts coldly to my companions.
“Honestly, with our current levels, it would only get in the way.”
At my words, the faces of my companions darkened.
Kim Yeon and Kim Young-hoon looked at me with strange eyes, while the others nodded with bitter expressions.
“…I see. If that’s the case… I’ll definitely come find you after you reach the same realm as me!”
Oh Hyun-seok said so and turned around with Changhoza.
After a while, led by Oh Hyun-seok, the rest of the companions began attempting to ascend to the Gwanghan Realm.
Whoosh!
They condensed the force of the Mortal Realm, connecting the force of the Gwanghan Realm and their own to open a path into the Void Space.
I saw my companions off.
And just as they were about to ascend.
Kim Young-hoon spoke to me in a low voice.
-Seo Eun-hyun. Can’t you feel that something is strange about yourself?
-What are you saying?
-You wouldn’t say something like that if it were the old you.
-What are you saying?
-…Fine. Since it seems you can’t sense it at all, let me tell you. Examine your intent closely. You’ll immediately understand what I’m saying.
I looked at Kim Young-hoon in momentary bewilderment at his words, and they ascended back to the Gwanghan Realm from inside my body.
“What my intent is…”
“Master’s intent, since your cultivation stage has risen, has become difficult to read.”
Hong Beom, who remained here, immediately answered me.
“It has become difficult to read… Ah, of course. Now that I think about it, that was the case.”
The Senior Ones in the Hyeol-eum Realm, the Senior Ones I had seen in the Thunder Star Sea.
They had all been difficult to read with intent.
At the time, I had simply thought it was because the difference in cultivation stages was so great.
But now, perhaps I would finally understand the reason.
I sat in the lotus position and began to observe my intent.
“What my intent is… huh.”
And, I immediately understood.
“This, this crazy…”
Startled!
I jumped up from my seat and grabbed my head.
In the past invasion of the Demon Realm.
When I first saw the left hand of the Shattered Spirit Senior One, I could never read intent.
Back then, I had simply thought that the gap in cultivation stages prevented reading intent.
But now, for the first time, I understood the reason.
“To reach the realm of Void Shattering, one must comprehend the Void, and the Star Shattering Senior One becomes empty upon reaching that realm, or so it was said.”
I could understand the reason as well.
The Senior Ones’ intent begins to slowly change under the influence of attraction.
That was why I could not properly read the intent of the Hyeol-eum Realm Senior One.
The reason Senior Ones naturally comprehend the Void once they reach the Star Shattering realm.
“…I see.”
Fate is attraction.
And following the Dao is the method of exploring fate and the world with the mind.
Therefore, from the Star Shattering realm onward, the mind begins to change into attraction itself.
“…The fact that my intent, which had been fine until now, suddenly began changing into attraction from this moment… must be because…”
I had vomited out the power of death with the Triple Taiji.
“Saintess Yu-o…”
I gave a bitter smile.
[She] had said.
The mind is death itself.
Therefore, by momentarily removing the power of death from my body, the attraction of the mind began to change from that moment.
“In the end, this is a method I cannot use…”
If I empty out death, my mind becomes attracted and eventually emotionless.
If I leave some of my mind un-attracted, I will eventually be dragged to the Underworld by the power of death and trapped in endless reincarnation.
Both paths were terrifying endings.
Ku gu gu gu!
I sailed the Formless Mountain Dao Realm toward the distant edge of the universe, pouring out a lament.
***
Three years had passed.
Ku gu gu gu!
While sailing through the cosmic space, I arrived at a certain Star Sea after a very long time.
“Here it is.”
The Star Sea is usually scattered in the Void Space, but in the case of special Star Seas, it sometimes exists in the Star Realm.
Like Yang Su-jin’s broken finger or this flat thigh bone.
I extended my consciousness toward the [flat thigh bone] wrapped in the dimensional curtain.
“As expected, it’s something alive despite appearing to be a Star Sea. It’s not like the Void Space either… perhaps a Fissure Opening True Immortal.”
To not stimulate that existence, I carefully shrank my main body in front of the flat thigh bone’s inner Star Sea, the world called the Great Peace Continent, overlaid my clone with a human form, and descended inside it.
Shatter!
My consciousness instantly swept across the entire continent.
I found the familiar existence in one place on the continent and headed toward his residence.
***
The ruler of the Great Peace Continent.
Ham-jin, the Current Person God of the Golden Core Great Completion Venerable who also stood on the Path of the True God, was tilting a wine cup on the upper part of the mountain of the main peak.
“Hahaha! This is truly the paradise of the mortal world! Soon, through the True God ascension ceremony, I will reach the realm of Original Void! At that time, truly, no one will be able to stop this Emperor’s world!”
He hugged several beauties and some handsome men, then swept his gaze over the virgins brought before him.
“Hahaha! You are the ones who challenged this Emperor’s authority! Good. For today’s show, this Emperor will pamper you tonight.”
“This dirty bastard! If you’re a monk, act like one and practice your doctrine, but how dare you covet the women and men who are our nation’s betrothed! Because of you, our nation’s treasury has been completely emptied for your pleasures, and our nation is now in chaos!”
“Our clan’s also doesn’t matter! How many women and men have you taken already?! Why do you treat us so cruelly?!”
“Hee hee hee hee hee!”
Ham-jin laughed boisterously.
“Rebellious bastards! Feel free to speak your minds. I have power, and you have none. That’s all there is to it!”
Ham-jin raised his wine cup to the sky with a satisfied expression.
“Long live the Emperor’s authority!”
Kwa rurung!
And just then.
Clang-
Ham-jin suddenly felt lightning flashing before his eyes, as if the entire world had stopped.
“What? The flow of particles is slowing down. No… is my consciousness speeding up? Ah! Both are happening at once. This, this…”
Ham-jin suddenly realized that someone had arrived in front of him.
“W-who, who, who…! Teacher! Did the Teacher come in person?!”
The Ultimate Void Sect Master, Seo Eun-hyun.
A giant with over a dozen heads, the origin of the power Ham-jin had created.
And the Seo Eun-hyun who had descended while distorting the surrounding space and time looked around, clicked his tongue, and said.
“With your talent and the Black Blade Great Completion I created, you should have long since reached the Original Void stage. What exactly have you been doing all this time?”
“T-that… I have been tirelessly spreading the name of the sect’s Teacher throughout this continent…”
“Did I ever order that of you? Tsk… Good. Hand over the key.”
“Y-yes!”
Ham-jin hastily took the green jade token from his bosom and offered it to Seo Eun-hyun.
Seo Eun-hyun received the jade token and looked at Ham-jin.
“From what I can tell, your mind is filled only with anxiety, lust, and greed right now.”
“Y-yes. This Ham-jin was wrong. Give me time…”
“Originally, I had planned to take you as my direct disciple upon your ascension.”
“Y-yes…?”
Seo Eun-hyun silently revealed his presence in front of Ham-jin.
“H-h-huaaaaak! H-kuuuuaaaak!”
Ham-jin’s two eyes burst, and his body began to melt.
Blood tears streamed from his eyes, and Ham-jin could not withstand Seo Eun-hyun’s presence and knelt on the spot, vomiting.
“Listen well. Since it seems you were following me to play the role of Teacher or the role of Emperor, I will warn you. If you truly wanted to follow me, you should not have suppressed the weaker ones and enjoyed this main peak as you are, but rather trained yourself and built up your cultivation.”
“H-kuuuuuuaaaak! Kuaaaak! A, uwaaaaaaaa!!!”
Flames began to rise from Ham-jin’s body.
They were glass-like flames.
Within those flames, glass swords began to erupt from every part of Ham-jin’s body.
“You, Ham-jin, my old acquaintance. If you had built up your cultivation to reach the realm of a thousand people and ascended to my side, you would have become my true disciple as my companion. In that case, you too would have reached the same realm as me one day.”
“Kuaaaak! Uwaaaak! Uwaaaang!”
Ham-jin, screaming, suddenly began to sob.
“You, Ham-jin. You chose to remain in this place after discarding the opportunity to become a being similar to a god. I respect your choice, but from now on, you will never be able to face me directly.”
Kwa ddudeuk!
Glass blades sprouted from Ham-jin’s eyes.
Ham-jin writhed in pain, screaming, and Seo Eun-hyun vanished from that spot.
At the same time, time began to flow as it had before.
“H-heh…! Kuaaaak! Aaaaa!”
Ham-jin regenerated his body and pushed the glass fragments that had grown from it outside.
However, even after pushing out all the glass fragments and regenerating his eyes, Ham-jin did not open them.
If he opened them, he felt as though the terrifying presence of Seo Eun-hyun would still be right in front of him.
“K-kuk…”
Ham-jin felt the forcibly injected knowledge about the process of star creation in his mind and stood up from his seat.
The process of stars forming and the principle of the great nature’s cycle began to revolve in Ham-jin’s mind.
Shlup-
He felt his nosebleed and clutched his head and shouted.
“Get out! Everyone, get out!”
At Ham-jin’s roar, everyone inside his grand hall quickly left the hall.
He climbed onto his jade throne and fell into thought for a moment.
And a while later.
He buried his face in both hands and poured out a lament.
“What exactly… have I been doing until now…”
After that day.
The Black Blade Great Emperor Ham-jin who had swept across the Great Peace Continent suddenly disappeared.
Some said he was murdered, and others said he had become a true heavenly being and ascended.
The truth was that Ham-jin, who had looked back on his own shame, had thrown away all his authority and begun proper cultivation in a mountain valley, but everyone on the Great Peace Continent spread rumors that Ham-jin had somehow met his end.
***
After scolding Ham-jin, I activated the jade token in the Star Sea and traveled to another star.
Shatter!
“Now I finally understand.”
I leaped between stars and clicked my tongue.
These ‘paths between stars,’ each one a True Immortal.
This was not simply something the Senior Ones had installed.
“It was developed by someone using the Fissure Opening True Immortals as a foundation.”
I looked at the path to the Thunder Star Sea.
Observing the array formation, I guessed who had developed it.
“Who on earth… who, using the bodies of True Immortals as a foundation, created such transmission formations…”
I muttered as I landed on a planet filled with poisonous miasma.
At that moment.
[Jingryong Jinin]
“…”
I was startled by the sound coming from around me and looked around.
["The Lord had commanded us True Immortals to create this path"]
I immediately realized the owner of the voice and was terrified.
“A star…! No, a True Immortal who has taken on the form of a star…?”
["And when we reached the realm, he told us to supplement the path.”]
The surrounding voices gradually grew louder and clearer.
["We have become True Immortals to repay the Lord’s grace and supplemented his path. Therefore, the ‘path’ that was originally formed by three True Immortals who revered Jingryong Jinin has now become a path formed by dozens of True Immortals.”]
A clone of the True Immortal who had taken on this star’s form appeared before me.
He was wearing ancient robes and had a dignified white-haired middle-aged man’s face with a magnificent beard that bore dozens of mysterious tattoos.
["The path of cultivation ultimately leads to reaching the Dao. The more it is called a peerless divine skill, the closer it is to the Dao. And… the Lord had arranged it so that through two Daos, this path of the star could be activated. And the cultivation method that leads to those two Daos is precisely… Purple Soul Filling the Heavens, Flame Sea Jade Prison.”]
He looked at me and asked.
["I am the Jingryong Bongyang Sect Master of human origin. How can I know that the aura of two cultivation methods is felt from a human race Star Plate junior? Even the Flame Sea Jade Prison, but the Purple Soul Filling the Heavens cannot be obtained through mere recitation without transmission, yet it has been transmitted to humans, not dragons? What exactly is your identity?”]
I recognized who he was and lit up my eyes.
“You are the one who left a diary in Jingryong Jinin’s pocket dimension. The one who was so angry at the Lord for not being able to paint the Buddha statue that he hung upside down and hit his head very hard…”
[…]
“…”
For a moment, an awkward silence hung between us.