Thunder Star (3)
The enormous dimensional curtain spread out before me like a vast, tattered field.
‘Long time since I last came. No, this is the first time I’ve come myself, right?’
Honestly, last time I’d only sent a fragment of consciousness, so the weight hadn’t really sunk in.
This time… the body, or maybe the Void Shattering stage, made it hit different.
‘Yang Su-jin of the Thunder Star Sea… it feels like he’s right in front of me.’
I steadied my mind, channeling the tingling current through my entire body.
Uuuung—
I extended my consciousness and activated my authority. The consciousness domain twisted once more into a human form.
Without special measures, it would probably revert. Of course…
The consciousness domain’s human form had already found its answer, so a single timely intervention would let me switch back to pure thought anytime.
‘Then let’s head into the Thunder Star Sea.’
I began slowly stepping into Yang Su-jin’s ruin, intent on locating the Venerables still suffering there!
Kugugu gu gu gu!
Ucheondae Sung passed through the dimensional curtain of the Thunder Star Sea.
And just as my main body crossed the threshold…
Kwahjik!
“…!”
I looked around in alarm.
‘This place…’
Up and down, only endless dark clouds. Golden lightning poured down like rain across the horizon.
Last time I’d entered with Jang Ik, it had looked like a bathhouse. I tensed and scanned my surroundings.
‘Nothing out of the ordinary.’
And the one thing that stood out: I couldn’t use qi or spirit power like before.
But…
[I am different now.]
Even here, consciousness still existed as a human form.
Kukuguk!
From the Venerables onward, consciousness had fully become a human form. Not just manipulating energy like at the Four Pillars or Integration stage—this was the realm where energy itself became part of the soul!
So compressing space or carving holes in spacetime with nothing but thought was easier than breathing!
Kwaaaang!
I pierced the cloud-formed space.
The area vanished, and I found myself in a new one.
‘Here…’
Even more thunder-cloud saturated than before.
The clouds were thicker, crackling with more and more golden lightning between them.
Kwaaang!
I tore another hole with my consciousness and pushed on.
The next space was just another thunder-cloud world!
‘What? It wasn’t like this last time.’
I was bewildered when I noticed the clouds’ movement and flow.
‘This cloud pattern… this lightning response… what the—!’
I widened my eyes and smiled.
‘Of course! Danak Thunder Technique! This entire world is one massive expression of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect’s Danak Thunder Technique! That’s why you can’t just hack your way out.’
I worked the Danak Thunder Technique’s secret manual through the heavenly and earthly qi I generated from my own surface.
It was child’s play for me to mimic the secret manual now that I had mastered every sub-technique of Myeonsin Gyeopcheon through the Golden Divine Thunder Sect.
Kwahjik!
Lightning danced from my planetary surface. The clouds around me parted naturally.
Then, in the blink of an eye, they closed again.
‘As expected. To leave, I have to operate the Danak Thunder Technique’s secret manual in perfect sync with this cloud and lightning flow.’
Kwaarung!
I focused my mind and began the full Danak Thunder Technique.
Kwahjizjik!
Lightning danced.
Multicolored lightning washed the area in glittering light and drove the clouds away.
The clouds fled, but the parting pattern never let them return.
Finally, I synchronized the heavenly and earthly qi flowing through my body with the complete secret manuals of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect.
Kwahjizjizjik!
Together, the thunder-cloud world exploded with lightning. The entire sky turned golden.
It was the same sight as when I’d ascended to Void Shattering.
A normal Void Shattering cultivator would have to fight with everything to resist this tribulation. But I saw the pattern and realized this was the final trial.
‘If my descendant of the Thunder Tribulation Great Completion Technique eats this whole storm… if I’m just a Golden Divine Thunder Sect disciple, I’ll absorb the lightning that matches my secret manual and receive its blessing…’
The last case.
An existence who had fully mastered every Danak Thunder Technique of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect and obtained Myeonsin Gyeopcheon…!
Kurrurung!
The lightning mixed and began to neutralize!
It was like the moment when every Danak Thunder Technique merged—the law and energy of the technique vanished, leaving only the true law of Myeonsin Gyeopcheon.
Lightning neutralized, and in its place only dark clouds remained.
Kugugu gu gu gu!
The thunder-cloud world that had been flooded with lightning moments ago instantly became a world of only dark clouds.
The nearby clouds no longer spewed lightning and refused to gather around me.
They simply rotated around me according to the qi I emitted.
After a moment…
Kwahjizjizjik!
Suddenly golden lightning boiled up from the dark clouds and struck my main body.
‘Whoa, what’s this…!’
I froze, knowing the effect of the golden lightning.
‘Soul strike?’
The next instant.
I lost consciousness completely thanks to the power of the relic left by the True Immortal Yang Su-jin.
* * *
Whoong whoong whoong—
The roar of countless crowds echoed in my brain.
‘Where am I? And what am I…’
I felt my consciousness shatter like dust and scatter everywhere.
The shattered fragments each heard tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of voices.
The voices were so vast and numerous I couldn’t understand a single one.
Fortunately, the experience of my consciousness splitting like dust had become routine after the Void Shattering ascension ritual, so I focused on the voice that felt most familiar.
Paahaaat!
All other sounds vanished. My consciousness sharpened around the voice.
“Hah!”
When I came to, Kim Yeon was standing there.
“Um?”
“Uung?”
I was confused by the absurd situation and looked around.
Kim Yeon’s eyes widened as she held up what looked like some kind of artifact and demonstrated it.
“Um…! Ummm!”
“Eh? Yeon? Why are you—?! Hah!”
I suddenly heard my own voice and nearly jumped out of my skin.
‘This… is…!’
My senses were still unstable because my consciousness hadn’t fully re-coalesced.
I strengthened my consciousness and observed my body.
I burst into laughter as I realized exactly what was happening.
I had become possessed by the body of Jeon Myeong-hoon, who was still cultivating in the Gwanghan Realm.
“Ummm!”
Kim Yeon’s eyes sparkled as she realized my consciousness had taken over Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body.
“Ah… yes, Yeona. I’m in the Thunder Star Sea, and somehow I possess Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body. And…”
I felt my senses returning and noticed the auras of Yeon Wi and Yeon-jin nearby.
I closed my eyes.
Kwach, kwajik…
I sensed the exact locations of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect disciples in the form of thunder spirits.
At the same time, I understood that as long as I was a Golden Divine Thunder Sect disciple, I could possess anyone regardless of reason.
‘No, that’s not all.’
Thanks to Myeonsin Gyeopcheon I could steal the training of Yeon Wi and Yeon-jin, amplify the Thunder Star Sea’s energy, and issue commands to them at will.
‘So when I arrive in the Thunder Star Sea after mastering Myeonsin Gyeopcheon, I gain the right to freely command all disciples of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect… or rather, all disciples of Yang Su-jin.’
Right now I was in the same position as if I could freely stamp the founding decree of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect without the Heavenly Thunder Banner.
“Jeon Myeong-hoon? Can you hear me?”
I felt guilty about taking his body and asked.
There was no answer.
The Golden Divine Thunder Sect disciples who possessed through the Thunder Star Sea must have been deep in sleep and unable to regain full consciousness.
‘A little dangerous.’
It was thanks to me mastering Myeonsin Gyeopcheon and entering the Thunder Star Sea. If someone like Oh Hye-seo had done the same, who knew what would have been born in the Water Realm that day.
I explained the situation to a flustered Kim Yeon, then asked what was happening.
Kim Yeon gestured animatedly with her hands while saying “Um um um.”
“…So since you can’t speak, ask someone else?”
“Um!”
“…Yeah. Sorry.”
“Uum…”
I turned Kim Yeon around and moved Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body.
As I moved, I realized…
‘This…’
It was because I’d possessed through the Thunder Star Sea.
I felt I could naturally use every martial technique in Jeon Myeong-hoon’s repertoire.
Kwachjik!
The Golden Divine Thunder Sect was famous for its instantaneous movement technique, Dudun-sul.
It was also called the Thunder Shadow Dudun-sul because it left afterimages of lightning. I’d been able to use it before mastering Myeonsin Gyeopcheon.
‘It looks cool, so I used to move around like that sometimes. But after completing Myeonsin Gyeopcheon I couldn’t anymore… This is great!’
I unfolded the Thunder Shadow Dudun-sul and, lightning in tow, circled the area where my companions waited.
Kwajik!
The Three Wood Grove was peaceful as ever.
‘There doesn’t seem to be any major disturbance in the Gwanghan Realm.’
Still possessing Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body, I extracted my original consciousness domain through him.
Kurrung!
A storm erupted around Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body.
I contacted Baek-woon, the Saintess of Gwanghan, atop Heavenly Lotus Mountain.
Kwaaak!
Inside Baek-woon’s White Jade Pavilion.
I appeared before her through Jeon Myeong-hoon’s projection.
She glared at me.
[You just barged into my territory. I thought a Heavenly Lord at Integration stage had gone mad… but it was you, Seo Eun-hyun.]
[My apologies, Saintess. Are you feeling well?]
[You crazy bastard… are you really asking about my health?]
She growled at me, clearly remembering the electric torture and the resulting blood curse she’d suffered.
I coughed awkwardly.
[The previous incident was truly my fault. Still, I’ve been trying to resolve the problems I caused.]
[Hmph! It wasn’t you who did it—that was the work of those great beings! If not for your shoulders, I would have crushed your projection and your companions to death on the spot.]
She cursed at me, and I realized Jeon Myeong-hoon still carried some grudge.
‘My shoulders…’
I casually touched my left shoulder through Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body.
She seemed to have learned, from a distance, that I had received the Geomgeukcheonjun’s favor.
[Anyway, I don’t want to bear a grudge against you, Saintess. My main body has reached the Thunder Star Sea. If I return to the Central Realm with the symbolic items of my name… would you consider reconciling?]
It was right to mend the relationship with Baek-woon.
She wasn’t evil to the core, and as the Saintess of Gwanghan, she held the lives of my companions in her hands.
She sighed.
[…You volunteered to join the Thunder Star Sea expedition. When I retrieve the symbols, it won’t just be forgiveness—it’ll be proper compensation. After all, the divine objects stolen by the Golden Divine Thunder Sect are important to the Central Realm.]
[Indeed. It’s a relief I can clear my debt with you…]
[Wait!]
Baek-woon’s eyes burned.
I flinched, sensing a great ominous aura of heavenly qi.
[No matter what, you fried me with electricity, tortured me, and summoned the blood curse, turning the Gwanghan Realm into a mess. I can’t let that go without consequence.]
[…]
I had nothing to say and coughed.
[…What do you want?]
She smiled slyly.
[My sincere strike. Take it. Forget the past once you receive it.]
[Then I’ll meet you again in the Gwanghan Realm after defeating the Golden Divine Thunder Sect. Just wait a little…]
[No need to wait. Since you’ve possessed a Golden Divine Thunder Sect descendant, let’s clear your and my grudge at once by taking this strike.]
[Eh!?]
I stared at her in shock.
Baek-woon began gathering heavenly and earthly qi without waiting for my answer, her eyes bright.
‘This crazy woman really means to strike me.’
I broke into a sweat and quickly withdrew my projection, returning my consciousness to Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body in the Three Wood Grove.
Kukung, kugugu kung!
Above the Three Wood Grove.
Heavenly qi distorted, and white clouds gathered in the sky.
The pure white clouds formed into Baek-woon’s appearance, then began to expand endlessly.
Soon her giant form, large enough to cover a planet, reached up toward the sky.
The sky of the Three Wood Grove immediately darkened, swallowed by one of her soles.
I looked up at her in a daze and groaned.
Kurrurung!
‘How much resentment is this…’
After all, the price of summoning the blood curse and turning the entire Gwanghan Realm upside down was cheap enough.
[Tree Spear.]
In the consciousness domain of Void Shattering, Baek-woon’s planetary-sized body was captured.
At the same time, her avatar’s hand gripped a wooden spear ten times larger than her own body.
Kurrurung!
The cloud-formed body of Baek-woon stole thunder from Jeon Myeong-hoon’s heavenly thunder body.
At the same time, the entire Gwanghan Realm seemed to seize me, blocking my main body’s authority.
‘Is she trying to kill Jeon Myeong-hoon? Even if he revives, I can’t let her carve away his life like this.’
Uung—
I formed the qi sword, gripped the blade, assumed a stance, and began the sword dance.
[Do you know, Saintess?]
[Just die, you evil spawn!]
My consciousness rose to an extraordinarily high realm.
An earnest strike from a Saintess who was practically a True Immortal inside the Central Realm!
Not the casual style I’d faced before, but a will to crush me completely!
[I have blocked his strike once before the blood curse.]
The sword dance of descent unfolded from my hand.
The world was embedded in the sword dance.
At the same time, I felt the power of the entire Gwanghan Realm flowing into the dance.
The faint feeling of Baek-woon’s emotions—harmonizing the world’s flow with the Gwanghan Realm’s power—was almost tangible.
She was astonished.
[What! I am the Saintess of the Gwanghan Realm! I am about to become its manager!]
Dududududu!
I drew a circle with Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body.
Normally, only my own ability and the world’s power were embedded in the Sumul sword dance.
But now, possessing through Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body with the power of the Thunder Star Sea…
Kwaarung!
I felt the distant power of the Thunder Star Sea embedded in the Sumul sword dance as well.
Danak Sword Art
Thirty-third Style
Sumul
Transformation Technique
Sumul Gwanghan Raedo!
The heavenly thunder rose into the sky alongside the lotus petals, roaring like a dragon’s roar.
The earnest strike of Baek-woon, having borrowed the power of the Gwanghan Realm, blasted forward and pierced through her avatar, scattering clouds as I soared into the sky.
: : Please. : :
The moment my consciousness reached the True Immortal realm through acceleration, my will echoed across the entire Gwanghan Realm.
: : I hope your resentment is cleared. : :
Among the spirits that heard my will, the weak ones fainted on the spot. Those above Heavenly Person suffered heavy hearts. Those above Four Pillars had their eardrums burst.
Even the Integration Grand Completion Taesu and the Demon Kings trembled and collapsed where they stood after hearing my will.
The cloud-formed form of Baek-woon dissolved and spoke.
[…To receive the Heavenly Lord’s choice, do you need to be that much of a genius…]
Her tone carried a sigh.
[Your resentment will be cleared. I praise your talent, which is like the sun.]
Baek-woon withdrew her consciousness, praising me, and I descended to the Three Wood Grove through Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body.
The Heart Tribe members, my companions, and several of the Taesu living in the Three Wood Grove gathered.
[I am sorry for causing a disturbance. Everyone. For now, I am Seo Eun-hyun possessing Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body. My main body is currently in the Thunder Star Sea…]
Just as I began to explain the situation carefully.
From among my companions, Yeon Wi, who had possessed Yeon-jin’s body, burst out.
She asked me, looking at me.
“…You possess Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body?”
[Yes. Since I am also a Heart Tribe member, just like the Heaven-Sinking Venerable, I use the Heart Tribe’s characteristics…]
“Even Jang Ik couldn’t directly possess the Heart Tribe members of the Gwanghan Realm in the Thunder Star Sea.”
[Well… when I activated the secret manual of Myeonsin Gyeopcheon in the Thunder Star Sea, possession became possible.]
“…On Jeon Myeong-hoon?”
[Yes. But…]
“…Among the records of the Thunder Star Sea left in the Golden Divine Thunder Sect’s torture documents… only the founder himself, and a few True Immortals directly descended from him, used the possession characteristic of the Thunder Star Sea. Originally, to perform such possession… one must have a spirit that spans all five domains, according to tradition.”
[I see a slight misunderstanding, Senior Yeon Wi. My spirit does span the five domains, but this is merely a workaround. And as I’ve said several times…]
“…I have something to say. Let’s meet later in Jeon Myeong-hoon’s room.”
She finished speaking and flew toward Jeon Myeong-hoon’s quarters.
Feeling her restless consciousness, I gave a brief explanation to the flustered Heart Tribe members and withdrew to find Yeon Wi.
“Ah, by the way, Venerable Seo. Your Majesty is looking for you.”
[Please tell him I’ll visit him soon. I have things to do right now…]
To clear up Yeon Wi’s misunderstanding, I flew toward Jeon Myeong-hoon’s quarters.
“Venerable? Are you there?”
Kiiik—
I entered Jeon Myeong-hoon’s quarters and found her.
In the center of the room, Yeon Wi knelt properly and was waiting for me.
Her eyes had lost their restless energy.
“Wait a moment, Venerable Yeon. What are you doing? Stand up. That shout just now was heard by everyone in the Central Realm. The voice of that being in the Blood Curse Realm struck the Gwanghan Realm only a moment ago. How could you forget the feeling?”
She knelt properly in front of me and suddenly began removing my shoes and socks.
[Wait, I’m misunderstanding. Before that, what are you…]
And then I realized my brain had frozen.
Yeon Wi no longer looked at me with tears, anxiety, emptiness, or exhaustion.
Instead, radiating perfect inner calm, she removed Jeon Myeong-hoon’s shoes, set them aside, knelt before my bare feet, and bowed her head.
[Do not call me Venerable. You are a great being. I have thought a great deal. And finally I have reached a conclusion. Since the founder, the Golden Divine, has left… our Golden Divine Thunder Sect has lost his protection and now only has True Immortals who bear grudges against the founder. Yet you, great being… have always helped us preserve the legacy of the Golden Divine Thunder Sect.]
She revealed her profound consciousness toward me, keeping her face close to my feet, and continued.
“As the greatest elder of the current Golden Divine Thunder Sect, I plead. The Golden Divine Thunder Sect will become a righteous sect that serves great beings in the future. Therefore, please become the spirit that protects us in place of the founder.”
After speaking, she kissed the top of my foot and begged once more.
[This foolish mortal begs. Please have mercy on our Golden Divine Thunder Sect. Please protect us until my son, the successor of the Golden Divine, grows…!]
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