Chapter 499
**CHAPTER TITLE: The True Self of Seo Hyoel (3)**
Once upon a time, the very first “me” existed six hundred thousand years ago, when the three great sects and the demon beasts were still unable to dominate one another.
It was activated by Heol-eum.
Yet the “me” of that era was not the “me” I am now.
It was merely a machine-like entity that operated with cold precision.
It simply executed commands the moment the Yin Soul portion of Heol-eum entered them, without a single doubt or torment.
Four thousand years ago, the “me” that had flowed into the lower realm followed the Yin Soul’s orders and began to search for what Heol-eum desired most.
The throne of Yu Ho-deok, divided between evil and virtue.
The other half of the left side of evil.
That was the “me” summoned by Heol-eum to find it.
But even then, I was not “me.”
I had no independent will, only the plan to consume Heol-eum over hundreds of billions of years, covering the Ilwol Cheonyeok with Purple Soul Filling the Heavens.
The plan of the Yin Soul to annihilate Heol-eum’s personality had already begun then, and I was its core.
Yet even I lacked a true self.
The moment I became truly “me” was a little later.
The birth of the “me” of today occurred four thousand and so many years ago, during the cross-spirit operation of the Won Clan.
At that time, the Won Clan, through the Sea Dragon Clan that carried the Yin Soul’s bloodline, had attempted to cross spirits with the throne of virtue, meaning righteous deeds.
Together with the fragments hidden within the Water Realm, I was born as “me.”
Born.
Some would call this word a blessing, but it was not for me.
To me, “birth” was… no different from the cruelest curse.
From the moment I was born, I came into existence in a place far lower than hell, and after experiencing a small measure of happiness, I immediately suffered the same torment as hell.
The pain was so unbearable that I had no choice but to tear myself apart, rebuild, and transform my heart and mind into a heartless array.
But because of that suffering, I finally became fully alive.
The true identity of “me” was the Purple Soul Filling the Heavens that had reached the realm of immortality techniques.
And this Purple Soul Filling the Heavens merged with the fragments of the Water Realm, corrupted, and within that corruption, my spirit became an array, forming the Muddy Soul Filling the Heavens.
That was me, as I am now.
An existence that had once been someone else’s immortal technique.
Yet later robbed of its personality.
In other words, “me” was ultimately a Seongban stage entity whose very existence was an immortal technique.
And it was a kind of viviparous Seongban stage being.
But… the pain was so overwhelming that I, who was born as the Muddy Soul Filling the Heavens after tearing apart my own spirit and mind, found the world unbearably hateful.
That was why, within the agony, hatred, and disgust that burned like fire, I set a single purpose.
* * *
Kugugugugu!
The entire sky was filled with celestial tremor waves.
“Seo Hyoel… what exactly are you…”
It was at that moment when I gazed up at the sky in daze.
The [Someone] possessing Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body smiled faintly and spoke.
“In my opinion, it would be best to kill yourself quickly.”
“What are you saying!”
“Well… this place is far too dangerous for anything above Void Refinement stage. Once inside its maw, there’s no way out…”
Huge waves of celestial tremor waves descended upon us with terrifying momentum.
I hurriedly pulled Jeon Myeong-hoon and Seo Ran and others to safety.
Flash!
Using Void Step, I instantly fled north to the Great Plains.
But I was startled.
The colossal waves of the celestial tremor waves that had pierced the Dabcheon Desert were rushing straight toward our location.
“Are they chasing us!”
“No. They are heading toward the Liberation Seal.”
I shifted slightly off the orbit of the celestial tremor waves, and the waves passed us by without pause, heading toward the “Bongmyeong Castle” that had just appeared at the northern edge.
“Bongmyeong Castle? What the hell… Wait, more importantly…”
“Did you just read my thoughts?”
“Ghosts can’t fully escape the habit of thinking through electrical signals even after transcending physical limits. Well, of course, unless you completely leave the yin-yang realm, you can still read thoughts.”
It seemed he could read or manipulate brain electrical signals because he was, like Jeong-ryeo, a Seongban related to thunder.
“If you’re that extraordinary, help my comrade Seo Ran! What happened to Seo Ran!”
I suddenly summoned a glowing golden light behind my head and stared at the wailing Seo Ran, whose pronunciation was hard to understand.
At that, the entity turned its face slightly toward the direction of Seo Ran.
For some reason, his eyes remained closed and his consciousness domain unfolded, yet he seemed to be perceiving Seo Ran through some other sense.
After watching Seo Ran for a moment, the entity shook its head.
“There is a technique protecting his spirit and turning the ‘entire’ into a complete ‘object’.”
“Yes, definitely…”
The one given by Gwagwam and repaired by Yu-o.
And Yu-o had said that this technique would break upon encountering a “vast entity.”
“Wait, does that mean…”
—Disgusting. A lowly worm dares to use the main line.
I recalled the words spoken by the entity possessing Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body.
At the same time, I recalled that there had been a reason behind Seo Hyoel sending me into the Thunder Star Sea.
“…So that’s it.”
Seo Hyoel had noticed that something was wrong with Jeon Myeong-hoon in the Thunder Star Sea.
And inside that Jeon Myeong-hoon, the [Someone] had revived.
If I and Seo Ran entered the Thunder Star Sea together, the [Someone] and Seo Ran would meet, and the technique of Gwagwam binding Seo Ran’s body would break.
I understood why the entity possessing Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body felt “disgusted.”
He was smiling with his eyes bright, as if having read my thoughts again.
“You are a shrewd one. The technique on that guy broke. Thanks to that… it seems you are reconnecting once more.”
“Does that mean Seo Hyoel and Seo Ran are connected!”
I gasped for breath and knelt before him.
“…Please, if you can repair this technique, I beg you to do so and save Seo Ran. He is my comrade. I will overlook you taking Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body for now. Please help…!”
“Presumptuous. ‘For now’…”
“Well…”
“No.”
I gritted my teeth and glared at him.
Yet an unexpected reply came from his mouth.
“I don’t know those ancient techniques. Since the main line doesn’t know them, I can’t repair them. Receiving requests itself is impossible.”
“But…! This is a technique that even a Seongban Saintess of Myeong-gwi Realm can use, how is that!”
“Ku ku… Khehehe… Saintess? Myeong-gwi Realm?”
At my words, he laughed low, as if my words were amusing.
“Hah. It seems you haven’t realized the order yet. Well, talentless idiots normally awaken upon advancing to Seongban, so it’s only natural. Anyway. The main line is impossible.”
“Can’t you manipulate the brain electrical signals by reading them to help Seo Ran?”
I asked desperately, recalling how Jeong-ryeo had manipulated the brain electrical signals of the entire Geumsincheonroemun to twist my cognition.
But he shook his head again.
“Impossible here.”
“Eh? What do you mean by that!”
“…You don’t know. For now, I will hide like a dead mouse in this place.”
He gazed far toward the northern edge where Seo Hyoel’s celestial tremor waves were heading, briefly glanced to the right, and said.
“…Be careful of the light. He is a sinister existence that transcends any thought or prediction you might have. My answer is still the same.”
“…?”
“Why is it…?”
It did not feel like words directed at me.
For some reason, it felt like an answer given to someone other than the one right beside me.
But I could no longer ask him anything more.
Sssshhh!
“!!”
Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body began to distort as if made of yin-yang itself, then disintegrated into dozens, hundreds, thousands of taiji patterns and scattered away.
Whoosh!
The wind from the west blew, carrying the traces of yin-yang far to the western end.
The traces of yin-yang distorted as they headed toward the western end in the direction of Geumsincheonroemun’s main branch, then vanished in the void.
I watched where he had disappeared for a moment, then gritted my teeth.
“As expected, a useless existence!”
In the end, he had taken Jeon Myeong-hoon’s body and fled somewhere without giving me any help for Seo Ran.
I was angry that he had suddenly taken Jeon Myeong-hoon, but for now I shook Seo Ran’s shoulders to bring him back to his senses.
“Snap out of it, Seo Ran! Remember! You are Seo Ran! Don’t forget yourself!”
“U, uuuh… ugruguk…!”
Seo Ran’s eyes were bloodshot.
He gritted his teeth fiercely.
So hard that blood dripped from his gums.
Kugugugugugu!
Far away, Bongmyeong Castle began to move.
Huge waves of celestial tremor waves started “amplifying” from the castle filled with Seo Hyoel’s waves.
“What!”
The celestial tremor waves literally covered the entire sky.
I realized something while watching them.
“The array formation at the top of Bongmyeong Castle… that was it!”
And I recalled the locations of the ceremonial sites Seo Hyoel had revealed in the fifteenth loop.
“Deungsunhyang, Heukseong, Bongmyeong Castle… and the Sea Dragon Palace!”
He must have gone to those places to perform the Seongban advancement ceremony in advance.
And the Sea Dragon Palace itself had a magical structure.
“Seo Hyoel’s celestial tremor waves flew out from the Ascension Gate in Deungsunhyang, landed in Heukseong, and headed toward Bongmyeong Castle. So where next…?”
The Sea Dragon Palace!
That was the only place!
“To save Seo Ran, I must stop what Seo Hyoel is doing!”
I was about to put Seo Ran back into my domain when an immense agony struck me, and I realized he could not enter my domain.
“What…! Why suddenly can’t he enter my domain!?”
I was bewildered, but I had no time now.
I hurriedly supported Seo Ran and activated the Void Step technique.
At that moment.
Kwak!
“Kuuk!”
Plop!
We, who had been in the northern Great Plains until a moment ago, were slammed into the spot right below Deungsunhyang in the Dabcheon Desert.
Normally, we should have reached the Sea Dragon Palace immediately.
“W, did the Void Step cancel? This is…”
I understood what was happening.
My instinct was refusing to use the technique.
From the deepest unconscious realm, a revulsion welled up.
In the Water Realm, using techniques is forbidden.
“Why? What kind of nonsense is this!”
My instinct was warning me.
Do not use techniques in the Water Realm!
“That’s ridiculous! We’re in a hurry!”
I forcibly tried to activate the technique by vibrating my consciousness domain.
But right then.
Throb!
“…!! Kuuuuaaaah!!!”
I clutched my head and collapsed on the spot.
“H, huh… heo-eok… heo-eo-eok…!”
My consciousness domain was exploding.
At the same time, my consciousness randomly “read” the surroundings.
Heaven and earth qi reversed, reading the Dabcheon Desert.
The “historical” scenes of Deungsunhyang.
And one scene from Deungsunhyang’s history flashed into my mind.
“Celestial Venerable? Void Refinement?”
It was a Void Refinement celestial Venerable.
At the same time, I saw the Blood Demon Lords of the Blood Soul Realm.
They were pushing into the Water Realm through the Ascension Gate.
A Blood Demon Lord emitting the Blood Demon Qi of the Blood Soul Realm descended from above Deungsunhyang and searched for something.
And his gaze landed somewhere.
It was the shrine built from the colossal black ore.
The shrine had been right in front of the Ascension Gate, so it had been easy to find.
The Blood Demon Lord of the Blood Soul Realm, with a monstrous form, swung his hand as is.
Yang Su-jin’s shrine was ripped out from the spot and fell far away, outside Deungsunhyang.
The shrine fell intact into the Dabcheon Desert, with only its upper part visible above the desert.
And part of that shrine was the Heukseong I knew.
Soon after, the Blood Demon Lord of the Blood Soul Realm screamed and overturned the entire Deungsunhyang.
The empty lot where Yang Su-jin’s shrine had stood was pushed into one spot in Deungsunhyang.
The Blood Demon Lord of the Blood Soul Realm laughed.
As if mocking.
And the celestial Venerable reached out to destroy even the “warning document” that was half of Yang Su-jin’s after being torn apart by the previous strike.
At that moment.
The celestial Venerable’s consciousness domain began to explode.
The celestial Venerable suddenly looked up at “the sky.”
And the next instant.
The celestial Venerable began to scream.
As if he had seen something so terrifying and horrifying.
The celestial Venerable who had been ruthlessly tearing away Yang Su-jin’s shrine a moment ago now wailed like a child, clutching his head in agony and despair.
It looked like he was facing something he could not bear and had gone mad.
Flash!
“Keuk! Heo-eok! Heok!”
Only now did I understand why my instinct had warned me, and I withdrew my entire consciousness domain. Without daring to look “directly” at the sky, I lowered my eyes.
—In my opinion, it would be best to kill yourself quickly.
—Well… this place is far too dangerous for anything above Void Refinement stage.
I understood why a being estimated to be at the Seongban stage had not unfolded his consciousness domain and kept both eyes tightly closed.
“Do not look. Do not use your power! ‘Me’ of today must never do such things!”
Do not casually peek at the sky of the Water Realm, do not expand your consciousness domain, and do not use techniques.
I realized that would lead to a ending far more miserable than death.
“Then Seo Ran…”
I lifted Seo Ran.
After that, using only my senses to set direction, I looked down at the ground and rapidly stamped the earth.
Kwak!
My physical abilities at the Seongban stage were more than enough.
With a single kick, I shot out like a meteor and reached the sea below the Dabcheon Desert.
I watched the flow of Seo Hyoel’s celestial tremor waves reflected in the sea and read the flow of the waves.
“As expected, they are heading toward the Sea Dragon Palace!”
I ran at full speed, determined to destroy the Sea Dragon Palace, and stamped the sea even faster with Void Step.
“Wait just a little longer…! Seo Ran!”
Far away, the southern edge of the Water Realm began to appear.
I prepared to dive while carrying Seo Ran.
But it seemed unnecessary.
Kugugugugu!
The Sea Dragon Palace was rising up.
Dudududu!
“Raising upward? Kuuk…”
I carefully avoided looking at the sky, ascended in a straight line from underwater, and chased after the Sea Dragon Palace rising into the sky.
Zit, zit…
But the longer time passed, the more my body stiffened, my head throbbed, and unknown knowledge flowed in, and I let out a cry.
“Heo-eok… heuk…”
Twitch, twitch…
My heart gradually pounded and strength left my body.
Of course, even in that state I crossed the sea quickly, but it was clear that strength was leaving.
“What is this… the Water Realm…?”
Just by keeping my eyes open, my vision was gradually distorting, and I felt the gaze of some terrifying existence.
—This place is far too dangerous for anything above Void Refinement stage.
He would not have spoken such words with his eyes closed without reason!
I struggled to spread Void Step, eyes closed, and rose toward the Sea Dragon Palace.
I intended to smash the Sea Dragon Palace with a body punch.
Kugugugugu!
The Sea Dragon Palace that had been ascending in a straight line finally stopped at the very top of the sky, after merging with the Heavenly Observation Station of the Sea Dragon Clan.
I gritted my teeth tightly.
That place was where Cheongmun Ryeong’s final remains were.
If I body-punched now, I could destroy his remains as well.
It was an absolute salt column that turned anything touching it into salt, but with my current Seongban abilities, my instinct told me I could break it.
I gritted my teeth and stamped the void.
“Master…”
I will cherish you in my heart.
To save Seo Ran.
Seo Hyoel’s celestial tremor waves had rushed into the Sea Dragon Palace, and I charged straight at it!
Kwa-kwak-kwak!
With my body punch, the Sea Dragon Palace, before the celestial tremor waves could even reach it, collapsed, and the Heavenly Observation Station and Cheongmun Ryeong’s final remains beyond it fell as well.
“Ah…”
Cheongmun Ryeong’s remains fell.
They became ordinary salt powder and scattered downward.
Perhaps since the moment he died in the world of Bongrae-do, Cheongmun Ryeong’s remains had simply been an ordinary salt column.
“Goodbye, Master.”
I bowed my head in silent prayer, turned around, and shouted toward Seo Hyoel’s celestial tremor waves.
“Go back, you damn bastard! Your purpose has already been sealed!”
Kugugugugu!
The space around me trembled from my shout.
Sssr…
Blood flowed from the seven holes.
I had deliberately mixed in the technique despite suffering damage.
I revealed the power of the Seongban stage and blocked Seo Hyoel’s celestial tremor waves.
Whoooing!
A wheel appeared behind my head.
“Fast, as fast as possible, block Seo Hyoel, then escape the Water Realm without looking at the sky!”
This was the best I could do now!
[I, your technique, I will change it.]
Kiiiiing!
Seo Hyoel’s celestial tremor waves had already experienced this many times.
My understanding of Muddy Soul Filling the Heavens was sufficient, and this was a technique that temporarily “reset” the understanding I had gained.
Therefore…
It can be manipulated!
[Go back!]
And from beside my ear came a whisper I could not possibly deny.
“Your origin.”
It was an undeniably correct sound.
Sending Seo Hyoel’s celestial tremor waves back to Seo Hyoel’s origin.
That was the best way to stop the Seo Hyoel rushing before my eyes!
A series of thoughts like that floated through my mind, and the logic of the thoughts was flawless.
Therefore, I unconsciously spoke the whisper.
[Your origin!]
At that moment.
Flash!
Seo Hyoel’s celestial tremor waves simultaneously pierced the back of Seo Ran who was riding on me.
Seo Hyoel’s celestial tremor waves pierced straight through Seo Ran’s body.
And his celestial tremor waves pierced through Seo Ran and…
The place where the Sea Dragon Palace had been.
They pierced through the southern edge of the world and exited outside the Water Realm.
Soon the entire world became pitch white.
[…Ha.]
For some reason, I felt my mind clear.
Dudududu!
It seemed earthquakes and tsunamis were occurring across the entire Water Realm, and suddenly a crack appeared in the “sky” as well.
At the same time, the phenomenon of the world turning white gradually deepened, and now I could only see those standing right beside me.
Whooo—
I fell somewhere unknown, and for some reason I faced Seo Ran weeping.
“Why are you crying, Seo Ran.”
“…I finally remembered.”
He said.
“I understand who the ‘woman’ in my memories is.”
He had clearly said that from Bongrae-do, a sudden thought of some “woman” had come to him.
“…Who is that?”
“Well…”
At first I thought it was because Seo Ran had taken on Kang Min-hee’s role, so he was recalling someone from Kang Min-hee’s memories.
Later I had also wondered if he might be Yu-o’s child, so I had thought it might be Yu-o.
But…
Only today did I finally understand exactly who the person who “yearned,” “annoyed,” “made me angry,” and “wanted to possess” Seo Ran was.
“That woman named Oh Hye-seo… However… I do not know who she is.”
“…That makes sense.”
Kwaak!
I fell somewhere with Seo Ran and gritted my teeth.
For some reason tears flowed from my eyes.
“Because you were…”
“Yes…?”
“…You were… it.”
My body trembled.
Not from fear or cold, but from betrayal, sorrow, incomprehensibility, and pity.
I finally understood everything at this moment.
In the first place, Yuk Rin in the Goryeok Realm had been a cold-blooded dragon king without a trace of blood or tears.
He had treated Yuk Yo as a long-term chess piece or a spare part for his own purpose.
But at some point, Yuk Rin became obsessed with Yuk Yo and tried to possess her.
And with Yuk Yo and Baek Rin.
He had tormented the two lovers as much as possible and tried to separate them and inflict pain.
Thinking about it, it was strange.
How had that cold dragon king suddenly become wrapped up in emotions toward Yuk Yo at some point.
The answer was too simple.
Because Seo Ran wanted it.
I had lived through 998 loops and realized the reason for the seemingly insignificant events.
“Why does Seo Ran suddenly recall Oh Hye-seo?”
“Why did Seo Hyoel always try to kill Seo Ran indirectly instead of killing him directly?”
“Why did the Chief Judge General only open the eyes of Seo Hyoel’s ‘masks’ and not his ‘main body’?”
“Why did the Master of Mount Tai kill everyone but specially consume Seo Ran’s original soul?”
“Why did Seo Ran wake up first in Bongrae-do?”
“Why…?”
Did Seo Hyoel laugh so unrestrainedly when Seo Ran said “my friend”?
“You… were Seo Hyoel’s… main body.”
I had understood everything.
The pillar of Muddy Soul Filling the Heavens.
What Seo Hyoel cherished most.
The only “light” I had seen within the inner world of his Muddy Soul Filling the Heavens.
Only now did I understand why I had always been manipulated by Seo Hyoel.
Because…
The strongest “self” of Muddy Soul Filling the Heavens had been operating right beside me as the “friend” in my heart.
I, who had placed the self of Muddy Soul Filling the Heavens right beside me… had unknowingly reached its maximum in Muddy Soul Filling the Heavens.
Even though Seo Ran had not intended to.
“…What are you saying…?”
Seo Ran asked with a bewildered expression.
“….”
I looked at Seo Ran’s face.
“If I kill you… I can stop Seo Hyoel’s conspiracy…”
Because you are his greatest weakness.
But…
I gritted my teeth while shedding tears.
I could never kill Seo Ran.
Therefore, I could never kill Seo Hyoel.
Seo Ran…
No, wait…
Seo Hyoel had, after all, truly been my friend.
I could have crushed Seo Ran’s body and smashed his soul to send him to the underworld.
But I loosened my grip on Seo Ran’s body.
The world was ending.
Seo Hyoel’s plan had succeeded, and whether he submerged the Water Realm in celestial tremor waves or did whatever he wanted, he would obtain what he desired.
“You won, Seo Hyoel…”
This life, I had no idea what more I could do.
I could not kill my friend.
No matter that it…
Was the only way to kill the monster I had hated most.
I closed my eyes in the world turning pitch white with the end, and waited for the 999th regression.
That was my 999th death.
An old man holding a flower basket opened his mouth.
“Flower of Destruction.”
And an enormous inauspicious flower bloomed in my chest.
“Open the door of the Audience Chamber.”
The next moment, the world that had turned white flickered into darkness.
--- **END OF CHAPTER**