Calling Upon Heaven (1)
I first wandered around every corner of Deungsunhyang.
I went to check the cave where the Core Formation-level fox had made its home. What remained was nothing but bloodstains and white fur.
The fox itself was nowhere to be seen.
It seemed that the words of the Dragon King—who had claimed he had captured all the cultivators of Qi Condensation and Core Formation stages—were not mere bluff.
‘For now, the fox’s cave is far denser with spiritual energy.’
I headed toward the fox’s cave and drew in a bit of its spiritual energy.
However, even without the fox’s cave, Deungsunhyang was so spiritually rich that the spiritual energy here was several times denser than in Yeon Kingdom or Byeokra Kingdom. Training anywhere would be fine.
‘Then…’
I returned to the original cave we had been using, stored away enough provisions, and began circulating my internal energy while recalling the Jiwol Ipdogyeol manual.
***
For one month, as I circulated my internal energy, I managed to activate the first vein of the Seventy-Two Earthly Constellations—the Earth Soul Star vein.
Even in Deungsunhyang, where spiritual energy was already dense, I pushed myself to the limit and it activated quickly.
Moreover, following the training method of Past-Life Seon-gak Houtong, my understanding of the incantations and binding seals improved tremendously. It was all for the better.
‘I was able to overcome the biggest hurdle I feared far earlier than expected.’
The Earth Soul Star vein had been activated in my past life by indiscriminately absorbing spiritual stones and using the Seon-gak Houtong method.
Even if I later improved my understanding of the Earth Soul Constellation incantations and practiced the bindings, I would have been somewhat worried. But that was a relief.
‘Now that I’ve activated the vein and reached Qi Condensation Stage 1…’
Even if it was a bit difficult, I could at least use basic spells.
‘Now it’s time… to head toward the Ascension Gate.’
I steeled my resolve and looked in the direction where Geum Byeok-ho, Baekgol Gwima, Changhoza, and Seo Hyul had flown.
Of course, entering the Ascension Gate required at least the Heavenly Human realm, but I could at least scout the outer edges.
‘Perhaps there were clues even at the outer perimeter of the Ascension Gate…’
Up until now, because Goe-gun and Kim Young-hoon had immediately thrown us into spatial rifts, we had never been able to return to Deungsunhyang once we left. But things were different now.
‘Good, let’s go.’
After making up my mind, I immediately started walking in the direction of the Ascension Gate.
Paang, paang, paang!
I stepped on the intertwined spiritual energy and air, flying through the Void Step, and took in the scenery of Deungsunhyang.
Although I hadn’t reached Core Formation, there were all kinds of strange creatures, and I could see herbs, rare plants, or extremely spiritual herbs that were unfamiliar.
Of course, with the important parts taken by Heavenly Human cultivators, most of the rare herbs were in less guarded areas.
And how many days and nights had I flown through the air?
Kureung, kureurung…
About ten days and nights had passed.
From afar, I could see a strange shape of storm clouds rolling in.
Forming a vortex, they condensed in the sky without any special airflow and swept across.
And at the center of those storm clouds.
Right below them, on the ground.
There, a dazzling white light was pouring down.
“That… is the Ascension Gate.”
Perhaps the one who brought me and my companions to this world.
I quietly watched the Ascension Gate.
I wanted to get closer and see in detail, but…
Kureung, kureurung…
Continuous lightning struck from the storm clouds.
‘Tremendous lightning…’
From below the storm clouds, lightning poured down at an incredible speed, like rain. Even between the gaps of the storm clouds.
I saw dark spatial rifts opening their mouths.
Around the Ascension Gate, spatial distortions twisted everywhere, and the dark rifts writhed as if trying to swallow anyone who came close.
‘At least Core Formation… no, perhaps even higher than that to approach there.’
I poked out my tongue and couldn’t muster the courage to get closer, so I just watched.
And it was then, while watching the Ascension Gate and the storm clouds.
“Huh…?”
Below the storm clouds.
Above the Ascension Gate.
In the sky, something was floating.
‘What is that…? Ah…?’
It was too far to see clearly.
Even with my internal energy focused and my vision sharpened, it was only hazy. I couldn’t tell what it was.
That faint something continuously absorbed the lightning striking from the storm clouds and floated around. It looked incredibly suspicious from the outside.
‘Damn it, I’m extremely curious about what that is…’
I briefly considered it, found a safe-looking spot near the Ascension Gate, and then practiced my cultivation methods again there.
Once I accumulated more divine power and could use the spell of the Ten-Li Eye, I would be able to confirm it far more clearly.
***
Two months passed.
As time went by, the size of the Ascension Gate had shrunk to half of what it was before.
In the meantime, I had activated about twelve more veins.
‘The spiritual energy in Deungsunhyang is sufficient, but since they were veins I had already broken through with Seon-gak Houtong in my past life, it was much faster…’
Seon-gak Houtong was a method that accepted spiritual energy through innate talent, but through hard work and understanding. Therefore, the higher my understanding of the incantations, the faster my training speed.
And since I had directly received the incantations from my master, no one could match my understanding of the basic incantations.
I circulated my divine power flowing through the veins and used the spell of the Ten-Li Eye.
Objects within ten li appeared as if right in front of me.
I used the Ten-Li Eye spell through the object floating above the Ascension Gate.
‘That is…’
It was a stele.
The stele continuously absorbed the heavenly thunder falling from the storm clouds and, based on that power, floated in the sky.
Something had writing on it.
―…For future generations, leave this behind, set aside your heart, and ascend. Those who do not uphold this will face disaster.
“…?”
Upon closer inspection, the top of the stele was damaged.
I didn’t know the writing on the top, but from the remaining part, it seemed like a warning left for future generations trying to pass through the Ascension Gate.
‘What exactly is this warning about? Is it spiritual stones, spirit cores, or spiritual pills?’
One more thing. The writing on the stele was in a classical language taught in Yeon Kingdom, Byeokra Kingdom, and Seongje Kingdom for education.
I had also learned it for education and could barely read it, but I at least knew it was several thousand years old.
“Hmm, it was just a warning left by an ancient cultivator for future generations.”
I felt a sense of emptiness.
I had thought there was some great secret hidden, but it was just a plain warning.
Even that seemed to be a message to prepare your heart before entering the Ascension Gate, not a special warning.
‘I guess I don’t need to worry about that…’
I hid my slight disappointment and decided to return to the original place.
Training here wasn’t bad, but the storm clouds and spatial rifts sweeping from far away made it difficult to concentrate with my nerves frayed.
Another ten days and nights passed, and I returned to the cave where my companions and I had first settled.
‘For now, let’s quickly recover the realm of my past life.’
Since I had learned the Seon-gak Houtong method, with my high understanding of cultivation and the dense spiritual energy of Deungsunhyang, I could quickly recover my realm.
I sat there and began my training.
***
About ten years passed.
I had broken through the Seventy-Two Earthly Constellations veins.
I had condensed the Thirty-Six Thousand Strong Spirits.
I had adapted the Ten-Two Ratios’ spiritual embryos to the veins.
And granted the Ten-Thousand Channels’ spiritual change.
Following the principle of the Nine Palaces and Nine Stars, I unified the Hundred-Eight Veins, Eighty Spirits, and Sixty Embryos into nine.
And I completed all the veins corresponding to the Eight Trigrams’ hexagrams.
Kugugugu!
I felt that all the major veins in my body had activated and integrated.
Using the Jiwu Wonbeop method I had trained with the Jiwol Ipdogyeol, I formed the binding seal.
“Jiwon (Ground Seal)!”
Kugugugu!
Soil walls rose up from around me, and a mud house was built.
I stepped out of the mud house, used every divine ability and spell I knew, took a deep breath, and exhaled.
Tenth year after regression.
In my past life, I had reached Qi Condensation Stage 7 over fifty years. In just ten years, I had reached it.
And what remained was…
‘The Seven-Star Ritual!’
I had to select seven of the twenty-eight stellar constellations of the sky and offer the ceremony to descend the heavenly spiritual essence to me.
I knew all the methods and procedures for performing the ritual. I knew how to make the altar. I knew how to calculate the astronomical events and how to observe the heavenly gates.
What remained was only that the heavens would permit it!
This life…
I must!
‘I must definitely transcend this realm…!’
***
After reaching Qi Condensation Stage 7, I observed the constellations, calculated the astronomical events, and chose the date for the ritual.
‘This day, at this time, I will perform the ritual.’
I looked at the sky. I had read the heavenly gates and tested my spiritual energy response.
In the near ten days and nights, the weather would be clear. The ritual would be in two days.
Would the heavens really not grant me this?
I used the Jiwu Wonbeop and Jiwol Ipdogyeol to gather soil and rocks to build the altar, and from nearby, I picked spiritual herbs and spiritual herbs to decorate the altar.
And the day of the ritual approached.
The sun set.
And the stars gathered.
A beautiful starry sky.
But I knew the cruelty of the beautiful heavens, so I performed the ritual without losing my composure.
The ritual began.
“The human way, Seo Eun-hyun, who wishes to walk the path of cultivation, having ascended the Star Altar in his coarse cloth and straw hat after surveying the terrain, I offer this to the Seven Stars in the southeast wind!
Across the heavens and earth, the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions and the Six Ding Six Jia, I unfold each direction!
The Azure Emperor, the god of the Eastern Jiatree, responds to the Jiaogang Jifang Xinhu Wei Ji and unfolds the form of the Azure Venerable!
The Red Emperor, the god of the Southern Bingding, responds to the Jinggui Yuseong Jang-ik Jin and unfolds the form of the Yang Venerable!
The White Emperor, the god of the Western Gyeongsin, responds to the Gwi-ru Wi-myo Pil-ja Cham and unfolds the form of the White Venerable!
The Black Emperor, the god of the Northern Imgye, responds to the Dou Nv Eohwi Silbyeok and unfolds the form of the Yin Venerable!!
The Yellow Spirit, the god of the Central Mu-gi, plants the Yellow Spirit Flag in the order of the Five Directions.
After Seo Eun-hyun has cut his nails and scattered his hair, let it rain!”
In my right hand, I held a wooden shell with a talisman, and in my left, I held a censer made from carved stone. I chanted the ritual toward the stellar constellations of the sky.
Of the Twenty-Eight Lunar Mansions, I selected the ones that suited me and prayed to the seven stars.
“The human way, Seo Eun-hyun, who wishes to walk the path of cultivation, I appeal to the Azure Venerable Seven Mansions of the Eastern Jiatree, kindly regard this…”
The Seven Mansions that govern the movement of the Eastern Jiatree. I prayed to the seven stars—Jiao Star, Kang Star, Ji Star, Fang Star, Heart Star, Wei Star, Ji Star—and performed the ritual dance.
I summoned the Stone Sword that had been drawn with the stars in advance with my sword technique and held it in my hand, performing the sword dance symbolizing the seven stars and drawing up the spiritual energy of the altar.
“Grant this little star an opportunity! Let it rain!
O heavens, grant me the heavenly spiritual essence!
O heavens, grant me strength…”
And after dancing the ritual for a long time, I looked up at the sky and extended both arms.
“O heavens…”
The sky was covered with dark clouds.
I had clearly observed the spiritual energy and predicted it would be clear. However…
“O heavens…”
The power of the starlight had ceased.
Yet I had to continue communicating with the sky.
With the sky’s spiritual power cut off, naturally the altar’s aura sank.
The ritual ended that way.
“…Ha, haha… haha…”
Yes, I had expected it.
I had never once thought the heavens would easily grant me strength.
Even in my past life.
Perhaps it would be the same in the future.
However.
I… I…
“…I will not give up.”
I could never give up.
For my life.
To aim for even higher places.
And… to not make the hard work of my master meaningless.
“O Heavens.”
No matter how high they blocked me, I would definitely, definitely reach there!
“Kwoong!”
I rolled my feet and collapsed the altar, then quietly looked at the sky. That day’s dark clouds.
The first ritual I performed after regression was exceptionally dark.
***
The astronomical events of the ritual came around once every half month.
Every half month, I steadily made the ritual tools more intricate and performed the ritual to the sky.
“The human way, Seo Eun-hyun, who wishes to walk the path of cultivation, I appeal to the Azure Venerable Seven Mansions of the Eastern Jiatree, kindly regard this…”
“…Seo Eun-hyun, who wishes to walk the path of cultivation, I appeal to the Yin Venerable Seven Mansions of the Dou Nv Eohwi Silbyeok, kindly regard this…”
“…who wishes to walk the path of cultivation, I appeal to the White Venerable Seven Mansions of the Gwi-ru Wi-myo Pil-ja Cham, kindly regard this…”
“…who wishes to walk the path of cultivation, I appeal to the Yang Venerable Seven Mansions of the Jinggui Yuseong Jang-ik Jin…”
I went around the four constellations of the Twenty-Eight Stars and, every time, earnestly appealed to a different star.
O stellar constellations of the Eastern Jiatree, kindly accept me.
O stellar constellations of the Western Gyeongsin, kindly permit me.
O stellar constellations of the Southern Bingding, kindly look upon me.
O stellar constellations of the Northern Imgye, kindly raise me up.
O stars…
This humble human prays.
Please, please…
I performed the ritual around once every half month, and performed it again and again.
Twenty-four times a year.
Occasionally, when special astronomical events were added, I performed additional rituals, adding twelve more times, allowing thirty-six attempts per year.
And every time, it failed.
It failed and failed.
The sky pushed me away and pushed me away again.
One year passed, two years passed, three years passed.
And time flowed again, ten years passed.
***
Ten years.
During that time, there had been over five hundred attempts.
Twenty-four formal astronomical events officially permitted per year, plus additional events on certain special days, allowing five hundred and seventy-two rituals.
And all of them had failed.
Every time, the sky had blocked me.
“…O heavens.”
I watched the ritual collapsing again and quietly called out to the sky.
“Grant me… strength.”
The sky, covered with dark clouds, had no answer.
“….”
Now it was five hundred and seventy-three failures.
For ten years, I had shouted to the sky from a place where no one lived, and shouted again and again.
My beard had grown unkempt, and the clothes I wore were completely torn into rags.
Recently, I had been wearing clothes woven from grass.
Since there was no one, clothes weren’t necessary, but it was to maintain at least minimal etiquette during the ritual.
Although “gratitude from the heart” was said, did the heavens of this world not know the phrase?
After ten years of human sacrifice, was this truly the correct response?
“…I don’t know.”
Recently, this whole thing seemed pointless.
Bwoong, bung, bung!
I saw the Stone Sword carved for the ritual floating in the air and performing the sword dance under my sword technique.
‘…Lonely.’
Loneliness.
I hadn’t known it before.
No matter how you look at it, I had always spent time among people.
Even when I trained to the point of bleeding, there had at least been interaction with my master and Kim Young-hoon.
But this time, I truly became alone.
Looking at the sword dance I was performing alone in the air, I suddenly picked up another stone sword and infused sword qi into it.
“…Let me play for a long time.”
I thought of the sword floating in the air as Kim Young-hoon and rushed at it.
The sword dance wielded the Danmak Do method, and I wielded the Danak Sword Art, dancing the sword dance alone all day.
***
For about a week, I completely let go of my mind and danced the sword dance.
After moving my body thoroughly, the irritation that had been in my head seemed to ease.
Moreover, the sword dance became much more natural, feeling far more advanced than before.
The sword dance filled with the Dao of the Mountain Wind shot at me quickly.
I held another sword and deflected the sword dance with the style of Yugok, then countered with the styles of Goe-am and Giseok against the imaginary opponent.
Now my ability to handle the sword dance had grown and grown, as if it was not a sword floating in the air.
It felt like an invisible Kim Young-hoon was holding the sword and swinging it at me.
“…Kim hyung. How is my skill?”
Bwoong, bung!
The sword dance charged at me, aiming at my feet with the style of Yongneung.
I took the style of Ipsan and received the Yongneung with Gong-gok Jeon-seong and repelled it.
But since the sword dance didn’t have a clear holder, I didn’t take much damage.
“Is that so. Still as terrible as ever. But you’ve gotten much better, haven’t you?”
Kim Young-hoon, holding the sword, sighed and pointed out my posture and lectured me.
“Thank you. For being my sparring partner.”
After talking with Kim Young-hoon, I checked my swordsmanship, corrected the parts he mentioned, and swung the sword.
It seemed a bit better.
“Hm, indeed. Using the will like that might be more helpful…”
Kim Young-hoon clicked his tongue and pointed out my internal energy and will usage again, and I corrected it each time and moved forward.
“Thank you, Kim hyung.”
Kim Young-hoon smiled and nodded.
And saying that talking during sparring was enough to test martial arts, he grabbed the sword again and attacked me.
“Hahaha, let’s have fun!”
I laughed loudly and collided with Kim Young-hoon.
***
How many days had passed?
I also unconsciously calculated the astronomical events, prepared the altar in advance, checked the ritual tools, and met Kim Young-hoon for martial training.
“No, Kim hyung. What exactly is wrong with my posture?!”
Kim Young-hoon sighed helplessly and showed his martial arts in front of me a few times.
I watched his martial arts demonstration for a long time, but still said I didn’t understand.
“If I can’t understand, let’s just spar.”
Kim Young-hoon grinned and grabbed the sword, rushing at me.
I also danced the sword dance and collided with him.
‘By the way, did Kim hyung originally use a sword?’
His main weapon should have been a saber. I suddenly thought.
I made a stone saber by refining rocks with a spell to make sparring with Kim Young-hoon more fun.
Kim Young-hoon looked at the saber and seemed pleased, then immediately attacked with the style of Sanmae.
“Yes, Kim hyung is right. It’s fun to fight with a saber!”
I danced the sword dance with him, and when the astronomical events were right, I performed the ritual to the sky.
And it failed again.
I smashed the altar where the ritual failed together with Kim Young-hoon, and repeated sparring with him hundreds of times.
So, how many days and nights had passed?
***
One day, while sparring with Kim Young-hoon, we moved farther from the cave where we had originally stayed.
It was not the direction of the Ascension Gate, but the opposite side. The place where Geum Byeok-ho, Baekgol Gwima, Changhoza, and Seo Hyul had come from.
“By the way, Kim hyung. If we keep going this way, do we come to places like Byeokra Kingdom or Yeon Kingdom that we know? We don’t even know how the terrain connects from Deungsunhyang…”
Kim Young-hoon swung the saber and suggested we just keep going.
“Haha, good. Let’s keep going and have fun sparring!”
Again, his saber collided with my sword, and I fought him while heading toward the direction the Heavenly Human cultivators had come.
About two months later.
Kim Young-hoon and I finally reached the ‘end’ of Deungsunhyang.
Kuuuu—
“….”
This was… I couldn’t close my mouth.
Kim Young-hoon also looked shocked, holding his saber blankly and staring at the end of Deungsunhyang.
“…Even if I entered the archives of the Cheongmun Clan in my past life, I didn’t know where the direct passage to Deungsunhyang was… Now I understand why.”
I laughed hollowly and walked blankly toward the end of Deungsunhyang.
Deungsunhyang was floating in the sky.
A massive landmass held spiritual energy and floated above the sky.
Far below, the ground was visible. Simultaneously, I knew where Deungsunhyang was.
“Dabcheon Desert…”
What was visible below was clearly an endless expanse of sand!
And from what I knew, that desert was only the Dabcheon Desert.
“Why was the desert named Dabcheon in the first place…”
The reason the desert was called Dabcheon was because scholars of Yeon Kingdom and Byeokra Kingdom argued over it.
Some said Dabcheon Desert was called so because of a legend that it was connected to the sky.
Some said because many people who crossed the endless desert on foot and died and ascended to the sky were called Dabcheon Desert.
Some said the word Dabcheon was a transliteration of words from distant eastern desert countries.
But now I understood the reason.
‘Deungsunhyang, and the Ascension Gate…’
The place where cultivators could ascend to the sky. It was named Dabcheon for that reason.
“…Impressive, Kim hyung.”
I looked at Kim Young-hoon and tried to express my feelings, but when I looked at him, I was startled.
Kim Young-hoon’s body had become hazy.
‘No, no.’
“…Ha, haha…”
I grabbed my sword and rushed at the hazy Kim Young-hoon.
My sword and the hazy figure collided.
After exchanging a bit, I pierced the gap in the figure and succeeded in splitting the figure in half with the sword.
And the figure died split in half.
“….”
Plop!
The thing the figure had been holding… No. The sword I had been controlling alone fell from the air.
“…Yes, Kim Young-hoon was the one I sent alone twenty-three years ago.”
Now I remembered. I had been half-mad for about two and a half years.
And Deungsunhyang was a sky island floating in the sky.
After briefly regaining clarity, I realized the shockingly grand scene.
“Haha… hahahaha…”
I collapsed to the ground and laughed, bursting into laughter.
The result of calculating with half-madness was that the astronomical event for the ritual would return tonight.
However, I hadn’t built the altar or made the ritual tools.
I just sat there, laughed for a long time, and then cried.
The stars rose.
“O heavens… O heavens… O heavens…”
I, without performing the ritual, shouted toward the stars.
“Until when… until when must I stay here?!”
Please send me to the next.
Please don’t make me go even more crazy…!
O heavens…