The Ashen Embrace of Eternal Inseparable Bonds

p>Oh Hye-seo understood that the entire world had twisted history, and that Seo Eun-hyun had severed something entangled between Heon-won and Yeon Wi.

p>And in that instant, she felt an immense killing intent engulf her.

p>It sent chills down her spine!

p>‘This… is it…’

p>She turned her startled gaze.

p>There stood Heon-won.

p>Crunch… crunch…

p>He clenched and unclenched his fist, as if confirming something.

p>Oh Hye-seo noticed her instinct screaming a fierce warning.

p>Yet she hid it and lifted the shape of a warrior around her.

p>Having reached the Integration Grand Completion stage and now aiming for the Star Shattering realm, she smiled slyly.

p>“Heon Tae-soo. What are you doing? You are a hostage, so be quiet…”

p>The next moment.

p>Boom!

p>Heon-won’s fist shot forward and smashed straight into Oh Hye-seo’s head.

p>Crack!

p>Oh Hye-seo let out a scream of agony, feeling her fusion domain being torn apart, and flew hundreds of meters.

p>Her complexion was nearly in panic as she stared at Heon-won.

p>‘I was defending with the power of the Yin Ghost Black Tortoise, and he destroyed the warrior form—specifically the defensive one—and sent me flying in a single blow?’

p>Heon-won clicked his fingers and said.

p>“I thought you were just a lowly worm. Unexpected. I only intended to kill you, yet you endured.”

p>Oh Hye-seo felt the warning of her intense instinct and opened her mouth.

p>“…Have you regained your cultivation…!”

p>“That’s all there is to it.”

p>Heon-won smiled slyly.

p>Roar!

p>“Forgotten memories. Twisted ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠energy meridians. The pride of Bongrae Palace Master. All recovered.”

p>Yet, despite recovering everything, he did not look happy.

p>Instead, Heon-won ground his teeth and shed bloody tears.

p>“Too pathetic… words fail me…”

p>Oh Hye-seo rolled her eyes.

p>‘If I lose him, Seo Hyul’s plan will fail.

p>The soul inside him must create a force!

p>If I lose him and Seo Hyul fails…

p>…then Seo Eun-hyun will come to devour me again, right? No! I can’t survive in that terrifying place like Seo Eun-hyun’s stomach!’

p>Oh Hye-seo gnashed her teeth and summoned several warrior shapes around her.

p>“Stop with the nonsense and surrender quietly!”

p>Whoosh!

p>The flames of Baekik Cheonma’s wings enveloped the sky.

p>The grand palace Seo Hyul had built in the Dragon City began to burn, and fire also clung to Heon-won’s body.

p>“This is the warrior’s flame! Come, let’s see…”

p>That was the moment.

p>Heon-won adjusted his stance.

p>At the same time, the Yin-Yang Five Elements Jade enveloped Oh Hye-seo.

p>“…Eh?”

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

p>Pure energy swirled in Heon-won’s two hands.

p>Wiiiiiing!

p>‘Ah, no!’

p>Oh Hye-seo felt the crisis of death and quickly realized she had to escape the Yin-Yang Five Elements Jade.

p>Uuuuung!

p>The Taiji began to rotate around Oh Hye-seo.

p>Yet, despite the Taiji rotating, the Yin-Yang Five Elements Jade Heon-won had created did not loosen.

p>The Five Elements were of course, and even Yin and Yang!

p>She immediately knew the cause.

p>‘Alignment! Heon-won’s Martial Law aligns with the entire universe!? Why!? This…’

p>The Dharma-Destroying True Word that Seo Eun-hyun was currently unfolding across the entire universe.

p>That True Word resonated with Heon-won’s Taesan Yeolje Art and pulled his strength to its peak level.

p>“Taesan!”

p>Boom!

p>Oh Hye-seo’s body merged with the Yin-Yang Five Elements.

p>She felt her head turn white and poured all her strength into exploding the warriors’ power.

p>“Yeolje!”

p>Countless warrior shapes protected her.

p>Yet Oh Hye-seo sensed with a heart-stopping feeling that it was Heon-won’s blow.

p>‘…This attack… at the Star Shattering level…’

p>No way to block it.

p>The next moment, the warrior shapes covering her were all torn apart, and Oh Hye-seo’s entire body split into seven pieces, her fusion domain shredded open as she was hurled into the depths of Dragon City and passed out.

p>And the one who knocked out Oh Hye-seo, Heon-won, slowly turned back.

p>Splash!

p>Blood spurted from his mouth.

p>“…Damn it…”

p>The price of injecting all cultivation and true essence into that single blow.

p>Heon-won would die soon as well.

p>Still possessing considerable lifespan, anyone who saw him might call him a madman.

p>But he paid it no mind and headed toward the Dragon Race palace blazing with flames behind him.

p>There lay the body of Yeon Wi, flung away by the aftermath of the battle between Oh Hye-seo and Heon-won.

p>Was it because it served as a vessel for Gwang-han’s force?

p>Yeon Wi’s soul had already been pulled by that force from the Geumsin Cheonroemun shrine and into the body Seo Eun-hyun had created.

p>Heon-won.

p>Slowly.

p>Approached Yeon Wi,

p>And embraced her.

p>“…Wi-ah.”

p>“…What, Heon-won.”

p>Yeon Wi slowly looked up at Heon-won and opened her mouth.

p>“Did I go mad?”

p>At those words, Heon-won gently stroked her black-and-white hair.

p>Whoosh!

p>The palace of Seo Hyul, engulfed in warrior flame, collapsed.

p>Debris from the burning buildings fell above Heon-won.

p>Yet Heon-won neither used any technique to block it nor treated his body.

p>He simply endured the collapse with his own body and, using the Pure Energy Technique and the Life Extension Pure Energy Technique infused into Yeon Wi’s body, poured everything into extending her remaining lifespan by even a second.

p>“…I went mad, didn’t I?”

p>“…You filthy bastard.”

p>Yeon Wi spat out venom.

p>“You are filth. Too disgusting and rotten, a piece of shit that no one could stand.”

p>Yeon Wi glared at Heon-won and hurled curses.

p>“When I heard you were betrothed to me for political marriage, I vomited and decided to kill myself. It was a marriage without emotions, for the stability of our Geumsin Cheonroemun. When I betrayed you, I thought it was good. The relief was so great I thought I would fly. It was better to bring in fresh, handsome men and have relations than to marry a pathetic, ugly man like you. Yeon-jin is one of those handsome men’s descendants. Do you remember me plucking your eyes last time? I took those eyes with me and boiled them into soup. Tasted awful… Why are you still here? Just die already, you fool. If I die here, you can be my medicine even as a corpse…”

p>“I will die here today too, Wi-ah.”

p>Heon-won smiled while tightly embracing Yeon Wi.

p>“I triggered my true essence and crushed the subordinate who brought us here. I too will die after tonight… with the extinction of my true essence.”

p>“…Even though you can revive…”

p>“I am using all the life force and soul power for revival to extend your lifespan with the Pure Energy Technique. Probably won’t even leave ashes after death.”

p>“What crazy talk is this? Why would you do something like that!? A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠man like you cannot possibly extend another’s lifespan by violating heavenly secrets. That’s impossible even for sages. What would it matter if you extend your own lifespan? Why are you doing this?!”

p>At Yeon Wi’s shout, Heon-won gently stroked her head.

p>A single tear fell from Heon-won’s eyes.

p>“I… wanted to hold you even a little more…”

p>“…Ha…”

p>At those words, Yeon Wi tightly closed her eyes.

p>And, trembling hands covered her face.

p>She slowly wailed.

p>Heon-won shed tears as well.

p>“I’m sorry, Yeon Wi. The existence I loved until now… was you. Heaven’s path… was ultimately you.”

p>Sorry.

p>A short, insincere apology.

p>Yet Yeon Wi felt the 45,000 years of resentment melt away in that short, insincere word.

p>Boom!

p>The palace collapsed and fell onto Heon-won’s waist.

p>Fire spread to Heon-won’s body.

p>Yet Heon-won ultimately used only the Protection Technique and Life Extension Pure Energy Technique on Yeon Wi’s body.

p>Yeon Wi slowly rose from her seat.

p>Both had no remaining energy and were approaching the end of their lifespan, but the one lying down was now Heon-won.

p>He, in a lying position, held Yeon Wi’s body, weaving Pure Energy, energy, and protection barriers into her body.

p>“Wi… Wi-ah…”

p>Srrrr…

p>Heon-won’s rough hand brushed Yeon Wi’s cheek.

p>“I finally… found you. Wi-ah… my Wi-ah…”

p>Heon-won’s eyes gradually lost focus.

p>Death was approaching.

p>Yet neither person there felt any sadness.

p>Yeon Wi shed tears but was smiling.

p>“Why… did you come all the way here. If it were you, you could have just left me and lived…”

p>“…You fool.”

p>“I wanted to see your smiling face… one last time before death…”

p>“So…”

p>“And with you… I wanted to go together at the same time. From a very long time ago… we had tied the Gwang-han marriage, hadn’t we?”

p>“…I told you that was just a forgotten, useless tradition. It was just a joke…”

p>Yet even while shedding tears, Yeon Wi did not lose her smile.

p>Because Heon-won had said he wanted to see her.

p>That was enough.

p>“…You, on the other hand, could have prayed to Seo Eun-hyun for help and lived… Why didn’t you…”

p>“…I lived enough. And…”

p>Yeon Wi hugged Heon-won and closed her eyes.

p>“I have no more wishes in my life…”

p>She smiled.

p>Among all the smiles she had worn until now, the most comfortable and free one.

p>Whoosh!

p>Boom!

p>Finally, the palace completely collapsed.

p>Yeon Wi and Heon-won burned together in the ruins.

p>Two men and women whose lifespans had ended merged in the flames, holding hands, and became ashes.

p>A pair of lovers had been tormented by fate thanks to the True Immortal,

p>Yet with one move from Seo Eun-hyun, they finally broke free from fate.

p>There had been other ways to live longer, but neither chose such a method.

p>Perhaps… there is no more precious moment than this very instant.

p>Maybe that was why they did not expect to find such a thing in the rest of their lives.

p>The separated lovers burned in the fire, became ashes, turned into soil, and became one.

p>Heon-won and Yeon Wi reached the conclusion they desired most, died with joy.

p>And… two light masses rose from the ashes.

p>* * *

p>Boom!

p>Bongmyeong Castle was rotating with the Water Realm.

p>Already one full rotation around the Water Realm, it was dyeing the entire Water Realm with an enormous brain wave.

p>And at some moment.

p>Flash!

p>A light mass rose around the brain wave.

p>At the same time, a light mass rose before Seo Hyul, who commanded all the brain waves from a certain planet in the Star Realm.

p>The soul of the Water Race and Hongyeon.

p>The Gwang-han inheritance Seo Hyul had in hand.

p>And Seo Hyul’s eyes shone as he gripped the force filling the entire heaven and earth.

p>The force of the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠apocalypse completely enveloped Seo Hyul.

p>[You cannot stop me, Seo Eun-hyun.]

p>The recent history alteration and the liberation of Heon-won and Yeon Wi through it were also witnessed by Seo Hyul.

p>Yet he did not worry.

p>“Such a history alteration is impossible.”

p>Even history alteration had limits.

p>“One is in the Water Realm. One is in my hand. But can you really dare to touch the Water Realm and seize both souls?”

p>Uuuuung!

p>Seo Hyul cruelly squeezed the force from the combined souls of the two and shouted.

p>“My victory!”

p>And the three faces of Seo Eun-hyun gathered in Samokdo all became one.

p>Heaven, Earth, Mind.

p>Because they became one, the difference in their realms was slightly gone, and the Triple Taiji could not be used.

p>But Seo Eun-hyun did not care about that.

p>He recalled a scene from the Ten Thousand Phenomena Affinity Diagram.

p>Uuuuung!

p>It was the scene of the day the children called Suin and Hongyeon died miserably.

p>---