The Descendant of Guanghan (2)
Drdrdrdr!>
A colossal distortion and crack had appeared right in front of me.>
The Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords had descended.>
Yet instead of watching that, I clicked my tongue with bitter amusement as I beheld Seohul’s final moment.>
‘What a long karmic connection it was.’>
My old comrade had passed away in that fashion.>
With Ganghwan’s clone I could not locate Oh Hye-seo, but I felt no fear for her.>
‘He must have passed on Takhonmancheon to her.’>
Having absorbed the clone once more, I began to consider what lay ahead for her.>
However…>
No matter how hard I thought, it seemed impossible for someone like Oh Hye-seo to wield Takhonmancheon as skillfully as Seohul had.>
Takhonmancheon was a terrifying divine art that could only be handled by Seohul himself.>
Oh Hye-seo was simply incapable of using it on that level.>
‘Though I don’t know the details, she appears to have fled toward the Middle Realm.’>
That being the case, clearing the entire Middle Realm would solve the problem.>
With a Tri-Taiqi Fissure Opening stage, such a task posed no difficulty.>
‘Isn’t it almost time to stop feeling that the entire Ilwol Cheonyeok is so vast…’>
Yet all things waited until after the immediate crisis passed.>
I calmed the tension in my chest and opened my mouth while refusing to meet the eyes of the projection descending before me.>
[Most revered Great Immortals, why have you descended upon Ilwol Cheonyeok?]>
And a reply came.>
: : You, the one who defies the heavens. : :>
: : You have surely defied the ordained path to avoid the predetermined doom. : :>
: : All things have an end; the world must have a finality. : :>
: : You ignored this principle and arbitrarily twisted the world’s fate, delaying the end. : :>
: : Can you not see that this is obvious arrogance? : :>
: : Doom is an inevitable cleansing for the world’s health. : :>
: : Do you know how many plans of time have been thrown awry because of your mistake? : :>
I bowed lower and replied to those words.>
[Forgive me, but I am but a tiny being who knows nothing of your holy ordinances. As you say, the extinction of Ilwol Cheonyeok’s living beings is too sorrowful, so I delayed the end. By spreading the heavenly qi across the entire realm and allowing more living beings to cross into the Middle Realm, I ensured that the next doom would no longer be delayed. Please grant me one chance to atone.]>
I simply wanted to buy a little more time.>
Of course… even if they still could not cross over after that, there was nothing I could do.>
I knew continuing to trace the ordained path was not necessarily right.>
But… just once, should I not grant a chance?>
I had also wanted one more chance in my own life, and that was why I had reached this place.>
Therefore I wished to grant at least one opportunity to the living beings of Ilwol Cheonyeok who were doomed to die without understanding why.>
Yet the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords roared with fury.>
: : How audacious. Do you believe you are worthy of such a thing? : :>
: : Because the predetermined doom did not occur, countless karmic threads of the heavens have been twisted. : :>
: : Originally, every world and every place flows with the same time, for it is the agreement of the great existences. : :>
: : Therefore we must protect the flow of time. : :>
: : However, your actions have entangled the feet of our lords. : :>
: : If the end does not come to Ilwol Cheonyeok, our lords will be unable to leave the Outer Sea… : :>
: : We shall destroy you, the source of this twisted defiance, and punish all related existences, then restore Ilwol Cheonyeok to its proper end and correct the twist of time… : :>
And I bowed even lower.>
[I was wrong. Therefore, please punish only me. To punish the living beings of Ilwol Cheonyeok and all related to me is too cruel. Please show mercy and spare only me…]>
Yet the one at the front of the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords spoke sternly.>
: : It is impossible. : :>
: : We are bound by the duty to search for great existences… : :>
: : Those who cannot have their feet bound while correcting the twist of time… : :>
: : Therefore we must eliminate you, the source of the twist, and all existences tied to your distortion, or the twist will never be undone. : :>
: : You, receive this just punishment gladly. : :>
[Will you truly not forgive me…? I am willing to receive any punishment. And if you are truly great immortals, cannot you begin the distortion from me and let it pass to my companions, then gather it all back to punish only me?]>
: : For a being like you, why should we waste such a divine art? It is clearly unfair and wasteful. : :>
: : You who defy the heavens, if you have sinned, receive your punishment… : :>
[…]>
And only then did I release a deep breath and rise from my seat.>
[Good. Then let us try. Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords.]>
Though I did not look them in the eyes, I stared into the space where they stood while wrapping the qi of Musanggeom around my entire body.>
The Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords, seeing me, spoke with pity.>
: : Has madness taken hold of you? : :>
: : It could not be helped. : :>
: : Nevertheless, we shall send you away easily… : :>
And the wills of myself and the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords clashed.>
Tanlang Heavenly Lord.>
Geummun Heavenly Lord.>
Nogwon Heavenly Lord.>
Mun-gok Heavenly Lord.>
Yeom-jeong Heavenly Lord.>
Mu-gok Heavenly Lord.>
Pa-gun Heavenly Lord.>
The projections of the seven heavenly lords stretched out their hands at once.>
When Mun-gok Heavenly Lord reached out, constellations condensed in the void almost instantly, and stars appeared.>
: : As prophesied by the name of this line, the defier of the heavens will be defeated by Mu-gok Heavenly Lord. : :>
Tanlang Heavenly Lord reached out, and another cluster of constellations appeared beside the first star, more stars forming.>
: : As prophesied by the name of this line, the defier of the heavens will be beheaded by Pa-gun Heavenly Lord, and his soul will fall into the abyss of the netherworld. : :>
Wiiiiing!>
The twin stars formed instantly.>
At the same time, the twin stars were powerfully branded with the qi, soul, and nether realms, forming a certain [scene].>
In that scene I was defeated by the existence known as Mun-gok Heavenly Lord and killed by Pa-gun Heavenly Lord.>
Uuuung!>
Stars emitted gravitational pull.>
The nether realms twisted accordingly, and I felt my future being drawn toward that scene.>
Uuuuuung!>
At the same time, Mun-gok and Pa-gun Heavenly Lords stepped forward.>
The projections stepped forward and reached out to swallow the stars that had just been created.>
The stars entered the danjeons of their projections and began to rotate rapidly.>
Immediately after, Mun-gok Heavenly Lord flew toward me.>
Cheujeong!>
I did not even have time to react to his single fist and was blasted away, crashing into a star in the nearby stellar system.>
Kwaarrurr!>
The qi of the star rushed in, flames wrapping around my body.>
It was not the end.>
Wiiiiing!>
Around Mun-gok Heavenly Lord, gravitational pull twisted space, drawing in heavenly qi to form something.>
It was an [arm].>
Terrifying arms formed around Mun-gok Heavenly Lord’s projection, as if covering the entire universe.>
One of the arms formed by the [arm] of Mun-gok Heavenly Lord plunged straight down into the star where I stood.>
Kururrung!>
His arm began striking the star I had fallen onto repeatedly.>
Kwang! Kwang! Kwaaang!>
Dozens of fire pillars erupted from the star.>
The star would be shattered at any moment.>
And every time I was struck by that existence’s blow, I felt my fate gradually being pulled toward the scene of my defeat.>
‘If this continues, I am doomed.’>
As gravity grew stronger, the weight of my defeat increased steadily.>
Misfortune began to wrap around me, and unfavorable omens increased one after another.>
‘…I must break it.’>
I raised my glowing eyes and looked at the star of fate inside Mun-gok Heavenly Lord’s danjeon.>
As long as that starlight existed, I would inevitably be led to that fate.>
Hwarruk!>
I quickly drew out the Colorless Glass Sword.>
The one that had shattered once before had now revived inside my colorless glass source.>
However, the Colorless Glass Sword now meant nothing to me.>
Because no law treasure suited the Impermanent Sword any longer.>
‘But Buk Hyang-hwa made it to help me, I am sure.’>
Kwaak!>
I grasped the Colorless Glass Sword.>
At the same time, the Colorless Glass Sword began to shine.>
After thousands of years, or tens of thousands of years.>
The colorless glass sword that had been stored in my domain and refined through glass evolution.>
It was the law treasure that suited Paryeo-dohae-seong the best.>
Therefore, this was no longer just the Colorless Glass Sword…>
It could almost be called the Paryeo-dohae-seong itself.>
Hwarrurruk!>
The Colorless Glass Sword left the form of a sword and became flame.>
The flame of glass that took no form moved freely in my hand, accepting and amplifying all power of Paryeo-dohae-seong and myself.>
The Impermanent Sword had no form.>
Therefore no law treasure could help a sword without form.>
But…>
The Colorless Glass Sword made for me by Hyang-hwa could hold countless transformations.>
And after being refined with her heart, and then completed by the hearts of countless others, it was Paryeo-dohae-seong.>
Therefore, only the Colorless Glass Sword that inherited the will of Paryeo-dohae-seong could hold the Impermanent Sword.>
The Colorless Glass Sword that had become glass evolution itself began to twist into countless curves and straight lines according to my will.>
At the same time, the Dan-ak Sword Art that had lost its form completely began to unfold.>
Buung!>
As I swung the Colorless Glass Sword, countless truths I had realized unfolded in a single strike, bending into thousands, tens of thousands, billions of arcs and forming sword techniques.>
Wol-ak, Ipsan, Deung-maek, Yureung, Go-eom, Gi-seok, Sim-san, Yu-gok, San-su-hwa, Yong-maek, Dan-æ, Baek-p’al-oeg-gaek-bong.>
The opening forms of the first half of the Dan-ak Sword Art, composed by combining basic sword techniques, began to repel Mun-gok Heavenly Lord’s arms.>
Yet Mun-gok Heavenly Lord moved with his own martial principle, writhing with hundreds of millions of arms and piercing into my sword realm.>
However, inside the sword realm that pierced through, even more brutal forms struck back.>
No… this was no longer just a form.>
Yosan-yo-ak, Gisan-sim-cheon, Cheop-cheop-san-jung, San-jung-ho-geol, Ling-gok-ji-byun, Gong-gok-jeon-seong, San-myeong-gok-eung, Gu-san-pa-hæ, Cheon-ji, Dan-ak.>
All the ultimate principles of [cutting], [slicing], [tearing], [blocking], [rebounding], [absorbing], and [countering] melted together into something.>
It was the very will of [tearing out] unfolding through the Colorless Glass Sword.>
Saan-oe-san-bu-jin.>
U-gong-i-san.>
And I gradually began to incorporate two more concepts into the sword technique, growing stronger.>
As time passed, I grew stronger little by little by accepting Mun-gok Heavenly Lord’s power and the recoil of our battle…!>
But…>
The gravitational pull emanating from inside Mun-gok Heavenly Lord gradually began to pull me toward the scene of my defeat.>
Unfathomable misfortunes and omens began to overlap, and the gaps I had to show increased, allowing Mun-gok Heavenly Lord more opportunities to find a once-in-a-lifetime chance.>
Finally, the arms of Mun-gok Heavenly Lord once again pierced into my domain.>
The realm of sword qi application, the combination of intent, and the forms that had earnestly sought truths of the impermanent were allowed to permit Mun-gok Heavenly Lord’s movements.>
Yet the storm still raged around me.>
The place where his arms had entered moments ago was the realm of martial arts unfolding through the basic techniques and qi power of the Colorless Glass Sword.>
However…>
From now on, the realm I unfolded was that of the Impermanent Sword.>
Forms of sword art that integrated the three treasures of heaven, earth, and heart were unfolded.>
Paaat!>
A pure white light burst forth, and streams of Uihye Eunsan shot out from my entire body.>
Thousands, billions, trillions of strands of Uihye Eunsan became a storm that blew around me.>
The storm of light began to sweep the surroundings, and Mun-gok Heavenly Lord’s arms began to tear apart.>
Ilmyeol Dochaan exploded, strengthening the storm of light.>
Countless fine lines writhed inside the storm of light under Dojam’s guidance, digging into Mun-gok Heavenly Lord and exploding, while sword qi activated from within him, shattering his arms with a sword realm of twelve thousand peaks.>
The storm of light that had seemed about to end with a single strike under Da-cheon Do-pi-an continued to dance endlessly, growing even stronger in connection with U-gong-i-san.>
Under San-sim-yeon-hu-do, the storm of light crossed between the qi, soul, and nether realms and used the speed of crossing realms to hurl Mun-gok Heavenly Lord’s body away with overwhelming force.>
At the same time, a trace of gap appeared in Mun-gok Heavenly Lord’s movement,>
and I used the form of Jeok-jin-seong-san to merge the storm of light into one.>
The single strike containing all of my power struck Mun-gok Heavenly Lord’s body.>
The danjeon of his projection was completely exposed.>
Under the sharp form of Yeongyu Wol-gam, Mun-gok Heavenly Lord’s lower abdomen, whom I had been thinking of, burst open, and the star of prophecy inside his danjeon was revealed to the heavens.>
And then came the connection between Sumi and Kon-rung.>
Previously the form of Sumi had required pulling power through sword dance; now, because it had become a state almost identical to continuously performing sword dance through the Impermanent Sword, the casting time itself disappeared.>
Therefore, without any hesitation, I borrowed the power of Ilwol Cheonyeok through Sumi and thrust a Kon-rung spear thrust.>
Blink!>
At the same time, a small hole appeared in the prophecy star.>
But the prophecy star remained intact.>
However, I applied forms such as Yeongyu Wol-gam and Dojam to leave my will inside the prophecy star, which then activated Dan-ak Sword Art 35th form.>
Sam-mok.>
Countless implementations of the Heart Tribe began to erupt from inside the prophecy star.>
Jang Ik’s Sa-bo-myeol-cheon-do, Kim Young-hoon’s Neung-gwang-gaek-byeok-hyeong, Bu-jeon-bu-rip, Mu-gung-han-chang, Hwan-ram-yeon-ha, Cheok-san-pyeon, Bul-si-pung-u, Hwa-hun, Jin Ma-yeol’s Tu-mu…>
The dreams of those countless Heart Tribe members shattered the dreams of the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords head-on.>
Cheujeo-eong!>
The prophecy star collapsed, and the dream they had witnessed in an instant.>
The future where I was defeated collapsed.>
Kwaaaang!>
Mun-gok Heavenly Lord, momentarily staggering from the explosion of Sam-mok, exchanged glances with the other heavenly lords.>
: : Indeed splendid. : :>
: : To cut down a great talent with our own hands makes the heart uneasy. : :>
: : However, the twist must be corrected… : :>
And Geummun Heavenly Lord, Nogwon Heavenly Lord, and Yeom-jeong Heavenly Lord each raised their hands.>
: : I prophesy. The ordinance of Ilwol Cheonyeok will recognize the price of the twist. : :>
: : I prophesy to all, the ordinance that is recognized by all. You will pay the price of the twist. : :>
: : I prophesy, the price of the twist will rightfully return as retribution to the defier of the heavens. : :>
Kugugugug!>
Three stars were born, and three fates were decreed.>
At the same time, the ripples of the doom I had delayed began to appear on the surface of Ilwol Cheonyeok.>
Gugugugug!>
As the price of the delayed doom, terrifying cosmic distortion began to twist me.>
The space where I stood warped.>
At the same time, the very place I occupied seemed about to collapse.>
Geu, geugeu, geugeugeu!>
However, carrying the Impermanent Sword, I gradually began to escape from the distorted space.>
And then, Tanlang Heavenly Lord raised his hand again.>
I had no choice but to be horrified by the sight.>
‘This crazy… no way…’>
: : I prophesy. The future in which the defier of the heavens is swallowed by a black hole is visible. : :>
Kwaddeuk!>
Along with the distortion of the space where I stood, a black hole of the universe appeared right behind me.>
The black hole was also a prophecy star, and my body began to be sucked into the inside of the black hole because of it.>
The gravity of the black hole began to crush my body mercilessly.>
Of course, such a black hole would not have been a problem in normal times, but the problem was Pa-gun Heavenly Lord.>
The prophecy star inside Pa-gun Heavenly Lord’s stomach.>
The prophecy that [I will be beheaded by Pa-gun Heavenly Lord and die] was gradually approaching me.>
The more compressed by the black star, the harder it became to move my body, and Pa-gun Heavenly Lord was slowly approaching me.>
I clenched my teeth and rose from my seat, beginning to lift my body.>
Hwarrurruk!>
The Colorless Glass Sword burned, wrapping around my body to help me.>
‘As expected… the Dan-ak Sword Art alone is not enough.’>
After using the Impermanent Sword once, I realized it.>
The Impermanent Sword that had reached perfect impermanence could not draw out complete power from the existing sword techniques that had forms.>
It had to be created.>
At this place, I had to create a sword art that could fully draw out the Impermanent Sword.>
‘Can I…?’>
My empty palace had grown enough to reach the level Kim Young-hoon could reach.>
However…>
I did not know whether my martial skills would truly produce good results.>
‘…Yes.’>
Yet I smiled and completely lifted my body.>
‘Believe in me.’>
I am a fool, a slow one.>
But as I told Seohul… I had come to this place by stepping on countless hardships, failures, and defeats.>
Even such a fool could step over any future hardships.>
‘If I cannot make it, I will fix it.’>
Fix it, fix it, fix it again, and reach the right answer even inside failure.>
Walking without giving up.>
That was the way of a slow one to fight.>
Wiiiiing!>
I began to compress the form of the Dan-ak Sword Art.>
The thirty-six forms were indeed threatening, and especially the thirty-six forms I had conceived had power so fierce that even at the Seongban stage one could slaughter a true immortal if fully completed.>
However…>
The other forms excluding the thirty-six were not suited for operating the Impermanent Sword.>
Therefore, I began to refine the sword form necessary for operating the Impermanent Sword and reaching true perfection of the Impermanent Sword.>
The first twelve forms of the first half of the Dan-ak Sword Art.>
The sword art created by combining basic techniques.>
I compressed that into a single form.>
The middle twelve forms of the Dan-ak Sword Art.>
The sword style that reached the extreme of the sword through the combination of sword qi mastery and intent.>
I refined that into a single form.>
The latter half of the Dan-ak Sword Art, limiting the thirty-six forms to eleven forms.>
The sword art that expands the realm of the sword by integrating the three treasures of heaven, earth, and heart and increases the very possibility of the sword.>
I gave birth to that as a single form.>
With the three sword forms created that way.>
Kiiiiing!>
The next moment, I unfolded the Impermanent Sword.>
Chwarararak!>
The first form born from the first half of the Dan-ak Sword Art.>
Ip-cheon.>
Blink!>
Countless sword stances and forms combined and shattered the black hole behind my back.>
The second form born from the middle part of the Dan-ak Sword Art.>
Dap-cheon.>
Kiririring!>
The Impermanent Sword boiled wildly, combining countless sword styles.>
The power of destruction rose instantly with thought alone and shattered the three prophecy stars summoned by the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords.>
: : I prophesy… : :>
Yet they began prophesying again.>
Indeed true immortals.>
Those high-ranking true immortals, gathering dozens of Fissure Opening stage ones, showed off the majesty of endlessly using prophecies that had been spat out once every few years over many eras.>
Seven stars of fate were born once more.>
The seven stages I was heading toward defeat appeared before my eyes.>
One…>
The third form created through the final half of the Dan-ak Sword Art.>
Beol-cheon.>
The next moment.>
The glass of Paryeo-dohae-seong seemed to sweep through an entire stellar system and the entire cosmic space, shattering all of the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords and their prophecy stars.>
This was…>
The sword form that drew out the maximum possibility of the Impermanent Sword.>
[Dan-cheon Geom-hyeong.]>
Continue to look.>
It will be completely different from a moment ago.