The Cycle of Rise and Fall
After ascending to the Core Formation stage and beginning to associate with Core Formation cultivators on equal terms, Jekyeong naturally came to learn about the more advanced secrets of the cultivation world. The concept of the Immortal Dynasty was one of them.
Although an Immortal Dynasty was a human nation, it was on an entirely different level from the pseudo-states scattered across Yangseo Lake. An Immortal Dynasty was fundamentally established under the leadership of the Cultivator Alliance, with the cooperation of neighboring local powerhouses.
The reason cultivation factions—who usually clashed over conflicting interests and rarely got along—cooperated fully in establishing and maintaining an Immortal Dynasty was twofold: first, because the Cultivator Alliance led the initiative, and second, because the creation of an Immortal Dynasty was not for any specific faction, but for the benefit of the entire human race.
What the Immortal Dynasty protected was, on a small scale, the nation's territory, and on a large scale, the destiny of the human race. Therefore, as the Immortal Dynasty flourished, the destiny of the human race grew stronger; the prosperity of the dynasty was directly tied to the prosperity of all humanity. For this reason, the ruler of an Immortal Dynasty was often called the Human Emperor, though of course, only the rulers of exceptionally powerful dynasties could claim such a title.
Yet now, Seongsu Jinin was saying that a civil war had broken out in one of the Immortal Dynasties. Based on what Jekyeong knew, this was supposed to be impossible.
Although an Immortal Dynasty functioned independently in name, in reality, it had to walk on eggshells around neighboring powerful cultivation factions, not to mention the Cultivator Alliance. Since the prosperity of the dynasty was the grand cause of humanity, they would never tolerate any unsavory incidents occurring within its borders. Let alone a civil war.
"I hear a young prince started the rebellion," Seongsu Jinin said. "He used the pretext that the aging emperor was using heretical arts to prolong his lifespan."
"Mmm."
Everyone let out a low groan. The term "heretical arts" was highly subjective—easily twisted to fit any narrative—so no one paid it much mind. Furthermore, it was only natural for living beings to fear death and seek to avoid it, so one could hardly blame the emperor for trying.
However, the weight of an action differed depending on who committed it. A rogue cultivator's mistake would end with their own death, but an emperor's mistake could bring down an entire nation. The very fact that the prince had rebelled was proof of this. If the emperor had been blameless, even an ambitious prince would have struggled to find followers to rally to his cause.
"This is truly ominous," Yu Jeonggyeom said in a grave tone. "Perhaps... it is a sign that the Great Cataclysm is imminent."
"The seniors have been saying the same," Seongsu Jinin replied with a long sigh. The atmosphere in the room instantly grew heavy. The chilling term "Great Cataclysm" seemed to cast a dark shadow over their minds.
Jekyeong had a vague idea, but since he couldn't be sure, he spoke up before the silence could stretch any further. "What is the Great Cataclysm?"
Everyone's eyes turned to Jekyeong. Remembering that he had only recently achieved Core Formation, they kindly offered an explanation.
"The Great Cataclysm is a tribulation that the Heavenly Dao inflicts upon the world," Yu Jeonggyeom explained. "It is something that can neither be stopped nor avoided. It is a part of the universe's natural cycle, governed by the law of rise and fall."
Jekyeong fell silent for a moment before asking another question. "Seniors, please resolve this junior's confusion. What exactly is the Heavenly Dao? I have heard of it vaguely before, but I still do not truly understand what it is."
"The Heavenly Dao..." Yu Jeonggyeom trailed off. He seemed to be smiling, but it was not a smile born of amusement. "That is not an easy question."
"If I have put you in a difficult position..."
"No, it's not difficult at all," Hyeolsu-jinin interjected. Unlike Yu Jeonggyeom, her tone was light, as if she didn't find Jekyeong's question particularly grave.
"The reason Senior Museon said it isn't easy is because every cultivator has a different understanding of the Heavenly Dao. Some will say it is a sublime path we must revere, others will call it the ultimate shackle that binds the cultivators of heaven and earth, and still others will give you entirely different answers."
Jekyeong engraved Hyeolsu-jinin's words deep into his mind and heart. "Then, Senior, how do you understand it?"
"I don't think much of it," she replied. "If I had to say, it's just something to be wary of. The Heavenly Dao is fickle, and its workings are far too difficult for people like us to fathom. We just have to be careful not to get dragged into its mess when we're unlucky."
Neither Seongsu Jinin nor Yu Jeonggyeom refuted Hyeolsu-jinin's words. Whether it was because they agreed with her or simply didn't want to argue despite having different views, Jekyeong couldn't be sure.
“Then, Senior, let me ask one more thing.”
Hyeolsu-jinin was straightforward. It might have been her natural personality, or perhaps she was showing goodwill because she wanted something from him, but Jekyeong didn't want to miss such a good opportunity. "What are your thoughts on destiny?"
“Destiny? Hehe.” Hyeolsu-jinin chuckled. It was a blatant sneer. "It is both a medicine and a poison. Used in moderation, it is a beneficial medicine, but if you grow greedy and overuse it, it becomes a deadly poison that threatens your very life."
“Those words are truly exquisite,” Seongsu Jinin agreed, adding his own explanation. "The human race achieved its current prosperity by nurturing its collective destiny. But you will understand if you think about the Great Cataclysm we just discussed. No one can escape the law of rise and fall. What rises must fall, and what is full must wane. At least under the principles of the Heavenly Dao, that is the natural order. Humanity rose through destiny, so if humanity is one day wiped out by the Great Cataclysm, it will also be because of that destiny. This is not just my opinion, but the opinion of the seniors as well."
The "seniors" Seongsu Jinin referred to meant the Nascent SoulTrue Lords. Whether they were the True Lords of Bulmangwon or those of the outside world, they were, in either case, leader-class figures of the human race.
“And yet, is humanity still clinging so desperately to destiny?”
“That's exactly my point,” Hyeolsu-jinin said, her sneer growing even more pronounced at Jekyeong's question. "From what I know, opinions are divided even within humanity. I hear there is a conflict between those who believe we must stop recklessly accumulating destiny and exercise self-restraint, and those who believe it is already too late to back out now."
"Are they saying that if they do not move forward, they will only collapse?"
"Who knows? It's probably something along those lines."
Jekyeong fell deep into thought, and as he did, his questions only grew. As far as he knew, the history of the cultivation world was so vast that no one knew how long it had lasted. Had there really been no such thing as a "Great Cataclysm" during all that time? That was impossible. Humans, who loved to record and leave behind everything, would surely know at least something about the Great Cataclysms of the past.
"The era before the one we live in now is called the Ancient Era," Seongsu Jinin said. "Opinions vary regarding what came before the Ancient Era, but the term 'Primeval Era' seems to be the mainstream. Then, what about the era before the Primeval Era?"
Seongsu Jinin's question did not expect an answer. Most people only knew of the Ancient Era as a time that once existed. Let alone the Primeval Era? Jekyeong had never even heard of such a term.
"There must have been beings far stronger than us who existed before our time. Yet, in this current era, it is difficult to find even a trace of their existence. Why do you think that is?"
“Is it because of the Great Cataclysm?"
"That would be the most rational view. But if so, did they become victims of the Great Cataclysm simply because they were foolish?"
Jekyeong was neither foolish nor arrogant. He finally understood what Seongsu Jinin was trying to say. The beings who had ruled this world in ancient times—even they could not escape the Great Cataclysm. Because it was the natural order for them to be swept away and fall.
All living things eventually die. Likewise, races, factions, and mighty powers are bound to decline. If the end point of that natural order was the Great Cataclysm, then the Great Cataclysm was quite literally an unavoidable, unstoppable conclusion.
"It is just as Fellow Daoist Hyeolsu said," Seongsu Jinin continued. "But the seniors who refuse to give up on destiny are not doing so out of foolishness. If the Great Cataclysm cannot be avoided, they would rather bulk up as much as possible before it strikes. All to leave behind even a few more embers of survival."
"Hmph, I know nothing of such things," Hyeolsu-jinin snorted. "To my eyes, worrying and wavering over an uncertain future that hasn't even arrived yet is simply ridiculous. If the Heavenly Dao tries to crush us, we just have to rise up and fight back. Isn't that what the Immortal Path is all about in the first place? A cultivator learns the Dao and accumulates merit to overcome such shackles and oppression, not to cower like a coward."
"Haha, I must admit, Fellow Daoist Hyeolsu's spirit is truly admirable."
The serious atmosphere dissolved into Seongsu Jinin's hearty laughter. After that, as if by unspoken agreement, everyone steered the conversation back to lighter topics.
Jekyeong fell silent once more, but instead of listening to the seniors' chatter, he repeatedly turned over the words he had just heard in his mind. He had learned a great deal, and the harvest of meaningful knowledge was not small.
'The Great Cataclysm. The law of rise and fall.'
Though it was a heavy subject to digest at his current level, he did not feel particularly afraid. Jekyeong agreed with Hyeolsu-jinin's view. Since he had chosen to walk the Immortal Path as a cultivator, whether it was the Heavenly Dao or the natural order, they were merely obstacles to be overcome. If he could not overcome them, he would perish; if he did not perish, he would overcome them. It was as simple as that.
The weather in the Seongya Archipelago was completely different depending on whether one looked at it from the outside or the inside. From the outside, the gloomy sky, the frequent lightning strikes, and the waves rising as if to swallow everything on the water's surface made it clear why it was considered a hazardous zone. On the inside, however, the clear sky—the very picture of tranquility—and the mirror-like, calm water brought peace to one's mind.
That day, the sky was exceptionally clear, and the warm sunlight poured down gently.
Muk-su, as always, had its branches spread wide, basking in the warmth descending from the sky. Its roots, dug deep into the solid ground, steadily absorbed the spiritual energy rising from the earth and delivered it to its main body. The density of this energy was on an entirely different level compared to when they were in the Heukgyo Water Territory.
'I really made the right choice following him back then.'
Muk-su recalled its first meeting with Jekyeong and the moment it decided to accompany him. Although there had been moments of regret along the way, in hindsight, it was truly the best decision.
'If I hadn't followed that guy back then...'
It might have been captured alive by humans, who were obsessed with spiritual creatures, or had its roots devoured by other ignorant Yao beasts. Even if it had avoided that fate, it would have spent its days struggling to hunt, barely scraping by on tasteless, mediocre prey.
'Should I be grateful to him?'
Muk-su immediately dismissed the thought. That cunning, greedy snake. Telling it to eat a lot and bear a lot of fruit? Did he really think it was some kind of chicken that laid fruit? He always tried to pluck the fruit before they were even fully ripe, and he frequently boiled the entire water territory, making life exhausting for everyone...
"Caw!" With a frivolous cry that seemed to flaunt its presence, Cheongo dropped straight out of the sky.
It was a large crow halfway down, but by the time its feet touched the ground, it had transformed into a plump young boy. At some point, this fellow had taken a liking to the Transformation Art, and now, except when flying through the sky, it spent most of its time in human form.
"Muk-su, is the spiritual fruit ripe?"
"No."
"But last time, you said it would be ripe in about fifteen days!"
"I said about fifteen days. I didn't say exactly fifteen days."
"Mmm?" Cheongo's eyes widened as it froze in place, and then it stamped its feet in disappointment.
Muk-su quietly watched Cheongo through its "eye," which was nestled between its bark and looked like a mere wrinkle at a glance.
'This is fun.'
Teasing this talkative crow was one of Muk-su's favorite hobbies. No matter how many times it teased this naive fellow in the exact same way, it fell for it every single time. Its lively, bouncy reactions were always a joy to watch.
Watching Cheongo's already chubby cheeks puff up to twice their size, Muk-su slyly offered a single spiritual fruit it had set aside beforehand.
"Hmm?"
"One just ripened right now."
Cheongo didn't care in the slightest whether those words were true or if Muk-su had just teased it. It was simply overjoyed by the glossy spiritual fruit before its eyes and expressed its intense gratitude to Muk-su.
"Thank you! If there's anything you want to eat, just tell me anytime!"
“And if I do?”
“I'll get it for you!”
“How would you do that?”
Cheongo was not an aquatic beast. Though it was considered a Great Demon, it became clumsier in the water than even the most basic water beasts, making it difficult for it to hunt properly.
“Oh, I can just make the chubby guy do it. He promised to help me anytime.”
Muk-su quickly figured out what was going on. Surely, that poor Bigu fellow had flattered Cheongo to get on its good side. Was that nightmare really so terrifying? For a guy who wouldn't even look back at his own father when it came to food to promise to fetch food for someone else?