Chương 320: Farewell (2)

Splurt!

At the same time, blood gushes out of my own seven orifices like a fountain as well.

'Damn...'

As expected, the Immortal Name (仙名) has a severe impact on me too.

My legs are trembling and it's painful enough that I want to collapse right away.

But I don't die.

Hong Fan approaches and gives me an antidote for the cultivation-scattering poison and some medicine to restore my strength.

'Seo Li is quite something.'

I didn't always have a glimpse into Seo Li's heart essence, so I don't know everything about him.

However, I often peeked at him, and in those brief moments when I wasn't watching, he had commanded Hong Fan to stand by with antidotes. His judgment is excellent.

I take the antidote and medicine to recover my body, then look at Seo Hweol.

I can't use it during battle because it's dangerous for me as well.

And even if it isn't during battle, it isn't something I can easily use on others.

'Only within Lofty Dragon True Person's storage scroll, and because I possess Hae Nyeong's tears, the Clear Scale Armor, is it possible.'

The name of a True Immortal is not a convenient tool.

If I'm careless, it can be a poison that devours me.

Even if it belongs to a being that has been completely annihilated and can never resurrect again.

The reason I could speak 'Hae Nyeong's' name is simply because I have a part of his body, the Clear Scale Armor, and because I am inside his subordinate Lofty Dragon True Person's Otherworld, which grants me some privileges.

If I had mentioned Yu Hao Te or Yu Soo Ryeon instead of Hae Nyeong, it wouldn't have ended this easily, and it would have been much more dangerous.

As I began to step across the boundary beyond Tribulating Heavens, I could glimpse Seo Li's heart essence, allowing me to gather information through him.

At first, I thought I would die the moment I saw that [Name], but fortunately, I could focus my heart essence and avoid going insane.

I wipe the sweat off.

Perhaps it's because I recklessly spoke the name of a True Immortal, but it feels very hot.

Of course, in Seo Hweol's case, it seems to be quite lethal. His face is smiling, but it has already turned pale.

'I see.'

Observing him, I am able to glean some information.

Seo Hweol can't transfer his influence to another 'Seo Hweol' at this moment.

That means all the pain and torture happening here has to be endured by his own will alone.

'That means the connection with the other Seo Hweols is severed.'

This guy is an abandoned pawn.

A discarded Seo Hweol, abandoned by Seo Hweol himself.

"Answer my questions."

"I will speak only the truth."

Thunk!

I drive the Black Ghost Curse Banner into Seo Hweol's body.

"Every time you lie, I will thrust the Black Ghost Curse Banner into you."

"Hoho, what should I do if you drive it in even when I tell the truth?"

Thunk!

"Impressive, in a way... to show such stubbornness even after being abandoned."

"Abandoned? What do you mean?"

"You're disconnected from the other Seo Hweols."

"Hoho, you misunderstand."

Seo Hweol smiles faintly.

"I wasn't abandoned. I was 'left behind'."

"..."

"Isn't it quite the gain if we can grasp Daoist Seo by sacrificing just me? Even if I fail, I can relay some interesting information to Daoist Seo..."

Thunk!

"Fine, let's say you weren't abandoned. But you better state the real reason you were 'left behind.'"

"Hoho, would you like to hear an interesting fact?"

"Cut the nonsense and tell me the purpose of you being left behind."

Thump!

"First things first, Daoist Seo. Do you know what I saw when I looked inside your Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections?"

"If words like 'salt' come out of your mouth, I'll blow your head off."

"Oh, it's not that. Daoist Seo... did you know that there is 'someone' inside your Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections?"

"What?"

Flinch!

His words send a chill down my spine.

Though the surroundings are getting warmer, it feels like an eerie cold is licking the back of my neck.

'There's 'someone' inside the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections?'

I glare at him.

"Hong Fan."

I signal to Hong Fan, who approaches and grabs Seo Hweol's head, blowing something transparent into him.

"I've infused the Formless Poison. I can adjust the stimulus this person receives through the poison."

"Can it also function as a truth serum?"

"Absolutely. Since it directly manipulates the brain, it's at least a hundred times more effective than a regular truth serum."

"Is a hundred times enough for a Four-Axis stage cultivator?"

"Since it directly affects consciousness, it is more than sufficient."

Chiiiii— White steam seeps into Seo Hweol's seven orifices.

His eyes appear slightly dazed.

"Is it true that there is 'someone' inside the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections?"

I ask while hyperactivating my sight of intent.

Although I can't force a confession out of him, the effects of the truth serum can make his intent more apparent.

This will make it easier to discern truth from lies.

With a faint smile, Seo Hweol speaks in a slightly dazed voice.

"There is a [woman] inside."

Shiver!

I feel goosebumps rise at his words.

'It's not a lie.'

Then, what kind of existence could so easily intrude my Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections?

Nine times out of ten, it must be a transcendent being.

And among the transcendent beings I know of, there is only one female.

'Zhengli!'

The white-haired heavenly maiden (天女) whose face I couldn't see.

The Immortal Treasure possessed by the Owner of Heavenly Punishment.

The sacred artifact of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, the Heavenly Lightning Banner!

'Does that mean that being is still watching me?'

It seems I had left a deep impression on Zhengli.

'I did make quite an impression in various ways.'

But to still be under her watch to this extent!

Moreover, to secretly enter my Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections to monitor me.

I can't help but get shivers down my spine...

'... No, wait.'

Then why did we turn into salt instead of lightning?

'This bastard must have lied to me again.'

Somehow, I feel a surge of anger.

Perhaps it's because the surroundings are gradually heating up, giving me the illusion that my head is turning red.

For now, I drive the Black Ghost Curse Banner in once more.

Thunk!

"I said I'd thrust the banner if you lied."

"I was telling the truth..."

"Speak properly. What kind of existence is that [woman]?"

Seo Hweol smiles meaningfully.

"What kind of existence? Hoho... Daoist Seo's Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections... She's an existence that I mistook for your [Pillar]."

Thunk!

Even though he seems to be telling the truth, his drawn-out speech annoys me, so I thrust the Black Ghost Curse Banner in again.

Seo Hweol doesn't flinch and continues.

"Your Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, it was encircling and protecting that [woman]."

"What?"

'How is that possible?'

How could another be protected by my Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections?

He smiles with his eyes.

"In other words, that [woman] is a precious existence within your Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections. Is that correct?"

"I asked what kind of existence she is."

"Hoho, I've already implanted myself in that [woman]. Since she's a real entity, in a few thousand years, she'll slowly be devoured by me."

"So, according to your way of speech, you haven't implanted anything yet and are just trying to gauge me with such questions."

Thunk, thunk, thunk!

I solidify the flow of my intent and expression as I ask him.

"I'll ask one last time. Who is that [woman]?"

Kkiiiiing!

Seo Hweol's purpose is clear.

This guy was left here to see if he could brainwash me.

And, along with causing confusion through flattery and deceit, he aims to figure out what is important to me.

But that is impossible.

Paatt!

My heart essence is forged into a sword.

At the same time, my sword pours into Seo Hweol, piercing deep within him.

A strike fully encompassing the plane of Soul.

As my sword embeds into his heart essence, it seals his connection to the other Seo Hweols of the Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.

'With this, he can never relay information to the other Seo Hweols in front of me.'

This means that whatever information he gathers about me will be meaningless.

Seo Hweol's eyes twitch, realizing that I have done something to his consciousness.

"Hoho, this has become bothersome."

"It seems you truly wish to taste [Hae Nyeong] again."

"Kugh!"

Splat!

Seo Hweol once again splurts a fountain of blood.

However, he smiles faintly as he speaks.

"Is that the true name of the Immortal Beast Xiezhi? Hoho..."

"That's right."

"Come to think of it, do you know the common points between the Blood Yin Realm's spell techniques and the Nether Ghost Realm's spell techniques, Daoist Seo?"

Kuaduduk!

I summon a bunch of Black Ghost Curse Banners and embed them into Seo Hweol's back.

The pain is filled with the agony of castration, pain that was amplified by 60 thousand times, and the torment of hearing the name of a True Immortal.

Seo Hweol groans, clearly struggling to endure.

"Stop changing the subject. Didn't I ask who [the woman] is?"

"The spell techniques of the Blood Yin Realm and the Nether Ghost Realm are both powerful. Their common point is... they both 'borrow power.' The Ghost Path Method of the Nether Ghost Realm borrows the power of the [Netherworld], and the spell techniques of the Blood Yin Realm borrow the power of [Blood Yin]."

He smiles faintly.

"This bastard keeps..."

"The higher the level of the technique, the more power it borrows. And in the case of my Blood Sacrifice Ritual, it's a devilish spell directly derived from Blood Yin."

"..."

I glare at him, assuming a Starting Form in case of any unexpected situations.

What he's saying feels ominous.

"I originally didn't intend to use the Blood Yin Realm's devilish spells while fighting Daoist Seo. Because Blood Yin is the original owner of Karmic Fire, and if I use a devilish spell that borrows power from Blood Yin here, it might stimulate the Karmic Fire and cause it to rampage uncontrollably."

He smiles at me.

"Do you not know what the Clear Scale Armor you're wearing was sealing?"

"What...!"

At the same time, I feel my entire body heat up.

'This, this is...!'

Chiiiiii― When the Clear Scale Armor fell, the flames extinguished, and the temperature of the Water Flow Layer where river streams were surging, started to rise.

No, that's not right.

Come to think of it, the temperature of the Water Flow Layer, where all the flames had been supposedly extinguished, has been steadily rising 'from earlier.'

Kuarurururu!

And I see up above.

From the above Care Layer, bright red flames are erupting madly.

'Damn it!'

I grab Seo Hweol by the hair and leap back up to the Care Layer.

Haururururuk!

"Kuuuuughh!"

An overwhelming flame engulfs me.

It's hot!

And...

"KUAAAAAGH!"

It hurts!

It's unbelievably painful!

It's as if the true fire of hell has descended upon the mortal world!

"Kgh, ughhhh. Ho, ho... to judge sinners in the afterlife... It's the fire... created for... that purpose."

Even Seo Hweol barely manages to speak with a strained smile.

"Judging by this, it seems you've accumulated quite a bit of sin?"

"GUUAAAAAGH!"

"Until all your sins are burned away and judged, that fire will cling to your soul and never extinguish. You can't control it as you wish, nor will it completely burn your soul to give you peace."

Seo Hweol's lips tremble as he speaks.

"Even the Clear Scale Armor can only defend against the flames; it cannot extinguish it once it's ignited, as Karmic Fire is the result of a rightful judgment. If anything, the power of the Immortal Beast Xiezhi that governs the law will support the Karmic Fire, not extinguish it..."

"Shut up. Stop pretending it doesn't hurt..."

I lay on the ground, drooling, and barely manage to stand.

'It's insanely painful...'

But despite the flames surrounding me, the pain does not increase. It remains constant.

Judging only 'the sins I've committed.'

The Karmic Fire is burning my soul.

The burning of the flames become screams in my ears.

Those screams are familiar.

It's the people I've killed.

Bandits killed during my time in the martial world, unorthodox martial artists, Qi Building devilish cultivators of the Makli Clan, Yuan Li...

I reflect on my life amidst those screams.

'Surprisingly, I've only directly killed or tortured those from the Devilish Path.'

But even those count as sins, and the Karmic Fire sizzles as it burns me.

I hold the Clear Scale Armor and look towards the direction of the Melia tree.

Perhaps because of the Clear Scale Armor, the source of the immense heat is emanating from beneath the Melia tree near the lake.

'I must... reseal it... with the Clear Scale Armor...'

Even as my body trembles with pain, I move step by step towards the Melia tree.

If left unchecked, the Karmic Fire could spread outside and engulf the entire Bright Cold Realm.

At that moment.

Suddenly, the screams turn into completely different sounds.

Not screams, but wails and groans filled with resentment.

The grudges of those who were indirectly harmed by my actions, the sins accumulated from them, begin to overwhelm me.

The families of the unorthodox martial artists I killed, their dependents, those who worked for the Makli Clan, etc...

The sins of those indirectly harmed by my actions are now bearing down on me.

And at that moment.

Whispers I never want to remember again echo in my ears.

―Return to thee...

"...!"

It was a moment of folly and lack of restraint that led me to make the entire Heavenly Human Island return themselves.

And consequently, the indirect sins from the pain and resentment of all the Humans Race who suffered because of it!

"AAAAARGH!"

I am in so much pain that I can no longer move, collapsing to my knees on the spot.

It's heavy.

It's hot.

It's painful!

Seo Hweol is just smiling, though he seems to be in more pain; but I am not much better.

We have both stopped trying to keep each other in check and have collapsed to the ground, screaming together before we knew it.

It hurts!

It hurts so much!!!

I see.

This is...

'This is the weight of my sins.'

I grit my teeth.

I won't scream.

It isn't just out of stubbornness.

I have something to say about the pain from the other sins.

They were all people who deserved to die, those who harmed others or took pleasure in their evil deeds.

For such people, dying was perhaps a better outcome for the world.

I am neither chivalrous nor righteous.

I only show kindness to things happening before my eyes, or to things affecting my acquaintances.

I might even be considered a hypocrite.

But even so, I try to resolve the evil deeds happening before me as much as I can, and killing those people was part of that.

But 'this' is different.

This is clearly a sin caused by my mistake.

This is my sin.

My vice, and the punishment I rightly deserve.

How dare I deny the traces of my life?

Silently, I accept my punishment and endure the pain.

The pain is so severe it makes my mind foggy, but I just accept it.

Is it because it's a power handled by the Chief Judge of the Netherworld?

It feels more tormenting than hearing the name of a True Immortal or facing the Owner of Heavenly Punishment.

It's the direct power of a True Immortal.

It would be strange if it didn't hurt.

As I am crouched down like that, stuck in place.

Step, step...

My body begins to move.

It's Seo Li.

'Seo Li, you... you're not in pain?'

"Strange, Seo Eun-hyun. For some reason... I am not in pain."

'I see.'

I think I understand why.

This is my sin, not Seo Li's.

Seo Li has not committed any significant sins.

Though his appearance is a bit bizarre, he has never killed a single bug without reason since he was born.

"Anyway, just hold on for a moment, Seo Eun-hyun. I seem to be fine, so I'll handle the sealing."

Seo Li moves my body and walks towards the Melia tree with the Clear Scale Armor.

Step, step...

The Melia tree draws nearer.

Then, Seo Li throws the Clear Scale Armor towards the Melia tree.

Chuaaaaaa!

As soon as the Clear Scale Armor is thrown under the Melia tree, it quickly expands, turning back into a lake and filling the basin.

Chuaaaaa― Through the power of the Deputy Judge Ancient Force True Lord, the power of the Chief Judge Nether Ghost True Lord subsides.

The Karmic Fire extinguishes again, and the surrounding flames die down.

However, I am still in pain.

"...!"

'The pain still doesn't subside!'

I know the reason why.

It's an obvious fact.

'The Karmic Fire attached to my soul is still burning.'

Rather, it's a Karmic Fire clinging solely to burn me.

It will never extinguish until it burns away my sins.

And my sin.

The sin of evaporating the entire Heavenly Human Island with its population of hundreds of millions is by no means a light one.

Even if it is an indirect sin, its weight cannot be taken lightly.

Bududuk...

I endure the pain and stand up.

'If so, let's accept it.'

I feel it.

Until this Karmic Fire burns away my sins, it will follow me even through regression.

I will have to endure this pain that makes my mind hazy across several lifetimes.

'This is my life, my history.'

It is the retribution and resentment I must remember.

Thus, it is right for me to remember and engrave it.

'I will accept it willingly.'

In my heart, I acknowledge my sins completely and accept the pain.

Life is pain anyway.

What does it matter if one more pain is added to it?

Just as I make that resolution.

Paaaatt!

My vision blurs, and I feel an illusion forming before me.

'This is...'

The Melia tree.

It's the Melia tree that stood before me.

However, the surrounding scenery is different.

The Melia tree is not at the center of the lake but atop a hill.

It's a beautiful garden filled with numerous vibrant flowers.

As I lose myself in the beauty of that scenery.

Kugugugu!

"...!"

I see an enormous shadow behind the Melia tree.

"Huk, heok...!"

A great being.

That figure is a great being.

'Re, return to...'

I almost lose myself and get absorbed by the presence before me without even realizing it.

But I manage to pull myself together and avoid returning.

"Huh...!"

The gigantic shadow behind the Melia tree shrinks to a human-like size.

'Ah...'

I can feel it.

The presence before me is showing consideration towards me.

At the same time, I feel an immense sense of goodness and nobility emanating from the shadow.

From their perspective, I am no different from a bug, yet they lower themselves to match my level.

When I ponder this, [You are not a bug.] The human-like shadow speaks to me.

"Pa-pardon?"

I'm startled and ask back.

[Anyone who can repent their sins holds nobility within them. If one possesses nobility, whether they are a Heavenly Venerable or a bug, they deserve respect.]

"..."

I feel a subtle nobility and goodness emanating from the shadow's words.

"Who is your excellency the great one, and where is this place? Why have I been called here?"

[I did not call you. You came here yourself.] The shadow replies.

[This place is a scene from my memory, left within the power of my Karmic Fire. Only those who sincerely repent their sins upon facing the Karmic Fire can enter here. You have entered this place on your own.]

'The power of my Karmic Fire!?'

Hearing those words, I feel my body shrink.

If so, then this being is...

"Perhaps the great one is..."

[My name is Yu Hao Te (Love of Virtue).] Why is that?

It's clearly the true name of a True Immortal. Yet, even hearing it directly, I feel fine.

I realize that the shadow before me is lowering themself, adjusting their 'level' to show me consideration.

[I was once known as the Seat Holder of Good and Evil (善惡座主), Chief Judge of the Netherworld, and the Nether Devil True Lord.]