Chương 326: 19th Cycle's First Day

―――――!

It's strange.

An eerie sound brushes my ears.

No, that's not right.

I don't have ears.

'I... died...'

No, this is strange too.

Whenever I die, I always regress immediately so my body is restored.

So why don't I have ears?

'Ah...'

I regain 'consciousness.'

'This place is...'

―――――!

A bizarre sound.

No, perhaps it would be better described as a melody?

I can feel my soul being transported somewhere along with that sound.

And then, I realize I'm in a place that seems like a giant 'river,' flowing against its current.

Tsutsutsutsutsu―

'Ah... I see.'

There are scenes in the river.

No, to be precise, in the huge Yin and Yang.

The Taiji spirals as it flows, and within that spiral, 'scenes' flow like a 'river.'

I understand.

'So this... is how my regression works...'

I am undoubtedly experiencing 'regression in progress.'

I must have regained consciousness while traveling back in time.

However, nothing like this has happened before.

Why is this happening now?

As I ponder, I realize I have changed from before.

'Ah... right. I reached the Four-Axis stage, didn't I?'

Qi, Soul, and Fate are one.

Just as Heaven, Earth, and Heart are one, if you gather power at the Plane of Qi, it also affects the higher planes.

Therefore, when you gather energy and elevate your realm, your consciousness grows and your lifespan changes.

And because Seo Hweol elevated me to the Four-Axis stage, my physical body reached the Four-Axis level of the Earth Tribe, and consequently, my consciousness also attained the level of the Four-Axis stage.

'No, wait...'

As I quietly observe my soul, I feel something more.

It's...

'This is... Seo Li's spiritual power?'

It's the 'realm' that Seo Li had achieved.

That's right.

He had extracted and condensed my death within his body and then passed it on to me.

'Seo Li...'

Thank you. I won't forget this.

Wo-woong― As soon as I acknowledge him, I feel the Three Great Ultimates more distinctly flowing within my soul.

'I see. The reason I can regain consciousness during this regression...'

It might be because I had fully raised the Three Great Ultimates to the Four-Axis stage.

The Heavenly Being stage and the Four-Axis stage are clearly steps to completing the Heavenly Circle and Earthly Bearings, so why are they divided into the Minor Boundary and Middle Boundary?

Moreover, although there is a difference in power between the Four-Axis stage and the Heavenly Being stage, it isn't that significant.

Yet, why are the Boundaries split between the Four-Axis stage and the Heavenly Being stage, and why does the completely separate Heart Tribe have three stages of Manifestation up to the Heavenly Being stage and Three Steps Before the Throne for the Middle Boundary?

I feel like I'm starting to understand something.

'The reason the Minor Boundary and Middle Boundary are distinctly separated...'

From the Four-Axis stage onward, there is an overwhelming difference in realms and lifespan compared to the previous stages.

The reason is attraction force.

As the soul itself begins to generate attraction force, it becomes the first realm resembling fate, thus separating the Minor Boundary and Middle Boundary, and the attraction force of the heavens resonates with one's own, allowing for an even longer lifespan.

Tsutsutsutsutsu!

While traveling back in time, I try to resist the act of reversing time by moving attraction force.

But it's impossible.

I can feel that regression is something I can 'never' touch, no matter how much I struggle.

'Damn. It can't be helped.'

I decide to quietly wait, entrusting my body to the force pulling me back to the past.

While doing so, I observe my soul.

'Hmm? What's this?'

I'm startled as I examine my soul.

'My soul and my dharma treasure have completely merged?'

No, to be precise, even my soul emits energy.

And my Colorless Glass Sword is completely synchronized with the energy emitted by my soul.

'Ha, ha...'

This means I no longer need to drink the White-Red Wine.

It has completely synchronized with the energy of my soul.

This is the ability of the Four-Axis stage.

From the Four-Axis stage onwards, even if one is killed and the body dissected, the dharma treasure cannot be retrieved.

The dharma treasure becomes partially merged with the energy of the soul and follows it around.

And since it is merged with the energy of the soul, it seems to follow my regression without needing to drink the White-Red Wine.

'No, perhaps White-Red Wine is actually a method that momentarily makes the dharma treasure resemble the connection of a Four-Axis stage cultivator's dharma treasure.'

That is probably the case.

'I won't need to worry about obtaining White-Red Wine anymore.'

However, there is something more concerning than the Colorless Glass Sword.

'The Soul-Bearing Flower given by Yu Hao Te... and the Clear Scale Armor are also merged with my soul.'

The Soul-Bearing Flower was already a flower entwined with the plane of Soul, so I expected this.

But I didn't expect even the Clear Scale Armor to be connected to my soul.

'Well, actually, this is that but...'

What surprises me the most is something else entirely.

'Axis! The Axis of Wealth also follows?'

Yes.

Surprisingly, the Axis of Wealth is also following my soul!

'Come to think of it, the fact that the Colorless Glass Sword is completely merged with my soul itself must be due to the influence of the Axis.'

And reflecting further, Seo Hweol had removed only 'his Axis' from my body while being deprived of control.

At the time, I thought it was Seo Hweol's deep and mysterious divine power, but if the Axis is connected to the soul in the first place, it would have been easy for Seo Hweol to retrieve the four Axes of Five Blessings because they were connected to his soul.

'Back then, when I tried to return to the Owner of Heavenly Punishment in front of Seo Hweol, he blocked me by 'consuming' his Axis and then mentioned needing to go to the Blood Yin Realm.'

Seo Hweol has to go to the Blood Yin Realm to replenish his Axis whenever it's consumed, so the Axes of Five Blessings are not easily obtained and are his precious treasures.

He wouldn't have recklessly infused such treasures into my body only to have them taken away.

'Once an Axis is obtained, does it become completely controlled by one's soul...?

That seems to be the case.

Perhaps the difference between the Orthodox Axis Foundation and Heterodox Axis Foundation is that the Heterodox Axis Foundation doesn't synchronize well with the soul because it was taken from someone else.

I'm discovering many intriguing facts.

As I'm being pulled into the past, I watch the scenes reversing around me.

Maybe because I'm traveling back 500 years, the regression is taking some time.

Suddenly, while moving backward through time, I look up at what seems to be [above] and am shocked.

That place, that place is...

[The Heavens]!!!

A vast sky filled with immense darkness!

At the center of that sky, the seats (座) of [Great Beings] shine like stars in the dark night.

As soon as I recognize a total of [ten seats], I feel a shock that seems to shatter my mind.

'Heo, heok... heok...!'

I can feel it.

The power of the seats!

I can see the positions of the seats!

Amidst the darkness, the clusters of light are centered around [four lights] with [six lights] positioned around them.

And, the four central stars have [rings] around their bodies, like the rings around Jupiter or Saturn.

Among the six stars surrounding the four central ones, one also has a [ring] around it.

A total of five stars have [rings], while five stars do not.

'...?'

No, looking closely, something seems off.

Though I can't pinpoint what's strange.

'Grrrk...'

While feeling the agony of my soul being crushed, I recognize the aura emanating from the ten stars.

I feel it.

Those stars are [Beings]!

Those stars are the [eyes] that look down on the earth from the sky!!!

A Being that [seems imprisoned somewhere].

A Being that [feels somehow familiar].

A Being that [gives the feel of an unending and boundless hunger].

A Being that [gives a hazy feeling as if in a confusing, dizzying dream].

A Being that [exudes a determination as immovable as a great mountain].

A Being that [feels both extremely familiar and yet simultaneously repulsive].

'Don'trecognizethemdon'trecognizethemdon'trecognizethemdon'trecognizethem...!'

I feel the four stars that have taken their place in the center.

One that [gives a hollow feeling of emptiness].

One that [feels like the owner of the Soul-Bearing Flower].

One that [seems to be watching me right now].

One that [seems to be the oldest of all]...

Ah.

The moment I feel the last being, I experience a terror and chill I have never felt before.

'Aaah...'

I've been feeling this strange sensation for a while. I now know what this sensation is.

The feeling I had when I was briefly stalked by Kim Yeon on my way home from work.

The feeling that someone is chasing after me.

I now understand.

'It's coming, it's coming, it's coming, it's coming, it's coming!'

I can feel it.

The will that seems to say there's no longer any need to even bother hiding now that I have noticed.

From afar, from the [future] time I had passed, pitch-black darkness is spreading and chasing after me.

The oldest one.

The Death God.

The Master of the Netherworld.

The Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld, reversing history, is chasing my regression.

Ziiiiiiing― The darkness gathers like a hand covering the world and reaches out to me.

If it weren't for this peculiar situation of reversing time, it would have been impossible to even perceive the will of the [Great Being], but now it is being conveyed across spacetime.

Taxidermy (剝製), Sealing (封印), Incarceration (投獄), Detainment (收監), Endless Eternity(永世永劫), Life Imprisonment (無期徒刑).

'Ta-taxidermy!'

I would be eternally preserved in the darkness.

I would be trapped in the deepest depths of the Underworld where no light could ever reach, unable to live or die.

'No, no!'

I think of death as a blessing.

But, I can never accept [something like that]!

Being unable to die or live, unable to meet anyone, trapped in the deepest abyss of the Underworld where no light ever reaches for endless eternity!

'Even if I die, I can't die trapped by [that]!'

I cling even more desperately to the force pulling me into the past with all my might.

I have desired death, but not like this!

If I'm trapped in a place where I can never meet any connections again, what difference is there between that and regression!?

Such a thing is absolutely unacceptable!

But the hand of darkness chases after me with relentless force.

'Nononononononononononononononono!'

Overwhelmed by a fear I have never experienced even once before, I rack my brain for a way to shake it off.

In the midst of this, my gaze falls upon the [Clear Scale Armor] that is following my regression.

I can feel it.

The [Clear Scale Armor] is emitting [attraction force].

'Yu Hao Te!!!!!!!!!'

Was it said that what True Immortals could give us are only calamity?

Perhaps Yu Hao Te thought he was giving me a blessing, but they are also the tears of Hae Nyeong who was a judge under the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld.

Clinging to the attraction force emitted from those tears, the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld is pursuing me.

I hurriedly sever the link between the Clear Scale Armor and my soul.

Thunk― The Clear Scale Armor vanishes to the other side of time.

However, even though the attraction force is gone, the hand continues to chase me through time.

'No, no, I'm going to get caught, I'm going to get caught...!'

I feel my mind freezing with fear.

Then suddenly, my gaze falls on the Soul-Bearing Flower.

'Yes! The Soul-Bearing Flower!'

I grasp the Soul-Bearing Flower linked to my soul.

Tsutsutsutsutsu!

As I use the Soul-Bearing Flower, a brilliant white light erupts, creating a blinding radiance between me and the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld.

Simultaneously, I feel a will emanate from one of the ten stars in the dark sky, from the one that [feels like the owner of the Soul-Bearing Flower].

Displeasure (不快). Rage (震怒).

However, the original owner of the Soul-Bearing Flower, though enraged, does not chase after me like the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld.

I vaguely sense that they're hesitant to come here out of fear of the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld.

Paaaatt!

As the light fades, I see the darkness of the Owner of the Netherworld momentarily blocked.

Kuguguguk― Even so, the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld tries to extend their hand through the light to grasp me, but eventually, perhaps unable to withstand further reversal of time, fails to reach me.

Thus, the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld can no longer chase after my regression and is left in the future.

And I fall to the starting point of my 19th cycle.

"Heok... heok... heok..."

It's a familiar sky.

Around me, Jeon Myeong-hoon and Hong Fan are observing the night sea from the mass-produced Nether Crossing Ship.

I clutch my chest, wiping away the cold sweat.

'What chased me just now... was not the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld themself.'

At most, it was the Heavenly Venerable extending one arm towards me.

And for a being of that level...

'I absolutely must not die in front of the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld!'

If it was the main body of the Master of the Netherworld, they might have caught me without needing attraction force, merely by reversing history.

19th return.

How will this cycle, which already started with a not-so-smooth regression process, unfold?