Chương 643: 1005th Cycle's First Day

Kkiriririk— Time rewinds.

At the same moment, I gaze at the [Eleven] seats, my eyes gleaming.

'The seat of the Radiance Supreme Deity still isn't visible... Excluding the one of Radiance... has another one appeared...?'

The seat of the Golden Speed Heavenly King Kim Young-hoon.

As I look at that seat, I recognize that Kim Young-hoon has also risen as a dignified Governing Immortal.

However, Kim Young-hoon's seat is faint, like that of the Heavenly Venerable of Time, and wavers as though it might extinguish at any moment.

It must be because he has rushed off into an uncertain future.

Though I haven't completely regressed yet, perhaps because I spent seventy million years, the process of regression is quite long.

That's why I decide right away on the goal for my next life.

No...

It isn't just a goal for the next life.

'For Kim Young-hoon's sake, challenging the Audience Chamber has now become inevitable.'

I grit my teeth.

The fate of an Ender comes to mind.

Because I remember the saying that we, in the end, all face the Audience Chamber.

That we all head toward the Head Realm.

This too must be a part of fate.

'But even if it's fate, it can't be helped.'

All I can do right now is to live diligently.

'To save Kim Young-hoon, we will head to that future.'

A faraway future.

To that future where we reach the Audience Chamber!

With that, having set a purpose that pierces through the entirety of my life to come, I raise my eyes not only to Kim Young-hoon but also to a newly seen name.

Western Heavenly Venerable, Netherworld Queen Mother.

Bong Hwa (烽火)!

[Editor: 烽火literally means 'fire beacon'.]

'...'

That is, without a doubt, the true name of the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld.

And...

'In the conversation between Hyeon Mu and Hong Fan... is that the one they must 'beg forgiveness from'...?'

I feel my mind grow complicated.

Yes.

I definitely feel it.

After that conversation between Hyeon Mu and Hong Fan, Hong Fan regained his memories, and in an instant, Hong Fan's rank surged to a level comparable to the Emptiness Supreme Deity and the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld.

Even as a Great Net Immortal, just looking at him makes my eyes ache and feel like they might burst.

'And also, Hong Fan called the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld 'Hwe-ah'... while Hyeon Mu called them 'Bong Hwa'. Are they the same being? Is Bong Hwa an Immortal Title, or their original name like Gwak Am?'

Countless thoughts swirl through my head.

But what still shocks me the most is...

Hong Fan.

'Hong Fan...'

At the final moment, I definitely remember.

—Forget.

Along with the sensation of my Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections being [ripped out], history itself became buried away.

The sensation of that history being carved away deep within the Akashic Records...

'What is your identity?'

However, I do not forget the memory.

The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections has been made into an Immortal Crown, and by thoroughly engraving everyone's hearts into myself, the system has shifted so that the history up until now is recorded within me.

By placing the 'heart' of the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections inside me and maintaining the method of recalling memories through it, I temporarily restored the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections above the heart in order to confront Hyeon Mu. Such was the situation at that time.

Hong Fan ultimately failed to perceive my heart, so he could not completely revise my memories.

'Hong Fan...'

I grit my teeth as I recall what he has done.

'Just what are you really...?'

He feels like Seo Hweol.

No, thinking of the rank I just felt from Hong Fan, he feels even more sinister and ominous than Seo Hweol.

Only the Mad Lord, the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld, the Head Realm, and the Great Mountain Supreme Deity have ever struck me as more dangerous than Seo Hweol.

But all of them gave a sense of threat as disasters.

Hong Fan, however...

Feels like an endlessly sinister and dangerous existence, even beyond Seo Hweol.

I grit my teeth.

I consider whether I must strike down and kill Hong Fan as soon as I regress, who likely hasn't recovered his memories yet.

But the thought is brief.

'... No...'

—Guju... Your name is Guju...

A scene from the 16th cycle that still remains in my memory.

I recall that moment and steel my heart.

'At that time, the one I called Guju was definitely...'

I recall the sensation of that hand.

The face in the memory is obscured by light and unclear, but the feeling remains unmistakable.

'It's Hong Fan!'

I remember the sensation from just moments ago when Hong Fan stroked my face.

Hong Fan really is Guju!

'So... I will choose to believe.'

Because even if Hong Fan truly is one of my enemies, The affection I felt for him back then was real.

'Therefore... I will believe in you. Hong Fan...!'

Thus, as I resolve my feelings for Hong Fan in my head, I return to the distant past.

Shwishishisik— When I open my eyes, it's the familiar True Immortal Realm.

Once again, I've returned to the moment right after advancing to True Immortality, losing consciousness for a brief moment during the advancement.

'To say I lost consciousness for a moment... now even a thousand years feels short.'

The entire life of Yang Su-jin now feels like nothing more than a day or two of sleep.

Kugugung!

As soon as I collect my senses, I descend to the Lower Realm, and I see Hong Fan in the distance, who has built an altar.

Wo-woong!

As I gesture with my hand, Hong Fan emerges from beneath the altar and flies straight to me.

"M-Master! You've succeeded in your advancement after a thousand years! Haw haw, congratulations! That aside..."

"Hong Fan!"

I cut him off and ask,

"Were you always in the Entering Nirvana stage?"

☯

"Pardon? Master, what do you mean..."

"Ah, I see. Never mind. You were probably more or less at the Entering Nirvana stage. That's not important. Anyway, I've realized something during my True Immortal advancement."

"Ooo! What is..."

"That life is... the desire to eat boiled potatoes!! Hong Fan!! I've stocked my body full with potatoes, so go inside and boil them!"

"..."

Hong Fan coughs at the sudden request and nods his head.

"Yes, well..."

"Life is... yes, boiled potatoes. Excellent. Hurry and go in."

I enthusiastically pat Hong Fan's shoulders, then immediately swallow him into my body.

And I can feel it.

'As expected...'

Just now, history was revised.

'When I realize Hong Fan's contradiction, the history of the entire world twists.'

Normally, when an Earth Upper Immortal revises history, only the target and related events are revised.

But just now, when I pointed out that Hong Fan wasn't originally in the Entering Nirvana stage, the history of [Mount Sumeru] itself twisted.

History itself was altered just to defend Hong Fan.

'And the source of that distortion in history is...'

I look toward the distant Head Realm.

Tingle...

My eyes still ache, but it's not unbearable like before.

Even the poison of the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain is more endurable now than before.

'The Head Realm... The one known as the Emptiness Supreme Deity Myeong Woon.'

With Hong Fan still inside me, I gaze briefly toward the Head Realm.

'Hong Fan is clearly an anomalous existence. His realm stays stable as if following my regressions, but judging by his reactions, it seems his memories don't follow. When I notice the strangeness about Hong Fan, the Head Realm intervenes and revises the world to defend him... Perhaps, Hong Fan might be...'

As I contemplate Hong Fan's true identity, I speak to him, who is inside my body.

"Hong Fan. You were perhaps a very powerful True Immortal in your past life."

Hong Fan doesn't reply, maybe because he's busy boiling potatoes, and I nod my head as I sense the entirety of the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain.

In the past, I had to fetch each one personally, but now, that's no longer necessary.

'I feel like I can grasp the entire Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain with one hand...'

This is the perception of a Great Net Immortal.

I feel as though, if I merely will it, I can bring everything in the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain right before me in an instant.

Just then, Paaaatt!

An all too familiar being appears before my eyes.

Kugugugugu!

A giant god of silver-white light.

It is the Fifth Seat of the Radiance Eight Immortals, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.

:: Seo Eun-hyun...:: Kugugugu!

The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord reaches their hand out toward me.

It's a natural result.

'Because I no longer have the Immortal Title of Crystal Glass Being...'

But this time, things are different.

Kwaaaang!

I strike away the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's hand with all my might.

::...!:: At the same time, I begin descending my main body into the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain.

My main body, clad in the white round collar robe of glass sword mountains, appears in the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain.

At the same time, the Pure-White Three Great Ultimates begins to spin fiercely behind my head, and the Wheel begins to shine with starlight.

'I've just finished a head-on battle with a Heavenly Venerable.'

The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord before me is no longer an insurmountable wall.

:: My apologies, Sword Spear... But I will not be captured by you...!:: Sensing the Triple Divinity that is nearly fully within my grasp, I grip the Impermanence Sword and aim it at the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.

:: Unfortunately, the only thing I can share with you right now is the sword.:: The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord did suddenly help me in the past life, but that was likely due to the emotional changes developed over seventy million years.

The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord of this moment is a messenger of Radiance Hall, intent only on capturing me!

It is a time I must fight.

:: Come, Sword Spear Heavenly Lord. Today, I will suppress you and proclaim before Radiance Hall that this Immortal is no easy opponent.::::...:: The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord looks at my sword and remains silent for a while.

Well, having seen someone advance to True Immortality and immediately afterward advance to Great Net Immortal, they are probably thinking I am no ordinary being.

Before I know it, my true body has grown to a size comparable to that of the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's true body.

Now I'm only slightly smaller.

'This is different from before. If it's only around the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's strength...'

:: Haaaah...:: It is then.

The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord brings their hands together, exhaling a breath made of light from their lips.

:: Sword-Guided Star Rain.:: Flash!

A silver-white light sword is summoned in an instant and flies toward me. I raise my sword upward in response.

'I can block it!'

Tukwang!

The Impermanence Sword strikes the single move of Sword-Guided Star Rain, and shatters it as is.

Jjeoooong!

A shockwave rings out above us, and a corner of the universe tears apart.

In the next moment, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord charges at me with a light sword in hand.

I spin once, adding rotational force, and aim the Impermanence Sword at the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.

But the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord headbutts the Impermanence Sword away, then slashes up with the sword.

Had this been the early stage of my past life, I would've been split in half by that single strike. But now, I dodge cleanly and grab the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's sword with one hand.

'Compared to Hyeon Mu... far too slow!'

I can handle this!

Burning with the hope of victory as I face the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, I draw forth my fighting spirit.

It's when I think as such.

::... You have grown. Now, subduing you completely will be difficult at this level.:::: Haha, my apologies, O Sword Spear Heavenly Lord...:: Cheok!

The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord clasps hands again.

'They seem about to use a decisive technique...'

The next moment.

Behind the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, I see a [silver-white snake biting its tail].

'... Huh?'

As I come to my senses, what I see is something exploding in the distance amidst a silvery white radiance.

'Th-This is...'

I feel dizzy.

A significant portion of my Immortal Body has been torn away.

I realize what is going on.

'Crazy...'

Pabat!

But before I can even piece the situation together, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord appears before my eyes.

I instinctively take a defensive stance, and when I come to my senses again, I realize I am being hurled all the way back toward a distant star cluster.

'Damn it... my internal world is in a wreck.'

Bleeding divine blood, I steady my posture mid-flight.

'What is that...!?'

I gape at the speed of the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord, which I can't even begin to follow.

'I'd probably have to push Mahayuga to its limits just to keep up...'

It's not as faint as with Hyeon Mu, but it's still suffocatingly fast.

I'm left speechless by that face.

'Just what even is that...? Isn't that practically at the level of a Governing Immortal...?'

Immediately after that thought ends, Tukwang!

Once again, before I can even react, I'm struck by the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord flying down from above and bounce all the way to the Source River.

'Insane... I tore through the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain and reached the Source River for a brief moment...'

As that thought flashes through my mind, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord appears before my eyes once more.

'Urgh!'

Tukwang!

When I come to senses again, I find myself in the Eastern Heaven Flower Field.

One of the divine spirits of the Eastern Heaven Flower Field—an old lady-like divine spirit—stares at me with wide eyes.

The old lady divine spirit quickly comes to her senses and opens her mouth.

"This... this wretched brat... the flower field..."

But before I can even apologize— The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord already appears behind me and reaches out a hand again.

Fortunately, this time I manage to block it.

Jjeoooong!

Of course, even blocking it, I'm sent flying back into the Interdimensional Void.

'Damn it... It was a mistake. I should've just run away...'

But for some reason, I feel that I wouldn't have been able to escape from that Sword Spear Heavenly Lord with the [snake] attached to them.

I've missed my chance.

'But that doesn't mean I'll lose...!'

I steel my heart, recalling the suffocating battle I fought against Hyeon Mu during the Heavenly Venerable Battle.

Tuk, tuduk, tuk-tuk-tuk!

Mahayuga activates.

Immediately after, just as the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord charges in— Tuuung!

For the first time, I deflect the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's sword.

At the same time, I begin properly wielding my sword with enlightenment being melted into every motion.

'If I use Mahayuga, I can keep up!'

The silver-white light sword and the Impermanence Sword clash endlessly.

In terms of weight class, the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord far surpasses me. But I use Mahayuga to match part of that difference, and my enlightenment of Martial Arts, having reached the level of Triple Divinity, overwhelms the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord—allowing us to fight on equal footing for quite some time.

Kaaaang!

Our swords collide, and the shockwave forces us to retreat, both of us taking a moment to catch our breath.

'If it continues like this, I can catch the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's flow and deliver a fatal counter.'

With hopeful breath, I take my stance.

'Now, even against a Sword Spear Heavenly Lord going all out, I can see a glimmer of hope!'

:: Impressive. Then I suppose I can now use a finishing move?::::...?:: Then, hundreds, thousands of light swords begin to rise around the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.

In an instant, the number multiplies to hundreds of millions, trillions, all orbiting around Sword Spear.

From the flow of those light swords, I immediately understand.

'... Ah...'

There's no breaking through that.

Only then do I realize my place and return to humility.

The only reason we were able to do so much as poke at Hyeon Mu in our battle with her was because Kim Young-hoon used the Golden Speed Heavenly King and 'connected' with us.

:: Sword Heaven (劍天).:: It seems Sword Spear, too, has once received teachings from Hyeon Mu.

That finishing move carries the enlightenment of Hyeon Mu's Dance of Emptiness, Third Form.

:: Annihilation Advancement (滅盡)!:: Paaaatt!

'Even now... against a being at the level of a Governing Immortal... am I still so far off...!'

I squeeze my eyes shut, bracing for the 1006th return that is soon to come.

It feels like this will be my one thousand and sixth death.

::...?:: Suddenly, I find myself staring in confusion at an Integration stage Ghost King that has appeared before me.

This Ghost King, suddenly interposing between me and Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's finishing move, slashes open its own belly and pulls out its innards, from which it begins to draw out a flag.

Tears stream down the face of the Integration stage Ghost King as it begins to scream with all its might.

[The Chief Judge is arriving!!] Kugugugugu!

It is then, The void shatters, and from the distant darkness, a massive [arm] engulfed in blazing crimson flame bursts forth, blocking the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's Sword Heaven Annihilation Advancement.

Tukwaaang!

The Sword Spear Heavenly Lord's technique is consumed in that crimson flame and vanishes, and from beyond the darkness, a giant god of darkness clad in a judge robe of bright red fire begins to step forward.

And with that, numerous Ghost Kings start appearing around me.

Those Ghost Kings simultaneously draw flags from somewhere and begin waving them while howling.

[The Deputy Judge is arriving!!] The void breaks again.

The Darkness True Lord, Great King Wudao Zhuanlun, begins to make their procession from the depths of darkness.

[The Killing Life Judge is arriving!!] The Blade Mountain True Lord, Great King Qin Guang, begins their descent from beyond the Blade Mountain Hell.

[The Cold Ice Judge...] One after another, the familiar Underworld Ten Kings begin descending to this place.

Kugugugugugugu!

Before I know it, the Ten Great Nether Kings of the Netherworld stand in front of me, blocking the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.

Then, the Chief Judge of the Netherworld, the Yama True Lord Yan Luo, turns to me and speaks.

:: Begin your Heaven Dao Great Net advancement.::::...!?:::: The Imperial Venerable wishes to meet you.:: The moment I hear those words, I understand the situation.

'I see...'

Thus, immediately after regression, I begin my Heaven Dao Great Net advancement.