Chương 735: Hidden (隱) (4)

'Arrangement...'

Kang Min-hee thinks for a long time about Seo Eun-hyun's words.

'What can I even leave behind?'

In any case, there is not much arrangements she herself can leave behind.

From the very beginning...

'Rather than me leaving behind some half-hearted arrangement, it's far more effective if Master just lends a bit of power...'

That is the truth.

Instead of her leaving behind some clumsy bit of strength, it is incomparably more efficient for the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld to grant a favor a few times to the later-generation Enders.

The Underworld once told Kang Min-hee this.

That they are sorry for treating her like an emotional trash can.

But Kang Min-hee does not think that way.

Even if she is called an emotional trash can, to her, sorrow is power.

And, since the sorrow the Underworld has accumulated over eternal, unending ages is inexhaustible if one can handle it, Kang Min-hee has never felt lacking in power ever since awakening as a Heavenly King and gaining the ability to draw forth the Underworld's sorrow.

'Even if it's not the same for other Enders, Master takes special care of me and future Lapis Lazuli Heavenly Kings.'

Even if, as the Underworld says, the reason is to serve the role of an emotional trash can, that alone makes it so that Enders of Sorrow have no need for arrangements at all.

'On top of that, it was said that even if an arrangement is made, the Radiance Eight Immortals and the like will just sweep it away.'

Ordinary arrangements are unnecessary.

'In that case, what I leave behind cannot be a simple arrangement.'

Kang Min-hee understands her own position, and decides to leave behind a completely different kind of arrangement from all the previous generations.

'Things like mere lingering thoughts, sects, teachings, or methods will only vanish even if I leave them behind.'

Woo-wooong!

Kang Min-hee rises into the space above the Heavenly Escape Realm and begins weaving a principle through her own authority.

Something appears in her hands.

Patstststs— However, not long after, that something in her hands shatters.

'As expected... it's not easy.'

She slightly furrows her brows and continues trying to make something.

It is then.

"Should I help?"

Startled by the sudden presence of someone who has come right beside her, Kang Min-hee accidentally breaks the arrangement she was making.

Crash!

"... You came out like that on purpose to startle me, didn't you?"

"... Ahaha..."

Kang Min-hee glares at the Gang Sphere clone of Seo Eun-hyun that has appeared beside her.

Although it is a Gang Sphere clone, perhaps because it contains the will of a Great Net Immortal, the clone resembles Seo Eun-hyun himself quite a lot.

"I had a hunch what you were making, so I thought I should help instead."

"Ha, funny. You've already sent a Gang Sphere clone to all the others too."

At Kang Min-hee's remark, Seo Eun-hyun gives an awkward laugh again.

Seeing him like that, Kang Min-hee smirks and speaks.

"Well, fine. I'll allow you to help."

"That's quite generous of you."

Tstststs.

Seo Eun-hyun's clone stretches out both hands in front of Kang Min-hee, and Kang Min-hee stretches both hands toward Seo Eun-hyun.

Before long, the power of colourless and blue light clashes between them, sketching out something.

"Do you know exactly what I'm trying to make?"

"Not exactly. I can only faintly read the hearts of those of Heavenly Venerable rank."

"... A space where arrangements can be hidden."

That is what she is trying to create.

How many arrangements of Enders have been swept away, seized, and buried in the Head Realm by Radiance Hall until now?

Now, she will make it so such a thing never happens again.

"Our later-generation Enders... will be able to hide their arrangements much more easily."

Tsuaaatt!

The energies colliding between Kang Min-hee's and Seo Eun-hyun's hands soon begin to take the form of a dark blue palace.

Along the palace's outer walls, Seo Eun-hyun's Impermanence Sword settles in, activating Heavenly Escape, and Kang Min-hee's law binds the Impermanence Sword in place, altering the power of Heavenly Escape to persist forever.

"Our next generation of Enders will be able to discover this arrangement space once they've grown their strength to a certain level, and through it, they'll be able to pass down even more to their successors. Even if we fail in our generation, it doesn't matter. In some distant future... they will continue to inherit all the traces and arrangements of the previous generations, and someday... they will succeed."

"... Kang Min-hee."

Seo Eun-hyun's Filling the Heavens Governing View dwells in the palace, and Kang Min-hee weaves it into the palace, laying a law so that any being who is not an Ender will fail in every attempt to find it.

"What?"

"Then... if we succeed, this palace won't be needed, right?"

"... What are you talking about? You're the one who said to resolve for death and leave behind an arrangement."

"What I mean is, if we do succeed, what will we do with this palace?"

"Hmm... Well. Then we'll leave it floating outside Mount Sumeru, and someday, let's all live there together."

"Huh...?"

"We'll leave our main bodies in that palace, give fortuitous encounters only to those who need them, and from inside the palace, we'll explore many worlds and travel. How about it?"

"A house where we can all live together..."

Hearing Kang Min-hee's words, Seo Eun-hyun smiles warmly, as if imagining such a future.

"That's nice. Really nice..."

"Right? But you'll have to pay rent."

"... Monthly or a lump-sum?"

"What, I thought you forgot all the concepts from Earth, but you remember that?"

"Well, I'm not an idiot."

"Puhaha!"

Sharing banter back and forth, Kang Min-hee laughs with Seo Eun-hyun as they look at the arrangement house, where they and their comrades might one day live.

The two hide the arrangement space they have created within the principles of the world.

Seo Eun-hyun's Heavenly Escape hides it deep within the domain of purity.

In a depth even Hyeon Mu cannot find, they hide the palace of Kang Min-hee's arrangement.

Neither light nor fate will be able to discover it.

Ever since the day he heard the suggestion to leave behind an arrangement, Oh Hyun-seok has been continuously punching the void.

Paaang— The void shatters, containing Oh Hyun-seok's fist.

Paaang— He endlessly repeats the stance of Azure Wing Heavenly Shatter, continuously thrusting with straight punches.

Then one day.

Oh Hyun-seok suddenly realizes that Seo Eun-hyun's Gang Sphere clone has been at his side for some time, repeating straight punches alongside him.

"... What are you doing?"

"I think I understand what Hyung-nim wants to leave behind. I want to do it too."

"Well, fine by me."

No words are needed.

Oh Hyun-seok wants to leave behind his One Fist as an arrangement.

More precisely, he wants to leave behind the sensation and enlightenment of squeezing his body to its limits and burning up his very flesh.

He wants to leave behind an ultimate technique and enlightenment so that later-generation Enders, when they need power, can achieve their goals even if it means burning their lives away.

'Azure Wing Heavenly Shatter, my Zero Wing alone isn't enough.'

He remembers the admiration of Silver Basket.

The words saying that a [sprout] has taken root in his fist.

'If those words are true, then that sensation of wringing out everything is not wrong.'

He wants to pass down his One Fist, acknowledged even by the Creator God, to later generations.

For that, Oh Hyun-seok keeps repeating his straight punch, remembering the sensation from back then.

And at some moment.

Hwoong— Oh Hyun-seok realizes that the sight of Seo Eun-hyun throwing a punch beside him overlaps with himself.

'This is...'

Hwoong!

And from that moment on, Oh Hyun-seok becomes aware that his fist is becoming even fiercer, exuding a more vicious might.

He immediately understands why.

'This guy... is tempering my mind together with me!'

The existence called Seo Eun-hyun, who reached Martial Pinnacle.

He is a being who can only reach Martial Pinnacle by borrowing another's heart, and at the same time, the one who can lend Martial Pinnacle to others.

Paaang!

Through Seo Eun-hyun's help, Oh Hyun-seok begins to feel that his One Fist is growing strong enough to surpass the principles of the world and even destroy the world itself.

And at a certain point.

Oh Hyun-seok begins to see a certain vision.

'This is...'

It is the vision of a silver giant.

That giant, leaving behind the [being wearing a black mianguan], extends a single first toward the world of nothingness.

It is a straight punch much like Oh Hyun-seok's own.

And the moment that straight punch touches the world of nothingness—

'Ahhh...'

Hwoooong!

Kwaaaaaaaang!

Along with a powerful awakening of the mind, Oh Hyun-seok realizes that his fist, which holds no energy, no strength, no Immortal Art, has shattered space.

The purest part within a human's mind.

The most primal Primordial Chaos.

He feels like he understands the moment of putting that power of Primordial Chaos into his fist.

'Yes... this is it.'

Oh Hyun-seok can now make even clearer what he should leave behind.

'I will become a stairway.'

With his single first, he decides to become the stairway for the Enders of later generations.

Hwoong— While throwing a straight punch at the level of a first-rate martial artist of the human martial world, Oh Hyun-seok engraves that moment into the world.

Hwoong— While throwing a straight punch strong enough to kill a Qi Refining cultivator, Oh Hyun-seok engraves that moment into the world.

Hwoong!

Oh Hyun-seok throws a straight punch at the level that can kill a Qi Building cultivator.

In this way, step by step, he engraves straight punches appropriate for each stage into the world, deciding to become a beacon for the Enders of later generations.

Starting from ordinary martial artists, to Minor Boundary cultivators, Middle Boundary cultivators, and even Great Boundary True Immortals, he engraves the power of his single fist into the world so that Enders of later generations can borrow and use his single fist whenever they need it.

And, at the end...

'Silver Basket. Let's make it so they can manifest Silver Basket's single fist.'

Kwaaang!

With Seo Eun-hyun's help, Oh Hyun-seok temporarily shares the sight and enlightenment of Martial Pinnacle, engraving his single first into the principles of the world.

Oh Hyun-seok's power will periodically aid the Enders of later generations whenever they desire.

And if later-generation Enders who reach the rank of Heavenly King arrive at the end of Oh Hyun-seok's arrangement, they will be able to use Oh Hyun-seok as a stairway to Silver Basket's single fist.

They will be able to arrive at the single strike of the Creator God.

'That is...'

Oh Hyun-seok recalls the otherworldly Creator God, Silver Basket's strike.

The power of a being that pierced a hole through the world of Mount Sumeru.

'The true power of Nirvana (涅槃).'

If even one later-generation Ender, using Oh Hyun-seok's arrangement as a stepping stone, manifests that power of Nirvana...

Then they will be able to pierce through the world of Mount Sumeru and plant the hope that one could escape beyond it.

Kwaaaaaang!

Thus, with Seo Eun-hyun's help, Oh Hyun-seok engraves his One Fist into the principles of the world, and he sets it so that only the righteous ones among the later-generation Enders can borrow the traces of himself engraved into those principles.

Kim Yeon has little hesitation about what arrangement to leave behind.

Tsuaaaaatt!

This is because, right now, she holds one important power that must be widely spread.

It is Vast Cold's Primordial Origin Immortal Cultivation system.

Woo-woooong!

Kim Yeon places her hand against Seo Eun-hyun's Gang Sphere clone, and through prophecy, they transform Mount Sumeru.

:: In our name, we prophesize...:: Kurururung!

Kim Yeon, who inherited the Immortal Dao of Acceptance at Fate's End, and Seo Eun-hyun, who inherited the Immortal Dao of Repentant Enlightenment.

The powers of the one who carries the will of Vast Cold—who said Immortal Cultivation is progress—and the one who carries the will of Salt Sea—who said Immortal Cultivation is repentant enlightenment—intertwine, adding a fundamental rewrite to the Immortal Cultivation system itself.

No words are needed between them.

Feeling each other's affection and hearts, Kim Yeon and Seo Eun-hyun begin to spread the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle together.

According to the will of the two beings, various strange phenomena occur throughout Mount Sumeru.

The most representative is dream appearances (現夢).

From a certain day onward, the majority of mortal beings living in Mount Sumeru begin to dream of an Immortal Couple appearing before them, changing their understanding of the Grand Perfection Heavenly Being formula.

The Immortal Couple appear in the dreams of countless mortal beings and cultivators, breathing new Immortal Cultivation formulas into them, and many give thanks for the couple's grace and begin to believe in a folk faith toward the Immortal Couple who opened a new path in the Immortal Cultivation system.

Through Seo Eun-hyun and Kim Yeon's prophecy, all of Mount Sumeru changes, and dreams containing their enlightenment begin to be engraved into the entirety of Mount Sumeru.

And...

While scattering the formula of the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle with Seo Eun-hyun, Kim Yeon ponders.

'Is this really the best I can do?'

All she is doing is spreading the formula given by Vast Cold into the world.

Vast Cold's arrangement is admirable on its own, but at this rate, it is as if she herself is doing nothing.

'... O Mount Sumeru.'

Thus, Kim Yeon breathes just a trace of her own will into Mount Sumeru.

'Grant me this one request.'

The Primordial Origin Immortal Cultivation system she has learned.

An Immortal Cultivation system that transforms the world through a person's will begins to transform the world with Kim Yeon's will.

By adding a little of her own will to the dream appearances of the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle, she leaves behind one small arrangement of her own.

'Someday... even if an Ender passes through the painful beginning, development, twist, and conclusion, let them believe that there is something that does not vanish even within that progression...'

Her will is faint.

It is unlikely to have much influence on the Enders of later generations.

But Kim Yeon is certain.

The will she leaves behind will be continuously added to and added again by later-generation Enders, gaining flesh bit by bit.

And as a secret power unknown to anyone, it will be added to the world and, little by little, exert at least a faint influence on the beginning, development, twist, and conclusion of the Enders.

As time passes, and the progression of the Enders repeat again and again...

Kim Yeon's will shall grow, and someday...

It will create an error in the Enders' beginning, development, twist, and conclusion.

With a vow that her small wish will be fulfilled, Kim Yeon breathes her will into Mount Sumeru.

I leave an arrangement in Mount Sumeru together with all my other comrades.

In Oh Hye-seo's case, she says she will simply leave the formula of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens and has nothing else she wants to leave behind, so I leave her be.

Oh Hye-seo seems to prefer being alone rather than leaving behind an arrangement, so I respect her opinion.

Sending countless Gang Sphere clones to my comrades, I transform Mount Sumeru together with them while I prepare to leave behind my own arrangement.

'My arrangement is...'

Watching the arrangements my comrades leave, I have already decided what kind of arrangement I will leave for later generations.

'Jeon Myeong-hoon leaves behind a sect and teachings. Kang Min-hee leaves behind a hidden space to conceal arrangements. Oh Hyun-seok leaves behind a law to manifest his strike. Kim Yeon leaves behind the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle. Oh Hye-seo leaves behind Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens...'

And though he is not here, Kim Young-hoon has also left something regarding Martial Arts in the Head Realm, so he too can be said to have left an arrangement.

And by looking at their arrangements, I realize something.

'I think I understand why the arrangements of Enders are so few and precious.'

Radiance Hall.

As long as Radiance Hall, which upholds the will of fate, exists, no matter how many arrangements we leave behind, they will all be eradicated and swept away.

'Even just looking at the arrangements my comrades are leaving behind so boldly... to be honest...'

Except for Kang Min-hee's, which is specifically a space to hide arrangements, every single one is something Radiance Hall will uproot.

'So long as Radiance Hall exists, it's impossible to leave behind an arrangement normally.'

Coming to that conclusion, I clearly realize what kind of arrangement I must make.

'Thus, I will leave an arrangement inside Radiance Hall.'

Tstststststs!

While my Gang Sphere clones go to my comrades, I create a very special avatar with my main body, and send it far outside the Heavenly Escape Realm.

Across distant space and time, to a stellar realm in the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain.

Above a planet near the Palace of Radiance in the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain.

There, opening my eyes in the identity of a suitable orphan boy, I rise from my place.

And as I stand up, I feel a hand patting my head.

It is a woman wearing a silver mask with her whole body wrapped in bandages.

"Welcome. Seo."

She does not clearly say my name, but she speaks in a warm voice.

"You are... my successor Sword Spear Heavenly Lord."

Her identity is the Sword Spear Heavenly Lord.

That's right.

My arrangement is to become the candidate for the later generation Sword Spear Heavenly Lord myself, leaving an arrangement deep within Radiance Hall.