Seo Hweol's Origin (本) (3)
Blink—
Seo Hweol opens his eyes.
'...Has the opportunity come?'
The gaze of Seo Eun-hyun, who has been persistently following him all this time!
At last, it has diminished.
At the same time, he senses that the surveillance over Seo Ran has also weakened.
'Seo Eun-hyun...is preoccupied with something important. Even if he has completed the artificial Middle Realm, for him to slacken his surveillance of me while the Sacred Masters are keeping a watchful eye...'
Seo Hweol quickly predicts Seo Eun-hyun's actions within Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens and smiles faintly.
"Entering Nirvana advancement. That must be it, as expected..."
He looks down at his hand.
'I'm holding on by pouring every kind of secret art into it...but it's difficult.'
Seo Hweol's collapse is accelerating.
The connections among the Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, scattered across the entire universe, are gradually thinning.
'That being knows me well.'
Terrifyingly, Seo Eun-hyun has been suppressing Seo Hweol in a way optimized to weaken his power.
From severing his connection with Seo Ran and forcing the erosion of the Middle Realms while evading the watchful eyes of the Sacred Masters,
Forcibly summoning the star veins of the Astral Realm through Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens to sketch a star vein formation exclusively for Cedarwood Painting.
All of it consumes a tremendous amount of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, and each time such missions continue, the connection between Seo Hweols grow weaker.
At this rate, Seo Hweol will collapse much sooner than he anticipated.
Seo Eun-hyun, perhaps, is deliberately aiming for that outcome.
'...Should I act now?'
Seo Hweol's vertical pupils widen as he sinks into thought.
He has two plans: Plan 1 and Plan 2.
Plan 1 offers a method to immediately seize Seo Ran. Plan 2 requires more time, but allows him to thoroughly manipulate Seo Eun-hyun and achieve his ultimate goal.
If he follows Plan 1, there is a four in ten chance of reclaiming Seo Ran from Seo Eun-hyun's grasp.
However...if he follows Plan 2, there is a nine in ten chance of successfully manipulating Seo Eun-hyun.
'But there's not much time. Moreover, if I miss this moment when that bizarre old monster is focused on advancing to Entering Nirvana, I don't know when another opportunity will come. I need to execute Plan 1, but...'
The problem is the success rate.
A mere 40%!
No, even that is an optimistic estimate. When he adjusts the probability coldly and rationally, the probability is no more than 18%.
'Must I gamble on such slim odds?'
With his vertically slit pupils, Seo Hweol quietly gazes up at the sky.
'Is there truly no way to escape the hands of that old monster Seo? I'm searching for Seo Hye, but...even if I find Seo Hye, surely that old monster must have done something. It might not even be the split soul of Oh Hye-seo I once knew. If that's the case, then what am I supposed to do...?'
Seo Hweol feels as though he can't breathe.
He's simply trying to find a way to deal with Seo Eun-hyun, but every time he thinks of Seo Eun-hyun, no solution comes to mind.
'To defeat Seo Eun-hyun now...I need a variable. A single variable that can deceive his...eyes...'
Shudder...
Seo Hweol looks at his trembling arm and lets out a faint sigh.
Then, following Seo Eun-hyun's orders, he continues assisting Kim Yeon with adjusting Cedarwood Painting.
Cedarwood Painting, loosely tied together with the power of countless Decaying Corpse Realms and parts of the Middle Realms, must be adjusted frequently to keep functioning as a world.
Of course, this will eventually be resolved after tens of thousands of years once the adjustments are complete.
Woo-woong—
Seo Hweol's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens is touched by Kim Yeon's consciousness.
Kim Yeon's thread of consciousness, inherited from the Mad Lords' Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon, reaches Seo Hweol and delivers an order to him.
Seo Hweol somehow feels as though this entire situation is as if he is working under the Mad Lord's orders.
'In his lifetime, I couldn't touch the Mad Lord himself, but I controlled his direction with my own hands... Yet now, after his death, I am controlled by the hand of his disciple.'
It is, in a way, an ironic situation.
And as Seo Hweol is thinking this—
Suddenly, for a brief moment.
For a very brief moment after receiving Kim Yeon's command, Seo Hweol's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens falters.
'...This is...'
It is a fleeting instant.
An incredibly brief moment, but through Kim Yeon, Seo Hweol senses the 'power of the Bright Cold Realm' that Kim Yeon has been cultivating within the Mad Lord's Wonderfully Mysterious Fortress.
The authority that Hyeon Eum or Blood Yin would call the 'power of Vast Cold.'
Seo Hweol, albeit briefly, 'witnesses' that power using Kim Yeon as a medium.
That is all.
But...just that alone sparks an inspiration in Seo Hweol's mind.
It is a coincidence.
No, perhaps it is fate.
But the crucial point is that just witnessing the power of Vast Cold for a moment allows Seo Hweol to think of a new plan that he could not have conceived before.
'...'
Seo Hweol silently observes the plan that arises in his mind.
And he realizes that this plan has a considerably high chance of success.
'...Why have I been unable to think of this plan until now?'
Seo Hweol quickly understands the reason.
'...I see. That's right... Because this is completely different...from the oath I made and embedded in my soul. It's because I thought my Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens might waver...and if I execute this plan, Seo Ran might discover the secrets of my Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens. Seo Ran, too, seems to have recently gained a feeling for it...'
A perilous plan that might shake Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens and reveal its weakness to Seo Ran.
However, Seo Hweol thinks that this plan is still better than proceeding with Plan 1 alone.
'Along with the original Plan 1, I will execute this plan simultaneously.'
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That is the only way for Seo Hweol to raise his odds of victory against Seo Eun-hyun.
In the deepest depths of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, Seo Hweol sharpens his vertical pupils even further and makes his decision.
'...Good. It's a perilous plan, but I must attempt it.'
He rises from his spot and begins walking towards an event currently taking place in a corner of Cedarwood Painting.
And in the deepest depths of Seo Hweol's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens,
A 'voice' resounds.
—You've gone mad. Seo Hweol. Completely mad and corrupted...
The western edge of Cedarwood Painting.
In a mountain range known as the Golden Shaking Mountain Range, a grand hall has been erected for someone.
This hall belongs to the person with the highest status when only considering distribution within the current Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.
It is for Yeon Wei.
Yeon Wei lies on a bed, staring at the ceiling.
'It seems my life is coming to an end...'
Her main body is a spirit that is enshrined in the Head Realm Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect's sect.
What is here now is merely a split soul strand of her soul.
In the past, when there was no vessel for this split soul to reside in, she always remained within her descendant, Yeon Jin. But ever since Seo Eun-hyun became a Sacred Master, Yeon Wei resided in the human body Seo Eun-hyun created for her, watching over the cultivation of Jeon Myeong-hoon, who represents the very future of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect. This has been Yeon Wei's joy as of late.
Step, step...
A group of people enter the bedroom where Yeon Wei lies.
At the forefront is Jeon Myeong-hoon, followed by several others.
"Yeon Wei. Is your body well?"
As the Supreme of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, Jeon Myeong-hoon speaks to Yeon Wei equally.
Yeon Wei attempts to rise and show respect, but Jeon Myeong-hoon stops her.
"Do not rise. That's an order. I've recently heard that your lifespan is coming to an end, but..."
"...Yes. That is true. Embarrassingly, as my lifespan diminishes, the attraction force of the Netherworld grows stronger. Soon, I will likely be dragged to the Underworld...to pay for the sins of my life."
"...Yeon Wei."
Jeon Myeong-hoon speaks with a bitter expression.
"Now, this Esteemed One has reached the Grand Perfection Star Shattering stage. Soon, I will undergo the advancement ritual to the Sacred Vessel stage and possibly become a Sacred Master. When that happens...with the authority of a Sacred Master, I can extend your lifespan. A Sacred Vessel is an existence of at least that much power!"
"...It is alright. I have already lived a life far longer than I deserve. I have spent too much time in this world and even witnessed the growth of Sir Jeon Myeong-hoon, the successor of the Golden Divine. Now...I simply wish to rest."
"...Yeon Wei..."
Jeon Myeong-hoon, along with Kim Yeon and Oh Hyun-seok, who have been with Yeon Wei from before, as well as Seo Ran and Hong Fan, who have gradually built a connection with Yeon Wei under Seo Eun-hyun, all wear gloomy expressions.
"...How much time remains?"
At Jeon Myeong-hoon's question, Yeon Wei reads the celestial energy and responds.
"About seven years."
Seven years.
For mortals, it is quite a long time.
Some might say it is enough time to accomplish many things.
But...for Yeon Wei, whose spirit is that of a cultivator of the Four-Axis stage, the seven years would be nothing more than an agonizing period of constant resistance against the Netherworld's attraction force.
Jeon Myeong-hoon lets out a sigh and closes his eyes.
"...I will pray for your lifespan to increase."
Following Jeon Myeong-hoon, Kim Yeon, Oh Hyun-seok, Hong Fan, and Seo Ran all join Jeon Myeong-hoon in their prayer for Yeon Wei.
At that moment—
"May I...join in that prayer as well?"
Seo Ran flinches in surprise and stumbles backward, while Hong Fan steps in to shield him.
Jeon Myeong-hoon looks at the owner of the voice with an irritated expression, and Kim Yeon glares at the figure with wary eyes.
It is Seo Hweol.
Jeon Myeong-hoon does not hide his annoyance as he asks.
"What is it, Sea Dragon King? Why are you here?"
"Like I just said. I have come to offer my prayer for Great Master Yeon's wellbeing."
At this, Kim Yeon speaks in a solemn tone.
"Mm-mm-mm...? Mmm-mm-mmm mm-mmm-mm mm-mm mmm-mmmm-mm?
"She is probably...questioning your sincerity."
Hong Fan, seemingly focused on interpreting Kim Yeon's words, barely manages to explain her meaning.
Seo Hweol looks at Hong Fan.
More precisely, at Seo Ran, who is hiding behind him.
"From the Sacred Vessel stage onward, one gains the ability to influence the Plane of Fate. And...the prayers of such Sacred Vessels can, by themselves, affect one's lifespan. With even a modest prayer, it is possible to extend a predetermined lifespan by one or two years."
"Are you saying you will extend Yeon Wei's lifespan?"
"That is not what I mean. I am simply expressing 'goodwill.' As the goodwill of a Sacred Vessel has the effect of enhancing lifespan on its own...I merely wish to offer my heartfelt prayer."
"And who are you to do so?"
"...I am a natural-born Sacred Vessel."
At Seo Hweol's words, Jeon Myeong-hoon considers slapping him but clicks his tongue instead.
"Do as you please. If you attempt anything suspicious, Seo Eun-hyun will stop you anyway. However, only your genuine goodwill will be allowed. If you reveal any malicious intentions, whether you are Seo Eun-hyun's tool or slave, I will kill you immediately."
"Hoho...hohohoho..."
As if Jeon Myeong-hoon's words are amusing, Seo Hweol laughs.
Seo Hweol briefly meets Seo Ran's gaze before approaching Yeon Wei. He presses his palms together as if praying to the land gods enshrined in a temple.
Closing his eyes and erasing all expression from his face, he speaks.
"...For your well-being. I, Seo Hweol, offer my prayer."
Seo Hweol bows slightly.
Yeon Wei watches this scene and nods absentmindedly. Seo Hweol then smiles again, turns around, and exits Yeon Wei's chamber.
"...Hey, Kim Yeon."
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Jeon Myeong-hoon asks with veins bulging on his face.
"I know you're specialized in consciousness. Did you sense any malicious intention from Seo Hweol just now?"
However, Kim Yeon responds with a serious face.
"Mm-mm-mm...mm-mm-mm-mm mm mm-mm...mm-mm...mm-mm-mm-mm..."
"'No. Surprisingly, he was sincere,' she says."
Hong Fan, straining his mind, interprets Kim Yeon's language and delivers the message to Jeon Myeong-hoon.
Hearing this, Jeon Myeong-hoon looks slightly surprised and stares in the direction Seo Hweol left.
'What is this...? I've heard about his Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens from Seo Eun-hyun. I know of that Sea Dragon King's schemes and cunning... And yet, that sly man just walked away after offering a sincere prayer for Yeon Wei out of goodwill?'
Unable to understand, Jeon Myeong-hoon stares towards the place Seo Hweol has left.
Leaving the hall built for Yeon Wei, Seo Hweol hides one of his clones in the darkness.
Then, in the deepest depths of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, Seo Hweol hardens his expression.
"...I've been exposed...to Seo Ran...Now that brat will try to delve even deeper into Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens."
Seo Hweol's vertical pupils slit further as a cold look spreads across his face.
Splatter!
In the deepest depths of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens,
From Seo Hweol's seven orifices, black liquid begins to stream.
At a glance, it almost resembles blood, an evident sign that his Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens is distorting.
"...The backlash is too severe. The entirety of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens is shaking."
Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble!
It is exactly as it seems.
Starting from the deepest depths of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, the configurations spread across the entire universe begin to tremble.
Yet, Seo Hweol laughs.
"Hoho...As expected, any action that violates the oath has a massive impact on the Immortal Art. Hoho..."
What Seo Hweol did just now is simple.
He sincerely prayed for Yeon Wei.
As Kim Yeon had detected,
A sincere benevolence.
A very simple and primal emotion.
Nothing more.
And yet...
Because of it, his Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens is shaking.
'...The die is cast.'
Seo Hweol slits his vertical pupils and grits his teeth, smiling.
'I have staked everything on this act that's capable of overturning the foundation of my Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens. e over.'
He looks in a certain direction.
It is not towards Glass Cedarwood Mountain, where Seo Eun-hyun resides.
It is...towards where Seo Ran is.
Because Seo Eun-hyun has already grown too large to be part of his plan,
He needs someone who can fit in his plan.
And that person is none other than Seo Hweol's main body.
'Seo Ran...!'
It is Seo Ran.
After Seo Hweol has left, Seo Ran's eyes gleam.
'...I see.'
With a slightly flushed face, he approaches Yeon Wei and prays sincerely.
'Please, let Elder Yeon Wei's lifespan increase, even if just a little. O heavens above...'
Seo Hweol had said it.
That he is a 'natural-born Sacred Vessel.'
And Seo Ran is 'Seo Hweol's main body.'
Which means that, although Seo Ran has yet to perceive it—
He, too, is a Sacred Vessel.
Therefore...
With Seo Ran's wishes, Yeon Wei's lifespan can surely extend.
'Even with Great Master Kim Yeon's awareness, she didn't notice any tricks Seo Hweol might have pulled. Additionally, Senior Seo Eun-hyun said he is always watching Seo Hweol and me. If Seo Hweol had done something suspicious, he would have noticed. Since neither of them has said anything...it means there's no problem with praying as Seo Hweol said!'
Seo Ran prays for Yeon Wei with a heart of benevolence.
Please, let her remain by their side for just a little longer...
At the same time, as Seo Ran reflects on the heart of benevolence, he realizes something.
Seo Ran leaves Yeon Wei's chamber alongside the others.
Jeon Myeong-hoon and the rest immediately leave to cultivate or fulfill their assigned tasks, but Seo Ran holds back one of them.
It is Kim Yeon.
"...Great Master Kim Yeon, I think I finally understand now."
At those words, Kim Yeon, who was about to fly into the sky, turns back and lands in front of Seo Ran, asking,
"Mm?"
"...I don't know why Seo Hweol suddenly appeared in front of me and showed me so openly. But...I finally understand."
Seo Ran, somehow, feels a sense of relief.
"I have at last understood the weakness of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens. And...I think I can also finally be certain of the existence known as 'Seo Ran'."
Somewhere far away in the Astral Realm.
On a certain planet, a woman is painting.
She is a being named Seo Hye, and also a being who split from Oh Hye-seo.
Suddenly, Seo Hye looks up at the sky.
"...Have you found the answer, Seo Ran?"
Since splitting off from Oh Hye-seo,
She has been pondering for thousands of years.
Along with 'Seo Ran's' Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens configuration attached to her soul,
She has been contemplating on their identity together with Seo Ran.
And after thousands of years, Seo Ran has found the answer to the question of his existence.
The deepest depths of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
Within that deep darkness, an incarnation of Seo Hweol dressed in a dark-red robe—formed from the overlapping wills of countless Seo Hweols—crawls across the floor, gritting his teeth.
Buduk, budududuk, bududuk...
Black liquid seeps from his sevens orifices and across his body.
The smile that had once hung on Seo Hweol's lips has disappeared, and with an expressionless face, he writhes in pain.
Budududuk...
Seo Hweol clutches his chest and frantically scratches the floor of the deepest depths of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens with his hands.
Each time, his fingernails tear off, and black pus widely flows from his body.
Even with an expression devoid of emotion, Seo Hweol is clearly 'suffering.'
"...Have you established it, Seo Ran?"
Seo Ran speaks with certainty before Kim Yeon.
The Heaven Tribe Seo Eun-hyun, who is not conducting the advancement ritual.
The Martial Artist Seo Eun-hyun.
And Kim Yeon and Hong Fan, who are present, all listen to Seo Ran's answer.
"While spending time with the children of the Candle Dragon Race, remembering them, and holding them in my heart... And while spending time with Seo Hye, while spending time with Shi Ho... Finally...today, I understand. No, perhaps, I think it's more accurate to say that what I already knew has finally been established today."
Seo Ran smiles brightly.
"The weakness of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens is benevolence. Though Tainted Soul Filling the World manipulates the world as it pleases...it cannot invade the power of benevolence. That is why, through my mother's benevolence and love, I was born into this world."
Kim Yeon silently smiles and holds Seo Ran's hand.
Hong Fan looks at Seo Ran with a subtle, ambiguous smile.
"It doesn't matter if I am not truly Seo Ran. I have already received endless benevolence and love from innumerable connections, and I have also given it. As long as the fact that I have shared benevolence remains...I am Seo Ran."
As if finally free from the burdens that had weighed upon his heart,
Seo Ran smiles brighter than ever.
In the distant Astral Realm.
Through Seo Ran's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens configuration, Seo Hye—who shares Seo Ran's enlightenment—sheds tears.
"...I see, Seo Ran. Then...I, too, am Seo Hye."
With a face that somehow seems much more at ease, she looks up at the stars in the sky.
"Thank you, Seo Ran..."
Center of Glass Cedarwood Mountain,
Seo Eun-hyun warmly smiles as he witnesses Seo Ran's enlightenment.
In his mind, the image of a comrade and friend from long ago,
Someone who was also like a child to him—SeSeo Hweol's Origin (本) (4)
Chapter 523: Seo Hweol's Origin (本) (4)
Seo Hweol's Plan 1.
The first plan involves using Yuan Yu.
For some reason, Seo Eun-hyun seems to feel a certain longing when looking at Yuan Yu, and because of this, he still hasn't completely discarded Yuan Yu's Blood Body.
He merely embedded it deep within his Colorless Sword Enclosure.
Seo Hweol took advantage of that point.
From the moment Oh Hye-seo reincarnated into the body of the Candle Dragon Race, Seo Hweol gradually shaped Oh Hye-seo—essentially 'Seo Hye'—to resemble Yuan Li as Seo Hweol remembers him, and made it resonate with Yuan Yu's Blood Body embedded within Seo Eun-hyun's Colorless Sword Enclosure.
At that time, Seo Hye and Yuan Yu were learning compatible methods, and through Seo Hye, it was possible to harmonize with the spiritual energy waves emitted by Yuan Yu, thereby activating the secret art within Yuan Yu.
Devilish Spell Tainted Soul Sacred Blood (濁魂聖血).
Borrowing the power of the Blood Yin Realm, this spell combines the Blood Yin Realm's devilish energy with Seo Hweol's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens to transform the area where Tainted Soul Holy Sacred is activated into a dimensional gate.
He modified it into a method called Summoning Wind, Sacred Blood Transformation and had Oh Hye-seo learn it. Seo Hweol even slightly lowered its difficulty and power to make Yuan Li learn it as well.
However, because Seo Eun-hyun did not cultivate Yuan Yu's Blood Body through Summoning Wind, Sacred Blood Transformation, it created a tricky situation. Nevertheless, it doesn't matter.
After all, the very spell constituting Yuan Yu's Blood Body originates from the Blood Yin Realm, making its degree of resonance with the Blood Yin Realm no different from having learned Summoning Wind, Sacred Blood Transformation.
Thus, Seo Hweol's original plan was to resonate Seo Hye and Yuan Yu's blood devilish energy to activate Tainted Soul Sacred Blood within their bodies.
If successful, Seo Eun-hyun's heart essence world—specifically, the interior of the Colorless Sword Enclosure—would be immediately pierced by a dimensional gate directly connecting to the Blood Yin Realm. Seo Eun-hyun would then be captured by Blood Yin and reduced to his Immortal Treasure.
No matter how much he uses his Three Great Ultimates or whatever to exert Entering Nirvana-level power, resisting when a dimensional gate connecting to a True Immortal is opened would be impossible.
However, Seo Hweol believes that the success rate of this plan is not high.
The biggest issue is the changed attitude of Blood Yin.
Blood Yin, who should have normally charged forward with frenzied madness at the mere sight of the Karmic Fire, instead observed calmly as Seo Eun-hyun revealed both the Karmic Fire and Clear Scale Armor.
This is far from a normal situation.
Thus, Seo Hweol calculated a low success rate for Plan 1 due to Blood Yin's change in attitude.
On top of that, with Oh Hye-seo being captured by Seo Eun-hyun, the plan to activate Tainted Soul Sacred Blood through Yuan Yu's Blood Body also became difficult.
However...
An opportunity arose. Seo Eun-hyun showed an opening.
Moreover, if paired with this new plan, the success rate of the first plan would significantly increase.
'I've made contact with Oh Hye-seo.'
Seo Hweol whispers into the mind of Oh Hye-seo, who has wandered endlessly in the same space for thousands of years, trapped inside Seo Eun-hyun's Colorless Sword Enclosure.
[First, it was wise of you not to call my name carelessly.]
"Ah... Aaaah... Uaaah..."
Of course, the reason Oh Hye-seo didn't call Seo Hweol's name is simply because, after wandering for thousands of years in solitude, she momentarily forgot human language. But to Seo Hweol, such details are irrelevant.
[Seo Eun-hyun doesn't seem to have noticed. He likely interprets your outburst as part of your erratic behavior. For now...just follow my instructions. If you do, we can finally gain freedom and drag that Seo Eun-hyun, who is soaring high in the sky, down into the mud.]
At Seo Hweol's whisper, Oh Hye-seo nods tearfully.
Wo-woong—
After quickly conveying several instructions to Oh Hye-seo, Seo Hweol cuts off.
'The Blood Body of Yuan Li, which I prepared for activating Tainted Soul Sacred Blood, can only be used for communication for now. But it doesn't matter.'
Having already made contact with Oh Hye-seo, he left behind Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens in her heart essence.
He can now communicate with her whenever needed.
Though there is a risk of being detected while communicating within Seo Eun-hyun's heart essence, it doesn't matter.
'I have polluted myself.'
In doing so, Seo Hweol even defiled himself while offering a 'prayer' to Yeon Wei, and Seo Ran did the same, also offering a 'prayer' to Yeon Wei.
Though Seo Hweol denies the heart, he broke his vow and acknowledged his emotions, offering a prayer filled with the heart of benevolence to Yeon Wei.
Because of this, Seo Hweol's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens embedded itself in Yeon Wei not as a 'configuration' but as the form of a 'heart.'
The extent of the shock and pain Seo Hweol experienced in this process was irrelevant.
What matters is...
Seo Hweol's 'heart' is embedded in Yeon Wei,
And Seo Ran's 'heart' is also embedded in Yeon Wei in the exact same way.
The hearts of Seo Hweol and Seo Ran,
At long last, have come together.
Inside Yeon Wei!
And so...Seo Hweol waits for the moment when the heart is amplified to the peak, needing only to make contact with Yeon Wei once again.
If Seo Hweol and Seo Ran's hearts and prayers, now embedded in Yeon Wei, make contact, then Seo Hweol and Seo Ran will finally be able to reconnect!
So, when will that moment of the 'heart's peak amplification' arrive?
The answer is simple.
It is when living beings face death.
Seo Hweol does not yet understand the great enlightenment that the heart is ultimately death.
However, through experiential learning, he has learned that when the death of a living being approaches, its emotions are amplified to their peak.
'It doesn't necessarily have to be their own death. The death of someone close to them is enough to amplify a living being's emotions. Therefore...'
Seo Hweol smiles faintly.
'Yeon Wei's descendant. Yeon Jin, was it? That would do nicely.'
Let's bring Yeon Jin before Yeon Wei's eyes and kill him.
If that happens, Yeon Wei's emotions will undoubtedly amplify to its peak.
That moment will be Seo Hweol's opportunity to connect with Seo Ran.
Though most of Seo Eun-hyun's comrades are said to be staying in Cedarwood Painting, a few remain outside.
A chief example is Yeon Jin.
Yeon Jin is diligently cultivating the Lightning Path Method in the Human Race district of Cedarwood Grove in the Bright Cold Realm.
This decision was not Seo Eun-hyun's but Yeon Jin's own will.
Yeon Jin believes it is necessary to remain in the Bright Cold Realm, observe the situation, and ensure there is a place for Seo Eun-hyun's group to return to if Seo Eun-hyun is defeated.
Pajijijijil!
Having already reached the Four-Axis stage, Yeon Jin changes genders using the Taiji Quaking Lightning Body and generates lightning as he surveys Cedar Wood Grove.
'Cedar Wood Grove and its Human Race district are so peaceful, yet the outside of the Bright Cold Realm is said to be a warzone.'
To be honest, it's hard for him to believe.
No, even Seo Eun-hyun was just a senior in the Nascent Soul stage at a similar level to himself a few thousand years ago.
Yet before he realized it, Seo Eun-hyun became a Sacred Master and is now waging war across the entire universe.
In such a situation, the only thing Yeon Jin can do is his best to prevent public opinion about Seo Eun-hyun from worsening within the Human Race territory.
Of course, it isn't so much that Yeon Jin is trying his best but rather that Seo Hweol is working desperately to conceal Yeon Jin's existence from Baek Woon.
Otherwise, Yeon Jin would have long been captured by Baek Woon and used as a hostage.
Whether Yeon Jin knows this or not, he adjusts his black-and-white hair and prepares to resume his Taiji Quaking Lightning Body cultivation.
It is at that moment.
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"It has been a while, Daoist Yeon Jin."
Before Yeon Jin's eyes, Seo Hweol appears with a hoho.
Yeon Jin bows his waist to greet Seo Hweol.
"Ah, Sir Sea Dragon King. It has been a while."
As far as Yeon Jin knows, Seo Eun-hyun and Yeon Wei don't hold a favorable opinion of Seo Hweol.
However, from Yeon Jin's perspective, Seo Hweol is one of Seo Eun-hyun's loyal followers who takes care of Seo Eun-hyun's affairs, so Yeon Jin doesn't harbor much ill will towards him.
Or rather...it would be more accurate to say that Seo Hweol 'adjusted' things to ensure that Yeon Jin doesn't feel any hostility toward him.
Seo Hweol smiles faintly and extends a hand toward Yeon Jin.
"That aside, Daoist Yeon Jin. Have you heard that Daoist Yeon Wei's body is unwell?"
"Ah, yes. I heard about it thanks to the letter Sir Sea Dragon King delivered. I was already thinking of visiting the ancestor...but with the war between the Bright Cold Realm and Cedarwood Painting, it doesn't seem possible right now. Huuu..."
Seo Hweol shakes his head at Yeon Jin's words.
"Hoho, that is not necessarily the case, Daoist Yeon. While it is true that there is war, it is entirely possible to enter Cedarwood Painting by passing through other realms that are unaffected by the conflict. For example, the Nether Ghost Realm or the Blood Yin Realm."
"Ah...! So there was a way like that. Come to think of it, the Nether Ghost Realm was also once the headquarters of the Wuji Religious Order."
Yeon Jin nods as he rises from his seat.
"In that case, is it possible to leave immediately? If the ancestor doesn't have much time left, it would be best to depart as soon as possible."
"As expected of Daoist Yeon Jin. Such deep filial piety. In that case, come with this king... We will pass through the Blood Yin Realm to directly enter Cedarwood Painting"
"That sounds excellent, elder Sea Dragon King!"
Wo-woong!
At Yeon Jin's words, Seo Hweol guides him into a secluded area of Cedar Wood Grove and begins forming hand seals.
Chiaaaaaaa—
Ominous blood devilish energy begins to radiate from the surroundings, and the space around them begins to distort.
Seo Hweol is faintly opening an entrance to the Blood Yin Realm using his authority.
"Blood Sacrifice Consuming Style..."
Wo-woong!
A crimson circle gradually appears before Seo Hweol and Yeon Jin's eyes.
Seo Hweol sharpens his vertical pupils with a piercing gaze.
'The gate to the Blood Yin Realm...I'll open it in Seo Eun-hyun's heart essence using Oh Hye-seo and Yuan Li's Blood Body. Then, using the opportunity when Seo Eun-hyun falls into chaos, I will take Yeon Jin to Yeon Wei... If I kill her descendent before her eyes, my plan will be completely...'
It is at that moment.
Yeon Jin's chattering voice pierces Seo Hweol's ears.
"Haha. By the way, with this, I'll have visited all six Middle Realms except the Purple Gold Realm. I'm curious to see how it will differ from the True Devil Realm."
Seo Hweol, aiming to gain Yeon Jin's favor, smiles kindly and speaks.
"Your experiences are truly broad, Daoist Yeon Jin. Come to think of it, didn't Daoist Yeon Jin once...undertake an adventure with Daoist Yeon Wei, traveling from the Bright Cold Realm to the Nether Ghost Realm, then to the Ancient Force Realm, and back to the Bright Cold Realm?"
"Yes. And before the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect fell...I also traveled to the True Devil Realm with Ancestor Yeon Wei."
"This king knows of that story as well. I've heard that, while evading pursuit from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect in the True Devil Realm, you and Daoist Yeon Wei installed a massive formation in one of the Void Spirit Ponds there?"
"Haha, it was the ancestor who set up the formation, so I don't know much about that. Instead, I just...played with the local kids in the area."
"Hoho, Daoist Yeon Jin is truly kind-hearted. To think you even cared for the children like that."
Yeon Jin, as if embarrassed, twirls his hair around his finger and speaks.
"Rather than me being kind, it's more that Sacred Master Seo Eun-hyun has deep emotions. Back then, when he was at the Nascent Soul stage, he instructed me to consider the surrounding Devil Races even as we established the formation near the Void Spirit Pond and to build friendly ties with them. He even entrusted me with gathering the Devil Race children and playing with them. It was a bit tiring to play with the Devil Race children at that time, but thinking back now, it's also a fond memory."
"Children do seem to have a way of clearing the heart, whether they're of the Heaven Tribe or the Earth Tribe."
"That's true. Although, among the Devil Race children, there were some mischievous ones who were already getting into romance and driving me crazy. I haven't even experienced romance yet myself! Ahaha, come to think of it, those kids were especially memorable."
As Seo Hweol opens the entrance to the Blood Yin Realm, he asks.
"I see. What were those children like to leave such an impression?"
"Well, ever since they were young, they were running around saying they'd get married when they grew up. At the time, they were just little children from the Batwing Race and the Horned Devil Race. But since both of those races are part of a rather famous lineage of devils, known for requiring five thousand years to reach adulthood and their breeding cycles, I told them, 'If you truly want to unite as one, it's going to take quite a bit of time.' But then Su In and Hong Yeon, those two rascals..."
"..."
Yeon Jin, who was excitedly chattering beside Seo Hweol for a while, suddenly looks down at his own body, now transformed into a female form.
Yeon Jin sucks in a sharp breath and bites his lip.
'Are you crazy, Yeon Jin? No matter how charming the Sea Dragon King is, what are you doing transforming into a woman right in front of him!?'
Yeon Jin, grappling with serious concerns about his gender identity, looks up at Seo Hweol.
Indeed, Seo Hweol is charming.
To the point where just standing there silently is enough to steal one's heart.
Of course...
Yeon Jin doesn't realize that it's due to Seo Hweol's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
He has no idea that because Seo Hweol thinks, [If Yeon Jin has a good enough impression of me to open up completely and entrust everything to me, he'll become useful], he has fallen for Seo Hweol without even realising it.
But while Yeon Jin cannot comprehend the domain of such Immortal Arts, he can at least sense that something about Seo Hweol is changing.
"By the way, Elder Sea Dragon King, are you feeling unwell by any chance?"
At Yeon Jin's question, Seo Hweol erases the entrance to the Blood Yin Realm.
"Uh, huh? Elder Seo Hweol? Weren't we supposed to pass through the Blood Yin Realm—uaak!"
Clench!!!
Yeon Jin suddenly lets out a high-pitched scream as Seo Hweol's hands grip both of Yeon Jin's shoulders with force.
Seo Hweol locks eyes with Yeon Jin, his vertically slit pupils meeting his, and wears the brightest smile he's ever shown.
"Indeed, I understand Daoist Yeon Jin's kindness well. To play with Devil Race children, with whom you barely know, to such an extent... This surname Seo can't help but be deeply impressed by your virtuous character."
"Uh, um... By the way, perhaps it's because you're from the Earth Tribe, but your grip strength is rather painful...Could you please let go?"
"...I understand. By the way...could you remind me once more where that Void Spirit Pond was, the one where you performed such noble deeds?"
"Uh, that, that is..."
As Seo Hweol's face suddenly draws closer, Yeon Jin's cheeks flush red.
Soon, with his eyes completely listing their focus Yeon Jin divulges everything to Seo Hweol.
And, some time later.
"Hoho...Sir Sea Dragon King. If your face gets so close, it's embarrassing."
"Hoho...is that so? I understand."
Seo Hweol releases Yeon Jin, who suddenly begins echoing his own laugh, and looks up at the sky.
"...At last..."
Seo Hweol's hand trembles violently.
Yeon Jin, too, laughs with a hoho and looks up at the sky alongside Seo Hweol.
"I've found it..."
All the Seo Hweols in the universe smile radiantly, their bodies trembling as if in ecstasy.
"Even after scouring the Bright Cold Realm for thousands of years and finding nothing...it turns out you found it first and smuggled it to the True Devil Realm through Hyeon Eum. Blood Yin...!"
Seo Hweol laughs with bloodshot eyes.
"I've finally found it...! The split soul of Vast Cold!"
Seo Hweol clenches his fist while staring at the sky, his body quaking.
"The heavens are aiding me... It's done now."
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Seo Hweol pushes Yeon Jin aside and melts into the darkness, disappearing from the spot.
'There's no need for cumbersome plans like opening the gate to the Blood Yin Realm. The power of Vast Cold is now in my hands. There's no longer any need to hold back my strength. I just...need to proceed.'
Finishing his thoughts, Seo Hweol moves through the darkness, heading towards an unknown destination.
Normally, Seo Hweol would have taken Yeon Jin along for efficiency, even if it wasn't strictly necessary. Yet, he deliberately leaves Yeon Jin behind.
Without realizing how strange he has become, Seo Hweol inexplicably smiles arrogantly as he vanishes.
Yeon Wei opens her eyes.
Deep into the night.
She senses someone entering her chamber.
"...Who is it?"
"It is I, Daoist Yeon Wei."
"Hm... The Sacred Master has warned me that if you ever come to see me alone, it would be because you're scheming some vile plot. I was told not to engage with you. Leave."
Yeon Wei responds without even glancing at Seo Hweol.
However, Seo Hweol pays no attention to Yeon Wei's reaction and begins to speak.
"It seems the Sacred Master has already informed you about my Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens."
"..."
"In that case, you must also know that I could reach out to your descendant, Daoist Yeon Jin, at any time."
"Ha! Is it because you don't understand the true identity of the Sacred Master? You're quite bold."
At the mention of Yeon Jin, Yeon Wei rises from her bed and looks at Seo Hweol.
"Do you even know what kind of being the Sacred Master is? Even if that person wears the guise of a Sacred Master, they are an entity above the heavens. Or, at the very least, they are someone who carries out the will of such beings. Someone like you has gone against such a being. Do you understand what that means?"
Yeon Wei glares at Seo Hweol with a grim expression.
"On the scales of Fate, the lives of the likes of us can be toyed with whenever at will. Do you think you're threatening me right now? You're mistaken. As long as that being despises you, everything you do and every future you aim for are already within their grasp."
"Hoho, how terrifying. However...that person is not an entity of True Immortal rank as you believe him to be. I know this with absolute certainty."
Seo Hweol narrows his vertically slit pupils as he steps closer to Yeon Wei.
"I am someone who has glimpsed the dream of a True Immortal. I know how those beings dream. And Seo Eun-hyun...is absolutely not dreaming as a True Immortal does. Therefore, while he may be 'connected' to a True Immortal rank existence, he is absolutely not a True Immortal himself. In the first place...! This Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain, unlike a proper Heavenly Domain, only has three True Immortals...!"
Clench!
Seo Hweol's grip brutally seizes Yeon Wei's jaw.
However, Yeon Wei does not panic and instead looks directly at Seo Hweol.
"This is merely a puppet prepared by the Sacred Master. Though crafted to perfectly resemble a mortal, it is no more than a backup vessel. My true soul resides in t