Seo Hweol's Origin (本) (1)
The evil Sacred Master Seo Eun-hyun of Cedarwood Painting, who seeks to bring about the destruction of the universe.
To stop him, the living beings of the Bright Cold Realm have gathered once again in a certain Chaos Realm region to construct a building.
No, to be precise, it's less of a 'building' and more of a kind of 'structure.'
A structure made of massive rocks.
The rocks are piled together to form a circle.
At the same time, some Tall Tree Race cultivators are growing high-quality trees in the area, cutting them down and adding wooden reinforcements, creating something resembling a fence.
The megaliths forming the structure in a standing stone formation are so enormous that each of them measures as much as 3 li in size. Dense arrays of spell inscriptions are carved onto the surface of the rocks.
"Hey! Go grab that thing over there!"
"This way, this way!"
To build this structure, Nascent Soul stage cultivators from various races have been drafted to work together.
It has been roughly 600 years since construction began.
Approximately a thousand years since the war against the Sacred Master of Cedarwood Painting began.
Regardless of whether they were Heaven, Earth, or Heart Tribes, all kinds of races were mobilized for the construction site, using their respective racial abilities to transport the massive stones that would be used for the structure.
"Honestly, I don't see why we're the ones doing this work."
A Nascent Soul cultivator of the Leaf Race, who is using a demon art to bind spiritual energy ropes to the rocks and transporting them from the sky, flicks their tongue out and grumbles.
A Nascent Soul cultivator of the Celestial Dog Race, assisting nearby, sticks their own tongue out and pants, tilting their head at the comment.
"What do you mean 'why'? It's because the Sacred Master gave us the command!"
"That's exactly what I mean. I don't understand why the Sacred Master is making us do something like this. To be honest, if the Sacred Master or the Esteemed Ones used their power, this kind of structure would be completed in an instant. Just why do we have to be the ones doing this hard labor?"
"Hmm... Now that you mention it, that does seem strange..."
"And to be honest, that Sacred Master of Cedarwood Painting or whatever is called, is supposedly trying to destroy the world we live in, but...in my view, we're far from actual destruction. Do you think people like us will even live more than another thousand years? But here we are, doing all this work to stop something that might happen several thousand years from now. Does this really make sense?"
"Hey, you Leaf Race idiot. We have to prevent the destruction of the world, even if it's for the sake of our descendants."
"Well, if that's the case, they could've just called us. Why'd they have to bring along those kids too?"
The Nascent Soul Leaf Race cultivator glances down at the Qi Building and Qi Refining cultivators below, who are working hard to contribute even in a small way to the construction.
"I can somewhat understand them summoning Core Formation juniors. But what help could these younglings in the Qi Refining and Qi Building stage possibly offer, dragging them all here for hard labor? The ones who are supposed to be the future of their races!"
The Leaf Race cultivator grumbles, annoyed by the contradictory nature of Sacred Master Baek Woon's mobilization efforts.
Then, the Celestial Dog Race cultivator, who had been listening to the Leaf Race cultivator's complaints, suddenly smiles faintly.
"Hoho, now that you mention it, something just came to mind. There's a record in the scripts of the Demon Race about something like this. About the wars between Sacred Masters."
"Wars between the Sacred Masters?"
"That's right. The Sacred Masters, who embody the very flow of this vast universe, no longer recklessly clash and fight each other with force like previous realms. Instead, it is said they fight by prophesying fate or manipulating the flow of the world. And...we are merely a part of that 'flow'."
The Celestial Dog cultivator chuckles with a 'hoho' and points down below.
"The cultivators of the Bright Cold Realm flocking to this region of the Chaos Realm. Working together here with a single purpose, building this structure, working then resting, laughing and chatting, and living this way. In doing so, causing their culture itself to flourish here. That very act...is the Sacred Masters' 'attack'."
"Hmm...It's such an abstract concept that I can't quite grasp it."
"Don't worry, as you'll understand soon enough. Hoho..."
"...By the way, why do you keep laughing like that? Hoho? Hm. Somehow, it does seem a bit addictive. Hoho..."
The two cultivators laugh with a hoho and begin speaking to others around them.
Thus, the 'rumor' of Sacred Master Baek Woon's 'cultural attack,' which started from their idle chatter, 'spreads throughout' the construction site in an instant.
Kugugugugu!
At the center of Cedarwood Painting.
Above the Glass Cedarwood Mountain, Seo Eun-hyun half-opens his eyes.
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Haaaaaaaa—
As he inhales, the spiritual energy of Cedarwood Painting dries up.
Huuuuuuu—
As he exhales, the spiritual energy of Cedarwood Painting fills up again.
At the same time, on the reverse side of Cedarwood Painting.
Deep beneath the Peaceful Cloud Continent, on the opposite side of the world, a cluster of light begins to bloom.
It is the condensation of a nebula.
A nebula bearing the name [Seo Eun-hyun] compresses itself, filling its core with light and heat.
From the eight directions of the condensing nebula, certain symbols emerge.
Food (食), Wealth (貨), Sacrifice (祀), Minister of Works (司空), Minister of Education (司徒), Minister of Justice (司寇), Diplomacy (賓), Army (師).
The eight characters, engraved as glowing light, burn fiercely.
At the same time, the cluster of light splits in two directions, breaking into 16 fragments.
The eight concepts that existed in the life of [Seo Eun-hyun].
The concepts that defined [Seo Eun-hyun] as a [human] start to break apart, allowing the existence of Seo Eun-hyun to expand from being a [subject] to a [whole].
Among the 16 divided symbols, those that fall below become Qi (氣).
The eight symbols below turn into pure masses of Qi, shining brightly.
Each one holds energy condensed to the same level as the Heavenly Lotus Fruit Seo Eun-hyun once consumed—so dense that, if an ordinary person were to consume one, they would immediately advance to the Four-Axis stage!
Seo Eun-hyun manipulates the eight masses of Qi he has created, perceiving that he can control the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy as well as the living creatures within Cedarwood Painting in eight distinct forms.
Among the genetic information of life forms, in his hand lies Food (食), Wealth (貨), Sacrifice (祀), Minister of Works (司空), Minister of Education (司徒), Minister of Justice (司寇), Diplomacy (賓), Army (師).
He perceives he holds the authority to alter the history and information of these eight aspects.
The symbols that rise above become Fate (命).
The eight masses, ambiguous in form yet exuding attraction force, lie within Seo Eun-hyun's grasp.
Among the fates of the living beings within Cedarwood Painting, Food (食), Wealth (貨), Sacrifice (祀), Minister of Works (司空), Minister of Education (司徒), Minister of Justice (司寇), Diplomacy (賓), Army (師).
He perceives he can influence the fate related to these 8 aspects.
Now, he can control how much sustenance a living being is born to consume and what nutrients they are designed to absorb.
At the same time, he can decide 'what' a life form will eat in the future, 'in what manner', 'with whom', 'for what reason', and 'under what circumstances'.
He has comprehended the authority of Food (食).
He can determine what kind of greed living beings will be born with, what shiny objects they will covet, and what things they will trade and exchange to feel joy.
At the same time, he can decide how living beings will trade goods, the methods by which they will engage in commerce, and how their economies will develop.
He has understood the authority of Wealth (貨).
He can also decide the degree of talent that living beings possess.
He can now control how large a vessel a being will have to accept Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, and what kind of spiritual root they will be born with.
Additionally, he can influence the success or failure of a Heaven Tribe's ritual.
He has realized the authority of Sacrifice (祀).
He can control the land and earth where living beings grow, determine what kind of spiritual energy will infuse their territory, and what strength and crops will emerge there.
Furthermore, he can decide how the land will change in the future and whether the crops that grow in that territory and the cultivators who dwell there will remain or leave.
He has grasped the authority of Minister of Works (司空) in his hands.
Next, he understands the authority to influence the comprehension of living beings. He can now influence the intelligence of all living beings as they are born.
At the same time, he can interfere with the entire process by which living beings hear, see, and comprehend the world around them.
Those who earn his goodwill will see their talents grow, while those who earn his malice will see their talents diminish endlessly.
He has gained the authority of Minister of Education (司徒).
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Furthermore, he has gained the ability to draw upon the absoluteness of the world itself.
For the safety of the living beings in Cedarwood Painting, he can move them to places of his choosing, foresee the tribulations and calamities that await them, and manipulate the world's absoluteness to increase the thickness of the dimensional barrier for their protection.
As a Sacred Vessel Sacred Master, his authority for defensive battles have improved significantly.
The authority of Minister of Justice (司寇) bows its head before him.
He has also gained command over language, communication, and culture.
Through the culture, language, and communication of living beings, he can transform the world. Conversely, by transforming the world, he can alter the power of culture, language, and communication of living beings.
In addition, he can control how the culture, language, and communication methods of living beings will change in the future.
This is the authority of Diplomacy (賓).
Finally, Seo Eun-hyun can now determine how the living beings of Cedarwood Painting will undergo conflict.
He can control how they would fight and shape the intensity and flow of their battle. Moreover, he can even transform species through 'conflict', molding them within his grasp.
He can roughly define how the species will fight and change in the future.
This is the authority of Army (師).
Kiiiiiiing!
The sixteen symbols of Qi and Fate are sucked into the center of the nebula, into the light's core.
Tststststststs!
Flash!
The world trembles at that moment, and from the center of the nebula, a fixed star (恒星) is born.
The owner of that star, the being that resides within Cedarwood Painting.
Seo Eun-hyun clenches his fist in the center of the star and looks upward.
Within the secret space of Cedarwood Painting, hidden on the reverse side of the Peaceful Cloud Continent.
There, he gazes upon the massive mandala engraved on the reverse side of Cedarwood Painting.
'It's accelerating.'
The reason Seo Eun-hyun declared war against all the True Persons and Sacred Masters was not merely because he is a madman.
The mandala of Cedarwood Painting.
It was also because he discovered the power possessed by the will of Cedarwood Painting.
'The more intense my battles with the Sacred Masters become...the faster my cultivation progresses.'
Now, having reached the mid Sacred Vessel stage, he looks down at the fixed star beneath his feet and communes with the will of Cedarwood Painting.
The will of Cedarwood Painting desires something very simple from Seo Eun-hyun.
Conflict (鬪爭)!
The more he struggles.
The more he clashes with others!
The 'faster' his cultivation progresses.
The more Seo Eun-hyun observes the authority of Cedarwood Painting, the more he thinks it resembles Kim Young-hoon.
Of course, unlike Kim Young-hoon, the 'speed' granted by Cedarwood Painting isn't limited solely to Martial Arts.
'Young-hoon Hyung-nim also grew faster the more he faced powerful opponents and gained quality experiences...'
Cedarwood Painting seems to endow its Sacred Master with a talent similar to Kim Young-hoon.
'At this rate, I can definitely reach the Grand Perfection of Sacred Vessel stage within 7,000 years and challenge the Entering Nirvana stage advancement.'
Seo Eun-hyun momentarily savors the omnipotence coursing through his hands.
Now, he can mold every aspect of Cedarwood Painting's living beings like clay.
It is even possible for him to play with a single life as though moving a pawn on a chessboard.
No, it is not just the life of a single person. The fate of all groups and organizations in this world will now change entirely according to Seo Eun-hyun's will.
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This is precisely the power of Sacred Masters, whose authorities within their respective domains rival that of True Immortals!
'The erosion of the Middle Realms will be completely dealt with by Seo Hweol, who will instead absorb the Middle Realms into Cedarwood Painting...so there's no issue.'
If the attacks of the Sacred Masters are absorbed this time with Seo Hweol's help, Seo Eun-hyun's Cedarwood Painting will grow even larger than before, significantly accelerating the progress of his Artificial Middle Realm Plan.
However, Seo Eun-hyun's focus shifts away from such matters to something else entirely.
Wo-woong!
Above Seo Eun-hyun's hand, the heat of the fixed star shimmers as it blossoms into the form of a flower.
It is Flower Soul Filling the Heavens.
Sururuk—
Seo Eun-hyun's Flower Soul Filling the Heavens slips into the darkness, flowing backward through history.
[Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections. Flower Soul Filling the Heavens. Star Envoy's Authority (星使之權).]
[TL: Star Envoy and Sacred Master are written and pronounced the same way in Korean.]
The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, which records Seo Eun-hyun's history.
The Flower Soul Filling the Heavens that became completed through Ryeo Hwa's inheritance.
The authority of a Sacred Master to read history within Cedarwood Painting.
[...And the authority of Oh Hye-seo...and my Sub-Heart Sword!]
Seo Eun-hyun draws out Oh Hye-seo's authority from within his heart essence and forges the Sub-Heart Sword in the void, opening his eyes wide.
[With this, I can track it.]
Through Seo Eun-hyun's near-omniscient senses inside Cedarwood Painting, the locations of Seo Hweol's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens are pinpointed one by one.
Even Seo Hweol's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens remains unaware of this reverse world of Cedarwood Painting.
Shiiiiiiii—
All the authorities Seo Eun-hyun spoke of flow into his Sub-Heart Sword.
Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, Flower Soul Filling the Heavens, the Star Envoy's Authority.
And the Sub-Heart Sword, imbued with Oh Hye-seo's authority, follows Seo Eun-hyun's will and slips deep into the soul of Seo Ran, who coincidentally had just been 'thinking' of Seo Eun-hyun.
Paaaaaatt!
Seo Eun-hyun discovers a curse and an Immortal Art deep within Seo Ran's soul.
One is the curse cast by the Yama True Lord, the Chief Judge of the Netherworld, upon Seo Hweol.
The other is the Immortal Art left by Gwak Am in the world of Penglai Island, designed to 'fix one's will.'
Seo Eun-hyun's will reaches the depths of Seo Ran's soul, effortlessly bypassing the Immortal Art left by Gwak Am and arriving at the curse laid by the Yama True Lord.
Pitch-black darkness welcomes him.
[Now I can reach you, Seo Hweol.]
Seo Eun-hyun begins retracing Seo Ran's history.
The authority of Oh Hye-seo, the Star Envoy's Authority, the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, and Flower Soul Filling the Heavens seep into the deepest depths of Seo Ran's soul.
[You will show me your true story.]
Step—
Seo Eun-hyun takes a single step towards the curse of the Yama True Lord, located deep in Seo Ran's heart essence.
Beyond this curse lies the very depths of Seo Hweol's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
It is the place where he must have hidden everything.
'To bypass the 'canopy' created by the Yama True Lord's curse and reach Seo Hweol's depths...it will take approximately 6,000 years.'
In 6,000 years, all of Seo Hweol's stories will be revealed to Seo Eun-hyun.
And so, 4,000 years pass.
"Hohohoho..."
In a Chaos Realm region of a Middle Realm, which now envelops Cedarwood Painting.
The Seo Hweols, who have infiltrated the Chaos Realm region and assimilated into the relocated living beings so subtly that even the Sacred Masters of each realm would find it hard to notice, simultaneously burst into laughter.
"Hoho..."
One of the Seo Hweols among them, in order to offer parts of the Middle Realms to Seo Eun-hyun, raises his hand and activates Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
The world is being eroded by Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
It is such a secretive erosion that even the Sacred Masters, who are the owners of the world, are unaware of the erosion occurring within their own realms.
The full-scale erosion by Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, carried out over four thousand years!
With that erosion, everything begins to laugh.
Even the living beings with ordinary mortal fates.
Even the cultivators walking the path of Immortal Cultivation.
Even the supervisors managing the scene, and the monsters living in the Chaos Realm regions.
All of them let out 'hoho' while staring at one place.
It is the place where the stone structure they have built over 4,000 years is located.
Towards that place, everyone laughs with a hoho.
Paaaatt!
At the center of the circular structure.
Something is being projected there.
Wo-woong—
It is the image of Cedarwood Painting.
The image of Cedarwood Painting has been reduced to a small size and is being reflected beneath the sky of the Bright Cold Realm.
As this image is gradually absorbed as a part of the Bright Cold Realm, it fades due to the cultures and consciousness, lives and histories, as well as the fates of the living beings.
However, the moment Seo Hweol starts to laugh.
Wo-woong!
The fading image of Cedarwood Painting becomes distinct and starts to grow in size.
It is not just in the Bright Cold Realm.
The same is happening in the Ancient Force Realm, Purple Gold Realm, and True Devil Realm, where Cedarwood Painting is currently being eroded.
In those places as well, living beings have gathered in a Chaos Realm region, the Deep Sea, and other such places to construct structures, projecting the image of Cedarwood Painting at the center to integrate it into the Bright Cold Realm.
But at this very moment!
Dududududu!
The image of Cedarwood Painting seems to grow larger according to Seo Hweol's will before Cedarwood Painting itself truly rises into the sky above the Chaos Realm regions.
Wiiiiing—
Bright Cold Realm, True Devil Realm, Ancient Force Realm, and Purple Gold Realm.
The outskirts of these four worlds.
The Chaos Realm regions are being covered by the authority of Cedarwood Painting, and under Seo Hweol's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, they begin to separate from each of their Middle Realms.
Originally, during the Bright Cold Realm's invasion of the True Devil Realm, the Vast Cold Jade eroded the True Devil Realm's devilish energy into the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy of the Bright Cold Realm, transforming the True Devil Realm into part of the Bright Cold Realm.
Similarly, the energy of Cedarwood Painting is now eroding the lands of the Bright Cold Realm and the other Middle Realms.
Chiiiii—
It is a glass-colored flame.
The glass-colored flame surges like a wave, engulfing the living beings captured for forced labor, and soon they are inhaling the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy of Cedarwood Painting along with its Glass True Fire.
By the time the Sacred Masters of the Middle Realms realize what is happening, it is already too late.
Kugugugugu!
Cedarwood Painting vibrates and begins to tear apart the Chaos Realm regions of each Middle Realm, as if a predator is ripping into chunks of flesh.
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Chwararararak!
From Cedarwood Painting, thousands of Candle Dragons emerge.
Shrouded in Glass True Fire, they embed spiritual jade known as Cedarwood Advancing Jade (杉木進玉) into various places.
Just like with the Vast Cold Jade, the Cedarwood Advancing Jades begin to completely alter and erode the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy and spirit veins of the Bright Cold Realm from their very roots.
And then, in an instant,
Kududududu!
Earthquakes sweep across the Chaos Realm regions of each Middle Realm.
Baek Woon, enraged, forges a spear from clouds and hurls it at Cedarwood Painting.
Hae Lin crushes the armrest of the dragon throne, stirring the Deep Sea.
Ban Ta, glowing furiously, unleashes a beam of light from his mouth.
Ja Eum, expression serious, seems to be deep in thought about something.
However, none of them can stop Cedarwood Painting's erosion of the Middle Realms.
Without even rats or birds knowing, an Immortal Art that erodes everything by the time one notices.
That is precisely Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
Chichichichichi—
Parts of the Middle Realms are torn away by Cedarwood Painting, and amidst the Sacred Masters' wrath, Cedarwood Painting Sacred Master Seo Eun-hyun smiles.
[At last, it is complete.]
Kugugugugu!
Portions of the Middle Realms.
And 2,800 [worlds] of Decaying Corpse Realms.
After nearly 5,000 years, a portion of Seo Eun-hyun's plan has finally come to fruition.
The Artificial Middle Realm Plan.
Devised based on the Liberation Law Talent of Kim Yeon, a human-made Middle Realm!
Though it remains far inferior in absoluteness compared to a true Middle Realm, and much more fragile and crude, its weight class has now reached a point where it can no longer be dismissed.
Woo-woooong!
At the center of Cedarwood Painting, now using the vastly increased weight class of Cedarwood Painting, Seo Eun-hyun leaps to the next stage of the plan.
Flash!
Seo Eun-hyun's fixed star, having reached the end of its lifespan, begins to dim with light gradually fading. However, its volume starts to expand.
From the center of the fixed star, Seo Eun-hyun half-opens his eyes.
[Correctness.]
At his single utterance, the 'light' of the entire Cedarwood Painting transforms.
The light, which had previously shone down uniformly, now intensifies with even greater brilliance.
Seo Eun-hyun recalls the years that have passed.
The four thousand years after reaching the mid Sacred Vessel stage, when he obtained the authority of the Eight Paths and used it to desperately resist the erosion of the four Middle Realms.
Now, those years are behind him.
And with those years, through refining his abilities, he has also fully grasped the formula of the mid Sacred Vessel stage, the formula of Correctness and Straightforwardness (正直).
If the formulae of the early Sacred Vessel Stage—Year (歲), Month (月), Day (日), Hour (辰), Calendar (歷)—are about evenly distributing the world's light,
Then the mid-stage formula of Correctness and Straightforwardness is about letting the light shine down upon the world correctly and straightforwardly.
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'The authority of a Sacred Vessel Sacred Master is derived entirely from light.'
The authority of the Eight Paths they wield.
In other words, the ability to freely manipulate the eight concepts of the world they inhabit originates entirely from the 'power of light.'
Thus, to grow as a Sacred Master means to grow one's ability to wield light.
'I'm almost there.'
Light is an indispensable existence for life.
To living beings, light is everything.
It is both a blessing and grace, a guide that helps countless living beings continue surviving in this world.
That is why Sacred Masters gain the authority to control the lives of living beings in exchange for providing them with light.
Seo Eun-hyun perceives that because he has been 'correctly and straightforwardly' supplying light, he can now 'correctly and straightforwardly' seize control over the fate of Cedarwood Painting.
'Now it's time for the late Sacred Vessel stage, Strong Rule (剛克).'
The formula for Strong Rule is to supply 'light strongly.'
By strongly supplying the living beings of Cedarwood Painting with light, grace, and blessings, he can in return obtain an even stronger authority to forcefully control their lives.
This is the cultivation of the late Sacred Vessel stage.
To control someone's fate and history, one must first bestow grace upon them.
'Because it becomes possible to strongly control one's world even more forcefully from the late Sacred Vessel stage, the precision of one's control over the world increases considerably.'
While even more actively bestowing Cedarwood Painting with light, blessings, and good fortune, Seo Eun-hyun opens his eyes.
Cedarwood Painting, which has been turned into a vast Middle Realm by Seo Hweol, feels like it's firmly within the palm of his hand.
'Only one step to the Grand Perfection Sacred Vessel stage... But I can do it even now.'
Seo Eun-hyun's eyes gleam.
Generally, it is standard to reach a realm's 'Grand Perfection' before progressing to the next realm.
However, a standard is just a standard.
'It is possible to advance to the next realm directly from the late stage.'
At the late Qi Building stage, it is possible to challenge the Golden Core stage directly because one has already created 21 stars, completing three-quarters of the Heavenly Sphere Diagram necessary to lay the foundation for the Golden Core.
At the late Core Formation stage, it is possible to directly challenge the Nascent Soul stage because one has already completely taken control of their body's spiritual energy and thoroughly made their entire selves into an altar.
At the late Nascent Soul stage, it is also possible to challenge the Heavenly Being stage because the Five Elements have already been added to the Yin-Yang Spirit.
For the Heavenly Being stage, even without the formulas of Acceptance at Fate's End or the Vast Cold Heavenly Circle, it is possible to progress to the next realm because the cycle of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter has already been completed.
Similarly, for the late Four-Axis stage, the completion of the Four-Axis Canopy allows for advancement to the Integration stage without issue.
In truth, for every realm, even without achieving Grand Perfection, it is possible to progress to the next realm during the late stage—though the success rate will be significantly lower!
'If combined with the power of Cedarwood Painting...it's possible to immediately challenge the Entering Nirvana stage. Furthermore...'
Seo Eun-hyun smiles faintly.
He has broken through an insane level of difficulty to reach the Sacred Vessel stage through Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation.
Thus, even if he reaches the Entering Nirvana stage as a Heaven Tribe or Earth Tribe, the 'remaining path' would still be in the Sacred Vessel stage.
This means that, even after reaching the Entering Nirvana stage, he would still be able to cultivate as a Sacred Master, making him a one-of-a-kind existence within the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain!
'If I reach the Entering Nirvana bined with the authority of Cedarwood Painting, I'll be able to touch the Plane of Fate.'
Just as the other True Persons had done by combining their powers, Seo Eun-hyun would also be able to perform 'prophecies.'
'If I can just achieve that...my plan will undoubtedly succeed.'
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'It's not impossible. But...'
Seo Eun-hyun looks at Seo Hweol, who had just helped him complete the artificial Middle Realm using Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
Seo Hweol seems unaware of Seo Eun-hyun's gaze.
No, perhaps he notices but is pretending not to.
'I just can't figure out what that guy is thinking.'
Although Seo Eun-hyun is capable of reading the thoughts of the living beings within this plane, Seo Hweol's true thoughts remain beyond him.
This is because Seo Hweol's thoughts reside only within his most hidden place.
It does not leave the deepest recesses of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.
Aside from that, the only thoughts Seo Eun-hyun can read in Seo Hweol's mind are those filled with trivialities like flame-grilled sea cucumbers or grilled eel rice bowls prepared by Oh Hye-seo.
[...This glutton who thinks of nothing but food. Could it really be that nothing else occupies his head?]
Seo Eun-hyun jokingly grumbles about Seo Hweol.
Of course, Seo Hweol wouldn't hear him, but Seo Eun-hyun does so just in case.
'The bastard can't be trusted.'
The advancement to the Entering Nirvana stage inevitably creates a moment of vulnerability.
Will Seo Hweol truly do nothing during Seo Eun-hyun's advancement, or will he attempt something?
Not being able to know that uncertainty is the biggest issue.
After pondering for a moment, Seo Eun-hyun finally makes a decision.
'...Fine. For now, let's challenge the Entering Nirvana advancement ritual.'
However...
He decides to keep this a secret from Seo Hweol and his other comrades.
He must complete the advancement to the Entering Nirvana stage in complete secrecy, without anyone knowing.
'The path to advance... The Earth Tribe path seems best.'
Advancing through the Heaven Tribe path is cumbersome, requiring numerous procedures.
In contrast, the Earth Tribe advancement ritual, which focuses on explosions—and only explosions, is much simpler.
'With my current state...the time required for advancing to the Entering Nirvana stage should be roughly 1,800 to 2,000 years.'
Seo Eun-hyun calculates the timeline and narrows his eyes.
'It will likely coincide with the time I reach the deepest depths of Seo Hweol's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.'
Whether Seo Eun-hyun can successfully advance to the Entering Nirvana stage in secret without anyone knowing, reach the deepest recesses of Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens, seize Seo Hweol's everything, and bring his plans to fruition—
Or whether Seo Hweol will discover him midway and execute the move he is undoubtedly preparing right now.
That will decide the outcome of this duel.
'I know what you're preparing right now, Seo Hweol.'
Seo Eun-hyun's eyes glint.
At some point, Seo Hweol began pretending to cooperate with Seo Eun-hyun while secretly searching for the whereabouts of Oh Hye-seo's split soul, 'Seo Hye,' which escaped from Seo Eun-hyun's grasp.
Seo Hye's location is already on the verge of being captured by Seo Hweol's information network.
It seems he intends to use Seo Hye to connect to Seo Ran in some way, but Seo Eun-hyun smiles faintly.
'It's already too late, Seo Hweol. Seo Hye is already...nearly completing Seo Ran's Tainted Soul Filling the Heavens.'
Whatever Seo Hweol is scheming, he will not be able to obtain what he desires.
Believing this, Seo Eun-hyun splits himself into two.
The flow of the entity known as Seo Eun-hyun divides into three.
Heaven Tribe, Earth Tribe, and the Martial Artist Seo Eun-hyun.
Among them, the Martial Artist Seo Eun-hyun uses Hidden Heavens Beyond the Path on the Earth Tribe Seo Eun-hyun.
The existence of the Earth Tribe Seo Eun-hyun reaches the domain of purity, almost vanishing entirely from the world.
Thus, hidden from everyone's sight, the Earth Tribe Seo Eun-hyun begins his advancement to the Entering Nirvana stage.
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