Chapter 431: Her (3)

Shaaaaa—

Rain begins to fall after the death of the Small Person Race elder.

"The River Bend of Gyeong Chang is known as Sudden Wind, Sudden Rain."

The warrior of the Flower Plant Race approaches and tells me the name of the manifestation Gyeong Chang possessed.

"You must have witnessed the sudden, overwhelming power that surged from that small needle during the exchange of techniques."

"Indeed, it was exactly like that. It was a strength that couldn't have come from such a small body. How was that possible?"

I have already guessed the reason, but I ask wanting to hear more detail.

"Gyeong Chang was an individual, yet not just an individual. He was the king, the lord, of the countless members of the Small Person Race gathered in Cedar Wood Grove. He was always connected to his people, borrowing their strength to fight. By gathering their small amounts of energy, he amplified his power in an instant, like how sudden raindrops falling can cause a disaster. That was Gyeong Chang's River Bend. And...as you might have guessed, if someone borrows something, they must eventually return it."

Shaaaaa—

I watch as Gyeong Chang's intent, mixed with the rainwater, disperses and fades away.

It's a grand spectacle.

The massive clump of intent that just moments ago had been sending power to Gyeong Chang from the sky, now expresses the grief of losing its king, saturating the air with yin energy and causing the rain to pour.

Underneath the scattering raindrops, the strength that Gyeong Chang gathered from his people returns to its original owners.

But that isn't the end.

"If you borrow something, you must return it with interest. The king of the Small Person Race has returned all the enlightenment and determination he gained in his last battle to the people who lent him their strength."

"...I see."

I now understand why Gyeong Chang accepted my Sub-Heart Sword without retreating a single step.

"Was his lifespan already nearing its end?"

"Yes. The lifespan of the Small Person Race is less than one-fifth that of the Human Race. Even if they rise to the First Step Before the Throne, they can only live two or three thousand years at most. Gyeong Chang managed to live three times the maximum lifespan, reaching twenty thousand years by consuming spiritual herbs and spirit fruits of Cedar Wood Grove, as well as stolen spiritual elixirs from the cultivators of the Heaven and Earth Tribes...but that seemed to be his limit."

A king who sacrificed himself as an offering for his people, raising the entire race to a higher realm.

That was Gyeong Chang.

That was the man before me who, in order to gain enlightenment, saw the Dao in the morning and died in the evening.

I turn to the Flower Plant Race warrior and ask a question.

"You, too, seemed willing to risk your life like Gyeong Chang. May I ask why?"

"...It's difficult to explain in detail, but all of us have our own circumstances and the twists and turns of life. After going through countless storms and tribulations, we have still survived, sharpening our resolve to reach this level—that is who we are."

They look at me with serious eyes and speak.

"My name is Ryeo Hwa (麗花/Beautiful Flower), a disciple of the Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One. While it's difficult to tell you my entire life story, one thing is certain. Even if it had been me standing in front of Junior Brother just moments ago, not only I, but everyone in the Supreme Council, no. Anyone at the third stage of manifestation or higher, would have cast aside their life without hesitation."

Only then do I fully realize that this is the territory of the Heart Tribe.

A land where anyone who can fight possesses something more precious than their life.

People who are willing to risk their lives, not for themselves, but for something else.

We call such people kings.

Thus, everyone here is an honorable king in their own right.

A forest where trees grow to build a grand palace for kings.

This is the Cedar Wood Grove.

I watch to the end as the Small Person Race gathers to hold a funeral for their fallen king.

Perhaps because I was connected to Gyeong Chang and shared his emotions, none of the Small Person Race bore any resentment towards me.

A short yet intense encounter with Gyeong Chang, followed by death.

And the events that unfolded afterward.

Through this single incident, I come to understand what kind of place the Heart Tribe territory truly is.

Afterwards, I politely ask about the names of all 21 members of the Heart Tribe's Supreme Council.

Among them, I etch into my heart the names of the five individuals who withstood my pressure the best, including the king of the Small Person Race, Gyeong Chang.

The king of the Small Person Race, Gyeong Chang.

The great warrior of the Miniature Monkey Race, Jae Hu.

The Grand Elder of the Tiny Fungal Race, Dok Young.

The prophet of the Flower Plant Race, Ryeo Hwa.

The strongest of the Shrimp Shell Race, Yu Yeon.

For some reason, I sense that I will be strongly intertwined with them even in Cedar Wood Grove.

And so, I truly became part of the Heart Tribe.

Several days passed since I began interacting with the Heart Tribe.

By the order of the Heart Tribe Supreme Council, I was guided to the outskirts of the Cedar Wood Grove.

There, they took me to a small shrine made of cedar.

"There is a request that our master left behind. According to it, Junior Brother must undergo seclusion within this cedar shrine."

"Seclusion..."

Ryeo Hwa, who became the Vice-Leader of the Supreme Council after Gyeong Chang's passing, nods her head.

"Yes. Master explicitly stated that...if someone in the Heart Tribe reaches the Second Step Before the Throne after him, they must be isolated and forced into seclusion. He firmly warned that they must not leave the seclusion until certain conditions are met."

"Hmm...I see."

It seems a bit difficult to grasp at first, but I nod.

Somehow, I feel like I understand Jang Ik's intentions.

'It's likely to properly consolidate the enlightenment gained from Second Step Before the Throne.'

The cultivation of the Heaven and Earth Tribes does not easily fade.

But the cultivation of the Heart Tribe can sometimes regress.

Their cultivation relies solely on enlightenment, so if they forget their realization after rising in level, their realm can fall again.

Jang Ik likely recommended seclusion to ensure that the enlightenment is fully internalized, preventing such loss.

Inside the shrine made of cedar, which I enter following Ryeo Hwa, is a formation that prevents any light from entering.

As if they're trying to express an impression of distant emptiness.

"What is the condition for leaving seclusion?"

"It's simple."

Wo-woong—

Ryeo Hwa raises a small, low-grade spirit stone in her hand.

"When the energy contained in this low-grade spirit stone fills the entire interior of the shrine, you may leave."

"Hmm..."

It's a task similar to filling an entire house with a single coin.

After gauging the energy in the spirit stone, I nod and sit down in the center of the dark shrine.

Wo-woong—

Upon closer inspection, I notice that the interior of the shrine is spatially compressed, and once I sit in the center, it appears much more expansive.

'No, it's not space compression...'

It feels more like the space was remodeled, similar to when a planet was transformed into an environment habitable for living creatures by Jang Ik with his podao.

"Well then, I wish you good fortune, Junior Brother. May you succeed in fulfilling Master's task and emerge from your seclusion."

"Understood."

Creak...thud!

After saying her piece, Ryeo Hwa hands me the low-grade spirit stone and closes the shrine door.

Tstststsss—

In the darkness, the low-grade spirit stone emits a very faint light.

'It's about as much energy a martial artist could inhale in a single breath using their internal energy method...'

To think I have to fill this entire space with such a meager amount of energy—it seems like a difficult yet intriguing task.

'Since things have come to this, I should properly stabilize my realm before leaving.'

With my head already full of complex issues, such as Buk Hyang-hwa and other matters, this seems like a good opportunity to organize my mind.

Woo-wong—

As I observe my inner body, I simultaneously reach out with my consciousness to observe the current situation of humanity.

'Besides the space remodeling, there don't seem to be any restrictions.'

My consciousness easily slips outside the shrine.

It seems the structure relies purely on the conscience of the person who entered to continue their cultivation earnestly.

Humanity, for the most part, appears dissatisfied with having to live among the Heart Tribe, who were once their slave race. However, a few seem interested in the Heart Tribe's ways and are earnestly exploring martial arts.

Particularly, Kim Young-hoon, a member of humanity who entered the Heart Tribe Supreme Council with dignity, has gathered quite the following. There's an amusing event where a strange group called the 'Bright Cold Martial Alliance' has begun to form from his followers.

Jeon Myeong-hoon, along with Yeon Wei and others, is holding a memorial service for the four disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect who had died recently.

Oh Hyun-seok has been engaging in endless sparring with Azure Tiger Saint, gradually preparing to inherit the Blue Sky Armor from him.

And Kim Yeon...is with Buk Hyang-hwa.

She is researching the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon while assisting in the creation of Buk Hyang-hwa's work.

I briefly turn my gaze to where they are.

"Hyang-hwa, how are your eyes?"

"They've gotten a bit blurry."

Buk Hyang-hwa's curse is said to gradually dull all her senses until they are completely lost, eventually paralyzing her nervous system and killing her.

Though called a curse, it's essentially a Heavenly Penalty that came with her Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent, and there's no way to reverse it.

Last time, Kim Yeon asked me whether it might be possible to capture Buk Hyang-hwa's soul in the same manner as the Mad Lord, using the power of the Nether Crossing Ship's power source.

But I rejected that idea.

Having been trapped in a puppet for a thousand years myself, I know clearly that such a state is neither truly living nor truly dead—a fate worse than death.

Crack...

Buk Hyang-hwa's condition has worsened recently.

She mentioned that her eyes occasionally became blurry when she woke up, or that she would lose the feeling in her fingertips. But now, the Heavenly Penalty seems to be advancing rapidly.

I can roughly guess the cause.

'Great Mountain...you...'

Her condition started rapidly deteriorating after leaving the Ancient Force Realm.

Then, the most significant event during that time must be the cause.

'What more...are you trying to take from me again...?'

Clench...

I grip the ground near me.

Grains of dirt press under my fingernails, and I can feel the soil in my palm.

I have no idea what to do.

Am I just supposed to helplessly watch as Buk Hyang-hwa slowly dies?

'If I use the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique...would it not work?'

If I overlay Buk Hyang-hwa's fate with the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique, it isn't entirely impossible.

But there's a problem with that too.

'The Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique is a method that, by offering a sacrifice, changes one's fate by giving misfortune.'

To use this on someone else, I'd be 'offering myself as the sacrifice', 'giving the other misfortune'. It would become an Immortal Art that changes one's fate.

Paaaaatt!

I gather the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections into one.

The hazy mist shrinks to the size of the lowest-grade spirit stone in front of me.

Having poured all the stored cultivation into the Colorless Glass Swords, the energy within the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is now even less than that of the spirit stone.

As I gaze at that energy, I clearly understand Jang Ik's task.

Paaaaatt!

The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections emits light.

This light illuminates the entire shrine that is filled only with darkness.

This light is the grace I received from understanding the hearts of my comrades from 'past lives.'

The shrine, once filled with nothing but darkness, is now filled with the light I have built up.

From now on, just as this light erased the darkness, the emptiness in the shrine, I will continue to strive to understand the hearts of my connections.

By doing so, this light will continue to grow.

When the light grows and becomes as bright as the sun, I will finally reach the next realm.

Illuminating the endless Emptiness ( 공/空) within my heart and filling the Hollow (허/虛).

That, is Second Step Before the Throne.

The position where one erases the Void (허공/ 虛空) with the heart!

As thus...the name of this stage naturally settles in my heart.

"Void Shattering (虛空分碎)."

Filling the hollow heart through the path of connections and the grace received from them, reaching the realm where the emptiness is erased.

'Ah...'

I now realize I have fully entered Void Shattering.

Inside the shrine of the cedar trees.

There, along with impermanence, I comprehend the structure of the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.

The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is a path.

The timeline of my past.

A path where the memories of those timelines intersect.

And at the center of that path is Buk Hyang-hwa's norigae.

I unconsciously extend my hand and grasp the connection with Buk Hyang-hwa's norigae.

Tststststst—

Then, familiar memories surge like a flood.

"Ah..."

Drip, drip...

It's the memory from that time.

The tenth cycle.

That day, that final moment from back then.

It remains so vivid.

She, who appeared before me as a soul.

Her heart, feelings, that almost-touching sensation.

The sentimentality of the kiss.

The sense of liberation at the moment when the curse became a blessing...

"Ah...ahhh..."

As I feel the tears streaming down, I fully understand Jang Ik's intention.

Those who reach the realm of Void Shattering must all realize emptiness.

Just as the answer to the Heart Sword differs for each person, so too does the answer for emptiness.

But one thing is certain.

People always forget emptiness so easily.

Whether it is breaking through or emptying out, emptiness is something forgotten far too easily.

As is the grace received from others.

Until now, I thought I remembered everything through the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.

But now I understand how arrogant and foolish that thought was.

'I haven't...truly remembered even a single thing. I...'

Though I may not have forgotten the memories, have I ever truly remembered the feelings from those moments?

Along with the connection to Buk Hyang-hwa's heart, the hearts of countless others.

Memories of the time spent with them flood into my chest.

The moments I spent cultivating Summoning Wind, Dragon Transformation with Seo Ran, sharing both hardships and joy.

The moments when I taught my disciples, telling them to live...

As I recall the emotions in each of those countless moments, I gaze at the norigae connected to me.

Wo-woong—

Through the norigae, the emotions of someone else, not mine, begin to flow in.

The current owner of the norigae,

The heart of this cycle's Buk Hyang-hwa is flowing into me.

As I faintly feel the emotions of this cycle's Buk Hyang-hwa, I finally begin to understand, even a little, her feelings as she faces her impending death.

—I will complete it, no matter what.

"...I see."

I was thinking Buk Hyang-hwa is dying.

I was thinking she is leaving me because she has been cursed.

It was a misunderstanding.

It was a misunderstanding brought about by my arrogance, thinking of her merely as 'my person.'

Wasn't it the same with my disciples?

How many times had I foolishly and ignorantly told them to just live, without respecting their true desire to achieve their life's goal?

This cycle's Buk Hyang-hwa is, at this very moment...

'Coming back to life' in order to complete her creation as she approaches death.

I see the illusion of Hong Su-ryeong.

—If we cannot overcome fate, can't we at least make choices within fate's confines?

—If death and destruction are already fated, why can't I seek my heart's own path within that fate?

My disciples, as well as Hong Su-ryeong.

They all wanted to end their lives with their own hands.

The important part isn't 'wanted to end,' but 'with their own hands.'

And now, Buk Hyang-hwa, too, is trying to complete her work 'with her own hands' before leaving.

"..."

A thought crosses my mind.

If everyone were to stay with me for a thousand years, would that truly mean we are 'together'?

People are all fated to part ways eventually.

Just as Song Jin has now left me and Seo Ran forever.

All people eventually face the time of parting

If that is the case, until that time comes, respecting each other as much as possible and remaining in each other's hearts...

Would that not be the true way to be 'together' forever?

Paaaaat!

I open my eyes and see the dancing light from the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections grow stronger.

"...Yes."

I have made up my mind regarding Buk Hyang-hwa.

"Let's prepare...for the farewell."

I will do everything I can to find a way to prevent the curse, but if that's not possible, I will bid her farewell in her final moments.

I will stay with her as much as I can and send her off as a comrade of this cycle.

Step, step...

Clearing my heart and Heart Demons, I step out of the shrine.

As I organize my dharma treasures, I fully rise to the realm of Void Shattering.

And I resolve my attitude towards Buk Hyang-hwa, as well as all the connections that will eventually leave me.

Creeeak...

Both coming and going are their wills.

If the fate that cannot be avoided tries to take away my connections, I will be sorrowful, but let's not fall into despair.

I will try to protect them, but let's not obsess over them.

While respecting their lives, let's cherish the remaining time even more.

Creeeak...

It's when I close the door of the shrine.

Kim Yeon appears before me.

"It's been ten years."

"...?"

At those words, I turn around.

At the same time.

Pasasasak—

The cedar shrine I just left crumbles into dust.

It has suddenly weathered away.

As if Jang Ik had worked some trick.

"...I see."

Only then do I understand why, even though it was the lowest-grade spiritual stone, its light went out so quickly.

From the moment I focused my consciousness inside the shrine, my cognition had been distorted, and time had passed incredibly fast.

"...In these ten years, there was a great event."

She speaks as she walks away.

"For now, let's go to Hyang-hwa. I'll explain on the way."

"Alright."

With a relaxed smile, I ask her.

"A great event you say? What exactly was it?"

"First...in the Heart Tribe territory, Sacred Master Baek Woon's incarnation came to declare recognition of your status and...bestowed upon you a title as an Esteemed One."