Chapter 482: Bound God (2)
'...Huh?'
I feel puzzled as my neck is severed.
'It's not Jang Ik?'
It can't be Jang Ik.
If it were Jang Ik, he wouldn't have delivered this kind of absurd strike against an Esteemed One at the Star Shattering stage.
'Jang Ik would know that those at our level won't die even if their heads are cut off.'
With my head flying off, I quickly assume a stance.
In the next moment,
Kwarururung!
Inside the spatial barrier, a golden lightning bolt emerges.
A single Thunder Bee (雷蜂) appears, grasps my severed head, and flies off somewhere.
"...!"
'I see. This isn't Jang Ik but the master of the 99th floor!'
My expression naturally darkens.
Come to think of it, something felt strange.
Although I had pierced through to the 99th floor, the masters of the 96th, 97th, and 98th floors had shown themselves, but not even the nose of the 99th floor master was nowhere to be seen.
'Then what about Jang Ik!?'
I search for Jang Ik.
And I find him immediately.
Kugwagwagwang!
The 99th floor.
Jang Ik is there, swinging his podao against thousands of Thunder Bees, preventing them from descending below the 99th floor.
Boo-woong!
As the Thunder Bee that holds my face passes by him, our gazes meet briefly.
Clicking his tongue as if in disbelief, he mutters.
"...We fell for it splendidly. All of us..."
Soon later.
At the center of the 99th floor, filled with Thunder Bees.
What stands before me stands is an enormous hive the size of a continent, attached to a tree as massive as several planets combined.
The Thunder Bee carries me inside the hive.
To its most secret chamber.
'I was wondering why it only brought my head. It must have been some kind of sorcerous act.'
I click my tongue internally.
To a Star Shattering Esteemed One, a 'head' is not a significant part.
Considering the main body is a star, what meaning does a head hold?
Even if their head is cut off, an Esteemed One can continue to remain there and act as if nothing happened.
However, this bee cleanly severed my head and simultaneously pulled my 'soul and spirit' along with it.
It must have established some kind of sorcery through the act of 'decapitation' to extract my soul and spirit to this place.
Woooo-woong!
Then, I finally see the true nature of the bee that brought my head here.
Crackling—
With sparks of thunder crackling, the bee soon takes on a human form.
Long hair.
Pale white feet.
A mature-looking woman clad in a robe of thunder and lightning.
It's a woman befitting the description 'adult form of the Golden Shaking Bird.'
As she transforms into a human form, I feel her presence descend heavily over the entire 99th floor.
Considering that each floor is akin to a separate dimension, it means that she has filled this entire dimension with her presence.
From that alone, I can immediately infer this woman's level.
'Entering Nirvana... A True Person!'
The being before me is a Quasi-Immortal!
Just a step below a True Immortal.
"...First of all, why did you bring only my severed head here?"
While testing whether I can communicate with my body, I subtly channel the power of Void Shattering and Immortal Arts while trying to avoid detection.
[I saw the distinguished one fighting the projection of Lofty Dragon. Hence, I figured that if I brought your entire body, I wouldn't be able to handle it. That's why I only brought your soul and spirit along with your head connected to it.]
"The distinguished one's realm is...Quasi-Immortal, correct?"
[In terms of the Immortal Cultivation realm of a cultivator, that would be correct.]
"What is the reason for bringing me here?"
[It is to escort you to the 100th floor.]
"What is your relationship with Golden Shaking Bird?"
Since she answers all my questions willingly, I continue to inquire.
Then, when she hears the question regarding Golden Shaking Bird, she smiles with an oddly chilling expression.
[My roots (根源)... In the terms of your people...the word 'mother' would be most fitting.]
"...!"
I glare at her and speak.
"...The reason you are taking me to the 100th floor. Is it related to your 'mother'?"
[You could say so...]
Just then,
Jjeooong!
An enormous roar erupts from the distance.
It sounds as if a dragon's cry bursts forth from a distant place, and suddenly, I find myself in the space where Jang Ik, Gyu Wol-jin, and I are gathered.
"This place...!"
Jang Ik sighs and speaks.
"This is a space that I and that Gyu fellow created by combining our powers. Using my heart essence, your heart essence, and Gyu's Immortal Beast bloodline, we temporarily created an inviolable consciousness space."
The podao that Jang Ik had sent into my heart essence in the past.
It seems that he used the trace of that podao to instantly link our heart essences, and with the power of Lofty Dragon, Wol-jin created this temporary space.
Each step of it is astonishingly intricate, and I can't help but be impressed.
"Incredible. Anyway, I am currently in a situation where I've been kidnapped by the Quasi-Immortal-level Thunder Beast that seems to be the master of the 99th floor."
"I know. And the reason I called you here is because that Gyu Wol-jin fellow said he has something to say to you."
We quickly exchange words.
In any case, we had cleared up to the 98th floor, but with a Quasi-Immortal appearing as the master of the 99th floor and me, the strongest among us, being kidnapped by that Quasi-Immortal, time is of the essence.
Wol-jin promptly speaks.
"While briefly flipping through some ancient texts, I found a record about the 'Golden Shaking Bird' that the distinguished one mentioned and the Tower of Trials. It was said right there. That the Golden Shaking Bird is the master of the Tower of Trials located within the Lightning Sacred Sea, the master of the 100th floor, and the final gatekeeper."
'...It really does hurt.'
As she said, my head and the rest of my body are separated by something like an Immortal Art.
Thanks to that, my soul and spirit is tethered to my head, leaving my main body devoid of sensation.
So then, why in the world...
Does my shoulder hurt?
'...Well, since the pain is real, it might help distract Golden Shaking Bird's focus a bit.'
"Don't touch my shoulder! My shoulder!"
[Since before, what nonsense are you...ah!]
Suddenly, Golden Shaking Bird looks somewhere below and her face quickly changes to one of shock.
'Now!'
The mental distraction through my shoulder worked.
What remains is...
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Thirty-third move.
Sumeru!
95th floor of the Lightning Sacred Sea.
The place where Seo Eun-hyun was ambushed by the master of the 99th floor who was disguised as Jang Ik and lost his head.
There, Seo Eun-hyun's floating body, the Esteemed Ones who have regained their strength, and Jang Ik, who was holding back the Thunder Bees on the 99th floor, have gathered in full. A total of twenty-five Esteemed Ones.
"Just why have the Daoists of the Nether Ghost Realm disappeared?"
"That...my apologies. I cannot say."
"Well, never mind. Can Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One...not break through the 99th floor?"
"The hole in the 99th floor has closed. The owner of the 99th floor is determined and has firmly sealed the barrier of the 99th floor. Even if all of us combine our strength, it will only create a small gap."
Wol-jin sighs.
"...Many sacrifices have been made in the conquest of the Lightning Sacred Sea...but to lose someone at the level of possessing Immortal Talent (仙才) so futilely...it is a loss for the Bright Cold Realm."
The other Esteemed Ones also looked grim.
"To avoid the coming End, we definitely need his existence."
"Can just us Esteemed Ones break through the master of the 99th floor who is thought to be at the Entering Nirvana-level?
"We must seek the aid of the Sacred Masters."
“But how? For the Sacred Masters to descend here, a medium is required. And it must be an incredibly powerful medium connected to the essence of the Sacred Masters! Otherwise, we would have to create an altar for their descent over the next five thousand years, and even then, the probability of the altar activating correctly is only four in ten!"
Just then.
Flash!
From the left shoulder of Seo Eun-hyun's decapitated body, an overwhelming sword light bursts forth.
Simultaneously, an immense presence begins to descend upon the Lightning Sacred Sea.
Kugugugugu!
"Th-This is...!"
Slaughtering Heaven Esteemed One Geuk Gwang, sensing the aura, immediately bows as a flower blooms from their head, scattering pollen.
All the Esteemed Ones of the Bright Cold Realm simultaneously kneel in reverence.
Cheoook!
From Seo Eun-hyun's left shoulder, a hand, thin like an old, withered tree branch, emerges.
The hand, surrounded by a bright white light, tilts his body back from his shoulder, and descends his main body into the Lightning Sacred Sea.
Wo-woong!
The entire Lightning Sacred Sea shakes violently as if trying to repel the foreign intrusion from outside, but the presence descends firmly in place without concern.
A being wrapped by radiant white light, resembling a dried, ancient tree.
That being is the Administrator of the Bright Cold Realm.
It is Sacred Master Baek Woon.
[We pay our respects to the Sacred Master!]
Twenty-four Esteemed Ones shout in unison as they bow.
Baek Woon nods and then looks up towards the distant upper floor.
She stares beyond the 99th floor.
[He is not someone I like, but since he serves as a medium for my descent as a fellow Sacred Person, he is somewhat useful.]
She glances at Slaughtering Heaven Esteemed One Geuk Gwang and clicks her tongue.
[You fool. Stop your stupid behavior and assist me. How shallow must your faith be to great one that you can't even fulfill the role of a medium that even the Human Race bastard could manage!?]
Geuk Gwang's face flushes a deep red at her words, but he quickly regains his composure.
After scolding Geuk Gwang, Baek Woon flies in one leap to the boundary between the 98th and 99th floors.
In the next moment,
[Tree Halberd.]
The space around her ripples with white clouds, taking the form of a colossal wooden spear.
Jjeooong!
Baek Woon swings the wooden spear.
With her single strike, the entrance to the ninety-ninth floor shatters, creating a dimensional passageway.
Boo-woooong!
Hundreds of millions of Thunder Bees rush at Baek Woon all at once.
But Baek Woon opens her mouth.
Jjiiiiing!
A colossal lion's roar shakes the entire dimension, and the hundreds of millions of Thunder Bees explode and perish on the spot.
Pijijik!
Before her stands the one who ambushed and kidnapped Seo Eun-hyun.
The Thunder Bee Queen appears.
She looks at Baek Woon and sneers.
[Well, who do we have here? Isn't this Baek Woon, who became a waste? This brings back past memories. The Baek Woon who once begged for her life in front of the Golden Divine dares to come before me, who wields his authority. Just thinking of that time...]
Just then, immediately.
Clench!
Baek Woon's hand grabs the head of the Thunder Bee Queen.
Badudududuk!
The Thunder Bee Queen's head bursts under Baek Woon's grasp.
Wiiiiing!
The scent of peach blossoms begins to spread around Baek Woon.
The Sacred Master of the Bright Cold Realm, Baek Woon, is drawing upon the power of the Bright Cold Realm from the far ends of the universe.
[You foolish thing. The one I feared was the Golden Divine. Do you think I would fear a worthless thing like you who can't even be considered his dregs? Do you see me, who once stood before True Immortality, as being on the same level as you, a half-baked Entering Nirvana?]
[U-Uh...uuuhhb...!]
The Thunder Bee Queen struggles to escape, but she cannot break free from Baek Woon's grasp.
'I-Immortal Art...!'
The eyes of the Thunder Bee Queen fill with terror, and Baek Woon smirks as she begins to crush her completely.
[You spoke so well just moments ago. Go ahead. Beg. Beg for me to spare your life. Lick my feet like a dog. Beg while promising to offer everything you have just to spare you. If you do that, I'll leave at least your life.]