Translator: TranslatingNovice

Editors: Z0Rel, BlueMangoAde

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Chapter 777: Light

With one sword, one face disappears.

Gwak Am's blood robe.

The Great Mountain Supreme Deity's Corpse Mountain Blood Sea collapses with each and every sword.

Even as his whole body is being shredded by the sword, he extends his offensive toward me.

Even as his skin is sliced, tendons cut, and bones are breaking.

My attack is quiet, unlike what one expects of something that cuts down an existence that reached the apex of all mountain gods.

All flows of power are perfectly controlled, not letting a single drop of power spill, so my sword is utterly tranquil.

My sword that contains the change of impermanence is a silent storm.

Gwak Am's offensive collapses Heaven and Earth with its aftershock alone, but my sword becomes a silent storm that lacerates him.

And within that silent storm, his roar resounds.

"You think you will defeat me!!?? You!!!''

Kugugugugu!!

With his roar alone, the ground twists and sinks.

"Do you think you cut the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea! No. Never. Never will that happen! Look...your sword is not causing any pain at all, is it!?''

Because it is being cut away so cleanly by a perfect sword strike, Gwak Am laughs, saying he does not feel pain.

"A fight is—!!"

Kwaaang!

He steps forward and hurls his upper body at me.

"Pain!!!''

With the tendons of both arms severed, he attempts a headbutt.

The wind pressure from his head thrown back alone feels like it will flay my skin.

And I confront that headbutt head-on.

'My body too is a sword.''

As I straighten my will, my intent naturally transforms like a sword, and the Impermanence Sword wraps my whole body.

Kwaaaang!!

With the body of a mortal, I cannot face this mythic flesh.

But people have weapons.

Therefore, if there is a sword, I can sufficiently face him.

My body clad in the power of the Impermanence Sword and Gwak Am's head collide.

The shockwave shakes the entire Head Realm.

Lianshan City shatters with its foundation like porcelain.

The sight of the foundation of the outer city, the city wall, and the inner city breaking into pieces, scattering into the sky, and then falling back down everywhere does not feel like reality.

"Without pain, hatred, or resentment, do you truly think you can defeat me!? Truly!?"

"...There is no reason why I can't.''

I look straight at Gwak Am with clear eyes.

Even though I definitely protected myself with the Impermanence Sword, blood flows from my head and my head hurts.

It feels like there's a crack running through my entire skull.

For a moment, physical force surpassed the Impermanence Sword.

"But...I will not take revenge on you with pain, resentment, and hatred.''

"What...?"

"I dislike you. I dislike you so much that I do not want to become the same kind of existence as you."

I dislike those who give me pain.

I dislike the world that gives pain.

I dislike the heavens that give pain.

But,

Just because I receive pain, do I have to return it with pain?

Do I have to return as much as I receive?

Everyone will shout to do so.

Even the Retribution of the Impermanence Sword is an authority for doing so.

But I quietly reflect myself on the sword.

'...I do not want to do that.'

I ask myself.

'From the beginning...when I made the Impermanence Sword into a sword of Retribution, was it truly for the sake of revenge?'

Was it truly to return as much as I received?

Facing myself, I know it is not so.

'No.'

That's not it.

I...

Rather than returning as much as I received, I wanted to reflect the opponent in this sword.

Not to give and receive pain, I wanted the opponent to look back on themselves.

That wish merely manifested as Retribution.

What I truly thought as I held the sword was to reflect myself in the sword, and to reflect the opponent as well.

"...Retribution is the affair of the Underworld."

It is not the affair of the living.

In this world, besides Retribution, there are already so many things to do.

"I will not take revenge on you. I will not, filled with hatred, fall into the abyss. I will not become covered in resentment and have myself twisted...!"

Tsaaaaaat!

In my eyes, a scene from a far past passes by.

It is a scene where I, filled with resentment, desire for revenge, and hatred, fell into the abyss and received salvation by one person's kiss.

At that moment when the curse whitened and turned into blessing...

If at that moment there was no being who granted me salvation...

I too would have thought exactly like Gwak Am.

'Yes, I...'

From the moment I received salvation from her, perhaps I became unable to truly hate someone.

Even the Mad Lord, even Seo Hweol.

Even though I hated them, the reason I acknowledged them in the end must have been because of that.

The moment when the Wuji Religious Order was annihilated is unspeakably painful, but at Penglai Island when we met as Senior Brother and Junior Brother...

I knew I could not completely hate Gwak Am.

'That beauty like hers...perhaps I wished to contain it in the sword.'

It is not the beauty of appearance.

It is the beauty of the heart.

Tsaaaaaaat!

The Impermanence Sword digs through Gwak Am's skin and tears the blood robe.

"You say you dislike me so you will not change to be like me!?"

Gwak Am laughs.

"Do you still not understand!!??"

He laughs and shouts.

"Look around!!"

Around us, the ground is shattered into pieces by the aftershock of his resistance, and at the same time everywhere is stained bright red with Gwak Am's blood.

"You are already...an excellent avenger!! For revenge you toyed with a person's life, and for revenge you scattered blood. You...are the same as me!!"

"That is correct."

I readily acknowledge it.

With blood on my blade, how can I say I do not want revenge?

With blood on my blade, how can I speak of good intent?

Therefore,

What is stained onto this sword must not be only blood.

"Therefore...from now on it will change.”

My main body and my movements synchronize.

Unfolding the move of Severing Mountain, I take one more step forward.

'Please help me. Oh Hye-seo. Kang Min-hee.'

Oh Hye-seo, who seized the Seat of Severing Evil, links with the Great Mountain Supreme Deity's Corpse Mountain Blood Sea.

Kang Min-hee, within the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea of sorrow and grief, makes contact with 'someone'.

The essence of Origin Essence is soul.

Therefore, the greatest force of that authority originally acts upon the soul.

“One step...I will go one step farther than you.”

Tsuaaaaaaaat!!

My sword, which possesses a transparent and formless blade, begins to take on color.

Just as the Formless Sword compresses and becomes the All-Heavens Sword.

The storm of the Impermanence Sword gradually begins to gain rays of light.

"It doesn't hurt, right, Senior Brother?"

Gwak Am widens his eyes.

"It's only natural. Because my sword...decided not to give pain."

I harden the resolve in my eyes and speak toward him.

"For pain is indeed a fine teacher, but it is not the best teacher...!"

He recognizes the identity of the light dwelling in my sword.

And he realizes what I am doing.

"You..."

Gwak Am loses his smile.

"You...!"

Transcending Peaks.

Entering Mountain

Ascending Vein

Flowing Ridge.

...

Joy of Mountains and Peaks

Qi Mountain Heart Heaven

Layered Mountains

Mountain Tiger.

...

Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace

One Annihilation to the Near Shore.

Guiding to the Summit.

Twelve Thousand Peaks...

Mount Sumeru.

Mount Kunlun

Mount Cedarwood.

...

Great Mountain...!!

"Pressing Down!"

''Seo Eun-hyun, you…!!!!!"

With all of it in succession,

Severing Mountain!

Chwaaaaaaa!!

The sword strike creates a storm of countless cut marks.

That storm accumulates and accumulates in layers, and gradually begins to form, quite literally, an impact that even cuts a Great Mountain.

However, those slashes do not give pain to the opponent.

They simply draw something out from Gwak Am's body.

They add something and grow gradually brighter.

'If one can reflect the heart in this sword.'

Then can I not also contain the heart into it!?

The Corpse Mountain Blood Sea of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity Gwak Am, the innumerable spirits that constitute that Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, gradually begin to be contained in this sword.

Gwak Am, for the first time with a panicked gaze, shouts toward me.

For the first time, panic settles into his voice.

"What I accumulated...!"

Tsuaaaaa!!

The main body's visage becomes visible.

Even if I overexerted, the reason I created a Heavenly Pillar connected to the main body is precisely this!

I tear open the blood robe, and the main body tears open the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea.

The souls of the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea struck by the Impermanence Sword gradually become contained in my sword and begin to become a bright light.

That is not all.

Chwaaaak!

From a certain moment as the starting point, the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea gradually begins to whiten centered on the parts that my Impermanence Sword touches.

Just as my curse became a blessing by Buk Hyang-hwa's comfort.

By using the heart essence of the comfort and salvation I received from her, and with that as the foundation, infusing the sword with the heart essence of all the gratitude I accumulated toward this world, I erode the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea.

With the martial arts Kim Young-hoon gave as the foundation,

With the heart essence Hyang-hwa gave as the cornerstone,

Through the sword Kim Yeon made,

Controlling the main body like the Mad Lord,

Infecting the opponent like Seo Hweol,

Aiming for the gap that Jeon Myeong-hoon and Oh Hyun-seok make,

With Oh Hye-seo and Kang Min-hee each agitating the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea with the powers of Severing Evil and sorrow,

And, through the Severing Heaven Sword Form, Escaping Heaven, I connect to the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea one by one, and I inject into them the greatest enlightenment that I attained.

"Life..."

Tsuaaaatt!!

The chains wrapped around the main body's right arm resonate.

Led by Hong Fan, the Five Desires Chains all cry out together.

—Show us!! Lord!!

"Life is...!"

The souls of the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea regain their freedom.

Kang Min-hee, from the inside of the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, stirs up their grief, and Oh Hye-seo, with the authority of Severing Evil, severs their ill connection.

And the souls, who begin to ascend by gaining enlightenment through my Impermanence Sword, transform into colors of every kind.

There are those who, even after escaping the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, still cannot cast off dark-red hatred, those discolored black and filled with desire, those shining with joy, those heated with anger, those wailing with sorrow, those dancing with pleasure, those swelling with love.

All those colors gather and form all of Heaven's natural colors.

All of Heaven's natural colors become one and illuminates the universe with a pure white light.

And, led by the sword will contained in the sword, they add their strength to mine.

—Was what I just gave you also a curse?

Even if a person's life is suffering and hatred,

If the hearts of people could connect and communicate,

Would that not be, perhaps...an endless miracle?

The hearts of the sentient beings of the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, who find freedom through the sword will, connect and communicate with me.

"Life is...a miracle."

Someone once said.

That it is not strange, but wonderfully mysterious.

The people who live in this wonderfully mysterious and beautiful world, and the traces they leave as they live life.

Those marvelous footprints.

As long as the footprints we have left behind remain...

—It is a technique called Heart Field.

—You saw it too, didn't you? The starting point of the next realm that I discovered...

—If it's you, you will surely be able to reach it.

...surely, there is salvation in a person's life.

Long ago.

The light one of my teachers showed dwells in my sword.

—Promise me...one thing.

—One day...when your strength has grown...strong enough...please...

—Create a world where...the strong...cannot so...easily oppress...the weak...

A single strike that holds artificial souls in the chest, making them a power source containing infinite authority.

I, while placing the true souls who have become free from the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea into the sword, demonstrate that person's technique.

'Teacher Jang Ik, I could not make a world where the strong cannot oppress the weak.'

But...

I have made it at least possible to draw a little closer to it,

'However, I have given those who are oppressed by the strong a chance to become strong.'

I teach true repentant enlightenment to those who were trapped in the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea and forced into repentant enlightenment, so that in their next lives they may someday attain enlightenment.

And as I engrave enlightenment deep within their souls, I cover the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea with the Mountain of Grace and Sea of Righteousness.

Fully embodying what Jang Ik showed and making it my own, I take the Severing Heaven Sword Form one step further.

Severing Heaven Sword Form

Fifth Form.

All-Heavens Righteous Understanding (總天義解).

All the innumerable souls bound to the Great Mountain Supreme Deity Gwak Am cling to my Impermanence Sword all at once, obtaining enlightenment and salvation, and all of them grant me infinite [power] that is no different from a Seat.

The Severing Mountain Swordsmanship that begins at Transcending Peak, once again reaches Great Mountain Pressing Down, and the light of Severing Mountain pierces Gwak Am.

Gwak Am's body splits in half, and so does the Great Mountain Supreme Deity's main body.

Thus, the final move of Great Mountain Pressing Down that cleaves Gwak Am in half directly penetrates Heaven and Earth, creating a scar in the sky of the Head Realm.

The single sword of the main body that splits the Great Mountain Supreme Deity leaps past Mount Sumeru, then splits the chaos of the Outer Sea in one stroke.

Beyond the Outer Sea, upon the boundary of Cakravāda, it leaves a much larger and longer sword scar than what Silver Basket and Great Mountain left behind.

It is the sword of mortality that no prophecy or history revision can stop.

Chiiiii—

Gwak Am, in a state of being split in half, looks at me.

As if using an Immortal Art that postpones death, the scent of plum spreads.

Twitch...

Even though the lungs are torn, perhaps because it is an Immortal Art.

Gwak Am, surpassing Kang Min-hee's law, slowly opens his mouth and lets words out.

Kugugugu!!

The fragments of Lianshan City that had scattered into the sky fall.

Kwaaang!!

Beside us, the Ju family's house and rice fields fall.

It is a potato field full of potato blossoms.

As the potato field falls, the potato flower petals scatter, and because of that impact I do not quite hear his words properly.

"...If so, Seo Eun-hyun..."

However, even though it does not reach my ears, I can understand.

"...Prove it..."

Gwak Am closes his eyes.

"That life...is a miracle..."

Kugugugugu!!

"...that you can sever the cycle of retribution..."

As Kang Min-hee's law weakens, Qi gradually returns to the Head Realm, and my connection with the main body becomes active again.

"Until then...I...will not...acknow...ledge...you..."

That is the end.

With that, all of Gwak Am's breath and will scatter.

All the spines in his body are snapped, all the tendons are cut.

Even though he died with even the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea gone, somehow his corpse...

Still stands.

Kugugugugu!!

The fragments that had scattered fall.

I look at Gwak Am.

And I close my eyes.

"...At last...it’s over."

The cycle of retribution cannot be cut by the perpetrator.

If one suffers pain at the hands of some existence, only when the victim forgives the perpetrator can the cycle be severed.

Chwaaaaaa—

Among the spirits that flow and scatter beyond the starry sky...

The friends of the Wuji Religious Order.

I feel their souls and close my eyes.

"It is over...everyone. So..."

Then how should the victim forgive the perpetrator?

What can be called true forgiveness at last?

'Only when...one finally becomes equal.'

Whether that is by external force or by one's own power.

Only when one finally becomes equal can the victim become able to forgive the perpetrator.

'Now...everyone has become equal...'

They lost their lives.

My Senior Brother also lost his life.

Because they have become equal in the state of having lost, they...

All those who belong to the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea, including them...

Begin to feel the heart that forgives the Great Mountain Supreme Deity Gwak Am.

"Please sleep in peace."

Kugugugugu!!!

I reconnect my main personality and the main body, which had had the connection cut by Great Mountain Pressing Down.

Tststststss...

The remaining flesh in the Head Realm undergoes qi transformation and ascends.

I remain in the Head Realm and look down at the body of Gwak Am's consciousness body that, by countless fragments, is getting buried under the ground of Lianshan City.

"...Farewell."

I, faintly but clearly, offer respect toward the enemy who led me all the way here.

"Senior Brother. "

The Great Mountain Battle thus comes to an end.

Kugugugugugu!!

As my consciousness sublimates to the main body, I see the collapsing main body of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity.

The main body of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity within the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea is a beautiful white like salt.

Truly, as if it is not wrong to say he is a disciple of Salt Mountain, with every mountain of the five impurities fallen away, he looks like a small salt mountain gathered of pure white starlight.

I ask toward that Salt Mountain that is collapsing.

: : If it is you as you are now...you can resurrect.: :

I speak toward the Mountain-Destroying Demon Ape Cheong Min, who has revived within the Corpse Mountain Blood Sea.

He is collapsing together with the main body of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity.

Cheong Min's laughter is heard.

: : He and I were one from the beginning. If he goes, I shall also go... : :

Tstststss—

The Salt Mountain seems to warp, then begins to clump into a round shape.

: : I too...want to...see Master. : :

Hearing those words, I for some reason feel my nose sting.

The sword form of All-Heavens Righteous Understanding pushed Gwak Am into the domain of purity.

For Gwak Am there is no reincarnation.

So what remains for him is eternal annihilation.

For Mountain-Destroying Demon Ape Cheong Min to follow him means...he also intends to face eternal annihilation.

There is only one reason.

The Salt Sea Supreme Deity met a similar end as well.

In the last moment, it is the pure wish to become like his master.

: : Farewell. Senior Brother. : :

He too is my senior brother.

As Cheong Min's will closes its eyes, he speaks.

: : Do not fall into sentiment. For two enemies still remain... : :

Catching his meaning, I flinch in surprise.

Kugugugugugu!!

The round something that the corpse of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity turned into begins to vomit an enormous roar.

I realize that even as Cheong Min is vanishing, he is barely holding it down in place.

And as even Cheong Min vanishes and its restriction is completely released, it starts to exude an immense power.

The end of the Great Mountain Battle.

There are two tasks left to me.

First, the malice Gwak Am left for me to the very end.

The explosion of the residual power of the Splitting Heaven Mantra remaining in the Seat of the Mountain!

Kugugugugugu!!!

With no energy left in my whole body from facing Gwak Am, I must block the last remaining self-destruction of the main body of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity.

Kugugugu!!!

: : I am going. If it is you...you can do it, right? : :

As Cheong Min's will crumbles, he asks me.

I smile.

: : Of course. : :

: : Good. I truly...hope you accomplish it. : :

With that, even Cheong Min completely disappears.

I raise the Impermanence Sword and fly toward the power of explosion that Gwak Am left in the Origin Essence of the Mountain.

'Ji Hwa...'

The Sword Extreme Heavenly Sword settles into my hand.

The functions of the Sword Extreme Heavenly Sword are only three.

First, its size adjusts to fit me,

Second, it 'absolutely' does not break.

Third, it can be held only by those I permit.

In that sword, which melted down the everything of a Heavenly Lord, only those three simple functions are embedded, maintaining absolute authority.

'It absolutely does not break.'

All my comrades are worn out from facing the Great Mountain Supreme Deity and the Radiance Hall.

Even the Underworld, with Corpse Mountain Blood Sea all having become free souls, is so busy gathering those souls that they cannot help me.

Therefore, I have to block that power of explosion with only my exhausted strength.

Therefore, I grip the absolutely unbreakable Sword Extreme Heavenly Sword and steel my courage.

'Lend me strength.'

Wooo-woooooong!!!

As the sword cry hums, a familiar voice comes itself my mind.

—Swing.

It is similar to Kim Young-hoon's line, but a little different.

—I will be together with you.

Ji Hwa's voice flows into my chest.

Tsuaaaaat!!

Once more, I unfold the move of Great Mountain Pressing Down.

Kugugugugugu!

The sword style that maximizes the heart and compresses the universe unfolds from my hand and suppresses the explosion before my eyes.

However, perhaps because I am worn out, the final malice the Great Mountain Supreme Deity left behind does not subside easily.

'Block it!'

I begin to burn my whole body.

'Block it!!!'

Kadududuk!!

Clearly, this is not the body of a mortal, but the body of the Immortal Beast King.

Yet the grip of that solid flesh splits, and Immortal Beast True Blood overflows from where I hold the sword's hilt.

'Please!!!'

I realize the identity of this explosion.

And I also realize why that guy had to be satisfied with Annihilation Advancement Mu rather than Splitting Heaven Mantra.

This explosion is the true Splitting Heaven Mantra.

It is Splitting Heaven itself.

The true original that surpasses Annihilation Advancement Mu!

'So from the beginning, Splitting Heaven is a decisive move impossible to use unless one is resolved to die.'

He would not resolve himself to die for the likes of me.

He would only resolve himself to die before his master's enemy, the Owner of Fate.

Because he held such a heart, he could not use Splitting Heaven while alive against me.

But precisely for that reason, only after death can he reach Splitting Heaven at the price of his life.

Kugugugugu!!!

An [absolute] mantra that tears apart even the Absolute.

Another transcendent authority, 'equal' to the Wheel, Radiance Mantra, Immortal Beast King's authority, and the ultimate of Martial Arts, surges to tear everything in the area apart.

'If I can't block it, not only me...even my comrades will die...!'

From that [Splitting Heaven], I feel [absolute] power.

'Even the Radiance Mantra...is useless.'

If that hits, surely...

Even regression will be transcended and torn apart.

'I must stake my life and block it.'

Kim Young-hoon has come again anyway.

Even if my one life disappears...

It does not matter at all...!

: : Huaaaaaa!!! : :

Squeezing out all my power, I add strength to Great Mountain Pressing Down.

'The power of the Radiance Mantra...the power of the Immortal Beast King...even the ultimate of Martial Arts...!'

The power of the Three Great Ultimates spins and wrings out strength where there is none.

All the authorities that have become exhausted from facing the Great Mountain Supreme Deity barely squeeze out their power and block the Splitting Heaven Mantra.

'Even the Wheel...!'

Because Great Mountain Supreme Deity launched a sudden attack, my Wheel that I used without even repairing its cracks and fractures becomes overloaded and gains even more fissures.

'All that power...'

I will combine it!

Kugugugugu!!!

Paaaaang!!!

With that thought, the final Northern Dipper Sealing Immortal Flag is pulled out from my body.

The condition of [toppling three Supreme Deities during the Great Net Immortal stage].

Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity.

Naming Supreme Deity.

And the last.

After taking down the Great Mountain Supreme Deity Gwak Am, the final condition has been fulfilled.

The refreshing sensation lasts but a moment.

Seven lights rush toward me from outside Mount Sumeru.

They are the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords.

: : Our Lord... : :

: : Please...find freedom!! : :

: : We lowly ministers commit disloyalty of going ahead of our Lord...!: :

: : Please...forgive us...! : :

Greedy Wolf Heavenly Lord Giant Gate Heavenly Lord Preserving Wealth Heavenly Lord, Literary Melody Heavenly Lord, Integrity Chastity Heavenly Lord, Martial Melody Heavenly Lord, Breaking Army Heavenly Lord.

The Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords each dwell in and fuse with the Northern Dipper Sealing Immortal Flags that are all pulled out.

Yes.

For the Northern Dipper Sealing Immortal Flags to be pulled out means that a Vast Cold-level existence has pulled out all seals and become even stronger.

From that point, there is no possibility for the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords to win against the opponent...

So the moment when all the Sealing Immortal Flags are pulled out, they have the condition of being absorbed into the Northern Dipper Sealing Immortal Flag and vanishing.

A prophecy and mantra of Heavenly Lords staking their lives!

That is the reason they could dare to bestow the condition of 'absolute' upon me.

Kugugugugu!

I control the Northern Dipper Sealing Immortal Flags into which the souls and existences of seven Heavenly Lords have melted into.

Clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank, clank!

: : Seal it. Seven Stars Harnessing God Banner! : :

After converting the Northern Dipper Sealing Immortal Flag into the Harnessing God Banner, I begin to shave down the explosive force of the Splitting Heaven Mantra.

With even the Northern Dipper Sealing Immortal Flag added, the explosion of Splitting Heaven has its force considerably blunted.

The momentum begins to shift to my side.

'It's possible!'

At this rate, I can fully block the explosion of Splitting Heaven!

Kugugugugugu!!

Gradually, the power of Splitting Heaven begins to subside under my authorities.

'At this rate...I will block it...!'

Burning my whole body, I thus unify all authorities into one and press down the authority of Splitting Heaven.

At this rate, surely, it is our victory.

Just as I think so,

Pakang!!!

'...Huh?'

The Wheel breaks.

The Wheel of Starlight that takes charge as the important axis of my authorities shatters to pieces.

The reason is simple.

'Ah...'

Because it has been overworked far too much all this time.

In the end it exceeded a critical point.

If Great Mountain Supreme Deity had not launched a sudden attack, I planned to repair it together with Bong Myeong and the Underworld after subduing Radiance Hall, but his sudden attack was my biggest blunder.

Gugugugugugu!

The momentum gets pushed back.

The Splitting Heaven Mantra, which I thought I was suppressing, swells again and spews ferocious authority.

'Is it...how it ends...?'

Although it is much weaker than when it first activated, the [absolute] power dwelling in Splitting Heaven still exists.

I close my eyes.

'Still...I narrowed the scope.'

If it was the first Splitting Heaven, not only my comrades but all the True Immortals would be annihilated.

But if it is the current Splitting Heaven...

'I alone will undergo annihilation...and that's all.'

Even regression is impossible.

For Splitting Heaven is equal to the Radiance Mantra.

I am going to be torn to death.

However, a broad smile rests on my face.

It is sad that life is going to end, but the joy is also great.

"Still..."

I am so exhausted that I cannot use divine speech and have to speak out loud, but I speak as I look at the light of annihilation approaching me.

"It was a good life."

Claank—

And then, the chains bound in my right arm come undone.

The first chain assumes a human form and extends a hand.

"...Ham...Jin...?"

My disciple.

It is Ham Jin.

"Teacher. Please..."

He smiles and begins to throw himself.

"Live on."

Kugugugugu!!!

Ham Jin melts into the Splitting Heaven.

Next is Yeo Hwi.

Yeo Hwi is shedding tears while looking at Ham Jin.

"You son of a bitch. You said...you would marry me. If you go like this, what do I become...what do I become...!?"

Yeo Hwi sheds tears and jumps in, following Ham Jin.

Yeo Hwi melts into the Splitting Heaven.

Next is Yu Hwi.

"O Savior..."

He, my first contractor, smiles and looks at me.

"Thanks to you, I resolved all the grace and resentment in my life. So..."

He jumps into the Splitting Heaven.

"Please live on."

Next is the Swallowing Heaven Supreme Deity.

It is Supreme Tiger.

They turn to look at me.

Then, I realize there is a certain resonance in my chest.

—O King of Deer. Live on as the King of the Mountain.

"You..."

With those words, they also melt into the Splitting Heaven.

The last is Hong Fan.

"Wait. Hong Fan..."

Frightened, I shout to him.

He looks back at me.

"Master..."

"Hong Fan...!"

"Only while watching your final moment do I realize...what kind of being you are... Only now do I understand it all."

"Wait, Hong Fan...don't go..."

''Even with life at its end, you smile. That is who you are."

"Hong Fan...! No! If you go in there..."

"Yes, I know. Perhaps even with regression, we will never meet again..."

"...!"

Hong Fan smiles faintly.

"It is all right. Having seen you come this far...I have no regrets. Throughout that time...to have been able to serve you...it was an honor."

Chuaaaaat!!!

Something flows out from Hong Fan's body.

I realize what it means.

"You..."

"I will return it to you."

Authority.

Ego-Preservation.

The authority that is originally mine is engraved back into me.

"To have been able to spend time with someone like you...it was truly fortunate."

Without hesitation, Hong Fan melts into the Splitting Heaven.

I cry out to Hong Fan.

But at that moment,

As the authorities of the Five Desires Chain combine, the last remaining authority of the Splitting Heaven Mantra dies down.

Just as the likes of the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords, by offering their souls, could constrain an existence like Vast Cold who reached the Absolute...

The Five Desires Chains that reach the level of Supreme Deity offer their souls and suppress the power of the Splitting Heaven Mantra that reaches the Absolute.

Chwaaaaaagh!!!

"...Hong Fan..."

Heaven and Earth hum, and the entirety of Mount Sumeru shakes.

And...

Kugugugugu...

The Splitting Heaven Mantra dies down.

What remains in that place are only the remnants of chains torn mercilessly apart.

Among them, the remnant of Hong Fan is the closest to me.

I approach the chain turning into Hong Fan's corpse and cry.

"You...betrayed me..."

What greater disloyalty is there than failing to fulfil one's loyalty to their lord and going first...!?

"You...you betrayed me!"

Only then do I fully understand Bong Myeong's foresight, and sorrowfully, I mourn the death of my friend.

Tsuaaaaat...

Albeit faintly, I do feel the souls of the Five Desires Chains.

But due to the shock of Splitting Heaven, their memories and history are completely torn apart, and they are changed into something closer to Origin Essence than to souls.

I let their souls flow into the Underworld.

And...

I reach out my hand toward Hong Fan's soul.

"...Retribution Enforcement."

By the Impermanence Sword, the price for him having returned Ego-Preservation to me flows into him.

The Radiance Mantra flows wholly into him.

"The one to give this to...is only you after all."

From far away, the Underworld nods.

Hong Fan's soul, holding the Radiance Mantra in its embrace, is sucked into the Wheel of the Underworld.

The power of the Cycle of Reincarnation collides with the power of Regression.

And then.

Kwarrururuung!

With the sound of thunder clapping in a clear sky, the sound of something shattering resounds through Mount Sumeru.

The Radiance Mantra, as discussed with the Underworld, is extinguished.

Today,

I lost a friend.

And today,

At last...

I severed regression.