A Regressor’s Tale of Cultivation

Chapter 639: Heavenly Venerable’s Power (1)

Dududududu!

I grit my teeth.

An overwhelming force constricts me, draining strength from my body.

Every moment I have resolved problems through the Plane of Soul.

Every moment I have gazed upon intent…

All the moments I have pursued martial arts through intent!

From those very moments, strength flows out of me.

Behind my back, the Pure-White Three Great Ultimates spins fiercely, pouring power into Hyeon Mu.

However, no matter how much energy is given to Hyeon Mu, this endless suction force remains impossible to resist.

Kim Young-hoon is the same.

No, his situation looks even more dire than mine.

He seems to barely be enduring through the cultivation of a Heavenly King, but even that feels like a candle flickering in the wind, about to go out.

At least for the other Enders, whose main powers don’t lie in Martial Arts, things are a little better.

But Kim Yeon and Kang Min-hee, whose primary authorities are connected to the spirit, are being drained significantly, and the other Enders are also having a portion of the power they’ve accumulated as Enders sucked away.

As for the other True Lords and Heavenly Lords, perhaps because they’ve been regularly drained by Hyeon Mu whenever something like this happens…

They are being drained at a far lesser degree than we are.

‘Thanks to Hyeon Rang, at least we’re not getting immediately sucked into Void and devoured.’

The only reason we’re still holding on is because the Naming Supreme Deity Hyeon Rang divine descent into Oh Hyun-seok’s body and is suppressing Hyeon Mu’s suction force.

Without that, we wouldn’t just be drained of strength—we’d be getting pulled in and annihilated entirely.

‘Is this…why the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld warned to beware of the North…!?’

The authorities of the Enders.

All the powers we awakened seem closely tied to death, or to the heart itself.

And Hyeon Mu is the founder of the Plane of Soul, which governs those powers of the heart.

That is why, to us, Hyeon Mu is the worst possible matchup.

Kugugugugu!

As I have such thoughts, I suddenly see the massive body of Hyeon Mu, which Hyeon Rang had been suppressing, begin to swell.

‘Crazy…!’

The vortex of black snakes expands, pushing back Hyeon Rang, and begins spinning faster and faster to devour us.

Hyeon Mu’s suction force shows no sign of weakening; it only grows stronger.

Despair settles into my eyes.

‘How…are we supposed to defeat this…? No, can we even escape…?’

Perhaps, when we first heard that Hyeon Mu was descending, we shouldn’t have thought of confronting her—but instead should have sought a way to escape.

‘There’s…no answer in sight…’

Just as everything before my eyes begins to darken—

Tuk—

“…?”

It feels as if someone pushes my back.

I turn around, wondering who it might be.

But there is no one behind me.

All that’s behind me is the Pure-White Three Great Ultimates, and the [White Deer Without Antlers] I created to draw out my full power.

In other words, only the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections I temporarily restored for this time.

‘Just now…who…?’

But just as I begin wondering who pushed me, I realize who it was.

‘…You…’

Someone is extending their fist toward me.

It is—

My disciples, from when I was reaching Five Energies Converging to the Origin.

It is—

Kim Young-hoon, who has taught me countless martial arts until now.

It is—

My teachers, including Cheongmun Ryeong and Buk Hyang-hwa, who’ve taught me countless matters of the heart.

Within the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, all those countless people look at me and extend their fists.

How can this be?

The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections is supposed to only reflect my heart…

Unless I desire it, they should only repeat their predetermined actions…

‘Ah…’

Only now do I realize.

‘They…haven’t died.’

From them, I feel an undeniable sense of life.

Because they are a part of me.

And the reason they pushed my back is simply because I subconsciously wished for it.

‘I…already knew the answer.’

I just hadn’t recalled it immediately.

‘The answer was already there!’

Kuduk!

My foot steps into space as I begin to move toward Hyeon Mu, who spews out suction force.

Kugung!

My physical body grows larger as my true form begins to reveal itself.

A white round collar robe made from glass sword mountains begins to shine clearly within the domain of emptiness.

: : O Owner of Void. You have said that we borrowed your strength. That you Heavenly Venerables cover this world with Immortal Crowns and lend us principles. : :

Kugugugugu!

The suction force from the spinning Three Great Ultimates only intensifies, but Hyeon Mu does not directly respond.

But even that is enough for me to feel as if I’ve received an answer.

Hyeon Mu looks upon me with interest.

: : Then, you Heavenly Venerables…are you not those who have taken the entire world as your disciple, and become the teachers of Mount Sumeru itself? : :

I press my palms together and bow before the enormous suction force before me.

: : O great teacher of the world. You have bestowed upon us teachings and principles. However, this disciple dares to ask you something. : :

The hissing snakes all turn their eyes to me.

: : My teacher. May this disciple, as your student, now offer teachings to the teacher in return!? : :

When Hyeon Mu first appeared to us, she called herself the creditor and us the debtors, taking strength from us.

But now, I begin to reinterpret that relationship in my own way.

Not as creditor and debtor, but as teacher and disciple.

Clang!

Outside the Pure-White Three Great Ultimates, the Wheel overlays itself.

The Wheel that absorbs the pure-white light begins to spin, radiating starlight.

At the same time, the power of rotation centered around me spreads out, repelling the suction force from Hyeon Mu that is bearing down on the surrounding Enders.

Kugugugung!

Simultaneously, a message flies forth from Hyeon Mu as if amused.

[Excellent. I have seen many Golden Bodies and Heavenly Kings, but you are the first to fight through interpretation in this way.]

Hyeon Mu praises me.

[…But that is merely a deferment of your debt. In the end, unless you show enlightenment greater than the moments you borrowed power from the Plane of Soul…the debt shall be enforced once again…!]

That’s right.

In the end, what I have done is not erase the debt.

I have simply replaced the price of that debt—not by giving strength, but by ‘showing the enlightenment’ we have gained.

If the enlightenment we show does not satisfy Hyeon Mu, then we must once more repay that debt at the end.

Kigigik!

Compressing my body, I speak.

[I will show you now.]

At the same time, a powerful repulsion from Hyeon Mu flings away the Naming Supreme Deity and Oh Hyun-seok.

[Very well. Come at me.]

Shushushuk!

The True Lords and Heavenly Lords also step into the rotational force centered around me, evading Hyeon Mu’s suction.

Then, all of us charge at Hyeon Mu at once.

The true Heavenly Venerable Battle begins.

Kururung!

An instant.

Hyeon Mu’s body swells massively.

[…!]

Asaṃkhyeya, Ganges sand…no.

Black snakes numbering in quantities closer to the incomprehensible rampage and lash out like whips.

A fleeting instant. 

Slashes formed from the bodies of the black snakes begin to overturn the entirety of the Inner Sea.

The Heavenly Domains existing in the faraway spacetime…

Corners of the Bearing Tree Heavenly Domain, Twin Holding Heavenly Domain, and Heavenly King Heavenly Domain are visibly shaved away by Hyeon Mu’s single strike.

[Restrain Hyeon Mu’s main body!]

With my shout, Jeon Myeong-hoon unfolds Indra’s Net.

A net of lightning originating from him spreads and covers Hyeon Mu’s body.

Kim Yeon, now moving the body of the Vast Cold Heavenly Lord, crashes down from afar and slams into Hyeon Mu’s massive form.

Oh Hyun-seok and the Naming Supreme Deity also transform into a giant god and push Hyeon Mu upward from below.

Kiririk—

Kang Min-hee forms a hand seal from a distance.

At that moment, countless ‘laws’ begin layering over Hyeon Mu.

Numerous laws carve themselves across Hyeon Mu’s entire body, beginning to restrain her true form.

Kururung!

The Underworld Ten Kings begin to move.

The Blade Mountain True Lord and the Corpse Saw True Lord slice through the snakes’ bodies with their blade and saw, while the Sword Tree True Lord and the Wind Path True Lord stretch out twin palms from both sides, cutting down Hyeon Mu’s slashes as they press forward.

The Martial Melody Heavenly Lord moves countless arms, exchanging continuous palm strikes with Hyeon Mu’s snakes.

And at the center of the whirling vortex Hyeon Mu is dancing—

There, Kim Young-hoon, White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus, and I land.

[So you’re from the Brahma Nature side after all.]

Having compressed to a size close to that of an ordinary human like us, White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus asks Kim Young-hoon.

Kim Young-hoon gives a brief nod.

Seeing that, White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus speaks.

[There’s only one way to kill Hyeon Mu. Hyeon Mu’s Interdimensional Void is ultimately the result of her own interpretation of the domain of purity. Therefore…to kill Hyeon Mu, or at least inflict a fatal wound, our interpretation of the domain of purity must surpass Hyeon Mu’s principle.]

[You’re saying it’s an interpretation battle? That we must deny Hyeon Mu’s Martial Arts system through interpretation…?]

At my question, Kim Young-hoon shakes his head.

“No. Denying the Martial Arts system Hyeon Mu has built through interpretation…that’s just the ‘minimum’ condition. To kill Hyeon Mu…we must deny the principle she has accumulated until now across the time of the Ganges sands.”

[You’re saying we have to deny her principle?]

“Yeah. To put it simply…”

He speaks with solemn eyes.

“We must cut through the emptiness.”

At those words, my eyes widen.

[Wh-What are you…]

There’s a reason why Hyeon Mu’s Interdimensional Void is called the Interdimensional Void.

It’s because it is, quite literally, empty.

There is nothing.

You can cut what has form.

You can cut souls.

You can cut space.

Even fate, and even history—my Impermanence Sword has cut through all of them.

However…

You cannot cut what does not exist.

Hyeon Mu’s Interdimensional Void is literally emptiness.

The world closest to the domain of purity.

There is nothing there—thus, there is nothing to cut.

In truth, the current Interdimensional Void is the empty domain of purity, overlaid with the principle of ‘nothing exists’.

Can you imagine it?

It’s like painting white paint over a white wall.

Even if one tries to slash through the will that fills the Interdimensional Void, the domain of purity itself is a world no different from the Interdimensional Void, so cutting it would be meaningless.

The domain of purity itself supports principle of the Interdimensional Void, so cutting it would be pointless.

However, Kim Young-hoon laughs.

“Eun-hyun-ah. Is it meaningless to draw a picture on a black canvas?”

[Pardon…?]

“If all that lies before your eyes is darkness, then what must you do to dispel that darkness?”

Surung—

Kim Young-hoon lifts his saber with a bitter smile.

“Is not the way to dispel darkness, shining light!? If Hyeon Mu’s interpretation of purity is ‘nothingness,’ then mine is different.”

Kim Young-hoon’s meaning is conveyed through the heart.

“Purity…is the possibility to become anything! That is…my will!”

If Hyeon Mu interprets a blank canvas as ‘something empty’—

Then Kim Younghoon interprets that canvas as ‘something on which anything can be drawn’.

And from Kim Young-hoon, the Triple Divinity of Creation begins to emanate.

White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus also creates numerous flower-shaped clusters of Gang Qi in the surroundings and laughs.

[Alright! Now then…everyone is ready for battle, right? From here on…let’s go kill a Heavenly Venerable!]

Tadatt!

We scatter in three different directions.

I receive wills from Kim Young-hoon and White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus, and realize what I must do.

‘The Underworld Ten Kings are blocking damage from Hyeon Mu’s main body, the Martial Melody Heavenly Lord is clashing against one of Hyeon Mu’s sides to test themself, and the Enders are doing everything they can to suppress an aspect of Hyeon Mu’s authority.’

That means in the end, we are the ones who must wound Hyeon Mu.

Recalling the words of Kim Young-hoon and White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus, I recognize what must be done.

‘If there is nothing I can cut…then overlaying something becomes the act of cutting.’

Countless snakes of emptiness rush toward me.

I fend off the snakes and land on the edge of the vortex—on the head of one of the snakes.

Kim Young-hoon and White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus also spin, landing on the heads of the snakes at the edges of the Three Great Ultimates that is creating the vortex.

Without needing to decide who goes first, we each unleash our martial arts toward the snake heads.

Heavenly Pegasus Divine Art (天馬神功).

[Heavenly Pegasus Sovereign Step (天馬君臨步)!]

Kugwagwagwang!

White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus lets out a powerful cry and stomps on the snake’s head.

At the same time, the light of creation bursts forth, blowing apart the snake’s head.

As the snake’s skull bursts apart, a spacetime belonging to White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus is created.

Kim Young-hoon’s will resounds through the world of emptiness.

Surpassing Radiant Genesis Form.

First Form.

Golden Wing Defiles the Light.

Shwikak!

From the single swing of Kim Young-hoon’s saber, a golden river is created.

That golden river erases the head of the snake of emptiness.

Having overlaid their powers onto their respective snake’s head, Kim Young-hoon and White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus charge from the edge of the Three Great Ultimates toward the center, heading into the eye of the vortex.

And everywhere they pass, the principles of Triple Divinity they’ve overlaid carve into Hyeon Mu’s true form, beginning to erase it.

Watching them, I raise my Impermanence Sword.

Shwishwishwik!

Countless snakes rush toward me.

—Someone like you dares?

It feels as though Hyeon Mu’s voice resounds.

‘Unlike those two, I’m not specialized in creation.’

But I possess the Triple Divinity that can specialize in anything.

Tuk, tuk-tuk, tuk-tuk-tuk-tuk!

I begin to strike acupuncture points all across my body.

The Immortal Art Mahayuga activates.

The principle of Mahayuga is to interpret the entire world as wheels.

And likewise, my body—whether it is the Immortal Body of a True Immortal or a human’s flesh—is interpreted as a part of the wheel.

Countless wheels gather to form the body, and Mahayuga accelerates the wheel-like body by borrowing the power of the wheel called ‘world’.

Wheels that govern strength, speed, agility, creativity, endurance, and destructive power begin to rotate fiercely.

Every time I strike a point on my body, the cycling power spreads out, drawing rotational power from the wheel that is the world.

Kiiiiiiiiing!

At the same time, Mahayuga begins to resonate with the Flawless Mantra.

Behind my back—

On the outer edge of the starlight wheel, a [white circle] appears.

‘Rotation is, ultimately, a bridle…’

The rotational power of Mahayuga causes my Pure-White Three Great Ultimates and the Immortal Art of ‘Wheel’ to spin even faster.

‘At the pinnacle of the bridle, is the mantra that obtains the strongest power. Flawlessness.’

The power of the Flawless Mantra amplifies, supporting the cycle of my Triple Divinity.

Thus, the Triple Divinity cycles, spinning the Three Great Ultimates, and that spinning strengthens the Flawless Mantra.

Then, the Flawless Mantra again assists the cycling of the Triple Divinity…

The amplification of rotational force that begins from Mahayuga grows endlessly as it meets my Immortal Arts.

‘At this level…could I use the thirty-sixth move of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship?’

I recall the final secret art of Severing Mountain I’ve studied endlessly.

But I soon shake my head.

‘That wouldn’t suit the current situation.’

That is a decisive technique meant solely for the Great Mountain Supreme Deity who forces power against power.

It falls short when facing the True Martial Great Emperor, who has reached the peak of skill even without relying solely on strength.

‘What I must do now…’

I recall the connections that had reached their fists toward me inside the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.

‘…is leave behind a footprint!’

Shikagak!

The Impermanence Sword is swung.

Severing Heaven Sword Form.

First Form.

Entering Heaven!

A pale mist settles over the Impermanence Sword.

It is the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.

I dance a sword dance atop the body of Hyeon Mu.

It is a sword dance of failure that fills my life.

Tukwang!

Snake heads burst open, and my footprints are engraved upon the places where the snakes of emptiness once were.

Step by step, I become a storm.

White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus used the Heavenly Pegasus Divine Arts to create a spacetime of their own.

Kim Young-hoon used the Surpassing Radiant Genesis Form to create his own passage of time.

And I, through the Severing Heaven Sword Form and the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, carve my own footprints.

The three of us thus each advance toward the center of the swirling Three Great Ultimates.

From the edge of the vortex to its center, we encounter countless snakes.

Each of those snakes is the pinnacle of a weapon’s technique. 

Bian methods, claw techniques, swordsmanship, saber arts, chain techniques, staff methods, spearmanship…

Countless weapons…

And even martial arts centered around the physical bodies of demon beasts.

The grappling arts of weaker races.

The Fighting Dance of the Fighting Ghost Race…

From ordinary stone throwing, to bows, cannons, and even flying sword techniques of cultivators.

The entire history of Martial Arts becomes a flow that takes the form of snakes and surges over us.

And as we confront all the martial flows Hyeon Mu has mastered, we catch a glimpse of Hyeon Mu’s philosophy on the Ultimate of Martial Arts.

“The pinnacle of Martial Arts is…”

Hissing sounds echo, and from within, Hyeon Mu’s voice is heard.

“…the ultimate of killing.”

Shwirik—

I strike away a snake flying in the form of a segmented whip and leave my footprint behind as I speak.

“To kill an enemy. To kill others. To kill groups. To kill armies. To kill nations. In the end, to kill the world. And finally, to kill oneself. Then what remains?”

No intent is visible.

Triple Divinity is also hard to perceive, perhaps because the place we are in is within Hyeon Mu’s own Triple Divinity.

Therefore, just as I once perceived space using only my five senses during my first-rate expert days in order to become a peak master, I rely only on the abilities of my physical body to strike and cut down the snakes.

“In the end, all that remains is Martial Arts. And ultimately, all that remains for killing arts to kill is none other than the self. Thus, Martial Arts kill even oneself, leaving nothing behind. It becomes empty.”

Beyond the hissing sounds, I feel the Heavenly Venerable of Void laugh.

Yet the laugh does not feel like laughter.

It feels more like a scream.

“Martial Arts is the Art of Killing. A blade exists to kill others. A claw exists to threaten enemies. There is no meaning in them. Having no meaning…is the true meaning of Martial Arts.”

The number of snakes enveloping us continues to grow.

“The ultimate that can be achieved with the blade is to kill the world, kill oneself, and finally kill the blade itself, so that all becomes nothing.”

Immediately after, I am at last completely swallowed by the snakes.

Nothing is visible.

“To kill and kill until one kills even oneself—that is the pinnacle of Martial Arts.”

All around is complete darkness.

“You… Do you dare interpret the principle of Martial Arts, which has evolved by killing others, into something else? Can you dare present another answer?”

Within the darkness, I raise the Impermanence Sword, now wrapped in the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.

“What meaning is there in swordsmanship that does not kill? Answer me.”

White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus listens to Hyeon Mu’s voice in the darkness, bearing a solemn expression.

[What meaning is there in the Martial Dao that does not kill others…huh.]

Kung!

Then they grin and stomp down.

[I hail from the Swift Horse Race, of the Demon Race. And…in our Swift Horse Race, the Martial Dao is not solely for killing others.]

Kung! Kuuung! Kwuuuuuung!

[The Martial Dao is the technique of moving muscles. And our muscles…are not made to stomp enemies to death, but are made to run across the wide-open plains!]

Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!

Spreading their wings, White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus begins to sprint through the darkness, with their entire body brimming with solid muscle.

[To savor the wide-open world! That is my Martial Dao!]

Transformed into a white pegasus, White-Winged Heavenly Pegasus transcends spacetime for an instant.

Immediately after, they connect to the Akashic Records and burst through the darkness of Hyeon Mu.

At the end of the path piercing through the darkness, a girl clad in black martial attire, with snakes coiled around her body, waits.

Kim Young-hoon scatters golden light from within the darkness.

“Indeed. This blade is undoubtedly a tool created to kill people. Not just people, this is a weapon forged to cut down animals, spirits, and even mountains and fields.”

As he slices through the snakes charging at him in the darkness, Kim Young-hoon shouts.

“But…isn’t what matters the meaning you give to the blade when you wield it!? If, by holding this blade, I can protect my family instead of killing—then isn’t that far more important!?”

“Then your blade is no more than a threat or an ornament. What meaning is there in a blade you will not draw?”

“Precisely because I do not draw it, I can create countless meanings! Killing is not the end… To give any meaning to this single blade—that is Martial Arts!”

Surpassing Radiant Genesis Form.

Fourth Form.

Golden Radiance Flint to Flash!

Kim Young-hoon becomes a Peng wrapped in golden light and soars.

The Peng flaps its wings and flies upward, piercing through the path of darkness.

And at the end of that path of darkness—

There, a girl clad in black martial attire smiles with hollow eyes.

[Martial Arts is…]

I repel the storm of snakes swirling in the darkness as I look within myself.

Yes, what is martial arts?

Martial arts has always been a part of my life.

Because it was a part of my life, it was something I could never give up.

But that’s all.

Only a part of life, not the whole.

Therefore, I never devoted everything to Martial Arts.

Thus, my answer can’t help but be lacking.

[Martial Arts…truly have no meaning.]

I believe Hyeon Mu is right.

Martial Arts, in the end, is a means to harm others, to kill enemies.

Martial Arts is ultimately the Art of Killing. 

That premise seems impossible to deny.

“Then are you saying that while you follow my principle, you dare claim you can cut it down?”

The storm intensifies.

Barely enduring within it, I grit my teeth.

“If Martial Arts have no meaning, then why in the world are you even standing here?”

[…I do think I am unqualified.]

Yes.

I am not someone who dedicates everything to Martial Arts.

Always…

There were things more important than martial arts, and to gain those things, I devoted my life to learn martial arts.

The reason one can die in the evening after attaining the Dao in the morning is because the Dao attained in the morning is more valuable than life itself.

And to me, the name of that Dao is connection, not martial arts.

It’s a cold statement, and in a way, a bitter one.

But my thoughts on martial arts remain unchanged.

Martial arts is a part of life.

[Martial arts is a means.]

Swikak!

I struggle to shake off the snakes.

Each and every one of them contains the power to devour a galaxy cluster with ease.

Moreover, that power is not drawn from mere energy, but techniques born from the extreme refinement of the flow of the Martial Dao.

Each of those snakes is no different from an ultimate technique on par with Sword-Guided Star Rain.

[Martial Arts itself has no meaning. You are right, Hyeon Mu. You are clearly one who has reached the Ultimate of Martial Arts, and having witnessed that, I cannot dare to discuss the essence of martial arts from within my realm.]

“You know your place well.”

Tukwang!

In the darkness, I grit my teeth as I face the snakes that are the embodiment of Hyeon Mu’s enlightenment.

I grit so hard my teeth begin to break.

[But!]

Shukak!

I swing my sword wide and cry out.

[Though I am still far from worthy of discussing the Ultimate of Martial Arts… Even if Martial Arts is meaningless, the moment it rests in a person’s hand, it gains meaning!]

My sword dance is imbued with the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.

With each movement, a footprint is etched, layering my history across the surroundings.

[Martial Arts is something that is passed from person to person.]

When I first received Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, it initially contained twelve moves.

[It is inherited, and it is developed.]

Then, when it passed to Kim Young-hoon and was developed, it became twenty-four moves.

[And finally, when it connects us…]

And…

As I continued through countless lives, the forms of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship I have accumulated now total thirty-six.

[Only then do the means called Martial Arts gain meaning!]

“Then, you are saying that Martial Arts (武) ultimately serves no purpose other than acting as a bridge, are you not?”

[It is not just martial arts!]

I recall Yu Hwa’s music.

I recall Gyeong Chang’s dance.

I recall Jang Ik’s fighting spirit.

I recall Jin Ma-yeol’s fighting dance.

“Everything in this world…only gains meaning when it connects! Nothing holds meaning on its own!”

As I deflect and cut down the snakes, I finally realize that even my seemingly infinite energy has been completely exhausted.

The light of the Three Great Ultimates fades.

I now shout entirely with my physical voice as I swing the Impermanence Sword.

When a person carries through their will, it is called chivalric righteousness (俠義).

If a person (亻) believing in their own will (夾) is called chivalry (俠),

Then perhaps, when people assert their will to each other, communicate, connect, and believe in one another…

That might just be the true meaning of Martial Arts. 

The most important formula that forms the Impermanence Sword bursts forth and moves on its own.

—Like combining all intents turns them colourless.

—Embrace all connections and become impermanence…

“Martial Arts is the means to carry out chivalric righteousness!”

With that, as all my energy is exhausted and the Impermanence Sword enters a state close to nothingness, it moves as if alive, striking away and cutting down all the snakes.

Puhwak!

At last, I break free from the darkness.

Where I emerge is Hyeon Mu’s true form.

The waist of the snakes forming the Black Three Great Ultimates.

I have reached halfway to the center of the vortex, the place where Hyeon Mu’s will rages and swirls.

Before my eyes stands Hyeon Mu’s incarnation.

“Then, what is your chivalric righteousness?”

A girl clad in black martial attire.

I answer her confidently.

“The Cause and Connection of All Phenomena!”

“…”

It is then,

‘…Huh?’

As I look at her, I realize something I hadn’t seen before.

That hollow gaze!

And perhaps because I’d been overwhelmed by the terrifying martial arts unfolding alongside her black attire, I hadn’t perceived it until now.

Why?

I feel like I’ve seen her face before.

But the face I saw before looked a bit younger than Hyeon Mu’s.

“Then prove it. Prove what your chivalric righteousness is.”

Shiring—

Hyeon Mu grips darkness shaped like a sword at her fingertips and charges at me.

Thus, atop the midsection of countless snakes, Hyeon Mu’s incarnation and I begin exchanging martial arts.

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