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Chapter 361: Is It Not A Joy To Have Friends Come From Afar? (5)

Toong—

A man holding a golden blade and a Ghost King with 19 heads take a step forward.

The man with the golden blade.

Kim Young-hoon steadies his breath.

The realm he has reached.

From the realm referred to by the Heart Tribe of the Bright Cold Realm as the First Step Before the Throne, the method of combat changes drastically compared to the previous realms.

In the days they used to be ordinary peak masters, they used to exchange thousands of moves virtually through well-honed intent, optimizing their movements to strike their opponent within this imaginary bout.

Because it’s unnecessary.

Toong—

Once again, they draw closer.

Kim Young-hoon’s eyes burn with a golden light, and the eyes of Seo Eun-hyun, from his 19 heads, blaze with a chilling flare.

It begins with Kim Young-hoon.

He executes a simple horizontal slash, immediately following it with an upward slash, creating a crosscut.

A slash that tears through time.

But that is just the beginning.

A golden storm erupts from him.

Every single one is one of Kim Young-hoon’s saber strikes.

In response, Seo Eun-hyun wields his transparent sword.

His sword flows like waves, at times like a storm, countering Kim Young-hoon’s golden waves.

At their level, there is no need to match imaginary blows.

Because both have reached a realm where they can realize their imaginations.

Kuadududuk!

A colorless and gold storm rages, pulverizing a corner of Wuji Religious Hall’s roof to dust.

Piercing through that storm, Seo Eun-hyun’s dark grasp clenches towards Kim Young-hoon.

Kim Young-hoon’s eyes glint as he swings his saber in the air, scattering golden rays at the black hand.

The rays seem to repel the black hand, extending across the Twilight Domain.

In the next moment, countless rays of light from the entire Twilight Domain descend upon Seo Eun-hyun.

It’s as if innumerable arrows of light are striking the Ghost King of Darkness.

Each ray scattered by Kim Young-hoon is a Gang Sphere, and countless Gang Spheres imbued with the enlightenment of Surpassing Radiance pours onto Seo Eun-hyun.

Though it appears that Kim Young-hoon is maintaining the upper hand in the first clash, his face remains tense as he twitches his fingers.

Some of the Gang Spheres pouring down on Seo Eun-hyun follow his will, retrieving the demon sabers and devil swords he has scattered on the roof.

After confirming that his weapons are back under his control, Kim Young-hoon retreats without hesitation.

——-!

In the next moment, something that seems to contain all of heaven’s natural colors sweeps through the spot where Kim Young-hoon had stood, moving so fast that even sound can’t keep up.

He feels goosebumps all over his body and heightens his focus.

Then, amidst the baptism of golden radiance, the Ghost King of Darkness emerges with blazing eyes.

Bo-ooong!

Kim Young-hoon senses Seo Eun-hyun disappear in an instant.

’Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts!’

Sharpening his consciousness like a blade, he reads everything around him.

In a split second.

He senses a movement in the Plane of Soul and launches his Surpassing Radiant Saber towards it. The All-Heavens Sword suddenly appears from the void and clashes with the Surpassing Radiant Saber.

Kuaang!

Blood spurts from Kim Young-hoon’s seven orifices.

It’s the result of focusing solely on defending by letting the force flow through, using a talent that even the word ’heavenly’ would not do justice.

Gradually, the surroundings darken.

Their minds have accelerated to a level where even sound is left far behind.

And within the brief instant, akin to a gap in time, Kim Young-hoon makes a swift decision.

’I can’t take it head-on.’

He quickly pulls out a talisman from his bosom and hastily sticks it to his body.

His entire body rapidly regenerates.

Normally, Kim Young-hoon is a martial artist who enjoys fair and square martial duels, always preferring direct confrontations.

This is even more so when facing opponents at the Integration level, such as Integration stage Demon Kings or Grand Cultivators.

Each of them is like a small dimension, a subspace with its own will.

They are natural disasters, and before them, Kim Young-hoon is like an ant.

So how does an ant confront a natural disaster?

By reading the flow of the natural disaster, incorporating all its forces into his calculations, and tracing the source of power.

Then, with the body of an ant, slashing through the natural disaster to reach and sever the source of power.

Natural disasters possess terrifying power, but the ant wielding an iron stick could calculate all the paths and trajectories needed to cut through the disaster, making a miracle possible.

However, Kim Young-hoon stares at the monster before him.

When facing natural disasters, he would wield a toothpick through the gaps in the natural disaster along the optimal path to confront them.

But the opponent before him is no different from a natural disaster wielding all its power within a toothpick at the same level as himself.

——!

In a fleeting moment, the All-Heavens Sword scatters once again. Kim Young-hoon became a streak of light, using all his strength to dodge even the slightest touch of the sword.

He finally made up his mind.

Fight fairly as a martial duel?

Humans might be able to face natural disasters honorably.

Even when disasters cover the sky and shake the ground, disasters cannot specifically target humans. Thus, humans can survive and become stronger within them.

But what if a natural disaster wearing human skin chases after them to kill?

What if a disaster that couldn’t originally target insects starts moving like an insect, precisely targeting and persistently chasing after them?

Kim Young-hoon steps on the air and moves his body from the sky to the ground of the Twilight Domain to dodge.

Likewise, Seo Eun-hyun closely follows Kim Young-hoon as expected.

Bo-oong!

He erases the word ’direct confrontation’ from his mind.

Kim Young-hoon hides between the buildings of the Wuji Religious Order.

He plans to ambush Seo Eun-hyun while moving between the buildings.

However, he looks up at the sky for a moment.

"...!"

Three thousand Colorless Glass Swords are shining in the sky, imbued with the All-Heavens Sword.

The swords begin to fall.

While desperately dodging the swords with all his might, Kim Young-hoon reads their ’intention’.

’They’re herding me!’

And as he dodges the baptism of the All-Heavens Sword, he meets Seo Eun-hyun’s eyes emerging from an alley ahead.

Before he has a chance to escape, Seo Eun-hyun raises his right hand.

In his hand is a sword containing all of heaven’s natural colors.

Bo-oong!

The next moment, the Twilight Domain splits in half.

’This guy, does he not even care if his own territory gets destroyed?’

Kim Young-hoon, barely dodging Seo Eun-hyun’s strike, reached out into the air with a look of disbelief.

Kim Young-hoon’s collection.

Dark Oil Saber (陰油刀), Balancing Wind (燮風).

Piiit!

As soon as he grasps the demon saber, a dark aura emanates from it under Kim Young-hoon’s will, quickly engulfing the surroundings.

When Kim Young-hoon flips the blade of Balancing Wind, the surrounding dark aura begins to shine.

The aura imbued with yin energy reverses to yang energy, causing an explosion.

Kim Young-hoon and Seo Eun-hyun each take different actions as they watch the explosion in the darkened world.

Kim Young-hoon quickly retreats, while Seo Eun-hyun manipulates the Colorless Glass Swords around him to grind down the yang energy induced by Balancing Wind, extinguishing the explosion before looking at Kim Young-hoon.

Koo-woong!

With a single step, Seo Eun-hyun closes the distance on Kim Young-hoon.

Kim Young-hoon and Seo Eun-hyun collide.

Kugugugugu!

Countless rays of light tangle in the frozen time.

And within that, Kim Young-hoon’s grip bursts multiple times, and his innards are vigorously shaken.

Split!

He retreats, swallowing blood.

Taaatt!

Once again, he takes out a regeneration talisman and sticks it to his body, gritting his teeth and gesturing with his fingers.

His Gang Sphere clone brings him the Devil Sword Hidden Gem (幽璞).

Once again, Seo Eun-hyun uses the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts.

Kim Young-hoon heightens his senses to the brink of overload, barely locating Seo Eun-hyun’s position, and slashes upwards with Hidden Gem.

Jiiiiiing!

Kim Young-hoon’s devil sword Hidden Gem, imbued with the Surpassing Radiant Saber.

And Seo Eun-hyun’s Colorless Glass Sword, imbued with the All-Heavens Sword.

The two swords collide, and shockwaves spread in all directions.

The nearby buildings of the Wuji Religious Order are uprooted and thrown in all four directions by the shockwave.

This time, Kim Young-hoon does not spurt blood from his orifices.

Instead, his devil sword shatters into pieces.

Seo Eun-hyun smirks and sends him a heart message.

[What is this now? A straw stick?]

Seo Eun-hyun then thrusts the Colorless Glass Sword towards Kim Young-hoon, whose sword has broken.

Kim Young-hoon quickly takes out the Demon Saber Clearing Sea (芟海) to block the Colorless Glass Sword.

Kwa-jijik!

Once again, Kim Young-hoon’s demon saber inevitably shatters, scattering into countless shards.

Internally shedding tears of blood, Kim Young-hoon summons numerous demon sabers and devil swords through his sword control technique.

The Devil Sword Expansive Roc shatters into pieces under Seo Eun-hyun’s upward strike.

The Demon Saber Ruin is split in half by the horizontal slash of the Colorless Glass Sword.

The Spirit Sword Annihilation is bitten and broken by Seo Eun-hyun’s mouth while descending.

The Black Saber Starry Night bends like a bow while defending against Seo Eun-hyun’s body slam.

Kwaaang!

Unable to withstand the impact of the body slam, Kim Young-hoon vomits blood from his entire body as he is thrown into the battlefield of other Four-Axis stage cultivators.

Seeing his beloved blades being utterly destroyed, he feels as if a house he had bought with his lifetime’s worth of retirement savings has been blown up and obliterated by some insane bomber.

Tadatt!

Yet, there’s no time to even dwell in misery as Seo Eun-hyun starts rushing towards him.

Dududududu—

Kim Young-hoon hastily searches for a regeneration talisman and sticks it on his body before quickly leaping upwards and landing on the shoulder of a starlight giant that is simultaneously confronting six cultivators at the Four-Axis stage. He then takes out his beloved weapons again.

Seo Eun-hyun approaches and extends his hand.

His hand, fused with the All-Heavens Sword, narrowly grazes the top of Kim Young-hoon’s head.

Kim Young-hoon throws the Extinction Sword True Soul to buy time and moves to the starlight giant’s knee to dodge.

Seo Eun-hyun swats away the Extinction Sword True Soul with his hand, breaking it like a straw and discarding it.

A nearly frozen world.

In that space, they fight, using the bodies of other cultivators as terrain.

Seo Eun-hyun’s sword stretches out across Heaven and Earth and the four directions, trying to trap Kim Young-hoon, while Kim Young-hoon’s saber evades his sword like a bird.

Kim Young-hoon flows like a river, avoiding the Four-Axis cultivators who are attacking the Twilight Domain, and moves outside the barrier of the Twilight Domain.

Seo Eun-hyun follows, smashing through the bodies of the frozen Four-Axis cultivators, pursuing Kim Young-hoon.

Kim Young-hoon grasps the Divided Saber One Spirit, infusing it with his energy.

In an instant, Divided Saber One Spirit emits light, creating 108 identical clones of Kim Young-hoon.

These are intricate clones, on a different level from the Gang Sphere clone!

Seo Eun-hyun moves the All-Heavens Sword.

Chwararara!

Like a hedgehog revealing its quills, spikes of light shoot out from around Seo Eun-hyun.

Puff, Puff, Puff!!!

The sword strike that had killed a Four-Axis stage cultivator in one blow now shatters Kim Young-hoon’s clones.

Taking advantage of this gap, the real Kim Young-hoon focuses his mind.

This time, he doesn’t use a devil sword or demon saber. He solely sharpens his consciousness and takes a stance.

In this fleeting moment, with his mind composed, Kim Young-hoon’s eyes burn.

His heart essence compresses like a line.

Single Strike of the First Step Before the Throne!

Taatt!

Reentering the depths of the Twilight Domain, Kim Young-hoon takes his stance, drawing on a lifetime’s worth of concentration with the taunt intensity of a bowstring holding an arrow.

Kwa-jik!

As Seo Eun-hyun shatters Kim Young-hoon’s last clone, their eyes meet.

Seo Eun-hyun’s 38 eyes burn with ghost fire, and Kim Young-hoon’s eyes burn with a golden radiance.

In the dark, still world, their gazes cross, and in the next moment.

Seo Eun-hyun sees a golden Peng Bird charging at him.

And Kim Young-hoon sees the Three Great Ultimates rising behind Seo Eun-hyun.

A flash of light, and a moment later.

Seo Eun-hyun becomes the sword.

His heart essence also compresses, becoming the Single Strike of the First Step Before the Throne.

The sword that Seo Eun-hyun has become rushes at Kim Young-hoon, smashing the Peng Bird and reaching right in front of him.

However, the next moment.

Seo Eun-hyun locks eyes with Kim Young-hoon, who has taken the stance for continuous strikes.

Kim Young-hoon smiles in the darkness.

Bo-oong!

Seo Eun-hyun flinches.

He can understand up to continuous strikes.

But he knows.

This is a triple consecutive strike.

Kwa-jijik!

Within the continuous single strikes, Seo Eun-hyun succeeds in destroying the Peng Bird.

But he can’t help but show a gap by the third continuous First Step Before the Throne single strike.

Kwadududuk!

Kim Young-hoon’s all-out slash pierces Seo Eun-hyun’s opening.

———!

A golden wound is left on Seo Eun-hyun’s body.

Yet, Kim Young-hoon does not continue to attack Seo Eun-hyun but retreats with all his might.

’It’s shallow!’

It isn’t that Kim Young-hoon slashed carelessly.

Nor had Seo Eun-hyun leaked any power.

It’s simply the All-Heavens Sword flowing through his body, that bizarre ’circuit’, his naturally thick skin, the protective body force of his late Four-Axis stage cultivation, and among other factors, that prevented Kim Young-hoon’s blade from properly penetrating.

As Kim Young-hoon quickly retreats, he notices those who move slowly even in the still world where he and Seo Eun-hyun reside.

The Six-Armed God, scattering lightning from his entire body, and the notorious pirate captain Jin Ma-yeol, swinging his chained sickle while using a semi-transparent stealth technique.

The two Grand Cultivators at the Integration stage are moving, albeit slowly, even in Kim Young-hoon and Seo Eun-hyun’s world.

Kim Young-hoon climbs onto the shoulder of the Six-Armed Giant, taking a moment to catch his breath, and grits his teeth.

’I need to steady my breath.’

0.1 seconds.

That is enough.

But in their world, that amount of time is enormous, and Kim Young-hoon decides he needs to briefly hide.

His gaze turns to the Sea Circle formed by the Buk Hyang Fleet.

A dimensional barrier formed by the sea of the Ancient Force Realm.

’I’ll step out briefly to catch my breath.’

He makes a quick decision and looks at Seo Eun-hyun.

Kugugugugu!

Seo Eun-hyun, with the Three Great Ultimates on the back of his head, is rushing towards Kim Young-hoon at an insane speed.

In the next moment, Kim Young-hoon launches a slash at Seo Eun-hyun.

Becoming a streak of light, he flies towards the Sea Circle.

Kwaaaang!

The flying Seo Eun-hyun directly tears through Kim Young-hoon’s slash but loses control of his speed, colliding with Jeon Myeong-hoon and bursting the upper part of the giant’s apart.

’Now!’

Kim Young-hoon’s eyes shine as he sees Seo Eun-hyun apologizing to Jeon Myeong-hoon for a lengthy 0.01 seconds.

Paat!

His speed increases.

Compressing his heart essence once more, he overlays his body with the single strike of First Step Before the Throne.

At some point, he reaches a place where neither light nor sound can touch him, finally feeling the dimension below his feet.

Woo-woong!

He moves faster, and faster, until his physical body transcends the plane for an instant.

Kim Young-hoon moves in the distant void.

Paaaatt!

Finally, Kim Young-hoon returns to reality.

He is outside the Sea Circle formed by the Buk Hyang Fleet.

"Huuuuh..."

Catching his breath, he takes out his treasured weapons and a regeneration talisman, sticking them all over his body.

The Sea Circle formed by the Buk Hyang Fleet is literally a barrier using dimensions.

It’s a state similar to several Grand Cultivators’ domains overlapping, making it almost impossible to simply exit.

Only by ’becoming so fast that one momentarily transcends dimensions’ like Kim Young-hoon, could one overcome this insurmountable wall.

And just as Kim Young-hoon is about to leisurely catch his breath for 0.1 seconds.

Kuaaaang!

The sea domain shakes as Seo Eun-hyun smashes through a corner of the Sea Circle.

The Three Great Ultimates are spinning furiously behind him, and Kim Young-hoon stares at Seo Eun-hyun in a daze.

’Was it really supposed to just ’pop’ open like that?’

Momentarily letting out a hollow laugh, Kim Young-hoon stops catching his breath and readies for battle once more.

Wiiing!

Grabbing the demon sword, Kirin, Kim Young-hoon draws upon its power.

’For just an instant, I’ll increase the weapon’s lifespan.’

He fiercely spins his thoughts, creating a new martial art to overcome this situation.

Tstststst!

His eyes follow Seo Eun-hyun, tracing Seo Eun-hyun’s circuits.

Just like the circuits covering Seo Eun-hyun’s entire body, something resembling veins of golden light begin to spread through the devil sword he holds.

It’s fundamentally different from something like the external Inner Core.

It’s a martial art that mimics the characteristics of the opponent he is fighting, elevating the weapon’s potential by another level.

Of course, Seo Eun-hyun’s circuits have countless functions such as recovery, defense, attack, amplification, stealth, tracking, and cleanliness, but Kim Young-hoon can only imitate one function.

Since it’s impossible to perfectly mimic the circuits developed by a genius like the Mad Lord after seeing it only once, the function he copies is only one.

The function to amplify the weapon’s performance.

Kwaduduk!

The demon sword begins to tremble.

Simultaneously, the energy of the sword grows even denser.

Kim Young-hoon feels his chest burn.

’My precious collection...’

Unlike Seo Eun-hyun’s circuits, which have no side effects when used, the [veins] engraved through this martial art has a drawback.

The amplification through these veins burn the weapon’s potential, rendering it unusable after a single attack.

Kim Young-hoon wields the amplified demon sword, imbued with the enlightenment of Surpassing Radiance, towards Seo Eun-hyun.

Kuaaang!

The shockwave reverberates, twisting the [Deep Sea] of the nearby sea domain.

However, for the first time, Kim Young-hoon, who has consistently had his blades shattered and been pushed back, manages to withstand Seo Eun-hyun’s single strike.

Though these are infamous devil swords and demon sabers known throughout the sea domain, only by drawing out all their potential and causing them to go berserk can he block Seo Eun-hyun’s single strike.

Gripping the Evil Saber Grief, he unleashes its potential once more and swings from the upper left to the lower right, while Seo Eun-hyun counters from the lower left with the All-Heavens Sword overlaying his bare hands.

Kim Young-hoon recalls his memories with his beloved weapons.

’Snatched from an Integration stage cultivator, the natal dharma treasure of a Grand Cultivator, the Evil Sword Grief. The ancient Demon Sword Dazzling Light, found in an underground labyrinth. The precious Ghost Sword Supreme Evi, found in the embrace of an Integration level Deep Sea Monster. The Devil Sword Sacred Axes, forged from the axes of a thousand Four-Axis stage cultivators...’

These distinguished blades, which would make even Integration stage cultivators drool over them, are being grinded down before Seo Eun-hyun.

But regardless, by grinding down his blades, he is managing to put up something resembling a fight against Seo Eun-hyun.

Of course, in return, his strength is rapidly depleting.

Spurt!

He clenches his teeth, squeezing out his meridians.

Despite being a life-or-death situation, a smile never leaves his lips.

’Yes, I’ve already known.’

Though it’s hard to discern heart essence when reaching this realm, some parts can still be seen to some extent.

Hence, even though he was suspicious of the monster in front of him, he had somewhat figured out that it was Seo Eun-hyun from the start.

However, he deliberately provoked him because he wanted to have a sincere spar.

’Has it been...one, two hundred years since I met this guy?’

Though he thought himself a genius, he can feel himself becoming humble upon seeing him.

Reaching the Four-Axis stage as a Heaven Tribe. Reaching the Four-Axis stage as an Earth Tribe.

Moreover, it’s not even the early stage but the late stage, with attraction force and power.

Even his martial arts have reached the same level as his.

Just what kind of monster is this?

’That must be a real genius.’

Kim Young-hoon feels humbled, grinding down all his possessions to continually clash with Seo Eun-hyun.

And before long, he notices the demon sabers within his reach gradually diminishing.

’Damn, I’m squandering my entire fortune in a single duel.’

Tooong!

His and Seo Eun-hyun’s sword clash for a moment.

There is a slight pause between them, and Kim Young-hoon’s eyes light up.

’I have to end it with this strike.’

Tzztzztzt!

He pulls out his most cherished beloved weapon, which he had kept hidden until the very last moment of last moments.

The name of the beloved weapon is Radiant Saber (輝刀) Ryun (輪/Wheel).

Though it has less fame compared to the notorious devil swords and demon sabers, it’s a saber Kim Young-hoon had taken from a Grand Perfection Integration stage Grand Cultivator, possessing the most suitable ability for him.

The ability of Radiant Blade Ryun is simple.

Regardless of the user, it triples the wielder’s speed for one second.

His heart essence compresses once more.

Noticing Kim Young-hoon’s momentum, Seo Eun-hyun also begins to compress his heart essence.

Wiiiiing!

The Three Great Ultimates behind him begin to shine brilliantly.

The next moment.

Pasak!

Seo Eun-hyun’s eyes light up, and finally, his Dragon Form Disguise Method is released.

Holding the All-Heavens Sword, he begins to perform a sword dance.

It’s a sword dance imbued with the single strikes of the First Step Before the Throne.

Normally, the single strike of the Heart Tribe’s First Step Before the Throne consumes all the user’s energy and focus.

Thus, most of the Heart Tribe would be in a near-death state after using single strike until they become accustomed to it.

But what happens when the Heaven Tribe and Earth Tribe rise to the First Step Before the Throne?

Through their unique recovery abilities and the endless absorption of energy through Celestial Energy Guidance, they can recover in an instant even if they reach a near-death state.

Therefore, thanks to their unique recovery abilities and life force, the Heaven and Earth Tribes can execute the single strike of First Step Before the Throne several times, unlike the Heart Tribe.

Then, what about Seo Eun-hyun, who possesses the cultivation of Heaven, Earth, and Puppet?

Seo Eun-hyun prepares the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship’s ultimate move, Severing Mountain.

A strike that bombards the opponent with over twenty techniques, causing an explosion.

Paaaatt!

Kim Young-hoon vanishes into the beam of light, and in an instant, a Peng Bird appears.

Seo Eun-hyun unfolds his eight wings.

The body of starlight and the puppet’s circuit vibrate.

He covers his entire body with the hazy mist of the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.

’I can feel it.’

It’s clear to him.

He can feel that the Kim Young-hoon before his eyes also intends to deliver his final strike, having fully accelerated his saber.

’He must also be pouring all his power into each move used in Saber Tomb to confront me.

Seo Eun-hyun smiles.

’How about this time?’

Will he be able to properly surpass Kim Young-hoon this time?

’No, that’s not it.’

Seo Eun-hyun believes in his own martial arts that he has been training until now.

He believes in the history of his endless practice.

He believes in the ill fate that endlessly showered misfortune upon him, but ultimately saved him.

His sword resounds.

From the profound realization of the 22nd move, Severing Mountain, more were added with later enlightenments.

Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains, which ensures the momentum never changes.

Foolish Old Man Moves Mountains, which not only maintains the momentum but increases it.

Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace, which unifies enlightenment.

One Annihilation to the Near Shore, which explodes power from the Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace.

Guiding to the Summit, which reverses the opponent’s strength.

Twelve Thousand Peaks, the pinnacle of the sword formation.

Boundless Dao to the Other Shore, which gathers and releases all the power of One Annihilation to the Near Shore.

And Deep Mountain, Emerging Dao, which moves the sword from a higher plane to a lower plane, increasing the sword force.

All the history and fate of his martial path, that he arduously crawled up with his limited talent, bursts forth from his hands.

His opponent is the Incarnation of True Martial Arts (眞武)!

"Saber Tomb!"

A golden Peng Bird and the history of a slow-witted dullard clash in the sky.

"Severing Mountain!"

And the entire sea domain trembles.

The light subsides.

Kim Young-hoon, covered in blood, looks at his beloved blade with trembling hands.

The saber he had saved until the very end of very ends.

The demon sword specialized for speed.

Radiant Saber Ryun. Except for the hilt, the blade is gone.

"...."

He looks around.

He is on top of some deep-sea monster’s corpse.

It seems the deep-sea monster was caught up and killed in the fight between Seo Eun-hyun and Kim Young-hoon. Its entire body is shredded with sword and blade marks.

It appears to be a kind of mimic monster that reads memories and mimics them as illusions, as countless crude illusions are rising from the corpse of the deep-sea monster.

The illusions form forests and mountains.

Maybe because the deep-sea monster primarily mimicked mountainous demon beasts, the emerging illusions are of huge cliffs, great mountains, and peaks.

Kim Young-hoon lets out a hollow laugh.

His voice doesn’t come out well.

But he squeezes it out and speaks the words he intends to say.

"Your...victory. Seo Eun-hyun."

Having finished his words, Kim Young-hoon collapses forward at the feet of Seo Eun-hyun, who is holding the Colorless Glass Sword before him.

Despite his defeat, despite having lost all his cherished weapons and wealth, his expression isn’t bad at all.

’...I was too reliant on external objects. Yes...thanks to you, I could grasp the clue to the next realm...’

With that, he falls asleep with a smile amidst countless illusions of great mountains.

Gasping for breath, I place the Colorless Glass Sword into my storage scroll with trembling hands.

I don’t even have the energy to store it within the Dan Fire.

Though all the volcanic power in my body has been completely drained, I don’t care.

"...I won."

I defeated him.

That is enough.

I collapse onto the corpse of the grotesque creature.

’...I need to stop them...’

Far away.

I look at the battle unfolding in the Twilight Domain with a hollow laugh.

Energy is returning to my body again, but I can’t intervene immediately.

It will take around half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea for my body to recover.

[TL/N: The time to drink a cup of tea is ~15 min, but it is also used to express a short time.]

’Well...still, they won’t lose.’

My faith in my comrades is not shallow and I have no worries that they will get overrun by the thugs of the Ancient Force Realm.

The only concern is Kim Yeon, who is engaged in a massive battle far away, charging towards the enormous command ship while being bombarded by the surrounding fleet.

’I’m going crazy. If either of them gets hurt while fighting...’

I take a deep breath, but there’s nothing I can do right now.

Desperately, I send a brief command via voice transmission to Hong Fan and collapse on the spot.

Though the monster’s corpse is buoyant, countless illusions surround Kim Young-hoon and me.

One illusion is of an old man with a flower basket approaching within 1 zhang (~3m).

Other illusions include a bizarre seagull demon practicing martial arts, a muscular giant kissing his muscles, a strange monk with one eye covered by an eyepatch looking for someone with a cough—all kinds of illusions based on the memories of various beings are floating in the air.

Seeing these illusions, I look up at the sky of the Ancient Force Realm.

The sky where celestial energy can not be read.

’The world of the Earth Tribe...’

The land is history.

Someone had once told me that.

I reach my hand towards the sky and smile.

In the world of history, the history of my martial arts has finally won against the Incarnation of True Martial Arts.

My martial arts have not been in vain.

***

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