ALL NOVEL Ch 88
Chapter 87
How could one possibly describe that monstrous, gigantic body with words?
It was truly a *mountain* of flesh.
How could a human body grow so massive?
Gajinhen, the General of the Empire, immediately began considering the battlefield utility of such a monstrous body, thinking about how it could be used in combat.
A weapon wielded by such a giant!
With a single strike, an enemy infantry legion could be utterly scattered.
Even cavalry wouldn’t be any different.
No matter how brave the warhorses might be, they would undoubtedly be terrified and retreat in fear before the giant’s overwhelming might.
Even under the barrage of countless arrows raining down from archers like a storm, the giant would hardly feel anything, and it would cause no trouble in rampaging across the battlefield. Enemy siege engines, like *siege drills* or *stone-throwing machines*, would be reduced to scraps with a mere kick.
A giant on the battlefield.
Truly a *war god*!
However, Gajinhen could not help but doubt what Zhou Hui had said.
“What did you just say? *Soldiers*?”
“Yes.”
Not soldiers, but *soldiers*?
Could such a battlefield titan be led not by one, but by hundreds or even thousands?
Zhou Hui, looking calm and composed, turned his gaze towards Nam Gung Jang Ho.
“That giant is Nam Gung’s family sword master. He has awakened the essence of the *Dalma Jingeong*.”
“Essence of the *Dalma Jingeong*!”
“Yes. Of course, not everyone can achieve such a powerful awakening. However, those who have mastered martial arts are more likely to awaken in a more combat-focused form.”
“Then!”
Zhou Hui turned to Gajinhen and smiled slightly.
“Just as you thought, General. Soldiers who have spent their entire lives handling cavalry and weaponry will surpass ordinary people with their potential.”
Having witnessed the full might of the giant before his eyes, Gajinhen was understandably anxious.
Gajinhen, seemingly having made up his mind, nodded enthusiastically.
“Then give me that *Dalma Jingeong*! Now!”
Such a quick decision?
Zhou Hui, with wide eyes, unpacked a bundle filled with neural link chips.
“To start with, just one unit of soldiers…”
“What do you mean? Give it all! Equip every soldier in the Four Thousand Army with it!”
“All of them?”
Had Zhou Hui overthought the situation by trying to make it difficult? He never imagined that Gajinhen would demand neural link chips for every soldier in the Four Thousand Army.
But this was impossible.
Awakened warriors had to emerge gradually, in a chain-like process, to minimize the shock. Bestowing too much power upon a single group all at once was dangerous.
Above all, Zhou Hui was worried about *Tanggata*, located near the Four Thousand Army.
“Every new weapon needs testing. Let’s go step by step. I’ll provide enough for one battalion to start with.”
“Hmm…”
Gajinhen, seeming to recognize the wisdom in Zhou Hui’s words, calmed his excitement and nodded.
“Very well. I will not forget your loyalty to the Imperial Palace.”
Zhou Hui, suppressing a smile, knew full well how much bribe money Gajinhen had been pouring into the system to elevate the Four Thousand Army to the Imperial General’s rank. It was absurd to hear him speak of loyalty to the country.
Zhou Hui knew the moment the Four Thousand Army’s soldiers became awakened, Gajinhen would quickly take action. It would be interesting to watch what happened next.
After handing over a hundred or so neural link chips, Zhou Hui quickly took his leave.
“I wish you good fortune, General.”
Gajinhen and Yuk Eung watched as Zhou Hui vanished on horseback, leaving behind only a faint afterimage.
* * *
Exactly two months after Zhou Hui completed his visits to the various military offices, a massive number of *Jeonseogu* (military dispatch letters) arrived at the *Joga Daesanghoe*.
The intelligence network, now fully established under the *Ya Jeop* (Nightspy organization), had grown into a powerful organization.
Hong Ye, the leader of the *Il Yamanryeokhwa Jeop*, who was checking the *Jeonseogu* letters from all over, was stunned with disbelief.
“What… what is all this?”
Unexpected incidents were rare, so they were often called *Byeongu* (unforeseen calamities).
Never in the history of the *Ya Jeop*, which had been handling intelligence from across the Central Plains, had there been so many calamities occurring simultaneously.
*Whoosh*—
With a swift movement, Hong Ye rushed out of his office, using *extreme martial arts*, and headed straight for Zhou Hui’s residence.
For some time now, Zhou Hui had ceased meeting with his subordinates and officials, staying holed up in his quarters with the newly appointed military strategist, So Jeagal, discussing secret matters.
Everyone around was curious about what secret talks were taking place, but they never made a public appearance.
However, this matter was beyond what he could handle himself.
“Zhou Hui!”
After sipping his tea, Zhou Hui’s window opened.
With a displeased expression, he looked at Hong Ye.
“I’m sure I told you not to come.”
“Now’s not the time to argue about that!”
Zhou Hui exchanged a glance with Jeagal Un, sitting across from him, and a look of interest crossed his face.
“What happened?”
Hong Ye, swallowing nervously, responded.
“General Minghwa has crowned himself the King of Hanzhong! He is currently leading his army to *Tanggata*!”
“King of Hanzhong?”
He was trying to imitate *Liu Xian De* (Liu Bei)?
“But that’s not all! General Bang Geuk of the Hubei Army has declared himself the King of Wuhang! His army is heading towards Mount Wudang!”
Zhou Hui and Jeagal Un exchanged knowing glances and smirked.
It was amusing to see all these generals who spoke of loyalty to the country now rising in rebellion, just as expected.
But the most interesting news was still to come.
“Here’s the really serious news! All the officials of Lanzhou have been killed!”
“Lanzhou?”
Wasn’t Lanzhou in Gansu Province?
But they’re all dead?
“What do you mean? All the Lanzhou officials are dead? How? Has war already broken out?”
“No one knows. There are no witnesses.”
“What?”
“They say the entire region has turned into the North Sea!” They say that all they found was a chilling coldness all around, and not a single common bloodstain. Also…….”
“Wait a minute!” “Han-gi, you say?”
A sense of foreboding overtakes Jegalun, who slowly turns his gaze to look at Jo Hwi.
“Could it be…?”
When a large number of souls disappear from the material world, the laws of nature are instantly distorted.
What if that vast expanse of the southern sea was suddenly covered in ice, turning it into a sea like the North Sea?
The biting cold that wrapped around like a thousand layers of cloth was a typical symptom of starvation.
It is a being that moves faster than any constellation and devours human souls in large quantities.
“Gap.” It’s him.
Jowhee, biting down hard, gritted his teeth.
If the Harvesting Gap has moved, it means the descent of the Celestial Beings is not far off.
The timing was not very good. The people of the Central Plains had not yet awakened even one percent, no, not even one thousandth.
“Deploy all of our intelligence assets in the Nanjoo area to find the headless corpse wandering around!”
As if just imagining it sent chills down her spine, Hongye’s complexion turned pale.
“A headless corpse wandering around?”
Jae-gal-un hurriedly nodded in agreement.
“We absolutely have to find it!” As soon as possible!
If there is a headless corpse wandering around, that is the embodiment of the harvest gap.
Of course, it wasn’t the main body, but just by stopping such an avatar, we could significantly reduce the damage.
“Hurry!” Hurry up!
“Ah, I understand!”
As Hongye executed the lightness skill and disappeared, Jo Hwi stared at Je Galun with a penetrating gaze.
“I will believe.”
Zhegalun, swallowing his saliva and nodding his head.
Now, Jo Hwi will never be able to appear at the Jo Family Grand Meeting again.
He now truly had to confront cosmic beings.
For the past month and a half, my mind was filled with the immense plans and strategies we had discussed, but thinking that the continuation of the Central Plains civilization depended on my hands made my heart unbearably heavy.
“You’ll do great.” You are the best strategist I know.
Jae-gal-un, trying hard to make a joke.
“More than Il-ryong?”
“That guy is too intermittent.”
When Jo Hwi mounted the sword and transformed into the Lesser Sword God.
“Wait a moment!” “Wait a minute, Gaga!”
Before he knew it, Han Seol-hyun had quietly approached Jo Hwi’s quarters, fidgeting with his collar and at a loss for what to do.
“Han Sojae…….”
Jo Hwi was looking at her with a sympathetic expression.
After promising a future together, Han Seol-hyun always waited for him with a calm demeanor.
However, Jo Hwi has regained the memories of his reincarnation and has fully restored his divine self.
The intense emotions between a man and a woman belonged to Jo Hwi, not to the one who denies existence.
Because of that, the feelings towards her can only be diluted.
Moreover, now the Central Plains will become the battlefield of the Constellation War.
After the end of the great war of this life, it was uncertain whether I could live as Jo Hwi again.
No, above all, I couldn’t even be sure if she was alive.
In the midst of all this, achieving a relationship with her would be more like poison.
Rather, the temporary pain will be the path for her.
“Why on earth me……”
Han Seol Hyun, unable to calm her turbulent heart, couldn’t bring herself to continue speaking.
The engagement had already passed helplessly.
She could barely even remember the last time she walked through the garden with him.
Jo Hwi sighed and opened his mouth.
“Yes. I deliberately avoided it.”
In that instant, Han Seol Hyun burst into tears.
“I’m not human.”
She already knew, having heard from Jo Hwi’s companions, that he was a guardian spirit fighting to prevent the destruction of the Central Plains.
But no matter how much she looked at him, he was still the same as the one she loved.
“My one and only man.”
“You’re a liar.”
Jo Hwi gritted his teeth, unable to meet her gaze as she glared at him fiercely.
“If I can return, then we’ll talk again then.”
Jegal Un, who had been watching them awkwardly, suddenly burst out laughing heartily.
“Haha! You crazy fool! Are you saying you won’t come back? You made Han Sojeo cry like this?”
Laughing, Jegal Un approached and slapped Jo Hwi on the shoulder.
“Come back and let’s complete the Cao Family’s Combined Heavenly Tower together.”
Jo Hwi chuckled at Jegal Un’s passionate voice.
“The top floor is reserved for the president of the Jo Family’s Association.”
“Make sure to leave one spot open.”
For a moment, Jo Hwi felt a surge of emotions.
Even though he had experienced countless reincarnations and became a transcendental being completely free from human emotions, and even though human desires and struggles seemed meaningless, the more he lived, the more he realized how human he had become.
This was his life as someone who loved people.
At least, the current version of him was much closer to Jo Hwi than to “the one who denies existence.”
Jo Hwi silently walked over and carefully took Han Seol Hyun’s hands.
“I will definitely return.”
Her clear pupils reflected the piercingly blue sky.
Following her gaze, he too looked at the sky, and indeed, it was a brilliantly beautiful day.
* * *
It was a world of snowy plains so white that it was almost impossible to gauge the height of the sharp peaks soaring far above the clouds, as if the sky and the earth were one.
The highest point in the Central Plains, the Heavenly Mountain (Tianshan).
This was the first place Jo Hwi visited after leaving the Jo Family’s Combined Heavenly Tower.
Whoooosh—
Despite the relentless blizzard hitting his body, Jo Hwi stood motionless on the highest peak of Tianshan, not flinching at all.
His eyes, as clear as water, were fixed on the vast, white sky beyond, toward the depths of the universe.
Here, he had been gazing at the sky for nearly half a month, trying to sense the presence of the constellations.
But all he could feel was the movement of the stars. There was nothing tangible within his senses.
‘It’s the same…’
It was the same situation as during the last Constellation War.
They never reveal themselves first.
It would be when the gap-dwelling creature harvests the souls of countless humans and creates chaos that the constellations would appear in great numbers.
At this point, revealing themselves prematurely would only result in all time being denied by “the one who denies existence,” causing them to suffer near annihilation.
Then.
“Heh…”
Suddenly, the empty voice of an old man filled Jo-hwi’s ears.
Jo Hwi looked at the owner of the voice with a slightly surprised expression.
“Who…?”
A middle-aged person with a look you can see anywhere.
However, this extreme peak was not a place where an old man who looked like he could collapse at any moment could ascend.
What on earth is that ridiculous outfit supposed to be?
Even if I wrapped myself in several layers of thick cotton clothes, it wouldn’t be enough, and yet here I am with just a light hemp robe and a shabby cane.
This place is the highest peak of the Tianshan, known as the roof of the Earth. It was a place where human hands could never reach.
“Truly astonishing.” I can’t even dare to guess the energy you possess within yourself. “When exactly did such a being like you come to exist in this Heavenly Mountain?”
The eyes of Jo Hwi, filled with disbelief.
It was rather a question he wanted to ask himself.
Jo Hwi briefly gauged the profound stillness that enveloped the old man, and then truly became alarmed.
His realm had long surpassed the level of natural phenomena, reaching the realm of demigods.
Even in the long history of the Central Plains martial arts, a realm even higher than the brilliant Three Gods!
Even the Six Realms of Existence cannot compare to this old man.
In all of his countless reincarnations, he had never encountered anyone who had reached such a level solely through martial arts.
How flustered I was, to the point that I initially thought he might be sitting.
He possessed a presence that was quite sufficient, but upon examining the nature of his spiritual energy, it was not divine.
Jo Hwi revealed his authority as one who denies existence.
“Rather, I have something to say.” For a long time, I have observed people, but I dare say I have never seen anyone like you. Who on earth are you?
Jo Hwi tried to infer the old man’s origin through the nature of his Wuhon, but his Wuhon had already become completely colorless after repeated transcendences.
“Heh… you’re a nasty person who answers a question with another question.” “Isn’t it just me who can’t stand this unbearable curiosity?”
The old man’s new form slowly glided closer to Jo Hwi.
The old man’s gaze, as he looked at the strange object, kept scanning Jo Hwi up and down.
“I can’t believe it at all.” Even the providence of nature is but a weak stream before you. But is not the power that extends in all directions like this a form of thought control? How can a warrior’s willpower exert such control over harmony? “Please provide an answer to this deeply inquiring heart.”
Jo Hwi’s gaze turned as harsh as a blade of ice.
Even though the opponent was an extraordinary martial artist who had reached the realm beyond human, there was no time to play games like “Twenty Questions” when facing the disaster of the annihilation of the Central Plains.
“You are an ill-mannered person.” Get lost.
In the face of Jo Hwi’s sudden and shocking guest invitation, the old man was just blinking his eyes in disbelief.
It was quite refreshing to realize that I could be treated this way.
The people of the Tianshan region burst into tears and prostrated themselves as soon as they saw him.
He has already been like a divine being of the Heavenly Mountain for hundreds of years.
Above all, I was at a loss as to how to introduce myself to the other person. Because he really didn’t have a human name.
Before long, Jo Hwi, with an indifferent expression, gazed at the distant sky once again.
The old man was even more astonished by Jo Hwi’s behavior.
The old man’s face, stained with shock.
“Could it be… you… can read the heavenly weather…?”
Jo Hwi furrowed his brows deeply.
“I told him I didn’t want to argue anymore and to just leave.”
“Heh, hehehe!”
An old man stroking his long beard and bursting into hearty laughter.
“Indeed, what kind of greeting could there be for those who walk the path of martial arts other than testing their skills?”
Phew!
Jo Hwi was blankly staring at the old man’s cane, which was being swung at him.
How dare they pick a fight even though they feel their own existence so clearly!
“Crazy Nomaro.”
Bang!
When Jo Hwi lightly grabbed his cane with a reverse grip, the old man was even more surprised.
“How dare you…!”
It appeared to be an extremely light move, but the power contained within the cane was easily in the tens of millions of jin.
As evidence, the floor of the peak where Jo Hwi was standing was collapsing in an instant due to the tremendous shockwave.
Crackle!
A great disaster struck the tranquil Tian Mountain.
The massive shockwave not only toppled the peak of the summit but also engulfed the entire gigantic iceberg.
Cuckoo-cuckoo-cuckoo-cuckoo-cuckoo-
Even as a massive landslide occurred, engulfing the entire mountain, Jo Hwi merely floated on his sword, indifferently looking down at the old man.
“Don’t provoke me anymore.” I could kill you. “Are you still going to continue?”
“What?” Kill?
The old man’s expression was no longer carefree.
With a face twisted in anger, the old man who had been glaring at Jo Hwi suddenly started spewing curses.
“Because I’ve been coddling you, do you think I’m an idiot?” In all my life, I’ve never met a worthless scoundrel like you! Alright! Today, I’ll grind you up and turn you into minced meat!
“……Is he crazy?”
Jo Hwi, who is extremely flustered by the old man’s unexpected change in attitude.
The rhythm of the curses he spat out incessantly was no ordinary skill.
“What?” “Wh-what? You crazy bastard?”
As if he didn’t want to talk anymore, Jo Hwi’s hand moved slowly.
Woo-oooh-
Countless dots suddenly appeared in the sky over Cheonsan!
Thus, the immensely powerful Ten Thousand Empty Path, which could not even be compared to the past, fiercely shot towards the old man.
“Hmph!” Rough!
As the old man stepped forward, countless small whirlwinds sprang up like a warm breeze.
However, it was not a mere small breeze.
Kukwakwakwakwakwa!
Those small dots, each possessing the power to instantly engulf space, are the legendary sword’s public domain.
Suddenly caught up in a whirlwind, they all disappear just like that.
However, Jo Hwi’s expression remained indifferent.
His attacks would be immensely powerful against martial artists who deal with mere thoughts, but his opponent has transcended the natural realm and achieved true enlightenment.
For those who have reached the state of enlightenment, there were various methods to dispel the notion of emptiness.
“Are you planning to fight me with such a trivial trick?”
The public good of the world is just a trick!
If the Sword God had heard it, he would have grabbed his neck and collapsed.
“You’re ignorant.”
Jo Hwi saw it clearly.
The wind unleashed by the old man looked like a small whirlwind, but it was truly the wind of boundless treasures.
The ideal of public ownership that was spread through ideology could not possess an infinite singularity like a black hole in outer space.
The old man, who immediately grasped such a weakness, consumed the wind’s energy to the limit that the dots could absorb.
So, the public good of the world has completely collapsed.
Of course, the ability to instantly grasp the nature of the emptiness (空) inherent in the Universal Public Way and to supply the energy of wind to its limits was something only this old man, who had transcended the natural realm, could achieve.
It was an extremely simple and foolish countermeasure, but above all, it was the most effective response.
“Hmm…”
The problem was that the old man had a method of creating wind. The method of using natural energy was somewhat ambiguous to be considered a martial way.
After pondering deeply, Jo Hwi soon revealed a look of bewilderment on his face. He finally recalled what this peculiar method of manifesting natural energy was.
“Is it a demon?”
“What, what did you say?”
He was so shocked that he even dropped the cane he was holding.
A factor, you say!
On this land, there were no longer any humans who called yokai (妖怪) by that name.
The term “yoingi” literally means treating a yokai as a human.
A distant past, no, an era so distant that it cannot even be called ancient.
Only the people from the time when youkai and humans coexisted knew that youkai were a species that had diverged from the human race.
“It’s an incredible transformation technique.” Daring to make my eyes mistake you for a person. Above all, you factor. Grateful to be alive.”
“Go, thank you?”
Jo Hwi’s pupils were soon filled with a confused light.
“Considering you as harm was truly my mistake.” It was also my mistake to think that you had lost your humanity.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Jo Hwi stared at his hands with an utterly gloomy expression.
“I don’t know how long I’ve regretted erasing your spirit with my own hands.” I felt like I would rather die. “I want to atone with my life to your kin right now, but forgive me for not being able to do so in order to prevent the extinction of humanity.”
“Ye, Yeongsan?”
The old man’s eyes were instantly filled with fear.
The calamity of the Nirvana of Mount Spirit!
The life of the Yoin tribe, which had persisted for over ten thousand years, was completely extinguished at that time.
The factors that could no longer absorb the spirit of the Yeongsan became engulfed in madness, causing chaos in the human world, leading to executions, while some had no choice but to hide underground.
Life in the underworld was even more hellish.
Instead of consuming the mystical energy, they fed on the earth energy filled with dark energy, transforming into even more frenzied monsters, facing a horrific situation where they devoured each other.
“Was that you…?”
Slowly, the old man’s transformation spell is lifted.
Rough hair like a lion’s mane sprouted all over his body, and iron-like muscles bulged out, completely tearing his armor apart.
That sight was truly ominous and terrifying.
Jo Hwi sighed deeply.
“To the demon of the ape tribe.” Can you not postpone your grudge? I would rather die than stain my hands with the blood of another noble again.
With those words, Jo Hwi quietly closes his eyes.
How dare you love a human!
All the evil deeds he had committed under the pretext of protecting humanity could never be justified.
He is evil enough.
If I could only lift the fate of extinction from humanity, I would have willingly chosen to disappear at any time.
At that time.
Cuckoo-cuckoo-cuckoo-cuckoo-cuckoo-
The entire Tianshan range is shaking.
An unknown tribal factor was pushing their power to the limit.
“Se, no way?”
As the transformation magic was lifted, the true essence of the original tribe was revealed, and it was astonishing.
Jo Hwi could immediately recognize that his presence was transcendent.
“Constellation!”
That’s right.
The original tribe before my eyes is a being that has transcended the limits of its kind and achieved a higher state.
“I’m alone!”
With a fierce murderous intent, the tribesman spoke.
“Out of all those factors, only I survived!”
Kukwakwakwa!
The Sage, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, fiercely attacked Zhou Hui.
The very person who was the embodiment of the hellish Yongshan Destruction is standing right in front of me!
Kwaaaang-
Kwaaaang-
However, the opponent was merely blocking his attack, which he had poured all his murderous intent into, with an almost absurd ease.
I couldn’t believe it.
In the face of the other person’s immense presence, I had thought that perhaps they might be a person of the same caliber as myself.
However, he could not possibly accept that his attack, which had finally reached its target after an endless struggle with immense power, could be handled so easily, as if dealing with a child.
It’s not some grand method.
With an indifferent expression, what he was unfolding was merely a thin, transparent veil.
The veil of ideas.
There was no way to shake off that simple barrier created by human martial arts.
“How could something as trivial as human telekinesis possibly block the power that has transcended countless forces?”
As for Jecheon Daeseong, he could never comprehend the extreme realm of thought that Jo Hwi was unfolding, transcending ordinary thought.
“Stop it.”
After letting out a sigh, Jo Hwi was looking at Cheonsan, who was battered by the shockwave, with a sorrowful gaze.
At the sight of such a figure, Jecheon Daeseong’s eyes revealed a fury akin to a volcano.
This Heavenly Mountain is, compared to the sacred mountains of the influential, truly a worthless mountain.
Are you telling me that the person who feels so sorry about this insignificant mountain being destroyed is the same one who ruthlessly destroyed the sacred mountain?
The great catastrophe of the spiritual mountain’s extinction, etched into one’s soul like a brand.
The once-majestic mountain, which had completely collapsed under the unknown force, never recovered again.
Jo Hwi’s eyes, which had become as transparent as water, turned towards Jecheon Daeseong, who was revealing an unprecedented killing intent.
“Are you that angry?”
Without any further ado, Jo Hwi’s indifferent voice once again reached Jecheon Daeseong, who was about to spread his hand again.
“If eliminating the spirit mountain is my evil deed, what is your evil deed?”
“How dare you!”
“Are you going to blame me even for being called monsters?”
The fallen beings who were not satisfied with the spirit of the spirit mountain alone.
They came into the mortal world, slaughtered humans, and consumed their blood, gradually demonstrating more and more terrifying powers.
For Jo Hwi, it was becoming increasingly difficult to tolerate the factors that were gradually making the world more chaotic.
“Calamity (劫) is the wheel of living.” You have soiled the bonds of your own karma and provided the seeds of your own downfall. Even if it weren’t for me, your kind would have been exterminated by humans.
“Hmph!” “Just mere humans!”
“Like what?”
Jo Hwi cruelly sneered and nodded his head.
“Are you saying that a guy who can’t even do anything about himself dares to look down on humans?”
“You are a seat who has received a name like me!” You’re not human, are you?
“Really?”
Jo Hwi smiled faintly and gazed at Jecheon Daeseong once more.
“Then why are you showing such fiery anger?” Haven’t you already transcended the confines of the element and achieved a divine status yourself?
“Th-that is…!”
Jo Hwi cut off Jecheon Daeseong’s words with a firm expression.
“Just as you will not forget that you are a factor, I too will live on forever, bearing witness to all of human history.”
“…….”
“Also, unlike the countless constellations of the universe, don’t you also show a willingness to cherish and protect your own kind, just like me?” This means that although the branches may differ, you are still human.
“Am I human?”
Jecheon Daesung, who is extremely flustered and confused about his identity.
“I will ask you.” “Have you ever seen other constellations that cherish and protect their native races?”
The attitude of Jecheon Daeseong towards Jo Hwi suddenly became serious.
“I have never seen other constellations.”
“Hmm?”
Come to think of it, it was a question.
The tribal factor in front of me is clearly an exalted being who has ascended to the rank of a constellation.
Naturally, it didn’t make sense for the main body to exist in this central region beyond the dimensional barrier.
It is a universal law that can never be surpassed unless one is a reincarnated being like oneself, who has been reborn in another’s body.
Is it possible that ‘he’ has already broken through the door of the law?
“When did this mountain range come into existence?”
“For a long time.”
“So how much?”
“It’s been over a thousand years.”
“What?”
“Has it existed in the Central Plains world for thousands of years already?”
If this being’s stature truly matched that of a constellation-level existence, then such a claim was impossible.
Now that Jo Hwi thought about it, he realized that during all his reincarnations, he had never once encountered a primordial origin like this.
“Who gave you your name?”
A strong suspicion rose on the face of the Great Heavenly Sage.
“How could you not know who gave you your name after you ascended to a seat?”
“Do you know?”
Great beings who have attained the rank of Creator or beyond have never revealed their true identities to the constellations.
And yet, to claim that this being knew the name of the one who gave him a name and allowed him to sit in such a seat? It was utterly unfathomable.
Jo Hwi stared intensely at the Great Heavenly Sage, his face now severe.
“Could it be… did you meet a god… or the Heavenly Emperor?”
In the Central Plains’ civilization, the highest-ranked god is the Heavenly Emperor.
“As expected, you know. That being is the one who resides at the very peak. The Great Heavenly Sage is a name bestowed directly by that Heavenly Emperor.”
“Crazy old man.”
A god?
The one who appeared before all lower beings in the guise of a god was actually the “Name-Giving Illusion.”
This was a deceitful entity that manufactured false constellations, maintained power and existence by receiving adoration and praise, and was, in fact, one of the most vile of all the constellations.
This poor primordial origin was one of its victims.
The specialty of the Name-Giving Illusion, as the name implied, was illusion.
It could manifest miraculous signs that resembled divine miracles, but they were all nothing more than captivating illusions.
Jo Hwi sighed softly and began explaining all these facts to the Great Heavenly Sage.
In disbelief, the Great Heavenly Sage, showing strong doubts, exclaimed:
“C-could it be… that everything was just a false illusion? Impossible! It can’t be! How could something so dazzling and immense have been nothing but an illusion?”
Though the Name-Giving Illusion was infamous for its foul reputation among the constellations, in terms of sheer existence, it was among the highest-ranked constellations.
A prime example of this was that, until the Great Heavenly Sage revealed his own flaws, even Jo Hwi had recognized him as a constellation.
What made this being formidable was his ability to seamlessly blend reality with illusion, creating illusions so real that they could deceive the senses.
His illusionary powers were such that even his own existence could be disguised.
“No wonder, that seemingly overwhelming attack was so weak in reality.”
The problem was that once an illusion was perceived by the opponent, it could easily be broken.
As Jo Hwi unleashed his presence, it immediately washed away the illusion surrounding the Great Heavenly Sage.
“Eh? Eh?”
The lifelike illusions that had seamlessly mixed reality with fantasy disappeared completely.
The Great Heavenly Sage could feel the disappearance of the unknown force that had amplified his essence.
Jo Hwi, unfazed, looked at his true form and let out a low exclamation of admiration.
“Truly impressive energy.”
Even after the illusions dissipated, the Great Heavenly Sage’s energy was still immense.
After thousands of years of cultivating this energy, his power easily surpassed the level of the Three Gods.
“It… it can’t be…”
The realization that the foundation of his existence, built on his cultivation, was all fake was unbearable.
The Great Heavenly Sage lowered his head in utter despair.
At that moment, Jo Hwi’s voice, filled with a touch of humor, reached his ears.
“Are you disappointed?”
“Disappointed!? Did you feel so relieved after taking everything for yourself?”
Jo Hwi nodded cheerfully and unexpectedly made an offer to the Great Heavenly Sage.
“I’ll personally restore the Mountain of Essence of the Primordial Origins. I’ll show you what true existence is, not this fake power.”
“The… Mountain of Essence? You’ll restore the Mountain of Essence of the Primordial Origins?”
“Why? Does it seem impossible to you?”
“…”
Before him stood a being who could easily block the energy accumulated over thousands of years with a mere curtain of thought—an abomination and a true constellation.
If this opponent truly wielded divine power, the claim of restoring the Mountain of Essence didn’t sound like empty words.
“Monkey.”
“Yes?”
The Great Heavenly Sage, realizing that his hand was being gently placed over Jo Hwi’s own hand, recoiled in horror.
“What kind of trickery is this?”
Jo Hwi, grinning as if he found the situation amusing, replied with a mocking tone.
“The Primordial Origins were the origin clan I cherished most. Naturally, their obedience is engraved into their very souls.”
“Caaaaah! Shut up, you bastard!”
“Monkey.”
“Yes? Ahh!”
The Great Heavenly Sage, seemingly about to cut off his own foot, unleashed the sword of his energy.
“Please forgive me for not realizing sooner that you are human. If you desire such power, I will surely make you invincible in this world.”
“Invincible? Hah! I’m already invincible!”
“Is that so?”
At that moment, an overwhelming force from the extreme realm of mind (극의념계) began to press toward the Great Heavenly Sage as though it could engulf the entire sky of the Heavenly Mountains.
“N-no, except for you!”
All of Jo Hwi’s presence, which had been radiating through the extreme realm of mind, spread wide, not toward the Great Heavenly Sage, but toward the heavens above.
“There’s something I need your illustrious energy for. If you and I join forces to block the ominous dark clouds that hang over the Central Plains and save humanity, then I will live the rest of my life for the sake of the primordial beings.”
“Crazy! The Great Heavenly Sage is going to save humanity?”
As though horrified by the mere thought, the Great Heavenly Sage shouted desperately.
“Monkey.”
“Yes? Ha…”
Why, whenever he heard the word “monkey” in his ears, did his front foot automatically twitch in reflex?
Staring dejectedly at his front foot, the Great Heavenly Sage, with a sense of utter hopelessness, spoke.
“So, what exactly are you going to do for me?”
Jo Hwi gently patted the Great Heavenly Sage’s front foot, which was placed in his hand.
“If you place this on your forehead, you’ll understand everything.”
“Hmm?”
Jo Hwi pulled out a small piece of metal from his robes.
The Great Heavenly Sage, feeling an ominous sense, cautiously pulled his front foot back.
“What is that? What are you going to do?”
Jo Hwi smiled wickedly and approached, as if he were a monk about to place a mystical artifact on the Great Heavenly Sage’s forehead.
“This will be over quickly.”
“No, what exactly is that!?”
“It won’t hurt.”
Jo Hwi grabbed the Great Heavenly Sage’s hair forcefully.
“Aaah, let go! Let go of me!”
In the end, a neural link chip was implanted into the Great Heavenly Sage’s forehead. He let out horrific screams in response.
“Aaaaaah!”
Though the primordial beings had diverged from humans through their species’ evolution, they were once akin to humans in the distant past.
Thus, Jo Hwi’s expectation that the neural link chip would work on this primordial being proved correct.
Whoooosh—
A new super-sensation began to bloom.
The neural link chip selected the most powerful genes among the Great Heavenly Sage’s genetic traits, enhancing and strengthening the genetic information.
“Keugh!”
The Great Heavenly Sage suddenly threw his head back, revealing his white pupils. This wasn’t due to extreme pain, but because of an overwhelming feeling of omnipotence that surged within him due to the new super-sensation.
“Aaaaaaah!”
Rumble—
Was that a lion’s roar? No, it was more like an ape’s roar.
The Great Heavenly Sage’s scream, fueled by sudden omnipotence, shook the entire Heavenly Mountains.
Crack-
Crunch-
The Great Heavenly Sage’s body underwent a complete transformation.
His previously brittle, stiff fur fell off, replaced by soft, shiny golden fur that grew in its place.
Simultaneously, golden eyes blazed with an intense light.
His body size more than doubled, and his muscles tightened, revealing a more powerful and healthy physique.
It looked like a powerful ape monster!
“Monkey.”
Thud!
Jo Hwi, with a satisfied expression, patted the Great Heavenly Sage’s now considerably larger front foot.
“Ah, damn.”
Cursing under his breath, the Great Heavenly Sage pulled back his front foot but then began checking his transformed body with a gleaming, excited expression.
Jo Hwi, watching him, couldn’t help but smile as well.
This wasn’t just a simple enlargement into a golden ape.
The energy swirling around him like heat waves was so powerful that even Jo Hwi was taken aback.
“Do you feel any different?”
“No…”
The Great Heavenly Sage was speechless, unable to believe what had just happened. The energy coursing through his body now was completely different from anything he had ever felt before.
The sheer power he was able to wield with the same amount of energy had multiplied by several times, but the Great Heavenly Sage had no idea how to measure it.
“Shall we test it out?”
This wasn’t just some ordinary reckless being.
Any other constellations who had underestimated this foul-tempered monkey would be in for a surprise.
“As you wish.”
No sooner had Jo Hwi spoken, than the Great Heavenly Sage’s energy surged toward him.
“Hoh.”
Boom!
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom—
The mental barrier that Jo Hwi had deployed through the extreme realm of mind shattered beautifully and was immediately destroyed.
As the Great Heavenly Sage, now excited, raised his energy, his eyes were completely engulfed in a golden glow.
Whoooooooom—
A blinding golden light, as bright as the sun, blazed in all directions.
The unimaginable power of his energy spread out in every direction, covering thousands of miles in an instant. The pure white snow of the Heavenly Mountains evaporated, and vast amounts of steam billowed up into the sky like clouds.
Within the steam clouds, Jo Hwi’s new form suddenly appeared.
“Good!”
The legendary sword sect of the Central Plains, the Great Sword Sect, and the divine swordsman appeared.
The sword that Jo Hwi had unleashed from the extreme realm of mind was a celestial sword technique that no swordsman in the history of the Central Plains had ever mastered.
The Heavenly Mountains, dyed with red plum blossoms.
In the dense fragrance of the plum blossoms, a blue dragon, accompanied by a thunderclap, soared into the sky. This was the final move of the Celestial Sword of Eternal Victory: the Thunder Dragon Sword, the Celestial Ultimate Sword Technique.
The blue dragon, infused with overwhelming thunder power, quickly used the balance of the heavens and earth, releasing the force of the ultimate sword spirit of the world—creating a mighty sword that destroyed everything in its path.
The sword of the Heavenly Demon, revealed from the sword’s handle, tore the Heavenly Mountains—and the world—into thousands, millions of pieces.
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!
The Great Heavenly Sage, who had been staring blankly at this scene, let his arms fall helplessly.
Had he lost his will to fight?
Such a weak emotion didn’t even cross his mind.
Rather, it was a sense of awe toward absolute power.
He was merely a sword—just six feet long, wielding the power to control the heavens and the earth, and creating harmony among all things. He was the true god of the sword.
To feel his evolved energy so powerless—it was overwhelming.
While the Great Heavenly Sage stared blankly at himself, Jo Hwi, with a serene expression, withdrew the extreme realm of mind.
“…How can I become like you?”
At the Great Heavenly Sage’s bold question, Jo Hwi smiled gently.
“Does it seem so distant to you?”
The Great Heavenly Sage, after some contemplation, shook his head.
“No.”
The gap he felt between himself and Jo Hwi through the sword wasn’t just a matter of raw power; it was a wall of time.
Instinctively, he knew there was an immense gap in the span of years between them.
But he himself was a primordial being who had cultivated his energy for thousands of years.
Compared to the long life of a primordial being, the lifespan of a human was but a fleeting moment.
“How long have you lived, anyway?”
That was something Jo Hwi himself couldn’t calculate.
If he considered all the time of his reincarnations, it would easily surpass ten thousand years, but even then, that wasn’t the entirety of his life.
“At least ten times longer than you.”
“What, what did you say?”
It was a complete defeat.
From the passage of time to the depth of experience, there was nothing in the Great Heavenly Sage’s past that could surpass anything from Jo Hwi, who had come from a star of human origin.
“Tch, so you want me to become your subordinate, huh?”
“How you take it is up to you.”
“Then give me the Demon’s Token.”
The audacious request from the Great Heavenly Sage.
Only then did Jo Hwi realize that this monkey had truly opened up his heart.
The Demon’s Token, while similar to the tokens exchanged between lovers in the human world, carried a different meaning.
While a token between lovers was a symbol of affection, the Demon’s Token was a symbol of an oath and trust, more important than life itself, exchanged among the primordial beings.
“Of course, I’ll give it to you.”
With a satisfied smile, Jo Hwi pulled out the customary “God Box” from his robe and spoke with authority.
“What’s the most powerful material you can create right now?”
Anti-matter.
Jo Hwi furrowed his brow.
“I asked the wrong question. Let me rephrase. Tell me, what is the most durable material you can create?”
The material is called RY-10.
“RY-10?”
Jo Hwi wore a puzzled expression, as if he almost recognized it, before a smile spread across his face.
“Al Yari!”
Al Yari, a hero born from the Middle East, a genius scientist from the future world who challenged Einstein’s legacy.
He was a theoretical physicist who, with his genius idea, completed a unified theory capable of explaining all the physical phenomena of the universe, earning worldwide fame.
He made countless groundbreaking materials through nanomechanics, and among them, RY-10 was his crowning achievement in his later years, a true miracle for humanity.
Based on the powerful durability of RY-10, humanity was finally able to achieve interstellar travel.
“Can you make it now?”
A dazzling light emanated from the lower part of the God Box, rising like a fantasy.
After scanning the Heavenly Mountain region for a while, the God Box indicated it was unable to find a suitable material.
No suitable materials found.
“Hmm… Looks like we’ll have to head south.”
Indeed. All the elements on Earth are dissolved in seawater.
“We’ll go right away.”
Jo Hwi, riding his sword, moved at an unimaginable speed, heading south, causing the Great Heavenly Sage’s eyes to widen in disbelief.
One of the greatest specialties of the primordial beings was their aerial martial arts (Sky Dance).
Primordial beings were born with innate energy, and from the moment they took their first steps, they could fly through the air.
To think that even he, who had trained in his own aerial martial arts since childhood, could now fly faster through the sky than ever before!
But despite this, the Great Heavenly Sage hated losing more than death itself.
“Kiiiaaaahhhh!”
Letting out a fierce shriek, a brilliant golden glow enveloped his body. He was using all his power to unleash his energy.
Boom!
In the blink of an eye, breaking the sound barrier, a tremendous roar echoed through the sky above the Heavenly Mountains.