Chương 352: Devilish Cult (5)

I gaze at the desolate land far in the distance from above the Twilight Domain.

This is the starting point of the Chaos Realm, where the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect have entered.

An endlessly sprawling, lifeless desert.

Normally, such barren lands are common in the Nether Ghost Realm.

That's because, while it's difficult for life to flourish, it's a good place for certain types of ghostly creatures to reside.

However, I realize that this desert is fundamentally different from such places.

'Even ghostly creatures... aren't visible.'

It's too desolate.

In the Nether Ghost Realm, ghostly creatures are typically everywhere.

There are intelligent ghostly creatures, but also numerous mindless specters.

Particularly, those mindless specters can be found in various shapes and forms all over the Nether Ghost Realm.

But here, there are none.

Not even those common specters are visible.

What I see is an endlessly sprawling desolate land.

And...

Gakak, gakakak, gakak...

In the middle of the desolate land, 'someone's skull' lies alone.

Looking at that skull, I realize it's the remains of a cultivator eroded by a True Person.

Booong― Kwaaang!

I quickly move my body and land in front of the skull.

'This is...'

Upon closer inspection, this is not a simple skull.

Crack, crack, crack― This skull, which keeps moving its mouth as if it's alive, has a rather creepy appearance.

However, sensing the true nature of this skull, I realize that its state is far more terrifying than it appears.

Kwagak!

I grab the skull and pull it out from the ground.

Kwagagak― As I pull further, a spine-like body emerges from below the desolate land. After pulling a certain length, hundreds of grotesque fiber-like things begin to sprout from the spine.

[Hyphae (菌絲), perhaps.] Though I roughly confirmed it with my consciousness domain before landing, it's still disgusting.

The cultivator eroded by the True Person must have been an ordinary ghostly creature.

But over time, its body has gradually transformed into these mushroom-like hyphae, taking root beneath this land.

Wooong― I observe below the land with my consciousness.

An enormous number of hyphae is wriggling beneath the land.

There are so many hyphae that they cannot be counted even in the thousands or millions.

'The further north, the more clusters of hyphae there are.'

As I perceive the hyphae eroding beneath the land, I look into the distance.

'The remains of the eroded one must have spread their remains from all the way over there to this place, sprouting these hyphae.'

I stare at the skull, still clattering despite being pulled from the ground.

Disappointingly, the skull shows no reaction even as it sees my death, moving its mouth monotonously.

'Is it because it's already eroded?'

I try stimulating it with ghostly energy, attraction force, and spiritual energy.

But the skull mushroom ignores my efforts, continuing to click its teeth and wriggle in my hand.

Then, it happens.

Wriggle, wriggle― The skull mushroom begins extending hyphae onto my hand.

The hyphae burrows into my hand, spreading roots inward.

'Remarkable. Even with the Azure Spirit Starlight Quintessence Great Method activated, it easily penetrated this solid flesh.''

I marvel for a moment before trying to expel the hyphae eroding my arm.

However, none of the techniques I have learned can repel the fibers.

'Tsk... should I just cut it off?'

It's when I click my tongue inwardly.

Snap!

The hyphae reacts to the power of the last method I try using.

[... Ho.] It's the mist of the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections.

Additionally, the hyphae responds to the power of the All-Heavens Sword.

Perhaps because the All-Heavens Sword contains the energy of Heavenly Tribulation, the hyphae withers upon contact and retreats from my hand.

Wooong― Combining the power of the All-Heavens Sword and the Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections, I quickly expel the hyphae from my hand and shatter the skull mushroom.

Paseok!

The skull mushroom, touched by the All-Heavens Sword, crumbles into ashes and scatters beneath my hand.

Kwa-jijijik!

Jeon Myeong-hoon flies to my side and asks.

"Did you find out anything about this land?"

[Yes.] I nod and tell him.

[These hyphae are weak to Heavenly Tribulation. However, they are not simply weak to any divine lightning. The black lightning of the Six Extremes Yin Thunder Body has little effect. So, you should try to emulate Heavenly Tribulation with your Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation Method as much as possible while moving forward.]

"Is that so? Got it."

[Then, let's depart.] Jeon Myeong-hoon and I return to the Twilight Domain.

Kugugugugu― I send the signal to depart from above the barrier of the Twilight Domain, and the Twilight Domain begins to move gradually northward.

Simultaneously, Jeon Myeong-hoon transforms into a Six-Arm Giant at the northern end of the Twilight Domain, takes out a six-colored flag, and begins to wave it wildly.

Kwarung, kwarararung!

The multicolored lightning from the six-colored flag gathers in the air, converging into a single red lightning.

Jeon Myeong-hoon utters invocations towards the red lightning orb in front of him.

The lightning orb explodes, and lightning with an aura very similar to Heavenly Tribulation spreads out like a curtain in front of the Twilight Domain.

Kwa-jijijik!

The Twilight Domain advances, erasing the hyphae beneath the land as it moves forward.

Wooong― I focus my mind, surrounding the Twilight Domain with my consciousness to monitor for any possible incidents.

It's when the massive body of the Twilight Domain enters the desert.

Kugugugugu!

The entire land trembles, and the hyphae wriggling beneath the earth simultaneously release spores.

'There was no reaction when Jeon Myeong-hoon and I entered, but now they react since a big prey has come.'

But it's futile.

Wiiiiing― For the Heart Tribe, the consciousness domain is both power and authority.

Their manifestations are mostly based on the consciousness domain.

However, their initially acquired consciousness domain rarely changes.

It's the same for Kim Young-hoon and Jang Ik as well.

With the consciousness domain they first acquired when reaching Five Energies Converging to the Origin, they perform all kinds of feats to defeat cultivators with consciousness that covers Heaven and Earth.

However, I possess the consciousness domain of the Heaven and Earth Tribes along with the power of the Heart Tribe.

My consciousness domain can cover the entire Twilight Domain and beyond!

Kwarururururu!

My consciousness surrounding the Twilight Domain becomes a storm.

The formless storm, swirling with all of Heaven's natural colors, repels every spore.

As we traverse the vast and desolate desert, the fallen spores turn to ash and return to the earth.

About a month passes.

How far have we traveled over this immense desert?

"Is that it?"

We finally reach the source of the hyphae spreading across this entire area.

We succeed in arriving near the remains of the corrupted cultivator.

Kwa-jijijijik!

Jeon Myeong-hoon roars, emitting red lightning from his six arms.

A storm of red lightning sweeps in all directions, eradicating all the hyphae.

Kwa-jijijijik!

After clearing the hyphae, he sets up a barrier of red lightning around the Twilight Domain and looks at me.

I nod.

Jeon Myeong-hoon, Oh Hyun-seok, and I step out of the Twilight Domain and walk towards the eroded remains.

As for Oh Hyun-seok, it was revealed over the past month that the spores are absorbed when they come into contact with the purple aura he emits. Seeing that they are harmless to him, I decided to bring him along.

The remains are massive.

[Horrible.] I click my tongue as I look at the huge remains.

It's evident that this remnant is still 'alive.'

Jeon Myeong-hoon sticks his tongue out, looking between the remains and me.

"It's quite similar. No wonder you, who sits in the position of cult leader and resembles this, cause others to mistake us for a devilish cult."

[...] I don't want to admit it, but the remains of the cultivator eroded by a True Person indeed resemble me.

At the center of the hyphae, supplying power to the hyphae, is a pure black body with white skulls sprouting from it.

Even through Nether Perception, it looks like a bizarre figure with death layered several times in one place.

Truly, it resembles my outer appearance.

'Tsk, so they didn't call us a devilish cult for nothing,'

"Then, me and Hyun-seok Hyung-nim will look around and find the sect's disciples."

Jeon Myeong-hoon and Oh Hyun-seok start to explore around, leaving the massive wreckage of about 30 zhang in size behind.

I click my tongue and stare at the entity before me.

'Anyway, It's still alive but... it's quite pitiful.'

Emotions flow from each of the skulls.

These emotions intertwine, forming a single consciousness domain.

Indeed.

These remains, despite their horrific state, are alive.

'Is it dreaming?'

The eroded one, receiving the gaze of a True Person, seems to be dreaming a long dream while desolating this land.

Did this person end up like this willingly?

Wooong— I grip the All-Heavens Sword while contemplating.

'Can I cut it?'

After a moment of thought, I sheath the All-Heavens Sword.

'I can't.'

Attempting to cut it is possible.

However, for some reason I feel a deep sense of endless foreboding emanating from within the remains, stopping me from swinging the All-Heavens sword.

I have a feeling that cutting it recklessly will bring significant misfortune.

"Found it! They're over here!"

Jeon Myeong-hoon's voice comes from afar.

[I'm coming over there.] I nod and start walking towards them.

Then it happens.

Shiver!

A sinister feeling licks my spine.

I quickly turn my head, raising the All-Heavens Sword.

What enters my sight are the remains in which a pupil made of pure white light has formed inside an eye socket.

Eyeballs form from within the eye sockets of the remnant with dozens of heads, staring directly at 'me.'

I quickly try to retreat, but the surroundings change instantly.

Pasasasak!

[...!] The surroundings shatter, and suddenly, I am floating up above under a night sky.

[This place is...] And the moment I look down, blood bursts from my thirty-eight pairs of eyes.

Pukwak!

[Kuurrgh...!] A woman!

It seems as if I have seen a 'woman' whose limbs were grotesquely twisted and had holes punctured all over her body.

I grit my teeth as I feel my head swelling uncontrollably.

'What did I just see?'

Unable to stand, I collapse on the spot and barely manage to regain my composure.

'I can't look down...'

Just then.

Kwadududuk!

Suddenly, the force pressing down on me becomes overwhelmingly strong, and I fail to resist the weight of my head, slamming it down as if prostrating myself.

There's something like a transparent barrier preventing me from falling below, but the void below is still clearly visible!

'No, no...! If I look down...!'

And then, it happens.

[...?] The 'woman' I saw earlier is no longer there below.

Instead, there is only a 'world' so vast that just perceiving it makes my head ache.

[Nether... Ghost Realm...?] Yes.

Below is the entirety of the Nether Ghost Realm.

'What is this? I thought I saw a woman just now...'

I squint my eyes, extending my consciousness to identify whoever forced my head down with such force.

But there is nothing within a radius of thousands of li.

Nearby, stars are floating in the night sky, illuminating the darkness...

[... Stars?] Chill!

Only then do I understand where I suddenly am.

'Crazy... could this be...!?'

Above the Nether Ghost Realm.

No, a place even higher.

Outside the dimension of the Nether Ghost Realm!

The place where [True Persons] reside and overlook the Nether Ghost Realm!

As soon as I realize this, a majestic voice resonates in my mind.

[Who are you?]

"...!!!"

I feel it.

Dozens of 'gazes' are piercing into my body!

'Damn, are you saying True Persons can summon beings from within the Nether Ghost Realm to beyond the dimension!?'

Various thoughts race through my mind, but I decide to answer the voice that had just echoed in my mind.

[I am...] [We did not ask you, insect.] Kwa-jijijik!

In an instant, my jaw shatters, making it impossible for me to speak.

No, I can't even project my 'will' outward.

It's as if the very act of 'speaking' has been sealed.

[While Your Excellency's words entered the Nether Ghost Realm and wrecked chaos everywhere, we have deliberated. But during our discussion, we discovered a frightening truth. None of us have ever corrupted something like that.] Terrifying gazes seem to penetrate my body.

[Thus, there can only be one explanation. A being of at least True Immortal is corrupting and manipulating someone beyond our knowledge.] The True Persons continue talking to me, no.

They continue speaking to the entity they believe is behind me.

[Please reveal Your Excellency's identity and, if there are any tasks you wish to entrust to us, we kindly ask that you do so. We have been observing the Nether Ghost Realm in our own way and have learned much over the countless ages, cultivating devotees in various places.] Kugugugugugu!

As they speak, my entire body feels like it is being crushed.

[Your Excellency, we implore you to grant us an opportunity.] And then, I extend my arm.

Wuduk, wudududuk― I stand up from my position.

Kwaduduk!

It feels like attraction force on a cosmic scale is trying to crush my body, but I endure it.

For some reason, I feel that I 'can.'

[...!] [How can a mortal stand under the authority of a transcendent!] [I see. Is the entity behind it lending their power?] [How can they possibly infuse power secretly to that thing under our scrutiny!] I look around, piercing through the multitude of voices.

Countless stars.

And the 'gazes' pretending to be stars.

About fifty of them, perhaps.

Yes, fifty Entering Nirvana True Persons are casting stern gazes at me.

Gigik, gigigik― I try to draw forth the Three Great Ultimates or the circuits, but realize it's impossible.

'So that's it.'

I understand what the True Persons have done.

'They didn't drag me here. They temporarily pulled my spirit out of the dimension. My physical body must still be down there.'

I narrow my eyes.

And with all my might, I push my heart essence and the 'something' suppressed within it.

Kuguk, kuguguguguk!

Just as I have lifted my body against the True Persons' attraction force, I draw out the 'speech' they had sealed within me.

[Honorable... True Persons... this insect humbly speaks.] Kuguguk― Just uttering a single word is excruciatingly difficult.

It feels as if my entire body will shatter at any moment.

But I can endure it.

Because it's not my actual self here, only my spirit.

Because only my spirit has been summoned, I can't call forth the Three Great Ultimates or the circuits, which require the cultivation of the Heaven and Earth Tribes. But conversely, as long as my mental strength is sufficient, I can endure!

[I am... not under... anyone's control. Please, send me... back.] However, the True Persons murmur briefly among themselves before sending their will to me.

[Insect. We will acknowledge the feat of you speaking before us and thereby enlighten you. If they truly are a great being, whether you realize it or not, they can influence your fate and history, guiding your actions at will. Do not dare to voice your insignificant opinions and disrupt our conversation.] Wuduk, wudududuk!

What would happen if I call forth the Inverted Cone or the names of Governing Immortals?

I want to do such a thing immediately, but 'speech' itself is sealed, and I am barely able to express my own opinions.

Thus, it's impossible to utter powerful 'words,' and similarly, I can't call forth those names or symbols.

[Your Excellency, we beseech you to answer us. We remained silent even when your sinister follower wandered through the Nether Ghost Realm, established a bizarre religion with a body piled with layers of ominous death, and disrupted the celestial energy of the Nether Ghost Realm with cursed dolls connected to the Bright Cold Realm. Your follower even approached our devotees and summoned Heavenly Tribulation right in front of them, trying to cause their annihilation. No matter if you are an honorable True Immortal, you are not a Great Net Immortal, so you cannot treat us with such disrespect.] They ignore me entirely, continuing to speak to someone I don't even know.

I grit my teeth.

For some reason, that moment comes to mind.

The despair I felt when facing fifty Qi Building cultivators.

Although now they are cute little things, at that time, I felt like an insect.

Hiding in a collapsed building, trembling and barely holding my breath, treated like a bug hiding behind Kim Young-hoon.

It feels like I have completely returned to that time.

The situation itself is similar.

Back then, the Elders of the Makli Clan didn't even pay attention to me, focusing solely on chasing Kim Young-hoon, just like these True Persons right now.

[Kneel. Do not dare to direct those insolent eyes at us.] Kwadududuk!

The overwhelming pressure pushes me down.

[...] But even under the cosmic forces, I don't kneel, merely looking at the ground.

Everything is the same as back then.

But there is something different.

[Many times over...] Kuguguguuk― I gather my will.

[Many times over... I have been treated like an insect.] Wooong!

I raise my head.

[But even an insect is not your plaything.] I gather all my will and push the 'words' up my throat.

[If you wish to converse, treat me properly. If not, you will be stung by the poison of an insect.] Kugugugugu― Fury (怒氣).

Immense fury fills the heavens.

The True Persons are furious.

The situation is the same as before, but what has changed?

It's that through several lifetimes, I have ceaselessly trained my will, my desire!

Now, even if my mouth tears, I will say what needs to be said!

[Guaaaaaaah!] Through the All-Heavens Sword, I convert my mental power at the Plane of Soul into the Plane of Qi.

The power of Five Elements and the power of Yin and Yang cover my entire body.

[Great Mountain!] Kuuuung!

Light swirls in my hands.

This is not an ordinary Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique.

Within it, I imprint the form of [what I had seen]!

[Spitting Emperor!] Scattering the Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique towards the sky, I show them the Inverted Cone.

――――――――!

―!!!!

―――――!!

――――――――!!!!

Indecipherable screams shake the cosmic space.

No, their screams seem to shake the entire Nether Ghost Realm below.

[Your Excellency! Do you truly intend to become our enemy!?] Kugugugugu!

A True Person with a furious voice shouts recklessly.

[Your follower will become miserable. We will drive its cult out of this land by any means necessary. Everything your follower says will be distorted in interpretation, and your follower will be annihilated and fall into the Netherworld, or will be banished to another world, unable to do anything else.] Ooooooo— Sensing the furious voice, I grin.

Pasak, pasasasak!

I shed my Ghost King body.

My human form emerges.

I, Seo Eun-hyun, look up at the sky and say,

"Talking like a dog. Isn't that what you've been doing all along?"

Being called a great ghost, devilish cult leader, vile devilish cult. Was it just once or twice?

For the past 200 years, I've done nothing but spread teachings, volunteer activities, and provide benefits everywhere.

I even seldom went outside the Wuji Religious Order to avoid scaring people with my appearance and form.

Yet, all the factions have been hostile towards me and called me a public enemy.

Two hundred years is not a short time, and wanting to be seen favorably by someone for that long is no simple matter.

It's only natural for people to open their hearts as much as the time invested.

But strangely, everyone remained in a bizarre misunderstanding until they were captured and saw the order with their own eyes.

Is all this just a coincidence?

I've been toyed with by fate many times.

Do you think I can't feel the déjà vu of fate now!?

"You've already been distorting information about our order and twisting our perception to others, spreading it across the entire Nether Ghost Realm! Haven't you been suppressing us for 200 years, making sure we can't spread far and wide by tampering with the Plane of Fate!? And now, when I ask to have a proper conversation, you growl as if you're doing a huge favor!"

Scolding the True Persons who are writhing madly after seeing the Inverted Cone, I smile.

I have been looking for a way to return to the Nether Ghost Realm again since earlier.

And now I found it.

"Take care. I'm leaving now."

I already know.

Due to their pact with Blood Yin, these people can never interfere in the Middle Realms.

Since I heard it directly from Hyeon Eum, it must be certain.

No matter how much they try to talk to the being behind me, such a being doesn't even exist. In the end, they'd think they are being ignored and try to kill me.

In that case, it's better to refreshingly kick them in the butt and leave boldly.

"Reincarnation Judge of the Netherworld, Nether Ghost True Lord Yu Soo Ryeon! Please let me back in!"

―――――――!

―――!!!

――!!!!!!!!!!

―――――――――――!!!

Once again, the True Persons go crazy.

I, too, feel a shock as if my soul is collapsing.

But high-level information is more dangerous to higher beings, so they must have been even more shocked.

And anyway.

Kuguguguk!

By calling the [name], a strong 'attraction force' forms between the Nether Ghost Realm and me.

"Well then, goodbye!"

Paaaatt!

As the surroundings seem to glow white-hot, I return back inside the Nether Ghost Realm.

Kugugugu!

In the cosmic space where Seo Eun-hyun disappeared.

There, numerous wills communicate fiercely across the boundless spacetime.

The contents of the numerous wills seem noisy, but the topic is one.

How could a mere insect directly confront the will of transcendents, talk back, scatter [horrible things], and then escape?

And among them, the star where the True Person who had tried to talk to the being behind Seo Eun-hyun is located, shines brightly.

[Indeed, is it in the process of completing the Earth (地)? But how can that be possible? How can a mortal, even if the Five Blessings are acceptable, fuse all Six Extremes within itself?] They are confused but soon solidify their will, causing the starlight to flicker again.

[Enough. There's no need to know. The being behind that thing must be lending their power. And since they are ignoring us like this, there's no choice. In order to prevent that being from exerting their authority here through that thing, we will either eliminate or drive their followers away through all the forces in the Nether Ghost Realm!] Wo-woong!

At the True Person's words, the stars scattered across the cosmic space flicker, expressing their will in agreement.