Chương 416: Face-to-Face (1)

Shiiiiiii— From above the last remaining Sky Island, Thunder Spirit Island, I look down at the ruins of the Human Race territory.

For some reason, I feel a complicated mix of emotions.

"Hey, Seo Eun-hyun."

Jeon Myeong-hoon approaches my side and speaks.

"... Jeon Myeong-hoon."

"Why do you look so grim? You were the one who did it."

"...."

He looks down at me with slightly hollow eyes.

"... Did I do the right thing?"

"Didn't you say Kang Min-hee would be coming out soon anyway? Then, you did the right thing in the end."

"... You know why I left Thunder Spirit Island, right?"

Jeon Myeong-hoon falls silent, his expression turning grim.

That's right.

I confidently razed the entire Human Race territory.

Thanks to the All-Heavens Sword's ability to ignore planes, there were injuries, but not a single death.

However, I couldn't bring myself to destroy Thunder Spirit Island, the old site where Hong Su-ryeong and our former sect, the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, once stood.

It's an incredibly selfish decision.

I destroyed others' lands and homes, driving them away, yet I spared the place that held my own memories. A total self-centered act.

The land I destroyed was surely someone's grave, a place filled with their memories.

The image of me smashing everyone else's homeland while clinging dearly to mine makes me look utterly despicable in my own eyes.

"Why are you acting so pitifully? it's unlike you."

Jeon Myeong-hoon gently strokes the wooden box that holds the hand of Jin So-hae as he speaks.

"Hugging your hometown then dying, or living even if you have to roll in the dirt after everything's been smashed—it's obvious which is better, isn't it? Stop whining uselessly and get up to prepare for Kang Min-hee. The people from Black Ghost Valley are here."

"... Got it."

After a moment of silence, I shake off my thoughts and stand up.

Just as he said, now is not the time to get lost in sentimentality.

I head towards the area near Thunder Spirit Island.

To the place where the Black Ghost Valley and the Azure Heaven Creation Sect are gathered.

The people from the Azure Heaven Creation Sect are diligently training their bodies on one side, while those from Black Ghost Valley are all silent and kneeling as if they are at a funeral.

I look at the Black Grand Elder, Heo Gwak, who is at the forefront, and speak.

"Grand Elder Heo. Please rise. Why are you all like this?"

"...."

Kung!

Instead of responding, Heo Gwak bangs his head on the ground.

"I must first clarify that our opposition against Elder under the Grand Alliance's call was absolutely not of our own volition."

"Well... I figured as much."

Two Nether Crossing Ships with fully operational power sources and dozens of Four-Axis Ghost Kings.

On our side, we only have one Nether Crossing Ship without a power source, two Four-Axis demon beasts, Oh Hyun-seok, and Azure Tiger Saint. It was practically a fight of dozens against one.

And yet, the fact that the Azure Heaven Creation Sect, Shi Ho, Seo Ran, and others were not instantly captured by Black Ghost Valley meant that they were quite lenient with us.

"Black Ghost Valley had no intention of being hostile toward us from the start, right?"

"... How could we ever dare to oppose you, Elder? It's no different from an ant declaring war against the king of a nation."

"...?"

I am slightly puzzled by Heo Gwak's attitude.

"Why are you being so formal? Is it because I destroyed the Human Race territory?"

It feels a bit strange.

Even the Grand Cultivator Association, despite knowing how powerful I am, only saw me at the Integration level and was brimming with fighting spirit, but Black Ghost Valley is acting unusually submissive.

However, I immediately understood after hearing what he says next.

"... We've been in contact with the main sect in the Nether Ghost Realm."

"Ah..."

That means word has spread about what I did in the Nether Ghost Realm.

"We are but insignificant creatures unworthy of even gazing at your shadow, Elder. The main sect instructed us that if we ever encounter Elder again, we should assess the situation and follow your command."

So...

Is it because of the incident where I drove away fifty Entering Nirvana True Persons? It seems that Black Ghost Valley considers me as either the incarnation of a True Immortal or perhaps even some sort of immortal treasure.

I am about to dismiss the flattery but realizing we lack time, I simply nod.

"... Well, I understand. Then, for now..."

Just as I'm about to command something to the Black Ghost Valley, I flinch, trembling as I scan the surroundings.

Jeon Myeong-hoon also shudders as if sensing something, and both the Black Ghost Valley and Seo Ran, who have learned the Ghost Path Method, tremble as well.

In the sky, yin energy is surging.

The energy of the dragon vein in the surroundings is gradually transforming into ghostly energy.

My expression darkens.

The place where the energy of the dragon vein is changing and where the yin energy in the sky is gathering...

As I trace the origin of these phenomena, I notice that the space beneath a Sky Island area, where Black Ghost Valley was previously located, is fluctuating.

'If I had delayed evacuating the Human Race by even a little, it could have been disastrous.'

I look towards the place where the Human Race has fled.

There are no mortals among the humans in the Bright Cold Realm.

As a result, when I wreaked havoc, they were all able to quickly escape their homeland by boarding flying magic artifacts.

I once lamented the lack of mortals, thinking it hindered the development of martial arts, but now, in retrospect, it's a blessing.

Thanks to that, they could escape so swiftly.

However, I can't afford to be satisfied with just that.

"... I'll speak plainly. The disciple you took in with the Ghostly Yin Transformation Immortal Root. She is soon about to go berserk."

"P-Pardon?"

"You can feel the yin energy, right? Soon, she will burst forth from where your sect was once located. She will emerge from the 'side path' on the outskirts of the Netherworld and descend upon the Bright Cold Realm. Her cultivation realm, even when estimated at the very minimum, will be at the Quasi-Star Shattering stage. No..."

I bite my lip, recalling how Jang Ik assessed Kang Min-hee in her prime.

"Other than having no rationality, it will be better to consider her at the actual Star Shattering Stage."

"Th-That..."

Heo Gwak seems to think it's impossible.

But at that moment, a terrifying ghostly wail echoes from one part of the Human Race territory.

"Kuheok!"

"Kugh..."

Everyone who has learned the Ghost Path Method, except for me, coughs up a handful of blood.

I stare with a hardened look at the source of the wail.

In about one or two shichen, Kang Min-hee will descend.

"I am aware of the true purpose of the Nether Crossing Ships."

I speak while looking at Heo Gwak.

"To collect all souls and spirits across the entire Heavenly Domain when the End arrives. It's designed for spatial transmission, dimensional transfer, and such. It's not meant for attack but for 'transportation,' isn't that right?"

"To know a fact only passed down to disciples of the Black Ghost Valley, how could... ah, no. It's only natural that Elder would know."

He readily acknowledges the truth, and I steady myself, looking at the place where Kang Min-hee is about to descend.

"Fly at full speed immediately towards the direction where the Human Race fled and load the entire Human Race onto the Nether Crossing Ships."

I command them with a stern expression.

The Human Race Grand Alliance, which includes the residents of the Bright Cold Realm, was estimated at roughly 30 billion by Temporal Fate Island.

It's possible to squeeze 7 billion of Earth's population into a single state in the United States.

The spatial compression on the Nether Crossing Ship is enough to fully contain the Heaven-Treading Desert.

Considering that the size of the Heaven-Treading Desert is similar to the continent I know as the Americas, theoretically, the insane population of 30 billion can be accommodated.

Heo Gwak nods slightly with a somewhat reluctant expression at my words.

"However, without doubling the power source, it will be difficult to guarantee speed. Also, even if we use spatial transmission, it's still within another region. As Elder mentioned, if the disciple who lost reason is at the Star Shattering stage, they can easily catch up using the ground-shrinking technique..."

"It doesn't matter. We can just do dimensional transfer."

"Even if we do dimensional transfer, where should we move to...? The True Devil Realm hates the Human Race due to the recent Human-Devil Great War, the Purple Gold Realm is too far, and if we go to the Nether Ghost Realm, the entire Human Race would perish. The Ancient Force Realm also requires a special kind of attraction force to enter."

"Not another Middle Realm, but go to a region in the Chaos Realm. If it's the Chaos Realm, the spatial coordinates are all mixed up, so she won't be able to easily use the ground-shrinking technique to follow..."

"But... but for that, we would need fixed spatial coordinates within the Chaos Realm region... and there are no fixed spatial coordinates in the Chaos Realm regions to begin with, and also..."

"There are."

I cut off Heo Gwak's words and hand him spatial coordinates I know of.

"Th-This place is..."

Heo Gwak's face turns pale as he receives the coordinates from me, while Heo Ryeong's face flushes red upon seeing them.

"Th-This..."

"Any objections?"

When I look down at Heo Ryeong, he rubs his side and lowers his head.

"... We will follow the Elder's command."

"Good. Now that it's decided, move quickly! Fly towards the direction where the Human Race has fled and prepare for spatial leap!"

The people of the Black Ghost Valley gather the members of the Azure Heaven Creation Sect and fly in the direction where the Human Race escaped.

The coordinates I gave them are the ones that had been in Jang Ik's podao.

In other words, they are the coordinates of the Heart Tribe territory.

I dispel the floating formation on Thunder Spirit Island, letting it fall downward.

Then, I take out Kim Young-hoon from my domain and request both him and Jeon Myeong-hoon.

"Could you two please take a look around the Human Race territory to check if there are any people left?"

Upon hearing my words, Jeon Myeong-hoon and Kim Young-hoon nod and vanish from sight with speed like light and lightning.

I confirm those who remain.

Seo Ran, who seems to have much to say to the people of Black Ghost Valley, and Shi Ho.

Azure Tiger Saint, who remained after sending off the Azure Heaven Creation Sect, as well as Oh Hyun-seok.

Kim Yeon, who decided to stay to check on Kang Min-hee's condition, and Buk Hyang-hwa, who followed her.

Hong Fan, who remained following me, is also still present.

Meanwhile, Wei Shi-hon, Eum Wa, Yeon Jin, and the others boarded the Nether Crossing Ship and followed Black Ghost Valley.

I look at them and speak.

"Thank you for staying. However, what I'm about to do from now on is merely a stalling tactic. In other words, the opponent is currently in such a terrifying state that all I can do is buy time. Therefore, if a critical situation arises, I ask that you follow my orders without hesitation."

Everyone nods in agreement.

If the situation becomes critical, the plan is to place my comrades within Jeon Myeong-hoon's domain and then have Jeon Myeong-hoon and Kim Young-hoon combine their strengths to reach the Nether Crossing Ship of Black Ghost Valley, which departed earlier.

Kurururung!

Flash!

As red lightning and golden radiance flickers, Kim Young-hoon and Jeon Myeong-hoon return.

Jeon Myeong-hoon shows me the countless humans inside his domain.

"These are people who were either in seclusion or couldn't evacuate in time due to various circumstances. With Young-hoon Hyung-nim's help, we captured them all."

Jeon Myeong-hoon, who suddenly started calling Kim Young-hoon 'Hyung-nim' at some point, shows me the people inside his domain and then points at one person with an irritated expression.

"Hu, huaaak!"

A woman is dragged out of the domain by Jeon Myeong-hoon's attraction force, shrieking as she struggles and screams.

"...."

It's Tae Yeol-jeon.

Or rather...

The woman who 'had been Tae Yeol-jeon' in a previous cycle.

"In the process, this woman claimed to know you and insisted on staying here, so I ignored her and brought her along. Do you know her?"

"H-Huaak, Elder! Do-do you remember me? Please save me! Th-This person is surely trying to take me to some strange place to turn me into a pill..."

"I don't. And Jeon Myeong-hoon isn't that kind of person, so be quiet."

I ignore her and snap my fingers.

She is flung back into a corner of Jeon Myeong-hoon's domain.

Hong Fan looks at her with an annoyed expression, covering his nose and shaking his head.

It's obvious she mistook Jeon Myeong-hoon, who appeared with an intimidating aura and suddenly tried to take her away, for a devilish cultivator collecting ingredients to make human pills.

In any case, thanks to her, the tension eases a bit, and we chuckle.

After telling Jeon Myeong-hoon to take our comrades to the Nether Crossing Ship in case of an emergency, I turn to look at the ground where Kang Min-hee is about to descend.

"Now then. Everyone, stay alert."

And then, Kugugugugu!

With an overwhelming presence, as Kang Min-hee is about to descend.

Paat!

Suddenly, I find myself in a strange space.

A place filled with pure spiritual energy.

Chills!

Above a high mountain that seems to overlook the entire Bright Cold Realm.

Atop there, I have been transported in front of a huge pavilion made of white jade.

[Come here.] A clear voice echoes from within the pavilion.

[I am Baek Woon. I have called only your consciousness here to have a brief conversation with you.]