Chương 592: Mount Sumeru (5)

"With... you...?"

Badududuk...

Jeon Myeong-hoon grits his teeth.

"Join hands...? With you...?"

His face twists into an evil spirit.

"Join forces with you...? With you...!? Do you think... I could ever accept that!!??"

Kururururung!

A powerful thunderous roar bursts from within Jeon Myeong-hoon, pushing back Zhengli's presence alongside mine.

Zhengli chuckles.

"Well. I'm only here to make an offer. Whether you accept it or not is up to you. And... do you think you can escape Their plan just because you refuse? One way or another, you will end up liberating my Lord. Sooner or later. By some method or another... My Lord is merely extending a hand to offer you pitiful things a chance."

I glare at her as I listen.

"... So... you plan to resurrect through Jeon Myeong-hoon's body, is it?"

At my words, Zhengli turns her gaze towards me.

For a moment, Zhengli and I stare each other down.

"... Well, that could be one way... In any case, understand that this proposal is entirely for your sake."

She seems slightly flustered, perhaps because I saw through their plan so quickly.

Jeon Myeong-hoon snorts at her.

"Hah... Use me as a vessel for resurrection? Don't make me laugh. You think I'd allow that!? I'd kill myself first. Rather than let your Lord take my body, I'd shatter every prophecy and throw myself into the Underworld to be torn apart!"

He glares at Zhengli with bloodshot eyes, grinding his teeth.

"You want us to join hands? Fine!!! Then I'll agree. But!!! Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect! Revive every single member of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect who was annihilated by the Owner of Heavenly Punishment! Bring them all back, and I'll help you."

"Hmm..."

Zhengli seems to ponder something, while Jeon Myeong-hoon mutters in a low voice, as if reconsidering something.

"Don't even think about lying. Seo Eun-hyun! If she tries to deceive me with lies, strike her immediately. You can do that, right?"

"... Yeah."

Kiiiiing!

I activate the authority of the Impermanence Sword, locking my gaze onto Zhengli.

She clicks her tongue and lets out a sigh.

"What a bunch of nuisances. Fine. I'll tell you the truth. The living beings who returned to my Lord. In other words, the other rabble other than the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect that were in the Human Race territory where your sect resided."

She must be talking about the residents of Thunder Spirit Island.

"The ones who returned to my Lord have been reborn within Them, now living happily as spirits of lightning. Their cultivation is far beyond what it was when they were humans, and their lifespans are longer. Honestly, most prefer this than before."

"...!"

My eyes widen at this unexpected truth.

'This is...'

A part of my chest...

Feels lighter.

Of course, I don't feel completely at ease.

But it's as if one of the heavy burdens of guilt, which had been weighing down on me, washes away.

Though countless thorns still pierce my chest, it feels like at least one has been pulled out.

'... Thank goodness.'

Back in the 15th cycle.

When the entire Heavenly Human Island, the headquarters of the Human Race, was returned to the Owner of Heavenly Punishment, it hadn't been just pain and despair after all.

However, unlike me—whose heart feels somewhat lighter—Jeon Myeong-hoon's gaze grows more vicious with each word of Zhengli's explanation.

"But... your Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect didn't return to my Lord back then. Quite literally, they were completely erased by the falling Heavenly Tribulation. Ordinary living beings, when they die, pass through the outskirts and fall into the depths of the Underworld, where they are judged and then reincarnated.

But the authority I used that day, borrowing my Lord's power, sealed your spirits within the Heavenly Tribulation, tormenting them while sending them straight to the depths of the Underworld, bypassing the outskirts entirely."

"..."

At first, Jeon Myeong-hoon's face heaves with anger, but now it gradually calms.

I know exactly what this means.

'When someone feels pain or hatred beyond a point, their rage condenses, and for a moment, they can seem rational.'

Right now, Jeon Myeong-hoon is condensing his fury to its utmost limit.

"Since they were thrust straight into the depths of the Underworld, they would have been judged and reincarnated right away. They are probably living somewhere on this vast Mount Sumeru, reborn according to their karma. Those who accumulated virtue as races like the Earth Tribe or Heaven Tribe. Those steeped in vice as bugs, livestock, or perhaps as monsters with the fate of Asura... Since it has been some time since then, they have probably reincarnated hundreds of times."

She shrugs.

"Sorry about that. Reviving the dead isn't hard, but finding those who have already reincarnated—especially ones who've done so hundreds of times, with their original fates and natures completely altered—and restoring their memories to present them before you... well. In my current state, that's a bit beyond me."

"..."

"If the forty-eight Great Net True Heavenly Lords under my Lord in Their heyday were still intact, it might have been worth attempting. But with my Lord imprisoned, it is impossible. The only ones who could manage to do so at this point are probably the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld or the Sal Tree Heavenly Venerable, who oversee reincarnation. But neither of them will permit it. The judgments of the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld only proceed when a spirit has fully accepted its past life.

Both Heavenly Venerables respect the free will of spirits that have come to terms with their lives and moved on to their next. What you are asking for is impossible. Do you understand?

"..."

The red fades from Jeon Myeong-hoon's eyes.

But I still see the endless pain within them.

Right now, he is showing the appearance of the broken Lightning Harbinger.

"... Why go to such lengths to eliminate any reason I might have to help you?"

He lets out a hollow laugh.

It's a chilling sight.

Yet Zhengli smiles.

"While bringing them back is impossible... finding them isn't."

"... What...?"

"You seem desperate to save the humans of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect. So, aside from my Lord's reward, I will make you this promise. It is a promise in my Lord's name. I will ask my Lord to find the reincarnations of the humans from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect who perished by my hand at that time."

At that, Jeon Myeong-hoon's gaze trembles.

The chilling look in his eyes fades slightly.

"Right now, it is a bit difficult, but once the Lord escapes from imprisonment, it is possible. The Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation Method you have. Though it is an Immortal Art Yang Su-jin slightly altered, who do you think the original came from?"

Pachijijik!

A net of lightning crackles around Zhengli.

"By using Indra's Net of the Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation, you can trace the history of those who have once been with you through the principle of returning lightning strikes. Of course, you can't do it with your own power. After so many reincarnations, they have long lost their original essence. To find those who have reincarnated hundreds, thousands of times, only the Heavenly Venerable of the Underworld or the Lord who fully controls Heavenly Punishment could manage such a feat."

"..."

"Help my Lord. And They will help you in return."

Zhengli extends her hand to Jeon Myeong-hoon with a gentle voice.

Just then, Jeon Myeong-hoon's gaze sharpens once more.

"... What a joke."

"Hmm?"

"You say using Indra's Net can help me find the comrades of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect...? Then why in the world would I have to help you? Doesn't that give me even less reason to?"

"Kukuk, did you even listen? I even explained it in such detail. Don't tell me you actually believe you could use Indra's Net to the same capabilities as my..."

"Of course I can't."

Jeon Myeong-hoon twists the corner of his lips.

"But... what if Seo Eun-hyun helps me?"

"... Even so, it's just two Upper Immortals..."

"There's also Golden Shaking Bird. She also definitely mentioned that there are Thunder Beasts and disciples who followed the Golden Divine. If they help too?"

"Yang Su-jin's disciples? Thunder Beasts? None of them have reached the realm of Great Net..."

"I'm not the only one who can mobilize manpower... There's Seo Eun-hyun too. And... I'm not alone with just Seo Eun-hyun. I have comrades in other Heavenly Domains as well. Kim Young-hoon, Oh Hyun-seok, Kang Min-hee, Kim Yeon... and maybe even Oh Hye-seo. There is more than enough manpower I can call upon...! With all their strength combined, isn't it possible for us to save the people of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect on our own?"

"..."

Zhengli silently glares at Jeon Myeong-hoon.

"I hate you all. Reincarnated or whatever. Whether the rest are living well inside your Lord's belly or not. During the time of the returning. Back when we were annihilated by Heavenly Punishment. The ones who trampled the powerless us and fried us with Heavenly Punishment were you!!"

Jeon Myeong-hoon pulls out a wooden box from his chest and grips it tightly, trembling.

It is the box that holds Jin So-hae's hand.

"Even if... I manage to find the reincarnated them, what am I supposed to do? Huh? Didn't you say they reincarnated multiple times? Their essence and fate have changed multiple times? Then doesn't that mean the ones I know are all dead for good?"

"... Hey, if you use certain Immortal Arts or precious elixirs, there are ways to recover their past life memories..."

"So, you're telling me to go find those who are living peaceful lives now, force their past life memories onto them, and make them suffer the agony of their painful ends all over again!?"

Jeon Myeong-hoon grits his teeth as he speaks.

"I will not join hands with you. Let your Lord rot in confinement for ten thousand, a hundred million years. I don't care what gifts you offer."

"... You..."

"I am weaker than you. But we are stronger than you!"

Jeon Myeong-hoon's bold declaration!

I smile faintly as I watch him.

"I, too, share the same resolve. After all... you are just another one of our enemies."

At my words, Zhengli clenches both fists, her body trembling.

"You mere fledglings who have just advanced to True Immortality... How dare you defy Their will...!? You think the likes of you are stronger than my Lord...?"

It seems the words 'we are stronger than you' struck her the hardest, as crimson lightning begins to crackle around her.

Red.

It feels as if the entire Great Desolate Path is being dyed in red.

'This is... dangerous.'

Zhengli is enraged.

"Immortal Cultivation is repentant enlightenment..."

Wiiiiiiing!

I recite the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra, preparing to counter her power at any moment as I glare at her.

Jeon Myeong-hoon also holds his ground, operating the Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation Method.

:: Mere clots of blood who've just stepped into the realm of Immortals... Even if you were to ignore me... you dare claim to be stronger than my Lord with such empty words...? No matter what happens today... I will rip your tongues out.:: Guguguguguk!

The very dimension seems to warp under the weight of her presence.

Gradually, Zhengli's form starts to change.

The Immortal Treasure of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, Zhengli.

She seems to be revealing her main body.

Just as I think that—:: Uh, ugh... uuuuugh...:: Zhengli suddenly flinches.

And immediately after,::... Understood.:: Chijijijik...

She suppresses her rage and lowers her power.

Chijik...

Finally, when her red lightning fully subsides, I feel chills running across my entire body.

'Th-This is...!'

It feels like my brain is trembling.

Though my brain has long since ceased to exist, the sheer presence radiating from the being before me feels so immense it's as if my head is burning.

'I'm gonna throw up...!'

An overwhelming presence is flooding the entire Great Desolate Path.

At the same time, I sense Zhengli's consciousness shrinking into a corner, her will vanishing.

Having descended into Yeo Hwi's body and crossed the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain not long ago, I immediately understand what is happening.

The will of the owner is descending into the body of the Immortal Treasure.

In other words...

'H-Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity...!?'

The Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, Do Gon, is directly revealing Their will through Zhengli's body within the Great Desolate Path.

Jeon Myeong-hoon clutches his throat, gasping for breath as collapses, while I barely manage to withstand the pressure and stay on my feet.

'Even while They are imprisoned, with only a fragment of Their will... Damn it. The gap between me and a Supreme Deity is still vast.'

Kudududududuk!

I speak towards the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity as if screaming.

"It is an honour beyond measure to meet Your Majesty, the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity! If Thee has any words for us later generations, please, we will listen with utmost respect!"

:: Haha...:: A faint chuckle.

The moment it echoes, the suffocating presence that had engulfed us vanishes, as if it had been a lie.

However, I realize that the presence hasn't disappeared but has been compressed deep inside Zhengli's body.

The claws have not been retracted, merely held back.

I can tell that at any moment, They could reveal a will as powerful as before, no even stronger, and crush us and the entire Great Desolate Path.

"This Immortal has withdrawn my presence, so cease reciting the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra, Ender."

"...!"

The entity dwelling within Zhengli's body points with a kind voice at the Yin-Yang Five Elements energy gathering in my hands.

"... I apologize. It is my minimal means of defense."

"The topic I will speak about from now on will be about Ra Cheon... of Gwak Am. If you keep reciting, They might overhear."

"..."

"I will not harm you here today. I swear it upon the name of this Immortal."

Only then do I release the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra.

Seeing this, Do Gon reclines on the chair Zhengli has created and speaks.

"I understand the grudge you bear against this Immortal. This Immortal, too, knows all too well the feeling of losing those cherished and loved to an unstoppable force. This Immortal won't ask you to set aside your grudge or forgive. When the time comes, come for your revenge."

"...?"

At this unexpected response, Jeon Myeong-hoon and I momentarily wear strange expressions.

Their casual invitation to exact revenge makes Them seem almost magnanimous, or perhaps simply incomprehensible.

"But, as always, revenge should never end with revenge alone. You must think of those who remain."

"... What do you mean by that?"

Jeon Myeong-hoon speaks as he glares at Do Gon, and Do Gon responds with a faint smile.

"It is simple. Did Zhengli not tell you when she first came to convey my will? To choose. Be annihilated by the Great Mountain Supreme Deity, or liberate me and seek an opportunity."

"What is this Great Mountain Supreme Deity planning?"

Jeon Myeong-hoon questions, not understanding, and Do Gon speaks while turning to look at me.

"You know, do you not? The terror of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity?"

"..."

"I will skip the unnecessary details and speak bluntly. I do not know exactly when. But... in the near future, all of Mount Sumeru will undoubtedly be destroyed by the hands of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity."

They turn to Jeon Myeong-hoon again and speak.

"And when that happens... all your old comrades, who have reincarnated and are now living peaceful lives, will feel the same agony as then and be annihilated. This time, there will be no chance for even reincarnation. Those struck down by the Great Mountain Supreme Deity do not reincarnate... You said you would not seek out their past lives out of concern for their current ones? Wrong. If you truly care about your old comrades... then you must stop the Great Mountain Supreme Deity as fast as possible.

"Revenge is fine, but before seeking vengeance, should you not be protecting those who are still alive? Is that not clearly more important than revenge?"

"..."

Do Gon looks at us with a relaxed demeanor and asks,

"Is there any flaw in my logic?"

Jeon Myeong-hoon's body trembles.

With great effort, he parts his lips and asks me,

"... Seo... Eun-hyun."

"I'm listening."

"... Is it... true?"

"..."

"Will the world... really be destroyed by that Great Mountain Supreme Deity? You... would know, wouldn't you? If it's you..."

"..."

A question that I, the junior brother of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity, can clearly answer.

I recall the power of the Great Mountain Supreme Deity.

And I remember that golden wave I saw in my past life.

That golden wave that crumbled all Heavenly Domains.

"... Yes. The Great Mountain Supreme Deity... can destroy the world. They have the power, and the will..."

"..."

Jeon Myeong-hoon slams his head against the ground.

"... Then... if I join hands with you... will I really be able to save them...?"

At that, Do Gon opens his mouth.

"To answer that... I will first need to explain the mantra They seek to complete... Of course, I do not know every detail, and I am only speaking on what I do know, but... I will give you solid evidence on why your comrades can be saved."

Then, Their explanation that follows is beyond imagination.

"The mantra the Great Mountain Supreme Deity seeks to complete is the Splitting Heaven Mantra (裂天眞言)."

I freeze in place as I listen to the words of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity, Do Gon.

"To be exact, it is less of a mantra and more of a [phenomenon]. But for convenience, it is called the [Splitting Heaven Mantra]. This [phenomenon] where the heavens are torn apart... appears every time you Enders are born."

"... What?"

"The Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra of the Salt Sea Supreme Deity was an attempt to reverse the Splitting Heaven Mantra to reach the origin of Enders. And the current Great Mountain Supreme Deity's Great Mountain Splitting Emperor Technique is one of many attempts to reverse the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra and restore the Splitting Heaven Mantra."

Shocking truths begin to pour from the mouth of the Heavenly Punishment Supreme Deity Do Gon.