Chương 737: Snakes (2)

Black Spirit True Person lets out a sigh.

Sword-White True Person's feelings are understandable.

Sword-White True Person has always been someone full of worry.

'Full of worries, and full of lingering affection too.'

It must be that she worries about how difficult it will be when Seo Gyeong leaves for the Radiance Spirit Sect.

Seo Gyeong is someone Sword-White True Person has raised like her own younger sibling since childhood.

'Of course she would worry. That worry must be what shows through in those rough actions.'

From the spiritual water hot spring meant for those who have reached a certain realm of cultivation, the sounds of splashing and bickering echo loudly.

Sword-White True Person must be lecturing Seo Gyeong.

'Well, 'scolding' might be the word, but it is probably her own way of preparing for their parting.'

The slapping sounds seem to grow louder, but Black Spirit True Person knows well of Sword-White True Person's purity, nobility, and deep affection, so he does not worry too much.

Rather, from Black Spirit True Person's point of view, Sword-White True Person gets along quite well with Seo Gyeong.

Even while pretending not to care, it's always Sword-White who takes care of young Seo Gyeong—dressing him, bathing him, watching over him.

'I am sorry, Sword-White. I am sorry, Seo Gyeong.'

Even for Black Spirit, splitting up the two, who are so close, pains them.

But...

'Still, a fledgling phoenix cannot live forever in a tiny nest. One day, it must flap its massive wings and soar high into the sky.'

Splash, splash, splash!

Black Spirit True Person shifts their attention away from the hot spring, deciding that for Seo Gyeong, who possesses such overflowing talent, it's worth being a little cruel if it means forcing him to leave the Radiance Dao Hall.

'Sword-White is just in pain, needing a bit of time to prepare herself for the separation. In the end, she will agree to send the boy to Radiance Spirit Sect. Unlike someone like me, Seo Gyeong is truly a child born with great talent and grand spirit.'

Perhaps, with Seo Gyeong's talent, he might even surpass being a mere mortal being and become a True Immortal.

'If he becomes a True Immortal and stands beneath the Owner of Light, he will surely be able to achieve far more. So please, Seo Gyeong. Forgive this unworthy Black Spirit.'

Worried that Seo Gyeong might stubbornly refuse to go to Radiance Spirit Sect, Black Spirit True Person enters the alchemy room to prepare a sleeping pill.

No matter what it takes, Seo Gyeong must enter Radiance Spirit Sect and become a great figure.

In the end, through some means or another, Seo Gyeong decides to go to Radiance Spirit Sect.

He pats his waist, remembering the scolding from Sword-White True Person the night before, then turns to look back at the members of the Radiance Dao Hall.

'How nice.'

Those who, unlike Seo Gyeong, do not have such great talent and must continue their cultivation in the Radiance Dao Hall instead of Radiance Spirit Sect.

Or those who, while not able to enter Radiance Spirit Sect, might still join some other smaller sects or cultivation clans of lesser rank.

And...

Black Spirit, who will remain to guard the Radiance Dao Hall to the end, and Sword-White, the clone of Sword Spear.

Seo Eun-hyun, who bears the identity of Seo Gyeong, recalls the days spent with them and smiles gently, waving his hand.

Sword-White True Person, playing her role to the end, turns her head away, while Black Spirit True Person cannot hold back their tears as they see him off.

Bidding farewell to them, Seo Eun-hyun, now under the identity of Seo Gyeong, boards a flying artifact, carrying the recommendation letter from Radiance Dao Hall, and heads toward the Radiance Spirit Sect.

Heavenly King Heavenly Domain.

Ushering Brightness Star (啓明星).

Among the planets within the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain that have names containing the character for 'bright,' this one, in particular, is under the close watch and special management of Heaven Immortals.

That is because countless fates writhe there, and the mortal beings who may one day become the strength of Radiance Hall are walking the path of Immortal Cultivation.

And within such an Ushering Brightness Star, filled with the attention of Radiance Hall, atop one of the teleportation arrays— A thirteen-year-old boy is transmitted there.

It is Seo Gyeong.

"Hm..."

He looks around here and there, giving off a naive, countryside air.

At a glance, his actions seem clumsy and naive, but given that his consciousness domain is currently restricted, it's actually proof that he still retains the sharp senses he once honed during his days as a martial artist, always committing his surroundings to memory.

After showing such a 'countryside' air for a while, Seo Eun-hyun soon moves toward the Brightness Mountain (明山) of the Ushering Brightness Continent in Ushering Brightness Star, where the Radiance Spirit Sect is located.

Since it isn't far from the teleportation array, it's a distance easily traveled by flying artifact.

"The date for the Radiance Spirit Sect entrance trial... isn't far off."

Seo Eun-hyun reads the information given to him by Black Spirit True Person and lets out a hollow laugh.

Though his main body is a Great Immortal capable of waging war against the entire Heavenly King Heavenly Domain and surviving, he finds it amusing that due to the current circumstances requiring to leave an arrangement, he now has to enter this small and cute cultivation sect.

'Didn't they say the current sect leader of this sect is at the Sacred Vessel stage...? A greenhorn cute enough to scratch the belly of.'

Having gone through countless regressions and faced every kind of battle, from mountains and rivers to the stars and cosmos, Seo Eun-hyun scoffs as he makes his way toward the entrance exam site over the course of several days.

Frankly speaking, he doesn't even bother to expect anything from the entrance exam of a small and childish sect like Radiance Spirit Sect.

And finally, Seo Eun-hyun arrives at a valley called Shining Valley (輝谷) within Brightness Mountain, which is the main base of Radiance Spirit Sect, and where the entrance exam is held.

Step!

Seo Eun-hyun steps off the cloud-shaped flying artifact, retrieves it, and surveys the area.

Backed by the True Immortals of Radiance Hall, the Radiance Spirit Sect is indeed a famous cultivation sect in the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain. Most who come to take the entrance exam are already at the Core Formation stage, and there are few Qi Building stage cultivators like him.

Looking at the Core Formation cultivators glaring at or looking down on him with hostile eyes, he can't help but smile at the sight, as if it's like watching tiny baby squirrels growl at him.

'Adorable little things. Will they get mad if I scratch their necks?'

Just as he is thinking that— Kurururung!

Fog and thunderclouds surge into Shining Valley, and in an instant, the consciousness domains of Seo Eun-hyun and the other Core Formation cultivators become restricted.

'Hmm, is it starting already?'

It seems Radiance Spirit Sect conducts its entrance exams in this fashion.

Sure enough, a solemn voice echoes out from within the fog.

[Those taking the entry exam, it seems you have all gathered. Let us now begin the basic assessment.]

"Wait, what do you mean by that!? I have come with a letter of recommendation! A letter from the Brain-Kidney Flow!"

[TL: It's a pun of the Lightning God Flow Sect from Reincarnated Swordmaster. The Hangul is the same, just with different Hanja.]

"I have a letter of recommendation from Senior Brother Sect Leader of the Volcanic Sect!"

"I too possess a recommendation from the Heavenly Horse Divine Cult!"

[TL: Pun of Mount Hua Sect and Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.] Just like Seo Eun-hyun, those who brought letters of recommendation from sects they belong to begin voicing their dissatisfaction, and as if mocking them, the voice within the mist laughs.

[Whether you brought a recommendation or even a decree from a Great Net Divine Immortal, I do not care.]

'Really?'

Seo Eun-hyun chuckles at the cliché, and the voice continues.

[Whether you are someone who brought a recommendation letter or came to prove your ability... all of you must first reach the proper exam start. Whether you get accepted through a recommendation or begin the exam properly comes after that. Anyone too incompetent to even do that does not deserve to hand over a recommendation, nor do they deserve to begin the entrance exam! It's best to get started quickly. Our sect favors the fast.] Patstststs— The moment the voice ends, the fog covering the area thickens even more and begins to emit an ominous energy.

And then, Paaaatt!

Beams of light burst out from all directions, and something is placed into the hands of the cultivators within the fog.

It is a talisman.

'This fog... It's a formation created by a Heavenly Being stage cultivator. If one isn't careful, they could be trapped inside forever, so they've given us a single lifeline out.'

Seo Eun-hyun looks at the talisman in his hand. Taking a deep breath, he lets out a chuckle and steps fully into the fog.

Paatt!

As he begins to move properly within the fog, the talisman in his left hand bursts into yellow light. The light, which spreads in all four directions, soon shoots off in one direction.

"Let's see... does that mean I should go this way? Seems like the light changes direction depending on the user's level of focus..."

Step.

He takes a step forward.

Kkuuuuup!

At the same time, screams ring out from all directions.

'I see. In exchange for being able to use the talisman through focus, it involves Heart Demons and induces illusory pain.'

Seo Eun-hyun smiles faintly at the subtle illusory pain spreading through his whole body.

'How cute.'

Both the cultivator who set up this formation and the formation's power—are cute.

Heart Demons arise in his mind as well, but instead of bothering him, they instead feel happy with the soothing scent of this formation, far more peaceful than Seo Eun-hyun's inner world, and start taking naps.

Seo Eun-hyun pays no attention to the formation and continues walking.

With every step he takes, a different kind of intense pain visits him, granting the Heart Demons their moments of rest.

'Well, it's only because it's me that I can endure this. Ordinary mortal beings might have a hard time.'

Though it's not the full-body pain he felt on his first step, a headache too overwhelming for a mortal being hits him.

Sometimes he experiences an itch so maddening it would drive a mortal being insane, or a terror so overwhelming it would freeze a mortal being's heart, but every time, Seo Eun-hyun just chuckles and walks through the fog.

And when he has taken around fifty steps—

'Hoh...?'

Seo Eun-hyun suddenly feels as if his vision is splitting into two.

Immediately afterward, a pain like his head is being split open seizes him.

And then, he realizes something.

'This... is a little troublesome.'

And he deliberately begins to scream with all his might.

"Kuaaaaaaaagh!"

Sururuk...

From Seo Eun-hyun's screaming mouth, a white mass slides out.

Looking at the softly glowing mass, Seo Eun-hyun feigns a pale expression.

"Wh-When a person dies, their spirit comes out from their eyes, nose, and mouth... Then this formation is, could it be...?"

Pretending to try and grasp his own spirit, he makes a frightened expression.

'How bothersome. A planet drawing the attention of Heaven Immortals...'

The reason is that not long after the entrance exam began, several True Immortals started watching the exam site.

He frowns slightly as he reads the emotions of the transcendents within those gazes.

'What a bothersome kid. Just watching because they are bored, huh.'

Even if it is for amusement, drawing the attention of a True Immortal is troublesome.

Seo Eun-hyun acts 'ordinary' so as not to draw suspicion from the True Immortals.

"U-Uaahh..."

The white masses that exited Seo Eun-hyun's eyes, nose, and mouth begin to take shape. They take on the form of Seo Eun-hyun.

His vision splits in two. One is the perspective of Seo Eun-hyun looking at the spirit, and the other is from the spirit looking back at him.

"What... is this...?"

Before Seo Eun-hyun can speak, his spirit begins to scatter.

"N-No..."

As the spirit before his eyes dissipates, another white mass gushes out again from Seo Eun-hyun's eyes, nose, and mouth.

'How annoying.'

Of course, from Seo Eun-hyun's perspective, who knows the truth, it's nothing more than a petty illusion formation.

Of course...

Even though it's just a simple illusion formation, because a True Immortal is observing the place, its effects are multiplied many times over, and it is affecting reality as well.

Feigning agony, Seo Eun-hyun at last he figures out why the True Immortal is focusing their gaze on this place.

Instead of his lacking consciousness domain, it is the habit of picking up information that he has honed as a martial artist.

'I see. The place where the True Immortal's gaze is focused is... a mortal woman about fifty steps away from me. Judging by how quickly she's responding compared to the others on the exam site...'

Soon, Seo Eun-hyun becomes aware of the presence beyond fifty steps and grows curious.

'Incredible talent. Not a dullard pretending to be a genius like me, but a true Heaven-chosen Immortal Talent... huh?'

Step.

Even as the unprecedented phenomenon of her soul scattering occurs, the girl fifty steps away continues to take one step after another.

'That will and determination I feel from her... and that attraction force. That child is born with it. She truly carries the fate to become a True Immortal. As long as she can endure that fate, she will become one.'

The True Immortal currently observing this place seems to have taken interest in that child and is testing her.

And in the process, all others except her are dying off.

'Judging from the reaction, they must be hoping that the child will pass the test as the top candidate. As for me... it'd be best to pretend to stagger around and aim for second or third place or so.'

Understanding his hidden position in the Heavenly King Heavenly Domain, Seo Eun-hyun holds his breath and conceals his presence.

However, not long after— Tsaaaaaaat!

The fog in the testing site scatters, and beings with overwhelming presence descend urgently into the site.

Seo Eun-hyun looks up at the one with the most overwhelming presence among them.

Puhwak!

The body of Seo Gyeong, Seo Eun-hyun's clone, fails to withstand the rank of the being, and blood flows from his eyes, yet he smiles.

'Sacred Vessel Sacred Master... The Sect Leader of the Radiance Spirit Sect, huh? Makes me want to give their belly a little scratch.'

As he imagines scratching the belly of the Sacred Vessel Sect Leader of the Radiance Spirit Sect, he kneels on the spot, and the Sacred Master urgently shouts.

[A True Immortal has intervened in the exam! Register the one called 'Wol Ah,' who entered the exam site while enduring the gaze of the True Immortal, as the top entry candidate. And the rest... Heok, what is this one?] Then, at the Sacred Leader's gasp, Seo Eun-hyun realizes he has made a mistake.

'Uh... maybe I should've just fainted instead of holding on.'

[How in the world did he not even faint and just kneel down after receiving the will of an Upper Immortal?] And with the Sect Leader's words, the gaze of the True Immortal begins turning toward Seo Eun-hyun as well.

The Heaven Immortal who had no interest in anyone besides the child 'Wol Ah' now shows a slight curiosity because of the Sacred Leader's fuss.

And through that faint interest, Seo Eun-hyun sighs within this clone of his with pitiful senses.

'Damn it...'

The Heaven Immortal of Radiance Hall is now paying attention to him too.