Mountain, summit, thirty-three, audience chamber...
Four incomprehensible words.
I raise my gaze beyond these words, to what lay behind them.
Thus, I stare indefinitely at the Salt Pillar in front of me.
I look at 'Cheongmun Ryeong.'
'Just why..'
Suddenly, I clench my fists.
It has always been like this.
Even when I tried to change my colleagues' fates at the beginning of my regressions.
Even when I tried to save the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.
No matter what, it was the same.
Every attempt I made always reverted back to its original course by fate.
While looking at the traces Cheongmun Ryeong left in this world, I could associate one thing.
'The massacre at Heaven-Treading Desert by Yuan Li... turned into an expedition against Cheongmun Ryeong.'
The fate that [those left in the Head Realm suffer calamities by an existence at the Nascent Soul stage] was not completely turned upside down.
'Damn it…'
I grit my teeth.
Kim Young-hoon finds it painful to look at Cheongmun Ryeong turned into a salt pillar and turns his head.
Step, step.
I approach the Salt Pillar.
"Don't touch it. If you touch it..."
Despite Kim Young-hoon's warning, I reach out to Cheongmun Ryeong regardless.
When my hand touches the Salt Pillar.
Crackle, crackle!
My fingertips gradually turn stark white, and my body begins to saltify.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})"…!"
I'm momentarily startled but keep my hand there briefly.
After a while.
Crunch!
I completely turn into salt and tear off my arm that adheres to the Salt Pillar.
As I detach from the Salt Pillar, the saltification of my body stops.
Chualak, Chualalak!
Concentrating my power, my arm regenerates, and the part that had taken the shape of my arm and stuck to the salt pillar crumbles down to the base of the pillar.
"Some of the Qi Building cultivators who came on a previous expedition tried to consume Cheongmun Ryeong, licking the Salt Pillar, and ended up saltifying and getting absorbed by it... Buk Hyang-hwa also lost a finger investigating the salt pillar and had to regenerate it."
"Is that so…"
I'm shocked that anyone would even think to eat it.
Using my will, I try to extract salt from Cheongmun Ryeong's body using the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy.
"…!"
It's when I touch the salt pillar with my consciousness.
"Uuuuuugh!!!"
I clutch my head and kneel on the ground.
"Kuugh! Argh! Aaaah!"
My [Brain]!
[Part of my brain] saltified!!!
Zzzzt!
I excrete salt crystals through my scalp and regenerate my brain.
"Just touching it with consciousness turns the brain parts related to the consciousness into salt..."
It seems even spells won't work.
If I use a tool, I figure the tool itself might also turn into salt.
'The area around the Salt Pillar continues to slowly accumulate salt.'
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Perhaps even the air touching the Salt Pillar is gradually turning into salt.
I once again extend the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy and this time, pull back my arm that had scattered into salt when it touched the pillar.
Swoosh―
This time, a clump of salt is dragged back.
'So, things that directly touch the Salt Pillar turn into salt, and those transformed into salt are safe to touch.'
However, the transformed salts are just ordinary salt, without any peculiarities.
It's when I'm staring intently at the Salt Pillar.
"Everything else is fine, but just don't try to move Cheongmun Ryeong."
"Is there a reason?"
"Yes."
Kim Young-hoon nods gravely.
"Those who tried to move him, without exception, turned into salt pillars just like Cheongmun Ryeong and died instantly. Whether they wrapped their hands in salt or tried to lift him from the ground, it was all the same. Such 'intention' itself might be considered disrespectful."
"Is that so…."
As he emphasized the word 'intention,' I realized something.
There is a clear standard to turning into salt.
And that standard includes the 'intention' Kim Young-hoon mentioned.
Perhaps even our perception is included in it.
'His senses are connected to a very distant 'somewhere.' That means... this salt pillar is highly likely to also be connected to such a distant place...
I sigh.
"...So we just have to watch."
"...Exactly."
Murmuring solemnly, I speak to Kim Young-hoon.
"But..."
"I know. Cheongmun Ryeong is..."
Our gazes simultaneously fall on the Salt Pillar.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})"He's alive."
Indeed.
Despite having turned into a salt pillar, Cheongmun Ryeong is clearly exuding [intent].
Only those alive with emotions and thoughts exude intent.
In essence, Cheongmun Ryeong is alive.
Strangely, Cheongmun Ryeong's intent is not filled with madness or drenched in sorrow, but is very calm and peaceful.
It's as if he is comfortably deep in slumber.
"...."
I feel as if my heart is about to shatter while looking at him.
I had wanted so badly for Cheongmun Ryeong to prosper that I tried to change his fate.
Is this the result?
'Cheongmun Ryeong...'
I look gloomily at the salt pillar and think.
'Are you at peace?'
There is no answer.
Only the intent symbolizing peace flows from the salt pillar.
"...I."
I speak to Kim Young-hoon.
"I have seen an inorganic object from which intent flows like this."
"...!? What?"
Startled by my words, Kim Young-hoon reacts sharply.
"You mean you've seen something similar to Cheongmun Ryeong???"
"Yes. And I've also seen those who possess the [same] intent as Cheongmun Ryeong."
I recall the first time I met the Owner of Heavenly Punishment.
The moment when the people of Heavenly Human Island collectively [returned] to their origin.
At that time, the emotions they felt as they were transformed into lightning and sucked away were exactly like what is coming out of this salt pillar now.
Furthermore, I remember a being that emitted intent despite being inorganic.
'Zhengli.'
Initially, I thought she was just a type of dharma treasure, but then recalled her existence as she emitted intent and even conversed with me through heart language.
'The Heavenly Lightning Banner only emitted intent, I couldn't delve into its heart essence. It's the same with Cheongmun Ryeong. It's inanimate but emits intent, and I can't look into its heart essence. The difference with Zhengli is that she responded to me through heart language…'
Cheongmun Ryeong just stands still as a salt pillar.
"What is it? Is there possibly a clue that can turn Cheongmun Ryeong back to human?"
Urged by Kim Young-hoon's desperate words, I shake my head.
"There is a dharma treasure used by one of the greatest True Immortals. The state of that dharma treasure is similar to the current state of Cheongmun Ryeong. Perhaps… Cheongmun Ryeong is in a state of 'returning' to some high being."
"Returning?"
"I'm not exactly sure. As far as I know, True Immortals govern certain domains, and those within that domain transform and are absorbed by the True Immortal."
"So Cheongmun Ryeong was... marked by some True Immortal monster as he observed the heavens?"
"I'm not sure..."
I think of the Owner of Heavenly Punishment.
That being seemed indifferent while absorbing countless lives as they [returned].
"Probably not. Those beings above in the heavens don't have much interest in humans. It's merely because Cheongmun Ryeong 'recognized' that being that this happened."
"...Is that so.... Then is there no way to help him?"
"I don't know that much myself. We just have to trust the methods that exist in the Ancient Force Realm..."
I sigh softly.
"...Let's go back. We've checked on Cheongmun Ryeong's condition. I would like to rest a bit."
I calm my gloomy heart and leave the observatory.
Mountain, summit, thirty-three, audience chamber.
I have no time to think about those abstract words.
'I... still can't do anything.'
Once again, in front of the enormous beings known as True Immortals.
I feel like nothing more than an insignificant bug that can't do anything.
Whoosh!
Leaving the Astronomical Observatory, I slowly head towards the continent.
'I need to... grow stronger.'
One can live within fate even as a weakling.
But to truly change fate, I must rise even higher.
'For now in the Head Realm, I'll find out how Seo Hweol managed to build his Axis Foundation at the four places, and then I'll ascend to the Bright Cold Realm and reach the Four-Axis stage.
I look up at the sky.
Reaching the Heavenly Being stage, and under the more concrete celestial energy, I see a fragmented future.
A future where I, along with Jeon Myeong-hoon, will escape the Head Realm and ascend.
'The gravitational pull of fate is leading me to the Middle Realm.'
By fate, it seems I will ascend soon.
Indeed, I am planning on ascending.
'All I can do is climb as high as possible.'
If I had been at the Star Shattering stage instead of the Heavenly Being stage, would I have been incapable of doing anything for Cheongmun Ryeong who had transformed like that?
Would I have just left him like that?
No.
From the Star Shattering stage onward, I would have been able to see even more truths and access more principles, at least enough to understand why Cheongmun Ryeong had ended up that way.
"Let's cultivate."
To climb higher and higher, until the day comes when I can truly change fate.
I parted with Kim Young-hoon for a while and stopped by Yanguo.
'I need to borrow some astronomical data recorded in the Yanguo Imperial Court.'
I plan to read all the observation data from various nations while traveling around.
'The Basic Spell Decrees include the Qi Refining 1st and 2nd stars. The Seventy-Two Earthly Sha True Words and the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Method Decrees are spells derived from the 108 types of energies held by the celestial stars.'
I intend to apply the spell knowledge I learned from Cheongmun Ryeong to interpret the astronomical observation data.
"It might not be as accurate as what was observed from the Sea Dragon Palace, but I'll try to push through with the quantity of data."
I don't know what Cheongmun Ryeong had observed, but I have the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique.
'I even shook off the Owner of Heavenly Punishment's curse with the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique. Even if I receive the curse of saltification, I can withstand it. Moreover, my life is not as precious as others'...'
My own knowledge of spells is not as deep as Cheongmun Ryeong's.
Cheongmun Ryeong of this life, having reached Core Formation, had gained much more understanding in terms of Understanding before Breakthrough, and he is at the highest level within the Minor Realm.
'As such, it's likely I won't be able to catch up to what Cheongmun Ryeong has attained with my level of understanding…'
But at least I have to try.
I enter the astronomy department of the Yanguo Imperial Archives and begin reading the data.
There are plenty of barriers in the imperial city, but they weren't a problem for me, so I just passed through them easily.
"Let's see..."
While I am browsing through the celestial data,
"H-How dare you!"
"...?"
Suddenly hearing a loud voice, I turn to look.
There stands an irate-looking old man in a red robe.
"How dare you sneak into the imperial astronomy department!"
"Ah..."
Thinking about it, I had passed through the imperial barriers too naturally and forgot to use the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts or a technique for hiding.
"Well, this is embarrassing. I'll just read this and leave. Please, allow me a little more time."
From the Heavenly Being stage onward, one's consciousness is half merged with the spiritual energy of Heaven and Earth, so cultivators of lower realms cannot recognize the consciousness of a Heavenly Being stage cultivator unless it is deliberately revealed.
Moreover, because the spiritual power of a Heavenly Being stage cultivator resonates with the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy, the pressure of spiritual energy actually disappears.
Therefore, to cultivators from the lower stages, a Heavenly Being stage cultivator might appear no different from ordinary mortals.
So, to him, I must look just like any ordinary intruder in the astronomy department.
"You, a mere mortal, dare to intrude the Great Jin Clan's imperial palace and look at a cultivator straight in the eye!"
"Hmm..."
I look at the early Qi Refining stage cultivator and contemplate what to do next. Thinking there's no need to scare the kid, I say,
"Go play over there."
"Yeeeek...!!!"
At my words, the Jin Clan cultivator's face turns red and he forms a hand seal to hurl a fireball at me.
Whoooosh!
"Die, intruder!"
And then,
Swoosh—
I infuse my fingers with Gang Qi and flick the fireball away easily.
"Hmm, try to focus more on the intent of the hand seal when you form it. It's better to seek the meaning behind the seal than to just pull energy from the spiritual root."
"N-no! What, how!? My spell that was nearing the completion of the Qi Refining 1st star!! I've mastered all Seventy-Two Earthly Sha True Words and I'm about to advance to the 2nd star!
"...."
I shake my head, unable to find the words, and wave my hand dismissively.
"I'll really just look at this and go. Please, move aside."
I think that revealing the extent of my consciousness and spiritual power might literally give the kid a heart attack.
I choose not to show my power and gesture for the cultivator to leave.
He trembles and backs away.
"Guards! All guards, gather! An intruder has appeared in the astronomy department!!!"
"...."
At that shout, peak martial artists and above quickly appear around us.
There are even masters of the Three Flowers Gather at the Summit among them, who threaten me with their swords drawn.
"Seeing you scare a cultivator like that, you must be quite skilled. But our imperial astronomy department guards..."
Crack!
As I clench my fist, the Heaven and Earth spiritual energy naturally morphs into the form of a sleep spell and seeps into the martial artists.
The peak masters can't even resist. Their eyes roll back as they collapse where they stand.
"Argh!"
The one who seems to be the captain, a Three Flowers Gather at the Summit master, tries to resist, but what I used is a spell easier than breathing, albeit at a much lower power.
"You should rest too. It must be tiring always being attached to a wall, ceiling, or under a bed as an imperial martial artist."
"Guh... I won't just... succumb!"
Booong!
The guy, who seems to have quite the spirit, infuses his sword with Sword Gang and swings it at me.
But...
Clang!
"What!!!"
His sword, along with the Sword Gang, snaps and flies off.
Even a Qi Building cultivator has pure spiritual force flowing within, naturally forming a protective body force.
What about someone at the Heavenly Being stage?
I don't even need to deploy a defensive technique. I naturally have a stronger protective body force than a group of Core Formation cultivators forming a defensive formation.
I reach out to the trembling martial artist and say,
"You have great spirit, so I'll reward you."
"Gah...ugh..."
He fails to withstand the sleep spell longer and faints. I implant the formula for reaching Five Energies Converging to the Origin and the exact training methods, along with martial arts that can help him achieve that stage, into his mind.
After handling that, I'm about to continue reading the celestial data when,
"This bastard! This wretched fellow! I have brought an elder from the Jin Clan!!!"
The old man who had run away earlier came back, this time with a young woman in tow.
'She looks quite young. Is she a promising late-stage disciple from the Jin Clan?'
Without me asking, the old man begins to introduce the woman.
"This person is Jin Wei-yeon! A distinguished Qi Refining stage cultivator from the Great Jin Clan, and an imperial inspector from the main family!"
"Oh... is that so?"
"Trembling won't help you now! You seem well-versed in martial arts, but this person is a master at the Qi Refining 6th star! She is a dignitary currently in discussions for conducting the Seven Stars Ritual!"
"Oh...."
The old man puffs out his chest like a fox with a tiger at its back and says,
"Let me show you what a Qi Refining 6th star cultivator is capable of."
'I'm really curious.'
What kind of fearsome entity is she?
Jin Wei-yeon also forms a hand seal and shouts.
"Behold the power of the Qi Refining 6th star!"
