HBWnovel Chapter 536: Severing Heaven (斷天) (4)
Chapter 536: Severing Heaven (斷天) (4)
Chapter 536: Severing Heaven (斷天) (4)
Woo-woong!
I briefly close my eyes as I observe the Entering Nirvanas who are summoning the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords through the star vein formation.
'Can I do it?'
Logically, there's no way I can face the seven True Immortals known as the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords with my strength alone.
From what Yeong Seung said, they seem to be quite high-ranking even among True Immortals.
If such beings descend as projections, they would already possess the might of True Immortals.
On top of that...
I am now in the Entering Nirvana stage.
That means I am currently the most vulnerable existence to True Immortals in this world.
Why are those in the Entering Nirvana stage the most vulnerable to True Immortals?
It is related to the True Immortal advancement method.
True Immortals are also divided into realms and stages.
[TL: Stages as in Early, Mid, Late, etc.]
According to Yeo Hwi, the first realm one steps into after becoming a True Immortal is called Vestige Liberation Immortal (尸解仙).
The meaning of the name itself reveals how one advances to that realm.
Vestige Liberation (尸解).
It refers to beings who shed their physical bodies and ascend entirely into the world above the Planes of Qi, Soul, and Fate.
In short, the True Immortal advancement ritual is liberation from the physical body.
That is, one must abandon all their 'lifespan,' 'physical body,' and 'everything' one has pursued in the mortal world up until now to reach True Immortality.
Simply put,
We call this suicide (自殺).
Death.
Such a simple yet terrifying ritual is the only way to advance to become a True Immortal.
Why do the Nether Ghost Realm Entering Nirvanas not challenge the True Immortal advancement ritual but instead spend countless days staring at the corpse of Reincarnation Judge Yu Soo Ryeon, who holds the secret of resurrection? ŖάΝƟβĚŜ
Why did the remnant of the Golden Divine tell me, 'We all eventually have to go to the Netherworld'?
It is because the True Immortal advancement ritual is, at its core, suicide.
This is precisely why it is nearly impossible for those in the Entering Nirvana stage to resist True Immortals and why they must 'clump together' to stand a chance against them.
True Immortals, who have completed Vestige Liberation and obtained their immortal Rank, already embody both life and death within themselves.
Furthermore, once cultivators reach a certain stage, they can gain 'knowledge' simply by directly facing the other person.
Thus, when Entering Nirvana True Persons behold a True Immortal, they behold death itself.
And True Persons who behold death are said to immediately undergo the True Immortal advancement ritual on the spot.
In short...Entering Nirvanas die just by directly facing a True Immortal.
If they are lucky, they might survive and become a True Immortal. But in the situation of suddenly facing a True Immortal and suddenly performing the advancement ritual, who knows how high the success rate is.
For an Entering Nirvana cultivator who is not mentally prepared, directly facing a True Immortal is unimaginably dangerous.
In fact, the difference in rank between Entering Nirvana True Persons and Vestige Liberation Immortals is said to be almost negligible.
However, the life and death that Vestige Liberation Immortals hold within them boasts an 'absolute' counter against Entering Nirvana True Persons. This is why it is said that True Persons must group together to face a Vestige Liberation Immortal.
When True Persons gather together, they can, in their own way, use fate prophecies to strike at a Vestige Liberation Immortal without directly facing them.
But...honestly speaking, where in this Heavenly Domain would I find someone willing to join forces with me to fight seven True Immortal rank beings?
Just facing one Vestige Liberation Immortal alone requires at least fifty Entering Nirvana True Persons.
However, the ones descending soon are beings of an even higher rank than Vestige Liberation Immortals, and it is unfathomable how deep their experience as True Immortals runs.
Each one of them is likely stronger than an ordinary True Immortal.
Furthermore, Yeong Seung said that if their projections fully coverage, they could even capture Blood Yin.
'Blood Yin...'
Blood Yin serves as the benchmark.
Yeong Seung said that originally, forty-nine True Persons are needed to draw the star vein formation to divine descent the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords. But since Yeo Hwi is missing, making the count forty-eight, the divine descent will not be perfect.
Therefore, the projection of the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords summoned this time will not be able to defeat Blood Yin.
Yeong Seung himself doesn't seem to have any intention of directly helping me, and considering his words, it seems he's subtly suggesting that I go seek out Blood Yin and beg for help.
'But...that's far too dangerous.'
Having subdued Seo Hweol to near perfection,
The greatest threats right now are the soon-to-be-summoned Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords and Blood Yin.
Especially since Blood Yin sees me as a follower of Light, I have no idea what he might do to me if I fall into his hands.
Thus, going to Blood Yin isn't the worst option, but it's still the next worst choice.
'But given the current situation, the next worst choice is the only option left.'
If that's the case, I need to turn that next worst choice into at least the second-best choice.
'I must become stronger.'
I contemplate as I gaze at the All-Heavens Sword.
I have reached the pinnacle of Void Shattering.
Now, all that remains is to reach the next realm.
Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't have had the slightest clue to reach that next realm...
...If I hadn't met Jang Ik.
However, through Jang Ik's final strike...
I obtained a clue to the next realm.
"I will show you. This is the Fighting Spirit to cut down the End!"
Kiiiiiing!
Jang Ik's green light fills Cedarwood Painting.
I, observing Jang Ik's green intent, silently imbue the All-Heavens Sword into the Colorless Glass Sword.
The Colorless Glass Sword melts into the All-Heavens Sword, transforming into something akin to a pure white line.
Then, I draw out the single technique I've been perfecting all this time.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Final Decisive Move.
As the thirty-sixth technique, this is the last move that stabilizes the flow of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Kiiiiiing!
Pure white light begins to gather into the All-Heavens Sword.
Seeing this, Jang Ik chuckles softly.
"Such brute force. What do you intend to cut with that?"
I can't help but cough embarrassingly at his words.
As Jang Ik said, brute strength is indeed being condensed, but there is a lack of sharpness.
At this rate, it is nothing more than a club, not a sword.
"...This technique is not yet complete. For it to be perfected...it might take tens of thousands of years. Perhaps...hundreds of millions of years."
The conception of the technique itself has been finalized.
However, the time required to 'train' the technique I envisioned is so long that it's impossible to predict when it will finally be completed.
Jang Ik clicks his tongue and says,
"Hurry up and get rid of it. If that's the case, just confront me with your authority instead."
It's quite a disrespectful thing to say to a fellow Heart Tribe.
But I accept his words.
To attempt to withstand Jang Ik's lifetime-honed single strike with an incomplete technique would instead be me who is being rude.
I adjust my stance, preparing the linkage between the 33rd Sumeru and the 34th Kunlun.
"Now that's better! A much more impressive momentum."
"...Yes. Even if it's Master...you'll have to be on guard for this one."
I'm not simply talking about the power of Sumeru Kunlun.
"...So it appears. Regardless, now that you've conceptualized the final decisive move of your martial arts, the flow of your Martial Arts (武) itself has stabilized."
He's right.
I've conceptually completed all thirty-six moves of Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
And over time, I have stabilized them with the goal of linking all 36 techniques seamlessly from start to finish.
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship serves as a stable foundation for unleashing the 36th and final decisive move, reorganizing previously somewhat disjointed and lacking techniques into a cohesive and unified whole.
Thus, the move of Sumeru Kunlun I am unleashing now is not the same as before.
This ultimate beyond the end thrust, which once pierced through Blood Yin's hand and temporarily sealed Yeo Hwi's cultivation, can now be performed up to three consecutive times.
'If it hits, it's a technique capable of helping an Entering Nirvana undergo the True Immortal advancement ritual in a single go.'
However, even though I have prepared such a Sumeru Kunlun, I feel I cannot possibly muster the courage to face Jang Ik.
Jang Ik looks at me and grins.
"For reference, if your technique gets shattered...block it, even if you have to use your authority."
"Pardon?"
"As I said, I reached this decisive technique to cut down the End. And right now, you are the one causing the End. Therefore...I will cut down the End from you."
"But..."
"When your master tells you to do something, just do it."
Sururung—
The green light overflowing around Jang Ik begins to grow denser.
"If not...just die here."
An ominous green light spills from Jang Ik's two eyes.
I remain silent for a moment before nodding.
We each assume our stances to collide with our most confident decisive techniques.
'I wanted to face him with the 36th move...but it would take too long to train to the point where I could face Jang Ik... It can't be helped.'
Kiiing!
The green intent erupting from Jang Ik's body flares brightly.
The colors of intent are diverse.
For example, joy is gold.
Anger is red.
Sorrow is dark blue.
Pleasure is purple, though for some, it is said to be silver.
Love is light pink.
Hatred is dark red.
Desire is colorless.
These are the seven fundamental colors of intent.
Numerous intents branch from these basic colors, mixing, splitting, darkening, or lightening to form unique hues.
Then...what does green intent symbolize?
Green intent has the meaning of consolation (慰安) and soul pacification (鎭魂).
From Jang Ik's intent flows the story of his life.
It is the life of him who was once of a slave race.
He was born 45,000 years ago during the chaos of the Bright Cold Realm.
In the midst of endless turmoil, Jang Ik discovered he has a talent for wielding the podao. As a member of a slave race, he was dragged around by his master as a clown performing with the podao.
But one day, his master got caught up in the war of the Bright Cold Realm and died. Jang Ik, in an attempt to protect the youngest member of the performance troupe and his fellow kin from one of the Heaven Tribe who sought to hunt them, picked up his podao.
From that day forward, Jang Ik's talent began to shine.
He slaughtered countless cultivators with his podao.
Qi Refining stage, Qi Building stage, Core Formation stage, Nascent Soul stage.
Numerous cultivators fell under Jang Ik's podao like autumn leaves swept by the wind.
However, Jang Ik always felt a sense of inadequacy.
—Have they died again today?
His kin, his friends from the slave races.
They were all slaughtered with ease, their stamina depleted quickly, they grew exhausted and died, or were eaten and killed.
Now, at the Entering Nirvana stage, it feels as though even a Heaven Tribe cultivator who cultivates in the Plane of Fate can utilize the powers of the Plane of Qi at the Star Shattering-level.
That's right.
As cultivators of the Heaven and Earth Tribes continue their Immortal Cultivation, they gain the ability to interfere with other planes.
Then what about the Heart Tribe?
The Heart Tribe does not attempt to understand any plane.
Even a glance at how the Manifestations of the Heart Tribe are all distinctly named reveals that they are a people with an incredibly strong sense of self in how they live.
And...
Jang Ik's enlightenment taught me this.
[Well, look who it is. Is this not the madman who twisted providence and shook the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain?]
The Entering Nirvana True Persons begin mocking me.
Perhaps they are speaking with such confidence because they believe in the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords they are about to summon.
[What brings you here? Ah, are you perhaps here to serve us? Whether in a male or female form, serving one's seniors in any form is indeed a noble act.]
[Hahaha, go ahead and undergo transformation. Or have you come here to settle old grudges with us?]
[Why don't you go wild? You seem quite confident after delaying the End of the Sun and Moon Heavenly Domain...]
[We will show you the Heaven Beyond Heavens.]
I do not respond to their words, silently continuing to compress the All-Heavens Sword.
The Colorless Glass Sword imbued with the All-Heavens Sword as well continues to compress thinner and thinner along with it.
Jang Ik's enlightenment is ultimately this.
To reach the Third Step Before the Throne, in other words, the realm corresponding to the Entering Nirvana stage, it is necessary to understand other planes.
In regards to the Planes of Qi and Fate, it is crucial to control their chosen plane because one begins understanding other planes from the beginning.
But on the other hand, for the Plane of Soul, because one controls their own plane first, it becomes difficult to reach the ultimate realm without understanding other planes.
Heaven, Earth, and Heart eventually become similar as they approach the pinnacle.
Woo-woooong!
It thins.
My All-Heavens Sword thins further and further, becoming a sword capable of cutting through anything in the world.
[Hey, didn't I ask you as a senior? Are you preparing to use the Phenomena Extinguishing Mantra? Hah, why don't you try using it again!?]
The True Persons begin to direct killing intent at me.
If I continue to remain silent, they seem ready to attack.
But I have no interest in such things.
'Come to think of it, I was curious.'
If Immortal Arts change the world with the heart, just how does it differ from martial arts unfolded with the heart or the techniques of the Heart Tribe?
Perhaps...Immortal Arts and Martial Arts (武) share the same origin.
No, rather, they might need to complement each other to be completed.
Because...the Three Great Ultimates itself is a circle completed by the union of three extremes.
Kiiiing!
[Do you truly dare to mock us this much? If you do not immediately kneel and beg while returning our junior sister Yeo Hwi...]
And finally.
The All-Heavens Sword, compressed to the point of a single line, completely loses its balance and dissolves into the void.
Pakang!
The Colorless Glass Sword, which had been thinning alongside the All-Heavens Sword, snaps in the void.
I look at this and let out a sigh of admiration.
[...I see.]
The True Persons glare at me and shout in rage.
[You truly dare to ignore us!!??]
I can feel countless Immortal Arts activating.
The malice of the True Persons begins to target me.
But I pay no attention to them and swing the Void held in my hand.
In my hand, there is neither the All-Heavens Sword nor the Colorless Glass Sword.
However, in the next moment.
[—————!!!]
[———]
[!!!!!]
[——————!]
The True Persons scream in unison and the Immortal Arts they were preparing simultaneously come to a halt.
I firmly face the True Persons and smile softly.
[At last, I have attained it. The Heart Sword.]
Martial Arts cannot be completed in isolation.
Perfect Martial Arts cannot exist.
Just as a person's dream is not completed by the dream alone but by countless other events and dreams along the way.
The ultimate of Martial Arts is the same.
Yes.
Third Step Before the Throne.
The condition to reach that place is through Land and Will Dual Cultivation, or Heart and Heaven Dual Cultivation.
And Jang Ik, unwilling to learn the techniques of the Heaven and Earth Tribes that had oppressed him, had only hinted at it to me through a shallow consciousness method that he had learned solely for mourning purposes.
'Jang Ik must have realized this only recently...'
He must have reached the pinnacle of the Second Step Before the Throne, sought all kinds of methods, learned the Earth Tribe method, and only then realized that he must understand the hearts of the Earth Tribe to reach the Third Step Before the Throne.
And then...he must have realized deep in his heart that it was impossible for him to forgive the Heaven and Earth Tribes and set the nonsensical goal of challenging the End.
'...Even so, I...will carry on your will.'
I do not hate the Heaven and Earth Tribes.
But I can at least shoulder the will to protect the weak that Jang Ik carried on his shoulders.
That must have been why Jang Ik entrusted me with such a request in his final moments.
Wiiiing!
I recall the name of my new realm.
For the Owner of Void, it is Udumbara.
For the golden monster, it is Dragon Flower.
They both named their realms of Martial Arts with the meaning of life.
Only now do I understand.
'Martial Arts alone can never attain life.'
A sword by itself holds no meaning.
Just as it needs something to cut and someone to wield it.
Just as a flower needs bees, soil, the light of the sky, rain clouds, and wind to bloom!
Life in this world cannot exist in isolation.
That is why those who named this realm combined Heaven, Earth, and Heart, giving it names of living flowers and trees to naturally imbue the meaning of life.
However...
I decide to give this realm a slightly different name.
The True Persons see me lost in thought, urgently notice my skills, and begin summoning the Northern Dipper Seven Heavenly Lords, while I watch their summoning unfold.
I watch their summoning ritual unfold.
Scenes from my past flash before my eyes.
Third rate.
Second rate.
First rate.
Peak...
This was the result of my struggle to escape the despair of my lack of martial talent and my martial incompetence.
Three Flowers Gather at the Summit.
Five Energies Converge to the Origin.
Ultimate Pinnacle.
This was the result of my struggle to break free from the oppression of cultivators who saw me and ordinary humans as nothing more than pills.
Entering Heavens Beyond the Path.
Treading Heavens Beyond the Path.
Shattering Heavens Beyond the Path.
This was the result of my struggle to escape not from cultivators, but from fate itself, and of my own inherent lack of talent from birth.
Seated Detachment, Entering Hope.
Void Shattering...
This was the result of my struggle not just to escape from fate but to confront and accept it.
It has been long.
For a long and longer time, I have fought against fate, against those who oppressed me, and against myself.
I gaze into the cosmic space before me.
The vast emptiness, and the sky.
Perhaps I...
Perhaps I have wanted to cut down this sky.
To cut apart this world itself and become free.
That is why I think of a name that symbolizes freedom.
The first thing that comes to my mind is a passage from a literary work back on Earth.
A bird breaks out of its egg.
To the bird, the egg is the world.
Those who wish to be born...
[They must all break the sky they have lived under.]
As I envision a life breaking free from the egg that is myself, I finally speak the name of the final realm.
[Severing Heaven (斷天).]
The All-Heavens Sword melts entirely into the void, blending with my cultivation.
Cultivation, Immortal Art, attraction force, explosion.
They all become one within this heart.
At the same time, the completed Three Great Ultimates finally rise again behind my head.
This is the Three Great Ultimates unleashed after reaching the Entering Nirvana stage.
Simultaneously, only now do I realize that the Immortal Art of Crystal Glass to Treading Sea has at last been completed.
From the beginning, it was never a Heaven and Earth Dual Cultivation method but a method of the Three Great Ultimates, and completing it required raising all three to the same realm.
As I gaze at the Crystal Glass to Treading Sea fully melted into the void, I call the name of my Immortal Art.
My Immortal Art, and the new name of the All-Heavens Sword.
It is...
Something that has already been passed down long ago.
[Like combing all intents turns them colorless...]
As I look at the pure white Heaven and Earth spiritual energy rising around me like salt, I look up at the seven summoned giant gods before me.
[Embrace all connections and become impermanence.]
Crystal Glass to Treading Sea (玻瓈蹈海成).
Ultimate Intent (極意).
Immortal Art (仙術).
[Impermanence Sword (無常劍).]
Having attained the Three Great Ultimates and obtained my own Immortal Art, I face the projections of the seven deities without retreating with a smile.
Translator Notes: The literary work is referencing the novel “Demian,” written by Hermann Hesse