Chapter 188: The Tribe of the Earth (8)

What does that mean?

I look at her momentarily confused.

[Ahahaha!]

Suddenly, her voice, which had been that of a delicate woman, changes into a deep male voice.

[Such talk of the Heart Path Method is just a term forcibly applied by the Heaven Tribe and Earth Tribe to try to understand us... It's impossible for us to have such a systematic structure like methods. Don't you know? If you've reached the second stage of Manifestation, you should realize that everyone in this world possesses different possibilities, right?]

"…."

They’re right.

I narrow my eyes, pondering the words of this person, whose gender I can't discern.

"So... the Heart Path Method, no... what does the Heart Tribe call this 'realm'? Although heart essences differ, isn't the process of reaching this 'realm' the same? Is 'Manifestation' just the end of it?"

[Hmm… I do feel like telling you... ]

Once again, their voice changes to that of a child.

[Could it be jealousy? To obtain our power while studying under the Earth Tribe with a body of the Heaven Tribe. If one fully masters the three talents of Heaven, Earth, and Heart, imagine the kind of monster that would be born.]

Sarararak…

The scarlet river flows around me.

I realize that this river's existence is not actual water but the heart essence of this being.

'There’s no substance?'

Yet, I’m startled by this bizarre river.

Treading Heavens must ultimately be the state of becoming one with the heart essence one has manifested.

Yet, this river, while emanating an aura similar to the Treading Heavens realm, seems to have no substantial body to be its source.

'What is this?'

When I peer into the being with my hidden thoughts,

[Haha, to think there’s such a transparent hell of agony...]

The next moment, the river's voice changes back to that of an old man.

[Neither the Heaven Tribe nor the Earth Tribe, and not even among us, have I seen such an extreme heart essence... Indeed, if only I could know which direction this monster of the three talents will take, I could decide how to deal with you...]

The river wraps around me, its voice flowing out.

It feels as if the Heart Tribe being is standing with hands clasped behind his back, looking at me while circling around.

However, as I watch him, I invoke the Formless Sword.

Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.

Mountain Echoes Valleys Responds

Ting!

A clear sword cry strikes the mind.

The vibration resonates from the plane of Qi to the plane of Soul, awakening the spirit.

"…I seem to encounter a lot of beings who love brainwashing, especially after coming to the Earth Tribe."

[Oh no, you've caught on already. But what was that? Did your energy transform into consciousness? Did you move across planes?]

"…."

I do not respond to his nonsense, focusing instead on surveying my surroundings.

"…!"

Suddenly, the slaves who were setting fire to the cotton plantation have all disappeared.

It seems I had moved far while my attention was distracted on this being.

'Was I trapped in an illusion? Me?'

I grit my teeth and glare at the river.

"What were you trying to do to me? Brainwash me for what purpose?"

[Ah, just in case there's any misunderstanding, the power of my Manifestation isn't brainwashing. It's deep sleep. The immersion into a dream is the enlightenment I've achieved. I just wanted to put you to sleep soundly, then tie you up nicely and send you to the highest council of the Heart Tribe.]

"…."

What is this person?

I open my mouth in disbelief, yet I am on high alert mentally.

"So after all this, you're asking me not to interfere with you?"

[Don't take it too hard. We, the Heart Tribe, can't trust anyone. The Heaven Tribe and Earth Tribe have been so eager to kidnap us and turn us into pills that we've had to become cunning to deal with them.

But since I've opened up to you like this, please forgive me for that. Now that I know your strength, I won't attempt to kidnap you anymore.]

"…."

Their true intentions are unreadable.

Perhaps due to being in the same realm, this being is also able to protect their deep heart essence from me.

"…How did you deal with those Sea Dragon warriors?"

I glance at the unconscious Sea Dragon warriors.

[I put them to sleep. However, they seem to mistake my process of deep sleep for the process of death, so if they are not awakened within an hour or two, their souls will truly mistake it for death and die.]

Terrifying.

And utterly bizarre.

But more than that, I glare at the being before.

"You're stalling for time. What are you aiming for?"

Even though the heart essence is unreadable, I can tell that this being is wrapping me up in needless words to waste time.

They must certainly be trying to delay.

[Oh, you've caught on already. It's nothing significant. I am a special envoy sent by the Heart Tribe's highest council, tasked with infiltrating the Heaven and Earth Tribes, helping the weak slave races among them to give birth to members of the Heart Tribe.

Once a Heart Tribe member is born, I guide them along with their race to the territory of the Heart Tribe. In the process, if I encounter any Masters of the Four-Axis stage from the Heaven or Earth Tribes, I also have the task of killing them.]

"…!?"

I look at this being's energy.

"Are you waiting for Gyu-ryeon, the owner of this domain?"

[It would be nice if that were the case… If the owner of the domain doesn't show up, I guess I'll just focus on leading the races to escape.]

To kill a Four-Axis stage cultivator.

That seems to be the ‘ace’ up their sleeves.

'That's why it foretold great misfortune if I attacked him.'

A rash move would have been a death sentence.

Apparently, the reason this being is leaving me alone for now is simply because I also fall under the category of 'Heart Tribe.'

Just then.

The goat standing beside us suddenly looks in one direction.

[Here it comes.]

A subtle anger is present in the goat's eyes.

Kugugugu!

From afar, a boar, its body dyed red, is flying towards us.

White steam billows from the nose of the boar, who possesses the energy of the Nascent Soul stage.

[The administrator of the Long Spirit Cotton Plantation… The bastard who tormented and oppressed us on behalf of the lord, Gyu-ryeon.]

Crack…

The whip in the goat's hand thrashes as if alive.

[Yes, let's have a go at it. I'll help out if it looks like you're losing.]

[Yes, elder. But who exactly is this person?]

[Hmm, I don't know myself. That's why I'm holding him here while we talk. But it seems he doesn't intend to antagonize us deliberately, so it would be refreshing to resolve our grievances and then return.]

[Yes!]

The goat firmly responds, gripping the whip and flying towards the boar with void steps.

'Walking on air.'

I asked the river,

"Can you explain exactly what the Heart Tribe is?"

The river responds in a young woman's voice,

[What kind of question is that? It naturaly refers to those who have integrated their heart essence.]

"Integrated their heart essence?"

[Yes, those who have unified their external and internal heart essences into one complete heart essence. Those who can ‘manifest’ such a heart essence are collectively called the Heart Tribe.]

"Then, those who can reach this 'Manifestation' through consciousness methods are also Heart Tribe? It sounds like mastering consciousness methods alone can lead one to become Heart Tribe..."

[Ahaha, reach the Heart Tribe by mastering consciousness methods?]

The river laughs as if they found the idea amusing.

[Listen here, friend. Integrating the external and internal heart essences is something that can only be achieved through unimaginable pain and pressure. Simply enlarging and refining the consciousness with consciousness methods is meaningless.

To become Heart Tribe, to manifest heart essence, one needs a [longing] beyond imagination. The Esteemed One of the Heart Tribe longed for overwhelming power to save their own race, that newcomer longed for the 'weight' of the responsibility to save his race, and I longed for 'sleep.' And looking briefly at your manifestation, it seems you longed for 'escaping something.' Isn't that right?]

"…."

[If you don't deeply long for something, no matter how much you master consciousness methods, you'll never achieve manifestation. If someone who has mastered consciousness methods integrates their external and internal heart essence to reach manifestation, it means they're longing for something beyond imagination.

Yes, a longing that surpasses imagination. An endless thirst. A relentless fanaticism towards something. Only by preparing to throw everything away and push oneself into the realm of pain and pressure, can one become 'us'.]

Wo-woong!

The being intentionally shows me their intent.

It’s a sign of affection.

[You are definitely of the Heaven Tribe, and at the same time of the Earth Tribe, but the reason I don't dislike you is because you have continuously longed for your own beliefs to the extent that you've reached the second stage of Manifestation.

Such a transparent hell of agony, it's definitely the heart essence of a madman. But even if it is the heart essence of a madman, hasn't it reached that realm precisely because it was never let go of and was always pursued?]

"…Right."

Kwang, kwangkwang!

I nod my head, watching the fight between the goat wielding the whip and the boar turning the surroundings into a sea of flames.

The boar is at the Nascent Soul stage after all, and the goat is merely at the threshold of Treading Heavens.

However, the goat is evenly matched with the boar.

'It might be because the boar is at the very early stages of Nascent Soul, but it seems like the goat knows all the techniques the boar uses.'

On the other hand, the boar is unable to properly grasp even one of the goat's whip movements.

[That kid's name is Baek Nyeong. He is a slave who rose to the position of overseer on this cotton plantation for his race.]

The river continues.

[He stepped forward to whip his own kind, but from the day he held the whip, he practiced countless times, pondering how to 'softly' pretend to hit his kin. He mastered the art of loading and unloading weight on the whip, whipping himself to control the weight of the whip to the extreme. Pushing the control of weight to the utmost limit is how he achieved his Manifestation.]

Kwakwakwang!

The goat, Baek Nyeong, made the boar scream and tumble down with a lash of his whip.

Whoong!

Kugugugu!

Once again, the whip is swung, and a valley in the shape of a whip appears where it passes.

[That demon beast administrator of the Earth Tribe forced Baek Nyeong to whip his own family. Baek Nyeong insisted on waiting to kill that guy himself, playing around while waiting for the lord.]

Kwakwang, kwang, kwaaaaang!

Baek Nyeong, with eyes rolled back, continues to wield his whip.

The attack, optimized for [Weight] at the threshold of Treading Heavens, makes the flame-spewing wild boar gradually lose consciousness and seem to die.

'A realm specialized in attack power.'

I exclaim at the sight of his Beyond the Path To Heavens.

Even if the boar is at the very early stages of Nascent Soul and Baek Nyeong knows all of its techniques, there's still a gap between a Nascent Soul stage and Beyond the Path to Heavens.

Yet, to push the opponent to the brink of death like this, Baek Nyeong must have focused solely on attacking, as if ignoring defense and willing to die in the process.

How heavy can a delicate whip become?

Kwaaaaaang!

[Sa, save me....]

The boar flies up, dodging Baek Nyeong's whip.

Baek Nyeong, with eyes rolled back, attempts to pursue the boar, and the river's owner cheers for Baek Nyeong as if excited.

I, too, knowing the certain enmity between Baek Nyeong and the wild boar, do not rashly intervene.

Just then.

Pukkak, puhwak!

"…!?"

Far away, the bodies of the three Sea Dragon warriors, who had been put to sleep by the river's owner, begin to convulse violently.

And the river's owner shudders at the sight.

Simultaneously.

Pukkak!

Puhwahaaaak!

Blood spurts from the heart region of the Sea Dragon warriors, and an enormous amount of heaven and earth spiritual energy begins to converge there.

Gooooo….

The heaven and earth spiritual energy condenses into a blue light in the air, forming the shape of a giant azure dragon.

It’s the form of Seo Hweol.

I can feel the owner of the river being shocked.

[What… using their own race as a sacrifice… Baek Nyeong! Come back, we're retreating!]

The form of Seo Hweol that had descended upon the scene surveys the surroundings.

I can feel it.

The figure in front of me was summoned using the lives of three Sea Dragon Race warriors as a sacrifice.

Since the lives of three Nascent Soul stage warriors were offered as a sacrifice, even if for a brief moment.

This figure is identical to Seo Hweol's true body.

Kugugugu!

An immense pressure weighs down on my entire body.

Seo Hweol's head turns towards me, wrapped in the crimson river.

[Hmm, to think that the rebels in Senior Gyu's territory could be this dangerous. These children weren't sent to die among the rebels…]

‘Wasn't it you who killed them?’

I am momentarily dumbfounded, but Seo Hweol looks around with interest.

His gaze lands on Baek Nyeong and the crimson river.

[Indeed, are you the Heart Tribe, whose fame has spread far and wide in the Bright Cold Realm?]

The crimson river, annoyed, whirls up into the air, buzzing.

[Damn it. The worst-case scenario, a Four-Axis cultivator getting involved. Even if I sacrifice my life to kill you, it wouldn’t harm your true body, would it?]

[That's right. Originally, it was a means to descend in case of the worst situation, but it's a bit disappointing to have to descend because of you folks.]

[Well then, what does the esteemed Four-Axis cultivator plan to do with us now? Just so you know, I have received a not so insignificant technique from the Heart Tribe’s highest council, so if I put my life on the line, I can at least eliminate your form.]

[A pitiful threat.]

Ssssss!

The dragon form of Seo Hweol recondenses into a human form.

The human form of Seo Hweol smiles benevolently.

[But personally, I have no intention of doing anything to you. It's sad that a rebellion has occurred in Gyu senior's farm... and our precious Sea Dragon warriors being massacred by the heart tribe, is an unavoidable incident.]

[…Wait, weren't you the one who killed your own warriors?]

The crimson river looks at Seo Hweol in incomprehension.

Currently, Seo Hweol, not being his true self but projecting his form based on the life force of the Sea Dragon warriors, made it difficult to read his heart essence and understand him.

[Our Sea Dragon warriors fought valiantly against the Heart Tribe, sacrificing their souls, and all died gloriously in battle. I tried to project my avatar from afar to help, but it was too late as they had all already perished.]

[…Madman.]

[Thus, in memory of them, I sought to uncover the secrets of the Heart Tribe….]

Kugugugu!

From Seo Hweol's hand, a strong gravitational force begins to emerge.

That force is directed towards Baek Nyeong.

Baek Nyeong starts to be sucked in by the gravitational pull exerted by Seo Hweol.

[Wait, what are you doing!]

[By capturing the leader of the enemy, perhaps the warriors of my race who died unjustly can find some peace in the afterlife.]

Paaaat!

Above Seo Hweol's hand, space warps, revealing a spatial rift.

Beyond that spatial rift surely lays the Sea Dragon Palace!

[Originally, this wasn't intended for such purposes but to retrieve Seo Eun-hyun, a member of our race, in case of danger… but given the situation, it's unavoidable. Still, being able to capture the Heart Tribe, which had been so famously rumored in the Bright Cold Realm….]

[Put your hand down right now!]

Kugugugu!

The crimson river, revealing its fury, flies towards Seo Hweol.

The entire body of the crimson river turns green for a moment.

And within that green light, I can make out the shape of a brilliant podao.

‘That is…’

That is the trump card they kept hidden!

A strike from the Esteemed One!

However, Seo Hweol, raises his other hand unconcerned towards the dead bodies of the Sea Dragon warriors lying at his feet.

Crack!

The bodies of the Sea Dragon warriors are lifted by spiritual energy, blocking the crimson river.

The crimson river hesitates for a moment, shocked not by the corpses but by Seo Hweol's attitude of using his own race as shields without any emotion, but then pushes through.

Crack!

The charge of the crimson river shattered the bodies of the Sea Dragon warriors.

However, Seo Hweol, undeterred, continues to emit a strong gravitational force from his hand.

Chrararak!

And in the moment when the river hesitated,

In the moment when the bodies were shattered,

Those moments combine to create an opening, and Seo Hweol uses it to suck Baek Nyeong into the spatial rift that had formed above his hand.

[Noooooo!]

Chrararak!

The river charges towards Seo Hweol's form, but Seo Hweol's form merely disperses into the air.

Seo Hweol's bright voice echoes through the void and then fades away.

[Thank you for the wonderful gift. Thanks to you, the heroes of my race who died unjustly will also be able to rest in peace.]

Sssss….

The spatial rift created by Seo Hweol disappears as well, and the crimson river, having not managed to unleash the strike of the Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One, swirls around in dismay.

[….]

I reflect on Seo Hweol taking Baek Nyeong through the spatial rift, remembering his words about using it to take me if I were in danger.

‘Was Seo Hweol originally prepared to sacrifice his own warriors to forcefully bring me to the Sea Dragon Palace if things went awry?’

Of course, it might not have been the case.

He could have just said that but intended to do something to Gyu-ryeon through the Sea Dragon warriors or steal something from Gyu-ryeon's domain.

But if the original target he intended to take was indeed me,

‘He must have realized our value through Oh Hye-seo…!’

Kim Yeon, a mortal with a Four-Axis stage consciousness. Jeon Myeong-hoon, said to have the same constitution as Yang Su-jin. Oh Hyun-seok, expected to reach Heavenly Being stage combat power within 100 years. Kang Min-hee, expected to reach the Star Shattering stage within 500 years...

The value we hold, discovered by Seo Hweol and the three Heavenly Being stage cultivators, must have been immense.

‘That's why he was prepared to take me away, even by sacrificing three Nascent Soul stage warriors of his own race….’

But then, a thought strikes me.

‘But now, hasn’t the means to kidnap me disappeared? Was Baek Nyeong considered more valuable than me in Seo Hweol’s eyes?’

At that moment.

A chill runs down my spine as I consider a possibility.

‘Seo Hweol… openly stated in front of me that he was prepared to sacrifice three Nascent Soul stages to take me away.’

That means he values me higher than three Nascent Soul stages.

That also means he has realized the value of Oh Hye-seo, who is similar to me.

And by observing my actions and words over the past 10 months, he figured out that I am trying to find the whereabouts of my colleague, Oh Hye-seo.

‘He already realized the value of Oh Hye-seo and me, predicting that I would eventually come back to him to find Oh Hye-seo anyway…!?’

Understanding that I cherish my colleagues over the 10 months.

He informs me that he has discovered the value of my colleague and me.

Thus, due to my nature, I will inevitably return.

‘…A method even more certain than directly capturing me through a spatial rift.’

No, if I had been thoroughly brainwashed by Seo Hweol over the 10 months,

I would have already sworn my allegiance to Seo Hweol, shedding tears of gratitude for the situation where he sacrificed three Nascent Soul stages to save me when I was in danger.

I shudder at Seo Hweol's cunning, and the crimson river, disheartened by what happened to Baek Nyeong, circles around before flying off towards where the other enslaved races had escaped.

[…Had circumstances been better, we could have talked more, but given how things have turned out, let’s meet again someday.]

Paaaat!

With those words, the crimson river disappears into the distance.

I stand dumbfounded in the cotton plantation, watching the boar that is healing from the injuries inflicted by Baek Nyeong.

The boar looks confused, staring at the spot where Seo Hweol vanished.

"...Hey."

I approach the boar.

"Can you contact the lord of this domain, Senior Gyu?"

"Um? Oh, yes, but…"

"Please send a message. I regret to inform Senior that the suppression of the rebellion has failed."

"I…understand."

The wild boar looks at the place where Seo Hweol disappeared with a puzzled expression and absentmindedly nods.

"...That technique. I feel like I’ve seen it somewhere before…"

"...?"

"No, never mind. I'll contact the lord. Damn it…"

Thus.

The brief yet intense encounter with the Heart Tribe came to an end.

"Well, if that's how things turned out, there's nothing we can do."

Gyu-ryeon sighs as she looks at me and the boar, Hong Guk.

We decided to keep quiet about Seo Hweol directly killing his own race and descending.

Regarding the annihilation of all the Sea Dragon warriors, Hong Guk wasn't sure if he had seen Seo Hweol kill his kin properly and said so. I also agreed, though for different reasons.

For me, it was due to my relationship with Seo Hweol. But whether Hong Guk genuinely didn't see it properly or had another reason, I don't know.

Anyway, with Gyu-ryeon's sigh, the incident came to a temporary close.

Following the agreement with Gyu-ryeon, I decided to begin the refinement of the Immortal Beast True Blood.

Deep within Gyu-ryeon's domain.

There, a ritual circle drawn with Gyu-ryeon's dragon blood is set up, and I enter its center to sit in a lotus position.

In front of me is a jade bottle containing a drop of the Black Dragon’s True Blood.

"Then, let's start refining the Immortal Beast True Blood now."

Perhaps due to the guilt of having caused the death of Seo Hweol's subordinates and the rebellion,

Gyu-ryeon forms hand seals a bit listlessly.

A crimson, blood-colored light rises around us.

Kududuguk!

The jade bottle in front of me resonates with the light, shaking violently, and I see the drop of the Black Dragon blood flying towards me.

The next moment.

‘…Huh?’

I find myself engulfed in pitch-black darkness.

In the darkness, I can sense a massive dragon looking at me.

‘I see, this is the remnant will contained in the Black Dragon’s True Blood…’

I need to overcome this remnant will to refine the Immortal Beast True Blood.

‘Now, to suppress the remnant will….’

The next moment.

[Why does someone who has lived less than half a century possess over 2000 years of history?]

The massive dragon in the darkness speaks to me.

[How dare you attempt to deceive history in front of an Immortal Beast. By the name of the Black Dragon that governs Taiyin (Supreme/Great Yin), I command you, mortal, to recount your true history.]

The refinement of the Immortal Beast True Blood has begun.

However, I have never once heard from Gyu-ryeon that the Immortal Beast itself will directly speak during the refinement of the True Blood.