Chapter 346: The Deceased (8)

"Have you gone crazy?"

After the Guardian Ghost Kings left, Yeon Wei glares at me with eyes ablaze.

"What do you mean by suddenly declaring that you won't back down? Ah, are you planning to use those Guardian Ghost Kings as bait and then have us escape? That's not a bad idea. It's a bit of a waste, but it's rational. Please tell me that's the plan!"

Tstststststs―

After releasing my Ghost King Transformation, I return to my human Seo Eun-hyun form.

"Did you know, elder Yeon Wei?"

"What?"

"First Guardian Ghost King Wei Shi-hon and Second Guardian Ghost King Eum Wa are getting married."

"And so what?"

"The Bone Sanctuary Sect Leader has recently risen to the position of the Eleventh Guardian Ghost King and has taken a disciple. His face has been very bright recently."

"..."

"The recently joined puppet instructor has successfully advanced to the Qi Building stage and looks quite pleased. Additionally, a follower who joined last time accumulated enough merits within the cult and was granted a small cave residence as a reward. I saw him looking very happy. And..."

I continue speaking slowly but clearly.

"This year alone, over 40,000 disciples have joined our religious order, and the voices praising our order throughout the White Yin Domain are growing louder. In fact, the followers are even taking charge of public order, so evil spirits no longer run rampant as they used to. Rather, this place now needs our cult."

"You've completely immersed yourself in playing the cult leader! Have you forgotten our original purpose?"

"Yes, I know. To build the Longevity Axis. To find the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect. And to return."

"Exactly!!! We've already found traces of our sect's disciples! We don't have time to waste on babysitting the Wuji Religious Order's followers! We need to find our disciples!"

"I've thought about it thoroughly."

I stand up from my seat and approach Yeon Wei.

"Ultimately, whether it's building the Longevity Axis, finding the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, or returning to the Bright Cold Realm, they all have one thing in common. Do you know what that is?"

"It's for our own benefit!"

"It's to save our 'comrades.'"

Why are we trying to rescue the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect?

Because they are our comrades.

Why am I building the Longevity Axis?

Because we need it to open the side path.

Why do we want to return to the Bright Cold Realm?

Because only by returning can we find clues to save Kang Min-hee.

I have no interest in those I haven't given my affection to.

I smile appropriately and remain detached appropriately.

But if they're comrades I have once given my affection to, I cannot ignore them.

"The Wuji Religious Order have already become our comrades. Just like the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect."

"How absurd! How dare you equate the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect established by our founder to this pseudo-religious cult!!! Jeon Myeong-hoon! Grand Elder Jeon Myeong-hoon! Immediately capture this insolent fool, hang him upside down and beat him!"

Yeon Wei, her face flushed red, points at me furiously.

It seems that comparing the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect with the Wuji Religious Order has hurt her pride.

However, Jeon Myeong-hoon merely shrugs.

"If I fight him, I'm the one getting beaten up. You know that."

"You! How can you, as the high elder of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, turn a blind eye to this outrageous situation...kiek!"

As Yeon Wei starts having a fit, Jeon Myeong-hoon sighs and transforms into red lightning, striking the back of Yeon Wei's neck.

She, who is borrowing Yeon Jin's body, immediately falls unconscious.

Wiiing―

A Taiji symbol appears in Jeon Myeong-hoon's hand, and floats above Yeon Wei's upper dantian.

"Divided soul, reversal."

Paaatt!

The consciousness of Yeon Wei residing within Yeon Jin is expelled back to the Head Realm.

"Please cool your head for a while in the Head Realm's shrine, Ancestor."

"Well done. Honestly, she was quite noisy."

"That is true. Well, your words have a point. After all, it's a fact that after nearly 200 years together, we've grown attached to this place. I also promised to be a witness at the Guardian Ghost Kings' wedding."

But Jeon Myeong-hoon looks at me coldly and asks.

"However, the Ancestor isn't entirely wrong. What about the sect's disciples whose whereabouts we've recently discovered? If we stay holed up here, we won't be able to meet them. And if we leave to meet them, the three great factions will attack and destroy our cult. How do you plan to handle that?"

"Don't worry about that. Hong Fan, Kim Yeon."

The two people whose names I call step forward.

Hong Fan clears his throat and spreads something out in front of Jeon Myeong-hoon, beginning his explanation.

Kim Yeon also explains to Jeon Myeong-hoon that she has completed everything I have previously requested.

After listening, Jeon Myeong-hoon remains silent for a moment before letting out a hollow laugh.

"Ha, haha...crazy bastard? Do you think this is possible?"

"What's impossible about it?"

"...If this really works..."

Jeon Myeong-hoon chuckles.

"This cult will become the most renowned power in the Nether Ghost Realm."

"Well, isn't that a good thing? Let's become even more famous and spread the concept of better welfare throughout the entire Nether Ghost Realm."

"Ha, well...fine."

Jeon Myeong-hoon chuckles briefly, then turns around.

"Do as you please. If it turns out as you say, then...it definitely won't matter if three great factions come or if fifty Integration cultivators attack. Moreover, it will make rescuing our sect's disciples much easier..."

Jeon Myeong-hoon carries the unconscious body of Yeon Jin out of the Wuji Religious Hall, leaving only Kim Yeon, Oh Hyun-seok, Hong Fan, and myself inside.

"Is there anything Hyun-seok Hyung-nim needs these days?"

"There's nothing I particularly need. Just secure some space for me when I break through to the Four-Axis stage."

"Yes, I'll prepare it."

"Thanks. Then I'm off training."

Oh Hyun-seok waves casually and leaves the basement.

As usual, Hong Fan disappears into the shadows and begins to coordinate personnel in the Void Spirit Pond according to my orders.

I look at Kim Yeon.

"And Yeon-ah."

"Yes?"

"I heard you destroyed the training ground again?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Lately, there's a lot of times when I can't control my strength."

"Controlling strength..."

I stare at Kim Yeon for a moment before asking.

"Do you still...have the same feelings for me?"

She nods firmly with clear eyes.

"Yes. They haven't changed. Absolutely!"

"...Alright. You can go."

Kim Yeon smiles faintly and leaves the basement.

I sigh and sit in my seat.

The Nether Ghost Realm, like the Bright Cold Realm, has Stable Realm and Chaos Realm.

The White Yin Domain, where we are located, is at the southern edge of the Nether Ghost Realm. We have heard that the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect are currently isolated in the northern Chaos Realm of the Nether Ghost Realm.

'They're collecting the remains of cultivators who went berserk after being eroded by Entering Nirvana True Persons...'

Crunch―

The Black Ghost Palace has given such a task to the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.

'They've essentially forced them to investigate a place filled with radioactive materials.'

The remains of cultivators killed due to the corruption of Entering Nirvana True Persons are incredibly dangerous but also highly valuable. The Black Ghost Palace must have desired them despite the risk.

However, they probably found it too wasteful to send their own forces to such a dangerous place and too frustrating to ignore, eventually pushing the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect into it.

'I need to rescue them quickly.'

If it drags on too long, something might happen.

'It will be soon.'

The three great factions have designated me a public enemy, and they will soon come to eliminate me.

When that time comes, I can shock and confuse everyone and go rescue the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect on the opposite side of the Nether Ghost Realm.

Yeon Wei thought I impulsively acted out and complained about it, but in reality, I have been planning this since the moment I became attached to the Wuji Religious Order.

'Of course, it lacks secrecy in terms of Yeon Wei's plan and the risk is high, so she would have strongly opposed it even if I had informed her beforehand.'

Yes. To be honest, there are no problems up to this point.

However, I furrow my brows upon seeing Kim Yeon's recent condition.

"Hong Fan."

"Yes, Master."

"How has Yeon's condition been lately?"

"...Her abnormal symptoms have certainly worsened."

Hong Fan speaks with a serious expression.

"I saw her just now at the training ground. She went berserk, unleashing her power uncontrollably and collapsing the training ground."

"Hmm..."

Recently, Kim Yeon has not been in a normal state.

Sometimes she would train in martial arts for days in a dazed, dream-like state, and other times she would be overcome with madness, making the puppets perform the Paired Wings Dance.

The problem is that she doesn't remember any of it once she regains her senses.

There hasn't been any serious damage as of yet, but I have noticed a kind of madness growing inside Kim Yeon.

'Mad Lord, that man...'

In this life, the Mad Lord had conversed with me in a relatively sane state for a longer time. As a result of that, he sent Kim Yeon back to me with a rational mind.

Moreover, the Mad Lord had even crafted and delivered a dharma treasure imbued with his enlightenment specifically for Kim Yeon.

I assumed the enlightenment contained in that dharma treasure would be the same as that in the previous life, which [She] had imparted, so I didn't bother to look deeply into it.

But that became a mistake.

'Damn it, that man...'

At some point, Kim Yeon began to show a strange obsession with the 'Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon.'

With half-glazed eyes, she would mutter things like, 'I must find the final color. I must call its name,' and repeatedly recite the formula of the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon like a madwoman.

It's clear that the Mad Lord of this life has deliberately inserted 'madness' into the dharma treasure alongside his enlightenment.

By the time I asked Kim Yeon to give me the dharma treasure so I could reexamine it, she had already dismantled and destroyed it.

From her words, the structure apparently required dismantling the dharma treasure to receive the enlightenment of the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon, so there was no helping it.

In normal circumstances, I would have used the Spirit Sealing Bodkin or the Sea of Righteousness and Mountain of Grace to mend Kim Yeon's mind.

However, when she confessed her unchanged heart to me just a moment ago.

In such moments, the madness completely vanishes, and she becomes perfectly lucid.

Currently, Kim Yeon's state is a mix of parts taken over by madness and parts that are completely sane.

If I recklessly try to mend her mind, the sane Kim Yeon might be sealed, leaving only the madness-filled Kim Yeon.

'I can only wait until the madness fully takes over before mending her mind or hope that Kim Yeon overcomes it on her own.'

"...You said Kim Yeon went berserk and destroyed the training ground with just martial arts? The training ground that I, Yeon Wei, and Kim Yeon herself combined strengths to set up the protective formation for?"

"Yes. Despite not gathering Heaven and Earth spiritual energy through Celestial Energy Guidance or anything similar, her power surged greatly in an instant."

"..."

I recall the look in her eyes when she confessed her feelings.

Those incredibly clear eyes.

I remember what lay beyond those eyes.

When she had those eyes, for a fleeting moment, it seemed like her heart essence was unified.

'Perhaps...if she overcomes this madness, she might reach Entering Heavens Beyond the Path.'

Though she aims for Ultimate Pinnacle, the Heart Tribe doesn't necessarily need to pass through the Ultimate Pinnacle when awakening Manifestation, so theoretically, it isn't impossible.

'Overcome it, Yeon-ah.'

The current Kim Yeon is like a child lost in a forest.

The forest is crawling with knife-wielding bandits, making the situation look very dire.

But in her hands is a K2 assault rifle, fully loaded and set to automatic fire, so if the conditions align, she can become incredibly formidable.

A situation where if she just fires, there will be no danger.

'It's already in your hands, Kim Yeon.'

Although I've been guiding her in martial arts to draw out her power, there's always been a sense of unease.

But if she eventually awakens her abilities, Kim Yeon will grow dazzlingly.

"Still, I've confirmed all the formations that Lady Kim Yeon set up throughout White Yin Domain. Nothing will hinder the operation."

"...Alright. That's enough."

I lean back on my seat and close my eyes.

Within my vast consciousness domain, I sense Eum Wa and Wei Shi-hon preparing for their wedding ceremony at a location of the Wuji Religious Order

'The brief peace is coming to an end. Soon, many powerful figures from the three great forces will storm in.'

There is no fear.

"Be ready to activate 'it' at any moment, Hong Fan."

"Yes, Master."

White Yin Domain is now almost entirely swallowed by the Wuji Religious Order.

Branches of the Wuji Religious Order are established throughout White Yin Domain, and over 90% of the spirit creatures in White Yin Domain are followers of the Wuji Religious Order.

Moreover, news from the Wuji Religious Order's headquarters spreads across the entire territory through its branches via the installed relay spells.

"Hey, did you hear?"

"The rumor that the First Guardian Ghost King is getting married?"

"Yes, and the Second Guardian Ghost King is the partner."

"Indeed, those two were a match made by the heavens even before joining the Wuji Religious Order. They couldn't be together before because they had to take care of their respective sects, but now that they're free from those responsibilities, they're finally tying the knot."

"Haha, that's quite satisfying to hear."

The wedding of the First Guardian Ghost King Wei Shi-hon and the Second Guardian Ghost King Eum Wa is exactly that.

The entire White Yin Domain is abuzz with excitement at the news of these two spirits finally coming together after hundreds of years.

Wuji Religious Order Headquarters.

In front of the Wuji Religious Hall.

There, the two spirits are about to be united.

Jeon Myeong-hoon, cloaked in pitch-black ghostly energy in accordance with the traditions of the White Yin Domain, presides over the wedding with a chilling voice.

[Do you, groom Wei Shi-hon, swear not to devour her, not to banish her spirit, or to exorcize the bride Eum Wa?]

"I swear."

Wei Shi-hon, using the circuits of his puppet body to compress and transform into a handsome figure, stands wearing the traditional attire of the White Yin Domain, nodding with a flushed face.

[Do you, bride Eum Wa, swear to stay with groom Wei Shi-hon even if he is purified, to face great ghosts together, and to remain together even if dragged to the Netherworld?]

"I swear."

Eum Wa, clad in traditional attire and housed in a beautiful puppet body, faces Wei Shi-hon, blushing with the circuits on her face.

[Do you two ghostly creatures for a hundred years, a thousand years, and beyond ten thousand years, pledge to be each other's Paired Wings and Intertwined Branches?]

Both ghostly creatures nod in unison and shout.

"We swear!"

[Good. Then I, the Chief Law Protector of the Wuji Religious Order, the Six Extremes Ghost King Jeon Myeong-hoon, bless the union and connection of these two lovers and proclaim that they now share the same fate.]

Kugugugugu!

Jeon Myeong-hoon scatters the curse spells contained within the Six Extremes Yin Thunder Body into the air.

An eerie ghostly wail echoes through the air, and the multitude of ghosts attending the wedding let out scream-like cheers.

[Kiaaaaah! Long live the Guardian Ghost Kings!]

[Long live the Wuji Religious Order! Kiyaaah!]

[Long live the couple!]

Countless ghosts laugh heartily, some rattling in cursed dolls, and a ghostly feast is held in front of the Wuji Religious Hall.

As it is the wedding of two Guardian Ghost Kings of the Wuji Religious Order, Jeon Myeong-hoon, along with Oh Hyun-seok, Kim Yeon, Yeon Jin, and others attend to offer their congratulations.

Among them, Kim Yeon has the role of capturing the wedding ceremony of the two Guardian Ghost Kings using image spells.

Wo-oong—

Kim Yeon furrows her brow as she records the event into the record book.

'It's strange.'

Recently, her emotions have been excessively tumultuous, and there have been times when she felt strange.

However, there have been no major issues so far, and Seo Eun-hyun also encouraged her, saying that such phenomena will disappear as she reaches higher realms of martial arts.

But as Kim Yeon watches the happy couple getting married, she feels something welling up inside her chest.

Especially when Jeon Myeong-hoon recites the wedding vow, a phrase traditionally spoken across various dimensions and realms.

—...Pledge to be each other's Paired Wings and Intertwined Branches?

Hearing that phrase.

Kim Yeon feels a strange scene flash before her eyes.

—Look, Yeon-ah. This is the Paired Wings Spear.

It's a strange scene.

A woman is dancing with short spears in both hands.

The dance is strikingly similar to the fan dance that Seo Eun-hyun has taught her.

Throb—

'No...'

Kim Yeon momentarily feels as if her mind is merging with the 'someone' in that scene, and she shakes her head.

'This isn't me.'

Throb, throb...

Reflecting on her past, she reaffirms her own identity.

She often reassures herself of her identity by reflecting on her past, feeling as if she is becoming someone else.

'I need to grow faster, even more.'

With a determined look in her eyes, she feels the urge to master the Wonderfully Mysterious Innate Heart Canon even more.

And so, the wedding ceremony of Eum Wa and Wei Shi-hon concludes.

"Finally, we are together, Eum Wa."

"It's something I never imagined before."

Eum Wa looks at Wei Shi-hon with loving eyes and smiles.

"...It would have been nice if Baek Rin could have also given us his blessings."

"...Indeed. If I hadn't let Baek Rin escape back then, could we all have been happy together?"

"Hoo. My heart always aches when I think of that guy. I wanted to share happiness with him too...ah, Mysterious Bizarre Ghost King, thank you for the recordings."

Wei Shi-hon takes the record book from Kim Yeon and falls into thought.

Seeing this, Eum Wa makes a bitter expression but suddenly claps her hands as if she has a good idea.

"Ah, I have a good idea."

"What is it, Eum Wa?"

"Well..."

Territory of the Black Ghost Palace, Ghost River Domain.

In a branch of the Black Ghost Palace.

Next to the ominous Nether Crossing Ship emitting ghostly energy sits a mountain range.

And within that mountain range lies a cave residence.

The cave residence of Baek Rin.

[Finally...]

Kugugugu—

Inside the cave residence.

Baek Rin absorbs the ghostly energy emanating from the Nether Crossing Ship, his eyes burning with ghost fire.

[I have regained my former realm.]

He has restored the cultivation he had lost through using the White Bone Shedding Shell Strategy.

He smiles with satisfaction.

[Now, I have the minimum qualifications to negotiate with the Black Ghost Palace. I just need to ask them to invade the White Yin Domain. Even if it takes some time, if I slowly explain to them that evil heretical cult, they will surely help for the sake of peace in the White Yin Domain.]

He clenches his fist with a hopeful voice.

[I will definitely save...]

As Baek Rin solidifies his will, something knocks on the barrier in front of his cave residence, drawing his attention.

[What is it?]

Wooong—

With a gesture, he brings the object knocking on the barrier towards him.

That day, a record book arrived before Baek Rin.