Chapter 371: The Divine Martial Sword and Cheol Ryu-heun
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Gazes meeting.
The Divine Martial Sword reborn as Cheol Ryu-heun, and Cheol Ryu-heun who had been the owner of the body.
A mysterious encounter transcending the laws of time and space.
It was probably possible because this was a spiritual space that had entered the so-called mental realm, the domain of selfless absorption.
He could only speculate thus.
Since he couldn’t fathom all the tricks the heavens wielded.
“Do you know who I am?”
Cheol Ryu-heun, no, the Divine Martial Sword asked.
A brief silence followed.
Before the unconcerned question, Cheol Ryu-heun lightly nodded his head and answered.
“You are the self of the Divine Martial Sword, the highest ranking of the Ten Great Heavenly Weapons.”
“You are… you?”
“Yes. I am myself. The direct disciple and young sect master of my sect, White Peak Sword Sect… Cheol Ryu-heun…”
“As I thought… Then, that form is a spirit body?”
“That’s correct. It would be easy to understand if you just call it a soul. I have manifested in the appearance from when I was human, with the permission of the Celestial Father.”
“Celestial Father… The Celestial Realm… How interesting. The legends passed down from ancient times weren’t entirely baseless.”
With that, the Divine Martial Sword recalled the earlier Voice Transmission.
―I shall send down the one I took in.
He was quite curious.
If that was a divine being of the celestial realm, then what was Cheol Ryu-heun?
The Divine Martial Sword asked again with an expressionless face along with that question.
“In other words, after you died, did you become something like a divine being? One that assists a higher deity…?”
Cheol Ryu-heun, having worn a faint smile, slightly shook his head.
“No. I am merely a messenger for those who reside in heaven.”
“Those, you say… So there are multiple divine beings.”
“Yes, each has different roles and powers.”
“I see. Well, not just anyone becomes like you, right? Though I’ve never seen it, a hell that punishes souls that have ascended surely exists somewhere.”
“I was lucky enough to receive heaven’s selection. I am merely a messenger, so I cannot unravel all your questions. That is beyond my authority. Also, there is still very much that even I don’t know.”
No sooner had Cheol Ryu-heun’s words ended than the Divine Martial Sword immediately perceived the hidden meaning.
“Right, I see. So your words mean that you can only discuss matters related to us two?”
“Your intuition is outstanding, befitting one who has lived for a thousand years.”
The Divine Martial Sword shrugged his shoulders and spoke expressionlessly.
“What’s so novel about that, you must have been looking down while residing in heaven.”
“No. I only heard from the divine being I serve. That one too finds it difficult to see and hear everything about this land.”
“Hmm, is that so? I thought divine beings were omnipotent.”
At the Divine Martial Sword’s indifferent response, Cheol Ryu-heun softly said.
“As I already mentioned, the domains they govern are all different. The authorities each divine being exercises are vastly different as well. Beyond that, even I…”
In an instant, the Divine Martial Sword recalled the Voice Transmission from before.
―What are you scheming!
‘Right, he seemed unaware of what I had planned.’
Having thus understood inwardly, the Divine Martial Sword soon opened his mouth.
“That’s enough, I understand. Let’s talk about us. When exactly did you ascend to heaven? Was it right before the reborn me opened my eyes?”
“No. My life in this world ended much, much earlier than that. It was about ten days after I became a vegetable.”
“…”
“The side effects of the medicine were the cause. The one Eul Sa-jeok secretly made me consume…”
“Side effects? But I know he intentionally controlled the dosage?”
“That’s right. It was just that my body couldn’t endure it.”
“Are you saying it was incompatible with your constitution?”
“Yes… That’s how it was. And the influence of my mind and body weakening from my master’s passing also played a part. I only learned this after dying.”
“Hmm, well…”
At the Divine Martial Sword’s brief murmur, Cheol Ryu-heun wore a bitter smile.
“As you know, I wasn’t a person of exceptional talent in life. Honestly, my body wasn’t as sturdy as a martial world master either. In exchange, my mental aspects were not inferior when compared to any martial talent. Also, I was exceptional in some respects…”
“Yes. I know well about that too. Since I watched through your master.”
“That you did.”
Cheol Ryu-heun, having nodded, continued speaking.
“When my life ended, consciousness as a soul returned, and I saw light. It was like a dazzling pillar falling from heaven. And I also heard the voice of someone who seemed to be in that high place.”
“That was the voice of the current divine being?”
“That’s right.”
“What did it say?”
“It said the light I see would give me a new life in heaven, so I should no longer set my heart on this world.”
“So you were chosen from then.”
“Yes. But I couldn’t bring myself to ascend to heaven following that pillar of light.”
“Yes, because of lingering attachments from life. Precisely, regarding Sa-gong Woon…”
At that, Cheol Ryu-heun wore a peculiar expression.
“I desperately wanted to stay alive and take revenge for my master.”
A face where one couldn’t tell if he was smiling or not.
An expression where emotions were hard to read, in a different sense from the Divine Martial Sword.
“If you didn’t follow that light, what would have happened?”
“I would have wandered this land as neither this nor that, as a ghost.”
“I asked something obvious.”
“At that moment… I heard unexpected words. That my lingering attachments and obsession toward life were founded on goodwill. Therefore, they said they would breathe into the dying body an existence that was like a proxy to carry on my will.”
“That was me?”
“Yes.”
“How interesting. I have no memories from after I was destroyed. So where was I residing?”
“You were in a sealed state somewhere between the Celestial Father and the surface.”
“…”
“Because the Celestial Father judged you unacceptable…”
“You mean I was rejected?”
“Yes, to put it simply, that’s right.”
“Why?”
“A threatening existence and element. All those up there regarded you as such.”
“Threatening existence…?”
The Divine Martial Sword, having murmured as if reciting, suddenly recalled the divine being’s Voice Transmission he had encountered at the Demon Buddha Secret Pool.
―Are you starting again?!
―Feathered Ascension to Immortality? Don’t even dream of it!
―Well… it was something that would happen someday. Don’t rashly covet the heavens. This is a warning.
The Divine Martial Sword finally realized.
‘So that’s how it was.’
The meaning embedded in those words about not coveting the heavens.
Did that divine being block his Feathered Ascension to Immortality because they judged him a threatening existence to the Celestial Father?
That aside.
‘However…’
What was the meaning of what he said earlier?
―Fine, good. Go ahead and obtain what you want. I shall send down the one I took in.
As if reading his thoughts, a low voice flowed from between Cheol Ryu-heun’s lips.
“Up there, they still consider you a threatening existence. But they sent me for the sake of maintaining this land’s great nature’s providence and order. To help with enlightenment.”
“Does the Celestial Father often intervene on the surface in this manner?”
“Not necessarily. In other words, it’s only done in exceptional cases.”
“Exceptional cases…”
“There are various methods to reach the heavens, and Feathered Ascension to Immortality is one path. But if you intentionally keep attempting it, cracks will appear.”
“Maintaining great nature’s providence and order… That’s what you meant. So, they sent you to tell me not to attempt it anymore?”
At the Divine Martial Sword’s gruff words, Cheol Ryu-heun smiled slightly.
“Yes. When you recover your power, please proceed only toward the opportunity for achieving the goal that rebirth has granted. There are no other demands.”
“A kind of… transaction?”
“Haha… You could see it that way.”
“It’s something you earnestly desire too. Isn’t that right?”
But Cheol Ryu-heun had no answer.
Perhaps he had become detached after ascending to heaven.
“If you cannot speak, then don’t. I’ll just accept it as I see fit. Then, what does it mean to give me help?”
“It’s the reinforcement of soul energy.”
“Hmm…”
“The essence of divine power from your Divine Martial Sword days is connected in principle with the divine force of the celestial realm. In other words, it’s a power belonging to a spiritual domain that transcends the mortal world.”
“You mean it could be dangerous during the process of recovering power here?”
“Yes, that’s right. No matter how unprecedented the mystical applications the body can perform…”
Cheol Ryu-heun, having trailed off, quietly looked around the mental image space.
“…I will use the power that the divine being granted me to transform this place more solidly. Only then will complete achievement be possible.”
When he waved one hand, brilliant light scattered like powder.
SARARARARA, SARARARARA…
That scattered light expanded transparent ripples and soon changed the entire mental realm to be bright as day.
At that, the Divine Martial Sword asked with an interested expression on his face.
“Authority borrowed from the divine being?”
Cheol Ryu-heun substituted his answer with a gentle smile.
Then, the Divine Martial Sword let out a meaningful voice.
“That one in the sky is quite crafty.”
“What?”
“I mean it’s not just one thing. That so-called transaction.”
“Ah… How did you… know?”
“Through the contact with Feathered Ascension to Immortality that I attempted after coming here, the divine being also felt something. That’s why they urgently sent you down.”
“Hmm… That’s right.”
“You said earlier. That it’s difficult to see and hear everything about this land. That means there was some matter happening here they hadn’t known about until now. Namely, matters related to the gate attempting to summon a demon god from another world.”
“Truly remarkable.”
“That too must certainly be a threatening element from the Celestial Father’s perspective. With the scheme of having me recover power to block it. I don’t know the details, but it seems difficult to intervene in matters occurring in the mortal world. So they’re trying to use me to block it.”
Immediately after, Cheol Ryu-heun, having worn a faint smile, said.
“I find it difficult to answer. Again, I’m merely a messenger.”
The Divine Martial Sword had an attitude of not particularly minding.
“That’s enough. Same whether I hear it or not. Let me ask just one more thing.”
“What is it?”
“Did I live another life before becoming the Divine Martial Sword?”
“…”
“I had a strange dream for it to be my own memory. And it wasn’t related to your memories either.”
“I wonder. I don’t know anything about that either. That is… something you must find out on your own.”
“Tsk, nothing is easy.”
At the moment the Divine Martial Sword clicked his tongue and murmured thus, the celestial mysterious energy that had been absorbed into his body moved fiercely.
DALGEOK-!
Simultaneously, the Divine Martial Sword’s expression became distorted.
‘Kuk…! Has it begun!’
Now was the time to harmonize that power and fully recover his divine power.
The Divine Martial Sword immediately attempted entry into meditation.
He was already inside a state of selfless absorption.
But he had to enter ever deeper into absorption within absorption.
Dongbang Ya, who had stayed in the Ten Directions Ghost Road Lost Soul Formation, had postponed Feathered Ascension to Immortality twice at that time.
In that process, an intentionally separated soul energy fragment was created.
Within it lay dormant various mental image agonies and the divine power from his Divine Martial Sword days.
He had to break through and obtain it.
In other words, he had to eliminate the various agonies that would act as obstacles to enlightenment, and obtain the divine power harmonized with immortal energy.
Just as he had in the past taken Demonic energy, Celestial energy, and divine power at Mount Heng Sect’s forbidden zone, the cave of Sage’s Peak…
‘Extreme pain as if my body will shatter will follow, but I will definitely succeed!’