Chapter 278: Back to the Middle Realm

Salt is sacred.

It has always symbolized purification and is also one of the essential elements of life.

The character for 'salt' (鹽) is formed by combining the characters for 'to see' (監) and 'saline/brine' (鹵), symbolizing 'seeing edible salt being made by boiling in a cauldron.'

While there are many words for salt in the Three Thousand Greats Worlds, ultimately, all are fated to converge to the same meaning above.

[To see].

Inevitably, the notion of [to see] is embedded in salt.

[To see] is the essence of cultivation and, simultaneously, a contemplation of oneself.

Ultimately, one can say that salt is the concept of clairvoyant enlightenment (懺悟)' that had been pushed down from the plane of Fate to the plane of Qi, where it materialized.

Cultivation is essentially clairvoyant enlightenment.

Like tiny grains of salt gathering to form the sea.

Build mountains through clairvoyant enlightenment.

Building a mountain of salt is perhaps the fastest way to reach the heavens.

— Mount Tai Splitting Emperor Technique's central verse (口訣).

"AGGGGGHHHHH!!!"

I scream, my eyes rolling back in my head.

Verse!

Some 'verse' is being forcibly engraved into my mind!

And, every time I try to understand this verse, I realize my brain is gradually melting into salt and trickling away.

'I'm going to die!'

I can't die in such an absurd way!

Gritting my teeth, I recite the verses of the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique.

At the same time, I combine the Five Elements Blood Curse Banner and the Yin Soul Ghost Incantation to create the Black Ghost Curse Banner, imbuing it with the verses of the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique.

Kugugugu!

Inside my mind.

There, flags covered in black curses appear.

Simultaneously, dark storm clouds mingle with the flags, transforming them into flags made of black clouds.

Crack!

I drive the Black Ghost Curse Banner, imbued with the power of Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens, into my upper dantian, sealing away the whispering secrets in my head.

At the same time, I find freedom.

"Cough! Cough-cough!"

Kugugugu!

The giant salt pillar covering me crumbles.

Had I lost my mind and completely merged with the salt pillar, I would have become a salt pillar that saltifies everything it touches, like Cheongmun Ryeong. Fortunately, I managed to recover before reaching a critical state.

Chuaruk, chuaruruk

"Heok, hugh..."

I regenerate my body, sweating coldly.

"Seo Eun-hyun! What happened?"

"Are you alright!?"

"Master, what happened?"

It's Jeon Myeong-hoon, Kim Young-hoon, and Hong Fan, respectively.

I stand up, trembling all over.

"Heogk... Hah..."

I seal away the memory of seeing [something].

But I feel it.

I understand the words of Yang Su-jin.

The words of Zhengli are painfully clear to me now.

"Jeon Myeong-hoon."

"Yes?"

"We need to leave."

"What are you talking about?"

Clench!

With bloodshot eyes, I grip Jeon Myeong-hoon's shoulder as if clawing at it and say,

"We need to get out of this world."

"That's obvious. So we were going to start constructing the Buk Hyang Fleet and wait until the Ascension Gate opens...."

"Right now!!!"

"What...?"

I insist with my hands trembling.

"You don't know what I saw. No, sorry, I didn't see it clearly either. But one thing is certain. [We] shouldn't be in this world. This place is too ominous and terrifying. We need to ascend immediately! We don't need the Ascension Gate. I'm confident I can tear through the dimensional barrier. Let's go somewhere, anywhere, right now, Jeon Myeong-hoon!"

I remember the time when Yang Su-jin had forcibly ascended me to the Bright Cold Realm through the Ascension Gate.

Yang Su-jin had said then that this world is far too threatening for an Ender like us.

When coming to this world, it is only right to come only as an avatar.

If one walks around with their main body, it's certain that something will go wrong eventually.

Since I have sealed the memory, I can't know what I had [seen].

But one thing is certain.

'Malice. This Head Realm is filled with malice towards [us]. Immediately. We need to leave immediately.'

I look at Kim Young-hoon.

Suddenly, a tremendous sense of relief floods over me.

The fact that Kim Young-hoon had reached beyond Shattering Heavens and ascended to the Ancient Force Realm by himself along with Buk Hyang-hwa, Song Jin, and Seo Ran is such a big relief for me.

Jeon Myeong-hoon shakes his head, not understanding.

"What are you saying? If we ascend now, what about the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect..."

"The Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect can survive as the foremost sect of the Head Realm. You've been handling the political affairs so you must have a rough idea of the level of the Head Realm, right? Even if none of the Core Formation disciples step forward, the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect can dominate the realm with just the Qi Building disciples and their formations and techniques. Even if a Nascent Soul cultivator appears in the Head Realm, our current Core Formation disciples can handle them. Moreover, Jin Hae-min is almost at the Nascent Soul stage. We don't need to worry about the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, Jeon Myeong-hoon."

"Hmm..."

He looks bewildered.

But I plead with a desperate look,

"Please believe me, Jeon Myeong-hoon. I'm not lying [this time as well]! At the very least, 'we' should not be here with our main bodies. If you're worried, create and leave behind an avatar. No, I can create General Seo for you to use, just leave a part of your consciousness with it!"

Jeon Myeong-hoon trembles slightly at the words [this time as well], then grits his teeth.

"...Damn. You always... present difficult choices."

"...And there were calamities we could have avoided if you had accepted my suggestions"

"I will ask you one question."

Jeon Myeong-hoon grimaces slightly and asks,

"If we're the only ones to ascend... Wouldn't the disciples we leave behind suffer from the calamities you mentioned?"

"They won't."

I state firmly.

Although I practically know nothing about [what I saw], one thing is clear.

[What I saw] is dangerous only for [us] and beings of the True Immortal level or higher.

Beings below that stage, unless in special cases, wouldn't even be able to perceive it.

"If we advise the disciples to 'ban detailed interpretation of astronomical observations and celestial phenomena' before we ascend, there really won't be any problems."

"..."

"Trust me."

After a long moment of silence, Jeon Myeong-hoon sighs and nods.

"...Alright."

He smiles bitterly and says,

"[This time]... I should listen to you."

He is now aware of beings like the Owner of Heavenly Punishment, those who one should not even dare speak of.

He understands why I can't explain in detail, and this time, he decides to trust me.

"But it's impossible right now. Half a day. I'll arrange everything as quickly as possible and come."

Kuarurung!

Jeon Myeong-hoon turns into a streak of lightning and flies towards the direction of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.

I gasp for air and stagger.

"Are you alright?"

Hong Fan supports me by my side.

I groan and clutch my throbbing head.

Wo-woong, Woo-woong, Woo-woooong!

Inside my head, the knowledge I had sealed away writhes as if alive.

How long do I draw upon the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique to suppress that knowledge?

Finally, the knowledge within the seal quiets down.

And then.

Bo-oong—

I feel a sound akin to the heartbeat of a giant beast.

Through that sound, I recall one thing.

'Ah... I see.'

This knowledge is related to the Mount Tai Splitting Emperor Technique.

'I need to meet Hon Won first.'

As the throbbing in my head subsides, I look at Kim Young-hoon and say,

"Young-hoon Hyung-nim, I'm sorry but..."

"Yes, well... I understand. It's alright. I'm satisfied with just having a good match once."

"...Thank you for understanding."

We briefly nod to each other and exchange greetings.

I use a voice transmission spell to call Jeon Myeong-hoon to Ascension Path, then hurry over there with Hong Fan.

Kugugugu!

In the center of Ascension Path, a completely sealed Ascension Gate.

Above where the Ascension Gate had been, the stele of Yang Su-jin and countless spatial rifts are present.

'Quickly. We need to get out of here quickly.'

I chew my nails anxiously, like a person plagued with impatience.

During this, my gaze is suddenly drawn to one spot.

'That spot...'

That day, over fifteen hundred years ago.

Hong Fan first clung to me on that spot.

Suddenly, I recall the [dream] I had.

'Was it a dream since I saw the inverted triangle? No... perhaps it was a dream from when I first started 'creating' it...'

Yet, recalling that overly detailed thing, I feel suspicious.

"Hong Fan."

"Yes, Master."

I instruct Hong Fan, sharing the 'poison formula' I had received from him in the [dream].

"This Spiritual Poison, do you think you can make it?"

"Ho, it's a poison concocted just from ordinary herbs and sap without containing spiritual energy. I'll try making it right now."

Hong Fan swiftly disappears from my sight and soon sets up an apothecary in the forest of Ascension Path, rapidly mixing the ingredients.

Chyararararak!

He transforms his upper body back to its original form and moves countless centipede legs at an immense speed to mix the poison.

His appearance looks somewhat bizarre.

And after a while.

"It's done, Master. It's quite an interesting poison formula."

Hong Fan presents the exact same poison I had seen in my dream before me.

"..."

'What?'

Was it not just a simple dream?

How can knowledge from a dream be applicable in reality?

I suddenly feel a chill and ask Hong Fan,

"Hong Fan. I am going to give you another command."

"Please give me your orders."

"Can you go to the Jin Clan of Yanguo within half a day and investigate this matter?"

"Hmm, yes, I understand."

I hand Hong Fan a note containing several pieces of information, and he quickly leaves Ascension Path heading west, holding the note.

To calm my mind, I sit down and meditate.

Shortly after.

Fwoooosh!

Hong Fan returns.

"Yes, Master. I have found out. The current head of the Jin Clan is raising a centipede demon beast, and this centipede demon beast can produce the same spiritual liquid as the one you asked to create."

"...Is that so?"

I am struck by a strange feeling.

The information from the dream is correct.

"And, upon further investigation, it turns out that the centipede demon beast is indeed from my lineage. It's one of my siblings."

"...I see."

I hold my head.

'The information from the dream...'

Matches reality.

I remember what had happened in the dream.

Although the coherence was strange, I had thought it was because it was a dream and the events proceeded according to the flow of consciousness.

But regardless of the situation's coherence.

The [facts] from the dream match reality.

'Just what in the world is happening?'

Confused, I recall the conversation I had spoken with Hong Fan in the dream.

A completely different appearance from the mother centipede, who had maternal love for her offspring and affection for her blood kin.

'What happened in the dream was not merely a fantasy. The dream was based on reality.'

Though I didn't ask Hong Fan explicitly, his attitude and thinking towards his family is likely the same as in the dream.

[The actual truth] had come to me within the dream.

I felt as if I was floating in the dream.

There was also a sense that my thoughts were not clear.

However, the 'truths' learned in the dream are true.

'It's not just a simple dream....'

However, why I dreamt a dream that felt like reality and the truth.

The intention of the entity that bestowed that dream upon me,

I simply cannot figure it out.

A while later.

While I am waiting near where the Ascension Gate and Hong Fan had been.

Kuarurung!

With a burst of lightning, Jeon Myeong-hoon appears.

As he opens a storage scroll, a massive warship emerges from it.

'That is...'

Though nowhere near the level of the real Nether Crossing Ship, it's a warship endowed with extraordinary space attributes.

"Regardless of what happened, it's good to have received it. And by the way, I'm leaving my split soul at the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect's shrine. Just in case there is a need to communicate with the disciples of the Head Realm. You should do the same."

I shake my head.

"If you've left yours, there's no need for mine."

"Well, truthfully, mine isn't needed either because..."

I'm startled by the figure that appears behind Jeon Myeong-hoon.

"Wait, you... are you taking that guy?"

The person who appears behind Jeon Myeong-hoon is Yeon Jin.

Not his ancestor 'Yeon Wei', but Yeon Jin, who is at the Core Formation stage.

Then, suddenly, Yeon Jin's eyes flip, and Yeon Wei's voice flows out.

"I have decided to stay in the Lower Realm. I will seal my true soul with Jeon Myeong-hoon's split soul at the shrine, so it remains with the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect."

"Yeon Wei... are you sure about this?"

"Yes. And isn't Yeon Jin being sent? I have embedded my split soul inside Yeon Jin's soul. Through Yeon Jin, you can communicate with me while I stay in the Lower Realm."

"Really... are you sure?"

Knowing her strong desire for life, I ask again.

But Yeon Wei chuckles and replies,

"Once we reach the Middle Realm, Hon Won, that guy, will try to capture me one way or another. If caught by that scoundrel in this state, heh... I'd rather not imagine it. It's better to stay here while he has enmity towards me. Don't worry."

"...Understood."

I nod. After asking Yeon Wei for a few favors regarding investigating the Sea Dragon Palace, Serving Command Palace, Black Castle, and Ascension Path, I turn around.

"Phew..."

It almost feels like I have just descended into the Head Realm, yet I am immediately going back up.

But I know.

This place is too dangerous.

So we must leave immediately.

Fortunately, Jeon Myeong-hoon trusts me this time, and I can go up with him.

Though it means leaving the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect behind, we avoided the disaster of total destruction by Heavenly Punishment.

"Then, let's depart."

Jeon Myeong-hoon boards the replicated Nether Crossing Ship with Yeon Jin and Hong Fan.

I raise my hand toward the spot where the Ascension Gate had opened, bearing the shape of the Three Great Ultimates on my back.

Then, I strike down with my hand.

Kwaaaaang!

"Back to the Middle Realm."