The Heavenly Demon once made a solemn vow.
To kill Zhang Sanfeng and ‘transcend.’
In truth, the world has a simple yet cruel truth.
Wishing and striving do not guarantee achievent.
The sa applies to vows.
‘I will study diligently and beco a magnificent dragon.’
Imagine so provincial nobody making such a vow.
No matter how hard he studies, he cannot beco a dragon.
The sa was true of the Heavenly Demon.
Even if he relentlessly worked to keep his oath, even if he actually killed Zhang Sanfeng.
He did not know whether true ‘transcendence’ was possible.
Thus the Heavenly Demon was also disheartened.
Because he had neither killed Zhang Sanfeng nor, of course, transcended.
「To despair at hitting a limit is rely an excuse of the defeated. There’s no need to listen to those so-called immortals saying that.」
However, the Heavenly Demon seed to disagree with Zhang Sanfeng.
「They define their own limits and play henchn to the heavenly deities. In such circumstances, naturally they cannot speak of transcendence.」
He criticized the immortals, including Zhang Sanfeng.
Geniuses who succeeded in ascending from the mortal world.
Those born with talent to command the world who, after brutal effort, shed the human body, yet still remain trapped by limits.
The Heavenly Demon judged the immortals thus.
「Therefore I refused to beco an immortal. I knew the obvious outco.」
The Heavenly Demon was undoubtedly a demon.
But does that an he had a chance to beco an immortal?
Thinking about it, there were several ways to transcend humanity.
There are great ones even among the Buddhist orders like Shaolin.
Such pioneers did not only co from Taoists.
「So so even tore at their souls to remain on earth.」
Zhang Sanfeng interjected from beside him.
Even though Zhang Sanfeng was exactly the one the Heavenly Demon criticized, he seed unfazed.
「In any case, human limits certainly exist. It’s more correct to call them shackles than limits.」
‘Then what is the Supre Ultimate Technique? Isn’t it clearly a way to transcend humans and change the laws of the world?’
Yi-gang objected.
Even without being ascended immortals, those in the Absolute Realm can, with the Supre Ultimate Technique, erect their will upon the earth.
They touch the untouchable, call lightning with the human body.
Isn’t that clearly an act of ‘transcending’ humanity?
「That is precisely what I call the human limit. Hasn’t the Priest experienced it? The exhaustion of will that cos from using the Supre Ultimate Technique repeatedly.」
Yi-gang understood exactly what he ant.
The Supre Ultimate Technique cannot be used infinitely.
Even the miracles that can be wrought by the Supre Ultimate Technique have limits.
Even summoning lightning cannot overturn the earth or collapse the heavens.
Like how human imagination is infinite, but what one can actually do is limited.
「There are, you see, beings born who can call lightning from birth.」
Cheongho, who had been frolicking at his feet.
The grown Heavenly Thunder White-Tailed Foxes can summon lightning as if playing.
「There are monsters born with the Vajra indestructibility that Shaolin monks attain through lifelong training.」
Yi-gang felt he understood what Zhang Sanfeng ant.
「There are those born as heavenly beings. Unlike humans, they are born with divinity. And do they stay as they were? So develop and finally reach the level of deity.」
Immortals and the ascended are those born in human bodies who have transcended that flesh.
They train and cultivate the mind, attaining extraordinary ntal power.
「But the rank of the soul fragnt is fundantally different. That is the human limit. If a human surpasses that, can we still call them human?」
That was the wall Zhang Sanfeng encountered after ascending.
Even among The Eight Immortals, Yeo Dong-bin could slay dragons, but that was their limit.
「In the Heavenly Realm there are beings humans cannot contend with. So take the side of the Guardian Gate the Priest belong to, but…」
Those who lent power to the elite disciples and Azure Forest.
Sakyamuni who descended at the request of the lama monks of Potala Palace.
「There are also those who support the Evil Cult’s faction.」
The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King likely does so. There may be beings even mightier.
「Above all, the Evil Cult’s ancient Three Divine Seats. The Cardinals.」
The three Cardinals who were known as Heuk-am, Mang-hon, and the Gwi-ryeong.
「They too have surpassed human rank. Not wholly nonhuman, but ancient… exceedingly ancient.」
Their inhuman might beca understandable.
They were never ordinary humans to begin with.
「That guy Zhao Guang says such transcendence is possible for humans. Even if possible, one cannot obtain it imdiately.」
It would bruise a martial artist’s pride, but Zhang Sanfeng advised it.
「Therefore the Priest should both beware of and befriend transcendent beings. If it serves the purpose.」
That was Zhang Sanfeng’s last ssage to Yi-gang.
That if Yi-gang wished to fight sothing beyond human, he must use all ans to win.
「I’ll tell you whom you must be especially wary of.」
Understanding Zhang Sanfeng’s intent, the Heavenly Demon kept silent.
Yi-gang quietly listened to Zhang Sanfeng.
「The Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King Li Jing whom you t is a powerful heavenly deity, but the Heavenly Realm has many deities of even higher rank. Leaving aside the Northern and Southern Dipper Lords, there is the Primal Heavenly Lord, the Divine Treasures Heavenly Lord, or the Mysterious Heavenly Highest Deity, and such. Have you not t the Queen Mother of the West?」
‘Yes, that’s right.’
「You needn’t worry about those deity-level beings. They are less personalities and more like the laws of the world. The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors or Pangu are the sa…」
To call them rely strong would be inadequate. Such deity-figures take no interest in the mortal realm.
「Do you know who the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King’s child is?」
‘Prince Nezha, right.’
「Indeed. They say Nezha plucked a dragon’s whisker and played with it the mont he was born.」
Zhang Sanfeng was the one who suppressed the evil dragon and paid with his life.
Yi-gang was left speechless at the outrageous tale.
「It’s famous that the Pagoda-Bearing Heavenly King tried and failed to kill his own son. Nezha has three heads and six arms and hates humans. He is one of the most dangerous rival immortals. Never get entangled, and avoid him.」
Whether he can avoid him is unsure, but Yi-gang listened closely.
「Also in terms of might, one cannot ignore Erlang Shen… Yes, you’ve heard of the Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal, haven’t you?」
‘You an Sun Wukong?’
「Shh, don’t utter that na carelessly. It’s better to call him the Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal, Duel-Winning Saint-Buddha, or Handso Monkey King. He is interested in the lower realm but is neither on humanity’s side nor the Evil Cult’s.」
Yi-gang had, of course, read the records of the Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal.
「Born of a rank different from humans, he is an archrival of Nezha.」
‘Like the relationship between Jin-on and the Heavenly Demon?’
Zhang Sanfeng cleared his throat, embarrassed.
「Ahem, anyway, the Great Sage, Heaven’s Equal is neutral, but do not get entangled with him. He’s hot-tempered and greedy. No good will co. And in the Underworld…」
Thus Zhang Sanfeng explained for quite so ti.
They were all beings he’d only read about in legends or records, but hearing of them made them feel like real threats.
Zhang Sanfeng’s lecture was invaluable information unavailable elsewhere, so Yi-gang concentrated.
「…Don’t forget all this. Is there anything you need to explain again?」
‘I rember everything.’
「As expected of the Priest. Ha ha.」
On Zhang Sanfeng’s forehead, a black character appeared.
It was the character ‘Chase’’.
“Jin-in!”
Yi-gang flinched in surprise.
「Perhaps I’ve said too much.」
But Zhang Sanfeng smiled slyly as if he’d anticipated it.
「I must go now.」
‘Is the Heavenly Realm pursuing you?’
「It will be Erlang Shen. I’m unable to confront him, so I will flee.」
Zhang Sanfeng shared the information with Yi-gang, prepared to beco a criminal before the Heavenly Realm.
Yi-gang felt a surge of emotion.
「Do not worry, since I’ll hide with Zhao Guang.」
For a mont, it was true they had conflicts between them.
But Yi-gang had no intention of blaming Zhang Sanfeng.
「Until we et again.」
Those bound by the Heavenly Demon token were freed as the Heavenly Demon’s soul fragnts returned to their form.
「Cause and destiny are truly strange things.」
Zhang Sanfeng chuckled.
「I thought I had descended into that gorge to wait for Zhao Guang, but my benefactor turned out to be you.」
Zhang Sanfeng smiled and slowly ascended.
The Heavenly Demon grimaced, then followed Zhang Sanfeng.
He turned to Yi-gang and spoke.
「Take care of your younger brother. I too had a younger sibling…」
It was an unexpected last remark from the Heavenly Demon.
When Yi-gang’s eyes widened, the Heavenly Demon clicked his tongue.
「Enough. How pathetic!」
The Heavenly Demon and Zhang Sanfeng disappeared.
They were no longer visible to Yi-gang.
Yi-gang realized inwardly that he was worried about them.
He was concerned not only for Zhang Sanfeng but also for the Heavenly Demon.
The weight of the ti they had shared was inevitable.
As Zhang Sanfeng said, bonds are truly heavy.
“…Brother?”
At that mont, Ha-jun’s voice was heard.
He seed half-awake, just regaining consciousness.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes. How about you?”
“I’m fine too.”
Noticing Yi-gang’s subdued mood, Ha-jun asked what was wrong.
“…They’ve gone.”
Unlike Yi-gang, Ha-jun’s expression was calm, showing little emotion.
“Let’s go. We should leave too. We must call Senior Brother Dam Hyun over.”
“Are we going to Azure Forest now?”
“Yes, we must.”
They had to join up with the sect.
Only then could they rescue their father and those of Murim, still trapped in the Crouching Dragon Basin, and find a way to face the Evil Cult.
After fetching Dam Hyun, Yi-gang and the group departed again for Azure Forest.
With the Impenetrable Net dismantled, the rest of the journey was not too difficult.
Yu Su-rin, Jun Myung, and Son Hee-il looked a bit brighter, as if relieved.
They seed glad to be returning after successfully completing their mission.
They darted to Mount Hyeong and finally arrived at Azure Forest.
And the scene waiting for them was…
Truly sothing that would break their spirits.
Snow-covered mountains.
The path where the third generation disciples once huddled and walked together.
On the trail Yi-gang, Yu Su-rin, and even Dam Hyun had passed, corpses lay strewn as if one could trip over them.
There were bodies of Evil Cult followers and Azure Forest disciples alike.
Not ornate, but grand.
The ancient pavilions had nothing intact.
The Taoist Flower Pavilion lay in ruins as if struck by siege mounds.
The Radiant Day Pavilion had its roof blown away.
The dicine hall, which had almost no patients, was strewn only with bloodied bandages and corpses.
The Academy Hall where the third generation disciples had trained together was entirely burned.
Charred black corpses.
Dried blood….
Not a hint of life in the slightest.
Only the stench of death.
“Ah… No.”
Yu Su-rin sank to her knees.
“Aaah, aaah!”
It was a cry as if her breath had been ripped away.
Azure Forest had been annihilated.
It had only been scarcely fifteen days since they had left the forest.
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