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Elevating Beyond the Heart…!

‘First Rank. Wuwei…’

I reiterated those words to myself.

Of course, I understood the meaning of the words. It would be odd not to. But as Pang Gu mentioned earlier, enlightenment loses its essence the moment it is described in words. Naturally, Pang Gu’s words held a resonance deeper than mere definitions, and I needed to embody that understanding rather than just comprehend it.

… What does it mean to elevate beyond the heart?

I momentarily submerged within my own world. In that brief yet eternal stretch of time, I felt a spark of realization flash by in my mind, and slowly, I spoke up.

“The reverse wheel becomes the正轮 (Zheng Lun)…”

“……”

“Could it be… that the technique belongs to the sphere of Zheng Lun?”

At my words, Pang Gu fell silent.

Then he spoke.

“What a pity. You were almost there but fell short.”

“……!”

“Neither right nor wrong. However, if you hadn’t spent hundreds of years in the Training World, you wouldn’t even have been able to respond as you just did.”

It sounded dismissive, but I knew it was far from that.

Instead, it was praise.

It meant my efforts in the Training World weren’t in vain, and I had even gleaned a clue towards the next realm.

Pang Gu continued.

“The move I showed you this time is closely related to the Asura’s Gu Yi Wu Ji Zhan (归一无极斩). However, while Asura has gained insight into many things, there are slight shortcomings. That arises from the fact that he completely excluded the concept of divine realm.”

“What is that?”

“Before that, let me ask… Are you fully aware of ‘the ring’?”

“……”

I deeply reflected on Pang Gu’s question. After a while, I replied.

“Ever since I learned to read the [flow]… While not entirely, I can now somewhat recognize what it feels like.”

I believed I grasped the concept of Anya (暗夜) when I was able to skillfully wield [flow]. After that, even if not completely, I began to recognize the existence of ‘the ring’ as Asura described and was able to use the Dark Night Slash. Once I responded, Pang Gu continued.

“Even if you have some understanding, you can’t yet fully control the ring.”

“That’s true.”

“But Asura can. That’s precisely why he can use Gu Yi Wu Ji Zhan.”

“……”

“I see you’ve realized. Freely turning the reverse wheel to complete the Dark Night Slash and even command Gu Yi Wu Ji Zhan are all essentially attaining the same caliber simultaneously. Each element must be in perfect sync. However, this preparation is for turning the reverse wheel into the Zheng Lun; from the perspective of the colorless realm, it can be seen as a significant waste.”

Waste?

I became intrigued by his statement and asked Pang Gu.

“What do you mean by waste? Are you saying Gu Yi Wu Ji Zhan is weaker than the colorless realm?”

“No. The Gu Yi Wu Ji Zhan that Asura uses is certainly within the colorless realm. It doesn’t pale in comparison to what I just demonstrated. However, it’s almost as if his built-up martial skills climbed the path of the邪道 (Evil Way), resulting in unintended limits.”

“……I don’t quite get it.”

“Like you said before, ‘this’ can be viewed as Zheng Lun.”

Oh!

Pang Gu once more gathered his formidable will into one spot and then obliterated it in an instant. In a space where normally nothing would be felt, I sensed a foreboding. Staring intently at Pang Gu’s hand, he spoke.

“However, it cannot solely be called Zheng Lun. It can also be perceived as the reverse wheel.”

“……? What do you mean…?”

“How will you distinguish between Zheng Lun and the reverse wheel? What’s your criteria?”

“That’s….”

I was at a loss for words. Thinking it through, how on earth do you distinguish between the Zheng Lun and reverse wheel of Gu Yi Wu Ji Zhan? In truth, with my understanding of ‘the ring’ still unclear, this was a level of conversation I couldn’t answer.

I was stumped, but Pang Gu continued his monologue.

“Asura had no choice but to take the route of making the reverse wheel into the Zheng Lun to reach the true Primordial Void (太虚). However, that’s a one-way street; if a situation arises where a reverse of the reverse is needed, there lies a vulnerability.”

“……”

“Of course… calling that a weakness may be too harsh. No one, including Asura, has reached that level among those you’ve faced in your past lives. It’s highly unlikely you would meet someone like Asura even after living for eons. Nonetheless, as the Reborn Person, you will inevitably encounter a being of that caliber one day.”

I couldn’t fully grasp Pang Gu’s words. They were beyond my understanding. Could such profound discussions of martial arts truly exist in this world?

Yet, even if I didn’t understand, there was one thing I was sure of.

With tremendous effort, I stammered out the one fact I managed to grasp.

“Are you saying an absolute powerhouse exists to whom the attack that turns the reverse wheel into Zheng Lun doesn’t apply?”

“Correct.”

“Is that the Outer God?”

“It could be or it could not be. The strength of those who transcend ‘truth’ is beyond your imagination, and that isn’t the fault of Gu Yi Wu Ji Zhan. However, those truly aiming to perform divine killings must find ways to overcome even the unreasonable.”

“……”

My head was pounding, and I ended up snapping at Pang Gu.

“You’ve been making things hard to understand since earlier, giving me a headache. Could you please explain it simply?”

“Hmm… If there’s no other way, I’ll have to explain it in a way that’s very easy to understand.”

Pang Gu tilted his head slightly before succinctly stating.

“Among the Outer Gods, other than omnipotents and omniscients, #Gu Yi Wu Ji Zhan works on most. Yet, there are two or three beings who it doesn’t work on at all. Besides that, there’s also a possibility it won’t work on other exceptional beings. Is this clear enough?”

“……!”

Ah, that was easy to understand…!

Upon hearing the information, I felt my knees weaken.

‘Insane…!’

Having reached a certain level with the Dark Night Slash, I understood that the power of Asura’s ‘real’ Gu Yi Wu Ji Zhan was nearly absolute against a god! It had the potential to even slice through the essence of a top-tier god!

But the very fact that a being exists who is immune to such a technique was terrifying. Even though that being might be an Outer God, this was still a shock to the core.

“Then… if there is a martial art stronger than Gu Yi Wu Ji Zhan, would that be effective?”

Pang Gu seemed to emit a sigh.

“Seems like you truly don’t understand. You’re not grasping what I’m trying to communicate as you keep coming back to the strength of it.”

“Huh?”

“Just because it doesn’t work because of the principle of Gu Yi Wu Ji Zhan doesn’t mean we’re discussing its strength level. If you were to rise to a higher level and hone your technique, it could work. More than anything, do you think it makes sense to quantify strength against those who have surpassed the [Cycle]?”

“……”

“The Outer Gods are at the pinnacle of the weak eat strong (弱肉强食) law of the three thousand worlds. As long as you operate within that logic, you will never win against an Outer God.”

I felt a jolt of realization. In that moment, I felt a wave of disillusionment wash over me.

‘Yes… I have seen and felt intensely how dealing with true gods based on ‘strength’ is meaningless. So why was I, once again, thinking of martial arts centered around strength?’

I contemplated briefly, then came to understand why.

‘It’s because of strength.’

While continuously traversing through the dream-world, I started to sense the overwhelming power I held, and naturally, my thought processes shifted to one centered around power.

Shouldn’t I simplify my approach?

Given that honing the martial (武) itself is what’s lacking, if I keep diverting my gaze towards other methods…

Lost in thought, Pang Gu suddenly interjected.

“Regardless, I will now get to the main point.”

“Are you teaching me about colorless techniques?”

“No. That won’t be happening.”

“……?!”

“Even if I taught you, you wouldn’t be able to learn it.”

What?!

No way! After that much talk, he isn’t going to share the colorless techniques?!

“I never said the main point was that. I don’t intend to share everything like a master to someone who may potentially gain Gu Yi Wu Ji Zhan in the future.”

“……”

“I’ve offered you clues; the path you must forge in martial arts is for you to discover yourself.”

It felt like Pang Gu spoke that line while reading my mind.

Why is that?

It was as if, with no existing features, I could vividly feel his emotions as if he truly had a face.

Could it be that even as an Outer God, showing so much emotion is permissible?

While I was lost in thought, Pang Gu spoke.

“You came to Earth unpredictably within your reincarnation. What will you do if Chi You’s body isn’t on Earth?”

Ah… That story.

I barely managed to gather my thoughts and replied.

“If it’s not there, I would just create a separate body and insist it’s Chi You…”

“How embarrassingly naive.”

“……”

“That’s not what matters. What matters is the fact that I have been waiting for you.”

“What do you want to say?”

When I questioned him, Pang Gu replied.

“Let’s make a contract.”

“……!”

Words I never anticipated!

I was taken aback by his unexpected proposal.

“Contract? Why the sudden shift…”

“It’s a simple matter. You have finally become someone worthy to contract with me, and I have been waiting for you all this time. So, let’s bind a contract out of mutual necessity.”

“No… What sort of contract are you referring to?”

“It’s not a contract to make you serve me.”

I felt as if Pang Gu’s gaze was locking onto me.

It seemed to carry a somewhat complex emotional undertone.

“If you agree to release my seal, I promise to offer you my full cooperation in return. Furthermore, this contract will remain valid even beyond the [Cycle].”

“……!”

“If you are willing to accept the contract, hand me the Heavenly Secret.”

A contract to receive full cooperation in exchange for unsealing Pang Gu! I could hardly have imagined finding myself in this situation, and I was disturbed. Normally, I’d want to discuss such a serious matter with my advisors or companions, but they were nowhere around. I had to decide independently whether to contract with Pang Gu.

Carefully, I spoke to Pang Gu.

“Why do you want the Heavenly Secret?”

Pang Gu replied calmly.

“You seem not to know. Contracts between Outer Gods and Reborn Persons are directly inscribed in the Heavenly Secret.”

“……?!”

“That’s the way it is. After we confirm the contract in writing, we need to leave a signature as authentication. I have no intention of stealing that vile artifact.”

What, what?!

This was genuinely my first time hearing such a thing!

But since Pang Gu, as an Outer God, said it, I couldn’t very well doubt it…!

“A vile artifact? Do you know something about the Heavenly Secret?”

“I can neither mention nor leak out ‘it.’ I may have heard from others about it. You need to find out about the Heavenly Secret yourself.”

“……”

There was no doubt. As an Outer God, Pang Gu had to know something substantial about the Heavenly Secret.

But due to restrictions, he could not tell me.

“What kind of cooperation will you provide me? And what will happen if you are unsealed?”

Pang Gu answered resolutely.

“If you seek an avatar, I will grant you one; if you wish to become an apostle, I will give you that power. If you desire blessings, I will provide them as well. You will be treated more favorably than my other candidates due to this contract. Moreover, if you fight against an Outer God, I will take the lead!”

“……!”

I realized what Pang Gu’s words meant.

It essentially meant greater blessings than Fuxi and Nüwa!

Getting that degree of blessing from Pang Gu, an Outer God, was more monumental than any blessings I had received throughout my reincarnations.

This… should I not accept it?!

With Pang Gu’s assistance, even if it’s the Evil God, I could easily face them!

Just as I was about to enthusiastically embrace this moment…

…..

The fact that I am here right now is… not a result of merely going along with what seemed appealing at the time?

“…I can’t accept the contract right away. Let’s make a preliminary agreement.”

In that fleeting moment, I flipped my decision.

If I don’t proceed with more caution, I could end up in serious trouble. This was a judgment drawn from my previous experiences, not just intuition.

Upon hearing my words, Pang Gu responded.

“Do you not think you’re being duped by the schemes of the master librarian controlling the Void Record? You must know better than anyone how dangerous a being he is… I can provide you with an opportunity to escape that scheme.”

“Honestly, I don’t trust Al Karda…”

I met Pang Gu’s gaze firmly and said.

“I don’t trust you either. You seem to be hiding far too much from me to be trusted completely.”

“……”

“I want a preliminary agreement. If I’m wrong and you’re trustworthy, then I will serve you, Pang Gu.”

“Heh, it’s obvious you have no intention of fully trusting me…”

“……”

“Alright. This possibility does exist. Then let’s proceed with the preliminary agreement.”

Pang Gu surprisingly agreed without further argument.

“What should I do?”

“Hand me the Heavenly Secret.”

“Here it is.”

As I passed the Heavenly Secret from my possession to him, Pang Gu swiftly penned down a document in one stroke. Within ten breaths, he finished the writing and returned the Heavenly Secret to me. Inside it, the preliminary agreement was inscribed.

The preliminary agreement was straightforward. It simply added a final item stating, “This is a preliminary agreement, and can be canceled by mutual consent at any time.” In fact, it felt so simple that I realized there was no hidden traps, making me ponder for a moment.

Should I agree to this preliminary agreement?

… But I felt a gut instinct.

While the main contract might be risky, a preliminary agreement would hold no disadvantages for me.

Swoosh

I inscribed my signature in agreement. Immediately after, light emanated from the Heavenly Secret, and a similar light flowed from Pang Gu’s body.

Fwoosh…!

As the light enveloped him, Pang Gu suddenly erupted into a roaring laughter.

“Hahaha! How amusing this all is… Now I will return, master of the mask!”

Bang!

In the next moment, the peculiar space where Pang Gu and I had stood vanished.

Or rather, thinking it had vanished was only my assumption?

When I regained my senses, I realized this place felt extraordinarily familiar.

“Th-this is…?”

Without a doubt.

This is the librarian’s study!

Here, where I continuously returned every time I performed the Reborn Ritual, I stood alongside Pang Gu. As I panicked and looked around the study, I heard a familiar voice.

“You’ve been freed, Pang Gu.”

There sat Al Karda, the master librarian of the Void Record and an Outer God, along with the Go board I had left behind. Al Karda’s gaze was fixed toward Pang Gu, who was also looking at him.

Pang Gu maintained his stare and replied.

“Is this the will of that great Void Record? Do you intend to claim that, Al Karda?”

“Indeed.”

“If that is truly the case, you should have prevented the Reborn Person from contacting my seal. However, you didn’t stop it even while being fully aware that the instant I was freed, all of your plans would unravel.”

“……”

As Al Karda fell silent, Pang Gu spoke calmly.

“Your plan has come to an end.”

“I wouldn’t say that.”

In that moment, Al Karda seemed to slowly close his book.

Thud

The instant the page closed, Pang Gu and I appeared abruptly in an odd, otherworldly civilization. The street resembled the Great Bear Empire, and people were walking around with smartphones.

What the hell… Did I just end up in the future?

While I was contemplating how to escape this world again, Pang Gu’s nonchalant voice resonated.

“Al Karda, your thoughts don’t concern me. One thing is certain.”

Divine Realm

Colorless

Impermanence

Bang…!

Pow!

“……!”

I was left speechless, stunned by the sudden event.

One Slash!

As Pang Gu struck the air with his hand, the world itself split apart, and simultaneously, a fountain of blood erupted from Al Karda’s chest!

Thud

We found ourselves back in Al Karda’s study, and he fell to his knees in that spot.

Without a doubt, the moment Al Karda created a world with his powers, Pang Gu effortlessly destroyed that world while inflicting harm upon Al Karda as well.

“……”

Injured, Al Karda seemed to be biting his tongue into silence.

This wasn’t the kind of Outer God who could instantly alter reality or ignore any physical changes.

Why can’t he recover?

Pang Gu looked down indifferently at Al Karda, kneeling three chairs away.

“The cycle of reincarnation has come to an end.”

 

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