Chapter 59: Heavenly Thunder (6)

'When one's lifespan is about to end, the heavens invariably create a fate that leads to their death.'

In the final moments of my past life, absurd misfortunes occurred continuously, like a tree suddenly falling or a venomous snake biting me, culminating in a sudden heart attack.

"But if I constantly channel Gang Qi to forcibly keep my heart beating... the heavens are forced to allow me to live a bit longer."

If that's the case...

What if I continually channel Gang Qi?

What if I never stop, thus preventing death?

Then perhaps, the heavens might reset my lifespan.

Just like Qi Building cultivators who circulate their entire body's meridians with Pure Spiritual Force akin to Gang Qi.

Perhaps, by continuously stimulating my heart with Gang Qi, I could extend my life for some time.

"And now, having formed my Inner Core... maybe, just maybe, I can endure until my lifespan is reset...!"

My internal energy has immensely increased compared to my last life, when I was merely at the Five Energies Converging to the Origin.

"Isn't it worth a try?"

I first raided the royal secret vault for useful spiritual herbs and fruits, stuffing and compressing my Inner Core with internal energy.

Then, I set up a formation near the Celestial Altar, unbeknownst to anyone, where the Nan Royal Family of Shengzi conducts rituals.

Afterward, I unfolded the Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts and sat atop the Celestial Altar, slowly organizing my mind and body.

I also endlessly contemplated and sorted out my thoughts on the enlightenment of the 13th Star Qi Refining, Unified Origin, exploring it through the method of Understanding before Breakthrough.

It must have been half a day, if not a full day, since I settled on the Celestial Altar.

I was immediately discovered by patrolling eunuchs.

"Hey, you there! Who are you?"

However, I ignored them and didn't respond.

"This... this fool... Do you know what place this is! Only His Majesty, the Emperor, can ascend this sacred altar for offering rituals to the heavens!"

Swoosh!

One of the eunuchs drew a dagger, its blade imbued with internal energy, indicating he was a first-rate master.

But as I flicked my hand, the force from my internal energy gently pushed the eunuch away, sending him flying far off.

Since the force was intended to repel, not harm, the eunuch landed softly on the ground.

His face turned pale as he screamed.

"Guards! An incredibly powerful master has invaded the Celestial Altar! Guards! Guards!"

As the eunuch shouted, guards swarmed in, surrounding the Celestial Altar and pointing their spears and swords at me.

"You disrespectful rebel! How dare you ascend the altar where only the Emperor is allowed for heavenly rituals! Get down right now!"

"...A place for offering rituals to the heavens."

A familiar place indeed.

For the past 40 years, I had spent my life performing rituals to the heavens.

There was no one here better at offering rituals to the heavens than me.

"Bring someone who can perform heavenly rituals better than me. Then, I'll step down."

"You insolent fool! Die!"

Whoosh!

The palace soldiers charged at me, their weapons imbued with internal energy.

However, I just smirked and raised my hand.

Woosh!

"Wha-what...!"

"No, no!"

"My spear!"

"My sword!"

Hundreds of weapons, under my sword control technique, levitated into the air.

Whirr, whirr, whirr!

The many weapons spun in the air and, in a flash.

Bang, bang, bang!

They flew back to their owners and lodged themselves precisely in front of them.

Ssshhh

The atmosphere froze like ice.

They all came to a realization.

That I, had I wished, could have annihilated them all in that instant.

A high-ranking official pushed through the soldiers and approached.

Bowing respectfully, he said, 

"Greetings, esteemed one. I am Wuk-jeon, the Left Minister of Shengzi. Are you, by any chance, a cultivator...?"

It seems even high-ranking officials of Shengzi were well-versed in knowledge of cultivators.

He was exceedingly respectful towards me.

"If I were a cultivator, how could I recklessly use such strength in the royal palace?"

"I've heard that only the senior members of great clans are allowed to use magic within the palace. Are you perhaps a new inspector sent from one of these great clans?"

It seems they referred to the cultivators from the cultivator clans who monitored the royal family as inspectors.

However, I shook my head and spoke.

 "That's not the case."

"Then..."

"If you truly wish to know, like I said, bring someone who can perform rituals to the heavens better than me."

The high-ranking official seemed to understand my intent, and with a swift gesture to the eunuchs and in a low voice, he commanded.

"Bring the inspectors here! Hurry!"

A short while later.

"What is this guy doing?"

"Haha, judging by his appearance, he's a cultivator. Which clan do you belong to?"

"He doesn't have any clan crest. Could he be a hermit?"

Three from the Jinlu Clan's branch family.

And six from the other six major clans' branches.

A total of nine Qi Refining cultivators, of 8th and 9th stars, surrounded the Celestial Altar.

"Tch, crazy fool. Coming into the royal palace as a mere hermit and stirring up such trouble? Don't you know that in the royal palace, unless one uses a special talisman, all spiritual power and spells, except for the minimal amount flowing inside for cultivation, are sealed?"

Swoosh, swoosh!

All nine cultivators simultaneously pulled out talismans and activated them.

Flash!

The talismans emitted light.

Simultaneously, around each of the nine cultivators, a transparent barrier formed, fitting perfectly to the size of their consciousness. They could use their abilities within the barrier..

"Die, you stupid hermit..."

Boom!

In the next moment.

The first 8th Star Qi Refining cultivator who spoke was struck by my released force and sent flying.

Swoosh!

At the same time, I used my sword control technique to pull the talisman from the 8th Star cultivator towards me.

'Activate!'

Flash!

The talisman in my hand shone brightly, creating a barrier of the same size as my consciousness.

I could feel the spiritual power flowing inside me now being released outside.

I was able to use spells again.

Rumble!

I unleashed the pressure of my 13th Star Qi Refining spiritual power without restraint, and my hidden consciousness under the Hidden Consciousness Technique was fully revealed.

Despair began to dawn on the faces of the other Qi Refining cultivators.

"A 13th Star Qi Refining...?"

"Almost at the Qi Building stage!"

"Ha, haha, wait a minute. If he's at the Unified Origin stage, isn't that practically the step right before Qi Building?"

"Cough... Senior! It seems these juniors have been impolite. Please forgive us!"

Their faces drained of color as they started begging profusely before me.

However, I flicked my hand and used the sword control technique to snatch away the other special talismans, known as 'Breaking Seal Talismans', from their grips.

With this, even on my death day, I wouldn't have to worry about being unable to use spells inside the palace.

I heard that even Qi Building cultivators were prohibited from using spells inside the palace without these talismans.

They too would need the talismans to operate here.

But no clan would dare to send their people here because of inter-clan restrictions.

'I would also be restless if a stranger barged into the palace, and then a rival clan sent their forces to deal with it.'

They would likely be desperately trying to dissuade each other and be entangled in political strife.

Perhaps the seven great clans might send one Qi Building cultivator each.

But for a mere Qi Refining cultivator like me, the cultivator clans aren't leisurely enough to send Qi Building cultivators.

There would likely be a prolonged debate among the cultivator clans about what to do with me.

If I sit here doing nothing, the debate will only lengthen.

By then, my death day would approach.

I wasn't concerned.

If I overcome my lifespan, so be it.

If not, so be it as well.

Let's see what happens.

Time passed, and my moment of death was drawing near.

I had summoned the high-ranking officials and the emperor, revealing my identity as a cultivator and ensuring that no one could approach me for the next few days. Therefore, no one came near.

The likelihood of humans killing me was almost nonexistent.

In case of earthquakes, the barrier covering the Shengzi royal palace also protected it from such disasters.

As for venomous snakes and insects, they couldn't make it unnoticed to my seat atop the Celestial Altar.

Moreover, such creatures couldn't exist in the royal palace in the first place.

Now, the only way the heavens could kill me was a heart attack.

And even for that heart attack, I have already prepared enough internal energy.

In my past life, I barely survived a day, but now, my internal energy was much more overwhelming, and I wasn't quickly exhausted or depleted like before.

I could last much longer.

'If I endure and endure, perhaps the heavens will reset my lifespan...!'

If I survive, the cultivator clans will come for me.

If my lifespan extends, I will be treated as a late-stage Qi Refining 13th Star cultivator and will have the option to join one of the seven great clans.

Even if I die, it wouldn't matter since I've caused such a commotion in the heart of Shengzi without any repercussions.

'Come forth, heavens.'

I am fully prepared.

And so, my time of death has finally arrived.

There is nothing that could suddenly kill me.

No poisonous insects or snakes.

The altar, built of sturdy stone, wasn't high enough to collapse and kill me.

And being on the altar, there was nothing to fall and hit me.

Moreover, the barrier covering the imperial palace would protect against any earthquake damage.

In short, aside from a heart attack, there was no way for the heavens to kill me.

The stars began to rise.

''...Heavens above.''

It's been a long time since I've uttered those words.

''This time as well, I will wrest my fate from you.''

It doesn't matter if you don't give it to me.

I will claw my way up and seize it myself!

Thump, thump...

My time of death has come.

Thump, thump, thump.... Boom!

While anticipating,

My heart stopped.

But then.

Boom!

The Gang Qi emitted from my Inner Core in the lower dantian, travels upward to the middle dantian, stimulating the heart nearby.

Simultaneously, my internal energy restarts my heart.

''Grrr!''

Of course, stimulating the heart with Gang Qi is excruciatingly painful.

But I clenched my teeth and did it anyway.

A little pain, what of it!

I will not die today!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The sound of Gang Qi stimulating my heart, like thunder, rang loudly in my ears.

Boom!

''I will not die..!''

Boom, boom, boom...!

The stars shine down on me.

As if they are watching to see how much this insect struggles.

Boom, boom...!

''Ha, eugh, lengthen, this...''

Boom!

It hurts.

But even if it is a fleeting life.

I do not want to die.

I felt my life flashing before my eyes, recalling a conversation with Kim Young-hoon.

When he asked about my past disciples, what did I respond?

'Just, connections.'

My connections in this life were very short.

I spent 40 years in a mad frenzy in Ascension Path.

The rest spent hidden in the archives of the Shengzi royal palace.

Even my meeting with Kim Young-hoon and my master was too brief.

But that too is a connection.

Just a connection, but still a connection.

I don't want to die.

I want to live.

I hope these connections don't become meaningless.

They can be nameless.

Insignificant, short, and brief.

Just connections.

But I hope they don't disappear due to an unstoppable fate.

That's all I wished for.

''Oooooooh!!''

Boom, boom, boom!

It felt like my heart is about to burst.

Excruciatingly painful.

But I clenched my teeth and endured.

How could resisting fate be easy!

I endured and endured.

Until dawn!

'If I can live this time, I'll go back to Ascension Path.'

My altar would still be there.

'If I live, I should visit Kim Hyung again.'

I promised to visit often but have been holed up in the archives for 10 years.

'If I live, I must greet my master.'

I don't know if he'll meet me, but he hasn't forgotten me.

'If I live again...'

I continue my thoughts, enduring this pain.

'If I live!'

Crack!

My hand, filled with energy, crushed the altar's floor.

I clenched my teeth so hard, my gums bled.

''If you allow me just a little more time!''

I shouted to the heavens.

''How many more connections stored in my heart could I make!''

Boom!

'Boom!

''Why do you oppose me!''

No matter how much I stimulated, my heart stiffened.

As time passed, more Gang Qi was needed to beat the heart.

''Are you so anxious to block me!!!''

I kept pouring Gang Qi.

Sending all the spiritual power circulating in my meridians to the Inner Core, converting it to internal energy, I squeeze out all my strength.

Boom, boom, boom!

My Inner Core erupted like a volcano.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Haven't I said it myself?

There's endless mountains beyond mountains, and endless paths within paths.

Having encouraged Kim Young-hoon with such resolve, how could I not look beyond the end!

Definitely!

''I will see! What lies beyond!''

It felt like my heart was being wrung out in real-time.

In real time, it felt as though the myriad stars in the sky were pressing down on me, urging me to give up.

It was as if the high heavens were trying to deny me completely, crushing down on myself.

Whooosh!

I activated the formation I had laid out around me.

Boom!

The pressure of the spiritual energy generated from the formation gathered at my chest, stimulating my heart along with Gang Qi.

Boom!

But then, it seems as though the heavens had once again decreed my death.

Astonishingly, an anomaly occurred in the formation, and the pressure of the spiritual energy became more than twenty times stronger.

At this rate, my heart would physically burst!

Bang!

However, I surround myself with protective Gang Qi, shake off the pressure, and deactivate the formation.

Go ahead, keep trying!

Despite the pain, I still have enough internal energy!

The stars move across the night sky, and the cold dawn passes.

Perhaps because I was directing all my internal energy and spiritual power to keep my heart beating, the spiritual power in my meridians, which usually kept me warm, was not functioning, and my whole body started trembling.

It's cold.

But the morning sun will surely rise!

If I can just endure this dawn!

It is said that it is the coldest just before sunrise.

I could feel the heat draining from my body.

'It's okay, I can endure this.'

I still have plenty of internal energy.

This level of cold won't kill me yet!

"Heavens above... stars..."

I look up at the sky, growling at the countless celestial bodies staring down at me.

"I demand you rewrite my lifespan..!"

In the distance, the sun began to rise.

'It's warm.'

I had died around this time in my previous life.

But this time, it would be different.

The heavens will rewrite my lifespan themselves.

The morning sun gradually rose over the horizon.

I clung to hope as I watched the morning sun.

But then, dark clouds started to cover the sun.

Rumble, rumble...

This wasn't the quiet dark cloud that simply blocked the sky and me during the Heavenly Phenomenon.

These clouds, flashing with blue light, were like fierce beasts baring their fangs.

Boom, boom...

I continued to stimulate my heart with Gang Qi, staring blankly at the sky.

A cultivator's intuition, faintly sensing the celestial energy from the heavens, a gift from the Seven Star Ritual.

I sensed the celestial energy, telling me that today was my day to die.

It is useless to struggle.

The heavens were saying that.

"Don't make me laugh...!"

Flash!

Light burst forth from my heart.

The star born from me flew towards the heavens.

"What do you mean it's useless! Why can't it be done! If the clouds come, I'll tear them apart!"

Flash!

The Gang Sphere exploded, tearing the clouds in a circle.

But there were still too many clouds in the sky, and I only managed to create a small hole.

The other clouds continued to flash blue, growling menacingly.

"Rewrite my life!"

I launched another Gang Sphere.

Even if I have to tear apart all the clouds, I won't die today!

And then,

Before the Gang Sphere could reach the sky again.

Kuuaanng!

A streak of blue heavenly lightning struck down at me with the speed of light.

"...!!!"

My protective Gang Qi shattered.

The defensive spells I had prepared were broken.

My skin charred, my bones burnt to ash.

Heavens above…I'm.

Just a nobody who cherishes connections.

Just an ordinary fool.

Just a human wanting to live a little longer.

Was that such a great sin?

Even my scream was swallowed by the blue thunder and vanished.

I looked at the sky amidst the light.

The heavens do not change.

Therefore, they are eternal.

Therefore, they are the unified principle.

A singular existence.

I felt its will with all my body and soul, completing the Qi Refining 13th Star Unified Origin.

I reached Qi Refining 14th Star.

Then everything went dark.

As I reached the peak of Qi Refining, I disappeared from the world.

That was my eighth return.