Returning Immortal

Chapter 51 : Meeting the Luminous Cult Leader in the Bright Light Pavilion

Gwi Seongjin, who had gone to work at the Dark Spirit Council early in the morning, poured himself a cup of tea in his office and drank it.

His office was on the second floor.

When he opened the window, a square was visible in front of him, and next to it was a small artificial mountain lush with green.

And beyond the artificial mountain, a dizzyingly high tower stood.

It was the Heavenly Demon Library.

The Hall of Supreme Rule was not that far from the Dark Spirit Council.

Gwi Seongjin, who had stood up with the teacup in his hand, turned his body and looked around the room.

An antique table and an incense burner.

And the bookshelf that filled the wall was quite impressive.

Thud, thud.

Gwi Seongjin's eyes, who had walked to the wall, scanned the bookshelf.

The books displayed on one wall were old scriptures and the philosophical books of the Hundred Schools of Thought.

The bookshelf next to it had books related to Taiji or Yin-Yang and the Five Elements.

And on the last bookshelf, books related to formations and barriers were neatly arranged.

The problem was that most of them were books he had read...

Swoosh.

Still, it was fortunate that there was a book he had not yet read.

Gwi Seongjin picked out the book that looked the most worn among them.

[Record of the Chaotic Heavens]

'The world before chaos was...'

The preface was beginning with a tone that was close to nothingness but was perfect in its own way.

In it, there was no concept of space or time.

What existed was a void so thick it was suffocating.

That too was submerged in the unconscious.

The following chapter on the chaotic world was also quite interesting.

It was about how 'being' was finally born from 'nothingness', and how the laws of heaven and earth had sprouted in the chaos.

But the thing called the law was a spectacle.

It was explained that the universe was split and divided into time and space, and that numerous fragments and boundaries existed between them.

The next sentence was also incomprehensible.

The boundary divides and creates a new world, and the world falls into a distant abyss and conceives chaos, so the beginning is the end, and the end leads to the beginning again...

Gwi Seongjin, whose head had become dizzy, quietly closed the book.

He had not yet properly grasped even the lower realm he was living in now.

So the words 'distant abyss' or 'boundary and fragment' were not easy to imagine.

His father had said that this world was endlessly wide and that various races and strange creatures lived there.

And he had also hinted at a place he would like Gwi Seongjin to visit.

The Heavenly Sea, which could not be crossed even if one sailed until one grew old and died, the Great Forest, where the forest stretched to the end of the sky, and the Ten Thousand Desolations, which consisted of a burning mountain and a huge wasteland...

He could guarantee that an ordinary person would not be able to experience even one of these.

'Did the author of this book go to those places?'

Gwi Seongjin, who had suddenly become curious, looked at the cover of the book.

But no matter how much he looked, there was no author's name.

[◯ ◯]

Only two circles were drawn absurdly.

The disappointed Gwi Seongjin was about to throw the booklet on the table and rest for a moment.

The sound of someone walking towards his office was heard.

It was Academician Yu.

"Legal Guard Gwi! We have to go to the Hall of Supreme Rule right now."

"The Hall of Supreme Rule?"

"The Cult Leader is looking for you."

Gwi Seongjin was dumbfounded at the news that the Cult Leader of the Luminous Cult was looking for him.

He had just started working today, and the Cult Leader was looking for him...

"D-do you know what it's about?"

"I'm not sure either. A meeting was held in the Hall of Supreme Rule this morning, and the Vice Director also attended. It seems there is something to ask regarding the absolute forbidden zone."

"Ah, I understand."

Gwi Seongjin hastily followed Academician Yu.

As they walked, Academician Yu told Gwi Seongjin about the etiquette and precautions needed when meeting the Cult Leader.

It was to greet politely, prostrate on the floor, and answer only the questions asked.

When they left the Dark Spirit Council, one of the Cult Leader's personal guards was standing outside the door.

The Hall of Supreme Rule was the building where the Cult Leader resided, and numerous buildings were entangled like a maze, and the inspections were extremely thorough.

But when the Cult Leader's personal guard took the lead, no one blocked Gwi Seongjin.

The place the two had arrived at was the Bright Light Pavilion within the Hall of Supreme Rule.

It was a place where the Cult Leader would call his subordinates and express his opinions when a major incident occurred in the cult.

Rumble!

When the door, which was two zhang high, split with a heavy noise, Gwi Seongjin carefully entered.

The interior was dark and gloomy.

The only light was the black and white sacred fire that was burning brightly in the braziers on the left and right sides.

Other than that, the night-luminescent pearls embedded in the ceiling were the only light source.

Gwi Seongjin, who had scanned the interior in an instant using that light source as a light, immediately prostrated on the floor.

"Long live! Long live! Long, long live! Legal Guard Gwi of the Dark Spirit Council greets the venerable Cult Leader."

"Stand up and come closer."

The person who had given the order to Gwi Seongjin was surprisingly not the Cult Leader.

It was a young man with a handsome appearance sitting on his left.

"I will follow your command."

Gwi Seongjin's steps, who had stood up and was moving forward, gradually slowed down.

It was because someone was pressing him with a formidable momentum.

[Stop!]

When a cold telepathic message was heard from the darkness, Gwi Seongjin stopped his steps and prostrated on the spot.

And he carefully raised his head.

Flinch!

Gwi Seongjin, who had inadvertently looked at the person sitting in the highest seat in the square, buried his head in the floor with a surprised expression.

It was because the person's appearance was too bizarre.

Blue skin, and two eyes with black qi burning like flames.

He looked not like a person, but like a messenger of death from hell.

Academician Yu had said that the person visible in front from the prostrated position was the Cult Leader.

In that case, the blue-faced monster Gwi Seongjin had just seen would be the Cult Leader.

But to have such an appearance...

Gwi Seongjin, who had tried hard to erase his surprised expression, raised his head again and calmly looked straight ahead.

The seats placed on the left and right below the Hall of Supreme Rule where the Cult Leader was sitting were the seats of the Bright Light Emissaries who oversaw proselytizing and punishment in the Luminous Cult.

But the seat on the right was empty.

It seemed the rumor that the Left Bright Light Emissary had been away for a long time was true.

When he came down a long way from there, he saw the Guardian Venerables.

Below them were the Directors or the Hall Masters.

Ne Jinja, who was attending as a proxy in place of the absent Po Seokcheon, was also sitting there.

Seeing the color in his face, it seemed his internal injuries had all been healed.

The hem of Gwi Seongjin's robe, who had raised his head, trembled slightly.

It was because in a short moment, two streaks of spiritual sense had scanned his body.

One was the fourth stage of Qi Refinement.

The other streak was the spiritual sense of a Qi Refinement stage cultivator who had reached the realm of the seventh stage.

Although his heart was pounding as if it would burst from the tension, Gwi Seongjin tried hard to maintain a calm expression.

* * *

This morning, Gwi Seongjin had called out the skull cultivator from his Qiankun Pouch and had asked if his realm was visible.

As a result, he had come to the conclusion that the evil ghost's secret art was more amazing than he had thought.

It was the reason why Gwi Seongjin could remain calm even when a cultivator of the seventh stage of Qi Refinement was scanning him with their spiritual sense.

When Gwi Seongjin prostrated on the ground, the Right Bright Light Emissary asked.

"The reason we have called you here is because we have a few things to ask."

"Please ask."

"I heard that you yourself saw the Blood Scorpion Demoness of the Hundred Poisons Sect die... Is that true?"

"It is true. I myself witnessed the scene of the Blood Scorpion Demoness being eaten by a three-headed demon."

"Tell me the situation at that time in detail."

"I understand. The Blood Scorpion Demoness who had kidnapped me went deep into the ground, circulated her qi and treated her wounds. After that, she came out by piercing the ground with her Earth Escape Technique and discovered a cave, and there, she coveted a flower and was eaten by a three-headed snake."

"Are you saying she didn't leave any belongings behind?"

"The flood dragon located in the center of the three-headed snake's head swallowed her from head to toe in one bite."

At Gwi Seongjin's answer, the Right Bright Light Emissary's eyebrows twitched.

It was a look of disbelief.

"The Blood Scorpion Demoness is a master close to the extreme demonic realm. Even such a master was eaten, so how did you escape from that place?"

"At that time, my acupoints were pressed, and I was lying on one side of the cave. It seems the demon had left me to eat later."

"Then are you saying that Ne Jinja and the other members of the group entered the cave and you were saved by a stroke of luck?"

"That's right."

"Hmm..."

The Right Bright Light Emissary nodded his head as if he had heard well.

The way he was gently fanning the white feather fan, he looked like a young master who enjoyed the arts.

But he had heard that his actual age was over a hundred.

That he had become young again through rejuvenation...

Thwack!

The Right Bright Light Emissary, who had folded the white feather fan with a sound, looked at Gwi Seongjin again.

"I heard that your ability to detect and dismantle formations and barriers is great. That you played a very big role in the forbidden zone?"

"With my humble skills, I just assisted the Vice Director."

"That's very different from what Ne Jinja said. Ne Jinja said that your ability is superior to his..."

"How could that be? You praise me too much."

"Anyway, good. By the way, I heard that the barriers and formations in the absolute forbidden zone and the ancient formation have evolved on their own and have become more dangerous and difficult than before... Is that true?"

"It is a fact that the Vice Director has confirmed himself."

"What is your opinion?"

"My thoughts are the same. I don't know the reason, but the formation has grown on its own... it seems it will become more difficult to control as time passes."

"Does that mean... it will be difficult to enter the Heavenly Demon's Tomb next time?"

The Right Bright Light Emissary's voice suddenly became cold.

It was to psychologically intimidate Gwi Seongjin and to induce the answer he wanted.

Even so, Gwi Seongjin steadfastly revealed his own conviction.

"It is true that the formation has evolved, but I think that if we prepare more thoroughly, it is not something we cannot conquer. But the Heavenly Demon's Tomb or the formation beyond it... frankly, I also cannot guarantee."

"If we take masters stronger than the ones who went with you this time, can you dismantle it?"

"The possibility will be a little higher... but I still cannot guarantee."

Gwi Seongjin said, recalling the demon friend he had met in the absolute forbidden zone.

At that time, Gwi Seongjin had not been able to confirm the demon friend's realm even after deploying his spiritual sense.

This meant that he had cultivated a secret art to hide his realm like the lesser evil ghost, or that he was a master whose cultivation Gwi Seongjin's realm could not fathom.

The place that even a being with such heaven-shaking abilities could not conquer was the ancient formation.

"What do you think, Ne Jinja?"

"Legal Guard Gwi is saying that because he does not yet know the true power of our cult. I think it is possible to dismantle it."

"I see. Is there anyone else who wants to ask?"

The Right Bright Light Emissary, who had finally heard the answer he wanted, turned his gaze to the Guardian Venerables.

As soon as he heard those words, the one with blue wings on his back stood up from his chair.

It was the Guardian Venerable, the Blue Winged Flying King.

"Legal Guard Gwi! If you go to the absolute forbidden zone next time, can you find the demon that ate the Grand Prince and the Raging Fire Divine Lord?"

"I remember the location of the underground cave where the demon lived. However, I cannot guarantee whether the demon will continue to stay there."

"Are you saying the demon would have left that place?"

"Since its location has been exposed to humans, there is a very high possibility that it has left. However, if you, Dharma King, go with us, there will not be much difficulty in finding its tracks."

Gwi Seongjin said, looking at the old man wearing a black crown next to the Blue Winged Flying King.

He was the Dharma King, one of the Guardian Venerables.

Ho Risim had said that he could even summon the souls of the dead.

And since he was also skilled in divination...

He would be able to easily find the demon's tracks.

"..."

Although Gwi Seongjin had pointed him out, the Dharma King said nothing.

He just narrowed his half-open eyes a little more.

It was then.

A single streak of spiritual sense appeared and scanned Gwi Seongjin again.

Although he had blocked his spirit platform with ghost qi, Gwi Seongjin could still deploy his spiritual sense.

So there was no way he wouldn't know that the opponent was examining him with their spiritual sense.

Still, Gwi Seongjin pretended not to know anything and glanced sideways.

Unexpectedly, the place his gaze was directed was a huge brazier.

The brazier was in the shape of three hideous demons supporting a flame, and now a strange thing was happening in Gwi Seongjin's eyes.

The lower part of the flame that was burning on the brazier had flowed down to the floor like lava.

The strange event did not end there.

The black flame that had come down to the floor became thin, then it crawled on the floor, shaking its tail like a thin snake.

"..."

Then it seeped into the floor and disappeared.

What was strange was the fact that no one was paying attention to that place.

"Are you saying you don't have such an ability?"

"I just have a little achievement in formations, and I don't have the ability to track a disappeared demon."

"I see."

When the Blue Winged Flying King sat down, no one else stood up.

The Right Bright Light Emissary, who had confirmed this, stood up from his chair.

And he took a half-bow posture towards the back politely.

"Cult Leader! It seems to be true that the Blood Scorpion Demoness has died and the formation has evolved. Do you have anything else to ask?"

When the Right Bright Light Emissary asked, the bluish Cult Leader's gaze turned there.

"The matter regarding the absolute forbidden zone has been considered the highest secret of our cult until now. Other than the Dark Spirit Council, only a few people knew..."

The Cult Leader's voice was not very loud.

Even so, the pressure was so great that Gwi Seongjin even felt like resisting with his spirit energy.

But he endured with a desperate will.

It was because he had confirmed that the master of the seventh stage of Qi Refinement who had sent his spiritual sense at first was the Cult Leader.

The Cult Leader's gaze this time turned downwards.

"The reason I have made it public today is because it has evolved and is not easy to enter, but also because I deeply believe in your loyalty. From now on, no one can enter that place without my permission. If there is anyone who disobeys my command and dares to enter that place... Hmph! I will annihilate the family that person belongs to completely. Do you understand?"

"We obey your command!"

At the Cult Leader's solemn command, the seated members all stood up from their seats and bowed their waists in a half-bow posture.

Gwi Seongjin also skillfully followed Ne Jinja's actions.

He had placed his elbows on the floor from a prostrated position and had performed a fist-in-palm salute.

But in the depths of Gwi Seongjin's eyes, which had lowered their gaze after finishing the salute, a strange light flashed for a moment.

It was because the small snake that had come down from the brazier had shot out from the floor and had climbed up his body.

A situation where he couldn't even use his spirit energy.

While Gwi Seongjin was startled and flustered, the dark red snake seeped into the nameplate hanging from his waist.

Then it came out of the nameplate again and disappeared, but it was a moment that could not but be startling.

"Legal Guard Gwi!"

At that very moment, the Cult Leader's voice was heard.

The startled Gwi Seongjin raised his eyes and looked at the Cult Leader.

"P-please give your command."

"Since you have been to the forbidden zone this time, you should know well how it has evolved. Solving the secret of the ancient formation is a very urgent and important matter, so do your best and devote yourself to researching the formation. If necessary, I will even open the Heavenly Demon Library, so be sure to show results..."

"I will keep that in mind."

"Then you may leave!"

"I obey your command!"

Gwi Seongjin, who had stood up and had bowed his waist in a half-bow posture, carefully retreated.

As he retreated, he looked at the right brazier, and the black flame was still burning.

But it seemed its force had weakened a little compared to when he had first seen it.

However, the white flame of the left brazier had no change.

As befitting the legendary flame that was said to have never been extinguished for tens of thousands of years, both were extremely noble.

(End of Chapter)