Chapter 232

Chiwoo had regrets.

He felt like everything was his fault—the erasure of the Heavenly Demon’s name, and meddling with the Divine Art that led to everyone being trapped in Avici Hell.

It felt like a tragedy born from his inadequacy.

That was why he couldn’t die.

Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t.

Not before he completed it. Not before he achieved it.

But unresolved emotions festered like poison, sickening his mind and soul.

He spent countless ages in a state that was neither fully alive nor fully dead.

‘If only I had been a little more outstanding.’

He remained in darkness, constantly looking back on his regrets and blaming himself.

Originally, Chiwoo was an Arahan who had reached the supreme realm.

His martial prowess was unmatched even among the Twelve Heavenly Kings.

He was one of the strongest figures even among all the Arahan.

He was also the only one who had cut off the left arm of the Godslayer who erased the Heavenly Demon’s name.

The problem was what came after.

His dantian was destroyed, and his Internal Energy was completely crippled.

Confined in a cave like a cripple, his body gradually rotted away.

A body that should have died long ago.

Yet the only reason he hadn’t died was because…

…he was too outstanding.

It was a contradiction, but after losing everything, his realm deepened even further.

Still, he couldn’t completely overcome death.

Because he hadn’t emptied everything yet.

Even though only after emptying completely could he refill and begin again.

Countless regrets held him back.

‘Have I finally emptied it…?’

Those regrets were resolved all at once when he met Park Chan-woo.

Meeting the successor of the Heavenly Demon, conveying their insights, and burying the other Heavenly Kings allowed him to completely shake off what had bound him.

He had no lingering attachments.

He was finally able to empty himself.

As he stepped into the realm of complete emptiness, enlightenment surged like a tide, filling that emptiness as if it had been waiting.

Vital energy returned, and new flesh sprouted over his body.

His bones grew stronger, and everything within him—muscles and organs alike—was newly regenerated.

He had reached the realm of Rebirth, surpassing even Reverting to Youth.

It was beyond simply reconstructing his body and returning to his younger days.

The old man was replaced by a man with a formidable presence.

Light flowed from his eyes, and his thick brows hinted at the temperament of a great man.

The energy emanating from his entire body was incomparable to what it had been before.

“It seems… my destiny was not over yet.”

With a brighter gaze, Chiwoo slowly knelt on one knee.

An end became a new beginning.

As the story of the Twelve Heavenly Kings came to a close, another story was about to begin.

“I, as one of the Twelve Heavenly Kings, am dead. But my role is not over.”

Chiwoo knew what he had to do.

The one at the center of this entire narrative.

The one who performed miracles one after another, and watched over everyone’s death.

“I will personally assist you until the Hall of All Gods. Although I am the only one left now, I will surely be of help. Please allow me to be by your side.”

To assist him.

A body that should have died anyway.

If it weren’t for Park Chan-woo, he would have ended his life drowning in regret.

He would have become a ghost wandering through hell, never able to empty himself completely.

Wasn’t this the Heavenly Demon’s revelation—to follow the one who had granted him a new life and a new destiny, and ascend to the Hall of All Gods?

A chance to engrave the Heavenly Demon’s name in the Hall of All Gods, and personally resolve the regrets of the fallen Heavenly Kings.

There was no need to hesitate.

Park Chan-woo smiled faintly and nodded.

“I understand.”

—

The foot of the Mountain of Practitioners.

The entrance to the mountain that those who had honed and awakened their pure skills visited first.

But not just anyone could come and climb the mountain.

Only the chosen could arrive, and even among them, only a select few could climb—making it a land of opportunity.

“How many have challenged it today?”

“Seven.”

“More than usual.”

“What’s the use? It would be fortunate if even one of them passed.”

Two men chatted at the entrance.

Today, as many as seven Arahan had come, but it was uncertain whether even one would be able to climb the mountain.

Quite capable Arahan had gathered, yet the pass rate was less than ten percent.

The test was simply that demanding.

In the midst of the tedious wait, one of the men yawned.

“It doesn’t look like anyone else is coming, so let’s go back…”

“…There’s more.”

Suddenly, the man beside him spoke, staring at a spot in the distance.

The drowsiness vanished from his eyes.

But it was strange.

“Wait. Did a ‘non-selected individual’ enter?”

“It seems so. Someone who opened the ‘door’ themselves and entered…”

There was only one way to find this Mountain of Practitioners.

When Arahan who had descended the mountain sent their disciples or the like, those disciples would enter at a set place and time.

Because the ‘door’ only opened at that moment.

Those who entered in that way were called ‘selected individuals.’

But very rarely—

Very rarely, there were ‘non-selected individuals’ who entered at an unscheduled place and time.

Those who found the location of the Mountain of Practitioners themselves and opened the door.

It hadn’t happened even once in the last few years.

“…Two people.”

Not one, but two.

The gatekeepers watched the approaching pair warily.

If they were private entities like demons, they had to be annihilated.

“We’ve come to take the entrance exam.”

One of them, Chiwoo, stepped forward and spoke.

The gatekeepers couldn’t help but tilt their heads.

‘I don’t feel any special energy.’

‘If they’re not skilled enough to conceal their energy, that means they’re nothing special.’

Which was it—former or latter?

What was even stranger was that these non-selected individuals knew about the existence of the entrance exam.

Of course, the gatekeepers shrugged.

Their role was only to prevent private entities from climbing the mountain.

They didn’t have the authority to stop those who wanted to take the exam.

However, since they were non-selected individuals, they had to confirm the minimum requirements.

“Which ‘door’ did you open to enter?”

When the gatekeeper asked, Chiwoo replied.

“‘The Black Door.’”

There were many types of doors.

They were usually distinguished by color.

But the gatekeepers couldn’t help but blink again.

“‘The Black Door’?”

“Was there such a thing?”

It was a door color they had never heard of.

For example, the door that selected individuals came through was ‘yellow.’

Sometimes, if the selected individuals included descendants or disciples of ‘high-ranking families,’ it turned ‘white.’

Arahan who had descended the mountain had to return through a ‘red’ door, and the doors of those at the summit would automatically turn ‘golden.’

But black?

Should they believe these non-selected individuals had crossed a door of a color they had never even seen?

Then one of the gatekeepers muttered, as if struck by a sudden thought.

“…Wait. Could they have crossed over from a ‘Hidden Realm’?”

“Hidden Realm? A hidden family?”

Below the mountain, in its deepest place, there was a place called the Hidden Realm.

It was said that some families had gone down and hidden there long ago, and they had hardly appeared since.

However, those who appeared from the Hidden Realm were all non-selected individuals, and it was said they crossed through doors of special colors.

“If you understand, move aside.”

Chiwoo said.

Of course, it was all calculated.

It wasn’t time yet to reveal that Park Chan-woo was the successor of the Heavenly Demon, or that Chiwoo was one of the Heavenly Kings.

It wouldn’t be too late to reveal it after properly entering the mountain and being recognized.

Although the Heavenly Demon’s name had been erased, if the essence of the Hall of All Gods hadn’t changed, an opportunity would surely come.

“Are both of you from the Hidden Realm?”

“I am merely this person’s guard.”

“…”

The gatekeepers’ expressions hardened.

However, if they were from the Hidden Realm, there was no way to confirm it right now.

Unless an Arahan from that same Hidden Realm confirmed it themselves.

But those beings were all located above the mountainside.

They weren’t the type to come down just because they were called.

The two gatekeepers exchanged thoughts telepathically.

‘What should we do? Should we report it?’

‘It’s not too late to report it after they pass the exam.’

‘Who was the exam instructor?’

‘Lee Sabek.’

‘Ah, then there will be zero passers today.’

No matter how much they were from the Hidden Realm, the exam wouldn’t be easy.

Moreover, Lee Sabek was infamous as a hellish instructor.

The number of people who had passed his exam could be counted on one hand.

“Hehe. I hope you can climb above the mountainside.”

“…Entrance is permitted.”

—

First, they had to climb the mountain by following the normal procedure.

If they caused a ruckus before reaching the Hall of All Gods and their identities were exposed, their lives would be in danger.

If they properly climbed to the top and proved their qualifications, that monster wouldn’t be able to move against them rashly.

Therefore, a false identity was necessary.

The title of non-selected individuals from the Hidden Realm was a convenient choice in this situation.

Chiwoo volunteering to be Park Chan-woo’s escort was the same.

“What, non-selected individuals?”

Not long after they began climbing, a burly man appeared.

His fists, clad in a white uniform, were covered in blood and flesh.

They belonged to the examinees who had taken the test.

And the fact that no one had come down meant they had all met their end at his hands.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. My test method is very simple and clear. You just have to withstand one punch.”

“Just withstand it? By any means possible?”

When Chiwoo asked, the examiner nodded.

“Ah, yes. Depending on how you withstand it, I might give you additional points. To get out of the foot of the mountain, you have to take three tests from three examiners and receive a score of ‘Medium’ or higher in all of them.”

“I’ll go first.”

Chiwoo stepped forward first.

In response, Examiner Lee Sabek smiled.

“Your courage is commendable. Don’t worry. I won’t use my full power. Of course, there hasn’t been a single guy today who could even handle that…”

Lee Sabek loosened his hands.

Chiwoo prepared for the attack, covering his entire body with energy.

“Oh ho. Aura Armor? Looks like a capable guy.”

Materialized energy wrapped around him.

Meaning, he was quite skilled.

But Lee Sabek was still relaxed.

“Is that all? It won’t be enough.”

“This is enough. Begin.”

At Chiwoo’s immediate reply, Lee Sabek clenched his fist.

And—

Whoosh!

Thud!

In the blink of an eye, he shot forward and drove his fist into Chiwoo’s stomach.

A heavy impact rang out, and energy rippled.

Like a drop of water falling onto a lake, the Aura Armor wavered slightly.

“Hm…”

Chiwoo endured it with a small groan.

At the same time, a different light appeared in Lee Sabek’s eyes.

“Superior. It’s been a while since a decent guy came in.”

He gave him a score.

Superior.

He was the only one among today’s examinees to pass, and it was the first time Lee Sabek had given a Superior score even counting all those who had ever passed his test.

That was how exceptional Chiwoo’s Aura Armor was.

On the other hand, Chiwoo was just as surprised.

‘He’s not just a mere examiner.’

Either that, or the average martial prowess of the mountain had grown rapidly while he was trapped.

It wasn’t his Aura Armor at full strength, but even so, the impact hadn’t been negligible.

If that was the case for him, would Park Chan-woo be able to withstand it?

There was no way to help him here.

All Chiwoo could do was go first and leave him a clue.

“Now, next. Are you going to challenge it too? You can give up if you’re scared.”

“I will challenge it.”

Park Chan-woo stepped forward slowly.

‘What is he doing?’

But Lee Sabek couldn’t help but tilt his head.

He thought the man would at least make some desperate preparations.

But the one standing before him was different.

‘Does he want to die?’

He didn’t even wear Aura Armor.

He didn’t feel any movement of energy at all.

He was simply relaxed, standing still.