Chapter 171 - Those That Are Lost (5)

Ah, I see.

I had seen those eyes before.

In the decayed depths of those eyes, I found a sense of familiarity from a distant past.

I too, had once possessed those eyes.

And as soon as I realized that sense of kinship, I had a guess as to why Jeon Myeong-hoon is searching for Yeon Jin.

To confirm my guess, I look at him and ask,

"Explain the situation. What happened?"

"I lost everything! You...!"

"Calm down!"

"...!"

With the realm of Treading Heavens, I strongly implant a command in Jeon Myeong-hoon to momentarily stop his outburst.

"Explain properly. Why are you looking for Yeon Jin? I'll help you!"

The soul within Yeon Jin that had been hiding, Yeon Wei, had said that when the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect was destroyed, their lifespans were shortened to under 20 years.

I have a rough guess.

Perhaps the True Immortal that destroyed the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect somehow manipulated the lifespans of those associated with the sect.

At my shout, Jeon Myeong-hoon trembles and slowly opens his mouth.

"That being... brought down a Heavenly Tribulation."

His face turns gloomy.

"As soon as [It] opened its eyes, [It] took the Heavenly Lightning Banner from us. Using the banner as a medium, [It] brought down the Heavenly Tribulation across the entire Thunder Spirit Island from [Above]...."

I see despair consuming Jeon Myeong-hoon's consciousness.

“Those who were not in the sect due to missions at the time of the incident, or possible survivors. Everyone registered in the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect. Everyone across the Three Thousand Worlds who had formed a master-disciple bond with the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, was fixed with the fate of Heavenly Tribulation...."

Crack....

He grinds his teeth.

"At most 20 years... within that time, all beings in the Three Thousand Worlds who follow the teachings of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect's founder, Yang Su-jin, will be forced into a fate of annihilation by Heavenly Tribulation!"

"I see..."

I understand why he is searching for Yeon Jin.

"So, are you trying to save the survivors of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect?"

"Yes."

He grabs the hem of my clothes with his decayed eyes, pleading with agony.

"Help me find Yeon Jin... You said you would help, right? Please, help me.... Everyone... is dead. Apart from five disciples who were dispatched far away, those who were sent nearby... died in order according to their proximity to the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect...! Yeon Jin, who was dispatched to the Devil Realm, and the remaining four who went to explore the Nether Ghost Realm, are the only disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect left in this world...!!"

"... I understand."

I nod.

"Yeon Jin, with the Heavenly Being puppets I gave him, headed to the Bright Cold Realm to look for you. Even though the puppets are far away, I can still contact them."

With those words, a spark of life begins to appear in Jeon Myeong-hoon's decayed eyes.

"Really... Seo Eun-hyun...!? Is that true!!"

"Yes, it will take a few days for my message to reach, but... I should be able to get in touch with Yeon Jin within four days."

With a roar, Jeon Myeong-hoon grips my shoulder, trembling with a soulless face.

"Thank you...! Thank you, Seo Eun-hyun...!"

With those words, Jeon Myeong-hoon faints on the spot.

'This is...'

Exhaustion.

It made sense he would collapse from exhaustion, having killed a Four-Axis inspector before fighting with me and using a taxing technique to extract flags from his body during his rampage here.

I sigh, looking at the fainted Jeon Myeong-hoon.

Everyone.

Everyone who fell into this world has changed, without exception.

'I've regained all my memories.'

I close my eyes and contemplate my Nascent Soul.

Good memories, bad memories....

I retrieved all memories submerged in the depths of unconsciousness and recorded them within the artifact spirits.

Even memories that I wanted to forget.

In those memories, honestly, Jeon Myeong-hoon wasn't exactly a pleasant figure to me.

But, even so.

Whether there were good times or bad, it was my life.

And Jeon Myeong-hoon, annoying as he may have been, was a part of my life's journey, a connection I made.

Rustling...

The Canvas of Myriad Forms and Connections now records the appearance of Jeon Myeong-hoon, who has come this time.

'Honestly, I don't like you.'

However, annoying as he might be, this guy was not my enemy.

Not an ill connection, but just a regular bond.

That's why I decided to help Jeon Myeong-hoon.

'You’ve lost everything, you say...'

I can't help but feel a sense of kinship with him.

I know all too well the feeling of helplessness from losing loved ones due to overwhelming power.

Perhaps knowing it all too well makes me want to help him even more.

After having a puppet take the fainted Jeon Myeong-hoon to the Governor's mansion,

I head to look for the Devil tribes who have not yet managed to leave the barrier's interior.

"Daoist Gyeon, can you lead them safely?"

[Well, there was a bit of conflict, but it's not a big deal. The barrier made of Vast Cold Jade is a problem... But watching from afar, it seems that the Lord Governor can dismantle the barrier.]

"That's right."

[Hmmm...]

The tentacled being, adjusting to my eye level, speaks.

[You seem different from before, Lord Governor. Instead of the unstable consciousness wave I've seen before, I now feel a firm wave of consciousness from you.]

I smile at him.

"I've regained what I had lost. I won't waver anymore, whether by the Devil Race or the Human Race..."

I glance at the devils, who are anxiously chattering behind Gyeon Shin.

And the pair of young men and women mingled among them.

"I will not let those dear to me die in front of me."

[Congratulations. You've shed your worries.]

"I've just regained my standard."

Wriggle, wriggle...

Suddenly, Gyeon Shin crosses two of its tentacles to make a scissor gesture.

[Our Yuchok Tribe prides itself on being a highly cultured and intellectual race. Since our racial trait involves parasitizing others, we prefer to define ourselves by the essence rather than appearance.]

His intent contains a certain respect for me.

[And this gesture signifies a salute containing respect for a member of our tentacled race who can clearly define themselves. Please accept it.]

Wo-woong!

A faint light of spiritual energy shimmers right at the center of Gyeon Shin's scissor gesture with his tentacles.

It seems not just a greeting but some specific mystic technique.

Feeling sincerity in his intent, I express my gratitude and accept the light of spiritual energy he shoots out.

Wo-woong!

Simultaneously, I feel a peculiar sensation take root in my Nascent Soul.

'This is...'

A special sensation swirls around my Nascent Soul.

I become able to contemplate my Nascent Soul more clearly and distinctly than before.

It seems that Gyeon Shin has granted me a particular ability.

[Our race primarily lives by overpowering others' minds and parasitizing them. The technique I've given you transforms a part of your soul into something similar to our race, allowing you to detach your soul and parasitize another's Nascent Soul. You can eventually dominate their Nascent Soul to condense a second Nascent Soul using the technique of Mysterious Bizarre Gu.]

"This technique..."

I feel a sense of familiarity with the technique Gyeon Shin gave me.

And I know where this familiarity comes from.

'Yuan Li's Blood Spirit...'

It's similar to the devilish art that splits one's own Nascent Soul to create Blood Spirits, hiding them in the dragon veins of various cities.

'Indeed, the Devil Realm is the homeland of devilish arts.'

Yuan Li's Blood Spirit might also have originated from the Yuchok Tribe or a similar race.

"Thank you. However, to use this technique, I would ultimately have to parasitize someone else's soul with my own, and I don't think I'll be using such demonic arts."

[Well, whether you use it or not is up to you. Besides, the essence of Mysterious Bizarre Gu is not about ruthlessly exploiting others' souls.]

Gyeon Shin continues.

[In the distant past, when the True Devil Realm was whole, the Devil Realm was divided into two factions: the Demonic Devils and the Heavenly Fiends. Among them, the Heavenly Fiends would consume Demonic Devils as resources through their peculiar devilish arts. They were especially known for techniques that eroded the minds of Demonic Devils, corrupting and turning them into eternal slaves of the Heavenly Fiends, which was popular among the Heavenly Fiends at that time.

Our Yuchok Tribe was once enslaved by the Heavenly Fiends, but one of our ancestors countered the mind erosion of the Heavenly Fiends by parasitizing the Heavenly Fiends’ mind in reverse with clear self-awareness and personal standpoint, battling their mental power with a technique that became the origin of Mysterious Bizarre Gu.]

"In other words, this technique was created to counter the Heavenly Fiends?"

[You could say that. Now, the worlds have split into the Blood Yin Realm where the Heavenly Fiends reside and our True Devil Realm where we Demonic Devils live. People from the Bright Cold Realm have no reason to see Heavenly Fiends… but it's a well-known fact in the True Devil Realm that the Heavenly Fiends have been peculiarly obsessed with the Bright Cold Realm for ages. Since you've come to the True Devil Realm, you might encounter Heavenly Fiends, so I'll give you this technique.]

"... Thank you."

[It's I who should be thanking you for treating our Devil Race well.]

We smile at each other.

"... I'd like to send you off right away, but according to the celestial energy, a calamity will envelop this area in a few days."

I explain to Gyeon Shin after observing the celestial energy.

After reaching the Nascent Soul stage, my ability to perceive celestial energy has grown even more.

And from what I can see, this occupied territory will be engulfed by those harboring malice within a few days. If Gyeon Shin leads the devils out of this place to escape the occupied territory, they will likely be caught by those with ill intentions.

'Considering the nature of the calamity, it's likely to be humans.'

If they were devils like Gyeon Shin, I would have let them go without hesitation.

However, it seems that the Human Race Grand Alliance is likely to send people.

"I can’t send you off just yet, so please be patient a little longer."

[Understood. We will wait.]

"Since it's a calamity I can handle, I'll send you off after dealing with them."

After conveying this to Gyeon Shin, I went to a place in the occupied territory where spiritual energy is dense and stabilized my Nascent Soul's realm for several days.

'Is the Human Race Grand Alliance coming to capture me?'

It's highly likely.

Perhaps I was already registered as a traitor to the Human Race and have a bounty on my head.

'... Let's prepare ourselves.'

Being able to read celestial signs doesn't mean I can foresee my own fate.

In fact, being able to read celestial energy only gives me a vague understanding of my future, and preparing for it without being able to read all possible changes means that, no matter how much I read the celestial energy, I cannot know my own fate.

I don't know what will become of me, but...

'Maybe... I might have to betray the Human Race!'

Let's brace for the future and face it head-on!

With determination, I waited for several days.

Four days later.

Jeon Myeong-hoon woke up.

Reading the celestial energy, I realized that people from the Human Race will arrive in two days.

'Maybe I'll need Jeon Myeong-hoon's help.'

Having ascended to the Nascent Soul stage, I gained a 'vision' of a different dimension.

Now, I can unfold the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts that transcends planes themselves, so surviving is not an issue unless a Grand Cultivator at the Integration stage personally comes.

The challenge is protecting the Devil Race.

'Jeon Myeong-hoon should be able to handle that, right?'

Now that I have sent a message to Yeon Jin, a reply should be coming soon.

'I'll convey Yeon Jin's news to Jeon Myeong-hoon and then ask for his help.'

With the strength that Jeon Myeong-hoon displayed in killing an Inspector at the Four-Axis stage, he will be of considerable help.

Wo-woong!

I feel the jade slip in my grasp vibrating.

'A response…already?'

It’s a reply from the Heavenly Being stage puppet that went with Yeon Jin.

'That's good, he must be on his way here.'

Wo-woong!

As I infuse spiritual energy into the jade slip, it trembles and projects an image into the air.

Flash!

"…What?"

—Kurururung, Kurung!

—Flash!

Heavenly Lightning.

It’s lightning falling from the sky.

Within the lightning, Yeon Jin, with his half-white, half-black hair, and the soul entity attached to him disintegrates simultaneously.

A bolt of lightning from the lightning strike surges towards the puppet.

Fizz...

That’s the end of the footage.

"... What, what is this...?"

I am dumbfounded, gasping in shock.

'They, they died in the meantime...?'

Yeon Wei mentioned they would die within 20 years.

I interpreted it as meaning at least, they wouldn't die for another 10 years at the earliest.

But it seems ‘within 20 years' meant they could die at any point within that time frame.

They simply died.

I clench my fists tightly, grinding my teeth.

'... Sorry, Yeon Jin.'

Maybe it's my fault.

If I hadn't insisted on sending the puppet to find Jeon Myeong-hoon and kept him here, perhaps he could’ve met Jeon Myeong-hoon here.

'What should I tell Jeon Myeong-hoon?'

Now, rather than thinking about receiving help, I’m more worried about how to break the news to him.

‘Should I tell him the truth, or should I lie?’

Before going to Jeon Myeong-hoon, I stand in place, deeply pondering.

'What should I tell him!’

“…”

After much contemplation, I went to find Jeon Myeong-hoon.

He had just regained his energy and was standing up, blankly staring outside the Governor's office.

“…Jeon Myeong-hoon, have you woken up?”

“How long has it been since I fainted?”

“…Four days.”

“I see. Didn’t you say it would take about four days for the message to reach Yeon Jin? How much longer do I need to wait for a response?”

“…I have a question to ask you, Jeon Myeong-hoon.”

I look at him and ask,

“What will you do when you meet Yeon Jin? Though I heard that a being called True Immortal... has fixed Yeon Jin’s fate with a Heavenly Tribulation…”

“I will block it for him.”

His eyes shine as he speaks.

“It's not a tribulation called upon by his own cultivation, but one artificially imposed by another. I can block it for him. The Heavenly Tribulation inflicted on the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect is a bolt of lightning struck by a True Immortal directly. However, the tribulation fixed by the True Immortal on his fate is not directly exerted by a True Immortal, but indirectly, so I'll definitely be able to block it!"

“…Is that so.”

“Now that you've heard what you’re curious about, give me an answer, Seo Eun-hyun. Has the message reached Yeon Jin?”

I look at Jeon Myeong-hoon.

I observe his intent and heart essence.

A field of corpses.

A sea of blood and mountains of corpses!

That is Jeon Myeong-hoon's current heart essence.

His mind is showing a highly unstable appearance within that sea of blood and corpses.

If I were to tell him now that Yeon Jin is dead, he might completely lose his mind.

“…There’s still no response from Yeon Jin.”

I clench my teeth and lie.

“It will take some time for a response to come back.”

It only takes time to connect the puppet from the 8th occupied territory.

Once connected, there’s no delay, but I lied.

He needs hope.

Without even a glimmer of hope, he would crumble and go mad on the spot.

“…I see. I understand.”

“When there’s a response from Yeon Jin, I’ll let you know.”

Having cowardly lied, I can't ask him to help me protect the Devil Race.

'I have no choice. The calamity I've seen is something I can handle, so I'll have to resolve it as much as I can with my own power.'

I head outside the Governor's office and start waiting again.

And then, two more days passed.

“…They’ve come.”

While contemplating my Nascent Soul, I open my eyes and look up at the sky.

Wo-wong, wo-woong, wo-woong...

Beyond the barrier, numerous Nascent Soul stage and Heavenly Being stage cultivators are lined up.

The gap in the barrier that had been made during the fight with Jeon Myeong-hoon had since self-repaired, closing up once more.

Kurung, Kururururung!

The sky is covered in dark clouds and enveloped in yin energy.

Soon, rain begins to fall from the sky.

Swoosh...

'Yin attribute techniques.'

I assess the situation, looking at who seems to be the leader among the Heavenly Being stage cultivators.

The Devil tribes have been told to go underground for shelter.

Remaining on the surface of the occupied territory are now only myself and Jeon Myeong-hoon, who should be resting in the governor's building.

'I’ll resolve it somehow.'

Three Heavenly Being stage cultivators.

Eight Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

I can handle this much.

Wo-woong!

The sky roars, and a Heavenly Being stage cultivator wrapped in yin energy unfurls a scroll and begins to read.

[The messenger of the Human Race Grand Alliance, this Hyeon Shin proclaims. The traitor of the Human Race, former Provincial Governor Seo Eun-hyun, and the Slaughterer Demon Jeon Myeong-hoon, come out and willingly submit to the arrest of the Grand Alliance!]

“Hmm?”

Slaughterer Demon Jeon Myeong-hoon?

[Especially the Slaughterer Demon, Jeon Myeong-hoon, who mercilessly massacred innocent members of the Human Race in the first, second, third, and fourth occupied territories, causing tremendous damage to the Alliance and killing the Inspector of the Four-Axis stage dispatched by the Human Race. If you resist, you will be executed on the spot!]

“…”

I stare, mouth agape, towards the Governor's building where Jeon Myeong-hoon should reside.

'What madness has he wrought on his way here?'

I chuckle hollowly and look at Hyeon Shin.

"Given the situation, it might seem a bit humorous to ask, but if the fourth occupied territory was devastated by Jeon Myeong-hoon... what happens to the original plan?"

The expressions on Hyeon Shin's face, as well as those who came with him, twists grotesquely at my question.

[... The Human Race Grand Alliance is in chaos because of him. His rampage turned our strategic areas into a mess, completely derailing our comprehensive battle plans! He must be captured and brought to trial by the Alliance for his crimes, including the murder of the Four-Axis stage Inspector. Of course, as a former provincial governor and accused traitor of the Human Race, you're to be tried as well!]

“…Then let me ask one more thing.”

Holding a glimmer of hope, I look at Hyeon Shin and inquire,

"Does this mean the Realm Annihilation Heavenly Void Formation plan is also canceled?"

If that is the case, there won't be an urgent need to evacuate the Devil tribes.

If so...

'I don't need to kill these people.'

The reason for the urgent evacuation of the devils is because the start of the Realm Annihilation Heavenly Void Formation plan will obliterate those I am connected with and their lands without a trace.

If the Realm Annihilation Heavenly Void Formation plan is canceled, I am prepared to quietly allow myself to be captured.

The Devil tribes can be slowly evacuated using puppets.

However, Hyeon Shin's response is despairing.

[What are you talking about! I said the plan was disrupted, not canceled. The Mystical Scaled Fish Commanding Sect I belong to has deep ties with the Black Dragon Race among the Earth Tribe, and fortunately, the Integration stage Black Dragon King has decided to help us this time, considering our relationship. Even if the Grand Alliance has to share rights with the Black Dragon Race, the plan itself won't change much!]

“…I see.”

I sigh.

'No choice then.'

There is only one way left.

'Suppress or kill them, then quickly evacuate those I’m connected with.'

I am prepared to become a traitor to the Human Race!

Hyun-shin, perhaps attempting to crush the spirits of Jeon Myeong-hoon and me, bellows out loud.

[Anyway, criminals Seo Eun-hyun and grand traitor Jeon Myeong-hoon, comply with the noble Human Race Grand Alliance's arrest! If you resist, not only will the Azure Heaven Creation Sect, that you Seo Eun-hyun belong to, face repercussions, but depending on the actions of Jeon Myeong-hoon, the last survivor of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, it will also determine how the sect is recorded in the history of the Human Race…]

And then.

Boom!

The Governor's office explodes, and Jeon Myeong-hoon, who had been resting inside, growls as he spits out a curse.

[... The last survivor of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, what does that mean?]

[Exactly as said! Survivors of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect dispatched to the Nether Ghost Realm are missing due to the vast distance between dimensions, and another survivor who was sent to the Devil Realm has recently had their light extinguished from the Life Registry in Temporal Fate Island!]

Temporal Fate Island is an island that provides proof of identity for those belonging to the Human Race, and it contains something known as the Life Registry.

The Life Registry, equipped with a magical spell that lights up in response to the life signals of all Human Race members registered on Temporal Fate Island, provided a way to know the life or death of any member.

Only inspectors affiliated with the Human Race Grand Alliance can access the comprehensive Life Registry, which the Grand Alliance uses to manage the movements of the Human Race.

Hearing Hyun-shin's words, I clench my teeth.

'Damn it...'

In the end, Jeon Myeong-hoon learned about Yeon Jin's death.

[I repeat, the two criminals…]

And in the next moment.

Snap!

[... Grand Alliance…]

Boom!

A vertical streak of blood shoots across Hyeon Shin's face.

A moment later.

His body is split in half.

Kuarururung!

Suddenly appearing behind Hyeon Shin, Jeon Myeong-hoon holds Hyeon Shin's Nascent Soul in his hand.

Crackle!

As he clenches his hand, Hyeon Shin's Nascent Soul explodes.

Kurung, Kurururung!

Within the dark clouds summoned by Hyeon Shin, red lightning begins to wriggle.

Red!

Although Jeon Myeong-hoon is at the Nascent Soul stage, for some reason, his consciousness begins to expand, covering everything around him.

And looking at the color of his intent, I felt as if the sky and earth were covered in a bloody hue.

Looking at the color of his intent, I witness the illusion of the sky and earth being covered in a bloody crimson hue

I bite my lip.

Jeon Myeong-hoon, who had been in a state of precariousness, has completely collapsed.

[To reach my comrades in the Nether Ghost Realm, it will take 200 years due to the distance between dimensions. But I only have 20 years left... I came here hoping to save at least one disciple of our sect... even just one…]

Drip, drip...

Jeon Myeong-hoon's eyes roll back, showing the whites, and tears of blood stream down his face.

[They're all... dead. Everyone... Yes....]

'Ah...'

I realize.

Jeon Myeong-hoon's mind, at this moment, has completely shattered.

I have seen such states of mind before.

Seo Hweol and the Mad Lord.

And myself when I lost Buk Hyang-hwa to Yuan Li.

Those whose heart essences were enveloped in darkness.

Today.

[Nothing matters anymore. Everyone... just die.]

Jeon Myeong-hoon went completely insane.