Chương 173: Even If This Place Is Hell (2)

Brururu…

Splash!

I spit out a mouthful of blood amidst the debris.

"Geok... Kughh..."

Trembling…

My whole body hurts.

A tingling sensation echoes from various parts of my body.

'This place is...'

I look around to grasp the situation.

This place is the collapsed building of the governor's office.

The nearby occupied territory was completely devastated.

All the buildings and facilities built by the Human Race have turned into a handful of ashes, and the slightly sturdier ones have all collapsed into piles of rubbish.

A wasteland.

Yes, this place has become a wasteland.

Kurung, Kurururung!

I snap back to reality at the sound of thunder coming from one place.

In the 8th occupied territory is a barrier formation spread around by 7 pieces of Vast Cold Jade.

At the heart of that formation.

Seven flags with a black dragon drawn on them are planted in the center, forming a barrier-like shape.

'That is...'

I stagger towards the flags.

'Jeon Myeong-hoon...'

The flags are forming a single formation.

A formation to seal Jeon Myeong-hoon, borrowing the power of the barrier that covers this occupied territory.

Wo-woong...

I sit down an the boundary of the formation.

There is no trace of Hyeon Shin's energy anywhere.

He must have died after exhausting all three of his remaining Nascent Souls in the fight against Jeon Myeong-hoon.

We fought for almost three days and nights.

The Lightning Path Method mastered by Jeon Myeong-hoon is truly terrifying.

Getting hit once instantly paralyzes the body, making it impossible to move, and even after the paralysis wears off, the remaining lightning energy will chase after you like a guided missile endlessly.

Moreover, each strike, although slightly slower than real lightning, is too fast to ignore, and its power is dreadful.

Facing the Lightning Path Method, which boasts extreme offensive power, I had to pour out everything I had.

'I managed to barely win using 90% of my strength.'

I look at Jeon Myeong-hoon, trapped in the center of the flag formation.

Dark yin energy became chains, trapping the Lightning Orb in the center of the formation.

It's Jeon Myeong-hoon's Golden Core.

I look at Jeon Myeong-hoon's Golden Core and the Nascent Soul trapped inside it with mixed feelings.

"You… I cannot know what kind of life you've lived."

Pjijijijijik

"Maybe… Yes, it's my fault. I could have chosen the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect instead of the Azure Heaven Creation Sect at that time. I chose the Azure Heaven Creation Sect simply because I thought I couldn't handle the True Immortal. But…"

I may not have been able to do anything about the True Immortal, but I might have been able to understand the life he had lived.

Perhaps, out of cowardice due to my feelings of powerlessness, I deliberately neglected him knowing he would suffer.

It's a paradoxical statement for someone who can travel back in time, but time cannot be reversed.

This moment, even if time were to turn back, will never disappear.

It will remain within me forever, becoming one with me.

'I'm sorry.'

Jeon Myeong-hoon is as good as dead now.

Perhaps, this is the same as having killed a fellow from the same world with my own hands for the first time.

"... Rest in peace."

Splash!

Spitting blood from my mouth again due to the injuries sustained from Jeon Myeong-hoon, I turn my back on him like that.

Gulp, gulp...

Blood spurts from my mouth in several gushes.

'Those I sought to protect...'

As soon as the fight began, through Yuan Yu, I evacuated them along with Gyeon Shin to the basement of the governor's office.

I approach the collapsed governor's building and clear the debris.

Boom, bang!

Even with internal injuries, with my flesh strengthened through body cultivation, I can easily toss aside the debris of the building like feathers.

After clearing the debris, I find the entrance leading underground.

Step, step...

I slowly head down to the basement.

After walking for a while, I see a green light shining in the distance.

Step, step.

Beyond the green light, the Devil Race inhabitants and Gyeon Shin are chatting.

"Governor!"

"Uncle Governor!"

From afar, Su In and Hong Yeon, seeing me walking towards them bleeding, hurriedly run towards me.

'Everyone is safe.'

Behind them, I see Gyeon Shin hastily running towards me on the puppet I had given him, and then I lose consciousness.

I had a dream.

In the dream, I reviewed the fight with Jeon Myeong-hoon.

From the start to the end of the battle.

The things I lacked in between, what I did well, and what could be developed.

I reflected on all those things to improve myself.

During that process, I suddenly felt like I could understand something.

'Something... I feel like I can pursue an even higher realm.'

Why is that?

Is it just a feeling?

But I knew it wasn't just a feeling.

'It's not just a feeling.'

It's clear.

Something definite is calling me beyond this.

'What is it, this...'

After much contemplation, I finally realize.

'Ah, I see.'

The dream tears apart.

It's a green podao.

The overwhelming trace of destruction I had seen in the distant past!

The memory from that time replays in my mind.

Why did that memory replay at this moment?

The reason is obvious.

The lightning spread by Jeon Myeong-hoon, albeit a bit immature, was infinitely similar to the Heavenly Tribulation.

And that green podao was the same.

'It too, is like the Heavenly Tribulation.'

I'm not talking about the attribute of destruction.

The power of destruction itself is the personal enlightenment that the Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One gained throughout his life.

What I felt was the principle behind the creation of that destructive force!

'It's similar, undoubtedly so.'

The strike of the Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One was infinitely similar to Heavenly Tribulation.

'But what exactly, is so similar?'

Even though I felt that his strike and the Heavenly Tribulation were similar, I couldn't pinpoint exactly what or why they were similar.

Perhaps, the day I realize that, I might be able to reach [Beyond].

'Maybe the reason cultivators fear and despise the Heart Tribe is...'

It might not be just because they practice bizarre and unfathomable methods.

In my dream, I blankly watch the Heaven-Collapsing Esteemed One's strike and the lightning close to the Heavenly Tribulation that Jeon Myeong-hoon unleashed, and close my eyes.

Blink...

"Ah, Uncle!"

"Uncle Governor!!!"

Upon opening my eyes, familiar faces are in view.

"... Where is this?"

I hold my head and get up from my seat.

"He's up!"

"He's up, the Governor is up!"

Following the words of Su In and Hong Yeon, the two Devil Race children, numerous devils rush over.

"Oh my, Governor!"

"Have you awakened?"

"We didn't know what to do since you've been unconscious for two days!"

As I look around at them bewilderedly, [Everyone, please step aside.] Clank, clank, clank.

Gyeon Shin rides atop a puppet and approaches me.

[Are you alright, Lord Governor?]

"Ah, there are a few sore spots, but well, I'm fine. But why… why is everyone reacting like this?"

Until now, the devils haven't been so friendly with me.

Even if children like Su In and Hong Yeon were an exception, to the adult devils, I was just a vile Human Race native who was their governor.

Especially recently, because of the Realm Annihilation Heavenly Void Formation plan, I was the villain who tried to send the devils far away.

So why are their reactions like this?

[I've been sending distress signals to our kin for a while without any response. However, during your battle, a response came.] Gyeon Shin continues to explain.

[The Integration stage Grand Cultivators of the Devil Realm, after capturing and interrogating the front-line humans, learned about the Realm Annihilation Heavenly Void Formation plan. They also found out that you were trying to send us far away because of it.]

"... You told the devils about that."

It seems the plan was exposed by the Integration Stage Grand Cultivators of the True Devil Realm.

"Is that why everyone is so happy? Even though I was someone who drove you away from your homes and exploited you…"

[Hahaha! Exploit, Lord Governor? My words aren't finished yet. Learning about the Realm Annihilation Heavenly Void Formation plan is one thing, and recently, a tremendous event occurred in the True Devil Realm...] Gyeon Shin speaks in a serious tone as his tentacles wriggle.

One end of his tentacle points somewhere.

It's the Void Spirit Pond.

[Don't you find it a bit strange, Lord Governor? Why such a strategic area as the Void Spirit Pond was so easily taken over by the Human Race from the True Devil Realm, why I, a member of the True Devil Realm's army, never mentioned this Void Spirit Pond to you, and why such precious Void Spirit Ponds were found in three close intervals within the Human Race's occupied territories?]

"... You're saying something's not normal."

As I ask with a stern face, Gyeon Shin flicks his tentacle.

[Over the past few days while you were unconscious, I received a message from the devil forces. A tremendous uproar has occurred in the Devil Realm.]

"A tremendous uproar?"

[Yes. What we are looking at is not an ordinary Void Spirit Pond.]

"Not an ordinary Void Spirit Pond?"

[Yes, according to the information I received, what we see in front of us is a trace left by the Heavenly Fiends of the Blood Yin Realm attempting to enter the Devil Realm by scraping the dimensional barriers of the Devil Realm from the outside.]

"What...!"

I stand up abruptly from my seat.

"Does that mean this is connected to the Blood Yin Realm!? Then, shouldn't we not be here?""

I previously heard.

The Heavenly Fiends of the Blood Yin Realm, even if they are of the same Devil Race, do not hesitate to devour each other and are said to be far more sinister, cruel, and cunning than the devils of the Devil Realm.

However, Gyeon Shin laughs and replies.

[Hahaha, correct. This Void Spirit Pond is indeed made by the Blood Yin Realm. However, it is not connected to the Blood Yin Realm.]

"What?"

[The beings of the Blood Yin Realm grow by feeding on negative and evil energies. Such wickedness allows the beings of the Blood Yin Realm to exert their power where it exists. Due to the malevolence accumulated as the Human Race assimilated and occupied the Devil Realm, slaughtering and weakening countless devils, the beings of the Blood Yin Realm were successful in connecting the Void Spirit Ponds in the occupied territories other than the 8th territory to the Blood Yin Realm. However, the Void Spirit Pond in this 8th occupied territory could not be connected by the Blood Yin Realm's Heavenly Fiends.] He grins.

The other devils also look at me with smiles filled with relief.

[According to the devil army, the 8th occupied territory is the only Human Race occupied territory where not enough malevolence has accumulated to connect to the Blood Yin Realm. In other words, Lord Governor Seo, due to your benevolence, this territory did not become hell.]

"..."

[For not abusing and exploiting the devils here, in great appreciation… We bow our heads deeply in gratitude for your benevolence. Thank you, Lord Governor Seo.] Gyeon Shin, along with countless devils who are aware of the Heavenly Fiends of the Blood Yin Realm, bow their heads in gratitude to me.

"... It is I."

I slump down on the spot.

Somehow, watching them made me think of something I wanted to say to Jeon Myeong-hoon.

Something I felt from seeing them, that I wish I could convey to him.

Shhhhh….

The expressions of gratitude from those thanking me now are added to my artifact spirits.

I wipe my eyes and return their greetings.

"Who should be thankful. I am grateful."

Even if this world becomes hell.

―Nothing matters anymore. Everyone... just die.

Not everything is meaningless.

Even if this world is filled with pain and madness, Perhaps there is something meaningful after all.

Someday, even if not now.

I want to convey that to him.

Inside the Void Spirit Pond reflecting dimensions, I harbor such thoughts while receiving the gratitude of the countless devils I have saved.

"... This is magnificent."

A vast procession is heading this way.

Giant warships and chariots carrying numerous Vast Cold Jades.

And the many Human Race soldiers flying towards the 8th occupied territory.

Wo-woong!

The purple sky of the Devil Realm is now enveloped in a soft red hue.

Wo-woong!

With the Flying Escape Technique, familiar faces land outside the barrier of the 8th occupied territory.

"It's been a while, Chief Strategist. Or should I now address you as Military Commander?"

I speak to the cultivator in tattered clothes looking disheveled.

"... Stop teasing and open the barrier, Governor Seo."

He bites his lip as he speaks.

"…The Left Hand and Left Foot of the Blood Yin Realm Esteemed One have descended. Fortunately, thanks to Governor Seo's defense of the Void Spirit Pond, the Left Eye has not descended. We plan to hold out in the 8th occupied territory until reinforcements from the Bright Cold Realm arrive."

Thus, the territory once ruled by a spy for the Devils and traitor of the Human Race, Eventually became the last hope for the remnants of the Human Race.