Chương 259: Heavenly Tribulation (11)

Wo-woong, Wo-woong.

Where is this?

I grab my dizzy head and stand up.

"Uwaek... uwaeeek..."

Suddenly, I feel nauseous and vomit blood and pieces of my intestines.

"Keugh... guugh.."

I look at my body.

My body is golden brown and emitting smoke.

'Ah, I see.'

I remember.

I had been fighting with Jeon Myeong-hoon, and after he came close to me, he used the Heavenly Lightning Belt to summon the Heavenly Lightning Banner nearby.

The last thing I remember was him swinging the Heavenly Lightning Banner.

"Hu, heugh... kugh."

I look around, gasping for breath.

The formations that Hong Fan and Jin Wei had put all their effort into creating are all gone.

Hong Fan's poison had evaporated and disappeared, and in various places, disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect are gaining strength, emitting overwhelming lightning power.

Countless cultivators at the Heavenly Being and Nascent Soul stage are surrounding me.

And, there in front, Jeon Myeong-hoon is looking down at me while holding the Heavenly Lightning Banner.

"Jeon... Myeong... Hoon...!"

I try to stand up, but my legs give out, and I collapse back down.

Looking closely, my leg muscles are completely burnt, making it a miracle I could even move at all.

"The Heavenly Lightning... Banner..."

I clench my teeth.

Where did it all go wrong?

Should I have not listened to Hong Su-ryeong from the start, killed a few, or taken some as a hostage to drive them away.

Or should I have torn Jeon Myeong-hoon to shreds so he couldn't even approach me?

Or should I have just crippled his cultivation and spared his life?

I don't know.

But the outcome has already come to this.

The Heavenly Lightning Banner is in his hands.

"Jeon... Myeong, Hoon..."

I manage to regenerate my burnt vocal cords and squeeze out my words.

"Heavenly Lightning Banner... must be sealed... in the Lower Realm..."

"... Explain why."

"If I... explain... all of you... will go mad..."

"That's not convincing."

"Please... trust... me..."

"... We did trust you. Until you betrayed us and stole the Heavenly Lightning Banner."

Jeon Myeong-hoon retorts back with a cold face.

"You betrayed our trust. Asking to be trusted? We did trust you. The Supreme Sect Master, the sect leader, the next sect leader, your master, your followers, my lover, all the disciples of the sect... And me."

With a face twisted in emotion, he shouts.

"We did trust you. But you... betrayed all of that and ran away."

"No... That's not it..."

"You can't explain? No, you just don't trust us. I don't know what world you're seeing. But, you're not sharing the world you see with us, believing only you can judge it. It's not that you can't explain, you just choose not to!"

"..."

"This is your last chance. Explain."

I bite my lip.

About the Governing Immortals, about the Owner of Heavenly Punishment.

About Zhengli, about Yang Su-jin, the Enders, and countless other unfathomable beings.

How on earth am I supposed to open my mouth!?

I clench my teeth.

But in the end, I can't open my mouth.

Jeon Myeong-hoon looks at me with cold eyes.

"... You mean you can't explain."

"..."

"I see."

He rummages through his belongings and takes something out.

It's the command token engraved with the words 'Ancestral Command.'

"I, Jeon Myeong-hoon, disciple of Jin Jin-chan, owner of the same Heavenly Golden Thunder Body as the founding ancestor, and the commander of the Seo Eun-hyun Punitive Force, declare by the Ancestral Command!"

Clang!

The sound of my heart sinking can be heard.

"From this moment forth, I will permanently excommunicate Seo Eun-hyun from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect! Seo Eun-hyun, you are hereby permanently expelled!"

Wo-woong!

At the same time, a familiar will is felt from the Ancestral Command.

It's the will of Yang Su-jin.

Expel!

A giant character for expel (廢) is carved into the air and slowly descends towards me.

Flash!

The character seems to be engraved onto my body and then disappears.

Chi-iiii― At the same time, I feel something.

Clang, clang, clang!

The celestial energy changes.

Beyond the celestial energy.

Beyond fate, I feel the connection with the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect that was tied to me completely severing.

"... Ah..."

At the same time, I feel the transparent energy flowing within me changing.

As befitting a ritual method, it's a technique directly linked to the changes in fate.

Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens.

I can feel the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique completely subjugating to me.

At the same time, I understand the true intention of the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique.

'... So that was it.'

The one who cultivates the Red Lightning Heavenly Tribulation Method leads the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect and becomes their family.

And by being abandoned by the family, denying themselves and severing the fate that bound 'me' and 'the family' together, 'I' and 'those who were family' become separated.

Those separated are now non-humans with no relation to me.

Therefore, sacrifice these non-humans, who were once a part of me, my constituents, to twist fate.

Twist fate to reach a new future.

That is it.

Yang Su-jin, who regarded everything as non-human, wanted to be happy even if it meant grinding up the entire world.

Sacrificing everything to complete oneself and approach happiness through devilish arts.

That is the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens.

Whisper, whisper, whisper...

Somehow, it feels like I can hear Yang Su-jin's voice in my ears.

―Sacrifice them as offerings.

―Become the priest of oneself, construct the non-humans who abandoned me as sacrificial offerings to block the disaster of fate, and twist fate to seize a new future in my hands.

―First, the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.

―Next, even more people.

―Next, grind even more, more, more people.

―Finally, grind up even this world to complete yourself.

No, it isn't the voice of Yang Su-jin.

It's the demon within my heart.

"From now on, we will seal the criminal Seo Eun-hyun!"

Cheok, cheok, cheok, cheok, The elders and grand elders of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect form seals with their hands, positioning themselves around me and spreading out a formation.

The Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique whispers to me continuously.

The heart demon within my heart tempts me.

To use the Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique.

To use it to transfer the calamity to them and change fate.

However, I remain still.

Just quietly, indifferently listening to the voice of the heart demon.

Looking up at the sky, I shed a tear.

'If they were all non-humans, I wouldn't have needed to try so damn hard up until now.'

The Extinguishing Divine Tribulating Heavens Technique, my heart demon, whispers to me.

To offer sacrifices now and change fate.

But, the future I originally wanted to change to was one where I wanted to save the 'sacrifices.'

"... I am..."

I muster all my strength to try and stand up.

The Heavenly Being stage Grand Elders flinch at my movement, but do not stop the sealing technique.

"I am..."

Feeling so wronged and so deeply aggrieved, I stretch my hand towards the heavens with tears flowing.

"An Earthling... from a civilized society..."

I am a human from a world without fate.

Then, are the beings from a world with fate slaves to it and therefore non-human?

And their fate cannot be changed no matter what?

"Heavens..."

I reach out my hand towards the sky and close my eyes.

The sealing technique wraps around me, and darkness covers the surroundings.

'Is fate... really...'

Swoosh― Jeon Myeong-hoon looks at the small jade orb in front of him.

"The sealing is complete."

The Heavenly Being stage Grand Elders speak, wiping the sweat from their foreheads.

The small orb where Seo Eun-hyun is sealed.

Jeon Myeong-hoon clenches his teeth looking at it.

He thought capturing Seo Eun-hyun would be relieving.

But strangely, he feels uneasy.

Wondering if there might be some misfortune or great calamity he can't avoid, he looks up at the sky, but the celestial energy is normal.

Suddenly, Jeon Myeong-hoon looks at the Heavenly Lightning Banner.

'Why did Seo Eun-hyun tell me not to call the name of the Heavenly Lightning Banner?'

For some reason.

Really, suddenly out of the blue, Jeon Myeong-hoon feels the urge to call out the name of the Heavenly Lightning Banner.

"Zh..."

And then.

Ziiing!

The Five Elements Blood Curse Banner still embedded in Jeon Myeong-hoon's head buzzes, interrupting his words.

"Damn it... I need to find a way to remove this thing."

He decides to postpone calling the name of the Heavenly Lightning Banner and picks up the small orb in which Seo Eun-hyun is sealed.

"Is there no sign of Jin Wei around?"

"There's a Void Spirit Pond underground, and there are traces of someone below it, but no one is there now. It seems they have escaped."

"I see..."

Jeon Myeong-hoon tidies up the surroundings.

Jin Wei.

So, Yeon Jin managed to escape quickly and was uncatchable, but the traitor Seo Eun-hyun was captured.

"Take this puppet to Penglai Palace."

Penglai Palace, having sent many people, wanted to take General Seo as a trophy. The Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect had no choice but to agree.

"You too as well, Hong Fan. Surrender."

"Yes."

Hong Fan does not resist fiercely and is captured quite willingly, as if submitting to his fate.

Hong Fan is also sealed by the Nascent Soul stage elders and trapped in a smaller orb than Seo Eun-hyun.

"... Now."

Jeon Myeong-hoon looks up at the sky and says,

"It's all over."

He looks at the sky, somewhat relieved and somewhat regretful.

"It's really all over..."

Now, it's time to 'go home.'

Jeon Myeong-hoon and his group return to the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect.

Hearing the news of Jeon Myeong-hoon's return, all the disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect come out to look at him.

In front of the main gate of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, Jeon Myeong-hoon silently takes out the Heavenly Lightning Banner.

"...!"

"...!!"

"...!!!"

Tremendous cheers erupt everywhere, so loud that the ground vibrates.

Jeon Myeong-hoon, receiving everyone's cheers, proudly approaches Jin Byuk-ho and returns the Heavenly Lightning Banner.

Jin Byuk-ho pats Jeon Myeong-hoon on the shoulder, looking proud.

"There was a time when I thought teaching you was a waste of time."

"..."

"I was wrong. It was my greed. You are the true successor and disciple of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect."

Jin Byuk-ho looks at Jeon Myeong-hoon for a moment, then grabs his hand and shouts.

"Listen, everyone! The disciple who was originally to be the next-next Sect Leader betrayed our trust and was expelled for stealing the Heavenly Lightning Banner! Because of that, the position of the next-next Sect Leader is vacant!"

At Jin Byuk-ho's words, Jeon Myeong-hoon looks at him with a surprised expression.

"I ask you all! Who, who should remain as the next-next sect leader!"

"Senior brother Jeon Myeong-hoon!!!"

"Senior brother Jeon Myeong-hoon!"

"Jeon Myeong-hoon, Jeon Myeong-hoon, Jeon Myeong-hoon!"

Jeon Myeong-hoon's name is called out from everywhere, and Jin Byuk-ho laughs loudly and proclaims,

"From today, Jeon Myeong-hoon is granted the Jin surname and is appointed as the next-next sect leader of the sect!"

"Waaaaah!"

"Jin Myeong-hoon! Jin Myeong-hoon! Jin Myeong-hoon!"

Thus, Jin Myeong-hoon feels the relief of finally 'coming home' amidst the cheers of his fellow disciples.

For the first time in a long while, he smiles broadly.

Jin Myeong-hoon smiles, Jin So-hae smiles, Jin Byuk-ho smiles.

Everyone in the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect smiles.

And Zhengli smiles too.

[Ahaha, ahahahahaha! Ahahahahaha!]