Chapter 556 - 319: The Other Side of the Sea

Chapter 556: Chapter 319: The Other Side of the Sea

Lu Cang, Yelieya, and Rhine.

The three of them stared at one another.

The atmosphere was deathly silent.

Lu Cang looked at Yelieya, a complicated mix of emotions stirring within him...

’I did use the Pure White Descent Ritual for self-preservation, but the Pure White Descent I summoned ultimately killed every living thing in the Secret Sea.’

’Maybe it was the right thing to do. I did nothing wrong. Under the circumstances, it was my only choice.’

’Then again, maybe it wasn’t so great.’

Lu Cang didn’t feel much guilt, but he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly as he faced Yelieya.

However, Lu Cang saw that Yelieya was avoiding his gaze.

He saw an expression of pain.

A struggle of the Mind.

But given the tense atmosphere, it wasn’t a good time to speak.

Lu Cang then turned his gaze to Rhine, who was standing to the side.

’What the hell...’

’The normally cheerful Rhine was now completely sullen, his expression as grim as if he’d just eaten shit.’

’You didn’t actually eat shit, did you?’

’For a character this carefree to suddenly become so gloomy, eating shit seems like the only possible explanation.’

’I always got the feeling he’d be cheerful even if you were killing him.’

’Was he scared witless?’

’Sigh...’

’Whatever. If you’re all going to be dark and broody, I won’t say anything either.’

Lu Cang had his own worries, too.

’Was Earth completely destroyed?’

’My compatriots on Earth... I’d originally hoped to find a way to restore the Demons and save them, but now it looked like they were all buried along with the Pure White Descent.’

’Then again, maybe the Original Sea had already killed them when it descended.’

’They likely didn’t even make it to the Pure White Descent.’

’Sigh, it’s not what I wanted...’

’Earth still holds so many secrets, as does the Abyss of the Sea.’

’Something was also calling to Kumironi. I had planned to go with him to see what it was.’

’Right, Yelieya seemed to have heard the calling too.’

’After I let her go back then, I lost all trace of her. Maybe she went to find that voice.’

’I should ask her.’

’Also, why was Rhine with Roya?’

’That was another baffling mystery.’

’As for the others... the other contestants who joined this chaotic Trial, like Naraku’s Inheritor, Adela, the combat-savvy Half-human, Half-sheep Blacksmith, and that short Summoner...’

’I never saw any of them again. I have no idea what happened to them.’

’In an event as monumental as the destruction of the Secret Sea, though, it’s not like they could have made much of a difference anyway.’

’After all, not everyone is like me, capable of mastering the Pure White Descent Ritual and actually activating it...’

Lu Cang adjusted the coverage of the Unsolvable Mystery.

He once again altered Yeliey’a’s perception of him.

"Sister Yelieya."

Yelieya looked at Lu Cang, her eyes filled with confusion.

She couldn’t remember exactly who her teammates were for the Trial of the Realm of Ascension.

"You’re back?"

But from what she recalled... Lu Cang hadn’t been involved, had he?

Thinking back on all the participants, she was certain the name Lu Cang had not been among them.

Yelieya asked, "You... didn’t go inside?"

Lu Cang said, "That’s right. I was barred from entering. After all, I haven’t accepted any Inheritance. It was only after I carefully examined the passage that I realized you have to be an Inheritor of a Divine Spirit to get in."

Yelieya recalled what Aigemisa had said.

There was, in fact, such a rule.

Only the Inheritors of gods could enter this Trial. It was a game, a festival of madness...

Aigemisa had said it had already made arrangements with the gods.

’Lord Zuya, was this your will as well?’

’My being chosen, my arrival in the Secret Sea—it was all arranged.’

’The very reason I possess this Divine Artifact—that, too, was arranged.’

Yelieya felt a powerful sense of destiny, as if her every move was orchestrated by the Divine Spirits.

"Mm... It’s nothing."

Yelieya was wracked with guilt, but she couldn’t bring herself to speak of the matter openly.

Releasing the Original Sea from the Abyss of the Sea was a secret of the Light Church.

If such a terrible scandal got out, it would shatter the world’s perception of the Light Church... Yelieya had to keep the secret.

"Inside... there was only danger. It’s a good thing you didn’t go in."

"Have you been waiting here long?"

Lu Cang’s Perception swept over his pocket watch. "Not too long. A few hours, I guess."

"Yelieya, what exactly did you all encounter in there?"

Yelieya forced a smile, but it lacked her usual cool composure, revealing instead an undeniable pain.

"Suppose... your faith and your ideals were in conflict. What would you do?"

’Why is she suddenly asking such a profound question?’

’Did the Light Church betray you?’

Lu Cang suddenly recalled what Luo Mo had said about the Light Church collaborating with the Mutated Nest. ’Maybe Yelieya discovered something, too. Given her strong sense of justice, she must be taking it hard.’

Lu Cang could deeply empathize with that.

As a Death Priest himself, Lu Cang had often tormented Kumironi, the High Priest of the Life Church, forcing him to face the conflict between his principles and the harsh reality of their situation.

’A crisis of faith must be agonizing.’

Lu Cang thought for a moment before offering a rather formulaic reply: "I would think about what I really want and stand firm in my own beliefs."

Yelieya merely gave a slight nod upon hearing his answer.

"Mm, thank you."

His answer clearly hadn’t resonated with her.

Yelieya changed the subject. "Should we... continue exploring?"

Lu Cang glanced ahead.

The path ahead gradually descended into darkness.

’To be honest, though, these Ancient Ruins no longer held any appeal for me. I’ve already collected plenty of bottles of Realm of Ascension—more than I could ever drink.’

’There probably isn’t anything else I want in these ruins.’

’Exploring the rest of the ruins would probably take several days. Better to find an excuse to leave now.’

"Sister Yelieya, I was thinking... we’ve already lost a member."

"I have a feeling we’ll run into more danger if we keep exploring these ruins."

"While I was waiting for you, I saw a stone tablet nearby with a warning on it. I’m worried... something bad might happen. Why don’t we just head back now?"

Yelieya looked toward Rhine.

Rhine’s expression was also dejected, lacking its previous cheerfulness.

’Lord Yakadikto.’

’I usually ignore you, but today, I really have a lot I need to tell you.’

’I think... I’ve become a sinner for the ages.’

’Do you think those Resentful Spirits from the Secret Sea will come after me? Can your Church stop them?’

"Well... if it’s dangerous, then I guess we have no choice."

Rhine scratched his cheek. "Besides, I’m not much of a fighter. If we leave all the combat to Yelieya, that’s too much pressure on her."

Yelieya crossed her arms.

Normally, she would have insisted that she could handle it.

But this time, thanks to Rhine, she had also found the Realm of Ascension.

There was no need to explore further.

Yelieya, too, was burning with impatience. She wanted to return to the Church, pray to Zuya, and demand answers.

"Then... let’s go back."

Each of the three was lost in their own thoughts, but they all agreed on one thing: they had lost all interest in exploring this godforsaken place.

Four people had come, but only three were returning.

The Moon Phase hung high in the sky.

It was a full moon.

This place was the Moon Sea.

A land unfathomably far from the Secret Sea, countless billions upon billions of kilometers away.

After emerging from the Ancient Ruins, Lu Cang gazed toward the west. That was the direction of the Secret Sea. ’I wonder what’s become of it now?’

WHOOSH—

After a few short blinks of movement, Lu Cang returned to his residence from the outskirts of the city.

The moment he landed, he felt Lu Luwei’s Perception brush against his own.

"Lu Cang!"

"Hm?" 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

Lu Cang could sense the extreme urgency in Lu Luwei’s voice.

"What’s wrong?"

"Leng Qingying... She entered a strange Teleportation Gate and vanished."

"Huh?"

Lu Cang felt a massive headache coming on.

’What in the world is with today?’

"Which Teleportation Gate?"

WHOOSH—

Lu Cang and Lu Luwei appeared on a rooftop. With Lu Luwei’s Perception guiding them, the two of them blinked across the city in a series of instantaneous flashes.

Soon, they arrived once again at the outskirts of Atlantis City.

’I just got back to the city, and I haven’t even had a chance to sit down... and now I’m back out in the suburbs.’

Before them was a Teleportation Channel, just large enough for one person to pass through. When Lu Cang touched it, he immediately received feedback in his mind.

’Another one of Aigemisa’s Teleportation Gates.’

’Aren’t teleportation abilities supposed to be rare?’

’Why am I seeing so many of them today?’

Moreover, this Teleportation Gate had an entry restriction.

Only an Owner of a Divine Talent could enter.

’It’s practically targeted at me.’

However, Leng Qingying also had a Divine Talent, so she was able to enter as well.

’Just how many of these Teleportation Gates has Aigemisa created? How much chaos has it caused?’

Lu Cang hesitated.

’Should I go in or not?’

’If I go in, will it just be a repeat of what happened before?’

’Do I really have to save Leng Qingying?’

Lu Cang had no desire to risk his neck to save her. If entering this Teleportation Gate was her own choice, then she should be the one to pay the price for her recklessness.

’I have no obligation to save her.’

But just as Lu Cang was contemplating his next move...

He saw the Teleportation Gate in front of him shrink slightly.

A somewhat petite figure stepped out of it.

Seeing Lu Cang standing before the gate, the small figure was visibly startled.

"Lu Cang?"

"Weren’t you off exploring the Ancient Ruins?"

The figure who had emerged was none other than Leng Qingying.