Chapter 44 - 44 44 Embracing the Void The Great Calamity

44: Chapter 44 Embracing the Void: The Great Calamity 44: Chapter 44 Embracing the Void: The Great Calamity Hanging Fate Valley was straight and profound, spanning across Qian Shan and hundreds of other peaks, gathering all the mountain streams into its midst and forming a ceaselessly flowing Great River. On both sides of the Great River, raised stone beaches were filled with overflowing water, and dark green aquatic plants spread across the rocks, waiting for the rainy season to arrive. An Jing followed the Sword Spirit’s guidance and entered deeper into the Hanging Fate Valley. The fog thickened. Ink-colored water vapor lingered in the valley, forming a faint haze on the surface of sand and rock walls, with river water gushing out from the deep darkness, concealing footsteps. It was said that this place was where a Sword Immortal had slain demons during the great disaster of ancient times, the long years had eroded both the heavenly and demonic Qi’s, hidden within the earth veins of the mountains and rivers. “It’s just ahead,” The voice of the Sword Spirit echoed in his mind, with the protagonist of the legend now on An Jing, a power enveloped his whole body, easily clearing away all the ink-colored demonic Qi, leaving only threads of chill to be felt. “Subdue Evil, where are my junior brothers and sisters now? Are they all right?” “They are around the altar, inside one of the Sword Sacrifice Caves from back then, doing very well,” the Sword Spirit replied, and An Jing was slightly relieved. Bai Qinghan took a quarter of all the survivors and almost all the Fate Pattern Awakeners with him. This matter greatly shocked him, but it was not incomprehensible. Da Chen’s inaction at Northern Border was indeed very… very inhumane. But he also knew that as horrendous and corrupt an old dynasty could be, it was still somewhat more reasonable than the Demon Sect that outright consumed humans. … Perhaps? Damn it, why is everything so rotten! S~eaʀᴄh the NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Comparing two clumps of mud and shit, how to discern which is filthier! An Jing really didn’t want to choose sides, but at this point, he could only watch and decide as he went. At least before the Frost Calamity, life for the people in Northern Border was not hard and could even be said to be orderly; occasionally, there was even news of saints inspiring the people to strive for improvement… Who knows what happened for the once flourishing Da Chen to suddenly turn so corrupt. An Jing did not intend to blame those junior brothers and sisters who had chosen the Demon Sect—within the Demon Sect, the fate of ordinary Children of Calamity was likely grim, but Bai Qinghan and the other Fate Pattern Awakeners would not be affected so, they could certainly become upper-level managers. Such status was much better than being destitute and displaced in Da Chen, choosing the Demon Sect was human nature. He just did not wish that Bai Qinghan had done something to Gu Yeqi and Cang Linzu and others upon his departure. Fortunately, he had not. “Jing!” As An Jing followed the Sword Spirit’s guidance to a cave hidden under a giant rock at the deep part of the valley, he spotted a figure of Breath of Pure lingering outside, anxiously looking towards the entrance of Hanging Fate Valley. Upon seeing An Jing’s figure, Gu Yeqi’s eyes brightened, and she quickly came forward, sighing in relief, “You’ve finally returned… Eh, didn’t Qinghan come back with you?” She had no idea when Bai Qinghan and others had left, thinking they had voluntarily stayed on the outskirts to meet with An Jing. “…They chose the other side.” As An Jing opened his mouth, he watched the girl who was still looking behind him, waiting for her ‘bestie’ and paused before revealing the truth, “I killed the Master of the Medicine Manor, but Qinghan still chose the Demon Sect… She and the others left with the remaining instructors.” “What?” Hearing this, Gu Yeqi widened her eyes, exclaiming incredulously, “You killed the Manor Master?” And with her voice, those who heard An Jing’s footsteps, like Cang Linzu and other Children of the Calamity who walked out of the cave, were equally astonished, “Eldest Senior, you killed the Manor Master?!” “Your strength… is it really this strong?!” “That’s not the point, is it?” An Jing was momentarily at a loss for words, completely caught off guard by how these folks seemed utterly indifferent to Bai Qinghan and the others leaving, instead marveling at his strength. But upon reflection, it made sense. The Children of Calamity had their worldviews extensively altered. Bai Qinghan left, so what? Who hasn’t experienced a good friend being eliminated halfway through training? Even considering the current truth, what about those who died along the way? They’d grown accustomed to loss, so instead, they held strength in even higher esteem. “It’s a good thing, though, Qinghan at least awakened her Fate Pattern…” Aside from Gu Yeqi, who looked towards the entrance of the valley with a sense of loss, feeling sad for losing yet another close friend, the others seemed rather indifferent. This is what demons are. The ‘indifference’ of indifference. The ‘silence’ of silence. Even though they had left the Demon Sect, these junior brothers and sisters hadn’t yet shifted their ways of thinking… Rather, An Jing realized, their willingness to defect from the Demon Sect stemmed not only from its ruthless and cruel nature, which involved killing friends, but fundamentally because they believed more in themselves. They hadn’t truly understood An Jing’s anger—they merely opposed because An Jing opposed, so they followed suit. “Don’t be too sad. Before she left, she asked me to apologize to you on her behalf… everyone has their own path.” After collecting himself, An Jing consoled Gu Yeqi, then instructed everyone, “You all need to wait here a bit longer.” “The Manor’s guards are still fighting with the Red Armored Guards, and Da Chen’s forces can’t tell whether we’re innocent or part of the Demon Sect. Do not act rashly before the situation stabilizes.” “If the people from Da Chen turn out to be unkind, I will find an opportunity to escape. There are no fierce beasts around Hanging Fate Valley, and there are some villages. I am quite confident I can keep us alive.” This was no empty boast. An Jing was now a Martial Artist, equipped with bullets for his firearm, and the Children of Calamity were all robust, well-versed in martial arts and cooperation. Provided they could avoid detection, with the guidance and help of the Sword Spirit, they could indeed live safely in the surrounding mountains for a while. “Big brother…” Cang Linzu frowned upon hearing this, “Are you going to do something on your own again? Can’t you take me with you? I can still be of some help!” “It’s too dangerous. Your strength is indeed admirable, but without reaching Inner Breath, you’re not qualified to accompany me.” Cang Lin inspired to be a genius, his strength nearing the realm of Inner Breath—if not for his influence dampening the demonic Qi, curbing the calamities, he, like Gu Yeqi, would have had a seventy to eighty percent chance of awakening his Fate Pattern. So, An Jing patiently explained, “Deep within the manor on East Mountain, there’s a dungeon with many junior brothers and sisters eliminated but not yet ‘disposed of’ by the Demon Sect—I need to check on their well-being. With the manor on fire and no one to help, they might all burn to death.” “Once I’m sure you are all right, I’ll start my move to save others.” After giving a few more instructions and reassuring the Children of Calamity, An Jing turned and left. Gu Yeqi and Cang Linzu knew An Jing was a man of his word and naturally didn’t try to persuade him otherwise. Instead, as An Jing’s deputies, they attended to their injured comrades, cleaning their wounds. The Sword Spirit was right; the altar was right next to the cavern where the Children of Calamity were, hidden in another ‘crevice’ camouflaged by river rocks and aquatic plants. This crevice was naturally formed, looking at first glance like a common fissure on a rock wall, but that was an illusion. It began extremely narrow but gradually widened, forming a natural gallery. On both sides of the gallery, there were some ancient mural paintings, most of which had been washed clean from time to time by rising river waters, but An Jing could still make out that it depicted a story of an Immortal exorcising demons, protecting the people. In ancient times, during a major calamity in Embracing the Void, endless Heavenly Demons descended from above the Nine Heavens, bringing strife, disaster, and destruction, causing countries to fall, the earth and weather to go awry, countless tribes to be wiped out, and endless people to hate and fight one another relentlessly. To oppose the Heavenly Demons, Immortal Gods who had ascended to Immortal Heaven returned to the mortal world to lead the beings of the earth in their fight against the Heavenly Demons. Among them was an Immortal God, wielding a Green Edge Long Blade, undertaking the deeds of Subduing Demons and Exorcising Evil.