Chapter 76: The Moment of Transcendence
Before the grand cathedral of the Church of Light.
A panicked crowd surged and jostled, their cries echoing like crashing waves as they desperately tried to escape the once sacred grounds.
The air was thick with the pungent stench of blood, mixed with the lingering scent of bloodlust. Even under the warm sunlight, a chilling dread permeated the air, like a descent into a hellish realm.
A young boy, his attire conspicuously out of place, stood amidst the crowd. For some reason, the crowd avoided him, forming a strange void around him.
A void filled with blood.
—Any commoner who dared approach him instantly turned into a pool of blood, evaporating under the sunlight, ceasing to exist.
Driven by terror and desperation, they rushed headlong into Silent Demise.
“I didn’t expect… this to happen.”
Educator looked towards the cathedral with shock, his childish face darkened.
After hearing Historian’s suggestion, he had indeed planned to use the Saint as bait to lure the Boy into an ambush, but… not at this time.
The reason was simple: Educator wasn’t prepared. The Blood Refining Barrier, his trump card against the Boy, was still in its planning stages. He hadn’t had time to prepare the sacrifices.
Although the barrier could be considered functional, it could only exert a fraction of its power, far from the seventy percent chance of inflicting irreversible injuries on the Boy that Educator had claimed.
The reason for this… was relatively easy to deduce.
…The suggestion came from Historian, who could easily leak Educator’s plan to the other directors before he was ready.
Or perhaps, the Boy himself was Historian, taking advantage of Educator’s unprepared state to launch a preemptive strike.
Educator knew this was his chance to severely injure the Boy, but it was also the Boy’s chance to severely injure him.
“Historian’s stance… remains unclear…”
Educator narrowed his eyes, looking at the gruesome scene outside the cathedral.
Besides the few people he had killed to avoid being swept away by the panicked crowd, the Boy had slain dozens in his attack. His Bloodlust Axe, when unleashed at full power, was difficult to control.
To avoid alerting the Saint within the cathedral, the Boy had to launch his attack from outside her alert range, with maximum speed and minimal noise.
This was the most efficient method, even if it meant sacrificing dozens of lives.
“How… cruel,” Educator sighed.
Normally, the Company would consider the consequences of such actions, but now, facing the inevitable Boundary collapse, even the directors had succumbed to a cold madness.
However, for Educator and the Harbingers, this cold madness wasn’t new; it had been their reality for a long time.
Since they were trying to return everything to nothingness, dying now or later only made a small difference. It wasn’t worth dwelling on.
“Fine, although the Blood Refining Barrier is only half-complete, it… can still increase my chances. If I miss this opportunity, I won’t have another chance to kill the Boy.”
Educator pondered for a moment, then slowly raised his hand, releasing his Authority.
Not just using it, but wielding it.
The surging crowd froze in place, their panicked movements slowing to a standstill, their expressions turning vacant.
At the same time, Educator’s face turned pale, an unhealthy pallor like a long-term patient.
—The Ember Domain unfolded, enveloping the Blood Refining Barrier.
Within the domain, all life was stripped bare, marked with the barrier’s ritualistic pattern, designated as blood refining sacrifices.
Once activated, all beings within the domain marked as sacrifices would become Educator’s blood slaves.
Only Harbingers or those with power comparable to Educator could avoid this fate.
“Unfortunately, the quality is too poor. Without Awakened Ones, the blood of ordinary humans… is too weak, but it’s better than nothing.”
Educator slowly walked towards the cathedral, sensing the changing situation within, waiting for the right moment.
He saw the Archbishop killed in the Saint’s place, the Saint narrowly escaping the Boy’s attack, and the Boy standing with his axe.
However, the Saint’s decision to willingly face death in her confrontation with the Boy was unexpected.
“How did her legs suddenly regain their function? No, wait… it’s not that her legs recovered, but that she’s being supported by some force.”
Like using crutches, forcing her legs to move.
And this power… was familiar to Educator.
“It’s… the White Witch’s power.” Educator’s pupils constricted. “Just a trace of the White Witch’s power from the Sacred Tool, Heaven’s Bead, combined with her own power… she can use it to this extent?”
Such extraordinary talent, a true prodigy for the Harbingers.
However, Educator scoffed at the Saint’s decision to sacrifice herself for her sister. Even if she survived now, what use was it? In the upcoming Great Annihilation, she would still meet her end.
“Such powerful talent, I can’t let the Theologian die in this battle. She’s too valuable.”
With this thought, Educator made up his mind, constantly monitoring the situation within the cathedral, ready to act at any moment.
Just as the Boy raised his axe, unleashing a bloody storm, Educator tensed, exclaiming softly,
“Now!”
All those marked with the Blood Refining pattern instantly transformed into blood slaves, their blood surging within Ember, attacking the Boy at his most vulnerable moment.
But… unexpectedly, the Boy had held back. He appeared to be attacking with full force, but it was just for show.
He had already sensed Educator lurking in the shadows, but he couldn’t pinpoint his location, so he had waited patiently, only using a fraction of his strength during his confrontation with the Saint, reserving the rest to counter the Harbingers’ ambush.
“What a… pity.”
Educator knew there was no point in hiding any longer. He shook his head and slowly entered the cathedral.
Countless blood-soaked figures stood inside and outside the cathedral, his blood slaves, fueling his Blood Refining Barrier, gradually becoming a part of it.
“As expected, it’s you, sir,” the Boy said, lowering his axe, its impact sending out a shockwave. “We haven’t seen each other in a few days, and you’ve shrunk again. It seems… your life is nearing its end.”
“The same could be said for you, Boy,” Educator replied calmly, his expression unchanged.
Years ago, they had been comrades.
Now, they were strangers.
Within the grim cathedral, the murderous aura and the pungent stench of blood intertwined, the once sacred grounds now a demonic hell.
Everywhere he looked, there were blood-soaked figures, stripped of their lives.
Lifeless and vacant, like fish on a chopping block.
“This… what is this?”
Stasha looked at the scene before her blankly. Everything seemed blurry, as if covered in a thick blood mist, impossible to see clearly.
“Sister… Sister…”
“Where are you…”
Where had her sister gone?
…Why couldn’t she find her?
She vaguely remembered her sister suddenly standing up, walking towards that terrifying demon to protect her.
“Live.”
Her sister’s words echoed in her mind.
“No, don’t…”
Sister, don’t go…
Stasha desperately reached out, wanting to grab her sister’s hand, to stop her from dying.
But where was her hand?
…Why couldn’t she move it?
No, not just her hand… her entire body was paralyzed…
Her sister’s figure was sent flying, her legs seemingly severed. Then, everything was engulfed in an impenetrable crimson.
Sister… was she dead?
“Stasha… Stasha…”
A confused, panicked voice, no longer gentle, only filled with fear and uncertainty.
Sister, I’m here!
Stasha heard it, Stasha was here!
Sister…
Stasha cried out desperately, but her sister seemed to hear nothing…
Why… was this happening?
Finally, the crimson gradually faded from her vision, and Stasha saw herself, and her sister lying on the ground, looking up at her.
Covered in blood, no longer the same as before.
So, she was dead…
Realizing this, intense pain surged through her body, as if a thousand knives were tearing her apart, every inch of her being in agony.
“It hurts… Sister…”
Her consciousness faded, but the pain intensified.
She couldn’t even move.
Seemingly hearing her sister’s call, Alyssa, using the last of her strength, stood up again, stumbling towards the blood-soaked Stasha.
As she approached, her movements slowed, and she gently embraced her sister.
“Sister’s here… Stasha, don’t be afraid… it doesn’t hurt… it won’t hurt anymore…”
Countless fungal threads emerged from Alyssa’s body, spreading and surging into Stasha, desperately trying to restore her life force stolen by the Blood Refining Barrier, to hold onto her fading consciousness.
“Hmm?”
Educator, sensing the unusual change in the Blood Refining Barrier, paused, his gaze shifting to the Theologian. He saw her embracing her sister, the fungal threads emerging, her flaxen hair now stained a shocking white.
…Could it be? Could she really achieve this with just a trace of the White Witch’s power?
Could it be…
Educator’s mind raced, but before he could ponder further, the Boy didn’t give him a chance to be distracted.
Their strength was comparable. Even in a direct confrontation, a moment’s carelessness could be fatal, let alone during such a tense standoff, to dare divert his attention to other matters.
The battle-hardened Boy naturally wouldn’t miss this opportunity. His skin cracked inch by inch, releasing a near-tangible bloodlust.
His slender figure suddenly expanded. In the blink of an eye, the five-foot-tall boy had transformed into a ten-foot giant, the previously disproportionately large axe now fitting perfectly in his hand.
The Boy raised his head, his bloodshot eyes filled with madness and violence, yet a sliver of reason remained.
A ritualistic pattern unfolded on the axe as he merged with it, becoming the wielder of the Death Wish Authority.
—Grotesquery Sequence 19, Xing Tian of Sin and Thorn.
“Your life is mine!”
The giant roared, his voice shattering all the stained-glass windows of the cathedral. A single step created a large crater in the marble floor, the entire structure shaking violently.
Educator, momentarily distracted, was instantly at a disadvantage. The Blood Refining Barrier reactivated, the blood of the slain slaves surging forth to block the attack.
But… as mentioned before…
Few could withstand a direct blow from the Boy.
Educator was no exception.
Even with hundreds of blood slaves as a shield, Educator was still sent flying, crashing through the cathedral doors and landing outside.
The Boy wouldn’t give Educator time to recover. Myriad Path Awakened Ones excelled at healing, even if Educator’s Authority wasn’t specialized in this area.
He took another step, this time gathering his strength for a moment before exploding forward like a thunderbolt, chasing after the small, airborne figure like a kite with a broken string. His speed was so great that it created a series of sonic booms.
It was hard to imagine the amount of power required for such a giant to achieve this speed, but after this powerful leap, the already unstable cathedral finally began to collapse.
Countless stones and wooden beams rained down from the dome, burying the blood-soaked ground amidst the deafening roar of the collapsing structure.
But the next moment, the blood transformed into a sea of blood, instantly boiling. Educator hadn’t given up. Even at a disadvantage, even caught off guard by the Boy’s sudden counterattack, he wasn’t defeated yet.
The barely completed Blood Refining Barrier and the thousands of lives within it were Educator’s means of contending with, and even surpassing, the Boy.
A shocking crimson and a skin-prickling murderous aura erupted, turning the surrounding area into a battlefield.
The nearby cathedral was engulfed in dust and debris, the shockwaves from their battle accelerating its collapse.
As the entire dome caved in, the cathedral finally crumbled, a deafening roar marking the end of the Church of Light’s grand cathedral, once comparable to Victoria’s Anglican Cathedral.
Amidst the ruins and the pervasive crimson, a patch of white stubbornly resisted the spreading blood.
“Stasha, Stasha…”
Alyssa clutched her sister, whispering softly.
The small, bloody figure in her arms was completely enveloped by fungal threads, desperately trying to save her beloved sister, to reclaim her life from the Blood Refining Barrier.
Despite repeated failures, she persisted, her own body now oozing blood, refusing to give up.
At some point, a small, silver-haired figure appeared before the sisters, silently watching the scene.
“This is…”
Luo Ling reached out, touching Alyssa, a look of shock appearing on her face.
The moment she sensed Stasha’s death, her consciousness had returned to her main body, rushing here to use the Puppet Ballad’s power to save Stasha’s life.
But Luo Ling knew…
It was likely impossible.
Like Alyssa before her, Stasha was just an ordinary human.
An ordinary human’s consciousness and soul were fragile. Any damage to the body would inevitably affect them.
Especially… the brutal nature of the Blood Refining Barrier’s killing method made it impossible for an ordinary human to survive.
It was far more cruel than a normal death.
Even… more cruel than Alyssa’s sacrifice.
But at this moment, Stasha clung to the last vestiges of her consciousness, stubbornly resisting the call of death.
As if sensing something, Alyssa slowly raised her head. Her usually lifeless grey eyes now glowed with a faint, brilliant gold, despite the tears of blood streaming down her face.
“Save Stasha…”
She said.
“Save… my sister…”
She continued.
“…Miss Luo Ling.”
Alyssa said.
With Alyssa’s will, she spoke.
Even if… it was just a sliver of instinct and obsession, it originated from Alyssa herself, not the Puppet Ballad’s crude imitation.
“—Transcendence.”
Intense grief, genuine emotions, and the desperate desire to save her sister’s life erupted at this moment.
The Transcendence Path opened its doors to her, welcoming her into the ranks of saviors.
Alyssa became the first Awakened One to truly step onto the Transcendence Path, even before Luo Ling.
Alyssa, eternally lost to Silent Demise, was revived at the moment of Transcendence.
And it was her Transcendence that saved the last vestiges of her sister’s consciousness and life, until Luo Ling’s arrival.
Alyssa wasn’t just the White Witch’s God’s Favored, she was Luo Ling’s.
Luo Ling herself was an Awakened One on the Doomsday Path. Transcendence, the other end of Doomsday, was naturally also a part of Luo Ling’s power, although she hadn’t realized it yet.
But she hadn’t expected her God’s Favored to achieve Transcendence before her.
“…Mmm.”
Luo Ling nodded slightly, placing her hand on Stasha’s body.
Instantly, the life force stolen by the Blood Refining Barrier returned to Stasha. The small, bloody figure’s body gradually recovered, until she once again resembled the familiar flaxen-haired girl.
Perhaps Luo Ling couldn’t directly confront Educator yet, but reclaiming a life from his grasp was easy.
Because she was the White Witch.
The White Witch of Silent Demise.
“Thank you.”
After uttering these last words, the brilliant gold in Alyssa’s eyes faded, her consciousness falling silent once more.
Not into eternal Silent Demise like before, but simply because she had exhausted all her strength saving her sister.
Educator, far away, coughed up a mouthful of blood, sensing the damage to his Blood Refining Barrier.
Coupled with the injuries inflicted by the Boy during their battle, Educator was nearing his limit.
“Just who… is it?”
Educator’s expression was filled with shock, but he didn’t have time to investigate the barrier, as the enraged Boy raised his axe again, bringing it down upon him.
Educator, forced back several steps, endured his injuries, continuing to push the Blood Refining Barrier beyond its limits, barely managing to defend against the Boy’s attacks.
He had no chance of victory.
Looking at the increasingly intense battle in the distance, Luo Ling sensed Educator’s weakening strength and whispered,
“It seems the battle is about to end…”
Just then, a dreamlike murmur sounded beside her,
“…Sister?”
Stasha looked blankly at her seemingly lifeless sister, her trembling hands cupping her face.
Luo Ling turned her head, her expression turning serious.
Stasha had awakened so quickly?
It seemed that compared to the terrifying Doomsday, Transcendence on the other end was no less formidable…
Luo Ling sent a portion of her consciousness into Alyssa’s body.
Alyssa’s demeanor became more lively. Before Stasha could completely break down, she took her hand and softly called out,
“Stasha…”
“Sister!” A look of joy flashed across Stasha’s despairing face, but tears quickly followed. “I’m sorry, Sister… Stasha is so useless…”
“No, Stasha,” a gentle, childish voice sounded beside her. Stasha turned her head slightly and saw an unfamiliar girl looking at her tenderly. Her otherworldly beauty held an expression Stasha knew all too well.
“I’m the one who should be sorry.”
“…I’ve been deceiving you all along.”
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