Chapter 1600 1583: Return of Hell (2)
Chapter 1600 1583: Return of Hell (2)
Billions upon billions of spherical objects hovered in the depths of Hell, within which housed a single soul each, with the sole exception of a single sphere containing a soul with a tangible, blood-filled, and fleshy body. That particular individual was undergoing the Calamity of True Loss for the second time, an almost unprecedented event throughout this hellscape of unimaginable horrors.
Suddenly, these billions upon billions of spheres faded away, seemingly disappearing from existence, leaving a sole sphere of dull grey color and forty-nine bluish spots illuminating it.
A shadowy figure of undefined enormity began to emerge into being as if it was always there yet unseen by all. It was utterly indescribable in terms of size, and immeasurable to the senses with how it possessed countless eyes and countless arms with thick, imposing fingers that clawed at all of existence and even reality itself. It seemed to hold up all of Hell within those hands and oversaw everything within the sight of its countless eyes.
Two portals formed of benevolent radiance and malevolent blaze within this hellscape. From these two portals, two winged beings walked out simultaneously. The first, from the portal of holy radiance, was a thin, dark crimson-winged figure. Their wings were cracked and dry, formed with the thinnest flesh, exuding a frail aura with every strand of muscle and piece of bone protruding through. The figure exited the portal of holy radiance, yet its appearance was outwardly vile and evil. However, its entire body exuded no such malevolent feeling.
The second, from the portal of the malevolent blaze, possessed silver wings that were robust, healthy, and exuded endless radiant energy that served as a stark contrast to the portal itself. They were outwardly beautiful and saintly. However, similar to the other, its entire body exuded no such saint-like feeling.
"A Sinful Lust Mortal? Another one?" The silver-winged figure spoke inquisitively as if confounded by this discovery. "It's one thing for it to happen once but twice in such a short period? Are they running out of proper candidates?"
A while ago, an Inheritor of Sin had descended into Hell as a mere mortal, a Sinful Pride Mortal, and survived the Memory Abandonment Dimension, otherwise referred to as the First Calamity of Hell-the Calamity of True Loss. This caused quite a commotion among the residents of Hell's Eighteen Cleansing Dimensions, mostly amongst the upper levels, which were the first six dimensions.
The situation had drawn all sorts of existences to observe the Mortal that dared to defy logic and achieve overwhelmingly unique conquest time and time again. The feat was so legendary that even to this day, the upper residents of Hell discussed him daily and often talked about the Inheritors of Sin in their idle time.
Very recently, an Inheritor of Sin had drawn their attention and subsequently failed, and this served as a stark contrast to Wei Wuyin, especially considering that this existence had reached the Realm of Sages, cultivated a True Soul of Sin, and still perished at the Calamity of Blade and Fire, eradicated in body and soul after failing so horribly that all its cultivated soul's protections weren't able to save them. And since this had happened after Wei Wuyin's second calamity, this had induced further curiosity and hype around Wei Wuyin.
This was not an uncommon sight. Many inheritors entered and failed, too many to count. Just the fact that earlier a mere mortal had achieved this feat only highlighted his abnormality and drew greater attention. Even now, there were many keeping active tabs on the Fourth Calamity, awaiting the arrival of that Sinful Pride Mortal once again. There was even a bet ongoing that suggested that the Sinful Pride Mortal would enter the next stage of existence, becoming a Sinful Pride Ascendant, further increasing his chances of success.
It was a wild time in Hell.
The crimson-winged figure's wings vibrated as if surprised. It was the most talkative of the two. "Wait. That aura...it's familiar." The crimson-winged figure's memory was impeccable despite their long life, and they immediately honed onto Wei Wuyin's soul aura and found a distinct similarity. There was a noticeable difference, however.
This aura had the aura of Sinful Lust, not Sinful Pride. However, as he delved further into this distinction, it could feel traces of less prominent Sinful Pride within.
"What the-" The silver-winged figure had noticed this too, and its reaction was intense. With a swoosh of its wings, it flew closer. The crimson-winged figure followed along as the arms and some of the eyes of that immeasurable shadow observed them silently, the pressure causing them to slow down slightly but not outright stop. They eventually got close enough that they could discern the aura.
"It is! It's him!" The silver-winged figure turned toward the crimson-winged figure as if to confirm its own words and senses. Indeed, the crimson-winged figure's riled wings and expression of shocked disbelief verified all its suspicions.
"He's challenging the Memory Abandonment Dimension...again? As a different Inheritor of Sin?" This wasn't exactly unheard of, but for a mortal, this was unprecedented and abnormal to a literal extreme! How did this even happen? How could this happen?
While it was understandable if a mortal had inherited their Bloodline of Sin from a proper Sinful Inheritor, creating this abnormal situation, for it to happen twice was unthinkable.
"Look!" The silver-winged figure's stoic personality seemed to be crumbling as he gestured energetically. "He's already overcome three Wells of Memories, and is currently moving onto the fourth!"
"What an astonishingly strong willpower. The Blood Tears of True Loss haven't even been able to activate in the slightest," the crimson-winged figure remarked. This wasn't the first time someone had overcome the Memory Abandonment Dimension in such a way or so tyrannically, but the pace was unrivaled since the dawn of their existence. Perhaps only the First Sinner, an existence they hadn't witnessed, could exceed such speed!
The two of them, alongside the vast shadow, watched focusedly as Wei Wuyin entered each lake, and walked out within a few seconds to a whole minute. Despite that, the Blood Tears of True Loss, the reason why the Calamity was given its name, remained unable to touch even the edge of his robes.
"What is he doing?!" The crimson-winged figure said with a frown. Wei Wuyin had completed twenty-five lakes, conquering them with understated ease. They no longer had any brilliance. However, he stopped and observed the black trees with crimson leaves dripping with sanguine liquid. Of his own free will, they watched as he slowly reached out and touched the leaves.
"...!" Both of their wings trembled in shock.
Wei Wuyin plucked a leaf with a hand engulfed by a seven-colored light and a hand layered with grayish draconic scales. The sight threw the two for a loop, and then they saw something that was enough to make them question the dimension itself.
Wei Wuyin ate the bleeding leaf! After doing so, he chewed slowly with his eyes closed. For a few minutes, he remained silent, and then suddenly opened his eyes.
'What fascinating material of the Psyche! It can interact with memories on a fundamental level, affecting the True Soul directly by erasing them after stimulating those memories. If I didn't have Eden who can do so already, I could probably use this treasure to affect memories or outright erase them from the True Soul. So this is how the First Calamity cleanses the soul of all identity.'
Whether it was today or long ago when he first tackled this calamity, Wei Wuyin hadn't activated the Blood Tears of True Loss within the leaves at all. Before he simply outlasted the natural time limit of the trial, which was usually accomplished by surviving the erasure of memories and cleansing of the soul by the bloody tears.
After taking a leaf, Wei Wuyin was not one to leave any opportunity unexploited to the fullest. He already had some ideas on how to use this to purify the psyche, strengthen the mind, and enhance his mental surgical techniques. And this second go around in Hell was an extraordinary opportunity! Looking around, Wei Wuyin created a small spatial dimension within his body that was similar to an Internal World, using Alchemic Eden aura to coat it in several layers, and then with the patience of a fruit farmer, he began to, not pluck leaves, but take trees!
With a hearty yank, he ripped the trees from their roots using his draconic strength. The ground itself was earth. It seemed to follow some natural law, and using Ori's Alpha Origin Energy to soften the surface, he easily snagged a few trees. Only after taking one-hundred and eight trees, after feeling as if further action might provoke an immediate response, did he clap his hands in satisfaction and move to the twenty-sixth lake.
"...""..."
Beyond the dimension, the two winged figures were utterly speechless. Even the shadowy existence eyes were focused on the sole sphere in this dimension, and while each eye seemed as indifferent to all things beneath heaven and earth, there was something odd about the way its fingers closest to the sphere moved.
"Is he trying to..." The silver-winged figure was unable to articulate its next words out of sheer disbelief. Unlike the other calamities, they could view this one with extreme clarity and saw every last one of Wei Wuyin's movements and actions.
"Hahaha," the crimson-winged figure laughed heartily. It seemed to find all this particularly amusing. "He didn't try! He did it! What a mortal!"
"..."
Wei Wuyin waltzed through the Memory Abandonment Dimension's challenges as if they were light breezes. Whether they were alternative pasts or futures, or even impactful memories that legitimately occurred in his life, he remained entirely unphased as if he had experienced all sorts of alternative pasts, and futures, and revisited his life numerous times already.
They couldn't fathom what allowed Wei Wuyin's willpower to remain undeterred given his Sinful Lust and Sinful Pride designations.
This was Wei Wuyin's personal advantage!
All forty-nine lakes-COMPLETED!
When Wei Wuyin stood at the edge of the dimensional space, seeing only a hazy, dull, and grayish void that resembled a sky, he found that there were no longer any bluish glows illuminating the distance, and no further land to walk toward. It felt as if he had reached the edge of the world.
Suddenly, he felt the world begin to crumble. He could now observe how the dimension itself was shrinking, gathering itself into his body, most concentrated within his left arm, and then gradually losing consciousness. This was the first time he had experienced what it meant to 'claim' a calamity with such clarity!
To claim an entire dimension!
The winged figures watched as the Memory Abandonment Dimension was claimed by Wei Wuyin with awe in their hearts. Awe for a mere mortal!
"He's an abnormality!" The crimson-winged figure exclaimed.
"..." The silver-winged figure remained silent for a few seconds before looking at it with sudden shock. "The Regretful Heart Dimension! If he's challenging those dimensions again, then he'll be entering it next!" The silver-winged figure's wings unfurled to their fullest extent, reaching an incredible length, but just as it was about to fly off, the crimson-winged figure appeared before it.
"The mortal has already claimed the other two dimensions as an Inheritor. We won't make it in time..."
"..." The silver-winged figure stiffened. It then realized that Wei Wuyin wouldn't challenge the other two Hells normally. In fact, just entering was enough for a successful reclamation. They wouldn't make it nor would anyone else.
"Fourth Level?" The silver-winged figure softly asked.
"Fourth level," the crimson-winged figure nodded. The two handled their duties before departing together to the fourth layer of Hell, the next dimension-the Red Dust Dimension!
Regretful Heart Dimension.
Wei Wuyin was placed within a sphere. Within the first few moments, the sphere collapsed and was absorbed by his left arm, shocking him as he felt his right arm erupt with a tyrannical aura of conquest.
He once again lost consciousness.
Agonized Road Dimension.
Wei Wuyin felt his body and soul erupt with Originfire as if by instinct, engulfed protectively against the dimension. Once again, his right arm exuded an aura of unquestionable authority, causing the dimension to collapse and enter his left arm.
By now, he realized that he was consecutively undergoing the previous calamities without pause. Additionally, these calamities that he had conquered were unable to test him again. He had an inkling that each conquest 'claim' would bestow him with a unique power that could be useful to him as an Inheritor of Sin. If only he could actively control his Bloodline of Sin's power or Tattoos of Sin. Unfortunately, he was still a mortal, yet to reach the Realm of Sages, and unable to do so.
At least, for now.
Yeah...for now.
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Erdiul's Note: I love the detail that his conquest of his previous calamities actually matter like this. Puts more power in the word ''Claimed'' and I can't wait to see what it actually means to claim these calamities. We already have a sneak peek of the authority he has over these dimensions. Loving PoS right now, it's peaking for sure.