Beberapa detik sebelumnya, Wei Wuyin baru saja menghentikan langkah ketiganya. Hal ini mencegah kenangan hidup yang berkaitan dengan kedatangan Long Chen muncul, namun dorongan untuk terus bergerak maju dalam jiwa tetap terasa, semakin kuat dengan setiap detik. Namun, pikirannya bergulir kencang saat ia mengingat kembali malapetaka ini.
"Apa ini?" tanyakan Ori dengan polos. Ia merasakan perubahan dalam pikiran Wei Wuyin, namun sangat mengejutkan, kecepatan dan potongan-potongan pemikirannya cepat, berantakan, sulit diikuti. Bahkan tak bisa membedakan maksudnya. Bukan hanya membuatnya terkejut, Kratos dan King juga bingung dan cemas.
Hanya Eden yang bergetar dengan frekuensi yang mirip Wei Wuyin. Kecepatan pemikirannya seperti formasi mobilitas cahaya super, mendorong kapal yang disebut jiwa. Mereka mengalir lancar bersama, namun dari luar tidak ada yang mengerti apa pun.
Setelah beberapa detik, Wei Wuyin menekan kakinya dan mengambil langkah terakhir. Sekali lagi ia dibawa ke awal kenangan hidupnya... Tawa sinis teman wanita di sampingnya, disertai tawa surgawi yang bahagia dan puas dari yang lain.
Para istrikah yang membungkuk di sekitarnya mengisi ruangan dengan aroma memabukkan yang menimbulkan dorongan. Ia merelakan diri pada penggemaran tubuh yang lembut dan beragam, menikmati dengan segala cara yang terpikirkan. Garang, lembut, proaktif, atau pasif. Ada semua jenis yang bisa menimbulkan api di dalamnya.
Sepuluh istrikah surgawi, semuanya untuk dinikmatinya. Mereka tak benar-benar memiliki wajah yang jelas, tidak milik salah satu dari perempuan sebenarnya. Ia tak bisa langsung membedakan rasanya, dan jika ia ingin mereka jadi iblis, mereka jadi iblis. Jika ia ingin mereka jadi elf, mereka jadi elf. Mereka adalah segala sesuatu yang inginkan saat itu.
Ia tak ingat namanya, tapi jika ia mengucapkan nama yang disukai, mereka menjawab dengan tawa gembira dan panggilan main sebelum segera "melayani"nya dengan berbagai cara. Beberapa menggunakan mulut mereka, menelan dan mencium dengan semangat dan gemericik yang menyenangkan.
Ini adalah kebahagiaan surgawi yang semua pemuda ingin dapatkan. Di atas itu, ia juga memasukkan angka idamannya saat muda—sepuluh. Ini adalah mimpi idealnya.
Namun setelah rasa waktu yang terdistorsikan, terasa seperti puluhan tahun sekaligus beberapa menit, segalanya runtuh ketika Long Chen datang seperti biasanya. Tak pernah bisa melawan, ia kehilangan kemaluannya dalam malu, lalu dipaksa… dan kepalaanya dicuci… dan kesadarannya pupus, menyadari niat jahat Long Chen terhadap angkuhannya.
Di akhirnya, ia akan merasakan penyesalan mendalam karena mengabaikan kultivasinya, berujung pada kehilangan yang menyakitkan.
Kemudian ia akan bangun dengan keinginan tak terbendung untuk terus bergerak maju di dunia kegelapan, yang biasanya diasosiasikan dengan kematian abadi.
"Jadi begitu ya."
Empat kata saja membuat Ori, King, dan Kratos semakin penasaran. Mereka merasakan hal yang sama seperti Wei Wuyin, tapi kekurangan beberapa elemen penting yang menandakan peran mereka sebagai Spirit Kultivasi, bukan kultivator.
Kratos yang selalu menentang hal-hal, mencadankan dengan kebingungan: "Apakah kita harus melarikan diri?"
Rasa tidak nyaman setelah dua kali hampir kena ini benar-benar menyeramkan.
"Kami tak bisa melarikan diri," kata Eden. Malapetaka Neraka itu tak terhindarkan, dan jika kami pergi, siapa tahu konsekuensi apa yang menunggu di luar. Apakah kami tahan dengan dunia luar atau meloloskan diri dari hukuman Dewa Surgawi yang sedang membersihkan Neraka? Kami hanyalah binatang, dan kami adalah Pewaris Dosa.
Kami bahkan tak bisa bersumpah dengan suci tanpa terdeteksi, tak bisa menemukan Pendamping Dao. Meskipun Kitab Dosa menjelaskan keuntungan dan cara bertindak jika terperangkap, semua rekayasa itu hanya untuk mereka yang berada di alam Orang Bijak dengan Jiwa Dosa Sejati.
Kami hanyalah binatang.
Kratos melepas dentang tak puas, tapi tidak membalas. Ia lebih memercayai penghakiman Eden dibandingkan siapa pun. Jika ia berkata kami tak bisa melarikan diri, maka ia akan menunggu solusi lain.
"Kreruuk!" King menambahkan pendapatnya.
Tapi Eden menghancam, "Jika membelah Neraka itu sesuatu yang bisa kami lakukan, kenapa kami harus berada di sini?"
"Kreruuk!!!"
"Jika tiga pukulan tak cukup, teruskan sampai ada yang retak? Serius sekali?" nada Eden semakin kesal. Ada yang ingin melarikan diri, yang lain ingin menggunakan sisi tajemnya untuk mengakhiri Neraka. Mereka benar-benar lahir dari jiwa yang sama?
"Hehe," Senyum Ori. Ia setakat tidak nyaman seperti yang lain, tapi dengan saudara-saudaranya di sampingnya, bagaimana bisa ia takut? Meskipun surga menyorot ke arah mereka, ia merasa mereka akan bertahan selama bersama. Sebagai Jiwa Astral Asal Elemen yang terbentuk dari gabungan sembilan elemen yang berbeda, memberi lahir pada suatu keseluruhan yang lebih besar, pemikirannya selaras dengan konsep itu dengan sempurna.
Eden tertawa sambil menghela napas. Setidaknya Ori tak pemilih kasar.
"Apakah kita harus berhenti bergerak?" Eden bertanya, mengalihkan perhatiannya kembali ke Wei Wuyin.
Wei Wuyin masih tenggelam dalam pikirannya, baru memutuskan setelah mendengar pertanyaan ini. "Ya. Aku selalu mempercayai instingku. Jika kita berhenti terlalu lama, jiwa kita akan meledak secara instan."
"Tapi mungkinkah?"
Wei Wuyin menghela napas dalam pikirannya. "Maksudku: Apakah teoriku benar?"
"Ya."
Wei Wuyin benar-benar tak bisa menjawab. Akan tetapi ia yakin pada satu hal: ia tak bisa bertahan hidup melawan Malapetaka ini. Semua persiapannya hanya membuatnya lebih waspada, tak terkejut oleh kegelapan yang tak berujung dan berbagai perubahan.
Namun hal ini hanya bisa membawanya sampai sini.
Ia tak tahu apa lagi perubahan yang akan ia alami dari Malapetaka ini, tapi ia tak meremehkannya. Saat mengingat Malapetaka Pertama, ia terdiri dari berbagai tahap yang semakin sulit dengan ujian yang beragam. Ia tak punya keraguan bahwa Malapetaka ini akan mengalami perubahan serupa, semakin sulit seiring berjalannya waktu. Jika ia mengalami erosi lagi pada lapisan luar jiwa, ia mungkin akan mat sampai dengan dukungan dari Jiwa Astral eksternal.
Seharusnya, mereka bisa terpengaruh nanti juga, tersentuh oleh isolasi dan imajinasi. Jika mereka semua tenggelam dalam gumpalan penyesalan yang tak terhindarkan, benar-benar akan berakhir di situ.
Ia membenci opsi semacam itu.
Wei Wuyin tak pernah orang yang mencari satu jalur semata, tapi untuk memahami, mempertimbangkan, dan memanipulasi sesedikit mungkin untuk keuntungannya.
"Jika Malapetaka Pertama memiliki celah, maka ini juga." Ketika pemikiran yang lahir dari kesepian ini muncul di dalamnya beberapa detik yang lalu, ia terseret ke dalam gumpalan konsep yang kacau.
"Aku bisa menghapus memori, mencap mengenal diri seperti sebelumnya," usul Eden, tapi Wei Wuyin langsung menolak.
"Penyesalan tak didasarkan pada memori, tapi pada keinginan yang mendasar. Diri baru yang terbuat pasti akan jatuh lebih dalam lagi ke dalam penyesalan dari peristalahan ini. Setelah semua, meskipun ingatanku dihapus, jiwaku tetap konsisten relatif. Setiap orang yang baru saja merasakan kehidupan yang berlimpa dengan para istri surgawi yang sempurna, menikmati kesenangan tiada batas dalam kepuasan sepenuhnya, akan merasa penyesalan karena tak bisa melindungi semua ini, merasa malu karena kelemahan sendiri."
"Aku juga tak bisa yakin apakah memori hidup ini akan berubah jika keinginan mendasarku diubah," jelaskan Wei Wuyin dengan nada berat.
"Kejam sekali," komentar Ori.
"Memang," gemetar Kratos.
"Dan jika aku terkena Malapetaka ini, aku akan kesulitan dalam bentuk tertinggi, tak bisa melarikan diri sementara mengalami berbagai orde kebanggaan. Kemungkinan dipaksa menyaksikan setiap saudaraku disiksa dan dibasmi dengan cara yang mengerikan. Aku akan gila karena penyesalan."
Eden memahami pikiran Wei Wuyin. Usulan ini hanyalah ide terdesak, dan kemungkinan bisa bekerja sangatlah kecil. Masih harus diusulkan.
"Mari berpikir dari sudut yang lain: apa tujuan Malapetaka ini?" Wei Wuyin mengganti jalannya pemikirannya, mencari alternatif lain.
"Aku tahu! Aku tahu! Untuk membuat seseorang merasa penyesalan!" jawab Ori dengan semangat.
"Cukup sederhana. Tapi tak sepenuhnya benar. Aku punya penyesalan internal sekarang dan dengan setiap napas yang kuhirup, dan meskipun telah belajar untuk melaju melewatinya, menuju ke depan, tak berarti ia tak ada di dalam hatiku. Aku menyesal karena tak menemukan orang tuaku, adikku tewas melindungiku, kehilangan Dai Lin dan bayi yang tak lahir. Ini adalah penyesalan yang akan terus kuhirup, tidak peduli apa pun."
Wei Wuyin mengungkapkan kenangan menakutkan ini tanpa ragu-ragu, menunjukkan bahwa meskipun ia menyimpan penyesalan atas peristiwa ini, mereka tak lagi mengendalikan hidupnya. Malah, mereka memberikannya motivasi untuk ke depan yang ia pilih.
"……"
Ori menjadi hening. Suasana suram bersumber dari dirinya.
"Untuk membuat seseorang merasa penyesalan terhadap satu kenangan, kan? Kenangan yang kita alami berulang—deteriorasi hanya mempengaruhi itu," kata Kratos dengan sedikit keraguan.
"Benar! Hanya merespons terhadap penyesalan yang kubangkitkan dari kenangan itu. Dan dari apa yang kami tahu, jika aku berubah karena kenangan ini, maka aku juga akan menderita dari deteriorasi itu."
"Ke mana arah pemikiran ini menuju?" tanya Eden, yang selalu paling dekat dengan pemikiran Wei Wuyin, tak bisa tidak bertanya.
Wei Wuyin bergerak.
Langkah. Langkah. Langkah.
Kenangan hidup itu diputar ulang. Istri-istri surgawi, kesenangan yang menggoda, dan aroma menyenangkan yang diikuti dengan interupsi mendadak, pemotongan kemaluan yang malu, dan pemenggal kepala.
Kembali ke dalam kegelapan yang tak berujung.
Keempat Jiwa Astral itu bingung apa yang dilakukan Wei Wuyin.
"Aku tak tahu. Aku sedang mencoba merumuskan ide," jawab Wei Wuyin.
Langkah. Langkah. Langkah.
Kenangan hidup itu diputar ulang. Istri-istri surgawi, kesenangan yang menggoda, dan aroma menyenangkan yang diikuti dengan interupsi mendadak, pemotongan kemaluan yang malu, dan pemenggal kepala.
Kembali ke dalam kegelapan yang tak berujung.
"Ide apa?" tanya Kratos.
Langkah. Langkah. Langkah.
Kenangan hidup itu diputar ulang. Istri-istri surgawi, kesenangan yang menggoda, dan aroma menyenangkan yang diikuti dengan interupsi mendadak, pemotongan kemaluan yang malu, dan pemenggal kepala.
Kembali ke dalam kegelapan yang tak berujung.
"Bukankah ini hanya tindulan?" seru Ori dengan sedih.
Langkah. Langkah. Langkah.
Kenangan hidup itu diputar ulang. Istri-istri surgawi, kesenangan yang menggoda, dan aroma menyenangkan yang diikuti dengan interupsi mendadak, pemotongan kemaluan yang malu, dan pemenggal kepala.
Kembali ke dalam kegelapan yang tak berujung.
"Kreruuk!" Nada King penuh rasa penyadaran. Di antara semua jiwa, ia memiliki sifat yang paling tidak pernah merendah. Bahkan di hadapan peristiwa mengumbar ini, ia bisa tetap tenang dan fokus.
"Betul!" Wei Wuyin berseru dalam pikirannya. Maksud King di balik suara itu adalah satu kata: Memori!
Dari awal, ia berasumsi bahwa yang dialami adalah memorang kenangan yang sangat hidup yang berulang di pikirannya. Namun King telah menemukan celah kecil dalam logika ini.
Bagaimana bisa sebuah memori terasa seperti sedang hidupkannya sepenuhnya?
Ia, dengan kemungkinan kecil benar, pernah melintasi waktu dan hidup kembali seluruh hidupnya melalui memori dalam Malapetaka ini, namun memori itu terasa seperti yang pertama, tidak sama sekali dengan yang terakhir. Untuk hidup kembali
A few seconds prior, Wei Wuyin had stopped his third step. This prevented the vivid memory of Long Chen’s arrival from emerging, but the urge to continue forward within his soul kept reverberating with an increasing intensity. However, his thoughts were fiercely circulating within his mind as he recalled this calamity.
"What is it?" Ori asked innocently. It felt the changes in Wei Wuyin’s thoughts, but shockingly enough, the pace and pieces of his thoughts were swift, jumbled, and difficult to follow. It couldn’t even gleam into its intent. This didn’t only shock it, but Kratos and King were similarly baffled and concerned.
It was only Eden who was fluctuating at a similar frequency as Wei Wuyin. The speed of their thoughts were like faster than light mobility formations propelling the ship called the mind. They flowed smoothly together yet the outside could understand nothing.
After a few seconds, Wei Wuyin pressed his foot down and took the final step. He once again was brought to the beginning of his vivid memory.. The coquettish laughter of his female companion alongside the happy and content heavenly laughter of his others.
The beauties that surrounded him filled the room with an intoxicating fragrance that ignited one’s lust. He relived his ravaging of their soft and varied bodies, tasting them in every way imaginable. They were fierce, gentle, proactive, or passive. There were all types with every interest that could evoke his inner fire.
Ten heavenly beauties in total, all for his partaking. They didn’t really have any distinct faces, belonging to none of his actual women. He couldn’t tell their races immediately, and if he wanted them to be demons, they would be demons, and if he wanted them to be elves, they would be elves. They were everything and anything he wanted at the time.
He couldn’t recall their name, but if he said a name he liked, they responded with joyful laughter and a playful call out of their attendance before they ’attended’ him in all sorts of manner. A few used their mouths, swallowing and kissing with a gushing excitement and pleasured moans. They seemed to deeply enjoy making him feel incredibly good.
This was a heavenly bliss that all men who sought after a harem would desire. Furthermore, it even incorporated his ideal number when he was young—ten. This was his ideal dream.
Yet after a distorted sense of time later, what felt like both decades and minutes at the same time, all of it crumbled as Long Chen arrived as he always did. Without fail, he was unable to resist and was castrated in humiliation, and then forced to, as he was beheaded anr his consciousness faded, realize Long Chen’s dastardly intentions towards his idyllic harem.
In the end, he would suffer endless regret at neglecting his cultivation, leading him to experience such great loss.
Then, he would wake with the soul-stirring desire to continue forward in a world of darkness, what would normally be construed as death everlasting.
’ So it’s like that. ’
Those four words caused Ori, King and Kratos to become increasingly curious. They experienced the same things as Wei Wuyin did, but they lacked a few critical aspects that exemplified their roles as Spirits of Cultivation, not cultivators.
Kratos, who was a defier of things, suggested in confusion: "Should we escape?" The unease it felt after experiencing two close calls were horrifying to say the least.
"We wouldn’t be able to escape," Eden stated. The Calamity of Hell was inescapable, and if they did leave, who knew what consequences would await. After all, who knew if they could survive the outside world or escape the Heavenly Daos punishment trying to escape Hell. They were mere mortals, and they were Inheritors of Sin.
They couldn’t even swear Heavenly Oaths without being discovered, unable to find a Dao Companion. While the Scripture of Sin detailed the disadvantages of being discovered, the means to take if you are, these means were for those at the Realm of Sages with True Souls of Sin!
They were mere mortals.
Kratos released a faint dissatisfied roar, but it didn’t retort. It trusted Eden’s judgment more than anyone else’s. If it said they wouldn’t be able to escape, then it’ll wait for another option.
"Tch!" King added its two cents.
But Eden shut that down, "If slicing Hell apart was something we could do, why would we even be here?"
"Tch!!"
"If three swings doesn’t work, just continue until something gives? Really?" Eden’s tone grew exasperated. One wanted to escape, the other wanted to use its edge to end Hell. Were they all really born from the same soul?
"Hehe," Ori chuckled. It was just as uneasy as the rest, but with these siblings with it, how could it be fearful? Even if the heavens were after them, it felt that they would survive as long as they were together. As an Elemental Origin Astral Soul that was composed by the united fusion of nine different elements, giving birth to a greater whole, her thoughts aligned with that concept perfectly.
Eden laughingly sighed. At least Ori wasn’t reckless.
"Should we stop moving?" Eden asked, focusing its attention back to Wei Wuyin.
Wei Wuyin was still invested in his thoughts, only breaking away after hearing this question. ’ Yes. I’ve always believed my instincts. If we stop for too long, our soul will instantaneously explode. ’
"But is it possible?"
Wei Wuyin sighed in his thoughts, ’ You mean: Is my theory correct? ’
"Yes."
Wei Wuyin was truly unable to answer. However, he knew one thing for certain: he wasn’t able to survive this Calamity. All of his preparations led to him being more alert, not surprised by the endless darkness and the various changes. However, this only got him this far.
He didn’t know what other changes this Calamity would have, but he didn’t underestimate it. When he recalled the first Calamity, it was divided into increasingly difficult stages that contained varied trials. He had no doubt that this Calamity would experience similar changes, becoming increasingly difficult as well. If he experienced yet another erosion of his soul’s outer shell, he might meet his end even with his Astral Souls external support.
In fact, they might be influenced later on, affected by the isolation and imagery. If they all plunged into an inescapable swirl of regret somehow, it would truly be their end. To bet on this possibility was too dangerous.
He hated those odds.
Wei Wuyin had never been one to look for a single path, but to thoroughly understand, consider, and manipulate as much as possible in his favor.
’ If the First Calamity had a loophole, then so does this one. Actually, it might not be a loophole. ’ When this thought that was born out of desperation emerged in his mind a few seconds ago, he was brought into a chaotic swirl of varied theories.
"I can remove your memories, seal your sense of self like before." Eden suggested, but Wei Wuyin instantly refused.
’ Regret isn’t based on memories, but innate desires. A new ’me’ would fall deeper into regret from these events. After all, while my memories were taken away, my true self remained relatively consistent. Any man who just experienced a luxurious lifestyle filled with perfect heavenly beauties, enjoying unimaginable pleasures with utter content would feel regret at being unable to protect it, suffering humiliation due to their weakness.
’ I also can’t be certain if the vivid memory changes if my innate desires were altered. ’ Wei Wuyin explained with a ponderous tone.
"How insidious," Ori added.
"Indeed," Kratos quivered. If it was subjected to this Calamity, it might experience being caged in its truest form, forever unable to escape while suffering various indignities to its pride. Likely forced to watch as each of its siblings were tortured and abolished in horrendous ways. It would go mad with regret.
Eden understood Wei Wuyin’s thoughts. The suggestion was a last ditch idea, but the possibility of it working was unfathomably low. Still, it had to be suggested.
’ Let’s think about this from another angle: What’s the purpose of this Calamity? ’ Wei Wuyin changed his avenue of thought, seeking another alternative.
"I know! I know! To make one feel regret!" Ori answered excitedly.
’ Simple enough. But not entirely correct. I have internal regrets right now and with every breath I take, and while I’ve learned to push through them, to strive for the future, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist in my heart. I regret not finding my parents, my brother dying to protect me, losing Dai Lin and my unborn child. These are regrets that I’ll always feel, no matter what. ’ Wei Wuyin thought out these terrifying instances in his life without aversion, showing that, while he held regret over these events, they no longer dictated his life. Instead, they fueled his future that he chose.
"..." Ori went silent. A brooding feeling emanated from her.
"To make one feel regret towards a single memory, right? The memory we experience over and over—the deterioration only affects that." Kratos answered with a tinge of doubt.
’ Correct! It only responds to regret I feel from that particular memory. And from what we know, if I experience changes in myself because of that memory, then I’ll suffer as well from the deterioration .’
"What is this line of thinking leading to?" Eden, the one closest to Wei Wuyin’s thoughts, couldn’t help but ask.
Wei Wuyin moved.
Step. Step. Step.
The vivid memory replayed itself. The heavenly beauties, sensual pleasures, and pleasant smells followed by abrupt interruption, humiliating castration, and beheading.
He returned to the endless darkness.
The four Astral Souls were unsure of what Wei Wuyin was trying to do.
’I don’t know. I’m trying to formulate an idea. ’ Wei Wuyin answered.
Step. Step. Step.
The vivid memory replayed itself. The heavenly beauties, sensual pleasures, and pleasant smells followed by abrupt interruption, humiliating castration, and beheading.
He returned to the endless darkness.
"What idea?" Kratos asked.
Step. Step. Step.
The vivid memory replayed itself. The heavenly beauties, sensual pleasures, and pleasant smells followed by abrupt interruption, humiliating castration, and beheading.
He returned to the endless darkness.
"Isn’t this just torture!" Ori mournfully exclaimed.
Step. Step. Step.
The vivid memory replayed itself. The heavenly beauties, sensual pleasures, and pleasant smells followed by abrupt interruption, humiliating castration, and beheading.
He returned to the endless darkness.
"Tch!" King’s tone was filled with a hint of realization. Out of all the souls, it had the most unyielding nature. Even in the face of this disgusting event, it could remain calm and focused throughout.
’ That’s right! ’ Wei Wuyin shouted in his thoughts. King’s meaning behind that single sound was a single word: Memory!
From the beginning, he was under the assumption that what he experienced was an incredibly vivid memory that kept repeating in his thoughts. However, King had found out a slight chink in this train of thought.
How can a memory be as if he was reliving it entirely?
He had, with a slight possibility of being true, traveled through time before and had relived his entire life through memories in this very Calamity, yet the memory was more like the former, not even remotely similar as the latter. To relive a memory versus experiencing an event, there were two very different feelings between them.
What he realized through King was that this recurring event wasn’t a memory, but an actual event that kept repeating. He felt every touch, smelled every fragrance, and heard every laughter with a renewed sense.
"What do you mean its not a memory? You can’t...OH!" Eden was connected with Wei Wuyin’s thoughts, so it understood the things he did with much ease than others. It continued, "But is it possible? You haven’t changed anything before."
’ This Calamity is about regret. From the Scripture of Sin itself, Hell was devised by the Heavenly Daos to cleanse the Karmic Sin that would infect the River of Souls, polluting the cycle of reincarnation. It’s original means to handle this was exclusion or destruction. However, these actions could devastate the reincarnation cycle itself, losing powerful souls and balance.
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