Chapter 37 - Accept the reality

What shapes the personality?

One could say it is the environment they live in, people they meet, emotions they experience... That is indeed true.

But, why was his personality change so sudden? As if the criminal inside of him came out when given freedom.

There wasn't the issue of if he regretted killing someone, or he would not kill someone. It's the feelings he get after killing them...None.

For most cultivators, killing was of course normal from time to time. But, it's not like they don't feel anything about it. They do.

It's not like Luan didn't thought of it when he was in the cart. He even asked the system why he didn't feel anything after killing them. The system's answer was to his shocking,「There are some bloodlines that provoke people and their emotions thus, shaping their personality. However that is not the case for you. You have no bloodline.」

「The reason why you did not feel anything is because you have not completely accepted yourself」

He didn't meet many people as he was always living in the sky, thus, he lived in an positive environment, far from killing. The emotions he felt were positive joy, awe, inspiration, intrest, love. Again far from killing. Only a few time did he feel negative emotions.

...And the day he felt immense negative emotions, he was unable to handle them. He locked them in the depths of his heart.

There were often times when he did not fully understand the emotions he felt.

Killing the beasts? He thought what he felt was 'fun'. The feeling of hurting a species that couldn't even speak for itself, what he felt was in reality, Pain.

He was always like this. The moment he was born.

He started easing his heart a bit more, just a bit more than before. His emotions then started flowing out of him. Then, he realized how lonely he was, the pain of loosing the first people he has ever seen was tremendous to handle.

He then squeezed his heart again, blocking his emotions, but not long after that, he let them out again.

"I'm sorry." He apologized. This apology was for every single beast he hurted. Every beast that wanted to live, but because of him, they had to embrace death.

To escape from this place, he has to understand himself.

He closed his eyes and accepted his feelings.

Eventually, the world around luan charged. The people seeme to have stopped acting. They showed zero emotions before fading away.

「 Enlightenment has been achieved. The individual's soul is strengthening greatly.」

Upon opening his eyes, luan noticed that he was fresh. His emotions were back and his mind was more organized than before. He could see himself in a completely new way and the world around him.

•••

After a certain amount of time, Alden's eyes became warm. He started remembering about the experiences

"Remember the time we used to explore the hidden places and say that they were haunted? The time when we thought our group will never seperate? I thought that too."

[This kid is interesting.] The figure thought. He was looking him from the shadows.

"It was...my mistake." He said, "I was never a good leader. All I did was hide behind you. Everyday. I thought I was something out there...But that was just the false assumption of mine."

"...'Immortalize'. We used to say some pretty weird things didn't...we?" He said as he breathed started loosing consciousness for the last him.

[I guess this is as far as you go, kiddo.] The figure said. Then he disappeared.

"...But one thing was true. I never forget that day. Not once after that-"

A bright light blinded the two of them and Alden was pushed from the place into the forest.

This happened before anyone could think or do anything.

Standing before him, was no other than Luan and the purple haired Angela.

"...Wha..." Due to the loss of oxygen for some time, Alden fainted before saying anything. There was also the pressure of traveling suddenly.

...

[I thought you would bring forth a change in this world in the upcoming years...Your potential is lost.] The figure reappeared in a forest.

This forest is the connecting place of his spatial technique. Everyone that survived the first trial is brought here and faints until their second trial is completed.

[Now to see that kid with white hair.] He said, [I don't really like that kid. He reminds me of the Otherworlders.]

[His looks and how he thinks is the same as them. Well to an extent... Although it is impossible as everyone of them died of old age or in battle. Only my fey remained.]

[Finding a successor is hard indeed.]

He reached to the place luan was fainted. But he narrowed his eyes when he saw no one there.

[That kid. He has gotten out?]

He flew in the sky and spread his consciousness around the forest.

Swoosh

[There he is] The figure thought. Luan was standing beside a tree where Angela was sleeping. His fingers were placed on her forehead. And she woke up.

"So you're that guy?" He turned his head more than 180° and acknowledged the existence of the consciousness watching him.

!

[How did he sense it?] The figure immediately withdrew his consciousness and said to himself, [I've never seen this... Does he have immense Soul power at such an early cultivation base?]

...

Some time ago

Angela, even after sustaining major damage, did not give up. She kept standing again, and again, and again.

"Give up." The elf said.

"N-no!"

Watching the struggle of the girl, they decided to tell her something, "Clear the misunderstanding of the world. Then you may get out of this place." The half cat said.

"Mis...belief?" She asked in between panting.

"That is all we can tell you."

The two moved fast and their ferocious attacks rained upon her. She started thinking about what was wrong with her. The trial's meaning and importance.

Then she realized what was it just a bit clearly.

'Only two?' She thought.

In the haunted city, they found out about the different races that exist in this world. Many of the races decided to seclude themselves from the world or are treated as slaves.

But she didn't meet any of them nor did luan. Now that she's thinking about it. It looked weird to her.

She thought, even if the chances of that happening were low...This place has something to do with finding their place in the races.

'Are they telling me... to except the human nature?' She thought.

She closed her eyes and excepted that she's human. She concentrated on how humans are the 'hero races'.

Swish!

Nothing happened

The only sound she heard was the sound of the arrow being a meter away from her heart.

!

Upon seeing the death before her, she moved Instictively. Though, the arrow still hit her. However, she was fortunate enough to direct it to the left side of her body at the last second.

"Krkh!" The arrow pierced the left side of her body and she spitted blood.

She collapsed on the ground.

"You failed to realize the truth." The half cat said emotionless.

"Truth...?" Tears welled up in her eyes. She felt her throat closing up and tears streamed down her face.

"Scary..." This was the first time she was away from luan and had to fight a death battle. What she felt? She was certainly not annoyed. Only feeling of loneliness remained. The feeling of not meeting her loved one every again. To think they had to part so soon.

As she closed her eyes, she bagan seeing her soul getting out of the plane. And the next instance, she was in the forest as well. Her wound seem to have vanished too.

"Don't worry. Rest well." Luan said. Angela closed her eyes and went into deep sleep.

"... What is this place?" He thought, "I clearly saw her wounds, but they aren't there anymore."

Ding,

「The two of you were in a mind spell. Everything that happened until now was in your minds. However, the death in that place is also the death in the real world. 」

Woosh

"Is that so?" He said and then all if a sudden he felt an ominous presence looking at them, "It was you?" His eyes looked calm but threatening.

...

Meanwhile Akio...

"Damn! Why is it so expensive?" He complained and gave the guard the money.

"I'll remember this...! Kidding." He went inside the dungeon after having a short ''conversation'' with the guard.

"I can smell death in the air." He grinned maliciously while emerging from the darkness.