Chapter 522: Fulfillment

“So… have you always been an Infernal Judge?” Zhou Xianlong asked softly. It was evident that he didn’t want to believe the reality before his eyes if he could help it.

“No.” Qin Ye responded curtly. He wasn’t in the mood to talk. There were times when people were filled with epiphanies that forced them to mature and grow up in just a short span of time. He was in that state right now.

“I’ve got no time.” Qin Ye sighed softly. Then, gathering his thoughts, he scanned the expressions of each investigator around, “Why bother asking? You probably knew my response anyway.”

Zhou Xianlong shook his head, “Not everything can be labelled with right or wrong.”

“Besides, it’s not as though we can simply let you off scot-free. Even murderers could be a good husband or son to their loved ones. The mortal realm can no longer afford to live with the uncertainties to your identity. ‘Who you are’, and ‘what are you’, are questions that the government will need full clarity on. We cannot afford to let such critical variables go unchecked anymore.”

Qin Ye sighed. That’s right. We’re all discharging our obligations and duties. Zhou Xianlong has set aside his relationship with his mentee for the sake of his overarching duties and responsibilities. Likewise, Lin Han and Su Feng are clearly also struggling right now.

To think that Zhou Xianlong would still be teaching me such a crucial lesson at times like these…

He’d already fixed the date of negotiations with the mortal realm to be in approximately two years time. At that time, Hell would already have several provinces under its control, and it would be far better placed to negotiate with the mortal realm than in front of Hell’s gate right now.

Qin Ye glanced at his hand, calmly sensing the slight warmth exuding from the heart of his palms, “Are you certain that you want to fight me?”

Lin Han’s lips parted, but he chose to swallow his words.

“You, too, would understand the weight on my shoulders when you go through the multitude of dossiers describing how families can’t sleep at night, and how infants and childrens are so terrified of the dark that they’d only fall asleep in the warm embrace of their parents.”

That’s right… I should have known that the mortal realm would never trust Hell.

Could the mortal realm truly accept Hell’s claims after hearing nothing from them for a hundred years on end?

Who would’ve thought that the very same people who welcomed me with open arms back then would one day stand before me, brandishing their weapons?

Life was like a stream, and men are like the fish within, swimming along, wondering where the turbulent currents would carry them. Some would find their way into larger rivers, while others would enter a massive lake.

He could tell that his life in the mortal realm was slowly drifting away.

I’ve long known that this day would come, but who knew it would come so suddenly and unexpectedly?

His abilities had clearly fallen beneath the realms of an Abyssal Prefect under the effects of the demonic lady’s spell. This, coupled with the leaves of the peach tree that grants them vision of the unseen, filled the investigators with confidence to move against Qin Ye.

BOOM! Dust scattered everywhere, and Mo Changhao was sent flying back dozens of meters in abject shock. He turned back fiercely and bellowed at the top of his voice, “What are you still waiting for?!”

“Do it!” Zhou Xianlong boomed. Electricity arced from his seven apertures as he sprang into motion like the descent of a god of lightning.

There were many things on his mind right now, and he wanted nothing more than to find a quiet place where he could sort through his thoughts.

Even then, the thought of Hell’s prospects reinvigorated him. He finally had some clarity as to the path he should be taking.

Meanwhile, the investigators sprung into action. Mo Changhao boomed, “Be careful! He’s a true blue Infernal Judge. You can’t afford to grow complacent!”

Mo Changhao suddenly roared in fury. Qin Ye glanced over coldly, only to realize that… Lin Han hadn’t made a move.

“You… bastards!!” Zhou Xianlong gritted his teeth and cursed. However, he knew better than to pause right in the middle of the battle to berate his own students. The terrifying Prefect-class duel that took place just moments ago was still lingering in their minds. He couldn’t afford to take Qin Ye lightly.

Whoosh! Several artifacts plunged straight through Qin Ye’s body. Unfortunately, all that remained was no more than an illusory body composed entirely out of Yin energy. Just then, a soft sigh resounded through the air.

It was a sigh of resignation. He’d completely given up.

Furthermore, it was also a sigh that told them he was finally cutting off all ties with the mortal realm. The next time they meet would naturally be during the upcoming negotiations between Hell and the mortal realm.

Lin Han’s lips trembled softly as he took a few steps forward. The memories that they shared during their time at the First Academy of Cultivators surfaced in his mind once more. Everything appeared completely dissonant next to the present sight of albatrosses desperately attempting to trap Qin Ye in the heart of their Big Dipper Archfiend Array. He knew full well that joining the fray was the right thing to do, but… his hands felt incomparably heavy. He simply couldn’t bring himself to lift his hands against Qin Ye.

“He’s leaving!” Mo Changhao shouted, “All who are still mobile are to seal off all paths of escape! This is an order!!”

Order…

I’ll just block a random one… that should suffice…

Fate sure had its way with people.

“Stop him!!” Zhou Xianlong’s voice boomed from behind them. Su Feng and Lin Han’s bodies trembled as they began to summon the true energy from within their bodies. They each held a talisman that emitted an ancient, austere aura.

Whoosh… The talisman glowed with a silver light. A split second later, Qin Ye abruptly raised his hand and grabbed Lin Han with an arm congealed out of Yin energy.

Pak… It had been a year since the two last met, and the first thing they did was to exchange blows again. They stood less than a meter away from each other, and either could see the expression in the other’s eyes.

He didn’t think that Lin Han would actually attack him. That said, even if he did, he wouldn’t be surprised.

That said… it didn’t change the fact that his heart was incredibly heavy right now.

As expected… The mortal realm isn’t quite worth it.

Many know that extreme sorrow brings about weariness. But few would know that heaping yet even more sorrow upon a weary heart would instead bring about peace and tranquility.

Just like an artifact that had lost its source of energy, the tessellated pattern of hexes quickly dimmed as it flowed back into the heart of the talisman.

“But… thanks.”

“Why did you have to hide all this from us?!”

“Instructor Lin! What are you doing?!!” Zhou Xianlong and Mo Changhao roared at him from behind.

“Well then… farewell.”

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Farewell… It’s not even ‘see you again’... Lin Han slumped back against a nearby tree with a blank look in his eye. He could feel a lump swell up in his throat, rendering him completely speechless.

“After all the hard work that we’ve put in, you’ve… single-handedly put all of our efforts to waste! Where is your sense of duty?!”