Chapter 230 - 38: The Pressure Is on Me
Only the very tips of their fingers touched, just a hair’s breadth of contact. Even so, maintaining that tenuous connection was an immense struggle for Westheid. A powerful repulsive force nearly tore his flesh from his bones, and half his body endured an agony akin to death by a thousand cuts.
Despite this, the man with black hair and purple eyes managed to force a smile and said,
"I think we’ve gotten closer."
Wan Qi stared blankly at their fingertips. In the candlelight, her eyes were like brilliant, deep rubies, shimmering through a hazy mist.
"Mm."
The Master of Extinction nodded lightly, and energy like a molten current flowed from her fair arm, through their point of contact at her fingertip, and into Westheid’s body.
"Accept this, my love. It was for you that I grew so powerful... even if I have forgotten what you said."
[You are bound by a contract with the Demon, "Master of Extinction"]
[Talent "Evil Magic Vein" has activated]
[Establishing connection...]
[Main connection established. Sub-connection authority granted.]
This was the most useful application yet of the Evil Magic Vein he shared with Hecate. Thanks to it, Westheid could receive and contain Wan Qi’s power without any obstruction.
Although Westheid didn’t often use Demon Power himself, he could now grant this authority to others.
’It seems I can secure the Ring of Clear Skies without a problem now.’
He struggled to maintain contact with her fingertip for a quarter of an hour before he finally pulled away, unable to bear the strain any longer.
"HUFF... HUFF... HUFF..."
Wan Qi gazed at the pale-faced man and said softly,
"My love, you are exhausted."
"These experiences are too much for you all at once. Perhaps you should take some time to process them."
"Yes, I should go. Until next time."
Westheid nodded. ’He knew what he’d said wasn’t quite right. Theoretically, he’d never actually met Wan Qi; this was just a connection established through Shadow-Born.’
The connection was so fragile that even simple acts like transferring power or forging a contract were incredibly strenuous.
All Demons were sealed in the abyss beneath the Mortal World. They would only have a chance to break free after contact with the Celestial Gods was lost.
"Goodbye... I will look forward to it."
Wan Qi settled back onto her throne and waved a gentle farewell. One by one, the candles at the foot of her throne flickered out. Westheid felt as if he were swimming up from the depths of the ocean. The moment he broke the surface, he was pulled from the Imaginary Space.
Opening his eyes again, Westheid was back in his bedroom. He looked out the window; the light of dawn was just breaking over the horizon. He glanced at the time and date on the screen by his bed.
’So it’s only been two days and one night?’
Compared to the decades, even centuries, of memories he had experienced, the actual time that had passed was fleeting. It felt to Westheid as if a lifetime had gone by.
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and lay back on the bed.
Witnessing and experiencing the memories of the Master of Extinction had been incredibly beneficial, and not just because he had obtained a stable source of Demon Power or learned the combat techniques of an ultimate Powerhouse.
More importantly, he had witnessed the Ascension of the very first Celestial God. That vast and magnificent miracle filled him with such yearning that he trembled with excitement.
’There’s nothing wrong with my path. If I follow my plan for Ascension step by step, I’ll definitely be able to set foot on the Ascension Ladder!’
’If Wan Qi could do it, so can I!’
However, Westheid hadn’t forgotten the promise he made to Wan Qi—to free her from her predicament as a Demon and reclaim her past memories.
Big words were easy to say, but achieving them would be difficult. Freeing her would be simple enough; he just had to wait for Chaos to make its move soon. Without the Celestial Gods’ seal, the Demons could break their shackles with their own power.
But to reclaim the beauty of the past and make the Master of Extinction whole again, that would inevitably mean confronting the Celestial Vault Kingdom, and even the Venerable Master of the Azure Heaven.
Currently, it was unclear what kind of existence the Venerable Master of the Azure Heaven had become. In other words, how deep was Wan Qi’s fall? Had she only brought a part of her personality and memories down with her, or had all her humanity been cast aside?
The difference between these two possibilities was enormous. In the worst-case scenario, Westheid would have to face the entire Celestial Vault Kingdom... and even become an enemy of the Celestial Gods themselves.
’Yikes—suddenly, all the pressure is on me.’
’Going up against the strongest nation in the Mortal World, even contending with Celestial Gods... just thinking about it is enough to make me break out in a cold sweat.’
But pressure had never crushed Westheid. Having just witnessed an Ascension, the hardcore power-gamer was now in a state of high excitement, and he couldn’t wait to turn this pressure into motivation!
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
Just then, a knock came at the door.
"Brother, are you still resting?"
Westheid said, "I’m jerking off."
"Oh, is that so? Then I’m coming in."
Hearing this, Yolanda promptly swiped her card and entered. The platinum-blonde girl saw Westheid lying on the bed and pursed her lips.
"Tch, you’re not jerking off?"
Westheid said, "Why do you sound a little disappointed? It was obviously a joke."
The beautiful and elegant, Fairy-like girl tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her cheeks flushed, and said faintly,
"I just figured that if it was you, Brother, you’d actually do something like that. Besides, you were asleep nearly all of yesterday, which is very unusual. I was worried about your Status. But if you have enough vigorous energy to... vent, then it means you’re fine."
"Is that so? Well, thank you so much for your concern."
Westheid watched his sister’s little expression with great amusement. Yolanda wasn’t good at lying, but she was good at selectively telling the truth.
"No need for thanks. After all, you are the absolute core of the Qinghui Territory and our family. Your physical and mental well-being is a concern for us all."
Yolanda shook her head and said with great solemnity,
"Brother, since you are well, please allow me to report yesterday’s and today’s briefings to you."
Westheid pillowed his head on his arms and waved his hand.
"Go ahead. As long as it’s beneficial to the territory’s development, you can proceed directly."
Yolanda picked up a document and began to read the briefings.
"The urban planning and design for the original Qinghui Territory is complete. All that’s left is to wait for the automated construction modules to finish their work."
"The purification of the Chaos Corruption is also complete. The receding Chaos left behind a lot of Extraordinary Materials, and I’ve already organized teams to collect them."
"The class-change materials you prepared before are almost depleted. More Purity People Warriors are waiting to change classes."
"Also, the Ancestor wishes to expand the area of the Holy Land. This will require renovating and expanding the Magic Pool, and the use of resources requires your approval."
"In addition, Miss Hecate sent a message. Her lobbying in the Ring of Clear Skies has been effective. She will bring several Witches with her to the Qinghui Territory."
"The Witches from the Ring of Clear Skies are coming as a group?"
Westheid had listened to all the other briefings with composure, giving replies from time to time.
But upon hearing this news, he couldn’t sit still and immediately sat up.
Yolanda asked, "Brother, what are your thoughts?"
"Welcome them? Of course we’ll welcome them."
Westheid had just completed his contract with Wan Qi. This was the perfect time to show what he could do.
Duke Qinghui smiled confidently.
"I’ll make them an offer they can’t refuse."