Chapter 430: Apostles Gather, Ming's Disappointment

The sun's radiance gradually dimmed. Amidst the fractured hills and mountains, a sickly aura spewed incessantly from beneath the crust, and ominous purple crystal clusters spread and proliferated. Scattered all around were severed limbs and broken arms; those faces that still retained expressions were frozen in the final moments of their lives.

As his gaze swept over the lingering emotions of these afflicted ones, a trace of unspeakable pain flickered in the eyes of the witness, the Apostle Lie.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Amidst irrepressible coughing, he turned and walked into a camp on the edge of the hills.

Above the camp, a light source emitted a golden radiance. Although it also appeared dim, it still held enough lingering charm to provide a cleansing suppression, allowing the people inside, who were riddled with severe illness, to linger on in their agony.

Lie entered, immediately feeling a bit more at ease, and suppressed his cough.

However, the atmosphere in the camp was extremely oppressive. Although those coming and going were still dutifully performing their tasks, there was clearly a thick, uneasy anxiety brewing and spreading in the shadows, and they were evidently not optimistic about the future of the Holy Kingdom.

With a low sigh, Lie walked all the way to the center of the camp and lifted the curtain of a tent.

It was also silent and oppressive inside now. Because the curtain was lifted, the gazes cast toward him contained flashes of various violent impulses, making the situation appear even worse.

Individuals stood or sat, all bearing the fluorescent disease patterns of the crystal clusters on their bodies. In the tent where no lamps were lit and the radiance could not reach, they shimmered faintly with purple light.

Lie walked in, tugged at the corners of his mouth, and spoke with a sense of emotion: "I really didn't expect that we would actually have a day where we'd hold a meeting in such a stifling atmosphere."

Following his remark, Su, who was sitting in the main seat in the center, could not help but have his gaze flicker, and he nodded in agreement: "Indeed, in past gatherings, everyone was always lively and boisterous. This current state is truly the first time I've ever encountered such a thing."

As if their words had stirred up memories, the Apostles who had gathered here from all over the Holy Kingdom, while restraining their pain, saw their eyes flicker and brighten, as if it were the days of old.

"Let's save the sighs and idle chatter for after we're dead. For now, what is the situation exactly? Lie and I haven't been on the front lines, so we don't know as clearly as you do."

An leaned against the tent pole, her body already showing the shell-like formations of the crystal clusters. Her level of infection was in the first tier here, all because she had rushed over from the Holy Capital and had engaged in combat multiple times along the way, causing the infection to deepen rapidly.

"When I came over, the situation in the Holy Capital was already very dire. The consolidation His Majesty has built over the years seems to have been specifically targeted and has been infiltrated to a great extent. I estimate it won't be long before the perimeter defenses collapse completely."

"Do not worry. I have already sent people over. They will bring those who are still normal and can be saved to the Holy Spring Village that has already been set up. After this gathering ends, I will personally go to the Holy Capital to take command and tear apart all those lackeys secretly dispatched by the Dark God before everything is beyond saving."

Su answered slowly, incomparably steady, making people feel at ease.

Only after a pause did he utter other words: "Now, His Majesty has gone to the Holy Mausoleum, and Ming has also chosen to leave."

Many of the Apostles only knew of one of these things, and some did not know either.

Thus, there was some commotion upon hearing this.

"Ming, she..."

"His Majesty went to the Holy Mausoleum? Could it be?"

"Is he really going to create an Apostle? Although His Majesty once said he understood the method of creating life, he has never attempted it."

"The method of creation, is it really creation?"

The Apostles immediately began to discuss it.

As "Apostles," they knew very well that these so-called Apostles of theirs were actually just people who had been selected.

There was a purpose in this.

Artificial demotion, attempting to forbid the distortion of the Dao by removing the sanctity of the actual leader.

Artificial promotion, attempting to maintain the straightness of the Dao by elevating the sanctity of those who have distanced themselves from ordinary people.

That is roughly how it is.

Therefore.

"When all is said and done, is His Majesty really going to 'create' an Apostle?"

"The final Apostle..."

"There is no need to worry about His Majesty's state. If everything goes smoothly, then the remaining strength His Majesty possesses will not be used on that person. If it does not go smoothly, then that last remaining bit of strength will be used to trigger the hidden means."

Su, clearly aware of the inside story, spoke slowly: "In short, according to the worst-case scenario planned, no matter what, we must make the 'Final' appear!"

Lie gave a bitter smile upon hearing this: "Are we really going to make the youngest one appear no matter what?"

"Lie, we have no other choice now; we are just doing what we can."

"... Sigh."

Lie could not help but sigh, muttering to himself, "To just dump such a heavy burden on the youngest one, it really makes us older brothers and sisters seem useless!"

The Apostles looked at each other and smiled bitterly.

An spoke up to console him: "But no matter what, His Majesty will not let the 'Final' come to harm; this is the most basic premise."

"With the situation so perilous, how could it be possible to have the best of both worlds..."

"Lie, this is not a matter of doing what one can; this is a matter that must be accomplished!"

The Apostles appeared solemn, and Lie was stunned for a moment, only then realizing that he had been away from the front lines for a bit too long, and had lost quite a bit of his edge.

He fell into silence, slowly regaining his state, and then his eyes flickered: "However, Ming, is it really right not to tell her?"

"Haha, even if you told her, she wouldn't approve, would she?"

"And His Majesty does not wish to inform her, likely pinning some kind of expectation on it, so telling her in advance might only lead to a rebellious effect."

"If we don't tell her now, hasn't she already rebelled and gone over to the Dark God's side?"

"Uh, is it mainly because she's too young?"

"Heh, us old folks who are hundreds of years old, looking at a little girl not even thirty, would indeed feel that way."

"Who are you calling old?!"

"Haha..."

The Apostles chatted casually, and for a moment, it felt as if they had returned to the past.

Lie could not help but chuckle, then rubbed his chin.

"In any case, we can't really just wash our hands of this, can we?"

"Oh? Do you have any ideas?"

Su asked.

Lie then stated his thoughts.

The Apostles fell into silence once again.

"But if that happens, I fear that once we fall into madness, it will be extremely thorough, a complete distortion."

An spoke with some hesitation.

Lie's voice was a bit choked, because he knew his suggestion would cause his companions to fall completely into depravity at the end of their lives, but he still spoke softly: "But we can't just pass away like that, can we?"

"Indeed, whether it is the black curtain in the sky, the mad Dark God, or whatever other things might appear—for instance, the youngest one's situation is special, and the means secretly left by His Majesty are also ineffective... we really cannot just die and be done with it, completely dumping the problem onto those who are still alive."

"Then let's do it!" "It's in your hands, Lie."

"You will likely be the one in the most pain."

"But if possible, before you find release, get rid of our remains first."

"Yes, yes, yes, it's best to throw them in front of Ming. After her pathological change, not only was she completely unaffected, but she also gained rapid strengthening. Sigh, we always kept things from her; having her give us a beating at the very end to vent her anger can be considered killing two birds with one stone."

"That is clearly you wanting to vent your own anger!"

"Anyway, it makes no difference; either way, it's letting her give us a beating. Of course, I will definitely hit back."

"I feel there is still quite a big difference..."

Regardless, on the eve of their separation, the Apostles reached a consensus.

You also have an alien sister?

At this very moment, Du En looked toward Jiang Ying, unable to help but reveal such a gaze.

She was currently very irritable, or rather uneasy. Feeling the gaze from this side that revealed a hint of emotion, she immediately spoke in a low voice to the person opposite: "Sure enough, you are the one that dog thief made to replace me, aren't you?!"

The same face, the same supreme physical body; what was not the same was that the other party was stronger and more mature than herself!

It was normal for Jiang Ying to think this way.

It also proved she didn't have a sister at all; of course, it was also possible she didn't know? "Ming..."

The Holy God spoke at this moment, the tone somewhat inexplicable.

"Your Majesty, there is no need to say anything more now. If I still had any hesitation or doubt before, then after seeing this 'mother body,' I have already made up my mind completely."

Ming only had these words, quite aggressive, her hostile gaze cast toward Du En's side.

As for Jiang Ying, although she was the "mother body" and the source of infection, she was not held in any regard by her.

The Holy God only sighed lightly, as if prepared long ago. Accompanied by the rising light, a brilliant golden ring suddenly appeared under Ming's feet, and a flash revealed a light-pulse passage.

"You?!"

She was startled, subconsciously exerting great force. Although she did not fall in and get teleported away, she was momentarily stopped in her tracks, only able to watch helplessly as Du En quickly brushed past her and rushed into the palace in one breath.

Jiang Ying took the opportunity to catch her breath, her physical injuries recovering quite a bit. She stepped forward, appearing between Ming and the palace, and gave a somewhat cold, toothy grin at her, who had already broken through the restraints.

"If you want to pass, step over my corpse first!"

Facing Ming, who was exactly like her but more excellent, she felt a nameless sense of danger and crisis. Her hostility was incomparably intense, and the magic power in her body surged violently.

Furthermore, puppet after puppet of the Fifth Rank had already flown over, hovering and patrolling in the air, eyeing her covetously, surrounding Ming.

Delaying tactics.

A situation clear at a glance.

Ming turned back, looking toward the palace, her gaze flickering for a moment, and muttered to herself: "Although it is something to stop, something that must be stopped, I am actually not too anxious. Heh, it seems I still cannot manage to be cold-blooded and turn a blind eye."

Glancing at the bloodstains of the Dark King that she had wiped away with the aftershock on the side, she knew very well that she had actually done it on purpose just now.

"Haha, you guy, actually..."

"Shut up."

Jiang Ying was listening to her words and was just about to mock and ridicule her, but immediately received a reprimand, and subconsciously really shut her mouth.

It was the scene of being violently beaten last time that involuntarily surfaced in her mind.

At that time, the other party did not have the talent of a weak heaven-gifted genius; she was a strong genius just like herself. Logically speaking, although there was a small gap in cultivation—both were at the early stage of Spirit Severing—it shouldn't have been such a miserable defeat without the enemy using Divine Remains treasures; it was simply one-sided.

But the result was that Jiang Ying lost, lost so miserably! Because one part of the other party's strength could exert the weight of twelve, or even fifteen parts! Because the gap in their state of mind was too obvious! "Naive, fragile, passive, goal-less, lazy and slack, insufficient training..."

Facing the covetous puppets, seemingly knowing that it was not suitable to go and obstruct Du En without clearing this side first, Ming quickly changed her strategy. Her words were cold and icy, spitting out words like nails that pierced straight into Jiang Ying's heart.

She was immediately annoyed and ashamed: "Don't put on a look like my mother to lecture me!"

"Indeed, I am not your mother; rather, it is the opposite. You should actually be considered my mother, a mother source in the sense of Dao cultivation."

"Ah?"

Jiang Ying's annoyance and nervousness, all sorts of emotions, were stuck for a moment.

Then she reacted, secretly crying out that it was bad.

However, the blocking movement she made in panic did not actually block anything.

Because Ming did not take the opportunity to launch a sneak attack at all.

Facing the cold gaze from this side, Jiang Ying did not know if she should be embarrassed or act as if nothing had happened, her gaze flickering uncertainly for a moment.

"I am very disappointed."

Ming spoke again at this time, and as she spoke, something seemed to be officially brewing. The puppet groups were all faintly restless. Within each puppet body, the core was brewing something, and the magic tool spines even revealed various instrument prohibitions, flickering rhythmically like playing a zither.

"Watching yourself gradually turn into another person, obtaining another person's face and body, the change occurring from the source, or rather erosion, and then growth, finally obtaining this appearance."

Ming slowly clenched her fists. Jiang Ying involuntarily broke out in a cold sweat, her legs unable to stop trembling.

"From the day I realized my change, I couldn't help but think: what kind of existence is the mother source that made me like this? Powerful, ruthless, depraved, terrifying... After all, this is the mother source capable of creating me, creating the Fluorite Disease. But in the end, I saw you."

Ming had prepared so much for this, constantly working hard, constantly struggling, constantly cultivating bitterly. But when she really met her, she discovered: so weak, really so weak!

Not to mention physical development and cultivation realm, the weakness in her Dao heart was what shocked her the most.

Wavering, without a goal, or rather, not daring to have a goal, only daring to poke her head out from time to time, then quickly shrinking back again. When facing the original, she shrank even more.

"So, I am very disappointed."

"It wasn't me, those things weren't done by me!"

Jiang Ying couldn't help but scream.

"I know."

Ming's single sentence directly cut off her clamor.

"The master of the stars, the black curtain that transcends the gods, that true monarch... I have long known these things, and through the youthful state of the Mother Source, I have long known that you are a person of about the same age as me."

"However, so what?"

Ming's counter-question left Jiang Ying speechless and stammering.

"... You really did learn a bad habit from His/Her Excellency."

Ming seemed to want to say something more, as if feeling a sense of 'iron not becoming steel', but then suddenly realized something, muttered a sentence in a low voice, and then, feeling that enough had been built up, said nothing more.

(End of this chapter)