Chapter 984: , the sunset is a natural law! (Major Chapter!)

PS：Yesterday, Tenshi personally witnessed all four teams of the Wen Shen Sword Tower being eliminated, with not a single team advancing to the venue, causing him to weep bitterly and faint on the spot, so he missed the update, but don't worry—Tenshi today delivers this super chapter of 5300 characters immediately!

The Peacock Bright King, full name Buddha Mother Great Bright Peacock Bright King, also known as the Great Peacock Bright King, Mahamayuri, Buddha Mother Great Peacock Bright King, etc. The newly manifested Peacock Bright King's Dharma Image wears white gauze light robes, has four arms on the back, the first right hand holds the unfurled lotus, the second right hand holds the karmic fruit, the first left hand holds the auspicious fruit at the heart center, the second left hand holds three or five peacock tail feathers, adorned with crown, necklace, earrings, armlets, riding the golden peacock king, seated in lotus position on a white lotus or blue-green flower, abiding in compassionate appearance.

This is not a combat-oriented Bright King.

However, this Bright King possesses the strongest ability: eliminating karmic obstacles.

To some extent, Uesugi Muneyuki bears too many causes from too many effects, too much hatred.

Yet the Peacock Bright King's ability is precisely to eliminate these.

Doesn't that sound complicated?

So simply put, if a murderer is sent to detention by Uesugi Muneyuki, and considering Japan may not impose the death penalty for decades, then this murderer might spend decades endlessly drawing circles on his bed plank, cursing him.

This is karmic obstacle.

However, the Peacock Bright King can eliminate and absorb such karmic obstacles; everyone's resentment and karmic ties toward Uesugi Muneyuki will be weakened and absorbed. With the Peacock Bright King, this murderer might, after drawing circles for a few months, have all his karmic obstacles and emotions consumed by the Peacock Bright King, gradually forgetting his hatred toward Uesugi and severing karmic ties.

After Uesugi Muneyuki absorbs enough energy, he will also wish him an early receipt of the death warrant, and in the next life, be a good person!

Congratulations, congratulations!

Chi Rui An's body is dissipating.

That massive, mountain-like skeletal outline fades slowly in the green light, the tentacles as if absorbed by the deep sea itself, turning from the tips into dark green light points, gradually sinking into the infinite void below.

Uesugi Muneyuki holds the Sword of Heavenly Clouds in one hand and embraces Miyawaki Sakura, floating within the green light's encirclement.

He feels the body in his arms slowly regaining temperature, the heartbeat faint but undeniably present, beat after beat.

But he does not immediately rise.

He still has questions.

【The last question.】He speaks: 【Old Gods, New Gods—what exactly are they? I understand you are the Creator, but I have still seen other things. Some pursue "ascension," "godhood," "becoming New Gods." What are these New Gods? How do they differ from Old Gods? And Akechi Mitsuhide……】

【Akechi Mitsuhide is Nankobo Tenkai, who lived until 1643, aged 115.】The green light pulses silently for an instant. 【Huh?】Uesugi Muneyuki's pupils contract sharply—if Akechi Mitsuhide is Nankobo Tenkai, then what is the bone ash on Hachijo Island? Chi Rui An's residual consciousness still responds: 【As for New Gods, New Gods are the purpose.】

That consciousness surges like tide: 【Your human world is a garden. This garden has its own soil, climate, and seasonal rhythms—that is what we Old Gods symbolize as the foundation. But the garden will always produce new species, new pests, new needs.】

【After the Old Gods depart, the garden continues to grow. When a problem—specifically a phenomenon that "cannot be explained by existing laws"—accumulates to sufficient weight, the natural logic tide will self-correct. It will coalesce in the depths of humanity's collective unconscious into a "concept."】【Are those concepts the New Gods?】

【New Gods are tools. We generate them to solve problems. They possess strong purpose and clear time limits. One era needs a "revenge" god, another a "harvest" god, another a "wisdom" god—each New God is a product born of demand, completing its task before returning to silence or being replaced by a new tool. You can imagine this world as a large AI model. Normally, it can handle everything. But as times change, new problems arise that the old model cannot solve. At such times, the depths of human consciousness automatically generate a "patch"—that is the New God.】

【After the patch is applied, the New God merges into the garden, so having completed their mission, they only need to sit quietly in Maha Bo, awaiting the next era.】

Uesugi Muneyuki falls silent for a moment, digesting these words—this content resembles what Mai Xuejie said before, but clearly Mai Xuejie withheld some things, perhaps unwilling to tell him, or perhaps she herself does not understand.

But feeling this way, New Gods are truly pitiful.

【And me?】Uesugi Muneyuki suddenly asks: 【What exactly am I? I am a transmigrator, unmarked by the logic tide, this stone in my right hand… Qinghui Stone—is it from the void? Why is it here, and what do I symbolize?】The green light flickers briefly, the tone of the pond seeming to carry a note of near approval: 【You are indeed different—your transmigration represents the world's self-rescue; in a sense, the world is gradually decaying, the rules left by the Old Gods are disintegrating, New Gods can only patch, tinker, and cannot truly solve the root problem.】

【What you represent—fear and death—is not a cultural phenomenon, not an era issue, not a vulnerability needing repair. They are natural phenomena. Like sunrise and sunset, like tides rising and falling, like birth, aging, sickness, death, like the alternation of joy, anger, sorrow, and fear. They arise not from purpose, nor belong to result, have no decline nor time limit. They are among the world's most fundamental laws.】

【Sunset is a natural law, but likewise, sunrise is the same—unstoppable by anyone!】Uesugi Muneyuki speaks subconsciously. White! Horse! Loyalty! Sincerity!

So I am also an astronomer!

Keke, the astronomer seems to have too many!

After the incident with Xiao Yinghua, Uesugi Muneyuki's mindset has changed—if previously his inner world policy was active defense, now he leans slightly toward proactive offense.

He suddenly understands many things.

Why he can breathe underwater, why he is immune to magic, why he can converse with the souls of the deceased, why Chi Rui An responds to his presence—because he is not a "tool" under the logic tide's laws.

He is a "natural phenomenon" directly born into this world from outside the logic tide.

His very existence is the rule, not a patch to the rule.

As the saying goes, "Heaven and Earth are not benevolent, treating all things as straw dogs"—referring to how, under the logic tide, all things are tools serving order, even the last Old God and first New God cannot escape their own limitations, forced to leave this world.

But Uesugi Muneyuki is not covered by the logic tide.

He can exploit bugs—or rather, he himself is the bug.

"A New God with an Old God's core" or "an Old God wearing a New God's exterior."

He lowers his head to gaze at Xiao Yinghua in his arms.

She still has her eyes closed, but her lips regain a hint of color, her brow slightly furrows, as if dreaming.

The green light gradually fades, Chi Rui An's residual consciousness dissipates at increasing speed, the light points as if pulled by some gravity, falling one by one into the deep void.

【Wanderer, I so wish, so wish to hear once more, humanity calling me Mother, I so wish, so wish, so wish to return to the past……that pure wildness and reproductive desire, that pure love and dependence—I have gone so long without hearing anyone call me Mother, only hatred, only debt, only estrangement and coldness, as long as everyone contributes a little love, this world will become a beautiful human realm……】】)

Uesugi Muneyuki tugs at the corner of his mouth, thinking, Great Mother God, ah, your so-called love is not the love everyone imagines—your love is pure animality, indulgence, sex, reproductive instinct, and pursuit of stimulation, the so-called "all things are empty, all things permitted."

The green light vanishes completely.

The abyss returns to ink-black darkness.

Uesugi Muneyuki floats in the darkness, embracing Xiao Yinghua, feeling the void beneath his feet being slowly drawn together by some force.

The torn rift is healing, the logic tide is re-covering this sea area.

He kicks his legs upward to float.

Around forty meters depth, Miyawaki Sakura's eyelid twitches slightly, she opens her eyes.

Those beautiful deer-like eyes take about three seconds to refocus.

She sees Uesugi Muneyuki's jawline and the collar above his collarbone soaked by seawater, her field of view is dim blue and blurred light leaking from afar, she feels herself slowly, unreally moving—being held by him as he rises.

"Uesugi……Mr.? Muneyuki? Where……is this?"

"This is Hell's Gate." Uesugi Muneyuki exhales deeply, despite being underwater, he still unconsciously rubs his eyes: "I just fought a resurrection match for you and Kobe, I elbowed him to victory, brought you back."

But who knows Xiao Yinghua, upon hearing this, furrows her brow: "Muneyuki……playing memes also needs moderation……this joke……not funny at all……""Pfft!" Uesugi Muneyuki is scolded.

Yet after being scolded, he cannot help but laugh, even gulps a mouthful of water……though he can breathe underwater, it doesn't matter: "Indeed, but……Sakura, you nearly died, this is not funny to me either!"

"Sorry……I……thought I died." Xiao Yinghua cannot help but say: "I thought……."

"Nearly was, no, not nearly—it was almost, if not for my elbow defeating Kobe and Feng." Uesugi Muneyuki turns his face, not wanting Xiao Yinghua to see his lingering fear.

"I……that downward look……saw……a tunnel……end……lake-green space……very bright……very quiet……" Uesugi Muneyuki holds her a little tighter: "That is not an illusion. That is the void. Where the Old Gods went after departing. Also the destination of all inner world beings."

You went there once, but now you're back.

Sakura's eyes suddenly welled up: "I'm sorry, I got excited!"

"No, it's not your fault, it's that I didn't handle it well." Uesugi Muneyuki immediately shook his head: "I was careless, I always thought... I shouldn't assume defense, but the way of thinking about things in the inner world is obviously different from normal people, or I underestimated the hatred between people, I don't even know their names, but they still plan to put people to death."

"... Come to think of it, it's strange, why can I still speak while in the water? Why do I feel like I can breathe underwater?" Sakura began to feel something was off.

"Don't panic, it's a technical adjustment." Uesugi Muneyuki said meaningfully: "You'll get used to it, what we need to do now is just go back to the ship, you take a hot shower and sleep well, and when we get to Fukuoka, I'll buy you a new cheongsam, stockings, and high heels!"

"Pervert... Muneyuki, you definitely have a fetish! Actually... if it weren't because you like it, I wouldn't wear stockings and high heels all day, walking is uncomfortable!" Sakura turned her face away, activated her complaining mode, seems she already learned Asuka's skill: "You think I wear these all day for you to see? Is it because I like them? Hmph~"

Uesugi Muneyuki instantly felt a bit heartbroken, thinking indeed, once you care about stabilizing Sakura Girl, she drops the act!

Give me back that Sakura who was initially trying to please people, shy yet ambitious, with eyes full of herself!

"Then... Hermès, LV, DIOR, Chanel! We'll go all out in Fukuoka, go on a shopping spree, max out Mai Elder Sister's black card!" "This can be done!" Sakura immediately nodded vigorously.

After she finished speaking, she closed her eyes for a moment, buried her face in his shoulder hollow, Uesugi Muneyuki felt her small arm slightly lift, fingers gripping his shoulder fabric, gripping very lightly, very lightly, as if confirming whether sensation exists, whether she is still alive or dreaming.

They continued to rise.

Moonlight shattered on the water surface into a large patch of silver-white light spots, swaying with the rising and falling waves, the searchlight on the starboard side of Asuka 11 shone down from above at an angle, like a golden Tirion Fordring plunged into the seawater.

At the moment Uesugi Muneyuki's head broke the water surface, he took big gulps of the damp, cold night wind above the sea surface, although he didn't need to breathe underwater, that breath of air still brought a sense of reality, letting him realize: he really came back. He brought Sakura back. He brought the Sword of Heavenly Clouds back. He brought back the answers obtained from the depths of the abyss.

Yes, children, I'm back!

His other hand instinctively tightened its grip on that sword.

At the instant the sword blade emerged from the water, the golden light rapidly retracted, turning into a sword that looks utterly unremarkable, bearing ancient copper rust patterns, soaked in seawater and gleaming brightly.

Divine Sword, Sword of Heavenly Clouds!

Looking at it this way, am I counting as one-third of an emperor, or can Sakura count as one-third of an emperor?

Similarly emerging from the water, Sakura in his arms violently coughed up, spitting out several mouthfuls of seawater.

She turned her face sideways, spat the seawater from the corner of her mouth, then took big gulps of air, her breathing rapid and clumsy, obviously still retaining human habits and instincts.

On the deck, Shirakawa Mai's hands gripped the railing, her knuckles turned white.

At the moment she saw the two people emerge from below the water surface, her entire shoulder felt as if something heavy had been pulled away, and it slumped down.

The experienced Mai Xuejie didn't shout, didn't call, just stared fixedly in that direction, her lips pressed tight.

Eto Miyabi stood beside her, half her body leaning out to look down. She saw Uesugi Muneyuki holding Miyawaki Sakura afloat on the water surface, the whole person shimmering under the moonlight from the sea's reflection, outline glowing, a dark-colored sword hung at his waist, origin unknown.

"Alright, up you come." Eto Miyabi said excitedly: "And you brought that child. She's fine, right! I said, no problem! Just some wind and frost! Is this still rare enough to trouble our Uesugi Chief?!"

"Sakura is still alive." Mai Xuejie's voice was calm, but her ending tone trembled slightly: "She's still alive!"

She turned and ran toward the gangway direction.

Boots stomping on the metal deck made rapid footsteps, she ran while shouting to the crew members following behind: "Drop the lifeboat ladder! Quickly drop the lifeboat ladder! Someone fell in the water! One one two people!"

The crew members frantically turned the winch.

The lifeboat ladder was slowly lowered from the ship's side, the rubber-made steps dangled down to a position near the sea surface.

Uesugi Muneyuki stood in the water, one hand supporting Sakura, the other hand grabbed the lifeboat ladder's mooring rope, single arm directly hauled up.

He pushed Sakura onto the steps first, then braced her back from behind, letting her slowly climb up.

Her hands and feet were weak, but she could still move, could still climb, one one each step awkward but solidly stepped on the rubber steps.

Mai Xuejie crouched at the top of the ladder, grabbed Sakura's wrist in one go, lifted her whole person from the ladder—action rough but precise, like a mother fishing a drowning child out of water.

At the instant Sakura was lifted onto the deck, her legs went soft and she knelt on the metal deck, hands bracing the deck, taking big gulps of air, soaked through, hair sticking to her face, looking miserable like a cat drenched by a downpour: "Phew, close call, close call, feels like I just had a very long dream!" Mai Xuejie didn't speak, she knelt down, pushed aside Sakura's bangs, confirmed her pupil reaction normal, breathing rapid but regular, heartbeat fast but rhythm stable, her body had more inner world aura, though she originally was an inner world existence.

She wrapped Sakura in her outer coat, tightened the collar, then turned her head toward the lifeboat ladder direction: "Muneyuki, all right?"

Uesugi Muneyuki was climbing up, he was soaked through, his trench coat clung to his body, when he climbed onto the deck he shook the water off his hair, glanced toward Mai's direction: "Don't worry, I'm definitely fine."

Mai Xuejie looked at him for two seconds, the first thing she said was: "Where did you get that sword?"

"Picked it up from the seabed."

"Picked it up from the seabed?! What joke are you playing? Can you pick up a sword from the seabed of the Kanmon Strait? Why don't you say you picked up one of the Three Sacred Treasures, the Divine Sword Sword of Heavenly Clouds?"

"This... I'll talk about it another day." Uesugi Muneyuki said: "First get her inside. She's been underwater too long, needs warming." Mai Xuejie didn't press further. She helped Sakura stand up, half-carried, half-held her toward the hatch direction.

Eto Miyabi then walked over, wanted to take off her coat to give Sakura to wear, but was refused, Sakura glanced at her, her eyes showed some displeasure, she gave an embarrassed smile, knowing she had to take some responsibility, but she didn't think she was wrong, just felt she wasn't careful enough, and besides, isn't Sakura fine anyway?

She instinctively looked toward Uesugi Muneyuki seeking affirmation.

Uesugi Muneyuki stood on the deck, soaked through, he glanced back at the sea surface. The water in that direction had completely returned to calm. Moonlight scattered on the waves, silver-white scales rippled with the sea's motion, nothing abnormal could be seen.

No green light, no tentacles, no void, no old gods, as if nothing had happened at all.

He turned around, saw Eto Miyabi, then saw the corpse and bloodstain on the deck, plus her expression of "little achievement-seeker" and "I'm not wrong, just careless," instantly his face broke into a moving smile.

"Miss Eto, could... come over for a moment? Just a moment!" He waved at Eto.

"Sure!"