"If there is another life, I don't want to return as a human. Human hearts are treacherous. If I must live again as a human, then I will become the most wicked person, so no one can ever betray me."
"If there is another life, I will become that young master! What harm is there in killing people?"
"If there is another life, I will slaughter everything for thousands of miles…"
"In my next life…"
The golden light had almost completely disappeared from Lu Yin. Countless voices and images filled his mind as he was forced to experience the worst torture produced by human evil. He clutched his head while muttering to himself, "If there is another life, I will become that young master. If there is another next life, I will become that official. If there is another life, I will become that master. I will be that father and son who repay kindness with evil. I…"
Lu Yin suddenly flung back his head and howled at the sky.
Lu Yuan immediately wanted to rush over, but Wu Tian stopped him. "Don't. Right now, he can only overcome this on his own. Since he has received the support and desires of countless creatures, he needs to endure this karma now. This is not something that you or I can help him with. Even if you manage to save him now, he will simply fall the next time."
Lu Yuan's face grew pale and he gritted his teeth. "Little Seven, endure! Get through this!"
There was nothing darker than human nature. The Aeternals clearly saw human emotions and thought of them as a weakness, which is why they were able to defeat humanity. Lu Yin had survived one disaster after another. Even when multiple universes had overlapped in order to destroy him, or when he had suffered a seemingly endless tribulation, he had been able to endure it all because he had not been alone. There had always been many people supporting him. Even if parallel universes tried to crush him, Lu Yin would always have countless people supporting him, and that had caused the Origin Universe to push those various parallel universes back.
Lu Yin had already reaped the rewards, and now he needed to pay the price.
He was down on one knee, sweat streaming from his body. His pupils were constantly fluctuating. What he was experiencing was not anything that could be overcome with mere strength. As long as one was human, as long as they had a sense of morality, the pain would only grow worse. The better the person, the more twisted they were capable of becoming after crossing their bottom line.
Lu Yin had always held firm to his bottom line, but what he was seeing and hearing during his tribulation shattered that line entirely.
It was as though he became that father and son, that young master, that official, that master. If he fell into this oblivion, he would become even more evil than any of them, and he would no longer be Lu Yin.
This was the true test of Heart Refinement.
In the Origin Universe, a Progenitor’s tribulation involved questioning the heart. Lu Yin had already broken through with his Dust World and Infinity, but neither tribulation had included questioning the heart. That had led him to believe that that specific tribulation was unique to the Origin Universe. The reality was that this heart-refinement tribulation had always been waiting for him.
He became countless villains from across the entire universe and committed countless evil deeds. This tribulation was more infernal than any other, as Lu Yin was unable to pull himself out of the abyss. That bottom line that he had always adhered to acted like a noose that tightened around his throat.
More and more voices rang out, louder and louder each time.
Lu Yin closed his eyes. Suddenly, they snapped wide open. He smashed a fist into the ground, breaking the Scourge open.
“Good or evil, both are part of human nature. I can enjoy the good side of humanity, which means that I can also confront the evil side.
“So what if there’s evil? What does it matter if there is darkness in human nature? I have always believed that humanity’s goodness outweighs our evil. I have seen too many beautiful things: family love, romantic love, friendship. I have seen fathers and sons die for humanity, couples face death without regret, and heroes die on the battlefield with smiles on their faces.
“You think these evil scenes can replace the goodness in human nature? Ridiculous! Be gone!” With a roar, Lu Yin shot to his feet, waving his right hand. The darkness scattered, and he was once again enveloped by light. However, it was not enough. The deep darkness formed pairs of sinister and laughing eyes that closed in, attempting to drown him.
Lu Yin took a deep breath and looked up at the Wordless Heavenly Book. Slowly, he spoke. “Since I have received the desires of all creatures, I will hear it all, good or evil. I am willing to use the good of all creatures to spend my life crossing the endless sea of evil. Disperse for me.”
The Wordless Heavenly Book suddenly erupted with golden light that pierced both the sky and True God’s Heaven-Transforming Technique. The light shot towards the Fifth Mainland and the Origin Universe as a whole. It even targeted the Sixverse Association.
In the Origin Universe, everyone looked up at a golden light that blossomed in the depths of space. They could see Lu Yin, and one by one, everyone bowed in excitement. “Greetings, Dao Monarch.”
“Greetings, Dao Monarch.”
“Greetings, Dao Monarch.”
…
‘Since I have received the desires of all creatures, I will hear it all, good or evil. I am willing to use the good of all creatures to spend my life crossing the endless sea of evil.’
‘Since I have received the desires of all creatures, I will hear it all, good or evil. I am willing to use the good of all creatures to spend my life crossing the endless sea of evil.’
‘Since I have received the desires of all creatures, I will hear it all, good or evil. I am willing to use the good of all creatures to spend my life crossing the endless sea of evil.’
…
Lu Yin’s voice echoed in everyone’s ears. People trembled and fell to their knees as they faced Lu Yin. “Thank you, Dao Monarch.”
“Thank you, Dao Monarch.”
“Thank you, Dao Monarch.”
…
At the bottom of the Heavens Sect’s Stairway to Heaven, the cauldron grew even more solid, and it glowed brightly. It had become different from before.
Humanity as a whole could feel Lu Yin’s intent. The Wordless Heavenly Book had delivered the evil of all creatures to him, but evil was just another aspect of human nature. However, goodness was greater. Lu Yin was willing to bear the evil and resolve it while guiding people toward goodness.
All along, Lu Yin had never been the type of person to care about such things. Most of the time, he preferred to focus on himself, which meant that guiding others toward goodness had nothing to do with him. He had never even considered doing it.
However, given the heights that he had reached, the things that he saw, and the experiences that he had felt, everything was completely different from in the past.
In the past, he had been able to say that he owed nothing to the masses. At most, he had been willing to protect humanity, when it was within his power. He had considered that as his responsibility as a human being.
However, Lu Yin had since been protected by humanity, and they would continue to do so even more so in the future. He needed to accept this responsibility.
At this moment, Lu Yin seemed inviable. His light spread across the entire Sixverse Association, and everyone could feel it. Even the Immemorial Citadel’s battlefield could feel the warmth of Lu Yin’s light.
For a moment, even the Aeternals were astounded.
OMA's Thoughts
Translated By: OMA
Edited By: Neshi/Nyxnox
TLC'ed By: OMA