Unsealing Emptiness

Chapter 479: I Embody Wrath.

’It won’t be long!’ Jidu thought as he viciously eyed the Phoenix.

Meanwhile, the Phoenix was also planning to deal another decisive blow to them, as she discreetly looked for opportunities.

...

While such supreme beings were fighting, Ozul was already far away and running on the ground as he spectated the fight which literally crushed mountains.

As Ember had glimpsed, he was indeed riding the back of the Celestial Phoenix initially. She protected him with her aura to sustain the pressure from the first few attacks, but even then it was getting difficult for him to stay unharmed in that situation.

The Phoenix, unlike what her giant Beastial form suggested, was very clever and discreet when she pretended to be pushed back by a direct attack from Jidu only to get near the ground, giving him an opportunity to escape.

With him having no Spiritual Essence at all, even Jidu didn’t find anything odd, much less the three Empyreans.

’I should’ve thought twice before coming here...’

Ozul thought as he witnessed the utter destruction caused by these absolute beings.

When the Celestial Phoenix had risen from her home, he simply asked her,

"Can I come along?"

Her response was simple, "I may not be able to protect you."

And for some reason, it felt like a good idea for him to shrug it off and hop on her back as if he wasn’t just going right in the middle of a battle that could destroy the whole Realm if it wasn’t stopped.

Looking back at it, Raven was very gravely shaking her head, warning him not to go.

"Maybe I will listen to her more..." muttering those words to himself, his expression cringed again as he felt yet another oppressing energy pressing down on him.

It was already a miracle that he was able to walk out from the eye of the storm with only a few injuries.

With his special body, even those injuries healed quickly.

’I didn’t notice it before, but my healing too has improved... hmm...’

There had always been a question in the back of his mind regarding his healing powers. To what extent could he be injured and still be healed back. Could his severed head grow back his body or vice versa?

It wasn’t too far-fetched to consider the possibilities when he was even able to attach his arms and heal a fist-sized hole in his chest.

For him currently, escaping this place was the top priority. Testing his healing limits wasn’t something he could or wanted to do as it was painful regardless.

’At least I wasn’t completely useless,’ he thought back to the moment that the Phoenix had sent a voice transmission straight into his head.

His body tried to automatically swallow that foreign energy in his body, but recognizing that it was from the Phoenix, he let it do its work.

[’Throw a small attack at that man.’] They were simple instructions.

He was initially confused since even if he didn’t have Spiritual Essence, someone at the level of Jidu would be able to tell the powerlessness behind that attack.

To his surprise, the Phoenix’s plan was indeed to find a moment of distraction, however, the reason she knew it would work seemed to have been because of her understanding of human nature.

’Or maybe, she knew his personality better...’ He considered. This possibility seemed more authentic.

The distraction was a success because Jidu showed immense anger at the meager attempt, considering it his disrespect to have been attacked so ’lowly’. Maybe it was hard for the Phoenix to disguise an attack and such a weak one at that, hence she had him do it.

Jidu was a Virtue of Humility, but seemed to act more like a Sin of Pride.

Ozul hummed at his own conclusion as yet another mountain crumbled. The entire climate of this region would undergo a change now that the terrain had shifted so much.

As he felt the air getting more stuffed, he paused and noticed that both the Phoenix and Jidu were ready to attack with their full force.

"That will hurt me..." He muttered, knowing full well that he wasn’t yet at a safe distance from those monsters.

Clouds would form, crackle, and disappear above them as the Celestial Phoenix and the Heavenly Virtue of Humility were at each other’s throats.

What no one expected was that just as their attacks were about to collide, something appeared in the middle.

Ozul noticed a silhouette he was all too familiar with.

Only that man floating between the two supreme beings didn’t have a hunched back anymore. He stood straight, releasing a terrifying pressure that rivaled even that of the Phoenix.

"Old Gu..."

Another figure had also appeared to stop the attacks of Ember, Kai, and Hakuja. He was Minho, Old Gu’s loyal servant and someone clearly at the upper ranks of the Empyrean Realm.

Ozul paused, no longer running in the opposite direction as he waited to see what would happen now that a third party had appeared.

’If he joins hands with that man, Ember and the Phoenix will not survive,’ He considered, but understood that things weren’t so simple from the way he had come in the middle of both parties.

As Old Gu and Minho appeared, the raging storms finally subsided, letting the Realm breathe once again.

For a moment, no one spoke a word.

But Jidu’s patience was already running thin, with veins bulging on his head, he couldn’t help but shout at Old Gu, "Why are you here?!"

"To stop this farce!" Old Gu roared, his voice more ferocious than that of a bloodthirsty beast.

The Empyreans at the scene felt unable to voice out their thoughts in front of them.

"If you think you can stop me from killing that beast, you are mistaken, Old Gu!"

With an icy cold glare, Old Gu turned to face Jidu directly and crossed his arms in provocation. He replied, "I’m mistaken? Prove me wrong then."

From the distance, Ozul was seeing for the first time such a side of that old man. To him, it always looked like a senile fool enjoying life.

Jidu faltered for the first time. In his condition, if he were to fight with Old Gu now, there were no chances of him winning.

And it didn’t even take into account the fact that the Celestial Phoenix was right there and would take advantage of the situation. At this point, he could really only retreat.

Still, his immense pride didn’t let him go so easily, "Does that mean you have chosen to side with the Demonic Emperor!?"

Old Gu squinted his eyes at him, "Make of that what you will. If you want to think that, so be it.

But if I let you both continue, you will end up killing each other."

But there came the screeching of the Celestial Phoenix, "That insect dared to plan and ambush me, I will not let him go!"

"You have taken enough of your revenge here! That is enough!" Old Gu spoke at the same volume as her, his voice vibrating throughout the still-standing mountains.

"Continue here any longer and I will kill you both!" His eyes burned red with fury as the crackling clouds appeared again in the sky. A testament to his status as one of the esteemed Heavenly Virtues.

If anyone else had threatened to kill both the Celestial Phoenix and the Heavenly Virtue of Humility at the same time, everyone would have just laughed it off as a fool’s rambling.

However, no one at the scene thought it was a bluff.

Gritting his teeth, Jidu spat and said, "To think there would come a day that the ’Mad Emperor’ would care about people’s lives."

"Not as surprising as someone boasting the most pride and yet bowing down to some kid."

Jidu was further irritated by his conversation and sent a silent voice transmission to Kai and Hakuja, who turned to leave with him.

He wasn’t afraid of turning his back against the Celestial Phoenix at this critical moment as Old Gu would never let her. In fact, he hoped that she was foolish enough to do that.

And so, the dreaded battle finally came to an end.

Soon, he disappeared from sight as Old Gu finally turned to face the Celestial Phoenix.

"I do not like being used," there was an iciness in his voice that Ember couldn’t help but perceive.

A little confused, she eyed Phoenix, looking for answers.

"I am unsure of what you are implying?"

"You knew I was here and watching. You intended for me to intervene from the very start."

Ember’s surprised gaze didn’t leave Minho’s notice.

She finally understood all the instructions the Phoenix gave her, were for this reason. She knew Old Gu would intervene!

’To think she had thought everything through...’ Ember knew that the Celestial Phoenix was different from other beasts, but playing such schemes was beyond even her.

’So, she acted prideful only to exact some revenge.’

"The decision to stop this battle was your decision, not mine. Do not point at me for your own actions," the Phoenix declared, looking down at the tiny human before her.

Old Gu sighed, his back slowly receding again as he assumed the persona of a fragile old man again.

"That will be the last time. From this point forward, I will let the hell break loose if it doesn’t concern me." It was more of a self-reflection than a declaration or threat for the Phoenix.

"How long will you continue to maintain neutrality? You will have to choose sooner or later."

"And that is where you are wrong."

The Phoenix tilted her head, staring at him as if he had said something incomprehensible.

"I guess you are a Virtue of Patience after all..."

Old Gu remained silent for a few seconds, throwing a glance in a certain direction toward the ground. Before leaving, he scoffed and replied,

"A title that only serves to ease the hearts of those weaker than us.

Don’t forget, I embody Wrath."