The Hero Returns

Su-hyeun's energy reserve that was running nearly empty only a second ago was rapidly being refilled.

No, wait'”it went beyond simply filling up back at this point. Not only was it overflowing, but even the container itself was threatening to burst at the seams.

He was still unable to control the energy he had sucked up through Predation fully. The Bull Demon King's Dao energy was far too strong to do that, but there was also Su-hyeun's low proficiency with the Predation skill to consider.

As such, there was only one way left at this stage.

"All this Dao energy I have absorbed, I must'”!"

Wuuuuong'”!

The interior of the boulder began vibrating viciously.

The two streams of the same energy flowed in opposing directions. As the two streams collided, Su-hyeun sent in a small amount of flame into the collision spot.

When he did that...

Rumble'”!

The powerful energy circulating within the boulder became fuel for the necessary ignition.

And then...

BOOM, Ka-boooooom'”!

A massive explosion went off inside the boulder.

* * *

The explosion swept across the surroundings and even reached the Bull Demon King not too far away.

The Bull Demon King spread a barrier of winds before him to contain the explosion. He then slammed his Mixed Iron Rod on the ground to overturn the earth, using it as a secondary layer of protection for himself. However, all of those barriers were still swept aside by the explosion, in the end, crumbling to nothingness in an instant.

He had no choice but to endure the remaining ripples of the explosion with his own body. His brows shot up high at this spectacular level of heat he had never experienced before in his entire life, and he muttered helplessly, "Little brother..."

The inside of his head blanked out at that moment.

While he was briefly stuck in hesitation, that one thing he was most worried about ended up happening for real.

He might not have willed it to happen, but even so, the compacted rocks and the Dao energy circulating within became the necessary fuel for the explosion.

That boulder was something he created by spending around half of all of his Dao energy reserve. Such an amount was used to cause an explosion, so it wouldn't have been strange to see at least half of the forest disappear from the face of the planet.

No, wait'”if the Bull Demon King hadn't used the Palm Leaf to contain the explosion, then this could have become an even bigger catastrophe.

Cough, wheeze'”!

As he became worried about his little brother's fate, he heard someone cough their lungs out within the smoldering ruins and billowing flames.

Only one person was strong enough to survive such an explosion despite being stuck in the middle of it. The Bull Demon King's eyes, which had no focus to speak of until then, quickly regained their composure.

"First Brother, I... really thought I was going to die just now," Su-hyeun complained as he stepped out of the burning flames, a set of crimson "blood" armor protecting him.

It was Kali's Blood armor, the armor set created by Hephaestus from the blood of the Predator Kali, one of the Ten Great Evils. It offered protection against heat to such a degree that the wearer could ignore most high-temperature situations.

Not only that, but the flames were created through the Dao energy Su-hyeun had absorbed in the first place, so they did not significantly affect him. The only damage he had incurred was some charring from the remaining heat that couldn't be fully kept away.

"In that case, why did you do something that reckless?" the Bull Demon King asked.

"Were you worried about me, First Brother?"

"Of course."

"I think we should stop here."

The Bull Demon King didn't make a reply.

Clack'”

Su-hyeun sheathed his sword. Even the blood armor covering his figure seeped back under his regular armor.

In other words, he was in a completely defenseless state.

And shortly afterward...

"You're right. It is time for us to stop," the Bull Demon King finally said, also putting away his Mixed Iron Rod. He then raised his head.

His whole body was soaked in sweat. Compared to Su-hyeun, who was charred black from top to bottom, he certainly looked to be in a much better state, but even so, the Bull Demon King had to acknowledge the truth.

There was no point in continuing this fight. He was too exhausted now; he was no longer in a state good enough to continue fighting.

"You have gotten stronger, little brother."

Su-hyeun had finally reached the Bull Demon King's level where he could protect his siblings. On this level, he could ably take on his First Brother's role in his absence.

"Were you planning to do this from the beginning, First Brother?"

The Bull Demon King froze for a moment at Su-hyeun's question.

Su-hyeun continued before a reply could come his way, "Surely, you could have ended it just now, couldn't you? Normally, there's no reason for you to try and contain the explosion itself, either."

"..."

"From the very beginning, winning or losing didn't matter to you. Am I wrong?"

The Bull Demon King didn't reply to Su-hyeun's questions for a long time.

He simply kept his eyes closed and opened them after some time to take in the skies peeking through the black smoke plumes. "I have been delaying it until now," he said.

"Delaying it, you say?"

"I could have ascended at any time I wanted, but I did not, all because I have made a choice."

The Bull Demon King had already reached that state of ascension to the realm of the divine eons ago. He could've become a god at any time he wished. He could even get rid of his lingering attachment, too, if that were what he willed.

"I was planning to ascend after today. Even so, I wanted to see it for myself first."

"I'm guessing that you meant me?"

"Well, uncle did a wonderful job of confirming Wukong's level, after all. As for the Roc Demon King, he has been living in harmony with the villagers for a while now. The remaining matter that worried me the most was you, little brother," the Bull Demon King's eyes now shifted over to Su-hyeun. The Yogoe, who seemed to be smiling faintly, began walking away, "Still, now I can rest easy."

Shu-ruru...

Whitish smoke suddenly wafted around just as the Bull Demon King's figure began growing fainter.

He had finally let go of all his lingering attachments and regrets.

Su-hyeun once heard about this. The moment one ascended to the realm of a Taoist God, for a brief moment, one's physical self would "vanish" and become wisps of smoke.

It was the process of shedding one's mortal coil and reconstructing one's physical body and mind.

Finally, the Bull Demon King's ascension had begun for real.

"What are you doing, not coming along already?" the Bull Demon King urged Su-hyeun, who had been standing there in a daze, to follow. "It is time to say goodbye, after all."

Step, step...

The Bull Demon King then began walking forward alone, perhaps believing that Su-hyeun would start following very soon. However, the latter found it rather challenging to do that right away. He was scared of going with his First Brother only to deal with their farewell.

[You have passed the 202nd floor's trial.]

[You have acquired 1,000,000,000 achievement points.]

[Strength has risen by one.]

[Magic Energy has risen by o...]

[...]

A trial had been cleared'”it was a message that always managed to perk up his mood.

But for some reason, the significance behind the message rather than its contents bothered him much more today.

The fact that the trial was now over, it could only mean...

"It means he's made up his mind."

Step'”

Su-hyeun quietly began following behind his First Brother. Even though he wanted to delay their parting, he couldn't let his brothers wait for him forever.

* * *

By the time they reached the hut, the Bull Demon King's figure had become about half-transparent.

The Roc Demon King sitting on Sun Wukong hurriedly got up. The Monkey King loosened his numb, aching body and welcomed their First Brother, "You guys are back!"

Tap, tap...

Sun Wukong quickly dusted himself off and then said, "Please hurry and come inside. I don't think there is much time left, anyway."

The Bull Demon King replied, "Alright."

Neither Sun Wukong nor the Roc Demon King looked too saddened by what was about to happen.

Su-hyeun and the Bull Demon King heeded Sun Wukong's recommendation and stepped inside the cramped house once more.

Since Sun Wukong was relatively poor at brewing tea, as usual, the Roc Demon King was tasked with bringing out four cups of tea.

It was the same tea that the Bull Demon King usually enjoyed.

Driiip...

The Bull Demon King accepted the teacup the Roc Demon King had handed over.

Su-hyeun always found occasions like this uncomfortable. He thought that the brothers would at least start shedding some tears, but for some reason, both Sun Wukong and the Roc Demon King didn't act any differently from their usual selves.

Since they weren't crying, Su-hyeun certainly could not start shedding tears, either.

Unable to say anything, he simply had to keep his mouth shut. And as this silence continued...

"You know, I have also lived for a long time," the Roc Demon King was the first to break the silence, "but even now, I'm still too immature, I guess. I thought I'd be used to it by now, but even so, I find it extremely difficult to say goodbye this time."

After saying that, he brought the teacup to his lips.

Sun Wukong silently nodded in agreement. And their actions reminded Su-hyeun of something somewhat belatedly. He remembered just how old this trio of Yogoes was.

He couldn't even imagine just how many goodbyes they must've said during their long lives and all those events and experiences they must've lived through.

"Hey, Fourth Brother, are you alright?" Right now, it seemed that Sun Wukong was more worried about Su-hyeun.

Su-hyeun felt his tears well up, but he held back. Just like the other two, he nodded with the most composed, unmoved expression he could pull off, "Yes, I'm fine."

"You're lying, though."

"But it's still better than sobbing his eyes out, you know? We promised not to say goodbye in such an embarrassing manner, right?"

Sun Wukong lightly reprimanded Su-hyeun, but the latter's shoulders were patted by the Roc Demon King instead as if to say he did the right thing.

Forgetting about the strength he possessed, for the time being, Su-hyeun couldn't help but kind of feel as he had suddenly morphed into the only kid in this room.

The Bull Demon King, who was calmly sipping tea and listening to his brothers' banter, put the teacup down for the last time and said, "Second Brother."

The Roc Demon King responded to that call, "Yes."

"You shouldn't hate the humans too much."

The Roc Demon King flinched before replying, "I understand."

He faltered, his face red as if he became embarrassed about something.

Don't hate humans'”the Roc Demon King had heard those words ever since he first met the Bull Demon King. Only recently did he manage to stop hating humans too much. Honestly speaking, he didn't expect his First Brother to say that again as his parting words.

He now began to understand that he must've worried the Bull Demon King a lot up until now.

The Bull Demon King's gaze shifted over to Sun Wukong next, "Third Brother."

"Yes?"

"I'll leave our Fourth Brother in your care."

Sun Wukong and Su-hyeun made the same face at those words.

Leaving the Fourth Brother in his care'”those words were supposed to mean that Sun Wukong was now tasked with performing the same role as their First Brother.

Just like how the Bull Demon King requested Su-hyeun to protect both Sun Wukong and the Roc Demon King, he was now asking the same thing from Sun Wukong.

A short while later, Sun Wukong pounded his chest confidently and replied, "You don't have to ask me. I'm already planning to do that."

Now that was an energetic answer befitting Sun Wukong's nature.

The Bull Demon King nodded to say he expected nothing less. Then, finally, he shifted his gaze over to Su-hyeun, "And finally, Fourth Brother."

Su-hyeun nodded while saying, "Yes?"

"We shall see each other again next time," said the Bull Demon King as a smile far brighter than any other bloomed on his face.

Su-hyeun's eyes immediately opened wider. It suddenly felt like something that had been tightly clogging a corner of his chest was cleanly blown away, allowing him to breathe again.

Only then was he able to let go of the sullen expression and reply in a loud voice, "Of course, brother!"

The moment that reply was made...

Sha-aaaah...

The Bull Demon King's figure that was getting progressively fainter eventually completely scattered away, vanishing without a trace.

Ascension'”the moment the Bull Demon King had been waiting for such a long, long time that verged on eternity itself'”had finally come.

The whitish smoke filled up the room.

Su-hyeun stared at the smoke and thought to himself, "He said that after he ascends, no one can tell when he'll be able to return to us."

When someone ascends to godhood, they would typically forget about their former mundane mortal life.

Unless you were like Su-hyeun, who had the system's help to meet all the requirements to ascend to a god, you could only ascend to a Taoist God by letting go of all your lingering attachments and regrets.

Meaning no one could tell just when such individuals would be able to return to the mundane world.

It could be either a decade, a century, or tens of thousands of years...

Or even never.

This goodbye wasn't as permanent as death, but it still felt quite similar in a way.

However...

"We shall see each other again next time."

The Bull Demon King's words had a mysterious power to them. Su-hyeun couldn't help but think that if the Bull Demon King said them, they would become a reality sooner or later.

This was not an eternal farewell.

They would meet again someday, without a doubt.

"Why are you sobbing like that, though?" Sun Wukong stared at the Roc Demon King, who had his head lowered and was crying as quietly as possible.

They might have gone through many goodbyes up until now, but this one seemed to have stung him the most.

Sun Wukong abruptly pressed his face up close to the Roc Demon King, who was half-wailing by now, then used his fingers to push the corners of his lips up. "I mean, come on now, our big brother's lifelong wish finally came true today, so let's smile in happiness, at least."

* * *

The Bull Demon King was diligently walking within the thick fog.

The gradient here seemed somewhat steep as if he was climbing a tall mountain. However, the path itself wasn't that difficult to traverse.

He was utterly composed, as if his mind was completely empty.

For a long time, he wondered what the ascension process would feel like, but now that he was here, it didn't feel that special at all. Was it because he had been dreaming about this for too long?

After experiencing ascension, the moment felt like something rather apparent. This path had to be climbed, so he climbed it. This road had to be crossed, so he simply crossed it. That was what it felt like.

"Is this the correct place...?"

He seemed to have been walking for a long while, yet that one person he had been waiting for had not appeared yet.

Just how long had he been walking for?

The Bull Demon King came to a brief stop in the middle of this mountainous path. He then looked down at the spectacular scenery below, partly obscured by the fog.

It felt like he was looking at a gorgeous painting.

"Surely, King Yama wouldn't have lied to me."

The Bull Demon King took out the rice balls he had prepared earlier.

This was a hiking trip, after all. Although he didn't feel hungry, he still thought it wouldn't be such a bad idea to enjoy some snacks now and then to ward off the boredom.

Munch'”

He enjoyed the view down below while munching on the rice balls. Although the damp fog interfered with his enjoyment just a little, it didn't feel so bad overall.

"Uhm, excuse me..."

The Bull Demon King heard that voice and turned his head to the side.

Someone was approaching him.

"May I ask if you are willing to share that rice ball with me?"

Approaching him shyly was a young woman. She was wearing clothes with a flower motif, with her hair parted into two braids. Her face was powdered to be pristine and pale-smooth, while her lips were painted striking red.

She was certainly well dressed for the occasion.

Where was she heading off to?

The Bull Demon King quietly observed her face for a bit and then replied to her, "Please take a seat."

He then handed over a rice ball to her.

She accepted it with her small hands then demurely settled down next to him, "Thank you for this food, sir."

"Were you on your way somewhere, miss?"

"I'”I'm not sure," the woman replied and, after slightly parting her lips at first, took a large bite out of the rice ball.

She must have been starving because she wolfed that rice ball down without even chewing properly.

"I've been wandering around here for a while, but I can't remember when I started doing that." She instantly finished that rice ball and then pointed at the remaining rice balls, "Is it alright for me to eat another one?"

"Yes, it's fine."

"Thank you," she replied and then reached for the rice ball.

In reality, she was probably not hungry at all. She didn't seem to lack energy or something like that on the outside, after all. It seemed more likely that the food she got to taste after such a long time proved to be too delicious to hold back.

"Do you not know the reason why you've been wandering in this place, miss?"

"I'm sure there was a reason," the woman gulped down the rice ball then continued, "but it's been too long, and I can't remember it anymore."

"Please, do try to remember."

"Mm..." Her brows furrowed as she began combing through her memories. She even closed her eyes and began muttering to herself, "Maybe I was waiting for someone?"

She barely managed to recall those memories from the past.

Just how much time had passed for her on this side that she even forgot about the reason why she had to roam around this place?

The Bull Demon King asked her in a calm tone, "Why do you wait for that someone?"

"I think I must've liked that person? No one would have waited for someone they don't like for this long, after all."

"You must've liked that person very much, seeing how you patiently waited for him until now."

"Mm... I think so, too, especially when over here is still hurting a lot even now."

"Why are you still waiting for him, though?"

"I heard that when I die, I must reincarnate. But that means I will lose all of my memories. I'”I didn't want that. That's why I thought I should wait for a little while longer'”wait until I can no longer wait. That's what I thought, but now..." She brought her knees closer then rested her chin on them. "It's been so long that there are too many things I can't remember."

"Does that mean..." The Bull Demon King handed over another rice ball to her and asked again, "You can't remember who he is?"

"Maybe if I take a look at his face directly, I might be able to recall something at lea'”Ah?" The woman was cut off midsentence, but then, her eyes opened wider when the Bull Demon King presented his face right in front of hers. "Uh?"

She looked genuinely stunned.

The Bull Demon King stared deep into those wide-open eyes and softly asked her, "Can you remember now?"

The woman nodded silently. Tears welled up in her eyes before trickling down uncontrollably.

The Bull Demon King smiled radiantly and picked up the last remaining rice ball. He gently placed it in her hands and murmured to her, "I missed you so much."

She used to love the rice balls that he made for her all those years ago.