Chapter 147: Both an Ending and a Beginning

"My mind is made up! There is no need for further consideration!" Staring at the King Enma on the verdict bench, Sikong Lang was dressed in his usual attire, a pair of black sunglasses resting on his slightly gaunt face. Untransformed, this fellow was actually quite handsome and dashing, which explained why the young Master Jinghai had once fancied him. After all, as fellow disciples under the same master, the two of them were quite a well-matched pair.

"......," Seeing that Sikong Lang had no objections, the King Enma pondered for a moment before finally slamming his gavel and bringing down his seal upon the case file. "Then I have nothing more to say. So be it! Take him away!" With the seal stamped, the King Enma pointed a finger, and several ghost attendants stepped forward to escort Sikong Lang out. Watching Sikong Lang's retreating figure, the King Enma let out a sigh, "Ah, what a pity!"

"Lord King Enma!"

Just as the King Enma sat on the adjudication bench feeling that Sikong Lang's fate was undeserved, a young woman dressed in lavish robes approached, holding a scroll in her hands. "Just as Lord King Enma stated, Sikong Lang transformed into a yokai fifty years ago. That occurred three months before the start of that tournament. Right before Sikong Lang's eyes, all of his disciples and companions were slaughtered by a yokai."

"Is that truly the case?"

"Yes," Unrolling the scroll, the woman recited the records contained within. "The yokai who committed the act was named Juezhe. He was a participant in that tournament. When notifying Sikong Lang to attend the event, Juezhe casually devoured his disciples one by one. Sikong Lang was right there at the scene, but Juezhe was immensely powerful at the time. Sikong Lang was beaten to the ground, unable to rise, and could only watch helplessly as his disciples died before his very eyes."

"Before that, Sikong Lang believed himself to be the strongest, but it was precisely after that incident that he lost everything."

"Indeed, as you say. In the three months that followed, Sikong Lang vanished. When he reappeared in the tournament arena, evil ghosts had already taken root in his heart. He killed Juezhe in that tournament, subsequently winning the championship and claiming ultimate victory. Afterwards, by utilizing the wish granted to the victorious team, he transformed into a yokai. Yet everything he did defies logic; it is truly baffling."

"Perhaps even after achieving victory and slaying his nemesis, he could not appease the hatred within his heart. Thus, in the days that followed, rather than living to atone for his sins, it was more as if he sought to numb himself by pursuing the ultimate mastery of martial arts in order to forget that hatred. What a clumsy man."

"Creak~~~!"

After opening the gate leading to the Avici Hell, Sikong Lang stepped inside. Countless passages led deep into the depths of the underworld here, each one a path of grueling karmic punishment. Here, he would endure ten thousand years of torment, after which he would be reduced to complete and utter 'nothingness', vanishing entirely from this world.

"Clack~~!"

Stepping down the very first stair, Sikong Lang halted his advance. Standing before him was a familiar figure—Master Jinghai had returned to her youthful appearance and stood not far away, gazing intently at him.

"As expected, you understand me best of all!" Adjusting the sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, Sikong Lang did not stop, continuing his stride toward Master Jinghai. "You knew I would choose this path."

"I knew it!" Looking at Sikong Lang as he approached, the disappointment and anger previously seen in Master Jinghai's eyes were gone, replaced entirely by sorrow and entreaty. "The Juezhe of that time was simply too powerful. That was not your fault, and you have already atoned enough for your sins! Even after the tournament ended, you never ceased your self-blame and remorse. Surely this is enough!"

"No," Sikong Lang replied earnestly, staring at Jinghai before him. "Only by doing this can I feel truly at ease. Furthermore, it was through that event that I became able to wholeheartedly pursue true strength. So, in a way, I should even thank that incident."

"Liar!"

"Jinghai!" Passing by her side, Sikong Lang did not break his stride. "Pay me no more mind! You still have matters to attend to. That brat Qin Xiaochuan still needs you. That fellow will surely grow even stronger; therefore, to prevent him from walking down my path, you must look after him a while longer."

Turning her head to watch Sikong Lang walk past, Master Jinghai finally released the burden in her heart. You great fool, even in the very end, you are still thinking of defeating your opponent. "You truly are foolish. You haven't changed at all, even unto death!"

Hearing Master Jinghai's words, Sikong Lang stopped in his tracks, reached up and removed the sunglasses he had never once taken off, and cast one last glance back at Master Jinghai. "...... I leave him in your care!" With those words, the stubborn fellow continued toward his first trial of punishment, vanishing deep into the mist-shrouded corridor.

"You really are... a colossal fool!" Gazing at the man's retreating back, Master Jinghai stood frozen in place for a long time without speaking a word. Just like that, he left. Just like that, it was an eternal farewell! He left with such ease, truly! Yet he was also the man I loved most!

As the clock neared eleven, Qin Xiaochuan and the others had already arrived at the island's harbor. Looking at the distant steamship, everyone wore a relaxed expression. How time flew; in the blink of an eye, ten days had passed. Although this island had left them with many painful memories, the most reassuring thing was that they had finally survived! Having emerged unscathed from a hellish trial of life and death, they were all standing here intact. Though this Dark Martial Arts Tournament had been rather cruel, it had gifted them with a rare life experience. They believed that through this less-than-pleasant chapter of life, they had gained spiritual wealth far more precious than anything before.

"Heyyy!!! I'm over here! We're finally getting out of this place!!" Holering into a makeshift megaphone toward the distant, horn-blowing cruise ship, Qin Xiaochuan shouted at the top of his lungs toward the ocean, as if to cast away all the unpleasantness in his heart. Feeling much lighter after the shout, he turned to Zhang Yang and the others behind him and said, "Haha, I feel so much better! Let's get going!"

"Let's go!!"

"Let's go!!"

"......"

Echoing Qin Xiaochuan's gesture, Zhang Yang and Bai Ying both raised their hands, while Fei Yan merely crossed his arms and rolled his eyes at the three of them.

"Hey, hey, hey!! You guys are truly heartless!!"

Just as Qin Xiaochuan and his companions were shouting with arms raised, a voice suddenly echoed from behind, leaving Qin Xiaochuan utterly dumbfounded.

"Were you planning on leaving this old crone behind and returning all by yourselves?"

"Granny!!!"

Seeing Master Jinghai walking up from behind, Qin Xiaochuan froze in place in utter shock. It took a long time before tears and snot uncontrollably burst forth. He hadn't expected his wish to truly come true—Master Jinghai had returned! "Granny!" Bellowing the word granny, Qin Xiaochuan lunged forward toward Master Jinghai. With this, the tournament could truly be considered a perfect conclusion, though a new mission was about to begin immediately!

In the Spirit World's adjudication hall, the King Enma was sitting alone, pondering the matters ahead.

"Ooh~~~~~~~mmm~~~~~~~! Ooh~~~~~~~! Mmm~~~~~~~!"

"Lord King Enma, are you constipated?"

"You absolute moron, I'm deep in thought," Xiadan snapped, causing the King Enma to pound the desk and jump to his feet. "I just received a report from my subordinates that unusual occurrences have cropped up in the mortal realm, so I'm trying to figure out a solution."

"Has another yokai appeared? I heard that ever since the Dark Martial Arts Tournament, the yokai in the human world have been on their best behavior."

"Actually, it's not caused by yokai. It's truly a headache; this is the first time I've encountered such a thing." Muttering in vexation, the King Enma rested his cheek in his hand once more, propping up his chin to ponder. How on earth should this be handled? It was genuinely giving him a headache. "Xiadan, you'd better contact Qin Xiaochuan in the human world right away. The matter that follows will require him to resolve it."

Following the conclusion of the Dark Martial Arts Tournament, Qin Xiaochuan and Zhang Yang found themselves back in the classroom they least wanted to be in. During recess, Qin Xiaochuan propped his legs up on the desk in front of him, cradling his head in his hands as he spoke lazily to Zhang Yang opposite him: "That King Enma is truly a malicious fellow. Claiming he had already buried Granny's body, only to have it cryo-frozen the whole time. He must have anticipated the moment Granny died that our wish upon winning would be to resurrect her. It really makes no sense, doesn't it?"

"What makes no sense?"

"How did he know things would turn out this way? By all accounts, I didn't have a guaranteed chance of victory back then. Can that guy actually foretell the future?"

"Actually, that wasn't Lord King Enma's idea at all!"

"Wah!! You scared the life out of me!" Seeing Xiadan suddenly materialize before him, Qin Xiaochuan tumbled backward off his stool. Rubbing his bruised head, he climbed up from the floor and stared at Xiadan, who was wearing their school uniform, and wept tears of frustration. "Why are you just like the King Enma, coming and going like a ghost? Could you give a warning next time? You nearly scared me to death just now."

"Hehe, can't even handle a tiny scare like that? And you call yourself the champion of this tournament! Hi, Zhang Yang, long time no see!"

"Hi, Xiadan! How did you get here?"

"Hehe, Lord King Enma sent me......"

"Right, can you finish what you were saying just now? What do you mean it wasn't the King Enma's idea? Was it someone else's notion instead?"

"Correct." Pulling up a stool, Xiadan sat down in front of Qin Xiaochuan and Zhang Yang, her expression turning serious. "Actually, that idea was put forward by Sikong Lang."