Chapter 159 : A Grand Escape into the Sunlight

The girl who killed the Demon King became the new Demon King.

Sometimes, fate is just that ironic.

And just that…

unexpected.

Clatter—

At that moment, within the Kalis family estate.

The wine glass in Kalis Family Head’s hand slipped, shattering on the floor.

Even as shards stabbed at his feet and wine soaked his pant legs, he remained oblivious.

He stared dead at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure in the communication crystal, his face pale, his expression agitated, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.

“It’s fake…”

“It has to be fake…”

“The Priscian family must have faked this footage with some unknown method…”

“Lu Mo… my daughter…”

“She would never…”

That silent, stubborn girl.

That little daughter who made his heart ache.

That young girl who had sacrificed so much for the Holy Sanctuary, for all of humanity.

How could she possibly…

“Lu Mo… the Demon King?”

Within the Holy Capital.

The Helovit Family Head stared at the communication crystal in disbelief as well.

Lu Mo had always been Cecilia’s best friend.

He knew Lu Mo’s character, and had always trusted her.

Not long ago, they had even searched together for the missing Cecilia.

But now…

Lu Mo had become this.

And what terrified him even more was—

Right now, in Lu Mo’s arms, she was holding Cecilia.

The Demon King girl, radiating demon realm energy, embraced the pure and flawless Saintess.

This scene was contradictory to the extreme.

Within the Holy Capital.

It wasn’t just the Helovit Family Head.

The Pope, who was recovering from his injuries, and Rumina, who was searching everywhere for a way to heal Lu Mo, all saw this scene.

The Pope looked at the destroyed Helovit family estate, and at the girl beneath the withered tree and pitch-black sun, remaining silent for a long time.

“Lu Mo…”

Rumina stopped in her tracks.

In her hand, she still held a precious treasure just exchanged from the Holy Sanctuary’s central hub.

Originally, she had thought this treasure might help Lu Mo recover from her injuries.

She slowly clenched her fist.

So hard that her knuckles turned white.

Even the surface of that treasure began to show fine cracks.

“You deceived the Holy Sanctuary…”

“And you deceived me too…”

She spoke softly.

But even she herself didn’t know what emotion filled her heart at that moment.

Anger?

Sorrow?

Or some kind of loss she was unwilling to acknowledge?

Far away.

The old man in the wheelchair sat at the cliff’s edge, gazing into the distance at that sword intent monument standing between heaven and earth, murmuring softly:

“Lu Mo…”

On the other side.

A middle-aged woman turned off the communication crystal, looked toward the distant garden where flowers were withering, and sighed softly.

There, her daughter was sleeping peacefully.

This day.

Was destined to be etched into history.

And at this very moment.

Within the Priscian family estate.

The pitch-black sun incinerated all divine runes in the sky.

With the death of the Priscian Family Head, the entire family’s grand formation completely collapsed.

Divine power dissipated bit by bit.

Lu Mo withdrew her power.

The pitch-black sun and the withered tree of extinction slowly disappeared as well.

The girl, holding Cecilia, descended back to the ground.

The sounds of battle cries.

Roars.

Screams.

All vanished.

Replaced by a dead silence.

The Priscian family no longer had any trace of life.

The ground beneath their feet had been severely eroded.

It would likely take many years to recover.

With the grand formation’s collapse, many things hidden in the depths were revealed.

Lu Mo saw that shattered communication hub.

Combined with everything the old man had done before his death, she immediately understood what had happened.

“In the end, I’ve been exposed after all.”

She said softly.

Then she swung her sword once.

The communication hub was completely obliterated.

She knew that one day, her identity would be revealed in the human world.

But not now.

It was too early.

The eighth-stage Fusion Sublimation Power had not yet been truly completed.

And she had not yet completely severed the thread behind Cecilia.

“That power that even I find terrifying…”

The woman’s voice echoed in Lu Mo’s mind once again.

“Master, what exactly are you…”

Once.

The woman had urged Lu Mo countless times to abandon the Holy Sanctuary and become the new Demon King.

But now.

Her voice contained nothing but fear.

As if still immersed in the shock of that eighth-stage Fusion Sublimation Power.

Lu Mo did not respond.

She stood on the eroded ground, contemplating what to do next.

Now.

The major powers already knew the news of her destroying the Priscian family.

And they were regarding her as the new Demon King.

They would surely come to investigate first thing.

And—

They would give her no chance to explain.

A demon was a demon.

The common enemy of the entire world.

This concept had been rooted in people’s hearts for far too long.

Almost impossible to change.

The major powers would not let her go.

Unless she died.

“Actually…”

“Even if I die here, it’s no big deal.”

After all, she could still revive in the real world.

But…

What about Cecilia?

Lu Mo lowered her head.

Looked down at the unconscious girl in her arms.

When the artifact power had clashed with the demon realm energy earlier, Cecilia couldn’t bear the pressure of both forces and had lost consciousness.

Her brow was slightly furrowed.

The little ahoge on her head hung limply.

Her face was still somewhat pale.

But even so.

That innocence.

That sunshine.

Hadn’t disappeared.

She seemed so out of place with everything around her.

And with herself now…

Out of place.

The scene just now must have been broadcast through the communication network.

Those powers had all seen Cecilia lying in her arms.

So…

How would they view Cecilia?

A fallen Saintess?

An accomplice of the Demon King?

Lu Mo fell silent.

A rare hint of worry appeared in her eyes.

She could ignore the hostility of the whole world.

She could disregard the title of hero.

But what about Cecilia?

What would happen to her from now on?

What about the Helovit family and the Kalis family?

That girl, always decisive and taciturn.

Now showed a rare moment of hesitation.

Even a touch of girlish indecision.

She suddenly wanted to put Cecilia down.

Afraid that her own demon realm aura would taint the girl’s purity.

Yet—

Just as she slowly loosened her hold.

The unconscious Cecilia clung to her like an electric shock, holding on with all her might.

The girl’s hands were slender.

Soft.

Slightly cold from weakness.

But when she held Lu Mo, she used all her strength.

As if embracing her entire world.

So desperately.

So recklessly.

She seemed to be dreaming.

Lu Mo didn’t know what kind of dream it was.

All she knew was that the next moment.

Cecilia let out a sleep-talking murmur.

“Don’t leave me…”

“I…”

“Lu Mo…”

Her voice was very soft.

But it felt as if something cracked inside Lu Mo’s heart.

A ray of light shone through the crack.

She suddenly realized.

She could no longer put Cecilia down.

No matter what, she couldn’t.

In the end.

She gave up.

Holding Cecilia tighter again.

“Alright…”

“I won’t leave you.”

“What an idiot you are…”

She said softly.

A gust of wind swept by.

Lu Mo carried Cecilia and left the Priscian family estate.

Faintly.

She seemed to hear a piercing laugh.

Like the mockery of fate.

***

An hour later.

The sky above the Priscian family estate was torn open.

Several Heaven-Defying realm auras poured out.

One figure after another stepped out from space rifts.

If any bystander had been present, they would have recognized them.

Every single one of them was a truly high and mighty great figure of this domain.

But at this moment.

They all drew in a sharp breath.

Everything before them was too shocking.

The glorious Priscian family estate was almost reduced to rubble.

The ground was stained black.

Blood pooled into lakes.

The air was thick with dense demon realm energy.

Even though Lu Mo had long since left.

The residual energy was already extremely faint.

Yet, upon sensing that power, those present still couldn’t help but tremble from the depths of their souls.

“This aura…”

“No doubt about it.”

“I only feel this way when facing the Demon King.”

“Though it’s not yet at the Demon King’s full strength.”

“But without a doubt…”

“She already possesses the Demon King’s status.”

The newborn Demon King.

That word surfaced in everyone’s minds simultaneously.

Lu Mo.

Had become the new Demon King.

Utterly absurd.

Humanity had only just achieved victory.

Peace hadn’t even lasted long.

Yet the hero who participated in the Demon King’s subjugation.

Had become the new Demon King.

“She left here…”

“Where will she go next?”

Someone’s voice trembled.

“Will she go on a killing spree directly in the human world?”

Another person spoke.

“We must tell everyone the truth—”

“No!”

Someone immediately objected.

“We absolutely cannot make it public!”

“Not long ago, we declared the Demon King era over.”

“Now telling everyone that the Demon King has descended again, and directly in the human world?”

“That will plunge the entire world into panic!”

“Exactly.”

A woman nodded as well.

“The truth cannot be known by ordinary people for now.”

“But—”

“Enough.”

The old man at the front suddenly spoke.

The scene instantly fell silent.

He had the strongest strength and the most seniority.

“Now the most important thing is to notify all the major powers.”

“The newborn Demon King—Lu Mo.”

“She was once a hero.”

“But now, she has revealed the Demon King’s power to the world.”

“The Priscian family has fallen today.”

“And the culprit is her.”

“She is no longer human.”

“But humanity’s greatest enemy.”

As the news spread.

The major powers mobilized once again.

As if the peace before had never existed.

They had returned to a state of war.

At the same time.

In a remote mountain range far from the Priscian family.

After confirming temporary safety.

Lu Mo stopped.

And Cecilia finally woke up.

The two sat facing each other.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Lu Mo was thinking.

Whether it was right or wrong for her to keep Cecilia with her.

As she thought.

She couldn’t help but steal several glances at Cecilia.

Cecilia noticed.

So she smiled at her.

Her little ahoge swayed gently, like a wagging tail.

Silly.

Seeing her like that.

Lu Mo finally decided to lay things out clearly.

“Cecilia.”

“Hmm?”

“I might have been exposed.”

“Oh.”

Cecilia nodded obediently.

“…”

Lu Mo remained expressionless.

“I mean… I might be treated by the whole world as a Demon King kind of existence.”

“Oh.”

The girl continued nodding obediently.

No extra reaction.

Lu Mo was silent for a moment.

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“Afraid that I’ll continue to be eroded by the demon realm.”

“Afraid that the world will call you a Demon King’s accomplice, a fallen Saintess?”

“I’m not afraid.”

Cecilia shook her head gently.

“This time, I got you into trouble.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No.”

Cecilia shook her head again.

“Lu Mo saved me.”

“The one who should apologize is me.”

She lowered her head a little guiltily.

Then raised it again.

Said seriously.

“And besides.”

“Didn’t we make a promise a long time ago?”

“No matter what happens.”

“We’ll stay together.”

After saying that.

Cecilia stood up.

Walked forward.

Lu Mo looked up at her.

Just then.

Sunlight pierced through the clouds and spilled down.

Cecilia stood in the sunlight.

Slowly turned around.

“So.”

“I’ll be with you, Lu Mo.”

She smiled.

Standing in the sun.

Her smile was so radiant.

So pure.

Even more dazzling than the sunlight itself.

For a moment, Lu Mo couldn’t tell.

Whether Cecilia was simply naive, unaware of what the future held.

Or had already made up her mind about something.

“So what if we become enemies of the whole world?”

In the sunlight.

Cecilia gazed at her tenderly.

“It’ll be okay, Lu Mo.”

“Let’s…”

She said softly.

“Make a grand escape into the sunlight together.”

“In the end, everything will be fine.”

In the sunlight.

Cecilia repeated softly once more.

“Let’s make a grand escape into the sunlight together.”