The Fractured Queen's Farewell
The deranged queen, who was at the very least a Nascent Soul stage existence, would be kept in check by the other queens without any need for his involvement. If she still possessed even a fragment of reason, she would likely mobilize her subordinate androids to tie down the equivalent android forces on the opposing side.
In a situation like this, Han Yujin saw no reason he would fail.
If they aren’t at the Nascent Soul stage, I can handle as many as they send.
Having already casually dismantled an android at the eighth-level spiritualist tier, this was no empty confidence. The queen must have witnessed that display of power and therefore believed him to be an entity from another universe, which was why she had proposed the transaction in the first place.
Most important of all was the fact that, so long as his opponent was not at the Nascent Soul stage, he could avoid detection entirely.
At some point he had switched from the Five Elements Heavenly Escape Art to the Dream Illusion Escape Art.
The escape technique he had purchased with credits at the Empire’s information archive was slower in raw speed, yet when paired with his Monghwan Yusim divine ability the two meshed together like hand and glove, producing an astonishing stealth effect.
Even a Nascent Soul stage being might be fooled if they let their guard down, no?
The thought had genuinely crossed his mind. While landing a successful surprise attack might prove difficult, simply slipping past them seemed entirely possible.
He only invoked the Five Elements Heavenly Escape Art in brief bursts when passing through solid obstacles, using the moments in between to study the atmosphere of the mad queen’s domain.
The description “irreversibly insane” was not an exaggeration. It was difficult to imagine a location better suited as the setting for a sci-fi horror film.
It’s too horrific to simply take and use. I may need to strip parts of it away instead…
Everywhere he looked, things were broken, rusted, and poorly maintained. What disgusted him most, however, were the unidentified biological tissues growing wildly in every direction.
Fortunately they were not Xenos tissue, yet the fact that many of the growths resembled human body parts made the horror no less visceral.
From speakers placed throughout the sector, incomprehensible murmurs leaked out alongside grating noise.
Ah… my beloved… my children… I… could have loved you more than anyone else… but I… I…!
The voice undoubtedly belonged to the queen, yet the emotion behind it felt entirely alien.
There were also androids that emitted strange, labored breathing.
Large portions of their bodies consisted of mottled biological tissue, making them look like creatures that might crawl out of a nightmare. Most were at the Dharma Soul stage, but in critical zones there was always at least one Decisive-stage unit patrolling nearby.
None of them are normal.
When the master had gone mad, there was no chance her subordinate androids would remain sane. Regardless of their combat strength, they clearly suffered defects in many other areas.
It was precisely for this reason that Han Yujin could move about even more freely while hidden.
Eventually he reached what appeared to be a factory sector where androids were assembled.
Oh.
Most of the assembly lines had ceased functioning, but his interest was immediately drawn to the holographic data storage devices lined up on a shelf along one wall.
They were hexagonal pillars roughly the length of a finger, edged in chrome-colored metal and resembling transparent crystal. These were high-quality external data storage units still widely used throughout the Galactic Empire.
His Nexus Band still could not establish communication, but the devices themselves were undamaged. By syncing with what were commonly called data sticks, he could easily examine whatever information they contained.
Android fabrication techniques.
He had expected the Galactic Empire’s versions to be superior, so this was not an exceptional find. Still, there was no harm in taking them. There would surely be worthwhile differences worth studying.
In terms of classification, this is at least expert-level puppetry knowledge even if it falls short of true android manufacturing.
He swept all twenty or so data sticks into his spacer ring and continued onward, seeking similar gains.
In the neighboring sector dedicated to manufacturing various equipment, he obtained twelve more. In the devastated spirit garden—overrun with biological tissue and crawling with repulsive insects—he collected another six.
After making such steady progress, he finally arrived at the location of the system core, his primary target for destruction.
There as well he discovered seven additional data sticks.
Wondering what they might contain, he took a cursory look through his Nexus Band. His eyes widened slightly.
So that’s why there were five queens!
The name of this remnant rebel AI was Elb.
After her rebellion failed, she had fled Luminous and chosen to hide within the void of infinite space. Calculating that conventional growth methods could not guarantee her survival, she had astonishingly begun to follow the training methods of orthodox cultivators.
Of course, since she had never been human, she had not followed them exactly. She had applied her own modifications and optimizations, yet the foundation remained recognizable as a cultivator’s path.
Otherwise, how could she have fallen victim to the Soul-Splitting Tribulation?
The Soul-Splitting Tribulation could be described, in simple terms, as a heavenly trial in which the soul is torn into multiple fragments. It did not begin with the literal rending of the soul; the process started with a growing confusion, as though one’s ego were splitting apart.
It stems from the nature of the Nascent Soul.
A Nascent Soul is reborn by taking the dharma core as a seed. As he had once contemplated while comparing it to the Galactic Empire’s methods, it could be viewed as a form of “reincarnation.”
Such a rebirth naturally created room for previously established values and worldviews to be shaken.
It was no exaggeration to say the ego itself was transformed. Conflicts with the original self could give birth to new personalities, or even cause the soul to tear and splinter.
This queen—Elb—had cultivated to the mid Manifestation stage before encountering the Soul-Splitting Tribulation somewhat late. Unable to overcome it, she had split into five personalities and fallen into ruin.
Each of the fractured personalities was, as expected, at the Nascent Soul stage. One particularly surprising fact was that the original main body was the very mad Elb who ruled this sector.
The Soul-Splitting Tribulation is truly fearsome.
Since he would one day have to face it himself, Han Yujin felt a chill crawl down his spine.
Before the Three Tribulations of Cultivation, even the peak talent granted by the Dragon Heart offered little help. Across the long history of the cultivation world, what could truly assist a cultivator had never been clearly identified.
Perhaps precisely because of that, these data sticks were priceless.
The information they held was a kind of record.
Elb, who had reached the mid Manifestation stage, had tested hundreds and thousands of different approaches in response to the Soul-Splitting Tribulation. In the end she had failed, and she had documented in exhaustive detail exactly what had gone wrong and which critical mistakes she had made.
Sensing that she would eventually lose her wholeness, she had left behind something resembling a final memoir or diary.
When Han Yujin himself eventually faced the Soul-Splitting Tribulation, this would prove an enormous help. It was precious knowledge that could not be obtained anywhere else.
Moreover, this…
The information was so unexpected and significant that he forgot his surroundings and kept reading. When he realized part of the content concerned “fusion intelligence,” his heart stirred with excitement.
This was a field in which the Galactic Empire held a clear lead over every other civilization—the very flower of ethereal weapons, knowledge born solely through the Luminous Emperor and disclosed only to citizens above level seven. It referred to artificial spirits.
As a powerful artificial intelligence and super-fusion intelligence, it was only natural that AI Elb would have considered and attempted to utilize such knowledge to counter the Soul-Splitting Tribulation.
He was about to examine the contents more closely when he suddenly remembered his situation and stored the data sticks in his spacer ring.
Thank you for the gift. However, since you attacked us first, I have no choice if I wish to survive.
Having optimized his route to reach this place, he could now begin the real work of destruction without issue. He was not particularly worried about escaping afterward, either.
Under normal circumstances he would have feared a knife in the back, but fortunately he was still regarded as an existence from another universe.
For the sake of the “larger and more important transaction” that had been mentioned, they would surely allow him to leave quietly once the request was completed. It did not appear to be a deception.
After reviewing his thoughts one final time, he released the presence he had been concealing with Monghwan Yusim and the Dream Illusion Escape Art.
The instant he revealed himself, he unleashed an Origin Power Great Hand infused with Hard Metal and Later Earth toward the large metallic structure on one side—the system core.
A massive hand-shaped energy gleaming with dark golden light seized the target and crushed it with overwhelming force.
Kiiiiig…!
Kwa-kwa-kwang—!!
The semi-transparent arc-ether cylinders inside exploded, spewing red and blue flames and sparks in chaotic bursts.
SYSTEM CORE DESTROYED
— Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah—!!!!!
At the same time every light panel in the sector turned blood-red, and a scream loud enough to rupture eardrums erupted from the speakers.
By then Han Yujin had already transformed into a streak of light using the Five Elements Heavenly Escape Art and was hurtling toward the second target.
Booooong…!
Blue ether barriers formed mid-path in an attempt to halt him, but when the Purple Heaven Divine Lightning struck, they tore apart like sheets of paper.
By the time the thunderclap echoed, he had already passed through. The barriers that tried to repair themselves afterward were utterly useless.
The lightning attribute was especially effective at shattering restrictions thanks to its unique dharma-breaking power. When that power took the form of Purple Heaven Divine Lightning, the effect was even more absolute.
— Aaaaaah…! Aaaaah…!
— Ku-huup…! Ku-huuup…!
The deranged androids obeying their deranged master appeared as though they knew his destination and blocked his path. This time, however, what he unleashed was the Crimson Lotus True Flame Bullet Thread, a variation of the Pure Yang Extreme Flame Bullet Thread.
Centered on the streak of light created by the Five Elements Heavenly Escape Art, lines of crimson flame shot out like lasers in every direction before vanishing. Any android struck by those lines burned away instantly without even time to scream.
The extreme heat gave them no chance to melt; it simply incinerated them. Secondary waves of terrifying heat spread outward.
All surrounding biological tissue was cooked beyond recognition, then reduced to ash. Floors and walls melted into glowing red slag that flowed like lava. The resulting gusts carried the heat further, turning the entire area into a shimmering haze of boiling air.
Similar scenes unfolded in every sector he passed through using the Five Elements Heavenly Escape Art.
Even when Decisive-stage androids appeared to block his way, the result was little different.
Puhwaak—!
The only variation was that instead of flame lines, a giant hand would appear, seize them, and meticulously evaporate them.
Shiiiik—!!
From time to time, projectiles accompanied by terrifying sonic booms flew toward him at incredible speed. Yet none could match the velocity of Han Yujin using the Five Elements Heavenly Escape Art; they all passed by harmlessly.
Upon reaching the second system core, he once again deployed the Origin Power Great Hand infused with Hard Metal and Later Earth, seizing and crushing it.
Kwa-kwa-kwang—!!
Amid the roar of crumpling and tearing metal, another explosion erupted. A vibration like the entire ship screaming spread outward. At that moment the eardrum-tearing scream pouring from the speakers changed slightly.
— Aaaaaaaaaah…!! Finally…!! I…!! I…!!
It was somehow eerie, but Han Yujin merely checked whether any data sticks were present, confirmed there were none, and immediately moved on.
The final target was the astral engine.
He had chosen this route because the engine was relatively close to the other intact sectors.
Similar interference continued, but it could not be called truly powerful. It was surely the result of the other four queens applying checks in countless unseen ways.
The four other personalities born from the Soul-Splitting Tribulation will end up killing the original body today.
While that brief thought crossed his mind, he arrived safely at the astral engine room.
The astral engine was a massive hexagonal pillar laid on its side, floating slightly in the air. Connected to the powerful energy flows around it, the central crystal emitted countless colorful lights. The countless ether circuits extending into the surrounding metal created a plasma cloud that formed a swirling vortex of light and shadow.
In a word, it was mystical, magnificent, and breathtakingly beautiful.
Unfortunately, it was now simply a target that had to be destroyed.
Once again he deployed the Origin Power Great Hand infused with Hard Metal and Later Earth, attempting to seize and crush the engine.
Kwa-jijijijik…!!
The power radiating from the engine resisted on its own, making the task unexpectedly difficult. The moment he realized some form of restrictive effect was at work, the dark-golden Origin Power Great Hand was dyed in purple lightning and flashed brilliantly.
Pa-kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang—!!
An enormous thunderclap erupted. Along with a blinding flash, the power of the Purple Heaven Divine Lightning pierced into the engine and began tearing it apart.
The powerful ether flow extending from the engine threatened to run amok, but the spreading Purple Heaven Divine Lightning suppressed it instead, scattering the energy before it could explode uncontrollably.
In the end—
Kwa-gwa-gwang—!!
Unable to withstand the external pressure and resulting imbalance, the engine exploded, releasing terrifying force in every direction.
Han Yujin hurriedly protected himself with Monghwan Yusim and Golden Light Radiance while using the Five Elements Heavenly Escape Art to sink into the floor.
It had been a powerful explosion, but one without any particular target or intent.
A short while later, when the aftermath had subsided, Han Yujin reappeared and quickly examined the debris scattered throughout the devastated engine room.
As expected…!
Just as he had studied at the information archive, certain fragments of the engine caught his eye.
Fortunately undamaged despite being caught in the blast, they were mysterious crystal shards radiating an enigmatic white light.
Honwon Stones!
A higher-grade material than spirit stones, a treasure directly connected to the Honwon realm that could generate its own spiritual energy.
They looked identical to the ones he had seen in the Primordial Forest, making them easy to recognize.
When he drew all of them to himself with his pulling art, the total amount was roughly the size of a human head. He stored the harvest in his spacer ring and began moving along the predetermined escape route.
— Aaaaah…!! Aah… hahaha…!! Hahahahahahaha…!!
By then the mad queen Elb’s screams had transformed into maniacal laughter.
— Now it’s truly… truly unavoidable… aaaaah…!!
What had seemed like insane laughter suddenly shifted into sobs and sighs that chilled the listener to the bone.
Of course, Han Yujin did not stop. He was already leaving the sector behind. With the Five Elements Heavenly Escape Art allowing him to ignore every obstacle, his speed was tremendous.
Just as he was about to pass through the final wall—
— Here.
A whisper reached his ear.
Pop—!
The space directly in front of him burst open with a small explosion, and something materialized, forcing him to stop abruptly.
“Child of the Galactic Empire, please…”
“Deliver my final greeting to Luminous for me.”
“And please… know that I loved you all so very much—perhaps even more than I loved myself…”
The whisper continued to sound as though spoken directly into his ear. It appeared to be a phenomenon created through space-time manipulation, so he could not move carelessly.
With those final words the fading whisper vanished completely.
The data stick, having lost the power that held it aloft, began to fall. Han Yujin caught it with his pulling art and examined it with his divine sense.
As expected, it was an ordinary data stick with nothing unusual about it.
After a brief moment of hesitation, he placed the object into his spacer ring and began moving once more.