After the new rain, the air seems to be much fresher. Pen ~ fun ~ Pavilion www.biquge.info even the sky that has been covered with black ash all year round has been washed a little clearer.

But no matter how heavy the rainstorm is, it is impossible to really clean up the black ash that has been in the sky for tens of millions of years. Because the black ash is a part of nature, how can the remains of the spirits, the basic elements of the world, be washed away by the rain that is also part of nature?

But even so, looking at the slightly brighter sky, the shrine maiden still felt a little relaxed for the first time in a long time.

This may also be because of the negotiation with Leo just now.

After a brief conversation, the two have come to an agreement. The shrine maidens will protect the colony as a member of the human race, and at the same time gather the scattered human species here. And the reward she can get for this is ...... Not at all.

Everything she did was just mere voluntary labor, and she couldn't get any benefit.

Of course, this is just the opinion of Leo, who doesn't know how to get bonus points after killing the "monsters" who come to attack. In the shrine maiden's opinion, in this matter, she can get far more than she gives.

In addition, even if Leo wanted to give the shrine maiden, even the human race, which was extremely lacking in the most basic resources, really had nothing to do. So, she was happy to earn this favor.

Taking two more steps forward, the shrine maiden suddenly raised her head.

She sensed something was wrong.

It's not that there are any enemies, but ...... The atmosphere in the colony was a little different from what she had before she and Leo had talked.

At this moment, the shrine maiden's spiritual sense did not diverge around her body as usual, and she sensed it accurately. Rather, it spreads the spiritual consciousness to the maximum extent possible, and focuses on the distance.

This is, of course, to protect the colony.

- Having just killed an invading demon species, the shrine maiden doesn't think anyone will be able to discover this settlement. In order to discover the enemy's whereabouts before they arrive, the only way she can do it is through her psychic sense.

So at this moment, even if she has a fourth-order realm, she doesn't know much about the situation in the colony. Even the somewhat different atmosphere just now, she didn't notice when she first walked out of the house. It wasn't until a few more steps had she noticed the anomaly.

When she looked up, she was greeted by a busy scene.

The houses in the colony are being demolished and the materials are being sorted and packed. Whether it is an adult or a child, a man or a woman, they are already carrying heavy packages on their backs.

But what pervades this place is not a hot working atmosphere, but ...... Sorrowful.

Yes, no one will want to leave their homeland.

"Mommy, Mommy, are we moving out again?" A childish voice sounded in the distance, but it was caught by the shrine maiden's keen hearing.

She looked at this scene, her eyes moved, and she had a little realization in her heart.

Indeed, even the newcomers to this world know that the death of a demon species will definitely attract more demon species, and it is naturally impossible for people who have lived in danger in the colony for so long to forget this.

But they don't have the power to resist. Now that you know, you can only leave. And judging by their proficiency, this is probably not the first time that such a migration has occurred.

Leo must have known this, and he had just promised him to protect the colony. So, if the colony is gone, how can it be protected?

This--I am afraid it was a test he left for himself.

It only took a moment for the shrine maiden to figure out Leo's intentions.

Indeed, if you want to become the patron saint of the human race, you don't just have power. At least - to be able to give them confidence.

Feeling the slightly desolate atmosphere in the settlement, the witch's face remained unchanged, but there was a trace of fluctuation in a ruthless heavenly heart.

Feelings are indeed the easiest thing to spread. Even when she looked at the sadness of people who had nothing to do with her, the shrine maiden was faintly affected by it, and she had a trace of sadness about the death of a rabbit and a fox.

If one day, when you are faced with an enemy that is so powerful that you can't even resist at all, will you make the same choice?

Do you give up everything and flee, or do you want to fight even if you die?

Thinking about it this way, it seems that since the cultivation of the people, I have rarely fallen into a real desperate situation, and I have not even felt the pain—no, there was that time!

The picture of the black-haired Qingli girl being beheaded with a knife appeared in her mind again.

Thinking of this, the witch's heart suddenly cleared, her mood returned to the state of the ancient well without waves, and her thoughts returned to reality at the same time. But even so, she felt a crack in her state of mind.

It is the result of a conflict between thoughts and moods. Cultivating the ruthless Heavenly Dao, she shouldn't have resonated with the eight sufferings of the world. But under the influence of the people in the settlement, the shrine maiden once again recalled the intense pain caused by that unforgettable scene.

Even after that, he did not hesitate to believe the words of the young man who claimed to be a saint and wanted to destroy a main god who did not know what it was...... Yes, that kind of experience, that kind of feeling, it is impossible for the shrine maiden to forget it. And if you can't forget your feelings, how can you reach the realm of the Taisu.

Faintly, the shrine maiden had a hint of doubt about her path.

Cultivating the Heavenly Dao, can you really be liberated?

Looking at the people in the settlement, she seemed to see another way.

If you can't go against your state of mind, why not go with your heart. If you can't forget it, don't forget it.

At this moment, the image that appeared in the shrine maiden's mind turned into a faint female figure standing opposite her. Her long silver hair pierced through the void behind her, as if connecting the heavens and all the realms. Her face seems to be obscured by a thin veil, which makes people unreal, but it contains the true meaning of wisdom. She spoke softly, telling the highest truth between heaven and earth in the most basic language.

"In this world, there is more than one avenue. But there are only two avenues that can truly cultivate the mind and enable people to attain the power of heaven. That is the ruthless way of heaven, and ...... Humane with affection.

"Only by cultivating these two can we transcend the sainthood - even..."

Her words came to an abrupt end. The shrine maiden's memories were also directly interrupted here. But her memory was not lost. At this moment, she finally really touched the other path that appeared in front of her.

That's right, that's exactly what the master said, one of the only two avenues to heaven in the world - sentient humanity!

Vaguely, the witch's originally clear state of mind once again appeared a bottomless crack.

ps: It's okay...... At least the phone can be updated.