Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost

Wang Linchi stood on the towering city wall. Looking down, he saw Yan Ming King arriving with his forces. He recognized many familiar faces, such as Xu Shou, the former dean of Qinghe Academy, and the Beast God from the Beast Garden Secret Realm.

"Old classmate, your actions are quite underhanded! I gave you Sky Capital, yet you're unwilling to pay even the smallest price. Aren't you well aware of what the Baylong Religion and Dragon Island have done to our Human Clan? All I want is justice for Qinghe City!" Wang Linchi's words sounded lofty and righteous. If it weren't for his coveting of the Dragon Emperor himself, his claim would have been flawless.

"The Dragon Emperor is Daylight Level; I cannot give him to you now. Let him come here to atone for his sins. As for the Baylong Religion, old classmate, I've brought them to you," Yan Ming King said. With a wave of his hand, his soldiers brought out a group of people and beheaded them. These individuals were all dressed in the robes of the Baylong Religion. Wang Linchi didn't care whether they were genuine or not; his target was never the Baylong Religion, but the Dragon Emperor.

"The matter of Qinghe City was due to my lax discipline. Today, I have come to apologize to Your Majesty," the Dragon Emperor said, stepping forward to apologize directly upon seeing the situation. In everyone's eyes, an out had been offered; it was time for Wang Linchi to take it. For a Mountain Copper Level cultivator to receive an apology from a Daylight Level one was a great honor. The Dragon Emperor's apology was, of course, reluctant, but he had no choice due to Yan Ming King's might. Seeing this, Wang Linchi's eyes narrowed slightly. Yan Ming King truly intends to protect the Dragon Emperor at all costs.

"Your Majesty, the city gate is open. It is time for you to welcome him, presenting the Jade Seal," a voice called out. The speaker was a Daylight Level expert.

"Heh, you certainly have a strong sense of ceremony," Wang Linchi remarked, while his mind raced, What should I do next?

They feared Wang Linchi would continue to stir up trouble and didn't dare let him linger. They wanted to complete the handover as quickly as possible, welcome Yan Ming King into the city, and then pledge their allegiance to the new sovereign.

Wang Linchi said nothing more. Following the established plan, he descended the city wall like a puppet, carrying the Jade Seal presented by an attendant, and walked towards Yan Ming King. Yan Ming King had been waiting for a long time. Though his expression was stern, his excitement was palpable.

When the two met once more, Yan Ming King took the Jade Seal from Wang Linchi's hands and said, "I never imagined that after we parted ways back then, our reunion would be under such circumstances."

"A pity. You're no longer the righteous, public-spirited old classmate you once were," Wang Linchi said coldly. "I raised troops merely to seek justice for the common people, and now, it's simply to seek justice for Qinghe City. You, however, only care about your own power."

These words made Yan Ming King's expression stiffen.

"Insolent! You are merely—" A former subordinate of Yan Ming King, one who had survived those early days and now held a high position, began to rebuke Wang Linchi without hesitation.

However, Yan Ming King raised a hand, stopping him.

"The Qinghe City incident is a private matter. The Great Ruins still require the Dragon Emperor's strength; that is a public concern. We cannot neglect public duty for private reasons," Yan Ming King retorted.

"Heh. 'If you don't sweep a single room, how can you sweep the world?'" Wang Linchi sneered. "Today, the Dragon Emperor is a 'public concern.' Tomorrow, if someone slaughters a city to cultivate The Heritage of the Heavenly Demon to resist the Great Ruins, will that also be a 'public concern'?"

"The high officials have survived, but who will pity the common folk, treated like ants, shown no mercy?"

At these words, the expressions of many present shifted subtly. Wang Linchi had used the call "Are kings and nobles destined by birth?" for his rebellion. Now, they themselves had become the new ruling class. What next? Would someone else shout that same phrase against them? With their statuses and interests changed, they naturally wouldn't allow anyone to utter such words again. Yet, no one had expected Wang Linchi to still remember it.

"Must the Dragon Emperor die?" Yan Ming King asked, his gaze profound.

"That's not up to me. It's up to you," Wang Linchi retorted lightly, tossing the question back.

"In that case, he cannot die." Yan Ming King would never sacrifice a valuable combatant like the Dragon Emperor for such a minor issue.

Just as Wang Linchi was about to speak again, the entire ground began to tremble violently. Caught off guard, he nearly lost his footing.

"The Great Ruins... they're already affecting Sky Capital," Wang Linchi muttered, watching countless fissures appear.

Yan Ming King's expression also turned grim. Ignoring Wang Linchi completely, he immediately commanded, "Take control of Sky Capital! Activate the Defense—"

But before he could finish his order, an enormous fissure ripped across the land.

"This is bad! With a fissure this large, Sky Capital will inevitably collapse!" the Beast God quickly assessed the situation and exclaimed.

"We must immediately return to the Northern Domain and evacuate everyone towards the Eastern Domain! If Sky Capital falls, we will all be caught in the fallout!" the Dragon Emperor urged, seeing the disaster unfold and instantly proposing retreat.

Yan Ming King watched this, his lips moving slightly. Finally, he looked at Wang Linchi. "Let's go together."

There wasn't much he could do, only ensure Wang Linchi lived a few more months, as he himself wasn't certain he would survive the coming days.

"No, you all go. Take everyone with you. I won't go back with you; my presence would just be an eyesore," Wang Linchi said, shaking his head in refusal.

Yan Ming King said nothing, merely nodding. He didn't press Wang Linchi to stay. In a world like this, what difference did a few more or fewer months of life truly make?

"Why has such a terrible catastrophe befallen Sky Capital?"

"The Great Ruins are upon us!"

"But wasn't there still a year left?"

"Given the vast distance to the Great Ruins, there's always some variance in arrival time; it's just impossible to calculate perfectly."

"Damn it! Evacuate everyone from Sky Capital immediately! Retreat to the Northern Domain!"

The urgent questions and answers flew back and forth between Yan Ming King, the Beast God, the Dragon Emperor, and others.

In less than two hours, the entire population of Sky Capital was evacuated. If it hadn't been for Wang Linchi's earlier primary condition, likely only the upper echelons would have fled by now. Wang Linchi did not leave. He remained in the desolate, crumbling Sky Capital, his expression serene.

He looked up towards the southwest. An immense entity, indescribable in words, was approaching his world. He couldn't even perceive the entirety of this behemoth.

One month? Hahaha... and they said a year. How ironic! Wang Linchi couldn't help but burst into laughter, a laugh tinged with a strange sense of relief. The collapse of Sky Capital was now unstoppable, and Wang Linchi had no intention of trying to prevent it.

To die together... how splendid, Wang Linchi thought, feeling a touch of madness creeping into him.

"You seem quite pleased?" Yan Ming King's voice suddenly sounded. He had returned.

"I'm alright. Why are you back? That was close. If my hand had slipped and I'd initiated the 'Ultimate Sacrifice' just now, you would have died with me," Wang Linchi joked, though he had indeed been startled.

"It's nothing. I just came back to give you something," Yan Ming King said, tossing an item to Wang Linchi.

He opened it. It was a Dragon Crystal, dripping with fresh blood.

"As for the Dragon Emperor, I will kill him after this calamity of the Great Ruins has passed. I will then send all the Dragon Crystals from every dragon on Dragon Island to your grave as offerings. This Dragon Crystal belonged to the Dragon Emperor's eldest legitimate son. Consider it a down payment—and my promise to you."

"I haven't forgotten what happened back then," Yan Ming King added, his voice heavy.

"As long as you remember. That's all that matters," Wang Linchi said calmly, looking at the Dragon Crystal.

"Do you want to leave together?" Yan Ming King asked, inviting him for the second time.

The first invitation had been for public reasons; this one was personal.

"No, it's quite nice here," Wang Linchi said. "Even without your patronage, I managed to become a king. To die here... well, that's a kind of status too."

"Very well," Yan Ming King replied, not pressing further.

"Alright. You should leave quickly. In three days, I will initiate the Ultimate Sacrifice. We'll see if I can delay the approaching Great Ruins," Wang Linchi stated.

"Make it ten days," Yan Ming King suggested.

"Hey, be reasonable! If Sky Capital can even last for five days, it would mean its foundations are incredibly strong. Ten days?" Wang Linchi grumbled.

Yan Ming King smiled. "Still the same old you. Three days it is, then."

"I'll leave first. Take care of yourself." After saying this, Yan Ming King turned and departed.

However, after only a few steps, he paused.

"If there's a next life, let's be classmates again."

"And your Soul Seed Boiling Series... it's honestly the most powerful Soul Skill I've ever witnessed. Truly." With these final words, Yan Ming King finally left.

Wang Linchi couldn't help but shake his head and smile faintly. Yes, if there's a next life, we could be classmates again. A pity...

Watching Yan Ming King transform into a streak of light and vanish from sight, he felt a complex wave of emotion. His own rapid rise had been significantly aided by exploiting Yan Ming King.

Unfortunately, Wang Linchi was the protagonist, born with a great destiny.

At this moment, he also understood why Yan Ming King carried those auras of 'Diminished Intelligence' and 'Taunt.' Under the threat of the Great Ruins, it was advance or die. Only by attracting sufficient enmity could Yan Ming King be driven to fight his way up, never slacking for an instant. That was Yan Ming King's fate.