Rainbow After the Rain / Dealing with the Aftermath

The majestic and righteous lightning that wards off evil is like concentrated sulfuric acid to a being like a celestial demon. The moment the lightning struck its body, bluish-white lightning appeared from the gaps in the black scales of the celestial demon's armor. Accompanied by a hissing sound like corrosion, white smoke dissipated from its body, only to be suppressed by the rain.

"Yang Thunder... it's been so long since I've felt that."

Despite this targeted attack, the Heavenly Demon remained standing in the pouring rain, his gaze coldly sweeping across his surroundings, settling on one particular spot.

"But I've finally found you."

Golden Core Realm.

Yotsuya Miko's face darkened, and she waved her hand, extinguishing the heavy rain that had been holding back the rain. With this action, the gloomy rain that had enveloped the entire country came to a complete end.

Maintaining such a large-scale rainstorm required considerable effort from her, and more importantly, the rainstorm was indeed nearing its end.

This earth-shattering technique is ultimately beyond her current level of cultivation to use for long. She can only achieve it through complicated formations, and in the end, she can only reach the Golden Core stage.

"Give up?"

The mocking words were accompanied by an instantaneous movement. Even though his current body was not strong enough to perform any other techniques, the body condensed by the Heavenly Devil Corpse Unraveling Great Method was already at the level of a Golden Core realm demon beast.

Even a gentle swipe of its claws can shake and collapse a mountain, but such an action would be meaningless. Because of their physical form, demonic beasts exert themselves with such brute force that they can destroy mountains and split the earth, but this would disperse their original power.

The demon didn't intend to waste its energy. Its sharp claws pierced through Yotsuya Miko's heart, and by concentrating its power into a single point, it effortlessly broke through Yotsuya Miko's layers of defense.

"It seems I have won."

No, it's me.

Although her heart was completely shattered by the blow, it did not mean she was dead.

Yotsuya Miko calmly gazed at the Heavenly Demon before her, her golden eyes reflecting two distinctly different eyes.

One lives, one dies.

The dead inner demon wore a look of astonishment on its face.

Just like the bewilderment I feel now.

Flames, dark purple flames, burned from Yotsuya Miko's body and also spread to this inner demon.

"The Heavenly Demon is immortal and indestructible because its True Spirit is difficult to eradicate."

She explained, without making any move even as the flames scorched her body.

"I recently looked through some information about Heavenly Demons and researched some techniques. Although it wasn't very successful, I did modify the Profound Xuanming Tribulation Fire Manual, changing it to a flame that only burns the soul Spiritual Sense. For a Heavenly Demon like you who has no soul Spiritual Sense, it will directly burn your True Spirit."

While she was speaking, the Xuanming Tribulation Fire, amplified by the array, had already burned away most of her Spiritual Sense. Fortunately, her Spiritual Sense was still quite strong and could withstand the burning.

As for the inner demons I'm currently facing?

Its aura had begun to decline, falling from the Golden Core realm all the way down to the Qi Refining realm.

"So, I won."

After speaking, the body constructed by the Heavenly Devil Corpse Unraveling Great Method completely vanished into the world.

Yotsuya Miko used a spell to extinguish the Xuanming Tribulation Fire on her body. Her previously torn left chest was now transparent, revealing the absence of a vital organ—her heart.

The demon's idea was clever; he thought destroying her heart would kill her. But if he had just aimed for her head, she would indeed be gone.

It's just a pity--

Yotsuya Miko looked down at the area around her heart, which had long since been mutated.

A long time ago, probably last time it came along with the scales on my neck, or maybe a little later.

Chapter 249 Rainbow After the Rain

The rain stopped, and the sun reappeared.

From an outsider's perspective, this rain was quite strange. Even if it was a typhoon, it was indeed unusual.

After all, the rain only lasted about half an hour.

Yotsuya Miko straightened her clothes. Although there was nothing more to say about the current situation, she still felt a little regretful at the thought of this inexplicably emerging inner demon dying like this.

However, there was no other way. She couldn't risk keeping this inner demon alive, so she had to kill it decisively, letting it and everything it knew about Zhang Qiudao disappear together.

"Well... let's take care of our business."

He rubbed his head, and with a spell cast, the hole in his chest was covered again by his clothes. Although the Prison Spirit Remnant Soul Clothes hadn't protected him from the inner demon's attack, it was better than nothing; at least it could be repaired with spiritual energy.

As for the shattered heart, it will take some time to heal. His gaze shifted from what was in front of him to the distance behind him, to Yuria, who had already been moved away using the power of the array when the battle with the inner demon began.

What are your thoughts...?

Before she could finish speaking, she was embraced tightly, her cold body enveloped in warmth.

"Miko, is your heart... alright?"

Yuria, whose vision was obscured by the heavy rain, could not see the fight between the two. She simply stood silently in the space created by Yotsuya Miko using a formation, because such a battle was not something she could interfere with.

She only breathed a sigh of relief when the battle ended, the heavy rain stopped, and she saw that familiar figure again.

When her gaze swept over Yotsuya Miko's body and she saw the empty chest, a sense of panic urged Yuria to run towards Miko without thinking.

She thought, "I'll just... mix it up with the water," and wondered if it was true, how could her Miko's heart have turned into...

"Ah, there's no need to worry too much about that. It will grow back in a few days. For now, just use your spiritual energy to construct a heart. I'm not that easy to kill."

Yotsuya Miko noticed her fear, reached out her right hand to stroke the girl's hair, and used her spiritual energy to wipe away the rainwater from her body. After the series of events, Yuria was soaked to the bone and would easily catch a cold if she didn't do anything.

As for her, although the rain was still pouring down on her, it had no effect on her increasingly inhuman body. Before the Xuanming Python, her body might have been fragile, but as the mutation of the Heavenly Devil False Body True Understanding deepened, very few things could kill her. Damage to her internal organs wouldn't have a serious impact on her body.

From some perspectives, it might be considered a good thing. However, overall, it's an undeniably bad thing.

Her time is probably running out.

So, before that...

"Hey, you should reply to me by now, right?"

The spiritual energy dispelled the raindrops from Yuria's body. Her right hand, which had been stroking her hair, slid down her cheek to Yuria's chin, bringing their eyes together.

"If you make a decision you regret, I won't let you take it back."

Gazing into those beautiful, pale golden eyes, Yuria couldn't help but hold her breath.

In that brief moment, a multitude of thoughts raced through her mind: concerns, reluctance, anxieties, and joy. Things weren't as simple as a single sentence, nor could a single answer determine everything. But so what?

At least for now, she is able to--

I want to be with you.

The sky after the heavy rain was filled with fine mist, which drifted aimlessly and would not fall back to the ground for a long time.

The sun shone brightly on the earth once more, its radiance spreading to every corner of the country, even the mist.

Sunlight shines through water droplets and refracts, creating a rainbow of colors that hangs in the air like a bridge. This phenomenon has a beautiful name: rainbow.

Looking at the blonde girl who had lowered her head, probably out of shyness, with her ears turning red, Yotsuya Miko was still stunned for a moment even though she knew this was the final outcome.

She paused, looked up at the bright rainbow hanging high in the sky, a treasure after the rain, and her lips moved slightly.

"Good."

Was it a dream?

Yotsuya Touko woke up in bed with tears streaming down her face.

It was as if she had a very long dream, yet it also felt like it wasn't a dream at all.

That person... is already dead. Even if I wanted to deceive myself into believing that he existed, I couldn't believe it anymore.

Is simply saying sorry enough?

She closed her eyes, feeling a surge of grievances.

He just left her all alone, abandoning her and their child. He's such a scumbag!

"Why won't you even see me in your dreams, Masamori?"

The emotions she had suppressed in her heart erupted like a flood when she saw the man she had longed for again. However, he simply said "sorry" and disappeared from her dream.

After crying silently, Yotsuya Touko composed herself, wiped her eyes, and tried to look less disheveled. She couldn't show her helplessness in front of her child.

Just as I was about to check the time on my phone, an email appeared on the screen. The sender was Yotsuya Masamori.

My nose stung, my hands trembled as I opened the email, and in my panic I even mistyped my phone's lock screen password once.

[To my beloved:]

[Touko, it's been a long time. I have so much to say to you, but I'm sorry to say it this way. Time really flies. The children have grown up so much. Kyosuke has become so sensible. That kid used to be so naughty, Miko has become so much more mature, even quite remarkable. It's truly amazing. The children are all wonderful, and that must be thanks to you.]

[You must have been very sad after what happened to me. But I'm so glad you've moved on. People have to learn to accept the unfairness of life, right? I'm so sorry I couldn't keep the promises I made to you. We were so excited and happy back then; having children felt like having the whole world. Kyosuke and Miko are our two treasures. So please continue to cherish and protect our precious ones.]

[If possible, though it's very unwilling, please find someone who loves you as much as I do. And while you're at it, forget about me; someone like me is such a jerk. You need to have a new life, because that's where your happiness lies.]

[The final work: Yotsuya Masamori]

"Is that alright?"

Gazing at the rainbow in the sky, the man finished his last cigarette and smiled.

"Snap."

The door to the Yurikawa family's house was opened.

"It really is! A beautiful rainbow appeared in the sky!"

Yurikawa Hana quickly took out her phone to take a picture of the rainbow and send it to Yotsuya Miko and Yuria, wanting to share such a beautiful sight with her friends.

"I really didn't expect the typhoon to be over so quickly."

After taking the photos, she sighed and sent them out on her phone. Only then did she return to the house to help her mother with the previous arrangements.

The door slammed shut; inside, it was bustling with activity, while outside, it was deserted and quiet.

What once existed is now gone.

That's probably how life is—full of joys and sorrows, partings and reunions.

Chapter 250 Aftermath

Okita Qishen was awakened by the cold.

As he drove his car toward Divine Gate, he felt like his brain was fried.

It was cold and damp, but things improved slightly after he arrived at the Divine Gate. After quickly changing his clothes, he received some bad news.

"The Wagen Family of Jianping is gone."

When those words came out of Oune Tatsu's mouth, he felt somewhat unreal, but after remaining silent for a while, he let out a long sigh.

"It has nothing to do with me anymore. What do you plan to do?"

"As per Mr. Xu Jun's wishes, we've contacted the members of the Wagen Family still serving in the military to reorganize the internal affairs of the Wagen Family. Fortunately, Mr. Xu Jun is in charge of most of the affairs of the Divine Gate, and even though the family head One Iu, hastily reassigned some personnel, the Xu Jun faction within the Divine Gate remains intact. This force will be completely integrated into the Wagen Family and managed by the Wagen Family members serving in the military. The related changes are still being planned and are quite troublesome."

Oune Tatsu carefully crafted his words, revealing little sadness.

"The Wagen Family, along with all the Wagen Family that collaborated with them in this assassination attempt on Miss Yotsuya, are anxiously awaiting their reckoning. This massive nationwide rainstorm, along with the numerous casualties and military losses, has made these forces fully understand the power of Miss Yotsuya—no, it should now be called Lady Yotsuya. They chose to submit, but such submission seems a bit too late now."

"..."

Okita Qishen coffee, no longer caring much about the situation, even the fact that his soon-to-be-secured position as chief of staff was now in jeopardy.

"Those who oppose the gods deserve this fate."

He had been unconscious for nearly three hours. By the time he arrived at Divine Gate, the situation had become quite clear. First, One Iu had placed One Kyojun, using the supposed cooperation negotiations as a pretext to orchestrate an assassination attempt against Yotsuya Miko. Considering Yotsuya Miko's abilities and the deaths of high-ranking Kawagen Family, many forces were involved. Compared to cooperation, they saw Yotsuya Miko as a threat.

The outcome was clear: none of the assassins sent out, or even the troops specifically mobilized for this purpose, returned, not even a single body was found. Secondly, there was the torrential rain that enveloped the entire country. Although officially declared a typhoon, it wasn't hard to guess that it was the work of Yotsuya Miko. Such earth-shattering power was beyond the capacity of the entire nation to handle.

Even in modern society, we are powerless in the face of natural disasters. Not to mention something like Miko, which can cause a nationwide catastrophe. If this rainfall lasted for a whole day, the country would be mostly destroyed. Such heavy rainfall would be enough to cause floods after a whole day.

Therefore, faced with such immense power, the course of action is quite clear. The only awkward issue is that virtually all factions in the country have tacitly approved of this assassination attempt. If Yotsuya Miko were to pursue the matter further, the country's top leadership would be effectively vacated.

Such a thorny issue was laid bare, awaiting Yotsuya Miko's final ultimatum. This was also why the remaining members of the Wagen Family were urgently dealing with family affairs; in the face of such a difficult problem, the interests of the Wagen Family could be disregarded. Not to mention that the Wagen Family was the mastermind behind this incident, and jumping out at this critical juncture to seize the interests of the Wagen Family was probably an attempt to reincarnate and start anew.

The least anxious group right now is the Wagen Family. After Jianping's Wagen Family was completely wiped out, there are only two types of people left. One type is the personnel outside the military who are in charge of military affairs. These people have no idea about this assassination. The other type is people like Oune Tatsu, who are under the jurisdiction of One Kyojun in Divine Gate and belong to Yotsuya Miko's supporters.

"... These forces intend for you to act as an intermediary to speak with Lord Yotsuya and ascertain his wishes. They are willing to give you a seat in the Divine Gate, a seat in the Supreme Council."

"At a time like this, you're still making empty promises?"

Okita Qishen couldn't help but find it amusing.