Damned Healer-Chapter 654: Labels Are For The Blind

At that moment, Alaric's manifestation moved all of its energy. The shadows of hundreds of City Lords from the past, all from his family, appeared around him, as if they were giving him their full support.

The light coming from the Sacred Treasure began to rapidly lose its shine. Alaric moved his hand and pierced straight through that protective light around the corpse.

"I'm sorry." Alaric touched the small pearl, which was the true form of the Sacred Treasure. A look of guilt spread across his face.

"All of this was caused by my family's weakness. We failed to support you in your trials. You fought against the will and soul of the Divine Nether Beast for so many years, enduring its corruption, but no one came to help you. You had to face everything alone until now... it was my family who let you down..."

Alaric's voice broke into sobs. He couldn't bring himself to feel resentment. Even though she had prevented him from having descendants, he knew that wasn't her true will, but the influence of Nether corruption.

The Celsiel family had fallen long ago. Even after countless years, they had failed to produce a true expert capable of assisting the Sacred Treasure and completely eliminating that corrupt entity in the city. The entire burden of that responsibility fell on her.

If they had been able to help her, even if it was just to give her a moment of rest from time to time, maybe she wouldn't have been infected.

*Buzz*

The Sacred Treasure became translucent. Suddenly, a light emerged, like its final breaths of power. Within it, an image manifested, a scene from the past.

It showed a young teenager, around fifteen or sixteen years old, immersed in harsh sword training. Beside him stood a stern elder with a humanoid appearance, holding a wooden rod and correcting every mistake with a swift strike.

Each strike came with firm words of correction. It left bloody marks on the boy, who clenched his teeth in silent determination, refusing to back down.

Day and night, that boy trained relentlessly, never letting the hardships break him. With each passing day, he grew stronger, and that strict trainer was his greatest companion and support. That was Alaric's past.

"I'm sorry." A soft female voice echoed, like a whisper filled with pain and self-blame. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

Alaric cried. The Sacred Treasure had always treated him like a son, but he understood that corruption was manipulating its emotions, making its next action difficult.

With his arms spread, Alaric embraced the Sacred Treasure.

His manifestation lit up.

All the shadows emitted an intense and powerful golden light. He had managed to break through the Sacred Treasure's defenses; now, all that remained was to use all his power to destroy everything.

Suddenly, countless cracks spread like spiderwebs across the surface of the Sacred Treasure. Similar cracks also appeared on the corpse.

Alear, who understood everything that was happening, maintained a calm and excited look as she saw that the City Lord had succeeded. However, when she turned to Niara and Darian, she noticed something about them that left her confused.

*Crack!*

Before she could even ask what was going on, an ominous cracking sound echoed, making her turn.

Suddenly, she saw Alaric release the Sacred Treasure, his face twisted in indescribable pain.

"No..." He spat the word, as if it came from the depths of his soul.

In the manifestation behind him...

...three shadows began to shine with a black light, completely different from all the others.

"Brat, you're way too naive." The female voice spoke without any emotion.

"I told you so many times... labels are for the blind. Just because there's no such thing as a good or bad race, and just because you were born into this rule-filled family, doesn't mean everyone is actually trustworthy and honorable. Did you really think that none of the City Lords from the past were on my side?"

At that moment, Alear's gaze changed. Niara and Darian, on the other hand, let out heavy sighs.

Those three black shadows represented the power of the three City Lords from the Celsiel family of the past. Before dying, they had left their will and power to the next leader of the family. But taking advantage of that, they had planned this surprise together with the Sacred Treasure.

Struck by the betrayal of his own blood, Alaric spat out a mouthful of blood. The energy backlash shattered his momentum like glass, ripping apart his internal channels. He desperately tried to restrain the Sacred Treasure, but his vital energy was slipping through his fingers.

His own power, inherited from his own family, betrayed him at that moment. His mind fell into chaotic turmoil.

Darian snorted. From the very beginning, he and Niara had felt that Alaric would fail. They couldn't explain how, or if they could have prevented it. But Darian had a few theories, and when he saw the power of Alaric's manifestation after he returned from Golden Sky Mountain, he suspected that this was exactly it.

Alaric truly was naive and never imagined that traitors could have existed within his own family in the past.

He kept vomiting blood nonstop.

He tried to stabilize himself and still stop the Sacred Treasure, but his internal injuries were fatal, and all of his vital energy and power were fading away.

"It's over, my son. Just rest, everything will be fine..." The female voice sounded gentle, like a mother comforting her own child.

All of his manifestation vanished. His power was gone, and there was not the slightest chance left.

But Alaric refused to accept that fate.

"I... can't lose..." Alaric spat those words out along with blood, forcing all of his will to move.

His eyes lit up, and a new power ignited inside him.

If he lost, the entire universe would be doomed. He would rather have his soul completely destroyed than give up and accept death. So he began burning the only thing he had left: his own existence.

Cultivators, after reaching a certain level, could burn their own vital energy or even their soul in exchange for power. Normally, this was only used in moments of total despair, when death was inevitable. Even if they won and survived, they wouldn't live much longer.

Alaric's entire body shone.

"It's useless." The female voice spoke, but this time there was clear emotion and pain in her words.

Darian only watched everything in silence. Alear and Niara turned toward him, anxious.

"DIE!" Alaric roared, using every bit of strength he could gather.

But...

The Nether power within the corpse surged upward, blocking that final force with a dull sound.

At that moment, Alaric's eyes became cloudy. His entire soul was completely shattered.

"Idiot." The female voice rang out, filled with resentment. Then she snorted, and a black shadow appeared in front of her.

That shadow took shape, becoming clearer. A female figure emerged, staring Alaric straight in the eyes with a cold expression.

He was taking his final breaths, but his eyes still moved toward her.

She looked directly at him.

Her blue eyes trembled slightly, as if her mind were wavering.

Only a few seconds passed, then Alaric lowered his head, feeling all of his consciousness being dragged into darkness and emptiness.

At that moment, she snorted. In her gaze, a black and corrupt light appeared. In that instant, any sanity and genuine emotion left within her disappeared.

That soul accepted being completely dominated by corruption.

Alaric's body trembled. "Sorry..." he murmured in an almost inaudible voice, using the last traces of life he had left.

He knew the Sacred Treasure couldn't see him in that state, and that he truly wanted to abandon everything.

But in the end, he didn't turn back.

So she allowed herself to be overtaken by the Nether, abandoning any emotion that was disturbing her.

Without responding, the figure waved her hand. The Nether power within the corpse moved once more to her hands. Then...

...it solidified, taking the shape of a sharp black blade.

"I take it back. You're pathetic and never deserved any sympathy from me. Your family doesn't deserve to exist. I will destroy everything forever and restart this universe from zero."

She spat out those words, releasing a blood-soaked aura. Then she moved.

"Disappear."

Her blade slashed toward his head, without a single trace of mercy.