Dancing on the golden ashes-Chapter 197: Can I Revive Them?

The sheer amount of energy that flooded into me felt like it could tear my very existence apart. I hadn’t realized the full extent of the power I now wielded, and as incredible as it was, it came with a grave risk. The small orb I had unleashed had done unimaginable damage in such a short span of time, a force capable of shattering mountains in an instant. Yet, the cost was evident—it was a terrifying power to possess.

The thought that I held the ability to destroy the world with nothing more than a thought... it sent a chill through me. But, as overwhelming as it was, I couldn’t help but acknowledge the reality of it. I was teetering on the edge of a precipice, where the next step could either elevate me or break me completely.

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Half of the monster’s massive body had already vanished into the void, and I could feel the beast’s essence being swallowed up, but the cost of using the Abyssal Devourer was starting to weigh heavily on me. My body couldn’t handle the influx of energy. It felt like the very space where my energy was contained was stretched too thin, pulling at the seams. Any second, it could all collapse and destroy me from the inside out.

The souls I had devoured had begun to feed on the energy, but it wasn’t enough. The process was slow, agonizingly slow. I needed more.

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There’s only one choice left, I thought, though the idea sounded insane. If I can attach the devour power to the souls inside me, they’ll grow at a speed that matches the energy flowing into me.

But that idea came with a terrifying risk. If the energy from the devour power was too much, if it overwhelmed the souls I had consumed, they could be devoured themselves. I could lose all of them in an instant, and in turn, lose myself. I might never be able to reach the next stage in my cultivation, and worse, I could die before I even got the chance to grow stronger.

But... I weighed the options in my mind. Do I have a choice?

I could feel the pressure building within me, and with every passing moment, it was becoming harder to breathe. The energy from the Abyssal Devourer was consuming everything, and it was only a matter of time before my body collapsed under the strain. I had no other option—if I didn’t do something now, I would explode from the sheer power threatening to break me down.

With a deep breath, I steeled myself. This would either save me... or it would kill me. There was no middle ground. I forced myself to concentrate, channeling the devour power directly into the souls inside me. The moment I did, I could feel their growth. The energy inside me swirled, devouring itself, pushing the souls to expand, to absorb more.

The sensation was overwhelming—like a fire spreading through every fiber of my being. I could feel the devour power racing through me, faster than I’d ever imagined, feeding off the souls that had gathered within. Each one grew stronger with every second. Their energy fed the chaos inside me, staving off the explosion... for now.

But as the energy surged, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was playing with fire. A single misstep, and everything would fall apart. Still, I couldn’t afford to hesitate. I had no choice but to keep pushing forward.

Please... let this work.

With immense pain, I forced the power of devour into my souls, and in that instant, everything around me seemed to implode. It was like being sucked into an infinite void, my vision distorted, the world spinning violently as I struggled to stay conscious. My body felt as if it were about to tear apart, and the sheer force of it all threatened to overwhelm me. It felt like I was being consumed, but somehow, I pushed through.

The merging of the devour power with my souls was successful, and almost immediately, I felt the energy rush into them. They began to grow, expanding at an incredible speed, feeding off the power I had just absorbed. The sensation was almost unreal, like a cheat code for the universe. My strength surged—faster than I could process. It felt like I had unlocked a hidden level of power, one that had been waiting just below the surface.

But as the energy continued to pour into my souls, something darker began to unfold. I watched in horror as my souls started to crack under the strain. The pain was unlike anything I had ever felt, like molten metal coursing through my veins. It was excruciating, and panic gripped my heart.

Is this my end? I wondered, feeling my body teeter on the edge of destruction. Did I bite off more than I can chew?

But then, something unexpected happened. The excess energy that was threatening to consume me began to flow into two different spaces. One was the beast world—an area I hadn’t visited in over a year. It immediately began to grow, expanding rapidly as my beasts fed on the overflow of power. They devoured the energy greedily, their strength increasing with each moment. Thousands of beasts, each one growing stronger with every wave of power they absorbed, and soon, they were advancing at an incredible rate.

The other space that received the energy was the one where the souls of the fallen were resting. I could feel them absorbing the energy, growing in strength, their forms shining with an ethereal light. A thought struck me—could the souls of those I had lost actually be resurrected? Could they be reforged? It seemed impossible, but for the first time in a long while, I felt a spark of hope.

Is that why I was given this power? The thought surged in my mind. To repent for my sins? To restore the lives I destroyed?

I wanted to believe it, wanted to believe that there was a way to bring them back, but it felt too unrealistic. Even as the souls grew stronger, they were still lacking the energy of life. How could I restore them when they had already lost that essence? But then it hit me—life... My soul had the power to control both life and death. If I could somehow infuse life into them, could they return?

The more I thought about it, the more determined I became. I swore to myself, right then and there, that I would revive every single soul that had fallen. I just needed to reach the next realm, maybe even the one above that, where I could truly understand life and death. Then, maybe, just maybe, I would be powerful enough to make it happen.

I was so consumed by the idea of it that I didn’t even notice the Abyssal Devourer had completely consumed the mountain immortal. The ground around me started to crumble as the orb of destruction began to devour everything in its path. Realizing what was happening, I quickly gathered myself and dispersed the orb before it could go too far.

"That was a little too close," I muttered under my breath, laughing at my own recklessness. Destroying this world was not my plan—at least, not yet.

The system’s messages flooded in filling my mind:

[Congratulations!]

[You have reached level 125!]

[Congratulations!]

[You have acquired a new achievement:]

[Demigod Slayer]

[Reward: Immortal Aura (10%)]

[Congratulations!]

[You have awakened a destiny!]

[The One Who Destroys the World!]