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Writer: StarReader
Proofreader: Silavin
Whoosh!
Through the curtain of starry lights, Sword Child raced with Chu Qingcheng to safety, sometimes looking back with confusion. [How come the black sea hasn’t caught up yet? I hope father is alright.]
He noticed that the star path was narrowing as he came to a stop.
Neither he nor Zhuo Fan could do anything in a fight against Heavenly Sovereign or Sword Sovereign. The only saving grace was Emotion Sovereign coming in the nick of time to save them from a terrible power, the likes he had never seen.
While the power was the result of his father’s absolutely reckless attempt at taking down Heavenly Sovereign, it also blew up in their face. The first of the Sovereigns, the strongest in history, was even forced to flee for his life.
It was an absolute miracle they got out alive from that horrendous power.
Wiping his brow in relief, he calmed down and noticed his surroundings, which had Danqing Shen among a group of people. “What are they doing here?”
Sword Child rushed over, “Why are you guys here? Run quickly or you’re going to die!” He glanced wearingly at the black sea, hoping it wouldn’t jump on them and swallow them into the endless abyss.
The others sighed.
Sword Child asked, “What’s wrong with all of you?”
“Miss Shuang’er had set up an array and perished within it, soul and all…” Danqing Shen pointed at the sacred stones disintegrating on the ground, placed in key points inside an intricate array.
Sword Child started, “She perished? Why?”
“She said she’ll save Steward Zhuo. She turned into bright motes of light inside the array, forming the curtain of light you had just used to arrive…”
Sword Child shuddered, “She made the path of starlight to save father and us!
“But this is not the time for lament. All of us must run away from here before Heavenly Sovereign comes after us…”
“Heavenly Sovereign? He’s alive?”
“Why else do you think I’ve been fleeing for my life?”
“W-what about Steward Zhuo?”
“Father was right behind us. He should come out any minute now. Once he does, we’ll get to the safety of Luo Clan and tell you everything that happened. Let’s just get to safety first!” Sword Child said, “We need to survive to fight. We’ll think of something later.”
Sword Child held the weakened Chu Qingcheng by himself with anxiety as he waited for Zhuo Fan to come out from the shrinking light curtain. Danqing Shen’s group turned to the starlight with worry as well.
“Big brother Zhuo!”
A familiar voice reached Zhuo Fan among the stars. He opened his eyes to find light everywhere, amidst the encroaching darkness. He then noticed a figure smiling back in a white dress.
“Shuang’er…”
Zhuo Fan looked pained at her translucent image, “Was it Sovereign Yun’s plan?”
Shuang’er nodded with a bright smile.
Zhuo Fan sighed, “Why did you do it? He was your ancestor, but this is a battle between ancient experts. It had nothing to do with you. They only had their eyes on me, and I can’t escape, so why must you become their pawn too?”
“I did it on my own volition.”
“You wanted this?”
Zhuo Fan raised his eyebrows, then he nodded, “Oh, the Yun clan always puts the people first. Heavenly Sovereign just told me he wants to remake the world. Shuang’er, you’d never allow all those people to suffer for it. But was it worth it, sacrificing yourself to save one life for the good of the world?”
“Big brother Zhuo, once the end of the world come, won’t I go along with it?”
“It’s not the same! No matter the outcome, you just shouldn’t help if it meant always sacrificing yourself. What difference would that be to you when you won’t see the world again in both cases?”
“There is. This way, at the very least, I know there will be someone around to watch over it in my stead. There wouldn’t be much of a world without you in it, big brother Zhuo.” Shuang’er gave a sweet smile.
Zhuo Fan patted her head, “Shuang’er, you haven’t changed a bit after all this time. I promised you back in Tianyu’s war that I will do all I can to save the people and I won’t fail you. But I can’t bear the thought of losing you as well. I already lost Yuyu and…”
Shuang’er took his hand from her head and leaned her cheek into it, “I wanted to do this, big brother Zhuo, for you. I know sister Yuyu did it for the very same reasons.”
She noticed the starlight was shrinking faster and pulled back, to let him go.
Zhuo Fan brushed past her. He formed hasty signs, trying all methods he could think of to save her as well, but nothing worked.
He knew that Shuang’er was now but a trace bound to fade away into nothingness. This was their final meeting. However, he wasn’t one to quit even when the odds were impossible or stacked against him. And yet, deep down, he knew he would never see her again…
Zhuo Fan went through the starry path when Shuang’er spoke again, “This is as far as I can take you. Look after the world, this beautiful place…”
Zhuo Fan’s heart shook.
If she was being honest with herself, Shunag’er hadn’t done it out of the goodness of her heart to save the people per Sovereign Yun’s wishes. It was mostly for him. He was the one that helped her see the world, not the people.
[She sacrificed herself for me…]
“Shuang’er!”
Zhuo Fan shouted but he watched the light behind him being swallowed by the black sea, a crushing darkness.
Behind him, her holy figure was slowly eaten away by the encroaching sea, yet unable to rob her of that innocent and loving smile.
“I thought I had a big heart, only caring about the safety of the world and I still thought the same up until the moment of caring Ancestor Yun’s mission. Only now do I realize that I was selfish. My heart is and has always been unable to hold more than one single person.”
Shuang’er faded as she watched Zhuo Fan go, “Sister Chuchu was right. We’re all frail, unable to see the world. Our hearts and gazes have all been stolen by one man. Farewell, big brother Zhuo…”
Whoosh~
The holy light burst and a prismatic light rose high above, mystical and majestic, the star path, soon to be swallowed by the abyss.
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