Yu Zhiling followed the guidance of the spirit butterfly and arrived at another abyss.
She stood at the edge of the cliff, gazing down into the bottomless chasm below—dark, frigid, and filled with the ceaseless howls of demonic fiends.
This place was the burial ground for dozens of Demon Lords. Those who could rise to such a rank among the demonic race possessed pure and potent demonic energy, which, after centuries of refinement, had transformed into a deadly miasma. Even from a distance, Yu Zhiling felt a chill crawl over her skin.
The spirit butterfly fluttered beside her, revealing an even more terrifying truth.
The Land of Eternal Night was devoid of light—not only because it was inherently lightless, but more crucially, because it devoured all illumination.
Unlike the black mist of Lianhua Marsh, which could be dispelled by the blood of divine beasts, the darkness here had nurtured fiends that feared light and could corrode all radiance in this world.
Neither the luminous pearls adorning Yu Zhiling’s hair nor a drop of Mo Zhu’s heartblood, if he were to offer it, could pierce this darkness. Here, all light was doomed to be swallowed.
She raised her hand and unleashed a surge of spiritual energy, but it never reached the pit—instead, it collided with an invisible barrier.
The Land of Eternal Night had developed sentience, and it would not permit outsiders to enter or leave at will. Its barrier was unyielding.
Yu Zhiling drew her sword, Zhuling, but instead of striking the barrier before her, she turned and slashed horizontally behind her.
The sword’s light exploded before a figure, and amidst the ghostly flames, a shadow gradually materialized.
"How did you find this place?"
You Zhou’s face emerged. In the past, he had always worn a mask of false smiles, but now, for the first time, Yu Zhiling saw his expression cold and unreadable.
"I’ve always found it strange. You clearly died in the Demon Abyss, shattering your own soul with the Frostblade. Though that lotus preserved your body, it should have only kept your corpse from decaying. Yet somehow, you crawled out of the abyss and returned to Ying Mountain as if nothing happened?"
"A dead woman, inexplicably revived, slipping out of the Demon Abyss and reappearing out of thin air?"
Yu Zhiling had no patience for his ramblings. She lunged forward with her sword.
You Zhou dodged, summoning a curved blade to meet her strike. This was the first time he had wielded a weapon against her. Though she had destroyed two of his avatars before, he felt no regret.
His cultivation was bound by the Heavenly Dao’s restrictions—he could not defeat Yu Zhiling.
But this time was different.
You Zhou fought with ruthless precision, pouring every ounce of his killing intent into his attacks. Yet even at the peak of the Mahayana stage, facing a cultivator at the Tribulation stage, he stood no chance.
As he fought, he kept glancing behind him, summoning the fiends of the Demon Abyss to aid him—but not a single one appeared.
Frowning, You Zhou’s expression darkened with frustration. Before he could react, Yu Zhiling’s blade slashed across his body, carving a deep wound from his left shoulder to his right abdomen, nearly severing his arm.
He staggered back, then suddenly laughed. "Yu Zhiling, do you want to know what your master said before I planted the demon seed in her?"
Yu Zhiling’s sword hesitated for a fraction of a second.
You Zhou’s lips curled. "She said… you were the person she cared about most. Her favorite disciple. And yet, it was you—her beloved Little Five—who shattered her soul in the end."
"Not just your master. Your mother, too. A woman of such power from Jinghong Village… if she hadn’t given her soul energy to you, she wouldn’t have died. Your father wouldn’t have followed her in death. Face it—you’re nothing but—"
You Zhou closed in, studying Yu Zhiling’s face, expecting to see her numb with grief.
"—a calamity."
As the words left his mouth, he thrust his blade toward her—but faster than his strike, Yu Zhiling’s sword pierced his abdomen.
She twisted the hilt, rotating the blade inside him, then met his widening eyes with an icy gaze.
"I failed them. That’s why I must kill you."
With a brutal kick, she sent You Zhou flying. His body crashed against the jagged rocks with enough force to shatter ribs—the full might of a Tribulation-stage cultivator.
Coughing blood, You Zhou clutched his chest, but his eyes showed no fear.
Yu Zhiling advanced, sword in hand. "You can’t defeat me."
You Zhou laughed—a bitter, hysterical sound. "Of course I can’t! The Heavenly Dao favors you—you entered the Path of Clarity at three years old! I’ve cultivated for centuries, yet because it despises me, I’m barred from the Six Paths, forever trapped at the peak of Mahayana!"
Yu Zhiling stepped on his chest, looking down coldly. "Do you think a being born to bring ruin deserves a place in the Six Paths? It’s not you the Dao rejects—it’s the slaughter you’ve wrought."
You Zhou forced himself up and swung at her again.
Yu Zhiling parried effortlessly. Without his fiends, he was just a Mahayana cultivator—and the gap between Mahayana and Tribulation was vast.
As for why the fiends hadn’t come… Yu Zhiling knew.
Because Mo Zhu was here.
Because he stood guard.
Zhuling pierced You Zhou’s shoulder once more, but he fought on desperately, striking at her again.
For a full hour, Yu Zhiling remained unscathed, while You Zhou’s body was crisscrossed with bleeding wounds.
Finally, she delivered a crushing kick to his chest, sending him slamming into a boulder. He turned his head and vomited a mouthful of dark blood.
Spiritual energy sliced through You Zhou’s flesh as Yu Zhiling gripped the bone and wrenched it out.
"Without the demonic fiends and those devilish cultivators, you are nothing. How dare you act so insolently before me? I told you—if I could kill you once, I could kill you a thousand times over."
He had murdered her master, Fuchun, planted demonic seeds in the hearts of the Mingxin Dao cultivators, and shattered every last one of Fuchun’s bones.
He had stolen her identity, using her name to harm her senior brothers, sisters, and closest friends.
He had buried demonic fiends in Ying Mountain, ultimately leading to the sect’s annihilation.
Any one of his crimes was enough for her to slaughter him countless times.
Yu Zhiling stared into You Zhou’s fearless eyes. Though she had crushed his ribs beneath her foot, rendering him immobile, he still wore that maddening grin.
"Breaking my soul and extracting my bones—do you really think this is enough to kill me?"
Yu Zhiling continued pulling. "No, it won’t be enough. Even if you die, the Abyss of Eternal Night will remain, and a second You Zhou will rise. But what if I destroy the Abyss itself?"
Blood streaked You Zhou’s face as he lifted a filthy hand to clutch at her robes, his crimson pupils burning with malice. "Do you dare enter it?"
His gaze was sharp with murderous intent, his arrogance and madness undiminished even as his bones lay shattered.
"It’s so dark inside. Do you dare step into that darkness, Yu Zhiling? Or have you forgotten—you have an inner demon."
"The very demon that nearly drove you to madness, that shattered your mind. Do you dare face it?"
"Can you conquer your inner demon? Do you truly dare?"
Her answer was a sword through his heart.
Yu Zhiling drove the blade deep, looking down at him with icy detachment. Yet You Zhou still laughed, even as death loomed.
Because he knew—as long as the Abyss of Eternal Night existed, so would he. This death was merely the end of a spiritual vessel. In a hundred years, perhaps even less, he would cultivate a new one.
"You have too many weaknesses," You Zhou rasped, blood bubbling at his lips. "Sooner or later… they will be the death of you…"
His breath grew ragged, pain lancing through his chest as his vitality drained away. His gaze drifted into the void, thoughts scattering.
Yu Zhiling withdrew her sword, her voice cold. "Ni'e is dead."
You Zhou’s hazy pupils contracted slightly.
She repeated, "She’s dead. Don’t tell me you didn’t feel the Eight Blades Killing Array shatter earlier. Do you really think Mo Zhu could have escaped it without Ni'e dying in the process?"
A thick clot of blood lodged in You Zhou’s throat. "Dead…?"
Yu Zhiling’s tone was merciless. "If she were alive, do you think Mo Zhu would have appeared outside to stop the demonic fiends for me?"
Yes. If Ni'e had lived, she would never have allowed Mo Zhu to interfere in You Zhou’s plans.
A strange laugh escaped You Zhou’s lips.
"Good… Good that she’s dead…"
"She chose the wrong path… chose to follow me… to the very end…"
A crimson soul flickered into existence, only for Yu Zhiling to crush it without hesitation.
She glanced at the corpse on the ground. The demonic spirits were bound by the Heavenly Dao’s restrictions. With two of his avatars now destroyed, the blow to You Zhou was severe. Without the demonic fiends to aid him, the gap in power between him and Yu Zhiling was absolute.
Her expression remained indifferent as she turned and walked to the cliff’s edge, gazing down into the abyss below.
If she entered, the mermaid pearl could not help her. No one could.
Was she nervous? Afraid?
Yes. She was terrified. She didn’t know if her inner demon would resurface. The memories forced upon her by the Heavenly Lotus were too agonizing—the despair and collapse of Zhuoyu still vivid in her mind.
And even if she went in… how would she destroy the Abyss of Eternal Night?
You Zhou was merely a spiritual vessel born from the Abyss. As long as it existed, more demonic fiends and more You Zhous would rise.
Yu Zhiling closed her eyes, steadying her frantic heartbeat.
Spiritual energy surged along the blade of Zhuqing Sword as she raised it. The strike, infused with the full might of a Transcendent Realm cultivator, shattered the barrier surrounding the Abyss of Eternal Night.
A fissure split the void, spiderweb cracks spreading outward until the sky itself seemed to fracture.
With a deafening crash, the barrier collapsed, shards raining down like glass.
A frigid mist rose from below, its icy breath carrying a suffocating aura of corruption.
Yu Zhiling’s pulse thundered in her ears. She tightened her grip on the sword, her throat constricting as fear threatened to consume her.
She shut her eyes again—and saw their faces.
For them, she would do anything.
Her resolve hardened. Yu Zhiling opened her eyes, her gaze unyielding, and leaped into the lightless chasm. Darkness swallowed her whole, her heart pounding to the point of pain.
A tall figure arrived at the cliff’s edge just after her, reaching out—only to grasp a single strand of her hair as it slipped through his fingers. Without hesitation, the youth followed her into the abyss.
The cold wind embraced Yu Zhiling as she fell. The mermaid pearl offered no light. Her breaths came in sharp gasps, the familiar tendrils of agony creeping back into her bones. That voice was about to return, whispering in her ear. A cold sweat broke across her spine.
It was coming.
—"Do you regret it?"
Yu Zhiling closed her eyes, wanting to cover her ears, but just as she raised her hand, it was suddenly seized by someone—their grip firm around her fingers.
"Master."
A clear, soft voice rang beside her ear, piercing straight to her heart.
Her waist was pulled into an embrace, and she was lifted into a bridal carry, her cheek pressed against the bearer’s shoulder. Then, Mo Zhu bent his knees to cushion their landing.
Though they had reached the bottom, darkness still enveloped them, rendering each other invisible.
Even Mo Zhu, with the Flying Serpent clan’s extraordinary senses, could not see her face.
He could only rely on her scent to gauge her position, hear her ragged breathing, and know that her inner demons had resurfaced.
"M-Mo Zhu..."
Yu Zhiling’s voice trembled.
Mo Zhu leaned down, adjusting her in his arms. Following the sound of her voice, he found her lips and pressed a tender kiss to the corner of her mouth.
He traced his way back to her lips, brushing them lightly—gentle yet reassuring—his youthful voice soft.
"I’m here. Don’t be afraid."
"You’re not alone, Master. I’m with you."
"The sect leader and the others are waiting outside. I’m right beside you."
Yu Zhiling’s tense body relaxed slightly.
Her inner demons were born from the deaths of Yan Shanqing and the others—yet in truth, they hadn’t died.
Everything had changed. Everything had begun anew.
Mo Zhu set her down. Unable to see him, Yu Zhiling groped for his figure, catching his hand and interlacing their fingers.
His response was an embrace, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to her forehead.
"We’ll face this together, Master. What do you need to do?"
Yu Zhiling closed her eyes, forcing herself to ignore the suffocating darkness around them.
"We were wrong before. You Zhou wasn’t born from the Land of Eternal Night—he is its spirit. Killing him only destroyed a vessel. As long as this place exists, it will cultivate a new spirit, and endless demons will rise again."
"Master wants to destroy the Land of Eternal Night?"
"Yes."
"How?"
Yu Zhiling tilted her head up, blindly reaching to trace his features.
"The Heavenly Lotus told me to go to its deepest core—the origin of this place. It said only a cultivator at the peak of the Tribulation Realm, on the verge of ascension, could destroy it. But I’m only at the mid-stage now."
Mo Zhu fell silent. A chill rose from his feet, making his entire body tremble. His hand around Yu Zhiling’s waist shook uncontrollably, his throat tightening as if he were back in Nan Du all over again.
Back then, he had begged her to leave. She had refused.
Now, three months later, history repeated itself.
Mo Zhu shut his eyes, his heart aching with bitterness. She would consider everyone else—always willing to sacrifice herself for others, to die for them—yet never to live for him.
Rage surged within him. Mo Zhu suddenly gripped Yu Zhiling’s wrist, dragging her back the way they came.
"We’re leaving. Now. We’ll seal the Abyss and never return—"
"Mo Zhu."
Yu Zhiling gently pressed her hand over his.
Mo Zhu froze, shoulders trembling. Tears fell—unseen in the darkness, but Yu Zhiling heard the sob in his voice.
"So… you’re going to sacrifice yourself again? You’ll use Frostblade’s Severance?"
Instead of shaking him off, she wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her cheek against his back.
"Come with me, Mo Zhu."
His spine stiffened.
"This time, I’ll fight to live—for you, and for myself."
"I choose you. I choose our future. I will survive."
Mo Zhu heard his own voice crack. "What do you mean…?"
"Star Sunder—the ultimate technique I taught you, second only to Frostblade’s Severance. This is just the Land of Eternal Night. Two Tribulation Realm cultivators should at least match the power of an ascending saint, don’t you think?"
Mo Zhu whirled around and pulled her into his arms, burying his face in the crook of her neck. His tears fell onto her collarbone, scalding her heart with their heat.
Yu Zhiling held him close, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
With a smile, she asked, "If this place collapses too quickly, you might be buried here with me."
Mo Zhu’s voice was rough. "I don’t care. This disciple is willing."
"Are you afraid?"
"No. With you here, I fear nothing."
"Neither do I." Yu Zhiling murmured. "Thinking of all of you… I feel invincible."
And weren’t they the same?
As long as Yu Zhiling was with them, her senior brothers and sisters would dare anything—and so would Mo Zhu.
He tightened his grip on her hand, their fingers entwined, the red threads of fate brushing against each other.
Yu Zhiling rose on her toes, blindly seeking his lips and pressing a fleeting kiss to them.
In the pitch-black darkness, where no path could be seen and the mist ahead threatened to swallow them whole, two figures vanished—streaking toward the depths no one else dared tread.
Bracing against the wind that cut like blades, carrying two hearts that beat as one, and facing the suffocating darkness that once nearly claimed Yu Zhiling’s life, they arrived at the edge of the continent—the origin of all suffering and sin.
This was the only place where a sliver of light remained. Two jagged stone pillars rose from the ground, their dim crimson glow resembling the halls of the underworld, barely illuminating anything, serving only to intimidate.
Yu Zhiling and Mo Zhu stood apart, exchanging a glance.
Then, two longswords hovered in the air. Each gripped their blade with one hand as the gale gathered around the steel, swirling into a storm. The metallic hum of the swords pierced the sky as the two cultivators, at the peak of their power, channeled every ounce of their spiritual energy into their weapons.
"Mo Zhu, this is the move I taught you."
Zhu Qing and Wu Hui—their swords—swept forward, unleashing a killing technique second only to Frostwind Slash.
Shaking the Stars.
The storm surged forth. Cracks crawled up the celestial pillars, spreading rapidly as the unleashed pressure rippled outward in waves.
Mo Zhu rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Yu Zhiling. The massive wings of his Flying Serpent form unfurled, cocooning her within their embrace as the shockwave crashed against them.
"Mo Zhu!"
"I’m fine. Don’t speak."
Suppressing the blood rising in his throat, he fully transformed into his Flying Serpent form, tossing her onto his back before taking flight.
The ground below shattered, debris and rubble flying as the cliffs on either side collapsed. Boulders rained down relentlessly. Yu Zhiling had been fighting nonstop since descending into the Abyss, and now, drained of energy, she lay atop his serpentine body, straining to maintain a protective barrier for them both.
Mo Zhu’s spiritual energy was nearly depleted—first from shattering the Eight Blades Killing Array, then from this battle in the Land of Eternal Night. Two Shaking the Stars techniques had drained ninety percent of his power. At full strength, his Flying Serpent form could traverse a thousand miles in a day, but now his speed was drastically reduced.
Blind in the darkness, his massive serpent body made an easy target for falling rocks.
Yu Zhiling shouted, "Put me down! I’ll carry you out!"
"No time—stay still!"
Mo Zhu held her in place as debris battered his scales and wings. The metallic tang of blood filled the air. Yu Zhiling sat up, mustering the last of her energy to reinforce the barrier around them.
The collapse was too swift. Mo Zhu found the path they had come from and surged upward, but the towering cliffs above rained down an endless hail of boulders, the entire precipice on the verge of collapse.
All Yu Zhiling could do was cling to him, pressing her cheek against his cold scales, her fingers brushing his wounds.
"Mo Zhu, it’s alright."
Even if they were buried beneath the abyss, it was alright.
They had fought. This time, she truly wanted to survive—for them. That was enough.
A massive boulder struck his left eye. Blood gushed as pain seared through him.
He didn’t make a sound. With her on his back, he relied on his hearing to intercept the falling debris, ensuring none hit her.
Then, he felt it—the wind against his face, the deafening roar as the mountain finally gave way.
A deluge of boulders plummeted, intent on burying them alive.
The Flying Serpent let out a piercing cry, wings spread to their limit, his speed reaching its zenith as he charged through the storm of stone without hesitation.
At the last possible moment, he burst free from the abyss.
The impact sent him crashing to the ground, rolling hundreds of feet before smashing through countless trees. Yu Zhiling was flung from his back, but he no longer had the strength to catch her.
Outside the lightless abyss, the flickering ghostfire revealed Mo Zhu’s condition.
The Eight Blades Killing Array had carved deep gashes into his scales, exposing bone. The barrage of rocks had shattered his serpentine form, white bone jutting grotesquely from torn flesh.
Yu Zhiling scrambled toward him. "Mo Zhu!"
He had reverted to human form, eyes shut, blood seeping from his left eye.
Then she noticed—the ground beneath them was cracking. Too close to the Land of Eternal Night, the residual pressure was tearing the earth apart.
She didn’t waste time calling for him. Hoisting him onto her back, she sprinted desperately forward.
The Skyward Lotus hovered beside her, guiding the way. The wind whipped at her face, tears blurring her vision as warm blood—his blood—dripped down her neck and cheeks, staining her green robes.
Her speed was no match for the crumbling earth. With her energy exhausted, the Skyward Lotus could only lend her life-preserving soul force, not the power to fight.
Yu Zhiling ran like a woman possessed. She had only herself—only her own legs—to give them a chance.
No one would help her here. She couldn’t stop. If she did, Mo Zhu would die.
And she had to return.
Yan Shanqing and the others were waiting.
"Xiao Wu!"
Figures emerged from the dense forest ahead.
Through her tear-blurred vision, she saw Yan Shanqing’s panicked face, Wu Zhaoyan’s widened eyes, and Mei Qiongge reaching out toward her.
Yu Zhiling closed her eyes and fell into Mei Qiongge’s embrace.
The ink candle she had been carrying slipped from her back, swiftly caught by Wu Zhaoyan.
The group reacted quickly—Yan Shanqing took Yu Zhiling from Mei Qiongge’s arms and carried her on his back, while Wu Zhaoyan shouldered Mo Zhu, and Mei Qiongge picked up the swords the two had dropped.
Yan Shanqing gave the order: “Move!”
The three high-level cultivators expended their spiritual energy to teleport away, covering dozens of miles in an instant. Mei Qiongge glanced back.
In the distance, trees collapsed into an abyss. The destruction of the Land of Eternal Night carried enough pressure to devastate half the demon realm. All sins were buried this day.
The disciples worked together to clear the remaining demonic remnants. Yun Zhi deactivated the killing array of the Four Slaughter Steles ahead of time and directed the disciples to retreat in an orderly manner.
A sea of disciples stood within the Four Slaughter Realm, while the family heads gathered before the steles.
Jiang Kuangqiu frowned. “Why haven’t they come out yet?”
Yun Zhi shook his head. “I don’t know. Their jade tokens aren’t responding.”
“Let’s wait a little longer.”
“Mm.”
Half an hour passed, and still, no one emerged.
“Something must have happened. I’ll go down to assist.”
Yun Zhi removed his crane-feather cloak and handed it to Shu Feng, turning to leap into the abyss.
Before Shu Feng could stop him, a surge of spiritual energy erupted from the demonic abyss, striking Yun Zhi and sending him flying back.
“Sickly fool, what are you jumping for?”
Wu Zhaoyan, carrying Mo Zhu on his back, shot up from the abyss, followed by Yan Shanqing with Yu Zhiling and Mei Qiongge holding two swords.
Yun Zhi froze for a moment, but his concern wasn’t for himself—it was for the unconscious Yu Zhiling and Mo Zhu.
“What happened?”
“Little Five exhausted her spiritual energy, and Mo Zhu is severely injured. This isn’t the time for questions. Seal the Four Slaughter Steles first.”
The demonic remnants had been cleared, but the demonic cultivators within the realm remained.
Yun Zhi understood the urgency and nodded. “Understood.”
He stepped forward, joining Wu Zhaoyan in reactivating the killing arrays of the Four Slaughter Steles one by one.
By the time the final array was sealed, another half-hour had passed. The Four Slaughter Steles stood tall and solemn, towering over the depths of the Four Slaughter Realm.
Silence reigned. Despite the crowd, not a single voice could be heard.
Then, Yun Zhi asked quietly, “What about the demon realm…?”
Yan Shanqing chuckled. “Chan Luo can handle it.”
Endless darkness—this was the domain unique to the Golden Cicada clan.
Chan Luo drove her blade into Chou Xiao’s chest. She ignited a lantern, dispelling the shadows.
Chou Xiao knelt, gripping her sword with both hands, his gaze ravenous as he stared at her.
“A’Luo… A’Luo…”
He reached for her, but Chan Luo yanked her blade free and stepped back, her eyes cold.
Chou Xiao crawled toward her on his knees. “A’Luo… just… just one embrace… I regret it… I truly regret it…”
“I stayed in the Central Continent for you… I never took a wife because of you… I loved you…”
As he reached her feet, clutching the hem of her robe, he lifted his head with difficulty, begging for one last embrace before death.
Chan Luo curved her lips into a smile. “From beginning to end, you only ever loved yourself.”
She swung her blade, severing the hem of her robe—and with it, the ties that once bound them.
Chan Luo withdrew her domain.
Before the countless demon soldiers, their new king lay lifeless on the ground, his eyes dull, his body riddled with fatal wounds.
Chan Luo stood above them, looking down with disdain.
“This war—who among you dares to fight? Who still wishes to?”
The soldiers remained silent.
After a long pause, an aged demon general spoke. “The demonic remnants plague not just the Central Continent but our realm as well. If you truly wish to fight, go cleanse the hundreds of thousands of remnants from our lands and protect our people.”
Chan Luo watched as they dispersed. She glanced at the corpse at her feet.
For some reason, in this moment, she thought of Yu Zhiling’s outstretched hand and her icy words:
—“Get up. Fight back.”
Chan Luo laughed softly. “I fought back, Yu Zhiling.”
Yu Zhiling was truly a good person—so good that despite all the wrongs Chan Luo had done to her, Yu Zhiling could still extend her hand.
The first year of Xiqing, the beginning of spring.
Yu Zhiling pushed open the door to her room, only to be greeted by a warm body crashing into her. Someone nuzzled and kissed her face like an overeager puppy.
“Mo Zhu, what are you doing?!”
Yu Zhiling shoved him away.
Mo Zhu swept her into his arms, carrying her to the window and settling down with her in his lap. He pecked her lips a few times, grinning.
“Master went to purge evil. We haven’t seen each other in three days.”
Yu Zhiling sat in his embrace, pinching his cheek playfully. “Did you miss me?”
“Yes. Desperately.”
The young man cupped her face, parting her lips to deepen the kiss. Yu Zhiling wrapped her arms around his neck, tilting her head to meet him. Every time they reunited after separation, they greeted each other with a fervent kiss.
When they finally pulled apart, Mo Zhu wiped the moisture from her lips and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
Yu Zhiling studied his handsome face, her fingertips tracing his features, lingering at the corner of his eye.
“Are your injuries healed?”
“It’s been three months. They’re long gone.”
“Mo Zhu… do you remember everything now? From your past life?”
"Mm." Mo Zhu gently kissed the corner of her lips and whispered tenderly, "In the three days you were gone, Master, I remembered everything—even the last fragments."
Yu Zhiling asked, "And how do you feel about it?"
Mo Zhu replied softly, "Heartbroken. You endured so much suffering, Master."
A complicated emotion flickered across Yu Zhiling’s face, though her lips still curled into a smile. She pinched Mo Zhu’s cheek and said, "But you suffered just as much."
Twenty years chasing vengeance, twenty-four years guarding her across another world.
Seven days together—yet he spent forty-eight years repaying it.
Mo Zhu’s eyes brimmed with unshakable warmth. "Still… at least we were given a second chance."
Yu Zhiling smiled in agreement. "Yes, at least fate granted us that."
"Mo Zhu, what’s for dinner tonight?"
"How about stir-fried pork?"
"Nothing more extravagant?"
"Of course. I promise you won’t be disappointed."
"You’re sure I’ll like it?"
"Absolutely."
Spring had arrived. The cliffs of Listening Spring were lush and verdant, and fresh buds sprouted from the orange blossom tree in the courtyard corner.
For them, she would live on—forever.
Year after year, side by side.
