A smile is worth the mortal world; azure bones anchor the mountains and rivers.
“……”
Shu Fu wore a blank expression as she silently summoned the Po'yue zither and held it in her arms, facing across the illusion the beaming Feng Yuandu, who was hugging a zither of his own.
The greatest distance in the world is not the distance between life and death. It is when you pour your heart into making a zither so that its beautiful music may resound throughout the world, while I treat it as a brick.
Now, Shu Fu finally understood where the original heroine’s “token of love” had come from.
What could she say…? No wonder she was the original heroine.
Before Shu Fu crossed into this world, Jiang Ruoshui’s life, though filled with hardships and tribulations, had indeed borne all the marks of one favored by fate and chosen by Heaven. The relics of the Dragon and Phoenix from three thousand years ago had been discovered by her mother by chance, then somehow fallen into Jiang Ruoshui’s hands. They had gone on to connect her with Qi Yuxuan in a fated romance…
…which had ultimately ended with them reduced to ashes.
Thinking further, after the Dragon and Phoenix spiritual powers hidden within Guguang and Po'yue had been released when both weapons were destroyed, where could those powers have gone?
Could it be that, in the original story, with their vessels destroyed and nowhere else to go, the Dragon and Phoenix powers had attached themselves to the final masters of the sword and zither—Qi Yuxuan and Jiang Ruoshui?
Was that why Qi Yuxuan had gradually become an overpowered, arrogant protagonist?
Was that why Jiang Ruoshui had to self-detonate in order to save the world?
“My goodness.”
Shu Fu was frightened by her own imagination and quickly patted her chest to calm herself. “If Lord Yinglong and Brother Feng found out about this, they’d faint on the spot.”
Compared to that, using Guguang to skin beasts and treating Po'yue like a brick didn’t seem like such a big deal after all!
“……”
Hua Jieyou stared blankly at Shu Fu’s ever-changing expression as she alternated between shock and excitement. He couldn’t help wondering inwardly: What’s wrong with this person?
Could the drastic change in her Dao companion have driven her mad?
Surely not.
In Hua Jieyou’s eyes, the former “Lord Yinglong” had been far more likable than the Jiang Xuesheng he knew now.
In theory, if he wanted to test Jiang Xuesheng’s willpower, all he needed to do was revisit his most painful and despairing memories. The reason Hua Jieyou had replayed all these tedious, trivial scenes from daily life was because of his own curiosity.
He wanted to know what an ordinary, normal cultivator’s life felt like.
…Of course, Jiang Xuesheng’s life as a dragon had been neither ordinary nor normal. It could practically be described as one complete disaster.
Even so, Hua Jieyou did not hate it.
Compared with what he himself had experienced in life, those days had been as warm and beautiful as a dream.
So he had unconsciously become immersed in them, greedily drawing in every bit of warmth he could find to soothe the bitter cold of the wind, frost, swords, and storms he had endured for a thousand years.
To those in the outside world, the illusion woven from Jiang Xuesheng’s memories had lasted no more than the snap of a finger. But in the consciousnesses of Shu Fu and Hua Jieyou, it continued for a very long time.
At first, Lord Yinglong’s life had been nothing short of dull.
He never relied on his status, nor did he like being surrounded by attendants. Every day, apart from sitting high in the empty main hall and listening to reports from his subordinates across the world, he spent his time laughing and fooling around with the Five Phoenixes, enjoying the little leisure he had.
Generally speaking, he was the one laughing and playing around with the other birds, while the angry Little Red Bird, Feng Yuandu, was responsible for beating them.
Occasionally, he would join forces with Feng Yuandu and give Zhong Bukui a tag-team beating.
Later, once he had grown older and no longer remained high above the court, he began traveling alone as a dragon across the world, observing its people and settling its affairs.
—Just like Shu Fu did now.
Of course, trivial matters still followed him like a shadow. Whenever he deemed it necessary, Lord Yinglong insisted on handling them personally.
Here, “necessary” specifically meant “he believed no one else could handle them properly.”
Lord Yinglong had no family and no understanding of love. He had always been separated from the warmth and bustle of ordinary human life by a thin, invisible veil. Because of that, he was never troubled by human sentiment. Every time, he could make judgments that were unconventional, yet remarkably effective.
Shu Fu thought he had probably never understood humanity at all.
To Lord Yinglong, most human entanglements could be summed up in one sentence:
What kind of ridiculous mess is this?
Even so, to protect the ordinary, vulgar, petty, chaotic, and utterly nonsensical lives of humankind, he had still given his greatest effort.
It was also during those journeys that his Guguang sword was repeatedly reforged until it finally took shape.
At some unknown point, Shu Fu began unconsciously blending into the scenes within the illusion, trying to draw closer to this version of Jiang Xuesheng.
When he sat alone on a mountaintop to rest, she would sit beside him, leaning against the same tree and gazing at the same distant mountains, placing her palm over the back of his hand. When he grew tired, his head would slowly tilt to one side, coming to rest precisely against her shoulder.
When he grew bored and set up a chessboard to play against himself, she would sit across from him, propping up her chin and watching him with a faint smile.
Once, he patiently waited in a valley for the snow-white youtan flower that bloomed only once every five years. She waited there with him, even stopping Hua Jieyou when he tried to fast-forward through the scene. At the moment the flower blossomed, its pure radiance shone beneath the moonlight and illuminated the smile in the young man’s eyes. Without realizing it, she smiled too.
…
She stayed with him the entire time.
Shu Fu knew that Jiang Xuesheng could neither see nor sense her.
But even so, she did not leave. She did not stop performing these futile, meaningless actions.
It was as though, by doing so, she could accompany him as he walked through every mountain and river in his memories, from beginning to end.
For her, this too counted as keeping her eyes open through the endless night, repaying him for a lifetime in which he had never once smiled.
“……”
Hua Jieyou thought it over and ultimately decided not to tell her that Jiang Xuesheng’s consciousness had actually remained within Lord Yinglong all along. He simply could not control the body and could only passively reenact the sequence of memories.
As for the outsider within the illusion—Shu Fu…
Jiang Xuesheng had actually been able to see her all along.
She silently accompanied him, while he silently watched her companionship. Together, they crossed the long and distant years.
—Until the day the demonic calamity began.
Without warning, everything around them suddenly plunged into darkness.
“What happened?”
Shu Fu abruptly tore herself away from the scene and turned to Hua Jieyou. “Why did the illusion disappear?”
“I don’t want to watch the war.”
Hua Jieyou answered in a muffled voice. “Let’s skip this part. I know what happened. The old people in the city have been talking about that demonic calamity for as long as I can remember.”
The demonic calamity.
Three thousand years ago, it had swept across the lands of the Five Continents.
Life had been devastated, rivers had run red with blood, and every riverbank had been piled high with heaps of white bones, burying countless souls who would never return to the dreams of those waiting for them in their spring boudoirs.
Whether human, demon, or devil—or even divine beasts as famous throughout the world as dragons and phoenixes—everyone had been equally insignificant before the flames of war, their lives no more valuable than blades of grass.
Phoenixes in particular were often killed twice in succession by demonic cultivators and monsters, thanks to their innate resurrection cheat of “rebirth from the ashes.” Their enemies would even grind their bones to dust and scatter them, or tear them apart and devour them, just to make absolutely certain the threat was eliminated for good.
In the rapidly flashing scenes of Hua Jieyou’s memories, Shi Chunyu lost his mother and countless clansmen. He lived in fear day and night, no longer able to innocently pester everyone with, “Do you have one? Do you have one?”
Feng Yuandu’s father died in battle. Before he had even processed what had happened, he was hurriedly pushed into the position of clan leader. For the first time in his life, he lost his usual composure and maturity. The mask of wood carved over his face cracked at one corner, revealing the bewilderment and helplessness unique to a boy his age.
Lord Yinglong fought the Heavenly Demon several times, with victory and defeat alternating between them. One of his horns was struck and broken, leaving behind an old wound that could never heal.
Then the memories began to flow again—
“Seal the demons.”
It was still in that vast, desolate hall. Lord Yinglong stood at the top of the steps with his back to the five phoenix clan leaders, his hands clasped behind him. His figure was thin and diminished, so slight that he seemed like a shadow liable to vanish at any moment.
“If we want to end the demonic calamity once and for all, this is the only way.”
“The price is our flesh and souls, is it not?”
The Azure Phoenix clan leader sighed heavily, his expression grave and his voice bitter. “I don’t begrudge these old bones of mine. It’s just that, with Chunyu left all alone, I truly can’t set my mind at ease…”
“Don’t worry. Your people will take good care of him. And there’s our Jinghong as well. She has always been the one most attentive to her friends.”
The Honghu clan leader was a graceful, otherworldly woman dressed in white. Hearing this, she gently consoled him, “After this, we’ll leave everything to the children. Where each clan goes from here is in the hands of fate. We can’t concern ourselves with so much anymore.”
The Yuanchu clan leader looked down coldly and laughed haughtily. “There has never been a weak or useless soul among the Yuanchu clan. The heir I have chosen will certainly protect our clan.”
“…”
The Yuèzhì clan leader, Zhong Dingtian, said nothing. He merely clasped his fists and bowed deeply toward Lord Yinglong.
He would give his heart and soul without hesitation.
At last, it was Feng Yuandu’s turn. He seemed unaccustomed to his position, and when he spoke, there was a trace of awkwardness in his voice. “What will happen to us once the seal is complete?”
Lord Yinglong gazed deeply at him and answered each word with deliberate clarity. “I won’t hide this from you. If you’re unwilling, you may withdraw at any time.”
“I told Chunyu and the others that ‘sealing’ merely meant falling into a long sleep. That isn’t the truth.”
“Our flesh will merge with the earth veins and become shackles that suppress the demonic energy. But in order to hold back that energy, our souls must remain conscious at all times.”
“We will still be able to sense the rains and winds of the world—the movements of people, the flowing of rivers, the growth of plants and trees. But we will never be able to return to the mortal world unless those who come after us discover a way to purify the demonic energy.”
“If they never do… then we will remain imprisoned forever in a lightless chamber, keeping company with filthy, turbid demonic energy, watching all things flourish upon our bones.”
“We will open the way to the future, even though we will no longer exist in it.”
“…”
A long silence followed.
In the end, Feng Yuandu gave Lord Yinglong the same answer as the other clan leaders.
“You needn’t worry about me. If you can do it, there’s no way I can’t.”
“I am willing to offer my body to turn back this raging tide.”
…
Then the scene shifted.
To Shu Fu’s astonishment, she found herself standing atop a steep, extraordinary mountain peak between the cities of Yao and Wei.
Lord Yinglong stood with his back to her, tall and straight as a green pine or a drawn sword upon the summit. His long hair flowed like a waterfall, and his robes billowed in the wind.
Behind him, Liu Jinghong was desperately holding down Zhong Bukui with one hand and Shi Chunyu with the other, both of them struggling and lunging forward.
“The Five Phoenix clan leaders have all taken their places. It’s time for me to go as well.”
Lord Yinglong’s voice was calm. Without turning around, he instructed them, “Once the seal is complete, the Heavenly Demon’s power will be greatly weakened and no longer pose a threat. Lead the human and demon races in a counterattack, and you should be able to kill it in one stroke.”
“Dragon Bro, Dragon Bro!”
Shi Chunyu was crying so hard that his nose was running. He flailed his arms uselessly. “Don’t go, Dragon Bro! My mother’s gone, and my father’s gone too. Don’t leave me behind! I can’t handle this all by myself…”
“Don’t you still have Jinghong?”
A smile touched Lord Yinglong’s voice, carrying a calm, compassionate kindness. “Be good. Don’t make her angry anymore. She’ll take good care of you.”
Then he turned toward Zhong Bukui. “And you, Bugui…”
“I don’t need your concern!”
Two pools of tears welled in Zhong Bukui’s eyes. He stubbornly lifted his pinkish-purple head high, as if declaring that the Funeral Love Clan would never surrender.
“You—you’d better get lost! Once you disappear, no one will control me anymore! I’ll forget you immediately and do whatever I want! I won’t have to cultivate or work myself to death. I can eat, drink, gamble… Hahaha, what a life…”
He could not continue.
Lord Yinglong glanced back at him. In the eyes that had always been filled with cutting criticism and disdain, a trace of warmth appeared for the first time.
“That’s right. Life is short. From now on, do whatever you wish. Just remember these four words: ‘Have a clear conscience.’ Otherwise, neither your father nor I will let you off.”
Zhong Bukui choked abruptly. “You…”
Lord Yinglong turned toward Liu Jinghong.
“On behalf of the Honghu clan, Jinghong respectfully sees the Dragon Lord off.”
Liu Jinghong wore solemn white robes. She had no makeup, no hair ornaments, and even her Mary Sue–like long hair had been properly bound in a bun. Facing Lord Yinglong, she bowed deeply.
“As long as the Honghu bloodline endures and our clan survives, for a thousand years or ten thousand, through countless generations to come, we will devote all our strength to helping the Dragon Lord return as soon as possible.”
“Whether I return or not is of no importance.”
Lord Yinglong waved his hand lightly. “Once the demonic calamity has subsided, go back to your own homes and live well.”
“Oh, and remember to tell the mortals that they no longer need to worship the Dragon God. From now on, I won’t be able to protect them anymore.”
“Dragon Lord…”
Liu Jinghong was still able to hold back her tears, but Shu Fu could not.
“Sir!”
She called out to him and hurried forward.
She knew he could not hear her. She simply wanted to stand beside him—
“What is it, Fuer?”
—when an unbelievable turn of events occurred.
Jiang Xuesheng, who should have been completely unaware of Shu Fu’s existence, who should have been unable to control his own body, suddenly turned to face her. Their eyes met, and he curved his lips into a smile.
“What…?!”
Only then, in her shock, did Hua Jieyou belatedly realize that while he had been wholly absorbed in reliving his memories, Jiang Xuesheng had already taken control of the formation’s core!
The original illusion would endlessly repeat Hua Jieyou’s memories until he accepted his own death, released his resentment, and entered the cycle of reincarnation once more.
But now that the formation’s core had fallen into Jiang Xuesheng’s hands, all he had to do was accept this “death” without regret, and the illusion would immediately be dispelled!
He had guarded against every possibility, yet he had still been outmaneuvered by this old fox!
But Shu Fu could not spare a thought for any of that. She rushed forward, seized Jiang Xuesheng by one sleeve, and panted as she cursed him.
“You… you fucking idiot?!”
Jiang Xuesheng: “…That’s vulgar. Little Fu, you mustn’t say things like that.”
Shu Fu: “Bullshit! You said it yourself!”
Jiang Xuesheng: “I was young and foolish back then…”
Shu Fu: “I was young and foolish too! I’m cursing now, you bastard! Whatever difficulties there were, couldn’t we all have thought of another solution together? Did you really have to take things this far?”
She grabbed Jiang Xuesheng by the collar and pressed her forehead against his chest, her voice slightly muffled.
“You said that you cultivated the Dao only to be free and carefree, to do as you pleased, bound by neither man nor Heaven…”
“I wasn’t lying.”
Jiang Xuesheng smiled faintly. He raised a hand to caress her cheek, infinite tenderness flowing through his clear, limpid eyes.
“Three thousand years ago and three thousand years later, everything I’ve done truly has been for myself.”
“Because I love this mortal world, and I don’t want to see it end just yet.”
“Because… even if everyone under Heaven is foolish and selfish, I still believe that one day, someone like you will be born into this world.”
“So this mortal world is worth saving.”
Jiang Xuesheng—the Lord Yinglong—gently pushed Shu Fu away and turned toward the edge of the mountain cliff. His robes billowed in the wind, radiant spiritual light flowing over his back.
The illusion was about to end. He had to go and meet the fate destined for him three thousand years ago.
His blue-green robes fell to the ground, and his figure vanished. A pair of enormous crimson wings seemed capable of cleaving Heaven and Earth in two. Under Shu Fu’s gaze, a white dragon, as if carved from ice and sculpted from snow, rose into the sky and spread its wings toward the distant horizon.
He was an undying flame, and also a glacier that endured in silence.
A smile to the mortal world; an azure-boned guardian of mountains and rivers.
“Wait…”
Shu Fu had barely managed to see him clearly when the dragon’s silhouette gradually melted into the radiance of the rising sun. Its colossal body came apart inch by inch, finally dissolving into countless specks of light like thousands upon thousands of fireflies, drifting away throughout the mountains, rivers, and sky.
His bones returned to the green mountains.
His bloodline returned to the rivers.
In the end, only two tiny white scales remained. One fell into Shu Fu’s hand. The other sank into the earth with him, where it brought forth a tender new sprout that bloomed into two flowers—one yellow and one purple.
The reason the so-called “Fated Bond Flowers” possessed effects similar to the “Heartguard Scale” was simply that they had grown from those very scales.
No one knew.
No one remembered.
The legend of the Dragon God saving the world was swallowed by the passage of three thousand years, fading into a mural that would never be uncovered.
Until the descendants of the dragon and phoenix found a way to purify the demonic miasma, only an unknown seal could remain absolutely secure.
“…”
Clutching the Heartguard Scale tightly, Shu Fu stood motionless for a long, long time. Even after the scene within the illusion dissolved and vanished, even after the world around her returned to darkness and the scale in her hand faded into nothingness, she did not move an inch.
Not until someone called to her from behind—
“Fuer?”
“What’s wrong? Did it frighten you…?”
“…”
Shu Fu did not answer. With her head bowed, she hurried forward several steps, threw open her arms, and flung herself around the figure approaching her.
“Damn you.”
Her voice was hoarse as she said, “Your whole life… you scared the hell out of me.”
