443 - Senior Sister Is on Top
After the demon’s demise, the era of chaos was nearing its end, and perhaps Jingyue Pavilion could still aid Junior Sister in stabilizing the situation. Upon this thought, Jiang Yin suddenly froze, inexplicably sensing no difference between now and ten thousand years ago. Both times he met Junior Sister, only one could survive. Last time it was her; this time it was Junior Sister. He wondered if there would be a next time, and if so, would it be a true reunion. Miaonu was speechless, unsure of how to respond. After a brief silence, she sighed, “If only you had shown half this tenderness when you first met Long'er.” The answer was as expected, but her heart remained desolate. Wasting no more time, Miaonu retrieved an ancient totem and drenched it with her blood. In moments, the totem revived, its withered branches sprouting new leaves. She deployed her divine domain, freezing everything outside the secret realm in an instant. This was the power of an outer god; once activated, it would likely trigger a vigilant counterattack from heaven and earth. But now, the Heavenly Dao was barely hanging on, the order had crumbled, and it could not counteract her. The demon, seemingly unaffected by her restrictions, attacked her without hesitation as she appeared out of nowhere. Miaonu, however, didn’t confront the demon head-on. Withered branches and leaves rapidly wrapped around Jiang Yin’s body. In the next moment, Jiang Yin’s body turned into specks of dark light, scattering like fireflies. At the same time, the totem disintegrated. The demon, tethered by a strange curse, had her core abruptly collapse. Disbelief filled her eyes as her body quickly disintegrated. Miaonu, though unwilling, softly murmured, “Foolish child, if you are fortunate enough to ascend again, do not commit such sins. Go and comprehend the meaning of the heart.” With that, she formed a seal with her hands, causing the demon to vanish along with her core. Turning around, Miaonu saw Tang Muxi staring at her, eyes red with tears, silently approaching. Soft fingers gently brushed her chest, healing all external wounds. But while the external wounds healed, the sorrow hidden in the heart could be cured by no one, unless it was washed away by the passage of time or the heart stopped beating. “Sleep now, wake up to no more pain.” Believing her words, Tang Muxi offered no resistance, allowing the hypnotic purple qi to envelop her spiritual sea, ultimately falling into slumber. Having done all this, Miaonu turned and dived into the underwater palace, faintly hearing a quiet expression of thanks and farewell. “Thank you.” The voice was like fine sand, scattered entirely by the wind. Miaonu paused, standing silently for a long time before responding, until the aura completely dissipated, she entered the palace. Chapter 253 Tang Muxi slept for a long, long time, countless memories flashing by like a horse passing by the window. She felt like she had died, yet also like she had fallen into reincarnation again, becoming the little Junior Sister trapped in an uncontrollable body. She saw her first senior sister, witnessed her being bullied and scarred, felt deeply moved, and wanted to hold her tenderly and comfort her. However, under the demon’s control, her body could only repeatedly betray Jiang Yin, constantly failing her true heart. Hatred and regret filled her heart, transforming into tears of pain, flowing in her soul. She hated her own powerlessness, berated her own cowardice, and drowned in countless cycles of reincarnation. In a trance, she saw herself finally breaking free of the shackles, stepping forward when Jiang Yin needed her most. She became her hero, her lover, married her, and spent a lifetime together. Eventually ascending to the Divine Emperor, she gathered the nine divine artifacts and wielded an unparalleled force to challenge the heavens, slaying the demon, the mastermind behind everything. People flocked to her, unifying the three realms, restoring order, and reestablishing the balance of yin and yang. No need for thousands of cycles of reincarnation draining the world’s spiritual energy, the declining cultivation world gradually revived. Heaven and earth brimmed with power, and golden sunlight bathed every corner of the forest. Descendants of divine beasts frequently exhibited signs of atavism, heralding the arrival of a glorious era once more. And her senior sister always stayed by her side, watching the sunrise and sunset, and sharing a utopia. At night, outlandish stars fell, drawing brilliant streaks of light across the tranquil night sky. Hand in hand atop Mount Senro, they envisioned the future, making wishes seemingly out of a fairy tale. So wonderful, so joyous, like being submerged in honey, difficult to extricate themselves from. But ultimately, her senior sister was pierced by thousands of arrows before her eyes, crimson blood spilling everywhere. Tang Muxi, filled with despair, drew a sharp blade to carve open her chest, using her scorching divine blood to save her senior sister. But even as the body decayed, turning into star-like motes drifting through the sky, she could not succeed. With blood drained, Tang Muxi’s wrists lost all strength, and she fell into the muddy soil, her clouded eyes gazing at the stars. Until all light faded, until she awoke alone on a lonely bed, she realized it was all a dream, yet not entirely a dream. Tang Muxi stared at the ceiling beams for a long time before realizing she was back in Changhe Palace, her gaze inadvertently catching a glimpse of the red-clad figure by her bedside. Her pupils narrowed, and she held her breath. “Senior Sister…” She reached out to touch her, but froze before making contact. The illusion deity, startled by her movement, suddenly looked up. Seeing her safe and sound, she pulled her into a fierce embrace. “Master, you’ve awakened.” It had been seven days since the great battle had ended. Miaonu's hypnosis was merely an inducement, lacking the power to trap her in an illusion. But Tang Muxi, unwilling to wake, used the dream as a medium to weave a perfect illusion. A deity in the tribulation period, coupled with the love of the heavens and her divine blood, created an illusion strong enough to keep everyone out, even herself. Fearful that she would remain asleep forever, the illusion deity stayed by her side without leaving for seven days. Fortunately, her master remained resilient. Tang Muxi allowed herself to be held, letting her hand drop despondently, forcing a smile, “Why did you wear red?” Senior Sister had always loved red, and at least half of her wardrobe was red attire. Bright and striking, like a brilliant sun, always dazzling no matter the time. But now, her red sun was gone.