448 - Senior Sister Is on Top
Suddenly, a wave of sorrow and loneliness spread through her heart. Shijie was no longer here. Bai Ling and Mingyu had their own lives, and now even Tiandao had "left." She was truly all alone. "Goodbye." Tang Muxi paused for a moment, slowly saying her farewell before leaving this place. Knowing she would not return anytime soon, she decided to seal the path to the illusory realm. After completing these tasks, she finally departed. Unexpectedly, midway through her journey, a delicate thread of spiritual energy flew towards her. Tang Muxi reached out and caught it. A familiar voice echoed once more. "Muxi, do not be sad. While repairing the rules, I discovered that Jiangyin's last chance for survival lies with you. Act boldly, even if you must sacrifice a divine artifact. No one in this world can stop you." Tang Muxi stood frozen, Tiandao's gentle voice repeatedly reverberating in her mind. Her eyes and nose suddenly felt sore, and tears started streaming down her face. During this period, she had never allowed herself leisure time, working tirelessly to manage the mortal world, trying to numb herself with busyness, as if doing so would make her forget about Shijie's departure. She thought she had hidden her pain well, and no one had noticed. Yet, despite her efforts, someone still saw through her façade. How could repairing the rules be related to Shijie's vitality? Tang Muxi refused to believe that Tiandao had detected this by chance. Ever since Shijie's demise, she had been searching for a way to break the deadlock, and now she finally understood. Thinking about her avoidance over this period, she suddenly felt a deep sense of shame. Even Tiandao hadn’t given up, willing to search for a lifeline for Shijie. As Jiangyin's wife, how could she wallow in self-pity at this moment? Not right. Since there's still a chance, it’s not a time to surrender. Shijie died to save her; she should also gamble her life for Shijie. "Muxi will remember your kindness." Tang Muxi bowed deeply towards the illusory realm, then left. Eyes filled with sorrow upon arrival, but they were entirely different upon departure. * Tang Muxi had no idea how to resurrect Shijie, but she suddenly remembered Old Miaonu's appearance that day. Unable to resist, she went to seek her for advice. After Shijie's demise, the secret realm’s barriers became extremely weak, like petals ready to wither and shatter at any moment. Tang Muxi gently stroked the barrier, feeling Shijie's spiritual power, which brought back memories. She didn’t erase it and headed to the back mountain of the Xianghe Divine Domain, entering through the second gate. Tang Muxi thought she'd have to use force again to break through the illusion at the lake’s bottom. Unexpectedly, as soon as her fingers touched the wet sand, a soft purple aura enveloped her. After a dizzying whirl, she found herself inside the aquatic palace. Before her was the lazy nine-tailed fox. Old Miaonu was the same, spending her days in the underwater palace, either playing with Longer or sleeping on the bed. Upon seeing Tang Muxi, she seemed unsurprised, her nine tails swaying leisurely. Her tone held a hint of reproach, "Why have you come only now? I thought you'd seek me as soon as you woke up." She had offered Jiangyin’s body in sacrifice, using secret arts to kill the demon. She thought this fool, who treasured Shijie so much, would seek her out early on. But half a year had passed with no sign of her. Had she not occasionally glanced through the water mirror, seeing that Tang Muxi was busy, Old Miaonu would have thought she had long since taken her own life. Now, those eyes no longer showed sorrow but were filled with resolute determination, which surprised her. “Mm, I was busy with something. Now that it’s done, I came.” Tang Muxi recalled that day, asking, “Did Shijie see you before she died?” Old Miaonu hadn’t expected such straightforwardness. She shook her head, “I sought her out. That day, it was already decided that you and Tiandao would lose. If I continued to stand by, I’d be wandering again soon. This was my private sentiment. If you blame me... feel free to attack. Anyway, you can’t beat me, and I can’t harm you.” She remained silent about her true intentions, prepared to be seen as a sinner. To her surprise, Tang Muxi wasn’t angry but instead expressed gratitude. "I don’t blame you. You saved me and protected Tiandao, a great kindness I can’t repay. Moreover, since you met with Shijie, the final spell likely had her consent. If it was her decision, I won’t dissent." Old Miaonu's gaze lingered on Tang Muxi's calm eyes for a long while before saying, "You are becoming more and more like a true Shen Huang." Stretching lazily, her tails swayed as she asked, “Since you don’t blame me, what do you want from me? Don’t say it’s just for a chat.” As if she were very busy. Tang Muxi held back her retort, asking, “What do I need to revive Huaxing Mo?” Old Miaonu hesitated, a hint of pity in her eyes, “Your Shijie has perished entirely. It is impossible to resurrect her. The final sacrifice of her body has severed that path. Let it go.” Tang Muxi remained stubborn, “Just tell me what I need. Without absolute certainty, I wouldn’t have come to you.” Her eyes were filled with determination as she spoke. Old Miaonu stared at her for a long time, sighing deeply. “You fool. If you are so obstinate, I will tell you, so you give up.” “Your Shijie is a demon, not like ordinary beings. To revive her, you would need three things: a thread of pure demonic energy from the core, a fragment of the soul, and an intact body. None can be missing.” Chapter 256 Old Miaonu was right. Upon learning the answer, Tang Muxi indeed fell into doubt and hesitation. Reviving Shijie required three things: an intact body, a thread of pure demonic energy from the core, and a fragment of the soul. However, that day, to kill the demon and protect her and Tiandao, Shijie’s body had been sacrificed by Old Miaonu. Her core had been pierced by the demon’s full force, leaving no residual strength, and even her spirit had shattered. Such utter hopelessness, such completeness—even finding one of the components seemed impossible, let alone all three. At that moment, Tang Muxi even wondered if Tiandao's words were merely for comfort, with no real means of salvation. Rather than plunging into delusion, chasing an unattainable hope, wouldn’t it be better to restart the heavens and earth, reverse time, and perhaps see Shijie once more?