Heishi Mountain remained as forlorn as ever.
However, the highest and most desolate point revealed the most lively city below.
From the high vantage point, the city appeared like a sea of flickering lights, akin to thousands of fireflies.
Zanxing had once used her illusionary magic here to create a Biyi Blossom tree. The demon race was naturally adept at illusions, and a Biyi Blossom tree only required a small amount of demonic power. Under this tree, she confidently boasted, “I can make this tree stay here forever.”
Yet, after she left, the Biyi Blossomtree disappeared.
Later, Heishi Mountain did not become as lush and verdant as she had claimed, despite Xiao Shuang’s repeated attempts to plant flowers here. The soil of Heishi City was particularly unyielding, making it difficult for ordinary plants to grow.
Ultimately, it was a futile effort.
He sat down at the mountain’s peak.
In the palm of his hand lay a small silver lock.
It was something he and Zanxing had bought on the Qixi Festival many years ago. At that time, the woman selling the lock had said, “When your relationship ends and you wish to change partners, just open the lock,” which greatly annoyed him. However, in the end, the lock was never opened, but their relationship did not seem to continue.
Gu Baiying looked down at the small lock in his palm.
Beside the tiny lock was a silver key.
On that day, he had tricked Zanxing into throwing away the key, but in reality, he kept it hidden. He was concerned that if Zanxing ever truly wanted to change partners, she might search the entire mountain for the lock, so he used a diversion, preferring to keep it himself for peace of mind.
Yet, he had not anticipated that it would still be impossible to hold on.
Zanxing had once asked him here, “Gu Baiying, if I really took in seven concubines, would you truly cut off all ties with me for the rest of our lives?”
At that time, he had answered firmly, “Yes.”
In truth, he had lied to her.
If Zanxing really had taken seven male concubines, Gu Baiying thought, he probably would have found it difficult to cut off all contact with her. He would probably watch over her constantly, worried that Zanxing, as the master of Heishi City, would attract a lot of trouble. Those male concubines all seemed weak and incapable. In case of danger, they would most likely only hold her back. Unlike him, who could at least protect her a little.
The young man’s pupils reflected the soft night, and he suddenly froze for a moment, seemingly startled by his own absurd thought, and couldn’t help but laugh.
Perhaps he missed her too much that even such a ridiculous thought had arisen.
Zanxing had said that Heishi Mountain was seldom visited and was very quiet, ideal for pondering things.
He now understood that this place was indeed perfect for thinking, or more precisely, missing someone.
Everything related to Zanxing had completely disappeared from the world. He had traveled to many places, trying to find traces she might have left behind, but found none.
Nothing remained.
Gu Baiying didn’t know what Zanxing had felt when she sat here back then. But now, sitting here, he could clearly feel his own heart.
In the distance, the lights illuminated the night of Heishi City, making it sparkle like spring water and stars.
Suddenly, Gu Baiying thought of Fairy Qinghua from years ago.
In the secret realm, fireworks bloomed layer by layer in the night, and a man with a warm smile spoke to the white-clad beauty beside him, “In a person’s life, there will be many moments of hardship and unwillingness to face reality. Even someone as clear-headed as a fairy might one day need to use such illusory magic for solace.”
At that time, he was young and did not understand his father’s words, but now he finally comprehended.
That same year, Fairy Qinghua returned alone to Gufeng Mountain, using illusions to transform the trees into Biyi Blossom Trees, and he had indeed followed in his mother’s footsteps.
From the fingertips of Gu Baiying, a faint dark silver light gradually emerged. This light, carried by the wind, slowly condensed into a figure in the void.
She had soft, long hair, bright eyes, and her green skirt fluttered like willow branches in spring, illuminating the pitch-black mountain night.
Illusions were simple, but humans were most susceptible to them, proving they could indeed touch the most vulnerable parts of the human heart.
After Zanxing left, Gu Baiying had never used illusions. He always felt that the false forms created by illusions were never truly her, the person from his memories. Having said he would wait, how could he not endure even this bit of loneliness?
Yet Zanxing never appeared in his dreams, year after year, she never came to him in sleep.
Tonight was the first time Gu Baiying used illusion to recreate the person in his heart. Just this once, he thought.
He missed her too much.
The figure in the dream walked out of the night, approached him, and slightly bent forward, gazing into his eyes. Zanxing smiled warmly and asked, “Why are you sitting here alone?”
He stared at the woman before him.
Zanxing smiled at him and said, “Martial Uncle, it’s been a long time. I’ve missed you.”
Gu Baiying closed his eyes.
Illusions, while capable of recreating thoughts and desires, could only depict a similar appearance and could not capture the essence of a soul. She was too vivid and clear in his mind. Even if he exhausted all his mental energy, he could not replicate even a ten-thousandth of her charm.
Ultimately, it was all in vain.
Zanxing sat down beside him. The wind lifted her hair, and a few strands brushed his face, bringing a slight tickle.
Gu Baiying kept his eyes closed, as if this would bring him closer to the illusion in his heart.
Just like the time when Zanxing had just left, he returned to Gufeng Mountain. During the day, he seemed no different from the past, but at night, he would call out Zanxing’s name over and over again to the broken hairpin.
There was a trace of his primordial spirit in Zanxing’s body, and their fates had long been intertwined. He still remembered when Zanxing looked into his eyes and told him, “I want to change my fate, and yours as well.” In the end, she changed the fate of billions of living beings in Douzhou, and then disappeared forever.
Over the years, Gu Baiying had traveled to many places, trying to find her trace, but miracles, perhaps, did not often favor mortals.
Zanxing didn’t reappear.
She was an evening star that inadvertently streaked across the night sky, destined not to stay for anyone. She had illuminated him for a moment, then disappeared suddenly, leaving only the person waiting alone under the starry sky.
Youthful aspirations soar to the heavens, but stars and rain scatter and never last.
The young man sat in the lonely mountain breeze. Below, the city lights were brilliant, his shadow and the light heading in completely different directions.
The woman’s voice drifted from beside him, carrying a gentle smile, “Heishi City is still the same. The evening star always graces Chu Hong Terrace, but Heishi City has no clear nights, so it looks quite desolate.”
She said, “Gu Baiying, may I give you something?”
The wind grew lighter.
He slowly opened his eyes and was suddenly taken aback.
The city below, originally brightly lit, had dotted the wilderness with sparkling lights. Now, it was as if all the candles in the wilderness had been blown out one by one. The earth darkened inch by inch, becoming pitch black, and nothing could be seen.
The world went dark.
Someone extended a hand, and a green light was abruptly thrown into the sky. In an instant, the silent sky became bustling with activity.
The starry sky lit up little by little.
At first, there were only one or two crystal clear points, then it turned into clusters of brilliance, and then countless clear lights filled the night sky, and the Milky Way flowed from the horizon, bustlingly crowding the dome and spreading over the vast world.
“This evening star is unique, unseen anywhere else. Gu Baiying,” she said, not looking at him but gazing at the brilliant night sky, “do you like it?”
Gu Baiying stared at her, seemingly frozen.
How could the illusion recreate the starry sky? She still sat beside him, yet she was entirely different from the previous illusion. She was vivid and lively, every expression and detail perfectly matching his memories.
So real.
Ding-
A clear and faint sound came from beside him. Like a pleasant ending, the sound was full of joy of reunion.
The Jie Xin Bell resonated with his heart, always reacting to his most instinctive heartbeats.
He could not be moved by an illusion.
Unless—
The world quieted down, countless crystal-clear lights fell on the world, and the long wind ran freely through the mountains, curling up the woman’s light green robe.
She stared at the night sky: “The starry sky is an illusion.”
Then she turned to look at Gu Baiying, pointed at herself, and slowly smiled softly.
—”However, this, is real.”
**
Noblesse ahh ending