“Of course, I had to come back. This is my country, with my friends and my husband.” As the phoenix landed, Xiaotu dismounted and walked towards Yingsu. “Lingying, it’s good that you’re back. I could smell this fragrance from the land of cherry blossoms.” A teasing voice came as a figure in purple descended with the cherry blossoms. Liu Ruoshi, still as laid-back as ever, but the joy in her eyes was unmistakable. Behind her followed the thousands of soldiers from the Cherry Blossom Realm. Xiaotu turned, looking at Liu Rumeng, who in her past life was her best friend, her right hand, inseparable. In this life, she had willingly endured hundreds of reincarnations for her, just to lend a hand. How could she repay such affection, such heart, such loyalty…? Seeing the vast army behind her, she instantly understood; her long disappearance was all for this preparation…
Their friendship, like the waters of the Milky Way, was eternal… Pure and true…
“Yes, I’m back, Ruoshi.” A gentle acknowledgment, for the gratitude in her heart could not be expressed in words. Looking at the vast crowd, these familiar faces, her colleagues from the divine realm, the Emperor and Empress of the Gods, Lianlian with her ever-sweet smile, the handsome and adorable Gudong, the fox in red, and… there was someone who seemed like a different person… Wang Xie… His golden eyes now exuded a subtle release, a faint joy, a gentle affection… completely devoid of his former flamboyance, instead, there was a touch of scholarly elegance. It seemed someone was missing, that mischievous smile, that enchantingly beautiful face, and the voice calling out “girl”… Baihua…
“Hmph, Lingying, you wish! Today, either you die or I do.” The air was filled with a subtle humiliation, and Yingsu felt deeply uncomfortable; she hated this feeling! She loathed it!
“Let’s settle our grievances once and for all!” With that, her delicate fingers traced a barrier in the air, cherry blossoms enveloped it, isolating the outside world to prevent any mishaps. The battle continued to unfold, Xiaotu and Yingsu entangled in a life-or-death struggle, neither willing to yield, each fighting for their own conviction!
The thirty thousand elite soldiers, transformed from cherry blossoms, gathered the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, proving to be the nemesis of the dark demons. They engaged in fierce combat, blades flashing, unstoppable! With the continuous phoenix cries, large numbers of demons were incinerated by the flames. Yingsu, not as powerful as Xiaotu, was forced to retreat step by step. “You know you’re not my match now, why persist?”
“Hmph, because I am not willing! Why? We were born the same, from the same outer heaven. Why must I bear the burden of reviving the demon race? You gods, you are all hypocrites! You slaughter our kind! Why should this world be ruled by you? As long as I, Yingsu, live, I will fight for our demon realm!” Black blood spewed from her mouth, her blood-red eyes still filled with anger! Unwillingness!
“Yingsu, wake up! Don’t you see? You and I are destined to oppose each other! Who can we blame? I have my mission, and you have yours! I cannot allow your demon race to wreak havoc. If not for your cruelty, why would the divine realm be against you? Drinking human blood, eating human flesh, gnawing on bones, devouring souls! Do you still have reason?” She was indignant, seeing the blood flowing like rivers, souls everywhere in distress, her heart ached! What right did she have to speak of reviving the demon race?
If the demons truly revived, all life would suffer, and the world would be destroyed…
Cherry blossoms pierced through Yingsu, black blood splattered, and her beautiful, poignant smile carried a hint of release. Her bright red lips gradually turned transparent as time slipped away. Xiaotu breathed a sigh of relief, staring blankly at her blood-stained hands, momentarily dazed. Life was so fragile, fleeting in an instant…
At that moment, streams of black energy began to flow out of Yingsu’s body, passing through the barrier, floating in the air, forming a black vortex. Demons fighting everywhere struggled, roared, their sharp claws flailing, their terrifying eyes filling the space, their screams piercing through eardrums, echoing in the air, and eventually turning into the last wisp of black smoke… extinguished…
Yingsu’s body began to disappear from the chest down, leaving a large pool of ink-like black blood on the ground. The evil black energy slowly dissipated, her red eyes wide open with unwillingness, her ferocious hands reaching out towards the smiling figure not far away…
“Wow! Xiaotu, you did it!” The first ray of light from the horizon shone, the sun rose slowly… dispelling the endless darkness… A crisp voice woke everyone from their reverie, surprised by the sudden arrival of light…
In the utopian valley beyond the world, light returned, flowers bloomed, but the peach blossom forest stood out. Within it, a man in white lay on a bed, his face still expressionless, a tear sliding from the corner of his closed phoenix eyes… down his exquisite face…
Chapter Fifty: Reflections
Cherry blossoms filled the Wan Li Dynasty, their fragrance soothing hearts, spreading joy and laughter across the land… The phoenix spread its wings, soaring through the nine heavens, its cries echoing between heaven and earth. From the ninth heaven, the gods looked down upon the mortals below.
Filled with a myriad of emotions… In the Wan Yue Dynasty, the palace was magnificent, adorned with resplendent glazed tiles in a bright yellow hue. The sunlight shone upon them, casting a dazzling glow. The four great elders stood at the head of the grand hall, flanked by civil and military officials, and monarchs from various countries, including the King of Yue Guo, the King of Yi Yue Guo, the King of Yin Yue Guo, and the King of Yun Yue Guo. As the phoenix descended, a white-robed woman with an ethereal grace walked down amidst the admiring gazes of the crowd. Her face was bare, crowned with a purple gold tiara, and she wore a silver sakura robe that radiated regal elegance.
“Elders, I have returned after three months!” She said with utmost respect, her golden eyes twinkling with laughter.
“We welcome the return of the Goddess!” Tears welled up in their eyes, for they had waited for millions of years through countless hardships. Today, their efforts were finally rewarded. Gazing at the glowing sakura symbol on her forehead and the absence of the silver poppy pattern at her temples, they felt immense relief.
“We welcome the return of the Empress, may Her Majesty be in good health.” The voices rang out in unison. In the hall, silver robes fluttered, and the fragrance filled the air for miles around; the Wan Yue Dynasty was in full bloom with cherry blossoms that never faded. Her dream had finally come true, but who could fathom the bittersweet journey to this moment?
Sitting on the throne, she felt a weight upon her heart; this seat was not easy to occupy. Suddenly, she thought of Murong Youxue. Was this throne truly so desirable? And then there was Mo Li, the jade-like figure… In her past life, Mo Li was hers, a male consort… Murong Youxue was Mo Li’s half-sister, who had harbored feelings for Mo Li since childhood. As Empress, her harem was empty. The officials petitioned for a fuller harem, leaving her with no choice but to appoint Mo Li, prince of the Demonic Curse Clan, as her consort. The empty harem now housed only one male consort, not out of favoritism, but out of indifference to matters of love. She only did it to appease the court.
“Empress, may I ask you for something?” His voice was like a gentle spring breeze in her ear as he approached her while she was reviewing documents.
“Speak.” She replied, not paying much attention, overwhelmed by the mountain of official duties.
