Chapter 1180: Chapter 589: Ten Years (2)
Venerable Xi He glanced at him: "Because you created that child."
·
·
Time went back to the early autumn of September, leaves fluttering in Huayan Temple.
"You say, the Heavenly Person’s Wedge is here, right? Why don’t we just snatch it and send it straight to Deep Space, wouldn’t that be great? Although it’s just a temporary fix, it could drag on for another ten thousand years. By that time, most humans on Earth would be extinct."
Jiang Yanli, with her hands in her pockets, admired the ancient Buddha statues, smiling as she said: "By then, your student would have also completed his life journey and achieved the position of God."
Huai Yin lit an incense in front of a statue, opening a letter on the Buddha shrine.
"Difficult."
He sighed: "Doing so is just a temporary measure. It might work for Vermilion Bird Venerate, but not for Candle Dragon Venerable. He can easily transcend time."
Jiang Yanli shrugged, leaning over to take a look: "What does Master’s letter say?"
Huai Yin stared at the contents of the letter, silent for a long time.
"As expected, Vermilion Bird Venerate’s true identity is Gu Ci’an."
He said softly: "No wonder she refused to say who ambushed him."
Jiang Yanli was momentarily stunned, a look of sorrow in his eyes.
His forte was deduction, and with the available information, he could only derive one result.
Defeat.
They would lose it all.
Jiang Yanli grabbed the letter, carefully inspecting Master’s last words, squinting: "Master’s view aligns with ours, the Supreme of the Third Power is inherently flawed, they are vessels of the Primordial, with no possibility of usurping control. We all know Qiongqi’s fate."
"But the fact that Master left this letter proves that it’s not hopeless."
Huai Yin raised an eyebrow: "The question is how to fight."
The brothers exchanged a glance, each having a thought in their minds.
"At this point, we can only gamble and hope Qilin Venerable’s prediction is correct."
Huai Yin looked up at the compassionate statue, speaking in a deep voice: "Qilin Venerable chose to enable that child because, fundamentally, he believes a new rule has been born."
Jiang Yanli, ever so wise, immediately understood his brother’s implication.
"Because Gu Jianlin was born naturally from the union of the Ancient God Clan and a human. This means he wasn’t designed by the Primordial, so he doesn’t have the Third Power’s flaws."
His eyes lit up with fervor: "And when he inherits the power of the Qilin, he’ll become the flaw-free Supreme of the Third Power. He can consume the Primordial!"
Huai Yin nodded slightly: "Unfortunately, he is still not strong enough."
"That’s not an issue."
Jiang Yanli licked his lips: "The power source of the Ancient God Clan is the mind, which remains the ultimate secret that no life form has fully mastered, the origin of consciousness itself. Yet countless times, facts have shown that sorrow and anger are his best nourishment."
Huai Yin shook his head in disagreement.
"Not everyone thinks so."
He said softly: "She believes love is the strongest force in the world."
Jiang Yanli’s smile slowly faded, under the reflection of the Buddha’s light, he seemed like a lone ghost, hands still in pockets, his voice indifferent.
"Lian?"
He shrugged: "Let her be."
Jiang Yanli stepped over the temple threshold, sitting on the worn stone steps.
Outside, fine rain pattered down, blurring the view.
"I want to fight Vermilion Bird, to delay until Master’s power revives."
Huai Yin stood behind him, his voice devoid of emotion: "The next matters, I’ll leave to you. I know your ultimate goal, but at this point, I won’t stop you. You can do as you please with this world, but you must fulfill your promise to me."
Jiang Yanli silently chuckled.
"We might not necessarily win."
He laughed: "Even if you can hold off his father, what about his ex-girlfriend?"
Huai Yin chuckled softly: "That depends on my student’s abilities."
·
·
Under the majestic Golden Tree, Gu Jianlin’s consciousness became clear, around him resounded the earth-shattering Dragon Roar, while the woman in his arms drifted away like petals.
At the moment of consuming the Primordial, he drew his sword through her heart.
Clearly, it was her heart being pierced, but he also felt heart-wrenching pain.
The hand gripping the sword felt as heavy as if filled with lead.
No one could tell if the woman before him was Skylark or Candle Dragon.
Or perhaps they were always the same person.
In the face of life and death parting, everything else ceased to matter, love and hate were merely emotions trapped by their names, ultimately they let go of the past, reconciling their grievances.
Reconciliation with each other, and with oneself.
He said that if he had been born earlier, he wouldn’t have left her alone.
She said it would have been better if she had met him sooner.
For them, this was not a promise, but a regret.
Also, the most touching words of love.
Perhaps Skylark was the truest form of that strongest Supreme; despite the passage of billions of years, she remained that lonely girl trapped in the snow and wind, facing the world with the hardest stance, and dealing with herself with the most ruthless determination.
Until she met someone.
That person helped her find the home lost in memory.
That person also helped her find her cat.
As if helping her retrieve a once-precious past.
Thus, when she learned everything, she felt overwhelming regret.
"I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that to you."
This is what she truly wanted to say.
The only thing she regretted over billions of years was hurting him.
If she had known earlier, she wouldn’t have deceived him.
If she had known he was her brother’s child earlier, she wouldn’t have used him.
Gu Jianlin finally understood, before Candle Dragon Venerable erased his memory and attempted to use him, she didn’t know who he truly was, nor see the cruel truth he would face in the future.
By the time she realized it, it was already too late.
Everything was already too late.
What should be done, Candle Dragon Venerable?
The emotional trap, who did it really ensnare?
Who are you, truly?
That strongest Supreme gave her answer.
They stood on the edge of a cliff, a bottomless abyss below, yet neither retreated.
But in the end, finally, she chose to yield.
Perhaps out of love, guilt, or the dignity and pride of God.
It didn’t matter.
At the very least, Gu Jianlin learned one thing.
Skylark and Candle Dragon were always the same person.
Skylark loved him, Candle Dragon loved him too.
Exotic petals swirled in the wind, the wind’s gentle caress like her breath against his ear, as if all the tragedies and regrets had never happened, as if she was still by his side.
Whether it was an illusion or not.
Her ethereal and distant voice seemed to resound in his ear once again.
"Everything I owe you, I’ll return to you."
Gu Jianlin’s heart felt empty, the sense of connection by blood finally disappeared, the stirring and longing from the depths of his soul vanished without a trace, she had left his world completely.
He fell to his knees, the world roaring all around.
The body of the Primordial that Gu Jianlin consumed collapsed, which should have been a near-death conclusion, but time flowed backward on him, an ultimate miracle appearing, sustaining his life.
This was her final gift to him.
Gu Jianlin smiled silently.
Today he was truly exhausted, he wished to sleep for a while, letting his soul submerge.
He knew that he had safeguarded this world.
The apocalypse would not come.
Gu Jianlin could see the girls running toward him against the backdrop of flames.
How wonderful.
This world with you all, is truly wonderful.
Gu Jianlin raised his hand as if wishing to touch them, yet his consciousness fell into darkness.
Voices of their calling surrounded his ears.
The world spun.
He did not know that this sleep would last a whole ten years.
