Jian Chou landed on a fragment of the shattered Desolate Domain, quietly gazing at the dark world below. Not knowing how much time had passed, she finally felt a mighty force flowing into the chaotic torrent of the Origin Realm.

All the turbulence and disorder gradually ceased.

It was the ladle of origin power that had been seized by Pangu returning.

The chaotic current shrank from large to small, disappearing at a speed visible to the naked eye. This wound that had originally stretched across the universe’s body was finally healing.

No need to worry about watching Xie Buchen’s ending, no need to painstakingly search for Pangu’s traces. At this moment, the completely evolved universe had already given her the answer she wanted.

Xie Buchen was ultimately still the Xie Buchen she knew.

Yet standing at this empty height looking down, she didn’t feel particularly happy.

Jian Chou still held that ordinary sword in her hand. Now she slowly sat down, placing it beside herself.

This was what she had taken from the hidden realm of Qingfeng Nunnery.

After glimpsing into Xie Buchen’s dreams, she had told another version of herself to return to the Origin Realm and retrieve it—truly as easy as turning her palm.

The Desolate Domain no longer existed.

The earlier deities and immortals from the Upper Void were all in the distance, watching with unclear gazes, half-understanding, unable to guess this female cultivator’s current thoughts.

Only Luye Laozu walked over.

But she didn’t disturb Jian Chou.

She simply took out from her sleeve the Nine-Curve River Chart she had earlier “borrowed” from Xie Buchen, gently placing it beside that ordinary sword.

Jian Chou turned to look at her.

She also looked back at her.

But at this moment, neither spoke, nor was there need for words.

Luye Laozu turned and left. Jian Chou continued sitting there for a long, long time, until Fu Chaosheng walked toward her.

“Is he dead?”

He actually vaguely knew the answer, but for some unknown reason, still asked aloud.

Only after asking did he feel somewhat annoyed.

Jian Chou didn’t need to turn around to know it was him coming, nor did she need to ask to know whom he was asking about. She simply nodded.

Fu Chaosheng knew about the grievances between Jian Chou and him, so at this moment he couldn’t help but sigh: “Back then in the snowy region, even with the universe’s twin eyes, we couldn’t glimpse certain things related to him, only seeing that the incense was made from nine-headed bird’s heart blood. Thinking about it now, it was all covered up by the nine-headed bird for him.”

“Ordinary enough.” Jian Chou’s face remained calm. She only thought of that day discussing the Way and drinking wine on Xuanji Star, also remembering Yueying’s divine ability to pluck stars with a raised hand and disappear without a shadow when going out. She said, “Nine-headed bird Yueying, Elder Tianmu Meng—both skilled at weaving dreams. Even when I faced him directly that day, I didn’t notice any clues. It was only later in the dream realm that I saw the signs.”

“I thought you knew everything…”

But listening to her words, it seemed like she didn’t.

Fu Chaosheng was somewhat stunned.

Jian Chou laughed once, but it carried a self-mocking tone: “Only by merging all selves can one know one possibility. Not seeing brings no sorrow, seeing too much brings extreme sorrow. Though I chose this path, I also feared omniscience, only hoping it would come later, even later, preferably never arriving. When I first entered the Upper Void, I didn’t know so much—plans still depended on wisdom and strategy. Until just now…”

Merging myriad selves into one, thus becoming omniscient.

Without this, she couldn’t find the way to defeat enemies, couldn’t kill the ancestral god formed by thousands upon thousands of thoughts, and couldn’t survive Xie Buchen’s final attack to send Seven Parts Spirit back to him.

But at this moment, in this universe, ultimately only she remained alone.

Because all other versions of her had died under that ink ruler.

Only the memories of all her selves remained in her mind. But there were no more possibilities, only this one before her eyes.

Fu Chaosheng felt heavy-hearted. He lowered his gaze, pressed his lips together, sat down beside her, and asked again: “What were the last two lines of the River Chart?”

“They were about how Pangu’s initial entry into this realm and seizing of the origin caused the universe to form chaotic currents.” When she broke through the Creation Array from the eighteenth level of hell and returned to the Nineteen Continents, she had passed through this chaotic current, sleeping for sixty years as it carried her away. At that time she didn’t understand the mystery within, until she comprehended the last two sentences of the River Chart. “Xie Buchen is someone who thinks ten steps ahead for every step taken, but unfortunately these last two lines of the River Chart have no causal connection with what’s described earlier. Even with his supreme intelligence, he might not have seen the clues. And though Bajidao Daozun had studied the River Chart for many years, he couldn’t unravel its mystery. He might not even understand these last two lines, so there was no cause for worry.”

After listening, Fu Chaosheng frowned: “This matter of chaotic currents—is it two lines or one line?”

He was indeed still very perceptive.

The matter of chaotic currents indeed only occupied one line.

She raised her hand to take the Nine-Curve River Chart that Luye Laozu had just placed down, slowly unrolling it. The last two lines were still blank.

But when she extended her finger to wipe them, two lines of dark gold ancient characters appeared.

Then she handed the River Chart to Fu Chaosheng.

Fu Chaosheng hesitated for a moment before taking it to look.

Perhaps because Pangu had already perished, this Nine-Curve River Chart didn’t burn his hands like the Book of Life and Death had before, feeling just like an ordinary scroll.

He recognized ancient characters.

Focusing his mind to look, he immediately understood, momentarily unable to believe: “How is this possible…”

The last line on that scroll clearly read—

Future people, beware the nine-headed bird, kill Pangu!

Others might not sense it, but Fu Chaosheng had opened the Book of Life and Death before, had contacted the Long Night Bamboo Slips. Though he hadn’t succeeded in borrowing the River Chart from Qu Zhengfeng back then, now holding this scroll in his palm, he could clearly feel that this River Chart, the Book of Life and Death, and the Long Night Bamboo Slips all came from the same source!

In other words, this River Chart was originally made by Pangu Himself!

How could He point out on this that future people should beware of the nine-headed bird and ask others to kill Him?

Fu Chaosheng found it extremely puzzling.

But Jian Chou could understand somewhat.

She sighed softly, saying only: “Even though the world views Him as a divine being, He’s ultimately just a mortal. A moment’s difference in thought could construct reincarnation, and a moment’s difference in thought could also want salvation. Though He slumbered, some people wanted Him to awaken. If I were Him, receiving the faith of an entire race, when clear-headed I would also write this first. But seeking life and fearing death is instinct. The moment closest to death is also the moment of greatest fear of death. After writing all this, what changes occurred in His state of mind—that’s something no one can know.”

Most living beings in this world are complex, sometimes wavering, sometimes contradictory, sometimes doing good, sometimes evil.

There are never perfect people.

Pangu was no exception.

Neither was she.

Fu Chaosheng roughly understood, simply putting down the River Chart. His gaze swept over and caught sight of that ordinary sword placed beside her. He pursed his lips and said sullenly: “But I’m still unhappy. You called me over, so I came; but when I asked if you would stop deceiving me, you still haven’t answered.”

“But I didn’t really deceive you back then.” Jian Chou’s face remained calm, as if she’d heard the same question before and given the same answer before, now merely repeating: “I deceived myself.”

“Then why?”

Even having gained enlightenment, Fu Chaosheng still didn’t understand what Jian Chou’s words meant.

But Jian Chou didn’t answer anymore, only looked at him with a smile.

Fu Chaosheng suddenly felt he didn’t know where to direct his gaze, inexplicably feeling dry-mouthed, seeming to want to say something but closing his mouth every time he was about to speak.

Then he suddenly realized something.

That flutter of excitement was pressed down by him and could no longer surface.

Looking at her now, he only remembered what she’d said earlier, slowly asking: “Do you know what I want to say, want to do, or know what I will say, will do?”

From beginning to end, no matter what he said or asked, she was too calm, her eyes like a stagnant pool without ripples.

He had forgotten.

The only one who didn’t know what would happen in the future was him alone; while Jian Chou clearly knew everything that would happen next concerning herself.

Jian Chou indeed didn’t answer him, equivalent to acknowledgment.

Fu Chaosheng suddenly felt suffocated. Because at this moment, he truly couldn’t imagine a life with only one possibility remaining, much less imagine how someone could face the future if they knew everything they would experience.

For some reason, the more he thought, the angrier he became.

His hand hanging at his side clenched into a fist. Thinking that since she knew everything anyway, a kiss was just a kiss. He quickly leaned over at this moment.

Lips brushed against lips.

Looking calm on the surface, but very nervous inside.

When he pulled back, his face showed no abnormality, but his ears were slightly red.

Jian Chou slightly curved her lips in a smile, not minding at all.

Fu Chaosheng’s expression gradually darkened again. He sat beside her, just like long, long ago when they first sat together by that small stone pool on Deng Tiandao.

He finally asked the question he was most afraid to ask.

“Are we together?”

Jian Chou asked him back: “Do you really want to know?”

Thus, Fu Chaosheng’s thousands upon thousands of words could no longer be spoken.

Because this answer only had meaning for him. But for Jian Chou, it was meaningless.

When countless heart fires gathered into one drop, the future had already lost its color.

He pressed his lips tightly together. In his pair of clear dark blue eyes, a few traces of demonic hostility emerged. He directly stood up and walked toward the dark void ahead.

At this moment, Jian Chou was actually momentarily stunned.

Instinctively, she asked: “Where are you going?”

But the moment these three words came out, she herself was suddenly startled: How could she ask such words? And she didn’t even know what answer this question would receive…

Fu Chaosheng didn’t turn back but stopped his steps, only lowering his gaze to answer: “I lived only to fulfill the Ephemera clan’s long-cherished wish. Now Pangu is dead, reincarnation is gone, and I don’t know what to do next. Though I existed in the world for hundreds of years, living seemed only to be subordinate to that wish. Besides you, I’m only curious—where did Pangu come from, and why did He migrate? I want to know if beyond this universe, there are other existences…”

Perhaps Pangu’s origin had already collapsed.

Perhaps there was nothing outside.

Or perhaps, the moment he stepped out of this universe, he would perish.

But all of this was what he was curious about at this moment.

After speaking, Fu Chaosheng lifted his foot to leave, but ultimately couldn’t suppress that final impulse. He turned around to gaze at her, saying to her: “Since you already know everything that will happen in the future, and your future life has only one remaining possibility, then no matter what I do at this moment, it’s all your predetermined possibility. I’m unhappy, but I always feel that old friends will come looking for me.”

“…”

No, that’s not right.

This sentence was also not among what she knew!

Jian Chou looked at him with almost amazed and puzzled eyes, her brow slightly furrowed, constantly searching her memories for the reason.

In a flash of lightning, what remained in her mind was actually that nameless desolate star from years ago, with a tomb carved with “Jian Chou’s Grave”!

So at this moment, she couldn’t help but laugh.

Fu Chaosheng didn’t understand what she was laughing about. Was she laughing that he was too easy to coax?

He said nothing, steadily watching her.

Only then did Jian Chou slowly stop laughing and reply to him: “Not for now.”

There were still some matters to handle.

Fu Chaosheng immediately wanted to lose his temper.

But after these three words circled around his heart and tongue tip, he belatedly realized this wasn’t a refusal.

He couldn’t help but curve his lips.

He didn’t hide his happiness, saying only: “Then I’ll wait for old friends to come looking.”

Having said this, he turned around again.

Only his previously relaxed expression slowly fell.

The universe seemed boundless but actually had boundaries.

Every word he had just said to Jian Chou was sincere.

People living in this world always need meaning. Previously, exploring the truth of reincarnation was the meaning of his existence. Now, he had to find new meaning for himself.

Beyond Jian Chou.

And that possibly existing world outside held infinite attraction for anyone.

Fu Chaosheng didn’t take another step toward the deities’ direction. He simply stepped into the thick darkness surrounding them.

Jian Chou sat on this floating fragment of the Desolate Domain watching.

For a moment, she felt somewhat emotional.

Now she lowered her gaze. Her slender fingers gently opened, and that drop of heart fire appeared at her fingertip, which she lightly flicked.

One spark of weak fire splashed into the boundless darkness.

But it wasn’t swallowed up.

On the contrary, in this instant, it ignited the entire silent universe!

From near to far, centered on where Jian Chou currently sat, the stars that had previously been extinguished under the deities’ coverage lit up one after another, connecting into brilliant galaxies!

Like magnificent lights.

Illuminating the universe.

Also illuminating the distant path that Fu Chaosheng took toward the universe’s edge…