Fu Huan had been settled in the temple for two consecutive days, and Si Qing hadn’t come to see her once.

In the temple, an old monk brought her vegetarian meals every day. Each time he delivered food, he never spoke a word to her, simply setting down the meal and leaving, not caring whether her injured hands could pick up the chopsticks.

Today, since early morning, Fu Huan’s eyelid had been twitching incessantly, and she had an ominous premonition in her heart.

She and Si Qing were now both criminals. Until the Heavenly Emperor rescinded his decree, they would remain condemned.

At noon, the old monk came again to bring Fu Huan her vegetarian meal.

“Master, please stay,” Fu Huan called out to him before the old monk could leave.

The old monk paused and turned around to look at Fu Huan.

“Do you know Si Qing?” Fu Huan looked at the old monk, carefully observing every expression on his face.

“Benefactor, please speak freely,” the old monk replied.

…

Fu Huan supported herself to sit up from the bed, pressed her lips together, and slowly spoke, “Tell me what’s happening outside.”

“Amitabha Buddha, this humble monk has nothing to share.” The old monk bowed slightly to Fu Huan and turned to leave the room.

The more the old monk responded this way, the more anxious Fu Huan became. After he left, she supported herself to get out of bed, leaning against the cabinet as she walked toward the door.

“Thud…”

After just a few steps, Fu Huan collapsed to the ground, her brows furrowing.

She had never imagined that one day she would live like a cripple, unable to walk or even crawl.

Si Qing, you must not come to any harm.

Thinking of Si Qing, Fu Huan pressed her elbows against the floor, slowly crawling toward the door. When she reached it, her trembling hand pushed it open slightly.

Dazzling light streamed in, causing Fu Huan to squint. It took her a long time to adjust.

After waiting by the door for a while, suddenly a tremendous boom came from the eastern direction, causing the surrounding terrain to shake and tremble.

Fu Huan frowned, looking in that direction, her eyes filled with thoughts.

With another tremendous boom, her phoenix eyes gradually filled with terror.

The two recent booms were both destroying something. Without profound inner power and cultivation, it would be impossible to emit such a sharp aura.

And the direction of the booms was the Qionghua Platform.

If she wasn’t mistaken, someone was destroying the Qionghua Platform.

Thinking of this possibility, Fu Huan’s long eyelashes trembled lightly, her ears echoing with what Si Qing had said that day.

The Qionghua Platform.

For her, for Si Qing, it held extraordinary significance.

Fu Huan silently clenched her fists, and gradually, a current of energy began to flow within her body.

“Master, Master!”

In her hazy state, Fu Huan seemed to hear Zi Yu’s voice. As the door opened wider, Fu Huan truly saw Zi Yu.

As soon as Zi Yu entered, seeing Fu Huan in this state, tears fell pattering down. She bent down to help Fu Huan up, guiding her back to the bed.

“Granny Yu, what happened to you?” Fu Huan leaned against the bed, and upon seeing Zi Yu’s strange form, her expression turned grim. Suddenly, she recalled what Lengyuan had said before.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.” Zi Yu wiped away her tears, filled with heartache at seeing Fu Huan’s severed hand and foot tendons.

Fu Huan wanted to raise her hand to wipe away Zi Yu’s tears, but found she couldn’t lift it. Helpless, she consoled, “It’s all my fault. I trusted Lengyuan too much.”

“Master…” Seeing that Fu Huan already understood everything, Zi Yu decided not to conceal anything more.

“Now, all the subordinates of the Phoenix Feather Pavilion have turned into half-human, half-beast monsters. I don’t know if this has anything to do with Lengyuan.” After speaking, Zi Yu revealed her fish tail.

Fu Huan looked at the fish tail beneath Zi Yu’s legs, her heart sinking, not knowing what to say.

At this point, she could only blame herself for being useless.

“Granny Yu, have you heard any news about Si Qing these past two days?” Fu Huan asked, her eyes bright with hope, as if grasping at a lifeline.

At the mention of Si Qing, Zi Yu’s expression turned strange. She shook her head at Fu Huan, “No, there’s no news of Lord Shen’s whereabouts.”

“Granny, things have come to this point. Si Qing’s fate and mine are already bound together. There are some things you no longer need to hide from me.” Fu Huan gently raised her hand, finally managing to grasp Zi Yu’s hand.

Zi Yu sniffled, tears falling from her eyes. Everything had been fine—why had it all turned out like this? Why?

“Just now…”

“Lord Shen destroyed the Qionghua Platform with his own hands.”

“Now, a hundred thousand celestial soldiers are following the Heavenly Emperor’s decree to capture Lord Shen. Some minor ghosts from the Underworld are willing to follow Si Qing. The Celestial and Underworld realms are in complete chaos.”

“Heavenly Lord Wuji has also seized the opportunity to rebel against the Heavenly Emperor, siding with Lord Shen. The Purple Subtlety Emperor and the Azure Flower Emperor still follow the Heavenly Emperor.”

“Outside, everything has fallen into complete disorder. Lord Shen is outnumbered and may not be a match for so many opponents.”

After Zi Yu finished speaking, Fu Huan’s heart raced, unable to remain calm. She hurriedly got off the bed and stumbled toward the door.

“Master…”

Zi Yu called after Fu Huan, but her physical discomfort prevented her from keeping up. By the time she ran out the door, Fu Huan had already disappeared.

…

The Celestial Realm.

While Lengyuan was in the secret prison, repeatedly practicing the life-extension technique that Si Qing had taught her, Heavenly Lord Wuji suddenly entered and struck her with a heavy palm.

Caught off guard, Lengyuan was severely injured. As she tried to activate the life-extension technique, Heavenly Lord Wuji laughed coldly, “Don’t waste your energy. My nephew taught you the life-extension technique, but he didn’t tell you there’s a way to suppress it.”

“Lengyuan, you’ve committed too many evil deeds. It’s time you faced retribution!” With these words, Heavenly Lord Wuji struck her with another heavy palm.

“No, Si Qing, you lied to me, you lied to me!”

…

After rushing out the door, Fu Huan tried several times to use her spiritual power to go to the Celestial Realm, but the more anxious she became, the less spiritual power she could gather.

In her urgency, she could only wander, trying to channel her energy as she walked.

Si Qing, you can’t come to harm, you absolutely cannot come to harm!

On the streets of the lower realm, many commoners watched Fu Huan stumbling along, muttering continuously. They took her for a madwoman from who knows where, and everyone kept their distance.

“Si Qing…”

“Si Qing…”

Fu Huan muttered Si Qing’s name, but she had no idea where to find him.

From daylight into night, the wounds on Fu Huan’s hands and feet reopened, and she no longer had the strength to walk. Just as she was about to turn back, she caught sight of a place from the corner of her eye.

The Floating Life Tree!

That was the direction of the Floating Life Tree!

Fu Huan’s eyes brightened, and with her last bit of strength, she ran toward the Floating Life Tree.

As it turned out, the temple wasn’t far from the Floating Life Tree.

…

Moments later, Fu Huan arrived beneath the Floating Life Tree. But when she glimpsed the figure under the tree from a distance, her footsteps stopped in place, unable to move.

Yes, unable to move.

Because she couldn’t identify who the blood-covered person was.

“Brother Qing…”

“Si Qing…”

Fu Huan approached step by step, her breath gradually freezing.

How could her once vigorous and invincible Brother Qing now appear so devastated?

After drawing near, Fu Huan slowly raised her hand, trembling as she reached toward Si Qing’s cheek. Before she could touch it, her hand lost all strength. Just as it was about to fall, it was suddenly grasped by a warm palm.

Si Qing slightly lifted his eyelids, and upon seeing the person before him, revealed a faint smile. “Huan’er, it’s you.”

“Si Qing…” Seeing how difficult it was for Si Qing to lift his eyes, Fu Huan instinctively wanted to check his pulse, but Si Qing blocked her with his hand.

“Huan’er, hold me.” Si Qing’s voice was weak.

At these words, Fu Huan’s tears flowed like a broken dam, instantly blurring her vision. She sat down beside Si Qing.

Si Qing naturally leaned into Fu Huan’s embrace, his eyes revealing traces of ashen gray and fatigue. His voice was shallow as he said, “Huan’er, Chunmeng’s matter has been resolved.”

“The promise of Qionghua Platform, I’m afraid I cannot keep it, so I destroyed it.”

“In this life, I’ve failed only you.”

Fu Huan’s eyes were already red from crying. Hearing Si Qing’s words, she shook her head vigorously. “No, you don’t owe me anything. It’s all my fault, all my fault!”

If she hadn’t stubbornly taken away half of Chunmeng’s soul, the Heavenly Emperor wouldn’t have become so furious, and Si Qing wouldn’t have been implicated.

Now, all of this was her doing.

As Fu Huan held Si Qing, she could feel that his heart meridians were scattered, his pulse extremely weak. Speaking to her now, he was likely holding on with his last breath.

“Silly girl, don’t blame yourself. If it were me, I might not have done any better.” Si Qing understood Fu Huan’s thoughts and spoke with tender affection.

Fu Huan cried silently.

“Huan’er, I’m feeling tired.” Si Qing suddenly felt his eyelids growing heavier. He wanted to look up and see Fu Huan’s face, but he had no strength.

Now, he and the Heavenly Emperor had nearly perished together. The Celestial Realm was in chaos. The Purple Subtlety Emperor and the Azure Flower Emperor, to protect Fu Huan, had turned to support Heavenly Lord Wuji as the new Heavenly Emperor.

The former Heavenly Emperor had lost his power and would no longer trouble Fu Huan.

This was probably the best arrangement, and he had no regrets.

“Brother Qing, Si Qing…” Fu Huan looked at Si Qing with terrified eyes, lowering her head to cup his face, urgently calling his name.

Si Qing forced a weak smile. “In the next life, in the next life…”

Before he could finish, all his strength seemed to leave him. He slowly closed his eyes, a faint smile still lingering on his lips.

“Si Qing!”

Fu Huan let out a long cry to the heavens, instantly weeping bitterly. She held Si Qing tightly in her arms, unable to accept the reality before her.

Si Qing lay in her arms with his eyes closed, his blood slowly flowing, staining the surrounding withered leaves crimson.

Fu Huan, with reddened eyes, tightly embraced the gradually cooling body in her arms. Her eyes showed unprecedented grief and despair.

“Brother Qing, in this vast world, why can it not accommodate the two of us?”

“I’m coming to find you now, will you wait for me?”

Using all her strength, a red light flashed—

The two figures beneath the Floating Life Tree nestled closely together, peaceful and beautiful. Withered leaves fell one by one, landing on their bodies, but neither moved, as if enjoying this moment of warmth and tranquility.

As they embraced, several bright, round beads slowly dispersed from their bodies, gradually floating toward the sky.

The branches of the Floating Life Tree suddenly swayed gently, capturing a red bead and an ink-colored bead, before returning to stillness.

…

A thousand years later.

Spring blossoms opened, the weather was mild and sunny, and in the Literary Appreciation Pavilion, they met for the first time.

“Have you looked enough?”

“What if I say I haven’t?”

(The End)