Chapter 309

Chapter 309 - On the Brink of Life and Death, Mo Ran Didn't Leave Far

He wasn't joking, nor was he threatening; he was stating a fact, a condition he had set forth.

For a moment, no one dared to retreat. They gritted their teeth and, despite their fear, closed their eyes to focus all their spiritual energy.

A kilometer... A hundred meters...

Closer...

Boom!

The wave crashed down, sending shivers through their eardrums. The heavens and earth rumbled like a thousand drums, as if billions of hammers were striking at once, shattering the sun and moon within the colossal wave. Heaven-Stepping Lord's evenly-built arms bulged with veins as he clenched his teeth in determination.

Behind him, Chu Wanning arrived at the convergence of the Time-Space Door of Life and Death. He patted Xue Meng, who had been desperately maintaining the Tidal Wave Backward.

Xue Meng turned around, his face calm and composed.

Though there were wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, his expression when looking at Chu Wanning was still that of a young man.

"Master."

Chu Wanning looked at him and said, "I'm here."

A green light appeared, and the Nine Songs emerged in the world. Chu Wanning stood against the wind, his zither strings resonating. The edge of the Time-Space Door of Life and Death closed at an astonishing speed visible to the naked eye, gathering from all corners of the universe.

"While I play," he said to the crowd as he stroked the strings, "retreat behind me."

There was no need to repeat the instruction to flee, but this time, most people, even those who had once been cowardly, did not rush to be first. Some helped their severely injured companions, while others carried strangers with injuries they had likely never seen before, slowly moving backward.

The crack in the Time-Space Door of Life and Death was near Kunlun Mountain. When they reached the path leading to Kunlun, many chose to stop retreating.

They stood there, watching Chu Wanning's figure standing before the snowy plain, his wide sleeves billowing, the melody of the zither continuing...

Who said that cultivating immortality meant obtaining an eternal life and the power to destroy heaven and earth?

Some people could live for ten thousand years and still be mere stones. Others might only pass through the mortal world briefly, yet leave behind a trail of vibrant flowers.

At that very moment, wasn't there a deity standing before that Time-Space Door of Life and Death, using his flesh and blood, his fingers producing sacred sounds, to traverse this mortal world and affirm his own path to immortality?

Snowflakes began to gently descend from the sky, landing on shoulders.

Someone noticed something and was startled. "Huh? This isn't snow..."

It was the Flame Emperor's divine tree in the Eastern Extremity Sea responding. The ancient flowering crabapple from the beginning of chaos had blossomed, its scent vastly richer than other flowers. Crystal petals, resembling a blizzard, drifted down from the ends of the world, covering the mortal realm.

As the petals swirled, they dispersed the floating clouds. The fragrant, pale blossoms resembled a stellar river, surging towards the edge of the Door of Time and Space, aiding the healing of the world...

Amidst these dancing petals, many cultivators recalled a legend: during the last crisis, it was Shen Nong who planted the Flame Emperor's divine tree, saving what was left of humanity. Centuries had passed, with Fu Xi gone, Nuwa slumbering, and no sign of the Flame Emperor. Yet, the divine tree remained.

Despite being a withered old tree, it still held sway over the Nine Provinces and the blue heavens.

As the rift in time and space narrowed, Heaven-Stepping Lord turned back and said to those around him, "Withdraw. While the Door of Life and Death is still open, be quick and get the hell out of here."

Surprisingly, not everyone immediately fled. Some expressed their willingness to hold their ground, while others declared their intention to fight until the very end.

Didn't everyone have a bit of heroism within them?

Even if buried deep within their hearts by the passage of time and the grind of daily life, there would always come a day when it boiled over.

Heaven-Stepping Lord was amused despite himself. "I told you to come, and now I'm telling you to leave. Are you trying to give me a headache on purpose? Scram!"

Only then did they begin to disperse one after another.

Suddenly, a quivering voice called out, "Your Majesty... what about you?"

Heaven-Stepping Lord froze, then slowly turned his head. He saw an old man hunched over in the rain of destruction, gazing at him from a distance.

"... Uncle Liu?"

Perhaps it was an illusion, but he felt that the old man's gaze held an inexplicable pity and tenderness. Like a father looking at his child.

How absurd.

Even if the old servant had a million times the courage, he wouldn't dare to treat the ruthless and ferocious Heaven-Stepping Emperor as his own offspring. However, at this moment, Heaven-Stepping Lord vaguely recalled that the old fellow had lost his son in the chaos of war the year he entered the imperial palace to serve.

If that boy were still alive, he would be about the same age.

Heaven-Stepping Lord closed his eyes briefly and said, "With my abilities, I will naturally be the last to leave. You need not worry."

"Emperor..."

"Let's go," Heaven-Stepping Lord averted his gaze from the old man. "To another world."

Silence.

"Perhaps in that world, your son is still alive," he suddenly grinned, revealing sharp canines and deep dimples. "Hurry up, Old Liu. Be there for him."

The Portal of Life and Death was shrinking continuously, and the people in front of the Black Tortoise Barrier were withdrawing one by one. With each Guardian withdrawn, Heaven-Stepping Lord had to exert more force on the barrier. When only a hundred or so remained, a new wave rose from the vast ocean, rolling in from the distant horizon.

Heaven-Stepping Lord narrowed his eyes, estimating the situation before sternly commanding, "Everyone, withdraw your hands and pass through the portal."

By now, the rift in time and space had shrunk to the height and width of a regular door. Seeing the approaching wave, the remaining cultivators finally let go and passed through the fissure, returning to the other world, back to the Kunlun snowfield.

But the wave came too swiftly. Most hadn't made it across when it crashed against the Black Tortoise Barrier with a tremendous force.

The barrier now relied solely on Heaven-Stepping Lord's strength. Despite his exceptional talents, the immense pressure caused him to groan inwardly, a pained expression appearing on his face.

The wave resembled the violent winds of Yuzhang, a whale breaching the surface, and a dragon maiden dancing in the depths of the ocean, causing the earth to tremble and mountains to shake.

Someone hesitated at the intersection of Life and Death Gateway, turning back, "Grandmaster Mo…"

Heaven-Stepping Lord, upon hearing this title, suddenly flew into a rage. He cursed fiercely, "Mo your head! Are you leaving or not? Scram, scram, scram!"

Not knowing what had triggered his anger, the person immediately fell silent and bowed their head as they stepped over the threshold between life and death. The remaining cultivators followed one by one, and the gateway grew smaller and smaller. However, the Black Tortoise Barrier was on the verge of collapsing. Heaven-Stepping Lord turned around to see that there were still over ten cultivators who hadn't made it through. He couldn't help but inwardly curse. His scarred hands continued to press against the barrier membrane, veins bulging on the back of his hands.

But he couldn't hold on any longer.

Though he was the strongest warrior in the human world, he was, after all, just a single mortal. How could he contend against the chaos of the universe?

A series of brittle cracking sounds echoed relentlessly.

"The barrier is about to break!"

Heaven-Stepping Lord stood before the towering flood, not even turning his head as he shouted furiously at those who had yet to evacuate behind him.

"Hurry up and leave!"

Black blood seeped from the corners of his lips, and his long eyelashes drooped. Heaven-Stepping Lord glanced at his left foot – it was being slowly eroded, turning into particles of disaster dust...

He laughed coldly, without any hint of fear.

He was a living corpse reborn through Shi Mo's power. If Shi Mo were to die, his body wouldn't last much longer either, soon turning to ashes.

To have the chance to defy fate one more time before that happened, he felt content.

Yet...

Glancing sideways, Chu Wanning's figure was blurred behind the Door of Time, Space, Life, and Death. The crack continued to shrink, leaving only four or five people struggling to get in. Among them were Xue Meng from this era and the Mei brothers, who hadn't crossed the boundary yet.

The disciples of the Peak of Life and Death couldn't help but step forward, anxiety in their voices. "Young Master!"

Xue Meng coughed and pointed at his younger self. "Your young master is him, not me."

Young Xue Meng: "..."

"There can be only one tiger on a mountain. How can two Xue Mengs coexist in one world? It would be chaos." Xue Meng chuckled, a faint wrinkle appearing at the corner of his eye. "I never belonged to your mortal realm in the first place, and staying against my will wouldn't bring me happiness. Now that I can make one final contribution to both lifetimes of this world, my wish has been fulfilled. Besides, I've been weary for far too long and have longed for rest."

Turning his back, he started walking toward the Black Tortoise Barrier. By now, the barrier was mostly shattered, riddled with cracks and holes everywhere.

He approached Heaven-Stepping Lord, casting a complicated glance at the man before opening his mouth, seemingly with something to say.

In the end, he still couldn't bring himself to speak.

"Master!"

"Young Master Xue!"

Voices from the Edge of Life and Death called out to him from behind, but so what? In this era, neither his father nor his mother were there anymore.

Moreover, his life had always been unrelated to another world of mortals. If he forcefully stayed, he wouldn't know how to carry on.

Xue Meng let out a sigh, massaging the back of his neck where his veins pulsed. Suddenly, he grinned.

That was how it was when one grew older – one could suddenly feel dizzy and disoriented. But there were advantages to being old as well; during such spells, the world wasn't pitch black. Many times, he could see Xue Zhengyong's figure and Madame Wang's smile.

At such moments, he often saw the three young lads of his youth gathered around a white-robed Immortal Venerable, clamoring, "Master, Master."

All these belonged to him, and no one could take them away.

"I seek old friends, yet half have become spirits..." He sang out heartily, as if greeting an old companion. Before anyone could react, he passed through the Black Tortoise's fissure and plunged into the surging tides.

He belonged to this mortal world, even if it was shattered and fleeting. He believed he should return here.

He didn't feel much pain; in fact, it was akin to falling asleep in a state of intoxication.

May my remaining years be extended for a peaceful sleep with Lord Zhou.

Let you go with your wine, only to return.

It was exhilarating. After suffering for over a decade, Xue Ziming finally found completeness and liberation.

Silence engulfed the crowd. After a moment, all the disciples at the Peak of Life and Death knelt down, mournfully speechless. The Treading Snow Palace attendants seemed to suddenly realize something, many of them turning pale as they looked at the Mei brothers.

"Eldest Senior Brother! Come here, don't stay there..."

"Quickly come back... Please come back..."

"Oh dear, we're not coming back, not coming back." Mei Hanxue waved at them with a radiant smile from behind the barrier. "One Mei Hanxue is enough to wreak havoc on half the realm of cultivation's maidens. If there were two of me, wouldn't that be chaos? For the sake of sparing half the realm's ladies, I'm off, brothers. See you in the jianghu."

Mei Hanxue stood beside his younger brother, gazing at the snow-capped Kunlun Mountains and the sacred peak of their sect, the Bright Moon Building. He respectfully bowed to the late leader, whose spirit still lingered in this era, "Disciple Mei Hanxue bids farewell to the sect today."

Though their words seemed casual, everyone knew that their determination was unshakable.

Closing his eyes, a sigh from the Bright Moon Building was carried away by the wind.

The Mei brothers leaned against the Black Tortoise Barrier, watching the last guardian mage squeeze through the rift in the Gate of Life and Death. The younger brother smiled radiantly, while the elder nodded in approval. Their mission was accomplished; they had fulfilled their obligations to their mentor, their friend, and the world. Facing the overwhelming flood, they felt a sense of relief as they closed their eyes and dove into the vast ocean—like fallen plum blossom petals, their figures vanished without a trace after a wave swept over them.

At this point, all had either retreated behind the Time-Space Gate of Life and Death or returned to the endless expanse of the sea.

The melody of the zither abruptly ceased.

Chu Wanning lifted his gaze, and Nine Songs transformed into a golden light, returning to his bones and blood. On the Kunlun snowfield, he stood in his white robes, facing away from the crowd.

No one knew what he intended to do.

"There is one final rift," Chu Wanning said, turning his face slightly. A breeze stirred, fluttering his delicate sleeves and raven-black hair.

"After I leave, you all must seal it to ensure peace in the present world."

...

A moment of silence passed before someone finally exclaimed, "Grandmaster!!"

"Grandmaster Chu!"

Xue Meng's hair stood on end as he stumbled through the snow on Kunlun Mountain, crying out, "Master! Master!!" But the snowy path was too slippery, and his haste caused him to suddenly fall. With wide, panicked eyes like those of a frightened beast, he looked up at Chu Wanning.

"Master..."

Hearing his voice, Chu Wanning turned around.

He gazed at Xue Meng from afar with his dark eyes, and in the end, he said, "I'm sorry."

Sorry for what?

Xue Meng's pupils constricted in fear, as if someone had drilled a hole in his skull and was pouring in icy snow.

Sorry for what?! Was it because of his relationship with Mo Ran? Was it for the deception of the past? Or was it...

His throat convulsed as he swallowed his saliva.

Was it all for...

"No! Don't leave!" Xue Meng finally broke down. Kneeling on the snowy plain, he wailed, "Don't leave! Why are you all like this... Why do you all have to leave me behind... Why am I the only one left?!?"

Tears continuously streamed down his blood-streaked face, washing away trails of whiteness.

His heart-wrenching sobs seemed to be ripped from his throat alongside his own blood, as if his liver and gallbladder were shattered, and his flesh and blood mangled.

"Don't abandon me... Come back! Come back to me!"

He howled like an animal, kneeling on the snow with his body arched. Snowflakes silently fell around him, as if he had been reduced to dust by the drifting snow.

He could no longer rise to his feet.

"Please... Come back...'

What else do I have left?

Father. Mother. Elder brother. Friend.

Even Longcheng is shattered.

Come back.

Don't take away the last spine of my existence.

Master... please...

But Xue Meng was unaware that Chu Wanning was already gone.

A man, elevated on a pedestal, bore an overwhelming burden of responsibility due to his immense power.

He watched as his beloved closed their eyes in his embrace.

With his own hands, he dismantled his lover into pieces.

He was forced to draw his sword against old acquaintances.

These matters, each one was enough to drain one's heart, let alone that he had gone through them all. He could no longer turn back.

—I've done my best to keep you alive.

So now, can't you let me be selfish just once, and let me die alongside him?

Chu Wanning finally stepped into the Portal of Time, Death, and Rebirth, returning from the dawn-bound snowy region of Kunlun to the tumultuous, shattered world.

There, the heavens and earth had lost their colors; mountains, rivers, and seas had become vast oceans.

There was no distinction between day and night, only one person left in the Nine Provinces.

Chu Wanning, in his white robes trailing on the ground, approached the man from behind and embraced him. Then, he raised his slender fingers to cover Heaven-Stepping Lord's scarred and mangled palm.

Heaven-Stepping Lord was shaken, suddenly turning around, "How did you—?!"

Chu Wanning smiled, his long eyelashes casting shadows over his gentle black phoenix eyes.

"I told you," he said.

"..."

"Hell is too cold, I'll join you in death."

A warm body embraced the icy remains. Heaven-Stepping Lord's shattered remains were in terrible condition, his left leg almost completely dissipated, turning to dust.

His expression was incredibly complex; he pressed his lips together before turning away.

"... You're the one I loathe the most. Why do you need to accompany me?"

Yet, his heart seemed to burst with tenderness. Despite it being just a corpse, he suddenly felt an intense heat.

After a moment of silence, Heaven-Stepping Lord abruptly turned back. "Right. Actually, there's something I should've told you."

"What is it?"

He lifted his head, taking a deep breath to suppress his stifled emotions, then looked at Chu Wanning with determination. "Before I tell you, can you be honest with this seat first?"

"..."

"Are you truly that hateful towards this version of me? Is it only Grandmaster Mo, the one who died in your arms, that you couldn't bear to part with?"

As he finished speaking, his eyes reddened with an unprecedented sense of humiliation.

If not for the upheaval of heaven and earth, their paths never crossing again, he might never have sought an answer with such a demeaning tone. Asking felt mortifying, causing his fingers to involuntarily curl into fists—except he suddenly realized that even the tips of his left hand were beginning to turn to sand, slowly disintegrating into dust...

After waiting for a long while without receiving a response from Chu Wanning, his once blazing heart gradually cooled.

It was as if the organ beating within his chest had been crushed into ashes.

"Never mind," Heaven-Stepping Lord turned away. "I've found my answer. It doesn't matter, anyway, because I also... "

His words were interrupted by a pair of warm hands cupping his cheeks.

Staring at the once-handsome face now marred and broken, Chu Wanning's gaze was more sincere and ardent than ever before.

"How foolish you are."

"..."

"It's all because of you." Chu Wanning embraced him. The Black Tortoise Barrier flickered and dimmed, eventually fading away.

All that remained was darkness. The final surge of the river rushed in with a triumphant roar, as if mocking human insignificance and daring to challenge fate.

"I said those words to him too."

With his lover fading before him, Chu Wanning stood firm amidst the overwhelming flood and impending apocalypse. His expression was serene, but his gaze was solemn.

"Whether it's Grandmaster Mo or Heaven-Stepping Lord, it's still you."

The sand transformation had spread to his arms, gradually encroaching on his chest.

Their dark eyes met.

Chu Wanning declared, "I will always belong to you."

"Without any regret."

The Heavenly-Stepping Lord's face froze. He suddenly closed his eyes, and a hint of tears shimmered beneath his long eyelashes.

Finally, he removed his cold facade, his brows gradually softening. With his remaining undamaged hand, he held Chu Wanning tightly against his back, pressing their lover close to his chest. He lowered his head to kiss Chu Wanning's hair, tenderly rubbing their forehead against their beloved's.

"I was the foolish one," he sighed. "I was too foolish..."

Heaven-Stepping Lord murmured, "Wanning, I'm sorry."

Years of love and hatred, a lifetime of debts and grudges – all settled in this gentle sigh.

After a moment, Chu Wanning heard him whisper against their ear, his voice low and profound, a rare tranquility in Heaven-Stepping Lord's life: "It's alright, we don't have much time left... I should tell you that secret now."

"What secret?"

Heaven-Stepping Lord's gaze dropped. "It concerns Grandmaster Mo."

"!"

"In fact, ever since our hearts merged, I've been able to sense it." He paused. "Grandmaster Mo's soul is integrated within my body."

"..." Chu Wanning froze, then suddenly looked up, staring in disbelief at Heaven-Stepping Lord's smiling face.

"The fragments of those souls... have always been within me. But my heart is as hard as stone. I believed that even with just my broken body and a wisp of my soul, I could still make my own decisions. That's why I refused to merge with those three souls and five spirits."

"But now, if only I can confess to you, that would be too unjust."

"..."

"Wanning..."

Heaven-Stepping Lord closed his eyes, and the faint smile on his face gradually faded.

"Don't be sad, he has always been there."

"!!"

In Chu Wanning's astonishment, in the blink of an eye, Heaven-Stepping Lord opened his eyes again. They were the same eyes, but they no longer held that dark purple hue. Instead, they were pure and gentle.

"...Mo Ran?!!"

With a crash, a massive wave struck down, and the Black Tortoise barrier finally completely collapsed. Amidst the tumultuous waves, Mo Ran didn't say a word. He simply held onto Chu Wanning tightly and sank with him into the vast, boundless ocean, deep into the cataclysmic floodwaters.

Spray and glistening bubbles rose around him as Mo Ran opened his eyes beneath the emerald sea.

The water was deep, much like the affection hidden in those dark irises.

Amidst the waves, Mo Ran's lips moved, silently conveying a message to Chu Wanning.

---

Master, don't worry, it's me.

I've always been here.

And I will be in the future.

So... go back. Don't stay here.

Trust me, I'll be fine. I'll do my best to come to you, to be by your side.

I'll wait for you in another world.

With lips parting, he called out to Ghost, who then wrapped around Chu Wanning's entire body, transporting him to the very edge of the portal to life and death, where only a sliver remained.

"Mo Ran... Mo Ran!! What do you mean by this? You bastard! What are you trying to say?!"

Mo Ran floated serenely amidst the waters, his shattered form already reduced to sand, even his face. That face, which had been frenzied, sweet, innocent, and malevolent, that ambivalent visage, was now turning into speckled dust, fragments of memory.

Slowly receding.

Go back, Wanning.

Trust me.

I'll be alright. I'll always be by your side.

Forever.