The long night is about to end and the dawn is about to break.

The demonic energy in reality clung to Mo Xiaoyu's fingertips like a living thing, its icy chill almost freezing her blood. She knelt on the scorched earth of the battlefield between gods and demons, surrounded by broken walls and still-burning heavenly fires, the air thick with the aura of death and destruction. The jade pendant in her hand remained as cold as ever, as if silently recounting an irreversible ending.

Ling Yuan's mockery still echoed in her ears, each word like a poisoned blade, repeatedly slicing through her already shattered heart. Yet, in this abyss of despair, memories surged uncontrollably, carrying the last warmth and the deepest pain, dragging her into that night that changed everything.

It was a moonlit night, and the Temple of Fate was shrouded in an unusual silence.

Mo Xiaoyu sat in front of the dressing table, fiddling with the jade comb in her hands, her mind racing. Ling Yuan's pained expression lingered in her mind; the "ancient contract" he spoke of was like a heavy shackle, not only binding his power but also trapping her heart.

"Tomorrow... I must find the Key to Reincarnation by tomorrow," she murmured to herself, her fingers trembling involuntarily with tension.

These days, Ling Yuan's condition seems to be getting worse. Each time they meet, the melancholy between his brows deepens, and occasionally he curls up in pain due to the backlash from the contract. Last night he even vomited blood, the bright red blood imprinted in her eyes and burning in her heart.

"Only the Key of Reincarnation can break this contract..." Ling Yuan's weak voice still echoed in my ears, "But Xiaoyu, I can't drag you down any further."

It was this "unwillingness to be implicated" that made Mo Xiaoyu make up her mind.

Familiar footsteps came from outside the door. She hurriedly composed herself, pretending to be nonchalant, and mechanically combed her long hair with a jade comb.

Yun Xi pushed open the door and entered, carrying a bowl of steaming calming soup. His gaze lingered on her face for a moment, his eyes, which always seemed to see through fate, appearing to know everything. However, he said nothing, simply placing the calming soup gently in front of her.

"Did you cultivate well today?" he asked softly, his voice as calm as ever.

Mo Xiaoyu lowered her head, not daring to meet his gaze, the jade comb in her hand almost slipping from her grasp: "Not...not yet..."

Yun Xi didn't press further, but simply walked behind her and took the jade comb from her hand. This action made Mo Xiaoyu freeze—this was the first time in a thousand years that the God had combed her hair.

"God?" She asked in surprise, wanting to turn around.

"Don't move."

His voice was soft, carrying a tenderness she had never heard before. He slowly combed her long hair with a jade comb, his movements clumsy yet exceptionally gentle. His fingertips occasionally brushed against the back of her neck, sending a slight shiver down her spine.

His focused profile was reflected in the mirror on the dressing table. Moonlight streamed through the window lattice, casting soft shadows on his long eyelashes, obscuring the emotions in his eyes.

"Little Fish," he suddenly spoke, his voice low and deep, "if one day I can no longer protect you, what will you do?"

Mo Xiaoyu's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively wanted to turn around, but he pressed her shoulder down.

"How could the God not protect me?" She tried to remain calm, but her fingers unconsciously tightened around the hem of her clothes.

Yunxi continued combing her long hair, her tone as calm as if discussing the day's weather: "The moon waxes and wanes, and life is unpredictable. This world is far more treacherous and complex than you imagine. Some people seem warm and friendly, but in reality, they harbor malicious intentions; some paths may seem smooth, but in reality, they conceal deadly dangers."

His fingers lingered in her hair, his voice growing deeper: "You must learn to discern, learn to protect yourself."

At that time, Mo Xiaoyu completely failed to understand the deeper meaning behind those words; her mind was filled with Ling Yuan's pained expression. She only felt that the Divine Lord was unusually long-winded today and wished he would leave quickly so that she could carry out her plan.

"I understand," she replied perfunctorily, but her gaze unconsciously drifted towards the study—where the Key to Reincarnation was hidden.

Yunxi remained silent for a moment before finally putting down the jade comb. He stood behind her and looked at her deeply through the mirror, his gaze so complex it startled her—it contained worry, reluctance, and a resolute determination she couldn't decipher.

"Remember," he said finally, his voice almost inaudible, "no matter what happens, live on."

He turned and left, his white robes tracing a lonely arc in the moonlight. Mo Xiaoyu watched his retreating figure, a pang of inexplicable pain shooting through her heart, but it was quickly replaced by worry for Ling Yuan.

She waited anxiously in the room until midnight, and only after confirming that Yunxi had fallen asleep did she tiptoe out of the room.

The Temple of Fate was eerily quiet; even the usually chirping insects were silent. Moonlight streamed through the carved window lattices, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone floor, as if countless eyes were watching her every move.

Her heart pounded, and she walked cautiously with each step. Finally, she reached the study door, took a deep breath, and gently pushed it open.

The Key of Reincarnation was placed in the most conspicuous position on the desk, as if it had known she would come to retrieve it. It was a crystal-clear jade key, its surface shimmering with a mysterious light, containing the power of the laws of reincarnation. Under the moonlight, it emitted a soft glow, breathtakingly beautiful.

Her hand trembled involuntarily the moment it touched the jade key. Images of Yun Xi gently combing her long hair and his meticulous care over the past thousand years flashed through her mind, but these were quickly replaced by Ling Yuan's pained expression.

"I'm sorry, God..." she murmured softly, tears welling in her eyes, "Once I help Ling Yuan break the contract, I will definitely come back to apologize to you."

She gripped the Key of Reincarnation tightly, its icy touch sending a chill down her spine. Just as she turned to leave, she caught a glimpse of the Book of Fate unfolding on the desk.

It was Yunxi's handwriting, and her name was clearly written on it. Beside her birth chart, bright red cinnabar annotations stung her eyes:

"The tribulation of love has arrived; there is no escaping it."

Her heart sank, but she had no time to think it through. Ling Yuan was still waiting for her, and every moment of delay could deepen his pain.

She didn't turn around, so she would never know that behind her, Yunxi stood quietly in the shadow of the pillar. The moonlight shone on his pale face, and his usually calm eyes were now filled with a pain she had never seen before.

A tear silently slid down, landing on the cold stone slab and shattering into countless tiny points of light.

That was the first and last tear of the God of Fate in a thousand years.

He had already seen the annotations in the Book of Fate, and he knew what would happen tonight. He could have stopped it, he could have changed it, but in the end he chose to respect her choice—even if that choice would push her into an abyss of no return.

In reality, Mo Xiaoyu seemed to see that tear she had never seen before. Memory and reality collided at that moment, shattering her last defenses.

"ah--"

She finally broke down, letting out a blood-curdling cry at the empty ruins. The sound was shrill and desperate, as if she were about to vomit her insides out.

"Yunxi—I was wrong! I know I was wrong! Come back—"

Tears blurred her vision as she clutched the jade pendant tightly, her nails digging deep into her flesh, blood dripping from between her fingers, blooming into poignant flowers on the scorched earth.

"I shouldn't have distrusted you... I shouldn't have stolen the Key of Reincarnation... I shouldn't have..."

Every "shouldn't" was like a knife, repeatedly torturing her already wounded heart. She finally understood why Yunxi had asked that question that night, and why he had looked at her with those eyes.

He knew everything all along, yet he still chose to let go, allowing her to walk towards her predetermined fate. Even after she made a grave mistake, he still gave his own life to give her a chance to live.

"Come back...please come back..." Her cries gradually turned into helpless sobs, and she curled up on the ground, trembling like a leaf in the wind.

In this moment of utter despair, the cold jade pendant in his palm suddenly felt distinctly warm.

It's not an illusion.

The warmth felt so real, as if a faint heart was beating within the jade pendant. Then, a soft white light emanated from the pendant, faint yet firmly dispelling the surrounding demonic energy.

Mo Xiaoyu abruptly stopped crying, staring in disbelief at the jade pendant in her hand. The light was familiar, warm and pure, the unique aura of Yunxi's divine power.

"Yunxi..." she whispered, trembling, pressing the jade pendant tightly against her chest.

The white light gradually coalesced, outlining a blurry silhouette before her. The silhouette was faint, as if it might vanish at any moment, yet familiar features could still be discerned.

A faint, ethereal voice echoed in her mind, as soft as a whisper:

"Little fish..."

At this moment, Mo Xiaoyu finally understood—Yun Xi had not completely vanished. A wisp of his soul was hidden in this jade pendant that he never parted with.

Hope, like the dawn's first rays, pierced through the deepest darkness in her heart.

She wiped away her tears and slowly stood up. Although she was still covered in wounds and the road ahead was still difficult, her eyes were different—a light had been rekindled in them, firm and unwavering.

The long night is coming to an end, and dawn is breaking. But what she is about to embark on is an even more difficult path of redemption.