Chapter 185: Hope is immortal, true love is eternal
To protect the spirit world and the coalition forces, Qin Yixuan burned the very essence of her sacred domain, nearly annihilating herself. The heavy blow she suffered, nearly extinguishing her own life, rang like a heavy death knell in the hearts of every remaining coalition soldier. The star barrier, embodying her entire will and the aspirations of all living beings, finally fulfilled its tragic mission of withstanding the destructive shockwave. Like glass drained of its last shred of energy, it finally shattered with a continuous, heartbreaking sound, disintegrating piece by piece into countless firefly-like specks of starlight. They shone for a fleeting, poignant moment before completely dissipating into the cold, silent sea of space, as if they had never existed.
The disappearance of the barrier left the already battered and demoralized coalition forces in the rear completely exposed to the undisguised, visceral malice of the Lord of Annihilation, as well as the still-surging, surging Void Monsters! Deprived of their last collective defense, casualties skyrocketed exponentially! Under the monster siege, the small light arrays formed by the remaining Templars shattered one after another. The hymns chanted by the ascetics were drowned out by the screams of despair. The Demon Abyss troops trampled on each other in the chaos, or were torn apart and devoured by even more powerful monsters. The monks at the Alliance headquarters wielded their magic weapons with all their might, but the swordlight was like a stone thrown into the sea, quickly swallowed by the darkness... With every breath, more lives were extinguished like candles in the wind, painting the star field with a deeper crimson and despair.
Ye Li relied on her newly deepened understanding of the true meaning of "reincarnation"—"the eternity of protection and inheritance"—to forcefully support the "Reincarnation Universe." At this moment, the scene of the birth and death of the stars within the universe took on a tragic and resolute rhythm, as if each star's annihilation contained the will to sacrifice for the next rebirth and to protect the possible spark of life within the universe. However, its overall brilliance had inevitably dimmed. She could not handle it alone, and had to deal with the attacks of the "Lord of Annihilation" which had become more violent and brutal due to Qin Yixuan's injury. The tentacles of light and dark were like countless whips of destruction, carrying the power of collapsing stars, lashing and tearing the boundaries of the universe frantically. Every collision triggered a large-scale chain annihilation of stars within the universe, and the chaotic airflow surged violently. She also had to divide a part of her already stretched mind and strength to struggle to maintain the structure of the "Reincarnation Universe" itself from completely collapsing. She also had to keep an eye on Qin Yixuan, who was dying and as fragile as a broken porcelain doll behind her, and the remnants of the coalition forces who were constantly being eroded and shrunk like reefs in the wave of monsters, trying to use the afterglow of the universe to support a small piece of relatively safe area for them.
The massive consumption of strength was like a flood that broke through a dam, causing her newly-promoted mid-stage Saint Realm to become unstable and shaky. She felt a stabbing pain between her eyebrows, which was a sign that her soul was overdrawn and about to dry up. The origin of the Saint Realm was like a water tank that had been punctured, and her strength was rapidly draining away.
The twisted will of the Lord of Annihilation clearly grasped Ye Li's current predicament, as well as the newly emerged, protective aura that repelled and repelled him. His attacks grew more cunning and violent. His tentacles, woven together by light and darkness, sometimes transformed into countless tiny venomous snakes that burrowed into the cosmos to wreak destruction, and sometimes coalesced into massive hammers powerful enough to shake the very foundations of the universe. His cold, indifferent will even revealed a hint of undisguised playfulness and mockery, like a cat and mouse, as if admiring his tenacious prey. Faced with the sheer disparity in power, all his futile struggles would ultimately become the sweetest sacrifice to the "End."
"Stubborn... light... guarding... only prolongs the pain... a ridiculous obsession... see clearly... this... is... the end... of struggle... only by embracing nothingness... can one find... eternal sleep..."
The corrosive whisper, like a cancer attached to the bone, once again tried to penetrate Ye Li's defenses and shake her firm determination to follow the Tao that she had just realized.
Yet, Ye Li was strangely calm at this moment. She didn't respond to the irritating whispers, nor did she even cast a glance at the despairingly massive enemy. She controlled the shattered "Samsara Universe," struggling to retreat, stumbling step by step. The Universe's light, like her life force, flickered on the shrinking defensive circle. Finally, she retreated to Qin Yixuan, who hovered in the void, holding on only by a faint instinct.
Their backs gently touched each other in the cold void.
The touch at that moment felt cold and fragile. Ye Li could clearly feel the slight tremor in Qin Yixuan's body, the almost imperceptible, gossamer-like breath. Qin Yixuan could also feel that Ye Li's spine, supporting both of them and this shattered starry universe, though still strong, was also bearing unimaginable pressure and pain, and a subtle, skeletal cry of pain could be heard. Ye Li's black robe was already tattered, stained with dark red blood, whether from her own or the enemy's. Qin Yixuan's moon-white palace dress was even more stained with pale golden primordial holy blood, as poignant and beautiful as a withered winter plum blossom in the snow, telling of endless tragic grandeur.
Their strength was on the verge of exhaustion, and their breath was so weak that it seemed as if they would be completely swallowed up by the eternal darkness along with the starry universe in the next moment.
Yet, with their backs pressed together, as the warmth of each other's bodies (however faint) and presence radiated through their icy battle robes, an indescribable calm and warmth, transcending the agony of death and the fear of death, flowed and converged like a thawed stream in early spring, quietly flowing through their already shattered hearts. Without words, not even the need for spiritual communication, they could clearly "hear" the same rhythm from deep within each other's shattered shells—the same unwavering, undying will to protect each other; the same unconditional, absolute trust that transcended the cycle of life and death; the same profound emotion, as deep as the abyss, as blazing as the sun, already woven into every corner of their souls...
Ye Li tilted her head slightly, her gaze sweeping across Qin Yixuan's bloodstained, pale profile, yet still retaining a certain sacredness. She could see her long eyelashes, stained with starlight and blood, trembling with difficulty, yet remaining stubbornly open, gazing towards the distant star region shrouded in thick darkness, representing their shared homeland and countless cherished memories. Although Qin Yixuan was so weak she could barely move, she could clearly "feel" Ye Li's back, pressed against hers—not broad but incredibly strong—how upright and unyielding it was. It was as if, even if the sky collapsed and the earth gave way, this backbone would hold out for her and for everything behind her, until its last ounce of strength was exhausted.
Their gazes seemed to penetrate the raging tide of demons ahead, the ever-crushing void, and the suffocating shadow of the "Lord of Annihilation," crossing the boundless distances of the starry sea to rest upon the familiar land of the spirit realm. They "saw" countless mortals kneeling in prayer in the panic of impending doom, their eyes filled with a longing for life and pleas for their protectors; they saw the fragile creatures amidst the ruins still struggling for survival, supporting each other; they saw the comrades, teachers, and disciples who had unreservedly entrusted their final hope and strength to them in the remaining strongholds of Xuanyun Sect, Jiuxiao Heavenly Palace, and even the Holy Temple and Demon Abyss. Those countless gazes were a mixture of despair, expectation, trust, and determination!
These invisible gazes, like billions of the toughest silk threads, crossed the boundary between life and death, penetrated the barriers of nothingness, and tightly, gently, yet extremely heavy...entwined in their hearts.
His strength was rapidly draining away, his body on the verge of complete disintegration like shattered porcelain. The fierce grin of his powerful enemy seemed to be right beside his ears. The ray of hope seemed to have been compressed to the extreme, so faint that it seemed like an illusion...
But, at this final moment when the oil is running out and even the universe itself seems to sigh, an enlightenment that transcends personal perception and comes from the resonance of the two souls, like a miraculous bud that sprouts naturally in absolute darkness and is unaffected by any external force, quietly grows, stretches, and finally... blooms brilliantly in their closely connected common hearts!
They pursued the search all the way, experienced two reincarnations, and suffered countless deaths and disasters. What were they seeking...?
Is it the supreme power that looks down upon the universe and controls life and death? Is it the eternal life that escapes the constraints of reincarnation and lives as long as the universe? Is it the supreme authority that controls the trajectory of the stars and defines the laws of the universe?
Perhaps, these were once goals and motivations.
But at this moment, when death is at hand and all external things are about to lose their meaning, these things that were once pursued seem to become vague and distant, and no longer have such a strong appeal.
What has truly sustained them in their fight to this day, what has truly allowed them to unleash strength beyond their limits in desperate situations time and time again, what has truly kept them refusing to give up their final struggle even at this moment when their energy is running out... is the pure, untainted instinctive will to protect the land and countless lives behind them; it is the deep emotion between them that has long surpassed simple love, has been integrated into the very bones of their souls, and they are willing to give everything for each other, including eternal silence; it is the unyielding belief that is rooted in the deepest levels of life and believes that no matter how long and thick the darkness is, the fire of hope will eventually penetrate all obstacles and ignite once again on the ruins!
This will, this emotion, this belief… they themselves seemed to… contain a kind of power! A power that transcended the level of spiritual power, the framework of laws, and even, to a certain extent, transcended the opposing concepts of "existence" and "nothingness"… a power that was more fundamental, closer to the mysteries of the universe's birth… an eternal power!
It originates from life’s most primitive desire and praise for “life”, from civilization’s most instinctive persistence and struggle for “continuation”, and from “love”’s most unrepentant dedication and sacrifice for “protection”!
At the moment when the enlightenment of this soul resonance completely illuminated their hearts like the morning sun—
The changes did not come from the outside world, but from the deepest part of their own souls, which were closely dependent on each other and almost merged into one!
A warm, gentle, not glaring light, yet imbued with unimaginable vitality and creative power, seemed to have slumbered for an age longer than the universe itself, finally awakened by the supreme emotion and will shared by these soulmates in despair. From their backs pressed together, it naturally spread, like a breath! This light was neither the chaotic hue of the Samsara Mirror nor the dazzling radiance of the Mysterious Lady Star. It was a more primitive, purer light, as if representing the universe's very first "singularity" explosion, the beginning of life and consciousness... the primordial light! It was the embodiment of the power of existence itself, a tribute to life and its protective power!
The primordial light appeared silently, without earth-shattering momentum. Yet, it caused the massive, ever-shifting form of the Lord of Annihilation, who was frantically attacking and determined to win, to suddenly... freeze for a moment! For the first time, a distinct, instinctive sense of shock and disbelief emanated from that madly interwoven form of light and darkness! This seemingly gentle light, imbued with the purest and most profound conception of the Law of Life, subtly suppressed and repelled the very foundation of the Law of the End, originating from the core of Nothingness!
At the same time, Ye Li and Qin Yixuan clearly felt that their souls that were on the verge of breaking, the core of the holy domain (the Samsara Universe) that still had cracks, their ultimate understanding and fruition of their own great way... under the illumination, infiltration and perfect connection of this warm primordial light, began to undergo an unprecedented, seamless integration that penetrated into every particle of existence... perfect fusion!
This is no longer the previous superposition of power or resonance of artistic conception, but a true fusion and sublimation starting from the most fundamental level!
Ye Li's avenue of reincarnation completely and perfectly integrates the order and infinite vitality of Qin Yixuan's star laws. Reincarnation is no longer a cold, repetitive cycle, but has turned into a ring of warmth, hope, and a constantly upward spiral... the evolution of life!
Qin Yixuan's Starry Avenue is also deeply and indelibly imprinted with the all-encompassing and eternal protection of Ye Li's reincarnation realm. The stars are no longer distant and indifferent lighthouses, but have become the warm and solid cradle of the universe that carries the rise and fall of civilizations and continues the fire of life!
You are in me and I am in you.
The trajectory of reincarnation is the logic of the movement of stars; the light of the stars is the manifestation of the will of reincarnation.
Their independent consciousness still clearly exists, but the foundation of their existence, the source of their power, and the core essence of the Tao, at this moment, are perfectly and indivisibly integrated into a more advanced and more complete whole!
A mysterious state that had never been experienced before, which was superior to any realm they had ever known, and seemed to resonate deeply with some eternal law of the universe that supported "existence" itself, came like an epiphany!
This wasn't simply a realm elevation or power restoration, but a true leap in the level of life and the essence of existence! It was a prototype that had touched the threshold of immortality!
The aura that had once waned and fading around them suddenly became profound, restrained, and vast, as if completely merging with the surrounding sea of stars and void, indistinguishable from each other, yet naturally emanating a gentle yet majestic aura of creators and guardians. The shattered, dimly lit "Samsara Universe," nourished and reconstructed by the immortal artistic conception born from this fusion, began to repair itself, consolidate, and even... expand at a visible speed! The scene of the birth and death of stars within it became more harmonious, more filled with infinite possibilities and vibrant vitality, like a truly newborn miniature universe with limitless potential!
Although their strength has not yet fully recovered to its peak, a qualitative transformation of the essence of life has been...completely completed!
Ye Li and Qin Yixuan slowly opened their eyes at the same moment. Deep within their eyes, they reflected each other's figures, the warm and eternal primordial light, and even more so, their endless responsibility to the world behind them and... a rekindled, unwavering faith in ultimate victory!
Hope is never truly extinguished, it just turns into a deeper power.
True love becomes eternal and becomes the cornerstone of existence.
And this prototype of the immortal realm, driven by ultimate love, hope, and the will to protect... will become the final answer for them to face the end and rewrite their destiny!
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