Chapter 181 True Love Hemolysis: Humanoid Figure in the Blood Pool [VIP]
"If I had stayed with him instead of my ambition when I first met him, I could have stayed with him for as long as you have... I don't care about anything, I don't care about anything... I just want... He is the one I have been waiting for, only him... Only him..."
"Alfonso—"
Xiao Yun, gradually understanding Alfonso's complex emotions, looked at him tenderly, "I understand your sadness, but Yaris isn't dead. He's just asleep. He will wake up one day in the future... just like the dark twin moons you dreamed of the night before you received the ring of the goddess of death, he will return to this world in another form..."
"Really?"
Alfonso asked cautiously.
Compared with Xiao Yun, he is much taller and stronger.
Yet, at this moment, he was trembling and crying like a child, his hands clutching his cheeks as if that could stop the trembling. "Xiao, will Yaris really return to this world? That dream, that dream, is it actually a foreshadowing of the future, right?"
"Yes, your dream is a sign of the future... We all have a special connection with him..."
"A special connection..."
Alfonso's tears flowed through his fingers.
"...When he leaned in my arms and took his last breath, I was more distressed than you. I insisted on using the life support pod to preserve his final heartbeat. But...he had foreseen his own death long ago, and hidden a trace of his consciousness in the Death Goddess Ring I gave you. He personally ended the heartbeat that was forcibly maintained by the life support pod..."
"Yes... I remember... I've always remembered it..."
Alfonso's body was shaking violently. "For thirteen years, I have been living in pain... I regret it so much. If I hadn't rushed in that day... his body would still be lying in the life support cabin intact... Sometimes I even feel like I killed him myself..."
"No, that's not the case..."
Xiao Yun grasped Alfonso's wrist and spoke softly, "Yaris could see the past and the future. He knew he would die, and that I would choose to use a life support capsule to preserve his heartbeat because I couldn't face his death. But he was truly exhausted... He had experienced more pain than anyone else, and he needed sleep, a long, lasting sleep. So he arranged this ending for himself... He also arranged a reunion for us..."
"Reunion? Can we really reunite with him?"
"certainly."
Xiao Yun said firmly: "We will go to his side one day, and we will be with him forever..."
"We will be together forever... forever..."
Alfonso repeated in a murmur, took his hands away from covering his face, rubbed his eyes with his back, and said with a sob: "Thank you, I feel much better now. I won't be confused by strange voices anymore. I want to wait for him with you... I should be able to sleep well soon and meet the real him in my dreams..."
"If you can't sleep, you can come to my room and chat with me..."
"good."
Alfonso said this with a sense of relief. He walked to the statue, touched its feet, and said fragilely, "We will meet soon. I believe that day will not make me wait for too long—"
…
…
In the evening, as agreed, Alfonso came to Xiao Yun's private room in the Little Love Palace with a bottle of wine.
As soon as he entered the house, he threw off his heavy cloak and coat and sat cross-legged on the carpet: "I don't know why, but this action makes me feel very comfortable. It's like I've returned to thirty years ago. At that time, I had nothing, but I felt like I owned the whole world."
"Thirty years ago..."
"Thirty years ago, I was fourteen."
Alfonso opened the bottle and asked, "Can you drink?"
"certainly--"
"I don't bring you the sweet water with honey for the court ball, but ship's water and my favorite strong drink."
Alfonso said emphatically.
Xiao Yun nodded: "I know."
Then he rang the bell to call several servants and asked them to bring some wine and some dried fruits and side dishes for the two men.
Alfonso watched this scene with great interest. As soon as the servant left, he said jokingly, "No matter how you look at it, you are a natural-born noble, the most noble sacred bloodline in the Western Continent, but I sensed something else in you just now."
"What?"
"I can't explain—"
Alfonso drank a glass of wine and let out a deep sigh: "You are the same as you were thirteen years ago. You haven't aged at all."
"This question..."
"You don't need to explain to me why. I know you're different from us."
“…”
"I don't know what fate is, nor do I know what the gods mean. I just realize more and more clearly that you and Yaris are different from us."
Alfonso looked up and saw the ground
"I have killed thousands of people on the battlefield. My understanding of death has long been aware that His Highness Yaris is the true 'death', and that blood has brought hell to the world."
"You are filled with the light of life, like the sun in the sky... Sometimes I don't even dare to look at you directly. I feel... I feel... I don't know... I don't know anything..."
,you--"
Xiao Yun decided to change the subject: "Lance said that you are becoming more and more addicted to alcohol."
"Well, I do like drinking."
Alfonso muttered to himself in a hoarse voice: "Ever since His Highness Yaris left, I've been enjoying the pleasure that alcohol brings to my body more and more every day... I even accidentally gave birth to a son with a maid because of alcohol... Well, having a son is a good thing. Everyone, including Lance, celebrated that I had an heir... But it really was an accident... I now strictly forbid women from entering my room. I don't want similar accidents to happen again..."
"Alfonso—"
"Lance persuaded me to accept that woman and the child she gave birth to... He dragged me to see the child, saying it was adorable and looked a lot like me! But I, I wanted to vomit the first time I saw the child! It felt like I saw a white maggot! It was so disgusting!"
Alfonso said frankly, "The sad thing is, because I don't want to get married and I don't consider having another child with this woman, even though I hate that woman and her child, I still have to arrange a room for them in the Barakanya Palace... I can't even tell anyone except you how I really feel! No one can believe that I actually hate a child who they think is so adorable!"
Alfonso's expression gradually relaxed after speaking his true thoughts. He looked at Xiao Yun enviously and said, "I envy you very much. You don't have to worry about being forced into marriage, nor do you need to have children with a woman. The only thing that might become a problem is your appearance - but for most people in this world, not aging is a blessing worth envy more than anything else."
"Not having to age is not as enviable as they think."
"I know."
Alfonso laughed strangely, with a strange irony and mockery in his laughter.
"When I was a child, I firmly believed that as long as I became king, I would no longer have to worry about being bullied, everything would be fine, and all unhappy things would be far away from me. Because of this belief, even though I had no father or mother, I still lived a free life, full of dreams every day, but now-"
“You are still full of dreams now.”
"That's not the case."
Alfonso shook his head with a complicated expression. "With the help of His Highness Yaris, I successfully ascended from mercenary to king. However, since donning the crown, I've become increasingly unhappy, less and less free, and my dreams are slipping away... So when you say that not having to age isn't something to envy, I completely understand your feelings... Most things in the world are like this; those who have it and those who don't often have completely different perspectives."
"Yes, that's right."
"...I actually know that the possibility that the voice calling me in my dreams these past few days is the real E-Prince Yaris is less than one in ten thousand, but I want to believe it. Because only by believing that the voice comes from the real E-Prince Yaris can I break free from the shackles and find the me who once was desperate to pursue my dreams..."
Alfonso murmured.
Before he knew it, he had drunk a whole bottle of wine.
"Xiao——"
"Um?"
"Does the world you and Yaris dreamed of creating... a world without emperors, without privileges, where everyone is equal and fair... really exist?"
“It has existed before and it will exist again.”
"Has it existed?"
Alfonso looked at Xiao Yun curiously.
Xiao Yun nodded firmly. "For the past decade or so, and for many years to come, all the reforms and measures I've implemented have been designed to turn our dream from a dream into reality... Like all dreams in the world, this dream of Yaris and mine is beautiful and fragile. When it begins to come true, it will bring great sacrifice, fear, shock, and destruction to the world... But it's all worth it. At least, I think it's worth it."
After listening to Xiao Yun's words, Alfonso was silent for a long time.
He looked at Xiao Yun intently, as if he was seeing him for the first time, and said slowly, "Many people say that I'm a lunatic, arrogant, stubborn, and chasing dreams that don't belong to me. You and Yaris are the epitome of rationality, calm, intelligent, and never do anything without confidence. I think so too, but now—I feel that you are at least ten thousand times crazier than me."
"I know, I know our dreams are crazy."
Xiao Yun said calmly, "But I want to accomplish this because Yaris believes I can do it."
…
…
In this way, Xiao Yun and Alfonso spent the whole night drinking and chatting in the private room.
Although the bell was rung several times to ask the servants to bring wine, dried fruits and side dishes, no servant was allowed to stay in the room.
In the morning, the bell rang again, asking the servants to bring a hearty breakfast and medicine for hangovers.
When John Deere walked into the room with his attendant, he saw this scene:
Xiao Yun and Alfonso sat in their pajamas on the sofa, leaning against the carpet like unrelated brothers. The small square table in the middle was covered with breakfast: Xiaolongbao, a pastry made from dough kneaded without yeast; thin, long noodles called rice noodles, made from ground rice; thick, soft seafood porridge simmered for hours; fragrant pan-fried salmon sprinkled with chopped spices; and croquettes made from minced fish and vegetables from Lake Lilia...
Seeing John Deere, the two men immediately stopped their pleasant conversation.
Alfonso's expression even froze for a moment.
After a brief pause, Xiao Yun took the initiative to greet John Deere: "Would you like to have breakfast together?"
"It seems that you had a great conversation last night."
John Deere politely walked up to the two men, bowed and saluted.
Alfonso couldn't help but complain, "This is a purely private room. There's no need to be so serious, as if we're not friends anymore."
"We have always been friends and will always be friends, but—"
John Deere turned to look at Xiao Yun: "I have something very important to report now."
"What is it?"
"Something about the Great Desert of Death."
Alfonso immediately looked puzzled: "What could happen in that place?"
Xiao Yun's expression was unusually serious: "Did Ulysses send back important news?"
"The Great Desert of Death may need to change its name."
"Change your name?"
"The Death Desert has always been a terrifying place. There are no seasons in the common sense, and the closer one gets to the core area, the ruins of the Eternal Empire's capital, the stronger the curse known as 'radiation' becomes. Therefore, aside from the mages obsessed with unearthing the Eternal Empire's technology and magical heritage, only the caravans traveling between the eastern and western continents are willing to enter the Death Desert."
"That's true."
Xiao Yun nodded.
"Because the environment was so harsh in every way, it took Ulysses two years to finally convince the Mage Tower to dispatch a hundred strong young mages. He led them through the gap in the Talia Mountains into the Death Desert, where they would learn the technology and magic left by the Eternal Empire from the 'Sage of Death'."
John Deere muttered with a wry smile, "But now, everything is different. In fact, if Ulysses hadn't sent back the images simultaneously, I can't imagine such an incredible thing happening in the Death Desert!"
"What on earth happened there?"
Alfonso asked eagerly.
"It's raining in the desert."
"As far as I know, it rains in the desert."
"But the rain in the desert doesn't flow into steady rivers, nor does it produce vast expanses of green grass."
"Varied!"
Xiao Yun and Alfonso exclaimed together.
"The 'Sage of Death' said that changes in the Great Desert of Death began thirteen years ago. It's very likely..."
John Dillard paused, as if to suppress a sob.
"Since that year, the dry air has gradually become moist, and the erratic rainfall has gathered into underground rivers beneath the sand. The radiation in the capital ruins has slowly decreased, and the salt pillar forest that has stood for six thousand years is showing signs of disintegration... Two months ago, the Death Desert experienced heavy rainfall for over a month, which only stopped three days ago. When the rain stopped, not only did the salt pillars surrounding the Eternal Empire's capital ruins disappear, but the radiation also dropped to a level where ordinary people could enter and exit!"
“Oh my God!”
Alfonso exclaimed, his body trembling slightly: "This must, must be..."
"According to the epic myths left by the Eternal Empire, ten thousand years ago, the leopard-headed hero king Gu Yin merged with the earth in Northferras. The once barren Northferras quickly became fertile land, becoming the origin of the Eternal Empire."
John Dill sobbed and said, "Although His Highness Yaris stopped his last heartbeat in Denos, he... I believe that the incredible changes that have occurred in the Death Desert should be... is..."
"Ulysses said he used his magic to soar high into the sky and survey the entire desert. He discovered that over half the land had been covered in green thanks to the rain that had lasted for over a month, and rivers had appeared in the desert! The Death Desert is now covered in grass, like a bald man growing hair... Furthermore, with the Salt Pillar Forest gone and the radiation in the capital ruins reduced to a level accessible to ordinary people, magicians are rushing in from all directions."
"Are the magicians coming from all directions?"
Hearing this, Xiao Yun smiled: "Our old friend should have arrived at the core area of the Death Desert by now, and may contact me at any time."
"Old friend?"
Alfonso was stunned for a moment, then came to his senses: "'Dark Night Mentor' and his succubus?"
"Who else could it be but them?"
"But I heard that they have been active in the East Continent for the past thirteen years. It's been a long time since they last—"
"Young Master—"
With a sweet cry, the succubus Romila's wet head emerged from the shadows of the room, followed by her white body.
Just like before, he still didn't wear proper clothes this time. To be exact, he only had a piece of cloth wrapped around his waist.
"Master~ I miss you so much~"
Romila pounced on Xiao Yun.
Xiao Yun avoided him expressionlessly and asked, "Are you looking for me? Or—"
"Old man, I do have something to talk to you about, but~~"
Romila pouted her voluptuous lips, twisted her body, and made seductive gestures.
"Master, don't you miss me at all? I've thought about you every day during these years in the East Continent. I only look for men who look like you. I mean, men who have some similarities with you in appearance or personality. After all, there's no other person as perfect as you—shut up!"
After the low and hoarse scolding, Romila's face, which was originally wet and sticky like a mollusk, took on a hard and cold texture like a marble sculpture, and her sweet voice became serious and old.
"I'm so sorry—"
The Dark Night Mentor controlled Romila's body and saluted Xiao Yun: "This stupid and lowly fellow is always so frivolous and has no sense of propriety."
"Where are you now?"
"On the edge of the Great Desert of Death."
"I don't believe it."
Xiao Yun said bluntly: "You have coveted the legacy of the Eternal Empire for hundreds of years. Now you finally have the opportunity to step into it. How can you stay quietly on the edge of the Death Desert!"
“I, I…”
A fleeting look of humiliation appeared on the face of the Dark Night Mentor, as if he wanted to forget something: "—I'm injured."
"What did you say? Are you hurt?"
Xiao Yun was surprised.
"Yes, I am injured."
The Dark Night Mentor said in self-abandonment, "I was seriously injured and almost lost my life if Romila hadn't taken me away in time."
"You think I'm willing to take you away!"
Romila's consciousness suddenly emerged and she roared angrily.
"Shut up, idiot!"
The Dark Night Mentor interrupted Romila with a hint of sarcasm, looking at Xiao Yun sinisterly: "Do you want to know why I was injured and who injured me?"
"It's obvious that the guy who injured you was him. As for the reason—it's most likely that you sneaked into the Holy City to spy and were discovered by Him!"
“…”
A wave of embarrassment passed through the face of the "Dark Night Mentor", and he tried hard to force a smile to hide his embarrassment.
Finally, he calmed down.
"You're only half right. I did sneak into the Holy City to spy on Him and was discovered by Him, but it wasn't Him who seriously injured me."
"Not Him?"
Alfonso and John Dill couldn't help but shout in unison, "You are one of the three greatest magic masters in the world! Besides Him, who else can seriously injure you?"
"I don't know, because I'm still not sure what it was that seriously injured me!"
The Dark Night Mentor spoke in a slightly hoarse voice, "Half a month ago, Romila and I successfully infiltrated the Grand Palace of the Holy City. We discovered a massive pool of blood beneath the palace. It was filled with blood and curses, and the crimson water was constantly boiling, as if brewing something terrifying beyond imagination."
"I sensed an unprecedented danger, and so—although I longed to know what was in the blood pool, I suppressed my curiosity and prepared to retreat—then, the contents of the blood pool suddenly surged out, countless terrifying vengeful spirits forming a river of blood rushing towards me! I continuously transformed my magic to try to escape the blood tide's pursuit, but no matter how hard I tried, "He"... Finally, I fell! I had nowhere to escape! I screamed in terror, watching the blood waves surging from the east slowly recede, revealing a brilliant human figure... He was enveloped in a huge light... His face and form could not be seen clearly..."
"What happened next? What happened next?"
"He walked towards me, extending a hand. His hand was as transparent as crystal, reflecting a myriad of light, yet within it surged a darkness from the depths of the universe... His entire body glowed, and the light gently fell like moth dust, transforming into red petals on the ground before disintegrating into sand made from ground bones... I've never seen anything so bizarre! It was the embodiment of death!"
"Fortunately, He only glanced at me, and the earth collapsed like an earthquake. I fell down, falling endlessly as if into a bottomless abyss. Phosphorescent white sand continuously flowed out of the hole..."
"Phosphorescent white sand? Bones?"
Xiao Yun thought of the prehistoric civilization city of Xike that sank deep in the water barrier and the white sand formed by the resentment of the undead in Xike City.
"—Romila dragged me through the cave for what would have been eight days in the real world, and we finally crawled out and escaped to the edge of the Death Desert. There, I learned from the magicians who had flocked to the Death Desert that incredible changes were taking place there."
The Dark Night Mentor continued, "Unfortunately, I've been severely injured and have to temporarily abandon my plan to enter the core area of the Death Desert and obtain the Eternal Empire's legacy."
"So you came to us and wanted to work with us to develop the legacy of the Eternal Empire?"
"No, I want to inform you of an important news - the mysterious figure in the Holy City's blood pool is Her Royal Highness the Princess! At least she's related to him!"
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