Chapter 65 The Pirate World Ends "You once said, immortality..."
"You once said that immortality is a curse, so why did you take the spring out?" Bayer asked, raising his eyebrows, as he approached the spring with Sang Zhitao and Eureka.
“Sometimes it’s a curse to you, but it might have other uses for me.” Sang Zhitao smiled and replied simply. Before the other party could ask any further questions, she suddenly jumped into the spring.
Seeing this, Bayer raised an eyebrow and jumped in as well. Eureka, though unaware of what Sang Zhitao was going to do, also jumped in.
The splashes of water as the three entered the water struck the rock wall, creating soft echoes.
Sang Zhitao was at the forefront, glancing at the wooden box in her hands from time to time, swimming swiftly and resolutely in one direction.
When a huge crevice appeared before her, her eyes lit up, and she swam a few steps quickly, heading straight for the crevice.
Rapid breathing echoed throughout the enormous cavern.
Sang Zhitao gripped the moss-covered boulder with both hands and, with a burst of strength, flipped herself up.
A moment later, a head emerged from the water, and Bayer followed suit, flipping himself onto the surface.
Finally, Eureka appeared. He wiped the water off his face, took out the kindling he had stored, and tried rubbing it on the wall.
Suddenly a flame appeared, and he breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, the flame hadn't gotten wet.
Water droplets seeping from the cave ceiling hit the back of Sang Zhitao's neck. When she looked up, she caught a glimpse of a faint light in the distance and subconsciously took two steps forward.
Bayer looked somewhat excited and quickly took a few steps forward until he came to a natural stone platform. Looking at the wooden box on the platform, his face showed an indescribable tension or perhaps fear.
Sang Zhitao ignored his myriad emotions and subconsciously touched the spot on her chest where the jade pendant used to hang. She felt a stirring there, and her intuition told her that the contents of the box were very important.
"Click." Bayer took a few deep breaths, opened the box, and the light in his eyes dimmed instantly.
Sang Zhitao arrived at this moment. She looked at the palm-sized, five-pointed star-shaped jade piece in the box, her pupils shrinking slightly.
This is a jade piece she obtained in both the Elf Era and the Machine Star, but unlike those two where someone guarded it, there are clearly no signs of anyone having lived here.
Subconsciously, she reached out and took out the jade piece, held it up slightly in front of her eyes to examine it, feeling the jade piece tremble slightly and the throbbing in her heart. Sang Zhitao subconsciously took out a wooden box, poured out the Fountain of Immortality inside, and stuffed the jade piece into it.
Bayer did not stop her actions, but stood to the side with a grim expression and eyes full of disappointment.
"What exactly are you looking for?" Sang Zhitao asked softly.
“There was once a legend that a priceless treasure was hidden in a mysterious land, and that it would take the person who found it back through time.” Bayer’s voice was somewhat ethereal.
“I once did something very, very wrong, and I want to find this priceless thing to go back to the time before I made that mistake…”
"Is it possible that the jade piece is it?" Sang Zhitao asked suddenly after a moment of silence.
Bayer shook his head: "It's not. I knew it when I saw it. It belongs to you..."
As Bayer kept repeating "It belongs to you," his eyes turned a deep green, and his expression became blank, as if he were being controlled.
Eureka stepped forward and shielded Sang Zhitao behind her, asking in a low voice, "What's wrong with him?"
Sang Zhitao shook her head: "I don't know."
She concealed the slight sense of familiarity she felt when she saw Bayer in this state.
"Slap!" Eureka stepped forward and slapped Bayer across the face.
Bayer's head lolled to the side from the blow, and when he turned around, the green light in his eyes had faded. He touched his face, completely bewildered: "What happened to me?"
"It's alright, let's leave first." Sang Zhitao's eyes twitched, she coughed lightly and said nothing.
Seeing this, Bayer felt like he had been tricked, but seeing the faint flickering firelight, he knew it wasn't a good place to stay, so he didn't pursue the matter further and nodded.
“I just found another way out, and I think that’s where we can get out,” Eureka said, pointing to a huge crack in the distance.
Sang Zhitao and Bayer walked to the crack, feeling the salty, damp wind coming from it, and stepped into the crack without hesitation.
They walked a long way, until their feet ached, before they felt a stronger salty wind blowing into the gaps, and the cries of seabirds mixed with the sound of the sea reached their ears.
"We should be there soon." Sang Zhitao touched the wall that was obviously sloping upwards, feeling the sound getting closer and closer. A clear light shone in, turning the gap and exit into a beautiful golden yellow.
They stepped out of the crevice and were greeted by a green forest, with yellow sand beaches and blue seas in the distance, as well as a moored pirate ship and leisurely pirates.
Suddenly, several screams rang out. They turned around and saw that the obvious cave on the former island in the middle of the lake had collapsed. Several captains were frantically swinging their oars on the lake, but they still couldn't stop the ghost jellyfish from attacking.
As the golden sunset gradually turned orange, the jellyfish became increasingly frenzied, eventually being dragged one by one to the bottom of the lake by the ghost jellyfish, until the lake surface was dyed into patches of dazzling red.
Sang Zhitao raised an eyebrow and looked at Bayer: "You didn't tell them?"
Bayer smiled nonchalantly: "Obtaining the Fountain of Youth is all about luck; they just weren't lucky enough."
Sang Zhitao scoffed lightly, quite disdainfully: "Is it luck or scheming?"
"What does it matter? If they had been willing to wait for us, they wouldn't have died. They died because of their own greed."
"Only a guide can lead them safely back and forth from the lake of ghost jellyfish. Abandoning the guide is abandoning their chance of survival. Are you still going to have a soft heart?"
Bayer looked at Sang Zhitao with a mocking gaze.
Sang Zhitao took out a wooden box containing jade pieces from her waist, tossed it in her hand and caught it again, gave the other party a sneer without caring, and casually led Eureka down the mountain.
Every pirate dies on adventures; it's inevitable. Not to mention the search for the Fountain of Youth, which is always a matter of life and death. Although the pirates on the other ships were saddened by their captain's death on adventure, none of them said anything about avenging their captain.
After saying goodbye to Bayer, Sang Zhitao and the others returned to their own ship and left the island.
"Speaking of which, isn't the island afraid we'll come back if it stays here all this time?" Baron asked curiously, looking at the small island left behind.
"No, because this island can move." Sang Zhitao smiled indifferently and threw the wooden box guiding the way into the sea.
"Hey!" Baron tried to stop him but failed.
"Let future generations have their own opportunities. We've gained so much this time," Sang Zhitao said, smiling brightly under the sunlight.
Today is the waxing crescent moon. The moonlight isn't particularly bright, but when it spreads across the sea, it looks like a silver fish swimming freely.
Sang Zhitao lay on the soft bed, her fingertips caressing the wooden box containing the jade pieces. She could feel an attraction emanating from the box; the jade pieces inside were calling to her.
She took a deep breath, opened the wooden box, and the jade piece that she had been holding back instantly turned into silver light and entered her chest.
The pulling sensation from the depths of her soul arrived as expected, and this time, she fell into that pure white space while she was unusually conscious.
Fragments of memory spun in the air, the afterimage of chasing butterflies in the orphanage as a child intertwined with the scene of struggling to survive on the streets at sixteen. Before she could recall them carefully, the images vanished in an instant.
She stared intently at those images, remembering the grueling life after starting work, but forgetting the times she cried in the women's restroom after self-study.
Suddenly, a scene flashed before her eyes, a scene she had never seen before.
A dozen or so tall figures surrounded a young child, lying on the clouds looking down at the mortal world.
She couldn't clearly see the faces of those people, but she knew they were her closest relatives, her teachers, friends, and family...
"Wait!" Sang Zhitao instinctively reached out to stop the fleeting scene, but was pulled into the smoke-filled battlefield.
The tattered military flag seemed to weep in the fierce wind, and the sounds of fighting and war drums seemed to bury her. Broken spears and halberds stood on the blood-soaked ground, and the constant falling of people and the clashing of weapons made her feel cold as she stood there.
Sang Zhitao stood there blankly and helplessly on the battlefield, looking at the real carnage before her.
The wind carried the stench of decaying flesh, and the air was filled with the flapping wings of scavengers.
She clutched her chest, overwhelmed by an indescribable sorrow.
A single tear escaped from her helpless eyes, slid down her cheek, and fell to the ground.
On the muddy, stinking ground of flesh and blood, an exceptionally white flower bloomed amidst tears. That glimmer of life visibly devoured the severed limbs and broken swords until it covered the battlefield of flesh and blood.
Sang Zhitao didn't know how long she had been standing there; time had left no doubt about her, until this place had become a beautiful forest.
The sea breeze, carrying the salty, damp scent of the ocean, blew by, and memories began to blur, leaving only indistinct whispers, like lullabies from childhood. Someone gently stroked her hair, and someone tenderly embraced her.
"Learn to be a god, save your civilization, and leave us a glimmer of hope..."
When Sang Zhitao regained consciousness, a sun was already peeking over the horizon.
She opened the window, feeling the sea breeze, and a strange emotion flashed through her mind. Everything in her dream was gradually fading, but she had a deeper understanding of her future.
Sang Zhitao looked around. As expected, the transaction gate did not appear. Her sixth sense told her that this place would not make any transactions with Earth.
After placing the previously organized wooden boxes into the only small trunk she found on the Hope that could hold hundreds of wooden boxes, she sighed and then opened the door.
"I'm leaving." Sang Zhitao called Baron, Eureka, and Little John to the captain's cabin, and said with a sigh after glancing at them.
The farewell came suddenly, catching everyone off guard.
"Going back is fine," Eureka nodded indifferently.
Baron immediately realized what was happening and said in disbelief, "You...you're not planning to come back?!"
"Huh? You're not coming back?!" Eureka realized what was happening, immediately stood up, and exclaimed, "You're going back to inherit the throne?!"
Sang Zhitao pondered for a moment before slowly shaking her head.
"Not going to inherit the throne? Then where are you going?" Baron frowned as he looked at her, his eyes full of worry.
"There are some things I can't tell you, I can only say... I still have a lot of things I need to do waiting for me."
"..." Baron was silent for a long time before nodding. "Have a safe journey."
"Hey! What did you say! Our adventure has only just begun?!" Eureka stood up in confusion, glaring at Baron.
Baron ignored him and looked only at Sang Zhitao.
Sang Zhitao sighed before looking at Eureka: "Eureka, let's lead our Anling to legendary heights. I, a princess, am already very satisfied to become a famous pirate king on the seas."
“But…” Eureka was still not satisfied and wanted to continue asking questions.
"Alright, Eureka!" Baron called out to Eureka, then pulled a whalebone dagger from his waist and handed it to Sang Zhitao. "This is a family heirloom, which once belonged to a king. Now I give it to you, our Queen."
Sang Zhitao looked at the dagger lying in his hand with some surprise, and remained silent for a moment without refusing.
News of Sang Zhitao's departure quickly spread throughout the team. Little John cried so hard he hiccuped, and finally stuffed his favorite gem into her suitcase.
In the days that followed, the pirates on the ship brought her farewell gifts one after another.
Looking at the simple wood carvings, the sharp knife, and even an exquisitely crafted pirate hat, Sang Zhitao was both amused and touched by everyone's kindness. She and Anna Susie carefully packed the items into their suitcases.
Fifteen days later, they arrived at the port of Saint Anne, the closest port to the capital of the Holy Spirit Kingdom, a prosperous town.
"I'm leaving." Sang Zhitao looked at her crew, first mate, second mate, and the impressive fleet, and said with a smile.
Baron and Eureka looked at her and nodded silently.
"Captain, be a good king!"
Sang Zhitao nimbly boarded the carriage, and the crew members' blessings came from behind her. Her eyes felt a little hot, but when she thought of the different expressions on the crew members' faces after they learned her identity, she couldn't help but laugh.
"Your Highness?" The laughter was caught by Susie and Anna, who were equally saddened.
"It's alright," Sang Zhitao said, looking at the small wooden box in her arms.
The clatter of hooves echoed from the stone road to the muddy country lane, and the group disappeared from the sight of the rest of the fleet.
From that day on, the pirates on the high seas learned of Sang Zhitao's true identity. Those who had originally planned to rob the Anling after learning of Sang Zhitao's departure suppressed their restless hearts. After all, they still needed the countries on the mainland to provide them with daily necessities, and offending the monarch of a country with a special status was not a wise thing to do.
After the carriage passed through seven towns, the prosperous capital of the Holy Spirit Kingdom came into view.
Sensing that the time for departure was approaching, Sang Zhitao did not linger and went directly into the king's study to meet her nominal father.
"Father." After bowing, Sang Zhitao stood up, opened her mouth but didn't know how to tell the person in front of her that she was not his daughter and that she had to leave immediately.
"Are you leaving?" But the king's words were surprising.
"...You know?" Sang Zhitao looked at him in surprise.
"When my daughter was born, the witch prophesied that she would be no ordinary person, that her soul had a source and would eventually return to its source," the king said with a smile, his face filled with reminiscence.
When he was still young, he was overwhelmed with mixed feelings when he heard the witch's prophecy. This was his beloved daughter, who would be his best successor, but her extraordinary fate also foreshadowed that her life would not be smooth sailing.
As he expected, his daughter's life was far from smooth sailing for the next ten years or so. She was either bedridden or sickly, until two years ago, a year before the original story began, when she suddenly recovered her health.
And he knew that this was the time the witch had spoken of when the soul would depart.
"I'm sorry, I... I have my responsibilities," Sang Zhitao replied hesitantly after hearing the king's words.
"Aren't you going to say goodbye to your uncle?" The king didn't say anything more, but changed the subject.
"Never mind." Sang Zhitao shook her head.
"Will you come back in the future?" Beneath the king's calm expression lay undisguised anxiety and anticipation.
"Yes, but I don't know when I'll be back." Sang Zhitao sighed silently.
"It's alright, the throne of the Holy Spirit Kingdom will be reserved for you," the king promised with a smile.
Sang Zhitao was somewhat surprised and was about to persuade the other party that her return date was uncertain when she saw the king wave his hand: "Go, go do what you should do."
Seeing this, she could only nod and turn to leave.
That night, accompanied by green light, Sang Zhitao left the pirate world with the treasures she had accumulated.
"Aren't you sad?" The Duke of Wales stood with his brother by the window.
“Children always have to grow up, and there are many more worlds waiting for her. We can’t be so selfish.” The king looked at the palace where Sang Zhi Tao lived in the distance with affection and deep meaning in his eyes.
"I hope she can come back soon," the Duke of Wales sighed.
The king didn't reply for a long time, until the other thought he wouldn't speak again, then said quietly, "Yes, he will, he definitely will."
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Author's Note: The next volume will depict the changes on Earth.
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