end
Time has lost its inherent scale in the new world. Perhaps it is just a blink of an eye, or perhaps it is an eternity.
The dark purple sea of starlight still undulated peacefully, reflecting the chaotic star wheel in the sky, whose light had been adjusted to a soft glow. On the shore, the two figures remained cuddled together, as if transformed into this world's first and most eternal sculptures.
He held her in his arms, his fingertips unconsciously weaving through her dark hair. His movements, initially awkward and cautious, gradually became natural and familiar. The power of Heaven flowed through his fingertips, but no longer carried the domineering power of reshaping the world. Only a pure, nurturing, and protective warmth remained, like sunlight penetrating the deep sea, silently soaking into her soul.
Yinglong leaned against his shoulder, eyes closed. His immortal body, once reshaped by the forces of annihilation and chaos, now perfectly fused with the newly born Heavenly Dao, now overflowed with an unprecedented sense of fulfillment and tranquility. The flames of war, struggles, and pain of the past seemed washed away by the eternally tranquil sea, sinking into the deepest recesses of his memory, never to stir again.
She could even clearly "hear" the subtle, synchronized pulsation of this world, following his steady heartbeat and her slow breathing. The contours of the mountains and rivers, the trajectory of the flowing clouds, even the flickering of every ray of light in the sea of starlight, seemed to resonate with them.
He is this world, and this world is him.
And she was with him.
This kind of thorough, fundamental connection and sense of belonging was something he had never experienced before as the Nine Heavens God of War.
After an unknown amount of time, his deep voice rang in her ears, breaking the peaceful silence without disturbing it in the slightest.
"Would you like to... go and have a look?"
His words were still concise, with the directness that was unique to the Way of Heaven, but Yinglong understood his meaning instantly.
He wanted to take her to see this new and stable world that they had opened up together.
She nodded slightly in his arms.
The next moment, the surrounding scene ripples and flows like water waves.
They did not move, but they were no longer on the starry coast.
Beneath his feet lay a boundless sea of clouds. The clouds weren't pure white, but tinged with the pale gold and purple of the dawn, soft yet heavy, bearing their weight. Looking up, the sky was a deep azure, a warm, life-giving "sun" hanging in the center. It wasn't the immortal sun of yesteryear, but a source of light crystallized by his will, nourishing all things.
Above the sea of clouds, scattered floating fairy islands hovered. These islands were no longer splendid palaces, but were instead filled with pavilions and towers of a simple and natural style, blending perfectly with the mountains, rivers, waterfalls, and exotic flowers and plants. The atmosphere was filled with spiritual energy, yet lacked the oppressive, hierarchical feel of the old heavens.
Occasionally, there are lively lights and shadows passing through the clouds or islands. They are the natural elves born under the new heaven. They have different shapes, some are like the breeze, some are like fireflies. When you sense their breath, you are not afraid. Instead, you convey the thoughts of curiosity and closeness, and then you laugh and go away.
The entire world was filled with a harmonious, vibrant order. There was no longer any distinction between immortals and mortals, no longer bound by heavenly laws. All things grew and evolved naturally, following the principles of their origins. And the source and guarantee of all this was the silent new Heavenly Emperor beside her.
He held her hand and strolled above the sea of clouds, as casually as if he was patrolling his own back garden.
No immortal officials came to pay homage, and no divine generals stood guard.
There was only the gentle breeze blowing across their clothes, the coolness of the clouds passing over their fingertips, and the omnipresent will of heaven and earth that expressed awe and welcome for their existence.
He stopped when he reached the largest floating island with a huge crystal ancient tree growing in the center.
The ancient tree's branches twisted and tangled, its leaves like the finest jade, its veins gleaming with liquid brilliance. Beneath the tree lay a simple white jade chessboard, with two cushions beside it.
"Play a game of hands?" He lowered his eyes to look at her, with a barely perceptible trace of inquiry in his eyes.
Yinglong was a bit surprised. In the old Heaven, chess was just a tool for immortals to show off their elegance or deduce the mysteries of the universe. Now that he controlled the laws of nature and understood all things, why would he still need to play chess?
But she didn't ask any more questions, just nodded.
The two sat opposite each other.
He plays black and she plays white.
The move was made silently.
At first, Yinglong, still following some of her old habits, tried to deduce the chess moves and plan for victory. However, she soon discovered that his moves were completely illogical, sometimes wildly imaginative, sometimes crude and clumsy, as if he wasn't playing chess, but rather casually scribbling some kind of meaning on these nineteen lines.
She looked up at him, only to see that his gaze was fixed on the chessboard, his expression focused. In those eyes that had always been indifferent and empty, there was a hint of...interested light.
He's not trying to win.
He was... experiencing.
Experience this kind of communication with unknown results, which does not require the use of the authority of heaven, but only relies on "skills" and "intentions".
Yinglong's heart moved slightly, and he let go of all his worries. He no longer thought about winning or losing, but just placed the white piece in his hand based on his intuition and his current mood.
The game then became more interesting.
The black and white pieces were no longer in a confrontation, but more like the interweaving and resonance of two different melodies. His chess moves carried the embrace of chaos and the decisiveness of desolation, while hers contained the sharpness of a god of war and the agility of new life.
At the end of the game, the scattered pieces on the chessboard formed a natural pattern, like a flowing nebula, or like mountains and seas leaning against each other. There was no winner or loser, only harmony.
He looked at the chessboard, and the corners of his lips seemed to rise very slightly.
"Fine."
He commented, his tone still flat, but Yinglong could feel that the lake of his heart, which was built by the power of heaven, was rippling with joy because of this game of chess played at will.
She also lowered her head and looked at the chess game that they had "drawn" together, feeling peaceful in her heart.
It turns out that eternity is not just about cold authority and supreme majesty.
You can also have the leisure of strolling in the sea of clouds, the tranquility of playing chess under a tree, and these moments of mutual understanding without words.
He put away the chessboard with a flick of his sleeve, stood up, and extended his hand to her again.
"It's time to go back."
She placed her hand in his palm and used the force to stand up.
"Where to go back to?" she asked subconsciously. This new world was so vast that it seemed like anywhere could be home.
He held her hand and took a step forward, and the surrounding scene changed again.
The next moment, they were back to the original dark purple starlit coast.
A simple courtyard had appeared on the shore, seemingly unseen. Green bamboo formed the fence, white stone steps formed the steps, and within it stood a few small houses. Under the eaves hung a string of wind chimes made of star sand and deep-sea shell pearls, emitting a clear, ethereal tinkling sound in the salty sea breeze.
"Here," he looked at her, his eyes sweeping across the small courtyard, his voice as calm as if everything had settled, "is where I belong."
It’s neither the Lingxiao Palace nor the Yaochi Palace.
It's just that on this starry seashore, there is a courtyard where she and he are.
Yinglong stood outside the fence, looking at the wind chimes that swayed gently, reflecting the starlight and chaotic light, and the half-open wooden door that seemed to welcome its owner back at any time.
The madness, blood, fire, destruction, rebirth, power, eternity... all the grandeur and subversion of cognition along the way, in the end, all returned to this small courtyard by the sea.
She turned her head and looked at him beside her.
He was also looking at her, and in those eyes that controlled the way of heaven, he clearly reflected her figure and the eternal new world behind her that was created for them.
Without saying a word, she held his hand tightly and pushed open the half-open fence door with him.
The sound of wind chimes and the vast sea of stars.
The story ends here.
Eternity begins from now on.
(End of text)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
