She suddenly smiled, reaching out to wipe away a tear.
Once, she had been punished by Qingbai to kneel on the ground for a day and a night, completely frozen.
That day, it had snowed all night, and she had almost turned into a snowman.
When she was on the verge of death, someone had wrapped her in a cloak and held her in the Qingyu hot spring for a day and a night before her consciousness gradually returned.
In her dazed confusion, she thought that person was Qingbai.
By some twist of fate, she had admired him ever since.
Only now did she realize that Qingbai had never given her his cloak.
Every time she was pulled back from the brink of disaster, it was always Jun Lan.
"With you, this life is not wasted."
"You always save me..."
"This time, just let me have my way."
"For the sake of all living beings, and for you..."
...
Ling Xi's gaze narrowed, watching her break free from his embrace and turn away. His heart suddenly clenched, suffocating him.
"... Absolutely not!!!"
That clear and graceful figure suddenly leaped into the vortex, swallowed by the magma.
"You crazy girl!"
"Zi Ling!!!"
"Sister!!!"
...
Bai Yu and Mu Heng supported Ye Jinghuai and a group of people standing by the cave entrance. When they arrived in a hurry, Ye Ziling had already been engulfed by the magma, disappearing without a trace.
The color drained from everyone's faces, turning pale. They stared wide-eyed at the scene.
Ye Jinghuai collapsed onto the ground, his heart sinking to the abyss.
Mu Heng's expression was solemn as he slowly walked towards Ling Xi, lowering his gaze.
It was meant to be this way.
He had tried everything to keep Ye Ziling away from Ling Xi, but their fate was never severed. What could he do?
If she had not fallen in love with Ling Xi, she would not be the one dying today.
Ling Xi gazed at the gradually closing vortex, his eyes burning, his heart unsettled. It was not until Mu Heng unsealed his acupoints and patted his shoulder that he spoke in an unusually steady voice, "When the pear blossoms bloom, she will return."
One could only hope so.
The surrounding vibrations ceased abruptly. The magma retreated, and the water in the pool gradually became clear and bright.
In an instant, a pillar of light shot straight into the sky, reaching the ninth heaven, propping up the heavens and earth anew.
Above the sky, countless cranes flapped their wings and cried out, soaring in the firmament. Auspicious clouds drifted apart, supporting them as they ascended into the heavens.
Specks of light spread from the divine spring, radiating in all directions.
Wherever they reached, plants were reborn, and birds and beasts rejoiced.
All filth and darkness vanished under the dispelling of the light.
Heaven and earth returned to their original state, as if nothing had ever happened.
---
"After the Heavenly Pillar was repaired, Emperor Jun Lan controlled the three realms. The realms of humans, gods, and demons merged, interacting with each other. From then on, the Heavenly Realm was peaceful, and the human world enjoyed tranquility."
"It's just that this Emperor seems not to like staying in the Heavenly Court much."
"Normally, no one can find his whereabouts, but some have encountered him in the Pear Garden."
"For some reason, he has traveled through all the pear orchards in the world, searching for something..."
...
On the stage, the storyteller, a Qilin beast, held a Heavenly History scroll and faced the human children in the audience. He twirled a folding fan, and with his lifelike expressions, he captivated the children's attention even more.
The little ones sat on small stools, stiff and straight, propping their chins with their small hands. Their round eyes stared intently at the stage, completely engrossed.
"Teacher, what happened to the Goddess Tu Yao in the end?"
One of the little ones raised his hand and asked, his eyes shining with expectation.
"Yes, and what about Emperor Jun Lan? Where does he usually live if he's not in the Heavenly Court?"
The divine beast on stage became animated. He extended a claw and smiled smoothly, playing coy with an alluring smile.
"Want to know?"
"You have to pay more..."
"Hmph—" The children waved their hands in unison, hopped off their seats, and ran out of the theater.
It was always like this. If he didn't tell stories so well, they would have bought a Heavenly History scroll and read it themselves.
"Hey—where are you going? I can give you a half-price deal..."
The storyteller was about to stop them, but the children had already left the door and disappeared.
Below, a man in black robes sat by a table, picked up a cup of tea, and tilted his head to drink it down.
He lowered his bamboo hat, obscuring his eyebrows and eyes, but a smile played on his lips.
He didn't know where she was, so how could these people?
Perhaps, as Mu Heng had said, all the delicate flowers blooming in the world, the grass pushing through the soil, the gentle rain... were all her.
These days, he had exhausted his ink, yet he couldn't capture a single feature of her face.
If she were still here, would she be happy to see this prosperous world?
Ling Xi stood up, placed a silver ingot on the table, and vanished out the door.
The gentle breeze of mid-spring was warm. Tender green lotus leaves dripped with crystal-clear morning dew. With a "plop," they fell into the lotus pond, creating ripples.
On the lotus pavilion, a woman leaned against the railing, holding a book. Her expression was focused, her pages turned at times, and her brow furrowed in thought.
She wore a white veil, and her exposed arm was as white as jade, with skin so delicate and smooth that it was even cooler than mint.
On the stone table, five types of medicinal herbs were laid out.
Suddenly, a maid carrying an oiled paper umbrella ran excitedly into the pavilion. She closed the umbrella and said with a smile, "Miss Ling, the patients with heart disease have all been cured!"
"Really?"
Ye Ziling's eyes lit up. She put down her book and walked over to the maid.
"As real as real gold!" The maid, dressed in green, still had raindrops on her two braids. She suddenly frowned and said, "Miss, there have been reports of demonic beasts appearing in the capital these past few days. You need to be careful."
The maid looked at her graceful figure and couldn't help but offer a reminder.
"Demonic beasts?" Ye Ziling raised an eyebrow, her expression filled with doubt.
The three realms were now peaceful and interconnected, with Heavenly soldiers maintaining order. How could demonic beasts appear?
Moreover, the four major sects had been revived, and the celestial examination system had been further improved. Demonic beasts appearing would only mean a swift death as their demon cores were taken. How could they still be appearing?
Over the past year, she had traveled across the three realms, practicing medicine, saving lives, and accumulating much merit.
She had passed through many places with heavy Yin energy without encountering any demonic beasts. How could there be demonic beasts in the human world now?
"Qianqian, are the demon cores used as medicinal ingredients running out?" Ye Ziling suddenly thought of something, her expression changing.
Qianqian was startled and quickly unfastened the medicine pouch from her waist, reaching inside. She frowned, "Uh..."
"Not running out, but completely gone."
The girl turned the pouch upside down and shook it. It was empty, not even a single strand of fur remaining.
"..."
Ye Ziling fell silent. After a long moment, she sighed, "Fine. Take my token and go to Yingzhou to gather some more medicinal ingredients. I'll handle the demon core situation."
"Yes, Miss." Qianqian respectfully replied and withdrew.
The ripples on the surface of the pond grew sparser. Occasionally, a carp would leap out of the water, splashing in the spray.
Had her merit from the past year been enough to atone for her sins?
How was he now? Would he get married and have children? Or was he waiting for her?
The Heavenly Emperor had said that as long as she accumulated merit, she could atone for all her sins, but she still couldn't see him yet.
The rain gradually stopped.