"High-energy entity convergence detected!"
"It's… the Jidu Mirage and Shijie Luohou! Impossible—!"
The living planets, summoned by the Abundance Followers, existed only in historical records—destroyers of the Xianzhou Cangcheng, nearly annihilators of Fanghu. To survive their descent, annihilation was the only answer.
But the Alliance no longer possessed a second Cloud-Scrying Mirror. There would be no miracle like Fanghu's salvation.
On the battleship bridge, crimson alerts flooded tactical screens. Advancing meant certain destruction.
"General!"
"Your orders!"
All eyes turned to Jing Yuan.
He raised Stonefire Dreamblade, voice unwavering.
"Forward."
Retreat was never an option.
Golden sword energy cascaded like solar flares, hammering Táowù's colossal form. Even with Abundance's regeneration, the beast staggered under the onslaught.
Anming's hair blazed with golden flames at the tips, momentarily suppressing the emerald vines consuming his body. Memories dissolved into sword light—each strike burning fragments of his past.
Even as oblivion claimed him, one truth remained:
Xu'er.
Táowù retreated under the assault, vines lashing futilely at Anming. The balance teetered—immortal flesh versus a fading soul.
"Now."
Anming plunged Nightless into Yuque's core. The blade split the ship in two, golden light shearing through celestial metal.
Half of Yuque hurtled into the void—a sacrificial raft.
Anming stood at the fracture's edge, skin cracking with glowing vines. Nightless trembled in his grip, fissures spiderwebbing its surface.
Not enough.
The sword erupted in radiant gold, memories crystallizing into its final strike.
"This… is my life."
A white light—pure, absolute—cleaved the heavens.
Táowù froze, bisected. Dawn broke.
Yuque's severed half drifted into the cosmic sea, luring the living planets away. Three system hours later, gravitational collapse birthed a black hole, devouring the Abundance's celestial titans.
Only ashes reached the surviving Yuque—snowfall of war.
Fu Xuan knelt, catching cinders in her palm.
If shared snowfall counts as白头 (growing old together),
Then let this be our vow.
"I'm sorry…"
"I couldn't grow old with you."
Sunlight pierced the haze. Peach blossoms rained around her.
Three Months Later
"Fu Qing. Are you certain?"
"...Yes."
Fu Xuan's face held deathly stillness. Beyond the transparent barrier lay the Shackling Prison's depths—where a figure writhed in emerald vines, barely human.
"He's gone," Jing Yuan warned. "Only Yaoshi's curse remains, reshaping empty flesh."
The vines stilled as Fu Xuan approached. One eye—void of consciousness—flickered with buried recognition.
Tendrils recoiled from her touch.
"Fool…" She wept, grasping the retreating vines. "But you're not my Anming."
Wuming's blade pierced the heart beneath. No resistance. Crimson soaked the red thread at its hilt.
Epilogue
Spring came.
The peach tree bloomed.
[Simulation Terminated]