Xu Yuan instinctively turned his gaze away.

Reaching this point, many things were deeply buried in his heart, impossible to express to others.

The war started because of him, billions of lives perished because of him, and the death knell of the old order created by ’Heavenly Will’ sounded because of him.

As the instigator of all this, Xu Yuan had a responsibility to seek a future for this scarred world. Though he was on this path now, he wasn’t sure about the chances of success, nor where it would ultimately lead.

Xu Yuan wanted to leave as just an individual.

But would the world really conform to his wishes?

Heroes abound in this grand era, even figures like his father had to exchange their lives for a sliver of future. What right did he have to succeed?

His path was one against the world.

The Sect Alliance was just the beginning.

Once his true objective was exposed, former friends, comrades, elders, loyal subordinates, and even a past lover could turn against him.

The path of carrying the torch was fraught with difficulty, and Xu Yuan was constantly pondering and hesitating. It might be only when cornered that he would make up his mind.

Just like the decision ’Heaven’ faced countless years ago.

To accept failure as a human,

or, regardless of violating humanity, to forcibly tread his own path.

If it truly came to that,

Xu Yuan’s way of becoming a god would likely be bloodier than his predecessors’.

The voice of the Black Death Mycelial Mat, craving human flesh and blood, echoed in the depths of his mind, and the satisfaction and power gained from devouring human soul and flesh were still vivid.

And as such an existence... would he persist in solitude until the end of time, until the next "Xu Changtian" defeats him?

Such potential loneliness was unknown.

The dazed girl in black before him might not know either, yet once again she touched the deepest softness of his heart, like in the past.

Xu Yuan raised his hand, pulling the girl, whose eyes were full of him, into his embrace and deeply buried his head in her shoulder, his body slightly trembling:

"Thank you..."

Ran Qingmo pursed her lips, somewhat dissatisfied:

"Xu Yuan..."

"I know, I owe you a favor, don’t I? I’ll repay it with the rest of my life."

"....."

Ran Qingmo quieted down. After a while, she held him and softly said in his ear:

"..no need."

After having his softness struck and his emotions surged back under control, Xu Yuan took a deep breath at her neck, sat up straight, and smiled gently:

"I must repay it, after all, I’m the one who first said this to you."

Ran Qingmo lowered her eyelids, a bittersweet smile playing on her soft lips.

Snow fell silently, azure waves flowed quietly.

Xu Yuan reached out to hook her chin.

Ran Qingmo’s eyes blinked frantically in a bit of panic but eventually closed slowly.

For a long time, their lips parted.

Xu Yuan looked up to find that the two graceful figures above had vanished.

The earlier passion made him miss when they had stopped, but since they did, it meant the two girls discovered him in the pavilion with Qingmo, and Tianyan just left without a fuss?

Rubbing the back of his head, Xu Yuan got up and spread his Spiritual Vision, only to find Tianyan and Tian Ye had already entered his chamber.

The two sat around the Eight Immortals Table inside.

Tian Ye’s collar was still half-open, it seemed Tianyan hadn’t covered this weapon in the end. She watched the dejected girl across from her, resting her chin on her hand with a smile:

"I thought you would explode at him."

Tianyan, with eyes downcast and hands on her lap, fingers entwined and rubbing, said in a muffled voice:

"Why...what reason do I have to be angry? If I scolded him just now...he would only hate me."

"True."

Tian Ye tilted her head thoughtfully, her tone frivolous but tinged with jealousy: "I’ve never seen Xu Yuan so out of sorts, almost like he was going to cry."

As she spoke, her slender finger lightly tapped her pale side cheek: "No idea what trick that Bing Touzi used."

"She’s always been like this."

Tianyan’s voice was dejected, biting her lip: "Xu Yuan just likes her, hmph, like a blank sheet of paper on the surface, but with much going on inside."

"That’s wrong."

Tian Ye took a deep breath, her beautiful eyes bending as she looked at her, somewhat amused:

"She really is like a blank sheet, just wholeheartedly devoted to Xu Yuan, though I should thank her, otherwise I wouldn’t know what Xu Yuan intends."

Tianyan looked up instinctively.

She knew everything about Xu Yuan.

His preferences, his habits, even those disgusting little quirks.

But,

it was limited to within the Illusionary Realm.

In these two years, he had changed so much.

The current Xu Yuan even left her at a loss.

He would no longer speak frivolously, would no longer smile with amusement, nor would he tell any crude jokes. He always had a serious demeanor, much like... Xu Xiang in the past.

Although when he was alone, he would temporarily revert to his former self, but Tianyan knew that it was because he didn’t want her to be sad.

So, she softly asked:

"What does he want to do?"

Tian Ye glanced at her:

"Agree to one condition of mine, and I’ll tell you."

Tianyan frowned:

"What condition?"

"Tonight, Xu Yuan is likely to sleep with Ran Qingmo, so accompany me over there at the time."

Xu Yuan: "..."

"...Ah?"

Tianyan’s beautiful eyes were a bit dazed, just staring blankly at the other party. She instinctively asked, "You... don’t want him to get close to other women either?"

"Ha?"

Tian Ye’s alluring lips curled into a charming arc as she blinked her captivating phoenix eyes: "What do you think?"

"...." Tianyan.

"...." Xu Yuan.

Tianyan’s breathing became somewhat rapid, not because of nervousness, but out of anger. She couldn’t imagine that this wanton woman in front of her was once one of her ancestral teachers, the uncrowned queen of the Sect Alliance in the world. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

But soon, a flush gradually spread across Tianyan’s face, as if she was considering the feasibility of this proposal, but ultimately she snorted coldly:

"Ran Qingmo wouldn’t agree to this."

"Rest assured, I know her temperament better than you do. She indeed wouldn’t agree, but she won’t refuse either. So, what do you say, will you agree?"

"No way!"

"Then forget it."

Tian Ye answered decisively, waved her hand, and was ready to go to the secret chamber below to continue contemplating how to break the restrictions of the ’Heavenly Will’ and surpass the Saint with the Yantian Art.

Tianyan saw this and became a bit anxious, speaking clearly:

"Wait a moment."

"What is it? I’m short on time." Tian Ye glanced back.

Tianyan sat in her seat, clutching the hem of her palace skirt, staring intensely at this enchantress:

"You... are sure you know what Xu Yuan wants to do?"

"Mm-hmm~"

"....."

Tianyan was silent for a moment, turned her head, and whispered:

"I... I can accompany you, but... but I’m only going with you once."

Xu Yuan: "...."

"Hey~"

Tian Ye elongated her voice.

Tianyan quickly interrupted, sounding like an agitated cat, sternly commanding:

"Just say it!"

Tian Ye rolled her eyes coquettishly and replied casually:

"Xu Yuan wants to become the next Tian."

"Impossible!"

Tianyan immediately denied it, then quickly said: "He just told me that he doesn’t want to become a being like ’Tian’."

Saying this, she confidently added:

"He wouldn’t lie to me about something like this."

Tian Ye looked a bit helpless, shook her head, and said slowly:

"Wanting is one thing; having to do it is another. Understand? Do you think the ’Tian’ of the past became that twisted being out of his own will?"

"..."

Tianyan was silent, and in an instant, she understood, her heart burdened with guilt as if cut by a knife.

Tian Ye sighed lightly, as if comforting, or perhaps self-talking:

"It’s not your fault. When the entire world bows at your feet, you naturally respond to the world’s expectations. You’ve never stood at the pinnacle of the world, so you naturally can’t feel such pressure, nor can you know the tenderness in his heart."

Having said that,

Tian Ye turned and walked toward the lower secret chamber, but soon stopped again, looking back with some impatience:

"Why are you following me?"

Tianyan looked at her with a blank expression:

"You... do you know the cultivation method of the Life and Death Dao Charm?"

...

That night.

Xu Yuan managed to squeeze out an entire night of free time.

With his help, the big and small Bing Touzi became one for the first time.