Chapter 1339: Fate Mingles, Destiny Activates!

The door of the phoenix palace slowly swung open. There was no wind outside, just flowing time that swept in as the door opened. As a result, it was as if the entire phoenix palace became a river of space-time. As the figure outside took a step, waves spread through the space-time.

When the first wave bloomed, the image within time spread through the interior hall. Within that image of shimmering ripples, it was possible to see the Seven Sect Coalition. Birdsong and the fragrance of flowers filled the air. Everything was harmonious.

Off in the distance was the new headquarters being constructed by Seven Blood Eyes cultivators. A bit closer beneath the dazzling starry sky was the Dark Serenity Sect, outside of which, two figures snuck along as stealthily as thieves. These were the days when Seven Blood Eyes had just joined the Seven Sect Coalition, turning it into the Eight Sect Coalition. At the moment Xu Qing had accepted Erniu’s invitation to join him in a business transaction with Huang Yikun, to sell a finger back to him.[1]

Up in the dome of heaven, a woman hovered, smiling. She was seductive, with long hair streaming down her back and bound loosely with a pink ribbon. Her violet garment was decorated with stars and glowed faintly. Surrounding her was a faint haze that made her truly seem like an immortal that didn’t belong in the mundane world.

Her gaze fell upon Xu Qing, and she laughed softly as she descended. To the astonishment of Erniu and Xu Qing both, she went right up to Xu Qing, put her finger under his chin, and exhaled softly.

“We meet again, child. What are you doing here at the Dark Serenity Sect so late at night? Are you lost?”

This was the first time that Xu Qing officially met Plumdark.

The waves undulated. Outside of the image in time, Xu Qing smiled. And then, the Xu Qing in the image looked up at the seductive woman and softly said, “I’m not lost. There’s an invisible string connected to my heart that I followed here.”

The words caused the woman to freeze in place.

The first wave in time sank down. On the outside, Xu Qing took a second step, and a second wave filled the hall.

The waves of the Everlasting Immortal Profundity River appeared, filling all that could be seen. It was evening, and the sun was setting. A large boat slowly sailed along the river.[2]

Plumdark sat on the rail looking at the glow of sunset. Xu Qing sat off to the side, looking cautious.

“Xu Qing,” she said quietly, “play that song again for me. I want to hear it.”

A pensive flute song drifted out. Though the song felt like something from the jianghu, it didn’t describe a life of sorrow, nor an existence of loneliness. The flute song swept out with a feeling of hope and joy.

Inside the image, Plumdark shivered and looked at Xu Qing.

As he sat there, he looked up and softly said, “This song used to be called

Parting with Sorrow

. Now it’s called

Reunion

.”

***

Scenes like these filled the waves in the hall of the phoenix palace. As Xu Qing strode toward Plumdark, every step he took caused images within time to be replayed.

There was the time atop the statue of the huge snake, where they sat and had a heart-to-heart chat. There was the time in the private chamber in Sea-Sealing County when Plumdark put concealment symbols on him. There was the time in the imperial capital of humankind when Xu Qing snatched the Plumdark Evergreen Lamp. All of the images seemed to merge together, creating a trembling in space-time.[3]

Ultimately, Xu Qing strode through the waves until he stood right in front of the cross-legged Plumdark. He extended his hand toward her.

Her eyes glittered as if with starlight, which shone out to illuminate the world. And as Xu Qing approached, color entered that illuminated world. Without any hesitation, Plumdark took Xu Qing’s hand.

Xu Qing looked tenderly at her as she stood.

“I’m back,” he said softly.

After that, there was no sound in the phoenix palace. The complex beneath Sea-Sealing County blurred, and then everything disappeared.

When Xu Qing reappeared, he was no longer beneath Sea-Sealing County. Instead, he was atop Mount Daybreak, a place he had visited for years. There were now two gravestones there. This was the place Xu Qing had long since picked to be his home.[4]

His father and mother, who were already mere blurs in his memory, lay in rest here. They had been sacrificed to Eminent Desolation, so there was no way Xu Qing could find them in space-time. The only evidence of their existence came in the form of these two gravestones.

Together with Plumdark, Xu Qing settled down on Mount Daybreak. Half of a sixty-year-cycle passed.

During that time, civilization flourished in the Revered Ancient mainland. Zhou Zhengli and the others had already acclimated to life, and had gone their separate ways. Some had gone into seclusion, others had founded their own sects to expound their wisdom. After all, each had their own type of cultivation.

High in the dome of heaven, Eminent Desolation’s eyes never opened. However, two swords appeared on Mount Daybreak.

The first came twenty-seven years before, when a god from beyond Revered Ancient crossed the line of demarcation. The sword shot up from Mount Daybreak, into the dome of heaven, and out into the starry sky. There, it executed the god that had crossed the border. God blood fell. All living beings in Revered Ancient looked on.

The second sword came five years before. However, it didn’t fly to the starry sky, but rather, to the outer sea! In that location, a god from another star ring tried to use the Primeval Sea crossing method to reach Revered Ancient. That god was executed by the sword!

All gods observing from outside of Revered Ancient were shaken to the core by those swords.

Because of that, a true holy land actually came to exist in the mainland. People began to travel there, though few people actually stepped onto the mountain. The reason was that Mount Daybreak existed within space-time, but at the same time, didn’t exist.

There was one person who could step onto the mountain. However, when she arrived, she simply stood outside observing for a time, before finally deciding to leave. That person was Ling’er.

In life, there are some things that cannot be forced. And that is especially true of love. For example, despite a life of bitterness, Zhao Zhongheng had still not achieved the love he sought.

Decades ago when Xu Qing visited the Green Spirit Pharmacy, he had not stated anything openly. But in the days he had stayed, Ling’er had come to realize the truth.

***

Another ten years passed. One day as the sun set, the evening glow caused Mount Daybreak to shine radiantly.

A person appeared at the summit of the mountain. He wore a black robe and had long violet hair cascading down his shoulders. As he strode out, he seemed like a mysterious shimmer created by the afterglow of the setting sun. He was none other than Xu Qing.

Behind him was Plumdark, clad in garments that looked like those of a housewife. Her clothing was plain and simple, but she was as beautiful as ever. However, she looked worried, and seemed like she had something she wanted to say to Xu Qing. In the end, she maintained her silence.

Behind her, no longer in soul form, but in possession of a corporeal body, was Patriarch Golden Vajra Warrior. Over the past years, the patriarch had benefited from a lot of good fortune. He had become the steward of Mount Daybreak, and was able to throw his weight around anywhere he went outside the mountain. In his free time he had begun writing novels.... No one could challenge his authority except for Little Shadow....

However, the pride that usually imbued Patriarch Golden Vajra Warrior was gone. Instead, he looked just as worried as the lady of the house. He knew that now was not a time for him to speak. All he could do was step back silently and watch Xu Qing and Plumdark depart.

Plumdark paid no heed to the patriarch as she stepped in front of Xu Qing and adjusted his garments.

“You really have to go?” she asked.

Xu Qing didn’t say anything at first. A moment passed. He looked in the direction of the Heaveneater Region. “It’s time to end things. He’s been waiting for me for years now.”

1. The original scene in the Eight Sect Coalition began in

chapter 278

. ☜

2. The original scene on the river was in

chapter 299

. ☜

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

3. The heart-to-heart chat was in

chapter 380

. The concealment symbols were in

chapter 439

. Xu Qing grabbing the lamp started in

chapter 943

. ☜

4. Xu Qing said in

chapter 483.2

that he would settle down at Mount Daybreak later in life. ☜