The first possibility of death was, naturally, for one's soul to return to the Void Realm and fall into Hell.
Yet in Senluo, death held more than one possibility.
To be corrupted by the Strangling Green, turned into a green beast doomed to wander eternally in agonizing misery, was the second.
Yet beyond these lay a third possibility—one that countless people of Senluo yearned for, revered, and prayed to receive.
“A grand law.”
Weise said, “A grand law is the closest existence to a god. If any power in Senluo can contend with a divine miracle, none comes to mind except a grand law.”
Remembering something, Yaxiu pulled out his belt and transformation card. Weise said nothing, merely watching as his attempt to transform failed before speaking: “The Silent Spiral is cut off from the outside world. Besides, the Transcendent Prison Grand Law has likely already been ground to dust by the dark-green storm.”
“Then what about your grand laws?”
“Gathering seventeen grand laws to unseal the Silent Spiral was already the limits of my ability. Even if I had wanted to find more, the other factions would never have given me the chance—they had hidden their grand laws far too deep,” Weise said. “Besides, whether those grand laws would even be effective against this storm is doubtful. Bringing out grand laws from the fire, frost, lightning, or frailty factions might only feed the storm's power.”
Perplexed, Yaxiu asked, “If we don't have a grand law, what's the use of mentioning this?”
“Who said we don't have one?”
Weise pointed at him, then pointed at herself. “Aren't we right here?”
Yaxiu froze, then suddenly understood.
“Having undergone the Divine Fire Trial, you and I are already Divine Fire Seeds destined to become grand laws upon death. And unlike other grand laws, if we become one here, its effect will inevitably suppress or even dispel the apocalyptic storm in accordance with our will.”
“We,” she lowered her head and whispered softly, “are the final hope.”
Indeed.
The two of them were Divine Fire Seeds; upon death, they were guaranteed to become grand laws. Because the effect of a grand law was determined by the host's deepest wish, White Dove's Piercing Qingji, Fire Cat's Flame of Knowing and Guarding, and Blue Bird's Wish Fulfilled possessed multiple effects that even Weixi drooled over.
As long as your wish was strong enough, you could define your own effects at will.
However...
“One can only become a grand law after dying,” Yaxiu said. “So... will it be you, or me?”
Weise turned her head to look at him quietly, and Yaxiu looked back at her. Slowly, the corners of Weise's lips curved upward and her eyes crinkled into a breathtaking, radiant smile. “We'll decide when we get there. Who knows, maybe we'll die along the way and both become grand laws together.”
With that, she took the initiative to press forward, and Yaxiu followed closely behind. Before long, Silver Lantern broke the silence herself: “Yaxiu, do you know that I like you?”
“Yeah.”
“You knew? Well, of course you did—I made it so obvious. But I also know that being liked by someone like me must give you a bit of secret pleasure, but mostly disgust, right? But what could I do? I accepted the legacy of the Grey Fox sorcerers, yet fell for someone like you. Even a seed blown to the wrong place can't stop itself from taking root and sprouting.”
“Even if we manage to stop the divine miracle storm, most of the people in Senluo will probably be dead. Your companions are likely gone too. With all your friends lost, would you be willing to start over with me, now that I no longer have a mission to shoulder?”
“Ah, I forgot. You seem to have mentioned that you already love someone in another realm.” Silver Lantern bowed her head, her lively tone suddenly sinking low. “Besides... even if you didn't, you definitely wouldn't be with me. I know that.”
“My only purpose was to destroy the world. After destroying it, I have nowhere I want to go, nothing I want to eat, and even the person I like doesn't like me back...” Silver Lantern turned toward Yaxiu, her expression a mix of pitiful vulnerability and pleading. “If I die, will you remember me for the rest of your life?”
Yaxiu looked at her without answering.
Silver Lantern shrugged. “You won't even give me a promise like that? You really are heartless to me. Do you think you have me completely wrapped around your finger? But then again, I'm just such an empty person, and you're the only one left that I care about.”
“Fine, fine. I'll die as a grand law, just take it as atonement for my past,” she said with feigned lightness. “Then you can go search for the one you love with a clear conscience... Hmph.”
Yaxiu looked at her with an exceptionally subtle gaze. “Uh-huh.”
By now, they had entered the eye of the storm and could see White Dove and Blue Bird not far ahead. The two gods had imprisoned themselves inside a green birdcage, their eyes shut tight, whether unwilling to look or sunken into a deep slumber.
“We arrived so fast.” Silver Lantern blinked, looking pitifully at Yaxiu. “Actually, I was only joking just now...”
“Let's try a regular attack first.” Yaxiu summoned his substitute and unleashed the miracle Substitute Splash Ink. But when the substitute dashed forward, all the ink splatters hit the outside of the birdcage and were swiftly wiped clean by the storm.
Silver Lantern also drew her submachine gun and emptied an entire magazine, to no effect whatsoever. She sighed helplessly. “Looks like whoever has to die still has to die.”
“Well then, I'm off to the eternal future. Goodbye, Yaxiu.” Silver Lantern let out a long breath and expanded her sanctuary, preparing to step outside the Sword Body Barrier. “In a moment, be sure to use me well. Or perhaps...”
“...let me use you!”
Bang!
Her sanctuary violently ruptured the Sword Body Barrier, and Weise spun around, raising her muzzle directly at Yaxiu! The sweetness in her smile vanished into sinister malice, the tenderness in her eyes completely erased, replaced only by venom and murderous intent!
Her finger had already pulled the trigger; the hammer had already struck the cartridge's powder!
Anyone could see in an instant that she was the Silver Lantern who paved every betrayal with sweet words!
*That should be enough,* Weise thought.
She had considered whether her words were too exaggerated, but given Yaxiu's intelligence and excessive trusting nature, if she didn't make it obvious, she felt he wouldn't realize she was acting. Besides, only under the cover of such blatant acting could she bring herself to say those playful truths...
She had also wondered whether she should just quietly walk into the grave since she was going to die anyway, or whether she should confess that Yulanweise was Silver Lantern. Yet for some reason, a strange rebellious urge had welled up in her heart toward Yaxiu—since he didn't like her anyway, why should she leave behind a good impression?
Consider it a gift.
Or perhaps a curse.
Weise's sorcery mana had long been depleted, and her sanctuary shattered the moment it flared. Yaxiu needed only to lightly brandish Heart Sword to effortlessly take her life. The wicked Silver Lantern perishing in her own plot—this was the script that would make everyone happy.
Seeing the calm in Yaxiu's eyes, Weise felt a pang of bitterness mingled with relief. *You really are too stingy to give me even a sliver of emotion or an expression...*
Bang!
A gunshot rang out. Weise stumbled as Yaxiu seized her wrist and yanked her back inside the Sword Body Barrier.
She looked up and saw a bleeding graze across Yaxiu's cheek from the bullet. Her beautiful eyes widened in utter disbelief. “Aren't you afraid I'd actually kill you? What I said earlier was just a joke!”
Yaxiu's expression was conflicted. He let out a long sigh and said faintly:
“Back in the Dead City when you confessed to me, I wasn't actually asleep.”
Weise froze. Then, as if burning with a fever, a blush crept all the way to her ears. She bit her lip so hard it bled, her eyes boring straight into Yaxiu until he felt guilty enough to turn his head away, muttering, “And I'm not stupid enough to believe those jokes you just made.”
Weise let out a sudden laugh, murmuring, “...But you're not that smart either.”
“So,” Yaxiu looked toward the nearby birdcage, “is there another way?”
“Yes.” Weise nodded firmly. She suddenly pressed into Yaxiu's chest, taking his face in both hands.
There were no restraints, no restrictions, but Yaxiu did not pull away.
Yet it was only a fleeting kiss, the taste of rust, lemon, and orange so brief it felt like an illusion. Before Yaxiu could react, he saw a radiant Silver Lantern, and...
The sorcery spirits being delivered into his soul through that kiss.
Square Cicada flew over with soft whirs, merging once more into one with Yaxiu's Round Cicada.
“In the deepest room of the Shelter, the Grey Fox sorcerers left a sentence,” Weise said. “'Whosoever inherits their mission to destroy Senluo shall become a god upon death.'
“The reason is simple. Since the ideal was to destroy the world, and the world is now destroyed, the ideal is fulfilled—allowing an immediate ascension from grand law to god.
“A grand law might not be able to halt this divine miracle storm, but a god certainly can.”
Yaxiu scanned the newly arrived sorcery spirits in his soul, his mind thrown into utter disarray. He instantly grabbed Weise's shoulders and asked incoherently, “You... Silver Lantern... Yulanweise?!”
The Puppet sorcery spirit, the Moon Concealment sorcery spirit, the Thousand Mechanisms sorcery spirit! These spirits belonging to Yulanweise were instantly recognized by Yaxiu. In a single moment, countless coincidences and puzzles in his mind resolved themselves. And more importantly—
“Yes.” Weise showed a contented smile. “It's been so long since someone called my name in reality... It feels strange.”
“As for the Illusion sorcery spirit, I'm keeping it as a burial gift for myself. I can't give that one to you.”
“Wait!” Yaxiu shook his head and roared, “There's no need—let's try something else—”
“Yaxiu.”
Weise's body was like a sheet of paper set alight, turning to ash bit by bit.
“Everything between us was an illusion.”
Yaxiu's hand grasped only empty air, watching her shatter into fragments and disperse upon the wind.
“What if...” She looked at Yaxiu, tears shimmering in her eyes, but Yaxiu could no longer hear her question.
The moment the ashes scattered, Yaxiu saw a silver fox stride forth from the void. But in the next second, the silver fox curled into a ball, and at the same time, Yaxiu's Sword Body Barrier shattered.
Yet he was not engulfed by the dark-green storm, for a gentle silver glow was softly caressing him.
A little girl with five silver tails was born within that silver light. Carrying a silver lantern in her hand, she had long blue hair beneath a soft white cap, a dark-red mantle, a white-gold priest's robe, black gloves covering both hands, and round-rimmed glasses—her appearance was identical to the tearful little girl Yaxiu had seen during Return of the Soul to Youth.
Step by step, she walked up to Yaxiu. Wherever the silver radiance touched, the storm receded entirely.
A single silver lantern shone through the long night.
She bent at the waist in a polite bow and said respectfully, “I am Silver Lantern. Please use me well.”
Yaxiu knelt down and asked cautiously, “Do you know me?”
“I don't.” She shook her head. “But you are one of only two people who can use me.”
Yaxiu stared at her blankly, tears falling uncontrollably from his eyes. Little Silver Lantern reached out to wipe away his tears, tilted her head, and asked curiously, “Why are you crying?”
Chapter 739