Fifth Pillar God: Princess of Resplendent Fireflies!

The Vosloda family's Wave Sword was unique because they could fold and compress waves infinitely before unleashing them in an instant. This was an esoteric art they closely guarded; the Extinction Surge was the pinnacle of this technique, folding waves tens of thousands of times until it could slash open every sliver of space. Yet, despite being an art invented over a thousand years ago, the Vosloda family had somehow kept it hidden right up to the present day without ever leaking it to the Void Realm. Compared to the technique itself, the Vosloda family's ability to maintain a monopoly was even more coveted. Even Sonia had only managed to deconstruct the truth behind the Vosloda Wave Sword without fully unraveling its deepest secret. Yaxiu had not known it either, but he had unconsciously picked it up. Feili had once demonstrated a complicated technique to him—folding and compressing power within one's own body before discharging it. At the time, Yaxiu had merely thought it interesting, but the technique placed extraordinarily high demands on posture and timing, making it exceedingly difficult to apply in actual combat, so he had not spent much time studying it. That was until he saw that sword light of Vosloda's, brimming with pure poetic beauty. In that moment, he thoroughly grasped the subtle genius of the Vosloda sword art. No wonder the Vosloda sword art had never spread outward. Even if someone read about it in a sorcerer's handbook, they would assume such a technique was applied to the blade itself. Who would accumulate razor-sharp sword intent inside their blood vessels? Who would nurture a vast, boundless sword light within their very bones? Using the body as the scabbard, the soul as the sword, the heart as the coffin, and emotion as the outer casket. This was a funeral sword, a monster's sword—its difficulty rivaled the combat arts Tamashi practiced. Feili was never going to master it properly; only by burying one's weak self could an immortal monster be resurrected from the grave. Unlike Vosloda, and unlike Sonia, Yaxiu's sword possessed nothing but pure, unadulterated speed. So fast that even the blade vanished, leaving only a streak of brilliant light. It was neither romantic nor magnificent. He hardly seemed to be fighting at all; rather, he looked as if he were chasing a distant phantom. For only by being faster than light could he possibly overturn a predetermined conclusion! The physical exhaustion of his body did not hinder Yaxiu's explosive surge in the slightest. In this instant, he drew infinitely close to the threshold of legendary, even brushing against the realm Vosloda had attained! Yet, right as the Oracle Comet exploded, Fanxing also reached the sword hilt. It was the sword Feili had dropped, and the sword Yaxiu had delivered to her. "A God Lord typically majors in two branches of sorcery: one exoteric, one esoteric. The exoteric is disseminated far and wide to explore its limits; the esoteric is treasured and hidden to catch enemies off guard." Fanxing gave a casual, leisurely swing, unhurried, serene, and elegant. Speckles of starlight were drawn along by her sword. Space and time gently accommodated the path of her blade, until even Yaxiu's sword light could not escape her sword's momentum. "With star sorcery, I hunt angels." "With sword arts, I stand peerless in the Void Realm." By the time Fanxing finished speaking, Yaxiu's sword light had already been completely dismantled. However, he had long anticipated this. He had never imagined he could defeat a God Lord; he had only wanted to carve out an opening. An opening to seize the Holy Grail! In a flash, Yaxiu hooked his fingers around the rim of the Holy Grail. Using his body as an axis, he spun the grail, attempting to wrench it away. Yet the colossal force radiating from the spinning Holy Grail cut into Yaxiu's fingers instead! Fanxing's mastery of sword arts had long surpassed the need to adhere to the form of a blade; weeds and falling leaves alone were enough for her to slay the sun, moon, and stars. *Boom!* Yaxiu smashed through the carriage partition and crashed into the driver's cab, covered in fresh sword wounds. Yet very little blood flowed out. Like Feili, the blood inside him had nearly run dry. Though he had failed to snatch the Holy Grail, he had not returned empty-handed. In the palm of his hand, a teardrop-shaped purplish-red crystal glowed, though it quickly cycled through black-and-white, silver-white, shadowy blue, and various other colors, making it look just like a trinket that could be bought anywhere along a commercial street. "Quite a surprise, isn't it?" Fanxing said, holding the Holy Grail aloft. "Even though the Holy Grail precipitated completely and the Prime Angel fell, it is only a quarter full—far from a complete Holy Grail. Do you know why?" Yaxiu's primary goal just now had been to seize the Holy Grail, with knocking it over as his secondary objective. Indeed, upon hearing that there was a chance for the Prime Angel to be resurrected, he had realized he still had another option. If he caused the Holy Grail to spill, not only would he have a chance to claim more Supreme Nectar, but Rose would also have an opportunity to make a comeback—and more importantly, it would delay Fanxing's progress! Since becoming Fanxing's enemy was an inescapable reality, he would use every possible means to obstruct her ascent to the Supreme, even if failure meant becoming a plaything for her to torment! Sorcerers' greatest enemies would forever be each other! Yet the Holy Grail was merely a quarter full; even putting forth his absolute all had only allowed Yaxiu to splash out a single drop. Once the nectar left the Supreme Holy Grail, it congealed into a gemstone, which spared Yaxiu the trouble of preserving it. He recalled that every previous Holy Grail had been brimming full. Why, this time...? "Because the Prime Angel dispersed all her power into this world." Fanxing looked at the faint, shimmering threads of light on the Supreme Holy Grail. "I could continue to coalesce the Holy Grail by destroying All Stars, but forcing it to condense would cause a significant loss of nectar." "Conversely, if I turn All Stars from shadow into substance and incorporate it into my Kingdom of Heaven, not only can I slowly digest all of the Prime Angel's legacy, but because All Stars possesses the Prime Angel's origin as its framework, it already has the nascent form of a Kingdom of Heaven, which would allow me to expand my own." "Destroying All Stars incurs a loss, while preserving All Stars maximizes the gains." Fanxing looked toward Yaxiu. "Yaxiu, you surely know the reason the Prime Angel did this, don't you?" Yaxiu knew, of course. Yet he truly had not expected Rose to be willing to save this cage that had imprisoned her. She clearly understood nothing, not even the difference between good and evil. She had existed for an unimaginably long time, yet her nature was purer than an infant's. Because Yaxiu was special, she had followed him. Because she was his assistant, she had done whatever Yaxiu asked of her. Yaxiu had unconsciously relied on her abilities, yet he had also wanted to take care of her innocent ignorance. Before precipitating the Holy Grail, Rose had said it hurt terribly—an agony that even the Prime Angel could barely endure. No one could imagine how she had managed to scatter her power across All Stars in such a state. Perhaps it was because of Yaxiu, perhaps an awakening of kindness, or perhaps her boundless love for all living beings in the Void Realm over countless millennia. If that was the case, couldn't All Stars be— "I never imagined that the Prime Angel was right beside you all along. Much less did I expect that your influence over the Prime Angel would run so deep." Meeting Yaxiu's conflicted gaze, Fanxing said coldly, "However, I do not accept the Prime Angel's guidance." *Snap!* As the shimmering threads of light on the Holy Grail snapped, Yaxiu felt the entire world shudder. Chaos radiated outward from the Holy Grail, instantly swallowing the Canaan and reducing everything to nothingness. The tracks, the earth, the train, and even Yinzhi's corpse beside Yaxiu vanished without a trace. Yaxiu coughed violently, but no blood came up—because he had lost his flesh and returned to a soul state! Beneath his feet, the chaos gradually revealed the bright scarlet hue of a gemstone—Ruby Mountain! The shadow realm began to collapse; the countdown to the destruction of All Stars had officially begun! Yet the meteor canopy still sealed the interior from the exterior; Fanxing would never grant the jackals and tigers outside the slightest opportunity! Yaxiu stared at Fanxing standing at the peak of Ruby Mountain, asking in an almost whispered murmur, "Why?" Incorporating All Stars into her Kingdom of Heaven was clearly the most cost-effective choice. Why insist on destroying this world? "Then why didn't you accept my invitation?" Fanxing replied impassively. "Perfection has only ever existed in illusions. Sorcerers who pursue perfection are like crying children—knowing full well something is impossible, yet still wagering their hopes on tears." "Just like you, Yaxiu Heath." "All Stars, you cannot keep; the Holy Grail, you cannot have." "Just now, you launched an attack against me and snatched a drop of Supreme Nectar. Let that serve as repayment for the karma of me taking your Holy Grail; from now on, neither of us owes the other anything. Since the final karma is settled, I will not delay any further. This very moment is the time of the absolute summit." Fanxing said, "Now, I permit you to sit in the front row of the audience, to witness the arrival of the greatest era of sorcerers." "The vacant Supreme Throne is about to welcome its master." ... Like a shadow burned away by radiant light, the Nation of Stars rapidly dissolved into nothingness. This world, which had endured for over a thousand years, reached its predestined end. Countless buildings disintegrated and vanished, countless technologies dissolved into the void. Some people were sleeping, some were at work, some were playing games, some were strolling through an amusement park with their daughters. Their joys, angers, sorrows, and delights, their dreams, their lives—because they were never meant to exist in the first place, their destruction left no trace behind. Even the Void Realm would not record their demise. The cities Yaxiu and the others had walked through, the people they had met, the friends they had encountered on their journey... the places where memories had once been left behind now held only memories. Beside the overturned train, the sorcerers battling the corpses saw from afar this surging flood of chaos that annihilated all things. Almost immediately, Weixi threw away her spear, rushed over, and wrapped Niya in a tight embrace. Niya realized what was happening as well. This little hedgehog who naturally detested intimate physical contact affectionately wrapped her arms around the maid's waist for the very first time, burying her head against the maid's warm chest. She knew how good the maid had been to her; aside from Yaxiu, only Weixi would notice her feelings. She did not know how things were on Feili and Rose's side, but she was already content. She had never expected things to last forever. To have lived brilliantly and fiercely like a firework, and to come to an abrupt halt before everything turned mundane—what more could she be dissatisfied with? And yet... "I..." Niya said softly, "still envy the Sword Princess." As the chaos swept past, the train, the corpses, everything vanished without a trace. Weixi looked at her empty arms, pressed her lips together tightly, and let out a gentle sigh. *"When I consider every thing that grows,* *Holds in perfection but a little moment;* *The world's stage holds nothing at all,* *Save where flames in secret draw their course.* *When I perceive that men as plants increase,* *Cheered and checked by the selfsame sky;* *Youthful sap flourishes, but wanes at noon,* *And all beauty is erased from memory.* *Then the conceit of this inconstant stay* *Sets your youthful countenance before my eyes;* *Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay,* *To change your day of youth to sullied night;* *And all in war with Time for love of you,* *As he takes from you, I will rekindle new."* Harvey's ethereal voice echoed across Ruby Mountain. Tiramisu and the Abyss sorcerers did not interfere either. Igola discovered that the female Curse Elf sorcerer was not dead yet, only unconscious. The group exchanged glances and stepped forward to revive her. ... *Clang!* When Yaxiu was knocked down from the mountain peak for the sixth time, he knew that everything was over. Even if he could snatch back the Holy Grail now, the fading of All Stars was already irreversible. Just as Fanxing had said, he could not keep All Stars. He could not save Feili and Rose. And now, even Niya... The numerous promises he had made, the abundant hope he had offered, had all turned into their regrets. So what had he actually gained? A soul Kingdom of Heaven that would in time surpass all God Lords, and this single drop of Supreme Nectar. Compared to before he entered All Stars, he had not lost anything; instead, he had gained a great deal. After all, seizing spoils from the hands of a God Lord could already be counted as a victory. But when he thought about it carefully... what kind of victory was this?! Feili, Rose, Niya, Weixi, Igola, Harvey... In everything we went through along the way, what did we actually accomplish?! You all bet all your hopes on me, and I wagered everything as well, yet in the end, I still couldn't salvage anything... Yaxiu recalled the very first time he had met each of them. Meeting Rose right after transmigrating... She had even pretended not to know what a sorcerer was, playing along with their act... Catching Niya in the alleyway... Yaxiu had even left an awful first impression on her... Running into Feili during the fierce battle with Weixi... From the very beginning, he had intended to take advantage of Feili... *I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I'm sorry!* Yaxiu let go of the sword in his hand, kneeling helplessly on Ruby Mountain, roaring like a beast. What Four Pillar Gods' feelers? What sorcerer's handbook? In the end, he was still just that death row inmate fleeing from place to place, unable to do anything, unable to resist anything. He had helplessly watched Diya become the Gospel's vessel, helplessly watched Weise become the Silver Lantern God. He had foolishly thought he still had a chance to make amends, but in the end, he was faced with an irreversible tragedy. Rose, Feili, Niya... What meaning did our journey so far have? What reward did our desperate struggles bring? If miracles truly existed in this world, whoever you are, please at least leave behind their traces. At least prove that their existence had meaning. At least... Let me know that our encounters were not meaningless. *Tap.* Hearing the sound of bare feet stepping on water behind him, Yaxiu spun his head around sharply, yet saw no trace of anyone. Right at that moment, he felt something burning hot within his body. Pulling them out, he saw the reverse scale of the Golden Fish, the iridescent resilient tail of the White Ox, and the Colorless Holy Grail. Almost instinctively, he placed the reverse scale and the resilient tail into the Colorless Holy Grail. Instantly, a pillar of light pierced through Ruby Mountain. It was so brilliantly multicolored, sacred and awe-inspiring, yet so dangerously wild, demonic and glamorous. Even compared to the aura of Fanxing coalescing the Supreme Holy Grail, it was not the least bit inferior! Fanxing glanced at him and raised her sword, slashing in his direction. With that nonchalant slash, the meteor canopy was torn open once more. A sword art miracle using the stars as blades descended like judgment, set to tear apart every inch of Yaxiu's soul in the very next instant. Fanxing had not cared about Yaxiu's countless attacks earlier. But the moment Yaxiu displayed an unknown danger that unsettled her, even if she had to suffer karmic backlash from destiny, Fanxing would not show the slightest mercy. She would ruthlessly obliterate the danger while it was still in the bud! Facing a miracle strike, Yaxiu had no way of resisting at all. Just as the starlight was about to swallow him, a brilliant silver light suddenly blazed on his chest, shielding him securely within and grinding against the miracle Fanxing had brought down! Yaxiu watched as a figure emerged from the Amulet Mirror of the Evernight Silver Lantern, gradually resolving into a familiar appearance. She wore glasses, held a silver lantern, serene and elegant, yet her eyes were sly and spirited. She was neither the Weise who played the obedient girl in the Void Realm, nor the Silver Lantern who acted as a world-destroying zealot in Senluo. "Though you said you would come find me." Weise raised her silver lantern. The silver domain that appeared fragile enough to shatter at a touch protected them inside; even if the starlight flattened Ruby Mountain, it could not harm them in the slightest. "It has always been you chasing after me." She turned to look at Yaxiu. "Now it's my turn to chase after you. After all, I can't wait any longer either." "You..." Yaxiu had a bellyful of questions to ask, but Weise cut him off. "Save the tender moments for later. I can't hold out for long. If you have any more trump cards, play them now." Yaxiu knew this was not the time for questions either. He looked down at the three glowing items and suddenly felt the drop of Supreme Nectar in his hand burning slightly as well, so he threw it in too. *Boom!* The bizarre pillar of light expanded several times over, appearing almost solid, yet the miracle Yaxiu hoped for still did not appear. Yaxiu realized that these items were all relics of Rose: the reverse scale of the Golden Fish was her first pair of virtual wings, the iridescent resilient tail of the White Ox was her second, the Colorless Holy Grail was her third, and the Supreme Nectar could be counted as her fourth. Then what was still missing? What other traces had Rose left behind? Just then, Yaxiu looked at his wrist. On his wrist was a hairband made of a rubber band. On Rose's birthday, Yaxiu had insisted on giving her a birthday gift; so that neither of them would owe the other, she had given him in return this hairband that she had used for many years. He placed the hairband in as well. Carrying every trace of her, the Colorless Holy Grail transformed into flowing light and merged into the pillar of light, and then the pillar of light shattered with a roar into countless streaks of color. Fanxing watched as those resplendent colors gathered behind Yaxiu, constructing a grandly dressed young girl with long, dark blue hair. She looked like a dazzling songstress about to take the stage for a performance. As she descended upon Ruby Mountain, the Void Realm mirrored her colors, and heaven and earth played her poem! All the rampaging creatures of the Void Realm in the Knowledge Sea fell completely silent, tens of thousands of monsters surfacing from the ocean to look up at the sky; the Sky-Chariot Ox galloping across the Time Continent halted in its tracks, advancing no further, causing even time itself to freeze; Hell manifested in the sky above Ruby Mountain, and demigods lurking in the shadows watched in awe as a great era was unveiled; the four Kingdoms of Heaven cast their gazes downward, and the God Lords who had once ruled heaven and earth quietly awaited the shifting of supremacy. "As I desire, fireflies resplendent; as I imagine, the future echoes." "Fifth Pillar God, Princess of Resplendent Fireflies." She wrapped her arms around Yaxiu from behind. Her cheeks still held a hint of baby fat as she expressionlessly rubbed her cheek against Yaxiu's face: "Descends."