792 Choice (1/2)

What had the high heavens created?

Where was the edge of the vast earth?

Where had everything come from, and where was it going?

From the moment that humanity had opened their eyes and stared at the world, they began to guess: where did it all start from? Or they had had even more foolish questions.

Was there truly a paradise in this vast universe? Was there a way of liberation for humanity? Did heaven exist in the world?

Could humans have souls?

Ye Qingxuan had no interest in any of this.

He was in the Originator.

But he was not here to find any answers or truths.

He was just here to bring a girl back.

Since they had parted in the Sacred City, he had missed her so many times, tried so many times, and failed so many times.

This alone Ye Qingxuan absolutely had to do.

He could not give up.

Then, he finally saw Bai Xi.

In the sound of the mighty stone chime, the clouds parted yet again, revealing a bustling imperial palace. As the vermillion gate rumbled open, a hundred ministers with jade boards marched over the white jade towards the solemn palace between heaven and earth.

Under the huge dragon head statue made skillfully and painstakingly of poured black gold and beautiful jade embellishments, they kowtowed towards the only master of this world.

The highest ruler of heaven and earth.

”Bai Xi?” Ye Qingxuan stared in shock at the cold silhouette that was worshipped behind the curtain. He got a glimpse of her slender eyes. In them, he beheld the power over life, death, and indifference.

The Empress looked down at Ye Qingxuan and frowned slightly.

”Shameless! Who dares speak the holy name?” someone yelled in a shrill voice. ”Get him! Get him! Get the traitor quickly!”

A burly figure rushed towards Ye Qingxuan with heavy footsteps.

Ye Qingxuan unconsciously stepped back and raised his hand, but he did not feel an impact. The stocky guard seemed to be made out of mist, and he dispersed into pieces, and with him went the mythical, majestic palace and ministers as they once again disappeared into the mist.

”What are you looking at, cousin?”

Ye Qingxuan heard the soft voice behind him. He turned around in shock and saw her delicate face. She looked close enough to touch, and she looked up at him.

She smiled softly and happily.

”What's wrong? You don't like my outfit?” Bai Xi saw his suspicious expression and unfolded her sleeves and turned around in a circle to let him see her light yellow cloak fluttering in the wind.

Her long hair was like silver as it reflected the warm light.

Her eyes were like water, calm and quiet.

Although the world was so large, she had eyes only for him. Her smile was full of satisfaction and happiness. Then, she carefully hid something behind her and winked at him.

”I have a present for you, cousin.”

Crack! Ye Qingxuan heard the sound of bones fracturing. He quickly turned around and saw blood flowing onto the ground. Someone fell to the ground behind him as an ax separated her head from her body and blood splashed in all directions.

She was dead.

But Ye Qingxuan could not see her face; he could only see the crown of the Anglo Kingdom floating in the blood, still so beautiful.

Before his eyes, a slender figure lifted its foot and stomped it down on the head in the blood, and there was a sickening sound as it was crushed. She looked back at him with her flushed face.

Her face was not as arrogant and spoiled as in the past, but had become quite charming.

It was like a corpse had blossomed in the mud.

There was a dark, insane atmosphere.

The ax was thrown into the pool of blood.

Bai Xi looked at herself and grinned, but it was a chilling smile.

”I've given you everything, cousin, so why are you still thinking about her? I know, I must have done something wrong, made a mistake, made you angry, I'll do anything...”

She left a row of scarlet footprints on the ground as she walked towards Ye Qingxuan.

Her voice was weak in her throat, as if she was suffocating. ”It must be this flirtatious hussy's fault. She must have seduced you. Look at me, cousin. I beg you, look at me, ok? You see? I've worked so hard...”

Ye Qingxuan shut his eyes.

The tragic sound disappeared.

But the suffocating feeling continued.

When he opened his eyes, the corpse's head and Bai Xi had disappeared.

There was only a figure standing alone in the distance.

It was Bai Xi.

It was like she had aged greatly in an instant. All the tenderness of a young woman was gone.

She turned around, and her white hair was tied up in a bun behind her head. She wore a long black dress that contrasted with her pale white skin. Black gauze hung down from her cap, covering half her face.

She did not take notice of Ye Qingxuan behind her.

She was lost in misery.

She quietly stared at the tombstone in front of her, mourning her husband, who had died young. Tears fell from her cheeks and landed on the tombstone, finally leaking down to the name on it: Ye Qingxuan.

Ye Qingxuan felt like he had been struck by lightning.

Someone was kneeling on the ground and pulling at his trousers. ”Hey mister, God bless you.”

The sly and deformed beggar dragged a rotten leg behind her as she crawled on the ground. Her white hair was falling out, revealing her wrinkled scalp and the malign sores on her face.

She was changed beyond recognition.

She held up a broken bowl and stared at the stranger in front of her. Her voice was as shrill as an owl's. ”Have pity on me, mister. I beg you.”

The impassioned sound of a horn rang out.

The song of the end of the night and the upcoming victory of the dawn played.

A stake descended from the sky, crushing the beggar, and chains wrapped around Ye Qingxuan.

At that moment, Ye Qingxuan snapped out of his shock. He thought he was under attack by the Church. But when he turned around he saw a purification musician behind him playing ”Night on Bald Mountain.”

She wore clothes as black as a crow, and her eyes were cold and gloomy.

”Give up, Sinner Ye Qingxuan.”

But then a new image appeared. With a sharp whistle, the Black Knight's warship crashed through the waves. On the deck, the pirate queen's short silver hair flowed in the wind. Her mature, lovely cheeks had been tanned bronze, and there were scars in the corners of her eyes.

”Enough!” Ye Qingxuan roared. ”Stop it!”

Everything stopped.

A vague shadow appeared beside him, staring at him quietly. Its eyes seemed to be full of pity, and it seemed to be a thousand miles away.

”Where is this… No, the Originator shouldn't be like this.”

A calm voice answered his question. It was as soft as a woman's voice, but it was both distant and cold. ”The Originator is not here, Ye Qingxuan,” it said. ”The Originator is not anywhere that humans can find. You cannot find it. Where you are is just the Originator's outline on the ground. You are swimming in an ephemeral reflection, like a flower in a mirror or the moon in water. But this does not matter to you. What you are looking for is here.”

”Bullsh*t!” Ye Qingxuan yelled at the shadow. ”I don't want an illusion! Do you want to play with me? I'll give you all you can handle!”

”You have not seen any illusions, Ye Qingxuan. What you have seen is nothing more than the future. Countless futures caused by countless choices in countless pasts...”

The vague shadow led him forward, once again returning to the majestic palace to see the Empress.