792 Choice (2/2)

”This is Bai Xi,” it said. ”She has abandoned herself in the balance between love and ambition. She does not need Bai Heng to defeat the Empress. She thinks she can be even better than the past Emperors could even imagine. Better than anyone could imagine. Empress Bai Xi.”

They moved forward.

Ye Qingxuan once again saw that smile of joy. Her eyes lit up at the sight of him. Out of anything in the world, she could only look at him.

”This is Bai Xi after she has given up her self, Ye Qingxuan. She depends on you, loves you, and cannot leave you. She only wants to win your smile and warmth. She only wants to be with you forever. The Bai Xi that no man could refuse.”

Then, there was the girl in the pool of blood.

”She loves you down to her very bones. She goes crazy due to your betrayal. The insane Bai Xi.

”This one is after ten years of marriage with you. After you die of illness, she takes charge of your funeral. The Bai Xi that has abandoned herself to despair.

”This Bai Xi did not meet you after leaving Cloud Tower. She trusts another man and is sold into prostitution, and becomes a beggar after her youth fades. She begs for your pity in the mud. Ah, the pitiful Bai Xi.

”And this one, on the day she was chased she did not see Old Phil and did not run into the alley where you were reunited. She hides in Westminster Church. Mephistopheles adopts her and regards her as if she was his own, and sends her to the Holy City. She is the person in charge of the Purification Bureau. The catastrophe lamenting Bai Xi.

”There are more, infinite Bai Xis. This is the Bai Xi that did not go to the Anglo Kingdom but instead went to the Illusion Islands to become a pirate queen. This is the one that was saved by her uncle Yunlou Qinxi before he died, received the Yunlou inheritance, and killed her father and sister. The Duchess of Yunlou Bai Xi. Bai Xi the sage who replaced Hermes. Bai Xi the inheritor of the Yunlou family bloodline...countless pasts, countless choices, countless futures.”

The drifting figure halted and looked at him askance. ”This is what you sought from the Originator, Ye Qingxuan.”

”What are you?” Ye Qingxuan looked closely at the vague figure. He could only tell that it looked like a woman, but it was difficult to see its face. ”Or, should I call you 'The Originator'?”

It was like looking in a reflection in a mirror.

In the face of a human's questions, it gave a human-like self-deprecating chuckle.

Then, it shaped itself out of nothingness and ambiguity. It took on the form closest to perfection from Chaoyue and Bai Xi's memories, the full face of motherhood.

”I am a reflection,” it replied indifferently. ”What you are facing is nothing more than a hollow outline formed by the personalities of the two vessels. The information fills the logic machine and a face is revealed to enter into dialogue with you and answer your questions. I am a vessel for miracles. Of course, you may call me the Originator. For humans, there is no difference between us.”

”You finally reveal your face.” Ye Qingxuan looked into its eyes and could not hide his rejection and hostility. ”I don't care what you want to do. What meaning do you have for humans? I don't have any questions that I need you to answer. I came here only to get Bai Xi. So don't get in my way, no matter what you are!”

There was no anger nor snobbish mockery. There was no astonishment or resentment, or even unhappiness at the antagonism.

There was just calm.

It was like it did not care what Ye Qingxuan did.

”The land will not refuse people cultivating it, nor will it stop people from harvesting. The Originator is the same. From beginning to end, the only ones who want to change are humans.

”You are free to do what you want, Ye Qingxuan. No one will stop you, at least not for the next five minutes.”

It looked at him and its eyes pierced through him. It was careless, as if their conversation was absolutely meaningless. ”No matter what you do, you are the only one responsible for your choice.”

”But where on earth is Bai Xi?!”

”Right behind you.”

Ye Qingxuan turned and saw Bai Xi. Thousands of Bai Xis, standing there quietly.

Bai Xi the Empress, Bai Xi the lover, Bai Xi the mad, Bai Xi of the Yunlou family, Bai Xi the catastrophe lamenter, Bai Xi the pirate queen...

At that moment, countless pasts and futures were superimposed in the projection of the Originator. Countless kinds of Bai Xis with countless kinds of fates had appeared there.

They were staring at him.

Ye Qingxuan could no longer suppress his anger. He yelled at the projection of the Originator, ”I don't want these fake things! Give me Bai Xi, the real Bai Xi! Or I'll find a way to kill you!”

”Is what you have seen not the Bai Xi that exists within the countless choices, Ye Qingxuan?” asked the projection of the Originator. ”Can you not choose now? From a human perspective, it is difficult to observe the endless changes, and now the Originator has given everything to you. Every one of them here is the real Bai Xi. The only difference is which one you will take with you. This is not a trick, Ye Qingxuan. It is a simple choice. The one that you choose will be the one that is left in the world.”

The Originator looked at him closely and waited for his choice. ”You can change her whole destiny, fix all her pain, give her a new life as you please. She can be free of all bondage, even if the one who binds her is you. Do you still not understand, Ye Qingxuan? Only you can let her obtain salvation.”

Ye Qingxuan was stunned.

He looked back at the countless Bai Xis. They were all watching him.

Gentle, cold, cruel, lonely, jealous, compassionate, peaceful, happy, gloomy, gentle...

Each one was completely different, but at the same time, each one was Bai Xi.

There were thousands of Bai Xis, and he had to choose one to take with him.

What the h*ll was this?

The generosity and charity of the Originator?

He could choose one at random.

Find the Bai Xi that he loved the most from thousands of futures, from thousands of hers, or choose the Bai Xi that loved him the most…

What did he want?

One-third gentle and lovely, one-third childish, plus a little spontaneous and naughty?

Or strong and self-reliant, not needing him to worry about her and protect her. One who could fight side by side with him and face the world's storms.

Or one that was free from the world, holy and pure, a beautiful flower of a goddess.

Any of them, Ye Qingxuan, any of them.

He could create the perfect form that he created in his mind. There were countless choices here. He could choose the one that he liked most at will, and she would love him as he loved her.

In his trance, he remembered that girl from the past seemed to be blowing in his ear, urging him to make a choice.

Which one do you like, cousin?

Of course, I…

Ye Qingxuan was shocked.

His reverie came to an abrupt end.

He bowed his head dumbly and looked at his hand and saw a faint flash of light at his fingertips. It was so weak that it was hard to see, but it followed the debris that had left with him from the labyrinth.

It was the last remaining trace of Chaoyue.

”You idiot!” He slapped himself hard. ”I'm such an idiot!”

At that moment, Ye Qingxuan's consciousness was opened up in a flash of electricity, ushering in his long lost realization and comprehension.

This was a late discovery.

But when Ye Qingxuan discovered it, it was already meaningless...

He suddenly turned and looked at the shadow beside him, as if he understood that it knew what it was asking.

”They're one, right? Bai Xi and Chaoyue were originally one body! Bai Xi is Chaoyue's opposite, but Chaoyue is also a part of Bai Xi!” He seemed to be trying to confirm the truth. ”In the beginning, she was only one, but she was divided into two, right?” He stroked his hair regretfully.

”I should have understood this earlier, but I ignored it because of the huge difference between them. I'm an idiot. How can they be two? How can they be sisters? Even though their height and figures are different, could this not be a difference that was deliberately cultivated? Otherwise, how could they have kept in such close contact? Both Bai Xi and Chaoyue are her!”

In the silence, the projection of the Originator did not answer. It just smiled at him without speaking.

But Ye Qingxuan had found his final answer.

He looked back at the countless silent, waiting eyes, and could not help but smile bitterly.

He finally sort of understood what Mr. Hu had said to him.

”'Accept another side of her.' This makes sense, but Mr. Hu, you didn't say the other side of her was so big and so frightening...”

Ye Qingxuan finally realized that he had never really understood Bai Xi.

”So, what right do I have to choose?” he whispered. He raised his finger and there was a faint flash of light. ”So let her choose herself!” Ye Qingxuan gave his final answer to the projection of the Ultimate. ”Listen well, this is my request. Let her choose what kind of self she wants to become!”

It was fine if she chose to be Bai Xi, or if she chose to be Chaoyue.

She could be the Empress above all, the Duchess of Cloud Tower, the executioner of the Silence Governance, or the bird in the cage that had abandoned herself because of Ye Qingxuan. Even the jealous madwoman...

She could be anything.

Let her choose freely!