Chapter 59
The ice had already begun to form around Zhuo Yichen’s feet.
Thin at first.
Almost beautiful.
Like frost spreading across a winter lake.
But everyone knew what it truly meant.
There would be no return once it reached his heart.
The cave remained silent.
Ancient.
Unmoved.
As though countless sacrifices had happened here before.
And would happen again.
Zhuo Yichen took a slow breath.
Then turned back one final time.
His eyes moved across everyone gathered below.
Wen Xiao.
Pei Sijing.
Ying Lei.
And finally-
Zhao Yuanzhou.
The man who looked as though his soul was already breaking apart.
Yichen smiled faintly.
There was one last thing left unfinished.
“Wen Xiao.”
Her eyes immediately lifted.
He spoke quietly.
“When the Yun Guang Sword is restored…”
His voice paused briefly.
“Find someone worthy in the mortal world.”
Wen Xiao’s lips trembled.
Yichen continued.
“The Sword shouldn’t die with me.”
A pause.
Then softer-
“And save Bai Jiu.”
The name echoed through the cave.
For a moment everyone remembered.
The young doctor.
The stubborn child who always hid his fears behind complaints.
The one still waiting somewhere to be rescued.
Wen Xiao lowered her head.
Tears falling freely now.
“…I will.”
Yichen nodded.
Satisfied.
One less regret.
One less burden.
Then he turned away.
And began climbing the stairs.
One step.
Then another.
The cold intensified immediately.
The air itself seemed to freeze.
White frost gathered in his hair.
His sleeves.
His lashes.
Yet he continued upward.
Calmly.
As though walking toward a destination he had already accepted.
Below him-
Zhao Yuanzhou stood frozen.
Unable to move.
Unable to breathe.
Unable to accept what was happening.
Every instinct screamed at him to stop it.
To destroy the cave.
To break fate apart with his bare hands.
But for once-
he could do nothing.
The cold reached Yichen’s knees.
Then his waist.
The frost spread across his neck, intertwining with the dark veins beneath his skin.
His steps became slower.
Heavier.
Yet still-
he climbed.
Zhao Yuanzhou finally moved.
“No.”
The word barely escaped him.
Yichen didn’t stop.
“No.”
The second time sounded desperate.
Still Yichen continued.
The demon’s eyes filled with tears.
His entire body shook.
“No!”
The shout echoed through the cave.
This time Yichen paused.
Just slightly.
But he didn’t turn around.
Because if he did-
he knew he wouldn’t be able to leave.
The silence shattered.
Suddenly crimson demonic energy erupted from Zhao Yuanzhou’s body.
The air trembled.
The ice cracked beneath him.
He raised both hands.
Power surged violently through the cave.
The freezing winds surrounding Yichen were instantly pushed back.
Warmth spread around him.
A protective barrier.
A desperate act.
A refusal.
Ying Lei stared.
Pei Sijing’s eyes widened.
Even Wen Xiao froze.
Because Zhao Yuanzhou wasn’t fighting the cave.
He was fighting destiny itself.
The demon laughed weakly.
Almost broken.
“You’re cold.”
His voice trembled.
“So I’ll warm you.”
Yichen finally turned.
His eyes widened.
“Zhao Yuanzhou.”
The demon smiled.
A terrible smile.
The kind people wear when they have already made a decision.
“You’re not staying here alone.”
Yichen immediately understood.
His face changed.
“No.”
The answer came instantly.
The same answer Zhao Yuanzhou had given earlier.
“No.”
This time it was Yichen’s turn.
The demon ignored him.
As always.
Stubborn.
Impossible.
Infuriating.
Wonderful.
He stepped forward.
The freezing barrier reacted instantly.
Ice exploded outward.
Trying to stop him.
Trying to force him back.
But Zhao Yuanzhou continued.
One step.
Another.
Blood appeared at the corner of his lips.
Still he advanced.
Yichen’s composure finally shattered.
“Stop!”
The cave shook.
The ice surged.
But Zhao Yuanzhou only smiled.
Through tears.
Through pain.
Through everything.
“You promised.”
Yichen’s voice broke.
“Promised what?”
The demon took another step.
Closer.
Closer.
Until only a few feet remained between them.
His eyes never left Yichen’s.
“You said…”
His voice cracked.
“…you never wanted to leave me.”
Tears finally rolled down Yichen’s face.
The demon smiled sadly.
“Then don’t.”
And he stepped directly into the barrier.
The cave exploded with light.
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
Ancient ice erupted in every direction.
The freezing force engulfed them instantly.
Ying Lei shouted.
Wen Xiao ran forward.
Pei Sijing drew her bow.
But it was too late.
Far too late.
The ice climbed over Zhao Yuanzhou’s body.
His arms.
His chest.
His face.
At the same moment, it wrapped around Yichen.
Merciless.
Beautiful.
Final.
In the last heartbeat before the freezing completed-
Zhao Yuanzhou reached him.
His hand found Yichen’s.
Their fingers intertwined.
Just as they had beneath fireworks.
Just as they had before the Star Formation.
Just as they had during their wedding.
Neither let go.
Not this time.
Not ever again.
Then-
silence.
The cave fell still.
The freezing winds vanished.
The light faded.
And where they once stood…
there remained only two crystalline figures.
Side by side.
Hands locked together.
Like a pair of stars trapped within eternal winter.
As though even fate itself had failed to separate them.
And for the first time in thousands of years-
Zhao Yuanzhou was no longer alone.
❄️❄️❄️✨✨✨✨⚔️⚔️⚔️
The world of ice slowly faded.
The frozen cave.
Wen Xiao’s tears.
Pei Sijing’s grief.
All of it drifted away like mist.
Then-
warmth.
A strange, gentle warmth.
Zhao Yuanzhou felt fingers intertwined with his own.
He immediately tightened his grip.
The familiar hand squeezed back.
Zhuo Yichen.
Both looked at each other at the same time.
For a moment neither spoke.
Just relief.
Pure relief.
As if they had both feared opening their eyes and finding the other gone.
“You’re here.”
The words escaped Zhao Yuanzhou before he could stop them.
Yichen’s eyes softened.
“I’m here.”
The demon closed his eyes briefly.
Only then did he realize how afraid he had been.
When they looked up again, the world around them had completely changed.
There were no icy cliffs.
No stone walls.
No cave.
Only endless starlight.
Millions upon millions of stars stretched across the heavens.
Each one glowing softly.
As though they had stepped into the night sky itself.
Then they heard voices.
Two figures stood beneath the stars.
One dressed in white.
The other in black.
Ancient.
Magnificent.
Yet somehow familiar.
Very familiar.
Zhao Yuanzhou felt his heart tighten.
Beside him, Yichen unconsciously took a step forward.
Because the two figures resembled them.
Not in appearance.
But in something deeper.
Something impossible to explain.
The figure in white spoke first.
It was Bing Yi.
His voice trembled.
“Why?”
Across from him stood Ying Long…
Already carrying the sadness of farewell.
Bing Yi’s eyes were red.
“Why are you willing to endure this?”
“The pain of severed limbs.”
“The loss of your heart.”
“The destruction of your body.”
He looked at the sword resting between them.
The Yun Guang Sword.
Still unfinished.
Still glowing.
“Just to give me this sword?”
The stars seemed to dim.
Then Ying Long smiled.
A smile so gentle it hurt to witness.
“Because I love you.
Beside the vision, Zhao Yuanzhou instinctively glanced toward Yichen.
Yichen lowered his eyes.
Unable to speak.
Unable to breathe properly.
The ancient scene continued.
Ying Long looked toward the distant darkness.
The Great Wilderness.
Consumed by chaos.
“The world is collapsing.”
“The Great Wilderness needs light.”
“The living need hope.”
“And I possess the power of creation.”
He looked back at Bing Yi.
“So I chose.”
Bing Yi immediately shook his head.
“No.”
Tears already streamed down his face.
“There must be another way.”
“There isn’t.”
“No.”
The answer came instantly.
Just like Zhao Yuanzhou’s answer in the cave.
Just like Yichen’s answer afterward.
“No.”
Bing Yi stepped forward desperately.
“There has to be.”
Ying Long smiled sadly.
Then reached out.
His fingers gently touched Bing Yi’s face.
The same way Zhao Yuanzhou often touched Yichen.
The same way Yichen comforted Zhao Yuanzhou during nightmares.
“Love does not always save someone.
“Sometimes it lets them go.”
The words shattered something inside both Zhao Yuanzhou and Zhuo Yichen.
Because they understood.
Bing Yi was trembling now.
His entire world collapsing before him.
“If you die…”
“…what happens to me?”
For the first time-Ying Long’s smile wavered.
Because that question hurt him too.
More than death itself.
More than sacrifice.
Slowly, he stepped closer.
Forehead touching forehead.
One final piece of happiness.
Then Ying Long whispered:
“You continue living.”
Bing Yi sobbed.
Actually sobbed.
“I don’t want to.”
The stars above flickered.
Ying Long closed his eyes.
Neither did he.
But some choices were larger than themselves.
Larger than love.
Larger than grief.
Larger than destiny.
Then-
before Bing Yi could stop him-
Ying Long grasped the unfinished Yun Guang Sword.
And drove it through his own heart.
The sound was unbearable.
Even knowing it was a memory.
Even knowing it had happened countless ages ago.
The sight shattered them.
Bing Yi screamed.
A sound so full of agony it seemed capable of breaking the heavens.
He collapsed to his knees.
Blood stained the sword.
Starlight poured from Ying Long’s chest.
His body was already beginning to fade.
Transforming.
Becoming light.
Becoming stars.
Becoming eternity.
Bing Yi desperately reached for him.
But his fingers passed through fading light.
“No.”
His voice trembled.
“No…”
Ying Long smiled weakly.
Even dying.
Even disappearing.
His gaze remained fixed on the person he loved.
“Don’t feel guilty.”
His voice was becoming distant.
“This was my choice.”
Bing Yi shook his head violently.
Tears falling endlessly.
“I couldn’t save you.”
“You loved me.”
Ying Long answered softly.
“That was enough.”
The stars brightened.
His form grew more transparent.
Bing Yi’s heart broke completely.
The ancient god looked less like a deity now.
And more like a grieving man.
A man about to lose everything.
Ying Long’s final words came quietly.
Almost carried away by the wind.
“Perhaps not this lifetime.”
His smile softened.
“Perhaps not the next.”
The stars around him multiplied.
Thousands.
Millions.
Endless.
“But somewhere…”
He looked at Bing Yi.
With absolute certainty.
“…there will be a lifetime where we are happy.”
A tear slipped down his face.
His final tear.
His final smile.
His final promise.
“We will find each other again.”
Then-
he became light.
Countless stars erupted across the heavens.
Illuminating the darkness.
Saving the Great Wilderness.
And leaving Bing Yi alone beneath an endless sky.
The vision slowly faded.
Silence remained.
Only silence….