Chapter 2047: A Dream

Chapter 2047: A Dream

Hua Caili’s obviously unusual reaction caused Yun Che to look up in confusion. He asked, “Er... is there something wrong with its name?”

“N-no.” Hua Caili shook her head a little numbly. “I just thought that it is a... strange name for such a heavy sword.”

“It’s not really that strange.” Yun Che did not seem to notice anything amiss and caressed the blade slightly. His eyes gradually grew distant as if he was reminiscing about something, “My master never told me about the sword’s original name. He named me Yun Che, so the sword that has accompanied me my whole life also has my surname, Yun (Cloud).”

The blade of the sword continued to glow a mysterious vermillion that was beyond mysterious and profound. From the moment he entered the Abyss, he had made sure to conceal the words “Heaven Smiting” and “Devil Slayer” from its blade.

“You might have noticed, but its light is unusual and similar to glazed glass. So, my master took the word ‘Glaze’ from it and named it Cloud Glaze Sword. It is also because he wishes for me to be as ‘ambitious as the clouds, and be as pure as glazed glass’.”

“...” Inside Yun Che’s soul sesa, Li Suo was utterly speechless.

If she hadn’t known that the sword was the Heaven Smiting Devil Slayer Sword in Hong’er’s form, and the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor Sword in You’er’s form from the start, she would have believed his brazen lies herself.

“... I see.” Hua Caili smiled a little unnaturally for some reason. “Now that you’ve explained things, I suddenly feel like this name is a perfect fit with it.”

Yun Che looked up and said naturally, “The blade of your sword is as white as snow, and I doubt even a divine jade of the heavens could be purer than it. Not only that, its aura its as gentle as water, but its power chills one to the core. I am sure that it has a stunning name as well. Would you tell me its name, Sister Qu?”

“I... will not tell you. Not yet.”

Hua Caili turned around and practically escaped into the Endless Fog.

His sword is named Cloud Glaze Sword...

My sword is named Glazed Cloud Sword...

Yun Che...

Caili...

......

Her heart was beating like a million deerlings bumping into each other. Even her footsteps were disorderly and out of control.

“What is the meaning of this?” Li Suo couldn’t help but ask Yun Che.

“A suggestion,” Yun Che answered succinctly.

“Suggestion?” Li Suo did not understand.

“Yep. It is very useful against young girls and boys who have just set foot in this dirty, dirty world,” Yun Che explained. “It’s useless against you though. In fact, I’m pretty sure I can dissect the concept and explain it to you word by word, and you still wouldn’t understand it. Not truly.”

“...” Li Suo stopped pressing. Instead, she asked another question, “What if Hong’er and You’er gets annoyed with you?”

“Relax,” Yun Che scoffed, “Hong’er is fine with anything as long as you keep her fed. As for You’er, she’s such a good girl she doesn’t even know how to get angry with me.”

Li Suo sighed quietly and helplessly. “Your repertoire of tricks truly is astounding... Still, don’t you think you’re going overboard; doing too much? If one trick is exposed, then all of them will be.”

“...” Yun Che’s footsteps slowed a little. “You’re completely right.”

“I must admit that I am squeezing out every trick I know and using them as quickly as possible. I am well aware that this is a flawed approach... but what can I do? My time is too short. Too short.”

“Don’t worry,” Yun Che spoke confidently after a small sigh. “If you recall all of our interactions until this point, she is, from her perspective, the one who made the first move every time. In fact, I would argue that she’s the one who has more to worry about in terms of being exposed. After all, she’s the one who ‘approached me intentionally’ and ‘hid’ her true identity from me while I have seemingly treated her with perfect candidness and honesty this entire time. Forget doubting me, her guilt must be eating her alive from the inside all this time.”

Li Suo: “...”

He said softly as he stared at Hua Caili’s back, “I think I’ve used enough petty tricks.The next two steps will be the most important.”

“... I pray for your success.” Li Suo did not know what else to say.

Yun Che shut his eyes slightly. “No, you won’t.”

Li Suo: “??”

......

“Have you heard of the ‘Eternal Pure Land’, Young Master Yun?”

“Of course I have.”

“I heard that it is a world without abyssal dust. Apparently, our ancestors and Lord Abyssal Monarch himself came from that world.”

“I heard that even the most mundane corner of that world is as pure as the Pure Land. I heard that the sky is a pure light blue instead of gray, the clouds are perfectly white and unblemished, the waters may stretch for thousands and thousands of kilometers without end, the number of races are almost countless, and the shape and colors of the plants are truly innumerable...”

Every Abyss profound practitioner held infinite yearning for the legendary “Eternal Pure Land”. Hua Caili was no exception.

To an ordinary profound practitioner, the “Eternal Pure Land” was more of a myth to keep their embers of hope burning. But to a member of a Kingdom of God, they knew for certain that it was a real, existing world.

“It is not a myth,” Yun Che said evenly, “it is a real world.”

“Ah?” The young woman glanced at him and blurted, “Have you been to the Eternal Pure Land before, Young Master Yun?”

“Of course not,” Yun Che burst out chuckling. “My master though, I’m fairly sure he hails from that place.”

The young woman looked up at the snow white sky and said, “I once asked a... very powerful uncle what is the most beautiful scenery in the world.”

“Uncle thought for a very, very long time before he finally told me that the world named Eternal Pure Land wasn’t a patch of grayish decay like the Abyss. It was, in fact, an unbelievably massive world filled with countless planets and star realms.”

“As time progresses, one or many planets may collapse or explode due to the deterioration of spatial laws, impacts, or disasters both natural or manmade. The resulting phenomenon from that destruction is called a meteor shower.”

“Uncle told me that that is the most beautiful disaster in the world. Anyone who saw it would remember it for the rest of their lives.”

“...” Yun Che’s breathing paused for a very brief moment.

He knew better than anyone just how beautiful the destruction of a planet was... and how cruel.

Yun Che thought for a moment before pulling the young woman’s wrist. “Take a seat.”

The young woman was astonished, but she obeyed his whims.

The gray sky brightened all of a sudden.

It was a distant star shining with infinite brilliance. It was so dazzling that it actually tore the Endless Fog’s darkness asunder and showered them in brilliant starlight that did not belong to this world.

It wasn’t difficult for Yun Che to mimic this “meteor”. It was shaped like a frozen star, and it was infused with the holy light of light profound energy.

The star fell, dragging a long tail of light behind it. It looked like it was cutting the sky of the Endless Fog in half.

The tail of light cut through the girl’s eyes and soul and left behind what might be an eternal imprint, but before she could even cry out in astonishment, the star abruptly exploded... and its fragments scattered across the sky.

All over the place, abyssal beasts were howling their ungodly howls, and countless profound practitioners looked up and stared at the destruction starlight that was more fantastical than even the wildest dream in utter shock.

Hua Caili was looking up and imprinting every wisp of light into her eyes as well.

She was sitting in the middle of the Endless Fog right now. The roars of the abyssal beasts were everywhere. And yet... they all seemed so insignificant at this moment. It was because the light that was filling her world was warm and beautiful beyond even her wildest imagination. She did not even think they existed until she saw it.

Is this how a star is destroyed...?

Even the most gorgeous scenery was just that, scenery.

As if coerced by some sort of unseen whisper inside her heart, she actually pulled her gaze away from this luxurious, impossibly beautiful scene of destruction... and looked at the face of the man who did it all; the one whose face seemed to be flowing under the starlight.

She fell.

At that moment, she understood without a doubt in her heart even though she was still so innocent about everything...

... that it was beautiful not because of the scenery, but because of him.

Yun Che noticed her staring and turned to meet her gaze. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Instead of looking away, she continued to stare at his face and murmur seemingly to herself, “Your beauty should exist only in painting. Here and now, I cannot help but drown in it."[1]

“Huh?” Yun Che looked confused.

The young woman’s lips abruptly spread into a smile. She finally looked away and said softly, “It’s a quote I learned from my master, the one who taught me how to read and write. It is only now that I understand what it truly meant.”

“...” Yun Che opened his mouth, but he did not say anything.

At that moment, he vaguely sensed that hidden beneath the young woman’s gentle and innocent appearance... was a heart far more passionate than he had initially imagined.

Yun Che’s presence felt exceptionally hot yet attractive to Hua Caili for some reason, and she... she did not wish to resist it. Before she knew it, her head was leaning against his warm shoulder.

She closed her eyes, and it felt as if the entire world was warm and silent. This was the first time in her life that she wanted to drown... forever.

It was only now she knew that this... was the greatest beauty the world had to offer.

No need to think about anything, no need to do anything. Just being by his side...

For a moment, it was as if time was standing still. Only the fading starlight above said otherwise.

High in the sky, Hua Qingying was frowning deeply and seriously considering whether she should speak with Hua Caili. Again and again she mustered the power, but for whatever reason, her hesitation stopped her at the last moment. This kept going even when the final starlight in the sky was gone.

Then, something unexpected happened. She saw Yun Che raising his hands and slowly—but firmly—pushing Hua Caili away from him.

Hua Caili abruptly jolted awake and looked up at Yun Che. For whatever reason, his action and the look in his eyes right now caused her heart to skip a beat.

His eyes looked as clear and rational as the first time they met. So rational... that it was devoid of any feelings.

“Sister Qu,” he began, still wearing a smile on his face, “it’s been over a month since we started journeying together. Your wounds have completely healed as well. It is time we parted ways.”

It felt like someone had smashed apart her most beautiful dream with the coldest rain. The light in her eyes shook violently as she blurted, “W-why...”

Yun Che stared at her as he said slowly and calmly, “Your surname isn’t Qu, and Qu Yixin isn’t your name. Am I right?”

1. 公子只应见画,此中我独知津 ☜