The warm breeze of the Sanctum of Exaltation gently caressed the streets and plazas, carrying the faint scent of incense drifting through the air.
In one of the main corridors, Stelle waited, leaning against a white marble column.
Her fingers tapped impatiently against her belt, her gaze lost in the crowd.
Even she couldn't quite understand it—it had only been a couple of days without him.
So… why did it feel so strange not having him nearby?
Stelle remained deep in thought until she finally saw him.
Aleph was approaching at a calm pace.
But the look on his face wasn't a good one.
Had the infiltration gone wrong? Had he been hurt?
Stelle felt her heart tighten slightly.
Without thinking, she walked toward him.
"Aleph."
He looked up as she approached, and for a moment, his eyes seemed to brighten—only for that light to quickly fade again.
Stelle felt as if he were seeing her and yet not seeing her at all, like his gaze was focused on something much farther away.
What the hell had happened to him?
Stelle threw her arms around him in a hug.
Aleph hesitated for just a second.
Then he hugged her back, burying his face into the crook of her neck.
She felt him tremble—barely.
"Welcome back." She whispered.
He said nothing.
But he held her just a little tighter.
…....
Later, gathered in the lobby of the Territory Administration Commission, the rest of the group arrived.
March 7th was the first to break the tension.
"Wow, Aleph! What happened to you? Did you pick a fight with a mirror and lose?"
She grinned widely, trying to bring some lightness back into the room.
Aleph raised an eyebrow but didn't answer.
March 7th narrowed her eyes suspiciously but decided to let it slide… for now.
Welt Yang approached next, crossing his arms calmly.
"Did everything go well, Aleph?" He asked.
Aleph simply nodded in response.
….....
It wasn't long before a familiar figure appeared in the room.
Fu Xuan.
"You've done well so far." She said, looking at them with a calm expression. "But there's no time to relax."
The Grand Diviner raised her hand.
A holographic map of the Alchemy Commission's area unfolded before them, several points marked in red.
"Come. There's a bigger problem that requires your immediate attention."
…...
As they made their way toward the docks of the Alchemy Commission, Stelle lingered slightly behind, walking beside Aleph.
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
He still seemed lost—his body was present, but his mind wasn't.
What happened to you out there, Aleph?
She thought, a mix of curiosity and concern swelling inside her.
She moved closer and took his hand. The distant look on his face faded as he turned slightly, silently asking what she was doing.
Stelle didn't say anything—she just held his hand quietly.
Aleph finally sighed and let her do as she wished.
******
Alchemy Commission Docks
The smoke rising from the Crucibles wasn't normal — it didn't smell like incense or coal.
It had a sour, almost sweet undertone, like something that had rotted under the sun.
Fu Xuan stopped by the railing, pointing them out.
Several of the Crucibles already showed cracks from internal pressure, thick smoke pouring out like creeping fog.
"These Crucibles." She said, turning to them.
She waved her hand through the air.
A holographic projection appeared, displaying the molecular structure of the smoke.
"Long ago, the Alchemy Commission used them in a project to extend the lifespans of the Xianzhou's inhabitants. But over time, they became corrupted, craving more… eternal life — just like the followers of the Plague Author. This smoke accelerates Mara corruption. What was once a natural hazard in certain environments… has now been perfected. For now, that's all I can tell you."
Fu Xuan closed her fist.
"Sanctus Medicus has developed pills that replicate the effects of this smoke. Direct contact is no longer necessary."
March 7th frowned.
"So we're dealing with… zombie smoke bombs?"
"Yes and no."
Fu Xuan turned to face them, her gaze hard.
"Your task is clear descend. Shut down the Crucibles. Eliminate anyone who tries to stop you. As outsiders, you shouldn't be affected by the corruption — that's why your help is crucial."
Everyone exchanged uneasy glances.
Tingyun, who had remained silent until now, raised her hand.
Fu Xuan looked at her languidly.
"You're free to choose."
March 7th glanced at Tingyun.
"Tingyun, you really shouldn't risk it."
Tingyun let out a light laugh.
"I'm your guide, remember? I'm not about to leave you halfway. Wherever you go, I'll go."
March 7th stepped up and tapped her shoulder playfully.
"Now that's the spirit."
*********
An elevator carried them down to the lower levels.
When the doors slid open, a thick, almost solid miasma slammed into their faces.
"And this isn't gonna affect us?!" March 7th squealed, covering her nose.
Aleph, who had been silent for most of the trip, suddenly stepped forward.
He dashed straight into the bank of smoke, arms outstretched like he was about to hug it.
"Aleph?!" March 7th shouted in shock.
From inside the fog, Aleph's voice rang out.
"Today, the smoke is mine!"
A gust of wind rose around him, swirling into a vortex that started pulling the smoke into a single point, away from the Crucibles.
"Hurry!" Aleph shouted, his voice weirdly cheerful. "Take care of the Crucibles! I'll handle the rest!"
March 7th clutched her head.
"Seriously?! Can you go one second without absorbing something weird?!" She cried, fighting the urge to scream. "Do you even know how much energy you're inhaling, you maniac?! That amount is crazy dangerous!"
Aleph's reply came quickly.
"The only dangerous amount is zero!"
As he wobbled, laughing like he'd just told the world's best joke, the team scattered into action.
*******
Disciples of Sanctus emerged from the shadows, armed with ornate spears and talismans.
Welt covered their flanks, making sure no one could flank them.
Stelle and March 7th rushed toward the first Crucible, engaging two disciples guarding the structure.
Meanwhile, Aleph, still in his strange "happy" state, danced through enemy attacks, deflecting blows with gusts of wind, baseball bat swings, or bursts of elemental magic.
As she fought, Stelle kept sneaking glances at Aleph whenever she could.
She let out a small sigh of relief when she saw he wasn't completely out of control, like he had been during the interrogation.
A fully deranged Aleph was the last thing they needed right now.
*******
Finally, two Crucibles were shut down.
The smoke began to slowly dissipate around the edges of the dock.
But the calm didn't last.
A new presence, powerful and heavy like a wave of lead, descended upon them.
A figure floated above the final Crucible, her green dress drifting like seaweed in the water.
A black blindfold covered her eyes.
Her face was serene — but the feeling she radiated was anything but.
And flanking her were two brutish guardians, Sanctus disciples enhanced until they looked almost monstrous.
Stelle felt the atmosphere tighten like a rope about to snap.
She glanced to her side and saw Aleph standing completely still.
His hands, still glowing faintly with traces of ice, trembled slightly.
His face was a neutral mask.
But his eyes...
They were not something you wanted to look at.
*********
The silence lasted for the span of a heartbeat.
Dan Shu's dress floated like a shard of jade submerged in water.
Her feet didn't touch the ground; she looked more like a spirit than a living person.
"So, you managed to extinguish the crucibles."
Around her, a lingering green mist stirred, almost as if it recognized her.
Her voice, when she spoke, was as soft as the year's first snowfall.
"Aleph... I thought I told you not to look for me."
There was no mockery in her words.
Only... sorrow.
A tenderness weighed down by grief.
The towering giants flanking her stepped forward, raising their massive spears.
Their bodies were warped, twisted by mutations, as if Abundance had sprouted uncontrollably within their flesh.
Welt stepped to the front.
"Prepare yourselves."
Aleph didn't move. He just stared at Dan Shu in silence, his gaze locked on her — yet somehow, it seemed like he was looking at someone else entirely.
Stelle glanced at him from the corner of her eye.
Her fists were clenched so tightly her knuckles had gone white.
"Aleph..." She whispered, but he didn't respond.
Then Dan Shu spoke again.
"Why do you fight? Why struggle so desperately against something that could free you from death and pain, from the shackles of mortal life?"
Her black blindfold hid her eyes, but not the sadness in her voice.
"Life without death. Unity without end. Isn't that better than the endless cycle of loss you worship so dearly?"
"No thanks! I'd rather grow old than turn into walking moss!" March 7th growled. "Besides, naturally beautiful people age like fine wine! Mr. Yang and Himeko are living proof!"
Welt rubbed his face with a sigh.
"March... is this really the time for comments like that?"
Dan Shu let out a soft laugh.
Small. Almost melancholic.
And with a wave of her hand, the giants attacked.
***********
Stelle and March 7th rushed one of the guards.
It was like hitting a living wall — their skin was too tough.
Welt took on the second, firing ranged attacks to chip away at its defenses bit by bit.
He didn't even seem to be trying very hard against an enemy like that.
Aleph finally moved.
But his approach toward Dan Shu wasn't a furious charge.
It was hesitant, almost sluggish, as if his mind was somewhere else entirely.
When he got within a step of Dan Shu, his attack faltered.
And that hesitation nearly cost him everything.
One of the giants' spears grazed past him, and only an instinctive reaction saved him from being skewered on the spot.
Stelle growled and broke away from the group to cover his flank.
"Aleph, focus already!"
Her shout cut through him like a blade.
Aleph squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, exhaling sharply, forcing his mind to clear.
No. Dan Shu wasn't her. He had to forget that stupid thought.
She was the enemy.
And yet, something deep inside him throbbed, pushing him to believe otherwise.
To want to embrace her.
To want to fall asleep and stop fighting.
But no.
Not this time.
...
The battle grew fiercer.
Dan Shu, though not fighting directly, manipulated the movements of her guards with only a few simple gestures.
A symphony of absolute control.
Finally, one of the giants fell under the combined assault of Stelle and March 7th, covered in slashes and ice marks.
The second stumbled under the coordinated strikes from Welt and Aleph.
Each spell, each elemental blast, each surge of power was hurled back and forth with savage intensity.
At last, with an explosive burst of energy, the second giant collapsed.
[
Dan Shu was left alone.
Her dress floated like the only remaining spot of color amid the wrecked battlefield.
Aleph staggered closer, and with a flick of his hand, countless pillars of ice erupted from the ground, crashing mercilessly toward Dan Shu.
She tilted her head slightly, as if she could see him in all his misery.
"Don't pity me, Aleph."
Her voice was just a whisper, something meant only for him — words no stranger had the right to hear.
"It wasn't hatred I felt. It was compassion. Pity... for what you would never understand. I've been wondering, ever since we parted that night... If you had met me first instead of the Hounds of the Hunt... would you have stayed by my side?"
She reached out her hand.
For a moment, Aleph almost... almost took it.
But then he saw her.
Not Dan Shu — her.
And the illusion crumbled like a sandcastle.
Aleph gritted his teeth, his body trembling slightly.
He struck.
Not to kill.
Only to stop her.
The blow sent her sprawling backwards, dropping her to her knees.
Dan Shu laughed weakly, as if this was not the outcome she had been hoping for.
"The Ambrosia Tree... will grant us immortal bodies... that's what Panthylia told us... we, the disciples of Sanctus Medicus, have fulfilled our duty... why... you...?"
Finally, she collapsed forward, motionless.
[Master… you're trembling.]
Aleph drew a long breath.
He couldn't deny it.
...
The echo of Dan Shu's body hitting the ground still seemed to hang in the air.
No one moved for several seconds.
Especially Aleph.
The sea breeze blowing in from the docks was dense, heavy with moisture... and something else.
Something that made the hairs on the back of Aleph's neck stand on end.
That was when it happened.
Footsteps echoed.
Tingyun slowly stepped forward, emerging from among the group.
"Tingyun?" March 7th's puzzled voice rang out.
Her movements were different.
There was none of the usual grace of the foxian they knew.
Instead, every step now oozed arrogance.
Aleph, Stelle, and Welt automatically tensed.
March 7th, confused, lowered her bow slightly.
"Tingyun… are you okay?"
The foxian smiled.
It was a twisted, cruel smirk, like someone savoring the punchline of a joke only they understood.
"Tingyun?" March 7th repeated, her voice cracking slightly.
The foxian tilted her head theatrically, as if relishing the moment.
"Tingyun...?" She echoed, mimicking March 7th's tone in a sing-song voice. "Did you really think that little creature could stay standing for long in this mess?"
Welt stepped forward, his gaze hardening.
"Who are you?"
The figure let out a short laugh, completely foreign to Tingyun's usual demeanor.
Then, her body seemed to vibrate.
Not in a literal sense—there was no visible change—but rather as if something beneath the skin... had awakened.
The energy she exuded shifted instantly.
It went from Tingyun's familiar warmth to a biting cold, a crushing pressure.
A sensation of pure Destruction was what both Stelle and Aleph could feel.
It was a feeling so familiar that neither of them could have forgotten it, even if they wanted to.
After all... both of them had been seen by him.
"Devastator..." Aleph murmured under his breath.
The impostor, no longer bothering to hide it, gave a mocking bow.
The atmosphere grew unbearably heavy.
"It can't be..." Stelle whispered.
"Since when...?" Welt muttered.
"Since the beginning." Panthylia answered, as if reading their thoughts. "Long before you even knew there was a game being played."
She extended her hand.
A fallen Sanctus Disciple, lying limp on the ground, began to convulse.
Bones cracked in inhuman ways.
His skin split open, releasing a sickly glow of green and purple light.
The entire body was engulfed in a tide of emerald flames... and when the flames died down, a soldier of the Antimatter Legion stood in his place.
Panthylia snapped her fingers in satisfaction.
"A much better use than those useless sacks of meat they used to be, don't you think?"
As she spoke, she repeated the process with other fallen bodies—Dan Shu included.
Each one was turned into cannon fodder for the Legion.
Aleph stepped forward.
But Panthylia raised a finger.
"Not so fast, brat."
Her smile was pure malice.
"It wouldn't be any fun to end things here... I'm not done playing yet."
And with those words, her body began to fracture into thousands of tiny spheres of green-yellow-blue fire.
The wind carried them away toward the distant waters.
The last thing that remained behind was her laughter.
Light.
Unbearable.
And her voice, drifting among the waves:
"Have fun playing... and don't forget to exterminate them."
The crushing pressure vanished at once, as if the very atmosphere had exhaled in relief.
But the damage was already done.
Before them, the new Legion soldiers roared, their bodies twisted and corrupted.
Even the very structure of the docks seemed to tremble under their presence.
Aleph felt a pure, frozen rage crawl through his veins as he watched what Panthylia had done.
... Perhaps only Cocolia had ever made him feel a fury greater than the one burning inside him now.
*********
The roars of the new Anti-Matter Legion spawn echoed across the dock.
Stelle, March 7th, and Welt reacted immediately, forming a defensive triangle.
Aleph, however, remained still.
His gaze was fixed on the spot where Panthylia had vanished.
March 7th raised her voice, aiming her bow at the beasts.
"No time to mope around! If those freaks reach the city, it's going to be a disaster!"
There was no immediate response.
Finally, Aleph spoke in a low voice.
"I know."
There was no fear or sadness in his voice.
Only a sense of irritation, anger, and the craving for battle.
He turned to face them.
And smiled.
But it wasn't his usual smile.
It was sharp. Dangerous.
"Tch. Just because my mood dipped a little, you think you can underestimate me." He said, his tone eerily calm. "I'm not letting them get through."
The air around him began to crackle.
Oni emerged at his call, igniting his war club with a guttural roar.
Nappea floated by his side.
Even Jack Frost hopped forward, looking unusually cheerful.
Aleph walked toward the enemies.
He did some light stretches as he moved.
And when the first Legion spawn charged at him—
Aleph met them head-on.
He dodged a claw swipe and, faster than they had ever seen him move before, drove his fist into the creature's chest.
The explosion of energy that followed shattered the monster's head like a plastic toy.
Another beast lunged at him, but Oni intercepted it, smashing it into the ground with his club.
Nappea summoned slicing winds, and Jack Frost froze several enemies in a blink.
Stelle, Welt, and March 7th weren't far behind, taking down any that slipped past Aleph's demons.
It was a whirlwind of fury—cold and methodical.
Every punch Aleph threw, every spell, every impact, was delivered without a shred of emotion.
And for every enemy that fell, Aleph silently asked himself.
"How much longer is this going to take? Will I even catch up to Panthylia if this keeps up?"
...
When the last of the spawn fell, the silence that followed was thick as tar.
Aleph frowned as his demons faded back into their stored forms.
Black blood dripped from his knuckles.
His jacket was torn in several places.
Welt slowly lowered his weapon, watching him in silence.
Stelle took a few steps toward him but stopped.
March 7th frowned, unable to understand why he had been acting so strangely ever since he returned from his mission.
Burroughs broke the silence softly:
[Master, I've detected where Panthylia went. But you'll need an Astral Skiff to reach her.]
Aleph let out a dry laugh. He really felt like punching something.
Now where the hell were they supposed to find someone who could pilot an Astral Skiff?
He glanced toward the horizon, where Panthylia had disappeared.
"Tch." He clicked his tongue. He'd have to ask Fu Xuan.
********
The breeze of Xianzhou carried the scent of salt and smoke.
Dan Heng inhaled it calmly as he stepped off the Starskiff alongside Sushang and Luocha.
Sushang adjusted the sheath of her sword and turned toward Dan Heng.
"It was an honor traveling with you, Dan Heng! I hope our paths cross again someday!"
Dan Heng nodded politely.
Beside him, Luocha offered a faint smile.
"It was an educational experience. I hope you don't get yourself into too much trouble... though I have a sneaking suspicion that might be asking a bit too much."
Dan Heng narrowed his eyes slightly.
But out of courtesy, he said nothing.
When Luocha quietly took a different path, Sushang turned to leave as well, but right before she did, she glanced over her shoulder.
"And you, Dan Heng? What will you do now?"
Sushang frowned and scanned the pier with her eyes.
Dan Heng was gone.
"Eh?! He left without even saying goodbye?! How rude!!"
She crossed her arms with a huff, pouting indignantly as the sound of her footsteps echoed across the empty dock.
"And I worked so hard to be a good teammate! Hmph!"
...
Dan Heng slipped swiftly through the alleys of the Alchemy Commission.
The hum of the harbor drifted in the distance, but he no longer heard it.
He had more important things on his mind.
Without slowing his pace, his mind replayed the past few days.
And all the torment it took to avoid even the slightest distraction.
One particular memory resurfaced with no small amount of irritation.
He had successfully shaken off Sushang in the market, taken five turns, crossed two narrow alleys, and was absolutely certain — completely certain — that no one was following him.
Until, out of nowhere, Luocha materialized from the crowd like a ghost, carrying a package of medicines.
"Lost, are we?" he had asked with that harmless smile — which, Dan Heng was now convinced, was pure evil incarnate.
Dan Heng could only nod silently, allowing himself to be escorted back like a wayward child.
And that was just one of many incidents.
He sighed in quiet resignation.
"Sushang is like if the Universe decided to mash together March 7th, Stelle, and Aleph into one hyperactive, reckless person capable of causing trouble just by existing."
He shuddered at the mere thought.
"And Luocha is like a bargain-bin version of Mr. Yang... but way more irritating."
In short, it had been an experience he would prefer to bury deep in the recesses of his memory.
Now that he had finally shaken them off, he wasn't about to waste a single second.
His steps carried him toward the deeper docks.
He needed to find clues about his companions.
The ground beneath his feet trembled slightly with every step, accompanied by the creaking of the wooden pier.
The mist, thick enough to almost seem solid, blanketed the sea as far as the eye could see.
A murmur.
A tremor in the air.
Something awaited him in the distance.
Dan Heng sighed, closing his eyes for a brief moment before moving forward.
Some debts never disappear.
No matter how far you run.
...
The echo of his footsteps was almost the only sound on the pier.
Dan Heng walked with purpose, his spear resting against his shoulder, while his eyes scanned the scars left behind by the recent battle.
Charred shards of wood.
Fragments of armor and shattered crucibles.
And blood, not red.
But black, like spilled ink.
"This is where it happened..."
He thought, observing the traces spreading across the ground like rotting roots.
Nimbus Knights patrolled the area, securing the damaged structures.
Dan Heng approached one of them, exchanging only the necessary words to avoid raising suspicion.
Fu Xuan and the others... had departed for the Scalegorge Waterscape.
A place heavy with bitter memories.
Dan Heng clenched his teeth.
The name alone was enough to stir the dormant buzz of old emotions, long buried beneath years of cold self-control.
...
As he moved forward, something changed.
A pale mist began to descend, as if the sea itself was exhaling a long, mournful sigh.
It grew dense and thick, making it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.
And then he saw them.
Shadows.
Silhouettes.
Tall, slender figures, tinged in blue — it was easy to tell they were Vidyadhara by their shapes alone.
They didn't speak directly.
But their words — dragged by the mist like drifting whispers — reached him all the same.
"You promised to protect us..."
Each word was as sharp as a knife.
"You condemned us to drift..."
And each struck a vital point with chilling precision.
"Inhibitor Lunae..."
Dan Heng came to a dead stop.
His hand gripped the spear so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
"They aren't real." He whispered in his mind, clinging to the mantra like a lifeline.
"They aren't real." He repeated, trying to push their words away.
"I am not him."
He forced himself to move.
The silhouettes dissolved upon contact, vanishing like smoke carried by the wind.
The fog thickened, his field of vision closing in tighter and tighter.
Each step pulled him further away from the safe harbor of the Alchemy Commission.
Each step dragged him closer to the weight of a past he had never lived—yet the world seemed hell-bent on chaining him to it regardless.
⋯
At last, at the edge of the docks, among the broken columns of what had once been a ceremonial platform, he found what he was searching for.
An astral skiff.
Half-submerged, but still functional.
Dan Heng boarded it without hesitation.
He powered up the systems.
The vessel shuddered beneath his feet, disturbing the stagnant water and cutting through the mist like a blade through flesh.
His eyes didn't blink.
Only one goal burned in his mind.
Reach the Scalegorge Waterscape.
And finally face — once and for all — what heaven and earth seemed determined never to let him leave behind.
************
The Star Skiff cut through the fog.
Dan Heng, standing on the deck, felt the mist weighing down on his skin like molten lead.
The Scaled Gorge rose into view.
A sanctuary carved from stone, torn apart by deep cracks like poorly healed wounds.
The energy here was thick, and tainted.
Atop one of the broken platforms, two figures awaited him.
One, elegant and serene, with a smile that seemed permanently etched onto her face.
Kafka.
The other, crouched like a beast ready to pounce.
Blade.
Dan Heng adjusted his grip on his spear.
The pressure radiating from them was suffocating.
And then Blade spoke, his voice booming like thunder amid a storm.
"You made it!"
His eyes burned with fury—and something disturbingly close to joy.
"It's time to pay the price!"
He leapt down, shattering the stones beneath him as he landed.
Blade let out a hoarse laugh, spreading his arms like a prophet of violence.
"Did you think a new face and a new name could erase your past?"
Dan Heng closed his eyes for a moment, a sigh escaping his lips.
When he opened them, his gaze was as sharp as the tip of his spear.
"I've told you—and that woman—before. I'm not the one you're looking for."
His voice was low, devoid of emotion, yet it thrummed with a barely contained fury.
"I am Dan Heng."
Blade burst out laughing.
"Dan Heng? You think changing your identity can wash away your sins?!"
His tone turned feverish.
"No! You have to feel the pain! You must die, and be reborn, and die again until you understand!"
Dan Heng said nothing.
His spear spun in his hand.
Blade lunged forward with a savage grin. His movements were fast—too fast.
Dan Heng barely managed to block him.
But it wasn't enough.
Soon, he was thrown to the ground.
The tension in the air was suffocating. Blade's smile grew wider, his eyes gleaming with twisted delight as Dan Heng struggled to his feet.
"That's it. Get up. Don't make this boring," Blade taunted, lifting his sword for another assault.
"Stop!"
A shadow crossed the sky.
A young man with blond hair, clad in white and blue robes, descended onto the scene.
Yanqing landed between Dan Heng and Blade, sword in hand, sparks flying as his blade intercepted Blade's strike.
"I won't allow you to shed innocent blood on the Xianzhou, fugitive."
Blade snorted in contempt.
"Jing Yuan's little lapdog dares to bark at me?"
Yanqing stiffened, his posture tightening.
But then his eyes narrowed as he glanced at Dan Heng.
A flicker of recognition crossed his face.
"You...?"
Dan Heng averted his gaze.
He said nothing.
Blade's laughter rang even louder. Without warning, he threw his sword, impaling Dan Heng's shoulder just as he was getting up.
"Do you really think you're defending the right man, kid? Do you even know who you're protecting?"
He pointed dramatically at Dan Heng.
"That man isn't who you think! He's a criminal! A traitor! A monster hiding under a lamb's skin!"
Yanqing frowned.
Water surged from the ground, lifting Dan Heng's figure into the air, knocking Blade's sword to the floor.
"What are you talking about?"
Blade spread his arms wide, a wicked grin lighting up his face as he slowly walked toward his fallen sword.
The water surrounding Dan Heng rose into the shape of a majestic dragon, soaring into the sky before plunging down.
It sank into Dan Heng's chest with a blinding flash.
"He is the renegade! The one who defied the very Xianzhou itself! The one who was exiled!"
Two green horns grew from his head, his black hair—now longer—flowing gently in the wind currents as he floated.
The water dragon coiled around him, illuminated by the golden light radiating from the orb in his hand.
"He is Inhibitor Lunae!"
The name fell like a stone into a still pond.
Even the mist seemed to shudder.
The surrounding sea trembled, as if welcoming his arrival.
Yanqing stepped back, stunned.
"It can't be... you..."
He pointed a trembling finger at Dan Heng.
"How dare someone like you set foot on Xianzhou again?"
Dan Heng didn't answer.
There was no need.
Yanqing swallowed hard.
His sword lowered slightly.
"…It doesn't matter."
His gaze hardened.
"If you're a criminal... then I'll bring you to justice!"
Blade smiled.
A smile of pure bliss.
"That's right..." He murmured.
"That's the face you should wear when you fall."
....
The roar of battle shook the Scales Gorge.
The water dragon coiled around Dan Heng twisted through the air, its body flashing like lightning amidst the mist.
Before him, Blade, wearing his deranged smile, lunged forward without a shred of fear.
Blades against currents.
Blood against memory.
Dan Heng's spear moved like a river—clear, fluid, and unstoppable.
Each strike left a replica behind, an echo of the one they had cast out.
A testament that he would not be crushed.
Blade's assaults, on the other hand, were frantic, like furious screams, brimming with rage that seemed to have no end.
Yanqing tried to join the fray, his swords dancing like shooting stars.
He was fast.
Sharp.
But not enough.
Not for Dan Heng.
Not for Blade.
Both repelled him effortlessly, as if there were no room for a child trying to play hero to interfere in their clash.
Yanqing growled in frustration, his eyes burning with anger.
"Don't you dare underestimate me!"
He shouted, unleashing a storm of swords.
For a moment, it looked like he might actually land a hit.
But Blade barely moved.
With a single swing of his sword, he deflected all the flying blades.
"Annoying."
He muttered, not even sparing Yanqing a glance.
Blade charged at Dan Heng once more.
This time, their weapons clashed with such force that the nearby sea surged into towering columns toward the sky.
Dan Heng grunted.
He couldn't go on like this.
Not while Blade fought like he had nothing left to lose.
Not while Yanqing kept getting in the way, trying to play the hero.
This would end badly.
For everyone.
Before the next clash could happen…
An invisible melody floated through the air.
Soft.
Commanding.
It wrapped around them, clinging to their bodies as if they were puppets on strings.
The legs of everyone—Dan Heng, Blade, and Yanqing—numbed.
A subtle force rooted them to the spot.
Their weapons fell, or froze mid-swing.
Even Dan Heng's dragon whimpered, slowly dissolving into a whirl of steam.
"What...?"
Dan Heng tried to move, but couldn't.
Even Blade, mad as he was, couldn't break free from the spell.
The culprit revealed herself with a lazy smile.
Standing there, barely moving her index finger, as if tapping a single note into the air.
"Alright, listen up: That's enough."
She said with that voice of hers—sweet as candy and as poisonous as a viper's venom.
Dan Heng stared at her.
"What do you think you're doing?"
Kafka let out a soft chuckle, covering her mouth with one hand.
"What's a good reunion without a little protocol? It would be such a terrible welcome for the General if he saw you three brawling like this."
Blade roared like a furious beast.
Yanqing struggled, casting murderous glares in every direction.
A slow clap echoed through the mist.
A figure emerged.
Relaxed.
Imposing.
Smiling.
Dressed in white and gold, carrying a massive sword as if it were no heavier than a twig.
Jing Yuan.
"I must admit…" His voice resonated through the Gorge. "You've all been terribly rude, organizing a reunion without inviting me."
His gaze was sharp, like a sword that had already chosen where to fall.
Blade let out a bitter laugh.
"So you came, Jing Yuan."
Jing Yuan nodded.
"I couldn't allow my old friends to meet without supervision. It would break my heart to miss it. How could you be so cruel as to exclude me?"
Kafka burst out laughing.
Dan Heng swallowed hard.
There was no way Jing Yuan didn't know who he was now.
And from the General's weary expression...
Yes.
He knew.
Jing Yuan walked slowly until he stood between them all.
He turned to Blade.
"Your job is done." He said casually. "Get out of my jurisdiction before I'm forced to remember my duties."
Blade tilted his head.
For a moment, it looked like he would defy him.
But then, without another word, Blade turned on his heel and walked toward Kafka.
As he passed Dan Heng, Blade shot him a look full of meaning.
"We'll meet again, Dan Heng."
He whispered it like a promise.
Then he vanished with Kafka into a Starskiff.
Yanqing finally managed to break free from the spell.
"General!" He shouted, his face red with frustration. "How can you let them escape?! They're criminals!"
Jing Yuan simply raised a lazy hand.
"Today, the hunt is unnecessary."
Yanqing clenched his fists but obeyed.
The General then turned to Dan Heng.
He studied him for a long moment, complicated emotions flickering across his face.
"You've returned." He said.
Dan Heng nodded, unable to speak.
Jing Yuan sighed.
"Come."
He turned, walking toward the exit of the Gorge.
"If you want to see your friends... you'd better follow me."
Dan Heng hesitated for a moment.
Then he followed, leaving behind the mist, the blood, and the pain.
Jing Yuan spoke as they walked, his voice drifting on the wind.
"The beauty of the Sargasso Sea remains the same... but we do not."
He gazed into the horizon.
"The bodies of the long-lived can resist decay. But they will never understand the eternity of the heaven and the earth...
nor the true loneliness of the waters."
Dan Heng said nothing.
He simply walked behind him, each step heavier than the last.
....
Dan Heng's footsteps echoed with an unusual weight as he followed Jing Yuan along the stone path rising from the Scaled Gorge.
The sea of clouds stretched below them like an endless sheet.
Finally, without turning around, Dan Heng spoke.
"You should already know about the Vidyadhara's cycle of reincarnation. The waters of the Ancestral Sea wash away each soul. It doesn't stop for the desires of a single person."
Dan Heng clenched his fists.
"I am not Dan Feng."
His voice was low but firm.
"No matter what face you see before you. No matter if the blood, the flesh, and fragments of the soul once belonged to him. I am Dan Heng."
He stopped.
His eyes, cold and clear like the spring waters of Xianzhou, locked onto Jing Yuan's back.
"Whoever Dan Feng once was—hero or traitor, sage or criminal—he has nothing to do with me anymore. I accepted the exile. I endured the loneliness. I do not deny the punishment. But I will not let his shadow decide who I am."
The wind blew, stirring the white strands of Jing Yuan's hair.
The General remained silent for a moment that felt endless.
Finally, he let out a heavy sigh.
"Indeed..." He murmured, still not turning around. "Maybe it's your face. Or the horns crowning your head. Or... perhaps... that unmistakable aura of a High Elder that neither time nor rebirth could fully erase."
Jing Yuan finally turned.
His golden eyes were gentle, yet severe.
"I understand now, Dan Heng."
His tone was somber.
"But understanding it... doesn't change what must be done."
Dan Heng frowned.
"What do you want?"
"A favor."
Jing Yuan's voice hardened.
"One that only someone like you can fulfill."
"A favor?"
Jing Yuan nodded.
"Complete this task… and you will cleanse not just your name, but also the sins that stain your reflection in Luofu's memory."
Dan Heng narrowed his eyes.
"I don't know if I'm capable of doing everything Dan Feng could."
"You must."
Jing Yuan's answer was immediate.
"It's not out of arrogance or disdain. It's because… as you said... Dan Feng is gone."
He crossed his arms, his figure silhouetted against the misty horizon.
"But I... I am still the General of the Luofu. My duty did not end with his fall. There are things I would rather not do... but I have no choice."
He paused.
His eyes softened slightly.
"Here we are... so different from each other. You, reborn. Me, bound to the same duty as always."
Dan Heng didn't reply.
He knew words wouldn't change anything now.
That was Xianzhou.
That was the weight of the promises borne by those who lived countless years.
Jing Yuan, noticing his silence, gave a faint smile.
"Don't make that face. It's not all bad news."
He turned, motioning vaguely forward.
"Come. There are people waiting for you."
...…
Dan Heng quickened his pace.
Up ahead, on a worn stone clearing, he saw Welt Yang standing with his arms crossed, looking at something just beyond his line of sight.
March 7th was there too, her mouth agape in a mixture of surprise and awe.
"Is that really... Aleph?" She said.
Stelle, more serious than he had ever seen her, was staring intently ahead. Her fists clenched tightly at her sides.
Dan Heng followed their gaze.
And he couldn't help but blink in surprise.
There, under the cloudy skies, amidst the ruins, in a field littered with the corpses of the Antimatter Legion...
There stood Aleph.
Dan Heng let out a small huff.
It seemed he wasn't the only one who had undergone a transformation.
His figure radiated pure strength, his muscles had grown. Two crimson horns rose from his head.
His hands were stained blood-red, his nails elongated and blackened into sharp claws.
With every movement, an enemy fell torn apart, his euphoric roar betraying the savage joy he found in the action.
Dan Heng blinked again.
Even Jing Yuan let out a quiet "Oh" of surprise.
It was then that a voice spoke beside him.
"Ah, I see you've arrived just in time."
Fu Xuan appeared, walking toward them, though there was a noticeable urgency in her stride.
She gave a slight bow to Jing Yuan, who nodded back.
"What happened here?" Dan Heng asked, pointing toward Aleph with a furrowed brow.
Fu Xuan sighed.
"Panthylia. A Devastator infiltrated the heart of the Luofu using Tingyun from the Sky-Faring Commission as her puppet. She manipulated Sanctus Medicus into causing chaos by giving them the Stellaron, turning us against each other... But it was all a ruse. A distraction, and an element for her amusement as she advanced toward her true goal—the Ambrosia Tree."
Jing Yuan, raising an eyebrow, commented,
"A plan so chaotic and full of holes... fitting of a Devastator."
Fu Xuan nodded, her expression severe.
"And now, if we don't stop her…" Her face darkened.
"Not only will the Luofu fall. It could spread across the entirety of Xianzhou."
Dan Heng clenched his jaw.
At last, he understood the true gravity of the situation.