Huan Xin awoke from her sleep.
It wasn't light yet.
However, tonight seemed exceptionally dark.
A peculiar darkness. She could see her body and the outlines of things, but everything else, apart from herself, had lost its color.
It was as if she were blind now.
What about the stars and moon? Above the gray shadows of a chaotic forest, they were faintly floating, pale white specks in the night.
What a strange sight.
From this perspective, some things usually overlooked suddenly became conspicuous. A carpenter's hammer left under the table, some sundries in the corner, their peculiar angles all stood out.
When Huan Xin placed her hand on the window sill, a moon-white staircase suddenly rose from the window frame, extending towards the sky.
In a colorless world, this staircase was undoubtedly very striking, its gentle and soft light fluffy and slightly cool, like a wisp of mist blowing in her face.
Huan Xin felt her heart almost leap out of her chest.
Is this a dream? Or an encounter?
She carefully stroked the light-stairs that reached the sky; it was indeed real, not an illusion.
Huan Xin gently leaned out of the window and stepped onto the light, climbing a few steps.
Yes! She stood in mid-air, the vast, gray, desolate earth beneath her feet.
Godfather said that the most top-tier light body techniques in the martial world could allow one to step on air and walk on water. Huan Xin gazed around, mesmerized. Was this the true scenery of a Grandmaster?
The light-stairs flew into the high sky. Huan Xin gathered her breath and lightened her body, continuously climbing. Yet, after a long time, there was still no end in sight. She was already panting, the strong winds in the high sky raged, the atmosphere was thin, she had difficulty breathing, her internal energy was depleted, and looking down, there was only endless darkness. If she were to lose her footing and fall from the light-stairs, it would surely be a dead end.
At this point, returning the way she came was impossible; the stairs behind her had disappeared at some unknown time.
The little girl slowly squatted down, curling up on the broad yet narrow staircase.
This staircase was wide enough for two of her to lie down, yet it was so dangerous, as if a single turn would send her tumbling down.
Huan Xin whimpered twice, then suddenly began to cry softly.
"Do not cry."
It was Sun Lichai's voice.
Huan Xin hastily wiped her face, sat up, and looked around, but Fairy Sister was nowhere to be seen.
Suddenly, a budding epiphyllum floated down from the sky, beautiful and fragrant, spinning in front of the little girl.
The petals suddenly bloomed, and their captivating fragrance instantly diffused.
The dew between the petals gathered, forming a small water mirror with flickering images floating within it.
Huan Xin focused her gaze. In the mirror was a bright daytime.
Two women, one big and one small, stood in front of a bamboo hut; they were Sun Lichai and Huan Xin.
They held hands, standing side by side, and through the gap between them, a coffin could be seen.
Although it was a back view, Huan Xin could tell that her reflection in the mirror was crying.
At this moment, Sun Lichai spoke again, "Do not cry."
The scene dissipated.
The epiphyllum floated away, flying towards the top of the stairs. Huan Xin hastily stood up and chased after it.
Soon, images reappeared in the water mirror. The little girl climbed the stairs, her eyes fixed on the things in the mirror.
Sun Lichai collapsed to the ground, while Huan Xin was held in the hand of a tall, multi-armed demon god.
"Futile struggle." The demon god's numerous golden eyes on its face blinked like countless stars in the sky. It swallowed Huan Xin in one gulp, then swung its fist at Sun Lichai.
At the critical moment, an Epiphyllum Seal on Sun Lichai's brow flashed. The demon god cried out in surprise, then retracted its fist, roaring in anger several times.
The scene disappeared again.
The more Huan Xin watched, the more questions she had in her heart.
What did these images mean?
The third time.
Sun Lichai and Huan Xin were sitting in a carriage. The little girl looked worried, while Sun Lichai was bleeding uncontrollably. This bright red, even golden, blood constantly evaporated, filling the carriage with a glorious golden-red mist.
The carriage suddenly stopped.
The draft horse let out a tragic cry, and then a childish voice came from outside, "You two, do not run anymore. This humble monk must obtain the fu yu sword!"
Huan Xin's sorrow on her face suddenly vanished, replaced by endless coldness. She drew the Divine Sword from her waist, lifted the curtain, and stepped out.
The curtain fell, blocking the outside world. Sun Lichai slightly tilted her head, looking at the gently swaying fabric, her expression calm.
The scene disappeared.
The fourth time, Sun Lichai looked at Huan Xin. She had lived a plain life in the valley her entire life. One day, Godfather and Immortal Xu both disappeared, yet Huan Xin's reaction to this was very calm, even indifferent.
She had become one with the deep valley and would forever grow old and die there.
The fifth time, the grown-up Huan Xin confronted Sun Lichai.
"Sister, I have the answer to your question."
"…"
"I refuse."
"So be it." Sun Lichai slowly walked away.
Behind her, Huan Xin was in tears.
The sixth time, Godfather and Immortal Xu ambushed Sun Lichai.
"For Xin'er, you shall bear the death tribulation in her stead!"
Godfather and the wooden man simultaneously struck with their palms, and Sun Lichai also threw a punch.
However, just as the three were about to make contact, the situation drastically changed.
Godfather suddenly flung his sleeve, striking Immortal Xu, while Sun Lichai also changed her move, shattering the wooden man's arms.
"You!" Immortal Xu was both shocked and enraged.
Godfather smiled and recited an incantation. A blood-stained piece of wood on the wooden man's body suddenly flashed with clear light. Immortal Xu let out a strange, tragic scream, then his voice deepened and faded into silence.
Huan Xin gently walked behind Godfather, drew the Divine Sword, and stabbed him through.
"Xin'er, you!"
Huan Xin laughed strangely, "What Xin'er? I am your Immortal Xu!"
The seventh time, Immortal Xu was restrained in a formation. Lightning flashed and thunder roared in the sky. A demon god suddenly broke through the clouds and plunged into the deep valley.
The eighth time, Sun Lichai carried Huan Xin on her back, stepping amidst terrifying waves. She walked little by little towards where the sun rose.
At the end of that world, she looked up and met the gaze of the Bodhisattva on the lotus seat.
"Lu Yuan, can she still be saved?"
"With her soul scattered, there is naturally no salvation."
"Let's do it again." Sun Lichai was silent for a moment. "Lu Yuan, is it possible for me to replace her?"
"Yes."
"Can you do it?"
"No."
"I understand."
The scene disappeared.
Huan Xin desperately chased the epiphyllum, desperately climbing the light-stairs.
However, the epiphyllum gradually withered, and the water mirror continuously dissolved.
Finally, a huge fruit gently fell, and Huan Xin pounced forward, catching it.
She lay on the stairs, panting heavily.
Turning her head slightly, she saw the vast and sparse sea of clouds below. She had gone too far, too high.
There was no path ahead, and the stairs behind her continued to disappear.
Huan Xin paid no mind; she just hugged the epiphyllum fruit tightly, curled up like a baby.
Finally, the stairs beneath her disappeared.
Huan Xin's eyes widened, looking at the sky. The stars shone brightly, illuminating the dark purple, beautiful firmament, and vibrant colors returned to the world.
She fell like a meteor, breaking through the vast clouds, as if shattering the barriers between heaven and earth, seemingly rushing towards death, yet seemingly reborn.
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