Chapter 183: Separated by Fate, the Flowers of the Other Side

There is a flower in this world called the flower of the other side. It blooms on the other side of life; when it blooms, its leaves are invisible, and when leaves are present, the flower is out of sight. Flower and leaves never meet—forever separated by fate…

All forms of helplessness seem not limited to humans alone; even flowers suffer such sorrow. With flower and leaves never meeting, what is missed becomes regret. The flower of the other side seems to mock something as well.

At this moment, Liu Yi had already raised his entire vital energy to its peak and summoned the four divine dragons. Then, he said to July, “Get closer—preferably to where you were before. I’ll strike straight ahead, trying to control the direction so my sword lands on its wound.” Liu Yi wasn’t confident that this single strike would subdue the monster. To increase his chances, he had to focus on the wound he had created initially, as that would make it more likely to land a fatal blow.

July tried her best to control the sound of her sword as she slowly approached the monster. With each step closer, the resistance grew stronger. Meanwhile, it seemed the monster was concentrating on something inside its mouth, and the white light grew brighter. Even Liu Yi could feel it. The surrounding hurricanes kept blocking their progress.

One zhang, two zhang, three zhang… Their distance gradually shortened. But July seemed unable to withstand the intense hurricanes and began to wobble. Yet she didn’t stop. She knew they had no way back—failure in this battle meant death, so they had to give it their all.

Finally, July managed to stabilize herself and adjust her direction, aligning Liu Yi’s body as closely as possible with the wound. After several attacks from the hurricanes, she finally managed to aim at the wound and said, “Okay, now is the time. The wound you left on that monster is right ahead.”

Relying on his senses, Liu Yi carefully identified the direction from which the monster’s blood was flowing. After confirming it once more, he shouted, “Wushi!” As the shadows of the four dragons flashed, a red light appeared between them and struck directly at the monster’s wound. As the four dragon shadows climbed up, the red light instantly merged the sea and sky into one.

A deafening scream, seemingly coming from the depths of hell, echoed through the air. Though Liu Yi couldn’t see, he could feel the waves surging like boiling water and the hurricanes intensifying. He knew he had injured the beast, but he wasn’t sure if it was fatal.

July supported his shoulder and said, “That monster looks in great pain.”

The monster’s two huge flesh wings kept slapping the sea surface, its entire body emitting white light as if it were flipping over. The wound in its middle seemed about to split it in two, with green liquid flowing like a river into the sea, mixing with the water. Yet the monster still wasn’t dead.

Suddenly, July shouted, “Something’s wrong.”

The monster’s enormous mouth opened, and a huge white sphere appeared shortly after. The white sphere seemed to be one-fourth the size of its body, with a glowing core at its center, surrounded by white lightning. By this time, Liu Yi could already sense the presence of that immense force. The white sphere seemed to illuminate his entire dark world through the “black veil.”

Liu Yi said, “Turn your head quickly!”

But it was too late. He was too slow. As the monstrous beast rolled, the white sphere shot toward them violently. The tremendous force made it impossible for them to maintain balance. As the energy of the sphere rushed in, the two of them were completely engulfed. In that white light, Liu Yi and July could only feel their bodies flying backward at high speed. The lightning around them pierced their bodies like sharp swords. In an instant, the agony overwhelmed their senses. With the endless pain and rapid movement, their consciousness began to blur, and then everything became blank—nothing was known anymore…

In the darkness, he could do nothing. Suddenly, the Nine Nether Demon God appeared before Liu Yi. As the black shadow transformed, it turned into Jillian. Liu Yi wanted to say something, but found himself unable to speak. Just as Jillian smiled at him, a blue shadow appeared. It took Jillian’s hand and slowly passed through his body. Liu Yi wanted to shout loudly to hold Jillian back, but no sound came out.

He was confused, frustrated, in pain, and desperate. At that moment, a warm hand wrapped around his waist. A voice, seemingly soft yet very real, filled the dark world: “Scholar, even if the whole world ignores you, there’s still July.” That warmth, that emotion—Liu Yi knew it was her.

But then, that warmth gradually disappeared, turning into white light that surrounded him. Liu Yi suddenly felt as if he had lost something. As he was confused, a white shadow appeared before him—it was Leng Jian. Leng Jian looked at Liu Yi and said, “Pick up your sword and kill every person who deserves to die.”

Suddenly, the space changed. Everything around was red blood, even on the ground. There was no sunlight, only red clouds; no moon, only hurricanes. The land was desolate, with no pure land left. Beneath his feet lay piles of white bones, with red blood flowing between them. He froze in shock—had he killed all these people?

At that moment, a majestic giant appeared before him. Liu Yi felt a sense of familiarity because he knew this person was Pangu. Looking at Liu Yi, Pangu laughed loudly, “You’ll always be a demon, a pitiful demon. What good is having power? You can’t change your fate. Look at your killings, look at your sins. You and the heavenly maiden will never be together. You’ll sink, forever lost.”

He could no longer remain silent. His sorrow and anger made him shout loudly, “No, no…” With his cry, the shadow vanished in an instant, and his world returned to darkness. Then, he felt he could move again, but realized he was lying on something soft. Upon closer inspection, it must be a beach.

It turned out he had just had a dream, and now he was awake. Listening to the sound of the waves around him and feeling the sand on the ground, Liu Yi was sure he was on land. He thought carefully about what had happened before—a white light surrounded him and Qi Yue, followed by intense pain and a rapid backward movement, after which he lost consciousness.

Suddenly, Liu Yi seemed to remember something. Right, where was Qi Yue? If his reasoning was correct, the two of them must have been thrown into the sea by that monster and then separated. Liu Yi took out the “Sorrowful Dream” sword from his waist and searched along the shore while calling Qi Yue’s name.

Suddenly, something tripped him up. Liu Yi felt hopeful and quickly squatted down to touch it—it was a person’s arm. Then Liu Yi patted the person’s face and said, “Qi Yue, is it you?”

The person was awakened by Liu Yi. After coughing and spitting out the seawater from his mouth, hearing that familiar voice, Liu Yi could tell it was indeed Qi Yue. He said happily, “We’re both alive, we’re both alive.”

Qi Yue also recovered by then. Seeing Liu Yi’s excited expression, she said happily, “Yes, we’re still alive. I can’t believe it. I thought we would definitely be swallowed by the sea.”

Liu Yi nodded and then said, “Where are we? How can there be land above the sea?”

Hearing Liu Yi’s words, Qi Yue looked around. At first glance, she blurted out, “It’s so beautiful.”

The land in front of them wasn’t large, even smaller than the Eternal City in the Demon Realm. It seemed to float above the South Sea. Surrounded by pink flowers, each flower had nine stamens, with petals arranged in layers around them.

But these flowers were peculiar—everything around them was pink, as if something was missing. After thinking carefully, Qi Yue realized the pink flowers lacked green leaves. Looking further into the land, it felt even more like a fairyland, with strange plants growing densely and a variety of flowers blooming. A winding path led to a wooden house floating in the air. Everything here seemed magical.

White cranes flew across the sky, and white rabbits and other small animals on the ground watched the two of them, blinking from time to time. Pairs of butterflies fluttered around the pink petals around them. The setting sun added harmony, tranquility, and an otherworldly beauty to the scene…

Qi Yue described everything she saw to Liu Yi. Just then, a voice reached their ears—melodic like the song of orioles, extremely pleasant to hear. It said, “For a thousand years, no one has ever come to this farthest corner of the world. You two are guests here. You must have had a hard journey. Surely you have some wish?”

As the voice came, Liu Yi slowly stood up because he heard footsteps—very light, giving a floating sensation. Hearing that voice, Liu Yi suddenly became excited and blurted out, “There really is a farthest corner of the world. It really exists, it really exists.”

July seemed to understand those words as well. Could it be that the place they stood was indeed the End of the World? July couldn’t help but examine every rock and tree here again—everything seemed like a dream, so beautiful it was hard to believe.

As the sound of footsteps stopped, Liu Yi could clearly sense that the two people had stopped in front of him. In his vision, their light spots were red and yellow respectively; it was certain they were a man and a woman.

A man with a magnetic voice spoke kindly and gently, “This End of the World exists only in people’s hearts. If you believe in it, it exists; if not, it doesn’t. After traveling thousands of miles and enduring hardships, I’m surprised you can’t see anything.”

Liu Yi couldn’t help asking, “Are you the lovers of this End of the World?”

The other woman’s voice replied, “Only the two of us live here at the End of the World.”

Listening to their conversation, July observed more carefully. The woman on the right was extremely beautiful—her arched eyebrows and dark eyes gave her an otherworldly appearance. Her high nose bridge seemed to enhance her perfection, and her thin, red lips, though not overly bright, appeared flawless. Her red robe further emphasized her nobility.

The man on the left had dark skin and a sharply defined face, with dragon-like eyebrows and tiger-like eyes—exceptionally handsome. His long black hair was neatly tied back, and he wore a gray robe with a black belt. His upright and strong build gave off an impression of reliability and approachability. These two truly seemed like a perfect match.

The woman in red indirectly answered Liu Yi’s question. The man in gray smiled kindly and said, “Young Master Liu may call us by our names. I am Yelang, and this is my wife, Hongniang.” He politely introduced himself and his wife.

Liu Yi asked in surprise, “How do you know my name?”

Hongniang smiled and replied in her pleasant voice, “We know much more. Love in this world becomes our daily stories. Naturally, we know your name as well.”

Liu Yi quickly said, “Is that really so? Then… I suppose you also know the reason for my visit here at the End of the World.”

Yelang nodded and said, “Of course. If Young Master Liu could cross the three waves, how could we not notice? It’s truly remarkable that a blind man like you could make it through those three waves.”

Liu Yi shook his head quickly and said, “You flatter me. It was July who helped me along the way.”

Hongniang turned to look at July, a hint of regret in her eyes—though Liu Yi couldn’t see it. She nodded and said, “It’s rare to see July’s sincere devotion.”

Hearing Hongniang’s simple words, Liu Yi and July each had different thoughts in their hearts—some bitter, some sweet. No one could know; the answer lay only in their hearts.

Liu Yi continued, “Since you, the lovers, know why we’re here, I wonder if you could help me as well.”

Yelang remained silent for a moment, then glanced at the matchmaker. At that time, the matchmaker spoke, her voice beautiful yet each word piercingly stabbing into Liu Yi’s heart. She said, “Liu Yi, all we can do regarding your story is sigh in admiration. Of course, we can help you, but it will be very difficult, and the cost involved is immeasurable.”

Upon hearing this, Liu Yi immediately said cheerfully, “No, anything is fine. As long as you’re willing to help and restore the Heavenly Maiden’s memory, I’ll agree to any condition.”

Yelang continued, “Liu Yi’s true form seven thousand years ago was that of a Nirvana being, the heart demon of Pangu. Now I want to ask you a question—Niren, are you willing to answer me?”

Liu Yi nodded and said, “Please go ahead.”

Yelang asked further, “If… you were given another chance to go back seven thousand years, would you still fall in love with the Heavenly Maiden? Would you regret it? Would you still resent the hardships and sacrifices you’ve endured over these three lifetimes?”

Liu Yi paused without answering.

The matchmaker interjected, “Young master, you don’t need to rush to answer our question. We can give you time to think.”

Liu Yi shook his head and said, “It’s not about thinking. I just don’t know how to express it. If I had another chance to start over, I don’t think I’d fall in love with the Heavenly Maiden again. Perhaps I’d regret my decision. But if this fate extends across three lifetimes, I won’t resent any of my sacrifices. It’s all something I willingly accept.”

Yelang let out an “Oh,” seemingly surprised by Liu Yi’s answer, and asked again, “Not love? Why?”

Liu Yi replied, “Love between gods and demons brings only pain. All the sweetness from the past has become just a memory. I truly wish I could still love, but I can’t. To love someone means thinking of her. If my love causes her pain, I’d rather not love her, or… not tell her I love her.”

“Seven thousand years have passed—can we really go back? Can we start over? All the sins are because of me. The Heavenly Maiden’s suffering is also my fault. I don’t resent it, but my love hurt her. I never thought of her. Perhaps it’s only through these thousand years of trials that I can be purified and understand the true meaning of love—sacrifice, tolerance, giving up, thinking of her.”

“As for this life, I say I have no regrets, no resentment. I love the Heavenly Maiden. I don’t regret falling in love with her. What are a few lifetimes of suffering? If it can continue, I wish this love to last a thousand years, forever unchanging.”

Hearing Liu Yi’s words, neither the matchmaker nor Yelang spoke. His answer was unexpected, yet satisfying to them. Such an understanding of love.

Liu Yi paused briefly before continuing, “Time cannot be reversed. So I can’t stop loving the Heavenly Maiden. Since this love has extended to this life, all I can do is keep loving her—everything about her… Even if we reincarnate, I won’t forget. What’s there to fear in a thousand-year curse? How deep the love, how painful the feelings—how can they be confined to just one lifetime, or controlled by a god?”

Hearing this, Yelang blurted out, “Good! Truly, not forgetting even after reincarnation, unafraid of a thousand-year curse. I’m very satisfied with your answer. We can help you.”

Listening to Ye Lang, Liu Yi calmly said, “Thank you.”
The matchmaker gently flipped her right hand, and a pink flower appeared in it—with nine stamens and fourteen petals, seven petals surrounding the stamens and seven hanging downward. While looking at the flower in her hand, she said to Liu Yi, “Young master, have you heard the story of the Border Flower?”
Liu Yi shook his head and said, “Please tell me.”
Ye Lang replied, “There is a strange flower in this world. It grows in the farthest corners of the earth and is called the Border Flower. When it blooms, its leaves are invisible, and when there are leaves, the flower is invisible. The flower and its leaves never meet, forever separated…”
The matchmaker continued, “This flower carries the sorrow and helplessness of love in the world. It is cursed to exist by the border, hence the name Border Flower. But there is a way to make it bloom again with red flowers and green leaves, appearing at the same time—and that is also when the celestial maiden will regain her memory.”
Liu Yi asked eagerly, “Really? As long as its leaves and petals appear together, the celestial maiden can regain her memory? How does this flower need to be watered?”
Ye Lang shook his head and said, “Watering this flower is very special. It does not grow through water or soil, but requires nine kinds of tears—three tears of emotion, three tears of blessing, and three tears of definition. As long as these nine tears are gathered, the Border Flower can be reborn, with flowers blooming and leaves growing at the same time. That is also when the celestial maiden will regain her memory…”
Liu Yi asked urgently, “Nine kinds of tears? Where are they, and what kind of tears are they?”
The matchmaker replied, “Of course, we can tell you, but first you must know the price of restoring the celestial maiden’s memory…”