Chapter 209: The Blooming of the Other Shore, Tears of a Demon’s Sorrow

There is only one fate, yet its outcomes are ever-changing. Liu Yi never expected he would kill that guardian. At this moment, the world was splitting open into an endless abyss. The lives of the two hung by a thread—life or death, with no choice, as the ground beneath their feet began to vanish. Some unknown force brought his vital energy to surface once again. Yet in his mind, one thought persisted: Ye Luo Baihua must survive, live well. She was a princess and deserved to live with pride.

Looking at Ye Luo Baihua, Liu Yi’s heart was filled with guilt and sorrow. Shaking his head, he said, “No. A conclusion is needed here, so I must take responsibility. Leave this place and live well. Find a way to escape this dream and return to reality.” Without saying more, Liu Yi concentrated his last vestiges of vital energy in his right arm and pushed Ye Luo Baihua’s body forward. The immense force left her unable to resist in her panic. Liu Yi’s hand moved in a unique way, relying entirely on momentum. In that instant, Ye Luo Baihua’s body flew uncontrollably toward the split space.

As Ye Luo Baihua rushed toward the crack, her beautiful voice turned desperate and sorrowful as she cried out loudly, “No!”

By then, Liu Yi no longer had any strength. After sending Ye Luo Baihua away, his entire body collapsed as if it had fallen apart, and he fell backward uncontrollably. Behind him lay the bottomless abyss…

In Liu Yi’s eyes, everything slowed down. The whole world became beautifully dreamlike. The sunlight warmed everything once again. The white snowflakes were pure and gentle, their cool touch on his face feeling utterly real. The cold wind scattered his white hair, blurring his vision. Everything in this world moved slowly. He could clearly feel Ye Luo Baihua’s sorrow. Looking at her beautiful face, Liu Yi only felt guilt and self-reproach. Those emotions only brought more sorrow.

The moment Liu Yi fell, he was fully aware that it was his fault that had dragged Ye Luo Baihua into this situation. Though she had left this world on the verge of disappearance, no one knew how dangerous the next dream would be. This dream was endless and boundless. To escape it truly depended solely on luck.

Gazing at her fading figure, Liu Yi mustered his last strength and said, “Remember what I said. You must live well.” As his voice gradually faded, Ye Luo Baihua disappeared into the crack, while Liu Yi fell into the bottomless abyss…

There was no wind in his ears, no sense of falling, but everything around him was dark—endless darkness enveloped Liu Yi’s already confused mind. It felt like he was floating, yet also falling. In that haze, Liu Yi could no longer tell whether the darkness was himself or if he was part of the darkness, as if everything had merged together.

All that remained in his heart was sorrow, a sorrow stemming from Ye Luo Bai Hua. In that confusion, Liu Yi felt a chill at the corners of his eyes—a feeling he recognized well, yet he couldn’t put into words. Everything became unreal; dreamlike stories appeared before his eyes—one after another. The thousand-year love between him and the celestial maiden was cursed by the gods; he couldn’t reciprocate his love for July, and he couldn’t even protect Ye Luo Bai Hua’s safety when they met. That sorrow cut deep into his heart.

The cold sensation gradually brought back some awareness to him. When the hazy light appeared, Liu Yi could no longer tell whether it was a dream or reality. As pink light radiated and red glow covered the surrounding space, he gently shifted his gaze. What was that? It seemed so familiar—a pink flower without branches or leaves, appearing so lonely and desolate. As Liu Yi turned slightly, the cold sensation slipped away—it was a tear, the Tear of the Sorrowful Demon.

The moment that crystal tear fell on the pink petals, light dispelled all darkness, and star-like brilliance illuminated everything. Beneath the petals of the “Other Shore Flower,” green appeared—so striking yet so faint, as if it might vanish at any moment.

When everything was over, the light of the “Other Shore Flower” scattered once more and slowly disappeared. As Liu Yi fell, the curse of the flower merged back into his body. Then, the entire space returned to darkness, as if nothing had happened—peaceful, harmonious, yet filled with endless loneliness.

Though he didn’t know if it was real or a dream, Liu Yi saw that the “Other Shore Flower” had its first tear—a tear that brought him hope. Yet, that hope didn’t bring joy; instead, it deepened his sorrow. Fate’s arrangement was too ironic. This wasn’t an accident. Ye Luo Bai Hua’s arrival in Liu Yi’s world had been planned in advance. In Yelang, far away, the matchmaker had long known she would appear in Liu Yi’s life. Thus, one of the nine tears was meant for Ye Luo Bai Hua—the Sorrow of the Demon. Could this fate truly not be resisted?

Liu Yi saw hope, but also helplessness. Yet, what filled his heart most was anger—anger toward fate. Why had a demon’s experience been planned over seven thousand years? Was this the definition of the gods? The law of the world? Rather than following a path and doing things predetermined by others, it would be better to act as one pleases…

As his thoughts surged, Liu Yi felt himself growing weaker, gradually losing consciousness. He seemed to be floating in the clouds, filled only with helplessness. Even though he thought too much now, he would no longer have the chance to act, for he had no strength left… Gradually, everything vanished. Darkness engulfed the world, and he lost all sensation.

He didn’t know how much time had passed. A blinding ray of sunlight made Liu Yi open his eyes abruptly as he sat up from the ground. Confused, he had no idea what had happened. Struggling to think, he vaguely remembered falling into an abyss earlier, losing all strength, and gradually losing consciousness. After that, he had no idea what happened. Yet now, he was sitting up on the ground under the intense sunlight. Had he not died? Or had it been just a nightmare?

But soon, Liu Yi dismissed this idea because he saw Ye Luobaihua—her perfect and familiar face, her star-like bright eyes looking at him, as she said in her sweet voice, “You smell foul.”

Looking at Ye Luobaihua sitting just a short distance away, Liu Yi’s gaze was filled with confusion. He had countless questions he wanted to ask her, but soon what he saw confirmed his thoughts. There was still that black silk wrapped around Ye Luobaihua’s right leg—the same one Liu Yi had wrapped it with in that nightmare. So, if that was the case, everything had really happened; he had indeed fallen into that abyss. Then why was he unharmed here now?

Liu Yi asked in astonishment, “What’s going on? Didn’t I send you to another dream? And I also fell into that black abyss. Why are we here at the same time? Could it be… we’re both dead?” An unrealistic thought crossed Liu Yi’s mind, and he even began to feel fear.

Ye Luobaihua looked at Liu Yi, her eyes also holding something unexplainable, and replied, “I don’t know either. But I think we’re not dead, and we haven’t left the ‘Real Dream.’ I fainted as soon as I entered that dream, and I don’t remember anything that happened after that. When I woke up, you were right beside me. I saw you didn’t smell foul, so I didn’t call you.”

Ye Luobaihua had a vague answer in her mind but couldn’t be sure, so she didn’t say it. In her opinion, in reality, their hands were tied together. In this dream, dreams connected, and so did thoughts. No matter whether it was life or death, separation or catastrophe, as long as the two didn’t let go, they would stay together in this dream world. But out of a motherly concern, she didn’t voice it.

Liu Yi looked around. Everything was as eerie and unexplainable as in the first dream. He didn’t know where this place was, but all he could see was a desert. The yellow sand grains seemed tiny and insignificant, but when countless of them appeared together, they formed a sea of sand before his eyes. This world seemed like a world of sand, with no end in sight. The surroundings were equally empty, but strangely, amidst this endless desert, there were tall and strange green plants growing. The yellow contrasted with the green, making this world feel more real and vibrant compared to the ice and snow nightmare—though that was only in comparison.

Liu Yi slowly stood up and looked up at the sky. The sun wasn’t scorching; instead, it gave off a warm feeling. There was no trace of the coldness from the first dream here. Though it seemed somewhat strange, it felt very pleasant. Liu Yi thought to himself, “Whose dream could this be?” But there was only one answer—either hers or his own.

Ye Luo Baihua saw Liu Yi stand up and asked, “Have you recovered? You really scared me earlier.”

Reminded by Ye Luo Baihua, Liu Yi remembered his own body. He immediately used his vital energy to check. Although his vital energy hadn’t fully recovered, it had recovered by 70%. The progress of the 13th level of the demonic cultivation method was fast, but it also posed a problem for Liu Yi. Now that the freezing had ended, using the 13th level of vital energy might cause him to turn into a demon, with no chance of redemption. Thinking of this, Liu Yi felt uneasy.

Ye Luo Baihua’s wound seemed to have improved as well. She stood up gently and asked, “Are you okay?”

Liu Yi nodded and said, “Mm, I’m fine. My vital energy has recovered by 70%.”

Ye Luo Baihua looked at Liu Yi in amazement and said, “It recovered so quickly. But I don’t know how long we’ve been sleeping here. Even my wound has begun to heal; I no longer feel pain.”

Liu Yi looked around and said, “Time seems to flow differently here…”

Ye Luo Baihua nodded and said, “Yes, I feel the same. But it seems irregular, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, just like the plants around us. Sometimes they suddenly sprout leaves, while other times they stay still. I don’t know if it’s because of the irregular time or because of these plants being special.”

Liu Yi shook his head. This place was indeed strange. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he stretched out his right hand. With his mind, he sent a thought. As a pink glow shot out from his palm, a beautiful flower floated in his hand—it was the curse on Liu Yi’s body: the ‘Sakura Flower’. Remembering what happened in that dark abyss, Liu Yi just wanted to prove whether the ‘Sakura Flower’ could really produce green buds.

What he saw was indeed true. That green color seemed like hope, appearing on the branches of the ‘Sakura Flower’. Looking at that green, Liu Yi didn’t know exactly how to feel, but he understood everything in his heart. The nine kinds of tears were all arranged in advance. Rather than being nine kinds of tears, they were more like nine kinds of suffering—tests arranged by Ye Lang and the matchmaker, ordained by fate… But to free the celestial maiden from the cycle of suffering, even if it meant facing an abyss, he had no regrets. He wouldn’t yield to fate, yet he still needed it. Thinking of this, Liu Yi sighed. How should he proceed on his future path? As he pondered, the ‘Sakura Flower’ in his hand gradually disappeared, leaving only a trace of light.

Watching the vanished ‘Sakura Flower’ in Liu Yi’s hand, Ye Luo Baihua didn’t understand what caused it to sprout green buds, but it must be related to Liu Yi. She didn’t know much about this, so she wasn’t very concerned at the moment. Looking around, she raised the question that concerned her now: “What should we do now?”

Liu Yi looked around. The yellow sand was the most prominent feature in this world—undulating terrain with dunes and sand pits. It seemed like a desert world. The two of them felt like ants in a vast ocean; compared to this sea-like desert, they were far too fragile. Liu Yi instinctively gripped the sword at his waist and said, “It’s too vast. We can only walk slowly. Who knows what we’ll encounter next?” With the experience from his previous dream, he was now even more cautious.

As the two spoke, a grain of sand fell from the sky and landed on Liu Yi’s shoulder. Though it was very light, Liu Yi could sense it, but he didn’t pay much attention.

Ye Luo Baihua also stopped speaking after Liu Yi’s words and started walking forward, saying, “I wonder whose dream this is. If it were mine, could I see Uncle Sword and the others?”

Hearing Ye Luo Baihua’s words, Liu Yi’s heart lit up. Yes, after all, this was just a dream—anything could happen here. If this dream were his own, would he meet the Ten Great Heroes, A Jiu, Shui Er, the Great Sword King, or even the Wolf King? He wondered if he was still fine in the human world. As he thought further, his heart ached—perhaps… he could even see the Heavenly Maid here… Step by step, they continued walking. From time to time, a grain of sand fell from the sky, but in this dream, neither of them paid it any mind.

Everything stemmed from curiosity, yet it was all for knowledge. Even who created this dream was unknown. All they could do was keep walking through the endless yellow sands, searching for that elusive yet real prophet.

Repeated experiences kept changing Liu Yi’s mindset. What used to be a useless scholar had now become fully mature, steady, and calm. On the contrary, his other side had become fierce, cruel, and domineering. Walking through the yellow sands, a sense of eeriness kept approaching, but it didn’t stir even the slightest ripple in Liu Yi’s heart. There were no rules for demons—only their own will. Even if this was fate, he wouldn’t bow his head.

Time passed unknowingly. The sun rose and set, clouds rolled by. Though time here had no sense of rhythm, several days had already passed in their minds. All they could see were sand grains and those strange green plants.

The two of them didn’t feel tired at all. They kept walking endlessly, as if roaming the entire world. Ye Luo Baihua said as they walked, “It’s so strange here. We’ve been walking for many days, yet nothing has changed around us. It’s still this endless desert.”

Liu Yi replied while walking, “Yes, it’s really strange. It’s warm day and night—definitely not a desert climate. And those plants… without rain, how can they survive in this desert?”

Ye Luo Baihua nodded and said, “The strangeness here is much more obvious than in the first dream. And have you noticed? Those yellow sand grains keep falling from the sky. It’s so strange—sand falling from the sky.”

Liu Yi nodded and said, “There’s an indescribable feeling… But… if there’s danger, why haven’t we encountered it after so many days? Could it be… we haven’t walked far enough?” Liu Yi had far more doubts than he expressed, but he just didn’t want to say them out loud.

Ye Luo Baihua walked forward while saying, “Oh, I wonder if we can meet the Prophet here. It feels strange.”
Suddenly, Liu Yi stopped in his tracks and pointed ahead, “Look, what’s that?”
Following Liu Yi’s direction, Ye Luo Baihua glanced ahead and exclaimed, “Strange! How come I didn’t see any houses there just now?” In fact, in the distance, there was a wooden house, but she hadn’t noticed it while walking earlier. Now, it seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.
Liu Yi instinctively gripped the sword in his hand and said, “Yes, there was nothing there before. The lake, the trees, the house—all of them appeared suddenly.” His mood was complex, but he sensed no danger at all. The wooden house was surrounded by tall plants, with a clear lake in front. It looked like a paradise in the desert, so harmonious and peaceful.
Ye Luo Baihua looked ahead and then at Liu Yi, saying, “Everything that happens here is strange. We need to be careful.”
Liu Yi nodded in agreement, and the two walked toward the wooden house. What seemed like a long distance was covered in just a few steps. Ye Luo Baihua was amazed by the scenery—wondering at the beauty of the oasis in the desert and surprised by the strange perception of time here. Although it should have taken a long time to cover such a distance, it seemed much closer after just a few steps.
Liu Yi also found it strange. Even though he didn’t sense any danger, he tightened his grip on his sword. This place was too eerie; they had to be careful. Just as the two crossed the bridge and walked along the lake to reach the wooden house, its door suddenly creaked open.
As a few grains of sand fell from the sky, a woman in purple appeared before Liu Yi and Ye Luo Baihua. Her form-fitting outfit accentuated her perfect figure, with long black hair cascading down her shoulders. A purple ribbon ran diagonally across her forehead, holding her hair aside from her eyes. Purple-blue silk bands wrapped around her dark arms like bracelets. Her tight outfit, purple skirt, and white boots made her look like an elf from the human world, exuding a lively aura.
Liu Yi blurted out, “July.”