Chapter 248: Tears of the Fallen Star, Prayers in Silence

Anything is possible; miracles are right around us. There is no real choice here—taking the path of becoming a demon is his ultimate fate.
The Heart of Darkness is the ultimate power of a true demon, yet it also leads to a path with no return. Regardless of what others think, he must be himself—doing as he pleases, loving those he loves. If gods are heartless, then all that remains is to raise the demon sword toward the sky.
…
Liu Yi listened to the words of the figure in the mirror and seemed to finally understand something. Perhaps it wasn’t his “Lanelfina Qing” that was problematic—everything happened too quickly, leaving no time for “Lanelfina Qing” to break through the Heart of Darkness. Nie Ren had practiced “Lanelfina Qing” for hundreds of years, striving to reach the twelfth level in order to accumulate true energy, so as to surpass the Heart of Murder and directly possess the Heart of Darkness.
Yet, the Heart of Darkness is something a true demon must have. In that case, he only possessed a demonic body, while his true power was merely a laughable shell. Or perhaps something went wrong in the process. Not knowing what he was thinking, Liu Yi simply said, “There is no real choice here. I won’t keep waiting. That wait is far too long—centuries, millennia, ten thousand years. I’m not afraid. But can the heavenly maiden’s suffering end? If this curse cannot be broken, her body will disappear from the human world. Then what’s the meaning of these seven thousand years?” Liu Yi didn’t know why he said these things, but if it all amounted to waiting, he couldn’t accept it. He needed a result—his own desired result.
The figure in the mirror continued, “Then the second choice is your final choice. But you must know that to break through the Heart of Murder, you need to gather immense strength. There must be no interruptions during this process. If your true energy fails to break through the Heart of Murder in time, you will forever become a puppet of the demon.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “I understand. This is my choice.”
The figure in the mirror seemed to sigh and then said, “Very well. This is the last trace of consciousness that can remain in this world. If you want to know more, I’ll use my remaining time to tell you what you don’t know.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “Good. From now on, you can forget everything here. I will be the new continuation. This path no longer needs anyone’s support. Even if I fall a thousand times, as long as I can still breathe, I’ll get up and keep going.”
The figure in the mirror didn’t say much in response but instead said, “I will forever be part of your body, buried deep within. You must know that the Heart of Darkness of a true demon is ultimate power. When you use it, you will become a true demon—heartless and loveless, slashing through the world with your sword, killing all who defy the true demon. I only hope that when you return, you won’t do anything that will cause you regret for life.”

Liu Yi nodded. He understood what was meant, but he wasn’t heartless or emotionless. On the contrary, he had rich emotions—love, family ties, friendship, resentment, hatred—everything was a branch of emotion. He had love, for a distant person. So, as he heard the voice in the mirror speaking, Liu Yi also said to himself, “Demons have emotions and love. Time will prove it all.”

The figure in the mirror didn’t continue on that topic. Instead, it said, “If possible, you’ve acquired the Dark Heart, but be careful of Pangu as well. After all, everything you’ve gained was in the blink of an eye—too fast, too hasty. Compared to Pangu’s power, accumulated over thousands of years, it’s hard to defeat him. Moreover, the gods under his command are not much weaker than him. It was just a moment of carelessness seven thousand years ago that led to today’s consequences.”

Liu Yi couldn’t help but ask, “Then what should I do?”

The figure in the mirror replied, “Many things in the divine realm remain unknown to outsiders, but there’s one thing even they don’t know. The Great Sage once planted eight seeds on earth using his power. Those who learned of this later called them the Seeds of the Earth. They appear in the form of elements and take on the shape of dragons when they grow. Yet… no one knows why the Great Sage did this.”

Hearing this, Liu Yi realized it was something he wanted to know too. All this time, he only knew of the existence of the Wild Dragon and that it could give him power, without knowing why it appeared. Hearing this, he blurted out, “Do you know?” with a hint of doubt.

The figure in the mirror continued, “My consciousness once drifted among the dust, unrestrained by anything. Beyond the world, there are many more worlds. Thousands of worlds form a chaos, and our world is like a grain of sand in the desert. The Great Sage created everything with his power, and Pangu is merely his shadow.”

“In that moment of brilliance, the Great Sage believed that humans, gods, demons, the three realms, and the six paths would all make mistakes. So, he also scattered the Seeds of the Earth. If one day a being can tame those seeds, then that being will become another god, one with the same power as Pangu.”

Liu Yi suddenly laughed coldly but said nothing.

The figure in the mirror remained expressionless and continued, “It’s somewhat ridiculous—a demon who becomes a god. What kind of thing is that? But since you’ve already started, go ahead. Only… right now, you don’t have the Dark Heart, nor have you obtained the Eight Deserts Divine Dragon. And most importantly, you don’t know how to use the power of the Eight Deserts Divine Dragon.”

“If one day you acquire the Dark Heart and tame the Eight Deserts Divine Dragon, you’ll understand what true power is. Compared to who you are now—a half-human, half-demon—you’ll then be able to decide whether this process will begin or end. If you fail, you’ll have no future.”

Liu Yi understood the meaning. With his current level of true energy, it was utterly impossible for him to overcome the Heart of Murder and ascend to become a true demon of the Heart of Darkness. He could only accumulate slowly, continue striving, and rapidly ascend once his true energy stopped causing backlash and he regained a sliver of consciousness. If a metaphor were needed, Liu Yi could tell himself that this choice had no chance at all—just like trying to survive death, it was impossible.

Then, the figure in the mirror continued, “It’s over. Let me return to your body and become your consciousness. From now on, there will be no Nie Ren, no Wei Lingfeng, and no Liu Yi. A thousand years of continuation, the pursuit of curses, and the suffering of reincarnation will give rise to a brand-new world and a brand-new ruler—because you are the true demon.” A faint yellow light flashed in the mirror, and then it slowly drifted into Liu Yi’s body, restoring peace at last.

Liu Yi knew that now only his own figure remained on that path. Looking at himself in the mirror, he suddenly realized he was smiling. Yes, so suddenly. He was no longer confused or lost about where to go. Whether to ascend or descend, to become a god or a demon no longer mattered to him. He was just himself—himself with white hair and black clothes.

Yu Chenxing, who had been listening quietly nearby, didn’t know what to think. Her eyes stared blankly at Liu Yi in the mirror. Perhaps she knew that this “person” about to leave his physical body and become a true demon might already be growing further away from him. Right before her eyes, he was so clear—his eyes, his eyebrows, every movement so solid and reliable. But all of this would pass. Would he become a true demon? Yes, that would be his ultimate path; otherwise, everything would be a mistake.

But then Yu Chenxing suddenly smiled, turned to look at Liu Yi, and said, “Hey, fool, what are you thinking about?”

Liu Yi glanced at Yu Chenxing. For some reason, her innocent smile made him feel happy. Perhaps this time he had finally understood his path. With clarity ahead, his mood lightened as well. He smiled gently and said, “Nothing much. I just think I might die soon, or maybe really become an immortal demon soon. This choice makes me happy.”

Yu Chenxing nodded and said, “Let’s go sit over there.”

Liu Yi nodded, and the two returned to the tree they had been under earlier. Under the moonlight, purple petals slowly drifted down, carrying a faint fragrance in the breeze. Under that old tree, Liu Yi and Yu Chenxing sat back to back. It seemed they both had a lot to say, but they remained quiet. Perhaps they didn’t even know where to start. Just like that, in this world with only the two of them, they accompanied each other in silence. Yet, it was the loneliness of two people, eternal loneliness…

It was unknown how much time had passed. The night had grown deep. By now, Liu Yi had already closed his consciousness and began to absorb the true energy formed from the chaotic forces around him. Soon, he planned to break through the Heart of Murder. To help him absorb the chaotic energy more intensely, Liu Yi summoned the fastest light dragon, which took the form of a dragon shadow to patrol within a hundred feet around them.

At that moment, Yu Chenxing slowly opened her eyes, a glistening tear hanging at the corner of her eye. She didn’t know what was happening to her; just in the instant her consciousness faded in the mirror, she felt her heart ache terribly, as if her breathing had stopped. Could this be… love? Not wanting him to leave, only wishing to be with him forever, but everything was impossible.

Gazing at the bright moon in the sky, Yu Chenxing spoke to herself, “My king, it’s been twenty-two years. After such a long separation, my heart is filled with longing for you. Yet… I have never seen your face or heard your voice. Do you know? Chenxing has fallen in love with a demon. But Chenxing knows it’s just an illusion, not reality. Yet… in that fleeting ordinary moment, the daughter has already been drawn into the vortex of happiness and can no longer extricate herself.”

“The first time I saw his eyes, he seemed so lonely. The first time I saw him angry, he seemed so stubborn. The first time I saw him smile, he seemed so happy. It shouldn’t be like this—none of it should be. We shouldn’t have met, nothing should have happened, we shouldn’t have fallen in love. Have you seen Chenxing’s pain? It really hurts. He loves his wife—for a thousand years, ten thousand years. I’m so jealous, but when I see him smile, I can only pray silently for his love.”

“Perhaps… it’s really time to end this. Let this brief time become an eternal memory. Chenxing can’t be by his side—she must disguise herself, deceive others, say things she doesn’t like, do things she dislikes, all just so he won’t see her true self. I’ll leave. I’ll search for you here, because Chenxing truly no longer has any attachments in this world.”

Finally, under the moonlight, Yu Chenxing slowly stood up. In the wind, among the falling petals, her frail body seemed to tremble. With a gentle smile, she looked at Liu Yi’s familiar face. It was so quiet. Everything happened so suddenly—meeting, falling in love. Why not just get to know each other? Or perhaps falling in love is less important than getting to know each other. She understood, but couldn’t do it.

She turned away with a smile, not taking another look. Tears gently fell. As her body moved slightly, she disappeared into the darkness. At the moment the tears fell to the ground, they weren’t covered by dust. At the same time, a pink glow appeared in front of Liu Yi. The glow was dazzling, but it couldn’t disturb Liu Yi. The curse of the border flower slowly emerged. At the same time, a small piece of tender green leaf slowly grew. Perhaps… Yu Chenxing wasn’t a star fallen from the sky, but her tears of blessing were those of a sad woman. The border flower was so beautiful, with three green leaves spreading around it. But who knew that it was also a flower of sorrow?

Everything unfolded in mystery. Completely absorbed, Liu Yi wasn’t aware of this silent world at all. As the border flower absorbed those tears, it slowly disappeared along with the soft light, eventually vanishing inside Liu Yi’s body. There seemed to be no disturbance, and everything returned to calm—the whispering wind, the purple falling petals, the lonely moonlight, and an ancient tree, along with the man beneath it, all became part of a single scene.

Time passed unnoticed. When the first rays of sunlight touched the horizon, Liu Yi slowly opened his eyes. The sky wasn’t fully lit, tinged with a pale blue. Breathing in the fresh morning air, Liu Yi smiled. He no longer tried to suppress the backlash from his killing heart but instead focused on absorbing the chaos energy and transforming it into true essence energy. Only by gradually accumulating and condensing it could he overcome his killing heart.

Liu Yi slowly stood up, but he sensed something was wrong. Immediately, he turned around—he couldn’t hear Yu Chenxing’s breathing at all, and there was no sign of anyone behind him. Shocked, Liu Yi wondered, “Where is she?” He retracted the Light Dragon and adjusted himself before scanning the surroundings, but found no clues.

Liu Yi thought to himself, “Could Yu Chenxing have been taken away by the dragon?” But he quickly dismissed this idea. If the dragon had really come, why would it spare him? Its target was him; it wouldn’t attack Yu Chenxing. So where could she have gone? Unperturbed, Liu Yi began to reason. If any living being approached, the Light Dragon would return to the sword hilt. But it seemed Yu Chenxing had left on her own—this was the only plausible conclusion.

But why would Yu Chenxing leave? Did she not realize the danger? Perhaps leaving him would make her safer, but that couldn’t be the reason. What else could drive her to leave? Liu Yi couldn’t think of a reason and eventually focused on what Yu Chenxing had said the previous day—searching for the King of the Underworld might be her only option now. But it seemed illogical, unless there was some connection between the King of the Underworld and her, which didn’t seem likely.

Liu Yi shouldn’t have overthought things, but with the vast expanse around him and no clues, he could only guess. In the end, he decided to search. The danger of that dragon still lurked in this world. If Yu Chenxing encountered it, the dragon surely wouldn’t spare her just because she wasn’t with him.

With that thought, Liu Yi decided to take a chance. Since Yu Chenxing had been facing away from him last night, she might have gone in the opposite direction. Without hesitation, he headed in that direction. But with no clues, he slowed down and scanned the area.

Though anxious, Liu Yi had undergone many changes after yesterday’s events. Perhaps cause and effect existed, but whether the outcome would be good or bad depended on him. There was no use rushing now; he could only search slowly. If there was any hope, it was that nothing bad would happen to her. He stopped thinking about anything else.

He didn’t know how long he searched, but still found nothing. His true essence energy kept accumulating uncontrollably, and his killing heart consumed him at a speed several times faster than before. But he had no choice. He couldn’t suppress it—he had to gather more true essence energy to overcome his killing heart and become a true demon.

Whether it was due to the sunlight or the backlash from his killing intent, Liu Yi felt a hint of annoyance—he had never experienced this before. Gradually, he slowed down as he realized he had arrived in an open area devoid of those ancient trees; all that surrounded him was emptiness, with countless mirrors floating in the air.

Suddenly, Liu Yi stopped. A badpremonition struck him. What was it? Killing intent… it was spreading. Liu Yi could clearly sense the presence of living beings nearby. Recalling his first encounter with the Purple Dragon, his first thought was that it must be him! But after closing his eyes and analyzing carefully, he shook his head. It wasn’t him—the killing intent here was not even one-tenth as strong as that of the Purple Dragon. So what could it be? Although it was only one-tenth as strong, it was still difficult for Liu Yi to deal with, and he couldn’t detect the source of this killing intent at all.

Subconsciously, Liu Yi gripped his sword tighter and slowly rotated his body, scanning every angle to sense that killing intent. As his true energy surged, he could see everything around him more clearly. In the air diagonally across from him, something seemed to be fluctuating, a movement that reminded him of his first encounter with the Purple Dragon.

Liu Yi gently turned his right hand, and as his gloved hand landed on the long sword hilt, there was a sharp “clang.” The sword drew itself from its sheath and sheathed back in an instant. As soon as the sword returned to its sheath, a red light shot straight at those faint ripples in the air. Liu Yi shouted, “Come out!”

With another “clang,” as the ripples made a resonant sound, a purple lightning bolt struck down. A several-zhang-long Purple Dragon let out a loud roar and soared into the air. Then, a voice came from above: “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

Liu Yi looked at the Purple Dragon before him, hesitating. No, this wasn’t the same dragon. He could fully sense its power—it was nowhere near as strong as that of the original dragon. Doubt appeared in his eyes as he pondered.

The Purple Dragon seemed to see through Liu Yi’s thoughts. Its voice spoke, “You doubt me? If you possessed the power of creation, you would know how to divide your strength into several parts. I call this a ‘divine clone.’”

Hearing this, Liu Yi finally understood. So the Purple Dragon had split its power into multiple clones to search for him. That meant… other Purple Dragons would surely arrive soon. The only thing to do now was to quickly deal with this one and leave. But it seemed that although this Purple Dragon was only a fraction of its original power, it wasn’t easy to defeat either.

Just as Liu Yi was thinking this, he suddenly realized, “No good. It said it’s been waiting here for a long time. So… what if Yu Chenxing passes by here? What if something goes wrong?”