Chapter 263: Heartlessness and Compassion, the Tears of Ironclad Protection

When everyone arrived outside the gates of Tearless City, the guards quickly informed Ye Luo Baihua. Soon, Ye Luo Baihua, Qi Yue, Ming Yue Wuxin, and the others came to the gates. Upon seeing the people behind Liu Yi, Ye Luo Jianmu was momentarily stunned. He fixed his gaze on the King of Darkness and studied him carefully. In his memory, he thought he should recognize this person, but so much time had passed, and the memories buried deep seemed forgotten. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t recall who this person was.

Liu Yi looked at Ye Luo Baihua and Qi Yue, then at Ming Yue Wuxin. Finally, he smiled faintly on his numb face and said, “Princess Baihua, I suppose I’ve disturbed you this time.”

Ye Luo Baihua replied cheerfully, “How could that be? You’re a savior of Tearless City! Are these all your friends?”

Yu Chenxing and Lei Jun were familiar to Ye Luo Baihua, but the King of Darkness and the four elders behind him seemed strange—she had never heard of or seen them before, so she deliberately spoke in a more reserved tone when asking questions.

Liu Yi nodded and said, “I think we’ll need to stay here for a while.” He naturally had his own plans. Although he didn’t want to waste too much time, Yu Chenxing needed to help him find the Great Prophet, so it might take some time. As for the King of Darkness, he didn’t want to get involved or care about him. However, he would think carefully about the grudge between him and Lan Ying.

A smile appeared on Ye Luo Baihua’s beautiful face as she replied, “Tearless City welcomes you anytime. Uncle Jian will take you to a place to rest.” After saying that, she glanced at Lei Jun, the King of Darkness, and the others beside Liu Yi. No matter how hard she tried, she could never guess that the person behind Liu Yi was the founder of this world—the King of Darkness.

Time passed quickly, and the sky gradually darkened. In the hall of Tearless City, Ye Luo Baihua held a lavish banquet to show respect for Liu Yi’s friends, but none of this concerned Liu Yi. For some reason, his temperament had become more singular over time; he began to trust only himself. Sometimes, he would ask himself what changes the Heart of Darkness had brought to him—not just in terms of power, but perhaps also in his personality.

Without interest, Liu Yi left the lavish banquet, walked out of the hall alone, and climbed onto the high city walls. In the distance, a waning moon hung in the sky, casting an air of profound desolation. The cold wind seemed to make the stars in the sky flicker. Now that he had gained power, the Eight Deserts Divine Dragon would soon gather, and the Nine Tears would appear over time. Yet all of this only filled him with an unprecedented sense of emptiness. As a true demon, he possessed the irritability of violent blood and the coldness of the Heart of Darkness, giving him a new perspective on the world.

Just as Liu Yi was lost in his thoughts, a familiar voice came from behind him: “What’s wrong? Are you preoccupied?” This voice had echoed in Liu Yi’s ears countless times; he didn’t need to look to know it was July. In his moment of distraction, he had overlooked the person behind him.

Liu Yi slowly turned his head. Under the silver moonlight, his expression grew more troubled, though even he couldn’t explain exactly what it was. Seeing July’s familiar face, his heart somehow calmed down a bit. He casually asked, “How did you know I was preoccupied?”

July slowly rested her arms on the city wall, gazing at the distant moon and the floating clouds, and said quietly, “Your worries are written all over your face. After all this time, how could there be anything I don’t know? The worry on your face seems even deeper. I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I can sense your distress.”

Liu Yi shook his head and said, “You don’t understand. I’ve already chosen my path. In the Mirror World, I gave up my physical body and became a true demon. My path ahead is clear. I have nothing to worry about. All I need to do is complete everything as time progresses.”

Hearing Liu Yi’s words, July’s face also filled with sadness. Her bright eyes continued to gaze at him as she gave a bitter smile that looked beautiful under the moonlight. She replied softly, “You can deceive yourself, but not me. No matter how clear your path may be, no matter if your future is already determined, I can still sense your emotions right now.”

Listening to July’s gentle reply and seeing her somewhat gaunt face, Liu Yi suddenly smiled. “You haven’t changed at all. Doesn’t it hurt you to keep going like this?” His words were light and simple, yet they carried countless meanings. Hearing this, July’s eyes unknowingly moistened.

Yes, ten years had passed. Isn’t man supposed to be a changeable creature? Why couldn’t she change too? Even though she knew it caused deep pain, she still continued to pursue it. Hearing Liu Yi’s words, July suddenly smiled, turned her face away, and said softly, “Some things can change, while others can never change. You’ll understand, and so will I. We’re not at fault. The only ones to blame are those who missed each other.” Her words hid countless meanings, but vaguely, Liu Yi suddenly felt that same heart-wrenching pain, that indelible sorrow, a pain shared by him as well.

Liu Yi looked into the distance. The moon still shone clearly and coldly. He suddenly laughed and said, “What more can I say? Between love and not love, I have no choice.” His words were awkward and somewhat incomprehensible. Perhaps true love is beyond our control—a feeling we cannot explain.

July turned around and suddenly smiled happily. Looking at Liu Yi’s sad face, she said, “See? I knew you had something on your mind. Are you afraid to talk about it in front of me? After going through so much, I think you and Tian Nu will surely have a happy ending.” There was no trace of hypocrisy in that smile—it was the most sincere and heartfelt blessing, because she knew that his happiness was her own happiness.

Liu Yi smiled and nodded, saying, “Once—I also believed it.” Just those few words shocked July, who was laughing happily beside him. What did those two words mean—“once”?

Liu Yi turned to look at July and replied, “Surprised?”

July felt numb. She nodded, then suddenly shook her head, nodded again, and in the end, she didn’t even know what to do. In that numbness, she asked, “What does ‘once’ mean?”

Liu Yi gazed at the moon in the distance. The cold wind blew his flowing white hair as he said emotionlessly, “‘Once’ starts from this very moment; the past is forever gone.” Liu Yi’s words were simple, but to others, they sounded desolate. Was it… just love from the past? Or only Liu Yi knew that that “once” was eternal love from the past?

July’s voice was somewhat cold, as if unable to accept it. Hearing Liu Yi’s answer, she blurted out, “Have you given up?”

Liu Yi suddenly smiled, looking into July’s eyes filled with a hint of sadness, and replied, “People are different. Just like me—I’m not who you think I am. Maybe I’ll change.”

July quickly asked, “Change what? What do you mean?”

Liu Yi replied expressionlessly, “After finishing everything, I will marry Yu Chenxing as my wife. Perhaps that’s what you mean by giving up.” After saying that, Liu Yi moved slightly and disappeared into the darkness.

There was only July, still in a daze. At that moment, she didn’t know why her heart hurt even more. Had he really given up on Tian Nu? Would he really marry Yu Chenxing? It all came so suddenly. But as the cold wind blew across her sad face, a doubt arose in her mind—why would he give up on Tian Nu just to willingly save her? Wasn’t that contradictory? Yet, Liu Yi’s words couldn’t be lies. What mystery lay hidden behind this?

For thousands of years, the word “love” has broken countless heroes, and it has turned into countless legends. The characters in these stories continue to play their roles forever. Perhaps they experience love and unlove, but it’s beyond explanation. Liu Yi gave up on Tian Nu and vowed to marry Yu Chenxing. Maybe July would never understand, or perhaps she would learn to love even more.

The night grew darker. The moon outside the window was already setting, with occasional clouds passing by, making the deep blue sky seem even more vast. Liu Yi’s figure still stood by the window, gazing at the sky. He didn’t know what he was thinking. At that moment, he only knew his heart was filled with an overwhelming emptiness, as if the deep blue night sky held nothing worth lingering over. Occasionally, he felt pain, but he didn’t know what it was, and no one else did either.

Tieshi, who had woken up nearby, jumped onto Liu Yi’s shoulder. Also gazing at the distant sky, he said leisurely, “What are you thinking? You’ve seemed so expressionless all night. Are you in pain?”
Although this monkey-like creature appeared tiny, in that ancient forest, having endured countless years, it had long developed spiritual awareness. Even through its long time with Liu Yi, it could clearly sense his emotions. Seeing that Liu Yi still showed no signs of resting, it jumped up to start a conversation.
Liu Yi shook his head and said, “I don’t know.”
Tieshi’s already strange face became even more ugly upon hearing Liu Yi’s words. If a person didn’t even know their own feelings, what was the difference from a dead person? Though it couldn’t understand this, logically speaking, it still found it strange. “How is that possible? Don’t you rest?”
Liu Yi gently raised his right hand, asking Tieshi to jump onto his arm. With his left hand, he gently stroked the seemingly small creature as he looked into the distance and said, “Right? I don’t know what meaning rest holds for me. Although we’ve known each other for only a short time, you’ve saved me before, helped me subdue the divine dragon, and also relieved the crisis in this City of Tears. Perhaps… I should thank you properly, but I don’t know how.”
Listening to Liu Yi’s words, Tieshi scratched his head with its black little claws and said, “I live a boring life. I just eat and sleep every day, not knowing what to do. I’m happy to be able to help you. I also heard from Qiyue that you plan to save your wife. I’ll wait to see how your life goes from now on.”
As Liu Yi looked at Tieshi, he thought of that silly girl, Qiyue. Perhaps she was lonely. Suddenly, Liu Yi said, “You don’t understand our feelings. What’s the point of watching? Why bother yourself with trouble? The things I need to do in the future are very dangerous; you might not be able to handle them. I hope you leave and find your own life in the forest.”
Hearing Liu Yi’s words, Tieshi’s eyes shifted, and he shook his head violently, shouting, “I won’t leave! Why? I don’t understand. Isn’t it said that those feelings are human? Then why do demons and gods have them too? Since you have them, I want them too. I must watch. If there’s trouble, I’ll just say it’s my own fault.”
Tieshi’s words sounded like those of a child. But looking at this silly creature whose mind hadn’t absorbed any human thoughts, Liu Yi helplessly shook his head and gently stroked it, saying, “What does it matter if you see it? Right and wrong, success and failure—in the end, it might all be in vain. What’s the use if you understand? Do you really want to go through such pain? Leave. It’s for your own good… In the days to come, I don’t even know at which moment my life will end. The people I face are no longer ordinary. I hope you can live happily, back in your forest, leading a peaceful life.” Liu Yi’s words were calm, yet somewhat awkward. He didn’t know what was wrong with him. His once firm determination had become so weak. Facing his current self, he didn’t know where it had gone. His once clear love had become so vague. Thinking of the days ahead, he wanted to give up…

Tieshi still shook his head, opened his mouth wide, showed his sharp teeth, and laughed heartily. “Do you really think I’m just some life separated from the world?” Liu Yi said nothing. He knew Tieshi had more to say, so he listened and watched.

That strange little monkey jumped onto the window under the moonlight, then spoke in a very mature voice, “After leaving the Great Desolation Mountains, I’ve come to understand many things. It’s you, as well as others. I realize I’ve muddled through a thousand years. The ordinariness of life made me unaware of who I really am. After leaving, I suddenly thought that a thousand years of confusion might not even compare to a single moment of brilliance. Because when helping you, I was happy. I truly wanted to help you from the bottom of my heart. Seeing you made me realize that life isn’t just about time passing by—it’s also about friends, lovers, hatred, grudges, joy, happiness, anger. Some emotions need to be pursued. Perhaps, in a thousand years, I’ll be able to understand human feelings.” Tieshi’s words didn’t sound like those of a monkey at all. Through them, Liu Yi seemed to understand something, though not clearly.

But Liu Yi didn’t give up on his decision. The road ahead was dangerous, and with Tieshi following him, there was little chance of survival. Liu Yi shook his head and said emotionlessly, “No matter what your reasons are, you must leave. I’ve already said it—don’t you understand?”

Tieshi’s eyes flickered slightly. He really didn’t understand why the person before him had become so heartless. Yet he still replied firmly, “I know what you’re thinking. But if you consider me your friend, then you’ll put yourself in my shoes. There’s not much fate between us in this life or the next. We met here—what does it matter if I use my life to protect you? Do you think I’m afraid of death?”

Liu Yi smiled coldly and suddenly shouted, “Do you really think you can protect me, help me? What I have to face are gods, demons, and the underworld. Your strength means nothing in front of them.”

Tieshi also turned around and shouted, “So what? Is that how we measure things? Whether it’s life or death, success or failure—did I not give it my all? Is there anything wrong with that? Why have you become so cold? Why don’t you learn to share the burden instead of bearing it alone? Do you think this is being a good friend?” These were words Liu Yi had never expected. How could this monkey, who often slept in laziness around him, say such things?

Liu Yi turned away and said harshly, “Enough. You can leave. I don’t need you.”

Hearing Liu Yi’s heartless words, Tieshi suddenly realized that nothing he said would help. He felt a tightness and oppression in his heart. Why did he try to help him, and he wouldn’t accept it? Were people really that strange? Yet Liu Yi had already taken a place in Tieshi’s heart. From the little things in the Great Desolation Mountains to this real world, he had truly learned a lot. Perhaps, in Tieshi’s eyes, Liu Yi was his most important friend.

Tieshi’s mood suddenly turned gloomy. His head slowly lowered, and he said in a soft voice, “I understand. I’ll leave. I can only protect you with my heart; I can no longer help you. I’ll wait for you in the mortal world, in your eternal city. One day, you’ll return to us.” As soon as Tieshi finished speaking, the little monkey jumped out of the room without even looking back, ran into the darkness, and disappeared.

Liu Yi listened to the sound of Tieshi leaving, slowly turning his head. There was no longer that cold gaze, no longer that resolute expression—only endless sorrow in his eyes. Watching Tieshi’s disappearing figure, Liu Yi asked himself, “Was I wrong?” He really didn’t know what he was doing. What’s more, he had no idea how to protect the people around him. The storm was approaching, and the decisive battle of fate was about to begin. All he could do was make them leave.

As Liu Yi watched Tieshi disappear into the distance, a hint of sadness rose in his heart. But at that moment, he suddenly noticed a pink glow surrounding his body—it was the River Flower. Liu Yi’s right hand stretched out abruptly. As the spiritual energy of that cursed flower gathered, it gradually became clearer, floating in the palm of his hand. Amidst the pink glow and Liu Yi’s astonished expression, the River Flower sprouted its sixth emerald leaf. Liu Yi suddenly understood something. Looking at Tieshi’s disappearing figure in the distance, he realized that Tieshi’s tears of protection were not iron or stone, but rather the tears of a friend’s guardianship—a part of this fate-bound story.

Thinking of this, Liu Yi grew frustrated. So, Baihua and Chenxing were no longer just flowers and stars? Were those two unknown leaves and tears theirs? This wasn’t some difficult problem or task—it was just an inevitable process. Everything was already predetermined. Gazing at the cold moon in the sky, a red glow flashed in Liu Yi’s eyes. The River Flower turned into pink light and dissipated into space. That angry, cold, heartless voice: “Fate!”