"This is the Divine Palace?" Luan Yu looked at the magnificent and luxurious palace before her. It was shrouded in mist and resplendent with gold and jade, appearing like a dwelling place for immortals.
She thought of her own small, somewhat dilapidated Western-style house, which would frequently devolve into a mentally challenged Lego puzzle, and felt that comparing oneself to others was indeed infuriating.
"Mm, this way."
They walked towards the palace. Since this was already the highest level, no one ever came up, and thus no one saw them. The three of them moved unimpeded and soon arrived at the place where she had once resided.
Too much time had passed since she left, and ever since the great battle at the peak of the gods, Zhuan Yu's memories had become chaotic. She could barely recall what had happened here. If anyone was familiar with this place, it would probably be Jin Li, not her.
Wu Xiang clearly did not live here. Everything here seemed to have been sealed for a long time. Although everything was as pristine as new due to it being a spiritual artifact, this place had been waiting for its master to open the palace gates.
Zhuan Yu pushed the door open. The main hall was empty. Occasionally, fragments of memories would flash through her mind, but they were too scattered to be examined before they vanished.
"This was where you used to live. I didn't realize you were a hedonist."
Zhuan Yu frowned slightly, "I don't remember."
Luan Yu picked up a decorative item and played with it, saying, "It doesn't matter. You don't plan on coming back to live here anyway. When are we going to that place you mentioned? Are you really going to do that? I don't think you're the type of person with such a sacrificial spirit. Besides, even if you save them, everything will eventually lead to my situation, making it all in vain."
"Our existence proves it's not in vain."
Luan Yu didn't want to argue with her. She wandered around the palace. Zhuan Yu, guided by her fragmented memories, entered a bedroom. In the center of the room was a simple bed. By the window was a desk, and opposite it, another desk. On it were brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. The brush and paper were spread out, on top of which was an unfinished painting.
A handsome young man, dressed in magnificent robes, was smiling and laughing. Those eyes, after thousands of years, had been sealed in this room for a long time. Yet, upon seeing them, Zhuan Yu still felt a slight pang in her heart.
"Qing qing zi jin, you you wo xin. Zong wo bu wang, zi ning bu si yin."
Was this a complaint about the other party's silence?
But at the time this painting was being made, was he still alive?
Zhuan Yu recalled seeing Rong Jin kill someone at the peak of the gods. She had clearly not known who she had killed. They all called him a demon, but when had she, Zhuan Yu, ever cared who was a god and who was a demon?
She only knew that her heart had ached like being sliced by a knife at that moment. She had wanted to destroy everything, to turn everyone into smoke and mist, scattering into the world, like him, forever undiscoverable.
In the end, she had also descended into demonhood.
Was there such a significant difference between a single thought of divinity or demonhood?
The painting that spanned thousands of years slowly turned to dust in her hands, disappearing completely.
She told herself that everything was in the past.
Whether it was love or hate, god or demon, the person she had loved for millennia, the person she still couldn't forget even after severing her emotional ties, was now within her reach. She didn't need to suffer, didn't need to reminisce.
Zhuan Yu stayed in that room for a long time until Luan Yu accidentally broke something, finally calling her out.
"Are you done looking? If you really regret it, I support you. Let's each go our own way. No, your home is right here, so we'll head back first."
She thought of the scene she had witnessed. She didn't want to see so many people die, and she had no standing to force her to make a sacrifice.
"I don't regret it."
"Really?" Luan Yu blinked her eyes. "Let me tell you, I saw you die, turn into ashes, not even a speck of dust left. Are you really willing to sacrifice yourself to save others?"
"I won't die."
She was born with heaven and earth, lived as long as the sun and moon. How could she possibly die?
She was only worried about forgetting everything again upon waking up. She had come to take a look, to remind herself to remember, and to avoid any further regrets.
"If you're confident, then let's go."
"Alright."
—
Wu Xiang hurried back, not even having time to return to her own palace before heading directly to the Department of Fate.
This place was still in ruins. Just as she was about to leave, she was stopped by a little fairy.
A young girl, about fifteen or sixteen years old in the mortal realm, dressed in exquisite robes, placed her hands on her hips and asked, "Hey, who are you? Who allowed you to come here?"
"And who are you?"
"I am the celestial attendant to the new Lord of Fate." She lowered her hand a little uncertainly and rubbed it on her clothes.
"New Lord of Fate?" Wu Xiang seemed to hear a joke. "I didn't realize the Divine Palace had a new Lord of Fate. Take me to see him."
"You haven't told me who you are yet?" The little fairy attendant was a little afraid of her but still tried her best to appear like a palace attendant, even though only she and the Lord of Fate remained in the Department of Fate now.
"I am Wu Xiang."
"Wu Xiang... Wu Xiang, Divine Venerable! You are the Divine Venerable?"
"Lead the way."
The little fairy attendant was speechless. She didn't suspect this person was an imposter and nervously led her towards a small palace nearby.
"Lord of Fate, Immortal Lord, the Divine Venerable has arrived!"
She shouted a couple of times at the top of her lungs, then realized she shouldn't be shouting near this person. Fortunately, Wu Xiang had no time to bother with her and directly entered the palace.
Upon seeing her, the Lord of Fate quickly took two steps forward and performed a kowtow. "I did not expect the Divine Venerable's esteemed presence. Forgive my failure to greet you properly."
"Rise," Wu Xiang said, passing by her and asking, "Where is the Book of Fate?"
"Whose Book of Fate does the Divine Venerable wish to see?"
"Zhuan Yu."
The Lord of Fate's expression faltered, and she asked with an uncertain tone, "Divine Venerable, Zhuan Yu?"
"Is there anyone else besides her?"
The Lord of Fate knelt down again. "Divine Venerable, Zhuan Yu Divine Venerable's Book of Fate is a heavenly secret. Heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. This humble servant cannot give it to you."
"If I snatch it to look myself, it wouldn't count as you leaking heavenly secrets, would it?"
As she spoke, she walked directly towards where the Books of Fate were kept. The Lord of Fate followed closely behind, but she couldn't make a move against Wu Xiang. She could only watch as she took out scrolls and scrolls of heavenly books and Books of Fate, with several of them falling to the ground.
"Divine Venerable, this is a heavenly secret, Divine Venerable!"
"Crack."
Another scroll fell to the ground. Just as Wu Xiang was about to reach for it, she saw the scroll open before her. White light flew out from within the scroll, forming an image in the sky.
A white divine bird with a massive tail wing flew across the sky. Its white spiritual feathers continuously fell, transforming into sweet dew. The barren and silent mortal world slowly regained its vitality, and living beings came back to life. Everything was thriving.
"Feathered transformation into dew, benefiting the world."
Wu Xiang dared not reach out to touch the Book of Fate. By the time everything disappeared and the Book of Fate was rolled up again, the Lord of Fate bent down and picked it up.
"Divine Venerable."
Wu Xiang turned and walked outside. The Lord of Fate quickly followed.
"Lord Yao Zhu once said that those who leak heavenly secrets and defy the will of heaven will be destroyed by heaven. Divine Venerable, do not act against heaven."
Wu Xiang's body turned into a wisp of smoke and vanished from the Divine Palace.