Simulation of Destruction, Why Am I Always the Arbiter

And within Tai Xu Mountain, many of her memory feathers remained. It's entirely possible to encounter them by chance and generate a dream to see Eden.

"Close enough," Ye Chang'an nodded in agreement. The simulation was indeed similar to a dream.

The conversation between the riddle-tellers ended there, as Chi Yuan had more detailed matters to discuss with Ye Chang'an.

So, she sent Lin Zhaoyu, who was not on the same wavelength, away.

"Zhaoyu, go make dinner. I have something to discuss with this child."

PS: Highly recommend a book, "The Invincible Me Was Picked Up by a Hacker Rabbit."

Synopsis:

"Pay up."

The girl before me crossed her legs, revealing her ankle. Her dual-color, gray-blue gradient ponytail cascaded down to her waist.

She stared at me, surrounded by shattered, exquisite objects.

In my panic, I swallowed hard, breaking out in a sweat.

Without thinking, I reflexively retorted:

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!!"

The girl narrowed her eyes, her expression turning hostile.

She gazed at my expensive, luxurious wristwatch, stroked her smooth chin, and seemed lost in thought.

As if she had found her target, she surveyed me, a sly smile spreading across her face.

In the darkness of the night, it was a sight I would never forget.

The girl removed her hood, her smile captivating, unfolding before me like a painted scroll.

Her voice was light, yet carried a sweet, adorable milky tone.

"Then, at Raven's bar, welcome to our new employee."

The girl smiled.

She had taken in a homeless person.

Only after that did I understand.

Above the Imaginary, there was endlessness. At the end of Quantum lay the supreme deity.

I couldn't save anyone.

Nor could I salvage my civilization.

I could only repeat, pushing the despairing, pitch-black future back until the day my heart grew completely numb.

I will face it all eventually. (Sweet)

Chapter of the Void · Section 1: 8. Immortal Chi Yuan, Please Shatter Your Sword Heart

The two sat alone, and Chi Yuan spoke after a moment of silence.

"Tell me about your dream."

Chi Yuan was curious, as it was a dream concerning an old acquaintance.

Most of her old acquaintances had grown old. It was a fortunate thing to hear about them from a child today.

Ye Chang'an pondered for a moment before speaking, simplifying his simulated experience.

He only said that he yearned for a Sword Heart, entered the dream, met Eden there, and then had his Sword Heart Art modified by Eden.

This was the truth, though much too much had been simplified.

Chi Yuan did not doubt him and sighed with a complex expression.

"Alas, if it were her, she could indeed accomplish such a feat. As for you, why do you show me this melody?"

"...I wish for Immortal Chi Yuan to abandon the Sword Heart Art and incorporate the Chang'an Melody into the Tai Xu Sword Qi."

Ye Chang'an spoke earnestly, completely shedding the pretense of an eight-year-old child.

Age meant nothing to Chi Yuan.

She was older than all of them anyway.

Rather than using a child's immature tone, it was better to display the demeanor of an adult.

Anything that seemed amiss could be attributed to the dream.

Chi Yuan remained silent, looking into Ye Chang'an's clear black eyes, and said softly, "Why?"

"Because the Chang'an Melody is more suitable for cultivation than the Sword Heart Art. Even someone like me can gain the ability to control True Qi."

He didn't mention that continuing to practice the Sword Heart Art would cause problems, as he couldn't find any cases to support it.

As for using Chi Yuan as an example... she's probably tired of living.

"Control your True Qi..." Chi Yuan lowered her gaze, then raised it again, understanding dawning on her. "The events at the foot of the mountain today, were they your doing?"

She had connected the techniques, which resembled those of a Sword God, to Ye Chang'an. Anyone with a brain would have made the same connection.

Ye Chang'an didn't deny it and nodded.

"..." Looking into those unwavering, unhesitating black eyes, Chi Yuan fell silent.

After a moment's thought, she stood up.

"Follow me, I'll take you somewhere."

Ye Chang'an was confused but complied.

Then, the two of them left Tai Xu Mountain on their swords, though Ye Chang'an was being carried by Chi Yuan.

It was too fast, and he couldn't stand steadily, so Chi Yuan didn't give him the chance.

A child's body with an adult's soul, being carried like a princess as she flew on her sword.

It was utterly humiliating.

—And also quite uncomfortable.

For the first time, Ye Chang'an felt just how broad and firm Chi Yuan's chest was.

Shenzhou's flatlands, a strong warrior, truly lived up to their reputation.

~

~

"We're here." Arriving in a deep mountain, Chi Yuan dismounted her flying sword and placed Ye Chang'an on the ground.

Ye Chang'an scanned his surroundings. There were no signs of people, and it was as desolate as a mass grave.

Moreover, many things resembling tombstones were decaying and tilted haphazardly in the ground.

—This place is perfect for killing someone and silencing them.

Strange thoughts began to surface, and Ye Chang'an chuckled, shaking his head. "Immortal, why have we come here?"

"Do you see those tombstones?" Chi Yuan asked. He nodded.

"Those buried beneath are all those I've eradicated after they succumbed to demonic possession."

Her words sent shivers down Ye Chang'an's spine. He shifted his feet to create some distance. "What do you mean by that, Immortal?"

Lin Zhaoyu wasn't here, and there was no one to shield him. He was starting to panic.

Chi Yuan glanced at him, unable to understand his wariness, and calmly asked, "Do you know what it means to be possessed by demons?"

"...People who become demons due to improper True Qi cultivation." Ye Chang'an gave the standard answer from the Tai Xu lineage. He had heard these words before.

"Correct, and incorrect." Chi Yuan shook her head, stroking a decaying tombstone as she began to explain.

"True Qi, as it's called, is merely a form of free-floating energy in the world, which can be referred to as Destruction energy.

For humans, Destruction energy is extremely overbearing; only those with innate talent can interact with it.

Otherwise, Destruction energy will erode the body, manifesting as markings, which is a sign of demonic possession.

However, being possessed is not the same as being a demon. Those who show signs of possession and those who have truly transformed into demons are not the same.

Possessed individuals are beyond medical help, even Hua Tuo couldn't save them.

If they are still young, they can still cultivate a Sword Heart to resolve the possession.

If they are old, they can only await death.

As for demons..."

Her gentle tone suddenly turned stern, Chi Yuan's expression darkened, and she spoke coldly:

"They are beings that must be eradicated!"

"There are two types of demons. One is the physical demon, and the other is the mental demon.

For a physical demon, the signs of possession have spread throughout their entire body, their minds are broken, and their spirits are extinguished. For them, eradication is a release.

For a mental demon, the signs of possession have not fully manifested, but they have already lost their minds and become intoxicated with power.

This demon must be eradicated!"

A solemn aura emanated from her, making the already gloomy mass grave seem even more desolate.

Ye Chang'an fell into thought, roughly understanding what Chi Yuan was trying to convey.

Physical demons were Death Warriors completely corrupted by Destruction energy, no different from walking corpses in the eyes of humans. Killing them was indeed a form of release.

As for mental demons, there was a representative figure—Tri-Absolute Martial Crown Yan Shiluó.

Five years ago, the leader of the Sacred Fire Cult, known as the "Second Best Under Heaven," bore Erosion Markings on more than half of his body but had not completely become a Death Warrior.

However, his actions were extremely cruel. In pursuit of power, he performed sacrifices, causing the Jiang sisters and Cheng Ling Shuang's parents to become Death Warriors.

This person deserved to die and indeed died.

Chi Yuan ordering Lin Zhaoyu to kill her was perfectly reasonable.

But how did that relate to his proposal of replacing the Sword Heart Art with the Chang'an Melody?

Ye Chang'an couldn't figure it out and waited quietly for Chi Yuan to continue.

"..." Chi Yuan reined in her aura and calmed down. She swept her gaze over the decaying tombstone and spoke again.

"Those buried here are all inner demons, inner demons I created with my own hands before I established the Sword Heart Art."

???

Ye Chang'an was stunned. He looked at Chi Yuan's flawless face and asked blankly, "What do you mean?"

"Do you know the origin of the Sword Heart Art?" Chi Yuan asked. Ye Chang'an shook his head.

He knew it was Divine Sound, but he couldn't say it.

Saying it out loud would be too absurd, and bringing up Eden wouldn't help explain it.

"The origin of the Sword Heart Art is Divine Sound, created by pioneers from ancient times."

Chi Yuan said it herself.

"Divine Sound can cause a person's body to change in ways that adapt to Destruction. As long as the human body hasn't stopped growing, this adaptability will increase, and their martial arts talent will become stronger.

I once taught this Divine Sound to others, trying to let them grow and protect the peace of this world.

But I failed."

"Why did you fail?" Ye Chang'an asked curiously, his interest piqued by this past event that hadn't been mentioned in the game.

He felt like an onlooker.

"Because... of the human heart," Chi Yuan slowly uttered the four words.

"The human heart changes. The thoughts of a three-year-old child are vastly different from those of a fifteen-year-old, and the heart of a youth is vastly different from that of an adult."