Heavenly River Flows Backward

Phoenix rises from the ashes

The principle is simple, but when faced with the choice, it becomes extremely difficult, because fear arises from caring.

Jingwei finally found Fu Hua again, and her concern for her had long surpassed that for herself. Concern can cloud judgment, and outsiders can see this clearly and make the same choice, but it's different when it comes to her.

She had so much to think about, considering every possible bad outcome. The more she thought about it, the more afraid she became, to the point that she dared not make a decision, even though she had the opportunity to turn things around.

Spirit Fox and the others knew that they had said everything they needed to say, and in the end, only Jingwei herself could make the decision.

She patted Little Yue'er on the shoulder and drifted away as she had come, leaving Jingwei and the silent Crane Spirit Immortal behind once again.

Sitting cross-legged, absorbing the spiritual energy in the air, a thin layer of white mist rose from the surface of his body, drifting into the Zhishui Lake and merging into Fu Hua's body through the lake's surface.

Little by little, drop by drop, accumulating

Skin, muscles, bones, meridians—anything that could contain the spiritual mist was filled with it.

At this moment, Crane Spirit Immortal suddenly opened her eyes, looked at Jingwei who was sitting by the lake, deep in thought, staring at the box in her hand, and spoke for the first time.

Miracles only happen when you make the choice; waiting will bring nothing.

Crane Spirit Immortal got up and left Zhishui Lake.

This gave Jingwei enough time to think, and besides, it was time for her to make a decision today.

Not for any other reason than that she cared about Fu Hua, and therefore was even more unwilling to watch him continue to sleep like this.

Crane Spirit Immortal's departure also leaves her with space to make all the necessary preparations. No one knows what the outcome will be, so there are some things that need to be said before making a decision.

After Crane Spirit Immortal left, Jingwei stood alone by the Zhishui Lake, gazing at the clear water with Jingwei. She held the black box in her hand, a stark contrast to her skin.

Silence fell again for a moment.

The lake was still, a gentle breeze stirred, red hair blurred her vision, and her crimson eyes were filled with confusion.

"Crimson Kite, what should I do?"

Her soft murmur was drowned out by the breeze, like a rootless duckweed, drifting in the air, directionless. The road ahead was slow, shrouded in mist, and Jingwei felt confused.

Should she really do that?

Keeping the box was merely a thought in her mind, a way to convince her that Lady Crimson Kite would not die.

But if the box disappears, can she really survive in a world without Crimson Kite Yuan?

Suddenly, she recalled those five hundred years. Without Crimson Kite, without the Honkai, it seemed as if she was the only one left in the world. Without anyone to rely on, she had to be strong on her own. Without a harbor, she had to build one herself.

How did she survive those five hundred years? Now, when she tries to recall them, she is suddenly at a loss. Her memories of that time have become so blurred that she can no longer remember them!

My mind is filled with memories of my time with Crimson Kite, and my heart is overflowing with longing for her.

It was as if Crimson Kite was her everything.

Her cheeks were Sisi cool and icy, and her eyes were misty, filled with tears. It turned out that she couldn't live without Crimson Kite.

All things have a spirit, and spirit beasts are even more so than humans. They will regard the first human they see as their mother, and will even go so far as to sacrifice their lives for her.

Jingwei is a kite bird and also a spirit beast; her mindset is the same.

Those five hundred years without Crimson Kite Yuan were like a living corpse, a state of utter confusion. How did she survive? It seems that it was her unwavering devotion to Crimson Kite Yuan that allowed her to endure those five hundred years.

"Crimson Kite, I can't live without you anymore. I miss you so much. Five hundred years of longing, three years of companionship, and now another thousand years of waiting. I don't want to lose you again. Jingwei just wants to stay by your side forever!"

Whispering softly, they recounted the heartache of a thousand-year wait. Their bond, which began with the Honkai World, had already tightly bound the two together. Fu Hua was irreplaceable in Jingwei's heart.

His attachment to Fu Hua was so profound.

"Crimson Kite, I don't want to lose you. No matter what the future holds, I will never be a bystander again."

Jingwei wiped away the tears in her eyes, her gaze firm and resolute. She still held the black box in her hand, stood up, and looked at Fu Hua in the Zhishui Lake.

"Lord Crimson Kite, you are not alone."

With a resolute expression, Jingwei loosened her clenched fist, and the box fell into the lake. The lake remained calm, without the slightest ripple.

The box that fell into the lake seemed to have been dissolved by strong acid and disappeared.

"Lord Crimson Kite"

Jingwei stared blankly, her heart filled with despair. As if she had used up all her strength, she slumped back onto the grass, her eyes lifeless.

Is there really no hope?

Within the lake, Fu Hua's body remained lifeless; everything was over, even her last hope had been extinguished.

Jingwei drew her knees together, wrapped her arms around herself, and buried her head deeply between her knees.

The sun rises and sets on the horizon, day and night alternate, and time passes unnoticed. As the stars shift and the constellations change, Jingwei's body seems to have turned into a rock, motionless and lifeless.

In the distance, Little Yue'er and the others stopped, all looking worried.

After a thousand years of living together, even inanimate objects would develop feelings. How much more so for them, who are all spiritual beings in the world, how could they not have feelings?

"What day is it today?" Long Qing'er asked.

"Fifteen days," Little Yue'er said.

"Fifteen days without food or water, just sitting there stiffly, exuding an aura of death," the Spirit Fox said. "Fifteen days! There should be a reaction by now. The supply of thousand-year-old spiritual plants and fruits, even if it depleted the spiritual energy in the lake, should be replenished by now."

As if in response to the Spirit Fox's words, Zhishui Lake suddenly began to stir. Yes, it really stirred. The lake surface began to ripple, growing larger and larger until it became increasingly violent.

After a thousand years, the Zhishui Lake has finally stirred.

Little Yue'er and the others were shocked and overjoyed, and hurriedly went forward to wake Jingwei.

Jingwei, radiating deathly Jingwei, showed no reaction whatsoever, as if she had isolated herself from the outside world and refused to communicate with it.

"Jingwei, Jingwei, wake up! There's movement in the lake!" Little Yue'er nudged Jingwei, but couldn't wake her at all.

He couldn't help but stomp his feet anxiously.

"What to do?"

Looking helplessly behind them, Spirit Fox and the others also frowned slightly.

Suddenly, Crane Spirit Immortal stepped forward, came to Jingwei's side, and whispered in her ear. Her lips parted, and waves of spiritual energy rippled out, like words of magic, mobilizing the laws of heaven and earth and entering her mind.

"Crimson Kite Iris has awakened."

Just one deceptive sentence echoed in Jingwei's mind, instantly waking Jingwei up. Her expression brightened as she looked ahead.

"Lord Crimson Kite!"

"Jingwei, the lake is starting to move!" Little Yue'er exclaimed in delight.

"Lord Crimson Kite, Lord Crimson Kite," Jingwei murmured.

Completely unaware of the surroundings

In the Zhishui Lake, the water was boiling, and wisps of white mist rose up, covering the surface of the lake. The once calm lake was now rippled with waves, as if the lake had come alive.

Beside it, the waterfall began to flow backward, carrying the lake water uphill, as if the gods in the sky were taking it back, along with Fu Hua's body in the lake.

The lake is drying up. As the waterfall flows upstream, bubbles formed by the lake water envelop Fu Hua, which travels further and higher with the river.

Jingwei was stunned. She had never seen anything like this before. Was it a good thing or a bad thing?

The Spirit Fox, however, seemed to be deep in thought before speaking.

"It's better than the lake remaining completely still. Since the lake is behaving this way, there must be a reason. All we need to do now is wait patiently. We've waited a thousand years already, so what's another thousand years?"

"That's right, Jingwei, don't worry too much. What Sister Spirit Fox said is true. It's just another thousand years. For us, a thousand years is just a blink of an eye," Little Yue'er comforted her.

"Lord Crimson Kite!"

Jingwei watched everything unfold silently. The Spirit Fox were right. They had already waited a thousand years, what was another thousand years?

"You all go back to cultivate! I will be going into seclusion here."

Having understood everything, Jingwei's expression returned to calm, her face expressionless. Gone was her former childishness and mischief; now, only composure and maturity remained.

Everyone grows, Jingwei is no exception.

She was young and naive, which caused her to lose the person she cherished most. A thousand years later, her strength is equal to that of her opponent. This time, no matter what, she will no longer be a bystander.

When Fu Hua opens her eyes again, Jingwei will use her strength to show her that she is qualified to stand beside her and that she can be entrusted with her back.

Jingwei wanted to be her, in name and in fact, her pet.

The Zhishui Lake has completely dried up, and the waterfall flows upstream, exposing the original riverbed and cliffs. Below the original waterfall, a stubborn rock shines with crystal light, as if telling its extraordinary story.

The stubborn rock remains, but the people and events have changed. The sea has changed, and the rocks have long since crumbled. What kind of scene will it be when Fu Hua returns?

Unknown, Jingwei had no way of knowing.

But the only thing she was certain of was that when Fu Hua returned, she would stand shoulder to shoulder with her.

Zhishui Lake, a simple bamboo house was erected. It was Jingwei's dwelling. She would come out to take a look every day, or look up at the sky.

Through the distant sky, I see the Milky Heavenly River on the other side, gazing at her remaining figure.

The vast distance binds their hearts together; their bond is ingrained in their bones, how could they be separated? Even if she travels across mountains and rivers, she will still visit her Crimson Kite.

Within the Taixu Realm, the sun still rises and sets, day and night alternate. For Jingwei, time has become a mere byproduct, a byproduct of waiting for Fu Hua's return.

The daily monotonous training was fulfilling, but the thought of spending time with Fu Hua brought him satisfaction, as if he had inexhaustible energy to draw upon.

The once naive and restless Jingwei has finally grown into a mature and steady older sister.

Day after day, year after year

A thousand years is such a short time. In the blink of an eye, Jingwei has ushered in another thousand years. According to the time in the Taixu Realm, she is now more than two thousand years old.

However, less than a month has passed in the Douluo Continent.

A lot can happen in a month, such as the destruction of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan or the rise of the Spirit Hall Empire.

Time is like an hourglass, flowing endlessly. Before you know it, it has already left you far behind. Only the rings etched into your bones and muscles can prove that it once existed.

Zhishui Lake

"Another thousand years have passed, Lord Crimson Kite, when will you return!"

Jingwei looked up at the sky, but there was still nothing there. She couldn't see through it, couldn't understand it. What was there beyond the celestial canopy, within the Milky Way? Jingwei couldn't see through it.

Even now, having cultivated to the point of being just one step away from the realm of gods, she still cannot see the scenery that Crimson Kite once saw.

"Crimson Kite Yuan, I am one step closer to you. That insurmountable chasm between us will surely be crossed by me."

P. S.: Oh my god! It's so easy to climb to the King rank right now! It's making me not even want to play ranked matches anymore; the ranking up is too fast, it's not fun.