Epilogue • I'll Bring Him Home

Sixty years of marriage.

Today is the day we truly part ways.

This restart almost gave Su Qing'an a complete life. He lived in this era for more than sixty years and spent the same amount of time with the person he loved. If you add his original age, it is a life that ordinary people yearn for and envy, with little room for regret.

But now that she is facing the stark reality of their impending separation, Su Qing'an still feels a sense of reluctance and emptiness.

If he were alone, he would likely feel content and think that things are fine as they are.

But now, as his wife Fu Hua will be waiting for him outside for a long time. This deep and unbreakable bond makes it impossible for him to face his death-like hibernation with peace of mind.

Su Qing'an had been sealed away for far too long, so much so that when he looked at this scenery and tried to recall the past, he was at a loss for where to begin.

The music and revelry are gone, old friends have dispersed, and the joyous reunion of ten miles is nowhere to be found again.

Sixty years is like a complete life for ordinary people in this era, yet even during this long period, the two of them did not form any ties with anyone.

Li Shishi and Jiang Rongyue, who had stopped exchanging letters since descending the mountain forty-three years ago, were still separated by a gradually growing estrangement.

Fu Hua gazed into the distance and asked softly:

Do you think Shishi and Rongyue will come today?

The answer to this question is actually quite clear.

If the two choose to come and say goodbye at this time, what is the point of their previous deliberate decision not to go up the mountain again?

For mortals, an encounter with an immortal leaves behind their most vibrant and youthful image in the other's consciousness. The best outcome is to maintain contact afterward but never meet again.

Now that things have come to this, in order not to waste the past forty-three years, they will not choose to come.

In the end, it will only add to the sorrow.

Moreover...

Because he didn't want to put the other party in a difficult position, he only specified the year when he entered hibernation, without giving the specific date.

Under these circumstances, they would inquire beforehand if they wanted to come.

Since no relevant questions were received, it means they had no intention of coming.

At the same time...

Su Qing'an may not want to witness his old friend's gray hair, because due to the special nature of [Nian], he still retains this rather naive side in his personality.

The boy reached out and scooped up a wisp of cloud, saying softly:

"They won't come, and they don't need to come."

"Saying goodbye in this way is not easy for anyone."

The Immortal Chi Yuan understood this feeling, and had even become numb to it to the point of being indifferent. However, after gaining memories of other timelines and reviving his most primal emotional abilities, he still felt a pang of melancholy.

Jiang Rongyue was, after all, her first disciple.

For the next sixty years, she granted him the qualification to teach the Void Sword Qi, but she did not take on any more disciples.

After all, if he were to truly accept disciples, he would likely choose children with clean backgrounds, and then they would reside together on Mount Taixu.

However, as time goes on, the relationship will no longer be a true kinship, but will essentially become one of both father and mother.

But for Su Qing'an, who was already unaccustomed to being separated due to their different lifespans, this potential bond and emotion was ultimately too cruel.

Therefore, the Immortal Chi Yuan never truly developed the power of the Taixu Sect.

[Chaoxian] was initially positioned as an outer sect force and a mouthpiece, but after more than 60 years of development, it has spread to almost every corner of Shenzhou, with countless branches under various plaques, and has its own voice wherever it goes.

It's not surprising that this can be done.

Whether it's the superiority of the [Immortal Decree], Li Shishi's Stigmata ability [Fellow Daoist], or the Void Sword Qi, which was compiled from parts of the previous era by the immortals, they are all rare treasures in the Shenzhou. Combining the three can accomplish even more.

However, the amount of time and energy required to be in charge of the power during this period, as well as the complexity of the problems and difficulties faced, were beyond the comprehension and imagination of the two who had always been leisurely and carefree.

Although Jiang Rongyue and Li Shishi no longer visit, they continue to dedicate their limited lifespans and youth to ensure that this "Pilgrimage to Immortality," which was originally defined as a gift, can continue for a long time.

Fu Hua understood, but even though she felt bad about it, there was nothing she could do.

At that time, [Chao Xian] was already an integral part of their lives, and it might not be a good thing to give it up.

The immortal felt a surge of emotions welling up in her chest, yet found it difficult to express them. She replied:

"Too."

Su Muxi still looked like White Sparrow. She curled up on Su Qing'an's head, her little paws occasionally tugging at a few strands of white hair, seemingly a little unhappy.

To avoid the worst-case scenario, the young man had already severed his Soul Link with Su Muxi shortly before, thus completely entrusting his little darling to Fu Hua. From now on, the task of feeding her with soul matter would also fall to Fu Hua.

If it weren't for the continuous nurturing and upgrading effects of the Manas Consciousness on Little Feather over the past sixty years, which enabled her to reach a stage where she could survive independently, Su Qing'an would really be somewhat hesitant to completely entrust this child to Chi Yuan.

After all... apart from him, it would be virtually impossible for a normal person to feed this child.

The Soul Essence must be at least several times that of an ordinary person to have enough soul matter to shed and replenish. Fu Hua only barely meets this standard, but she is not strong enough to support this little guy in battle or reckless behavior.

But now, even without being fed, Little Feather can live freely and easily, as long as she takes a long nap regularly.

However, for Little Feather, who had been by Su Qing'an's side for a long time from before she was born with spirituality to gradually gaining wisdom and eventually becoming a conscious life, breaking the Soul Link with her was like losing the support she had always relied on for survival, leaving her feeling completely empty.

The consequences Su Qing'an faced after doing such a thing left a deep scar on the child's heart.

Even though she could rationally understand that she had to separate from him and stay with Xiao Fu, who was like a mother to her, Su Muxi, who was like a child at heart, still couldn't help feeling unhappy.

Besides, why must separation necessarily sever the Soul Link?

Once she is able to survive independently, the existence of this link is no longer a shackle or restriction, and it will not affect her life in the outside world.

For Little Feather, who didn't want to consider the other party's failure, being dragged into a meat grinder at a higher level was completely outside her consideration.

From Su Qing'an's perspective as a parent, there's no need to take the risk if there's even a possibility.

The two then entered into a delicate cold war.

But since today was the day of separation, White Sparrow only used her little claws to vent her anger on the boy's hair, and did not intend to turn back into Hong Xian to pretend to be dead and act sullen. In short, she was just a very childish person.

Su Qing'an gently cupped her hands in her palms, rubbed her little head, and whispered:

"No sulking allowed."

White Sparrow let him rub her, and after a moment of silence, she responded sullenly:

"... oh."

I feel a little wronged, but I have to endure it.

Little Feather brings great sorrow.

Looking at her, Su Qing'an smiled and said softly:

"After I fall asleep, you need to keep an eye on Hua and make sure she doesn't overwork herself."

"Spend more time talking to her."

White Sparrow muttered:

"Knew."

Su Qing'an continued:

"Don't just play with the Little White all day, or you'll pluck its fur all over."

"Don't cheat when you play chess with Xiaoxuan. She kept complaining last time about why she couldn't beat you even with an external quantum computer, and she felt useless."

"If you're interested, you can try going to school and making some friends. Although your lifespan is vastly different from that of ordinary people, even if you experience sadness later, it will still be a valuable experience that becomes a treasure in your memories."

Remember to take good care of yourself.

The boy rambled on and on, recounting almost every bad and foolish thing his Little Feather had done in the past sixty years, as if trying to prove that his little darling was not only a wicked girl but also clumsy.

But when Su Muxi raised her little head and looked at the gentle smile on that person's lips, she had no room to be angry or embarrassed. She just quietly moved her little paws and listened to her parents' nagging. She listened to that person talk about the trivial things that had happened over the past few decades, as if she was recalling countless past events through the other person's words.

It is like dust scattered in the sunlight, each particle clearly visible yet countless.

Suddenly, she felt a mix of sadness and genuine happiness.

Before Fu Hua was granted Su Qing'an's memories by that self-disciplined personality, Su Muxi was the person in the world who understood Su Qing'an the most.

She knew all too well how hard-won, precious, and beautiful this period of time was for him.

The past suffering and despair have left indelible scars, but the peace and happiness of the past decades have become all the sweeter and more unforgettable because of the bitterness and hardship of the past.

Even if we have to part ways now, it's only for a better reunion next time.

Su Muxi understood that there had never been a gentler farewell than this, and she should feel content.

But she still couldn't help feeling sad.

Whether it's a child or an adult, they might experience the same emotions at such times; the only difference is whether they express them.

Even after disconnecting from the child, Su Qing'an could see the emotions churning within him. He rubbed the child's head and whispered:

"The next time I see Xiao Xi, I'll ask you what's happened all these years, and then Xiao Xi can slowly tell me everything."

White Sparrow nodded her little head and replied:

"Um!"

Fu Hua watched this scene, silently calculating the time that was about to pass.

Suddenly, she recalled events from over 50,000 years ago, just before she was about to enter an eternal slumber.

Upon learning that I was about to embark on a journey filled with unknown changes and transformations, I found myself at a loss as to how to make the most of the remaining time.

After all, humanity had perished and civilization had fallen, yet this still-naive girl had inherited the torch of hope for an entire era. What should she have said? What could she have done in that situation?

It seems there's a lot that can be done.

You could try drinking a cup of coffee and quietly reflecting.

You can watch your favorite movie during the hour before entering the hibernation pod.

You can go to that world full of the remnants of civilization and witness what desolate and lifeless desolation truly means.

You can open up to your comrades, recount the past, and cherish memories of what happened.

Looking back now, that period wasn't cheap at all; on the contrary, it was incredibly precious. It's just that back then... no one had the leisure or the mindset to witness the transition from the old to the new.

Eden chose to die with that era, and no one could ever truly hear her soft chanting again, just like a treasure that could never be unearthed.

Kevin carried Mei's last wishes, and his unwavering determination remained steadfast even in his final breaths as he bid farewell to the era.

Doctor Mobius and Eden had a good relationship. As she watched his retreating figure and listened to his increasingly ethereal singing voice, she revealed a rare expression tinged with human emotion, making her seem somewhat unlike the Mobius she knew.

That day, SU did not close his eyes as usual. He silently stared at the old medical books, his fingers tracing the words on them, and finally looked at the outside world, speechless.

Who else?

Elysia, Chrono-Chaos, Aponia, Sakura...

There are many more, but those who died in battle will never speak again.

She inherited Eden's original mission and responsibilities, and through a series of unexpected events, she has come to this point, and in the last sixty years, just as he originally wished, she has had a life of her own.

This is immense happiness.

Therefore, Fu Hua did not feel sad or upset about this separation. She was more at ease and more determined than before. She believed that the path she had chosen this time was not only for the expectations of others or for the greater good of the world, but also to truly obtain her own happiness.

At this point, the girl naturally wouldn't be like her usual self, choosing to enter All Things Dormant half an hour early in an empty room.

The farewells back then all seemed rushed because they had lost their meaning.

But saying goodbye to one's loved one is a completely different matter.

"Tick-tock, tick-tock."

At that moment, the wristwatch on Su Qing'an's wrist flashed red and made a soft sound.

This means that the Tome of Cangxuan in the Mount Taixu has completed the final adjustments to the hibernation chamber.

It's time for me to truly rest.

The two exchanged a glance, then silently walked from the vicinity of the Cloud Cliff Sea to a deep abyss.

Below this is an underground fortress built thousands of years ago using Soul Steel. It does not occupy a large area, only about a thousand square meters.

But nowadays it's more than adequate as a base for slumber.

The base gate opened by itself, and the two filed in, quickly meeting Xiao Xuan, who had finished controlling the virtual screen.

Beside her was the hibernation pod that Fu Hua had used. At this moment, the dark pod's surface was shimmering with a bright blue data light. With a ticking sound, it opened its long-sealed outer shell, revealing the interior. The extreme temperature difference between the inside and outside caused Cold air, like morning mist, to roll and spread, causing the indoor temperature to drop significantly.

However, none of the people present seemed to be behaving themselves and paid no attention to the matter.

Xiao Xuan wanted to say something, but in the end, he simply handed over a bracelet in silence.

--This is clothing made of nanomaterials that can last for thousands of years.

Su Qing'an took it, put it on her hand, and let the brand-new clothes devour all the fabric she was wearing until the replacement was complete.

--The only remaining step is to lie down and hibernate.

The girl wrapped her arms around him from behind, her forehead resting against his broad back, her eyelashes lowered, and spoke her farewell in a firm tone:

I will bring you back.

"When you wake up, all the parting will be over."

She didn't mention how much time would pass in between, nor the suffering and longing that might ensue, nor did she consider the harsh reality that even if the awakening level of Planetary-class essence were ultimately filled with the remains of demons that had been collected for thousands of years, the other party might still lose themselves on the two paths of dimensional ascension. She simply continued to repeat:

I will bring you back.

So you have to wait for me.

Su Qing'an remained silent for a while. For a moment, she genuinely considered staying a few more years and changing the date of her hibernation.

But he understood deeply that even if he was stuck at the limit of his lifespan of nineteen years, he would still feel reluctant to part ways when the time came.

Moreover, Fu Hua herself would not allow the possibility of their future success being affected by the short-term reluctance of the two to part.

So...

Feeling the warmth of his wife's arms, the young man gently rubbed the White Sparrow in his palm, as if to comfort her, and smiled in response:

"Good."

I will wait for you.

"I'm waiting for you to come and take me home."

The White Sparrow fluttered its wings and stood on the immortal's shoulder. It stared at the family member who had given it spirituality and had been with it since before it was born, as the sparrow slowly lay down in the hibernation chamber.

The transparent shell rippled like water, completely sealing it off, leaving only a cold white mist swirling and dissipating nearby, and a boy inside the chamber with his eyes closed, seemingly asleep like a saint, proving that it had been open for a brief time.

From then on, the few remaining family members in the world would sleep here forever, like a statue that would neither die nor come back to life, full of hope yet also filled with unease about the unknown.

Su Muxi transformed into human form and took the other person's hand, seemingly trying to comfort them.

But even with her lips pursed, she couldn't control her own low spirits.

Fu Hua stood there silently for a long time, the loneliness in his chest like a cold pool eroding his body and spreading a chill.

When will we meet again? Ten years, a hundred years, or a thousand years?

Even though they had considered countless plans to stockpile demon corpses over the past sixty years, facing the bottomless appetite of Planetary-class would still be an extremely long and arduous battle.

She said softly:

Let's go.

"We'll try our best to bring him home."