Missing Thoughts Literature

Yu Sui put away the Listening Wind Ruler and ran outside. She had to find somewhere with no one around.

Fortunately, the room was noisy enough, and she ran fast enough that no one paid her any attention.

Juxian Tower had been booked out, and guards stood all around it. Yu Sui ran straight for the exit, startling quite a few attendants, who asked if she needed help.

Voices kept ringing in her mind:

"Can you survive? I'm asking you, can you survive?" the man demanded furiously. "All I want is a good night's sleep! What's wrong with that?!"

An androgynous voice asked, "Who?"

"Cough, cough..." The old man's hoarse voice chuckled. "It's me."

So far, all three were voices Yu Sui had heard before. After the old man answered the question about who was dying, a trembling young man's voice piped up: "What is this? Who are you people? What's going on?"

The newcomer seemed to know even less than Yu Sui did.

The young man's terrified voice made the man laugh. "You two might as well die together. I've already thought of how: the old one dies of old age, and the young one dies of his own stupidity."

Yu Sui ran downstairs and found even more people below. She carefully dodged them, made it through the doors of Juxian Tower, and sprinted through the night market.

At that moment, no one had the time to explain anything to the frightened young man. The androgynous voice spoke again. "How did you die?"

"Cough, cough... Everyone, don't panic. I still have some time. I'm just badly injured. You won't be dragged into this until my Soul Core shatters." The gentle old man smiled. "There are so many people who could kill me later that I truly don't know who it'll be, or how they'll do it."

Yu Sui was taken aback. Soul Core? That meant he was at least in the Tenth Realm of the Nine Schools Techniques. But wouldn't their strange flames give birth to new Soul Cores?

She ran away from the bustling streets, heading for somewhere deserted.

The man said crossly, "You still have a breath in you. Old man, tell me where you are, and I'll come haul you out."

"I'm at Taiyi Academy, in the Five Elements Water Field," the old man said.

The man immediately replied, "Too far. I'm not going. Just die."

"What? Who's dying? What does this have to do with me?"

The young man's frightened wail rang out again.

"My whole life, I've been trying to find a way to escape the strange flame, to escape the World Destroyer's mark," the old man said in a hoarse voice. "It has the power to destroy heaven and earth, but I have no wish to use that power, nor do I want to destroy this continent."

"Though I don't know why it chose us, I believe none of the people it chose wanted to destroy the world... But being a World Destroyer has left us living in fear, always on edge that others will discover our identities. If our identities are exposed, the Six Nations will hunt us down, leaving us separated from our wives and children, our homes destroyed."

"I've lived for more than seventy years. I've seen it happen far too many times."

The man mocked him. "You're about to die, and you're still feeling sorry for other people."

The old man only smiled, not minding in the least. He coughed twice more and leaned against the wall of the Five Elements Water Field. Blood covered the ground, and lights flickered on one by one in the distance as shadows drew nearer.

There were only five World Destroyer positions, but they could belong to five different people. When someone died, the strange flame would seek out a new World Destroyer.

You could never guess when it would descend.

It might be just after you were born, or when you were on the verge of death.

"Hide your flame well." The old man lowered his head, the light in his eyes slowly fading. "The Six Nations are all searching for the World Destroyers. They need to learn the secrets of the strange flames. If you want to escape the identity of a World Destroyer, come to Taiyi Academy... I'm certain the way to unravel the secret of the strange flames lies in the Tianzi Text hidden away by the academy."

"If only I had a little more time..."

Black Flame suddenly erupted. The wave of heat rushed toward the shadows pursuing him, forcing them to scatter and retreat.

The black flames vanished in an instant. When people looked up again, the old man was already burning. Red flames devoured his body, and they saw the figure sitting in the fire fall over, never to make another sound.

The last things Yu Sui heard were the man's curses and the frightened young man's helpless questions. Soon, those voices faded too. Familiar pain spread through her body, and in an instant she was drenched in sweat.

Yu Sui ran out of the bustling streets and into the Barren Zone. Ahead, beneath the moonlight, a pond shimmered with rippling reflections.

Yu Sui felt as if white smoke were rising from her entire body.

As she struggled toward the pond, she never expected Zhongli Que to come chasing after her from behind, calling out as she ran, "Suisui! Nangong Sui!"

Yu Sui looked back in shock. Zhongli Que was drenched in sweat, the Listening Wind Ruler still in her hand. She had followed the location Yu Sui had given her for the Listening Wind Ruler.

"Don't come any closer!" Yu Sui shouted. Zhongli Que stopped, stunned by her warning. Her pupils contracted as she stared into Yu Sui's eyes. "How could this..."

In Zhongli Que's eyes, Yu Sui was just as she had foreseen: wrapped in flames, being devoured.

Yu Sui had no time to explain. With her strength gone, she fell into the pond. The splash and sound made Zhongli Que's heart leap, and she hurried over.

How could this happen... Had I come too late?

If I hadn't hesitated and had followed her sooner, if I knew how to ride a horse or use the Nine Schools Techniques, if I'd gotten here just a little faster, would she have avoided being burned to death?

Countless possibilities flashed through Zhongli Que's mind. The sloshing water sounded painfully loud in the silent night. Her legs seemed to have lost all strength, and her hands trembled uncontrollably.

She wanted to jump in and save Yu Sui.

But she couldn't swim.

*

Beneath the water, Yu Sui heard nothing at all. She couldn't even hear herself screaming.

She was no longer an infant, completely incapable of controlling herself. Amid the agony of her flesh and bones being burned away, she could at least resist a little.

The cold, heavy water eased some of her pain.

The previous World Destroyer had been completely helpless, swallowed by a great fire and left to die slowly.

The old man who died this time seemed unwilling to make the others suffer too much. To spare them the agony of being tortured, he had used the strange flame to burn himself to death at the end. The flame consumed his life in an instant, so the others did not suffer for long.

The cold water brought Yu Sui back to herself. She opened her eyes and began sweeping her arms, struggling toward the surface.

With a splash, Yu Sui broke through the water. She shook her head, sending droplets flying, and looked up to see Zhongli Que standing at the edge of the pond.

In just a short while, Zhongli Que had become filthy, her face smudged with ash. She had taken off her outer robe and skirt and tied them together with some clothes she had found somewhere, fastening the makeshift rope to a tree beside the pond. Gripping the rope, she was just about to jump into the water.

Yu Sui's sudden appearance stunned Zhongli Que. The two stared at each other, wide-eyed.

A moment later, Yu Sui seemed to understand what Zhongli Que was trying to do, and she burst out laughing.

"Y-you're okay? You're not dead? Waaaah... You scared me to death!" Zhongli Que's strength gave way all at once. Still holding the rope, she slumped to the ground and wiped her tears. "And you're laughing? Nangong Sui!"

Zhongli Que had never been so frightened in her life—not even a few years ago, when her father had confined her to her room over a single arrow.

She understood what death meant. She couldn't accept her friend's death.

"Where did you find all this stuff?"

Yu Sui swam toward the bank, still smiling.

"I wanted to call someone to save you, but I was afraid people would find out. Luckily, I saw an abandoned courtyard nearby, so I climbed over the wall and found some clothes someone had thrown away." Zhongli Que sniffed and wiped her tears. "I tied them together so I could go down and save you... You can swim, so why didn't you say so?"

She was furious.

Yu Sui climbed out of the water, shook her head, and wrung out her clothes. Hearing Zhongli Que's tearful, aggrieved question, she couldn't help smiling at her. "I jumped in because I can swim, of course. Why else would I jump in?"

"You were about to be burned to death!" Zhongli Que said angrily. "Didn't you jump in to put out the fire?"

Yu Sui stopped wringing out her clothes. The smile vanished from her face as she lifted her eyes. "What did you see?"

"I saw you on fire. Your whole body was covered in flames, and the fire was so strong it swallowed you up completely." Zhongli Que hadn't noticed anything amiss with Yu Sui. She was still wiping her tears. "I-I was so scared. I was afraid you'd be burned to death."

Yu Sui stood in front of Zhongli Que, blocking the moonlight. Her shadow fell over her.

She shouldn't have been seen.

The death-sensation caused by the Fire Spirit Orb wouldn't leave any wounds, only pain.

So how had Zhongli Que seen it?

Yu Sui reached out, untied the clothes around Zhongli Que's waist, then helped her to her feet. Smiling, she asked, "How did you find me? Did you track me with the Listening Wind Ruler?"

Zhongli Que nodded.

Yu Sui opened her own Listening Wind Ruler and saw the messages she hadn't noticed before:

"Don't go to Juxian Tower!"

"Go home right away!"

"If you go to Juxian Tower, you'll be burned to death!"

Although her "death by burning" had nothing to do with Juxian Tower, the prediction had still been half right.

She had indeed been "burned to death."

Yu Sui feigned surprise and looked at Zhongli Que in confusion, holding up the Listening Wind Ruler. "How did you know?"

"I..." Zhongli Que froze. She didn't dare look Yu Sui in the eye and turned her face away, caught in a struggle with herself.

Yu Sui asked, "Can you foresee things in advance?"

Zhongli Que clenched her teeth and whispered, "S-something like that."

Yu Sui suddenly reached out and wiped the water from Zhongli Que's face. Zhongli Que looked back and saw her smiling. "If it's hard to talk about, I won't ask. I don't have to know. As long as you're okay."

Zhongli Que was momentarily taken aback. Impulsively, she began, "Actually, I..."

"Shh." Yu Sui covered her mouth with a hand, signaling her not to speak.

The strange flame flickered, which meant someone was nearby.

Zhongli Que stared at her, wide-eyed. It was rare to see Yu Sui look so wary.

The ripples on the water settled. There was no sound—not even the chirping of insects or the rustling of wind on such a night. Yu Sui surveyed her surroundings. She was sure the person hiding in the dark was not from the Nangong or Zhongli Families. If either family's bodyguards were here, they would have gone into the water to pull her out already.

When Yu Sui had left Juxian Tower, she had made a point of shaking off the bodyguards too. Perhaps because she had gone out with her Third Brother, Sheng Fei, and Juxian Tower had been booked out for a gathering with the young masters of many prominent families, the bodyguards hadn't entered the tower to keep an eye on her. That had given Yu Sui her chance.

If the person was from the Zhongli Family, they would have already shown themselves to help. But if they had followed Zhongli Que here to spy on the Zhongli Family, then her actions tonight—and the conversation just now—could put her in danger.

Relying on the strange flame to sense where the other person was hiding, Yu Sui turned toward the Old house across the pond and said, "Come out!"

If this person had been spying on Zhongli Que—

After a brief silence, a strange laugh came from the other side of the pond.

A man's mocking voice rang out. "They say the King County Princess is an untalented fool, but you seem pretty sharp to me."

Zhongli Que's eyes widened even more in shock.

She really shouldn't have gone out today.

When you were down on your luck, every kind of bad thing came your way.

Yu Sui shielded Zhongli Que behind her and faced the other side, her bearing every inch that of an imperious princess. "Who are you? How dare you presume to criticize this County Princess?"

The man was amused by her forced air of authority and burst into laughter. "You gave me this opportunity yourself, Princess."

"If the King's Mansion's bodyguards were still here, I wouldn't have the chance to criticize you."

But Yu Sui understood from his words that he was targeting her, not Zhongli Que.

"Hmph. You know the King's Mansion's bodyguards are still here. If you know what's good for you, get out now." Yu Sui scoffed, her expression haughty. "If this County Princess catches you, I'll cut out your tongue and gouge out your eyes."

Whether he was targeting Zhongli Que or her, she couldn't let him go. If anything he'd seen or heard tonight reached Nangong Ming, both she and Zhongli Que would be finished.

Given the situation, Yu Sui had no way to reach him first. She could only provoke him and make him come to her.

The man hiding in the shadows laughed. "I came here today to try my luck and see if I could steal the farmer's Treasured Item, the Xirang, from a fool. I never expected to actually get my chance. Young Princess, you're on the brink of death. Stop acting tough. I should thank you for shaking off your bodyguards and giving me this opportunity."

So he had come for the Xirang.

A shadow dropped from a tree and landed on the wall. The thin man had been across the pond just a moment ago, but after he formed a hand seal, his afterimage wavered—and he was behind the two girls.

The tall man's shadow fell over them.

His eerie laugh, so close it seemed to come from beside their ears, sounded like a snake hissing. A bone-deep sense of danger swept over them.

Zhongli Que grabbed Yu Sui to run, but Yu Sui shoved her into the pond instead. They had been standing right beside the bank, so Yu Sui pushed her in without much effort.

"Hey?!"

The moment Zhongli Que hit the water, she couldn't even figure out what had happened.

"Trying to run?" The man used Fleeting Shadow to appear in front of Yu Sui. The veins on the back of his hand stood out as he grabbed her by the throat and lifted her off the ground. "Don't worry. I'll make it quick, so you won't suffer too much, County Princess."

As he pulled her closer, he leaned in and sniffed. "A delicate little girl really does smell sweet. That scent makes me reluctant to—hmm?"

The girl about to die in his hands didn't struggle in a panic. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Yu Sui whispered, "Make it quick."

This was her only chance: the chance to make her enemy lower his guard and deliver a fatal blow.

The Five Elements Light Core in Yu Sui's hand shattered against the man's neck. The instant Black Flame poured out of the core, it swallowed him whole. He didn't even have time to scream. His burning body stumbled backward on reflex.

Freed from his grasp, Yu Sui fell to the ground. She rubbed her neck, then braced one hand against the ground and stood up. Her already-dark pupils reflected the burning body, and the flames seemed to make her eyes shine even brighter.

The strange flame was fierce and overbearing. It ignored every Supernatural Ability and Esoteric Skill, and its wild flames showed Yu Sui the terrifying power it had to destroy all life.

Yu Sui felt herself drawn to that power. It was alluring, whispering in her ear like a lover, yet also coaxing her like an Evil Ghost.

A fierce wind blew the flames toward Yu Sui.

The black flames flickered, seeming both near and far. In silence, they invited her to expand this power, vast enough to devour heaven and earth. Use it. It was the supreme power of this continent, capable of crushing everything—and destroying everything.

The night wind stirred Yu Sui's long hair. The fingers hanging at her side twitched. Soaked to the skin, she felt the cold settle deeper into her bones. Suddenly, she remembered that Zhongli Que couldn't swim. She spun around and immediately jumped into the pond.

The black flames chased after her, roaring in frustration, but vanished when Yu Sui entered the water.

*

The world beneath the water was cold and quiet.

Zhongli Que couldn't even tell how much time had passed. After falling in, her mind stopped working. She remained in a daze for a long time without reacting.

From the moment she fell into the water in a stupor to the moment Yu Sui dragged her back to the surface, Zhongli Que was dazed and confused.

Yu Sui pulled her back to the bank and patted her back. "Are you okay? Did you swallow any water?"

Zhongli Que coughed and shook her head. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a charred lump nearby and jumped to her feet, clutching Yu Sui's hand. "Are you okay? Where's that bad man?"

"I'm fine. He's dead." Yu Sui patted her reassuringly, then wrung out her clothes again. Afterward, she bent down, picked up the corpse—burned black and reduced to a heap of charred bones—and threw it into the water. "If he hadn't died, we'd be dead instead. So we couldn't let him leave alive."

Zhongli Que stood there, staring blankly at Yu Sui.

Yu Sui was struggling to move the charred bones. Seeing Zhongli Que frozen in place, she looked up in confusion. "Did I scare you?"

Zhongli Que came to her senses. She said no, then scratched her head and asked, puzzled, "Did I slip and fall in by accident, or did that man push me?"

"I pushed you," Yu Sui said honestly.

"You—you did?" Zhongli Que felt like she was about to fall apart. "I can't swim..."

Before she could finish, Yu Sui said, "I know. I would have saved you. Don't worry. I'll protect you."

This way, Zhongli Que wouldn't see the strange flame.

That was why Yu Sui had pushed her into the water, then taken the opportunity to kill the man.

Whether or not Zhongli Que knew about the World Destroyers, Yu Sui didn't want her to find out. The strange flame was far more dangerous than the Xirang.

It could even become addictive.

This was Yu Sui's first time using the strange flame. Even though she had discovered a way to summon it while testing the Five Elements Light Core, she hadn't dared to try it.

Her instincts told her not to use the black flame unless she had no other choice.

It was the first time Zhongli Que had ever heard anyone say something like that to her.

The words were simple and direct, yet they made her feel safe.

Ever since meeting Yu Sui, she had always done what she said she would. She had never broken her word. Perhaps that was why Zhongli Que was willing to get close to her: Yu Sui never let her down.

"Why was it you who protected me?" Zhongli Que murmured.

Yu Sui thought for a moment. "Because I'm older than you!"

"You were born in May, and I was born in January. That means I'm older." Zhongli Que looked at Yu Sui. "Since I'm the older one, I'll be the one to protect you from now on."

She spoke earnestly. "I'll protect you, too."

Yu Sui looked up from where she was crouched by the bank, washing her hands. The girl before her was brimming with courage, and she had never seen her look so serious.

*

The two girls had promised to protect each other. A moment later, they stared silently at the charred bones scattered across the ground.

Yu Sui said, "We have to throw him into the water, then get rid of the charred remains on the ground."

Zhongli Que hesitated. "But... it's so dirty."

Yu Sui blinked at her. "That's why I didn't want to do it alone."

They exchanged a glance, then resigned themselves to getting to work.

After tossing the charred bones into the water, they crouched on the ground and used stones to scrape away the scorch marks. Yu Sui muttered, "I hope fewer people come after me in the future. Getting rid of bodies is such a hassle."

Zhongli Que switched hands and kept scraping, her face creased in a grimace. "Why are they trying to kill you?"

"They said the Nong School's Treasured Item, Xirang, is with me," Yu Sui replied.

Zhongli Que asked curiously, "Is it something really powerful?"

"Probably," Yu Sui said. "I don't know what it does, either."

Zhongli Que paused, then said softly, "Earlier, you asked why I could see things before they happened. The truth is, I don't know, either. When I was very little, I would inexplicably catch glimpses of the bad things that might happen to people around me."

"I couldn't control it, and I didn't know what to do. Maybe it happened while I was asleep, or while I was eating or writing. Whenever an omen of disaster appeared, I could sense it vaguely."

Zhongli Que stopped scraping as she spoke, lost in her memories.

"When I was six, I suddenly saw that my mother would accidentally fall into the water while she was out. I was eating at the time, so I started crying and told her not to go near the water."

"My mother was startled. After asking me all about it, she clasped my hand tightly and told me never to tell anyone. If it ever happened again, I absolutely, absolutely wasn't to say a word."

Yu Sui tilted her head as she looked over. This definitely counted as one of the Nine Schools Techniques.

It was related to divination and prediction, and could be a Supernatural Ability and Esoteric Skill of the Yin-Yang School, the Daoist School, or the School of Techniques.

Zhongli Que had always obeyed her mother's warning and never told anyone.

Until she met Yu Sui.

Other than her mother, Yu Sui was the second person she had warned, hoping to help her avoid misfortune.

"I later realized this must be one of the Nine Schools Techniques. If anyone else found out, I'd be done for," Zhongli Que said softly. "I'm afraid of dying. I'm afraid of making things difficult for Father, and of getting Mother and my brothers into trouble."

Yu Sui said, "If you don't know what this power is, then it's dangerous. Better to learn to control it than let it become a danger you can't control."

Zhongli Que turned to look at Yu Sui, who was still scraping at the charred marks on the ground. "Don't be afraid. Go study the Nine Schools Techniques. You won't die. I won't let you die."

That innocent girl had risked her life to come save her, armed with nothing but courage.

In return, I'll save you, too—now and in the future.