Zhenyuanzi's face stiffened. He gazed silently at Hong Yun.
Hong Yun suddenly smiled.
It was a faint smile.
"My old friend, save the fruit of the Ginseng Fruit Tree for me to pick when I return."
Zhenyuanzi looked at him. His voice caught in his throat, and he managed only one word: "All right."
Those two words said more than a thousand others could.
Then Zhenyuanzi added firmly, "I'll wait for you at Wuzhuang Temple. Once you reincarnate, I'll recognize your aura. You won't get away."
Hong Yun laughed. "Good."
He turned to face Empress Houtu.
The smile slowly faded from his lean face, replaced by a look of acceptance.
He had seen his old friend. It was time to go.
"Empress Houtu." Hong Yun cupped his hands, his expression solemn. "Please send me into reincarnation."
Empress Houtu stood on the raised platform, having witnessed everything.
Her face remained as calm as still water, betraying no emotion, but she nodded a little more slowly than usual.
She said nothing. She merely raised her right hand.
The Six Paths Samsara Disk suddenly roared.
Six rays of light surged out and intertwined around Hong Yun's True Spirit...!
The next moment, the vortex of the human path erupted, drawing him in with an irresistible force.
Hong Yun's translucent form looked smaller than ever within the vortex.
But he did not resist. He calmly let the six-colored light envelop him.
Just before the vortex swept him away, he looked at Zhenyuanzi one last time.
Their gazes met across the distance. Then Hong Yun closed his eyes.
The Six Paths Samsara Disk continued to roar for a full fifteen minutes.
When the six-colored light finally faded, Hong Yun's True Spirit had become a ray of pure light and vanished into the depths of the Six