The Black-Haired Her

The tranquility of Lake of Life could not completely soothe the turbulence in their hearts. Di Tian's words were like stones cast onto a still lake, sending ripples spreading outward until they touched the icy shell of their memories. Though their complete past remained sealed deep within the mist, the names "Tang Wulin" and "Gu Yuena" were no longer hollow symbols. They had settled in their hearts.

After sitting quietly in the treehouse for an entire night, Gu Yuena found Tang Wulin, who had also remained awake all night. Morning light filtered through the gaps between the branches and leaves, scattering dappled flecks through the dense mist of life. The sunlight that passed through fell warmly and powerfully over them both.

"Let's leave this place." Gu Yuena's voice was soft, yet carried the weight of a decision. "I want to visit the places Di Tian mentioned."

Tang Wulin looked at her, her reflection mirrored in his dark eyes, and nodded. "All right."

Since their memories would not simply return on their own, they would seek them where those memories had once taken place. For now, that was the only path, and the one they both accepted.

However, with faces identical to those in legends from ten thousand years ago—especially Gu Yuena's exceptionally conspicuous silver hair and violet eyes—entering the human world would likely cause an enormous uproar if anyone with ulterior motives discovered them. Disguises were necessary.

Gu Yuena stood by the lake, looking at her reflection in the water, her brows knitting slightly. She closed her eyes as if sensing something, drawing upon the vast, ocean-like power within her. A moment later, when she opened her eyes again, the violet brilliance of stars had faded into tranquil black. Her waterfall-like silver hair seemed to have been steeped in ink, turning into smooth, jet-black tresses that draped softly over her shoulders. The lines of her face also appeared gentler, losing some of their imposing nobility and cold aloofness, while gaining the delicate innocence of a young girl.

She turned to Tang Wulin and asked softly, "Is this... all right?"

The instant she turned around, Tang Wulin seemed to have been struck by lightning. His entire body stiffened abruptly.

Black hair, black eyes, a delicate face... This appearance was like a rusty yet incomparably sharp key. Without warning, it brutally tried to pry open the deepest, most tightly sealed corner of his mind!

A violent headache, like countless steel needles piercing him at once, struck suddenly. His vision darkened in waves, and fine beads of cold sweat instantly seeped from his forehead. He clenched his teeth tightly to keep himself from groaning in pain.

Yet even more overwhelming than the headache was an indescribable, all-consuming grief. It felt as if an invisible hand had clenched his heart tightly, and a sour ache surged into his nose and eyes. He did not even understand where this sorrow came from, but tears had already spilled beyond his control, sliding down his cheeks. One drop, then another, fell onto the grass beneath his feet.

He simply stared blankly at the disguised Gu Yuena, his gaze hollow and anguished, as though through her he saw some vague figure that broke his heart beyond endurance.

Gu Yuena was startled by his appearance. She clearly saw his face turn pale in an instant, his tightly furrowed brow, and the tears continuously rolling down his face, as though they carried endless sorrow. She had never seen him so distraught, so fragile.

"What's wrong?" She hurried forward and instinctively reached out to grasp his icy hand.

The faint coolness and softness in her palm were like a clear spring, temporarily extinguishing the burning agony in his mind. Tang Wulin suddenly came back to himself. After breathing heavily several times, he barely managed to suppress the tumultuous emotions within him.

He looked into her worried black eyes so close to his own and felt the warmth of her hand. His chaotic heartbeat gradually calmed. Raising his other hand, he wiped the tears from his face somewhat awkwardly. His voice was still hoarse from choking back sobs.

"I'm... I'm fine." He paused, his gaze still fixed on her face, carrying an emotion so complicated that even he could not understand it. "It's just... the way you look now makes me miss something terribly. It feels like I've lost something incredibly important, something I can never find again, no matter how hard I search."

He could not explain the exact feeling. It was simply a hollow, immense sense of loss and grief, rising from the depths of his soul.

Gu Yuena tightened her grip on his hand. Her dark eyes were full of confusion, but even more than that, they held silent understanding and support. She did not press him for answers. She only said softly, "We'll find it again."

Only after a long while did Tang Wulin completely calm down. He took a deep breath and began altering his own appearance as well. Unlike Gu Yuena, who had almost instinctively returned to a particular form, he merely adjusted a few details of his face. His originally dazzlingly handsome, sharply defined features became more ordinary, his complexion darkened slightly, and his eyes grew more restrained. He now looked like an ordinary young man with a calm temperament but an unremarkable appearance.

"This will save us a lot of trouble," he explained, his voice restored to its usual steadiness, as if the person who had just wept uncontrollably and lost emotional control had not been him at all.

Gu Yuena examined his disguised appearance and nodded. Though he was no longer as striking as before, those calm black eyes still made her feel familiar and at ease.

They went to briefly bid Di Tian farewell. The Beast God looked at the two of them, now disguised and with their auras completely concealed. A trace of complexity flashed through his golden eyes before he finally said softly, "If you need anything, Star Dou Great Forest will always be your steadfast support. The soul beast clan will always stand behind you."

Without further words, Tang Wulin and Gu Yuena quietly left Lake of Life and the core region of Star Dou Great Forest.

Their first destination, according to the clues Di Tian had provided, was a city on the eastern coast of Douluo Continent—Aolai City.

According to Di Tian, it was where the silver-haired, violet-eyed girl known as "Na'er" had first met Tang Wulin in his youth.

As they rode the soul train and watched the scenery race backward beyond the window, Tang Wulin found it difficult to calm his thoughts. From time to time, he looked at Gu Yuena beside him as she quietly gazed out the window. Looking at her black hair and dark eyes, the piercing pain and overwhelming grief in his mind had receded, but they had left behind a vast, empty ash. The image of a delicate black-haired, black-eyed girl gradually emerged in his heart. Their appearances were clearly so different, so why did seeing Gu Yuena like this hurt my heart so much? What kind of person do I truly love?

Aolai City. The name echoed in his heart, carrying an inexplicable pull.

What kind of beginning was buried there? What did the place where they first met look like now?