Shi Hao had seen it coming. This older cousin, who always liked to drop by whenever he was weak, was finally leaving.
Six Nirvanas in all, and he had never missed a single one. It truly made Shi Hao grit his teeth with hatred.
Logically, with Shi Yi gone, he could undergo Nirvana in peace. He ought to have been happy.
Yet he felt a little lost, as though something had left his heart hollow.
At their level, apart from the Great Dao, it was truly difficult to find anyone to travel alongside them. Having an old rival like Shi Yi to spar and quarrel with had brought untold enjoyment to this tedious, brutal journey of transformation.
Now his old rival was about to leave. Shi Hao alone would struggle across the waters of this unfamiliar Emperorfall Era, with no fellow traveler at his side. Deep in his heart, he felt an indescribable loneliness.
Still, Shi Hao could never let that emotion show. Both he and Shi Yi were fiercely proud; neither would ever soften his words, no matter the occasion. He replied with a smile, "Looks like you lost, then. I've only undergone Nirvana six times. You won't get to wait for the seventh or eighth."
"Mm, I lost. It's boring if the older brother always wins. Let the younger brother win once in a while." Shi Yi nodded as he spoke.
Their eyes met. This time, no void shattered, no Great Dao was ground away. There was appreciation between evenly matched opponents, reluctance to part with an old rival, and gratitude, too.
Shi Hao knew that Shi Yi would return to the moment when the Foreign Realm attacked the pass-the moment when he and the two Golden Burial Scholars returned to the Primordial Imperial City after visiting the