At dawn the next morning, pale golden light spilled over the broken earth, slowly washing away the sorrow that had colored the night.
A night of grief, a night of drunkenness.
All the anguish, reluctance, guilt, and regret surging within their hearts were pressed deep down by the fate adults had to bear.
The truly strong never had the luxury of surrendering to despair.
Late at night, they could let every emotion run wild and lick their wounds alone.
But once daylight came, they had to gather up their vulnerability, hide their weaknesses, suppress their grief, and bid the world farewell with the calmest, gentlest demeanor as they set out on their separate paths.
Such was the resilience etched into the Divine Souls of those who bore the weight of their race and their fate.
A gentle wind swept across the wilderness.
Oakes and the other supreme Divine Beast powerhouses bowed solemnly to Shiheng.
There was no need for words or mournful farewells. Through their time together, Shiheng's vision, character, and strength had already earned their heartfelt respect.
They gazed at him for a moment, then turned into brilliant streaks of light that pierced the air, vanished into the distant sky, and disappeared beyond the sea of clouds.
Kaiser lingered for a long time, staring deeply at this weathered land that had witnessed sacrifice and redemption. Countless complexities filled his eyes before he finally gathered his emotions, turned, and departed through the air.
The clamor faded, leaving silence in every direction.
Across the vast, boundless plain, only Shiheng and Sailiya remained standing quietly.
Shiheng had already settled his plans for the road ahead. There would be no more wavering.
Next, he would travel through the cities scattered across this Plane, taking in displaced Human Race tribes along the way and