The sea breeze gently blew through the jet-black hair, falling on the pale cheeks of Queen Xuan Yuan. She was still trembling, tears falling like pearls melting into the wet sand. Those eyes, which had witnessed the rise and fall of many dynasties, now contained only the silhouette of a single person.
"Jiang Zhu..."
She called out, her voice choked as if afraid that if she uttered just one word, that figure would disappear into nothingness.
The man with long, fiery red hair was still standing there, his body somewhat hazy as if he were just a thought left over from a thousand years ago. However, his eyes had not faded—those eyes still looked at her like they had before, gentle but also filled with so many things that could not be put into words.
"You... have worked hard."
Just a simple sentence but it carried so many layers of meaning. A thousand years had passed, everything that existed in the past was now just ashes. Yet, at this moment, time seemed to have stopped, leaving only the two of them under this vast sky.
Xuan Yuan bit her lip, trying to suppress the emotions that were surging in her chest. She wanted to rush forward and hug him, wanted to feel the warmth from his hand, wanted to once again touch the shoulder that she used to lean on whenever she was tired. But then, she was afraid—afraid that with just a light touch, he would turn into light and disappear.
"I have dreamed of you so many times, Jiang Zhu. Dreamed of the old days, dreamed of the time when we were together... But when I woke up, I realized that I was still at the bottom of that cold ocean, lonely and hopeless."
Jiang Zhu's hand lifted slightly, his fingers almost piercing through her soft hair. He smiled lightly, a smile that carried a hint of nostalgia.
"I know. I've always been waiting for you. Waiting for the moment to see you again."
Xuan Yuan burst out laughing in a sob, his eyes brimming with tears. "Wait? You're just a residual thought in this sword, how can you wait? Don't you know how lonely I've been, Jiang Zhu? Do you know… every day that passed in the depths of the sea, I longed for a voice, a hand, or just a warm breath beside me, would that be enough?"
Jiang Zhu didn't reply. He just silently raised his hand, knowing that he could never truly touch her, but still tried to draw a line in the air, as if to wipe away the tears that were rolling down her face.
"Xuan Yuan, you are stronger than I thought."
The Queen laughed through her tears, a bitter laugh. "Strong? Do you think I want to be strong? If I could choose, I would rather live ordinary days with you, would rather have all these responsibilities disappear from my shoulders... But in the end, I still have to bear it. I have no choice."
Jiang Zhu lowered her head. "I know. That is the fate you have to bear. But now, at least... you have completed it."
"Completed?" Xuan Yuan shook her head slightly. "But I have nothing left, Jiang Zhu. I have nothing left but this withering body... Even in this last moment, we cannot truly touch each other. How ironic, isn't it?"
Jiang Zhu smiled, a warm smile but tinged with sadness. He stepped closer, bent down, and whispered in her ear:
"No, Xuan Yuan. We are here, under the sky you have always longed for. As long as I can see you, as long as you still remember me... then no matter how far the distance is, we will always be together."
Queen Xuan Yuan closed her eyes, tears silently rolling down the corners of her eyes. She leaned against Jiang Zhu's chest—even though she knew he was just a ghost, even though she knew she couldn't feel his warmth, at least, at this moment, she could imagine that he was really here, right next to her.
"If there is a next life... would you be willing to accompany me again?"
Jiang Zhu chuckled softly. "There's no need to wait for the next life. I'm always here, Xuan Yuan."
The sky above seemed to grow even more blue. The waves gently lapped against the shore, like a lullaby for the souls that had grown weary after thousands of years.
And then, in that moment, the light from the gem on Xuan Yuan's sword shone brightly, enveloping both of them.
*****
A soft sound rang out behind Yumeji, interrupting his train of thought after witnessing the reunion of two souls separated by thousands of years. Before he could react, he felt a hand patting his shoulder.
"W-Who—?!"
The sharp pain spreading from the wound made Yumeji jump, he grimaced and turned around, shouting in dissatisfaction:
"Hey! I'm hurt! Do you want me to die of pain or something, you idiot?!"
Kiana, the culprit who had just patted his shoulder with a force no different from hitting an iron bar against a rotten piece of wood, immediately took a step back, shrugging her shoulders innocently:
"Ack…! Sorry, I forgot."
Although her tone was somewhat apologetic, the "it's not my fault, is it?" look on her face made Yumeji want to smack her on the head.
Before Yumeji could grumble any further, Kiana tilted her head and asked curiously:
"By the way, why didn't you use that magical blue power to defeat Chiyou? You clearly used it to restore the sea, purify the sky, and even help comfort the souls of the dead."
"Don't tell me you can't do it, if you can do all those magical things, there's no reason you can't defeat Chiyou with it, right?"
Her questions made Yumeji pause slightly. His eyes showed a hint of hesitation, but then in a split second, it disappeared as if it had never existed. He wasn't the type to hide it or anything—it was just… he was too lazy to explain.
After a moment of consideration, Yumeji shrugged and replied calmly:
"It's not that I don't want to use it… it's that I can't use it."
"Huh?"
Kiana was stunned, she didn't understand anything.
Yumeji looked at her with a slightly disdainful gaze, but still patiently explained:
"I've used up almost all the resources I could muster to save Himeko-sensei."
Kiana nodded slightly, because she wasn't blind—she had actually witnessed Yumeji using that power to save Himeko-sensei from Honkai's corruption. But then, as if suddenly remembering something, Kiana frowned, looking at him doubtfully:
"Wait, then how could you do that absurd thing just now?"
Yumeji shrugged nonchalantly, pointing at the Xuanyuan Sword that was stuck in the ground, emitting a pearly silver light:
"Because that's not my power to begin with."
"Huh?"
Kiana, she was once again pushed into a state of 'information overload' that made her head spin and smoke would have come out of her head if this were in a manga.
The others—Fu Hua, Mei, Bronya, and Himeko—though they tried to act like they didn't care, they all strained their ears to listen to every word.
Bronya was the first to speak up, asking in place of Kiana:
"So what Yumeji means is… the power you just used was already established inside the Xuanyuan Sword a long time ago, is that what Bronya understands?"
Hearing that, Yumeji immediately raised her thumb in front of Bronya:
"Exactly, Bronya. What I did just now was just fulfilling the role of a source code to activate the hidden power that was carefully kept secret inside the sword."
He paused for a moment, before throwing in another random sentence:
"But if you ask why I was able to do it… I can only say that it's because my strength and the one who came up with this have many similarities."
Bronya nodded in understanding, although she found Yumeji's answer rather vague, but she knew that it wasn't that Yumeji didn't want to say it, but that Yumeji thought that even if she said it, they wouldn't understand.
Then Bronya pointed at Jiang Zhu, no questions were asked and she only received a nod from Yumeji, but Bronya then concluded that she understood the situation.
Perhaps, there was an eye contact between Yumeji and Bronya that didn't require any words.
Perhaps it was because both of them were very smart?
Or... maybe it's because Yumeji and Bronya are on the same wavelength, who knows?
The rest of the people also had a pretty good grasp of the situation after observing and listening to the two's conversation, except for one person...
"WAIT! What you've been talking about all this time, I still don't understand a single bit of it!?"
That's right, only Kiana was still struggling with the chaotic information, her mind starting to smoke like an overloaded machine. She turned her head to look left and right, but no one seemed to be planning to help.
Yumeji then looked at Kiana with a mocking gaze. Before he could say anything, Bronya coldly said:
"There's no need for Kiana to understand, you just need to have a rough grasp of the situation."
"Hey! Are you badmouthing me again!?"
"Bronya didn't say anything bad about Kiana being stupid. Bronya is just telling the truth, please don't frame Bronya, stupid Kiana."
"Hey!!"
The usual quarrel between Kiana and Bronya broke out immediately.
Mei could only smile bitterly at that scene. But that was okay, she thought it was good. After all, after a long battle with Chiyou, wouldn't it be better if they could return to their normal lives?
While quietly enjoying the 'comedy' before her eyes, Yumeji's eyes glanced towards Jiang Zhu. Even though he was just a spirit, he was somehow able to gently pick up the Xuan Yuan Queen and place her in his arms.
A warm, romantic scene, but also tragic.
Because everyone knew that even if they met again, the final outcome would not be able to be changed.
A cruel fate that had tormented both of them for thousands of years.
Yumeji's eyes wavered slightly. That image—for some reason, it reminded him of the memories of Jiang Chu that he had glimpsed earlier when he had neutralized Chiyou's destructive attack with his fatal attack in the alternate dimension.
And in it, there was a name...
A person...
A face almost identical to his...
A mysterious person named Feng Yue
*****
The winter wind blew gently, white snowflakes silently covered the yard in front of the simple cottage. In that quiet atmosphere, a man sat on a rock in the garden, his thin but strong hand gently stroking the calluses deeply engraved on his palm. The once fiery red hair was now streaked with silver, quietly hanging down like the ashes of a fire that had burned for ten long years.
He looked up at the sky, whispering softly as if talking to himself:
"Phew, I've finally finished everything I needed to do."
The words mixed with a hint of relief concealed a deep loneliness. For the past ten years, he had buried himself in work, not giving himself a single moment to rest, as if he wanted to use that busyness to drown out his emotional wounds. But then, when everything was finished, he suddenly realized that he no longer knew what to do next.
A cold wind blew, the branches in the forest swayed slightly. Amidst the rustling sound, a low but familiar voice rang out, breaking the silence of the space:
"You look much more haggard now than the last time I saw you, my friend."
The man sitting on the rock was startled, his eyes widened for a moment then quickly dimmed. He slowly turned his head, only to see a figure walking out from the middle of the snow-covered forest.
That person was wearing a shabby cloak, his snow-white hair gently fluttering in the cold wind. Half of his face was covered by a white fox mask, revealing only a pair of golden eyes that were as bright as the sun in a cold winter day.
"Feng Yue..." Jiang Zhu quietly uttered that name, as if he was unsure if he was seeing things or not.
The other person chuckled, and walked closer step by step:
"Long time no see, Jiang Zhu. Aren't you going to say hello to me?"
Those words carried a hint of teasing, but the listener couldn't help but laugh. Jiang Zhu looked straight at the person in front of him, his eyes filled with complexity:
"Where... have you been all this time?"
Ten years ago, after Xuan Yuan sealed himself and Chiyou at the bottom of the Nine Provinces Sea, Feng Yue also suddenly disappeared like a ghost. No one knew where he went, and no one knew if he was alive or dead.
Feng Yue tilted his head, as if he was considering how to answer. After a while, he just shrugged slightly:
"That matter, it's very personal. But I was forced to leave the game because I don't belong here."
"Don't belong here?" Jiang Zhu frowned.
"What exactly is it? I don't understand, but do you know that I've been looking for you everywhere for the past ten years?"
"I know." Feng Yue smiled lightly. "But there are things I can't tell you. At least not at that time."
The east wind was still blowing, carrying a biting cold. After a while, Jiang Zhu let out a soft sigh:
"You came back here... for what reason?"
Feng Yue didn't rush to answer. He slowly walked forward, his eyes glancing over the remaining hairpin on the stone table, then looked straight at the person opposite:
"I came to see how you're living. It seems... not very good, right?"
"I don't need your pity." Jiang Zhu's tone was much colder.
"I know. But aren't you also pitying yourself?"
Those words made Jiang Zhu stunned. He wanted to refute, but couldn't utter a word.
For the past ten years, he had lived like a shadow. Working tirelessly, not because of responsibility, but to escape. He knew that. Feng Yue also knew that.
After a moment of silence, Jiang Zhu finally closed his eyes, his voice low like a breeze:
"How long do you... plan to stay?"
Feng Yue chuckled:
"It depends on you. If you want me to leave now, I will go."
Jiang Zhu opened his eyes, looking straight at the person in front of him. After a while, he sighed, his tone somewhat helpless:
"Go inside. The snow is about to fall more heavily."
Feng Yue laughed:
"Alright, consider it a place for me to spend the winter."
Under the white blanket of snow, two figures, one red, one white, slowly walked into the simple thatched house, leaving behind the cold wind of winter...
***
In the simple thatched cottage in the middle of winter, the ground covered in white snow, Jiang Zhu and Feng Yue sat across from each other. The space between them was quiet, only the cold wind whistling through the dry treetops. The unexpected reunion after ten years of separation seemed to not need flowery words.
"You've worked hard, Jiang Zhu." Feng Yue said softly, his tone mixed with sympathy and the calmness of someone who had experienced many ups and downs of time.
Jiang Zhu looked into the distance, his eyes shining with fatigue but still determined.
"Worked hard? I don't think so. If I could do something to make up for her departure, I feel like I haven't tried hard enough."
Feng Yue sighed.
"You've poured all your heart into what she left behind, but in the end, did that really help you forget the pain?"
Jiang Zhu didn't answer right away, just silently looked at the gray sky. After a long while, he smiled faintly.
"You know, I once thought of a different future. A future where I could give up everything, live a simple life, maybe meet someone else, get married, have children. But... as soon as I thought of that prospect, I felt empty inside. It seemed like everything would have no meaning without her."
Feng Yue listened silently. He understood, because he himself had witnessed loss, and had also wandered everywhere looking for something to fill the void in his soul. But he was different from Jiang Zhu. He didn't have a Xuan Yuan to sacrifice his life for.
"You know, there is a way for you to see her again." Feng Yue's voice was light, like a whisper in the wind.
Jiang Zhu turned his head, his eyes filled with doubt.
"What did you say?"
"I can help you send your thoughts into the Xuan Yuan sword. One day, when fate turns, when the time is ripe, you will have the chance to see her again."
Jiang Zhu was stunned. A chance... a slim hope to see her again, even if it means exchanging his soul, even if he has to endure loneliness that lasts for a thousand years?
"But," Feng Yue continued,
"you will also have to pay the price. You will not be able to transcend, you will not be able to find new happiness, you can only exist in the endless void, waiting for her. It is a terrible loneliness that few can bear. Are you sure you want to choose this path, Jiang Zhu?"
This time, Jiang Zhu was silent for a long time. The cold wind blew through his silver-colored hair, carrying with it memories of the years he had spent alone struggling with the pain of loss. He closed his eyes, smiling sadly.
"I used to wonder, if she hadn't sacrificed herself back then, what would have happened to us? Maybe, I would have gone everywhere with her, enjoying all the simple joys in life. But... there's no if. She's gone, and I've lost her. You ask me if I can bear the loneliness? You're wrong, Feng Yue. I've endured it for ten years."
Feng Yue looked at Jiang Zhu for a long time, then sighed. "I guess that's your answer. But what about your own happiness? Have you ever thought about it?"
This time, Jiang Zhu laughed.
"Then let's start my happiness from here. I will do everything I want to do, go to all the places I want to go, enjoy my life to the fullest before I leave. One month... no, maybe three months. Just three months. But traveling alone is lonely, so I wonder, can you travel with me, Feng Yue?"
Feng Yue stared at his old friend, then slightly curled his lips.
"Hmm, okay. I will be the wind that carries you to all corners of the world, my friend."
*******
In those three months, they left places full of traces of the past, traveled through distant lands, experienced things they had never had the chance to try before. Under the vast sky, they were no longer people carrying the burden of fate on their shoulders, but simply wandering travelers, living each moment of freedom.
They climbed high mountain peaks, letting the wind blow against their bodies, standing silently listening to the murmuring breath of the spring blending with the sounds of nature. There were nights when the two of them lay on the green grass, watching the full moon reflecting on the calm lake, as if reflecting their own lives.
During those moments, they did not say much. But sometimes, when the alcohol had taken hold, words flowed more easily.
"If I never see you again... will you remember me?" Jiang Zhu suddenly spoke up as the two of them sat by the fire, the firelight reflecting in his eyes.
Feng Yue laughed, his voice mixed with a bit of teasing but still containing a rare sincerity.
"Who do you think you are? A troublesome person like you, even if you want to forget it's hard. But to be honest, if there comes a day when I truly forget you, then perhaps that's when I'll have become a different person."
Jiang Zhu slightly curled his lips, brought the wine cup to his lips and took a sip. "That's good. You know, I never thought I could be free and live a life like this. No more responsibilities, no more obligations... it's as if everything that's been weighing on my back for so many years has disappeared."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Feng Yue slowly turned the wine cup in his hand. "People always run after their responsibilities, sometimes forgetting that they also need to live. But hey... are you really happy?"
Jiang Zhu did not answer immediately. He silently looked at the fire in front of him, his eyes distant as if searching for something in the past. Then he let out a soft sigh.
"I think this is the happiness I can have."
During that journey, Jiang Zhu chose a special place, where he wanted to keep a part of the memory of him and Hien Vien. It was a small valley, where wild flowers bloomed on the soft ground, the gentle wind blew through the trees creating a melodious melody.
Feng Yue stood watching Jiang Zhu dig a small hole under the old tree, his face grimacing.
"Your body must still have some part to do here?"
Jiang Zhu just laughed loudly, brushing the dirt off his hands. "Not me, but the mementos of her and me. I don't think there's anything valuable, but I have some jewelry and..." He paused for a moment, then burst out laughing, "and her dancing clothes too."
Feng Yue almost dropped the wine cup in his hand.
"You pervert! How the hell did you keep a girl's things in your house when you two weren't even a couple yet?"
Jiang Zhu did not reply immediately, but only silently looked at the items in his hands. His eyes flashed with a distant nostalgia.
"She once said that one day, if I see this dance dress, remember that she once danced under this sky..."
He paused, his voice dropping.
"I don't want to forget that image. And I don't want this world to completely forget her."
Feng Yue looked at him for a long time, then just sighed.
"You are such an idiot that no one can save you."
Then the moment finally came. Standing before the deep sea, Feng Yue fulfilled his promise. He gently raised his hand and touched Jiang Zhu's forehead.
A gentle light enveloped his old friend's body, gradually dissolving, turning into fragile spiritual fragments floating in the air like bright snowflakes. Jiang Zhu's soul separated from his body, floating in the void.
The wind blew, carrying the cold air of the ocean. Deep in the ocean, the Xuan Yuan sword was sleeping, waiting for its soulmate to return.
Jiang Zhu looked down at his hand that was gradually becoming transparent. There was no more weight, no more warmth, only consciousness floating in the endless flow of time.
Before Jiang Zhu's spirit body was completely swept away by the wind, Feng Yue chuckled lightly, he started to play a trick to send a large amount of divine power to Jiang Zhu's trail, to protect him from the corruption of Chiyou's Honkai energy and also to create a path to the future that Feng Yue himself had already known, his voice afterwards carried a hint of mischief but also something indescribably bitter.
"Consider this a farewell gift. Goodbye, my friend."
A strong wind blew by, causing the fox mask on Feng Yue's face to shake slightly. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see that scene anymore. When he opened his eyes, Jiang Zhu's spirit body had completely disappeared, melting into the bottom of the deep sea.
Only a vast sky and endless space remained.
And then, one day, when fate once again turned, the two of them would meet again.
Under that moonlight.
Under the sky at that time.
It was as if the years they had never been apart.