novelraw Epilogue
Epilogue
A young man in white diligently practiced his swordplay. His movements were slow, but his actions were incomparably graceful. Anyone who saw it would think that it was the source of all swordsmanship. Although many years had passed, time left no trace on his face. He still looked like a young man entering the prime of his life.
Although his swordplay was beautiful, most people would be attracted to his pair of devilish eyes. There used to be three people who held the same eyes. Now, there were only two.
At this time, a woman appeared. Her dress was a deep blue, embroidered with spiderwebs. Her ink-black hair was styled in a way that indicated her married status. However, that would not stop people who saw her beauty. In terms of appearance, she looked no older than the man.
“Yinian, let’s go. Your grandmother is inviting everyone,” the woman said.
The man, Xi Yinian, slashed his sword one last time before sheathing it. “Understood, Mother.”
Jiang Daoyi nodded.
Too much time had passed since the Nine Heavens Universe System replaced the Three Thousand Immortal Realms System. Time was ruthless, and various legends, including those regarding Tianyi, had been forgotten. Even with the existence of the Xiyinet, that information had been buried by the countless new information people uploaded. Even the members of the Heavenly Immortal Court thought that the system was named after the nine celestial bodies at the center of the universe system.
The Heavenly Immortal Court still existed. Their base remained on the third planet from the center, called Sixth Heaven, but unlike before, they were the sole hegemon. All the other forces had disappeared, not because the Heavenly Immortal Court destroyed them, but because no one wanted to join them.
The Heavenly Immortal Court spanned the entire Nine Heavens Universe. Those outside of Sixth Heaven would find it nearly impossible to join the Heavenly Immortal Court, but denizens of Sixth Heaven had no such trouble. Because of the ample foundation of the planet and its dense energy, much of the life born there was at least in the Foundation Establishment Realm at birth. Each one was a talent, and the Heavenly Immortal Court welcomed them all.
Unless they were morally corrupt or had committed unforgivable crimes, the Heavenly Immortal Court would happily open its gates to them. How could the other forces compete with the hegemon of the Nine Heavens Universe System?
Even if the Heavenly Immortal Court did not take their resources or block them, these forces would eventually peter out if they did not receive fresh blood. They would have no new generation, and their old generation would eventually die.
Well, unless they could produce a divinity of law. Even if they managed to create a divinity of faith, their power would be far too lacking compared to the hegemon of the Nine Heavens Universe System. So long had passed, and the Heavenly Immortal Court had amassed a frightening amount of faith—so much so that a select few divinities of faith could rival divinities of law. Of course, this was only considering an average divinity of law.
So, these forces had no choice but to relocate.
As forces that once shared the same space as the Heavenly Immortal Court, they were definitely a first-class force in the eyes of many potential cultivators. This surge of people joining solved their biggest problem.
It was easy to leave, but difficult to return. Even if these forces wanted to come back, they could not use the interplanetary teleportation array to do so.
Because the Heavenly Immortal Court was the only force on Sixth Heaven, it gradually became more mysterious in the eyes of many people. Especially since those who once lived on it all perished when their willpower reached its limits.
Eventually, even the name Sixth Heaven became lost to time. Most people nowadays call it the divine world. And that term encompassed the entire solar system, not just Sixth Heaven.
Of the eight planets, only Sixth Heaven supported life. The Fourth Heaven was the core of the Nine Heavens Six Paths of Samsara. The other planets each served their own purpose.
Yinian and Daoyi’s destination was not Sixth Heaven, but Ninth Heaven.
It was fine for cultivators on Sixth Heaven, but once they left its protective atmosphere, they would face immense pressure. Elsewhere, immortal sovereigns would be qualified to roam the infinite space of the Nine Heavens Universe System, but within the central solar system, they could not even take a step outside.
Only divinities had the capability to roam the Nine Heavens Solar System freely. But only the most powerful of divinities could step on Ninth Heaven.
Yinian and Daoyi had not reached that level, but the Heavenly Will bestowed immense favor upon them. Although it had only partially awakened, it brought earth-shaking effects.
The long-lost karmic merit and sin reappeared. The power of heavenly tribulation increased, as did heavenly punishment.
For Yinian and Daoyi, it didn’t matter, since one was already a half-divinity and the other a divinity. Through his tireless efforts, Yinian had reached the Divine Realm, but not with the Divine Law of Time.
In the years since his father’s disappearance, Yinian chanced upon a cyan sword. It was Qingping, the lifebound artifact of Bao Ling. Contained within the sword was the Sword Law’s inheritance, and he used this newly created law to ascend to godhood.
It wasn’t luck that Yinian happened upon the Qingping Sword. At least, not true luck. Luck in the Nine Heavens Universe System was a manifestation of the Heavenly Will’s favor. Most people gained this favor from their karmic merit.
Yinian was different. The Heavenly Law adored him, even if he took a walk and sat down on the ground. If he dug deeper, he would discover a rich spiritual vein. However, all that luck paled in comparison to the privilege of stepping onto Ninth Heaven.
As the core of the Nine Heavens Universe System, the Nine Heavens Solar System was the location with the most abundant fluctuation of the laws. It was even helpful for divinities because it contained divine-level laws. And only three people in the entire Nine Heavens Universe System had this privilege. Had it been before the Heavenly Will awakened, powerful enough divinities could have forced their way through. If they tried to do it now, those invading divinities would be suppressed by the Heavenly Will.
“Every time I come here, it still feels so warm,” Yinian said, landing on the surface of Ninth Heaven.
From afar, anyone who gazed at the star would think its surface would be a replica of purgatory—just fields of fire with tides of flame and blazing tornadoes—but that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Golden grass spread as far as the eye could see, bathing the area in a warm and gentle light.
Daoyi didn’t say anything. She knew where this warm sensation came from. Tianyi had both succeeded and failed. He succeeded because he had fused with the Three Thousand Immortal Realms System, but failed because he could no longer extricate himself from it. She didn’t know the exact process, but she could still make some conjectures.
As the last thing Tianyi left behind, Daoyi would find it strange if Yinian didn’t find it warm.
As for herself? Sometimes it felt warm, while other times it felt completely normal. Daoyi didn’t know if it was because she herself didn’t know how to feel toward Tianyi, or if it was her guilty conscience. Of course, it wasn’t because she had betrayed Tianyi.
Her years of effort did not go down the drain. Through her relationship with Yinian, Daoyi had regained the emotion known as love that she had once lost due to her experience.
That didn’t mean she suddenly awakened love for Tianyi. Her feelings toward him could not be classified as that. For her to develop love for Tianyi would require his presence, just as Yinian had accompanied her. If Tianyi returned or remained, she wouldn’t mind giving it a try. Even if she didn’t develop love for him, she could still live with him like before.
Sometimes, Daoyi imagined if her life would be different if she had developed love for Tianyi. Would he have abandoned his plan to save Mengfei to stay with her and Yinian? A self-deprecating smile adorned her face. If she truly loved him, she wouldn’t have wanted Tianyi to face such a choice.
Or perhaps this was a manifestation of her growing emotions?
“Mother? Are you thinking about Father again?” Yinian asked.
“No, it’s nothing to worry about,” Daoyi said, not answering his question. “Perk up. Otherwise, Grandmother might think I’m mistreating you.”
Yinian did so, even while knowing that Daoyi was joking.
The two walked slowly side by side through the field of gold. Slowly, a palace entered their sight. It was the Nine Heavens Palace. Originally, it was only an emperor-level artifact, but now it was a full-fledged divine artifact. It could even be considered a peak divine palace, so long as it did not leave the Nine Heavens Universe System.
“Mother, we’re here.” Daoyi was sure that Mengfei already knew about their arrival, but she still called out when the two entered the guest hall.
Xi Mengfei’s appearance had changed. It wasn’t a slow change, but an instant aging. She still looked beautiful, but more like someone in her late twenties or early thirties. She had also gained a few gray locks. All this stemmed from Tianyi’s absence. Had it not been for Yinian’s presence, Daoyi would not have been surprised if Mengfei had turned into a mad divinity or committed suicide because she no longer sought to live.
Daoyi and Yinian were surprised to see Mengfei already standing. She was facing away from them, and her back was bent, as if she were picking something up. “Don’t be shy. Come on now.”
Mengfei’s voice was exceptionally gentle, like she was coaxing a child. It was also a tone that Daoyi had never heard from her mother-in-law. She turned around and smiled at the two of them. “Daoyi, Nian’er.”
She glanced down and patted her hand, pushing the person hiding behind her out. It was a child no older than seven. After being pushed out, he immediately hid behind Mengfei’s leg again, but he peeked out, observing Daoyi and Yinian.
Daoyi found the child familiar. He wore an extremely familiar uniform consisting of purple robes with embroideries of golden dragons and a coronet. However, his face did not resemble him, except for that pair of eyes.
She couldn’t help but wonder if Mengfei had secretly given birth to a second child. Despite looking only seven, he exuded the aura of a divinity, but Daoyi immediately ruled out Mengfei being the biological mother. Even if she were willing to damage her foundation to give birth to the boy, she could not give birth to a divinity possessing the aura of the Divine Law of Spacetime.
Daoyi had only sensed such a high mystery of spacetime in one person, one divinity. For a moment, Daoyi could not help but wonder if this was the backup plan Tianyi had left behind. However, although he exuded a similar aura, it was too pure. Not just in terms of temperament, but it was clear to her senses that the divinity had not mastered any other divine-level law.
“He’s a congenital divinity born on Ninth Heaven,” Mengfei explained. “Although he’s newly born, I can sense it. This is the child Tianyi left behind. I gave him the name Tianer.”
Daoyi didn’t know what to say. Not only was the naming awful, but she worded it as if Tianyi had left behind a child with another woman in front of his legal wife and biological son. Or perhaps Mengfei just didn’t want to think of the obvious, fearing her hopes would be crushed.
At this time, the child ran forward and said, “My name’s not Tianer. It’s Tianyi!”
When the child felt all the gazes focusing on him, he bowed his head, cheeks flushed. Once again, he hid behind Mengfei’s legs. However, he would peek out again. His eyes focused on Daoyi, especially her face. When their eyes met, his face flushed even harder, and he hid behind Mengfei’s legs again. It didn’t take long for him to peek out again and secretly glance at Daoyi—at least what he considered secret.
Daoyi bent down until she was at eye level with him. “Hello, Tianyi. Do you know me?”
Tianyi shook his head. Then, he lowered his gaze again. “I-I don’t know, but I’m going to marry you when I grow up.”
Daoyi blinked, and she giggled. “You should consider it when you grow a little older.”
Yinian also knelt down. He opened his mouth, but didn’t know what to say. Although he had harbored dissatisfaction with his father’s actions during his upbringing, that didn’t mean he didn’t crave a father’s love. His feelings were undoubtedly complicated. And upon meeting the child who could be his father’s reincarnation, he didn’t know what to say.
Tianyi frowned and walked up to Yinian. He puffed his chest to make himself seem more mature and patted Yinian’s head. “You shouldn’t frown. You’ll get wrinkles.”
Mengfei watched this, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. The hole in her heart had been filled, and she whispered softly to herself, “Welcome back, Yi’er.”