Chapter 30: Remember the Beginning, Achieve the End

Chapter 30: Remember the Beginning, Achieve the End

"The Supreme Being has emerged, and darkness is approaching!"

"This is the most terrifying upheaval, with six Supreme Beings appearing. Can the West Empress withstand it?"

"Alas, Lady West Empress, we pray for you. You must quell the darkness."

The masses were filled with fear and sorrow, praying for the West Empress from afar. Otherwise, the most terrible darkness would descend, leading to widespread suffering.

Battles raged incessantly, shaking the world, and all beings were terrified. No one knew the true outcome of the battle, only that it was too terrifying to fathom, reverberating through the ages.

Prayers were futile, but it was the only thing the masses could do.

On the Mythic Battlefield, four Supreme Beings fought fiercely. The West Empress's strength was beyond expectation, ranking her among the top of all those who had achieved the Path to Ascension. Some once said she was not adept at combat, but that was truly laughable.

The Imperial Dao Slaughtering Formation left by the Lord of Spiritual Treasures was also incredibly fearsome, truly capable of slaying immortals and emperors, not just empty rumors.

Even the state of the Indestructible Golden Body was bizarre. Despite being exhausted, it always managed to rise again, continuing to unleash combat strength that rivaled its peak, like a cockroach that couldn’t be killed.

If not for the three Supreme Beings in the Primordial Ancient Mine preparing their own Imperial Dao Slaughtering Formation and the return of the Heaven-Linking Spirit Treasure, the outcome of this battle would have been truly unpredictable.

Everyone was prepared, with backup plans and the resolve to die, making this battle exceptionally brutal.

But just then, the ancient domain of the North Star once again emitted the aura of a Supreme Being emerging.

At this moment, in the deepest part of the Jade Pool Holy Land, a graceful figure sealed within the Divine Source opened her eyes.

After accidentally falling victim to an attack, Shaohua's consciousness did not fall into complete silence. On the Immortal Platform, the character "Eternal" emitted a faint light, illuminating the eternal night.

She arrived in her Inner Realm, a place that seemed like a real world. Given time, it might transform from the virtual to the real, becoming a true inner world.

"Don't do anything foolish, there's still time", Shaohua murmured to herself.

She felt deeply guilty, never expecting such an event to occur. She wandered in her Inner Realm for a long time, eventually stopping by a mirror lake.

Looking at the calm surface, a figure gradually emerged.

It was her, and it was him.

"I never thought I'd see you again", Shaohua sighed.

"I have always been here, but you didn’t see yourself clearly, your heart was clouded", the other him said.

Shaohua was silent.

In her past life, she was just an ordinary person, even born with a congenital illness.

Traversing to a new world, she aspired to achieve the Path to Ascension and even become an immortal. Reflecting now, it seemed somewhat amusing.

"Knowing too much made you feel superior and arrogant; your past ordinariness made you harbor a hint of inferiority deep down. From beginning to end, you just didn’t see yourself clearly."

"Very well said, but how do you know I haven’t seen myself clearly?" Shaohua leaned down, calmly looking at the other self, and suddenly smiled.

The reflection in the water was slightly startled.

"I’ve been waiting for you for a long time. The one who truly didn’t see clearly is you!" Shaohua squatted down, her delicate fingers lightly tracing the surface of the water.

"What are you talking about?!" The other him’s face turned pale.

"I sensed your presence long ago. In fact, when I achieved the Path to Ascension, I didn’t actually sever anything, did I?" Shaohua smiled.

"You say I didn’t see myself clearly, my heart was clouded, but where does your sense of superiority come from to criticize me, who has already achieved Alternative Ascension? How arrogant is that?"

"You say I harbor a hint of inferiority, but how did I manage to reach this point, achieving Alternative Ascension, rivaling Supreme Beings, and challenging emperors? Do you think it was easy?"

The other him couldn’t help but take a few steps back, his eyes darting away, unable to meet her gaze.

Shaohua stood up, her gaze fixed on the other version of herself. She spoke each word deliberately, “From the beginning to the end, the only reason I couldn’t ascend was because my heart is fractured.”

“Did you deliberately fall into the trap just to find me?” the other her asked, a hint of fear in her voice.

“No,” Shaohua was slightly taken aback, shaking her head in denial. “It was an accident, but this Inner Realm I created specifically to find you.”

This accident, however, allowed her to fully immerse herself in the Inner Realm, meeting the person before her. Misfortune and fortune often go hand in hand, and this was no exception.

The person before her was, in fact, her own obsession with her past life!

She had long realized that no matter how much she cultivated, her mind could never reach perfection. When her cultivation was low, it might not have been a significant issue, but at the critical point of ascending, this flaw would be magnified infinitely.

So she needed reconciliation, a reconciliation with her own obsession.

But she never expected it to happen under these circumstances.

“You and I are one, and I have not hidden any of our shared experiences. If this life cannot be resolved in this life, and if life must come from somewhere, then let it go,” Shaohua urged.

“I still can't let go,” the other her murmured, lowering her head.

Time flowed differently in the Inner Realm, and the exchange of thoughts was incredibly swift, stretching out the concept of time itself.

Shaohua made some progress in reconciling with herself.

After an indeterminate amount of time, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her chest, and a tear involuntarily slid down her cheek.

“This...” Shaohua's face changed abruptly.

Even the reflection of her obsession in the water showed signs of tension.

The pulse from her bloodline stirred her mind. At her level of cultivation, and with the unique scriptures she had created, even the seal and Divine Source could not completely block the sensation.

“They are in trouble. I can’t afford to continue this reconciliation slowly. I’ll come back for you next time!” Shaohua clutched her chest, ready to leave at any cost.

Despite missing a rare opportunity, she knew that in life, there are things one should and should not do. If she only thought of herself, how could she call herself a true descendant?

The colors of the Inner Realm began to fade, a scene she had constructed to face her obsession, and also a sanctuary to protect her mind.

“Wait,” the other her suddenly spoke, as if making a decision. “I will go with you!”

If this life truly had no connection to her, why would she have appeared before Shaohua?

Since parting ways with Wushi, she had undergone a change. Finally, the bonds of this life overpowered the obsession with her past.

“You are right. If this life cannot be resolved in this life, and if life must come from somewhere,” the other her stood up, looking directly at Shaohua.

“Take me with you!”

“Alright, we will go together!”

The two looked into each other’s eyes and walked toward the mirror lake.

“By the way, do you really think I exist because I can’t let go of my past obsession?” the other her asked at the last moment.

There was no such thing as a past obsession. There had always been only one Shaohua. As long as she truly accepted her current self, faced her true heart, and was honest with herself, all constraints would dissolve.

“You said I am the missing piece of your heart.”

“Then remember this—stay true to your original heart, and you will achieve your goal.”

Shaohua was momentarily stunned, then a faint smile appeared on her face. She opened her arms and embraced the other version of herself, merging into one.

In the deepest part of the Jade Pool, a Divine Source exploded, and she emerged from it. The Ancestral Golden Ascension Path connected the nine heavens, filled with auspicious energy and purple vapor, as if she were ascending to the heavens.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end