#66: Forgetfulness

The moon hung high in the sky like a silver hook. Shi Luoyi woke up groggily and immediately saw the vast expanse of sea in the distance.

“Are we here?”

At some point, Bian Lingyu had transformed back into his Qilin form—his primal form was more agile at evading the fierce winds.

Shi Luoyi tried to get down from him but was gently pushed back by one of his bone spikes. The outer regions of the Wandering Sea were covered in yellow sand, and the deeper they went, the fiercer the winds became.

Deep within the Wandering Sea lay a silent ocean. Its surface shimmered like flowing silver, with fierce winds blowing incessantly. Even for Bian Lingyu, it was impossible to evade all the winds.

Shi Luoyi reached out and touched his bleeding horn. While she had been unconscious, Bian Lingyu had followed her instructions and continued moving deeper, accumulating numerous injuries along the way.

Her heart ached, and she whispered softly, “I’m sorry.”

Bian Lingyu instinctively raised his head and glanced at the sky above.

Shi Luoyi knew that up there was the legendary Divine Realm, Bian Lingyu’s home. And beneath her, the silver Qilin was the last remaining descendant of the ancient bloodline.

She asked him, “Do you remember anything?”

Bian Lingyu didn’t answer her. Because the seal hadn’t yet broken, he couldn’t speak. After a while, another wave of fierce winds approached, and the Qilin turned to carry her back.

Shi Luoyi sighed and insisted on sliding off his back. She gently pushed away the bone spike he used to hold her in place.

A hint of confusion flickered in the Qilin’s silver eyes.

He circled around Shi Luoyi, who was sitting cross-legged on the ground, several times. Gradually becoming restless, he lowered his head, attempting to carry her away.

The Qilin had originally thought that his “little female” had come to this place out of curiosity.

Although Bian Lingyu found it dangerous, it was still within his capabilities, so he brought her deeper into the Wandering Sea. Now that she had seen it, Bian Lingyu wanted to take her back.

But she stubbornly sat down, refusing to leave.

Though the Wandering Sea appeared beautiful, it was truly a realm of death. Tens of thousands of years ago, the seabed was an abyss, a burial ground for ancient beasts and deities.

At first, Bian Lingyu had assumed that the “little female” was simply curious, drawn to the beauty of the Wandering Sea. She must not know how dangerous it was. She looked so fragile, without scales or feathers; even being rubbed by sand made her teary-eyed, let alone sensing the fierce winds.

He waited a little longer, allowing her to look her fill before attempting to carry her away. Unexpectedly, he was rejected again.

Shi Luoyi cupped his face: “I’m not leaving. We need to part ways. Promise me that after you return to the Divine Realm, you’ll live well. Don’t let your mother and brother bully you anymore. You’re wonderful as you are—they don’t deserve to be your family.”

He naturally didn’t understand, only growing anxious at how foolishly unaware she was of the danger.

Shi Luoyi gazed at Bian Lingyu’s face, covered in resplendent silver-white scales. She imagined that if Bian Lingyu could express emotions now, he would have furrowed his brows deeply, scolding her for her reckless disregard for her own safety.

Shi Luoyi took out the fruit Cangwu had given her, intending to feed it to Bian Lingyu, but hesitated, reluctant to do so.

Only at this moment of separation did Shi Luoyi realize how much she didn’t want to part with someone.

Even the Qilin anxiously circling around her made her feel nostalgic, longing to steal a few more glances at Bian Lingyu.

She had fallen in love with him far too late—too late for a lifetime. He had endured enough suffering and tasted despair to its fullest.

Seeing that she refused to follow him no matter what, the Qilin emitted a low growl from his throat.

She had heard such growls on previous nights when they rolled out from his throat, low and mingled with satisfied breaths, making her blush.

But this time, he was clearly angry, scolding her for being foolish enough to wander into such a perilous place.

When the fierce winds struck again, Bian Lingyu didn’t dodge. A section of his bone spike was severed and fell beside Shi Luoyi. He nuzzled her with his warm face, signaling—this place is dangerous, let’s go home.

For a moment, Shi Luoyi’s nose tingled, and she felt a lump in her throat. She reached out and hugged him tightly.

Bian Lingyu thought the little female had finally realized the danger and allowed her to embrace him indulgently.

Shi Luoyi released him and fed him the Carefree Fruit.

During these days, she occasionally fed Bian Lingyu spiritual fruits from her interspatial pouch. Accustomed to her feeding, even though the Carefree Fruit looked strange, he obediently swallowed it.

The Wandering Sea surged violently, and the moonlight gleamed like silver blades.

Shi Luoyi didn’t raise her head again. She didn’t want her final memory to be the sight of cold indifference reflected in those clear silver eyes.

But she understood that only by consuming the Forgetfulness Fruit would Bian Lingyu lose his sense of love and hate, enabling him to leave this perilous place.

Shi Luoyi closed her eyes, feeling her body slowly disintegrate.

By this point, Shi Luoyi was already very weak. Her past life ended in a dilapidated temple, but she had never felt her soul dissipating as vividly as she did now.

Just as she was about to sink into the Wandering Sea, she saw a cloud of yellow sand rise in the distance.

Shi Luoyi lifted her gaze and saw countless cultivators, some familiar faces, some strangers, appearing in the distance. She spotted the sect master clad in green robes.

Beside the sect master stood a man in a white brocade robe.

Though Shi Luoyi had never seen Su Li, she immediately guessed who he was.

Su Li’s gloomy gaze fell upon them, finally resting on Bian Lingyu. He curled his lips into a smile.

Countless cultivators had died on the journey to the Wandering Sea, clearing the path for Su Li so that not even the hem of his robe had been touched by the fierce winds.

These past few days, Su Li had hurried their journey, not needing so many deaths, but he feared any unforeseen changes.

In the fragments of the Future Mirror, Su Li had seen Bian Lingyu slaughter his way back to the Divine Realm. Now, seeing Bian Lingyu reduced to his primal form, resembling an uncivilized beast, Su Li’s urgency finally dissipated. He watched with amusement as Bian Lingyu was hunted down.

He had always said—a deity without a soul, whose divine pearl had been given to a woman, and who had remained in the mortal realm for eleven years, how could he possibly return to the Divine Realm? It seemed the fragmented Future Mirror had led to errors.

He casually glanced at Shi Luoyi, dismissing her.

Su Li knew that Bian Lingyu’s divine pearl had been given to this girl. The Qilin clan was indeed devoted but foolish. Learning from the previous God Emperor’s mistakes, Bian Lingyu had still walked the same path as his father.

Naturally, Su Li didn’t believe that Shi Luoyi would return the divine pearl to Bian Lingyu. Such a precious treasure, cherished even by his mother, how could a mortal female cultivator bear to give it back?

With no rush now, Su Li relished his brother’s humiliation.

From childhood to adulthood, this was his favorite spectacle. He looked at Bian Lingyu, unable to transform, and felt immense satisfaction. The once proud heir of the Divine Realm had been reduced to such a pitiful state in the mortal world!

“Everyone,” Su Li maliciously curved his lips, “This is the fallen demon that escaped from me eleven years ago. I’ve just recovered from my injuries and am unable to handle it myself. Would you all be willing to assist me in exterminating it?”

The crowd, unfamiliar with the Qilin, whispered amongst themselves upon seeing the silver-white beast, their eyes filled with fear and indignation.

In the past few days, cultivators had died one after another in the fierce winds. Now, those who survived were filled with anger, and upon hearing Su Li’s words, they directed all their fury toward Bian Lingyu.

“Beast! Eleven years ago, you narrowly escaped, causing countless cultivators to lose their lives. This time, we will personally eliminate you!”

Su Li smiled faintly.

Bian Lingyu turned around to face them.

Watching Bian Lingyu being attacked, Shi Luoyi felt a slight sting in her heart.

At that moment, Bian Lingyu was in a sorry state. He had been carrying Shi Luoyi through the yellow sand, his body covered in wounds from the fierce winds.

He lacked beautiful feathers; where silver-white wings should have grown, only two bare, eerie skeletons remained.

His tail was broken, with faint traces of golden bones visible—a wound from his childhood that would never heal.

For the first time, Shi Luoyi was grateful that Bian Lingyu couldn’t understand, sparing him the pain of witnessing the ingratitude of the masses he had protected.

She stood up and coldly laughed: “Ten years ago, my father and other seniors went to the Wandering Sea alongside the gods to slay demons, risking their lives for the greater good, earning praise from all. Now, you claim to follow their example but can’t even distinguish between demons and gods! Blind and foolish as you are, you shame the sacrifices Bian Lingyu made eleven years ago to protect you.”

The crowd exchanged glances. Some had doubts. Though Su Li claimed to be a god, throughout their journey, he hadn’t displayed any divine responsibility. He hadn’t shielded the group or sensed the fierce winds. The master of Shengyang Sect explained that Su Li’s condition was due to the grave injuries he sustained eleven years ago while protecting the world.

Shi Luoyi’s words planted seeds of doubt, but compared to Su Li, Bian Lingyu’s beastly appearance made it harder to believe he was a god.

The master of Hengwu Sect humphed: “Shi Luoyi, are you implying that this wretched beast beside you is not a fallen demon but a god? Everyone, don’t listen to her nonsense. Eleven years ago, it was clearly Lord Su Li who protected the people in the Wandering Sea! Shi Luoyi, deceived by demons, you dare to twist the truth and spout lies here.”

The master of Hengwu Sect looked at Shi Luoyi with pity and shook his head: “Luoyi, your father once entrusted me to take care of you. It was my negligence that led you astray. Luoyi, you still have a chance to repent. Don’t continue down this path of delusion.”

“Chu Xiuyuan,” Shi Luoyi called his name for the first time, “You hypocrite, you don’t deserve to mention my father. Eleven years ago, during the demonic purge in the Wandering Sea, you cowered behind others. When the Untransformed Toad appeared in Qingshui Village, you hid in Hengwu Sect while your disciples marched to their deaths. Pretending to be compassionate while consumed by jealousy, do you really want to know why you haven’t advanced in hundreds of years? I’ll tell you—someone like you will never become a god, not even in death.”

The sect leader looked at her with regret, seemingly lamenting her beyond redemption.

Over the years, he had maintained a respectable facade in the cultivation world, earning high regard. Seeing his continued sympathy toward Shi Luoyi, some wavering thoughts among the crowd solidified.

Compared to the beast-like Bian Lingyu and the pitiful, weakened Shi Luoyi, they trusted Su Li and the always benevolent master of Hengwu Sect more.

Shi Luoyi glanced at the crowd without expecting them to believe her. After all, she hadn’t thought Bian Lingyu was a god in her previous life, assuming he and Bian Qingxuan were evil spirits.

As Shi Luoyi berated the sect leader, Su Li finally shifted his gaze from Bian Lingyu to her.

Bian Lingyu, though of noble birth, had always grown up in misery. Su Li had seen Bian Lingyu at his worst—his long tail repeatedly severed, unable to maintain human form, blood staining the ground of Tianxing Ravine.

The young Qilin opened his mouth, biting onto his mother’s dress, seeking a shred of pity.

Each time, Su Li would feign pain, trembling slightly in his wheelchair.

His mother’s expression would quickly turn cold, pulling her dress away, ignoring Bian Lingyu, and rushing to Su Li: “Li’er, has your condition worsened again?”

Su Li would gently shake his head, unseen by his mother, smirking at Bian Lingyu.

The Qilin seemed to understand something, his gaze growing calm.

Later, the young Qilin stopped biting his mother’s dress. Even lying in a pool of blood, he only watched them coldly.

Su Li knew Bian Lingyu had reached his end. Without the divine pearl, Bian Lingyu couldn’t even defeat the master of Hengwu Sect, let alone himself.

Su Li looked at Shi Luoyi, his eyes warm and gentle: “Young lady, you’ve been deceived by evil forces. I don’t blame you. Your father earned merit by slaying demons. If you repent now, I can spare you.”

Internally amused and confident, Su Li had never lost to Bian Lingyu in winning people’s favor.

The situation was clear—cultivators believed him. Who would think a beast unable to maintain human form was the Divine Realm’s heir? If Shi Luoyi wanted to survive, siding with him was the wise choice.

Shi Luoyi glanced at him and coldly said: “Su Li, if you kneel and apologize to your brother in time, perhaps he might spare you.”

At that moment, everyone thought Shi Luoyi was joking.

Even Su Li couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

With Bian Lingyu in his current state?

He said: “Alright, since the young lady refuses to repent, shall the sect master clean house, or shall I handle it?”

The sect master turned his head away, seemingly unwilling to watch.

Su Li raised his hand, a streak of golden light hurtling toward Shi Luoyi and Bian Lingyu. Just before it reached them, someone intercepted it.

Seeing the newcomer, the sect master’s expression changed, darkening: “Changyuan, what are you doing?”

“Master.” Wei Changyuan forcibly blocked Su Li’s attack. Light Feather Sword hummed, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, yet he didn’t retreat. “Forgive this disciple’s disrespect.”

The sect master looked at Wei Changyuan with slight anger. Over the years, he had developed affection for this disciple.

Wei Changyuan had been well-taught. Even now, he refrained from exposing his master’s shortcomings in public, silently protecting Shi Luoyi. Yet the sect master knew that once this disciple made a decision, he wouldn’t back down.

Wei Changyuan had resolved to die alongside them.

The sect master frowned, glancing at Su Li, but ultimately said nothing. He couldn’t sacrifice his reputation for an insubordinate Wei Changyuan.

Shi Luoyi hadn’t expected Wei Changyuan to come.

She moved her lips: “Senior Brother.”

Wei Changyuan turned his head. The night in the Wandering Sea was cold. This glance felt like gazing across a river of time. Both knew they could never return to the past.

Wei Changyuan would forever remain just her senior brother.

But in this moment, Shi Luoyi realized that the camaraderie of their youth and the lost trust had been restored.

At this life-or-death juncture, Wei Changyuan still chose to protect her, as he had when they were children.

Shi Luoyi lowered her eyes, smiling faintly.

Fortunately, this path wasn’t entirely hopeless. Those she cared about wouldn’t die. Those left behind in the Wandering Sea would be the sect master and Su Li.

Her dantian completely collapsed, and she took step after step backward.

Behind her raged the fierce winds. The Wandering Sea loomed like a giant maw, devouring anyone who approached.

“Junior Sister, what are you doing? Come back!” Wei Changyuan frowned, unable to hold back his words.

Su Li also felt something was amiss. Watching Shi Luoyi, unease stirred within him.

Shi Luoyi only looked at the lone Qilin.

“Bian Lingyu.”

Bian Lingyu heard her voice, sensing something ominous. He remained motionless, frozen in place.

“Turn around and look at me,” she whispered softly.

The Qilin remained silent, gradually transforming into the figure of a man. He turned around, his voice hoarse: “Shi Luoyi.”

His silver robe shimmered faintly under the bright moonlight, his tall figure glowing faintly.

Shi Luoyi knew—the seal on the divine pearl had broken.

Under the moonlight, she finally saw Bian Lingyu’s eyes clearly.

A single tear had formed in those icy silver pupils. But the tear, born of the Carefree Fruit, remained forever suspended in his eye.

Bian Lingyu gazed at her, momentarily confused. In the end, all emotions dissolved into calmness.

That divine tear dispersed into the air.

Bian Lingyu stood still, just as he had in those years in the small courtyard. When she didn’t like him, he stopped pursuing her, always watching her from afar, emotionless.

One of Shi Luoyi’s feet had already stepped into the icy seawater. Before her eyes, Wei Changyuan rushed toward her, and Su Li’s face twisted in disbelief. This time, her eyes held only that solitary figure.

She closed her eyes, lips curving upward, and said: “Go home, Bian Lingyu.”

The freezing seawater instantly engulfed her. The last thing Shi Luoyi saw was an endless, pitch-black sky.