Su Fu stood up and looked up at the golden light scattering across the sky, like sparks dispersing into the long night.
The wind swept away the clouds, leaving heaven and earth desolate.
Suddenly, a violent spatial fluctuation came from behind her.
She whirled around and saw a figure stagger out of the void nearby, barely managing to stand.
“Teacher Zhuge?”
But his usually immaculate robes were now filthy and stained with blood.
His crown was shattered, his black hair disheveled, a few strands clinging to his face.
He looked around anxiously, but the moment he saw the golden light fading in the sky, he froze.
He staggered forward two steps, but his body trembled violently from his severe injuries.
Teacher Zhuge stared at Su Fu in disbelief, as if seeking confirmation.
“Zǐ… …” His voice was hoarse beyond recognition.
Su Fu felt her heart be torn apart once more.
At a loss, she avoided Teacher Zhuge’s expectant gaze, unable to speak.
Zhuge Yan’s body gave a violent shake.
The corners of his mouth twitched, as if he were about to cry or laugh, and finally turned into a low murmur.
“Too late.”
“Still… still a step too late…………”
“Did you think that would make me…” His final words dissipated in the wind.
Zhuge Yan closed his eyes, took a deep breath to force down the surging emotions, then turned to look at Su Fu.
“Su Fu, your master… did she explain everything to you?”
Su Fu nodded silently.
“Good… good.” He forced a smile, but it was uglier than tears.
He raised a hand as if to pat her shoulder, but stopped halfway, finally letting out a soft sigh.
“Next… I’m afraid it will be hard on you.”
Zhuge Yan’s voice was raspy, but every word was clear, as if he feared she might miss a single one.
“Now that your master is gone, the calamity at Kunlun Celestial Palace has no one to suppress it.”
“Those pseudo-gods who have been lying dormant, and the hereditary houses they support, will surely take the opportunity to strike.”
“You must hurry back to Kunlun and seal the calamity again.”
“And if they fail to seize it… they will do everything in their power to destroy the entire Kunlun Celestial Palace.”
“So they will most likely send a pseudo-god. You must be very careful.”
He paused, as if gathering strength.
“The pseudo-gods and the hereditary houses are in collusion… to completely annihilate the pseudo-gods, you must not… you must not spare the hereditary houses. Be sure to… cut the weeds and dig up the roots.”
“One day, when the villains are purged and the pseudo-gods are destroyed…”
“You will be able to reopen the Heavenly Gate.”
Zhuge Yan rambled on with his instructions, and Su Fu listened quietly, but she suddenly sensed something wrong.
Teacher Zhuge was always carefree and composed, able to joke even when the sky fell.
But now he sounded like he was leaving his last words?
Her heart tightened, but she saw Teacher Zhuge relax into a smile and sigh softly.
“Tai Xuanzi probably wanted me to stay and walk you through the final stretch.”
“But… sorry, Su Fu.”
He gave a bitter laugh and shook his head.
“I’m afraid… I can’t make it.”
“Teacher Zhuge!” Su Fu’s heart clenched, and she instinctively stepped forward to support him.
But Zhuge Yan raised his hand to stop her.
His gaze turned to where the golden light had faded, filled with endless longing.
“Tai Xuanzi has fallen here…”
“From now on, I have no attachment to this world.”
“But… Su Fu, I’m sorry.”
“This burden will fall on you alone.”
“I wish you all the best—guard Kunlun, slay the evil, and achieve the supreme Dao.”
“No…”
He sighed faintly and took out a dragon scale from his bosom.
It was the protective charm that Tai Xuanzi had once given him. She always said he was too weak, yet she casually gave him this dragon scale for protection.
Now the scale was still there, warm and lustrous, like the familiar face and smile still before his eyes.
He murmured softly, caressing it with affection.
“Tai Xuan, you can’t leave me alone in this world without you…”
“Don’t give me away either…”
“Wherever you go, I follow.”
Before the words faded, Zhuge Yan madly burned all his remaining divine power.
His body began to dissolve into specks of spiritual light, all merging into that dragon scale.
“From now on, in this life, my soul will follow you…”
The murmur faded, and his physical form dissolved.
Zhuge Yan fell with that dragon scale into the endless void, leaving no trace.
A wise man does not fall into love—but what if he does?
“Teacher Zhuge…”
Su Fu’s voice choked, her eyes burning.
But at that moment, the entire space began to crack and collapse.
Vivienne was dead, the calamity was gone, and the entire dungeon could no longer hold itself together, crumbling and disappearing.
Countless spatial fissures opened, madly devouring everything around.
Chaotic energy currents raged through the void.
Su Fu gripped the Zhu Xian Sword tightly and took one last look at the void.
“Master, wait for me.”
Before the words finished, she turned resolutely and stepped into the chaotic currents of the void, swallowed by darkness.
The collapse of the dungeon and the tearing of dimensions meant that no direction or anchor could be found.
Such a time-space maelstrom was the easiest to get lost in.
But at that moment, a single point of light suddenly lit up in the darkness.
【Lamp of Return】
A soft halo rippled outward like a water ring, not blazing hot, yet piercing the conceptual darkness.
It stretched out a guiding path in the chaos ahead of Su Fu.
Where did it point?
The path of light wound its way toward home.
“Hold this lamp, and you can find the way home.”
For Su Fu, from beginning to end, there was only one place she could call home.
It was where her master took her back—the Kunlun Celestial Palace.
She held the lamp and advanced through the endless darkness and chaotic currents—
Going home.
The moment Tai Xuanzi’s golden light dissipated, an obituary was sent out simultaneously.
Countless light screens lit up across the universe—whether in the bustling core of the Central Star System, the remote Second Star Ring, Third Star Ring, or the Outer Ring Star Cluster Belt.
Or in dungeon spaces, the Dark Realm shrouded in darkness and chaos.
Every screen that could receive the Shen Yan information, which had been playing all kinds of broadcasts, turned to a solemn black at this moment.
Seeing this, everyone stopped what they were doing.
Some halted, some stood up, some fell silent.
[The following is a… sorrowful announcement to be made public to the entire universe.]
[Tai Xuanzi, Principal of the Kunlun Celestial Palace of the Chinese Pantheon, has unfortunately fallen today.]
[She dedicated her life to protecting China, protecting the star system, and giving everything for the survival of human civilization.]
[May the departed rest in peace, may their souls return home. May the living strive and carry on their will.]
[With this, the bright star has fallen, leaving only Su Fu of China.]
[A lament for civilization, mourning shared by all races.]
[This is the obituary.]
After the broadcast, countless light screens displayed images of Tai Xuanzi’s life.
The images flowed, like sparks flickering and dying, finally turning into nothingness.
Countless people watched this scene, sighing over the loss of a hero, regretting that a civilization might vanish.
But at that moment, Shen Yan suddenly broadcast a warning.
[Warning! Due to the impact of the latest turmoil, civilization data is being updated!]
[Faith Index of Divine Beings: 76.3%, Technological Development Index: 92.6%, Civilization Safety Index: 63.8%…]
[Indices have dropped by 10% consecutively, seriously exceeding the warning line!]
[All parties, please take note and immediately enter the highest state of alert!]
[Repeat! Immediately enter the highest state of alert!]
[Wartime status activated. All actions will be guided by the survival of civilization.]
[Continuous mission deployment…]
[Thanks to every pioneer who fights to protect human civilization.]
[May the gods show mercy, may humanity endure forever.]
The broadcast ended, and the light screens went dark.
Everyone was stunned into silence for a long time.
At Kunlun Celestial Palace, in the main pavilion of Su Fu’s Small Tower.
Bai Shou, Cang Yue, and Qing Ling stood quietly.
They exchanged silent glances, their eyes full of grief.
“Principal Tai Xuanzi… she…” Cang Yue’s voice was hoarse, and he gripped his long spear tightly.
Qing Ling was heartbroken, lowering her head with tears in her eyes.
Bai Shou closed his eyes, his Adam’s apple bobbing, and finally only whispered,
“Wait for Su Fu to return.”
All of them had heard the obituary.
Principal Tai Xuanzi had really… fallen?
Just then, the space trembled slightly.
Whoosh!
A figure stepped out, carrying a lantern in her hand, its flame flickering, illuminating a somewhat pale face.
It was Su Fu.
Using the Lamp of Return and the Void Weaving Needle, she had forcibly shuttled through space and finally returned to Kunlun Celestial Palace without stopping.
Qing Ling looked up, but noticed that when Su Fu saw the Small Tower, a dazed look flashed in her eyes.
Her heart ached even more.
Bai Shou and the others had already gone to meet her.
“Su Fu, are you all right?”
Su Fu shook her head, her gaze sweeping over them, then paused.
“Did Master… ask you to wait here?”
She asked, but her eyes involuntarily drifted toward the window.
The scenery of Kunlun was just as before—cloud seas churning, mountains layered in green.
Not long ago, Tai Xuanzi had stood downstairs, watching her cultivate in the main hall, watching her successfully summon Nuwa’s divine manifestation for the first time.
Now, the grass and trees were still lush, the clouds and glow still brilliant.
But her master’s figure could no longer be seen.
Nor would she ever call out to her with a smile again.
Things remain, but people change. All is over. Before speaking, tears flow.
Bai Shou saw the sadness that Su Fu could not hide in her eyes, and felt even more sorrowful. He explained softly:
“Principal Tai Xuanzi once sent us a message, telling us to enter the Kunlun Disaster Instance ahead of time.”
“She said she had some matters to attend to and might be away for a while.”
“She told us that after you returned, we were to… follow your arrangements.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed, his voice hoarse:
“Just now, when we heard the obituary, we realized… the Principal… she…”
He didn’t continue.