Let us rewind ti slightly, back to the mont Chun was banished by Herobos.
[Oblivion]'s power wrapped around her and hurled her into the Void, carrying her toward one of the countless worlds on the brink of annihilation. But just then, a pair of starlit eyes opened above her head. A single icy glance was all it took to disperse every trace of [Oblivion]'s power surrounding her.
Chun survived. But she hadn't yet realized what those eyes before her represented. Her mind was still on the battlefield with Lin Xi, reeling in disbelief that he had actually summoned Herobos.
'He must have co for his lost command banner. But the arrival of the [Oblivion] Envoy has turned what should have been a successful hunt into a foregone conclusion. Not only will I die, but Cheng Shi... will die because of .'
'That's a god. Even if it's only a Servant God, it's far beyond what any true Pseudo God could match.'
And so the instant Chun regained consciousness, the words that burst from her lips were: "Watch out, Cheng Shi!"
But the mont the words left her mouth, she t those eyes, brilliant and resplendent yet radiating not a trace of warmth.
In that instant, sothing clicked.
She realized the being before her was also a god, and not a Servant God, but one of the true deities seated upon the sixteen Divine Thrones!
Judging from the mysterious aura and the Void's reaction to the presence, this had to be the sovereign of [Void], Cheng Shi's Benefactor: [Fate]!
Chun froze, then broke into panicked reverence. She bowed her head quickly and was about to offer her respects, but before "Praise be to [Fate]" could reach her lips, those frigid eyes seed to see through her entirely and cut her off in a single sentence:
"You need not praise ."
That line locked Chun in place, cold sweat streaming down her body. Truthfully, what she felt in that mont was so fear, though not much. What dominated her heart was regret over an unfinished vengeance, and uncertainty over whether she could ever end Lin Xi with her own hands.
She knew that once a god intervened in such matters, the choice was no longer hers.
[Fate]'s indifference continued.
"All mortals bla their tragedies on fate. So tell : what is fate to you?"
Chun's mind went blank. She didn't know how to answer. Her thoughts drifted back to everything with Lin Xi, and then, with unyielding resolution and hatred in her voice, she answered: "To slay the betrayer with my own hands. That is my fate."
Those eyes regarded her without joy or sorrow, seemingly unsurprised by the answer.
"That is why I said you need not praise . And I did not co here to save you.
I ca to punish those who blasphe against what is fixed. And you... are not among the fixed."
With that, the Void was torn open once more. Herobos, ever the pragmatist, swept his hand through and bored into the reality of the trial.
What the Envoy never expected was that the instant he entered the Void, he would collide with a pair of eyes he never, ever wanted to see.
[Fate]!
Those eyes hung cold and high, looking down upon Herobos, who had committed the sacrilege of blasphemy. A single question was all it took to drain the color from the face of this Servant God who had been so imperious before Cheng Shi.
"An ant's body dares speak of destroying worlds. You presu to call yourself a World Destroyer?
What world do you even intend to destroy?
Hmph. Herobos, do you acknowledge your cri?"
Herobos was undeniably shrewd. Without a word, he imdiately annihilated himself, offering his existence to his Benefactor in hopes of escaping [Fate]'s grasp.
He knew that only his Benefactor could protect him now.
Sure enough, when he found himself safely returned to the world on the verge of annihilation, standing before his Benefactor, he exhaled with profound relief. Though fear still lingered, his posture was nothing but devout as he confessed to the dark "void" before him:
"Benefactor above, I... have failed."
[Oblivion] huddled within a darkness no outsider could perceive, shaking its head with a sigh.
"You underestimated [Void]'s treasure and overestimated your ability against their resolve. Next ti, be more careful."
Herobos's posture grew even more reverent.
"Yes, my Benefactor."
On the other side, watching Herobos flee right under his nose, [Fate] showed no irritation, for this had all been deliberate.
He had never intended to execute Herobos here. After all, everyone's path of growth required stepping stones, and the Envoys serving the gods were not exactly nurous. Count them out and barely any suitable ones remained.
So what [Fate] had done was select a target for a certain believer walking the path of the fixed, adding a touch of tempering to this [Void] practitioner's journey.
His so-called "punishnt" was rely using Herobos's mouth to warn [Oblivion] against descending in person again. Otherwise, sooner or later, one of [Descent] and [Void] would be the first to sink into oblivion.
[Oblivion] understood [Fate]'s warning. That was why he instructed his Envoy to be more careful, because next ti, there would be no Benefactor's protection for either side. It would co down to individual ability alone.
Having accomplished his purpose, those eyes departed the Void without a trace of reluctance. The frigid gust born of his dissipation blew Chun back into the trial, landing her squarely in front of Cheng Shi.
After confirming it was indeed Chun before him, Cheng Shi didn't answer her question. Instead, he told her everything that had happened.
As a party to this tragedy, she had the right to know it all.
Chun's body went visibly rigid. She couldn't even decide whether to laugh or cry after killing the lover who had betrayed her. Her expression shifted violently through a long silence. Finally, in a halting voice, she asked a question that was half verification, half self-directed: "He... is dead?"
Hearing the lifelessness in her voice, Cheng Shi's heart sank. Sothing felt like it was about to go wrong. He nodded, thought of Big Cat, paused for a mont, and attempted one careful rescue.
He answered her first question.
"Life has many anings..."
But before he could finish, the dagger, annihilated down to nothing but its hilt by Lin Xi, plunged into Chun's own beating heart.
Two ribs couldn't stop the blade, but a heart could hold it.
That unfinished strike had finally fallen, only the hand that drove it and the body that received it now belonged to the sa person...
"You..."
Despite having anticipated this, Cheng Shi's pupils still contracted sharply. He rushed to Chun's side and caught her in his arms. Watching the rusted dagger bob with each heartbeat, watching searing blood spill and spray until it dyed the hollow of her chest crimson, he pulled out the Lush Horn Crown, prepared to fight that great Lord for her life.
But Chun used the last of her strength to grip Cheng Shi's arm. Tears streaming down her face, she shook her head.
Seeing this, Cheng Shi let out a mournful sigh:
"Was it worth it?"
Chun smiled. It was the first ti she had ever shown such a genuine smile to anyone other than her lover, Lin Xi.
"Not worth it...
Before, I still had my hatred. But now... I have nothing left, Cheng Shi. I have nothing left at all.
Don't revive . I beg you. I was never a strong person. I wanted to give up long ago. Let
go.
Just bury
here. No, bury
far away. I don't want to be near him. I don't want anything to do with him anymore...
I'm sorry. The command banner I promised you was taken... but everything else... I have a lot, and I won't be needing any of it..."
With that, Chun scattered every item from her personal space. A jumbled heap of tools and artifacts piled up before them. Cheng Shi scanned them at a glance and found that aside from hunting and tracking equipnt, it was nothing but hunting and tracking equipnt.
She hadn't even kept a single life-saving potion in reserve when she'd paid him back with those potions earlier.
Chun was straightforward, and she knew herself well. Just as she said, aside from hatred, she had long since had nothing.
Watching Chun's vitality slowly ebb away, Cheng Shi, the only priest in this trial, fell silent.
He did not go against Chun's wishes by healing her. He quietly put the crown away and let prosperity walk toward death.
"Thank you. Thank you, Cheng Shi. You really are a good person..."
Those were not Chun's last words, but they were the last words she would ever leave in this world.
Chun was dead. Because [Fate] had said he did not co to save her.
Holding Chun's body, Cheng Shi murmured softly, a storm of emotions twisting inside him:
"Why... are we even alive?"
A mont later, he rose sharply to his feet. His eyes were resolute as he strode toward the horizon.
"To be alive!
For the mories of those who once existed."
...
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