“Brother has already left…”
At the Heavenly Sword Sect’s Forest Sword Peak, the once-lively cave was now unbearably quiet and desolate, devoid of the warmth that used to fill it.
Xu Moli sat alone on a woven rattan chair, her small fra illuminated by the flickering fla of a single candle. The firelight cast wavering shadows on her pale face, making her appear even more fragile.
Without sunlight, plants cannot grow.
Without wings, birds cannot fly.
Without legs, humans cannot run.
For Xu Moli, her brother, Xu Xi, was her sunlight, her wings, her support. He was everything—irreplaceable and one of a kind.
But now, that irreplaceable presence was gone.
She stared into the emptiness, her thoughts swirling. Why had it co to this? Her illness was cured, her brother had achieved the Golden Core Realm—two joyous milestones. Yet, it had all turned into this nightmare.
Tick, tock. Tick, tock.
The sound of ti passing filled the silent room. Her empty gaze fixed on nothing, tears brimming in her eyes until they finally overflowed and stread down her cheeks.
Each tear felt like a sharp blade cutting through her chest, leaving behind a searing ache. Her throat tightened as if bound by invisible chains, and breathing beca an unbearable task.
The tears slid down her face, gathering at her chin before falling to the ground with a soft, sharp echo that punctuated the stillness.
Her tears mirrored the crumbling support within her heart—a foundation that no longer existed.
“I can’t cry… I mustn’t cry…”
She wanted to scream, to cry out and release the pain within, but the one person who could comfort her, who could accept her tears without question, was gone.
Xu Moli had known, deep down, ever since that argunt with her brother.
She had felt it coming—the day he would let go of the “burden” she represented and leave her life entirely.
But knowing didn’t make it any easier.
She had tried so hard. She studied diligently, learned everything Xu Xi taught her, all in the hope of proving herself. She wanted him to see that she wasn’t a burden, that she could stand by his side without dragging him down.
Yet…
Why?
Why had he still left her?
Had she not done enough? Was she not obedient enough? Or was her presence unbearable to him?
“…”
Xu Moli closed her eyes, allowing the tears to flow freely now.
At first, when she realized her brother was gone, she convinced herself he would co back. Maybe he had only left temporarily.
But as the days turned into weeks and then into half a month, even the most foolish person would understand. He wasn’t coming back.
He had left her behind, discarded his burden, and walked away unshackled and free.
It was only logical, wasn’t it?
How could she, a burden, expect him to stay by her side forever?
“Liar…”
“Big liar…”
“You promised… You promised you’d never leave.”
The girl sobbed, her tears falling faster, her voice shaking with anguish.
She clutched the storage ring her brother had left her, filled with treasures: spirit stones, talismans, magic arrays, and precious pills. To her, it was all worthless.
In a fit of anger and grief, she threw the ring against the wall. It bounced and clattered to the floor, rolling into a forgotten corner.
“I don’t need these… I only want you. I only want you…”
She covered her face with trembling hands, crying until her knuckles turned white from the force.
But no matter how much she cried, no matter how deeply she wished for his return, the brother she adored—the one who had once faced hunger and despair to save her—was gone.
He wasn’t coming back.
No amount of denial or refusal to face the truth would change that fact.
It felt like drowning.
The weight of despair pulled her under, suffocating her, as if she had lost the very air she needed to breathe.
Ti passed, though she had no idea how long. Her tears dried, leaving her hollow and empty.
When Xu Moli finally erged from the cave, her once-bright eyes had dulled, replaced by a cold, determined gaze. She had made a decision.
She walked alone to the Forest Sword Hall at the top of the mountain.
Not long after, news spread through the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Xu Xi, the renowned true disciple, had vanished, and Xu Moli had beco the second true disciple of Master Forest Sword Peak.
Many were shocked, so confused, and others intrigued.
But none could deny Xu Moli’s talent.
Her rise was teoric. She surpassed expectations, breaking through to the Foundation Establishnt Realm at an unprecedented speed.
It was as though she were proving sothing—driven by an unrelenting force.
She grew more daring, undertaking dangerous missions, venturing into forbidden places, and challenging powerful enemies. Her exploits beca legendary, earning her a reputation as a prodigy.
The righteous path hailed her as a rising star, while the demonic path viewed her as a deadly threat.
Her fa spread even beyond the cultivation world, reaching mortal cities far removed from immortal affairs.
“Sword Immortal.”
“The one favored by the heavens.”
“The reincarnation of an immortal.”
These were the titles bestowed upon her.
Far away in Black Stone City, Xu Xi heard the rumors for the first ti.
He was stunned. The so-called “heaven’s favored” title made him want to laugh.
But then, he let out a long sigh.
The worry he had carried since leaving the girl began to dissipate.
“That’s good. It seems Mo Li can thrive in the cultivation world, even without . Now, I have nothing to worry about.”
His body had grown weaker, his vitality draining faster each day. Xu Xi smiled faintly.
In truth, his current state was far worse than the wheelchair-bound life he had once endured in reality.
He had considered ending the simulation early, more than once.
But every ti that thought crossed his mind, an image of Mo Li would appear in his mind.
He couldn’t bring himself to leave—not yet.
Even if it was just a little longer, he wanted to stay. To see her from afar. To know she was okay.
Because once the simulation ended, there would be no way to see her again.
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