Hei Xuan chuckled, swirling his teacup lazily. "Ah, Xuan Shen. That boy always had... peculiar hobbies." His dark eyes glead with amusent. "But tell , Yun Lintian—why should I care?"
Yun Lintian's fingers tightened around his cup.
"Those mortals he turned into creatures of darkness?" Hei Xuan continued, his voice light. "To , they were nothing. Less than ants. Do you mourn every insect crushed beneath your feet?"
A cold silence settled over the hut.
Hei Yue shifted uncomfortably but said nothing.
Yun Lintian exhaled slowly, his gaze steady. "No. I don't."
"Exactly." Hei Xuan smiled. "You understand. We are Primordial Gods. The pinnacle of existence. The lives of mortals flicker and fade in monts—why trouble ourselves with their petty sufferings?"
Yun Lintian said nothing.
Because Hei Xuan wasn't wrong.
To a being who had existed since the dawn of ti, mortal lives were insignificant. A blink. A breath. Gone.
"But you," Hei Xuan mused, studying Yun Lintian, "you still care. Despite wielding power that could shatter worlds, you hesitate. You feel." His smile deepened. "That's why I want to entrust Yue'er to you."
Hei Yue's head snapped up. "Father—!"
"Power corrupts," Hei Xuan continued, ignoring her. "Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Yet you, Yun Lintian, remain uncorrupted. You still protect. Still fight for those weaker than you." He tilted his head. "That's rare. Precious."
Yun Lintian t his gaze. "You say that as if you're not the sa."
"?" Hei Xuan laughed. "Oh, I am corrupted. Fully. Completely." Shadows coiled around his fingers like living serpents. "But Yue'er isn't. Not yet. And with you..." His voice softened. "She won't have to be."
Hei Yue slamd her cup down. "Stop talking like you're about to die!"
"Aren't I?" Hei Xuan countered, amused. "Giving away my power tends to have that effect."
"Then don't give it!" she snapped. "We'll find another way—"
"There is no other way," Yun Lintian said quietly.
She whirled on him. "You—!"
"He's right," Hei Xuan sighed. "Nian Shi's sches span tilines. To stop him, we need soone who can traverse them—soone like Yun Lintian." He reached out, ruffling her hair. "Besides, I've lived long enough. Watching you grow was the only interesting thing left."
Hei Yue batted his hand away, her eyes burning. "Don't patronize ."
"Never." Hei Xuan's smile faded. "But this is the truth: Primordial Gods weren't ant to exist forever. Even the Creator knew that."
A heavy silence fell.
Yun Lintian studied Hei Xuan. "You're not what I expected."
"Disappointed?"
"No." Yun Lintian shook his head. "I'm just... surprised. Most of the opponents I've faced were either hypocrites or filled with desires. You, on the other hand, are quite straightforward and have a clear intent."
"Good." Hei Xuan grinned. "ans I'm one of a kind."
Hei Yue groaned. "Your ego is not helping."
"It never does," Hei Xuan agreed cheerfully. Then, to Yun Lintian: "So? Do we proceed?"
Yun Lintian set his cup down. "Actually, we can stop here for now. We can wait until I've dealt with the others."
Hei Xuan raised his brow slightly and curled his lips. "Oh? I didn't expect you to be such a softy."
All of a sudden, Hei Xuan's hand moved faster than thought.
Before anyone could react, his fingers plunged into his own abdon with a sickening shlick. Blood welled between his fingers as he grasped sothing deep within—and pulled.
"Ah!" A gasp tore from Hei Yue's throat.
In Hei Xuan's palm lay a pulsating black pearl—his Divine Core. Absolute darkness condensed into physical form, radiating power that made the very air tremble.
"Father!" Hei Yue scread, lunging forward. Her hands glowed with dark energy as she pressed them to his gaping wound, desperately trying to stabilize him. "You idiot! What are you doing?!"
Mu Ren burst through the door, his golden eyes wide with panic. "Master!"
Hei Xuan waved him back weakly, his face already paling. "Stand down... Mu Ren..."
Yun Lintian sat frozen, staring at the Primordial God who had just ripped out his own Divine Core.
Hei Xuan's once-black hair turned snow-white in seconds. Wrinkles carved across his face like cracks in stone, his divine vitality draining away with each passing breath. Yet his eyes remained sharp as he locked gazes with Yun Lintian.
"Promise ..." he rasped, blood trickling from his lips. "After this... no more rcy for your enemies."
The hut trembled with the weight of those words.
Yun Lintian's jaw tightened. Perhaps because he knew he had to take care of Hei Yue, and Hei Xuan was her father, Yun Lintian wanted to give Hei Xuan ti to stay with his daughter as long as possible. It had beco an unnecessary kindness in Hei Xuan's eyes.
"I promise," he said at last.
Hei Xuan smiled—a ghastly expression on his rapidly aging face—and extended the Divine Core. "Then take it... and end this."
The mont Yun Lintian's fingers closed around the pearl, a shockwave of pure darkness erupted. The hut's walls vaporized, revealing an endless starless void. The core burned like frozen fire in his palm, its power whispering of infinite night.
But Yun Lintian didn't absorb it. Not yet.
Instead, erald light blossod from his chest as the Tree of Life's power surged forth. A torrent of vibrant green energy poured into Hei Xuan's wound, knitting flesh and replenishing vitality.
Hei Yue gasped as her father's deterioration slowed. "This is..."
"The God of Life's power," Hei Xuan croaked, staring at Yun Lintian in awe. "How...?"
Yun Lintian didn't answer, focusing on channeling the ancient tree's energy. The Divine Core's absorption could wait—this couldn't.
Mu Ren watched with undisguised shock as the erald light worked its miracle. Where Hei Xuan's wound had been a mortal cavity, now only a scar remained. His hair stayed white, his face still lined with age—but he would live.
"You fool," Hei Yue sobbed, punching her father's shoulder. "You absolute moron! What were you thinking?"
Hei Xuan chuckled weakly. "That... I'd rather give my power on my own terms." His gaze found Yun Lintian's. "And that you'd prove right."
Yun Lintian frowned. "About what?"
"That you're softhearted." Hei Xuan's smile turned sharp despite his frailty. "You had the perfect chance to take everything—no strings attached. Yet you healed instead."
A muscle twitched in Yun Lintian's jaw. "I don't break my word. Our agreent was for you to give the power, not die handing it over."
"Semantics." Hei Xuan waved a trembling hand. Then his expression sobered. "But this changes nothing. The core is yours. My power will still fade—just slower now." He nodded at the black pearl in Yun Lintian's grip. "Absorb it. Before Nian Shi senses what's happened."
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