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"Do you want to leave with me, or stay here?" Xu Zimei asked.
"I haven’t figured out how to face you. Every time I think of you, it’s accompanied by thoughts of my father, my family," Lan Ke’er said after a silence, with a tinge of pain in her voice.
"Do you want to avoid it for a lifetime?" Xu Zimei asked.
"Even if I don’t avoid it, what difference does it make if I leave with you now?
Can you stay with me all the time? Stay and live a peaceful life with me?" Lan Ke’er said with a bitter smile.
"I understand you, your steps won’t stop.
In the end, you will still carry Destiny, head towards Heaven Beyond Heavens, and step by step ascend to higher realms.
In the end, I won’t even be able to see your silhouette."
"This is my mission," Xu Zimei replied, in silence.
"Yes, mission!" Lan Ke’er nodded and said.
"You left me before, and today you are still leaving me.
Many things, even if you could choose again for a second time, would not change, right?"
Xu Zimei didn’t answer; in some way, Lan Ke’er was right.
He actually had no chance to choose.
As the Demon Lord, he enjoyed the conveniences that this identity brought.
He also carried with him missions and responsibilities; if he could not lead the Demon Race to revival, he would be ground to ashes by his former enemies.
Xu Zimei had no doubts about this.
It was also the reason he always strived to become stronger.
If it were not for Lan Ke’er, Xu Zimei wouldn’t even consider his romantic attachments.
"I have decided, I want to stay in the Divine Maiden Palace," Lan Ke’er said, lifting her head with a resolute gaze.
"I will work hard to cultivate the legacy left by the World-weary Divine Girl; maybe one day in the future, we will meet again in Heaven Beyond Heavens."
"Have you decided?" Xu Zimei asked.
Lan Ke’er nodded.
"Okay, I respect your decision," Xu Zimei said again, falling silent for a moment before nodding.
"When will you leave?" Lan Ke’er asked.
"There’s no reason to stay any longer, I’ll leave now," Xu Zimei said.
"Can you accompany me for one day, just one day?" Lan Ke’er raised her head and asked, with a hint of longing in her voice.
"Will you belong to me for this day, okay?"
Looking at Lan Ke’er’s complicated eyes, Xu Zimei finally nodded.
...
Unlike the snowy weather in the outside world, the area where Red Dust Palace was situated experienced spring all year round, lush and verdant.
Gentle sunshine and breezes brushed over the land.
Lan Ke’er took Xu Zimei around Red Dust Palace, roaming the mountains and playing with the water.
They went to Mingjue Mountain, entered Cordyceps Valley.
In this moment, the two of them forgot everything, wishing only to cherish this hard-to-come-by time.
At this moment, Lan Ke’er was lively, sunny, wearing a ponytail, resembling a frolicking elf dancing in front of Xu Zimei.
Without any interruptions from others, the whole world seemed to grow silent just for this day.
The pair set out from Divine Maiden Palace without a destination, just walking on and on.
Along the way, Lan Ke’er told Xu Zimei about many interesting incidents from her past.
The last time they were together, it was always Xu Zimei telling stories.
But this time, Lan Ke’er was speaking, while Xu Zimei just listened quietly, occasionally showing a smile.
From dawn to dusk, the pale sky gradually turned golden with the sunset.
The two sat on the top of a high mountain, leaning on each other, watching the sunset.
"Do you like sunsets?" Xu Zimei asked with a smile.
"No, sunsets always make me feel like everything has ended," Lan Ke’er said, shaking her head.
"I like the sunrise at dawn, when everything is thriving, and it all has just begun."
Xu Zimei smiled and said, "But sometimes, an ending is just for a better beginning."
```
The sunset, the evening glow, the Fire Refining Cloud, the solitary bird, the Qingfeng breeze — everything was beautiful, but for Xu Zimei at this moment, only the girl before him occupied his heart.
Everyone is mere grass and trees, but you are Qing Shan.
...
For most people, their lives are probably ordinary.
Only a small number of people experience tumultuous lives.
Ordinary people envy the spectacular, and conversely, those with spectacular lives yearn for the ordinary.
Humans, a species that will never understand contentment is happiness.
The sunset fell, and the light faded away.
That evening, the sky sparkled with stars, a crescent moon hanging on the horizon.
The stars twinkled, lighting up the entire mountaintop.
The high mountain gave the illusion that one could simply reach out and pluck the stars.
Xu Zimei lay on the soft grass at the summit, with the grass very soft and the gentle breeze blowing, careful not to disturb the tranquility.
Lan Ke’er rested her head on Xu Zimei’s chest, her right hand lightly encircling his waist.
Xu Zimei could even smell a scent on her long hair that resembled lavender.
"When I leave tomorrow, let me go first, and you pretend to sleep," Lan Ke’er looked up and said.
"Alright," Xu Zimei nodded.
"No goodbyes allowed," Lan Ke’er continued.
"I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold back and will collapse."
"Alright," Xu Zimei nodded again.
Lan Ke’er quietly looked at Xu Zimei, then slightly lowered her head and gently kissed his cheek with her soft, cherry lips.
Then she quickly raised her head.
Even though her cheeks were already flushed red, she still defiantly looked at Xu Zimei.
Her lips slightly pursed, she slowly unbuttoned the blue dress on her shoulder, her gaze soft like water, deeply looking at Xu Zimei.
"Take me!" she said.
The moon rose over the willow treetops, and suddenly, the spring light revealed itself.
...…
The night was very quiet, as if even the usual annoying insects had ceased their chirping.
The moonlight shone and starlight twinkled.
Eventually, the sky turned dark, with the fish belly white of the eastern horizon gradually emerging.
Only when the footsteps had faded away into silence did Xu Zimei slowly open his eyes.
He looked to the east.
Yes, the dawn sun rose, prospering and thriving, and everything had just begun.
Xu Zimei gestured with his hand, and the Demonic Qi in front of him surged.
The figure of the White Bone Demon gradually appeared.
"Protect her in the shadows, this is my only order," Xu Zimei said seriously, word by word.
"My Lord, I," the White Bone Demon hesitated a moment and said.
"I want to follow you into battle."
"When the Demon Race is revived, I will call you back to lead the vanguard," Xu Zimei said.
"But for now, this is my order."
"At your command," the White Bone Demon responded heavily.
Then its figure, along with the Demonic Qi, vanished from the mountaintop.
...
Everything was so quiet that day at the Divine Maiden Palace.
Whether it was Gongsun Hongtian or the three great elders of the Divine Maiden Palace, they were all waiting for Xu Zimei’s disposition of them.
At Xu Zimei’s command, Gongsun Hongtian and the three great elders all rushed to the mountaintop where he was.
"Protect Lan Ke’er well. After I shoulder Destiny, in my era, I will shelter you," Xu Zimei said to the three great elders.
"If there’s the slightest harm, believe me, I can turn the Red Dust Palace upside down, ensuring you will never transcend in eternity."
