C1385 Holding Each Other

As the cosmic order crumbled and the world faced destruction, Yu Yuan clutched a transparent Ice Shard and approached Ji Ningshuang.

Boom! The deep sea where Zhou You and Du Yuan had just sunk was shaking with terrifying tremors.

Far away, the Abyssal Leviathan shattered the most intelligent stars in the Star River.

Using the core talent of the cosmic giant beast, he gathered various psionic powers from the stars to heal his wounds.

The Shura, not taken by Alonso, perished.

They exploded into clouds of blood mist, mingling with the psionic power and absorbed by the Abyssal Leviathan like a whale taking in water.

Nearby, several cold stars were encircled by silver-white lightning, and the wall was fracturing.

Desperate cries of despair were everywhere.

The universe and the world were both on the brink of annihilation.

Yet...

None of it seemed to affect Yu Yuan's Sacred Heart or sway his emotions.

With a radiant smile, he stood proudly before Ji Ningshuang, a moment he had secretly anticipated since his rebirth.

He had waited far too long!

He presented the luminous Ice Shards as if they were tokens of affection.

The Ice Shards, like tiny, sparkling stars, soared toward Ji Ningshuang.

"It's been years since we last saw each other. You've grown even more stunning, albeit colder than before..."

Yu Yuan's gaze was fervent, his excitement palpable, and his smile irrepressible. "Back in the Godsblight Marsh, I nearly... cough! Don't be upset, I know you were unaware of my identity then."

Catching Ningshuang's stern glance, Yu Yuan hastily held his tongue.

With a whoosh, as if finding the Ice Shards an eyesore, Ji Ningshuang swept them aside, and they cascaded into her sleeve like swallows returning to their nest.

In her current state and with her status in the Sword Sect, what rare treasures hadn't she seen?

In the vast world and the Infinite Galaxy, anything Ji Ningshuang desired, the Sword Sect would move heaven and earth to procure for her!

After all, she was the Sword Sect's most crucial reserve beneath the primordial spirit.

From the moment she entered the Unbound Realm and perfected her Stardust Blade, she became the most renowned Grand Sword Immortal across the Everlands and the vast expanse of the Star River. Over the last century, she relentlessly pursued numerous petty thieves and dark disciples in the name of honing her swordsmanship. The White Crane was merely one among them.

She might well be the Sword Sect's next Grand Sword Immortal known for her ruthlessness, following in the footsteps of Nie Qingtian. She reveled in battle. Her Stardust Blade was forged atop a pile of Otherkin bones, striking fear into the hearts of dark disciples like the White Crane. She was the pride of the Sword Sect—a symbol of cold, haughty mastery.

Yet, as she gathered the Ice Shards into her sleeve, her slender, pale hand gracefully withdrew into the fabric. Hidden from view, her fingers, like carved jade, caressed the Ice Shards, betraying a smile at the corner of her eyes. It wasn't the Ice Shards themselves that mattered to her, nor their significant aid to her cultivation.

After all, the foundation of her Divine Visage during her breakthrough to the Unbound Realm was built upon such Ice Shards. The Sword Sect had seen to all her needs in advance. What truly mattered to her was that these Ice Shards were a gift from Yu Yuan—it was his gesture that warmed her heart. Her uncontainable joy stemmed from the once timid soul, the one who had always been shy with his feelings, now boldly stepping forward after three centuries.

For this reason alone, she deemed her perilous journey from the Brugeth to the Glimmerdrift Nebula, braving the threat of condemnation from the five supreme powers, to meet and rescue Yu Yuan, entirely worthwhile. This is why she cherished the Ice Shards so dearly in private, her eyes and the corners of her mouth alight with pleasure.

Still, she maintained a stoic expression, feigning indifference. "Are these not merely Celestial Ice Crystals formed over centuries at the Wintermaw? The Ice Shards you've presented may be the jewels among them, but they're not that uncommon." Despite her words, she couldn't hide her delight in them.

She cherished the Ice Shards too much to refine them and incorporate them into the Stardust Blade. She simply wanted to take them out in the future, when she missed someone and couldn't find them, just to look and touch...

"Your injuries..."

Yu Yuan, intending to offer some comforting words, began to speak but then noticed the faint golden and silver lines near her heart. Realizing they were the lingering effects of the Earth-Tethered Cage, he felt a pang of pain and said, "The ultimate breakthrough of your primordial spirit could be impeded by these wounds. Alonso, with his malicious intent, truly deserves his fate."

Ji Ningshuang gave him a reproachful look, as if to scold him for his lack of tact. After so long, they had finally reunited at such a pivotal moment—why bring up such matters? She was well aware of her own condition. If it weren't for his unexpected arrival, why would she have attempted to break through the Earth-Tethered Cage before refining the sword light of Stardust? It was all because of him, she thought indignantly.

"I believe I can find a way to help you remove these injuries and prevent any further complications," Yu Yuan stated earnestly.

Men and women often think differently. Upon reuniting with her, Yu Yuan set his emotions aside, focusing on how to resolve her injuries, aid in her recovery, and ensure nothing hindered her ascent to the primordial spirit, to reach the pinnacle of the Everlands.

For her, it was different. After the arduous wait to see him again, her injuries were the least of her concerns, as was her potential to break through to the primordial spirit. All she wanted was to hear Yu Yuan speak more about how he had missed her over the past three centuries. Nothing else was as sweet or as significant as those words.

"Idiot," she muttered under her breath, frowning.

Above them, the Dire Bear was enveloped in sadness, seemingly mourning the imminent destruction of the Glimmerdrift Nebula. It watched Yu Yuan below, listening to his exchange with Ji Ningshuang, and seemed to be drawn into memories of its own, stirring deep emotions as it let out a low, soft sigh.

After a soft exhalation...

A dense cold fog rolled towards Yu Yuan and Ji Ningshuang, enveloping them completely. This fog, which once swirled around the River of Swords in the icy realm of Wintermaw, was meant to be destroyed by the Abyssal Leviathan. It was intrinsically linked to the creature, imbued with mysterious psionic powers and had a multitude of uses. Yet, with the impending demise of the Glimmerdrift Nebula, the cold fog had lost much of its significance.

It was Yu Yuan's declaration of intent to help Ji Ningshuang with the vexing issue in her heart that prompted the use of its bloodline power to shroud them in the cold fog. Driven by a single-minded purpose, much like Yu Yuan, it acted to solve the problem at hand.

The cold fog, however, also served to hide Yu Yuan and Ji Ningshuang from the eyes of Jun Chen, the white crane, Mo Baichuan, and Yue Mu. It cut off all perception and visibility from the outside world, providing the pair with a private sanctuary.

Within the depths of the blinding cold fog, Yu Yuan and Ji Ningshuang could only see and sense each other. Ji Ningshuang, who had feigned indifference, found her long-suppressed emotions suddenly unleashed and set free by Yu Yuan's kind gesture. There was no longer a need to keep them in check.

Whoosh!

She flung herself into Yu Yuan's embrace without a moment's hesitation. Before Yu Yuan could fully grasp what was happening, he felt a cool, slender figure press against his chest. Ji Ningshuang's arms, smooth as jade, entwined around him with a serpent's grip, holding him so tightly that his breath caught, and his bones nearly creaked under the pressure.

"For over three hundred years, I've always felt you were with me," she whispered, her voice a mixture of dream and reality. "I dared not think too much, dared not entertain the thought! Did you know? I've secretly studied the Rebirth Pill, considering every possibility!"

"I always knew you must still be out there. I firmly believed that one day you would reappear and stand before me once again!"

"You are the reason I practice swordsmanship! You are the reason for my very existence!"

With no more doubts or the urge to flee as he once did, Yu Yuan embraced her the moment he came to his senses.

"Thank you for your hard work."

Alonso, his eyes reflecting the cold light of the Shura, stood by the wall that separated realms. His Sacred Heart was calm, undisturbed by the chaos of the Godsblight Marsh.