I raised stunning young ladies, but they all wanted to possess me.

Elena closed her eyes.

It was a long time before she opened her eyes again.

The pain in those golden eyes had subsided, replaced by a bottomless resolve.

She raised her spear, the tip pointing at Pei Youyi and Gu Yan.

"Surrender."

"Surrender now, and I can still protect you."

"If Gu Yan were at her peak, she might be able to put up a fight with me."

"But he's already exhausted too much."

"You humans have a saying: 'Those who understand the times are the heroes.'"

"You should understand."

Gu Yan stepped out from behind Pei Youyi and gently pushed her aside.

His movements were very light, but Pei Youyi knew how much determination was hidden within them.

"Sister Youyi, move aside."

"This is between her and me."

Pei Youyi turned to look at him.

Her eyes reddened, but she didn't let it.

Gu Yan looked at her and suddenly smiled.

That smile was so gentle, so heartbreaking.

"sorry."

"Sister Youyi."

"In order to become stronger, I did many things that I'm sorry to you all."

"I used you, I used everyone."

"All I can do now is stand in front of you."

"So, move aside."

"This is the last thing I can do for you."

Pei Youyi's tears fell.

She opened her mouth, as if to say something.

But at that moment, a six-winged angel swooped down from the side, its spear aimed straight at Pei Youyi's back.

The holy light on the spear was blindingly bright, and its speed was so great that it ignited the air itself.

Gu Yan's pupils suddenly contracted.

He wanted to rush over.

But Elena's figure had already appeared in front of him, her golden spear thrusting out, aiming straight for his heart.

"Your opponent is me."

Gu Yan had no choice but to return to defense.

He held the Demon-Slaying Blade horizontally in front of him, blocking the spear.

But the force of that shot was astonishing; he was pushed backward and slid more than ten meters.

His boots carved two deep furrows into the river.

He watched helplessly as the six-winged angel's spear drew ever closer to Pei Youyi.

His eyes reddened.

He roared, and a burst of multicolored light erupted from his body, forcefully knocking Elena back.

He rushed toward Pei Youyi, but Elena blocked his way again.

The two clashed again, their swords flashing and the sky darkening.

Gu Yan tried desperately to break through, but Elena knew him too well.

She anticipated his every move and blocked all his routes.

She knew when he would attack from the left, when he would attack from the right, when he would feign an attack, and when he would fight desperately.

She was like an insurmountable wall, trapping him tightly.

Another fierce collision.

Gu Yan's Demon-Slaying Blade finally broke.

The broken sword spun and flew out, embedding itself in the riverbed.

He was thrown into the air and fell into the riverbank, splashing up a cloud of mud and sand.

His body smashed a deep crater in the sand, and blood gushed from his mouth, nose, and ears.

Elena hovered in mid-air, holding up a golden spear with the tip pointing at him.

Her face was expressionless, but something was churning violently in her eyes.

She looked at Gu Yan lying in the deep pit, at his blood-covered body as he struggled to stand up.

Her hands were trembling slightly.

"it's over."

she says.

The sound was so soft it was almost inaudible.

"Surrender."

Pei Youyi collapsed into Gu Yan's arms.

It wasn't Elena who did it.

They were the two eight-winged princes lurking in the shadows.

Their spears thrust out simultaneously, and two beams of holy light pierced through Pei Youyi's back.

She didn't even have time to react.

She only had time to turn around and use her body to block the two attacks that were meant to land on Gu Yan.

"Who gave you permission to attack!"

Elena's voice suddenly rose in pitch.

She turned her head, and for the first time, genuine anger ignited in her golden pupils.

The two eight-winged princes were forced to take a half step back and lower their heads under her gaze.

"king."

"This person is hindering the overall situation; we are merely..."

"shut up."

Elena's voice was as cold as ice.

But it was too late.

The two beams of holy light pierced through Pei Youyi's lungs and internal organs, and blood gushed out from both the front and back of her body at the same time, staining her tattered outfit a deep red.

Gu Yan knelt on the riverbank, holding Pei Youyi in her arms.

His hands were trembling.

He tried to press on her wound, but it was too big.

Blood gushed from between his fingers and wouldn't stop.

His tears fell onto her face, one by one, scalding hot.

"Sister Youyi."

"Sister Youyi."

"Don't sleep."

"Look at me."

"Look at me."

Pei Youyi opened her eyes.

Her face was so pale it was almost transparent, but her eyes were still gentle.

She raised her hand and, with her last bit of strength, wiped away Gu Yan's tears.

Her fingers were cold, like a snowflake about to fall.

"Xiao Yan."

"Don't cry."

"The happiest thing in my life is meeting you."

Her voice was very soft, so soft that it seemed like a gust of wind could blow it away.

"You must take good care of yourself from now on."

"Please take good care of Yu Ran for me."

Tell her that her mother is not angry with her.

"And...you promised me."

"Take me to see the crabapple blossoms in Jinghai."

"It's a pity... we won't be able to see it."

"Go see for me..."

Gu Yan shook her head, tears streaming down her face.

He opened his mouth, but something seemed to be stuck in his throat, and he couldn't utter a single word.

He could only hold her tighter, as if afraid that if he let go, she would shatter.

Pei Yuran staggered over.

Her leg was injured in the fight, and every step she took was excruciatingly painful.

She knelt beside her mother, her icy blue eyes filled with tears.

She reached out to touch Pei Youyi's face, but her hand trembled violently.

"mother……"

Her voice was so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

Pei Youyi looked at her daughter, a very faint smile curving her lips.

"Yu Ran".

"Mother has to go now."

"From now on... you and Xiao Yan, take good care of each other."

"Don't argue."

"Don't keep everything bottled up inside like you used to."

"Say what you want to say."

"Do what you want to do."

"Don't end up like your mother... waiting until it's too late."

Pei Yuran's tears finally fell.

She bit her lip hard, trying not to cry out.

But her shoulders were trembling violently.

"Mother, I haven't told you yet."

"I don't blame you at all."

"I knew you liked him all along."

"I just... don't know how to face it."

"Mother, don't go."

Please don't go.

Pei Youyi looked at her, tears glistening in her eyes.

Her breathing grew weaker and weaker, and her voice grew softer and softer.

"Silly child."

"I love you too."

I have always... loved you.

Her hand slowly slid down Gu Yan's face.

Her eyes slowly closed, a very faint smile still lingering on her lips.

Her body grew colder and colder in Gu Yan's arms.

Like a petal blown away by the wind, it fell quietly and silently into the pool of blood on the riverbank.

Lin Jinyu, Chiyomiya Yusheng, Shen Youyao, Fu Wanqing, Fu Shiwei, Cecilia.

They all saw it.