Starting as the heir of a marquis's mansion, I gained access to a summoning system.

When Dongfang Weiwo woke up, the bamboo leaves outside the window were rustling.

He lay on a hard bed, the bedding dry and smelling of sunshine.

His body was wrapped in white cloth, and his left arm was held between two bamboo strips and tied tightly with straw rope.

His right rib, back, and the back of his knees were covered in wounds, but they didn't hurt much anymore. Only his chest would occasionally twitch, as if reminding him that the last drop of his lifeblood had truly burned out.

The sky was blue, and the wind was warm. There were roosters crowing and dogs barking. And in the distance, there was a great commotion, like a market day in town.

"Awake?" Lin Xiaoman pushed open the door and came in carrying a bowl. She had lost weight, had dark circles under her eyes, and her hands were wrapped in bandages. She sat on the edge of the bed and put the bowl in his hands: "Drink your medicine first."

Dongfang Weiwo looked at her. She looked at him too. Neither of them spoke, and the bamboo leaves outside the window rustled again. Then Dongfang Weiwo lowered his head and drank the dark, murky liquid in the bowl in one gulp. It was so bitter that he wrinkled his nose.

"How long did I sleep?"

"Twenty-seven days," Lin Xiaoman said. "You woke up three times during that time, and then fainted again each time. Every time, you called my name. You called as if you were about to die."

Dongfang Weiwo grinned: "Did you agree?"

"Yes. Call me again, I'll still be here."

A rough laugh came from outside: "Listen to this! They're flirting as soon as they open their eyes. I've wasted these twenty-seven days guarding them!" He pushed open the door and came in, followed by Chuan Ying and Yan Fei. Although all three were still injured, they were in good spirits. Wu Wudi's left arm was in a sling, but the broken sword had been repaired and was tucked into his waistband, its blade gleaming.

"You talk too much," Yan Fei said calmly, walking to the bedside and placing a bag of sugar cakes he had bought from town on the bedside table. Chuan Ying didn't speak, only nodded, his gaze sweeping over Dongfang Weiwo as if to confirm that he had truly come back to life, before turning and leaving.

"What about the others?" Dongfang Weiwo asked.

"Zhang Sanfeng and the Sweeper Monk guarded the Ruins of Return for seven days, emerging only after the rift between the Three Realms had completely closed. Zhang Sanfeng said that the Ruins of Return had been sealed, and the Bone King's ashes had all dissolved into his fontanelle, meaning it would not reopen for a hundred years. The Sweeper Monk recited the Rebirth Mantra for Dugu Qiubai, Huang Shang, Xiao Feng, and Cang Qu. The four of them... left no remains, only Dugu Qiubai's broken sword, which was brought back by Xiaolongnu."

"Where is Little Dragon Girl?"

"She's gone. Back to her world," Yan Fei said. "She said it was too noisy here. Before she left, she left her sword outside Qingzhu Town, saying that whoever had the ability could pull it out."

"Where is Pang Ban?" Dongfang Weiwo asked.

"Pang Ban was pulled back from the brink of death by the Sweeping Monk. He lay in bed for half a month, and yesterday he left without saying goodbye, leaving only one sentence."

"What did you say?"

He said, "If you summon me again, I will come no matter where you are in the world."

Dongfang Weiwo remained silent for a while. The sunlight outside the window was perfect, warming half of his face. He thought of the ten people who had descended from the sky; now only six remained in this world. In this world, the strongest are often the first to leave.

"Where's the system?" he asked in his mind.

The mind was completely silent. After a long while, a very soft voice sounded, as if it came from a distant breeze: "Host, the system energy is exhausted. This should be the last conversation."

Dongfang Wei didn't panic. He had already guessed it.

"Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

"Yes," the voice said. "The divine and demonic skeleton within you is now connected to the coordinates of the Three Realms. Though the Bone King is destroyed and the prison gates are sealed, you are the new lock. From this day forward, you can no longer leave Tianwu at will. Your bones have recorded the coordinates of Guixu, becoming the second line of defense outside the fontanelle. If one day the prison gates loosen again, you will be the first to know."

"Is this a punishment or a reward?" Dongfang Weiwo chuckled.

"You made your own choice," the system said. "From the moment you picked up the first piece of divine and demonic relic, you made that choice. I'm just telling you the final outcome of your journey."

"What about Lin Xiaoman?" he asked. "She lost so much blood from the guards, is her health alright?"

"The guardian's bloodline has been exhausted," the system said. "She will no longer bleed. The scar on her palm will not disappear, but it will be just an ordinary person's scar. She will outlive you. You suffer from heart-blood stagnation every year, shortening your lifespan. If she is well, that is your blessing."

Dongfang Weiwo was stunned for a while, then smiled: "If she's alright, that's good."

"Host," the system's voice faded, "The coordinates of the Three Realms—Tianxuan, Tianwu, and Wanxing—are now stable. The scattered summoners throughout the world are all your karma. If there is a future, you need not call upon me. You are already on your way."

"One last question," Dongfang Weiwo said, "What exactly are you?"

"I am the last spark of the ancient god-demon race. Now, this spark must be extinguished. Please, host—live on."

The sound ceased. Like a layer of dust blown away by the wind. Dongfang Weiwo silently thanked him in his heart, then opened his eyes.

Lin Xiaoman leaned closer to look at him, their noses almost touching. She blinked. "What were you laughing at just now?"

"I'm laughing at you," Dongfang Weiwo said.

"What's so funny about me?"

"You drool when you're asleep."

Lin Xiao blushed and grabbed a pillow to throw at him. But halfway up, she gently lowered her hand. She sat back down, head down, playing with the pale blue scar on her left palm.

"The East," she said.

"Um."

"Do you remember what you promised me in the Ruins of Return?"

"Let's go see the lights."

"Let's go." Dongfang Weiwo threw off the covers and stepped onto the ground. His left leg was still a little weak, but his Sky-Stepping Momentum hadn't dissipated. With one step, he regained his balance. He moved his left arm; the arm no longer had the dark golden light, but the bones and blood were still there, the tendons and ligaments were still there. The divine and demonic skeleton wasn't as domineering as before; instead, it seemed to have sunk deep into his body, quiet and still.

Dongfang Weiwo put on his shoes and hung the sword at his waist. The sword was still there, but the firelight was gone, making it look like an ordinary dark longsword. He didn't mind. As long as the sword could still be used, it could protect her.

Lin Xiaoman walked over and naturally took his right arm. The two went out the door.

The sun was setting in the west, burning large patches of orange-red on the horizon, as if someone had scattered embers on the clouds. Outside Qingzhu Town, the stream gurgled and the bamboo forest rustled. Chuan Ying, Yan Fei, Wu Wudi, Shi Potian, Ye Gucheng, Zhang Sanfeng, and the Sweeping Monk were already waiting at the town entrance.

"Want to go see the lanterns?" Zhang Sanfeng smiled and stroked his beard.

"Look at the lanterns," said Dongfang Weiwo.

"Wait a minute," Ye Gucheng said. He was still dressed in white, with a sword at his waist, but it wasn't the same one as before. "I have something for you."

He handed over an ebony plaque with a tiny sword carved on it. Dongfang Weiwo took it, feeling its warmth against his skin.

"This is my sword token," Ye Gucheng said. "From now on, if you see the person holding this token, it will be as if you see me. Celestial Immortal, I can draw my sword for you once more."

Dongfang Weiwo nodded and accepted it.

The sweeping monk smiled slightly, stepped forward, and took out an extremely ordinary Bodhi seed from his sleeve: "This old monk has nothing of value. This seed has been with me for ninety years; I give it to you, benefactor. May your heart be as clear as a mirror, untouched by dust."

Zhang Sanfeng also took out a copper coin and placed it in Dongfang Weiwo's palm: "We'll meet again if fate allows. This old Taoist will treat you to tea."

Wu Wudi laughed heartily: "I won't send you anything. I'll fight you again once I'm healed. I heard your left leg can crush mountains; I'd like to test it."

"I'll play along," Dongfang Weiwo said.

Chuan Ying and Yan Fei stood outside the crowd, neither speaking, only nodding at him. They were his summoners, but also his brothers. No further words were needed.

Lin Xiaoman had already reached the front and turned back to wave at them: "Let's go! The lantern market is about to open!"

The others followed.

The lantern festival in Qingzhu Town was even more lively than he had imagined. The streets were filled with lanterns made of bamboo and paper—rabbit lanterns, lotus lanterns, fish and dragon lanterns—each one illuminating the entire street. Children ran around holding sugar figurines, while old people sat at their doorways, smiling. The warm laughter, mingled with the scents of bamboo and oil, drifted far away on the night breeze.

Standing alone in the lantern market, I felt as if I had stepped into another world.

Tianxuan, Tianwu, Wanxing. The great war of the three realms, the fallen heroes, the shattered mountains and rivers. These seem like events from a past life. But before him, there are only lights shining one by one, and Lin Xiaoman holding his hand, leading him through the crowd.

"East! Look at that lamp!" Lin Xiaoman pointed to an enormous lamp high up. It was shaped like a small, snow-white beast, its four paws resting on clouds, its tail held high. A red silk ribbon hung from the lamp, bearing the words: "Returning Home to Guard the Bones."

Dongfang Weiwo laughed.

"Let's go," he said. "Let's buy two lanterns and release them by the river."

Outside Qingzhu Town, the river flowed gently. Countless lanterns floated downstream, like stars from the Milky Way fallen to earth. Dongfang Weiwo and Lin Xiaoman squatted by the riverbank, each releasing a small lotus lantern. The two lanterns swirled on the water's surface, came together, and then slowly drifted away.

"Did you make a wish?" Lin Xiaoman asked.

"It's granted."

"What is the promise?"

"You can't say it. Saying it won't work."

Lin Xiaoman snorted and turned her head away. The night breeze stirred the silver bells on her hair ribbon, making them tinkle a few times. Gazing at the two lamps receding into the distance, she suddenly whispered, "Dongfang, what is your skeleton now?"

"It's a decent set of bones," Dongfang Weiwo said. "It can walk, carry you, and lift a sword. Even without the divine demonic light, it still has the divine demonic root. That's enough."

"And what about your cultivation level? Can it ever be restored?"

"What does it matter whether you get back or not?" He turned to look at her. "I'm no longer a jailer. But if you're arrested again, I can still get you back."

Lin Xiaoman laughed out loud, but her eyes were a little wet. She leaned on his right shoulder, her voice as soft as the breeze on a river: "Okay. If I get kidnapped again, you can come and take me back."

On the river, the two lotus lanterns drifted further and further away, eventually merging with thousands of other lights, making it impossible to distinguish which one was which.

In the distance, Zhang Sanfeng and the Sweeping Monk stood side by side, gazing at the river ablaze with lights. One stroked his beard and smiled, the other softly chanted Buddhist prayers. Ye Gucheng leaned against a willow tree, his fingertips lightly tapping the hilt of his sword. Chuan Ying and Yan Fei sat on the bridgehead, one looking at the sky, the other at the water. Wu Wudi and Shi Potian chased after several children on the riverbank, setting off firecrackers, their laughter deafening.

The moon rose over the Tianwu Continent, large and round, illuminating the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain in a silvery white light.

The crack in the sky that once appeared is now undetectable. Only the wind blows from the Myriad Star Domain, gently brushing past the tightly closed door of the Ruins of Return, carrying away the last wisp of ash.

Meanwhile, in the human world, the lights are still on.