Xing Tie: Wait a minute! How come Weng Xing has two saviors?

Chapter 61 Bai Mo: Don't kid me, how could a card be heavier than a metal ring?

“My…heart?” Bai Er murmured repeatedly.

“Hmm…” Xi Lian gazed at him tenderly, “Think about that half… that guided you from the very beginning, accompanied you, and also stung you…”

“That half of the… ‘Savior’ card…?” Bai E’s voice trembled slightly, and he closed his eyes in pain.

“Xi Lian, it’s ironic,” Bai E’s voice was filled with bitterness.

"To this day... I still don't dare to truly look at everything that half of the card represents, let alone accept its so-called guidance!"

Just thinking about... thinking about my hometown being completely swallowed up by the black tide right before my eyes makes my hands tremble uncontrollably!

I can't forget the fire that consumed everything, I can't forget Livia's desperate cries... and I was there, but there was nothing I could do!

"I can't protect anything..."

“Don’t be afraid… Bai’e,” Xi Lian’s voice was gentle yet firm, “You actually… already have the answer, don’t you? If that half of the card is your final choice, I will support you.”

“The past… was indeed incredibly heavy. I also miss everything about the Sorrowful Secret Pavilion, I miss that golden wheat field, I miss that creaking swing, I miss those little fairies that I will never see again…” A trace of sadness flashed in Xi Lian’s eyes.

“But, Beagle,” she gazed into Beagle’s eyes, “if you want to grow from a helpless child into a hero who can shoulder everything…”

You can't just use the heavy past as a weight... you have to add the weight of the future to the scales of fate as well.

"The future...?" The confusion in Bai E's eyes gradually faded, replaced by an unprecedented clarity and determination.

He took a deep breath. "I understand, Xi Lian." Without further hesitation, he solemnly took out the half of the 'Savior' card from the pocket close to his body.

"What is heavier than the fate of the world... is the determination to carry the unchangeable past and move towards the future!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he solemnly placed the half of the "Savior" card on one side of the golden scales.

The instant that half-card touched the cold, golden tray—

A card shimmering with platinum light was casually tossed by Bai Mo. It tumbled and spun in the air before landing lightly next to the half of the 'Savior' card that Bai E had placed there!

"Brother?!" Bai E suddenly looked up, staring at Bai Mo in disbelief, his eyes filled with shock and confusion.

"Tsk, look at you, you've only played half a card so slowly,"

Bai Mo put his hands in his pockets, with his usual nonchalant and playful smile on his face. "I was just thinking, how could half a card possibly outweigh the precious ring of an entire clan?"

Not heavy enough! So... I'll add another half sheet for you.

However, the moment he finished speaking, the nonchalant look on his face vanished.

“Something heavier than the fate of the world… my answer is—the fate of every single person in this world.”

Ti Ning's ethereal voice echoed in the magnificent yet silent core area of ​​the Three Phases Hall, like a stone thrown into an ancient well, stirring up invisible ripples.

"Tarranton, fair, just, and undeniably innocent... the gladiators have offered their choice..."

"At this moment, in the name of the Holy Maiden of the Three Phases; I beseech you—to lower that sacred scale! To weigh the weight of this destiny! To reveal your final judgment for us!"

The entire hall fell into a deathly silence, even the falling dust seemed to freeze.

Only the heavy, suppressed breathing of a few people stood out clearly in the vast space, weaving together a tense atmosphere.

"Huff... Huff..." (Wan Di's breathing was rapid and heavy, like a trapped beast, his muscles tense, staring intently at the scales.)

"Huff...huff..." (Bai E's breathing trembled slightly, and his fingers unconsciously clenched, as if awaiting the judgment of fate.)

"Huff... huff..." (Bai Mo leaned against the cold wall in the shadows, seemingly casual, but the slight rise and fall of his chest and the deliberately suppressed breathing betrayed the turmoil in his heart.)

"Hoo..." (Xi Lian gently pressed her hand to her chest, her beautiful eyes filled with concern and expectation, and her breathing was slightly rapid due to nervousness.)

Bai Mo's gaze fell on Bai E's slightly thin but upright back, and his heart surged silently:

You still made that choice, didn't you, Bai Mo?

You should have thought of this sooner... From the moment you met Xi Lian, from the moment you... began to care about Bai E... As long as you still have love for this world in your heart, you can never completely escape this responsibility.

Was his seemingly reckless departure from the city to challenge Wan Di to a duel truly an attempt to stop the war?

No, it was more like...forcing yourself. A catalyst that accelerated the plot, forcing yourself, standing at the crossroads of fate, to no longer hesitate and to make that choice...the one you already had the answer to deep down.

Yes, I will not run away again! An unprecedented determination rose in his heart.

Why must we wait until we lose our closest loved ones and experience heart-wrenching pain before a person's change seems reasonable?

This isn't some melodramatic, third-rate novel! Why does it have to resort to stabbing readers in with grievances to grab attention? Besides, what era are we living in? Why are we still using this outdated "you only appreciate what you have after you've lost it" trope?

Right now! At this moment! I cherish them enough—I cherish this silly older brother who always tries to be strong, I cherish that warm-hearted Xi Lian, I cherish those noisy but truly alive companions... I don't want to lose any of them!

So...who cares about eternal recurrence, who cares about endless cycles! I will protect everything I cherish, even if... it means saving the entire world!

Just as Bai Mo's inner turmoil was churning, Ti Ning spoke again, her voice carrying a subtle, almost imperceptible fluctuation:

"Taranton is considering his verdict... It seems that the two sides' beliefs are... so evenly matched."

The central pivot of the scales, the pointer symbolizing absolute balance, was trembling extremely slowly and laboriously at a rate almost imperceptible to the naked eye.

This brief stalemate made the air almost solidify, and every breath felt heavy, like it was pulling at your heart and lungs.

An indescribable, immense will descended suddenly! It was not a sound, yet it roared directly into the depths of every living being's soul.

Tinning translated softly:

"Hear, Son of Man:"

"I will now pronounce the verdict—"

The victor has been determined!

That enormous tray, symbolizing the belief in the power to defeat all enemies, began... to rise upwards, extremely slowly yet with unwavering determination!

Chapter 62 Ten Thousand Enemies: Children, you've been tricked by Ohma; two people have appeared on the other side.

In contrast, the tray that held the twins' choices—the two 'Savior' cards that shone with platinum light—sinked down as if pressed down by the hand of fate!

"Those whose offerings are heavier than the fate of the world are—"

That magnificent will fell like the final judgment hammer:

"...The one who came from the Sorrowful Secret Pavilion, the nameless hero."

But then, that grand will did not immediately dissipate; instead, like a resounding bell, it struck again in everyone's hearts, carrying even deeper, more thought-provoking wisdom:

However, remember—

"The weight of belief does not come from itself—"

"And the very desire that weighs down the scales!"

The golden light slowly receded, the scales stopped sinking, and finally came to a standstill. The divine pressure receded like a tide, leaving only a shocking aftershock echoing in the hall.

"What...what does this mean?! Wait, Bai Mo?" Wan Di suddenly took a step forward, his bronze face contorted with shock, resentment, and immense disappointment.

"You two... Hmph! A loss is a loss! But this verdict... I don't accept it! What do you mean by 'the long-cherished wish itself'?"

Wan Di: Kids, we've been tricked by Ohma. Two people have appeared on the other side.

He couldn't comprehend this abstract judgment. His people's treasure, the glory of his warriors, had actually lost in "weight" to... two tattered cards?

Tibo's figure appeared silently, her eyes clear, as if she could see through Wan Di's confusion and anger, and she explained calmly:

"I think what the great Tarantino was saying was: what is heavier than the fate of the world is not how intense the fire of belief burns in the heart of any individual..."

Tinning's voice echoed back, carrying a knowing gentleness: "...but rather, it is the belief that carries and responds to...a desire that transcends the individual and connects the souls of all beings."

It belongs to you, to me, to every living being struggling in this apocalypse, yearning for light and redemption.

Her gaze swept over Bai E and Bai Mo, "What brought down the scales was not merely Bai E's determination to bear the past, nor Bai Mo's seemingly casual increase in stakes..."

"But rather, the entire world...is responding to the arrival of the 'savior'—"

"Among them—" Bai Mo said, each word carrying immense weight, each enunciated with deliberate emphasis.

"Including you, Wan Di—and the calls of the millions of people of Xuanfeng."

Wan Di's imposing body trembled violently, as if struck by an invisible hammer.

"...Hmph! So you've chosen...to bet on both sides at the same time?"

His gaze swept over Bai Mo and Bai E, and his words were filled with complex emotions.

The solemnity of the temple's core area was broken by a series of light yet unmistakable footsteps.

Aglaia's figure emerged gracefully from the flowing light and shadow.

Feng Jin followed closely behind her, half a step behind.

Aglaia's gaze swept over the settled golden scales, finally settling on Wan Di, Bai E, and Bai Mo, a near-perfect smile playing on her lips.

"A brilliant answer."

"As the oracle foretold: 'The journey to pursue fire will today welcome its final two... no, three heroes.'"

Wan Di's imposing figure remained with his arms crossed over his chest, like a silent mountain.

His sharp gaze locked onto Aglaia, and he let out a soft, ambiguous snort, carrying both the straightforwardness characteristic of a warrior and a complex emotion of being seen through:

"...Heh, so your target was me and them from the very beginning."

Wan Di's gaze swept over Bai E and Bai Mo.

"People say that Miss Jinzhi is arrogant and ignorant, but you're the first to try and persuade the Suspended Warriors with divine pronouncements."

Aglaia's smile seemed to deepen, even carrying a rare, almost "human" ease and joy.

Her slender fingers were elegantly crossed in front of her, and her voice was soft yet carried an undeniable strength:

“I have a thousand ways to tame a lion.” Her gaze met that of all enemies with unwavering composure.

"But this lion didn't come here to fight, did it?"

Feng Jin took a half-step forward at the opportune moment, her bright eyes flashing with a cunning light as her gaze shifted between Wan Di and Aglaia:

"Ha, the Ohm soldiers are far inferior to the isolated forces of the Suspended Peak, yet not a single one of our soldiers was killed before Bai Mo left the city. This is probably not a coincidence."

Wan Di's brows furrowed imperceptibly, and the muscles in his arms, which were crossed over his chest, seemed to tense up even more.

His deep voice carried a soldier's pride mixed with a hint of anger at being questioned:

"Do you really think that the warlike Xuanfeng people will show mercy?"

Tinning, who had been quietly observing, now gently intervened in the conversation, like moonlight.

Her voice was ethereal and calm, yet it possessed a penetrating insight that went straight to the heart of the matter:

"But the isolated, high-flying army is also renowned for its strict discipline." Her clear gaze swept over the enemy, as if stating an unspoken fact:

"We can only assume that this is your order."

Wan Di's taut muscles seemed to loosen slightly.

He gave Tining a deep look, then glanced around at Aglaia, Feng Jin, Bai E, Bai Mo, and Xi Lian.

Finally, he slowly nodded, his voice low and solemn:

“It seems Ohmma isn’t as pedantic as the rumors suggest.” His gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on Aglaia:

"Compared to the elders of the Holy City, those of you present understand the essence of power better."

The tense atmosphere seemed to completely dissipate with Wan Di's words.

Aglaia's smile finally blossomed into a full bloom.

She gracefully extended her arm in an inviting gesture, her voice carrying an unprecedented gentleness and anticipation:

"Destiny has already come true. Why not host a banquet to welcome our guests and add to the charm of this encounter?"

Her gaze swept over Wan Di, Bai E, and Bai Mo in turn, as if inviting them into a new chapter:

"Please follow me, three warriors from afar—" Her voice was like an ode, carrying a strange, unifying power, her gaze seemingly piercing through the temple's dome, looking towards the vast night sky:

"Heroes are as numerous as the stars in the sky, but at this moment, we are gathered together by the firelight of the long night..."

Bai Mo withdrew his gaze from Aglaia's direction, seemingly uninterested in the grand narrative of "stars" and "firelight".

He lazily raised his hand and patted Xi Lian's shoulder, who was still thoughtfully gazing at Bai E and Wan Di, his tone returning to its usual relaxed state:

"Stop looking, Sister Xilian, it's time to go have a party."

Xi Lian was brought back to her senses by his patting. Looking at Bai Mo's expression that said, "Finally finished, time to eat," she couldn't help but shake her head and smile helplessly.