Each of the nine dragon maidens possesses extraordinary abilities.

“............” Lu Yueyuan sighed. He knew it.

Half an hour later.

The reclusive hermit lay sprawled in the sky, his face ashen: "Losed... How is that possible? Did you know how to play cards in your mother's womb? Otherwise, how could I have lost...?"

Lu Yueyuan scattered his cards: "Are you willing to accept the consequences of your bet?"

"I... I admit defeat... Let's cooperate."

"I will visit Qingzhou in a while," Lu Yueyuan said. "I'll be troubling you then."

“I understand now…” The reclusive hermit walked into the spatial rift dejectedly, and the rift disappeared in the next instant.

Arrogance, still shaken, asked, "She...she left?"

Lu Yueyuan did not answer, and staggered toward a certain place.

Amidst the ravaged landscape, Ming Huaiwei lay on the ground, his dragon horns and tail scorched, naked, his body covered only by fish scales.

He hugged Ming Huaiwei.

Ming Huaiwei's eyes regained some consciousness, and she instinctively hugged him.

In the simulated future, he and she embraced many times, but those were all bloody embraces. The crazed girl crushed his bones, cradling his mangled body. The enraged boy destroyed her life, cradling her silent corpse.

There wasn't a single happy ending.

After all, at that time he had not yet seen through the Four Gods' conspiracy. He killed her in anger. They embraced tightly, but not because they loved each other, but because they wanted to crush each other's bones.

He looked at Ming Huaiwei's face—the face that was just regaining consciousness—and tears streamed down his face.

"Smile, Little Stone, smile," Lu Yueyuan said softly. "You can be yourself now. Cheer up, smile."

He reached out and took her hand in his; it was smooth, covered in scales, and cold.

“You…you can smile now…you…” At this moment, Lu Yueyuan actually felt sadness. He thought he had been able to control his emotions long ago after so many times, but he still couldn’t. Was he such a sentimental person? “I’ll take you…mountain climbing…mushroom picking…fish catching…don’t worry about slipping, little stone, I’ll hold your hand.”

During the 153rd simulation, they embraced in the same way, but Ming Huaiwei's dragon claws gripped his neck tightly.

Lu Yueyuan held her, using the last of his spiritual energy to strangle her.

They were like playful children, tumbling down the hillside, neither willing to let go, neither willing to give up on the other. At that time, Lu Yueyuan had already reached the realm of oneness with the Dao, but he and Ming Huaiwei fought to the point of mutual destruction. Their natal magic treasures and celestial phenomena were shattered. Lu Yueyuan used the system's original power to cripple her powers.

They rolled down the mountain and crashed down the slope, creating a huge crater. The system watched anxiously, but couldn't do anything to help.

In the pit, they wriggled like maggots. Ming Huaiwei stared blankly at him. With a crack, her body broke. In the end, she was the first to let go.

"Why are you letting go? You've killed me so many times, what are you pretending to be a good person for now? Come on, come on!!" Lu Yueyuan cried and grabbed her pathetically, "What the hell did you see that night? You controlled the spiritual energy of the entire sect, you must have seen something. You know how our master died, but why didn't you tell me? Why did you stop me? What the hell are you pretending to be a good person for!!"

Ming Huaiwei stared at him with a lifeless gaze, tears still clinging to her eyes.

She stopped breathing and her body stopped moving. In her last moment, she released her strength and relaxed her body, which is why Lu Yueyuan strangled her.

Lu Yueyuan cried like that, completely pathetic.

After so many simulations, this is the last one. Lu Yueyuan thought he had grown up, but now, he still feels sad.

He succeeded. Ming Huaiwei survived. The curse disappeared. He was right. He could overcome those difficulties. He would win the final victory.

“A person like Yao and Shun… Am I that? How could someone like that be as useless as me?” At this moment, Lu Yueyuan thought to himself, “Losing is painful, winning is also painful, I’m just that kind of awkward person.”

In the dark sea, the Holy Emperor appeared and disappeared in the gray sand and mist. Something dissipated, and His arms became solid, revealing traces.

"The curse has indeed been eradicated. Well done." Those golden eyes opened in the mist, becoming, like those hands, the only two tangible things. "The fearless one in the cycle of time..."

"Now, I accept you."

Chapter 55: Once again, even if it means dying beside you

"Ming Huaiwei, answer my question..."

"Go ahead and ask."

Why do this...?

"for you."

"You say it's for me? You stopped me from investigating my master's death, and now you've imprisoned me here, and you say it's for me?"

"Yes."

“...Tell me the answer.”

"I can't say it, but I did all this for you."

"Stop making excuses! You say the same thing every time! Ming Huaiwei, what exactly did you see that night? You control the flow of spiritual energy in the sect, you must have seen it, so why won't you tell me the answer?"

"...Every time? Senior brother, what are you talking about?"

"You think you can stop me? Don't even think about it. I will find the truth, I will find out why you became like this, and I will do it. You can't stop me!"

"...I have never changed, senior brother. You don't understand me. This is my true nature."

"I don't understand you? You fucking say I don't understand you? I grew up with you and you're saying I don't understand you? I understand you better than your mother does!"

"Say what you will."

"........"

"Senior brother, no matter what I am like, no matter what I become, you only need to understand one thing: I will never hurt you. The Nine Peaks Sect, the former sect leader... I don't care about them at all. I only care about you. You only need to understand this. Why do you need to ask about anything else?"

“Ming Huaiwei, I will never admit that the current you is the little stone I knew.”

"If you insist on thinking this way, there's nothing I can do."

"Ming Huaiwei, Ming Huaiwei!!!"

"I am here."

"I will find the truth, and you can never stop me! System, system!! Start over! I want to re-simulate!!"

"What?! You!!"

A dazzling white light pierced the darkness.

Ming Huaiwei's dreams were filled with ups and downs. She had a very long dream in which she and Lu Yueyuan faced off again and again, experiencing death, sorrow, resurrection, and separation... Finally, they faced off for the first time. They embraced each other, and after everything shattered, they fell into a pit. In the end, she let go.

The shadow of death loomed over her, and she died many, many times.

And now? Is she dead again? Thinking of this, the dream suddenly shattered, and Ming Huai opened his eyes slightly.

The air was cold and damp. Was this a basement? She felt herself lying on a bed, surrounded by a large array protecting her body.

A conversation could be faintly heard from the side.

Arrogance: "Acting Master, her injuries are not serious, but the Nine Peaks Sect has been alerted. Are you sure it's alright if you don't go back?"

Lu Yueyuan: "It's okay."

Ming Huai opened his eyes slightly. This should be a basement. It looked newly built. There was the crackling sound of a stove burning wood and the aroma of food.

Then came the sounds of eating. There was indeed a lot of food on the table, mostly fruits and roasted meat. Arrogantly grabbing food and eating without regard for manners, he chatted and ate with Lu Yueyuan.

Lu Yueyuan: "How can a girl eat so rudely?"

Arrogance: "You sound like my father... Okay, okay, don't look at me like that, I won't call you old anymore."

Arrogance: "Well, how should I put it? Actually, cultivators don't need to eat, right? Everything is for the sake of cultivation. But I sometimes miss the taste of worldly food. Eating these things is purely for enjoyment. Since it's for enjoyment, why be so elegant?"

Lu Yueyuan: "You're like a glutton."

Arrogance: "That kid is even more outrageous than me... I eat just for fun, but she really does it for the food. By the way, when are we going to rescue her?"

Lu Yueyuan: "That should be enough. Probably tonight. If it doesn't work tonight, then tomorrow. Anyway, Wei Daidan will definitely come looking for me."

Arrogance: "Are you so sure?"

Lu Yueyuan: "I know her better than her mother."

Arrogance: "You always say that... But never mind, you are indeed very powerful, you even took care of the guardians."

Lu Yueyuan: "So-so."

Arrogance: "...Showing off at a time like this makes you seem so young. Are you the kind of person who is actually very young and sentimental but pretends to be mature?"

Lu Yueyuan: "Don't label others casually."

Arrogance: "Sorry, sorry, I'm used to it."

Lu Yueyuan: "It's okay, I'm used to it."

Arrogance: "You seem to have aged again, what a contradiction... Ah, she's awake."

Lu Yueyuan got up, walked to the bedside, and looked at Ming Huaiwei's slightly open eyes: "Awake?"

Ming Huai moved his throat slightly and opened his mouth.

Lu Yueyuan fed her a pill and watched as her complexion regained its rosy hue.

He asked, "Are you feeling better?"

Ming Huaiwei looked at Lu Yueyuan: "I had so many dreams... I dreamt of so many things, I imprisoned you, you killed me..."

Lu Yueyuan said, "That was just a dream. It'll be fine when I wake up."

Ming Huai asked softly, "What about Yun Hai and Yun Gui?"

Lu Yueyuan said, "The two of them were a bit noisy, so I knocked them out. They're in another room."

Ming Huaiwei looked into his eyes: "So, are you going to imprison me?"

Is this something children can listen to? Arrogant was a little embarrassed. He picked up some fruit and wanted to go out, but Lu Yueyuan stopped him.

He said, "You don't need to go anywhere."

Ming Huaiwei gave a bitter smile: "Who is she... Ah, so you've changed too. I don't recognize you anymore."

Lu Yueyuan looked at Ming Huaiwei: "Yes, maybe, but I think it's fine."

Ming Huaiwei's voice lowered: "What do we do next...?"

Yes, what can be done? Even arrogance will listen.

Lu Yueyuan said, "She is my comrade. I will fight alongside her in the upcoming battle. We may win or we may lose. If we win, we will win together; if we lose, we will die together."

"Oh dear, that sounds rather embarrassing," Ao Man scratched his head. Ming Huaiwei nodded slightly, listening attentively.

Lu Yueyuan said, "But I still can't let you go. Now the bloodline curse has been cleared, and the Four Gods have no effect on you anymore. Little Stone, you can go back to how you were before. Go find a beautiful place, and let Yunhai and Yungui be with you. You can live a very wealthy life."

Ming Huaiwei lay there, motionless like a statue. After a very long time, she finally said, "Then you want me to die."

Just as Lu Yueyuan was about to continue speaking, Ming Huaiwei suddenly jumped up from the bed, a move that even startled Aoman.

With a thud, the two of them fell to the ground together, with Ming Huaiwei lying on top of Lu Yueyuan, tears streaming down her face.

“Then you’re telling me to die,” Ming Huaiwei said, crying. “I don’t want to die.”

Lu Yueyuan said, "I don't want you to die, I just hope you're doing well."

Ming Huaiwei said, "Even if I were to die by your side, it would be the best thing."

Chapter 56: The Way is Ruthless Yet Full of Compassion

The spiritual world, a white room.

Lu Yueyuan and the girl sat facing each other at a long table.

Facing the Holy Emperor again, the initial wariness and pretentiousness between them were gone. A joint battle had made them understand each other's true nature. Lu Yueyuan was not as resilient and fearless as he appeared, and the Holy Emperor was not as entertaining as he seemed. Their relationship had grown much closer, to the point that Lu Yueyuan felt it was less like a summary chat and more like a blind date to get to know each other again.

"How touching! Childhood sweethearts dedicating themselves to each other." The Holy Emperor said, "Love and hate, fate turning into hatred, I really like it. Keep it up next time."

Lu Yueyuan was speechless. He turned to look out the window. The desert outside was no longer a pure white desert. For the first time, green appeared in the distance. Water and forests were the only treasures there, and rainbows even floated above them.

The most crucial thing is the sky above. It finally has color. The starry sky rises above the water. The density of stars increases from the horizon to the zenith. Near the horizon, there are sparse, silvery-white dots of light. The higher you go, the denser they become. By the zenith, they are so dense that you can't distinguish the outlines of individual stars. You can only see a milky-white band of light running across the sky.

"Isn't it beautiful? Because of you, my world finally has stars," the Holy Emperor said.

“It’s very beautiful.” Lu Yueyuan nodded.

"You really did it, erasing the curse of a dragon god's bloodline and breaking one of my seals. Congratulations! Now I can grant you new powers." The Holy Emperor pointed, and a faint light merged into Lu Yueyuan's left and right hands.

"What's the use?"

"Reality and illusion, advancement and retreat—how you use them is up to you. Hmph, other divine agents can only use one power, but because I'm very powerful and I especially favor you, I'll give you as many powers as you want," the Holy Emperor said. "So consider yourself lucky to have found me. Now, including this power, you have two powers."