Yuxia stared blankly at her own reflection in Lu Mo’s pupils.
In that instant, she couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.
‘It must be an illusion, right?’
Aside from Cecilia, Mo’s eyes would never reflect anyone else.
This situation was probably just the final fantasy of her dying mind as the Erosion took hold.
She didn’t dare to think about it.
She didn’t dare to reach out to Lu Mo.
She simply closed her eyes, waiting for the illusion to fade.
Yet, just a few seconds later, she suddenly felt herself being picked up.
It wasn’t the cold, slimy touch of a Rotten Demon.
It was a feeling of warmth and softness.
The girl’s pleasant scent drifted into her nostrils at that moment.
She would never forget that scent for the rest of her life.
The girl who had made her cry at sixteen, then suddenly ran away and vanished from her world.
The girl she had been chasing all this time, yet never wanted to admit the past to.
“Mo…”
She opened her eyes and whispered.
The girl didn’t answer, just held her, carrying her away from the endless horde of Rotten Demons, heading towards the direction of the base.
***
They didn’t speak much.
Lu Mo carried Yuxia, and Yuxia hung her head limply.
Their figures simply wove through the rain of flesh and blood.
Yuxia didn’t hold onto Lu Mo.
Not because she didn’t want to, but because she couldn’t even control her own hands anymore.
She struggled to keep her eyes open, refusing to fall asleep.
She just watched as Lu Mo’s figure continuously shifted through space.
They were moving away from the center of the Flesh and Blood Rain. That thick, bloody fog of Erosion was being left far behind them.
Large groups of Rotten Demons would still appear around them from time to time.
But upon seeing Lu Mo, they would all pause for a moment.
Then, with a mere thought from Lu Mo, sword intent would instantly erupt, driving the power of Heavenly Dominion to sweep out in all directions, annihilating the surrounding demons.
Lu Mo had appeared alone in the Flesh and Blood Rain.
Without any protection.
Yet, up to this point, she seemed completely unaffected.
It was as if the Erosion power couldn’t affect her at all.
Whether it was the Rotten Demons pausing at the sight of Lu Mo or Lu Mo being completely fine in the Flesh and Blood Rain, it was all very strange, even suspicious.
But at this moment, Yuxia harbored not a shred of doubt.
She knew that the one holding her was Mo.
And right now…
Mo’s sword was also being swung for her.
It was an indescribable feeling.
Her body was growing cold, yet her heart was rapidly warming.
Her consciousness was blurring, yet it felt like electric currents were constantly flashing through her mind.
Was it nervousness?
Was it joy?
Or… was it something else?
During this process, she also sensed that the speed of the Erosion power’s corrosion within her body seemed to have slowed a bit.
But it hadn’t stopped.
—This was also Lu Mo’s doing.
From the moment she picked up Yuxia and began carrying her away from the center of the rain, Lu Mo had started trying to channel her own power to expel the Erosion.
She didn’t know if it was because of the Sixfold Fusion Sublimation Power or because she possessed the power of the Sin Emperor’s Arms.
The Erosion power couldn’t affect her at all.
And she really could suppress the Erosion within Yuxia.
But the problem was…
Yuxia had been corroded far too severely.
Too many of her vital internal organs had already been transformed and consumed by the Erosion power.
The Erosion had almost become a part of her body.
If she forcibly expelled the Erosion, Yuxia’s body would collapse in an instant.
‘A descendant of the God-blood actually reduced to such a state, tsk tsk…’
The woman’s voice echoed in Lu Mo’s mind again, filled with mockery and pity.
“……”
Lu Mo ignored her.
‘Stop trying, it’s useless, she’s already beyond cure.’
‘If you suppress the Erosion, her body will instantly become riddled with holes and lose all vital signs.’
‘And if you let the Erosion be, she’ll eventually be consumed too, becoming an existence like the Rotten Ones.’
‘Then, one day, she’ll go “boom” and explode.’
‘Of course, there’s another way. That’s to brand her after she fully transforms into a Rotten One, making her your servant or something.’
‘Though, she’ll most likely still be a rotting corpse-like existence, with no self-awareness. There’s only a tiny chance she might retain some memories.’
“……”
The woman suddenly sensed a killing intent and wisely shut her mouth.
By now, Lu Mo had already carried Yuxia away from the Rotten Demons, arriving at an open area.
Lu Mo stopped.
Simultaneously, she focused all her attention, channeling more Fusion Sublimation Power into Yuxia’s body, attempting to find a solution to the Erosion.
She didn’t want Yuxia to die like this.
Yuxia struggled to lift her head and once again saw Lu Mo’s pupils.
This time, she saw a clearer reflection of herself in the other’s eyes.
Badly injured.
Looking utterly exhausted.
Her appearance… was also ugly.
Compared to the current Lu Mo, it was like two extremes.
***
Then, that ugly girl suddenly smiled.
“Don’t waste your energy anymore.”
Yuxia shook her head, “I know… I’m beyond saving…”
“Sorry for making you come all this way for nothing. I can’t wear the white stockings you like anymore.”
She gave a bitter laugh, “And it seems like I won’t be able to keep the promise we pinky-swore on yesterday.”
Lu Mo had to admire Yuxia’s tenacity at this point.
Even in this state, the other girl still firmly remembered her own offhand comment.
“The white stockings really were just something I said offhand…”
Lu Mo replied to Yuxia, “And the one who should be sorry is me. If I had come just a little earlier…”
But before she could even finish her sentence, Yuxia interrupted her.
“No, you did nothing wrong.”
“Actually, you could have completely hidden in the base, not taking such a huge risk to come find me here.”
“You could have stayed by Cecilia’s side, waiting until this Flesh and Blood Rain ended.”
“You are free. You shouldn’t be held hostage by any emotion or anyone!”
By the end, Yuxia’s weak voice seemed to carry a trace of her usual fervor.
It seemed in her eyes, these weren’t words Mo should be saying.
And at this moment, Lu Mo could also feel Yuxia resisting her power.
Yuxia had known for a long time that she was beyond saving.
What Lu Mo was doing was just a waste of energy.
So, she simply refused.
“……”
Lu Mo looked at Yuxia with a bit of a headache.
Even on the verge of death, this girl was still so stubborn.
Like a bratty child refusing shots or medicine.
“You stopped here… are you really not in any danger?” Yuxia asked.
“No,” Lu Mo answered. “The Rotten Demons nearby have been wiped out, and the Erosion power is far from reaching dangerous levels here.”
“Can you put me down?”
Yuxia’s tone carried a note of request. “I want to… rest here for a while.”
Lu Mo nodded and carefully set Yuxia down.
At first, Yuxia couldn’t even sit steadily, almost toppling over.
But in the end, she stabilized herself through sheer willpower.
Lu Mo sat down beside her.
A brief quiet settled between the two of them for a moment.
They watched the distant Erosion fog slowly approach.
They watched the Flesh and Blood Rain continuously fall upon the gray-black earth.
Finally, it was Yuxia who broke this short-lived silence.
“…You are Mo, right?” she spoke.
Every time, she would ask Lu Mo this.
And every time, Lu Mo would either remain silent or deny it.
“……”
This time, Lu Mo was silent for a moment.
“Hey… I’m about to die…”
Yuxia smiled bitterly. She wanted to nudge Lu Mo with her elbow, but couldn’t even lift her hand. “Can’t you at least let me die with clarity?”
Lu Mo gave a helpless smile. “The way you say that makes it sound like I’m the one killing you.”
“You don’t want me to die with my eyes wide open, do you?” Yuxia said, feigning fierceness.
Lu Mo couldn’t bear it. Seeing her like this, Lu Mo really felt a pang in her heart.
“Yes… I am Mo. At least, I was once.” She finally admitted her identity as Mo.
“I knew it! You are Mo, you are Mo… hehehe…” Seeing Lu Mo admit it, Yuxia couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
It seemed that at this moment, she had finally won against Lu Mo once.
“Cough, cough, cough…”
Perhaps laughing too vigorously, she soon started coughing, coughing up black blood carrying a strong aura of Erosion.
“Yuxia—”
Lu Mo moved to step forward, to continue helping Yuxia suppress the Erosion.
“I’m… fine…”
But Yuxia wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and decisively refused.
She tried hard to act as if nothing had happened, continuing to reminisce with Lu Mo. “So, after the Genius Battle, where did you actually go?”
“I searched for you for a long time but couldn’t find you. I thought you really went back to your hometown to get married and changed your name…”
“I took a master. After that, I spent several years in a secluded place. It’s normal you couldn’t find me.”
“A very powerful master?”
“Some call him the ‘Indestructible Sword.'”
“The Indestructible Sword… I’ve heard of him. The elders in my family have a deep impression of him…”
“If it’s him, then I’m relieved.”
Yuxia suddenly seemed at ease. “I always said, someone like Mo, how could she not find a powerful master…”
Before them was the Erosion fog.
From the sky fell the blood rain.
They sat on the polluted earth.
Yet, both of them seemed very calm at this moment.
As if they were sitting on a grassy field, feeling the misty vapor, listening to the gentle sound of drizzle between heaven and earth.
They talked about the years of learning the sword.
They talked about that somewhat adorable senior sister.
They talked about returning to the family and meeting Cecilia again.
They talked about turning The Holy Sanctuary upside down.
All the way until Lu Mo came to the Holy-Demon Wall and they met.
“To think so many interesting things happened after that…”
Yuxia smiled. “Such a tumultuous life. I’m almost starting to think you’re the protagonist of a novel.”
‘Actually, it’s a gender-bender novel.’ Lu Mo吐槽ed internally.
“So, the name Mo was just a name you used during your travels.”
“After you delivered that sword strike, returned to the family, and met Miss Cecilia again, you no longer needed it.” Yuxia continued.
She suddenly sighed, a flicker of something in her eyes. “So, after that, you kept refusing to admit you were Mo, refused my pestering, refused to fight me…”
“Was the name Mo really that important to you?” Lu Mo asked.
“Of course—” Yuxia lifted her head. Though her face was deathly pale and she was weak to the extreme, her answer at this moment was filled with absolute certainty and seriousness.
Lu Mo was a bit worried that Yuxia might get so worked up she’d die on the spot. She quickly changed the subject. “I’ve finished my story. What about yours?”
“Mine?”
Yuxia smiled. “My story is actually very…”
“Simple.”
“If I had to say, it could even be summed up in just two words.”
She looked at Lu Mo, a faint blush vaguely appearing on her face. “I was… chasing.”
“Chasing?” Lu Mo murmured.
Before she could react, Yuxia immediately spoke again. “Hey, Mo, I really am about to die.”
“Before I die, you have to fulfill my last wish, right?”
Her gaze at Lu Mo gradually took on a hint of grievance.
Seeing this, a trace of sadness flashed in Lu Mo’s eyes.
But at this moment, she still gave a helpless smile. “…Go ahead.”
“But something like dying together with you… that’s not possible.”
“I don’t want you to die with me.”
Yuxia also smiled.
Soon, under Lu Mo’s gaze, she gritted her teeth against the pain radiating from her body and slowly stood up.
More blood and Erosion power flowed from her wounds.
But the wounds, the pain, death—she didn’t care about any of it.
She just looked at Lu Mo, then mustered all her strength to lift her arm, which was almost losing sensation, and pointed at the girl opposite her.
Then, she revealed an extremely arrogant smile.
Just like her sixteen-year-old self.
“My last wish is—
I want you… to fight me!”
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