Yun Che's voice cracked slightly, his hand lowering from Yoru's hilt.
"Wait… it's all over now. You can finally live the life you were denied. Why do you want me to send you to the afterlife?"
To him, it felt senseless — after all this suffering, after finally breaking the chains of fate, she could live again. He could make it happen. But Xuyi only smiled — a sad, gentle smile — as she floated closer, her ethereal hand brushing against his cheek. Her touch was cool, almost like mist, yet carried the warmth of a heartbeat long extinguished.
"Yun Che," she said softly, "it's because everything is over that I wish to pass on."Her gaze drifted to her own coffin, where her lifeless body rested in pristine silence. "Can you imagine what three thousand years of loneliness feels like? I've lost everyone — my parents, my disciple, my friends, even the world I swore to protect. I didn't choose this life. It chose me. It took everything I loved. All I want now is peace… to see them again, to rest beside them. Don't you think I've earned that?"
Yun Che exhaled slowly. She wasn't wrong. Her words resonated in a way that was painfully familiar. "Our lives were never chosen either, Xuyi," he murmured. "Sometimes we walk through hell just to keep a promise. You kept yours — even when it cost you everything."
Her expression softened.
"Now, all I want is to start over. A new beginning… free of burdens, free of destiny. Maybe with fewer explosions this time."
He almost smiled. "You don't have to go. I'm a Soul Reaper — I can guide you back. With your knowledge, your soul could rebuild, even reach the Divine Realm you were denied."
She shook her head gently, her long black hair drifting like ink in water.
"Hehe… I don't doubt you could. But this one has already made her choice."
Her eyes glowed faintly, luminous with resolve. "I want to see my parents again… Xue'er… all those I lost. And when the time comes, if I can live another life— one untouched by the Apple or fate. You can understand that, can't you?"
Yun Che's shoulders sank, but he nodded. "Of course I do."
Xuyi smiled again — that teasing glimmer flashing back for a heartbeat.
"You're a special man, Yun Che. A bit of an idiot sometimes… but special nonetheless."
From behind him, Jasmine folded her arms, her voice dripping with amusement.
"Now you notice."
"Grrr… You two are definitely teaming up on me!" Yun Che muttered, but his faint grin betrayed relief — maybe humor was the only way to keep grief from taking over.
The Empress laughed softly, her laughter echoing faintly against the silver walls. Then she turned solemn once more, her gaze settling on the Apple of Eden.
"Anyway… whether the Apple accepts you or not, everything ends here. It's persuasive — dangerously so. You'll need something stronger than willpower to resist its whisper."
Yun Che exhaled and reached into his coat. A small object shimmered in his palm — a golden droplet, swirling with intricate Isu markings that glowed like circuitry. The same droplet that had formed from Ares's soul.
"I might have exactly what I need," he said quietly.
The droplet pulsed once in his hand, its light reflecting in his eyes.
Xuyi tilted her head, recognizing it at once. "That's the thing you obtained after defeating him… the remnant of his being. I saw it but couldn't sense what it was. What is it, exactly?"
Yun Che studied the golden droplet, the liquid swirling between his fingers like molten light given form — radiant, alive, whispering power.
"This is an Isu Droplet," he began, his tone half-curious, half-reverent. "When Ares died, his body dissolved into energy, and this—" he held it up between thumb and forefinger, "—was all that remained. It contains the core of what he was: his biology, his power, his ability to command the Pieces of Eden. If I absorb it, it'll rewrite my structure — transform me into something between man and Isu. A hybrid."
Jasmine arched an eyebrow. "You mean… you'll be able to control the Apple freely?"
Yun Che nodded. "Exactly. The Isu's body was built to handle Radiant Force — their version of cultivation. It's not as strong as Profound Force, but it's compatible with their artifacts. This droplet will give me that compatibility."
She folded her arms. "If it works… you'll be the first of your kind. Human, Isu, Death God — with dragon, phoenix, and god-slaying blood all in one vessel."
He smirked faintly. "Don't forget Heretic Arts… and the Uchiha bloodline."
Jasmine rolled her eyes. "Your body's starting to sound like a divine laboratory."
"Pandora's Box," he muttered. "Let's just hope this doesn't blow up in my face. Bottoms up."
Without hesitation, he flicked his wrist and swallowed the droplet.
====================
[SYSTEM SEQUENCE INITIATED]
[Ding… Infusing Isu Droplet into host's bloodstream.]
[Ding… Restructuring host's Double Helix DNA into Quadruple Helix DNA.]
[Stand by.]
[Stand by.]
[Stand by.]
=====================
A sharp pulse erupted from within him — a heat that felt both divine and mechanical. His veins glowed gold as invisible circuits laced his body, etching Isu patterns across his skin for a fleeting instant before sinking into his blood.
Inside his inner world, a shift began. Near the colossal central tree — his Profound Force — another tree sprouted from the void. This new one pulsed with gold, its trunk lined with glowing Isu markings that pulsed like data streams. Its leaves unfurled instantly — crystalline, luminous, each vein etched with circuits of light.
The Tree of Radiance had been born.
=====================
[Ding… Constructed Radiant Force Core successfully.]
[Initial value: 1000 units.]
[To strengthen Radiant Force, convert ambient Heaven and Earth energy into Radiant Energy.]
=====================
Yun Che skimmed through the data feed in his mind, brows twitching slightly. "One thousand points…? After all that, I start at level one again?"
The system ignored his complaint.
=====================
[Ding… Synchronizing Radiant Force with The Great Way of the Buddha.]
[Synchronization complete.]
[Host may now regenerate Radiant Force through meditation or with mana potions and divine water.]
====================
Then—another chime.
====================
[Ding… Compatibility detected between Divine Medicine Manual and Radiant Force. Initiate fusion?]
====================
"Holy hell," Yun Che muttered. "Didn't expect that to come back. Go ahead — run it."
====================
[Ding… Initiating fusion.]
[Fusion successful.]
====================
A surge of light coursed through him, warm and pure.
====================
[Ding… Host's body has developed a new energy: Radiant Saint Force.]
[Radiant Saint Force enables host to channel ambient light into healing arts. Derived from fusion between Divine Medicine Manual and Radiant Force.]
[System can adapt this energy to fuel the Sky Poison Pearl. Compatibility restored.]
[Previous conflict between Spiritual Pressure and Sky Poison Pearl resolved.]
[Radiant Saint Force: 1000 / 1000.]
====================
Yun Che exhaled, feeling the golden power humming beneath his skin.
"Whistle… Damn. Damn. And fucking damn."
Jasmine tilted her head. "Well?"
He grinned like a kid discovering a new toy.
"For the longest time, I thought the Sky Poison Pearl was dead weight — just a glorified storage space. But now? With Radiant Saint Force, I can finally use it again. Curing, poisoning, light manipulation — the possibilities are insane."
===============
[Ding… Host's DNA is now equipped to utilize all Pieces of Eden without side effects.][System can rewrite or override Isu command protocols.]
===============
For the first time in years, Yun Che felt genuine excitement surge through his veins — a bubbling, electric joy that came from discovery itself.
The Pieces of Eden.
Back in his original world, he'd spent years trying to decipher their secrets — extracting fragments of data by hand, one at a time, always tiptoeing around the risk of triggering self-destruction or madness. Each relic was a trap, a puzzle, and a curse. And every time he got close, some power-hungry fool claimed it first.
But now… now the power was his. Pure, stable, and uncorrupted.
=====================
Jasmine and Xuyi watched him in uneasy silence. It had been five long minutes since he'd swallowed the droplet. Yun Che stood completely still, eyes open but unmoving — like a statue of living gold.
Xuyi hovered close, poking at his cheek with the caution of someone prodding a sleeping beast.
"Did the droplet possess him or something? Because if it did, then all my effort just went to waste."
Jasmine didn't even open her eyes. Her arms were crossed, her expression flat.
"No. That's impossible."
Xuyi blinked. "You sound awfully confident for someone who looks bored."
"I am," Jasmine replied evenly. "Because there are things inside that man's body that nothing can possess. Not even an Isu remnant."
That earned her a curious glance. "Things even you can't defy?"
Jasmine didn't answer. She simply tilted her head toward Yun Che, as if daring the Empress to see for herself.
Xuyi sighed. "Fine, but if he suddenly grows another head, I'm blaming you."
She leaned in again — only for Yun Che's eyes to flick sharply open, gold light gleaming in their depths. Their gazes met.
"Boo."
"KYAAAAHHH!!!"
The legendary Moon Empress screamed — screamed — and tumbled backward through the air, her ethereal form flickering from shock.
Jasmine's eyes snapped open. "...Seriously?"
Yun Che doubled over laughing.
"Bahahaha! Oh, you should've seen your face! That was perfect! The great Moon Empress, terrified of little old me!"
Jasmine pinched the bridge of her nose, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like a prayer for patience. The next moment—
KNOCK.
Her haki-coated knuckles came down squarely on his skull.
"OW—okay, okay! I'm sorry!" Yun Che winced, clutching his head and bowing so fast his ponytail nearly hit the floor. "Worth it though…" he whispered.
Xuyi glared daggers at him, her cheeks puffed. "You dare scare me like that?! Do you know who I am—!"
"Says the woman who screamed loud enough to wake the dead," Yun Che muttered under his breath.
Her eyes narrowed. "Jasmine, would you mind hitting this idiot again?"
"With pleasure." Jasmine's right hand darkened with armament haki.
"Chotto, chotto—time out! Just a joke! Hahaha!" He darted back with both hands raised defensively.
The two women rolled their eyes in perfect synchronization.
Once the laughter — and mild violence — subsided, Xuyi crossed her arms, regaining her composure.
"So… did it work?"
Yun Che blinked. "What?"
"The droplet. Or did Jasmine knock the sense out of you before you noticed?"
Jasmine smirked. "A valid hypothesis."
He exhaled through his nose, smiling faintly. "I don't feel much different yet. Without proper arts, I can't channel its full potential. But…"
He raised his right hand, focusing inward. Golden energy rippled under his skin — and then, with a faint hum, glowing Isu markings surfaced along his arm. They pulsed with radiant force, forming elegant lines of light like living circuitry.
Both Jasmine and Xuyi froze, eyes widening.
The gold pulsed once — and then vanished as he powered it down, the markings fading beneath his skin like whispers.
"See? Proof enough," Yun Che said quietly. "It works."
Xuyi floated closer, eyes shimmering like twin stars as she examined the golden lines still faintly glowing beneath Yun Che's skin.
"To think… those are the same linings as Ares and Yueli. You've truly become something else.
"She tilted her head, lips curling in fascination. "So… you're now a fully fledged Isu?"
Yun Che smirked, flexing his fingers as the golden current receded into his veins.
"Nah. I'm not one of those power-hungry, control-freak oddballs. I'm no Isu, and never will be. I'm still just me — a lazy-ass, couch potato named Yun Che. A man with an Isu's bloodline and a Death God's soul."
Xuyi blinked. "A man who holds heaven-defying power but prefers being a lazy mortal? People would kill to dissect you for that kind of irony."
Jasmine sighed audibly, arms folded.
"That's what I keep telling him. The man's a living calamity who'd rather nap with his women than train. Sometimes I wish I had that body instead — I'd actually use it."
Yun Che shot her a grin. "Hey, I've had my fair share in my previous life. Cut me some slack, will you? I've achieved this in two or three years. The original Yun Che probably took five! Besides, slacking off seems to work just fine for me."
"Ehehe~," Xuyi giggled softly, placing a finger under her chin. "You know, if I ever get reincarnated, I might try your approach. Being lazy sounds… liberating."
"Hai, hai…" Jasmine groaned, rubbing her temples. "Perfect. Now he's spreading his idiocy to dead empresses. Can we please focus before he turns you into another bad habit?"
Yun Che raised a brow but complied. "Fine, fine. Straight to the point."
He stepped forward. The Apple of Eden rested quietly atop its pedestal, emanating a faint, rhythmic pulse — like the heartbeat of a god. The last time he'd been this close to one, it was chaos incarnate — a weapon passed from tyrant to zealot, never resting, never understood.
Now, it waited for him.
"Well," he murmured, "someone once said this thing can show you everything — all it takes is pressing the right button."
He reached out. The moment his fingertips brushed its surface—
The world shattered.
The air warped into spiraling streams of golden light. Symbols, images, and fragments of alien data swirled around them in torrents of incomprehensible brilliance. Walls dissolved into cascading equations; the ground itself became a platform of light.
Countless voices — male, female, mechanical — echoed in fragmented harmony. Ancient Isu script glowed and flowed across the chamber, translating and recombining faster than the human eye could follow.
Xuyi gasped.
"This scene… haha… I thought I'd never see it again."
She floated higher, spinning through the data streams with a bittersweet smile. Jasmine, meanwhile, stood still — the only still point in the storm — her crimson eyes scanning the shifting symbols.
"It's like… looking into a sea of thoughts. But I can't understand a single one."
Yun Che stood at the center, golden light washing over him. He could feel the data syncing with his body — no resistance, no pain, only a strange acceptance. The Apple was reading him… and, for the first time in its long existence, not rejecting what it found.
Then the system's voice broke through the storm:
===================
[Ding… Side Quest: Reclaim the Legacy of the Moon Empress — Complete.]
[Reward: 100,000 XP | 75,000 SP]
[Bonus Reward: One Wisdom Cube obtained.]
===================
Yun Che blinked. "Fuck yeah! I can't get cubes from leveling anymore, so random quest drops it is. Two more to go, baby."
The notifications kept coming.
===================
[Ding… Achievement Unlocked: "The Forbidden Fruit."]
Reclaimed a Piece of Eden on the Blue Pole Star.
[Rewards: 10,000 XP | 1,000 SP]
[Ding… Main Quest Updated: The Realm of Eden — Phase Two Initiated.]
Objective: Recover all nine Pieces of Eden scattered across the Blue Pole Star.
Requirement for Phase Three: Host Level 150 minimum.
[Pieces of Eden Recovered:]
Apple of Eden — ✅
???
???
???
???
???
???
???
???
=========================
Yun Che frowned, staring at the system prompt flickering in front of him.
"Wait… Level 150? I barely even hit 71! What kind of hellish realm needs that much power just to enter it?"
He exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "Whatever. One problem at a time." For now, the priority was simple — gain full control of the Apple.
========================
[SYSTEM SEQUENCE INITIATED]
[Ding… Host has acquired the Apple of Eden. Uploading host's data into the Apple.]
[Ding… Data upload complete. Setting host as primary administrator.]
[All countermeasures removed. Host may now safely use the Apple.]
========================
Another tone followed immediately.
========================
[Ding… Upgrade feature detected within the Apple. Initiating data merge.]
[Download complete. Integrating Apple protocols with system core.]
========================
Light spilled around Yun Che, the Apple's glyphs spiraling inward like data streams connecting directly into his soul.
==========================
[System compilation in progress. Apple data will expand host's Isu knowledge and database.][New feature unlocked: Blueprint System.]
==========================
Yun Che raised an eyebrow. "Blueprint System? Sounds fancy. What's that?"
=============================
[Blueprint System] — [An upgrade to the host's item-construction interface. Host may now replicate or design items, weapons, or technologies from memory. The system will generate a full schematic using host's knowledge and determine compatible materials within this world. Note: higher-tier items may require rare or divine materials.]
=============================
Yun Che's eyes lit up like a kid in a toy store. "Wait, so I can literally build anything from my old world? Modern weapons, tech, armor — everything?"
=============================
[Affirmative. However—]
=============================
He narrowed his eyes. "However?"
=============================
[Blueprints sold separately. Only original, self-created designs are free of charge.]
=============================
"..."
He stared at the glowing interface for a full three seconds. Then—
"Damn you, system. Every time I think we're friends…" He rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, at least it's not one of those 'rental systems' that charge by the day like in that stupid novel I read."
Still, he couldn't hide his grin. A forge that could translate his imagination into reality — this was beyond priceless. He'd built Yoru once through sheer will and memory. Now, the system itself could generate anything he remembered — guns, vehicles, even artifacts from his old world. All he needed were the materials… and maybe a mountain of patience.
He refocused. "System, power the Apple down."
================================
[Ding… Command accepted. Apple has recognized the host as its master.]
[System has placed the Apple in Harmless Mode. Only the host may activate it; all external contact denied.]
================================
A soft hum filled the chamber. The Apple's glow dimmed, the torrent of alien script and light folding inward until nothing remained but a simple, polished orb of gold resting quietly in his palm.
"Sweet," Yun Che murmured with a satisfied grin. "Now it's just a shiny paperweight that only I can use. No mind-control, no god-complex, no world-ending drama."
Behind him, Jasmine and Xuyi both let out identical sighs of disappointment as the dazzling data storms vanished into darkness.
Xuyi pouted, folding her arms with mock offense. "Aww… I was learning that!"
Jasmine's brow twitched. "Learning? You couldn't even read any of it."
"True," Xuyi admitted with a shrug, "but I was curious!"
Their playful bickering died down when both their gazes followed Yun Che, who now held the dormant Apple up to the light.
For the first time in a thousand years, the artifact was silent.No pulsing light, no whisper of hidden power — only a perfect, golden surface reflecting the faint glow of the chamber.
Xuyi's breath hitched. "It's… quiet," she whispered. "All this time, it never stopped glowing. Not even once. From the day I found it, it was always awake — always watching. I kept it sealed inside a pocket dimension, but even there, it pulsed like a heartbeat. This… this is the first time it's ever been still."
Yun Che smiled faintly. "Don't worry. It's harmless now." He turned the orb in his palm, its golden surface shimmering under the lights. "When I took control, I reset it to its original state — dormant, obedient, and bound only to me. No one else can use it anymore."
He raised it slightly. "See for yourself."
Jasmine blinked. "Me?"
"Why not? You're technically a system soul. You can touch anything physical, remember?"
Reluctantly, Jasmine reached out. Her fingers brushed the Apple's surface — smooth, cool, utterly lifeless. She turned it over, pressing along its seams, testing the hidden symbols. Nothing.
No glow, no hum, not even a flicker of energy.
For something that had once driven empires to madness, it now felt… ordinary.
"So this is the Apple of Eden?" she murmured softly. "Such a small thing… to cause so much harm."
Yun Che chuckled. "Oh, there are smaller ones. The smaller they get, the nastier they are. Size doesn't matter when it comes to trouble."
Jasmine arched a brow. "Charming philosophy. You said before there were others like this?"
"Yeah," Yun Che said, taking the Apple back and rolling it in his palm. "The Pieces of Eden aren't all apples. Some are swords, staves, tridents, crystals, amulets — whatever shape suited their creators. But they all share the same signature. Once you've seen one, you'll know the next."
Jasmine nodded thoughtfully. "So there are others scattered across this world?"
"Correct," Xuyi replied. "There are eight more, but I never found them. I scoured the continent — every ruin, every hidden vault. Nothing. Beyond the seas, the lands are too far, and the journey was suicide back then. So I gave up searching and focused on guarding this one."
"Then let's find them," Yun Che said simply, holding the Apple forward again. "A Piece of Eden can find another Piece. It's all a matter of asking the right questions."
The Apple reacted instantly.
FWOOM.
Golden waves burst outward, cascading into the air like ripples on a pond. In moments, the entire chamber filled with shimmering light. A holographic sphere — vast and luminous — materialized above them, rotating slowly.
Xuyi gasped. "This… this is—"
"The world," Yun Che finished, his voice a mix of awe and disbelief.
The glowing sphere showed the Blue Pole Star in its entirety. Three enormous continents hovered in brilliant detail, surrounded by vast oceans and polar caps that glowed faintly at the north and south.
And yet, what stunned them most wasn't the continents themselves — but their scale.
From this view, they looked like mere fragments, scattered islands adrift on the face of a world colossal in size.
Even Yun Che's experienced mind stuttered at the sight. The data overlay flickered across his vision, translating as the system analyzed the projection.
==================
Planet Size: 1.8× Jupiter
Atmospheric Layer: Dual Oxygen-Nitrogen Complex
Gravitational Ratio: 1.2 Standard G
Primary Energy Field: Profound + Radiant hybrid.
==================
He whistled under his breath. "So this is what we're standing on… a planet bigger than Jupiter. No wonder cultivators here can punch holes in mountains — the planet itself's a giant mana battery."
Jasmine looked up at the slowly spinning sphere, her eyes reflecting the stars. "It's beautiful… and terrifying."
Xuyi nodded, still entranced. "I never imagined it from this height. I always thought our continent was the world's heart, but now…"
"It's barely a drop in an ocean," Yun Che said quietly. "Which means the other Pieces… could be anywhere."
He smirked faintly, despite the monumental challenge ahead, the golden glow of the Apple reflecting in his eyes.
"So…" Xuyi floated beside him, eyes wide with childlike wonder. "This is the Blue Pole Star?"
Jasmine, by contrast, looked unmoved — but only on the surface. Her crimson eyes lingered on the holographic world with a quiet reverence. "Hmph. I've seen stars beyond counting in the Realm of the Gods… but never one like this."
Yun Che pointed toward a bright cluster of light marking a landmass shaped vaguely like a dragon's wing.
"Yes, toots. That's the Profound Sky Continent — our little playground."
Jasmine tilted her head, spotting two more vast landmasses spinning slowly nearby. "Then that one… is the Illusory Demon Realm? Your homeland?"
"Bingo." Yun Che zoomed the projection, tracing the enormous ocean gulf that separated them. "See that? That's the distance I have to cross to reach it. Looks big? Try impossible. By my system's measurement, this gap is thousands of kilometers across — far beyond flight range for any cultivator who hasn't reached divine power."
The system's overlay flickered quietly in Yun Che's mind, confirming it. The scale was monstrous — as if someone had taken a single living world and shattered it into three surviving organs.
Xuyi frowned thoughtfully. "Then what about the third one?"
Yun Che turned the sphere slightly until the last continent came into view — a long crescent of pale land glittering under spectral light. "That, my dears, is the Azure Cloud Continent. The third and final great land of this world."
He lowered his hand, his expression turning more serious. "This star used to be much larger. Once upon a time, these three continents were part of one titanic superland — a world that covered nearly forty percent of the planet's surface. Now?" He gestured, and the Apple zoomed out until the massive oceans swallowed the continents in scale. "Barely three percent remains."
Jasmine's eyes narrowed. "What could cause that kind of destruction?"
Yun Che sighed, rubbing his chin like a professor. "Three possibilities. One: a weapon stronger than antimatter — something beyond mortal or divine comprehension. Two: an asteroid impact — a moon-sized rock from the heavens itself. Three…"
He looked at Jasmine knowingly. "The usual suspects —celestials and devils deciding to play tug-of-war with creation."
Jasmine's lips tightened. "Given what I know of the divine wars… the third seems likely."
"Same guess here," Yun Che said with a shrug. "But either way, this world's been wrecked long before we arrived."
Xuyi frowned, processing his explanation. "Asteroid…?"
He chuckled. "A big rock from the sky. Imagine a mountain falling from the heavens, only it's as large as your moon. It doesn't land — it erases."
"That's absurd," Xuyi murmured, shaking her head. "Such a thing couldn't—"
"Toots," Yun Che cut in, half amused, half serious, "I came from a world where people mine those rocks for rare materials. Some of them are the size of this star, and some even have cities built on them. So yeah — it's possible."
The Apple responded to his voice command, its holographic projection shifting again. Glowing red dots appeared across the surface of the continents — six in total, scattered across land, sea, and even one buried deep beneath the southern ice.
Jasmine leaned closer. "What's this?"
Yun Che's eyes narrowed. "Coordinates… locations of the other Pieces."
Xuyi blinked. "It had this function all along? The Apple can sense them?"
"It can," Yun Che said, crossing his arms. "Each Piece of Eden is like a node in a network. They're all connected — transmitting faint energy signatures to each other. Any Piece can triangulate the rest."
He gestured to the red dots hovering across the world. "These are active responses — still functioning, still alive. The orange one…" He pointed to the glowing point beneath their feet. "…is us. The one in my hand."
Xuyi floated forward, her brows furrowed. "Wait. Only six? But earlier there were nine lights when the Apple activated. I saw them with my own eyes."
"Hnn…" she murmured, crossing her arms. "I'm sure of it. I witnessed it first-hand. Why?"
Yun Che's eyes flicked toward the floating sphere. "Look at the map again. One turned orange, five are red — but the other three?"
Jasmine moved closer, crimson eyes scanning the holographic world. "You're right. The orange one… that's us. It's near this continent, though not on it. The others…" Her tone faded into thought. "One in each major landmass — Profound Sky, Illusory Demon, and Azure Cloud. That accounts for three. But the rest…"
Yun Che zoomed the projection in with a thought, his fingers tracing glowing lines of light. "Let's see…"
He tapped the first red marker. "One's sitting in the far north — the polar continent, buried under that frozen wasteland. Lovely."
The map shifted again. Another red dot glimmered near an archipelago surrounded by storm clouds. "And this one's on a small island chain west of the Profound Sky Continent. Looks unassuming, but…"
He smirked faintly. "If I've learned anything, it's that small islands hide big headaches."
Then his eyes fell on the last red dot. It wasn't on any surface — it hovered beneath the planet's crust, deep within the endless blue of the sea.
"Okay," he muttered, blinking. "That's not what I had in mind."
"The bottom of the sea?" Xuyi whispered, clearly stunned. "How could a Piece of Eden end up there?"
Yun Che's expression hardened as a realization crept into his mind — echoing something Ares once said. "Wait… Ares mentioned he wasn't the only one. That he had comrades. If he was telling the truth, those comrades might have hidden their relics where no one could reach them."
Jasmine's voice dropped low, sharp. "So the ocean piece… isn't lost. It's protected."
"Exactly." Yun Che nodded slowly. "If a Piece of Eden needs a vessel or civilization to maintain its presence, then…"
Xuyi finished his thought, eyes widening. "Then there must be… a civilization under the sea."
Jasmine's tone was calm, but her eyes glimmered. "That's not impossible. In the Realm of the Gods, there are oceanic clans that thrive beneath divine seas — entire empires built under pressure and silence. I just didn't think mortals down here managed the same."
"Not mortals," Yun Che replied quietly. "Not exactly."
He let the thought hang, the golden projection casting light across his face. "We'll find out when the time comes. But that still leaves one question…"
Jasmine's gaze met his. "The missing three."
He nodded. "Yeah. The Apple shows only six signals. The others aren't here."
A beat of silence passed before both of them spoke in unison — voices low, knowing.
"The Realm of the Gods."
Xuyi's eyes widened in disbelief. "You mean those realms up there? The Divine ones? But—there are countless realms beyond the heavens! How could three pieces end up there?"
Yun Che shrugged slightly, though his tone was grave. "Maybe they were taken. Maybe they ascended when the old world fell apart. Either way, they're not here anymore."
He let the holographic world slowly fade, the golden lights collapsing into the Apple's surface. "We'll worry about that when we can actually reach the Divine Realm. For now…"
He clenched the artifact lightly, the glow dimming in his grasp. "…we keep what we've got safe."
Jasmine nodded. "The world isn't tearing itself apart — not yet. So the others must be dormant."
"Exactly." Yun Che smirked, though his tone held quiet resolve. "For now, they're asleep. And let's hope they stay that way until I'm ready."
The map dissolved into motes of light, fading into silence. The chamber returned to calm — only the faint hum of the Apple remaining.
For a long moment, no one spoke. Then Xuyi exhaled softly, her gaze drifting back to the coffin at the center of the chamber — her coffin.
Her smile was small, wistful. "You've done more than I ever could. I guarded one piece… you might guard them all."
Her tone had changed — gentle, final.
And Yun Che, realizing it, looked up slowly.
"You're ready… aren't you?"
Xuyi smiled faintly, her spirit shimmering under the soft light.
Xuyi let out a long breath — the kind of sigh that seemed to carry three thousand years of weight. Her expression softened, calm and finally unburdened.
"I guess this is it, then," she murmured. "At least I learned something new from the Apple. There are more of those things out there."
Her voice trembled slightly at the end, but the smile on her face was genuine.
"Xuyi," Yun Che said gently, "it's not too late. You can still travel — find the others with us."
She chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Yun Che, I'm done. This Empress has had her fair share of battles and burdens. All I want now is to kick back and relax. I've earned a break, don't you think?"
"I understand."
She turned her gaze toward the glowing Apple one last time. "It's been so long since I've seen my parents… I wonder how they fare in the afterlife."
"In my world," Yun Che said quietly, "souls are cleansed before they're reborn. But I don't know how it works here. I'm a soul reaper, sure, but… this isn't my own realm. I don't make the rules. The Heavens did."
Xuyi smiled faintly. "Then, only one way to find out." She floated a little higher, her translucent form shimmering like moonlight. "Yun Che, Jasmine — please finish this adventure for me. And if I meet my parents, I hope I can be reborn as someone new. Do you think… we might meet again someday?"
"I'm sure we will, Xuyi," Jasmine said, her voice soft — warmer than usual.
Xuyi suddenly swooped in and wrapped her arms around her. Jasmine stiffened at first, caught off guard, but then slowly returned the embrace.
"I'm going to miss you," Xuyi whispered, her voice trembling.
When she let go, she turned toward Yun Che, smiling through her tears. "Yun Che… train Cang Xue's descendant in my place. I wish I could see her grow into someone spectacular."
Yun Che smiled, placing a hand over his heart. "Don't worry. One day, her name will reach the heavens themselves. She's my Cang Yue — the Blue Moon Princess. Tomorrow, she'll be the Blue Moon Empress… and someday, the Blue Moon Celestial."
Xuyi giggled softly. "Heh… I'll hold you to that promise. And one more thing…"
She floated forward and hugged him — tighter than he expected. Her tears soaked into his shoulder, her voice trembling against him.
"Thank you… thank you for setting me free."
Yun Che hesitated for only a moment before returning the hug. "No… I'm sorry it took me three thousand years to get here."
She chuckled through her tears. "You kept me waiting… but it was worth it."
He nodded slowly. "Then, are you ready?"
"Almost." She pulled away and brushed her hair back, regaining her composure. "Below the arena, beneath this pyramid, there's a special vault I built long ago — filled with spoils of war and relics from before I became Empress. I don't need them anymore. Do what you wish with them."
She paused, her tone softening again. "And… please, lay my body to rest. For centuries it's slept in shadow. Let it feel the sunlight once more before it turns to dust."
"I'll make sure of it," Yun Che said firmly.
"Good." She smiled, eyes glimmering with gratitude. "One last thing — the moment my coffin is removed and the Apple taken, you'll both be teleported back to the arena above. Behind the secret vault is a formation — the only way out. But it can only send one person, to a random place far away from here. The other will return to the entrance. After that, the formation will trigger this tomb's self-destruction. It will all vanish — sealed forever."
"Got it," Yun Che replied. "Anything else I should know?"
"Nope…" She took a deep breath, her smile gentle but firm. "I'm ready."
The chamber quieted. The soft hum of the Apple faded into silence.Only her soul glowed — serene, radiant, unburdened.
Yun Che glanced once at Jasmine, who gave a small nod.
He drew Zangetsu. The blade shimmered with faint blue light, its edge humming with both death and peace. He held it upright, the hilt pointed toward her.
Xuyi stepped closer, closing her eyes as moonlight gathered around her form. "It feels strange," she whispered. "After all this time… to finally be free."
Yun Che smiled faintly. "Then go. You've earned it."
"Thank you…" her voice echoed faintly, already distant. "For letting me see the stars again."
"This is how you send her to the afterlife?" Jasmine asked quietly, her tone softer than usual.
Yun Che gave a faint nod, his gaze locked on Xuyi's peaceful face. "Yes. By pressing the hilt of a Zanpakutō on a soul's forehead, we perform a Konsō — a Soul Burial. It's how we send spirits to the next life… or at least, to the afterlife of this world."
His voice carried both calm and weight. He couldn't make her stay — but he could give her what she'd longed for most.
He exhaled once. "Well, Xuyi… have a safe trip."
Then, he pressed the hilt of Zangetsu gently to her forehead.
The blade pulsed once.
In an instant, Xuyi's soul was enveloped in white light — radiant, pure, and impossibly bright. The air trembled as her form shimmered, her beauty magnified to something ethereal, almost divine. Even fairies would have bowed before that light.
She smiled through tears, feeling warmth spread through her body — the first and last true comfort she'd known in millennia. Slowly, the light lifted her upward, carrying her beyond the mortal veil.
Before she vanished, her voice echoed — clear and bright as moonlight.
"Yun Che, Jasmine… when I'm reincarnated in the future, I'll find you both. Once more… thank you!"
Her form scattered into countless petals of white light, ascending through the ceiling of the tomb and out into the world above.
As she rose, Xuyi saw — one last time — the world she had protected for three thousand years. The endless sea glimmering like liquid sapphire. The vast, breathing land. The sky — infinite, alive, free.
Her final thought was a prayer.
Let me see this again… when I return.
Then, she was gone.
The silence that followed was vast and sacred.
Jasmine stood still, her arms at her sides. She whispered so softly it barely reached her own ears,
"You'd better keep that promise…"
But a single tear betrayed her — falling, vanishing before it touched the floor.
Beside her, Yun Che pressed his palms together — not in cultivation, but in prayer. The gesture was unfamiliar here, but ancient to him.
Jasmine tilted her head. "What are you doing?"
"Making a wish," he said, eyes still closed. "That she'll be reborn into a happy life. Maybe with her memories intact… maybe not. But I hope she finds a family that loves her. And who knows? Maybe we'll meet her again someday — as a friend. Or a student. Maybe even your best friend."
Jasmine blinked, then, after a quiet moment, mirrored his gesture — pressing her hands together. Her eyes closed as she whispered a silent wish of her own.
When she opened them again, she caught Yun Che smiling faintly.
He reached out and patted her head, his tone gentle. "It's fine. We'll see her again. When we do, I'll introduce her to Retsu and the others."
She glanced away with a faint huff. "Hmph. As if this princess needs to tell you her wish."
He chuckled softly. "Hai, hai…"
The moment lingered — peaceful, bittersweet.
Then Yun Che approached Xuyi's coffin — her preserved body lying within, still serene, still beautiful. He placed a hand on the lid. "You've done enough," he murmured. "Time to rest properly."
With a motion of his hand, the coffin shimmered and vanished — safely stored within his spatial inventory. He already knew where she would rest: not in this cold tomb, but beneath sunlight, in the sanctuary of her birth.
As he turned away, the ground beneath them began to glow.
A formation bloomed underfoot, its runes pulsing with the same aqua light that had guided them since they arrived. The moment the Apple and the coffin were removed, the mechanism Xuyi had mentioned came alive — fulfilling its final purpose.
The air shimmered with energy.
Yun Che glanced around the empty chamber one last time. "You must've been so lonely here…" he murmured. "Three thousand years, and you never went mad. You really were one of a kind."
Jasmine stepped beside him, her crimson eyes soft. "She waited for the right people to find her. That's what kept her sane."
He nodded. "Then let's not waste her trust."
Light enveloped them.
In the next instant, their forms dissolved into streaks of golden energy, vanishing into the teleportation formation.
Below them, the chamber began to die — its light dimming, its markings fading. The once-living mechanisms of the Moon Empress's legacy powered down one by one until the place was nothing but stone and silence.
For the first time in a thousand years, the tomb was truly at rest.
And in that darkness — where once a lonely empress waited — there was finally peace.