Chapter 111: The Eternal Farewell
Lin Xuan lay unconscious for days,
the Liu Clan home filled with the quiet scent of medicinal herbs,
the air heavy with the soft hum of worry as the family tended to him,
his small room lit by a flickering lantern casting long shadows.
Liu Yue sat beside him, her raven hair falling over her face,
watching with tired, red-rimmed eyes,
sometimes in silence, sometimes murmuring softly to him,
her Severed Unity Pendant glowing faintly as she adjusted his blanket.
"Senior Brother, you're so stubborn…
please wake up soon. We need you,"
she said, dabbing a cool cloth on his forehead,
noticing his wounds closing, bones knitting with an eerie speed.
She continued to tend him,
her Frost Phoenix Cry mist curling gently around her hands,
the faint crackle of the fire the only sound breaking the tense quiet,
her presence a constant vigil over his fragile state.
Four nights passed, the tension mounting with each sunrise,
Luo Shuang joining her at times, her beauty softened by exhaustion,
whispering prayers as she adjusted his pillows, her silver hair catching the dim light.
On the fifth night, a soft groan escaped Lin Xuan's lips,
his black-and-white eyes fluttering open, glinting in the lantern's glow.
"How long have I been out…?" he croaked,
his voice rough and dry, his body aching as he tried to sit up.
Liu Yue's face lit up, her tiredness giving way to a tired but radiant smile,
her hand steadying him as she replied,
"Five days, Senior Brother.
We were so scared—you scared us half to death!"
Lin Xuan managed a weak chuckle, wincing at the pain.
"Thank you… for staying, Junior Sister.
I didn't mean to worry you."
She shook her head, her voice soft and firm.
"You're always the one standing for us.
Just rest this time—let us take care of you for once."
The next day, Lin Xuan sealed his cultivation once more,
standing at the Liu Clan gates, his resolve firm despite his weakened state,
the plains stretching before him like a vast, uncharted sea under a pale sky.
Luo Shuang approached, her eyes brimming with tears,
hugging him tightly, her voice breaking with maternal fear.
"Xuan'er, come back to me—
please, don't leave us like Ren did.
You're my son, my strength."
Lin Xuan returned the embrace, his voice gentle but resolute.
"I will, Mother.
This isn't the end—it's a promise to return stronger.
Take care of them for me."
Liu Yue and Liu Yang joined her, their faces a mix of pride and sorrow,
Liu Yue's voice steady despite the tremble in her hands.
"We're with you, Senior Brother.
That ring will guide you back—don't forget us."
Liu Yang nodded, gripping his Blood Forged Glaive,
his young face determined.
"Stay safe, Senior Brother!
I'll train hard—those tablets won't know what hit them!"
Ji Yunjing arrived, his silk robes rustling in the breeze,
his voice carrying the weight of a leader's support.
"Dawnriver stands with you, Brother Lin.
Go with our strength, and return a legend."
Lin Xuan stepped onto the plains, whispering to himself,
"Ren, I'm coming—for answers, for you."
In the divine realm, the atmosphere crackled with urgency,
a blazing figure pacing within a sealed domain, its voice a growl.
"He's there—prepare the hunt!"
Their master, halo cracked, commanded,
"Track him—now! We can't let him escape this time"
Luo Shuang watched from afar, her whisper carried on the wind,
"Xuan'er, my brave boy—come back to me,"
her figure a silhouette against the gates as the family's legacy endured.
The journey stretched into the evening,
the air lightening with the scent of pine and the promise of destiny,
the senior brother's resolve and martial mother's hope a fragile beacon,
his bow to eternity a step into the divine fray as he vanished into the forest.