When a person has finally made up their mind,  peace comes and the only thing left is to quietly wait.

Unwilling to hear all the ruckus of killing and fighting that are going right outside of her palace, Qiangu silences her world with a wave of a hand. Closing her eyes as she immersed herself in the warm water bath, Qiangu feels like she has been transported back to the lonely but peaceful days of her imprisonment under the Sea of Zhang Liu.

Rising out of the water, with another wave of her hand, a flurry of garments fly towards Qiangu along with four ribbons that quickly tied up her hair in a simple flower knot. This is going to be a glorious finale.

Walking through the long dark corridor, Qiangu arrives by the still sleeping Sha Qianmo’s side. Tenderly caressing his face, Qiangu places a soft kiss on Sha Qianmo’s forehead then whispers “Older sister, Don’t sleep anymore. It’s time to wake up.”

As her voice echoes through the room, the flower mark on Sha Qianmo’s forehead starts to shine brightly. After staring at Sha Qianmo for a long moment, Qiangu smiles softly then finally turns away.

“Take care.”

Completely surrounded by guards, Mo Bing Xian stands outside of Qiangu’s palace door as the rain pours down around them.

Her face devoid of any emotions, Qiangu asks “Why are you here?”
Revealing the sword in his hand, there are many emotions in Mo Bing Xian’s eyes but none of it is the desire to kill.
“Don’t go…” Why would she go when it is clearly a path to self destruction? No matter what it takes, he will stop her today. He is not greedy for anything else, the only thing he wants is for her to be safe.

Her eyes cold as she marches past Mo Bing Xian, Qiangu replies “What has that got to do with you?”
Mo Bing Xian charges towards Qiangu but before his sword could go anywhere near her, he is forcefully flung away.
“Unless I am dead, then I refuse to watch you kill or see other people kill you!”
Lunging forward when he saw a moment of hesitation from Qiangu, Mo Bing Xian begins to sap her power away.
“What a joke! Who is this world can kill me?!” Lightly touching her brow with two fingers, a beam of light immediately strikes Mo Bing Xian right in the chest.
Stunned, Mo Bing Xian collapses with his eyes wide with disbelief.
Taking two steps forward, Qiangu catches Mo Bing Xian in her arms.
“Don’t go…don’t be a fool…” She actually refined 16 heavenly weapons? Mo Bing Xian finally figures out what Qiangu is planning to do and realized, even more, the danger she is in. Mo Bing Xian uses all of his strength to grab onto Qiangu but it was useless as his body begins to turn numb and his vision dims.

Gently laying Mo Bing Xian on a bed, Qiangu whispers ” I used to be very happy, but I was too happy so when sadness came it was able to destroy the happiness completely. However, a person can’t use sadness as an excuse to avoid doing one’s duty. This time, I will choose my own fate. No matter what, thank you for keeping me company in this final period of time when it was the most difficult. Even though I knew it was all fake but I was still happy.”
Mo Bing Xian’s lips silently mouthed something before he slowly closed his eyes. After a moment of hesitation, Qiangu nods her head like she was answering Mo Bing Xian.

Quietly standing in the rain, Zhuran reports to Qiangu “Shan Chunqiu has taken the demon army and joined the alliance.” (Shan Chunqiu was Sha Qianmo’s right hand man and extremely loyal to him. Believing that the reason Qiangu hasn’t “woken” Sha Qianmo up was due to her own greed to control the demon sect, Shan Chuqiu finally decided to join the alliance.)

“All right. I am just surprised that you didn’t guard against this.”

With a shrug, Zhu Ran replies “The ending will be the same anyway. Everyone has something they hold dear, each of us has to do what calls to us.” Feeling bored yet excited at the same time, there is only one thing that matters to Zhu Ran now.

Without another word, Qiangu and Zhu Ran rise up into the air and fly through the clouds.

Qiangu’s long awaited arrival creates a wave of stir and fear among the armies that have gathered. Surveying the numerous armies that spread out as far as eyes could see, Qiangu’s lips twist into a smile of derision. The people she used to love and knew so well are each standing with swords in hand, wearing an expression like they are warriors ready to sacrifice their lives for justice. They are righteous, she is evil. They are right, she is wrong. Is the only way to make everyone happy is for her to die?

Standing in front of everyone is Bai Zihua, like an impenetrable wall.

What a fool. He wants to protect those behind but he also wants to protect the one in front. In the end, the one that will be destroyed could only be him. Qiangu’s haughty smile seems to be a mockery at his foolish stubbornness. Qiangu could see herself in Bai Zihua’s eyes but then it also seems like she has no place in them. Dressed simply as usual, Bai Zihua’s white robe is unmoved by the fierce wind and rain. Staring at the wide robe sleeve that hides Zihua’s left arm and with it, the gaping wound, Qiangu is suddenly filled with the urge to expose him to the whole world.

Using everything in her to suppress the rage that threatens to overwhelm her, Qiangu also tries to ignore the fact Bai Zihua has miraculously recovered his power. It really doesn’t matter if he has his power or not. In the end, they are all like ants compared to her.

“You did it on purpose?”

Even though she doesn’t believe last night was a lie but if the kiss was really part of his plan…then she really has nothing more to say.

———————————————————————-Aug 8, 2018——————————————————————————–

Averting his eyes to hide the sadness in them, Zihua replies with the usual coldness in his voice “You can think of it that way.”

He would rather if everything that had happened up to this point were all planned and both of them could remain blissfully ignorant.

Xia Gu is still young and it is not her fault that she can’t differentiate between romantic love and admiration. But he who had lived for 300 years should’ve known better and should be beyond the trappings of love. All his years of protection and tender care of her have now become shameful and disgusting because of his forbidden feelings.
How can he accept this? How can he accept that he has been harboring such disgusting thoughts towards the pupil he has reared with all his heart.

He has put a shameful stain on all of their precious time together.

She doesn’t understand that he has never regarded her love for him as shameful even though it was a mistake. Because of her love, his heart struggled but was also warmed at the same time. The love she has gifted him was so wonderful and precious that nothing in this world could compare. Constantly stunned by that wondrous love, his heart aches each time she is hurt. However, reason has forced him to hurt her again and again in hopes that she would give up… but in the end, he himself is caught with no way out.

With everything he has done to make her give up and breaking her heart in the process, what was the point? What does this make him?
She doesn’t understand that what is shameful to him was never her love but himself instead. He can accept her in every way and any mistakes she might make but he cannot forgive himself.

If he admits his feelings towards her now then it would make everything in their past a mistake. But their past was not a mistake, he is the mistake.

Despite having his power back, Bai Zhihua’s face is still pale. What more can he say at this point? Things have long been out of his control. If the heaven really wants to destroy the six realms then he could only do his part and let the chips fall where they will.

With a small sigh, Zihua tries to reason with Qiangu one last time “Don’t cause any more innocent deaths. Go back to the sea of Zhang Liu with me.” This solution might not satisfy everyone in the six realms but this is nonetheless still the best way to avoid the large scale of death that would face this world if it tries to fight a demon goddess.
Sneering in reply, Qiangu asks “you can promise I won’t be killed?”

“As long as you are willing to seal the demon goddess power up again then I will protect you with my life.” This is the only way now. If she will give up her power then no matter what happens to her, he will keep her company in prison till the end of time… until they can both be redeemed.

“How’s that different from killing me.” Does he really expect her to seal her demon goddess power so she could go back to being blind, deaf and scarred?

Casting a look at the stormy sea, Zihua replies “I will be right by your side.”

With another sneer, Qiangu demands “So you can keep being my prison guard? Thanks but no thanks. Besides, even if every single soul from the six realms gathers against me I could kill everyone in an instant so what do you have to bargain with me?”

Looking at Qiangu with pity in his eyes, Zihua replies “Because you can’t kill. Xia Gu, you are a god so no matter what you can’t go against what you are. Like the sun can’t rise from the West, the senseless killing will only bring you unbearable agony. You are already suffering greatly from killing Lou Shiyi. Before you destroy the six realms your body will disintegrate from the power of the demon goddess, so why start a fight that will just end badly for both sides?”

So that’s why he never gave up on her and kept trying to turn things around. It wasn’t because he trusted her but it was because he knew as a god she could never go against her nature.

It is all true. No matter how much she hated and resented, there was nothing she could do.

Even though this world had lied to her, hurt her, destroyed her but she still loves it. Not because of her love for Bai Zihua but because from deep down she wants to protect it. Just like Tango Bao was like her own child, how can she destroy the world she had protected and nurtured with her own body.”

Is this why the alliance dared to come? Just because Bai Zihua told them that if she killed them it would mean destroying herself as well? There is something everyone had overlooked. The body of a god is the best vessel for the demon goddess power but it is also the best constraint.

But why should she sacrifice herself for the world again and again?! Is being noble always mean sacrificing one’s self? What has she done that was so wrong? Was loving a man such a big mistake? What does it matter anymore if this battle means her end as well?

As Qiangu’s anger builds so does the raindrops become more fierce, almost like daggers that threaten to breaks through each person’s protective shields.

All text copyright @ www.Ninja-Reflection.com

 

 

 

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