Sanctuary Paradise

Chapter 543 "Protagonist" [1.4w words]

"My dear old friend, what do you think is the most important factor in achieving great success?"

“Transcendence.”

"Hahaha~! My dear old friend, I didn't expect you to be so heroic~! But... unfortunately, this is not the correct answer~!"

"Really? Then what do you think it is?"

"Well, guess what?"

"roll."

"Ha ha ha ha ~! Don't be so cold, my dear old friend, didn't I tell you that you must be patient in everything~! That's right, patience is very important, so we just need to wait, and when the time is right, the answer will naturally appear before you and me~!"

The black shadow's nonsensical laughter echoed in the playwright's mind. In the simple theater, the playwright opened his eyes, glanced at the scene on the stage, looked at the black shadow beside him, and said:

"So, how long will it take for the opportunity you mentioned to arrive?"

"Hehe~ My dear old friend, what you said is really interesting..."

In the audience, the black shadow chuckled when he heard the playwright's words. He was seen staring at the scene on the stage in fascination, moaning uncontrollably and opening his arms as if embracing everything on the stage.

"Now, isn't this the most exciting moment?!"

……

Xin Lailai felt as if she had had an extremely distant dream.

In that dream, he became a talented adventurer, met a mentor who influenced his life for half a century, and under the mentor's guidance, he achieved results that could be called excellent.

In the dream, he had mastered his skills, bid farewell to his teacher, and embarked on a journey alone.

In his dream, he climbed high mountains, waded through swamps, and encountered all kinds of strange people and things along the way.

In the dream, he was praised, delicious food was left for him, and some people even compared him to the heroes in the story.

In his dreams, he began to fantasize that he could really be on par with those heroes, and began to attempt all kinds of great deeds that he should not have been involved in.

Then, he started to get stronger.

Then, he began to fall.

Then he started to get up.

Then, he successfully met the real heroes who only existed in stories.

They drank and talked happily.

They talked about their ideals.

They learn from each other.

They move forward together.

In the end, he and those heroes each achieved their own great deeds and became heroes praised by people.

Until I wake up from the dream——

"To be honest, it's really rare to see you in such a state of disarray."

Frivolous words rang in Xin Lailai's ears, and golden arcs of lightning flashed across his sight. Xin Lailai looked at the scene in front of him and felt his vision suddenly blurred. When he recovered, he had appeared about a hundred meters away from Ji Ren Yuanying. At the same time, a blond young man was standing beside him, admiring him.

Ya...Mu...

Xin Lailai looked at the blond young man in front of him, then moved his gaze to look at the scene in front of him. Looking at Dao Ji who was confronting Ji Ren Yuan Ying, his thoughts, which had become somewhat stagnant due to the freezing of space, finally reacted to what was happening in front of him.

I see… so, support?

"Ah... cough! cough cough...!!"

Xin Lailai looked at the scene in front of him and subconsciously wanted to say something, but a sharp pain suddenly came from his whole body, and at the same time, a burning pain suddenly burst out from his lungs, causing him to cough violently.

"I advise you to just lie down and rest. To be honest, I'm beginning to wonder how you got yourself into this state."

Yamu glanced at Xin Lailai and shook his head. Then he glanced at Dao Ji and Ji Ren Yuan Ying who were confronting each other in the distance and said:

"Don't worry, Dao Ji, that pervert, seems to have made another breakthrough. That half-crippled abyss creature alone cannot hurt him."

Can’t it hurt…?

In the dim maze, Xin Lailai lay under a stone pillar, looking at the young man in white who was confronting Ji Ren Yuan Ying, sensing the two sharp intentions in the air that were obviously resisting in the branch hall, and then looked at Yamu who seemed to have a heartless expression but was standing firmly in front of him. The eyes in his somewhat dizzy pupils jumped slightly, and finally he smiled at himself and closed his eyes lightly.

Sure enough, it was just a dream after all.

After I return this time, I will study runes in depth.

As for Xiaobai and the others, they were busy with their promotion before, so as a father, he should take some time to accompany his children.

Speaking of which, I haven’t been in touch with Quan Momo for a long time. I wonder if they have passed the assessment of boss Qing Weile?

By the way, I wonder if Brother Ritian and his friends have come back? When the time comes, please invite Brother Ritian to their room as a guest and let him taste the flavor of the can of black maple tea.

Oh, I almost forgot, it seems that they still have an assessment mission in this world. I don’t know if paradise will accept them if they return like this... Never mind, it doesn’t matter.

In a trance, Xin Lailai felt as if she had suddenly thrown away a burden, and her body and mind suddenly felt empty and relaxed.

sleepy……

Forget it, let's rest for a while. Anyway, with Yamu and the others around, it doesn't seem to matter whether he wakes up or not.

Then, his tired expression gradually relaxed, his eyelids, which were heavy from being stained by blood, sank a little, and his vision was gradually swallowed by darkness, and then...

"Not...you."

A piercing sound, as if thousands of voices gathered together, suddenly exploded in Xin Lailai's mind, causing the sight that should have been completely immersed in the darkness to suddenly stop there.

……

clang--! !

The long sound of the bell echoed under the broken starry sky.

Is it finally here?

In the void, the white-robed scholar looked at the crystal ball in his hand that was forcibly stitched together by some force, raised his head and looked at the picture above his head that looked like a large number of disordered lines intertwined together, squinting his eyes slightly.

After all, the two people were unable to avoid this node.

In the end, the backup plan he left behind even unknowingly became part of the other party's 'accomplice'.

"The difference in experience..."

The white-robed scholar whispered, and a deep light flashed across his gray and white pupils.

He certainly couldn't avoid this moment.

but--

Although the 'path' could not be changed, at least the 'nodes' he left behind had successfully 'shaken' the inevitable outcome.

As for the rest…

It depends on the choice made by those two people.

"I hope... you can really stick to those words until the end."

……

What on earth is this guy insisting on...

"You...are not my...enemy."

Things have already turned out like this, why can you still say such words so firmly?

"My... old enemy, stand up... and continue... fighting... with me!!"

A sharp and piercing sound exploded from Xin Lailai's mind.

In the dim maze, Ji Ren Yuan Ying, who was originally confronting Dao Ji, stared at Dao Ji for a while, then looked away and moved his gaze to Xin Lai Lai who was lying under the stone pillar. A strong fighting spirit rose in his scarlet pupils.

What are you doing...

Xin Lailai was forced to open his eyes by the sharp and piercing noise in his head. Looking at the scene in front of him, he inexplicably felt a sense of absurdity in his mind.

So this guy was programmed to be killed alone?
"Oh, it's really boring..."

Faintly, Xin Lailai seemed to hear a sneering sound coming from his own mouth.

He looked at Ji Ren Yuan Ying in front of him, at the cracks spreading on his body, at his completely broken right arm, and at the pair of scarlet eyes that had been fixed on him, and his consciousness gradually became a little hazy.

"Tsk, what is this thing doing? I say, Brother Daoji, if you don't take action, I will have to take action first..." "Fellow Daoist Yamu, can you wait for a moment?"

Yamu, who was standing in front of Xin Lailai, looked at Ji Ren Yuanying who was looking at them, clicked his tongue lightly, scratched his messy hair, sighed, and golden arcs of lightning began to emerge on his body surface.

But before Yamu could actually take action, Dao Ji's voice suddenly came, which made Yamu slightly stunned. He looked at Dao Ji in surprise, and then he saw that the other party was looking at Ji Ren Yuanying in front of him calmly, with his eyes slightly lowered, as if waiting for something.

"I say, Jian Dazi, you..."

"Please consider this as a favor to me, Brother Yamu, and wait a little longer."

A calm voice came out from Dao Ji's mouth, but in his gentle voice there was a hint of unusually sharp power. Dao Ji glanced at Ya Mu and said:

"Don't worry. If anything really happens, I will take the responsibility, but now..."

Dao Ji said, his eyes slightly lowered, his pupils reflected the miserable Xin Lailai lying behind Yamu, and he said in a deep voice:

"It would be better to wait for Fellow Daoist Black Sword to make a decision before taking action."

Wait for this guy to make a decision?

Upon hearing this, Yamu's eyes flashed with doubt. He turned to look at Xin Lailai who was behind him. He subconsciously wanted to ask the other party about the situation, but he seemed to notice something suddenly. His pupils shrank slightly, and the words in his mouth were stuck in his throat.

So…is that so?
This is really...

Yamu looked at Xin Lailai in front of him, then looked at Ji Ren Yuanying who was standing there. He was silent for a while, sighed, and looked at Dao Ji beside him.

"I didn't realize you're such a thoughtful guy."

Dao Ji heard this, shook his head indifferently, and said calmly:

"I just happen to be more sensitive to things like intention and momentum. Moreover, given Fellow Daoist Black Sword's current condition, it would be difficult for me not to notice it."

Dao Ji said this while staring at Xin Lailai, who was leaning against a stone pillar without saying a word, as if she hadn't heard their conversation at all, with her eyes slightly lowered.

As a master of swordsmanship, he could sense very clearly that from the moment they appeared, the confusion in the opponent's sword momentum had been expanding wildly, even to the point that the opponent's sword momentum began to show signs of collapse. It was not until Ji Ren Yuan Ying in front of him spoke that the signs of collapse suddenly stopped.

He had no idea what had happened to the other party during the time when they were separated by the space storm, but his intuition as a technician and the meaning transmitted by the strange abyss creature in front of him, who made him feel that he had met it too late, all told him that now was not the time to take action.

"Do you think...he can really get out?"

Yamu looked at the man and the figure in front of him who seemed to be still, and suddenly spoke.

Dao Ji heard Yamu's words, looked at the scene in front of him, was silent for a while, and shook his head:

"I do not know."

"But... no matter what, that will be Fellow Daoist Black Sword's own choice."

……

so quiet……

Why... is it suddenly so quiet?

In the darkness, Xin Lailai's thoughts were slightly disturbed.

Then, a picture appeared before their eyes.

That was the appearance of Jiren Yuanying.

He was seen lying under a stone pillar, with his head raised, and they suddenly looked into each other's eyes.

I remembered……

He was defeated by Ji Ren Yuan Ying and was rescued by Dao Ji and Ya Mu. However, Ji Ren Yuan Ying suddenly said something to him and told him to stand up and continue fighting with him.

In other words...are we still waiting for him to make a choice?
Strange... It feels like a long time has passed. Didn't Yamu and the others take action...

Or was it that Ji Ren Yuan Ying had actually been eliminated, and what he saw before him was just an illusion?

sleepy.

Forget it...

Don’t think about it…

Let’s take a rest first.

That's right, just get some sleep.

When he wakes up, everything will be over.

As he thought so, he stopped struggling and was about to let his eyes close when a picture suddenly appeared in his pupils, stunning him.

Those are... the eyes of Jiren Yuanying.

The moment he let his eyes droop, the look in Ji Ren Yuan Ying's scarlet eyes, which were filled with fanaticism, suddenly changed.

The strong will to fight suddenly disappeared, all the enthusiasm was gone, and what replaced it was...

——It was a look of extremely strong disappointment.

Like a look of betrayal.

It's like going to a date with great enthusiasm, only to find out in the end that your friend has no intention of keeping the appointment.

In an instant, an extremely absurd emotion arose in his mind.

Are you kidding me?
Why do you have to give that look?

Can't understand...

Disappointed?

Disappointed with him?

Do not make jokes!
He was obviously the one being hunted and had nowhere to go!
He was obviously the one who gave up everything but ended up looking so ugly!
Puzzled, confused, bewildered, angry...

An extremely strong emotion rose in his mind, making him subconsciously want to open his eyes again, stand up again, and use all his strength to scold the other person, questioning why the other person had the nerve to look at him like that.

But when he was really about to do so, he suddenly froze.

The impulse in my mind stopped involuntarily, and was replaced by a rhetorical question:
——What’s the point of standing up?
The time for lifting the limit is almost over. In those short two or three minutes, how can he defeat the opponent?

His body has been overwhelmed by the continuous space transfer. Even if his health points are fully restored by the effect of the Oath Suit, how long can this forcibly supported body last?
and……

What if you die?

He had managed to hold on until now with great difficulty, until Dao Ji and others showed up, until the turning point came.

At a time like this, is there really any point in risking your life for a momentary dispute?

What if the opponent swings out that knife again that can even cut through the invincible state? What if they fail to block that knife, or even get hurt in their soul core by that knife? What should they do then?
Rhetorical questions echoed in his mind one after another, gradually extinguishing the spark of fire in his brain.

Finally, he looked at Ji Ren Yuan Ying who slowly turned around and no longer looked at him, and fell silent.

Compared to standing up or something, he is now...

What is more important is to survive.

……

Yes, just surviving is enough.

Under the starry sky, he looked up at the cause and effect above his head that was gradually falling apart, and there was an incomparably calm look in his grayish-white pupils.

"ended."

Yes, it's over.

That's enough.

For those two people, just being able to survive was already an act worthy of being called a heroic act.

As for the greater achievement that goes one step further, that itself is nothing more than a dream that is neither reasonable nor practical.

The dream is beautiful.

But... that's not reality.

……

"It seems that you lost the bet."

Inside the theater, the playwright looked at the scene on the stage, glanced at the dark shadow beside him, and a hint of sarcasm appeared at the corner of his mouth.

In fact, from the very beginning he knew exactly what Sombra wanted to see from the newcomer.

Struggle after failure.

Get up after falling down.

Counterattack after awakening.

The so-called great achievements, after all, are nothing more than things like this.

He admitted that the newcomer had an extraordinary will, had gone through many ups and downs, and had become so strong both physically and mentally that it was almost impossible to defeat him by conventional means.

But he knew even more clearly how harsh the "trial" that Black Shadow had prepared for the newcomer was. It was so harsh that it was almost unsolvable.

Therefore, in his opinion, the newcomer who made a series of wrong choices had no chance of turning the situation around.

"If nothing unexpected happens, that guy Meimu should be relieved now, right?"

The playwright glanced behind him, looking at the pitch-black void outside the theater, squinting his eyes slightly, and began to think about his next move in his mind.

at this time--

"My dear old friend, what are you talking about? Didn't I say that at a time like this, the most needed thing is patience?"

"?!"

The shadow's frivolous and teasing voice suddenly sounded from the side, causing the playwright's pupils to shrink slightly. He turned around abruptly and looked at the scene on the stage with a look of surprise in his eyes.

"Didn't I tell you? Now... is the most exciting moment~!"

……

"..."

"It seems that he has made his choice."

On the battlefield, Yamu looked at the black-haired young man in front of him who had his eyes closed and his head lowered, as if he had fallen asleep, and spoke.

Dao Ji didn't say anything when he heard that. He just stared at the somewhat embarrassed figure of the black-haired young man for a while, sensing the sword energy in the other party that had completely lost its sharpness, and sighed softly.

"So, what are you doing?"

Suddenly, a cold and indifferent voice came from the side, and the figure of the person holding the dead walked out of the silver-white space teleportation array. After glancing at the scene on the field, his eyes stopped on Yamu.

"Well, how should I put it? The person was saved, but the situation is a little complicated. How should I put it... Forget it, let's talk about it after we deal with this thing in front of us."

Yamu felt the gaze of the Death Holder, and helplessly scratched his golden hair. Finally, he sighed, glanced at Ji Ren Yuan Ying, whose aura was becoming more and more dangerous in the distance, and looked at Dao Ji who was standing aside:

"Brother Daoji, are you going to do it or should I?"

"Come down, I sense a very familiar feeling from him, so as a fellow traveler, at least let me see him off to the end."

Dao Ji said this calmly, looking at the silent Ji Ren Yuan Ying in front of him, lowering his eyes slightly, taking a step forward, and the sharp sword intent rushed up from his body, causing the surrounding ground to instantly appear with a series of unknown cuts.

Just as he was about to make his move, a voice that sounded unusually weak suddenly came from behind him.

"stop."

For a moment, everyone present, except the two people holding the deceased, was stunned.

Yamu and Daoji turned around almost at the same time and looked at the figure who staggered to his feet from the ground. The former looked stunned, while the latter had a strange look in his eyes.

The one who reacted the most was Ji Ren Yuan Ying, who had already turned his gaze away from that figure. He looked at the staggering figure of the black-haired young man, and his scarlet pupils, which had originally dimmed, once again burst into an extremely hot gaze.

"So... could this kind of thing happen..."

Under the starry sky, the white-robed scholar looked at the scene 'in front of him', at the huge cause and effect that suddenly gathered again above his head, and the look in the depths of his pupils that seemed to have remained unchanged for thousands of years changed for the first time.

"Haha, hahaha, hahaha! That's great! That's great~! My dear old friend, did you see that~! Did you see this scene clearly~!"

In the audience, the black shadow that was hugging the stage was laughing crazily. The smile at the corner of his mouth spread across his entire face, making him look full of madness and creepiness.

The playwright stared at the scene on the stage, his pupils reflecting every detail of the black-haired young man. He looked at the black-haired young man's sword power, which showed no signs of recovery, and at the other party's staggering forward. He said nothing, but everything he wanted to say was written in his eyes:
Why...is this guy still standing up?
……

Why...he stood up?

Why...why would he say that?

I can’t figure it out…

My thoughts have never been so chaotic.

Incomprehensible.

Why did I subconsciously stand up and do that even though I had already decided to give up?
Coughing up blood, feeling suffocated, tearing pain, every cell in the body seemed to be burning...

It was heavy, heavier than ever before, as if I was carrying a mountain on my back as I walked forward...

Can't hear...

Can't see...

Even thinking has become difficult...

Will he...die?

No...that's not right...

He must be alive...

I don't want to die, for sure. It is because I have experienced death that I understand the fear of true death...

Besides, if he died, what would happen to Xiaobai and Xiaopu?
Will someone bully them? Will the promised boss take good care of them? Will the park make them do something they don't want to do?
Brother Ritian might still be waiting for him to go back and drink...

Teacher Kagus might still be waiting for them to report their safety...

Boss 83203 also said that the ability of Nirvana is to let them survive, not to let them die...

So...why did he stand up?
confusion……

What a mess…

My mind is in chaos and I can't think.

pain.

Reason seems to be struggling...

Who will tell him what he is doing?
"Laila, do you really want to know..."

In a trance, it seemed that an extremely familiar voice sounded in his mind.

Want to know...

Ah, of course, he was almost too confused to think...

So, whoever you are, tell him the answer quickly...

"Then try to open your eyes."

Open...your eyes?

Didn't he open his eyes? Why...

As the kind words in his mind fell, he froze. His confused thoughts began to doubt his own state, causing him to look forward subconsciously, and then...

The originally extremely dim scene in front of him suddenly changed. The originally blurry vision began to quickly become clear, and the dilated pupils gradually regained a trace of color. A picture gradually came into his eyes:

That was a cliff.

Soft light poured down from the dome filled with crystals, falling on the three figures on the cliff, making the drinks in their hands shine brightly in silver-white.

He stared at the cliff in front of him and froze. A memory began to emerge from his chaotic thoughts. At the same time, a sound seemed to be getting closer and closer to his ears, and finally -

"Come on, cheers!" "Cheers!!"

"Haha, Brother Black Sword has a good alcohol tolerance!" Bang! !

Three hearty laughs rang out in his mind, and finally accompanied by the sound of clinking glasses, the scene in front of him suddenly changed, from them drinking and singing to three people lying in a mess on the edge of the cliff, talking about something drunkenly.

“Speaking of which, Brother Yamu, what was the reason why you wanted to become a contractor in the first place… hiccup~!”

"Pick up girls, pick up girls. I'm a grown man, what else can I want?! Pip~!"

“6…6 ah~! You are…as expected of Brother Yamu. You are truly…truly a role model for us!”

In the picture, the unbridled words filled with drunkenness and burps faded away with the evening breeze. He looked at this scene, saw himself getting drunk, defeated by Yamu, and finally falling to the ground drunkenly.

Plop——! !

A dull sound of falling to the ground was heard, shattering the scene in front of him like a heavy hammer hitting glass. Then a pitch-black sword suddenly appeared in his sight, followed by a beautiful but extremely cold face. The surrounding background suddenly turned into a silver-white training ground, and a cold low shout was heard:
"Come again."

The next moment, a knife light wrapped in deathly aura burst out from his sight, and his body began to move uncontrollably as if being pulled by something.

Dark Slash, Cutting Off the Flow!

Tangled Blade·Flowing Slash!

clang--! !

The pleasant sound of swords clanging exploded in his mind, and the scene in front of him changed again, from the silver-white training ground to a dim cellar. Not only that, a large number of shouts of killing suddenly surged into his mind and roared in his ears:

That was the scene when they were exploring the maze together.

This time, the scene did not switch immediately, but flowed slowly, from the lake with gushing waterfalls, to the corrupt and smelly swamp, to the caves and magma...

In the picture, the roar of the stratum master is deafening, and the roar of the abyss creatures is endless...

Gradually, as he looked at the scenes before him, a stronger and stronger sense of familiarity began to arise in his heart.

Finally, when he saw himself and the other three standing together on the endless gray-white land, he was stunned, and another memory began to emerge uncontrollably in his mind.

It was a dream, a dream he thought he had woken up from long ago.

In his dream, he met the heroes in the story.

They drank and talked happily.

They talked about their ideals.

They learn from each other.

They move forward together.

——Just like these memories before my eyes.

“So… is that so…?”

A murmuring sound came from his mouth, not knowing who he was talking to.

The picture in front of me gradually faded, turning into a blank space with no end in sight.

It's neither out of control nor being bewitched.

No one came to support him, nor did anyone instill anything in him at that moment.

The reason why he stood up was simply because——

……

"My dear old friend, now, do you understand... what is the most important factor for "great cause"? "

In the simple theater, a dark figure crossed his legs and spoke to the playwright beside him in a teasing voice.

“…I don’t really like this answer.”

The playwright looked at the scene on the stage, at the figure that looked like a candle in the wind that could go out at any time, but it was impossible to imagine how it would completely fall down. After a moment's silence, he spoke.

"But, my dear old friend, you have to accept this result now, don't you?"

The black shadow laughed wantonly. Upon hearing this, the playwright did not refute the black shadow's words. He just glanced behind him indifferently, then looked at the black shadow and said:

"So, even Meimu's arrangement was all taken into account by you?"

"NoNoNo~! My dear old friend, haven't I said it many times? These are just part of 'experience'~! Do you think those retreats, chances of survival, and opportunities to give up are failures? No~no~no~! These choices are real~there is never anything false or wrong~! Or in other words..."

The black shadow stretched out an index finger and gently shook it several times at the playwright, while a mysterious and strange smile appeared on his face:

"It is precisely because of the existence of these things that everything you and I are appreciating can truly be called a "great achievement"~!"

"It is precisely because there is a way out that we can eliminate the possibility of a desperate fight. It is precisely because we still have reason that we can eliminate the possibility that it is a decision made rashly. It is precisely because there is a lot of beautiful future waiting in another direction that we can prove that this is not a resistance made out of desperation. It is precisely because we will fall into self-contradiction that it proves that this is not a trivial matter."

"And it is precisely because all these possibilities have been eliminated that we can truly prove that what prompted this decision at this moment is real, what is necessary to promote countless great deeds and to start all great deeds, and what comes from the flesh, blood, soul, and even the deepest part of the origin..."

"——That one 'impulse' that can surpass everything!! Hahahaha~!!"

In the audience, the black shadow laughed wildly and madly. The creepy smile echoed in the theater and resounded on the stage, as if it was playing music for the scene being played on the stage at that moment.

The playwright looked at this scene and said nothing, just quietly watching the scene on the stage.

Just as Black Shadow said, the other party had used the best facts to prove to them that both he and Meimu's ideas were wrong.

What gave rise to the "great cause" the other party was talking about was neither the "transcendence" in his understanding nor the "correctness" in the eyes of that bastard Meimu.

Be it "transcendence" or "correctness", they are just the incidental results after the achievement of "great achievements".

Perhaps an indomitable will is needed in the process, perhaps extraordinary wisdom is required in the process, and perhaps countless elements must be gathered in the end to truly achieve a result that is worthy of being called a "great achievement."

But what really gives rise to "great achievements", what is the real root of everything, is always the "impulse" that is quietly brewing unconsciously, in every inadvertent choice, when no one is noticing.

For the king, that impulse might have come from a moment of dissatisfaction during the war.

For the poet, that impulse may have come from a magnificent scene that he accidentally caught a glimpse of one afternoon.

For a hero, that impulse may come from the curiosity that arises when looking up at the mountains.

And for that newcomer, what pushed that impulse beyond his reason and instinct and made it appear on this stage was undoubtedly——

……

He just didn't want to accept it.

"Oh, I never thought I would make such a decision..."

In the blank space, Xin Lailai looked up at the endless "sky" in front of him and murmured.

Just because of such a simple reason, he made a muddled decision that would disregard his own life and death...

No matter how you think about it, this kind of thing is really...

"That's too unreasonable..."

Yes, it's unreasonable.

This is not a rational decision from any perspective.

Full of recklessness and impulsiveness.

Betrayal of responsibility and trust.

He completely ignores other people's feelings for his own selfish reasons.

What he wanted to do the most, what he should do the most, should be to protect Xiaobai and Ling Yuzi, not this kind of thing...

"So, Lailai, what is the second thing you want to do?"

The girl's kind and familiar voice came from Xin Lailai. Xin Lailai turned his head and looked at Ling Yuzi who was standing beside him and looking at him with a smile. He was slightly startled.

The second thing you want to do is...

"Probably... after achieving the first point, become as strong as possible, right?"

Xin Lailai moved his gaze and looked into the distance, muttering.

However, Ling Yuzi came to him lightly, stared at him with her ruby-like eyes, and whispered:
'Is that really all?'

'certainly……'

Faced with the girl's repeated questioning, Xin Lailai subconsciously prepared to confirm it, but when he opened his mouth, the words were somehow stuck in his throat.

Why…I can’t tell.

'Because, even in a dream, Lai Lai can't lie to others.'

lie……

Was he just...trying to lie?

"Yeah, after all, Lailai, who makes you become so stubborn all of a sudden when you talk about this kind of thing?"

Ling Yuzi covered her mouth and chuckled. She lightly tapped her snow-white feet and floated up. She sat on Xin Lailai's shoulder. She looked forward with Xin Lailai, and suddenly said:

'I said, Lailai, if one day I suddenly said that my dream is to become the most powerful person in the world, but in order to realize this dream I might die on the way, and even cause you to die with me, causing Xiaobai and Xiaopu to lose their parents, causing Yamu and others to lose their friends, causing Teacher Kagus and others to lose their disciples, and causing Sister 83203's plan to fail, will you stand up to stop me? '

Prevent the other person from realizing their dreams?
"How is that possible? If Ling Yuzi really intends to do that, Xiao Bai and I will definitely support you..."

Hearing Ling Yuzi's answer, Xin Lailai was slightly stunned, and subconsciously wanted to deny this possibility with a smile, but when he was halfway through his words, the words suddenly got stuck in his throat, as if he realized something.

Then, the girl sitting on his shoulder asked:
'So, Lailai, why do you keep stopping yourself?'

The gentle and pleasant questioning voice made Xin Lailai silent.

"Although you have been forcing yourself not to think about it, in fact... Lailai, you envy that abyss creature called Extreme Blade Abyss Shadow, right?"

Ling Yuzi looked at the scene in the distance, lowered his eyes, and spoke softly.

"As for Daoji and the Death Bearer, everyone has figured it out, but Lailai, you just haven't dared to admit it, right?"

"Ling Yuzi, stop talking..."

"It was the same thing with that elder sister named Wu Yue. Lailai, you actually knew why she said that there was confusion in your sword moves, but you lied to her, right?"

"I just..."

'No, it's always been like this, Lailai, in my opinion... you have always been too careless about yourself.'

'I……'

'Every time, no matter when, Lailai, you always like to prioritize other people's feelings? Although sometimes people feel very happy, especially when you said that it was not right for her in the Demon Slayer World, it really made me happy to see this memory, and I felt very happy, but ah...'

"It won't work if you keep doing this, Lailai."

The girl covered her eyes slightly, stared down at the black-haired young man in front of her, whispered, stretched out her little hand and flicked the back of his head hard.

"Although I like Lailai because of her strong empathy, if Lailai breaks down for this reason, I will hate the whole world without distinction. Lailai, you don't want to see that result, do you?"

"Is this considered a threat from you, Ling Yuzi?"

Xin Lailai covered the back of his head and smiled helplessly.

"Hmm... I guess so, so..."

As Ling Yuzi spoke, he leaned down, his white hair falling and touching Xin Lailai's face. His red eyes reflected Xin Lailai's mature but tough face with a hint of self-abandonment. He gently kissed Xin Lailai's forehead in the look of surprise.

"Laila, you have to pay more attention to yourself and become a little more 'selfish'."

The cold and gentle touch was like a ray of warmth that melted the ice and snow, causing the strong expression on the black-haired young man's face to disintegrate bit by bit. He lowered his head, looked at his hands, revealed a smile that was uglier than crying, and said in a voice that was almost choked with sobs:

"I also want to... do that."

Yes, he wanted to do that too. He had always wanted to do that.

I want to indulge my inner desires, express my thoughts without restraint, and pursue the ideal I long for without scruples.

but……

"I... can't do it! ! "

A choked growl, as if venting an emotion, sounded from the pure white space, echoing continuously.

That's right, he can't do it.

He knew very well that he could not do the things he desired, and he was not even qualified to embark on that path.

Therefore, he has been envious.

I envy those people in my memory who can say those words so easily, and I envy them for being able to write those thoughts on their faces and show them in their will so confidently.

I envy them for their firm belief in their ability to achieve that goal, and I envy them for their wholehearted pursuit of that goal.

He was so envious that he worked almost non-stop without sleep, and he was so envious that he even began to feel ashamed and disgusted for having such thoughts.

He has obviously gained a lot.

He was obviously lucky enough.

He is obviously happier than most people in the world.

He obviously already possessed everything that most people dreamed of, and he hadn't even paid any unbearable price for it.

He had gotten enough, so, so...

"So, Lailai, do you want to give up?"

give up……

Does he want to give up?

Xin Lailai looked at her palms and wanted to speak, but only sobs came from her throat. She wanted to see clearly, but her vision became increasingly blurred.

He is...crying?

Why is he crying...

What right does he have to cry?

There are many people in this world who are in more difficult situations than him and have experienced thousands of times more suffering than him. Why should he cry over such a thing?
"Because, Lailai, you are feeling sad..."

Sad? If he could cry as much as he wanted just for something like this, then what about all the things he had experienced and witnessed along the way...

"But if killing one's own ideals with one's own hands is not worth shedding tears for, then Lailai, how many other things are worth shedding tears for?"

Ling Yuzi's gentle voice sounded in Xin Lailai's ears, and the girl came lightly to him, looking at the tearful man in front of her, gazing at him tenderly.

When Xin Lailai heard what Ling Yuzi said, he was stunned. He stared at the girl's face, his lips moving slightly, wanting to say something, but he couldn't. However, his expression, which seemed like he was about to collapse, expressed everything he wanted to say.

But... apart from this option, he had no choice at all.

"Hmm... Why do you feel that way, Lailai?"

Because...if other ways fail, everything he has now will be...

'But what if it succeeds?'

Success... Is it really possible to succeed? Moreover, for him who already has enough things, that kind of result is too extravagant...

'So, Lailai, do you want to win?'

Does he...want to win?

Of course, he wanted to win? Of course he wanted to win, to succeed, to get the result he wanted, but...

'If that's the case, then just do it. Even if you can't do it, even if you lose, even if you have nothing, Lailai, you just need to stick to what you want to do, because...'

"A carefree Lailai like this is what Xiaobai and I really want to see, and..."

"For you, Lailai, the Death Bearer and Daoji are the protagonists of the story. You long to catch up with them, but for me..."

"——Lailai, you are the "protagonist" of this story."

The firm yet gentle words fell, and Xin Lailai was stunned for a moment.

He looked at Ling Yuzi in front of him, at the girl's gentle yet determined face, at his own image reflected in her ruby ​​eyes, and subconsciously reached out his hand to stroke the tear marks on his face.

'puff……'

Finally, he couldn't help laughing out loud, and tears splashed in his eyes.

"That's really... a really bad answer, isn't it?"

"But it works well for Lailai, who is almost broken down because she doesn't dare to admit her dream?"

Ling Yuzi covered his mouth and chuckled, with a cunning look on his face.

"Ah, yes... it's really amazing."

Xin Lailai sighed with a complicated expression, and finally looked at the girl in front of him, his eyes gradually becoming gentle and firm.

'The remainder.'

'What's wrong? ’

"I might be about to do something very dangerous, so dangerous that you might die there with me."

'Um. ’

"This matter is very irrational and impulsive. It is entirely caused by my own thoughts. It is purely my own wishful thinking."

'Um. ’

'so……'

Xin Lailai paused for a moment, as if he was thinking about how to organize his words. Finally, he looked at the expression in the girl's eyes, and his thoughts rippled slightly. His originally hesitant expression gradually became firm. He gently took Ling Yuzi's hand, knelt on one knee, and kissed the other's fingertips like a knight, and said sincerely:
"As compensation, can you please be the heroine of my story?"

After the words fell, the expression on Ling Yuzi's face suddenly froze for a moment, and then her cheeks suddenly turned red, but she did not shake off Xin Lailai's palm. Instead, she blushed, nodded shyly, and replied in a low voice:

"Hmm...ah! Lai...Lai Lai, what are you doing..."

"Nothing, I just want to take my heroine with me to welcome our 'future'."

Seeing this, Xin Lailai smiled, pulled Ling Yuzi's body over, and held her in a princess hug amid the girl's exclamations. Then she looked up at the endless pure white space in front of her, and various images were reflected in her dark pupils.

Finally, he was seen striding forward, and there was no trace of confusion in his eyes.

It's time... to put an end to this dream that was born out of unwillingness and desire.

Snap, snap——!!

The next second, a large number of cracks spread from the white space, and a dark tide surged out from it, and then -

Suddenly shattered!

Peng——! !

[Warning: The Pioneer's body is currently in a "severe load" state. If you force yourself to do strenuous exercise, there is a 36.7% chance of causing permanent damage! ]

“Hoo…Hoo…Hoo!!”

A harsh warning exploded in his mind, followed by heavy breathing as if filled with lead.

A sharp pain like being burned by fire came from all over his body. Xin Lailai opened his eyes and glanced with difficulty at the edge of his vision. The duration of "boundary removal" was 3 minutes and 46 seconds left. Without saying anything, he endured the severe pain, opened the psychic field, mobilized his mental strength, and rushed towards a spell model in the spiritual world.

The next second—

[Hint: "Life Crystal Suturing" has been used! ]

A soft white light bloomed from his body, and tens of thousands of thin lines of life energy flowed out of his body, rapidly healing his body that was overwhelmed by the continuous use of "Space Shuttle".

1 second…3 seconds…5 seconds…10 seconds!
[Tip: 95.3% of the Pioneer's body cells have returned to normal and are no longer in a "severely overloaded" state]

Finally, accompanied by a cold warning sound, Xin Lailai suddenly grabbed Yuan Mo who was stuck in the ground, gasped heavily, stood up little by little, and looked straight ahead.

Really...Stand up...

Yamu, who was standing aside, looked at this scene with a slightly moved expression.

When Xin Lailai suddenly stood up and said "stop", he could still clearly sense that the other party did not seem to have recovered yet, but was just making that move with a persistence that was almost engraved in his instinct.

But in just a dozen seconds after that, the feeling the other party gave people began to change rapidly, from a decadent feeling full of grayness and frustration, to a powerful momentum that was even more fierce than before they were separated... no, it should be said that

This guy……

Yamu looked at the black-haired young man in front of him, all kinds of thoughts flashed through his mind, but in the end, he suddenly laughed out loud, and a smile flashed across his face.

The next second, Xin Lailai's calm and calm voice rang out from the field:
"I'm sorry, three of you, can I ask you for a favor?"

Xin Lailai looked around at the three people, then stared at Ji Ren Yuan Ying who was in the front, and said:

"Can you please let me deal with this abyss creature? And... even if I show signs of defeat in the battle, please do not stop me."

After the words fell, there was a brief silence on the field for a short while. Then Dao Ji, who was at the front, smiled slightly, put away his sword, turned around and walked away.

"Then I will wait and look forward to Brother Black Sword's performance from a distance."

"Tsk tsk, so you called us here just to watch the show? I even asked Paradise to use the Destruction Teleportation Array to send it to us. If you don't show some excitement, we won't let you go later, right?!"

Yamu on the side shrugged, made a joke, smiled, and tapped his toes. The golden lightning arc leaped and retreated to a broken stone pillar in the distance in an instant.

The Death Bearer, who had hardly spoken since arriving, stood there, glanced at Jiren Yuanying, then looked at Xin Lailai, and finally walked away with an indifferent expression, leaving behind only a brief and slightly cold words:

"Don't die."

A cold voice sounded from Xin Lailai's ears, which startled Xin Lailai for a moment. Then he laughed and did not answer anything. Instead, he smiled and looked at Ji Ren Yuan Ying in front of him. Holding Yuan Mo, he walked towards him step by step, and finally stopped about ten steps away from him. He looked at the other party's fanatical eyes filled with expectation and fighting spirit, and suddenly said:

"To be honest, even now, I still don't understand where your obsession with me comes from."

That’s right, until now, he still didn’t understand why Ji Ren Yuan Ying was targeting him.

What kind of magic potion did the other party feed to make a sword master level 20 of the technique extreme Daoist so obsessed with him? Even to the extent that he still invited him to fight even when Daoji and others were there, and showed such disappointment when he failed to respond.

but--

"I must thank you for giving me such a fight."

Yes, he needs to thank Ji Ren Yuan Ying.

Even if the memories left by the other party were not pleasant, even if he had not been obstructed by the other party, he would not have encountered so many accidents and setbacks, but...

"I... don't regret it."

He did not feel any regrets. Rather, it was the appearance of Ji Ren Yuan Ying that dealt an extremely heavy blow to his past, allowing him to be freed from the endless self-suppression and doubt, and truly face the desires in his heart.

therefore……

"Tell me your name again."

A calm voice came from Xin Lailai's mouth. He stared at the scene in front of him, and his blood volume had recovered to around 37.6%. Even the broken arm blade had grown a new blade. He suddenly said.

This time, Ji Ren Yuan Ying's eyes finally changed a little. He also made a gesture to prepare to swing his sword. The silk threads behind him floated up. Xin Lai Lai's appearance was reflected in his scarlet pupils. He answered in a sharp and piercing hoarse voice:
"My name is... Ji Ren, and my alias is... Yuan Ying!"

The harsh voice of self-introduction echoed from the battlefield, just like when the man and the figure first met, but this time, the young man who chose to escape in the past did not remain silent, but faced the powerful enemy in front of him:

"The Lailai Cult, Xin Lailai."

Boom——! !

As soon as he finished speaking, a dark pressure rose from Xin Lailai's body and collided with the blood energy rising from Ji Renyuanying's body, creating black and red lightning that fell from the battlefield.

A deathmatch unlike any before.

Different from any powerful enemy he had ever faced in his life.

This time, there will be neither the demon god who shattered the stars to help him interrupt his opponent's prayers, nor will there be an agent who controls the thunder of the world to rush out to save the situation at the critical moment.

There will no longer be a judge casting magic outside the field to weaken the opponent, nor will there be a genius to pave the way for him with sword intent, nor will a will that does not belong to the opponent emerge from the opponent's body to create loopholes for him.

"Let's fight it out."

"That's exactly what I wanted!!"

A calm announcement and a fanatical roar sounded from the battlefield. The next second, an earth-shattering sound of swords clashing exploded from the battlefield:

clang--! !

It was like the sound of gongs and drums that opened the curtain.

This is a battle between them alone.

This is a stage that belongs only to them.

This is the "protagonist" of the story named Xin Lailai...

——First "adventure"!
……

(End of this chapter)