I quietly stared at Quentin Kwan. His expression was complicated. He had told me before that he had left his wife and son many years ago. Although years mean little to a ghost, Quentin had never seen them again since. It was as if the two had vanished from the world entirely.
Because of this, Quentin kept searching for his wife and son, again and again, but nowhere in the world could he find them. The longing of all these years led to everything that is happening now. After finally meeting again, it was only to be parted by life and death. I didn’t know what to say or do, only watched Quentin, whose face was a mixture of anger and sorrow.
"Father, there’s really no need to keep dwelling on all this. So many years have passed. The time we had together as a family—those ten or so years—was already rare. Maybe fate in this world is just that strange. When it’s over, forcing it any further is meaningless."
Quentin Kwan collapsed onto the ground. I crouched beside him and looked again at Eli Lear. I had already told him about the Dark—the ones at the Dark Banquet wanted Eli Lear to return to the darkness. If he went back, it would indeed give the Dark tremendous power. But now, he had made it clear: the only way to end this infinite cycle was for him to die.
"Is there really not even the slightest way out?"
I asked, and Eli Lear shook his head regretfully.
"Father is trapped in this infinite cycle partly because of me—because of my innate darkness. It draws him into the cycle, making it impossible for him to escape. Father's heart has already been eroded by the Dark. His obsession is a reason, but the root cause is me. If I could disappear—never exist in his world or his memory—time would return to normal. Little girl, I asked you here for this: all of my darkness is stored here. After I die, take these parts away. When you awaken the dark side within yourself, you can release all of my darkness into that realm, to strengthen the Dark. That way, you can provide immense power to the Dark for a short time. Now, the Wraithlord’s body has been shattered again in the Dark, so the most troublesome problem is already solved."
I nodded slightly. Quentin Kwan was still wooden, his brow tightly furrowed, silent and slumped over.
Eli Lear quietly watched Quentin Kwan. The smile on his face was bitter. In this moment, he was no longer the revered Dao Ancestor, but just an ordinary man.
"Little girl, this is the last cycle. After I die, you just need to use the Starshard Radiance to absorb all my darkness. Then you can return to the correct timeline. Have those two help you go back to when our Daoists sealed the Wraithlord and finish what you started. Then you’ll be safe. When you return, reclaim your own remains and fuse them. By then, everything will be calm again."
I looked at Eli Lear in confusion. He smiled and continued speaking.
"Because your timeline has now returned to you. Before, because of your future child, your time was taken away, so you became an anomaly in time. Now that your child has returned to the dream realm, your timeline has naturally been restored."
"Seven?"
My eyes widened in surprise. Eli Lear nodded, seeming to know everything. But thinking of Seven’s situation—only able to exist in the dream realm—I couldn’t help but worry again.
"You don’t need to worry about that, little girl. Everything in this world has its own fate. In all the years I’ve lived, I’ve seen countless people and ghosts, and each has their destiny. In the end, all return to nature. But Zhang Qiyuan is the only one I’ve ever seen without a predetermined fate. Although your future child’s fate is already set, you sacrificed everything to save both children. Even if they can’t escape destiny, Zhang Qiyuan is a person without fate. Be patient—only someone who can break fate has hope of solving all this."
I immediately smiled with relief and nodded, then got up to leave the father and son. Things had reached the final stage. Eli Lear seemed ready to say goodbye to Quentin Kwan. He quietly crouched before his father and bowed again and again.
Quentin Kwan still showed no reaction. I sat more than ten meters away from the two, quietly waiting. I didn’t know how long it would take Quentin to stand up. After so many years of longing and torment, it seemed he saw hope, but it was instantly replaced by despair.
"Father, you can use your special ghost soul to repeatedly extract the memories from your body, but this can’t go on forever. Your mind can’t withstand it. All these memories—when you regain consciousness—they’ll return to you bit by bit. So many memories will eventually overwhelm you."
What Eli Lear said was true. No matter who you are, if your mind is filled with the same memories, one day it will overflow. And these memories probably contain other details. Quentin Kwan’s breathing grew rapid. After a short while, the memories that had been extracted began to return to his body.
All of this was caused by the cycle. The only way out is to break free of it. Just as Eli Lear said, once he dies, he will cease to exist. He was never truly part of the world of yin and yang, so time will erase everything—even Quentin Kwan’s memories of his wife and son. That way, Quentin can return to the proper timeline and everything will be at peace.
Maybe this ending is for the best. But whether human or ghost, obsession is terrifying. Quentin Kwan was feeling worse and worse.
"Father, maybe I have another way."
Eli Lear spoke. Quentin Kwan looked at him in pain, clutching his head. I hurried over, a white glow already shining from my hand. Just then, Eli Lear’s voice rang clearly in my mind—he told me to get ready.
I was already holding the Starshard Radiance, an irregular stone radiating soft, white light, in my hand. Quentin Kwan looked at Eli Lear with difficulty, but his eyes lit up. It was as if Eli Lear’s mention of another way brought a glimmer of hope back to his heart.
"My disappearance isn’t truly forever. Instead, I’ll merge into the Dark and become part of the Dark Will. If you want to see me again, Father, I’ll help preserve our family’s memories. When the time is right and you enter the Dark, maybe you’ll be able to see us."
My eyes widened in shock. I stared at Eli Lear, confused. Through the black orb inside me, I realized that Quentin Kwan was not born of darkness—he had no right to enter the Dark. I trembled with excitement. Eli Lear had lied to Quentin Kwan.
Though Quentin Kwan’s heart had grown dark and oppressed by the infinite cycle, his nature was always optimistic. To endure so much torment for so long in the cycle showed his inner strength. He was never drawn to the Dark, and he had saved Nina Li and Daniel Li at the very start.
The black orb in my hand can attract those born of darkness. Eli Lear’s consciousness was drawn out by the orb within me, but Quentin Kwan’s body showed no reaction to it.
"Really?"
Quentin Kwan asked. Eli Lear nodded with a smile, his face showing not a trace of falsehood. I stayed silent, saying nothing. When Eli Lear looked at me, I nodded. This was the best solution.
Quentin Kwan’s body trembled. The massive memories were invading his consciousness, and a pained smile appeared on his face.
"Don’t lie to me."
Eli Lear grunted and bowed again.
"Father, rest assured. This little girl beside you can be a witness. When the time comes, she will lead you into the Dark, and we’ll have the chance to reunite. Mother is in the Dark as well."
Quentin Kwan’s consciousness was fading. A bright smile spread across his face. I felt conflicted inside, but there was no other way—this was the only solution. And it was the first time I’d ever lied.
"Little girl, tell me, is all of this..."
"It’s true. I possess the instinct to coexist—I won’t lie to you."
Quentin Kwan slowly closed his eyes, looking peaceful. Eli Lear sighed, helped Quentin lie on the ground, and looked at me, bowing once more.
"Thank you, little girl."
I responded with a nod, reluctantly raising the Starshard Radiance in my hand.
In an instant, the power of darkness around us reacted. Eli Lear’s form grew blurred. Waves of immense dark power surged toward the Starshard Radiance. Eli Lear’s body began to dissolve into black particles, drifting toward me. In the end, I saw Eli Lear’s smile.
Suddenly, everything around us began to collapse, the sound of cracking filling the air. My eyes widened. From Eli Lear’s head, streaks of rainbow light flowed out and, in an instant, everything around us shattered piece by piece. Those were his memories. Time had begun to consume everything that did not belong.