The night was quiet. I stood by the lakeshore; Isabelle Jiang had long since fallen asleep. On the surface of the lake, a streak of rainbow light shimmered. The goddess Yolanda sat silently on the water, as if waiting for something. She had been like this for a long time. I could sense that the surrounding souls were constantly entering her body.
The goddess told me her name was Yolanda. She had died long ago, but for gods, there is no distinction between life and death. For them, death is merely the dispersal of their bodies into all things. Yet, for a body dispersed into all things to reassemble at a specific moment, a core is required.
Now, almost all the divine cores—the hearts—had been taken. Yolanda was one of the few who escaped that fate. Because I arrived, serving as a conduit, I helped maintain the connection between her core and all the parts that had been dispersed. Thus, Yolanda awoke. She had said she would leave this world, and she was determined to leave this sorrowful, hateful place without delay.
Looking at Yolanda, I couldn't help but feel sad. That was the impression she gave me upon waking—as if she had endured endless hardship and now, finally, found release.
Yolanda was one of the gods killed by the Wraithlord. She told me that the reason she was slain back then was because the Wraithlord wanted to transfer everything she had to Mother Goddess Nuwa. But he failed. As the only god among them who possessed true emotions, Yolanda died in despair at the Wraithlord's hands. Yet, even then, the Wraithlord could not restore his mother Nuwa's feelings.
Yolanda had regained some consciousness long ago, but after being severely wounded by the Wraithlord, she had no way to fully gather the parts of herself that had been scattered.
The delicate sleeves of her gauzy robe drifted gently in the breeze. Yolanda's whole body emitted a soft, white glow. She was reclaiming her strength. At that moment, Yolanda opened her eyes, stood up, smiled with delight, blinked, and floated softly to stand before me.
"Are you sure you really want to go with me?"
I nodded. Yolanda's voice was crisp and sweet, and her smile was beautiful. At this moment, I could already sense her physical presence. Then Yolanda gently grasped my hand. I was a little surprised and lowered my head, murmuring an agreement. Yolanda giggled and suddenly hugged me.
A faint, gentle fragrance drifted into my nose. I was at a loss, feeling something indescribable welling up inside me for the first time.
"Thank you, truly. With you, maybe things will go a little smoother for me."
I murmured in response, lowering my head. For a moment, my heart felt a little sour. Yolanda let go of me, then floated upward, dancing joyfully in the air. At that moment, the surrounding souls gathered, swirling in a gentle, colorful dance around Yolanda.
I watched with delight, not knowing exactly why—but there was still time. The most important reason I wanted to go to the Unreal was to see Ethan Zhang one last time. This might be my final chance to meet him. If I missed it, I might never get another opportunity.
I gazed quietly at Yolanda, that bittersweet feeling rising again in my heart. I sat down by the lake, picked up the bottle of wine at my side, and took a drink. After a while, Yolanda returned to me and sat down. The moment she turned her head, I was stunned—she was truly beautiful, flawless beyond compare.
"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"
I swallowed the wine in my mouth and shook my head. Even though I'd only spent half a day with Yolanda, I found her personality cheerful and lively.
"By the way, where did all the gods go?"
I asked, and Yolanda shook her head.
"That I don't know. But when they leave, they always leave a trail. As long as I follow it, I can find them."
I murmured in response, gazing into the distant night sky. Yolanda lay on the grass by the lakeshore, smiling with joy.
"Once, we wanted to create a beautiful world. Even during its cultivation, we loved beautiful things. But when we opened this chaotic world, ugliness came with it. Perhaps that's the truth no world can escape—where there is light, there must be shadow."
I murmured in response. For a moment, neither Yolanda nor I spoke. I watched her quietly; she met my gaze with an unflinching smile, her lively eyes always sparkling with joy.
"It's almost time."
Yolanda stood up as she spoke, her smile fading and her expression turning serious. I nodded and finished the rest of my wine in one gulp.
Yolanda took out a Golden Soulstaff from her robe and pointed it at the sky. This staff could take her directly along the path of the gods—each deity possessed one.
A rainbow light streamed from the space before us, causing it to tremble slightly. I stood behind Yolanda, watching her quietly. There was a hint of bitterness in my heart, but I quickly cast aside my regret and sorrow.
Yolanda was destined to leave, and all I wanted was to see Ethan Zhang once more.
Gradually, a patch of black appeared before my eyes—the Shattered Unreal Realm. I felt an extraordinarily powerful aura of darkness; instantly, black energy poured out from the ruptured space. I gazed at the black void before me, where countless fragments drifted.
"Let's go. Hold on to me."
I murmured in response. I had no need to worry—I had left my Origin of Instinct here and could always find my way back. My form had already undergone a fundamental transformation. Grasping Yolanda's outstretched hand, I let her lead me into the Unreal before us.
Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure enveloped us. I felt as if I could barely breathe. Gradually, this force receded, fading with the glow radiating from Yolanda's body. We moved swiftly onward.
Our brief acquaintance was already coming to an end—a permanent farewell. I used to struggle to understand the love between a man and a woman, but now I was beginning to grasp it. Deep down, I didn't want Yolanda to leave, but our meeting was only fleeting.
Gradually, I saw again the dazzling trail of the gods' departure, like a river of stars. Yolanda's face showed relief and joy.
But now I sensed an aura—the Wraithlord, Infernal Hell, and Ethan Zhang.
Suddenly, Yolanda and I stopped. Before us appeared a barrier of glazed color. With a thunderous roar, a fist smashed through.
"Ethan... Zhang!"
The figure before us had wild, disheveled hair—not long, but strands of fire cascading down. He was indeed Ethan Zhang, but at the same time, he was Infernal Hell, and he was the Wraithlord. I couldn't tell who he truly was, because all three seemed fused into this single body.
"Oh? Yolanda, how are you still alive? I'll take you back again."
It was the Wraithlord. I stared in shock, instantly furious and ready to reclaim my Origin of Instinct. But Yolanda immediately pressed my hand.
"There's still a stubborn consciousness in his body causing trouble. I'll try to hold him off—hurry and find a way to awaken the consciousness of the one you know."
I nodded. In an instant, strands of colored light twisted into ropes, binding Ethan Zhang's body. Immediately, black flames engulfed the ropes, but could not burn them away, and I shouted out.
"Ethan Zhang, wake up! Come on, snap out of it!"
At that moment, Ethan Zhang clutched his head, roaring in furious agony.
"Why? The world—how could you turn against me at a time like this?"
Suddenly, the Wraithlord before me calmed down. Yolanda released the chains and the barrier. I drifted over, seeing Ethan Zhang restored to his original form, his eyes filled with sorrow as he looked at me.
"I failed, Heavenly Soul."
His voice was tinged with desolation. I didn't know what had happened, but tears streamed down Ethan Zhang's cheeks as he gripped my hands, trembling.
"Go back, Heavenly Soul. Though I've failed, I won't let those two get away."
Suddenly, Ethan Zhang clutched his head, writhing in pain, his expression shifting between ferocity and agony.
At that moment, Yolanda flew toward the barrier. Instantly, I transformed into a stream of white energy, and as I arrived, I grabbed Yolanda and pulled her back. A streak of black light flashed past her, and suddenly, red beams crawled across my vision—Hell's Scars. Though I didn't fully understand, I knew that the consciousness of Infernal Hell and the Wraithlord had joined forces, relentlessly oppressing Ethan Zhang's mind. Neither would allow him to escape this world.
"Thank you, Heavenly Soul."
Yolanda said, just as she was about to act, I quickly pulled her away from Hell's Scars.
"What exactly is that?"
"Hell's Scars. If you get entangled by them, you'll fall into Hell."
I knew well how dangerous this was, because I'd escaped from Hell myself. I understood most of what happened in the living world, having learned it by communicating with the souls here and those in the world of the living.
"Take her away from here, Heavenly Soul. Otherwise, none of you will escape."
Ethan Zhang was still struggling, desperately suppressing the two forces trying to overwhelm his mind. I glanced at Yolanda, but her eyes showed no intention of leaving.
"Yolanda, come with me."
But Yolanda immediately shook her head.
"I won't miss this chance. If I go back now, I may never have another opportunity to leave."
I nodded and immediately stepped in front of Yolanda.
"Keep trying, right up to the last moment. I'll help you hold him off, and if you succeed, bring him along as well."