Anna Yang smiled as she gazed at Erik Yang, her eyes shining with tears, as if pleading.
Erik Yang gripped Anna's hand tighter and tighter, as if using every ounce of his strength.
In this moment, Erik Yang's heart shattered.
Because he knew he was powerless to change anything.
Even after attaining Great Luo Immortal status, even after earning the title of War God of the Three Realms, even after becoming a lord at Guang River Estuary, everything seemed no different from that day a thousand years ago.
If he let go, it would be farewell forever.
He could endure all the suffering in the world alone, but he refused to bear the pain of losing his family again.
"Is it alright, Second Brother?" Anna lowered her head and gently pried at his fingers, tears falling one by one onto the back of Erik's hand, which did not move at all.
"Is it alright?" she kept asking.
Erik Yang stood there in a daze, staring blankly at his younger sister.
After a long while, he trembled slightly and said, "Is it really worth it? He... he ran off with another woman on your wedding day. Is he really worth it?"
"Is love something to be measured by whether it's worth it?" Anna retorted.
Erik was suddenly stunned.
"You're right. I was being shallow, Second Brother."
The corners of his mouth twitched; he wanted to smile gracefully as usual, but he couldn't.
His hand still held tightly onto Anna.
The Jade Cauldron Immortal watched in a daze from the side.
The three of them stood there quietly, while Skyhowl and Skypride had already shrunk to the side.
The rumbling in the distance continued, and the fire rain scattered from South Heaven Gate turned the entire sky crimson. Wave after wave of shock swept across the land.
...
Amidst the blazing flames, Monkey continued to struggle and roar madly, his figure flickering like dazzling stars, moving so fast that it was impossible to tell where his true body was.
Yet Heaven and Earth's wrath always managed to find him, pouring all its fury onto him. With each blast, his body seemed torn apart, his consciousness growing ever more blurred, leaving only the instincts of battle and revenge to drive him as he darted around the shield.
But the formation was now stronger than ever.
...
Nezha and the Four Heavenly Kings stared wide-eyed, searching among the Heavenly Generals, while the Five Directional Wardens had no choice but to cease all action.
Bathed in the red glow of talismanic light, General Lee, drenched in sweat, finally managed a faint smile on his weary face and slowly caught his breath. "It's holding..."
As long as all external interference was eliminated, South Heaven Gate's unrivaled defenses could be fully unleashed. If the Heavenly Tribulation struck the formation directly, it might not hold, but as long as only the aftershocks from chasing Monkey reached it, there was no way it could suffer fatal damage.
"We should... we should be able to win." he muttered through clenched teeth.
At this moment, everyone above and below Heaven stared wide-eyed, waiting to see this reckless demon monkey torn to pieces by the heavenly wrath.
...