"Tell them, I understand."
In the study, Belle still stared blankly at the Monkey King.
"Does it have to be this way? But... but her new life is innocent."
"It’s been over a hundred years. Not a moment has passed that I’ve forgotten." The Monkey King clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. "Do you know what she means to me?"
Belle stared blankly at the Monkey King before her.
"When I was at my lowest, she stayed by my side. When I was chased by tigers with nowhere to run, she led me to safety. When I was trapped by hunters, she risked her life to save me..."
"When I had nothing, she gave me everything. Now that I have power, should I just forget her?"
"I will never forget her. Never."
"If I hadn’t dragged her out to sea searching for immortals, none of this would have happened..."
His fists clenched tighter, trembling slightly.
"Do you know what she means to me?"
"For her, I could defy Heaven, confront Lord Lao, betray my sect. For her, I’d do anything!"
"Because... because, if I gave up for any reason, I’d be nothing but scum! Nothing but scum!"
"It’s not just killing one person. I swore—even if all Three Realms oppose me, I’ll keep my promise!"
Belle stared blankly at the tearful Monkey King.
"Nothing can stop me. Nothing!"
"The only reason I haven’t gone to the Underworld is not because I forgot, but because I know I’m not strong enough yet... I don’t want to confront Lord Lao too soon."
"Do you know how I survived those ten years? Do you know whose name I shouted while drifting on the Tongtian River in a barrel? Do you know what I thought about after seven days and nights in the desert without water?"
"I thought of her voice, I thought of my promise to her... Without these, I wouldn’t have made it this far!"
He gritted his teeth, his face twisted in rage: "I never thought... I never thought in the end it would be... Lord Lao... He sealed the Book of Life and Death, and Birdie’s soul must already be in his hands... Damn it, damn him! That old bastard! Old bastard!"
He raised his hand, and the whole desk was overturned, scattered petitions flying everywhere.
Belle stared blankly.
"Don’t think I don’t know they’re all scheming, all using Birdie as a bargaining chip... Lord Lao, Master Sage Subhuti, Lord Genesis..."
"Those turtle bastards... If anyone dares hurt Birdie, I’ll destroy everything! No one in the Three Realms will have peace, just wait and see!"
He flung his cloak and strode out the door without looking back.
The swirling air currents spun the scattered bamboo slips and papers.
In the vast study, only Belle stood there, staring at the scattered petitions, her eyes reddening.
Under the faint moonlight, Belle curled up on a rock at the summit of Blossom Mountain, humming a childhood tune.
Her song was heavenly, carrying an inexplicable sadness.
A sparrow fluttered down to perch on her fingertip.
"Your voice is so beautiful—why don’t you sing more often?"
"When I was young, I didn’t understand why singing would attract sparrows. I was afraid people would see me as a monster, so I didn’t dare sing. Today, I finally understand—I’m just like them." Belle smiled foolishly, quietly watching the bird tilt its head on her fingertip.
Behind her, Lord Lao stood motionless.
After a long time, Belle smiled faintly again. She looked up at the bright moon and sighed, "Old gentleman, you knew all along, didn’t you?"
Her soft breath drifted in the air.
In the moonlight, blue eyes glimmered with tears.
"You knew all along, so after Belle left Crescent Star Cave... you approached her. Heh... I was so foolish, why did I ever think meeting the Daoist Patriarch was a coincidence?"
Lord Lao still stood motionless.
"If Belle is Birdie, then who is the one in Tusita Palace?"
Lord Lao opened his mouth slightly, his face expressionless: "She is your feather. She shares your memories, and even soul-searching magic can’t tell the difference."
"You’re wrong. She’s not my feather... she’s Birdie’s feather. Belle and Birdie are two completely different people. If she’s born, I’ll have to die."
The voice grew choked with emotion.
Lord Lao didn’t answer, only quietly watched Belle’s back, cold and clear in the moonlight.
Belle never turned around from beginning to end.
After a long time, Belle lowered her head and spoke softly: "Old gentleman, can you tell me everything? I want to know what the Monkey King always said he’d tell me, but never did. I... don’t want to die not knowing."
"Actually, you’ve already guessed most things, but you’re missing one key point to connect it all." Lord Lao pursed his lips and spoke softly: "I oversee the Heavenly Way, while that monkey is something outside the Heavenly Way. Before I discovered him, every action he took disrupted the order, causing chain reactions. The most important crack in the order is you. You died because of him, then reincarnated by his side, widening the crack."
"Aside from the Heavenly Way’s self-healing, I also have to make sure both of you follow its path. His path is to defy Heaven twice, serve as Stablemaster, become Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and be imprisoned under Five Elements Mountain. Your path..."
"My path?" Belle’s eyes widened, tears falling: "My path is to die, because I was never supposed to exist... right?"
Lord Lao stood silently, finally speaking after a long time: "Not just you, but also... that Birdie you mentioned. Neither of you should exist."
"Then why didn’t you kill Belle from the start, old gentleman? You’re more than capable."
"I couldn’t. You and the monkey are close—if you died, he’d investigate. If he checked the Book of Life and Death, it would end in mutual destruction."
Belle smiled foolishly again.
Fireflies danced in her eyes like a sky full of stars.
"So... what do you plan to do, old gentleman?"
"You’ve already seen the fake Birdie. My intention is: if you willingly die, I promise to protect the monkey, to make his future easier. I’ll also give him another Birdie, so he won’t keep searching. That way, the Three Realms can return to normal."
"What if I refuse?"
A breeze swept Belle’s hair and Lord Lao’s temples.
In the silent night, the two just stood there in silence.
After a long time, Lord Lao watched Belle and whispered: "You’ll agree."
Belle suddenly laughed, foolishly, until she finally covered her face and wept.
"Think it over carefully. I’ll wait for your answer."
Lord Lao’s figure slowly faded into the darkness.
On the empty mountaintop, under the moonlight, only a small figure trembled...