RAAHC 37

Chapter 37: Epilogue

Epilogue

…Thus, in this lifetime, he crawled out of hell, gasping for breath with his five senses missing for a millennium, living stubbornly and arrogantly.

He encountered many people, most of them were like grains of sand in the sea, disappearing in an instant under the crashing waves. Only four of them were larger fragments in the sand, with more or less sharp edges, gradually worn smooth by repeated erosion, settling deep in the sea floor. No matter how much he stirred up waves, he couldn’t shake or erase them.

Until the sea dried up, all things perished, leaving only a few round and glossy stones exposed… Those were him, the only things left in his long life.

As consciousness gradually receded, Qin Duan trembled all over, finally waking up.

Memories of his past life surged like water rushing into a sponge, emotions flooding him, swelling his chest… But in the end, they were just fleeting clouds. After a moment of palpitation, all that remained was a long silence. He stood in emptiness, gazing at the sky that appeared out of nowhere, and spoke hoarsely, “Is this… what you wanted to show me?”

But the other party responded with an answer unrelated to his question, “This is the last trace of consciousness you left with me. Now, I’m returning it to you.”

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Ckd Pwyd dyaasole bkp lulp, “Mbld zlv xl ypj ydsvbla iwlpvksd… Ebs yx R?”

“Mbyv’p y zsdt pvsau…” Mkydeys pyke.

Gcswv vbswpydep sq ulyap yts, bwxydp, tsep, elxsdp, yde xsdpvlap lynb tyhl ckavb vs y ekhkdl cseu. Gxsdt vblx, bwxydp rwapwle ldzktbvldxldv, tsep olal csad qsa vbl posae, elxsdp rspplpple vbl cseu sq y obkvl eaytsd, yde xsdpvlap olal osapbkrle cu xuakye elxsdp.

Mblpl qswa clkdtp olal dwavwale cu blyhld yde lyavb, csad yzalyeu yv vbl zlhlz sq kxxsavyzp, curyppkdt vbwdela vakcwzyvksdp, plzesx lmrlakldnkdt byaepbkrp, yde ktdsaydv sq osazezu elpkalp.

Fs vblu olal csad okvb y nyzyxkvu sq vblka sod, dllekdt vs ycydesd vblka kxxsavyz cseklp, clnsxl xsavyzp, yde ldvla vbl xwdeydl osaze. Eblvbla vblu lhldvwyzzu ynbklhle ldzktbvldxldv sa dsv elrldele sd vblka sod elpvkdu.

“Zsw yal vbl alpwzv sq vblka elpvkdklp.” Mkydeys pyke, “R prldv qkhl bwdeale ulyap tkhkdt usw nsdpnkswpdlpp, kxxlapkdt usw kd alkdnyadyvksd, alkdnyadyvkdt usw yp y xsavyz—bsolhla, ewl vs vbl blyhkdlpp sq uswa nyzyxkvu yde uswa pvasdt alpldvxldv, usw nswzed’v byhl y rlynlqwz lde kd ydu zkqlvkxl. Rd vbl lde, R tyhl usw y nbydnl vs xyjl y okpb, cwv…”

Tl rywple, “Oynb kxxsavyz byp sdzu sdl nyzyxkvu kd vblka zkql, yde kq vblu qykz vs shlansxl kv, kv okzz cl y elhypvyvkdt vsaxldv, elpvasukdt vblka ryvb vs kxxsavyzkvu. Fs clqsal vbl qswa kxxsavyzp elpnldele, vblu yzz pyo vbaswtb vbl Eyvla Yssd Ykaasa vbl nsdpliwldnlp sq vblka qykzle nyzyxkvklp. Gqvla vblka nsdpnkswpdlpp ldvlale xsavyz cseklp, vblu oswze tayewyzzu yoyjld shla vkxl, yzclkv rsolazlpp, cwv hytwlzu yczl vs tzkxrpl vblka xlxsaklp.”

“Fosae Rxxsavyz eslpd’v wdelapvyde bwxyd lxsvksdp, Paytsd Rxxsavyz kp ktdsaydv sq bwxyd dyvwal, Plxsd Rxxsavyz eslpd’v vawpv bwxyd blyavp… yde Tlyav Rxxsavyz pllp vss nzlyazu, dltzlnvkdt vbkp qsa vbyv. Rd vbl lde, vblu yzz xkpple swv—nsdvaszzle cu vblka kdpvkdnvp dsv vs tlv lxsvksdyzzu kdhszhle, cwv wdyczl vs alpkpv kv yqvla vawzu zspkdt kv.”

“In the end, although their souls returned to the Heavenly Court, their hearts were unsettled, obsessions arose, and inner demons emerged. They didn’t hesitate to destroy their immortal bodies, remove their immortal status, and dissipate their countless consciousnesses, leaving only a trace of their original selves to re-enter the cycle of reincarnation and be born again… searching for you alone in this world of mortals.”

He sighed, “This is the cause and effect of your past life, but the retribution is in this life.”

“In the first life, Sword Immortal and you met and grew up together, but he treated you with indifference. So in this life, you became bitter enemies, fighting each other to the end, with no possibility of reconciliation.”

“In the second life, Dragon Immortal was saved by you, and you helped him step by step to a high position. Yet, due to a moment of recklessness, he broke the oath he made back then. So in this life, you are still close, but all his efforts cannot buy you a single promise.”

“In the third life, Heart Immortal stood opposed to you, and although you were mutually attracted, his mistakes ultimately led to a missed opportunity. So in this life, no matter how much he cherishes you, he missed you once again.”

“In the fourth life, Demon Immortal was raised by you. However, due to his inherent hostility towards human nature, you loved him deeply but couldn’t express it. So in this life, the one you can’t express your feelings to has changed to him.”

“And although you were unwilling, you inadvertently carried emotional baggage. It’s all interconnected. I’m sending you back into the world, finally ending this long cycle of cause and effect…”

“This is the truth. Are you satisfied?”

Qin Duan’s heart rose and fell, fluctuating several times, before finally closing his eyes and letting out a long sigh.

“Am I satisfied… how should I even judge that?” He shook his head, his tone carrying a sense of relief, “Anyway, it’s all in the past, isn’t it?”

“If you still hold resentment in your heart, there’s no need for you to wake up,” the Heavens said. “I can send your soul back into reincarnation, and without you, they won’t live long.”

“And then?” Qin Duan sneered, “Go round and round in circles again, until the end of time, and then say ‘I love you’ with scars all over my body? Forget it, I’m lazy. After all this time… it’s been enough.”

“Let me go back, I… miss them a little.”

…

Fen lie’s obsession left frost marks, carving a trace on the wall.

This wall was tall enough for two people, its smooth surface covered in sword marks of varying depths. The deepest cut was at the center, almost splitting the entire wall in half, while the shallowest was next to the deepest one, left behind when his hand trembled with exhaustion.

More than a year had passed since that night at the altar.

In the nearly four hundred days and nights since, he came to this wall every day and carved a mark. Now there were more than four hundred marks, crisscrossing like the scars on his heart.

In recent days, Fen lie was plagued by nightmares. Every time he closed his eyes, he would dream of something that seemed… seemed like a long time ago. Back then, they were mere mortals, lacking the power to move mountains or seas. All they had were two innocent hearts.

But in the end, only he remained in the dream, holding a freshly forged sword with a scalding hot blade that blackened his skin, revealing beneath it a heart that had become vivid, he himself not knowing when.

He found himself in a high place, lying on a cold jade platform, his limbs bound at the corners. Someone brought a huge hammer and shattered his bones and flesh inch by inch.

The heavy iron clashed against his body, making a sound like swords colliding, echoing in the room for a long time.

Indeed, he was born with a sword body, every strand of hair a sharp blade. To abandon his immortal body, he had to shatter his limbs and organs completely before he could separate his soul…

He lowered his eyes, his fingers with calluses from swords touching the chilly blade covered in frost, feeling an inexplicable warmth.

Once, there was someone who risked everything, forging a sword for him with their own flesh and blood…

Now, no matter what, he must hold onto that person, whether it’s to the ends of the earth or to the depths of hell, he won’t let go.

…

When Bai Lingzhi woke from his dream, his body was covered in cold sweat. He hugged the soft blanket like a child, burying his face in it, gasping for air.

After his turbulent emotions calmed a bit, he sat on the edge of the bed for a long time, tears streaming down his face when he finally came to his senses.

His lover died in his arms.

All because he broke his oath in a moment of recklessness…

Bai Lingzhi closed his eyes, unable to stop the surging tears.

In the dream, he smashed many things as if he had gone mad, then set fire to the old Yang family mansion until it was completely engulfed in flames. But halfway through, he regretted it, rushed in despite the obstacles, and retrieved a charred spearhead from under that ancient tree, which had not shed blood in over ten years.

It had no name, no owner, only a “Yang” character that couldn’t be erased by a knife or a millstone.

He held the broken blade and laughed three times until he vomited blood, letting the sharp blade that hadn’t seen blood in over a decade be unsheathed once again.

A hundred years later, when his mortal body reached its limit, he personally used the still sharp spearhead to send his soul into the already withered heart.

“Master…” Bai Lingzhi blinked his golden eyes, his expression dazed. “It hurts so much…”

Removing scales and breaking dragon horns… giving up his immortal body and separating his soul, spending a hundred years in this vast world of mortals.

Only then did he finally… meet him.

“It’s been more than four hundred days, and I dream of you every single day,” he murmured. “But why haven’t you woken up yet?”

“Do you really not want me anymore?”

He couldn’t stop trembling, clutching his shoulders and laughing softly.

“This time, let me hold onto you. Is that okay?”

“I promise you, never to leave or abandon you for eternity… Master, trust me one more time, okay?”

…

Today happened to be a full moon night.

Wen Yushu sat under the moonlight, a table with two chairs, a pot of wine and two cups, yet only he was present.

Even so, he still poured himself a full cup, raised it to the bright moon, and murmured, “On a night with beautiful flowers and a full moon, why can’t you and I be together?”

“Even in dreams, it’s still the same…” he drank down a cup, then poured another, back and forth a few times until he felt tipsy and collapsed on the table.

Wen Yushu looked haggard, having not slept for several days, afraid to see that heart-wrenching scene again.

In his dream, he, in his cleverness, had planned to cut off all avenues of retreat from the moment they first met, trying to force his future self to choose between desire and emotion. But what he didn’t expect was that, although he chose emotion, the outcome was still so tragic.

In the end, when he stumbled to the scene, there was only ashes left.

Besides that, there was nothing else— the person who was as gentle as water also had the determination to break the water with a knife. He thought he had everything under control, but he didn’t realize that some things had already begun to slip away through his fingers.

It was his fault, his overly cleverness had caused such a tragedy. He was the culprit, so he should suffer retribution.

He carried the remaining three pieces of the treasure map to their demise along from the immortal realm, one must eliminate the immortal bones, allowing the separation of the primordial spirit and the opportunity for reincarnation.

He willingly endured the excruciating pain of bone-cutting and heart-carving, all for the chance to return to the mortal world and search for those he deeply missed…

“Four hundred days.” The wine in the cup had been consumed, but when will you wake up? He thought hazily, drowning in overwhelming regret that was almost suffocating him.

But that person had not yet awakened— he still owed him an apology and countless “I love you” statements.

“…This time, I’ll wait for you.”

Until the end of time, until the seas run dry and the rocks crumble.

…

Wu Que dodged the demonic attack, countered with a palm strike to the opponent’s chest, which was skillfully resolved.

The two of them had been in an incessant battle for three days and nights, eyes bloodshot, bodies covered in numerous wounds, painful yet fully alert.

Since that nightmarish day, neither of them wanted to sleep, as if closing their eyes would transport them back to that snowy scene, where the world was forever silent.

“Why don’t you believe in him?” The demonic voice was hoarse, crimson eyes seemingly holding a hint of tears. It was a question to him, and also a question to himself.

“Believing or not, does it matter? We can’t save him!” He heard his own melancholic voice, filled with profound despair. “He doesn’t want us to find him even in death…”

But in the end, they found him in their dreams. Using their sensitive sense of smell, they walked and dug until, just before the spring of the following year, they found the burial site of that person.

But so what? This affection awakened too late, and he no longer had the chance to say those words: “I like you.”

—A wolf has only one companion in its life. The person who vowed to turn him into a human was no longer there. Therefore, he would adhere to the rules of the wolf pack and wait for him for a lifetime.

He abandoned all worldly possessions, returning to the forest where he had lived with him for nine years. Until death, he never took a step outside.

Deprived of five senses, abandoning the physical body… he turned into an ignorant and unconscious demonic seed, deeply buried underground, waiting for the day he would see the light again and reunite with that person.

“…He’s waking up soon.” The demon gasped for breath. “Over four hundred days… we’ve waited so long, so many years. Is it finally time for him?”

“Brother… let’s go see him tomorrow?”

…

Finally, the heavenly path was traversed, and a promise was made that he would awaken soon.

Now, Qin Duan didn’t know how long he had been lying on this broken table. Bored out of his mind, he repeatedly flipped through all his memories. There was pain, joy, clarity, and blur, but in the end, there were only a few people and a few relationships that entangled him throughout his eternal life, confusing and disorderly.

In the end, he couldn’t be bothered to sort it out. Like a ball of yarn, it piled up in his heart, full and unable to contain anything else.

Actually, it was quite good this way. He no longer had the strength to hate or resent, only a long life to enjoy this chaotic and messy love, indistinct and deep.

Everyone was the same.

Whether gods, demons, humans, or monsters… in the end, it was just the word “love,” outlining countless causes and effects, teaching those who couldn’t love to love and transforming those who weren’t human into humans.

How magnificent… he laughed inwardly, feeling his body lightening. Suddenly, he heard a voice.

At first, it was distant and faint, then it became increasingly closer, finally exploding like thunder in his ears, making him tremble all over.

Someone was calling his name… not just one person, but four different voices, all with the same tone, repeating two words over and over.

Qin Duan, love severed.

If love could truly be severed, would there be such persistent obsession?

After enduring hardships for five lifetimes, exchanging a fragmented ending for a perfect return, he thought it was worth it.

So, it’s time to wake up.

-End of the Main Story-

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Translator’s note: This part made me cry. I feel so touched. The past was beautifully wrapped in this chapter. This is the end of the main story, but there are extras waiting.