Chapter 181 - 134: You Still Haven’t Kissed Me First

Chapter 181: Chapter 134: You Still Haven’t Kissed Me First

As far as the eye could see, the land was covered in scorched black scars from erupting lava. No trace of life could be found on the parched, cracked earth; even the last vestige of green had been devoured by thick volcanic ash.

A gray haze of dust obscured the sky, turning day into eternal night, with only the dark red glow of flowing lava visible.

"How confident are you?"

Before the erupting volcano, the Void was abruptly torn asunder, a massive rift appearing as if the sky itself had been ripped open. A figure clad in wine-red and a solitary black shadow materialized in midair.

The Nether Monarch floated in the steaming heat rising from the lava, her robes fluttering in the searing waves. Her exquisite face betrayed no joy or sorrow. "I don’t know."

Her voice was soft, yet it carried an unshakable resolve. "But if I don’t go, no one else can kill it. The fruits of the war of the Ten Thousand Races will be stolen completely."

The Red Fox snorted, her nine fluffy tails swishing restlessly behind her.

"The great war isn’t over yet, and the Celestial Dao is scheming against you." The Nether Monarch’s reflection appeared in the fox’s glazed eyes. "If you go, even if you succeed in killing it, you probably won’t be able to take part in the struggles to come. Without your protection, the Human Race might not be able to win... The Celestial Dao’s plan is for you and it to cripple each other."

The Nether Monarch’s black hair billowed gently in the scorching wind. "Have faith in them. The Human Race has always been a resilient people. Besides, with the Jianmu, they at least won’t lose. But if *it* is allowed to exist, everyone will lose, including the Celestial Dao."

The Red Fox sighed, for she knew the Nether Monarch spoke the truth.

As the Monarch who commanded death itself, the Nether Monarch was the strongest among the Ten Thousand Races. Even the Celestial Dao had to treat her with caution.

If anyone could kill it, it would have to be the Nether Monarch. After all, only she could bestow upon it the concept of death.

The Nether Monarch’s lips suddenly curled into a smile, as cold and beautiful as a crescent moon rising in the night sky. "The Celestial Dao is indeed scheming against me, but it also made me a promise, did it not?"

The Red Fox whipped her large tails. "What promise?" she snapped. "That Lifebound Spirit? It’s obviously just stringing you along! If you stayed out of this, you would sooner or later transcend the Dao and live for all eternity!"

The Nether Monarch didn’t argue. She simply turned to look at the fox—the only creature she could call a friend throughout the long eons.

"Can you construct a successful ending for me?"

The Red Fox paused. Her irritation vanished, her delicate brows knitting together in an expression of unprecedented gravity.

"I can try," the Red Fox said, enunciating each word. "But it’s very likely that even if I shatter my Dao Fruit, I won’t be able to construct such an ending for you—one that reverses cause and effect. It exists outside of all Karma, transcendent, just like the Celestial Dao."

"Try," the Nether Monarch said softly, her voice nearly drowned out by the volcano’s roar. "If it can’t be done, then let it be."

The Red Fox nodded gravely.

The black-robed young woman said no more. She was dressed in simple clothes woven by the Human Race, holding an ancient longsword in her hand. Behind her, in the Void, the majestic and brilliant Netherworld slowly materialized.

This was her kingdom. And now, the entire Netherworld followed her figure, charging toward the erupting volcano.

Just then, as if moved by her sacrifice, the heavens themselves acted. A single ray of sunlight pierced the thick clouds, splitting the gray sky and shining down upon the parched, cracked earth, illuminating the path forward for the Nether Monarch.

The Red Fox muttered in displeasure, "I guess the Celestial Dao is good for something after all."

As if sensing the danger, a dragon’s roar erupted from the depths of the volcano. The sound, filled with a world-destroying malevolence, echoed between heaven and earth, its savage cry ringing without end.

The Nether Monarch’s form shot downward like a black meteor. Just as she was about to plunge into the crater, she heard the desperate, full-throated cry of that Stupid Fox:

"When will you come back?!"

The Nether Monarch’s figure faltered for a fraction of a second, but she didn’t look back.

~~~~~~~~~

Sunlight pierced the window, falling gently upon Qiu Yuehan’s face and casting a soft halo on the Fairy’s flawless skin.

She opened her eyes.

The scene from her dream was still vivid. The searing heat of the lava seemed to linger on her skin, leaving a phantom burning sensation.

Qiu Yuehan collected her thoughts. ’It’s always been strange to me. According to my memories, the Nether Monarch’s power in Ancient Times should have been completely unrivaled. It’s impossible that she would have faced a life-threatening battle. And yet, the Nether Monarch *was* severely injured, and that’s how she became... well, me. Qiu Yuehan.’

’It seems that "it" the Nether Monarch spoke of was the cause.’

’But what *was* it?’

’The Desire Demon? Was it the Desire Demon that gravely wounded the Nether Monarch during Ancient Times?’

’My memories are still incomplete. Perhaps it’s not that they’re just slow to return... but that some were actually lost during that battle, which is why they’re resurfacing so slowly.’

Qiu Yuehan stopped pondering this. An enemy that had vanished for countless years was less worthy of her consideration than a more pressing question: why did the Red Fox have Mei Zhaozhao’s face?

’That Stupid Fox seems as silly as ever.’

’Oh, well.’

The Fairy pushed herself up, flicking a stray lock of hair that had been pressed askew. Then she lay back down, her beautiful eyes fixed unblinkingly on the still-sleeping Lu Changyuan.

’Unlike Xia Lianxue, who seems to become lust incarnate whenever she sees Lu Changyuan, Qiu Yuehan much preferred simply being by his side, watching him.’

’Lust and even love can be worn down by time. Companionship is the best cure for loneliness.’

’Just this, quietly, is good enough... though we could go a little deeper.’ Qiu Yuehan pushed herself up again, her graceful figure tracing a breathtaking curve in the sunlight.