Chapter 943 - 365: I Will Face It, I Will Bear It

"Seven Luminaries! Do you truly care nothing for the lives of the countless souls of the Eternal Sea?"

A tall man, surrounded by spinning fiery golden flames, looked down at Fan Wubing from mid-air. His features were stern, his expression authoritative, with an air as if he could overlook the Great Thousand Worlds. Even the chaotic storm around him became more turbulent and violent because of his questioning.

Fan Wubing’s eyes flickered with a startling light,

"Li Huo True Monarch has truly given me quite a grand title! With just a few words, you’ve cast me as the enemy of countless souls."

Li Huo True Monarch, one of the ten Immortals, strode towards Fan Wubing, surrounded by his fiery blaze that engulfed everything,

"If you continue forward, then you are the enemy!"

Fan Wubing remained unconcerned by Li Huo True Monarch’s pressure,

"Whether you consider me an enemy or not makes no difference to me. But if you think you can label me a sinner of the Eternal Sea, think again!"

Li Huo True Monarch laughed heartily, not hiding his sarcasm,

"You, Seven Luminaries True Monarch, pursue so-called freedom, and yet you care about worldly opinions? If you truly want freedom, why would you care about how we perceive you? Or is it," his gaze sharpened, "that you are merely pretending, and your real goal is to control the destiny of the Great Thousand Worlds!"

Fan Wubing suddenly realized, "So this is your true intention for stopping me." He smirked disdainfully, "You couldn’t care less if the Eternal Sea achieves stability, and using the millions as an excuse is nonsense. You’re simply afraid your destiny will be controlled by others."

Supreme True Monarch frowned,

"Seven Luminaries, reckless words are unbecoming."

Fan Wubing questioned with a smile, "May I also think that your accusations against me stem merely from selfish desires?"

Li Huo True Monarch laughed aloud,

"Seven Luminaries, after passing through once, your confusion remains deep. Why don’t you turn around and take a good look at who stands behind you, supporting you? Who is truly for the countless souls, and who is for selfish desires? Isn’t it clear?"

Fan Wubing sneered,

"Compare who has more supporters? If that’s the case, why don’t you go and ask each person one by one whom they truly support?"

Li Huo True Monarch responded playfully,

"I believe everyone would choose visible stability and harmony over your elusive freedom."

A woman in a splendid red gown, as beautiful as a crimson rose, walked gracefully out of the chaotic storm. Her gaze was filled with pity, and she shook her head,

"Seven Luminaries, please stop. Do not let yourself be stained; that is not fitting for your status."

Li Huo True Monarch’s tone grew even more playful,

"Seven Luminaries, even Yingming True Monarch thinks you’re wrong. Are you not yet awakened?"

Yingming True Monarch, one of the ten Immortals, is one of the only two female immortals. She ascended from the Small Thousand Worlds, originally titled Profound Lady, and upon touching fate on Everlasting Mountain, she became Yingming True Monarch.

She once shared the same goal with Fan Wubing, aiming to eradicate the tumor of eternal essence and halt the spread of eternity.

Her appearance made Fan Wubing’s brows twitch slightly.

Once a comrade in arms, now stood opposing him. Fan Wubing had to accept this reality, and did not hide his sadness. Yet, he never wavered, not even for a moment,

"Profound Lady, tell me your thoughts."

Yingming True Monarch slightly furrowed her long eyebrows, turning her gaze elsewhere,

"Seven Luminaries, every star in the Eternal Sea has a lifespan; no matter how dazzling the past or present, one day they will darken, then die, returning to chaos. Would you not want beauty to achieve eternity?"

"If beauty achieves eternity, is it still beauty? You are adept at feeling the subtle things, at listening to silent voices, more so than any of us. Is beauty not a change, an unpredictable future, the best interpretation of the beauty of all things?"

Fan Wubing sincerely shared with this former friend his true inner thoughts.

He too hoped to know her true thoughts.

But Yingming True Monarch just shook her head saying, "Seven Luminaries, you still live in the past."

Fan Wubing took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, his gaze no longer heated, his tone no longer deep. This answer left him feeling not even the slightest bit disappointed. He spoke with a cool voice,

"Yingming True Monarch, it is you who abandoned ideals."

Yingming True Monarch’s shoulders shook, her brows and eyes filled with pain. When Fan Wubing called out "Yingming True Monarch," she knew their years of friendship had completely dissolved.

"Seven Luminaries, do you truly think so? We once walked side by side..." When she spoke, she seemed weak and powerless.

Fan Wubing calmly replied,

"Yes, we once walked side by side. But now, you stand in my way."

"I only wish you not to make mistakes again!" Yingming True Monarch cherished this dear friend. The Immortal Path is bitterly cold, a pain constant for those like them, these Immortals. Having a dear friend walk alongside is precious. The more so, the more irrecoverable the loss once it happens.

Fan Wubing said,

"If you think living in the past, that I’m stubborn, perhaps you’ve never truly seen me as a friend. Two thousand years ago, I stepped onto Everlasting Mountain, aiming to eradicate eternal essence to pursue the freedom I’ve always wanted. I want to control my own destiny, not become a destiny worm with no self. So...I failed."

Suddenly, he laughed, a smile brimming with emotion,