Exclusive Possession – CH 080

Chapter 80.

“Hua Yao, I’m sorry.”

I looked up at him, at his incomparably handsome face, at his eyes as dark as the night sky.

I was speechless.

Mu Xian, I couldn’t speak.

How many times had you apologized to me?

“Don’t say sorry,” I said softly. “You did nothing wrong.”

You had never been wrong.

You were so pure and great, my love; you were so good, so very good.

But why did you have to be so good to me?

With you, the world shines brightly; without you, the world collapses in darkness.

As if he understood my gaze and my feelings, a gentle look appeared in his clear black eyes. A faint smile bloomed on his thin red lips.

I smiled too and reached out to wipe away my tears.

“You can’t go back on your promise to me.” I reached out and hugged his waist, but I could only hold him gently. Because perhaps I wouldn’t be able to hold him for much longer, this waist and chest that I so cherished.

He was slightly taken aback.

I said slowly, “You promised that we would never be apart, not even for a second.”

Mu Xian, you said you understood.

Every second, every moment, we were bound together in life and death.

In the dead of night, I open my arms only to embrace a phantom; that piercing pain was something I never want to experience again.

A sudden tightening around his waist seemed to shroud his pale, cold face in a chilling aura. A deep, dark pain filled his long, slender eyes.

I was still smiling, my eyes blurry with tears. His face had already lowered, and his lips were pressed heavily against mine. His strong hands gripped my waist tightly, and his cold tongue lashed out fiercely and relentlessly between my lips and tongue.

It hurts, Mu Xian; your kiss hurts so much.

Is it because you were sad too?

“It’s okay… Mu Xian…” I gently patted his back. “We’ve had enough, really, we’ve had enough…”

His grip tightened, his fingers digging into my skin. My tears soaked his cheeks. I tried not to cry, but the more I tried to hold back, the more tears streamed down my face. In an instant, his lips parted, and he pressed my face heavily against his chest with one hand, as if telling me to let myself cry freely.

My tears flowed uncontrollably. I hugged his waist tightly, oblivious to who was watching or waiting around us, pressing myself against his warm, firm chest, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat. It felt like a lifetime had passed.

In a daze, I heard his cold voice ringing out above my head.

“Mop, notify the ground fleet to send the psychics to designated locations around the world.”

“Dean, the Stan Rebirth Machine is ready to be activated.”

“Kenya, if I were to die today, I hope you would command my fleet and assist my father and elder brother.”

…

The sounds of voices and footsteps around me became denser and then sparser. I remained nestled in his arms, in his fresh, warm, and strong embrace, ignoring everyone else.

“Go back and rest for a while, okay?” A soft voice, as gentle as a night breeze, rang in my ears. I lifted my dry, swollen eyes, which were now dry of tears. My heart, too, was like a deep pool, slowly sinking into stillness.

“Okay.” I squeezed his hand and smiled. But there was no smile in his eyes, only a deep, pure blackness.

That gaze caused me a slight pain in my heart. Avoiding his gaze, I turned my head and saw Morin and Mop standing straight a few steps behind us, with the same thin, withered tree-like figures, the same flat metal heads, and the same silent red eyes. For a moment, I couldn’t tell who was who.

They, too, knew the future.

I knew that there was no future for Mu Xian and me.

Mu Xian led me to them. His face was as cold as ice; he simply reached out and patted their shoulders. Mop lowered his head and remained silent; Morin raised his hand to cover his face and nodded.

My eyes welled up with tears again, and I turned my head away, gazing at the dim sky.

“Prepare some food,” Mu Xian said in a deep voice.

“Yes.” The two of them jogged towards the palace, and Mu Xian put his arm around me and walked slowly behind them.

“What will happen to the two of them in the future?” I asked in a low voice.

Mu Xian was silent for a moment, then answered softly, “I can erase their memories.”

I felt a sharp pain surge through my heart, and I had to clench my teeth to manage a muffled “Mmm.”

***

The sunlight outside the window was exceptionally bright. However, gusts of cold air, like icy blades, poured into the room, stinging and making one feel both painful and alert.

Morin and Mop both hid in the kitchen. I lay on my back on the bed in the bedroom. Mu Xian took off his military cap, revealing a handsome face beneath his black hair, as beautiful as snow. His beautiful black eyes gazed at me intently and quietly.

Without a word, I wrapped my arms around his neck and gently kissed him. He turned and held my hands in his, his cold lips and tongue beginning to linger and wander across my cheeks, my lips, and my neck.

“Hua Yao… Hua Yao…” His voice was so hoarse and restrained. Every kiss and caress was so devout and ardent. I felt his heavy body intertwined with mine; every inch of my skin seemed to crave his touch. A great sorrow surged through my heart. How could this be enough? Mu Xian, I love you. How could this be enough?

“I love you, Hua Yao,” he said softly.

I looked into his eyes, which shone like stars, and my heart ached, yet I smiled through my tears.

“I love you too, Mu Xian. I love you so much.”

My heart belongs only to you; it always has only belonged to you. Thirty million years ago and thirty million years from now.

I never realized time had flown by. It felt like just yesterday we were whispering sweet nothings, and now Morin was knocking on the door: “Commander, Miss, the Stan Rebirth Project will begin in 40 minutes. Dinner’s ready.”

Is this the last meal?

He smiled faintly, straightened my disheveled clothes, and bent down to lift me from the bed. I let him carry me out of the room and into the dining room.

Mop and Morin stood by the table, and Mu Xian placed me on a chair and sat down next to me.

“Eat,” he said softly, “so you will have the strength.”

I nodded, then looked around blankly at the table full of my favorite dishes. But my body felt as if it were filled with bitter tears, and I had no appetite at all.

But he’s right; we were about to unleash all our spiritual power to save this planet. We had to eat.

I picked up the bowl and ate slowly. My mouth tasted bitter, and my stomach ached. I ate half a bowl of rice and a few bites of vegetables, but then I could barely swallow any more. Mu Xian, however, calmly ate his usual amount of food and personally ladled a bowl of soup for me. I forced a few sips and shook my head. He also put down his chopsticks and bowl.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Tare appeared at the door; he had come in person.

“Nuo’er, are you done?” he asked gently.

“That’s enough.” Mu Xian’s expression had returned to its usual coldness. He stood up, took the military cap and gloves from Mop’s hands, and put them on neatly.

I stood up too.

Overwhelmed by grief, in my calm heart, there was only one thought—wherever he is, that was where I am.

His hands, gloved in white, were long and clean, hanging at his sides. Just as I was about to reach out and grasp them, I saw him turn his head, and beneath his long, dark eyebrows, his cold eyes stared intently at me.

“Morin,” he said in a deep voice, his tone surprisingly cold and calm, “take her back to her room.”

My mind went blank, and when I tried to grab his hand, it trembled, and I grasped nothing.

What did he say? Didn’t we agree that I would go with him? I could help him!

“Mu Xian, you…” He had only managed to say a few words when a heavy drowsiness washed over him, and everything before his eyes instantly became blurry.

What happened? How could this be?

There were drugs in the food?! He thought, he thought…

My world was spinning.

His silent face and his stagnant gaze, though so close, felt impossibly distant. My vision blurred, and my consciousness began to crumble.

No! No!

Mu Xian, how could you do this? How could you still not understand?

Don’t leave me!

In a daze, I felt myself fall into a familiar embrace. My body felt light as he lifted me up. His face was both near and far, blurry and indistinct. It was as if he were shrouded in a halo of light, or as if he were carrying me through the darkness.

But Mu Xian, how could you do this?

Will you remain so stubborn until the day you die? Don’t you understand what I want?

“I understand.”

The faint voice seemed to come from a very far place; it was hoarse yet gentle.

“I’m sorry, Hua Yao. I couldn’t bear to part with you.

“No matter what, I can’t bear to see you die.

“If I were destined to die in history, if I have ever succeeded by my own efforts, you don’t need to come.

“As a man, as a soldier, I can’t allow myself to die in front of the woman I love.

“Listen to me, take a nap. When you wake up, Morin will send you back to Earth. He would completely erase your memories, return you to your grandmother’s side, back to your life, back to the peaceful, distant Earth.

“Whether I die or continue to wallow in the mire for thirty million years, I will never forget you.

“My wife, my Hua Yao.”

…

I finally sank into the deepest, deepest darkness.

There was no light and no sound. I stood alone in the vast darkness, weeping uncontrollably.

Mu Xian, do you hear that? Do you see that?

I stand here alone, covering my face and weeping bitterly.

I was stupid; I was foolish. I forgot how gentle you were and how cold-hearted you were. Cold-hearted enough to die alone, cold-hearted enough to erase everything from my memory. But did you know that’s tantamount to erasing my life?

Don’t let me forget you; don’t let me live in a daze of happiness, as if I’d never loved you. I promise you I won’t die; I promise you I will live. At least let me remember you!

…

I was in a daze, and the pain was excruciating.

I didn’t know how much time had passed when I heard a familiar voice softly calling in my ear, “Miss, Miss…”

I opened my eyes abruptly to find myself in a bright, familiar room. Morin was slumped over the bed, his eyes red and vacant.

My head was still heavy, and I was sobbing so much that I could barely speak. I grabbed Morin’s arm and gasped, “Where’s Mu Xian? Where is he? Don’t erase my memory! Do not!”

As soon as I finished speaking, a burst of white spiritual energy erupted from my body, instantly expanding into a perfectly round sphere of light. I floated up from the bed, panting heavily, and looked at Morin in alarm.

“No, no!” Morin cried out repeatedly. “I will not! Miss, of course I will not! Miss, hurry to Yu; Mop just left before I dared to wake you. The commander has been gone for an hour. I, I… Miss, I disobeyed the commander’s orders. I don’t know if waking you up was right or wrong. I… I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”

Tears streaming down my face, I shook my head and said, “Thank you… Thank you, Morin, you did the right thing…” Before I could finish speaking, my body was already rushing forward at high speed!

“Miss!” Morin cried out in alarm behind me. I heard a loud crash as I broke through the window. The sharp edges of the glass sliced ​​through my psychic energy sphere and turned it to ashes.

The sky was gray, and the land was vast.

I saw nothing but a blue pillar of light far ahead, like a radiant jade disc, towering into the sky. Under its light, the earth darkened, the sky became desolate, and the green trees, palaces, and lakes around me turned ashen, like ruins.

He was there. Mu Xian was there.

I raised my hand to cover my mouth; my throat was dry, yet tears seemed endless. The white light surrounding me had never been so piercing, so burning, stinging my skin and flesh.

Everything around me flashed past like fleeting shadows; trees bent and broke before me, lake water boiled and split at my feet, and palaces collapsed before me with a deafening roar.

I moved forward, tears streaming down my face, ever onward.

Closer and closer. I saw Yu, and I saw familiar and unfamiliar faces and expressions of fear and sorrow. Finally, I saw him.

At the summit of Yu Mountain, amidst a pillar of light, he stood shoulder to shoulder with Kenya. A blue net of light shone and intertwined above them, while the pristine white of Yu Mountain surged beneath their feet. He stood like a radiant statue, silent and majestic. His expression was serene and solemn, his deep black eyes gazing at the distant sky; whether asleep or dead, it was impossible to tell.

History repeated itself, a scene that terrified me.

“Mu Xian… Mu Xian…” My voice trembled and became hoarse.

Amidst gasps of surprise, I had already landed on the summit of Yu Mountain, a few steps away from him.

Just then, a piercing scream echoed through the sky. The pillar of light before them and the net of light above seemed to tremble. It was Kenya beside Mu Xian.

He was hunched over, clenching his teeth, and a trickle of blood escaped from the corner of his mouth.

He wasn’t doing well.

But his face contorted in a grimace, he immediately straightened up again, his eyes fierce and stubborn. Yet he also looked so pained, as if he would collapse at any moment. Beside him, Mu Xian, his face still bathed in light, remained oblivious. Oblivious to Kenya’s impending collapse, oblivious to my approach.

This was… a sign of impending vaporization death!

I felt unbearable pain, so I opened my arms and rushed towards Mu Xian.

The white light pierced through the blue pillar of light. I could clearly feel the powerful energy flowing within the pillar, like sharp blades stabbing into my body from all directions…

It hurts, Mu Xian, it hurts so much.

But weren’t you in even more pain?

This thought rushed into my mind, and the white light surrounding me suddenly brightened, instantly cutting off the blue light…

“Ah…” A nearly tearing cry of pain still escaped my throat.

But I finally hugged him.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

Kenya, standing to our left, suddenly contorted his face like a monster. His body seemed to be filled with expanding gas, and with a soft “bang,” I saw his torso, limbs, and head explode into bloody fragments, scattering across the sky, across the summit of Yu Mountain, and disappearing into the pillar of light beside Mu Xian and me.

Many people climbed to the top of Yu Mountain, and many covered their faces and wept bitterly. They knelt at the site where Kenya exploded and died, overwhelmed with grief.

As I looked around in bewilderment, it suddenly dawned on me—yes, everyone would die; everyone who stood here would die.

This disaster was more intense and faster than the last one, requiring far more energy to rotate the planet’s core. One Mu Xian wasn’t enough. Even adding Kenya might not be enough.

What if I were included?

Even with my life, was that enough?

This is how much I love you. So your race, your homeland, what you love, and what you protect, I am willing to give my life for.

The white light slowly overlapped and merged with the blue light.

This scene seems familiar. When had I seen it before?

It was a past life.

A distorted space, a mad monster. Blue light cleaved through the endless void, while white light embraced it tightly.

It turned out we fought together in our previous life.

What about this time?

A relentless column of energy, like a sledgehammer of tons, pounded on my head. In just a second, I nearly collapsed. But Mu Xian, how could I fall? So you were standing here, enduring this pain.

I stood tall like you, letting the flowing energy, like countless sharp knives, slice through my flesh and blood…

Beyond the hazy pillar of light, everyone’s expressions seemed frozen; they stared at us silently. Morin, Mop. And Yi Pucheng, Tarui… No, there was no need to be sad; this was what he and I wanted.

Just then, the broad shoulders and back in front of me suddenly moved.

He slowly turned his head.

My body was numb with pain, but a surge of joy, a bittersweet joy, washed over me like a tide.

He was alive.

His handsome face, slowly turned to the side, appeared hazy in the blue light, but his dark eyes seemed to be filled with ice, covering a deep sense of shock and pain.

But I couldn’t help but smile at him.

No, Mu Xian, don’t be surprised or sad.

I once stood here holding him tightly, yet I was powerless. If history truly couldn’t be changed, how could I have been unprepared?

I had already obtained a secret warrant from Yi Pucheng in the name of the Time Clan. Morin went to the Academy of Sciences to carry out this order—the frequency and magnetic field of the Stan Rebirth Machine had been modified, and it could finally accommodate both you and me at the same time.

As if he could see right through me, the icy look in his eyes slowly faded. In its place was a deep and intense…love.

He turned his head, his back to me. A pair of large, cold hands covered the back of my hands that were wrapped around his.

“Hold me tight,” he whispered.

“Mmm.” I buried my face heavily in his back.

How could we be separated?

…

Time was passing so slowly.

The pain of being cut with a knife was like being slowly sliced ​​apart. But in his arms, everything else became insignificant.

I didn’t know how much time had passed, but the distant blue net overhead seemed brighter than ever before. And that fluorescent blue light begins to burn my fingers like flames.

Then came the arms, shoulders, body, face…

I wanted to talk to him, but I couldn’t make a sound.

I couldn’t even move an inch.

All the muscles in my body seemed to be stiff. I seemed to see my own profile in the blue light, a quiet face and dark and silent eyes, as if I were asleep or as if I were already dead.

I couldn’t feel my own breathing.

I was dying.

He was oblivious. His hoarse voice rang out: “Hua Yao, we… we succeeded.”

Was it successful?

In a daze, I seemed to feel the ground beneath my feet trembling, and beyond the beam of light, many blurry faces were filled with ecstatic joy.

Have we already rotated the planet’s core?

“Hua Yao, come to me,” he said softly.

I stared at him blankly. I was sorry, Mu Xian; I couldn’t move.

“I can’t move.” His voice was a little hoarse. “Come here, let me hold you, Hua Yao.”

But I couldn’t answer him; I couldn’t even shed a tear. I could only stare at him silently.

As if sensing something, his back seemed to stiffen instantly.

“…Hua Yao?” he called out slowly, his voice trembling.

I stood behind him, my heart breaking, silent as a pillar.

The only response he received was a silent flow of energy that permeated our bodies, annihilating all sound.

A dazzling blue light covered the sky, the earth moved forward smoothly like a wheel, countless people cheered, and countless others wept. I watched as Mop and Morin, heartbroken, rushed towards the pillar of light, only to be instantly struck by the blue light and thrown down from Yu Mountain; I saw Yi Pucheng, his face cold, draw his guard’s pistol, fire several shots at the pillar of light, then throw it to the ground, his dark eyes seemingly glistening with tears; finally, I saw the crowd below Yu Mountain kneel down in droves, a dark mass stretching far, far away…

My consciousness began to blur, like I was dreaming, like I was in a hallucination, or like I was already dead…

“Ah–“

A scream.

A piercing, hoarse howl, like the most mournful cry of a wild beast, resounded through the heavens. My muddled consciousness seemed to be pulled out of the dark mire by this sound, and my heart trembled for a moment, regaining a brief clarity.

It was Mu Xian; it was actually Mu Xian. He actually made that sound.

I looked up in alarm and saw him slowly raise his head, a clear tear streaming down his pale, handsome face. His empty black eyes were filled with raw pain.

“Hua Yao—Hua Yao—” His handsome face instantly tensed and twisted, his dark eyes filled with a murderous aura. He shouted my name loudly, each cry heart-wrenching and utterly grief-stricken.

“Hua Yao—Hua Yao!” The voice was neither crying nor wailing, neither human nor beast, but continuous and furious.

The energy pillars seemed to pause for a moment, and the blue net overhead even appeared to tremble slightly.

I felt like I’d rather be dead than alive.

Mu Xian, my silly Mu Xian.

Why? Why were you calling my name like that? Didn’t you want me to die?

My gentle, infatuated Mu Xian!

How could you be in so much pain?

Don’t feel pain!

“Ah!”

I heard my own voice, a hoarse, beast-like wail, bursting forth from the depths of my chest and echoing through the sky!

Suddenly, a burst of white light erupted around me, illuminating the summit of Yu Mountain as if it were daytime. His eyes, which had been slightly closed, snapped open abruptly. He slowly turned his head, his dark eyes, brimming with tears, fixed intently on me.

“Hua Yao!”

A blue beam of light, accompanied by his shout, suddenly burst into a supernova-like brilliance, turning the entire sky a deep blue.

He slowly turned around, and we embraced tightly. I knew, and he must have known, that this was our last bit of spiritual strength, our last glimmer of light.

The final outburst was solely for the purpose of dying together.

“I will always protect you.”

“Yes, me too.”

…

Consciousness faded once more; everything around us seemed impossibly distant. Only his chest, only the blue and white light, remained beside us, merging and converging with an unprecedented brilliance and intimacy…

It was getting brighter and hotter.

I had never felt my spiritual power as intense and strong as it was now.

I never knew I could be so strong, with such intense radiance.

Light.

A bright, white light suddenly illuminated my already dim vision, as if it were shining from very close by.

The light was so bright, it was almost scorching. It was completely different from my spiritual power, so bright that I had to reopen my eyes and see everything clearly before me.

I snapped back to reality instantly.

That is…

Yu Xin.

The bright, glowing chip slowly rose from Mu Xian’s military uniform pocket and hovered between us, like a star falling to earth.

Mu Xian also opened his eyes. We were still unable to move and could only silently watch this strange sight.

Everything that followed happened in an instant.

The blue and white light surrounding our bodies instantly shifted and converged, as if absorbed into Yu Xin. Then, a pure white light shot out from Yu Xin, soaring into the sky. The light widened, becoming pure and profound, piercing the heavens. Within that light, I actually saw the universe beyond the atmosphere, the vast starry sky, and the magnificent Pillar of Time.

Then I saw a crack, snow-white and long, filled with water, the very crack of time that I knew so well.

How so?

This scene was so bizarre that Mu Xian frowned deeply, and I held my breath. But the people outside the pillar of light still wore expressions of grief, as if they were completely unaware.

Suddenly, the time rift burst open as if torn apart, and white light instantly covered the entire sky.

Then I saw many white dots, near and far, on the ground and in the sky, densely packed like lights, yet appearing as a unified whole.

“It’s Yu’s energy.” Mu Xian’s eyes changed slightly. “The energy of Yu throughout the entire universe is fluctuating.”

My heart skipped a beat as I looked at the chip floating between our foreheads.

So… its name was Yu Xin?

Just then, something even stranger happened.

I saw the extension of space.

From the white cracks of time, blue light suddenly emerged. Planets rose from the blue light; galaxies gradually appeared; I even saw the green trees, clouds, and flowing water on each planet, inch by inch, coming together from nothing.

This scene was truly magical; it was as if another world was emerging from the crack in time.

Or rather, it was being born.

Suddenly, a sentence popped into my head.

That was Yi Pucheng’s deep voice: “The black vortex devours light-years; the Lord of Time is reborn in the heart of space.”

Time, reborn in the heart of space?

There wasn’t time to think about it further.

Because a horrifying scene unfolded.

I saw my hand, which was resting on Mu Xian’s chest, disappearing inch by inch, yet I felt nothing at all. Then, I saw his shoulder vanish into the pillar of light. I looked up at him in horror, but he no longer looked at the strange sight of Yu Xin; he simply lowered his head and gazed at me calmly and gently.

My heart suddenly calmed down.

He lowered his head and kissed me. His cold tongue, both cruel and tender, seemed to want to devour me inch by inch forever.

Yes, he died a worthy death.

…

We kissed for a long time.

I thought we should have disappeared, vaporized. Because I could no longer feel the pressure of the energy pillar or the pain in my body. I could no longer hear the suffering of those around me, nor feel the earth trembling.

The surroundings were so quiet and still, like a stagnant pool.

But why could I still feel his hands restraining me, feel his cold embrace, and feel his lips and tongue almost frantically ravaging my lips?

I slowly opened my eyes.

Before me was a pair of dark, handsome eyes, clear as starlight. Warm breath gently caressed my cheek.

We weren’t dead?!

Mu Xian released me and raised his head, but still held me tightly around the waist. His handsome face also flashed with shock and joy, and we both looked around at the same time.

This is……

Void?

We were suspended in darkness. The darkness was boundless, and there was nothing there but the two of us.

“Are we dead? Or are we still in Yu Li?” I asked softly. But an overwhelming sense of joy was already welling up inside me—what did it matter if we were dead or alive? I could feel him; I could see him! Even if I were a ghost, I would be willing!

His cold gaze swept around the room, then returned to me, and a smile slowly appeared on his face.

“I have no idea.”

I was stunned for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh. I hugged him tightly again, and he silently hugged me back, gently kissing my cheeks and ears. My eyes were swollen and sore from crying, and I had no strength left in my body.

Surviving such a calamity was a bittersweet experience, beyond words. I returned his kiss passionately, and just standing here, gazing into each other’s eyes for a lifetime, was a blessing and a miracle from heaven.

Suddenly, a flash of light appeared in my vision, and the darkness suddenly brightened. He held me close and looked up.

I was stunned.

I witnessed the passage of time in the universe.

Looking around blankly, all we saw were countless white streaks of light, like flowing river water passing by us. We didn’t know where they came from, nor where they were going.

But even though I was standing here, in Mu Xian’s arms, it felt like I was standing in those shadows.

That wasn’t light and shadow. I was in it, and I saw it slowly and clearly.

That was the endless time of the universe.

I witnessed an explosion and expansion like a nuclear bomb, the birth of the universe. I also saw the formation of stars and the condensation of planets. Then, on the surface of the planets, the gas gradually changed, green grass grew, and solitary ancestral creatures proliferated in the water.

Then came upright humans.

Then came the development of the planet, the rise and fall of civilizations across generations, the emergence of robots, the howls of orcs, and the endless cycle. Space fortresses, time travel, the universe flickering in and out.

Then came black holes, massive black holes that swallowed up most of the universe. All life perished, and the universe descended into darkness.

Then I saw two strangers, a man and a woman. The man knelt before a…Yu Mountain on the surface of some planet. Blue light emanated from his body, while the woman was bathed in white light—the woman was a member of the Time Clan! The man possessed spiritual power!

Then, white sequins rose from Yu Mountain, radiating the light of Yu Xin.

A strange scene unfolded. What had just happened before Mu Xian and me repeated itself—a time rift opened, revealing the shadow of another universe and world. Then the man and woman stood in the darkness, watching…light-years pass by. Suddenly, the darkness was torn open, and they plummeted straight down. After an unknown amount of time, they fell…

The surface of a planet.

The stars were as bright as day, and the nebulae were ethereal.

Above them was a newly born universe.

They stood there for a long time before walking into the dense woods and disappearing from sight.

Then, this universe, once again, flourished before us, emerging from its initial state. Billions of years later, a black hole was born, only to perish once more… And then, a strange couple opened a rift in time, extending into new universes and spaces…

And so the cycle repeats itself: life and death.

Mu Xian and I stood hand in hand in the darkness, in the span of light-years, watching countless lifetimes, for an unknown amount of time.

My mood became solemn and calm.

I thought I understood now. I understood the cycle of the universe, and I understood the meaning of life and death.

The black vortex devoured light-years, and the Lord of Time was reborn in the heart of space.

Does the destruction of one universe signify the birth and proliferation of a new universe?

“Time is you; space is me. Yu Xin, the Yu that drives the entire universe, provides energy.” Mu Xian’s deep voice resounded in my ears.

I was startled. The space… it was him?

Yes, his mental power could create another space.

Time, plus space and energy… a new universe?

The reasons behind this were beyond my comprehension, and I found it difficult to delve into them.

But was everything predetermined?

In my last life, I actually saw a familiar face.

I exclaimed, “So it was him!”

Mu Xian stared at the person’s grief-stricken face in the light and shadow and slowly replied, “It’s him. Apart from mental power, only robots can create space.”

“But why did he…?”

“Perhaps too much time has passed, and he’s forgotten,” Mu Xian said softly. “Robots are immortal.”

I remained silent.

The surrounding light and shadow slowly faded away, and my consciousness blurred again. I held Mu Xian tightly and could only feel our bodies beginning to slowly fall.

“Mu Xian, will we end up like them?” I asked softly.

“Yes,” he replied softly, “we are going to a new universe.”

…

I felt like I slept for a long time, a deep and sweet sleep.

Then I felt the sunlight on my face; it was warm and hot, and there was the smell of dry grass.

I opened my eyes and saw stars twinkling in the azure sky, shining gently. Beneath me lay a verdant meadow, and in the distance, mountains and lakes stretched out, a scene of breathtaking beauty.

Mu Xian lay beside me. His white military uniform still bore gray-black stains, and his hat was askew. His handsome face was as white as jade in the sunlight.

As if sensing my movement, his dark brows furrowed slightly, and he opened his eyes.

Those eyes were dark and bright, like countless stars.

We gazed at each other and smiled at the same time. He took my hand and stood up, and I then realized that behind us was a vast expanse of white Yu Mountain, exactly the same shape as the Yu Mountain at the Stan Palace.

So, were we standing on Stan in this universe?

“Mu Xian, is the world we are in real or virtual?” This question suddenly popped into my head.

He took my hand, brought it to his lips, and gently kissed it, his expression calm: “Was the previous universe a real or virtual world?”

I was taken aback, then smiled with relief.

He smiled and took my hand, leading me forward. The verdant hillside was like a velvet carpet, and the mountains stretched far, far away. It felt as if we were the only two people in the world.

“Where to?” I asked quickly.

“I don’t know.” His handsome face remained smiling.

“Do you think there are other people in this universe?”

“Maybe.”

“Are we dead in that universe?”

“It should be.”

I paused, then said, “So, we will never see Mop and Morin, or anyone else?”

He stopped and glanced at me. After a moment of silence, his dark, gem-like eyes shone with a gentle light: “Hua Yao, we are in two different universes, and we may never meet again. But we will live in sync with them.”

A faint sadness welled up in my heart, and I nodded slowly.

“Don’t be sad. Maybe there’s a Morin and a Mop in this universe, too.”

I was stunned: “Really?”

A deep smile appeared in his eyes: “You can go and look for them.”

I smiled through my tears.

He lowered his head and kissed me deeply. I hugged his shoulders, looked over his cheek, and gazed at the clear sky.

Sister, King, Zhuo Wu, and Dan An, I did it. It turned out the way to save the universe was through another rebirth.

Morin, Mop, Grandma, and Yi Pucheng, I hope you live peacefully in another world.

And we…

I looked at his cool and aloof face.

There may be other people in this world, or perhaps it was just the two of us living alone. But I was content.

From beginning to end, we never separated.

“Let’s go.” He let go of me and continued walking forward.

I held his arm and gazed at the distant land before us.

What else awaited us in this universe?

Exclusive Possession (End of Text)