Eternal Tale

With the final punch, Chen Xun’s fury had reached its peak. His emotions, like a torrential flood, erupted between heaven and earth, akin to the roar of thunder exploding in the sky.

His fist carried the wrath of millennia, suppressed emotions surging like a mighty torrent toward Shi Rong.

The power of this punch was like the wrath of the boundary’s heavens and earth, gathering the anger of all living beings into a single point, like a star of fiery rage, erupting from Chen Xun’s fist and turning the entire sky of the Shi Rong Realm crimson!

”Shi Rong, you bastard, to hell with you!!!”

Chen Xun’s features twisted, his vast roar echoing through the clouds, emotions surging like an endless flood, the punch embodying the incarnation of fury, crashing onto Shi Rong!

Boom!!!

Rumble!!!

A world-destroying force erupted throughout the Shi Rong Realm, the sky cracked open, flame-like light illuminated the earth, the ground trembled violently, yellow sand billowed...

Shi Rong was pierced through by this punch, the terrifying force and laws passing through his immortal body, like an unparalleled blaze continuing to spill out behind him, reaching beyond the Shi Rong Realm.

”Ah!!!”At that moment, he could no longer endure, letting out a deep, painful howl, the sound like a collapsing mountain, like the mournful wind, like a shattered soul.

His body trembled under the terrifying impact, black blood gushing like a spring from his mouth and nose.

Shi Rong, like a candle in the wind, wavered, yet still struggled to raise his hand...

”Why is it you...”

”Why is it you!!”

A voice, suppressing extreme pain, suddenly came, it was Chen Xun’s voice. Shi Rong’s whole body shook, and he gradually revealed a pale smile: ”I didn’t expect you to come.”

Shi Rong’s voice was old and decayed, yet there was no trace of resentment or blame, as if the one being struck was not himself.

At this moment, Chen Xun’s eyes gradually turned blood-red, his chest heaving, no longer the figure declaring war, no longer the Dao Ancestor who battled the immortals of the Milky Way and shook the Three Thousand Great Worlds.

His silver hair gradually became disheveled, a strand reflecting in his eyes, also reflecting Shi Rong’s figure, the mortal world, Double Tree Alley... the old man selling paintings...!

”Chen Xun... I never wished for you to come.”

”Bullshit.”

Chen Xun’s whole body trembled uncontrollably, his clenched fists shaking, his eyes trembling, his voice trembling, ”You and Ye Qingyou had already noticed me, you... had long noticed me.”

His voice was hoarse, a low growl, his whole body chilled, a sense of emptiness pervading him, the old man... though he never admitted it, he always regarded him as a teacher, with utmost respect.

”People grow old, memories fade, I seem to only remember your names.”

”Black Ox liked farming, Crane Spirit liked growing flowers, Little Chi seemed to enjoy playing with children, and Chen Xun... liked wandering?”

”Hehe...”

”Ha, ha, ha.”

...

The past flashed before his eyes, myriad emotions swirling in Chen Xun’s gaze, looking incredulously at the old blind man, still trembling as he spoke: ”You... would let me fill the painting like this?!”

”Fill the blank like this!”

The vast heavens echoed with the questioning voice, reverberating endlessly.

”Cough, cough, cough...” Shi Rong suddenly coughed blood, the cold wind piercing through him, yet a warm smile always hung at the corner of his mouth, ”I... cough, from beginning to end... never plotted against you.”

”They all think too complicatedly, I only wanted to attract the attention of the grand world, to force the Boundless Human Clan to comply, the path for the boundary’s descendants would be much broader, no need to walk the same path as I.”

Shi Rong looked up at the sky, his voice old yet still robust, mortally wounded yet not losing his breath, ”They all thought I was stalling, waiting for something, but there never was.”

”If I die, hatred ends, the path ahead opens wide, that is the best outcome.”

”I never intended to confront the boundary’s descendants in life and death, death is the best escape, why continue the past of the Immortal Alliance, just didn’t expect you to become immortal so quickly, too quickly...”

Shi Rong sighed lightly, ”Caught me off guard, caught the myriad clans’ immortals off guard, your choice to sacrifice the boundary, further shook my heart like the sea.”

Ke Ding was not wrong back then, he could gamble everything, not because he saw no hope, but because he saw hope, not wanting this hope to repeat the fated past...

Chen Xun, liked wandering.

He remembered.

Living beings born between heaven and earth, should have freedom.

Everything he did, his wish was simple, just hoping Chen Xun could wander safely, hoping the myriad living beings of the boundary could all wander freely, seeking immortality.

He never waited for anyone, nor plotted against anyone, in this life... he only calculated himself.

Selling paintings as a mortal, he simply enjoyed selling paintings there, a jug of turbid wine would ease his heart, meeting Chen Xun was never intentional, it was a fateful encounter.

From beginning to end, it was Chen Xun who met the old blind man selling paintings, not the old blind man who met Chen Xun.

On the sandy earth.

Chen Xun took a deep breath, his eyes lost in thought for a long time...

Shi Rong struggled to lift his leg, dragging his broken immortal body step by step toward Chen Xun.

He gently patted Chen Xun’s arm: ”Chen Xun, enough, you have avenged your great hatred, the Boundless Myriad Clans are willing to make way for you, worthy of the name opener of the boundary, hehe... I am not as good as you.”

”The grand world’s living beings, I manipulated the essence of the Nine Great Worlds to kill countless, the boundary’s grudge is also avenged, what you wanted to do, I have already done for you.”

”In the years to come, live for yourself once, you Chen Xun have never been selfish or a coward, I may be blind, but my heart is clear.”

Shi Rong’s old words slowly echoed in the yellow sand, ”Everything is over, isn’t it...”

Chen Xun’s eyes trembled as he looked at Shi Rong: ”...Yes.”

Drip, drip...

The gloomy sky suddenly began to rain, drenching the two of them, also burying the drifting yellow sand between heaven and earth, clearly revealing the outlines of their figures.

”Chen Xun...”

”...Here.”

”These years, how is your painting skill?” Shi Rong weakly spoke, ”My immortal path ends here... though lacking much color, it remains my most proud painting.”

Chen Xun’s lips suddenly quivered, standing still for a long time without moving.

”Heh, heh, ultimately still not a complete painting... mortal path is like this, immortal path is like this.”

Shi Rong’s hand slipped from Chen Xun’s arm, stumbling toward the distant alley, softly saying, ”Chen Xun, the last journey and the blank, this time let me fill it myself...”

Step...

Step...

The light, powerless footsteps echoed throughout the Shi Rong Realm, mountains collapsing, the earth’s veins in disarray, only that alley still stood, empty and desolate.

”Tie Zhu! You’re back!”

”Brother Zhu! Let’s go catch fish!”

”Tie Zhu! The iron egg from the neighboring village bullied our alley’s Da Huang!”

...

The alley was bustling, the road long, as if it could never be finished, Shi Rong smiled, a somewhat brilliant smile, this world was never small, life never needed to be fully painted.

The road in the alley, slowly walked through, was one’s life, this boundless sky was the boundless heart, he had painted long ago...

”Old sir!” A shout came from afar.

”Chen Xun, the painting I gifted your family, contains the boundary’s essence and life imprint.”

Shi Rong paused, not turning his head, ”This is the last thing I can do for the boundary, how to restore it, my painting skills are not enough...”

”Chen Xun, on behalf of me, go see the Three Thousand Great Worlds, go see the future True Immortal Realm.”

”My real name, Ying Zhi Yi!”

”Honorific title... Shi Rong Immortal!”