The Protagonist's Sister Is Actually The Strongest

The Ritual began as we watched Father’s body being consumed by Mother’s gentle Flames of Hope. The flames, glowing with golden and white light, tenderly transformed his body into Holy Ashes—his clothes, his feathers, everything. It didn’t seem gruesome, as these flames didn’t burn painfully like ordinary ones.

I couldn’t cry anymore; I had shed so many tears that they no longer came. So I gazed at the scene in silence, reflecting on my entire journey here—how it started with meeting the Heavenly Empress and the Heavenly Demon, the training we endured, the lessons I learned about them, and everything that led to this moment.

This has been, perhaps, my greatest journey so far. Despite its length, it felt necessary to strengthen myself as both a fighter and a person. I was still unstable, still lacking in many ways, and to be honest, I still am. But now, I feel more complete than before, thanks to these teachings and experiences.

Heavenly Demon.

Han Zhenye.

Father…

I’ll never forget you.

You will always remain in my heart.

Forever.

…

“It’s done…”

I heard Song’s voice as I noticed Father’s body was gone, replaced by a pile of pristine white ashes, glistening with residual Ki and his essence.

“Let’s go now.”

Mother called us as she carried the coffin with the ashes. We spread them around the island, ensuring they were buried deep in the soil, then added water to let them meld with the earth.

We did the same at the beaches, pouring the ashes into the ocean, blessing this island with Father’s protection.

“The deed is done,” Mother said.

As she spoke, I noticed the sky darkening; it was already night, and my time here was running out quickly.

I had only a couple of hours left.

Afterward, everyone present closed their eyes and clasped their hands, praying. We prayed to the heavens, to Buddha, or to whoever these people worshipped, hoping for the Heavenly Demon’s soul to find peace, wherever he was now.

Even I, who wasn’t particularly religious, prayed as well. It was the least I could do for him, even if it might not make a difference in the end. Still, a prayer was a gesture of respect and love for those who had passed. If I hadn’t done it, it would have felt disrespectful, especially to someone I loved like a father.

“Thank you all for being here today,” Mother said with a gentle smile. “I hope that, as our lives continue, you’ll remember my husband, the father of my son and daughter, as more than just an evil villain. Please… let’s recall the good things he did and his sacrifice. I don’t want history to paint him as evil, but as someone complex. Because, despite everything, I can assure you… he was a good father.”

“Yeah, he was,” Song nodded.

“Indeed,” I agreed.

The people nodded, some smiling, others offering words of respect, but most walked away in silence. I noticed many were still sorrowful. After Mother shared their life story together, it seemed to have stirred sympathy, even among the most resentful. I even saw a couple of Demonic Cultivators cry.

Once everything was done, we gathered at Father’s Dark Palace, where we shared dinner. I helped Mother cook one final meal before I left, and even Zero One and her sisters joined us in the kitchen, adding their own flavors and recipes to the mix.

Although it was a grand feast and we were all together, we were mostly silent. We couldn’t bring ourselves to speak much after everything, creating an awkward atmosphere. I suppose we were still mourning him; it was something that would take days to process.

“I’ll be leaving in a couple of hours…” I broke the silence. “I’m sorry…”

Everyone looked at me. They already knew, and we had already cried, so they didn’t weep again or beg me to stay—they knew I couldn’t.

“That’s… understandable, dear,” Mother sighed. “I’ll miss you so much. I just hope that whatever you’re set on doing back home, you accomplish it. I’ll be rooting for you from here. So, once you gain the power, please come back to visit us, even if it takes thousands of years… We’ll be waiting.”

“Yeah,” Song nodded. “Never lose sight of your goals, sister. I know you can accomplish anything; you’ve already shown us. In the end, the only thing that could ever stop you is… maybe yourself. Sometimes you get a bit too distracted, haha.”

“Heh, maybe…” I giggled. “I’ll admit it, yeah… but don’t worry, Song. I have a lot of friends and family back home too. I hope one day I can return with them so you all can meet them. They’re wonderful people.”

“We’ll be waiting for that moment!” Zero One nodded. “Anna, do your best, okay?”

“Yeah,” Zero Two added. “Please don’t be too reckless either…”

“Hm,” Zero Three A agreed. “Take care of yourself and don’t overexert yourself.”

“As they said,” Zero Three B concurred.

“I’ll miss you so much, Anna…” Wai Tian sighed. “I don’t even know how I’ll start my life tomorrow without you, honestly. It’ll be hard, but… we’ll have to keep moving forward. That’s what you’ve always said, right? Even the Heavenly Demon told me that once. We can’t always linger in our sorrows and regrets; we have to keep moving, making sure we don’t repeat the same mistakes.”

“Wai Tian… That’s very true,” I nodded. “Right, Yin Sheng? You’re moving on too, right?”

“Y-Yes, young lady…” Yin Sheng said. “But you’ll always be my young master. Even if I must wait thousands of years, I’ll be here for you. Until the end of time, you’re my lady Anna—my inspiration and… my most beloved, too.”

“E-Eh?” I felt a bit embarrassed. “Aw, you’re so sweet… See? It’s possible to open up a little!”

“Hm,” he nodded, looking embarrassed. I wanted to pet his fluffy head and ears right then, but I resisted the urge.

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