Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 358 - The Grand Finale (3)

Gu Baiying traveled to many places.

Sometimes it was a water town with small bridges and flowing streams, sometimes it was a mountain village with curling smoke from cooking fires, sometimes it was a small town shrouded in misty rain, and at other times, it was high peaks with overlapping ridges.

He had been to many places and met many people. In the land of Douzhou, the peach and willow trees were bright, and flowers were in full bloom.

In the end, he went to Heishi City.

Before Heishi City, the river was churning with waves. He threw the prepared pellets into the river one by one. Soon, from the depths of the water, a huge Black Dragon Fish swam over and stopped at the shore, like a black-painted ship waiting for a traveler’s return.

After the journey to the Golden Gate Ruins, with the last star returning to its place, the Black Dragon Fish carried everyone back to Douzhou. In the following period, Gu Baiying tried to return to the Golden Gate Ruins to search for Zanxing’s whereabouts, but the Black Dragon Fish no longer carried people to the whirlpool at the river’s bottom.

Perhaps it wasn’t that the dragon fish was unwilling, but after the key to the Golden Gate Ruins disappeared, the place connecting the Celestial Realm and the Human Realm was once again sealed, and no one could find any traces.

The Black Dragon Fish recognized him, flicked its tail gently, and the fish’s tail caused huge splashes in the black river. He scattered a large handful of pellets into the river and quietly waited for the dragon fish to swallow them one by one.

Zanxing once said that there was a custom in her place where making a wish to a carp would make one’s wish come true. Although this large fish seemed to have little to do with a carp, he still quietly watched the Black Dragon Fish for a while and made a wish deep in his heart that seemed unlikely to come true.

He hoped to see her again.

The Black Dragon Fish took Gu Baiying to Heishi City, where Xiao Shuang welcomed him. The young man in a blue robe and scholarly cap was still as gentle as before. He smiled at Gu Baiying and said, “Shaoyang Zhenren sent a letter earlier to inform Her Majesty that Immortal Gu would come soon, and Her Majesty ordered me to prepare a place for you. I didn’t expect to wait for a few months.” As he led Gu Baiying inside, he continued with a smile, “It seems Immortal Gu has traveled quite a bit recently.”

Heishi City was more prosperous than it had been a few years ago.

After the demonic veins of the Demon Clan had recovered, demonic energy gradually filled the air. Moreover, due to the events at the Golden Gate Ruins, it was ultimately Zanxing who saved the world. Even though the cultivation world was shameless, they dared not acquire a reputation for kicking someone when they were down. Over the years, the human and demon races had maintained a certain level of peace. Although they were not as close as family, they could occasionally meet in Douzhou, and the two sides could exchange polite greetings and casual pleasantries.

Occasionally, during sect conferences, demons in disguise would mingle among the crowd. If the cultivators discovered them, they turned a blind eye. In Heishi City, curious cultivators sometimes came across demon pills and rode the Black Dragon Fish to explore the city. Although Bu Jiang did not stop them, she allowed the vendors to quietly charge them extra magic pearls, pretending not to notice.

The caves everywhere were still as flashy as before. This ostentatious trend had gradually spread to the sects, and it was said that the disciples’ garments in the Yinfeng Sect were now as colorful as the rainbow, possibly inspired by Nie Xinghong’s visit to Heishi City.

Xiao Shuang stopped in front of the Chaos Hall and said softly, “Her Majesty is waiting for Immortal Gu inside. Please go in.”

Gu Baiying entered.

The Chaos Hall looked much the same as it had a few years ago.

The gaudy demonic statue at the entrance remained as colorful as ever, and the water pool inside still held a few bare bones that emitted a faint glow.

However, the hundreds of ghostly flames that once lit the hall had been removed. After Zanxing’s departure, the Chaos Hall had been almost empty for years. With so many candles, there was a risk of a fire burning down the hall. Therefore, Bu Jiang had asked Lantern Ghost to extinguish these lights.

Bu Jiang stood with her back to Gu Baiying, looking out the window.

In front of the window facing the outer courtyard, a thick rope was hanging.

This rope had been left by General Rope. When Zanxing lived here, the rope was often used by Mimi to swing. Zanxing would often be startled by the swaying shadow when she woke up in the middle of the night. After Zanxing left, Mimi also disappeared, leaving only the rope, which swayed gently in the wind.

All seven of the concubines in the hall had been dismissed. They were very sad when they left. Xiao Shuang had comforted them for a long time, promising that if Zanxing ever returned, they could come back to serve in the hall.

Only Hong Su remained in the Chaos Hall.

Bu Jiang had asked Hong Su if she wanted to return to Yuecheng, but Hong Su refused. Seeing her persistence, Bu Jiang decided to keep her in Heishi City to handle the hall’s affairs.

Hearing footsteps, Bu Jiang did not turn around but said, “You’re here.”

Gu Baiying walked to her side.

The Demon Queen’s beauty was as enchanting as ever. Her robes were intricately embroidered and magnificent, yet her expression was much calmer than before. She looked at Gu Baiying and smiled gently, “This hall knew that sooner or later, you would come back to Heishi City.”

She asked, “Do you want to see her?”

Gu Baiying suddenly raised his eyes.

They bypassed the outer courtyard of the Chaos Hall and walked down a long corridor inside the hall to the end, where there was a slightly smaller chamber.

Bu Jiang stopped at the door and looked into the depths of the chamber. “Come in.”

Gu Baiying followed her into the chamber.

The chamber was very empty, with nothing inside. It was stark and seemingly untouched for a long time. The moment the door was pushed open, a fine dust danced in the air, carrying a faint scent of age.

“Look,” Bu Jiang said, pointing to the walls of the chamber.

On all four walls, there were numerous paintings.

The portraits were enormous, stretching from the top of the chamber all the way down to the floor. They depicted people of various kinds, with different faces and appearances.

There were burly men with green faces, sharp fangs, and fierce expressions, elderly men with wrinkled skin, kind eyebrows, and benevolent eyes, plump men with rosy cheeks, and young men dressed in fine clothes with cold expressions.

These figures had various postures and expressions, appearing lifelike as they gazed at those in the chamber.

The last portrait depicted a young woman.

The young woman wore a green dress with silver four-symbol embroidery on the hem. Her bright eyes and blooming smile were like flowers.

Bu Jiang’s voice echoed in the chamber.

“This is a portrait gallery of the past Demon Kings of Heishi City.”

“Heishi City has had ten Demon Kings. I initially thought she would be the eleventh.” She paused before continuing, “But I placed her portrait here anyway. She did better than the others, didn’t she?”

Gu Baiying gazed at the person in the painting.

Among all the portraits, she was the only one with the brightest smile.

“Demon Kings don’t usually smile, including Zanxing’s father. She was the first Demon King to smile so happily. Whenever I come here and see her smile, I feel much better,” Bu Jiang said.

Gu Baiying replied, “She liked to smile.”

Zanxing was always smiling, whether in Gufeng Mountain or Heishi City, even when she became a piece on the celestial chessboard, heading toward a destined conclusion, she still smiled.

Bu Jiang said, “So I think, when she made that decision, she must have had no regrets.”

She turned to face Gu Baiying. “Shaoyang told me that you refused to place Zanxing’s statue in the sect because you believe she might return someday?”

Gu Baiying calmly looked at the figure in the painting. After a while, he said, “I promised I would wait.”

“Such a sentimental person,” Bu Jiang sighed. “When I was young, I never liked such love-stricken, life-or-death matters. I felt that life should not be so naive. The dao of heaven is indifferent, and some things simply cannot be forced.”

“But now, perhaps because I’m older, I find that not everything is absolute. Since Zanxing was able to defy fate back then, many things are not yet at their end, and no one can predict the outcome.”

She smiled at Gu Baiying. “Life is long. There just might be a second miracle.”