For ordinary people of the Xianzhou Alliance, the High-Cloud Quintet had already become nothing more than fleeting history. Yet remnants of the past still lingered, unwilling to let go of that cruel upheaval.
The one who endured the greatest physical torment still drifted through the sea of stars, not knowing what the meaning of survival was. And the one who bore the greatest wound upon his spirit dusted off his armor, raised tear-stained eyes, lifted his blade, and cut down not only the former glory of the Xianzhou, but also his own revered master.
From then on, he sat alone upon the throne called General for centuries, his eyes closed, his heart sealed. His name remained Jing Yuan, but from that day forth, he was only the Arbiter-General of the Luofu.
The years slipped by.
Who could say? When he shut his eyes tightly did he finally glimpsed a sliver of light, would they not strain with every ounce of sight to chase it, commanding arms and legs to pursue with all their strength?
Jing Yuan understood that at this moment, at least, he could listen—to see how bright this light truly was.
"There are no requirements of time, and the body need not remain intact. Even if the body were ground to dust and scattered through the cosmos, it would not matter."
As Shopkeeper Sylvester spoke, he watched Jing Yuan carefully, observing each change of expression.
Jing Yuan's thoughts could not have been clearer: the revival of Baiheng, the true fulfillment of what Imbibitor Lunae and Yingxing had failed to achieve.
And when he heard the answer, it was plain to see the smile struggling to break free across Jing Yuan's face.
Too powerful—far too powerful. Truly worthy of a golden Curio.
This light—perhaps it really was bright enough!
Jing Yuan pressed a hand to his chest, as though calming his mood, or perhaps savoring this rare and extraordinary emotion.
At length, he regained his upright composure and continued asking: "Then, what exactly is required? It cannot possibly bypass all mediums and revive someone purely according to the user's imagination, can it?"
If that were the case, could it even be called resurrection? Would it not simply be fabrication, built from the user's memories?
And if it were truly so… he would rather forgo it!
For centuries he had endured, his mind firm and unyielding. He would never accept such dreamlike self-deception, no matter how close it might resemble reality.
"Of course it cannot arise from nothing. For this pill to take effect, it requires only one thing—and one thing alone."
Shopkeeper Sylvester raised a single finger. "The soul."
"And not even a complete soul." He picked up a porcelain dish of pastries from beside the teaware, lifted one piece, and smashed it upon the plate. The crisp pastry shattered into dozens of fragments and countless crumbs.
Pinching a few crumbs between his fingers, he explained: "Just like this pastry, only a single crumb is needed. Combine it with the pill, and the scattered fragments of the soul throughout the cosmos will naturally be summoned. Even if incomplete, supreme power will restore what is missing."
Then he picked up another whole pastry and peeled away its darkest baked crust. "Afterward, the harmful will be cast away, and only the essence retained—thus reviving the person at the peak of their being."
"Truly, to steal the work of Heaven itself!"
At these words, Jing Yuan could no longer remain calm and cried out in astonishment.
Resurrection of this degree was the most ideal one could ever imagine.
To revive someone at their most perfect state—even manipulating time itself could not achieve such a thing!
And yet the pill in Feixiao's hand could do so with ease.
The only thing missing now was Baiheng's soul.
But even with the conditions loosened to such a degree, the matter remained impossibly difficult.
"This [Resurrection Elixir]—I'll give it to you. It's merely a million Credits, nothing you need concern yourself over."
By now, Feixiao felt certain that the revival of Baiheng was within reach.
Though Imbibitor Lunae and Yingxing's mistakes could never be forgiven, this outcome was good enough among all possible ones.
Before Jing Yuan could even ask, she offered to give the pill to him.
But unexpectedly, he refused.
"No. Your affliction is just as difficult to treat. If this pill can save only one life, then it must be used to save you."
Feixiao retorted irritably: "At a time like this, are you really going to play false courtesy with me?"
But Jing Yuan gave a bitter smile. "It isn't so simple."
"I have many years left to wait. There will be more treasures to cure Moon Rage. But you…"
Feixiao grew all the more confused. Why keep refusing when it was clearly such a simple matter?
"No need to persuade further. Let me speak."
"You?" Feixiao looked at Shopkeeper Sylvester, who had interrupted, then at Jing Yuan, who showed only a moment's surprise before serenity returned to his face. Her heart brimmed with questions.
What was going on? Was there something she didn't know?
Could it be that it wasn't Jing Yuan refusing, but that Baiheng's resurrection simply could not be achieved? Was there another condition unmet?
The soul fragment?!
Shopkeeper Sylvester tossed the pastry crumbs into a teacup and swallowed them, then spoke solemnly: "Baiheng cannot be revived. Because there are no soul fragments left to find."
"Baiheng perished wielding the weapon left by the Flint Emperor, in mutual destruction with the Emanator of Abundance, Shuhu. The remains that should have held fragments of her soul mostly vanished, leaving only a lock of hair and a few drops of blood."
"Later, when Imbibitor Lunae and Yingxing tried to revive Baiheng, even that hair and blood—perhaps the last vessels of her soul—were consumed. After the abominable dragon was slain, they transformed into a Radiant Egg, which later hatched into the Dragon Lady who now works in the Alchemy Commission of the Luofu—Bailu."
Shopkeeper Sylvester exhaled heavily, at last drawing a close to this long-cherished hope.
"As far as the soul is concerned, Baiheng does not need revival. For the Vidyadhara soul never emerges from nothing. She has already been revived, and lives on in another form. But it is equally true to say Baiheng is dead—utterly dead. Her body is gone, her soul transformed into another. In this world, aside from the memories of a few old friends, no trace of her remains."
"This…"
At last Feixiao understood why Jing Yuan had refused.
The result was too cruel. A requirement so small as a soul fragment, yet it destroyed all hope.
Even as a bystander, she could not remain unmoved by such an ending.
She felt Jing Yuan's grief, yet gripping the pill tightly in her hand, she still could do nothing.
Having heard the tale of the past, she was truly nothing more than a witness.
Jing Yuan lifted his head to the sunlight through the window, recalling the days when the five had fought side by side.
But he would not disturb the friend who had saved the Luofu, nor follow the paths of the other two companions, to bring further burden to the Medicine-Dragon Girl who knew nothing of the past.
Those who left me, yesterday's day cannot be kept. Those who disturb me, today's day brings endless sorrow.
He bowed deeply to Shopkeeper Sylvester. "My thanks, Shopkeeper Sylvester. You have relieved me of a great burden."
Shopkeeper Sylvester understood, straightened his posture, and accepted the gesture with composure.
What the High-Cloud Quintet needed most was never the beauty of the past, but reconciliation with it—digesting their obsessions and finding peace.
Among the five, Jing Yuan seemed the most normal, but his heart was bound by no smaller knots than any of the others.
The chaos of Shuhu—if only he had been strong enough, could Baiheng's sacrifice have been avoided? The chaos of Imbibitor Lunae—if only he had intervened in time, would everything not have ended differently?
If after if, tangled in Jing Yuan's mind. He knew such thoughts were meaningless.
But for one caught in the midst of things, how could he escape the endless calculations of the mind?
Finally, today, after seeing the past clearly, Jing Yuan could face the future at peace.
"Hu~" Shopkeeper Sylvester exhaled deeply.
So then, the reunion of the High-Cloud Quintet was only missing one member.
But that one… it was hard to imagine him coming here to buy a trash can. And harder still to imagine Sylvester finding him—otherwise, the Stellaron Hunters would already have been wiped out.
…
"Achoo."
Somewhere in the universe, a black-clad man with bandaged arms sneezed.
"Blade, do you catch colds too?"
Behind him, a purple-haired woman in a coat gazed at him gently.
"Kafka… perhaps it's just that someone is remembering me."
The man called Blade lifted his eyes to the sky.
In this world—who was there still, that would remember him?