Chapter 1237: Weng Falos 3.3 (278)

"Excuse."

Jing Tian's face flushed red with anger, and a mouthful of wine almost choked in his throat: "You—!"

Zhong Lou set the wine jar beside him, his crimson eyes gazing at the myriad lanterns of distant Yuzhou City, and said, "However, in my view, Bai E still lacks one thing now."

"What?"

"A direct confrontation with a fire‑stealing wanderer. If possible, I hope this Fire Pursuit Journey ends with him taking that wanderer's head," Zhong Lou said lightly. "Although Bai E knows he cannot place revenge before the 'Fire Pursuit,' the wanderer remains an unshakable obsession in his heart… If he cannot personally behead the opponent, Bai E may not easily enter the next world."

Jing Tian fell silent for a while. Rarely without jokes, he lowered his head to stare at the wine jar in his hand: "I call you the redhead, who do you think that fire‑stealing wanderer is? He wears a mask like a dragon, seen only by the head, never the tail, and we have no idea what he does all day… You say he's after the fire seed; he once had chances to kill Titans and seize fire seeds; you say he's after the destruction of Aohema, yet now he's completely inactive. He's truly a strange person…"

"I don't know either," Zhong Lou said expressionlessly, continuing to drink. "But he is probably, like Xing, an outsider of Weng Falos. As for his purpose… perhaps only the iron‑clad puppet called Laigushi knows."

——

Bai E and Xing arrived at the uppermost Life Courtyard, and from afar they saw the familiar silhouettes of Ti Bao and Ti Ning.

Hearing footsteps behind them, the two quickly wiped their eyes and turned: "Little Bai, Little Grey… you're back."

Seeing the two teachers' slightly reddened, swollen eye sockets, Bai E lowered his head sadly: "Teacher Ti Bao, I…"

"Little Bai, no! Please don't apologize to *us*. You ventured to the Tree Court to become strong enough to confront enemies threatening Aohema. You did nothing wrong; never blame yourself."

Ti Bao and Ti Ning exchanged a glance, then continued: "Throughout this long journey, *we* have been by Aya's side, knowing her thoughts better than anyone. She knows she cannot see the end of the Fire Pursuit Journey, yet she burns herself without reservation… for everyone's tomorrow."

"…"

Bai E inhaled deeply: "I know Aglaea's expectations of me. Right now, what Aohema needs least is a self‑pitying guide."

Ti Bao pointed to a nearby bookshelf: "That scroll there is a message Aya entrusted to *us*. She asked *us* to hand it to you at a special moment."

Ti Ning: "I think now… is that *special* moment."

Xing walked to the bookshelf, discovered a lingering memory shard nearby, opened it, and found it contained the previous conversation between Aglaea and Ti Bao.

Ti Bao looked at her anxiously: "Aya… do you really… not need to take medicine anymore?"

"No need, Master. Medicine can only stabilize my flesh, but cannot halt the soul's decay," Aglaea lifted her gaze to the distance, her voice very soft, "I have borrowed too much time from this world—now, my end has come."

"At this moment… is my best chance to depart."

——

Genshin.

"That means, even without this assassination, Aglaea wouldn't have much time left…"

Inside the Unseen Hut, Changsheng coiled around Bai Zhu's neck, looking up at Aglaea's lingering image in the sky while flicking a snake fang, "It seems that when the summer resonance ignited the fire seed in her body, they said her soul was extremely thin… It seems the foreshadowing was laid then."

"Yes." Bai Zhu set down the medical text, sighing softly, "She is like a dried medicinal residue, all its properties exhausted over a thousand years, merely barely holding on, refusing to give up."

"Mr. Bai…" Qi Qi sat behind the counter, looking up at Bai Zhu, "Sister Aglaea, is she… very tired?"

"Very tired, she hasn't rested in a long time."

Qi Qi tilted her head, placing a finger near her mouth as if searching her mind, and after a while spoke in a childish, slow tone: "Mr. Bai said… fatigue means the body is broken and needs proper sleep. Sister Aglaea, when will she go to sleep?"

Bai Zhu lowered his eyes: "She has already gone to sleep, Qi Qi."

Qi Qi nodded as if half‑understanding, and the yellow talisman above her head swayed lightly with her movement.

"When Qi Qi sleeps, Mr. Bai will cover her with a blanket. When Sister Aglaea sleeps… does anyone cover her with a blanket?"

"Of course there will be. Ti Bao and the others even prepare oatmeal porridge for Aglaea. When she wakes, Weng Falos will have been renewed, perhaps by then she will already be in the new world."

"New… world."

"Hmm, a place without illness, where one need not force oneself." Bai Zhu said softly, "I hope that when she reaches the new world, she won't have to suffer so much."

——

Ti Bao lowered her head, choking: "W… wuwu…"

Aglaea gently shook her head: "Please don't weep, Master… I still have… one last selfish request. May I tell you?"

Ti Bao lowered her head, wiping tears: "Speak… wuwu… *we* will… fulfill it for you."

"I wish my death to be calm and gentle. I wish my lifeless corpse… not to be exposed to anyone's eyes," Aglaea said earnestly, "Master, my life has seen many changes. Yet only one pursuit has remained unchanged for a thousand years…"

Ti Bao looked up: "…'Beauty', right?"

"Heh…" Aglaea nodded, "Yes, Master… 'Beauty'."

"Aya, do you think Little Bai… is ready?"

Aglaea did not rush to answer, but calmly asked back: "A thousand years ago, when I received Moneita's fire seed… do you think I was ready then, Master?"

"…"

"Born in this era, we must grow amidst raging waves, not set sail after everything is prepared," Aglaea said softly, "Bai E will understand. He will grasp the duty I left him… he is mature enough now, no longer blinded by anger or hatred."