Chapter 1273: with translation of chapter title

"The time has come, mortals——" Suǒlābīsī urged from behind.

"You should embrace your destiny——" Lùnàibīsī said coldly.

"Wait! Valkyrie… please allow me to speak with her!" The woman cut her palm with a short dagger, golden blood sliding down her wrist, "Look, do you see? The blood seeping from my wound is golden! Indeed, I am also a Golden Descendant… I and Lady Sāinièésī are both chosen by the divine edict!"

"She isn't lying……" Lùnàibīsī raised her head, "Sāinièésī, how do you wish to deal with your fellow?"

Sāinièésī's voice came from the sky, those giant eyes coldly overlooked everything.

"You are no different from others. You were once a son of the Blazing Sun… When your people used the Titans' favor as an excuse, employing every means to oppress other tribes… Did you ever stand up for the weak?"

The woman lowered her head: "I… didn't."

"After Aigle fell, you changed your faith, venerating me as the new deity. When your comrades pointed their blades at the old believers who refused to convert… Did you ever reach out a helping hand to them?"

The woman's voice was as tiny as a mosquito: "I… didn't."

"When the Creator's Divine Edict was transmitted to all beings, guiding the Golden Descendants to become heroes of this shattered world… Have you ever overcome your inner weakness and responded to its urgent summons?"

The woman shook her head in shame: "I… couldn't do it."

"Look, Golden Descendants… You are no different from those vile people. My judgment is just; only scorching gold can cleanse your original sin…"

"... 'Wait, Lady Sainiers—please allow me to defend my weakness a little longer!' The woman stepped forward, 'Your divinity indeed makes the mediocre appear utterly ugly… but humanity has wandered this world alone for countless ages, having tasted all the hardships of life and seen every disgraceful flaw…'"

"... Even so, we have built magnificent city‑states and flourishing civilizations! Even when we often find ourselves mired in the mud of malice, we still struggle to crawl onward…"

"... For, aside from those sordid flaws, as mortals… perseverance is also our collective virtue!"

—

Luo Xiaohei's War Chronicles.

"That little girl spoke very well. Perseverance… perhaps that is also one of the reasons humanity can thrive and rise." The curator nodded approvingly.

"You don't need to beautify them for me." Chinian snorted coldly, slamming his teacup heavily onto the table beside him, producing a crisp "Dong" sound. "That Golden Descendant woman is merely trying to delay her death with lofty words; they lack even the courage to resist slaughter, yet they talk about perseverance?"

"Never mind, never mind."

The curator looked at Chinian's furious expression and helplessly shook his head: "Chinian, I understand your distrust of humanity. But one matter is one matter—you must admit that, although we demons have long lifespans and great strength, humans, despite lacking those, have steadily found their footing, built towns, developed technology… They indeed possess many advantages we demons lack."

"Elder Chi, courage and perseverance need not be shown in resistance."

As the curator's words fell, a gentle voice sounded just in time. Ximuzi unfolded the folding fan in his hand with a soft "shwa", covering half his face and revealing a pair of eyes curved like crescent moons.

"What do you mean?"

"Fearless bravery is naturally a manifestation of courage, but in the face of overwhelming absolute power, being able to acknowledge one's own weakness, bowing one's head to endure humiliation for the sake of continuing civilization, is another manifestation of courage."

Ximuzi paused, then turned his gaze back to the woman on the heavenly curtain who was bitterly pleading, "... As for 'perseverance,' these two words do not only mean 'unyielding despite breaking.' Take the Golden Descendant on the heavenly curtain as an example—clinging desperately to the baseline of survival, no matter how unsightly the posture, she strives to pass down the civilization and customs of the Sky People… Is this kind of persistence in dire straits not more indicative of 'perseverance' than a momentary hot‑blooded impulse?"

"..."

The quiet room fell into a brief silence.

Chinian gritted his teeth, glanced up at the woman still bitterly pleading on the heavenly curtain, then at Ximuzi's ambiguous smile, and finally just let out a heavy hum before sinking back into his chair.

"... Do as you wish."

—

"\"Even if I must stake everything I possess and everything I have yet to gain… I must kneel before you begging for mercy, to seize a sliver of life… and also to prove to you that mortals are capable of redeeming themselves! \""

"Solabis said coldly, 'To admit one's weakness in such righteous and solemn terms… it seems you have completely abandoned your dignity.'"

"But these words seemed to stir a hint of interest in Sen'e'ersi; she began to re‑examine the woman kneeling before her: 'You say you are willing to mortgage even what you have not yet possessed… tell me, what exactly is this marvelous wager?'"

"\"It's simple, Lady Sen'e'ersi…\" the woman raised her head and said, 'If you are willing to grant me a path to life, I will have my descendants sing your epic through the generations, until the end of the world buries all civilization and legend. If the savior's divine edict we heard has even a one‑in‑ten‑thousand chance of becoming reality…'"

"\"Then my descendants will one day return here to prove to you: even those whom you deem inferior and defective mortals can possess the strength to bear the world! \""

"\"…\" Sen'e'ersi chuckled softly, 'Heh… interesting. Let her go, Solabis, Lunabis.'"

"\"From now on, she and her descendants shall simultaneously bear the heavens' blessing and the curse of their lineage. No matter how long it takes, I will await the arrival of that fated one…\""

"\"Then I shall have the pleasure of mocking humanity's fate—betrayed by their ancestors—once more. \""

"..."

"\"The true form of the legend… is finally complete. \" Bai'e lowered his gaze to the girl beside him, 'Yaxintes…'"

"..."

"Having learned the whole truth, Fengjin's expression grew somewhat forlorn; she drew a deep breath: 'I am… the descendant of that nameless Golden Descendant? Our bloodline does not descend from a hero…'"

"Fengjin lifted her eyes to the unblinking titan gaze fixed upon them: '… but rather to that nameless Golden Descendant who begged for mercy before her. My life and the lives of my ancestors… all hang upon a single thought of Sen'e'ersi…'"

"Bai'e nodded: 'She abandoned mortality, embraced divinity… she believes humanity is not worthy of salvation.'"

"\"Lord Solabis, Lord Lunabis—\" Fengjin turned to face the two winged beasts, 'Please tell me, you have guarded the Eye of Dawn and Dusk for a thousand years merely to witness the return of that Golden Descendant's offspring here to receive punishment?'"