Chapter 298

The red of the sunset spilled across the land within the副本, yet still could not cover the blood-drenched earth; the wind brought the scent of rust and a desolate song.

Yet this was merely one tectonic plate floating in the cosmos.

The young Tian Di was stained with ill omen, a long blade piercing his chest; golden blood dripped from the blade, each splash releasing energy sufficient to shatter stars, yet he stood unyielding, demonic qi surging wildly.

The youth had transformed into a colossal dragonbone cross, solemnly drifting through the stars; his ten-thousand-li bone wings and the shattered black sun crown still brought finality and destruction to the remaining living.

Many beings within the divine tombs could no longer distinguish reality from illusion; in the symphony of slaughter and lament, they recalled the apocalypse of the ancient era, their memories of rage and grief reignited, surging with blood into the heart where the fire of vengeance burned fiercely.

"Kill!!!"

This was a trial, a test to see whether they still carried the resolve to die!

Even if they had lived a false second life in this realm, they must return to their own world to wage war against the Dao of Heaven and settle their karmic debts.

Whether you joined a faction or not? Irrelevant. What they must do now is join this battle and launch unrestrained assaults against those worthy of being called "strong ones!"

Even if the enemy were former comrades or close friends, nothing could stop them from joining this apocalyptic feast!

Brilliant flames, like burning clouds, spread from the void, exploding among the many strong ones as radiant fire lotuses—neither seductive nor alluring, they bloomed as the purest, immaculate fire lotus in heaven and earth.

The thunder-pool toppled by the Celestial Dragon, the divine-killing formation conjured in unison by cultivators, the legendary forbidden spell chanted by mages—all were equally consumed within this blooming fire lotus, becoming its petals.

"The Infinite Fire Domain, obey!" Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan revealed his imperial bearing and commanded: "Use heaven and earth as the furnace, all beings as herbs, and forge the Hong Meng Fu Ling Pill!"

A colossal cauldron forged from flame appeared in the starry void; numerous Dan Alliance cultivators began throwing slain enemies into the fiery cauldron.

Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan watched this slightly terrifying scene; though uneasy, he couldn't help thinking: 'Hun Tian Di? If you show up now, I'll make you my medicinal catalyst, hehehe!'

Damn, almost forgot I'm the righteous protagonist.

Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan turned around, coughed lightly, then walked to where Ye Fan and Lu Mingfei were locked in mortal combat, sighing helplessly:

"I originally came to settle our old grudge, never imagining the former Tian Di would end up like this."

"Life is truly lonely as snow; this epic battle will surely be delayed for countless eons more."

As Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan turned to leave, preparing to recite a poem, his waist was suddenly struck with heavy force—he was blasted outward and slammed headfirst into the continental plate ahead.

"Fuck! I can't take it anymore!" Ye Fan gritted his teeth, retracting his fist and said to Lu Mingfei: "This guy's too much of a show-off!"

He tore out the long blade from his body; the wound healed rapidly, while Lu Mingfei opened a door from the third vertebra of the dragonbone cross, poking out his head with a sniper rifle in hand.

"Damn, we got scammed on the set props," Lu Mingfei said with regret and complaint: "I'd been aiming for ages—just about to get a headshot."

Yes, Ye Fan and Lu Mingfei had teamed up.

Upon learning the production had wrapped except for the final Penglai MVP title, Ye Fan proposed they fake death, wait until everyone else was nearly exhausted, then emerge to pick off the leftovers.

To this end, the Ye Zhetian Corporation and the Nidhogg Group disbanded, claiming their bosses were already dead, and defected to various factions, preparing to launch a glorious betrayal at the final moment.

But they never expected Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan would just jump right up and activate his taunt skill.

"Pity—I didn't get to fire the Origin Ending Bullet, the Heavenly Dao's奇物—Type Moon's Four Heavenly Kings," Lu Mingfei ejected the bullet from his rifle, ruffled his messy hair, and asked Ye Fan: "What now, boss? We can't be the Dark Lord anymore."

"What now?" Ye Fan's fists erupted with holy light, his manifestation crushing downward toward the central continent, where the fiery upsurge soared skyward: "Just fucking crush him!"

"Lady, tone down that expression—it didn't pass," came the director's voice from the side.

Since the demonic cultivators were gone, to facilitate quick filming of the finale, several cultivators directly approached the main cast, gathering a crowd of resurrected cultivators who had been eliminated from the final battlefield to serve as extras, preparing to fill in the logic per the script.

Now it was the penultimate scene; the main performers were Su Lin, Yi Leina, and Kleine.

"I mean…" Yi Leina gripped the script tightly, crumpling the white paper, her lips twitching, her expression disgusted yet勉强:

"This character setup—you don't actually like me, do you? You don't actually have feelings for me, do you? Why not consider the other incarnations?"

"Price is no problem… Forget it, just let those two you saved repay you."

All the Light Mr. dolls were special creations of the witch, born from her obsessive love for the original Light Mr.; through peculiar means, the witch confirmed the Fallen God was more than mere residue fusion—the two had shared a hidden past in an extremely distant era.

The revived witch used dimensional magic to crash the entire old world into the new world, and Su Lin as the Fallen God and the Fool stepped forward.

As the Fallen God was about to turn the tide, the dolls launched a surprise attack, amplifying the reversed influence, causing the Fallen God to decide, per the decree, to self-annihilate.

During this, Su Lin was to lightly caress the witch's cheek with one hand, while the witch was to display a yandere expression, heartbroken and devastated.

At this moment, the Fool pulled out a monocle from the Source Fortress.

To repay her past aid, he exploited the fact that Qu Yanping had once worn the monocle, using a loophole to pull back Qu Yanping and the lingering soul of Gu Yue Fang Yuan from the Huan Yu Realm (special effect dolls), using Yang Jian's position and origin as a sacrifice to revive the original Light Mr., forcibly forcing the Fallen God into complete reversal, breaking the original's decree.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Su Lin pressed the camera button on his phone: "That's the expression!"

He widened his eyes, tilted his head to the side, grinning with mockery: "I just wanted to see you look so nervous and uneasy—hahaha!"

"..." Yi Leina clenched her fist, suppressing the urge to punch him in the face, smiling: "Those trending short videos and photos I saw a few days ago—were they really you?"

"The income's pretty high—lots of people online calling me 'wife,'" Su Lin didn't hide it: "In just a few days, I gained millions of followers."

"Seniors…" the director's team warned.

"Just a moment," Yi Leina smiled apologetically toward the director's team.

Yi Leina stared at Su Lin, pulled out her phone, pointed at the short video account, and held up five fingers.

Su Lin shook his head, held up three.

Yi Leina shook her head, pretending to tear the script.

Su Lin sighed, held up four.

Yi Leina nodded; they shook hands and made peace.

Kleine stepped forward, used his Faceless ability to erase his mouth, made a zipper motion, and held up one finger.

"Senior Su Lin, the witch is the villain! Why are you teaming up with her to attack the Fool?!" the director's team nearly collapsed—their point-earning plan was falling apart.

This final scene could only be filmed separately.

"My Lord, I am deeply sorry!" Xiao stood on one knee before the twisted figure gazing at the blood-red sunset: "I am incompetent—I could not break through the third line of defense."

The Liyue Immortal Court had built a magnificent palace, hundreds of meters tall in Liyue style, atop the clouds; to celebrate the Lord's return, they used golden massive rocks and amber accents.

"Nidhogg Group's sudden resurgence was something you didn't anticipate," Zhongli held one hand behind his back, the other reading a cultivation scripture carefully: "To be honest, are you comfortable with this form now?"

"Not at all—it's worse and more chaotic than before…" Xiao lowered his head; the sensation of flesh replacing wings disgusted him.

"You may face such enemies in the future," Zhongli returned to his original form, his tone tinged with regret: "I'm sorry—I made you experience this posture."

"No!" Xiao hurriedly denied, his gaze resolute: "Even if I truly become such a being one day, I will fight for the Emperor until my final moment! If I were to become his enemy, I would end myself first!"

Zhongli heard this, a faint smile tugging at his lips, and said:

"You need not fight for me. After this play ends, I will still be Zhongli—occasionally sharing the fruits of my journeys and interesting observations with my friends in the Immortal Court."

As he spoke, the strange fire cauldron on the horizon shattered with a roar. Emperor Yan, Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan, gripped pure white Light Flame in one hand and a spectrum of other flames in the other; the flames blazing across the sky spread like wings, obscuring the fading sun.

"But if I may," Zhongli drew forth a curved long spear, clad in Jin Xuan battle armor, his dragon horns manifesting upon his head, "I would like you to come with me and see…"

This perilous yet dazzling multitude of worlds.

In the central hall of the Yuzhe Sect's headquarters.

"Ilya, I think I've reached my limit," Weigong Shilang gasped, blood trickling down his head. He knelt on one knee, gripping his sword planted in the ground to support his weary body.

"No," Ilya rose from the altar, barefoot leaping down, her crimson eyes silently fixed on Weigong Shilang.

"You don't need to stay with me to the end. The play is over. Step out of this game." Weigong Shilang looked at the girl and urged: "The taste of death—even simulated—is unbearable."

Outside forces were launching wave after wave of assaults on the Yuzhe Sect's central hub. In the setting, after Weigong Shilang, the sword cultivator, was rescued by the Yuzhe, the two formed an alliance.

Thus, in this final battle of endings, Weigong Shilang, aligned with the Yuzhe Sect, must help defend the headquarters until the Source Fortress descends.

The clock hands above the church stood motionless—this was the final defense; the church, frozen by cosmic law, possessed the highest level of defense.

"Shilang," Ilya brushed the dust from Weigong Shilang's face, gently cradling his cheeks: "I will stay."

"Why?" Weigong Shilang asked, puzzled.

In reply came pure, immense magical power—not an added force from the simulated universe, but Ilya's own power as the Holy Grail.

Yet through the system granted by the simulated universe, Ilya transferred her magical power directly into Weigong Shilang's body through skin contact.

"I never understood why Mother sacrificed herself for Kiritsugu's ideals. I hated those who abandoned their families for some 'justice.'"

The church shook violently; Shi Zhu pillars and glass trembled. Ilya's white hair fell over her shoulders; pure white flames burned across the sky, their glow illuminating the dark interior through the church's enamel stained glass.

"A partner of justice? More important than family?"

Ilya cupped Weigong Shilang's face, her clear voice like a stream flowing down a snow-capped mountain, echoing through the empty church and into Weigong Shilang's mind.

"Ilya."

For this question alone, Weigong Shilang could not evade it. When they watched the Fate/Zero anime together, whenever Kiritsugu was mentioned, Ilya would fall silent, watch quietly, then act as if nothing had happened and shift topics with Weigong Shilang.

Weigong Shilang had always unconsciously avoided thinking about this. Unlike his game and anime self, he now had time—he was not forced by sudden events to make choices.

"I have never forgiven someone like Kiritsugu."

Through Ilya's wine-red eyes, Weigong Shilang saw his own reflection—his expression looked uneasy?

"A partner of justice? That kind of person," Ilya's voice wavered, yet she forced herself to steady it: "But Mother became obsessed with him—she chose to sacrifice herself for his ideals! I know this is the fate of the Einzbern family's Holy Grail."

Silence remained between them; the violently shaking church even creaked with cracking sounds.

Seeing Weigong Shilang at a loss, Ilya embraced him, pressing her cheek against his ear, whispering softly:

"But now… I think I understand Mother."

Weigong Shilang's pupils shrank.

"If the most important person can be happy, if that person can achieve the ideal they've pursued, if that person can be fulfilled…"

"Then that is enough—as long as I can remain by their side."

"I still cannot forgive Kiritsugu as he was… but if Shilang seeks his ideal…"

"I want to walk with you to the very end."

"Even if ahead lies hell."

Weigong Shilang wanted to speak, but at that moment he felt his throat choked by an unseen obstruction, unable to make a sound. His body instinctively longed to embrace the girl, yet his arms suddenly trembled—memories of the childhood fire that consumed everything flooded his mind; the cries of people burning alive echoed in his ears, charred bodies falling amid rubble.

Cold raindrops struck his face, yet they could not extinguish the hellish karmic flames or the cries for help.

"My ideal… is only for my own satisfaction," Weigong Shilang forced out, voice quiet, nearly drowned by the church's shaking.

"It doesn't matter," Ilya held him tighter:

"For the Shilang in the game, Saber is a soulmate who also pursues a goal without surrendering; Rin is like a compass guiding you not to stray from your ideal; Sakura lets you return to being an ordinary person and be reborn."

"I don't know what change I can bring you. In truth, it was I who was changed by Shilang…"

"Whether it's upholding your ideal, saving everyone, or even this false play—I want to stay with Shilang forever!"

"So… can you let me stay with you until the end of hell?"

The girl, filled with hope, mustered the greatest courage of her life. She did not know how she could surpass the far-sakura Weigong Shilang had secretly loved, nor did she have the time with him that Kiriha Sakura did, nor did her first impression rival the famed "white moonlight" Saber.

Yet if she could escape the Holy Grail's fate and live on, she would not hand the boy to anyone else.

Not even Sakura…

Boom!!

The distant, resonant chime rang out—the clock hands no longer froze, but began to turn.

"Thank you…" Weigong Shilang's hands ceased trembling; the hellish scenes in his mind faded, the dread for the future like an anchor sinking, leaving his heart profoundly calm.

Weigong Shilang tightly embraced Ilya, feeling her warmth, stroking her smooth, silk-fine hair, inhaling the faint, orchid-like fragrance.

"Even if all is false, as long as I live, I will never let anyone harm you. Stay with me to the end…"

"Ilya."

The instant the enamel glass shattered, Weigong Shilang leapt skyward, cradling the girl like a snowflake in his arms.

Spiritual energy depleted, magical power replenished—enough…

"This body is forged by the sword!"

As the Flame Emperor fell, the sunset's light was edited into the night sky. Beneath the starry wings of light, the boy and girl were surrounded by countless immortals and gods, in the colorful world of Penglai, sun, moon, and stars transformed into sword blades…

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!

"Brilliant," Su Lin said to Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan: "You entered last, picked up the last scraps of health, and got eliminated first."

Inside a grand building unlike any divine realm style, many ancient, weathered long tables were joined together. As the number of eliminated contestants kept updating, the production crew gradually entered.

Zhongli, Su Lin, Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan, Weigong Shilang, Pizi Long, and many major and minor characters were all inside the hall.

"Aren't you the same?" Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan pointed at Su Lin.

"Me?" Su Lin laughed: "I'm a historical projection—look over there at the big screen."

Especially Especially Especially Xiao Yan turned his head; on the screen, in the lifeless depths of starry space, countless shattered bodies drifted.

Yet the fierce battle had not ended—Su Lin, Yi Leina, and Ye Fan were locked in intense combat with the Fool, Lu Mingfei, and Xing.

After an unknown length of time, the scene played at high speed, then, with a blinding Bai Guang, the Dao was erased, the starry sky shattered, and all returned to void and stillness.

In the primordial universe, nothing remained.

"Looks like mutual annihilation," Su Lin sighed, shaking his head.

Just as he thought it was over, he suddenly frowned and asked beside him:

"Aren't there still two people alive in our group? These two have very low presence…"

At these words, everyone turned to look at the screen.

In the starry void, the Three-Era Bronze Coffin floated; one corner of its lid had been pried open from within.

A face that dimmed the stars appeared first; after stepping out, he stared at his surroundings, stunned, and said: "Did we arrive too late?"

Song Shuhang and Han Li followed closely behind, their backs trailed by a team of filming personnel led by Bai He Zhenjun.

Winner: Kongyun Sect

The next volume is Type-Moon, and then there might be one or two chapters dedicated solely to Weigong Shilang—I'll note it then…

(End of Chapter)