'I … Why am I still alive?'
After the vortex of the [Origin] devoured him, Tang Hao felt as if he could see the entire world. The endless river that was as dazzling as the Milky Way was right in front of him, and he felt as if he was at the center of the universe. This place had everything in the world … the power of magic, the power of the gods, the legends of heroes, and countless mysteries that no one knew about.
This place had everything that magicians sought, even Heroic Spirits sought, and everything that humans sought. He was in such a treasure vault, and as long as he stretched out his hand, he could obtain everything.
And yet —
The moment he saw it, he lost the ability to think.
The [Origin], the origin of the mysteries of the entire moon world, and also the gathering of the mysteries of the entire world. Its power was not something that humans could control, not even any living being. Even if a magician could learn magic from its mysteries when he reached the [Origin], it would only be a drop in the ocean. Magicians, True Ancestors, Heroic Spirits, Gods, or anything else were as insignificant as ants before the [Origin].
He remembered that Ba Yunzi had once said something like this to him.
"The world is endless, and the power of an individual can never surpass the world, because it is because of the world that there is an individual. Even if an individual's power could change the world, it would only be the mercy of the world. Whether it be gods, demons, humans, or demons, even if their power was strong enough to crush the entire world, it was only because they were bound to their personal world and could not see the real world, and that was an illusion … No individual's power could surpass the world, unless you yourself could become the world. "
Back then, Tang Hao could roughly understand the meaning of this sentence, but he did not know the secrets behind it. But now, as he looked at the [Origin] before him, he seemed to understand it a little more.
To surpass the world, the power of an individual must surpass the [Origin], but the knowledge of the [Origin] was not something that any individual could contain, and such a relationship created an absolutely impossible equivalence.
Because of that, even if he reached the [Origin], it would not mean anything to Tang Hao.
To seek the Way in the morning, would one die in the evening?
Perhaps to the seekers of the Dao, and to the magicians of this world, death was nothing to them if they could find the true meaning of the [Origin]. However, he was not a Daoist. He only wanted to live. What did the source represent? What kind of power did the source possess? He had never yearned for it.
However, those who insist on it will not get it, but those who do not seek it will be in it.
When he saw his body melting away like a spirit seed, when he saw Yu Ji's limbs turning into pieces and disappearing, Tang Hao knew that everything was over. Death came too suddenly, and he didn't even have the time to sigh in pain.
Everything would turn into dust at the root … or perhaps, not even dust.
It was supposed to be like this.
Then, why was he still alive?
"We … are still alive?"
Yu Ji was also puzzled. She looked at her own body that was in perfect condition, and her face was filled with astonishment. She had clearly entered the inner part of the source, but the person who should have died had miraculously survived. It was simply unbelievable.
"Yeah, this is even more exaggerated than a miracle. But even if we survive, we won't be able to get out."
"… You're too silly." Yu Ji raised her head, her red eyes landing on Tang Hao's face, "You could have left, why did you jump down?"
"What about you? You weren't the target of Red Death, so why did you replace me? "
"I … It was just a subconscious action."
"Me too."
"Do you regret it?"
"A little. After all, I'm not a saint, nor am I the kind of person who can sacrifice everything for love. Furthermore, I haven't lived long enough, dying in a place like this is really not worth it, but … "Even if I had a chance to do it all over again, I think I would still make the same choice."
"… Even if we're still alive, we'll still die soon, right?"
"Yes."
"..."
"What's wrong?"
"I don't know, my feelings are a little complicated …" Yu Ji shook her head, "Actually, I've lived long enough, and I've long since become indifferent to life and death. It doesn't matter where I die, but if I really die, I'll still feel a little sad. But on the other hand, when I saw you jump down without hesitation to save me, I felt a little happy … I was sad and happy at the same time. How should I face this kind of feeling? "
"… You just have to smile."
"Really?"
"Perhaps. After all, a child who loves to smile won't have bad luck."
"Are you kidding me? Our luck is extremely bad."
"That's true, maybe we haven't laughed enough."
"I don't want to laugh all day long."
"Yeah, if you laugh too much, you'll be made into a video and uploaded to Bilibili for people to entertain you, and eventually become a comedian."
"..."
Yu Ji did not say anything, and before they knew it, the two of them were hugging each other. The feeling of hugging was exactly the same as in reality. Tang Hao's hands caressed Yu Ji's back, it was still as smooth and soft as ever, and even the tip of his nose was filled with an intoxicating fragrance. What made Tang Hao even more dumbfounded was that his body could actually have a physiological reaction because of this.
There must be some kind of mistake here, right?
Was he really an animal that thought with his lower body?
What Tang Hao did not know was that because of Amethyst's negotiation, the [Origin] had blocked the mysterious instinct that was transmitted to them, causing their state in the [Origin] to be no different from in reality. So even though he was clearly about to die, and his brain was still being bombarded by the mysterious power of the [Origin], he could not help but feel a little autistic for being able to have a burning desire.
Damn it, this is too vulgar. Even the novels written by Long Aotian ten years ago would not dare to write something like this!
But then again, since he was going to die anyway, it didn't matter what he did, right?
Suddenly, Yu Ji's voice sounded in his ear. "You're going to die soon, what do you want to do now?"
"I want to make love."
"... Are you crazy?"
"It's just a normal physiological reaction. I heard that before a person dies, they will suddenly have a burning desire. I didn't believe it before, but now I'm starting to believe it. But this kind of situation should only happen when the body is normal, like when the stomach is cut open and the intestines are spilling all over the ground, I don't think it's possible to have a burning desire."
"Then... should we do it?"
"You're broken too?"
"We're going to die anyway..."
"Forget it. After all, we will become a part of the [Origin] after we die. What if we do it and the [Origin] gets pregnant? That's not good. If anyone else comes into contact with the [Origin] in the future, their worldview will be shattered. It's better to leave some purity for the future generations."
"Are we... really not going to get out?"
"If I still have my phone, we can get out, too bad..."
"That's really a shame."
"Yeah, Red's Death is too smart."
Now, Tang Hao finally understood why Red's Death tore off his clothes when it attacked him. That guy had been following him all this while, and obviously saw him using his phone to block Kuchulin's noble phantasm. The phone had a chat room, which it could not decipher. Perhaps it was because of this that it lost its last resort.
Right now, other than waiting for death, there was really no other way!
But, there should be a way. On second thought... since they were still living in the [Origin], if they could hold on until reinforcements arrived... Amethyst should already know about his situation. Even though this was the [Origin], but... if it was Amethyst, it should be fine, right?
But, how could he contact her?
He had even lost his phone. Was there really no other way?
Even though he was talking nonsense, Tang Hao's mind was thinking of ways to save them, but the final conclusion was hopeless. At least, he had no other way, unless Amethyst could enter the [Origin] and find them.
But...
Did Amethyst have that kind of power?
Could she enter the [Origin]?
During the fourth Holy Grail War, Amethyst did not manage to crush Gemstone Weng. She only managed to push him back, and even someone as strong as Gemstone Weng was like an ant before the [Origin]. Then, Amethyst...
"What is that?"
Suddenly, Yu Ji's voice rang in his ears, pulling Tang Hao out of his thoughts.
"Hmm?" Noticing the surprise in Yu Ji's eyes, he subconsciously looked in that direction, and saw... in the seemingly endless starry sky, a green light was flying towards them like a meteor.
"Is that... Amethyst?"
Tang Hao's eyes lit up. If it was a person who would appear at this time, it could only be Amethyst, right?
It couldn't possibly be a natural phenomenon within the [Origin], right?
"Is that you? The lost ones who are lost in the [Origin]? "
The green light quickly arrived before them, like a fog, making it hard to see clearly, but the voice that fell into their ears was that of a young girl.
It was a clear and unfamiliar voice, and it sounded very young, like a skylark in the sky, or the sound of a clear spring flowing in the valley... Of course, it could not be Amethyst's voice.
"You are..."
Tang Hao looked at the green light in front of him, and a name popped up in his mind — Love Song of Sand Stick!
As far as he knew, there were only two women who could freely enter and exit the [Origin], and they were the [Origin] Form and Love Song of Sand Stick. He had heard the voices of both of them before, and they were deeper, giving off a sense of stability and reliability. Even if it was the personality of the [Origin] Form, her voice would not be too different.
And the voice that came from the green light was more ethereal, and it was obviously not the [Origin] Form.
Then, it was most likely Love Song of Sand Stick.
But Tang Hao could not be sure, since there was no reason for Love Song of Sand Stick to appear here, and even if it was really her, it was unknown whether it was a blessing or a curse for him and Yu Ji.
Of course, Tang Hao really liked Love Song of Sand Stick's face. Be it in terms of appearance or temperament, Love Song could be considered a top-notch beauty. She was not inferior to Yu Ji and Youzhu in any way. Aside from her A pair, she was a perfect match for him in every aspect. However … this fellow's personality was also the worst. Even the beasts like the Academy of Killers and Gaia were not as scary as her. Compared to her, Illya, who also had the wrong view of the world, paled in comparison.
What would happen?
Tang Hao secretly took a deep breath and nodded. "Yes, we are indeed trapped here, can you take us out?"
"Hmm, if that's the case, of course I can..."
Tang Hao did not sense any hostility from the other party's tone. Instead, he felt rather confident, which made him happy. "But I can only bring one person with me. The other will be devoured by the [Origin]. So, who do you want to live?"
Tang Hao's expression changed. "Why?"
"Because there is a price to pay to enter the [Origin]. Since you came here, it must be related to magic, right? Then you should know that magic is nothing more than a type of equivalent exchange, and that is also the [Origin]. Since ancient times, any magician who came here must pay the price, there has never been an exception. "
"The price is your life?"
"That's right, the [Origin] allows humans to enter. As long as they have the ability, anyone can enter, but once they enter, they will never be able to leave. That is the price. The two of you are a bit special, since you did not come here to seek the [Origin], I can let one of you leave, but once you enter, you will become a part of the [Origin]. As the price to leave, the other person must be devoured by the [Origin], this is equivalent exchange. "
"... No room for negotiation?"
"Do you think the [Origin] can be negotiated? That is the rule. "
Tang Hao frowned.
There was a very stupid multiple-choice question on the internet: if both your mother and your wife fell into the water at the same time, which one would you choose to save? Tang Hao scoffed at this, because he did not even have a girlfriend, let alone a wife, so he had never seriously considered it.
But he never thought that a similar question would really befall him.
Between him and Yu Ji, only one could be saved?
Was this really the rule of the [Origin]? Or was it a test for them? No matter what choice they made, they might make the wrong choice, and no matter what choice they made, they might waste their only chance to be saved.
"Take him away." Just as Tang Hao was thinking, Yu Ji spoke.
"Are you sure?" The green light seemed to be smiling, "If I take him away, you will die here and disappear completely."
"Yes, I'm sure." Yu Ji nodded, there was no hesitation in her eyes, then she looked at Tang Hao again, "I know you can't make a choice, so I will."
"But this is not a good choice."
"I know." Yu Ji pressed her head against Tang Hao's chest, and said faintly, "I have experienced many life and death parting, and I have also personally seen many people grow old from a young child, and finally die. Death is not the most painful, it is precisely the living who have to endure more suffering, but I still hope that you can live on, because time will erase everything, as long as you live on, you will definitely be able to meet something beautiful … "Just like me."
"I used to think that there was nothing in this world that was worthy of my nostalgia. Although I was alive, I was like a walking corpse. It wasn't until I met you that I truly understood what it was like to be alive. Even during those two thousand years when you weren't around, because I had hope in my heart, I was happier than the previous thousands of years. This was enough for me. I had already obtained the happiness that I wanted, so … please, just let me …"
"But, I refuse!"
"Huh?" Yu Ji suddenly raised her head and looked at Tang Hao. The gentleness in her eyes gradually turned into anger, "You … You, are you crazy! Do you know that there is no other way now, no matter if it is Amethyst or anyone else, no one can save us, one of us must die here, I can't let you die … "Impossible, so …" I beg of you … "
Yu Ji grabbed onto Tang Hao's arm tightly, her fingernails digging into her flesh, to the point of bleeding. She knew that making such a choice, whether it was for Tang Hao or for herself, was an incomparably cruel thing to do. However, she had no other choice.
If Tang Hao died, even if she could leave this place alive, she would be left with nothing, just like how she was two thousand years ago, wandering alone in a world that did not belong to her.
In the past, when she did not have such a life, it did not matter, she lived one day at a time, she lived only to wait for the day when she would fall asleep. But now it was different, she had something that she could give up her life for, she did not want to return to the days when she had no one to rely on, if that was the case, she would rather die.
So, when this problem was laid out, she had no other choice from the start.
"If you want me to give up on you, I should not have jumped down from the beginning."
"But …"
Tang Hao shook his head and did not say another word, he looked at the green light.
"Have you decided?" The green light asked.
"Yes."
"Then, who will leave?"
"No one will leave."
"Hmm?"
Tang Hao looked at it calmly. "We appreciate your kindness, but we entered the [Origin] together, so we must leave together. I do not want to give up my life, nor do I want to give up on her. Times have changed, this is no longer the era of choice, who I will give up on has never been part of my options. "
"In other words, none of you want to leave?"
"No, we want to leave together."
"But only one of us can leave."
"That option does not exist.
"Your option does not exist, the [Origin] will not allow you to leave together. If you give up on your choice, then you can only die here, no one will survive."
Tang Hao smiled and said nothing.
Yu Ji helplessly closed her eyes. Either leave together, or die together. She already knew that this was Tang Hao's choice. Although she did not want to see Tang Hao and herself die here, but when it came to stubbornness, Tang Hao was a hundred times more stubborn than she was, she could not change his mind.
Lost.
Completely lost.
But since her man had already made it this far, why should she be so stubborn?
"Yes." Yu Ji opened her eyes again, pulled Tang Hao's hand and smiled. "If we can't leave together, then we will die together."
The green light was like a gaze, falling on their faces, as if judging their determination.
"Have you made up your mind?"
"Yes."
"You won't change your mind again?"
"Yes."
"..."
"..."
Then came the silence, which lasted for who knows how long. Suddenly — —
"Hehe, hehahaha …"
Just when Tang Hao thought the green light had lost its patience and was about to leave, it suddenly let out a tinkling laugh. The light dissipated, revealing the figure of a young girl.
Short golden hair, a light blue dress, and a face as beautiful as a doll.
The girl held her stomach and laughed happily. "That guy was right, you guys are more interesting than I thought, especially you … You clearly had a chance to live, but you chose the option of certain death. Why is it that you don't even have the slightest bit of fear in your eyes? I've decided, I will take you guys with me. "
"Really?" Yu Ji's face lit up.
Tang Hao, however, noticed something else. "That guy?"
"A woman called Amethyst, she asked me to rescue you guys from the source, but I have no reason to agree to her request, so I used my own method to test you guys. If I find you interesting, I will take you guys with me … Congratulations, you guys can live."
As she said that, the girl waved her hand, and a green light suddenly appeared under their feet, extending into the distance.
"Didn't you say that the source's rules require an equivalent exchange? Could it be fake? "Yu Ji looked at the light under her feet in surprise and asked in confusion.
"It's real, but the rules are only used to restrict ordinary people, and of course I don't have to follow the rules."
"You are?"
"Love Song of Sand Bars."
The girl said her name with a smile, and once again turned into a green light and flew into the distance, but her silvery voice still reached their ears. "As long as you follow this light, you can return to the real world, but this is not the end, the fate has been formed, we will meet again, when that time comes … Hehehehe …"
"Love Song of Sand Bars …" Until the voice disappeared, Yu Ji was still muttering the name. She did not know why, but she had a strong feeling that this name might bring her endless trouble.
"It really is her." Tang Hao looked as if he had expected it.
"You know her?"
"You can say that, a woman who was connected to the source since birth, the source's queen. But I never thought that the person who asked her to come here would be Amethyst."
"But you should have some idea, right? You knew that she was testing us?"
"I just have this guess."
"... If, if we did not make the choice now, and followed her request, and only let one of us go, what would happen now?"
"It's hard to say, since Amethyst has a way to ask her, she probably won't make things difficult for us, but, like she said, she doesn't have to listen to Amethyst, if we can't make her feel interesting, she will probably leave us alone … Forget it, let's not talk about this!"
Shaking his head, Tang Hao smiled, and grabbed Yu Ji's arm. "Since we have a way, let's leave quickly, we can talk about the future later, when we get back, we will settle everything once and for all."
"Okay."
After that, the two of them walked in the direction of the light belt.
"Wait, what is this?"
Suddenly, Yu Ji looked at Tang Hao's body, and a surprised expression appeared on her face.
Tang Hao looked down, and was shocked to find that his body was glowing with a faint layer of green light.
"This is …?!"
Tang Hao was instantly stunned, just like when he first entered the source, he felt a huge mystery in this layer of green light.
The power of the source!
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