Chapter 2083: Destruction

Zu An never imagined he would one day face the classic dilemma of "who to save first." He really wanted to say, "Save them all."

Unfortunately, he couldn't utter those words because he knew he couldn't save both.

Both Qiu Honglei and Chu Chuyan were his confidantes, with whom he had shared life and death. They had long since sworn eternal love and deeply cherished each other. The fact that both women were willing to sacrifice their lives to help him when facing this insurmountable danger was a clear testament to their profound affection.

How could he betray either of these deeply loving and devoted women?

Choosing one meant the death of the other. The thought plunged him into an unprecedented despair.

"So be it," he thought. "I'll save one, and then join the other in the afterlife, so she won't be alone."

Seeing the shifting expressions on his face, as if he were making a grave decision, Mi Li was startled. She had only meant to test him a little, not push him to the brink of madness.

Thinking this, she quickly said, "Stop agonizing. Chu Chuyan has already transformed into wind and snow; she can't be saved right now. Moreover, her words implied that she isn't truly dead. You can find a way to save her once you gain enough power in the future. On the other hand, Qiu Honglei still has a breath left. If you don't attend to her now, she will truly die."

Zu An was shaken. As the saying goes, "the bystander sees clearly while the player is confused." He had just been in a state of utter despondency, unable to think straight. Now, prompted by Mi Li, he rushed to Qiu Honglei's side to examine her.

He saw her entirely frozen within an ice lotus, perfectly preserving her appearance "before" it happened. Her eyes still conveyed the lingering affection and reluctance she felt when she looked at Zu An, believing she was about to die.

"Chu Chuyan's intention behind the Netherworld Ice Lotus is truly formidable," Mi Li sighed. "It can even freeze that level of damage. However, this only temporarily delays her death. With time, she will ultimately perish."

A thought suddenly struck Zu An. He took out the remaining Feather Mountain Spirit Spring from his embrace and carefully dripped it onto the ice lotus. He had been severely injured earlier and had originally intended to drink all of it to quickly regain his combat strength, but as if by some premonition, he inexplicably saved a small amount. He never imagined it would temporarily sustain Qiu Honglei's life.

As the spirit spring dripped onto the ice lotus, it quickly merged with the ice. Inside, Qiu Honglei's terrifyingly pale complexion became a little more rosy.

"Alright," Mi Li said, who had been anxiously watching, finally letting out a sigh of relief. "With this Feather Mountain Spirit Spring and the protection of the Netherworld Ice Lotus, her life force is temporarily preserved. Once you improve your strength or find a method to save her, you'll be able to release her from the Netherworld Ice Lotus."

Zu An was taken aback. "She still can't be released?"

He knew the Feather Mountain Spirit Spring had the power to revive the dead and regrow flesh on bones. Could it really only barely save her life?

Mi Li rolled her eyes at him. "You don't even consider the level of that being. The fact that she's still alive is largely thanks to Chu Chuyan, who used a special secret technique to absorb most of the damage, which then gave you the chance to use the Feather Mountain Spirit Spring. You should be grateful for the current outcome."

Zu An said gravely, "Who was that just now? How could they be so powerful?"

He was now quite experienced, having been through countless secret realms and encountered various powerful beings, but the oppressive feeling from that entity just now was unprecedented.

Mi Li's expression was also solemn. "He is likely an entity at the very top of all realms in the cosmos, perhaps even transcendent beyond them."

"You know him? You can't say his name?" Zu An recalled her mentioning certain beings whose names couldn't be spoken.

Mi Li shook her head. "I don't know him personally, but I can infer from the recent events. As for his name, I have no idea."

Zu An fell silent. The fact that Mi Li so definitively asserted the opponent was the most supreme entity in all realms implied she had witnessed similar powers before; otherwise, she couldn't be so certain.

Her casual remark had actually revealed a lot of information, but he didn't press further. He knew that he was still too weak, and knowing more would only invite disaster.

*She wouldn't harm me anyway...*

Although he knew not to trust others easily, if a person lived their entire life without anyone they were willing to trust, then...

...wouldn't that be a bit too sad?

"Do you think I have a chance to grow to that level?" Zu An had always been a confident person, but the recent events had shaken him profoundly, leaving him feeling somewhat lost.

"You certainly will," Mi Li said, her tone exceptionally firm.

Feeling her fervent gaze, Zu An regained his fighting spirit. "That's right! I wasn't born a prodigy; I started as a good-for-nothing and made it this far. What's there to be afraid of?"

"Now that's more like it," Mi Li said, a hint of a smile in her eyes.

"So, how long do you think it will take for me to reach that level? Then I can save Honglei," Zu An eagerly pressed.

Mi Li's smile froze. "Uh, I think it's more realistic to consider other methods for now."

Zu An: "..."

*Why is this woman so contradictory?*

Mi Li reached out and gently touched the ice lotus. "There must be a way to save her in the myriad realms of the cosmos. It's just that many of my memories are missing, and I can't recall them at the moment. So, you'll need to explore slowly, and I'll also need time to remember."

"That's good," Zu An said, looking at Qiu Honglei in the ice lotus, vowing to himself that no matter how difficult the method, he would save her.

*And Chu Chuyan...*

"But now there's a problem," Zu An said, looking at the ice lotus with some hesitation. With his current influence, he could find a place for her among either humans or demons, but he was worried something might go wrong if she wasn't under his personal watch.

Should he entrust her to the Demon Sect? Yun Jianyue was certainly trustworthy, but as the sect leader, she couldn't constantly watch over her. Moreover, the Demon Sect was a mixed bag, and he wouldn't want to regret any unforeseen accidents.

"That's easy," Mi Li said with a relaxed expression. "Just put her back into your bead."

Zu An frowned. "The Glass Pearl can't hold living beings."

"Do you remember the jade coffin you found when you acquired the Sui Hou Bead?" Mi Li suddenly asked.

Zu An nodded. He remembered that the Sui Hou Bead seemed to have intricate connections with the Medusa tribe at the time, and the jade coffin left behind was impervious to swords and blades. He had kept it because he felt it was special.

"That jade coffin is a treasure," Mi Li explained. "It can preserve its occupant for ten thousand years. If you place Qiu Honglei inside it, you can then put it into your bead."

"Are you sure?" Zu An hesitated. This was no joke; if he made a mistake, Qiu Honglei might perish instantly.

"When have I ever lied to you?" Mi Li's brows furrowed, but understanding his concern for his beloved, she patiently explained, "That jade coffin is a space unto itself. To some extent, you can even think of it as a cosmic spacecraft. Didn't you used to ramble on about a story of nine dragons pulling a coffin? That coffin, if I'm not mistaken, was also a cosmic spacecraft."

Zu An: "..."

He never imagined she would remember casual conversations from his past life, let alone that the jade coffin had such an extraordinary origin.

He quickly retrieved the jade coffin. Sure enough, it was translucent and radiated an an extraordinary glow.

He carefully placed Qiu Honglei into the jade coffin, then bent down and gently kissed her forehead. "Honglei, don't worry, I will find a way to save you as soon as possible."

Seeing her beautiful eyes, he couldn't help but ask Mi Li, "Will she feel lonely or scared, confined in this dark space?"

"You're overthinking it," Mi Li retorted impatiently. "Her current state is between life and death. Time has no meaning for her. In other words, she's unconscious. Even if you put her in the jade coffin and forget about her, leaving her there until the end of time, she wouldn't feel a thing."

Zu An: "..."

However, her words somewhat eased Zu An's worries. He then closed the jade coffin and placed it into the Glass Pearl, only to retrieve it almost immediately to confirm Qiu Honglei was indeed unharmed, before finally putting the coffin back.

Mi Li rolled her eyes. "Do you still think I'd lie to you? Instead of worrying about such trivial things, you should be concerned about the current situation."

"What situation?" Zu An had just opened his mouth when he suddenly felt the entire ground surge like ocean waves, as if the entire great snow mountain was about to be destroyed.