Chapter 214: Time Cross-Section

The sky and the earth were like two flat planes, running parallel to each other, endlessly stretching, never to intersect.

Siming had endured a long night.

She stood beneath the exquisite, opulent ceiling of the temple, her gaze deep as she looked at Shiyuan. The entire world seemed like a static symbol.

After her defeat earlier, she had initially wanted to continue attacking to force Ning Changjiu to remove the slave mark. However, his spiritual power could control and stimulate the mark, which made her wary, so she held back. On the way back to the Imperial City, Ning Changjiu was severely injured and vulnerable, but she couldn't kill him because they still needed to work together to leave this place and piece together the Sundial.

It was another deadlock.

This year was one Siming would never forget.

Even in the presence of the Lord God back then, she only needed to bow, not kneel, let alone be punished by an eighteen-year-old girl.

Yet, she no longer harbored the same hatred she felt on the torture rack. Although she had fallen into a quagmire, her Dao heart had paradoxically found peace, gradually returning to the feelings she experienced while presiding over the Divine Kingdom. Therefore, she wasn't even sure if this was a blessing or a curse for her.

That night, Shao Xiaoli did not challenge Siming alone. She meticulously arranged many affairs in the city, informing several ministers of her upcoming long journey and entrusting them with managing the overall situation.

Ning Changjiu also stayed a night in Severed City. His injuries had been healed by the Shura God Record. Every time he looked up at the sky, the image of the Sin King would surge in his mind, but that image was mysteriously obscured after the Sin King's departure, preventing him from recalling its specific details.

They watched the sky together until dawn arrived.

Shao Xiaoli had already packed her bags.

“There’s nothing in this city that boss would value, so I’ll just have to see boss off,” Shao Xiaoli told him.

She noticed that Ning Changjiu looked at her with a very kind expression, almost like a grandfather looking at his granddaughter.

At her words, Siming, who had harbored a faint hope, closed her eyes and asked powerlessly, “How far do you intend to escort him?”

Shao Xiaoli replied as if it were obvious, “As far as I can, of course. What, Siming sis, do you have a problem with that?”

Siming said nothing. She only wanted to leave as soon as possible and had no desire to provoke this impudent girl.

The Blood Feather Lord stood on the city wall in the morning. It gazed into the distance, and when it saw Ning Changjiu and the others leaving the palace, it flapped its wings and flew up, saying, “Oh, Master Ning, by the time you leave, it’ll be almost three years since our agreement. Don’t embarrass yourself too much then.”

Ning Changjiu smiled at it and said, “It’s a pity I can’t take you outside, otherwise you could see how I beat that girl.”

“I believe Master Ning can beat others, but when it comes to our Highness, it’s better to act cautiously,” the Blood Feather Lord chattered. “It doesn’t matter whether I go out or not. Here, I’m at least a guardian deity. If I were outside, I’d at best be a minor follower. Sigh, I’d rather be a big fish in a small pond; it’s more comfortable here.”

Ning Changjiu nodded and said, “Then guard this place well. If I return someday and find this place ravaged, I’ll hold you accountable.”

The Blood Feather Lord thought to itself: Night Remover is dead, Siming is leaving. Unless another Lord of the Divine Kingdom arrives, it would practically be the king here.

It spread its wings and patted its chest, making a guarantee.

Shao Xiaoli slung her bag, containing dried food and water, over her shoulder, checked it one more time, and walked out of the city with them.

It was a journey of unknown thousands of miles.

Along the way, whether in deep gorges, volcanoes, or snowy lands, traces of their battles remained.

“Does this world truly have an end?” Shao Xiaoli asked.

“Yes,” Siming replied. “Night Remover and I fell into this world from there.”

Shao Xiaoli said sternly, “You have to call me ‘Mistress’ before you speak. Boss is the male master, and I’m the female mistress, understand?”

Siming suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and, in a tone used to humor a child, said, “Yes… Mistress.”

Shao Xiaoli hummed, unclear if she was satisfied or not.

After leaving the deep gorge, Ning Changjiu drew the Shura Sword, forged like white silver, from his chest. He stepped onto the blade, and it carried him into the air.

Siming also summoned her black sword. After stepping onto it first, she looked at Shao Xiaoli and said, “Mistress, come on up.”

With that, she unceremoniously grabbed Shao Xiaoli by the back of her collar and pulled her behind her.

Shao Xiaoli was greatly annoyed by this rude behavior. She had intended to use the opportunity to teach Siming a lesson, but the black sword suddenly ascended, startling Shao Xiaoli, who immediately wrapped her arms around Siming’s slender waist and pressed herself tightly against her.

Siming controlled the sword to follow Ning Changjiu.

Although Shao Xiaoli also possessed longevity at the initial stage, she had only ever flown at low altitudes and never as high as they were now.

Now the entire world seemed minuscule in her eyes, making her feel as tiny as a speck of dust. Overcome with fear, she could only obediently cling to the woman in front of her.

After flying higher, Shao Xiaoli saw the world more clearly.

The world was like a series of independent squares, each with its unique color palette—black, gray, or the deep red of dried lava—all imbued with a sense of despair.

“What kind of world is this, anyway?” Shao Xiaoli murmured.

Siming replied, “A world beyond your imagination.”

Shao Xiaoli angrily pinched her waist and said, “That’s stating the obvious! Do you really think I’m a child?”

Siming smiled faintly, “Have you memorized everything I taught you these past few days?”

Shao Xiaoli had, of course, memorized it, but she retorted, “Taught me what? You’ve just been bullying me every day…”

Saying this, Shao Xiaoli looked at Ning Changjiu and asked, “Boss, why aren’t you saying anything? You’re leaving soon, don’t you have anything to say to me?”

These past few days, Shao Xiaoli had already pestered Ning Changjiu for many stories.

Ning Changjiu sighed, “Do you have any other stories you’d like to hear?”

Shao Xiaoli thought seriously for a moment, then said, “Tell me about you, Lu Jiajia, and Zhao Xianger. And that junior sister named Ning Xiaoling, her name also has ‘Xiao’ in it…”

Ning Changjiu said, “Those are secrets not to be divulged.”

Shao Xiaoli had long anticipated this answer, “Stingy.”

Siming scoffed, “It seems I have more than one Mistress.”

Shao Xiaoli clung to Siming’s waist. The wind whistled past her ears, and the scenery rushed past her eyes, rapidly receding. The sword’s speed made her a little anxious, as if their separation was imminent.

Siming’s words also added to her annoyance.

A moment later, Ning Changjiu suddenly heard a short, clear moan from behind him. He frowned and turned to see Siming’s legs tightly clenched, her body slightly bent, and an angry flush on her pale crimson face. The flying sword beneath her swayed uncontrollably with her movements. Shao Xiaoli gasped, her body tilted, and she actually fell directly off the sword. Siming’s eyes sharpened, and she sharply pulled her up, holding her by the waist and turning Shao Xiaoli to face downwards.

Soon after, Ning Changjiu heard Shao Xiaoli’s cries for help.

He folded his arms into his sleeves, too lazy to interfere, letting them resolve their grievances themselves.

The swords flew through the air, already sweeping over a vast snowfield.

The commotion behind them had subsided. Shao Xiaoli was again standing behind Siming, clinging to her waist with tear-filled eyes, secretly cursing her boss for not helping.

“If you dare touch there again, I’ll rip off your clothes and throw you down,” Siming threatened coldly.

Shao Xiaoli was forced to lower her head, but her palms tingled, itching to reach out and press again.

Although their swords flew quickly, this world was immense, and it had taken several hours to reach the snowfield. Due to the realm restrictions in this world, they couldn’t constantly fly on their swords and had to stop periodically.

“If we truly get out, I’d like to see those two beloved women of yours, to see what unparalleled beauties they are, to make someone like you remember them so fondly.”

They dismounted their swords and walked onto the snowfield. Siming looked at Ning Changjiu’s youthful face and teased him with a smile.

Ning Changjiu said calmly, “Once we’re out, we’ll go our separate ways. If fate allows, we’ll meet again; if not, we won’t.”

Siming silently stepped through the snow on the ground. The glistening snow enveloped her jade-like feet, and the cold permeated them, leaving her skin a delicate pink.

Siming lowered her head slightly, looking at the tips of her feet occasionally visible beneath her black robe, and smiled faintly, “What if I insist on seeing them and tell them what happened here? What do you think they’d think, or do?”

Ning Changjiu paused slightly in his steps. He turned his head a little, his gaze on Siming turning cold.

“But you promised not to touch me, Master must keep his word,” Siming’s upturned lips were as faint as a new moon.

Ning Changjiu’s expression softened, and he nodded, “Yes, I always keep my word.”

Siming’s smile, however, didn’t last long. Soon, Ning Changjiu spoke again, blandly, “Xiaoli, how did this big sister bully you before? Just bully her back now. Boss has your back.”

Shao Xiaoli, who had been a little dejected, instantly perked up. “Xiaoli obeys!”

Siming’s face immediately darkened.

Ning Changjiu sat cross-legged on the snow, recuperating for about fifteen minutes. Then, Shao Xiaoli returned with Siming from the snow. Siming said nothing, silently squatted down, cupped a handful of snow, and pressed it against her flushed cheeks.

“Do you want me to cool down other places for you, Siming sis?” Shao Xiaoli squatted beside her, smiling as she asked.

Siming forced herself to speak calmly, “No need to trouble yourself, Mistress.”

These minor interludes didn’t delay them too much. After traveling for a long time, they finally left the snowfield. In the village, Shao Xiaoli couldn’t resist going back to the old house to look around, then gently closed and locked the door.

By the time night fell again, they had long since left the village behind.

Shao Xiaoli was a little afraid of the dark, so she nestled into Siming’s arms, forgetting their earlier squabbles, her head resting on Siming’s chest.

“Does time pass quickly here? When I go back, will I be an old woman?” Shao Xiaoli asked, worried.

Siming said, “Don’t worry, I control time. You’ll be safe staying by my side.”

Shao Xiaoli immediately snuggled even closer.

Ning Changjiu suddenly asked, “Where are we now?”

Shao Xiaoli looked around. In the darkness, she could vaguely discern that it was a wasteland on the verge of turning into a desert.

Even Siming probably hadn’t been to places like these. Who knew where they were?

As Shao Xiaoli was thinking this, she heard Siming utter words that left her stunned for a long time:

“We are about two and a half million years away from ‘now’. The glacier we walked through earlier was the Ice Age four million years from now, the last flicker of life. After that, creatures like the Whale Dragon will no longer exist.”

Shao Xiaoli was completely bewildered.

Ning Changjiu looked at the night sky, a look of contemplation on his face. “The infants clinging to the rock walls in the black gorge outside our city, they were actually human, weren’t they?”

Siming gently shook her head. “Not really. That was a different evolutionary path, but unfortunately, the environment was too harsh. They didn’t become like us. Even after sacrificing so much, they remained weak monsters.”

Siming spoke, then suddenly smiled. “Elimination and cleansing don’t necessarily symbolize evolution. In overly harsh environments, only dead ends await life… Of course, that’s still millions of years away. Even ancient gods won’t live to see that day.”

Ning Changjiu asked, “Is this future unchangeable?”

Siming shook her head. “I don’t know, but this is what time dictates right now.”

Shao Xiaoli gradually understood. “You mean, the place where Severed City is located is millions of years in the future?”

Siming said, “Severed City is an exception. That woman created it specifically to house that group of her people.”

Shao Xiaoli recalled the harsh world outside the city. They had traveled through the ruins of volcanoes, seen valleys filled with toxins, and vast, desolate lands with sparse life. It had taken the people of Severed City hundreds of years to cultivate and cross these places, finally reaching the ice plains.

But the hope they perceived was separated from the true end by an immeasurably long stretch of time.

So this was the true long night.

Shao Xiaoli struggled to sit up from Siming’s embrace. She looked forward and then backward, asking, “Why is it like this?”

No one answered her.

Shao Xiaoli was silent for a long time, then looked at Siming and asked seriously, “Then what kind of world is this exactly?”

Siming and Ning Changjiu spoke in unison, “This is a cross-section of time.”

“We are currently inside the Mystical Scroll of Mountains and Seas, the classic book by the Lord God’s throne, and also the history book of this world. It calculates and records the billions of years from the world’s inception to the present, and also forecasts millions of years into the future. After the Lord God’s death, his will was incorporated into the Mystical Scroll, making this world even more expansive and real.”

Siming’s voice echoed gently in the night: “So, we are essentially walking backward from the last page of this history book, traversing this world’s future, present, and past, all the way to its very beginning.”

“The very beginning?” Shao Xiaoli’s emotions were in turmoil for a long time, and she couldn’t help but ask, “What is at the very beginning?”

Siming said, “That is the genesis of all things, the dawn of chaos, the starting point of all splendor and growth, and also… the frontispiece of the Mystical Scroll of Mountains and Seas.”

“We are people in a book…” Shao Xiaoli said, “Then what about the people of Severed City? Are they truly trapped forever? Even if they reach the end, can they only see endless chaos?”

Siming hummed, “Indeed, that is correct.”

This outcome was so despairing.

Ning Changjiu had previously guessed the full scope of this world, which was why he had deliberately instructed the Sword Scroll Spirit to pay attention to rock patterns, wanting to deduce the current era.

Shao Xiaoli came closer to Siming and gently nestled against her, saying, “You’ll come back later, right?”

Siming looked at Ning Changjiu.

Ning Changjiu nodded softly, “Yes, we will.”

Shao Xiaoli held out her hand: “Let’s pinky promise!”

In the darkness, their three fingers touched.

A wind blew from afar, a wind from the beginning, sweeping across billions of years of profound change. Those long eras, whether glorious or desolate, were merely miniature representations of a few thousand miles of land in this world.

In the darkness, they rested for a while, then continued forward.

“Is one breath for us equivalent to decades, or even centuries, in the real world?” Shao Xiaoli couldn’t help but hold her breath slightly.

Siming’s voice softened. “You don’t need to dwell on these things. It’s my fault; I shouldn’t have told you this… Once seen, it cannot be forgotten, and this is destined to become a burden on your heart in the future.”

Shao Xiaoli hummed, trying to calm her emotions.

In the darkness, she couldn’t clearly see her surroundings; everything seemed barren and desolate.

After a long time, light returned to the sky.

They had arrived at another ice plain. Shao Xiaoli calculated in her mind, realizing this was probably hundreds of thousands of years in the future.

From the perspective of this history book, it was merely a short segment.

They walked for an unknown duration.

Ning Changjiu suddenly stopped flying his sword.

“What a beautiful era,” Siming exclaimed, surveying her surroundings.

It was a haven of green mountains and clear waters, with bright, high-hanging clouds, peach blossoms covering the mountainsides, a few dark green peaks like ink strokes, and winding streams like silk ribbons. In the deep valleys and gorges, hidden villages and farmhouses could be seen, where men tilled and women wove, and the sounds of chickens and dogs mingled, living happily and unknowingly of sorrow.

In this era, the world’s collapse was a distant legend, and millions of miles of ice had yet to arrive. It was as serene as a small boat anchored by the shore, with both banks adorned by flourishing willows.

Not just Shao Xiaoli, but even Ning Changjiu found it hard to leave. “But this is ultimately not the real world,” Siming’s lingering gaze faded. “This is merely a record within the Mystical Scroll.”

Ning Changjiu, however, said, “But they live so authentically.”

Siming smiled faintly, “That is both their fortune and their misfortune.”

They would never awaken, never understand the truth of the world, yet they could remain happy forever.

Ning Changjiu knew they could indulge, but he had to remain clear-headed.

These beautiful scenes were like weeping willows inviting a lingering chat, but ultimately they were not the true hands of those who departed.

Shao Xiaoli suddenly said, “Let’s leave something behind.”

“Hmm?” Ning Changjiu turned to look.

Shao Xiaoli said earnestly, “I think every era should have its own name.”

Ning Changjiu smiled and handed over his sword.

Shao Xiaoli took the sword, thought carefully for a moment, then carved two characters onto a stone: “Peach Haven.”

From then on, this period of history acquired its name: “Peach Haven.”

Afterwards, they continued forward.

When Shao Xiaoli got tired, she would rest on Siming’s back and sleep. And every time the three of them passed through a place, they would carve some words onto a stone there.

This was proof that they had been there.

Beyond Peach Haven, in a world approximately three thousand years earlier, there seemed to be a “trivial” discontinuity.

Beyond that discontinuity lay the age of wilderness, with a warm climate, rampant fierce beasts, and ancient gods gestating in the shadows. The earliest humans practiced slash-and-burn agriculture, ate raw meat and blood, and occasionally gazed at the stars as they stumbled forward, not yet knowing how to make a sword fly into the sky.

Ning Changjiu carved the words “Primordial Era” onto a stone.

Further forward, the climate grew colder, and the seasons became chaotic—a sign of the approaching ice age.

The world seemed to undergo an infinite cycle, accepting creatures that survived calamities and nurturing new life, only to destroy them all many years later.

The cold returned, the world was covered in ice and snow, many landmasses sank into the sea, and the entire world resembled a giant cold storage, devoid of any trace of life.

Shao Xiaoli was so cold she wished she could just burrow into Siming’s clothes.

Before leaving, she carved the words “Snow Kingdom” here.

Then the glaciers melted.

This was the era Siming named “Silence.”

After the Silent Era, mountains rose high, lava collided with seawater, and rolling thick smoke blotted out the sky, obscuring the sun. Disasters reshaped the mountains and rivers, and the world seemed to be caught in a destructive catastrophe, yet also undergoing a new baptism.

Ning Changjiu carved the words “Calamity Ash.”

This period of history was thus named the “Calamity Ash Era.”

They kept moving forward and then witnessed the beginning of the catastrophe.

A star streaked across the sky.

Moving further forward, they reached an era that even Ning Changjiu found breathtaking.

That was the age of the Primordial Azure Dragons.

Countless ancient dragons roamed the world. Some were like giant pythons, growing scales and claws; others were like massive lizards with extremely long wingspans. They coiled around natural divine pillars, exhaling dragon breath, each snort a friction of thunder and fire.

They were the absolute rulers of this world.

Yet, as they gazed into the distance, they did not know that this was already the twilight of their kingdom.

This was the “Azure Dragon” era.

The further they went, the less they spoke. The changes of time and earth not only reshaped the world but also silently altered their Dao hearts.

Even though Siming had seen all this before, she found it hard to suppress all her emotions.

Afterwards, they witnessed the genesis and annihilation of many more lives.

The world’s appearance constantly transformed, everything returning to its origins, gradually reverting to the initial moment.

They saw the first fish leap onto land; at that time, life had not yet developed spines. And every small, transparent fish had the potential to become an ancient dragon that would dominate the world and roar across the lands in the future.

Although this was the beginning of the world, the mountains and terrain became increasingly folded, like an old person in their twilight years.

After that, they waded through the debris of ocean sediments, gradually moving toward the ultimate end.

A colossal world of ice sea confronted them.

This was the largest “Snow Kingdom” they had ever seen, and the first “Snow Kingdom” since the world’s birth. There was no life or vegetation here, silent like the fossilized egg of a dragon.

“This is it,” Siming whispered.

Unbeknownst to them, nearly another month had passed.

For Shao Xiaoli, this ice river was the boundless long night before Ning Changjiu’s departure, while for those waiting outside, it was the long dawn before his return.

The two swords soared together into the sky.

The three companions swept towards the edge of the ice sea.

The world of ice and snow disappeared, everything cut off here. They seemed to have arrived at the edge of a cliff.

This was the end of the entire world.

The flat surface at the end dropped downwards.

Ahead lay a devouring darkness, seemingly dotted with countless inert star stones, like the primordial black sea where gods were said to be born in legends.

There was no light at all, and the prolonged, vast darkness was utterly despairing.

They had finally arrived here.

“Will you be afraid to go back alone?” Ning Changjiu pulled his gaze from the darkness and looked at the girl in the red dress.

Shao Xiaoli rubbed her eyes and said, “I’m not afraid when boss is here. Without boss… I’ll just have to not be afraid.”

Ning Changjiu gently patted her head, continuously pouring spiritual energy into her body, and said softly, “I’ll come back to take you out. By then, Xiaoli should have truly grown up.”

“Mm, we pinky-promised, boss, you can’t break your word,” Shao Xiaoli bravely held back her tears.

Leaving as a youth, returning as an elder.

Boss was eventually going back; she had known that since their first meeting.

And she, who had left home, also had to return… Their paths were completely opposite.

To bid farewell for countless ages, yet time cannot erase youth’s grace.

“Let’s begin.” Siming lowered her gaze, snapping out of her melancholy, and summoned a small sparrow seemingly condensed from moonlight. This was the spirit refined from the Sundial.

Ning Changjiu also summoned the Golden Crow.

The two merged with great understanding, transforming in the air into the complete shape of the Sundial, and together they plunged into the dark ocean.

Siming suddenly turned and embraced Shao Xiaoli.

The girl in the red dress also stood on tiptoe. She whispered something into Siming’s ear, then cupped Siming’s face and kissed her rosy lips, biting her tender lips for a long moment before letting go.

The Sundial sank into the dark sea.

Then the chaotic world began to boil.

It was as if Pangu, the great god of ancient myths, had cleaved the heavens with his axe. Beams of dazzling, brilliant light pierced through the eternal darkness. Beneath them, a giant Kunpeng seemed to arch its body, about to break through the immense waters and reveal its mythical form.

The joys and sorrows of humanity, the profound transformations of mountains and seas—everything seemed minuscule in this epic genesis.

Siming slowly turned around.

The light, spanning the universe, enveloped her.

This was a light they had never witnessed before.

The blood in Ning Changjiu’s heart surged and roared at this moment, transforming into powerful waves, cheering for all that lay before him.

Ahead, in the chaotic darkness, a vast, crimson sun slowly rose.

This was the first sunrise before the dawn of history.

Each of them was a witness.

And the gates of the Divine Kingdom, silent for seven hundred years, finally opened for them at this very moment.