Chapter 2593: Return

As the Goddess of Wushan spoke, an exceptionally bright and radiant tear droplet slid down her cheek. Unlike the other tears that fell directly to the ground, this single tear floated in the air.

She raised a slender, fair hand, which now held a porcelain bottle. She carefully collected the tear into it and handed it directly to Zu An, saying, "This should complete the Heaven-Defying Spirit Tear and heal Xiao Xi."

Seeing her weep so profusely yet still thinking of his concerns, Zu An could no longer hold back. He pulled her into a tight embrace.

In the past, like countless men, he had wished that all the beautiful women in the world belonged to him.

But with more close female companions by his side, he realized that love could be truly hurtful.

He had experienced too many partings, especially having just come from Guanghan Palace. He had thought his heart had reached the peak of its pain and he couldn't hurt anymore.

Yet now he found he was wrong, and terribly so.

It turned out that a heart could ache twice in quick succession, each time more intensely than the last.

The women in the distance saw them suddenly embrace, and their expressions grew strange, as if they were discussing their recent bet.

However, seeing the Goddess of Wushan in tears and Zu An's face filled with anguish, their initial gossipy excitement faded into silence. Though far away, they could still sense the profound sadness emanating from the pair.

Embraced by Zu An, the Goddess of Wushan trembled. She had never even spoken much with men before, let alone been hugged. Feeling his strong arms, her shyness was mingled with a deep reluctance to let go, wondering how long this embrace could last.

At this moment, Zu An's thoughts raced like lightning. Having just gone through the incident with the Mermaid Queen, he didn't want a similar situation to recur, so he quickly pondered a solution.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. As he reached out to wipe the tear tracks from her cheeks, he said, "Yaoji, if you're willing, come with us."

The Box of Creation could take them back, and bringing one more person shouldn't be a problem, especially since she wasn't bound by Guanghan Palace.

To his surprise, the Goddess of Wushan shook her head slightly upon hearing this. "I can't leave," she said.

Seeing his bewildered gaze, the Goddess of Wushan slowly explained, "Ever since I was designated the Goddess of Wushan, I've remained on this mountain. I've lost count of how many years have passed. Often, I unknowingly transform into Goddess Peak on Mount Wushan. In a sense, Wushan and I have long been one."

"It's similar to Chang'e's situation. She carries the curse of Guanghan Palace, and I have the ties to Wushan. I can no longer leave this place."

Hearing her words, Zu An's heart sank into an icy abyss.

He could take one person, yes, but could he take an entire mountain?

In that instant, he felt a profound helplessness. When he first transmigrated, he was weak, but he hadn't felt this powerless back then.

Why, as he grew stronger, did he encounter more and more insurmountable problems?

"You don't need to worry," the Goddess of Wushan said, comforting Zu An in turn. "This is my destiny. To have met you and experienced so many different emotions is already a tremendous blessing."

Hearing her comfort him in return, Zu An's heart ached even more.

The Goddess of Wushan gently pulled away from his embrace and led him by the hand to the cliff edge. "Brother Zu, you don't need to be so sad. In the future, when you see these clouds and this mist, it will be as if I am by your side. If Mount Wushan still exists in later generations, you can come here to find me, though by then I might have completely transformed into Goddess Peak."

Zu An's eyes reddened at her words, and his voice dropped to an uncharacteristically low tone. "I'm sadder for you. I have other friends to accompany me, but you must remain here all alone."

The Goddess of Wushan smiled faintly. "How could I be alone? The wind, the clouds, the rain—they are all my friends. Besides, isn't Sister Chang'e still here? I can visit her for a chat from time to time."

Zu An opened his mouth. Many said his words were as sweet as honey, but at this moment, they felt exceptionally bitter in his throat. He couldn't think of anything to say that would truly comfort her.

If the Goddess of Wushan were truly indifferent, she wouldn't have cried so profusely just moments ago.

Her current composure was merely an attempt to keep him from worrying too much.

But the more considerate she was, the more distraught Zu An felt.

"I truly wish I could meet that girl, Manman," the Goddess of Wushan suddenly sighed softly. Both Xihe and she had previously agreed that she was likely the previous incarnation of Manman.

It was indeed gratifying that Manman and Zu An would eventually be together.

However, this also proved something else: if there was a reincarnation, it meant she would eventually die. She didn't know why she would die or why she would choose reincarnation, but there must have been an unavoidable reason for it.

While she would be with Zu An in a future life, in this current life, they were destined never to meet again.

At this thought, the calmness she had painstakingly achieved began to waver, and tears welled up in her eyes.

At that moment, a light drizzle began to fall across Wushan, shrouding the entire mountain in a misty rain.

The women in the distance, who had initially been excited by gossip, were now enveloped in an inexplicable sadness.

Zu An opened his mouth to speak, but suddenly the Box of Creation flashed, engulfing him and the other women in its light.

The next second, they all vanished without a trace.

The Goddess of Wushan reached out as if to hold them back, but her hand grasped empty air, remaining frozen mid-air for a long time, unwilling to lower.

The once lively summit of Wushan was now desolate once more.

She recalled how, when a few people first appeared on Wushan, she had been quite unaccustomed to their presence, sometimes even finding them a bit noisy.

But now, she intensely missed those times filled with laughter and joy.

The Goddess of Wushan walked to the mountain peak, gazing distantly at the sea of clouds. Her form gradually blurred, transforming into Goddess Peak, standing silently there.

That day, an unprecedented downpour began on Wushan.

Meanwhile, Zu An and the others found themselves in a daze, and in the next second, they appeared in a lake.

After Zu An helped the women ashore, he fell silent.

"Where are we?" Ji Xiaoxi looked around, finding everything incredibly dark. If they weren't cultivators, they probably wouldn't be able to see anything at all.

"The Demon Imperial Tomb," Xie Daoyun said, quickly identifying it from her lingering memories.

"Ah, we're back in that time fragment!" Ji Xiaoxi exclaimed, a mix of surprise and delight in her voice. This meant returning to their original era would be quicker.

But then she remembered something and tugged Zu An's arm apologetically. "Brother Zu, are you feeling very sad right now?"

Before Zu An could answer, a burst of wild laughter echoed from the distance. "As expected by our master, you fools have returned here after all!"