Chapter 1698: Farewell

While the two great Zhi Zun were discussing, they suddenly heard two earth-shattering dragon roars.

Zhao Yun had transformed into a golden Shen Long, his dragon body towering like a mountain, with scales gleaming in golden light that dazzled the eyes.

Ye Chen was the same, having taken on the form of a dragon, also a golden Shen Long.

However, they were not of the Long Zu; the so-called dragon form was merely an outer manifestation of the Dao, each manifesting their own as they clashed in battle, with humans fighting and the Dao contending.

The two golden dragons coiled and collided, shattering star rivers with every impact.

It was truly like two young Zhi Zun, battling from the far side of the star rivers to the edge of the universe, and from the edge of the universe to the end of all things.

Stars exploded one by one, vast expanses of star space overturned, all stained with fresh blood and plunged into chaotic extinction.

The two great Zhi Zun had underestimated these two juniors; their willpower was unyielding, and after over five hundred rounds, no victor had emerged.

Not only was there no victor, but the fight grew even more ferocious.

Their potential was fully ignited, with mysterious forces awakening within them; one was undergoing metamorphosis, the other nirvana.

In the midst of the battle, the elevation of their mental states even astonished the Zhi Zun.

It was not until the nine hundredth round that both finally fell simultaneously; Ye Chen's body was covered in bloody wounds, and Zhao Yun's entire form was riddled with gashes.

“My hometown is waiting for me.”

Both Ye Chen and Zhao Yun panicked, their eyes brimming with tears.

The path home was incredibly difficult; to each, the other seemed like an invincible war god standing firm in the stars.

To return home, they had to defeat the other—there was no other way.

With their powers evenly matched, this battle had no winner from the start, only life or death, because only by fighting to the end could they prove themselves.

“Fight!”

The two roared hoarsely, gripping their blood-stained killing swords tightly.

One staggered eastward, the other stumbled westward, dragging their blood-soaked bodies, leaving a trail of blood with every step.

These two prodigies were at their limits, their vital energy depleted, their magical power exhausted, even their protective Xian Guang gone.

The battle no longer produced shocking waves, yet it was primal and bloody.

Zhao Yun struck Ye Chen with a sword, and Ye Chen struck back with one of his own.

Neither defended nor dodged; there was only attack after attack, wildly swinging their killing swords without any sign of fatigue.

In the end, both collapsed, falling into the star space, their final faint wisps of Xian Guang dissipating completely.

As the two prodigies had foreseen, their duel ended in mutual destruction—no one won, and no one lost.

“Hometown, farewell forever.”

Zhao Yun smiled wearily, his eyes filled with tears of hardship, as if he could see through the universe to that vast and beautiful land of mountains and rivers—his homeland.

“Da Chu, farewell forever.”

In the haze between life and death, Ye Chen also wept, his vision blurred by bloody tears.

Their eyes, which they were loath to close, trembled and finally shut, with two trails of bloody tears streaking down their weathered faces.

“That's enough.”

Di Huang and Ming Di both smiled.

Ming Di lightly brushed his sleeve, sending a gentle breeze sweeping through.

Ye Chen and Zhao Yun felt their bodies tremble, and then they opened their eyes.

But the scene before them was no longer the vast star space; instead, it was the small bamboo grove in Jie Ming Shan, where they stood facing each other.

The two stared at each other for three or five seconds, both looking stunned. Weren't they in the midst of battle? Weren't they dead? What was going on?

“Awake now?”

Laughter rang out, and they instinctively turned their heads.

There, not far away, Di Huang and Ming Di sat drinking tea, the two Zhi Zun appearing completely relaxed, as if nothing had happened.

“Intention war.”

Di Huang smiled. “No winner, no loser.”

“This battle was meant to temper you both against each other; only in a life-and-death struggle can you fully tap into your potential.”

“And you didn't disappoint us—one metamorphosed, the other achieved nirvana.”

“Oh, so that's what it meant!”

Ye Chen and Zhao Yun suddenly grinned, their expressions a mix of amusement. They played it pretty high-stakes!

If only they'd known it was an intention war, they wouldn't have fought so fiercely. Making it all so serious nearly scared them to death.

Good thing it was just an intention war, a test; if it had been real, they would likely both have had their souls scattered by now.

“So, we can both leave?”

Ye Chen and Zhao Yun looked at the two with a hint of hope in their eyes.

“You may both leave.”

Ming Di and Di Huang smiled warmly.

At those words, Ye Chen and Zhao Yun's tense bodies instantly relaxed. All their efforts had finally paid off.

In their joy, they didn't forget to bow respectfully to the Zhi Zun.

The intention war had indeed unlocked their potential—one had metamorphosed, the other nirvana—a rare opportunity and a significant fortune.

They also exchanged smiles; everything was for returning home. In the intention war, neither had held back; it was a true fight to the death.

Thinking back on it, they shook their heads and laughed. Their peak battle had ended in mutual destruction; neither could overcome the other.

“Zhao Yun, do you have any last wishes?”

Ming Di looked at Zhao Yun. “Once you leave this time, you'll never return to this universe.”

“I was always just a passerby here.”

Zhao Yun smiled.

“In that case, be on your way!”

Ming Di extended his palm toward the void.

Immediately, a massive black vortex appeared, spinning rapidly. The scene resembled the vortex of the wheel of reincarnation.

The power within it was mysterious and terrifying, evoking dread.

Through the vortex, Ye Chen seemed to catch a whiff of a strange aura from another universe—Zhao Yun's homeland.

“What's that?”

Perhaps because the vortex was so enormous, the people of the Ming Jie looked up in wonder, their voices of surprise rising one after another.

“Has another Tian Mo descended?”

Someone murmured thoughtfully.

“If they come, so be it—who's afraid?”

Many drew their weapons. “We didn't get our fill last time; we'll make up for it this time.”

Zhao Yun glanced at the void vortex, then turned to Ye Chen.

“I hope that when we meet again, it's as Zhi Zun.”

“Definitely.”

Ye Chen raised his hand and punched Zhao Yun lightly.

“Hou Hui You Qi.”

Zhao Yun smiled, took a deep breath, and soared upward toward the vortex, his demeanor casual and free.

“Hou Hui You Qi.”

Ye Chen waved, watching Zhao Yun go.

“Zhao Yun!”

Just as Zhao Yun was about to step into the vortex, a cry echoed from afar, growing louder as it approached.

It was Qin Mengyao, her call heart-wrenching.

“Are you leaving just like that? Without even saying goodbye?”

Tears streamed down her face; she was sobbing uncontrollably, her expression heartbreaking, her words choked with emotion.

She knew Zhao Yun was always just a passerby in the underworld, but her heart had still blossomed for him.

The ways of love in the world were truly strange—one falls for someone they shouldn't, knowing it's futile, yet rushes in like a moth to a flame.

Zhao Yun smiled but remained silent.

In the nearly year he'd been in the Ming Jie, this forthright girl had helped him so much. He understood her feelings.

But he was still just a passerby, destined to leave.

So, from the beginning, he had rejected this affection. Without a future, why leave regrets for a woman?

“Will you remember me after a thousand years?”

Qin Mengyao looked up at the sky, her laughter mixed with tears, a sight that tugged at the heart.

“I will.”

Zhao Yun turned silently, waved goodbye to Qin Mengyao, and stepped into the vortex, vanishing from sight.

Behind him, Qin Mengyao crouched on the ground, covering her face as she wept bitterly, tears streaming through her fingers.

Zhao Yun was gone, the one she loved most had left.

A year's time felt like a dream, a fleeting epiphany, etching beautiful memories but leaving a love riddled with wounds.