He raised his hand, as if holding something intangible. A brilliant, delicate cyan light surged from his palm, floating slowly upward—a thread-like object of cyan, as fine as a strand of hair, yet carrying a sharp sensation, capable, it seemed, of severing everything in existence.
The cyan thread writhed and danced, suspended above his palm.
The voice of the Six Paths Ghost Slave changed, becoming guttural and sinister. “Is this the origin of the Law of Wind, one of the Nine Laws of the True Realm? Legend says the Law of Wind can cut through everything—human joys and sorrows, love and hate, even the hardest metals. Nothing can resist its severance. Moreover, the Law of Wind is feather-light and immeasurable; no energy or matter in the world can surpass it, not even the lightest ‘Ancient Void Matter.’”
“Indeed.” True Man Shi Ge nodded.
The Six Paths Ghost Slave stared at him for a moment before saying coldly, “It is a pity. The Six Paths Reincarnation does not belong to anything; even the sharpest thing in the world cannot cut through the Cycle.” As he spoke, black energy churned around him, and he roared, spewing countless plumes of black mist into the dark vortex formed by the convergence of the six white light wheels.
In an instant, the gravitational pull of the entire black vortex intensified by more than ten times. The soil from the ground nearby and the clouds from tens of thousands of miles up were forcefully dragged in, spiraling wildly toward the center.
True Man Shi Ge on the opposite side stood perfectly still, his fur-lined black robe snapping loudly in the wind, being pulled inexorably toward the black vortex.
“Shatter!”
Shi Ge narrowed his eyes, which were like two sharp daggers, and instantly shot the cyan thread from his palm out like a fierce streak of azure lightning, sweeping toward the vortex formed by the six white wheels.
In the desolate borderlands of the Ice and Snow Empire lay the small city of Wilman.
Feathery snow fell relentlessly, like scales shed from some colossal beast, blanketing the earth thickly and shrouding the air in a profound blur.
Outside, the wind and snow howled as if issuing from another world, while inside the room, there was the comforting warmth of heating and the faint fragrance rising from the soft bedding. Bright light streamed down from the white silk lamp suspended in the center of the room.
It was as if light had suddenly appeared.
The thin boy slowly opened his eyes. The hazy, bright light, like mist, rendered everything in the room indistinct.
After some time, his vision gradually sharpened.
Then he saw himself lying on a soft, pink bed. The bedding, scented with sandalwood, was adorned with many lovely patterns. The room contained simple tables and chairs, and the floor was polished to a sheen, without a speck of dust. Beside the bed lay a pair of fluffy slippers.
He felt a wave of confusion. Struggling to sit up from the bed, he immediately discovered his limbs were weak and his body powerless. He gritted his teeth and managed to sit up, gasping for breath as he surveyed the room.
Just then, the door opened with a soft creak. A woman clad in a soft, silver-white robe entered, appearing like a goddess enveloped in starlight. Her exquisite features were unparalleled from any angle, like a smiling rose in a snow-laden night, possessing both an alluring luster and a purely ethereal spiritual energy—a rose with thorns, dangerous to approach too closely.
“You’re awake?” The woman in the soft silver-white robe smiled, walked to the bedside, and sat down gently, looking at the thin boy like an elder sister. “Feeling better?”
The thin boy stared at her blankly. “You… you aren't sending me away?”
The woman in the silver-white robe pursed her lips and smiled. “Why would I send you away? I happen to need an attendant to handle trivial matters. You are perfect to stay by my side.”
The thin boy’s eyes instantly blazed with startling light and heat. He exclaimed excitedly, “Really? Really? You’re truly not kicking me out? That’s wonderful! Please, never send me away, okay? I can do so many things—laundry, cooking, serving tea and water. When your back aches, I can massage your legs, and when you’re in a bad mood, I can tell you jokes…”
“Oh?” The corner of the silver-white-robed woman’s mouth curved into a smile. “You can tell jokes? Tell me one.”
The thin boy scratched his head, blushing slightly. After a moment of thought, he coughed lightly and said, “Do you know why balloons explode when they fly too high?”
The silver-white-robed woman naturally tilted her head, her slender black eyebrows furrowing slightly, as if deep in thought. After a moment, she said, “Because the pressure in the upper atmosphere is too great, squeezing the balloon until it bursts.”
“No.” The thin boy wore a look of smug triumph. He blinked conspiratorially, “Because… the balloon has a fear of heights.”
The silver-white-robed woman: “…”
The thin boy looked at her face, which seemed filled with black lines, the awkwardness of crows flying overhead. His face instantly turned crimson, and he scratched his head. “It’s not funny? When I first heard it, I thought it was a great joke; I really admire whoever could come up with such an ingenious joke…”
“That joke is a little cold,” the silver-white-robed woman stated pointedly.
The thin boy’s face was full of embarrassment as he scratched his head. “I don’t usually tell jokes much, so I haven’t had the chance to learn many. My former master said slaves don't need happiness, so I stopped practicing. Next time, I’ll definitely find better jokes to tell you.”
The silver-white-robed woman’s eyes flickered. She gazed at him for a long time before slowly saying, “Have you… never known happiness before?”
The thin boy scratched his head, looking utterly flustered. He shook his head, his bright eyes radiating vivid energy and smiles. “No, that’s not right! I’ve had happy moments. Long ago, when I first came out of the deep mountains and met my master, he gave me buns and steamed bread to eat. I was so happy and blessed then. And once, I found a wallet and returned it to an old grandmother; she rewarded me with a chicken leg. That day was especially lucky!”
He suddenly paused, then looked at the silver-white-robed woman before him. His eyes, as dark as deep-sea pearls, shone with innocent light, his face completely filled with pure sincerity. He said earnestly, “And now, the fact that you are willing to let me follow you—I feel this is the happiest thing that has ever happened to me!”
The silver-white-robed woman’s body trembled slightly. Looking into those obsidian pupils, untainted by any impurity, sensing the warmth and clarity within, she felt an inexplicable flutter in her heart. She gently averted her gaze, reached out, and stroked the thin boy’s straw-like hair. She said tenderly, “From now on, I will make sure you are always happy.”
Her slender hand, snow-white, with a wrist so pale it was almost translucent, wore a bracelet of sky-blue beads, like deep-sea ice crystals—beautiful and round, radiating a lovely sheen. A faint fragrance drifted from that delicate, small palm, reaching his nose.
The thin boy’s gaze was somewhat scorching; his eyes shone like two brilliant suns. “As long as you don’t send me away, I will be happy forever!”
“Mmm.” The silver-white-robed woman nodded, a touch of sorrow in her heart.
After a moment, she asked, “I still haven’t asked, what is your name?”
The thin boy shook his head. “I don’t have a name. Slaves don’t need names. Slaves weren’t even supposed to speak, but my master saw that I was quite obedient, so he didn’t cut out my tongue. My master usually calls me ‘Zero.’ You can call me that too.”
“Zero?” The silver-white-robed woman murmured softly, then broke into a smile. “That’s a nice name. I will call you ‘Zero’ from now on.”
“Okay!” The thin boy nodded excitedly. “I like this name very much! My master said Zero represents the best. Among his slaves, I was the best. Hehehe, my master liked me a lot.”
The silver-white-robed woman felt a pang of sadness, suppressing the tears welling in her eyes. Thinking of how his master had thrown him, defenseless, into the valley to lure out powerful monsters, she felt a deep ache.
“Your master treated you poorly. He deserved to die. I hope that male demonic beast returned and tore him to shreds,” she ground out through clenched teeth, as if she herself had been the one sent to lure the monster.
Zero scratched his head, looking bewildered. “No, my master treated me very well; he gave me food and drink, and I am very grateful. Other people look at me and want to kill me. And my master is very clever; maybe he managed to escape the pursuit of that male monster. If he could also steal the monster’s eggs, he would become rich.”
The silver-white-robed woman looked at him disapprovingly. “He abandoned you, and you still wish him well? Don’t you know he sent you to your death?”
“I know,” Zero nodded seriously, then suddenly grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, a smile that seemed to come from the depths of his heart. “He raised me for a long time, and all he asked for was my life in return. I got a great deal.”
The silver-white-robed woman looked at him for a long time before finally sighing, as if giving up on trying to explain anything. She said softly, “My name is ‘Sefigran.’ You can call me that from now on.”
Zero opened his large, dark eyes and asked cautiously and earnestly, “Can I call you Sister, Sister?”
Sefigran glanced at him, fell silent, then stood up, turned around, and walked out the door, leaving only a sentence behind: “Do as you wish.”
When the door closed, the thin boy’s mouth stretched wide, his white teeth curving like a crescent moon. He laughed very happily.
The blizzard howled over the small border city as the night gradually descended. The immense white snow enveloped the world in a uniform hue. Branches and rooftops were heavily laden with snow, and the streets were devoid of pedestrians. Finally, as the night deepened, the lights in many buildings began to extinguish.
The night, like water. It flowed very, very quietly through the small city.
When the bright sunlight pierced through the clouds the next morning and shone upon the entire snow-swept city, everyone was startled awake by the sudden beams entering their windows. This border city was perpetually beset by blizzards; only one or two days throughout the entire year would the snow cease to fall. (To be continued)