Su Ming'an nodded.

"—Su Ming'an, we don't need you to sacrifice yourself. If you really can't save us, just take my Life Authority and leave." Chao Yan shouted.

"God, even if you go with Shadow, it may not keep its promise. We can't trust the High-dimensional." Li Yuxuan also advised.

Perhaps it was Su Ming'an's Charm value, or perhaps people truly had Faith in him. Even when civilization was on the brink of destruction, people shouted:

"Don't go! God!"

"At worst, we'll fight to the death with Shadow!"

"Su Ming'an, don't worry about us anymore, do whatever you want to do!"

Su Ming'an listened to these voices and watched their tear-filled eyes. Only he knew it was an act, that Shadow could only obtain an empty shell of a body, but people believed it, really thought he was going to sacrifice himself.

As if he had become Noel from a prime-time soap opera, making this scene appear grand and melancholic, highlighting the helplessness of a Deity.

Then his gaze met Noel's.

Noel's eyes were red.

... Even the smartest Puppet Master was fooled by his performance, thinking he really would choose to sacrifice himself.

Actually, if not for Li Mingyue, besides severing the Causal Line, Su Ming'an indeed only had the path of ascending to the High Dimensions. But Li Mingyue had forcibly turned this bad ending into a happy ending.

But no one knew... in the short ten minutes in the chapel, a Godfather had died.

Su Ming'an recalled Noel's performance, although those memories had already turned black and white in his mind.

His eyes quickly turned red, stuck in a gaze between indifference and reluctance. Sometimes, when Noel played in tragic dramas and when Su Ming'an bid farewell to life, it was such a gaze.

He glanced at Noel: "This is the end, Noel. From now on, we are no longer companions."

When Shadow obtained the empty shell, realizing he'd been deceived, Su Ming'an would reveal the truth to them.

Noel's eyes reddened and he bowed his head: "Maybe it's for the best. Rather than watching you sever the last Causal Line and making us forget you, it's better... for you to ascend to the High Dimensions... Maybe in the future, we'll have a chance to bring you back."

His expression mirrored Su Ming'an's, resembling the tragic look often seen in soap operas. It made Su Ming'an wonder for a moment whether the guy had seen through the truth, just pretending not to.

But Lv Shu's sorrow was real.

Though he didn't say much, Lv Shu kept watching Su Ming'an. Until Su Ming'an met his gaze and he said, "… I will wait for you."

A thousand years, you'll come back eventually.

Even if the Tenth World doesn't return... you'll come back eventually.

Yuanyuan also said, "… I know I can't persuade you. Don't forget, I'm here."

From her eyes, Su Ming'an read determination.

Su Ming'an didn't show his usual smile. He didn't look back and flew upward.

…

[The Su Ming'an on the image bid farewell to the priest. He walked step by step toward the darkness, with countless people behind him, covered in a layer of gray, making them indistinct.]

…

Below came many shouting voices, as if many people were trying to grab him, many kneeling to keep him, many weeping. But in his sight, there were no more of these people.

At this moment, he felt his shoulder being grabbed by someone.

A yellow candy was stuffed into his hand.

It was Chao Yan.

She was still burning Life, flames floating around her. Ever since Su Ming'an returned to the chapel, she had been rushing to the top of the sky, taking the lead against the oncoming pollution.

"... Remember the taste of the candy." She whispered in his ear:

"... Remember our promise to watch the stars."

"I told you before, you were not a mature Savior yet, because your idealism was too naive, but..."

She peeled the candy for him, smiled peacefully, as if relieved, or helpless:

"Now, you are a qualified Savior, take care."

Su Ming'an ate the candy and didn't look back.

…

[He swallowed something, then leapt forward, rushing toward the dark background, seemingly brushing past clouds.]

…

"—Su Ming'an!!"

"—Don't really go to the starry sky, that's definitely not a proper Dimensional Ascension, Shadow estimating to devour you, don't believe its lies!"

"—What other method is there? I'd rather Su Ming'an ascended to the High Dimensions than being forgotten."

"—Su Ming'an, don't go..."

Men shouting, girls screaming, elders bellowing, various voices.

Resonating around the ears.

Darkness surging, at places neither dark nor light, a comet flashed through the sky, like a falling star.

Humans once created idols of deities, sang hymns for them, gilded their paths.

Now, it was time for the deity to sacrifice for humans.

In The Divine Comedy, Virgil and Beatrice represent "human wisdom" and "divine wisdom," Pure Realm, one thought of Paradise, one thought of Hell. This is humanity's understanding and reflection on free will, that is, human beings can change the fate of falling into Purgatory and ascend to Paradise through their desire.

When Su Ming'an created myths, he borrowed this concept—in the World of Old Days, there was Heavenly Valley above and Nine Serenities below. Good people would go to Heavenly Valley after death, enjoying endless bliss. Evil people would fall into Nine Serenities after death, suffering endless torments.

Later, the Nine Serenities were validated. The World of Old Days indeed had Nine Serenities. But its purpose was not to punish evildoers, but to save the world.

Heavenly Valley, in contrast, became the dangerous starry sky, the source of invasion.

He never thought the myth he casually wove would be presented in such an inverted form.

But the current scene... truly reminded him of the ancient paintings he had seen.

—Humans build a ladder to the heavens letting the golden-haired man ascend to the stars, but the golden-haired man pulled away the ladder, leaving humans unable to ascend to the stars.

So, did the golden-haired man in history ascend to Heavenly Valley for redemption... or because he saw that Heavenly Valley was a dangerous starry sky, he actively pulled away the ladder to prevent other humans from suffering?

At least, Su Ming'an was the latter now. His departure from the civilization of the World of Old Days was essentially pulling away the ladder, corresponding with that painting.

At this moment, he heard the wind, then saw a pair of golden eyes.

"... I never thought, the Cloud City God I heard of as a child was you from ten thousand years ago." Su Rin flew up, flames unfolding wings behind him. This was already an extremely high altitude, even Chao Yan couldn't fly up, but Su Rin came along.

He looked at Su Ming'an, seemingly observing what Su Ming'an looked like after becoming a god: "So this is what the Cloud City God of Pulaya originally looked like."

"You don't need to follow." Su Ming'an said blandly. Current circumstances, even Su Rin could not change anything.

The starry sky was getting closer.

"Now, we are even." Su Rin suddenly said, "It's your Cloud City legend that inspired the later me to ascend to Cloud City, which is why I became the god of Cloud City. My path to becoming a god started because of you, so even if you later pulled me down, it started because of you."

Su Ming'an didn't expect after such a long time, Su Rin still brooded over being even. Su Rin had helped him many times, he thought they'd long let bygones be bygones, but not yet?

Probably Su Rin thought Su Ming'an was about to ascend and said everything he hadn't said before, just in case... they couldn't be said later.

"You wouldn't stop me from going to the starry sky, would you?" Su Ming'an said.

For the safety of Pulaya, standing from Su Rin's position, even if he didn't want Su Ming'an to die, he couldn't possibly say "you should abandon the World of Old Days".

Anyone could stop Su Ming'an, but Su Rin wouldn't.

Su Rin fell silent.

For a long time, he spoke: "…If time had advanced to ten thousand years later, and I was still the Cloud City God, maybe now, you wouldn't have to sacrifice."

He was thinking of such things.

"Maybe it is precisely because I am sacrificing now that the 'ten thousand years later' you mentioned exists. So the situation you speak of is causality reversed, never to be." Su Ming'an said.

"… After you ascend, don't fight against Shadow. As long as you live, one day in the future, I'll find a way to bring you back. There will always be… hope." Su Rin said: "Wait for me… to become a god again."

Su Ming'an turned his head, Su Rin's words, unusually pleasant to hear.

But quickly, as expected, Su Rin added: "…Otherwise, there won't be a ruler to take me back."

Su Ming'an almost knew with his eyes closed that this person would say these words.

He waved his hand and continued to fly upward, Su Rin no longer followed, merely humming something. The sound drifted through the air, low and sharp.

It seemed to be... a Pulaya hymn.

No one knew if this guy sang for himself or for Su Ming'an.

Su Ming'an recalled what he had seen in the Destiny Shadow Hall.

He wanted to defy fate once... with a trivial resistance, to declare to fate that He had not given up.

…

["I am willing," Su Ming'an's voice was very calm.]

…

"I am not willing," Su Ming'an spoke, his voice very calm.

At the same time, Eli and Mizushima Kawa Sora and the others also remembered the content from the Destiny Shadow Hall. Mizushima Kawa Sora opened his mouth wide, murmuring:

"It is..."

"You will die in the sky... that scene."

"It came true."

…

["No one is wrong."]

…

"Everyone is wrong," Su Ming'an said softly.

Dieying reached out his hand to Him, starlight twinkling around.

…

["Keep going."]

…

"Do not continue," Su Ming'an said.

He was like a child deliberately defying destiny, refusing to speak the predicted words from the Destiny Shadow Hall.

Then, He had a premonition, a forthcoming sound—

"Boom—!!"

…

["Boom—"]

[A thunderous sound burst suddenly.]

…

That was the sound Su Ming'an made as He completely left the World of Old Days and entered the starry sky, like oil merging into a pot of water.

The next moment,

…

[Black swept in, overwhelming the entire vision. Including the sacred white Su Ming'an.]

…

Su Ming'an took one last look back at the people on the ground, now small as ants.

In their eyes...

He perhaps... truly "died in the sky."

The sacred white deity, fallen into the vast starry sky, vanished from sight. Strange creatures and pollution gradually receded too.

The Holy City regained its peace, leaving only people's cries and grief. They called out Su Ming'an's name repeatedly, as if it could bring Him back.

But after a while, gazing at the vast and calm starry sky, they finally accepted the truth.

…The deity perhaps could not return.

He had agreed to the invader's terms for the World of Old Days, "sacrificing" in their eyes, taking away all suffering.

"Su Ming'an." Xiao Ying wasn't sure if his throat had uttered the word, but quickly, he called again:

"...Don't."

He slumped onto the stone slab, losing all strength.

…

15th year of the Heavenly Era, end of winter, the deity sacrificed.

The deity assumed the position of the God.

It was the coldest winter.

…

People discovered a pure white tree growing in the central plaza of the Holy City, its flowers resembling narcissus, roots deeply anchored in Yun Shang City.

People said, this was the God leaving His white tendrils on the ground before departing. The tendrils then transformed into the heavenly giant tree.

They began to believe, the deity was merely sleeping within this tree. As long as one day, Dieying faced trouble, the deity's consciousness could return to this giant tree and awaken from it.

The deity knew this was just people's fantasies, lacking any logic. But myth tales are born from such beliefs. If it could pacify their fragmented hearts, make them believe the deity would return someday... then let it be.

Thus, the story spread, and people began to believe—the deity would one day return from the heavenly white tree.

They intended to construct a holy temple, a shrine, a sacrificial plaza next to the sacred tree, offering flowers and the most devout believers to its side, reciting prayers daily, building statues, and playing instruments for the deity.

They believed, one day, the God would awaken.

Perhaps, tomorrow.

Perhaps, in a few years' future.

Perhaps, after many generations.

Perhaps... surpassing the human lifespan, a hundred years.

Perhaps,

Never awakening.

…

Chao Yan watched as the sky slowly closed, the figure of Su Ming'an, those strange creatures blocking out the sun, the high-dimensional Dieying—all gone.

The weather was clear, the sun setting, bathing the entire Holy City in golden sunlight, like draping a layer of clean, pure, serene gauze—it was the scene of survival after a catastrophe.

People maintained their kneeling posture, as if time froze at the moment Su Ming'an left. Mizushima Kawa Sora's eyes were misty, Eli was incredulous, Lu Meng's expression was frozen. They couldn't comprehend... Su Ming'an truly sacrificed for civilization. They seemed still immersed in a dream, yet to wake, their faces filled with wistfulness.

Chao Yan smiled bitterly, glancing at her Life Source Stream, indeed, after this life-burning, she could only maintain a year of life at most.

Could she wait for him?

She didn't know.

It seemed like no matter what she did... He always sacrificed Himself. While she desperately burned herself, ultimately ending up empty-handed.

She slowly bent down, covering her face.

Then,

—The girl let out a wolf-like howl of crying.

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