Long Xiaoxiao, having lost all sense of restraint, had transformed into her true dragon form and was now recklessly hurling herself against the barrier of the Zhuxian Formation in the Original Imperial City. Each impact left her scales shattered and her head bloodied, yet she showed no signs of stopping.
For her, if her master Xiao Fan could not be saved, life had no meaning. She had spent thousands of years misunderstanding and ultimately deeply wounding her master. If she couldn't atone for her mistakes in front of him, she would choose to die at his feet to express her remorse.
Seeing this, Xuanwei, who was already feeling low and sorrowful, became both furious and exasperated. Even in this final hour, they wouldn't give Xiao Fan any peace!
As Xiao Fan's confidante and closest friend, Xuanwei felt it was her duty to fulfill his last wishes, even if she didn't particularly like these people.
Xuanwei scolded, "Do you think Xiao Fan would want you to atone with your death? If you truly care for Xiao Fan, you should know what he truly desires!"
"Xiao Fan sacrificed himself because he hoped that you ungrateful people would live well, not because he wanted you to seek death here!"
She stood with her hands on her hips, angrily chastising them. There was no way she would allow anyone to disrupt Xiao Fan's final moments by opening the Zhuxian Formation.
But just as she was speaking, Gongsun Yajiu, driven mad with grief, rushed toward Xuanwei, attempting to seize control of the Haotian Mirror once again.
Realistically, this was an impossible task, as Gongsun Yajiu had clearly lost all reason.
"Give him to me! Give Xiao Fan to me!" Gongsun Yajiu's eyes were bloodshot as she screamed at Xuanwei.
"Sigh," Xuanwei sighed in frustration. She directed a wave of calming energy at Gongsun Yajiu, hoping to pacify her, but to her surprise, Gongsun Yajiu immediately returned to her frenzied state.
Not even Xuanwei's calming energy could quell her madness, indicating just how deeply Xiao Fan had affected Gongsun Yajiu.
Understanding that Gongsun Yajiu was beyond reasoning, Xuanwei reluctantly opened a small gap in the Zhuxian Formation.
As soon as the gap appeared, both Gongsun Yajiu and Long Xiaoxiao rushed in. Cold Ruoxue, Wen Yajian, and Huo Ling'er, not wanting to be left behind, followed suit.
Though Xuanwei allowed them to enter, she didn't permit them to disturb Xiao Fan directly. Instead, she confined them to the area surrounding the altar where Xiao Fan lay, forcing them to watch from a distance.
Now that they were within the Zhuxian Formation, their lives were entirely under Xuanwei's control. While she didn't intend to harm them, she wanted to prevent any further disruptions.
As the group circled Xiao Fan, sobbing uncontrollably, the Empress of the Jade Pool felt a perverse sense of satisfaction. She even burst into laughter.
"Does it hurt? Do you now understand how I've suffered these past thousands of years, separated from my husband?" she sneered. "My pain is a thousand times worse than yours!"
Her cold gaze fixed on Xiao Fan in the Original Imperial City. "Xiao Fan, this is your just punishment!"
It didn't matter to her that Xiao Fan had sacrificed himself for the world—what mattered was that he had killed her husband. To her, no one in the world was more important than her husband.
Witnessing the Empress's callousness, many onlookers were filled with anger. Once, the Empress had been the ruler of the Heavenly Court, but now she seemed petty and vindictive.
Yes, Xiao Fan had killed her husband, but the situation was far more complex than it appeared, and her husband's soul was still intact. There was still hope for resurrection, whereas Xiao Fan had chosen to sacrifice himself for the world, bearing all its sins in silence. He was a true hero, someone whose name should be remembered throughout history.
While they had once misunderstood and cursed Xiao Fan, knowing the truth now filled them with nothing but respect and admiration. How could the Empress of the Jade Pool not grasp this? All she seemed to care about was her husband, to the point where it had become tiresome to hear.
Fortunately, the Empress was no longer the ruler of the Heavenly Court; otherwise, they might have been driven to despair. Ignoring her, they refocused on Xiao Fan, eager to witness his final, glorious moments.
**Within the Haotian Mirror.**
After a heavy sigh, the Heavenly Emperor continued speaking to Xiao Fan. "When the energy of the Immortal Realm is fully condensed within you, it cannot be released directly into the lower realms."
"The energy of the Immortal Realm far surpasses that of the lower realms. If it were to explode uncontrollably in the lower realms, it would shatter the entire realm, causing a disaster so great that no living being could survive."
"Thus, the energy must be released gradually through a medium. The only suitable medium is the Haotian Mirror."
The Heavenly Emperor looked at Xiao Fan with regret. "The Haotian Mirror needs someone to control it, and by that time, I will no longer be here."
Hearing this, Xiao Fan immediately understood the Heavenly Emperor's intent. After his consciousness dissipated, the energy from the Immortal Realm would erupt uncontrollably within him, posing a catastrophic threat to the lower realms. Only the Haotian Mirror could manage this energy safely.
The Heavenly Emperor wanted Yao Xi to become the controller of the Haotian Mirror. She would then need to focus entirely on controlling the energy within Xiao Fan, ensuring that it did not overwhelm the lower realms.
Given the importance of this task, it couldn't afford the slightest mistake, which was why the Heavenly Emperor had said that now was not the right time. If Yao Xi became the controller, she would need to dedicate her entire focus to Xiao Fan.
But if Xiao Fan were to return Yao Xi's husband's soul to her now and seek her forgiveness, she might be distracted by her emotional ties, unable to fully commit to her duty. Such a distraction could lead to catastrophic consequences.
Xiao Fan sighed deeply, looking down at the jade-green bottle in his hands. Keeping Yao Xi separated from her husband for thousands of years—how could anything be more cruel?
To read the manga version, please click the YouTube link https://youtu.be/GnU613H6xm8