Chapter 214 - 24: Wan Qi
"A shadow?"
The white-haired, red-eyed girl, who looked as if seen through a grayscale filter, first whispered the word. Then, she slowly closed her eyes and tilted her small face upward.
Raindrops pattered down, trickling from her forehead, across her cheeks, and down her neck.
"Ah, I am indeed a shadow... an Illusion from a bygone day. The shadow... of that supreme being who ascended to the heavens."
The Master of Extinction’s voice was as crisp as a silver bell, yet tinged with a profound sadness and loneliness.
’Just as I thought.’ From their very first meeting, Westheid had guessed she was connected to the Venerable Master of the Azure Heaven—most likely the impurity cast off during the latter’s Ascension.
So, he continued to probe, "Does that mean you hate the Venerable Master of the Azure Heaven?"
Typically, a Demon would be filled with hatred for its original self. During Ascension, they were cast off as "impurities" and "filth," unable to become part of the supreme being.
If the Master of Extinction had nodded, Westheid would have immediately seized the opportunity to play along and offer some sympathetic words.
When it came to flattering Demons, he had done his homework, so to speak.
But to his surprise, the Master of Extinction simply tilted her head.
"Hate?"
The Great Demon with long, ashen hair lowered her gaze.
"There is no hate. Why should I hate? He did very well, did what had to be done. At least... the sacrifice was not in vain."
’Hmm? A Demon who doesn’t hate a Celestial God? That’s far too rare, isn’t it?’
Westheid never would have imagined a Demon could hold no grudge against the Celestial God who had abandoned them.
’That was the enemy who tore you away during the Ascension Ceremony, wasn’t it? One part became a supreme Dominator, forever enthroned in the heavens, while the other could only fall to the Mortal World, never to achieve transcendence.’
If Westheid put himself in her shoes, he’d have felt like destroying the world.
"Because it was my choice. I have no regrets."
The Master of Extinction added, as if sensing Westheid’s confusion.
But this clarification only confused Westheid further.
’Can’t figure it out. Best not to think about it.’ Prying too deeply into the affairs of Demons and Celestial Gods wasn’t a good idea anyway. After a moment of contemplation, Westheid said:
"I wish to borrow your power—a long-term supply of pure Demon Power. What price must I pay?"
To win the full allegiance of the Ring of Clear Skies, he couldn’t just rely on Duke Qinghui’s sweet cleav—ahem, he couldn’t just rely on clever tricks like the Revolving Wheel Technique. Ultimately, it all came down to fundamental benefits.
If the Master of Extinction could replace the Master of Greedy Banquet as the primary supplier for the Witches of the Ring of Clear Skies, then Westheid, as the sole link, would naturally be able to control the Ring of Clear Skies as well.
"There is no price. As I’ve said, all the power in this body is yours for the taking."
The gray-haired, red-eyed girl said in an even tone:
"But I cannot do so at present. You and I are still too far apart. To be precise, while I know you very well, you still know nothing about me."
’That’s reasonable. A solid bridge must be built between a Demon and their contractor. It’s a necessary prerequisite for any transaction.’
The only question was how this Celestial God’s Shadow of the Venerable Master of the Azure Heaven had gotten involved with him in the first place.
Westheid shook his head. "I’m sorry, but though you keep saying these things, I have no memory of it. I don’t even know your name."
"Wan Qi."
The moment the man’s words fell, the Master of Extinction immediately fixed her crimson eyes on him and said earnestly:
"My name... is Wan Qi."
The instant she spoke, the entire Imaginary Space seemed to tremble, and even the falling raindrops froze in midair.
This was the reaction to a Demon speaking its true name.
"Huh? Are you allowed to say that?"
Westheid was stunned. While a Demon’s true name wasn’t a critical weakness, it was an extremely private matter.
"My love, I have never hidden anything from you. Your distance from me fills me with sorrow... although it is not your fault."
The Master of Extinction... no, Wan Qi, curled her legs and hugged her knees, speaking softly to Westheid.
"You’ve been curious about my past. Why not just look at my memories directly?"
"...Is that also something I can see?"
Westheid suddenly realized he had misunderstood the Great Demon before him. He had been viewing her through the lens of a typical Demon, but Wan Qi was clearly no ordinary one.
He had assumed that even if he wanted to get close to her, it would be a gradual process, full of trials and tribulations, and that he’d have to endure countless riddles from her before getting near the truth. But now... it seemed she was truly holding nothing back. She would give him the answers directly?
Wan Qi nodded slowly and said:
"Throughout these long ages, I have relived these experiences over and over. If you could watch them with me, it would be a comfort. My love, since you cannot remember, let me show you everything."
Westheid thought for a moment, then nodded.
"In that case, it would be rude to refuse."
He was also extremely curious about Wan Qi’s past. After all, the past of the Master of Extinction was, in a sense, the past of the Venerable Master of the Azure Heaven!
’This was top-tier intel.’
Receiving Westheid’s reply, Wan Qi tapped her finger on the armrest of her throne, and the surrounding candlelight was extinguished in an instant.
HUMMM—
It wasn’t just the candlelight. All light within the Imaginary Space was stripped away, plunging everything into darkness. All existence seemed to have been cast into a bottomless abyss.
An unknown amount of time passed before a flash of light, like the dawn of creation, returned Westheid to his senses.
WHOOSH—
Amidst the blinding light, Westheid slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing that met his gaze was a bustling street scene. Multicolored neon lights illuminated the night, making it as bright as day.
To Westheid, who had just experienced a long silence, the surrounding sounds were especially jarring.
He frowned slightly, finding himself sitting on a streetside bench. The crowds of people milling about in twos and threes on the wide commercial street looked nothing like those in any city within the Realm of Order.
’Where the hell have I been sent? Am I even still in the country?’
Westheid had expected to view the Master of Extinction’s memories from a third-person perspective, not to have an immersive experience.
Just as Duke Qinghui was feeling utterly bewildered, a gentle voice called out to him.
"West, West!"
Turning his head, Westheid saw a young girl walking toward him, holding two ice cream cones.
Her ashen hair fell to her shoulders, a golden laurel-leaf hairpin tucked behind her ear. A delicate, elegant shawl and over-the-knee socks highlighted her youthful aura.
Her lovely face was like a petal under the moonlight, and her crimson eyes were clear and beautiful, shimmering with a pure luster.
With a sweet smile, the girl skipped over to Westheid and offered him the ice cream in her left hand.
"Sorry for the wait. Here, this one’s for you."
"Wan Qi...?"
Westheid frowned slightly. It took him a long moment to recognize the resemblance between the girl’s features and those of the Master of Extinction.
"Of course it’s me. Why are you looking at me like we’ve just met?"
Wan Qi sat down next to Westheid and familiarly linked her arm with his.
Westheid watched the young woman’s legs swinging back and forth and said:
"I really have just met you."
"...West, you’re joking again."
"No, I truly don’t know what our relationship is."
Westheid understood that he was now inside Wan Qi’s memories. The best course of action was to gather as much information as possible, so he asked with sincerity:
"Could you explain the situation to me?"
"Fine, I’ll answer your question."
Wan Qi sighed helplessly, giving him a smile that said, ’You’re impossible.’
She took Westheid’s right hand and brought it close to her left. On each of their wrists was a silver bracelet.
When the identical bracelets touched, they immediately clicked together, and a fluorescent light traced the fine patterns etched on their surface.
"The Oath Ring is our proof. We’re partners, bound to be of one heart forever!"