Atkin

Chapter 465: Star Dark Phoenix
In that familiar yet eerie open space, the rectangular stone house still stands quietly, like a silent guardian, witnessing the passage of time and the impermanence of fate.

Ye Xing stood alone in front of the stone house. His figure looked a little lonely in the dim light, but his eyes were fixed on the tightly closed door of the stone house, as if he could see the secret hidden behind it through it.

After a long time, Xiang Zhu slowly walked over, his footsteps light but with a hint of heaviness. His face was somewhat similar to Ye Xing's, but he also had an indescribable detached temperament, as if he came from another distant and mysterious world.

Ye Xing tilted his head slightly and looked at Xiang Zhu, with a questioning look in his eyes: "We are back here after all. When are you going to fulfill your predetermined destiny?" His voice echoed in the silent air, with a hint of helplessness and determination.

Xiang Zhu's eyes were calm and deep, as if he had seen through everything. He raised his head slightly, looked at the gloomy sky, and said slowly: "It will be soon. When the stars are arranged into that ancient pattern again, and when the fate of Fenghua City hangs by a thread, that will be the time for me to sacrifice myself."

Ye Xing unconsciously clenched his hands, his knuckles turning white. He knew that this day would come sooner or later, but deep in his heart he was struggling and reluctant. "Does it have to be this way? Is there no other way?" His voice trembled slightly, breaking the moment of silence.

Xiang Zhu shook his head slightly, with a faint bitter smile on his face: "This is the ending that was destined from the beginning. I..., since I have chosen this path, I must bear the corresponding responsibilities. The crisis of Fenghua City can only be resolved with my sacrifice."

Ye Xing walked forward a few steps and came to Xiang Zhu. The two stood side by side, their figures stretched out in front of the stone house. "But have you ever thought about what will happen to the world once you leave? Those people you care about, those who rely on you, where will they go?" Ye Xing's words were questioning, and his eyes flashed with a complex light.

Xiang Zhu closed his eyes slightly and took a deep breath, as if to calm his inner turmoil. "They have their own destiny. I am just a passer-by and a guide. My departure may bring temporary pain, but in the long run, this is the only way for Fenghua City to be reborn."

Ye Xing was silent. He knew that what Xiang Zhu said was true, but it was hard for him to accept it emotionally. He recalled every little detail with A Jing, Tao Sheng and others, the laughter and tears they had experienced together, and the efforts they had made to protect Fenghua City...

Xiang Zhu opened his eyes and looked at Ye Xing, a trace of relief flashing in his eyes. "You have done enough, Ye Xing. After I leave, you must continue to protect Fenghua City and guide those lost souls."

The two stood quietly in front of the stone house, and the air around them seemed to be frozen.

They all knew that this moment of tranquility was just a brief pause before the storm. A crisis concerning the survival of Fenghua City was about to come, and Xiang Zhu's sacrifice would be the turning point of this crisis.

Ye Xing slowly reached out his hand and held Xiang Zhu's hand, as if at this moment, their souls merged into one. "No matter what, I will accompany you to the end. Fenghua City will not be buried. With our efforts, it will usher in a new dawn."

Xiang Zhu nodded slightly, tears flashing in his eyes. He knew that his mission was about to be completed, but he was reluctant to leave. However, for the future of this world, he was willing to pay any price, even his own life.

At this moment, a strange light suddenly flashed across the sky, illuminating the entire open space and the stone house. Ye Xing and Xiang Zhu looked at each other. They knew that time was running out. The fate of Fenghua City was about to face the final test... The night was as dark as ink, so thick that it could not be dissolved. In the silence, only the rustling sound of the breeze blowing through the treetops seemed to be the whisper of fate. That night, all the stars seemed to be waiting silently in their predetermined orbits, waiting for the fulfillment of that ancient prophecy.

Xiang Zhu stood alone in the open space, the moonlight stretched his figure slender and lonely. His eyes were firm and resolute, and he knew in his heart that tonight was the time for him to atone for the sins of Fenghua City and the greedy Lan Clan. The sins were like heavy shackles, locking up the vitality and hope of this city. Only his sacrifice could break the curse of imprisonment.

Ye Xing walked silently, his steps were heavy and slow, and every step seemed to be stepping on his heart. He looked at Xiang Zhu's back, wanting to say something but stopping himself. Thousands of words finally turned into one sentence: "Does it have to be like this?"

Xiang Zhu did not look back. His voice was calm but revealed a trace of unquestionable determination: "This is my mission, Ye Xing. Fenghua City is already on the edge of the cliff. Only my death can give it a glimmer of hope."

Ye Xing clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He knew that everything was irreversible. "I will be here to see you off."

In an instant, the sky suddenly changed, and the stars began to move strangely, gradually arranging into that ancient and mysterious pattern. As the light flickered, the entire Fenghua City was shrouded in a strange halo, as if in silence for the upcoming sacrifice.

Xiang Zhu slowly closed his eyes, and his body gradually emitted a soft light, which became stronger and stronger, as if it was going to swallow him up. His soul seemed to be responding to some kind of power between heaven and earth, preparing to rush to the unknown road of redemption.

Ye Xing stood quietly by the side, his eyes full of pain and reluctance, but he also understood that this was Xiang Zhu's choice and the hope for Fenghua City's rebirth. As the light faded, Xiang Zhu's figure gradually blurred and finally disappeared, leaving Ye Xing standing alone, staring at the void for a long time.

At this time, Ah Jing in the city suddenly woke up from her sleep, her forehead was covered with sweat, and her eyes were filled with fear and anxiety. The change in the sky outside the window made her heart sink suddenly, and a strong premonition came to her mind. "Could it be Xiang Zhu..." she murmured to herself.

Ah Jing's thoughts drifted back to the past involuntarily. She recalled the first time she came to Fenghua City. At that time, she was ignorant and did not pay attention to the subtle clues hidden in the details. Later, she and Ye Xing, Cheng Mu, Xiang Zhu... experienced a lot in the intersection of time and space, and gradually learned about the mysterious power behind this world and Xiang Zhu's special identity. And now, this familiar feeling came again, making her more certain that Xiang Zhu had left.

Ah Jing knew that Xiang Zhu had entrusted her to Cheng Mu, who was also one of Xiang Zhu's projections. All this seemed like a huge reincarnation, the gears of fate kept turning, and everyone played their own predetermined role in it.

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Although she was full of worry and confusion, Ah Jing also had a faint expectation in her heart. She knew that although Xiang Zhu had left, he would definitely come back. When he returned, Fenghua City might usher in a real turning point, and everything would become different.

Although this long night is dark, dawn will always come, and they will hold on in this darkness, waiting for the arrival of dawn, waiting for Xiang Zhu to open a new chapter for Fenghua City again.

Although this long night is dark, dawn will always come, and they will hold on in this darkness, waiting for the arrival of dawn, waiting for Xiang Zhu to open a new chapter for Fenghua City again.