Since the sky was covered, the heavens began to show their holiness

The next day

The thick black fog, wrapped in the salty sea breeze, rolled into the Shadow Island. On the beach with low leaden clouds, dozens of figures stood on the beach, their outlines were blurred and depressed in the dim sky. The sadness of parting was like the rising tide, silently flowing through everyone's heart. In the stagnant air, there was only the whimpering of the sea breeze and a few suppressed sighs.

Zhou Xian lowered his eyes to look at the black crowd of people seeing him off on the beach, and a sigh escaped from his throat. The sea breeze swept the salty mist across his hair, blurring the faces of those who looked up at him - more than half of them were living specimens of the black fog experiment, and the mutated lines were still dormant under their skin.

But what was surging in everyone's eyes at this moment was not hatred, but almost fanatical piety, as if they were looking up at the scorching sun that tore through the dark clouds, and worshipping their hands stained with blood and tears as the god who would save the people.

Zhou Xian raised his hand and waved it lightly, the damp mist passing through his sleeves. He lowered his eyes to avoid the burning gazes of the crowd: "Okay, go back, I'll be back when I have time."

As soon as the words fell, the crowd began to whisper, mixed with suppressed sobs. Someone clutched the corner of his clothes and took a half step forward, but then staggered back as his companions pulled him back.

Those hands covered with sand hung in vain in the air, like withered branches that were about to fall. Finally, amid the sound of kowtows, everyone was like seaweed washed away by the tide, slowly sinking into the gradually spreading black fog with nostalgia and regret.

When the last figure was swallowed by the black fog, only two intersecting silhouettes remained on the wet beach. Gwen's skirt was lifted and pressed down by the sea breeze, and her fingertips trembled slightly, as if hiding a frightened butterfly. After hesitating for a moment, she finally took out the burlap package from behind. The edge of the cloth was still stained with dewy weeds in the morning, shining wetly in the mist.

Zhou Xian's eyes suddenly froze, the mist in his eyes condensed into frost. The moment his fingertips touched the coarse linen, he felt an unfamiliar soft touch on his fingertips - hidden in the layers of folds was a neatly cut navy blue gown, with dark patterns like flowing clouds wandering between the stitches, seemingly plain but with dark patterns outlined by gold thread embroidered on the folds, simplicity and elegance blended subtly between the warp and weft.

The sound of waves crashing against the shore exploded in his ears, and Zhou Xian's Adam's apple rolled twice with difficulty. His fingertips unconsciously stroked the ridges of the dark pattern on the fabric, as if to carve this warmth into his blood. The sea breeze blew up a few strands of hair in front of his forehead, casting mottled shadows on his face. After a long time, a hoarse thank you broke through the shackles of his throat: "Thank you."

These two words fell in the humid air, carrying a weight of a thousand pounds. These two short words were wrapped with a tenderness and solemnity that Zhou Xian rarely saw. This piece of clothing looked ordinary, but Zhou Xian could clearly sense the holy haze contained in it. This was a piece of clothing infused with Gwen's hard work and strength.

Gwen stood on tiptoe, the sea mist on the ends of her hair falling on her shoulders. When she looked up, the corners of her eyes were still condensed with wet water, but they had curved into two crescents: "Come back often when you have time."

The sea breeze swept her words past her ears, and the ending tone suddenly rose with a hint of joy. She suddenly tilted her head and stuck out her tongue, with a sly smile in her dimples, "Next time I have to bring osmanthus cakes, lotus cakes, and glowing sugar men from outside!"

The salty sea breeze wrapped around Gwen's sweet whispers and penetrated into his eardrums, and Zhou Xian's tense jawline quietly relaxed. The chuckle that escaped from his throat startled two seabirds on the reef. He lowered his eyes to look at the mist beads dancing on the girl's hair. In a trance, he even felt that this beach, which was shrouded in haze all year round, was now stained with a bit of bright warmth. The sorrow of separation that had just been weighing on his heart turned into a vague concern, entwined on the warm clothes at his fingertips. Zhou Xian reached out to brush away the sea mist on Gwen's hair, and his eyes were rarely stained with some freshness. He looked into the girl's sparkling eyes, and his voice softened unconsciously: "When I come back, I will invite the best chefs in Rune Continent to the island. Do you want to eat dragon's breath grilled lamb chops, or crystal shrimp dumplings? Even if it's a sweet soup made with stardust, ask him to make it for you in different ways."

The sea breeze carried the promises into the mist, and in a trance, it gave this perennially gloomy beach a bit of life.

Gwen's eyes curved into a beautiful arc, and her clear gaze was full of expectation, like bright stars falling into the deep sea. She gently stretched out her small fingers, which looked so slender that they would break if bent. "It's a deal, pinky promise."

Zhou Xian's lips curled up unconsciously, and the haze in his eyes disappeared. He smiled helplessly and dotingly, stretched out his hand, and touched Gwen's delicate fingertips with his rough fingertips, solemnly making a pinky promise with her. The sea breeze blew by, as if it was also whispering for this childish and precious promise. At that moment, the black fog that permeated the Shadow Island seemed to have faded a little. "Okay, pinky promise counts." Zhou Xian said softly, his eyes full of tenderness.

The sea breeze blew gently, and the heavy sadness of parting that had just permeated the beach gradually dissipated like foam swept away by the tide. Gwen's silver bell-like laughter echoed in the air, interweaving with the low moan of the waves, adding a different bright color to this gloomy beach.

Zhou Xian looked at Gwen's lively appearance and completely relaxed. At this moment, they seemed no longer two people who were about to separate, but close friends enjoying a moment of tranquility and warmth on the beach.

Zhou Xian raised his head slightly, his eyes penetrating the thick black fog and falling on the sun that had just emerged from the sea level and was emitting a dim light.

"It's almost time to go." His voice was low and steady, but it was faintly filled with a hint of reluctance. The sea breeze fluttered the corners of his clothes, as if trying to keep him, or urging him to leave.

Zhou Xian took a deep breath of the air mixed with salty and humid sea mist, and his chest was filled with the smell of sea breeze. The next moment, a faint light suddenly rose around him, and the whole person soared into the sky like an arrow from a bow, with the corners of his clothes rustling. The beach and reefs under his feet quickly disappeared, and his figure drew an inky arc between the sea and the sky, flying straight towards the sparkling sea surface, and soon turned into a small black dot, disappearing in the vast mist.

Gwen's eyes were fixed on the figure that was gradually being swallowed by the black fog, and her feet were rooted to the spot. The sea breeze ruffled her hair, and the salty taste penetrated her nose, but she was unaware.

The familiar outline became fainter and fainter until it completely disappeared. She still kept looking up, as if she could carve the man's appearance into her heart. After an unknown amount of time, a sudden tap on her shoulder made her shudder and wake up from a dream. Sarah's concerned face came into view, and Gwen took a deep breath, her chest filled with a sense of loss and emptiness.

(End of this chapter)