Above Destiny

Chapter 552 Love, Hate, Truth, and Falsehood
The bubble bursts, the illusion collapses.

Everything vanished in silence.

Under Wen Zheng's watchful gaze, Paradise arrived, and then Paradise departed.
But the result is.

The result was that there was no result; there was neither success nor failure.

After the illusion dissipated, all that remained was nothingness.

It's as if nothing happened.

And so, the foolish saint's brow furrowed silently.

It's not that I'm too narrow-minded to accept failure; besides, even if I succeed, I won't be overjoyed. Whether I succeed or fail, it's just an attempt.

Success or failure is acceptable.

But what I simply cannot understand is this emptiness and silence.

All their scheming and plotting came to naught.

So why?

Just before the Land of Ten Thousand Transformations vanished, Wen Zheng reached out his hand, determined to give it a try.

In that instant, I felt the confinement and suppression between heaven and earth, and even the terrifying pressure that was held back, like a tide, emerging from nothingness.

Tianyi.

From beginning to end, it was Tianyi, who had been observing indifferently, who made the first move.

Wen Zheng looked over, full of curiosity: "Is Lord Tianyi deciding to make a move?"

"This is just a reminder. Our agreement is limited to observation only, and does not include allowing you to do whatever you want."

Tianyi slowly said, "How about we stop here? Otherwise, if we attract the attention of other locksmiths, it might hinder Your Excellency's plans, wouldn't it?"

Wen Zheng sighed softly, "He truly is the Heavenly Supervisor Saint; his explanation of advantages and disadvantages is indeed brilliant."

"Isn't Your Excellency the same skillful?"

Tianyi remained motionless, merely staring coldly at his opponent.

Until Wen Zheng shrugged slightly.

"In that case, I won't bother you any longer."

Saint Yu waved his hand nonchalantly, turned and left: "Farewell."

A pitch-black crack appeared out of nowhere.

His figure was swallowed up.

And so, they drifted away.

All the hidden setups and ambushes failed.

"Tsk..."

Tianyi frowned: "Why aren't you making a move?"

Behind him, Pang Pei, the sage of Tianyuan and the head of the Federal Security Bureau, finally appeared, sighing regretfully, "I didn't find an opportunity to make a move... There's still someone hiding behind the scenes."

Damn it, that old dog Tianlu set a good example; everyone's baiting the spot, everyone's trying to fish!

Perhaps it's just a deliberate attempt to mislead.

But Wen Zheng was just taking advantage of the fact that the Tianyuan people were practical and never gambled easily, wasn't he?

"You heard what he said."

Tianyi slowly asked, "How much is true, and how much is false?"

Pang Pei shook his head: "No need to think, it's all true. The guide doesn't bother to lie, because even if he tells the truth, you'll still do what he wants."

"You mean, he's trying to set a trap for the sowers? To cause internal strife?"

"Internal strife is not necessarily the case. Although the alliance between the Holy Fools may not be a monolithic entity, their purpose is at least clear—he wants to introduce the power of the Federation and the Empire to completely destabilize the situation."

Pang Pei pondered for a moment, then sighed: "However, the sowers have been hiding behind the scenes in the Central Plains for so many years, I'm afraid it will cause trouble."

Tianyi nodded without hesitation: "Then let's do as he wishes and cook it a little longer."

"Would this be a time to escalate the situation in Central China?"

"What else can we do? Escalate things further? Play with fire?"

Tianyi countered with a question, reminding him, "The Tiandu Plan involves the future of the Federation and cannot be altered. Don't forget, the Empire is right behind us."

Pang Pei did not speak again.

He lowered his eyes, gazing at the desolate archipelago below, and after a long while, sighed silently.

It's nothing more than hell.

The hell created by the Federation is far more than this.
So why hesitate?

"They almost came to blows, that was terrifying."

After the rift closed, Wen Zheng sighed softly and looked to his side: "I'm sorry to have troubled you to make this trip."

"Just something I did casually when I had nothing else to do."

The Reaper in the shadows said calmly, "Although the Holy Fool's goals are different, their positions are inherently the same. I will need your help later, so don't make excuses."

"No problem, no problem, I'll definitely do it next time."

Wen Zheng nodded heartily, his smile irritating.

The worst thing about working with this guy is that no matter whether the goal is achieved or not, it's bound to be unpleasant everywhere you go.

"But I'm a little curious."

The Reaper slowly asked, "Someone like you, who despises humanity, is arrogant about destiny, mocks everything, and takes everything for granted as a tool... would you really believe in so-called prophecies?"

The prophecy of the heavenly book.

Before the ancient sages of ether fell, they left behind a final 'gift' and 'curse' for their adversaries: One day, one of your descendants will surpass you, stepping over your bones to reach higher places.

From then on, the man named Wen Zheng was trapped in the cage of fate.

Unable to find relief.

"I believe it."

Wen Zheng calmly replied, "Why wouldn't I believe it?"

He paused, grinned, and laughed silently: "After all, the prophecy was made up by me."

"..."

The harvester remained silent, and from the shadows, astonished gazes fell upon him, dumbfounded and filled with unprecedented confusion. He couldn't understand it, let alone comprehend it.

All he wants to know right now is—are you fucking crazy?
"To be precise, the prophecy made in the ancient celestial book was only the first half," Wen Zheng explained frankly. "The second half was false; I added it."

"..."

The harvester grew increasingly silent, feeling that this guy had become even more insane.

"That old bastard, his favorite thing was to annoy people. Even after he died, he still wanted to make others uncomfortable."

Wen Zheng turned around and looked at him: "What I hate most is 'prophecy'. It's a delusion used by fools to deceive themselves. It's utter garbage."

"Child of Prophecy, King of Covenant, Lord of Destiny—it's as if everything is predetermined by some so-called divine will."

The harvester shook his head. "Fate still prevails."

"Who says it's not?"

Wen Zheng grinned, no longer hiding his mockery: "Perhaps one day, someone stronger than me will step out from behind me and go to the front that I can't reach."

Perhaps he or she is far superior to me. —But, no!

"Perhaps it's because of extraordinary talent, unparalleled ability, or incomparable perseverance and spirit. Even if it's despicable and contemptible, it doesn't matter."

There are so many people in this world who are better than me, and I have never felt inferior. But if all of this is determined by so-called 'fate,' then I cannot allow it!

"So, let me add a little footnote to it—"

Wen Zheng laughed, full of joy: "If the so-called prophecy is destined to come true, then let me stand in front of it."

"If I win, then all the so-called prophecies and destiny are nothing but a joke. If fate triumphs over me, then let it crush my corpse with the traces and annotations I left behind."

Regardless of success or failure, my destiny is in my own hands.

And their fate is theirs to choose!

The grudges and favors are determined by you and me, and the wins and losses are determined by strength and weakness.

It has nothing to do with fate or prophecy; it's simply because you are my enemy—it's that straightforward and simple!
Only in this way can we talk about fairness, and only in this way can we be called straightforward.

The so-called "sage fool" is just such an arrogant thing.

To overestimate one's abilities and place oneself on the same fate as the entire world is absurd. But if one lacks the determination to defy destiny and challenge the world, why embark on such a path in the first place?

"Wen Zheng—"

After a long silence, the Reaper finally asked, "Did you ever love those children?"

"Love, of course, from the bottom of my heart!"

Wen Zheng smiled and said without hesitation, "Like loving your enemy, you'll stop at nothing to achieve it."

"And what about hatred?"

Wen Zheng continued to smile without hesitation, "Just as those children hate me, I will do so openly and honestly."

Love and hate both originate from the same source.

It may be cruel, it may be cold-blooded, but this equal love and hate is all the compassion and mercy that a guide can give to his children as a father.

Nothing else.

He walked forward with his hands behind his back, leaving everything that had lost its value behind him, and never looked back.

The only unexpected thing was that the third seed was not completed.

What a pity, what a shame.

That's really nice.

Finally, something somewhat unexpected happened...

It made him involuntarily start to look forward to it.

Will that child make my prophecy come true?
Wenwen had a dream.

Noisy, bustling, lively, busy, and chaotic.

Going to school, tidying up the room, the track and field team, exams, dinners, curfew, dyeing hair and haunted house adventures, cricket fighting with annoying teachers and classmates, and complaining about siblings at home.

I secretly saved up money to buy a motorcycle.

We went home for dinner, then argued, our faces turning red.

They sit together watching TV, fighting over the remote, commenting on the plot, and then inevitably arguing, pulling each other's hair, calling for their mothers, fighting, and then holding their noses and enduring it. After gradually forgetting the reason for their anger, everything goes back to normal, and the cycle repeats itself.

Noisy and bustling, yet peaceful and quiet.

When taking photos, I made the cliché V-sign, shouted "cheese," and captured everyone's smiling faces.

The sun and moon shine.

Under the warm, dreamlike light, everything was gilded with brilliant gold and dazzling silver, shimmering like jewels. Each drop fell into the palm of the hand, like an incomparable treasure.

In the blink of an eye, it felt like an eternity had passed.

However, when I look back occasionally, I feel as if something is missing.

You will feel a void and emptiness inside.

In the dead of night, I seem to hear the distant sound of the wind, like a sob echoing in the air.

So, Wenwen decided to set off.

After saying goodbye to his family, he embarked on his journey with his meager savings and a car.

It seems I've been to many places, wandering between crossroads, becoming increasingly confused and lost.

And so she climbed over mountain after mountain, crossed river after river, through endless deserts and towering walls.

She abandoned her damaged motorcycle and wandered in the long darkness.

Until at the edge of a desolate world, in a deep, abyss-like chasm, she saw a dragon buried under dust and mud.

The dragon was also watching her.

Those eyes were like the sun and moon imprisoned in an abyss.

The self she abandoned waited alone in the darkness, lamenting and singing day after day.

In that instant, Wenwen finally remembered what she used to be like.

"...So you were here."

She suddenly realized, murmured softly, gazed at the enormous and ferocious appearance, mustered her courage, and took the first step forward, and then another.

She took the initiative and walked towards those eyes filled with resentment and sorrow.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so many years."

She reached out and touched the cracked scales, which cut her fingers, drawing blood. "Will you resent me?"

The dragon did not answer.

He remained silent, lowered his head, and cautiously reached out to touch her cheek.

Then, he gently pushed her back.

This is not the place you want to go. Leave now.

"It's so cold here."

Wenwen looked up and gazed around at the cold, empty surroundings.

In the darkness, there is no light.

She took a step back, then put down her luggage, opened her bundle, rummaged through her things, and finally looked up regretfully: "I'm sorry, I only brought a blanket."

The dragon looked at her blankly.

Seeing her smile, and the tiny floral prints on the slowly unfolding blanket, I asked, "So, would you mind sharing this blanket with me?"

The dragon did not speak, the dragon did not answer, the dragon simply looked at her.

She held back her tears.

Thus, the enormous monster and the lonely traveling girl shared the same small blanket, huddled together in the dark world, yet neither felt afraid anymore.

They nestled together, like flowers blooming on a rock.

I fell into a deep sleep once again.

Hand in hand, we drifted off to a new dreamland.

There's no need to be afraid of the world after you wake up.

In this endless dream, there is enough time to last forever.

(End of this chapter)