Honkai Impact 3rd: The Girl Who Chases the Flame

"I... my name is Li Shimin."

Finally, Li Shimin smiled and left the place.

From then on, every year during festivals, from the royal family to the common people, the Tang Dynasty would prepare incense offerings to the immortals of Mount Taixu and kneel in worship towards the direction of Mount Taixu from afar.

It is said that this also brought the Tang Dynasty great fortune and prosperity.

Chapter Thirty-Three: Life and Death

"...Heh, Master arrived really fast. It seems all my plans have been for nothing."

Su Mei leaned against the stone wall, a sword scar on her right shoulder, left by Jiang Wanxi.

"Su Mei".

Fu Hua stood before this disciple, her expression unusually complex.

"What exactly are you after?"

“Master, you would never have asked me this before, but I don’t think I’ve lost. If it weren’t for that… suddenly appearing martial uncle over there, you would all be in my trap.”

Su Mei chuckled softly.

"Second Senior Sister... what benefits do you actually get from this?"

Jiang Wanxi's fingers cracked in anger.

"You actually intend to kill Wanru... What exactly do you want to do?"

"It's not that I want to kill Wanru. She was going to die anyway. It's good that she died by my hand."

Su Mei shook her head and sighed.

"I don't love anyone, nor do I expect anyone to love me. I'm just walking the path I want to walk, and what does it matter whether it's the right path or the wrong path?"

"In your opinion, is Chi You following the path you hoped for?"

Fu Hua asked.

"Yes, if the master is not at fault, and mortals are not at fault, then the fault lies with Heaven. What is the meaning of this world?"

Su Mei smiled.

"Wouldn't it be better to destroy it sooner rather than later?"

"you……"

Fu Hua hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say.

“Master, I lost my mother at a young age; she was killed by you. I cannot forget the hatred for my parents, but you have also raised and taught me.”

I should hate you, and I should also be grateful to you. But then I realized that the death of my parents was not your fault, and that you had a just cause for killing them.

But why should those who have gone mad with demonic possession die? Because Heaven forbids it; for them, death is the best ending. But why?

Su Mei was still smiling.

“I don’t agree, Master. Do you remember when you named me? The character Mei is so good. It means between water and shore. In my whole life, I am neither a person on the shore nor a person in the water.”

"...So, it really doesn't mean anything; it's just a revenge, isn't it?"

Fu Hua asked softly.

"Yes, Master, this is just a..."

"Wanru is unacceptable!"

"Wanru, you..."

"revenge……"

Lin Chaoyu and Jiang Wanxi exclaimed in surprise as a sharp sword pierced Su Mei's chest.

"I'll take the blame for this."

Jiang Wanru gripped the hilt of her sword and looked at Su Mei.

"I'll take the blame for Ma Fei Ma's actions too!"

"...Alright then."

Su Mei gazed at her for a long time, then closed her eyes.

"I don't love anyone, nor do I want anyone to love me."

She is a bad person, a bad person to the core.

and so……

She doesn't deserve to be remembered by anyone, nor does she want to be remembered by anyone.

What she did was unforgivable and meaningless.

But why did she do it?

Because in her eyes, there is no meaning in this world.

……

"Second Junior Sister, Sixth Junior Brother is crying again. Can you take a look at him?"

"Second Senior Sister, I'm only telling you this! You're not allowed to tell anyone else!"

"Second Senior Sister, the dumplings you made look so beautiful. Could you teach me how to make them?"

"...Second Senior Sister".

"Second Senior Sister, I want to be even more powerful than you!"

"Second Senior Sister, will you stay with me?"

……

She has no regrets.

But if...

If this world were not corrupted by true qi.

If she hadn't carried the burden of avenging her parents...

Or perhaps she never heard the truth.

Will Su Mei, along with her fellow disciples, stay by Fu Hua's side until they grow old?

"meeting."

Su Mei heard herself say that.

But there are no "what ifs" in this world, and she never regretted it.

Therefore, she is neither worthy of sympathy nor needs to be remembered.

"Little horse...it's such a pity about you."

These were Su Mei's true feelings; she thought to herself silently that she had already foreseen the outcome.

...............

"..."

"Wanru, wait! I..."

"Wanxi, let me go."

Jiang Wanru, carrying her sword, walked step by step to the cave entrance.

"Ma Fei Ma is here... This grudge must be settled. In China, the wronged should be punished and the debtor should be held accountable. Those who commit murder should be punished, and those who harbor resentment should be held accountable. The murderer must have a reason to be killed."

"Wanru, do you hate me?"

Fu Hua said in a low voice.

“I used to hate you, but I don’t anymore. I killed my master once, so we’re not even, and my master suffered a loss. I will repay you now.”

Jiang Wanru smiled.

“I will take the blame for my master.”

"I……"

Fu Hua hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.

"I actually...I..."

She didn't know what to say.

"Your master was just an ordinary person many years ago. Thousands of years of sad memories crushed her and turned her into the Chi Yuan Zhenren that you all know."

Mei Zijin spoke up.

"Jiang Wanru, this world is inherently unfair, and the world is not beautiful. There is never anything perfect, but life is nothing more than a search for redemption."

The Rakshasa Kingdom says that life is a pilgrimage of accumulating suffering. This is true, but everyone has their own reason for living.

“I knew it when I saw my master… Actually, I probably wanted a master like this from the very beginning.”

Jiang Wanru was nearly forty, but when she smiled at this moment, she looked exactly the same as she had back then.

"I've lived for nearly forty years, and only on my deathbed did I realize that there was really nothing to pursue. Memory is a long river, and my master, who lived a thousand times longer than us, carried a burden that was different from ours."

Children will eventually understand, but we often make grave mistakes before we do. Master, if there is an afterlife… I would gladly be your servant, a cow or a horse, to repay your kindness.

"Wanru..."

"Sister, isn't it good? Those who deserve to die are dead, and those who are meant to live will live."

Jiang Wanru raised her head and strode out.

"Stop torturing me."

"..."

Jiang Wanxi knelt on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably. Lin Chaoyu hugged her, his hands trembling slightly.

Qin Suyi died, Su Mei died, next is Jiang Wanru, and then Ma Feima.