The afterlife blew up Gensokyo

What is marriage? Is it a ceremony?

Yuuka Kazami turned her head.

"Ah...more or less. It's a very serious ceremony to confirm the closest relationship between two people. As the saying goes, 'Holding hands, growing old together.' At the wedding, the couple will receive blessings from their families...that's roughly the meaning."

After thinking for a moment, Shi Bai answered with some uncertainty.

"I'm not too worried about Chu Zihang, but I think it will be a bit difficult for Lu Mingfei to gain the approval of his two brothers-in-law. When I left earlier, he was happily helping one of his brothers-in-law sell sunscreen on the beach, getting sunburned like a dog..."

"And after that?"

Suppressing her own little thoughts, Kazami Yuuka took the initiative to ask.

"And then? The world became much more colorful after that."

Shi Bai exhaled and said.

"I went to a world called Dark Loli, where I taught the lolis there to rebel, raised the banner of rebellion to overthrow the world, and created a country where only lolis existed. I went to a decaying empire and allied with an organization called Night Raid. We adopted a policy of encircling the cities from the countryside, and a single spark could start a prairie fire to overthrow the corrupt rule... Oh, and in that world there was also a perverted queen-like character who was always chasing after me, wanting my heart or something."

As he said this, Shi Bai looked deeply saddened.

"Heart?"

"Yeah, that girl really wanted to rip my heart out. If I weren't immortal, she probably would have killed me right from the start."

"Do you think she can beat you?"

"Back then I was still very weak, I couldn't beat her in a fight, and she also had a particularly shameless move that could freeze time and space..."

Shi Bai's face was filled with unbearable memories of the past.

"I've fought alongside monsters against Ultraman, and I've faced the Avengers alongside Thanos. Kayako was my best friend, and I chatted and laughed with the Lich King Arthas at the dinner table. I was a legendary figure in the history of the ninja world, on par with Madara Uchiha, and a legendary pirate who, along with the Pirate King Roger, ascended Khrushchev and learned the true secret of ONE PIECE. In Soul Society, the legend still circulates that I could cut through alleys with a watermelon knife without blinking, and the history of Type-Moon still records my glorious achievements as an immortal... Actually, if my journey could continue like this, it wouldn't be bad. But as the saying goes, even the wisest can make a mistake. On that day, I, who had always relied on my immortality to roam around, suffered the most painful blow of my life. Only then did I realize that absolute immortality is not always a good thing."

What happened to you?

Hearing the other person's voice become noticeably lower, Kazami Yuuka felt a sudden tightness in her chest for no apparent reason.

"The evil god."

Shi Bai sighed.

"Because I've gotten used to wandering around, in a world corrupted by evil gods, I caught the attention of one of them. In the void, the term 'evil god' is actually a kind of designation for a group that shares the same characteristics, meaning that mortals should never look directly at them... Specifically, it's similar to Outer Gods, Ancient Gods, Evil Gods, the Old Ones, Cthulhu, and so on."

"........."

Kazami Yuuka remained silent, listening quietly to the sound of the torrential rain outside, while Shibai continued his narration.

"It was at that time that I truly understood the concept of a world for the first time. Even if I escaped to other worlds, because of the mark that the evil god had branded on my body, I would be quickly tracked down by that evil god, which would implicate the worlds I had traveled to... After implicating several innocent worlds in succession, I made a decision at that time."

"What decision?"

Yuuka Kazami asked instinctively.

"It's simple, just kill that evil god!!"

With one hand raised in front of him, Shi Bai swung it down fiercely, his face filled with murderous intent.

"Since I lack the ability to resolve those problems, how about eliminating the entities causing them?!"

"........."

"After all, I have countless lives, and those powerful talents inherited from the Eastern God Clan. As long as that evil god dares to show his health bar, I dare to smash him to death! So, after a series of battles and quite arduous calculations, I successfully killed that evil god."

Using the most understated words to gloss over the process, Shi Bai continued speaking.

"Then, because of my great achievements, my figure inadvertently entered the eyes of a big shot, one of the Outer Gods, Nyarlathotep... yeah, that's right, Nyarlathotep."

"Outer Gods...?"

"Outer Gods are Outer Gods, after all. Knowing too much is not good for you. I can't even tell you their full names, so I just use code names."

As if recalling some unpleasant past events, Shi Bai's face darkened noticeably.

"Nyaruko is unlike most other Outer Gods and Great Old Ones. She's one of the very few Outer Gods who exhibits rationality that humans can understand. She's obsessed with deceiving and seducing humans, and finding her greatest pleasure in plunging them into terror and despair. That girl has absolutely no morals whatsoever; she even disguised herself as a white-haired loli to get close to me... Meow, doesn't she know I'm a lolicon? White hair is her special attack!!"

Yuuka Kazami: "..."

"At first, I didn't realize that the white-haired loli I rescued was an incarnation of some Outer God, and I got along quite well with her. But later, for some reason, she seemed to get impatient and ate me, turning me into her familiar in a very violent and direct way."

As he spoke, Shi Bai's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Can you imagine the bizarre and absurd scene of a little girl you usually get along with suddenly opening her blood-red mouth and eating you whole? That guy is just plain crazy!!"

"...I think I understand why He was in such a hurry back then."

With a slight twitch at the corner of her eye, Yuuka Kazami silently turned her head to look at the skylight above her.

"Huh? Why?"

Shi Bai looked completely bewildered.

"Because you have very high emotional intelligence."

"Hmm... Could it be that she thinks I've discovered her true identity and is therefore angry and embarrassed?"

After thinking for a while with his arms crossed, Shi Bai suddenly realized something.

"But at the time, I didn't suspect the little girl next to me at all!!"

"No, that's not important. What about the rest?"

Kazami Yuuka decisively changed the subject.

What happened after that?

"And then? That's how it was. One of the 13 prisoners I was incarcerated with was born because of this kind of thing."

Shi Bai sighed.

"Because I was transformed into her familiar, my consciousness was corrupted, and my behavior and thoughts changed accordingly. This change was quite terrifying, as it fundamentally reversed a person's thoughts and will. However, due to my immortality, I would briefly regain consciousness every now and then, only to be suppressed by that evil god's will again in a short while, and the cycle would repeat itself. During those brief periods when I returned to normal, I was constantly thinking about how to get rid of this influence, because I didn't want to lose my humanity and rationality."

"...So your approach is to introduce other systems?"

As if she had just remembered something, recalling what the other person had said to her before, Kazami Yuuka sighed inwardly.

"That's right, fight poison with poison. As long as we introduce other power systems into our own bodies to suppress that evil god consciousness, that will work."

Shi Bai snapped his fingers.

"Because I myself became one of the evil gods, I came into contact with things beyond this world, namely the endless void. I seized a good opportunity and infiltrated a world with the SCP Foundation, voluntarily becoming a humanoid anomalous containment object. It was in that world that I met many friendly companions… such as SCP-682!!"

"SCP-682...?"

"You know the peanut that played '123, freeze' with me in the Dreamland, right? It was brought out of the SCP Foundation by me and was one of the SCP Foundation's containment objects."

Shi Bai sighed with some regret.

"I originally wanted to bring Grandpa 682 along with me, but who knew that guy would refuse to comply, what a pity."

"........."

While feeling a strange sense of sympathy for the nonsensical SCP-682, Kazami Yuuka chose to remain silent.

"Containment object, the will of an evil god—these were the first two systems I incorporated into myself. In fact, from that point on, I began to become somewhat abnormal, though I didn't realize it myself. It wasn't until much later, when I separated the Time Darkness, that I finally returned to my original normal state. But unfortunately, by then my physical condition was already in terrible shape."

Taking a deep breath, Shi Bai said.

"During that long period of my abnormality, I did many things that angered both heaven and man. Destroying the world at the slightest disagreement was commonplace for me. My body was also filled with countless other systems that were forcibly integrated into it. Even something as extremely dangerous as the apocalypse was forcibly incorporated into it... I am the only being who has obtained the power of the apocalypse as a living being, because the power of the apocalypse represents pure destruction, and no being can do that—except for the other me that I call Time Black."

"...So that's why you ranked it as the most dangerous?"

“That’s right, its level of danger is unparalleled. Before, I was a law-abiding citizen, but after I returned to normal, I inexplicably found myself with the highest bounty on my head… Who can I complain to about this? And what’s more, it’s just that it was originally myself…”

Shi Bai looked like he had a toothache.

"Later, I went into hiding, wandering through the myriad realms, trying my best to distance myself from the terrible state of my body, while also hoping to make some amends for what I had done in the past, and incidentally taking on some students and teaching some disciples. Then, somehow, my identity was exposed, and my disciples abandoned the darkness and openly murdered their master. Heartbroken, I entered the [Gate], where I discovered many terrifying secrets... At the same time, it was also within the [Gate] that I finally sorted out the terrible state of my body. Apart from the 13 things that were impossible to eradicate, I solved all the other minor problems."

At this point, Shi Bai turned to look at Kazami Yuuka beside him.

"I'm sorry, I can tell you about everything else, but I really can't say what happened inside the [door]."

"And then you came back to this world, right?"

Shaking her head slightly, Yuuka Kazami asked.

"Ah...that's right, that's exactly it. After all, the outside world is no longer a place to stay. Those guys are more and more annoying than the last. Let them just pretend that I'm dead inside the [Door], and they can find some peace and quiet for a while."

With his hands behind his head, Shi Bai answered casually.

"Because I was too powerful at that time, this world simply couldn't contain me, just like a cup can't hold the water of an ocean. So I voluntarily sealed most of my power and entered this world. But I never expected that this world would plot against me and try to kick me out, and then I ended up with you by some twist of fate... You know what happened after that."

At this point, Shi Bai turned his head and smiled at Kazami Yuuka beside him.

"This is my past."

P.S.: I forgot to post the link yesterday...

I'm writing two books at once. This book is far from finished, and have you ever seen me stop updating?

Shura Field Player

Chapter Eight: Holding Hands, Growing Old Together

On that stormy night, Shibai said a lot to Kazami Yuuka.

Although his past experiences were full of ups and downs, he eventually settled into a simple life, having witnessed all aspects of the world and appreciated countless falling flowers. After the curtain fell, all he experienced was a life as calm as still water.

The mountains are high and the roads are long, the sea is vast and the sky is boundless.

There's not much to say about what happened next. Shi Bai and Kazami Yuuka crossed the vast ocean and returned to Shenzhou. Shi Bai secretly guided Liu Bowen to sever the dragon vein.

When the dragon vein was severed, some subtle changes occurred between heaven and earth, but they quickly disappeared without a trace. However, it is likely that it will not be long before those powerful figures will discover these changes.

At that time, a light drizzle was falling from the sky. Shi Bai sat alone on the mountaintop in silence for a long time, while Kazami Yuuka stood beside him, holding an umbrella for him.

Hong Meiling herself was formed from the dragon vein, a being truly created by him. The severing of the dragon vein was equivalent to the severing of the life force of the original body. If he and Matara Okina had not made preparations for this long ago, Hong Meiling would probably have completely disappeared from the world along with the disappearance of the dragon vein—that would have been a true and real disappearance.

Even so, Hong Meiling's health has deteriorated to an extremely serious state. Just a few days ago, she was happily traveling with her father, whom she hadn't seen in a long time, but today she has a persistent high fever and is unconscious.

For so many years, Huo Qing'e had been taking care of her. Huo Qing'e didn't know much about the inside story of this matter. She was always busy running around Hong Meiling, and she didn't sleep for several nights in a row. She was completely flustered.

"How are you feeling? Any better?"

When the drizzle finally subsided and a faint golden glow appeared on the horizon, Kazami Yuuka, who had been holding the parasol for Shibai all night, put it aside and sat down next to him.

"Some things you don't need to care too much about. After all, you have to give up something to gain something. She's fine, isn't she?"

"...It was just a slight recollection of some past events."

Taking a deep breath, Shibai glanced back at Kazami Yuuka and handed her a flask of sake.

"No matter what, she was born because of me, and she was hurt because of my plans. I have almost never cared about her all these years, but she still has a pure heart... I can't quite understand it."

"What don't you understand?"

After taking the flask of sake, Kazami Yuuka looked at him.

"No matter what, you gave her life, didn't you? These beings, born from the spirits of heaven and earth, are inherently simple and stubborn, just like the tsukumogami beside you. Although you caused her harm, you also took remedial measures, so there's absolutely no need to blame yourself."

"Let me tell you a story."

After tilting his head back and taking a large gulp of wine, Shi Bai shook his head almost imperceptibly.

"Once upon a time, there was a reckless and lawless figure in the martial arts world. Although he acted as he pleased, he always had his own bottom line, never indiscriminately killing the innocent, walking a fine line between light and darkness. One day, he was poisoned. To find an antidote, he began searching for one, ultimately choosing to fight poison with poison to control the balance of toxins in his body. He thought this was foolproof, but little did he know that the combination of the two toxins produced a rather peculiar change. Under the influence of the mixed toxins, his way of thinking gradually turned towards a more evil direction. Thus, he grew stronger day by day, but his bottom line became lower and lower, until finally, he became a notorious villain in the martial arts world, hated by everyone. Later, he accidentally stumbled into a valley, consumed its rare and precious herbs, and regained his senses. However, he was already a notorious villain, having committed many unforgivable acts. Therefore, he decided to go into hiding and atone for his past sins."

Shi Bai poured a large mouthful of wine into his mouth.

"It took him a long time to find a few children who had survived his attacks but were on the verge of death. All of those children's families and friends had been killed by him in the past, so he decided to take care of them. While teaching these children who had been taken in as his disciples, he also secretly did good deeds. When an epidemic broke out, he practiced medicine to help the needy; when famine struck, he gave alms to the world; when enemy countries invaded, he led the charge. Thus, he became a hero in the eyes of his disciples. In this way, he traveled the world with his disciples, doing countless good deeds, while also carefully teaching them, passing on all the knowledge he had acquired throughout his life, and watching them grow up."

He let out a soft sigh, and a bitter smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

"He believed that what he did in hiding was enough to offset the crimes he had committed. After all, although he had killed many people when he was a notorious villain in the martial arts world, he had saved even more people during the time he reformed and went into hiding... It's just a pity that he took it all for granted."

"Isn't that right? Even if he made those mistakes in the past, his sins should have been atoned."

Kazami Yuuka frowned slightly.

"Ha... redemption? That's impossible."

Shi Bai smiled.

"Then one day, due to some unexpected event, his disciples learned his true identity. He originally thought that his years of nurturing and teaching would be enough for his disciples to let go of their hatred for him, but he did not expect that some hatreds can never be forgotten, especially such bloody family feuds. Just like that, he was betrayed by his disciples. The more they respected him as their master before, the more they hated him now... They notified the major righteous sects of the martial arts world, and surrounded their master in a small mountain village. Although he was very strong, he was no match for so many people. Betrayed by the family he trusted most, and with everything he had done to atone for his sins being rejected, he became even more disheartened and completely lost all will to fight. Finally, under the siege of those masters, he chose to jump into the bottomless abyss, where there had never been a survivor."

"........."