Chapter 36: The Dust Settles, The Heart Trembles
The terrifying energy fluctuation had lasted for what felt like an eternity. Only when Qian Renxue brought Ye Lingling into the center of the battlefield did they finally witness the full extent of the devastation.
The once-thriving urban district was now reduced to a desolate ruin.
Shattered walls, broken bricks, and crushed stone littered the land like scars of an unforgiving storm. Smoke and dust hung heavy in the air, cloaking everything in a gray shroud. Amid the haze, Qian Renxue caught sight of a lone figure standing silently among the debris.
"Qin Chuan!"
Her voice cracked, eyes turning red with anguish.
In an instant, something inside her broke—like a taut string suddenly snapped. Her heart ached with a sharp pain that threatened to tear her apart.
Dragging Ye Lingling with her, Qian Renxue stumbled toward the figure.
But the smoke was thick, nearly suffocating. Only when she came closer could she clearly see who it was.
Tang Hao.
His head drooped, tattered clothes barely hanging from his frame, and a gaping hole in his chest told the story of his final, devastating attack.
He was dead.
But there was no fear or pain etched on Tang Hao's face. Instead, it bore a strange satisfaction—the peace one might find after releasing everything in a final, glorious blaze.
"Qin Chuan, where are you?"
Qian Renxue stood beside Tang Hao's lifeless body, eyes wide, scanning the ruin around her.
All she could see was gray, lifeless smoke swirling endlessly. No sign of him.
She began to shout desperately.
"Qin Chuan, where are you?!"
"Where are you?!"
"Are you still alive?! Come out!"
"I've been looking for you—please answer me!"
Her cries echoed through the dust-filled silence. Tears brimmed in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
Not in front of Ye Lingling.
At first, she couldn't hold them back, but now—with Qin Chuan still missing—she clung to the faint hope that if no body was found, he might still be alive.
That sliver of hope was enough for her to suppress her sorrow.
"Your Highness, let's keep searching. Maybe His Majesty Qin Chuan is buried under the rubble," Ye Lingling said softly, trying to comfort her.
Qian Renxue nodded quickly, her voice trembling. "Okay."
She wanted nothing more than to be alone right now, to cry, to break down.
But instead, she forced herself to move forward—searching through the wreckage, overturning stone after stone.
Her hands, empowered by soul force, were soon bloodied and bruised. Still, she didn't stop. She couldn't stop.
No thoughts. No hesitation.
Only the desperate, tireless search.
Suddenly, seven familiar figures appeared in the distance, approaching quickly.
They were the elders of the Spirit Hall. Their faces were pale, expressions heavy with unease and shock.
"The elder may be buried beneath the rubble," Lingyuan Douluo said, her voice tinged with sorrow as she surveyed the battlefield.
The memory of Tang Hao's terrifying explosion lingered in her mind.
She had never imagined the price for this battle would be so high—not just for Tang Hao, but for the Spirit Hall's own Great Elder.
"Let's help the young master search," she said, stepping forward.
But before she could take another step, Ghost Leopard Douluo pulled her sleeve.
"Ghost Leopard?" she asked, confused.
"The Tiandou Royal Family is arriving," he said in a deep voice. "We need to leave."
Both Qin Chuan's and Qian Renxue's identities were closely guarded secrets in the Spirit Hall. They couldn't risk exposing anything now, especially not in front of outsiders.
"We can't let them become suspicious," he added.
Lingyuan Douluo hesitated, glancing back at Qian Renxue. "But the young master…"
"She'll manage. We must trust in her and the Great Elder," Ghost Leopard Douluo replied firmly.
"Let's go."
Chrysanthemum Douluo, Yueguan, sighed heavily. "If the Great Elder is truly gone, His Holiness the Pope may lose control."
One by one, the seven elders turned and left.
Before long, the Tiandou Royal Family's search team entered the ruins, and more people began combing through the rubble, looking for Qin Chuan.
Still, Qian Renxue continued her relentless search.
Some followers suggested gently that she rest, promising to continue the search in her place.
But Qian Renxue refused. "His Majesty Qin Chuan is the royal family's consecrated guardian. He risked his life to eliminate the soul beast threat. How could I sit idly by?"
Then suddenly, someone shouted, "Your Majesty Qin Chuan!"
Qian Renxue froze. Her body trembled violently.
She spun around and sprinted toward the voice. But as she ran, her steps began to slow.
Until she stopped completely.
Tears welled up uncontrollably.
Through the thinning smoke, she saw a familiar figure walking toward her—clothes tattered and bloodstained, but unmistakably him.
Qin Chuan.
He was alive.
Over his shoulder, he carried an unconscious figure—Xiao Wu.
He gently dropped her at Qian Renxue's feet, then looked at her tearful face and gave a strained, bitter smile.
"I was going to take this soul beast back before the house collapsed," he explained weakly. "But the moment I picked her up, everything came down on top of me."
Qian Renxue's heart ached. She bit her lip and whispered, "Then why…"
"Why didn't you come out? I searched for so long…"
Qin Chuan shook his head faintly, still smiling bitterly.
"I lost all my soul power."
He coughed violently, turning his head aside. When he pulled his hand away from his mouth, it was covered in blood.
Qian Renxue panicked and turned to find Ye Lingling.
But Qin Chuan reached out and caught her wrist.
"Let me go! I need to find Lingling! I brought her here—"
"Xue'er, wait," Qin Chuan said softly, voice low but firm. "I have something to say."
Qian Renxue froze. She turned back slowly, tears pouring freely now.
"Wait a minute," she begged. "Please… I really did bring Lingling here…"
She was terrified he was about to say his final words—words she wasn't ready to hear.
But Qin Chuan looked at her gently and continued in a delicate, emotional voice.
"This soul beast is for you. You'll need it someday."
"Do you know what I was thinking when I transformed into a sword and rushed into Tang Hao's explosion ring?"
"I thought of more than ten years ago… If I hadn't met Bibi Dong when I first woke up, maybe none of this would have happened."
"I thought of your back—when you walked away on my wedding day. Were you as determined as I was just now?"
"Xue'er…"
"My mind was full of you."
"I saw the shadow of you as a child, following me around… and the way you left that day under the falling snow…"
"But…"
"But…"
He suddenly coughed again, blood spurting from his mouth, staining his neck and chin.
But his eyes burned with clarity.
"But it seems we can never go back…"
Those words struck Qian Renxue like a blade.
Her chest tightened, her breathing grew shallow.
So that soul beast…
He risked everything for her?
All this time… she had been in his heart?
But…
In the next moment, right before her eyes, Qin Chuan collapsed to the ground.
Qian Renxue's world fell into silence.
And in that silence, her heart cried out louder than any scream.
———————-
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