I Have a Golden Crow

"Burning Sun." Du Yu gazed from afar at the little figure covering her face and sobbing, softly calling out, "Burning Sun?"

"Mm." Little Fen Yang turned around, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Come." Du Yu extended his hand.

Little Fen Yang flew towards Du Yu like a swallow returning to its nest.

This time, she didn’t just have the Demon Soul; she had a physical body and could truly feel the sensation of being embraced.

At least, she could experience the feeling of being cradled in Du Yu’s palm.

The little Golden Crow that had been standing in Master Qing’s hand flapped its small wings and settled into Du Yu’s palm.

"Alright, alright, no more crying." Du Yu gently comforted her, setting down the Fire Age Axe.

He held the palm-sized Golden Crow in one hand, using the other to smooth her pitch-black feathers.

"Mm~" The little Golden Crow instinctively rubbed her small head against the center of Du Yu’s palm.

It had been so long,

since she last felt the touch of affection.

At this moment, in Du Yu’s vision, the little Golden Crow in his palm kept alternating with the image of the Thousand Paper Crane from the past.

The delicate Thousand Paper Crane and the pitch-black little Golden Crow gradually melded into one.

Finally, I see you.

The surroundings were utterly silent.

Neither the Chi Ancestor nor Yang Qingqing interrupted this warm moment.

After an unknown amount of time, Du Yu suddenly realized that the little Golden Crow in his palm had stopped moving.

Is she asleep?

Slept while crying...

This feeling is the most uncomfortable.

Duyu felt a pang of empathy as he lifted the little Golden Crow, gently kissing the top of her head, then pressed the tiny bird against his forehead and into the Forehead Acupoint.

That’s Hu Xiaoyan’s Acupoint Home, but Xiaoyan didn’t mind; she just tightened her embrace around Du Yu.

Du Yu picked up the Fire Age Axe again and looked at Chi Ancestor: "Now, can you tell me?"

Chi Ancestor turned around.

Just when Du Yu sighed inwardly, Chi Ancestor suddenly said: "You are cutting the tree, the Youhan Tree."

Du Yu replied: "Yes."

Chi ancestor sat down, looking down at the bamboo grove a thousand meters below.

Du Yu, holding the Fire Age Axe, walked over with Yang Qingqing.

To Yang Qingqing’s surprise, Du Yu also sat on the edge of the bear’s paw, letting his legs dangle, gazing out at the tranquil bamboo grove below.

The silhouette of one person and one bear was unexpectedly harmonious.

Chi Ancestor softly said: "Then you should know the cruelty of the Youhan Tree."

Du Yu silently nodded.

"Those who oppose it will suffer the extreme retribution of the Youhan Tree." Chi Ancestor turned to look at Yang Qingqing standing quietly nearby.

Yang Qingqing remained silent, waiting for more words.

Chi Ancestor: "Not just you, but also your Demon Pet, your loved ones, your home."

Du Yu’s heart tightened, similarly turning to look at Master Qing.

From Chi Ancestor’s words, he had already realized something.

Yang Qingqing softly said: "Even if we don’t resist, the Youhan Tree will destroy everything we have."

"Yes." Chi Ancestor sighed deeply in agreement.

Soon after, its silhouette suddenly began to grow larger; as a Demon Soul, it could obviously change its size at will.

Until the Demon Soul enveloped teacher and disciple, a scene played out in their minds.

It was a city under the night, specifically, Xishu Garden District in Ancient Pine Tower City.

Yang Qingqing and Du Yu seemed to be there in person, floating above the buildings.

In their line of sight, they just happened to see a pale green figure.

It was another Master Qing, caring for a Demonic Plant in the top floor greenhouse, attentively trimming a slender flower branch.

Oddly, Du Yu himself had lived in this apartment building for more than two years.

He had never seen the second floor of Master Qing’s House, let alone the third floor.

Yet unexpectedly, he found Master Qing’s greenhouse here.

Chi Ancestor’s words echoed in the ears of the teacher and student: "Is this your home?"

Yang Qingqing gazed at her own figure pruning the flower branch, already anticipating what was about to happen.

"Buzz!!!"

"Crack! Crack..."

Cracks continuously crept across the ground, the buildings trembling.

A Bottomless Abyss suddenly opened, swallowing the entire Xishu Garden District into its abyss.

Screams, cries, and painful groans incessantly pierced through the night sky.

Even though the thunderous roar of collapsing buildings was earth-shattering, the desperate cries of people remained piercing.

Chi Ancestor: "You are strong, Human Race. The Youhan Tree cannot catch you, but it can find your home."

Du Yu’s expression was grim.

The Youhan Tree was targeting him, but the ones suffering were the innocent civilians living in the district.

This sudden catastrophe destroyed countless families and ruined countless lives.

Gradually, Du Yu and Yang Qingqing were uncontrollably lifted into the air, the buildings below shrinking continuously.

Du Yu’s eyes widened slightly.

This wasn’t just about one district, there were multiple Bottomless Pits in the city!

Bottomless Abysses kept opening one after another, consuming districts, neighborhoods, areas... until the entire Ancient Pine Tower City was affected.

Chi Ancestor: "Is this your home?"

Du Yu’s expression darkened, nodding lightly.

Yang Qingqing slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Ancient Pine Tower was an Earth Level City with a permanent population of over three million. Such a prosperous metropolis—collapsed utterly in such a short time.

Among the pits lay numerous fringe areas.

But those who survived were far from being the lucky ones, trapped with no way to escape, they could only cry out in despair as they awaited death in this apocalypse.

Endless Cold Branches shot out from the pits, aimlessly whipping everything in sight, as if venting their rage.

Endless Cold Beasts surged out madly, destroying everything in their sight, slaughtering the world’s creatures.

Gray fog spewed from the ground, enveloping the land and sky.

Just minutes ago, this city was peaceful and harmonious, the lights of ten thousand homes twinkling brightly.

A few minutes later, there was no more city, all reduced to nothing.

Chi Ancestor: "The Cold Tree will destroy everything, not just your hometown but everyone you know in this city."

Du Yu said deeply: "Where am I?"

Chi Ancestor: "You are cutting the tree, at a Bottomless Abyss far away from home, hacking at the Youhan Tree."

Du Yu: "When did this happen then?"

"That you must ask yourself."

"Me?"

The Chi Ancestor softly hummed, "Normally, the Youhan Tree cannot determine the exact location of the Bottomless Gate’s opening.

The Cold Tree can only, as the two worlds continuously touch and merge, open a Bottomless Gate with the least cost at the boundary between the two worlds."

Du Yu’s heart trembled, "The two worlds continuously touch?"

The Chi Ancestor replied, "It’s like holding two General’s Seals, pressing them tightly together, continuously grinding and rubbing."

Yang Qingqing suddenly said, "Do you mean that our world, and your homeland, are both Spiritual Artifact Worlds?"

The Chi Ancestor shook his head, "No, I’m just using it as an example."

Du Yu hastily asked, "You just said it all depends on me? Why?"

The Chi Ancestor said, "You will continuously cut down the Youhan Tree, and the Cold Tree will eventually be pushed to desperation.

By then, it will no longer strive to find opportunities to open the Bottomless Gate at the lowest cost.

It will choose mutual destruction, even if it means tearing itself apart, to open gates after gates, to puncture your world full of holes."

"Gulp." Du Yu swallowed hard.

Damn...

If it can’t get it, it will destroy it?

No, this is self-inflicting severe damage to harm the enemy significantly.

This lunatic!

The Chi Ancestor said, "Now, you can call upon the people living in this city to move away from their homes, to leave their homeland, just like this."

Du Yu’s vision blurred as the Ancient Pine Tower City lay in dead silence, the streets empty as if it were a Ghost City.

The Chi Ancestor said, "But in your world, there are countless cities, right?

When that day comes, in various parts of the world, there will be countless people losing their lives, losing everything."

The scene before Du Yu’s eyes changed continuously.

Crowded cities, Bottomless Abysses.

Sounds of mourning filled the land, devastation everywhere.

"And when that day comes, you..." The Chi Ancestor’s words abruptly stopped.

Du Yu asked, "What about me?"

"Hoo~"

The scene in his mind suddenly dissipated, leaving Du Yu once again under a sky of blue and white clouds.

Looking at the Chi Ancestor, Du Yu said solemnly, "What about me?"

"You..." The Chi Ancestor prolonged his words, as if organizing them.

After a while, the Chi Ancestor looked down at the bamboo grove below and gently asked, "On that day, can you bear all of this?"

Du Yu slightly opened his mouth, never expecting the Chi Ancestor to ask such a question.

"Without a doubt, you’re doing the right thing," the Chi Ancestor said softly, "Cutting down the Youhan Tree, repelling the invaders.

You’re protecting the Twin Tree Realm, guarding your land, your homeland, your people."

The Chi Ancestor paused, then said softly, "But my question is, when you push the Youhan Tree to a dead end, and it chooses mutual destruction...

Can your heart bear the consequences of the price this world has to pay?"

Yang Qingqing’s face turned gloomy, as smart as she was, she understood a lot.

The Chi Ancestor used a question, seemingly seeking an answer.

The problem is, the Chi Ancestor is a Prophet.

It shouldn’t use questions!

In other words, the Chi Ancestor has already seen Du Yu’s ending, on the day the Youhan Tree chooses to burn jade and stone together.

What did this disciple do on that day?

Yang Qingqing stood with arms crossed, looking up at the sky.

In that catastrophe, how would Du Yu react?

It seems there’s no need to glimpse into the heavenly secrets, as Yang Qingqing knows Du Yu’s nature well and can infer a bit by herself.

Du Yu would surely try to save, try to solve problems.

All the Youhan Trees in the world are branches, only the Cold Tree of Bottomless Kunlun is the main body.

So, the disciple will likely go to Bottomless Kunlun to completely cut the tree at the root.

Did he die at Bottomless Kunlun?

Or something more tragic.

He is still alive, but has lost everything.

Like the Little Golden Crow, like the Little Fox, and perhaps...

Yang Qingqing looked at the floating clouds and sighed in her heart: Or maybe me.

"Then I won’t bear all of this, I’ll head straight to Bottomless Kunlun to chop down the main body of the Cold Tree!" Du Yu stated firmly.

As expected!

Yang Qingqing lowered her head to look at Du Yu.

Just as she predicted, he indeed chose this route, simply omitting the process, avoiding disaster.

The Chi Ancestor quietly watched the bamboo grove below, saying nothing.

Du Yu stood up, full of gratitude in his heart, "Thank you, Chi Ancestor, these words have been a great awakening for me!

Now, I know what I need to do, and I’ll strive for a better solution."

"Hmm?" The Chi Ancestor’s eyes suddenly widened, staring blankly at the distant bamboo grove.

Du Yu frowned slightly, "What is it?"

The Chi Ancestor observed the bamboo grove carefully for a while, then turned his head to gaze at the human youth beside him, "You..."

Du Yu asked, "What about me?"

The Chi Ancestor said, "You’re an interesting being."

Du Yu said, "Huh?"

In such a heavy atmosphere, why did such a statement suddenly appear?

The Chi Ancestor quietly gauged Du Yu, seemingly deep in thought, yet unable to find an answer.

Du Yu asked, "Why does the Chi Ancestor say that?"

"I don’t know."

"What?"

The Chi Ancestor shook his head, speaking no more.

Du Yu’s heart stirred, probing, "Doesn’t the Chi Ancestor know everything? Doesn’t the bamboo know?"

"The bamboo... doesn’t know."

"Haha! Hahaha!" Du Yu suddenly laughed, a laugh so abrupt, even a little arrogant, "Doesn’t know? Good!"

Yang Qingqing was a bit surprised, having spent so much time with him, she had never seen this side of her disciple.

Coincidentally, Du Yu also looked towards Master Qing.

Those burning eyes, locking onto the woman’s bright eyes.

She said,

The path, I walk myself!

So... how can you be sure of my ending?