Chapter 2756: Ex? Current?
Jiang Nan fell silent. He didn't know what kind of obsession could make this fierce wind blow for two billion two hundred million years through the long years after the end of an era.
What kind of love could support such a longing for eternity?
Looking at Black God, looking at Linqing's shell, Jiang Nan seemed to understand everything...
An old friend, huh?
At some point, the two had reached the center of the fierce wind, where an unceasing storm raged!
Even the Wind Ball was barely enough to resist!
But Black God didn't care. Instead, he clasped his hands behind his back and looked toward the center of the storm, his voice slightly hoarse...
"Come out～ You knew I was coming long ago. How long do you plan to hide?"
As soon as the words were spoken, Jiang Nan felt the howling wind around his ears grow distant!
The noisy world suddenly became much quieter...
At the center of the Eternal Fierce Wind, where the storm was strongest, a figure was outlined by the wind!
He didn't have a fixed form—ethereal like the wind, constantly changing his shape!
Youth, middle age, elder, all kinds of races, beast forms, even a weapon, an object...
Endlessly shifting, but no matter how he changed, the only constant was the heart beating inside his body!
The Eternal Heart!
Transparent like crystal, beautiful and sacred, pure and simple, emitting a dazzling glazed light!
The rhythmic heartbeat wasn't strong, but it echoed through the endless wind, causing the gale to pulse in rhythm with the beats!
As soon as the figure appeared, the Destiny Sense went crazy with warnings!
Extreme danger!
This feeling had never come even when Jiang Nan faced so many Star Devourer big shots!
He instinctively tensed up, biting his lip!
The Wind Spirit kept changing forms, altering his appearance, and finally outlined the image of a young man, like a ghost in the wind!
The appearance was exactly that of Linqing!
Now, the two stood in the wind, facing each other from a distance, looking the same!
But one was made of wind, illusory as if he might scatter at any moment!
The other was real, but carried a lonely soul within his body!
Linqing smiled, a smile brilliant as a warm spring breeze!
"I'm not hiding from you. I just didn't know what posture to meet you with, or what to say..."
"Xingye... you still came to see me. I'm very happy. Here... it's warm..."
With that, he raised his hand and placed it on the Eternal Heart, his eyes full of gloom...
"It's a pity... I've forgotten most of the beautiful memories. I am me... but I am no longer me. I'm sorry..."
Jiang Nan froze. Sure enough, it was just as he had guessed!
The source of this fierce wind was indeed Linqing, Black God's old friend!
Xingye? Was that the name Black God used before?
Black God's gaze was complex: "You don't need to remember... I remember."
Linqing smiled, his small hands behind his back, his eyes constantly sizing up Black God!
"Seeing my own body like this feels strange. Why did it take you so long to come see me..."
"Have you used my body well? Did you do anything bad with it?"
Black God smiled bitterly: "No... this is the first time I've used it, and I didn't really want to."
Linqing looked a bit sad: "Sorry... I didn't leave you any good memories."
Everyone has corners in their heart they don't want touched, memories buried away they don't want to recall, because every time they do, it hurts so much they can't breathe!
So after Black God obtained Linqing's body, he never used it.
Even sneaking a glance would be torture for Black God.
But this time, for Jiang Nan's sake, Black God used this body and brought him here.
Black God shook his head: "Everything ended long ago... I've let it go. No need to apologize."
Linqing smiled: "But you still came, didn't you? Actually, last time so many people came here, I noticed you, hey～"
"Just didn't dare to be sure, since you hid it from me for so long..."
Black God rolled his eyes: "You think I wanted to come? If I hadn't come, how much longer could you hold on?"
Linqing froze, then with some confusion reached out to caress the endless wind...
"Who knows? Time... really is ruthless. How much of the brilliant splendor of the Eternal Era do people still remember..."
"I'm tired... I can't blow anymore. Maybe this fierce wind that started in the Eternal Era will one day disappear into the starry sky, leaving no trace..."
Blowing endlessly—even the wind gets tired and wants to stop and rest, right?
But it can't stop...
Black God smiled bitterly: "You've held on long enough."
Linqing stubbornly shook his head: "No... not long enough!"
His form was illusory, as if it might shift to another shape at any moment!
But Linqing struggled to maintain his current appearance.
His gaze fell on Jiang Nan, his big eyes full of smiles:
(๑ᵒ̴̶̷◡ᵒ̴̶̷)"Who is this? Kinda handsome, huh? He's already threatening my, Linqing-sama's, good looks～"
"Is he a new friend you made? I thought after I left, you'd never make new friends again～"
"Is he more interesting than me? I'm a bit jealous, haha～"
As he spoke, he started circling Jiang Nan!
Jiang Nan's forehead dripped with sweat. This guy is as narcissistic as me!
And didn't I say this line before?
Black God rolled his eyes:
(꒪ͦ～꒪ͦ๑)"It's not like I'm stuck with you. Let me introduce—Jiang Nan! My little brother!"
Linqing looked surprised, propped his chin, and examined him more closely:
(๑❛ัก❛ั)"Oh? Jiang Nan, huh? Not bad, not bad..."
Jiang Nan: (•́ω•̀٥)
"Um... I really don't want to interrupt your reunion vibe, but I have a cheeky remark I don't know if I should say."
"Why do I feel like Black God broke up with his ex, brought his current to meet the ex, and introduced the current to the ex?"
Linqing froze, then couldn't hold it in. He tilted his head and burst out laughing, even the surrounding fierce wind picked up a bit!
(´థヮథ)σ "Pfft... pfft hahaha! Indeed more interesting than me!"
Black God's old face flushed red. He rushed over and started digging hard at Jiang Nan's philtrum, making Jiang Nan's eyes roll back.
(ꐦ°᷄益°᷅)"You're cheeky enough! If you know you shouldn't say it, then don't say it, dammit! Ex and current? Bullshit!"
Linqing laughed: "Seeing you so happy, I'm relieved..."
Black God said bluntly: "Let's get to business. Under the erosion of time, your obsession is almost worn away."
"You are the core of the Eternal Fierce Wind. Because of you, everything engraved in the wind can continue to exist..."
"But the Eternal Fierce Wind... can't last forever. You know better than anyone that you can't even survive this Thousand Stars Era."
"Are you willing to just disappear silently like this?"
Linqing shook his head: "No... I don't want to, and neither do they. If the Eternal Fierce Wind disappears..."
"Who will remember the glory that once belonged to the Eternal Era? We... left nothing behind..."
Black God's gaze was deep: "The Eternal Heart was formed from the collective will of everyone who fell on the battlefield in the Universal War!"
"It contains everything about all of you, all the splendor of the Eternal Era!"
"Give this heart to Jiang Nan. Let him become the bearer of the Eternal Heart, taking the glory and honor of the Eternal Era all the way to the end of time!"
"Become the new fierce wind of the new era, blowing toward the future! Take over and keep going! As long as this Eternal Heart keeps beating, someone will still remember the glory of the Eternal Era!"
"Continuing to tough it out is just torture for you, and you can't hold on much longer..."
Jiang Nan fell silent, his gaze becoming incredibly complex.
This wasn't just a simple Eternal Heart!
Once he took this heart, it meant responsibility and mission!
This was almost cruel!
Although Black God had been talking about treasures all along, Jiang Nan never imagined that the weight of this Eternal Heart would be so heavy!
Linqing froze, but almost without hesitation, he smiled and nodded heavily!
(๑❛ั◡❛ั)"Fine! Give it to him!"
Jiang Nan: ∑(°口°๑)Huh?
Just like that? So hasty? This this this...
Black God's mouth twitched too:
(￢益￢٥)"I tell you to give it and you give it? Don't you even ask if this kid is up to it?"
Linqing smiled brilliantly:
(๑⁼̴ヮ⁼̴)"He's the one Xingye chose. What do I have to worry about?"
"I trust you, so naturally I trust him too～"
Black God was now torn between laughter and tears:
"You big idiot! Still as dumb as ever!"
That was way too quick!
But then Linqing's expression turned serious:
"I can give the Eternal Heart to Jiang Nan! But like I said before, I am me... but I am no longer me..."
"The fierce wind records the final glory of the Eternal Era. The Eternal Heart is even more the collective will of everyone who fell in the war! It embodies our common wish!"
"I accept Jiang Nan, but that doesn't mean other wills accept him! It still depends on whether Jiang Nan has the ability to reach the end of time!"
"Giving up the Eternal Heart means disappearance. This is our final entrustment. It cannot fail!"
"It depends on whether Jiang Nan is qualified to bear the Eternal Heart. After all, he's pitifully weak right now. He doesn't seem like a very good candidate to entrust things to, does he～?"
Jiang Nan: (ꐦ°᷄◡°᷅)
This ex of Black God's is pretty good at provoking too, huh?
But Jiang Nan couldn't argue. Compared to the afterimages in this fierce wind, he was not just an ordinary chicken.
And most of these afterimages had exhausted their power, their might less than a tenth of its peak!
It was hard to imagine how stunning the final glory of the Eternal Era must have been.
Black God raised an eyebrow at Jiang Nan:
(͡°↼͡°)✧"See～ I told you you're a weakling, but you didn't believe me! Now you're being looked down on, huh?"
"Don't embarrass me later."
Jiang Nan's forehead bulged with two more veins:
(ꐦ°᷄◡°᷅ꐦ)"This Eternal Heart! I, Jiang Nan, am determined to have it!"