The Bead of Sorrow and a New Confinement

A Love That Transcends Time

[Born from the distant reaches of stars, bearing the marks of time. It was crafted for you by her countless gazes into the past, containing the power of her very essence.]

[It was saturated with her sorrow, her pain, her regret, and a love that, though spanning across time, had not diminished in the slightest.]

[Etched densely across the bead’s surface, his name appeared countless times.]

[Wearer Effect: Removes level cap, grants full elemental magic affinity, doubles cultivation speed, doubles mana acquisition, and enables adaptive level growth.]

[Attributes: Cannot be unequipped, automatically detonates if wearer is more than three meters away.]

[Abilities: Magic Shield (fully repels attacks based on mana), Full Healing (once daily), Mana Origin (grants you a source of mana).]

[Requirements: Unique, for your exclusive use.]

The question of whose possession this was became instantly, profoundly clear.

He lowered his gaze to his palm, a wave of confusion washing over him.

How had he been abruptly drawn into such a fantastical place, only for a familiar face to suddenly materialize before him?

Why was Aile here, in this world?

And how had this bead come into his possession?

Why, too, was Aile… weeping so forlornly in that desolate void?

Her sorrowful, heart-wrenching cries caused his chest to tighten unbearably.

Most startling of all, could everything he had experienced be more than mere ‘simulations’?

Up until now, he had always believed these were worlds within a game, and thus, even facing death, he had felt no real consequence.

Or perhaps, was all of this merely a prolonged hallucination, a byproduct of his lengthy confinement? Was it possible that in reality, there was no spiritual energy revival, and he had never ventured into any simulated worlds?

What truly transpired in that world after his demise?

A whirlwind of thoughts churned within Mingqian, leaving his eyes dry.

Though his most pressing concern should have been to escape, he found himself utterly incapable of moving.

As if echoing his profound contemplation, the bead in his hand began to grow warm, and scenes of time once again rewound, transporting him back to that fateful day.

This was the tale that unfolded after she had personally taken Mingqian’s life.

Everything had ended.

Having witnessed the truth with her own eyes, the young woman could no longer control her emotions, plummeting into an abyss of self-loathing and despair.

‘I want to die so badly.’

‘But I cannot die.’

She sat listlessly in Mingqian’s chair, day after day, her heartbroken wails gradually subsiding into soft whimpers, desperately wishing it all to be a mere jest from her teacher.

‘Just as he had faked his death before, this, too, must be part of his grand scheme…’

Yet, no miracle arrived.

She laughed through her tears, and cried through her laughter, attempting every conceivable method to alleviate her grief, but nothing offered solace for more than a fleeting second.

Not a single second passed without thoughts of her teacher consuming her.

To forget him was an impossibility for her.

She felt as though she had utterly lost everything, hating herself, hating the very part of herself that had demanded her teacher’s life.

She hated those who had dared to insult her teacher.

She hated this world, where she could no longer see her teacher.

“I will never accept this…”

“Never!”

Thus, she resolved to alter this world, to rescue her teacher from the relentless currents of time.

Clenching her teeth, she knew that this time, no one could aid her.

After an arduous passage of time, she finally succeeded.

She ascended to the Celestial Realm, trampled demon lords beneath her feet, and ultimately became the undisputed strongest being in this world.

She reached out to time itself, yet no matter how she tried, she could not bring him back.

All she could do was wander aimlessly within the river of time, vacantly replaying moments from the past.

In the end, she sorrowfully retreated into herself, waiting in lonely solitude for someone.

But the wait proved far too long, and at last, she could no longer hold back her tears.

She simply kept weeping.

Such was Aile’s past; fragmented and indistinct, yet Mingqian could still discern the boundless sorrow woven within it.

“…”

“Wh-wh-wh-who shoved this bead into my hand?!”

He had never imagined that the young girl he once knew would blossom into such breathtaking beauty and formidable power.

She had ultimately uncovered the full truth.

Mingqian had assumed that with the passage of time, she would eventually find peace, but it seemed the opposite had occurred.

The relentless march of time had not diluted her memories; instead, it had carved deeper, more poignant marks upon them.

He knew, of course, that he held a significant place in the young woman’s heart; indeed, he had shaped the entire first half of her life.

His two deaths would undoubtedly have been an immense blow to her.

Yet, if given the chance to relive it, he knew nothing would change.

That world did not require a gentle, ordinary girl; it needed a witch capable of altering everything.

If one lacked power, they should seek out those who possessed it.

He was deeply content that he had nurtured the young woman into adulthood.

He harbored no regrets.

‘That vision… perhaps it was merely a memory stored within the bead.’

This theory also explained why he had only reacted after coming into contact with the bead.

After the memory concluded, the bead vanished into his pocket, yet, strangely, he couldn’t find it no matter how he searched.

Still, she remained just as he remembered Aile: a gentle, adorable, and well-behaved girl.

Far superior to Bai Wanting, beyond all comparison!

“I truly don’t know when I’ll see Aile again, but seeing that she’s doing well puts my mind at ease.”

“When we meet again, I hope she’s still the same as before.”

However, now was not the time for such reflections.

He wondered just how powerful Aile had truly become, given that a mere item of hers was akin to a divine artifact.

Setting aside its astonishing abilities, even the simple ‘cultivation speed x2’ effect alone was a treasure many dreamed of.

Mingqian suddenly realized.

‘Wasn’t this, too, a form of soft rice (TL Note: A Chinese slang term, ‘ruanfan,’ referring to a man who relies on a woman’s wealth or power for his livelihood, often associated with being a kept man or living off a sugar mommy.)?’

‘He had just escaped from living off Bai Wanting, only to now plunge into another such arrangement?’

‘Was he… was he truly becoming a kept man?’

“I’m not a kept man; I was merely coerced by her.”

“A gentleman is judged by his actions, not his intentions… A gentleman is judged by his actions, not his intentions.”

These past few days, he hadn’t felt happy in the slightest.

Thoughts of relying on others, of being coerced—all these unbearable memories flooded his mind.

“That’s right, I’ve never once been happy living off someone else!”

“Unless it’s my own student, of course.”

He shook himself free from his musings; after all, the immediate priority was to depart from this place.

“This… this is the air of freedom.”

He closed his eyes, savoring the hard-won taste of liberty.

Perhaps it was the daytime, but the sunlight gently cascaded upon his face, accompanied by the fragrant scent of gardenias…

‘Wait, is it even gardenia season right now?’

Just as he was about to take a step, his body was firmly ensnared by an unseen force.

“Are you saying that everything you just said was a lie?”

He turned mechanically, only to find Bai Wanting standing there, laden with numerous expensive-looking bags, her gaze chillingly fixed on his eyes.

“Uh…”

“I-I’m here to quit relying on you…”

He had intended to use his momentum to sternly rebuke Bai Wanting, but the moment his eyes met the stubborn resolve and nascent tears in her gaze, he found himself utterly speechless.

A sudden realization struck him: he couldn’t entirely blame Bai Wanting; his own indecisiveness was also at fault.

Mingqian could even hear the frantic pounding of his own heart.

“Xiaoqian, you’re not going anywhere.”

“Didn’t you already promise me? Aren’t we already together?”

“I…”

“I only ever saw you as a childhood friend. We can start over as friends.”

“Don’t make excuses!”

Bai Wanting’s voice resonated with such force that it made his ears ache.

Her slender fingers gripped Mingqian’s shoulders tightly, as if intent on sinking into his flesh, but he hadn’t yet registered the pain.

Flickering, uncertain shadows danced within Bai Wanting’s eyes.

“Then, let’s just do it here.”

Because… the drug’s effects had not yet worn off.