Xyrin Empire-Chapter 1378: The Price of Immortality

In the morning, I greeted Ice Dad and Ice Mom under immense psychological pressure before having breakfast together. Throughout the meal, the expressions on both parents’ faces... I won’t describe them; you can imagine it yourself. Anyway, it looked rather unsettling. Uncle Kuwayin, who is so handsome he could swipe his way to becoming Earth’s richest man, by the end of breakfast had already managed to smile his way into having three wrinkles on his cheek. Aunt Aisali also appeared inexplicably excited, continuously adding dishes and rice to my plate, which I did appreciate—at least until my view was completely blocked by the food in front of me.

"Look at how worried your parents are," I quipped with Bingdisi in the depths of my soul, "but this reaction does seem a bit exaggerated, huh."

"They do it in phases, it’s nothing," Bingdisi answered drowsily, "They actually do this deliberately to create a sense of urgency for me, and incidentally put pressure on you too. They’ve pulled this stunt hundreds of times. Even if you ignore them, it’s fine."

I chuckled dryly, unsure whether to marvel at Ice Dad and Ice Mom’s "lovably" exaggerated style, marvel at Bingdisi’s understanding of her parents, or marvel at Bingdisi’s imperviousness. Thinking it over, I decided not to marvel: this family of three has been clowning around like this for over a billion years. Regardless of how long I marvel, I won’t finish marveling—even by the next millennium. I should continue feeding my side’s deadpan Ice Sister. Speaking of which, I’ve become quite proficient at the task, not only knowing Bingdisi’s tastes but even judging if she’s full just by intuition and feeding memory: thanks to Bingdisi’s soul perpetually babbling in my mind.

I cared for the vacant Ice Sister like I was tending a child, teaching her to open her mouth, reminding her to chew slowly, feeding her water, and even patting her back if she occasionally choked (though for the Divine Race, it doesn’t matter much). Due to poor coordination, even simple actions went awry, so I had to periodically wipe her mouth and clean the food residue off her clothes. While these countless actions were cumbersome, they weren’t annoying. On one hand, watching such a pretty girl eat absentmindedly was actually quite enjoyable; on the other hand... taking care of children at home honed my skills.

This truly is a sad story.

I feel that the absent-minded, deadpan Bingdisi is actually cuter than her normal self right now. But upon reflection, the normal Bingdisi seems quite... distinctive too. Plus, besides that fact is that the lively Ice Sister hasn’t darted around me in ages—I do miss that figure.

Although this goofball female hooligan has always been by my side, she’s temporarily split into two parts that are stored separately; not assembling them feels consistently odd—can you imagine having plain boiled noodles today and drinking hot water mixed with flavor packets tomorrow? A female hooligan like Bingdisi needs both a healthy physique and a mischievous soul to remain upright...

"Going to Father God later, right?" Bingdisi suddenly spoke, "A preliminary result should be available today, Sovare’s efficiency is always terrifyingly quick."

As I expertly wiped Bingdisi’s (body’s) face, tidied bread crumbs off her clothes, and sorted out her hair, I nodded: "Yeah, there were originally two things to do in the Divine Realm; now that your issue is sorted, the rest is just focusing on research. By the way, you didn’t sleep well last night; take a nap now, I’ll call you if anything comes up."

Bingdisi murmured an "oh," despite her soul form not needing respiration, she still yawned to indicate she was preparing to sleep. Meanwhile, I pondered three questions: Do gods need to yawn? Do souls need sleep? How does Bingdisi handle her hair while sleeping?—I hadn’t time to ask before hearing a fierce threat within my mind: "Try asking another question about hair and see what happens!"

I smiled helplessly, tugging at the corner of my mouth, then glanced at Aunt Aisali watching me with a warm smile. Yeah, Bingdisi was right, her parents were intentionally exaggerating to add psychological pressure, but Aunt Aisali’s expression now seemed normal, right? Uncle Kuwayin also finished dining like a composed old gentleman, waiting for the Shadow Servant to clear the table.

"She fell asleep, didn’t rest well last night, I let her take a nap." Though uncertain, I figured they might have sensed Bingdisi’s soul had shifted from active to quiet, which brought about the behavioral change. Therefore, I informed them Bingdisi had fallen asleep.

"A very troublesome silly girl, huh." Aunt Aisali smiled elegantly, looking nothing like Bingdisi’s mother; gods don’t age, so she seemed more like Bingdisi’s sister, even reaching the point where you can’t tell if she’s the elder or younger sister. With that smile, I faintly saw Bingdisi’s shadow in her: though their personalities differed greatly, their smiles seemed strikingly similar.

"Well, she’s quite lively; once you get used to it, you realize her temperament isn’t too bad, at least very genuine." I returned a smile, speaking from the heart: Bingdisi’s temperament may be overly intense for most, but thanks to the lethargy of Void Creatures, I feel I can adapt to communicating with anyone—look at how well Qianqian’s brain meshes with mine, can’t you?

"Though we know our flustered behavior gives her substantial pressure," Kuwayin sighed softly, "I really have no other way. I’m a rather clumsy father, and spent most of my time outside fighting wars when Bingdisi was little. Every time I returned triumphantly, it felt like a completely unfamiliar young woman lived in my house. She called me dad, but I didn’t know how to speak to her... You see, it gradually turned out this way. Now, the only thing I know and can do as a father is ensure this task is done. And you know what? She disappeared for a long time, losing touch...it’s only now that I want someone to actually anchor that wild girl, you know?"

Unexpected, yet inevitable, I could only spread my hands: "So you’re just going to mess with me, huh?"

"No need for formalities, strictly speaking according to the Void Ladder, when we meet you we should be performing a reception ceremony," Uncle Kuwayin said with a half-joking wave of his hand, "Actually it’s not all ’messing around.’ Bingdisi, that child... is truly worrisome. You should know her, do you think someone like her... not to mention millions of years, even if a few million more pass, could marry..."

"...Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?"

"Don’t say anything."

"Actually, sometimes Bingdisi is a very naive child," Aunt Aisali said, patting her dejected husband aside with a warm smile, "Many see her as a genius, but when it comes to personal issues, she’s as blank as a piece of paper. She doesn’t understand her own feelings at all, and when she encounters emotions she’s never dealt with before, she easily becomes unresponsive, then foolishly categorizes them as the camaraderie she usually only knows."

"I already have Sandora and the others," I chuckled, "I’m quite satisfied with that. As for love, it’s wonderful, but if it’s spread too thin, it might not make everyone happy. Besides, I really don’t think this playful bickering with Bingdisi counts as love..."

"But if it really can let one more person feel happy, why not," Aunt Aisali said softly, though her eyes still shifted away, "Of course, I’m just saying this casually. After all, it’s still your own matter. I can tell that when it comes to you and Bingdisi... things probably can’t develop according to common logic, let nature take its course. Additionally, I have to say, your thoughts make me more satisfied..."

I was speechless and eventually spread my hands with a helpless smile: "Alright, alright, can we not talk about this—besides, Uncle Kuwayin, isn’t it just you too, if Bingdisi had another mom..."

"She does," Aunt Aisali replied casually, "Ancafna, this shameless person knew her even before he knew me."

What?!

I was dumbfounded, completely stunned. What kind of unexpected development is this?!

How did I just casually say something that turned out to be true? Why has Bingdisi never mentioned this to anyone—do you see how proud Xiao Xue is when introducing her three mothers to others?

"Um... so Bingdisi has another mom..." I chuckled awkwardly, my gaze awkwardly falling on Uncle Kuwayin. I originally thought, seeing him always paired with Aunt Aisali, that he only had one wife. But to think this seemingly honest Ice Dad was also multi-threaded, "Then why have I never seen her? Doesn’t she live in this temple?"

"She died in battle in the Sixth Quadrant 1.3 billion years ago and left nothing behind," Kuwayin said quietly, with a calm expression, yet there was a somberness in his eyes that time had struggled to bury, "It’s normal that Bingdisi doesn’t mention her, it’s a matter from so long ago."

Not even 1.3 billion years could smooth over the longing. Even the Divine Race finds it hard to overcome such partings in life and death.

I really wanted to slap myself: "... Sorry."

"It’s alright," Kuwayin shrugged, his expression genuinely indifferent, "In the Divine Realm, whose family doesn’t have a few casualties? Gods don’t age, so sooner or later most of us will die in expeditions in the Abyss or while protecting the world. This won’t change as long as there is a day we can die. Not even Father God has been exempt from such experiences—before the Jia Di sisters, there was still an older sister, but now in the Divine Realm, there might not be more than a hundred gods who’ve actually seen the Eldest Princess’s appearance. To us, this is part of immortal life—and sooner or later, it will be the same for you."

I don’t know how the topic suddenly shifted to such a heavy direction, and while I wanted to change the subject, I wasn’t sure what to say. Kuwayin, this ancient Divine Race who has lived far too long, spoke rightly; this is not something unimaginable: when a race, like gods, never ages, never falls ill, with hearts forever steadfast, and meanwhile, the Abyss and Doomsday forever lurk in the Void, their lengthy lives are actually a cruel one-way journey from the very beginning:

As long as you live long enough, you will eventually die on the battlefield, falling in a remote, cold place unreachable by mortals, leaving behind your hometown and loved ones, with only your name entered in the fallen roster, brought home by your commander.

It’s always a single choice.

"Since the establishment of the Divine Realm, no Divine Race has died in their own bed at home," Kuwayin remarked with a relieved smile, seemingly not finding this topic overly melancholic, "They fall far from home. I’ve already withdrawn from the active deployment of each Expeditionary Army, but you know, even Father God personally goes on expeditions, so I’ll have my day sooner or later."

My gaze passed the nearby crystal windows, silently observing the busy temple gardeners in the garden; anything radiant and splendid stands on heavy bases, and around the roots of the World Tree is only a patch of cold blackness. Star Domain is like this, Huron is like this, Xyrin is like this. Immortals must pay the price of immortality——Bingdisi actually said similar words to himself. But I suddenly don’t find this unbearable: at least, these things happen after a long passage of time, don’t they? And you’ll always have enough opportunity to avoid them.

Or have enough time to smooth over and accept them.

"With that said, only little figures like Life Goddess, who knows nothing and spends their days in lively celebration, is the real winner here," I chuckled suddenly, "They have no death attribute at all, only Void Creatures can erase them."

"Aside from the Light God System personally created by Father God, the life goddess system was the first group promoted to True God by Father God," Kuwayin said lightly, "But after them, Father God never allowed a second race to possess absolute immortality. He has this ability. What do you think is the reason?"

I fell silent for a moment.

"Haha, don’t overthink it, at least life overall is still okay," Uncle Kuwayin didn’t let me stay silent for long, he laughed heartily and slapped my shoulder forcefully, "You need to understand, even Father God doesn’t have the power to shelter every inch of the Void, so let me give you some advice begrudgingly with my elder status: don’t mind those things you can’t recover, just protect everything within your sight, ability, and heart; in that range, even if it means dying, you have to protect them well!"

"I’ve learned." I felt the substantial pressure on my shoulder, enunciating every word.

Kuwayin nodded, and for the first time, I noticed the wise glow in those scarlet eyes belonging to an elder; I suddenly felt tricked by his usually unreliable image, perhaps the real sage is actually...

"Instructing Void Creatures is quite exciting, hey," Kuwayin sidled over and whispered with Aunt Aisali, but his voice was loud enough for the whole room to hear, "You won’t go up and say a few words? When he grows to Father God’s level, we’ll only be able to stare blankly..."

Me: "..."

If I ever believe anyone related to Bingdisi again, I’ll surely lack intelligence in my mental faculties!

With a heart full of emotion, I returned to the Book Tower; Father God was already waiting at the entrance of the Book Tower. His keen observation immediately led him to ask upon our meeting: "Not feeling well?"

"It’s nothing," I sighed, "Just talked with Kuwayin about the Divine Race expeditions, suddenly feeling something about eternal life."

"Is that so," Father God’s wisdom allowed him to deduce everything with just this sentence, but he only smiled warmly, "Dilute the heavy stuff into a hundred million years, and if that doesn’t work, ten billion years—it’s always easier to accept; until then, just try to keep them from happening."

I suddenly thought of a strange question, a question that in the premise of ’infinite’ seems equally inevitable: "Hey, have you ’died’? Like my ’drop dead’ way back then?"

Void Creatures don’t "completely perish," but we have our own "death" method—being banished back to our original state.

"Yes, more than once," Father God replied with an indifferent smile, "The worst time was being banished to the Void for sixteen million years. However, my first ’death’ happened post-maturity, so I didn’t lose all my memories like you. The Divine Realm has specialized measures for such occurrences; when I die—or rather, am banished back to a state of Void dispersion—the Divine Realm partially closes, with the Pantheon taking over management authority, so things usually don’t get delayed, the only hassle being having to re-recognize many people after returning..."

I jaw-dropped in amazement for quite a while, looking at him with an odd expression: "Why’s our topic getting this strange?"

"I’ve had even odder talks with Hila previously," Father God shrugged, "We bet on who’d ’die’ thrice first—the first one to reach the count buys the other a meal. I waited fourteen billion years for that dinner. Oh, maybe sometime she’ll bet with you too; you don’t know how bored she usually is..."

Me: "...Let’s talk about the research then."

Sovare’s work efficiency indeed proved to be high; though not all personnel were in place, the Ancient Spirit Queue used for data screening had run normally. We returned to the Book Tower’s virtual storage area, the screening process went very smoothly this time, at least there were no crashes.

After a brief screening, the suspected targets regarding the Hometown World were reduced by nearly half, eliminating those universes clearly uncontacted by Divine Race’s ’Outer World Observers.’ But the remaining suspected targets are still massive, distributed across all known Void Quadrant: No one knows which quadrant the Hometown World was in initially, so we can only list suspected targets in all quadrants.

However, I suddenly recalled the conversation with Anses about the Exile Ark, where he mentioned how the Ark quickly lost connection after entering the Void, at that time Sandora judged that the phenomenon was due to the Hometown World being situated at the junction of two quadrants.

This was vital information, immediately reducing suspected targets of the Hometown World to one-fifth in quantity.

Then... there was no shortcut for further exclusion.

The days spent in the Divine Realm following this were engaged in this mechanical search work, with insufficient voyage log information provided by ancestors causing the later phase to spiral into a time-wasting and dead-loop situation. Confirming that the extensive data repository could no longer offer more intel, I realized it was time to return to Shadow City.

Of course, another crucial reason for my decision to leave was—

If I don’t return soon, Ice Dad and Ice Mom might tie me and Bingdisi up to the wedding... As someone who upholds true love principles as a new-century good man, this is undoubtedly an escape, comrades! (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to go to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation, monthly tickets—your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com for reading.)