Chapter 380: Chapter 360: Side Story: You and I, in Life and Death_3
Su Zhiruan looked at them and suddenly felt that coming to the Divine World was indeed the right decision.
Days passed by, one after another.
The children grew up quickly; in just a few years, they shot up like willow branches, even towering over Su Zhiruan.
Sometimes, the family of six would go to the Human World for fun. After the change of dynasties, the common people even thought they were a group of peers, not realizing these were the children of Su Zhiruan and Changqi.
The four children were very filial and respectful to their parents from a young age. Changqi and Su Zhiruan also placed a great emphasis on their education and sent them out to gain experience when they were grown.
Under the collective adoration of the Divine World, the children gradually grew up and their capabilities became increasingly outstanding. From a young age, they began helping Su Zhiruan manage the affairs of Shen Kingdom. Now that Changqi had recognized their skills, he also started to cultivate them. Since there had always been an absence of a Divine Emperor in the Divine World, it had been Changqi maintaining the balance and stability of the Six Realms all these years. Now with the help of the children, his burden was much lighter.
When he was alone, facing the endless expanse of life without seeing the end, he had never felt time pass by so quickly. But now, as he watched his children grow up day by day by his knees, acquiring knowledge, knowing more and more, and smiling more, with his beloved by his side, he felt the greatest happiness in the world.
In their free time, Su Zhiruan and Changqi talked about love. Though they had married long ago, strolling hand in hand like young lovers through the streets of the Human World was still a fresh experience. For them, as long as the other was by their side, it was always sweet.
After the children returned with their education completed, they began to take over the affairs of the Divine World. They had shown extraordinary talent from childhood, and now they were handling the issues of the Divine World effortlessly. Soon, each of the four children managed different aspects of governance, keeping the Divine World and the other Six Realms in perfect order and maintaining the laws and order established before.
A hundred years later, Changqi was able to completely let go of the affairs of the Divine World, confidently leaving everything in the hands of his children. As they were connected by blood and descendants of a god, he never worried about them harboring ill intentions. Since they were Changqi’s children, they jointly maintained the affairs of the Six Realms, and others were very assured as well.
Feng Qing would appear from time to time, trying to sway Su Zhiruan, but Changqi always watched vigilantly. Besides, Su Zhiruan had no such thoughts, so Feng Qing eventually gave up his scheme. He decided to focus on accompanying the children as they grew, treating them as if they were his own.
After several hundreds or even thousands of years had passed.
Su Zhiruan’s life had reached its end.
Unlike Changqi, she was a Rabbit Demon; even though Changqi tried every method, even sharing his Divine Power with her, it was of no avail because Su Zhiruan was not from this world, and her original form was a Rabbit Demon. She was sent by the System to perform tasks; therefore, despite being very powerful, her lifespan was only a few thousand years.
When the time was almost up, she could feel her life draining from her bit by bit, weakening her spirit to the point where she could only lie in bed all day, her hair white as frost, eyes tightly shut, and complexion pale as death.
The four children, now truly grown-ups, tightly held Su Zhiruan’s hands, gathered around her bed. Tears welled up in their eyes, unwilling to let her go.
“Alright, alright, stop crying; Mother is still right here, you all go on with your work!” Su Zhiruan coughed weakly, waving her hand, hoping the children would leave her bedside and attend to their own tasks.
Changqi had been by her side for a thousand years, but at this moment, he dared not look at Su Zhiruan’s face again. His hair was already silver, and now Su Zhiruan’s hair had turned white too. Together, they presented a picture of growing old together. Even though Changqi was still physically healthy, he was afraid, feeling a deep emptiness and pallor in his heart. He just lay on a side lounge chair, his hands trembling, too scared to approach.
“You all go out for a bit. Yun Xia, take your brothers to the door and fetch the wine Mother buried a few years ago!” Su Zhiruan sent the children away.
At this point, the children’s eyes were already completely red. Even though their abilities and powers were remarkable now, when faced with their mother, even if they had scoured the world for Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures and sought all kinds of herbs from heaven to earth, they still couldn’t prevent her aging, couldn’t stop the passing of her life.
After they left, only Su Zhiruan and Changqi remained at the scene. Su Zhiruan tilted her head and whispered softly, “Won’t you come and take one last look at me?”
Changqi’s fingertips trembled. He turned his head slightly, unwilling to let Su Zhiruan see his face at that moment, and murmured, “You’ll be alright, we haven’t yet gone to Abyss Valley to pick the Seven-star Grass together, something you had promised me…”
At that moment, feelings of grievance, panic, fear, and other complex emotions surged in his heart. He spoke incoherently, not even knowing what he was saying, just trying to hold on to Su Zhiruan, even if just for one more second.
“I’m sorry, I broke our appointment this time.” Su Zhiruan knew she was about to leave this world. She opened her hands, and the next second, Changqi held them tightly.
Su Zhiruan sighed deeply, and finally, just chuckled softly, “See you next time.”
Under Changqi’s stunned gaze, she slowly closed her eyes.
The children stood at the entrance of the courtyard, sensing what was happening. The wine jars in their hands slipped and shattered in an instant, turning into countless fragments. The scent of wine spread all over the courtyard, but at that moment, they had no care to pay attention to it.
Su Zhiruan completely left this world.
Perhaps unable to accept this outcome, Changqi revived briefly for three days, teaching the children a great deal.
Afterward, he personally wrote a suicide note and sealed it.
In the end, dressed in the white clothes he wore on the day they reunited, he died in Abyss Valley, his body and soul not entering the cycle of rebirth but turning to ashes right there.
Before dying, he held a Seven-star Grass in his hand.
Upon learning this, Yun Xia and the others were greatly saddened, weeping for days. Finally, upon reading Changqi’s suicide note, they had a great realization and their cultivation bases improved further.
Their parents, the best parents in the world.
After Su Zhiruan died in this world, she found herself back in the System Space.
Having been absent for thousands of years, returning to this place felt both strange and familiar.