The celestial moon drifts leisurely, the waters gleam with lunar light.
The moon resides in the chamber of the heart.
The heart is entrusted in the form of the moon.
The water, devoid of substance, through its reflection of the celestial moon, can adopt an equally radiant appearance.
Yet...
If the moon in the sky were to vanish, the ephemeral moon in the water, having lost its reference, would revert to an empty void.
Wu Yingxue could not bear to see the moon disappear.
She could not stand by and watch that fool risk his life once again.
She wanted the moon, that radiant celestial body, to continue hanging in its rightful night sky, rather than being lost forever in the uncharted depths of the great mountains.
"Thank you all, please take Sir Xu away quickly."
"I will take over and face the enemy from here."
"This time... I am truly grateful to everyone for helping me stop Sir Xu."
Wielding a long spear.
Stepping with unsteady steps.
Wearing tattered red and white warrior attire.
Wu Yingxue urged the villagers to leave, but their eyes were filled with grief, unwilling to let the young Miss Wu face the demon alone.
She merely shook her head, using the one thing they cared most about—Xu Xi's safety—to halt their movements.
"Go quickly, as far away as possible, you cannot help here."
"Take Sir Xu away from the Ten Thousand Great Mountains."
"That way, Sir Xu won't be able to do anything rash and endanger himself."
A choked sound arose.
Torches flickered, held aloft by thin, emaciated arms, illuminating countless tear-streaked faces.
They cried out, calling her "Miss Wu".
They protected Sir Xu, the "Great Fool" of the entire world, as he left.
"It's... good..." Wu Yingxue watched as the surviving army retreated, seeing the torches in the inky blackness of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains connect to form a long fiery dragon.
It was a farewell flame, a flame that led to new beginnings.
At the same time,
It was also a flame bidding farewell to the "Great Fool."
"Sir Xu, please... live on..."
Beneath the night's curtain, in the stillness of the darkness, Wu Yingxue's face softened for once as she watched the "fire dragon" gradually recede into the distance.
Then, she turned, grasping her spear alone, advancing toward the terrifying, domineering aura.
Her body moved forward.
Her heart flew away.
Her shoes crunched over rough gravel, the intermittent rubbing sound in the dark night outlining Xu Xi's face.
"Sir Xu really is a big idiot, a great fool."
The girl evaluated it in this way.
...…
If someone were to ask, who is the smartest person in the surviving army, the villagers would quickly, in unison, answer.
It is "Sir Xu".
And if asked in return, who is the stupidest, most foolish person in the surviving army.
The villagers would still answer "Sir Xu".
It was common knowledge.
Xu Xi was the most foolish, an unreasonable fool, a fool beyond repair.
"Brother Xi is amazing, he can punch and kill a hundred lords in one go!"
"That's right, Brother Xi can bring us meat to eat!"
The villagers of the surviving army often praised Xu Xi's extraordinary abilities in front of Wu Yingxue, using all sorts of peculiar words.
As if intentionally matchmaking something.
Yet occasionally.
Wu Yingxue could also hear from the villagers, both sobs and laughter mixed in their curses.
They cursed Xu Xi for being too foolish, able to live a peaceful life alone, yet insisting on meddling with so many peasants.
They cursed Xu Xi for being too stupid, able to order others around like the lords, yet refusing to do so.
That man was the most foolish fool in the entire world.
He risked his life to slay demons, yet asked for only a few corn buns in return. He often returned covered in wounds, merely laughing it off.
Everyone in the surviving army had injuries.
Wu Yingxue had suffered many injuries herself.
Yet those wounds, compared to those Xu Xi endured, were completely insignificant.
His body was shattered hundreds, thousands of times, his blood squeezed dry countless times. At some unknown point, the once gentle and smiling Sir Xu gave off an air of disintegration.
As if he could collapse at any moment.
Forever, endlessly, bid farewell to everyone's sight.
Wu Yingxue knew, Xu Xi had exhausted his body by running the "Idiot Skill" too many times, causing irreversible self-destruction.
"Sir Xu is truly foolish."
Walking through the dark forest.
The girl paused slightly.
She looked up toward the sky, through the dense foliage, struggling to catch a glimpse of the bright and blinding celestial moon, now obscured.
Xu Xi was too foolish, Sir Xu was far too foolish, never considering himself.
In truth, tonight's plan to drug the meat broth.
The girl hadn't thought it would succeed.
Xu Xi was at the third realm of the primordial state, infinitely close to becoming a true human immortal. Such a powerhouse wouldn't be easily affected by drugs.
But the truth was before Wu Yingxue.
Xu Xi collapsed in mere moments under the drug's effect.
This showed that Xu Xi's body had already collapsed, losing even the most basic resistance, allowing Wu Yingxue's plan to succeed.
"Such a body."
"Such a Sir Xu."
"How could I feel at ease..."
Wu Yingxue moved forward again.
Her steps staggered, her posture abnormal, the wound on her ankle throbbing, affecting her with every moment.
Yet this physical pain paled in comparison to the pain in her heart.
It was hoarse, it was tearing.
As if her heart was being scooped out.
That fool, the greatest fool in the entire world, the finest fool in the entire world, even with his body in such a state, his mind still thought of others.
During the recent sunset.
Despite his own pale complexion, Xu Xi bandaged the girl's wound.
Truly…
Truly.
Truly.
A super fool!!!
Her lips trembled, her grip tightened on the spear.
A few soft moonlight rays gently fell on the girl's shoulder, yet couldn't soothe her in the slightest.
Wu Yingxue couldn't accept, merely thinking about it made her nose sting. She couldn't bear to watch her frail Sir Xu face the most terrifying demon alone.
Such a result, such a conclusion.
Was something the girl could never accept.
That fool who would wish her a happy new year during the new year's eve.
That fool who would accompany her stargazing during the starry nights.
That fool who would teach her how to fold paper flowers during the quiet courtyards.
She couldn't accept.
Couldn't accept his eternal goodbye.
"Sir Xu, you always think of others' safety, yet forget that your own safety is equally important."
Xu Xi had never considered himself.
Always thinking of others.
This time, Wu Yingxue wanted to switch roles, from being the「protected」to becoming the「protector」, to protect that finest fool in the entire world.
"It seems I've become a fool just like Sir Xu."
"What a peculiar feeling..."
Wu Yingxue suddenly lowered her head.
She looked at her injured ankle.
Clean white cloth, after being stained by the wound's blood, turned faintly reddish, like a red string tied around her foot.
But knowing Sir Xu's nature.
He probably didn't think that much during the bandaging, did he?
After all.
That was the greatest fool in the entire world.
The girl's mouth curved slightly upward, she stopped her forward steps, holding her spear fearlessly raised towards the front.
Directed right at the demon of the Great Qian.