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[RI: UV] Ch 40: Goodbye~
🕑 Added 2025-05-09 13:19:14 +0000 UTC— — — — — —
Hu Blessed Land
Fang Yuan stood calmly, hands clasped behind his back, as Shang Xin Ci stepped deeper into the Blessed Land. Her eyes wandered in quiet awe, taking in the serene beauty around her.
Fang Yuan had already explained the basics to her—what a Blessed Land was, his current situation as an immortal, joining Spirit Affinity House...
Of course, he didn't share his future plans.
Then, a flash of light sparked in front of them.
Poof!
A small figure appeared—puffy cheeks, big eyes, a fluffy white fox tail swaying behind her, and a tiny pink dress fluttering as she floated mid-air.
"I missed you sooo much, Master~! Huh? Who's this?!" Little Hu flew forward, narrowing her eyes at Shang Xin Ci with a pouty, suspicious glare.
Fang Yuan raised an eyebrow. "This is my wife. Shang Xin Ci."
Xin Ci blinked, then gave a soft bow. "It's nice to finally meet you, Little Hu. I've heard a lot about you. Fang Yuan told me you've been a great help to him…"
"Waaaa~! You're so pretty!! Master really said that? Hehe~!!" Little Hu squealed, latching onto Shang Xin Ci's waist in a full-body hug.
Caught off guard, Xin Ci let out a surprised laugh, then gently ran her fingers through the land spirit's hair. "You're adorable… no wonder Fang Yuan depends on you so much."
Fang Yuan cleared his throat. "Little Hu, from now on, treat Xin Ci like me. She's the second master of this Blessed Land. Help her however she asks—she'll be managing my business soon."
Xin Ci smiled gently at the little fox spirit. "I'm counting on you, Little Hu. I heard you're an amazing land spirit."
Little Hu twirled in the air and puffed up proudly. "That's right! I'm super amazing!"
"Yeah, yeah, we know," Fang Yuan said dryly. "Come on, I'll show you the current trades."
With a flick of his finger, a glowing screen materialized in the air. Charts, numbers, Gu trade routes, and lists of resource production scrolled across the display.
It was a visual projection created using one of Fang Yuan's self-made killer moves, a blend of information and phantom paths.
"These are the immortal trades I've set up so far. Right now, this Blessed Land is producing Rank 4 Gu materials. I'll expand it more soon—or rather, the sect I joined will probably handle that."
"Xin'er, you're free to manage it however you want."
Xin Ci stared in awe. "This is… way more than I imagined."
Then her eyes shifted. Something on one of the reports caught her attention. Her expression dimmed.
"…Slaves?"
The list of incoming slave trades made her heart sink. Even though she knew many weren't humans—mostly were rockmen—it just didn't sit right with her.
Fang Yuan noticed her expression and gave a faint, knowing smile. "You'll get used to it. The world's brutal. But here—this part—we can build something better. We can fix that world in the future."
The Fang Yuan of today had inherited countless memories from the original body's past life. To him, slavery was just another part of the reality. But Shang Xin Ci wasn't like that. No matter how much she saw of the world, she couldn't bring herself to accept something like that.
"Fang Yuan… would it be okay if I stopped the slave trades? I promise it won't hurt our profits. I'll make sure we earn more in other ways." Her voice was soft but firm, with a glint of conviction.
Even though she'd never met the slaves, her empathy didn't care. Rockmen or not—they were still lives.
Fang Yuan went silent for a moment.
"…Fine. I don't need them. Cancel the slave trades. Actually—buy them, and set them free. That'll help me later anyway."
Shang Xin Ci blinked in surprise.
"Reputation matters," he added coolly. "Sooner or later, I'll be dealing with other races. Having the image of someone who frees slaves, especially non-humans, could be a great advantage."
"I can get their support way easier."
He looked at her and softened slightly. "So go for it, Xin'er. Do what you want."
Shang Xin Ci's face lit up with a bright smile.
"Thank you."
Then Little Hu zoomed in between them with both hands raised. "Group hug!"
"No," Fang Yuan said immediately.
"Yes!" Shang Xin Ci laughed, reaching for Little Hu anyway and pulling her into a soft embrace.
Fang Yuan sighed, but didn't pull away when Xin Ci's hand brushed his arm. Just for a moment, all the future schemes, conflicts, and manipulation—all of it—felt lighter.
For now, things were quiet—and that was enough.
---
Three Months Later
"I'm heading out—something needs me back at the sect, Xin'er," Fang Yuan said.
He had planned for this moment from the start, yet for some reason, a strange uneasiness lingered in his chest. Still, he couldn't afford to hesitate. This was the step he had joined the sect for.
Shang Xin Ci gave him a gentle nod. "I'll be waiting for you."
"…Goodbye."
Fang Yuan looked at her one last time before turning around and walking out of the blessed land, leaving his farewell hanging in the air like it might be the last time they'd see each other.
— — —
Spirit Affinity House
"As we agreed, Fang Yuan—only one attempt," Xu Hao said firmly.
"We really hope you'll succeed in claiming Thieving Heaven's inheritance," Li Jun Ying added, her voice calm but filled with anticipation.
Fang Yuan had made an agreement with the anti-Feng faction for this one attempt.
And even though he hadn't told them he was an otherworldly demon, both of them were smart enough to realize it.
Still, after Fang Yuan presented a detailed agreement crafted with the help of his A.I. Chip—a near-perfect agreement—they both approved it without much resistance.
"Yeah, I know." Fang Yuan's voice held excitement. He had come so far, and now the door stood open.
Yet, something inside him still felt… off. An uneasy feeling he couldn't explain.
He pushed the thought aside and stepped into the glowing portal. In an instant, his figure disappeared into the light.
"..."
"Do you think he'll make it?" Fairy Li Jun Ying asked softly, letting out a long sigh. Worry clouded her features.
Xu Hao stood silently for a moment, before replying with quiet confidence.
"He's an otherworldly demon. If even he can't do it—who else could?"
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