Chapter 58: Life Is Truly Fleeting

“Life… it really withers away in the blink of an eye.”

In the autumn wind, the withered sea of flowers swayed and struggled.

Petals continuously fell from the branches, slowly tumbling in the wind, sometimes pausing, sometimes flying far away, drifting to places even they themselves didn’t know.

Xu Xi watched this scene, feeling the unique melancholy and loneliness of autumn.

He reached out his finger.

Perfectly catching a petal.

“The flowers in Warge City are indeed more fragrant than those in Allenson City. Is it because people here generally worship the Goddess of Nature and the Goddess of Life?”

“However, when it comes to the moment of withering, they are highly consistent.”

Delicate flowers will eventually wither.

Tender green leaves will also turn yellow and fall.

Most lives in this world are this brief and hasty. Although humans can live longer, compared to the eternal gods, they are ultimately too insignificant.

Like a drop of water splashed from a mighty river.

Tiny, humble, unable to draw attention.

Xu Xi didn’t have much desire for longevity. In fact, even if the simulation ended now, he felt it was completely worth it.

Since the simulation began, he had learned many abilities and knowledge, including but not limited to magic use, elemental control, spiritual energy manipulation, magic tool crafting, mystical observation, and composite multi-elemental applications.

Just the elemental attributes Xu Xi controlled numbered over ten, including life and death.

Only time and space remained out of reach.

Such gains, such achievements, aren’t they already rich enough?

Moreover.

Xu Xi is only 27 years old now, still a long way from the true end of his lifespan.

Before the simulation truly ends, his gains will continue to expand.

Therefore, regarding lifespan, Xu Xi is quite open-minded. He never laments the limited life of mortals. What truly worries him is the immortal witch.

Can she live alone after he’s gone?

Will she be crushed by it?

On countless moonlit nights, the man has pondered these questions more than once.

“Mentor.”

A sudden call interrupted Xu Xi’s thoughts.

His fingers subconsciously loosened, and the half-withered petal flew away, brushing past his cheek, grazing his nose, and finally landing on the soil that nurtured its growth.

“What is it, Cressa?”

Xu Xi turned around.

What he saw was the witch, still maintaining her 17-year-old appearance, her gray-silver hair now more lustrous, flowing like light and a waterfall, gently cascading down her back.

A few strands of hair softly fell between her collarbones, making her fair skin seem faintly visible.

Eternal youth brought the witch an undiminished beauty.

Xu Xi thought.

This should be considered a good thing.

However, Cressa herself harbored deep unease about this, fearing the unknown changes.

“Mentor, I… don’t want to become like this.”

Limited life experience made Cressa unable to understand the meaning of immortality. She only knew that she had become different from her mentor.

This was absolutely not allowed.

This was absolutely unacceptable.

The witch’s life was all about getting closer to the “sun.” How could there be such a thing as moving away?

Seeing Cressa so uneasy, Xu Xi comforted her, “It’s okay, Cressa. Immortality isn’t a bad thing. In this world, many people dream of it.”

The girl was somewhat confused, “So, it’s actually a good thing?”

Xu Xi fell silent.

Unlike before, he didn’t immediately answer the witch’s question.

He looked up at the sky, watching birds swoop down through the treetops, navigating the gaps with precise and graceful movements, flying grandly in the sunlight.

“It’s neither good nor bad.”

Xu Xi gave an ambiguous answer.

Life ahead is still long. The witch can experience it herself and define the good and bad of immortality.

…

[Cressa feels uneasy about her changes, vaguely sensing that the distance between her and you is gradually widening]

[Despite your repeated reassurances, this unease shows no signs of dissipating]

[The witch begins to work harder]

[The witch’s strength improves]

[The witch’s household skills improve]

[Cressa continuously strives to be the best in every aspect, hoping to become closer to you]

[You are both amused and exasperated. One afternoon, you lightly tap Cressa’s head, telling her not to overthink and to live each day well]

[Cressa heeds your words, her busy figure slightly restrained]

[Simulation Year 14, you are 28, the witch is 20, still maintaining her 17-year-old appearance]

[From this year on, Cressa begins to consciously reduce her outings. Eternal life gives her an unchanging appearance, but her mental growth continues]

[The witch realizes that her unchanged appearance over three years has sparked some discussions around her]

[Thus, she chooses to reduce her outings to avoid outsiders pointing fingers at you]

The Cultivation World has youth-preserving pills.

The magic world naturally has similar products.

Like the blessings of the Goddess of Beauty or the life spring water that slows aging.

However, even these extraordinary items cannot truly preserve eternal youth.

They only slow the process to an almost imperceptible rate. Inside the human body, organs still grow and age.

Cressa is different.

She is truly immortal, truly eternal, truly frozen in time at 17 years old.

Mortals might find it hard to discern the difference.

But for mages, their highly sensitive spiritual energy allows them to instantly see through the difference between immortality and youth preservation, thus recognizing Cressa’s non-human nature.

After all.

Which ordinary person can live forever?

In the common understanding of the magic world, only gods and a very few long-lived species can achieve this.

To avoid trouble, to avoid conflict, to avoid disrupting Xu Xi’s peaceful life, Cressa chooses to stay in the courtyard, no longer going out for errands as before.

This life continued for two months.

Watching the witch still doing household chores every day, diligently practicing magic, and sweeping the fallen leaves in the courtyard.

Xu Xi made a decision.

“Cressa, let’s prepare to move to another city.”

The sudden news clearly caught the witch off guard. Her usually calm and composed face now showed rare confusion.

“Why… would you make such a decision?”

Cressa asked in bewilderment.

Xu Xi didn’t hide it, answering gently, “Moving to another city where no one knows you or me, that way, Cressa, you can go out again.”

“But,” Cressa was even more puzzled. She looked at Xu Xi, sincerely suggesting, “You don’t need to do this.”

The witch wasn’t particularly interested in going out.

All her actions, all her efforts, were just to better assist her master.

Even if she were confined to the courtyard for a lifetime.

She would only feel happiness.

Therefore, the witch genuinely believed that Xu Xi didn’t need to move away from this hard-earned stable home just because of her.