### Chapter 318: Xiao Xiao
“Xiao Xiao—!!”
Yun Zhonghe’s voice reverberated louder, finally reaching her side with a hint of urgency.
Her face slowly lifted from her knees.
But her eyes remained empty.
Not enough! Far from enough! Just this call could never truly pull her out of the depths of despair.
Seeing this, Yun Zhonghe felt a surge of anxiety and fury. He clenched his teeth and glared fiercely at the darkness ahead, as if he could incinerate it with sheer will.
And at that moment, black stone doors popped into existence before him, towering and heavy, forming a gigantic barrier that blocked his path.
Yun Zhonghe froze. That ominous aura… it was undoubtedly the Disaster Empress!
Her will was manipulating everything in the dark, trying to stop Yun Zhonghe from reaching and waking Su Xiao Xiao.
“B*stard! You’ve been dead for thousands of years! Go rest in peace already! Quit bothering her!!!”
Yun Zhonghe shouted in rage.
Even if they were reincarnated, to Yun Zhonghe, they were not the same person at all.
The Disaster Empress was the Disaster Empress, and Su Xiao Xiao was Su Xiao Xiao; they had different souls! The Disaster Empress had no right to control Su Xiao Xiao’s life, especially since she saw Su Xiao Xiao merely as a tool for her own resurrection.
Yun Zhonghe absolutely wouldn’t allow it!
Yet those heavy dark doors resolutely kept them apart. Yun Zhonghe charged forward recklessly, slamming into them with all his might.
Boom!
At that moment, his spiritual energy exploded with fury. He howled at the sky, radiating brilliant light, clashing against the doors with his spirit and will.
Boom!
Boom!
His steadfast resolve and indomitable courage, amplified by the Observation Heart Technique, made Yun Zhonghe’s spirit tougher than ever!
He felt a sudden shift in his spiritual essence!
The Observation Heart Technique broke through a layer!
There were three layers to the technique, and each breakthrough doubled the strength of his spiritual energy.
Originally, he needed to reach a focused state to enhance his spiritual power, but a miracle was unfolding within Yun Zhonghe.
His spiritual energy doubled!
“Uh ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah!!!”
His formidable spiritual energy shattered one dark door after another.
“Xiao Xiao…”
“Xiao Xiao!”
“Xiao Xiao!!!”
Yun Zhonghe’s voice transmitted to Su Xiao Xiao, growing louder and louder. Her sleeping consciousness began to awaken, feeling a familiar warmth.
The girl finally had a glimmer of light in her eyes. Her heartbeat quickened with the radiance, as if something important was approaching, filling her with both tension and anticipation.
She widened her eyes, trying hard to see what lay ahead, until a figure draped in gold burst through the heavy dark door like a beam of dawn, opening a direct path to her!
“Xiao Xiao…”
Yun Zhonghe stood breathless in front of her, his voice tinged with exhaustion, evidently drained after smashing through those dark doors. But when he saw the girl finally responding to his call, his fatigue vanished, replaced by boundless joy.
Yun Zhonghe slowly walked closer, crouching down beside her.
“Who… are you?” she timidly lifted her head to look at him, her voice barely audible.
Hearing her, Yun Zhonghe couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly. After all they had been through, he still had to introduce himself again.
But…
After a moment’s thought, Yun Zhonghe smiled warmly and softly said:
“I’m… here to take you home.”
“Home?”
“That’s right! Your friends, your sister, are all waiting for you, Xiao Xiao… oh no, Xiao Xiao, will you come with me?”
Su Xiao Xiao—there was her real name!
Su Xiao Xiao stared into Yun Zhonghe’s face, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity. Even though she had no memories of him, he felt strangely known.
Without thinking, she reached out, her fingertips gently brushing against Yun Zhonghe’s cheek.
A warm current illuminated the entire cold world, the soft glow chasing away the surrounding chill and darkness.
Though she didn’t recognize this man, Su Xiao Xiao felt an unexplainable thrill and joy inside her.
“I… I want to go home.” Tears welled up in her eyes, seemingly pouring out her innermost feelings as she shouted, “I want to go home! I want to go back, I don’t want to stay here!”
Such a loud proclamation of hope!
Yun Zhonghe couldn’t help but grin: “Alright, I’ll take you home.”
He took Su Xiao Xiao’s hand and gently helped her up.
At that moment, a radiant corridor filled with flowers appeared out of thin air before them. The vibrant blossoms intertwined with lush green leaves, forming a beautiful picture leading away into the distance, as if guiding them back home.
“Wow~~!!!”
As Su Xiao Xiao beheld the corridor, her eyes sparkled with delight, her spirits soaring as if she had discovered the most beautiful world on earth.
All of this was crafted by Yun Zhonghe’s spiritual energy for her.
Stepping onto this floral path, they would leave behind the unbearable memories of pain and walk toward happiness.
“Do you like it?” Yun Zhonghe asked with a grin.
“Mm!”
“Then let’s go!”
Yun Zhonghe held onto Su Xiao Xiao’s hand tightly, moving forward with determination.
Each step, though light, seemed to carry the weight of endless burdens.
They walked side by side. The road might be long, but Yun Zhonghe would accompany her every step of the way.
However, halfway through, a pale figure blocked their path.
The Disaster Empress!
Su Xiao Xiao instinctively felt a wave of fear. She clutched Yun Zhonghe’s sleeve tightly, hiding behind him, peering ahead with terrified eyes.
Yun Zhonghe also wore a grim expression, staring her down.
The Disaster Empress showed no intention of attacking.
Moreover… she was merely a wisp of consciousness awakening, even less than the remnants of Xing Bu.
Yun Zhonghe boldly held Su Xiao Xiao’s hand, brushing past the Disaster Empress.
“Your choice will lead you down a difficult path.”
With her back turned to them, she suddenly spoke, her voice drifting. “Your choice will lead you down a painful road. You shouldn’t save her; her misfortune will invisibly transfer onto you. Can you handle what she bears?”
Yun Zhonghe’s steps paused slightly, deep in thought.
He noticed Su Xiao Xiao next to him looking at him anxiously, concern etched on her face. Yun Zhonghe smiled nonchalantly: “It doesn’t matter.”
Those three words were short but powerful, stirring both Su Xiao Xiao and the Disaster Empress.
“In that case…” the Disaster Empress muttered quietly, then slowly turned away, no longer concerned. “I hope you can make it.”
With no further words or actions to stop them, Yun Zhonghe continued forward with Su Xiao Xiao, backs to her as they walked away.
