[Vol. 6] Chapter 268: Friends
The impact of the second great demon war was quickly fading thanks to the joint efforts of the Four Nations of the Ancient Spirit Realm and Spirit Veil Immortal Island.
Violet didn’t completely wipe out all the demons and their related forces across the continent. Instead, she weakened them to a point where they could no longer cause large-scale chaos, yet still left them with just enough strength to linger.
After cutting off the connection between the power of the [Apocalypse] and the Ancient Spirit Realm, the demons lost their endless source of growth. However, that didn’t mean they would all suddenly vanish. After all, the distorted laws of the world had yet to fully recover.
While it was possible to forcefully purge them, doing so excessively could backfire. It was like treating an illness. Destruction had taken root in the Ancient Spirit Realm for over a thousand years. If the priestess recklessly removed it all at once, the land itself might suffer as a result.
Thus, leaving a controlled amount behind and allowing time and future generations to gradually heal the world was the best approach.
Beyond that, there was another reason not to wipe them out completely: When the birds are gone, the bow is put away. When the cunning rabbit is dead, the hunting dog is cooked. This principle applied to the Ancient Spirit Realm as well.
Shangguan Qiuyue, the ruler of the Eastern Kingdom, was an ambitious leader. Meanwhile, the other three nations each had their own political situations. If the demons were completely eradicated and the Four Nations lost their common enemy, maintaining the current stability would become much more difficult.
In the worst case, it could even threaten the peace of Spirit Veil Immortal Island. Even though they had no intention of becoming rulers.
“Aww... If I think about it this way, I guess Dawn’s memories and power really did influence me, huh? I wasn’t this cunning before~”
The silver-haired goddess, who was discussing the current situation with Violet, rolled her eyes. A long, silver-white tail behind her moved nimbly, reaching out to switch off the buzzing automatic coffee maker. With a snap of her fingers, the freshly boiled liquid floated into the cups in front of them.
Taking a sip of the dark brown aromatic drink, an exclusive specialty of the Immortal Island, said to be impossible to find in the lower world, Xiao Kong lazily exhaled and casually responded.
"Anyway, the next step is to keep a close watch on the remaining demons, evil spirits, and any lingering threats, while guiding mortals to handle things on their own. Since Hen wants to maintain the Ancient Spirit Realm’s isolation, once the selected candidates leave the island after the grand ceremony, we can reseal [Mirror Valley] and let everything return to normal. What do you think?"
Violet, who was also sitting cross-legged, rested her head on her hand and smiled lightly.
"You decide. After all, with the mighty Supreme Sacred Fox God watching over everything, no small-time troublemakers will be able to stir up much chaos~"
"What kind of nonsense are you spouting, you—"
Hearing her teasing, the fox-eared girl’s fair cheeks turned slightly red. Unable to resist, she lightly knocked on a certain someone’s rather flat "armor plate." However, beneath her playful expression, so similar to how Violet remembered, yet carrying its own unique charm, there was a growing trace of melancholy.
She had caught the deeper meaning behind those words.
"Are you leaving so soon?"
"Yeah. I trust Hen’s judgment. If she wants me to return to the Origin Realm as soon as possible, there must be a reason. Besides... there is someone I left behind that I can’t help but worry about."
"You’ve made new bonds again..."
After a brief hesitation, Xiao Kong set down her cup, gazing into the silver-blue gemstone-like eyes of the black-haired girl before her. She murmured softly,
"Violet, I understand. To you, those past memories must feel like a long, distant story, someone else’s life. You took on the duty of the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden, but that doesn’t mean you intend to completely become her."
"Maybe I’m not as important to you as the true friends of the original 'Violet.' I also know it wouldn’t be fair or right to impose everything from Dawn’s past onto you. But even so, I still—"
A delicate, pale fingertip pressed gently against the lips of the nine-tailed girl, cutting off her unspoken words.
Violet sighed and smiled helplessly.
"Xiao Kong, you’re overthinking things. There’s no need to force yourself to strictly separate me from Dawn. At this point, I’m no longer denying my past identity. The reason I’m close to you isn’t just because of my role as the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden."
"Even if I’m not Dawn, we still walked out of Cangyun Mountain together. We’ve been through so much as friends. Even as Violet, you are still important to me, just like Hen is. You don’t need to feel like I’m making some kind of sacrifice, and you definitely don’t owe me anything."
Violet slowly withdrew her finger from the soft warmth, her smile unwavering.
"Whether human or god, none of us can stay in the past forever. The past, present, and future. We are always changing. Overthinking things isn’t a good habit, you know~"
"Change... huh."
After a long silence, the girl revered as the Supreme Sacred Fox God finally spoke again. Her golden slit pupils, filled with divine power, seemed unfocused. Her quiet voice was more like she was speaking to herself.
"Violet, do you know...? I... the Nine-Tailed Fox have always been lonely. Always… afraid of being alone. Even after thousands and thousands of years, that has never changed."
"I was born with immense power and divine authority, but aside from the godly throne high above, I had nothing else."
"It was Dawn who stepped into my long and lonely life. In a way I still don’t quite understand, she formed a bond with me. Almost as if she could see straight into the deepest nightmare I feared the most. She struggled, fought, and climbed her way to my side, giving me the warmth of companionship."
"Though in name, Dawn was my shrine maiden… in truth, I was the one relying on her."
"She was a girl full of charm and understanding. Like the sun, she naturally attracted others to her side, spreading warmth and protection to those who admired her. The so-called Fox God... I was probably just one of many drawn to her light."
"I did so much for her. I even split my divinity, creating two separate consciousnesses just to help her. But compared to what she gave me, it was nothing."
"Because she was my only friend. The only one who ever called me Konghen, instead of Supreme Sacred Fox God, Nine-Tailed Fox, or Goddess of Space."
The girl lifted her head and reached out a hand toward Violet. Her gaze wavered slightly, not the steady, commanding look of a deity, but something much softer, almost hesitant. It was as if a small, timid kitten had gathered enough courage to stretch out its paw, yet was still fearful, ready to pull back at any moment to avoid being hurt.
"You’re right. We can’t stay in the past forever, lost in old warmth and memories. So... would you be willing to be my new friend?"
"Not as Dawn, but as Violet. The second friend in Konghen’s life."
"......"
Violet silently gazed at the silver-haired fox girl, her delicate face now unknowingly tinged with a deep crimson. Her triangular ears, slightly curled in nervousness, looked so soft and adorable that it was hard to resist the urge to reach out and gently comfort her.
For some reason, a faint tremor stirred in the depths of the priestess’s heart. A strange and complex emotion.
Perhaps it was something buried deep within her, something that came from the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden, from the past self that no longer belonged to her.
A mix of emotions, sympathy, sorrow, closeness, helplessness, yet also joy, seeing the girl in front of her gather the courage to take a step forward.
These feelings belonged to someone else, a past life, yet…
As she came back to her senses, she realized. No. This was her own true feeling. Not a remnant of another's will, not an echo of the past.
It was her, Violet, the one who had walked alongside this girl, step by step, forming a bond through shared experiences.
Her... companion.
And at that moment, a thought that had been lingering in the back of her mind finally surfaced.
So cute~ That cat outfit really would suit her perfectly.