[Vol. 6] Chapter 269: Toward the Other Side of the Sea
A few days later, along the western border of the Western Kingdom, near the coast.
A massive floating island, so large it seemed to block out the sky, slowly came to a stop above the shoreline. A beam of light descended, casting the silhouettes of about a dozen people onto the ground.
"Hmm… This spot should do. It’s spacious enough to deploy the ship. Let’s say our goodbyes here."
"Violet, are you sure you don’t want me to prepare a ship for you?"
The priestess patted the girl’s shoulder, who for some complicated reason, had temporarily changed back into her catgirl outfit. She smiled and shook her head.
"No need, I have my own ship. It’s perfect for this kind of journey. When it comes to sailing across the open sea, nothing beats this one~"
Violet reached into her backpack and pulled out an exquisitely crafted wooden ship model. With a firm toss, the tiny model soared through the air. Then, in an instant, expanded with the wind, transforming into a colossal vessel nearly a thousand meters long. It floated silently on the endless ocean, its grand form casting a long shadow over the waves.
"Oh~ You got this from inside that place, didn’t you? Looks pretty interesting."
"Yeah..."
As she gazed at the ship, [Noah’s Ark], the sacred vessel she and her companions had painstakingly built in the game, Violet couldn’t help but feel nostalgic.
Even now, she still didn’t fully understand why items from Illusory World had materialized in reality.
The techniques used by the Spirit Veil Tribe bore similarities to those in the game, likely because they were originally designed by the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden. But at their core, they weren’t exactly the same as the game systems Violet was familiar with.
At the very least, game features like [Information Detection], personal status panels, and even the mysterious system that Minchen spoke of, which issued quests and rewarded items, didn’t seem to have much to do with a certain fox-eared girl.
And since Illusory World is only a semi-virtual world, no matter how it ended up becoming a game on Earth, it should never have been able to break the absolute boundary between fantasy and reality. This was the greatest mystery that even the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden had never been able to solve.
The dreamlike world that Dawn had personally created must have undergone enormous changes over the past thousand years, changes that Violet had yet to fully grasp. Perhaps even foreign forces had intervened. That, more than anything else, was the key to unraveling the fundamental mystery surrounding the priestess.
So many things… were still shrouded in fog.
With a curious Xiao Kong and a few Spirit Veil Tribesmen who would be joining her on this voyage, Violet boarded [Noah’s Ark]. As she adjusted the long-unused systems, she introduced its various functions to the group.
Even within the Spirit Veil Tribe, very few people knew that Violet was actually the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden. Aside from figures like Wu, a few elders, and high-ranking members like Ming Lan and Ming Xin, most remained completely unaware.
The two identities of Violet had vastly different social connections, and many sensitive secrets were at stake. The fewer people who knew, the better.
Incidentally, according to the few preserved records of the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden's true appearance, Violet did indeed bear a striking resemblance to Dawn. While there were subtle differences in details like hair color and facial features, their body shape and voice were almost identical.
Even now, Violet couldn’t figure it out. She had designed this character herself, yet somehow, she and Dawn ended up being connected in such an inexplicable way.
Had Dawn’s essence somehow fused with her in-game character? Or… did her true self still exist somewhere in reality?
Perhaps only Hen, whose whereabouts remained unknown, truly knew the answer to that mystery.
What exactly had happened after she disappeared?
Before long, a young Spirit Veil girl came running from the distance, bowing respectfully to Xiao Kong and Violet, who were enjoying the sea breeze on the open deck.
It was Ming Lianxin, someone Violet had encountered a few times before. She had only discovered Violet’s true identity by pure chance after the battle had ended. To ensure absolute secrecy, she hadn't even told her own sister, Ming Lianyun.
After all, every member of the Spirit Veil Tribe was absolutely loyal to the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden.
"Young Lady, they've arrived. They're waiting just beyond the shore."
"Hmm… Let them come over. It's about time."
"Understood."
Violet hadn’t told too many people about her departure from Ancient Spirit Realm. Aside from the high-ranking members on Immortal Island, only a few close friends who had interacted with her before knew about it.
Since they had crossed paths, it was only right to say goodbye before leaving. Otherwise, it would feel a bit disrespectful.
Before long, a few figures, led by Ming Lianxin, boarded [Noah’s Ark]. Their expressions varied, but they all looked around with curiosity.
Among them were Ling Feng, Bai’er, Murong Yun, Meng Rui, a black-haired girl with a swallowtail braid, and a few other familiar faces.
These were the friends who had spent significant time traveling with the priestess and were close enough to make it in time to see her off.
As a side note, Le Qiaoqiao and Hongyan were also on board, having arrived with Immortal Island. The two of them would be leaving Ancient Spirit Realm with Violet, while the third member of their group, Yu Dan’er, had chosen to stay behind and complete her studies before returning home.
Apparently, the two had always planned to leave but had never been able to make it happen due to various limitations. This time, they had conveniently found a way out by joining the priestess on her journey.
"Yo, you're here! Hm? You two…?"
Violet immediately noticed Ling Feng and Bai’er quietly holding hands. Just as she greeted them and was about to say something, she raised an eyebrow slightly, then smirked mischievously.
"What, finally figured it out?"
Everyone here knew each other well. The silver-haired girl, whose true identity was far from ordinary, naturally understood what Violet was implying. She simply smiled gently in response.
"Hmm, I've decided to give up on searching for the Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden. How should I put it… After experiencing the death and resurrection of someone important to me, I finally understand why such miracles are forbidden and why that kind of power shouldn't be in the hands of mortals."
"It's precisely because death is irreversible that we must do everything we can to cherish what we hold dear. If everyone could come back to life, the meaning of existence itself would become distorted… I was too caught up in my obsession before."
"You've really come to terms with it, huh?"
Violet nodded approvingly.
In truth, she had carefully thought through her decision to use [Bloodstained Horizon, Reversal of Yin and Yang] to revive all the lives lost in Ancient Spirit Realm during the battle.
Just as Ling Feng had said, resurrection was both a miracle and a forbidden act for mortals. The Spirit Fox Shrine Maiden was a symbol of this defiance against the natural cycle. But if such a gift became a privilege granted selectively, then everything would take on a different meaning.
A god may grant light and miracles in times of catastrophe, but they cannot simply hand out whatever mortals desire.
If the impossible became commonplace, the very concept of life itself would unravel.
That was why Violet had never told Ling Feng, or anyone else, that she possessed this ability.
The black-haired girl, already aware of everything that had transpired, simply smiled and gave Bai'er a playful wink.
"Now that things are settled, you'd better work extra hard to protect her."
The bodyguard immediately thumped her chest with a smug grin.
"Of course! I'll protect my lady for a lifetime!"
"Look at you, smiling so happily~"
Seeing them both reminded the priestess of her dragon girl. She wanted to reunite with Xiao Guang as soon as possible.
Glancing at a certain middle-aged man in white, who was also shaking his head with an amused smile, Violet very deliberately skipped over the person who always called her "Miss Vi” or “Senior Violet” and instead turned her gaze to the girl, who had been watching her in silence with a complicated expression.
Before Violet could say anything, the girl smiled first.
"Violet, we'll meet again, won’t we?"
"Of course! It's not like I'll never return to Ancient Spirit Realm. There are still many people and things here that I care about."
Gently touching the gemstone necklace that shimmered faintly against her snowy-white neck, Meng Rui let out a soft sigh of relief.
"In that case, I have nothing more to say. I'm just an ordinary woman and can't be of much help... I only wish you a smooth journey. If you have time, play 'Cloud Dream' (zither) more often. Next time we meet, I'll be testing your skills on the zither."
A cheerful farewell, looking forward to a future reunion, always leaves better memories than tearful goodbyes. Violet understood this well.
She simply smiled in return.
"When we meet again, I'll give you a zither as a gift."
"Alright, I'll be looking forward to it~"
After that, Violet said her goodbyes to everyone one by one, receiving many parting gifts along the way. Before long, it was finally time to set off.
"Make sure to visit whenever you can! And don't forget what I gave you! Stay in touch!"
At the shore, Miss Catgirl and the others who remained in Ancient Spirit Realm waved vigorously, bidding her farewell. Standing on the deck, Violet returned their smiles and nodded in acknowledgment.
No matter how many promises were made, they wouldn’t hold much meaning. This place was just one stop on her journey, but just as she had assured them, it would never become a path of no return.
When the world finally opens up completely, when it can once again connect freely with the outside. The Ancient Spirit Realm would surely flourish with even greater life and vitality.
But for that to happen, someone had to take action.
"Whoooooo~~~~~"
The magic engine of the [Noah’s Ark] let out a deep, resonant hum as its massive hull rippled through the water, slowly sailing toward the distant horizon.
It was time to return to another world—bringing with her the experiences of this journey and the memories of her companions.
The true path was only just beginning.
Volume 6: The Secret Chronicle of the Fox, The Tale of Spirit Veil – End.