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Chapter 477: The Seven-Colored Rose

After Nian Youyou left, the woman also took the unparalleled bow and turned to follow her.

Near Piaoxiang Courtyard, Zhong Shan had rushed in and, upon emerging, was ambushed again. Another arrow was shot at his chest, directly targeting his Purple Palace.

It was too fast—so fast that Zhong Shan couldn't react in time. The arrow knocked him into the black world.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, are you all right?" Mr. Corpse cried out.

Mr. Corpse had just excavated the last Buddha's corpse and, seeing Zhong Shan with an arrow in his Purple Palace, rushed over immediately.

"Cough, cough," Zhong Shan coughed several times before feeling a bit better. The impact of that arrow was tremendous.

After catching his breath, Zhong Shan looked at his chest.

An arrow was lodged there, but it had only pierced his clothing, not his body.

Tearing his clothes, Zhong Shan gently pulled out the arrow, checking his chest with a sense of relief. It was the armor he wore that had saved him.

The armor given to him by Princess Qianyou.

The Liuli Heart-Protection Armor, an eighth-grade treasure. When Zhong Shan had led his troops to attack the Great Yu Empire, Princess Qianyou had rushed from the holy city to give him this armor, specially requested from the Emperor to protect Zhong Shan's Purple Palace. Only an expert at the Celestial Realm could penetrate it.

Gently caressing the Emperor's Liuli Heart-Protection Armor, Zhong Shan's eyes softened with tenderness.

"It's good you're all right. Let's leave quickly," Mr. Corpse said.

"Yes," Zhong Shan nodded.

Zhong Shan and Mr. Corpse quickly left the black world, catching up with the army and swiftly exiting Elysium.

Once outside, Zhong Shan let out a long breath of relief.

Outside, numerous third parties hoping to take advantage of the situation wore expectant expressions. Unable to enter, they could only wait, clueless about what was happening inside.

Leading his army, Zhong Shan quickly avoided the onlookers, finding a remote, safe place to rest. He didn't want to suffer any more losses.

In the camp, Zhong Shan recuperated for a while, and after three days, his injuries were completely healed.

Three days passed, and the battle within Elysium continued. Straggling soldiers emerged, but the three great saints and the Buddhas had not yet come out. The entrance to Elysium continued to shake.

"I'm going out for a while. Stay safe," Zhong Shan said.

"Commander, you were just ambushed. Going out now might be—" Mr. Corpse said with concern.

The generals also looked at Zhong Shan, clearly unwilling to let him take risks. The outside world was full of hidden dangers; how could he take such a risk?

"It's fine. Inside Elysium, the black and white worlds restrict divine sense. Now it's different. With my Integration stage cultivation, I can extend my divine sense and avoid danger," Zhong Shan said, waving off their concerns before flying away.

Over the next three days, Nian Youyou slowly calmed down. Her pupils returned to their normal color, and her hair reverted as well. Her heart was dead, closed off from the world, her expression cold and indifferent.

After the initial frenzy, Nian Youyou returned to the outskirts of Elysium.

She went to the valley where she and Zhong Shan had agreed to meet before he entered Elysium.

The valley was serene, with a small, crystal-clear lake. Nian Youyou stood by the lake, the ancestral beast lounging on her shoulder.

Looking at her reflection in the lake, Nian Youyou gently crouched down and stirred the water with her hand.

"Is this really me? Am I still myself?"

Nian Youyou felt an indescribable sorrow, replaying the scene from three days ago in her mind.

She had shot Zhong Shan dead with her own hands. Zhong Shan was dead, killed by her, all for the sake of cultivation? When did she become such a woman?

"Why did you come out? Why did you have to come out? Tell me, why did you come out?" Nian Youyou sobbed with immense sadness.

Tears fell from her eyes into the lake, creating ripples on the surface.

Nian Youyou's heart was filled with turmoil. Self-blame? That didn't even begin to cover it.

"Why did you come out? Tell me, why did you come out?"

She kept repeating this question to her reflection. She didn't understand why Zhong Shan had come out again. Hadn't he known someone was trying to ambush him? Why did he expose himself to her arrow? Why?

"Youyou, you're really here!"

Suddenly, a familiar and joyful voice reached her ears.

Nian Youyou's expression froze, then she shook her head. It must be an illusion. It had to be an illusion. She shook her head in disbelief and looked at the lake with even more sadness.

"Youyou, what's wrong? Who bullied you?" Zhong Shan asked with surprise, looking at Nian Youyou.

Just as he entered the valley, he saw Nian Youyou squatting by the lake. He greeted her, but she didn't respond and instead began crying alone, piquing his curiosity.

"Youyou," Zhong Shan called again.

An illusion? Another illusion? Nian Youyou kept telling herself. Zhong Shan was dead; it couldn't be him. But this voice, even if it was an illusion, she couldn't ignore it.

Turning her head, she saw Zhong Shan's curious expression.

Zhong Shan? Not an illusion? It was really Zhong Shan. Zhong Shan wasn't dead.

Seeing Zhong Shan and confirming it was him, Nian Youyou couldn't hold back any longer. She threw herself at him, hugging him tightly. She clung to him as if afraid he would suddenly disappear, as if this were all a dream.

Looking at Nian Youyou in his arms, who was crying with joy, Zhong Shan was slightly taken aback.

"Youyou, what's wrong?" Zhong Shan asked, holding her.

At his question, Nian Youyou quickly examined Zhong Shan with her divine sense. She saw the scars on his leg left by the breaking arrows but found his Purple Palace unharmed. How could that be? But did it matter?

"You're okay. That's all that matters," Nian Youyou said, releasing Zhong Shan from her embrace, her eyes filled with indescribable joy.

"Of course I'm okay, and I brought you something," Zhong Shan said with a smile.

Then, with a flick of his hand, three roses appeared. They were incredibly beautiful, continuously changing colors—red, yellow, orange, green, blue, indigo, and violet. The shifting hues created a fantastical effect, stunningly beautiful. Seven-colored roses.

Seeing the seven-colored roses in Zhong Shan's hand, Nian Youyou suddenly felt the world spinning, as if only she and Zhong Shan remained at the center.

Tears, which had just stopped, began to flow again as she looked at the roses.

Memories from the past suddenly resurfaced from the depths of her mind—

"I don't mean the Buddha's tomb; I mean the small courtyard next to it. Do you see it?"

"Why?"

"That's Piaoxiang Courtyard, where Bodhisattva Piaoxiang lives. She guards the tombs, and in her courtyard, there are three unique 'Seven-colored Roses,' the kings of roses. There are only three in the world, all in her courtyard. You see..."

"Is Bodhisattva Piaoxiang very protective of these roses?"

"They're her lifeline. She spends her days tending the graves, never talking to anyone. She's quite temperamental."

"When will you get them for me?"—

Looking at the three roses, Nian Youyou covered her nose, unable to stop the tears from flowing.

The three Seven-colored Roses from Piaoxiang Courtyard? The three Seven-colored Roses from Piaoxiang Courtyard?

At this moment, Nian Youyou finally understood why Zhong Shan had come out of the black world again, why he had risked his life to run to Piaoxiang Courtyard. He did it to pick these roses for her. He came out for her, risking his life just for her.

Why was it like this? She had been desperately seeking the answer, wanting to know why Zhong Shan would risk his life. Now she knew—it was to pick three roses for her, just for her.

Why was it like this?

Looking at the three roses, Nian Youyou's heart ached unbearably. Why was it like this?

"Just three roses. I happened to see that Bodhisattva Piaoxiang wasn't there, so I picked them casually. It wasn't a big deal. Why are you so emotional? You weren't this excited when I gave you roses before," Zhong Shan said, puzzled.

Nian Youyou bit her lip, looking at Zhong Shan. It felt like a knife had stabbed her heart. Three roses? Casually picked? Not a big deal?

The more he spoke in this nonchalant tone, the more it hurt Nian Youyou. Why was it like this?

"Alright, now I'm giving them to you. Oh, and you wanted me to say a romantic line. This request is really... well, don't cry. I'll say it. Uh..." Zhong Shan said, handing her the roses.

Nian Youyou was so immersed in the three roses that she couldn't hear what Zhong Shan was saying. She felt like she was falling apart, looking at the three roses he handed her.

"Why did you risk your life? Why?" Nian Youyou grabbed the Seven-colored Roses from Zhong Shan and finally couldn't hold back, shouting hysterically, her voice filled with anguish. Tears streamed down uncontrollably.

"Risk my life? How do you know?" Zhong Shan asked, slightly taken aback.

Biting her lip, Nian Youyou took a deep look at Zhong Shan, grabbed the Seven-colored Roses, and turned around, disappearing in a flash. She left Zhong Shan standing alone in the valley.

Watching Nian Youyou disappear, Zhong Shan furrowed his brows, as if understanding something. He sighed softly, turned around, and flew back to the Zhong Family Army's camp.