novellk Chapter 1662 Final Chapter: Crossing the Shore [6] "Ice Flower".
Chapter 1662 Final Chapter: Crossing the Shore [6] "Ice Flower".
Chapter 1662 Final Chapter: Crossing the Shore [6]: "Ice Flower".
Once upon a time, there was a witch.
She was born with long, frost-like hair, the strands of which looked as if woven from moonlight.
She was born with glacier-like eyes, her pupils like those carved from gemstones.
In the ancient times before the Rin tribe was even born, she was born into the world as the only daughter of the World Tree. She was rewarded with immortality, and her mission was to provide energy for the World Tree.
She dwells forever within the tree, tending to the World Tree day and night. The tree grows taller and its shade wider, bringing peace and prosperity to the distant villages year after year.
One day, she became curious and left the World Tree, entering a nearby village.
The wheat fields are green, the river water is bright, and children chase after dragonflies.
The witch, newly arrived in the world, fell in love with the golden sunlight shining on the wheat fields, the crackling sound of the hearth fire, and the honest smiles of the villagers.
She even fell in love with a hardworking farmer whose smile was warm.
Soon after, they got married. She used a little magic to make the fields more fertile and the livestock stronger.
Life gradually improved, and they built more spacious houses. But every night, she had to return to the World Tree to offer nourishment. She was still content because her sacrifice protected people's real happiness.
Then one day, people started dying in the village.
Tree roots seeped into the village, growing rustling in the moonlight.
It sweeps away the sleeping old man and entangles the young woman who has just woken up.
The villagers found fine downy hairs in the dead man's house and spread rumors in terror that a ferocious werewolf had entered the village. Only the witch knew what they were—the roots of the World Tree.
Because she craved life on Earth, she spent more time with her husband and less time returning to the tree to provide energy. The World Tree grew "hungry," and its roots, following her scent, came to this village, spreading out to forage for food.
She knelt under the tree and pleaded:
"Please, great tree, let me live out my life in peace!"
“I have a husband and daughter, and I have a basket full of wheat seeds.”
"I offer my eternal devotion and time, only asking that you spare my life! Please grant me a brief moment of happiness!"
The tree couldn't understand her words, so it stretched its roots even deeper—
"Come back, come back. Give me light, give me warmth, or they will all turn to dust."
She saw her husband's haggard and fearful face, and the anxious looks in her neighbors' eyes. She had to go back, back to her eternal prison.
She had no choice but to leave her newborn daughter behind, kiss her sleeping cheek, and return to the tree.
Many years later, she secretly returned to the village for a final look. The sight that greeted her froze her blood. A tall stake had been erected in the center of the village, and her daughter was chained to it.
The prophet pointed at the girl: She has the blood of a witch!
The husband, holding a pitchfork, shouted: "She brought this disaster upon us!"
The hunter broke her wrist, and the witch cursed her to never be at peace.
She rushed over frantically, screaming, "No! She's my daughter! She doesn't know anything!"
Her husband turned the blade and plunged it into her trembling heart.
She was reborn in the tree, her long hair turning into icicles.
The witch was utterly despondent; pain pierced her soul like tree roots. The pain and emptiness would never end, and immortality became her shackles. This continued for a hundred years until one day, a twisted thought replaced despair.
She once again left the World Tree and found an abandoned, dying child in the wilderness.
She picked him up, wiped the dirt off his face, and said in an unusually calm tone, "From today onwards, you are my adopted child. You have a home now."
She passed on her "witch" bloodline and power, along with her eternal pact with the World Tree, to this child. As the final connection was transferred, she felt an unprecedented sense of relief. The pain that had tormented her for countless years vanished, along with her eternal life. She could finally die. A serene smile appeared on her face as her body slowly began to freeze.
The child reached out his little hand to her, but was dragged back into the abyss by a tree branch—
"Mom, you're a liar!"
The new witch cried out from within the roots:
"You traded your death for my eternal life, imprisoning me here!"
A new cycle has begun.
As the child grows up, resentment grows like a poisonous vine.
Later, the child also picked up another child from under the World Tree, repeated the same words, and did the same thing.
From then on, the cycle of reincarnation began, and each generation of witches repeated the same thing.
Generation after generation, they feed the tree; generation after generation, their hatred grows into an ocean.
Relying on "adoption" and "inheritance," each generation of witches takes on the shackles with resentment, only to pass them on to the next innocent in despair.
Until the World Tree gave birth to its truly blessed children—the Rin. They were born radiant and loved by the world, and bore the true mission of saving the world.
The witch, imprisoned deep within the roots, witnessed all of this. The jealousy and resentment accumulated over countless generations completely overwhelmed her.
Why?
Why are they born into privilege, while we are born as nourishment?
A mad plan took shape in her mind. Using her long-accumulated understanding of the laws of the World Tree, she interfered with the gestation of the Rin Clan. The unified supreme bloodline split into three parts, transforming into three offspring that had to devour each other.
She stole someone and raised him, teaching him the poison of "love" and "possession."
She made her brothers and sisters kill each other, making them think they were the main characters.
In each generation of the Rin clan, she personally defeats the final victor in the battle, donning the victor's skin. Thus, to outsiders, the last Rin clan member is crowned with glory, stepping onto the stage to save the world. In reality, aside from a few who slip through the net, she is the last "Rin clan member" in every generation.
After a suitable death, she returns to the depths of the World Tree, patiently awaiting the next generation of Rin to be conceived, and then begins the long process of "nurturing" and "harvesting" once again.
The witch's male and female forms are completely different. The male consciousness bears the brunt of all sins, while the female consciousness remains oblivious. Even when the female body reverts to the male body, the consciousness is not shared. Thus, the "monster" story, woven by the initial victim and filled with jealousy, lies, and reincarnation, plays out endlessly. The witch, cloaked in the guise of a savior, savors her stolen freedom and life amidst heroic hymns, coveting the next cycle of reincarnation.
The hero rots amidst applause, while she spins new threads in the shadows.
She is the brightest star, and she is also the deepest night.
If you pass by the World Tree, you'll hear a gentle lullaby.
Don't ask who's singing—
She is a mother, a daughter, nourishment, and a light thief.
It never stops, it's disguised in human skin.
……
"Which generation of the Lin Clan?" Su Ming'an asked.
"Which generation?" Chen Qingguang glanced at Su Ming'an. "The Lin Clan has only ever had one generation."
……
"Shh!"
The icicle pierced through Su Ming'an.
The charred blood fell, and before the burned flesh could heal, it was pierced by sharp ice spikes.
Violet's eyes remained calm, as if this development was within his expectations.
Tianyu walked up to him, bowed his head and whispered:
“I’m really curious… why do you seem to never be afraid? Never worried about failing? It’s like you knew who I was and expected me to appear.”
"It's not a difficult deduction. I had a few answers in mind, and you're among them," Su Ming'an said.
"You guessed that I was Tianyu?"
"You don't count as Tianyu."
"How can I not be?" The Frost One laughed. "I possess all her memories. If you wish to see her, I can simply blink again and 'she' will appear before you... She is me, only she is aloof and untainted, all her sordid thoughts and actions belonging to me. If she inherits these memories, she will no longer be the person you know. Her noble race and formidable strength are all the result of my own crimes. How can you distinguish between my sins and her innocence?"
“I don’t care,” Su Ming’an said. “Look me in the eyes.”
At that moment, Su Ming'an blinked, his eyes flashing with violet light.
Tianyu's expression faltered for a moment, and he stood there motionless for a while.
Su Ming'an quickly reached out, his hand, gloved with gold thread, touching "Tianyu's" cheek as if gently stroking it.
A double pain, like burning and icy ache, shot through my chest. I could no longer feel the pain; it was as if my body wasn't even mine anymore.
Without using divine power, Su Ming'an was unable to resist the witch before him. However, he possessed the weapon given to him by Su Lin. If used properly and by exploiting the vulnerabilities of people's hearts, the witch before him would be easily defeated.
He activated his "dream-weaving" ability and wove a dream...
“Come on,” Su Ming’an murmured, “As long as 'Tianyu' can replace you as the main personality, you are not my enemy at all.”
Vanish in the dream...
After finishing her dream, Su Ming'an immediately closed her eyes.
……
Looking north, I had a dream.
He dreamed that he was a little hunter in the forest, and had lived in the forest since he was a child.
The hunter was a little mute, and he was always bullied by passing animals. Toads would perch on rocks and glare at him, while sparrows would drop fruit pits on his head. They chirped and chattered, teasing him:
"Dumb! Dumb!"
"A wooden man who can't speak!"
The hunter was washing clothes by the stream, carrying a wooden basin.
Legend has it that if a child who cannot speak can wash a perfect piece of yarn before the full moon, it can bring happiness to a person.
The hunter wanted his mother to be happy.
The yarn was thread taken from his mother's old dress. He imitated how his mother remembered him, soaking the yarn in water and gently rubbing it. The water was cold, and his fingertips turned red from the cold.
Suddenly, the bushes on the other side of the stream moved.
A huge, furry blue figure emerged.
It was a bear—its fur was as blue as a clear sky, its eyes were deep and gentle, and its paws were as thick as two clouds.
The bear tilted its head to look at him, and he looked up at the bear in return.
Under the bear's intimidating presence, the toad and sparrow scattered in all directions, no longer daring to tease him.
The bear waded slowly across the stream, splashing water high into the air. When it reached him, it pulled a flower from behind its back—a pale gold flower with petals like velvety flowers woven from sunlight.
She handed him the flowers.
"Can I be your friend?" the bear asked.
The hunter nodded, took the flower, and smelled the aroma of honey mixed with grass.
The bear sat down and, imitating him, dipped its huge paws into the stream, clumsily mimicking his washing motions, but only managed to tangle the yarn.
He couldn't help but laugh. The bear grinned, revealing two adorable front teeth.
That evening, Xiong took him home.
In front of a small cabin at the edge of the forest, the bear rummaged through its fluffy fur and pulled out a small, golden cotton-padded coat.
It draped its cotton-padded coat over his shoulders.
Strangely, it looks very thin, yet it instantly dispelled all the chill.
His mother pushed open the door, saw him and the bear, paused for a moment, then smiled: "Looks like you've made some amazing friends."
……
Later, with the arrival of bears, the forest was no longer frightening.
The bear would lead him to the sweetest wild berries, carry him across the river on its broad back, and curl up in a warm nest for him to hide in during thunderstorms.
One day, they came across a swamp deep in the forest.
On the muddy road, a jet-black cat was walking forward step by step with its head down.
It moved extremely slowly, sinking into the mud with every step, and splashing up murky water when it was pulled out.
Strangely, whenever it reaches the center of the swamp, its figure blurs briefly—and then it reappears at the starting point and begins walking again.
Again and again.
The black cat sensed the approaching creature, raised its dark eyes, but did not stop walking.
The little hunter squatted down and drew a question mark on the muddy ground.
The cat understood and continued walking, saying, "This swamp has a curse—the first person to cross it will be trapped in an endless loop. But with each loop, the path becomes a little stronger."
Its voice was calm: "I'm waiting, until the road is solid enough, so that the deer, rabbits, hedgehogs... that come later won't get stuck."
The little hunter scratched his head, waved his stick, and drew a simple house on the muddy ground, as if to ask: Cat, aren't you going home?
The cat shook its head and licked its paws: "Once they've all successfully crossed the river and gone home, I can go home too."
He stared blankly at the cat.
The cat's claws were worn raw, with mud and blood mixed in.
As the cycle began once again, the cat stopped at the edge of the swamp and looked down at its reflection in the water.
Its mud-covered face was reflected in the water, as was a cluster of white wildflowers in full bloom on the bank. The cat stretched out its paw, trying to reach the flower—but its body leaned forward more and more, about to plunge into the deep water.
He rushed over, hugged the cat tightly, and silently cried out in his heart:
Don't drown, you still need to go home. I can go with you, I want to be your good friend.
The cat stiffened for a moment in his arms, then slowly relaxed.
That day, the cat followed them back to the cabin.
At night, the cat curled up by the fireplace, licked its fur clean, took a small cloth bag off its collar, and pulled out a golden shawl.
The shawl was as light as a butterfly's wing; when worn, the little hunter felt no cold.
The cat said, "This is a thank-you gift."
……
Hunters live in the forest, helping the weak animals and driving away cruel villains.
Bears and cats are doing all of this too.
Later, disaster struck without warning.
It was a dry autumn day. A fire broke out in the forest, and the animals' home was in imminent danger.
The hunter saw thick smoke. He rushed to the stream and frantically tried to splash water, but when he poured the water from the wooden basin onto it, not even a wisp of steam rose.
The fire spread extremely quickly, like a runaway crimson beast.
He paced anxiously, letting out broken sobs.
Just then, the bear patted his shoulder with its thick paw, telling him not to be afraid.
Then, the clever fox darted to the edge of the fire, hooked its tail around the small animal that had fallen into the pit, and pulled it out with all its might.
The playful raccoon leaped onto the burning branches and tore apart the iron netting in the sky with its sharp little claws.
A lively panda with dark circles under its eyes weaves through the thick smoke to deliver a message.
The brave fire spirit defied its instincts and rushed into the fire, guiding the flames to change direction and tearing an escape route for the animals.
The majestic golden eagle skimmed low over the treetops, carving out a protective barrier with its sharp talons.
The bear leaped into the river, destroying the terrifying abyss.
The raccoon stared at the poacher, luring him into its trap.
The snake slithered up to the poacher and bit down on his throat.
A white wolfhound guarded the wooden house, keeping the flames at bay.
The cat charged into the deepest part of the inferno, using its sharp claws to kill the arsonist.
The hunters and their animal friends worked together to quell the devastating disaster and rebuilt their homes on the ruins of the forest.
They played with ducks and geese together, ate dumplings together in a cave, and felt warm even though it was always winter around them.
……
One ordinary morning, Mom left.
There was a letter on the bedside table. It said, "I'm going to find medicine that will allow you to speak. Wait for me to come back."
The wooden house suddenly became empty.
But the bears could start a fire, and the cats would bring wild fruit. They would huddle together in front of the fireplace, and winter didn't seem so unbearable. The little hunter gradually got used to his mother's absence, and he learned to live on his own.
Until one snowy night, there was a knock on the door.
Standing outside the door was a lady in a dark green dress, wearing an exquisite lace hat with a few budding lilies of the valley on the brim. Her face was gently sculpted by time, and her smile was like the sunlight melting snow.
“I am an old friend of your mother,” she said. “You can call me ‘foster mother’.”
It was too cold outside, so the little hunter let his foster mother move into the attic.
She knitted in her rocking chair, told them stories about the starry sky, and baked apple pies that smelled of cinnamon.
She taught the hunters to read and write in the sand.
One day, his foster mother led him into a clearing deep in the forest and gently placed a golden staff in his palm.
“My child, this is my blessing,” the foster mother said softly. “With this staff, you will become stronger and have nothing to fear. You will also gain immortality, just like me.”
The moment the hunter grasped the staff, he felt a warm current spread from his palms throughout his body, as if the entire forest was beating in sync with him.
But he saw a hint of weariness and guilt in his adoptive mother's eyes.
It was as if she had walked an extremely long road and finally found a roof over her head to rest under, a roof over her head to finally let go of her endless pain.
"I'm sorry, child, please forgive me," the foster mother said for some reason.
……
The adoptive mother fell asleep in the rocking chair.
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting dappled shadows on her dark green dress. The lily of the valley on her hat brim seemed to have truly bloomed, releasing a faint fragrance. Her expression was serene, as if she had simply drifted into a beautiful dream.
She died after giving the golden staff to the hunter.
The hunter did not cry.
He held his adoptive mother's gradually cooling hand and wrote in the sand: "Thank you for taking care of me."
The sound of light footsteps came from the attic.
The hunter looked up and saw a white-haired girl standing at the end of the stairs—her long hair flowed like fresh snow, and her eyes were like sealed ice crystals. The girl wore a witch's hat, and her appearance bore a striking resemblance to her foster mother.
Legend has it that the witch was ugly and had a heart of stone. But the girl before me was beautiful beyond compare, and her eyes held a deep sorrow.
“I am that woman’s other half. My name is Tianyu.” The girl walked downstairs. “She became a ‘witch’ a long, long time ago. It was forcibly given to her by the previous ‘witch.’ She gave you her power because she was too tired… so tired that she wanted to pass on the eternal curse to the next innocent person. Just like she once inherited it from her ‘foster mother.’ Generation after generation, they are reincarnated in the curse of the forest, leaving behind eternal loneliness in the end.”
The hunter listened quietly.
He wrote in the sand: "And what about you?"
The girl smiled: "I am her 'goodness'. She kept all the sins to herself and stripped away all the good, happy, and innocent parts to become me. So she will always be a sinful god-killer and a skin-stealing thief, and I cannot stop her sins, nor can I escape them."
The bear growled uneasily, and the cat raised its tail.
The hunter walked up to the girl, reached out his hand, and gently wiped away her tears.
Then write in the sand:
"Daughter of Ice and Snow, let's travel together."
The girl was stunned.
The hunter continued writing:
"If eternity is a lonely prison, then we will throw away eternity."
"If the curse of the forest causes you pain, then we should leave the forest."
“I no longer need the powerful golden staff; I have my own little shotgun.”
……
He really did throw away the golden staff.
Plant it in the forest soil, and the staff instantly took root and sprouted, growing into a glowing tree. Golden fruit grew on its crown, and passing animals ate it, no longer fearing the cold in winter.
He took off his golden cotton-padded coat and draped it over a skinny fox that was always being bullied. The fox's fur became fuller, and its eyes brightened.
He took off his golden shawl and gave it to a small goat. The goat was no longer afraid of the cold and could run swiftly even in the coldest winter.
Then, he took the white-haired girl's hand.
The bear's form began to change; its blue fur turned into stardust and scattered, transforming into a gentle-smiling, blue-haired, blue-eyed fairy godmother dressed in a deep blue dress. The cat leaped lightly and landed on the hunter's shoulder.
“We are with you,” said the Fairy Godmother, “out of this long, dark forest.”
They left the forest.
The forest's boundary resembled a film of water; turning back, the forest was already hidden behind a thin mist.
Ahead lies an endless wilderness, and above us stretches a vast starry sky.
The starry sky cascaded down. Stars transformed into staircases of light, the Milky Way spread out as a dance floor, and the midnight chimes echoed from the depths of the universe.
The fairy godmother waved her starlight-woven skirt, and the black cat left fluorescent paw prints. The hunter led the white-haired girl into the dazzling dance floor.
They danced.
The child who couldn't speak took silent dance steps, and for the first time, the daughter of ice and snow smiled like a real young girl.
Starlight clung to their toes, and the Milky Way provided their accompaniment.
There are no curses, no reincarnation, and no sins or punishments that must be inherited.
Only the vast and boundless starry sky.
As she danced, a smile finally appeared on the girl's usually cold face.
As he jumped, the hunter felt a slight itch in his throat.
He opened his mouth, and tried for a long time—
Finally, a voice as clear as a spring gently rang out:
I like you all.
In love and warmth, the hunter finally learned to speak.
The hunter discarded the golden scepter that symbolized immortality, and took off his golden shawl and cotton-padded coat. He carried the girl out of the forest, breaking free from the witch's curse that had plagued the forest for generations. They danced on the midnight dance floor, heading towards the distant universe.
From now on, there will be no more sorrow.
From now on, there will be no more sorrow...
……
Later, the animals traveled to all the stars in the sky.
The legend tells of no witches, no curses, only a group of travelers holding hands, and a dance that never ends.
Dancing in every world, leaving new legends in every story.
In their dance steps, there is a mute child washing clothes by the stream, a blue bear offering flowers, a black cat circling on a muddy road, a foster mother sleeping peacefully in a rocking chair, and a white-haired girl in the attic...
……
……
Inside the World Tree.
Bei Wang slowly opened his eyes.
He found his cheeks being cupped by a pair of hands covered in gold-threaded gloves, and close to his eyes were a pair of closed eyes.
“…Su Ming’an?” Bei Wang murmured.
This dream pulled Beiwang's consciousness from the normal timeline to this place, temporarily taking over "Tianyu's" body.
Su Ming'an stood before me, his head bowed, his cheeks frosted with broken ice. A shard of ice pierced his chest, pinning his body to the wall. Countless ice flowers grew from the ground, icy vines and leaves climbing from his legs to his chest and abdomen, blooming on his pale face. The charred flesh of his chest and abdomen was rolled up and frozen, like a frozen statue.