Chapter 209: Survivor
Li Wen opened her eyes in the darkness.
An amber halo shone down from above, outlining the familiar silhouette of the temple dome. She was lying on the cold ground, with the pages of *The Primordial Codex of Ending* spread beneath her. The half-withered World Tree on the book cover seemed more vibrant than in her memories, with tiny emerald fruits faintly visible among its branches and leaves.
She slowly sat up, noticing the sun mark on her wrist was fading, like pencil marks erased by an eraser. The temple remained as silent as ever, and the figure behind the gray curtain was still indistinct. Only the faint smell of sulfur lingering in the air reminded her that the thrilling struggle just now was not an illusion.
“You succeeded.”
Perfect Amber’s voice came from behind the curtain, still as clear and cold, filled with an unspeakable sorrow. Li Wen looked down at *The Primordial Codex of Ending*, finding a new emerald pattern on its spine, like an inlaid gemstone. When she touched the pattern, thirteen lines of ancient maxims appeared in her mind—the core mystery of *The Emerald Tablet*, now integrated into the Original Text.
“I almost failed.” Li Wen’s voice was hoarse. Even though she had prepared herself for death, facing the world-destroying power of “Impurities” still made her heart pound. It was a might she could neither understand nor resist. “Did you bring me back?”
She thought she would revive in her cabin on the ship, but it turned out she hadn’t died at all.
A faint rustling of fabric came from behind the curtain, and Perfect Amber seemed to have adjusted its posture.
“That is your achievement. Destiny always favors the brave.” It paused. “However, you should leave. Overusing that power is not good for you.”
Li Wen knew it was referring to Urd’s Sting. Simply touching this Divine Artifact would begin to consume Spirituality, let alone borrowing its power to alter fate.
Just by using it for a few breaths, Li Wen could vaguely feel her control and perception of Mana becoming more difficult. As for deeper impacts, she was not yet capable of exploring them.
What’s more, it had already been used once to change fate and revive Li Wen. The artifact itself was now riddled with cracks and almost depleted of power. If she were to borrow its power again as before, not only Li Wen, but Urd’s Sting itself would likely be consumed, something absolutely unacceptable. After all, Li Wen’s ability to change fate depended entirely on its power.
Besides, obtaining *The Emerald Tablet* from “Impurities” had other consequences. Magical items and equipment such as the Emerald Star Cloak, Raven Feather Dagger, Fairy Pocket, and Eye of the Transcendent had all dropped by one tier in quality. It was hard to say whether this was misfortune or good fortune.
This was because she had witnessed and been affected by the Divinity of “Impurities,” a power that could corrupt, decay, and wither all things. If “Impurities” were allowed to fully display its Divinity, it was likely that not only these equipment and items, but Li Wen herself would be assimilated into part of “Impurities.” At that point, whether her Player identity would still be useful would be unpredictable. At least she had never heard of a Player facing nearly complete Divinity.
Fortunately, at the last moment, *The Primordial Codex of Ending* manifested itself, preventing “Impurities” from fully displaying its divine power. Otherwise, even Urd’s Sting could not have saved her life.
She closed *The Primordial Codex of Ending*, feeling the surging power within. Although the losses were great, everything was worth it. The Stage Two promotion conditions for The Path had been met, and only the corresponding ritual was needed to complete the advancement.
“Esteemed Witch.” she suddenly said, “You knew what would happen all along, didn’t you?”
The figure behind the curtain remained silent for a moment.
“I saw you return in the mirror, holding the Emerald Tablet. As for the story outside the mirror, that is the trajectory woven by destiny.” Perfect Amber’s voice carried a subtle emotion. “I hope that the next time we meet, you will be able to truly wield the power of Twilight.”
The power of Twilight?
“You are going to…”
“I will be in deep sleep,” Perfect Amber said calmly, as if discussing the weather. “Before the Doomsday Twilight arrives, this will be my resting place.”
Li Wen nodded thoughtfully. She rose and tidied her cloak, then bowed solemnly to the presence behind the curtain. As she turned toward the temple door, Perfect Amber’s voice rang out again: “By the way.”
Its voice drifted from behind the curtain: “Be careful of that mark. A deity’s promise is both a Boon and a curse.”
Li Wen looked down at the sun mark on her wrist. It was warming slightly with her pulse, like a small heart beating beneath her skin.
“I understand.”
She cast one last glance at the closed curtain and walked out of the inner hall. The corridor was still empty and silent, without the figures of the Daughters of Amber. Only the sound of her footsteps echoed off the stone walls.
When Li Wen stepped out of the temple gates, she suddenly stopped. She looked back at the pyramid-shaped building, and in a daze, she saw countless amber light spots seeping from the dome, drifting like fireflies towards the dim yellow sky. It was the power of Perfect Amber dissipating, like the last glow of the setting sun.
“Farewell, Esteemed Witch.”
She said softly, then stepped into the streets of the Eternal City without looking back.
As Li Wen returned to the Bell Tower along the black stone road, the sky was even more overcast than when she had arrived. The sky of Amber City had always been unchanging, but at this moment, that yellowish-brown halo seemed diluted, revealing a sickly pallor.
The Giant sat atop the tower, its dry fingers rhythmically tapping the bronze bell. As Li Wen approached, its clouded eyes turned.
“You smell of sulfur.” Its voice was like muffled thunder rolling through the clouds. “And… unprecedented corrosion and decay. Ah, what a terrifying power, a nemesis to all material components… What have you experienced in just a short while away.”
Li Wen had spent Seven Days in the dream abyss of the Old Children, but in reality, it had only been an instant. The Shattered Eye of the Transcendent was still recharging. Her only way to leave Amber City was by dying and then reviving on the Adventurer.
However, before that, she wanted to fulfill her earlier promise to the Giant.
“How can I find that person in the outer city area?” Li Wen asked directly, looking up at the Giant.
The Giant’s fingers stopped tapping. It leaned down, its withered face looking particularly somber in the dim yellow light.
“The outer city is the territory of Exiles, filled with madness and despair.” Its voice was low like thunder. “The person you are looking for is called ‘Short Needle,’ or perhaps another name, it doesn’t matter… In short, he was responsible for part of the end rituals during the Golden Age. When the Master ascended higher, he refused to acknowledge the end of Twilight and was therefore exiled forever.”
