Chapter 1020: Heart-to-heart talk

"My question is actually divided into two parts, but you can consider it as one since the first is really insignificant." Fire Sorrow smiled with ease, and Bai Zemin didn't see or notice anything strange about it so he nodded.

"Go ahead."

Bai Zemin was certainly very sharp, but at the age of 21 he still had a lot to learn regardless of how many experiences he had lived through over the past time and how acute his practically beastly instincts were.

Fire Sorrow was, after all, one of the oldest existences in the history of the universe.

"Here goes the first question." Fire Sorrow raised a finger as if to point to the number 1 and calmly asked, "When did you meet Lilith?"

"Right after I killed my first enemy and obtained my first skill." Bai Zemin replied without much thought and with a puzzled expression on his face.

Fire Sorrow nodded, and although she still needed to know how long ago was exactly that time Bai Zemin was talking about she focused first on what she had to do before anything else.

She could figure things out later.

"In that case, here comes the last question." Fire Sorrow lowered her index finger along with her hand, and this time her smile became a bit duller compared to her previous bright one. "What kind of relationship do you have with Lilith? Just so you know, no rule forbids us from entering into romantic relationships with Lower Existences, so you don't need to worry too much about what to say back. I swear on my soul and my records that Lilith will not be punished by the Demonic Army in case she is in a more than friendly relationship with you."

Fire Sorrow already knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from the mouth of the person in front of her regardless.

Bai Zemin knew that hesitating here would expose the truth, and while lying was a good option the truth would come out sooner rather than later.

'Now I understand what the seventh evolution requirement is all about.' Bai Zemin closed his eyes and sighed.

Fire Sorrow's presence had somehow helped him find an answer that while not pleasant let alone enjoyable at least was better than walking around naked in the middle of the dark like Bai Zemin had been doing regarding his evolution requirements for the Third Order.

"Lilith is my life partner." Bai Zemin stared into Fire Sorrow's eyes and responded honestly.

"... So it really is you after all." Fire Sorrow closed her eyes slowly and nodded to herself.

"What do you mean by that?" Bai Zemin was surprised.

"Bloody Succubus Lilith was always cold and indifferent, even more so than any Higher Existence. She is considered one of the two most beautiful women in the universe despite being so young and a never-before-seen talent. Someone like her naturally has countless suitors, among them is one of the generals of the Demonic Army, Crow." Fire Sorrow spoke in automatic mode with her eyes still closed. "However, Lilith never gave more than a sideways glance to all these males. The weird thing is that not too long ago, a year at most, she slowly changed a bit. She's still cold, but at least she no longer looks at everyone as if they were her enemies."

Bai Zemin was so immersed in Fire Sorrow's story to learn more about Lilith's past that he didn't notice how the voice of the beautiful Higher Existence in front of him wavered and was no longer as cheerful as when they started talking in the beginning.

"When Lilith appeared with an earring that had a Legend grade treasure attached it caught His Majesty Lucifer's attention, and in a joking tone he said if it was a gift from her lover." Fire Sorrow opened her eyes and looked at him with such a heavy amount of feelings in her eyes that Bai Zemin felt overwhelmed.

Bai Zemin had received looks of hatred so deep that it reached to his bones, and naturally, he had received many looks of affection throughout his life.

But never, no one, ever, had looked at him with such deep emotion as the woman in front of him.

In fact, Fire Sorrow's eyes were so, so charged with emotion that Bai Zemin could not identify what emotion she was feeling. All he knew was that it was definitely not an emotion that carried bad intentions towards him, even though there was also some negative energy and not only positive in her eyes.

"That was a great gift." Fire Sorrow smiled slightly and said softly, "It's amazing that despite being in the Second Order you were able to create an artifact capable of affecting the lives of so many Higher Existences so greatly."

"Excuse me?" Bai Zemin opened his eyes wide.

Fire Sorrow shook her head and continued, "Aside from having great battle capabilities and skills that could shake the foundations of most factions that exist in the universe you also happen to be a great blacksmith and rune encryptor... Actually, you may be him but you are no longer him after all."

Another difference Fire Sorrow had figured out; Heavenly Wolf Sirius was not a great blacksmith. In fact, he had never even tried to pick up a hammer unless it was to kill someone; his sole focus was placed on becoming stronger, not on making objects.

"Him?"

The word "him" that Fire Sorrow had just mentioned made Bai Zemin put aside the question of the earring he had gifted to Lilith affecting the lives of many Higher Existences.

"You mean the Heavenly Wolf Sirius?"

Fire Sorrow was very surprised and didn't try to cover up her wonder, "You know about it?"

Instead of hiding the truth, Bai Zemin nodded.

There was no point in hiding it, and in fact, he could get answers from Fire Sorrow's mouth by chatting about this matter that although he hadn't paid a lot of attention to it had always been bothering him deep in his heart.

"Annihilation of the Falling Sky." Bai Zemin extended his right hand, and along with a golden flash from the center of his chest, a beautiful golden spear materialized. "It was this Soul Armament that saved my life several months ago. If not for the sudden appearance of Annihilation of the Falling Sky I would have definitely died alongside Ghost Emperor Jack and devoured by the void."

"... It really was you after all." Fire Sorrow nodded.

Bai Zemin didn't say or do anything as she took soft, silent steps up to sit beside him on his bed.

He subconsciously took a deep breath, silently noting that she smelled of carnations; a representation of beauty and fascination.

"Annihilation of the Falling Sky seems to be a bit off?" Fire Sorrow questioned looking at the dull runes on the weapon.

"Yes." Bai Zemin put the legendary item away and sighed, "Although I can use it freely, the truth is that it's still not completely mine. I need to form a contract or something and get Annihilation of the Falling Sky to accept me, but I'm not quite sure how to go about it."

"You know, you should be glad you can't use the full power of Annihilation of the Falling Sky." Fire Sorrow looked at him with flashing eyes and pointed out, "Or else you'd be too dependent on it and your strength might fall behind. There have been more than a few powerful soul evolvers who after obtaining a powerful item became lax about other points that were also part of their personal strength."

Bai Zemin naturally understood this point, so he nodded in response.

After a moment of silence, he hesitated and slowly said, "You and Sirius..."

Although Bai Zemi didn't finish his words, Fire Sorrow naturally understood where he was going.

"He and I were friends, but our relationship was very complicated." Fire Sorrow replied as she leaned her body back slightly until she rested her weight on the palm of her hands resting on the fluffy mattress. Looking up at the ceiling with a slightly blank stare, she advised, "I'll give you some advice, probably the best advice anyone will ever be able to give you in a lifetime... Remember to never, ever take someone for granted. You may think that tomorrow will be another day, but nothing is certain even for the strongest... and if you put off until tomorrow what you could have done today, if something that impedes you from doing that something were to happen tomorrow... you will have to live for hundreds of thousands and even millions of years in eternal sorrow."

It was not difficult for Bai Zemin to feel infinite regret and grief coming from Fire Sorrow's voice. Moreover, from the dreamy look on her face as she stared into nothingness, it was also not difficult for him to understand that this powerful Higher Existence carried such a large amount of negative emotions compressed in her heart that hardly anyone could ever get close to her.

"Now I understand." Bai Zemin stood up and walked to the window to look at the world outside.

The fire ignited by the rioters had been extinguished, the screams of terror had stopped, and although military vehicles could still be seen moving everywhere along with armed men keeping watch on high alert, it was clear that the worst was over.

"What do you mean?" Fire Sorrow asked as she turned her head slightly to the side to gaze at his back with dreamy eyes.

"I mean your gaze, the same gaze I feel now which seems to want to pierce my flesh to see deep into my soul." Bai Zemin replied without turning around.

The room was silent for several seconds until he spoke again, "You think I'm the reincarnation of the Heavenly Wolf Sirius, don't you? That's why from the beginning I felt your eyes were strange from the start."

Fire Sorrow turned to look back at the ceiling and couldn't help but chuckle in amusement, "Was I that obvious? Such an embarrassing Higher Existence..."

Bai Zemin turned to look at her and said with some compassion in his voice, "Fire Sorrow, I'm not sure if I'm the reincarnation of the Heavenly Wolf Sirius or not, but I do know that I'm somehow connected to him. Then again... even if I was once him, the Sirius you once knew no longer exists. At least not in me. The person in front of you is Bai Zemin, that's all."

Fire Sorrow stayed silent with a faint smile staring at a fixed point on the ceiling. She remained in that same position for a full minute before slowly nodding, "I am aware of that."

Bai Zemin couldn't help but feel a little sorry for her now that it was clear she had no ill intentions towards him.

"Sorry about that." He apologized.

"You apologize for being who you are and not who I expected you to be?" Fire Sorrow stood up and walked towards him. With a small smile that held many complicated emotions, she reached out her left hand and her right hand until she had Bai Zemin's face in her palms.

Bai Zemin didn't have time to react when she leaned forward at the same time making him lower his posture, and after a small kissing sound, she released him and turned to have her back to him.

"Bai Zemin, you're a good little guy. I think I kinda understand the reason Lilith fell for you."

Bai Zemin gently rubbed his forehead, the place where she had kissed, and looked at her slender back thoughtfully.

"Soon things will get a little messy. Earth is a treasure box you know? So get ready for what's to come." Fire Sorrow's body slowly began to become a blur, and a moment later she vanished.

Bai Zemin felt a gust of carnation-scented wind gently caress his face at the same time as a gentle but firm voice sounded in his ears.

"But, it's fine. If anyone tries to do anything to you they will first have to go through me."

Then, almost at the level of a whisper, Fire Sorrow's already distant voice sounded once more.

"I'll be back soon... I think we can at least be friends, if you don't mind."

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We have been in the top 1 GT for 10 months in a row, and it means a lot to me to see that my effort pays off. Many thanks to you, who still donate your golden tickets and support Blood Warlock <3