Floating life reflects two lotuses

“We can’t wait any longer.” Chu Wanlian gritted her teeth, gripping the rune fragment in her hand tightly. “This will be our last chance. We must seal the soul passage, or everything will descend into chaos.”

Li Chenyao nodded, his expression grave. He fully realized that Chu Wanlian's choice meant her complete sacrifice.

“If we cannot stop this experiment, the passage to our souls will be opened forever, and we will be unable to escape this fate.” Chu Wanlian looked at Li Chenyao, her eyes filled with determination. “But I will stop it, even if it takes my last bit of strength.”

Li Chenyao looked at her intently, a hint of reluctance flashing in his eyes: "Chu Wanlian, I won't let you bear all of this alone."

However, Chu Wanlian had already made up her mind; she knew that this sacrifice was inevitable.

The core area of ​​the rune device was now enveloped in an unknown blue light, and the energy fluctuations were becoming increasingly intense. Xiao Jinlian stood beside Li Heng, the scene before her almost suffocating her; it felt as if every fragment of the rune was relentlessly draining her soul and will. She felt a stinging pain in every inch of her skin, and every nerve trembling.

But she knew that if she hesitated now, she would miss her only chance. The whole world, and even those she loved, would be reduced to dust in the engulfing power.

“We must complete the seal quickly.” Li Heng’s deep voice rang in her ears again, his gaze firm and profound, as if he had already foreseen the impending sacrifice. His hand touched the last fragment of the rune, and with his movement, the rune fragment’s light became more dazzling, and the energy in the air began to gather, like a huge vortex, attracting everything around it.

"I know." Xiao Jinlian gritted her teeth, forcing herself to concentrate, silently telling herself that she had to make a final sacrifice for this world.

She took a deep breath, slowly closed her eyes, and felt the intense fluctuations emanating from the rune fragments. Those runes were no longer simple patterns; they were links of time and space, bearing countless entanglements of fate. Deep within her consciousness, Xiao Jinlian felt the connection between her soul and Li Heng growing ever stronger, as if their destinies were firmly bound together by this force.

"Li Heng, you're ready," she said softly.

A complex emotion flashed in Li Heng's eyes, yet he did not respond. Xiao Jinlian could sense that every movement he made was filled with determination and resolve. The connection between their hearts transcended verbal communication; they needed no further words.

As the last rune fragment was activated, the entire device emitted a deafening roar. In an instant, the surrounding world seemed to freeze; all sound vanished, leaving only the radiance of the runes surging and flowing through the space. Xiao Jinlian and Li Heng's bodies began to radiate light, their souls guided by the energy of the rune device, gradually merging into one.

But at that very moment, Xiao Jinlian felt a sharp, intense pain in her heart—not just physical, but a tearing apart of her very soul. She suddenly realized that completing the seal did not mean the end, but rather the beginning of something far more terrifying. Her soul and Li Heng's soul were intertwined, deeply understanding each other's pain and sacrifice, and this intertwining meant that she could never turn back.

Her consciousness began to blur, all her emotions, memories, and future possibilities intertwined, forming an irresistible force. This force was the profound bond between her and Li Heng—their fates were now completely intertwined.

"Xiao Jinlian..." Li Heng's voice pierced through her consciousness, resounding clearly in her mind, "Are you willing to give everything for this?"

A resolute glint flashed in Xiao Jinlian's eyes. She understood that this was her mission, and also her choice. She no longer avoided it, no longer feared it. Taking a deep breath, she replied, "For this world, for you, for the future we once pursued, I am willing."

As her words fell, the final beam of runic light shot out from the runic device, spreading in all directions. The entire space began to tremble violently, and time itself seemed to be distorted by this force.

At this moment, Xiao Jinlian and Li Heng's souls began to merge, their consciousnesses completely intertwined, their emotions and memories tightly linked. Xiao Jinlian's consciousness gradually faded, as if entering an unfathomable abyss of darkness, yet she knew it was all worthwhile, for her and Li Heng's fate had finally come to an end—and a new beginning was quietly dawning.

Meanwhile, in a modern laboratory, Chu Wanlian and Li Chenyao stood before the enormous rune device. The equipment had completely malfunctioned; blue energy surged forth like a tidal wave, and the surrounding air was filled with an intense sense of oppression. Even after numerous experiments, Chu Wanlian couldn't help but feel a pang of fear in the face of such a massive energy fluctuation.

“We must stop it as soon as possible.” Li Chenyao clenched his fist, a trace of pain in his eyes. “If this device is activated, the soul order of the entire world will be forever controlled by this power, and we will never be able to return to our original lives.”

Chu Wanlian nodded and took a deep breath: "But this is our only option."

She knew that once the final activation button of the rune device was pressed, all their efforts would be in vain. She and Li Chenyao had to take a huge risk to destroy the core of the rune device in order to prevent the soul portal from opening completely.

However, as her fingers touched it, the energy within the runic device began to fluctuate rapidly, and space began to distort violently, as if pulling her and Li Chenyao into another dimension. She felt an indescribable sense of oppression wash over her, a call from the depths of her soul.

"Li Chenyao, get out of here right now!" Chu Wanlian's voice was urgent. "I can't wait any longer."

Li Chenyao's face turned pale, but he remained standing beside her, his eyes resolute. "We'll face this together, no matter what happens."

Chu Wanlian smiled slightly, her eyes filled with determination. She knew that at this moment, sacrifice might be an unavoidable choice. But she was prepared to stop this disaster.

Xiao Jinlian's gaze grew even more resolute. She saw the determination and unwavering resolve in Li Heng's eyes, as if he were prepared to sacrifice himself. Her fingers gently touched the rune fragment, feeling the intense energy fluctuations emanating from it, a destructive force like a violent storm.

“Li Heng, we must piece together the rune fragments and then activate the sealing ritual.” Her voice was weary, but there was not a trace of wavering in it. She knew that this moment would determine the future of the entire world.

Li Heng nodded, his heart filled with complex emotions, like a surging sea, difficult to express. He knew this was not just a ceremony, but a fusion and intersection of lives. The two had fought side by side many times, but never before had their destinies been so intertwined, almost merging their souls into one.

Xiao Jinlian placed the last fragment into the core slot of the rune device. Instantly, a dazzling light erupted, and the energy fluctuations of the rune device reached an unprecedented limit. The sky seemed to be torn apart, and the entire space of the secret realm was completely shaken by this energy, with cracks spreading out in all directions.

“Now!” Xiao Jinlian whispered.

Li Heng swiftly pressed the key mechanism to activate the runes, and instantly, the entire rune device activated its powerful sealing force. A blinding light shone forth, as if a giant star had exploded deep within the secret realm. All the rune fragments began to merge into one, and the sealing power began to suppress the entire secret realm's power once more.

However, the seal came at a price. Amidst this powerful energy surge, Xiao Jinlian and Li Heng's bodies began to tremble uncontrollably. She could feel her soul resonating with Li Heng's in an instant, as if their destinies were completely intertwined.

"Li Heng..." Xiao Jinlian's voice almost disappeared in the wind. As the rune device was activated, her consciousness began to gradually blur.

“I’m here, Xiao Jinlian, don’t be afraid.” Li Heng gripped her hand tightly, his voice low and firm. “We have completed the seal. It’s over.”