Supreme Emptiness

Chapter 2286: Chapter 2333: White-Haired Old Woman

Jiang Fan heard the voice and raised his eyes toward the end of the stairs. A figure in a long cyan silk dress came into view. She was surprisingly tall. In the gentle breeze, the silk dress clung to her body, accentuating a pair of long, straight legs. With her hands clasped in front of her lower abdomen and her back perfectly straight, she exuded the elegance of a lone swan on a lake.

Jiang Fan’s pupils constricted, his heart skipping a beat. He felt the exact same way he had when he first met the Old Dream Demon Emperor. However, as his gaze fell upon her face, his eyes quickly regained their composure.

It was an elderly face. Wrinkles and age spots covered every inch of her features. Silver strands of hair cascaded down her back, fluttering lonely in the wind. She was, in fact, a white-haired old woman. She must have been a beauty of unparalleled grace in her youth. A trace of pity welled up in Jiang Fan’s heart; he had missed the blooming of a magnificent flower.

Gazing at the old woman before him, he realized that this was the White-haired Old Sea Demon Yuan Zhiyu had mentioned. Although she was in the Demon Emperor Realm, her vitality was waning, and her lifespan was nearing its end. She had one foot in the grave and was on the verge of passing away. He had originally intended to eliminate her to remove any hidden threats for the Old Dream Demon Emperor. However, seeing that she didn’t have much time left, his heart softened.

He offered a faint smile. "Ma’am, is this your island?"

Hearing the word ’ma’am,’ the white-haired old woman touched her face, a complex and indescribable curve forming at the corners of her lips. He didn’t recognize her anymore. That was for the best. He had never liked partings. It was better this way.

With deep affection in her eyes, she gazed intently at Jiang Fan’s youthful face, as if trying to carve his image into the very depths of her heart. She brushed aside a stray strand of silver hair blown across her cheek. Her voice was aged, yet it carried an unmistakable gentleness. "Yes. Is it beautiful?"

Jiang Fan scanned the island, which was covered in a brilliant tapestry of blooming flowers. Unable to hide his fondness, he replied, "Even a mythical paradise could only be this magnificent. To die in such a place would leave one with no regrets."

A smile blossomed on the old woman’s lips. "Then, I shall leave this island to you." She crouched down, her fingers gently stroking the snow-white, pristine epiphyllum flowers. An obscure emotion quietly flashed through her eyes. "They haven’t bloomed for the longest time, and I thought they just couldn’t adapt to the soil. As it turns out, they were simply waiting for your arrival."

She wanted to leave it to him? Jiang Fan was slightly moved but soon remembered something. With a soft smile, he said, "Thank you, but I’ve already promised a girl that I would accompany her to a vast prairie beneath blue skies and white clouds. We’re going to watch the clouds drift by and listen to the silent whispers of the stars. You should give this paradise to someone destined for it."

The old woman’s eyes dimmed slightly. A prairie... a girl...

Staring at the epiphyllums, she whispered softly, "That girl is truly a fortunate person."

Hearing this, Jiang Fan sensed an indescribable loneliness and sorrow from her. It seemed the elderly woman before him was also someone with a story. Curious, he asked, "Ma’am, why did you build an island right above the South Sea Demon Palace?"

The old woman slowly gathered her Heart Spirit. Touching the epiphyllum in front of her, she smiled faintly. "I am just like them. I am waiting for someone." As she spoke, she slowly stood up and looked at Jiang Fan in silence. Her eyes were filled with endless tenderness.

Was she waiting for someone? Planting an entire island of flowers, just to wait for the arrival of an old friend? Half-understanding, he said, "I hope you can wait until he returns."

The old woman merely smiled without saying a word. She had already waited long enough. Just as the epiphyllums bloomed, and just as her life was withering away, he had arrived.

Jiang Fan pushed aside his stray thoughts and re-evaluated the seemingly ordinary island. "Would it be alright if I take a look around?" The Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation had guided him here. Surely, he hadn’t sent him to this place just to die.

The old woman smiled. "You are welcome to."

She turned around gracefully. Jiang Fan ascended the steps and reached the summit of the island in just a few strides. The peak wasn’t very large, only spanning a few dozen meters across. It was completely covered in a myriad of brilliantly blooming flowers, dazzling to the eye. Amidst the fluttering petals, a simple, rustic courtyard came into view.

The old woman pushed open the bamboo gate, revealing a very spartan interior. There was a woven bamboo recliner and a small table. On the table sat a pot of tea, a single cup, and a book. With a casual wave of her hand, a coral stool appeared beside the small table. "I don’t usually have guests, so please forgive my poor hospitality."

Jiang Fan didn’t stand on ceremony. He sat on the coral stool and expanded his soul to scan the area, but he found absolutely nothing. Ordinary flowers, an ordinary island, and an ordinary white-haired old woman. He couldn’t detect a single profound mystery or peculiarity. This was just a completely normal island.

He gave a self-deprecating smile. The final destination he had been pursuing turned out to be an ordinary island. What a joke.

Observing his expression, the old woman took out a brand-new teacup. As she poured tea for him, she asked, "Are you feeling distressed?"

Jiang Fan looked at the teacup pushed toward him and didn’t refuse. He picked it up and downed it in one gulp. Usually cautious, for some inexplicable reason, he felt willing to open up to this strange elderly woman.

"I am Jiang Fan, the one being hunted by the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis.

"The Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation guided me here, but in the end, it was all for nothing.

"It’s a pity. I still have so many things left undone, so many paths left untraveled, and so many people left unaccompanied."

Having said his piece, he pushed the teacup back. "Please, pour me another cup. Once I finish it, I will leave, so as not to implicate you."

The old woman remained silent, quietly refilling his tea. She then watched wordlessly as he drank it. Her eyes and face overflowed with tenderness.

Jiang Fan set down the teacup and stood up. "Alright, thank you for your hospitality, ma’am. I’ll take my leave now." He cupped his fists in farewell, turned around, and took a step, heading off into an unknown direction.

"Wait," the old woman suddenly called out softly.

Jiang Fan merely turned his head. "What is it?"

The old woman stood up as well, her hands clasped in front of her lower abdomen, looking like a wife seeing off her husband. Her eyes were filled with an unconcealable reluctance to part. Her lips trembled, hesitating several times before speaking.

For some unknown reason, looking at the frail figure bidding him farewell, Jiang Fan’s heart inexplicably clenched. "Ma’am, what do you want to say?"

The old woman turned away, lowering her head so her back faced him, and said in a hoarse voice, "Be careful on the road ahead. I wish you safety."

Jiang Fan stared at her back, the agonizing pain in his heart gradually deepening. It felt as though he weren’t saying goodbye to a strange elderly woman, but to an old friend. He opened his mouth, wanting to ask questions, but didn’t know where to start. A multitude of words reached his lips, ultimately transforming into a simple parting wish: "Thank you. You too."

With that, he turned around, took a step forward, and vanished into thin air.

DRIP—

After his departure, the old woman slowly turned back around. She gazed at the empty courtyard in absolute silence. Flowers bloomed furiously all around her, attracting swarms of bees and butterflies. The brilliant sunlight cast a warm glow over the island. Yet, she stood alone, a solitary figure amidst the flowers.

After a long time, she returned to the woven bamboo recliner and slowly lay down. She reached out to take the teacup Jiang Fan had drunk from, her fingers gently caressing the lingering warmth upon it. She recalled his bright and sunny figure when they first met. She remembered the North Sea, and her parting kiss with Jiang Fan. It all felt like just yesterday, yet it had all long since passed.

"How wonderful it would be if time could just wait for me..."

The old woman murmured softly, clutching the teacup to her chest as her eyes slowly fluttered shut. A glint of crystalline moisture filled her eyes, dampening the corners.