A single, towering black wild rose stood quietly and majestically upon the filth.

Thank you​‍​‍‍‌‍⁠‍⁠​‍​‌​​‌⁠‍​​‌‍​ Anon for the ko-fi donation!

The breath of death surged toward him from all sides, but death did not descend.

A torrential downpour of water lily seeds suddenly enveloped him, blocking the mud whips outside. The whips twisted frantically, desperate to break through, but the water lily seeds rapidly took root in the swamp muck.

Almost instantly, the damp, foul odor was driven away by a fresh scent.

Endless water lilies shot up from the morass, their stems rapidly lengthening as massive, snow-white water lily buds burst forth and unfurled, weaving into a dense barrier that shielded Lumen within.

Sleep had been using seeds to clear a path all along the way, but those seeds grew slowly, and Lumen had never seen them bloom.

He looked toward Sleep in the distance, only to see that she, too, was wide-eyed with astonishment.

In a flash of realization, Lumen understood.

He looked down at the blood-drenched gashes torn across his body; the deep, severe wounds were rapidly festering, but the shallower ones had already healed.

An Yu had used time acceleration.

The team communications were down. Although they didn’t know each other’s exact situations, everyone had likely closed in on the Black Goat and encountered this sudden explosion of the mud formation.

An Yu was nowhere to be seen, yet from afar, he was still giving his absolute all for his teammates.

Lumen let out a soft chuckle. He gripped the withered wild rose petal in his hand and murmured, “Looks like I really have to go see you.”

But the moment the words left his mouth, a dizzying, deafening cacophony of murmurs exploded from the depths of the swamp, sounding as if countless humans and animals were cursing simultaneously. Mud-caked arms erupted from the bog, clawing frantically at his ankles.

He looked out. Beneath the mist, there was no longer a single empty patch of ground in the swamp.

Dense clusters of black hands broke through the mud, howling as they tried to drag the intruders into the bottomless abyss.

This was a situation they hadn’t encountered during their last time in the swamp. The Black Goat, though constantly suppressed by Jiu Xuyan after fusing with him, had bred an even stronger power.

A tremor of dread flickered through Lumen’s heart, but immediately after, the rich, clean fragrance of water lilies once again dispelled the surging stench.

Amidst the waves of fragrance, Sleep’s cold, crisp voice suddenly reached his ears.

“Go. Find him.”

With that sharp cry, an infinite sea of water lily seeds poured out, scattering into the swamp. The water lilies grew and swayed in the wind, stretching upward with a desperate vitality. The stems firmly propped up Lumen’s waist, propelling him forward.

Ten thousand black hands howled behind him, but they were pinned down securely by the water lilies, left to roar powerlessly as they watched him recede into the distance.

Lumen was thrown a long way before he realized something was wrong—no matter where he went, a continuous stream of water lily seeds surged ahead of him, rooting and sprouting in advance to clear his path. However, the sound of the other flight-assist module operating had been gone for a long time.

He snapped his head back and realized Sleep wasn’t following. Through the thick mist, a vast distance now separated them.

Lumen flipped his device’s switch, hovering in the air as he stared blankly at her figure.

Her thick hair fluttered in the fog, as pure white as a water lily, but endless mud whips and black hands wrapped around those strands, pinning her limbs.

Sleep had stopped moving, yet she maintained her forward-leaning stance, frozen in the posture of sending him ahead.

At the Spire, few people ever remembered that Sleep was just a young girl because she resembled a cold, detached weapon far too much.

Even now, there wasn’t a trace of panic in her eyes; they remained as steady and calm as a blade.

Sleep could no longer move forward. Black hands gripped her slender ankles, dragging her inch by inch into the swamp. The tips of her hair and her ankles had already submerged.

Yet, like a howling wind, the water lily seeds kept dispersing, seemingly boundless as they rushed past Lumen, paving the road to the Black Goat ahead of time.

Beyond the mist, Sleep curled her lips into a faint smile at Lumen. After that smile bloomed, two lotuses suddenly burst forth from her eyes. Their silver-white petals drifted in the fog, resolute yet gentle.

She had exhausted the purification power granted to her by this gene, emptied out all her seeds, and completely transformed into a water lily.

Read at Mizushi Novels

Visit Mizushi Novels

It also delivered her final words to his ear.

Support the original translation

Read on Mizushi Novels

Lumen’s chest felt instantly hollowed out, leaving nothing but the heavy, violent thudding of his heart.

Don't scrape

Don't copy

“No negotiation,” Jin Xuyan had said, without even looking at him. “I don’t care about the rules of other commanders. With me, supervised subjects don’t get naming rights.”

Only later did he learn that when Sleep first arrived, she had named herself Silent Sound, taken from an Eastern poem.

Read at Mizushi Novels

At this moment, the roaring and whispering within the swamp ground to a sudden halt. There were only the swaying water lilies, causing the air to vibrate with long, echoing ripples.

Visit Mizushi Novels

All sounds here are utterly still
Only the echo of bell and chime remains.

Sleep’s body had completely vanished into the mire, no longer visible.

Support the original translation

Read on Mizushi Novels

Massive black wild roses broke through the dark mud, blooming from the mud whips, turning around to lash at their own kind who still tried to approach Lumen.

Don't scrape

Don't copy

To deliver him right before Jin Xuyan.

Read at Mizushi Novels

Visit Mizushi Novels

Until the very end of that mist.

A single, towering black wild rose stood quietly and majestically upon the filth. 💬

Support the original translation

Translator’s note:

we’re in my favorite arc bcs i love all the characters but they’re like the glimmer of a dead star, we can only see the light as it passes away ;w;

the poems and some footnotes:

Huge stones like houses, ancient trees with twisting dragon-branches.
Four streams of shade lie beneath them; on the ground sits a yellow-robed Daoist master.
Tired from the long mountain walk under the endless sun,
We gather and talk, and soon forget our weariness.
As I walk and gaze into the scene within the cave
Every part of it is a poem of the Silent Sound.

The green stone is huge, like a house, with ancient trees growing twisted branches. There are focal shadows everywhere, and on the ground sits a teacher wearing a yellow robe. Walking through the mountains, although the sun has set, we forgot the fatigue while talking together. As we walked, the scenery in the cave before our eyes was a silent and serene poem.

Summary: The article depicts the magnificent scenery of the blue rocks and ancient trees, as well as the yellow-robbed teacher in the mountains. Walking through the mountains, although tiring, forgetting the fatigue when chatting together. The scenery in the cave is tranquil and beautiful, inspiring deep reflections.

Appreciation:

This classical poem, “Traveling to the Jianji Temple on Mount Lu, Three Poems, No. 2” was written by Shì Déhóng (释德洪, also known as Huihóng). While traveling on Mount Lu, the poet expresses his profound impressions of the mountain scenery and shares his insights gained from interacting with a Chan (Zen) master he met there.

The poem depicts the magnificent landscape of Mount Lu. Ancient, massive stones rise towering into the clouds; verdant old trees stretch up to the sky; mountain streams pour and flow in four directions, babbling as they go. The entire mountain forest is filled with a sense of tranquility and mystery. The line “ancient trees with gnarled, dragon-like branches” vividly captures the vigorous growth of these old trees, evoking a deep sense of the long river of time.

With the phrase ” on the ground sits a yellow-robed Daoist master” (地坐黄冠师), the poet hints that during his journey on Mount Lu, he encountered a distinguished monk (likely a renowned Chan master of the mountain) and by conversing with him, the poet gained some spiritual awakening.

The poet’s mountain journey makes him forget his fatigue, because not only does he appreciate the grandeur of nature, but the exchange with the yellow-robed master also nourishes his soul.

The final two lines: “As I walk and gaze into the scene within the cave / Every part of it is a poem of the Silent Sound.” express the stillness and Chan (Zen) spirit the poet feels while inside a mountain cave. By merging the scenery of Mount Lu with the state of meditative practice, these lines endow the poem with a deeper, more transcendent meaning.

bg: https://shicizhi.com/YOU-LU-SHAN-JIAN-JI-GUAN-SAN-SHOU-QI-E_songshi_25e555dc7fe2b3a9

A Buddhist Retreat Behind Broken-Mountain Temple

By Chang Jian (Tang Dynasty)

In the pure morning, near the old temple,
Where early sunlight points the tree-tops.

A winding path leads to a quiet place,
The meditation room hidden deep among flowers and trees.

Mountain light brings joy to the birds’ nature,
The pool’s reflection empties the human heart.

All sounds here are utterly still
Only the echo of bell and chime remains.

bg: https://www.guwendao.net/mingju/juv_4e2472cdbdf3.aspx

jjwxc comments

1: Wuwuwu, the cold and aloof older sister, because she is alone, she hopes those who have ties with her will have their wishes fulfilled.
And Flame, you really have to feel his tenderness best in the details.

2: Sigh, sacrifice is inevitable, and it’s still sad. But isn’t the sacrifice of Sleep and Flame a bit hasty? It feels a bit weak, including the earlier 99 section. The plot and environment feel somewhat insustainable, but it’s still quite a good story.

3: Flame, Sleep and Lumen feel more like a family: a father who worries about everything but can’t express love, a sister who thinks she can only do things for others, and a younger brother who radiates light but is proud and aloof.
Sleep had an event she wanted to dedicate her life to. “Go, find him”—perhaps because of Lumen’s smile, or perhaps because she set out on the road to save her Commander. After enduring long loneliness, she began a new life, from her new name to communicating with others, to meeting the most important person…… Finally, there is one thing that is not someone directing or demanding, but a choice made by her own purest intuition.
Seeing that Lumen’s terminal and equipment are all customized by Flame, I feel a bit excited, like playing the elements of a nurturing game, but kids don’t buy into this set…… Even if Flame is destined to die, he still hopes to give Lumen one more hug……

4: Sleep wasn’t all reckless. She sacrificed himself to save Flame. No one knew if Flame’s fusion with the Black Goat was reversible, but the Black Goat has to be eradicated. Their main purpose this time is to eliminate the Black Goat, or rather, to help Flame get rid of it