Chapter 1559 - 85: The Value of Life (Part 2)

"Yes, I should have stepped forward, acted with her, then found a chance to kill my father, but... but I couldn’t."

Serey hated his past self, "I just stood there blankly watching her, letting her be taken away by the Night King, executing the law."

Sai Zong judged coldly, "What a complete coward."

"What can I do!"

Serey suddenly stood up, "He is my father, the cornerstone of the Eternal Night Empire, the source of Immortal Blood, and she’s just... just..."

Sai Zong remained ice-cold as ever, "You’re just making excuses for your weakness."

"You’re right, Sai Zong, I’m just making excuses for my weakness."

Serey sat back on the sofa in dismay, held his head with both hands, leaned forward, and his gaze lowered.

"I am indeed a coward, whether it was then or now. Reflecting on all this, my first reaction is actually to defend myself," Serey painfully looked at Sai Zong, "Sai Zong, I hate myself, I loathe this version of me."

Sai Zong didn’t speak, but he could understand Serey’s thoughts. He, his master, equally hated themselves, their hands stained with blood that couldn’t be cleansed, even if they peeled off a layer of skin, the sticky bloody feeling persisted and could not be escaped.

The furious seek peace, the meek seek courage.

"Aisha, Aisha refused to see me, in her final moments, she chose solitude. At dawn, witnessed by other Pure-blood Night Race, she stood inside a deep well."

Sai Zong guessed the punishment awaiting Aisha.

"Daylight Punishment."

Serey painfully closed his eyes, the memories returned, crawling out from the grave of recollection, dried arms hanging with decaying flesh and earth, they scrambled, overturning tombstones, wailing endlessly.

He remembered that day, the day etched into the depths of his soul.

Aisha’s face held a long-lost smile, such a gentle smile, involuntarily recalling the first time he met her.

In that final moment, Aisha didn’t curse Serey, nor hate him. Instead, she embraced him tightly as if they were confronting each other’s feelings for the first time, flesh seemingly fused together, hearts closely connected.

"Don’t be sad, Serey," Aisha said, "I am simply chasing the value I seek."

Value?

What value, Serey didn’t understand, what value requires sacrificing life? Isn’t life the highest value?

This Undead, born immortal, couldn’t comprehend Aisha’s self-sacrifice, and in that moment, he realized he never completely understood this woman...nor would he have the chance to.

"Take care of Olivia, she is the bond between us and also your connection to the world."

Aisha advised, Serey’s expression filled with confusion and bewilderment, he didn’t understand what a bond or connection was, much less how it related to Olivia.

All of Serey’s affection for Olivia stemmed from the overflow of affection he held for Aisha. With Aisha gone, Olivia seemed dispensable to him.

"Apologize to him, Aisha," Serey urged nervously, "Submit to him, then you can survive."

Aisha soothed Serey like a mother comforting a child, gently rubbing his head, affirming softly, "It’s alright, Serey."

"What are you saying?"

"Everything."

Aisha kissed Serey, whispering in his ear, "You’re a good child, you’re just not ready yet."

"But I believe..."

"I believe one day, you’ll be ready."

After bidding farewell for the last time, Aisha resolutely turned away and stepped into the abyssal well.

At dawn, a corner of the Dark Iron Curtain cracked open, a brilliant ray of sunlight like the Giant Sword wielded by a Celestial God pierced the deep well, dispelling all shadows.

Serey stood by the well, hearing the anguished cries from below, listening to the crackling sound of skin oil scorching, the air filled with the scent of charred flesh and blood. Gradually, the woman could no longer withstand it, her desperate wails echoing.

Daylight Punishment.

This is the most brutal punishment for the Pure-blood Night Race within the Eternal Night Empire.

Due to changes in the angle of sunlight, apart from at noon, there is always a small area of shadow in the deep well, which becomes a lifeline for the Pure-blood Night Race.

As the morning sun rises, her body slowly burns and rots, but the flesh hidden in the shadow retains full vitality. With noble pure blood, powerful self-healing meets the sun’s scorching equally.

At noon, when sunlight completely envelops the deep well, she has no place to hide. The intense sun evenly bakes her body, skin turns to charcoal, eyes evaporate, her beautiful face wilts, all her hair disappears.

Fortunately, this noon sun penetrates through the Dark Iron Curtain, its rays are not fierce, strong enough to kill the Low Tier Night Race, but for a woman of Pure Blood, this kind of sunlight cannot entirely eliminate her.

After noon, the woman’s entire body almost turns to charcoal, yet she still breathes, a thread of life. When the sunset arrives, shadows reappear in the deep well to shield her, allowing her flesh to quickly heal under the shadow’s protection, while the weak sunlight continues to burn.