Chapter 113 - 112: Dan Heng is Not Dan Feng; Trailblazing My Own Path!

Following Dan Feng's proclamation-like words, Dan Heng appeared visibly shaken! Clenching his jaw tightly, expressions of pain and struggle flickered across his face. He then shouted vehemently, "That's your past!" "No." Dan Feng's voice was not loud but firmly restrained Dan Heng. The spear tip remained pressed against his neck. "As the reincarnation of the High Elder, "You mirror my existence. "The sins of your past life must be atoned for in this present one." Dan Heng's pupils widened instantly. He extended his fingers, summoning the Striking Clouds Spear into his hand and swiftly deflecting Dan Feng's weapon aside. "I... am not you!" In a swift motion, Dan Feng retreated a considerable distance and coldly declared, "If you defy clan rules, your lineage will be severed." "Forever condemned to oblivion, with no redemption!" Dan Feng raised his right hand, illuminating golden specks of light behind him. Each speck launched a razor-sharp lance, tearing through the air as if aiming to impale Dan Heng onto pillars! Undeterred, Dan Heng charged forward, wielding Striking Clouds to swat away all the lances! Finally, he reached Dan Feng! However, Dan Feng appeared composed and unflustered, effortlessly repelling Dan Heng with just two strikes. With a single palm thrust, behind him, a massive wave surged forth. Instantly, massive waves surged upwards! Dan Feng rode atop a spiraling whirlpool of seawater, ascending high into the sky. From this elevated position, she gazed down at Dan Heng as if embodying a lofty Judge, pronouncing his crimes. "Convict Dan Heng, obstinate and defiant." "He shall suffer eternal punishment!" Even March 7th couldn't bear to watch anymore and blurted out, "That wasn't even your fault! Why should our Dan Heng be imprisoned for it?" On the sidelines, Blade remained silent, but internally, he felt deeply conflicted. Witnessing the person he had relentlessly pursued being tormented caused him immense anguish. Suddenly, Blade realized that perhaps this individual was not truly "him"... In that moment, the pursuit seemed to lose its significance. Just then, a familiar voice echoed through the scene - the same words Blade uttered each time he chased Dan Heng: "You have nowhere to run." However, this time, the words were not spoken by Blade himself, but by the imagined enemy, Imbibitor Lunae. Blade thought, if Dan Heng were to fall here against this fantasy version of Imbibitor Lunae, it might be better for him to end Dan Heng's life personally. This could potentially spare some suffering. The final decision would depend on how events unfolded next. Massive waves encircled Dan Heng. Within the shadows of water, vicious dragons swam relentlessly. Behind Dan Feng, A torrent of dragons surged forth. Their immense power instantly struck Dan Heng, plunging him beneath the sea surface. He continuously descended into the abyssal depths. Dan Heng seemed to have given up. Exhausted and weary, he futilely waved his hand forward, attempting to grasp something, only to create circles of empty bubbles dissipating around him. The surrounding darkness grew increasingly dense. Amidst this black veil, a figure emerged: It was... Jing Yuan, expressionless. Like a machine devoid of emotions, he read aloud from the decree in his hands: "Convicted criminal Dan Feng, guilty of ten grave offenses." "In consideration of past merits, scales shall be shed for the samsara cycle." "Banished beyond the realm, never to return for all eternity." As Jing Yuan finished reading, Jingliu's interrogative voice followed: "Why did you persist so stubbornly?!" Then came the voice of Elder Chagming: "Hand over the 'Dragon Transformation Secret Art,' and the dragon masters may spare your life." "Lord Dan Feng, why would you do this?!" Lastly, it was Blade's voice: "All of this is because of you." Everyone present fell silent. Jing Yuan lifted his head and let out a sigh. Jingliu and Blade's expressions also appeared deeply somber. Indeed, these were words they had spoken before. However, the person standing before them now was not Dan Feng. Through this brief video, everything experienced by Dan Heng was presented from his perspective. It evoked a profound sense of injustice in fate. March 7th was completely overwhelmed with tears. She wiped them away using Stelle's sleeve and choked back sobs, exclaiming, "He is Dan Heng, The Nameless on the train, not the Dan Feng you keep mentioning!" Dan Heng's expression faltered, with a glimmer flickering in his eyes. "Thank you..." The screen went entirely dark. Yet, seemingly responding to March 7th's plea, more content reappeared on the display. Once again, it showed empty bubbles. However, within these bubbles were memories belonging to Dan Heng. In the first bubble, Himeko and Welt emerged, both smiling warmly as they looked directly at him. Himeko spoke, "From today onwards, you're officially part of the train crew." In the second bubble appeared March 7th and Stelle. March grinned and said, "Dan Heng, the rest is up to you." The third bubble showed Conductor Pom-Pom. "Stay alert! The warp is about to begin, Pom!" Dan Heng abruptly jolted awake! With all his might, he swam towards the light on the sea's surface. "That's right," "You represent my past." "But you." "Are absolutely not my future!" Dan Heng roared furiously as he broke through the water's surface. Golden light, like the sun itself, dispersed the gloom enveloping this space! Even Dan Feng displayed a look of astonishment! "I will forge..." "My own path!" March 7th and Stelle were utterly stunned! They had never seen Dan Heng so impassioned before. Regardless of how challenging the situation, he would only express concern with a somber tone, never raising his voice above twenty decibels. Yet at that moment, he let out a thunderous shout! This scene deeply shook both the players witnessing it live and those watching remotely! "The Astral Express Crew will always stand together!" "I'll forge my own path!" "Damn, why am I tearing up all of a sudden?" "The true essence of Trailblazing!" "My destiny lies amidst the stars!" "Waaaaah, Dan Heng-sensei is forever part of the Astral Express Crew!" "Oh no, this scene is too beautiful! Aaaaah!" "Stubborn to the end." Dan Feng once again commanded his water dragon, launching another attack at Dan Heng in mid-air. This time, however... Dan Heng no longer feared his own power or his past. A pair of dragon horns emerged from his forehead, and his hair instantly lengthened. Embracing the strength of the High Elder, he transformed into Imbibitor Lunae—his true form! The menacing dragon unexpectedly morphed into Dan Heng's water dragon, circling around him protectively! With his spear pointed downward— Dan Feng watched incredulously as this unfolded before him. Yet when the water dragon descended, it did not disperse Dan Feng's figure. Instead, it swept past him, dissipating into mist. Both combatants returned beneath the statue of the High Elder, now standing back-to-back. A gentle rain began to fall from the sky. Soon after, the dark clouds dispersed, allowing sunlight to stream through once more. The sharp contours on Dan Feng's face seemed to soften significantly. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Then...let's leave this place behind." "Don't look back." With those words, his figure dissolved into a shower of golden light, vanishing completely. Dan Heng stood momentarily stunned, then a hint of reconciliation curved the corners of his lips. At that moment, March 7th's voice chimed in, "Dan Heng, what're you daydreaming about?" "Huh?" "It's rare to see you smile." "Smile again, say cheese!" Expressionless, Dan Heng obliged with a perfunctory thumbs-up gesture. Stelle joined them, eager to witness the scene. Welt took a glance at the photo, chuckled, and asked, "Did something remind you of the past?" "Just some old memories." "Oh come on, don't be so mysterious." "Tell me quickly, come on!" "Haha, March, let Dan Heng have some peace." The sky was filled with countless stars. A fleeting silhouette of a train flashed across it. With this scene, the video clip came to an end. As the protagonist of the footage, Dan Heng stood frozen, unable to fully comprehend what he had just witnessed. During the Sea Opening Ceremony earlier, fragments of the High Elder's memories were awakened within him. Indeed, there were moments akin to battling his inner demons, similar to those depicted in the video. However, they felt ephemeral, almost like glimpses from a dream. But this video presented the entire process in vivid detail, offering Dan Heng a profound realization about the path he had chosen! His hands clenched and then relaxed. He couldn't fathom how Feathered Spirit managed to so accurately capture the internal struggle within him. Yet, without a doubt, these scenes and videos strengthened his resolve even further. It seemed...the impact of the game and its associated videos extended far beyond what he initially anticipated. Jing Yuan gently patted his shoulder and said sincerely, "Reconciling with oneself is always the most romantic journey." "Thank you, Jing Yuan." "It's nothing, just expressing my feelings after watching the video," Jing Yuan replied. "Although Imbibitor Lunae no longer exists, Dan Heng, I'm truly glad to have made a new friend like you." Dan Heng nodded. Their handshake moment was successfully captured by March 7th's candid photography. At that moment, Blade appeared beside Dan Heng. With arms crossed and a nonchalant tone, he said, "Dan Heng... you're not bad." "But there's still a long way to go before you can truly step out of his shadow." "I'll be keeping a close eye on you." Dan Heng gently rubbed his forehead, somewhat exasperated. In reality, this interaction was already much improved compared to their past encounters. At least Blade no longer immediately unleashed his Mara-Struck frenzy upon meeting him. Jingliu draped the black veil back over her face. "Right or wrong, truth or falsehood, I no longer wish to discuss these matters," she stated. "Let us proceed to the Alchemy Commission together now." "Oh, remember to buy some fine wine—but wait, isn't [she] too young to drink?" Jingliu added with a hint of concern.