Life is truly fleeting

"Life... it withers away in the blink of an eye."

In the autumn breeze, a withered sea of flowers swayed and struggled.

Petals continuously fell from the branches, tumbling slowly in the wind, sometimes pausing, sometimes flying far away, drifting toward places even they themselves could not foresee.

Xu Xi watched this scene, feeling the unique melancholy and loneliness of autumn.

He extended his finger.

Precisely catching a petal.

"The flowers in Wagge City are indeed more fragrant than those in Allenson City. Is it because the Nature Goddess and the Goddess of Life are widely worshipped here?"

"However, when it comes to the moment of withering, they are remarkably consistent."

Even the most delicate flowers will eventually wither.

The fresh green leaves will also turn yellow and fall.

The vast majority of life in this world is fleeting and hurried. Though humans may live longer, compared to the eternal gods, they are ultimately insignificant.

Like a drop of water splashed from a mighty river.

Tiny, humble, and easily overlooked.

Xu Xi had little desire for longevity. In fact, even if the simulation ended now, he felt it would be worth it.

Since the simulation began, he had mastered many abilities and knowledge, including but not limited to magic usage, elemental control, spiritual power application, magical device crafting, mystical observation, and the combined use of multiple elements.

The number of world elements Xu Xi had control over exceeded a dozen, encompassing even life and death.

Only time and space remained beyond his reach.

Were such achievements and gains not abundant enough?

Moreover.

Xu Xi was only 27 years old, still far from the true end of his lifespan.

Before the simulation truly concluded, his gains would continue to grow.

Therefore, regarding lifespan, Xu Xi was quite open-minded. He never lamented the finite lives of mortals. What truly concerned him was the immortal witch.

Could she live alone after he was gone?

Would she be devastated by his absence?

On countless nights spent gazing at the moon, the man had pondered these questions more than once.

"Mentor."

A sudden call interrupted Xu Xi's thoughts.

His fingers instinctively loosened, and the half-withered petal flew away, brushing past his cheek, grazing the bridge of his nose, before finally landing on the soil that had nurtured its growth.

"What is it, Krisha?"

Xu Xi turned around.

Before him stood the witch, her appearance still that of a 17-year-old. Her silvery-gray hair had grown even more lustrous, cascading like light down her back.

A few strands fell softly against her collarbone, accentuating her fair skin with a hint of allure.

Eternal youth had bestowed upon the witch an undiminished beauty.

Xu Xi thought.

This should be considered a good thing.

However, Krisha herself harbored deep unease about it, fearing the unknown changes it might bring.

"Mentor, I... don't want to be like this."

Her limited life experience left Krisha unable to comprehend the meaning of immortality. All she knew was that she had become different from her mentor.

This was absolutely unacceptable.

This was utterly impermissible.

A witch's entire existence was dedicated to drawing closer to the "sun." How could she allow such a divergence?

Seeing Krisha so unsettled, Xu Xi comforted her, "It's alright, Krisha. Immortality isn't a bad thing. In this world, many people dream of it."

The girl was somewhat bewildered. "So... it's actually a good thing?"

Xu Xi fell silent.

Unlike before, he did not immediately answer the witch's question.

He raised his head, gazing at the sky, watching as birds swooped down toward the treetops, their precise and graceful movements weaving through the gaps, soaring magnificently in the sunlight.

"It's neither good nor bad, I suppose."

Xu Xi gave an ambiguous answer.

The journey ahead was still long. The witch could experience it herself and define the value of immortality.

...

[Krisha felt uneasy about her transformation. She vaguely sensed that the distance between her and you was gradually widening.]

[Despite your repeated reassurances, this unease showed no signs of fading.]

[The witch began to redouble her efforts.]

[The witch's strength improved.]

[The witch's household skills improved.]

[Krisha tirelessly strove to excel in every aspect, hoping to draw closer to you.]

[You found it both amusing and touching. One afternoon, you lightly tapped Krisha's head, telling her not to overthink things and to simply live each day to the fullest.]

[Krisha heeded your words, and her busy demeanor softened slightly.]

[In the fourteenth year of the simulation, you were 28, and Krisha was 20, though she still maintained the appearance of a 17-year-old.]

[From this year onward, Krisha began to consciously reduce her outings. Eternal life had granted her an unchanging appearance, but her mental growth continued.]

[The witch realized that her unchanged appearance over three years had sparked some discussion among those around her.]

[Thus, she chose to limit her outings to avoid drawing attention to you.]

The cultivation world had pills to preserve youth.

The magical world naturally had similar items.

Such as the blessings of the Goddess of Beauty or the life-spring water that slowed aging.

However, even these extraordinary items could not achieve true eternal youth.

They merely slowed the process to a near-imperceptible pace, while internally, the body's organs continued to age and decay.

Krisha was different.

She was truly immortal, truly unchanging, her time forever frozen at the age of 17.

Ordinary people might struggle to discern the difference.

But for mages, their highly sensitive spiritual power allowed them to instantly recognize the distinction between immortality and mere preservation of appearance, revealing Krisha's non-human nature.

After all.

What ordinary person could live forever?

In the shared understanding of the magical world, only gods and a rare few long-lived species could achieve such a feat.

To avoid trouble, to prevent conflict, and to preserve Xu Xi's peaceful life, Krisha chose to remain within the courtyard, no longer venturing out for errands as she once had.

This routine continued for two months.

Watching the witch still diligently perform her chores, practice magic with unwavering determination, and sweep the fallen leaves in the courtyard.

Xu Xi made a decision.

"Krisha, let's prepare to move to another city."

The sudden announcement clearly took the witch by surprise. Her usually calm and composed expression now bore a rare look of confusion.

"Why... would you make such a decision?"

Krisha asked in bewilderment.

Xu Xi did not conceal his reasoning, answering gently, "Moving to another city where no one knows you or me will allow you to go out again, Krisha."

"But," Krisha was even more perplexed. She looked at Xu Xi, her tone sincere as she suggested, "You don't need to do this."

The witch had little interest in going out to begin with.

Every action, every effort, was solely for the purpose of better serving her master.

Even if she were confined to the courtyard for the rest of her life.

She would only feel contentment.

Thus, Krisha genuinely believed that Xu Xi had no reason to uproot their lives and leave the home they had worked so hard to establish, all for her sake.