Judging by his tone, Austin knew that the man in his Soul Sea was eager to get into the cave. He stepped forward, looking up at the tall, stone door in front of them. He took out a jade token and waited.
He could feel arrays pulsating from the entrance as he looked back at Stacy. She shrugged and gestured at the jade token.
Austin turned back around and saw the jade token lighting up. Heavy scraping could be heard as the stone door slid open.
A stagnant, putrid smell immediately filled his nose, causing it to wrinkle. As he peered into the darkness, he assumed the cave had been abandoned for a long time.
Pulling out a light, he flicked it on and swept it across the darkness. From what he could see, it looked safe. Austin waved for Stacy to follow him and stepped into the cave.
In the middle of the circular area, there was a small, stone table and a few stone chairs around it. Several lovely ornaments were hung from the top of the cave and placed carefully on flat surfaces. It was apparent that a female cultivator had lived here before.
In his search, Austin stopped when his eyes rested on a cushion in the far side of the cave. Propped against the wall on top of it was a lonely skeleton.
The skeleton was small and dainty. Austin figured the person that had died was a woman, probably the one that had lived here.
"Jessy, no! You can't really be dead. You can't..."
The man teleported out of the small, white bead and appeared in front of the skeleton. He gradually collapsed onto his knees and dropped his head in his hands.
"Jessy, I'm here. Jessy.
It's been fifty thousand years. I didn't think I'd ever find you."
Tears poured down his cheeks but oddly enough, he was smiling.
The man's figure flickered slightly. Austin took a step towards him but hesitated. He had seen that the man's soul had a tendency of becoming invisible.
"Sir, if you don't get back to the Soul-nourishing Bead, your soul's energy will be sucked out. This is too risky," Austin said.
"Jessy... I'm here with you. I know you can feel me," the man continued, touching the skeleton's face fondly.
It seemed the words hadn't even penetrated the man's ears as he continued to stroke parts of the skeleton.
It was clear to Austin that this man had been very much in love with Jessy when she was alive.
That was why he treated her skeleton in such a gentle manner and wouldn't leave its side even though it was dangerous.
Austin looked at Stacy and she sighed. Love like this was so rare. It was heartbreaking that she had died.
Austin tried imagining a joyous reunion between the two where they were both alive. Surprisingly, it brought him some comfort.
After a long while, the man's soul began to fade.
Austin stood from where he had sat on the cave floor and approached him once more.
"Sir, please. You have to get back into the Soul-nourishing Bead. Otherwise, you will disappear," Austin urged, gesturing towards the bead on the ground.
It was glowing white, as if calling for the man to return.
The man turned around slowly and gave Austin a melancholy smile.
"It's all right. I struggled to survive for such a long time in the Soul-nourishing Bead for this moment.
Now that I'm reunited with Jessy again, I have no more wishes. I can die happy without any regrets.
Besides, my soul is running out of energy. Even if I return to the Soul-nourishing Bead, my soul will dissipate soon.
Young man, thank you for getting me back to Jessy. I couldn't have done it on my own.
When my soul vanishes, please bury my skeleton and Jessy's together in the cave," the man said to Austin, looking longingly at Jessy.
After a moment of consideration, Austin nodded his head.
"I see, sir. Don't worry. I will do what you ask," Austin replied.
'He has made up his mind to die. There is no point persuading him, ' he thought, looking at the ground. Even though it didn't seem like a happy ending to Austin, it was for the man.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Supreme God of Martial Arts