Chapter Seven, Severing Ties and Breaking Bonds

"Do you think you are the only one who can't bear it?" Gao Shan said sternly: "Everyone here is tormented by the same nightmare every night. We have all spent dozens of sleepless nights, and we had to form this Forgetting Water Mirror Club. We hold regular activities twice every ten days, where everyone shares their experiences and explores ways to forget everything that happened two months ago"

"Oh, young man, you've made something of yourself!" smiled the boss Tianlong. "Every son must grow up someday! It's also good to go down and broaden your horizons. Our Hero Island has been isolated from the world for over a thousand years; it's time to send a young man down to take a look around."

He forcefully grasped the corner of his left robe with his hand, and with a sudden tug, he tore the entire piece of fabric away from his clothing. Tianxiong held the tattered garment, hesitated for a moment, and then threw it fiercely in front of the mountain.

"This is simply ridiculous," Tianxiong said loudly to everyone: "Do you think you can sleep soundly like this? The only way to stop nightmares is to go to the human world and prevent tragedies from occurring"

As the days pass by, the sound of cicadas gradually disappears. In the long, endless nights, Tianxiong continues to struggle painfully in one nightmare after another, tossing and turning in bed.

"Yes, sir, what brings you here?" A meteor seemed to emerge from the ground, appearing on Tianxiong's shoulder.

"We will not leave, for we cannot possibly part from Ranger Island, and neither can you," Gao Shan exclaimed passionately. "Do not expect those adults in the city hall to consider organizing an army. We have lived on Ranger Island for seventeen or eighteen years and can no longer leave this place. What about them! They have lived here for decades, centuries, or even millennia; they have become as much a part of this island as coral growing on rocks. To separate them would require blowing them and Ranger Island to pieces." They have lived here for decades, centuries, or even millennia; they have become as much a part of this island as coral growing on rocks. To separate them would require blowing them and Ranger Island to pieces.

"Cut... cut the robe and sever the bond, Tianxiong. ... ... ... You. ... " Gaoshan was dumbfounded, and the youths around him were all startled by Tianxiong's actions.

"This condition is too harsh!" Tianxiong exclaimed, "Isn't this sending the human race back to their doom?"

"Where are the women?" Night Song's face suddenly flushed with a rosy hue, "When you first met me, were you not searching for women?"

"Oh, I am not quite sure about that," said the owner of Tianlong, furrowing his brow. "Child, the world is not a place for fun. It is divided into dozens of countries, and wars occur every year. Murders and thefts happen every day; it is very dangerous"

"Indeed," Tianxiong said, his entire body trembling with anger, and even his tone turned icy. "I would give up everything for a little girl, even if she is only thirteen. For her, I would abandon the happy life on Ranger Island; for her, I would assist humanity in resisting the divine race until the day of victory, even if it means facing death without regret. That is the kind of person I am."

Gao Shan gestured around, and Tian Xiong was taken aback. Turning his head to look, he then realized that all the young men sitting in the pavilion were those who had previously witnessed the appearance of the Water Mirror.

Upon hearing this hopeful remark, Tianxiong felt a sense of astonishment and flattery. It was the first time someone who had never shown him much kindness spoke to him in such a tone.

Tianxiong stared in astonishment at Yeg song, for she had once been such a stubborn and proud girl! Her lofty gaze and sharp, commanding words left others no choice but to bow their heads in silence before her. Her first plea for help, rather than a request, was more akin to a command. Yet now, Yeg song no longer exhibited a trace of noble restraint; she even disregarded her own demeanor, kneeling before the water mirror and desperately pleading with Tianxiong.

Of course, Tianxiong said decisively

During this period, both Tianxiong and Yeg song believed that the hope for humanity had finally arrived. Yeg song, rarely, did not mock the selfishness of the rangers; at times, she even revealed a faint smile during conversations

Gao Shan forcefully broke free from Tian Xiong's grip and angrily said, "So what? Do you want to show that record to others?"

"You are so hypocritical that it makes me want to vomit!" Gao Shan sat on the ground, shouting, "Why didn't you tell us that every night you go to the Biking Tianchi to meet your little lover, sharing your innermost feelings? While we are tormented by nightmares every day, you are flirting and indulging in sweet nothings with your little lover.

The water mirror hung high in the night sky above the azure sky pool, just as it always did. Tianxiong could no longer remember how many times this had happened. In recent days, every few days, the water mirror would rise, and the little girl in the mirror—Night Song—would engage him in simple conversation. Most of the time, she would mock him, ridiculing his indifference to the suffering of humanity. However, there were also times when she would tell stories of human resistors. At times, she would even seem somewhat excited and proud.

They hope that the human race can retake Xiadou, thereby proving their ambition to revive the former glory of humanity. Ye Ge said softly: "We barely managed to break out from the hands of the divine army that occupied Xiadou; now, wanting to capture this city is simply impossible"

Tianxiong did not respond to him, but simply drew the dagger he carried with him and made a long, straight horizontal line on the ground of the Gaoshan family's pavilion, completely separating himself from Gaoshan and the others

"Oh, oh! Our great hero! ..." Gao Shan said mockingly, "I... I should bow to you, no, no, I am not even worthy to carry your shoes. Your heroism truly makes us feel ashamed. However, I will ask you honestly, are you really doing this for the liberation of humanity?"

"Help us," Night Song said, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears. "I beg you to help us. If it were your rangers, even just one person could assist us. The warriors are all disheartened, their morale is low, General Falling Thunder is gravely injured, and the heroes of the human race have almost all perished on the battlefield or gone missing. The human race needs a hero to uplift their spirits; I implore you to save us, to save humanity."

"Is there nothing more to say? Tianxiong?" Gao Shan rose from the ground, spat out a mouthful of blood, and said coldly, "Do you still delude yourself into thinking that we will believe your grand dream of saving humanity? Do you think your actions will make us feel ashamed? You are merely a fool unable to control your own desires, like a moth drawn to the flame, heading to your own demise in the human world"

"That was," Tianxiong said awkwardly, "our youth messing around, it was just a joke"

"That is why I want to go down and take a walk, I... I want to be a chivalrous hero." Tianxiong hesitated for a long time before slowly saying this

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"Damn it! Who is your master, anyway?!" Tian Xiong exclaimed in a fit of rage, saying sternly, "You will come with me to find Gao Shan, quickly!"

"Oh, enough, please, save us. If you come to rescue me, I am willing to serve you! ... I ...! ... I am still a virgin!" Gao Shan said in a coy voice, with an alluring tone.

"Very well, listen to me," Tianxiong said eagerly, "In a little while, I will go to the City Hall of Bikuang City to meet the mayor. I hope he will convene a citizens' assembly. I want you to play the recording of the incident you made two months ago at the assembly, to inform everyone that there is a crisis in the human world, do you understand?"

I understand, " said the owner Tianlong, slapping his forehead. "Son, go find the Xiu family at the Iron Sword Workshop. They have adopted a maneless horse, which is said to be a rare dragon beast that appears once in a hundred years. Many travelers in the tavern have mentioned this matter.

"I am sorry, my dear sir," the meteor hiccupped with one eye, saying loudly, "Gao Shan has already asked me to erase that record. Recently, I have recorded many interesting things, and my eyes are almost unable to contain them."

"Shut up!" Tianxiong kicked Gaoshan hard on the chin, finally silencing his venomous words. "How could you possibly know this?"

The singer Liu Lianhua approached Tianxiong with a wine glass in hand and smiled as she asked, "Young man, you have ambition. Have you ever thought about how to go to the human world?"

"Silly boy, I haven't done anything yet, so why are you so moved?" Boss Tianlong chuckled.

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"Yes, I heard the sound of water from the Azure Sky Pool and thought it might be you, so I hurried over," Tianxiong said eagerly. "How is the human army? I have been very excited these days, really. Have we already received assistance?"

The Gao family is the largest household in the Drunken Sword Workshop, with their garden's grape trellis occupying several acres. During the golden autumn, when fruits are ripe, large clusters of purplish-red grapes hang from the trellis like curtains. In the center of the garden, surrounded by the grape trellis, lies the renowned inner garden of the Gao family village, filled with golden chrysanthemums and featuring an elegant pavilion for the family to enjoy crabs and admire the chrysanthemums in the autumn.

The Orcs and the Xiuren are unwilling to assist us in resisting the divine race. Night Song's tone revealed a sense of despair, saying, "They hope that the human race can first prove its strength before receiving aid from other races. They believe that a race that has lost its fighting capability, even if it receives their assistance, has no hope of revival."

"Disgusting!" Tianxiong furiously struck Gaoshan's cheek with a powerful punch, saying indignantly: "You truly make me feel sick"

"A meteor with one eye!" The first thing Tianxiong wanted to do upon waking up the next day was to summon this clairvoyant bird, which was naturally gifted at recording past events.

At this moment, seven or eight young men are seated in the pavilion, each with a pale and dull complexion, lacking in spirit. Gao Shan seems to be discussing some issue with each of them, his expression both serious and tense.

"Father!" Tianxiong did not expect his father to be so ostentatious about the matter, and by the time he raised his hand, it was already too late to stop it

"Of course, it's strange that I don't feel angry upon hearing such things!" Tianxiong said in shock, "The Orcs and the Xiuren clearly want to exterminate the Human race"

Tian Xiong shook his head and said softly, "I haven't thought about it in detail; I was just planning to ask Father today"

"You are my son, whatever you do, I will certainly support you." The boss of Tianlong patted his shoulder, "This is not a bad thing. Although the human world is relatively dangerous, I believe that no one can harm the descendants of the Tian family."

"Divine Dragon?" Tian Xiong asked thoughtfully

A slight sting welled up in Tianxiong's eyes as he spoke softly, with a hint of choked emotion, "Thank you, Father"

"Yes, Father, I want to take a trip to the human world," Tianxiong said firmly. "Is there any way to do that?"

"You are insane," Gao Shan said in shock

"Why are you all here?" Tian Xiong asked in surprise

"Did you tell him?" Tianxiong asked fiercely

"I beg you, we humans should possess certain things that even you rangers might need," Night Song said urgently. "Wealth, power, fame—whatever you desire, we will do our utmost to fulfill it for you"

Perhaps today humanity has received assistance, who knows! It is possible that the war can finally come to an end. Tianxiong eagerly hoped for this, as the nightmares that tormented him became increasingly unbearable. From morning till night, he dared not sleep, and his mental state was beginning to unravel

"Father, do you agree to let me go?" Tianxiong said in surprise

"I am about to do just that!" Tianxiong exclaimed loudly, "I can no longer endure this; we need to take action. I have decided to inform the mayor about this, and perhaps we can form a ranger corps or something similar to assist in the human world"

"I am sorry, sir," the meteor exclaimed loudly, as one of its eyes popped out from his embrace.

Tian Xiong shook his head in panic, saying, "No, no, we people from Ranger Island do not need those things. It is not meant to look down on you; it is just that these items are of no use to us"

If you come to rescue us, I am willing... I am willing to marry you. Night Song's face became even more flushed, and her pair of elf-like sparkling eyes suddenly turned dull and shy. I... I... I still...

"Child." Liu Lianhua ignored the meteor's one eye, patted Tianxiong's shoulder, and said: "The people here do not know how to descend to the mortal realm. However, I have heard that the divine dragons of the Nine Heavens can simultaneously traverse both the Island of Wanderers and the mortal continent. They are born travelers. If you wish to find the way to the mortal realm, you must seek a divine dragon to guide you."

"Stop dreaming." The voice of the high mountain sounded like thunder, "They will not go, just like us"

The leader of the human warriors, Luo Tianlei, seems to be a great hero admired by Ye Ge. He successfully led his army through the forces of the divine race, carving a bloody path into the southwestern wilderness, seeking aid from the Orc Kingdom and the Xiu Ren Kingdom to the southwest. These are high-level races with populations second only to humans on the continent, unlike humans who are divided into dozens of nations. The Orc Kingdom and the Xiu Ren Kingdom have historically existed as a single unified realm, where they live freely in the jungles, grasslands, and mountains, coexisting harmoniously with nature, having severed ties with humans for thousands of years. Recently, General Luo Tianlei has struggled to defeat the last vanguard of the divine race pursuing the humans, granting temporary safety to the fleeing humans, although they must still face the bizarre magical beasts and spirits lurking in the jungle.

"Are you going to the human world?" the astonished Boss Tianlong asked his son while counting the income at the counter

He stood up, cleared his throat, and loudly addressed the still-drinking wanderers in the tavern: "Dear patrons, today my son from Tianlong is preparing to venture into the world as a chivalrous hero. I invite everyone to drink a toast on me to bolster my son's journey."

"Foolish bird," Tie Yibei scoffed at its words, "You always think we have wings like you, right? We can only perform lightness skills, not fly. Silly!"

On that night, a gentle sound of water, faintly echoing from afar, suddenly awakened Tianxiong from his dream. He simply put on a coat and rushed out of the window, taking the old method to board the skiff by the azure sky and the Heavenly Pool, desperately rowing towards the source of the sound.

The patrons in the tavern began to cheer loudly. The regular, Tie Yibei, raised a cup of wine towards the flustered Tian Xiong and said, "You have ambition, little brother. For a thousand years, no one from our Rogue Island has had the determination to venture into the human world. You have set this precedent, and it deserves encouragement. I, Tie Yibei, will be the first to toast to you." With that, he tilted his head back and drank the entire cup of fine wine in one go

"So, you care about humanity, don't you?" Night Song asked eagerly

"What's so difficult about that?" A meteor, which had been nestled in his arms, suddenly leaped out with one eye and stood on his shoulder. "Let's dig a hole in the ground and then jump down, won't that work?"

In Ye Ge's eyes, a look of shame and sorrow emerged as she stood up with a blank expression, her voice hoarse as she said: "Forget it"

Tianxiong strode into the pavilion, grabbed the astonished Gaoshan by the seat, and said sternly: "Why did you let one eye erase that record?"

"Keep it up! Little brother, don't bring shame to Ranger Island." Everyone laughed and cheered for his departing figure, still believing that Tianxiong was merely tired of life on Ranger Island and wanted to venture into the human world.

At this point, he glanced at the glaring Tianxiong, took a deep breath, and continued, "Look at us; we have been tormented into grotesque forms by the illusions in the water mirror. You still want to make the record public to all the people of the Ranger Island. Do you wish for everyone to end up like us?"

"From this moment on, you are you, and I am I; let us no longer have any dealings with each other." Tianxiong said this with determination and left the Gao family garden without looking back

I understand, thank you, Father, and thank you, everyone. Tianxiong nodded in gratitude to his father, then expressed his thanks to Liu Lianhua and Tie Yibei, and rushed towards the door

"I am sorry, truly sorry, I... I cannot let go. ... ... ... Let go of everything on Ranger Island, I..." Tianxiong was unable to organize his thoughts, helplessly twisting his lips, uttering words that brought him shame.

"You are truly great to the point of astonishment, Gaoshan," Tianxiong said mockingly in a loud voice. "For the good of everyone, erase the records! I should really give you a medal for being our helpful citizen—Gaoshan. But let me tell you, you are mistaken; there is at least one person from Ranger Island who will go to the human world, and that is me. I have decided to go there to help humanity resist the divine beings, and I will start preparing today"

Enough! Tianxiong could no longer endure it and shouted, "How old are you?"

This is also reasonable," Tian Xiong pondered and nodded, then asked, "How do they require the human race to prove their strength?

"I ... ... I. ... ... Of course I care." Tianxiong lowered his head and said softly

"I smell gunpowder, it's truly exhilarating," said Meteor excitedly, but was abruptly caught by Tianxiong and held in his arms

"Not bad, I am crazy for her." Tianxiong let out a cold laugh, "Gaoshan, we have played together since childhood and have been friends for over ten years. I once thought you would be my lifelong friend, but it seems the differences between us are indeed too great, almost like heaven and earth apart"

"You really came!" A hint of relieved joy was evident in Ye Ge's voice

"I am also helpless; my eyes have always been able to see things that should not be seen, and I have never been able to control my tongue," said the meteor with an innocent expression in one eye.

"You ...? ... Are you feeling angry?" Night Song asked in surprise

The image in the water mirror began to blur as always. Tianxiong desperately grasped his disheveled hair with both hands, clenching his teeth fiercely. He felt a heart-wrenching sense of guilt and shame, as if hot lava was flowing wildly in his heart, scorching every corner of his soul. He lay back on the boat, allowing the water from the heavenly pool, triggered by the water mirror, to pour down on him relentlessly.