Goodbye

Da Hai stood frozen, unable to speak. Amidst the grassland stood someone who should very much be dead. Yet Huoyun stood there, looking healthy as ever.

"How?" Da Hai stuttered out, stumbling forward. The alcohol was instantly purged from his system with a burst of Qi. Yet nothing changed. He could scarcely believe what his eyes were seeing.

All his senses, smell, sight, sound, divine sense, all were telling him that this was Huoyun. But Huoyun was dead, so how was this possible?

Da Hai reached out, managing to touch Huoyun's shoulder. He was solid. He was actually here. Huoyun's face showed no visible reaction. He simply stood there, looking at Da Hai with an empty look in his eyes.

"I," Da Hai struggled to speak. What should he say? What can he say? In this moment the world stood still for him and he did not know what was going on anymore.

"Hello, brother Da Hai," Huoyun said. His stoney expression transformed into an amiable smile. Da Hai released his hand.

"You're here. You're real. How is this possible?" He stammered. "Are you even here? Is this some trick of the mind?" He gripped his head trying to find any trace of wine still in his system. He however found none, he was completely sober.

"I'm as real as I'll ever be," Huoyun's amiable smile slowly turned into a dark look. "No thanks to you, traitor." These words sent shock down Da Hai's spine.

"What? What are you saying?" He said, panicked.

"What don't you understand? You're the one responsible for my death. You're the root cause of all my problems. It was you who pulled me into the conflict all those years ago, even when I didn't want to. It was you who put me on Luohu's radar," Huoyun roared, angrily pointing at Da Hai with a murderous expression.

"I," Da Hai struggled to speak. He felt everything Huoyun told was the truth. Yes, he could've prevented this, he could've told Huoyun everything about the future, about the stories from mythology.

Da Hai fell onto his knees in horror. He was the one at fault, it was because of him that his best friend had died.

"You're pathetic Da Hai, you are the cause of all my problems. I was happy cultivating silently in the Fire Cloud Cave, I was at peace, steadily making progress. But you just had to disturb me, didn't you? You dragged me into conflict with Shenni once again," Huoyun spat at Da Hai's face.

"You haven't changed from our first trip Da Hai. In the end you're still the most pathetic person out there. Always dragging me into your problems, where I pay the price."

Da Hai knelt on the grass on all fours. He couldn't retort even one bit. His emotional state was getting more and more out of control. He couldn't even lift his head up.

"From beginning to end you have always been a parasite, banking on the help of others. Well no more Da Hai, why don't you do us all a favour and off yourself," Huoyun drug his finger across his neck.

'He's right, he's always been right,' Da Hai thought with tears flowing down his face. It was all my thought, I was the one to blame. He looked up at Huoyun's disgusted expression.

"You will get no sympathy from me trash, your kind doesn't deserve living," this was his only response.

"You're right, I could've prevented your death. I never should've bothered you," Da Hai muttered, defeated. The sword that was dripping water, one he had received in Pangu Temple, materialised in his hands. He took it and pointed it at his own neck, however his grip was rather clumsy.

"Pathetic, you couldn't even hold a sword right? Are you even a cultivator?" Huoyun mocked. "Honestly, you're a waste of space. Are you seriously thinking of challenging those far greater than you? You're not even the real Da Hai. Just a lucky individual reincarnated into the right body."

"Dao of Distant Seas? It really does suit you, a parasite who forces others to do things for you. Always present to ensnare us, always far away when we suffer," Huoyun spat.

"You never stood a chance in this world. Who do you even think you are? Hongjun? Luohu? Those ancestors are masters of the Heavenly Dao. They only took pity on you and gave some compensation," Huoyun roared at Da Hai.

The sea god heard many voices yelling at him, belittling him. He could faintly hear Yang Mei behind him spatting at how disappointed he was at his results despite wasting so much effort to help him.

He heard Wangshu as well, "Why did you drag me into your war? My starry skies had nothing to do with you. Yet you barged into my home, stole my treasures and cost me an arm. My treasury is empty thanks to you."

A faintly familiar voice also spoke, Hou Pi, the hairy innate creature of many years ago. "If it weren't for you, Luohu would've never found us. My tribe is all dead because of you."

"Couldn't even stand in the face of words? I was so wrong about you disciple. No, you don't deserve to be my disciple. I wasted breath pushing you into the Chaos Immortal realm," Pangu spat out.

"Just another bug, I didn't even notice you during the battle. You don't matter, you never mattered. Just offer yourself up as a meal would ya? At least then the world will get something out of it," Shenni mocked.

"Nothing but luck, all luck. You should've died against me. You were so useless that you needed others to save you once again," the familiar voice of Taowu mocked him as well.

Da Hai looked up and still saw Huoyun arms crossed looking furious with him. The sword that he held dug into the side of his neck. A drop of crimson blood flowed out.

"Get on with it Da Hai. Be quick about it and don't dirty my shoe," Huoyun spat. "Heavenly Dao was so wrong about you. Luohu and Hongjun will surely beat you. Your future knowledge is as good as worthless."

However the sword stopped and dropped to the side.

"I never told you any of those things," Da Hai slowly made out. "I never informed you."

"Yes, and that is why I died. All because of you!" Huoyun pointed fiercely at Da Hai.

"Yes, you're right, I should've at least warned you. I really could've saved you," tears began flowing down Da Hai's eyes. However his previous sad expression changed into a determined one.

"But that is why I'm going to make things right. Brother Huoyun, I swear Hongjun and Luohu will pay. They will pay for your death. Even if it means I'll have to fight the Heavenly Dao itself, I will right my wrong." he screamed.

Huoyun's anger had returned to one of emptiness. His expressionless eyes stared back at the crying Da Hai.

"I never got to say goodbye," he said softly. "So I'll say it now, Huoyun, I will always be grateful for what you've done for me. You were my mentor and best friend. I promise you, neither Hongjun nor Luohu will win, I guarantee it".

He walked up to Huoyun and gave him a hug, "Goodbye old friend". He swiped his arm and Huoyun faded into white mist. Suddenly the grassland which was clear as day became clouded. Mist that weren't there appeared as if they were always there.

Da Hai looked at his feet and noticed he was not standing on grass anymore. He was standing on rocky ground. He looked up with clarity and saw the mist blanketing the skies. He could hardly see through them.

"What a terrifying illusion," he muttered. Suddenly he pushed both arms out creating a great force. Using the full might of his cultivation he pushed as hard as he could. A whirlwind of Qi rippled across the air.

The mist was torn apart by Da Hai revealing his location. The sea god stood on a cliff, overlooking a wide beach meeting endless ocean waves. A large trail was seen across the sand resembling a snake with legs. Indents were present on the rock wall as well, clearly something sharp had dug into them as leverages.

Da Hai stared into the ocean and rubbed his temples. He turned around to look at what was behind him. An enormous mountain range rose up close to where he was at the centre of the island. It was in an irregular shape, twisting and winding everywhere.

However a clear definite path was visible leading inwards. Da Hai followed it but as he got closer his vision became blurry. The air became misty.

Huoyun's voice returned and taunted him. Shenni's voice returned, mocking him. Wangshu's voice too returned deriding him. Taowu's voice returned as well.

"None of you are real," Da Hai muttered with clarity. As he spoke the path became clear and the core of the island was revealed. Before him sat an enormous tree standing thousands of kilometres tall.

This tree resembled a mulberry tree. Its bark was pure white and its leaves were a vivid green. It bore red mulberry fruits hanging in the sky, each one hundreds of metres in size.

Da Hai breathed in the Qi rich air and felt invigorated. He touched the tree bark and felt an enormous amount of life energy. It was seemingly infinite, calming, soothing, and above all else, it was exhilarating.

"Fusang tree," he muttered with recognition dawning on his face. Da Hai flew up, transforming into his 8-headed serpent form. Even then he was easily dwarfed in size. He comfortably wrapped himself on a large branch. He took a huge bite out of the mulberry fruits and grinned in delight.

He looked at the island below him, "Yingzhou of the three mystical mountains. Fortune was truly on my side." Da Hai rested on the branch and smiled in contentment, lying in the shade.

"I was in need of a base of operations. Yingzhou is perfect, untraceable and outside the governance of Heaven. A chaos fragment of the Chaos Sea and a perfect environment for cultivation," Da Hai spat out blood containing his very essence.

They dropped onto the surface of the island. Da Hai began the refinement process with haste. 'I promise you Huoyun, no, I guarantee that your death will be avenged.'