Chapter 76.1 – The Reader and Protagonist Definitely Have to Be in True Love

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Chapter 76.1 – Protagonist: Do you have someone you like?

The wind made the water of the lake ripple. Vivian’s golden hair danced in the wind and she put a hand up to keep it away from her face. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Xiu in the woods but her surprise quickly turned into pleasure “It’s you.”

Xiu was quietly observing Vivian’s expression. When he saw how the girl’s face was filled with joy, he walked out from the shadow of the woods with a smiled and greeted her as though they were two friends who had not seen each other for a while: “Long time no see, did you lose your bracelet in a lake again?”

The lake’s blue surface reflected the image of two people. A long time ago, when Xiu was still a student of the Magic School, they had met when Vivian lost her bracelet in a lake and Xiu helped her find it. Thinking of that time, Vivian began to smile and she stretched out her hand to reveal an old-fashioned chain on her wrist.

“Thank you for helping me find it. To me this is a very important memento.” Vivian’s beautiful eyes stared at Xiu: “Last time, because of an urgent summons, I did not have the chance to thank you before I left. Thank the god of light that we have met again.”

“Me too, seeing you again … I am happy.” Xiu smiled and said: “I did not expect you to be one of the tower climbers.”

The corners of Vivian’s mouth turned up slightly, forming a crescent moon shape. This handsome golden-haired, blue-eyed youth has made a good impression on her. Perhaps because they didn’t exchange names, this person will not compliment her because of her identity. Neither will he approach her because of her beauty. Whether it was the first time they met or the present meeting, they were able to get along with each other naturally, as if they had known each other for a long time.

The two people have a tacit understanding that it’s better not to ask each other’s name. Vivian asked Xiu: “How long have you been here?”

“I just arrived.” Xiu smiled somewhat helplessly: “I haven’t figured out this situation yet.”

“I’m nine days ahead of you so I’m leaving soon,” she said. Vivian winked at Xiu: “Let me give you some tips as a thank you since you helped me last time. We are now in the dragon caves. The lizard creatures will continue to try to to seize our nests and we must hold them off for 10 days. On the last day, the dragon god Io will appear – have you ever heard of Io?”

“Ah, the nine-colored dragon god Io, he can appear as any type of dragon.”

“Yes, Io can transform into any type of dragon. He is strong, but there is a way to weaken him.” Vivian smiled: “There are many troglodyte caves among the dragon caves. They have treasures. Bring those treasures back to your lair. The more of those treasures you have in your lair, the more dragons will drawn to attack it.”

“Each time you kill one of those dragons, you seal one of Io’s dragon forms.” Vivian smiled slightly: “Without his dragon forms, fighting Io won’t be too difficult.”

Xiu looked at the ignorant holy woman. He lowered his eyes and smiled. “Thank you, really … Thank you so much.”

Vivian can’t help but stare at Xiu’s mouth. That person’s hair and smile, they are both as dazzling as the sun.

“I have a friend who looks like you.” Vivian murmured: “He also has a splendid blond hair and is a good knight.”

Xiu’s eyes darkened; knew that Vivian was talking about the son of the lord, Eric.

“If I ever have the chance, I’d like to see the friend you’re talking about.” The curvature of Xiu’s lips was unchanged: “Am I really like him?”

Vivian nodded. “I think you would be able to get along with each other, but …”

The beautiful face of the holy saint became touched by a slight melancholy. “I have lost my friend, because he used a forbidden magic he is no longer able to use martial arts and magic. On one day, he and his partner quietly left the Temple of Light … left us.”

“I’m sorry,” Xiu said.

Vivian shook her head and motioned to Xiu that he shouldn’t apologize. Leaves fell from the trees into the lake, satirically looking at all of this.1

“I left a long time ago and now I have to go back. You -” Vivian paused, and then said: “Would you like to come with me? I can let my disci-… companions help you.”

Being with this person felt right and parting with him makes her feel sorrowful.

“You want to help me because you are seeing ‘me’ now.”

Vivian was very confused. She looked at Xiu. The young blond’s voice was light, as though he was talking to himself. Before she could ask him what he meant, Xiu suddenly asked her another question: “Do you have someone you like?”

Vivian’s heartbeat sped up. This was the first time she felt this type of strange mood.She was silent for a moment then said: “I wholeheartedly believe in the god of light, I have no other thoughts but to serve him.”

“… So you will never feel my feelings.” Xiu said softly: “Do you know what it feels like to drift on the sea with only a piece of driftwood? Knowing that you can live because you have that piece of driftwood… the driftwood in your arms becomes even more important than your life – it sounds ridiculous, but that’s how I feel right now.”

Vivian stared at Xiu. The person in front of her was smiling – his lips were curved up and his eyebrows were raised in a smile but his eyes weren’t smiling at all. They were like water, a pure, beautiful blue light that brought only a terrible cold.

“There is someone I like so I can’t stand anything that might threaten to steal him away from me.”

Although Vivian’s necklace automatically triggered and quickly created a defensive barrier around her, Xiu’s dragon spear easily penetrated the light shield. The spear stabbed into Vivian’s stomach. Xiu bent close to Vivian and said: “I am not like Eric. His honor, compassion towards the weak, and sense of justice towards all … I don’t have any of those.”

The reflection on the surface of the lake was like a portrait of two perfectly matched people. Although the scene was the same as that time long ago, one of them had already changed.

Vivian opened her eyes. She spoke with great difficulty, her voice trembling and stuttering like the hands of an old clock: “Eric… You … are …?”

Xiu smiled, showing an almost gentle cruelty

“- The wicked Xiu, I remember you called me that.”

“…”

Vivian fell to the ground without a sound. Xiu pulled out the dragon spear. There was no blood on the spear and Vivian’s abdomen also had no scar – she was not dead but she was frozen in time. Xiu sent the sleeping girl down into the lake. He watched as, little by little, she was swallowed by the blue water.

Floating in the water, desperately holding on to a piece of driftwood, even if the driftwood is lost, death will not come immediately but the pain of struggling in the water is worse than death.

He fears losing Du Ze in the future, therefore he will do everything he can to keep him.

********

Translator’s Notes:

  • The name Vivian is closely related to Arthurian myth. The Lady of the Lake, who is sometimes called Vivian, is a sorceress who gave Arthur Excalibur and raised Lancelot. The fact that Vivian appeared twice in a lake setting makes me think this is an allusion to the Lady of the Lake.
  • This is another Xiu POV section. I really like reading about the story from Xiu’s POV. I’m also somewhat curious about what the others think about all of this. I would love a Violet POV, for example. Remember that arc in the demon cities when she was 100% supporting Xiu X Du Ze? Hahaha, that was fun!
  • I wasn’t expecting that. Why didn’t Xiu just kill Vivian? I don’t get it. Why do you think Xiu just froze her time?

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  1. I think Xiu was looking at this ironically or something.

45 thoughts on “Chapter 76.1 – The Reader and Protagonist Definitely Have to Be in True Love”

  1. Idk. I don’t think there is any really deep meaning to it other than him wanting her to feel the same despair as him when she abandoned. Rember he was very clueless about his bloodline when he first transformed in to an undead and he was tortured constantly without being able to die. So he wants her to suffer as he did. But in her case, its forever.

  2. He fears losing Du Ze in the future, therefore he will do everything he can to keep him.

    He might lose him precisely because of that Im guessing.

  3. Y’all some thinking deep meanings behind Vivian’s frozen time and here I am thinking Xiu did that since Du Ze formerly Liked Vivian (which he misunderstood). LMAAAAAAOAAOOOOOOOOOO

    1. I don’t think he froze her out of revenge or pettiness, but for the threat her complete loyalty to the god of light and her sympathy to Eric (both of who want to kill Xiu/ take Du Ze hostage) represents. I think he even tried to reach out for her empathy, see if she, like himself, had someone precious she could not stand to be separated with, but she doesn’t so bye bishhh

  4. I wonder why beast(mount type) are scared of du ze… Is it bcs he is a mount as well :3 protagonist mount

  5. Wasn’t Vivian supposed to become the heroine of this story? But now that Xiu has Du Ze, he no longer needs her. The heroine can’t die, can’t be abducted into a harem, so the only choice left is to seal her time to eliminate her.

    There seems to be a lot of sadness to this, rather than anger and revenge. Xiu has denied an entire alternate timeline by freezing Vivian’s time.

  6. I like a story with multiple pov, so the story progress from literally multiple pov where they won’t be talking about the same thing. As to why Xiu didn’t kill Vivian… I don’t know too. I can only assume. I think that death gives an end, but frozen in time will give suffering. Why give someone an easy death?

  7. Ngl, I’m getting a kinda ‘Cecil’ feel if this scene, with the god who froze the transcendent beauty in time, except no one is going to be able to sacrifice themselves so Vivian can go free. I’m p sure if Eric tried, xiu would just kill him lol.

  8. Look vivian will never be able to revive because only xiu could do it with that spear…..and to think that he took the spear with even if someone came to dave her or unfreeze her its useless because only xiu can do it…

  9. I’m so happy and sad at the same time, now that i could see into some of xiu’pov. It shows how much he loved du ze, and he knew somehow that he could lost du ze anytime 🙁 🙁
    I only could pray the best for them

  10. I kind of feel disappointed that he didn’t kill her….. If he killed her, he will eliminate any chances of Du Ze getting kidnapped and such. Someone might unfroze her time since she is beautiful, surrounded by the light elements and they might fall in love with her and try to unfreeze her time. Maybe Eric or the god of light will do it since she is the god of light faithful servant or something or maybe someone else. Even if he did that to make her suffer, she won’t be conscious as she is frozen in time so she won’t really suffer being in the water and such. I wonder if the rules are the ones who made him do that. She was originally the main heroine so the rules might have made her like that since she isn’t supposed to die or something? Or maybe Xiu doesn’t want Du Ze to be unhappy for killing someone. Also, I have a question. When Xiu’s mom? grandma? froze Muir, the spear needed to be impaled in him for him to stay like that but does Xiu not need to do that? In addition, thanks for the chapter!!!!!!! 😆

    1. I don’t know why Muir had the spear to seal him. Perhaps Xiu actually did kill Vivian? I mean if the spear is needed to freeze someone’s time then that means what he put on Vivian was just a temporary seal and her time will slowly unfreeze while she is under the lake… and die?

      Or Xiu is just that awesome that he can freeze people without using the spear. I mean, he is the protagonist.

    2. The spear could only be used by Xiu’s blood relatives: grandma and mother. No one could remove it unless he did. It is explained during of the awakening of his dragon bloodline.

  11. Ooooh we finally got a Xiu POV (after a long time) i really missed the black box.. Thank you very much for this nee! Gambatteeee!!

  12. Guys why you confuse? I thought Xiu would kill her too but then froze her in time and made her sank in the bottom of the lake, and for me that’s more harder than death because if Xiu just killed her right then and there she would have a quick and peaceful death but Xiu froze her and kicked her in the lake so she would feel his suffering or just plain feel the despair and suffering. Xiu doesn’t want anything that might possibly take away his wifey to escape alive.

    I thought they were going to have a lovey dovey scene between Vivian and Xiu but I’m so glad! I know Xiu is VERY loyal to his wifey but when he talks like that to other girls it feels like he’s sweet talking them! Geez Xiu! Becareful or wifey Du Ze would see you sweet talking other girls and would feel jealous.

    Thank you for the update!

  13. I knew Xiu was going to use Vivian and probably kill her but didn’t expect him to freeze her time?
    Maybe its just his cruel way of revenge… where he unfreezes her time after he destroys everything precious to her to let her experience the pain of having her most precious thing taken away forever…
    Thank you for the chapter!!!

  14. Hey, thanks you very much for this chap.
    This is my first time commenting and I am very grateful to you for having taken this project.
    Please continue with your great work, and happy new year from Uruguay

  15. Huh… frozen in time…

    Xiu found a way to eliminate threats, and still be able to truthfully say no if Du Ze asks him whether he killed someone…

    Plausible deniability?

    I feel a bit sad about Eric though… Still, forbidden technique saving his life? Ironic…

    1. What kind of person are you, to have thought of this wonderfully diabolical conclusion to this scenario?

  16. Omg Xiu is so wickedd!!!! And I love this surprise! Lol never thought he’d kill Vivian after complimenting her… i underestimate Xiu and his love for Du Ze…

    Omg omg..I can’t bear the feeling if one day Du Ze will be back to his world…noooooo 😩😩😩😩😩😩😫😫😫😫😫😫

  17. I was confused at first for Vivian not to recognize the Xiu but then…oh right, she just see Xiu as the undead – skeleton / lich form. Was waiting for the moment for Xiu to kill Vivian – especially when a certain cute, silly reader was not there to stop him. Stopping time and kill her, what’s the difference for Xiu to choose the former?
    Guess they’ll see Eric in the tower, though won’t it be hard if it’s just him and the gold dragon?

    1. And Vivian said Eric lost his magic ability was it.. how would he fight.. it’s not just him and the gold dragon I think XD

  18. I saw him stab her and I was like “Yesss! Called it!!!” But then she was only frozen in time so I was wrong, but for a brief moment I was so proud of myself. .. XD XD XD

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING AWESOME! ! ! HAPPY NEW YEAR! ! !

  19. Happy New Year from Kyoto!
    Hum, I just think what he did was even more cruel than killing her. He makes her experience what he had, drifting in cold waters without hope… There are almost no chances for her to be rescuded in this Tower of God trial…

  20. Nice chapter! I like seeing Xiu’s revenge. I suppose, if Vivian isn’t dead, then Bright might not know about it. There also isn’t any concern about reviving her as an undead.

  21. Wow !At first I was scared of xiu liking her but i totally didnt expect that he would do that to her and leave her at the bottom of the lake. Except for when he is with du ze xiu is really cold blooded but neverthless I love him and his devotion to our reader😘😘

  22. A Violet POV? Fellow fujo/fudans will agree! 😂

    Anyways, this chapter scared me a bit since the plot seemed to be pulling the two “destined” lovers together. But thankfully it was nothing. Xiu will never betray our little reader!

    Thanks for the chapter!

  23. Interesting. I wonder if keeping her alive but frozen was to prevent her from ever emerging from the tower.

    Thanks for the great translation!

  24. Wait I just had a thought did Xiu stop Vivian’s time because he was turned into an undead state
    Unable to truly be alive or dead as his undead form suffering because of those nails imbeded in him
    Stopping her time would time would show her that suffering he went through
    (Makes me wonder if shes concious….)

    But unlike her, Xiu had Du Ze to save him

    (Hes so poetic in his killings)

    1. It’s probably what Xiu’s grandma did to Miur… being able to maintain it after removing the spear is a plus though

  25. An interesting end to the holy maiden Vivian
    Can i say I really love Xiu’s chapters theyre so good and I love how the imagery changes in comparisong to Du Ze
    Also happy new year from California,
    thank you for having translated this novel this past year its made it very bearable

  26. I didn’t know the Arthurian myth, that was interesting… I appreciate Xiu not going on a killing spree everytime though, even if Du Ze is not watching. Maybe because he know Du Ze don’t like him killing people, especially those who related to his past, that is why Xiu chose to keep Du Ze away as he settle his business with Vivian, but in the end not killing her. Xiu didn’t kill his childhood friend that betrayed him too, didn’t he?
     I can give you a (letter) … my companions can help you.
    the 信 in this place is an unfinished word if you consider the sentence structure, Vivian meant 信徒(disciples) to help Xiu, but she don’t want to reveal her identity so she changed to companions

    1. How confusing! Thanks for the input, I don’t think that sort of wordplay will work in translation so I will have to omit the letter part.

    2. I think it’s okay if you make disciple half spelt 😂 like “I can let my disci-… companions help you”

  27. Hoho, so Xiu choose to swat the insect eh
    Though that’s quite disappointing but it’s okay, the insect will just drown in the lake when the time is unfrozen

  28. Thanks goodness! Even while Xiu is with a beautiful lady, he still keep on thinking and being possessive over Du Ze. Way to prove your loyalty and devotion to your beloved. Thanks for the chapter.

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