A Cunning Pervert in the Cultivation World Chapter 353: The Golden Light That Waits Until the End of Time

Goldie remained in silence, its gaze fixed upon the woman with unmistakable clarity.

"Oh? Are you perhaps inquiring if the dire future that looms over Li Feng has become any clearer?"

A subtle nod from Goldie confirmed her words.

All its actions, motivated by the horrifying visions it had witnessed through this woman, were aimed at securing a brighter path for him.

The profound trust Goldie placed in her stemmed from a simple, shared origin and a mutual desire to aid Li Feng.

From her vantage point above, the woman observed, clearly finding amusement in the scene.

Goldie's evident anxiety seemed to be a source of genuine entertainment for her.

"Truthfully, I cannot say for certain," she stated casually, as if Goldie's sacrifices held little weight.

"..."

Goldie maintained its composure, its gaze unwavering.

Due to their connection, it already understood that it had accomplished something significant.

The woman cast a glance at Goldie, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

"How tedious. I never imagined the Divine Authority of Gold would be such a worrier."

With a graceful leap, she descended, landing soundlessly before Goldie.

A faint smile graced her lips as she looked up at the wooden puppet.

"Whether his future has truly shifted remains uncertain... but I can assure you this: the most formidable adversary he would have encountered in the impending war has been eliminated."

Placing her hands behind her back, she turned, her eyes alight with fascination as she surveyed the ancient, weathered dwelling.

"And you, my dear, have executed your role with exceptional skill."

"..."

Goldie lowered its head.

Noticing the puppet's continued downcast demeanor despite her reassurance, the woman offered a gentle smile.

"Do not despair. Had I left matters to that... what was its designation? The 'System'? If that entity had been in charge, it might have been content with merely neutralizing the Black Sea's will and ensuring Yue Lan's safety. However, possessing a broader perspective than it, I can affirm that this represents the true conclusion—the optimal outcome for him."

A sense of release washed over Goldie upon hearing this pronouncement.

After all, it was no longer truly alive.

Slowly, it made its way towards the entrance of the modest abode.

Ducking slightly to clear the frame, Goldie pushed open the old wooden door, revealing the familiar, comforting space where it had once been brought to life.

"He actually resided here? Haha, I've uncovered yet another one of his secrets."

Following Goldie inside, the woman looked about with palpable curiosity.

She explored the small chamber with the playful agility of a cat, even crouching to peer beneath the bed.

The sight of such a majestic and elegant woman behaving so whimsically was both peculiar and strangely captivating.

To her surprise, she discovered an old pouch tucked away. Picking it up, she,

Her eyes full of intrigue, opened it.

"Eh? Merely ten spirit stones? Why would he bother concealing such a paltry sum..." she muttered, lamenting the meager amount of apparent wealth.

Meanwhile, Goldie was lost in reflection, its gaze sweeping over the bed, the table, and every cherished corner of the room, its attention particularly drawn to the area beneath the old bookshelf—its favored resting place.

"..."

It ambled over, meticulously examining the books one by one.

Its gaze suddenly brightened as it located the volume it favored.

It was a simple encyclopedia detailing common flora.

Goldie gently retrieved it, its wooden fingers carefully turning the pages.

It began to absorb the knowledge within, immersed once more in silent study.

The woman quietly moved to its side, peeking at the book, her eyes widening in surprise.

"A treatise on flowers? You genuinely find this captivating?"

She regarded Goldie with a peculiar expression, as if the sight defied all logic.

Yet, Goldie simply nodded, continuing to turn the pages in serene silence.

The woman observed it, her expression growing increasingly perplexed, as if beholding an entirely different entity.

But then, a soft sigh escaped her.

"Well, considering the inevitable march of time... perhaps I must indeed regard you as a transformed being."

She understood keenly how one's accumulated experiences could profoundly shape an individual's character.

For a considerable duration, the woman watched Goldie.

Her characteristic playful amusement gradually softened, evolving into a more subdued, almost tender sentiment.

She leaned her shoulder gently against the aged bookshelf, her arms crossed protectively, silently observing the wooden puppet meticulously turning the brittle, yellowed pages.

The delicate rustling of paper was the sole sound that permeated the small, dust-laden room.

"...You have truly undergone a transformation," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper. "Or perhaps... this iteration of you existed all along, concealed beneath layers of obligation and divine mandate."

Goldie offered no verbal reply, but its movements became more deliberate.

A single wooden finger tenderly traced an elegant illustration of a white lotus, bathed in moonlight.

The woman tilted her head, a cascade of golden hair slipping over her shoulder as a comfortable silence enveloped them.

Within the humble confines of the room, a gentle, tranquil quietude prevailed as she patiently awaited Goldie's perusal.

Soon,

An indeterminate span of time elapsed.

Finally, Goldie closed the book, carefully placing it back in its designated spot.

Witnessing this action, the woman smiled.

"I see you’re done," the woman stated, her voice calm.

Turning back towards the exit, she extended her hand towards Goldie.

"Come... let us depart. Our time in this world has reached its conclusion."

Her palm remained open and steady, illuminated by the gentle, diffused light spilling through the modest window.

Her golden tresses caught the subtle gleam, bestowing upon her an almost celestial aura within the simplicity of the room.

Goldie paused for another moment, its gaze fixed upon the antique bookshelf.

The tome detailing flowers rested precisely in its original position, as if it had never been disturbed.

After one last, lingering look at the well-worn volumes, the simple drawings, and the quiet nook where it had once found many tranquil moments, the puppet slowly pivoted.

Its weighty steps produced a creaking sound across the floorboards as it advanced towards her.

Without any hesitation, Goldie placed its substantial wooden hand into hers.

The stark contrast between the coarse, aged wood and her smooth, unblemished skin was quite pronounced... yet the grasp offered was tender and full of trust.

A deeper, warm, and utterly genuine smile graced the woman’s lips.

"Good," she breathed softly.

Together, they exited the small dwelling.

The aged door swung shut behind them with a soft, decisive click... much like sealing away a chapter that would remain forever closed.

In the subsequent instant, they materialized upon a bustling city thoroughfare.

Lanterns pulsed like distant celestial bodies, and the subtle, soothing aroma of white lotuses wafted on the nocturnal breeze.

They proceeded side-by-side through the familiar lanes, their hands clasped, resembling old comrades on a final, leisurely promenade.

The woman occasionally cast a glance at Goldie, her expression softened with tenderness.

"You know... in all my extensive years, I never envisioned the Divine Authority of Gold finding solace in something so commonplace," she remarked casually, though profound affection resonated in her tone.

"A small chamber. Ten spirit stones. A book dedicated to flora... Such a prospect never crossed my mind."

She paused momentarily, then added with a gentle curve of her lips,

"But at least one aspect remains unaltered... your persistent affection for him."

"..."

Goldie offered no vocal response, yet its bearing appeared somehow lighter, as though a significant weight was gradually being shed from its wooden frame with each measured step.

Eventually, they arrived at the periphery of the residential sector, where the pathway opened onto a serene hillside overlooking the cityscape.

The ambient moonlight lavished the terrain in a soft, silvery luminescence.

Beneath them, the lights of the mortal realm sparkled with tranquil brilliance, entirely oblivious to the silent farewell unfolding high above.

The woman halted and turned to face Goldie completely.

She raised her free hand and delicately placed it against the center of the puppet’s chest.

"Our purpose here is truly fulfilled..." she murmured with quiet finality.

"You have accomplished far more than anyone could have anticipated. The threads of misfortune you unraveled and the good fortune you bestowed upon him shall shield Li Feng for a duration far exceeding your awareness. The conflict is still inevitable... but he will confront it with his own innate strength. And perhaps, this instance, the outcome will differ significantly."

"..."

Goldie appeared lost in contemplation at her pronouncement.

The woman leaned forward, gently resting her forehead against the puppet’s aged chest in a gesture of profound reverence.

"Thank you... for choosing benevolence this time around. And for choosing him once more."

Maintaining the light contact of her forehead against Goldie’s chest, eyes closed, the woman voiced her final sentiments of gratitude.

A gentle, golden radiance began to emerge from within Goldie.

It slowly permeated its entire form, transforming the aged fissures into luminous veins of light.

The wood itself started to disintegrate into shimmering motes, ascending softly into the nocturnal expanse like ephemeral fireflies reaching for the distant stars.

However, at that precise juncture... Goldie’s hand tightened its hold on hers.

Not with force.

...Merely a quiet, resolute pressure.

The kind of grip that conveyed an unspoken message:

At this cue, the woman’s eyelids slowly opened.

Lifting her head, she perceived that Goldie exhibited hesitation.

The golden effulgence that had initiated the breakdown of its structure began to recede.

The luminous particles that had ascended from its shoulders and arms gently floated back down, as if reluctant to depart from their source.

One of its hands lifted with a tremor, not to repel her, but to rest its significant weight upon her shoulder... quivering, almost as if imploring.

"..."

There was a complete absence of sound... only profound silence.

Yet, the underlying sentiment was unmistakably clear, causing a pang of sorrow.

The woman gazed at Goldie, her features a complex tapestry of astonishment and deep-seated affection.

"...You obstinate old fool," she whispered, her voice thick with a rare display of emotion.

"Even now? After all that has transpired?"

Goldie’s head tilted downwards slightly.

Its gaze shifted back towards the modest residence where Li Feng resided, now visible once more in their vicinity.

The hand resting upon her shoulder clenched, then relaxed, then clenched again with renewed intensity.

Its wooden digits emitted a creaking noise, as though engaged in a struggle against the very currents of destiny.

It harbored an unwillingness to depart.

Not out of trepidation for annihilation, but stemming from an enduring concern.

What if the war had irrevocably altered everything? What if the severed connections were insufficient? What if Li Feng found himself needing yet another intervention?

At this pronouncement,

The woman emitted a soft, trembling sound, a laugh that verged on a sigh.

Her hands gently covered Goldie’s, tenderly cradling the large, aged wooden hand that still held hers.

"I understand..." she whispered. "I know you wish to remain. You desire to watch over him until his very end. You yearn to shield him with your own being once more..."

Approaching, she rested her cheek against its torso, listening to the faint, diminishing pulse of its golden core.

"However, you have already imparted all you could to him. Lingering longer would transform you from a guardian into an impediment. The Divine Authority holds no dominion in this world now... You would only encounter solitude and hardship here... alone."

She drew back, her gaze meeting Goldie’s with solemnity.

"Therefore, let us depart... and seek a fresh beginning."

Her palm remained softly pressed against Goldie’s fading core, anticipating the resurgence of the golden light’s restorative function.

Yet, Goldie remained immobile.

Instead, its grip on her shoulder intensified, a surprising show of strength from a being already in the process of dissolution.

The golden particles that had begun their ascent halted their movement, then reversed their course, receding back into its wooden structure until only faint traceries of light were discernible beneath the fissures.

"..."

No sound emanated from Goldie, yet its refusal resonated more powerfully than any spoken declaration.

Slowly, Goldie raised its head.

Its gaze fixed intently upon the direction of Li Feng’s modest dwelling.

Then, with a quietude imbued with conviction, the puppet retreated a step, disengaging from her embrace.

Its wooden fingers relinquished their hold on hers... heavy with reluctance, yet unwavering.

The woman’s eyes widened fractionally.

"Goldie..."

It conveyed dissent with a single, slow, determined shake of its head.

Subsequently, Goldie lifted a quivering arm and pointed with firm resolve towards the ground beneath it.

This world.

This secluded courtyard.

The very spot where it could still maintain its vigil over him.

It had made its choice to abide.

Even if its essence would no longer be complete.

Even if it meant enduring silent suffering, observing from the periphery, incapable of speech, unable to offer direct aid, and gradually disintegrating with each ensuing day until naught remained.

With Goldie’s decision rendered,

The surrounding panorama began to dematerialize, dissolving into an expansive, featureless void of white.

And only Li Feng’s aged, humble courtyard persisted.

Goldie turned and walked back towards the modest chambers.

It entered the room and closed the door behind it, without a backward glance.

The woman remained outside, observing with a smile that was both knowing and tinged with sorrow.

"So unyielding... why am I not astonished?"

...After all, no one possessed a deeper understanding of her own nature than she.

Following a period of contemplation, she released a soft exhalation.

"If such is your desire... then allow me to lend my aid."

She raised her hand towards the closed door.

Specks of golden luminescence coalesced in her palm as her own hand commenced a gradual erosion.

"Since you have already bestowed the entirety of your fortune upon him... accept what remnants of mine remain."

Her form progressively grew indistinct, her very existence becoming unstable.

After the final vestiges of light departed her fingertips, she exhaled slowly and directed her gaze upward towards the heavens.

"...I too, wish for you to experience a joyful and a... distinct future."

She commenced her departure into the distance.

Her figure fractured into dispersed motes of ethereal light.

"...I suppose I shall await him there first... to ensure he does not feel too alone."

With this final quiescent utterance and an intimate, familiar melody known only to her, the woman completely vanished.

_

_

_

Within Li Feng’s chamber, a profound stillness permeated the atmosphere.

Goldie sat upon the floor, knees drawn to its chest, head bowed low.

It engaged in no activity, undertaken no task.

It simply awaited.

Abruptly, countless specks of golden light drifted in from beyond the confines of the room, gently flowing towards the wooden effigy.

Upon contact with its form, faint fissures began to propagate across the wooden surface.

The external casing gradually detached itself, dissolving into shimmering fragments of light.

What was revealed was a young maiden, adorned with long, flowing golden tresses that seemed woven from pure luminescence.

Her skin was smooth and of an unblemished pallor, emitting a soft, otherworldly radiance.

A delicate garment, fashioned from condensed, silken light, gently draped over her small, seemingly delicate frame.

For a fleeting instant, the girl’s body quivered.

She sensed it… the familiar presence that had eternally accompanied her had now ceased to exist.

"..."

The small figure now appeared profoundly isolated within the quiet, vacant room.

Despite this, she had affirmed her choice.

She would remain here, in anticipation.

Regardless of the passage of time.

Irrespective of the weight of the burgeoning loneliness.

Irrespective of the poignancy of the encroaching silence…

Even if the final particle of her being dispersed upon the winds, she would persist in her waiting.

For in this iteration of Goldie, safeguarding Li Feng’s future transcended mere obligation.

It was an act of love.Even when love brought heartache, or when it meant enduring solitude, the commitment to remain was profoundly valuable... until eternity's final breath.