"Me? I did nothing."
On the other side of the phone, a middle-aged man was wiping his hands in front of a sink, raising his head to contemplate his reflection in the mirror, earnestly telling her: "I just chose not to play any role."
"So, you want to tell me you're innocent?"
Amber scoffed: "You've been like this since childhood, Brother Zheng Ping, always playing your own game, never initiating conversation, constantly going with the flow, never sticking your neck out... what, do you plan to remain faceless even if you become the head of the family?"
"I have no such intention."
Li Jian Zheng Ping shook his head, "As a member of the Li Jian family, I participated, but that doesn't mean I have any interest in the position of head."
He said, "The reason I came back is simply to end things..."
"The existence of the Li Jian family, no matter how dazzling it may appear, is merely bondage for me. In this respect, I stand with Old Jiujing. I sincerely hope this nominal prison can be completely destroyed."
In the silence, Li Jian Zheng Ping softly sighed: "Amber, I originally thought you'd be the same as me, your talents even exceeding mine. Unfortunately, the shadow Uncle left you is far larger than I imagined. If the Li Jian family didn't exist, you could perhaps achieve more... at least be far more free than now."
"There's nothing in this world closer to a lie than freedom, brother. You should save it." Amber scoffed in response: "If that's your plan, I suppose you also disdain any further connections with the Li Jian family?"
"Although it sounds heartless, I hope so. After leaving the family, my life has been smooth and stable, Amber, not every fish wishes to live in an imagined ocean by others."
Li Jian Zheng Ping regrettably said goodbye, "From today onwards, the Li Jian family has nothing to do with me. I am Xie Liaosha, Xie Liaosha Satomi, that's all."
"If there's any other purpose, it's to hope that you can also gain freedom."
Before hanging up the phone, he sincerely said, "Even if you disdain it, consider it the last little blessing from your once-elder brother to you."
He said, "Goodbye, Amber."
"No, it should be farewell forever."
Amber coldly corrected, "Just run away like this, coward. Congratulations, you're free now."
The communication was cut off.
The middle-aged man in front of the mirror finally turned off the faucet valve, straightened his tie, and turned to walk out of the restroom, heading towards the conference room.
The secretary looked up, noticing his calm demeanor, slightly astonished.
"What's wrong?" he asked in confusion.
"I can't say, it just feels a bit different." The secretary curiously inquired, "Did something good happen, Mr. Xie Liaosha?"
"...Yes, it feels like a new beginning."
The man named Xie Liaosha chuckled softly, lifted his eyes, and looked at the officials from the Ministry of Economy and Industry, "Speaking of which, regarding the plan for importing Yingzhou crude oil in the second half of the year, I have a new proposal here..."
The meeting continued, but it was no longer related to Li Jian.
This was Xie Liaosha's story now.
.
.
After hanging up the phone, a deathly silence returned inside the Glazed Palace.
Except for the distant cries of pain and moans of ecstasy, no other sound remained.
The telephone booth gradually transformed into a phantom and dissipated.
When the interference from Li Jian Zheng Ping disappeared, that ever-present blood light surged towards Amber... the Eight Evils gradually seeped into the marrow.
Soon, they collided with an invisible barrier and vanished without a trace.
Only the ancient mirror in her arms emitted a faint warmth.
No need to take it out, Amber could guess that the Bronze Mirror, honed from an ancient fragment, was glowing faintly, continually extracting the evil thoughts that had intruded into her soul, maintaining her clarity.
This was Xuan Niao's farewell gift to her.
In the A-Fang palace, there is an ancient mirror called 'Phosphorus,' which can show internal illnesses. If a woman with evil intentions looks into this mirror, her gall would be seen to burst, her heart to move... Qin Emperor killed them.
The clear mirror, serving as a standard, constantly rectified her consciousness, ensuring she maintained a basic peace and tranquility.
Otherwise, by now, she might have already fallen into madness.
Just, to give her something like this before leaving... That old Xuan Niao was unexpectedly mischievous.
On the day he entered Xuan Niao's office, that old man, eager to get home to watch TV with his great-grandson, gave her two choices.
"There's a saying, 'When Barbarians enter Dongxia, it becomes Dongxia's...' To be honest, the Social Security Bureau doesn't mind your former identity; you can stay, this isn't a job specifically assigned to you. But, no matter where, if you want to have a place that you can call home, you should first feel peace."
"So, Amber, wherever you can find your peace, you should go there—" the old man shelling seeds under the sunset calmly told her, "I won't force your decision."
The next day, after receiving Amber's response, he wasn't surprised, but handed this thing to her.
"The stigma of 'Prajna' is essentially a crystallization of the evil path, devouring grievances. If you cannot control the resentment, then the resentment will swallow you."
"In your heart, there is hatred, even if you've never actively hated anything, Amber. If you cannot let go of such an obsession, you won't be able to free yourself from the shadows of the past in your life."
"—So, Li Jian Amber, are you truly ready?"
"...Hatred?"
She lowered her head, gazing at her own hideous reflection in the Phosphorus Bronze Mirror, endless strands of black smoke rising, weaving a monstrous phantom of Prajna on her face.
She could no longer see the youthful, attractive face.
Perhaps, that was her true self.
Already devoured by Prajna's hatred...
For so many years, she hadn't progressed an inch, perhaps she had already fallen into the Demon Realm.
Lost in the massive vortex of hatred, yet unable to vent freely, unable to truly become a demon... unable to obtain the freedom to hate, nor the liberty not to hate.
"So ridiculous, Amber."
She laughed at herself, listening to the distant, heavy footsteps, so long missed, so familiar.
Until the great door banged open.
The majestic glazed armor appeared from his self-contained Demon Realm, behind the monstrous mask, only a wisp of blood-colored fire raged. The remaining soul, immersed in evil thoughts, roared in pain.
"■■■——!!!"
This was the reunion between father and daughter, after eight years.
But what should be said before drawing the sword?
In the silence, the teenage girl's eyes lowered.
"Tadaima, otousama..."
I'm back, Father.
It's been so long...Are you well?
In reply, there was only the roar and howl filled with chaos, no words from anyone else, no intention for dialogue.
No warm 'welcome back' greeting, only a killing intent as chilling as ice.
The fierce armor drew its sword, the blood-red Vajra Sword raised up, aimed at her face, slashing down!
"——■■■■■■!!!"