After Transmigrating, I Died of Depression Without My Phone - Chapter 93.1
Long Xiang had prepared herself for a life-or-death struggle to find Beiting Xue.
Who could have imagined that she would find him so easily?
Was this real?
It seemed too surreal, lying in his familiar, slightly cool embrace. The rhythm of his breathing hadn’t changed, and all his small habits were just as Long Xiang remembered them.
Long Xiang frowned in confusion, still finding it hard to believe that she had found him just like that.
“Is it really you?” she asked, uncertain, as her hand gently traced his face, inch by inch, searching for anything out of the ordinary.
Even the coolness of his embrace, which gradually warmed to make her comfortable, was just like before.
“It’s me,” Beiting Xue answered with certainty, then leaned in a little closer. “Take a good look. Don’t rush, take your time.”
He knew exactly how to calm her down. His face nestled against her palm, tender and familiar, and finally, the tears Long Xiang had been holding back began to fall.
“Is it really you?” she asked again, still tinged with doubt, though now her heart was sure. She buried herself in his chest, her body trembling slightly. Though she made no sound, Beiting Xue knew she was crying.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured softly. “I made you worry again.”
Beiting Xue’s words trailed off, perfectly echoing the thoughts that had crossed Long Xiang’s mind—if she hadn’t taken this risk, she could have stayed back, ruling as the queen of the world, and peacefully returned home.
But she had come anyway. They both knew why.
“You just left like that, without even saying a few proper words. How could I not come?” Long Xiang stepped back from his embrace and finally looked around her surroundings.
From the outside, the pillar had looked like a massive, solid structure. But inside, it was like a different world—palaces, towers, and rolling clouds. The view was breathtaking, just like the divine realm she had glimpsed in Hua Lanye’s heart-soul. As she took it all in, her only thought was: This must have cost a fortune.
“Is this what the inside of the pillar looks like? Could it be we’ve reached the heavenly realm?” she asked.
“The heavenly realm was destroyed during the Great War of the Four Realms. It was taken over by the demon realm. When we fought the Demon Lord, the demon realm was also destroyed. So, no, this isn’t the heavenly realm,” Beiting Xue explained slowly. “We’re still inside the divine pillar of the Celestial Ladder.”
Long Xiang thought over his words, everything he mentioned were events they had experienced together, further confirming that he was truly himself.
“The Celestial Ladder may have been repaired, but it’s not what it used to be. It needs to constantly absorb power to rebuild the heavenly realm.”
At his words, Long Xiang remembered the rashes and festering wounds on the cultivators.
“So that’s why the cultivators break out in rashes when they get close?” she asked. “Why didn’t I?”
As soon as she asked, the answer became obvious to her.
Meeting Beiting Xue’s gaze, she saw the gentle smile on his face—the answer was clear.
Because he had taken the place of the three missing shards of the Celestial Ladder, he had become the one chosen to rebuild the heavenly realm.
He was trapped inside the divine pillar, bound to it as part of its structure.
From the moment he was born, it seemed he had never escaped the fate of being used.
With him here, the pillar would never harm Long Xiang.
“Don’t cry,” Beiting Xue’s soft voice pulled her from her thoughts, and Long Xiang realized she was crying again.
She quickly wiped away her tears, her voice thick with emotion. “I’m not crying.”
“Of course, you’re not,” Beiting Xue agreed, his voice hushed. He studied her for a moment before speaking quietly. “Don’t feel sad for me. In a way, this is a good thing.”
“A good thing?” Long Xiang’s tone rose in disbelief.
Beiting Xue continued, “You have to leave one day, don’t you?”
Long Xiang froze.
“When you return home, I’ll remain here to rebuild the heavenly realm. Once it’s done, I’ll be the first ruler of the heavens.”
Beiting Xue’s expression was calm, his eyes serene, showing no hint of ambition for the so-called title of “First of the Heavenly Realm.”
But the way he phrased it made it clear. “You’ll return home, and I’ll become the ruler of the heavens. We’ll both achieve what we want. Isn’t that a good thing?”
Long Xiang stared at him, speechless, her lips parting as if to say something, but no words came out.
Beiting Xue gently brushed his hand through her hair, his movements slightly stiff, his brow furrowed with a sorrow that he couldn’t completely hide.
“I was pulled into the pillar by the Monster Queen. She wanted to die with me, and we both ended up sacrificing ourselves to the Celestial Ladder. But I didn’t want to die. And the pillar needed someone to help rebuild the heavenly realm, so I became a part of it.”
His voice grew softer. “I’m touched that you came to find me, Long Xiang.” Beiting Xue bent down slightly, as if he were about to kiss her, but instead, he rested his forehead gently against hers. “I know you’re only sad that we didn’t get a proper goodbye.”
“You want me to have a bright future, and now I do. Things are set in stone, and there’s no changing them. We both have to accept that.”
Beiting Xue placed his hand on her pulse. “Before I came here, I gave you some of my spiritual energy, and you’ve made great progress in cultivation on your own. You’re closer than ever to returning home. You’ve slain Hua Lanye and imprisoned the Monster Lord, saving the world. The merit from that alone is enough for you to ascend.”
Long Xiang finally spoke, “You shouldn’t have given me that energy. You should have kept it to protect yourself. I only managed to kill Hua Lanye because of your power. I couldn’t have done it on my own…”
“You did it yourself. It had nothing to do with me,” Beiting Xue interrupted, his gaze firm as he looked into her eyes. “All of my energy went into repairing the Celestial Ladder, replacing the three missing shards. I had nothing left to give you. It was just…”
He paused, hesitating before admitting, “It was just that I couldn’t bear to be apart from you. I left a part of my consciousness with you so I could still feel you. That energy was insignificant. You defeated the Demon Lord on your own, Long Xiang. You’re incredible. You’ve done so well.”
Long Xiang couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. She didn’t know what to say, only that a wave of exhaustion and despair washed over her, and she broke down into sobs.
Beiting Xue seemed distressed, his forehead throbbing as if he were in pain.
He placed his hands on her shoulders, speaking gently but firmly. “It’s okay to cry. My Xiang Xiang must be so, so tired.”
And she was.
The tension she had been carrying for so long had finally snapped. She was utterly exhausted.
After all, she was just an ordinary college student. To this day, the image of Hua Lanye’s death haunted her—the echo of his soul screaming her name as it was torn apart still rang in her ears. She shook her head, trying to dispel the memories, but all the strength she had been holding onto crumbled under Beiting Xue’s words.
“I killed Hua Lanye,” Long Xiang choked out, her voice trembling. “Even though he was a bastard, killing someone… it doesn’t feel right. I don’t ever want to do something like that again.”
Beiting Xue hugged her tightly. “From now on, leave everything to me. You won’t have to do anything, just focus on your cultivation and go home.”
Long Xiang, still unsettled, frowned. “I thought this world was just a book. But when I tried to find traces of that book, I couldn’t find anything.”
She gripped Beiting Xue’s robe tightly, her brows furrowing as she continued, “Even though you’re telling me all of this, I still feel uneasy. Something doesn’t feel right here. A’Xue, come with me. We can figure out a way. I know we can get out of here.”
Beiting Xue silently gazed at her, his expression calm. His once gloomy and strikingly intense aura had softened since entering the pillar, replaced by a serene elegance.
His eyes, dark and deep, had that familiar emerald tint like jade with floating patterns, ethereal and enchanting.
It was him. There was no mistake.
It wasn’t someone pretending to be him.