In the martial path world, not only could spilled water be recovered, even severed arms could be forcibly reattached.
Therefore…
“Refund the money!” Jian Guixu said with a stern face.
After all, he was an old senior—only he dared say such words.
As for the other attendees who came to offer congratulations, because they were intimidated by Dog Sheng’s imposing aura, every one of them dared to be angry but not speak out.
“…”
Jun Changxiao was speechless.
A grand Sword Saint, yet so stingy!
Besides, he hadn’t spent little money organizing the wedding. If they took back the gift money, who would compensate for the losses?
“How about this.”
Jun Changxiao said, “Next time Xingchen gets married, Senior and everyone else won’t need to give gift money—just come empty-handed.”
Spilled water—Jian Guixu had a way to recover it.
But! Money already given out, especially money given to Dog Sheng, could never possibly be taken back!
“Fine.”
Jian Guixu compromised. “Let’s do it that way.”
So everyone dispersed, silently noting in their hearts that they had already given gift money and would definitely come empty-handed to the banquet next time.
Naive.
Too naive.
The “next time” Jun Changxiao mentioned still referred to Ye Xingchen.
If this guy happened to hold Su Xiaomo’s wedding ceremony at the same time, they would definitely have to fork over gift money again.
This would become two wedding ceremonies, two gift-giving occasions, but in the end only one banquet meal.
“Sect Master.”
Li Qingyang transmitted, “Should we go find Junior Brother Ye?”
“No need.”
Jun Changxiao said, “Some matters need to be resolved by the parties involved.”
Actually, yesterday when Xie Lingyao came to see him, she said many things, even mentioning the various memories she had obtained.
After listening carefully, Jun Changxiao placed a special token that allowed entry and exit from the Myriad Realm on the table, saying, “This seat understands your meaning and won’t force you to marry. Take this—you can leave the Myriad Realm at any time. This is your right to freedom.”
…
“Whoosh—”
A miniature-sized warship flew through the cosmos.
This was a small-model airship that Elder Taixuan had spent considerable time creating by referencing the starship design. Its speed and performance were fairly decent—an essential item for interstellar travel.
Xie Lingyao leaned against the window, gazing at the endless darkness with complex eyes.
“You are my woman, Ye Xingchen!”
“This is my home, and also your home. I won’t allow you to leave.”
The words Ye Xingchen had once spoken repeated continuously in her ears. Her eyes gradually became moist, and finally she covered her mouth and began crying.
Xie Lingyao and Ling Yao were two soul entities, but the latter had ultimately occupied the dominant position, so when she obtained those warm memories, the former’s state of mind underwent a subtle transformation.
In the past.
When Ye Xingchen spoke domineering and mushy words, Xie Lingyao would only hate him more, even thinking he was deliberately humiliating her.
Now.
Because of past memories, because of Ling Yao’s obsession, she had begun to waver.
“This should be what you most wanted to hear,” Xie Lingyao said. “But unfortunately, by the time he said it, you could no longer hear it.”
“Whoosh—”
The small warship flew aimlessly through the cosmic starry sky, just like Xie Lingyao right now. Having given up her hatred toward Ye Xingchen and chosen to leave the Myriad Realm, she didn’t know where she should go.
Living in anonymity.
Living an ordinary life.
Xie Lingyao had made her decision.
However, when her hand gently rested on her abdomen, sensing the faint life force that was almost nonexistent, her heart filled with several parts self-reproach.
Back then, driven by hatred, she had chosen to use spiritual energy to suppress the fetus. Although her realm improved in that short time, the resulting harm was that development stopped, depriving him of the right to come into this world.
“Miss Xie.”
“You can leave, but please take care of the fetus.”
“Adult matters should not implicate children.”
These were the last words Jun Changxiao had said to Xie Lingyao yesterday, while also giving her a spatial ring containing many resources, many medicinal herbs, and a formula for fetal-stabilizing medicine.
The medicinal herbs that Ye Xingchen couldn’t find, fellow sect members had found in the shortest time.
Regardless of whether it would work, Jun Changxiao still handed it to her.
Xie Lingyao took out that spatial ring, her spiritual sense merging into it, sweeping past the various spirit stones that could improve martial cultivation, locking onto medicinal herbs of various sizes.
Suddenly, she saw that piece of Lijian Glazed Stone quietly placed on a shelf, saw the dried bloody handprint on it, and her heart immediately transmitted an inexplicable stabbing pain.
“Boom!”
Just then, the warship violently shook once.
Xie Lingyao snapped back to attention, discovering that it should have been flying forward but was now flying backward. She hastily released her spiritual sense and saw someone below with both hands holding the warship, dragging it backward.
Who?
Ye Xingchen.
While others barehanded caught missiles, he directly barehanded held the warship.
“What are you doing!”
“Shut up, come back with me.”
The domineering CEO aura emanating from Ye Xingchen’s body was even more intense than before.
“Sect Master Jun already said he wouldn’t restrict my freedom!”
“What he says doesn’t count—what I say counts!”
Ye Xingchen didn’t lift the warship back to the Myriad Realm, but instead landed on a plane with beautiful mountains and clear waters. His hands gripped the hatch door and forcibly pried it open, even breaking it.
“My ship…”
Elder Taixuan was heartbroken.
Liu Sinan walked over, patting his shoulder in consolation.
Wait!
Could they possibly be present at the scene?
No, they were all at the Eternal Sect.
The reason they could see was because hidden imaging arrays were installed in various parts of the warship, able to transmit real-time footage at any time.
“Haha.”
Su Xiaomo stood before the light screen in the Array Hall, laughing, “I said Junior Brother Ye would definitely catch up!”
At this moment, many higher-ups and disciples had gathered at the hall entrance. Some people were even holding watermelons, looking like standard melon-eating spectators.
Whether elders or disciples, all had their hearts broken worrying about Ye Xingchen’s emotional problems.
…
“Why!”
In the environment of beautiful mountains and rivers, Xie Lingyao’s eyes were filled with resentment.
Ye Xingchen lowered his head, methodically tearing apart the warship wreckage.
No ship.
Let’s see how you leave.
Truly worthy of being the ruthless and taciturn Brother Ye—his style of conduct was uniquely his own.
“I should be the one asking you that.” Ye Xingchen raised his head, his gaze cold and stern. “Why did you run away from the wedding?”
Xie Lingyao said resentfully, “I never agreed to marry you. You’re the one being presumptuous!”
That’s right.
Ye Xingchen had been too domineering, saying they’d marry just like that, completely not considering whether she agreed or not, completely not considering her feelings.
“In your past life, you sacrificed so much for me. I just want to use this life to make amends,” Ye Xingchen said.
These words, better left unsaid, only made Xie Lingyao angrier when spoken. She raised her hand pointing at him, retreating while crying out hysterically in the style of a Qiong Yao drama heroine, “I am Xie Lingyao, not that foolish woman!”
If there were torrential rain to enhance the atmosphere, it would be absolutely perfect.
“Therefore.”
Xie Lingyao’s emotions gradually calmed down as she said in a low voice, “The one you’re set on marrying is her, so why should I marry you?”
Ye Xingchen was stunned.
Her words caused him to waver.
He even continuously examined his heart, asking whether he was marrying Ling Yao or marrying her.
“Night King!”
Xie Lingyao said resentfully, “You marrying that woman is nothing but guilt, nothing but a form of charity!”
“…”
Ye Xingchen’s brows furrowed tightly.
This woman’s words were like sharp blades, each word stabbing into his heart.
“As expected.”
Observing through the light screen, Jun Changxiao shook his head. “Just as Miss Xie said, the reason Xingchen wants to marry is more sourced from guilt, repentance for his actions in his past life.”
“Love is pure.”
Elder Wei said, “If you deliberately mix in certain factors, it becomes tainted.”
“Indeed.”
Jun Changxiao deeply agreed.
Su Xiaomo really couldn’t watch anymore and roared in her heart, “A straight-arrow like the Sect Master shouldn’t be sitting there discussing emotional problems with Elder Wei!”
Xie Lingyao turned around, saying, “The woman who once loved you deeply has already died, and I am myself—I don’t need your pity.”
“Having said this much.”
“We part ways forever.”
The graceful figure walked forward step by step, the distance between the two gradually widening.
“Whoosh! Whoosh!”
Heavy rain poured down.
“Junior Brother, chase after her!”
Su Xiaomo shouted loudly at the light screen, but unfortunately this was a one-way imaging array—sound couldn’t transmit to the other end.
The rain fell harder and harder.
The distance between Ye Xingchen and Xie Lingyao grew farther and farther.
Hazy rain mist pervaded the surroundings, and the atmosphere became sorrowful.
“Stop.”
Just then, Ye Xingchen spoke.
Xie Lingyao halted. The two were separated by more than ten zhang, as if separated by a hundred and eight thousand li.
“You’re right.” Ye Xingchen kept his head lowered. Because he didn’t circulate spiritual energy to block the rain, he was drenched like a drowned rat. “I am marrying you with guilt.”
“You’re admitting it?”
Xie Lingyao wasn’t surprised at all.
In fact, when Ye Xingchen said he would marry her, she had been very confused and hesitant, but didn’t refuse on the spot.
While the wedding was being prepared, Xie Lingyao thought about many things and gradually understood many things—that man wanted to marry Ling Yao, not herself.
Ye Xingchen said, “Everything you said is correct.”
“But…”
“You’ve overlooked one issue.”
He walked forward with his head lowered, letting the rain strike his hair and clothes, then stopped in front of her. His hands rested on her shoulders. “You’re not Ling Yao, and I’m not the Night King!”
Xie Lingyao stood frozen in place.
“Swish!” Ye Xingchen pulled her over and embraced her, lowering his head to shield her from wind and rain while saying gently, “I am Ye Xingchen, you are Xie Lingyao. Let all the past vanish like smoke—can we start anew with completely new identities?”
“Nice!”
“Junior Brother Ye is amazing!”
Su Xiaomo clenched her fists and shouted.
Elder Wei smiled.
Jun Changxiao also smiled.
The Eternal Sect higher-ups and disciples in the Array Hall, seeing Ye Xingchen embrace Xie Lingyao in the most gentle motion on the light screen, all smiled along.
Alas.
A whole family of people with broken hearts from worrying.
“Wherever you want to go, I’ll accompany you. Whatever you want to eat, I’ll personally make it for you,” Ye Xingchen said in a low voice. The pretense of a domineering CEO was completely gone.
Reborn with the identity of the Night Emperor, his motivation for living had been revenge and becoming stronger. Only after understanding even earlier events did he realize that through countless reincarnations and rebirths, it wasn’t about pursuing higher martial realms, but about making up for past mistakes and compensating for past regrets.
At that moment.
Ye Xingchen achieved enlightenment.
“Buzz!”
“Buzz!”
Firefly-like light gradually pervaded his body, lightly floating around his entire form, enveloping both him and Xie Lingyao, isolating the rainwater and isolating everything.
“Whoosh! Whoosh!”
“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”
Visibly surging qi erupted, instantly sweeping across the entire unknown plane.
“Could it be…”
Jun Changxiao said with pleasant surprise, “Xingchen is about to step into the Heavenly Mystery Realm!”