The golden jade and glazed glass dazzled Qing Di’s eyes again. He couldn’t help rubbing them, and the clear voice of the lady within the sword sounded once more: “Jiran, have you ever blamed me?”

Qing Di smiled: “Blame you for pursuing an indestructible true nature? This is a great achievement and also your ideal. How could I blame you?”

Yaoying sighed softly: “Blame me for not being as straightforward and frank as you thought, so I couldn’t pass through the emotional tribulation, causing you such hardship, and also causing Fucang to lose his mother so early.”

Qing Di was lost in thought for a moment, then slowly shook his head. He had never blamed her, but rather himself.

Qinghua Imperial Lord, who valued propriety and was refined and elegant, who carried forward the illustrious name of the Huaxu Clan, was actually a coward with a heart so barren he couldn’t even speak his feelings aloud. He only coveted her brightness and radiance, yet was stingy about giving her a definite answer.

No matter how straightforward and cheerful Yaoying was, before her beloved husband she was ultimately a goddess with thoughts countless times more delicate than usual. His every action and word would inadvertently affect her.

Did he suddenly like her? Or was he trying to salvage their crumbling marital relationship? Or was it because of Fucang?

These chaotic thoughts would often only occasionally sweep through the eldest princess’s heart like dark clouds. No one noticed, not even she herself. After all, Jiran was vastly different from the beginning, and most of the time the two of them were still harmonious and peaceful.

Divine Lord Jiran remembered—it was an autumn evening when the moon was bright and stars were sparse. Yaoying’s mood was unexpectedly excited. After dinner, she still held Fucang and refused to let go. This child had never been particularly close to others to begin with, and moreover, at over five thousand years old he was no longer a young child and even less fond of this kind of hugging and embracing. He just kept his face stiff like a block of wood, letting his mother rub and squeeze him.

Yaoying then cupped his face and said with a laugh: “If your temperament is still like this when you reach two hundred thousand years old, that would actually be a good thing.”

Actually, she had always quite envied the innately cold and detached temperament of this father and son pair. Not easily moved emotionally, not easily stirred in heart, they wouldn’t be easily hurt. With firm will, they could smoothly pass through the Hundred Lifetimes Reincarnation Tribulation and achieve an indestructible true nature.

Fucang looked at her uncomprehendingly, his face like beautiful jade, still carrying childish roundness, his gaze clear—like a little goddess.

The more Yaoying looked, the more she liked him. She couldn’t help planting a heavy kiss on his face. Fucang stiffened into wood again.

When it was time to sleep, she still had no sleepiness. She leaned against the window frame and gazed at the moonlit scenery for a long while. Jiran couldn’t help moving closer to embrace her shoulders, asking gently: “Do you have something on your mind?”

Yaoying rested her head against his chest. Her husband—they had been husband and wife for so many years now. Most of the time she was still very joyful and happy. At this point, to fuss over whether he liked her or not would really spoil the mood too much.

She laughed: “You really are perceptive—I can’t hide anything from you. My cultivation realm has arrived, and my martial dao is also as calm as water. I plan to undergo the Hundred Lifetimes Reincarnation Tribulation within fifty years. I’ll begin closed-door meditation to calm my mind starting tomorrow.”

Going into seclusion tomorrow, and upon emerging she would go to the Hundred Lifetimes Reincarnation—she was only telling him now?

A surge of anger rose in Jiran’s heart. Gripping her shoulder, he lowered his head to ask: “Such a major matter—why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

Yaoying lowered her head and pondered for a moment, then said softly: “If I can’t pass through it… wait until Fucang is a bit older before taking another wife…”

Saying such words—she was crazy.

Jiran said coldly: “On our wedding day, I already said that the Huaxu Clan is one life, one pair. For this entire lifetime, I will guard only one person.”

Yaoying’s gaze, clear as autumn water, fell upon his face again, as if faintly carrying some expectation: “Only because you are of the Huaxu Clan?”

At first it was, but it had long since ceased to be so. The Huaxu Clan’s “one life, one pair”—he had already understood the true meaning within. It definitely could not be achieved with just anyone. Someone as barren and lazy as him was always lucky. The greatest luck of this life was her.

But still he could not say it out loud.

He truly felt some deep hatred for himself.

So Yaoying laughed: “Seeing the great dao about to be achieved, I’m too happy and actually spoke nonsense. That we two are together so happily is enough. When I cultivate to an indestructible true nature, I’ll also protect you when you undergo tribulation. An indestructible true nature is very fun.”

Fun… Jiran didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

That day he did not stop Yaoying from entering seclusion. After emerging, he also did not stop her from going to the Hall of All Living Beings to register for tribulation. Yaoying’s heart was completely clear. He believed that she would definitely successfully achieve this great dao. It was her lifelong ideal, and he was happy to help her fulfill it.

The Hundred Lifetimes Reincarnation Tribulation was extremely dangerous. Compared to ordinary reincarnation and even undergoing tribulation in the Lower Realm, it was absolutely not on the same level. Roughly speaking, one had to taste all the joys, angers, sorrows, sufferings, and torments of this world with the fragile body and soul of a mortal. If even one lifetime could not be smoothly completed—encountering a violent death or dying by one’s own hand—then all previous efforts would be wasted. Even if ninety-nine lifetimes had been completed, one would still have to start over from the beginning.

In years past, Baize Imperial Lord had undergone the Hundred Lifetimes Reincarnation Tribulation, trying a full five times before achieving the great dao. Jiran, full of confidence in his beloved wife, thought Yaoying would definitely succeed on the first try.

He was wrong. Completely wrong.

In Yaoying’s thirty-fourth lifetime, she encountered an emotional tribulation and died by her own hand.

That wisp of dark cloud hidden in the deepest part of her heart came crashing down mercilessly in this lifetime. Unable to see through the emotional barrier, it even shook her divine soul’s spiritual nature. By the time Jiran rushed to the Hall of All Living Beings, she was already on the verge of complete annihilation.

There was no starting over from the beginning—the unfathomable Hundred Lifetimes Reincarnation Tribulation was going to take his beloved wife’s life.

When Yaoying saw him, there seemed to be a trace of apology. She could no longer speak, but those eyes clear as autumn water told him: I’m sorry. I wasn’t as capable as you thought. I’ve disappointed you.

No, it was he who had disappointed her.

Why couldn’t he frankly tell her of his feelings? Why didn’t he say it when she left? He thought he had been attentive to her in every way, caring for every little detail, yet he was forever blind to her expectations. He truly was the most foolish and obstinate bastard in this world.

The peach wood divine sword sensed his state of mind and emitted a shrill humming, like the wailing of ghosts and howling of gods. The dark and cold qi from the netherworld beneath the Hall of All Living Beings was sucked into the sword like a whale inhaling water. In that instant, Jiran, whose Huaxu Clan sword dao had already reached great completion, had an enlightenment. The peach wood divine sword transformed into the netherworld underworld, protecting Yaoying’s divine body and nearly shattered divine soul within it, preventing them from dispersing.

Sending a wisp of divine consciousness into the sword, in that vast expanse of misty clouds, a cherry-colored figure was wandering—it was Yaoying’s divine soul. She was gazing absently at the dark mist all around, just like that day when he had impulsively run to the courtyard where she stayed and seen her back.

This time, he held her tightly.

“I…”

His nearly choked words could not be finished. Tears that had never flowed before had already wet his cheeks.

The cold yet gentle divine soul embraced him. Her voice was clear as always: “I’m still here. Don’t be sad.”

Jiran closed his eyes and said in a low voice: “In my heart there has always been only you. It’s not because I am of the Huaxu Clan.”

Yaoying’s clear gaze looked at him quietly. After a long while, her eyes shifted, and she smiled extremely lightly: “I know now.”

She looked around. The expression on her face was both peaceful and carried a layer of faint satisfaction, along with a trace of weak disappointment. Finally, she spoke with something like self-mockery: “We two are really quite foolish.”

The eldest princess of Supreme Unity Imperial Lord in the Thirty-Three Heavens, Princess Yaoying, wife of Qinghua Imperial Lord, from then on became a phantom soul that could only dwell within the peach wood divine sword. Only he could see her, and only he could hear her.

But no matter what, it was enough that she was still here.

“In my heart from beginning to end there has only been my lady. My lady did not know this.” Qing Di gently stroked the peach wood divine sword. “So now I must say it several times a day to set my lady’s heart at ease.”

Yaoying within the sword laughed crisply: “We’re an old married couple now. Stop saying these things—they’re so corny.”

Qing Di sent a wisp of divine consciousness into the sword. That cherry-colored figure, still the same as before, was still wandering in the dark clouds and mist. Seeing him, her delicate long eyebrows rose slightly, revealing the same bright smile as before: “Not enough to say it outside, you still have to come in and say it to my face?”

She teased him playfully.

Qing Di took her hand, saying warmly: “The truth is that the golden jade and glazed glass outside is too dazzling. May I ask when my lady would be willing to change places and continue touring?”

Yaoying’s smile deepened: “Actually, I’ve long since seen enough of it. I just love watching you rub your eyes—it’s quite amusing.”

This lady had probably learned bad habits from their lively daughter-in-law.

His Majesty Qing Di could only be both amused and exasperated.

Seeing that the end of the hour of the rooster was approaching, and the golden waves and jade billows would soon swallow this Palace of Golden Jade and Glazed Glass, Qing Di returned to that high platform. The Elder of Nine Sources in his feathered robes was still gazing out at the Eastern Sea.

“The Palace of Golden Jade and Glazed Glass is ingeniously crafted, luxurious and magnificent, truly beautiful beyond compare. That I could feast my eyes today, I must thank the Palace Master for his generous hospitality. Now that evening approaches, I have come especially to take my leave.”

Qing Di eloquently displayed the Huaxu Clan’s way of propriety to an extremely elegant and even elaborate degree. Having finished speaking, he turned to leave.

The Elder of Nine Sources suddenly said: “Qing Di, Your Majesty, I actually greatly admire you. Separated from your beloved by the barrier between yin and yang, yet unwavering in your devotion. I do not have Your Majesty’s natural gifts. By now, I have even forgotten most of her voice, appearance, and smile.”

Qing Di had not expected this ice-cold Palace Master to suddenly say such words. For a moment he was rather stunned.

The Elder of Nine Sources continued: “Every day there is only this brief hour or so when I can look at the Eastern Sea. She once lived in the mortal realm beneath this Eastern Sea. But the years are long, and she has long since passed away like fragrant flowers and jade. She and I are not only eternally separated by yin and yang, but even more so eternally separated by immortal and mortal. There will never again be a day when we meet.”

He turned around, his expression indifferent, extending his hand to see off his guest: “On a whim, I said some baffling words. Qing Di, Your Majesty, need not mind them. Please.”

Qing Di slowly walked out of this crystalline and shimmering glazed palace. Just as he reached the shores of Fangzhang Island, the brilliantly colored golden waves and jade billows once again swallowed the Palace of Golden Jade and Glazed Glass. Everything about that cold Palace Master was also swallowed—probably no one would ever know again.

Yaoying said softly: “He is one who grieves.”

Qing Di transformed into a gentle breeze, slowly circling above the Eastern Sea, saying leisurely: “I too am one who grieves.”

His eyes were still blurry even now.

Yaoying laughed: “At least we two have grown old together. Don’t mortals have a saying? ‘Unable to be born on the same year, same month, same day, we only ask to die on the same year, same month, same day.’ That sounds quite nice.”

Qing Di’s hand stroked the sword body again, also smiling faintly.

That’s right. When he is annihilated, the sword energy transformed into the netherworld will dissipate, and she will follow him. At least they can be annihilated together, jointly transforming into clear qi, dissipating in heaven and earth. From then on, you will be in me and I will be in you, never to be separated again.

But actually, they had never been separated.

Growing old together—one god, one sword. This was his Huaxu Clan’s “one life, one pair.”