Chapter 1043 - Marriage
“We will definitely see each other again!” s.h.i.+ Hao said, feeling a bit of a sour feeling, but his voice was still firm.
Huo Ling’er raised her head, looking at him, and then at the sparkling flower petals fluttering everywhere. Tears tumbled down from her eyes, but she was smiling, saying, “You should be going.”
There were some people who couldn’t be held back, some things worth remembering. She didn’t cry in grief, only calmly sending him off. She smiled, but there were also tears as she saw s.h.i.+ Hao off into the distance.
s.h.i.+ Hao was disappointed and frustrated, his heart beating fiercely. He walked forward a few steps, and then stopped looking back, finding it hard to move his feet.
He couldn’t help but think to himself, what exactly was all this for? Was this life entirely for the sake of cultivation?
If he continued down this path, he might be able to reach the peak one day, overlook the world under the sky, but when he turned around and looked back, at that time, just how many people and events that were worth spending time on would he have missed out on?
Was it worth it?
He didn’t know!
“You should go, I’ll silently pray for you here, wish you safety, obtaining long life. This world is going to enter chaos, the mountains and rivers in the future collapsing, blood flowing like rivers. You don’t need to hesitate. Since you chose that path, you have to be firm. If the world no longer exists one day, what me and you is there to talk about? Regardless of where you go, even if you leave this world, rus.h.i.+ng into the nine great heavens, crossing the Desolate Borders, fighting while soaked in blood, I will always be in this corner of the world, waiting for you in this Fire Mulberry Tree Forest, silently waiting, wis.h.i.+ng you well, praying for your safety.”
Huo Ling’er’s voice transmitted over. She wiped away her tears, struggling to put on a smile, waving her hands towards him.
s.h.i.+ Hao truly found it difficult to move his feet. This long journey away to reach the peak of martial dao, and to fight a great battle, a single separation and who knew how many years would pa.s.s. He knew that he would miss out on many things if he left like this.
“I’ll bring you with me then!” s.h.i.+ Hao said.
“No!” Huo Ling’er shook her head firmly.
“Why?” s.h.i.+ Hao asked.
“I don’t wish to become a burden for you. Even if I am protected at your side, in good health for a while, when the crucial moment comes, I will definitely cause your heart to waver!” Huo Ling’er refused.
She knew that it would be difficult for even s.h.i.+ Hao to protect himself, the road ahead incredibly dangerous. If he had to worry about her too, it would definitely be even more dangerous.
s.h.i.+ Hao strolled through the Fire Mulberry Forest with her, silent the entire time. After who knew how much time had pa.s.sed, in the end, they still had to separate. He couldn’t stop his steps here.
“Take care of yourself, I will return!” s.h.i.+ Hao said. He ascended into the sky one step after another, waving his hand towards her, traveling further and further away. His figure slowly disappeared under the sunset glow.
Huo Ling’er finally couldn’t hold herself back, crying loudly while standing in the Fire Mulberry Tree Forest, tears clouding up her eyes. She lightly called out to him, forcefully waving towards the distance.
s.h.i.+ Hao’s heart trembled. Huo Ling’er couldn’t see him, but he had long cultivated the Heavenly Eyes, so he could still see that lonely figure under the setting sun.
He wanted to stop, but he found it difficult to turn around. That path was one he had to take.
“Are you going to leave just like that?” In the sky, a middle-aged man arrived, staring at him, great sleeves fluttering about, naturally imposing.
Fire Emperor!
s.h.i.+ Hao recognized him, the two previously met in the lower realm, obtaining his guidance, as well as receiving his a.s.sistance.
“Senior!” s.h.i.+ Hao spoke.
Fire Emperor’s style was just like before, eyes deep. He no longer wore the Human Emperor robe, now returning to normal, appearing more calm, his body possessing a great dao aura.
Right now, his emotions were greatly fluctuating, difficult to calm down. He looked at s.h.i.+ Hao, and then at the distant Fire Mulberry Tree Forest. He couldn’t help but sigh.
“Why aren’t you giving her any hope?” Fire Emperor asked, looking at s.h.i.+ Hao, his eyes like torches, incomparably brilliant, s.h.i.+ning with golden divine light.
s.h.i.+ Hao stared blankly, not understanding what he meant.
“I will return, as long as I am still alive, I will definitely return.” s.h.i.+ Hao promised.
“Then why can’t you be together now? Even if it is just a few days, or even a few hours.” Fire Emperor said.
s.h.i.+ Hao looked towards the distant skies, and then said, “I fear that if something unexpected happens to me, I won’t know how long it will be before I return. I am not scared of enemies, only most fearful of the great changes of time, of wronging her.”
“What is wronging her? Do you feel like leaving like this, that Ling’er can let go everything, start a new life?” Fire Emperor glowered at him.
When s.h.i.+ Hao heard this, he felt ashamed, saying, “That wasn’t my intention.”
“But aren’t the results the same? Even though you’ve left, Ling’er still can’t forget you, submerged in this type of parting sorrow for her entire life. Instead of this, why not just stay together, even if it is just a day, give her hope, let her understand, leave her with deep memories?” Fire Emperor berated.
“I…” s.h.i.+ Hao was stumped for words. He wanted to say something, yet couldn’t say anything.
He wanted to say that if he died in the Desolate Border, falling in the world beyond, at that time, wouldn’t he be leaving behind sadness, making Huo Ling’er feel sorrow?
However, he then realized that if he left like this, never turning back, the result was the same. There would always be a girl silently waiting for him in the Fire Mulberry Tree Forest.
“Alright, I’m returning!” s.h.i.+ Hao said.
He turned into a golden rainbow, turning around in the horizon, rus.h.i.+ng towards that Fire Mulberry Tree Forest and then descending.
In that forest, a lonely figure was crying, supporting herself against a Fire Mulberry Tree, her weak body finding it difficult to stand.
s.h.i.+ Hao’s eyes were sore. He quickly rushed over.
Huo Ling’er’s eyes were blurry, hot tears continuously sliding down. She was extremely lonely, and in even greater despair, full of disappointment, deserted and empty inside.
However, right now, she heard someone calling out to her. There was a figure before her. Through the tears and watery mist, she vaguely saw s.h.i.+ Hao again.
She silently weeped. He already left, so how could he return? This should be an illusion.
“I pray that you are safe and sound far away.” While looking at the figure before her, she prayed and offered her blessings quietly.
“I didn’t leave yet!” s.h.i.+ Hao placed his hands on her soft shoulders, forcefuly shaking her, telling her that this wasn’t an illusion, that he was still here.
“You didn’t leave yet?” Huo Ling’er’s voice was trembling, quickly wiping away her tears, eyes immediately becoming bright. Then, she revealed a smile, feeling as if this world brightened again.
s.h.i.+ Hao felt ashamed, not knowing how to console her.
Fire Emperor stood in the distance, not moving forward, calmly watching.
“Fire Emperor!” Huo Ling’er finally saw him, revealing a bit of shyness, as well a type of attachment.
Today was a day of both sadness and joy, full of emotions. The two she cared about the most both appeared, lightening the sadness she felt inside a bit.
“Child, since there is some fate that brought you two together, then don’t leave any regrets. I’ll preside over your marriage today.” Fire Emperor said resolutely.
“Father!” Huo Ling’er’s face was slightly red, looking at her father with a smile, but also carrying tears. She felt admiration, sadness, and joy.
“We are all cultivators, so we don’t need any unnecessarily long ceremonies. Everything will just be simple, I’ll take charge of the marriage.” Fire Emperor was incredibly decisive.
Under the setting sun, Fire Emperor sat on a piece of bluestone, first having them pay their respects to heaven and earth, conducting the traditional wedding ritual. With only the Fire Emperor as their witness, the two of them became man and wife.
s.h.i.+ Hao felt ashamed inside. He was about to leave, not knowing if doing this was good or bad.
“When you leave the three thousand provinces and head for the other ancient lands, you might meet all types of women, even girls that are descendents of true immortals. I won’t demand much from you, I just don’t want you to forget that you still have a girl waiting for you here!” Fire Emperor said sternly.
He then added, saying, “I know that once you leave this place for the Nine Heavens Ten Earths, you will face all types of complex situations in the vast world with endless temptation, but I will still say the same thing. I won’t demand anything of you, because you are a man, I understand. I had many concubines before as well, but let me emphasize again, no matter where you go, you cannot forget Ling’er!”
When he spoke up to here, the Fire Emperor was already clenching his teeth, threatening with a loud voice.
It was because not only was he the Fire Emperor, he was a father. This was purely out of love for his daughter, his way of protecting her, as well as displaying his worry.
“I won’t forget!” s.h.i.+ Hao said seriously.
“Good. Even if you can"t return, even if you cannot meet in this life, you still have to remember her!” Fire Emperor stared at him, strictly warning.
s.h.i.+ Hao didn’t get angry, instead being extremely moved. This type of father was worthy of respect.
He took a deep breath, and then said, “Fire Emperor, do not worry, I will return.”
Huo Ling’er cried. The three thousand provinces were large enough already, while there was an even more vast world beyond with nine heavens and ten earths, as well as a Desolate Border. It was full of unknowns and unpredictable things. If there was a battle, the mountains and rivers under the sky dyed in blood, how were they supposed to meet then, how were they supposed to reunite?
s.h.i.+ Hao understood her feelings. He thought for a bit, and then sweared here, “If there really is something unexpected that happens, unable to meet again in this life, I will still try to find a way to find you!”
How was he supposed to look for her then? Fire Emperor could only release a sigh.
“If we aren’t able to reunite, the world undergoes great changes, if it truly is too hard to meet…” s.h.i.+ Hao’s voice trembled, and then he suddenly raised his head, his gaze like divine rainbows as he said, “I will change everything, find all, and then walk out from reincarnation!”
His voice wasn’t loud, but it triggered irregular scenes. Lightning hacked down from the void, incredibly frightening.
However, s.h.i.+ Hao sent a fist into the heavens, scattering it all, not letting a single arc of electricity descend.
Fire Emperor knew that some words, some actions, would trigger heavenly lightning, the irregular scenes world shocking.
“Do you believe in reincarnation?” The Fire Emperor asked.
“I do not!” s.h.i.+ Hao said.
“Then what is the meaning in saying this?”
“If there isn’t, then I’ll create a type of reincarnation and find everything!” s.h.i.+ Hao replied.
Fire Emperor waved his hand, not wis.h.i.+ng to continue such a serious topic.
That night, s.h.i.+ Hao accompanied Huo Ling’er. There was no closed bridal room, no house, no tables or chairs, they just sat on the ground back to back, gazing into the starry sky together.
The two of them were together, continuously chatting, as if they were going to talk about everything they could ever talk about in this life, all the way until the sky brightened, all the way until the golden multicolored clouds of sunrise appeared.
They were still reluctant to part. Even as their eyes met, finally unable to say anything, they still had to separate in the end. However, Huo Ling’er’s heart seemed to have calmed down.
“Go, I’ll wait for you!” It was just these simple words. Her face was calm, facing the sunrise’s morning clouds, the smile extremely pure, and extremely brilliant.
“I’m going!” s.h.i.+ Hao got up. He gave his regards to Fire Emperor, and then bid Huo Ling’er farewell. He rushed into the heavens, thus disappearing.
He traveled through the sky, only when he was far from Sin Province did he release a great roar into the sky, shaking the void until it collapsed, the heavens trembling.
s.h.i.+ Hao turned into a Kun Peng, golden body carrying black-colored stripes that covered heaven and earth. The two wings moved, propelling him ninety thousand li upwards into the limits of the horizon.
That day, many people saw a Kun Peng, their hearts incredibly shaken.
1. Part 2