"I cannot be sure about that, but what if you take a few steps forward and find spring again?" The Firmament Stone tried to be encouraging.Gu Xijiu sat hugging her legs and refused to move. "I will not move. It is the same everywhere."
The Firmament Stone did not know what to do. It could not help but wonder if it was hopeless for Gu Xijiu to feel alive again. Di Fuyi"s death was indeed a pain to her. With memories of him, it was understandable that she would be crushed by her melancholic sentiments. With great love, there would always be great pain.
However, now that she had lost every last memory of Di Fuyi, why would her life become even more desolate? Before they met, she had always been vigorous and active. Now that she had completely forgotten about Di Fuyi, she could not possibly be affected by a loss of love anymore. Should she not return to her usual, energetic self, just like before?
"Perhaps, we should arrange another marriage for her?" A voice whispered into its ear.
The Firmament Stone was taken by surprise. It glanced around to find the source of the voice. "Who is that?"
"You do not need to know my ident.i.ty. I am just like you, a voice to convey the heavenly laws. I only exist to a.s.sist the new Lord." The voice gave no hint of whether it was a man or a woman.
The Firmament Stone turned to look at Gu Xijiu. She was still sitting there with her arms around her knees, apparently engrossed in thoughts. Like a statue, she sat there silently without any response to the voice heard by the Firmament Stone.
"How would an arranged marriage help?" The Firmament Stone sneered at the voice with contempt. "Who could possibly be better than the previous Lord, Huang Tu?"
The voice hesitated. "He has, unfortunately, immortalized. His existence will be completely erased. There is no way for him to come back to the world."
The Firmament Stone suddenly recalled something. "According to the heavenly laws, shouldn"t Huang Tu ascend to heaven after he died?"
"The heavenly laws cannot be revealed," the voice responded briefly, though somewhat arrogantly.
The Firmament Stone was p.i.s.sed. "Who are you proposing she marry? I honestly do not think anyone on earth deserves her, not even Long Siye. She used to be fond of him, but after her past relations.h.i.+p with Huang Tu, Long Siye is of no significance to her."
"No one on earth deserves her, but let us not forget that there are people from heaven. In fact, she will be meeting someone from heaven after two hundred years, and they will have a happy marriage. However, I do not think the world can survive two hundred years with her current condition. The marriage should be brought forward."
The Firmament Stone did not feel so good about people from heaven, but it was curious. "Who is the man?"
"He is the son of an emperor from the Upper Bound. According to the Heavenly Order, he will be condemned to the earth. They will meet and have a good marriage, till death parts their union on the day she immortalizes."
The Firmament Stone shone in a weak glimmer. "The emperor"s son? He seems like a very superior man. If you say that their marriage should be brought forward, does it mean that he will be condemned to the earth soon?"
"No, he will not descend to the earth any sooner. However, Gu Xijiu can make her way to heaven."
The Firmament Stone was surprised by the offer. "Are you suggesting that she can ascend to heaven?"
"Desperate situations call for desperate measures. According to heavenly laws, she can ascend to heaven. However, she cannot stay here forever. The best solution will be for her to stay for six months in heaven and then spend another six on earth."
The Firmament Stone finally found a sense of hope. It knew that Gu Xijiu had been trying to find ways to ascend to heaven. She finally found her way there! Perhaps, seeing the bustling and hustling metropolis in heaven would dazzle her and at least, cheer her up.
"Which way to heaven?" The Firmament Stone demanded in bright, hopeful light.
"At the most southern end of the land, there is a tree, tall enough to reach the sky. It appears to be fiery red. If she climbs it high enough, she will arrive at the desired destination." After providing the Firmament Stone with the crucial information, the voice seemed to have left.