Love & Redemption
Chapter 262: Final Volume My Own Liuli - Twenty-One Liuli (Part One)

Chapter 262: Final Volume My Own Liuli Chapter Twenty-One Liuli (Part One)

Xuanji left with an unsettled heart. She caught up to Emperor Bai and silently followed behind him, but her mind was occupied with thoughts of the companions she had left.

Meeting the Heavenly Emperor was certainly their biggest goal for this trip, but had they known in advance that only Xuanji would be granted an audience, while the rest would end up dead or missing, or branded as conspirators, would they have still rushed here eagerly and with much enthusiasm?

Chu Lei once said that living in this world requires planning and prediction for every matter. If one could follow the planned path smoothly, even if it was mundane, it was not without happiness. No one knew what the future held, just as they came to Kunlun Mountain fervently, finding each step they took filled them with a sense of melancholy—yet none would give it up because of this.

Whether this path was right or wrong, no one would know until the end. So many people along the way yelled out warnings to them, reminding them they had strayed and to press on was to walk the doomed path of demonic temptation. Whether that was deception or enticement, Xuanji was no longer willing to contemplate.

Having chosen a path, one must walk it with head held high and chest out, all the way to the end—Chu Lei’s words stayed with her. Indecision and anxiety, never able to discern right from wrong, disturbed by the vanities of the external world, such a person would never know what the end truly was.

Right and wrong, black and white, are eternally two opposing sides. She, too, had always been making choices, always contemplating whether this path was right or wrong.

Without reaching the end, no one knows the answer.

You might call it the persistence of a good person, or the obstinacy of an evil one, but to see it through to the end is the essence of either.

"Except for death, nothing is too grave," Xuanji thought to herself. Suddenly, she felt an epiphany, the numerous intangible pressures that weighed upon her seemed to lighten.

"It seems the General has figured out a difficult problem," Emperor Bai suddenly spoke, his voice containing a trace of laughter, startling Xuanji.

"Eh? This... it’s not exactly a... difficult problem." She stared at Emperor Bai’s back, his empty left sleeve fluttering softly in the wind, and his youthful figure carried a sense of desolation.

Emperor Bai unconsciously stroked his empty left sleeve and slowed his pace, speaking softly, "I have grown accustomed to having only my right hand."

Xuanji felt a surprise in her heart. It seemed he had not been born without a left hand, but had it chopped off. Of course, she knew no one was born without a left hand, especially not Emperor Bai, the most sublime and intelligent monarch of the East, as dazzling as the morning star. Who could have cut off his arm?

Emperor Bai slowly turned around, his gaze piercing as he looked at her and said in a low voice, "I would like to hear in detail about the difficult problem the General has figured out."

Xuanji stood frozen, only after a long moment responding, "No... I was just thinking, whether coming to Kunlun Mountain this time... no, rather, whether the days of my life for the last eighteen or nineteen years have been right or wrong."

Emperor Bai laughed and said, "That’s a question that even Heaven cannot clearly answer, as right and wrong reside only in the human heart. General, what’s important is not the outcome, but what you have gleaned from the process. Do you understand?"

Xuanji nodded as if she understood. The process is what’s important, not the outcome? She recalled her life over the years, filled with laughter, tears, meetings, and farewells; every experience had been faced with all her emotions. Unwittingly, she had grown so much, developed her own thoughts, vastly different from her past naivety and carefree days.

This time, she nodded sincerely and said, "Indeed, it is so."

Emperor Bai gently touched his empty left sleeve and revealed a smile, speaking warmly, "The General has indeed changed quite a bit. The sharp edge of your former days has been tempered. I am very pleased, and the Heavenly Emperor will surely share my joy upon seeing you."

Xuanji harbored a significant question and hastily asked, "But... if you praise me like this now, why then did you convict me, accusing me of... rebellion?"

Emperor Bai laughed, "You will understand once you see the Heavenly Emperor."

She pressed on, "Wait! But what about my companions..."

"Each has their own fate, General need not worry too much."

Emperor Bai’s figure flitted erratically, swiftly passing the radiant flowerbeds, his white robe glittering under the sunlight. He did not walk fast, but Xuanji found herself having to run just to keep up and not fall behind, and with time, this became increasingly difficult. As he moved gracefully, like a wisp of light smoke, without any pause, she, on the other hand, ran out of breath, and the distance between them grew larger and larger.

Xuanji called out, "Wait! Don’t, don’t walk so fast!"

No sooner had she spoken than her view of his white robe vanished among the flowers, leaving behind only a smiling voice, "General, you are still but a mortal, to cross the gap between humanity and divinity, you must make the journey yourself."

Xuanji quickly followed the direction of his voice, and from a distance, she saw him still leisurely leading the way ahead. Biting her lip, she hurried after him, feeling no matter how desperately she ran, the gap between her and his figure remained four or five zhang. After running frantically for what seemed like ages, she suddenly heard Emperor Bai’s low voice ahead, "How can a Luminous Heart give birth to Divine Sense? That great sin you committed in the past, does it truly bear no fault upon reflection?"

His words were profound and perplexing. Xuanji blinked, only to find emptiness ahead; Emperor Bai’s figure was nowhere to be seen! Panicking, she looked around and found herself before a magnificent palace, with snow-white railings and steps at her feet, ready to ascend with a single step.

Could this be the side hall?

She held on to a glimmer of hope, hurrying up the stairs. The white jade handrails wound around in countless turns. By the time she finally found the main door and pushed it open with all her might, she could only collapse on the ground to catch her breath.

Behind the door was a spacious hall with nine golden pillars arranged haphazardly. Silver veils fluttered in the wind, behind which numerous silhouettes could be vaguely seen, standing in silent vigil, each one holding burning incense. Xuanji leaned against the door, gazing dazedly at the scene in the hall, only to see that the dragon throne in the very front was empty, with no one upon it.

It seemed she had found the wrong place. Shaking her head, she was about to turn and leave when she suddenly heard someone inside gently strike a chime. The sound, clear and melodious, rang out. It was followed by the rustling of the veils around, cascading down from the heavens, blanketing the dragon throne layer by layer, hiding it from view.

As Xuanji hesitated, a very gentle voice came from behind the veils, calling out to her, "General, did you wish to see me?"

The sound of that voice struck her heart like a sudden peal of thunder, sending stars dancing before her eyes—it was so familiar! She’d certainly heard this voice before! A voice that commanded her involuntary reverence, it was truly one she had not heard in a long time.

As if by instinct, she immediately knew that the person behind the veils was the Heavenly Emperor. She quickly stepped forward and clumsily knelt on one knee, saying hesitantly, "Heaven... Your Highness the Heavenly Emperor."

The gentle voice of the Heavenly Emperor said, "General, there’s no need for such formalities, please rise."

Xuanji stood up, her mind a blank. The carefully thought-out speech and actions for her audience with the Heavenly Emperor fled from her mind, leaving her a complete fool.

Then, the Heavenly Emperor said, "General, you have not yet completed your trials in the Lower Realm. To venture into Kunlun Mountain to see me, is there something of utmost importance?"

Xuanji’s throat tightened, and she could only nod, speechless.

This wouldn’t do! She realized, urgently pinching her palm to call back her wandering thoughts. She calmed her mind and the words she needed seemed to rush back. Only then did she bow and say, "I... I understand that trespassing into Kunlun Mountain is a grave sin, and I do not dare to ask for your forgiveness. But there are things I must explain to you, otherwise I will never be at peace."

"Please speak, General," he said.

Xuanji said in a low voice, "You had ordered my arrest, and I resisted... not out of disdain for heaven and earth, but because I did not consider myself a traitor. Perhaps I was at fault over the matter with Wuzhiqi; to the eyes of Heaven, he’s an unforgivable criminal, someone I should have never approached or even spoken to. However, I feel he is a good person, my friend. Does befriending him equate to rebellion? I truly do not comprehend this logic."

The Heavenly Emperor "hmm-ed," and spoke indifferently: "Upon investigation, Wuzhiqi was not released by you but by the Golden Winged Bird Yu Sifeng and Liu Yihuan, who committed this crime."

As Xuanji heard him mention Yu Sifeng, she became even more flustered, rushing to say, "No! He didn’t do it on purpose! Someone forced them!"

The Heavenly Emperor chuckled lightly, "General, let me ask you, if I were to imprison Wuzhiqi in Abyss Hell again and detain Yu Sifeng, Liu Yihuan, and Ting Nu for trial and punishment, would you oppose heaven and earth once more, committing treasonous acts?"

What did he mean?! Alarm bells rang in Xuanji’s mind. He said ’once again’! What ’again’? Did she truly do something rebellious in the past?

"General," the Heavenly Emperor called out when she did not respond.

In a strained voice, Xuanji said, "I... I don’t know. But to me, they are important people who guided the path of my life. I also believe they are not bad people. If Your Highness really intends to punish them, no matter how many times, I will plead with you. I am willing to do anything," she said.

The voice of the Heavenly Emperor seemed to take an interest, "Oh? And what if, no matter how you plea, I do not oblige?"

A surge of anger welled up in Xuanji’s heart, and she clenched her fists. He was blatantly threatening her... no, warning her! Heaven has never cared for them, arrogantly judging everything. He said she had committed a serious offense in the past, which is why she was thrust down to suffer in the Lower Realm—it must have been too excessive! Otherwise, how could her past self have rebelled?

Her face paled, and countless thoughts raced through her mind, analyzing the causes and consequences of everything.

Why would Heaven punish Wuzhiqi? Because he had erred first, stealing a Divine Artifact and killing a host of Divine Generals.

Why was Yu Sifeng taken? Because he let Wuzhiqi escape.

Why was Liu Yihuan’s Heavenly Eye removed? Because it was stolen, originally not his to take.

Why did Zi Hu die? Because they trespassed into Kunlun Mountain; the fault lay with them, not Heaven.

With tears brimming in her eyes, Xuanji said shakily, "If despite all my earnest pleas, Your Highness still sees fit not to grant my request, then it will be because they were at fault first, and I would have nothing to say but to accompany them on the road to Huangquan. But I have no intention of rebellion! Such a charge forced upon me is something I cannot accept!" (To be continued. For further details, please visit www.qidian.com. More Chapters are available and support the author by reading the licensed version!)