Love & Redemption
Chapter 274: The Final Volume of I am Liuli - 33 Forgetting Three Lives (Part 3)

Chapter 274: The Final Volume of I am Liuli Chapter 33 Forgetting Three Lives (Part 3)

The Heavenly Emperor sighed with a smile, "The Star Lord descending to the Lower Realm to go through a hundred lifetimes of trials certainly experienced far more than any ordinary person. When Xuanji was punished and sent down to the Lower Realm, Emperor Bai suddenly mentioned you, Star Lord. Your deep-sea-like affection for the petrified Weaver, in every life seeking only women with a similar countenance to hers for marriage, thus you lived alone lifetime after lifetime. Emperor Bai said if there was a fateful coincidence this life, and you two met under some circumstances, who would have imagined a jest turning into reality, with you two encountering each other with entangled and poignant feelings, uniting and separating—this life has finally fulfilled the Star Lord’s wish."

Yu Sifeng was quite embarrassed; whether it was the petrified Weaver or the Star Lord himself, he had no recollection whatsoever, but upon first seeing Xuanji, he felt a sense of familiarity. As days and nights passed together, his feelings grew uncontrollable. It seemed indeed predestined by fate. As for that Star Lord, to call him lovesick, he was solely captivated by the Weaver’s outer beauty, satisfied with any woman of similar appearance; yet if he wasn’t lovesick, why endure loneliness life after life? This affair was utterly chaotic and indescribable.

The Heavenly Emperor continued, "The Star Lord, having become a demon in this life, committed a crime far graver than mortals by recklessly invading Kunlun Mountain, a sin punishable by death. I especially moved you away, partly out of affection and partly because I wished to see what temperament the Star Lord would display this life. I allowed the Star Lord to glimpse the distant past to give guidance, yet have you forgotten how Xuanji entered hell and you, the Star Lord of the previous life, saw the Life Soul and were instantly unable to forget? Your time of trials is nearing its end and you were to return to the Heavenly Court, but because of that brief glance in hell, you refused even Heaven, swearing an oath before Emperor Hou Tu. The oath still resounds; having fulfilled your wish this life, have you forgotten the past?"

Yu Sifeng was both awkward and bewildered, simply lowering his hands and saying, "I truly do not remember; what oath did I swear that day?"

It turned out that seeing Xuanji’s Life Soul from her past life in hell wasn’t to understand the truth but to remember how he was utterly shaken at the first sight of her, which instead made him swear by something to force them to allow him to follow her to the human world in this life. To speak of these things publicly was truly embarrassing, and even Yu Sifeng, who was always calm and composed, found his face flushing red, stammering and uncertain of how to proceed.

The Heavenly Emperor smiled and said, "That day, in the presence of Emperor Hou Tu and Myself, the Star Lord swore to marry Xuanji in ten lifetimes, in every life. Emperor Hou Tu then jokingly asked the Star Lord, with no evidence, why should he create fate for you, and recounted the various deeds of Xuanji’s past life to you. The Star Lord then swore, if he could not marry Xuanji, he would rather plunge with her into Abyss Hell and never return to Heaven. Touched by the Star Lord’s infatuation, Emperor Hou Tu and I allowed you both to be reborn into the human world as cultivators. However, the matter of marriage is up to fate and cannot be forced by human effort. Hasn’t the Star Lord today tied the matrimonial knot with Xuanji, fulfilling the wish of a hundred lifetimes?"

Yu Sifeng turned to look at Xuanji, who wore a smile that was not quite a smile, a slight vexation that was not quite vexation; such an expression was intoxicating. Seeing him gaze at her, Xuanji’s clear and distinct eyes stared back, quietly scraping her face twice with her fingertip, silently mouthing words to him—the meaning of which was probably that he was originally an old pervert, yearning for beauty and disregarding his future.

Yu Sifeng was both annoyed and amused; remembering the incidents of his previous life, which actually had nothing to do with Xuanji’s origins, but had somehow still played a role in bringing things about. The words "old pervert" were likely a label he would have to bear for the rest of his life, with no chance to overturn it.

The Heavenly Emperor spoke again to Yu Sifeng about incidents from his past life, explaining that normally transgressions between a man and a woman would not warrant a hundred lifetimes of trials in the Lower Realm, but the peculiar thing about the Star Lord was his refusal to admit his fault, believing that youthful passion for beauty was natural among couples, failing to realize that he and the Weaver were not humans but immortals, and that common human sentiments could not apply to them. He faced the many accusations with calm composure, unyielding—his obstinacy matched that of Xuanji.

Since he would not admit his guilt, a heavier punishment was warranted, so he was sentenced to endure a hundred lifetimes of trials, starting from the beast realms. The petrified Weaver by the Tianhe River did not understand romantic affairs; when the Star Lord took the form of a young man to amuse her, she considered it just a distraction. The events following the Star Lord’s punishment must have frightened her; ever since then, she became even more silent and reserved, eventually withering away in melancholy, turning into a block of bluestone by the Tianhe River.

Star Lord had braved numerous calamities in his lifetime, and after death, his Life Soul was dragged to hell, where he learned of the Weaver’s vanished spirit and soul. Everyone thought he would make an uproar or weep bitterly, inconsolable, but to everyone’s surprise, he merely sighed deeply and said, "It’s better that she’s dead. Among immortals, who truly knows what death tastes like. She was always a bit luckier than me."

Even today, the denizens of hell and Heaven still cannot fathom what Star Lord’s feelings for the Weaver truly were. This became one of the topics that all gods would chat about over tea and meals, with varied and conflicting conjectures, none precisely accurate.

Xuanji saw that Yu Sifeng and the Heavenly Emperor were getting along famously, and as she had no opportunity to interject, she could only stand there daydreaming. Suddenly, her arm was lightly touched, and Tengshe’s voice rang out above her, "Didn’t you say you had something to tell me? Now’s the chance, go ahead."

Xuanji noticed his calm demeanor, so unlike his usual self, and hesitated. She knew a bit about Tengshe’s feelings for Emperor Bai; after all, one was a spiritual beast and the other was the master. Having been together for so long, it was impossible for them not to speak to each other face to face. Whenever Tengshe spoke, if it wasn’t about delicacies, it was certainly about Heaven.

When discussing Heaven, Emperor Bai was the name most often brought up. In Tengshe’s mouth, Emperor Bai embodied perfection and radiance, wisdom and composure; there was nothing he couldn’t do, nothing that could stump him. Tengshe was a mischievous subordinate, always sneaking out to play, deliberately disobeying Emperor Bai’s orders, with a hint of coquettish defiance to gain his father’s attention, like a naughty son. Emperor Bai never disappointed him; even though he would scold or berate him, he never truly got angry with him. Everyone said that Emperor Bai doted on him, and not without reason.

Such a person, who never made mistakes and stood above others, had actually made the grandest mistake, concealing the most terrifying secret in the world. If she were to tell Tengshe about this, could he accept it?

Xuanji hesitated for a long time, taking the duration of two incense sticks to finally recount the general cause and effect. After finishing, she looked up sneakily at Tengshe. Unexpectedly, he looked as usual, just slightly pale, with no extreme reaction.

"...Is that everything?" he asked in a low voice.

Xuanji nodded, "That’s it. Because of the atrocious act Emperor Bai committed against Luo Hou and Jidu, Luo Hou who was trapped in the Luminous Glass Vase retaliated, and both were turned to ash by the Shura Fire."

Tengshe nodded in agreement and said faintly, "I see, so it is... Emperor Bai, indeed... He did wrong, terribly wrong..." Before he could finish, tears began to fall, and he covered his face with his hands, his shoulders quivering slightly.

Xuanji couldn’t help but want to pat his shoulder and comfort him, but considering her own identity, she had also thought about killing Emperor Bai. At that moment, she couldn’t find any comforting words, and could only sigh deeply.

The moment she touched Tengshe’s shoulder, he abruptly pulled back, leaping a good distance away to dodge Xuanji’s hand.

Xuanji felt awkward and sad, watching him helplessly. Tengshe roughly wiped his face with his sleeve, managing to dry his tears, although his eyelashes were still wet with droplets. He spoke in a low voice, "I want to stay; you all go."

Xuanji’s heart was reluctant as she softly asked, "Do you intend to never see us again? Is this a farewell forever?"

Tengshe shook his head, somewhat lost, "I don’t know, but I don’t want to see you now."

After he spoke, he disregarded the Heavenly Emperor who was still there talking to Yu Sifeng, and swiftly ran out of the hall, disappearing into the ruins in the blink of an eye. Xuanji couldn’t help wanting to chase after him, but the Heavenly Emperor sighed, "Let him go. One has to experience the ways of the world on their own; no amount of words from others is really of any use."

Yu Sifeng bowed and said, "Heavenly Emperor, for our intrusion into Kunlun Mountain... "

He didn’t want to stay here any longer; the longer the night, the more dreams appear. After all, Emperor Bai was dead, Heaven had been burned, and although the Heavenly Emperor may not hold them accountable, the other denizens of Heaven harbored deep hatred for them. Staying any longer would not be good.

The Heavenly Emperor, without waiting for him to finish, said, "Enough, go back to the Lower Realm. After all that has happened, who is to be blamed, and where lies the fault? It is but the fruit of past actions reaped today; Heaven has but itself to blame."

Yu Sifeng had waited just for this response. He immediately bowed and made his salutations, then turned to leave. But looking back, he saw Xuanji standing still in a daze. He at once realized that Wuzhiqi had not yet returned; this parting meant they could no longer meet in this life, only waiting to reunite briefly in hell after death.

The Heavenly Emperor quietly asked, "Xuanji, how is it to be human?"

Xuanji was slightly startled, then slowly yet brightened into a smile. To be reborn as a human, with eighteen years of both bitterness and sweetness flashing before her eyes. If one were to talk about bitterness, it certainly was extreme; interactions between people were always mixed with it. But it was precisely because of such bitterness, be it hesitation, loneliness, or being trapped by various emotional ties that prevented one from living freely, that the sweetness of being human felt especially profound and precious.

To be human is to face human hardships; to be a deity is to endure divine sorrows. The way of Heaven, to take from the full and give to the empty, perfection is never truly attainable. But at least, from now on, she would no longer be alone.

She nodded, smiling, "Being human is good, better than it has ever been before."

The Heavenly Emperor, now reassured, said, "If that’s the case, then you should go."

Xuanji had intended to wait for Wuzhiqi to return and exchange proper farewells, but it seemed that wasn’t possible now. She could only bow with Yu Sifeng to the Heavenly Emperor for goodbye, then amidst the furious gazes of Heaven’s deities and the ruins of broken walls and debris, they left Kunlun Mountain.

**********

I’m almost at the end, and surprisingly, I find myself reluctant to let go... It makes me doubt if the person who used to cry and beg to finish Liuli as soon as possible was really me...

Sigh~(To be continued. For more about the story, please visit www.qidian.com. More Chapters are available. Support the author, support the genuine reading!)