Wedding Night

After a long march of ten thousand miles, we finally arrived.

Su Qing'an took her arm and strode towards the bustling and joyful Chao Xian City. He looked down at the town beneath the vast sea of clouds, his chest filled with unfamiliar emotions, as if the void that had been carved out by nothingness was being filled and blocked, and his whole body was bathed in a warm fire.

Even after that Australian hospital took on the man's vision of becoming a father, he had never truly imagined things would come to this.

War and crisis swept across the world like a torrential downpour, and even roses and wildflowers lost their meaning of blooming amidst the spreading flames.

Even those who were once dashing and spirited must eventually don their battle armor.

Now, she has returned in a different way, as if granted a chance to rest in this life. She has just made a pact with him to never betray him, and they have become husband and wife.

It was as if most of the imperfections in life were repaid with the moment the sunset faded away.

Su Qing'an had clearly become accustomed to wading through thorns of regret, despair, and sorrow, yet she was still being healed from her scabbed wounds and comforted from the past that she no longer felt pain for.

The boy was more at a loss than ever before, yet also more overjoyed. Controlling his emotions, he grasped the person's soft hand, took a deep breath, and whispered:

We got married.

The immortal gently tugged at the fabric made of blood-silk silk against his chest, feeling the pounding pulse of his heart deep within. His lips curled into a suppressed smile as he repeated:

"Yes, we're married."

In that instant, the Soul Link that had been just one step away from being established seemed to be completely bridged by the shared emotions of the Little Feather.

As soon as they finished speaking, Fire Clouds -like Celestial Phenomenon swept across the sky, centered on the two of them.

The red rope on Fu Hua's wrist disintegrated into countless rays of light, leaving only the exquisite bronze key. The rest of the material transformed into a graceful crimson lotus, blooming amidst the Fire Clouds, exceptionally beautiful.

She gazed at the painting, slightly stunned by Udu-dust's sudden loss of control, but immediately noticed the trembling red string on the wrist of the person next to her, as if it were overflowing, and understood the situation.

At this moment, the Soul Link between myself and Xiao Xi was finally re-established.

But before she could speak, the red rope, which was originally Little Feather, knocked the copper lock off and fell down, restoring calm.

Amidst the dreamlike, fiery Fire Clouds, the bronze key collided with the ancient lock, like two pieces of white ice falling into a porcelain bowl, producing a crisp sound before cracking and shattering in an instant, bursting forth with magnificent light and shadow amidst the Fire Clouds.

Each stroke is like a golden thread.

Each stroke of ink, each wash, is like a painting being dried.

That figure, so familiar to both of them, descended upon the world.

The girl with clear features emerged from the swirling, illusory colors, stepping on flames. Her magnificent robes, seemingly woven from clouds and flames, accentuated her curves. Her smile was faint, her lips moving as if she were preparing to say goodbye the moment she appeared.

As Su Qing'an gazed at this scene, her past memories seemed to have been unlocked, like the final piece of a puzzle being revealed, and she leaped back into the present.

Only at this moment did he understand why Fu Hua, a complete stranger to him, could overcome all obstacles and the cover of [Hidden] in the vast sea of people, and just like that, at his most broken moment, shine into his heart like a ray of light, giving him salvation. It was so perfectly timed, like fate.

At this moment, he finally understood why his attempts to use Udu-dust for soul resonance were always incredibly successful, and why he could always hear that gentle whisper in his ear whenever he pushed himself to the limit and his will reached its limit.

Don't be afraid, I will help you.

Su Qing'an used his Manas consciousness to understand the root cause.

The reason is actually quite simple.

Because this is Fu Hua, the Chi Yuan.

Because this is a yearning in the heart, a lingering regret manifested by the soul.

Because this was an accident and a miracle created at the moment of the Soul Essence's sublimation, based on the memories within Udu-dust, and with the determination to change that ending at that time, hoping to defy the limits of the will itself.

The final result is a self-disciplined personality that resides in the feather, relying on Su Qing'an's memories and Udu-dust's records, using the soul matter as its foundation.

For the young man at that time, Fu Hua was the most idealized version of himself, a lover whose feelings would remain unchanged in a certain sense.

That's why, even knowing her own true nature, she was still willing to try to help again and again, yet she never truly revealed it to Su Qing'an.

Such a self-disciplined personality is different from the spirituality that Su Muxi truly embodied and repeatedly underwent layers of transformation; it does not possess the qualifications to exist independently for a long time.

It's like a mirage refracted under special circumstances, a reality born from illusion. Once it truly appears, it will fall like a shooting star, impossible to hold onto.

Fu Hua gave the two of them a faint smile, without saying a word, simply letting herself be blown away like smoke by a strong wind until she dissipated, about to enter a traceless end.

Her eyes were lowered, yet they held a light that seemed to conceal the warmth and radiance of a sun. She glanced at the bewildered immortal, then suddenly spoke with unwavering certainty:

"You should know everything he went through."

The silhouette of the figure gradually blurred and dissipated amidst the Fire Clouds, and streaks of light, like extracted sparks, fell from within onto the crimson lotus. It was through the Soul Link and the transmission of Udu-dust that a final whisper remained in the center of the girl's Sea of consciousness:

"Come and see the journey of your loved ones from nothing to something."

In that instant, she could only feel the already thin, paper-thin barrier in her Sea of consciousness shatter completely as this torrent of memories arrived.

That is, memories from before the previous era was restarted.

But what surged forth at this moment was a far larger and more complex wave than this memory, unfolding entirely from Su Qing'an's first-person perspective.

The girl unconsciously clenched the hand of the person next to her. In her trembling pupils, there seemed to be endless brilliance emanating from them, transforming into a kaleidoscope full of complex colors. All kinds of pictures were placed in a Planck time as if rewinding, stirring up waves of emotion between her brain and soul.

--Those are the bits and pieces of Su Qing'an's experiences since coming into this world.

--That was the despair and sorrow that the boy had endured step by step.

That is the way to forge someone more resilient and invincible than a hero.

Joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness; love, hate, anger, and infatuation.

All of this was like a river, like a sea of stars washing over consciousness, creating endless waves within the formless and colorless Void Sword Heart.

However, Su Qing'an, who should have responded to this, was surprisingly still able to relax without any worries under the protection of the Manas consciousness.

[Come and see the journey of your loved one from nothing to something.]

This whisper resounded simultaneously between the two people's Sea of consciousness, as if the red thread was tied into a knot. By merging with Udu-dust's true form, it completely extracted the records within, packaging the experiences of the Immortal Chi Yuan from childhood to the five thousand years of Shenzhou into a bundle and stuffing it into the Manas Consciousness, allowing it to experience everything about the other person from a first-person perspective.

Su Qing'an had the ability to refuse, but he did not choose to.

Since the other person is bearing the burden of their past, it would be fair for me to do the same.

Even though the level of the Manas consciousness is far superior to that of a normal soul, the memories it carries are far more extensive than those received by immortals.

The former only encompasses the three years of time spent in this world, including the time within the reboot.

Su Qing'an carries the weight of thousands of years, with every detail and accumulated emotion within them, as if mountains and seas were being overturned.

Anyone subjected to this for a short period of time would be overwhelmed and lose themselves, leading to a complete breakdown.

Even if it were Fu Hua herself, she would risk getting lost and worn down completely. Otherwise, in the normal timeline, she wouldn't need to separate her memories into Heart Seal and bury them at the bottom of the mountain.

Only those who possess the uniqueness of [thought] and an extremely tenacious will are qualified to indulge themselves in taking initiative.

The boy met this condition, but still didn't feel particularly good about it.

If the torrent of emotions could be divided into different colors of joy, anger, sorrow, love, hate, infatuation, and delusion, then the cleansing we are experiencing now is pure gray, almost unmixed with any other colors.

It almost dimmed and extinguished all hatred for the Honkai and all expectations for the future, and silently swallowed all colorful things into the endless abyss and the deep ocean.

The journey, with its ups and downs, seems endless, and even the occasional glimmer of light soon fades away.

For a long, long time.

The varying degrees of detail and processing speed of the memories they each absorbed resulted in them waking up around the same time.

Su Qing'an gazed at the still bustling Chao Xian City below, her expression complex. Even with the special nature of [Nian], the feeling of accompanying the other party through thousands of years in another form still lingered in her heart, spreading a faint loneliness and coldness.

The boy subconsciously pulled the beauty, who was only holding his arm, into his embrace. His hands rested on her slender waist, applying slight pressure at the edge of her lower abdomen. The softness and warmth he felt through the slippery silk made him even more alert.

Su Qing'an glanced at the immortal who was still somewhat dazed, her lips slightly upturned. She had completely recovered her clarity from the torrent of memories and was no longer disturbed.

The unique properties of the Manas consciousness allow it to separate a large number of memories and emotions, so as not to affect its own personality much. In fact, if it did not deliberately want to devote itself to it, this empathy would not even exist.

But Fu Hua was somewhat different.

Even if it's just three years' worth of memories, the ups and downs and the depth of emotions accumulated within them are extraordinary, something most people can hardly experience in a lifetime. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a life full of twists and turns. In addition, her Soul Essence, even after many years, is several times stronger than that of ordinary people, so it's naturally not so easy for her to come back to her senses.

Thinking of this, Su Qing'an examined the red rope in her hand. The ancient bronze lock had been replicated again. The disappearance of the self-disciplined personality did not seem to have disturbed the spirit in the Udu-dust. It just seemed to be listless and went back to sleep. Judging from this, it probably wouldn't wake up for another week or two.

However, in a sense...

The little girl fell asleep at just the right time.

Otherwise, during this precious time of her wedding night, Su Muxi would likely have been forced to leave Li Shishi and Jiang Rongyue to take care of her, and instead play Go with Xiao Xuan.

Rather than letting it feel like an unnecessary burden, it's better to just go to sleep.

The girl let her soft body lean against the other's chest. She looked at the approaching Chao Xian City, her wedding robes swaying in the wind behind her. Her lowered eyes blinked, her chest filled with complex emotions, yet she couldn't help but feel a strong joy because the other was still by her side.

Watching the other person face death time and time again, and finally being certain in reality that they are still alive, has a sense of loss and recovery, which makes it all the more precious.

Looking back on the hardships we've faced, we will cherish even more the journey to this point.

In the previous era, when facing Thousand Herrscher, in order to enhance the output power of Udu-dust, the two chose to resonate their souls and wield the Divine Key together.

Actually, I had already observed many of the other person's life experiences during the resonance phase, but it was far less detailed than what I have today.

The immortal asked softly:

"Is that another version of me?"

Even after reading Su Qing'an's past memories, she still couldn't figure out the truth about her self-disciplined personality.

The young man walked to a corner of Chao Xian City. He looked up at the still bright red lanterns, held the bride's soft hand, thought for a moment, and replied:

"Perhaps, that's a manifestation of my unwillingness to let myself fall short of my limits."

"Rebooting was a decision I'd rather die than make at that time. It's always easier to persevere than to give up, but it gave me the worst possible future, making me see many familiar faces fall one after another in the war against the Honkai."

Fu Hua remained silent, instinctively recalling the scene from the information she had received earlier.

The vast corpses, like withered branches and leaves burned and wrinkled in a blood-red fire, resembled the black ash of the ocean scattered on the moon's surface, indistinguishable from the ornately decorated coffins.

The gods and Buddhas walking among humans scoff at the frailty of All living beings, while those sitting in the Sky People of another dimension lower their compassionate gazes.

The solitary throne is constructed from Sea of Quantum stacked on the periphery of the Proper World, like a wall reflected from a mirror.

This leaf -Leaf World is teetering on the brink of collapse due to the forced embedding of numerous World Bubble.

The flame of life ignites and then dies out; thunder shakes the world only to wither away.

The constant struggle to push limits, the relentless challenge to surpass oneself, yet like swirling dust, it is swept away by an irresistible wind to another ending...

Atropos

The scene that this guy showed Su Qing'an could be described as the ultimate collection of the worst endings in countless parallel worlds.

Logically speaking, seeing this kind of ending would only make one feel that dying would be easier.

However, if someone with Su Qing'an's personality were to watch it, it would undoubtedly be seen as a sinister plot and scheme.

Even though the chance for the Immortal Chi Yuan to marry her now depends on this scheming, she still feels somewhat unhappy.

Su Qing'an continued:

"But at that time, I was completely certain that I couldn't change that outcome."

"Whether it's personal ability pushed to its limit or willpower already at its Critical Point, it all determines that choosing to start over countless times will only lead to defeat."

The young woman gazed into the distance at the wedding banquet where toasts were still being exchanged, and whispered:

But you still don't want to give up.

Su Qing'an continued:

"Well, when it comes to choosing to restart, I don't want to lose yet."

"But the limits of will cannot be determined by one's own wishes. Even if a restart is decided, what is destined to collapse will still collapse, and what is destined to despair will still despair."

"I think the reason why your self-disciplined personality emerged from the feather you gave me is probably related to this."

Fu Hua pursed her lips, feeling a stirring in her heart, yet the rouge on her cheeks seemed to burn even hotter. She said:

"So... that [me] became your assistant, your trump card to prevent you from collapsing in crucial moments."

Su Qing'an, without a second thought, led the girl by the hand, walking along the street, past one red lantern after another, until they finally arrived at a familiar gate. Entering the antique courtyard, he spoke in a light, declarative tone:

"Yes, you are very important to me."

"I couldn't have survived without you back then."

This kind of direct approach, which is entirely based on facts yet sounds like sweet talk, is so captivating that it's hard not to be moved.

This is especially true in today's special circumstances, where people carry each other's past, feel compassion and maternal instincts.

So it was almost after entering the bridal chamber that the young woman snapped out of her dazed state. The next step after the wedding ceremony was, of course, their wedding night. Yet, as she sat naturally on the edge of the bed, she showed no sign of panic. Instead, she smiled confidently and replied:

"Yes, me too."

Su Qing'an was not surprised by Fu Hua's behavior. He could tell from Cloud Dragon Waterfall and that morning that it was he who was less open about such things. He sighed.

"... It always makes me feel uneasy when you're not nervous at all."

The immortal's eyes were clear, her eyebrows were finely etched, and her cool and solemn temperament was mixed with a nurturing maternal love and gentleness.

The young man slowly walked in, looking at the person who belonged to him with unprecedented seriousness.

Her face was snow-white and smooth, crystal clear, so moist it seemed to ripple with soft waves. The flickering candlelight was like the last rays of twilight, casting a faint orange glow over it, making it hard to tell whether it was the glow of the sunset or a natural halo, and it also made the lines and contours of her features blend together perfectly.

Feeling the ambiguous and enchanting silence, Su Qing'an moved closer to the other person and asked a question that even she herself found boring:

"No regrets?"

The girl stretched out her slender arms and wrapped them around his neck, her lips pecking at his ear as she murmured words that sent shivers down his spine:

What do you think?

"Master Su."