Three Lifetimes of Fate

After Xie Xie retreated, Lan Muzi called out the next drawing number.

"Number thirty-two!"

Xu Lizhi froze for a moment. Only when everyone looked at him did he react and step forward.

Tang Yinmeng said, "You may begin your confession."

Xu Lizhi's expression was complicated as he spoke slowly. "I'm very fat... I've been fat since I was little. When I was young and people bullied me, you were the one who protected me. You stood by my side and let me hold my head high, face those people who thought themselves superior. You were the one who brought me into Shrek and proved that I wasn't inferior to anyone."

"But I was still insecure. Maybe it was because I kept getting fatter while you became more and more beautiful. Maybe it was because even though I worked hard to improve, the gap between us only kept growing."

Xu Lizhi wiped his face. "I once thought I saw you as an older sister, but I realized I was wrong."

"If there is only one person in this world who can make me lose weight, it's you!"

With that, he took a deep breath.

"If what I said today has troubled you, then I'm sorry. I know the gap between us is truly too great, so it's enough for us to understand it without saying it aloud. If you hate this, I'll disappear from before your eyes and never disturb you again."

He gave a deep bow, straightened his back, and stepped away.

He had originally wanted to jump into the water too, but the captain had said that he needed the courage to face the outcome. Xu Lizhi looked straight ahead. Even if he truly failed, he would fail standing!

Tang Yinmeng was slightly choked up. "True feelings are what move people most..."

Lan Muzi sighed softly. "If Junior Zhengyu could understand that, then he wouldn't have..."

"Alright, then... the final contestant to draw a number—male contestant number fifty-one, please begin your confession."

The lotus leaf beneath Tang Wulin's feet drifted forward.

"I never thought fate would allow us to meet again."

"We have endured too many hardships together, missed too much, and hurt each other too much. But the past is gone. Since we are standing here again, there is only one thing I want to say about the past—loving you is something I have never regretted."

"I once told you that the happiest thing was to grow old with you slowly—I am willing to walk through the years with you, until the ends of heaven and earth."

Tang Wulin said softly, "Then... are you willing to take my hand once more?"

He looked at her with unwavering gentleness. Even though her bamboo hat concealed her face, he could still sense the stirring in her heart.

The lotus leaf drifted, and he returned to his place.

Who was he talking about? He clearly wasn't very old, so why did he carry such an air of weariness?

On the pleasure boat, Yun Ming could not figure it out no matter how much he thought about it. "What exactly does Na'er see in him?"

Yali had been deeply moved, but he abruptly broke her mood. She shot him a glare. "Brother Ming..."

Yun Ming sighed.

Zhuo Shi and Feng Wuyu whispered to each other. "Who is that kid talking about? Gu Yue? How could they have gone through hardships together at such a young age?"

On Sea God Lake, Sea God Fate entered its fourth stage.

Three Lifetimes of Fate.

Lan Muzi said, "Girls number eight, seventeen, and eighteen, your bamboo hats are still on. Will you remove them? If you do not, you will no longer have another chance to remove them during the rest of the event. Moreover, since you protected your bamboo hats through the previous rounds, you will have priority in making your choices."

"I'll remove mine." A clear, pleasant voice rang out. As the bamboo hat came off, her peerlessly beautiful face instantly set the atmosphere on Sea God Lake ablaze.

"The Dragon Spear Goddess!" Whether it was the crowds in the stands or most of the participating boys on Sea God Lake, they all cried out in surprise.

Especially the boys on Sea God Lake—their gazes instantly became fervent.

Na'er's silver hair fell to her waist. Her amethyst-like eyes were clear and crystalline, reflecting the lights and shining even more brightly.

Tang Wulin's expression was complicated.

After recovering her memories... she should have recovered along with them.

Seeing her unfused self again, Tang Wulin could not help but feel a touch of melancholy.

She was his little sister. He did not want her to disappear from this world, even though objectively speaking, she and Gu Yue were originally the same person.

But to him, she was different from Gu Yue.

Na'er's gaze met his. She gave him a faint smile, though her eyes held a trace of sorrow.

The clearer the memories of her previous life became, the more she understood the absurdity between him and her.

The one he loved had never truly been her.

Even though Gu Yuena's appearance resembled hers more closely, he was only willing to go further when Gu Yue was the one in control.

Not to mention him—even she herself had complicated feelings when she looked back on it now.

This was also one of the reasons she still had not fused with Gu Yue.

Lan Muzi said in surprise, "Na'er, you really came to participate in Sea God Fate? I thought you were just joking!"

Na'er raised an eyebrow. "I have special approval from my teacher!"

Tang Yinmeng laughed. "Alright. Na'er, you only get to choose once, so you must think carefully."

Na'er smiled. "I made up my mind long ago."

The lotus leaf beneath her feet drifted forward, quickly approaching the boys' formation.

Tang Wulin glanced at the boys with their fervent gazes, then at Na'er as she drew closer and closer. His heart was filled with mixed emotions.

The lotus leaf beneath Na'er's feet traced a beautiful arc before the gathered boys and stopped in front of Tang Wulin.

"...You know my choice." He sighed softly.

Na'er stubbornly raised her head. "I know. So what?"

The entire audience erupted!

The Dragon Spear Goddess had actually chosen a kid who had never appeared in the inner court before!

Tang Wulin completely ignored those sharp gazes. He remained silent, raised a hand, and rubbed her soft silver hair, just as he had in the past—yet it was no longer the past.

Na'er pouted and lowered her head to hide her reddened eyes.

Lan Muzi was also very surprised, but his excellent composure allowed him to keep his expression under control. He continued hosting the event. "Then, girl number eight, will you reveal your face?"

"I will." A magnetic female voice sounded. The veil of her bamboo hat was lifted, and Yuanen stood atop her lotus leaf, her dark-red hair flowing in the wind.

Xie Xie grew nervous.

He stared fixedly at Yuanen.

She did not move her lotus leaf, merely saying calmly, "I told you before. If you beat me, I'll agree to you."

Xie Xie's body swayed. Of course he knew.

But he had never beaten her even once.

So... in the end, was he still going to be rejected?

"Alright."

Xie Xie stepped forward, yet did not fall into the water. His figure darted rapidly through the air as a faint dragon roar sounded, somehow allowing him to remain suspended.

Tang Wulin raised an eyebrow and nodded in satisfaction.

Yuanen lightly tapped the lotus leaf with her toes. Dark wings spread behind her as dense darkness surged forth. A demonic sword appeared in her hand and slashed toward the air.

Xie Xie flashed out of the void, his cold, sharp edge clashing head-on with the demonic sword—amid the distortion of time and space, Xie Xie rapidly closed in. Spatial displacement produced powerful, violent energy that formed blade after blade of icy light under his control, stabbing toward Yuanen.

Yuanen snorted coldly. The power of darkness condensed into a gate of light that directly swallowed every blade of light.

Xie Xie gritted his teeth. The fifth soul ring beneath his feet lit up, and a clear dragon roar rang out. A sharp edge sliced through the gate of light and shot straight toward Yuanen's face.

Xie Xie was startled and hurriedly withdrew his soul power. The light blades dispersed, turning into specks of fluorescence that swirled around her.

"You..."

Yuanen smiled, a rare sight. "You won."

He fell from the air and grabbed her wrist.

For a moment, he even felt as though all of this was unreal.

Xie Xie murmured, "You didn't lie to me..."

Yuanen rolled her eyes. "Stop dawdling."

Xie Xie let out a scream, startling Yuanen. He jumped three feet into the air on the spot, darting around her while letting out strange cries of joy.

Before Yuanen could lose her temper, Xie Xie wisely stopped. He took her hand solemnly and led her to stand beside his lotus leaf, his face overflowing with happiness.

Yuanen had originally wanted to remind him to keep a low profile, but when she saw his smiling face, she ultimately said nothing.