You Don't Have the Right

Half a month later, Xiao Jian appeared before Xue Rou again. But this time, he was covered in blood, and his aura was extremely weak, as though he might leave this world the next moment.

The first—and only—thing he said upon seeing Xue Rou was, "Run." After saying that, he fainted. Luckily, Xue Rou caught him in time, preventing him from falling.

Though Xue Rou did not know why, she still took Xiao Jian away from her residence.

Not long after they left, Xue Rou's house was swallowed by a sea of flames.

For the following month, Xue Rou cared for Xiao Jian. She still said nothing, but she also learned why Xiao Jian had not come to find her.

That day had been his birthday. He had originally intended to go see Xue Rou, but his parents stopped him and arranged a marriage for him, demanding that he go meet the girl.

He refused, provoking his parents' fury. They beat him viciously. He even told them that he would rather be beaten to death than marry that woman. His parents were so furious that they nearly fainted, cursing him as an unfilial son as their blows grew heavier and heavier. They only stopped when he could no longer get up. His parents seemed to know about him and Xue Rou, so they sent people to find Xue Rou's residence, intending to kill her and eliminate future trouble. Only if Xue Rou died would Xiao Jian, as the eldest son, obediently listen and shoulder his responsibilities. But a servant told Xiao Jian of the matter, and Xiao Jian barely escaped to warn Xue Rou to flee.

Xue Rou did not know why, but all the resentment she had once felt vanished at that moment. There was even a trace of self-reproach. Was he truly so unbearable in my heart? Why had I refused to believe him?

Xiao Jian's injuries gradually healed, but the Lineage's pursuers arrived as well. Thus, the two began a life on the run. Along the way, Xue Rou remained distant and indifferent toward Xiao Jian.

Xiao Jian did not mind. From then on, however, he went from being a young master to becoming a servant. Every day, he had to search for food himself and learn how to roast it.

What made him happy was that although Xue Rou was unwilling to speak to him, whenever he handed her food, she would silently accept it and eat it.

Naturally, Xiao Yan, Xiao Jun, and the others had no idea how Xiao Jian had acquired such culinary skills. They only knew that the food Xiao Jian made was delicious, not that he had developed such skills because he loved his wife.

Xiao Jian would also buy jewelry for Xue Rou. Xue Rou accepted every piece without ceremony and placed it in her Storage Ring, but she never wore any of it. She offered no explanation. Though Xiao Jian was curious, he still delighted in giving piece after piece of jewelry to Xue Rou, while Xue Rou accepted them all without uttering a word. That was also why Xiao Jian had taken Xiao Yan everywhere to buy jewelry.

The two maintained this peculiar relationship as they cultivated together for more than a year.

Finally, one day, Xiao Jian made up his mind to propose to Xue Rou. Xue Rou stared at him, and after a long while, she said only four words: "I agree."

Those four simple words instantly pulled Xiao Jian from hell back into heaven. He had already prepared himself to be rejected, but Xue Rou's answer made him feel as though he were dreaming. If it was a dream, he truly did not want to wake up.

However, three days later, Xiao Jian discovered that it was indeed no dream, because Xue Rou appeared before him wearing bridal robes. Her wedding dress was neither luxurious nor beautiful, but she had sewn it herself.

This wedding had neither the blessings of parents and relatives, nor the congratulations of friends, nor the witness of neighbors and townsfolk. Yet it was so different, so special. It was the happiest time of Xiao Jian's life.

After their marriage, Xue Rou showed Xiao Jian more care. She worked hard to become a good wife, no longer treating Xiao Jian coldly and becoming gentler and gentler. She carefully kept every gift Xiao Jian gave her. Xiao Jian never asked why; he trusted Xue Rou.

While fleeing, their cultivation advanced rapidly, and both of their sword arts improved tremendously. In the end, they both became Dou Emperors.

But arriving on a new continent also meant a new beginning. They encountered different soldiers who wanted to take them to different places. Xiao Jian was reluctant in every possible way, while Xue Rou agreed to go there and take a look before going to find him. But after personally experiencing the suppression the three super planes inflicted upon the Xiao Clan, he understood how foolish his decision had been. Though Xue Rou was stronger than him, she was still no match for them. When they met again, Xue Rou seemed to have returned to the cold and indifferent Xue Rou of the past.

"Have you truly made up your mind? You're no longer the Xue Rou you used to be," Xiao Jian said as he looked at Xue Rou.

"I am still Xue Rou, but not the Xue Rou you knew. Come. This will be our final spar. Your surname is Xiao, and mine is Xue. Xiao and Xue cannot coexist. Three years from now, we will fight again. That battle will be between our two Lineages, and it will also be the time for us to settle everything." Xue Rou raised a longsword in her hand. Its sharp edge seemed capable of cutting everything around it into nothingness.

"No need. We will fight again in three years. My sword arts were bestowed by you; I do not want to use your sword arts against you," Xiao Jian said.

"Besides, it seems these things are no longer necessary either." A great amount of jewelry flashed out from Xiao Jian's Storage Ring, and Xiao Jian directly tossed it into the air.

If anyone had been watching nearby, they would certainly have seen a beautiful rain of jewelry.

Within the rain, a beautiful woman stood with her long hair fluttering, like an immortal fairy untouched by mortal food and drink, without the slightest air of worldly dust. She was breathtaking beyond compare.

Within the rain, a handsome man stood iron-boned and unyielding, like a chivalrous hero who saved the masses. There was not a trace of cowardice that shrank from advancing, only grace and unrestrained elegance.

They should have been a couple made by heaven and earth. The rain of jewelry should have borne witness to their love, yet here, it bore witness to a separation.

Time passed very slowly at that moment, so very slowly. As Xue Rou looked at the jewelry filling the sky, something seemed to appear in her eyes, only to vanish in an instant.

Xiao Jian looked at Xue Rou before him. After looking her over from head to toe, his gaze paused on her hands for a while, and a trace of determination flashed through his eyes.

"Xue Rou, those old bastards of the Xue Clan are not qualified to write a letter of divorce, and neither are you. Today, I will write it myself," Xiao Jian said coldly.

A stack of paper was thrown into the sky. A sword appeared in Xiao Jian's hand as he looked upward, and that stack of paper was almost entirely cut in half. The pieces fluttered down to the ground. Four sheets remained intact. Xiao Jian placed two into his Storage Ring, while the other two slowly drifted down onto Xue Rou.