# Chapter 2193: A Lifetime of Vows (Part 1)
Star Moon Divine Kingdom, Star Moon Thousand Mechanism Tower.
"Mm!"
Shaxing suddenly jolted awake from his meditative state, gasping for breath, his forehead covered in fine beads of cold sweat.
Xianyue walked over slowly. He gazed at Shaxing for a moment, then sat down beside him on the ground, looking straight ahead: "The nightmare that just startled you awake—was it the Mist Emperor again?"
His voice was unusually calm, no different from their usual idle chatter during rest, yet it made Shaxing turn his head abruptly. He instinctively wanted to deny it, but when his eyes met Xianyue's utterly unruffled profile, he finally lowered his head silently in admission.
"Shaxing..." Xianyue spoke slowly. "Last time, I told you that the position we stand in is far greater than any question of cause and effect or right and wrong, and that you must never again bring up the matter of the Mist Emperor."
He turned his gaze to Shaxing, his eyes filled only with sincerity: "I apologize for those words."
Shaxing was stunned, then shook his head: "Everything you said and did was without any fault. There's no need for an apology. On the contrary, it's me who..."
"No, the fault is indeed mine." Xianyue cut him off, his eyes still brimming with apology and guilt: "Those words were indeed very correct. The Divine Venerable could say them, all the elders of our clan could say them, but I alone should not have said them..."
"We are Star and Moon united. What I should do is bear the burden together with you and overcome it together, not use 'correctness' to forcefully suppress your true nature."
"So..." he said sincerely, "If there are words pressing on your heart, you can speak them to me anytime, freely. No matter whether they're right or wrong, no matter how 'rebellious' they may be."
Shaxing stared at him, touched by a clarity so transparent, so unreservedly honest. His lips moved, but for a long time, he could not speak.
"Then let me speak," Xianyue said with a slight smile. "The fact is that the Mist Emperor saved you. And speaking on a larger scale, he also saved me, as well as the future of our Star Moon Divine Kingdom."
He was speaking "rebellious" words, yet his gaze was as tranquil as still water reflecting the moon.
"Because no matter what, I could never find another person as harmonious with me as you."
"This kindness, we must repay—and we will repay it together. As for what the Mist Emperor said, it might indeed not be slander, but a truth suppressed by the Pure Land..."
"Xianyue!"
Shaxing suddenly raised his hand, gripping Xianyue's shoulder, stopping him from continuing.
But Xianyue showed no panic, still smiling faintly: "The world is too vast, and the Mist Sea is even more boundless. Though we are the Divine Sons of the Divine Kingdom, standing at the heights of the world, that does not mean we can see everything clearly... Even what we think we see clearly may not be the truth."
"But—"
He raised his hand, placing his palm on Shaxing's shoulder as well: "You only need to answer me one question: if one day the Mist Emperor moves against our Star Moon Divine Kingdom, would your hand hesitate when you strike him down because of this debt of gratitude?"
"Of course not!"
Shaxing's answer was resolute, without even an instant's hesitation: "We were born in Star Moon, raised in Star Moon. The day we became Star Moon Divine Sons, we swore to carry the future of Star Moon Divine Kingdom on our shoulders."
"To me, no gratitude, no existence in this world can supersede the word 'Star Moon'. Not to mention the Mist Emperor, even if it were the Abyss Emperor..."
His voice paused, knowing he had misspoken in his excitement... but since it was Xianyue beside him, he paused only for a breath, then did not retract his words, but continued: "No matter who it is—if they invade my Star Moon, I will defend it with my life. No thing, no reason can make me take half a step back."
Xianyue laughed, the moonlight in his eyes growing clearer: "That is enough. Everything else is unimportant."
These few words, like moonlight reflecting on the soul, dispelled all the gloom.
Shaxing was stunned for a long moment. He looked at Xianyue, and the darkness that had entangled him for countless days and nights seemed to dissipate silently, layer by layer.
He nodded heavily, and his voice carried a slight tremor: "Right... As long as this thought remains eternal in my heart, everything else... is unimportant..."
"Yes!" Xianyue emphasized, "Gratitude and enmity in the heart, right and wrong let them be. As long as the radiance of Star Moon forever shines in our hearts, nothing else matters!"
"..." The corners of Shaxing's mouth slowly lifted. He met Xianyue's gaze, and then they both burst into loud laughter together.
The laughter did not cease for a long time, and within it, he finally made true peace with his inner demon.
High above in the distant sky, the two Divine Venerables—Heavenly Star and Sky Moon—stood side by side, having been there for who knows how long.
"Indeed, they resolved it themselves." Wu Shenyue's eyes brimmed with laughter, her voice gentle.
"Of course." Wu Shenxing's demeanor was calm, looking as if he had known this all along: "After all, they are the successors we personally chose. How could they fail to overcome such a minor obstacle?"
"Is that so?" Wu Shenyue glanced at him sideways, teasing without mercy: "Then who was it that secretly watched for at least an hour every day, and countless times wanted to speak but held back?"
"..." Wu Shenxing ignored her, looking ahead and sighing softly: "But I wonder how we can repay this great favor from the Mist Emperor."
"Oh? Shaxing finally overcame his obstacle, and now you're the one getting tangled up."
Though Wu Shenyue said this, the smile on his face unconsciously faded.
Wu Shenxing shook his head: "Some things, children don't need to understand. But you and I both know that one of the most uncomfortable things in the world is an unrepayable debt of gratitude... especially when it involves such a sensitive figure and such a great kindness."
Wu Shenyue said leisurely: "The Mist Emperor has resolved the unsolvable Abyss Corrosion for many people over the years, yet has never asked for any return. Perhaps he doesn't care at all."
Wu Shenxing countered: "Do you know how many people suffering from Abyss Corrosion crawl to the Mist Sea every day, begging for the Mist Emperor's blessing, ever since the news spread back then? Yet out of ten thousand, hardly one encounters the Mist Emperor's appearance and bestowal."
"Shaxing, however, received the Mist Emperor's salvation. Is it really... just luck?"
"..." Wu Shenyue remained silent for a long time.
The two Divine Venerables, who moments ago had been in a light and easy atmosphere, now found an intangible gloom settling over them in just these few words... though it was quite faint, after all, as Star Moon Divine Venerables, there were few things in the world they could not resolve.
And that persistent unease that could never be completely dismissed stemmed from the unknown nature of the existence known as the "Mist Emperor."
---
Arriving once again at the Zhe Tian Divine Kingdom, Yun Che's identity and state of mind had both undergone earth-shattering changes.
But one thing remained the same... both times, the Heart-Painting Divine Venerable personally came to welcome him.
Outside the Domain Gate, Hua Caili had been waiting for a long time, and Hua Fuchen, half helpless, half doting, was accompanying her. Every breath, every moment, he could clearly perceive his daughter's longing from afar, her eyes straining to see.
Until finally, at the far end of the distant cloudy skies, the silhouette she had yearned for day and night emerged.
Hua Caili's eyes shone with starlight, and all the myriad cares in her heart surged forth. She could no longer restrain herself. Her Divine Maiden robes spread like sword light, and without an instant's hesitation, her delicate figure flew forward to meet him, so eager and tender.
"Brother——Yun——!"
Yun Che and Meng Kongchan stood atop a small, delicate Mysterious Ark. Before the barrier of the Zhe Tian Divine Kingdom came fully into view, the maiden's voice, brimming with joyful excitement, had already pierced through the distant space and layers of clouds.
"Hahaha." Meng Kongchan smiled knowingly. "Yuan'er, what are you standing around for? Go on."
"Uh... right."
Yun Che hurriedly responded and flew down...
But just as Yun Che's figure descended from the Mysterious Ark, and Meng Kongchan's face wore a smile, his mind at its most relaxed and at ease... a profound, extremely dark soul-light flashed in the depths of Yun Che's eyes.
His fingers, lightly pinched together, made a subtle mistake in midair.
*Snap!*
A soft sound, gone in the wind.
At that same instant, the divine pupils of Meng Kongchan, which were always covered in a faint silver radiance, suddenly revealed a pitch-black soul-light—identical to the one in Yun Che's eyes.
Like a flash of lightning, it was gone in an instant. The black soul-light vanished completely. Meng Kongchan's smile remained, his eyes filled with ease and gentleness. He clearly had no awareness of his own strange condition.
The long wind rolled the flowing clouds. The moment their gazes met from afar, the world fell into profound silence. All the thousands of emotions in Hua Caili's eyes bloomed in an instant. She gracefully shattered the layered clouds, her sleeves trailing faint light as she flew through the air, throwing herself heavily into Yun Che's arms, refusing to let go for a long time.
She closed her eyes, breathed in his scent, her heart filled with the tender reassurance that only he could give her, completely oblivious to where they were or who was beside them.
The sea of clouds as a backdrop, the clear breeze as an accompaniment—a myriad of lovesickness finally found its home.
Hua Fuchen looked up at the sky, momentarily lost. In the past, he would have definitely pulled Hua Caili back and lightly scolded her with "What a disgraceful display." Now, he stood silently in place, gazing at the two tightly embracing figures high above, a faint smile on his lips, while a deep melancholy quietly swept through his heart.
By now, of course, he had not the slightest doubt about Yun Che's true feelings for Hua Caili. On the contrary, during this period, he regretted more and more his own rashness and self-righteousness back then, and sometimes secretly marveled at his daughter's persistence and decisiveness...
Just like her mother.
"Thinking of Qu Wanxin?"
A flat voice sounded beside him. Hua Fuchen, somewhat absent-minded, replied, "Yes, if only back then... Huh?"
He half-turned his gaze and met Meng Kongchan's grinning eyes, immediately retorting with irritation: "At least Wanxin and I loved each other. The person you admired never even glanced at you."
"Ai, ai, ai..." Meng Kongchan's smile vanished in an instant. "Why do you have to poke at my sore spot? But... Qingying has been very close to my Yuan'er. I think this matter isn't without hope. In fact, the chance is... very high."
Hua Fuchen withdrew his gaze and said flatly: "Oh? Has the Dreamless Divine Venerable learned to dream as well?"
Meng Kongchan (grimacing face).
Hua Fuchen looked up again. High in the distant sky, the two figures were still tightly embracing. And clearly, it was his daughter who refused to let go. She seemed to want to melt her delicate body into Yun Che's, her face buried deep in his clothes, her shoulders trembling slightly, her arms around his waist and back using all her strength.
As if trying to make up for all the days and nights lost during this time, all in this one embrace.
He finally couldn't help but speak up: "Alright, alright, come down now. Are you two planning to leave us old folks hanging here forever?"
Meng Kongchan shot back instinctively: "You're the old one. I'm not."
With the Divine Venerables speaking, the two finally, slowly, reluctantly descended from the sky. But Hua Caili still clung tightly to Yun Che, leaning almost her entire weight on him as if no one else existed, her hands firmly wound around his arm. Even when they reached Hua Fuchen, she refused to let go.
"Junior Yun Che..." Yun Che raised his hand to bow, but as soon as his right arm lifted slightly, Hua Caili wrapped it back. He had to tilt his body to barely complete the salute, his expression awkward but respectful: "Paying respects to Heart-Painting Divine Venerable. For you to personally welcome me is truly an immense honor and overwhelming gratitude."
"Hello, Uncle Meng." Hua Caili smiled brightly. "Uncle Meng's complexion is getting better and better. Not like my father, who's been scowling every day lately. Even though he's younger than Uncle Meng, he looks much older."
Meng Kongchan's face lit up with delight, his mouth splitting into a wide grin: "This girl Caili, she's more and more likable. Brother Fuchen, I deeply believe the most remarkable thing you've done in your life is raising the best daughter under heaven."
Hua Fuchen shot him a sideways glance and sneered: "Only to end up in your son's hands?"
"Hahaha!" Meng Kongchan let out a hearty laugh, stepped forward, and a faint silver radiance was pushed toward Hua Caili: "Caili, this is to make up for the missed greeting gift last time."
"Wow!" Hua Caili received it with full surprise. As the mysterious light faded, what appeared was a Dream Face Pill—something that condensed only once every ten-plus years in the Weaving Dream Divine Kingdom. She bowed respectfully and obediently: "Thank you, Uncle Meng. Such a precious gift... Uncle Meng is so good to me."
"This is nothing." Meng Kongchan waved his hand grandly, smiling cheerfully: "Wait until next time—that'll be the betrothal gift. I guarantee it'll be a thousand times greater than this. Hahaha!"
The word "betrothal gift" struck deep into Hua Caili's heart and soul. A rosy blush tinted her cheeks as she pressed closer to Yun Che and said softly: "Everything will be as Uncle Meng and my father decide."
Hua Fuchen waved his hand helplessly: "Go on, then. Caili, mind your identity as the Zhe Tian Divine Maiden a little. Don't be too..."
"I know, Father!" Hua Caili, as if granted amnesty, pulled Yun Che away before Hua Fuchen could finish: "Brother Yun, come with me quickly."
"Uh... Junior takes his leave for now. I will pay my respects to the seniors later..."
Before Yun Che could finish his words, Hua Caili had already pulled him into the national barrier, as if there was something urgent she wanted to accomplish.
Watching the two run off, Hua Fuchen shook his head and said to Meng Kongchan: "That 'betrothal gift' you mentioned—are you already preparing it?"
Meng Kongchan's smile faded slightly, half helpless, half sighing: "I wish I could, but..."
He didn't finish, but both understood. Hua Fuchen said bluntly: "Brother Meng, if we really hold a wedding ceremony for the two children, how likely is it that Old Dian will come to crash it?"
"Heh..." Meng Kongchan's lips twitched, his smile melancholy and bitter: "He will definitely come. Otherwise, he wouldn't be Old Dian."
"Yes, with his temperament, he will definitely come. Just like back then, when he was still the Jueluo Divine Son, for my sake he didn't hesitate to overturn the table and curse out loud at the former Divine Venerable's birthday banquet. Afterwards, he would rather be punished several times over by his father than admit he was wrong."
The two fell silent together. Hua Fuchen spoke again: "A couple of drinks?"
Meng Kongchan said: "How can two drinks be enough? At least three days and three nights."
"Heh!" Hua Fuchen laughed. "Let's go!"
They turned and walked side by side, their sleeves occasionally overlapping and parting in the wind, casting two tall and composed shadows.
The two Divine Venerables meeting, yet no one accompanied them, nor was there any ceremonial pomp... merely a gathering of old friends.
---
"Brother Yun, did you miss me?"
The maiden leaned her delicate body against him, her brows curved like crescent moons, a soft smile on her lips. Her sweet voice could melt any heart. If anyone else heard it, they would never believe it came from the lips of the Zhe Tian Divine Maiden, who was like an immortal descended from the distant sky.
Yun Che pretended to ponder, his brows slightly furrowed, appearing to think for a moment: "Hmm... fairly so. I only missed you twelve hours a day."
Hua Caili burst into laughter, then suddenly furrowed her brows, gently bit her lip, and pouted coquettishly: "Hmph! I heard that you have three maidservants attending you closely, each stunningly beautiful, and that the Abyss Divine Son dotes on them day and night. How could you have time to miss me?"
Yun Che quickly raised his hand, his expression solemn: "I swear to heaven, they are truly just my close attendants. I absolutely~ absolutely have not overstepped in the slightest."
"Heehee, that's good. I knew you wouldn't."
"Uh... you believe me that easily? Why don't you keep doubting and pressing me a bit?"
Hua Caili turned her gaze to look at him, the surrounding figures and sword pavilions, the bustling myriad phenomena all fading away. Her beautiful eyes, which could dim the splendor of heaven and earth, held only Yun Che's silhouette: "No, because my Brother Yun will never lie to me."
"Not necessarily." As if not noticing her gaze full of affection, Yun Che looked ahead: "Maybe I'm actually the best liar in the whole world."
Hua Caili tilted her head slightly and said playfully: "Then lie to me for a lifetime. Just don't start lying and then run away."
She led Yun Che for a very long distance, until they passed through a long corridor pavilion. Finally, her pace slowed.
It was exceptionally quiet here. No sound of sword hum, no light of sword formations. Even the overwhelming sword intent that filled the entire Zhe Tian Divine Kingdom seemed to have intentionally missed this place, leaving behind only a tranquility undisturbed by worldly clamor.
Yun Che looked up. Before his eyes stretched a dense grove of emerald bamboo. In the Abyss World, such fragile vegetation as bamboo could barely survive, yet here it flourished so abundantly. Clearly, someone had been carefully tending to it.
The smile on Hua Caili's face had completely faded. She said softly: "This is where my mother rests."
Yun Che: "..."
She took Yun Che's hand, her jade fingers entwining tightly, and led him to a tombstone at the center of the bamboo grove.
--- Beloved Wife Qu Wanxin's Tomb.
The surface of the stone tablet was smooth as a mirror, without any ornate carvings, only these seven simple characters. Each stroke was extremely plain and clean, yet each one seemed to have been traced countless times by fingertips soaked with endless longing.
Hua Caili slowly knelt before the tombstone and murmured: "Mother, I've come to see you... together with the person I will spend my life with."
Yun Che also knelt with her in silence... though a complex, unspeakable emotion surged uncontrollably in his heart.
Qu Wanxin, Hua Caili's biological mother. A woman from a criminal clan who, in certain respects, had profoundly shaken the entire Zhe Tian Divine Kingdom.
"Mother, you are my father's lifelong regret. It also made him dread that I would repeat your fate, so he arranged the most 'stable and correct' betrothed for me early on. I understand Father's worries and good intentions... but fortunately, this is the one thing I did not follow his arrangements."
"Auntie says that when it comes to the person one's heart desires, my temperament is very much like yours. I am proud and fortunate. Precisely because I held fast and persevered like you did back then, I can finally be together with the one my heart desires for a long time—unlike your fate back then, unlike my father's regret in this life."
Yun Che lowered his gaze slightly, no longer looking directly at the name "Qu Wanxin" on the tombstone.
A breeze passed through the bamboo grove, rustling the leaves, casting a shifting pattern of light and shadow over his lowered eyelashes.
Hua Caili grasped his hand, her beautiful eyes misty, every word heartfelt: "Mother, this is Yun Che. He saved my life, protected my safety, and gave me the greatest happiness and peace of mind in this life. I have decided to stay with Brother Yun for this life, never to part in life or death."
Her eyes suddenly became fervent, her voice extraordinarily solemn, as if she wanted to carve every word, every syllable deep into her soul-sea, into the joints of every bamboo stalk that was now witnessing everything:
"On this day, at this hour, with heaven above, earth below, and mother before me, I wish to become husband and wife with Brother Yun. From now on, our fates are intertwined, our lives and deaths dependent on each other. Whether a myriad of blessings or a thousand calamities, we will never part forever."
"!" Yun Che turned his head sharply to look at her: "Caili..."
Hua Caili turned her gaze, smiling sweetly. In the depths of her misty eyes, there seemed to be a warm light shining resolutely from the bottom of her heart: "Brother Yun, are you willing?"
"I... of course I am willing, but..." Yun Che tried to soften his gaze and voice as much as possible: "Caili. Someone as beautiful and wonderful as you deserves a kingdom as a betrothal gift, the grandest wedding ceremony in the world, the blessings of all creation. How can I let our union be so hasty?"
Hua Caili shook her head gently: "Those things are completely unimportant to me. I just want to bind myself to you for this life a little earlier... even earlier."
"Every time I bring it up, Father always puts it off again and again. I know it's not because he's unwilling, but because he has a burden in his heart. But I... really don't want to wait any longer. I always worry, I inexplicably fear that one day you might suddenly disappear from my life, I..."
She bit her lip lightly, the watery light in her eyes enough to melt all the hardness and sin in the world in an instant: "Brother Yun, are you... willing to become my husband today?"