Chapter 412

Silence.

Still silence.

True Lord Yuanwu opened his mouth several times.

But he still lacked the strength to break this deathly silence.

He and the other Taiqing Dian dao friends only now understood—

The Sovereign Emperor had not accepted the Young Lord's wife; he was merely holding back this great move.

On one side are his parents, on the other the Young Lord—how to choose?

Starting from reason, everyone knows they must choose the parents, after all, that is fate.

But True Lord Yuanwu clearly understood—if they chose that way, the Young Lord's life would likely be gone as well.

The Young Lord, to be with his wife, had shown a terrifying frenzy that he had witnessed clearly.

Such a choice……

Shen Qingli did not want to choose.

She believed she must still have another way.

However, Di Jin still said those three words: "Promise him."

Shen Qingli's eyes widened, as did Jiu Li's; they could not believe it.

But Di Jin was resolute: "Promise him."

Shen Qingli shook her head; she cared deeply for her parents and could not let them die, yet she did not fully trust Di Hao! She did not believe there truly was no other way.

As the saying goes, none know a father better than his son; Di Jin knew clearly that Di Hao would not lie.

Moreover, the condition of her parents-in-law was dire; he had simply not yet spoken of it.

"Don't rush; you still have one day to consider."

"After one day, I too will be unable to save them."

Di Hao said this and flicked his sleeves away, not lingering.

True Lord Yuanwu glanced at the young couple on the bed, then ultimately left without a word.

Those other True Lords and Lords Yuan who had come to watch the festivities and add to the joy all withdrew in unison.

At such a time, their presence here was purely an eyesore.

"We won't choose," Shen Yuan said, "A Li, your parents surely would not want you to make a choice detrimental to yourself for their sake."

At this moment, he is the family patriarch; he must step forward to play the villain.

He is not saying he likes Di Jin, this niece's husband, more than his own blood younger brother, the seventh.

He simply clearly understands that his seventh younger brother would never want A Li to be harmed because of him, and since the seventh brother's wife chose to bear death in A Li's place, her choice must align with his.

"A Li," Shen Yuan wanted to say, "if we sacrifice A Li's happiness, even if the seventh brother and his wife were truly saved, they would certainly never be able to relax."

But Di Jin interrupted his words: "Uncle, how could you abandon your own younger brother like that?"

"I,"

"Alright, you all go out first; this matter I will decide with Li'er."

Di Jin naturally knew Shen Yuan's good intentions, but if they truly chose that way, could he still live happily with his Li'er sister? Impossible.

Between them, there will forever be this thorn.

He does not want it.

So——

When everyone had withdrawn, he was preparing to analyze.

But Shen Qingli covered his mouth, saying, "This is my choice to make, not yours."

Di Jin grasped the hand she had placed over his mouth, said nothing, but summoned the elixir of the Candle Monster.

Jiu Li instantly sucked in a breath of cold air: "Holy shit! The curse is worsening at breakneck speed!"

No wonder the one who broke up the mandarin ducks gave only a day's time.

It saw that the curse mark on A Li's mother's forehead had already spread down past her neck!

By common sense, it should be fatal once it reaches the heart, right?

There is no time left.

Di Jin silently told Shen Qingli.

This made Shen Qingli, who had originally been firm in her own idea, instantly panic.

She instinctively called out to Yu Jia!

Yu Jia is the most learned; surely she knows what to do.

However, Yu Jia looked and also could do nothing……

"What about A Que? Can it eat it!"

Shen Qingli roused the still-recuperating Shen Que, having him come forth to swallow the curse.

Shen Que scratched his head; he really wanted to say he could, truly! He very much wished he could.

"The curse has already entered the soul; I can't……" Shen Que felt ashamed: "I, I am still too weak."

If he were just a bit stronger, then he could certainly swallow this bit of curse and let A Li's mother be unharmed.

But this is a curse that even Di Hao, an ultimate existence of Taiqing Dian, would have to sacrifice half his life to cure—how could someone not yet fully grown possibly swallow it?

The fatal strike from Mother of Heaven and Earth is nothing like the old love curse; she aimed to make Shen Qingli bury herself with the He clan, or she herself dealt the poisonous blow—by rights, Zhong Minglan should have died on the spot.

Even with Di Jin present!

There is still no time to save her.

Mother of Heaven and Earth had calculated everything.

Only overlooked was Shen Kuo, this Primordial Spirit Divine Blossom who had just broken through to the Heavenly Clarity Realm.

In a certain sense, he is no inferior to the Fusang Divine Fruit; after all, although the latter can revive the dead, it is not inexhaustible.

Shen Kuo is different; as long as he doesn't die, he is a walking source of life, able to continually heal even those severely wounded in the Heavenly Clarity Realm.

Since the existence of the Three Pure Heavens, this is the first time such a divine cultivator has appeared; yet, just as he broke through to this realm, he was half-dead from saving his wife.

Even his ability to halt the Heavenly Fighting Mother's absolute killing strike still leaves everyone who reflects feeling deeply moved.

Without him, even if Di Jin had the Candle Monster Primordial Pill, he could not timely suppress the life‑taking killing curse.

Now——

Shen Kuo continues to sacrifice himself, together with the Candle Monster Primordial Pill, suppressing the killing curse that seeks to take Zhong Minglan's life.

With Shen Qingli's sight and perception, she can most clearly 'see' that her father's divine soul and origin respectively guard her mother's sea of consciousness and heart meridian.

Once the killing curse completely devours the mother, it also completely devours the father.

Shen Qingli closed her eyes, tears sliding down.

But soft lips pressed onto her, kissing away her tears.

"Don't be sad, I won't die, you're still here—I will always come find you."

"You've forgotten, yet you still look for me?" Jiu Li interjected!

Di Jin glanced at it, and it shrank back.

Get lost; it, Xi Xi, and Jia Jia withdrew.

Yu Jia indeed took the two little ones back to the Primordial Spirit Realm without saying more.

However, although they returned, they were all listless; Jiu Li had no energy left to chase Xi Xi.

"A Li is so miserable; wouldn't a childhood sweetheart be better? Do we still have to sacrifice?" Jiu Li felt this was truly too abusive, lying down, it wanted to cry, already lying there covering its eyes.

At this moment, the Candle Monster has also been driven away.

Inside the sleeping hall, only Di Jin and Shen Qingli remained.

But Shen Qingli had also calmed down, "What is the Taiqing?"

She clearly understood that Di Hao had them conclude before the Taiqing; it certainly wasn't a simple ritual of "witness".

"In short, the source of the world?" Di Jin cupped her face, "Don't worry, even if you forget me, it doesn't matter. I will definitely come back to find you."

Shen Qingli's eye sockets heated; she knew he was trustworthy.

But she did not want to forget him.

Moreover, if he too forgot, how could he guarantee it?

"There's still one day left; don't give up."

Shen Qingli naturally understood as well; weighing priorities, rationally choosing to save her parents is the best option.

But what makes her want to give up is A Jin; who gave her rebirth is, in a sense, her parents' Jin.

All along the way, she has been able to get to where she is now because he has given her countless important aids; without him, she would have died resentful long ago, and there would be no possibility of any change or hope.

How could she choose to give him up?

Giving him up is no different from giving up herself.

"I,"

The speechless Shen Qingli's tears welled out again.

"Shh."

Di Jin lightly kissed her forehead, gently stroked her neck, letting her relax.

"Not giving up, I indeed need to make preparations for one day."

Di Jin, while speaking, wiped away the tears from the corner of his beloved wife's eyes; his voice was steady and also soft.

"Before the Taiqing, we cannot lie; as you worry, I suppose I will also temporarily lose my memory. But I believe that it won't take long before I will surely remember."

"You are not only my wife, but also my wife's lord sister; when you call my full name, I can't help but nervously reflect whether I've angered you, sister. I won't forget, it's instinct." Di Jin said firmly.

This affection initially arose from duty and protection, possibly also from an instant affinity; yet along the way, while he guarded and gave, was he not also being firmly chosen and cherished?

He has saved her, given her life.

How has she not also saved him, given him new life?

Without her, before the battle he would have been "dead".

"Do you remember? Back then, if you hadn't guarded my true self, I might have merely been a crown prince. But even if I were just a crown prince, I would still like you." Di Jin clearly knew he could never like anyone else.

If he were to, it would have happened in the Taiqing Dian;

If he were to, it would have happened during the Dao Lord era;

If he were to, the crown prince would not have been stirred only by Shen Qingli.

Affinity, the subtlety lies in——

If it weren't that person, one could never feel a racing heart or share a life‑and‑death vow.

Especially someone like him, he neither needs nor would, out of so‑called loneliness and emptiness, casually take a dao partner.

No matter when, he is always clear about what he wants; even now he remains clear.

So he continued with a light laugh and tease, "Unless you think you might like someone else?"

Shen Qingli clung tightly to him, yet also understood herself: "I won't, but if it weren't you, I wouldn't remember you, and I might like no one."

She had once been betrayed by the whole world.

She finds it hard to trust or like a person.

If it weren't him, like her master, who is also her dear younger brother, always standing by her side as someone absolutely trustworthy, she would not be moved again.

Put bluntly, even if it were her father or mother, if not because she "saw" their love, "saw" them protecting her when she wasn't looking——

risking their lives to protect and love her, she would no longer believe she could still have parental love, nor could she obtain or enjoy this familial affection.

So she was very clear.

If she really forgot Ah Jin.

She really might never feel this flutter again.

"So, we can't be this passive."

Shen Qingli desperately tried to calm herself, she had to think of a better way.

"It's fine, even if you don't like me anymore, I'll still cling on relentlessly."

Di Jin said that, yet he held the person in his arms even tighter! He also realized, he also understood that his ability to make her like him so smoothly all along was due to his clever tactics; he had already set up a tight net around her.

Next time, it definitely won't go so smoothly.

But he won't give up.

"Trust me."

Di Jin knew Shen Qingli was surely still thinking of a solution.

She's always like that; unless it's deadly, no matter how hard, she will stubbornly strive and change.

In her previous life, it was the same; her bones were all pulled out by her "birth mother," how could a normal person still live? But she could, not only surviving but also forging another path of cultivation.

If it weren't for Zhao Yue exterminating her, having all sects surround and attack her, or even if she were given a little more time, her vengeance wouldn't even need to wait for his help; she could repay it herself.

But that was truly bitter.

He didn't want her to taste bitterness again.

If being together can't make her happy and sweet, then there's absolutely no point.

This is also why he insists she must choose to save her parents-in-law; between them there must be no estrangement or bitterness. What he wants to give her is only sweetness.