Yun Che stared into the darkness beyond the courtyard.
The Jin Family was ready.
Weapons had been prepared.
Defenses reinforced.
Cultivators positioned.
The Wu Clan had made their threat.
The Jin Family had answered it.
Tomorrow...
The war would begin.
Behind him, the courtyard remained peaceful.
Retsu, Mio, Cang Yue, Xue Ling, Xue Yin, Mulan, Lin Yueru, Little Fairy, Chu Yueli and Qingyue were preparing supper.
Nemu was inside the Inner World conducting one final inspection of their equipment.
Nezuko and her clones were playing with Jin Yuelian alongside Yoru.
For a moment, everything felt strangely peaceful.
Yun Che smiled.
Everything was prepared.
The missile was ready.
The defenses were ready.
The people were ready.
And somehow...
Xia Qingyue had willingly decided to become part of it.
He quietly chuckled.
"Still..."
His eyes drifted toward the courtyard.
"I didn't expect Qingyue to actually want to become an Assassin."
He smiled.
"As expected of my wife..."
Silence.
Then—
===========
[Ding...]
===========
Yun Che's eyebrow twitched.
The familiar system voice appeared.
============
[Host is wrong.]
============
Yun Che frowned.
"What do you mean?"
============
[Host is wrong about Xia Qingyue being your wife.]
============
Yun Che stared blankly into the night.
"What?"
============
[Did you marry Xia Qingyue?]
============
"I did."
============
[Did you marry her?]
============
"I just said I did."
============
[Did you marry her?]
============
Yun Che's expression slowly became irritated.
"I did."
============
[Did you marry her?]
============
"How many times are you going to ask me that?"
The system remained silent for a moment.
Then—
============
[Understand the question.]
[Did you marry her?]
============
Yun Che froze.
"..."
The courtyard suddenly seemed much quieter.
His smile disappeared.
"I..."
The system continued.
============
[On your wedding day, you were not Yukihira Yuuki.]
[You were Yun Che.]
============
Yun Che's eyes narrowed.
============
[Xia Qingyue did not know the real you.]
[She knew Yun Che.]
[She did not know Yukihira Yuuki.]
============
He didn't answer.
The system's words continued to echo inside his mind.
============
[If you had consummated your marriage with Xia Qingyue that night while concealing your true identity, the system would have classified the act as adultery.]
============
Yun Che's pupils contracted.
"..."
His memories returned.
The wedding.
The room.
Qingyue standing before him.
The decision he made.
The harsh rejection.
At the time, he had simply thought he was protecting both of them.
He had thought there was something fundamentally wrong with proceeding when he couldn't tell her the truth.
But now...
The system was forcing him to look at the decision from another perspective.
============
[You rejected her that night.]
[You believed you were protecting yourself.]
[You believed you were protecting her.]
[You were correct.]
============
Yun Che slowly exhaled.
"Then..."
He looked down at his hands.
"What does that make our marriage?"
The system didn't immediately answer.
That silence somehow felt heavier than any response.
Finally—
============
[A marriage between Xia Qingyue and Yun Che.]
[Not a marriage between Xia Qingyue and Yukihira Yuuki.]
============
Yun Che closed his eyes.
That distinction hurt more than he expected.
He had always called Qingyue his wife.
He had treated her as his wife.
She had treated him as her husband.
But the person she had married...
Was Yun Che.
The identity he had been forced to live under.
The identity she knew.
The identity she trusted.
Not Yuuki.
Not the man standing here now.
Yun Che opened his eyes again.
"So..."
His voice was quieter.
"If Qingyue wants to become my wife again..."
============
[Then she must choose Yukihira Yuuki.]
============
Yun Che stared at the courtyard.
Qingyue was there.
Laughing softly with the others.
Completely unaware of the conversation happening in his mind.
She had just chosen to become an Assassin.
Not because she had to.
Not because of their old marriage.
Not because anyone forced her.
She had chosen to learn about Yuuki.
His world.
His Creed.
His Order.
His life.
And suddenly...
Yun Che understood why the system was telling him this now.
It wasn't merely correcting his terminology.
It was warning him.
He couldn't simply assume that because Xia Qingyue had once married Yun Che...
...she had automatically married Yukihira Yuuki.
Those were two different relationships.
Two different identities.
Two different choices.
And if he wanted Qingyue to become his wife as Yuuki...
He would have to let her make that decision herself.
Without manipulation.
Without relying on their previous marriage.
Without assuming she owed him anything.
Yun Che smiled faintly.
"That's fair."
============
[Host understands?]
============
"Yeah."
He looked toward Qingyue again.
"I understand."
"What am I supposed to do?"
============
[Tell her the truth. Make her see you. Not Yun Che. You can keep the name Yun Che, but make sure she knows it is you. She already knows your name. Why not be honest to her instead of living in a lie?]
============
Yun Che fell silent.
"...System."
============
[The moment she awakened the Heart of Snow Glazed Glass, she can see you as Xiao Lingxi saw you. The real you. Why not be truthful to her now?]
============
Yun Che—or Yuuki now—fell into a rare moment of silence.
For once, it wasn't confusion that weighed on him.
It was clarity.
A dilemma still remained, but it was no longer the kind that made him hesitate.
He wouldn't reveal everything. Not yet. Not all at once.
But he could tell her something.
Something real.
Something that belonged to him.
==============================
Moments later, Yun Che felt a familiar presence approaching from behind.
"Yuuki?"
He turned.
Xia Qingyue walked toward him, her footsteps quiet against the balcony floor. She stopped beside him, resting her hands lightly against the railing as she looked out over the Jin Family courtyard.
"Qingyue... hey."
"Are you looking forward to tomorrow?"
Yun Che smiled.
"Very much."
He glanced toward the courtyard below.
"Don't worry. You'll be surprised when you see what we've prepared."
"I see..."
Qingyue smiled faintly.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The moonlight illuminated her face.
Yun Che looked at her for a moment longer than necessary.
"You look really pretty tonight."
Qingyue's cheeks immediately turned pink.
She looked away.
"Thank you..."
Normally, compliments about her appearance did very little to her.
She had been called beautiful countless times throughout her life. The title of the "Frozen Cloud's Fairy" had followed her since she was young.
She had long since become accustomed to it.
But when he said it...
Her heart fluttered.
What Yun Che didn't know was that she had deliberately spent extra time preparing herself before coming to the balcony.
A little more makeup.
A little more attention to her hair.
A little more care with her clothes.
It wasn't necessary.
She already possessed a beauty that required no embellishment.
But she wanted to look especially good tonight.
For him.
She would never admit that aloud.
Yun Che smiled to himself before returning his attention to the courtyard.
"To think that you actually wanted to become an Assassin."
Qingyue looked at him.
"Normally you..."
Yun Che suddenly stopped.
Qingyue tilted her head.
"I normally what?"
"...It's nothing."
She narrowed her eyes slightly.
"Yuuki."
"Hm?"
"You stopped in the middle of a sentence."
"I know."
"So?"
"So... nothing."
Qingyue continued staring at him.
Yun Che eventually sighed.
"You're persistent."
"I've learned from you."
He laughed softly.
"Fair enough."
Qingyue looked toward the moon.
Then, after a moment of hesitation, she spoke quietly.
"Yuuki..."
"Hm?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
She was silent for several seconds.
Then she turned toward him.
"Before I met you..."
Her expression became unusually serious.
"What kind of person was I?"
Yun Che blinked.
"What?"
"The current me."
She lowered her eyes.
"What kind of person was the original Xia Qingyue?"
Yun Che's smile slowly faded.
Qingyue continued.
"I've heard fragments."
"You've told me things back then."
"I know there was another version of me."
"The one you called Prime Qingyue."
"But I don't know what she was really like."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"You knew her."
Yun Che remained silent.
"Didn't you?"
Qingyue's voice was gentle.
"You've compared me to her before."
"Sometimes I notice it."
"The way you look at me."
"The things you expect me to know."
"The things that surprise you when I do something differently."
She smiled faintly.
"So..."
She took a breath.
"Tell me."
"What was Xia Qingyue like before you met me?"
Yun Che looked away.
He had expected many questions.
He hadn't expected this one.
Because answering it meant confronting the person Qingyue had once been.
The Xia Qingyue from the original timeline.
The woman who had been distant.
Cold.
Extremely calculating.
A woman who valued cultivation above almost everything.
A woman who had endured countless hardships and carried burdens almost no one knew about.
A woman who could appear emotionless even when she cared.
A woman who had made choices that had eventually shaped the entire future of the Profound Sky Continent.
And yet...
This Qingyue was different.
She laughed a bit.
She's a cultivator version of Nemu.
She traveled.
She asked questions.
She formed friendships.
She cared openly.
She's a bit of a klutz.
She was curious about the world.
She wanted to become an Assassin.
She wanted to understand him.
Yun Che finally spoke.
"You really want to know?"
Qingyue nodded.
"Yes."
"Even if you don't like what you hear?"
"Especially then."
Yun Che studied her expression.
She wasn't asking out of insecurity.
She genuinely wanted to know.
So he decided to be honest.
"Then I'll tell you."
"The Xia Qingyue I knew..."
He paused.
"...was much colder than you."
Qingyue's eyes widened slightly.
"Colder?"
"Yes."
"You were extremely disciplined."
"Quiet."
"Reserved."
"You didn't trust people easily."
"You kept almost everything inside."
"You rarely showed what you were thinking."
Qingyue listened carefully.
"You were also incredibly ambitious."
"Your cultivation meant everything to you."
"Not because you were greedy for power."
"But because you believed strength was necessary."
"Necessary for what?"
"Survival and the means to find your mother."
Yun Che looked toward the night sky.
"You grew up knowing that weakness could cost you everything."
"Your family."
"Your sect."
"Your people."
"Your own life."
"So you became someone who constantly sought greater strength."
Qingyue lowered her gaze.
"That doesn't sound entirely different from me."
"No."
Yun Che smiled faintly.
"That's why I said the current you isn't completely different."
"But there is something."
"What?"
"You smile more."
Qingyue blinked.
"Really?"
"Much more."
He chuckled.
"You also ask far more questions."
"That's because you're always hiding things."
"Fair."
"And..."
He looked at her.
"You actually allow yourself to enjoy things."
Qingyue became quiet.
Yun Che continued.
"The old you would have spent most of this evening cultivating."
She looked toward the courtyard.
"While the current me is standing here?"
"Talking to me."
Qingyue smiled.
"Perhaps I've learned something."
"What?"
"That cultivating endlessly doesn't mean you actually live."
Yun Che smiled.
"Exactly."
Qingyue remained quiet for a moment.
Then she asked softly,
"Was she a bad person?"
Yun Che immediately shook his head.
"No."
"Not at all."
"She made mistakes."
"She made choices I disagreed with."
"Sometimes she was too cold."
"Sometimes she was too willing to sacrifice things for the sake of survival."
"But she wasn't evil."
He looked at Qingyue.
"She was someone who had been forced to grow up too quickly."
Qingyue's expression softened.
"Then..."
She hesitated.
"Do you regret meeting her?"
Yun Che smiled.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because if I hadn't met her..."
He looked toward her.
"...I wouldn't have met you."
Qingyue's heart skipped.
She immediately looked away.
"You're surprisingly good at saying things like that."
"I wasn't trying to flirt."
"I know."
"Unfortunately."
Qingyue laughed softly.
Then she became serious again.
"Yuuki."
"Hm?"
"If the original me were standing here..."
She looked at him.
"Would you still choose her?"
Yun Che fell silent.
The question carried far more weight than she realized.
He thought about the old timeline.
The marriage.
The misunderstandings.
The separation.
The choices.
The pain.
Then he looked at the woman standing beside him now.
"No."
Qingyue's eyes widened slightly.
Yun Che smiled.
"I wouldn't choose the old Qingyue."
Her expression became complicated.
"But..."
He continued.
"I'd choose you."
Qingyue's cheeks reddened.
"Because you're not her."
"You've lived a different life."
"You've made different choices."
"You've become someone different."
"And if I chose you..."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"...I'd be choosing the woman standing in front of me."
Not a memory.
Not a predetermined future.
Not a version written in a book.
Her.
Xia Qingyue.
The woman who had traveled with him.
The woman who had chosen to learn about his world.
The woman who had just chosen to become an Assassin.
Qingyue smiled.
"Thank you."
Yun Che nodded.
Yun Che nodded.
Qingyue remained beside him for a moment before quietly asking,
"So... what was she really like? Her history?"
Yun Che looked toward her.
"You?"
Qingyue nodded.
"The original me."
He took a slow breath.
"You... or rather, she... was pretty much the same person at the core."
Qingyue listened carefully.
"She was the most talented member of the younger generation in Floating Cloud City."
"At a very young age, she was secretly recruited as a disciple of the Frozen Cloud Asgard."
"However, she never officially entered the Asgard."
"Because she had a promise to keep."
Yun Che smiled faintly.
"Your father made a promise to Xiao Ying."
"He promised that you would marry his son."
Qingyue's expression became complicated.
"Xiao Che..."
"Yeah."
"The original Xiao Che."
Yun Che paused.
"She was also an extremely talented cultivator. And she was completely dedicated to cultivation."
"Her desire for strength wasn't simply because she wanted power."
"She wanted to become strong enough to find her mother."
Qingyue's eyes softened.
"She disappeared when you were four."
"She believed her mother had abandoned her."
"That became one of the reasons she pursued strength so relentlessly."
Qingyue lowered her gaze.
"So..."
Yun Che nodded.
"Pretty much the same as you."
"The desire to become stronger."
"The desire to protect yourself."
"The desire to understand the world."
"The difference..."
He looked at her.
"...is where your path diverged."
Qingyue understood immediately.
"When I met you."
"Exactly."
Yun Che leaned against the railing.
"The person who changed your path wasn't Xiao Che."
"It was me."
"Yukihira Yuuki."
He chuckled softly.
"I wasn't supposed to become a Spirit Cultivator and started a killing rampage during our wedding."
"The original version of me was a cripple who can't even cultivate."
"In the original timeline, everything followed the prime path."
"You were suppose to become Prime Qingyue."
"But this world changed the moment I became involved."
He glanced toward her.
"Technically, I'm supposed to be the same age as you."
"But I'm older by a year."
Qingyue smiled faintly.
"So your existence itself changed my fate."
"Pretty much."
Yun Che gave a helpless shrug.
"It's strange, though."
"What is?"
"Talking to you about this."
He stared into the distance.
"Talking about a future that no longer exists."
"A future that was supposed to happen."
"A version of you that I remember."
"And then looking at you..."
He glanced toward her.
"...and realizing how different things became."
Qingyue was quiet.
Then she smiled.
"Yuuki."
"Hm?"
"I'm not that person anymore."
Yun Che turned toward her.
"My ice heart shattered."
Qingyue placed a hand lightly against her chest.
"And it was rebuilt."
"Into the Heart of Crystal Dream."
"Alongside my Heart of Snow Glazed Glass."
Her expression softened.
"I've changed."
"Because of you."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"You told me that the current me isn't the same as the woman you remember."
"So don't compare me to her."
Yun Che smiled.
"I wasn't."
"I know."
Qingyue's smile grew slightly.
"But I want you to understand something."
She stepped closer.
"I am your wife."
Yun Che's expression softened.
"The woman standing here is the one who married you."
"The one who is learning to love you."
"The one who chose to follow you."
"The one who chose to become part of your life."
She paused.
"So if you've been worrying that I'm somehow still that other Qingyue..."
She shook her head.
"I'm not."
"I am Xia Qingyue."
"Your Qingyue."
Yun Che stared at her for a moment.
Then his lips curled upward.
"Pff..."
Qingyue blinked.
"What?"
"Learning to love?"
She nodded.
"Yes."
Yun Che suddenly laughed.
"Hahaha..."
Qingyue's cheeks reddened.
"What is so funny?"
"I just like how you said that."
He grinned.
"Learning to love."
"Why?"
"Because it sounds like you're treating it as another cultivation technique."
Qingyue frowned.
"Isn't it?"
"You're going to train your heart?"
"Perhaps."
She smiled faintly.
"I have already learned how to cultivate."
"Perhaps learning how to love is simply another form of cultivation."
Yun Che laughed again.
"I like that."
Qingyue smiled.
"Then..."
She looked toward him.
"Would you mind telling me what was supposed to happen?"
Yun Che paused.
"What?"
"The future."
"The future that I apparently no longer have."
She looked at him with genuine curiosity.
"What was supposed to happen to me?"
Yun Che hesitated.
"Do you really want to know?"
"I do."
"And you'll believe me?"
Qingyue gave him an almost amused look.
"I'll believe anything you say."
Yun Che raised an eyebrow.
"Anything?"
"After everything I've seen?"
She began counting on her fingers.
"Pieces of Eden."
"Mu Che."
"The hidden laboratory."
"That enormous missile."
She paused.
"The... missiles."
Yun Che smiled.
"Missiles."
"Yes. Those."
She sighed.
"You've shown me too many impossible things already."
She looked at him.
"So even if you told me that the moon was actually a giant egg containing some ancient dragon..."
Yun Che stared at her.
"That's oddly specific."
"I would still probably believe you."
He laughed.
Qingyue smiled.
"So..."
She leaned slightly closer.
"Even if you lie..."
"I'll still believe you."
Yun Che shook his head.
"That's where you're wrong."
"Why?"
"You know the Heart of Snow Glazed Glass can detect lies, right?"
Qingyue blinked.
"No?"
Yun Che stared at her.
"Now you do."
"Oh."
"And Intermediate Observation Haki can detect lies as well."
Qingyue's expression became thoughtful.
"So..."
"Lying is basically useless in our group."
Yun Che gestured vaguely toward the courtyard.
"Mio, Retsu, Nemu, Cang Yue and Little Fairy have already reached Advanced Observation Haki."
"They can read subtle changes in people."
"Intent."
"Emotion."
"Even deception."
"Against people like them, lying is practically pointless."
Qingyue smiled awkwardly.
"And I only have Basic Observation Haki."
"Yeah."
"Then why can't you lie to me?"
Yun Che pointed toward her chest.
"Your second heart."
"The Heart of Snow Glazed Glass."
Qingyue touched her chest.
"It can see through falsehood."
"Combined with your Observation Haki..."
He smiled.
"...you'll eventually become even harder to deceive."
Qingyue nodded slowly.
"I see."
Then she smiled.
"So you're saying..."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"...I don't have to worry about you lying to me?"
Yun Che's smile faded slightly.
"No."
He shook his head.
"You don't."
Qingyue watched him quietly.
"Good."
She turned toward the moon again.
"Then tell me."
"What was supposed to happen?"
Yun Che looked at her.
"Did Aunt Lingxi ever tell you what Yun Che was like when he was happy?"
Qingyue thought for a moment.
"Yes."
She smiled faintly.
"She described him as being extremely happy when he finally got to marry me."
Yun Che chuckled.
"That's true."
His expression then became somewhat complicated.
"But..."
Qingyue looked at him.
"He actually died that day."
"What?"
"He died."
Qingyue stared at him in disbelief.
"On our wedding day?"
"Yeah."
Yun Che sighed.
"He was poisoned by a few Xiao pricks."
Qingyue immediately remembered.
"The porridge..."
"The poison porridge."
He grinned faintly.
"The same one I shoved down their throats during our wedding."
Qingyue's lips twitched.
"I couldn't forget that."
"Aunt Lingxi knows about it anyway."
He leaned back against the railing.
"She knows that the person who stood beside you that day wasn't exactly the same person she remembered."
Qingyue remained silent.
"So..."
She looked at him.
"Yun Che really died?"
"Yes."
"And then what happened?"
"His second life began on the Azure Cloud Continent."
"Azure Cloud Continent?"
Yun Che nodded.
"A continent located roughly half a planet away from here."
He raised his hand.
Mu Che's Apple of Eden appeared in his palm.
The golden artifact glowed faintly.
Qingyue's eyes widened.
"Again?"
"Don't worry."
Yun Che activated the Apple.
A three-dimensional projection appeared above his palm.
A massive blue sphere slowly rotated in the air.
The Profound Sky Continent appeared as a tiny portion of the enormous projection.
Then the Apple expanded the view.
Another continent appeared on the opposite side of the planet.
Yun Che pointed toward it.
"Here."
"Azure Cloud Continent."
Qingyue stared at the projection.
Her expression slowly changed.
"That's..."
She looked at him.
"That far?"
"Yeah."
"How did he even get there?"
Yun Che shrugged.
"Reincarnation."
Qingyue stared.
"...Reincarnation?"
"He had a family heirloom."
Yun Che reached into his inventory and produced a small mirror.
It looked deceptively ordinary.
"This."
Qingyue stared at it.
Yun Che grinned as he spoke, "This is the Mirror of Samsara."
He turned the mirror slightly.
"It was one of the treasures that allowed him to begin his second life."
Qingyue looked between the mirror and the projection of Azure Cloud Continent.
"So he lived there?"
"For more than twenty years."
"Twenty years..."
"Then he eventually died again."
Qingyue blinked.
"Again?"
Yun Che sighed.
"Yeah."
"He ended up committing suicide."
Qingyue's expression became stunned.
"Why?"
"Because a bunch of idiots were trying to steal his treasures."
He shrugged.
"He decided that dying was better than letting them take everything."
Qingyue stared at him.
"You casually describe suicide as if it's an inconvenience."
"It wasn't exactly his first choice."
Yun Che paused.
"But it worked."
Qingyue didn't know whether to laugh or be concerned.
"So..."
She pointed toward the mirror.
"This thing can reincarnate someone?"
"It can."
"And the other treasure?"
Yun Che lifted his right hand.
"Half of the Sky Poison Pearl."
Qingyue's eyes widened.
"The Sky Poison Pearl?"
"Yeah."
"It merged with me."
He casually flexed his fingers.
"So now I can use its power."
Qingyue looked at his hand.
"Can someone else use it?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because it merged with me."
He smiled.
"It's basically part of my body now."
Qingyue nodded slowly.
"So these are the treasures that allowed Yun Che to live again."
"Among other things."
"You really have a ridiculous amount of treasures."
"I've been told that before."
She smiled.
"Would you mind telling me more about them?"
Yun Che raised an eyebrow.
"You really want to know?"
"Of course."
She looked at the Mirror of Samsara again.
"You've already told me about Pieces of Eden."
"Now you're telling me that you've lived another life on another continent."
"How could I not be curious?"
Yun Che laughed.
"Fair."
He held up the mirror.
"This one is complicated."
"The Mirror of Samsara doesn't simply bring someone back from the dead."
"It carries the soul through reincarnation."
"Every cycle is different."
"And somehow, I ended up here."
Qingyue studied him.
"So the person standing beside me..."
She paused.
"...isn't simply Yun Che."
Yun Che's expression softened.
"No."
"I'm Yuuki."
"Yun Che."
"Both."
"And neither."
Qingyue smiled faintly.
"That's complicated."
"Welcome to my life."
She laughed softly.
Yun Che then looked at the Apple of Eden.
"Of course, I could tell you everything."
Qingyue looked at him suspiciously.
"But?"
He grinned.
"I could also use this thing to erase your memory afterward."
Qingyue froze.
"...What?"
"Neuralize."
He casually waved the Apple.
"It means wiping your memories of everything we talked about."
Qingyue stared at him.
"You wouldn't."
"I'm kidding."
He laughed.
"I like the current you too much."
Qingyue's expression softened.
"You won't?"
"No."
"You're certain?"
"Am I lying?"
Qingyue looked into his eyes.
Her Heart of Snow Glazed Glass quietly resonated.
She shook her head.
"No."
Yun Che grinned.
"Then I won't."
Qingyue smiled.
For a moment, neither spoke.
The projection of the planet continued rotating above the Apple of Eden.
Two continents.
Two lives.
Two identities.
And countless choices separating them.
Qingyue looked at the man beside her.
She had once believed that she understood Yun Che.
Now she realized that she had barely begun to understand Yukihira Yuuki.
And strangely...
She wasn't afraid of what she might discover.
She was curious.
Very curious.
"Yuuki."
"Hm?"
"Tell me more."
Yun Che smiled.
"I knew you'd say that."
And beneath the moonlit sky, he continued telling her about the life she had never known.
"So..."
Qingyue finally spoke.
"Yun Che died in his second life."
Yun Che nodded.
"He was supposed to merge back with the body from his first life."
"Then..."
He looked at her.
"...he collided with me."
Qingyue's eyes narrowed slightly.
"With you?"
"With me, the version of him that belonged to the Dead Spirit Realm."
She remained silent.
Yun Che could already see the questions forming in her eyes.
"You told me something different before."
"I know."
"You said you were some weak cultivator who exchanged places with a clone."
Yun Che sighed.
"That was a cover story."
Qingyue's expression didn't change.
"I wasn't sure I could trust you back then."
"So I made something up."
He looked toward the courtyard.
"Your childhood friend was the real Yun Che."
"The one you saw back then was always him."
"Not me."
Qingyue slowly lowered her gaze.
"So..."
"The Yun Che I knew..."
"Was real."
"Yes."
"The childhood friend I grew up with was really him."
"Yes."
"And you..."
Yun Che looked at her.
"...were someone else entirely."
"Yes."
Silence settled between them.
The projection of the planet continued rotating quietly above the Apple of Eden.
Qingyue finally spoke.
"You suspected I would discover something was wrong."
"During the Blue Wind Cooking Tournament."
Yun Che nodded.
"You noticed that I didn't remember parts of my childhood."
"Especially Lady Qian Qian."
Qingyue's eyes widened.
"Because..."
"I erased his memories."
Her expression froze.
"His?"
"Yun Che's."
Yun Che slowly closed his hand, causing the projection to disappear.
"When our souls collided, I inherited his memories."
"But there was a problem."
"Two lifetimes of memories."
"Two personalities."
"Two sets of experiences."
"Trying to retain everything at once would have overloaded my mind."
"So I made a choice."
Qingyue stared at him.
"I erased most of his memories."
"And lived as him."
"You..."
Yun Che exhaled.
"Yeah."
"I became Yun Che."
Qingyue didn't speak.
Yun Che looked at her.
"So..."
He gave her a faint smile.
"Am I lying?"
Qingyue placed her hand against her chest.
Her Heart of Snow Glazed Glass resonated softly.
She closed her eyes.
For several seconds, she simply stood there.
Then—
"No."
Her eyes opened.
"My heart didn't mark it as a lie."
She looked directly at him.
"You're telling the truth."
Yun Che smiled faintly.
"Yeah."
"I am."
Qingyue remained silent.
"Then why are you telling me now?"
Yun Che looked toward the moon.
"Because I trust you."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"Back then, I didn't know whether I could."
"But now..."
He turned toward her.
"...I do."
Qingyue's expression softened.
"You told me before that you'd seen my future."
"Prime Qingyue."
"Yes."
"That's where you knew about my mother."
Yun Che nodded.
"Her current location."
"Her circumstances."
"And why I was so confident that she was safe."
Qingyue slowly understood.
"So you weren't guessing."
"No."
"You really knew."
"I did."
"Because you had seen the original timeline."
"Exactly."
She lowered her head.
For years, her mother's disappearance had been one of the deepest wounds in her heart.
And this man had known the truth.
Yet he hadn't told her.
Not because he wanted to hurt her.
Because he hadn't trusted her enough.
And somehow...
She couldn't blame him.
She had only just begun to understand the enormous secret he had been carrying.
Qingyue finally asked,
"So you really weren't born in this world?"
"Not originally."
"I was born in the Dead Spirit Realm."
"I lived there."
"I trained there."
"I became the Mentor of the Brotherhood there."
"I was supposed to reincarnate into this world as myself."
He smiled bitterly.
"Instead, fate decided to throw Yun Che into me during the reincarnation process. At the same time he died in his second lifetime, he collided with me on my way to this world. Since my soul is stronger than him, it obliterate his own and merged his memories including treasures to me."
Qingyue looked at him.
"And that's why you're both."
"Yes."
"Yun Che..."
"and Yukihira Yuuki."
"Exactly."
He paused.
"Retsu, Mio, Nemu and Kon are different, though."
Qingyue looked at him curiously.
"They came from the Dead Spirit Realm as well?"
"Yes."
"But unlike me..."
"They reincarnated into this world as themselves."
Qingyue's eyes widened.
"So they didn't need another person's body?"
"No."
"They retained their identities."
"Their memories."
"Their personalities."
"They became themselves again."
He smiled.
"I was the odd one."
Qingyue couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
"You?"
"The odd one?"
"Apparently."
"You've been calling yourself odd this entire time."
"I have plenty of evidence."
Qingyue smiled.
Then her expression became serious again.
"But..."
She looked at him carefully.
"You erased Yun Che's memories."
"Yes."
"Does that mean the man standing here isn't Yun Che anymore?"
Yun Che thought about the question.
"That's complicated."
"How so?"
"I carry his soul."
"I carry his body."
"I carry some of his memories. Only a tad bit since I risked losing myself if I merged with his memories completely. So, I retained my own and erased them. So, back then when we were married? That was the first time I met you despite knowing about you."
"And I've lived his life. Pretending to be him."
"But I'm still me."
"Yukihira Yuuki."
Qingyue nodded slowly.
"So you didn't replace him."
"No."
"You became him."
Yun Che's eyes widened slightly.
"You didn't look like you believed me."
Qingyue looked at him.
"I do."
She was quiet for a moment before continuing.
"So... you reincarnated as Yun Che because your soul collided with his?"
"Yeah."
"Your reincarnation was supposed to happen normally, but instead, his soul pulled you into his body?"
"Pretty much."
Yun Che gave a small shrug.
"That's what happened."
"So..."
Qingyue's eyes lowered.
"On our wedding day..."
Yun Che already knew where this was going.
"I was already inside his body."
"Yes."
"The person standing beside me that day..."
"Was Yun Che."
"And you were..."
"The one driving."
Qingyue's expression became complicated.
"So the marriage certificate..."
"Registered Xiao Che."
"Not me."
Yun Che fell silent.
Qingyue slowly reached into her storage treasure.
A moment later, a small document appeared in her hand.
The marriage certificate.
It had been preserved beneath an icy seal, untouched for more than a year.
Yun Che's eyes widened.
"What are you doing?"
Qingyue didn't answer.
She carefully removed the icy seal.
Then she raised one finger.
A tiny bead of blood essence gathered at her fingertip.
Yun Che immediately realized what she was about to do.
"Wait."
Qingyue looked at him.
"What?"
"Don't."
She stared at the certificate.
"I am divorcing Yun Che."
"Wait!"
Yun Che reached toward her.
"Qingyue, don't do something impulsive."
"I'm not."
She looked at him calmly.
"I'm making a decision."
The blood essence remained suspended above the marriage certificate.
Yun Che froze.
"Why?"
Qingyue's voice became soft.
"Because I didn't marry you."
She looked at the certificate.
"I married Yun Che."
Her eyes trembled slightly.
"But the man I actually fell in love with..."
She looked at him.
"...was you."
Yun Che couldn't speak.
Qingyue continued.
"The one I pinned my hopes on..."
"The one I believed could help me find my mother."
"The one who pull me out of my shell to see the beauty of the world."
"The one who helped me find people I could trust."
She slowly shook her head.
"That wasn't Yun Che."
"It was you."
Yun Che stared at her.
"Qingyue..."
"The moment you told me your real name..."
Her fingers tightened around the certificate.
"I realized something."
"The man I married that day wasn't the man standing in front of me now."
"It was Yun Che."
She looked down at the document.
"So I don't want to keep pretending that this certificate represents our marriage."
Yun Che's expression became conflicted.
"But..."
Qingyue looked up.
"The one who defeated me in the Ranking Tournament..."
"The one who conquered my heart..."
"The one who shattered my Ice Heart..."
"The one who helped me rebuild it into the Heart of Crystal Dream..."
Her voice softened.
"The one my Heart of Crystal Dream chose..."
"...wasn't Yun Che."
"It was you."
Yun Che's eyes widened.
Qingyue's blood essence trembled above the certificate.
"I want to be married to you, Yuuki."
Silence.
"I don't want to you inherit someone else's marriage."
"I don't want to call myself his wife because some document says I am."
"I want to choose you."
Her eyes began to glisten.
"If I'm going to learn how to love..."
She stepped closer.
"...then I want to learn how to love you."
Yun Che stared at her.
"Qingyue..."
"I know what I'm asking."
"You've already told me that the marriage between Yun Che and Xia Qingyue wasn't the same as a marriage between Yukihira Yuuki and Xia Qingyue."
"So I'm correcting it."
She looked down at the certificate one final time.
"I'll end the marriage that belongs to Yun Che."
"And if you still want me..."
Her voice became quieter.
"...then I'll marry Yuuki."
Yun Che remained motionless.
For once, the man who always seemed to have an answer had nothing to say.
Qingyue smiled faintly through her tears.
Where she looked extremely beautiful.
"Is that so wrong?"
"No."
Yun Che finally spoke.
"It's not wrong."
He gently took her wrist before she could release the blood essence.
"But don't destroy it tonight."
Qingyue blinked.
"Why?"
"Because tomorrow we're going to war."
He smiled faintly.
"And I don't want you making the biggest decision of your life while we're standing here discussing for tomorrow."
Qingyue smiled.
"That's your concern?"
"Partly."
He looked into her eyes.
"More importantly..."
His expression softened.
"I don't want you marrying me because you feel like you have to correct some mistake."
Qingyue's eyes widened.
"You don't owe me anything."
"I know."
"If you choose me..."
He gently lowered her hand and pats her head.
"...I want you to choose me because you genuinely want to."
Qingyue smiled.
"That's exactly what I'm doing."
Yun Che stared at her.
"I know."
She stepped closer.
"Then let me make the choice."
For a long moment, they simply looked at each other.
Finally, Yun Che nodded.
"Alright."
He smiled.
"Then tomorrow, the Wu Clan can wait."
Qingyue tilted her head.
"Tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow."
He gently tapped the marriage certificate.
"We'll deal with this properly."
"And if you still want to marry me after everything..."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"...then I'll marry you."
Qingyue's cheeks turned red.
"You promise?"
"I promise."
Her smile grew.
"Then..."
She carefully resealed the marriage certificate beneath its layer of ice.
"For tonight, I'll keep it."
Yun Che nodded.
"And tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow..."
Qingyue looked toward the moon.
"...I'll stop being the wife of Yun Che."
She turned back toward him.
"And begin becoming the wife of Yukihira Yuuki."
Yun Che smiled.
"That's a much better way to put it."
Qingyue quietly laughed.
"Then, husband..."
Yun Che raised an eyebrow.
"Husband?"
She smiled mischievously.
"Not yet."
"Tomorrow."
Yun Che laughed.
"You're learning quickly."
"Perhaps love really is another form of cultivation."
"You're never going to let that go, are you?"
"No."
She smiled.
"Never."
And beneath the moonlit sky, the two stood together in silence.
Tomorrow would bring war.
But tonight...
For the first time, their relationship wasn't defined by a marriage arranged before either of them understood the truth.
It would be defined by a choice.
Hers.
His.
And theirs.
===============
"Araaa..."
A familiar, teasing voice suddenly came from behind them.
"You two seem to be having quite a moment."
Yuuki's eyes twitched.
"Retsu..."
He turned.
Retsu stood a few steps away, wearing an innocent smile that fooled absolutely no one.
A moment later, Mio appeared behind her.
"Danna-sama! Not fair having a date again with Qingyue-chan."
"Of course."
Yuuki sighed.
"You two were eavesdropping. Again."
Retsu rubbed the back of her head.
"Ehehe..."
Mio did the same.
"Hehe..."
Neither of them even bothered to deny it.
Qingyue looked between them.
"Sister Retsu."
"Sister Mio."
Retsu smiled.
"Qingyue-chan."
Mio immediately raised her fan and pointed at Yuuki.
"Danna-sama! That's not fair!"
"What isn't?"
"I want a date too!"
Yuuki stared at her.
"...What does that have to do with anything?"
Mio puffed her cheeks.
"You and Qingyue-chan were having a romantic moment!"
"So?"
"So I want one too!"
Retsu sighed.
"Mio-chan.."
"What?"
"You've been listening to me for too long."
Yuuki folded his arms.
"That's obvious."
Mio looked proud.
"I learned from the best!"
"You weren't supposed to learn that!"
Qingyue couldn't help but smile at their antics.
Then Retsu's expression suddenly became thoughtful.
"Actually..."
She looked at Qingyue.
"There's something interesting about what you two were just discussing."
Qingyue tilted her head.
"What is it?"
Retsu looked toward Yuuki.
"Qingyue-chan is married to Yun Che."
"Not Yuu-kun."
Mio's eyes widened.
"Ah."
She suddenly pointed excitedly at Retsu.
"Ret-chan!"
"You know what that means?"
Retsu's eyes widened as the realization struck her.
"Then..."
She slowly looked at Yuuki.
"It means Yuu-kun wasn't actually married yet?"
Yuuki scratched his cheek.
"If you put it that way..."
Qingyue stared at them.
She was beginning to suspect that something very dangerous was happening.
Retsu's eyes suddenly sparkled.
"Then that means..."
She dramatically placed a hand against her chest.
"The title of Yuu-kun's first wife is still valid!"
Qingyue blinked.
"First wife?"
Mio's fan snapped open.
"That's right!"
Yuuki sighed.
"Here we go."
Retsu turned toward Qingyue.
"To be honest..."
She smiled awkwardly.
"I didn't particularly like you at first because you had that title."
Qingyue's expression became slightly surprised.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Retsu rubbed her cheek.
"But eventually I accepted it."
"There wasn't anything I could do about it."
"She even pouted about it for a while."
Yuuki chuckled.
"But..."
He looked at Retsu.
"...now our relationship status has technically changed."
Retsu's eyes practically lit up.
"I finally had my moment!"
Mio immediately raised her fan.
"Ret-chan won!"
Qingyue stared at the two women.
"...You really have been waiting for this, haven't you?"
Retsu smiled proudly.
"For a very long time."
Yuuki shook his head.
"I knew this would happen."
Qingyue looked at him.
"So..."
She paused.
"You're saying Retsu wanted to be your first wife?"
"She was the one who proposed."
Retsu immediately brightened.
"Not yet."
She pointed at Yuuki.
"Absolutely!"
Yuuki sighed.
"Don't encourage her."
Mio giggled.
"But this actually solves something important."
"What?"
Mio looked toward Qingyue.
"Qingyue-chan's marriage to Yun Che doesn't automatically make her Danna-sama's wife."
Qingyue nodded.
"That is what we were discussing."
Retsu suddenly leaned toward Yuuki.
"Then..."
She smiled.
"When are you marrying her?"
Yuuki's expression became helpless.
"I know we're supposed to discuss this tomorrow."
He glanced toward Qingyue.
"But since Retsu is already here..."
He sighed.
"...we might as well talk about it."
Qingyue listened quietly.
"First..."
Yuuki looked at her.
"I can't simply marry you tomorrow."
Qingyue nodded.
"Because of your real name?"
"Exactly."
"My identity as Yukihira Yuuki isn't public knowledge."
"And I intend to keep it that way."
Retsu nodded.
"That's important."
"Very."
Yuuki looked toward Qingyue.
"If the world discovers that Yukihira Yuuki and Yun Che are two different identities..."
He shook his head.
"It would create far too many problems."
Qingyue understood.
"And the marriage certificate?"
"I don't want to simply make another one."
He smiled gently.
"You deserve better than that."
Qingyue looked at him.
"Better?"
"Your first wedding was..."
He paused.
"...a complete disaster."
Qingyue blinked.
Yuuki gave her an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry about that."
Qingyue was silent for a moment.
Then she smiled.
"Now that you mention it..."
She looked down at the old marriage certificate sealed within her hand.
"I suddenly feel much less bitter about my wedding being ruined."
Yuuki raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
"Yes."
She smiled.
"It wasn't really my wedding with you after all."
Retsu's expression softened.
Mio quietly lowered her fan.
Yuuki looked at Qingyue for a moment before smiling.
"Then we'll do it properly."
Qingyue's cheeks reddened.
"One day."
"One day."
Retsu immediately raised her hand.
"And I'll be there to give my blessings."
Mio raised hers as well.
"Me too!"
Yuuki laughed.
"Of course you two will."
Qingyue smiled.
For the first time, the thought of marrying him no longer felt like fulfilling an obligation created by two families.
It wouldn't be a marriage inherited from Xiao Che.
It wouldn't be a marriage recorded under the wrong name.
It would be her choice.
And when that day finally came...
She would marry Yukihira Yuuki.
Not Yun Che.
Not the identity she had once been bound to.
But the man she had chosen herself.
"Oh man..."
Yuuki rubbed the back of his head.
"I suddenly feel sorry for Yun Che."
Qingyue looked at him.
"You literally didn't hesitate to destroy the marriage certificate."
"It was proof that I didn't wish to remain married to Yun Che."
She looked down at the certificate in her hand.
"I want to be married to you."
Her gaze returned to him.
"Changing the name on that certificate wouldn't change the fact that it represents a marriage I never chose."
Retsu blinked.
"Araaa..."
She smiled.
"She's really determined."
She glanced at the certificate.
"I guess I don't have to ask you to destroy it anymore."
Qingyue looked at her.
"You did?"
"Yes."
Retsu nodded.
"I planned that if you failed my test during the tournament, I was going to demand that certificate from you and destroy it myself."
Qingyue's eyes widened slightly.
"But now..."
Retsu's smile became warmer.
"You proved that you love Yuu-kun in your own way."
She shrugged.
"I guess I was wrong about you."
Qingyue stared at the certificate.
Then she looked at Yuuki.
Without hesitation, she raised her hand.
A strand of blood essence gathered at her fingertip.
"Wait..."
Yuuki barely had time to react.
The blood essence touched the certificate.
Fwoosh.
The document instantly vaporized into a cloud of faint icy particles before disappearing completely.
Zero hesitation.
Mio's eyes widened.
"Wow..."
Retsu stared at the empty space where the certificate had been.
"Wow..."
She slowly looked at Qingyue.
"She really loves you, Yuu-kun."
Qingyue remained calm.
"That certificate was binding me to Yun Che."
"It is gone now."
Retsu smiled.
"Zero hesitation."
"She didn't even think about it."
Yuuki sighed.
"Yeah..."
He looked toward Qingyue.
"I wanted to talk about this after the war tomorrow."
He rubbed his forehead.
"But she couldn't wait."
Qingyue released a quiet sigh.
For years, that piece of paper had represented a relationship she had never truly understood.
A marriage created by circumstances she hadn't known.
A marriage to a man who had been real...
...but wasn't the person she had come to love.
Now it was gone.
Not because she hated Yun Che.
Not because she wanted to erase her past.
But because she had finally understood what her heart wanted.
Yuuki.
The man behind the identity of Yun Che.
The man who had shattered her Ice Heart.
The man who had helped rebuild it.
The man who had dragged her out of her isolated world and shown her everything beyond the Frozen Cloud Asgard.
Her decision to follow him to Jin Province had changed everything.
She had stepped onto a path that was never meant for the original Xia Qingyue.
Not as Prime Qingyue.
Not as the woman whose future had already been written.
But as this Xia Qingyue.
The Qingyue who chose him.
Not Yun Che.
Yuuki.
"Sigh..."
Yuuki looked toward the sky.
"I really planned this moment for tomorrow."
Retsu tilted her head.
"It is tomorrow, Yuu-kun."
Yuuki slowly turned toward her.
"...Really?"
Retsu glanced at the small HUD projected beside her vision.
"It's 12:15 a.m."
She smiled.
"Technically, it's already tomorrow."
Yuuki stared at her.
"...You really had to point that out?"
Mio giggled behind her fan.
Retsu turned toward Qingyue.
"Well..."
She opened her arms.
"That settles it."
"Qingyue-chan."
"Welcome to the flock."
Qingyue blinked.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Retsu immediately pulled her into a warm hug.
"Ehehe..."
"You're one of us now."
Qingyue was caught off guard.
She slowly raised her arms and returned the embrace.
Retsu smiled brightly.
"You're just as precious as Mio, Little Yue and Nemu-chan."
Mio immediately leaned closer.
"Hey! Don't forget me!"
"You're literally standing right there."
"I deserve a hug too!"
Retsu laughed.
"Come here, Mio-chan."
Mio immediately joined the embrace.
Qingyue found herself surrounded by warmth.
She looked at Yuuki over Retsu's shoulder.
He simply smiled.
For the first time, she didn't feel like an outsider looking into their strange little group.
She was part of it.
Not because of a marriage certificate.
Not because of an arranged promise.
Not because of some predetermined future.
Because she had chosen them.
And they had chosen her.
Yuuki watched the three women embrace and quietly smiled.
"Welcome to the flock, Qingyue."
She smiled back.
"Thank you..."
Then, after a brief pause, she corrected herself.
"Yuuki."
His smile widened.
"Yeah."
"Anytime."
"I can finally be myself in front of you."
Yuuki grinned.
"Not the false version of me you thought you knew."
Qingyue smiled softly.
"I promise I'll try my best to understand you."
She paused.
"Even when you make absolutely no sense."
Mio immediately raised her fan.
"Don't worry, Qingyue-chan. Nemu can literally translate his strange way of talking."
"Hey!"
Yuuki crossed his arms.
"I'm not that weird."
Retsu and Mio exchanged a glance.
Neither of them said anything.
Yuuki narrowed his eyes.
"...Why are you two looking at me like that?"
"Nothing."
"Absolutely nothing."
Their suspiciously synchronized response only made him more annoyed.
Qingyue covered her mouth, hiding a small laugh.
Then she looked toward Retsu.
"Actually..."
She hesitated.
"Would you mind teaching me English and Japanese?"
Retsu blinked.
"You want to learn?"
"Yes."
Qingyue nodded.
"If I wish to become closer to Yuuki's flock..."
She looked at Retsu, Mio, and then back toward Yuuki.
"...I want to understand the languages you use."
She smiled faintly.
"And if I am going to marry him someday, I want to know enough to at least impress him."
Retsu's eyes softened.
"I see."
Qingyue glanced toward Nemu, who wasn't present.
"I still wish I could become as smart as Nemu."
Yuuki immediately laughed.
"You already impressed me plenty tonight."
Qingyue blinked.
"Me?"
"Absolutely."
He gestured toward her.
"You put makeup on that already ridiculous level of beauty."
Qingyue's cheeks immediately reddened.
"You were really giggling tonight."
"Yuuki..."
"And you literally vaporized a marriage certificate that took over a thousand chapters to finally get rid of."
Qingyue stared at him.
"...A thousand chapters?"
Yuuki froze.
"Ah."
Mio tilted her head.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Yuuki grinned awkwardly.
"Just a reference."
Qingyue narrowed her eyes.
"You really do speak strangely."
"I told you."
He pointed at himself.
"I'm not weird."
Retsu laughed softly.
Yuuki continued.
"Anyway..."
His expression became gentler.
"Thank you for sorting out your feelings."
He looked directly at Qingyue.
"And for making this decision for yourself."
She nodded.
"You're not doing this because you want to gain my favor, are you?"
"No."
"Or because you believe you owe me something?"
"No."
"Or because you want to find your mother?"
Qingyue's expression became firm.
"I'm not Prime Qingyue."
She placed a hand against her chest.
"I am this Xia Qingyue."
"I am making this choice because I want to."
Yuuki remained silent.
Qingyue continued.
"I want friends like Sister Retsu, Sister Mio, Nemu and the others."
"I want to be part of your flock."
"I want to become an Assassin."
"And..."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"I want to be your wife."
Her voice softened.
"I want to learn how to love you."
Yuuki smiled.
"When I told you that your mother was safe..."
"I believed you."
Qingyue nodded.
"After everything you've shown me, how could I not?"
She smiled faintly.
"You've shown me far too many impossible things already."
"So even when you tell me something I can't understand..."
"I'll believe you."
Then her expression became thoughtful.
"As for my mother..."
She lowered her gaze.
"I know I'm not ready to meet her yet."
Yuuki nodded.
"That's fine."
"You don't have to rush."
Qingyue smiled.
"I know."
Retsu stepped closer and gently placed a hand on Qingyue's shoulder.
"Well said, Qingyue-chan."
She smiled warmly.
"You're already as important as Mio, Little Yue and Nemu-chan."
Mio immediately puffed her cheeks.
"Hey! Why am I always being used as the comparison?"
Retsu giggled.
"Because you're adorable."
Mio immediately smiled.
"...I'll allow it."
Yuuki shook his head.
"Unbelievable."
Qingyue laughed quietly.
For once, she wasn't standing beside them as the isolated Pearl of Frozen Cloud Asgard.
She wasn't the future Prime Qingyue.
She wasn't the wife recorded on a marriage certificate.
She was simply Xia Qingyue.
A woman who had chosen her own path.
And, perhaps for the first time in her life...
She was genuinely looking forward to seeing where that path would lead.