Jingliu was well aware of Bai Heng's declining health.
She also knew that as a long-life species, she would inevitably face a parting with him one day.
She just never imagined that day would arrive so swiftly, so abruptly.
Red lanterns, silken drapery, an embroidered screen with mandarin ducks.
This wedding, which should have taken place over fifty years ago, was now being held on a small, nameless dead star.
There were no guests, no dear ones from either side.
The only witnesses were the countless stars scattered across the sky.
"I should've insisted on an earlier date for the wedding..."
"Then we would have been married back on the Luofu..."
Leaning against Jingliu, Bai Heng, though appearing exceedingly frail, still wore a smile as he spoke.
It was his wedding day with Jingliu; of course he would smile.
"We had already set the date with your parents back then. You were the one who made a fuss and postponed it," Jingliu replied, a faint smile also gracing her lips.
"Well, at the time, I hadn't realized that the Lady Baiheng I'd known for years was actually the Sword Champion of the Luofu..."
"Speaking of which, a certain someone was truly shameless when we first met... Not only did they hide their identity, but they kept probing for my opinion about them..."
"Nonsense! That was just a momentary whim..."
"And what about that other incident? During the war, you swapped identities with Baiheng, making me call her 'Jingliu' for years! You had me completely fooled..."
"That... That was simply because I hadn't figured out how to tell you the truth! I never meant to deceive you intentionally!" A blush crept onto Jingliu's face as these past embarrassments were brought to light.
Though it was their wedding day, the two were simply sitting close, fingers intertwined, sharing smiles and reminiscing about old times. Even their attire wasn't traditional wedding garb, but rather matching robes of the same color.
There was no helping it. Things had happened too suddenly, so everything was kept simple.
As if remembering something, Bai Heng suddenly spoke:
"Ah, that's right. Given our situation, perhaps we should alter the wedding vows a bit..."
"Mmm..."
Jingliu gave a slight nod of agreement.
Counting from their first meeting, the two had journeyed together across the universe for sixty years. Ordinary vows were clearly no longer suitable for them.
After a moment of quiet thought, a pale but smiling Bai Heng spoke again.
He began slowly:
"Then, Lady Jingliu, graceful as the breeze beneath the trees, have you ever regretted meeting me?"
"Never."
"Then, Lady Jingliu, ethereal as light clouds emerging from the peaks, have you ever regretted forming a bond with me?"
"Never."
"Then, Lady Jingliu, elegant and graceful in every way, have you ever regretted falling in love with me and walking together until this day?"
"Never."
To each line of the wedding vow, the response was the same certain, simple word.
Yes, never.
Whether it was their first meeting at the Alchemy Commission, or today, having traversed every corner of the universe with Bai Heng.
Jingliu had never felt a single moment of regret.
It was an obvious answer.
In the live stream chat, everyone watched this scene that was both incredibly beautiful and heart-wrenching.
At the end of life, two people who loved each other were holding a wedding that belonged solely to them.
--+--
Stelle: 「Boo hoo! Why didn't they just do it back on the Luofu! I can't even imagine how spectacular it would have been!!」
March 7th: 「Wasn't it right around the time of the Shuhu uprising? After that, well, you know how it is. And later on, given the relationship between Mr. Bai Heng and Ms. Jingliu, getting married or not was just a formality...」
Kiana: 「That's right. Right now, it seems more like they're making up for a regret...」
Sparkle: 「So, Stelle, where's this 'power of love' you mentioned?」
--+--
Unusually, no one responded to Sparkle's remark this time. Because rather than bantering with this Masked Fool, they all preferred to witness the wedding of the beautiful couple on the screen.
After finishing the vows, Bai Heng's weak face seemed to gain a bit of vitality.
"Well then, next comes the part I've been looking forward to the most~"
Seeing his expression, Jingliu knew exactly what he was anticipating.
Shooting him a look that was both slightly embarrassed and exasperated, the two gently closed their eyes. As the distance between them slowly closed, their lips met.
It was a profoundly beautiful and sacred moment, symbolizing the full culmination of their love.
But it was also in this very moment that Jingliu's eyes flew wide open.
In that instant when all her defenses were down, something was transferred from Bai Heng's mouth to the back of her throat, and she instinctively swallowed.
Shoving the person in front of her away, Jingliu coughed lightly. She knew what that was…
—A pill formula crafted from the molted cocoon garment shed by the Vidyadhara during their rebirth cycle, combined with other medicinal ingredients!
It could restore the vitality of a long-life species to what it was a century ago, and it could also purge the Mara within her.
The price to be paid was merely the memories of the last hundred years!
"Why..."
Slowly raising her gaze to look at Bai Heng not far away, a single clear tear traced a path down from Jingliu's crimson pupils.
In just moments, she could feel the pill beginning to take effect.
The memories in her mind were like plaster on a wall meeting the tide, slowly beginning to crumble away.
The image of his carefree demeanor when they first met at the Alchemy Commission.
The expression on his face when he presented her with the sword tassel after the Sword Champion tournament.
His words of commitment, spoken as he knelt on one knee on the Aurum Alley.
The gentle smile he wore when he met her blade with his own body while she was in the throes of Mara.
Decades of shared experiences, countless scenes connected to Bai Heng—these were her most precious treasures. And now, they were gradually fading from her mind.
"No..."
"No... please... don't take them away... those are my most cherished..."
Her red pupils trembled, tears flowing coldly. Instinctively, Jingliu reached out her hands, trying to gather those fading memories to her chest, but the images passed through her fingertips like illusions.
The next moment, a warm embrace enveloped her.
It was Bai Heng.
He held Jingliu tightly in his arms, a sorrowful smile on his pale face.
"I'm sorry. You were right. I'm a promise-breaking liar..."
"I made that vow to you, and yet I went and did this."
"But at the same time, back on Salsotto, I also promised you."
"That I would cure your Mara."
"If only one of those two promises can be kept... then I had to choose the former..."
Gently wiping the tears from the face of the woman in his arms, Bai Heng's voice was soft:
"Ah Jingliu, our journey together has ended. From now on, it will be your journey alone."
"How could I, who once vowed to be your eyes, bear to let you walk a future shrouded in darkness by yourself..."
"So, please forgive me."
"This is my one and only act of selfishness."
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.