Every Lifetime I Fall {COMPLETED but undergoing revisions}

Chapter 173: Fifth Life - With Fate

Where am I?

I can't see anything beyond this red veil.

Is this my dream? Is this Yang Zi Huo's conscious?

I'm about to remove the cloth when someone's slender fingers graze over my hand before grasping it gently.

"The husband is supposed to take off the bride's veil, silly girl."

What? What's going on? That's Yang Zi Huo's voice.

He lifts the veil over my head, staring into my eyes with a charming smile. His eyes sparkle hauntingly. I want to observe this soft expression of his until the end of time.

"Wu Yi Huai?" I whisper.

It really is him.

The same noble robes, youthful gaze, and tight hair bun bound by a jeweled clasp. Looking around the small home, I quickly recognize the shabby surroundings.

We were back. In that first lifetime, where everything went to hell. It must be a dream, my mind playing tricks on me, slowly revealing all my hidden scars.

I notice the loud pounding in my eardrums. The unsteady beatings of my heart washing over my chest with a wave of heated emotions. Anger, sadness, regret all suffocating me at the same time.

All I could do was pull Wu Yi Huai close to me, wrapping my arms around his neck and not letting go.

"Yi Huai..." Tears found their way down my face. As usual, I cannot control the sorrow overflowing out of my heart.

Patting my back, I hear Yi Huai's soothing voice, "Why are you crying? We are husband and wife now. We'll be together forever."

"No... Yi Huai. They're going to take you away, and you're going to leave me." I struggle to breathe as my words get caught on hindered sobbing.

He continues to pat my back, swinging me side to side like a child.

"I won't let them take me away. I won't abandon you, all right?"

I remove myself from his embrace, looking into his eyes and pleading to be understood.

"Not only did you abandon me in this lifetime, but all our other reincarnations were met with drastic ends. We never get the chance to pledge our love to each other, and I die hating you, cursing you to suffer."

He smiles while raising a hand to stroke my cheek before wiping away the stream of tears.

"I'm to blame. I pushed you to marry me when you didn't understand that we were no longer playing house. After all I've put you through, I only want you to know that I didn't break that one promise. To marry you, and to love you. It doesn't make up for all the other times when I broke your heart, and I understand that one day I will willingly follow through with your vengeance."

"Yi Huai--"

His body deforms into a blurry vision, and the hand I was holding slips through my fingers like air. The setting of the dream transitions into complete darkness.

Was that just a dream? A dream of my own conscious? My own fears and desires?

Looking around the dark, empty space, I sit down and try to calm myself while focusing on connecting to Yang Zi Huo.

Since the link of our conscious occurs randomly, I don't even know where to start. Closing my eyes, I imagine his face, his body, our memories together, the good and the bad.

Yang Zi Huo, where did you go? Don't you know that Bleak Night needs you? Yi Fei needs you, the people suffering needs you. I... I need you.

Opening my eyes, the darkness remains.

"What are you doing here?"

I turn around and see Yang Zi Huo standing in front of me. Quickly getting on my feet, I almost run to him but force my legs to stay still.

"Yang Zi Huo... Is it really you? Not a part of my concoction?"

"Why are you here?" With his hands stiffly at his sides, he keeps his distance.

"Where have you gone all this time?! Don't you know we have been looking for you?"

He lowers his chin, timidly staring at me. "You have been searching for me?"

"Well... not just me, but everyone at Bleak Night and Invigorating Essence. There's a big problem occurring in the Mortal Realm. We need your help."

"I cannot return."

"Wh-- What do you mean? Where are you?"

He doesn't answer.

I attempt to persuade him, "Yi Fei believes that Immortal Blood may still run through your veins... If these innocent people's souls are erased because of this demonic plague, they won't have a chance to reincarnate and will cease to exist. The dead will rise, and the Mortal Realm will be in danger."

"Yuxing, you know that I am no longer Kong Shuguang. It is impossible for me to have the Immortal Blood."

"But..."

Then what do we do? Let all these people to perish?

"Tell Yi Fei to use the Luminous Pearl I gave her. It should slow down the spread of the disease and delay the transformation of the infected until a cure is found."

"The Luminous Pearl? It has healing elements?"

"Did you think it was only for looking at?" A playful smirk spreads across his face, his eyes gleam cheerfully like the warm moments of our bygone lifetimes.

I really thought I was over being enthralled by a mere smile of his. Clearly, my heart is still easily fooled just as that simpleton Li Rong Xin was.

"How would I know? I don't much about other worldly treasures."

"Well, I'll be going now..." He turns his back to me.

"Wait! Yang Zi Huo, where have you been hiding? Aren't you even going to tell me?"

Over his shoulder, he says, "Even if I'm wallowing in the lowest depths of the Underworld, you don't have to concern yourself with me."

I don't know why my legs promptly started to run towards him. With one hand reaching out to grab his shoulder, I'm consumed with the thought of never seeing him again.

Would that be so bad, Yuxing?

To lose him forever.

Would that be so terrible?