Chapter 19 [VIP] Melodramatic Immortal Romance (Conclusion)

Chapter 19 [VIP] Melodramatic Immortal Romance (Conclusion)

Once a person has a weakness, it’s easy to be controlled, and right now, his weakness was on that high platform. Chu Liyue took a deep breath.

"What do you want?"

He struggled to suppress the restlessness and anxiety in his heart. In this situation, he couldn’t act recklessly, endangering her safety. He had to try to appease the person before him.

The demon cultivator stopped his attack at the last moment, bursting into loud laughter, his laughter carrying a profound meaning, "I've long heard that the Demon Lord of Youdu is a man of strong character. Seeing you today, it indeed lives up to the reputation…"

"I just wonder, between these two, which one is the true bride the Demon Lord wishes to marry?"

A glint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes, determined to make Chu Liyue experience the agony of a fate worse than death.

Hearing this, Nan Yan also understood, grasping Ye Qingsang's plan, and realizing what he intended to do. The choice between two was nothing but a ploy to expose Chu Liyue's true nature, inadvertently doing her a favor.

After all, the lifespan of this body was nearing its end, and her mission was about to conclude.

With this thought, Nan Yan lowered her gaze towards Chu Liyue, meeting his eyes directly, her own filled with fear and her face pale.

This caused Chu Liyue to grip the hilt of his sword more tightly, asking, "What do you mean by that?"

The demon cultivator laughed heartily upon hearing this, then his face turned solemn, and his tone grew cold.

"It means that, since it's the Demon Lord's grand wedding day, I shall refrain from a massacre. However, among these two, you can only choose one to live, the other must die. I wonder, whom will the Demon Lord choose to spare?"

The atmosphere fell into an eerie silence.

After these words, Chu Liyue understood his intention, but the hatred in the demon cultivator's eyes told him that he would not let them off so easily.

Chu Liyue's gaze turned coldly indifferent, "And what if I choose neither?"

The demon cultivator sneered repeatedly, his murderous intent becoming pronounced, "Then it seems the Demon Lord disdains my generous gift. In that case, I shall show mercy by sending them both to meet the King of Hell."

The implication was crystal clear.

He was being forced to make a decision.

He Nanwan felt a chill crawl up her scalp upon hearing these words. Fear in the face of death is inevitable, and she instinctively called out his name, "A-Yue..."

At this moment, He Nanwan, dressed in Nan Yan's clothes, was subconsciously worried he might mistake her identity, hence deliberately called out to him. Her green dress was slightly disheveled, lacking her usual fairy-like grace.

She lifted her eyes to Chu Liyue, but did not find the comforting gaze she hoped for.

This left her feeling panicked, yet utterly helpless.

Chu Liyue's delay in choosing was not due to hesitation, but because of a life-and-death grudge with this demon cultivator; he couldn't easily let someone go.

The demon cultivator was losing patience, his expression dark and sinister. As he raised his hand, radiating murderous intent, just as he was about to strike...

Chu Liyue's voice, hoarse, called out, "Wait, I choose..."

The man's gaze briefly swept across a certain spot, seemingly without hesitation.

He raised his hand, pointing towards He Nanwan, his expression stoic, but his eyes deep and cold, "I choose... He Nanwan, let her go."

Upon hearing this, Ye Qingsang's first reaction was to look at Nan Yan's face, only to see her staring blankly, her long black hair lifted by the wind, partially concealing her pale, delicate face.

Was she heartbroken?

He couldn't help but clench his fingers.

Yet he remained silent.

She must see the truth now, right? How could Chu Liyue, so enamored with He Nanwan, choose another woman?

Chu Liyue also noticed her expression, his heart tightening, but still forced himself not to look at her, "I've made my choice, isn't it time... to let her go?"

The demon cultivator's gaze was fixed intently on the person below, his palm wind abruptly wrapping around Nan Yan's neck, taunting with a sneer, "No rush."

"However, could the Demon Lord have mistaken the person? This woman is dressed in a bridal gown; is she not the bride you intend to marry?"

His eyes suddenly sharpened, his words laced with disbelief in Chu Liyue's statement.

Seeing Nan Yan being strangled, Chu Liyue's expression instantly darkened, veins on the back of his hand bulging, his palm under the sleeve almost bleeding from his grip.

His eyes were fixed steadfastly on the two.

Nan Yan, her neck seized, couldn't speak, her complexion growing increasingly pale. She was dressed in a bridal gown, with red earrings swaying in the wind, her lips a faint, tragically beautiful color.

Chu Liyue, suppressing the tension in his heart, forced himself not to look at her expression, maintaining an icy demeanor as he spoke, "She is merely a... substitute. I've long known about her and Ye Qingsang's plan, so I counteracted it, all to protect the one I truly love."

Upon hearing this, Nan Yan couldn't hold back any longer.

She looked up at him, as if trying to peer into the depths of his heart, her eyes filled with desolation and despair, ultimately remaining silent, tears falling silently.

So it was like this...

Chu Liyue saw the look in her eyes, feeling as if his heart was being harshly tugged by a thread, nearly suffocating him with tension.

Don't believe... don't believe what he says...

Chu Liyue's voice was dry, concealing his emotions well, not letting the other man spot any flaw, "I've already said it, isn't it time to let her go?"

Hearing this, the demon cultivator flung Nan Yan behind him, grabbed He Nanwan's shoulder with force, and laughed wildly, "Of course, but I'm curious to see just how far the Demon Lord will go for your beloved."

Chu Liyue's expression was icy, "What do you mean?"

"I want you to disable your own arm. If you can do it, I will naturally honor my promise and release your beloved."

He Nanwan, immobilized by his grip, was stunned. She seemed to want to say something, but ultimately, she only softly called out, "A-Yue..."

Immediately, Chu Liyue's voice of agreement fell, decisive in his action, "Fine, I agree."

He raised his hand and fiercely struck his right arm, a crisp "crack" sounding as the bones broke. His arm drooped instantly, blood oozing between his fingers.

Tears streamed down He Nanwan's face, she couldn't help but cry out loudly, "A-Yue, don't do this..."

Only now did she realize how deeply A-Yue had always loved her. He Nanwan, who had initially planned to use a runaway wedding to change his personality, was suddenly filled with immense regret. If not for all these events, would they have missed so much? It was all her fault... all her fault...

At this moment, her eyes only saw the scene of Chu Liyue mutilating his arm for her, her heart still unable to calm down...

Chu Liyue glanced at her, his voice unflinchingly steady, "Now, can you let her go?"

Chu Liyue's face turned instantly pale, the intense pain making his voice hoarse. His peripheral vision unintentionally swept over the figure sitting collapsed behind him, unable to discern her facial expression.

The demon cultivator's face twitched slightly, understanding something as he saw the decisive action, a flash of murderous intent in his eyes, "Rest assured, I always keep my word..."

With that, he gently pushed her forward, gradually releasing the restraint. He Nanwan, eager to reach Chu Liyue, didn't notice the changes happening behind her.

In her line of sight, the demon cultivator suddenly erupted, his palms gathering a devastating murderous intent, striking fiercely at the spot behind He Nanwan.

"Boy, you destroyed half of my body that year. For old and new grudges, today you'll taste the agony of a fate worse than death."

He Nanwan hadn't expected a sudden sneak attack. The palm wind shattered the void, a blanket of lethal intent instantly engulfing her, leaving no room to dodge.

"Be careful!"

In the whooshing wind, a cry of alarm faintly echoed.

In that instant, even He Nanwan thought her death was certain, yet at that critical moment, someone fiercely pushed her aside, taking the deadly blow for her.

The person who pushed her was He Nanyan, and even He Nanwan hadn't expected that the one to save her would be her sister, who threw herself into danger without a second thought.

She stood there in disbelief, frozen in place.

"Quick... get away..."

The palm strike hit Nan Yan squarely on her back, the severe impact nearly shattering all her internal organs, with more and more blood spilling from her mouth.

Ye Qingsang's eyes were filled with rage and desperation.

In that moment, engulfed in agony and regret, he felt a surge of blood in his throat, an overwhelming pain making him roar uncontrollably.

"You promised you wouldn't hurt her!"

The demon cultivator, indifferent, clapped his hands, annoyed that the woman was in the way, preventing him from killing Chu Liyue's beloved in one fell swoop.

"I am a demon. Did Ye Daoist friend not know that demons are notorious for their lack of integrity?"

"Go to hell!!"

Ye Qingsang's eyes were bloodshot, controlled by hatred, on the verge of collapse.

……

And Chu Liyue felt his blood turn to ice, devoid of the strength to even stand, stumbling over to her, gently cradling her in his arms.

"Why... why..."

He had planned everything so carefully, calculated every move. He knew the demon cultivator wouldn't let him go, so he chose He Nanwan, chose her to die. But why... why did you take that hit for her?

"Don't... don't die..."

Her wedding dress was soaked in bright red blood, bleeding incessantly from within, without any visible wound, the blood flowing so much that he didn’t know where to press.

"I won't let anything happen to you, nothing will happen..." he repeated over and over.

Then, holding her hand, he channeled a soothing energy through her body, but it seemed futile; her internal injuries were too severe, beyond repair.

Chu Liyue's eyes were red with urgency, frantically pulling out pills from his bosom, carefully feeding them into her mouth, "You'll be fine, I have pills, they can save you, they must..."

"It's no use..." Nan Yan coughed up blood, the medicine just fed to her spat out; her breaths were growing fainter, "...it's pointless."

Chu Liyue felt as if his heart was being excruciatingly torn out, the pain so intense he couldn't even breathe properly.

"Why, why is this happening..."

"Because..." Nan Yan looked up at him, tears streaming down her face, yet smiling, "Because you would be heartbroken... If she died, you would be so sad."

"You love her so much... I don't want you to be sad."

She pressed her hand to her chest, wincing in pain, coughing up more blood, "I know that pain... the agony of unrequited love. I don't want you to suffer like me... to endure that pain..."

Her tears fell on Chu Liyue's fingers, scalding them, causing them to tremble, "Since you love her so much... I decided to help you."

Chu Liyue's eyes suddenly filled with a desperate pain, almost rendering him speechless, "...It's not like that, listen to me, I haven't told you yet..."

Nan Yan gently shook her head, her voice faltering, barely forming coherent sentences, "First... don't talk, let me finish, I don't have much time left..."

Trembling, she took out a brocade pouch from her bosom, containing two small wooden carvings. One was crudely crafted by her, unfinished, and the other, recognized by Chu Liyue, was the one he had thrown into the bushes for her to find.

Nan Yan handed him the broken carving, a hint of relief crossing her face, "I knew long ago... that the one you carved wasn't me. Yet, I couldn't help but harbor that yearning..."

"Look, this is what I carved for you... it was supposed to be a pair, but I guess I'm not skilled enough... I've been carving for a long time... and still couldn't finish it."

Chu Liyue gripped her trembling fingers, "It's okay, I'll teach you. From now on, I'll teach you, and we can learn slowly together, okay?"

Nan Yan didn't agree; she just looked up at him, her eyes filled with indissoluble affection and reluctance, "There's no... time left."

"Actually, when the Demon Lord said those things to me the other day... I was truly... very happy..."

"I thought... after all the bitterness, there would be sweetness."

"But I never imagined... it was all false."

She laughed as she spoke, her voice low, resonant with endless desolation and grievance.

She exhaled that last breath, barely holding on.

As she coughed up blood, it stained everywhere, her lips and teeth smeared with it, struggling to articulate, "After all... I was just a substitute."

"It's alright now..."

"At least I've done... one last thing for you..."

She smiled at him, her gaze beginning to lose focus.

Chu Liyue was on the brink of collapse, overwhelmed by crushing regret and agony.

"No... it's not like that... you're not a substitute..."

"Listen to me, let me explain..."

Hearing his voice, Nan Yan seemed to rally slightly, laboriously lifting her hand to touch his face, moisture lingering on her fingertips, "Are these... tears you're shedding for me?"

Her smile, though gentle, was fading into an intangible mist, as if slipping away forever.

"Crying... for me..."

Chu Liyue desperately wanted to say something, but she gently pressed against his lips.

Her voice grew fainter, fading away until almost silent, murmuring softly, "Don't speak, let it be... tears shed for me. Whether a lie or as a substitute, this lifetime... ends here..."

"In this life, I have no regrets... for loving you."

"But... if there's a next life, let's not... meet, okay?"

As Nan Yan exhaled her last breath, the sparkle in her pupils gradually faded away, "Take good care... of her."

"I'm so tired... I feel so exhausted, I want... to rest for a bit."

"If... it's possible, could you take me home? I want... to go home..."

After uttering these words, it seemed as if she had found release.

Her fingers slid softly down his cheek, and even the slight frown on her brow gradually eased.

Chu Liyue's eyes reddened. He reached out to wipe the blood from her lips, "Alright... I'll take you home, I promise to take you home. You can go wherever you want, I'll always be with you..."

"But you can't fall asleep, do you hear me?"

"I still have so much to tell you, I haven't explained yet, we were just beginning..."

Chu Liyue's fingers trembled as he gently wiped the blood from her lips, his voice hoarse, "Why aren't you speaking? Have you forgotten? Today... today was supposed to be our wedding day..."

The person in his arms remained unresponsive, and Chu Liyue forced a smile.

"It's okay if you've forgotten, it doesn't matter. We were already united in marriage, we've been husband and wife for a long time, do you remember? You used to secretly call me your husband..."

"Could you call me that one more time, please?"

"Just once more, let me hear it... please?"

The person in his arms, after all, lay still without any movement.

In that instant, Chu Liyue finally realized something.

He felt as if his soul had been drained, leaving him weak and lifeless, slumped on the ground.

Reaching out to hold her hand, he accidentally knocked over the wooden carving, which rolled to the ground and broke in half at the glued joint.

Something warm seemed to trickle down from his eyes.

"Don't leave me alone..."

"I haven't told you I love you yet, I haven't taken you home yet, please open your eyes and look at me..."

Chu Liyue pulled her tightly into his embrace, feeling her body temperature gradually drop; his beloved was gone.

From now on, she would no longer smile at him, nor would she secretly call him her husband.

...And just like that, she was gone.

Chu Liyue chuckled sadly, his eyes misting over, feeling a hollow desolation and loneliness in his heart, along with endless despair.

She never knew, even in death...

That the person he loved the most was actually her, leaving forever with this regret.