Chapter 1275: Tears Like Rain Falling

As the two figures disappeared into the distance, silence fell upon the hall. Everyone felt a heavy weight on their hearts, a sense of deep obstruction.

Zu An sighed deeply, "Lovers who cannot be together in the end—is this truly fate?"

Whether it was due to being in love herself or because of their similar bloodlines, Yu Yanluo felt the deepest emotions at that moment. Tears involuntarily streamed down her smooth cheeks.

Sui Hou had protected Lady Yu for thousands of years, painstakingly waiting for her resurrection, only for them to face the pain of separation and impending death once more.

She silently imagined herself in Lady Yu's position, and her heart immediately felt as though it was being cut by a knife.

She walked to Zu An's side, took his hand, and whispered, "A'Zu, if something ever happens to me, please don't be like Sui Hou. I don't want you to spend the rest of your life in such profound sorrow and pain. I'd rather see you live happily in this world."

Zu An said in a deep voice, "Don't worry. If something were to happen to you, I'd just marry a few more people another day, wouldn't I?"

Yu Yanluo was stunned.

His demeanor was a stark contrast to Sui Hou's.

"So don't go getting into accidents so easily. You need to stay by my side to keep a close eye on me." Zu An sighed. This woman was so foolish; how could she just throw out such a 'death flag'?

In movies and TV shows from his past life, characters who said things like that always met an unfortunate end.

Only then did Yu Yanluo break into a smile through her tears, playfully lightly punching him. "You're annoying~"

Having been together for so long, she naturally understood that her lover's words were intentionally meant to alleviate her sadness.

A warmth spread through her heart. A'Zu was simply A'Zu; there was no need to compare him to others. He was unique.

Still, this man's romantic fortunes were incredibly strong; how could she possibly keep an eye on him even if she were right by her side?

Yan Xuehen, who had grown somewhat melancholic lately due to her complex relationship with Zu An, felt profoundly sad witnessing the fate of Lady Yu and Sui Hou.

Even after thousands of years, they were still destined not to be together.

Wasn't her own relationship with Zu An much the same...?

She subconsciously glanced at Zu An, only to see Yu Yanluo flirting and being affectionate with him. Though she knew she shouldn't, her heart couldn't help but grow increasingly bitter.

"Huh, why are your eyes red? I never thought the esteemed Ice Maiden would one day be so heartbroken over matters of the heart." Yun Jianyue was actually quite sad herself, but to prevent anyone from seeing her soft side, she deliberately shifted her attention to someone else.

Yan Xuehen found it inconvenient to explain that Zu An was the reason, so she simply turned her face away and didn't respond.

Just then, a discordant voice broke the silence. Princess Changning spoke, "What she just said was only her side of the story. What if she merely wanted to protect Sansanhua or that monster's life, and deliberately fabricated a moving tale to make you show mercy?"

Everyone frowned. Yu Yanluo immediately retorted, "No, I believe what she said is true."

She found it inconvenient to explain the reason due to their shared bloodline.

Princess Changning snorted, "Of course you'd speak for her, given that you received the precious pearl she gave you. But what she gave you might not have been given with good intentions. Be careful, she might have tampered with the pearl."

Clearly, she resented Yu Yanluo receiving the Sui Hou Pearl and wished that any valuable item obtained by others would turn out to be problematic.

Zu An's expression turned cold. How could he not see through this woman's intentions? They were sisters, yet the difference between her and Kong Nanwu was vast.

Before he could say anything, Yu Yanluo casually drew a charm in her sleeve. Immediately after, Princess Changning's mouth opened and closed, then she suddenly froze, realizing she couldn't speak.

She frantically spun around, convinced she had been poisoned by something in this place.

Terrified, she frantically pointed at her mouth, signaling that something was wrong, hoping others would come to her aid.

The others naturally pretended not to understand, treating it as a well-deserved lesson for her.

Desperate, she tearfully pulled Princess Solun, appealing to her to provide aid as a fellow member of the demon race.

Princess Solun secretly cursed her as an idiot, while outwardly, she casually humored her.

Yun Jianyue subtly nudged Yan Xuehen, "This woman isn't a pushover; I like her."

With her keen eye, she naturally discerned that Yu Yanluo was behind it.

Yan Xuehen snorted, "She has managed a prominent clan for so many years; how could she possibly be weak and easily bullied? I'm more impressed by the Grand Libationer's techniques; they are truly formidable."

Those abilities were clearly not from the serpent tribe; they were characteristic of the Grand Libationer of the Imperial Academy.

Yun Jianyue's expression grew somewhat solemn. "Some say the Grand Libationer is the most powerful person below the Emperor, while others claim his strength has grown to rival the Emperor's over the years. I wonder who would win if the two of us were to fight him."

Yan Xuehen shook her head slightly. "We would most likely not win."

While Grandmasters possess unshakeable confidence, it doesn't mean they are blind.

At that moment, Zu An tapped his toe, soaring into mid-air on his Wind-Fire Wheels. The jade coffin was now empty, with no trace of the beautiful lady, only fragments of divine energy stones remaining. He collected these fragments and distributed them among everyone, ensuring that no one left empty-handed.

Princess Solun and Qiao Heng were surprised, not having expected to receive a share, and both immediately expressed their gratitude.

Princess Changning, however, was somewhat dissatisfied. The true value of these divine energy stones lay in what they had sealed. Now, the essence within these fragments had mostly been consumed over the long centuries while protecting the woman's body. They were currently only slightly superior to Heaven Origin Stones and not particularly rare.

Her gaze swept towards the jade coffin. If only she could have taken that instead.

Unfortunately, Zu An gave her no such opportunity, directly storing the jade coffin into his Glazed Orb.

On the path of cultivation, one should never shy away from acquiring valuable resources. Although the jade coffin didn't appear to possess any extraordinary properties, it would still fetch a colossal sum if sold. He had certainly realized in recent days that cultivation was an incredibly costly endeavor.

Next, the group exited the ancient tomb. Zu An and his companions remained relatively calm, while the younger members of the demon race all felt a profound sense of relief, as if they had just survived a major calamity.

Upon emerging, perhaps due to the disappearance of the demonic energy, all the mechanisms and traps encountered earlier along the path had returned to normal. The mist in the forest had vanished, and the eerie stone statues now stood quietly lining both sides of the road.

Even the giant beasts in the swamp, which they had encountered at the beginning, seemed to realize that those who could emerge safely from within were not to be trifled with, and all submerged themselves, never to reappear.

Along the way, while checking Qiao Heng's injuries, Zu An privately asked him if he knew Qiao Xueying.

Qiao Heng's eyes immediately lit up. "Princess Xue, who performed great service for our elf tribe—who among our people doesn't know her? And, come to think of it, she's actually my distant cousin."

He finally understood why Zu An had saved him. He surmised that this person must have been Princess Xue's close friend during her time in the human world.

Zu An took the opportunity to inquire about Xue'er's current situation, and Qiao Heng answered each question. Finally, he added, "Princess Xue is doing very well. There's also some recent good news: she is very likely to be chosen as the Crown Princess."

"Crown Princess?" Zu An's eyebrows shot up. Was that avian fella truly destined to clash with him? "Wasn't it said to be a princess of the Peacock clan?"

Qiao Heng nodded. "Princess Nanwu of the Peacock royal clan and Princess Xue are the most favored candidates. Of course, Princess Changning isn't entirely out of the running, but she's significantly inferior to those two in all respects."

He felt a bit worried. From the human man's tone, it seemed his relationship with Princess Xue was extraordinary. However, how could he possibly compete with the Golden Crow Crown Prince? What's more, as a human, a relationship with Princess Xue was simply impossible. It was better to give him some advance warning to prevent disappointment later.

At the same time, he secretly glanced at Yu Yanluo and the two other women beside him. After all, he already had three such peerless beauties by his side; he shouldn't be too heartbroken, should he?

Zu An, naturally, wasn't saddened in the slightest. The Golden Crow Crown Prince was a defeated foe; at worst, he would simply snatch her away from him again.

On the contrary, the fact that Kong Nanwu was also a top candidate surprised him greatly. She was about to be chosen as Crown Princess, so unlike her clan sister Kong Nanjin, who actively sought opportunities, why would she travel so far to the human world?

Just then, the sky in the east began to lighten. Everyone involuntarily looked up, wondering how Sui Hou and Lady Yu were faring now.

On a distant clifftop, a stunningly beautiful woman held a gaunt man, gazing at the dawn light on the horizon. Her beautiful eyes were already wet with tears. She knew that her husband's last breath was sustained by demonic energy, and the sun had a strong suppressive effect on such energy; even at his peak, he would never have dared to stay under the sun.

In their current state, when the sun finally emerged, it would likely be his...

The gaunt man in her arms was, of course, Sui Hou. As the demonic energy dissipated, he could no longer sustain his body, which was why he visibly shriveled. He sighed deeply, "Do I look terribly ugly now?"

"No," the woman shook her head, stating firmly, "You will always be the indomitable Sui Hou in my heart."

Sui Hou struggled to reach out and wipe away the tears on her cheeks. "You should be happy for me. After thousands of years, I am finally free, and you have successfully revived. I have no more regrets."

"But without you, what meaning does my life have now!" The woman's voice was tinged with a sob.

"Please, you mustn't do anything foolish," Sui Hou suddenly realized. "I poured thousands of years of effort into finally bringing you back to life..."

Mid-sentence, he realized this approach wouldn't dissuade her, so he changed his reasoning. "You can help me investigate what truly happened with that demonic energy all those years ago. Consider it my vengeance."

As expected, upon hearing this, a keen light gleamed in the beautiful woman's eyes, as if her hope and fighting spirit for life had been reignited.

Only then did Sui Hou truly put his mind at ease.

"It's been many years since I last heard you play your zither."

"No, right now I just want to hold you. Every moment I can hold you is precious."

The two clung tightly to each other, whispering words of love that had accumulated over thousands of years. However, as time passed, Sui Hou's voice grew softer and softer, until it was essentially only the beautiful woman speaking.

Unbeknownst to them, the first ray of sunlight cascaded down. Sui Hou's entire body transformed into shimmering specks of light, and with a gentle breeze across the mountaintop, he completely dispersed with the wind.

The beautiful woman was already weeping uncontrollably.