Heart Protection

HEART PROTECTION: CHAPTER 112 EPILOGUE - LASTING AFFECTION 2/2

 Yan Hui's eyes lit up at that one word. From outside, Tian Yao's voice was like ice: "Where is the person who told you all this?"

Chi Zhao didn't reply. The pressure from outside started to grow stronger and stronger.

Yan Hui struggled hard in the attendant's arms to make any bit of escape, but the attendant's arms confined her too tight. Yan Hui clawed at his hands and hit his body with her tail. These movements made very small sounds. However, there was a very thick curtain separating her from the rest of the Red Wolves Clan. It was highly doubtful the people outside could hear it.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a light footstep from outside. Yan Hui's ears twitched.

Tian Yao!

Yan Hui's inner voice called out so loudly that she swore even the death could hear it.

There was a second footstep approaching the curtain. Yan Hui's heart started to beat faster, and she could almost feel her eyes becoming warmer. There was no need to make another sound. Just her heartbeat alone would be enough for Tian Yao to hear her. 

I returned to find you!

Another step.

Closer and closer. To Yan Hui, these steps were like a call of fate. However to the Red Wolves Clan, those steps were like an overture from the Underworld.

The attendant holding Yan Hui started to sense something wasn't right. He stepped back in preparation to run. But right at that moment, a heat wave rushed in, bringing along with a gust of wind. The heavy tent the Red Wolves Clan resided in was overturned.

That was how Tian Yao's features were unexpectedly revealed to Yan Hui. His head of black hair wasn't there anymore. Instead, it was white hair dusting his temples. It had long circulated around the jianghu that Tian Yao lost his love in his battle with Zhenren Qing Guang. In an instant Tian Yao's hair turned white. Yan Hui never thought that seeing his white hair in person would add so much vicissitude to him.

 However he was still as stunning as ever.

The heat of the aura blew the tent completely away and also easily blew away the spell cast on Yan Hui. Her figure blurred, and she was restored back to the appearance of a young girl.

She looked different from her past life. There was nothing in common, but when her eyes met Tian Yao's eyes, the two of them stood in silence.

There was a silent understanding between them, a connection. Even though they had been separated by a reincarnation cycle and large difference in status, it was like that mutual understanding had never gone away.

"Tian Yao......."

Yan Hui only said those two words, but there was a corresponding flicker in Tian Yao's eyes.

Yan Hui wanted to move forward, but the attendant behind her was still holding her neck. Chi Zhao, who was behind Tian Yao, opened her mouth like she wanted to say something. However before she could say anything, there was an invisible force that froze her and the attendant in place.

The attendant's hand that clasped Yan Hui's neck was no longer under the attendant's control. It released its grip on Yan Hui by itself. The attendant couldn't believe that he completely was unable to resist the invisible force. All of the Red Wolves Clansmen including the clan elder were frozen. They lifted off the ground and couldn't channel their magic.

Only Yan Hui stood firmly on the ground. A wave of power rushed out of Tian Yao, blowing away all the Red Wolves clansmen and surrounding objects in an instant. Like dead leaves, they were swept away to unknown parts.

Everything seemed to become still in just a few moments. Yan Hui felt like she was standing in the center of the world. She watched Tian Yao slowly and steadily approach her step by step.

There was nothing else that couldn't stop them from meeting again.

Tian Yao reached out and clasp her face. It was like time reversed back 15 years. He finally managed to pull her out of the abyss.

He tightly hugged her close, and one hand wrapped around her neck. Tian Yao gazed down at Yan Hui. He hugged her like his love had never gone away and kissed her.

It seemed liked there were lights revolving around them. This wasn't a reunion after 15 years. This was more like back then at Qing Qiu when Yan Hui was staying in that small room and teasing him. Or perhaps it was when Tian Yao mistakenly thought Su Ying had killed her and rushed back to Qing Qiu, only to see Yan Hui right in front of him. Or maybe it was even more like that full moon night on Tong Luo Mountain when he unconsciously bit Yan Hui's lips.

15 years was already hard enough to bear. However the instant Tian Yao saw Yan Hui again, he realized that the time spent waiting was nothing more than a mere blink of an eye. It counted for nothing.

He lived those 15 years to wait for their reunion. The flow of time for him only started when he saw her again.

"Tian Yao," said Yan Hui. "I returned to find you." Her lips pressed against his. "I kept my promise."

It was true. She had never broken her promises to him.

Tian Yao hugged Yan Hui tightly like he wanted to press her into him. However, even at the peak of feeling like his love for Yan Hui was bursting out of him, Tian Yao still worried that he would hurt Yan Hui. He loosened his hold a little but also didn't dare loosen too much. Tian Yao hugged her tight but also didn't dare hug too tightly.

Yan Hui could tell that Tian Yao's battling thoughts were going to spoil the mood.

She slightly pushed him away but then immediately looked straight into his conflicted eyes. Numerous emotions battled it out within. They were like an abyss that was pulling her in.

"Tian Yao," she rationally said. "Say something, so I can hear you."

Tian Yao pressed his lips tight against each other.

Yan Hui poked at his lips: "Did you live too high and mighty these few years? Now you only know how to look at people and not how to speak to them?"

Tian Yao just pulled Yan Hui back into his arms: "In these moments, being silent is good enough."

Silently listening to his heartbeat. This way he could also hear his own heartbeat which is good enough.

They didn't know how long they silentlyy stood there like that. Suddenly a pressure quietly appeared and slowly peeled away Tian Yao's surrounding aura. Only then did Tian Yao look up and see the Qing Qiu King walk over.

Tian Yao slightly narrowed his eyes in annoyance.

But it did make sense. The moment Tian Yao arrived, he attacked the Red Wolves Clan and didn't even hold back his power. It was like he was trying to exterminate an entire clan. As the current Qing Qiu King ruling in a time of peace between the xian and demons, he naturally had to see what was going on.

Tian Yao also understood that, but he still had an ugly expression. Magic coursed down to his hand and formed a fiery ball in his palm. He waved his hand, sending the ball down onto the ground. It was about three inches wide. "The Red Wolves Clan helped me find my wife."

Yan Hui was a little shocked by that address. She looked up at Tian Yao and saw his expression was the same as ever. He continued to respectfully talk to the king: "Although they were greedy, they still made the effort. Deal with them as you see fit."

Done talking, Tian Yao took Yan Hui up into the sky. He didn't care at all how the situation down there would be handled.

Yan Hui knew that the fire pearl Tian Yao left behind was a piece of his magic. If the Red Wolves Clan had a way to unlock it, then they had a good chance of rescuing their clansman from the Guang Han Sect's formation.

Tiao Yao said they were greedy but still put in the effort to contact him. Therefore, that pearl could be considered his thanks, and not directly helping them was his punishment.

"Tian Yao."

He had wrapped Yan Hui in his large robes to warm her up. It was also to protect her from the wind as they flew through the sky. Tian Yao looked down when he heard Yan Hui call his name.

"Where are we going?"

"Back home."

"Did you prepare a home for me?"

"Yes."

Yan Hui felt her heart warm but she stayed silent for a few moments. She thought for a bit and then playfully asked: "Since when did I become your wife?"

Tian Yao hugged her close. He slightly spoke into her ear: "Whenever you want to."

 Tian Yao had a residence for them both in Qing Qiu, but the courtyard was overgrown because there usually wasn't anyone. For now, Yan Hui would have to stay in her former room, which had remained empty til now.

After that, Tian Yao continued his preparations. He wanted to have a wedding reception with Yan Hui.

It took only a day for the news that Yan Hui had returned and would marry Tian Yao to circulate around the entire world. Thus when Yan Hui woke the second day, she had just stepped out into the courtyard when a person barreled into her. Yan Hui found herself wrapped into a hug.

"Master, Master!" Huan Xiao Yan's voice had matured quite a bit, but her personality hadn't changed a bit.

Yan Hui looked up at the illusion demon to discover Huan Xiao Yan had become a 20-something year old married woman. It was like Yan hui and Huan Xiao Yan had switched positions from 15 years ago.

"How old are you, yet you're still running around?" A man's voice came from behind Huan Xiao Yan. Yan Hui thought that voice sounded familiar and turned to look. It was a frowning Zhu Li quickly approaching. He pulled Huan Xiao Yan away: "You know that Yan Hui's current body might not handle your hug! Also what about the baby?!"

Huan Xiao Yan let Zhu Li scold her, but she paid him no mind. She continued to stare at Yan Hui with watery eyes.

Yan Hui found this all strange: "When did you two foes end up together?"

Zhu Li sighed in embarrassment. Then he looked at Yan Hui, but before he could make a sound, Huan Xiao Yan cut in: "This and that, and then we ended up together." The illusion demon wiped away a tear and then grabbed Yan Hui's arm again. "Master, I missed you so, so much. Every time I missed you, I started writing a book about you. I wrote a lot of books."

"........." Yan Hui's lips twitched. Finally she broke into a smile but then started to reprimand the demon: "Speaking of this, come over here. I'm going to have a good talk with you about life."

Huan Xiao Yan held back her tears: "Were the books not well written or not touching enough?"

Yan Hui slightly smiled: "Since you're pregnant, I'll let you live this time."

Zhu Li didn't know if he should laugh or cry. They didn't talk for long before a servant came over to say people have come to give Yan Hui gifts.

Yan Hui was stunned. For the following two or three days, there was a constant stream of visitors coming from different places. She didn't even recognized them, but they all brought gifts from some inexplicable reason.

They said the gifts were to congratulate her marriage with Tian Yao. They also wrote letters to wish them well and congratulate her finding Tian Yao again. It made them believe there was still true love in this world. Yan Hui didn't know if she should cry or laugh: "Now that there's no war, everyone seems like they don't know what to do with their time."

Huan Xiao Yan spoke up from the side: "Look, Master! This is all from my contributions! I made you two become a famous couple in all the countries. After a few days, I'm going to release another book. This time, it'll about the sweet times after your reunion!"

Yan Hui: "........"

Zhu Li had to urge Yan Hui for a long time before he could finally extinguish Yan Hui's anger.

What touched Yan Hui the most was receiving a package half a month before the wedding. It was a red robe with exquisite embroidery that would make people gasp in amazement. Pinned to the ceremonial robe was a note with three sentences---

"The hard times are over. The good times are here. May you two live long and in bliss."

Yan Hui recognized the handwriting. The note was written by Xian Ge.

Xian Ge could no longer enter Qing Qiu. There wasn't even a single trace of her in the jianghu, but Yan Hui knew from the note that Xian Ge was living well. Just like her, Xian Ge was living in quiet happiness.

For an old friend, this was probably the best news.

Yan Hui wore the robe Xian Ge made for her, preformed the ceremony with Tian Yao, and entered married life with him as his wife.

Yan Hui thought about how she thought this life would pan out. It wasn't wrong. When she turned 15, she indeed marry off to someone far away. It was just that she didn't run away from the marriage in the end.

Upon entering the bridal room, Tian Yao removed Yan Hui's red veil. He looked down at Yan Hui whose makeup made her look more bright and romantic.

He didn't do anything, only quietly looking down upon her. It was like he could never get tired of looking at her. Yan Hui laughed and suddenly a question popped into her mind out of the blue: "Tian Yao, tell me, what if the past king didn't leave behind my memories and I didn't remember you? Or perhaps I'll be like the Red Wolves Clan and got close to you for my own benefit? What would you do? How could you like me then?"

Tian Yao laughed. He didn't seem to think it was any issue: "That's no matter. Whatever you want, I'll give. If it's for your own benefit, I'll still give. If you want my flesh, it's yours. If you want my bones, it's yours." He continued, "If you like someone else, I'm willing to peel off my scales one by one for you to make into armor for the one you love."

Those words seemed to make Yan Hui hurt. Her eyebrows furrowed, and Tian Yao held her hand. "Yan Hui, I don't fear you trying to snatch anything away. What I fear is when I've prepared everything to give to you........you have no other request for me."

Yan Hui was silent for a long time. Then she clasped Tian Yao's face: "You don't need any of those concerns. There's a lot that I want! Don't worry!"

"Alright, whatever you want."

Yan Hui suddenly smirked. She gave a little push and pressed Tian Yao down onto the bed: "I want you. Will you give that?"

Tian Yao was completely pressed down under Yan Hui. He evenly said: "For the past 15 years, I recollect about the past every night. I only have three regrets." He quietly said, "One, I never fully said how much I love you." Saying that, he lightly kissed Yan Hui's ear. Yan Hui trembled.

 "Two, I never looked close at the secret hidden in your eyes."

His lips moved and kissed her eyelids. His lips felt soft and warm.

"Three, I........"

Tian Yao wrapped his arm around Yan Hui's waist. With seemingly no effort at all, it was like Yan Hui's world spun. When it righted again, Tian Yao was propped over her body: "I never once promised you......."

"Harmonized Pair Cultivation."