Chapter 189
Chapter 189
On this festive night, the people cheered the arrival of peace.
Inside the City Lord’s residence, however, the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.
A bride price!
That was a backward custom!
Zhou Ming could not help grumbling inwardly, surprised by Qianxuan’s question.
“How much do you think would be appropriate, Uncle?” Zhou Ming’s mind raced as he tried to answer with a question of his own.
This was not a subject on which he should be the one to name a figure.
Besides, having marriage suddenly brought up felt strange. It seemed more like some kind of test.
“You really don’t leave any openings when you speak, brat…”
Qianxuan did not know whether to laugh or cry. After a moment’s thought, he said meaningfully, “That weapon in your possession is said to be a legendary… Sacred Weapon?”
A Sacred Weapon!
Even Qianxuan found the words unbelievable as he spoke them.
Zhouyou Shijie was, at most, only at the King grade, yet he possessed a weapon of this caliber. It was simply too fantastical.
After all, even reaching Saint tier did not guarantee that someone would possess Saint-tier equipment.
Zhou Ming understood and took Ask the Heavens from his inventory.
Red light glowed along Ask the Heavens’s edge, and a soul-stirring cold gleam flowed across it like a flame that would never go out.
“If you think a Sacred Weapon carries enough weight as a bride price, Uncle, then I’m naturally willing to give it!” Zhou Ming said.
Qianying’s place in his heart naturally surpassed that of Ask the Heavens.
As he had said before, without Qianying’s support, everything that followed would have amounted to nothing. He might have remained an ordinary player in some secondary city, only able to admire elite players like Submit and Perish and Rule by Inaction from somewhere in the crowd.
It was the accumulation built through repeated trials that had allowed him to reach his current heights.
“You mean that?”
Qianxuan narrowed his eyes slightly and carefully watched every change in Zhou Ming’s expression.
“I do!” Zhou Ming nodded solemnly.
He met Qianxuan’s gaze without looking away.
“Hmph!”
Qianxuan snorted and added, “I won’t simply take you at your word. A Sacred Weapon possesses a spirit and surpasses even Divine Artifacts. Even if someone else wanted to steal your Sacred Weapon, they probably wouldn’t have the ability to take it from you.”
With that, he stopped paying attention to Zhou Ming and turned to leave after handing over the Core of Light.
The group Zhouyou Shijie had brought would depart tomorrow, so Qianxuan needed to finish what had to be done.
Even if it was only a father’s small attempt to make amends for everything he owed his daughter.
“Then what will it take for you to believe me, Uncle?” Zhou Ming asked.
Without slowing, Qianxuan walked straight away. “It was only a question. Don’t take it too seriously. My opinion isn’t important.”
“…”
Watching Qianxuan leave, Zhou Ming fell into thought.
Judging by their exchange, Qianying’s father did not seem opposed to him.
…
The next day.
The spring breeze was warm, and orioles flew above the flourishing grass.
With the Core of Light gone, the Light Domain now experienced a complete cycle of day and night.
At ten in the morning, everyone prepared to leave for the Destiny Continent.
Qianying’s parents came to see them off at the city gates alongside the entire population.
It was not that Zhouyou Shijie’s status was so exalted that it demanded such treatment. The people had come of their own accord because he had rendered an enormous service to the City of Light and the entire Light Domain.
This war had ended because of him.
“Uncle, Auntie, I’ll come visit again in the future!” Zhou Ming cupped his fists.
“That’s thoughtful of you.”
Qianying’s mother, Zihong, nodded. She then reached out and took Qianying’s hand. “You go on ahead. I still have something to say to Qianying.”
“Well…”
Zhou Ming’s heart sank. He turned toward Qianying but could not read her thoughts, so he could only agree. “Very well. I bid you farewell!”
Without making an awkward scene, he left with Yun Wuyou, Cangxuan, Ye Zhibei, and Renee.
Before long, they returned to the Verdant Lands and saw Ning Wushen’s projection.
“You’re finally back!” Ning Wushen said with a smile. “How did everything go?”
Without the slightest reservation, Zhou Ming took the two precious cores from his robes. “I gained quite a lot!”
“That far exceeds even my expectations!” Ning Wushen exclaimed. “I doubt anyone under heaven enjoys fortune as profound as yours!”
“The Core of Light is only on loan. It doesn’t truly belong to me,” Zhou Ming added with a shake of his head.
“Perhaps!”
Ning Wushen’s answer was thought-provoking.
The Core of Light was the source of energy for the City of Light. Their willingness to lend it to Zhouyou Shijie was itself a statement.
“Let’s wait a little while,” Zhou Ming suggested. “Qianying might still return with us.”
“All right!”
Everyone agreed without saying anything more.
Ten minutes… Twenty minutes…
In the blink of an eye, two hours passed.
Standing near the cross-domain teleportation array, Zhou Ming’s heart remained suspended in restless uncertainty.
Even if he successfully cleared the Sin of Greed and obtained the Core of Darkness, he would find it difficult to celebrate if he lost Qianying’s support.
“Sigh!”
After roughly three hours, Zhou Ming sighed. Trying to conceal his disappointment, he forced a smile. “It seems Qianying wants to stay. This is her home, after all. Let’s go…”
“Whoosh!”
Before he finished speaking, a streak of white light flew in from the distance.
“!!”
Zhou Ming turned around in delight. A graceful young woman came into view, dressed in a brand-new set of snow-white clothes.
“Qianying, are you coming back to the Destiny Continent with us?” Zhou Ming asked urgently.
Qianying looked surprised. “We came here together, so we’ll leave together. Didn’t we agree on that long ago?”
“…You’re right!”
Zhou Ming suddenly came to his senses and smacked his forehead hard, blaming himself. “I was being foolish!”
“Besides, the Light Domain’s crisis has been resolved, but you’re still facing danger after danger on the Destiny Continent. How could I abandon you at such a critical moment?”
Qianying chided him, “You think far too little of me!”
“I’m sorry!”
Zhou Ming’s emotions churned.
They had endured countless hardships together.
Qianying had also helped him a great deal. Though he had finally acquired a small measure of ability, if she truly left him now, he would not be able to bear it.
“All right, everyone’s happy!”
Ning Wushen clapped his hands and reminded them, “Whatever else there is to discuss, let’s talk after we return!”
“All right!”
Zhou Ming nodded.
Everyone entered the cross-domain teleportation array. Brilliant white light flashed, and their figures vanished from the Light Domain.
…
At the same time, in the City of Light.
Outside the city.
Watching their daughter leave, Qianxuan and Zihong felt a complicated mixture of emotions.
“You can really bear to let your daughter run off with him?” Zihong hardly knew what to say.
She desperately wanted her daughter to stay.
Unfortunately, Qianying was unwilling, and Zihong’s husband had not sided with her or asked their daughter to remain.
“Qianying has her own life!”
Qianxuan shook his head and turned back toward the city, hiding his expression from everyone. “If we suddenly interfere in her life in the name of being her parents, it would be unfair to her!”
Zihong turned and followed him. “And how do you know that brat will treat Qianying well?”
“He will!”
Qianxuan spoke with absolute certainty. “He damn well better!”
…
Inside the spatial tunnel.
Light and shadow shifted in mottled patterns.
Under the protection of the Yasakani no Magatama, Zhou Ming’s soul possessed enough resilience to withstand cross-domain teleportation.
“Right!”
Seeming to remember something, Qianying took a letter from her inventory and handed it to Zhou Ming. “My father left you a letter!”
“Oh?”
Zhou Ming was surprised.
What could Qianxuan have to say that he could not tell Zhou Ming face-to-face and had to put in a letter?
Zhou Ming accepted the letter and opened it.
…