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Lan Xi stepped out of her bridal sedan chair with the assistance of a palace maid.

The servants handed over the red silk ribbons to the couple, and shoulder to shoulder, they walked towards the palace.

As long as they climbed the 99 steps of the Southern Heavenly Gate together, paid their respects to the Heavenly Emperor, and then performed the heaven-worshiping ceremony on the celestial platform, they would be husband and wife.

Just as the bride and groom were about to finish climbing the 99 steps, suddenly a dark figure dashed in front of them, blocking their path.

Upon seeing the person, Crown Prince Ya’s face immediately darkened, "Shaoqing, what are you doing?"

Shaoqing, however, only had eyes for the bride, whose head was covered. His voice was slightly excited as he spoke, "Lan Xi, do you really want to marry him? You promised me that once I found the Ends of the World, you would marry me. How can you go back on your word?"

Standing by Crown Prince Ya’s side, Lan Xi felt momentarily disoriented. Had she said that?

Why didn’t she have any recollection of it?

"I don’t know you!" Lan Xi instinctively drew closer to Crown Prince Ya. Over the years, the majority of her memories were of Lan Yan and Zi Yun; the only man she felt familiar with was Crown Prince Ya.

She truly didn’t recognize the man in black before her.

"Just six thousand years have passed, Lan Xi, have you truly forgotten the words you yourself said?" Shaoqing really wanted to lift her veil to see what his Lan Xi had become.

What had become of the Lan Xi who once promised to be by his side for all her life?

He had traveled through dangers and across mountains and rivers for years, finally finding the Ends of the World Lan Xi spoke of, yet she had changed.

"I’m sorry, I don’t know you," Lan Xi’s tone was still resolute.

Crown Prince Ya stepped forward, blocking Shaoqing, "Did you hear that? She says she doesn’t know you. Also, don’t flatter yourself, how could Lan Xi possibly want to marry you. Sixteen thousand years ago, I was already betrothed to her on the celestial platform. Didn’t you know?"

Shaoqing felt his legs go weak. As he glanced around, he saw palace maids whispering to each other.

"After the last Demon War ended, at the banquet in the Imperial Garden, the Heavenly Emperor personally announced their betrothal. Lan Xi and His Highness took an oath on the celestial platform and were successfully engaged. Everyone saw this."

"Who is this man? Is he deliberately causing trouble?"

"Your Highness Lan Xi is of noble status. How could she possibly marry a mere mortal."

As Shaoqing listened to the various voices around him, it felt as if his heart had been pierced by a sharp sword, and it hurt deeply!

He numbly retreated, making way for them to pass.

Lan Xi had deceived him!

Why?

If she had not said so, how could he dare to harbor such thoughts for her?

She kissed him, saying she wanted to marry him.

So he traveled over mountains and across seas to find what she desired.

He found the Ends of the World, understanding the meaning she had attached to it.

Yet she turned around to marry another!

During the Demon War, she was already engaged to Crown Prince Ya. Why did everyone know but him?

There stood Shaoqing, clutching the Heavenly Sword, with blood seeping through the palm of his hand.

He didn’t believe that Lan Xi would deceive him!

After tens of thousands of years together, her beautiful visage and her clear, spring-like voice still lingered in his ears.

Ah Qing!... Ah Qing... Ah Qing!

That was always how she called him, affectionately and gently.

He loved the way she called him, never tiring of it for lifetimes.

He didn’t believe that Lan Xi would deceive him.

Just as the bride walked past him, he abruptly pulled off the veil from her head.

The next second, the breathtaking beauty of the woman was revealed for all to see.

This was Lan Xi, no doubt about it! Her appearance hadn’t changed, and even the scent on her body was exactly the same.

However, when he saw the unfamiliarity and innocence in the girl’s eyes, he instinctively took a step back.

Shaoqing seemed to mutter to himself, "You’re not Lan Xi!"

His words made all the guards and palace maids present shiver.

Yes, this wasn’t Lan Xi.

Because she was just a fragment of Lan Xi’s soul, to keep Crown Prince Ya from suspecting, everyone in heaven had concealed the fact of Lan Xi’s six-thousand-year sacrifice.

Crown Prince Ya, hearing Shaoqing say this, flew into a rage, "What nonsense are you talking? How could she not be Lan Xi!"

Shaoqing felt his legs go stiff, his whole persona confused.

He shared his life with Lan Xi, that bond stemming from the deepest part of life, allowed him to feel the breath of her life whenever he was near her.

But now, standing beside the girl before him, he felt nothing at all.

At first, he thought he had been away for too long and lost some tacit understanding with her.

It now seemed that it wasn’t a lack of tacit understanding but rather that the woman before him, who looked exactly like Lan Xi, was not her.

"Where have you hidden Lan Xi?"

Shaoqing suddenly drew his longsword, pointing it at Crown Prince Ya.

Crown Prince Ya’s face turned livid with anger, "Have you come here to pick a fight today?"

He had unveiled his bride, and now he was questioning his bride’s identity, not to mention coming to him asking for her.

"Where is Lan Xi?" Shaoqing raised his longsword, his black hair flying about, his whole person standing like an iceberg in front of Crown Prince Ya.

Ya was truly furious, glaring at Shaoqing, he hissed fiercely, "Step aside, or don’t blame me for being rude today."

"Just tell me where Lan Xi is, and I will leave immediately, never to obstruct you," Shaoqing stood unmovable, like Mount Tai.

Crown Prince Ya could bear it no longer, and his weapon, the White Dragon Spear, appeared in his hand.

Thereupon, he attacked Shaoqing, and the two of them started fighting.

Lan Xi stood there somewhat at a loss, with just a fragment of a soul, she could not remember much and was also prone to forget things.

Over the years, the only ones she had consistently remembered were Lan Yan, Zi Yun, and Ya.

Now, this man who suddenly appeared made her feel both familiar yet strange; even seeing him approach made her somewhat panic-stricken, as if she owed him something.

The palace maid, realizing something was wrong, hurriedly went to Linxiao Palace to look for the Celestial Emperor who was already waiting for Ya and Lan Xi to come to worship.

On learning that Shaoqing had come to stop the wedding, the Celestial Emperor immediately dispatched Zhong Li and the heavenly soldiers and generals to apprehend him.

Meanwhile, Shaoqing and Crown Prince Ya fought each other to a stalemate.

When Zhong Li arrived, he went straight for the God-Trapping Lock and cast it directly at Shaoqing.

Although Shaoqing was quick, he was deeply engaged in the fierce battle with Crown Prince Ya and did not pay much attention to his surroundings.

In a moment of inattention, he was ensnared by the God-Trapping Lock, immobilizing his body; at the same time, he accidentally wounded Crown Prince Ya with the Heavenly Sword.

"Audacious mortal, you dare to disrupt the Crown Prince’s grand wedding. Do you acknowledge your crimes?" Zhong Li, leading the heavenly soldiers, surrounded Shaoqing with their weapons.

And Shaoqing, bound by the God-Trapping Lock, couldn’t move; even the Heavenly Sword in his hand fell to the ground.

At this moment, he did not look up to Lan Xi not far away.

She was beautiful, standing there like a dazzling flower; yet even now he was more certain than ever that she was not Lan Xi.

So where had his Lan Xi gone?

Zhong Li saw that Shaoqing was as cold as an iceberg; even at this moment, he was still so aloof, not uttering a word.

So he directly took Shaoqing away, so as not to let him disturb the Crown Prince’s wedding any further.

Crown Prince Ya had been wounded in the arm. Although the wound wasn’t deep, it continued to bleed and was accompanied by an unbearable stinging pain.