Ze Tian Ji (Way of Choices)

Chapter 979 – Hearing Your Voice

After hearing the Demon Lord’s words, Luoluo walked to the edge of the observation platform and quietly pondered this question.

The damp winds from the Red River shifted about the warm mists on White Emperor City’s streets, refreshing the people within.

She remembered that she had once discussed a similar question with her teacher in the Orthodox Academy, but she had forgotten what her teacher had said.

How should she choose?

At this moment, the ritual music from Whalefall Platform suddenly stopped. Several furious strands of Qi soared to the heavens, and then she sensed fierce quaking.

A battle had suddenly occurred within the Beast Guard in charge of guarding the Imperial City and been quickly suppressed.

The little flowers on the ground trembled. The distant stone steps were dyed red and she could make out several Beast Guards being dragged away, though it was not possible to see whether they were dead or alive.

Before these Beast Guards had been suppressed, they had shouted a few words that Luoluo had heard loud and clear.

“Her Highness cannot be married!” They were willing to die in order to give voice to these words.

Luoluo turned to the Demon Lord and said, “I will not marry you.”

The Demon Lord asked, “Just because of these foolish and loyal guards?”

Luoluo explained, “It has some relation, but the more important reason is that I do not like you, so how can I marry you?”

The Demon Lord considered this response, then answered, “These words are very reasonable. I cannot find any words to refute them.”

Luoluo noted, “But they won’t make you back off.”

“Correct. I will still marry you, even if you don’t love me. Because marriage, especially the marriage between you and me, is related to the rivers and mountains as beautiful as a painting, is related to the peace of the continent. It is related to many things, but it is only with regards to love that it has no relationship.”

The Demon Lord calmly gazed at her and added, “In addition, the day we are married, I will kill Xuanyuan Po as a present to you.”

Luoluo’s complexion paled.

If this marriage alliance could not be broken, he would not need to personally act, only make a request, and Xuanyuan Po would die.

Because this was the sincerity that the Demon race had the right to demand from White Emperor City.

Although Xuanyuan Po was a member of the Bear tribe, his more important identity was that of a student of the Orthodox Academy.

If the demi-humans killed Xuanyuan Po, then with Chen Changsheng’s personality, there would be no means to reconcile the two sides.

The demons could bring up even more conditions, like a massacre in the Great Zhou embassy and the Daoist Church of the Western Wastes. They could also make it impossible for the humans and demi-humans to ever be at peace, but if this was done, the situation on the continent would rapidly deteriorate, which was something neither the demons nor demi-humans were willing to see.

In this aspect, the Demon Lord was not lying. He truly did hope for peace.

At least until he and his race could regain their strength.

The blood on the steps was quickly cleaned up by the laborers and palace maids.

The ritual music started up again from Whalefall Platform.

Several Grand Scholars of the Demi-human Court and important ministers of the various pavilions split into two lines and walked out of the hall.

The bright yellow edict was placed on a cinnabar plate and then was taken with both hands by the highest-ranked official in the Imperial City.

Madam Mu walked up to Luoluo, her expression solemn. Just like the images of ocean spray woven in black and gold on her robes, she was gorgeous and majestic.

Luoluo said, “Mother.”

Madam Mu said, “My daughter is about to married. I truly am rather reluctant.”

When she said this, her expression was very calm, both a sign of her resolve and that she would not tolerate refusal.

“I will not marry.”

Luoluo’s voice was also very calm, a sign of her resolve and that she would not accept.

Madam Mu looked at her and said, “You should be well aware that the ancestral spirits accepted him yesterday.”

Luoluo replied, “The ancestral spirits accepted him, but I will not, because the person being married off is me, not the ancestral spirits.”

Madam Mu asked, “Even if he is Heaven’s Chosen?”

Luoluo replied, “The one the heavens chose is not the one that I choose, so there is no meaning to it.”

Madam Mu gazed at the gradually dispersing mists on the street and slowly said, “If you persist in not accepting this marriage, it will be very difficult to proceed with the alliance between the two races. Let us not speak of how many of the continent’s people will die in the future. Right now, the Demi-human race will most likely fracture. Of the lives in this city, how many people will no longer be able to see the Celestial Trees?”

Luoluo fell quiet for a while, then said, “Mother, in the end, you still do not consider this place your home.”

Madam Mu asked, “Why do you insist on this belief?”

Luoluo replied, “Because you have no affection for this city. You can use the lives in this city to threaten your own daughter.”

A hint of deep exhaustion appeared in Madam Mu’s eyes. “You have spoken correctly. I truly do not like this place, because this place is full of the stench of fur and sweat, full of filthy words, full of that stupid courage and that loathsome thing called heroism. This place is like a vast desert, savage and primitive.”

Her voice was so soft that nobody else could hear.

“Xuelao City is different. That place has true history, culture, and most importantly, art. Even though it is far inferior to the capital, the husband that I have chosen for you is the most outstanding successor of this civilization. I do not wish for you to walk my old path, so be married off.”

Madam Mu softly said, “The matter has already been decided. Since you cannot object, you can only learn how to accept.”

Luoluo was quiet for a while, then asked, “Why can I not object?”

Madam Mu looked into her eyes and said, “This is a marriage arranged for you by me and your royal father with the ancestral spirits serving as matchmaker. Who can object?”

Yes, marriage had never had anything to do with love.

It was based on the orders of the parents and the words of the matchmaker.

Whether it was in the Demi-human race, the Human race, or the Demon race, this was the case for the entire continent.

Who could still object to this marriage?

Luoluo recalled the scene many years ago in the capital, during the Ivy Festival.

She had thought of this scene countless times, so even now, that scene was as vivid as if it was taking place right in front of her.

In her memories, this was her teacher’s most glorious moment.

Not even her teacher’s taking the first rank of the first banner in the Grand Examination or drawing down a night of starlight in the Mausoleum of Books could match the glory of that moment.

Because her teacher, back then, had only been an ordinary student of the Orthodox Academy.

More importantly, at that time, her teacher was her teacher alone.

Alas, not one sliver of her teacher’s glory on that night could fall upon her.

Because those words had not been for her.

If she could just hear those words right now, it would be fine.

Alas, this was impossible.

She had heard that her teacher was currently at Mount Li. Even if he had gotten the news and traveled here as quickly as possible, he would still be too late.

Luoluo stood at the railing, gripping the stone pearl tied to her neck, and gazed at the distant mountains on the opposite shore.

She was confident that her teacher was on the other side, traveling across the mountains, surmounting the peaks.

Perhaps he still had thousands of li to go, but at least he was on the way.

It was fine this way.

She was very satisfied.

Suddenly, her expression changed.

The clouds over the mountains had begun to twist and writhe.

A hole appeared in the clouds.

A pillar of light descended.

This pillar of light was imbued with a divine aura and an inexplicable majesty.

The seal over the two shores of the Red River was instantly pierced by the pillar of light.

A White Crane flew out of the light.

Its clear cry resounded throughout White Emperor City.

With it came another voice.

“I object.”