Chapter 1099 The Hardest Goodbye II
No matter how honorable you are or how low someone is, we always have someone or something to protect, no matter how important it may be in the eyes of others there is something we will fight to the death for.
But Zhao Li Xin didn't have that, he didn't even realize how lucky he was as if he had lived his entire life with his eyes closed without letting anyone or anything enter his heart because if there was nothing he desire he would never be disappointed again, he will never be hurt again, never felt so lost and alone, nor would he realize how meaningless his life has become but someone like him when his heart was moved it would easily make him lose control by drown him into an uncontrollable obsession, like a thirsty traveler who feels fresh drops of water for the first time but he doesn't realize that what he drank was seawater.
The more he took the more he needs, the more he took the less he felt satisfied so he took more and more doesn't matter if he dry the whole sea, doesn't matter if he kill everything that lives in the sea in process, he will never stop, not until he dies.
Lazarus was like that, and Emperor Lei Yu was more or less like that too so there's a high chance Zhao Li Xin had that trait too but we must believe Zhao Li Xin is his own man so maybe he doesn't look any of them if only someone will show the way.
"Therefore, we send you Lory"
"We...?" Lory gaped.
Marcus smiled then a pair of arms hugged Lory from behind "Arthea, Zian, Lei Yu, even Huo long"
"Mother!" Lory was stunned to see Lorenna smiling beautifully.
"My dear daughter, this has been a long journey for you," Lorenna cupped Lory's face as her eyes traced every feature on his face as if trying to engrave it in her mind.
Perhaps the greatest sacrifice he made was not being able to watch Lory and Lucas grow into the extraordinary men and women they were.
"Moms!" Lory jumped up from his seat and hugged Lorenna tightly "I miss you..." he whined like a child.
Lorenna stroked the back of Lory's head, "I miss you too, honey, but unfortunately, we don't have much time..."
Lory pulled her head and then looked at Lorenna in confusion.
"A gamble we all made at the end paid off, you did it, Lory!" Lorenna smiled proudly.
"What do I do?" Lory grew confused.
Lorenna exchanged happy glances with Marcus, they both looked calm as if a heavy weight had been lifted over their shoulders.
Marcus stood up from his seat and then strode toward the two most important women in his life he stroked Lory's head gently "You managed to change the most difficult thing to change, namely a person's heart" Marcus said.
"The bet is you will be able to teach him about love, joy, longing, sadness, and even fear. You make him realize not only the love between man and woman but also familial love also friendship and because of that he can do what Lazarus and Lei Yu never could..."
"What is it..." Lory frowned.
"He let go..." Lorenna's face dazzled with joy and warmth.
"He let go of his obsession by honoring your wish so he makes a decision, and that decision will affirm him as a savior of his world, a legitimate heir of the true first King!" Marcus's purple eyes were glowing with excitement and delight.
Lory was taken aback before slowly beaming, "I knew he could do it!"
"He does~" Lorenna squeezed Lory's cheeks cheerfully, "Now he's done her part and so should you"
"Me?" Lory pointed at herself with a puzzled look.
Marcus saw her foolish expression and then laughed out loud "Silly girl, didn't I tell you that our plan is to keep you alive?!"
"Yes, but before that is there one last painful thing you must do?" Lorenna looked at Lory with a regretful look.
Suddenly the scenery around her turned into an open field but this place was very familiar to her, it was a place inside Zhao Li Xin's spatial ring.
Before her, the giant red dragon appears from the red sky and then transforms into human form then walks toward Lory with an excited smile.
"Huo Long? but how?" Lory gasped in shock but Huo Long's face showed that he had known this for a long time.
"Princess, you have overcome your tribulations brilliantly, of course, I never doubted you, I knew you would be one!" Huo Long grinned widely, "When Arthea showed me the vision of you, there was no doubt in me that you would be the one to save us from our long regrets"
"Your regrets?" Lory tilted her head.
"Long ago there was a red dragon who was subdued by a powerful warrior but instead killed the dragon, the warrior showed mercy he even shove a miracle pill to the dragon's mouth to heal him from its injury though it's not in a gentle manner if I may say, nevertheless the dragon heart was moving so from then on he offered himself to serve the warrior so he took part of his bones and gave it to the young warrior to make a weapon"
"Crimson lightning sword" Lory widen her eyes.
"That's right, my dear princess." His expression turned melancholic, "From then on I accompanied the young warrior who would become known as the first emperor Lei Yu and watched him build the greatest empire human ever created I also saw him falling in loved, and later he gains a few offspring, it's not an exaggeration for saying he has a perfect life…unfortunately it's not last"
"Something happens with Emperor Lei Yu empress?" Lory already could guess from what she found in the palace ruined under the Yin Shan mountain that something terrible had happened in that place.
"Something had indeed happened to him… I had always reminded him that humans who were naturally greedy and selfish combined with great authority, influence, and ambition would find it difficult to resist deviations from morality and common sense, but my master refused to believe it, maybe because of guilt for what happened to his brother Zian, he thinks what happened to him it's unfair so he doesn't want to condemn other people without concrete evidence for the same reason, basically, he wants to be a fair Emperor"
"I see... that's why there are so many symbols of Lazarus in the palace because Emperor Lei Yu wanted Lazarus to be a part of his accomplishments as well as his life." Lory also understood why the red dragon symbol, Huo Long and Lazarus were placed in the same honorable position.
"How did you die Huo Long, how could a powerful being like you die?" Lory stares curiously at him.
Huo Long's face suddenly became heavy with emotion, "When my master saw what happened to his family, he too lost his mind and indiscriminately slaughtered everyone not only his enemies but also his innocent people, the young and the old they all die, and just like that the savior changed into a destroyer, still amidst his own madness there was still a part of him that sobber even for a quick moment, he begged me to stop him, over and over again he begged me so desperately, I can't take it anymore… so I did" His eyes were dimmed with pain and regret.
"You killed your own master..." Lory didn't blame Huo Long, but he pitied him because he couldn't imagine if the same thing happened to him where she would force Girsha to kill her then what would happen to Girsha, how could he live with himself after that?
"Since then my soul is forever cursed with guilt, shame, and anger, I can turn into an evil entity then one day I see a light fall from the sky like a shooting star so I make a wish on a whim but it's like a miracle I'm here Mystique realm inside the spatial ring and it was also where I met Arthea for the first time." The gloom on Huo Long's face gave way to one filled with hope.
"Arthea showed me the future that is the future Zhao Li Xin the only descendant of my lord left she showed Zhao Li Xin the tragic fate of how Zhao Li Xin will be used as a tool by Zian to take his revenge on the world in order to challenge the authority of gods so how I can remain silent and watch my master's descendants fall to the same tragic fate, no way!" anger throbbed in his veins even though he tried to control it.
"Zhao Li Xin said he found a spatial ring by accident.." Lory gave him a playful look.
Huo Long held back his laughter, "How can there be so many coincidences in life unless one wishes for it" Huo Long said meaningfully.
Lory pondered for a moment before turning her gaze back to Huo Long, "Is that Arthea?"
Long Huo's smile grew wider then he glanced at Lorenna and Marcus who was standing not far from them.
"Everything was carefully planned by him, your mother, your father, Zian, and I...we all bet on you, Lorient as well...Zhao Li Xin even though we could only provide a place and time for you two to meet we couldn't make you guys fall in love with each other but judging by your character we hope at least you will have sympathy for that poor boy"
"I think you all underestimated my husband's charms~" Lory pursed her lips.
Huo Long chuckles "I think we are..."
"It's time Huo Long..." Lorenna approached them with a sorry look.
A resigned smile flit across Huo Long face "Yes...it's the time I supposed"
Lory anxiously look between her parent and Huo Long she had a feeling it will not be a good thing.
Marcus and Lorenna approach Lory then together they hug Lory.
"I love you, Lory, wherever you are or whatever you do, please remember you are loved...so deeply" Lorenna's voice was croaky with suppressed sobs.
"Thank you for carrying your dignity as Lucient's daughter to the very end, you always make me proud beyond belief" Marcus hugged them tightly as he tried to savor his last moments with his daughter.
Tears welled up in Lory's eyes, it didn't need a word to know that this would be her last moment with her parents, Lory held both Marcus and Lorenna's arms so hard wishing time would stop this moment but she knew it was impossible because there was still so much to do he must do
Huo long looked up for a moment later his expression turned solemn, she looked at Lory and her family "Its time princess..."
Marcus and Lorenna let her go, meanwhile Lory wiped her tears and asked in bewilderment "Times for what?"
"Take your last Trinity fragment..." Huo Long raised his hand "The light I saw back then was the trinity fragment, your fragment is what gave me the power to create this perfect world that I missed so much it is also the one thing that sustained my soul to live on for so long"
"But if I do that then you…" Lory shook his head, the reason he didn't want to take the last shard was that it would be the same as killing Huo Long, so how could she do it?
Huo Long understood Lory's reluctance, "I don't need it anymore Lory, I only hold on for this long to ensure that my child would be saved and he had, I know you will save my child!"
Lory bit her lips as frustration, sadness, and anger wash over her like a violent tide hitting a small boat.
"You cannot save everyone Lory but you can honor their wish, just like Zhao Li Xin, it's time for you to let go...let go of all the guilt, the burden you carry, and just be happy for all of us!" Marcus face lit up with a warm smile.
Letting go is the hardest lesson humans have to learn whether it's guilt, resentment, anger, betrayal, or love as we fight so hard to hold on it was against our natural instinct to let go but sometimes that's the only thing you can do so you can move on.
Lory closed her eyes and then took a deep breath before slowly opening her eyes Lory stretch out her hand.
"Tell Zhao Li Xin that love him even more than my own kin, tell him to smile more, be happy so happy that he can't wipe his smile even when he sleeps" Huo Long's face was dazzled with happiness.
"I will!"
But Zhao Li Xin didn't have that, he didn't even realize how lucky he was as if he had lived his entire life with his eyes closed without letting anyone or anything enter his heart because if there was nothing he desire he would never be disappointed again, he will never be hurt again, never felt so lost and alone, nor would he realize how meaningless his life has become but someone like him when his heart was moved it would easily make him lose control by drown him into an uncontrollable obsession, like a thirsty traveler who feels fresh drops of water for the first time but he doesn't realize that what he drank was seawater.
The more he took the more he needs, the more he took the less he felt satisfied so he took more and more doesn't matter if he dry the whole sea, doesn't matter if he kill everything that lives in the sea in process, he will never stop, not until he dies.
Lazarus was like that, and Emperor Lei Yu was more or less like that too so there's a high chance Zhao Li Xin had that trait too but we must believe Zhao Li Xin is his own man so maybe he doesn't look any of them if only someone will show the way.
"Therefore, we send you Lory"
"We...?" Lory gaped.
Marcus smiled then a pair of arms hugged Lory from behind "Arthea, Zian, Lei Yu, even Huo long"
"Mother!" Lory was stunned to see Lorenna smiling beautifully.
"My dear daughter, this has been a long journey for you," Lorenna cupped Lory's face as her eyes traced every feature on his face as if trying to engrave it in her mind.
Perhaps the greatest sacrifice he made was not being able to watch Lory and Lucas grow into the extraordinary men and women they were.
"Moms!" Lory jumped up from his seat and hugged Lorenna tightly "I miss you..." he whined like a child.
Lorenna stroked the back of Lory's head, "I miss you too, honey, but unfortunately, we don't have much time..."
Lory pulled her head and then looked at Lorenna in confusion.
"A gamble we all made at the end paid off, you did it, Lory!" Lorenna smiled proudly.
"What do I do?" Lory grew confused.
Lorenna exchanged happy glances with Marcus, they both looked calm as if a heavy weight had been lifted over their shoulders.
Marcus stood up from his seat and then strode toward the two most important women in his life he stroked Lory's head gently "You managed to change the most difficult thing to change, namely a person's heart" Marcus said.
"The bet is you will be able to teach him about love, joy, longing, sadness, and even fear. You make him realize not only the love between man and woman but also familial love also friendship and because of that he can do what Lazarus and Lei Yu never could..."
"What is it..." Lory frowned.
"He let go..." Lorenna's face dazzled with joy and warmth.
"He let go of his obsession by honoring your wish so he makes a decision, and that decision will affirm him as a savior of his world, a legitimate heir of the true first King!" Marcus's purple eyes were glowing with excitement and delight.
Lory was taken aback before slowly beaming, "I knew he could do it!"
"He does~" Lorenna squeezed Lory's cheeks cheerfully, "Now he's done her part and so should you"
"Me?" Lory pointed at herself with a puzzled look.
Marcus saw her foolish expression and then laughed out loud "Silly girl, didn't I tell you that our plan is to keep you alive?!"
"Yes, but before that is there one last painful thing you must do?" Lorenna looked at Lory with a regretful look.
Suddenly the scenery around her turned into an open field but this place was very familiar to her, it was a place inside Zhao Li Xin's spatial ring.
Before her, the giant red dragon appears from the red sky and then transforms into human form then walks toward Lory with an excited smile.
"Huo Long? but how?" Lory gasped in shock but Huo Long's face showed that he had known this for a long time.
"Princess, you have overcome your tribulations brilliantly, of course, I never doubted you, I knew you would be one!" Huo Long grinned widely, "When Arthea showed me the vision of you, there was no doubt in me that you would be the one to save us from our long regrets"
"Your regrets?" Lory tilted her head.
"Long ago there was a red dragon who was subdued by a powerful warrior but instead killed the dragon, the warrior showed mercy he even shove a miracle pill to the dragon's mouth to heal him from its injury though it's not in a gentle manner if I may say, nevertheless the dragon heart was moving so from then on he offered himself to serve the warrior so he took part of his bones and gave it to the young warrior to make a weapon"
"Crimson lightning sword" Lory widen her eyes.
"That's right, my dear princess." His expression turned melancholic, "From then on I accompanied the young warrior who would become known as the first emperor Lei Yu and watched him build the greatest empire human ever created I also saw him falling in loved, and later he gains a few offspring, it's not an exaggeration for saying he has a perfect life…unfortunately it's not last"
"Something happens with Emperor Lei Yu empress?" Lory already could guess from what she found in the palace ruined under the Yin Shan mountain that something terrible had happened in that place.
"Something had indeed happened to him… I had always reminded him that humans who were naturally greedy and selfish combined with great authority, influence, and ambition would find it difficult to resist deviations from morality and common sense, but my master refused to believe it, maybe because of guilt for what happened to his brother Zian, he thinks what happened to him it's unfair so he doesn't want to condemn other people without concrete evidence for the same reason, basically, he wants to be a fair Emperor"
"I see... that's why there are so many symbols of Lazarus in the palace because Emperor Lei Yu wanted Lazarus to be a part of his accomplishments as well as his life." Lory also understood why the red dragon symbol, Huo Long and Lazarus were placed in the same honorable position.
"How did you die Huo Long, how could a powerful being like you die?" Lory stares curiously at him.
Huo Long's face suddenly became heavy with emotion, "When my master saw what happened to his family, he too lost his mind and indiscriminately slaughtered everyone not only his enemies but also his innocent people, the young and the old they all die, and just like that the savior changed into a destroyer, still amidst his own madness there was still a part of him that sobber even for a quick moment, he begged me to stop him, over and over again he begged me so desperately, I can't take it anymore… so I did" His eyes were dimmed with pain and regret.
"You killed your own master..." Lory didn't blame Huo Long, but he pitied him because he couldn't imagine if the same thing happened to him where she would force Girsha to kill her then what would happen to Girsha, how could he live with himself after that?
"Since then my soul is forever cursed with guilt, shame, and anger, I can turn into an evil entity then one day I see a light fall from the sky like a shooting star so I make a wish on a whim but it's like a miracle I'm here Mystique realm inside the spatial ring and it was also where I met Arthea for the first time." The gloom on Huo Long's face gave way to one filled with hope.
"Arthea showed me the future that is the future Zhao Li Xin the only descendant of my lord left she showed Zhao Li Xin the tragic fate of how Zhao Li Xin will be used as a tool by Zian to take his revenge on the world in order to challenge the authority of gods so how I can remain silent and watch my master's descendants fall to the same tragic fate, no way!" anger throbbed in his veins even though he tried to control it.
"Zhao Li Xin said he found a spatial ring by accident.." Lory gave him a playful look.
Huo Long held back his laughter, "How can there be so many coincidences in life unless one wishes for it" Huo Long said meaningfully.
Lory pondered for a moment before turning her gaze back to Huo Long, "Is that Arthea?"
Long Huo's smile grew wider then he glanced at Lorenna and Marcus who was standing not far from them.
"Everything was carefully planned by him, your mother, your father, Zian, and I...we all bet on you, Lorient as well...Zhao Li Xin even though we could only provide a place and time for you two to meet we couldn't make you guys fall in love with each other but judging by your character we hope at least you will have sympathy for that poor boy"
"I think you all underestimated my husband's charms~" Lory pursed her lips.
Huo Long chuckles "I think we are..."
"It's time Huo Long..." Lorenna approached them with a sorry look.
A resigned smile flit across Huo Long face "Yes...it's the time I supposed"
Lory anxiously look between her parent and Huo Long she had a feeling it will not be a good thing.
Marcus and Lorenna approach Lory then together they hug Lory.
"I love you, Lory, wherever you are or whatever you do, please remember you are loved...so deeply" Lorenna's voice was croaky with suppressed sobs.
"Thank you for carrying your dignity as Lucient's daughter to the very end, you always make me proud beyond belief" Marcus hugged them tightly as he tried to savor his last moments with his daughter.
Tears welled up in Lory's eyes, it didn't need a word to know that this would be her last moment with her parents, Lory held both Marcus and Lorenna's arms so hard wishing time would stop this moment but she knew it was impossible because there was still so much to do he must do
Huo long looked up for a moment later his expression turned solemn, she looked at Lory and her family "Its time princess..."
Marcus and Lorenna let her go, meanwhile Lory wiped her tears and asked in bewilderment "Times for what?"
"Take your last Trinity fragment..." Huo Long raised his hand "The light I saw back then was the trinity fragment, your fragment is what gave me the power to create this perfect world that I missed so much it is also the one thing that sustained my soul to live on for so long"
"But if I do that then you…" Lory shook his head, the reason he didn't want to take the last shard was that it would be the same as killing Huo Long, so how could she do it?
Huo Long understood Lory's reluctance, "I don't need it anymore Lory, I only hold on for this long to ensure that my child would be saved and he had, I know you will save my child!"
Lory bit her lips as frustration, sadness, and anger wash over her like a violent tide hitting a small boat.
"You cannot save everyone Lory but you can honor their wish, just like Zhao Li Xin, it's time for you to let go...let go of all the guilt, the burden you carry, and just be happy for all of us!" Marcus face lit up with a warm smile.
Letting go is the hardest lesson humans have to learn whether it's guilt, resentment, anger, betrayal, or love as we fight so hard to hold on it was against our natural instinct to let go but sometimes that's the only thing you can do so you can move on.
Lory closed her eyes and then took a deep breath before slowly opening her eyes Lory stretch out her hand.
"Tell Zhao Li Xin that love him even more than my own kin, tell him to smile more, be happy so happy that he can't wipe his smile even when he sleeps" Huo Long's face was dazzled with happiness.
"I will!"
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