Chapter 223 Earth Fire She won't wait for him to come back.

Jiang Yuhuo looked at the person in red in the mirror and suddenly felt dazed.

This is the second time I've worn a wedding dress.

The wedding dress was soft and beautiful, fitting her figure perfectly, but its color was a jarring red, as if it had been stained with blood.

Qingping said that this was woven by Jiayue himself, and that he had been weaving clothes for a very long time.

Qingping mentioned a time, which Jiang Yuhuo remembered; it was around that time that she and Li Mengbai made their contract.

At that time, he abandoned all pride and frantically searched for her.

Because of the broken contract, forming a bond became his obsession. He had tried countless times, both openly and secretly, and unconsciously caressed her fingers when they held hands.

Jiang Yuhuo knew.

So she decided to resolve his obsession before leaving.

Qingping styled her hair, adorned it with pearls, and put a crown on her, bestowing upon her a radiance that did not belong to her, making her somewhat dazzling.

"It's a pity that time is too tight. Otherwise, it would be even more beautiful when the thousand-year-old red snail in Bright Moon Valley produces the Crimson Necklace Pearl at the end of the month." Qingping pinned a huge sapphire in her hair, which sparkled brilliantly, but she still felt it wasn't enough.

Jiang Yuhuo smiled at her in the mirror.

She couldn't wait any longer; she had to form a pact quickly.

"That's already very good. Qingping, thank you."

Qingping smiled gently, "Miss Jiang, you're too kind. It's my honor to do your betrothal ceremony. From now on, I should address you as Your Majesty the Sea Queen."

She looked at Jiang Yuhuo and sighed contentedly, "It's wonderful. With you and the little prince, His Majesty has had a great time. The Sea Kingdom hasn't been this lively in a long time..."

Jiang Yuhuo remained silent.

"If Jingye saw this, she would be very happy too."

Jingye is Qingping's companion and also Jiayue's subject. She has been lying low in the Sea Kingdom since Jiayue was still in Tianque, and now she is his right-hand woman.

Jiang Yuhuo asked, "Will he come back to witness the marriage ceremony with you today?"

Jingye was sent to investigate Huofeng. If he returns, it means that nothing has happened at Huofeng yet.

In that case, she might be able to stay a little longer.

Qingping shook her head, "He was originally scheduled to come back before the end of the month, but now it seems he won't be able to make it."

The wedding date being moved up was something no one in the Sea Kingdom's royal palace had expected.

What is it that you can't catch up with?

When Jia Yue entered, she was also dressed in red, with her blue hair half-up and a silver crown band inlaid with sapphires on top of her head. A few strands of fine silver tassels hung down in her hair, shimmering with light.

Qingping smiled and answered a few questions before making an excuse to leave, leaving the two of them alone.

Jiang Yuhuo was momentarily stunned as she watched the person approaching.

Seeing her expression, Jia Yue lowered her eyes and chuckled softly, "In such a rush, there wasn't time for a proper makeover, so this is the only way to dress according to etiquette... What do you think?"

The clothes were without a single wrinkle, and the tassels were shimmering and clearly defined; this was certainly not something that could be achieved in a hurry.

Jiang Yuhuo nodded sincerely in agreement, "It's extremely beautiful."

Knowing that she liked shiny things, he tried to please her, hoping that she would like him a little more.

Even a single glance or a word of praise from her is enough to make him rack his brains.

Jiang Yuhuo hugged him, and while she sat, her face pressed against his stomach.

As if it could really sense her, the child, who was not usually active, stirred again.

Jia Yue stroked her hair, about to remind her to listen carefully, when she heard Jiang Yuhuo say, "Xiao Hai, thank you for your hard work."

Jia Yue smiled. Compared to the suffering she had endured in the past, what was this little hardship? Besides, this was something he had worked so hard to achieve—her child.

“I’ve heard people say that pregnancy and childbirth are very difficult, and if you have a naughty child, it can be even more exhausting…” She paused, “I just hope that Mu Chao is a sensible child and can make your suffering less.”

"You've forgotten, I'm a mermaid, naturally different from mortals. Don't worry, everything will be alright, I will give birth to her smoothly."

"Hmm... that's not enough. You also have to raise her yourself, teach her to read, teach her magic, take her to many places, and let her do what she likes..."

Jia Yue chuckled, "So what about you? Are you going to leave it all to me, just like choosing a name?"

“Of course, don’t you want to?” Jiang Yuhuo said matter-of-factly.

With her hand on her shoulder, Jia Yue pulled her close to her waist. "I'm willing... I'm willing to do anything as long as I'm with you."

Jiang Yuhuo was silent for a moment, then gently changed the subject, "I really want to see what she looks like when she grows up... She should be able to live for many years like a mermaid, right?"

"That's natural."

That way, I can stay with him forever, and he won't be alone in the future.

In the brightly lit palace of the sea kingdom, the merman who was about to be bound together had his arm around his partner's shoulder, patiently responding to her casual, seemingly silly words with a gentle smile.

...

Unlike the wedding ceremony on land, the covenant ceremony in the sea kingdom is held at moonset.

Having spent some time in the sea kingdom, Jiang Yuhuo learned to judge the time by the color of the seawater; the seawater is lighter in color in the morning.

In the shallow seawater, Jia Yue and her companion walked hand in hand from the palace to the temple.

Along the way, many merfolk who came to watch the ceremony gathered.

This was the first time Jiang Yuhuo had ever known that there were so many merfolk in the Sea Kingdom—men, women, children, and the elderly—and countless beautiful faces looking at her with a mixture of restraint and curiosity, revealing a restrained anticipation.

Jiang Yuhuo saw Bai Zhen and Qian Deng in the temple, and also saw Nan Xing, whom she had met once before. The little merman, who had been exiled by Jia Yue and could only return once in a long while, didn't look at her politely, but under the pressure of his brother, as part of the entire ceremony, he had no choice but to offer her a gift.

The etiquette was ancient and complicated, but Jiang Yuhuo patiently followed the established procedures step by step.

The entire temple suddenly shook.

There have been minor earthquakes in the sea kingdom these days, but the people only felt a little strange and the slight disturbance quickly subsided.

The initiation ceremony continued.

Two thin, golden lines are placed inside the shell.

Jia Yue took Jiang Yu Huo's hand; the next step was to tie the knot.

Jiang Yuhuo looked up, and Jia Yue placed her hand in hers at the same time. On the little finger of that hand, there was a faded mark.

In an instant, she had a premonition that her contract would not be completed.

As if to confirm her premonition, a ragged figure suddenly broke through the bustling crowd outside and rushed into the temple.

He disregarded the occasion and rushed straight to the two people who were about to form a bond.

"Your Majesty!" The newcomer seemed to be exhausted. He knelt down as soon as he approached. His body and fish tail were covered with many large and small burn wounds. He stared wide-eyed at Jia Yue.

"The ground erupted..."

Like a bolt of lightning striking the water, the crowd immediately erupted in chaos. Some hurriedly left to go home and seek refuge with their families, while others remained in the temple, awaiting the Sea King's instructions.

Qingping rushed to the person's side and asked anxiously, "Jingye, what's wrong?"

Jiang Yuhuo looked at the person in Qingping's arms and thought, "So he is Jingye. He still managed to come back on the day of the marriage ceremony."

Jia Yue's heart sank, equally caught off guard by the news. A hundred years ago, it was the same; on a peaceful day, earth-shattering news suddenly arrived.

Suddenly, his hand moved, and he looked down.

A golden light flashed between his fingers, and Jiang Yuhuo had already tied the binding thread to his hand.

His slightly flustered mind calmed down.

Jiang Yuhu handed him another binding thread and held out her hand, "Jiayue, it's your turn."

She waited calmly for him to tie the string for her, as if everything that was happening had nothing to do with them.

Jia Yue raised her hand, and the light of the Fallen Star flashed between her fingers. Wearing the Fallen Star meant taking on the responsibility of protecting the Sea Kingdom, but... if he went, he might never return, just like his mother.

What should she do?

"Hurry up!" the owner of the hand urged him.

Jia Yue took the contract thread and looked up to meet Jiang Yu Huo's dark, bright eyes.

"Xiao Hai, we made a promise."

We will be together in life and together in death.

Jia Yue nodded and smiled, "Yes, we agreed."

Another thread was tied, and the two hands interlocked their fingers, with the gold thread winding and flowing between their fingers, turning into a bright mark.

"Our hearts are bound together, and our vows will never change."

Amidst the chaos, two calm voices rang out simultaneously.

Contract completed.

Jiang Yuhuo released his hand with satisfaction.

Heaven forbade her to form a bond, but she insisted on doing so. Although she knew this bond would eventually fade away like the previous contract, she had made a promise.

This was one of the few things she could do for him.

She wanted him to have a companion, and for Mu Chao to have a mother.

Jia Yue methodically ordered his men to open the underground refuge passages and evacuate the crowd. He also assigned generals to relocate the citizens of the Sea Kingdom within the range of the Fire Peak. After doing all this, he was to take Jing Ye to the mouth of the Fire Peak to stop the fire from spreading further.

He kept Qingping behind and asked her to take good care of Jiang Yuhuo.

With tears in her eyes, Qingping solemnly agreed.

Before leaving, he glanced back at the red-clad figure in the hall one last time, then rushed back and embraced her tightly, wishing he could melt her into his very bones. "Fishing Light... wait for me to come back."

Jiang Yuhu remained silent in his arms for a long time, but kissed his cheek when they finally parted.

"Go ahead and don't worry," she smiled at him, "My husband."

The way she addressed him warmed his heart, and Jia Yue's eyes welled up with tears. He stared intently at her face, as if trying to etch it into his heart. He forgot that she hadn't actually agreed to his request.

She won't wait for him to come back.

...

His Majesty the Sea Emperor and Jingye have both left.

Amidst the increasingly frequent and violent earthquakes, Qingping evacuated the temple's inhabitants to the underground refuge passage. More than a hundred feet deep underground, the passage could block the subterranean fire. At the other end of the passage, it connected to the deepest, most unfathomable trench in the ocean. In dire circumstances, the merfolk hiding there could also seek refuge in the trench.

However, those mermaids and all living creatures in the sea that cannot escape in time may be reduced to ashes.

The seawater gradually became warmer; if it got any hotter, it would no longer be suitable for the merfolk to live in.

The entrances to the evacuation routes need to be closed as soon as possible.

As Qingping led the last remaining people, she caught a glimpse of the bright red figure who had been evacuating the crowd with her, still standing outside.

"Queen of the Sea, please seek refuge underground as soon as possible."

The figure did not move.

Qingping turned around.

Jiang Yuhu removed her silver crown, and the pearl hairpins and ornaments on her head fell to the ground, her neatly styled black hair falling loose. Without any adornment, her pure beauty was revealed.

A sword appeared in her hand. "Qingping, I'm leaving."

Qingping was shocked. "Where are you going? His Majesty wants you to wait for him to return."

"I won't wait any longer." She shook her head and smiled faintly. "Thank you for taking care of me these past few days... I'm very grateful for your help with the betrothal gifts."

"Don't go!" Qingping tried to step forward to stop her, but her body suddenly froze. Her heart was pounding with panic. "Queen of the Sea, don't go! His Majesty will definitely come back. What will he do if he doesn't see you when he returns...?"

But the person who had just formed a bond seemed to have already forgotten their partner, and only said to her, a complete stranger, "Finally... I have one more request." There was a slight apology in her eyes, and she sighed almost imperceptibly, "If possible, could you occasionally... help me take care of Mu Chao?"

Although the child has his father's company, he still longs for the love and care of female elders, something Jiang Yuhuo knows best.

Qingping's eyes were filled with tears, and her voice trembled with sobs, "No... Miss Jiang... don't go, don't abandon them..."

But the man simply drew his sword.

Qingping felt a lightness all over her body as she was transported to an underground shelter.

“Miss Jiang…”

A flash of sword light, and the stone door slowly closed, completely shutting out Qingping's cries from inside.

The figure, as red as fire, turned and left.

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Author's Note: I don't know if anyone will be bothered by the idea of ​​a male character having a child, but I'll say it anyway: the child won't appear in the main story, but will be mentioned in the side stories. [Dog head with rose in hand]