Chapter 1258 The Last Carnival
She held the small crystal tightly in her hand. Beneath the cold touch was a surge of warmth and a heavy heart.
"No ifs." She raised her head, met his gaze, and repeated his words from last night with an unprecedented firmness in her tone, "We, together."
A ripple flashed across Di Xuanming's deep eyes, which then turned into a deeper warmth. He nodded slightly: "Yes, together."
"Oh, alright, alright! Stop flirting!" Lan Xiaoxiao interrupted the overly solemn atmosphere with a smile, raised the wine glass in her hand,
"Come on! No matter whether we live or die tomorrow, today is A-Li's birthday! It's the day we can get together and drink and chat! For A-Li, for us, and for the City of Gods! Let's drink!"
"Cheers!" Mu Ze and the others responded immediately and echoed loudly.
Luo Li took a deep breath, suppressed the surging emotions in her heart, put on the brightest smile of the night, and picked up her wine glass.
Di Xuanming also raised his glass, his eyes sweeping over every lively face in the courtyard, finally landing on Luo Li.
The crisp sound of cups clinking together was heard, mixed with the hearty laughter of friends and relatives.
"Happy birthday!"
The blessing echoed in the small courtyard, dispelling the gloom on the eve of the decisive battle.
The strong liquor entered his throat, spicy and hot. This time, the warmth finally penetrated his limbs and reached the bottom of his cold and tense heart.
Luo Li looked at her friends and relatives who were chatting and laughing around her. The fear of loss and the heaviness of the future seemed to be briefly dispelled by the warm light at this moment.
She raised her glass, facing everyone's gaze, a clear light rekindled in her eyes, "Tonight, I won't leave until I'm drunk!"
Luo Li's clear voice was like a stone thrown into a quiet lake, instantly igniting the last bit of unbridled passion that had been suppressed for so long among the young people in the courtyard.
The cups collided again, and the wine splashed, with an almost tragic and heroic sentiment.
Mu Ze and Shen Fuzhou were arm in arm and started drinking. Xie Shiyuan pulled Lan Xiaoxiao aside and insisted on teaching her a strange toast song that was said to come from a great and powerful person. The tune was so twists and turns that Lan Xiaoxiao laughed and scolded.
Xuan Mu and Wen Xingyan raised their glasses and said, "Don't go home until you're drunk."
Bei Mingyu, Yue Hanchuan and Mo Yizhou looked at each other, and all three of them chuckled and shook their heads.
Ye Yichen embraced Feng Wuhen, who looked helpless, and looked at the two of them, "Why are you just standing there?"
Yue Hanchuan smiled slightly, "I don't play with fools."
"Hey," Ye Yichen put down his hand and rolled up his sleeves, "Yue Hanchuan, who are you calling a fool?"
Yue Hanchuan raised an eyebrow, "Whoever responds is the winner."
Everyone listened to their conversation and smiled knowingly.
Luo Qi sat aside, looking at this group of energetic children, with pure relief on his face. The black energy that spread to his neck seemed to fade a little in this noisy warm light.
Beside her were Luo Xiao, Luo Xiong and others, and her family was all by her side, but Qing'er was in her heart.
He took a sip of wine, his eyes following his daughter's figure tenderly.
Song Wanbai, Luo Yuanxiu and the other two brothers were discussing the city's defense in a low voice, occasionally looking up to join in the conversation.
The wine in the glass reflected the lights in the sky, as well as the words they had not said at the moment.
Even if the road ahead is an endless abyss, as long as we have each other by our side, we will have nothing to fear.
Luo Li held the wine glass, her cheeks flushed lightly from the wine and warmth.
She shuttled back and forth in the small courtyard, sometimes responding to Mu Ze's strange cries, sometimes being stuffed with a piece of greasy sweet pastry by Lan Xiaoxiao, and sometimes being dragged by Xie Shiyuan to drink half a glass of liquor.
Every time I turned around, I could always catch a glimpse of that inky figure out of the corner of my eye.
Di Xuanming did not join in the commotion. He just leaned against a spiritual tree in the corner of the courtyard, playing with an empty wine glass in his hand, but his eyes never left Luo Li in the center of the crowd.
The moonlight cast a gentle shadow on him, separating him from the hustle and bustle of the courtyard with an invisible barrier, yet strangely blending him into the warmth created for Luo Li.
Those eyes were focused and calm, as if guarding the most precious treasure.
When Luo Li looked at him again, he raised the empty cup in his hand, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly, but it was enough to make Luo Li's heart flutter.
Luo Li understood what he meant, pushed aside the noisy Mu Ze, and walked over with the wine jug.
The night wind blew by, bringing with it a cool breeze, and also blew away a few strands of hair on Luo Li's temples.
She stopped in front of Di Xuanming and looked up at him.
The shadows of the trees swayed on his handsome face, and her reflection was clearly reflected in his deep eyes, nothing else.
"Why are you hiding here alone?" Luo Li's voice was slightly drunk, and it was a little softer than usual.
"Look at the scenery." Di Xuanming's voice was low, his eyes still locked on her face, hinting at something.
Luo Li's cheeks became even hotter. She glared at him and refilled his glass.
"The soul guide you gave me..." she whispered, her fingertips subconsciously stroking her neck.
There, a pitch-black teardrop crystal strung on a very thin silver chain was touching her skin, carrying its unique cool breath.
"I love so much."
"Yeah." Di Xuanming responded and reached out, not to take the wine glass, but to hold her wrist holding the wine jug.
His palms were warm and the touch was clear.
Luo Li trembled slightly, and the wine jug almost slipped out of her hand, but he held it firmly.
"As long as it's there, I can find you." He looked at her and spoke each word in a low voice that carried great weight, "No matter where in the world, in the underworld."
Luo Li felt a burning sensation on her wrist where he was holding it. The heat burned through her blood vessels all the way to her heart, warming up the cold soul guide.
She looked at the determination in his eyes, and all her hesitation seemed to be dispelled by his gaze and words.
"Okay." She nodded heavily, holding his hand with her backhand, and drank the wine in the glass in one gulp. The spicy taste rushed into her throat, but it turned into a fearless courage, "No matter where in the world, where in hell, where in the sky."
The two held hands tightly under the tree, their eyes fixed, and the surrounding noise seemed to become a blurred background sound.
"Hey, hey, hey! Those two over there!" Shen Fuzhou interrupted in an inopportune voice, breaking the moment of gaze. "How can the birthday boy be lazy! Ah Li, come quickly, Mu Ze is cheating, you have to help me make him drink three cups!"
Lan Xiaoxiao also ran over and pulled Luo Li with a smile: "That's right!"
Di Xuanming released his hand, the soft light in his eyes still lingering as he nodded slightly at Luo Li.
Luo Li took a deep breath, suppressed the throbbing in her heart, and put a bright smile on her face again. She was surrounded by Lan Xiaoxiao and Shen Fuzhou and pulled back to the center of the bustle.
“Here it comes!”
The small courtyard was once again filled with chaos but not noise.
The wine jars were empty one after another. Even Luo Qi, who was usually restrained, was infected by the atmosphere and drank a few more glasses. Some color appeared on his pale face.
Even Di Xuanming was half-dragged and half-pulled into the drinking party by Mu Ze and Ye Yichen. Although he was still quiet, he did not refuse the wine glass handed to him.
At some point, the noise gradually died down.
Mu Ze was leaning on the stone bench holding a jar of wine and snoring. Ye Yichen was lying on the stone table, muttering "Again... again..."
An Shuxue and Lan Xiaoxiao sat on the steps, their heads leaning against each other, looking at the moon in the sky and whispering something, with drunkenness and a hint of confusion on their faces.
Yue Hanchuan, Bei Mingyu, Mo Yizhou and Feng Wuhen leaned back in their chairs, closed their eyes and rested. There was deep fatigue between their brows, but there was a hint of satisfaction at the corners of their mouths.
Luo Li also felt the alcohol rising up and her head felt a little heavy.
She looked around at the people who had been by her side during the most important moments of her life, and a feeling of fullness and bitterness settled in her chest.
A warm hand gently fell on her shoulder.
She looked up and saw Di Xuanming.
There was a hint of drunkenness in his eyes, but they were still clear.
"Tired?" he whispered.
Luo Li shook her head, then nodded, leaning into his strong arms, drawing on the reassuring strength.
She looked at her sleeping or tipsy companions, at her father, and finally her gaze fell towards the distant city wall.
There, the patrolling spiritualist's light still moves steadily in the night, like a sleepless fire dragon, guarding this patch of light and this briefly stolen peace.
"I really hope... this moment could last a little longer." She murmured, her voice as soft as a sigh.
Di Xuanming did not answer, but tightened his arms around her and looked towards the distant night sky that foreshadowed a storm.
The night deepened and the cold grew stronger.
The light of several spiritual lamps also became dim.
In the courtyard, cups and plates were scattered all over the place, and the smell of wine was still there.
The figures, some leaning, some leaning, are immersed in a brief moment of peace or sleep.
This warmth that is forcibly gathered on the edge of crisis is like a candle in the wind, burning weakly but stubbornly.
Luo Li leaned against Di Xuanming, feeling the steady heartbeat from his chest, and slowly closed her eyes.
When the sky turned pale, Luo Li woke up first.
The cold wind in the early morning made me regain most of my consciousness.
She gently broke free from Di Xuanming's embrace. He stayed with her all night. A few spiritual tree leaves wet with morning dew fell on his dark clothes, and his eyelashes cast a light shadow under his eyes.
The noise in the courtyard had long since died down.
Luo Qi sat on the stone steps, his back still straight, but his breathing was so light that it was almost inaudible, and the black energy on his neck showed hideous lines in the morning light.
Luo Li squatted down, took off her cloak, and gently covered her father's shoulders.
When her fingertips touched his slightly cool shoulder, Luo Qi's eyelashes trembled, but she did not open her eyes. She only whispered, "Go, Dad will stay here."
Her throat choked and she nodded. When she turned around, she met Di Xuanming's awake eyes.
He didn't say anything, but just took her hand, and the warmth of his palm dispelled the chill of the morning dew.
As the two walked side by side onto the city wall, the patrolling spiritualists were just changing shifts. Upon seeing them, their tired eyes brightened and they all bowed in greeting.
Luo Li hummed, her gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
The sky there was strangely darkening, as if it had been splashed with thick ink by an invisible hand, and even most of the light of the rising sun was swallowed up.
The last day...
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