Chapter 23 — The Abyssal King Returns

After the coronation ceremony of the new Venerable Lord Nhiếp Bách Khương, a large banquet was held right in the royal garden of U Minh Thiên Cung to celebrate the beginning of a new era. All former gods, generals, and representatives of people from all over the world were invited to attend. The bustling atmosphere was completely different from the tense solemnity of the official ceremony during the day.

In the middle of the party, the new Venerable Lord Nhiếp Bách Khương stood up, raised his glass of wine, his eyes looked towards Bách Uyên who was sitting with Thục Di and Tiểu Yên at a nearby banquet table. "Before the party continues, I want to announce something."

The whole garden gradually became silent, all eyes turned to the new Venerable Master.

"My elder brother, Nhiếp Bách Uyên, sacrificed his ultimate power to save his daughter, and once again gave up the opportunity to return to the throne to cede to me an important responsibility that I am willing to devote all my life to not betray that trust," Nhiếp Bách Khương said, his voice resounding with emotion. "But I know, you brother still has another wish that has not been fulfilled, and today, I want to represent the entire U Minh Giới, officially tie the knot and bless you and the benefactor who saved the life of the little princess - female concubine Nghê Thục Di."

Thục Di's face turned red, she didn't expect to become such an unexpected center of attention in the middle of an important party. Bách Uyên grabbed her hand and stood up, his eyes filled with respect and a rare spark of mischief.

"It seems like my brother arbitrarily arranged something that I should have been the one to initiate," he said, making the whole garden laugh happily, dispelling the initially awkward atmosphere.

He knelt down on one knee in front of Thục Di, in the presence of all the courtiers and commoners, and took out from his chest a simple but delicately carved hairpin shaped like a lotus flower in the mist - a gift he had secretly asked a jeweler in the palace to personally craft all these days, inspired by the very symbol of the Pure Spirit Clan. The last brooch he ever held in his hand, seven years ago, had to be sold in a roadside pawn shop in exchange for a few coins to support his children, under the disdainful eyes of a strange shop owner. This time, the brooch in his hand was not in exchange for survival, but in exchange for a promise.

"Thục Di, from the day you saved me on the side of the Vân Khê Town road, you gave me and my daughter a home, a family, a reason to continue to hope in the darkest days. You not only saved Tiểu Yên's life with your blood, but also saved my heart from the loneliness that has haunted me for seven long years. I am no longer the Lord of any world, just an ordinary man, but I want to spend the rest of my life loving and cherishing you. Do you agree to become my life partner?"

Thục Di, tears rolling down her face but her mouth showing a bright smile like never before, nodded without hesitation. "I agree. From the night I decided to stop my horse on the side of the road, I knew that my fate would be tied to you and Tiểu Yên."

Cheers of congratulations echoed throughout the royal garden. Tiểu Yên jumped with joy and hugged the two people she loved most in the world. "I knew it! I knew dad would propose to you anyway!"

Chung Diệu Nga stood looking at that scene, tears of joy rolling down her face, which had many wrinkles of age. She never dared to dream that the day her student, the orphan girl she picked up to raise, would have such complete happiness, not only finding true love but also discovering the origin of her own noble bloodline.

Chu Bách Thành, Diệp Uyên Thanh and all the old gods also raised their cups to congratulate, the atmosphere of the royal garden was filled with laughter and happiness, like a complete ending to the many sufferings that everyone had gone through together during the long journey just now.

"Who would have thought that the day we risked our lives to rush into Huyền Khương Hall Square would end with such a happy scene." Chu Bách Thành laughed, patting Diệp Uyên Thanh's shoulder standing next to him, the wine cup in his hand swaying with each rhythm of his cheerful laughter.

"That's because everything we do comes from a righteous cause," Diệp Uyên Thanh replied, her eyes looked towards Bách Uyên and Thục Di who were holding hands in the congratulatory crowd. "The sky has eyes, and in the end it will not disappoint those who persevere in maintaining righteousness."

Nhiếp Bách Khương stood looking at that warm scene of reunion from afar. In his heart, a strong determination arose to build a dynasty worthy of the sacrifice and trust that his elder brother had placed in him, so that no one in this kingdom would ever have to suffer separation and injustice like what their family had experienced during the past seven dark years.

"Your Majesty... no, brother." Nhiếp Bách Khương corrected his address and walked over to raise a cup with Bách Uyên. "I wish you and your sister-in-law a hundred years of happiness, forever together."

"Thank you," Bách Uyên replied, raising his cup in response, his eyes filled with indescribable joy. "And thank you for giving me the opportunity to live life to its fullest."

The party lasted until late at night, under the shimmering lanterns hanging throughout the royal garden, mixed with melodious music and the bustling laughter of hundreds of people who had gone through an arduous journey together to get to this day.

While everyone was still chatting, Thục Di pulled Bách Uyên's hand away from the crowd and went to a quieter corner of the garden, where one could see the whole scene of sparkling lights reflecting on the small lake in the middle of the royal garden.

"Do you remember, the first day we met, I didn't even know your real name?" She asked, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Remember, at that time I only dared to say my last name was Nhiếp, hiding both my position as Venerable Lord and everything related to my past." Bách Uyên smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "I never thought that such a half-hearted lie could lead to such true love."

"I never thought that stopping my horse to save a stranger who had collapsed on the side of the road would change my life so much," Thục Di replied, looking up at him with eyes full of love. "But I don't regret it one bit, despite all the dangers I've had to go through."

"Me too," he said softly, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "If I had to choose again from the beginning, I would still choose this path, even if I have to give up the throne a hundred times more, as long as at the end of that path there will still be you and Tiểu Yên waiting for me."

The night wind gently shook the willow branches by the lake, carrying the gentle scent of the primrose flower that only blooms at night in U Minh Giới, blending with the distant music echoing from the party, creating a romantic scene that both wanted to engrave forever in their memories.

They stood quietly together for a long time, letting that moment of peace settle, before Tiểu Yên ran over and pulled both of their hands back to the party. "Dad, Miss Thục Di, everyone is waiting for another toast!"

The three of them held hands and walked back into the bright lights of the party, Tiểu Yên's laughter rang out clearly in the space filled with joy, a sound that Bách Uyên knew she would never get tired of hearing, even if she had to hear it for the rest of her life.

In the following days, while waiting for the official wedding to be prepared according to the rituals of both worlds - partly according to U Minh Giới tradition, partly according to the simple customs of the human world that Thục Di and Chung Diệu Nga always cherish - Bách Uyên took Thục Di to visit all the most beautiful lands of U Minh Giới that she had never had the opportunity to fully admire before because she was always worried about everyone's safety.

Together they stood on top of a sacred mountain, looking down at the panorama of U Minh Giới stretching out under the brilliant sunset, majestic rocky mountains, glowing lingwood forests, winding rivers like silver silk ribbons. Thục Di held Bách Uyên's hand tightly, feeling a complete peace that she had never felt in the past twenty-two years of her life.

"Thank you, sir, for giving me the opportunity to see such a beautiful world, and more importantly, to find myself through this journey," she said, her voice filled with emotion.

"It was you who gave me and my daughter a life worth living," Bách Uyên replied, pulling her into his arms. "We have a whole life ahead of us to explore many more beautiful things together."

Bách Uyên and Thục Di stood together under the moonlight, hand in hand, looking at Tiểu Yên playing with other children in the yard, their hearts filled with a peace that they both knew, this was just the beginning of a new happy chapter in their lives.