Chapter 8 — The Peacock's Vow

And so, I ignited the flames of war once more, driven by the desperate desire to reclaim her. Yet, I never imagined that my obsession would be the very thing that cost her life. Had I foreseen such a tragic outcome, I would never have drawn my blade. Together with the Peacock King, I channeled our combined essence to resurrect her, sending her back to the world from which she originated. I knew then, as I know now, that she did not belong to this realm, nor did she truly belong to me.

Side story of Du Canh Xuyen: I never suspected my wife was a woman of such loose morals, nor that I would eventually catch her in bed with another man. I imprisoned her, only to be met with sudden reports that the Sea Tribes were declaring war upon my domain. I rose to meet them in battle, but in the chaos, I received a frantic telepathic message from her, claiming her elder sister was attempting to abduct her by force. Though I felt no genuine affection for this woman who was only my wife in name, I felt a heavy duty to protect her. I rushed to the scene and, with a single, decisive strike, claimed the life of her sister. It was only then, in the chilling silence that followed, that I realized my wife had framed her own sibling. Her sister had been deceived, and the weight of that truth left me consumed with agonizing regret.

Fate, however, granted me a reprieve. I was reborn. This time, the woman I had once unjustly executed became my wife. Initially, I treated her with kindness out of a crushing sense of guilt, but as the days turned into years, I discovered a soul far different from her sister's. She was gentle, meticulous, and profoundly kind. Slowly, I found myself unable to imagine a life without her. I realized, with a start, that I had truly fallen in love. Knowing she did not belong to this world, I began searching for a way to return her to her home. To my horror, I learned that I would have to sacrifice my own life to grant her that departure. I did not fear death, but I feared the eternity of never seeing her again.

The Sea Tribes, just as in my previous life, launched an assault, even daring to covet my wife. I met them on the battlefield, as I was bound to do. Yet, she was so foolish, sacrificing her own life to shield me. Even the Dragon King looked on in disbelief. The war halted the very moment she breathed her last. A life for a life. Just as I prepared to expend my own existence to resurrect her and send her home, the Dragon King intervened. Together, we poured half of our divine power into a ritual to return her to her world.

In the aftermath, the longing for her grew into an unbearable ache. I yearned to see her, to traverse the boundaries of existence to find her in her own world. I exhausted every forbidden method, yet all proved futile. Then, I recalled the day she first fell from the heavens during the war. I sought out that mystical mirror and placed her jade pendant upon it. Miraculously, I arrived in her world, though the timeline was several months behind my own.

This world is vast, filled with countless souls; finding her was like searching for a single needle in an ocean. Therefore, I decided I would make myself an unmissable beacon. I would burn so brightly that she would inevitably see me, and she would know I had come to find her. On the day she finally awoke, I was already there, waiting. She appeared, just as I had prayed. With a heart trembling in my chest, I stepped forward. Tears streamed down her face as she threw herself into my arms. Bach Lac, I have missed you so terribly. It seems she had been waiting for me, too.

The End.