Chapter 471: A Life Sliced from Beginning to End

"Hahaha, good, good. You, this stubborn disciple, have finally gotten married."

A withered, wrinkled hand slapped Xu Xi's shoulder heavily.

His face was amiable.

His laughter was hearty and bright.

"Thank you for coming, teacher."

"What nonsense are you talking? How could a Master not come? This Master is still waiting to hold his disciples' and grandchildren's children. Don't you slack off."

——

"Brother Xu, I'm here!"

A simple, honest face beamed with a brilliant, excited smile.

Behind A-Niu were his wife holding their small child and his elderly, aged-looking mother.

Further behind them,

were hundreds, thousands of people from the Qiuhuo Army.

"Xi-geer, we brought you a top-grade wild ginseng root! It's miraculously effective for… bedchamber affairs!"

"We finally get to see the Great Master get married."

Xu Xi's expression was gentle as he responded to each person who greeted him, accepting gifts from their hands and watching them enter the wedding venue.

It was a vast open area.

Enveloped and stabilized by the Spatial Laws.

Only those holding an invitation could cross the barrier and enter inside.

"Brother Xu, we're going in first!"

"Go ahead, A-Niu."

——

"Cough! Cough, cough!"

Dragon wings beat, generating a storm.

The landing Red Dragon folded its wings, shrinking back with hesitation as it cautiously offered up a wooden chest.

Sensing Xu Xi's confusion,

Rexanches Astartes Nesario Acnologia Cakkarogita took the initiative to explain: "Lord Dragon Speaker, this is a small token of my esteem for you. Please accept it."

The two dragon claws rubbed together, its expression a mix of fawning and heartache.

"Thank you." Xu Xi opened the chest to see it filled with glittering, golden treasures.

These treasures were useless to Xu Xi.

But for the Red Dragon, parting with its little hoard was no less painful than being sliced by a small knife a hundred million times—a true heartache in every sense.

"Alright, alright, go on in."

Seeing the Red Dragon lingering reluctantly, its gaze fixed on the treasure chest, unwilling to move for the longest time,

Xu Xi urged it away with a smile, making room for the guests behind.

——

"Son-in-law, these are the Young Miss's dowry items. Shall we leave them here for now, or have them delivered directly to your home?"

"It's fine, leave them here for now."

"Sir…"

"A-Xi…"

"Mr. Xu…"

Familiar or unfamiliar.

The family and friends of Xu Xi and the five girls entered the venue one after another.

Today was the formal wedding day.

Even if someone forgot, the invitations would spontaneously break through boundaries and Transmigrate, so no one was absent.

The sky was clear, with pale pink petals forming a curtain of rain, slowly drifting down from above onto the paths, flower beds, and carpets of the wedding venue.

The blazing sun and candlelight shone in mutual reflection.

Hearts and hearts intertwined.

Amidst the sounds of joy and laughter, the guests walked deeper into the spatiotemporal area—a wedding structure that harmonized red festivity with sacred blessings.

"Everyone who should come has come. So, only my side is left."

Xu Xi withdrew his gaze.

The guests had all arrived, and the groom was ready, but the girls he was to marry had not yet arrived.

"Did they run into some mishap?"

Xu Xi calculated the time in his heart, feeling that Mo Li and the others should have arrived long ago. Just as he was about to inquire across space, he received a message from the girls first.

The content was brief.

Informing Xu Xi that they had already entered the venue ahead of time and that he need not wait any longer.

"When did they go in?"

Xu Xi was somewhat surprised.

Late autumn, early winter. The outside world had bone-chilling winds like carving knives, ruthlessly whipping the branches into chaotic noise, forming a stark contrast with the warm brightness of the wedding venue.

Xu Xi glanced towards the direction of the distant Courtyard.

Confirmed that the Courtyard was empty.

Then he strode towards the spatiotemporal barrier leading into the wedding venue.

"I have a feeling they're planning something behind my back."

Gurgle—

Gurgle—

Darkness surged, silent stillness transforming into waves that crashed upon the chaotic spatiotemporal passageway.

Xu Xi's guess came true.

The moment he crossed the barrier, instead of entering the wedding venue directly, he arrived at a passageway independent of space and time, blurred yet bright, rather like that path in the Sea of Possibilities.

He didn't grow anxious because of this.

Xu Xi walked along this passageway.

Traversing through the darkness, waiting for the girls' "surprise."

"Wait, this is…" The dark scene burst with light, images of famine flashing rapidly—the human suffering Xu Xi had once experienced and witnessed.

In his moment of stunned bewilderment, he noticed the sound of crying beside his ear.

He looked down.

Found it was a baby girl swaddled in cloth.

Without hesitation, Xu Xi bent down and picked her up. The instant he held her, the "baby girl" grew heavy.

"Elder brother, I won this bet."

Brilliant light blossomed.

A girl in red wedding robes lay laughing in Xu Xi's arms, swinging her legs in a princess-carry pose.

Xu Xi didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Mo Li, why did you appear this way?"

"And what does 'bet' mean?"

Xu Moli extended her pale arms, wrapping them around Xu Xi's neck, feigning mystery: "This is the surprise we prepared for you, elder brother."

"As for the bet…"

"I told the others that as soon as elder brother saw me, he would pick me up immediately. The result is obvious—I won."

As she spoke,

Mo Li's expression was quite smug.

Her features were like a painting, adorned with red makeup, golden ornaments clinking softly with the sway of her body.

"Mo Li, the others…"

Xu Xi was about to ask something when the tactile sensation in his arms lightened. The girl in wedding robes vanished, and the path darkened once more.

Xu Xi became thoughtful.

Vaguely understanding the content of the subsequent surprises.

Drip—

Drip—

Filthy water dripped from a pipe, falling to the ground, forming foul-smelling, muddy puddles.

A familiar scene.

A familiar appearance.

But what was different was that she no longer held that knife in her hand.

"Klisa, come home with me." Xu Xi walked up to that pitiful, fragile little figure, actively crouched down to align his gaze with hers.

Reached out, gently taking hold of the fingers stained with dirt and grime.

"Yes, Mentor."

The discarded "item" took a step forward on its own.

Transforming into a person within the light, clad in pure white gauze, standing intimately beside Xu Xi, linking arms to walk together.

"I'm sorry, Mentor."

"Why are you apologizing to me all of a sudden?"

"Because I didn't inform you beforehand, acting on my own to prepare such a thing for you."

"It's alright, Klisa. I like this kind of surprise very much."

His words paused.

His expression gentle and peaceful: "Moreover, it reminds me of things from the past. They are all precious memories."

The witch smiled.

Then, she too vanished into the darkness.

Xu Xi continued walking forward. When the light appeared again, he saw the County Princess, her robes stained with blood, leaning against a tree root in a wretched state.

The moment she saw Xu Xi,

she eagerly waved: "Sir, save me, quick!"

Her appearance was miserable, but her voice was full of vigor, making Xu Xi laugh.

"Yingxue, let me help you up."

"Aiya, no, no! Only if Sir carries me on his back can I barely manage to survive, that sort of thing."

Amidst the County Princess's shameless antics,

Xu Xi bent down, letting her climb onto his back, supporting the County Princess as he continued onward.

Groom carrying bride.

It seemed only right and proper.

"Hehe, Sir is still the best to me." The light transformed into a setting sun, sweeping away the last lingering rays, leaving a red trace on the girl's face.

She happily planted a kiss on Xu Xi's cheek.

Then she too disappeared.

Xu Xi kept walking.

Not long after, he encountered a cluster of light.

No human form, no other shape. Like scattered stars, twinkling as they hung upon the dark path.

That cluster of light was not conspicuous.

As Xu Xi passed by, the breeze between his steps attracted it and brought it to his side.

Circling, running.

Slowly, blending, delineating, the hazy light beside Xu Xi gradually acquired its own beautiful form.

In its fluttering dance, it crashed into Xu Xi's embrace, hugging him.

"Ele is very happy to serve you, Master."

"Welcome back, Ele."

Xu Xi smiled, reaching out a hand to gently stroke Ele's head, happy to witness Ele's growth once again.

"Master, when are we having children?"

"Huh? Isn't it a bit too early to talk about that now?"

"Negative. Master and I have been husband and wife for over a thousand years. In human terms, we are an old married couple. It is not early."

The loyal Mech-Servant continuously listed various data points.

Her words were so forceful,

that Xu Xi couldn't handle it.

But soon, Ele's figure vanished into the darkness, leaving Xu Xi alone once more on the walking path.

"The last one must be Sevia then…"

Xu Xi stretched out his hand.

Discovered the dark passage had turned a gray hue, with wandering souls穿梭 and skeletons reviving.

A despairing black sun and a blood moon hung separately on either side of the passage.

And ahead,

the "False Hero" encased in heavy armor had long been trapped in a lonely cage, mechanically swinging a sword over and over, fulfilling a duty that no longer existed.

Until Xu Xi walked over and removed the helmet that hid the ugliness for the Hero.

A miracle was born here.

The horribly mutilated face rapidly recovered. The碧绿色 in the pupils, like the clearest emeralds, reflected Xu Xi's features.

"Sevia, let's go."

No sweet nothings.

With just the simplest invitation, Sevia laughed.

When her hand touched Xu Xi's, the heavy armor covering her body rippled and transformed into a pure white wedding dress, cinched at the waist with a soft silk ribbon.

"Lord Wizard, I have finally become your bride."

In the Hero's tone

was unconcealable joy and excitement.

Xu Xi added: "Only after this wedding concludes will it be considered true Perfection."

Sevia nodded: "You are right. Then let's hurry."

As if unable to wait any longer,

Sevia grabbed Xu Xi's arm and ran towards the end of the spatiotemporal passage. In just two or three minutes, a large gate appeared within sight.

It stood in the darkness, nothing special about it.

No spring flowers in bloom.

No antiquity from the passage of time.

Just an ordinary gate that, with a slight push, would lead into the wedding venue.

Xu Xi stood before the gate.

His fingers gripped the handle, but he delayed pushing it open.

"Sir is too dawdling!"

"Move aside, move aside, I'll open it!"

The several girls who had earlier vanished into the darkness reappeared beside Xu Xi.

Wu Yingxue urgently, while Xu Xi still held the handle, stacked her hand further over the back of his and applied force to push the gate open.

Even Klisa, usually emotionally aloof,

now became assertive.

Pushing against Xu Xi's back from behind, forcibly shoving Xu Xi into the wedding venue.

"Woo-hoo!!!"

Inside the venue, bright lights illuminated the hall.

Everyone was cheering loudly.

The noise was too chaotic, causing Xu Xi's thoughts to drift, waves of emotion rippling in his heart.

He walked in his formal attire through the area of red festivity, then through the area of sacred purity, and finally, under the gaze of everyone, spoke the wedding vows.

His voice distorted amidst the myriad-colored light rays.

It was a promise to the girls.

Whether in favorable or adverse circumstances, whether in life or death, until the end of the world, they would not be parted because of it.

"I do! I do!"

Someone preempted the others.

Someone quickly seized the spot beside Xu Xi.

Someone tossed a Wooden Sword to Xu Xi.

"Elder brother, use this to cut the ribbon."

"Thanks, Mo Li."

Whoever arranged for a large red ribbon-cutting ball at today's wedding, symbolizing adding blessings and cutting away misfortune, was unknown. Xu Xi gripped the Wooden Sword, made a couple of practice swings in the air to test the feel.

Finally, aimed at the middle of the red silk.

"Swish!!"

Cut in two.

This blood-stained Wooden Sword was so sharp, it sliced Xu Xi's life from beginning to end.

(Originally planned to finish the story with this chapter, but looking at the total word count, it's almost at a million. Might as well write a bit more slice-of-life to round it off to a million words for a nice-sounding conclusion.)