You're Strong But Now You're Mine-Chapter 558 - 556: Three Wishes

"Time has passed excessively, and I've forgotten much from my childhood. I only remember that both my father and mother were hunters. They found us surviving children in the slaughtered human villages and brought us back to the secluded mountains to raise us."

"Mother couldn't bear children, which might explain why she loved kids and was willing to raise us even in such turbulent times. She and father were formidable hunters, and although the mountains lacked clothes and salt, the four of us brothers grew up robustly."

"At that time, I didn't have the surname Ming, nor did I have a name."

At this moment, Tea Shiyin suddenly showed a smile, and the faint light on him fluctuated accordingly: "Let me ask you all a question—our fourth brother is called Ah Si, I am called Ah San, our second brother is called Ah Er, so what is our eldest brother called?"

Ming Shuiyun cautiously replied: "Ah Yi? Ah Da?"

"No, he's called Ming Huiyao." Tea Shiyin revealed a look of reminiscence: "He's truly someone born with knowledge. He said that sun and moon together form 'Ming', hence he adopted Ming as our surname; he said the sun shines and the moon glows, hence he chose Huiyao for his name. He always had many ideas and was always leading us. Even our physically strong and rough second brother would obediently listen as long as eldest brother glared at him. It was precisely because of eldest brother that our parents were reassured enough to leave us in his care when they went hunting."

Le Yuxin's heart stirred, vaguely realizing something. Tea Shiyin looked at him: "This is why I can't wield the Holy Sword Huiyao—the Holy Sword Huiyao is eternally linked with eldest brother's bloodline, and I, without the blood relation, can only borrow the power of the Holy Sword, but can never wield its authority."

"The second question, how was the Absolute Divine Weapon created?" Le Yu asked: "The historical records conflict on this. Some say the Grand Ancestor made it, others say he accidentally acquired it, while in 'Chronicle of the Grand Ancestor', it states the four Absolute Divine Weapons were gained by your four brothers from the Celestial Gods!"

"You've noticed it." Tea Shiyin chuckled: "'Chronicle of the Grand Ancestor' was written by me."

"Although they weren't obtained from Celestial Gods, it's almost similar. But that's a story meaningless to the present; the twenty-four Divine Weapons are indeed a rare resonance in the world. Do you really wish to hear it?"

Le Yu held Ming Shuiyun's hand and raised it, a clear flowing bridge of light formed between Ming Shuiyun and Tea Shiyin, as if some invisible gift was transferring from Tea Shiyin to Ming Shuiyun.

"You should have ample time to tell stories before the ceremony ends."

"This story starts with eldest brother bringing a meteorite home." Tea Shiyin said: "Though called a meteorite, it appeared like countless black circles stacked together, a craftsmanship whose unique aesthetic could not be replicated by any artisan of this era."

"Whenever eldest brother slept with that meteorite, the next day he could share plenty of delicious food with us. Fried chicken, roasted wings, pan-roasted delights… My favorite was a dessert named pudding, second brother preferred greasy fried foods, and fourth brother loved those sweet drinks…"

"Moreover, eldest brother's strength increased steadily. He led us down the mountains and easily annihilated a Barbarian Race unit, saving a human village."

"During the days of following eldest brother, we enjoyed the benefits he brought us and simultaneously grew curious about that meteorite."

Le Yu asked: "Did you then also interact with that meteorite?"

"No, eldest brother repeatedly warned us not to touch the meteorite, even if we were itching to, we didn't dare defy his orders." Tea Shiyin shook his head: "Until we returned from outside and saw that only father was left at home."

"It seemed that after eldest brother slaughtered the Barbarian Race unit, it caught their attention, and a barbarian squad entered the forest, encountered father and mother while hunting… They decided to run separately, and mother deliberately made noises to lure away the barbarians… Only father survived, having lost a hand."

"That day, for the first time, we argued with eldest brother. Second brother believed that if eldest brother had allowed everyone to gain strength, mother wouldn't have died, and father wouldn't have lost a hand. Eldest brother didn't refute, he healed father's broken arm but continued to forbid anyone from touching the meteorite."

"Yet the three of us brothers had resolved, and one night, stole the meteorite, hoping to gain power comparable to eldest brother."

"What happened next was quite similar to what's recorded in 'Chronicle of the Grand Ancestor'."

Le Yu recalled: "You wished upon the meteorite, and then obtained Divine Weapons?"

"Even now, I can't accurately describe what transpired that night…" Tea Shiyin sighed: "That meteorite seemed to be a… rechargeable tool. It told us that it was low on energy, so it only had a game called 'Sacrifice'. If it had sufficient energy, it could provide more games…"

"Under its guidance, we three brothers entered 'Sacrifice'. 'Sacrifice' gave us trials based on the treasures we desired, and upon completing them we received the treasures."

"It also informed us that once one possessed a treasure from 'Sacrifice', one must pay a corresponding price, advising us not to hold them ourselves… But without obtaining the treasures, why would we even accept the trials?"

"Second brother wished to resurrect mother, entering a trial called 'Devour Hundred Bones'; fourth brother sought to escape worldly conflicts, entering a trial called 'Good and Evil Clash'; and I wished to survive, entering a trial called 'Slay Every Demon'…"

"Eventually, we all came out alive, carrying the treasures we wished for."

At this point, Tea Shiyin suddenly paused. Ming Shuiyun quietly whispered to Le Yu: "Is he stumped about how to continue? It sounds so fake."

"Shuiyun Palace, have you heard the saying: the fact that it sounds too fake makes it true." Tea Shiyin smiled: "I've decided not to reveal the contents of the trials. Not only is it meaningless, even saying it makes me feel disgusted."

"What happened afterward?" Le Yu asked: "Your eldest brother discovered your private actions, he must have been furious?"

"Yes, so he directly smashed the meteorite."

Tea Shiyin said: "He initially wanted to bear all the costs alone, but unexpectedly, still let us become entangled… Of course, back then we didn't comprehend eldest brother's goodwill, only thought he was too domineering and too ruthless."

"Those fragments were gathered, and by the Lie Sect, were forged into eight Illusion Divine Weapons. The remaining scraps were taken by the Lie Sect, forged into twelve Extreme Divine Weapons… This is the origin of the twenty-four Divine Weapons."

"Perhaps there are still some fragments left in the world, but they are insufficient to be used as primary material for Divine Weapons."

"This is the story of the Divine Weapons." Tea Shiyin turned to Le Yu: "Do you believe it?"

Le Yu was silent for a moment, not answering whether he believed it or not: "Third question—"

"Why don't you ascend the throne and become an immortal emperor, allowing the world to forever enjoy peace?"

"Why do you think I've never been emperor?" Tea Shiyin laughed: "Moreover, what does an immortal emperor have to do with the world enjoying eternal peace?"

"You possess sufficient ability and wisdom, your longevity could keep you at the pinnacle of power, you—"

"And then I can become the wise ruler who ensures the world remains in perpetual prosperity?" Tea Shiyin couldn't help but chuckle: "Le Yin, I thought you were quite intelligent, but unexpectedly you harbor such naïve heroism… Do you know who, apart from the Grand Ancestor, ruled for the longest duration in history?"

Le Yu hadn't really read much, he looked at Ming Shuiyun who blurted out: "The Lie Sect!"

Tea Shiyin said: "Shuiyun Palace, do you remember how the Lie Sect's historical evaluation is?"

"Heroic beyond compare, but became foolish in old age." Ming Shuiyun recited the knowledge learned in the Imperial Academy: "In the latter period of the Lie Sect's reign, factional disputes were fierce, aristocratic land acquisitions severe, the imperial court was chaotic, and due to the issue of no heirs the Imperial Family fell into disorder, until the Lie Sect abdicated to the Wen Sect, purifying the court, thus establishing the 'Lie Wen Reformation'."

Le Yu suddenly understood, asked: "Why did the heroically incomparable Lie Sect become foolish later?"

"Because they're human, not a political machine, much less divine." Tea Shiyin sighed: "Trust was betrayed without detection; beloved ministers made mistakes, he couldn't bear to punish; busy official duties tiresome, hence rarely reading memorials; the melodious music in the Imperial Court drowned out the cries of the people outside."

"Many believe if benevolent rulers and loyal ministers could forever reside in the court, the world will remain peaceful, but that's a mistaken thought. Oftentimes, the rise and fall of the world is historical law, heroes are merely drivers, not rulers; instead, healthy regime transitions effectively ease social contradictions, promoting fluid class movement."

"The so-called 'A new emperor means a new court,' is not only the alternation of political teams but also an inevitable flow of classes."

Cha Shiyin looked at Le Yu: "Your questions are, in fact, just one question—You think I have the power to control the rise and fall of the world, and you believe I am unwilling to act, letting the world decay to this point. But in reality, I have made many attempts, and the reality tells me that I am just an immortal... mediocrity."

At this moment, Ming Shuiyun glowed intensely, with every inch of her skin seemingly covered with a flowing radiance. Her every move seemed to hold immense power, and even her gaze made Le Yu feel the heat. In contrast, Cha Shiyin's glow faded away. Although his appearance was that of someone in their twenties, he exuded the aura of an aged dying flame, as if he might wither and decay at any moment.

"The fourth question," Le Yu asked, "What is the method to end the suspension of the Holy Sword?"

"My life."

"But you are immortal, and what does your life have to do with the Holy Sword?"

"I am immortal, but that doesn't mean I can't lose my life," Cha Shiyin chuckled, "As for why my life can end the suspension of the Holy Sword... How do you think the Holy Sword Huiyao drives the celestial light across ten thousand miles? With your knowledge, guess— the principle of the Holy Sword is quite simple."

Le Yu pondered for a moment: "The prerequisite to controlling light is abundant spiritual power... so essentially the Holy Sword grants the Sword Master a vast spiritual power capable of altering heaven and earth."

"Correct," Cha Shiyin nodded, "But spiritual power doesn't come out of nowhere, especially when it is thousands of times greater than oneself... where do these spiritual powers come from? Here's a hint, the First Charter."

The First Charter, the brilliance of the Huiyao Charter shines upon all citizens, and all Huiyao people must have the Luminous Stone chip implanted from a young age to activate their spiritual power...

Le Yu suddenly realized: "The people!"

"The essence of the Holy Sword Huiyao is actually just a tool for receiving spiritual power," Cha Shiyin explained, "Why can the Holy Sword Huiyao control celestial light across ten thousand miles? Because the one wielding the sword is not just the emperor, but the millions of people living on Huiyao soil!"

"Once you understand this, you will understand the strange rules of the Holy Sword Huiyao. Why does the Holy Sword become suspended when an emperor dies childless? Because the essence of the Holy Sword's inheritance is not just bloodline, but more importantly, the recognition of the people!"

"In a normal succession, even if the emperor dies, the people know who the next emperor is, and the spiritual power will connect with the new emperor through the Holy Sword Huiyao; however, if an emperor dies childless, the people don't know who the next emperor is, and they lose the connection with the Holy Sword Huiyao, causing it to be suspended!"

"Why does the Holy Sword need to be suspended for twenty years to be used again? Twenty years is actually just a fictional number, essentially when most people desire the Holy Sword Huiyao to suppress the world, the Holy Sword Huiyao will awaken its power, and after a decade of chaos, the people will naturally yearn for the salvation of the Holy Sword Huiyao."

"So," Cha Shiyin asked, "Can you now guess why my life can end the suspension of the Holy Sword?"

"Because you are the Luminous Lie Sect."

Le Yu understood completely: "The spiritual power of the people, besides flowing to the emperor, also concentrates towards the enlightened rulers passed down for thousands of years among the people, such as the Grand Ancestor, such as the Lie Sect. Although I don't know how you do it, you seem to be trying to deceive the Holy Sword Huiyao, letting it consider the people's spiritual power flowing towards you as flowing towards Ming Shuiyun!"

Cha Shiyin smiled and nodded: "Besides your naive hero view, you're still quite clever in other aspects."

"What price do you need to pay?"

"I already said, my life."

"But you won't die."

"But I will be utterly annihilated," Cha Shiyin shrugged, "The price of deceiving the Holy Sword Huiyao is hefty."

Le Yu was slightly stunned: "Then how will you come back to life?"

Cha Shiyin countered: "Where do you think the source of my immortality comes from?"

This question had no second answer. Le Yu pointed to the eastern sun: "Light."

"After I am utterly annihilated, maybe in a few decades, maybe in Huiyao, maybe on the west continent, light will reweave my body."

"The Absolute Divine Weapon will never allow the bearer to escape sacrifice through death. If the Absolute Divine Weapon does not let you die, you absolutely cannot die."

Cha Shiyin showed a bitter smile: "Hope when I come back, I can see you again."

Le Yu no longer had any doubts and calmly said: "There will be a chance." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Cha Shiyin's body was now faintly visible as if it could be blown away by the wind at any moment. Yet his eyes shone brightly, staring at Le Yu: "Then, Qin Le Yin, before I slumber, indulge my curiosity—why exactly are you here?"

Le Yu looked at Ming Shuiyun, who smiled but uttered fierce words: "Qin Le Yin, kneel before me!"

Pa! With the Holy Sword Huiyao's blessing, the bond between Ming Shuiyun and Le Yu was elevated to a new height. Before Le Yu could react, his body had already executed Ming Shuiyun's command.

"I've wanted to try this for a while now," Ming Shuiyun sniffed and giggled, "Only this obedient will truly be my scabbard."

Le Yu lifted his head as if to say something, but saw Ming Shuiyun open her arms and hug his neck, and at this moment, it was as if dawn had turned into night, and an all-encompassing darkness swept over the world.

"Don't be mad, forgive me."

With that, Ming Shuiyun released Le Yu, reached toward the sky, and a Holy Sword composed of intense light swiftly formed in her hand. She looked towards the south, raising the Holy Sword high, as if representing a Celestial God imposing judgment on the rebellious subjects of the world!

At this moment, a voice from the Red-haired, White Snow Monarch came from behind her: "Shuiyun, do you remember the three wishes I promised when we made the pact?"

Ming Shuiyun was slightly stunned and smiled: "Of course, I remember. Your first wish was, 'From now on, you are both my Sword Master and my owner,' saying you would drink my blood regularly, but after that night, you never drank a second time."

"Now, I wish to make my second wish," Le Yu said, "Let me touch the Holy Sword Huiyao."

Ming Shuiyun lightly bit her lip, her voice carrying a trace of crying: "What kind of wish is that, even if you don't wish it, I would let you touch it... here, go ahead. But the Sword Holder has already told me your thoughts, the Saint's Relic cannot replicate the Holy Sword Huiyao, you have already... tried very hard. Ah, don't be like this, I'm not going to die anytime soon, we still have lots of time, and together in the future, we can strive to fulfill our ideals..."

Kneeling on one knee, Le Yu looked at the Holy Sword Huiyao extended towards him. He reached out and gently touched the blazing sword with a look of determination on his face.

"Now, I wish to make my third wish."

He looked up at Ming Shuiyun, and his five fingers suddenly gripped the blade of the Holy Sword Huiyao.

"The third wish is, a ruler commands a subject's death..."

"The subject must die."

In Ming Shuiyun's shocked eyes, Le Yu voluntarily lunged towards the Holy Sword Huiyao, the blade pierced through his throat, bringing forth a gush of crimson blood!