Chapter 203 - You Think Too Highly Of Me

"Should you not be happy, brothers? I will not abandon my mission. I will not run to him. I will not ruin everything again."

"Brother," Xu Ling frowned searching his brother's face, "What changed?"

"Nothing. It always ends this way, hasn't it? Nothing ever changes."

"Ah Yue, you are not yourself. Everyone is worried and-"

"I am fine," Ying Yue stood up from his seat and stared out the window for a moment, "I will close this school."

"What?" Both brothers stood up as well with their brows furrowed.

"The children should be with their families. There would be no more use for cultivators once peace is here."

Ying Yue paused at the door and turned to his brothers. He looked away toward the ground for a few breaths, before closing his eyes.

"Had the Jade Emperor visited either one of you?"

"No. Why, Ah Yue?"

Ying Yue clenched his teeth and nodded before heading to his room to hide from worried, sad, pitied eyes aimed at him. Once the door to his room shut, he stared at the golden butterfly on his pillow. Not bothering to even lit the candles, the room was dark but it did not bother him. He removed his outer robe and picked up the butterfly to continue his message to the man he loved.

==

Ye Wu shook his head as he held tighter. His green haired lover sighed and reached to pry his arms away, but he refused and wrapped his legs to hold on even tighter. Pang Xi tried to pry long fingers off, but the demon clutched tighter. A groan was heard and Ye Wu loosened his hold. Silver eyes lifted to look at him and the head demon sucked in his bottom lip.

His eyes watered again slipping down already wet tear streaks, so he gripped to hold him just a little longer. He wasn't ready to part with his king, his brother. He needed him here! Wang Li should just stay here and not leave! He can't… He can't-

"It is time brother."

"No!"

"Ye Wu, look at me," hands cupped his face, "You are no longer lonely. You can create a new family with Pang Xi, take care of this world with Pang Xi at your side like you've always wanted."

Wang Li smiled and pressed a kiss to the demon's forehead and sighed.

"You are loved, Ah Wu. I am happy for you, as your king, as your brother, as your friend."

The red eyed demon tried to clutch onto him again, but Pang Xi quickly stepped in between, separating them. Ye Wu cried out, hitting his lover's back and then scratching at arms around him. Silver eyes glanced at pale golden ones to see sorrow within those eyes.

"Take care of him, Ah Xi."

"Yes, my king."

Wang Li stared at the crying demon reaching for him. His own eyes watered, but he turned away and left quickly out of the portal. Leaning against the wall for a moment, he tried to capture his breath as his heart was beating uncontrollably. He stayed still, feeling the cool breeze ran through his hair and robe.

Pushing off the wall, he rode his blade to the school and walked through the entrance to see all eyes turned to him. Normally loud excitement and cheers welcomed him, but all he gained was sad eyes and quietness. Mo Chou walked over to him and arms wrapped around him. Wang Li smiled and held his child for the last time.

"They all know, my king," Mo Chou whispered, "My king… Ah Yue-"

"Uncle Li," Xu Lan had joined in the hug and Mo Chou squeezed tighter before removing himself. The pinkette cried softly against him and he press a kiss to the child's crown. The other students came to hug him as well.

Li Yun and Lady Nuying were holding buckets of white lotus, roses, and many varieties of flowers. Their eyes were red rimmed and when they saw him, their face scrunched up as tears slipped down their eyes. Even Han Mo and Xu Ling was staring at him with sorrow. He saw Feng Zhi staring at him and saw blue eyes blinked before the man bowed to him. He smiled and his eyes finally found his wife, his beautiful wife staring at him with a look that he had not seen on such perfect face before.

Pulling his nephew off him, Wang Li placed a kiss to the child's forehead before walking over to his wife. There was something off with the platinum blonde. He didn't feel any dark energy in his lover and it only made him question what was happening more. Just a few steps away, he would be able to hold his lover again and-

"Stop."

He did.

He watched as fingers uncurled from his lover's fist and a golden butterfly flew to him. His silver eyes glanced at the insect before staring at his wife.

"Ah Yue…" he spoke softly to see plump lips thinned.

'He is angry with me.'

"I hate you," the butterfly relayed against his ear and Wang Li felt his heart ache.

"You should have told me, but you chose not to again. You knew you were not healing, but you never told me, still hiding secrets from me. You've never truly been honest with me. Are you going to tell me that you came to see me, even when you are dying, for me?! You are selfish Wang Li. I hate you. My love for you is dead. I can never forgive you. I sacrificed myself for you. I killed you. Now, I will have nothing to do with you. Return to the Netherworld. Stay away from here. You will die soon and I do not want to witness it. Leave me be, Ghost King. Do not return."

Wang Li shut his eyes and clenched his fists. Was his wife serious with his words? Did Ying Yue truly gave up on their love? Did his wife hate him that much?

'Why shouldn't he? It is your fault. All that he said was true.'

Exhaling, his shoulders dropped and he looked at his wife.

"Tell me not through this. Tell me you truly wish for me to return and die without you by my side. Tell me you no longer love me, Ah Yue. I must hear it now and not through your butterfly."

"I hate you," Ying Yue whispered and silver eyes widened before his nose twitched, "I don't want you here. I will not be the cause of your death once more."

"You will always be the cause!" Wang Li shouted feeling his heart breaking, "Do you not understand, Ying Yue. You were always going to be the one to kill me. It is prophesized!"

"I do not care!" Ying Yue cried out, "I never asked for this! Go, get out of this realm and returned to the Netherworld! Go die where you should."

Wang Li felt all the anger dripped off him and his mind was in a jumble. His sweet wife was no longer kind. Had he taken advantage of Ying Yue and this was his punishment? Had he truly corrupted everything good in his lover? He did feel the anger from Ying Yue, but not enough to sway him. That was it.

Before he would feel all sorts of emotions from Ying Yue, but now… It was as if he was standing on top of the mountain in just his thin robe.

"Will you not hold me one last time, my love?"

Wang Li whispered softly and Ying Yue stared at him. Golden eyes closed and he watched as his wife turned away from him and he fisted his hands and walked away. He walked out of the school and left like Ying Yue wanted him too. He went to the shack near the lake to find it gone.

Everything was gone. He fell to his knees and cried with the golden butterfly clinging to his shoulder.

At the palace, Ying Yue waited until he could no longer feel his husband before dropping to his knees crying. He cried and cried, crumpling into whatever arms held him. He held on even when he was done crying staring at nothing but the death of his relationship, and soon... his husband.

"Why do you not want him here?" Mo Chou questioned with a frown standing over him.

"Don't be angry at my uncle," Xu Lan stood blocking Mo Chou from him.

"He is dying! My king will die today and all he wanted was to spend time with us and mostly his wife! But now he is gone and is not going back to the Netherworld. He cannot return. It will take too much out of him. But you, Ying Yue, told him to leave. He will die alone. Is that what you want?! He would never want that for you. How could you treat him so poorly?"

"Ah Chou. Stop screaming at my uncle! He is heartbroken! He… He did what he thinks is best, okay? If… If telling Uncle Li to leave is to help them both, then I agree with his decision. Uncle Yue would never act selfishly."

"You think too highly of me, Lan-er," Ying Yue laughed and stood up with a sway, "I hate him. He used me, so I told him to leave. I destroyed whatever home we made, got rid of all the things that reminded me of him. The only thing left is you, Mo Chou. I will kill you."

Xu Lan quickly turned to now protect the tanned man. His blonde uncle was smiling coldly and the sword appeared in Heaven's Chosen's hand.