Chapter 204 - You Figured It All Out

"Grandmaster Yue! What are you doing?"

"You are all dismissed. Return to your homes. No one is welcomed here anymore."

"What?" "Why would he say that?" "What is happening?" "We are kicked out?"

"Get your stuff and get out!"

Ying Yue shouted and everyone stared at him with eyes wide and wavery lips. His brothers stepped to him, but he scowled and rushed forward pushing his nephew to the side. Mo Chou blocked, but he was sliding backwards. The tanned man was not as strong as the platinum blonde, but he would fight for his king. The Ghost King did not deserve to be thrown away like how Heaven's Chosen treated him.

Wang Li had been waiting for this day and Ying Yue did not care!

Letting out a growl, he swung his sword and they parted for a brief moment.

"If any of you get involved, I will kill you."

"Uncle Yue! Please stop!"

Xu Lan rushed in only to have his legs fall from under him as the golden strings wrapped around his ankles. He watched as Mo Chou held his own, but his uncle was quick and deadly. He had never seen this side of his uncle and it was terrifying more than it was exciting. It didn't fit his kind uncle. It didn't fit the man who smiled gently, soothed his pain, and was a brightness that they loved.

'Who was this person?!'

"Ugh!" Mo Chou fell on his ass and leaned up to only feel the point of the blade to his neck.

His purple eyes looked into cold golden ones.

"Goodbye, Mo Chou."

Ying Yue swung his sword, ready to rid the only thing left of Wang Li in the Human realm, but a golden light appeared and he stopped his movement. Pulling away, he looked over at the figure with narrowed eyes. He heard bodies fall gently to the ground and glanced to see everyone had fallen asleep except his brothers and himself.

"You are not to kill the innocent, Heaven's Chosen."

"And yet I am."

"This boy-"

"Wang Li," Ying Yue stated with narrowed eyes, "I am to kill him again. He is dying because of me once more. Fix it."

"…"

"I will find a way to bring him back and do this all again even if my heart dies each time. I have already told you. I will not part with him again. If anything, I shall kill myself to be with him in the Netherworld."

"Ah Yue!" Han Mo looked at him incredulously, "That would tip the balance-"

"Yes."

"You said you would no longer be selfish," Xu Ling said quietly with a tilt of his head.

"I lied."

"You do not lie…"

"I do now."

Ying Yue stated coldly and waited for the golden light to speak.

'After all these damn time, he finally showed up when I was about to kill.'

"The Ghost King is too weak to return to the Netherworld. He will die here in this realm. This is a problem," the golden light stated.

"His darkness, the evil in him will break the portal and every demon confide or hiding will know. The surface world will fall and the balance will be no more. Your prophecy will fail."

Ying Yue stated and the golden light froze and his brothers, each on either side of him, did the same.

"You… planned this?" Han Mo questioned like a whisper.

Ying Yue did not reply, only waited to see what the Jade Emperor would do to get out of this predicament. There were very little the Heavens could do now to avoid this. This was their doing, their mess, and he was tired of carrying their burden.

"What do you want."

"For this prophecy to be gone so my husband may be with me."

"Even if the prophecy is lifted, he will still die. His soul is dying."

"That is a problem, isn't it?"

"Speak clearly child!"

"Heal his soul and the prophecy will still be there. He dies and the world will fall."

"Then what-"

"Bring him away from here. Away from this world that only chained him down. Let him be free."

Ying Yue finished softly and steadied his heart, waiting for a reply from the golden light. The air was still and he just heard the beating of his own heart. He was waiting for what he knew to be true, but he needed to hear it from the Heavens.

"You will die as well."

"What?" Xu Ling frowned, "What is the meaning of this? The prophecy stated for the Ghost King's death! Why would it lead to my brother's death as well?"

Ying Yue let out a laugh and covered his eyes for a moment. He knew it. There was no way to sever their tie from one another. His husband would forever be his.

"When I sacrificed myself, thinking it would stop the prophecy, I only saw him when I closed my eyes. It was no dream, was it, Jade Emperor. It was his soul that I carried with me."

The golden light did not reply.

"When I returned to my body and returned to Wang Li, he was whole again. All those times I was away, he must have been suffering and you did nothing. You wanted him to be the way he was, to be the Ghost King. A true evil that the world will remember and whisper to their children. But I, like all the many times, was changing him again. He was not evil like he once was, and that was not what you all wanted.

You made him lose control again. You pushed us apart and when I killed him, none of you knew he would return to me. Did you think my husband did not know of our connection? Of what his death would do to me?"

"No matter! He is dying now!"

"I know."

"You will die here, but you wish for the Ghost King to leave this world."

"Both of our death would end this hold upon us, Jade Emperor. The world does not need me or Wang Li. Please, let him reborn away from here. Live a life free of a prophecy that wish for his death. Jade Emperor, are we all not tired? My brothers, the students, they are cultivators. They will protect this world if Ye Wu were to send demons to this realm. It is time we die and end the prophecy."

"Ah Yue…"

"I apologize for not telling you both, but the Heavens left me no choice."

A quietness fell upon them and he heard the deep sigh from the golden light.

"Go to him. He is-"

"I know where he is. Please bless us, my emperor, Leader of the Light and Heaven."

Ying Yue bowed and when the light faded, he felt hands shook him. Explaining to his brothers as the others wake, he explained he had gifts for everyone and he did want the students to return home to be with those they love. He hugged his brothers tightly, before placing a kiss on his nephew's forehead, stirring him awake.

Ying Yue left flying on his blade as he watched his pupils and family below with tears in his eyes. The decision he made was selfish but riding the curse of a prophecy was needed.

He went to the lake where his lover was waiting. When Wang Li saw him, the man in red stood up and he rushed into his arms. Taking a deep breath, he cried softly as they sat before the lake and moon. Legs dangled over the edge to soak into the cold water, they wrapped arms around one another.

"I'm sorry."

"You were a great actor, my love."

"I had to make sure."

"I know. I am glad I did not crush your butterfly."

"You… you were?"

Wang Li cupped his face and kissed him gently. They kissed for a while, just lips pressed to one another, before tongue licked for entrance. Like two expert dancers, they moved effortlessly in tuned. Finally pulling away, Wang Li placed their foreheads to one another.

"I was upset and heartbroken… Did you destroy my gifts to you?"

"I wanted to, but… I couldn't. I had to gather it all to hide away or else I could not go through with this."

"You are more intelligent than anyone believed, my wife. I did not tell you anything, yet you figured it all out."

"I was angry with you for not telling me, Ah Li. That was no lie, but I've always known that somehow we would be together again even in death. We are connected in many ways. When you said... when you said I hold your heart, you truly meant it."

Ying Yue laughed softly and kissed his husband again. Lying down on the grass, he placed a palm on Wang Li's chest and his husband held it in place. They kissed again and he held his lover tightly to him.

"Were you going to return to me when... you die?" Ying Yue questioned softly.

"No one can keep me away from you, my love. Even if it takes a millennia this time, I will find my way home."

Ying Yue smiled adorningly and kissed Wang Li again and again.

"Are you certain, my wife. I would rather you not die with me," Wang Li whispered and stared at him so deeply, he felt the stare in his heart.

"I am certain," he nodded, "That we will find one another again."

His husband smiled and he mirrored it. They kissed again, memorizing their tongues, their breaths, their touches along their bodies. They pressed close to one another, as if they could merge as one in the next life.

"We will die together then. Is that not romantic, Ah Yue?"

"Like Romeo and Juliet."

"Who?"

"Nothing," Ying Yue smiled and closed his eyes.

'This time, Wang Li, you will be free. I pray you find love where you are.'

He cried softly and they kissed again, mixing their tears as they tasted the saltiness. Fingers danced against one another's faces and legs tangled along the other. Wang Li's breath slowed and his eyes blinked slowly. Smiling at his husband, he kissed the ring on his lover's finger.

"I love you, Ah Li. May you find peace and love."