Always by his side.
After Sang Dai came to the Beast Realm, she never thought they would part.
This answer was very clear.
She nodded and hugged the little fox’s waist. “Alright.”
“I will always be by your side.”
Until the day she dies.
In the old destiny, Su Xuan died because of her.
Now, Sang Dai finally had the chance to tell him:
“Su Xuan, you should move forward. Don’t look back.”
Even if she would still die in the end, even if many others would die in the end, as long as he lived, he could not imprison himself in despair.
The little fox tightly embraced the sword cultivator in his arms, closing his eyes as he held her, as if all the collapse and despair had vanished like smoke.
“Dai Dai, my mother consort will enter the Sleeping Tomb tomorrow.”
“Mm, the time is set.”
“You’ll accompany me.”
“Alright.”
Sang Dai gently rubbed the little fox’s silver hair. “I’ll accompany the little fox.”
The little fox buried himself sullenly in the sword cultivator’s neck. Once his emotions stabilized, he returned to being the spoiled and childish little fox.
“When we get back, let me hold you some more.”
“Alright.”
The sword cultivator was very good at comforting him; only she could truly soothe the little fox.
Su Xuan straightened his posture, took Sang Dai’s hand, and glanced at the River of Forgetfulness one last time.
It was pitch-black and empty.
He asked, “Will my mother consort have a good next life?”
Sang Dai replied, “She will.”
She knew that Su Xuan had arranged everything in advance.
Fu You had set up the Reincarnation Seal, ensuring that Liu Ying’s rebirth would be happy and fulfilling, with a smooth path to immortality.
Perhaps one day, they would meet again in a new form.
In this life, people are always bound by fate.
Liu Lixue waited outside the Spirit Beast Hall, and when night fell, he saw the two of them walking hand in hand from afar.
The night had turned slightly cold. The sword cultivator wore a thin cloak, while the young man in black beside her was still dressed in luxurious robes, his silver hair partially tied and cascading over his shoulders.
Liu Lixue finally let out a sigh of relief. So Sang Dai had disappeared to chase after Su Xuan.
With Sang Dai there, it seemed that Su Xuan would be fine.
Liu Lixue approached and said, “The ceremony is ready. Tomorrow at noon, the burial at the Sleeping Tomb will proceed.”
Su Xuan replied, “Alright.”
Sang Dai nodded toward Liu Lixue. “Thank you for your hard work, Young Master Liu.”
Watching the two of them enter the Spirit Beast Hall, Liu Lixue tilted his head back and sighed.
These past two days had been truly exhausting. He needed to rest as well.
—
The Beast Realm had seen a lot of rain recently, but today was a rare rainless day.
The Beast Realm wasn’t bound by many formalities. Even though today was the day the Beast King’s mother consort would be interred in the Sleeping Tomb, simple attire was sufficient.
Sang Dai only wore a plain hairpin. She rose early in the morning and prepared everything.
When she opened the door, Su Xuan was already standing outside.
He wore plain black mourning clothes. Ever since Su Xuan became the Beast King, he had never worn such somber garments. Even the half-tied silver hair he used to sport was neatly bound high today with a jade crown.
When he saw Sang Dai, he walked forward and naturally took her hand.
“The interment is at noon. Liu Lixue is currently overseeing the offering ceremony. Come with me to burn incense.”
“Alright.”
Since ascending the throne, Su Xuan had been preparing the Sleeping Tomb for Liu Ying. It wasn’t far from the Spirit Beast Hall—a quiet place with beautiful scenery, flowing rivers, and the chirping of insects.
The Sleeping Tomb was extravagantly built. Liu Ying loved beauty, so Su Xuan had placed countless treasures, jewelry, and beautiful clothing within it. Even the walls were made of the finest blue crystal bricks.
When Sang Dai and Su Xuan arrived, a large number of people had already gathered outside the tomb.
Most were dressed in plain mourning clothes—commoners from the Beast Realm.
The Beast King and Beast Queen had abolished the royal family, and news of the Beast King’s mother consort being interred today had spread widely. Many had come to bid farewell to Liu Ying.
Su Xuan and Sang Dai stood below, watching the Beast Realm’s ceremonial officiant conduct the pre-interment rituals.
Sang Dai didn’t know the customs, so she quietly waited at Su Xuan’s side.
By noon, Liu Lixue approached from the side.
“Your Excellency, it’s time to offer incense.”
“Alright.”
Su Xuan took Sang Dai’s hand, and the two ascended the high steps together, standing side by side before the incense altar.
The officiant lit the incense and handed it to them. Each took a stick.
Sang Dai wasn’t familiar with these rituals and could only imitate Su Xuan, bowing a few times before placing the incense in the ash tray when it had burned two-thirds of the way.
She glanced at the memorial tablet in front of her.
The inscription did not bear the royal family’s name but read:
[“Late Mother, Liu Clan of Yuhua Peak, Liu Ying.”]
It was her family name.
The surroundings were silent. When the two incense sticks finished burning, Liu Ying’s body was interred.
During the sealing of the tomb, the citizens of the Beast Realm knelt in a dense mass.
Sang Dai carefully glanced back at Su Xuan. His expression was calm, serene, and unchanging throughout the sealing of the tomb, without the slightest hint of instability.
By the time the crowd dispersed, it was already afternoon.
Liu Lixue had initially wanted to approach and offer some words of comfort to his lord, but upon standing before Su Xuan, he found no change in his expression.
No tears, no loss of composure—he remained quiet throughout.
Sang Dai hesitated, unsure whether to speak.
Suddenly, Su Xuan spoke first. “Dai Dai, Liu Lixue, you both may leave now.”
Liu Lixue hesitated. “…Your Excellency.”
Sang Dai paused, then nodded. “Alright.”
She turned and motioned to Liu Lixue. The latter sighed inwardly but eventually followed her and left.
The little fox stood silently in front of the tomb.
—
Liu Lixue left to attend to some trivial matters left by the royal family, while Sang Dai returned to sit in the courtyard of the main hall.
Cui Shao approached and asked, “Madam, would you like to rest for a while?”
Sang Dai shook her head. “No, I’m not tired.”
She sat there as Cui Shao came several times to refill her tea. Sang Dai drank cup after cup.
Finally, after a few hours, Cui Shao couldn’t help but ask, “Madam, are you waiting for someone?”
Sang Dai admitted, “Yes, I’m waiting for someone.”
She was waiting for someone—someone who might not be in the best of moods.
She hoped that when he returned, there would be someone to comfort him.
When the last glimmer of light on the horizon faded and the night fully set in, the person she had been waiting for finally arrived.
Su Xuan returned late, carrying something as he walked into the small courtyard. His eyes met Sang Dai’s by the stone table.
It seemed she had been sitting for a long time; her shoulders were dusted with fallen leaves. Although her expression appeared indifferent, the tension in her eyes was unmistakable.
She was worried about him.
It seemed like she was afraid he might cry.
The little fox chuckled softly and walked toward her, carrying the item in his hands.
He placed on the table a parcel wrapped in oiled paper. The scent of osmanthus wafted out—it was likely osmanthus cake.
There was also a jug of wine.
Sang Dai was momentarily confused. “This is…”
Su Xuan sat down beside her and unwrapped the oiled paper. “I bought it for you.”
“…Ah?”
Su Xuan explained, “The wine isn’t for you. I just wanted to drink it myself. I know you don’t drink wine. The osmanthus cake is for you.”
Sang Dai had no idea how he had stopped along the way to buy these things. She had assumed that Su Xuan would be deeply sad and would definitely shed tears after she left. But now, seeing him, he seemed perfectly fine.
“Su Xuan, why did you buy osmanthus cake?”
The little fox untied the string around the oiled paper and replied, “Mother Consort told me to buy it for you.”
Sang Dai blinked. “…What do you mean?”
Su Xuan met her gaze, his eyes filled with amusement. “Dai Dai, I dreamt of my mother consort last night.”
Sang Dai responded softly, “You dreamed of her?”
“Mm.” Su Xuan said, “All these years, I’ve never dreamt of her, but last night, when I fell asleep, it was the first time.”
Under the moonlight, the little fox smiled brightly. “I told her I missed her very much. Mother Consort said it’s embarrassing for someone my age to still act so spoiled.”
Sang Dai’s eyes curved in a gentle smile.
Su Xuan’s voice softened. “I told her so many things. I told her about everything I’ve been through these years, about how I became the Beast King. Mother Consort said, ‘Little Xuan is amazing.’”
“I told her I was sorry I couldn’t protect her. Mother Consort said she never regretted giving birth to me, that I was the greatest gift Heaven ever gave her.”
The little fox’s eyes stung slightly, but he still smiled and said, “I also told her that I have someone I really like, and I want to marry her as my Beast Queen and spend the rest of my life with her.”
Sang Dai’s red lips pressed together, and her heart suddenly felt a bit tense.
“She said it’s because I was such a troublemaker in the past that it’s hard for me to win over a wife now. But Mother Consort gave me some advice.”
Sang Dai asked softly, “What did Madam Liu say?”
Her brows and delicate features were reflected in his eyes, the person he had thought of for so many years. How much Su Xuan liked her was something even Sang Dai herself might not be able to guess.
What had Liu Ying said?
Liu Ying had said: “Little Xuan, if you use true sincerity, you’ll always move the girl’s heart. If you’re giving her ten parts of your love now, then give her twelve. If that’s still not enough, then give twenty. Keep exceeding your limits in how much love you show her. Over time, even water can wear through stone, and you’ll surely win her heart.”
Su Xuan relayed Liu Ying’s words to Sang Dai without missing a single one.
Sang Dai slightly parted her lips, her expression seeming a bit dazed.
Su Xuan took a sip of wine, and the alcohol gave him a surge of courage.
“Then I said that this girl is a bit slow-witted. She grew up alone, fights fiercely, and is incredibly strong. She’s an awakened Heaven-grade spiritual root, but she doesn’t have anyone by her side, and no one has ever taught her what it means to like someone.”
Liu Ying had said: “That’s okay. Both people in a relationship don’t need to be too sharp. Our Little Xuan has plenty of wits to spare, so it’s fine if the girl is a little slow. If no one has taught her, then you should show her through your actions. Teach her what love is—not through words, but through deeds.”
Su Xuan drank another cup of wine and continued, “I also said that Heaven wants to kill her. Honestly, I’m terrified. I’m afraid she’ll die, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to protect her.”
Liu Ying had said: “Man can triumph over Heaven. That girl is very strong, too. You must trust her. She can protect herself. And Mother Consort will bless you both from the heavens.”
Su Xuan drank cup after cup, smiling as he said, “I also told her that I’ve never liked a girl so much in my entire life. I like her so, so much. She’s far more important than my own life. She’s more important than anything.”
Liu Ying said, “Mother Consort also likes her very, very much. Because of her existence, our Little Xuan found someone he wants to protect and became even stronger.”
Su Xuan was getting drunk. His alcohol tolerance wasn’t great, and he had already downed several cups.
The little fox’s face turned bright red, his eyes bloodshot and faintly glowing. He looked at Sang Dai and said, “I told her, ‘Mother Consort, I’ve found my path. I want to spend my life protecting her. My heart is singular, and there’s only one Sang Dai. I will only ever like her and follow her.’”
Liu Ying said, “Then go after her. Little Xuan, once you’ve laid Mother Consort to rest in the Sleeping Tomb tomorrow, forget about all this. Don’t be sad. Go to her immediately and tell her how much you like her. Our Little Xuan likes her so, so much.”
As she said this, Liu Ying covered her mouth and giggled, her eyes vivid and radiant. “Oh, and don’t go empty-handed! What does the girl like most? Jewelry, accessories? Those seem a bit too cliché. You should prepare something meaningful.”
In the dream, Su Xuan replied, “She likes osmanthus cake. She loves eating it.”
Liu Ying clapped her hands and smiled brightly. “Then take her a bag of osmanthus cake and tell her how much you like her.”
Su Xuan coughed lightly and set the wine bottle down. The alcohol was far too strong.
He sighed softly, the corners of his lips curling into a smile. “Then, Mother Consort stood up, patted my head, and told me…”
‘Little Xuan, the bond between us as mother and son ends here. From now on, the one who will walk the next stretch of your journey with you is her.’
‘You must hold her hand tightly, from dawn to dusk, for as long as you live, until the end of your days.’
‘Have a drink, get drunk, and forget all the bitterness. Do what you want to do, then set out on a new path. Go find her tonight. Let go of everything else, and go see the person you want to see.’
Sang Dai’s heart was pounding so fast it felt like she was on the verge of suffocating.
She looked at the osmanthus cake in front of her. It was still warm, as though it had just been freshly made.
The little fox had drunk too much. The slight intoxication gave him the courage to take a gamble and say all of this.
Disregarding the timid nature of a certain sword cultivator, ignoring whether she might get angry or ignore him.
He just wanted to say these words.
The little fox pushed the pastry toward her. “My mother consort wanted me to buy this for you. Dai Dai, this is my heartfelt intention.”
Sang Dai’s throat felt as though something were lodged in it, making it difficult to breathe.
She stared blankly at Su Xuan, meeting his gaze.
The little fox propped his chin on his hand. Tears streamed down his face, sliding along his nose and splashing onto the table.
“Dai Dai, it really felt like something my mother consort would say. This afternoon, as I stood in front of her tomb, I kept wondering—would she say something like that? Would it be the same as what I dreamed?”
In the end, the answer was—
Yes.