The heavens sent one final attack — a spear of pure divine law aimed at Lin Yue's heart.
Xuan Mo moved to shield her—
But Lin Yue grabbed his hand.
"No."
Her new power surged.
The spear paused mid-air.
Reality wavered around her. Symbols rewrote themselves in panic. Divine mandates flailed like confused chickens.
And then—
A circle of light appeared around their feet.
Silver. Violet. Black flame.
Interlocking rings.
Xuan Mo gasped softly."This… this is the Celestial Convergence Rite."
Lin Yue blinked. "Is that… bad?"
"It is a marriage ritual," he said.
Lin Yue choked. "WHAT—?!"
"It binds two souls permanently."
"You already said we were bound!"
"This is deeper."
"Oh good, deeper binding, fantastic—WHY DOES EVERYTHING INVOLVE SOUL MERGING—"
The light intensified.
The heavens shrieked:
"UNAUTHORIZED UNION DETECTED—"
Lin Yue shouted upward, "SHUT UP, YOU ARE THE LEAST ROMANTIC SKY EVER—"
Xuan Mo stepped closer, hands trembling as he reached for hers.
"If we complete this rite," he warned,"there is no undoing."
Lin Yue swallowed. "If we don't, do we die?"
"Yes."
She threw her hands upward. "Then hurry up and marry me before the sky kills us!"
Xuan Mo froze.
Then — slowly —A smile broke across his face.
Soft.Devastated.Overjoyed.
"Very well," he whispered."My wife."
Her heart almost exited her body.
The rings of light spun around them, weaving into a pattern the heavens had no right to comprehend.
Their souls merged further — deeper — a connection so intense it felt like breathing each other's thoughts.
The ritual sealed with a thunderous boom.
The divine spear shattered.
The sky broke cleanly in half—
Then healed itself.
Silence fell.
Xuan Mo pulled her into his arms.
"You," he whispered against her hair,"are now bound to me for eternity."
Lin Yue muttered weakly into his shoulder,"Cool. Great. Love that. Can someone get me tea?"
He laughed — an actual, stunned laugh — and held her tighter.
But the heavens weren't done.
Not by a long shot.
Above them, new stars ignited.
A new prophecy wrote itself in fire:
"THE NIGHT EMPEROR AND HIS BRIDE SHALL REWRITE DESTINY."
And somewhere, something ancient awakened.
Watching.
Waiting.
Not pleased.