The Seven Princesses' Journey Across Time

As Donghua stepped into Taichen Palace, he heard the chattering of the palace maidens.

They were discussing with great interest the remarkable emotional entanglement between the Emperor of Heaven and the King of Fengdu, their words revealing endless curiosity and excitement.

At this moment, Donghua just stood there quietly, staring at the scene in front of him with cold eyes, as if the surrounding noise had nothing to do with him.

His heart felt like it had been struck by a heavy hammer, instantly filled with unspeakable loss and pain. For so many years, he had silently guarded her side, devoting all his energy to her companionship for a whole thousand years, yet he had never been able to touch her heart, which was as cold as ice, even a little bit.

But now, she was actually planning to marry someone else? How could Donghua accept this?

Just as Donghua was lost in his thoughts, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him. It was Ziyou, overjoyed at Donghua's return, who rushed over, wanting to pull him along like she had before. However, to Ziyou's surprise, Donghua dodged her without hesitation. His face was gloomy, his voice cold as ice: "How dare you secretly marry someone else without telling me?"

Ziyou was stunned on the spot. She slowly raised her head and looked straight into Donghua's deep and cold eyes. Tears welled up in her eyes uncontrollably: "Donghua, please listen to my explanation, okay? Actually, you and I are not..."

Before Ziyou could finish her words, Donghua interrupted her mercilessly: "No need to explain anymore, I don't want to hear a single word. From today on, our friendship ends here, and we have nothing to do with each other anymore." After that, Donghua turned around resolutely and strode away without looking back, leaving Ziyou standing there alone, letting her heartbroken tears flow freely.

Ziyou: A thousand years of master-disciple friendship is gone because of this. No, didn't Yue Lao say he met his destined person in the mortal world? Then why is he still angry because she's with someone else? The main thing is that I wasn't his destined person in the first place. He's put restrictions on the whole house now, so even if I scream at the top of my lungs, he won't be able to hear me.

The gears of fate spin relentlessly, as if controlled by a mysterious and powerful force, always moving along its predetermined track.

However, as Emperor Donghua retreated to cultivate his virtue, a long-forgotten memory quietly began to awaken. This memory, from his time in the mortal world, was like a flash of lightning that pierced the darkness of the night sky, instantly illuminating the deepest corners of his heart.

As his memories returned, Emperor Donghua finally saw the true nature of his feelings for Ziyou. It turned out his special feelings for her were simply because she was the one destined for him. Perhaps it was his long-standing loneliness that had left him longing for warm companionship, so when he met this so-called "destined one," he couldn't help but cling to this gift from heaven.

However, what fueled Emperor Donghua's indignation was his unwavering unrivaled mastery of both immortal arts and personal charm. Back then, countless people dreamed of clinging to him, even resorting to any means necessary to get into his bed. Yet, despite his thousand-year-long advances, Ziyou remained completely unresponsive, like an impenetrable fortress.

As Emperor Donghua lost himself in thought, the turmoil in his heart gradually calmed. He finally understood that his feelings for Ziyou weren't true love, but rather a kind of care and concern, akin to an elder's for a younger one, combined with a reluctance and struggle to accept his own loneliness. As for the so-called "destined one," it no longer troubled him. After all, love couldn't be forced.

However, one question lingered in the heart of Emperor Donghua: Who was the woman with whom he had repeatedly tangled in the mortal world? Why, no matter how many reincarnations they had passed, were they always bound together, inseparable as if by fate? This mystery, like a fog, shrouded Emperor Donghua's heart, awaiting his solution.

At this moment, Ziyou, who had waited anxiously for days, finally saw the moment when Donghua's retreat ended. She immediately made up her mind to have a frank talk with Emperor Donghua and explain everything clearly.

When the two met again, the atmosphere around them seemed particularly harmonious and peaceful. Emperor Donghua smiled, gazing at Ziyou tenderly, his eyes filled with endless love, as if all the past entanglements had long since vanished.

However, despite this, Ziyou still felt a little worried about whether Donghua still had any grudges against her. So, she spoke frankly, "Donghua, in fact, I am not your destined one. The one who truly belongs to you is a person named Milan from Qingqiu!"

Donghua lost his composure. He abruptly stood up from his seat and demanded anxiously, "What on earth happened? Why did this happen?"

Facing Donghua's questioning, Ziyou took a deep breath and slowly said, "The thing is, Yue Lao once told you... it was just like that. And I'm sure you've already met Milan in the mortal world, and the bond between you two is definitely not superficial."

Donghua thought to himself: If so, the person with whom he'd been bound for life after life must undoubtedly be Milan. Recalling the past, they'd strolled along forest paths together, admiring the rising sun; cooked delicious meals together, sharing tender moments; and shared a series of sweet moments, from the touch of fingertips to passionate kisses. And ultimately, the ending, each of them culminating in marriage, seemed predestined, declaring to the world that she was his destined partner.

Donghua suddenly realized, "So, that sword strike I made back then, other than creating hatred, was completely meaningless."

Zi You nodded in response, "Indeed. In fact, the Three Lives Stone back then was like the marriage book today. It existed only for recording and could not play a decisive role. It's just like those historical books. Even if people in later generations tampered with them, history itself did not change. What was changed was nothing more than the record."

Watching Donghua deep in thought, as if realizing something, Ziyou gently soothed him, "So, Donghua, please don't be angry anymore. Although I haven't officially become your disciple, that's because you didn't allow it. However, in my heart, I still respect you like a master and a father."