Her 4.3 Billion Years | Chapter 116 | The Eighth Shard | Novela.app

Fanli pursed her lips, trying her best to remain calm, yet she couldn't help but burrow deeper into his embrace. "Gege..." "Shh." Su Shiye placed his index finger over her lips. "I’m your husband now." "But before, you didn't even want to admit it..." "For something this significant, having rumors leak out from others would only be bad for you. It’s better if I acknowledge it personally; it just took some time to prepare. But you ran off so fast—I have no idea what the rush was." "Didn't you say I was overbearing? You even said you didn't want to be with me anymore..." "You *are* very overbearing. Your personal strength is so great that you’d probably make a better Queen than I do a King. I can't even talk back to you; I’m truly terrified of being suppressed by you." "Then why do you still want to be with me?" Fanli looked up at him, a hint of smugness in her eyes. "Who told you to be so beautiful? I can't leave you, so I have no choice but to follow your lead." Fanli broke into a radiant smile, nuzzling against his chest relentlessly. He, however, didn't plan on letting her off so easily. "So, care to explain why you ran away so quickly?" "I was just... scared..." "Scared of what?" Fanli remained silent. "Oh, I finally understand. You were afraid I wouldn't claim you." Seeing that Fanli didn't deny it, Su Shiye let out a soft chuckle. "I’ve already married you; why wouldn't I claim you? I’m not like you—I only marry the person I love." "Go ahead and praise yourself, but did you have to step on me with that 'not like you' comment?" Though she was being stubborn, Fanli recalled their argument over the phone and why Su Shiye had called her overbearing. Two days ago, right after the news broke while he was still handling the emergency, she had immediately fled back to the Light Sea. After disappearing for so long, the first thing she told him in their first phone call was that she wanted to publicly announce a polyandrous relationship with her ex-husband. It was no wonder he had been so furious. "Thank you, Gege... for being so tolerant of my impulsiveness and whims." "Save the sweet talk. What you need to do now is take care of the pregnancy." Su Shiye reached out his hand to her. "Let’s go. We’re going back to Bamanboya, my Queen." Fanli put her hands behind her back and said with a grin, "Didn't you tell me to stay in the Light Sea and not come back?" "I see you’re looking for trouble." Without another word, Su Shiye swept her up in his arms and returned to the Imperial vessel. She kept her arms hooked around his neck the entire way, her eyes crinkling into crescents from her smile. After returning to the ship, the two of them somehow began chatting about the current lives of their old classmates. Su Shiye suggested they go visit You Can. "Are you sure your body can handle it?" Fanli asked uncertainly. "If I can't, I’ll just spend some time on the surface. My fel energy will recover very quickly there." Su Shiye thought for a moment and added, "Li'li, can you help me get to the surface? I don't want to cause too much of a stir." "No problem." Thus, Fanli asked Yujin for You Can't number. The vessel changed course and began heading toward the Red Moon Sea. Su Shiye took a few calls to wrap up the aftermath of the interview. Outside the window, bright lanternfish, ctenophores, and drifting marine snow created a magnificent twilight glow over the Twilight Zone. Fanli watched him with her chin resting in her hands, eventually moving over to lean her head on his shoulder. Su Shiye waved a hand, signaling her not to disturb him, then beckoned her with a finger. Together, they swam toward the entertainment room. Once the calls were finished, he hung up. They stayed in the entertainment room for nearly four hours. When they emerged, Fanli was limping. Judging by Su Shiye’s outward demeanor, one would think he was cold and aloof. But who would have known he could be so... regardless of the setting, even on a ship... He was much gentler with her than when they were just lovers, but he was almost too attentive to her feelings. Fanli realized for the first time that over-enjoyment didn't just tire the body; it could even cause a headache. The moment it ended, she didn't even have time to buffer before falling into a deep sleep. When she woke up in the evening, her head was spinning. She shook her head several times while swimming, yet Su Shiye looked perfectly normal, even slightly dissatisfied that she had slept so "early." "Li'li, are you alright?" As they swam toward the main cabin, Su Shiye wrapped an arm around her waist and spoke softly, looking down at her. "You can let the baby keep developing; it won't interfere with our intimacy." "I thought you didn't like children?" Fanli said helplessly. Su Shiye gave a faint smile, cupped his hand near her ear, and whispered, "If it's Li'li's child, I’ll take as many as there are. As long as Li'li likes it, we can have many more." She really wanted to say: *Gege, please go back to being the repressed, brooding man you were a while ago. Stop flirting. I’m drained, truly drained...* "We... we'll talk about that later. Let me recover first..." "But that’s not what you said this afternoon. What you said this afternoon was—" Fanli covered his mouth. Su Shiye didn't say anything more after that, but during dinner, he moved all the best food onto Fanli’s plate. Seeing that she was being a bit picky, he even fed her by hand. "Eat more. You're too thin." Aize and Qusha both stared with wide eyes. They were men experienced in the ways of the world; even if the conversation seemed ordinary, they could tell at a glance that something was "off" between these two. But what had happened to His Majesty Su Shiye? How did he suddenly end up in this kind of relationship with Great Oracle Sui? The vessel traveled to the waters beneath the Red Moon Sea, passed through the Twilight Zone, and arrived at Lier City in the Red Moon Sea. Su Shiye transformed into his "Xinghai" appearance. To match his increased age, he deliberately made his features look more mature. "Seeing Gege like this really brings back memories." Fanli held his hand as they swam toward the entrance of You Can’s home. Since the war between the two Vedic parties, Fanli had only seen You Can once at a class reunion, but he had left quickly because another of his children had just been born. Almost all of their marine-race college classmates had passed away. You Can was five hundred and twenty-nine years old this year, making him a high-aged elder among the Anemone-kin. You Can’s back was slightly hunched, and his hair had turned from its former orange to gray. The orange on his ear fins and tail had darkened, looking like dried orange peel, and his collagen had faded. However, seeing his two old classmates swimming toward him from a distance, he instantly looked a hundred years younger. He raised a hand toward Fanli and Su Shiye. "Goddess, Brother Xinghai! How many years has it been? I can't believe I’m seeing you again..." Following behind him was a swarm of great-great-grandchildren, each with orange, black, and white tails and ear fins. They all looked like miniature versions of You Can—utterly adorable. You Can introduced his descendants one by one and then led his guests inside to sit. Their home was filled with various giant sea anemones. Some looked like sunflowers, some like golden chains, and some like crabs, but all of them housed newborn Anemone-kin eggs and babies, who possessed a natural instinct to nuzzle and squirm within the anemones. "My sons, daughters, grandsons, and granddaughters all love to dump their kids on me and the old lady to raise." You Can stuffed a baby that had crawled out of an anemone back inside. "Ever since my old lady passed, I’ve been busy beyond belief." Fanli glanced at a black-and-white photo on the TV cabinet. It was a photo of an elderly woman whose features were eighty percent similar to You Can’s. Below it was written her name: "You Bo." Fanli pointed at the photo and said, "This must be your wife?" "Yes. She’s been gone for over a hundred years. She lived to a ripe old age too." "Over a hundred years?" Su Shiye grew interested. "She was over a hundred years older than you?" "Yes, Brother Xinghai." Fanli quickly tapped Su Shiye from behind, signaling him to stop. Su Shiye remained unmoved. "How trendy. For the marine races to accept such a large age gap is truly trendy." "Cough, yes. It takes courage. Back in school, didn't I like little lolis too? But later I found that older women are more reliable. When I went back to my hometown, my wife was almost snatched away by a guy my age. Luckily, I snatched her back. Our married life was very fulfilling; it’s just a pity she left so early." You Can gazed at the photo of his late wife and let out a long sigh. "That’s also because your family has long lifespans. A common Anemone-kin male who can live to five hundred is very healthy," Su Shiye remarked. "Not necessarily. My mother passed away quite early; she left right after I graduated from college." "Hmm..." Su Shiye stroked his chin, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. "It’s fine. As long as the man lives long, it’s good." Fanli poked his lower back again. He turned to glare at her, signaling her not to interfere with his fun. Later, when You Can went into the kitchen to get food, Fanli cast a soundproofing spell and said, "Don't ask such reckless questions! Do you even know who his wife was?" "Li'li, I lived in the Light Sea for over two hundred years, after all." "You know?" "Of course I know. They have the same surname." Clownfish have a magical ability to change sex, and the females hold absolute authority within the group. Consequently, the Anemone-kin favored female worship. In a clownfish couple, if the wife died early, the husband would turn into a female to take her place, and their son would then marry the sex-changed father. The level of chaos was such that even the most melodramatic Thai drama writer would lament their lack of imagination. Glancing at You Can’s wife "You Bo" again, Fanli couldn't help but shudder. "In short, respect other people's cultures. No curiosity, no prejudice, no prying." "Tell me, why didn't You Can change sex?" Su Shiye was still curious. "Because he was already too old to change by then." Fanli gave him a suspicious look. "...Why do I get the feeling you were actually looking forward to him changing?" "It’s quite interesting, isn't it?" "How is that interesting!" Fanli poked his abdomen. "You and your wicked sense of humor, honestly." Next, Fanli had someone contact the Red Moon Sea Surface Registration Bureau. They opened a special channel for the two of them to go above the surface from the waters above Lier City. The first rays of sunlight spilled through the air onto their shoulders, draping a crystalline golden veil over the tips of their hair. Although the dryness was uncomfortable, it was a long-lost sensation. Su Shiye looked up at the sky, gathering a large amount of light; his pupils narrowed into thin slits. He blinked, quickly adapting to the intense radiance. Fanli, on the other hand, kept her eyes squinted. Even with the glasses she had prepared, she still found the light a bit unbearable. Seeing Su Shiye’s vision automatically adjust to a land-based state, she couldn't help but feel envious. "The Predator Race is truly blessed..." Su Shiye brushed all his hair back, fully revealing his handsome face, but said nothing. The deep sea was certainly mysterious and beautiful; the sunless ecosystem and the source of fel energy were certainly powerful. But this feeling of being bathed in sunlight was something even the greatest civilization of the City of Darkness could not replace. "Over four hundred years... living at the deepest bottom of the sea." Su Shiye’s smile was unreadable. "I actually have a day where I see the sun again." "Gege..." Fanli felt incredibly guilty. She gently tugged at his clothes. "In the future, whenever you want to come out, I’ll accompany you." "Do you remember? When you thought you were human, you once fled to the surface." "Of course I remember." "My feeling now is probably similar to yours back then." His words made Fanli feel even more guilty. She said, "How about we wander around the surface for a bit longer?" "Mhm." Su Shiye reached out, looking at the clear seawater in his palm that glowed under the light. Then, following the water's edge, he gazed toward the distant mangroves. He took Fanli’s hand and swam toward them. He was using his normal speed, but to Fanli, it felt like a roller coaster ride. Terrified, she used both hands and feet to cling to his neck. *Swim! The heart that seeks to brave the waves,* *Adorning hair with wreaths of woven kelp;* *Swim! The shadow in the clouds calls the soul to peace,* *Though life be but morning dew at the wind's mercy.* *Swim! Away from the spirits of the City of Eternal Light,* *To the mangroves to find the fae far from their nests;* *Swim! The albatross races, tearing the sky’s shadow,* *A lover’s gaze is the world’s most beautiful potion.* *Swim, swim! Bathe in the starlight of the coral woods,* *Wash away the dark ash and blood of the Era of Radiance;* *Forget the order and chaos within the blue horizon,* *The tears of the earth shall erase the crimson disaster.* *Meteors sew snowy textures in the endless sea-sky,* *Painting the surroundings with glass-colored fantasies;* *Tonight, memory is a baptism of redemption in the long night,* *Engraving an embrace with my God between heaven and earth.* In the mangroves, scarlet ibises walked by the water’s edge, catching small shrimp and shellfish containing red pigments. From a distance, it looked as if giant red flowers had bloomed across the tangled intertidal forest. Sunlight filtered through the leaves and humid air, leaving shifting golden spots on the marshes, seagrass beds, and gnarled roots. The shallow water around the roots was crystal clear, filled with small fry that would swim to the coral reefs once they reached adulthood. There were swarms of ants, spiders weaving webs, migrating birds nesting, and a large number of land and sea creatures: antelopes, monkeys, otters, raccoons, fiddler crabs, periwinkles, and more. As soon as they stepped onto the shore, Fanli was captivated by the strange-looking mudskippers. Startled by Fanli and Su Shiye’s footsteps, their tails acted like springs as they hopped up and down in the mud, used their suckers to climb trees, or dove back into their underwater burrows. Fanli crouched by the shore to study these fish that couldn't be found in the deep sea. When she heard Su Shiye say, "I’m going inside to find something fun to show you," she just nodded, not paying much attention. Then, Su Shiye set up a protective fel-energy barrier around her and instantly vanished into the depths of the mangroves. His movements were light—so light that only the sound of wind in the leaves, insects, and birds remained in the forest, as if he were a phantom without a trace. But soon, he found his destination: a magnificent cave that looked like an ancient tomb. Four Sea God Race guards stood at the entrance. Just as Su Shiye was about to strike, a smooth, gentle male voice rang out from behind him. "Su Shiye, it’s been centuries. How have you been lately?" Su Shiye immediately recognized the owner of the voice. He also knew that the reason he hadn't detected him was that the man had been here for a long time and was on guard. Su Shiye paused before turning around. "I admit, encountering you here is a bit of a surprise." Ye Jia leaned against a thick, thousand-year-old tree, gazing at him leisurely. "Let me guess why you’ve appeared here alone. Because your fel-energy body is now completely incompatible with the Arcane Protection Net, you can't go to the surface without alerting the Light Sea Surface Registration Bureau. So, you pretended to give up on the Furnace Project. With a look of extreme heartache and helplessness, you played on your Li'li’s pity to gain her trust, so she would bring you to the mangroves where the Buco Clan stores their soul shards. You’d kill the guards, steal the shard, and restart your Furnace Project." "You were the one who exposed the relationship between Fanli and me." Su Shiye did not reply directly. "—What benefit did that bring you?" "No benefit, it was just for fun. To see the two of you at a loss." Ye Jia clicked his tongue. "I didn't expect you to marry her. You certainly moved fast." "And?" "And, you’ve been wrong about one thing from the very beginning." Ye Jia looked up at the moist, hanging branches and smiled. "430 million years ago, the Lord of the Endless Ocean split her soul into fragments. Not seven, but eight." "...What?" "Justice, Beauty, Bravery, Holiness, Selflessness, Mercy, Peace... these are all virtues of Deep Blue. But His Majesty Su Shiye, tell me, as the Lord of the Ocean, how could her virtues not include 'Wisdom'?" Su Shiye’s eyes widened in shock. He understood Ye Jia’s words instantly, yet he was unwilling to accept the truth. "Actually, let me tell you something so you won't feel so regretful about the failure of the Furnace Project back then." Ye Jia straightened up and brushed off his clothes. "Even if you had succeeded back then, Fanli would have disappeared in the end. Because the final soul shard is within her. By using the power of the entire Light Sea, you wouldn't just fail to use the power of Deep Blue; you would have reassembled the fragments into Deep Blue herself. Then, Fanli would vanish, and Deep Blue would return." Su Shiye said nothing. "Or is it that, in the depths of the Aether Lord’s heart, what you truly want is Deep Blue, not Fanli?" "I am not the Aether Lord. I only have a portion of his divine consciousness." "That portion of consciousness is enough for you to know that to the Aether Lord, Deep Blue was not a god, but a woman. Enough to know that compared to the omnipresent Lord of the Ocean, a materialized Deep Blue is better." "Ye Jia, I know you’ve done a lot of research on the prehistoric history of the Light Sea, but you’re talking nonsense now. You’ve clearly lost your mind." "Have I lost my mind, or did I hit a sore spot? When you were still the Dictator, every time you worshipped Deep Blue, didn't you show a look of intoxication? I believe Xinghai loves Fanli, but as for the Su Shiye whose Aether Lord consciousness has been awakened—who he truly loves, only you know in your heart." Seeing Su Shiye staring at him motionlessly, Ye Jia laughed loudly. "I guess you want to kill me and take the soul shard for yourself. I have bad news: the Buco Clan’s soul shard is already locked to my consciousness. In other words, if I don't agree to your execution of the Furnace Project, even if you get it, it will just be an ordinary piece of red crystal." "Why are you doing this?" Su Shiye said coldly. "You could have kept these secrets. Why tell me?" "I just want you to know that your Li'li told me everything, but didn't mention a word to you. She’s been on guard against you for a long time, whether it started from the 'Soul Exchange' or from the moment she received the Mather Clan’s scroll. Sui, oh no, Sui Fanli, never trusted—" Before Ye Jia could finish, Su Shiye’s figure blurred. He appeared instantly in front of Ye Jia, pinning him against the tree trunk with one hand around his throat. His pupils had turned into two thin slits, and his entire body radiated the aura of a predator on the hunt. Ye Jia coughed a few times and looked away, his expression shifting from pain to a sense of relief. "You can kill me. Kill me, and you can forget about the Furnace Project forever. Go enjoy every remaining day with your Li'li..." "What happens between her and me is none of your business, and it doesn't need your commentary. Ye Jia, you weren't such a meddler before. Now you..." Suddenly, Su Shiye’s grip loosened slightly, and his eyes narrowed. "Oh, I see why." Ye Jia snapped his gaze back, then forced a relaxed smile. "You think you know me well?" "You collaborated with Nini and the others to take those photos because you wanted Fanli to return to the Light Sea." "Do you think that’s possible? What benefit would her returning to the Light Sea bring me?" "Fanli might tell you everything, and her heart indeed has reservations toward me. But so what? Her body is open to me, and she is already carrying our offspring." "What... you and her..." "You must have thought that since she’s been married multiple times, she could just get another divorce," Su Shiye said with a smile. "But before this, has she ever carried a child for any other man?" *** Glossary Table: