Free Web NovelChapter 163: Chapter 163: The Empty Grave
High above the lively streets, a shadow stood on the edge of a tall golden rooftop.
The wind of the night brushed against his robe, making the white fabric flutter softly behind him.
Xing Luoye’s eyes were fixed on the street below.
Among the crowd, he could clearly see two familiar figures.
His brother. And the female they had brought back.
The two of them were walking side by side. The golden lights of the night market shone around them. From a distance, they truly looked like a newly paired couple enjoying a peaceful night together.
Yue Yue was holding a skewer in one hand and a glowing fruit in the other. Her eyes were bright with excitement as she looked at every stall.
Xing Luoguang walked beside her quietly. Every time she slowed down, he slowed down too. Every time she stopped, he stopped with her.
He did not say much, but his gaze never left her. Xing Luoye’s hands slowly clenched.
"So, brother..." he murmured softly into the night, his voice barely louder than the wind. "Have you really decided?"
There was worry in his eyes. And something else... something he did not want to admit. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
His fingers tightened even more. He watched as Yue Yue laughed at something a vendor said. Xing Luoguang stood beside her, his posture relaxed, his eyes gentle.
They truly looked like a pair.
A strange emotion rose in Xing Luoye’s chest.
He frowned.
"Why... does this feel like this?" he muttered. Then the answer suddenly appeared in his mind.
"Jealous...?"
His eyes widened slightly.
Jealous... of his own brother?
The thought shocked him so much that he immediately shook his head.
"No," he whispered. "How could that be?"
His expression darkened.
"My brother is everything to me."
The two of them had survived countless dangers together. They had lost their home together. They had lost their father together. They had only each other in this cold universe.
There was no one more important than his brother.
If his brother liked that female...
Then so be it.
Xing Luoye slowly loosened his clenched hands.
His eyes became calm again, though a faint shadow still lingered in them.
"If he wants her," he said quietly, "then she belongs to him."
His gaze returned to Yue Yue.
"She’s just a spoiled female from a high clan. A fragile and bratty female."
But even as he said that, he could not forget the way she had cooked with the old caretaker earlier... or how she had spoken so gently.
He frowned again.
"No matter what," he muttered, "I will make sure she behaves."
His voice turned cold.
"She will never be allowed to hurt my brother."
Below, the city was still full of laughter and lights.
Above, on the rooftop, Xing Luoye quietly disappeared back into the shadows.
The noise of the night market slowly faded behind him.
Xing Luoye walked alone through the quiet streets, his steps steady but heavy. The golden lights of the city grew fewer as he moved farther from the lively center.
Soon, the surroundings became silent.
He stopped in front of a tall building made of pale stone. It stood alone at the end of a quiet road, surrounded by soft lights and small flowering trees.
The building was simple but elegant. Its structure followed the same ancient style as the rest of the city: arched doors, curved domes, and delicate carvings along the walls.
But this place held no life. This was where his father rested.
It was a place his father had built many years ago, not for himself, but for someone else.
For his mate. freēwebnovel.com
For the woman he had loved more than anything.
He had once said he wanted to spend the rest of his life here with her, away from all the wars and schemes of the universe.
But that dream had never come true.
Now, only a grave remained inside.
Xing Luoye slowly walked into the building. His footsteps echoed softly in the empty hall.
At the center of the room stood a single stone grave. It was clean and well maintained. Fresh flowers had been placed beside it.
But there was something cruel about it.
There was no body inside.
Only his father’s belongings were buried there: his old robes, his weapons, and a few personal items.
An empty grave.
Xing Luoye stood in front of it silently.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then suddenly, all the strength in his body seemed to leave him. His knees gave out, and he fell heavily onto the ground in front of the grave.
His hands pressed against the cold floor.
"Father..." he whispered. His voice sounded hoarse.
"Your disobedient son is back."
He lowered his head.
"I came back again."
A bitter laugh escaped his lips.
"Ah... how pathetic I am. Even after swearing countless times that I would not come here... I still came."
His shoulders trembled slightly.
"Do you think I am useless, Father?" he asked softly. His fingers curled into fists.
"But do not worry," he continued, his voice turning cold. "Even if I am useless... I will take revenge for you."
His eyes grew dark.
"None of the four empires will survive. They all have to pay for what they did to you."
The hall was silent. No one answered him. Only the faint sound of the night wind slipping through the arches could be heard.
His lips trembled.
"...Father," he whispered again, more quietly this time.
"I know... you never wanted this."
His voice cracked.
"You always said revenge only creates more pain. You said we should live quietly... hide our identities... and survive."
His head lowered even more, almost touching the ground.
"But I cannot leave it like this," he said, his voice shaking. "I cannot pretend nothing happened. I cannot forget what they did to you."
Tears slowly fell onto the stone floor.
"I am sorry," he whispered. "I know I am not the son you wanted me to be."
His shoulders shook as he finally broke down in front of the grave.
"But I cannot stop now," he said between uneven breaths. "Even if you do not want this... even if you would be disappointed in me..."
He pressed his forehead against the cold stone.
"I will still do it."
"For you."
"For our people."
His voice dropped into a quiet, broken whisper.
"Because I cannot live in a world where they walk freely... after taking you away from us."
