Chapter 2473

"You should know that your ascension is five years away. The same goes for Ling Shu’s turning point. So, you can only meet after five years. Meeting now is useless."

Silver Fox was startled by Yan Aohan’s words, especially the phrase "useless." He looked at Yan Aohan, puzzled by why he would say such a thing.

Yan Aohan seemed to ignore Silver Fox’s gaze. "You should know your own situation best."

"Yes, I know. My tribulation is in five years. But I feel it’s wrong to ascend like this. What about Ling Shu?" Silver Fox sighed, appearing deeply worried for her.

"Ling Shu?" Yan Aohan looked at Silver Fox, his eyes full of mockery. "Are you really worried about Ling Shu?"

Silver Fox was displeased. "What do you mean by that?"

Yan Aohan sighed deeply, his expression becoming even more unreadable. "Silver Fox, we’ve known each other for years. I didn’t harm you back then, and I won’t now. You should understand that your future has never been in the Demon Realm. Ling Shu wants to turn from a demon-human hybrid into a human, but that’s impossible. If she can’t even be human, how can she become an immortal? Becoming a Demon King is her limit."

Silver Fox’s heart skipped a beat. "Emperor Yan, just tell me directly. I feel like there’s more to your words."

Yan Aohan sneered slightly. "Smart. You even know I’m hinting at something."

"Emperor Yan, be straightforward. No need for roundabout talk since you’re not of the Fox Clan." Silver Fox said.

It was clear Silver Fox understood that Foxes were naturally indirect.

Yan Aohan looked at him. "To keep Ling Shu alive, you used your clan’s secret art to turn her from human to demon. But you must know that the gap between human and demon is a chasm, like that between human and devil. Once a demon or devil, it’s hard to escape without special fate. Otherwise, you remain a demon or devil for life. This means from the moment you turned her into a demon, she can never be human again in this life. To be human, she must reincarnate."

Reincarnation isn’t easy, especially for a demon-human hybrid. It requires the right timing.

Silver Fox understood the implication.

Humans and demons walk different paths, often leading to tragic romances. Silver Fox hadn’t realized that by trying to repay Ling Shu’s affection, he had doomed their relationship to tragedy.

Disbelief crossed Silver Fox’s face. He looked into Yan Aohan’s eyes, hoping to find a lie. But he knew Yan Aohan wouldn’t lie.

Sadness appeared in Silver Fox’s green eyes. "Is there no way to finish this in this life?"

"No way," Yan Aohan confirmed. "You must resolve your bond with Ling Shu in this life to ascend. Of course, if you want to continue this bond, there is a chance. After becoming a True God, you can use the power of the Wheel of Time. By sacrificing some essence blood, you can let her reborn in a safe place. But you must also undergo reincarnation, starting as a mortal. It’s a test of your love."

Silver Fox smiled bitterly. He knew himself well. His feelings for Ling Shu weren’t that deep.

Silver Fox fell silent. Ouyang Tianyun, standing nearby, noticed this. She might not understand love, but she knew Silver Fox and Ling Shu’s relationship was different from Yan Aohan and Zhu Yanyi’s.

"If you don’t love her, say it early," Ouyang Tianyun said after a pause.

"I’m confused too," Silver Fox admitted. "I feel this is wrong, especially since it involves love. Sometimes I hate myself for feeling fake. But I can’t ignore Ling Shu. Yet, I can’t be with her like Emperor Yan and Empress Yan are."

"That proves you lack confidence in love," Yan Aohan said. "It also shows the Fox Clan’s nature is overly sentimental."

"But I’ve never felt this way about any other woman," Silver Fox insisted, denying he was sentimental.

"Being sentimental doesn’t mean having many women. It often means weakness in love, which hurts love," Yan Aohan said, looking intently at Silver Fox. "Look at me and my wife. I love her, so I’m willing to give everything, even my cultivation and life. But you can’t, can you?"

"Yes, I can’t," Silver Fox smiled bitterly. He indeed couldn’t match Yan Aohan’s devotion to Zhu Yanyi.

Yan Aohan nodded. "See? You know you can’t, yet you still do it. Why?"

Silver Fox looked at him, confused.

Yan Aohan smiled lightly. "Because you are the most sentimental of all." Seeing Silver Fox’s disagreement, he added, "Don’t think I’m joking. I’m serious. If you truly loved Ling Shu deeply, you wouldn’t have any conflict. The conflict arises because you are hesitant in your decisions. This hesitation causes these issues, leading to deeper conflict over time. Eventually, the harm and regret will be greater."

Silver Fox frowned. He didn’t fully understand, but felt Yan Aohan was hinting at something.

"Can you explain it clearly? I feel like I won’t understand unless you spell it out," Silver Fox said.

Yan Aohan glanced at him coldly, looking disappointed. "Even if I explain clearly, you still won’t understand. What’s the point?"

Silver Fox felt rejected.

Ouyang Tianyun looked at Silver Fox, frowning. She wasn’t familiar with Silver Fox, but Ling Shu was her sister. Though she had understood many things through Yan Aohan and Zhu Yanyi, cutting off this familial tie was still hard. Therefore, she was very dissatisfied with Silver Fox’s sentimental attitude.