MTLNOVEL Chapter 629: It's not a dream
Han Xin's lips pressed into a thin line. He knew it wasn't the wisest choice. But if it was the only one left… then it was the right one.
Han Jun wasn't done yelling at him. "If you mark yourself with that seal, do you understand what that means? You will be trapped. Forever."
His wife met his gaze, unwavering. "Yes, I know. But shouting won't change what he's endured. Let him speak."
Han Zhan stood at the doorway, his hand gripping the frame as though it could anchor the unease twisting in his chest. His memories of the different worlds were fragmented, scattered like shards of glass, but one truth burned clear, Han Xin loved Xiang Yu with a depth that defied reason. He loved him enough to throw himself into ruin if it meant saving him.
That knowledge made Han Zhan's stomach knot. He felt powerless, watching events spiral beyond his reach.
In the midst of the tense argument between the Divine Emperor and his wife, Han Xin suddenly spoke, his voice cutting through the chaos. "I heard him."
The words froze the room. Han Jun stopped mid-sentence, his wife's head snapping toward their son.
Han Xin's mother moved to his side, her expression tight with worry. She hovered protectively, her hand brushing his arm. "Xin-er… are you sure? You are probably just… a little worried, hearing things."
Han Jun's brow furrowed deeply. In his mind, the very idea was absurd. The Realm of Annihilation was sealed off from all others apart from him. Even the mightiest divine power could not pierce its isolation. Communication with the condemned was impossible.
But Han Xin's gaze was unwavering. "I can hear him," he said, voice low but certain. "He said…"
He trailed off, the weight of the words he was about to speak pressing down on the room like a gathering storm. He couldn't bring himself to say it.
His fingers lingered on the ring, twisting it slowly, as though the motion alone could untangle the storm gathering in his mind. His gaze was distant, shadowed, and the air around him seemed heavy, as if a dark cloud had settled over his shoulders.
Han Jun's eyes followed the movement, and when they landed on the ring, his body went rigid. That ring was no mere ornament. It was the seal of a vow that should never have been made so lightly.
The memory struck him with startling clarity: the day Han Xin had sworn the Timeless Oath to Xiang Yu. An oath that defied the boundaries of existence itself—binding two souls beyond the reach of time, space, and even the endless cycle of life and death.
It was a promise that no matter the distance, no matter the lifetimes, the immortal would seek their beloved's soul. A love so fierce it could pierce the veil of reincarnation. And if that soul were ever destroyed… the divine immortal who bore the oath would vanish alongside it.
The words of that vow were etched into the ring's very core, and deeper still, burned into Xiang Yu's soul.
Han Jun remembered his fury then, the way he had railed against his son's recklessness. But now… now he felt a reluctant gratitude. Without that bond, Han Xin might have already done something far more dangerous, chasing after Xiang Yu blindly.
Still, this was uncharted territory. Never before had such a situation arisen, and Han Jun had never imagined it could be possible.
"Can you try speaking to him?" he asked his voice steady, but there was a weight behind it.
Han Xin didn't even pause to consider. His eyes slid shut, and in the quiet of his mind, he called out softly, 'Yu Yu.'
On the surface, his expression was cold, carved from stone, but inside, panic churned like a storm-tossed sea. He called again. And again. Each unanswered plea tightened the knot in his chest until it was hard to breathe.
His hands curled into fists, knuckles blanching, nails biting into his palms until the sharp sting of breaking skin and the warm trickle of blood grounded him. His voice, though only in his mind, began to tremble. His eyes burned, the threat of tears making his vision blur.
'Why won't you answer me?'
Just when despair began to sink its claws into him, when he thought perhaps his mother was right, that he was only hearing echoes of his own longing, something shifted. His divine senses flared, sharp and clear.
He closed his eyes once more, and when they opened, the darkness was gone. In its place, far ahead, floated a white, luminous light, pulsing gently. Around it darted a smaller orb, glowing faintly, circling the larger light with restless energy.
Han Xin's heart clenched. He knew. That light was Xiang Yu. But what was that irritating little fuzzball clinging to him?
Before he could think, his feet moved of their own accord, carrying him forward. "Yu Yu!" he called out his voice breaking.
From within the radiance, Xiang Yu's face emerged, beautiful, familiar, and utterly confused.
Xiang Yu blinked, his mind struggling to make sense of what he was seeing. This has to be a dream, he thought. Otherwise, how could Han Xin be here, wherever here was? The place was nothing but endless light and shadow, a realm that felt both infinite and close enough to touch.
"Xin-ge," he called softly, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I must miss you so much I am even dreaming about—oh."
His words wereere cut short when Han Xin all but launched himself forward, wrapping him in a crushing embrace. The force of it knocked the air from his lungs, and for a moment Xiang Yu couldn't breathe. Still, instinctively, he returned the hug, his arms tightening around the familiar warmth.
The tiny glowing light ball pressed against Xiang Yu's shoulder, and nestled there, as if it belonged. Xiang Yu didn't even notice it was there.
Han Xin's eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, he flicked the little thing with a sharp snap of his fingers, sending it tumbling through the air like a comet.
Xiang Yu turned his head in confusion, but Han Xin's hand caught his chin, firmly guiding his gaze back.
"Look at me," Han Xin murmured, his thumb brushing along Xiang Yu's jaw. His other arm stayed locked around Xiang Yu's waist, holding him as though he might vanish.
"It's not a dream," Han Xin said, his voice low and certain. "I am really speaking to you."