World-Ending Demon Emperor-Chapter 63 - 60 Great Victory Conquest of the Second Battle!
63: Chapter 60: Great Victory, Conquest of the Second Battle!
63 -60: Great Victory, Conquest of the Second Battle!
However, what brought Meng Tuoluo to the brink of collapse was not the wedding dress, although the snow-white gown indeed completely outshone her own shadow crystal dress, for it nearly embodied all the beautiful fantasies and longings a girl could have towards love and marriage.
But what pierced her heart was the painting of herself, the one from five years ago.
In the portrait, she wore the most beautiful and sacred wedding dress in the world, holding a brilliantly artistic bouquet of roses, just standing there.
Quietly standing there, her beautiful eyes filled with limitless fantasies of happiness, her exquisite face bore the world’s most joyous smile.
Such beautiful yearning, such sweetness of love, that spirit, that purity, could instantly shatter anyone’s heart.
The portrait was so lifelike, so dreamy, it seemed more real than reality itself.
Upon seeing it, Meng Tuoluo froze in that moment.
Her eyes instantly dilated to their fullest, then she just stared, stared, and stared.
Her entire soul was penetrated by the image in an instant.
Her mind fell into long-lost memories.
The sweetest, most tender, most painful memories.
That wedding, the one that encapsulated all her hopes, the one she had traded everything for.
She was a candidate for the Holy Maiden of the Dragon Temple, meant to live a life devoid of romantic attachment, never to marry.
For his sake, she gave up her transcendent status, gave up her faith.
One must know that once ascended as the Holy Maiden of the Dragon Temple, she would be revered and worshipped like an Angel by the whole world.
Because he was from the enemy nation, her feelings were opposed by her entire family.
Her parents swore that if she were with him, they would immediately sever ties and exile her from the family.
To be with him, she renounced her faith, abandoned her future, lost her family and kin, and was left with nothing.
But she had no regrets.
Because with his love, she possessed the whole world.
Everything she did, all the sacrifices, were for that wedding, that day filled with all her yearnings and hopes.
Yet, at that very wedding, he, the groom, betrayed her.
In front of everyone, he abandoned her.
For a future, for power, he married another woman.
All the mockery, all the ridicule, swept over her like a tide.
Having lost everything, her final love and hope gone, she was truly left with nothing, becoming a joke between two nations.
Since then, the purest star in the heavens had fallen: she turned from an angel into the nightmarish Black Widow.
…
Looking at this portrait by Lanling, at the pure version of herself from years gone by.
In an instant, all of Meng Tuoluo’s defenses were utterly shattered.
The most painful, most vulnerable wound she thought had healed was torn open once again, as if it hurt more than that very night, making it impossible for her to breathe.
“Ah…” Her tears burst forth, she screeched aloud, then covered her mouth and desperately fled.
Just as she had on that night, running out of the wedding hall.
And Lanling, he sighed a long sigh of relief; he knew he’d succeeded halfway.
His painting had recreated Meng Tuoluo from years past, instantly breaking through her defenses.
…
In the following two days, Meng Tuoluo never showed up again.
Lanling’s portrait plunged her into those infinitely beautiful yet agonizing memories, with the reopened wound bleeding profusely, so she needed to hide in a corner, lick her inner wounds, and let them heal anew.
After the pain subsided, the gradually clear-headed Meng Tuoluo began to truly recognize Suo Lun’s wasted talent.
She had to admit that Suo Lun had indeed surpassed her in the art of painting.
In aesthetics too, he seemed to have surpassed her.
This realization instantly ignited Meng Tuoluo’s competitive spirit.
Back in the day, she, along with many nobles and even royal girls, including Princess Zhining and Zhen Yan Princess, studied at the Dragon Temple in Yanjing.
But in both artistic and aesthetic achievements, her, Meng Tuoluo’s, prowess was the highest.
Although Zhi Ning sometimes appeared to compete with her, at critical moments, it was still Meng Tuoluo’s artistry that edged out a little more.
The Holy Maiden instructor had said before that despite Zhi Ning’s brilliant intelligence, her mind was too preoccupied, not as pure as Meng Tuoluo’s, and therefore, in critical moments, Zhi Ning’s artistical level would lag behind.
Previously, when Zhi Ning had sent over Suo Lun’s portrait, Meng Tuoluo marveled at the lifelikeness of the painting and the whole new art revolution.
She felt disgruntled inside, wondering since when did Zhi Ning, absorbed in politics, acquire such high artistic levels?
Now, it was clear Zhi Ning was merely drawing a tiger like a cat.
The real revolutionary in painting was the prodigal Suo Lun.
Unexpectedly, his achievements in art were so high, in painting and the aesthetics of the human form, he had even surpassed her; otherwise, he wouldn’t have designed such a dreamy wedding dress.
Moreover, this man was also proficient in understanding the human heart, having extrapolated her entire transformation.
That also meant he had roughly figured out her identity as well.
Suo Lun wanted to wage a war with her, a war of intellect, art, and cunning.
She must not lose, especially not to a talented and handsome man.
Ever since being betrayed by the man she loved, she vowed never to lose to any man.
Taking a deep breath, Meng Tuoluo prepared to battle once again.
This time, she intended to crush Suo Lun utterly so that she could justifiably drain his blood dry.
A man utterly defeated by a woman hardly had any purpose left in this world, right?
This time, she would beat Suo Lun at what she does best.
Meng Tuoluo touched her slender jade hands, then slowly walked out.
To defeat Suo Lun, and then to kill him!
…
Only three days remained until the wedding.
Lanling finally saw Meng Tuoluo; today, she had changed into another dress, a long white gown, seemingly a response to the “designed” wedding dress by Lanling.
Upon entry, several Barbarians followed, carrying a harpsichord with them.
Lanling couldn’t help but be surprised: getting this piano from the vast mountains was not an easy feat.
“Suo Lun, do you know where the world’s finest artists are?” Meng Tuoluo asked.
“In the Dragon Temple,” Lanling said.
“Exactly, in the Dragon Temple,” Meng Tuoluo said.
“Those with the highest martial prowess, the highest artistic achievements, and the highest spiritual attainments are all in the Dragon Temple because the people there do nothing else but dedicate every day to these pursuits.”
After speaking, Meng Tuoluo gracefully sat down in front of the piano, her waist and hips forming an incredibly enticing and graceful curve.
“Do you understand music?” Meng Tuoluo asked.
Lanling nodded: “Somewhat.”
Meng Tuoluo said, “The wedding dress you designed last time was good, indeed it surpassed my shadow crystal dress.
How about I wear the wedding dress you designed at our nuptial ceremony?
I have already had it made.”
Lanling nodded: “Good.”
This meant that Meng Tuoluo had admitted defeat in the last round.
Meng Tuoluo continued, “However, a wedding always needs music, right?
Whether it’s the Rage Wave Kingdom or the Flame Empire, there must be music at the wedding banquet.
If the bride and groom are talented, it’s best to compose their own piece to make the wedding truly unique.
Can you compose music?”
“I can,” Lanling said.
Meng Tuoluo clapped her hands: “Great, I also composed a piece for our wedding.
How about you compose one as well, and we’ll see which one is better.
Then we can choose that one as our wedding music, okay?”
Lanling knew that Meng Tuoluo couldn’t bear to be beaten by Lanling in her area of excellence, so she was challenging him again. freewebnσvel.cѳm
The last time had been a challenge in the realm of aesthetics, and this time it was a challenge in the realm of music.
The second battle had begun, and Lanling’s second step in conquering the Black Widow had started as well.
Lanling immediately nodded: “Okay, it’s a deal.”
Meng Tuoluo asked, “Is two days enough time?”
Lanling said, “It’s enough.
However, if I win, what’s in it for me?”
“You, you cannot win,” Meng Tuoluo said with full confidence: “I believe there are not many who can surpass me in this expertise.”
Lanling said, “But what if I do win?”
Meng Tuoluo said, “If you really win, after the wedding, we’ll truly consummate our marriage, how about that?”
Lanling knew that to make a woman who intended to kill you spare your life, you first had to win her heart, and to win her heart, you first had to win her body.
“Good,” Lanling said.
“It’s a deal then,” Meng Tuoluo said: “I’ll tell you a secret, I’m still a virgin, no man has ever truly had me.”
Lanling was not at all surprised by this outcome.
Then Meng Tuoluo said, “Aren’t you afraid that I might go back on my word when the time comes?”
Lanling said, “I trust the integrity of an artist.”
Meng Tuoluo said, “Then I’ll see you again, I’ll come the day before the wedding.”
And with that, she left, leaving the harpsichord with Lanling.
…
Over the next two days, Meng Tuoluo and the Barbarian maidens waited outside, and she even silently arrived outside Lanling’s room, hoping to hear the music he was composing.
However, no sound of the piano came forth.
Peering through the hidden lattice, she saw that Suo Lun was either lying on the bed staring blankly, closing his eyes to mimic playing the piano, or doodling on paper.
In any case, he didn’t play a single note.
Meng Tuoluo immediately felt disdainful.
This was the music composition method she looked down upon the most, creating in isolation, merely building castles in the air.
Indeed, he had not produced a single note for a full two days.
Even though Meng Tuoluo knew that Suo Lun was bound to lose, the fact that he hadn’t composed even half a note was hugely disappointing.
The two days flew by, and since Suo Lun hadn’t played a single note, Meng Tuoluo secretly mocked herself for feeling competitive against such an idle playboy.
When he entered Lanling’s room again, his hair was in disarray, and his eyes were bloodshot as if he hadn’t slept for two days and two nights.
“Suo Lun, have you finished composing the piece?” Meng Tuoluo asked.
“I have,” Lanling said.
“Oh, then let us compare and see whose composition is better,” Meng Tuoluo said.
“If you win, I’ll sleep with you after our vows are exchanged.”
Her tone was calm, but filled with confidence and a fierce will to fight.
“Good,” Lanling said.
