Absolute Choice
chapter-56

Kali gently wiped the tears from Shi Xiaobai's face as she recalled how she too had once cried so miserably. But back then, no one helped wipe the tears for her. If...if there was such a person back then who understood, comforted and encouraged her, how nice would it be?

With this thought in mind, the gentleness in Kali's heart turned even more tender.

"Li, I finally understand why I returned from the cycles of reincarnation. It is all because of the machinations of fate." Shi Xiaobai's gentle voice suddenly entered her ears.

Kali was stunned. Was "Li" referring to herself?

As she was dazed for a few moments, her right hand was lightly grasped by Shi Xiaobai. She did not pull away after a few moments of hesitation.

"That day, sealed in the chamber of ice, I suddenly heard the truth in your music."

Shi Xiaobai grabbed Kali's soft hand with both his hands. His gaze was gentle and warm, just like a spring breeze.

"That night, I listened to the chanting of sutras, not for enlightenment, just for a trace of your scent."

"That month, I spun all the prayer wheels, not for the release of souls, just for the touch of your fingertips."

"That year, I crawled forward on the mountain path with long kowtows, not for pilgrimage, just for being close to your warmth."

"That life, I crossed mountains, rivers and pagodas, not for reincarnation, but for an encounter with you somewhere during the journey!"

Shi Xiaobai took a step back and said softly, "After numerous cycles of reincarnation, I have finally met you. I am willing to give up the freedom of being alone, giving you half of my time, so as to exchange for half of your time."

"Fate destined our fateful encounter, allowing us to form a lovers' pact. Become my girlfriend, Li!"

The first half were lines from Yang Wei's confession, while the second half was improvised by Shi Xiaobai. This was probably the most flamboyant confession in the world.

The moment Shi Xiaobai finished speaking, he heard the announcement "Absolute Choice completed" in his head which relieved him. However, he immediately tensed up again and looked at Kali with a perturbed expression. At that moment, despite knowing that the Confession of a King was unstoppable, he still prayed that Kali would be tempted to reject the Confession of a King.

"Sorry, you are a nice person, but we aren't compatible!"

Kali remained dazed for a moment before she suddenly shook her head coldly. She said it in a very cold voice.

Shi Xiaobai took a moment before he snapped out of his resulting daze. Kali's word meant that she rejected the lovers' pact, and had rejected being his girlfriend?

She actually rejected?

She actually could reject the sensational Confession of a King?

At that moment, Shi Xiaobai laughed!

"Looks like This King's prayers worked. A miracle has happened!"

After recognizing Kali's rejection as a miracle, Shi Xiaobai immediately felt his entire being relaxed. Without having the worry from the Absolute Choice, and without a "girlfriend" to feel vexed over, life suddenly turned bright.

Shi Xiaobai beamed a glowing smile as he said to Kali with a laugh, "I understand."

...

...

Shi Xiaobai's confession was very pompous, but after a moment of rumination from Kali, she could understand the poetic intricacies and feelings in it. She was somewhat touched, but she clearly wasn't moved.

She had lived for so many years but had yet to be in a relationship. She had never held hands or kiss, naturally for her reasons.

Although she "liked" Shi Xiaobai, it was the "like" an adult had for a cute child. For Kali, Shi Xiaobai was just an ignorant child. Never once had she thought of a romantic relationship.

But Shi Xiaobai had confessed to her at this moment?

Having not known each other for more than an hour, love at first sight could explain his feelings, but the feeling was still too odd. Kali was initially surprised, thinking that Shi Xiaobai was just joking.

However, from Shi Xiaobai's expression, he looked extremely sincere.

He fell in love with me just like that?

At the instant Kali generated such a thought, she immediately said the coldest of words—you are a nice person, but we aren't compatible!

After saying those words, Kali immediately lamented in her heart. She felt like she had been too direct. Shi Xiaobai was a good child, so she should have rejected him nicely!

However, Shi Xiaobai's reaction had went far beyond Kali's expectations. He was smiling, and smiling ever so brightly.

He could smile even after being given the "Nice Guy Card"?

"He must be forcing a laugh!"

With this thought, Kali immediately felt some guilt. The more sincere Shi Xiaobai smiled, the more she felt his pain that resulted from putting on a front. She had really made things difficult for him. To prevent her from feeling guilty, he had forced such a laugh. Wouldn't this make her more guilty?

Kali simmered in guilt for a moment before deciding to lead Shi Xiaobai on a little, hence she said, "You have to know that I have lived for many years."

Kali wanted to tell Shi Xiaobai that the gap in their age was too wide, which made them incompatible. However, she found it hard to force out those words when it reached her teeth. Age was such an annoying thing to mention! Hence, Kali switched to a more euphemistic manner of speech.

Shi Xiaobai was stunned hearing this, thinking that Kali was flaunting her immortality. He immediately muttered, "This King's will is like yours, immortal and undying!"

Will?

Upon hearing this word, Kali fell into deep thought.

"Did will refer to his heart's intentions? Was he telling me that even if he were to die from old age, his heart will go on forever with me, immortal and dying, until the end of times? Was he so unwavering?"

Upon thinking of this, Kali suddenly felt her heart stop. She suddenly remembered an important matter. Right, she was his mentor.

"Cough, I have something I forgot to tell you. Actually, I'm your exclusive mentor! You have to address me as 'teacher' in the future!"

Kali believed that with their capacities as mentor and student, this difference would make him stay away, right?

Shi Xiaobai finally frowned.

"The saying goes that 'he who teaches me for one day is my father for life'. Wouldn't This King be acknowledging her as a father?"

In fact, Shi Xiaobai had the thought of becoming Kali's disciple at the outset, however, the saying "he who teaches me for one day is my father for life" had made him pause. Shi Xiaobai sighed and said, "I appreciate your kindness, but I will definitely not become your student! Not a chance!"

Kali was completely dumbfounded when she felt the determination in Shi Xiaobai's tone.

After witnessing her power, he was still able to resolutely reject being her student. Did he not desire such power?

No, he must desire it more than anyone, but why did he refuse?

"Could that be why he doesn't want to become my student. He also doesn't want a gap in our capacities? Just for this matter, he is willing to forgo the power he greatly desires? Are his feelings that deep?"

At this moment, Kali was a bit moved. She began to take Shi Xiaobai seriously. Although he was only thirteen years old, he already looked like a teenager. A genius like him might already have numerous girls liking him by now?

Kali quickly shook her head, abandoning such strange ideas in her head. After hesitating for a moment, she said softly, "Shi Xiaobai, to tell you the truth, I am a pure pixie as well as the World Tree. If I were to engage in boy-girl relationships, it would desecrate the pureness and defile the sacred tree, causing my strength to weaken, so..."

Kali sighed. This was the reason why she was willing to stay chaste for eons. Even though her body had stopped growing ever since she was a teenager, even though her mind was mottled by the passage of time, how could she not have yearned to have a taste of this thing known as "love"?

But she couldn't. She could not do the most passionate things lovers do, so since she would be destined to hurt her loved one, then it was better not to have a loved one in the first place.

"I see."

Upon hearing Kali's words, Shi Xiaobai's eyes lit up while he found himself lost in thought.

So boy-girl relationships would cause the weakening of strength!

Shi Xiaobai made such a conclusion from Kali's words as he began muttering to himself, "Looks like This King has to cultivate the so called Virgin Boy Exercise..."

Since engaging in boy-girl relationships would result in the weakening of strength, then what Kali cultivated was likely related to her purity, then wouldn't the cultivation skill for boys be the Virgin Boy Exercise!?

Shi Xiaobai was extremely pleased, believing he had discovered the secret behind Kali's power.

But he did not know that his soft murmuring was like thunder in Kali's ears!

"For me, he is willing to give up the most passionate matters between lovers and even wants to cultivate in the Virgin Boy Exercise!? Are...are his intentions so selfless? How should I reject him?"

Kali's heart felt extremely heavy. At this moment, she was truly touched by Shi Xiaobai, but she still had a reason that forbade her from sharing hearts with others.

"Should I give him a chance? If..."

Kali had such a thought as she looked at Shi Xiaobai. Her expression looked unprecedentedly serious as she sighed and said, "Shi Xiaobai, in fact, my return to the human word this time is to prevent the fourth apocalypse. The first apocalypse destroyed my home, and nearly annihilated the entire world. And now, I finally have the tiny possibility of saving the world, so I must prevent it!"

"When the fourth apocalypse comes, I will personally challenge the "Original Sin of Calamity", but even for me, I might not be able to come back alive. All of this is the only meaning for my existence. So even if I know I will die, I will never back down!"

"Do you understand? I do not know when I would die. It might be ten years later or a year later. I might even die tomorrow!"

Kali revealed the biggest secret in her heart. She had to tell Shi Xiaobai that her becoming of a lover would be doomed to end in a tragedy. If he could even accept the tragedy...

"Can you bring me along?" Shi Xiaobai's eyes flickered with a shiny beam. Saving the world? This was something he wanted to partake in!

"What?" Kali had a look of incredulity flash past her eyes. Did Shi Xiaobai mean that he wanted to accompany her to face the fate of her destined tragedy?

"Can you bring me along when you challenge the 'Original Sin of Calamity'!?" Shi Xiaobai's eyes looked extremely resolute. Becoming a Hero to challenge a Super BOSS was always his dream!

"You want...to send yourself to death?" Kali's voice sounded forced. For her, he was even willing to abandon his life?

"All men must die, so why fear?" Shi Xiaobai believed that there was no reason to fear if they could become a hero that saved the world.

"I...I got it." Kali began thinking that since he was willing to give up his life for love, and was willing to die together with her, why couldn't she accept his heart?

At this moment, Kali was completely moved.

Wasn't it just being in a relationship? She even dared to kick a God King from his throne and even converted demonic girls into pixies. She even dared to use her life to prevent the end of the world, so what if it was just a relationship that crossed the confines of age, species and strength...it did not seem too unacceptable, right?

"Cough, I agree. That...That whatever pact..I'll sign it!"

After saying that, Kali's face blushed.

"Ah?"

Shi Xiaobai was stunned. What did this mean?

Kali immediately blushed when she saw Shi Xiaobai so shocked from surprise. Gritting her teeth, she rushed up to embrace Shi Xiaobai's head, and tip-toeing, she gave his forehead a kiss before taking a few steps back. She said softly, "The pact has been sealed! However, you are only thirteen, so you have to wait till you are at least sixteen...before the pact will take effect!"

"Alright, that shall be the case. When you are sixteen, I will become your girl...girlfriend. By...Bye!"

Kali felt her heart palpitating so much that she could not take it anymore to the point of her stammering. She hurriedly jumped into the light, as though she was escaping from the room.

Only then did Shi Xiaobai realize what had happened. This..why did she, for some baffling reason, suddenly change her mind?

"Sigh, she still wasn't able to withstand the power from the Confession of a King! This King, who believes in miracles, is indeed too naive!"

At this moment, Shi Xiaobai was weeping. "The thing about girlfriends, This King doesn't want them!" IChooseDogLeading (我选择狗带) when read in Chinese sounds like I Choose Go Die. It was a meme that resulted from a former member of famous Korean boygroup, EXO, TAO (Huang Zitao). At a concert, there was a part in a rap that where he said "", but due to a mispronunciation, it sounded like he will not easily choose to be led by dogs. This phrase now means 'I'd rather die/I choose death'.