When Ten Lives Came to Light

I was the man Empress Seraphina once swore she would marry. But on the eve of our wedding, she believed my brother's slander and cast me down to the mortal realm with a wave of her hand, condemning me to suffer through ten lifetimes of reincarnation. After endless torment, I finally returned to the Celestial Realm. Yet the moment I met her cold eyes, terror seized me, and I apologized again and again. "Your Majesty, I am a sinner. I know my wrongs. "I should never have defied my brother. You and my brother belong together. I only love a pig demon from the mortal realm..." Later, I severed my immortal core and willingly entered the Underworld. But Empress Seraphina, who supposedly hated me to the bone, lowered herself and brought the immortals of all three realms to the Underworld, begging me to return to the Celestial Realm. Chapter 1 After ten lifetimes, I returned to the Celestial Realm, but I did not dare take even half a step into Empress Seraphina's palace. I had once been an ordinary mortal. By chance, I saved Empress Seraphina after she was wounded in the war between gods and demons. I cared for her carefully for ten years, and feelings grew between us. After Seraphina recovered, she brought my entire family to the Celestial Realm and swore she would marry me in repayment. But that peaceful life did not last long. Just because I argued with Rowan Vane, my brother, Seraphina and my father cast me back into the mortal world to learn some manners. Ten lifetimes of reincarnation. In some lives, I was born disabled and died in misery. In others, I became pigs, dogs, and livestock, only to be slaughtered for meat. In the end, I became the joke of the entire Celestial Realm. "What are you standing there for? Get inside. If you make the Empress wait, she might add another lifetime to your punishment." My father's urging came from behind me. I turned and looked at his frost-cold face, and bitterness rose in my chest. Back in the mortal realm, he had been kind and gentle, always letting me cry, laugh, and act spoiled. After we came to the Celestial Realm, everything slowly changed. Father became colder by the day, and his hunger for status only grew. "You deserved your punishment. Who told you to run your mouth and steal credit for saving the Empress?" Father added. In the past, I would have cried and argued. Now, I only lowered my head in silence. Ten lifetimes had crushed every thought of resistance out of me. They had ground down my nature until I even thought being a useless dog was fine. At least a dog could survive. Suddenly, the palace doors opened. A violent force dragged me into the hall and vanished in the next instant. I crashed to the floor like a kite with its string cut. My soul, already battered by ten lifetimes of suffering, took the impact as if it were being torn apart. Pain. So much pain. My cries echoed through the empty imperial hall, but no one cared whether I lived or died. Father pretended not to see. Seraphina sat on the throne that symbolized her place as the highest being in the Celestial Realm. Her expression was utterly indifferent, and there was not a trace of pity or compassion in her eyes. She was like an iceberg. It was hard to imagine that she had once called me a sun on the horizon, bright, unique, and irreplaceable. "You are before the Empress. Why are you not kneeling?" Father snapped impatiently beside me. Once, I had been stubborn and refused to kneel. Now, I was obedient. I quickly dropped to my knees, knocked my forehead against the floor, and saluted. "Greetings, Your Majesty." The hall stayed silent for a long while before Seraphina spoke. "Raise your head." I answered in panic, "I do not dare." But a force turned into wind and lifted my chin by force. Only then did I see that Seraphina's brows were tightly knitted, and my heart immediately sank. "Do you understand your mistake this time? Have you learned the rules?" Seraphina asked coldly. "I understand my mistake. "I have learned the rules. "Please show mercy, Your Majesty, and spare me." I pressed my forehead to the floor again and again, my whole body cold as if I had been thrown into an ice cellar. I was terrified of receiving an even harsher punishment. The immortal officials around us whispered among themselves. "Back then, Elias was so proud. He stood in this hall and would rather die than kneel. Now look at him. He is more obedient than a dog." "Obedient? I think he is pretending. When force did not work, he switched to softness. He only wants the Empress to pity him." "I agree. A leopard does not change its spots. Elias is still the same rotten thing who claimed someone else's credit and tried to replace the true savior as the Empress's husband." They spoke so easily because they had never suffered it themselves. If they had endured ten lifetimes of reincarnation, they would also keep their tails tucked between their legs every day, too afraid to utter a single complaint. Chapter 2 Seraphina seemed to believe the nonsense of the immortal officials. She raised her hand, and a gust of palm wind sent me flying dozens of steps away. I slammed hard against a pillar, fell to the floor, and spat several mouthfuls of blood. The pain nearly stole my senses. Even so, I forced myself up and begged Seraphina for mercy. "Your Majesty, after ten lifetimes, I have truly understood. I will never interfere in the relationship between you and Rowan. "I love a pig demon from the mortal realm. "Please--" Before I could finish, Seraphina shot to her feet and glared at me. I was so frightened I did not dare continue. "You love a pig demon? How disgraceful to the immortal rank. Guards, drag Elias out and give him three hundred lashes." Seraphina narrowed her beautiful eyes and issued the order coldly. "No! "Please calm your anger, Your Majesty. Please spare me this once!" I quickly dropped my head to the floor and begged. But Seraphina was unmoved. Father did not stop them either. He let the guards drag me out of the hall, tie me to the Towering Heaven Pillar, and whip me with divine lashes. Blood dyed my gray robe red. I screamed miserably, fainting several times, only for the guards to wake me with cold water. After three hundred full lashes, I lay on the ground like a dead dog, unable to summon even a shred of strength. My heart was full of endless grief and bitterness. What had I done wrong? Why did I have to suffer like this? "Ten lifetimes and you still have not learned the rules. You are beyond saving. Walk home yourself. I do not want to touch your bad luck." Father walked past me in disgust, not forgetting to insult me as he went. I wanted to cry, but no tears came. I was the one who found Seraphina gravely wounded. I had never lied from childhood to adulthood. I had always treated Seraphina with honesty. So why did Seraphina and Father believe Rowan the moment he said I had stolen his credit? Even after ten lifetimes, I still could not understand. After a long time, I finally recovered a little strength and struggled to stand. I took a few steps into the cutting cold wind, but just as I was about to collapse, someone caught me. I turned and saw a woman in a green gauze dress. It was Celeste, Seraphina's junior disciple. "I have only been in seclusion for three hundred years. How did you become like this?" Celeste asked in confusion, her eyes filled with pity. For the first time, someone cared about me. If this had been the past, I would have poured out every grievance, because I wanted so badly for someone to hear all my injustice. Now, I only smiled bitterly. "I committed a terrible crime and was punished with ten lifetimes of reincarnation." People changed. Father changed. Rowan changed. Seraphina changed. So I no longer trusted anyone. I was afraid my words would be spread and bring me another round of revenge and torture. "What kind of grave mistake? I have been in the Celestial Realm for a long time, and I have never seen anyone punished with ten lifetimes of reincarnation, not to mention having their soul nearly scattered." Celeste frowned slightly, clearly wanting to know the whole story. I did not dare say more and lowered my head in silence. "Forget it. I will send you home first." Celeste sighed, placed a pill in my mouth, then lifted me into her arms and rode the wind. Her embrace was warm and soft. I froze for a moment, my cheeks heating faintly. "Celeste. "Put me down. This will only drag you into trouble." I tried to persuade her. This time, Celeste said nothing. I opened my mouth, but did not know what else to say. After taking the pill, I could clearly feel my soul stabilize and the pain in my body fade. When we reached home, my parents and Rowan were eating and laughing together. Wedding decorations hung inside and outside the residence. Rowan and Seraphina were probably about to celebrate their wedding. No wonder Seraphina treated me that way in the hall. She was proving her feelings to Rowan. Chapter 3 The moment Celeste landed with me in her arms, Father was so startled that his cutlery fell from his hands. He shouted at me, "Elias, how dare you? A criminal like you actually lets Immortal Celeste carry you?" "Get down, get down! Do not dirty Immortal Celeste's clothes." Mother immediately echoed him. Rowan said nothing, but jealousy and resentment flashed through his eyes. I truly did not know why Rowan hated me so much. He had been picked up by my parents and showered with care. I treated him like my own brother. When Seraphina took us to the Celestial Realm, I did not leave him behind, yet he betrayed and framed me. He claimed he was the one who discovered Seraphina when she was badly injured. He claimed he personally cared for Seraphina during the first three months of her coma and even used his blood as medicine. But the truth was that the night I brought Seraphina home, Rowan despised her so much that he forced me to settle her in a ruined temple deep in the mountains. Yet Seraphina believed every word of his lies, and my parents always favored him. "It is fine." Celeste waved her hand, glanced around, and said meaningfully, "Even if Elias committed a terrible wrong, you are still family. You should not be so disgusted with him." "Immortal, you do not know the full story. Please let me explain." Father hurriedly pulled Celeste aside and listed my crimes one by one. I did not argue. "Elias, now that you are back, behave yourself. Learn more from Rowan." Mother dragged me toward the back courtyard. I nodded, not even daring to look at Rowan. I was afraid that if he became unhappy, he would run to Seraphina and complain about me. Then I would inevitably receive another whipping. The room was simple. It had only a bed, not even a table. But compared to the days of reincarnation, it was far better. When I reincarnated as an animal, how could I be qualified to sleep in a bed? I had squeezed into pigpens and sheepfolds. When I was finally reborn as a human, I was a despised cripple, abandoned since childhood and forced to sleep on the street. So now, I was very satisfied. As soon as Mother left, I hurried to lie down on the bed. I was too tired and soon fell asleep. As usual, I dreamed of my childhood. Carefree days. I could cry when I wanted to cry. I could make trouble when I wanted to make trouble. Suddenly, pain jolted me awake. When I opened my eyes, I saw Rowan standing beside the bed with a long whip in his hand and a playful smile on his lips. "Rowan, I was wrong. I am sorry. I will never fight you for the Empress again. "When you marry her, I will offer a dance as my blessing." Terrified, I rolled off the bed and quickly bowed my head low to him. "Hmph." Rowan snorted coldly and said in a mocking tone, "Do you think that because you have seduced Celeste, you have a backer now and can live without worry? Let me tell you, that is wishful thinking. "If I do not torture you to death, my heart will never be at ease." Hearing that, my whole body trembled and cold sweat poured out. I could not help raising my head and asking, "I am already like this. Why still refuse to let me go?" "Because I am afraid that one day, Seraphina will fall for you again." Rowan smiled viciously. As soon as he finished speaking, a guard from the Celestial Realm shattered the door and entered. "By order of the Empress, arrest the criminal slave Elias." The guard bound me with immortal-binding rope and dragged me away. Rowan smiled as if spring had arrived. I knew he had schemed against me again. Once more, I was thrown heavily into the Empress's hall. Once more, Seraphina sat high on her throne, looking down at me with cold eyes. "Elias. "Why are you so shameless? You have only just returned to the Celestial Realm, yet you already set your sights on Immortal Celeste. How bold of you!" There was anger mixed into her questioning voice. Chapter 4 "I did not." So this was Rowan's accusation. "Is that so?" Seraphina narrowed her eyes and called out, "Celeste, show yourself and tell us whether he speaks the truth." The words fell, and Celeste arrived on the wind. My heart rose to my throat. I looked at Celeste nervously, my face pale and my hands and feet cold. It felt much like that time. I was afraid I would be betrayed again. But Celeste took my hand instead. Under my shocked gaze, she said to Seraphina, "I sent Elias home willingly." In that instant, my eyes grew wet, and a thread of warmth appeared in my despairing heart. Seraphina stared fixedly at our joined hands and gritted her teeth. "Absurd! Absurd! A criminal slave and an immortal? How can you be together? "Celeste, do you not find this humiliating?" So that was why she had casually cast me into the mortal realm. She thought I was humiliating. Celeste shook her head and replied, "Your Majesty, I am not like you. I do not worry so much and then refuse to face my own heart. "The first time I saw Elias, I liked him. But at the time, he was engaged to you, so I went into seclusion to avoid my feelings." After hearing that, I froze and looked at Celeste's profile, stunned and confused. She was probably making up an excuse to help me escape blame. "Celeste, you..." Seraphina's face darkened. Then she clenched her fists and said, "You are both so shameless. You deserve punishment! Punishment! "From this day on, Celeste is stripped of her immortal title and will be exiled to the Underworld with Elias. You may return to the Celestial Realm only after you have delivered every wandering soul in the mortal world. "Everyone to the Severance Platform. I will personally remove their immortal cores." Her voice thundered through the three realms. Cold sweat poured down my back. I quickly said to Celeste, "You do not need to sacrifice your immortal path for me." Having one's immortal core severed and being exiled to the Underworld was too heavy a punishment. It would destroy Celeste's entire life. "It is fine. I am tired of the Celestial Realm anyway. It should be nice to visit somewhere else." Celeste smiled faintly, then turned and walked toward the Severance Platform. I followed behind her bitterly. All living beings in the Celestial Realm gathered around the Severance Platform. When my parents saw me, they shook their heads in disgust. Rowan's lips curved with the smile of someone whose plot had succeeded. This time, he had won again. Seraphina hovered in midair and questioned Celeste. "If you admit your mistake, I can spare--" Before she could finish, Celeste severed her own immortal core, and memories of the past appeared. Countless times, she had stared at me in a daze. Even when backlash during seclusion left her unconscious, she still called my name. The memories faded. Celeste's face showed no fear as she resolutely leapt through the gate to the Underworld. I froze. I had not expected Celeste to truly like me, much less to destroy her own immortal core for me. In that instant, tears poured from my eyes. If I survived, I would never fail Celeste in this life. "Elias, look at the trouble you have caused! If you had not seduced Celeste, how could this have happened?" In her fury, Seraphina waved her hand and threw me onto the Severance Platform. "I should never have been softhearted toward you. I should have let you reincarnate as livestock and cripples, suffering every pain in the world." As my immortal core was slowly pulled out, I screamed in agony, and my past lives appeared one by one before the immortals. In my first life, I was born in a pigpen. All the immortals were stunned. Especially Seraphina. Her brows tightened at once, and she murmured, "How could he have reincarnated as a pig? In the first life I clearly arranged for Elias to be born into a wealthy household as the son of a concubine."