My Wife is the Asura Empress

Chapter 354 When Crimson meets Purity

hylos finally spoke, his tone softer than before. "perhaps i was wrong about this and couldn't see my child's happiness. but now, i will accept her as my son's choice."

a surge of gratitude filled grace's eyes. yet, before she could utter a word, rio sent her a mental message, 'please do not say anything to make them doubt your magic. let this remain between us...'

he knew all too well how, in the saintess' story, leo had tragically died because he had trusted his family with grace's secret. that trust had led them to pursue the exalted clover ring. this time, rio was determined to keep its existence hidden from leo.

grace nodded in understanding, then turned to leo, who pulled her into an embrace. as they hugged, hylos respectfully bowed to lia, who acknowledged him with a slight nod.

hylos then raised his voice, addressing everyone present, "the cliffbow family will host their wedding ceremony in a year. all of you are invited." his proclamation echoed through the village, sparking cheers among the villagers. meanwhile, leo and grace shared a moment of pure joy, basking in the acceptance of the head of the cliffbow family.

***

later that evening, rio and his wives rode a carriage toward misthaven mountain, where leo and grace wanted to go after bidding farewell to the cliffbow family.

upon reaching the mountain's base, leo asked the family coachman to wait and gestured for the group to follow him.

as they distanced themselves from the coachman, leo turned to rio with a cheeky smile that glowed with his usual charm. "initially, grace and i were clueless about this place, but now all the pieces of the puzzle seem to be coming together on their own."

rio frowned at leo's cryptic words, suspicion flickering in his gaze. nyla, on the other hand, seemed eager to know more as she galloped closer to her darling. meanwhile, lia and lily stayed behind, walking quietly with grace, who seemed lost in thought.

after two hours of walking through uneven paths and dense vegetation, the group finally reached their destination. the sound of rushing water grew louder as a waterfall came into view, hundreds meter ahead. it was a magnificent sight and majestic in its sheer height.

leo turned around, planting one hand on his hip while pointing toward the waterfall with the other. "welcome to the ancient tomb."

"ancient tomb?" nyla asked in puzzlement.

grace moved up from behind. "it's a tomb we recently came across but couldn't open because of a restriction," she explained calmly.

"what restriction?" rio questioned, turning his gaze to the roaring waterfall.

leo didn't answer immediately. instead, he started moving toward the waterfall. "just come along," he called over his shoulder. "you'll understand everything when you see it."

with no other option, rio followed, his frown deepening as the crashing sound of water grew louder. the roar of the falls drowned out most attempts at conversation, and the mist drenched their clothes in seconds. the river below was wide and fast-moving, its surface broken by large, jagged boulders that bobbed slightly with the current.

leo leapt onto the nearest boulder. from there, he hopped from one to the next, steadily approaching the waterfall. with one last leap, he vanished behind the curtain of water.

from behind them, lia's calm voice echoed through the chamber. "it says 'bound hands.'"

grace's eyes widened in realization. she then turned to rio, holding her hands out to him. "then we have to do it together—properly."

rio glanced toward leo, his brow arching in concern. "you won't kill me if i hold your wife's hands for a moment, right?"

at his words, all the ladies burst into laughter, their giggles bouncing off the quartz walls.

leo crossed his arms. "yeah, go ahead. but i can't guarantee what'll happen if you end up stealing her away."

grace's cheeks flushed, and rio nodded before placing his hands over hers. the warmth of her palms met his, their fingers lightly brushing as they held each other's hands in mid-air.

the moment their hands met, a radiant glow erupted from the center of the wooden door. lines of golden light traced along its surface, forming intricate patterns as the door creaked loudly. with a low groan, it swung open, revealing what lay beyond.

"it worked!" leo exclaimed, his excitement breaking the tense silence. without waiting for anyone else, he rushed through the opening.

rio and the others followed behind. inside, it felt as though they had stepped into the land of legends. the chamber beyond was vast, its ceiling soaring high above them.

piles of treasures gleamed from every corner, their brilliance illuminating the room like a thousand tiny stars. gems of every size and hue sparkled in shimmering heaps.

among the treasure lay countless artifacts—ancient weapons, intricately bound books, and artifacts of unknown origin—all radiating an aura of immense power.

leo let out an audible gasp, his voice brimming with excitement. "we've hit the jackpot!"

"holy moly..." nyla muttered, her usually composed demeanor giving way to pure astonishment.

"this is..." grace whispered.

lia, lily, and rio, though more composed, were not entirely immune to the breathtaking sight. even rio, who had seen his fair share of wonders, found himself momentarily captivated by the glittering sea of treasures.

before anyone could move further, a deep, resonant voice echoed throughout the chamber. its power was undeniable, and it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

"this tomb holds the remnants of an ancient civilization," the voice boomed. "none may leave with more than one treasure in their grasp."

the voice faded, leaving behind a thick silence as the group exchanged glances.nôv(el)b\\jnn