Chapter 184: Nine Kinds of Tears, the Curse of the Flower of the Other Side

Hearing about hope, Liu Yi was moved and asked, “A price? What price?”
Yelang glanced at the matchmaker, seemingly making a decision, before saying to Liu Yi, “When the nine kinds of tears gather, it will be the time when the Flower of the Other Side blooms and its leaves turn green, and it will also be the time when the celestial maiden regains her memory.”
“However, influenced by human love, this flower will impose a vicious curse while fulfilling your wish. Once the promise is fulfilled, the curse begins: the celestial maiden returns to the divine realm and never enters the mortal world again, while the true demon forever falls and is trapped in the demonic realm.”
Liu Yi seemed to understand, but he asked uncertainly, “Are you saying that when the celestial maiden regains her memory, I’ll have to be separated from her forever?”
The matchmaker nodded and said, “That’s right. Of course, you can consider whether to restore her memory. If not, you won’t be together. But if you do, you’ll have to endure many hardships. Do you think it’s worth it?”
Listening to the matchmaker’s words, Liu Yi fell silent for a moment. He understood what she meant—even if the celestial maiden regained her memory, she wouldn’t be with him. The outcome was the same, but he would have to suffer again. Without further thought, he replied, “Thank you for reminding me. I just want to say that there’s no such thing as whether it’s worth it or not. It can’t be measured. There’s only… willingness.”
Yelang exclaimed, “Oh? So you mean you want to collect these nine kinds of tears to help the celestial maiden regain her memory?”
Liu Yi nodded firmly. “Yes. Everything has become memory. All we have is faith in our hearts. Because of our love, the celestial maiden suffered the cycle of reincarnation in the mortal world. Since this suffering started because of me, then let me end it. I don’t expect any outcome. All I want is the faith in my heart—that the celestial maiden will be happy.”
The matchmaker nodded and said, “Perhaps you truly understand love deeply. Although the outcome is the same, your efforts can end the celestial maiden’s cycle in the mortal world. For such a decision, I sincerely bless you…”
Yelang nodded and said, “Maybe you’re very brave. Truly brave people never fall on this path of life. I hope you can do it. Although the celestial maiden has never shared your burdens, what you’re doing truly makes us proud of you…”
Liu Yi remained silent before asking, “Then can I know now what these nine kinds of tears are? Can I know how to restore the celestial maiden’s memory?”
The matchmaker nodded. “Of course. Otherwise, how can you proceed?”
Yelang continued, “The first kind of tear is the tear of the true demon’s emotion.”
Liu Yi blurted out, “The tear of the true demon’s emotion? Doesn’t ‘true demon’ refer to oneself? Then how can this so-called tear of emotion be considered?”
The matchmaker replied, “Yes, there is only one true demon in this world, and that’s you. As for what this tear is, we can only tell you that the emotion must be one of deep feeling, and the tear shed must stem from such emotion. Only then will the Flower of the Other Side appear and absorb that tear.”

Liu Yi nodded. This seemed difficult for him—how many times had he shed tears in his life? And what did tears of emotion look like? Regarding these tears, he could only hold a glimmer of hope. Liu Yi couldn’t help but ask, “What about the second kind of tear?”
Ye Lang replied, “The second kind of tear is the King of the Underworld’s tear of sorrow.”
Liu Yi frowned and asked, “Who is the King of the Underworld?”
The matchmaker answered, “You must know Lan Ying. Lan Ying is the seventh disciple of the King of the Underworld. The other six disciples control the Six Star Palaces of the underworld. In other words, the King of the Underworld is the supreme ruler of the underworld. What you’ve obtained is his tear of sorrow.”
Liu Yi nodded, seemingly understanding a bit. Since the King of the Underworld was Lan Ying’s master, his cultivation must be immeasurably high. If that was the case, obtaining the King of the Underworld’s tear would be even harder than reaching the heavens, not to mention a tear of sorrow, which restricted the emotion behind it. This made Liu Yi fall into deep thought once again.
Ye Lang glanced at Liu Yi but didn’t stop and continued, “The third kind of tear is Pangu’s tear of regret.”
Hearing Ye Lang’s words, Liu Yi suddenly snapped out of his thoughts and blurted, “How can gods have tears? And how could Pangu have a tear of regret? He’s nothing but a heartless stone.”
The matchmaker’s laughter reached Liu Yi’s ears as she said, “Regardless of whether gods have tears or not, Pangu’s tear of regret is essential. Otherwise, the Flowers of the Other Side will never be able to help you. Besides… how do you know gods don’t have tears? They just disguise themselves better in this world. For seven thousand years, how do you know Pangu has never regretted anything? All I can say is that this tear of regret is necessary—none of the nine tears can be missing.”
Ye Lang continued, “We’re just explaining these nine kinds of tears. Whether you’ll strive to obtain them is up to you. Of course, if you think you can’t do it, we won’t say anything. In fact, we’ll even take you back to the Three Realms Continent directly.”
Liu Yi shook his head and said, “No, please go on.”
Ye Lang nodded and said, “The fourth kind of tear is the Tear of the Hundred Flowers—tears that give rise to a hundred flowers, the tears of their blessings.”
Liu Yi asked in doubt, “Do flowers also have tears? So are those the tears of a hundred flowers?”
The matchmaker shook her head and said, “The tears of the hundred flowers aren’t from a hundred flowers. What they are? We can’t say. You have to experience it yourself. Only by experiencing it will you know.”
Ye Lang continued, “The fifth kind of tear is the Prayer Tear of the Sinking Stars—tears that fall as stars sink, praying for you.”
Before Liu Yi could speak, Qi Yue suddenly interjected, “Are you joking? How can stars have tears? If stars prayed for us, wouldn’t this world be in chaos? What you’re talking about doesn’t exist at all. I think you have no ability to help this scholar; you’re just using impossible stories to deceive him.”
The matchmaker looked at Qi Yue, not angry at all, but with a hint of approval in her eyes, and said with a smile, “Good girl, you care about him so much. Whether what we say is true or false can only be proven by you experiencing it. Things in this world need to be defined by people themselves. If I say it’s false, will you stop trying?”

Listening to the matchmaker’s words, Liu Yi simply nodded and said, “Please continue.”
Ye Lang replied, “The sixth kind of tear is the Tear of Ironstone’s Protection.”
This made Liu Yi even more puzzled—how could Ironstone have emotions, let alone tears, let alone tears of protection, something that couldn’t possibly exist? Liu Yi asked again, “How could Ironstone have tears?”
The matchmaker continued, “If heaven has feelings, it will grow old; if the moon has feelings, it will never wane. As the saying goes, sincerity can move even the hardest stones. As long as you put your heart into it, how can you know that Ironstone has no tears?”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “What about the seventh kind of tear?”
Ye Lang replied, “The remaining three kinds of tears are the Tears of Definition, so they are more difficult to find than the previous ones.”
Liu Yi said, “Please go ahead without reservation. I really want to know how difficult it is to obtain these nine kinds of tears. As long as they exist in the world, the Flower of the Other Side will surely bloom with both flowers and leaves.”
Ye Lang smiled and said, “Some things are quite ordinary but simply overlooked. These nine kinds of tears are merely things of this world—how could they not exist? It’s just that… you need to experience and make efforts to obtain them.”
After a pause, Ye Lang continued, “The seventh kind of tear is the Moon’s Tear.”
Upon hearing this, Liu Yi frowned and said, “The Moon’s Tear? Isn’t that something beyond the mundane world?”
The matchmaker smiled and said, “Perhaps it isn’t of this world, but since it exists, truly exists, then it is. As long as you believe, the moon has tears. In our world, the Moon’s Tear represents eternity—true love that endures forever.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “Good, please continue.”
Ye Lang looked at Liu Yi, who showed no reaction, and calmly said, “The eighth kind of tear is the Tear of White Clouds. White clouds symbolize purity and perfection. Only after being cleansed by them can the Flower of the Other Side bloom beautifully once again.”
Liu Yi silently pondered these unbelievable things…
Ye Lang merely smiled and said nothing, then added, “The ninth kind of tear is the Tear of the Earth, representing the steadfastness and faith of love. Only the Tear of the Earth can help the Flower of the Other Side regain its faith.”
Liu Yi nodded and asked, “Do these nine kinds of tears really exist?”
The matchmaker nodded and said, “I’m just telling you that this is a method and also a hope. Only by gathering all nine kinds of tears can the Flower of the Other Side bloom again, breaking the curse of the celestial maiden and freeing her from the cycle of suffering in this world. You must ask yourself: if you truly believe, then go ahead and try. If you don’t believe, you can certainly turn back. We’re just offering our method as a hint.”
Hearing the matchmaker’s words, July nodded and said, “So, in that case, these nine kinds of tears do exist?”
Ye Lang nodded and said, “Believe, and they exist; don’t believe, and they don’t. Everything lies in experience. If you try hard, what does it matter if you don’t succeed? Believe in yourself.”
Liu Yi nodded and said, “I won’t turn back. Since there’s a way to restore the celestial maiden’s memory, even if it’s just a legend or a story, I’ll still strive for it. The celestial maiden has suffered enough.”

Ye Lang nodded and said, “So, you’ve decided to go in search of these nine kinds of tears?”
Liu Yi didn’t hesitate; he simply nodded firmly and replied, “Yes. As long as these nine kinds of tears truly exist, I will definitely gather them all. Even if it means facing mountains of knives or seas of fire, Liu Yi will not back down.”
The matchmaker nodded and said, “Then, does that mean you also accept the curse of the Lotus of the Other Shore? Think carefully—once the celestial maiden returns to the divine realm, she will never descend to the mortal world again, and you will be sealed in the demon realm forever. It’s a very tragic curse.”
Liu Yi nodded firmly and said, “Yes, I accept it. I’m not afraid. No matter how vicious the curse is, as long as the celestial maiden can be freed from the cycle of rebirth, I’m willing to do anything.”
Qī Yuè also nodded and said, “Hmm. After all, a curse is still a curse. Since the celestial maiden’s curse can be broken, then if the scholar is truly cursed, it must also be possible to break it. I don’t believe people can really be played with like this by fate.”
The matchmaker looked at Qī Yuè with a approving smile and said, “Oh? Do you think a true demon’s curse can also be broken? When the celestial maiden was cursed, there was a true demon to cycle for her, protect her, and lift the curse. But what if the true demon is cursed? Who will break its curse? The celestial maiden? She will never leave the divine realm. Could it be… you?”
Hearing the matchmaker’s words, especially the last part, Qī Yuè and Liu Yi were both shocked. Although the matchmaker was just talking casually, her words seemed to carry deep meaning, especially that last sentence, which echoed in Qī Yuè’s mind for a long time: “Could it be… you?” It carried suspicion and doubt, as if she thought Qī Yuè couldn’t possibly do such a thing.
Drawing on some unknown courage, Qī Yuè said firmly, “If it really is me, Qī Yuè is willing to sacrifice her entire life to break this curse. Qī Yuè’s wish… is simply… for the scholar to be happy.”
Hearing Qī Yuè’s words, Liu Yi felt an inexplicable sense of emotion once again. But he didn’t know what to say in response. He truly had no way to repay her.
The matchmaker shook her head and suddenly laughed, “Silly child. I was just joking with you. There’s no such thing. Don’t foolishly think that your life can lift a true demon’s curse. Besides, it’s not even certain whether he can find those nine kinds of tears to restore the celestial maiden’s true form and free her from the mortal world. What are you thinking?”
After hearing the matchmaker’s words, Qī Yuè also felt a bit embarrassed, realizing her words might have been too direct. Thankfully, Liu Yi couldn’t see her expression; otherwise, she would have really wanted to hide somewhere.
Liu Yi replied to the matchmaker’s earlier words, “I definitely can. As long as they exist in this world, no matter how difficult it is, I will find them… So, let’s leave now. I don’t want to waste any more time.”
Ye Lang said, “Wait. Do you know where to find these nine kinds of tears?”
Asked by Ye Lang, Liu Yi seemed confused. Could those nine kinds of tears not be in this world? He asked, “I don’t know. Please tell me, sir.”

Suddenly, the matchmaker had two pieces of white jade in her hands. The jade wasn’t large—combined, they were still smaller than a palm. One piece was carved with a moon, and the other with a sun. She placed the two pieces in Liu Yi’s hands and said, “These two pieces of jade are the keys to the gates of the underworld and the divine realm. As long as you use your true energy to activate them, they will open the gates to those realms for you.”

Liu Yi took the two pieces of white jade, which still retained a hint of warmth. Curious, he asked, “According to what you’ve said, could it be that these nine tears aren’t on earth but in the underworld and the divine realm?”

Ye Lang nodded and said, “That’s right. True emotions on earth are truly hard to fathom. Perhaps those other two realms also possess these nine tears. I hope you can gather them all to restore the celestial maiden’s memories and end her three lifetimes of suffering.”

Liu Yi nodded, seemingly thinking of something else, and asked, “If I want to obtain those tears, how can I put them into the River Flower?”

The matchmaker flipped her right hand, and a pink flower with only petals and no stems appeared in front of Liu Yi. She continued, “You might not be able to see it, but the flower right before you is the River Flower. I’ll ask you one last time: Are you willing to accept the curse of the River Flower?”

Liu Yi hesitated not at all and nodded firmly. “I am willing.”

The matchmaker nodded and said, “Good.” As she flipped her hand again, the pink flower floated toward Liu Yi’s body. It then emitted a pink glow. As the glow spread, the River Flower gradually disappeared, leaving only the pink light surrounding Liu Yi.

With another flash of the light, it suddenly contracted, and all the pink particles vanished into Liu Yi’s body. In that instant, Liu Yi felt his body move violently, as if merging with something, before returning to normal. He then asked, “What is this?”

The matchmaker replied, “This is the curse of the River Flower. When one of the nine tears appears, it will emerge from your body, absorb that tear, and then return to your body. Once all nine tears are gathered, the celestial maiden’s memories will be restored, and the River Flower will fulfill its tragic curse.”

Liu Yi nodded and said, “Thank you.”

Ye Lang added, “Well, perhaps our fate ends here. Open the gate to the underworld and go in search of those nine tears.”

Liu Yi and July thanked the two of them once more. As Liu Yi activated the Star White Jade, a gate covered in white light appeared before them. Through the “Black Curtain” ribbon, Liu Yi could clearly sense the white light and see the white gate.

Liu Yi turned to July and asked, “Do you still want to go?” It seemed he couldn’t ask her for anything at this point.

July nodded and said, “Let’s go together.”

Liu Yi simply nodded lightly, and then the two stepped into the white light. As they entered, the white light gradually shrank, until it became a tiny white dot and disappeared from this world.

The matchmaker stared at the disappearing white dot and at the setting sun sinking into the sea in the distance, then asked, “Are the nine hardships we gave him a bit too much?”
Yelang shook his head and said, “He needs to go through them. If everything were that simple, what would love even be? If he can’t bear these trials, how can he claim to love? Don’t worry; he will succeed.”
The matchmaker nodded, but then added, “But… that curse… I always feel we’re being too cruel. Why force them to be separated?”
Yelang gently wrapped his arms around her waist and said softly, “Life is full of constant choices. The same goes for him. This curse is just one of the choices given to him. Matchmaker, you must understand that nothing in this world is absolute, not even this curse.”
The matchmaker leaned against Yelang, watching the sunset, the golden waves shimmering, and butterflies fluttering among the flowers. She said softly to Yelang, “Perhaps… it’s precisely because this curse isn’t absolute that I’m especially worried about July’s fate. I wonder what that silly girl will do.”
Yelang nodded and said, “Forget it. I have a feeling he will return, back to this faraway place…”