Chapter 1265: Ruined Lives

"To think that I once claimed that Mei'er was more beautiful than the princess herself... Heavens above, punish me!" A young man's arms hung weakly by his side. In comparison to the princess' beauty, his beloved Mei'er seemed like nothing more than the mud against the backdrop of the sky.

Mei'er lifted a cutlery knife to her face. "You've all claimed that I'm more beautiful than any mortal there was, a beauty hardly seen once in a century, even the top beauty of the third realm—but compared to her, I'm nothing!"

Someone who was clearly her elder shouted, "Mei'er, put down that knife! It's far too dangerous!"

"Mei'er, if something's the matter, let's talk it out!"

"Physical appearance is nothing to care about—it's what inside that matters!"

Her elder tugged on the man standing beside her. "Nephew, aren't you on the best of terms with Mei'er? You praise her all the time, your tongue like honey! You always make your cousin smile, so won't you persuade her to stop herself?!"

"Scram! I'm trying to focus on the fairy from the heavens!"

The young man beside Mei'er heartlessly slapped aside the elder's hand.

Mei'er laughed a chilling, desolate laugh. "I was always proud of my beauty, and I even thought myself the most beautiful woman in the realm! To think that I was nothing more than a fool! A true beauty's like a graceful swan, and I'm nothing more than an ugly duckling."

Mei'er's smile grew even more strained. She had wanted to threaten to ruin her own beauty in order to capture the attention of the young men around her, but their attention had been instantly captured by Li Qianlin instead!

It was then that Mei'er saw through the young men that had been wooing her. None of them were truly interested in her, but only in the beauty that she represented, as a trophy. She was nothing more than jewels or an extravagant vehicle.

She thought that she had been toying with all the men around her, but the opposite was true instead.

When Li Qianlin, of peerless beauty and noble birth, appeared, they tossed her aside like she was a ragdoll.

"What's the use of this face, then?"

Mei'er felt a heavy blow strike her heart as she cut herself deeply with her knife.

Mei'er's elder screamed in panic, but no one turned toward her. Everyone seemed to have been captivated by Li Qianlin's beauty.

"This is no mere woman, but rather a fairy from the heavens! I feel as though I've been poisoned with the malady of love!"

"To think she's this beautiful... just sneaking a glimpse at her has made my life worth living. I won't marry anyone else in the world but her!"

"I'd give ten years of my life just for a touch of her hand!"

A middle-aged man laughed at the youngsters around him. "Dream on. Look at the man on the multicolored dragon."

The doors to the palace opened as Zhang Lie stepped out in a sharp Western suit. He stretched. Li Qianlin and Zhang Lie glanced at each other from afar, beatific smiles on each of their faces, as though they were in their own world.

"What right does he have to marry such a peerless beauty?!"

"A hero and a beauty, a perfect match!"

"Could he have saved the three thousand worlds in his past life?"

"Whether or not he did it in a past life, no one knows—but he's done it twice over in this one."

One young man sighed upon witnessing Zhang Lie, as though his soul had left his body.

"Among the three thousand worlds, only he could ever be a match for her." The young man turned to leave, tugging off his tie, as though he had aged thirty years in a single moment.

Beside him, his companion asked, "Where are you headed? The ceremony's just begun!"

The young man smiled mirthlessly. "My life is meaningless now. I intend to become a monk."

His companion quickly followed behind him, causing the first young man to laugh wryly. "If you truly think of me as a friend, don't stop me. I've made up my mind."

"Who's going to stop you? I intend to become a monk with you! The fact that I won't be able to spend the rest of my life with her—rather than marry someone whom I could never love and be bitter for the rest of my life, I'd rather swear a vow of celibacy."

"So be it!"

Other attendees, upon witnessing what was happening, joined the group of young men.

"Wait for me!"

More young- and middle-aged men shrugged off their suits and ties, then followed the growing group.

There were about a hundred of them in all, each of them looking as though their souls had left their bodies. No one stopped them; the crowd simply shook their heads.

"Another generation, ruined..." A middle-aged man shook his head in exasperation, as though he were used to the sight.

Another elderly man, his hair turning white, murmured, "This generation can't take it, it seems..."

The middle-aged man shrugged. "They ruin themselves the moment they see the princess—and to think there are still elders willing to send members of the younger generation over!"

The wizened old man couldn't help but laugh. "Those in the know are smart enough not to—they don't even attend themselves, for fear of being struck by her beauty."

The middle-aged man glanced mockingly at the departing young men.