I felt like the imagery in the globe about the two mermaids in a different world and not being able to touch was also foreshadowing what it was like for them. 

At the end of the day. They were enemies. His adopted father was the remnants of the chenrong army and her mother was a xiyan princess. 

He selflessly loved her and helped her be with someone who was the best for her. 

I can’t help but feel that if XY was some random low level deity that they could have been together. Then they wouldn’t have mattered if xY ended up with him. 

 XianXiaFan:

I felt like the imagery in the globe about the two mermaids in a different world and not being able to touch was also foreshadowing what it was like for them. 

At the end of the day. They were enemies. His adopted father was the remnants of the chenrong army and her mother was a xiyan princess. 

He selflessly loved her and helped her be with someone who was the best for her. 

I can’t help but feel that if XY was some random low level deity that they could have been together. Then they wouldn’t have mattered if xY ended up with him. 

I feel this way too but it still would have ended tragically unless we can someone change him being saved by gonggong and thus being loyal to the chenrong army. 

 Sirry Usly:

I feel this way too but it still would have ended tragically unless we can someone change him being saved by gonggong and thus being loyal to the chenrong army. 

Agreed. In the end he would have still abandoned XY for his army. 

 Noush:

Mina and Aisha and...you all brought up a great description of XL. I agree, yet, I think it is about a choice. XL is a loner.  He is very romantic and loves XY in his way; the way he sacrifices everything for her and more, but he is the one who chooses not to share his feeling with her and only love her in secret in his lonely heart. I think in his way he reached his ultimate stage in love and even designed the end scenes. What a melodrama he created. Pain is a familiar part of him that he is comfortable with. He is not a selfless person, but couldn't hurt XY by forcing her in falling in painful love with him. I give him much better scores than CX who just used everyone even the only love of his life XY. 

And besides, they both knew that their relationship was doomed from the start already. They on the two sides of the same coins (enemies). 

 XianXiaFan:

Agreed. In the end he would have still abandoned XY for his army. 

I think XY once said that what if she met him earlier 

 Feyre:

I think XY once said that what if she met him earlier 

She did. It was really sad. I forgot what chapter that was from though. But it really makes you think about what could have been. 

As the reality set in, though, none of us want to end up with the guy that abuse us all the time. If they are together, that would be a toxic relationship, don't you think? Xiang Liu action spoke louder than his words but it means nothing when he keep using crude force to get to her although he could be so charming as Fang Feng Bai. Xiang Liu has bad boy persona that we love....but his temperamental is definitely 9 headed sea demon. 

 Xtinew:

As the reality set in, though, none of us want to end up with the guy that abuse us all the time. If they are together, that would be a toxic relationship, don't you think? Xiang Liu action spoke louder than his words but it means nothing when he keep using crude force to get to her although he could be so charming as Fang Feng Bai. Xiang Liu has bad boy persona that we love....but his temperamental is definitely 9 headed sea demon. 

For me, it's not necessarily them not being together that was sad. It's the fact that she never knows all the things he does and he doesn't express his feelings as outwardly as she does at times. So it's so frustrating. I think I'd be okay if the novel ended with her reading his letter and if he let her keep the few memories she had of him. Cause in the end with how it ends, she thinks that she meant absolutely nothing to him and that's what hurts. 

 Sirry Usly:

For me, it's not necessarily them not being together that was sad. It's the fact that she never knows all the things he does and he doesn't express his feelings as outwardly as she does at times. So it's so frustrating. I think I'd be okay if the novel ended with her reading his letter and if he let her keep the few memories she had of him. Cause in the end with how it ends, she thinks that she meant absolutely nothing to him and that's what hurts. 

I felt like he did that on purpose so he didn’t become another person that cared about her that abandoned her. This was her biggest fear of being lonely and abandoned. What was important to him was that he was there when she was lonely and that he could leave without her feeling abandoned. 

 XianXiaFan:

I felt like he did that on purpose so he didn’t become another person that cared about her that abandoned her. This was her biggest fear of being lonely and abandoned. What was important to him was that he was there when she was lonely and that he could leave without her feeling abandoned. 

Yeah, I feel like that's why he did that too but in the end, she still felt discarded by him. But definitely not as much as she would have had he given her hope. 

Does anyone know if XY ever asked XL to quit the army?    It seems this would have naturally come up in one of their conversations...

 tofuscramble:

Does anyone know if XY ever asked XL to quit the army?    It seems this would have naturally come up in one of their conversations...

His adopted father was the general so it was his loyalty to him and not because he just wanted to be in the army. And he was asked numerous times to join sides. I am guessing this but I bet at one point if he asked for XY from CX as a terms of him switching sides he could have gotten her. 

Excerpt from chp 31. 

"During the ensuing seven days, Xiao Yao really did reconsider and think carefully. Every day she sat on the jagged rocks outside of the Dragon Bone Prison and looked out over the deep blue ocean.

When Ah Nian went to get her, she could see the blue horizon, the red rocks on the cliffs, and Xiao Yao dressed all in white sitting barefoot on the black jagged rocks as the waves crested at her feet. 

This image was impossible to describe other than Ah Nian felt a sense of utter desolation for her sister. Xiao Yao's image made her think of the legends of old, of a fisherman's wife sitting on the rocks waiting for her lover to come back, sitting and waiting for so long she turned into a rock.

*Ah Nian calls out to her sister and asks her what she's thinking about Xiao Yao says "Nothing". Ah Nian responds by talking about the day she pushed her from the rocks. Then she asks Xiao Yao what she was doing there that day. Xiao Yao says she came to see a friend. She then asks if XL harrassed continued to harass her and XY shook her head. Then Ah Nian says she thought XL was pretty fascinating. XY looks back over the blue ocean and says nothing.*

*Seven days later since XL doesn't come for her, her wedding announcement is made and XL hears about it while he's drinking and discussing things. He then stands up with a smile and bids farewell to the people he is drinking with. He walks a bit along the streets of the western riverbanks. He stands at the edge of the river and stares out. Misty raindrops fall into his palm creating an icy mist around an ice crystal ball. There's a description of what's in the ice crystal etc.* 

At a glance, it appeared that they were holding hands but in truth, the ice crystal separated them. They were from two completely different worlds, they could never truly be together.

I really hope they keep this scene. I'm not sure how they'll showcase the "from two different worlds" part though. 

[Chp 24. 

XY pulled her hand back to put her mirror away but the Grand Emperor grabbed it and waved his hand across. The image of XL swimming in the ocean depths appeared and XY stared in a daze. Even though when she was unconscious XL told her to erase the images, but after she woke up he didn't mention it again so she had forgotten about it. The Grand Emperor asked, "Is he Nine-lives XL? This time, he was the one who saved you?" 

Xiao Yao answered in a low voice, "Yes". 

The Grand Emperor covered the mirror with his hand and the image of XL disappeared. The Grand Emperor said, "XY, I don't restrict your freedom but as your father, I beg you -- do not have any relationship with him. He's exactly on the opposite side of Zhuan Xu (CX) and your bloodline has already made the choice for you." 

The Grand Emperor has already seen one tragedy before (her mom), he didn't want to see the same tragedy with XY. 

Chp 29.

** Back at Sheng Nong Mountain**

XY stared out the window and felt that she was so old and jaded compared to Ah Nian. 

The Yellow Emperor said, "You leave too! Don't spend the entire day in the court with an old fogey like me. With ZX (CX) and me here, you should learn from Ah Nian and be more impetuous and do what you want." 

XY casually said, "It's because you and ZX are here that I don't dare be impetuous and do what I want. My bloodline has destined me to be tied down so why even bother? If I said right now that I'm going to find XL to play with, will you agree?" 

*He said no he would not agree and said that ZX and XL are destined to fight to the death one day and when it comes time for that, he doesn't want her to be devastated.* ]