Soon after taking Iris to relax and catch up on the latest matters, Maximus secretly began preparing a surprise.
After hundreds of years exploring the Aeon Plane—from the Dimensional Alliance territory to the Dark Void Domain—they returned to the Immortal Palace Realm.
"Where is the surprise you've been preparing?"
Iris didn't want to wait millions of years for a mere proposal.
Who knew if Maximus would even remember it by then?
"Here?" Iris asked excitedly, looking around.
However, aside from the usual scenery, nothing seemed special.
Then, as she looked further, Iris saw her master, friends, students, acquaintances, sect elders, followers, and more.
Having lived for billions of epochs, the number of people she knew was uncountable.
Yet, seeing trillions of familiar faces gathered in a single place, Iris couldn't help but be stunned.
Reminiscing about her seemingly empty life, she realized it was not so empty after all.
Meeting countless people, experiencing the tribulations of life—she was never truly alone.
While Iris was in a daze, they took out lanterns, lighting them with eternal flames as they floated into the sky.
Dimming the starlight and replacing it with glowing embers like fireflies, the scene mesmerized her.
Not answering her question, Maximus took her hand and led her forward.
As they walked, Iris took a good look at the countless people around her, remembering every bit and piece of memory they had experienced together.
Turning her eyes to the lantern-lit sky and the warm hand holding her hands, a soft smile formed on her lips.
"It's too early for that. The main event hasn't started yet."
Suddenly, as if triggered by a hidden mechanism, the lanterns in the sky shifted, forming a grand formation.
Nature itself seemed to respond—the wind sang, the earth danced, and the entire realm transformed into an immortal paradise.
Listening to the melody of nature, Iris turned to Maximus, love shining in her eyes.
Under the eternal flames, accompanied by the song of nature, surrounded by everyone she knew, Iris felt like the happiest woman in the Aeon Plane.
As the music faded, the lanterns dimmed, leaving only a single soft glow between them.
"Will you dance with me forever?"
At her answer, the entire dimension seemed to rejoice.
The lanterns burst into dazzling light, announcing their union.
Blessed by eternal flames, everyone in the Immortal Palace Realm felt a warmth that pushed back even the coldest darkness—a guiding light at the end of the tunnel.
With Maximus' proposal, Marcus—who still couldn't coax Elena—was suddenly enlightened.
Learning from Maximus, Marcus also began plotting a surprise.
However, not wanting to be outdone by a junior, he planned something even grander.
He even sought Maximus' advice, like a student learning from a master.
Meanwhile, postponing the wedding until his family emerged from seclusion—and giving Marcus time to finish his affairs—Maximus and Iris returned to their secluded training.
Although Iris had already advanced to the Absolute Realm, her foundation was still lacking.
With the Immortal Origin Manual in hand, she began refining her deficiencies.
Maximus, on the other hand, continued taking on the Trial of Origin while accumulating enough strands of causality to upgrade his physique.
Ten thousand years passed in silence.
Finally, Marcus' preparations were complete.
Inviting everyone he knew, he orchestrated a grand proposal that echoed across the entire Aeon Plane.
Battling in the void, Marcus and Elena vented all their emotions and feelings through combat.
Like a scorpion courting its mate, his approach was… unconventional.
The fight was pure chaos, leaving all spectators in shock.
"Is this even romantic?"
"What got into Marcus' head? Is this normal?"
"What a battle maniac! Even his proposal is a battlefield!"
As the fight neared its conclusion, the crowd gasped in disbelief.
"Huh? Is Marcus… losing?"
"What a fraud! How could Marcus lose?!"
"This has to be scripted!"
Kneeling in defeat, Marcus looked at Elena, his body covered in blood and bruises.
"You! Are you pitying me?!" Elena asked angrily, thinking Marcus had deliberately gone easy on her.
"No, you won fair and square…"
"Long ago, before I was even hailed as the strongest, you had already won my heart."
"Huh?" Shocked by Marcus' sudden words, Elena was momentarily dazed.
"Since you've taken my heart, I have nothing else to offer but my worthless life. Will you take care of it forever?"
"Hmph! Since your life is mine, it's no longer worthless!" Coming back to her senses, Elena smiled and hugged Marcus tightly.
"Well? Was my proposal grand enough?" Marcus grinned, whispering in her ear.
"Fool~ You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
"Hehe, as long as you're happy!"
With the romantic fiasco coming to an end, Marcus announced that their official wedding would take place ten thousand years later!
Hearing about the upcoming wedding, various powerhouses began preparing extravagant gifts.
The strongest Absolute was getting married.
Although a minor event in the grand scheme of things, it was no less significant than a forbidden path advancing to Absolute!
Even Maximus, despite being focused on the Trial of Origin, took time to make preparations.
Soon, ten thousand years passed, and a grand wedding ensued.
Attending the ceremony, Maximus and Iris congratulated the couple.
"Congratulations, Master! You finally got your wish."
"What wish? This bastard was the one who insisted I take care of his life."
"Right, right, it's all because of me." Marcus nodded like an obedient husband.
"By the way, when are you two getting married? You can't keep dragging it out forever." Elena asked with a smirk.
"It will be soon, in about a hundred thousand years," Maximus replied.
Seeing Elena's two-faced reaction, Maximus could only smile wryly.
After greeting the other guests, Maximus and Iris left to give the newlyweds some space.
While enjoying the wedding feast, Iris secretly took notes on what she wanted for herself.
Excited, she couldn't help but glance at Maximus.
"Don't worry, I'll give you everything you want…"
With the wedding coming to an end, the two returned to seclusion once more.