Confiding Heartfelt Thoughts

"Three Soul Ancestors, Big Sister really thinks highly of herself." Zhu Zhuqing endured the discomfort in her body, biting her lip as she struggled to resist the massive fluctuations of soul power.

In this situation, with her second martial soul not yet awakened, there was absolutely no possibility of survival.

No, there seemed to be a glimmer of hope...

Zhu Zhuqing's gaze couldn't help but focus on Mu Qian.

Can he help me?

On the other side, Mu Qian also noticed Zhu Zhuqing's distress; his feet shifted as he took a step forward.

The moment he stood in front of Zhu Zhuqing, that terrifying, overwhelming pressure vanished instantly.

"Three big brothers, don't you know that private duels are forbidden in Star Luo City?"

"I originally wanted to let you live a little longer, but unfortunately, you didn't seize the opportunity."

Mu Qian's voice grew colder and colder. By the end, his previous carefree attitude had vanished, leaving behind only a bone-chilling coldness.

"This girl has a connection with my Little Flower, so today, I'm protecting her for sure..."

"ROAR~"

Before the words even faded, a deafening dragon roar echoed across the sky, spreading throughout the entire Star Luo City.

Countless roof tiles in the alley were shaken loose by the terrifying sound waves, the clattering sound incessant.

The three men in black looked as if they had encountered something horrific, their eyes staring blankly ahead.

In that moment, they felt their martial souls and bloodlines subjected to an indescribable, terrifying suppression, as if a palpitation from the soul itself had surged into their hearts.

Mu Qian spread his arms. Accompanied by a magnificent aura of soul power, a massive dragon shadow flickered in and out of existence, and a pair of exaggerated, divine dragon wings slowly unfolded from his back.

Appearing along with the dragon wings were three pitch-black soul rings.

An intense pressure of soul power erupted from the ten-thousand-year soul rings, instantly shattering the momentum of the three men in black.

Behind him, Zhu Zhuqing watched the scene before her in a daze, a strange light flickering in her beautiful eyes.

She wasn't surprised by Mu Qian's cultivation or his soul rings, nor did she pay attention to those gorgeous, divine, and terrifying dragon wings.

She simply looked at his not-so-broad back, feeling a rare sense of peace in her heart.

At the very moment of her deepest despair, a boy had stood before her, bearing the wind and rain that would have otherwise swept away her fragile body...

"This... three ten-thousand-year soul rings, how is that possible?" the man in black said, trembling.

Mu Qian did not answer his question. As his second soul ring bloomed, it signaled the fate of the three men in black.

Countless ice shards bloomed from the inside out, like flowers cheering and leaping in the spring sun.

The ice shards froze every element of water within them, and at the same time, took away their lives.

"Soul Ancestors, they're nothing much after all." Mu Qian shook his head and smiled.

Suddenly, he realized something and hurriedly turned to rush toward Zhu Zhuqing, who was not far away.

"Private duels are forbidden in Star Luo City. The situation just now has probably attracted a lot of attention, so we'd better slip away quickly."

After saying this, Mu Qian didn't care whether she agreed or not; he grabbed her delicate hand with his left and scooped up Little Flower with his right.

The dragon wings on his back flapped violently, and his figure vanished into the endless night.

At this moment, Zhu Zhuqing was still immersed in the shock of what had just happened. Suddenly, she felt her hand—which had never been touched by anyone—enveloped by a warm palm.

After seeing that it was Mu Qian, a faint blush crept onto her delicate face.

He must be the same age as me... If only... if only my fiancé were like him...

If that were the case, perhaps I could have had a different choice and a different life...

"Sorry, I wasn't paying attention for a second, the commotion was a bit big." Mu Qian smiled awkwardly.

He hadn't intended to cause such a huge scene.

The main thing was that Mu Qian understood what Zhu Zhuqing wanted.

What she had always wanted was powerful strength—strength that could turn her fate around.

This strength could be her own, or it could be a harbor strong enough to shelter her and provide her with warmth.

The latter, Mu Qian believed he could provide.

As for the strength itself, he could also provide help with that.

The two figures darted through the night sky. Zhu Zhuqing secretly peeked at Mu Qian's profile, her heart racing for the first time.

The boy's features were handsome, like a ray of sun in the dead of winter, piercing through the thick fog and illuminating her dim life.

He had seemed a bit unreliable when they first met, but it was also this first meeting that had allowed her nearly dead heart to regain a glimmer of vitality for the first time.

Zhu Zhuqing didn't know the boy's name, nor did she know where he was taking her.

Does it matter where we go? the young girl couldn't help but ask herself in her heart.

It seemed that leaving just like this was also a pretty good choice.

On a night of utter despair, Mu Qian had just like that broken into her world, and into her heart.

Just like the peerless hero she had once fantasized about.

In the commoner district of Star Luo City.

Zhu Zhuqing sat perched on a rooftop, her fair, jade-like legs swaying gently beneath the eaves.

Beside her, Mu Qian leaned back against the tiles, quietly listening to her story.

As her voice faded and the story concluded, the tranquil night sky returned to its peaceful state.

Zhu Zhuqing gazed at the night view of Star Luo City with a sorrowful expression, recalling the few moments from her past that had brought her warmth.

"If you don't like your current life, why not choose to leave? Sometimes, taking a step back allows you to see a more beautiful scenery."

Mu Qian smiled brightly, without any heaviness or mockery, like a long-time friend sharing a heartfelt conversation.

The girl's current sorrow, contrasted with the determination he saw when they first met, touched his heart deeply.

It was just like that ignorant night in another world, amidst the wind and snow, when he first caught sight of that radiant moonlight.

Was this the feeling of a first love?

Mu Qian did not know, for from beginning to end, he had never possessed the courage to speak the words in his heart.

In his past life, he was just like his own soul skill, merely an ugly duckling among all living things.

Zhu Zhuqing shook her head: "If only it were that easy to leave. You don't understand; this is a destiny imposed upon me. No matter where I hide, I can never escape it."

She felt happy, her expression no longer downcast; at least compared to the countless cold nights of the past, a trace of warmth was flowing through her heart.

Tonight, she had spoken more words than she had in years, and even poured out her innermost thoughts.

In the past, she had always hidden away to lick her wounds in secret, but today, someone was sitting by her side, listening like a friend.

Friend... what a precious word that was to her...

The girl she used to be had never possessed such a thing...

Those two simple characters, when applied to her, seemed so unreachable, like a reflection of the moon in the water—nothing more than a dreamlike bubble.

Looking at the boy within arm's reach, even though she still did not know his name, at this moment, Zhu Zhuqing felt that he was the only person willing to draw close to her.

It felt dreamlike, yet so very real.

Zhu Zhuqing wanted to stay here just like this, never having to consider the shackles weighing down on her heart.

Thinking of nothing, she simply gazed silently at the night sky in the distance.