Declare Intent

The evening breeze, carrying the mist from Sea God Lake, brushed gently against their shoulders. Jiang Che pulled back his wandering thoughts, his gaze falling upon Ma Xiaotao beside him, the tenderness in his eyes no longer hidden.

In the past, he had been entirely devoted to cultivation. It wasn't that he didn't understand the young girl's feelings; it was simply that he dared not accept them, nor could he.

Having transmigrated to this perilous continent, he was alone and had to fight desperately to grow stronger just to secure a foothold in the chaotic times to come.

Back then, he couldn't even guarantee his own safety, let alone make promises lightly. Furthermore, the girl before him was only nineteen; he did not want to see her trapped in any compromising situation, so he had deliberately restrained his heart, burying all his affections deep within and protecting her only in the capacity of an elder.

But things were different now. At twenty-two, a Titled Douluo, with a long-delayed system binding and dual Ultimate martial souls, he finally had the confidence to stop living with his nerves constantly frayed. He now had the ability to protect those he cared about and could face these long-hidden feelings with a calm heart.

Seeing him remain silent for so long, staring at her without blinking, Ma Xiaotao's cheeks grew increasingly hot. She couldn't help but clutch the corner of her robe and look up to glare at him, though the usual playful reproach was replaced by a shy, flustered confusion: "W-why are you looking at me like that? Don't tell me you're still thinking of teasing me about when I was little?"

Her hands, hanging at her sides, tightened slightly, and her heart began to race uncontrollably. In the night, the young man's gaze was deep and gentle, no longer carrying that distant, composed air of the past, but instead brimming with a tenderness she could clearly read, leaving her momentarily panicked.

Jiang Che chuckled, took a half-step forward, and leaned down slightly to bring his gaze level with hers. His voice dropped to a whisper, blending with the evening breeze to sound exceptionally gentle: "I'm not teasing you. I was just thinking that I spent too much time focused on cultivation, ignoring so many things, and wronging you by making you wait for so long."

This sentence was like a stone cast into the center of a lake, sending massive waves through Ma Xiaotao's heart. She jerked her head up, her fiery red eyes filled with shock, which then surged into an unbelievable joy. Her earlobes and cheeks turned crimson in an instant, and even her breathing grew rapid.

She had waited for these words for far, far too long.

From their first meeting when her Evil Fire first erupted, to her later naive reliance, and finally to the clear realization of her feelings as she grew up, she had always carefully hidden her heart. She was stubborn with her words, but in her heart, she had always hoped to be closer to him.

She feared her feelings would be exposed, and even more, she feared that Jiang Che only saw her as a junior, a little girl in need of care. But at this moment, she saw clearly in his eyes the same affection she held for him.

"You..." Ma Xiaotao opened her mouth, her voice trembling in a way she couldn't hide. For a moment, she didn't know what to say, and could only stare at him in a daze.

Watching her flustered appearance, Jiang Che's heart softened completely. Subconsciously, he raised his hand to gently brush a stray lock of hair from her brow. The temperature of his fingertips, carrying the faint, unique chill of Ultimate Ice, touched her skin, causing Ma Xiaotao to stiffen, unable to look away.

That touch of coolness on her brow was like a spark, instantly igniting the scorching passion she had accumulated for years. Even the Evil Fire that had been dormant in her body for so long became docile and soft, flowing slowly through her meridians without a trace of its usual manic nature.

Ma Xiaotao's eyelashes fluttered incessantly, and a thin mist of moisture gathered in her fiery red eyes. She felt both joyful and aggrieved, her nose stinging slightly. She had imagined this moment countless times, but never thought it would arrive so suddenly, causing all her pretenses and strength to crumble under his gentle gaze.

"Jiang Che..." She finally called his name, her voice soft and tearful, devoid of the sharpness of the Fire Phoenix, leaving only the shyness and reliance of a young girl. "Do you know what you're saying?"

Jiang Che's fingertips lingered by her cheek, reluctant to pull away. The tenderness in his eyes transformed into genuine doting. He nodded solemnly, his tone firm and affectionate, every word striking at the very core of Ma Xiaotao's heart: "I am very clear. In the past, I protected you out of a sense of duty as an elder; from now on, I protect you as Jiang Che, protecting the girl I love."

"I will not make you wait any longer, I will not deliberately distance myself, and I will never let you suffer the slightest grievance."

The night deepened, and the surface of Sea God Lake rippled with shimmering light. The moonlight spilled over them, outlining their gentle silhouettes. Ma Xiaotao could no longer suppress the feelings in her heart; she took a light step forward, leaning into his embrace. She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat and that crisp, clean scent unique to his Ultimate Ice.

Her body trembled slightly, and tears of joy fell, dampening Jiang Che's robes. Her voice was muffled, yet filled with complete peace of mind: "I knew it... I knew you didn't not care about me..."

Jiang Che's body stiffened for a moment before he gently raised his arms to wrap them around her shoulders, holding her securely in his embrace, his movements as soft as if he were cradling a rare treasure. The chill of his Ultimate Ice and the warmth of her Ultimate Fire intertwined, water and fire merging in a way that was surprisingly harmonious—just like the two of them, after all their twists and turns, finally coming together.

He lowered his head, resting his chin gently on the top of her head, inhaling the faint scent of gardenias in her hair. His voice was low and gentle, drifting away in the evening breeze: "It was my fault for making you wait so many years. From now on, I will be with you for a lifetime, and we will never be apart again."

Ma Xiaotao held him tightly, burying her face deeper, a happy smile blooming on her lips that she couldn't suppress, even as the tears in her eyes flowed more freely. All the years of waiting, anxiety, and caution had finally found their perfect home in this moment.

The evening breeze continued to blow, carrying the dampness and tenderness of Sea God Lake, sweeping away all distance and regret. Only the two of them remained, embracing under the moonlight, guarding this late but sincere affection, quietly feeling each other's heartbeats as if time had frozen, leaving only boundless joy and security.

Jiang Che looked down at the reddened earlobes of the person in his arms, his fingertips gently stroking her hair, his heart filled with certainty. From this day forward, he would not only stand firm on the Douluo Continent, but he would also guard this girl before him, ensuring she lived a life without worry, accompanying her to see all the world's scenery, never letting her suffer the slightest grievance again, and compensating her for all the tenderness he had owed her.

Their embracing figures stretched long under the moonlight, and the waves of Sea God Lake lapped gently against the shore, making soft sounds as if singing a low melody for this long-awaited affection.

It was unknown how much time had passed before Ma Xiaotao finally lifted her head from Jiang Che's chest. The tears in her eyes had not yet faded, but they were sparkling with a bright smile. She raised her hand to wipe the corners of her reddened eyes, and with a touch of shyness, she chided: "It's all your fault for making me cry like this. If the little ones from the Outer Court see me, who knows how they'll tease me."

Jiang Che chuckled, raising his hand to wipe away the remaining tear tracks on her cheeks. The coolness of his fingertips touching her warm skin caused Ma Xiaotao to shiver slightly. His gaze fell on her reddened eyes, his tone filled with indulgence: "If anyone dares to tease you, I'll have them practice holding their breath at the bottom of Sea God Lake until they never dare to speak nonsense again."