Chapter 304

"I... I..."

Xu Xiuer blushed slightly, opened her mouth several times, but couldn't say anything.

Seeing her like this, Xiao Minghuang couldn't help but smile and looked at her expectantly.

"Your Highness... Your Highness, can you... can you grant me a request?"

After a long while, Xu Xiuer finally mustered up her courage, raised her head to look at Xiao Minghuang, and said with hope in her eyes.

"Oh? What is it? Just tell me, and I'll definitely agree!" Xiao Minghuang nodded, a smile appearing in his eyes. He thought to himself, "Has this girl been holding back for so long? Is she finally going to confess?"

"Then... I told you, right?" Xu Xiuer asked, blinking her big, watery eyes.

"Okay, go ahead and say it!" Xiao Minghuang said with a smile.

"I... I..."

Xu Xiuer stammered, her pretty face flushed, her lowered eyes flashing with shyness and panic, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat.

"Pfft!"

Xiao Minghuang couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"Haha, Xiu'er, are you trying to say that there's something important in your life you want me to say yes to?"

"Mmm!"

Xu Xiuer bit her lip and nodded vigorously.

"If you don't explain clearly, I won't know what's going on!"

Xiao Minghuang feigned ignorance and asked in return.

"I... I like... Your Highness."

Finally, Xu Xiuer seemed to have gone all out, and said with her eyes closed, her pretty face flushed, like a blooming flower.

After waiting for a long time, Xiao Minghuang finally heard these words. Without saying anything more, she stretched out her arms and pulled him into her embrace.

"Xiu'er..."

"Your Highness!"

The moment she was embraced, Xu Xiuer let out a soft cry, her body instantly stiffening, her whole body burning up, feeling as if her blood was about to boil.

Xu Xiuer's heart pounded, filled with surprise and excitement.

She was very happy!

Because she finally said what was on her mind.

397. Invitation

She kept this feeling hidden for a very, very long time, so long that she didn't even know when it started.

Perhaps it was on the night His Highness first visited the Wu'an King's Residence during the Xia Kingdom.

Or perhaps, it was just a few days at the Princess Mansion.

Or perhaps, it was during those countless days and nights she spent cultivating alone within the Holy Academy.

In short, she had liked her for a long, long time.

However, she never dared to express it, because she knew her own identity—just an ordinary, unremarkable person.

But Xiao Minghuang was an unparalleled and peerless prodigy, how could she be worthy of him?

Therefore, this unrequited love can only be buried in my heart, hoping that the passage of time will make me forget it.

However, she later came to the Holy Academy, and under the guidance of the Hundred Inquiries Pavilion Master, she realized her talent, opened up a new path, and was finally able to shed her ordinariness and have the qualifications to pursue Xiao Minghuang.

It wasn't until they met again at the Holy Academy that her long-buried memories were unearthed, allowing her yearning to transform back into love, burning intensely like a flame.

Xiao Minghuang held Xu Xiuer's hand, their fingers intertwined, and gazed at her tenderly.

"Xiu'er..."

Xu Xiuer's pretty face flushed red, and her beautiful eyes were wide open, staring at Xiao Minghuang without blinking.

A moment later, Xiao Minghuang suddenly lowered his head and pressed his lips to Xu Xiuer's soft, tender red lips. Their two moist lips pressed tightly together, lingering and entwined.

"Eek~~"

After the kiss, both of them had a faint blush on their cheeks. Xu Xiuer leaned against Xiao Minghuang's chest, her heart filled with happiness.

"I like you, you don't need to ask me for anything, you deserve it."

Xiao Minghuang hugged Xu Xiuer's slender waist tightly and whispered, his tone full of doting affection.

"Yes, yes, thank you, Your Highness!"

Xu Xiuer responded sweetly, nestled in Xiao Minghuang's arms, her face showing enjoyment and tranquility.

After a long while.

Xu Xiuer nudged Xiao Minghuang and said, "Your Highness, we should go."

"Um."

Xiao Minghuang held her hand and walked to the exit light gate, then let go of her hand.

Xu Xiuer looked puzzled. "Your Highness?"

"You go first, I still have some things to finish, I'll be out soon."

Xiao Minghuang chuckled and patted her little head.

Xu Xiuer hesitated for a moment, then nodded, turned around and walked into the portal.

With Xu Xiuer's departure, this world returned to complete peace.

Only Xiao Minghuang remained in this place.

Suddenly.

Xiao Minghuang's gaze shifted, looking towards a patch of empty space not far away, and she calmly said, "Senior has been watching for so long, shouldn't you come out and have a chat?"

As these words fell, the void trembled, and a spatial ripple spread outwards.

"Hehehe, I knew I couldn't hide it from you."

A clear voice rang out from within the void vortex, and then a stunningly beautiful figure emerged from it, appearing before Xiao Minghuang.

The woman was dressed in white, her skin as smooth as ice and jade, and her features exquisitely beautiful. She was none other than the Innate Osmanthus, who had just allowed her to leave first in the Time Tower.

He was staring at Xiao Minghuang with great interest, seemingly curious about something.

"This little girl is quite something!" Innate Osmanthus murmured softly, her eyes shining brightly. She teased, "You're clearly a woman yourself, yet you're really good at deceiving women. Tell me, how many Dao Companion do you have now?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Minghuang looked helpless and was about to speak in defense when she was interrupted by Innate Osmanthus.

"Oh my gosh, this is incredible!" Before Xiao Minghuang could answer, she started counting on her fingers, pretending to do some calculations. "The first one I saw in the Time Tower was one like that."

"You were just here, being all lovey-dovey with someone, that makes two now."

"And just now, those twin sisters with the Heavenly Desire Sacred Body, there are two of them now."

"Tsk tsk tsk, that makes four girls in total, each one stunningly beautiful, captivating and breathtaking. This little girl is truly blessed with good fortune!"

"Innate Osmanthus" shook his head and sighed.

Xiao Minghuang's lips twitched slightly, looking both amused and exasperated, and she said, "Senior is joking!"

Suddenly, Innate Osmanthus's figure flashed, disappearing from the spot and reappearing in front of her in the next instant. The two looked at each other, their faces no more than a fist's distance apart.

The two were so close that Xiao Minghuang could even feel the slight coolness emanating from the other's body, as well as a faint fragrance of laurel blossoms.

"To be honest, I'm really curious." A hint of doubt flickered across Innate Osmanthus's beautiful face as she carefully examined her features. Her brows furrowed, and she said, "While you are quite beautiful, why do so many outstanding girls like you?"

"Cough cough!"

Xiao Minghuang coughed lightly, took a step back to distance himself from Innate Osmanthus, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "If Senior has nothing else, then this junior will take his leave."

After saying that, Xiao Minghuang turned and ran.

She didn't want to stay on this topic any longer, otherwise who knew what else this talkative old woman might say.

"Oh dear, little girl, why are you so afraid of me? Do you think I'll eat you?"

Innate Osmanthus was taken aback, then shouted and quickly caught up, appearing in front of her.

"Okay, okay, I won't tease you anymore!"

She waved her hand and said with a smile, "Actually, I came to tell you that an old friend of mine has invited me to visit, and I was wondering if you would be interested in coming along?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Minghuang was taken aback.

An old friend of the Innate Osmanthus?

What ancient person was that from?

"That's a long story, but the messenger said that people now call her 'Penglai Supreme Being.' How about it? With my connections, come with me, and I guarantee she'll give you a little something when we get there!"

Innate Osmanthus patted her chest and said mysteriously, "Don't worry, my old friend here is very capable. Anything she's good at is bound to be excellent!"

"The Penglai Supreme Being?"

Xiao Minghuang exclaimed in surprise.

"You've actually heard of it?"

Innate Osmanthus looked at Xiao Minghuang with surprise, then suddenly realized and said, "Oh, that's right. After so many eras, if she's still alive, she must be very famous."

"Your friend should be the ruler of Penglai Immortal Island, one of the forbidden zones of life and one of the three immortal mountains overseas, the Penglai Supreme Being, also known as the Penglai Immortal."

Xiao Minghuang spoke slowly.

"Oh no, looks like I'll have to go and get a good deal out of her!"

Upon hearing this, Innate Osmanthus's expression changed slightly, and he muttered to himself.

"Since you know her, why don't you come with me? You'll definitely get your share of the benefits. You know my character!"

"I can't breathe," Innate Osmanthus confidently assured him.

Faced with the generous invitation from the Innate Osmanthus, Xiao Minghuang pondered for a moment, but then shook her head.

398. The Remains of the Kunpeng

"Thank you for your kindness, senior, but I have important business to attend to at home and cannot accompany you on this voyage."

Xiao Minghuang bowed slightly and said apologetically.

"Oh, okay then. I'll go by myself. I'll bring you some local specialties next time we meet."

"Innate Osmanthus" waved his hand and said.

"Then thank you in advance, senior!"

Xiao Minghuang cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

Upon hearing this, Innate Osmanthus frowned and said, "Stop calling me 'senior' all the time. It's making me feel old. My old friend calls me A Yue, so you can call me that too!"

"Yes, Senior A Yue." Xiao Minghuang readily agreed.

"Remove the words 'senior' from the end," Innate Osmanthus emphasized again.

"Mmm, A Yue!"

Xiao Minghuang smiled slightly.

"That's great! Now I'm a young man in my twenties! Hehehe!"

Innate Osmanthus burst into laughter, revealing her pearly white teeth in a radiant smile.

Immediately, a void vortex appeared behind her. She lightly touched the ground with her toes and her ethereal figure entered the vortex, gradually disappearing.

Looking at the vanished Innate Osmanthus, Xiao Minghuang couldn't help but mutter to herself, "That old woman, she's lived for countless millennia, and she's still pretending to be a little girl."

However, although this old woman was pretentious, she was actually quite nice to her.

That branch of the Moon Laurel Immortal Tree is worth the equivalent of a rare treasure from all the heavens. If it were returned as a gift from the system, it would likely greatly enhance her strength.

"Don't rush, let's see if any new features are unlocked after the system maintenance is finished."