If it were you, Sister, marrying me, I'd be a million times willing

At this moment, Li Qing was immersed in deep cultivation, guiding the vast soul power within his body along mysterious pathways to continuously nourish his meridians and temper his physique.

The power of the water element radiated by the Mysterious Origin Water-Controlling Flag blended with the dense Sea God aura within the Sea God Hall, allowing his cultivation to achieve twice the result with half the effort.

After an unknown amount of time, the heavy stone doors of the great hall were silently pushed open, leaving a narrow gap.

A stunningly beautiful figure slipped in quietly, without making a single sound.

The person who had arrived was none other than Bo Saixi.

Six years of time had left no trace upon her; she remained as peerlessly elegant and breathtakingly beautiful as the day they first met.

A long blue dress draped over her tall, graceful figure, and her sea-blue hair cascaded down like a waterfall. A faint, gentle smile, reminiscent of the morning sun over the ocean, graced her exquisite face.

She did not speak to disturb him, but simply stood quietly not far away, her deep, ocean-like blue eyes fixed steadily upon Li Qing as he cultivated.

Her gaze was complex, filled with gratification, amazement, and a hint of something... subtle that was difficult to put into words.

Time passed quietly as the light and shadows shifted within the Sea God Hall.

Finally, the soul power surging around Li Qing gradually calmed. The five terrifyingly colored soul rings slowly retracted into his body, and the Mysterious Origin Water-Controlling Flag transformed into a blue streak of light, merging into him.

He exhaled a long breath of stale air, which surprisingly carried faint water mist and a rosy glow.

He opened his eyes, a flash of blue waves seemingly passing through them. His gaze was clear and bright, filled with the satisfied spirit of one who had just finished cultivation.

He stood up and stretched his somewhat stiff limbs, only then noticing Bo Saixi standing quietly not far away.

"Big Sister?"

Li Qing was somewhat surprised. He walked over quickly and asked, "When did you arrive? Why didn't you call for me?"

The smile on Bo Saixi's face deepened slightly, and her voice remained ethereal and pleasant: "I have been here for a while. Seeing that you were at a critical juncture in your cultivation, I didn't want to disturb you."

She looked Li Qing up and down, a hint of satisfaction flashing in her beautiful eyes: "It seems you have gained quite a bit from this session; your soul power has improved once again."

"Hehe, it's alright, I suppose."

Li Qing scratched his head, revealing a slightly boyish smile, then asked, "Big Sister, is there something you need from me? Is it... the Sea God's trial?"

Although he was only twelve years old, his soul power was already approaching that of a Soul Emperor, and his physical fitness far exceeded that of his peers. Logically, it was indeed time for him to receive a trial.

Bo Saixi heard his inner mutterings, but her expression remained calm. She simply shook her head gently and said softly, "Regarding the trials, the Sea God has his own arrangements; they will descend when the time is right. I came to see you today to discuss... something else."

"Something else?" Li Qing blinked, feeling curious.

In his impression, whenever Bo Saixi sought him out, it was either for cultivation guidance, discussions on martial souls, or matters related to the Sea God's trials. There was rarely anything else.

Watching his clear, curious eyes, a rare moment of hesitation—and a trace of nervousness she hadn't even realized herself—suddenly arose in Bo Saixi's heart.

She steadied herself, tried her best to maintain a gentle smile, took two steps forward, and leaned in slightly, closing the distance between them.

A faint, pleasant fragrance, like sea breeze mixed with wild orchids, drifted into Li Qing's nose, causing him to hold his breath subconsciously.

Bo Saixi's flawless, beautiful face was right before him; he could even see her long, butterfly-wing-like eyelashes and those deep, enchanting blue eyes.

Then, he heard Bo Saixi ask in a tone that was unprecedented—coaxing, yet seemingly a bit apprehensive:

"Little Qing, you aren't so young anymore. You'll be thirteen after the new year... have you ever thought about, um... well, finding a wife?"

"..."

The expression on Li Qing's face froze instantly. Those eyes, which had been clear and bright, widened at a visible rate, and his mouth hung slightly open. He stood there, stiff as if struck by an invisible bolt of lightning.

Finding a... wife?!

What the hell!

What is this situation?! Is it really this explosive right out of the gate?!

Li Qing's brain took a full three seconds to reboot before it began to function again.

He first shook his head frantically, as if trying to shake this absurd suggestion out of his mind.

But then, looking at Bo Saixi, who was breathtakingly beautiful and standing right in front of him, a thought so bold that even he found it ridiculous popped into his head.

His face quickly shifted into a brilliant, slightly cheeky smile. He looked at Bo Saixi with sparkling eyes and said in a tone that was half-joking and half-probing: "Big Sister, what are you saying? If it were anyone else, I definitely wouldn't be interested. I'm still young, and cultivation should be my priority!"

He paused, his smile becoming a bit more sincere, and stared intently at Bo Saixi: "But if it were to marry you, Big Sister... hehe, then I would be one hundred percent, ten thousand percent willing! You are so beautiful, so powerful, and I get to see you every day—how could that be anything but wonderful?"

[What the hell is going on?! Bo Saixi actually came to ask me about marriage herself? And she asked it so... directly? That makes no sense! This doesn't fit her cold, aloof High Priestess persona at all! Could it be that old guy, the Sea God's idea? Does he think I'm cultivating too fast and wants to add some emotional drama to increase the difficulty?]

Li Qing ranted wildly in his heart, filled with confusion.

But ranting aside, as his gaze swept over Bo Saixi's exquisite face, her noble and sacred temperament, and the graceful curves outlined by her red robes, he couldn't help but mutter to himself: [However, in all honesty, this woman is undeniably beautiful, and her temperament and figure are top-tier... If I could really take her home as a wife, it seems... it wouldn't be unacceptable. Even though she's already over a hundred years old... she's still a great beauty. As the saying goes, as long as someone is beautiful, age is nothing! Don't you know that the older they are, the more they know how to cherish someone? It's a mistake to overlook a mature woman for a young girl!]

Bo Saixi: "..."

Li Qing's bold "confession" and his even more "rebellious" inner thoughts struck Bo Saixi's mind like two claps of thunder.

Boom! Bo Saixi felt the temperature of her cheeks soar instantly!

Her skin, originally as white as jade, was dyed a moving blush at a visible rate, spreading from her cheeks to her earlobes, and even her neck turned a faint shade of pink.

A clear sense of panic flashed in her deep blue eyes, her breathing became somewhat unstable, and even her speech became stuttered:

"You... you... you child, what are you... what are you saying! I... I wasn't talking about myself!"

Heaven have mercy!

Bo Saixi had lived for over a hundred years. As the High Priestess of Sea God Island, revered by all, when had she ever been teased like this?

And to make matters worse, it was by a mere twelve-year-old brat she had watched grow up!

The most infuriating part was that this kid was two-faced; while he called her "Sister" with such sweetness, in his heart, he kept referring to her as "this woman"!

Bo Saixi felt a mix of shame and annoyance, wishing she could slap this foul-mouthed brat into the ocean to sober him up.

Yet, remembering her purpose and the Sea God's instructions, she was forced to suppress the urge, struggling to maintain the dignity of an elder—though the blush on her face left her with no dignity at all.