Nightfall, The Two Women Alone and Their Conversation

The night deepened, and moonlight like water spilled from the high windows, casting the magnificent silhouette of the Sea God Hall into a hazy blur.

The grandeur and shock of the gods descending during the day, along with the turbulent emotions stirred by the engagement, gradually settled with the tranquility of the night.

Under the arrangements of Bo Saixi, Qian Daoliu and Qian Renxue did not leave the Sea God Hall, but were instead settled into two adjoining, elegantly decorated guest rooms deep within the temple.

This was not only a sign of respect for the High Priestess of Martial Soul Hall as an in-law, but also carried the subtle intention of allowing the two juniors to cultivate their relationship.

After all, living under the same roof in the Sea God Hall, they were bound to run into each other.

In the dead of night, the door to one of the guest rooms was pushed open gently.

A tall, graceful golden figure stepped out quietly; it was Qian Renxue.

She had changed out of her luxurious gown into a simple moon-white silk nightrobe, draped with a thin shawl of the same color.

Her long golden hair fell softly down her back, flowing with a faint luster under the moonlight.

She walked to the eaves of the corridor, lifted her head, and gazed at the bright full moon and the brilliant stars filling the night sky.

Everything that had happened during the day replayed in her mind like a revolving lantern.

The sudden marriage alliance, her grandfather's earnest expectations, the personal witness of the Angel God and the Sea God... and that young man named Li Qing.

His clear eyes that seemed to see through everything, his analysis that was accurate to the point of being chilling, and those inner thoughts that would pop up from time to time, infuriating enough to kill someone...

Especially his final dissection regarding her refusal to abandon the Tiandou plan; every word and every sentence struck at her heart, leaving her nowhere to hide and causing her to... feel a strange resonance.

"Haa..." Qian Renxue exhaled softly, trying to straighten out her chaotic thoughts, but a trace of confusion and inquiry remained between her brows.

She turned around, her gaze cast toward the depths of the Sea God Hall, in the direction of the bedchamber belonging to the High Priestess, Bo Saixi.

There were some questions she had to have answered.

Otherwise, she feared she would find it hard to sleep tonight.

She pulled her shawl tighter and walked silently toward Bo Saixi's room.

The moonlight stretched her slender figure long, casting a swaying shadow on the smooth floor of the corridor.

Meanwhile, inside Bo Saixi's bedchamber.

This was not a bedroom in the ordinary sense, but rather a combination of a quiet room and a study.

The layout was simple and elegant, and the air was filled with a faint fragrance like deep-sea orchids.

Night-luminescent pearls were embedded in the walls, emitting a soft glow.

Bo Saixi had not yet retired.

She had not even changed out of the light blue flowing gown she wore during the day, merely setting aside the golden scepter that symbolized the authority of the High Priestess.

She sat quietly on a coral stool by the window, her posture elegant and her curves fully displayed. Her long, fair legs, perfect as works of art, were crossed, revealing a section of smooth, jade-like calf and delicate ankles.

On the low table in front of her sat two cups of steaming clear tea.

The fragrance of the tea mingled with the orchid scent in the hall, refreshing the heart and spirit.

One of her hands rested casually on her knee, while the other unconsciously turned the teacup. Her deep, ocean-blue eyes gazed at the moonlight outside the window, her expression distant, as if she were waiting for something.

She was indeed waiting.

"Knock, knock."

Two extremely light, respectful, and tentative knocks broke the silence of the room.

Immediately following, Qian Renxue's voice came from outside the door, deliberately lowered but still crisp and pleasant:

"Senior Bo Saixi, are you... asleep? This junior, Qian Renxue, has some matters... I would like to consult you on, if it is convenient?"

Hearing this voice, the corners of Bo Saixi's lips curled upward in an almost imperceptible, faint arc.

That arc held a hint of understanding, a sense of expectation, and even a subtle resonance as a fellow "listener."

She did not stand up, but responded peacefully in an ethereal, pleasant voice:

"Come in, the door is unlocked."

With a creak, the heavy wooden door was pushed open gently.

Qian Renxue's figure appeared in the doorway.

At a glance, she saw Bo Saixi sitting by the window as if she had been waiting for a long time, and the two cups of steaming tea on the low table, clearly prepared for two people.

A flash of surprise crossed Qian Renxue's violet eyes, which then turned into realization.

She stepped into the room, closed the door behind her, and walked to a spot not far from Bo Saixi, asking softly with a look of disbelief on her beautiful face:

"Senior... did you know I was coming?"

Bo Saixi raised her eyes, her gaze landing gently on Qian Renxue as she looked her up and down.

Stripped of the heavy disguises of the Martial Soul Hall Saintess and the undercover prince, the Qian Renxue standing there in her nightrobe lacked the piercing sharpness and aloof detachment of the day, replaced by a purity belonging to her age and... a trace of imperceptible bewilderment.

Seeing her like this actually made Bo Saixi feel she was more real, and perhaps a bit more pleasing to the eye.

She nodded slightly, not hiding anything, and a faint, knowing smile appeared on her face:

"Indeed. Although we only formally met today and have spent less than half a day together, little girl, I have managed to catch a glimpse of your character."

She pointed to the seat opposite her, signaling for Qian Renxue to sit down. "Come, sit. The tea has just been brewed, and the temperature is perfect. I imagine you have many questions, and many doubts... that you need to discuss with someone, or perhaps, verify."

Qian Renxue followed her instructions, walking over to sit across from Bo Saixi on the stool, which was also carved from pristine sea jade.

She looked at the clear, emerald-green tea before her, its fragrance delightful, then raised her eyes to meet Bo Saixi's blue gaze—a gaze that seemed to encompass everything and perceive the workings of the world. The wariness and tension in her heart dissipated, inexplicably, by a few degrees.

This High Priestess of Sea God Island, this Peerless Douluo on the same level as her grandfather, this woman who could also hear Li Qing's inner voice, did not feel like a lofty senior at this moment. Instead, she felt more like... a kindred spirit with whom she could confide secrets and discuss bizarre experiences?

Or perhaps, a temporary ally?

"Senior..."

Qian Renxue picked up the teacup, feeling the warmth radiating into her palm. She gathered her thoughts, decided to get straight to the point, and spoke softly, "I have indeed come today because there are matters I wish to consult you on, and also... to verify with you."

Bo Saixi also picked up the teacup in front of her, gently blew away the foam, and took a small sip with elegant, composed grace.

She set the cup down and looked at Qian Renxue with a calm gaze. "What you wish to ask concerns that child, Li Qing... and the fact that you can hear his inner voice, is that correct?"

Qian Renxue's fingers tightened slightly around the teacup. She nodded, her purple eyes filled with earnestness and inquiry. "Yes. This matter is too bizarre; had I not experienced it myself, I would never have believed it. I want to know, since when have you also been able to... hear it? What is the cause of this phenomenon? Is it... only the two of us who can hear him? And also..."

She paused, her tone carrying a hint of urgency and gravity. "Those things revealed in his inner voice... regarding the future, regarding me, regarding Martial Soul Hall, and even regarding the gods... how much of it is credible? Does he... truly possess the ability to foresee the future?"