Time trickled by, and the fragrance of tea gradually faded from the air.
At last, Bo Saixi let out a soft sigh. There was a helplessness in it, as though she had resigned herself to fate.
She lifted her head and looked at Qian Renxue. Her blue eyes had regained their usual depth and calm, though a trace of complicated emotion still seemed to linger deep within them.
"You may take him with you."
Bo Saixi's voice was clear and decisive, carrying the authority of a High Priestess.
Qian Renxue's violet eyes brightened slightly.
But Bo Saixi wasn't finished. Her tone abruptly turned stern, even taking on an unmistakable note of warning. Her gaze burned as she fixed it firmly on Qian Renxue.
"But you and your Spirit Hall must use every means at your disposal to guarantee his absolute safety!"
"The mainland is nothing like Sea God Island. It's full of hidden currents and danger. The Heaven Dou Empire is an even more tangled nest of dragons and snakes, and your identity is sensitive and unusual. Qing may be special, but he's still young, and his cultivation is far from its peak. Since he's going with you, you must take responsibility for him!"
Bo Saixi leaned forward slightly, and the invisible pressure of a level ninety-nine Peerless Douluo quietly spread through the room.
Though it lasted only an instant, Qian Renxue's heart tightened.
"Remember, Qian Renxue. You're engaged now, and your relationship is no ordinary one. But if anything happens to him on the mainland, while he's under your care..."
Bo Saixi's voice turned colder. Each word seemed to carry a thousand jun of force.
"Then I, Bo Saixi, and all of Sea God Island will never let it rest! At that point, forget the engagement—there will be no room for reconciliation between Spirit Hall and Sea God Island! You and your grandfather had better weigh the consequences carefully!"
This was no mere threat, but a solemn declaration—a stern warning given when entrusting one's most cherished treasure to someone else.
Qian Renxue felt the weight of those words. Her smile faded, and she rose to her feet, bowing solemnly to Bo Saixi. Her violet eyes were filled with earnestness and resolve.
"Senior Bo Saixi, please rest assured. I, Qian Renxue, swear in the name of the Angel God Inheritor: as long as I draw breath, I will protect Li Qing at all costs! I will take full responsibility for his safety while he's on the mainland, and I will never let him suffer so much as a scratch! If I break this oath, may divine punishment befall me and my soul be scattered!"
Her oath rang with conviction, leaving no room for doubt.
Bo Saixi looked into Qian Renxue's unwavering eyes. The unease and inexplicable irritation in her heart seemed to settle a little.
She nodded gently, her expression softening.
"Remember your promise. It's late. Go back and rest. Remember what we discussed tonight. You must keep the matter of his inner voice to yourself. Not a third person may learn of it, especially... Qing himself."
"Yes, Senior. I'll remember." Qian Renxue nodded once more. Saying nothing further, she turned and quietly left the room, closing the door behind her.
Silence returned to the room.
Bo Saixi sat alone by the window, gazing in the direction Qian Renxue had disappeared. For a long time, she didn't move.
The night wind stirred the window curtain, bringing with it the cool breath of the deep sea, but it couldn't dispel the tangled knot in her heart.
Letting him go... is the right thing to do.
She tried to convince herself.
It's better for both children, and better for the greater good.
But why did she still feel so hollow inside?
The image of that black-haired boy surfaced in her mind, beyond her control.
The way he smiled and called her "big sister." The way he slyly winked. The wise, serious look he wore when analyzing things. And... the astonishing brightness in his eyes when he blushed—though he might have been pretending—and said, "Big sister, marry me..."
Honestly... absurd!
Bo Saixi shook her head sharply, trying to chase the images away.
But the more she resisted, the clearer they became.
Along with them came all the outrageous things he'd thought to himself: praising her beauty, saying he wanted to marry her and make her his wife. Those jokes came rushing back all at once—though perhaps they weren't entirely jokes?
Bo Saixi felt her cheeks beginning to burn again.
She had never felt this way in her hundred years of life.
Even back then, when Tang Chen had shown her the strength and protection of the Clear Sky Hammer, and Qian Daoliu had expressed his admiration and respect through the radiance of an Angel, her heart had never been stirred by such... indescribable waves.
At the time, she had simply thought of them as worthy rivals and... friends. Her heart had remained calm, even somewhat distant.
But now, merely thinking of that little fellow leaving and going far away with another woman made her heart feel like a tangled mess. It was as though some invisible force had seized it, leaving it sour and bitter, with a trace of... sorrow she herself refused to acknowledge.
What's wrong with me?
Bo Saixi raised a hand and gently pressed it against her faintly flushed cheek. Her blue eyes were filled with confusion and a rare hint of vulnerability.
Could it be... that I really...
The thought had only just surfaced when she forcibly crushed it.
She didn't dare think it. She couldn't.
She stood and walked to the window, gazing out at the boundless night sky and the vast, dark sea.
Sea God Island remained as peaceful as ever, yet suddenly, the temple where she had lived for over a hundred years seemed... far too empty and silent.
Perhaps once he's gone, I'll get used to it.
That was all she could do to comfort herself.
But could the feelings quietly taking root inside her, not even fully understood by herself, really fade with time?
The night was still long.
The next morning, the sea breeze lent the Sea God Hall its distinctive freshness and serenity.
Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting dappled shadows along the corridor.
Li Qing yawned and sat up in the soft bed, still bleary-eyed.
The night before, he'd spent a long time processing all the information about his engagement and the descent of a god, then pondering Qian Renxue's complicated feelings. He hadn't slept particularly soundly.
He rubbed his eyes and was just about to get up and wash when someone gently knocked on the door.
"Knock, knock, knock."
The sound was unhurried, with a distinctive rhythm.
"Who is it? So early..."
Muttering, Li Qing grabbed the blue clothes lying beside the bed and pulled them on. Still half grumpy from being woken, he walked over and opened the door.
Outside, the golden morning light outlined a tall, graceful figure.
Today she wore a pale yellow, fitted-waist dress that made her skin look even fairer. Her golden hair was simply tied back, with a few loose strands falling beside her cheeks and lending her a touch of softness.
Her violet eyes shimmered in the morning light. A faint, almost sweet smile played on her lips as she looked at him.
Who else could it be but Qian Renxue?
"Uh... it's you."
Li Qing was a little surprised and asked instinctively, "What brings you here?"
The curve of Qian Renxue's lips deepened, and her voice took on a deliberately gentle lilt. "What, do I need a special reason to visit my own fiancé?"
Before you continue