Mysterious Voice

"Bo Saixi..."

The valley was vast and desolate, the biting wind chilling to the bone. Qian Daoliu struggled to regain consciousness amidst pain that felt as though his muscles were being torn and his bones shattered.

Yet, the agony of his flesh was nothing compared to the terror and despair surging within his heart.

Ignoring his own injuries, he instinctively lunged upright, his arms locking tightly around the unconscious woman in his embrace.

Her hair was disheveled, her sea-like brows furrowed in distress. Her face was deathly pale, and her body felt cold and lifeless—the vibrancy he had always known was completely extinguished.

Qian Daoliu used his spiritual power to probe Bo Saixi's condition, only to discover that Vengeful Spirits were constantly invading her spiritual sea, gnawing away at her vitality, soul power, and spiritual essence.

He desperately wanted to manifest his Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul to purge these Vengeful Spirits, but despite the protection of his ninth-grade defensive soul tool, he was too severely wounded. His meridians were shattered, his Martial Soul refused to coalesce, and his entire body was wracked with weakness and searing pain.

"Bo Saixi... don't sleep..."

Qian Daoliu's throat was parched and raspy; his voice trembled, thick with panic and helplessness. His fingertips shook as he brushed her icy cheek, a sudden, sharp pain piercing his heart.

The valley was barren and bleak, cold winds swirling through withered leaves. In the vast, indifferent world, only he and his beloved remained, the chill sinking deep into his marrow.

Bone-deep regret surged like a tidal wave, drowning him in an instant.

He clutched her closer, his arms tightening, his eyes burning red with remorse and lingering fear.

If only he had listened to the warnings and left sooner, Bo Saixi would not have been gravely wounded and left hovering between life and death while protecting him.

It was his own stubbornness that had brought ruin to the only tenderness, the only true love, he had ever known.

"Bo Saixi... I'm sorry... I was wrong..."

Qian Daoliu buried his face in her cool hair, his stifled sobs echoing through the valley.

He wanted to roar to vent his pain, but he lacked the strength to make a sound; he wanted to circulate his energy to heal, but his soul power was utterly depleted. He was completely helpless.

The once proud and arrogant heir to the Angelic lineage was now a broken man, left with nothing but endless regret and impotence.

He could only cling to the unconscious Bo Saixi, whispering her name over and over, every syllable a fresh wound.

Just then, Bo Saixi's eyelashes fluttered almost imperceptibly, and her consciousness began to drift back.

Wracked with unbearable pain, she struggled to lift her eyelids. Her vision was blurred and cold sweat beaded on her forehead, but she immediately locked onto the familiar figure before her.

A voice, weak as a gossamer thread, drifted out: "Qian Daoliu..."

Every word she spoke allowed the countless Vengeful Spirits to feast further upon her vitality and spiritual power.

The slightest movement aggravated her wounds, the agony so sharp she could no longer rise.

Only by resting quietly in Qian Daoliu's arms, feeling the divine, radiant aura of his essence, did she find the strength to speak. Her voice was no louder than a mosquito's hum as she said, "Qian Daoliu, you must live on. You must fulfill our vow to eradicate the Evil Soul Masters."

With those words, Bo Saixi could no longer withstand the gnawing of the Vengeful Spirits and fell into a deep, death-like coma.

"Bo Saixi!"

Just as Qian Daoliu held the unconscious Bo Saixi in absolute despair, a voice that sounded remarkably calm, yet impossible to identify as male or female, resonated through the air.

"Universe Love Inquiry, True Heart Adventure. Begin!"

The mysterious voice rang out abruptly, piercing the deathly silence of the valley and snapping Qian Daoliu out of his scattered state of mind.

Suppressing the tearing pain in his body and the bone-deep regret, he tensed his broken frame and channeled his God-Tier Spiritual Power to scan his surroundings, only to find the area empty and devoid of any movement.

Qian Daoliu braced himself, his mind taut as he waited for the unknown Universe Love Inquiry adventure to unfold.

A second later, he fell silent, stunned to see a golden-silver screen materialize before his eyes.

At the same time, a beam of golden light rose from the circular platform beneath his feet, enveloping his body.

He was lifted slowly until he hovered three feet off the ground, and the same emotionless voice echoed in his ears:

"Do you have a lover?"

Qian Daoliu's heart jolted. He was still contemplating their dire predicament and had no intention of answering.

"Do you have a lover? If you do not answer after three inquiries, the penalty is death."

Qian Daoliu frowned slightly at these words, then looked down at Bo Saixi in his arms. Without a moment's hesitation, he replied, "I do!"

"Who is your lover?" the emotionless voice continued.

"Bo Saixi!" Qian Daoliu did not hesitate this time either.

"Is it the person in your arms?"

A flash of golden light erupted from the platform, forcibly separating Bo Saixi from his embrace.

"Bo Saixi!" Qian Daoliu tried to stop her from being pulled away.

"Ah!"

Left alone, Bo Saixi was subjected to the full force of the Vengeful Spirits' gnawing, and she could not help but let out a cry of agonizing pain.

Qian Daoliu fought with all his might to break free from the golden light's restraint, but his efforts were in vain; he could only watch as the light tore them apart.

A moment later, the golden light deposited Bo Saixi onto a circular platform not far from him.

Perhaps it was her cries of agony that stirred a flicker of pity in the mysterious voice, for another beam of golden light shot out from beneath her platform, and her trembling form finally began to settle.

"Saixi!" Qian Daoliu could not help but call out to Bo Saixi.

Bo Saixi also shook off the agony and called out Qian Daoliu's name in return: "Qian Daoliu!"

Just then, an emotionless voice interrupted the two of them.

"Do you have a lover?"

The emotionless voice rang out once more, only this time, the inquiry was directed at Bo Saixi.

Hearing this, Bo Saixi glanced at Qian Daoliu, who stood not far away, and answered without the slightest hesitation: "I do!"

"Who is your lover?" the emotionless voice continued to ask.

"Qian Daoliu!"

Bo Saixi answered without a second thought.

Upon hearing this, the corners of Qian Daoliu's eyes turned slightly red, and crystalline tears seemed ready to spill forth.

Qian Daoliu spoke to Bo Saixi through the golden light: "Saixi, I love you too!"

Bo Saixi, looking somewhat weary, replied to Qian Daoliu through the golden light: "Qian Daoliu, I love you too..."

Just as Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi were pouring out their hearts to one another across the golden light, the emotionless voice sounded again.

"Only one of you may survive!"

"Who do you choose to let live?"

Qian Daoliu answered without a moment's hesitation: "Bo Saixi!"

Bo Saixi gave the same answer without the slightest hesitation: "Qian Daoliu!"

The emotionless voice asked abruptly: "Why?"

Qian Daoliu answered with a sense of calm: "Because she is a woman who would die for me! And I am likewise willing to die for her!"

Bo Saixi's answer was much the same: "Love doesn't need so many reasons. Just like at the moment of life and death, the first thing I thought of was protecting my lover, and I believe Qian Daoliu feels the same!"

The two had no need for earth-shattering vows, for their actions of standing by each other through life and death just moments ago had already proven everything.

This time, the emotionless voice fell silent for a while.

When it spoke again, it said: "Universe Love Inquiry, first trial, Sincerity Trial, passed!"

"Second trial, exempted!"

Having said this, the emotionless voice paused for a moment.

Hearing this, the tense hearts of Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi eased significantly.

"Third trial, begin!"

Before the two could even relax, they heard that emotionless voice once more.

Qian Daoliu and Bo Saixi watched as golden light flashed beneath them, and the circular platforms they stood upon began to move away from each other into the distance.

"Saixi!" Qian Daoliu exclaimed, watching Bo Saixi's figure recede.

"Qian Daoliu!" Bo Saixi called out to him as well.

Seeing this, Qian Daoliu roared at the surrounding space: "I don't care who you are! If you dare to harm Saixi, I swear in the name of the Angel God that I will never let you go!"