Responsibility

Morning in Skysea City gently filled the hotel suite through its broad floor-to-ceiling windows, dispelling the last traces of the night's silence. Beams of light filtered through the curtains and slowly moved across the carpet like leaping golden sprites.

Tang Wulin was the first to awaken from sleep. The instant his consciousness returned, the first thing he felt was a soft, warm, fragrant body clinging tightly to him like a vine that could not bear to part from him. Gu Yuena was still sound asleep, one arm possessively draped across his chest and one restless leg pressed over his. Her silver hair spread over both of them, with a few strands mischievously brushing against the tip of his nose and making it itch faintly.

He lowered his head and looked at the peaceful sleeping face in his arms. Her long lashes were like two little fans, casting soft shadows beneath her eyelids. Those cool, perceptive violet eyes of hers were tightly shut at the moment, losing some of their distance and gaining a touch of utterly defenseless innocence. What softened his heart most was the faint, glistening trace at the corner of her exquisite lips—a tiny bit of drool that had slipped out while she slept so sweetly.

Tang Wulin's lips rose uncontrollably, curving into an utterly doting smile. Ten thousand years of reincarnation, the changing of stars and seasons—yet this slightly childish habit of hers remained just as it had been. With the care of someone afraid to disturb even a speck of dust, he slowly freed himself from her octopus-like embrace.

His movements were as gentle as though he were handling a priceless treasure. Only after completely extricating himself did he slowly sit up and tuck the blanket around her, his gaze still lingering on her face. The morning light outlined her in a warm golden glow. Her beautiful silver hair flowed with a moonlit sheen beneath the sunlight, and the slightly curled ends seemed to dance with scattered starlight. Sleeping Gu Yuena was as beautiful as a dream unwilling to awaken, the most perfect painting frozen by time.

He did not get up. He simply sat quietly at the bedside, gazing at her as if he could never see enough. Occasionally, his eyes turned toward the window. Skysea City had already awakened. Aircars streamed along the aerial rails in orderly traffic, while strange-shaped soul guidance buildings towered into the clouds in the distance, reflecting a cold metallic gleam beneath the sun. This city was vastly different from the fragmented memories of ten thousand years ago that remained in his mind.

His thoughts drifted away. Di Tian's words echoed through his mind once more—son of the God King Tang San, Sect Master of the Tang Sect ten thousand years ago, Master of the Sea God Pavilion... One weighty identity after another, like ancient brands, spoke of the responsibilities and glory he had once borne.

He gently shook his head, a relieved smile appearing on his lips. Ten thousand years had already passed. Seas had turned into fields, and all things had changed. Those glorious yet burdensome events of the past now felt more like a magnificent legend belonging to someone else. Whose son he was, what authority he had once commanded—none of it seemed important anymore.

What truly mattered was the person lying beside him, sleeping so soundly.

It was the love that had crossed ten thousand years of loneliness, ice, and oblivion, yet still burned fiercely in the depths of his soul—and which had become incomparably clear, incomparably scorching because of that kiss in the viewing box yesterday.

As for the responsibilities of ten thousand years ago, he believed that he must have done everything in his power, even paying an unimaginable price, before finally gaining his freedom. Now, the era had changed. Humans and soul beasts had found a new way to coexist, and the world he had once protected seemed to be moving in a better direction.

Then for the rest of his time, he only wished to belong to her—to Gu Yuena alone. That would be enough.

A vague yet beautiful vision gradually took shape in his heart: once they slowly found all the lost fragments of their memories and pieced together the complete past that belonged to them, he would take her away from this planet that carried too many memories. They would roam freely through the vast universe, explore the endless sea of stars, visit entirely different worlds, and experience all kinds of lives... There would be no shackles of race, no chains of responsibility—only each other and everlasting love.

At the thought of this, his heart filled with a peaceful anticipation for the future. His gaze returned to Gu Yuena's face, and his relaxed expression revealed a pure, affectionate smile filled with endless contentment and tenderness.

Just then, those captivating violet eyes opened without warning.

Perhaps his gaze had been too focused, or perhaps it was the connection between their souls. Gu Yuena's newly awakened eyes still carried a hazy mist, like a starry sky shrouded in thin fog. At a glance, she saw the gentle smile on Tang Wulin's face, a smile so tender it could melt a person, which had not yet faded.

In an instant, the "feat" of knowingly sleeping in his arms last night, along with her current possibly less-than-"elegant" sleeping posture, flooded into her mind. A mixture of embarrassment and annoyance made the tips of her ears burn. Almost instinctively, she reached out, grabbed Tang Wulin by the collar, and pulled him forcefully toward her. Then she buried her flushed cheek in the warm hollow of his neck and let out a muffled, nasal little protest.

"You're not allowed to laugh at me!"

Tang Wulin was briefly stunned before breaking into clear, delighted laughter. He obediently let her pull him closer, one arm naturally circling her slender waist while his other hand rose to gently caress her burning cheek, his fingertips lingering over her delicate, smooth skin.

"Alright, I won't laugh at you." His voice carried the husky quality of someone just awakened, magnetic and gentle. "Actually, I was just thinking..." He paused, gazing deeply into her gradually clearing violet eyes as though he wanted to look directly into the depths of her soul. "I was thinking about just how much I love you."

That straightforward, heartfelt confession struck Gu Yuena's heart without warning, throwing her heartbeat into even greater disarray than yesterday's kiss had. She stared blankly at him, at the undisguised love in his eyes, deep and vast as the ocean. All her embarrassment and annoyance turned into even deeper emotion.

She took the hand caressing her cheek and tightly interlaced her fingers with his. In those violet eyes rippled a tenderness gentler than spring water after ten thousand years of ice had melted.

"Wulin," she said softly, yet with a certainty that had crossed endless time, "I love you too."

She tightened her grip slightly, their fingers entwined as though she wished to firmly bind their fates together once more.

"I've loved you... for ten thousand years."

This was not exaggerated rhetoric, but a statement of something they had both lived through. Even if they had forgotten everything, this love had long become an instinct of their souls, something older and more eternal than memory itself.

A tender atmosphere flowed quietly between them, and sunlight outlined their embracing figures with a warm golden glow. After quite some time, Tang Wulin spoke again, his tone becoming slightly more serious.

"Gu Yue, we've already stayed in Skysea City for several days. Next, I think we should visit the Tang Sect and the Spirit Pagoda."

Feeling her slightly cool fingers in his palm, he continued, "Di Tian said that we were once the leaders of both these organizations. There may be more clues about our past buried there, clues that could help us remember more."

Gu Yuena listened quietly, a thoughtful look flashing through her violet eyes. Her feelings toward the Tang Sect were rather complicated. After all, it had once been a top human power that stood opposed to her. As for the Spirit Pagoda, an even deeper, indescribable emotion lingered in her heart. It was the birthplace of the Spirit system, and it had once been an indispensable force for her in controlling humanity ten thousand years ago.

But no matter what, recovering their memories was their shared goal. And with him by her side, wherever they went and whatever they faced no longer seemed worth doubting.

She nodded gently, rubbing her cheek against the hollow of his neck with dependence. Her voice was soft and drowsy from sleep, yet her agreement was utterly clear.

"Mhm. I'll listen to you."

With their destination decided, neither of them hurried to leave at once. They savored this rare, peaceful morning after opening their hearts to each other. In the sunlit hotel room, they leaned against one another once more and closed their eyes.

They were not going back to sleep. They were immersing themselves in each other's scent and warmth, gathering strength for the new journey about to begin—a journey toward the heart of their past.

Their next stop would be the birthplace of the Tang Sect, an ancient city that also carried countless histories and legends—

Tiandou City.