Heaven Dou's Sweetness

Morning light streamed through intricately carved window frames onto the soft carpet. In the top-floor suite of Snowview Pavilion, Heaven Dou City's most luxurious hotel, the air held a quiet, old-world charm. Every detail was elegant. The wood and porcelain bore the patina of age rather than the dazzling sheen of Soul Guidance Technology. Beyond the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, antique-style buildings stirred in the dawn. Their upturned eaves, tiled roofs, and white walls left Tang Wulin briefly dazed, as though he had returned to the Douluo Continent of ten thousand years ago, when Soul Guidance Technology was just emerging and the old ways still endured.

It's peak admissions season for the major academies. No wonder this tourist city is quieter than usual, Tang Wulin realized. The rare hush suited the ancient city and let him and Gu Yuena enjoy a moment of peace.

He looked down tenderly at the woman still asleep in his arms. Gu Yuena's long silver hair spread across the pillow like flowing moonlight, making her fair skin seem almost translucent. Her long lashes cast faint shadows beneath her eyes. Without her usual cool reserve, she looked utterly unguarded, even a little vulnerable.

Warmth and longing welled up in Tang Wulin as he watched her. Drawn by an irresistible impulse, he bent down and pressed the gentlest kiss to her smooth cheek.

Her skin was slightly cool, yet her familiar scent put him at ease.

But just as he was about to pull away, her closed violet eyes flew open! They were clear and bright, without a trace of sleepiness. A sly, triumphant smile curved her lips.

"Caught you, Wulin."

Her voice carried the faint huskiness of waking, brushing across his heart like a feather.

Tang Wulin flushed like a child caught misbehaving, the color spreading all the way to his ears.

The rare sight of his embarrassment deepened the smile in Gu Yuena's eyes until they seemed full of starlight. Far from pushing him away, she nestled closer and found a more comfortable spot in his arms.

Her movement filled Tang Wulin with affection and contentment. Instead of letting go, he held her tighter. His voice came out low and a little hoarse.

"Yes, you caught me. So... how about you punish me by making me kiss you every day from now on?"

His shamelessly sweet words brought a blush to Gu Yuena's cheeks. She gave a soft huff.

"You rascal..."

Then she buried her face deeper against his chest to hide her racing heart.

Wrapped in the warmth of the bed, they spent a long while whispering and cuddling in the quiet morning. Only when the sunlight grew brighter did they reluctantly get up.

After washing and dressing, they headed out hand in hand. The cool air sharpened their senses as they wandered along the cobblestone streets, savoring their rare leisure. Few people were out in Heaven Dou City that morning. Now and then, young Soul Masters in academy uniforms hurried past, their faces bright with hopes for the future.

As they roamed without a destination, a bold, rich aroma suddenly reached them.

It mingled the scent of char, a hint of spice, and the fragrance of some distinctive sauce. Tang Wulin's mouth watered at once.

He stopped, his golden eyes lighting up. The smell was strangely familiar, as though it had stirred something deep in his soul, yet it also carried traces of seasonings that could only have appeared in the ten thousand years since.

He glanced at Gu Yuena. She was already looking at him, curiosity and interest in her violet eyes. One exchanged look was enough.

"Let's have a look." Tang Wulin took her hand and followed the aroma.

Around the corner stood a shop with an old-fashioned wooden sign. Four bold characters across it read: "Yuhao Grilled Fish." A modest queue had formed outside, and the delicious smell drifted from within.

"Yuhao Grilled Fish..." Tang Wulin murmured. Something about the name tugged at his memory. With anticipation in his eyes, he led Gu Yuena to the end of the line.

They did not wait long. Inside, the lively warmth of the kitchen and the fragrance of grilled fish surrounded them. They ordered a generous spread of fish in different flavors, along with several side dishes.

When a fish arrived crisp on the outside and tender within, covered in secret sauce and bright red chilies, Tang Wulin immediately picked up a piece, blew on it, and put it in his mouth.

Numbing spice and savory freshness burst across his tongue. The flesh was delicate and tender, the sauce layered with flavor. Familiarity surged through him like a tide!

Another grilled fish shop appeared in his mind, one far less elegantly furnished. Across from him sat the teacher whose face was always cold, yet who quietly cared for him: Wu Changkong.

"Eat more." Wu Changkong put a piece of fish into his bowl. His voice was as cool as ever, but the gesture held a rare tenderness.

Tang Wulin had been little then, with grease all around his mouth. At a nearby table, a bold female Soul Master had noticed Wu Changkong's striking looks and aloof air. Blushing, she had come over to speak to him.

"Excuse me... sir, could we get acquainted?" she had asked sweetly.

Wu Changkong had not even looked up. "That wouldn't be convenient."

Unwilling to give up, she had turned to Tang Wulin, who was happily eating, and tried another approach. "What an adorable child. Is he your little brother?"

Before Tang Wulin could answer, Wu Changkong had said flatly, with absolute conviction:

"He's my son."

"Pfft—cough, cough!" Tang Wulin had nearly choked on his fish. He stared at his teacher in shock.

The woman had been just as stunned. She looked from Wu Changkong's impossibly youthful face to Tang Wulin, then walked away in embarrassment.

Only after she had gone did Wu Changkong glance at the still-coughing Tang Wulin and add, "Now we can eat in peace."

At the memory, Tang Wulin let out a laugh, though his eyes grew damp. Beneath Teacher Wu's icy manner had been his awkward way of protecting him.

"What are you remembering?"

Gu Yuena had noticed his change in mood. She ate more delicately than he did, but she clearly enjoyed the fish too. Her violet eyes narrowed with satisfaction, like a contented cat's.

Tang Wulin told her how Wu Changkong had once claimed him as his son. Gu Yuena smiled as she pictured the cold-faced teacher saying it and young Tang Wulin staring at him in disbelief.

"Teacher Wu... must have been very proud of you later," Gu Yuena said. She set down her chopsticks and gently took the hand Tang Wulin had resting on the table.

"He was." Tang Wulin nodded firmly, tucked away his longing and sadness, and closed his fingers around her cool hand. "This tastes a lot like it did ten thousand years ago, only better. Yuhao Grilled Fish has carried on its tradition well." The shop was connected to the legendary Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao of ten thousand years past. Given their family ties, Tang Wulin ought to have called him his brother-in-law.

Well fed and in excellent spirits, they left the grilled fish shop hand in hand. The sun shone brightly.

"Where to next?" Gu Yuena asked. The city's blend of ancient charm and modern life had caught her interest.

Tang Wulin thought for a moment, interest flashing in his eyes. "I heard Heaven Dou City has the largest Soul Guidance Technology experience center in the northern part of the continent. Want to see how far things have come in ten thousand years?"

Gu Yuena nodded. She had no objection.

The Tiandou Soul Guidance Technology Experience Center was a sleek, futuristic building that stood in sharp contrast to the old-style architecture around it. Its vast interior displayed the latest products by category: smart-home Soul Tools, holographic communication platforms, realistic combat-training pods, and new personal Flying Soul Tools, among many others.

Gu Yuena was especially curious about the dazzling holograms and interactive devices. She stopped before an "Element Experience Pod" advertised as capable of simulating any ambient temperature and instinctively sent a trace of spiritual power inside to examine its structure. The pod's indicator lights flashed wildly. Its hologram froze, then went dark...

A nearby employee hurried over, looking baffled as he inspected it. He muttered,

"That's strange. The data flow was fine a moment ago. How did it suddenly overload?"

Gu Yuena had already led Tang Wulin away as though nothing had happened. A tiny gleam of triumph crossed her violet eyes, like a little girl pleased with a successful prank. Amused by this rare display of mischief, Tang Wulin leaned close and whispered, "Looks like the gadgets of ten thousand years later still can't stand up to the Silver Dragon King's scrutiny."

Gu Yuena blushed and gave him a light punch with her small fist.

Farther along, Tang Wulin stopped at the forging exhibit. It featured the latest Soul Guidance forging platform, complete with an intelligent assistance system and precise energy controls. A senior technician was demonstrating how to forge a complex sixth-grade Soul Guidance Core Array.

Tang Wulin watched for a while, then shook his head slightly. To a Divine Craftsman like him, the technician's movements were practiced, but many of his methods for applying force and guiding energy took unnecessary detours. They were inefficient.

Perhaps his hands were itching, or perhaps he could not resist offering a little "guidance." During a break in the demonstration, he stepped forward and asked the somewhat self-important technician, "Mind if I try?"

The technician looked at Tang Wulin's disguised, unusually youthful face and seemed unimpressed, but he stepped aside.

Tang Wulin ignored the fancy intelligent assistance system. He picked up the most basic hand hammer and chose a piece of ordinary heavy silver. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. When he opened them again, his gaze was utterly focused. The Mysterious Heaven Skill circulated, a trace of Bloodline Power stirred, and his hammer fell!

Clang, clang, clang!

Clear, ringing blows sounded in a strange rhythm. Beneath his hammer, the heavy silver seemed to come alive. It grew purer and stretched before their eyes, its inner structure arranging itself into an ideal form with every strike. He did not use even a tenth of his strength. With only the basics of Hundred Refinement, he achieved the effect of Thousand Refinement at astonishing speed!

After barely a dozen blows, a heavy silver ingot lay before them, its luster restrained, its body free of impurities, and a faint current of energy flowing through it.

The forging area fell silent. The senior technician stared with his mouth wide enough to fit an egg. Visitors crowded around, murmuring in amazement.

Tang Wulin set down the hammer and smiled at the technician without a word. Then he took Gu Yuena's hand—she was smiling too—and quickly left before they caused a commotion.

"You," Gu Yuena said with a soft laugh once they reached a quieter spot, shaking her head. "You still love showing off."

"My hands were itching. I couldn't help it." Tang Wulin rubbed his nose, a little embarrassed, though his eyes shone. "Still, ten thousand years of progress have brought plenty worth learning from, especially in the fine control of energy."

By evening, they tried a sightseeing Soul Guidance shuttle. Soul Guidance flying vehicles had not been a mature technology ten thousand years ago, but they were highly developed now. The enclosed cabin gave them plenty of privacy. As the shuttle rose, the newly lit beauty of Heaven Dou City spread beneath them. Ancient buildings mingled with modern Soul Guidance neon to form a dreamlike view.

Tang Wulin pointed to a park encircling an artificial lake below. "Look there. According to the city map and historical records, that used to be the edge of a dense Soul Beast forest ten thousand years ago."

Gu Yuena followed his finger. A flicker of remembrance passed through her violet eyes, then faded into calm. She rested her head against his shoulder, listening to his steady heartbeat. "Time changes everything. But having you beside me now... this is good too."

The shuttle wove between the skyscrapers of Heaven Dou City's outer districts as though sailing through a river of stars.

After nightfall, they returned to their top-floor suite at Snowview Pavilion. Tang Wulin opened the terrace door and led Gu Yuena outside. Comfortable lounge chairs stood on the spacious terrace. The night breeze was cool, carrying the distant hum of the city, softened by their height. Above them, the deep sky spread like dark blue velvet strewn with brilliant stars, mirroring the sea of lights below.

They settled side by side on the lounge chairs beneath a soft, light blanket and gazed up at the stars.

"They're beautiful," Gu Yuena murmured, the Milky Way reflected in her violet eyes. "Ten thousand years ago, we hardly ever had time to watch the stars like this."

"No," Tang Wulin said, drawing her closer against his shoulder.

"We were either cultivating, fighting, or trying to work out how to survive the next crisis." His voice held both relief and wistfulness.

After a moment's silence, he looked into the boundless sky, and a new light grew in his eyes. "Gu Yue, once we've recovered all our memories and settled down... how about I take you to see the stars up close?"

Gu Yuena turned toward him in surprise. "Up close?"

"Yes." Tang Wulin nodded, his dark eyes bright in the night.

"Not just from a distance like this. Didn't Tang Fenghua say the Tang Sect and Shrek have the most advanced outer-space exploration technology? We could board an interstellar Soul Guidance ship, see those distant star systems for ourselves, and explore unknown planets. Just like... the journey through the universe we used to dream about ten thousand years ago."

His words were full of plans and hope for a future without war or division, a future that belonged to the two of them and held endless possibilities.

Warmth and sweetness filled Gu Yuena's heart. She watched his earnest profile and the stars reflected in his eyes, a smile of pure happiness curving her lips.

She reached for his hand and interlaced their fingers. Her voice was soft but certain.

"Okay. Wherever you go, I'll go."

Then mischief flickered in her eyes, and she added with deliberate complaint,

"But you can't sleep for another ten thousand years. I don't think I could wait that long again."

Tang Wulin paused before realizing she meant the ten thousand years they had spent in the Ice Seal. He laughed and pulled her close, resting his chin gently against her forehead as he made a solemn promise.

"I won't. This time, we'll stay awake and see every sight the universe has to offer—together."

Beneath the night sky, their embracing silhouettes seemed to merge with the glittering stars. At that moment, the loneliness and waiting of ten thousand years seemed to find their answer. The road ahead might still hold unknowns, but they had each other and a future they longed for together. For now, that was all the happiness they needed.