Hundred Sects Tournament · Golden Core Finals (15)

Within the small space, time seemed to freeze for an instant at that earth-shattering declaration.

Qu Lin held Zhou Wan's wrists firmly against her chest. Through their touching skin came scorching body heat and a steady, powerful pulse, mingled with the scent of battle and blood, yet strangely making that outrageous declaration feel all the more real.

Zhou Wan's pupils first contracted sharply, her breathing briefly catching. Her gaze shifted several times before her expression finally settled into a complexity bordering on resignation.

She remained silent for three breaths. In those three breaths, countless thoughts flashed through her mind—reviewing her tactical mistakes, assessing the current situation, considering the possible schemes behind this "confession," and even Qu Lin's usual way of doing things... In the end, she forcibly suppressed the tangled thoughts with her formidable reason.

Zhou Wan slowly raised her eyes to meet Qu Lin's astonishingly bright gaze, brimming with genuine admiration and anticipation. Her voice was so calm that not a trace of fluster showed, and even carried a cool, businesslike edge. "Fellow Daoist Qu, we're still in a competition."

Qu Lin blinked. Her brilliant smile did not fade in the slightest; instead, she asked as though it were perfectly reasonable, "So we can after the competition ends?"

Zhou Wan: "..."

She felt a nerve twitch faintly at her temple. Taking a deep breath, she kept her tone steady. "...Let go first."

"All right." Qu Lin readily released her hands, even stepping back half a pace to give Zhou Wan room. But her sparkling eyes remained fixed on Zhou Wan, waiting for an answer.

Zhou Wan bent to pick up her fallen wooden sword and flexed her slightly numb wrists. Rather than looking at Qu Lin, she turned her gaze a short distance away—

There, Wu He and Lin