Something from Beyond the Heavens

Nino Merchant Association's temporary camp.

The starlight and moonlight were especially bright tonight. Though the campfire had gone out, the entire camp was bathed in a silvery glow beneath the stars and moon. The fragrance of pine and grass brought a sense of peace and tranquility.

Other than the night watchmen, the entire camp seemed to be asleep.

Just then, a young girl carefully raised her head while everyone was asleep. After looking around and confirming that no one was awake, she sat up nervously and slipped out of the tent. She poked her head out, furtively glancing left and right. Only after confirming the night watchmen's field of vision did she sneak out of the camp.

After leaving the camp, the girl slipped into the dark forest. The trees blocked out the starlight and moonlight as she moved through the woods, carefully keeping herself from making even the slightest sound.

"Whew... No one followed me, right?"

The girl emerged from the forest and arrived by a small lake. After confirming once more that no one was around, she used the starlight, moonlight, and the lake's reflection to carefully examine her appearance.

"So this is what I look like with long hair... It's so pretty..."

After saying that, she blushed. First, she stuck out her tongue at the lake, then made a face. She seemed to have relaxed somewhat as she gave the water a gentle smile, then struck a thoughtful pose. Her pretty face reddened again, and she curled her hands into cat paws before swiping at the air.

"Meow~"

After doing all that, the girl's face turned scarlet. She patted her cheeks, making herself look even cuter.

"It's a shame I don't know how to tie my hair, and I don't have any pretty clothes..."

"Would you like... me to help you?"

The girl jumped in fright and fell to the ground, revealing her true face to the newcomer. This girl was actually Huo Yuhao, whose hair had grown longer due to a soul skill!

So it wasn't "she," but "he"!

"Th-th-th-th-that... I..." Huo Yuhao's face reddened all the way from his neck to the tips of his ears. "I-I was actually..."

"Right! A-actually, I was practicing disguise techniques!"

"I see." Mu Xiaoqing nodded. "Then I'll help you."

Huh?

Before Huo Yuhao could react, Mu Xiaoqing had already walked behind him. She took a pretty little comb from her soul tool storage device and gently began combing his hair.

"What kind of hairstyle do you like?" Mu Xiaoqing asked as she combed.

"J-just... twin tails, I guess." Huo Yuhao sat obediently by the lake, allowing Mu Xiaoqing to play with his hair.

If Qiu'er and Dong'er saw this scene, my career as the protagonist would be over...

Twin tails were not a difficult hairstyle. Mu Xiaoqing took out several hair ties and gently gathered Huo Yuhao's hair into place.

"All done. Take a look."

Huo Yuhao leaned forward and looked at his reflection in the lake.

"Wow..."

So, so embarrassing... But it really does look good.

"Would you like to change into my clothes?"

"N-no, that won't be necessary." Huo Yuhao hurriedly refused. Wearing women's clothing was already embarrassing enough; borrowing a girl's clothes would be even more... But Mu Xiaoqing had already taken out a dress and handed it to him.

Though Huo Yuhao protested, his body was honest. In the end, he accepted Mu Xiaoqing's dress and hid in the woods to put it on.

When Huo Yuhao emerged from the woods after changing, even Mu Xiaoqing stared blankly.

"Are you really a boy? You feel even prettier than me," Mu Xiaoqing could not help asking.

"I really am a boy!" Huo Yuhao said, clutching the hem of his dress with a flushed face.

He really doesn't look like one...

I never thought he had this side to him.

"Yuhao, I..." Mu Xiaoqing moved close to Huo Yuhao. They could practically feel each other's breath.

So close, so close.

He's right in front of me. I could touch him just by reaching out...

Why... do I feel like he's so far away?

"...Let me give you another hairstyle, one like mine."

Mu Xiaoqing flipped up the twin tails she had tied, took out another hair tie, left a small section loose before tying it with an elastic, then folded it upward. Cute cat ears seemed to grow from atop his head. She did the same on the other side, and Huo Yuhao's catgirl form appeared!

So cute...

"Um, about what happened today... Please keep it a secret."

Huo Yuhao blushed as he poked at his fingers.

"I won't tell anyone. This is our secret."

Mu Xiaoqing smiled and turned sideways to point at Huo Yuhao. As though by accident, she lightly tapped Huo Yuhao's lips with her index finger.

Huo Yuhao ran back into the woods and changed into his own clothes. Then he clumsily tried to remove the hair ties, but failed several times. In the end, Mu Xiaoqing had to help him take them out.

"You have to keep it a secret. Please!"

"Mm, I will."

Mu Xiaoqing watched Huo Yuhao until his figure completely disappeared into the forest. Then she slowly closed her eyes and gently pressed her index finger to her lips. An evening breeze blew from the direction Huo Yuhao had left, lifting Mu Xiaoqing's chestnut-colored hair.

When the wind stopped, Mu Xiaoqing lowered her finger from her lips. She opened her eyes and lifted her head to gaze at the starry sky.

Then she spread her arms and fell backward into the small lake reflecting the stars, using the icy water to cool her burning face.

What am I doing?

Mu Xiaoqing blew bubbles beneath the water. Before the lake had settled, the stars reflected in her eyes rippled. Suddenly, a figure plunged in, grabbed her, and pulled her out of the water.

"Cough, cough... Are you okay?" Huo Yuhao asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," Mu Xiaoqing answered blankly. "Why did you come back?"

"The soul master on watch was looking this way, so I didn't dare go back and waited for a while. Then I heard the sound of someone falling into the water. I was afraid something had happened to you, so I came back to check."

"Did something happen?" Huo Yuhao vigilantly looked around, but did not sense anything suspicious.

"Nothing happened." Mu Xiaoqing only stared straight into Huo Yuhao's eyes. "Nothing... happened."

Huo Yuhao did not press further. He merely used his soul power to dry their soaked clothes. He vaguely sensed that the person before him had something on her mind; he absolutely could not just leave now.

"Back then... why did you help me?" Mu Xiaoqing asked softly. "Someone like me."

So that's it! She lacks confidence in her martial soul. I completely understand!

At a time like this, I should...

"Because you're a genius." Huo Yuhao smiled with certainty and pointed at Mu Xiaoqing. "Controlling a Thousand-Year Soul Beast with one ring—throughout the history of Douluo Continent, I've never seen a precedent like that."

Don't be like this. Don't give me that kind of answer...

"Who could bear to let a genius be buried? Hehe, perhaps a hundred years from now, when someone writes your biography, they'll record this venerable one's heroic bearing as well! Hahahaha!"

This isn't enough. It won't do...

"Don't say things like 'someone like me' anymore. Believe me, one day, you'll definitely..."

Wouldn't an answer like this only make me lose even more courage...

"Shake the eight lands and reign supreme beneath heaven!"

...stay by your side?