Gu Yuena appeared at the doorway, her long silver hair shimmering with a cool light under the moonlight. Her gaze swept over the crowd waiting on the beach, finally settling on Xiao Wu.
"He's awake, let's go inside."
Gu Yuena stepped aside to let her in, then gently closed the castle gate.
The castle was softly lit, its walls and dome made of transparent ice crystals that reflected the moonlight, creating a tranquil and serene atmosphere. Xiao Wu followed the familiar path to Xuan Ming's resting room.
Xuan Ming wasn't cultivating; he was simply standing quietly by the window, gazing at the boundless starry sky and sea outside. Hearing footsteps, he turned around, his icy blue eyes falling on Xiao Wu.
"I..." Xiao Wu opened her mouth, but found that the words she had prepared were stuck in her throat. She originally thought that she would ask clearly and decisively, just like Dugu Yan had said, or she would express her long-standing attachment, just as she had imagined.
But when she actually stood in front of him and felt his calm yet imposing gaze, she suddenly realized that the "feelings" she had been struggling with all along were not entirely romantic love.
Chapter 395 Unforgettable
"I drew the first lot," Xiao Wu finally said somewhat dryly, trying to break the unsettling silence with these words.
Xuan Ming nodded slightly, without urging him, and simply waited quietly.
His patience only made Xiao Wu more flustered. She took a deep breath, as if she were going all out, and spoke faster, "Brother Xuan Ming, I... I know everyone likes you, and I... I've always loved being by your side. The days I spent with you, with Mom, and with everyone were the happiest times of my life."
She paused, a hint of confusion welling up in her pink eyes. "But... but I seem to... can't tell anymore. I depend on you, trust you, and want to be with you forever, like family. When I see you with Sister Gu Yuena, or with Hu Liena and the others, I feel a little uncomfortable, I'm afraid... afraid that one day you'll leave me, afraid that we'll separate, and we'll never be able to go back to how lively and happy we used to be..."
Her voice trailed off, choked with emotion. " Ning Rongrong said we were too selfish before, only caring about enjoying the feeling of being cared for and cherished, while putting all the pressure on you. She's right... If you were... if you were a bad person, you would definitely enjoy having everyone revolve around you. But you're not... You would be very tired, wouldn't you?"
Xiao Wu looked up at Xuan Ming, her eyes blurry with tears. " Xuan Ming, I don't want you to be so tired. I don't even know what kind of feelings I have for you... I think... I just don't want things to change, I don't want to lose everything I have now. I want us to be together forever, happy... Isn't that... childish? Too greedy?"
She finally voiced her deepest, most authentic, and most chaotic thoughts. It wasn't a confession, but more like a self-analysis of her confusion. She longed for an answer from Xuan Ming, an answer that would bring her peace of mind and end her wandering.
Xuan Ming remained silent.
He simply watched her quietly, observing the confusion, dependence, and pure longing for "home" swirling in her pink eyes. Those emotions, like a mirror, reflected the same untouchable corners of his own heart.
Then, he stepped forward.
Without words or explanation, he simply reached out and gently embraced the tearful girl before him.
Xiao Wu's body stiffened slightly at first, then completely relaxed, burying her face in his broad and slightly cool chest.
There was no heartbeat; his body had long transcended the mundane realm, yet the solid touch and silent embrace were more powerful than any words.
Time flowed by in stillness.
Outside the ice crystal castle, the waves continued to tirelessly pound the beach. Inside the castle, only moonlight shone through the ice walls, illuminating the two people embracing each other.
Xiao Wu could feel the strength of his arm, neither too light nor too heavy, yet carrying an undeniable sense of protection. There was no restlessness of lust, no heaviness of a promise, only an understanding and resonance that was almost a sigh.
In the midst of this silence, Xiao Wu suddenly understood.
He wasn't refusing, nor was he just giving a perfunctory answer.
His silence, his embrace, were the answer in themselves.
He couldn't let go either.
Like her, he also cherished the warmth and noise of being surrounded by people and relying on each other. He also naively wished that time could stand still at the most beautiful moment, that everyone could stay together forever, and that they would never have to face separation and choices.
He just... didn't dare to say it.
He carried too much on his shoulders—the expectations of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings, Gu Yuena's entrustment, the future of the Soul Beast Clan, the scrutinizing gaze of the Divine Realm... These heavy shackles prevented him from accepting or even enjoying the "blessing" of being surrounded by beautiful women like an ordinary man.
He feared that if he showed even the slightest bit of attachment or reluctance, he would break the fragile balance before him and let this warmth, which he also cherished, vanish like sand slipping through his fingers.
He bore the pressure they brought, but at the same time, he also drew from them a few precious human warmths.
He was conflicted and struggling, yet unable to let go.
Xiao Wu closed her eyes, tears silently soaking the front of his shirt.
But this time, the tears were not of confusion, but of relief and understanding.
She found out.
Having understood his predicament and his greed, I also knew what I should do next.
She didn't need a clear "title," nor did she need him to make a difficult choice. What she always wanted was that "home," that bond that would protect each other and never abandon each other, no matter the changing times or their status.
Since he also wants to keep this "home," she will protect it in her own way.
After a long while, Xiao Wu moved slightly.
Xuan Ming's arm then loosened its grip.
Xiao Wu raised her head, her face still wet with tears, but a clear and firm smile bloomed on her face, like a rainbow after the rain.
"I understand, Brother Xuan Ming," she said softly, her voice clearer than ever before. "I won't ask anymore."
She took a step back and looked at him intently. "I will always be here, with everyone. This is our home."
After Xiao Wu left, the gates of the Ice Crystal Castle closed silently once again.
On the beach, all eyes were on Dugu Yan. She was the second one.
Dugu Yan took a deep breath, her long, dark green hair fluttering slightly in the night breeze. She tried her best to maintain the defiant expression on her face, as if she was about to face not a confrontation of secrets, but an ordinary contest. But only she knew that her clenched palms were already soaked with sweat.
When Gu Yuena reappeared at the door and nodded slightly to her, Dugu Yan straightened her back and stepped inside.
The tranquility and coolness of the castle calmed her restless heart slightly, but also brought another kind of tension. She followed the same path as Xiao Wu towards that room.
Xuan Ming remained standing by the window, seemingly unchanged. Hearing footsteps, he turned around, his icy blue eyes calmly looking at her with a hint of understanding.
"I..." Dugu Yan opened her mouth, wanting to start with her usual sharp tone, or simply ask the question that had been lingering in her mind for many years.
But when she truly met his eyes, which seemed to see through everything, all the words she had prepared beforehand, and all the feigned strength, crumbled in an instant.
It felt like something was tightly choking my throat, and I couldn't utter a single word.
She then realized that she was far less capable of "taking things in stride" than she had imagined.
Everyone knows that Dugu Yan's feelings for Xuan Ming started almost when he was just a little kid. That longing, from initial curiosity and pity to later admiration and following, has taken deep root in her heart, never hidden and never changed.
But it was precisely because she had been thinking about him for so long, waiting for so long, watching him grow from a boy who needed protection into a powerful figure she now looked up to, and seeing more and more outstanding people gathering around him, that she became increasingly afraid.
She was afraid to hear the answer she had already foreseen—he might care about her, appreciate her, and even be used to her presence, but it wasn't the unique romantic love she longed for.
She feared that her almost stubborn waiting over the years would only earn her an "I'm sorry" or "I've always considered you an important companion."
This fear made her feel far more powerless than when facing a powerful enemy.
She stood there, stubbornly pursing her lips, but a hint of tears welled up in her snake-like eyes, betraying her inner fear and vulnerability.
Xuan Ming watched her quietly.
He looked at her feigned composure, and at the almost overflowing fear deep in her eyes. He had known Dugu Yan for too long, long enough to see through all her pretenses to the truth.
He didn't wait for her like he did for Xiao Wu, nor did he ask any questions.
He simply stepped forward, just as before, and then reached out and gently embraced the girl, whose body was tense and seemed about to shatter at any moment.
Dugu Yan's body trembled violently, even more violently than Xiao Wu's reaction. She almost instinctively pushed him away, using anger to mask her inner turmoil.
But Xuan Ming's arm was steady and powerful, carrying an irresistible and reassuring strength.
He didn't speak.
Not a single word.
He simply held her quietly, using his actions to dispel the fear churning in her heart.
Time slipped away little by little in the silent embrace.
Dugu Yan's tense body gradually relaxed, and she rested her forehead on his shoulder, feeling the cool breath and silent embrace emanating from him.
The turmoil in my heart seemed to gradually subside in this silent harbor.
She suddenly felt incredibly foolish.
Yes, why would she be afraid?
She had known Xuan Ming the longest and spent the most time with him.
He may never have given her romantic promises, but he never rejected her advances or ignored her presence.
Over such a long period of time and through so many experiences, he had already proven her importance in his heart through his actions. It was a bond that transcended simple romantic love, a deeper and more solid connection.
She should have realized this much earlier.
What she longed for was perhaps not a "title" in the conventional sense, but rather confirmation that she held an irreplaceable place in his Life, which was full of thorns and burdens.
He had already given her this answer, throughout the long years, in every battle fought side by side, and in every silent exchange of glances.
However, she was blinded by her own obsession and fear.
Dugu Yan closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and when she opened them again, her snake-like eyes regained their former brilliance, even becoming clearer and more resolute.
She gently broke free from his embrace, took a step back, looked up at him, and gave a relieved yet slightly self-deprecating smile.
"I'm such an idiot."
Chapter 396 Hu Liena's Answer
When Dugu Yan left, the expression on her face was completely different from when she went in.
It was a sense of relief after unloading a heavy burden, even carrying a hint of enlightened understanding.
She didn't say much, but gave Hu Liena a complicated look, a look that contained concern, encouragement, and a hint of knowing "it's your turn."
Hu Liena took a deep breath, her charming face showing no hesitation, only a resolute determination akin to burning her boats.
When Gu Yuena opened the castle gates for the third time and nodded slightly to her, she almost immediately stepped inside, her steps firm and decisive.
Unlike the hesitation and silence of the two before her, the moment Hu Liena stepped into the room, her gaze was fixed on the figure by the window.
Xuan Ming had just watched Dugu Yan leave when he turned around and saw Hu Liena rushing straight towards him like a burning flame.
There were no words, no probing.
Before Xuan Ming could even fully turn around and see the expression on her face, Hu Liena had already pounced on him.
She reached out and grabbed his shirt collar tightly. Standing on tiptoe, with a burning passion that had been suppressed for too long and was almost desperate, she kissed his lips fiercely.
"Ugh!"
This kiss was devoid of any skill, a pure and ruthless act of possession and demand. Her lips, burning hot, pressed forcefully against his coldness, as if she wanted to convey all the repression, longing, resentment, and pain she had endured for the past five years to him through this kiss.
Xuan Ming's body stiffened for a moment, a hint of astonishment flashing in his icy blue eyes. He could clearly feel her body trembling slightly, and the torrent of emotions surging from her lips.
Since that clumsy yet bold first kiss at the Heaven Dou City Hotel during the Soul Master Tournament five years ago, too many things have stood between them—the three years of life- Slaughter City struggles and deliberate estrangement in the City of Slaughter, his almost self-destructive and insane trials on Sea God Island, and her powerlessness as she could only watch...
She could only watch him teeter on the edge of life and death, watch his figure grow further and further away, and watch more and more people gather around him.
She cultivated like a madwoman, desperately squeezing out her potential, not to surpass anyone, but simply to get closer to him, even just a little bit closer, so that she could share even the slightest bit of his burden.
This love had long since taken root in her heart, grown, become deeply entrenched, and penetrated to the very marrow of her bones.
For her, the so-called Fourth Trial was something she never needed to hesitate about.
The night she absorbed the Nine-Tailed Fox Heart Lotus and glimpsed her teacher Bibi Dong's equally secret and intense emotions, she had already made up her mind.
She loves him.
No response, no promise, not even his understanding is needed.
She simply loves him.
This love was her own choice, her motivation to live, and the meaning of her existence.
Even if she could only stay by his side like a Shadow, she would never leave him for even a moment.
Wherever he is, she will be. Heaven or hell, she'll follow him!
The kiss was long and suffocating.
Hu Liena only released him abruptly when she felt as if all the air had been sucked out of her lungs. She staggered back a step, breathing heavily. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were fuller and redder from the exertion. In her alluring fox-like eyes, an undisguised, almost obsessive love and determination burned.
She looked directly into Xuan Ming's deep, calm, yet seemingly stirred icy blue eyes. Her voice, slightly hoarse from excitement and lack of oxygen, was clear and resolute:
" Xuan Ming, listen to me!"
"I love you!"