Gu Wuchen walked quickly Sea God Mountain, the sea breeze blowing in his face, carrying a salty and cool feeling.
He slapped his cheeks hard, and the burning temperature dropped slightly.
What happened last night was absurd.
How could he be with his aunt...?
Gu Wuchen shook his head, trying to banish those chaotic images from his mind.
"Oh, you're awake?"
The Fire Dragon King's voice suddenly rang out in the Sea of Consciousness, carrying an undisguised mockery.
"You two kissed so passionately last night, Old Ice and I both saw it."
"Shut up!"
Gu Wuchen gritted his teeth, his face turning even redder.
"If you spout any more nonsense, I'll lock you both in the Sea of Consciousness and never let you out again."
"Tch, can't I say it now?"
The Fire Dragon King muttered something and wisely shut his mouth.
The Ice Dragon King snorted coldly from the side, remaining silent but with a hint of watching the show.
Gu Wuchen took a deep breath, suppressing the panic in his heart.
He walked slowly along the coastline and saw the silhouettes of Ice Empress and Snow Empress in the distance.
The two sat on the beach, enjoying a pile of grilled crabs in front of them.
Snow Empress looked up and saw him, then waved:
" Little Wuchen, where have you been? We thought you'd been reading in your room all night."
Gu Wuchen composed himself, walked over and sat down, trying to make his tone sound natural.
"Yes, I was engrossed in reading some ancient books about the Sea God Trial last night, and before I knew it, dawn had broken."
Snow Empress smiled and said, "Is that so? You are indeed diligent, worthy of praise."
Gu Wuchen walked slowly along the coastline, the sand beneath his feet warm from the sun.
His mind was in turmoil; the images from last night kept replaying in his mind, and he couldn't shake them off.
Just then, footsteps sounded behind them.
Gu Wuchen turned around and saw Bo Saixi and the Sea Witch Douluo walking towards him.
Bo Saixi had changed back into her high priest's robes, and her face had regained its usual coolness, though a hint of barely perceptible embarrassment lingered in her eyes.
"Auntie."
Gu Wuchen spoke, his voice somewhat stiff.
Even he felt awkward saying those two words.
Bo Saixi nodded slightly, trying to keep his tone calm:
" Chen'er, rest for another night. Tomorrow morning, you will begin the Third Trial of the Sea God Tidal Body Tempering."
The Sea Witch Douluo beside her smiled and said:
" Young Master Gu, you don't look too well, you seem to haven't slept well. How about we all have a drink together tonight? Ice Empress, Snow Empress, and Miss Ah Yin are all here, it'll be lively."
Gu Wuchen was taken aback, and subconsciously wanted to refuse:
"Drinking? Let's forget about it..."
The hangover from last night hadn't completely worn off, and the thought of drinking reminded him of what had happened in the palace, sending a chill down his spine.
"No, please." Snow Empress happened to walk over and, hearing this, tugged at Gu Wuchen's sleeve. " Little Wuchen, have a taste. I've lived this long and never drunk any wine before."
Ice Empress also came over and nodded in agreement:
"That's right, I also want to try what sea dew tastes like."
Seeing the expectant looks in their eyes, Gu Wuchen swallowed back the words of refusal that were on the tip of his tongue.
He sighed helplessly, "Fine."
Bo Saixi stood to the side, watching this scene, her fingers unconsciously clenching her robe.
Seeing Gu Wuchen's evasive gaze, she felt a pang of sadness.
Did last night's events ultimately become a rift between them?
The daytime gathering felt unusually long.
Bo Saixi sat to the side, watching Gu Wuchen laugh and joke with Ice Empress and Snow Empress, feeling as if a stone was stuck in her heart.
She tried to speak to Gu Wuchen several times, but seeing his evasive eyes, she swallowed her words back.
No, we can't just let it go like this.
She said to herself.
If last night's events create a permanent rift between her and Chen'er, she will regret it for the rest of her life.
She could lose anything, but she couldn't lose Gu Wuchen.
He was the only light in her life.
Night fell again, and Sea God Island was shrouded in darkness.
After everyone dispersed, Bo Saixi quickly caught up with Gu Wuchen, who was heading back to his residence.
When no one was looking, she grabbed his wrist and whispered:
" Chen'er, come with me for a moment, I have something to tell you."
Gu Wuchen stiffened, trying to break free, but Bo Saixi held him tightly.
Looking into Bo Saixi's determined eyes, he finally nodded.
The two walked to the rocks by the sea.
The waves crashed against the rocks, making a splashing sound.
A sea breeze swept by, carrying a salty, damp scent.
There was no one else around, only the moonlight shining on the two of them.
Bo Saixi released her grip and turned to look at Gu Wuchen.
She took a deep breath, her eyes no longer showing their usual coldness, but filled with seriousness.
" Chen'er, actually, Auntie doesn't think there was anything wrong with what happened last night. You don't need to avoid me like this, and you don't need to pretend nothing happened."
Gu Wuchen lowered his head, not daring to look her in the eye.
"But Auntie, we..."
"There are no 'buts'," Bo Saixi interrupted him, her voice trembling slightly. "Actually, my aunt doesn't dislike it at all; in fact, I like it very much."
Gu Wuchen suddenly raised his head, his face full of shock.
He thought he had misheard.
"What?"
Bo Saixi looked him into the eyes and said, word by word:
" Chen'er, to be honest, my heart can't leave you anymore. Ever since we left Sea God Island together for the mainland, my heart has been filled with you."
"Before, the meaning of my life was to protect Sea God Island and wait for the successor of the Sea God. But after meeting you, I realized that I could also have my own joys and sorrows, and that I could also have people I wanted to protect. You gave me a new life, so I don't have to sacrifice myself to start the Ninth Trial."
"I've witnessed countless partings and deaths, and I thought my heart was dead. But you brought it back to life."
Her voice was choked with sobs, and her eyes were slightly red.
She had kept these words in her heart for a long time.
From the first time Gu Wuchen called her "Auntie," from the time he protected her time and time again on the mainland, from the time she watched him grow stronger step by step.
This feeling had already taken root in her heart.
Gu Wuchen stood there, his mind blank.
He never imagined that Bo Saixi would say such a thing to him.
In his heart, Bo Saixi was always the dignified high priestess and the gentle aunt.
He never considered any other possibility.
But seeing Bo Saixi's reddened eyes and hearing her sincere confession, his heart was in turmoil.
I don't know what to say, or how to respond.
Bo Saixi felt a surge of nervousness as she looked at his silent demeanor.
She reached out and gently grasped Gu Wuchen's hand.
His hands were warm, which calmed her down considerably.
I know this is sudden for you, and I'm not pressuring you for an answer right away. I just don't want there to be any distance between us.
No matter what you choose in the end, I will always be with you until you inherit the throne of the Sea God.