"Love's Sorrow, the Yearning Hearbroken Red?"
Qian Renxue's beautiful eyes widened slightly as her delicate hand gently caressed the white flower before her.
The Yearning Hearbroken Red swayed slightly at first, as if trying to avoid her touch.
But in the next moment, it leaned into her hand, its white petals softly brushing against her palm.
Qian Renxue smiled, her eyes narrowing with delight:
"It tickles, Xiao Feng. It can move on its own?
But why is it called the Yearning Hearbroken Red when it's a white flower?"
Lin Feng felt a bit nervous as he explained:
"Because of the drop of blood-red at its center.
Legend has it that long, long ago, there was a young man who loved flowers more than anything. His courtyard was filled with lotus ponds and a myriad of colorful blooms.
He spent his days reciting poetry to the flowers, pouring out his heart to them. Whenever a flower withered, he would mourn deeply, collecting its petals and burying them, shedding tears over and over again.
His extreme devotion to flowers eventually moved a flower fairy from the heavens.
The fairy descended to the mortal world, took on a human form, and married him.
However, their happiness did not last long. The gods soon discovered that the fairy had descended to marry a mortal, and they were furious.
The gods captured the fairy and brought her back to the heavens, separating the two forever.
Heartbroken, the young man grew more sorrowful each day, his grief so profound that he even neglected his beloved flowers.
One day, an old man came to him and told him that the white peony in his courtyard was the imprisoned form of his wife.
If he destroyed it, the fairy would lose her divine body and become a mortal, allowing them to be together.
But the young man loved her too deeply to make such a choice. Instead, he returned to tending the peony with even greater care.
Finally, exhausted from heartbreak and longing, he coughed up a mouthful of blood and died. That drop of blood became the crimson center of the Yearning Hearbroken Red."
By the time Lin Feng finished the story, Qian Renxue was deeply moved, her heart swaying with emotion.
For a moment, a single tear rolled down her cheek.
Lin Feng pursed his lips:
"To pluck it, one must think of their beloved with true sincerity and spit a drop of blood onto it.
If there is even the slightest distraction in one's heart, it will not succeed."
She stared blankly at the Yearning Hearbroken Red before her, then turned her gaze to Lin Feng, her eyes filled with longing:
"So, Xiao Feng, you want me to pluck it, don't you?"
Given their shared experiences, this was almost an explicit acknowledgment of the feelings between them.
Lin Feng nodded solemnly. In the world of Douluo Continent, children matured early, and by the age of ten, they were already aware of romantic feelings.
Truthfully, Lin Feng wasn't entirely confident. He was certain he couldn't pluck the flower himself.
While he did have genuine feelings for Qian Renxue, he also harbored a slight affection for the mature and alluring Ling Yuan, and even...
Lin Feng sighed inwardly. Perhaps this was the inherent flaw of men—always wanting more, never satisfied with what they had.
As someone with memories of a past life, he couldn't bring himself to devote his heart entirely to one person in this world.
Lin Feng didn't consider himself a saint. He acknowledged his own fickleness but was willing to put in the effort to make things work.
As a transmigrator, if he couldn't change certain events from the original story, what was the point?
What he wanted was to give as much sincerity as he could and hope for it to be reciprocated.
If you thought this was unrealistic, you'd be wrong. This was Douluo Continent, where everyone was a romantic at heart.
Once someone fell in love, they would remain devoted for life.
Those stories of betrayal after years of deep affection were nothing but jokes.
"Pfft!"
Without hesitation, Qian Renxue spat a drop of blood onto the Yearning Hearbroken Red. The blood instantly stained the flower, its pure white petals now dyed a deep crimson.
The flower's delicate, mournful form began to shift and change.
Qian Renxue closed her eyes, her mind filled with images of Lin Feng.
Scenes flashed before her, replaying the moments they had shared.
As she underwent the test of the Yearning Hearbroken Red, Qian Renxue also began to question her own feelings. What exactly did she feel for Lin Feng?
They had met in the library, and she had been drawn to his studious and determined demeanor.
Later, they became friends, and she marveled at his insight and extraordinary theoretical talent, seeing him as a future equal.
Then, as her mother grew colder and more distant, and her father became increasingly absent, Lin Feng became her constant companion.
No matter the season or the time, he was always there to listen to her, teach her new things, and guide her heart.
Slowly but surely, he had carved out a place in her heart, occupying a significant space.
After Qian Xunji's death and her fallout with Bibi Dong, Lin Feng became her first thought, her refuge. It was on that day that she had taken the initiative to confess her feelings.
Qian Renxue's furrowed brows gradually relaxed as she came to a realization.
Whether she saw Lin Feng as an equal rival, a true friend, or the person she entrusted her heart to, the one she loved deeply and saw as her future partner—all of these were expressions of love.
She truly loved Lin Feng, and that was undeniable!
The Yearning Hearbroken Red trembled violently before, to Qian Renxue's delight, it gently floated down from the black stone into her palm.
It hovered there, as if rejoicing.
"Xiao Feng, do you see it?" Qian Renxue wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, her purple eyes shining like stars.
"Xue'er, I love you too."
Lin Feng whispered softly.
"Mhm!"
Qian Renxue lowered her gaze, then stood up and moved to Lin Feng's side. Her lips, as tender as peeled lychee, pressed gently against his forehead.
When they parted, their foreheads remained touching. Qian Renxue's hands caressed Lin Feng's cheeks as she gazed at his increasingly handsome face, a hint of intoxication in her eyes.
"Xiao Feng, let's always be together."
"Mm, I won't let you leave me."
Lin Feng wrapped his arms around Qian Renxue's waist, his voice soft.
"Xue'er, aren't you going to consume it?"
"No, I want to keep it with me. It's like a spirit that can carry my feelings."
Qian Renxue looked at the Yearning Hearbroken Red floating beside her, her voice tender.
...
Early the next morning, Lin Feng and the Chrysanthemum Douluo set off for Dugu Bo's residence once more.
The preparations for Qian Renxue's mission were nearly complete.
They had gathered enough information on Crown Prince Xue Qinghe's daily routines.
The Crown Prince of Heaven Dou would never have dreamed that the servants and guards around him were all from the Spirit Hall.
Now, all Qian Renxue needed to do was master the disguise skill of her soul bone, assume Xue Qinghe's identity, and pass the scrutiny of several Title Douluo.
Once that was done, she could choose the right moment to replace him.
After silently mourning the real Xue Qinghe for two and a half seconds, Lin Feng turned his attention to Dugu Bo.
Today, Dugu Bo was a completely different person—full of energy and radiating confidence.
The joy in his heart was evident in the wide grin that showed off his gleaming teeth.
"Here you are, little brother?"
Dugu Bo greeted them with a hearty laugh, waving at the Chrysanthemum Douluo.
The Chrysanthemum Douluo choked on his breath and pointed at Dugu Bo indignantly:
"You brat, I'm several years older than you!
Calling me 'little brother'? Looks like your backside is itching for a spanking!"
Dugu Bo waved him off nonchalantly. Now that the issue with his family's martial soul was resolved, he viewed everything with a carefree attitude.
"Who cares? If Ghost Douluo married a young bride, wouldn't you still have to call her 'sister-in-law'?"
"What kind of nonsense is that? And Ghost Douluo would never bother with such trivial matters!"
Dugu Bo shrugged. "Suit yourself. So, what brings you here today?"
Lin Feng nodded slightly. "Grandpa Dugu, it's time for you to report to the Spirit Hall."
"So soon?"
Dugu Bo was taken aback.
The Chrysanthemum Douluo snorted. "What, do you want the Grand Worship to come fetch you himself?"
"Ahem, well, I suppose it's better to go sooner rather than later. I'll leave in a few days, alright?"
Dugu Bo coughed awkwardly, his face flushing slightly.
"The sooner you go, the better for you. You're on the verge of breaking through to the Title Douluo level. With our connections and the Grand Worship's support, obtaining your ninth soul ring will be much easier."
Dugu Bo's eyes lit up, and he nodded in agreement.
Lin Feng and the Chrysanthemum Douluo exchanged a glance, a hint of amusement in their eyes.
With the mission about to begin, it was best to have as few high-level soul masters in Heaven Dou City as possible.
As Dugu Yan watched them leave with a wistful expression, Lin Feng and the Chrysanthemum Douluo returned to their base.
"Xue'er, Sister Ling Yuan, I'm ready to condense my second soul meridian."
Lin Feng summoned the Innate Treasure Pearl, the light purple soul ring pulsating gently.