After enduring three long years in the Slaughter City,
the first touch of sunlight from the Douluo Continent was almost blinding.
Both of them narrowed their eyes, unaccustomed to the brightness.
Li Zhexian's body remained taut, his gaze sharp and cold as it swept across their surroundings.
Only when he finally saw before him a riverside lush with green grass,
and not the blood-soaked killing fields of Asura's domain,
did he slowly let out a breath and ease his stance.
"Xue'er…"
Li Zhexian drew in a deep breath.
The scent of grass and fresh earth filled his lungs.
"We're back."
Qian Renxue squeezed the young man's hand beside her.
"Mhm. We're back."
Zheng!—
A sword cry suddenly burst forth, shattering the golden light on the river.
The sword qi strung three or five silver fish together, sending crystalline water splashes onto the bank.
"Xue'er!"
"You clean the fish!"
"I'll gather wood for the fire!"
With a flutter of his robes, Li Zhexian leapt onto a tree branch, his voice alive with long-lost vigor.
"Three years without fresh meat—I've almost forgotten what it tastes like!"
Qian Renxue looked at the gleam between his brows,
and couldn't help the smile rippling through her eyes.
"All right!"
By the time twilight spread like golden honey, gentle smoke was curling above the riverside.
Li Zhexian turned his wrist, stirring the campfire. Sparks scattered in a burst of golden light.
The sizzling of oil droplets dripping into the flames filled the air.
Qian Renxue rested her chin on her hand,
her fingertip absently brushing her cheek.
The golden strands of her hair caught the sunset's glow as she gazed quietly at him.
"Huff… huff…"
Li Zhexian picked up a skewer of perfectly roasted silver fish,
blew gently on the heat, and handed it toward her with a grin.
"Here, try it!"
"It's been three years since I last roasted fish… not sure if—"
Before he could finish,
Qian Renxue had already taken a bite from the fish's belly.
Her golden eyes lit up instantly, and her oily thumb shot up in approval.
Li Zhexian couldn't wait either—he bit into the fish,
the savory flavor blooming across his tongue.
"Now this—this is what it means to be alive!"
Under the riverside night breeze, the two ate heartily.
Around them were the murmuring waters and the soft grass beneath their legs, with a few fireflies weaving between the bushes not far away.
That long-lost peace and warmth—
—it made Qian Renxue's heart drift back to the days when she, still as Xue Qinghe, met Li Zhexian beside the Lotus Lake…
Hm?
Qian Renxue blinked her bright eyes.
She reached for Li Zhexian's hand.
Light gently rippled between her jade fingers—her Light Spirit Power cleansing the oil from their palms until both were clean and smooth again.
Seeing the tenderness in her gaze, Li Zhexian suddenly twisted his waist, turning on the grass.
His head landed neatly across her long legs.
He made himself comfortable, letting out a long sigh.
A soft blush bloomed over Qian Renxue's delicate cheeks.
Yet she quietly straightened her legs a little more—
to let him rest easier.
"Li Zhexian…"
Her gentle voice drifted down over his head.
"I heard that after that battle in front of the Pope's Palace, Crown Prince Xue Qinghe disappeared."
"He was your close friend, wasn't he…"
Li Zhexian's casually swinging crossed leg stiffened imperceptibly. Immediately, his tone was one of deep sorrow:
"Brother Qinghe's disappearance has me deeply worried."
"When I return to Heaven Dou City, I'll make sure to search carefully for any trace of him."
Qian Renxue lowered her gaze.
Looking down at the young man resting on her lap, eyes closed as he spouted nonsense, she couldn't help the faint smile tugging at her lips.
"Is that so…"
"Li Zhexian, I remember when you returned from the Blue Lightning Clan, having grasped your sword enlightenment—you entered the palace to find Xue Qinghe."
"Did you happen to see the Morning Light Rose and the grasshopper made of straw on his desk?"
"One of those was the gift you gave Xue Qinghe—
the other, the gift you gave me."
"Why would both appear together?"
Ah, damn it!
Li Zhexian's heart skipped a beat. Not good!
He snapped his eyes open—
—and met a pair of smiling golden eyes.
"Xue'er, listen to me—"
"Humph!"
Li Zhexian tried to sit up, struggling slightly—
but Qian Renxue's slender hand pressed firmly on his shoulder, pinning him back down against her lap.
Then—
her flawless, jade-like face slowly leaned closer.
A faint, cool fragrance drifted between them.
The distance between their faces shrank—
until the tips of their noses nearly touched.
"Still pretending, are you?"
Her breath was warm, tinged with embarrassment and a hint of anger.
"Say it! You already knew Xue Qinghe was me, didn't you?"
Li Zhexian stared at the beautiful face enlarging before his eyes.
He could even see the delicate tremble of her long eyelashes.
His throat bobbed. He wanted to argue, to make up some excuse—
but in the end, he gave up and sighed in defeat.
"Alright, alright!"
"I admit it!"
"Yes—I knew long ago that Xue Qinghe was you!"
Hearing his confession, Qian Renxue's dainty foot beneath her skirt tensed slightly.
She stayed silent for a long while before speaking in a low, complex voice:
"Then you… put your arm around my shoulder."
"Drank tea with me from the same cup."
"And… and often had your arm over me…"
"I did it on purpose." Li Zhexian was transparent and bold in his mischief.
Qian Renxue's golden eyes trembled faintly.
Those memories she had revisited over and over in Heaven Dou City—
now glowed with a new, sweet warmth, all because of that one line: on purpose.
Her golden hair cascaded down like a waterfall, quietly veiling their faces.
Their noses brushed—
And then, her lips pressed down.
Soft, cool, and trembling.
——
After a long moment, their lips parted.
Qian Renxue lifted her head slowly.
Tears shimmered on her flawless face.
"Li Zhexian…"
She brushed her tears with the back of her hand, voice choked:
"If you'd told me earlier—or if I'd told you my identity sooner—"
"Maybe we could have stolen an extra year… a year spent as true lovers."
Li Zhexian sat up.
His arm circled around her slender waist.
"It's not too late."
"Those days in Heaven Dou, when we called each other brothers—looking back now, they were rather amusing."
"From here on, we have all the time in the world."
The two sat shoulder to shoulder on the grassy riverside—
—from dusk till the first light of dawn.
The blood-soaked killing intent buried deep in their bones seemed to wash away bit by bit with the flowing river and the night breeze.
"Li Zhexian."
Qian Renxue finally stood, reluctant but resolute.
"I have to return to the Worship Hall first—
report my safety to the elders and cleanse myself of this killing intent."
She paused, her golden eyes bright and steady.
"In two months, it will be our five-year promise."
"When the time comes, I'll come to Heaven Dou to find you."
Li Zhexian lifted a hand—
and gently brushed aside the few golden strands blown across her forehead by the morning wind.
"All right."
He watched as that streak of golden light vanished beyond the horizon.
Then Li Zhexian took in a deep breath of the cold morning air—
and shot off toward the direction of the Star Dou Forest.
Nearly five years had passed.
Before the time of their promise arrived,
he had to visit the forest—
to see how Zhu Zhuqing was doing,
to warn Xiao Wu,
to speak with Da Ming and Er Ming.
Maybe… he could stop the tragedies of the original story.
...
Star Luo Empire.
A small border town.
An elderly man in a green robe deftly packed up his roadside stall, calling to a middle-aged man stacking stools beside him.
"Spirit Master, it's been nearly five years. Let's return to Heaven Dou, shall we?"
The middle-aged man wore a patched Spirit Master's robe,
but the vitality radiating from him could not be hidden.
"Of course, sir."