lcionline Chapter 1858
Chapter 1858
The time it took to breathe felt like an eternity, with every second tugging at their heartsstrings.
The beautiful figure under the moonlight could not ultimately resist the longing in her heart—those two warm and safe embraces, like seeds falling into the barren field of her heart, had already taken root and sprouted.
She wanted freedom, wanted to live for herself, and wanted to grasp the light that illuminated her dark life.
She awoke with a start, and moved. Her tear-stained cheeks shimmered in the moonlight—a true reflection of herself, stripped of all pretense, devoid of the witch's aloofness, revealing only the vulnerability of a young girl.
The next second, she transformed into a purple phantom, like a bird returning to its nest, and rushed into Chen Xuan's arms, unable to hold back any longer, bursting into tears.
The sobs contained a century of grievances, an inescapable resentment, and untold pain, like a flood that had been building up for a long time, finally finding an outlet in the arms of her beloved.
"I hate you! I hate you so much, Chen Xuan!" She cried as she pounded Chen Xuan's chest with her small fists, the force gradually softening from its initial strength to a gentler, almost coquettish tone. "Who told you to provoke me? Who told you to provoke me like this!"
After hitting him a dozen times, she suddenly wrapped her arms around Chen Xuan's neck, buried her face in his shoulder, and repeated, choking back sobs:
"For over a hundred years, so many people have pursued me relentlessly, but you are the only one who made me lose my Dao heart... I hate you, I hate that you made me become someone I'm not..."
Chen Xuan gently wrapped his arms around her waist, his palms resting on her slightly trembling back, patting her tenderly.
He could feel the tension in her body gradually relaxing, like a heavy burden being lifted off her shoulders.
"Having met so many outstanding young people, yet they fell for me. Doesn't that just prove we're destined for each other?"
"Hmph, I think it's a tragic fate." Qiu Zixian's voice was muffled, with a hint of crying and coquettishness, but she didn't push him away again.
Chen Xuan suddenly remembered something, his tone became somewhat hesitant, and the tips of his ears turned slightly red: "By the way, Fairy Zixian, there's something... I should tell you, actually I..."
Qiu Zixian lifted her head from his shoulder, a sly glint in her teary eyes, a mischievous smile playing on her lips: "Actually, are you my father? Or my own brother? Are you playing something this exciting?"
"Pfft—" Chen Xuan was both amused and exasperated by her wild imagination, and flicked her nose. "As expected of a witch, your ideas are truly audacious. No, that's not it. Actually, I already have..."
He counted on his fingers, his voice growing softer and softer, "Not even ten Daoist partners, right?"
"Oh—ah?!" Qiu Zixian's eyes widened instantly, like a startled cat. She pushed Chen Xuan away abruptly, took two steps back, and spoke in a deliberately distant tone.
"Brother Chen Xuan, I was just joking with you earlier, trying to tease you a little. Alright, I should go now."
How could Chen Xuan give her a chance to escape? He reached out and pulled her back into his arms—Qiu Zixian's back bumped into his chest, her nose brushed against the cool scent of his collar, and her body instantly stiffened.
“If I only coveted your beauty, I would have kept it a secret until the very end. But I’m telling you now, Zixian, can’t you see my feelings?” Chen Xuan looked down at her, his eyes full of seriousness.
Qiu Zixian's ear tips turned slightly red, her struggle weakened, and her voice softened:
"Let go... There are people here, this isn't right."
She didn't care about others; she was just looking for a way to save face. As for how many Daoist partners Chen Xuan had, she didn't care at all. If they couldn't get along, she could just... kill them all later.
"You agree?" Chen Xuan held her hand, his fingertips gently stroking her knuckles, his eyes full of smiles.
"What else can we do? Force you to sever ties with them?" Qiu Zixian rolled her eyes at him, her tone slightly reproachful, but the smile in her eyes was unmistakable.
"That won't do. They are all my Daoist partners, whom I formally betrothed to through proper channels." Chen Xuan's tone was firm and unambiguous—he would never mistreat Yu'er and Piaoxue.
"Oh, you're amazing." Qiu Zixian deliberately dragged out her words, but her fingers secretly hooked around Chen Xuan's fingertips, as if she were being coquettish.
Chen Xuan knew she was sulking, so he smiled and didn't expose her. He took her hand and walked towards the small building, saying, "Come on, say goodbye to Brother Zi Mang, and then I'll take you away from this place of trouble."
"To the Realm of Heartlessness?" Qiu Zixian paused, her brows furrowing slightly, her voice filled with worry.
"But what about Xia Jiuyou..." She gripped Chen Xuan's sleeve tightly, her voice lowering.
"You may not know how high Xia Jiuyou's status is in the Nine Nether Holy Land. She is ruthless. As long as she transcends the tribulation and becomes an immortal, she can completely get rid of the fate of being a 'holy maiden's furnace' and may even become the holy master of the holy land in the future."
She hesitated for a moment, then advised:
"Why don't you go by yourself? Even if we're in love, there's no need to spend every day together. Immortality is the most important thing right now. I don't want to be a burden to you."
Chen Xuan stopped, turned around, and gripped her hand tightly, his eyes resolute:
"No. What if I return from the Realm of Heartlessness and you've already been killed by Xia Jiuyou, or seduced by someone else?"
"I'm serious!" Qiu Zixian stamped her foot anxiously, but a hint of warmth flashed in her eyes. "How about we each undergo our tribulations first, and then get together after we become immortals?"
Chen Xuan looked at her thoughtful expression and his heart melted completely—who would have thought that the ruthless witch could have such a considerate side?
“No.” His tone was no longer teasing, but firm. “I’m taking you with me.”
Seeing that he was unmoved by reason, Qiu Zixian rolled her eyes helplessly, but her tone was filled with undisguised excitement: "Hmph, then don't blame me for causing you trouble later!"
As the two walked hand in hand into the small building, Zi Mang was sitting on the veranda, holding a wine jar, with wine dripping from the corner of her mouth and her eyes somewhat glazed over.
But when he saw Chen Xuan and Qiu Zixian's intertwined fingers and Qiu Zixian's slightly flushed cheeks, he instantly sobered up, and almost dropped the wine jar in his hand and smashed it on the ground.
"What... what's going on?" Zi Mang rubbed his eyes, thinking he was hallucinating from drinking too much—just a moment ago they were at each other's throats, how come they're so intimate now?
Chen Xuan casually pulled Qiu Zixian closer to his side and introduced her with a smile: "Brother Zimang, let me introduce you, Qiu Zixian is my woman."
Qiu Zixian's cheeks flushed even more. She nodded slightly to Zi Mang and said softly, "Fellow Daoist Zi Mang, I'm sorry you had to see this."
"My God!" Zi Mang exclaimed, jumping to his feet and slamming the wine jar down on the table. "Brother Chen Xuan, are you serious?"
Looking into Chen Xuan's serious eyes, he was filled with worry—if Xia Jiuyou found out, things would be in big trouble!
But when the words were about to come out, he felt that this was not the right time to use telepathy, so he could only swallow them back.
“Brother Zimang, it’s almost time.” Chen Xuan didn’t mention his worries and spoke calmly. “Tomorrow I will take Zixian with me to the Purple Mansion Holy Land, and then we will go to the Realm of Heartbreak.”
Zi Mang looked at their tightly clasped hands, then at the dependence in Qiu Zixian's eyes, and could only nod helplessly in the end:
"Okay, alright." There was no point in saying anything more now; he could only silently wish them good luck.