Chapter 254: Anyway, I Will Only Love Him in This Life (4000 Words)
Qingwan pulled Ming’s hand, walking deeper into the sea of flowers.
Before long, Ming saw two small wooden cottages.
These two cottages were snugly pressed against each other.
Ming guessed this must be where Qingwan and Wang Xuan lived.
As they walked, Qingwan closed her eyes, turned around, placed her hands behind her back, and smiled as she looked at Ming. “Close your eyes.”
Ming: “Huh?”
Qingwan pouted her lips. “Close your eyes already.”
“Alright.” Ming closed his eyes.
Qingwan tiptoed, waving her hand in front of Ming. “Can you see me?”
Ming: “Nope.”
Qingwan held up a “1” in front of Ming. “What number am I showing?”
Ming: “I truly can’t see it.”
“Alright…” Qingwan felt it still wasn’t entirely secure, so after pondering for a moment, she tore a piece of cloth from her inner garment and tied it over Ming’s eyes.
Ming smelled a faint fragrance; the cloth was still warm, making him wonder if it had been close to her skin. “Alright, let’s go~”
After adding extra security, Qingwan happily continued pulling Ming forward.
Feeling Qingwan’s delicate and smooth little hand, Ming gripped it tighter.
Qingwan slightly adjusted her hand, and their grip transformed from a regular hold into interlaced fingers.
“We’ve arrived.”
After less than five breaths of walking, Qingwan stopped and said to Ming.
“Can I take off this blindfold now?” Ming chuckled, unsure what this girl was up to.
But this reminded Ming of his childhood.
Ming remembered that once, on his birthday, this girl had prepared a surprise for him with a similar gesture.
“Of course, let me help you.”
As she spoke, Qingwan tiptoed and pulled down the cloth covering Ming’s eyes.
When Ming slowly opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was a flower bed beneath him.
In the flower bed, over a hundred Blood Rafflesias were in full bloom.
They grew beautifully, swaying continuously in the wind, with not a single wilted petal among them.
Qingwan looked at Ming’s side profile. “You once said that after the Blood Rafflesia blooms five times, you would come to see me. So, on my first day at Heavenly Profound Gate, I asked my Master for Blood Rafflesia seeds and planted them in front of the house.
I thought that one day, when you came to see me, I would give you this entire field of Blood Rafflesia flowers.
How do you like it?”
“I like it.” Ming nodded, feeling an indescribable complexity of emotions in his heart.
In this world, aside from Mother, there are very few people who treat him like this.
Ming turned around and looked at Qingwan. “Actually, I also have something I want to give you. Last time at the White洼Secret Realm, things were too chaotic, and I never got the chance.”
“What are you going to give me~” Qingwan asked eagerly.
“Um, it’s a small thing, something I made myself…”
Ming took out a wooden box from his storage pouch.
Inside the box was a deer spirit hairpin.
The hairpin was made of golden-thread divine dragon wood, adorned with nothing but carved tassels.
Actually, the most valuable part of this hairpin is the material itself. But even if you say this material is extremely precious, its value wouldn’t exceed ten medium-grade spirit stones.
“Did you carve this yourself?”
Qingwan took the hairpin, examining it left and right, looking very curious.
“Yeah, I carved it myself. It’s just not very well done, nor particularly valuable. How about this—let me give you something better later.” Ming felt it was a bit embarrassing to present, so he tried to put the hairpin away and give Qingwan something better later.
Mainly because this piece of golden-thread divine dragon wood was obtained by chance during a mission at the Blood Floating Pagoda.
At the time, Ming felt he couldn’t afford to give Qingwan anything expensive since she was the personal disciple of the Great Elder of Heavenly Profound Gate and likely lacked for nothing. He thought giving her something handmade might be more meaningful.
However, unexpectedly, Qingwan gave him a flower bed she had nurtured for ten years. Compared to hers in terms of “meaning,” his gift fell short again. “There’s no way to take back a gift once it’s given.”
Qingwan hugged the hairpin tightly, as if protecting some great treasure.
“It’s just a hairpin. I’ll give you something better later.” Ming laughed.
“This is already the best.” Qingwan pouted, “Anything you give me is the best.”
Ming: “…”
Seeing Ming’s somewhat bashful expression, Qingwan giggled and stepped closer, extending her small hand towards him. “Help me put it on.”
“You’re not going to refuse?” Ming asked.
Qingwan’s eyes twinkled. “Why would I refuse something you give me?”
Watching the cheerful and delighted look on the young girl’s face, Ming accepted the hairpin. Qingwan turned around, facing away from Ming.
Ming picked up the hairpin and inserted it into Qingwan’s hair.
“Does it look good?”
Qingwan turned around again, facing Ming, playfully stepping back two steps.
“It looks good.” Ming nodded. “The hairpin is ordinary, but you make it look beautiful.”
“Hehehe…” Qingwan covered her face and giggled. “When did our Xu brother become so good at flattering girls? Did you say such sweet words to that princess when you were with her?”
“That didn’t happen. These words, I’ve only ever said to you.” Ming wasn’t lying; he had indeed never said these things to anyone else.
“Hmph…so cheesy.” Qingwan softly hummed and lightly punched Ming’s chest, but she looked extremely happy.
Just as Qingwan was about to pull her fist back, Ming grabbed her small fist.
Qingwan tried to pull it away, but couldn’t, so she just let Ming hold it. Qingwan lowered her head, her cheeks flushing red, looking coyly alluring.
Although the two hadn’t officially confirmed their relationship, deep down, they both knew they liked each other. They were just waiting for the final barrier to be broken and their relationship clarified.
The two were almost pressed together, creating a very ambiguous atmosphere.
By some strange twist of fate, Ming slowly lowered his head.
Sensing Ming’s head getting closer, Qingwan froze for a moment, her eyes wavering uncertainly.
Qingwan hesitated whether she should dodge.
If she didn’t dodge, would that make her seem immodest? But if she dodged, would Ming feel hurt?
“Fine… anyway, I will only love him in this life.”
As Ming’s head drew nearer, Qingwan slowly closed her eyes, tiptoed, and raised her white chin.
“Cough cough cough…”
Just as Ming and Qingwan could smell each other’s breath, about to kiss, a woman’s cough echoed through the air, reverberating throughout the valley.
Qingwan’s face turned bright red as she pushed Ming away.
Embarrassed, Qingwan turned around and looked up at the sky. Her Master, Wang Xuan, was floating above the clouds, calmly watching the young couple in the flower sea.
“Master, how did you return?” Qingwan asked shyly.
“My return is to retrieve something.” Wang Xuan’s voice echoed through the air as a jade scepter flew upward into the clouds.
“May you cherish virtue.”
With Wang Xuan’s last words fading into the clouds, she disappeared.
Though Wang Xuan seemed to have left, Qingwan wasn’t sure if her Master was hiding in the clouds, secretly watching.
Moreover, Qingwan had regained her composure, and the previous intimate atmosphere had dissipated. Naturally, she wouldn’t do something impulsive like before.
“You can tell me what you wanted to say now.” Qingwan shyly spoke to Ming.
“Here?” Ming questioned.
Qingwan playfully glared at Ming, thinking he was about to say something embarrassing. “Only me and Master live here in the Valley of Ten Thousand Flowers. No one else is around. If Master wants to eavesdrop, it doesn’t matter where we are.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Ming realized Qingwan misunderstood him. “It’s just that what I want to say might take a while.”
“Then…we should go inside and talk.”
Qingwan pulled Ming into the wooden cottage.
Qingwan’s room was simply decorated, with just a bed, a table, a few chairs, and a landscape painting hanging on the wall. The painting was signed “Wang Xuan.”
Beyond that, there were only a few potted plants on the balcony.
It was in this simple wooden cottage that the young girl had lived for nearly eleven years.
“You…you can sit wherever you like.” Qingwan sat on the chair. “Now you can speak.”
Ming nodded and organized his thoughts. “Qingwan, what do you think of Heavenly Profound Gate?”
“Heavenly Profound Gate?” Qingwan didn’t know why Ming asked her this question. “It’s fine. Heavenly Profound Gate is huge, with many disciples. Some disciples have good personalities, others don’t. I don’t really have strong feelings either way. If I had to say someone I have feelings for, it would be my Master, since she’s like my second mother.”
“Hmm.” Ming asked further, “What do you think of the Sect Leader of Heavenly Profound Gate?”
“Average.” Qingwan thought for a moment. “Not much impression. I’ve seen him a few times during sect meetings. Neither good nor bad. All the disciples respect the Sect Leader, which is normal since he is the leader, but I’m not particularly fond of him.”
“Why?”
“Not really any specific reason,” Qingwan shrugged. “Just don’t feel good about him.”
She paused, then asked Ming, “Xu Ming, is what you’re about to tell me related to the Sect Leader?”
“Yes.” Ming nodded. “It’s related to the Sect Leader of Heavenly Profound Gate.”
“Qingwan.” Ming seriously looked into Qingwan’s eyes. “What I’m about to tell you might sound incredible, but these things have been verified by me and should be correct. The Sect Leader of Heavenly Profound Gate, Xia He, plans to sacrifice half of the sect’s disciples and all the guests on the day of the Purple Mist Grand Ceremony using blood magic.”
“Eh?” Hearing Ming’s words, Qingwan’s eyes were filled with disbelief, even suspecting if she had misheard. “Xu Ming, you…what did you say?”
“After I came to Heavenly Profound Gate, Mo Zhu’er found me…”
Ming explained everything clearly to Qingwan, recounting the events in greater detail and organization than he had with Wu Yanhan earlier.
After listening to everything Ming had to say, Qingwan lowered her head, furrowing her eyebrows, deeply contemplating.
Ming didn’t interrupt Qingwan, silently waiting for her to sort things out.
“Who would have thought the Sect Leader would be such a person! My Master once told me the Sect Leader had gone astray, being overly fixated on certain things. At the time, I didn’t understand, but now it makes sense.”
Qingwan looked up, earnestly gazing at Ming. “Xu Ming, rest assured. I will definitely help you obtain the Heavenly Profound Mirror. I won’t let you die!”
“That’s not what I’m talking about.” Ming smiled. “I’ll handle the Heavenly Profound Mirror situation. I’m worried about you. So, I’m thinking, should you leave Heavenly Profound Gate now?”
“That’s absolutely impossible.” Qingwan shook her head with a smile. “Xu Ming, how can I abandon you and leave alone? Besides, don’t underestimate me. I’m quite capable.”
“Alright, that’s settled then. No matter what you say, I won’t leave you behind alone. Besides, I am a disciple of Heavenly Profound Gate. When the sect is in trouble, it’s my duty to stay.”
Ming wanted to persuade her further, but Qingwan cut him off firmly.
“Oh, can I tell my Master about this?” Qingwan asked. “I know what you’re worried about, but trust me, my Master would never collude with Xia He.”
“I believe Elder Wang Xuan.” Ming nodded. “But there’s one thing I think neither you nor Elder Wang Xuan would agree with.”
“What is it?” Qingwan asked curiously.
Ming: “Mo Zhu’er says she can help us disrupt Xia He’s plan. She claims to possess a crucial treasure Xia He needs, and only she can assist us. However, she has one condition…”
Qingwan: “What condition?”
Ming: “She wants the Dragon Vein of Heavenly Profound Gate.”
[Tomorrow, I can finally play Black Myth! I’ve waited so long for this!
I’ve already planned everything. Tomorrow, I’ll wake up at six for a run, then start writing. After finishing, I should be able to download the game. While downloading, I’ll order some savory snacks and bubble tea, then dive straight into playing hard! The only downside is I don’t have much money lately, and my computer isn’t top-notch. During the performance test, it could only maintain seventy frames per second at high graphics.]
