Li Zhexian's hands trembled slightly.
He held that miraculous, soul-stirring liquor in his palms.
He brought it to the girl's lips, but suddenly stopped.
—In Zhu Zhuqing's current state, how could she drink by herself?
He suddenly remembered that year…
Zhu Zhuqing had used her own heart's blood to pluck the petals of the Yearning Heartbroken Red, feeding them to him one after another.
Thinking of this—
Li Zhexian raised his head and held the liquor in his mouth, then bent down.
The moment their lips touched—
Not a trace of lust stirred in his heart.
Only a prayer to all the gods above,
and the joy of knowing he was about to see Zhu Zhuqing awaken.
The crystal-like liquor, mixed with six years of longing, slowly passed into Zhu Zhuqing's lips.
"Zhuqing…"
Memories surged like a tide:
Li Zhexian recalled the absurd scene of bathing in the river
and meeting Zhu Zhuqing for the first time.
He remembered how, on that very first encounter,
Zhu Zhuqing risked her life to lure away the Sword Tail Scorpion pack for him.
He remembered the two of them drinking beneath the moon,
sharing their dreams.
She had been the first person he opened his heart to
after leaving the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan in despair.
Later—
After two years apart—
Zhu Zhuqing remembered his love for wine
and gathered fine liquor from every nearby town.
Ten thousand flavors of wine,
yet none as precious as Zhu Zhuqing's Daughter's Red.
A thousand different flavors of wine—
yet none could compare to Zhu Zhuqing's Daughter's Red.
She plucked the petal of the most heartfelt flower—the Yearning Heartbroken Red—for him.
She removed her black assassin's attire,
changing into the purple dress he liked.
She replaced the weapon pouch at her waist
with a tassel ornamented girdle.
"Li Zhexian…"
"Didn't you say… purple has charm…"
"If… if it doesn't look good… I'll go change out of it right now…"
Her soft words from the past seemed to echo at his ears.
Li Zhexian—who had never shed tears in his life—
now felt his eyelashes tremble, and when he closed his eyes, tears streamed like rain.
"Zhuqing… I missed you…"
"Please… wake up…"
"I brought you the whitest snow from the Northern Border…
And I saved a cup of the wine I brewed in the Slaughter City just for you…"
"I… I can fight Title Douluo now…
From now on, I'll take better care of myself…"
"Across the endless jianghu,
beneath clouds and moon over a thousand mountains—
I want to see it all with you."
Xiao Wu's eyes reddened, a soft sob escaping her.
Having once felt the pain of mortal love, she suddenly found herself believing again that deep affection was worth waiting for.
Ning Rongrong was already weeping uncontrollably.
She had believed—
That in these five years, she had shed her arrogance and proved her sincerity toward Li Zhexian with countless efforts.
But compared to Qian Renxue, who had followed him into Slaughter City and braved the Rakshasa Secret Realm—
Compared to Zhu Zhuqing, who spent her very heart's blood for Li Zhexian
and slumbered for six long years…
She finally understood—
How light and superficial
her so-called deep feelings truly were.
Compared to Qian Renxue and Zhu Zhuqing—
She was still far, far behind.
"Brother Zhexian…"
Da Ming and Er Ming exchanged a glance, at a loss for words.
They had once believed all humans to be deceitful and treacherous.
But Li Zhexian had changed their view again and again.
...
High above the heavens—
Feng Bailong, Dugu Bo, and the others observed silently, sighing.
"My young friend Zhexian…"
"These years have been truly difficult for him."
A trace of tenderness toward the younger generation flickered in Feng Bailong's ancient eyes.
"For all his carefree manner…
He is still just a youth barely past twenty."
Dugu Bo, recalling the cold, weary figure Li Zhexian had been
when returning from the Slaughter City, murmured:
"The bitterness within him…
Only Zhexian himself must know."
"Fortunately…"
"The ending does not fail such a young man."
Gu Rong and Yu Yuanzhen nodded in relief.
The long-silent Chen Xin stared at the boy below for a long time.
Then, trembling slightly, he closed his eyes and let out a slow breath.
Clang—!
He suddenly turned into sword-light,
and swept toward the outer forests.
"Eh? Chen Xin, where are you going?"
Yu Yuanzhen was about to call out.
But Ning Fengzhi shook his head and stopped him.
"Let Uncle Sword go."
"Even a heart tempered a hundred times in the sword…
still hides a softness that can be wound around a finger."
...
The last drop of liquor was passed into Zhu Zhuqing's mouth.
Slowly…
Li Zhexian seemed to hear a heartbeat.
The sound grew clearer and clearer.
Joy nearly swallowed him whole.
He was just about to rise and check—
But at the very moment his lips parted from those soft lips—
Two slender arms pale as frost looped tightly around his neck.
Lips that had just left each other met again fiercely.
"Zhuqing…"
Li Zhexian's eyes snapped open.
And met a pair of beautiful eyes brimming with tears.
"Li Zhexian…"
Her voice was hoarse, broken with weeping,
and her kiss was clumsy yet overwhelming—
as if she wished to pour six years of longing into this single instant.
"Spirit Master Calendar Year 684, Lord Sword Wine used divine brew to save his beloved, and the two embraced in forgetful passion—"
"Hey—HEY! Wait! I haven't finished writing yet! Your Excellency Poison Douluo!"
"You're recording THIS?!"
Dugu Bo's stern old face revealed a hint of helplessness.
He lifted the scribbling Spirit Master by the collar and slipped away with Feng Bailong and the others.
Da Ming and Er Ming likewise took Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong away from the Lake of Life—
Leaving the reunited pair alone,
to pour out six years of longing.
...
Half an hour later—
Zhu Zhuqing coughed lightly twice and lifted her face from Li Zhexian's chest, cheeks burning red.
Her lips parted as she gasped for breath:
"I… I almost suffocated."
Li Zhexian brushed a thumb across his lips—
all he smelled was her familiar floral fragrance.
He looked at her with laughter and warmth in his eyes.
Six years apart, only to kiss so fiercely the very moment they reunited—
and now being stared at like this, Zhu Zhuqing let out a small embarrassed whimper
and buried herself back into his arms.
With her ear pressed against his chest, hearing his steady heartbeat,
a gentle smile of relief curved her lips.
After leaning in silence for a long time—
Zhu Zhuqing spoke softly:
"Zhexian… these six years, I could hear everything outside."
"When Xiao Wu talked to me…
When you returned from the Extreme North or the Slaughter City…
all the things you murmured beside me…"
"I heard them all in my heart."
She lifted her rosy face, gazing at the boy's handsome features—
still as they were six years ago—
with both tenderness and admiration.
"Zhexian… you've suffered so much…"
Li Zhexian held her soft hand and smiled. "For you to wake up… it's all worth it."
The two leaned together until dawn before leaving the Lake of Life hand in hand.
Just as they stepped out of the forest trail,
they found Chen Xin, Feng Bailong, Da Ming, Er Ming, Xiao Wu, and the others sitting around an open space, sharing breakfast.
"Xiao Wu! Rongrong!"
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes lit up.
"Zhuqing! You're finally awake!"
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong ran to her with teary eyes and embraced her.
Li Zhexian didn't interrupt the reunion of the three girls.
He walked toward Chen Xin and the others.
"Nicely done." Chen Xin handed him a piece of roasted venison.
Li Zhexian accepted it and cupped his fists with a smile.
"My thanks to all the seniors for protecting me."
Feng Bailong, Dugu Bo, and the others waved lightly with smiles.
Ning Fengzhi pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly:
"Zhexian, we discussed briefly just now."
"With Bibi Dong founding her own empire and claiming the throne,
the continent will soon be thrown into upheaval.
The Heaven Dou Empire will not remain stable."
"We ought to make some moves as well."
Li Zhexian grew interested.
"What moves?"
"To formally grant you a title—
and to host a grand celebration with Senior Wind Sword."
"To celebrate your attainment of Titled-level combat strength,
and Senior Feng Bailong's breakthrough into the Titled rank."
Li Zhexian thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Then we'll do as the seniors suggest."
...
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