It was already late at night.
Xu Tianyang's speed was very fast. While the people of Douluo Continent were immersed in the pressure from Ditian, he had already returned to Ming City, where the bustling and brilliant scenery greeted him.
Xu Tianyang looked down from above at his own city. Ming City had begun preparations a year in advance for the upcoming Soul Master Competition.
People came and went in an endless stream, and even in the dark night, neon lights still flickered.
"What a prosperous city. The changes spirit tools have brought to humanity are fully reflected in Ming City," Bingdi couldn't help but exclaim as she looked at Ming City.
Snow Empress and Tianmeng Ice Silkworm on the side nodded in agreement.
They had traveled extensively with Xu Tianyang, seeing many prosperous cities on the Douluo Continent, but none could compare to Ming City.
The difference between them was like that between the medieval and modern eras.
Xu Tianyang quietly observed the ever-changing Ming City. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat, and his gaze instantly froze.
The surrounding space twisted, and in the next instant, he appeared on a bustling street in the center of Ming City.
No one noticed anything amiss; people still came and went on the street, and the noisy sounds were incessant.
But a blue-haired woman not far in front of him, as if sensing something, suddenly turned around.
Her soft blue hair fanned out, and her cool, delicate face was no longer calm, instantly throwing herself into Xu Tianyang's arms.
"I'm back, Shuang'er," Xu Tianyang smiled, embracing Xu Nianshuang's slender waist, his arms unconsciously tightening.
Xu Nianshuang looked up, and her gaze met Xu Tianyang's in mid-air.
Their faces were close, feeling each other's familiar warm breath.
"Why did you suddenly come out alone? Where are Yi Yi and Qian Renxue?" Xu Tianyang asked, looking at Xu Nianshuang, whose face was a little flushed, in his arms.
"Yi Yi and Qian Renxue entered deep meditation and seem to have made a breakthrough. After I finished today's cultivation, I thought of coming out for a walk, and I didn't expect..." Xu Nianshuang's lips held a faint smile. This was her and Xu Tianyang's destiny.
"Let's take a walk together. It feels like it's been a long time since we had a good walk together," Xu Tianyang said, a gentle light flashing in his eyes, as he looked down into Xu Nianshuang's azure eyes.
"Okay!" Her bright eyes curved into crescent moons, and anyone could feel her happiness.
Xu Nianshuang smiled and moved to Xu Tianyang's side, wrapping her arms around his arm.
Xu Tianyang's face was also beaming with a smile, and he initiative took Xu Nianshuang's hand, their fingers intertwined.
They had known each other for ten years now. From their first meeting a decade ago to their inseparable bond today, the scene of their acquaintance felt as if it were just yesterday.
As Xu Tianyang and Xu Nianshuang walked down the street, countless passersby instantly turned their gazes to them, some surprised by their outstanding appearance.
As the largest city on the Douluo Continent, Ming City naturally had no shortage of people who felt superior. Indeed, a portly middle-aged man with a slicked-back hairstyle strode confidently towards them.
However, halfway there, when he met Xu Tianyang's deep eyes, all his words seemed to be caught by a large hand, not only shoved back down his throat but further pushed into his stomach.
The middle-aged man stood there blankly, his legs unconsciously trembling, unable to utter a single word. It wasn't until the couple's figures disappeared that he slowly came back to his senses, wiping the sweat from his forehead with lingering fear, and scurried back into the crowd.
Also leaving the crowd was an ordinary-looking young man with even steps.
"I should have just cut him down with a sword," Xu Nianshuang frowned unhappily.
"Today is a good day, so there's no need for bloodshed," Xu Tianyang said with a smile. Some things he would just handle, as his heart had never been very big.
"We've reached the Saint Bright River."
As they walked, the two arrived at a large river. This river, which ran through Ming City, not only served for transportation but also acted as a moat, carrying the beautiful hopes of the Sun Moon Empire's citizens.
The evening breeze swept across the Saint Bright River, creating layers of ripples that reflected sparkling light under the moonlight.
Hundreds of small boats carrying candlelight floated on the river. Looking from afar, many couples on both banks were pledging their eternal love and promising never to part.
"Want to go boating?" Xu Tianyang asked Xu Nianshuang, pointing to some young couples playfully frolicking in boats in the middle of the river.
"Boating is quite uninteresting. It's not as stable as me walking on the river surface," Xu Nianshuang shook her head, complaining in a rather unromantic way.
This made Xu Tianyang laugh dumbfounded.
Seeing his reaction, Xu Nianshuang seemed to realize what she had said, and her pretty face instantly flushed crimson, as she quietly lowered her head and buried it in Xu Tianyang's embrace.
"Tianyang..."
In his arms, Xu Nianshuang suddenly looked up, her resolute gaze making Xu Tianyang momentarily stunned.
The next second, cold hands suddenly cupped the back of his head, and her arms naturally wrapped around his neck.
Xu Tianyang was first startled, then seeing the hidden shyness and embarrassment in Xu Nianshuang's eyes, he immediately understood, wrapping his hands around her slender waist.
Their lips met, and the wetness and sweetness on their lips immersed Xu Tianyang's mind.
Embracing each other, their breaths mingling, Xu Tianyang and Xu Nianshuang seemed to be in another dimension. Despite the numerous passersby, no one seemed to notice them.
If anyone approached, they would be gently pushed away by an invisible, soft force, completely unaware of it.
After they separated again, Xu Tianyang looked at Xu Nianshuang's somewhat flushed cheeks in his arms, his face filled with a gentle smile, as he tenderly smoothed her slightly messy hair by her temples.
"It's late. We should go back and rest!"
"Eh! That's not right. Why did little Tianyang seal off his spiritual sea of consciousness?" Tianmeng Ice Silkworm exclaimed, looking at the black screen.
"Shut up, or no one can save you," Bingdi glared at Tianmeng Ice Silkworm, then turned to look at the low-spirited Snow Empress in the distance.
...Seeing this, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm couldn't help but shrink his head, trying his best to minimize his presence... The Crown Prince Residence's location was very secluded, effectively isolating it from the bustling streets.
In the silence, only the sound of their breathing seemed to remain in the room.
The cool moonlight poured down, adding a touch of glistening luster to Xu Nianshuang's fair and delicate skin.
She lay on the soft, wide bed, gazing at Xu Tianyang, slightly shy, but steadfastly maintaining eye contact with him.
They looked at each other, their gazes slowly overlapping with memories of their first meeting as children, as if they had traversed the long river of time.
Layers of emotions and feelings surged and erupted in their hearts.
"I'm the first... In the end, I still won..." Xu Nianshuang closed her eyes, and the figures of Yang Yiyi, Qian Renxue, Shui Bing'er, Ning Linglong, and even Snow Empress flashed through her mind. Her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and warm, crystalline tears slid from the corners of her eyes.