Qin Luo offered no explanation, only pulling her closer into his arms, letting her tearful complaints muffled against his shoulder and neck. Xia Zihan's scalding tears soaked into his clothes, burning his heart, yet they filled him with more guilt than any words could express.
After an unknown amount of time, feeling the trembling in his arms gradually subside, Qin Luo placed the crystal containing the Starry Sky Heavenly Xuan Dharma Image back onto her palm.
Xia Zihan stared at the faintly glowing object, biting her lip and turning her head away, her voice thick with nasal congestion:
"They'll just use this to gag me... but you have to give me a straight answer! How long is it going to take?"
She suddenly turned around, her eyes red and swollen as she looked up at Qin Luo.
Qin Luo's Adam's apple bobbed as he ran his thumb across the corner of her reddened eyes:
"It can take as little as a year, or as long as four years."
......
As the light of the spirit array gradually faded, the moment Qin Luo and Xia Zihan emerged hand in hand, ripples appeared in the void. Yi Ting, who had been waiting in the distance, rushed over first, but her gaze froze the instant she saw Xia Zihan.
The once aloof and indifferent Xia Zihan now exudes an indescribable charm, her eyes and brows revealing a tender allure, and every gesture is captivating.
Even though Yi Ting was full of resentment, and Murong Liyue was usually indifferent, she couldn't help but secretly marvel at Xia Zihan's stunning beauty.
Her eyes and brows held a myriad of starlight, and her rosy cheeks, when flushed with spring, resembled the radiant peach blossoms of March.
Her innate beauty, without any deliberate embellishment, is enough to make all flowers pale in comparison. Even Yi Ting's gentleness and Murong Liyue's elegance pale in comparison.
Such stunning beauty cannot help but evoke both envy and admiration.
Xia Zihan looked at the two women in front of her, slowly tidying up the stray hairs at her temples, a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes:
"I've made my sister worry. But this month of seclusion has given me a lot of insights. In the end, I couldn't resist the promise from the person I love, and I couldn't bear to see him so distressed."
With a drawn-out tone at the end of her sentence, she emphasized the word "sister" sharply, as if she wanted to unleash all the sharpness in her heart.
Knowing full well that these two had deep ties with Qin Luo, he still insisted on subtly stabbing them in the words. But in an instant, his smile turned into indifference. Since he had already decided to accept them, there was no need to fight like a cornered beast. However, the sharpness in his tone was not something he could easily conceal.
Upon hearing this, both Yi Ting and Murong Liyue displayed different expressions.
Murong Liyue looked at the lingering blush on Xia Zihan's eyes, her fingertips unconsciously curling up, and she lowered her gaze to hide the guilt surging in her eyes.
He realized he had ultimately stolen someone else's marriage, and seeing her at ease now, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Instead, Yi Ting suddenly lowered her head, twisting the hem of her skirt with her fingertips, her almond-shaped eyes glistening with tears as she looked at Qin Luo, her voice as soft and sweet as honey:
"Sister Xia's words are quite hurtful."
"But Sister Xia is right. This month of seclusion looks quite arduous. She's lost a lot of weight. Her figure has become even more lithe, as if she would float away with a gust of wind."
After saying that, Yi Ting looked at Qin Luo timidly again:
"If Ting'er were to serve you, perhaps she could help your sister become more plump and healthy. Don't you think so, Master? After all, the alchemy skills that Ting'er learned from you have come in handy."
At this point, Yiting lowered her head and stroked her slender, full waist, her face full of worry:
“Unlike me, my master always tells me to lose some of my plumpness, but I just can’t get rid of this extra weight.”
As he spoke, he glanced almost imperceptibly at Xia Zihan's flat chest, and then, seemingly out of nowhere, produced a first-grade elixir bottle that emitted the fragrance of papaya.
"If Sister Xia wants to nourish herself more often, I can help. Don't let your body become too thin from all the effort of cultivation."
These words caused Xia Zihan's previously calm face to crack instantly. She gripped the hem of her skirt with her fingertips and was about to retort when a sharp sound suddenly rang out and a golden light came down sharply.
As soon as Dongfang Yingluo landed, her gaze first fell on Xia Zihan's face. When she noticed the lingering traces of her lingering ecstasy, she felt a deep pang of sorrow that such a beautiful and talented young woman had been taken by someone else.
"Zihan, the competition between the academies is over, it's time for us to go back..."
Hearing this, Xia Zihan's eyes flashed with reluctance, and she turned back to look at Qin Luo, hesitating as if she wanted to say something.
Qin Luo reached out and gently took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly.
"Don't worry, I will definitely keep my promise to you this time!"
The warm promise slightly dispelled the sorrow in Xia Zihan's eyes.
She nodded slightly, then suddenly turned to face Yi Ting and Murong Liyue, her eyes filled with arrogance. With a light touch of her toes, her soft lips landed on Qin Luo's cheek, the provocation unmistakable.
"You promised me, so you can't fool me this time. If I find out you dare to lie to me again... next time I see you, it won't be so easy for you to get your way."
Having said that, she raised her chin, like a victorious peacock, and amidst the differing expressions of the two women, gracefully departed with Dongfang Yingluo.
Watching that departing figure, Qin Luo couldn't help but chuckle.
Actually, Xia Zihan's request wasn't too unreasonable; she just wanted him to not be "favored" by not allowing Yiting and Murong to take them on his travels.
Qin Luo didn't want them involved in the first place. Yi Ting was timid by nature, and Murong Liyue seemed indifferent but was actually deeply obsessed; they might fall into danger at any time.
That's why I readily agreed.
After Xia Zihan's figure completely disappeared from sight, Yi Ting scoffed listlessly and put away the pills. She then skipped over to Qin Luo's side, her almond-shaped eyes welling with tears of grievance, and tugged at his sleeve.
“Master is so biased! People have been waiting here for a month, and you… Ting’er knows that her looks are not as good as hers, but her figure can still make Master feel more at ease, and she won’t make things difficult for Master like she does.”
As she spoke, she simply threw herself into Qin Luo's arms and mumbled in a low voice.
Upon hearing this, Qin Luo subconsciously lowered his gaze, his eyes inadvertently sweeping over the rise and fall of Yi Ting's chest, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
It must be admitted that in the three years since we last met, the once naive girl has blossomed into a more radiant and beautiful young woman. Her voluptuous figure, wrapped in a pale yellow ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), sways gently with her movements, exuding a faint fragrance of mugwort.
This made Qin Luo's heart flutter, and he hurriedly turned his face away. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Murong Liyue's jealous and increasingly dissatisfied gaze, which made him even more worried.
He reached out to pull Yiting away from him, but she clung to him even tighter like an octopus, pressing her soft body against him without reservation, carrying the warm breath unique to young girls.
"Does Master dislike Ting'er anymore...?"
Sensing Qin Luo's actions, Yi Ting looked up, her eyes reddening, with tears still clinging to her eyelashes. She deliberately pressed her cheek against his chest, her voice soft and sweet like a cotton ball.
"Master has no idea that he was urged by Senior Sister Su Xuan many times over the past month and went to great lengths to stay."
As she spoke, she twisted her waist so softly that she almost hung on him.
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