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The next moment, Gu Yuena appeared before the Snow Empress, Ice Empress, Bi Ji, and Zi Ji. The four Vicious Beasts sensed the unusual aura surrounding her, causing them to drop their casual demeanor and adopt serious expressions.
"Master?" Bi Ji called out softly.
Gu Yuena's gaze swept over them. Without any pleasantries, she immediately issued a nearly cruel command:
"The situation has changed. Xuan Ming's mental state is unbalanced, and he is showing a tendency to abandon the God Test and forcibly attempt to break through to the God Realm."
The four women's expressions all changed.
"If the situation is irreversible and the path of the God Test is severed," Gu Yuena's voice was cold as iron, "I need you to immediately prepare for self-sacrifice."
"What?!" The Ice Empress exclaimed.
Gu Yuena's gaze was beyond doubt: "His Black Dragon Martial Soul still lacks four spirit rings. If the situation cannot be saved in the end, the four of you must sacrifice yourselves immediately to complete his final spirit rings and help him charge into the God Realm in the most perfect state!"
This was not a discussion, but an order.
It was meant to buy Xuan Ming a sliver of hope in the potential final battle against the God Realm, and also to... minimize the madness that might cause him to lash out at all living beings due to insufficient power.
"This is not a request, but a choice we must make." Gu Yuena looked at them, a hint of profound pain in her silver-purple eyes, but her tone remained resolute, "For him, and also to... avoid the worst possible outcome."
The Snow Empress remained silent, a light flickering in her ice-blue eyes.
The Ice Empress gritted her teeth, a trace of reluctance flashed in Bi Ji's eyes, and the Dragon pupils of Zi Ji ignited with a flame of determination.
They understood that Gu Yuena was not joking. The situation had become severe enough that they needed to stake everything... The setting sun's afterglow stained Sea God Island a warm orange-red, and the Ice Crystal Castle appeared especially tranquil in the twilight.
Bo Saixi took a deep breath, removed the ornate headpiece and outer robes symbolizing her status as the Great Priestess, and wore only a simple red long dress as she walked step by step toward Xuan Ming's recuperation room deep within the castle. Her steps were no longer as graceful and composed as usual; instead, they carried a hint of resolute determination.
Inside the room, Xuan Ming had woken up and was sitting propped up on the bed. His complexion was still somewhat pale, but his breathing was much steadier.
The spot on the ice and fire divine crown originally belonging to the Sea God's Heart had now been replaced by a strange eye-shaped crystal that emitted a sinister, dark-purple light, with countless tiny Evil Eyes seemingly rotating deep within its pupil—that was the external Spirit Bone brought by the Evil Emperor's sacrifice: the Evil Eye!
At this moment, this Evil Eye had completely merged with the ice and fire divine crown. It not only greatly amplified his mental perception and attack power but also granted him the terrifying ability to release the "Light of Destruction" at any time.
Supported by his current Divine Origin Realm mental force, this Light of Destruction already possessed the power to slay gods!
However, having just undergone the Fusion, and with his Divine Sense still in a weakened state, Xuan Ming's mind was still somewhat sluggish, and his perception of the outside world was slightly dull.
The door was gently pushed open.
Seeing Bo Saixi enter, a trace of surprise and subtle complexity flashed in Xuan Ming's ice-blue eyes. He opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but found his mind still hazy and didn't know how to begin, especially facing Bo Saixi, whose expression was completely different from usual.
Bo Saixi walked to the bedside. Instead of maintaining distance as she usually did, she sat directly on the edge of the bed, very close to Xuan Ming.
Xuan Ming froze slightly, subconsciously wanting to sit up straight.
"Don't move, rest well." Bo Saixi's voice was very soft. She reached out and gently pressed down on Xuan Ming's shoulder, stopping his movement.
Her palm was warm, carrying the gentle aura of Sea God Power. The contact with his cool skin caused Xuan Ming's body to stiffen momentarily.
Bo Saixi looked at Xuan Ming's still slightly bewildered ice-blue eyes, and the last shred of reserve in her heart was completely cast aside. She pondered for a moment, deciding not to beat around the bush any longer.
"Xuan Ming," she began, her voice calm yet clear, "Regarding Tang Chen, I actually... have known for a while."
Xuan Ming's pupils constricted slightly.
Bo Saixi did not avoid his gaze and continued, "When you were undergoing the God Test, Lord Sea God allowed me to 'see' his fate. I saw his downfall in Slaughter City, being corrupted by the rakshasa gods divine sense, turning into a monster who only knew slaughter... and I also saw your final battle with him."
Her voice carried a faint, almost imperceptible tremor, but more than that, it held relief: "I saw with my own eyes that it was you who ended his suffering. Although the method was cruel, for him, it was the only liberation."
Xuan Ming was utterly stunned. He had never anticipated this situation. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't know how to speak.
Bo Saixi did not give him time to think. She looked directly into his eyes, her tone growing more resolute: "Therefore, I do not hate you. On the contrary, I must thank you. It was you who completely freed me from that long and hopeless wait. I no longer have to live in illusory anticipation; I can truly... live for myself."
These words exploded like a thunderclap in Xuan Ming's still hazy mind.
He had imagined Bo Saixi's anger, sorrow, or even hatred upon learning the truth, but never... gratitude and liberation?
This completely disrupted his logic.
However, Bo Saixi did not stop. Looking at Xuan Ming's clearly confused expression, a do-or-die courage rose within her heart.
She stopped hesitating, reached out her other hand, and gently grasped Xuan Ming's hand resting beside him.
Xuan Ming's body stiffened, and he subconsciously tried to pull his hand back, but Bo Saixi held on tightly.
"Xuan Ming," Bo Saixi's voice was more direct than ever, her sea-blue eyes shining with a deep and fervent light, like the depths of the ocean, "I waited for Tang Chen for decades. That affection had long since turned into an obsession over the long years. Now that the obsession is gone, my heart... is empty."
She paused, speaking every word as if using all her strength: "Now, I want to give this empty heart to you."
"Will you accept me? Not out of compensation, not out of guilt, but simply as a man accepting a woman."
"Or," her voice paused slightly, carrying a faint, imperceptible tremor, yet remaining firm, "you can refuse. Tell me that the relationship between us is limited only to the Great Priestess and the Examiner, with no other possibilities."
"Whichever it is, I can accept it. But I don't want ambiguity, and I don't want vague statements. I want a clear answer. I want it now."
Xuan Ming's mind was completely blank.
He stared blankly at the nearby Bo Saixi, looking at the unconcealed emotions in her eyes—a mix of nervousness, resolve, and even a hint of reckless, all-or-nothing desperation—feeling as if his thoughts had stalled.
He had to admit that during his years on Sea God Island, Bo Saixi, as the Great Priestess, had indeed taken great care of him.
He was not unaware of the tenderness beneath her grace, nor the concern that went beyond her duties. In fact, in certain moments, he had felt a slight wavering.
But he always remembered that Bo Saixi's heart held Tang Chen, whom she had waited for decades. Therefore, he firmly suppressed that wavering, never showing it, and never thinking of overstepping boundaries.
Yet now, Bo Saixi personally told him that the obsession was gone and the chains were broken. She so directly and so courageously placed the choice before him.
Refuse?
Looking at the pair of sea-blue eyes before him, filled with resolve and even a hint of reckless determination, and feeling the slight coolness and firmness coming from her fingertips, the word "No" was like a fish bone stuck in his throat; he couldn't force it out.
He knew too well. Once such deeply hidden feelings were laid bare so frankly in the light, there were only two paths: either be honest and walk hand-in-hand, or sever the connection completely, making it impossible even to remain friends.
The so-called "just pretend nothing happened" was merely a self-deceiving lie that would only cause them to drift further apart in awkwardness and estrangement.
Silence fell over the room, leaving only the slightly ragged breathing of the two people.
The last ray of the setting sun passed through the ice wall, coloring their clasped hands a warm hue.
Xuan Ming looked at Bo Saixi, watching the unyielding resolve in her eyes, and remained silent for a long time.
He turned his hand and grasped her cool hand, the strength not great, but carrying a confirmation like dust settling.
He did not speak.
But the silence of that moment, and the strength of the return grip, was already the best answer.
In Bo Saixi's sea-blue eyes, an unbelievable surprise instantly burst forth, and moisture quickly welled up, but she stubbornly refused to let the tears fall, only gripping his hand tighter, a beautiful, relieved curve slowly forming on the corner of her mouth.
She had gambled correctly.
Outside the Ice Crystal Castle, Gu Yuena, who witnessed everything, breathed a sigh of relief.
With this, only the final difficulty remained.
Qian Renxue—even Gu Yuena felt that this problem was too thorny to handle...