Tears and Confessions — The Heart Between Battles
The hall of the sect was unusually silent, as if the universe itself had paused to watch. All eyes were fixed on Mi-An, who had reached the final stage of the trials. Whispers of admiration and disbelief rippled through the disciples.
"Looks like we would finally have the immortal we longed for," Saint Lu Qi said quietly, a rare smile tugging at the corners of his lips. There was pride in his tone, tempered with the knowledge of the dangers still ahead.
"We shouldn't put all our hopes in them," Saint Gil U warned. His gaze scanned the gathered disciples. Calm yet authoritative, he instructed one of his followers to prepare for a task quietly, his eyes never leaving the scene.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan and Mi-An stood slightly apart from the crowd. The tension from the trials still clung to them like smoke, and the weight of near-death experiences made the air between them thick and heavy.
Mi-An reached for Xiao Yan's hand, pulling him closer. "I want to be like this for a while," she admitted, her voice trembling slightly. Tears rolled down her cheek, glinting in the sunlight that streamed through the open roof of the hall.
"You're crying?" Xiao Yan asked softly, confusion and concern mingling in his voice.
"I almost died… you saved me," she whispered.
"Never again will I let you feel pain," Xiao Yan replied firmly, his eyes locked on hers.
For a moment, silence hung between them, broken only by their steady breathing. Their gazes met again, holding one another in a quiet intimacy that the trials had forced into existence. Xiao Yan gently helped wipe her tears, his hand brushing her cheek, lingering on her lips for a heartbeat longer than necessary.
Mi-An noticed and held his gaze, drawing him closer with a subtle, inviting movement. Xiao Yan hesitated, then leaned in, giving her a short, tentative kiss. She responded immediately, placing her hand around his neck and deepening the kiss, long and unrestrained, a mixture of relief, fear, and newfound affection.
In that moment, the world seemed to shrink around them. The trials, the demons, and the distant shadow of the Ansha all faded, leaving only the warmth of their connection.