Chen Fan stood in stunned silence, trying to process the words that had just slipped from the lips of the king—the father of Celestia.
His fists clenched unconsciously as he raised his gaze to the monarch. There was no mistaking the despair laced within the king's voice, a heaviness that made Chen Fan's chest tighten.
"Why are you asking me?" he finally said, his voice quiet yet laced with emotion, his face bearing an expression too complicated to name—part disbelief, part sorrow, and part confusion.
"Because you don't belong in this world," the king responded, his voice returning to its usual calm and composed cadence. "If you kill her… and use the World Seed as energy, you'll be able to return to your own world instantly."
Chen Fan's heart skipped a beat.
"In the past, the Demon King couldn't sense the World Seed hidden within her," the king continued, his gaze distant as if reliving bitter memories. "That gave us time—time to gamble on a miracle, time to hope that you heroes could overcome him. But now… now he's discovered what he's been seeking all along. It wouldn't be surprising if he appeared at this very moment."
Chen Fan's voice was heavy with disbelief, "Then… why does she have to die?"
The king's answer came without hesitation, steady and without regret. "Because I am a king."
"No matter how slim the odds," the king continued, "we must do what we can to delay his full invasion. If he succeeds in absorbing Celestia and merges with the World Seed, it's over. He'll gain complete dominion over this realm. Even the goddess may be powerless to stop him by then."
The king's gaze was piercing now, as if trying to peer into Chen Fan's soul. "So, what will you do? Will you choose to fight a losing battle for a world that has nothing to do with you? Don't pretend to be selfless—I know you aren't."
Chen Fan remained silent, the weight of those words pressing down on him like a mountain.
If what the king said was true… then perhaps the logical choice was to go along with it. To end Celestia's life, to extract the World Seed, and to return to his own world, where all of this could be no more than a distant nightmare. Forgotten.
But his heart resisted. Every time he thought of her—Celestia—his resolve wavered.
She was a hopeless idealist, someone willing to shoulder the entire world's burden on her narrow shoulders. A fool, perhaps, but a noble one. Stubborn, reckless, and so fiercely devoted to her own concept of justice that it burned like a flame in the dark.
Was he truly capable of extinguishing that light?
Even if it meant saving himself and the others? Even if it was the most practical choice?
The silence stretched, and the king, recognizing the storm raging behind Chen Fan's eyes, said no more. "You may take your time to decide."
And with that, the king turned and departed, leaving Chen Fan alone in the vast chamber.
Alone with his thoughts. Alone with a decision that could decide the fate of a world.
And as he stood there—motionless, his thoughts circling like vultures overhead—Chen Fan realized this wasn't a choice between right and wrong.
It was a choice between heart and logic. Between who he was… and who the world needed him to become.
----
Wang Yue stepped out of the shower, water droplets still clinging to her skin as steam lingered in the air. The training session had been intense—every move, every breath, driven by a singular thought: her battle with Chen Fan. His strength had exposed her weaknesses, and that memory replayed itself in her mind like an echo, urging her to improve.
After drying off, she walked to her desk and opened the ancient book that had guided her this far. The cover gleamed faintly as if acknowledging her presence. She channeled her mana into it, and just as before, the pages shifted, revealing new content—as though the book had been waiting for her to grow before showing her more.
With curiosity and anticipation, she threw herself onto the bed and began to read the newly revealed passage.
[Methods to Strengthen the Body of an Elementalist and Extend Lifespan]
Her eyes lit up at the title. Of course! If there was one thing she lacked, it was physical durability. On her own, she was just a normal girl. While she could temporarily enhance her body by layering qi on her skin, it drained her too quickly and didn't change the fact that her body remained, at its core, mortal and fragile.
She eagerly read on—but within moments, her expression shifted. Confusion, disbelief, and then a bright crimson flush painted her cheeks. Her brows furrowed as she re-read the passage again and again. Slamming the book shut in a flustered panic, she hesitated… and then cracked it open again, hoping she'd somehow misunderstood.
But no—it was still there.
Two methods were described, and both left her questioning whether the book had gone mad… or if she had.
The first method was to form a Soul Link—a mystical bond that tied her soul to another's. Their lives would become one; their lifespans shared. If one lived, so did the other. If one died… so did the other.
The second method was far more… intimate.
To strengthen her body, the book suggested forming a physical relationship with someone who possessed refined mana or qi. According to the text, doing so would allow her to temper her constitution using the purified energy of her partner. It was a mutually beneficial process, enhancing both parties' control and sensitivity to mana.
A win-win solution, as the book so casually put it.
But to Wang Yue, it sounded more like a lover's ritual disguised as a cultivation technique. The idea of doing something like that with Chen Fan made her thoughts scatter in every direction. Her heart raced, and her face burned red with embarrassment.
If I told Chen Fan about this…
She couldn't even finish the thought without burying her face into her pillow.
Desperate for a better option, she flipped to the next page—only to be greeted by another line of text:
[That is the only method.]
It was as if the book had read her mind and wanted to crush her hopes entirely.
Wang Yue groaned and rolled across her bed in helpless circles, hugging her pillow as if it could absorb her flustered thoughts. The words from the book refused to leave her mind, echoing again and again.
Finally, she sat up, shaking her head.
"No. I need to calm down."
Without hesitation, she changed back into her training clothes and left her room. She needed to move—needed something to distract her from the whirlwind of thoughts.
She made her way to the training grounds, choosing a quieter area where few people lingered. As her eyes scanned the surroundings, they suddenly locked onto a familiar figure.
Chen Fan.
He sat alone near a secluded pool, surrounded by trees, his back to her. He looked deep in thought, unmoving, as if part of the stillness of the forest itself.
Her face flushed again. Of all people to run into…
She drew a long breath, suppressing the heat in her cheeks, and walked toward him with careful steps.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice steady despite the chaos in her head.
Chen Fan turned his head slightly, recognizing her voice. His lips curled into a faint, amused smile.
"Aren't you a little addicted to training?" he teased.
"Don't come crying when you lose to me later," Wang Yue replied coolly, sitting down beside him after he shifted to give her space.
Still gazing at the pond, Chen Fan's voice softened. "Just don't overdo it. Sometimes, rest is just as important as training."
His words hung in the air like ripples on the water's surface.
Wang Yue said nothing for a moment. Her eyes followed the reflection of the sky on the pond's surface, but her thoughts were far from calm.
And despite everything—the book, the choices, the emotions—sitting here next to him, she somehow felt a little more grounded.
Wang Yue glanced at him, a gentle smile playing on her lips. "I know," she said softly.
Silence soon settled between them, light but lingering. Her gaze lingered on Chen Fan, studying him with quiet curiosity. It was rare to see him like this—calm, composed, and uncharacteristically quiet. He seemed... distant, as though his thoughts were far from the peaceful pond in front of them.
"Did something happen?" she asked at last, recalling that Chen Fan had spoken with the king not long ago. Whatever was said during that conversation still weighed heavily on his mind—she could see it in his eyes.
"Hm," he hummed with a faint smile, noticing the concern in her expression. "Just thinking about something."
Wang Yue crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly in mock seriousness. "If there's something on your mind, you can talk to me, you know. I'm not that useless anymore."
Her voice carried a note of pride, a reflection of the progress she had made in her training.
Chen Fan turned to her, studying her face in silence before his eyes softened. "Then… if you insist."
Without warning, he leaned forward and gently rested his head on her thighs.
"Wh-What are you doing?!" Wang Yue's entire face flushed crimson, caught off guard by the sudden intimacy.
"Why?" Chen Fan smirked, clearly enjoying her flustered reaction. "Aren't we lovers now? Besides, people are already looking—might as well give them something to talk about."
"B-But—!" she stammered, utterly at a loss, her mind blank as she tried to comprehend the situation.
Chen Fan simply closed his eyes, soaking in the warmth of her lap and the gentle breeze that brushed against them. "What do you think of this place?" he asked, voice casual as his thoughts drifted back to his earlier conversation with the king.
Wang Yue pouted at his blatant attempt to change the subject. "What do you mean by that?"
"This world," he clarified, not opening his eyes. "What do you think of it?"
Wang Yue looked down at him, his face partially obscured from her view. Her fingers twitched slightly as she stared at the water ahead, the reflection of trees swaying gently on its surface.
"It was scary at first," she admitted, "but now… I think it's actually kind of nice. Like a place you'd go for a long holiday or something."
"Don't you want to go back? As soon as possible?" he asked, voice quieter now.
"Well… of course I miss Mom and Yue. And I do worry about what they must be thinking right now," she replied thoughtfully. "But like you said before—even if I cry or get angry, it won't change anything. I started learning how to become an Elementalist, and deep down, I believe there's a way to return."
Chen Fan cracked one eye open. "Even if it takes a long time?"
Wang Yue didn't answer right away. She stared at the water, her expression pensive, then said quietly, "At least I still have you with me."
Chen Fan's breath caught for a moment. He looked up at her, stunned by her honesty. Her cheeks had turned pink, but she didn't look away.
"You promised you'd protect me, didn't you?" she continued, her voice low but steady. "You said you'd find a way to take us back. That's why I can't let myself fall into despair. I can't sit around doing nothing while you're doing everything you can."
She smiled faintly, eyes fixed on the water. "Maybe I'm not that strong yet. Maybe I still don't know much. But at the very least… I don't want to be someone who just waits to be saved."
"I don't want to be seen as someone who always needs help. I want to stand on my own, too. So you don't have to keep worrying about me all the time."
For a moment, Chen Fan said nothing. Then, slowly, he sat up and turned his gaze to the tranquil pond before them.
The breeze carried the scent of spring. The water rippled gently. And in that quiet moment, her words lingered in the air between them—warm, steady, and unshakably sincere.
It was as if a key had slipped perfectly into place. The doubts that once clouded Chen Fan's mind began to melt away, one by one, like fog under the morning sun. In their place, a path slowly unveiled itself—not clear, not certain—but one he felt he could finally step onto. He didn't know what lay ahead, but at the very least, it no longer seemed as torturous as before.
Chen Fan steadied himself, drawing in a quiet breath. This wasn't him—sinking into despair, drowning in indecision. No. He needed to be who he had always been: someone who moved forward, even when the road was unclear. A definitive answer wasn't needed just yet. For now, knowing that he still could choose was enough.
Turning to Wang Yue, a soft smile curved his lips, followed by a quiet chuckle.
"Wh-Why are you laughing? That's creepy," she muttered, cheeks still flushed—whether from the weight of her words or the intensity of his gaze, even she couldn't tell.
"What do you mean?" he said with a teasing glint in his eyes. "After that whole speech about standing on your own and me working so hard to get us back… shouldn't I get some kind of reward?"
He leaned in slightly, his face drawing close, making her recoil just a little, eyes wide with alarm.
"W-What kind of reward…?" she stammered, her mind flashing with images she'd rather forget—especially that page from the book.
Chen Fan smirked and leaned away again, his laughter soft but infuriatingly smug.
"What do you think?" he teased.
Wang Yue's lips formed a small pout, annoyed at being toyed with so soon after baring her heart. Watching his peaceful face as he stared out at the pond, calm and unbothered, only deepened her frustration. After everything she'd said… he was still teasing her.
Then something shifted in her eyes. A quiet resolve formed behind them.
Without another word, she scooted closer to him. He turned toward her, surprised, a question beginning to form on his lips—only to freeze.
Chu.
A feather-light kiss brushed his cheek.
"There. Are you satisfied now?" she said, trying to act composed even though her voice wavered. "I bet y-you've never g-gotten a k-kiss from a girl before, huh?"
Chen Fan stared at her, stunned into silence, his mind still processing what had just happened. She tried to maintain a confident façade, waiting for his flustered reaction, but her bright red cheeks betrayed her.
His gaze lingered on her face—especially her lips.
"W-What? Are you too embarrassed to speak?" she tried to continue, raising her chin in mock confidence. "Y-You look kinda cute when you're like th—"
Her sentence was cut short.
His lips pressed against hers, sudden and certain.
Wang Yue's eyes widened in disbelief, her mind thrown into a whirlwind. But after a heartbeat—or perhaps two—she closed her eyes, surrendering to the unfamiliar yet warm sensation enveloping her.
Her heart thudded violently in her chest, each pulse seeming to send ripples across the still pond nearby. The sunlight overhead felt too bright, too warm, like it was melting her thoughts. A cool breeze swept through, and her fingers—shaking at first—found their way to his back, gently pulling him closer.
In that moment, everything else faded—the world, the worries, even time itself.
There was only this: the warmth they shared, the space between heartbeats, and the fragile silence that said everything they couldn't.