After dinner, Mu Chen didn’t give the Gathering Essence Pills to the others. He wanted to give them a surprise tomorrow. So, after they left, he headed straight for the lake on the north side of the courtyard. That was the place where he had first reunited with Mu Bingling after his return.

This was already a secluded spot in the academy; almost no one ever came here. It was still quite early, and the setting sun lingered on the horizon, reluctant to fall. Gazing at the sunset-dyed water, Mu Chen lay quietly in the grass by the lake, contemplating his past, present, and future.

People often chart a complete course for themselves from the very beginning, but on this planned path, there are always factors that alter their original purpose. Mu Chen’s original purpose was to protect—to protect his family, his loved ones, and... his most beloved sister.

But as time went on, Mu Chen felt his philosophy on getting stronger had changed. His original purpose had shifted. This change stemmed from a thirst for power—he wanted to become stronger. He used to think that possessing strength greater than any expert in Luofeng City would be enough to protect his family, but he was wrong. After leaving Luofeng City, he discovered that even a Martial Emperor could be killed by a Martial Venerable under unexpected circumstances, let alone a mere Martial Spirit who was only dominant in a remote town.

’Get stronger. Stronger. I have to get stronger. To protect the things I must protect, to obtain more freedom, I have to stand at the very pinnacle of this world! I must become this world’s Overlord!’ 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

At that moment, Mu Bingling’s stunning face surfaced in Mu Chen’s mind. He had always kept the Profound Old Ghost’s words etched in his heart. ’If you want to keep her by your side and protect her, you must become powerful as quickly as possible. The more powerful you are, the safer Mu Bingling will be.’

The more powerful I am, the safer Mu Bingling will be!

These words echoed relentlessly in Mu Chen’s mind, and Mu Bingling’s face grew ever clearer before his eyes.

"Mu Chen, what are you doing?"

A soft call startled Mu Chen out of his reverie. He froze for a moment before snapping back to his senses. The face that had been gradually coming into focus before his eyes wasn’t the Mu Bingling of his imagination, but the real Mu Bingling.

Today, Mu Bingling had changed out of her usual attire and was wearing a flowing, enchanting black gown. The dark fabric accentuated her already stunning figure, making her seem exceptionally alluring. Her slender form, delicate waist, jet-black hair, fair skin, and her large, sweetly smiling blue eyes were the very definition of a peerless, nation-toppling beauty.

She was like an elf descended to the mortal realm, so dazzling and eye-catching. Mu Chen’s heart swelled with emotion. ’I’m just a cripple. How could I ever be worthy of her? If it weren’t for that great snowstorm, if my parents hadn’t been away seeking medicine outside the city, if I weren’t such a useless waste... would I even have her? Would she have ever become my fiancée?’

"Bing... Bing’Er..."

Mu Chen felt his cheeks grow hot. If not for the concealing glow of the setting sun, he would have been utterly mortified. ’This is my fiancée... so why do I feel so shy seeing her?’

Mu Bingling smiled faintly, pursing her rosy lips. "What’s wrong? You look completely stupefied."

"Er..." Deeply embarrassed, Mu Chen rubbed his nose awkwardly. "Bing’Er, your dress today..."

"Oh? You don’t like it?" As she spoke, Mu Bingling twirled in place. A light breeze kicked up, and her long dress spun with the wind. Her jet-black hair swung out, partially obscuring her devastatingly beautiful face. The world itself became her backdrop, and the gentle sunset cast a warm glow over the entire scene. Mu Chen felt as if that single glance had plunged him into a dream for ten thousand years, leaving him utterly captivated.

When Mu Chen remained silent, Mu Bingling bit her lip. "Hmph. Junnyao lied to me. She said you would definitely love this dress... Since you don’t like it, I just won’t wear it again..."

Mu Chen froze, waving his hand frantically. "No... How could that be? Bing’Er, you look beautiful in anything. I’m serious. This dress... I love it."

"Really? Does it look that good?" Mu Bingling cheered, then slowly began to float up in front of Mu Chen. In mid-air, she performed her most practiced Combat Skill: Butterfly Dance and Spin. Silvery Ice Crystals scattered down around her, causing the recently roused Mu Chen to become mesmerized all over again.

Watching Mu Bingling spin rapidly in the sky like a Spirit Butterfly, Mu Chen’s jaw dropped. "Walking on Air! Bing’Er, have you broken through to the Martial Spirit realm?"

At his words, Mu Bingling faltered. Her control over her Primordial Power wavered, and she began to fall from the sky. Startled, Mu Chen took a single step and shot upward, catching her in his arms. He chuckled, "It seems you only just broke through to the Martial Spirit realm, Bing’Er. Your Primordial Power fluctuations are still a bit unstable, so it’s natural that you’re not quite used to Walking on Air."

Mu Bingling blinked, a small smile playing on her lips as she rested her head against Mu Chen’s chest. "Mhm, I broke through just a moment ago," she said softly. "I never expected that the boy I always had to protect would now be the one protecting me..."

Mu Chen’s expression softened. Her words sent his mind back to the past—a past too painful to dwell on, yet one that also held countless beautiful memories.

He gently buried his face in her hair, his eyes filled with a tenderness reserved only for her. ’Silly Bing’Er,’ he thought. ’As a man, as your fiancé, I can’t let myself stand in your shadow forever. If that were the case, I would rather lose you entirely.’

Inhaling the faint, sweet scent of her hair, Mu Chen whispered, "Bing’Er, you don’t have to call me Mu Chen anymore. Just call me Chen’Er. I’m used to hearing you say it, and calling me Mu Chen feels a little strange now."

Nestled in his arms, Mu Bingling gently closed her eyes, her expression serene. "Mmm~"

THUD...

Mu Chen’s feet finally touched down on the grassy riverbank. As he stood there, he looked down and was surprised to find that Mu Bingling was only half a head shorter than him. ’She truly is a perfect woman.’ He couldn’t understand how a family that produced someone so perfect could have been so heartless as to abandon her, leaving her utterly alone and helpless...

"By the way, Chen’Er," Mu Bingling suddenly tilted her head up, her ice-blue eyes studying him playfully, "did you ask me to come here because you missed me, or was it for something else?"

Mu Chen had just been burying his face in her hair, so they were already incredibly close. When she looked up, they were suddenly face-to-face. Even though his eyes were closed, her exquisitely perfect face was so clearly imprinted in his mind’s eye that it consumed his every thought.

Their breaths mingled in the small space between them. Mu Chen felt his ears burn, and his entire body went rigid. Mu Bingling clearly sensed his reaction and covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. "You’re still as silly as ever. I’m your fiancée, you know, yet you still get shy around me..."

Mu Chen gave an awkward grin. "I... I..."

The romantically inept Mu Chen stammered for a good while, unable to find the right words. After all, how many women had ever been a part of his life? How many had he even been close to? Bi Wan, Mu Bingling, Ye Shuangshuang, Lingyun, Mo Qing, and Qin Wu—these were about the only ones. He truly knew nothing about romantic love.

Mu Bingling giggled. "Alright, I’ll stop teasing you, you big blockhead."

Mu Chen froze, then suddenly blurted out, "I’m not a blockhead! I miss you, Bing’Er! I miss you every single day! The month will be over soon, and I’m going to come and snatch you away from the Holy Hall!"

Mu Chen’s sudden declaration stunned Mu Bingling. She knew how difficult it was for him to say such things. Though his words weren’t flowery or romantic, they made her feel just how important she was to him.

"I miss you too, Chen’Er... even more than you miss me..." A deep fondness flickered in her eyes. In the past, it had always seemed like Mu Chen was the one who relied on her. But in truth, hadn’t she, in being needed, grown just as attached to him? Her heart had long been filled to the brim by him. Even if he had remained a cripple to this day, she would have married him without a moment’s hesitation, staying by his side for all eternity. On her wrist, the Jade Pendant that was once a finger’s width was now worn down to a paper-thin sliver. The long wait had worn away the jade, but what remained... was a profound love for Mu Chen.

Mu Chen was lost in her words, unwilling to break the spell. All he could do was tighten the embrace of his one remaining arm, holding Mu Bingling close.

Time always seems to fly fastest when one wishes it would stand still. The sun had long set, and their surroundings had grown dark. Mu Chen finally snapped out of his daze and said sheepishly, "Bing’Er, I actually asked you here to give you a couple of things."

"Mmm..." Mu Bingling snuggled her cheek against his chest, shifting until she found a comfortable position. Her breathing was even and steady.

’She actually fell asleep...’

Mu Chen smiled faintly, gently laying Mu Bingling down. He sat on the grass and cradled her in his lap. By the light of the moon, he could see her sleeping face clearly, and a warmth spread through his heart. Once upon a time, he had been the one to sleep in her arms just like this. Back then, no matter how frightened he was, sleeping in her embrace made him feel as if he could face the end of the world calmly. Thinking about it now, he realized how selfish he had been.

Any girl would be frightened on a dark, stormy night. Mu Bingling, who carried the trauma of being abandoned, must have been even more so. And yet, despite her own fear, she had protected him. To ensure he could sleep peacefully, she would stay awake the entire night. The next day, he would cluelessly ask her, "Big Sis, why are the circles under your eyes so dark? They look so funny..."

And every time, she would just smile, pinch his cheek, and say, "Silly Chen’Er, this is a special power. Other people can’t get it even if they want to..."

Gazing at the sleeping figure in his arms, Mu Chen reached out and gave her smooth, soft cheek a gentle pinch. "A special power..." he whispered. "Silly Bing’Er. Then tonight, let your Chen’Er gain that special power for you, just this once..."

As he finished speaking, his hand traced a light path across her cheek. Unseen by him, the corners of Mu Bingling’s lips curved into a charming smile...