Several days passed.
Feeling the warmth in his hand, Luo Qing slowly opened his eyes.
The wounds left by Boutis seemed to have completely healed.
Softness and a steady flow of life energy emanated from his fingertips. Luo Qing glanced to the side and saw Bu'er holding his hand as she sat beside him.
"Luo Qing, you're finally awake..."
Noticing his eyes open, Bu'er's worried expression softened into a smile.
"I…"
Luo Qing looked at the bed beneath him, his mind starting to piece together his fragmented memories.
To completely eliminate the threat of Boutis and ensure Bu'er's safety, he had ventured alone into Boutis's stronghold.
He had relied on his stockpile of Tenfold Vitality Pills and various life-saving items, believing that even if he couldn't kill Boutis, he could at least escape.
But Boutis's strength as a high-ranking Archon was no joke. Their battle had raged on for days, both sides fighting with relentless ferocity. In the end, it was only by consuming an excessive number of Tenfold Vitality Pills that Luo Qing managed to eliminate Boutis.
The cost, however, was steep. His supply of pills was entirely depleted, and every last life-saving tool he had was exhausted.
From now on, if he encountered a life-threatening situation, he would have to rely entirely on fate.
"Bu'er, was it you who saved me…?"
Feeling the vibrant life energy coursing through his body, Luo Qing looked at Bu'er, a warmth blossoming in his heart.
She saved me… and she's holding my hand.
She cares about me.
"Luo Qing…"
Meeting Luo Qing's gaze, which was full of emotion, Bu'er felt a bit flustered. She withdrew her hand awkwardly and said softly,
"Luo Qing, please don't ever do something so dangerous again, okay?"
Luo Qing chuckled lightly, unconcerned. He teased, "Is Lady Bu'er worried about me?"
"Stop joking—I'm serious."
Bu'er's expression grew more solemn as she said in a calm voice,
"Luo Qing... I understand your feelings, but I'm sorry. I cannot, and will not, accept them."
"Feelings?"
Feigning confusion, Luo Qing leaned forward and asked, "What feelings? Could you elaborate for me, Lady Bu'er?"
Of course, he knew exactly what she meant. But this wasn't the time for a direct confession.
If he confessed now and asked why Bu'er couldn't accept him, it would only create a deadlock with no room for recovery.
If he wanted to win over this ethereal, otherworldly goddess, he had to proceed subtly and patiently—like water slowly wearing away stone.
"I…"
Bu'er hesitated, momentarily at a loss for words. After a pause, she sighed and said softly,
"Luo Qing, you've fallen for me, haven't you?"
"Fallen for?" Luo Qing continued to feign ignorance. "Is that a verb? Or does it mean something else? If it's a verb, then…"
"You…"
Bu'er didn't understand his cryptic response and assumed he was deliberately avoiding the question. She was about to press further when Luo Qing suddenly sat up and gently took her hand.
"Don't overthink it, Lady Bu'er," he said softly.
"I don't expect anything in return from you, nor do I need you to accept anything."
"As long as things stay like this, it's enough."
"Like this…"
Bu'er frowned, confused. She couldn't grasp what Luo Qing truly meant.
"Yes, just like this."
Luo Qing smiled faintly and teased,
"I don't need any special title or reward. I'll always be your loyal Great Sage, Lady Bu'er."
"Mm…"
---
Time flowed onward.
When living alongside humans—short-lived beings—ten years could feel like an eternity. Within a few decades, one could witness the rise and fall of an entire generation.
But for Archons, decades passed in the blink of an eye. Their lives were so long that such a span was as fleeting as fireworks.
With the threat of the Plague Archon Boutis gone, Luo Qing could finally set his mind at ease and focus on helping Bu'er develop the Akademiya.
Nearly a century passed. Under Luo Qing's diligent guidance, Sumeru City grew increasingly prosperous, and the Akademiya expanded significantly.
Though its size was not yet as vast as the future Akademiya, the administrative framework of its various schools was nearly identical to what it would become. Even if Luo Qing were to step down and appoint a new Great Sage, the Akademiya would continue to operate smoothly.
On another front, however, Luo Qing refrained from getting too close to Bu'er after Boutis's defeat.
Yet, as the Akademiya expanded, their interactions naturally increased. Occasionally, they would spend entire nights deep in conversation about the institution's future, sometimes even ending up shoulder-to-shoulder without realizing it.
Luo Qing understood well that for an Archon, decades were fleeting.
If he were to rush into confessing his feelings after just twenty or thirty years of knowing Bu'er, it would only end in rejection.
Moreover, he could clearly track Bu'er's affection level through his system. Despite nearly a century passing, her favorability toward him had only risen from 0% to 10%.
According to the system's scale—where 60% represented the level of ordinary couples who could hold hands and kiss—he estimated it would take at least five hundred years to reach a point where confession was viable.
As for the system's ultimate benchmark of 100% affection, that would require even more time.
But Luo Qing wasn't in a hurry. As long as her affection continued to grow, he had all the time he needed.
After all, he knew this trial would likely only conclude during the war with Khaenri'ah…
As time passed, Luo Qing eventually met the legendary Red King and Goddess of Flowers.
The Red King was a formidable warrior and visionary technophile, inventing numerous autonomous mechanical constructs. His desert domain resembled a futuristic city, and he seemed to harbor secret ambitions of opposing Celestia.
The Goddess of Flowers, while equally beautiful—on par with Bu'er—was eccentric. Luo Qing often found her thought processes utterly unpredictable.
After being introduced to them by Bu'er a few times, Luo Qing decided not to interact with the two excessively.
The Red King frequently sought excuses to spar with Luo Qing or discuss humanoid autonomous mechanical designs.
The Goddess of Flowers, on the other hand, seemed aware of his relationship with Bu'er and often teased them, saying things like, "You two make such a perfect pair. Why not just get together already?"
Luo Qing wasn't one to hold back. He would often retort with remarks like, "In that case, when can I attend the wedding banquet of Lady Flower God and the Red King?"
To prevent Bu'er from overthinking and derailing his slow-burn strategy, Luo Qing eventually stopped appearing whenever the Goddess of Flowers was around.
He would only accompany Bu'er on special occasions, like her birthday, when they would join the Red King and Goddess of Flowers for a celebration.
At these gatherings, Luo Qing would watch the Goddess of Flowers dance and the Red King play music, while Bu'er sang beneath the moonlight.
---
T/N: bro is getting OLD
...
Huh. You really stuck it out all the way to the end.
Didn't think you had the patience. Guess I was wrong.
WiseTL's the one who actually made all this come together. I'm just here putting a bow on it... or, well, shoving it in a backpack and calling it a day. Same thing.
If you had fun, you know what to do:
👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL]
And if you're the social type, there's a Discord too. Pretty decent spot to hang out—no battles required.
👉 [discord.gg/wisetl]
Alright. That's enough standing around. Go on—before you make it weird.
—Leaf