After emerging from the spatial rift, Xiao Hua immediately made his way to the Chaos Spiritual Forest. He did not need to guess where Xun Er would go upon returning to the Inner Academy.
To those familiar with her within Jia Nan Academy, it was well known—Xun Er would always return to the wooden cabin nestled at the very heart of the Chaos Spiritual Forest, the place where she and her dearest companions had long resided.
Arriving before the quaint cabin, Xiao Hua came to a halt at the entrance. Not wishing to disturb the flowers Xun Er had painstakingly tended, he refrained from stepping into the garden straightaway.
But a breath later, urgency overtook his restraint. Pushing open the door, he flashed through the interior with lightning speed and emerged at the rear garden before approaching the sole pavilion at the garden.
As his gaze swept toward the pavilion, he beheld four slender figures. Three of them were peerless beauties, each possessing a distinct allure capable of toppling kingdoms. The fourth was a delicate young girl, exuding a cute charm that was equally captivating in its innocence.
Clearly, they had yet to notice his presence, as they continued to sip their tea in quiet harmony, the atmosphere warm and serene. It was a peaceful scene—one that would ease the heart of any man. Yet Xiao Hua could not find it in himself to enjoy it with the same ease.
After all, among the four presents: one was his beloved; another, the woman for whom he harbored feelings but dared not cross the line; and the last was the one who had already confessed to him. Faced with such entanglements, how could he not feel awkward and burdened with guilt?
Still, since he had already anticipated this moment, he resolved not to avoid it any longer. Better to face it now than continue hiding or running from the truth.
Drawing in a long breath, Xiao Hua stepped forward. His expression was stiff, his heart heavy—but retreat was no longer an option. He had to face Xun Er's wrath, no matter the cost.
"Brother Xiao Hua, you've finally returned," Xun Er said softly, her voice as gentle as spring rain. She turned to greet him with a warm smile that seemed to melt the chill from the air.
That smile pierced his heart.
Seeing her so radiant, Xiao Hua could only offer a bitter smile in return. He had indeed crossed a line—allowing his heart to waver toward other women.
"Xun'er… there is something I must say."
He took another breath, his voice low and laced with tension and guilt as he began to speak.
"I…" Xiao Hua's voice trembled as he forced the words from his throat, each syllable heavier than stone. "I… harbor feelings for Little Fairy Doctor… and I… I intend to accept Queen Medusa's feelings as well."
The words spilled like blades from his mouth, cutting into his own heart more deeply than he had imagined. He clenched his fists tightly, head bowed as guilt surged within him like a raging tide. For a long breath, silence reigned.
He shut his mouth tightly, bracing himself for Xun Er's wrath—for the storm that he believed would surely follow. He had prepared himself to accept her fury, her disappointment, even her tears. If this was the price of his weakness, then he would not run. He would bear it all—because it was his responsibility.
Yet, what greeted him was not a cold slap nor a blade of sorrow.
Instead, a warmth like the gentle spring sun embraced him.
When he dared to lift his gaze, he met Xun Er's eyes—soft, radiant, unwavering. A gentle smile curved her lips, the same smile that had accompanied him through so many trials, steady and true.
"I've already accepted it," she said softly, her voice like a breeze that stirred the deepest corners of his heart. "Before you arrived, the four of us had already shared tea together… chatted and laughed. I was simply waiting for you to speak—to take that first step."
Her gaze did not waver. "Though I'll admit… this matter gave me quite the headache," she added with a wry chuckle. "Still, I've long since fallen too deeply for you, Brother Xiao Hua. I cannot leave you, even if I wanted to."
Her words struck his soul like thunder, yet soothed him like falling rain. She stepped closer, eyes full of tenderness. "That is why… I'm truly happy. You didn't run from this. You came to me first, and you chose to take responsibility."
In that moment, Xiao Hua's heart ached with both guilt and gratitude. He reached out slowly, as if fearing the warmth before him would vanish like a dream. But Xun Er simply took his hand, her fingers wrapping around his with quiet strength—an unspoken vow that no matter how stormy the path ahead, she would remain by his side.
The two fell into a long, quiet embrace—one filled with warmth, affection, guilt, and silent forgiveness. Their hearts clung to each other, as if fearing that the bond they shared would fracture under the weight of unspoken emotions. Both had worried that their choices, their hesitations, might shatter the fragile warmth they held so dearly.
Time passed gently, like a river flowing beneath moonlight. Eventually, Xiao Hua and Xun Er loosened their embrace, yet their bodies remained close, reluctant to part. It was clear to the others watching—neither of them wished to let go just yet.
That moment of intimacy was something they had both feared to lose, and now that it remained unbroken, they clung to it with quiet desperation.
"Now then," Xun Er whispered, her voice like a breeze brushing through blooming spring petals. A soft sigh left her lips as her fingers gently slid from his.
"Don't delay any longer and make things right. Sister Little Fairy Doctor and Sister Medusa… they are women who should not be left in indeterminate state simply because you hesitated or struggled to find the words."
She paused, then leaned back slightly, her gaze locking onto the face of the man she loved more than anyone in the world. Her smile was warm and gentle, yet filled with a quiet strength—a smile only a woman who had chosen to walk beside her beloved, regardless of the thorns ahead, could show.
"With my whole heart," she continued softly, "I tell you this—we both already know that you love them. And I've accepted them. So don't restrain yourself, and don't let guilt bind you. Embrace their love… just as you've embraced mine."
"…I know." Xiao Hua nodded solemnly, his voice low, yet resolute.
Finally, they parted.
Xiao Hua took a step forward, his heart steady, his eyes calm. He walked toward Little Fairy Doctor and Queen Medusa—his footsteps firm, like a man who had made peace with his heart.
And behind him, Xun Er followed quietly. Her steps were light, like petals drifting on the wind—silent, unwavering, and never far from his side.
Xiao Hua stood before Little Fairy Doctor and Queen Medusa, his heart bared beneath the soft glow of the garden's ambient light.
His gaze settled on Little Fairy Doctor first, her lavender eyes filled with both longing and hesitation. He took a step closer, and the garden, the world, seemed to fall silent around them.
Xiao Hua's steps were steady as he approached Little Fairy Doctor. Though his heart throbbed with emotion, his gaze remained unwavering. Before her, the girl whose quiet presence had long become a balm to his restless soul, he halted.
The gentle mountain breeze rustled the leaves overhead, but within Xiao Hua's heart, a storm of emotions surged.
He took a breath, and spoke—not with grand gestures or flowery words, but with the sincerity of one who had carried these feelings for far too long.
"Little Fairy Doctor," his voice was low, steady, yet laced with emotion, "I still remember the days we spent together in that quiet valley… far from the chaos of the world. There were no great battles, no urgent quests… only silence, peace, and your presence beside me."
A faint smile rose on his lips as his gaze softened.
"Back then, I thought it was just comfort I felt—but I was wrong. What I truly felt… was happiness."
Little Fairy Doctor's eyes widened slightly, shimmering with unspoken emotion.
He took another step forward, voice growing more resolute. "Whenever you were near, my heart was calm—as if nothing in the world could shake me. But when I learned you were going to merge the Woeful Poison Body with the Ghostly Poison Flame… that calm shattered."
His fists clenched slightly at his side as the memories surged back.
"I couldn't sleep, couldn't breathe, knowing that something might happen to you. I threw myself into helping you without pause, without rest—until even Lady Azure had to scold me, ordering me to stop and care for myself."
He reached out and gently clasped her trembling hand, "—but because I wanted to. Because you mean that much to me."
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she smiled—a quiet, trembling smile that spoke of years of hidden longing finally answered.
He looked into her eyes then, nothing hidden. "Because… the thought of losing you was unbearable."
A silence followed, heavy with the weight of his confession.
He took her hand gently, as though afraid she might vanish with the wind. "Not because of what you've endured. Not because of the rare body you possess. But because you are you. Quiet, kind, gentle, and stronger than anyone gives you credit for. You walked beside me, without demands or expectations… and yet, left a mark upon my heart that I can never erase."
Behind him, Xun Er watched silently, a serene smile on her face. Though her heart ached with complex emotions, she found peace in the sight of Xiao Hua facing his heart with unwavering courage.
Little Fairy Doctor stood there, stunned. Her lips parted slightly, as if to speak, but no words came. Instead, her eyes shimmered with moisture, and she reached forward—delicate fingers trembling—as she brushed them against his chest, over the heart that now beat openly for her.
"…I've waited so long to hear those words," she whispered, voice quivering like a falling petal. "I… I thought I had already buried those hopes."
Xiao Hua shook his head gently, and with a soft smile, brought her into his arms—an embrace that now carried clarity, devotion, and a long-overdue answer.
As their figures merged beneath the golden light of dusk, Queen Medusa stood silently at the side, her grey-black eyes unreadable, but deep within them, a fire flickered—expectant, patient, and ready to burn as soon as it was her turn.
As Xiao Hua slowly released Little Fairy Doctor from his embrace, his gaze shifted to the final figure standing silently just beyond the garden path—the woman whose beauty could mesmerize kingdoms and whose pride stood taller than mountains.
Queen Medusa.
Clad in regal attire, her presence was like a flame that refused to be tamed—fierce, proud, and otherworldly beautiful. Yet behind the sharpness in her grey-silver eyes, there flickered a vulnerability she had never dared show to anyone but him.
She met his gaze calmly, but the storm behind those grey-silver pupils could not be hidden. There was fire, pride, longing, and restraint—so many emotions that only she, the Queen of the Snake-People Tribe, could conceal behind such regal composure.
Xiao Hua stepped toward her, slowly but surely.
At that moment, the tension thickened. Even the breeze seemed to hold its breath.
"…Queen Medusa," he began softly, his tone neither hesitant nor rushed, but full of solemnity. "When you first confessed your love to me… I didn't know how to respond."
He stopped before her, his eyes never leaving hers.
"I was confused. Frustrated. I even blamed myself. I couldn't understand why someone like you—proud, untouchable, and unyielding—would make such a choice."
He stopped before her, his gaze locked onto hers, searching—yearning—for the answer he had once been too blind, too afraid, to see.
"At the time… I was stunned by your confession," he said softly, the weight of his past hesitation heavy in his voice. "I thought perhaps… it was out of despair. That you were disappointed—disheartened that we couldn't find the medicinal ingredients for the pill that could help stabilize your condition."
He drew in a slow breath, eyes glimmering with regret. "I believed… that time had run out for you. That you were cornered, and had made a decision not out of love, but out of necessity."
"That's why I hesitated," he continued, voice deep with remorse. "I was terrified… that if I answered wrongly, if I stepped toward you without understanding your true heart, I would hurt you beyond repair. And I couldn't allow myself to do that."
"But in that world of searing flames, deep beneath the earth… when all emotions were released… I finally understood."
He opened his eyes again, clear and resolute. "Your feelings were not born of desperation. You were never forced. You chose me."
A soft breath escaped Queen Medusa's lips, her composure wavering. Her proud countenance—always so regal, so composed—began to crack. Her silver-grey eyes trembled, the light within them flickering like a candle caught in the wind.
She parted her lips, but no words came. Only the silence of a heart laid bare.
Xiao Hua took another step forward. "You accepted the risks. The pain. Even the consequences of the Glazed Soul Flame method, not out of desperation, but because of the love you carry within your heart."
His hand rose slowly, reverently, until his trembling fingers brushed against her cheek. It was not fear that made his touch quiver—but the weight of the emotions he had held back for far too long.
"That is why…I will no longer turn away. I will no longer deny what my heart has already chosen."
He took a breath, the oath in his heart echoing through every word.
"I accept your love, Queen Medusa—not as a queen, nor as a celestial beauty beyond compare—but as a woman. A woman whose pride hides the tenderness of her heart. A woman I will love, protect, and walk alongside… not because I must, but because I choose to, just as you once chose me."
"I will take responsibility for your heart… and give you the love you truly deserve."
Silence followed—deep, breathless, sacred.
Queen Medusa's silver-grey eyes widened, shimmering with tears she had never allowed herself to shed. And then, with a soft gasp—one pulled from the depths of a soul long starved of warmth—she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.
Her proud figure trembled within his embrace, no longer a queen above the world… but a woman, vulnerable and whole, finally held by the one who had accepted every part of her.
"…Idiot," she whispered, her voice trembling, a fragile crack breaking through her usual composure. Her arms tightened around him, as if afraid he might vanish. "You should've understood my feelings the moment I confessed…"
Xiao Hua responded not with words, but with action. His arms slowly wrapped around her, firm yet gentle, drawing her into his warmth—into the safety of the embrace she had yearned for in silence.
The lingering coldness in her heart slowly melted away, dispelled by the warmth she had once feared she'd never receive.
Behind them, beneath the fluttering blossoms, Xun Er stood quietly. Her golden eyes shimmered with peace and understanding, her gaze as serene and gentle as spring rain.
Beside her, Little Fairy Doctor remained silent, but the faint, heartfelt smile gracing her lips spoke volumes—of acceptance, of relief, and of the quiet joy that came from love no longer left unspoken.
Bathed in the golden hue of the setting sun, petals drifted on a warm, whispering breeze. The four of them stood together—not as powerful experts, but as people whose hearts had finally touched.
And for that brief, eternal moment, the world felt… just a little more complete.
…
"Geez, you adults are so complicated."
Just as the atmosphere began to settle, a soft giggle broke through the air—bright, innocent, yet carrying a weight that could not be dismissed.
Zi Yan leaned forward, her chin resting atop her folded hands as she sat cross-legged on the pavilion railing, her posture relaxed, like a curious little empress surveying her court with gleaming eyes.
"I already knew all of this was coming," she said with a mischievous grin. "The moment Sister Xun Er returned and asked me to tag along, I could feel the storm brewing. But you know what?"
Her violet eyes sparkled with both mischief and sincerity as she gave Xiao Hua a pointed look.
"Personally, I think this whole mess is your fault, Xiao Hua. I've been by your side for three whole years. I've watched you turn down invitations, keep your distance from other women, and act all cold and proper."
She tilted her head, pouting playfully. "And yet—when it comes to the ones who truly matter to you, instead of standing tall and embracing your feelings like a man, you hesitated and wallowed in your own idiocy until someone had to slap you back to your senses."
Crossing her arms with a huff, she added with a mock glare, "Next time, instead of tiptoeing around like you're walking on eggshells, why not be brave and certain with your heart from the start?"
Xiao Hua could only smile bitterly, while the three women beside him let out soft, amused giggles. After all, not one of them could deny that Zi Yan's words rang true. Her blunt honesty struck deeper than expected—perhaps because it mirrored the very thoughts Xiao Hua had once heard from Xue Yue. It left him momentarily at a loss for words.
Then, more softly—almost to herself—Zi Yan added, "Besides… I really like this feeling. All of my respected sisters, together like this… no hostility, no distance. Just warmth."
Her voice, usually bright and playful, carried a deep tenderness.
Xiao Hua and the three women exchanged quiet glances before gentle smiles blossomed on their lips. It was clear that, perhaps more than anyone, Zi Yan had been quietly worrying—afraid their hearts might drift apart and leave behind only cold silence.
But now… seeing the bond between them grow instead of fracture, her heart was finally at ease.
That sense of peace—of unity—meant the world to her.
"Then, next time, I will be more upfront about it. Though, I wish it doesn't really happen in the future." Xiao Hua's smile widened into a soft and gentle smile.
Hearing his words, Xun Er let out a smile—subtle and indescribable—that vanished as swiftly as it appeared, like a fleeting wisp of wind.
"Brother Xiao Hua, do you still remember the promise you made to me?" She asked, her voice soft, yet carrying a quiet edge.
"I know," Xiao Hua replied with a resigned smile, slowly rising to his feet as though accepting an unavoidable fate.
"What promise?" Zi Yan tilted her head curiously, her interest instantly piqued the moment she saw Xiao Hua's slightly defeated expression—like a man walking willingly into a storm.
Before Xiao Hua could answer, Xun Er gracefully stepped in, her voice calm, yet tinged with unmistakable mischief. "I told him long ago… that if he ever brought another woman into our relationship—let alone two—I may accept it, yes. But that doesn't mean he would walk away unscathed."
Her tone was light, but the smile on her face turned ever so slightly dark, sending an ominous chill through the air.
"This is merely a lesson," she continued with grace and severity entwined. "A reminder that a man who wavers in matters of the heart must still face the consequences of his indecision. Such behavior should never be left without… correction."
Zi Yan stiffened slightly, cold sweat forming on the back of her neck as she took a cautious step away from Xiao Hua, nervously watching Xun Er's deceptively serene expression.
Little Fairy Doctor and Queen Medusa, on the other hand, exchanged knowing glances and nodded in agreement. Neither showed the slightest intention of defending Xiao Hua. They knew well the weight behind Xun Er's words and had no intention of standing in her way.
Moreover, now that Xun Er had willingly accepted them as sisters, they had no reason to resist her judgment.
After all, they too were now Xiao Hua's women—and should he ever dare to bring another into the fold, they would stand beside Xun Er… not to welcome the newcomer, but to ensure that Xiao Hua fully understood the consequences of his choices.
It was a matter not to be taken lightly—like a wife discovering her husband's hidden affair. And though the love was true, the punishment… would be just as real.
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