Chapter 12: Lingering Warmth

Ever since that battle at the recognition banquet, Luo Jiutian’s deeds had swiftly spread throughout the Tianyuan Kingdom.
With a single move, he gravely injured Luo Chen.
He stood alone against the Luo clan, turned his back on them in front of the crowd, and was then personally asked to stay by the clan head.

That series of actions established Luo Jiutian as the one figure among the younger generation whom no one dared provoke.
And just as he had expected, to this day, no one had dared trouble him.

Luo Jiutian thought he might finally enjoy a brief stretch of peace.
He hadn’t expected this, however…

Across from him sat Su Wan’er, perfectly at ease in his courtyard, sipping tea as though she belonged there.
He found himself at a loss for words.

“Wan’er, why haven’t you gone home yet?”

Luo Jiutian’s expression remained calm, betraying not the slightest hint of annoyance.
A true veteran actor.

Su Wan’er swirled her teacup and said with a mischievous smile, “Didn’t I already say? I plan on sticking around the Luo estate. Tomorrow, when the Azure Cloud Secret Realm opens, I’ll go in together with Jiutian-ge!”

“So that’s your excuse for barging into my courtyard?”

“Don’t sweat the details.”

“……”

Luo Jiutian looked at her casual air and kept silent for a moment.
Of course, he knew the real reason she stayed.

The Su clan’s head was in closed-door cultivation.
No one in the Su clan could restrain her.
And truthfully, she probably didn’t want to return there at all.

Su Wan’er’s father—Su Wenlin—was an extremist.
In his eyes, the Su clan’s members were nothing more than tools, everything sacrificed for the clan’s interests.
It was plain enough from how he refused to intervene in her marriage contract.

He was merely waiting.
Waiting to see whether Luo Jiutian or Luo Chen would prevail.
Or rather—waiting to see which one would bring greater benefits to the Su clan.

Even his daughter’s happiness was nothing but a bargaining chip.
How could a man like that care about Su Wan’er’s wishes?

Did Su Wan’er know?
Of course she did.
Yet she never spoke a word of complaint.
Instead, she always wore a mask of nonchalance.

The lighter her smile seemed, the more Luo Jiutian understood—
it was nothing but the little breathing room she allowed herself.

If your life was arranged by others from beginning to end, wouldn’t you start to wonder—
did you even have the right to choose happiness?

Layer upon layer, these reasons piled up, deepening Su Wan’er’s loathing of her own clan.
But from childhood, she had enjoyed the Su clan’s resources.
And she still had people there she could not abandon—

An elder brother who could not cultivate.
A foster mother who had lost her sight.

Both reason and affection bound her.
She could not simply walk away.

Thus she remained trapped.
She longed to break free, yet could not truly sever her ties.
Day after day, she went in circles, caught in endless self-doubt.

“Haah…”

Luo Jiutian sighed, unwilling to think further.

Su Wan’er, who had been resting her cheek on her hand as she watched him, immediately leaned closer at that sound.

“What’s wrong? Jiutian-ge, are you in a bad mood?”

“No.” Luo Jiutian shook his head. “Just thinking about something.”

“What kind of something?” Su Wan’er leaned in closer still. “Do you want me to share the burden? My cultivation isn’t high yet, but I’m good at other things. For example… making you laugh.”

As she spoke, she pulled a silly face at him.

Luo Jiutian couldn’t help but chuckle and flicked her forehead.
“You… always fooling around.”

Su Wan’er covered her forehead with a grin. “This is called being lively and cute!”

Luo Jiutian didn’t answer.
He simply rose, poured her a cup of warm tea, and gently pushed it toward her.

Su Wan’er accepted it, sipped lightly, but didn’t set it down.
Her fingers lingered on the rim of the cup, her gaze sinking into the tea, and slowly, she fell quiet.

Luo Jiutian noticed the shift, opened his mouth—
and then saw a tear fall from the corner of her eye.

The droplet slid down her cheek.
Even she seemed startled by it.

“Wan’er… you’re crying?” Luo Jiutian asked, though he already knew the answer.

Su Wan’er froze, quickly lifting her hand to wipe it away.
But the moment her skin brushed her cheek, more tears spilled uncontrollably.

“I… I’m not.” Her voice was so faint it was almost inaudible. “Maybe… maybe it’s just that I haven’t seen Jiutian-ge in so long. I’m too happy, that’s all.”

Her lips curved, trying to force a smile—
but the tears kept falling, drop after drop.

Seeing this, Luo Jiutian didn’t press further.
He only pulled out a handkerchief and patiently wiped the streaks from her face.

Feeling his steady movements, Su Wan’er’s tears gradually stopped.
Her breathing calmed.

“Thank you, Jiutian-ge.” she whispered.

Luo Jiutian’s hand paused slightly at her words.
Memories flickered through his mind…

“Jiutian-ge, what are you thinking about?”

The girl’s voice drifted on the breeze, pulling him from his wandering thoughts.

Luo Jiutian turned his head.
Su Wan’er sat on the grass, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.
Her tone was light, but her eyes quietly studied him.

“Nothing much.” Luo Jiutian smiled.

Su Wan’er gave a soft hum. “You’re not secretly thinking about some other girl, are you?”

“Do you really think I’m that kind of person?”

“Then why won’t you look at me?” She puffed her cheeks in mock annoyance. “You were the one who asked me out here.”

Luo Jiutian reached out, tucking her stray hair behind her ear.
“Didn’t you say cultivation had worn you out lately and you wanted to take a day off?”

“That’s not slacking,” she muttered softly. “I just… wanted to be with you.”

Luo Jiutian pretended not to hear, stood, and retrieved two pastries from his storage pouch.
He handed them to her.

“Weren’t you always saying you wanted these?”

Su Wan’er’s eyes lit up. She instantly took a bite, her brows arching into crescents.
“You actually remembered!”

Luo Jiutian only smiled in silence.

Chewing her pastry, she peeked at him.
“Jiutian-ge, if I keep clinging to you like this… won’t you find me annoying?”

“Aren’t you already clinging to me?”

“Then do you find it annoying?”

“No.” Luo Jiutian hesitated briefly, then said in a low voice, “How could I ever find you annoying.”

Her face brightened as if emboldened.
She edged closer.
“Then it’s a promise. You’re not allowed to change your mind later.”

Looking at her serious expression, Luo Jiutian dazed for a heartbeat.
Back then, he had truly thought—

Maybe this time, he wouldn’t need such an extreme method as feigning death to complete the strategy.

The system had warned him again and again: this was only a simulated world.
Everything was false.
He mustn’t sink too deep.
His previous run with Luo Yunlan had been the perfect example.

But Luo Jiutian only murmured, “Just watch. This time, as long as the opportunity comes, I’ll find a way to succeed.”

At that moment, he had genuinely believed it.
And soon after, he really did find the perfect chance.

The Azure Cloud Secret Realm opened.
It was a special secret realm controlled jointly by the four great clans, only accessible once every ten years.

Legend says it was the place where a mighty cultivator had fallen.
Rich in spiritual energy, filled with ruins—danger and fortune walked hand in hand.

Each clan dispatched ten disciples.
Among them were Luo Jiutian and Su Wan’er.

Standing at the rear of the Luo clan’s ranks, Luo Jiutian looked across the square.
From within the Su clan’s formation, Su Wan’er waved at him, her lips curved in a smile.

Then the teleportation array lit up, swallowing her figure.

The air trembled.
A wave of weightlessness struck…