Leaning against Gu Xuan's chest, Dugu Yan couldn't help but reach out her jade-like hand to touch his Adam's apple. Gu Xuan subconsciously swallowed, and his Adam's apple moved accordingly.
"Your Adam's apple is moving, hehe." Dugu Yan giggled.
Gu Xuan took her hand into his large palm, gently kneading it and feeling the softness of her fingers.
Dugu Yan suddenly asked. "What made you think of confessing to me just now?"
Gu Xuan smiled slightly, looking up at the night sky that had already turned dark, with only the faint glow of the soul tool lamps in the pavilion shining. He squeezed Dugu Yan's hand and lightly caught the scent of her hair, speaking slowly. "All the sweet talk from before was just my attitude of liking you. Actually, from the beginning, I didn't think I could really be with you. But after spending more than a month together, I realized that I truly have feelings for you. This feeling isn't just admiration for you, but love from the bottom of my heart."
"Some might think a month is very short, not nearly enough to truly understand each other. Perhaps that's true in a way, but when two people truly hit it off and like each other, why must they wait until they know everything about one another before they love? Why must they wait to meet at the summit?"
"Wanting to buy osmanthus flowers to carry wine, but it's never like the travels of youth. Ten thousand years is too long. If you want to love, seize this summer."
"I don't want to wait anymore. I want to be with you, to enjoy the impulse and passion between lovers. We can get to know each other while being together, and eventually fall deeply in love."
As Gu Xuan finished speaking, he paused for a few seconds, looking deeply into Dugu Yan's eyes, and spoke softly. "What do you think? Baby."
Dugu Yan felt an endless warmth and affection rise in her heart, hearing the first long part of his confession, but Gu Xuan's last word, 'Baby,' made her lose her composure. Because the nickname was just too sappy.
Dugu Yan rolled her eyes at Gu Xuan and replied. "Why are you so greasy? You stopped calling me sister, but you could just call me Yanzi. Why call me baby?"
As she spoke, Dugu Yan pouted and puffed out her chest. "I'm not a child anymore. Besides, I don't look like a baby, right? At the very least, I should be a mommy type."
'Ugh~' Hearing this, Gu Xuan was inwardly speechless. He hadn't expected the atmosphere of his heartfelt confession to be ruined by the word 'baby.' He thought the nickname would make her feel pampered, but he hadn't expected this girl to be so bold. She didn't want to be a baby; she wanted to be a mommy.
Gu Xuan couldn't help but glance at Dugu Yan's towering and majestic chest so close to him. He hadn't noticed before, but as she leaned against him, her emerald-green dress had become somewhat loose, revealing a large portion of snow-white skin right before his eyes.
This scale... it had to be said that people in the Douluo Continent truly developed fast. At seventeen, Dugu Yan already looked like a mature woman in her late twenties. If Gu Xuan hadn't had decent self-control, he would have blurted out, "Mommy, I'm hungry."
Being stared at like that, Dugu Yan instantly reacted. She shyly covered her chest to prevent any further exposure, rolled her eyes at Gu Xuan, and said. "Since you gave such an affectionate confession, then I, your sister, will take good care of you from now on."
Hearing this, and recalling her comment about being a 'mommy,' he felt he might have discovered a different way to unlock Dugu Yan. However, now was not the time for romance. To be honest, while he had developed feelings for her, he had never forgotten his goals.
It wasn't that he was deeply calculating, but if he didn't use every resource available to improve himself, then even if he loved Dugu Yan now, and even if they had children in the future, once people like Qian Renxue, Bibi Dong, or even the God King Tang San attained godhood, they could still crush him.
This world wasn't just for ordinary people; it was a world where martial power reigned supreme. It was the law of the jungle, and survival of the fittest. Strength was the only capital that mattered. Even when chasing girls, if you lacked strength, you would only be toyed with by others.
So Gu Xuan pressed his hand against Dugu Yan's lips. She was no less aggressive than him when it came to kissing; his lips were still slightly swollen. Besides, he hadn't reached the level of a lust-crazed demon. Although people developed early here, and he had already absorbed three soul rings, which promoted his growth, he didn't want to lose his vital yang too early.
Gu Xuan wasn't sure if he could hold back once he tasted that kind of pleasure. For now, he needed to maintain his Dao heart and focus his energy on cultivation rather than on Dugu Yan's body. After calming down, he already had his explanation ready. Gu Xuan said softly. "Yanzi, I've been researching your Martial Soul and the impact it has on you lately, and I've discovered a problem."
This time, Gu Xuan didn't call her baby, but went straight to 'Yanzi.' It was intimate without being too sappy, and it was something Dugu Yan could accept.
Dugu Yan's eyes lit up. The fact that her Martial Soul passed toxins down to her wasn't a secret, and she hadn't intended to hide anything because she had already come to terms with it. Hearing Gu Xuan say this, Dugu Yan couldn't help but feel moved. They had only been together for a month, yet Gu Xuan had been paying attention to her for so long.
She felt that Gu Xuan's love for her wasn't an impulsive heat-of-the-moment thing, but something deeply considered. Otherwise, why would he be so concerned about her situation? Giving her Whale Glue was one thing, but now he was concerned about her health. Truly, only someone who cared deeply could do this.
As for Gu Xuan, he had to care. Although there were interests mixed in, he was indeed more devoted to Dugu Yan than anyone else. "What problem?" Dugu Yan looked at Gu Xuan and asked blankly.
Gu Xuan didn't answer directly but said. "One piece of good news and one piece of bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"
After a pause, Dugu Yan asked. "The good news, then."
Gu Xuan continued. "The good news is—I can cure your poison."
Hearing this, Dugu Yan was stunned for a moment. Then, the smile on her beautiful face froze. She blinked, a suspicious expression appearing on her face. It was as if she were saying, 'What kind of joke is this? It's not funny at all.'
Gu Xuan released her hand, pinched her exquisite cheek, and said softly. "I'm not joking. I'm serious. I can cure your poison."
Dugu Yan knew Gu Xuan wouldn't joke about something like this. He wasn't a fool; this was her greatest pain. Since they had just officially started their relationship, it was impossible for Gu Xuan to joke about this. So there was only one possibility—was what Gu Xuan said true?
But how was that possible? He could cure her poison? Based on what? Just because he was from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan? Because he was the grandson of a Titled Douluo?
It wasn't that Dugu Yan didn't trust him. On the contrary, she trusted him 100%. But Dugu Yan still had her wits. Her grandfather, Dugu Bo, although known as the weakest Titled Douluo, was still a Titled Douluo. After all these years, the poison hadn't shown any sign of improvement. If even a Titled Douluo couldn't do anything about it, how could a young boy like him say he could cure it?
So it wasn't that Dugu Yan didn't want to believe him, but reality made it hard to believe, even coming from Gu Xuan. Upon hearing this, Dugu Yan even forgot to ask how Gu Xuan knew she was poisoned in the first place.
Although she was a little poison girl, the members of the Emperor Team only thought the poison was a feature of her Martial Soul. As the owner of the Martial Soul, how could Dugu Yan herself be poisoned?
Furthermore, this secret was the one thing the Dugu family least wanted the world to know; otherwise, wouldn't it become a weakness to be used against Dugu Bo? Now, because of Gu Xuan's single sentence, Dugu Yan almost forgot to wonder—how on earth could Gu Xuan know this?
The more she thought about it, the more terrifying it became...
(End of Chapter)
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