Love’s Obsession

Love's Obsession

"Limit-break pellets?" Qin Wentian examined the bottle in his hand, his astonishment evident in his voice. "Are these pellets truly capable of aiding someone in breaking through to the next level?"

"Indeed," Mo Qingcheng affirmed with a nod. "As long as your foundation is solid enough in the Yuanfu Realm, using these pellets should facilitate a breakthrough. I kept one for myself too, so with these pellets, we can reunite during the year-end ranking battle." A playful wink accompanied Mo Qingcheng's words, prompting a spark of excitement in Qin Wentian's eyes. He leaned closer to her, and she responded with a matching smile.

"Creating such a heaven-defying medicinal pill must have been no small feat. Your alchemical skills have certainly soared in these past few years. How did you spend your time during those years?" Qin Wentian leaned his forehead against hers, his gentle inquiry filling Mo Qingcheng's heart with warmth.

It was as if he could fathom the effort and struggles Mo Qingcheng had endured to reach her current level.

"Well, someone here is already a fourth-ranked Grandmaster, so how could I fall behind? I'm a fourth-ranked alchemist myself now. Strangely enough, after my Seven Apertures Mystical Heart awakened, my perception and intuition seemed to have amplified several times over, becoming exceptionally potent," Mo Qingcheng shared with a relaxed demeanor. "A fourth-ranked Grandmaster and a fourth-ranked alchemist—aren't we quite the compatible pair?"

As her words trailed off, Mo Qingcheng felt a subtle shift in the atmosphere. Qin Wentian's unwavering gaze, burning with passion, remained fixed on her, and his face... seemed to inch closer and closer toward hers.

"What?" Mo Qingcheng felt her heart quicken, a delicate flush spreading across her cheeks. What was with that intense look in his eyes? What was he planning to do?

Gradually, slowly, Qin Wentian closed the gap between them, until their foreheads were almost touching. The proximity caused Mo Qingcheng's heart to race even faster. What was this sensation? She had never felt so jittery before. What was that dumbo thinking?

With utmost care, she suddenly found herself enveloped in his embrace. Her heart threatened to leap out of her chest as his lips met hers in a firm kiss. Thus, a sweet kiss, reminiscent of that innocent girl from Chu, was seized by an audacious rogue.

When their lips finally parted after several breaths, Mo Qingcheng was left in stunned amazement. To her bewilderment, the rogue seemed insatiable. He only withdrew, momentarily, to glance at the stream, murmuring, "What a splendid view."

"......"

Mo Qingcheng shot him an indignant glare. The scenery? How despicably he changed the subject.

Weakly, Qin Wentian turned his head back, catching Mo Qingcheng's soul-stirring gaze. He mustered a sheepish grin. "Qingcheng, is something the matter?"

Mo Qingcheng playfully extended her hands, firmly pinching his hips. "Hmph."

"Qingcheng, I just didn't want you to call me a dumbo anymore," Qin Wentian attempted to explain, a hint of defensiveness in his tone. Mo Qingcheng couldn't help but chuckle, letting him off the hook. "So, what's your plan for compensating me then?"

"Erm…" Qin Wentian's face contorted in mild distress. "How… can I compensate you for that?"

"Dumbo," Mo Qingcheng's laughter rang out, her eyes sparkling with amusement. With a graceful gesture, she brushed her hair aside, every movement an embodiment of beauty and elegance that left one spellbound. In that moment, Qin Wentian found himself utterly captivated—Mo Qingcheng's hands now rested on his neck, and she leaned in to kiss him, surrendering herself to his villainous charms willingly.

Closing his eyes, Qin Wentian surrendered to the overwhelming wave of love they shared. The world around them seemed to fade as he held her close, their lips locked in an intimate connection, their hearts resonating with profound emotion.

Amid their racing heartbeats, they found themselves in a melody of love, each beat a testament to their passion.

After a while, their lips finally parted, and Mo Qingcheng blushed, her gaze flickering shyly toward Qin Wentian. Resting her head on his chest, she listened to the steady rhythm of his heart, finding solace in its comforting beat.

A radiant smile adorned Qin Wentian's face, the warmth he felt flowing into his heart immeasurable. All the challenges he had faced, every obstacle he had overcome, felt worthwhile in this moment.

As they watched the stream flow together, words were unnecessary—between them, their hearts spoke a language only they could understand.

Time slipped away, an hour feeling as fleeting as a mere moment. Reluctantly, Mo Qingcheng extracted herself from Qin Wentian's embrace, her eyes glistening with tears. A single teardrop traced her cheek, yet her smile spoke volumes of the love they shared.

"If only time could pause, leaving us in this beautiful moment forever. How splendid that would be," Mo Qingcheng sighed wistfully.

Her lament tugged at Qin Wentian's heart, a bittersweet ache taking root. Softly, he responded, "It's my fault. I'm not strong enough. I lack the power to keep you by my side."

Mo Qingcheng gently stood up, placing a finger against his lips. "You're forbidden from saying such things ever again."

"Alright, I won't say another word. But I promise you, I'll work tirelessly to become stronger. You mean everything to me." The glimmer of tears in Mo Qingcheng's eyes ignited an intense fire within Qin Wentian's heart, igniting a fierce determination to grow stronger.

"I believe you, I've always believed in you," Mo Qingcheng assured him, her smile radiant enough to make the surroundings pale in comparison.

"For the Heavenly Fate Rankings battle, you have to defeat Zhan Chen. Master vowed that if you defeat him, she won't interfere if I choose to be with you."

"I will," Qin Wentian affirmed, his determination unwavering. He grinned and added, "Zhan Chen aside, even if I had to face the entire Pill Emperor Hall, I wouldn't bat an eye."

"I'll be waiting for you," Mo Qingcheng said softly, rising to her feet and tugging on his hand. "I'll head back to the residence first, but you can stay here a bit longer. At least this way, even from the pavilion, I can still catch a glimpse of you. And don't worry, even if Master finds out, she won't make a fuss."

"I'll stay here then," Qin Wentian nodded. As Mo Qingcheng reluctantly let go of his hand and began to walk back, he couldn't help but feel a pang of bittersweet emotion.

Back when they were young, their bond had formed with a single word—Qingcheng playfully calling him a dumbo while they enjoyed the snowy scenery. From that innocent beginning, the seed of love had taken root in his heart.

With time, that seed had grown and flourished, transforming into a profound emotion that now held a tight grip on his heart.

He understood that Mo Qingcheng was etched into his heart, a presence that couldn't be erased.

Love was indeed a strange and captivating thing—an intricate blend of warmth and, at times, pain.

Sighing deeply, Qin Wentian shifted his focus. He remained seated, his heart consumed by an intensifying passion. The tears that had traced Mo Qingcheng's cheeks earlier had been brought on by his perceived inadequacy, a heavy feeling he couldn't ignore. He needed to become stronger, for his sake and for hers.

If he could reach the level of that old fogey, looking down disdainfully from the skies upon the world, then nothing would stand between him and being with Mo Qingcheng.

He closed his eyes, feeling that intense passion merge with his heart's resolve. It extended outward, enveloping his surroundings and stretching toward the horizon.

In his mind's eye, he 'saw' Mo Qingcheng returning to her pavilion, reclining on a couch with a contented smile as she gazed at his distant figure.

That smile only fueled his determination, intensifying the fiery obsession within him.

His perception grew keener, expanding in a fervent rush. The space around him, where his heart sense touched, gradually became clearer.

He witnessed the bustling servants within the Chen Clan estate, bearing the brunt of their masters' ire.

He observed a training ground where a Chen Clan member, a young lady, looked down haughtily upon a defeated opponent, belittling them with her words.

He witnessed the direct descendants of the clan, engrossed in their studies as they pored over innate technique manuals.

Strangely, this time, no one seemed to sense his probing gaze.

In the depths of his heart, the candle flame flickered and danced. As it burned, the world's enigmas unraveled before him, as if he could see through the essence of all living things.

He felt his heart sense connect to the world at large, driven by the passion he held. Unknowingly, he slipped into a state of profound enlightenment.

Such a state couldn't be actively pursued; countless people spent lifetimes without experiencing it.

Mo Qingcheng's exquisite beauty, the ongoing banquet's merriment, the diverse lives within the Chen Clan estate, the babbling stream, the whispering wind—they all converged within his heightened perception, each element resonating in a harmony only he could comprehend.

"What do the realms of cultivation truly signify?" Qin Wentian posed the question to himself. Through his heightened senses, he observed the myriad creatures, felt their rhythms, and listened to the world's heartbeat. Cultivation, he realized, was a natural progression—a path toward greater heights, in alignment with the universe's flow.

"And what of Mandates?" He asked himself again. It was the alignment of one's will with the world's external forces, breaking free of self-imposed limitations to forge a connection with greater forces. This was the essence of Mandates.

With this clarity, comprehending the second level of insights seemed less daunting.

The stream gurgled, its waters twisting as they defied gravity, forming a liquid pillar that rose upward in defiance of nature.

Even in its liquid form, the water flowed upward vertically, a testament to some strange force at play.

Qin Wentian rose to his feet, the water pillar growing taller under his influence.

"Force is omnipresent," he murmured to himself. With that, the pillar erupted, surging to the heavens like a geyser, before cascading back down with a resonant crash, resuming its course as a flowing stream.

He turned his gaze toward the pavilion, his eyes piercing the distance, locking onto Mo Qingcheng's gaze.

Mo Qingcheng blinked in surprise, her eyes widening at the sudden display. Her delight radiated in her voice, and her laughter seemed to weave a spell over the world itself.