Chapter 14 – Her Shock, Vows, and Healing

The quiet after their bond was formed felt surreal, as though the world itself had paused to acknowledge the change between them. Xiao Xuan stood still, his mind swirling with questions, while Feng Qin stepped back slightly, her expression unreadable for a moment. The air between them crackled with the energy they had shared, the deep connection they had forged.

Xiao Xuan couldn't help but wonder what he had just agreed to, what this bond meant. His immortality had always kept him at a distance from others, but now, with Feng Qin, that distance seemed to shrink. They were no longer separate beings—at least, not in the same way as before. There was an undeniable thread tying them together, something deep and profound. But what did it mean for their future?

Feng Qin's voice broke through his thoughts, her words soft but firm. "You're still confused, aren't you?" she asked.

Xiao Xuan blinked, shaking his head as if to clear the fog that had settled there. "I… I don't know what to think. I don't know what this is, what this means."

Feng Qin smiled faintly, and there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. "You've never known true connection, have you?" she asked, her tone almost contemplative. "That's why you resist it. You've lived for so long, always alone, always apart from the world and the people around you."

Xiao Xuan's heart tightened at her words. It wasn't just a physical truth; it was an emotional one. He had lived alone for centuries, disconnected from everything and everyone, hiding behind the shield of immortality. The idea of forming any real connection had always seemed dangerous to him. But with Feng Qin, it felt different. It didn't feel like a curse or a burden. It felt… necessary.

"You don't have to be afraid of it," Feng Qin continued, stepping closer to him again, her hand reaching out as if to reassure him. "This bond doesn't make you weaker. It makes you stronger. You will never be alone again. Not while I am by your side."

Her words hit him hard, but not in a way that made him feel trapped. It wasn't a shackle; it was a lifeline. For the first time in his long existence, Xiao Xuan felt as though he didn't have to carry the weight of immortality on his own shoulders. Feng Qin was right. He didn't have to be alone anymore.

Xiao Xuan took a deep breath, feeling the remnants of her energy still vibrating through him. He wasn't sure how to process it all, but he could feel her presence in his soul—like an anchor, a tether to something real, something tangible. Something he could finally understand.

"I don't know what this will lead to," he said slowly, his voice quiet but resolute. "But I know one thing. I don't want to run anymore. I don't want to be alone anymore."

Feng Qin's eyes softened, and she placed her hand on his chest, just above his heart. "You're not alone, Xiao Xuan. Not anymore." Her voice was filled with an unspoken promise, a vow that resonated deeply within him. "I will stay by your side, no matter what happens."

Xiao Xuan looked down at her hand, feeling the warmth of her touch seep into him, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he allowed himself to believe that there could be something beyond the cold loneliness of immortality.

"I don't know if I can ever fully understand what you've given me," he admitted, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "But I promise you this: I will not let you face this world alone. Whatever happens, I will be by your side too."

Feng Qin's smile deepened, and a flicker of something like relief crossed her features. "Then we are truly bound," she whispered. "Our fates are intertwined, Xiao Xuan. This is just the beginning."

For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The connection between them was now tangible, a thread of shared energy that seemed to pulse in time with their hearts. The world around them felt far away, distant, as if it no longer mattered. It was just the two of them—immortal, bound together, ready to face whatever came next.

Feng Qin's quiet gaze shifted as she looked away, focusing on the horizon. The peace between them felt fragile, but it was still there, strong enough to calm the storm brewing in Xiao Xuan's mind. He had lived so long without any real ties to others. And now, in an instant, he had found someone who understood him—someone who didn't see his immortality as a curse, but as a gift.

The weight of this realization settled upon him, but instead of feeling burdened, he felt free. For the first time in centuries, Xiao Xuan allowed himself to hope. He could build something with Feng Qin. Something eternal. They could create the family he had always dreamed of, the one he had always thought was impossible for someone like him.

Feng Qin turned back to him, sensing the change in his demeanor. She stepped closer, her presence almost tangible as it enveloped him. "You're thinking too much," she said softly, her hand brushing a strand of hair from his face. "We don't need to have all the answers right now. What matters is that we have each other, and we have time. Together, we will shape our destiny."

Her words settled over him like a blanket, soothing the turmoil in his heart. Time. That was something he had never truly understood. He had always thought of time as an endless stretch—something that separated him from the rest of the world. But now, with Feng Qin by his side, time felt more like a gift. They had all the time in the world. Together.

Xiao Xuan reached out, his fingers brushing against hers. "Then we'll use that time wisely," he said, his voice steady. "We'll build something that lasts. Something immortal."

Feng Qin smiled at him, her eyes filled with a depth of emotion that matched his own. "Yes," she said quietly. "Together."

And in that moment, as they stood beneath the stars, Xiao Xuan knew that this bond—this connection with Feng Qin—was the beginning of something far greater than he had ever imagined. They were no longer just two immortals wandering through the world. They were partners, bound together by fate, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Together, they would create an immortal family. A family that would last through the ages, unbroken and unyielding.