Chapter 15 – Bonding Conversation

The days after their connection deepened were quiet, almost peaceful, but a restlessness still lingered within Xiao Xuan. He had always kept to himself, only ever relying on his immortality and the vast experience he had accumulated over countless lifetimes. But now, with Feng Qin by his side, there was a new sense of responsibility, a weight that he hadn't anticipated.

Xiao Xuan found himself lost in thought as they continued their journey, making their way through the forest that lay just beyond their makeshift camp. The silence between them had grown comfortable, yet a tension hung in the air—an unspoken understanding that something was changing, something bigger than either of them could predict.

Feng Qin, walking beside him, seemed to sense his inner turmoil. Her presence was steady, calm, as if nothing could disturb the peace she had cultivated through lifetimes of experience. But Xiao Xuan knew her well enough to recognize that she, too, carried burdens far heavier than anyone could imagine.

"Xiao Xuan," Feng Qin spoke, her voice breaking through his silent contemplation. "You're distant again. You've been quiet ever since our bond was forged. Is there something on your mind?"

Xiao Xuan's gaze shifted from the ground to the horizon. He could see the distant peaks of the mountains they were heading toward, their snow-capped tips glimmering in the soft light of the afternoon sun. His immortality had kept him at a distance from everything, including his emotions. He had built walls around himself—walls that were slowly beginning to crumble. But now, with Feng Qin by his side, those walls were no longer needed. And yet, they still loomed in his mind, reminders of the distance he had always kept.

"I'm not used to this," Xiao Xuan confessed, his voice low, almost hesitant. "Having someone... close. It's not something I've ever allowed myself. Not after everything I've seen, everything I've lost. And yet, with you, it feels... different."

Feng Qin's eyes softened, and she slowed her pace slightly to walk beside him. She understood. She had always understood. Her immortality, her Phoenix bloodline, had cursed her to live countless lives, each one marked by loss and the painful realization that those she loved would inevitably fade away. She knew the burden of immortality all too well.

"You've been alone for so long, Xiao Xuan," Feng Qin said quietly, her voice steady but filled with compassion. "I understand your hesitation. I have lived through many lifetimes, and each one has taught me the same painful lesson: no matter how strong you are, no matter how much you achieve, there will always be something missing. And that something is connection."

Xiao Xuan turned to her, his heart heavy with the weight of her words. "But what if that connection is just a lie? What if it's a fleeting thing that fades as quickly as it appears? What if we're fooling ourselves, thinking that we can create something lasting when the world itself is nothing but change?"

Feng Qin's expression didn't waver. "You've seen a world of change, yes. But you've also seen a world of possibility. You've lived long enough to understand that change is inevitable, but that doesn't mean we can't create something real, something that transcends time."

Her words struck a chord deep within him, echoing through the vast emptiness that had been his existence for so long. He had lived through endless cycles of life and death, watched countless people come and go. Immortality had always made him feel separate, set apart from the world he inhabited. But with Feng Qin, it felt like he was finally part of something larger, something that mattered.

"I've spent so long trying to avoid connections," Xiao Xuan said, his voice tinged with regret. "Afraid that they would only bring pain. That they would break, just like everything else. But now, with you... I don't know how to feel."

Feng Qin stopped walking, turning to face him fully. Her eyes were warm, filled with a deep understanding that made him feel as though she could see straight into his soul. She reached out, gently cupping his face in her hands.

"You don't need to have all the answers, Xiao Xuan," she said softly. "You don't have to understand everything right now. But know this: I will not leave you. I am not like the others you have known. I am not someone who will disappear when things get hard."

Xiao Xuan closed his eyes, feeling the weight of her touch and the promise behind her words. She wasn't like anyone he had ever known. She wasn't just another fleeting presence in his life, a passing moment of warmth before the cold returned. No, Feng Qin was different. She was a constant—something that could endure, something that could withstand the test of time.

"I don't want to be alone anymore," Xiao Xuan admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't want to keep running from the possibility of something real. But I'm scared, Feng Qin. I'm scared of what that might mean."

Feng Qin smiled gently, her fingers brushing against his cheek. "Fear is natural. But it doesn't have to control us. You are not alone in this, Xiao Xuan. Not anymore."

Her words resonated within him, the weight of them sinking deep into his heart. For the first time in his long existence, Xiao Xuan felt a sense of peace—a calmness that came from knowing he wasn't alone. He wasn't just an immortal wandering through the ages, adrift in a sea of time. He had someone by his side, someone who understood him in ways that no one else could.

"I can't promise that this will be easy," Feng Qin continued, her voice steady and reassuring. "Life will always throw challenges our way. But what I can promise you is that, no matter what, we will face them together. You have me, and I have you. And together, we can build something more than just power. We can build a legacy."

Xiao Xuan met her gaze, his heart swelling with emotion. For the first time in years, he allowed himself to hope—to believe that something good could come from his immortality, something beyond endless cycles of loss and loneliness.

"Together," he repeated softly, a small smile forming on his lips. "We can build something."

Feng Qin nodded, her eyes filled with determination. "Together, we will create something that will last beyond our lifetimes. Something that will endure."

The weight of her words settled within him, and for the first time, Xiao Xuan understood. He didn't need to have all the answers. He didn't need to know exactly what the future held. What mattered was that they were together—that, no matter what came, they would face it side by side.

And with that realization, something shifted within him. He was no longer alone. He no longer had to face the endless expanse of immortality by himself. He had found someone who would stand with him, no matter the cost. And that, more than anything else, was worth fighting for.