Swing the sword at the future female devil

Chapter 435 A Mortal Encounter with Xiao Xie
"Master, my mind is made up. Let me examine my own heart."

Hesitation will only bring more and more harm. Perhaps in my original timeline, I also determined my heart in a similar way, which is why I chose to be with Qiuqiu for life.

As for who he will choose now, he himself does not know.

The cave entrance was deep and dark, like the maw of a giant beast ready to devour its prey, awaiting the next sacrifice of its "true self." Duan Huaige stood before the cliff, cold rocks beneath his feet, an unfathomable abyss before him, and the images of the four girls in his heart now intertwined into an even more enigmatic play of light and shadow.

Once this step is taken, there is no turning back.

Duan Huaige took a deep breath and stepped into the misty abyss. Instead of the expected feeling of weightlessness, Duan Huaige felt as if he had stepped into a ball of cotton. His whole body and mind were relaxed, all his complicated and chaotic emotions calmed down, and his mind was as still as a deep well.

At the same time, the magic treasure Cang Sheng Mirror in Duan Huaige's storage space suddenly lit up with a faint light—this was the treasure of the Dao of Cause and Effect that he obtained when he did Xie Cangling's mission, but because he obtained the Dao of Cause and Effect somewhat late, he had never paid attention to it.

The faint light of the Mirror of All Beings and the countless threads in the Cliff of Inquiry into the Mortal World slowly merged. These threads of cause and effect intertwined and formed a radiant cocoon. Inside the cocoon, Duan Huaige fell into a deep sleep, as if he were having a beautiful dream that belonged only to him.

Seeing Duan Huaige step into the Mortal World's Questioning Cliff, Taiqing's lips curled into a cruel smile. The black threads of cause and effect slowly coiled around his fingertips, then swept towards the clouds.
When Duan Huaige opened his eyes, he was still somewhat dazed. The scent of a girl, a faint fragrance of soap and the warmth of sunshine, lingered around him. The morning light outside the window filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a soft, pale golden hue over the room.

He turned his head and could see Xie Cangling's face so close to his.

Her long hair was spread out on the pillow, a few strands playfully draped over her smooth shoulders, and the straps of her silk nightgown had slipped down, revealing large expanses of delicate, porcelain-like skin. Her beautiful eyes, which usually carried a hint of timidity and evasiveness, were now filled with a gentle smile and complete dependence as she gazed intently at him.

Without the hustle and bustle of the outside world, without social occasions that required her to put on a brave face, in this private space that belonged only to the two of them, she was like a dodder flower that bloomed only for Duan Huaige, giving back without reservation.

"Brother Huaige, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" Her voice was soft and gentle, with a lazy, hoarse quality from just waking up, like a feather brushing against my heart.

The inexplicable sense of disorientation in Duan Huaige's heart was instantly enveloped and melted by this ultimate tenderness. He remembered, this was his life—his perfect life after marrying Xiao Xie.

"Oh, it's nothing." Duan Huaige reached out and habitually hooked the slipped shoulder strap of her nightgown back into place. His fingertips inadvertently touched her warm skin, causing Xie Cangling's face to flush red, but her eyes looked at him even more brightly.

He sighed contentedly, lay back down, and sank into the soft pillow. "It's just that I suddenly feel... like I've been living off a lot of women?"

Socially awkward Xie poured all his courage and energy into loving Duan Huaige. He didn't need to struggle, nor face the storms of the outside world, because Xie Cangling would use her slender yet firm arms to create a constant, warm harbor for him, filled only with sweetness and encouragement. If he casually mentioned wanting something to eat, she would immediately learn to make it; if he had any doubts about his cultivation, she would be even more anxious than him, comforting him in all sorts of clumsy yet adorable ways, gathering resources for him, and seeking out renowned teachers, secret manuals, and rare books; if he played games all night, she would quietly read beside him, occasionally handing him a warm glass of milk…

This all-encompassing, thorough care and tolerance is like the softest swamp, making people willingly sink into it, give up struggling, and only want to lie down peacefully forever.

However, the fleeting, immense emptiness that swept through me when I woke up this morning, along with that strange, otherworldly feeling, subtly stung this perfect facade.

Xie Cangling immediately sat up, the neckline of her silk pajamas slightly open, but she was completely unaware. She simply opened her clear eyes wide and retorted with utmost seriousness:

"Having you by my side is the most important thing to me. Seeing you happy makes me happy. You don't need to do anything earth-shattering; just being with me like this, letting me take care of you, is the happiest life for me!"

Duan Huaige's heart skipped a beat. He pulled the girl into his arms, thinking to himself that he might be out of his mind. With such a perfect girlfriend, what more could he ask for?
"It's nothing, I'm probably just too tired lately."

"Really? Then Brother Huaige, I'll do it in a bit." Xiao Xie blinked obediently, then slowly shrank back into the blanket. Before long, a small bulge appeared under Duan Huaige's blanket.
Cangling, you...you've really put me in a difficult position. Is this really in accordance with the etiquette between best friends?
Huh? What's this "best friend etiquette"?
Duan Huaige froze on the spot, several important names and pretty faces, both charming and adorable, flashing through her mind.
"Cangling, wait a minute. Haven't we seen Xiao Jiang in a long time? How is she now?"

Xiao Xie's chick-pecking motions froze. She slowly crawled out of bed, grabbed a tissue from the bedside table to wipe her mouth, and blinked innocently, asking, "Xiao Jiang? Which Xiao Jiang?"

"You mean...the one who used to be your best friend?"

"Oh, you mean Xiyu? I don't know her either. After the spiritual energy revival, she took the entrance exam for the spiritual energy university, but she and we didn't get into the same university. We gradually lost contact after that."

"But that doesn't matter. Anyway, you said she was just a childhood friend, right?"

A childhood friend? Is that how I describe Xiao Jiang? Duan Huaige's head was buzzing, and he shook his head violently, saying, "No, impossible, I could never think that way. Xiao Jiang is a very important person to me, and even if I'm with you, I could never forget her."

"Brother Huaige, are you... planning to abandon me?" Xie Cangling's smile froze instantly. The complete dependence and happiness in her eyes receded like the tide, replaced by an empty confusion.

"Isn't it good to be with me? Let the past be the past. It's more important for us to live a good life together than anything else, isn't it?"

Her tearful appearance did not make Duan Huaige feel sorry for her; instead, it made him feel a little scared. He sat up abruptly, wanting to question her and wanting to escape! But the scene around him—the warm bedroom, the soft morning light, the soft bed beneath him—began to distort and ripple violently, like water with a stone thrown in!
(End of this chapter)